#(I'm not alone!!! everyone is as unhinged as me!!! IT'S GREAT!!)

[akai-anna]

I love coming up on here to see my activity being a disaster zone.

[whorekneecentral]

Sous Chef

Yuki Tsunoda x Chef!Fem!Reader

Warnings: yuki's got a crush, daniel plays match maker, cooking lessons, sexual tension, sex in the kitchen, oral (f!receiving), penetrative sex (p in v), cum play, finger sucking.

Word Count: 2,323

Author's Note: this is a random one, I won't lie to you. it's not very holiday based but it fit yuki so here we are :)) - also a very happy birthday to the queen of audios @2-fast-2-curious thanks for always being unhinged with me <33

merry smutmas series

--

Yuki finds himself more fascinated by the woman cooking than the food on his plate for once. 

The holiday season was underway and Alpha Tauri was hosting their end of season holiday party for all of their staff.

Anyone that knows Yuki, knows his love and appreciation for food. If there wasn't any room in the budget, they got rid of some things to make sure they could fit in a chef. They didn't cater, everything was made to order - something Yuki greatly appreciated.

The younger driver could see into the kitchen from the little cut out they had, the same spot that the waiters would pick up their dishes. She was young, she moved quickly around the kitchen and it seemed as if she was in there alone. He never fully saw the woman behind the doors, just a glimpse of her here and there.

Dinner had wrapped up and thankfully for the woman behind the closed doors, dessert would be a spread, something she could take her time and work on.

Everyone was mingling and Yuki left his seat, making his way to his teammate, Daniel. "Hey man," Daniel smiled at him.

"Hi Danny," Yuki returns the smile, "do you know who the chef was tonight?" He asks, straight to the point.

Daniel nods, "that's y/n, she's a friend of mine. Why?"

"She's fantastic, the food was really good." Yuki tells him, a smile on his face. Daniel glances over at the opened window before looking back to his teammate. "Yeah it was, wasn't it? You know you can go back and tell her that yourself."

"No," Yuki shook his head, "I don't want to disturb her."

"Oh please, y/n cooks at my place with my niece and nephew running circles around her," Daniel slings his arm over his teammate, "I promise you won't be disturbing her, c'mon."

The Aussie walks his teammate towards the kitchen, bumping the door open with his hip as they walk in. You were in the middle of pipping the custard into the tart tins, not bothering to look up and see who was there.

"Don't even think about it," you say, not looking but you do see Daniel's fingers reaching for the Christmas cookies you had set out to cool.

He tsks, making a face at you when you finally look up. "You're no fun," he says, pulling you into a hug. You squished into your friend's side, the man kissing your forehead. "Dinner was great," Daniel says, letting you go.

"Thank you, Danny."

"I've bought a new admirer for you," he raises his brows, looking over at Yuki, the younger driver waving shyly to you. "I'll leave you two to chat," Daniel says, snatching a cookie off the tray before running out the kitchen.

You shook your head at your friend's theatrics, looking at Yuki now. "Please, help yourself," you tell him, nodding towards the cookies on the counter.

He smiles, picking one up and taking a bite. You had gone back to filling the custard tarts when you hear a soft moan. "Everything okay?" You looked up, brows furrowed.

Yuki blushes, "this is so.. wow. I don't have the words."

You chuckled, "thank you."

"I'm Yuki, by the way." He says, sitting on the bench as he eats his cookie.

You smile, "I know, Daniel talks about you all the time." You set the tarts in the fridge, turning around to face him again. "I'm y/n."

"I know, Daniel also talks about you."

The two of you share a laugh, the man watches as you move about the kitchen and set up the last pieces of dessert. "I just wanted to give you my compliments, the food was amazing."

"Yuki, thank you." You smiled, your hand pressed to your chest. "That's a massive compliment coming from you."

"I can't really cook but I do appreciate a good chef when I meet one."

"Well, I'd be more than happy to teach you a few things if you'd like. I'm in London until Wednesday, then we're closed for the holidays so why don't you come by on Tuesday ?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to disturb you if you've got things to do."

You shake your head, "I'm inviting you, it won't be a disturbance. Please say you'll come by. I have a new recipe I want to test out, so I could use the feedback."

"If you insist," Yuki smiles. You nod, "I do, otherwise I will have to fatten up Daniel again and I won't hear the end of it."

"Okay," he nods, "just send me the address and the time."

"I will," you smile.

--

It's late, the restaurant's lights have already been dimmed and the chairs were stacked up on the tables when he walks in. The hostess was on her way out but she let him in, knowing you were expecting him.

"Y/n?" Yuki calls for you, making his way to the back of the restaurant. "Kitchen!" You shout back, you back turned to the door as you stirred something in the pot.

"Hey," he smiles, walking in.

"Hi," you waved, not turning around just yet. "Can you pass by that jar, the one with the gold lid?" Yuki picks up the jar, opening it and passing it to you. the contents were red, and liquid, he read the label; chilli oil.

"What are you making?"

"It's a new recipe, I told you I needed a taste taster," you smile, setting the jar down as you let the sauce boil on the stove. "How was the drive over?"

"Fine." He smiles.

"Good," you wiped your hands on the towel, "I have a few things to finish up and we can eat. Do you mind helping?"

"That's what I'm here for," he gives you a smile, walking over to the sink to wash his hands before returning. In the meantime, you had set up a few things to cut. "Just the peppers and celery." You tell him, cutting a piece of the celery to show him how big you wanted it and you cut a bell pepper, showing him how to do it.

Yuki starts cutting the celery while you turn the stove off, stirring what was in the pot. You watched as he moved onto the peppers, struggling to get them to the same size you had shown him.

"Like this," you stood behind him, your arms wrapped around him as you held his own hand, showing him. Holding the pepper with one hand, you helped him move the knife slowly, up and down as he cut the peppers.

Yuki can't focus on the peppers, he should - to avoid chopping off a finger but he can't help it. All he can feel is your body pressed to his.

Your cheek pressed to his to watch as he cuts them, finally finishing. "Good job, Yuki."

The simple phrase shook him. "Thanks," he whispers as you let go of him, picking up the chopping board as you add the chopped veggies into the sauce.

Yuki sits, asking if there's anything else he can help with but you assure him that you've got the rest. It takes you a few minutes but you finish up, sliding a plate over the counter to him.

"What do we think?" You asked, handing him a fork. Yuki nods, looking down at the food on his plate. "Smells good."

You stand across from the driver quietly, elbow propped up on the counter with his chin in the palm of your hand, watching as he cuts the piece of chicken sitting on top of the pasta. Yuki takes a careful bite, his face going through 6 different emotions, you aren't able to gauge what he was feeling. 

Brows raised as you wait for the final decision. "Well?" You asked, eager to hear what he thought.

Yuki wipes his mouth on the napkin, a smile on his face when he moves his hand, nodding. "Holy fuck.. that is.. wow."

"Yeah?" You smiled, and he nodded. "So good."

"Okay good, I wanted to make sure. It's a new recipe and I wasn't sure."

"It's perfect.. more than perfect." He says, mouth half full as he takes another bite.

You let Yuki finish eating as you tidy up. The man asks if you'll sit down to eat and you let him know that you already ate; you had a bad habit of eating bits and pieces there, never actually sitting down for a full meal.

Despite not helping to make the mess, Yuki offered to help you clean up. You two cleared up the trash and the leftovers, taking them into the fridge and making a bag for Yuki to take home. You decide to wash the few dishes left over from dinner and Yuki decides to hang around for a bit.

Yuki standing behind you, leaning on the counter as he watches you wash the dishes. Your hips bouncing from side to side along to the beat of the music you had playing

There's a tension in the kitchen, you wouldn't be able to cut it with your sharpest knife.

You ignored it, hoping it would go away but it doesn't. You know where it's come from but you aren't sure how to go about it.

Turning to face the man, he reacts before you could.

The man pins you against the counter, his lips find yours as his hand cups your jaw. Yuki's hands wandering across your body, tugging on the shirt you had on. 

Pulling and pushing, little by little the clothes end up on the floor. 

He lifts you onto the counter, your legs on either side of him as he steps between them. Rubbing up your thigh with one hand, the other pulls you by your chin to look at him.

Your eyes find his, watching as he sinks to his knees in front of you. 

Your hands are flat on the cold counter as you feel his tongue against you. His arms hook around your thighs, pulling you closer to him. Your hips jut forward when you feel his tongue against your clit, your hand gripping on his black hair. 

He glances up at you and you’re like an angel on earth to him right now; head tossed back, skin glistening under the white light of the kitchen, his head buried between your legs. 

Yuki mimicked his actions again until he can feel your legs shake, your grip on his hair tighter than before, his name strung along with the explicits leaving your mouth. 

He gives you a minute to catch your breath as he kisses his way back up to your face. He smiles as he stands, kissing you and you're even more ready than you were before. 

“This is wrong,” you whisper to him, eyes fixed on his hand that was wandering across your chest at the moment. 

His lips follow his fingers, kissing and leaving little marks as he goes along his way. His tongue brushes over your nipple, your back arches involuntarily; your body betrays you. 

“We can stop,” he says, a hand slipping between your legs.

You stop talking and pull him closer, kissing him once more; your way of telling him yes. He pulls you toward the edge of the counter a little more before he pushes into you. One ankle is over his shoulder and the other hooked around his hip. 

And once again, you were a sight to see; back arched off the counter, eyes closed and your head tilted back, his name tumbling from your lips for what felt like the millionth time.

Yuki has never seen a prettiest sight.

He feels you clench around him, the hand on his shoulder digs in, your nails leaving behind their own set of marks. His hand reaches between the two of you, his fingers finding your clit once again. 

“Oh my god,” your hips bucked, his fingers matching the pace of his hips, your body rocking back and forth to get the most out of him.  

“Yuki,” you groaned, eyes pleading with him, “please.” You beg, your hand wrapped around his wrist.

“Hold on baby, patience.” He tells you, hooking your leg on his hip instead of resting it on the edge of the counter. His lips met yours, a hand resting on your hip to keep you up as he fucked you. The further he pushes, your body just keeps welcoming him like he belonged there.

He can feel you squeezing his cock, your eyes fluttering closed. Yuki smacks your jaw lightly, “look at me,” he tells you. “If you want to cum, open your eyes.”

You give in, your eyes opening a little and Yuki's thrusts are sloppy, you know he’s just as close as you are. A few more thrusts and you’re over the edge, calling his name as you do.

“Where?” He asks, his head on your shoulder and you know it’s not gonna last. 

Your chest is heaving, barely able to hold yourself up, "anywhere."

It’s not long after, followed by a few sloppy thrusts, that Yuki cums too. The tip of his cock brushing between your folds, spreading his cum all over your pussy. He pulls away, smiling at the whimper he gets from you. His fingers replacing his cock, covered in his cum when you roll over, he sticks his fingers in your mouth and he doesn’t have to tell you what to do.

“Good girl,” he hums, watching as your tongue laps over his fingers. Yuki pulls his fingers away, leaning down to kiss you. A mess of the two of you, not sure where one of you starts and the other ends.

You take a minute to catch your breath, falling back against the counter. Yuki smiles, kissing you once more.

"I should cook you dinner more often." You whispered in the quietness of the kitchen.

Yuki laughs, "I'll thank you like that every time."

--

taglist:  @nosugarallspice @evieepepi08 @mimithepooh @koufaxx @dannyramirezwife-simpaccount @topguncultleader @molliemoo3 @aisharmi @mamako23 @ac3may @lewislcver @miahgonzalez16 @books-and-netflix-pls @wibi96 @bwddermilch @pedrisgatorade @clarasenchant @sainzluvrr // @forza55 @norrisleclercf1 @allalngthewtchtower @therealcap @burningcupcakefire @stargirl36 @brettlorenzi3 @guiseppetsunoda @magnummagnussen @flippingmyshit @savrose129 @lovelytsunoda @irda12-blog @dhhdhsiavdhaj @slytheringirlthatkillpeople @f1lovers22 @toomuchdelusion @eviethetheatrefreak @faye2029 @lillians-world-is-f1 @chalando1604 @lenaxwbr @im-obsessed @potashiuhm @lcxlerc16 @enjoythebutterflies3 @lillyfootballsworld @micksmidnights @mashtonbunny @chrlsleclerc @logischeroktopus

[secondbeatsongs]

Hello, you said in some tags in a poll that Speed Racer (2008) is your favorite film. If you’re okay with it, I’d really like to hear more about why you love it. I love the Wachowskis’ work (they’re among my favorite directors), but I kinda ended up bouncing off Speed Racer (2008). So, hearing that it had a real impact on someone makes me very curious why. I’m not interested in criticizing your opinion or arguing with you, I’d just really like to know why you love it in the hopes I might be able to enjoy that movie more in the future.

oh god this is from seven months ago, I'm so sorry - but I do love almost everything about Speed Racer (2008) and I still think about it nearly every day.

I love that it's so bright and colorful and absurd. I love that it's an anime in live action form. and I love that at its heart, it is a story about love.

it's about the mistakes people make out of love, and the consequences of that. it's about the way children grow to understand why the adults around them make the choices they do, and maybe choose to do the same things. it's about taking risks for the people you love, and the pain of failing to change the world, because everything is capitalism and everything hurts.

(and it's also about being transgender btw. like, that's one of the main things about it - it is very much a movie about being transgender)

what if your father's choices hurt your older brother, and your older brother's choices hurt you, and now it's you and your younger brother staring down a future where you're going to end up hurting him by making the same choice?

and then...what if you can escape that? what if the broken parts put themselves back together, and the hope doesn't run out, and you're not alone with the things that haunt you? what then?

and now you're at the end and mistakes were still made, people were still hurt, but everyone's grown and changed and they're different now. and they've figured out that maybe, just maybe, you can change the world by doing something you love, by creating art and beauty and making people feel things.

maybe you really can defeat capitalism by driving a car really fast. and even if everyone thinks you can't...don't you have to try anyway? shouldn't you fight with the skills you have, the only way you know how?

what if it works?

and I'm not even gonna get into most of the Racer X stuff (because I want people to go watch this movie, and most folks probably won't be spoiled for it), but his whole deal is just...everything. I love him.

(if there's a guy from Speed Racer that I want to put in a jar and shake every so often, or maybe wrap in a blanket so he can have a nice nap, it's Racer X. he's a great character. prime blorbo material)

anyway I've been rotating this movie in my head ever since I saw it for the first time, and I think I've seen it...seven? times now? and I still cry at the final race, and I still get blown away by the intro sequence.

(the beginning of the movie is genuinely one of the best things I've ever seen - it does an amazing job of introducing you to the world and the story of the characters, and gets you emotionally invested in it right from the start. it's fantastic filmmaking)

also like. story stuff aside, from a technical standpoint, the movie is a masterpiece. it's the type of thing that people hated when it first came out, but when you look at it now and see how it was made, how it intentionally looks bizarre and cartoonish, plastic and surreal, you can see the exact vision the Wachowskis were going for, and it's brilliant.

the way they did the visual effects, the way they made the outdoor scenes feel so detailed, the way the driving and the tracks work - they put so much thought into that, and the behind-the-scenes vids show how cool their process was.

also uhhh cars go vroom, crash into each other, flip upside down, explode, maybe have bees and hammers in them sometimes?

(the above is me complimenting the unhinged vibe of the races themselves, which I love very much)

anyway I could make other full posts about the script of the film and how much I love it, or the cool side characters, or the fanfic potential of the amazing world of the film, or how I can prove that it's set in 1991...but I guess if anyone wants those rants, they'll just have to watch the film and then come talk to me. :)

(please. please come talk to me about Speed Racer.)

so, yeah! I kinda lost my mind there and made this post way longer than I intended, but I do feel strongly affected by this movie, and I hope this has helped explain why.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Top 3 Are HEATING UP

Organized, in each category, by ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Dec 2023 Wk 2

Ongoing Series - Thai

Honestly, 3 are neck & necking for top position! They are all so good in different ways. But The Sign had me hooting with laughter this week, so it scooped #1.

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 4 of 10 - This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, paranormal, fated mates, mystery, suspense, slasher, and horror. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. I have no idea what I’m watching but I’m ON this ride. Is it a roller coaster? Is it a haunted house? Is it a twirl & hurl? Is there candy floss? Am I even tall enough? Who tf cares. All through the second scene, I was laughing. It was legit funny. Billy has great comedic timing. Guess he’s not just a pretty face.

Everyone should be watching this. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it.

Last Twilight (Fri YT) ep 6 of 12 -  Yech. August may be one of GMMTV’s least likable characters ever (and that is saying something). Meanwhile, MOAR language play! They spoiling me!

Mhok letting Day go then walking away at the party hurt so bad.

Argh this show is great!

Ep 6 so that kiss was right on schedule. I’m looking forward to the boyfriend eps before doom & pain in the new year. Carry on GMMTV. 

Speaking of...

Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube) ep 2 of 12 - Oh they’re great. It’s great. It’s paced oddly, moving quickly through most of the key scenes of the original JBL in these first 2 eps. I think it’s intending to encompass more of the manga series than that one did. Which is good, cause that will get us all the way to The Library Kiss (TM). It's the best kiss in the manga. I also like the sides in this show (better than the JBL version). 

My Dear Gangster Oppa (Thurs iQIYI) ep 8fin - What a lovely slightly unhinged little show. Tew, can we talk? Un-ironic suspenders, that takes courage. Also, the revolver was a crazy gun choice. 

Final thoughts:

This show is just as ridiculous as its title. About a gaymer who falls in love with one of his in-game teammates, who just happens to be a IRL gangster. A real gangster, the kind that actually kills people regularly. The lead pair is doing their best with a ridiculous story and shoddy script, but I enjoyed it. Although I was grateful it wasn’t very long, what we got was oddly satisfying if, frankly, a little bit silly. Recommended. 8/10 

That said, what's important about this BL is not the show, but the production and style. Let me explain... no, too much, let me sum up.

This is a chimera BL. Regarding characters: it has Japan's style otaku + Korea's style gangster + Thailand's style friendship group. It used Thai talent + Korean money (Kakao) & IP (adapted from a manwha) but aired on a Chinese channel globally (iQIYI). I'm delighted by the eclectic insanity of this production and truly doubt that any other genre but BL could ever produce like this. It's like diplomat's BL and it's the great wonder of our age that it happened at all. This BL deserves its place in the history books on production alone, even if that place is only in the footnotes. A remarkable little monster.

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 3 of 10 - The sides are… messy. Using the same actor for the old bf is… odd. But in the end, this show leaves me smiling. Which means, I like it despite myself. 

Bake Me Please (Mon Gaga) ep 4 of 6 - It's decent. It’s basically what I wanted Antique Bakery to be when I first watched that way back when (not to mention Bite Me). But there’s been so much BL since then that, for some reason, this is falling flat. I think it’s moving too fast for a Thai series. Although, say what you like, Ohm has to be one of the best soft kissers in the industry. He's just good at mouth tenderness.

Ugh, that doesn't sound right. But you know what I mean.

Twins the series (Fri GaGa) ep 7 of 10 - I love how First is so upset when Sprite starts chatting and being nice to Koh. Sprite is just a sweet easy-going likable boy. I enjoy Sprite as a main character, he’s a bubbly little communicator. And they had a cute kiss.  

Pit Babe (Fri iQIYI) ep 5 of 14 - Because there was more Alan and Jeff and they were more key to the plot I was more into this ep. I do compare it to green smoothie down the pants in the Trash Watch.

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 3 of 12 - Look OffGun are truly great. But I’m just not sure we need them in BL anymore. That said, it’s nice to see Off as "the one with the crush" for a change. Also, this show is only good when OffGun are on screen together, otherwise it kinda, well, sucks.

Night Dream (Sat YT) ep 1 of 6 - Cafe setting featuring a cook and a writer. *Seems awfully familiar.* Except these two are exes and this is a reunion romance. It’s stiff and very pulp but not bad (no crap sound effects) and I am a sucker for a reunion romance. That said, Rookie Thailand is not to be trusted, proceed with caution.

Absolute Zero (Weds iQIYI) ep 12fin - I'm grateful this is over. It was tense but for the wrong reasons - sadness and confusion. This final episode was fine, but that’s because it was mostly them being together + flashbacks. Plus all the familiar actor faces of the grown-up friends (hi, Karn my lovely, still stunning I see). But 2 of 12 episodes is not enough for the 10 of suffering and confusion that came before.

In conclusion:

A man is killed on his 10th anniversary resulting in a time paradox, for which the only solution is him never meeting his childhood sweetheart until later in life. Both lovers cycle back to the past at different ages, so that they each become their own 1st & 2nd great loves, but every time it ends in pain, until each also endures 10 years of separation. Finally it gets fixed, but leaves them with multiple memories of time's failures like temporal PTSD, and everyone around them has chronic deja vu. Me? I got both. This is one of those BLs that is high-quality with great acting but poor story. If you like your BL dwelling, maudlin, and tense due to angst and suffering, then you might enjoy this. But I just regret it, 6/10. Recommended only if you like confusing time travel emo pain.

In which case, just watch Tokyo in April is... instead. Give over Thailand, Japan does it better.

Middleman’s Love (Fri YT & iQIYI ep 6 of 8 - While our main couple isn’t working for me... the side couple isn’t working for me either. I really wanted to give LeoTai a chance, this is the 3rd show I’ve seen them in, and still nope. I like Jade a lot more when he’s sad. He’s a much more pleasant screen experience depressed. I would like him to stay hurt for a couple of eps, just so I can enjoy this show a tiny bit more. But then he just goes unhinged again. Argh. I just don’t like it. 

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) Pisces of Me ep 17 of 24 - Codependent boyfriends in middle school planning for high school dealing with stuff. Including other boys being into them. 

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 5 of 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. DNF 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

VIP Only (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - It’s cute but I don’t think BL in this short format is Taiwan’s strength these days. And this is quite slow and dull. Perhaps they should have whacked it down to 6 eps, not 10.

Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 3 of 8 - This is one of those JBLs that I should like on paper but is failing me. The drag bit was ridiculous but handled gently. The kiss was… well… something wasn’t it? It’s all very odd. I like the photographer cutie character. 

It's Airing But...

The Whisperer (Sun ????) 10 eps - Thai horror BL that ALSO involves cheating (what joy is mine). I don't think even the perfect single dimple can motivate me to watch. Word is... it's terrible.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) 10 eps - Giving me Luminous Solution vibes. I'm waiting to binge if it's safe.

Beyond The Star (Weds iQIYI) 8 eps - House of Stars meets Boyband. I was NOT impressed with ep 1. Been told I shouldn't bother.

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - I find this series more fun to binge, so I'm waiting until after it completes its run next week.

Dear Kitakyushu (Thai/Japan movie) in theaters in country only, I know nothing about distribution.

Behind the Shadows (Korea movie) this is a historical I was interested in, but I've been told they kill the gay so I'm OUT.

Next Week Looks Like This

Still coming:

12/23 Dead Friend Forever (Thai horror) iQIYI

Original 2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED). With the end of the year upon us I'll do an "announced for 2023 but never happened list" soon.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

He so pretty.

I forgot how likable TayNew are, and frankly I think New is a better version of this role for me, personally. I like him a lot. He's a conscientious sweetheart. And a good egg. (Cherry Magic)

Ah the rooftop my old friend. (Last Twilight)

I would like to point out that it's no accident the naga's sex dream happened in the shower, he's a water creature after all. (The Sign)

(Last week)

[supercorpkid]

Right To Be Hellish

Supergirl. Kara Danvers x Reader. Alex Danvers.

Word Count: 3615.

Notes: the jealousy fic we deserve. thanks @supercorpenthusiastic for this idea :)

"I can't believe you're actually going on a date with your ex." Kara huffs, avoiding eye contact, clearly signaling her frustration.

"Yeah, pretty crazy of me going out with someone that is into me."

"Oh please. You guys broke up for a reason."

"The reason being he moved out from National City for work, and now he is back." Kara gives an audible scoff, which you catch even from the bathroom. You come back into her view, to find her sitting on your bed, arms crossed, biting the inside of her mouth, clearly displeased with the situation. "What? Just say it."

"It's risky."

"And I told you, you got nothing to worry about. We're going to have dinner at that new fancy restaurant that just opened. So there'll be plenty of eye witnesses."

"Don't use words like that, it doesn't help."

"Kara, he is not a criminal. He's an architect who likes to design self-sustaining buildings." You resume getting ready, even though she continues to look unpleasant with your choice. "It's pretty honorable, honestly. I thought you'd like him. He is like a hero in his area."

"Pfff. I'd like to see him save people from a burning building." She mumbles, and you ignore her because you're too busy for whatever it is that is happening with her.

"Worst case scenario, I get a nice meal out of him." You joke from inside of the bathroom while you change.

"I'll pay for your food if that's the reason! I'll fly to Italy right now to get your favorite, if you call this off." 

You're tempted — you do love pasta more than anything else, and eating on your coffee table with Kara, watching an old movie sounds like a perfect plan. But you also know you can't keep hiding yourself from the world. You need to put yourself out there again and find someone that won't leave you to sleep alone, like your best friend does.

"Hey, look, I appreciate you looking out for me. But I promise I'll text you if anything goes wrong and you can send all the Superfriends there."

She doesn't answer, so you come back into view. Kara's mouth drops when she takes a look at you. You open your arms with a huge smile.

"How do I look?"

She blinks, unable to string together a sentence. Then, she adjusts her glasses on her face and smiles. "Good. Great. You look — nice." You raise your eyebrows at her waiting for more, because there's something on her expression that just tells you there's more. "Very nice."

You can't help the disappointment, you were expecting something else.  "Cool. Think I'll get more than a nice meal outta this?"

Kara stands up. "That's my cue. Text me if you want out." 

The dinner is going smoothly. With no awkward silences when you both have so much catching up to do. You are aware he is your ex, but this dinner feels more like reconnecting with an old friend.

It's all nice and easy, until you spot a familiar blonde coming your way, and your eyes widen at her. This can't be good.

"Oh! You're eating here?" Kara grins broadly, thumbs pointing at herself. "I'm eating here!"

You just stare at her, utterly baffled by her sudden appearance. She makes her way to sit next to you, and you whisper close to her face. "Kara, I appreciate the rescue, but like I've told you before, it's fine."

She has an unhinged look on her face when she says, "That's what friends are for."

You refrain from saying that no, this is not what friends are for. In fact, none of your other friends even thought about crashing your date. And you gulp, while she stares down your ex, in a way that is making everyone uncomfortable.

"Um, Ted, this is my best friend Kara. And Kara, you remember I told you about Ted, right?"

"Oh, hey, it's nice to meet you." He tries to shake her hand from across the table, but Kara doesn't touch him.

"So Ned! Y/N told me you dumped her when you moved out of National City for work."

You mumble, "Pretty sure I didn't use those words."

"And now, look at you!" She points accusingly, a scowl on her face. Not even trying to fake how she truly feels about him. "Here! Again! Wanting to undo your mistakes."

"Well, it's – um – it's Ted." He tries, while Kara stares him down like she might just use her heat vision on him. Ted goes on about buildings and whatnot, while you glance at Kara from side eyes, face hot in embarrassment and something else. You breathe deep trying to control yourself. 

She looks amazing. Tough and confident and nothing like the sweet Kara Danvers you know. When she crosses her arms, flexes really, your mouth runs dry. She is puffing her chest out with a bright red blush on her face. A vision of perfection. Wait, what the hell. Stop having obscene thoughts about your best friend and her muscles, weirdo!

Ted looks at you, and you finally focus back on the conversation happening in front of you. "Didn't we agree to focus on work for a while?"

"We did. Yeah." You shoot Kara a look, pleading her to shut the fuck up. "And, um, talking about work, I thought you said you needed to work tonight, Kara."

You try, and Kara looks at you with furrowed brows. You raise your own at her wishing she would just fucking get the silent message you're trying to say.

"Oh, yeah! I had this article to finish." She agrees, touching her glasses, getting back into her old Kara Danvers quickly while talking to you.

"Great! Then –"

"But it's done now!" Kara smiles right after and you swear to God, you might kill her. "So, Ed, did you get fired? Is that why you're back to National City? Did one of your buildings come crashing?"

"OK! You know what," You stand up abruptly. "I need to freshen up. Kara, care to join me?"

"Oh, I'll keep Fred company." She says that in such a threatening manner, you're the one getting shivers down your spine.

"It's Ted." He tries yet again.

"No, I – I need you. Please." You insist and she can tell how serious you are, by the way you're staring her down. 

"Okie dokie." 

You make your way to the bathroom, with Kara following you close-by. It's only when the door is closed that you acknowledge her. She looks so hot with this black top, hair back, and clenched-up jaw. It takes everything inside you not to slam her against the door and —

Stop. Don't go there. Why the hell are you going there?

You've known Kara for years, and you never once — Well, that's not true, your first thought when you met her was how amazing she looked, and how much you wanted to kiss her. But then you guys started being friends, and you stopped this nonsense — except that one time she told you she was Supergirl and you imagined kissing her senseless while flying around National City. But other than that — wait, there was also that very explicit dream…

Ok, fine. It seems like friendship is not the only thing you want from her. You breathe out trying to focus on what's happening now and not on what you wish could happen, "What the hell was that? You were acting like a crazy person!"

"What? Did you see the way he was looking at you? It's my right to be hellish!"

You tilt your head sideways, thinking about it. "Why is it your right to act insane?"

"You don't get it, you're too sexy and beautiful, people just stare at you like they want to —" Her face gets red, this time from embarrassment. "I'm just doing what best friends do."

"Well, you're being a bad friend!" Her mouth drops, shocked by what you just said. "I told you I'd text you if I needed help!"

"But you texted!" Kara says and you roll your eyes. You can't believe she is now lying about this. She can sense you're not believing her, so she grabs her phone in her pocket. "See," she turns it to you, "you texted!"

You glance at the screen to said text, "Kara, that's clearly a pocket text."

"Well, I didn't know that! I thought that you were being kidnapped and was trying to let me know where he was taking you."

Oh. You blink at her, realizing your mistake. That actually makes sense.

"So I dropped everything and came here to save you, only for you to call me a bad friend."

Shit. 

You curse yourself. "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry –"

"No, you said what you said. I'll leave you alone with hero architect Brad, have fun." She turns around, and before you open your mouth to stop her, she turns back at you. "Oh! And I hope you don't get kidnapped for real this time, 'cause I'm not coming back to save you."

You know she is lying, she would obviously come back to save you, but the fact she felt the need to lie about it only shows how upset she is about this whole thing.

"Kara, wait. Kara!" But she leaves without a glance back. You breathe deep, trying to decide if you should run after her or just go back to your date. You obviously want to make things right with her, but there's so much to think about. Why is it her right to be hellish when people are looking at you as if they want you?

The rest of the dinner is fine. But as soon as you're out of the restaurant, you're texting Kara trying to make amends.

It's been a couple of days and still radio silence from her end. You can't believe Kara is taking this so far, and you also don't know what else to say so she can at least go back to talking to you. 

You hear the doorbell and run to the door in a hurry, hoping that Kara has come to her senses. Your face drops when you open the door. "Oh, hey Alex."

"Don't look so disappointed to see me!"

"Sorry, sorry, I'm not." You open the rest of the door and make your way inside. "I just thought you were someone else."

"And who was that, exactly?" Alex closes the front door behind her, following you into the kitchen.

"Your sister, actually." You breathe out and Alex agrees with her head. "We had a little bit of a disagreement after I went on a date with my ex."

"Oh, right! Chad! I heard all about him and his 'buttface'." You furrow your eyebrows at her. and she explains right after, "Kara is too nice to call him an asshole."

"But apparently not nice enough to call him by his real name. He's also not an asshole." You grab two beers in the fridge and hand Alex one. You know her well enough to know she needs one to function. "How mad is she right now?"

"She's just butthurt 'cause you said she was being a bad friend. Just apologize."

"I have! Many times! I've been texting her for days and I tried calling her. She just won't talk to me."

"Oh. I might have misread the situation." 

"Well, try again?" You urge her. Alex chugs her beer then shrugs her arms as an answer. "Alex, come on! You know Kara better than anyone. I admit I was an asshole when I said she was a bad friend, but she has completely shut me off. She didn't even give me the chance to apologize properly. And then proceeded to tell you bad things about Ted when he was nothing but nice the whole time."

"Ok, fine. If I tell you what I think it is, will you drop it for now and order us some food?" 

You look at her in utter confusion. "You showed up here uninvited. You buy us food. I'm supplying the beer."

"Fine." Alex makes her way to your fridge and grabs another beer. Yeah, that one was on you. "I think she might be feeling a bit jealous."

"Because I have someone and she doesn't?"

"Aaaand I need tequila for this." Alex mumbles under her breath and you get up from the couch, getting closer. She is pouring herself a shot of tequila, and you're seconds away from calling her out on it, but she downs the shot and starts talking, "More like she is jealous you have someone that isn't her."

"I don't get it."

"And I'm not drunk enough." Alex says going back to her beer. 

"God, Alex, stop drinking!" You pull the beer out of her hands and she huffs, upset.

"You and Kara make me an alcoholic ok!" She stares at you with full intent. "It's always, 'oh but Y/N is going out with that guy when she could go out with me. Oh my God, why is Kara so obsessed with me?' Yadda yadda yadda. It's exhausting, you know? Just fucking kiss already!"

"Kiss?" You look down at the floor while thinking about it. "Alex, is Kara in love with me?"

"Has been for two years, thank God you finally noticed."

"Actually, you just told me." You joke and she rolls her eyes. You sit on the closest chair, and look at her. "I wasn't sure she felt like this. I didn't wanna mess up the friendship."

Alex sits next to you, puts a hand on your shoulder. "What are your plans now? Are you going to break up with Ted, or just pretend you don't know how Kara feels?"

"I don't know." And you don't. You don't know. Which is ridiculous, how can you not know something so big and life-changing? "I need tequila for this."

"Now we're talking!"

It's a whole bottle of tequila, all the beers that were in your fridge, and the warm Vodka bottle Alex found under the sink later, when you realize that you can't barely stand up and Alex is slow-dancing with a pillow to no music. And right on time, Supergirl flies in through the window.

"Kara!" You stand up from your place on the floor in shock. Alex, being caught off guard, sends the pillow flying right at your face. Two seconds before your butt hits the floor, Kara picks you up. "What are you doing here?"

"You called! You pressed the emergency button on the watch."

You furrow your brows, not remembering that. You look at Alex wondering what she's done. "Don't look at me. I didn't do it."

Two minutes prior:

"We should get Kara here!"

"Yeaaaah! Call her! Call her! Call her!"

"Wait wait, I have a better idea." Then you press the emergency button.

"And it seems that you two are too drunk to even remember that." Kara rolls her eyes, annoyed. She sits you on the couch, and goes around the apartment organizing what she can see. She pulls Alex's glass out of her hands with a mad face. "You had enough. I can't believe you were trying to drink Y/N under a table."

"Hey! She was drinking herself!"

Two hours prior:

"You know what, if you don't know who to pick it's probably 'cause you're trying to use logic. Love isn't logical. Let's get you drunk so you can feel it, instead!" Alex said pouring more tequila into your shot glass.

"Alright, well, you're the specialist!"

"I'm gonna fly Alex home, and you –" She looks back at you on the couch with sad eyes looking up to her. She breathes out, finding it impossible to be mad at you. "Stay put, I'll be back soon to help you."

"Okay." You give her a dopey smile, so happy she is coming back for you. 

Kara is truly remarkable. The fact that she's coming back to look after you, despite you calling her a bad friend, fills your eyes with tears. How could you have said such a thing? She's the epitome of a best friend, the finest person you've ever known! Sweet, caring, and undeniably beautiful. So beautiful. You can still remember her clenched jaw, biceps showing her strength through the top, lips pressed together. You fight to get air back in your lungs, your entire body so hot you feel you're about to combust.

You think back to all the moments Kara was there for you. All the times she made you laugh hard, and how you never had to ask her to show up for you because she would hear your sad voice over the phone and just materialize at your place the next second. Your love for her knows no bounds. You love her more than anyone you've loved in your life. Ted doesn't even come close to comparing.

It's Kara you want. It's always been Kara. It will always be Kara. You spent so long convincing yourself that who you wanted was unachievable that you missed on the fact she had the exact same feelings towards you. You just wish she would admit them to you.

Kara flies back in through the window, checking on you from farther than you'd like. "You look flushed. Are you feeling ok?"

"Ye—Yeah." You force out of your dry mouth.

She goes to your kitchen for a glass of water.

"How's Alex?"

"Having another beer. Even though I think you both had enough." She rolls her eyes, comes closer with water in hands. She doesn't give you much time to enjoy her closeness, when she goes back to picking up the beer bottles and cleaning around the house. "How are you actually feeling?"

"I, um —" You know she is upset, but girl's gotta get over it right about now. "Can you please look at me?"

"I'm trying to organize the mess you and Alex did. Why — why would you do such a thing, Y/N? You know Alex can't be outdrunk." She goes on, not a glance over to you.

"Kara, look at me." She turns to you, and you can see annoyance written all over her face. "I think I'm gonna marry Ted."

"What!" Kara's face is a mix of emotions. She wears them all clearly — anger, resentment, heartbreak, sadness. Her hand shoots to her heart, as if she's checking it's still there. She looks so pale all of a sudden, you're scared you might be giving her a heart attack. Her voice comes out so small, "Really?"

"No. But you should see your face." You smile and she rolls her eyes at you, incapable of keeping her anger in check.

"Oh, so you think this is funny?" Her face contorts in anger, one eye blinking at you. "Well, why don't you get Todd here to help you, huh?"

"Because I don't want Ted. I want you." 

"I thought you said I was a bad friend."

Tears pool under your eyes. "God, Kara. Will you get over that? I said I was wrong! I apologized! I'm sorry!" You get up from the couch, the first few steps are as unsteady as predicted, but you make your way towards her anyways. "I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry."

She hangs her head low and now you're close enough to touch her. You hold her face softly, making her look at you. "I love you."

"Y/N." Kara whines your name, eyes wet, lips parted. 

"Go on, Kara, tell me you love me too. Now is the time." 

"You're drunk." She says averting her eyes from your piercing gaze. "This is not how I imagined it."

"Well, I'm sorry baby," You hold her face a little stronger so she can look back at your eyes. You only continue when she does,  "but life is chaotic. Relationships are messy and they don't go like our fantasies, and I'm telling you Kara, I love you. And if you love me back, you have to tell me right here, right now." You show around. "In my shitty apartment, while I smell like alcohol and we curse your sister for getting me drunk."

Kara's tears fall, and she swallows deep. She doesn't talk, and your heart is seconds away from breaking and never recovering. You cry too, hiding your face on her chest. "Please, please say you love me."

"I love you." She barely whispers, planting a kiss on the top of your head. You look up to her again, and she cleans your tears with her finger. "I've always loved you, baby. I always will. And I'm sorry I pushed you away, I guess I was just jealous of hero architect Ted." 

You give her a sly smile. "So you do know his name."

"Y/N." She whines your name again and you let out a chuckle at her pretty pouting face.

You kiss the corner of her mouth lovingly, "I love you. I've always wanted you."

She kisses the tip of your nose, your temple, and your cheeks with no rush. There's no need to rush anymore. You just got the love of your life and you know she isn't going anywhere. "You're mine. I had the right to be hellish."

You smile, agreeing. "I'm yours."

Kara's cheeks flush, as she looks at you fondly. "Come on, let's get you sober, baby."

"And then we'll kiss." You say, because you know Kara so well, she won't 'take advantage' of your drunk state. 

Kara smiles, kissing your cheek softly, then she picks you up and starts carrying you to the bathroom. "And then we'll kiss, yeah."

[kindestofkings]

nepobaby² [pt.2]

elijah hewson x pop singer! reader

description: people hate to see a hot girl killing it, so much so that tmz starts rumours that spread like wildfire.

authors note: heyy this is a random part two to this ! so go enjoy and tell me what you think :))

tmz

liked by inhalerfan1 and others

tmz 🚨 Scandal Alert 🚨 TMZ exclusive: Shocking photos reveal yourusername caught in a steamy affair with a Saltburn's heartthrob Barry Keoghan, despite being in a relationship of over 3 years! 😱💔

Stay tuned as we uncover all the juicy details behind this explosive cheating scandal.

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inhalerfan1 omg what a slut! always knew she was no good for Eli

inhalerfan2 she's so fame hungry going after the most popular irish celeb, watch out paul mescal

ynfan1 nooooo girl nooooo

ynfanupdates

liked by ynfan1 and others

ynfanupdates ehhhh guys did you see all this?? yn and eli were spotted together like a week ago what the hell is going on??

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ynfan1 I refuse to believe this is true, she's not like that

inhalerfan2 oh and you know her so well do you? ynfan1 maybe not but I do know tmz have lied in the past! they have no journalistic integrity

ynfan2 she must of really REALLY enjoyed saltburn

inhalerfan1 I will never listen to her again disgusting behaviour

deuxmoi

liked by inhalerfan1 and others

deuxmoi just hours after the news broke that his girlfriend of 3 years is cheating on him, elijah hewson is the picture of heartbroken at his show and their interviews :(

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inhalerfan1 omg baby, #ynisoverparty

inhalerfan2 this is crazy, how could she do this to him while they're touring !

ynfan1 we don't even know if the rumours are true!! inhalerfan1 evidence is pretty stacked against your girl

inhalerfan3 can't wait for the single Eli era !!

yourusername just posted on their close friends!

this is hell there was 6 other people at that dinner and we got in separate cars home

replies:

bobbyskeetz yeah didn't think you fucked with barry like that

↳ ...... bobbyskeetz too soon? yeah just a bit man

taylorswift they are ruthless! please call me gorgeous, you're not alone in this xx

trumanblack are you in LA right now?

↳ I am yeah why does that matter rn matthew trumanblack just wanted to make sure I booked the flight to the right place. ↳ matttttt I'm gonna cry (even more)

ynfanupdates

liked by ynfan1 and others

ynfanupdates THIS IS NOT THE FACE OF A CHEATER. Also look how in love those two are !!! I dont not believe tmz on bit. ALSO people are being so mean to her. LEAVE HER ALONE!!!

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ynfan1 couldn’t said it better myself

ynfan2 people hate to see a hot girl slay.

tmz

liked by 1975fan1 and others

tmz big brother to the rescue ? looks like the Healy siblings are sticking together through thick and thin. our cameras caught the eldest Healy sibling rushing to the states to support his little sister amidst her massive cheating scandal! 👀

looks like getting cancelled runs in the family huh...

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1975fan1 oh he looks pissed

ynfan1 omg the poor girl she looks in bits 💔

inhalerfan1 consequences of her actions ynfan2 WE DONT EVEN KNOW IF ITS TRUE NONE OF THEM HAVE COME OUT AND SAID ANYTHING inhalerfan1 you are clearly unhinged babe xxx

inhalerfan1 great job playing the victim girl, what about eli x

elijahhewson

liked by yourusername and others

elijahhewson stop making shit up to sell you papers. this is the love of my life who was at a group dinner, leave her be.

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bobbyskeetz ready to go to war for my favourite couple

ryanmcmahon_15 me too !

inhalerfan1 holy shit eli's is off private oh my GOD

inhalerfan2 it’s happening! everyone stay calm

trumanblack fair play mate

denisewelch its all so silly, clearly haven't seen how in love you two are !!

taylorswift glad to see her smiling again <3

ynfan1 I KNEW IT my parents could never .

ynfanupdates hope she's okay people were so mean to her..

yourusername

liked by elijahhewson and others

yourusername please learn to be nicer while I disappear x

comments have been turned off.

ynfanupdates

liked by ynfan1 and others

ynfanupdates it’s officially been a year and a half since we’ve heard anything from or even seen yourusername 🥲 I really respect her taking some time after that crazy barry situation but this is HARD

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ynfan1 noo I’m the same, I do be missing her bops

ynfan2 fr feels like we’ve been put in the worlds longest time out

ynfanupdates especially with that last insta post 😔

yourusername posted to their close friends!

replies:

charli_xcx yessss queen the world is not readyyyy

↳ AHHH thank you C <33

rass75 AOTY pending?

↳ heheh idk ! genre change pending tho …

taylorswift cannot wait to hear what you're working on !

↳ and what if you hopped on a track?

yourusername

liked by elijahhewson and others

yourusername is there anyone out there?

come spend some time with me within the echoes of solitude, there might be some familiar faces x

// this is me trying  / the lakes / mad woman / my tears ricochet / mirrorball / slut! (feat. Taylor Swift) / let the light in (feat. Elijah Hewson) / both sides now (feat. Joni Mitchell) / coney island (feat. Matty Healy) //

out in TWO weeks !

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jackantonoff lets fuckin GO

trumanblack so moody, almost emo?

yourusername coming for your gig big bro x

gabriette woooo they are not ready !

charlixcx AHHHH so buzzed (for all the sadness)

ynfan2 ah a sad album?? yourusername im sorry to confirm its not very pop 💔 ynfan2 so heartbroken ! but can't wait to hear it all, welcome back <3

elijahhewson so proud of you beautiful

ynfan1 OMG SHE'S BACK

ynfan2 oh no she looks so sad :(( slut! is gonna break me

ynfanupdates okay queen is back to dominate a new genre !

vogue

liked by yourusername and others

vogue our next edition unveils an exclusive interview with our beloved pop sensation! emerging from a year of solitude, she opens up about her toughest career moment yet and her newfound carefree spirit, crediting the unwavering support of friends, family, and the love of her life! don't miss out on the latest scoop - grab your copy and dive into her inspiring journey!

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yourusername ahhhhh thanks for having me !!!

ynfan1 oh she slayss

ynfan2 bless her, the part where she talks about how nervous she is about not releasing a new pop album broke my heart

ynfan1 fr she doesn't get how much we love her ! yourusername AWH you guys !!!!

inhalerfan1 the love of her life .... her and eli are the cutest

yourusername

liked by trumanblack and others

yourusername HI again ! soooo I felt a tinnie bit bad that I'm abandoning my roots, espically so close to summer sooo....

espresso a certified bop* is out now xxxx

*certification is from my boyfriend so possible bias there ..

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ynfan1 holy shit I LOVE YOU

ynfan2 eli is so in love im OBSESSED

charlixcx so hot omfg

bobbyskeetz man is whipped

yourusername isnt it that sweet?! bobbyskeetz i guess so 🙄 elijahhewson espresso

finished

hehehe this is so dramatic and for WHAt?! but I love and had so much fun making it. ENJOY <33

ALSO requests are open aswell so it me up xx

[kingstoken]

I've been sick for the past week, so I been binging Doctor Who again. To everyone who said that I would love Twelve you were right!

I have to admit I didn't like him at first. At first he is a little darker, a little colder, and really lost, but he goes on a great character progression over his three seasons.

First of all, his relationship with Clara is so interesting and complicated. He glomps right onto to her, more intensely then I think with almost any other companion that I've seen so far. He has this enormous fear of losing her, especially in the first season. Which does make sense considering how lost he feels, but again I think this is the first time I've seen this dynamic play out.

Previous companions really push the Doctor to be better, Donna does it for Ten, Amy does it for Eleven, but it's different with Clara. There are moments where she does remind the Doctor to be a more caring person, but the feeling I got was more like the Doctor was pulling Clara down to his level more often then not, and often to Clara's determinant.

I do think a third companion could have been helpful some times, someone to provide a different, more rational perspective at times, because the Doctor and Clara were often in this intense feedback loop bubble, especially in the second season.

Clara's ending was heartbreaking and lovely at the same time, and I'm so glad he got his memories back of her at the very end, because she deserved to be remembered.

Secondly, I love Bill Potts! She was so refreshingly normal. After a couple of companions that were extra super special, the impossible girl, Amy saving the universe with her imagine alone, etc, it was so refreshing to have a companion who was just a normal everyday person. I loved her friendship with the Doctor, it just felt so sweet and chill, not that things are ever really all that chill with the Doctor, but that is the term that comes to mind. Also, Nardole was hilarious! I loved that he really wasn't afraid to call the Doctor out on his bullshit.

Lastly, Missy. I loved Missy to bits, the best version of the Master so far for me. I loved her when she was unhinged, and when she was trying to change. My only compliant is I wish we had gotten more of her. More of her being unhinged and more of her and the Doctor trying to work out things between them. They had part of one episode near the end where Missy was going to try and do a good mission on her own with the Doctor as her guide in her ear, and God I would have loved a full episode or episodes of that. And yes, I ship it! I ship it like crazy. I love a friends-to-enemies-to-allies-to-maybe friends again-to lovers. I'm so sad the Doctor will never know that she chose him in the end.

I'm probably missing a lot, but overall I loved Twelve and his companions, and his Master.

I'm probably going to take a long break before I start Thirteen's run. I just need to sit with what I've seen for a bit.

[vergeltvng]

SPOILERS for The Boys Season 4

I'm still processing the final episode but here are some of my random thoughts, in no particular order. It was a wild ride and I enjoyed it for the most part. The season had its lows for sure and I'll never forgive the writers for how they treated Hughie. I'm still fucking mad about everything they did to him after episode 5. I also felt like they wasted a lot of potential with Annie's arc. She's been through a lot after season 3 and I loved the idea of her having an identity crisis but it was just so poorly executed. It all felt messy and as if the writers had no conclusion in mind for both her and Hughie's plotlines. Unfortunately I couldn't find myself caring a lot about Frenchie's and Kimiko's subplots which is sad because I love these two. I was hoping they get to kill that bitch Little Nina and Kimiko getting her revenge on the SLLA. Both could have happened this season before they got separated in the end. Instead we've been put on hold to wait if these plots get resolved at all. Firecracker and Sage were great additions, I loved to hate Firecracker and Sage gives off endboss vibes for me. I still feel like she's gonna betray Homelander in the end. Can't wait for "phase two". A-Train's arc was great, he truly redeemed himself and him showing up at the flat iron to save the others was proof enough for me how serious he was about doing the right thing. I liked all of his scenes with MM, too. I loved Ashley this season, I hope she gains some badass powers and kicks everyone's ass. I've seen some complaints about Homelander being nerfed - are we watching the same show? He is fucking unhinged and more terrifying than ever. He is basically god by the end of the season and can (and will) do whatever the fuck he wants with no one in his way. Someone telling me that's not scary?! He is and always will be one of the best villains in tv history. Poor kid Ryan, he deserved better. How is he ever supposed to feel safe around Homelander and Butcher phrasing it that way was downright evil and manipulative towards the boy because he knew it would make Ryan feel insecure and cornered. Him pushing and killing Grace was in self-defense. His reaction afterwards however is concerning and I guess ambiguous for interpretation on purpose. I still don't get how some people in the fandom could hate on a 12 year old child so much, leave the kid alone.

Where do I start when it comes to Butcher? I have many thoughts and this text is already long but I'll give it a shot anyway. Obviously I'm biased because I love this man and will defend him to the very end. I think his arc was one of the better aspects, he is still one of the best written characters on the show. What I always loved about him was him being truly morally grey and the ambiguity in his words and actions. He cannot be trusted. I don't know if it's me but Karl's performance makes him actually a lot more likeable than he deserves. He is a bad person and I don't think this is negotiable. I have thought about this so many times in made-up scenarios and I stick with my opinion that there's no fixing him and there never was. I have tried to stay away from fandom discourse as much as I could for my own well-being but I don't get how people act surprised and as a result hate over his behavior and decisions. I think most were true to his character and also him killing Neuman made perfect sense and was a well-deserved payoff narratively. Not that I'm not mad at him for doing so! I loved Vicky and she was such an interesting character. But his final words in season 3 were "that bitch has to go" and one of his main goals across the whole season was to get that virus to kill her. He was absolutely clear about it and worked towards this goal on his own terms, not even under the influence of Kessler. Certainly Kessler pushed him to commit some of his atrocities but it matched with what he wanted himself. He drew the line when it came to supe genocide and was conflicted about it initially but one of his core themes is doing whatever it takes and losing his humanity on his chosen path. Since he is highly intelligent he knows very well what's wrong with him what emphasises even more that he actively chooses to do bad things rather than being impulsive and regretful afterwards. I personally loved his turn at the end and I am eager to see his villain arc. What's not to love about evil daddy?! I could go on about some of the dynamics between him and Kessler but I'll do that in another post maybe.

[heymrspatel]

hi! hope you're doing well <3 do you have any long gallavich ao3 fic recs? can be any rating :)

hi hi! i'm doing alright 🥰 i hope you are too!! 💙

i am... notoriously bad at giving recs, but i'm going to try my best to list a few that live with me at all times (while trying very very very hard to not feel bad for leaving anything out/forgetting anything!)

now, i'm not sure what you constitute as long? so, i've just gathered a few that are over 50k? ok!

completed fics that make me want to shout into the sky:

literally aaaanything by @goodkwuestion but The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Ian Gallagher and The Fine Art of Falling For You have a very special place in my heart!

Dancing After Death by @squidyyy23 - i made audible noises while reading this fic. idk what that tells you, but i hope it explains it.

M8TE by @gallawitchxx - i was all "idk idk idk if i'd be into a/b/o... eeeehhhh" and then this came along! and i- *slams fists on table*

Since We're Alone by @lethargicmick and @buffymilkovich - the way i became irreversibly unhinged by this story... my heart!

Undead Agents of Chaos by @abundanceofnots - god, it's so fun! all the ups and downs. it's so beautiful. so original! Y E S!

and i'd be just silly not to mention Cooperative Gameplay and Like Real People Do by grayola - iconic. full stop.

wips that i love and make me want to punch straight through a wall:

Sweetpea by @whatthebodygraspsnot - my beloved, my heart, my love, my joy, my light! (the fic, the universe, the characters, the author)

wait! and also That 'Redhead Babyface/FUCK U-UP' Duality - if ya wanna get hooked immediately. if ya want flirty banter. if ya want that funny, good, blessed writing style that scratches that itch! dis ees da one!

Tender Hearts and Other Maladies by @whatwouldmickeydo - world building of my dreaaaams!!!

Intro to Quantum Dating by @spoonfulstar - my absolute comfort fic!

Ristretto by @howlinchickhowl - the cooooziest and funniest coffeshop au! it's like a warm hug, i tell you!

Ian Gallagher and All of His Mistakes by toraten - i enjoy me a piece of life fic and this one is just so good!

Love Is a Ballfield by and_i_take_it - obsessed obsessed obsessed will never let this one gooooo!!!!

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also! @gallavichfanficlibrary is an amazing resource for fic recs! they've got a great tag system that makes things super easy!

and also! *sounding the alarm* everyone feel free to tac on your favorites!

and and also! i hope you're having a lovely day wherever you are! 💙

[fannishstuff]

Have more Biddleford AU!

This is in specific reference to my AU where Fiddleford tried meditation instead of inventing the memory gun, and consequently met and began to worship Bill.

So, I opened that piece of fanart with Fiddleford reaching out a hand to Ford, and telling him that he was welcome.

"Why," you might ask, "is he welcoming in Ford? Doesn't Ford already worship Bill?

Hehehehehe, that's where the fact that Bill is extremely manipulative comes in. More under the cut.

So, in the ficlet that I included with that picture, you'll note that Bill set himself up to be the golden magical savior that would protect Fiddleford from evil spirits and bad luck. Well, Fiddleford falls for it and he falls for it hard. Bill can be very charming and convincing when he wants to be. (...sort of. He does a lot of, like, giving people upsetting gifts and terrifying compliments and stuff. You kind of have to be a little unhinged already to fall for Bill-style charm, basically. Fortunately our pteratron-building man is.)

Fiddleford now belongs to Bill. Great. You'll remember that Ford is not actually able to build the portal himself - he needed help from Fiddleford because his math wasn't strong enough. Okay, so Bill was using Ford to build the Portal, and Ford was using Fiddleford... but now Bill can use Fiddleford directly, so he has two geniuses under his thumb. Even better: Bill had to manipulate Ford by keeping him isolated and paranoid. Fiddleford, on the other hand, we know to be charismatic and sociable. We know that he tends to seek out people who are suffering from problems similar to his and that he can get them to open up. He's also very convincing, and can convince them he has a solution to their troubles. Ivan, whose recruitment we see in Journal 3 and who is the eventual leader of the Society of the Blind Eye, is a great example of this.

So, now Bill has two patsies: a genius nerd who's convinced everyone is out to get him, and a big-hearted but very odd duck guy who wants nothing more than to help people. The second one, the charmer, has a habit of proselytizing.

And, oh, how Bill loves to be worshiped.

So, he still needs and wants Ford, but why would he settle for Ford? Bill starts occupying more and more of Fiddleford's time with the cult, and while he's at it, he himself start to breadcrumb - and eventually ghosts - Ford. It sends Ford into a panic. Ford is getting increasingly stressed and overworked, he's barely making progress, his only friend is spending almost no time with him and acting weird even when he's around, and his muse has seemingly abandoned him. Oh, and by the way: Bill hasn't told Ford that he's in contact with Fidds, and has instructed Fidds to keep the secret.

One day, Bill returns to Ford's dreams.

He's snide. He's cold. He asks for progress, and then makes like he's going to leave. Ford leaps at him, begs him to stay, asks what happened, and what he did wrong.

What are you talking about, Sixer? Aren't you doing fine without me? I thought you were some kind of genius. Well, I'm - I could never do as well alone as with your guidance, Bill! You're my muse! Oh, yeah. That. What is it? What's wrong?

Bill goes on to point out that, well, yeah, Ford was fine, but Bill was really starting to feel lead on. Bill's not just some broad you can expect to keep around forever and never bother pop the question. Like, Bill's a god, not just a """MUSE,""" and it was just kinda getting old, right? Like, you're clearly fine without me, so whatever. What? What's wrong? No, seriously, it's fine if you don't want to commit, you have commitment issues since you abandoned your brother and all. What, you want another chance? Seriously? I'm not really convinced. Oh? Okay, fine. Fine. We'll talk it out. But you are on thin ice, Sixer.

So, Ford is given some pretty strict instructions for the next couple of days, and then he's sent to meet up with Bill's other worshipers.

Ford didn't know about the other worshipers, and he's really embarrassed about this. (Never mind that they didn't exist.) He's angry, he's frustrated, but most of all he's desperate for approval.

So he goes, and he meets...

Fiddleford.

Bill's been talking to Fiddleford. Bill explained everything to Fiddleford. He explained that Ford is coming, and he's to be the co-ruler of the cult or Fiddleford's right-hand man, but that he needs to behave himself. Ford hasn't always been totally committed, Bill explained, but he's being given another chance.

But it's okay! Fiddleford believes in Ford! Fiddleford one hundred percent is vouching for him, Ford's such a swell guy, always goes the whole way in everything. Fiddleford would never doubt Ford, and together, they're going to prove to Bill that Ford's serious.

Ford... isn't convinced. Ford is having doubts. But Ford has to make sure to never, ever, ever voice those doubts, because that would be proving that he has doubts, and that he's just like Bill was afraid he would be, even though Fiddleford trusts him unconditionally like the good friend he is.

Anyway in this AU the world ends

[asena-queenslayer]

my favorite fellow peeps who make themselves sick over the tragedy of the high cloud quintet and especially yingxing who became blade

I bring ya the Korean original musical Frankenstein (프랑켄슈타인) by Wang Yong-beom and Brandon Lee

It's loosely based on the Mary Shelley novel and actually goes almost balls to the wall off the rails unhinged plot-wise, but it does it so WELL and it's made me absolutely insane over the past three days or so and I didn't even like the novel so you know it's good

I'm not fluent in Korean (though I do understand a fair amount) but the songs slap so fucking hard (y'all music truly needs no translation for its emotions to be felt)

And for those songs that do have translations on YouTube,

GOD

WOW

basically, for the uninitiated to either piece of media,

disaster gay(s) decides resurrecting someone they loved from the dead is a good idea and ofc that goes horribly wrong for them and ruins their life and kills/destroys everyone they held dear and changes them irreversibly and they become everything they feared :)

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A few songs + English subtitles to get you started (23:16):

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Also it's actually being performed rn in Korea since this is the 10th anniversary of the musical

So a couple of the main actors were interviewed recently by an entertainment show and they got to each perform a song from the show (linked below) (no subtitles unfortunately, but there are other videos of these songs on YouTube by other people that DO have subtitles) (I just thought these were best visual + audio quality)

The Great History of the Creation of Life Begins by Shin Sung-rok (위대한 생명창조의 역사가 시작된다 by 신성록) (5:30)

Victor Frankenstein sings abt defying God and shit while creating his creature/monster from his dead (boy)friend

BANGER ass set & special effects

I am the monster by Park Eun-tae (난 괴물 by 박은태) (6:18)

About the monster's loneliness and longing to be loved but even his body is not his own and he's been rejected by his own creator :(

Also THE Park Eun-tae's vocals and acting (worth a watch for that alone)

TW for fake blood & stitches just in case

[liketwoswansinbalance]

Rafal is the King of the Golden Mountain

"The King of the Golden Mountain" is such a Never fairy tale, and a canonical one at that (not in SGE, I mean classic, fairy-tale canon). Since the protagonist becomes royalty, he's probably an Ever, even if he uses violent means to reach his end. So, maybe Good is only Good relatively speaking in this tale. At first, the king does try for the peaceful solution, and some Good fairy tales do end in gruesome punishment for the villains. However, a mass of people standing in the way of you getting your throne back aren't all exactly villains, which is why I'm insinuating that the seemingly Ever king is probably a Never king at heart.

The protagonist reminds me of Rafal immensely, in terms of his reactions and everything. The tale is brutal, and it's basically a revenge-fantasy story, which seems odd considering how most of the Brothers Grimm stories, or the better-known ones, at least, have fairly "happy" endings. This one just reeks of bloodlust and victory and smug satisfaction. Like, seriously, it's insane. And, you'd think that by the title, it'd be more Midas-like, but no, I'd say it's Rafal-like. Really.

The poor, suffering king is just deservedly unhinged at this point, like how Rafal should have gotten his proper, very plausible villain arc. I'm still bitter over the Fall identity-swap plot twist! Rafal deserved real vengeance! Especially after he slaved away for Rhian, to fix mess after mess, problem after problem. By the Storian, can't he just get a break! I suppose that, at best, he could be in Purgatory. He was never truly Good enough for Heaven because I don't think a sudden turn realistically can make up for a lifetime of Evil deeds.

Also, this is a tale where practically everyone's beheaded, so just a little advance notice.

Anyway, here's an excerpt from the ending section:

When he was near his palace, he heard sounds of joy, and fiddles, and flutes, and the people told him that his wife was celebrating her wedding with another. Then he fell into a rage, and said, "False woman, she betrayed and deserted me whilst I was asleep!" So he put on his cloak, and unseen by all went into the palace. When he entered the dining-hall a great table was spread with delicious food, and the guests were eating and drinking, and laughing, and jesting. She sat on a royal seat in the midst of them in splendid apparel, with a crown on her head. He placed himself behind her, and no one saw him. When she put a piece of meat on a plate for herself, he took it away and ate it, and when she poured out a glass of wine for herself, he took it away and drank it. She was always helping herself to something, and yet she never got anything, for plate and glass disappeared immediately. Then dismayed and ashamed, she arose and went to her chamber and wept, but he followed her there. She said, "Has the devil power over me, or did my deliverer never come?" Then he struck her in the face, and said, "Did thy deliverer never come? It is he who has thee in his power, thou traitor. Have I deserved this from thee?" Then he made himself visible, went into the hall, and cried, "The wedding is at an end, the true King has returned." The kings, princes, and councillors who were assembled there, ridiculed and mocked him, but he did not trouble to answer them, and said, "Will you go away, or not?" On this they tried to seize him and pressed upon him, but he drew his sword and said, "All heads off but mine," and all the heads rolled on the ground, and he alone was master, and once more King of the Golden Mountain.

The ending is just so vicariously satisfying! I'm hoping someone will see what I mean because it can't just be me who sees the likeness. This protagonist has his petty, chaotic fun, and is mischievous, like Fala's presence at the Circus. And, he suffered at the hands of various men, for his princess, later his wife, a supposed True Love (the cheater!), just like Rafal sacrificed and went through so much physical pain for Rhian, his True Love and the equivalent of the wife in this story. And, Rafal was almost imprisoned with a life-sentence, and was overthrown by Vulcan just like this king was replaced by another, a false hero. After all that he did for Rhian! The injustice! Besides, it feels like a very Rafal thing to cleverly fleece people out of their belongings, even if it seems somewhat accidental in nature in this particular tale. (This happened earlier in the tale, before this scene. And, the wife didn't completely deserve death, I'll admit. The king himself also erred at times, so they're both at fault.)

Side note from while I was writing this: this has got to be the best, most fitting typo I have ever made: "overthrone" instead of "overthrown," and yet, it still applies to tyranny and thrones! Haha!

If you want to read the entire tale, here's one source from which the excerpt came:

And the Wikipedia page for further analysis/a shorthand summary:

If anyone is interested in reading about another fairy tale parallel to the prequels, here's a link to an old "Faithful John" post of mine.

[waitmyturtles]

THE MORNING AFTER: ONLY FRIENDS, EPISODE 1 ("MY PHONE'S STILL NOT WORKING?!") META EDITION

(Unless something changes, I'll be letting loose my Only Friends episodic meta a day late from now to October -- mommy duties call on the weekends! Saturday nights'll be for that GMMTV good-good from here on out.)

So, yesterday's episode was great. I totally enjoyed reading everyone's unhinged pleasure at the first episode yesterday, and I reblogged a whole bunch of stuff and picked up on some early theories. Jojo, Ninew, and Den were having a grand time on Twitter, and it was just a lot of fun to track (JOJO).

Before getting into the meta, just to put this on the record: my first expected and/or hoped-for clown checkpoint is a confirmed and committed throuple (NOT the missed threesome we almost got in this episode, but damn it, missed opportunity!). I understand that @respectthepetty and @shortpplfedup have separately originated a murder/manslaughter clown checkpoint (thanks, @slayerkitty, for THAT heads-up, lol) (and see below re: Mew), which tracks with Jojo's previous comparison to 3 Will Be Free -- am I HOPING for murder? Maybe I'm not HOPING for murder, but for what I'm about to muse on, maybe it won't be a surprise?

@cookie-kat777 (here) and @isaksbestpillow (here) and so many more folks out there are positing that something the fuck is UP with Mew, and I agree. I find him to the the most interesting character so far, simply because he's the only one who's not letting his actions fully tell his story -- he's almost fully in charge of his narrative, as opposed to everyone else so far (Ray, obvious pained drunk; Sand, obviously broke and tired of the BS, cc: @neuroticbookworm, etc).

My read on the kitchen scene is that Mew knew beforehand that he would stop Top in his tracks prior to letting Top in. Mew is clearly a game-player, slamming that bell during bar trivia (....... y'all, that was a HELL of a lot of drinking for bar trivia, HA), and it just struck me that there was a "win" in Mew getting Top to move towards commitment before Mew gives up his thang. I smell narcissism on the dude. Mew's not acting like a blushing maiden, quite the opposite, he knew FULL WELL what he was doing when he let Top in -- but I want to know his goal in getting Top to settle down and in first.

And moving towards faen in a week? (A WEEK?!) (UM.) For Top to bag commit to Mew -- a virgin! -- that quickly, particularly in the face of the conversation he had previously had with Boston about getting with Mew in the first place: what's Top's ultimate priority here, as well? Top's going to commit to someone he hasn't slept with yet? Color me surprised. What, to show up Boston? Is that how playas play? I dunno, we'll see. I'm not sure that Boston is a strong enough reason. Maybe there's a male-toxicity-driven shallange that's coloring this narrative, but I'll wait to find out more.

Other quick thoughts: what's the source of Ray's pain that's driving him to multiple and regular black-outs? What's Sand so tired of? (Family strife, poverty, rich kids, etc. -- what's happening there). What's up with Cheum, Mew, and Boston leaving Ray to stumble to his car alone -- especially now that it's clear that he has a pattern of blacking out and showing up to school hungover?

I don't want to project, but I'm gonna: this is a hell of a heavy drinking crew, partying QUITE hard and regularly. If Jojo's previous references to at least Gay OK Bangkok stand, I'm wondering if one overarching commentary/lesson we're going to get out of Only Friends is -- escaping to the bottle is not the best way to mitigate yours or anyone else's issues. We know he's framed shows around health issues before, GOKB and The Warp Effect as the most prominent. Let's see.

Speaking of Gay OK Bangkok, I offer another OF clown checkpoint: in my review of GOKB, I posited that Pom of GOKB and Shin of 3 Will Be Free are avatars of a very similar character style -- virgins, glasses-wearing, and unassumingly wiley in their ability to survive in a competitive world. I think Mew joins that avatar crew, but in a much more insidious fashion. Let's see. I love that Jojo is playing around with this style.

One more clown checkpoint I'm gonna put out there is that Jojo and Ninew do not let the recent Thai political turmoil escape this show. I don't know HOW it'll even work, but I have my eyes sharply peeled, because the political craziness was going down literally as they were filming the show. We'll see -- I'll likely be wrong, but ya never know.

I think that's it! I LOVE Jennie, I can't wait to see Nonnie, and Drake -- welcome back to the boys, my friend. This episode was fantastic, but by FAR the best part about yesterday was seeing the filmmakers go totally insane on social media, hyping their work and their people -- damn. When the artists KNOW what they made is good, then that's just like, it's cookies for us. Jojo and Den are out there replying to fans, and it’s just awesome. What a ride already!

[inkblackorchid]

So... about season 3 Aki.

Ok harsh contrast to my previous, excited post, but I did say I had more to yell about episode 75 and I need to get this off my chest anyway. Plus, I remember mentioning in a post that I need to talk about season 3 onward Aki anyhow, so might as well do that now! I am thinking Big Thoughts and I need to Scream.

Long, incoherent, unhinged rant incoming because I have 100 things to say and 100000 screenshots to post, but I am also tired and my brain is mush.

Can we please talk about all the jarringly unfulfilled setup the start of season 3 did for Aki? Because I'm starting to feel an urge to claw at the walls. I'm gonna go through this, piece by piece of damning evidence, because I need to vent my utter confusion and frustration somehow, I guess. Okay. So.

After giving us a bit of time to settle in after the timeskip into the pre-WRGP stretch of things, the itty-bitty portion of the story Aki occupies at this point starts off arguably strong. Yusei gets kidnapped, everyone's in a frenzy about it, but Aki's especially worried.

Then this. Funky new signer powers! Nobody's been able to do this before! I wonder if they're going to do something with that! (Spoiler: They're not.)

Then Aki "no sense of self-preservation" Izayoi gets herself in a bunch of danger trying to rescue Yusei and we get this:

Oh! Wow! Aki can control her powers now! (Which: how. Why did they never show us this. That alone could have made for a whole mini-arc. Why waste that????) That would give the writers so many cool opportunities to let her use them! I wonder if they're going to do something with that! (Spoiler: They're not.)

(Side note: I love this scene. I love it to death. They're both ride-or-die "who cares for my safety when yours is on the line" for each other and I love them.)

Of course, shenanigans then ensue, leading up to Sherry's marvellous introduction.

(Mwah. I blow her a little kiss.)

And it is at this point that Aki Has An Epiphany.

And to top it off, she gets some interesting interactions with Sherry, too!

So Aki resolves that she wants to become a turbo-duellist, too. And the thing is, this isn't a little one-off thing or something they never deliver on. They end up building this up for several episodes, bit by bit. First we get another mention of it at the pre-WRGP press thingy they all attend:

Then it's brought up again when Yusei accepts the first duel against Bruno/Antinomy:

(Also, side note again, but can I just mention that Aki also gets this moment the episode before:)

(Where she literally puts herself directly in harm's way in a public setting to protect people with her powers??? Like, I'm sorry, pinch me or something, but how does that not scream "badass good girl setup"???? HOW?)

So we get at least three episodes worth of buildup where Aki agonizes over becoming a turbo duellist to understand what her friends (but especially Yusei) are feeling when they duel like that, and then they finally deliver on it and episode 75 has her getting her license. And it's fantastic. Seriously. That episode is golden. Not just because it delivers on this promise, not just because it has a really cute moment between Aki and Yusei in it (regardless of how you read their relationship dynamic), and not just because it (as per my last post) showcases how much the rest of Team 5Ds cares about Aki (by literally building a runner for her and accompanying her to her exam and don't even get me started on Jack beating up those jerks trying to make her crash unprompted) but because it gives us just that smidgen more detail about Aki's character, too. Because the thing is, at first, she majorly sucks at driving.

And not only is this realistic to a degree (learning to drive is hard, regardless of what you're learning to drive), it's also great, because you know what Aki's response to it is?

She keeps going. She doesn't let it get her down, she gets back up and tries again. (And from a writing standpoint, this is lovely because that stubbornness is great in situations like this, but you could easily turn it into a weakness in a different scenario if you wanted to.)

And not only does Aki learn driving the hard way here, she also finds herself confronted with jerks who don't want her to succeed,

(Ruka, sweetie, I love you.)

and she makes an absolute rookie mistake during her exam by trying to play a speed spell when she doesn't have the necessary speed counters.

And feel free to disagree, but I think this is also great. Because honestly? While driving a really damned fast motorcycle that I'm not super used to yet, and being expected to make solid tactical judgements in an overcomplicated card game—the rules of which are slightly different when you're playing it on a motorcycle—at the same time, I would likely also mess up like that and accidentally try to make an illegal play. But the thing is, the episode rewards her for sticking it out anyway by letting her pull off a really complicated driving manoeuvre to save herself from her envious turbo-duelling-license colleagues' cheap tricks, and by letting her score a really nice win from a tight spot, much like any of the boys would have in her position.

(Take that, you jerks. Dumbasses only get blurry screenshots.)

So Aki gets her license and is welcomed by the team as a fresh turbo duellist. Hooray!

(I love them all so, so much, help me.)

And we also get this:

Wouldn't you know it! Sherry's been watching Aki get her license with interest! And she seems to be mighty pleased with the result!

So. After all that, I don't think you could blame anyone (it's me, I'm anyone) for getting really excited about what Aki's gonna get up to from this point outward. Aki can control her powers now! And she got her turbo duelling license! And we've got a new, enigmatic side character who seems like she could have super interesting interactions with and play off Aki! I wonder what they're gonna do with all that.

*deep breath*

Sigh.

Seeing as I already know this show like the palm of my hand, I kind of dreaded getting past this episode because I know exactly what happens to Aki from this point out: Nothing. A whole lot of nothing. Okay, well, no. See, I went back and checked all the episodes I have left, just to make sure, just in case I forgot something (very likely when you've already watched the show three times, I know).

From here on out, during the entire pre-WRGP, WRGP, and Ark Cradle arc, Aki gets exactly three things to do:

She uses her shiny new turbo duelling license to fill in for Crow at the Team Unicorn match because he got injured. Which, on paper, is a perfect way to let her have the spotlight for a moment. Except, the only thing she gets that spotlight for is to last a hot four turns in the duel before losing spectacularly to Andre and literally never turbo duelling again for the rest of the show. (Like, yes. The moment where she summons Stardust Dragon is chefs kiss and legendary. But in light of the surrounding circumstances, it feels like a consolation prize to make up for the ensuing character trainwreck.)

Since Crow is technically still injured when they're meant to go up against Team Catastrophe, Aki trains to fill in for him there again. Except! They intentionally make her crash right before the duel, putting her in a short-term coma! And as the icing on the cake, when she wakes up, it also turns out she lost the powers she was only just able to control for absolutely. no. reason. None. They never bother explaining it, they don't even try to hint at why they might have vanished. (I have my own theories for why they had to let her powers vanish and they all start and end with the words "we couldn't be bothered to figure out how to write this character".)

At the very end of the show, the very end, after temporarily fridging Sherry, too, they dig both girls back up in order to let them participate in a three-way final boss duel with Crow. (Which is a fantastic duel, I love it to pieces. Genuinely.) You could argue that they tried to cash in on all the intrigue they set up between Aki and Sherry here, but—come on. At the end of the show? Seriously? Oh, and did I mention that for some reason, Aki's powers mysteriously reappear after this duel? For no reason? Again?

I just. It does not compute. They went as far as doing all this setup, letting Aki get the hang of her powers, letting her get her license, making her part of Team 5Ds, even giving us a new character that seemed like the perfect fit to let her bounce off of—and then, like some sort of kafkaesque reverse-miracle, they somehow managed to take a sharp left into "whoops, don't care about this character" and nearly wasted the entirety of that setup in one fell swoop. If it weren't for that finale saving at least a smidgen of it, I'd be holding a torch and a pitchfork over here. (Hell, I might, even knowing that Aki's final duel in the show is kickass.)

Please tell me if this is just me (15 years after the show released, I know, leave me alone), but this feels like they were literally loading Chekov's gun directly within view of the audience, only to later procede to toss the damned thing into the sea instead of firing it.

Okay. Okay, I think I'm done. For anyone who actually bothered with the whole post, first of all, thank you for your attention, secondly, sorry, but this does, indeed, still bother me ten years after I first found this show, so I had to get it out or it would have eaten at me forever. God damn it.

Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to writing fics where Aki actually gets something to do right this second. If anyone's interested in giving a fic series where Aki gets a separate character arc that tries to stay mostly canon-compliant after the defeat of the dark signers a go, you can find my stuff here.

[dre6ming]

The delicate beginning rush

Instagram photo dump - part 7

Masterlist <all chapters here>

Instagram photo dump masterlist

Pairing: Austin Butler x singer/actress fem reader

!!!!Everything Fake!!!!

𓆈𓆈𓆈𓆈𓆈𓆈𓆈

y/n4real.2002

Liked by austinbutler tchalamet and 1.293.299others

y/n4real.2002 my babies are now 2. So glad I stumbled upon you next to that garbage can. Love you forever!! #catmom

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tchalamet: sweetest boys I know

↳y/n4real.2002: tchalamet I raised them well 😎

fan23: this is so cute, I live for those pictures

↳fan.258: omg yess they are so sweet

taylorswift: Ben, Meredith and Olivia wish their best friends the happiest of birthdays

↳y/n4real.2002: taylorswift let's have a play date soon

↳fan1: iconic cat moms

fan.tastic: this is so cute, Simba and William supremacy

↳fan192: perfectly curated names

↳fan6: true gentlemen

austinbutler: the cutest ever

↳y/n4real.2002: austinbutler thx

↳aus.b.fan: this interaction seems so strange to me 😭

↳aus.b.fan: this interaction seems so strange to me 😭

joshua.fan: um where is Joshua? Come support your girl!!

↳joshua.fan23: I don't think she's HIS anymore...

republicrecords

Liked by joshuabassett fan34 and 708.390others

republicrecords some very exciting things happening in the studio right now. #y/n #joshuabassett

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fan293: he liked the photo, but she DIDN'T...I actually dying

↳fan09: omg she's so unhinged

joshuafan283: so excited for this

↳fan383:same here

fan990: all the confirmation I needed that their relationship is just PR

↳fan10: yeah..

fan494: girl does NOT love him, her heart is with AB, has been for weeks now 😭😭

↳ab.fan.2: can we blame her?

y/n4real.2002

liked by taylorswift roxanne.02_b1tch and 2.394.399others

y/n4real.2002 #girlsnight 📸: the one exception we allowed in.

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tchalamet: not mad at all😭

↳y/n4real.2002: tchalamet I see that, I really do🤣

↳fan12: wait if Timmy is not the exception from the girls night, then who took the photo? JOE?! 👀🫣

↳tsfan13: omg my heart, it has to be!!

austinbutler: 🧶

↳y/n4real.2002: austinbutler 🧶

↳ab.fan49: what kind of code is this 🤔

↳fan2: I'm loosing my mind here?

↳austin.fan: Austin using an emoji?! And the ball of yarn? What the hell is going on??

gossip.w/.me

Liked by fan2 austin_fan3 and 500.389others

gossip.w/.me: via deuxmoi 's story, new update on the whole y/n x Austin Butler and Joshua Bassett thing. Also her being rumored to be on the Elvis Soundtrack? I think I'm losing it.

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austin_fans: this is too much for my little heart

fan10: she's so amazing of course they'd want her on the soundtrack

elvis.movie.fan: Baz asks personally for her 🥺😩

ab.34.fan: ugh this is so unfair, I really wanted them to be dating. Austin and Y/n would make a great duo

joshua_fan: at this point they are just messing with us

tmz

Liked by fan48 fan_5 and 200.583others

tmz: y/n4real.2002 spotted out in LA driving alone

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fan23: she looks so cute

fan1: I love to see her smile

fans.4.love: can she be more beautiful?

ab_fan: she's incredible

↳austi_n_fan: Austin would agree here

↳fan395: how wouldn't?

fan1loves: why did they have to say alone??😩

y/n4real.2002

Liked by austinbutler tchalamet and 2.030.293others

y/n4real.2002: dandelion into to wind you go, won't you let my darling know... that I'm in a field of dandelions wishing on everyone #dandelions #outnow #stream

View all comments

austinbutler: so proud 🧶

↳y/n4real.2002: austinbutler 🧶

↳fan59: again with this emoji what's going on??

↳ab.3.fan: nah they enjoy to torture us

tchalamet: sounds good I'm not gonna lie

↳y/n4real.2002: tchalamet huh 🤔 just good? Ok fine!

↳roxanne.02_b1tch: 🤣🤣🤣

jackantonoff: happy to be part of this

↳y/n4real.2002: jackantonoff 🥹

billieeilish: hot mama

↳y/n4real.2002: billieeilish stop I'm blushing

Tags: @kittenlittle24 @amorx @cryingabtab @lexicox044 @lrissa @feral4austinbutler @sageskywalker @jesssssicaa @rainydayz101 @flwersgarden @bobthefishiesworld @captured-memory @homebodybirkin2003 @galaxygirl453 @butlerslut @chrisevansgirl34 @myradiaz @pennyroyalcreep @macey234 @im-lame-irl @lordandmistress @the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf @poppet05 @gabbywontlose @4shbug @0-thegoodwitch-0 @hauntedarchivesx @chewiethecatus @sunnyx07 @francesbloomer @jessaroni19 @finelineskies @stargirlbytheweeknd @cerenaydins-blog @girlblogger2002 @gigisworldsstuff @my-baexht-Is @xmusselisims @denised916 @bluepeacheslandia @kibumslatina @samaraannhan20 @goldobsessionworld @silliypapercreatorangle @cmrxac @donnamarie23 @justarandomfamdomblog @marlowmode @natsnosehair @xxgggooomm @banksmars @namoreno @areuirish @choppedlamphandscowboy @yeetfack-blog @fangirl125reader @aliceforbes @k-1898 @lucid315 @numberonepaperbeard-blog @lunacat616 @katelswan @jellysquidjj

[blueberryshelves]

_______________________________________________

Book Review

Title: The Ivies Author: Alexa Donne

Series: stand-alone

No. of Pages: 336

ISBN:  9780593303733 (paperback) 9780593303702 (hardcover) 9780593303726 (ebook)

Synopsis:

Enroll in this boarding school thriller about a group of prep school elites who would kill to get into the college of their dreams...literally."

The Plastics meet the Heathers in this murder mystery about ruthless Ivy League ambition." -Kirkus Reviews Everyone knows the Ivies: the most coveted universities in the United States. Far more important are the Ivies. The Ivies at Claflin Academy, that is. Five girls with the same mission: to get into the Ivy League by any means necessary. I would know. I'm one of them. We disrupt class ranks, club leaderships, and academic competitions...among other things. We improve our own odds by decreasing the fortunes of others. Because hyper-elite competitive college admissions is serious business. And in some cases, it's deadly. Alexa Donne delivers a nail-biting and timely thriller about teens who will stop at nothing to get into the college of their dreams. Too bad no one told them murder isn't an extracurricular.

_______________________________________________

What did I think of the book?

The Ivies by Alexa Donne My rating: ⭐ 1 of 5 stars (1.5 really) *Disclaimer: Spoilers.* So far, my experience with author youtubers who give advice on writing hasn't been great. The advice is usually solid, and in Alexa Donne's case, I found many of her videos really helpful for figuring out what was wrong with my own writing practices. However, I'm starting to realize why best selling authors with strong prose, plot, and characters, tend to NOT be youtubers. Author youtubers seem to excel at teaching, and giving information, but their actual writing doesn't tend to reflect their apparent knowledge (speaking from my own experiences). So, here lands The Ivies. This is the first of Alex Donne's work that I've read, and I'm totally confused. Despite the fact that the book had me finishing it in two days, rapidly going through page after page on the edge of my seat with it's insane rabbit hole; it left me feeling that the story just wasn't finished. I don't mean "finished" as in, there needs to be a second book; I mean, in the end, no one really solved anything, and there was no closure on the murder. No one changed or grew or improved, if anything, the characters just became even more unhinged as the book went on until it lead to a deflating reveal of the actual killer with a horrifically ridiculous motive. The story was drowned in red herrings and misleads to the point of suffocating the fun out of the book. They were so frequent, and so many that it became downright frustrating and exhausting to read. There were more loose ends that were never tied up than a torn knitted jumper. The "false" reveal was a lot more tense and interesting to read, and the book honestly could have cut out the entirety of act 3 for me, and skipped to the end. The pacing was good in the first half of the book, but suffered in the second half, and dragged on. By the end, I began to suspect Olivia, the MC. Maybe this wasn't the intention, but her choices at the end of the book made me seriously consider if I just got mind-fucked by what she was narrating to herself for the entire story, and she really was the killer all along. Might explain why she never got anywhere in her "investigation" or withholding information from authority for her so-called friends, and we're just being lied to as the readers (she did, after all, have access to everything apparently). While the writing style was easy to get into, it had one issue: Too. Much. Telling. (and swearing…). At the end of almost every chapter, whatever big revelation occurred in the chapter is just told to you in black and white, rather than letting you ride the wave of the realization in your own head. Much of the natural tension of having the realizations on my own as the reader were completely lost, and ruined every tension bubble attempted to be created. It worked great for the end of the first chapter, but it just didn't for the rest. The same can be said for all the schemes the Ivies apparently did. We're just told they happened, but we never get to see these girls actually in action from their PoV. Favorite character/s: Well, not many of the characters are "likeable". It's almost laughable how unlikeable the characters are to the point of 'okay, I kind of hate you all, but I want to know how far the rabbit hole goes, so…'. What drew me to the book? I wanted a thriller to study that wouldn't give me nightmares, and finally check out Alexa Donne's work. Stars: 1.5/5, pretty interesting concept, but too many problems with the execution of it. View all my reviews