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hellyeahheroes · 4 years

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Let Molly Punch Wolverine: Why I’m worried about X-Men appearance in Runaways

I want to preface this by saying that I have strong trust in Rainbow Rowell and while I am behind her series due to financial and pandemic related reasons, I trust her to deliver the best story she is allowed to. The worries I express below come from the fact I do not trust X-Men editorial and Jonathan Hickman enough to believe they will allow her to tell the best story.

The way I see it, Runaways are the quintessential Millenial comic in that it perfectly captures Millenial generation’s disillusionment with world and society built by Baby Boomers. A disillusionment that was to be expected in face of failiure of American defenses to prevent 9/11, the government and mass media wholeheartely embracing islamophobia and homophobia in it’s wake and American war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, on top of myriad other problems that were already present in the 00s and only got worse as we went ahead.

This is not seen just in the core premise of the original series, the idea that the parents kids are taught to respect and look up to are actively evil and damning the world for their own benefit. But also in the general potrayal of adults and adult superheroes in the series, who are mostly useless or outright malicious in case of Doc Justice. Sole exception being somewhat Spider-Man, who himself is portrayed as having gone through what Runaways have and so having insight and empathy other adults lack.

While that theme has become more gray over the years, as Runaways managed to gain a good footing with teachers and students of Avengers Academy alike, and Nico and Victor were on Avengers offshot teams, even then it was clear that the older heroes are not these perfect ideals too look up to, but flaved in their own way. Entire Avengers A.I. is about fixing one of Hank Pym’s screwups and A-Force’s premise is the team doubles as a support group, every member having gone through traumatic experience in the past and being on different stages of healing process (not to mention how it crashed and burned due to mistakes made by Carol in Civil War II). Even X-Men themselves started as outright antagonistic to Runaways under BKV. And then uder Yost went into the mutual “MAYBE they aren’t THAT bad” relationship with Runaways. Every meeting so far had Molly punch Wolverine.

In current series most of the team moved from teenagers to young adults and their experiences still reflect those of late Millenials. There is this feeling in current series of powerlessness, Runaways making it to the adulthood only to find all it gets you is more problems and all ability to fix the world have been systematically wrestled from your hands by the very people who broke it just so that you cannot fix their mess. It is a story about trying to live in a messed up world with that realization and how your found family can help you carry on whatever it will throws at you. I think in this way is why I can turn a blind eye on things like Nico in Strange Academy - it makes sense she would want to at least try to help kids who are going through what she did to not have as much a hard time. And, you know, Strange didn’t invite A NAZI WHO ACTUALLY WORKED AT AUSCHWITZ WITH MENGELE to help him run the school.

I do not beleive X-Men editorial can play along with that. Right now X-Men and their fandom are at the height of drinking their own kool-aid, portraying their stupid sex island as the msot perfect and best thing ever, to the point they ignore the blatantly fashy things happenning like making up new minority groups (precogs and clones) to oppress, or abovementioned inviting of Nazis, mass murderers and islamophobic crusaders who want to “take back Jerusalem”. They are so into the “mutants are a minority” metaphor that they outright demand that every other book touching on it portray negatively anyone who does not immediatelly bows down at their feet. Something we have seen in X-Men interactions with Fantastic Four, where Sue Storm’s legitimate complaints about X-Men’s current position are caricaturized to cast her in a “uniformed homophobic mom” stereotype just to keep the metaphor working. Even in Fantastic Four’s own book. In wake of this I can somewhat see why the infamous “Franklin is not a mutant” retcon took place.

I cannot beleive that current X-office could allow X-Men to be shown in a way that adheres to themes of Runaways. I mean for Pete’s sake, look at their treatment of New X-Men Academy X - another Millenial at heat series. And another one that tackles disillusionment of that generation with Baby Boomers’ run world with its own 9/11 equivalent in form of a terrorist attack that killed many of its students and traumatized the rest. It is a known secret editor Jordan White considers this a “mistake” because it made old X-Men look bad. And under him in particular X-Books had a history of undermining and derailing NXM kids to show them as inexperienced, dumb kids who never had any hardships and do not know what it really takes to be an X-Man, who see it as all the glamour and no work. All in spite of the fact they may have suffered more than all their elders except Karma, writers’ favorite punching bag. Now the books are outright lobotomizing the surviving kids while bringing back dead ones not to explore any stories with them or how such return could affect the ressurected and their friends alike and maybe allow a possibility to heal. No, this is done solely to erase that massacre from ever happenning because it make Jordan White’s heroes look bad.

I’m supposed to believe this editorial will allow Cult Sex Island to be shown as imperfect or not a place that would “obviously” be much better for Molly? That it will allow Runaways to not be cast as “bigots” for not wanting to handle Molly to “real family” (as determined by genetics) same way X-Men treated Fantastic Four? As things stand now X-Men, a franchise and fandom that is ever entitled to special treatment to the point it cried Marvel wants to bury them when having “only” four books a month. One that has demanded for Kamala Khan to be handed over to them and made a mutant just to spite Inhumans over some perceived slights. A fandom that has wished death members of every superhero team with a mutant who refuses to hand the mutant over and celebrated brutal murder of a kid with a reprogrammed Sentinel. This blind entitlement is not jsut a fandom thing but also infects creatives working on it. Need I remind you how Jason Aaron made a big deal out of making Firestar join the X-Men? He took a character who canonically didn’t care much for the team and wanted to do her own thing and retconned her to be a total fangirl who dreamed of joining but was never before truly “worthy” of this “honor”. Right now we have more and more evidence every franchise interacting with X-Men needs to bow down and play a secondary role to it. but the respect here is a one-way street, Jonathan Hickman outright complains about having to adhere to work of other writers. I have absolutely zero trust that editorial will not try to force the story in Runaways to also be worshiping the ground X-men walk on. Worst case scenario they insert themselves like they did with Fantastic Four, becoming recurring plot thread and casting rest of Molly’s family as evil for not wanting her to join what is effectively a cult.

I wish I’m being wrong here. I do not want Runaways to become a glorified advertisement to a bigger franchise that has become souless and vile and whose fans turned into bullies. I have faith in Rainbow Rowell but that faith is outweighted by my distrust in Jordan White and Jonathan Hickman and their egoes. I hope I’m wrong. All I want is a story that ends with X-men fucking off and Molly staying with her real family, the Runaways. And of ocurse, her punching Wolverine. Which I do not trust White and Hickman to allow either.

PS: Some of you are probably already typing some sort of “if you don’t like the X-men, just don’t read them” response. To you I say: I would be glad too. Too bad they keep forcing themselves into things I actually like. Like a mold. Which is a good metaphor for what this old, gross thing the franchise has become.

-Admin

#Runaways #X-Men #Molly Hayes #Marvel

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darlingsdevil · 4 years

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Of The Valley (Joel x Reader)

Chapter 3: Slipping Back

Summary: Life in Jackson is never easy. Consoling angsty teenagers, wading through the mysterious waters of Joel’s romance language and with a child of your own on the way? Life

Chapter summary: A concert. Stew. Back to the old routine.

Of The Valley Masterlist

RDR2 Masterlist

Taglist (please comment to be added or removed): @sidepuff @joelsheartache @fangirl-inthe-us @cowboyfrazer @scarletpines

A/N: This chapter is.. more of a filler. It just got so long, I didn’t want to rush next chapter. Which is.. a big one.

•••

You were reading a magazine when Ellie, Joel and Tommy got back. Something about fashion trends in the 80’s, you weren’t too interested though. You had finished your candy bar ages ago, wondering just how much candy Mark had hidden here.

Their loud arrival caused you to jump, you were so caught up in your magazine you briefly forgot where you were. Ellie was the first one through the door, you went up to greet them.

“Ellie, it’s been awhile,” You smiled at her, bringing her in for a hug. Ellie looked older, you were surprised, you had thought she stopped growing. That little girl was getting too old for your liking.

“It has been. I have some new tricks I want to show you on the guitar,” Ellie said. You looked to Joel. You knew they were having problems before, Joel never really mentioned why, teenagers were a complicated bunch regardless. You remembered all the teenage angst from your years too, it seems the apocalypse hadn’t taken that trope out of the remnants of society though.

“Any new songs you’ve learned?” You asked. Tommy and Joel walked to the kitchen, leaving you with Ellie by the door.

“Yeah. I’ve written a few actually,” Ellie said sheepishly.

“Played them for Cat yet?” You winked at her with a smug look on your face, talking quietly so Joel would not hear. Ellie blushed and looked down.

“No.” She shook her head, trying to hide her blushing face.

“Well come on, I want to hear some new songs you’ve learned,” You said, leading her to the couch. You sat down and waited for her to get her guitar. It was becoming easier and easier to forget that you were outside of Jackson. You were still shook up, but it was easy to pretend you weren’t. Fake it till you make it, right?

She sat across from you on the armchair and picked up her guitar. Tommy and Joel were talking about something in the kitchen, but you couldn’t quite make it out.

“How many songs have you written since I’ve last seen you?” You leaned back into the chair, waiting for her to begin playing.

Ellie shrugged, “Three or so? I don’t write very often. I write lyrics a lot, but I don’t really write music for it.”

“Okay, well, play me the song you like the best, newly learned or original.”

Ellie nodded and rested her hands on the guitar, waiting to play.

“I know you’ve heard this song. Maybe it will even be better than the original.” Ellie looked at you before she began playing.

“It’s always better acoustic.”

“I’m sure I’ll woo you with my melodic voice then, and my guitar skills,” Ellie joked with a twinkle in her eye. It had been a long time since you’ve seen the spark in that girl’s eye. You remembered when she was younger, a fresh new face at Jackson and a wild thing. There was a lot to catch up on with her. Guilt struck you as you realized you had not only abandoned Joel, but Ellie too.

Ellie began playing a song, you immediately recognized it.

“Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,” Ellie sang, focusing on the chords. You leaned forward, resting your head on your hand, watching her intently. Ellie was a good singer. You always looked forward to her mini concerts.

“It's not warm when she's away

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone

And she's always gone too long

Anytime she goes away.” She continued playing. You smiled at her as she looked up, encouraging her to continue.

It was a song you always enjoyed. You had a Bill Withers record at your house. Mark loved Bill Withers, he used to play that record nonstop. Even used to beg the party organizers at the seasonal dances to play it for him.

When Ellie finally finished, you clapped for her, a bittersweet smile through it all.

“That’s a really good song. Mark really likes it,” You told her.

“Yeah, he’s played that record for me a few times.”

“I actually have a few records to give you. Mark decided he didn’t want them anymore,” You said.

Ellie’s eyes immediately lit up, “Which ones?”

“I’ll let you pick out a few once we get back to Jackson,” You promised.

“Anyone I want?” She questioned, making sure you weren’t lying.

“Anyone you want. Except for Bill Withers, Mark would probably chop your head off,” You repeated back.

“And Mark’s okay with me taking his stuff?” Ellie raised her brow.

You nodded, Ellie smiled.

“That’s awesome. Mark’s got a big collection,” Ellie replied, setting her guitar to rest on the couch. She leaned back onto the couch.

You looked over your shoulder to Joel and Tommy. Tommy was gathering things from the refrigerator to make a stew.

“You’re not touching this stew, Joel, pretty sure you would manage to burn water.” You heard Tommy say, you looked over at Ellie and she confirmed Tommy’s comment. It was true, Joel was an awful cook.

“Which is why I’m leaving it up to you,” Joel said to Tommy. You got up and walked over to them.

“What type of stew are you making, Tommy?” You asked him. If they were making stew, it meant you would most likely be staying the night here — or at least for dinner.

“Vegetable. Nobody brought meat up here,” Joel replied. There was rarely ever food in the lookouts, even as big as this one was. There were supposed to be supplies brought up monthly to each lookout, either someone ate all of it or it was never brought up.

“Ah, good old vegetable stew,” You said sarcastically.

“Something wrong with it?” Tommy quipped.

“No, just wish I was back at the bar eating a sandwich right about now.” You shook your head.

“Can’t go wrong with a sandwich,” Ellie called out, flipping through the magazine you were reading earlier. Joel laughed lightly. Ellie and Joel were growing farther and farther apart, it was normal for a father and daughter to have a rocky relationship, especially at her age, you just hoped it didn’t last into her adulthood. Joel mentioned it to you once. You had been meaning to ask Ellie about it, but you got sidetracked.

••

Time passed quickly, soon enough you had forgotten all about what had happened in the morning, that was until Tommy asked if you wanted to go out again to finish off the rest of the infected. It was easy to get caught up in the normalcy of your friends, especially while in the comfort of a lookout, but outside there was a raging storm of pain and suffering, and you were caught in the midst of it all.

You were reluctant to leave the lookout, it was a good idea to face your fears in theory, but terrifying when actually going through with it. Tommy assured you everything would be fine, but you weren’t entirely convinced.

“I don’t know, Tommy,” You sighed while you threw away the rest of Mark’s stash that you had brought out for Tommy, Joel and Ellie to enjoy. There was a confectioner in town who made chocolates, Mark was always there buying candy. You found three candy bars, a box of caramels, chocolate covered pretzels and some peanut butter fudge. You wondered how it had managed to not spoil, but more so wondering how Mark had bought that much candy and hid it from you.

“It’ll be easy. Joel will go out with you,” Tommy assured.

“I don’t know, Tommy,” You said quietly, glancing over to Joel with Ellie. Joel was showing Ellie some trick on the guitar.

“I already told him to back off a little, he should be fine,” Tommy replied. Joel was angry, upset, you weren’t sure he would be as understanding.

“Why can’t you just go with me?”

“You haven’t talked to Joel in three months, I think you two need to do something catching up.”

You sighed. That was true. There was a lot to discuss, you just weren’t sure where to start on any of it.

“You guys better not start eating without us, Tommy,” You said, walking towards Joel. The stew would be done soon.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Y/N.”

•••

You knew the spot where the infected were at. They were usually up there this time of the year, it was about a ten minute walk from the lookout. The walk on the way there was silent, but you could tell Joel was waiting to say something.

“What is it Joel?” You finally ask, looking over your shoulder at him. He held his rifle tightly to his chest.

“Nothing.”

“You’re not acting like it’s nothing.”

Joel sighed before speaking, “I just want to know why you have been avoiding me, avoiding everyone for the past three months.”

“I wasn’t deliberately avoiding you. I just.. I got busy,” You said quietly with a sigh. Today was just one big headache.

“Okay. Can you tell me why you wanted me to come out here?” Joel replied softly. He was being suspiciously comforting.

“I need someone I trust up here.” It was a vague answer. In case things went south, you would much rather be comforted by Joel like he had so many times for you before, then Tommy or Ellie. Tommy and Ellie were like family, but they did not compare in the way that Joel did.

“I guess that is fair.” You knew he had questions, you would answer them when you were ready.

You continued walking for a little while. It was hard to imagine yourself ever shooting a gun normally again. It would be a constant reminder of what had happened. You knew what you needed to do, you knew you had to do it, to put it simply, it was a job that needed to be done regardless of your stance on it. It was still a question as to why you were needed for a simple job like this, you would have to get it out of Tommy later. Maybe Ellie knew something too, you suspected the least.

Joel was off your case, for at least a little while it seemed. You knew he was confused, you knew he had questions. It was all one step at a time, and now you were out here facing your fears that had crippled you for months. It was insane to say the least.

The small area devoid of trees came into view. It overlooked a group of houses and a gas station. You took out your binoculars as you came closer to the ledge, looking out towards the buildings. There were a group of infected, just like you had thought. Fifteen or so. It would only take you a short while to pick them all off, that was if the job went on without a hitch.

You could feel your hands shaking even as you slung the rifle off your shoulder. Heart pounding so loud you were sure Joel could hear it too.

“Now this is a one person job,” You laugh nervously. Joel eyed you cautiously as he leaned against the tree behind the ledge.

It was now or never. As much as you wanted to throw the rifle off the cliff edge, run straight back home with your tail between your legs, you knew you couldn’t. You owed Maria. You owed her more than one simple job. You had to do it.

You swallowed your fears, telling yourself to just fuck it and shoot the damn things like you always used to. But ‘fuck it’ wasn’t going to cut it this time. It would take more than that.

“Joel?” You asked, facing the cliff edge, overlooking the terrain where nature had reclaimed the earth.

Joel hummed in response.

“If I do this, can we go out to the lake again?” You looked at him, your eyes saying everything that needed to be said.

Joel nodded, a small smile on his lips. Joel was beginning to piece it all together, there was a reason you were so shook up by being out here. Avoiding him for three months, something had definitely happened like Tommy had said. Besides, Joel owed you a trip back to the lake regardless. He didn’t mind taking you out for the day, he just hoped Mark wouldn’t be around when he did.

You bit your lip, and swiveled around to face the group of infected below. Taking a deep breath, you pulled your rifle up to your shoulder and put a bullet into the chamber.

You blinked away any intruding thoughts and focused on the task at hand. If you did this, you had a date with Joel, a chance to repair any relationship you had with him prior to the incident. It was easy, you had done this a million times before, you reassured yourself.

Hesitatingly, you looked out into the scope, raising your rifle so your bullet would hit its mark. You focused on a clicker next to a building. It was standing still, an easy shot. You pushed the air out of your lungs and pulled the trigger. The bang went off and your mind went into a frenzied panic, as if your brain was screaming out and only you could hear it, but you weren’t listening to this time. The recoil was barely noticeable.

You repeated the action. It was easier than the first. You slipped into that role of a seasoned sniper quicker than you thought you would have. It was muscle memory now. The runner you took down fell with a bullet between its eyes. Even Joel let out an impressed whistle. That memory was an inkling in the back of your mind now.

Then you shot another, and another, and another until there was all but one. A runner, newly infected by the looks. Not quite battered or bloodied as the others and the clothes looked fresher. At least a month or two before it had been turned. You wondered who the person was before they became infected, what their story was. But it didn’t matter, you were here to protect your town and put the infected out of its misery.

You loaded your gun and aimed at the infected. The infected head twitched in unnatural ways a few times before it looked your way, seemingly staring at you for a split second until you shot it. It’s body fell to the ground, blood pouring out of the wound, you aimed for the head, but only shot the stomach. Cursing yourself, you loaded another bullet.

This time, the infected look straight up at you again. Your breath hitched in your throat, you knew it wasn’t truly looking, it just happened to look your way. You wanted to put it out of its suffering as quickly as possible.

But god, did it look like him. It laid the same way he did. This time though, you hesitated, perhaps it would die on its own. You waited a few seconds as it twitched and thrashed on the ground, realizing it wouldn’t die too easily. The bullet hit its mark and the infected became a lifeless body.

You grimaced at the sight of the carnage below. At least it was over. You were getting better at controlling your panic, earlier today was a mistake, a slip up. But truth be told, you felt like the life had been sucked out of you at the sight of the runner.

“Goodjob,” Joel said, patting you on the back, pulling you back into reality. You immediately jumped at the feeling.

“Jesus, Joel, you scared the shit out of me,” You pant out.

“You knew I was there,” Joel replied slowly.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Just scared me, that's all.”

Joel nodded, “Okay, well let’s head back, I’m sure the stew is done.”

“Sure thing.”

You couldn’t help but remember how that runner stared at you. Perhaps it remembered for a brief moment who it was, begging you to shoot it. Maybe there was still a person inside, waiting for the moment to be freed while the disease ran rampant outside, controlling its every movement. The look it gave you reminded you of someone you knew. The reason you were so scared to be out here in the first place.

•••

#tlou fanfic #joel tlou #joel x reader #tlou 2 spoilers #tlou #the last of us #the lasg of us pt ii #the last of us part ii #the last of us pt 2 #the last of us part 2 #the last of us part ii spoilers #the last of us pt ii spoilers #the last of us part 2 spoilers #the last of us pt 2 spoilers #tlou x reader #tlou 2 x reader

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makeste · 6 years

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these are not kings, but princes

Or, “In this post, makeste essays about KHR, and the ephemeral nature of youth.”

So as previously mentioned, I have been rereading Katekyo Hitman Reborn, a series which came out fourteen years ago (a.k.a. long enough that there are people who are now Tsuna’s age that weren’t even born yet when the manga first debuted). This series ended in November 2012 (a.k.a. the last time the U.S. elected a President that wasn’t evil). Five and a half years later, I still haven’t gotten over it.

And here is the thing—KHR, while certainly a successful series and one that I love, was never anything particularly special. By which I mean it wasn’t one of the all-time greats. It had a lot of flaws, and even the things it was good at had by and large been done before in other series, and in many cases, done better. It’s not one of the series I mention when people ask me for anime and manga recs. I would not put it on a top ten list of must-sees or must-reads. (The one exception is the Varia Arc; this absolutely is in my top ten shounen battle arcs, and eleven years later it still kicks ass.)

The humor (although I love it! so much!) is not everyone’s cup of tea. The art style starts out kinda rough, then gets really good for a while, but then starts to deteriorate toward the end of the Future Arc (although the characters are still as pretty as a Marvel Chris at sunrise). The plot has brief moments of brilliance, but tends to fall flat on its face at critical moments. It’s got issues with its representation of female characters. And so on and so on. The point is, it’s far from perfect.

The question that I periodically ask myself, then, is: Why is this series my favorite ever? What the hell is it about KHR that captures my mind’s attention so insistently? What is it about this series that I just haven’t seemed to be able to find anywhere else?

The characters? That’s one potentially obvious answer. I definitely love these characters. I’ve essayed before about how unusual Tsuna is as a shounen protagonist in that he does not want to be the GREATEST! SOMETHING! OF ALL TIME!, but instead just wants to be plain and ordinary and normal. In a genre filled with Type A leads, having a Type B hero is a pretty bold move. Rather than a Naruto or a Luffy, Tsuna is a Frodo; someone who’s reluctant to take part in this adventure and would rather be anywhere else, but chooses to stick it out anyway for the sake of protecting his friends.

I’ve also fangirled at length about Yamamoto, who somehow walks a perfect balance between being cheerfully oblivious and extraordinarily perceptive, and is pretty much the definition of TVTropes’s Beware the Nice Ones. And then, of course, we have Gokudera, my forever favorite, who is a flawless bundle of angst and idiocy and tsundere and badassness, and whom we must always keep safe and protected because he is precious.

The characters are definitely a big part of it. But not all of it. For me, at least, I realized that there is something else that draws me to this series time and again. And what it is, is this:

To me, this series is about potential.

What I mean is this. Tsuna and the other main characters are all children, not yet even out of middle school.

They screw up. They make mistakes.

They learn from them.

They grow; they improve. They get better. And better, and better.

They’re young, all of them. They face challenges they aren’t and shouldn’t be prepared for yet, and somehow they manage to overcome them, at times almost purely on accident. They’re constantly in over their heads, because they’ve been tossed into this chaotic world with little to no experience, dealing with things like mafia succession politics, rival families, and the end of the fucking world. They struggle, and they flounder.

And in the end, part of the reason they succeed is because of that same youth and inexperience. They do things they shouldn’t be able to, because they don’t understand that they shouldn’t be able to do them.

They’re hopeful, because they can’t comprehend the full weight of the odds that are stacked against them. They’re young and invincible. They’re naive. They insist on seeing the best in others. They’re ignorant of the harsher realities of the world, and in that ignorance they help make it a better one. They can’t conceive of failure, because they haven’t lived long enough to come face to face with an obstacle they couldn’t defeat.

And the series ends with them still like this. In the end, Reborn never successfully makes Tsuna into a mafia boss. He’s changed, yes—night and day from the way his character was at the very start of the series—but he hasn’t fully matured yet. None of them have. They are frozen in time at age fourteen, smack dab in the middle of their adolescence. Forever caught on the bridge between childhood and adulthood. And for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to and captivated by that particular idea.

I’m not sure why that is, exactly. It’s like nostalgia, I guess, except more powerful somehow? Something about the transience of it. If childhood is spring, then adolescence would be the summer; bright, restless, and filled with long days that make you thirst for adventure. And sometimes, also, just so damned fucking hot that you wish it would just end already. And eventually it does, and you become an adult, and by and large things are usually a lot more comfortable and settled down.

And don’t get me wrong—I wouldn’t want to trade that, and I definitely don’t ever want to actually go back to my own awkward teenage years. But there’s still some part of me that loves to romanticize that period of discovering so many things for the first time. Of being free from true responsibilities, and of having the potential to become absolutely anything at all.

To me, this is the most seductive part of KHR. Yes, ostensibly it’s a shounen battle manga about mafiosos with superpowers. But it’s also a slice of life series about middle schoolers who just happen to go to a really weird middle school filled with really weird other middle schoolers. And who themselves are also really weird. And have superpowers. And sometimes they have the aforementioned mafioso battles.

But also they watch fireworks.

And do homework, and play baseball, and invent secret languages. They are children, and we’re watching them grow up. But because of the magic of fiction, they never quite will. They are permanently caught in this impermanent stage between who they were and who they one day could be. And because of this, their potential is unlimited.

And this, ladies and gentlemen: this is my motherfucking emotions trigger.

I will now proceed to quote “Future Looks Good” by OneRepublic.

You see, I had this crazy dream last night

This man, he talked to me

He told me everything that’s good and bad

About my history

And he said that you are, you are the future

You are, you are the future

And the future looks good

Does that make sense? I hope it makes sense.

To me, it could not be more perfect. They’re young enough to still be vulnerable, but old enough to stand their ground. There are so many what-ifs about who they’ll grow up to become, but the series only ever teases at it. We’ll never actually see it happen. But we get to partake in the journey, and because that journey never reaches its end, the ending can be whatever we want it to be.

But personally, I think it’s best if it always remains a mystery. Because this, here, this snapshot of this all-too-brief, transitional period of their lives: this is what I live for and breathe for and crave in fiction. These are not kings, but princes.

And one day, they’ll inherit the earth.

But not yet.

#khr #katekyo hitman reborn #essay #sawada tsunayoshi #gokudera hayato #yamamoto takeshi #I feel like this is the corniest post ever #but I put all my feelings into it!#*clenches fist*#'ESSAY AS IF I WERE TO DIE'

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q--uee--n · 6 years

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Presenting Part 2 of my Post-Zero Requiem headcanons/notes! I’m so happy the others were well-received, and I hope these will be, too. Enjoy:)

Nunnally

• never for a second contemplates hating Suzaku for his role in her brother’s death. Though she was admittedly bitter, those feelings are later targeted toward Lelouch for leaving her behind in a “perfect world”. So long as he isn’t around, the world will never be perfect in her eyes.

• is one of the youngest ever rulers of Britannia. This, coinciding with the fact that she actively used F.L.E.I.J.A. in the past, leads to questions about her competence and fidelity. However, she proves herself an effervescent, warm-hearted empress who is determined to make up for the many, many faults of her predecessors. She starts by improving Britannia’s egregious foreign policy and establishing a stable Parliament. It’s hard work, but that’s how she prefers it since it’s also her own way of repenting for her past sins.

• never regains her ability to use her legs, and she hates being patronized due to her crippled state. War and politics have hardened her some, so she rarely hides her feelings to make people comfortable when she isn’t and doesn’t hesitate to tell others when they’re acting condescending. In the earlier stages of her reign, she frequently has to remind Suzaku that she isn’t a glass doll or a helpless little girl.

• her official residence is in Japan. She remained there during Pendragon’s reconstruction, and though she knows she’ll more than likely have to move back to Britannia someday, she can’t help but consider Japan her true home. It was where she and her brother lived and made their first friends, and despite the circumstances, some of her happiest childhood memories are there.

• becomes close friends with Kaguya due to their being so young and so involved in the affairs of the world. They meet for lunch whenever they can find the time and host pajama parties where they gossip about their older contemporaries and how nonsensical they behave. The Tianzi joins them once she gets a little older, and she has dirt on everyone. Seriously, the girl has ears everywhere. Do. Not. Mess. With. Her. She will destroy you with what she knows alone.

• bequeaths hefty amounts of money to humanitarian organizations each month, despite being advised to donate less, and was key in helping Kallen and her mother's charity get off the ground.

• develops a guilt complex. It's why she overcompensates to the point that she does, even though she's accepted that no matter how hard she works, nothing she'll do will make up for the lives she's ruined.

• goes to therapy sooner or later to sort out her issues, but it's at Kaguya's behest because "my cousin doesn't even vilify himself the way you vilify yourself—and pardon me because he absolutely does. But my point still stands." She's reluctant to share her feelings at first, but once she does, she doesn't stop. She reaches a point where she stops blaming everything wrong with the world on herself, which is a huge step-up from where she started.

• takes an interest in fashion. It starts off as a means of distraction from her less pleasant thoughts, but she quickly embraces it. She vigorously designs and sews in her free time, and it isn't unusual for servants to find sketches of gorgeous ensembles in the most random places in the palace. She's also quite efficient at styling, Suzaku being her favorite model due to her finding his fit physique the most fun to work with.

• visits her brother's grave once a year, on his birthday. Suzaku and Arthur are her lone companions. It starts off as a morbid affair, but as Zero Requiem grows into the distance, it gets significantly more lighthearted as she allows herself to let go. Her favorite thing to do is "show" Lelouch her designs, as well as update him on the progress the world has made in wake of his sacrifice.

• never quite accepts Lelouch's death as much as she just moves on because she knows he wouldn't want her to spend the rest of her life mourning him. Still, anniversaries of his death are hard for her to get through since she has to pretend she hates him as much as the rest of the world does. Kaguya's kind enough to let her cry into her lap when it all gets to be too overwhelming.

• the first person she falls in love with is a commoner and is unattainable for multifarious reasons. The second person she falls for is more accessible but oh-so oblivious.

• her moniker is the "Champion of Peace".

Kaguya

• mellows out considerably and loses a lot of her fangirl tendencies. Her straightforward attitude, though, is still intact, and you either like her or you don't—at least that's the case for her fellow politicians. Her charisma and natural appeal guarantee that's she's well-received by the public.

• figured out Lelouch's motives the second he was killed and is irritated that the world hasn't and likely never will. As a result, she holds the few memories she has of him as a child close to her heart.

• difficult to work with, but that's only because her adult peers should know better than to underestimate a teenager who runs three-fifths of the planet, and Kaguya never backs down when challenged. The most irking thing is said to be that she does it all with a smile.

• though she's grateful she and Suzaku are on speaking terms again, she is every so often overwhelmed by his affection and attention. She wonders if that was how Zero felt in regards to her.

• finds every opportunity she can to make Nunnally smile. She can sense the sadness permeating her being and thus makes it her life's goal (one of them, anyway. Never let it be said that the girl isn't ambitious) to maintain her friend's happiness.

• is a contributing (anonymous) writer for Zero Weekly, because duh. Her articles are popular due to their being quality garbage, and she once wrote a think piece alleging that Zero was the second coming of Christ that generated so much controversy, it was denounced by multiple religious sects. The situation got so out of hand, Nunnally herself had to come out and declare that there were more important matters to discuss than whether or not Zero should be worshipped as a deity. Kaguya regrets nothing.

• is eventually introduced to Milly, and they hit it off immediately, something made possible due to their peculiar senses of humor and mutual love of gossip investigative journalism. Kallen tries in vain to keep them apart, but they prove too incorrigible to manage.

• forms an unexpectedly close bond with C.C. Often times she doesn't even understand it, but there's plenty of wisdom to go around, which is why they work so well. She discovers C.C.'s name by accident but doesn't disclose it out of respect, no matter what Kallen does to try to get her talk.

• remains petite even into her adulthood. Unlike Nunnally, who doesn't grow much in terms of height but does fill out some, she is forever tiny and diminutive. She isn't overly happy about it.

• fully anticipates Suzaku's reaction the first time she tells him, " I love you". Hence why she ensures they're in private when she says it.

Milly

• quits anchoring and becomes a full-fledged journalist. She loves the thrill of research and investigation, especially when it comes to digging up information that shouldn't be accessible under any circumstance.

• discovers Zero's identity after launching a months-long investigation into Zero in general and the events leading up to Zero Requiem. She's not surprised so much as she is relieved, because she could never quite bring herself to hate Suzaku or Lelouch as she should have, and once she learns the full truth, most of it, that is, she's ecstatic. Confused ("I get making up for his sins and all, but couldn't he have become the Emperor of Justice or something elegant like that instead of, say, using a contrived dictatorship as a means to force the world to unite? I mean, there were other ways to accomplish that") but ecstatic nonetheless.

• chooses to make Japan her permanent home, defying the wishes of her parents, who wanted her to move back to the homeland with them. She learns fluent Japanese and extensively covers the decolonization of Japan and other states formerly under Britannian occupation.

• is the proud(ly anonymous) founder of the infamously hedonistic Zero Weekly. It starts as a jocular thing she uses to entertain herself, but when the subscribers come pouring in...Well, she still uses it to entertain herself, but it's a very beneficial source of entertainment.

• one of, if not the most controversial name in journalism. Her work has sparked outrage from just about everyone, and her most debated project was one that revealed a good chunk of the stories circulated to emphasize Lelouch's wickedness to be false. However, the one thing that people can agree on is that she never excuses his wrongs so much as she puts them into perspective.

• after revitalizing their friendship, if you can call it that, her favorite pastime is teasing Suzaku. It astonishes her that despite everything that's happened, he can still be so easily flustered if she pushes the right buttons (such as when she brings up Kallen being his supposed "paramour"). Seeing glimpses of the Suzaku she knew reminds her of the short but pleasant time they spent together at Ashford Academy.

• met C.C., once upon a time. They sat beside each other on a crowded bus, and Milly couldn't shake the familiarity radiating off of the other woman in waves. The incident bothers, even after she's officially introduced to C.C. through Suzaku, because she knows this girl. She just doesn't know how or where from.

• begins a matchmaking business as a side job—aka what she does whenever she's suspended from the real thing, which is often (some people have no sense of humor). She initially does it because she's bored and nosy and needs an outlet, but she quickly discovers she likes meddling in others' love lives. Unfortunately, no one else seems to be as appreciative of her newfound hobby, but hey, at least Rakshata and Cecile seem happy.

#code geass #code geass: hangyaku no lelouch #code geass r2 #nunnally lamperouge #nunnally vi britannia #sumeragi kaguya #milly ashford #headcanons #my notes #long post

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the-stories-in-my-head-95 · 7 years

Text

Bound

Steve Rogers x reader x Bucky Barnes

Summary- The three of you had been cursed, but it was more like a blessing, the three of you got to live over and over again your souls bound to each-others. It usually took a little while to find each other, but you always did. But then you stopped finding them after you had all died in the ‘40s.

Message- BUCKY NOSE DIVES IN THE PLANE WITH STEVE IN THIS. Here’s a new one-shot!!! Sorry if it sucks.

WARNINGS- the reader dies young a couple times.

Word Count- 976

The three of you could be seen throughout history- you were always born as important figures- your faces and names always changed (Sometimes your genders to). So you had all been confused when in the early 1910’s you had all been born poor in Brooklyn. In the ‘40’s things started to make more sense when Steve became Captain America. The war was ugly and the three of you died within a month of one another (not an uncommon occurrence). But then you came back, again and again, you were born in the 50’s and died young and again in the 70’s and you died young again, both times you barley made it into your teens and both times you fail to find your loves.

When you are reborn in the 90’s you’re disheartened to find that you are alone once more, but you make it past your teens and into adulthood, in this life you were a mutant something that had never happened in any of your lives before. You don’t understand. It’s incredibly confusing, you don’t understand what’s changed, what was so special about the 40’s. Was it because they had gone down in the plane together? Were their souls trapped? Were the three of you missing each other? Each of you being born in a different place or during a different time? You’re confusion ends when you see Bucky and Steve fighting aliens on the TV. They’re the same as they were in the 40’s. You don’t really think about it, you just book a plane ticket and go. New York was destroyed, but it was already being rebuilt. Some of the buildings already being rebuilt, thanks to Tony Stark. You make your way to Stark Tower- now Avengers Tower and when you get there you find that the doors are locked.

“You do not have access to enter the building. Is there anything I can assist you with Ma’am” A voice from a speaker says.

“I need to speak with Captain America or Sergeant Barnes.” You say.

“May I ask who it is that wishes to speak with them?” The voice says.

“An old Friend.” You say simply. The voice doesn’t respond and after several minutes you start to lose hope, but then the door opens and you see both Steve and Bucky.

“How can we help-OH!” Steve says as he looks into your eyes.

“I thought I lost the two of you!” You sob and Bucky pulls you in to the tower.

“How many times have you come back alone?” Bucky asks quietly.

“This is the third time.” You sob. “I died young in the other two.”

“What’s your name?” Steve asks.

“Y/F/N Y/L/N.”

“I like it.” Bucky chuckles

“I’m a mutant too.” You murmur.

“That’s different.” Bucky murmurs.

“It’s been different since the 40’s.” You say and they both nod. “What happened to your arm?”

“It was damaged during the crash. The doctors had to amputate. SHEILD made me this.” Bucky says as he shows you his metal arm. “What’s your mutation?”

“Faster, Stronger, pretty much invulnerable.” You answer.

“So what the serum did two the two of us?” Steve asks and you nod. After a moment of silence you start to cry a bit.

“I’ve missed the two of you so much!” You sob. “I thought I was alone.” Then Bucky pulls you into a steering kiss, after you break apart Steve does the same.

“The two of you been defrosted for all of what 3 weeks. How are you already making out with someone in the lobby?” Tony Stark asks as he exits the elevator, followed by the rest of the Avengers.

“This is Y/N.” Steve says.

“That explains nothing.” Natasha says.

“I’m a mutant.” You add.

“That’s nice. But why are you making out with the two super soldiers in the lobby?” Clint asks. The three of you smirk and then Bucky and Steve lead you out of the lobby and up to their room.

“Why do you think everything has been so messed up?” Bucky asks as you plop on the bed.

“The curse. We’re the earth’s guardians. We are meant to shape and save humanity. It used to mean as royalty or as warriors, but the world has been changing, people are becoming more powerful, everyday someone who can’t be matched appears. Aliens tried to invade. So what if we need to be more powerful to protect the world.” You say.

“That makes sense.” Steve murmurs.

“So we train, we prepare for what’s to come.” Bucky says and you and Steve nod.

***

“So how did you meet our two resident old timers?” Tony asks you the next morning and you just smirk.

“Doll, let’s go train.” Bucky says as he walks into the kitchen.

“I haven’t been called Doll since the forties!” You laugh as you hop off of the stool you were sitting on.

“Are you immortal?” Tony whispers.

“It’s complicated.” You say over your shoulder, as you follow Bucky out of the room.

“WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?” You hear Tony yell from the hallway.

“Should we tell them?” You ask after the three of you finish training.

“Oh I don’t know. It’s kind of fun keeping them guessing.” Steve says.

“You know. I think the one consistency we’ve had in all of our lives together is that you’re a major ass-.” You start.

“PUNK!” Bucky laughs, cutting you off.

“Sure let’s go with Punk.” You say, rolling your eyes. All of you chuckling.

“Jeez, I thought the two of you loved me!” Steve sighs dramatically.

“We do.” You say, hopping onto his back, so he can give you a piggyback ride.

“Just change the fact that you’re a punk!” Bucky says.

“I’m so glad I found you both.” You murmur.

“We’ve always found each other.” Bucky says.

“And we always will.” Steve adds.

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#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x reader x bucky barnes #steve rogers imagine #stucky #stucky x reader #captain america imagine #captain america x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #winter solider imagine #winter solider x reader #avengers x enhanced!reader #avengers x reader #avengers imagine #reader insert #steve rogers x enhanced!reader #enhanced! reader #marvel #marvel imagine

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cocoarosalia · 7 years

Text

Truth or Shot (LadyNoir)

Follow A Sister on AO3

“Chat, i don't know about this” Ladybug said eyeing the high end bottle of tequila between them and the makeshift spinner that was aimed right at her.

“What’s not to know” Chat Noir rebutted with his famous sly smile.

“Truth or shot?”

When Ladybug asked Chat to be her drinking partner this wasn’t even close to what she had in mind. And yet, she shouldn’t have expected anything less from his usual grandiose theatrics. Especially after her tearful cries to him for comfort.

And it was so stupid too. What did it matter that her boyfriend for the past 6 months suddenly just decided to up and ditch her for some skank with massive tits? Wasn’t her fault she wasn’t packing a pair of state fair, blue ribbon watermelons under her shirt. But even with that ladybug still found herself buying the biggest bottle of vodka her wallet could muster and crying to chat to drink with her until she forgot who she really was under the mask. He agreed but only on two conditions.

A) she let him buy the alcohol for the occasion (because according to him her choice was “insultingly cheap”)

B) that they drink it his way (“What’s the point in destroying bad thoughts if you can’t have a little fun”)

Had she have known that his way consisted of a russian roulette of shots and dirty black secrets she would’ve easily settled on just chugging it alone in her apartment until she passed out watching old cartoons. But that was just the effect Chat had on her. One teasing smile and a gaze into those way too sexy emerald eyes and she could follow him to the ends of the earth.

Which coincidentally happened to be at the bottom of a Don Julio bottle.

Ladybug eyed the clear bottle again. On the one hand she could just keep everything buried in the shadows and just drink to her stomach’s discontent. On the other hand was the fact that she knew she had rather loose lips once alcohol got involved. So the way she saw it it was either voluntary truth or involuntary spewing of information….

She’d rather be aware of her stupidness first-hand

“Alright kitty, what do you wanna know?”

God, she could feel her hands pricking with pins and needles as she awaited her dreaded fate. This was such a stupid idea and she knew it but she was desperate for mental escape. But what would he ask? Would he ask of her identity, her true feelings of him, something even worse? Her heart beat erratically as she stared down his alluringly green eyes. She steeled her nerves, prepared to deflect anything.

“Last tuesday when you said my new scarf looked dumb and then said you were kidding...did you actually mean that?”

Oh that’s right, this is chat we’re talking about...he’s about as deep as water poured on a glass counter

Ladybug groaned in a mix of relief and annoyance “Yes kitty I meant that. The scarf actually brought out your eyes quite nicely”

“Works for me!” He grinned with his usual boyish charm. Taking the tequila bottle by the neck he carefully poured himself a shot and tipped it back. She couldn’t contain her composure as she snorted at his face twisted in disgust.

“Now explain to me why YOU’RE the one drinking again?”

“Oh simple” he said casually “Refuse to answer, you drink. Decide to answer, I drink”

“So either way, one of us is getting smashed”

“Or both of us, depending on how the night goes”

Ladybug’s lips split into an eager smile. “Sounds fair to me” She took hold of the spinner and whipped it around “Now let’s see how far we can really go”

Unsurprisingly, the arrow landed on everyone’s favorite feline. She looked at his face for any kind of discomfort but it appeared his poker face was air tight as he balanced his shot glass on the tip of his nose.

“Well kitty?” she said, leaning back into her chair atop a cafe roof “Pick your poison”

“Ooo sexy choice of words my lady” Chat replied, still relaxed in his own chair “But for the sake of fun i’ll choose truth”

Ladybug drummed her fingers along her chin, humming absently while she thought about her question. When it finally hit her, her eager smile slid into something more devious and rather mischievous.

“What was the last thing you searched on your phone”

A flurry of giggles spilled from her lips as she watched Chat nearly fall out of his chair and directly onto his poor kitty cat ears.

“W-why do you wanna know that?” He demanded

She smirked at his clear discomfort “Because either I get to learn about all those naughty fanfics that I KNOW you read on your off time OR I get to see you squirm and down another shot”

Ladybug was really starting to turn her opinion around on this whole game of his since it meant watching the inner machinations of her poor kitty’s mind (which of course amounted to nothing more than a knocked over milk carton). Chat wracked his brain endlessly for some type of loophole out of this, but, sadly he could find none and had to concede defeat.

He straightened out his back and cleared his throat. Ladybug rolled her eyes, all of this for a silly secret. What a ham.

“The last thing I looked at were porn fics about us”

She was stunned silent. She didn’t think he’d actually admit it! She moved to blindly just pour herself a shot but then paused. What if he was lying? Even better, if he was telling the truth...just how filthy were these fics of his?

“I’d like your phone please minou” She said plainly

Chat’s eyes were as wide as the twinkling moon above them “FOR WHAT!? I told the truth”

Ladybug clicked her teeth disapprovingly “Now kitty, such an outlandish answer demands proof don’t you think?”

“Not really, no”

she swooped up his phone into her hands before he could even have time to blink “Isn’t that unfortunate for you then”

She fully expected for him to be lying, covering up something more embarrassing under something lewd and outrageous

Oh how she only wished

Pages upon pages, bookmarks beyond bookmarks of various levels of smut were plastered along his phone screen. And the worse part was that it ranged! One minute she could be glancing over a sweet intimate peace on them revealing themselves to one another and in a heartwarming flurry of emotions they would pour out their love in a beautiful show of trust and acceptance….

And the next she’s reading one where Chat has her strung up in a hotel room with a vibrator shoved up between her legs while he’s smacking her ass and she’s calling him sir and begging for more

Suffice it to say the cat was well out of its bag

Ladybug gently put the phone down with her face matching well to her suit and was instantly met with both shot glasses filled to the brim being pushed her way. She glanced up at him, considering protesting but his reply left her with nothing to combat against

“One is for me telling the truth. The other is for putting me through that humiliation”

She sighed and bravely downed both shots, the plan was to get wasted after all

Shortly after that little fiasco the pair fell into something of a rhythm. They asked about each other’s lives and families, experiences and regrets and within about 3 shots each they were pretty fucking comfortable with one another.

“Did your parents ever give you the birds and bees talk?”

“My father? Not a chance in hell. The man tossed me a ‘my body and me’ book and never looked back. Have you ever, you know, ‘walked in’ on your parents?”

“I so supremely do NOT want to relive that trauma (I still will never look at marshmallows the same ever again) so I move to drink.”

“Booo lame ladybug”

“Oh shut up you weren’t there in the fall of my 11th year”

“Was it really that bad-”

“YES IT WAS THAT BAD NOW LET ME DESTROY THE MEMORIES IN ALCOHOL”

It was about 4 more shots in and the realization that, yes, Ladybug has had a wardrobe malfunction once before (AND ON THE ONE DAY HE HAD TO TAKE OFF FOR OTHER WORK) that she began to finally feel all the booze hit her system. Suddenly the space around her began to feel hazy and warm while her suit felt itchy and too tight. Her glazed eyes peered over at chat gulping down another shot. And then, she had that thought. The kind of thought that only borderline drunks and rabid fangirls has.

Chat was stupidly attractive

Ok, obviously she’d never say he was bad looking at all but he was a FAR cry from what he used to look like when they were just plucky teenagers trying to figure out what the hell a hormone even was. He used to be nothing but skin and bone, Lithe, lanky, and in much need of a well cooked homemade meal. Not to mention his speech wasn’t much better with his sizeable collection of horrendous puns and white knight way of “courting” her. It was cute and all, maybe even charming sometimes, but she never felt anything more than a fluttering crush that would peter out under the immense weight of her puppy love crush on Adrien Agreste.

But somewhere in between their usherance into adulthood and agreeing that fucking during work time would NOT be the best use of their time, Chat decided to get all….stimulating.

I mean just a heads up that he would run off and be remodeled into the son of Adonis himself would’ve been appreciated. He grew to a dizzying 6”3 seemingly overnight, towering over her tiny frame and taking an annoying amount of pleasure from their height difference. He grew his hair out longer and was apparently hitting the gym EVERY. FUCKING. DAY cause while he wasn’t a beef cake he definitely was not the one you’d wanna fuck with in a bar fight

But on a rooftop with all her inhibitors drowned in a sea of Don Julio?

She’d fuck with him. Ohhhh She’d fuck with him goooooood.

Ladybug suddenly stood up from her seat and slowly raked her eyes over Chat’s sculpted body. He looked at her with a confused expression. ‘He has no idea, does he?’ She mused ‘That makes this even more fun’.

It was as if her body was running completely on autopilot, operating on nothing but blind desire. She sauntered her way to the other side of the table, her hips swaying to an almost exaggerated extent. She could tell that Chat was getting antsy now, his tail flicking around nervously. She was getting way too close for someone not saying a word.

So when she just plopped herself onto his lap and wrapped her arms possessively around his neck it was like the air was being knocked clean out of him.

“W-woah there cowgirl!” He sputtered nervously “I think your seat is on the other side of that table over there”

Ladybug ignored him, much to his dismay. She just pressed her body in closer, the smell of the alcohol seeping from her lips. It left his mind empty for a moment. Normally the smell of alcohol made him feel a little nauseous but with it being mixed with her cherry gum that she must’ve been chewing earlier it left him with a all too familiar tingle sitting at the meeting of his legs. She really needed to hop off him...preferably sooner rather than later.

She lifted her head from the cook of his neck and looked up at him. Damn, she was even cuter and sexier up close. Age clearly did wonders for his favorite bug. Her face still had its usual plush cheeks, dotted with freckled that looked like stars dancing across her face. And she even stayed pretty much the same height (to which he will never get over since it meant he could plop his head atop hers which, come on, who wouldn’t). But she must’ve sold her first born to Aphrodite cause when they met she was as thin as paper with the non-existent curves to match.

But now?

Now, she apparently just decided to have the body of a valley with abs of military grade steel and an ass that just refuses to quit (that he would honestly murder for). She was all the woman he could dream and drool for, powerful and athletic but still quite huggable after a bad day

And let him reiterate...she REALLY needs to hop off him

“Kitty” She sang sweetly in his ear “Let’s keep drinking”

Chat laughed nervously “I would say sure but first you’d need to be off of my lap for me to reach it and second I think you’ve had just about enough liquid courage in your system.”

She puffed out her cheeks defiantly. “Bullshit” She slurred out “I can get it my damn self! Just stay right here”

…….

“Oh this isn’t even fair”

Ladybug sat up on her knees, still nested comfortably on top of his legs and stretched herself backward to grab the bottle off the table. He had to hold on to her lower back with both hands just to keep her from falling off. Chat suddenly got a full open view of her smooth plane of stomach, delicately sculpted abs and soft peaks of breasts.

His mouth felt horribly dry, and there was really only one way he wanted to quench it

“Hah! Told you I could do it!” She exclaimed when she sat back up. Ladybug was a giggling mess, but not entirely at random. She knew what she was doing and she knew EXACTLY how it was affecting her favorite feline (These suits are obscenely thin). But she didn’t care. Chat wasn’t kidding about that liquid courage thing either, she felt like she could do anything her little heart desired. And unfortunately for his self-control that meant him.

“Congrats buginette but that still doesn’t change the fact that-”

“Chaton” She interrupted, the booze lightly clutched in her hand “Where do you go when we don’t patrol together”

He initially thought she was joking, teasing him about being unfaithful or something. Her eyes spoke to him differently though. There was a kind of mirth behind her eyes, a playfulness that gave him a feeling of high alert. This was still a game to her. But to what end? He hadn’t the slightest clue.

He attempted to laugh it off “Don’t tell me you think i’m swaying my tail for another superhero. I’m a one cat woman, Ladybug. Plus you could easily snap me in half over your knee so I’d rather not cheat on you”

He petted her head softly. If he could just lull her into passing out on his chest then he can just drop her off at her apartment and deal with his own biological problem in the comfort of his own apartment with some well written smut (Satisfaction Brought It Back, here he comes!). But Ladybug wasn’t giving in that easy.

She shook off his warm hand and started to giggle drunkenly “Someone’s a liar~” She cooed “That means that it’s BOTTOM’S UP KITTY CAT!”

Chat suddenly had the tequila bottle forced up against his lips. He swallowed down two big gulps of the burning liquid and spat out the rest. Ladybug laughed almost maniacally at his predicament.

“Christ that burns” Chat said after catching his breath “And are you insane? I’m not lying!”

Her laughing dyed down to a light chuckle “That’s not what that cute baker girl told me~”

The color that once painted his face was dyed a complete white. There’s no way she knew. He always waited at least 5 minutes before approaching her apartment. She’s just crazy! Yea...she was just being a crazy, deluded drunk…

Right?

Her lips were just a hair’s breadth away from his ear “From what I hear, you’ve been visiting that Marinette girl eeeevery night when you’re not with me”

“A-and what about you” He said defensively “It’s not like you’ve been able to keep your hands to yourself around that model Adrien….A-at least from what I’ve heard anyway”

Honestly he couldn’t care less that she was more into him as a civilian than a hero. As time wore on and they got older he realized that if she liked him one way then chances were that she’d like him the other way too. He was honestly just being a pussy about the whole thing but figured that he’d wait until she was ready. Until then he had no problem playing her mystery lover that she could visit in the dead of night. His window will always be open for her.

Ladybug hummed in agreement “Hmm that is true I do enjoy rocking his little model world whenever I can”

‘I know she’s talking about me but that salt doesn’t burn any less’

“But the way I see it” Her eyes darkened with a predatory hunger “He’s not here right now, is he?”

Chat felt like he was having an out of body experience. Ladybug, his partner in justice, woman of his heart and subsequent wet dreams was currently smacking her cherry alcohol tasting lips to his. It was all he had ever wished for in the dead of night. He had reached his nirvana!

….until his stupid conscious had to come kicking him in his leather bound tail

He let out a small whimper of regret. He could feel Ladybug just starting to poke her tongue through his lips right before he took hold of her face. He pulled her away and caught his breath. The look in her eyes set his whole body on fire, eyes foggy with wanton desire and lips tinted pink with what little kissing she could get in. Fuck, he wasn’t drunk enough for this!

��Look,” He said reluctantly “I want this, sweet merciful christ I want this so fucking bad it quite literally hurts to not have my tongue down your throat right now.” He sighed for what felt like the 15th time that night “But I am a gentleman first and I won’t take advantage of you like this. You’re drunk, possibly emotionally damaged as well, and it would honestly be scummy of me to prey on that just because I want to fuck you into the morning light. I’m taking you home, you’re gonna go to bed and we’re gonna forget any of this even happened. Plus, who knows, you might just reconcile with your ex or some sappy shit like that”

“Well that’s fucking stupid”

Huh?

Ladybug honestly looked annoyed by his impassioned speech. She put the alcohol back onto the table and wrapped her arms back around Chat’s neck. She even wiggled her butt on his lap to punish him a little.

“I don’t give a ripe, flying fuck about that dickless fuckboy.”

Chat doesn’t think he’s ever heard her say fuck so many times in a sentence….it was honestly super hot

“As much as i’ve been fucking Adrien I know he has his sights on another. So I’m currently 0-2 on getting consistent dick and it’s making me want to beat the nearest criminal till he bleeds out”

‘This feels like a one-sided conversation and I genuinely do not care’

“Now you listen here, kitty cat. I like you. Hell, I think I might even love you. Certainly enough to have been wanting to fuck you since entering college. So are you gonna let me have what I want?”

‘This night could not possibly get any better!’

He leaned in to give her everything he had and more but paused ‘Oh wait. Yes it can!’

“One question before we wake up the neighborhood”

Ladybug clicked her tongue in irritation “What now?”

Chat laughed at her eagerness and nestled in her chest “What exactly was your ex’s name anyway?”

“What does that matter?” She was getting impatient, how cute

“Because,” Chat dropped his suit and looked up at her with a dangerously playful look in his eye “Famous model Adrien Agreste wants to make sure he calls him by the right name while i’m bragging about how good i’m giving it to you”

Ladybug didn’t even bother making a show out of dropping her suit as she grabbed the tequila one last time, taking a massive swig “His name was Liam”

Adrien took it from her hands and swallowed the rest

“Let’s see if we can make you forget that”

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skymoonandstardust · 7 years

Text

Avengers Fairytale!AU

An: I was thinking about the Royal au I wrote for the Avengers before and my mind kind of drifted to fairytale au and then went down this long spiral that led to me coming up with and writing this. Hope you all enjoy lovelies <3

Tony Stark:

Born a Prince to a distant, cold, king of a father he had every advantage and luxury--- and he knew that. When he grew up though he used that to help

people, first by making weapons to protect them until he found out they were falling into the wrong hands. That was only after going through the harrowing ordeal of being captured by a band of evil wizards and going through months of tortured before finally being rescued. When he returned he vowed to never make a weapon again. He still wanted to help people though, beyond just what his money and status could do. Thankfully he was brilliant and good with his hands. . .not to mention slightly skilled at magic. Day and night in this tower workshop he slaved away and in secret built a suit or armor. He imbued it with just a little bit of protective and defensive magic, giving it some enhancements as well. Finally the day came when the suit was completed, and he put it on to fly out for the first time. It was the start or a long hero’s legacy.

Bruce Banner:

A monster who was once a normal, good, kind, man like any other. . .until he accidentally upset an evil sorcerer who put a curse on him. Because the sorcerer was slighted in moment of anger, he made anger Bruce’ s curse by having him turn into a literal monster when angry. A big green monster who tore apart four villages before tearing off into the woods and decimating ten acres. . . then vanished without a trace. A man who. when he turned back into himself and realized what he’d done, what exactly happened, turned his back on the world for their own safety and made a cave his house and the forest his home. People still talk of him and his destruction . . the story turned to legend by now. The monster people walk in fear of ever seeing or encountering-- not knowing that the man who is the monster dreads it even more then them, wants it even less then they do. The monster how hasn’t even come back though there are people who’ve said they’ve seen a flash of him in the woods or spotted a strange, bearded, rag dressed man who turned tail and ran the second he saw or sensed them. the monster and man no hero has been idiot enough to try to kill or defeat. . .cowards that they are, they stick to dragons.

Wanda Maximoff:

A good witch, and a skilled one who is loved and hated for the same reason; she can help people with her magic, and does. Peasants and kings have come from far and wide to see her, even sailing the dangerous seas to reach her from other continents. The Witch who’s broken curses, cured ailments, and helped heroes. -- assisted budding adventurer and pointed people on the path to their destiny. the witch who’ s friendless but never without help or hope wherever she goes. A witch who’s the most powerful or any-- who could easily destroy the world with a spell but who instead chooses to be good --even gong so far as to track down, fight, imprison and stop those of her fellows who are evil and hurtful the ones who go around spreading sadness and pain to all. the witch who belongs to no king, kingdom or country. and who refuses to be tied or serviced to any. The witch who was born in a small village which she was driven out of along with her brother because of their differences who was treated only cruelly by people for so long and who suffered the greatest blow by their hand when they murdered her brother because they feared and hated him. . the witch who turned it all to good and who refused to pay the world back in the same kind.

Peter Parker:

The peasant boy with a selfless soul and a hero’s heart who has stars in his eyes and dreams of one day being a hero like the ones he hears about and sees passing through his small town. A peasant boy who lost his parents and his uncle and helps his Aunt May at every turn. The boy who would go off to seek his fortune . . .if not for her and the few years between him and adulthood when he can. the boy who looks eagerly at those years because all he wants to do is help people. Peter Parker who purposefully waits in the town square or the tavern to meet any wondering adventurers and hear tales of great hero’s deeds. the peasant boy with a brilliant mind who finally goes and off to do all the brave, heroic acts he dreamed about . . .the tales of which always get back to aunt may who he visits every chance he can. Peter, who is unknowingly being watched by Tony, who sees the sparkling potential in his and is contemplating making him his apprentice.

Natasha Romanoff:

Black widow. Assassin. Nightmare. Monster. But no by the work of any sorcerer, spell or curse. This monster was created in entirely human ways-- tortured, tested, trained, until she was a human weapon. An assassin. An assassin who hunted, tracked and killed her prey, human or not, whatever the cost. she was the beast in the dark, the fear of every child’s nightmare with a thousand horror stories attached to her name that ran red with murder and blood. That’ who she was. . . until she learned better. , changed her ways and became good. she used the same skills that she had to kill and destroy and turned it to defending and protecting. Not just people, but magical and non magical alike--making her name turn from something reviled and feared to something praised and loved. she took down powerful dark magic organizations and defeated the greatest evil magic threats with no hesitation, making that the purpose of her life.

Steve Rogers:

The peasant with a hero’s nature down to his very core, who could never sit back, remain silent or walk away from a fight even when he was as skinny and weak as a beanpole with no notion of weapons and fists. The peasant who was at first denied the chance to join the war raging across half the world but was given his wish by pure chance. Steve’s selflessness nature refused to allow him to hoard the bit of cheese and bread -- his last morsels of food-- when the supposed beggar asked him for something. Of course the beggar revealed himself to be a wizard and said he’s grant the Peasant a wish in return for his kindness. Steve of course said he wanted to do his part to fight in the war --and that’s what he got. His body was magically altered in a heartbeat to a soldier’s fit form and he was gifted a special shield-- a symbol of protection the wizard explained-- just like Steve would one day become, but also a very good weapon. He was enlisted in a heartbeat. The peasant who had his wishes come back to haunt him as wishes always do, when he had to sacrifice himself to save the world and the war. The brave war hero known around the world for his deed who was presumed dead-- but was alive, only put in a magical sleep for years out of malice or kindness. the hero who woke up one day to a world he didn't even know. . .

Bucky Barnes:

The commoner boy who was best friends with Steve since childhood who was bigger and stronger and got enlisted first, sorrowfully leaving his friend behind to go fight. The soldier who got captured behind enemy lines and was rescued by Steve. He joined him and they formed a band with a few other like minded soldiers and friends they made along the way. For years they and the howling commandoes did lots of good, doing the seemingly impossible and destroying uncounted dark strongholds. One day one of those missions went wrong and Bucky died. . .at least everyone thought he did after he fell off a cliff. but he survived and was found by a dark sorcerer who twisted, tortured and brainwashed him until Bucky forgot who he was and only the winter soldier remained-- a tool of the dark sorcerer’s will. He was kept alive and young looking by magic (only because it suited the sorcerer's needs) and was given a metal arm to replace the one he lost in the fall. it was stronger then his old one, harder, and impervious to enchantment. the winter soldier rained terror for years-- until Steve finally woke up and they came across each other one day. The sight of his old fiend was enough to weaken the magical bonds on his mind . . .and soon he remembered who he was. Bucky was back to his old self and didn't hesitate to trap the sorcerer and destroy his lair before going to rejoin his old friend. a new chapter of his life would start and he would be a hero.

Sam Wilson:

A Man who wanted to fight for his kingdom and country so he went to a friendly wizard to ask him for help so he could. The wizard gave him a pair of mechanical wings. Not wanting his friend to be left out he asked for another pair and the wizard gave them to him, telling Sam that he would do much good with them but to be careful because they’d come at a cost. It was a few years later before that cost came due as Sam watched his friend fall to his death. After that he retired from his many years of service and hung up his wings, hiding them away so wouldn't have to think of them or the price his friend payed. For a few years he led the quiet life of a normal peasant, then came the day he had an encounter with Steve and the hero knocked on his door asking for help a day or two later. Without hesitation he agreed and pulled out the old box heavy with dust in the back of his closet. He opened it and stood there for a moment looking down at the wings. they practically gleamed in the dim light, looking as clean and new as the day the wizard gifted them. It was time to fly again. . .

The forevers: @a-sea-of-fandoms @casownsmyass @docharleythegeekqueen @imadeangirl-butimsamcurious @his-paradox @l4life @fangirl-who-dreams@sarciaczekk @esoltis280 @scarlettsoldier @thatbasicnerd4life

Marvel girls: @a-girl-who-loves-disney @l4life @kenziecole-green @thomashiddlestonloveloki s @escapingthoughtsandsecrets @padfootsiriusorionblackthethird

Spiderman/Peter Parker: @cutie1365 @l4life @tomxhotland @lucypcvensie @internetgremlin @meanwhile-in-other-worlds @petah-parkah-and-potahtas @lets-imagine-fanfics

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papersandkeyboards · 7 years

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5/9-15: Went Chicagoan Jewish for a Day (or not really) (aka ‘antek-antek Yahudi!’ as some jerk would say)

33rd WEEK, MAY 9-15, 2016.

Many exciting things happened this week.

But I have the right to prioritize which one deserves to be mentioned first.

This Thursday, I finally (finally) watched Captain America: Civil War.

And if you’re reading this blog for quite some time, it can be seen that I am sort of a hardcore MCU fangirl. At least compared to my friends.

I just died watching the movie. Imagine my heart is an egg and the movie screenwriters and actors were some extremely good scrambled egg makers.

I just can’t.

I cussed and swore so much during the movie, even though I was there by myself (actually—it’s because I was there by myself), and just being emotional in my own little world. By the time the movie was over entirely, I didn’t even have the mood for anything. I was either about to explode or just melt and let myself washed away to the drain and to the Puget Sound. And never come back again.

Huh. I wish my fangirl fellow Darin or Ica was here. They have been the only ones qualified enough to talk the shit out of any marvel movies with me. We can handle each other, and other people, apparently, just can’t handle or understand me being emotionally overwhelmed over some fictional stuff.

Anyway.

Summer is approaching, and on Wednesday the 11th the day hit the thermostat a good 26 Celcius, so after school I went to Capitol Hill and bought myself an unapologetic cup of frozen yogurt across the street from Seattle Central.

However, the highlight of the week, like with almost all cases, came on the weekend.

Karen’s nephew, Gabe, was having his bar mitzvah that weekend. Good news: his family, of course, invited Karen and her family over for it. Good news #2: Karen’s sister and her family lived in Chicago, IL.

Hell yeah! It’s not everyday you can go to big cities like Chicago (unless, well, you live in or nearby Chicago) AND go to a bar mitzvah (unless, well, you happen to have a lot of Jewish relative or friends).

For those who haven’t known, bar mitzvah (or bat mitzvah, for female) is a coming-of-age ritual, meaning a ritual that marks a young person’s transition from being a child to being an adult, that is practised by the Jews—

“Jews?!”

—is probably what your response would be if you’re a typical, religiously conservative Indonesian Muslim who credit most of your knowledge to controversial-titled articles on Facebook that are shared by friends from exclusively your own circle.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, and I’m not supposed to talk about my tolerant/intolerant country in this entry, so let’s get back to my main point.

Gabe here was 13 years old, so, in order to mark his coming to adulthood, a bar mitzvah was held. Let’s say... uhm, a bar mitzvah is an equivalent to Indonesian ‘khitanan’, a ritual after a boy’s circumcision to celebrate his first steps to adulthood.

Karen and Eric and I left Seattle in the afternoon, which means I had to leave school a couple hours earlier to catch the plane. After we arrived, we rented a car and drove to the hotel. Later at night, I finally met Ayesha, Karen’s mother, and us four spent some time talking.

Saturday morning, we went to Downtown Chicago to have breakfast and walk around. We crossed the Chicago River and passed by the Trump Tower. But our main destination was Millenium Park.

You see, when I thought of Chicago, I thought about this particular piece of art I wanted to see for myself. It was this sculpture, sitting right in the middle of the park. The sculpture has a power to amaze everyone who sees it, and at the same time providing a new perspective to see the Chicago skyline and the buildings surrounding it. Designed by an Indian-British artist Anish Kapoor in 2004, the stainless-steel sculpture was initially and officially named “Cloud Gate”. Thanks to public’s creativity and appreciation of its shape, the sculpture is more widely known as... The Bean.

To be fair, it DOES look like a bean. However, I felt somewhat sorry for the artist that had surely thought about the philosophy behind the name Cloud Gate and how the name will inspire people and all that. But I guess the first time people saw the sculpture, they went “oh, it looks like a giant bean!” hence the name.

Think about nicknames that you give to your friends or that have been given to you by your friends. It’s like how a person is named Richard, but everyone just end up calling him Dick. Or a name as pretty as Zahra but everyone end up calling her Ijah. Or something like that. There are indeed some people in my school who are so widely known by their nicknames, anyone hardly know what their real, birth names are.

However, in any way, The Bean (or Cloud Gate, whatever) is so pretty, no matter the weather. It can be sunny or cloudy and it still manages to reflect the whole scenery around it perfectly.

And right under the bean structure was ever crazier. The structure was bent and shaped in such a way that it provided multiple reflections of you in different forms, like a kaleidoscope. Looking at it was hypnotizing, and making me dizzy if I stared at it for too long.

Oh, and it’s cool that I could see the photographer in the picture because he was reflected by the bean behind me. Ehe.

Then we moved to the next block, the next cool thing about the city, the Art Institute of Chicago. (which is what we could cram in a day of Chicago) More than a place where people study—like the sound ‘Institute’ gives—it was more like a museum, like the Met. It had everything in there, for real.

I would say that the Met has more complete collection than Art Institute of Chicago just because the Met is more famous and the whole building is probably as vast as my neighborhood back home, but AIC contained a lot of artefacts and other kinds of old stuff from different times and places, like Ancient Greece and Roman Empire. There were also extensive collections from the Middle East during the rise of Islam, from India, Africa, China, and Europe, with artefacts related to their respective culture and certain religion the region was dominated by.

I’m a statue person, and most likely not a painting person. Seriously, though, my art senses are probably dull enough that I don’t enjoy paintings as much as people do in general (especially those of abstract paintings). Thus, what I did when Eric and Karen and pretty much everyone in the room were philosophically and emotionally connected to an acrylic representation of grass, I took pictures of them.

Alright. Time to bail as evening was approaching and we needed to be at Karen’s sister’s house for dinner before the ceremony. Karen told me to dress real formal—because maybe last time they took me to a formal event—that was a wedding—I wore a cardigan over a long-sleeved shirt and—wait for it—a pair of sneakers. Karen made sure I did NOT wear sneakers (or shirts) for the bar mitzvah, and thus, left me with the only acceptable shoes I had: a painful pair of high high heels. It was black and fancy and I looked good in it, but it was for sure after the event I decided to throw those elegant representation of hell.

When we got to the venue, it became clearer that it was indeed a black tie event. Good thing about having a dinner party with the Jews: kosher food! Kosher is like food guidelines for Jews, the same way us Muslims categorize food and beverages into halal or not halal. Now, I don’t know the full scope of what makes a food or beverage kosher, but I do know that both kosher and halal guidelines strictly and entirely prohibit swine (or any kind of pig product), and that is good enough for me in this kind of situation.

Quick tip: when you’re in the US and is really self-conscious about your belief in halal diet, if you can’t find a proven halal food, look for kosher ones. (especially for products in packaging like salt or biscuits and such kinds, finding a kosher mark in the packaging is good enough if you can’t find products with halal mark on it)

After dinner we moved with our respective vehicles to the synagogue for the ceremony. Synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. Before we entered the main room, the men were given this small head covering—that was so small it didn’t really cover the whole head—that I’d later figured is called a kippah. Gabe, the man of the hour, besides wearing a kippah himself, also wore a kind of prayer shawl called tallit.

(illustration--photography was not allowed during the ceremony--at least the one i attended)

During the ceremony, there were chants and songs—in Hebrew—but the main event was the reading of the Torah—big rolls of Jewish scriptures. Presumably just about everyone in the room paid attention to the reading but me, but to be honest it’s not even easy for me to concentrate when an imaam—the leader of a Muslim prayer, when done collectively—recites long verses of the Quran during prayers (being able to read and write Arabic doesn’t help when you can’t understand the language itself), let alone a set of long verses in Hebrew. So what does a girl with zero understanding of the Torah and a quite short attention span do during this time?

She decided to open the holy book in front of her seat and tried to decipher the Hebrew alphabet.

Prepare for a quick elaboration on her observation regarding Hebrew and its comparison to Arabic. (<--calon judul skripsi S1 Sastra Arab/Ibrani)

I guess now I understood why people who don’t understand Arabic see nothing but unreadable wiggly lines—even I’ve heard people said to me that all the scribbles look the same. It took a while for me to figure out that Hebrew and Arabic have pretty much the same system. (uhhh I don’t know how to explain this. But like in Arabic a letter needs to have an accent that serves as a vowel, in order for the letter to be readable. So, for instance, if there is a certain accent above the Arabic letter ‘s’, that accent’ll give an ‘aah’ sound so the letter will be read as ‘saa’. Another accent gives the ‘ooh’ sound, hence ‘soo’, and another gives the ‘eeh’ sound, hence ‘see’) (why am I suddenly giving Arabic lessons)

Anyway, it’s not exactly the same, but some letters in Hebrew, if accompanied by certain accents or additional wiggly line, will be read differently than without accents.

(I can’t give you an example) (because by the time we all got home in Seattle I already forgot the whole thing) (not that you asked for one anyway right)

(well, I guess it would be kind of cool if I preserved on deciphering Hebrew. Albeit the language itself I can’t understand, at least I can write things I don’t want people around me to know in Hebrew letters)

After the whole ceremony ended, we moved to another room, which was a vast hall, where we had dinner (again) and heard speeches and overall celebrated Gabe’s first step into adulthood. Pictures would’ve been cool, but photography weren’t allowed during such ceremony.

The next day, on a nice Chicago Sunday morning, all the family members gathered in a cafe for brunch. Got into some more talking with Karen’s extended family members, since I didn’t do so much talking during dinner the previous day.

It was quite a small place for such a big family and it wasn’t as easy to move around, but I got to one point where I met one of Karen’s family members (I forgot who, sorry) who happened to be the heart surgeon for Indonesia’s back-in-the-day famous General A.H. Nasution. (General Nasution was a member of the military who was lucky to escape the terror attack from rogue members of Indonesian Communist Party in 1965) (it took a while for me to figure out when he was telling me he did a surgery for Nasution, because apparently if you pronounced the name ‘Nasution’ the English way it sounds waaaaaay different than the Indonesian way)

As if it weren’t enough, I met Karen’s brother-in-law and he told me he’d met Indonesian former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Give me a break. I technically live closer to President SBY and I’ve never seen the guy live, or even General Nasution.

(well, probably NOT General Nasution, as the guy had died long ago)

We went back to the hotel and took off to the airport right after, Karen’s mom Ayesha came with us to the airport so she could tell me about my personality and prospect for the future through my birth date and place and chakra flow. Accompanied by good thick Chicago pizza. Mmm.

It wasn’t exactly a trip to Chicago a tacky tourist like me would expect because we barely got around Chicago, because it really isn’t a tacky tourist kind of trip, but a family event. Nonetheless, if I think wide and positive enough, chances of me visiting Chicago as a tacky tourist is bigger than chances of me attending a bar mitzvah. Therefore, one shall not remorse on being unable to explore Chicago, because one can always come back.

(aamiin)

(brb melamar jadi buruh cuci tetangga)

And I shit you not, the experience of attending a bar mitzvah is one of the most impressive point in my exchange year I will always remember. Thinking about the time where I could casually walk into a synagogue without being questioned (maybe Karen gave a heads-up to the family, I assume?), and imagining how a Jew—or anyone else, for that matter—should always be treated the same way if the situation were to be reversed.

Peace out.

Salam dari yang baru pakai high heels dua kali langsung dibuang,

Nabila Safitri.

#langkahanakbangsa #chicago #bar mitzvah

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rainstormcolors · 7 years

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002 for Mai? (hiya~ it's kaiba-fangirl ^u^)

How I feel about thischaracter:

I like Mai a lot. She has an elegance and sass to her, andshe exudes confidence that we come to understand is a front. During that smallstir a few weeks ago, it was nice how everybody rushed to Mai’s defense, and I toobelieve a character has a right to duel for themselves and for monetary gain.

The thing is Mai seemed to make a point to present herselfas materialistic when she first meets the other characters at Duelist Kingdom.She makes a point to keep them at arm’s length. But very shortly afterwards shereveals it’s all a cover. It’s about more than just money: she’s trying to finda piece of herself she’s lost. Under the lovely sass, she’s lonely andcynical and unsure. She’s been alone in a deep way and somehow Yugi and his friends warm apiece of her heart and she begins to build tentative friendships with thisragtag team of teenagers. That she does attach herself emotionally to teenagerswhen she couldn’t do the same with adults is a fascinating facet of thecharacter. Teenagers can be just as miserable and cynical as adults but there’sa kind of clumsiness and uncertainty to them as they learn to navigate theworld, and this might be one of the ways Mai finds she can relate to them too.

All the people I shipromantically with this character:

Polar is my only active Mai-ship. I think they’re cute incanon. I like their playfulness, how they tease each other but in a way thatfeels warm in nature. I think both characters have some growing up to do. I canenjoy this ship because Mai isn’t in any way predatory towards Jonouchi. A fewyears down the line, as Jonouchi comes into adulthood and the two charactershave a better grasp of themselves, the world, and their needs, maybe they cangive romance a humble try.

(But pretending to be dead was an incredibly cruel prank,Mai! Both of them can be quite childish.)

My non-romantic OTPfor this character:

I enjoy her small buddy moments with Anzu.

My unpopular opinionabout this character:

(I suck at picking out unpopular opinions. I am sorry.)

One thing I wishwould happen / had happened with this character in canon:

I tend to stick to manga canon. In either canon, I think it’sa fair complaint to say we don’t see Mai shine enough as a duelist but I struggleto think of how to include such scenes without them being filler.

In the manga, I don’t like how her final scene in the storyfeels like such a glossing over of things. “She woke up and she’s good. That’sit.” I would’ve liked a more dignified exit for her; though in fairness I thinkKazuki Takahashi was in a crunch, limited by time and pages.

(Unfortunately I can’t discuss Mai’s arc in the anime’s fourthseason. It’s been a very long time since I’ve watched it, though I remember notenjoying the fourth season overall.)

My OTP:

Polar.

My cross over ship:

No crossovers because I’m boring.

A headcanon fact:

She’s too cynical to enjoy fluffyromance in films and books. They make her roll her eyes.

At the same time, she savors the romanticism of the idea of Paris and other far-off places, even knowing the truth isn’t so sparklingly perfect.

And Mai’s favorite dessert is crèmebrulee.

#mai kujaku #thank you for the ask

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godblessjintro · 7 years

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92 statements tag

Thank you for tagging me @bun-squad! RULES: you must answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people (WTH that’s too many people lmao I’ma tag 5)

THE LAST: 1. drink: Horchata 2. phone call: My friend because I was lost and needed directions 3. text message: The happy emoji with the hands 4. song you listened to: Bryson Tiller - No Longer Friends 5. time you cried: This past Wednesday aka summer solstice but I honestly tear up so easily at anything 6. dated someone twice: No 7. kissed someone and regretted it: Ehh…not really. It was more like I was embarrassed. I don’t know if that’s the same. 8. been cheated on: No 9. lost someone special: Yes 10. been depressed: Definitely 11. gotten drunk and thrown up: Only twice

LIST 3 FAVOURITE COLOURS: 12-14. - Black, burgundy, navy blue IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:

15. made new friends: Hmm, do friends I made on Tumblr count? LOL of course they do, so yes. 16. fallen out of love: You’ve got to be in love to fall out of it, so no. 17. laughed until you cried: For sure 18. found out someone was talking about you: I don’t think so. Thankfully I’ve never been in drama where someone was bad-mouthing me. Or maybe I just wasn’t aware? But I’m fairly certain that’s never happened. 19. met someone who changed you: Yes 20 found out who your friends are: Yup! 21. kissed someone on your Facebook list: No

GENERAL: 22. how many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: I pretty much know all of them since they are family or friends, but I still need to clean out my friends list because there are some people I don’t really talk to. I don’t even really use Facebook anymore. 23. do you have any pets: No but I really want a dog! 24. do you want to change your name: Nah, I’m good with my name. 25. what did you do for your last birthday: I think I just went to dinner with my family, and then dinner with my friends. I can’t rage like I used to lol not like I even really did. 26. what time did you wake up: 9-ish AM? 27. what were you doing at midnight last night: Just got home from hanging out and having a long catch-up talk with a friend. 28. name something you can’t wait for: This heatwave to be over. 29. when was the last time you saw your mom: This morning. 30. what is one thing you wish you could change in your life: I wish I was more self-motivated. I can talk myself out of anything. 31. what are you listening to right now: The Bryson Tiller - True to Self station on Spotify. 32. have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Yes, from college! The only other Tom I know is the one from MySpace (anyone remember that?) 33. something that is getting on your nerves: The nosebleed I just had and barely stopped because it’s too hot in my house! 34. most visited website: Tumblr or YouTube, and not even the website since I’m usually browsing on my phone, more like those are the apps I use the most. 35-37. lost questions?? 38. hair colour: A dark brown/red because I dyed it 39. long or short hair: Medium, just past my shoulders 40. do you have a crush on someone: Nope, can’t relate lol. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve had a crush on anyone. 41. what do you like about yourself: Uhh like personality wise or looks wise? Personality wise - I’d like to say I’m pretty empathetic. Looks wise-I like the color of my eyes, my natural brow thickness/shape and my lips. 42. piercings: One on each ear that I got done when I was a baby. 43. blood type: O 44. nickname: CJ 45. relationship status: single, too lazy/slightly jaded/busy trying to get my life together to mingle 46. zodiac: Pisces 47. pronouns: she/her 48. favourite tv show: Law and Order: SVU. BENSON AND STABLER FOREVER! 49. tattoos: None, but I have a couple ideas for cute small ones, but don’t want them enough to get them 50. right or left handed: Right 51. surgery: Thankfully none 52. piercing: Why is this question here twice? 53. sport: Hah, I am athletically challenged so I don’t play sports but I do enjoy watching swimming and soccer. 55. vacation: Like favorite vacation, last vacation? Next vacation or where I want to vacation? Favorite vacation-Hawaii or Santorini, last vacation-Monterey Bay with my family, next vacation-Boston, where I want to vacation-everywhere! I really want to backpack and travel for 6 months-1 year. 56. pair of trainers: I only have Converse and Nike sneakers.

MORE GENERAL 57. eating: A cake pop 58. drinking: A bottle of water 59. i’m about to: watch Bon Voyage season 1 61. waiting for: my house to cool down since I just turned on the AC. 62. want: to not feel like everything around me is falling apart 63. get married: Ahh I don’t know. I think deep down, I want to share my life with someone long term but marriage scares me a little, for different reasons that are too long to detail here, lol. 64. career: something that allows me to travel. Dream job-travel blogger/writer/photographer but I also want to help people who want to study/work abroad or be a librarian.

WHICH IS BETTER 65. hugs or kisses: I love a good hug! None of that side-hug, weak stuff. 66. lips or eyes: It depends on the person. I don’t even know what I tend to look at first. 67. shorter or taller: Taller but I’m short, so literally everyone is my height or taller! 68. older or younger: I think it’s nice to have a balance of both in your life. It just depends on who you click with. 70. nice arms or nice stomach: I feel like arms are seen more than a nice stomach, so probably arms but again, depends on the person 71. sensitive or loud: Sensitive. I rarely ever get loud unless I’m fangirl screaming/squawking about BTS, lmao 72. hook up or relationship: Relationship. I personally don’t feel that hook-up culture is for me. But at the end of the day, as long as both parties know and agree on what they’re doing. 73. troublemaker or hesitant: I tend to be more hesitant for sure.

HAVE YOU EVER: 74. kissed a stranger: HAH…yeah 75. drank hard liquor: Yes 76. lost glasses/contact lenses: I don’t wear glasses or contact lenses and I rarely lose my sunglasses, I just end up breaking them because I don’t take care of them =/ 77. turned someone down: What’s the context? I’m just going to say no, because someone has to ask you in order for you to turn them down and my friends/family say no one approaches me because I have walls up and people can sense that. They aren’t wrong. 78. sex on the first date: Nope, hard pass 79. broken someone’s heart: No 80. had your heart broken: Romantically, no. But in general, yes. 81. been arrested: Nope 82. cried when someone died: Absolutely. 83. fallen for a friend: Not really. I was interested in someone when I met them, and we became friends after, so does that count? With another friend, it wasn’t so much that I fell for him because I wasn’t attracted to him or anything but I always thought, what if...

DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 84. yourself: Gosh no, but I’m trying to be better at that 85. miracles: Yes 86. love at first sight: People can definitely click and have a connection at first sight but love…not sure. 87. santa claus: No, never did. My parents right off the bat were all, he’s not real, lol sorry. 88. kiss on the first date: On the cheek, maybe. 89. angels: I’d like to think so.

OTHER: 90. current best friend’s name: They have pretty unique names so I’m just gonna use their initials: M, A, G, S, T 91. eye colour: Slightly lighter than your average brown. 92. favourite movie: Most of the Pixar moves but especially Finding Nemo, also Lilo and Stitch, and most of the Disney Princess movies but especially Tangled. I like animated movies that remind me of being a kid and allow me to reminisce on times when I didn’t have all the responsibilities of adulthood, lol. BTW, no pressure to do this! I’ll just tag the last 5 people I messaged minus @bun-squad - @got7peaches, @blueagust, @youngjaesloudlaugh @floralseokjin @noonaornah

#tagged #92 statements #personal #this was fun #I have other tags I've saved in my drafts I need to get to lol

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irishcoffeeslushie · 7 years

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Nobuta wo Produce review (excerpts) - I

Disclaimer: I didn’t write this, although I wish I had. Source.

High school.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of teenage angst, it was the season of puppy love; it was the spring of maturity, it was the winter of childhood; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…

God bless his soul, but Mr. Dickens must be turning in his grave this very minute knowing that his iconic opener from “A Tale of Two Cities” was hijacked by some slush-brained Jdorama fangirl, and then bastardized into a paean to the Universal High School Experience. Even worse, imagine his horror to find this piece to be just a pretext for a long and gushy tribute to a rather unsightly pair of Japanese teen idols — one scrawny and effeminate, the other looking perpetually lobotomized — who, by their performances in the drama that’s about to be dissected, have effectively clinched said fangirl’s undying affections (pure and, uh, otherwise). If our esteemed Victorian novelist only knew that his classic lines would later be co-opted into a rhapsody about a couple of Johnnies fer gawdssakes, he wouldn’t just be turning in his grave by now, but doing freakin’ somersaults while chewing on his elbows or something — or worse, gyrating furiously to the “Seishun Amigo” chorus. (Sacrilege!!! Is nothing sacred now? Not even Dickens???)

I know it may sound funny (and even counterintuitive), but “sacred” is exactly what I hold this drama to be. Admittedly, Nobuta wo Produce hardly looks impressive on the surface, and can be dismissed by the casual observer as just another idoru vehicle set against the disposable backdrop of high school — with the fluff, the stereotypes, the puerile laughs — only to be swallowed in a sea of other mass-produced Jdramas of the same teen-wanking formula… But no. This one is different. Because once in a while we drama fans are gifted with a viewing experience so transcendent in both style and substance, a triumphant synergy of directorial creativity, of writing deep and resonant, and of characters so heartbreakingly authentic.

Nobuta wo Produce is the Jdrama that is closest to my heart, the one that means the most to me out of all that I’ve watched (and re-watched). (And you thought it was something Kimura had starred in? Close, but no ciggy.) Although I cannot speak for all fans of this drama, I know that many, like myself, have come to love its three protagonists — Shuji, Akira, Nobuta — with a fierce allegiance, and can identify with their own feelings of disquiet and trepidation as they stand, inevitably, on the brink of adulthood. This is a deeply personal drama to watch — and that, for me, is what makes it sacred in no small way. Just as we all — whoever and wherever we are — inwardly uphold as sacrosanct the universal themes that this drama explores to rich, rewarding ends: the painful reality of growing up, the strange duality of alienation and friendship, and the “self-revelatory odyssey” of finding yourself as you make your way through life.

Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times had this to say about another seminal teen drama from the other side of the world that remains, in my opinion, the best of its kind to ever be spawned by Hollywood — and also, regrettably, one of the most underrated and short-lived. The title? My So-Called Life (ABC, 1994).

“Every so often in the collaborative art called television a little miracle happens. There is a meeting of minds, a confluence of vision, a gathering of particular talents. The planets align, the cards fall into place, and something is born whose worth is instantly apparent to all involved, not as a generator of revenue — at which it might fail completely — but as an ennobling refraction of some little bit of the Truth, of what it means, or could mean, to be alive. Each department pushes the others a little bit harder; excellence from one corner prompts ambition in another. What might have begun as just the next greenlighted project or available job becomes a sort of holy mission, even if none of the participants would ever dare call it that — this being, after all, only television.”

These words also captured all that I felt about Nobuta wo Produce and had hoped to articulate in my own inadequate way. And the stars did seem to align for myself and this drama: a few minutes into the first episode I knew that something extraordinary was unfolding on my TV screen. There was no way this would turn out to be just another teen drama. Nor did it feel like an “idol drama” in spite of its cast; I saw no idols playacting for the paycheck, but three regular high school kids in a coming-of-age story that was all at once funny, heartfelt and bittersweet. NwP isn’t an outstanding high school drama, but an outstanding drama, period.

Based on the novel by Shiraiwa Gen, the screenplay by Kizara Izumi serves as the backbone of the whole drama… and oh my goodness, how can I NOT gush about THE WRITING — it both warms and pierces the heart. And it’s so… HIGH SCHOOL, y’know? It gets it, as in it really gets what high school is all about, that different planet we’ve ALL been to, where the drama and the heightened emotions and the clique wars and the desire for validation and the puppy love and the tortured ruminations matter more than they ever will by the time we’re these Big Old Boring Grownups. Nobuta wo Produce is about Becoming and Belonging, and about finding fast and true friends who will help you along the way.

Everyone loves Shuji – from his teachers right down to his peers, from his coterie of “bye-byecycle” homeboys to their simpering, magazine-flipping counterparts, from the resident toughies to the nerds and outcasts. And he lives for their acceptance, he craves their admiration, he likes to be liked by everyone… Well, maybe not everyone, because if there is one person he simply cannot stand, the bane of his high school existence, it’s this boy, the Weirdest Human Being Shuji has ever met. There simply is nobody else on earth quite like… Kusano Akira (Yamashita Tomohisa).

If Pinocchio were a special child and had magic mushrooms for breakfast every bleeping day of his life… then add a few more embellishments like the bleached hair and rolled-up shirtsleeves, the baggy pants and wallet chain, the spacey giggling and face-pulling, the repertoire of funny voices and horribly infectious expressions — bakayaro! kon-kon! Shu-uuuji-kun! sukebe! – and a partiality to quoting Nietzsche while incongruously flailing his arms like a gooney bird… voila! Kusano Akira, Resident Freak of 2-B. And the worst thing about this little creep? Is that he seems to harbor an unhealthy liking for… Shuji. (Oh NOES!!!) (Ohhhh YESSS!!!! Hehehe)

So what on earth makes this unlikely twosome team up for a common cause? Shortly after the new girl’s arrival, Shuji and Akira chance upon a particularly nasty case of girl-on-girl bullying coming from inside the ladies’ room. The victim turns out to be that odd little transferee Kotani Nobuko (Horikita Maki). Reluctant to get involved, Shuji stays outside the washroom while Akira goes inside to try and reason with the bullies. With no image to protect, Akira has nothing to lose by sticking up for someone like Nobuta — even if it means getting hosed down himself. For all his flakiness and irrational fears, Akira is no coward.

I like how the writing gives the viewer a comprehensive crash course in product development, brand marketing and image management. I have no background in this field, but still found this stuff incredibly fascinating. And there’s a certain *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* aspect to this drama, given that Shuji and Akira’s marketing strategy parallels how the entertainment industry manufactures, packages and sells celebrities, be they TV/film stars or recording artists or — yes, teen idols. (I really do wonder if Messrs. Kamenashi and Yamashita ever realized how meta the whole “Producing Nobuta” story line was. Did they ever look up from the script during one of the read-throughs and go, “Huh? But this is US!” Heh heh.)

A crucial point for Shuji comes in the Valentine’s Day episode, where he must choose between showering Nobuta with flower petals, or dousing her with cold water. The first option will spell kryptonite for his Cool Guy status, while the second will undoubtedly break Nobuta’s heart. What to do, what to do? As much as I wanted to wring Shuji’s neck for vacillating through most of the episode, you understand how much it means to him to put his popularity on the line.

This episode builds with delicious suspense — will he, or won’t he? — and concludes with a most unexpected twist. Damn, but when Bando (as a last-minute substitution, as per Nobuta’s request) pulls the cord and those petals come raining down on Nobuta, I frickin’ cried my eyes out. What’s more touching is when Nobuta realizes that Shuji, after an agonizing night of soul-searching, had in fact played, and played, and played a random eeny-meeny-miney-mo game until he finally arrived at “flower” instead of “water.” (Awwww, Shu-uuuji-kun!)

97% of the drama’s humor emanates from this singular bundle of goofy laughs. And Akira’s screwiness is surpassed only by how bloody endearing he is. You come to not only tolerate his foibles, but embrace them — because as a viewer you can look past appearances to see his good, stout and true heart. He may be off the wall (actually WAAAY off the wall, lol), but Akira is the Real Deal. He is also the perfect voice for an entire generation of aimless, unmotivated youngsters trying to make sense of, well, everything. “I dunno what youth is all about,” he bleats to Shuji on the rooftop in Episode 1. “I don’t have anything I want to do, and I don’t want to do anything.” (To which Shuji replies: “Isn’t everyone like that?” Hmm, good point, Shuji.)

If Shuji and Nobuta’s personal bugbears are dishonesty and low self-esteem, respectively, for Akira it is growing up. In Episode 6 he promptly leaves home to escape his dad’s mounting insistence that he take over the family-run company someday; and for the boy this is a most horrifying prospect, a life that will not only saddle him with a staggering load of adult responsibilities, but also take him far, far away from what he most holds dear. He tells Shuji before drifting off to sleep (having crashed the Kiritani home after a violent disagreement with his dad) “I don’t wanna go back home. I like that tofu guy and I can drink ‘mame chichi’ and be with Shuji and Nobuta everyday…” (Oh, Akira.)

Akira has the best lines when he’s at his tortured, lovesick worst. When Shuji the Cynic asks him what his immediate plans are — “What are you going to do? Confess to her, and then go to the zoo on a date, or something?” — Akira mulls it over a second, then answers: “What I want to do the most is… MARRY HER!!!….. How embarrassing!” (Then Shuji dryly comments via voice-over, “His reality goes way beyond my imagination.” LMAO!!!! Man I love those boys. *tear*) So, you don’t wish to deny him his petty fits of jealousy, like attempting to throw away Shuji’s short film – with insanely funny repercussions: “Akira DOWN!!!” (Lol!!!) Then, “My heart hurts…” (Awwww…) But he can’t keep his wrongdoing a secret from Shu-uuji-kun, so he confesses right there on the video room floor: “I’m the worst guy. The WORST.” To which Shuji quietly replies, “I’m the worst, too.” (Man I really, really love those boys. *tear*)

Salinger’s angstily f*cked-up hero Holden Caulfield fears becoming one of those adult “phonies” whom he detests so much, and instead envisions himself a catcher standing on the edge of a cliff, intercepting little kids as they come through a field of rye. In Nobuta wo Produce, Shuji, Nobuta and (most of all) Akira grapple with similar feelings as they face the terrifying inevitability of growing up. In this sense, both “Catcher” and NwP run counter to conventional Bildungsroman lines because the characters try to resist this process of maturity. It is only later that they learn to accept, and embrace it as part of life.

NwP is chock-full of these soul-stirring vignettes, and I’d like to include a few here. One unforgettable moment is a shot of Shuji and Akira on their bikes, pausing in the middle of a tree-lined road and turning to watch the adult pedestrians, these working stiffs in suits, hurry past in the other direction. Shuji: “I thought about how we’re gonna become like those boring-looking people someday.”

And this obviously pushes That Button inside Akira, sending him into Spaz Mode: “I don’t wanna be like that! Don’t wanna, don’t wanna, don’t wanna be like that!” (LOL oh Akiraaa)

#nobuta wo produce

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thedramafilesblog-blog · 7 years

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Appearing before The Dramacourt: While You Were Sleeping Eps 13, 14, 15 and 16

***If this is your first time browsing The Drama Files, please read The Rules section first for our reviewing and rating system***

***Disclaimer***: This analysis based on Canadian law. This is also NOT LEGAL ADVICE for anyone and this drama is FICTIONAL.

Issues:

Whether the law gives you the right to hire a lawyer of your choice.

Whether getting home and seeing a cute doggy ransack your house is a pleasant surprise.

Whether comparing a prosecutor’s robes to a choir was perfect.

Whether Suzy jumping to conclusions about Hak Young being the murderer is her being a good reporter.

Whether a witness can behave like a defense lawyer during an initial investigation (or ever).

Whether you can prosecute just anyone even if there isn’t enough evidence to charge the person because you have no other suspects.

The Rule(s):

Yes. But the lawyer gets to decide whether to accept your case or not.

Not really. But if it’s a super cute doggy it’s much easier to forgive!

Yes. Absolutely hilarious.

Hell No.

No. That’s not the point of being summoned as a witness.

HELL NO! What is wrong with this drama?!?

Analysis:

RedRosette: First off, 95% of episodes 13 and 14 were filler. There was no need to talk about regret and feeling guilty for an entire episode. The other 4% was strategically placed PPLs: Subway, some fancy water brand, and some Japanese department store brand. OMG it was so pointless. Did we really need to spend like 20 minutes of Lee Jong Suk and Suzy shopping for random things? What was the point of that to the drama? (See Jung So Min’s struggles with PPL as a drama writer in Because It’s My First Time. It seems so relevant here) Why is the writing going down the drain? The only really relevant 1% was in episode 14 where we find out that Woo Tak might have a secret too and isn’t all happiness and bubbles with him like we were led to believe.

Saving the day like…

He didn’t die thank God!

Was this really necessary?

They probably paid Production a shit ton of money because this had absolutely nothing to do with this drama.

Episodes 15 and 16 had some development. There were some legal problems that I wanted to raise (see Issues below), but mostly it confirmed the fact that I now hate Hong Joo’s character. She is unrealistic and is the worst “strong female” character. She throws tantrums when she doesn’t get what she wants, behaves like a child, and jumps to irrational conclusions. These are not qualities that you want people to emulate. You’d think that learning a grave life lesson as a child would mean that she wouldn’t make the same mistake in adulthood, but nope. Either that, or the writers really couldn’t come up with a better way to write in the connection to the “drowning” in childhood. People come on! This is not good character development. I can’t deal with her character. Jae Chan on the other hand, remained steadfast in his beliefs and remains a solidly written character when it comes to his job and general ethics and morality. Of course, all this goes out the window when he’s presented with the Hong Joo situation and suddenly he’s irrationally wanting to get into relationships without any explanation. Tbh, I seriously don’t get the attraction to Hong Joo. She’s a super annoying, bratty and a pretty terrible character all around. I don’t understand why all these guys are falling for her left, right and center. She’s the worst Candy-type to hit the screens in a while. Woo Tak got some development too. We didn’t see his big secret being revealed in these episodes so maybe something will come of it next week. But, I did have some problems with Woo Tak’s role in episode 16 (see Issue 5).

You guys needed a better plan and then maybe Woo Tak wouldn’t have gotten stabbed.

Being a hero like…

Entering into questionable deals like…

Ugh!

Spying on your neighbors with the lights turned off like…

Bring in that brotherly love!

We did also get more information about the childhood connection and now I’m pretty sure its the policeman they rescued who keeps sending Jae Chan money. These episodes were very difficult to watch in the sense that the plots were very slow and there was far too many slow-mo zooming in and out of the characters’ faces from different angles. Why? Seriously? Why? it’s not artsy, its just annoying if you don’t have a lot of time to watch a drama and you’re spending your lunch break watching it and all it is is zooming in and out of their faces OMG please just give us some plot development!!!

I’m calling it. It’s him.

What kind of 13 year has a license to ride a motorbike?

RedRosette J Aside: And yes we got too see more of Jang Hae In all smiles and in all of his shirtless glory thanksverymuch.

Issue 1: Whether the law gives you the right to hire a lawyer of your choice.

RedRosette J: Yes it does. When you are arrested or detained you have the right to counsel and you have a right to remain silent until you receive access to your counsel. The problem is that you can select a lawyer of your choice (or you get assigned a public defender if you can’t afford a lawyer) but the lawyer gets to decide whether to take your case on or not. If the lawyer feels that he or she doesn’t want to represent you, they can refuse to take your case. So while you do have a right to a lawyer, you do not have a right to a specific lawyer, which is really what the Chicken Killer was misunderstanding and why he kept screaming for Lee Yoo Beom. Buddy, that’s not how it works. Have a seat.

You have a right to counsel

But he gets to refuse your case

Asking for sentencing like…

When your co-worker does a good job

Issue 2: Whether getting home and seeing a cute doggy ransack your house is a pleasant surprise.

RedRosette J: It’s probably not going to be super pleasant, but that doggy was super super cute and adorable and it’s hard to look at a face like that and be angry about it. You’d literally just want to pick it up and cuddle it instead!

It’s a mess but he’s sooo cute! ❤ Robin!

Please give us a drama with Shin Jae Ha and Robin the Corgi kthanksbye.

Issue 3: Whether comparing a prosecutor’s robes to a choir was perfect.

RedRosette J: This was pretty funny. I actually LOL’d because I’d never thought about it like that. The whole imagination sequence was pretty funny too. I wish a real courtroom would suddenly burst into song like a musical. It might make things way more interesting sometimes!

Issue 4: Whether Suzy jumping to conclusions about Hak Young being the murderer is her being a good reporter.

RedRosette J: This is the furthest thing from being a good reporter. You can’t be drawing conclusions and reporting stuff on ongoing cases based on what you saw on TV. Hong Joo immediately jumped to the conclusion that Hak Young did it based on the CCTV footage and the fact that he threatened Woo Tak or whatever and refused to change her opinion. What the hell? Whatever happened to unbiased journalism? How can you be a reporter if you have already picked a side and you are creating a biased narrative? I just don’t get it. Then she goes and tells Jae Chan to make sure that he prosecutes the guy or “she’ll be disappointed in him.” What the hell? Let the man do his job and you go at least pretend to be a half decent reporter. I hated how she manipulated Jae Chan’s reliance on her belief in him to make sure he does what she wants. Ugh. Even after her whole flashback and being reminded of the fact that she was told (by Jae Chan) that you can’t do bad stuff to people simply because you dislike them, she gets upset when Jae Chan tries to explain to her why Hak Young was released. Are you kidding me? This is basic society 101. I think she’s a closeted psychopath. And yea she didn’t manipulate the media like Yoo Beom asked her to but she was still convinced that he was guilty. She doesn’t get to make that decision. That’s a decision to be made in a court of law. *takes deep breaths* Ugh. I can’t. I’m done with Hong Joo.

Being told not to be an idiot when you’re 13…

…but continues to be one in adulthood….

Issue 5: Whether a witness can behave like a defense lawyer during an initial investigation (or ever).

RedRosette J: OMG where do I start? Okay first of all, I really like Woo Tak, but honey you can’t be going in to a discovery (initial investigation) as a WITNESS and then start behaving like a DEFENSE LAWYER. That’s not how it works. In discovery, the prosecutor asks the witness questions based on what they saw and heard on the day or event in question and they are expected to answer truthfully. The witness doesn’t go and try to a) teach the prosecutor the law and b) act like they are defending the Accused. Again, that’s not how the system works. Also, what was with the line of questioning? It as totally off. Those are not questions you ask a witness. *sigh* Please. Writers. Get a better legal consultant. This is not how it works. Even if it’s for dramatic effect, it looks stupid.

Yes. We get it. Your friend needs help.

Showing up to provide testimony and getting fangirled like…

Witness is NOT Defense Counsel.

Issue 6: Whether you can prosecute just anyone even if there isn’t enough evidence to charge the person because you have no other suspects.

RedRosette J: OH MY GOD. What is wrong with the prosecutors in this drama? Just because there’s a dead body doesn’t mean that someone HAS to go down for doing it. In this case, the evidence was circumstantial. The guy happened to be there and was caught on CCTV around the time of death but there was no DNA or blood evidence linking him to the murder. Given all of this and the other evidence that they were talking about which CLEARLY did nothing to tie Hak Young to the murder, the prosecutors were still trying to make him go down for it because they had no other suspects. WTF? If there’s not enough evidence to convict someone, they walk. The evidence has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hak Young killed her. That’s how the system works. There was so much doubt and speculation in this case! You don’t get to just keep someone in custody or even prosecute them just because you have no other suspects. I don’t get why the Chief Prosecutor was so hesitant to release the guy. Do your job. Honestly this drama has some TERRIBLE legal stuff….

There has to be evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Hak Young did all this.

That’s not creepy at all….

When you’re innocent but no one believes you…

There isn’t enough evidence peeps. You HAVE to drop the charges!

RedRosette J Aside: I also forgot that there was a kiss scene finally and it was hella awkward. Not getting on this Ship you guys. Sorry.

Conclusion: Appeal Dismissed.

Rating: 2 = Yell At The Production And Writing Team (Producers: please stop with the close ups and multiple angles. We get that you guys are the camera gods. Writers: get better legal consultants)

File No: While-You-Were-Sleeping-EPS-13-to-16 Appearing before The Dramacourt: While You Were Sleeping Eps 13, 14, 15 and 16 ***If this is your first time browsing The Drama Files, please read

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laughinglistener · 7 years

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Ten Years of City of Bones: Week One

Image from cassandraclare.tumblr.com

IT’S BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE CITY OF BONES CAME OUT! WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING????? *Sobs*

To wish Cassandra Clare a happy bookiversary and gear up for the FREAKING GORGEOUS special re-release of City of Bones, the lovely Jessica over at Booked J came up with this themed book meme to celebrate. And I just HAD to participate because I’ve been a lunatic over this series from the start. I just HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS OKAY??

via GIPHY

The anniversary edition of City of Bones will be released on November 7, which means we’re only a few weeks away from spending even more money on books (HERE BOOKS, JUST TAKE IT ALL 💸). There are ten prompts for ten GLORIOUS years and I’ll be rolling one these babies out every Saturday.* If you want to join in the fun and spend the next ten weeks wistfully reminiscing with us, you can find out more about it HERE! For this first week I’ll be taking a little stroll down memory lane, sharing how I found the book and what it means to me.

*You may have noticed that it is, in fact, Sunday and not Saturday. Well reader, that’s because I’m a bum who took way too long to write this. I’m in the middle of moving and since MOVING IS THE WORST ARGGHHHH, I’ve been an unorganized nut case. I love my books like an extension of myself, but OMG TRANSPORTING THEM ALL IS AWFUL. UGH.

Okay, ON WITH THE SHOW!

When did you first discover it?

I first discovered this book during my junior year (senior year????) of high school from a friend who recommended it. For reasons I can no longer remember, I was reluctant to start (I know, what was WRONG with teenage me?!?!). THANKFULLY, I ended up caving under some heavy duress (ahhhhh, the joys of peer pressure) and borrowed a copy. Needless to say, I fell hard for this novel and IMMEDIATELY ran out and bought my own copy. From that point on, I was one of those crazy fangirls preordering each book, stalking forums, and generally freaking out about everything shadowhunter related.

FUN FACT! The story of how I discovered this book is almost EXACTLY how I discovered Twilight (recommended by the same friend, among many others. Talk about duress…), but that story has a vastly different ending of the not-good variety. Maybe a post for another time…

How did it make you feel?

SO MANY FEELS!!! Oh man, I went through so many different emotions reading this. Similar to Jessica, I was pretty close to Clary’s age when I first started and it hit me right at the awkward time when you’re adult enough to make important life decisions, but you actually have no idea how the world works. Can you hear that? It’s Britney Spears singing!! I’M NOT A GIRLLLLLLL, NOT YET A WOMANNNNNN!!!

via GIPHY

Okay I’m done. But City of Bones introduced me to a lot of new ideas that sheltered, nerd me hadn’t been exposed to before.

Up until that point I had been obsessed with books like The Princess Diaries series and The Mediator series (okay pretty much anything by Meg Cabot)—books that are cute and fun, but a tad shallow in emotional depth. Of course, I had read and OBSESSED about all the Harry Potter books, but that series didn’t catch me in quite the same way as this one did. Even though Harry Potter deals with a lot of adult themes, there was nothing that directly related to me. None of Harry’s problems were my problems (FEEL FREE TO CHANGE THAT HOGWARTS. STILL WAITING FOR MY ACCEPTANCE LETTER) and I held that series at a distance from myself a little.

Clary and the shadowhunter gang, however, dealt with a lot of the same obstacles my friends and I were dealing with and it was AMAZING seeing that in a book. Clary grew up with a single mother, she loved to draw and wanted to go to art school like I did, Jace doesn’t know his biological parents, Simon is an awkward nerd in love with his best friend, Isabelle longs for her family’s approval, and Alec is exploring his sexuality and learning to love himself the way he is. Even though they’re fictional characters that fight mythical demons in their spare time, it made me feel not so alone and that was such a relief. Teenagers don’t want to stand out, they want to blend in (at least, I did) and this book really helped me through some awkward times.

Plus, that scene at the end is CRAZY!!! I don’t want to give it away for those who have never read it, but my shadowhunter fans will know EXACTLY what scene I’m talking about. The entire book is magical, and funny, and awesome, and then we’re hit with the BIGGEST CURVEBALL EVER. Oh my god, SO MUCH DRAMA!! SO MUCH ANGST!!! It was like reading a soap opera. At the time, I thought it was HILARIOUS. I vividly remember reading that part in my eighth period English class and DYING, followed by me finding the friend who lent it to me and freaking out.

Does that feeling still hold up?

Absolutely! My perspectives have changed now that I’m older and (hopefully) wiser, but I still get that feeling of comraderie and comfort. Maybe it’s the memory of being comforted that’s so soothing? I don’t know, but those feelings are definitely still there. I’ve also found that this is one of those books I can read repeatedly and still find something new each time.

What does it mean to you and why?

Okay, I’m only 27, which is still young and I don’t know if I’ve earned the right to reminisce like this (BACK IN MY DAY… *shakes fist at meddling kids*) but this book has come to represent that time of my life. I associate the Harry Potter series with my pre-teen years and this one represents my transition into adulthood. It’s like hearing a song and being transported to a specific moment in time—I hear that song “We Are Young” by Fun and immediately get taken to my college graduation night. That’s the feeling City of Bones gives me!

God, can you take all the sap happening in this post?? I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING!

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Ten Years of City of Bones: Week One was originally published on The Laughing Listener

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