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small-screen-superman · 2 years ago

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Superman: An Outsider Among the Justice League? (Inspired by Superman vs. Meshi)

This post is also on my independent blog, Small Screen Superman - go there for an even better experience!

Superman vs. Meshi is an official Superman manga that I greatly enjoy – not just because it’s cute, funny and well-drawn, but also because its depiction of Superman is actually really interesting. Like most of my favored depictions of him, he’s very humanized and very personable. It makes sense to focus on this side of him in this manga considering the book has a very human, small-scale focus: each chapter is a short story about Superman going to lunch in Japan, with lots of descriptions of the food he’s eating. There’s nothing too exciting going on – in fact, it’s implied that Superman has apparently done such a good job in this universe that the whole world is fairly peaceful. But the manga is far from boring, at least to this Super fan. I really enjoy getting to know this version of Superman, and it’s also surprisingly fun to read the detailed descriptions of Japanese food – they always sound quite delicious and bring back good memories of any times I’ve had similar food.

But more to the point, let’s talk about a specific trait of this Superman that is somewhat rare among Superman depictions. In Chapter 3, he meets with the Justice League and does some introspection about his relationship with them. I’ll go ahead and share the relevant pages.

There’s a lot to talk about in these three short pages, but the main thrust of it is that Superman doesn’t feel like he really belongs in the Justice League. That’s not what people expect from Superman. Superman is supposed to be the friendly and confident guy that everyone gets along with and looks up to, especially his fellow superheroes. He’s one of the first characters, if not the first, anyone thinks of when they think about the Justice League. So naturally, it makes sense that he would fit in with them perfectly – in fact, he should define what it means to be a Justice League member. Right? Well, not necessarily, in my opinion.

Now, let me be clear: I don’t think there’s such a thing as the “right” or “true” or “correct” version of Superman, since he’s a fictional character who has been portrayed in a wide variety of different ways. But an aspect of him that has showed up in many forms over the years is the idea of him being a bit of a self-contradiction in terms of his connection with others. He has many friends and allies, yet somehow has a sense of loneliness to him too. He’s different from others – an alien from a now nonexistent planet and either the last of his kind or one of only a handful of surviving Kryptonians. And the mere fact of being a superhero who has to keep a secret identity disconnects him from the majority of people.

Now, it does seem natural that therefore, perhaps Superman might be able to connect with other superheroes more easily than other people because they know what it’s like to be a superhero. But there are reasons this might not be the case, which makes me think this is a reasonable direction for the character. I’m going to be talking in generalities and across continuities looking for reasons why this can mesh with traits generally given to Superman.

Superman’s Origin

Most superheroes, including those in the Justice League, started as normal humans, and became superheroes because of an unexpected event. You could maybe interpret this as applying to Superman in terms of Krypton’s explosion being the unexpected event that “gave him powers” by leading to him being sent to a planet with a yellow sun, but I think this is a bit of a stretch.

As far as Clark’s life goes, there are many times he’s not depicted as having all his powers from the get-go and instead needing to grow in order to get them. This still feels pretty different from starting as a normal human and getting your powers from something external. In a way, Superman is fundamentally different from the majority of Earth’s population in a way that most superheroes are not, due to not being human and never having been human.

And yet, on a psychological and personal level, it’s perhaps more accurate to say Superman is human…but he might not be perceived as such by people who see him as Superman rather than Clark Kent. This leads me to perhaps a more important divide between Superman and his fellow heroes.

How Superman is Perceived and Revered

Superman is almost always perceived as a really big deal even among superheroes. Is he THE first, most honorable, most successful, most popular, most powerful superhero in every universe? Not necessarily, but his perception is something like that. And I think those expectations might have the potential to make things more difficult for Superman. People probably assume that they can’t relate to Superman before they even try to get to know him. Even accomplished, powerful superheroes don’t necessarily see him as a peer, but as someone above them.

What’s also awkward is that Superman doesn’t see himself this way – he’s generally confident, but humble. And he lives much of his life not reveling in his fame or power, but as a mild-mannered reporter. I see this a lot in those Superman vs. Meshi panels, and it warms my heart. But Superman knows it’s important to inspire others, including his fellow heroes, so while he’d want people to know that he doesn’t see himself as high above them, he might feel reluctant to shatter his myth altogether.

Seeing this awkwardness be overcome, possibly requiring character development from both Superman and the League members, could be a very satisfying story.

This might explain why Superman tends to have closer friendships with his fellow members of the “Trinity”, Batman and Wonder Woman. Since those two are also rather “legendary”, they aren’t as awed by Superman.

Superman is More Used to Working Alone (Well, Sometimes)

OK, this point is a bit dubious because Superman does work with other people and other heroes even outside the Justice League, but he’s at least closer to working alone than many other Justice League members (in most depictions). He may have “Super-Family Members”, but they’re somewhat independent from him – he doesn’t have long-term, “true” sidekicks. So maybe working with a lot of other superheroes doesn’t come naturally to him to the point it might be a bit awkward.

The big problem with this is…the Legion of Super-Heroes. If Superman was part of a superhero team when he was young, before even meeting the Justice League, than naturally it should be more normal to him, right? Of course, the Superman being part of the Legion as a teen is something that keeps coming into and leaving comics continuity, and it rarely makes its way out of the comics, so this isn’t even applicable to many versions of Superman.

Back to Superman vs. Meshi Real Quick

Before I conclude this article, I’m going to circle back to the manga that inspired it. It’s interesting how little relevance most of this article actually has to Superman vs. Meshi in particular. Unlike this article, Superman vs. Meshi didn’t seek to justify why Superman doesn’t fit in with the Justice League with detailed reasons based on the general traits of how he’s portrayed. It just did it rather casually, treating Superman as basically a normal guy. And I like that.

Still, I think it was worthwhile looking at some reasons why I don’t think this depiction of the Man of Steel is at odds with his character in general. I hope I can find more stories which depict Superman’s relationship with the Justice League in an interesting way. If you know of any, please feel free to let me know!

#superman #superman vs meshi #justice league #dc comics #comic reviews #comics #my writing #clark kent

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coldrubies · 2 years ago

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Grief cinema

My mom died at the end of 2019, right before lockdown. When covid hit, I was still in a foggy state. My reaction to everything delayed. I am supposed to stay home? Not go outside? Fine! Those were precisely what my plans were for the next mumblemumble years anyway.

My brightest, most vivid memories would have been of the movies that I saw anyway, because movies are special to me and I am always watching them. But the way they informed my grieving process surprised me. One does not necessarily expect, in the moment, for anything to really make it better.

But the day of my mom's death—maybe the day of, maybe the last day that I saw my mom—I watched MIDSOMMAR for the first time. I didn't know the plot and was a little concerned about it but a lot unable to do anything about the way that I felt; the DVD was already in the DVD player, and I knew my mother was dying/dead. Florence Pugh's portrayal of grief was a real gift. I felt held by it. It was miraculous to me, frankly, how much it lifted me into a state of feeling able to engage with what was going on and how I was feeling. There is a rant in me—and it is in there pretty shallow; you can get at it easily—about how acting is a vital service. I feel about actors the way that THE OFFICE's Dwight Schrute feels about his urologist. It is something I cannot do myself all the time, validate my own feelings about life; I need someone to do it for me, and I am grateful.

Also right around the same proximity to my mom's death, I saw the "Original Cast Album: Co-op" episode of DOCUMENTARY NOW! in the midst of watching that season. It was funny, I loved it, it took me out of my troubles, and the milieu was so novel and fascinating to me—this is how a cast recording (something I had never thought about) is/was made?—that I looked up which real documentary the episode was based on.

Before addressing ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM: COMPANY and all it's done for me, a word on Stephen Sondheim:

I will pick up practically any biography of an artist. An all-time choice was the biography of Wendy Wasserstein by Julie Salamon. I didn't know her or her work, and it was such an absorbing book, I think about returning to it all the time. Ditto Michael Schulman's Meryl Streep biography. I love to get a feeling of people in time. The choice to buy Stephen Sondheim's biography was not totally random, but it happened to be on my person when, immediately after my mother's death, I was hit by a car! It wasn't fatal—here I am—it just tipped me over. But I was in a fragile state, I did cry a lot, and I explained to the driver that my mother had just died, and that was why I was crying, and that would be the only reason I cry about anything for a while, regardless of what it seemed like I ought to be crying about. Eventually, I got to a hospital that night to make sure nothing had happened to me, and I was stranded in a room for more than an hour, and all I had was this book about Stephen Sondheim.

I can't remember—I'm sure I could figure it out—whether I had the book before I saw the documentary, whether I'd already seen it by the time I started reading it—but it all feels like it happened more or less at once that I went from not knowing* who Stephen Sondheim was to knowing, you know, the reams of tedious details that a fan knows (how many lines he preferred to have on his yellow legal pads; his go-to chord structure).

As all of this is going on, I've been writing a novel about musicians since 2018, and I made a promise to myself that, once I finished the first draft, I would prioritize learning about music. I never did when I was in school, I always wanted to, and the novel would never be done if I did not understand what my characters are supposed to be doing. I finished the first draft at the very end of 2019, and how fortuitous for this guide to show up, again, more or less all at once (just in time for me to be truly knocked out when he died two years later, more or less exactly from the time of all of this).

The extent to which I've clung to that gift as a life raft during this time is best demonstrated by the fact that, at the end of 2019, I had no knowledge of anything pertaining to music other than liking it, and now I have been composing music since the spring of 2022 (composing was the very long goal, and I still can't get over the fact that I met it). Have I neglected other parts of my life? Big time. But this is still impressive to me considering I would have liked very much to simply pull a blanket over myself and be sad quite ongoingly.

(*- On the subject of "not knowing who Stephen Sondheim was," my only frame of reference was seeing his name in the credits, mostly on item descriptions online, for, like, CDs of the WEST SIDE STORY, INTO THE WOODS, and ASSASSINS cast recordings, all of which I happened to see randomly over the years, but it is the kind of coincidence that would leave one who doesn't know anything about musical theatre to wonder if, maybe, Stephen Sondheim has written every single musical ever.)

Back to the documentary:

Between my discovery of ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM: COMPANY and now, the Criterion Collection has issued an edition of it on DVD and Blu-ray that is beautiful, a dream come true, and it features the DOCUMENTARY NOW! parody episode—magnificent. At the end of 2019, though, my only option for owning it was as a Quicktime file. This is fine—whether or not I have internet access, I have access to ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM: COMPANY.

I have so much to express about ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM: COMPANY, but I will restrict myself only to how it has intermingled with my grieving process. It is, of course, a pleasure to see people lost in work that is demanding but, compared to grieving a loved one's death, a load of cake. In the moment, the first many times I saw it, it came with a fresh, invigorating spray of curiosity-provocation. I love to be curious. Curiosity can do a lot for me. And there is a lot to be curious about for the completely uninitiated when it comes to the byzantine, idiosyncratic, union-forged business practices of Broadway theatre. Knowing how much he loved rules, watching him in this documentary, I am so moved and so happy for Stephen Sondheim that he was from and dwelled in a land that loved rules so much.

I could go on and on and on about how cathartic it is to watch someone be difficult, a ruthless artist, rigid, upholding a high standard as a method of care. I could introduce the subject of Stephen Sondheim and mother issues and we would be here all day. One of the conditions of my loving a thing is that I just go on about it. But when I first saw ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM: COMPANY right around the time that my mother died, the big thing that it did for me was show me, in case I felt like allowing my grief to interfere with my plans, that working on music was going to be good, nice, and right, which in this case were all the same thing.

It's been comforting to rewatch MIDSOMMAR since the end of 2019 and, to be honest with you, I rewatch ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM: COMPANY on a basis so routine that, on second thought, to be honest with you about it would embarrass me too greatly, but the other movie that did something for me in the bewildering swirl that was right-around-the-time-my-mother died, maybe the day it happened, isn't one I revisit, but it is worth noting. I was not going to prepare any food that day, which I barely incentivize myself to do when I'm not pulverized by the cruelty of fate, so I bought, I think, a poké bowl (spicy tuna, etc.) and a Mediterranean-style grain bowl (ancient grains, spicy feta cheese, etc.), and ate them both promptly and simultaneously. I felt sick. I could not do anything lest I risk throwing up. I watched SPACE JAM (I did not throw up! A small miracle).

I am I-saw-SPACE-JAM-in-the-theatre-and-it-was-age-appropriate years old. The soundtrack was a presence in my home. I have no tender feelings about it, but, watching it for the first time as an adult, its ludicrousness did completely take me out of what was happening to my soul and body. That's not nothing!

Maybe more happened then and it isn't coming to me now, but this is how I remember it.

#stephen sondheim #original cast album company #midsommar #space jam #joe pytka #da pennebaker #ari aster #grief #covid

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castlebyersafterdark · 7 months ago

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For example, Will never saying he's gay but WE KNOW THAT if you watch the show (perfect example of show don't tell - though words do have power in the right story setting. Multiple things can be true). And in interviews they blatantly confirm it. But not everyone watched interviews or reads articles. We understand that from watching. Let's say an interview came out and someone from the show said "Joyce is bisexual by the way" and... ok? Word of god? Because the average watcher would NEVER land there and hey maybe she's been bisexual the entire time but why would we ever gather that?

i would say even film adaptations are standalone works of art. theyre based on a book or play, not a direct translation of. of course, many are aiming to please pre-existing fans, like HP. but its hard! fans forget that lots gets lost in translation. you can't really know what will work unless you have a deep knowledge of both mediums (writing literature and making films), and few creators do.

this is why i think that any knowledge from the original content is supplementary.

your example of will is so lovely... our will! i do feel viewers would have to be blind to not see he is in love with mike during s4, although i know lots of people personally who didnt, and i dont think thats a bad thing per se. when i say blind i don't always mean it as an insult! theyre just less perceptive, or focused on other parts of the plot, and thats ok! if they still dont see it after s5, or if they DENY it, thats a different matter entirely.

i also think will's sexuality is very very important to queer viewers, understandably, although as of s4, most audiences would assume will was gay (not bi or otherwise), and they would not see harm in supposing that.

this is why the mike discourse also confuses me. i will wait until the story plays out to judge how the duffers go about revealing mike's orientation, and whether or not he at 18 needs to have that completely figured out yet. for me it is enough for him to be in love with will - i dont need him to specify if he's gay or bi or otherwise as of right now.

and going by your example of will and joyce... yeah the joyce thing would be ... odd? i mean it doesnt matter to the story whether she is bi or not. if we found out she was, great! but would it matter? ofc it matters to joyce, but she's a character who exists to tell a narrative. if her sexuality is not relevant to the narrative, then its no bad thing for fans to only find out that supplementary knowledge through their own research.

lastly i actually wouldn't consider the ST play supplementary YET, because it did not contribute to the story of ST in any meaningful way YET. once s5 is out, perhaps it will be

Agree!!! Cosigned.

Example. I never got too upset over the changes between the LOTR movies and changes from the book. They are 2 separate entities for me. The books are the books. The movies are the movies. I have knowledge of both. I'm not going to get upset over what's different from one to the other - I can read the book if I wanted. Oh, but if audiences only watch the movies, they'll never know that actually XYZ - yeah. They won't. What we are gonna do?

Anyway. The play!! I know that certain things from the play are going to feature in the show, most definitely. We don't know what details yet. That's why I prefer focusing on themes and big picture stuff as informative aspects of the stage play before using hyper focused stuff from it to inform really staunch ideas about what we can expect in season 5. YET - you nailed it. Yet. Perhaps things will be present, perhaps things won't. It's in limbo. And if you've seen the play or have extensive knowledge of it, I'm sure it's fun to consider the thing 100% canon and important and maybe it's bitterness for having not seen it though I'm not actually that bitter or anything, wrong word choice, just not something I personally will factor YET into the show itself.

For as much as I love all the Stranger Things comics and the Robin book (still need to read Lucas, Dustin, and do more than a skim of Eddie's) - and even if there are aspects in there that are soooo cool and great and support some of my personal ST ideas - to me they are all still supplemental since you can still watch the show and that's all. The show as a stand alone piece of media!!

I tend to agree with this. WHILE I am 100% a gay Mike truth and I am not saying it doesn't matter because I personally think that him being bi or gay or straight completely changes his character interpretation - we need to see season 5 to get his finished point of view and it is an important aspect to consider - not everyone knows at age 16 or 18 what exactly is going on with themselves and maybe that's the arc we are getting with Mike and for TV? Well, if his story is to close some may argue for conclusions and closure sake we need him fully realized at the finality of the show - but maybe his arc is about accepting parts of himself and recognizing aspects but you know how I always say we are all works in progress? It's a TV show but it's ok if a character is a work in progress. Enough to see that they are on the right path, that their future is headed on the upwards, his ending is a happy one, bittersweet, but rewarding to the viewer. Mike is complicated, controversial. We learn enough to get there and understand him as a viewer and his arc is satisfying, and it's ok if at the end a character can still grow. That's human. That's real. Maybe Mike never says The Word re: orientation. But the path is there, the tools are there, he and Will are there.

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ottertastic95 · 2 years ago

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Casper x Original Female Character

It was an unusually humid April night in the outskirts of Frankfurt, and she couldn’t wait to close up and go home to have a cold shower. The fan was on and the air conditioner too, but that doesn’t mean much in Germany where effective ACs are considered a crime against the planet. Even though she somewhat agreed with this, Cat couldn’t help but long for one right now. It was half one in the morning, and she just wanted to start cleaning before a group of drunken students came in looking for a nightcap. The regulars, all men, were still sipping at their Pils and Weinschorles, making conversation with the owner about the state of the nation and smoking like chimneys. Cat sighed whilst preparing the pernods the students had ordered, hoping they wouldn’t stay too long. She wanted to go running tomorrow but always found it hard to do after a long night. Granted, the occasional glasses of white wine didn’t help her in that regard, but after 10 pm a drink made the evening flow faster. Margie wasn’t home, she spent more time away for work at the moment. Cat didn’t blame her. The death of Werner, her beloved husband, had come as a shock, and the lack of support she had received was puzzling. Werner had always talked so enthusiastically about his work and his “Jungs” – Some of them came around for dinner from time to time. She enjoyed their company, especially Casper’s. He was quite a lot older than her, well-built and very handsome. Cat had stolen many glances at him on numerous occasions, but having been only sixteen when they met, he kept his distance, at least romantically, but he must have known she liked him and was flattered. He was kind, and with time even taught her a thing or two about woodwork, a passion of his. Before he left with Werner and the boys, he had given her a book on hut-building. It was a fancy that they shared, to live off the beaten track and make a home there. “Maybe, when I’m back I can show you a thing or two…” he said. Cat was head over heels for him at that point. She blushed, thanking him, and their hands touched as he handed her the book, and he bent down hesitantly and gave her a hug which she returned warmly. “I’ll miss you,” she said, slightly stumbling over her words “Bis bald, Katze” he smiled. “Time will pass faster than you think”. Oh, Casper…She hadn’t seen him in almost two years now. His absence at the funeral had hit hardest of all the boys. Neither Margie nor Cat knew the reason behind it. This whole project in the States had been very hush-hush from the jump, Cat had assumed it was top-secret and government-related, but Margie claimed not to know any more than Werner had told them both. The project was taking forever and Margie was getting lonely, but Werner more so. Their telephone calls, though infrequent, left her increasingly longing for him to return. When Margie, rather suddenly, announced that instead, she would be visiting him in New Mexico, Cat was thrilled for her, and slightly envious because she desperately missed Casper. They had little to no communication, only two calls together with Werner and Margie on speakerphone, the last one being a month ago.

Margie had entrusted Cat with the house and the ever-playful Bärchen. Yet, shortly after Margie's plane landed, Cat received a distressed call. Werner and Margie had had a confrontation, triggered by some mysterious incident at the construction site, and Werner would not be joining her in Jemez Springs.

In an effort to provide some comfort, Cat set about preparing tea and scones—a homage to her British roots. Margie's return was somber, her anguish evident, though its depth and origin remained elusive to Cat.

A week's uneasy quiet was shattered when somber-faced men—lawyers, Cat guessed—arrived. Though she wasn’t part of the conversation, a cold dread settled in her heart. She knew Werner was gone. Margie later confirmed the grim news, but details were scarce. The enormity of the loss hit Cat hard; Werner had been a father figure since she'd come under their care.

The subsequent days blended into one another—a swirl of police visits, legal consultations, and hushed conversations. Cat sought to anchor Margie during the storm, but grief had created a chasm between them.

What exacerbated their sorrow was the stark absence of Werner's colleagues at the memorial. The weight of their omission was felt deeply, and when a mere package—sent by Casper—arrived in place of his presence, it was a salted wound. While a part of Cat still yearned for the solace of Casper's embrace, anger now bubbled within her. His silence in response to her letters, and the discovery of his abrupt move, amplified her heartbreak. There were nights she cried herself to sleep, memories of their shared moments playing in a loop.

Yet life, with its relentless pace, pushed forward. Channeling her anger, Cat turned to pounding pavements and blaring Rammstein. Their latest album echoed her turmoil, providing an aggressive outlet for her emotions.

She had joined the pub just before Werner’s departure and found herself at a crossroads. While a part of her wished for destiny to chart her path, the more pragmatic side knew she had choices to make.

Cat's linguistic abilities were among her most cherished skills. Fluent in both English and German due to her upbringing, she also picked up Spanish during a youthful sojourn in Spain with a previous foster family. However, when faced with major life decisions, Cat found herself riddled with uncertainty. Margie, sensing her potential, nudged her towards higher education, leading Cat to embark on a teaching degree.

Yet the rigidity of academia was a stark contrast to Cat's free spirit. Though she enjoyed certain aspects, she grappled with deadlines, feeling out of place in a structured world. Werner's untimely death only intensified her feelings of disconnect, and she took a hiatus from her studies, unable to concentrate amidst the grief.

Jolted back to the present by her name being called out, Cat realized her boss was indicating that the students wanted to settle their tab. Relief washed over her. The end of her shift was near. As the last of the regulars departed and the owner locked up, Cat performed a quick cleanup. Pouring herself one last glass of white wine for the road, she hopped on her bicycle. As the chilled night wind brushed past her, she lit a cigarette, the music from "Reise, Reise" filling her ears.

Navigating the dimly lit, almost desolate streets of Frankfurt, she eventually reached the familiar road leading to her home. Choosing to savor the final notes of the song, she dismounted and walked the last stretch, her steps aligning with the rhythm. As the song concluded, she slid off her headphones, only to get her fingers caught while parking her bike. Cursing under her breath, she locked it up, mentally chiding her occasional clumsiness.

The enveloping silence of the night, now uninterrupted by music, felt both oppressive and comforting. Yielding to temptation, Cat settled on the patio, pulling out a beer she had taken from the pub. As she expertly rolled another cigarette, the soft rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl were the only sounds accompanying her solitude.

She felt an unsettling sensation – the prickling awareness that she wasn't alone. She rose, her every sense heightened as she moved cautiously towards the garden's edge. The atmosphere grew heavy with tension, and the night's stillness was almost suffocating. Every instinct told her she was being watched.

From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a tall silhouette slowly emerging from the shadows. Panic tightened its grip on her, and she cast about for something, anything, that could be used for defense.

Then she heard her name. "Cat..."

She turned, and as the dim glow from the nearby streetlamp illuminated his face, her heart caught in her throat. It was Casper.

Time had weathered him. He looked worn, with untamed hair cascading around a face that held deep, sorrowful eyes. But even in that fractured moment, the connection between them was palpable.

Cat's emotions surged. All the pent-up pain and confusion melted away as she rushed into his embrace. Casper hesitated briefly, but then he held her close, their hearts in sync, beating together in the silence of the night.

His voice cracked with emotion. "I'm sorry," he whispered, brushing a tear from her cheek with a gentle kiss.

She wanted to unleash a storm of questions, but his finger pressed softly against her lips. "Not now," he murmured. "There's so much I need to explain, but not here. Come with me."

She hesitated, thinking of her responsibilities. "Bärchen? What about him? Margie would never understand if I just disappeared."

He looked down, shame flickering in his eyes. "He's safe, with Fritz and Barbara. I've made arrangements. We'll call Margie. I just... I couldn't face her yet. I needed to see you first."

The intensity of his gaze made her heart flutter, but reality pulled her back. "Let me grab some essentials," she said, thinking of her glasses and contacts. "Wait for me inside."

He nodded, stepping inside as she quickly packed. When she returned, she found him in Werner’s office, looking out of place amidst its austere surroundings.

In the dimly lit room, Casper sat at Werner’s desk, cradling an old slide rule in his hands. Inscribed on it were the words, “In Liebe, Deine Jungs.” Cat's gaze shifted from the memento to Casper, questions swirling in her eyes.

“Was this your doing?” she inquired, her voice soft with uncertainty.

He nodded, the weight of memories evident in his lowered eyes and slumped shoulders. There was a palpable sense of pain emanating from him. Sensing this, Cat gently moved closer, wanting to offer some comfort. He took a deep breath and returned the slide rule to its resting place on the shelf.

She took a moment before asking, "Casper, why... why did none of you attend the funeral?”

A storm seemed to pass over Casper's face, shadows deepening in his eyes. "We... we didn't make it back in time. And even if we had," he hesitated, his voice edged with bitterness, "they wouldn’t have wanted our presence."

Confused, Cat pressed, "Who’s ‘they’?”

“Later,” he responded abruptly, breaking the tension by reaching out to stroke her cheek. Holding her hand, he led her outside, moving stealthily to avoid the pools of light from the streetlamps. A few blocks away, an old camper van awaited. Opening the passenger door, he guided her in before slipping into the driver's seat and igniting the engine.

She ventured, “Where are we going?”

His voice, hoarse from emotion, replied, “Black Forest, near Villingen. Familiar?”

“That's... quite a distance,” Cat began, but Casper interrupted, his grip on her hand tightening. “I promise, I'll explain everything."

Silence ensued as the van roared down the road. Under the soft glow of the dashboard, Casper's weariness became evident. The once vibrant spark in his eyes now seemed smothered by concern, and his entire demeanor spoke of exhaustion.

Mustering up courage, Cat whispered, “I missed you.”

He glanced at her, those deep brown eyes now filled with a mix of anguish and warmth. “And I you,” he murmured.

The alcohol she had consumed earlier began to make its presence known, adding to her dizziness. She reclined in her seat, the world outside a blur of passing vehicles. Casper drove with urgency, the speedometer pushing 150 km/h as they raced towards Villingen...

Cat stirred, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal Casper's face softened by a rare smile. "Rest well?" he asked. She yawned and stretched her limbs. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." He chuckled, casting her a playful sidelong glance. "Well, I had some light snoring for company."

She blushed, readying a playful retort, but he winked, "Just teasing. You looked like you needed it. Tough day?"

Following his gaze out the window, she realized they were now off the motorway, navigating a narrow dirt road canopied by trees. "Where are we?"

"We're close," he assured her, slowing the van as a rustic hut emerged from the shadows.

A memory fluttered to the forefront of her mind: a book Casper had gifted her two years prior. She could still hear Werner's playful voice, teasing them: "Turteltäubchen." Lovebirds. Despite Casper's seniority, Werner had never objected to their closeness. His parting words echoed, “Mach dir keine Sorgen meine Liebe. Ich bring ihn bald zu dir zurück. Es sind nur acht Monate.” Don’t worry, my dear. It’s only eight months, I'll bring him back to you soon. The pang of the memory made her heart twinge.

Casper parked beside the hut, breaking her reverie. As she emerged, stretching, he retrieved a flashlight from the trunk, playfully greeting her, “Na, Katze?”

The inside of the hut was warm, its cozy ambiance accentuated by the glow of dying embers. As she stepped in, feeling the warmth envelop her, Casper pointed to a door. "You can shower there if you'd like. I have some shirts and things if you need them. I know this is all unexpected."

After a refreshing shower, during which she washed away the evening's stress and odors, she donned one of Casper's shirts, which hung on her almost like a dress. She found him by a window, a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in hand. The minimalistic hut felt warm against the night's chill. Casper's smile was welcoming, but the heaviness in his eyes was inescapable. Drawn to him yet unsure, she hesitated, waiting for what would come next. Before Werner and his boys left, Cat had yearned for those moments of solitude with Casper. Yet the unfolding events and unanswered questions made her tread lightly in his space.

She approached him as he stood facing the wall, his broad, athletic silhouette obscuring her view. Reaching his side, she recognized the old photograph. It was Werner, with his boys – including Casper, Udo, and Kai. She had never warmed up to Kai, always finding him a bit overbearing. His numerous and clumsy advances, especially after a few drinks, had tested her patience.

A particular evening came rushing back: the night the men had descended on the pub for a Feierabendbier. While she was downstairs changing a keg, Kai had cornered her in a sudden, unwelcome ambush. The weight of his intent and the reek of alcohol made her heart race. He lunged for a kiss, but she sidestepped him, shouting,

Spinnst du? Lass mich los!" she protested. Kai chuckled, releasing her just slightly, "Komm schon, Süße. Du willst es doch auch." But as he closed in, Casper intervened, positioning himself protectively between them. "Lass sie in Ruhe!"

Kai's mocking laughter echoed in the dim basement. "Nur weil du dich nicht ran traust, heißt nicht, dass andere die Chance verpassen." Casper's face reddened, his anger palpable. In a swift movement, he pushed Kai into a stack of empty kegs. Regaining his balance, Kai smirked, "Ist ja gut, ich gehe ja schon," before making his way back up.

Casper turned to Cat, his concern evident. "Are you okay?" A mix of embarrassment and gratitude filled her. She nodded her thanks, directing her focus back to the task at hand. "Look out for your back. Lift with your legs," he advised, demonstrating with a full keg. As she flushed, a hue rivaling her fiery hair, he grinned, gently guiding her with a hand on her back as they ascended the stairs together.

Neither ever acknowledged that encounter. But now, as she watched him gaze at the photograph—a window into a past now distant—it resurfaced in her memory.

Gating at the picture, his eyes held a storm of emotions: devastation, rage. Not knowing the right words, she simply intertwined her fingers with his. “I’m so sorry.”

His distant look broke. “How about a nightcap?” he offered.

Cat nodded. She settled onto a well-worn leather sofa, its vintage charm inviting despite the wear. Casper began pouring whiskey into two glasses.

“I’ll let Margarethe know I'm away,” she murmured, pulling out her phone. “Is that alright?”

“Of course," he replied. "Just avoid mentioning you're with me."

Hey Margie! Alles gut bei dir? Ich bin unterwegs. B ist bei Fritz und Barbara. Sprechen wir bald? x

“How's this?” she asked, tilting her screen towards Casper as he took the seat opposite her.

He scanned the text, then gave a curt nod of approval. After sending her message, Cat stashed her phone away and wrapped her fingers around the glass he offered. Taking a delicate sip, she murmured her gratitude. "Thanks."

His gaze dropped, discomfort evident in his eyes. Silence stretched between them, but she couldn't help her own curiosity. She yearned to understand what had burdened his soul, the secrets he carried.

“Casper…” she started gently, “You don’t owe me any explanations. Just know that being with you right now, after feeling so isolated... it means everything. Margie’s been distant since the accident.”

His body tightened, a shadow of pain crossing his face. “Cat,” he whispered, caressing her cheek, his gaze piercing into hers, "What I'm about to tell you must remain between us. It's a matter of our safety.”

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding, “Okay, I understand.”

He took a deep breath, each word heavy with sorrow and revelation. “Werner’s death—it wasn't an accident like we were told. He was murdered. Either directly by our contractor or at his behest."

Cat was left speechless, the weight of his words settling deep within.

Cat's fingers trembled, her eyes glistening with tears and confusion. She tried to wrap her mind around everything he was saying, but it was overwhelming. Casper, his voice a gravelly whisper, pressed on. “The project we took on, it was top secret. The men behind it are merciless. If they even had an inkling that I'm revealing this to you...”

She bit her lip, struggling to find her voice, “Is that why you're fleeing to Austria?”

“Partially,” he said, his eyes troubled. “I fear our phones might be monitored. Their reach is extensive. We were carted into a desert, threatened, warned of dire consequences for speaking up. It's the reason I never dared to call, fearing they might target you or Margarethe. But tonight... tonight, I couldn't bear it any longer. I needed to see you.” His gaze met hers, a storm of longing and fear evident in those deep blue depths.

She swallowed hard. “But why? I thought you were engaged in a covert government project, not... this nightmare.”

He sighed heavily. “Werner tried to sneak away, to steal a brief moment with Margarethe. He had every intention of returning, but they killed him in cold blood.”

Remembering Margarethe's tearful recounts of that fateful day, she whispered, “If she had reached the hotel, would they...?”

Casper's voice wavered, “I don’t know. We're enmeshed in a sinister web, blinded by the allure of wealth.” He lowered his gaze, weighed down by guilt. “We can't approach the police. Without concrete proof, we're sitting ducks, vulnerable to their retaliation.”

As the truth of his words began to crystallize in her mind, Cat’s heart ached for the pain he must’ve endured. “Did you truly understand the gravity of this assignment?”

His response was filled with regret. “We believed we did. Werner was convinced that six months of this job would set us up for life.”

A myriad of questions swirled in her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to process everything. Seeing him again after so long, his vulnerability juxtaposed with the steadfast strength she had always admired, left her torn. There was a magnetic pull between them, undeniable even amidst the peril they discussed.

Casper, seemingly attuned to her thoughts, whispered, “We can't share any of this with Margarethe. Given Werner’s fate, she's likely under their surveillance. That’s why I had to see you in person, and not risk a call.”

As their eyes locked, the weight of unspoken emotions lingered heavily between them, a yearning so palpable, it threatened to consume them both.

Cat absorbed his words, each syllable carrying the weight of their shared longing. "What comes next for us? Are you truly safe?"

Casper's deep eyes locked onto hers. His gaze, deep and unyielding, searched her eyes. "I've amassed more than I could ever need. With no family ties binding me, and you in a similar position... I wish for us to journey through life together—if that's what you want." His voice, although laced with uncertainty, held a fervour that made her heart race.

Tentatively, he reached up, his rugged fingers tracing the curve of her cheek, sending a thrill down her spine. Her hand, almost instinctively, rose to rest on the solid warmth of his chest, fingers lightly caressing the weave of his navy jumper. Overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, she dropped her gaze.

But Casper, sensing her unease, gently turned her face back towards him. With a tenderness that stole her breath, he bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

Their first embrace was electric, hearts racing and senses on fire. The earthy musk of his scent mingled with the gentle brush of his soft lips and the scratch of his beard. Drawn irresistibly closer, she pressed herself to him, the faintest of sighs escaping her lips. In response, he scooped her up effortlessly, breaking the kiss to trace a fiery path with his lips down to the nape of her neck.

Carrying her to the futon in the room beyond, he gently laid her down. As he hovered above her, they paused for a moment, drinking in each other's features as they adjusted to the room's dim light.

He guessed that she was still innocent in the ways of love, now at the cusp of adulthood. Even though she was younger, the intensity of his feelings hadn't faded since he left for New Mexico. Pain clouded his eyes as memories of the past year's events loomed large. Feeling his distress, Cat shifted, inviting him to lie beside her. They nestled close, legs tangled, their silence speaking volumes.

Her fingers traced gentle patterns on his chest, and the rhythm of his heart lulled her. They shared a kiss of comfort, devoid of urgency. He sensed her hesitancy earlier and didn’t want to push. More importantly, he wanted her to know he hadn't brought her here for mere physical intimacy. The depth of his tenderness shone in his eyes, and she felt a bittersweet ache in her heart. "Let us rest."

He tenderly kissed her once more, his gaze filled with an overwhelming tenderness that threatened to shatter her fragile heart. "Let's rest now," he whispered softly. The day had been an arduous journey, filled with moments of uncertainty and passion.

With a graceful movement, he rose from the bed to dim the cabin's lights, casting a warm, intimate glow across the room. Returning to her side, he lovingly draped a soft, cozy blanket over her, cocooning her in warmth. They nestled beneath the sheets, bodies entwined, finding solace in each other's embrace as the tranquil stillness of the night enveloped them. In that moment, as they held each other close, their worries and cares faded away, and they surrendered to the gentle embrace of sleep.

Cat awoke, her heart heavy with the fear that the events of last night were nothing more than a dream. She hesitated for a moment, keeping her eyes tightly shut, as if to stave off reality. Finally, she summoned the courage to open her eyes, and the unfamiliar surroundings confirmed her suspicions. This wasn't her own room. A sigh escaped her lips, and she groaned inwardly, realizing she'd left her contacts in overnight.

Blinking through the slight blur, she took in the rustic details of the cabin. Casper's presence lingered, his scent still wafting from the bed linen. She buried her face in his pillow for a moment, relishing the remnants of their passionate reunion, still in disbelief at the speed with which it had happened.

With a determined resolve, Cat decided to freshen up and change. She left on Casper's shirt, paired with her own shorts. The cold water splashed on her face helped alleviate the faint headache from the night before. As she dressed, she heard noises emanating from outside. Unable to locate Casper within the cabin, her curiosity got the better of her, and she ventured outdoors.

The cabin was nestled amidst densely clustered trees, their leaves filtering the sun's rays, casting a magical, dappled light on the surroundings. Casper, still in the same clothes as the night before, was hard at work chopping wood. Cat couldn't help but admire his stance as he gracefully maneuvered the axe, cutting through wood with precision.

Slightly enamored, Cat approached him sheepishly. He turned at the sound of her footsteps, and her cheeks flushed at the sight of him. "Morning," she greeted, her voice betraying her self-consciousness. Casper responded with a heartwarming smile, his pallor less pronounced than the previous day.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his eyes conveying a hint of the unspoken connection between them.

Cat nodded, feeling a mixture of emotions about their passionate night together. Casper paused in his wood-chopping and suggested they have some coffee. "I don't have much left here; we can grab breakfast on the way."

Recalling Casper's words from their drive the night before, she asked, "So, what's our next stop?"

Casper stopped what he was doing and leaned on the axe handle, meeting her gaze. "I've already sold this place. My neighbor, a few miles away, bought it. He wants to rent it out to holidaymakers. I was just trying to leave things in order." He nodded toward the pile of firewood he had been working on. "Next stop is Austria. Near Prebersee, to be exact."

Cat was unfamiliar with the place, and she hoped Casper would provide some context. Inside the cabin, the aroma of brewing coffee filled the air as Casper busied himself with the preparations. Cat noticed her phone displayed a missed call from Margie. She met Casper's apologetic gaze as she shared the notification with him.

"I'm sorry, Katze," he said softly, his voice laced with regret. "Perhaps we should wait a little longer and find a less risky way to contact her. We might come up with something later." His suggestion felt like a balm to her anxious heart, and she blushed, wishing circumstances were different.

Cat composed herself and spoke, her voice steady, "I actually like your van… you can see the night sky through the window. Should we be hitting the road?"

Casper checked his watch and noted it was nearing noon. "Yes, it's about time," he replied with a nod. "We'll make a stop in Munich. From there, we can decide whether to stay for a day or two or continue driving."

Cat attempted to inject some levity into the conversation, asking, "For some Bier und Brezeln, perhaps?" She felt a twinge of self-consciousness but was rewarded with a warm smile from Casper.

"For you, anything," he replied, his eyes reflecting the genuine affection he held for her.

Cat was waiting patiently looking out a window. Suddenly she felt him embrace her from behind, his frame engulfing her much smaller statue, his arms around her waist, leaning into the crook of her neck, kissing her. “Thank you for coming with me”. She quivered under the sensation of the warmth of his body around hers, leaning her head back he deepened his kiss, gently biting her earlobe. Cat turned her head so as she could kiss him back. Casper open his mouth slightly and bit her lower lip, sending a new electrical sensation through her. He kissed her deeply, gently opening her mouth and their tongues entwined. It was an explosion of passionate emotion, she felt light-headed, seeing fireworks through her closed eyes as she let him explore more of her body. Ever so subtly she moaned, she had never imagined this ever coming true. Then, ever so gently, he spun her around, and gave her one sweet kiss, stroking her face. “Was machst du nur mit mir?” he whispered softly. She turned scarlet as he kissed her forehead, taking her into his arms. They remained this way, breathing in each other’s scent, still winded from the arousal of this encounter. “We should go” he uttered warmly, smiling at her obvious inner protest. “We have all the time in the world.”

They swiftly cleaned up and packed their belongings, leaving a considerate note for the new owner of the cabin.

They journeyed for approximately three and a half hours, making a quick stop to grab sandwiches along the way. The drive alongside the picturesque Lake Constance was nothing short of mesmerizing. Cat had never experienced such a profound sense of freedom before. She put on a pair of sunglasses, lowered the window, and relished the cool breeze as they headed towards Bavaria. Glancing at the tape deck, she smiled at Casper and asked, "May I?"

Casper grinned in agreement. "Go ahead." She pressed play, and the distinctive sounds of Frank Zappa's "Overnite Sensation" filled the car. "You're still into Zappa?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes on the road ahead. "This is still my favorite album of his." As they continued down the scenic route, they shared the view and the music, occasionally intertwining their hands. Cat felt an urge to explore their budding romance further, but her experience was limited to some clumsy kisses during teenage party games. Since falling for Casper, she hadn't entertained the thought of anyone else; all she desired was him. It still felt like a dream.

By 4 pm, they arrived in Munich, and Casper opted for a hotel. "We can spend a night outdoors soon, though. I know a great place." He smiled, stealing a kiss and gently squeezing her thigh. The hotel was a beautiful, sunlit establishment overlooking a serene garden. Casper suggested she could call Margie from the payphone across the street.

As Cat pondered what to say to Margie, she spotted a few young women across the street wearing Dirndls. Of course, it was September, and the Oktoberfest season was in full swing. An ideal excuse for a longer absence quickly formed in her mind.

Ten minutes later, she returned to the hotel. Casper had just finished showering and was casually wrapped in a towel. Cat tried not to blush, knowing it was a futile effort. Casper stood at an impressive 6'3" with a physique honed by his outdoor work. He noticed her admiring glance but didn't mention it as he began to get dressed.

"What did you tell Margarethe?" he asked.

Cat recounted her story, saying, "I told her a friend hooked me up with a limited-time waitressing job here. Hard work and good pay, you know. She seemed to believe me and told me to have fun."

Casper nodded in approval. "Good idea. Should we grab a drink once you're ready?"

Cat agreed and headed to the bathroom to prepare herself. After a refreshing shower, she applied just a touch of makeup and donned a semi-backless blue dress with comfortable sandals. Her hair was still slightly damp when she finished getting ready, and Casper was lying on the bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. He smiled when he saw her.

"You look lovely," he said, rising from the bed and approaching her. He kissed her briefly and took her hand in his. They decided to stroll into the Altstadt, passing landmarks like the Siegestor and Residenz, and eventually making their way to Schäfflerstraße, heading toward the Frauenkirche.

They walked in contented silence for a while, soaking in the warm sunshine and each other's company.

They came to a halt outside the church, its onion-domed towers soaring into the sky. Cat squinted against the sunlight, admiring the architectural marvel before her. "I like its onion towers," she remarked, her regret evident. "Damn, I wish I'd brought my camera. It's been a while since I took some snapshots."

Casper, his fingers gently tracing her now-curly hair, dried by the sun, offered a reassuring suggestion. "Maybe we'll find something here," he said. "There are quite a few vintage and camera shops around here."

Her face lit up with excitement. Cat had a modest yet cherished collection of film cameras and was always eager to discover new additions. "Should we take a stroll through the park?" she proposed.

He slipped his arm around her, and together, they ambled along, taking in the vibrant tapestry of people and sights surrounding them. Children played with boundless energy, while some young adults engaged in a spirited game of flunky ball. Cat observed Casper as he chuckled at one of the players, who had inadvertently sprayed beer out of his nose. To any casual onlooker, they appeared to be an ordinary couple relishing a weekend bathed in sunshine. The gravity of the secrets he had revealed to her had yet to fully sink in. The notion of Werner, killed while on a covert and likely illicit construction project, felt absurd, nonsensical, and unreal. Simultaneously, it added a poignant intensity to their present circumstances.

She couldn't help but wonder how her absence would be perceived by M and the other boys. Even though she knew they wouldn't cross paths again, the uncertainty lingered. Every time she thought of Werner, a sharp pang of grief pierced her heart. He had been a gentle, kind-hearted soul—perhaps too good for this world.

As they reached the end of the park, they continued to walk a bit farther until they arrived at Marienstraße. "Should we grab a drink somewhere?" Cat suggested, her eyes scanning the street for a suitable bar.

"I thought you'd never ask," Casper replied with a playful grin.

Cat's gaze settled on a cozy pub on the street corner named Landhaus. They chose to sit outside, and Cat took the initiative to head inside for their first round of drinks. "I owe you that much," she quipped. Stepping into the pub, she was greeted by its rustic charm, enlivened by hops hanging over the bar.

"Zwei Dunkle, bitte," she requested from the bartender, who promptly poured two dark beers from the tap. Carrying the drinks back to their table, she found Casper rolling a cigarette. Setting down the beers, she took her seat across from him. "Prost," they toasted simultaneously, their eyes locking in accordance with the German tradition.

Cat took her first sip, savoring the dark, semi-sweet, toasted flavor of the beer. It served as a welcome refreshment, and she hoped it would help her feel less self-conscious around Casper. Playfully, she remarked, "You have a mustache," causing him to laugh and wipe away the foam from his upper lip.

Curious to learn more about his experiences since his return, she ventured, "So… what have you been doing since you got back?" She watched his gaze shift toward the bustling road, where tourists and Saturday shoppers moved about.

He began to share, his voice tinged with introspection. "When I first got back," he started, "I was drinking heavily. Mainly, I stayed at the cabin in Villingen. I didn't have to work, so I worked on fixing up the cabin whenever I had the energy. After a while, I sought help at church. I went to confession, something I hadn't done in years. It helped me find my way back to the light. The priest was kind and suggested I make amends wherever I could, as long as it wouldn't hurt anyone. That's when I sent the slide rule." Cat listened attentively, her interest piqued.

"And I was missing you, of course," he continued with a warm smile. "I thought you might have found someone else in the meantime, someone closer to your age."

His playful wink earned him a teasing kick under the table, but her laughter was cut short when his hand ventured beneath the table to squeeze her knee gently. A surprised squeal escaped her lips.

"Still so ticklish," he observed with a grin, his fingers gently stroking her leg, sending goosebumps cascading down her body. "Well, then I managed to pull myself together again," he continued. "Enough to buy this new property in Austria. It came with a shed and an old hut. It's still a bit bare, but I think you'll like it. We'll have plenty to do without getting bored for a while. I believe you'll bring a special touch to the place, just as I hope to make it a true home." He reached out, taking her hand and planting a loving kiss on it.

"Na, wen haben wir denn da?" A familiar voice suddenly intruded upon their intimacy, causing Cat to jump slightly and their hands to separate. They both turned toward the street to see Kai standing there with a mischievous grin on his face. Casper's expression immediately shifted to one of defensiveness and suspicion.

"Lasst euch von mir nicht stören," Kai continued, approaching their table and placing a hand on each of their shoulders. He reeked of alcohol. "Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass du irgendwann mal die Eier dazu haben würdest, Casper. Glückwunsch." He winked at Cat, then continued in a teasing tone, "Hast du ihr schon deine Briefmarkensammlung gezeigt oder eierst du noch rum?"

Casper got up, giving Kai a slight push. "Das reicht jetzt. Du bist betrunken. Hau ab, bevor ich es mir anders überlege."

Kai chuckled but distanced himself slightly. "War doch nur ein Witz, entspann dich. Was macht ihr eigentlich hier?"

"Sind nur auf der Durchreise," Cat replied cautiously. "Und du?"

"Mein Bruder heiratet," Kai explained. "Als ob mir eine gute Party entgehen lassen würde." He gawked at three buxom young women in figure-hugging dirndls who had caught his attention.

Seemingly sobering up a bit, he turned back to Casper and Cat, scrutinizing them with narrowed eyes. They knew he must be trying to determine whether Casper had been truthful about Werner, but even Kai understood that discussing it here in broad daylight would be foolish.

"Lass uns mal bei Gelegenheit mal schnacken, Casper. Stimmt deine alte Nummer noch?" Casper nodded, and Kai continued to study them intently. Suddenly, he snapped back into his usual boisterous self, clapping his hands together. "Tja, dann lass ich euch mal wieder allein... viel Spaß euch beiden," he grinned before turning and walking away, whistling as he strolled down the street.

Casper looked serious again, and Cat felt a lingering sense of embarrassment at having been caught in their moment. "What are the chances... asshole," Casper muttered more to himself than to her, finishing his drink. He headed inside for the next round.

For a brief moment, Cat felt as if someone was watching her. Across the street, a man in a grey suit and sunglasses stared in her direction. He had a moustache and a voluminous head of hair streaked with grey at the top. She blinked twice, attempting to focus, but by the time she did, the man had vanished into the crowd. Chalking it up to paranoia, she smiled at Casper as he returned with more drinks. However, he looked concerned once more.

Kai had seemed relatively normal, considering, whereas Casper appeared weighed down by the past. She knew he couldn't talk about it, especially not here. Instead, she ordered two glasses of brandy, sat down next to him, and kissed him. The Dutch courage seemed to work, and he relaxed, returning her kiss, the taste of brandy lingering on their lips.

They stayed for another hour, enjoying a meal, then left in time to watch the sunset from the shores of the Isar, grabbing a Wegbier for the road.

#better call saul #casper #lalo #original character

0 notes

mr-styles · 4 years ago

Text

Harry Styles Got Shameless for Harryween, to the Surprise of Literally Nobody

The two-night Fancy Dress Party at Madison Square Garden, announced two years ago, was a Halloween treat worth the wait.

Ever since Harry Styles announced his Harryween shows in New York, almost two years ago, anticipation ran high. But Harryween was worth the wait. It was the hottest Halloween party in town, as fans took him up on his challenge to dress up for the occasion in Madison Square Garden. And to the surprise of absolutely nobody, Harry overdid it. On Saturday night, he came out as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, posing with his picnic basket, dress, hair bow, and ruby slippers. For Sunday, he covered Britney Spears’ “Toxic” in a Pierrot clown suit, and he relished every ruffle of it. “I must say, I feel fabulous,” he told the crowd on Night One. “Do you feel fabulous? Good! Now we’re going to sing a sad song.” The whole Harry philosophy in one line.

The weekend was billed as a Fancy Dress Party, but it was a lot more than that. Over two nights, Harryween was a delirious glam-pop orgy, and the crowning cherry-on-top moment for his amazing Love on Tour. Originally booked for 2020, Harryween got pushed back a year when the pandemic hit. It was a long overdue victory lap for his blockbuster Fine Line, which dropped in the final days of 2019. Before the lockdown, he got to do only one proper U.S. arena show, at the L.A. Forum, where Stevie Nicks joined him to duet on “Landslide.”

But because Harry has an insatiable appetite for wreaking ungodly chaos in our lives, he topped his own standards this past weekend. Every moment of Harryween had the essence of a Harry live show, which is creating a communal sense of joy that turns total strangers into a congregation of ecstatic revelers. As he told the crowd, “Please feel free to be whoever it is you’ve always wanted to be in this room tonight.” The boyish mischief on his face as he started the rare fan-fave “Medicine,” knowing full well he was about to intoxicate everyone with “Toxic” — just pure evil. Britney was right — a guy like him should wear a warning, although maybe a clown costume counts as one.

When Harry spoke to Rolling Stone about his debut solo tour, he summed up his live aesthetic. “To me, the greatest thing about the tour was that the room became the show,” he said. “It’s not just me. I’m just a boy, standing in front of a room, asking them to bear with him.” But the room really became the show for Harryween. So many angels, fairies, superheroes, queens, cowgirls, Britneys, Juliets, Eltons, Cher Horowitzes, “Good 4 U” Olivias, sunflowers, the Bring It On cheerleaders doing cartwheels on the floor. And the twin queens of this year’s Halloween: Megan Fox from Jennifer’s Body and Velma from Scooby Doo. Glitter everywhere. Sequins and wigs. Feather boas. One of the best audience signs: two fans dressed as zombies, with the placard “Eat People With Kindness.”

Nothing could have kept this guy out of a dress for Night One. As Judy Garland’s Dorothy, he kept prancing and skipping and curtsying. (Has anyone loved anything as much as Harry loves to curtsy?) At one point, he clicked the heels of his ruby slippers while guitarist Mitch Rowland played the psychedelic “She” solo in his Cowardly Lion costume. The whole band was decked out in Oz drag: drum goddess Sarah Jones as the Wicked Witch of the West, bassist Elin Sandburg as Glinda, keyboardist Ny Oh as the Scarecrow, keyboardist Niji Adeleye as the Tin Man, and percussion master Pauli Lovejoy as the Wiz. (In a band full of larger-than-life personalities, it took a special kind of cruelty to cast the shy guitar dude as the Lion, but Rowland worked that mane like a true king of the forest.)

Harry committed to the role, right down to the tiniest details. Even when he skipped off and onstage for the encore break, he refused to surrender his picnic basket. After introducing the band, he held up the basket and yelled, “Now also, make some noise for Toto!” For the encore, he glided right from the ballad “Sign of the Times” into “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” tipping his cap to the long queer histories encoded in the song. (Right down to how David Bowie interpolated it into “Starman.”) He captured the sad yearning in the tune, without playing it for laughs. Here’s to his Dorothy Era — let’s hope he keeps on following the yellow brick road.

For Night Two, he laced up in a Gucci clown suit full of ruffles and frills. It evoked Bowie in his classic “Ashes to Ashes” video, with a similar emotional impact. As Bowie said in the Seventies, “I’m using myself as a canvas and trying to paint the truth of our time on it. The white face, the baggy pants — they’re Pierrot, the eternal clown putting over the great sadness of 1976.” Between clowns and The Wizard of Oz, Harryween covered two-thirds of my childhood nightmares. (To complete the hat trick, he could have added the Abominable Snow Monster from Rudolph.)

This might have been a fancy-dress bash, but that didn’t make it fundamentally different from his other shows — at any Love on Tour stop, it’s tough to find any corner of the room that isn’t strewn with feathers. During one of the early-October NYC shows, he singled out a group of dads to roast their fashion decisions. “You want to know how I know you’re dads? Because you’re wearing a golf shirt to a concert. All three of you, tucked in!” There was a touching moment Sunday night when he announced, “We have a very special guest in the audience — he was here last time we were in New York. Golf Daddy is back! He’s STILL tucked in!”

Musically, this tour goes for high-energy dance pop, skipping some of the biggest ballads in his songbook to keep the vibe festive, especially the 15-minute jam of “Canyon Moon,” “Treat People With Kindness,” and the early One Direction oldie “What Makes You Beautiful.” For “Treat People With Kindness,” the fans on the floor had a country boot-scootin’ line dance — they worked out the choreography long-distance around the country. And on this queerest of annual holidays, “Lights Up” took on a new resonance. Fans passed around different-colored slips of paper and Harry asked them to shine their phones’ flashlights through them, creating a rainbow around the room — a statement of Harryween Pride.

On Sunday, he stunned the crowd by busting out “Medicine,” a Stonesy pansexual anthem that got cut from his debut solo album, yet became a highlight of his first tour. He milked the surprise, pausing midpose as Jones struck up the drum intro and pandemonium swept through the room. Everyone sang the hook: “The boys and the girls are in/I mess around with them/And I’m OK with it!” (It’s officially “them,” but it’s fair to say most fans sing “him.”) And he went right from that to “A guy like you should wearing a warning.” There were rumors all night he might dip into the Spears songbook, since his stylist, Harry Lambert, changed his Twitter header to a Britney photo a few hours before the show. Yet “Toxic” was a surprise, just a few weeks after he waved a “Free Britney” banner onstage. Three years ago, in Madison Square Garden for summer 2018, a fan asked Harry his favorite Britney song. When he replied “Toxic,” the fans started chanting, “Sing it, sing it!” “You want me to sing it?” Harry asked. “Well, let me see … [Dramatic throat clearing] No.” But tonight he finally delivered his “Toxic,” and he went all the way into the song, taking his sip from the devil’s cup and slipping into a poison paradise.

The show ended, as always, with the glam-rock powerhouse “Kiwi,” which never fails to make the entire building wobble like a belly dancer. Fans on the floor gathered in a ring to create an awe-inspiring mosh pit. (At the Oct. 4 show, one of those moshing fans was Halsey.) It’s an amazing sight to witness from anywhere in the room, and it’s gloriously terrifying to get swept up in it, with the floor bouncing madly. The mania unleashed by “Kiwi” summed up everything Harryween was about: stepping into the light and finding out who you are. It was a Halloween weekend never to be forgotten.

#harry styles #love on tour

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finelinevogue · 4 years ago

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I love your “little moments” series… I have a weak spot for dad!Harry💕 and I love the relationship between the family’s members 🤗 and I really hope u will continue to update it! And for this series I would like to request Harry doing the 73 questions interview for Vogue and his kids and wife make an appearance (u can choose if the kids are toddlers or teens) and they even answer some questions OR an Howard Stern interview where Harry is asked about his family,maybe the host makes like not so nice-low key shady comments on his wife and on Harry’s daughter coming out story. Ok I’ m done, so sorry ik it’s so long 😅 it’s just I love your series sooo muchhh 🥰🥰 ok I’m done love u have a good day 😘

i’d love to answer this one!! thank you so much for loving my little series💕this one’s for you and for the other request i got which i’m combing with this: “Harry is doing a interview on facetime when his kid crashes the interview.” so pls enjoy and yeah enjoy;

oli - 6, felix - 4, belle - 1

The day had finally arrived for Harry Styles to complete the 73 Questions with Vogue.

It had come to be the promo for ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ and his schedule was booked with interview after interview after interview, and it wasn’t ideal for this to all be happening months whilst also having to look after three meddling toddlers, one of whom had only recently turned 1 years old.

The house was chaos. Fun, but chaos. And it was also the setting of this interview.

“Alright you lot, this way.” You shoved your children along to your living room, giving Harry the space he needed with Joe Sabia - the interviewer.

“Thank you love, see you later.” He blew a kiss to you and returned his focus to Joe. This interview was the first of many and it was also a major marketing ploy. These types of interviews were so highly recommended for Harry to be involved in and Jeff had thought it was about time for him to do one.

Joe had arrived around 15 minutes ago, just to

run over the script and remind Harry of the pre-determined questions - which reminded him of the answers that you’d run through with him the night before. Now the cameras were set up, the mic people were all at stand-by and Joe was ready it was time to begin. The children had been so fascinated by all these new people, after not seeing anyone for months due to the coronavirus pandemic, which is why it took a lot of trouble to get them to shuffle away from their beloved dad.

A fake door knock arose.

“Harry Styles hello!”

“Hi!” Harry waved at the camera.

“I’m here to do the Vogue 73 Questions, shall we get to it?”

“Of course! Come in!” Harry welcomed Joe into the house and shut the door behind him, not trusting his little ones to not escape if they were running wild.

“Beautiful house! Is it your only one?”

“No, but it’s my only one in London.” Harry made a point of not exploiting how many houses he did have and where they were. In fact, you still didn’t know about the Island that he was currently investing in just for you. You were a huge conservation activist and so Harry thought you could spend your free time helping the fragile ecosystem on this island.

“Did you design it yourself?”

“Me and my wife built the plans, but we go the experts to finish it all off.”

“What’s your favourite room?”

“Um, probably the living room.”

“Why?”

“So many of my favourite memories have happened in there.”

“Could you give us some?”

Harry could give loads, but they were far too precious for him to just give away. The living room wasn’t even a massive room, it was quite quaint with a couple of sofas, a logwood fire and then rugs and paintings on the walls. It was a home within a home. It was where Felix had taken his first steps. It was where Oli had spoken his first words. It was where Belle had fallen over for the first time and given herself nasty carpet burn. It was where presents were opened at Christmas. It was where you and Harry had made love next to the fire. It was where Felix and Oli had had their first tiny argument. It was where you spent family nights. If your house was a map then that room marked X the spot.

It was treasure. Priceless.

“My favourite would probably be when my wife, Y/N, spilt red wine all over the new white carpet and then proceeded to throw white wine over the stain because she’d read somewhere that it helps to get rid of it.” Harry chuckled at the memory.

“Did it?”

“No, God no. The carpet’s grey now.”

Joe laughed, as did Harry.

“I have to say Harry, you’re looking very fashionable today who are you wearing?”

“Gucci.” He blushed, because he knew that everyone would’e known that without question. He was wearing a lilac silk shirt with his name embroidered on it - but really it was to symbolise your last name not his - with a white wife-beater shirt and white shorts. He looked rich.

“Shouldn’t have asked really? Is your wife as much a Gucci avid fan?”

“She hates anything expensive. I think she still wears the same jeans she was wearing at university!” He knew you’d hit him later for saying that.

“So she’s a hoarder?”

“God yeah. She keeps everything and anything.” Harry laughed in admiration.

“Has she always been?”

“Always. When we went on our first date, her bag was so full that she couldn’t find her purse and she was so embarrassed because she thought I would think she was taking advantage of who I was. Anyways I did end up paying that night, but she had actually, I don’t know how, sent me money for her portion of the bill. From that moment I knew it was going to be her.”

“Do you write songs about her?

“Every day.” He smiled at the thought of the one he’d written just this morning.

“Which one is your favourite about her?”

“I don’t know about favourite, but the one I hold closest to my heart is probably ‘Fine Line’.” Harry stopped there, not wanting to share the intimate details of why and Joe respected that.

“Do your children have a favourite song of yours?”

“They go crazy for Kiwi and Golden. Belle loves Treat People and Oli knows the dance to that one actually.”

“Did you choreograph the dance for TPWK?”

“Partially, but I had help from my friend Paul and Y/N helped too actually.”

Harry and Joe had now made it through the house, weaving in and out of rooms, until they had made it to the Garden. Unfortunately, you’d forgotten to shut the bifold doors to the living room and so as soon as Harry came into focus for your children they immediately ran for him. Oli and Felix could run quite well, but Belle was a lot slower. She was only learning how to walk and so she fell a lot, unless she was being supported by you or Harry. Oli reached his dad first and then Felix, to which Harry knelt down to embrace them in ‘super-dad’ hugs as he liked to call them.

“And who do we have here?” Joe asked.

“Trouble.” Harry replied in jest, but whispered something into his boys ears before backing away.

“Hello i’m Oli.” Oli waved proudly to the camera.

“Hi i’m Fix.” Feliz shied into his dads neck, embarrassed of himself. Harry kissed the back of his head and kept a hold oh him around his back for comfort.

“Fix?” Joe asked at the peculiar name.

“It’s Felix, but he can’t pronounce his own name for some reason so we just call him Fix now. Or Flix. Don’t we buddy?”

“Oh my! I’m so sorry about this!” You ran out in panic, knowing your one job was to keep the kids entertained and away from their dad. At least that was the original plan, but both Harry and Joe like this idea so much more. You were blushing red in embarrassment, picking up a fallen over Belle on your way over to everyone else. “So sorry.”

Belle became restless in your arms, reaching forward for her dad. She whined when she couldn’t quite reach and Harry immediately stood up to take his winging daughter from your arms. As he did, he leant into you and whispered in your ear whilst leaving it a warm kiss behind.

“You’re okay love. Don’t be sorry.”

“Hello Y/N!” Joe spoke.

“Hiya! How are you?”

“I’m great, and you?”

“Peachy.” You laughed, leaning down to collect Felix who was making grabby hands at you. Oli was quite happy standing next to both his parents, one of Harrys hands running through his tiny locks of hair.

“So now we have the family together, how do you feel to all be together?”

You looked to Harry smiled to find him smiling back already at you, knowing you both had a very similar answer. “It feels right. It feels like home.” You answered and Harry nodded in agreement, giving Belle a gentle rock in his arms.

“Are you okay with showing your children’s faces publicly?”

“No we’re not.”

“Looks like we have a hell of a lot of editing to do back at HQ.” Joe laughed, but completely understood the reasoning behind yours two decision. If needed, you could re-film scenes of this interview so that it didn’t include your children. Joe had done his best to keep the camera on you and Harry and luckily the children kept their faces buried in their parents necks anyways. “Is that going to be forever?”

“When they are old enough to decide whether they want to be in the spotlight then we’ll see.” Harry smiled, holding onto Belle tighter because all he wanted to do was keep her protected, and his, forever.

“You two seem like very good parents.” Joe spoke sincerely, and it made you swallow down a sob because it was always really lovely to hear such compliments - knowing you’d struggled with postnatal depression.

“Thank you Joe.” Harry nodded respectfully.

“Okay let’s carry on?”

The interview carried on until Harry had answered so many questions. He redid bits, due the children being too involved and he re-filmed answers to questions he found difficult to answer the first time around. He had such a great experience and was happy with the way that the day turned out.

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prof-peach · 4 years ago

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if fans wanted to include peach in stuff they write, would that be okay? and how would they write peach's personality? aside from "FIGHT ME" anyway, i think that much is a given lol. i only really write the anime characters 'cause that's what i know, but it sounds like it'd be kinda fun to try making a version of ash that fits into this blog's universe! nerf'd Obviously, but i think she'd probably appreciate how hands-on he gets when training his pokemon!

Ok, I get a lot of these messages, and I often hear folks wanting to throw peach into their stories and comics and writings, and I will always simply ask that if it’s published online publicly, to be linked to it so I can snoop and enjoy the content too. If someone asks about her in your work, let them know about the blog I guess? But literally I love that people take this stuff, these characters and stories, and make new stuff with it. No ones making money off my work here? So where’s the issue? Go for it buddy, knock yourself out, I’m all for it.

For you, and all the others out there who want to add peach, and other characters to your world building, I will give you a detailed rundown of the main lot, and how they behave, what they do, how they function. You can use that, use bits, or use none of it, I do not mind at all. If you’re creating something, you’re in control, not me.

So, peach doesn’t actually fight people as much as you’d think. She’s very aware most cannot and do not want to do that, and so she likes to keep to herself with regards to that aspect of her life, she doesn’t ask to spar with people, or even bring it up at all, but people ask her all the time, even if they clearly would lose or become hurt should she miscalculate during the fight. She looks at people like they usually create problems, and often has a somewhat reserved nature to other humans. You have to work quite hard to get anything more than formalities out of her. She will dead-pan handle people with blunt and very to-the-point statements, aid whenever possible, but very quickly get back to handling the Pokemon she so carefully tends. Her focus is clear, she’s all about hard work, her very small select family, and the Pokemon.

Her brutal, loud and brash personality only comes out with friends, family, difficult humans, OR any Pokemon. She will joke and laugh and play with Pokemon, but clam up around humans, maintaining tight body language and generally will be a little cold by regular standards. She does however have some weaknesses in this emotionless shield she puts up. When peach was young she was always angry, which swung so fast to sadness, back and forth. Her teenage years it just got worse and worse, it was crippling at points. She is to this day, full of fire and rage, even sadness, but now she has learnt to control it, to use it. When she sees that in others, it’s familiar, and she is pushed to drop the front, and be very real with the person. Underdogs I suppose, people who get bad reps, but deserve the same as everyone else. She can’t ignore it.

Once you start to pry open her personality, you’ll find she’s a lot more laid back and fun than originally appeared, you just have to work hard to find that side of her. She will meme reference, can’t dance to save her life, loves her coffee, and can be caught in quiet contemplation while gardening. This hobby is her calmest, and often is why she can stay so level headed when her quiet rage boils up again. Without time outside she will become grouchy, a little snippy, and lethargic. Will not go in the ocean for any reason other than life or death, is fine with ponds and rivers, or water at wading height. Likes the rain.

With regards to her training others, they usually have to tolerate her somewhat strict nature. She is a little....unforgiving, holds a grudge if you make a lot of mistakes, and has no tolerance for ignorance in the age of information that we all live in. In previous posts I’ve mentioned she’s only recently selected two students, after many years of testing kids who want to learn from her. Hundred tried out, only two have ever been approved. How she teaches is very fast paced, be prepared to get some scrapes and bruises, she will test your physical and emotional tolerances with intense tasks, carefully watching students like a hawk. Bad posture in your stance? She’ll be the first to tell you to sort it out. Not hearing your Pokemon partner? Right, now you spend the day without using words trying to communicate, let’s see how you like not being listened to.

This is a woman who has spent her life saying very little, and watching everything, she watches Pokemon and can see an issue from a mile off, and in battles, her observations are why she can react fast, and chose effective strategy to avoid damage and achieve results. Don’t let her body fool you, her strongest asset is analysing, watching, planning. Those skills have over the years transferred to people too. As a student, mistakes don’t go unnoticed with this professor.

Her methods are harsh but fair, and should you prove yourself, she will protect you with her life.

Because of her disinterest in kids and lots of noise, she does pass the training of students on to the other staff members whenever possible. Grey takes on the lions share of battle lessons, he is far calmer, more open and friendly, with patience for people, and an empathy that peach sometimes struggles to have. When you go through a lot of harsh training, and difficult events, it’s hard to change how you feel or think, with peach, well, she’s been through it. Most do not come out the other end in one piece, but she did, and it made her strong. You may think I mean strong like buff and big, and yeah sure she is, but I mean it mentally more than anything. Peach will not quit. She has learnt to destroy the boundaries that stop people getting hurt, gone is the fear that freezes you in your tracks, that feeling that you’ll pass out if you go one more step. She’s learnt to ignore it.

This means she’s a little forgetful at how it is to be normal, to be vulnerable and soft and squishy like students so usually are.

She has her issues, but for the most part, visitors get a laugh, a smile, a calm assertive confidence, and facts. She will indulge those who have genuine interest, or show a connection with nature, an understanding of the balance that needs to be struck for everyone to live well together.

Despite her many flaws, she’s fiercely protective, and will go above and beyond to defend the island, it’s staff, the Pokemon and the visitors. Injustice is her biggest gripe, along with littering, and she doesn’t stand by quietly if something happens that seems unfair.

You will not see her without Valka, her vulpix, close by. That Pokemon doesn’t like to be touched by strangers, at all, and will run the second someone comes at her with that intent. Peach will scold you for pushing yourself onto her, should you persistently try to get close to pet Val. They are in sync, if peach is sad, Val is sad, if Val is stressed, peach is stressed, and so on. They are inherently connected, it’s just been that long, the psychic bridge between them has been built, and reinforced over the years.

The only other Pokemon who follows her so endlessly is Booker, a teddiursa who’s pretty rough looking. He quietly trots behind, grouchy and stoic, they fight closely together a lot. He lost his mom a long time ago to poachers, and peach took him in, and changed her whole life for him. Not many people know, but Booker was the reason she left the rangers, changed career, and got so strong. Will tolerate people petting him but isn’t keen at all, grumbles a lot and tries to move away.

You may also need to know about the others, for the sake of writing, she here a few more bits that may be important to you, or others wanting to do this.

Grey is very tall, very burly, composed, tells bad dad jokes, is a bit of a goof if allowed to be. If he sees a pun, he’ll say it. Can’t help himself. Very nice guy to work with, good at keeping people calm and grounded. Pokemon are drawn to him like a moth to a flame, he gives off warm energy, and has inhuman amounts of patience. If you wrong his family however, he will snap back.

He grew up in the city, loves to swim and hike and cycle, can snowboard, is really sporty. A total brain box with held items, and boosting stats. He will explore many paths, to make sure visitors and students get the information they need, in a way that can be remembered and retained for later. Is a huge guy, but will get on the floor to play with a tiny Pokemon. Treats big “meaner” looking species like babies, very good with all pokemon.

His free time is spent either tinkering, swimming, or trimming his bonsai trees. This guy stares at screens a lot, so appreciates time away from them. Peach built him his own little greenhouse for his trees and tools, which he keeps clean and loves dearly.

His methods as a teacher are built around fun and games, he makes hard work easier to do by distracting trainers from the difficult bits, and focusing in on something more interesting or compelling.

His most commonly seen Pokemon would be a houndoom, Saxon, old battle veteran, retired now to herding and being a good boy. Very gentle, loves a pet.

Pari, now a fully fledged nurse, often oversees the labs front desk and pokecentre features, such as healing pokemon, and informing trainers who come to visit. Her skills with eggs and hatchlings is high, she’s great with younger Pokemon, and hands out good advice to trainers a lot. She’s not a fighter, never was, but can find any file, any study, any book, and any refrence you may need. A true bookworm, loves her romance novels, chat shows and upbeat celebrity gossip mags. Will cry at a lot of stuff, be it sad or happy.

She’s got a seriously upbeat personality, but if caught off guard or shocked, she gets a little flustered. Too much chaos will overwhelm her, but usually she’s on top of things. The years spent on the island have made her better at maintaining composure in emergencies. With lots of siblings, she’s very competent with others, and has a good ability to disarm cagey people with her jolly nature. Because of this, she can sometimes gain information from trainers that some of the more harsh professors may not have access to. Charming is a word for it.

Her partners are an eevee, and a happiny. They are quite sweet and well adjusted, the eevee gets a bit bouncy if you get it too excited.

#if you dont want to use the refs #im really cool with it #just enjoy yourself buddy #pokemon #prof.peach #peach talks #prof.grey #pari #dotaku island #dotaku staff #PLEASE #just ask me if you dont know something #or feel i missed something in what i wrote

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beom1e · 4 years ago

Text

SOUL WATCH

everybody had the soul watch app, because everybody was curious to meet their soulmate. it was an app that told you when or how and gave you hints, but never who. and due to all the pressure, you downloaded the app too... just to find out you didn’t even have a soulmate after all.

PAIRING yang jungwon x gn! reader

THEMES soulmates au, highschool au, fluff, humour

matching jewellery was a trend among soulmates when it came to being a highschool student. those that had found theirs wanted to show it off, basically shoving it into the faces of those that were still searching. walking down the corridors was a constant reminder that you didn’t have a soulmate for yourself, as matched couples would walk hand-in-hand with shiny bracelets or be seen wearing those missing piece style necklaces.

mondays. after freeing yourself from the couple-filled hallways, you sat down at your desk and placed your books onto the table with a huff. trying to block out your classmate bragging about meeting their soulmate over the weekend, you noisily checked around in your bag for your pencil case.

then came the clicking of your teacher’s heels as she entered the classroom, and there was a rush of students finding their seats. the squeaking of chair legs and quiet chatter only made you more annoyed at the world. to say discovering you were soulmate-less a few weeks prior had put you in a permanent bad mood would be an understatement.

but everything lit up as soon as yang jungwon appeared in the doorway. he apologised for being late, cheeks flushed and hair windswept. heat rose to your own cheeks at the sight of his sorry smile.

much to your dismay, he was a few seats to the back and to the right of you. he disappeared from your sight, making you slump sadly in your seat.

‘today is international soulmate day,’ your teacher smiled, setting her powerpoint up behind her. ‘as you all may know. there are many types of soulmate links out there, but i want to know about yours. so research and write about it — its origin, its rarity — and hand it in at the end of class.’

not sure what to do, you raised your hand. ‘what if you don’t have a soulmate?’ at the sound of your voice, jungwon looked up from his notebook. he didn’t have a soulmate either.

‘everybody has a soulmate, y/n,’ she reminded you. ‘maybe you entered your details into soul watch incorrectly.’

‘i don’t have a soulmate either,’ jungwon spoke up. you turned in your seat. ‘so what do we do instead?’

‘this is the first time i’m hearing of people being soulmate-less,’ she chuckled awkwardly, slightly panicked. ‘well, you’re both part of the student board aren’t you? just head down to the main hall and help the others set up for the soulmate dance.’

the soulmate dance. just the thought of it made you roll your eyes. you’d never attended, because you didn’t show interest in finding out until those few weeks ago, but you knew how cheesy it was. it was like every other kind of dance, totally cliché and super boring. except, you got to bring your soulmate.

you packed up your things as quickly as possible. as horrible it would be having to decorate for a stupid highschool dance that you wouldn’t even attend, at least jungwon would be at your side. and he must’ve understood your suffering, especially during international soulmate week on international soulmate day that just happened to fall on a monday.

you slung your bag onto your shoulder and followed jungwon out of the door. he walked slightly ahead of you, holding open each door for you which you quietly thanked him for.

when you made it to the main hall, the bright pink colour palette made your eyes burn. ‘this is going to be a long week,’ jungwon sighed, dropping his bag and leaving you at the door. mentally agreeing, you placed your own bag down beside his.

you sort of felt bad for jungwon. it was depressing to know that you weren’t ‘destined’ for anyone, and that you’d have to find someone the old way. he seemed even less of a fan of soulmate week than you were, but he did seem really down about not having a soulmate of his own.

it was wednesday morning and you’d missed your bus. annoyed with yourself, you had to run to the nearest bus stop in hopes another bus would arrive soon. that was where you saw jungwon and his friends, all of them being upperclassmen.

trying not to be seen, you awkwardly leaned against the outside of the shelter and looked off to the side. ‘it’s not like i like them,’ jungwon argued, which earned a few laughs from the boys. ‘why would i ask them to the soulmate dance if we’re not soulmates?’

‘because you don’t want to spend saturday studying alone in your room?’ sunoo teased, ‘if they’re not matched, then you can ask them. no big deal.’

the bus pulled up in front of them. you waited for them to get on before following, avoiding eye contact and taking a seat at the back. ‘good morning, y/n,’ jake turned around to face you. ‘i didn’t know you take this bus.’

‘i don’t,’ you awkwardly replied. ‘i was late and missed my own bus.’

‘are you going to the dance on saturday?’ sunoo also joined in, smiling brightly at you.

‘oh, uh,’ you nervously fiddled with the straps of your bag. ‘no, i don’t have a soulmate.’

‘well, we were just telling little wonie here that you don’t need a soulmate to go,’ jay patted jungwon’s head, making the younger boy complain about him messing up his hair. ‘you could come with us.’

‘thank you...’ shifting uncomfortably in your seat, you looked between all of the boys who were staring eagerly at you. ‘for the offer... but i don’t want to go. it means a lot, i just don’t do school dances.’

the bus conversation was probably the most awkward thing that happened to you that day. or during lunch time, when you took a seat on a bench facing the sports field. there was jungwon once again, playing around with the same friends. you watched as jake gave up on running around and collapsed to the floor, with everyone mirroring his actions seconds later.

you’d always had a crush on jungwon. he was always so sweet and polite, with the perfect balance between humour and seriousness. you saw him as someone you could easily rely on and trust, despite never being close to him. his cheeks always had this natural blush and his laugh was addictive, and he looked so serious whenever he was concentrating. you felt your heart racing whenever he was around, but you never had the courage to confess to him.

as you got lost in your thoughts, you made eye contact with him across the field. panicked, you began packing your things away and into your bag. then you left, trying not to move too quickly so that it didn’t look suspicious.

after classes, you were called into the main hall once again. knowing today you’d have to be painting, you grabbed your change of clothes from your locker and headed into the changing rooms. coming back into the hall, you were met with jake and sunghoon covering each other in the baby pink paint.

you slipped past them and looked around for something to do. and then someone tapped on your shoulder. it was sunoo, who asked if you could help him with painting the banner. jungwon passed by you, sending you a soft smile before hurrying off towards jay. how did he seem to be everywhere?

on friday afternoon, as you were exhausted from all the decorating you’d been doing, you were so glad to be able to go home and enjoy your weekend. the whole week had been a complete disaster, and you now had a strong dislike towards the colour pink. but much to your dismay, the head of the student board asked you to attend the soulmate dance in order to keep an eye on the students. why he chose you specifically, you had no idea.

so on saturday morning, you tried your best to drag yourself out of bed. though you really didn’t want to dress up for a highschool dance, there was an outfit you had in mind. things weren’t going to change, you weren’t going to randomly get a soulmate, but you stupidly had hope things could change.

you spent most of the day considering backing out, but gave in because you didn’t want to disappoint your classmate. you arrived at the main hall an hour and a half before the event, ready to set things up.

a few students were around, moving tables to either side of the hall. a large red carpet was being rolled through the centre of the room, leading out onto the school gardens. you turned around at the sound of your name, bumping into the source. they reached for your hand, preventing you from toppling over.

a shock of electricity shot through your arm, forcing you to snatch your hand back. ‘i’m so sorry,’ the voice spoke, and much to your dismay, it was jungwon.

you felt your heart racing again, heat rising to your cheeks in an instant. ‘it’s ok,’ you reassured him. ‘it was my fault, so i’m the one that’s sorry.’

‘well,’ he smiled. ‘i guess i’ll see you around.’

honestly, you felt like an idiot. he heard loud and clear just a few days ago that you didn’t want to go to the soulmate dance, but here you were. maybe he would realise you were being forced into it, but if he didn’t, then that would be humiliating.

you shook your head to clear yourself of all the thoughts. ‘y/n,’ turning on the spot, you were met with the sight of jay coming towards you. ‘you’re looking lost. i thought you weren’t coming.’

‘change of plan,’ you simply replied. ‘i was asked to help set up some things.’

‘well, i need help carrying some things in from the truck outside,’ he offered. ‘if you’d like to help.’ nodding, you followed behind him at a distance.

the sky was clear — not a single cloud in sight — and the sun was shining brightly. the back doors of the truck were open, workers from the catering company lowering large bottles of drinks onto the ground. jay gestured towards the cluster of fruit juice bottles before grabbing one for himself.

they were heavy, but you managed. walking at jay’s side, you couldn’t think of a conversation starter to make it all a little less awkward. but thankfully, or maybe not, he spoke up first. ‘you do know that jungwon has a crush on you, right?’

the bottle fell from your grip. panicked, you reached forward to catch it again. clearly the universe was on your side in that moment, because it didn’t split.

‘uh, no,’ you forced out a laugh, feeling your entire body heat up. ‘i did not know that.’

‘he denies it,’ jay shrugged, helping you lift the heavy bottle back up from the ground. ‘but we all see the way he looks at you. after he found out you were soulmate-less too, he wanted to ask you to the dance tonight. but when you said you weren’t going, he gave up on that idea.’

what were you supposed to say to that? as you placed the bottles beside the snack table, jay pushed them under it. turning around to see jungwon on the other side of the hall, you felt yourself swallowing your words before leaving to the outside again.

but avoiding jungwon wasn’t as easy as you had hoped. he seemed to be in your line of sight at all times and in all honesty, you weren’t even sure why you were avoiding him. after all, if what jay said was true, then the feelings were mutual. still, you couldn’t shift your mind away from the shock you had felt at his touch. you thought maybe you were going crazy and had imagined it, until your phone buzzed with a notification.

leaving jay to bring in the rest of the drinks, you leaned against the exterior wall and pulled out your phone. a notification from soul watch lit up your phone, 0 days until you meet your soulmate. eyes wide, you looked around the area, hoping to see someone checking their phone in that same moment. was that even possible?

you weren’t sure what to do. search for your soulmate? or would they just come naturally to you? did this mean jay was your soulmate? it was a possibility, considering you were with him when the notification came through.

‘you coming inside?’ speak of the devil. you quickly hid you phone, putting on a fake smile and nodding. ‘people will start arriving soon.’

as soon as the hall began to fill up with people, you wished you had never came back inside. you really needed some time and space to think everything through. there was that electricity when jungwon had helped you up, but then you should’ve gotten the notification in that moment, right?

you grabbed your phone from your bag, going out into an empty corridor. sliding down the wall beside the door and pulling up the soul watch app, you searched your profile for details. but all the information it had was about your soulmate link, which happened to be a countdown. and now that the countdown was over, there were no more hints?

you were in complete disbelief, but the soulmate dance wasn’t the place to be researching this.

‘i guess you got it too,’ you looked up to see jungwon. ‘you’ve been avoiding me all day, so you must’ve.’

‘i have not been avoiding you,’ but the redness of your cheeks suggested otherwise. ‘and got what? i don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘a sudden notification that you’ve possibly met your soulmate...?’ he sat down beside you.

‘well actually,’ you could’ve laughed at how stupid you were about to sound. ‘i was avoiding you because of what jay said earlier. and i thought there was no way you could be my soulmate otherwise i would’ve received the notification after we bumped into each other.’

‘who else could possibly be your soulmate?’

‘what’s that supposed to mean?’ you turned your head to make eye contact. he quickly looked away and down at the floor, wishing he hadn’t been so bold with his last statement. jungwon was never this forward with people he wasn’t yet close to.

‘i know jay told you that i like you,’ he admitted. ‘and i’ve always known that you like me back. i just never thought to bring it up because i didn’t have a soulmate, and i thought you would have one.’

‘but you have a soulmate now,’ you reminded him, a smile lighting up your features. ‘or... however that works. do you think it has to do with us touching for the first time back then?’

‘you felt that too?!’ his eyes widened as he stared back at you. ‘i thought i was going crazy.’

‘do you want to go back inside?’ you gestured to the door into the main hall. jungwon shook his head, standing up and holding his hand out to you.

‘we could...’ he trailed off, looking behind himself at the exit. ‘or we could ditch this snooze fest and do something fun instead... like go to an arcade?’

‘sounds like a plan,’ you took his hand, letting him pull you up from the ground. he checked if the coast was clear before running towards the exit, the sound of your laughter filling the empty corridor.

#enhypenwriters #enhypen #enhypen au #enhypen fluff #enhypen oneshot #enhypen oneshots #yang jungwon #jungwon #yang jungwon au #yang jungwon fluff #yang jungwon oneshot #yang jungwon oneshots #jungwon au #jungwon fluff #jungwon oneshot #jungwon oneshots

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h-worksrambles · 3 years ago

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What if Sam & Max got another cartoon?

The Sam & Max animated series holds a very special place in my heart. While perhaps not my absolute favourite incarnation of the two (though it’s close), it still keeps up this series’ very high level of quality, and is probably one more the more overlooked shows of its era. Furthermore, it’s also probably the iteration of the franchise that I most want to see get a revival. Partly because it’s just a very good, but also very short show that deserved more episodes. But also because I think it has a fair bit of untapped potential, to take all the best bits of the animated series we got, and turn it into something even better. So I thought I’d make a short numbered list exploring some things I would like to see if these two got another chance to grace our screens. I may do also do a future post on what I would like to see in a new Sam & Max videogame. With all that said, let’s get crackin’!

1. Target a (slightly) older demographic

The cartoon is distinct as being the only version of Sam & Max to be explicitly marketed at kids. And much of this has to do with it originally airing on Fox Kids. While I think the writers did an excellent job with what they had, and maintained much of the spirit of the series with those constraints, it’s hard not to imagine what they could have done with more freedom. To clarify, I don’t exactly want the seres to go hard R. Even at its edgiest, Sam & Max has typically between quite tame by the standards of adult animation as we know it today. The games have never gone over a T rating and the comics’ content was never above the level a teenager could handle. But when you read through the official sketchbook and see how many fun jokes were cut, I can’t help but wonder just how hamstrung the writers were by the need to keep things mostly family friendly. Even if the show still got away with a lot...

...Moving right along... 2. Draw more inspiration from the comic.

One of my personal favourite parts of the cartoon is how much it adapted from the original comics. Characters like the Rubber Pants Commandos showed up as cameos. Comic baddy Mack Salmon became a recurring antagonist. And the show did the best it could within its budget to recreate the comics’ art style, included its hyper detailed, gag laden backgrounds. One of the best episodes is a direct adaptation of one of my favourite of the comics, Bad Day on the Moon, bringing it to life with full colour, animation and voice acting. All I can say is, do that but...more. Adapt one or two of the other comics in a handful of episodes. This also builds handily off point 1. Maybe a kids’ show would have struggled to adapt Monkey’s Violating the Heavely Temple, in which the main villain dies of spontaneous combustion on-screen. But with the added freedom of a higher age rating, maybe that could actually be done (since that was the very first comic it could actually make for a solid pilot). But this goes further than just direct adaptation. Incorporate ate more comic characters like Flint Paper. And, especially, lean more into the stylism of a comic. Occasionallly the show would feature things like closing out an episode with the image of an actual comic back cover closing over. Why not do more of that? Have scene transitions that resemble panel transitions, add comic captions with additional blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gags. Make the whole show feel like a comic book come to life. The comics are in some ways still the purest expression of what Sam & Max is, and I see nothing wrong with taking more cues from it.

3. More recurring characters, less one-offs

One thing I’ve noticed in my time in the Sam & Max fandom, is that the current fans really like the show’s new characters. Newcomers like the Geek, Granny Ruth, John the gator and Lorne, the wonderfully hateable Friend For Life, are all pretty well-liked by fans.

It’s odd, therefore, that most of them...aren’t in it all that much. Lorne gets two episodes as the main antagonist, and a cameo in a third. And he’s frankly one of the luckiest ones. Despite being a fan favourite, Granny Ruth only has a single 10 minute episode. Checking the series bible also suggests other characters were planned to be recurring cast members, but were ultimately cut. The character Ms. Honeybunny was orignally going to be Sam & Max’s landlady, but ultimately only had a very different, much smaller role in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. And Mack Salmon? The show’s supposed big bad lifted from the comics? Two episodes, one of which is the finale. Now I absolutely think supporting characters can work well in Sam & Max. I have a whole other piece going into why. So I think these characters deserve more time to shine, especially the Geek, who I’ll talk about more in a later section.

To achieve this without drastically overinflating the show’s scope and run-time, it may be worth cutting down on the sheer number of one off characters and villains. If there’s one area I consider a weak point of the cartoon, it’s these guys. Does anyone really have any investment in Larvo? Did we need the incel moles? Are any fans clamouring for a return of Lactose the Intolerant? And hot take, Gary the psychic kid wasn’t sweet, he was just annoying, sorry-not-sorry. I’m not saying you can have no one off characters. But maybe cut down on the amount to make room for a slightly beefed up recurring cast. (Side note: but it’s worth pointing out that the cartoon-exclusive characters are still owned by Fox, and it would require some legal finagling to get them back. But even if these characters specifically couldn’t return, my points about the pros of an extended cast still stand). Speaking of...

4. Use the Geek more, you cowards!

The Geek is simultaneously one of the most distinct aspects of this version of Sam & Max while also being the most under-used. Sam & Max’s tech supplier and resident girl-in -the-chair, she provided the duo with wacky inventions to solve cases with, while playing the role of deadpan snarking straight-woman to their insanity. Despite being effectively a studio mandated inclusion, a trend that has previously fallen flat in other shows, she actually works really well in Sam & Max’s dynamic, and there’s almost an implied screwed-up found family aspect between the three given that she’s living in their basement. Unfortunately, the fact that she was studio mandated is the most likely reason why she’s barely in the show. Whether for fear that she would mess up the pair’s dynamic, or just resentment at being foisted with her in the first place, the writers seemed hesistant to use her more than the bare minimum. She gets little to no screen time in the handful of episodes where she’s present, outside of one episode where she is kind of the focus.

Still, as I said, I think that, despite the writers’ reservations, the Geek proved herself and succeeded where other kid avatars failed. And I would like a revival to use her to her full potential. Let her come on a case or two. Give her an episode where she’s the clear focus. And most of all, let her be a full-on mad scientist, every bit as morally ambiguous as her kinda-sorta dads. This is a girl who should be building deaths rays and running highly unethical experiments in her lab because it’s a Tuesday and she’s bored. I also wouldn’t mind playing up the found family angle she has with Sam & Max, but not too much. Sam & Max has always been really good at creating a believable relationship between its leads without being too saccharine. As much as I love how fans have run with the interpretation that the Geek is their adopted daughter I wouldn’t want to overplay it and try too hard to be cutesy or cloying. This franchise is classier than that. Basically, I want more of the energy encapsuated in this one scene from the show.

Effervescent.

5. Have some nods to the wider series, but not too many

Since I went on about taking more from the comic and having more recurring characters, you may be wondering if I want to see references to, or characters from, the video games in a cartoon revival. The answer is...kinda. Much as I enjoy the recurring cast of the Telltale games, and as much as I feel Hit the Road’s characters are actually super underrated, I do wonder if this could turn into overkill. Part of the charm of Sam & Max is its relative lack of canon. Every incarnation is distinct and so you can start wherever you like and have a good time. If Telltale characters were showing up every episode, the show would risk feeling less like its own thing, and being its own thing in the franchise was part of what made the cartoon so charming.

The best blueprint for the approach to fanservice I would want actually comes from the recent game, This Time It’s Virtual. While my feelings on this entry are admittedly mixed, one thing it nails is being an absolute love letter to the series without risking continuity lockout. Most of its homages to the rest of the franchise are in off-hand references, or background gags. These are a treat for fans, without leaving newcomers confused. It’s still a solid jumping on point if you should choose to start there. Likewise, I would like to see the show reference the video games, but not too much. Maybe I don’t want Sybil and Bosco every episode, but you could perhaps use Bosco in one episode plotline based around his paranoia and absurd prices, getting the gist of his character across to newbies with no other knowledge required, and leave it at that. Or maybe Sybil gets one episode instead, hiring the two out for a case and switching jobs three or so times across the episode. Or perhaps a Conroy Bumpus revenge episode. And I’d say that much, at most. I see no problem drawing freely from the comic since that’s effectively the series’ source text. But as for the rest of the franchise, by all means homage it, but don’t go overboard. Throw the fans a bone while still letting the show stand on its own. ...And that’s pretty much all my ideas for what I would like to see in a new Sam & Max cartoon! Oh, and before you ask about voices, while I would love to see David Nowlin and Rob Tinkler, my favourite Sam & Max respectively, perform together, this would likely be decided by the logistics of where the show was produced and what voice actor union the creative team would be pulling from. So I would be entirely open to new voice actors, or old ones returning, I wouldn’t mind either way.

I hope this was a fun read and that you’ll join me in keeping your fingers crossed that, one day, we will get another TV series with these goofballs. If you have any ideas of your own for what a new cartoon would look like, feel free to leave a reply. I’d love to see other folks’ ideas too!

#sam and max #sam and max freelance police #adventures of sam and max freelance police #cartoon revival #thought experiment #i wax poetic about a show that will probably never happen #hey i'm not talking about video games this time!#...kinda

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artemis-entreri · 3 years ago

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[[ Artemis Entreri’s Cloak Clasp Design: A Detailed Analysis

Although it is never mentioned or described in the books, Todd Lockwood’s design of Artemis’ cloak clasp has become an insignia of the assassin’s canonical look. Both fan and official artists have included this element in their portrayals of Artemis, however due to the small size of the item in the cover art, there have been many variations in its depiction. As I’ve been working on a 1:3 scale replica of Artemis complete with his armor following Lockwood’s depiction, Todd was kind enough to provide me with full resolution samples of his original paintings of this particular item. I can’t share those samples as that would go against Todd’s wishes, but I can and am sharing my investigation process.

The above two images are, respectively, a three-dimensional version that shows the relations of the various shapes and lines, and an unshaded version. These are assuming that one is looking at the clasp straight-on, as well as that the clasp is in a flat state, which I don’t think is its final form. These images were drawn up with real life replication in mind. I will go into detail about what its most likely final form is based on Lockwood’s paintings below.

Before I get into that, I’ll go over the steps that this investigation took. First, it required a good look at and study of the source material. I did directly trace from the paintings and then isolated the tracings so as to get a better look at the lines:

As you can see, there is a fair amount of inconsistency within Lockwood’s art, in part due the angle in some cases and lack of rendering in others. The first one, from the painting for the cover of Promise of the Witch-King, is the only one that shows all the details, so that was the one I referenced most heavily, while ensuring that the concept fit the other paintings as well.

This isn’t the first time that I’d studied that cloak clasp design. The most effort I’d put into it previously was for this piece. Although it isn’t apparent from that drawing, the bottom of the shape didn’t actually close, so I had to rework it before using it as a starting ground for this investigation. Here is the adjusted version from that:

This rounded shape did feel the most pleasing in terms of symmetry, but it wasn’t accurate because what “roundness” that appears in Lockwood’s paintings of the clasp is due to angle and perspective. So, after straightening out the edges, I figured out the relations of the various lines, then made an image document in which I could move those lines around to generate the overall shape.

This is the first result that came out of directly adapting the lines relation from the rounded version into a non-rounded version:

It wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the rounded version, and my initial thoughts were that it was due to the two crisscrossing bands A and B being too thin. I also wanted to experiment with making the top band C thinner, like how it appears in the cover of Road of the Patriarch.

However, simply making A and B thicker would’ve meant obliterating some of the side shapes, so I went with making A and B gradually wider. I arrived at this:

Although I liked the look of A and B, space 1 was too big while spaces 2, 3 and 4 were too small. To make 2, 3 and 4 bigger, there were two approaches: make A and B thinner, and decrease the slopes of A and B. I decided to do both to see how it’d turn out.

C also felt too thin, but since I was going to be tweaking the relationship between the other shapes, I left it the way it was going into the next rendition:

This looked much better. As with the previous attempt, A and B in this attempt also gradually increased in width, but not as drastically. The relative sizes of 2 and 3 looked about right, but 1 and 4 were both too big. Decreasing the size of 1 by increasing the width of C would also mean decreasing the sizes of 2 and 3, unless I also increased the slopes of A and B again.

But then, I had this crazy idea of incorporating non-straight lines, so things got a bit wiggly:

The curvature did allow 2 and 3 to be bigger while also restricting the sizes of 1 and 4. In the above, A and B remain the same width across the diagonal.

However, I did feel that the curves were too much, so I experimented with making A and B less curved while also increasing their width like I did with some of the straight line examples above:

This was probably my least favorite one. A and B were overall too wide, C was too thin, 1 was too big, 2, 3 and 4 were too small. And, ultimately, I went back to the fact that the perceived curvature of this object is due to perspective, and that I needed to stop copping out and just focus on finding a good geometrical relationship with straight lines.

Ironically, for the result I was most happy with, I returned to the first attempt I’d made. After some adjustments and erasing lines following the depiction on the Promise of the Witch-King cover, it was finished.

-------------------------------------------------------

All of that was just for the design of the top piece of the cloak clasp. As for how it would function, my work was quite cut out for me. I still don’t have a mechanism with which I’m totally satisfied, but I’ve made the following deductions:

First, based on the art, there seems to be a bottom piece that's attached to the chest piece or the belts, something like this:

The belts cross over Artemis’ chest, and like the chest piece they’re on top of, follow the curve of his ribcage. Thus, this bottom piece of the cloak clasp would have to be similarly curved so as to conform.

Then of course the top piece goes on top of that base:

The top piece would also have to conform to the shape of the bottom piece and chest armor, so would be similarly slightly curved along the vertical axis.

As for how this entire contraption would serve its function as a cloak clasp, my best theory is that the side view of the two pieces is something like this, so the cloak can be shoved into the opening:

It would have to work by having some teeth or grabbing hooks in between the two pieces that will hold onto the fabric. I’m honestly pretty stumped. I know how to make it look like the art but not function like the art.

I will update this post if I ever figure it out, but for now, at least the aesthetics are correct. ]]

#Artemis Entreri #legend of drizzt #Forgotten Realms #reference

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ramoth13 · 3 years ago

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A Few Small Thoughts On Amazon's "Rings of Power"

Mae g'ovannen, mellon.

I have seen a LOT of people on tumblr and the internet as a whole genuinely furious, irate, upset, aggravated, and even downright hostile at the new amazon show that is soon to be. And I get it, Amazon is only in it for the money, that part is hard to argue. They saw the success of other fantasy shows like GoT and The Witcher and wanted in on that action.

Yet, I think it would be a huge disservice to the creators of the show (not the Amazon overlords) to dismiss this as horrible from the start. Lest we forget that originally, Peter Jackson's the Lord of the Rings was set to be a Harvey Weinstein production (his name is still in the credits, because he wouldn't sell the rights unless they kept his slimy name in the credits) who wanted all three films to be a SINGLE film, have at least one hobbit die, and have over 4/5ths of the story cut or changed. Thankfully New Line Cinemas stepped in and saved the day, but it was the creators (Jackson and Co.) that fought to keep the story true. My point is, we cannot judge a creator by their benefactor, especially before the actual piece is released. The Tolkien scholars and creator fans (who grew up and loved watching the Lord of the Rings too) attached to this project are dedicated to seeing this done right. Amazon is paying for the show, the people working on the show are not the people paying for it to be made. Again, I point to the scholars that they have on staff to make sure its done as faithfully as possible. Amazon is literally contractually obliged not to change the story. Add to it? Yes. Change it? No.

Will it be perfect? Hell no, how could it be? This is the most magical history in all of history, it can't be perfect. But we shouldn't make this out to be anything more than what it truly is. This will simply be an adaptation, an interpretation. This doesn't change anything at all about the book(s) itself.

Now, I can hear the people already saying "Well but what about the fannon and headcannons? We've had these stories for years and now people will view these stories all through the lens of the new show?" I can sympathize, truly. But liking something different, and demanding it never changes are two different things. We cannot expect new fans to adhere to headcannons because we've been fans longer than they have. If there are new fans, I'm glad of it, The Silmarillion deserves so much more love than it's gotten. And for those still holding out against the show because it's different than the fan communities headcannons, I would say to do what Neil Gaiman did. He found that the movies were replacing what was the Lord of the Rings in his head, and so he stopped watching them (not because he didn't like it, but he wanted to keep his headcannon alive in his head). No one is forcing anyone to watch this.

And as far as forcing anyone to do anything, this is not a message trying to engage with those racist ideologues that bemoan any changes perceived of racial divergences in the narratives. I will not waste more time explaining why that thought process helps no one. In essence, the anger at someone portraying an elf in middle-earth as black is small-minded and unimaginative, and I'll say no more about it.

And as far as unimaginative, I think the anger towards Elrond's hair is somewhat interesting. As we have seen in trailers, only two elves have short hair. Elrond is quite literally the youngest elf we have ever seen on screen. Young children have short hair. These elves are young. Notice who didn't have short hair? The Calequendi, Galadriel. My hope is that this is an intentional kind of specialized attention and small detail work that will be seen throughout the whole show, but we will have to wait and see.

Speaking of, lastly, I do not intend to convince anyone that this show will be good. In fact, I see many ways it could go horribly wrong. Yet, assuming it will be bad is to engage with some good ole self-fulfilling prophecy. Going into a show, movie, book, art in general, and expecting it to be bad will make focusing on the things we don't like about that art far more likely. I'm not saying you shouldn't be wary, but I am suggesting that if you go into it looking for new things you like, rather than things you don't, will automatically improve your experience. I cannot take credit for this idea, Tolkien Professor Corey Olson helped me to start doing this and I'm so glad he did. This isn't to say you can't dislike something, rather, it is to say that by changing your perspective from negatively engaged to positively curious is to find more enjoyment in general, and especially in new things. Do whatever you like though, again, no one is forcing anything on anyone.

My main point in this is not that you should like it (I have my own reservations) or that it's going to meet our expectations and be better than the Lord of the Rings movies. I highly doubt that's even possible anyway. But rather, I hope that as a community we give it a chance to be something new worth considering. Once it's out, it you hate it, then so be it. Fair enough. But let's not hang the accused before the trial. Let's see what it can show us. I think the show's creators and Tolkien are owed that much, regardless of Amazon's involvement. No, in SPITE of Amazon's involvement.

Genuinely hopeful,

~ Ramoth13

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spockandawe · 4 years ago

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Well, this is interesting! So, in that post yesterday, there was one line that really baffled me, a thing about people brushing off a character as an asshole “because he shows literally zero growth.” I kind of set that aside because it was such a weird non-sequitur, and guessed that it was just someone’s sentences not quite keeping up with their train of thought, which has happened to me many times. Apparently I was wrong! I already spent long enough on that one post, I’m tired of talking about that, but this is new and interesting.

Okay. I kind of wanted to see if I could talk about this purely in terms of abstracts and not characters, but I don’t think it’ll work. It would be frustrating to write and confusing to read. It’s about Jiang Cheng. Right up front: This isn’t about whether or not he’s an abuser. Frankly, I don’t think it’s relevant. This also isn’t about telling people they should like him. I don't care whether anyone else likes him or not. But I do like him, and I am always fascinated by dissecting the reasons that people disagree with me. And the process of Telling Stories is my oldest hyperfixation I remember, which will become relevant in a minute.

I thought I had a good grasp on this one, you know? Jiang Cheng makes it pretty obvious why people would dislike Jiang Cheng. But then the posts I keep stumbling over were making weird points, culminating in that “literally zero growth” line.

So! What happened is that someone wrote up a post about how Jiang Cheng’s character arc isn’t an arc, it’s stagnation. It’s a pretty interesting read, and I broadly agree with the larger point! The points where I would quibble are like... the idea that it’s absolute stagnation, as opposed to very subtle shifts that still make a material difference. But still, cool! The post was also offered up as a reason why OP was uninterested in writing any more Jiang Cheng meta, which I totally get. I’m not tired of him yet, but I definitely understand why someone who isn’t a fan of his would get tired about writing about a character with a very static arc. Okay!

Now, internet forensics are hard. I desperately wish I had more information about this evolution, because I find this stuff fascinating, but I have no good way to find things said in untagged posts, reblogs, or private/external venues. But as far as I can tell, that “literally zero growth” wasn’t just a slip of the tongue, it’s become fashionable for people to say that Jiang Cheng is an abusive asshole (that it’s fucked up to like) because he doesn’t have a character arc.

Asshole? Yes. Abusive? This post still isn’t about that. This is about it being fucked up to like this character because he did bad things and had a static character arc.

At first, that point of view was still deeply confusing to me. But I think I figured out the idea at the core of it, and now I’m only baffled. I’m not super interested in confirming this directly, because the people making the most noise about this have not inspired confidence in their ability to hold a civil conversation and I’m a socially anxious binch, but I think the idea is: ‘This character did Bad Things, and then did not improve himself.’

Which is alarmingly adjacent to that old favorite standard of ‘This piece of fiction is glorifying Bad Thing.’ I haven’t seen anyone accusing mxtx of something something jiang cheng, only the people who read/watched/heard the story and became invested in the Jiang Cheng character, but things kind of add up, you know?

Like I said, I don’t want to arbitrate anyone’s right to like/dislike Jiang Cheng. That’s such a fucking waste of time. But this is fascinating to me, because it’s like..... so obviously new and sudden, with such a clear originating point. I can’t speak to the Chinese fans, obviously, but exiledrebels started translating in... what, 2017? And only now, in 2021, do people start putting forth Jiang Cheng’s flat character arc as a “reason” that he’s bad? I’m not going to argue if he pings you in the abuse place, I’m not a dick. I’m not going to argue if you just dislike his vibes. I’m just over here on my blog and in the tag enjoying myself, feel free to detour around me. But oh my god, it’s so silly to try to tell other people that they shouldn’t like him because he has a static character arc.

I want to talk about stories. I don’t know how much I’ll be able to say, because it’s impossible to make broad, sweeping statements, because there are stories about change, there are stories about lack of change, there are all kinds of media that can be used to tell stories, and standards for how stories are told and what they emphasize vary across cultures and over time. But I think that what I can say is that telling a story requires... compromise. It requires streamlining. Trying to capture all the detail of life would slow down most stories to an unbearable degree. Consider organically telling someone ‘I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich’ versus the computer science exercise of having students describe, step by step, how to make one (spread peanut butter? but you never said you opened the lid)

Hell, I’ve got an example in mdzs itself. The largely-faceless masses of the common people. If someone asks you to think about it critically like, yes, obviously these are people, living their own lives, with their own desires, sometimes suffering and dying in the wake of the novel plot. But does the story give weight to those deaths? Or does it just gloss by? Yes, it references their suffering occasionally, but it is not the focus, and it would slow the story unbearably to give equal weight to each dead person mentioned.

Does Wei Wuxian’s massacre get given the same slow, careful consideration as Su She’s, or Jin Guangyao’s? No, because taking the time to weigh our protagonist with ‘well, this one was a mother, and her youngest son had just started walking, but now he’s going to grow up without remembering her face. that one only became an adult a few months ago, he still hasn’t been on many night-hunts yet, but he finds it so rewarding to protect the common people. oh, and this one had just gotten engaged, but don’t worry, his fiancee won’t mourn him, because she died here as well.’ And continuing on that way to some large number under 3000? No! Unless your goal is to make the reader feel bad for cheering for a morally grey hero, that would be a bad authorial decision! The book doesn’t ignore the issue, it comes up, Wei Wuxian gets called out about all the deaths he’s responsible for, but that’s not the same as them being given equal emotional weight to one (1) secondary character, and I don’t love this new thing where people are pretending that’s equivalent.

When Wei Wuxian brutally kills every person at the Wen supervisory office, are you like ‘holy shit... so many grieving families D:’ or are you somewhere between vindicated satisfaction and an ‘ooh, yikes’ wince? Odds are good you’re somewhere in the satisfaction/wince camp, because that’s what the story sets you up to feel, because the story has to emphasize its priorities (priorities vary, but ‘plot’ and ‘protagonist’ are common ones, especially for a casual novel read like this)

Now, characters. If you want to write a story with a sweeping, epic scale, or if you want to tightly constrain the number of people your story is about, I guess it’s possible to give everyone involved a meaningful character arc. Now.... is it always necessary? Is it always possible? Does it always make sense? No, of course not. If you want to do that, you have to devote real estate to it, and depending on the story you want to tell, it could very possibly be a distraction from your main point, like the idea of mxtx tenderly eulogizing every single character who dies even incidentally. Lan Qiren doesn’t get a loving examination of his feelings re: his nephews and wei wuxian and political turnover in the cultivation world because it’s not relevant, and also, because his position is pretty static until right near the end of the story. Lan Xichen is arguably one of the most static characters within the book, he seems like the same nice young between Gusu and the present, right up until... just before the end of the story.

You may see where I’m heading with this.

Like, just imagine trying to demand that every important character needs to go through a major life change before the end of your book or else it didn’t count. This just in, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg go through multiple novels without experiencing radical shifts in who they are, stop liking them immediately. I do get that the idea is that Jiang Cheng was a ~bad person~ who didn’t change, but asdgfsd I thought we were over the handwringing over people being allowed to like ““bad”” fictional characters. The man isn’t even a canonical serial killer, he’s not my most problematic fave even within this novel.

And here is where it’s a little more relevant that I would quibble with that original post about Jiang Cheng’s arc. He’s consistently a mean girl, but he goes from stressed, sharp-edged teenager, to grief-stricken, almost-destroyed teen, to grim, cold young adult (and then detours into grim, cold, and grief-stricken until grief dulls with time). He does become an attentive uncle tho. He..... doesn’t experience a radical change in his sense of self, which... it’s...... not all that strange for an adult. And bam, then he DOES experience a radical change, but the needs of the plot dictate that it’s right near the end. And he’s not the focus of the story, baby, wangxian is. He has the last few lines of the story, which nicely communicate his changes to me, but also asdfafas we’re out of story. He was never the main character, it’s not surprising we don’t linger! The extras aren’t beholden to the needs of plot, but they’re also about whatever mxtx wanted to write, and I guess she didn’t feel like writing about Jiang Cheng ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But also. Taking a step backward. Stable characters can fill a perfectly logical place in a story. Like, look at Leia Organa. I’m not saying she has no arc, but I am saying that she’s a solid point of reference as Luke is becoming a jedi and Han is adjusting his perspective. I wouldn’t call her stagnant, the vibes are wrong, but she also isn’t miserable in her sadness swamp, the way Jiang Cheng is.

Or, hell, look at tgcf. The stagnant, frozen nature of the big bad is a central feature of the story. The bwx of now is the bwx of 800 years ago is the bwx of 1500+ years ago. This is not the place for a meta on how that was bad for those around him and for him himself, but I have Thoughts about how being defeated at the end is both a thing that hurts him and relieves him. Mei Nianqing is a sympathetic character who’s also pretty darn static. Does Ling Wen have a character arc, or do we just learn more about who she already is and what her priorities always were? I’m going to cut myself off here, but a character’s delta between the beginning of a story and the end of a story is a reasonable way to judge how interesting writing character meta is, and is a very silly metric to judge their worth, and even if I guessed at what the basic logic is, for this character, I am still baffled that it’s being put forth as a real talking point.

(also, has it jumped ship to any other characters yet? have people started applying it in other fandoms as well? please let me know if this is the case, I am wildly curious)

(no, but really, if anyone is arguing that bwx is gross specifically because he had centuries to self-reflect and didn’t fix himself, i am desperate to know)

And finally. The thing I thought was most self-evident. Did I post about this sometime recently? If a non-central character experiences a life-altering paradigm shift right near the end of the story (without it being lingered over, because non-central character), oh my god. As a fic writer? IT’S FREE REAL ESTATE. This is the most fertile possible ground. If I want to write post-canon canon-compliant material, adsgasfasd that’s where I’m going to be looking. Okay, yeah, the main couple is happy, that’s good. Who isn’t happy, and what can I do about that? Happy families are all alike, while every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, etc.

It’s not everyone’s favorite playground, but come on, these are not uncommon feelings. And frankly, it’s starting to feel a little disingenuous when people act like fan authors pick out the most blameless angel from the cast and lavish good things upon them. I’m not the only one who goes looking for a good dumpster fire and says I Live Here Now. If I write post-canon tgcf fic, it’s very likely to focus on beef and/or leaf. I have written more than one au focusing on tianlang-jun.

And, hilariously. If the problem with Jiang Cheng. Is that he is a toxic man fictional character who failed to grow on his own, and is either unsafe or unhealthy to be around. If the problem is that he did not experience a character arc. If these people would be totally fine with other people liking him, if he improved himself as a person. And then, if authors want to put in the (free! time-consuming!) work of writing that character development themselves. You would think that they would be lauded for putting the character through healthier sorts of personal growth than he experienced in canon. Instead, I am still here writing this because first, I was bothered by these authors being named as “freaks” who are obsessed with their ‘uwu precious tsundere baby’ with a “love language of violence,” and then I was graciously informed that people hate Jiang Cheng because he experiences no character growth.

#jiang cheng #mdzs #the untamed #disk horse #long post/#abuse/#only tangentially #but better safe than sorry i hope

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peachywrite · 4 years ago

Text

Unpleasant Pleasantries

Rohan Kishibe x JosukeSister!Reader

Trigger Warning: inappropriate stand use, mild suggestive themes

Rohan thought this to be the perfect opportunity to get back at that imbecile with the hair of a 60’s delinquent, but instead found something more fulfilling than revenge.

It was your first time meeting the famous mangaka, but Koichi insisted that you introduce yourself to the newly found stand user as a formality.

“It’s better to make friends than enemies, y/n! So please do this for me.” He begged, clasping his hands tightly together as he bowed.

“Koichi-chan, he ripped out pages from your face and tried to do the same to Okuyasu and Josuke. I don’t know if I trust this guy.” You sighed, nervous and even a little scared.

“It’ll be fine, when you tell him you’re related to Josuke, he won’t even think about trying anything!” Koichi’s eyes glistened, still silently begging you to go.

“Fine, but if I don’t show up back home in an hour, call Josuke please.” Koichi nodded enthusiastically, shouting thank yous while he ran off to find your brother.

Thanks to the written address Koichi had given you, it was easy to find the large Victorian mansion that belonged to the isolated artist.

“Come on, y/n. You can do this. Just a quick hello and you’re done.” You tried to psych yourself up, taking one last deep breath before approaching the walkway that led up to the door.

Knock Knock

You waited, your heart rate a bit too quick for your liking.

You could hear the steps on the other side slowly approaching and suddenly stopping, only to find the door creak by.

“Now who would be disrupting the Great Rohan Kishibe?” The man spoke in a sinister tone, swinging the door open.

Rohan Kishibe looked nothing like how you expected him to. He was built slim but still toned, his green hair neatly styled and face slim and sharp with a cute dolphin bandage placed on the bridge of his nose. His green eyes stared at you intently, as if he was trying to analyze your face as well.

“I-I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble. My friend Koichi wanted me to introduce myself. I’m Y/N Higashikata. I’m a stand user and I go to school with the rest of the boys.” You stammer out, guilt hitting you for interrupting the presumably busy manga artist.

The man eyed you with a devilish smirk, clapping his hands together like he had discovered something amusing.

“You’re Josuke’s little sister! Oh how fun! You know, you’re too cute to be related to that boy. Now please come in, I’ll make you some tea and we can talk.”

“I’m actually the same age as him, and I’d love to join you but I got... study plans with K-Koichi!” You tried to avoid his stare but as he made eye contact, you knew you had lost.

“Nonsense! I’ll give him a call and let him know you’ll be studying with me, now please come in already.” His smile grew while he pulled you into his abode by your wrists.

The house was lightly decorated with manga related memorabilia on the wood carved shelves and many original panels from famous mangas hung framed on the soft toned walls, but the home still held a grand Victorian feeling to it.

Your original unease disappeared as you took in the grandeur of the mansion and the interesting items that adorned it so carefully. Rohan smirked at the curiosity in your eyes and the quick movements they made while you focused on specific areas of his home.

“Would you like a personal tour of the property before we study? I will warn you though, not all the rooms have been styled by yours truly yet. It’s a work in progress at the moment.” The smile he bared had you suspicious again, but you didn’t want to be rude to the owner of such a magnificent estate.

“As much as I would love to, your home is absolutely stunning, I sadly only have an hour to study. My mom would kill me if I got home late again.” A hefty sigh escaped your lips and you gave him your best upset expression you could muster.

You hoped he wouldn’t key in on your lying, remembering the warning Koichi had given you about his ability to discern genuine emotions from fake ones.

The mangaka squinted his eyes for a moment, causing your heartbeat to speed up substantially, but his face returned to its usual smile that you swore held a bit of deviousness underneath.

“Oh! it’s alright, dear. I understand. I’ll save it for your next visit. Let’s get to your work now, follow me to the kitchen. I’ll prepare us something and you can take a seat by the window.” He gently took your hand, guiding you to the kitchen and carefully pulling out a seat for you at his dining room table.

A beautiful bouquet set in a hand sculpted vase caught your interest on the table as Rohan busied himself with brewing a fresh pot of tea. The flowers were bright in color compared to the muted ones of the vase, but the contrast made both appear unique and appealing to the eye.

“I see you even appreciate the smaller details of a home. Though I am a mangaka, I do dabble in other forms of artistic expression. Take pottery for example, I glazed this vase in a muted color pallet so it could stand out on its own when beautifully bright flowers were placed in it. The two compliment each other nicely, don’t they?” He set down two tea cups and began to pour.

“Yes! And I especially love the bright purples in the lillies you picked here.” You gently touched a petal, Rohan now lightly tapping his cheek, pulling out a chair for himself to sit right beside you.

His closeness and unwavering gaze brought a heaviness to your chest, making you stumble over your words.

“Um-m thank you for treating me so well and letting me study in your home, Rohan-sensei.” You began to unpack your notes and textbook, Rohan scooting closer to analyze what you had written.

“No need to thank me, my dear. Now let’s get to your studies. What is it you need to work on today?” The smile he shares with you is comforting, but you can’t help but feel like he was plotting something.

You set your pencil bag down and prepare your notebook, trying to make yourself busy by setting up.

“Biology. I’ve only just recently started going to school in person, but I tested well enough to be placed in the highest class. Today we’re supposed to label all the organs in this frog drawing.” Your tone comes off as annoyed and Rohan picks up on it, tilting his head to the side while he reads your frog diagram.

“You aren’t a fan of biology? I’ve got a few anatomy sketches of animals you could use instead of this photocopied worksheet. Maybe that will help peak your interest?” He stands and saunters out to find his sketches, leaving you alone in the kitchen.

When Rohan returns, the two of you work on your Biology homework for about an hour, finishing the entire pot of tea in the process. You found out that Rohan was quite skilled at anatomy, having an entire sketchbook dedicated to the anatomy of many living things, including the likes of frogs and flowers. He was extremely helpful and fun to talk with.

As you packed up your bag, Rohan remained seated in his chair, playing with one of the lilies from the bouquet. You weren’t sure if you should head towards the door and leave Rohan or wait for him to stand and lead you out. You were about to speak when the mangaka interrupted with a swish of his pen in your direction.

“Heaven’s Door.”

You felt a sharp shove of air to your midsection, sending you onto the floor. Every movement you attempted was futile as the grinning artist looked down at you. A deep chuckle haunted you while he leaned in closer to your face. His hands gently caressed your cheek, opening it up like a book.

“I’m sorry, y/n. You’re interesting and I’d love to learn more about you, but I’m impatient. It’ll be far easier for me to just read you. Don’t fret, my dear. I’ll make sure you don’t remember this.” He flipped through your pages, ignoring the tears that ran down onto the very paper he was trying to read.

“Now let’s just read the juicy bits today. You were hospitalized along with your brother when you were only four, a strange parasite made up of Dio’s cells attacked your immune system at age twelve and had you bedridden until fairly recently.” The curiosity he held for your story excited him, the pen he held in one hand quickly wrote onto the notepad he placed on the floor beside your head.

You felt like sinking into yourself, ignoring his quips and teases as the embarrassment of the mangaka reading your thoughts and feelings enveloped you. It wasn’t fair. Why did he have to be this way? He was so kind before and just like a flick of a switch, he changed.

“Oh, now how did you escape that? Here we are, thanks to Mr.Joestar’s Hamon lessons, you not only came back from your illness, but gained a proper stand and the ability to wield Hamon just like your father and great grandfather! Wait, what’s this new paragraph about?” He squinted closely, reading your page out loud again.

“I have to visit Rohan Kishibe today because Koichi told me to. He practically begged. Even though I’m scared, Koichi gave me his word that nothing bad would happen. Rohan Kishibe looks very different from what I imagined a mangaka to look. Well, what did you expect me to look like?” His smirk grows as he continues on.

“Ah, another new bit is here! Rohan Kishibe is very good at anatomy, he’s been kind and helpful, I’d like to get to know him better. I think Josuke was just overreacting when he called Rohan Kishibe pure evil. I could see us being friends.”

His smile disappears skimming the next sentence, his usual tone of voice changed as he starts to read. He sounded upset, hurt even.

You were the one being wronged here! Why would he get upset? He doesn’t have the right.

“Josuke was right. Rohan Kishibe is not nice, he is terribly mean. He’s using me for his entertainment. He doesn’t care. Rohan Kishibe is not kind, he is not helpful, he is cruel, I don’t want to get to know him. I want to forget him.”

“I hate Rohan Kishibe. I hope to never see him again.”

Rohan paused, looking away from your pages, trying to focus on anything else for the moment.

“W-well, I’ll just fix this last paragraph and erase it from your mind. You’re being dramatic, I’m not as terrible as you describe me.” Chuckling to himself, he tries to laugh off his obvious pain and attempts to regain his composure.

“No! I won’t let you erase my emotions!” You shouted, a wave of Hamon spreading through his arm as his pen touched your page, his attempt to rewrite your memory foiled.

The mangaka was sent flying back, his right arm dropping the pen and your face finally shutting closed, returning your ability to move. Although you were upset at the betrayal of trust you gave the man, you felt a twinge of guilt in your heart when you spotted his still form draped across the wood floor, cradling the arm you had burned with your Hamon.

Running to his side, all thoughts of malice left your body while you attempted to get a better look at his injury. His arm was still intact thankfully, but it was badly burned and needed to be set correctly and quickly if he ever wanted it to heal properly. You took a deep breath and turned Rohan over to see if he was still conscious.

“Oh god, Rohan I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.” Your eyes fill with tears again as you see the artist weakly rest himself against the wall, still holding his arm close to his chest.

“No, no it’s alright. I brought this on myself. I accept that.” He grimaced, trying to take a peek at his injuries but too frightened to actually check.

“You read my thoughts and history, it wasn’t right but you didn’t physically hurt me. I don’t know how that happened, but I promise you I’ll fix it.” You swore to the manga writer, now searching through your backpack.

When you found your pair of scissors, you went into full first aid mode, removing the sleeve from his right arm by carefully cutting the loose cloth off. After tossing the short sleeve to the side, you cut the bottom of the skirt you were wearing off into a long bandage-like shape of clothing and ran it under the cold tap water from the kitchen sink, returning to the injured Rohan.

“I’m going to wrap your arm with this, it won’t be painful if you let me use my stand, but I’m going to ask you first before I use her on you.” The man nodded, accepting your offer to erase the pain.

“Under Pressure. She’s a stand that has the ability to manipulate emotions. She can change them within a radius or focus on only one individual. When she focuses on a single person, she is only able to change their emotion to the opposite of what is being felt.” You began to wrap his arm, nervous about what he might feel when you placed the wet fabric loosely around it.

All Rohan could do was bite back his lip to avoid making any embarrassing sounds. Instead of the immeasurable pain he imagined to come with dressing a freshly burned wound, he felt a wave of euphoria. He now understood what you meant by the “opposite” emotion would be felt.

The artist never knew wrapping his burned arm would feel so good, every touch caused his breath to hitch in his throat and his eyes to water. It confused him, even though he understood that the opposite of pain was pleasure, it still startled him every time you did one more pass of the homemade bandage.

He tried his hardest not to be flustered, but when you finished off his arm by tieing the last bit with a knot, he let a small whimper escape his lips. His hand shot up to cover his face, it’s hue now a bright crimson.

Your cheeks turned bright pink as well. You turned away swiftly, to avoid eye contact.

“U-Um just stay put. I’m gonna borrow your phone for a second and let you catch your breath.” Scratching the side of your cheek, you stand up and make a b-line for the phone, dialing your home and hoping that Josuke would pick up. You glanced at the clock set on the wall, it read 8:15.

I’m late.

As soon as the phone line rang once, you spotted the front door to Rohan’s manor fly across the main hall. Peeking your head out from the kitchen, you see a furious Josuke with Koichi in pursuit.

“ROHAN-SENSEI! WHERE IS MY SISTER YOU CREEP?! SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HOME 15 MINUTES AGO!” He yells out, his voice echoing throughout the home.

“Josuke! I’m here! I was just about to call you. Listen, I messed up bad and hurt Rohan. He’s in the kitchen bandaged up but I need you to heal him all the way.” You run to Josuke, giving him a tight hug while trying not to cry from the stress of the situation.

Josuke squeezes you once and let’s you go, looking you over from head to toe so he could make sure you weren’t injured as well. When he spots your torn skirt, his aura radiates a dark malice you’d never seen him show before.

“Wait Josuke! I did this to myself, we didn’t have bandages so I cut some cloth.”

He looks you over again and sighs heavily, the purple hue that was full of rage, leaving him.

“Ok, fine. Where’s that jerk? I’ll fix him up real quick so we can go home.” He grumbled, following you into the kitchen.

Even though Rohan wanted to refuse any treatment from Josuke, he finally accepted the help when you threatened to cry on the spot. His arm had returned to its previous state, unburned and fully functional, thanks to Josuke and Shining Diamond.

Josuke picked up your backpack and held the now fixed front door open for you, while Rohan stood and waved goodbye. You awkwardly returned the wave and made your way back home, your thoughts chaotic and confused.

On the one hand you felt guilty for putting Rohan through such an immense amount of pain, but you were also upset at the humiliation he put you through by reading your life with Heaven’s Door. These thoughts plagued your mind as you laid your head to rest for the night.

It was roughly two in the afternoon when Rohan Kishibe knocked on your front door. A short but older woman answered, complaining about the loudness of the knocks when she looked over the artist.

“Oh, my apologies. You’re that Rohan Kishibe my kids talk about. How may I help you, Mr. Kishibe?” She asked with a warm tone to her voice, leaning against her door frame and smiling up at him.

“Is y/n in? I’d like to deliver this to her personally.” He spoke softly, shaking the box he held in his hands.

Your mother couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. He appeared to be anxious and uncomfortable, most likely it was his first time gifting something like this.

“She’s not home yet, but give her five minutes. Why don’t you come in? You can wait for her up in her room, just don’t go raiding her drawers or anything.” She joked, Rohan’s cheeks turning vivid scarlet.

“I’m only pulling your leg, sweety. I know you’re better than that. Now come on! Have a seat at her desk and I’ll bring you up some lemonade.” Rohan followed her inside.

When they reached your room, Mrs.Higashikata opened the door and waved her hand to your desk seat.

“Pull up that chair there and I’ll be back with some refreshments.” Her smile gleamed at him. She walked off to the kitchen, leaving the artist alone in your room.

Rohan browsed around your room, taking in the personality that was apparent by the many bits of decor that gave your little private space a peculiar style. Your walls held photos printed on Polaroid film, sketches presumably drawn by you, and posters of your favorite video games and shows.

When he glanced around your room, he was immediately caught off guard when he spotted two volumes of his very own manga, propped up and on display in your bookcase. To say he was flattered was an understatement, he was completely floored. You were a fan of his?

His heart was heavy all of a sudden, he felt a dreadful pain in his chest while he held the book in his hands. He turned his head toward the doorway when he heard your voice greet your mother. To regain himself, he quickly skimmed through the pages of the manga he was holding, hearing your distant conversation come to an end.

You entered the room. Dropping your bag at the corner of the closet, your eyes never leaving Rohan while you take a seat on your bed. The mangaka gently placed your copy of Pink Dark Boy back in its original position, turning around now to face you.

“I’d like to humbly apologize for my abhorrent behavior and actions yesterday. I was terrible. I know it might be asking too much of you, but I brought you this as a peace offering. I want us to start over. I’d like to get to know you the right way.” He passes you the box he was carrying with him, nudging you to open it.

Casually unknotting the bow and removing the lid from the bottom, you slowly lift what appears to be a white sundress out of the box. It was beautifully made and looked to be just your size.

“I know it’s not the skirt you tore, but I felt like you deserved something a little more unique.” He averts your gaze quickly when you attempt to gauge his reaction.

The mangaka appears to be flustered, apparently not very used to apologizing. His eyes held a fear of rejection but also a glimmer of hope. A breath you never knew you were holding was released with a quiet hum.

“It’s beautiful, thank you, but do know that buying me things isn’t going to repair my trust in you. We can at the very least start over though.”

Rohan smiled to himself, thankful for your empathetic nature, and nodded a quick yes.

“Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, how about we take that dress and enjoy some tea at the cafe? My treat.”

#rohan kishibe x reader #kishibe rohan x reader #rohan kishibe #kishibe rohan #jjba reader insert #jjba part 4 #jjba x reader #jjba

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