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door · 1 year

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Knives Out Reference Guide

hello it’s your friendly neighborhood obsessive murder mystery fan here. the knives out films are delightful for a number of reasons, one of which is that rian johnson is a huuuuuge movie nerd and loves to include references and hat tips in his films. i have had great fun recognizing those references, so here is a little guide! some of this is based on things johnson has said and some of it on my own observations. i’ll indicate which is which for the purists.

first off, if you’re not interested in having these pointed out to you but want a viewing list, here it is! i’ll put everything else under a cut (which will have glass onion spoilers, so beware). these are great movies for knives out reasons but also for normal film reasons, and i highly recommend them.

Sleuth (1972) Death on the Nile (1978) The Last of Sheila (1973) Evil Under the Sun (1982)

First off: Benoit Blanc himself.

Blanc is very clearly meant to be an homage to gentlemen sleuths of the past, and Johnson even gives us a clue as to which gentleman sleuth he was thinking of with Blanc, with his Southern gentleman amidst the Northerners aping Hercule Poirot’s Belgian-amongst-the-Brits. Johnson has also said that Peter Ustinov is his favourite portrayer of Poirot (fun fact: he was also Agatha Christie’s!--not that she lived to see David Suchet take on the role), and personally I think having Blanc direct the questioning from the piano in Knives Out was an echo of Poirot at the piano in a similar scene in Death on the Nile.

That said, I think there’s a lot of Miss Marple (and Jessica Fletcher, who is herself a modern Miss Marple) in Blanc. The way he has a tendency to observe while deputizing a younger assistant to do the actual snooping for him is very Jane Marple. And he weaponizes the lil-ol’-me Southern gentleman act in much the way Marple made use of the assumptions people in her day and age had about retiring spinsters.

now let’s get into the FILMS. the first one is easy, because it’s really just Sleuth. (1972. i cannot stress this enough--Sleuth 1972.) it does not share a plot, but Knives Out is clearly paying a lot of tribute. Sleuth is a film in which two men, one older and richer and laurence olivier and the other younger and poorer and michael caine, attempt to outwit one another in order to win the woman they both love but who we never see (and yes it’s very very homoerotic). (fun fact: Sleuth was originally a play by Anthony Schaffer--who also wrote the screenplay for Death on the Nile!--who based the elder character in part on Stephen Sondheim, who loved to play games.) it’s set entirely inside the rambling manor house belonging to olivier’s character, a mystery writer, and it’s full of figurines and automatons, and otherwise weird old shit. you seeing how this lines up?

there’s even a very direct tribute in the form of the sailor you see almost immediately in the film.

however, aside from the setting and the blueprint for harlan’s character, there aren’t a lot of similarities between Knives Out and Sleuth. Knives Out is much more a play on general mystery tropes than it is a specific mystery movie.

Glass Onion is very much the opposite.

(FROM THIS POINT ON, GLASS ONION SPOILERS ABOUND)

Glass Onion is playing very deliberately on The Last of Sheila. The Last of Sheila (written by Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim name a more iconic duo i’ll wait) is about a wealthy and powerful man who invites a group of old friends onto his yacht (”Sheila”) in order to play a series of games (i see u Stephen) and perhaps solve a mystery? (the mystery is who killed his wife, Sheila.) The friends all come in spite of misgivings because they all need something from their host.

Glass Onion is about a wealthy and powerful man who invites a group of old friends onto his private island in order to play a game and solve a mystery (the mystery is who “killed” him). the friends all come in spite of misgivings because they all need something from their host.

so you see what’s he’s done there.

it’s a very loving tribute, and johnson has put his own distinctive spin on it, both with the addition of a detective who nobody expected to be there, as well as the inexperienced assistant whom he’s deputized. but unlike your typical watson and very like marta’s character in Knives Out, helen in Glass Onion has a huge personal stake in solving the mystery. also, of course, Miles is a very specific, recognizable piece of shit.

but door, you might be saying, because you have very closely read this post for some reason, what about Evil Under the Sun? oh, i am so glad you asked!

Evil Under the Sun is another Ustinov Poirot mystery, set in a resort on a private island. The trappings of Glass Onion owe much to it, from the luxury getaway setting (complete with swim fits), to the opportunity to have your characters dress for cocktails, to the “hourly dong” (based on Evil’s “hourly gun”). oh, and i know this was deliberate:

so! that’s what i’ve got! if you noticed other things i missed (i’ve only seen Glass Onion once at this point), please let me know!

#here it is ashleigh!#enjoy!#knives out #glass onion #glass onion spoilers #murder mysteries #rian johnson be my penpal challenge

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pandorasword · 1 year

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idea: chaeri taking hongjoong to a gp cause he barely even knows what f1 is

Chaeri as the 8th and youngest member of BTS.

Chaeri's masterlist

requests are open (even if it takes a while) Hi! Thanks for the request, sorry for being so late lol. Hope you enjoy ♡

blue sentences are spoken in french, green ones in english

Checkered Flag for Love 🏁

September/October, 2022

A week before 🏁

჻ Chaeri was exhausted. Her latest group activities with BTS and her first solo ones were making her schedule so full that she barely had time for herself

჻ In the 48 hours before landing back in Korea she could count having slept a total of 3 1/2 hours

჻ Paparazzi and fans were outside and inside the airport as always to greet her and welcome her back home.

჻ She chose not to take off her sunglasses and mask as her usual but simply waved as she tried to get out of the chaos surrounding her as soon as possible

჻ She just wanted to get into the big dark-windowed car where Hongjoong was waiting for her

჻ As she entered the car she found her boyfriend's arms holding her.

჻ The photographers' flashes lighted up the dim vehicle interior until her bodyguard closed the door, dividing them from the world outside

჻ "So tired, aren't you?"

჻ Hongjoong, with whom Chaeri had kept in touch as much as possible during her busy agenda, knew that the last few weeks had been tough for her, but those last two days especially

჻ Chaeri took off her glasses and mask, nodded and let him lay her head on his shoulder

჻ "Rest, I will wake you up when we get there."

჻ Whenever Chaeri spends nights at Ateez dorm, Seonghwa moves to Yunho and San's room, for obvious reasons

჻ It may have been the jet lag, exhaustion, almost 48 hours without closing her eyes, but as Hongjoong told her to get into bed, she slept for an endless time

჻ So long that the boy kept going up to her from time to time to ask her if she was hungry or needed anything else

჻ Chaeri walked out of the room, still in her night clothes and with hair that had lost its straightening, appearing wavy

჻ "What day is it?"

჻ Yunho and San couldn't hold back a laugh, having to take a long sip of water to down the fried chicken they were eating without choking on it

჻ "Don't people usually ask what time it is as soon as they wake up?"

჻ "So funny early in the morning, San-ah."

჻ "It's actually 4 pm, and it's Sunday."

჻ It took her several seconds and a stolen chicken wing from the carton of the boys in front of her to process what they had told her

჻ "It's Sunday?!"

჻ "Yes, wh-"

჻ Biting into some of the fowl in her hands she was quick to grab the remote control laid on the table and change the channel

჻ "I was watching the show!"

჻ "You're right, you're right. Sorry, I'll make it up to you, but we can't miss the grand prix."

჻ "It's not fair, they should all start from the same spot."

჻ "There was qualifying yesterday, the driver who sets the fastest lap time in it starts in pole position, which is the front of the grid. The other drivers line up behind him, in order of their qualifying times. So it's only fair that they are in different position."

჻ The more time passed, the more the two boys beside her seemed to be drawn to the sport

჻ Just as Leclerc's red Ferrari was overtaken by Perez, Hongjoong and Seonghwa made their way into the living room

჻ "Fuck!"

჻ "Good morning to you too, hon."

჻ Joong lowered himself toward her to stamp a kiss on her lips

჻ "Redbull just passed Ferrari," she said, to justify her frown. "and it means that redbull is going to win, again"

჻ "Wait, are we talking about the drink?"

჻ Chaeri glanced at him with an unreadable expression, at which Yunho cut in

჻ "Redbull is the racing car team that competes in formula one, and Ferrari is more or less its rival. And Chaeri-"

჻ Chaeri interrupted him, "And we cheer Ferrari because the driver is my friend" "Have you really never seen a race?"

჻ "Never"

჻ Chaeri clicked the tongue against her palate, bringing her eyes back to the television " Pretty disappointing."

჻ "I can't believe I agreed to this. I had so much work to finish this weekend."

჻ "You're the best, I'm sure you can finish it in half the time."

჻ "You are flattering me"

჻ "Babe, we had a problem to solve."

჻ "A problem?!"

჻ "Do you really think I was still going to put up with the fact that my boyfriend has never seen a formula one race?"

჻ "Yeah, I mean, I can understand that. Gosh, actually, I can understand it if you're the one to say it but… we could have seen it on TV instead of flying to Singapore so suddenly"

჻ "It will be worth it, I promise."

჻ It had been a while since Chaeri was seen in person at a formula one event.

჻ Following her impact during the grand prix opening a few years earlier, Chaeri's face was now easily associated with the motorsport

჻ Journalists and paparazzi were delighted to capture her hand-in-hand with her new boyfriend strolling along the paddock, badges dangling around their neck and outfits that stood out from the rest of the guests there

჻ No one knew they would be there, as it was such a sudden departure

჻ No one except two of the closest friends Chaeri had managed to make in those years: Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc

჻ Pierre and Charles were inseparable so, when she became friends with Pierre, it was inevitable not to establish a bond with the ferrari driver as well

჻ It was with the Frenchman that she first came across, in the paddock.

჻ The boy spread his arms wide to greet her, a hug she did not shy away from

჻ "So nice to see you again," in his perfect French accent, the boy took a few seconds before noticing Hongjoong's presence a step away from them

჻ "Same here. Please speak English so I can introduce you to my boyfriend" "Hongjoong, Pierre. Pierre, Hongjoong."

჻ Joong extended his hand to introduce himself, a smile dying shortly after he got a better look at his face

჻ "Are you introducing me to your past affair?!" The ATEEZ captain's eyes seemed to be about to pop out of their sockets, voluntarily dismissing the idea of speaking in English

჻ Joong remembered vividly the video leaked on the articles of all the Korean news magazines of her dancing with Pierre at a club years before

჻ Chaeri could not hold back a laugh "Babe, he is only ever been a friend."

჻ Hongjoong had no choice but to be dramatic (in a non-serious way) to give her a hard time until the race began and they were escorted to see it in a preferential spot

჻ As the cars prepared for the start, Chaeri explained to Hongjoong the importance of the start and how the drivers had to try to avoid getting stuck in traffic.

჻ "It's like the start of a marathon," explained Chaeri, "You don't want to fall behind or you'll be forced to do everything possible to catch up."

჻ "It's incredible how these drivers can maintain control of the car at those speeds"

჻ "Yes, and then there are the team strategies, like the choice of pit stops, that can make all the difference."

჻ As the race reached its climax. Leclerc and Perez were neck and neck, fighting for the top position. The girl couldn't help but feel her heart racing with excitement. "I can't believe how close it is"

჻ "It's so intense. I never knew watching a race could be so exciting." and he was really amazed by that

჻ As the final lap approached, the tension grew even higher. Chaeri and Hongjoong could both feel the adrenaline pumping through their veins. Finally, the race came to an end, and the winner was announced: Redbull

჻ While Chaeri was a bit disappointed by another second-place result from Charles, Hongjoong who had simply enjoyed the race without having matured any preferences yet felt the need to release the adrenaline built up during the race

჻ "That was fucking beautiful" He took her face in his hands to give her kiss that had nothing gentle in it

჻ It cannot be said that that race was a checkered flag for her favorite team, but it was definitely a checkered flag for her love

taglist: @alixnsuperstxr

#bts 8th member #bts female addition #ateez imagines #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #bts imagines #bts x reader #bts female member #kpop female member

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34saveme34 · 1 month

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Why I don't like TV adware in Clench

So, I mentioned my distaste with that theory before, although I didn't go into nuance. After thinking about it enough, I don't hate the idea of Evil Clench, I hate the idea that it's connected THAT heavily to the Adware.

Imagine this, the worst case scenario: We had so many 3 appearances it made a lot of people bored with him (I think it has to do with the fact that the WOTFI 23 segment also had him quite strongly so 2 story parts right after each other having the same character can get really tiring)

so. Imagine, with all the episodes we got with 3, SO much focus on him. And then. It's all Tari, because last moment actually they pull a silly stupid shit on us and we thought it was gonna be 3 then BAM so it's actually Tari, are you happy? Are you happy? With so many episodes going to waste so that you can have TV adware in her arm?

I think this would be like grade S+++ shit writing. The fuck would you do that shit for?

IF it's also Tari focused, and not just 3- again- why did she not appear more? Clench should've been introduced earlier than. The episode could easily have fit in earlier. It COULD'VE been the episode right after WOTFI 23 and it would've WORKED. Like as they did with Niles. Niles also didn't appear for 2 episodes or something and immediately turned "evil" (more so showing his angsty obsession but yknow, I have a hard time calling characters evil in general because it's such a weird word), like they gave him TIME. If Clench was meant to mean THAT much for the current thing, then man, they did a bad job.

I think the only acceptable idea is that he might have a tiny role in this OR the more acceptable idea is that we have 2 things going on at the same time and we'll see Tari unfold later. I think that would be so much more satisfying, regardless of what they do with Clench. Like ESPECIALLY how am I supposed to feel shocked, surprised or satified with the idea that the character I've barely even seen and didn't get the time to get attached to just turning out evil? It's cheap as hell. It would be one of those writing decisions I would forever shit on. Not even a child would write something that stupid.

Other solution is that they don't keep the 14 official episode format and we'll actually have to wait more as we get Tari focused episodes. Over and OVER again. It wouldn't be the worst thing but you would definitely get even more people angry that they keep drawing on the Adware storyline. If they did this, it would feel like they abandoned the 3 depression in the last moment because they got scared of people calling it boring. It would suck.

The best thing would be if they introduced Clench for something different for later and he didn't have anything to do with Adware or at best showing up in a minor role. Him having a major role RIGHT NOW would be AN AWFUL writing decision.

or it could be the next and hopefully last segment with the Adware and she would achieve the ending for us after we have the thing with 3

while it would make the storyline longer AT LEAST 3's sadness wouldn't be abandoned and we'd see him one more time before actually killing him. Perhaps the last part could finally have him around more, maybe more of the logo's appearance, in general just more of him trying to do shit because he's getting desparate so he's doing everything to have at least one true success of breaking someone. NOW that would be interesting And depressing AND it would probably again have the...... arc ender wotfi....... uough

#smg4

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a-dumb-sarcastic-bisexual · 1 year

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Alright, okay, hear me out

The turtles with cloaking broaches

Go WILD

I just want to start off by saying sorry (this is so late... like over 20 days late)

I feel like Donnie would immediately enroll in college

Mans has been waiting for this day for years and nothing can stop him

Mikey would try and get his art out there

He’s been running an art account since Donnie made him a drawing tablet when he was 5

(Raph the account to make sure he wasn’t posting anything too revealing and showered every single post with praise) (Leo wrote all his captions to make sure it didn’t sound like a 5-year-old wrote them) (and Donnie deletes every single negative comment before Mikey could read them)

He’s grown a mighty fanbase that has followed him from just about any social media you can name (he tends to leave an app when it gets too toxic)

And after 6 months of getting his cloaking broach, he announces that he has an art gallery (that Donnie fully funded of course)

(can this actually happen? I have no fucking clue but I like to pretend it could)

Raph and April start restoring all of Splinter’s old dojos

They slowly but surely start to pass down all of the important stuff Splinter has taught them

And it becomes the most popular dojo chain in New York

I like to think Leo would just live his life

He didn’t do anything with the broach the first year he had it

He didn’t even touch it

But with Splinter’s amazing intuition (and Donnie hacking Leo’s phone and looking at his Pinterest) the whole family discovered Leo’s bucket list

One day the family confronted him and asked why he never left?

I mean come on he owns swords that could take him to any corner of the globe and he’s got a bucket list the length of the Nile

and he essentially says that he’s terrified

He wants to leave but he also doesn’t want to miss out on the important moments

Splinter is getting older and he doesn’t want to take the little moments for granted

He can get home the moment he finds out Donnie is graduating or Mikey is opening a second gallery but he won’t be there for the little things

Like the group finding the people they want to spend the rest of their lives with (romantic or platonic he doesn’t care) or when they move into their forever homes

And he’s not going to see their reactions when the big news arrives

He might get a call or got forbid a text

but he knows for a fact that someday he won’t be the first person his family calls when they get exciting news because he’ll be in a completely different time zone

and that’s mortifying

And Splinter sits him down and essentially tells him “I would rather you love me from the farthest place you can imagine than have you slowly start to resent me for not being able to live your life”

Now don’t get me wrong those words weren’t a cure-all but they did ease some of his very obvious worries

He does slowly start to travel more and more

And eventually, he spends days and weeks away from home

and he misses some big and small moments but it doesn’t affect him as much as he thought it would

because there are moments that Donnie Mikey Raph and April missed and they were living within five minutes of each other at the time

and he’s weirdly okay with that

#rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rise of teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt leo #rottmnt raph #rottmnt mikey #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt april #Leo's rant was weirdly therapeutic #I've been having these thoughts even since I started middle school #yes that's right middle school #and this is the first time I've written it all down

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icebluecyanide · 7 days

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Alex Rider S03E07 Reaction

My unspoiled reactions to the episode, books spoilers do apply, etc etc. Only two episodes left!

Liveblog

Lots of John/Yassen in the ‘previously’ I’m 👀👀

Really not a fan of Mrs Jones being so much softer in the TV show tbh

Ayyy Alex getting arrested \o/ CONSEQUENCES

‘Take those off him!’ no!!!! Stop being nice to him!!! Only five minutes with handcuffs on 😭 At least put him in a cell for the night or something 😭

The show is not mean enough to Alex 😭

Awww Yassen is worried about Alex being captured!!

“Have you actually done anything worth going to prison for?” I mean attempted murder is a crime actually!!! Joining a terrorist organisation, there’s that time he inadvertently helped Yassen murder someone in Malta, can we *please* at least treat this seriously 😭😭

What is the point of the whole body bag and fake autopsy if they are then going to let Alex go home 😭

I’m sorry but this part is so much better in the book and I’m really struggling and I just bet Alex is going to investigate the Scorpia thing with only his friends for backup or something stupid

“No it’s not okay. And we all know it, so let’s stop pretending” THANK YOU KYRA

Mrs Jones being the one to suggest that they have an agent (Alex) in place 👀

“Everyone breaks into houses” lmao Kyra

But also I love that Kyra really did worry that Alex was the one who killed that man and it was part of why she was more worried they couldn’t get Alex back.

“No, not use him” says the person already claiming to have an agent in place without consulting with Alex 🙄

“Your little protégé” 🥺🥺 Yassen just completely ignoring Nile’s jabs at him and Alex ahsldfhs

“He’s an asset, we need him back” Oh Yassen really doesn’t know they meant to kill Alex :((( He’s upset :((

“About your friend. John Rider” omg Yassen didn’t know!!

Omg is that a picture of John with baby Alex half hidden there??

“Be a good agent, or be a good father. He chose you” 😭😭

“Like someone should be paying me more” “I hear that Scorpia pay really well” ahsdflhsfh JOHN

“Your father was a hero” 😭

“They both were” wait who?

“John never deceived me or played me” 🥺

“It’s quite mad, Julia” lmao Yassen I am so scared for your wellbeing but also good on you

“I know my place” what does that mean????

“I need to know that you’re your father’s son” !!!!! oh I am loving this

“I’m coming home, I promise” oh he’s getting so shot

Overall

Really struggling through the first half of the episode there, what with everyone refusing to make a big deal of Alex joining Scorpia, but the second half really saved it and I absolutely adored the story of the bridge and the flashbacks and the fact that Yassen got told the same story as Alex. Loved Alex deciding to help and his conversations with Blunt.

Thoughts/Predictions

Okay just to get a little bit of ranting out of the way, but I cannot deal with everyone immediately being nice to Alex. Like yeah very sad that he’s sad and angsty but can we please at least lock him up for a bit? Why are you letting him go home when you try to make it look like he succeeded, what kind of foolish plan is that?? You’re lucky Yassen actually did take the surveillance off Jack because frankly if I were Yassen I would not have. Half the characters in this episode were absolutely ridiculous and it made me want to scream. I only trust Blunt and Yassen at this point and maybe Alex, who at least thought he was going to prison.

On the plus side, I was so delighted by the confirmation that Yassen didn’t know about any of the secrets, that he didn’t know about Julia’s plan for Alex (and simply never asked) and that he never knew the truth about John either. And gosh that bit he said about how John never played or deceived him, because yeah, I don’t imagine he did. Yassen was never high up enough to play or get info from, but John looked out for him and saved his life. He cared about baby assassin Yassen. Love Yassen being sincere to Alex about John being his friend and wanting him to join Scorpia because he believes Alex can make a good killer and not knowing they want to kill him, it makes for a better story imo.

I really enjoyed Blunt this episode (as in most eps honestly), I liked how he was already planning ahead with the body bag even if Mrs Jones was the one to suggest Alex going in. His scenes with Alex were some of my favourites in the book and the scene on the bridge was just as good as I imagined based on the behind the scenes footage we got ages ago. Love how Blunt managed to make the flashbacks appear before their eyes simply by talking about it, very impressive.

John’s actor is still such a mixed bag for me, but I like how posh he sounds and any scene where his hair looks more light brown/blonde he immediately becomes more like how I imagined John. I hope we might at least get one scene with Alex’s mother, but I’m not holding too much hope. Has she even been named yet? Aside from the grave, I mean. Loved the bit about John having to choose between being a good agent and a good father and picking Alex though.

Also gosh what was Julia thinking, telling Yassen the story about John? I imagine maybe she wanted him to stop getting hung up on wanting to rescue Alex (which I LOVE, he’s very impersonal about it but he clearly cares about Alex and worries about him), but it seemed to have backfired on her, what with him now thinking she’s taking it all too person. Where will this lead? I hope perhaps we will see Yassen choosing Alex over Scorpia, especially once he sees Alex again and he knows Alex will die if he’s around.

Questions

What did Yassen mean when he said he knew his place??

Is there going to be a hot air balloon??

How is Nile going to die? Is Nile going to die?

#alex rider spoilers #alex rider tv spoilers #alex rider tv #alex rider s3 #cyan watches alex rider s3 #this show alternates between being excruciating to watch and giving me everything i hoped for lol

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edupunkn00b · 9 months

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The Uses of Adversity, Ch. 21: I'm Coming Clean

Prev - I'm Coming Clean - Masterpost - [ AO3 ]

I can't stay this way, but I pray that nothing changes Like I'm stuck between the gears of a broken machine I'm on fire and I'm frozen stiff Down to the wire, wondering if Today's the day I'm coming clean

'Cause I've got dreams that might not come to any kind of fruition I've got cracks in my façade I might fall between I've got pictures in the dresser drawer I whisper through the bedroom door Today's the day I'm coming clean -I'm Coming Clean by Ezra Furman

WC: 4013 - Rated: T - CW: none -

The next morning, Roman woke to bird song, a muted chorus of robins and starlings and chickadees all greeting the sun. Soft, golden light spilled through the gaps along the curtain’s edge. Sprawled on Logan's bed, Roman was warm and comfortable. Well, mostly comfortable. His stomach growled, a not-so-quiet nudge that perhaps it was actually hunger that woke him and not the birds outside.

He’d burrowed under the covers in his sleep and when he pushed them back and peered over the fluffy comforter, he saw Logan, sleeping curled around a pillow in the chair he’d set up by his bedside. A sunbeam landed just behind the chair, lighting him in an ethereal glow his technical director would be jealous of.

Logan's face was soft in sleep, the near-everpresent tension gone from between his eyebrows, his jaw. He’d removed his glasses and his lids were smooth, eyes darting back and forth in a dream. Mouth relaxed, his lips looked even fuller, an almost smile curving up one side.

He was gorgeous.

Moving carefully, Roman wiggled his way out from under the covers and confirmed that, yes, he was, in fact, proudly wearing bright white boxers festooned in multicolored hearts. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he watched Logan sleep for just long enough to start to feel creepy. Finally, he stood and tried to remember where he’d noticed his jeans last night. It was cool in the room and Logan only had a small throw blanket stretched over him, so Roman tucked the comforter around him before he went to dress and wash his face.

He’d seen Logan make coffee often enough to know how he liked it. After the way he’d cared for him—clearly all night judging by the shadows under his eyes, the very least Roman could was make sure that when he did wake up, there was a fresh cup waiting for him.

Roman gathered the dishes and an empty Gatorade bottle from the nightstand and pocketed his—charged—phone. Logan sighed in his sleep, soft and contented. He was sorely tempted to press just one tiny kiss into his hair but he satisfied himself with a quiet whisper. “See you when you wake, Lo.”

He crept downstairs and loaded the dishes in the dishwasher, then pulled out his phone to check in with his brother.

Good morning!

Re replied almost immediately.

heeey! back from the dead! how you feeling? did he take good care of you in your time of need? 😈

It wasn’t like that

like what? *blink blink blink*

Re…

aw, i’m fucking with you. i’m sure he was a perfect little repressed gentleman.

Mr. Sweet n Sour Sauce, everyone. He’s here all night.

just sayin’… da nile’s not just a river in egypt

Turning off my phone now…

nah, don’t be like that. seriously, he called three times, worried as fuck. then it was like it was christmas day when your fever broke.

He’s sweet.

i can see that. don’t fuck it up

Roman rolled his eyes and tapped at the screen but Re continued before he could finish his retort.

oh, and jannie says to tell him, ‘that’s not what he meant by celebrating but at least he got part of it right’

Smiling despite himself, Roman shook his head, unsure which of the dynamic duo was more cryptic. Those two were made for each other.

I’ll be home tonight, maybe even this afternoon. I don’t know what plans I’ve already disrupted for him.

you really so blind? his only plans are YOU, ro bro

When he didn’t respond, bubbles popped and stopped repeatedly, Re writing and re-writing some message. Finally, he asked,

what’s stopping you from making your move? he’s obvs crazy about you

It was difficult to tell just how seriously he should take his brother’s assertions. It didn’t feel like teasing and Re knew, really knew how much Logan meant to him. His brother was an ass, but he wasn’t cruel. He wouldn’t lie to him about something so important.

It was even more difficult to convince his heart that Logan’s actions over the last day and a half weren’t more than the care of a truly altruistic person. Logan was a good man. He would do what he’d done for anyone… Wouldn’t he?

He wanted to ask how his brother could be so sure. Roman had been wrong so many times before. He’d fallen hard, taken in by charm or misattributing basic lust and desire for something… deeper. Logan wasn’t the type to take advantage of someone, let alone go through some sort of farce of denial of his sexuality. But…

But what if… what if the problem wasn’t with the men Roman was falling for, but with him?

Re sent a single question mark and Roman finished his message, dodging the real question sitting like a rock in the pit of his stomach.

He’s asleep right now. I’ll text you if anything changes, okay?

okay thanks ro. kiss the nerd for me

Roman pocketed his phone, the dream-memory of Logan’s soft skin against his lips fresh and strong. When he closed his eyes, he could still feel it, the warmth, the way his muscles flexed just under his skin. Shaking away the ghostly sensation and the longing that came with it, he picked up the coffee pot and filled it with water.

“Ro!” Patton’s surprised voice bubbled from the hall. “You’re up!” he cheered and threw his arms around him in a hug.

“Thirty-six hours is probably long enough to sleep,” he laughed, ruffling his hair. “Hey, I wanted to make your dad some coffee and breakfast. Would you like to help?”

“Yeah!” Patton grinned and pointed up at the top shelf of the cabinet above the coffee maker. “Use the brown bag. It’s stronger, but it’s his favorite.”

Face buried in his pillow, Logan groaned and stretched as he woke, eyes snapping open when his book thudded to the floor. The sound was muffled by the comforter gathered around him. The comforter that had been tucked around Roman. He sat up. “Ro?”

His bed was empty, the blanket completely wrapped him instead. Craning his neck, he checked the ensuite, but the door was open, the light off. Roman’s jeans were gone from where he’d hung them on the back of the door and the nightstand had been cleared. Yawning, he stood, only slightly stiff from spending the night mostly upright. Watching Roman sleep so peacefully, seeing with his own eyes that he was well, or at least on the mend, had made it easier to set aside his worry and finally drift off for a bit of rest for himself.

After checking his phone—no messages from either Remus or Roman—he made the bed, then hurried to change and brush his teeth. He hoped Roman hadn’t already left. It had been easy to behave as though, here, in his room, Roman was already home. Home with him. He knew he’d need to return to reality eventually. Logan just hoped he hadn’t already missed him, that Roman would’ve said goodbye before leaving.

As soon as he opened his bedroom door, Roman’s booming laughter danced up the stairs and his cold, quiet fear dissolved. A chuckle spilled from his own lips, the mere sound of Roman’s jovial voice enough to make him want to join in. He skipped down the stairs, real laughter bursting out when he entered the kitchen to the sight of all four boys huddled around the table and engaged in a friendly—if loud—debate over the best flavors of jelly.

“Apple jelly?” Virgil’s nose scrunched even as he laughed.

“Hey,” Emile shook his head. “You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted apple Hamentashen.”

“Oh, are those the ones your dad made last year?” Remy grinned. “Mmm, Em’s right. I thought I didn’t like apples until I had those. You gotta try it, Virge.”

The homey scents of fresh coffee and toast and, of course, jam filled the air and Logan stood to the side, watching the conversation. He was caught, though, when Roman turned and asked Patton how he liked his eggs.

“Good morning, everyone!” Waving at his sons and his future son-in-law, he entered the kitchen to a small chorus of greetings. Roman stood in the middle of the kitchen, sleeves pushed up and once again wearing Logan’s apron. “Good morning, Lo. There’s coffee on,” he smiled. “Can I pour you a cup?”

Logan stepped closer. Bright sunlight streaming in from the kitchen window gleamed against the shiny stovetop and the coffee maker, bouncing up and turning Roman’s hair into a halo of almost red curls. The boys chattered, now debating whether Hamentashen were cookies or tartlets, and he kissed the top of Patton’s head when he gave him a quick hug on his way to the fridge.

Their happy voices faded into the background as he met Roman’s eyes. “How—how are you feeling? Shouldn’t I be getting you coffee? Or at least some juice? You must be starving.”

“Patton made sure I ate something before we started all this. I’m really feeling much better, thanks to you. See?” Roman reached for his hand and pressed it to his forehead. His skin was warm, but no longer hot, no longer that frightening feverish heat. Just… wonderfully warm.

He smiled when Roman blushed—actually blushed. He was beautiful when he blushed, soft pink painted over the apples of his cheeks, darkening his lips and spreading down his neck. “You took excellent care of me. I’m certain you lost more than a little sleep, though.” Roman bit his lower lip, holding up a cup. His favorite cup. Logan drew close and inhaled deeply. His favorite brew. “Though, it makes a nice excuse to wake you with a cup of coffee,” he grinned.

Logan had had this dream before. While tonight there was no glint of gold on either of their hands, with the perfect sunlight, the perfectly chaotic and peaceful morning with the boys, and the literal man of his dreams offering him his favorite coffee, this could be nothing but a dream.

He nodded and stepped closer. “You’re always a wonderful way to wake up, Old Heart,” he murmured and closed the distance between them. Both arms draped over Roman's shoulders, Logan smiled and pulled him down into a kiss. Roman’s surprised little noise turned into a happy hum and, laughing, Patton took the cup still in his hand and set it on the table.

Hands now free, Roman wrapped one arm around his back and the other cradled the back of his head. He drew him even closer, gently deepening their kiss.

It was like nothing in any other dream before. A soft need that matched his own drove Roman’s kiss, heat and warmth and softness pouring from him, even as he pulled him close, fingers curled through his hair. Logan melted against him, captivated in a way he’d never felt before, not in his dreams and not in his waking life.

“Alright, alright,” Virgil laughed. “Get a room already.”

Patton giggled. “Oh, leave them alone and eat your toast. Look how happy they are.”

“Jacinta’s so gonna say ‘I told you so,” Emile murmured.

Logan broke away, eyes wide. The butter in the pan sizzled and popped, starting to brown, and Remy hurried over to lower the heat. “W—wait…” He patted the top of his own head and felt his bedraggled hair and smelled the faint smoke from the butter as he struggled to catch his breath. “This… this isn’t a dream,” he whispered.

A broad grin spread across Roman’s face. “Do you frequently kiss me good morning in your dreams?” He murmured close to his ear, low voice rumbling through his chest. When Logan didn’t answer, he pulled back and searched his eyes. “Unless… it was a mistake?”

Logan looked up, Roman’s brilliant green eyes soft with concern. And more than a little pain. “Not a mistake,” he whispered in a rush. “But maybe…” His eyes darted to the table where the boys were studiously spreading more jam on their toast. “Maybe something we should talk about?”

He looked toward the hall. “Perhaps we can go for a walk?”

Smiling, Remy revealed just how much they could hear from the table and picked up the spatula. “Breakfast will be ready for you both when you get back.”

They gathered their shoes and jackets silently, each wrapped in a bubble of their own thoughts. Guilt for kissing Roman without consent clashed with wild, desperate hope, his heart pounding to a rhythm of ‘he kissed you back, he kissed you back, he kissed you back.’

Words tangled in Logan’s throat, unable to push out even an apology. They stepped outside, each braced for the same chill the previous days had held, but the sun shone brightly, and the air was fresh and unseasonably warm.

He pointed to the park across the street. “There’s a quiet spot there by the pond, if… if you’d like….”

“That sounds perfect,” Roman smiled and offered his hand. When Logan hesitated, though, he lowered it, smile faltering.

Logan took a deep breath and risked it, lacing their fingers together before crossing the quiet street and heading into the park. The return of Roman’s smile told him it had been the right thing to do.

Dried leaves crunched underfoot, the gentle earthy scent following them down the path. “I’m so sorry I kissed you without asking,” Logan began. “I…” His throat tightened, but he pushed forward. “It’s not an excuse, just an explanation. I… I have had… many dreams like that,” he admitted in a tiny whisper, eyes down on the ground. “Where we… we're—we’re together and… I—I’m sorry.”

“Lo…” Roman stopped walking and tilted up his chin. “Is that why you’re so upset? You thought I was… bothered by our kiss?”

“That’s…” He nodded. There was so much more. “That’s part of it.”

“I liked our kiss,” he murmured, stepping closer. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”

“Oh.” Logan looked up into his eyes. Roman meant it.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure where your feelings were. This…" He smiled gently, thumb brushing over the edge of his jaw. "Something between us would be… new for you. I never would want to push you or make you… uncomfortable in any way.” Suddenly Roman looked nervous. “I… How…” He took a deep breath, like he was bracing himself for bad news. “How do you feel about it? Is it… Is kissing me something only for your dreams?”

Roman’s hand on his jaw was gentle and warm and Logan wanted nothing more than to throw himself into his arms. To forget why it would be wrong to take advantage of Roman’s kindness, to chase this feeling and…

“I liked our kiss, too,” he whispered, head screaming at his heart, but once the words slipped out, more followed. “I—I want more, I want all the things I dream about with you, I…” He clamped his mouth shut. No. He can’t ask for this.

Roman’s eyes grew guarded but he didn’t let go of his chin, or his hand. Not yet at least. His smile shrank, though, and his shoulders curled in as a familiar expression flashed over his face.

It took Logan a moment to recognize that the look in Roman's eyes was the same he’d had when talking about Devin. “Are we…" Roman swallowed hard, a tremor in his lips. "In your dreams are we only physical?”

“I…” Logan shook his head, the words sticking in his throat.

Confess! There’s no going back now. You can’t leave him thinking you just have dirty dreams about him.

“No.” Logan blinked back tears and tightened his grip on Roman’s hand, looking down at the way their fingers intertwined, the same way his mind wove their lives together in his sleep. “I… I get to love you in my dreams. We’re together, married sometimes,… usually,” he admitted after a moment. “And… and we dance and play or we wake up together or sometimes we’re…” He nodded, cheeks burning. “Sometimes we’re intimate.” Logan hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Lo…” When he didn’t look up, Roman raised his chin until their eyes met. “Lo that’s beautiful. Why would you be sorry about that? Do you…” Sudden hurt washed over his face. “Do you… wish you didn’t feel that way? Not when you’re awake, at least? Do you… do you not really want that with me? ”

“Of course I want that with you.” He shook his head, staring back into Roman’s eyes. How to make him understand? “Ro, you’re incredible. Brilliant and creative, funny and so, so kind. You’re wonderful and… And you deserve so much more than… me.” His voice broke and he swallowed hard, determined to get through this. And with any luck at all, figure out a way to hold on to their friendship when he was done.

“I’m damaged. Scarred. Here…” He released Roman’s hand and held up the shameful scars on his left hand, including the newest from clumsily dropping a knife when he’d been startled by the damn doorbell. “And here.” He touched his chest, his traitorous heart pounding under his ribs. “I’m broken beyond repair.”

Roman smiled, tears in his eyes, and cradled Logan’s cheek with one hand, slowly shaking his head. “Lo, you are beautiful.” He covered his hand, tapping to the beat of his heart. “You're beautiful here.” Wrapping strong, warm fingers around Logan’s, he gently pulled his hand away from his chest and lifted it to his own lips, and kissed his scarred palm. “You're beautiful here.”

The hand on Logan's cheek shifted, tilting up his chin and brushing a thumb over his lips. “And you're beautiful here,” he whispered, once again closing the distance between them. Roman’s breath warmed his face, and he smelled like vanilla and coffee and strawberry jam. He smelled like home.

“Lo, I love you.”

“After everything you’ve seen?” He couldn’t hold back his tears, those soft, sweet words ripped right from his dreams just too much to hear. “I’m a mess, I jump at slamming doors, I work too much, I drop everything when one of the boys calls…” Roman chuckled and moved closer. “Why are you laughing?”

“You haven’t listed a single reason to love you any less,” he smiled, hand sliding back to card through his hair.

Logan stared, speechless, and he couldn’t help leaning into the soft touch.

“Do you love me?” Roman asked.

“Yes!" Logan whispered. "I love you so much. All I want is for you to be happy, Ro. I want you to have someone in your life who’s worthy of being by your side.”

“‘I would not wish any companion in the world but you,’ Lo,” Roman said, quietly but clearly. Logan stared back, eyes wide. “I never did get to finish what I was going to say that night. I felt it then…” He brushed a line of soft kisses down his cheek, following the trail of tears. Roman's lips burned against his skin, a sweet, hot fire. “And I feel it now.”

He shouldn’t. Logan knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t stop the words. “‘When you depart from me,’” he whispered, chest warming at Roman’s growing smile, “‘Sorrow abides and happiness takes his leave.’”

Roman kissed the tears on his other cheek. “Then ‘thee I will love, and with thee lead my life.’” A gust of wind blew up over the water and Roman turned them, putting his back to the cold and shielding him. “I love you, Lo.”

“And I love you, Roman,” he whispered back.

“Then kiss me.” He lifted his chin, warm breath ghosting over Logan’s cheeks. “Kiss me like you did in your dream. Kiss me like your heart tells you to.” He drew closer, lips grazing his with each word. “Kiss me like you love me, Lo. And let me love you back.”

Logan couldn’t remember anymore why he was fighting this feeling, this warmth. A slow smile spread across his face. “Happily,” he whispered, and pulled him down into their second first kiss.

Epilogue

Spring brought longer days, warmer weather, and finally, in May, Remy and Emile’s wedding.

The ceremony was small and intimate, held in the sanctuary at Emile’s parent’s temple. After an oneg attended by the congregation, QLaw staff, and everyone in the newly joined families, a second party kicked off at a candlelit park down the street.

Virgil’s music was loud and boisterous, a benefit of a grass-filled park surrounded by shops that closed by seven on a Sunday and they danced into the night. Taking a break, Roman and Logan had found a mostly quiet corner in a gazebo and they blew bubbles and watched the remaining couples dance.

As the moon rose up over the trees, the music slowed and a quiet guitar melody spilled from the portable speakers. “Oh… I love this song,” Logan murmured, his eyes soft and sparkling in the candlelight.

Attabody, Virge.

Sending the DJ a little two-fingered salute, Roman grinned at Logan. “I know.” He offered his hand and whispered, “May I have this dance, Lo?”

Logan looked up, cheeks a sweet pink that matched his boutonniere, and nodded. Roman draped his arms over Logan’s shoulders and pulled his body close, the soft, easy tempo a wonderful excuse to hold his love in his arms. They swayed to the music, Logan leading in that gentle way of his.

He tucked his face close to Logan’s neck and breathed in his warmth, the scent of spice and vanilla, even a hint of his own cologne. Roman chuckled when Logan suddenly pulled back, a new grin spread across his face. “Wait—how did you know I like this song?”

“You called me your ‘old heart,’ the day you kissed me,” he murmured. “And everytime it plays in the car, you hum along.”

Face hidden against his chest, Logan chucked. “You weren’t meant to hear that.”

“But I always listen to you,” Roman smiled into his hair, brushing kisses against his temple and his cheek. “Besides, I like it.”

They danced quietly, the extended version Virgil had created giving Roman plenty of time to phrase his next words. “It makes a lovely wedding song,” he whispered.

“Mm-hm,” Logan nodded, relaxing into his arms. “It does.”

“We could dance to it next year,” Roman murmured, pulse pounding in his ears. “If you’d like.”

Still holding him, Logan stepped back, eyes wide. Roman pulled a tiny box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a silver band. “‘Here, take my ring. My house, mine honor, yea, my life, be thine. And I'll be bid by thee.’” he whispered. “‘A heaven on earth I have won by wooing thee.’ Will you marry me?”

Logan was quiet, staring up at him with a thousand thoughts swirling behind those steel blue eyes. Swallowing back the fear bubbling in his chest, Roman stroked Logan's cheek and waited. Then the clouds parted and his face beamed in a brilliant smile.

“I was going to wait until we were home.” A soft laugh spilled from Roman's lips when Logan reached into his own pocket and revealed a remarkably similar ring nestled in his palm. “‘And on your finger in the night I'll put another ring, that what in time proceeds may token to the future our past deeds.’” Chuckling quietly, he drew close and whispered against his lips. “You have won a husband of me. And I of you. And there my hope has grown, Old Heart.”

Roman’s eyes fluttered closed as Logan pulled him down into a slow, soft kiss. An entirely different song was finishing by the time they broke apart for air. Chuckling, Roman carded his fingers through Logan’s hair and worked to still his heart enough to speak. A newly familiar fuzziness filled his chest as, instead, he lost himself in those bright blue eyes.

“So is that a yes?” Logan grinned.

Head thrown back in a laugh, he nodded. “Yes!” Roman pulled him closer. “With everything I am, yes!”

Taglist: @crossiantgay @emoprincey

Ask to be added for other stories :D

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insomniac-jay · 5 months

Text

Crimson Red Kisses

Prologue

Arkham City

August

Eighteen-year-old Vicia Lopez's feet slammed down on the pavement as she weaved through the alleyways. In her mind, she knew the guards and the cruel schoolmarm would hunt her down when the morning came, but she was smarter--and quicker--than them. She'd be gone before they even realized she escaped. One of the perks of being a criminal. It became her life after she couldn't return home to her family.

Never again would she go back to Madam Arkham's School for Unruly Girls. Even if she'd hang from the gallows for refusing to.

Diving into a nearby alley, she panted as she pulled out a pocket watch given by one of the teachers as a reward for good behavior. Or at least, as good as Vicia chose to be. A few more minutes until 10. Vicia hoped the people she was meeting were actually waiting for her.

Madam Arkham's was the alternative to spending another year in prison, but not by her choice. If it was, she'd have served. Even just hearing the name convinced Vicia that the place was built by the Devil.

During a rare day the "students" were able to be outside, Vicia ran into two strangers--a White man named Jonah Yates and his Black companion La'Frida Nile. They were a pair of outlaws heading to the Gotham settlement, building a gang in the process.

Vicia immediately accepted their offer and prepared her depature over the next days.

A lot of Vicia's belongings were back with her parents so packing for her journey to Gotham was light; with her Colt, a knife from her street gang days, a picture of her parents, and the pocket watch.

Racing against time, Vicia ran to the train station. The dirt and mud from the rain getting on her dress didn't matter to her, only her ticket to freedom. La'Frida secretly sent it to her in place of her uniform; which was worn out and ill-fitting anyway.

Upon reaching the station, Vicia caught a glimpse of the two holding bags.

"I'm here! I'm here!"

The older outlaws stopped and turned to their attention to the incoming Vicia. Almost out of breath from running, Vicia joined them on the platform as the train pulled in.

"You remember the story?" La'Frida asked.

Vicia nodded then trailed behind the two onto the train. The story was that Vicia was a cousin of La'Frida's who wanted to start anew after her parents recently died. Her false name was Olivia Harris.

The trio quickly boarded the train and took their seats.

Taking one last look at the city, she cursed Madam Arkham's before the train rode off into the stormy night.

May the Devil come and take your school back to where it came from, Arkham! And may every girl who was sent away to this hell be free!

Gotham Settlement

Jason Todd grunted as he rushed the last of the cattle into the stables. Rain and mud drenched his clothes, threatening a cold if he kept them on any longer. These days, the Wayne ranch seemed to be in a constant state of change. With the recent addition of his younger sister Cassandra's wife, Stephanie, his older brother Dick welcoming his second child, and Tim's husband Bernard moving in, the Wayne family was rapidly growing.

"Looks like someone got baptized."

Jason's lips tightened hearing the voice of his younger brother Duke. Ignoring the comment, he made his way to the bathroom and quickly rid of his wet clothes.

As the warm water filled the claw footed tub, Jason's thoughts turned to his own future. Aside from Duke and his youngest brother Damien, Jason was the only unmarried Wayne.

@floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @jasontoddssuper @honeysgalaxy @moonage-gaydream

#jay's writings #this isn't the full thing btw #just a taste #a sneak peek if you will

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yubel198 · 1 year

Text

SMG4 Revival AU Shenanigans

((just some stupidity with the Revival AU))

Luigi: I’m Gay!

Belle: I’m a lesbian

SMG3: I am actually pansexual

Bob: I am transgender.

Mario: I’m just a dumbass with an IQ of zero!

***

Luigi: Mario, I’m gay!

Mario: I have no brother.

Luigi: *gasp* wait, this isn’t the house.

Mario: oh-

***

((quick context: Glitchy Red and Steven from Strangled Red have joined the crew))

Glitchy Red: Hey mario pass me my keys.

Mario: *throws a printer, hits Bob*

Bob: ow my ovaries!

Glitchy Red: I said my key.

Mario: I thought you said printer.

Glitchy Red: why the hell would I say printer?

***

Steven: It’s a lovely day to walk down the road, and if I ever stop singing I will explode-

Mario: hey Steven!

Steven: what have you done?! *explodes*

***

Garcello: *enthusiastically* Welcome back to Kek or Cringe!

Belle: *done with everyone* where we rate your memes based on if they’re key, or cringe.

*SMG4 and Axol clap happily*

***

Bob: *has a can of beans* Beans.

FM: YOU EAT ALL MY BEANS?!

Bob: oh shit!

***

Axol: hey Gar?

Garcello: yeah?

Axol: you know how to summon Beetlejuice right?

Garcello: yeah say his name three times in a row.

Axol: ... would that work with Mario?

Garcello: ... let’s find out. Mario Mario Mario.

*Mario comes outta nowhere naked*

Mario: DID SOMEBODY SAY MARIO?!

***

*Kaizo and Saiko argue in Japanese*

*Mario and Luigi argue in Italian*

Garcello: *watching it all* .... should I tell them I understand them?

***

Bob: Hey Garcello!

Garcello: what is it Bob?

Bob: what’s 9 +10?

Garcello: 21, like your IQ.

Bob: .... B R U H.

***

SMG4: Rob there anything you want for your birthday?

Bob: I think he wants a bigger stick. *laughs*

Rob: without missing a beat* that’s not what your mother said.

*everyone laughs*

***

*Melony’s beating up a monster*

Axol: *drunk* I love that woman~

Niles: oh she totally pegs you doesn’t she?

***

*One and Two having a phone conversation*

SMG1: Two you’re not gonna believe this, we just hit a deer with our airplane.

*pause*

SMG2: oh my god were you on the ground?!

SMG1: .*trying not to laugh* nope! Santa was making one last run!

*Mario’s wheezing*

***

*SMG4,Meggy, Luigi and Swag are chilling*

Mario: *rushes in, horrified* SOMEONE REMOVED THE FREAKING TOILET!

*panic*

***

Steven: so... what made you go insane?

Niles: God Box. You?

Steven: MissingNo.

Niles: noted.

Mario: NOW KISS!

Yellow: *kicks the door down* QUIT MESSING WITH MY SHIPS MARIO!

*Mario screams in fear*

((that’s all I got))

#smg4 #smg4 bob #smg4 luigi #smg4 memes #mario #smg4 niles #fnf garcello #strangled red #glitchy red #pokemon #friday night funkin #FnF Lullaby #incorrect quotes #Revival AU #SMG4 Axol

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qqueenofhades · 1 year

Note

Since you mentioned that you may be taking requests and also that you did that Dreamling oneshot the other day, I would like very much to humbly request an “every one of my family members is an eldritch abomination myself included however I should very much like to just go to uni and hopefully not destroy the entire world thanks” girlfriends, Rose and Nile?

It goes without saying that there are many things about this whole situation -- uprooting her life, moving to a new country, becoming her brother's legal guardian, helping him adjust while still feeling horrendously guilty about not saving him from his previous abusive situation sooner, sorting through her wealthy and late great-grandmother's extensive estate, and trying to start a graduate degree, while the mellifluous tones of Yakety Sax echo constantly through said country's government and she's not sure if the whole place is about to explode in a puff of clown-car smoke -- which are very, very stressful. Rose has always been good at making up more things to worry about, but even she doesn't need to search for ways to whet her anxiety, because it's already there and then some. Not to mention the whole part where she nearly destroyed the universe, became a dream vortex and then un-became it, inadvertently helped her friend have a baby with her dead husband, and almost agreed to let her creepy immortal great-uncle murder her for the greater good, before calamity was averted at the last minute and she turned out to be something called a Child of the Endless. Surely that won't be a problem again. Right?

In any event, amid this whirlwind of chaos, change, anxiety, and effort, Rose is very grateful to have met Nile Freeman, and they've taken to spending more and more time together. They have instantly bonded as young black women from America (or rather, Rose thinks Nile is from America, but she hasn't actually said) who both live in London and have endured the headaches of obtaining graduate degrees in history. Nile finished her PhD at KCL a few years ago, and is now doing that oh-so-fun early-career-researcher shuffle as she decides what she wants to do next, though she's made several cryptic references to wealthy parents who live in Malta and send her enough money to make sure she doesn't sleep under a bridge. "I appreciate it," she says as they walk through Bloomsbury, en route to Senate House so Rose can use the University of London's main library. "And considering all the disasters happening back in 2018, I was lucky to survive, truly. But sometimes I still want to do it on my own, you know."

"Mmm-hmm." Rose looks at her curiously. "What exactly do your parents do, by the way?"

"They..." Nile pauses. They come to a halt at the crosswalk and wait for the light. "You know, this and that."

Rose finds this answer rather vague, but maybe it's a sensitive subject, or Nile just doesn't want to talk about it yet. After all, they've only known each other for a few months, and Rose can't deny that she's very keen to impress the older girl. Nile is so gorgeous, so self-assured, with a strange eerie sheen to her skin and eyes that sometimes looks almost unearthly, but she's definitely the most normal person that Rose has recently met, and their interactions are the most refreshing part of her life. She has a bit (or maybe more than a bit) of a crush on Nile, but is too shy to see if that is actively reciprocated. As the light turns green and they cross, Rose says, "Are you from Malta, then? I thought you were American."

"Ethiopia," Nile says. "I was born there, at least. My parents adopted me a... a long time ago."

There definitely seems to be something she isn't saying, but Rose decides to let it pass, and they spend an enjoyable afternoon working at Senate House. Afterward, they trek off into the Bloomsbury streets in search of dinner, select a charming underground restaurant, and sit down in a candlelit corner. Nile orders her steak rare -- rare enough, in fact, that it's still practically mooing on the plate -- and Rose says jokingly, "Don't tell me, let me guess. You're a vampire."

Nile, who has just taken a sip of some indeed rather blood-red wine, chokes, starts coughing, and takes several minutes to compose herself, as Rose apologizes profusely. But she isn't laughing or treating it like a joke; she looks deeply startled. "How did you -- "

"Wait." Rose frowns. Oh no. Not her nice, normal, lovely friend who-she-kind-of-wants-to-be-her-girlfriend. Not in the one relationship and/or person she foolishly thought was not at all magical, creepy, supernatural, insane, or otherwise weird. "Are you...? I was just joking. I didn't..."

There's a very, very long pause. Nile seems to be weighing something up. At last she says, "If, hypothetically, I was... well, something like that, would you be upset?"

"I, uh." Rose considers what to say. After all, her horizons of what is possible have been recently and drastically broadened, and she's certainly not about to claim out of hand that vampires don't exist. "I don't think so?"

"I'm..." Nile looks around shiftily to make sure that all the other diners are happily absorbed, then lowers her voice anyway. "Technically half-vampire, half-djinn. My dads are one each. Nicky's a vampire and Joe's a djinn, and they sired me together, so it's... a long story."

"Okay." Rose blinks several times. "So your parents are...."

"Magical creatures, yeah." Nile eyes her. "You're taking this very well. Wait, are your parents also some kind of...?"

"My biological parents are both dead, but it turns out that I'm descended from something called the Endless." Rose feels awkward saying it, but there it is. "Do you, er, know what those are?"

"I don't think so. I could ask?"

"My great-uncle is the King of Dreams," Rose confesses, in something of a rush. "Lord Morpheus. Do you know him?"

"Maybe. It's been a long time, I can't remember everyone we've crossed paths with over the centu -- years." Nile nods her thanks as the waiter sets down a fresh basket of bread. "But again, I could -- "

"Wait. Centuries? How old are you?"

There is another long and deeply awkward pause. Then Nile says, "Technically, nineteen. But I was sired in 1104, so that means..." She calculates, then ventures, "Nine hundred and eighteen?"

"I knew it," Rose mutters. She is apparently just a magnet for every ever-living (literally) eldritch weirdo in the Western Hemisphere, and this isn't even touching the fact that her likewise-seemingly-nice-and-normal history professor/thesis supervisor is evidently also an ageless immortal and her aforementioned creepy King of Dreams great-uncle is valiantly attempting to not only date him, but ask Rose for advice. Truly. Her life is ridiculous.

#anonymous #ask #aitww #the key of solomon #tkos asks #look i am technically not in fact actively TAKING requests #but you saw 'i am very easily enabled' and went 'hmm i bet i can get them to write this anyway'#and i respect that hustle #so your wish has been granted! XD #....i shouldn't say that should i #now other people may try it #welp

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the-one-where-casey-watches-tv · 1 year

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Abbott Elementary episode 2.16 "Teacher Conference"

Quinta has said she’s not trying to reinvent the wheel with this show, Janine and Gregory in particular, and I think she’s proving that she doesn’t need to. Abbott is cozy and cute and laugh out loud funny, all precisely due to the sense of familiarity that it evokes. I can go into every episode knowing that everyone will be kind to each other, live happily ever after, and maybe even score some new glue sticks.

I’ll come back around to everyone else, but let’s get right to it: the kiss! Gregory is my favorite character, but to be honest I don’t think I would actually enjoy being friends with either him or Janine. But Abbott walks the fine line of character personalities that I wouldn’t want to encounter in real life, but that I love to see on my TV. They’re great characters for a will-they/won’t-they because they’re both so intensely innocent that the smallest hints of sexuality have me like “woo! Get it!”. The two of them grinding in the club was one of those moments, and so was Janine grabbing Gregory by the lanyard (lol) for another kiss.

It was inevitable that they would chalk that up to a mistake and try to get back to business, but I almost wish they wouldn’t. Janine is still dating Maurice and of course she wouldn’t cheat on him, but at this point I feel ready to see them together. Which is why I was kind of surprised to see that the question everyone seems to be asking this week is if Abbott jumped the shark with the kiss, if it happened too soon.

I say no, but maybe the skepticism of others means they’re right to at least not have Janine and Gregory leaping into a whole relationship right now (though who knows what next week holds). Regardless, I think it brings up an interesting conversation about audience involvement with story.

I read a lot about story structure, and as a writer I’m extremely wary of books that are so specific with their breakdown of story structure that they can tell you the exact page every piece of action needs to occur on. I think structure is really important- it can almost always explain why something worked or didn’t work- but I see it like musical notes. There are a finite number of notes, and rules to be followed when writing and playing music, but is there a way to put them together that hasn’t been done yet? There better be, or a lot of people are out of a job.

Part of new and innovative storytelling is, of course, the creativity of the storyteller, but it’s also an awareness of the audience’s own grasp of story. Fight Club, in its time, was doing something brand new. Watching it now, though, I find it to be a kind of exhausting three hours. We just don’t need to go that slow anymore; we’re an audience who’s already been taught all the clues to look for, and we can keep up just fine.

I’ve written before about Frasier- Niles and Daphne’s will-they/won’t-they went on for about eight years. Abbott isn’t reinventing the wheel, and, as viewers, this isn’t our first rodeo with a sitcom romance. I would be tearing my hair out if I was going to have to wait another six years for this kiss, the one everyone knew was coming by episode 3, if not the pilot. This is one of those times where we can slide our hand across the piano keys and get there a little quicker.

But Abbott Elementary is more than just Janine and Gregory! And I would like to talk about Jacob, who I actually find myself thinking about a lot when this show comes up. I’m not gonna say he’s not corny, but he is definitely a really great friend to Janine. They’re platonically perfect for each other, and the two of them jumping up and down about this conference, while I’m sure it would annoy me to witness for real, made me smile.

He's a dork, but I was happy to see him making some other friends outside of the Abbott crew, and to see him appreciated for who he is. I actually thought this storyline was going to take it a step further: he and the teacher from Addington hit it off so well that I thought she was going to mistake their chemistry for flirting and try to kiss him.

Maybe they didn’t want to step on the toes of The Kiss of this episode, but thinking that was going to happen made me realize that I actually would like to see that happen. I love every glimpse we get into the pureness of Jacob’s heart (the way he stood up for Janine when she was out sick was sooo sweet), and I bet him letting this girl down easy would have been a really cute moment. It’s also not too often that we get to see Jacob in his element where he’s actually popular among the people around him.

I hope this isn’t the last we see of that dynamic. Addington is just a couple blocks away, after all, maybe there’s an arc to be seen where the Addington teachers try to poach Jacob. Now that I’m thinking about it, there would be a lot there with Melissa’s sister and Barbara’s surely hurt feelings of not being the desired teacher. I can already feel my heart growing like the Grinch at everyone wanting to prove to Jacob that he’s valued at Abbott.

Well if that happens, you heard it here first folks! And what do you think, was the kiss too soon? Do you still think Fight Club is the right length? Let me know!

#abbott elementary #quinta brunson #tyler james williams #janine x gregory #jacob hill #gregory eddie #janine teagues

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reptilia0freptiles · 6 months

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Through the Screen

OC fic collab with @violetthunderstorm (Her prologue here: LINK)

This is the first!/Next

Prologue: Cerise

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It had been 10 months since it happened. Nile, her roommate, her girlfriend, had died in a fight with a super-powered arsonist, and Cerise had joined a gang of bandits. Weeks later, she failed her first mission and met Sepia and Shamrock, who let her stay at their place. Even though it's been nearly a year, she could tell that Shamrock disliked her, however they were more tolerable with each other now (with a little bit of pushing and nagging from Sep). Cerise still had her job out in Stickcity as a therapist, and life was pretty chill. She kept in contact with her client, and she had friends to hang out with.

She was coming home from work, on a particularly nice day. The wind whistled in her hair, the birds flew free from the treetops, and the digital forest around her was bustling with hidden life. The magenta stick figure took a moment to take in the scene. And then a purple hollowhead with WINGS suddenly glided down before her.

"Hi! What's your name?" the strange stick asked brightly as she landed, holding out a hand for Cerise to shake. She just, flew down, and expected her to act normal? SHE COULD FLY?! Her next words, after regaining enough composure to speak, reflected her terrified confusion. "DID YOU JUST FLY DOWN HERE?!" The new figure looked with a bamboozled expression, "Yes... is that not okay? I've never been here before." She fiddled with her necklace, and Cerise felt a twinge of guilt for her outburst. She shook her head, explaining, "Not illegal, per say, more like nobody wants to interact with a super-powered stick." Cerise remembered what happened Nile. "Neither do I..." she mumbled. "Oh, sorry about that. I don't have any powers, I'm just wearing a set of wings I drew before leaving my PC. I can take them off if they're making you uncomfortable." Well, at least the new stick didn't seem dangerous, and Cerise shook her head as she responded, giving a weak smile "Nah, it's fine. But maybe it's better so no one else sees you. Anyway, I'm Cerise. Vivid Cerise." She took another second to observe the new stick, and nearly didn't hear her introduction. "I'm Amethyst. Why would it be bad if I were seen?" as she asked, Amethyst shot Cerise a confused look. The answer to that was easy. "Not many sticks around here like superpowers or the such anymore. Long story short, we ended up with a blown up mountain because who knows why." she explained. Amethyst nodded. "That does sound pretty bad. I'll put my wings away for now. Better to be safe probably. Would you like to be friends?" Wait. That was pretty quick. Cerise blinked, then gave a more genuine smile. "Yeah, sure, why not?"

"Hell yeah! I've only been in this world for about half an hour and I already made a friend!" Amethyst was hyped, just by making a new friend. She invited Cerise to visit the PC and told her about her creator, Stella. "She's really cool. We're best friends. It was actually her idea for me to explore here when we found a way here hidden behind the WiFi." That sounds intriguing. And fun. Cerise nodded, "Sure. I didn't realise you were a created stick, but that makes sense. I'll go." Before she could react, Amethyst swooped her up and took her threw a hole in the sky, and up into Stella's PC. Upon arriving, Cerise heard a voice from through the screen. "Back already- Oh! Who's that stick figure? New friend? My name's Stella, what's yours?" Ah, so this must be the creator. She awkwardly stepped closer to the cursor and introduced herself. "I'm Cerise. Nice to meet you." Stella didn't react. "She can't hear you through the screen. Use this." Amethyst handed her a textbox. It seemed... inconvenient. "Seriously? Fine." Cerise took it and typed her greeting. "Oh. Cerise huh? Nice name. Would you like to play videogame with me?" Hmm, did she? Well, she knew that Shamrock wouldn't mind if she didn't come back in a few hours so she figured it was fine. "Sure, I can play! I'll have to go back down to stickcity soon, so let's make this quick" After playing videogames for a few brilliant hours, Amethyst dropped (not literally, thank cursors) her back through the portal home, and Cerise promised to bring Shamrock and Sepia next time. Heh, they wouldn't believe this.

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End of Prologue II

#reptilia writing #reptilia OCs #Collab w/ Violet

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steve0discusses · 1 year

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S5 Ep 40 Pt 1: Kaiba Has Arrived and He’s Pissed

Woof I was gone a HOT MINUTE. Overall it was a lot of long covid fatigue problems, a lot of “wow I wrote this thing and it makes no sense because words don’t work right in my brain fog brain.” So I looked at my bro who also has long covid thinking “well maybe he’s well enough to write something” and he was like “I just put dry ramen in cold water and then set it on the stove I think I’m losing my mind.” so ehhhh not much I could really do about it other than wait it out.

So thanks for your patience, I always appreciate how low key and casual this blog is compared to literally anywhere else I post on the internet.

Last we left off, Seto had some time reflecting over a haunted eyeball, and came to the decision that he wants to kick Bakura’s ass properly and in person. So, Kaiba took a red eye flight in his Wifejet straight towards Egypt.

So he lands this thing directly in front of a museum. Not just any museum, too, THE museum from like S3 where Ishizu spooked Marik in a vault and he went “ughhh! Sis you’re so rude!!!” and then Marik leapt through one of those massive windows and into an itty bitty motorcycle side car. Seems like just yesterday that Ishizu was seething at him from that broken stained glass window while Odion slowly vroom vroomed that ridiculous Indiana Jones motorcycle into the sunset.

Bro brings up “hey, do you think they fixed that window” and I agreed that she probably just duct taped some plastic bags on it like a busted Sedan. Because if this family has like zero experience in anything, it’s any invention that lets in sunlight.

(read more under the cut)

Seriously, I thought they were dead because Bakura could so easily sneak into the vault to end the world. Figured “Wow I can’t believe the last remaining members of the Pharaoh cult freakin died offscreen while protecting their King. What a poetic way for Marik to go.” and nah, man, all three of them immediately ditched their Pharaoh the moment Yami turned around, lmaooo.

I freaking love how bad these assholes are at their one job.

And yes in the actual line of the show Seto was like “who are you?” and he very quickly played it off like a joke but we know better. The BRAIN DAMAGE on this child. Who, as you can guess is here because he want’s more Brain Damage, yes please.

So he gets right to the point, holding the Worst Orb waaaaay too close to his face.

Again, my postcovid senses are just screaming at this nasty ass germ ridden eyeball. Also I had Odion as the same font as Roland, which was an error I made before Roland became one of the most important characters on Yugioh (to me). So no, Roland is not here, although I wish he was. I just don’t have a font for Odion and I’m too tired to make one at this point.

God bless the storyboarder, that 👀 on Marik is sending me.

And so...I don’t exactly know what Ishizu’s plan is to somehow get Seto to join his friends in the Egypt hallucination. Or how Ishizu knows that things went South in the crypt when they thought he’d be fine. But, I look forward to Seto’s reaction to being in his distant past and treating that incredible display of magic with a single wet fart.

Hard to tell because Mana blends into the rock, but at some point she and the genie decided to play a game where she treats him like a trampoline and the rest of them have decided to just watch from afar. I mean I guess what else would you do at that point? Like nothing right? Like the only game they have at this point is Mancala or shoving your soul into a stone tablet and playing cards with it.

But if anything, the weird tableau gives Yami and the crew time to catch up.

(has too much long covid to check if I made basketball joke before, does not care, because it still is crazy to me that if Yugi had just played basketball none of this would have happened.)

Using her powers, Ishizu manages to spot Pharaoh talking to himself by the Nile, and so Shimon and the rest of the palace can breathe a sigh of relief.

So, Shada gathers an army of like 12 people (which I’m sure the animators mandated because of the crazy amount of crowd scenes in this season) so they can retrieve the pharaoh, brush the remnants of the Nile off of his hat, and then drive him over to Kul Elna to take back the puzzle from the rude town wizard.

Wouldn’t be Pharaoh unless he kicked his friends out of dangers way, even at the threat of losing the entire universe. off they go, on horseback even.

Part 2 you’d probably expect that we find out what Yugi and Co even decided to after they were stranded in the desert by their best friend. But we don’t. Instead, We’re gonna go to Kul Elna, and Yugi will just uh...take a nap I guess.

Anyway, I’m just gonna post this now, bro read through it, both of were like “yeah that’s a post.” At one point he had something to add, and I completely forgot what it was. I think it’s good enough! Hope you enjoyed the first post I made in like what feels like is 2 months.

As always, here’s the link to read these in chrono order

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

And I’ll see you soon for part 2!

#Yugioh #yu gi oh #YGO #S5 #Ep40 #Yugi Muto #Yami muto #Pharaoh #Seto Kaiba #Joey Wheeler #Tea Gardner #Ishizu Ishtar #Marik Ishtar #Mana #A horse was also there #odion

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