#Peter... Peter... You have to respect the balance

[qcomicsy]

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 / The Substance (2024) / Homem-Aranha (1963) #392 / The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #33 / Spider-Man (2004) / The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) / The Amazing Spider-Man #258 / No Way Home (2021) / The Amazing Spider-Man #4 / The Amazing Spider-Man #32

[sciderman]

Which do you prefer, Spideypool or Poolverine?

glances at my decade-long running spider-man and deadpool blog

...hm. good question. i'll have to think about th

[crescenthistory]

Hi I really love your fics and was hoping to send in a request! I was thinking a fem!reader who’s also a swan animagus, and partners with any or all of the marauders (minus Pete). She’s a very clumsy person, constantly stubbing her toes and bumbing into corners and walls, so when the boys find out that her animagus form is something so graceful they’re just baffled. That’s all I got really, so with that as you please if you please ❤️

this was such a sweet request darling, thank you so much<3 i made this into a general view of what her animagus process looked like + the boys' reactions to what she became

Words: 3.5k

Warnings: fem!reader, use of y/n, remus' pov, loads of anxiety and fearing for safety of a loved one, post-hogwarts with references to oncoming political turmoil but it is not canon compliant, reader is regulus' best friend, flirty bullying lol, mostly fluff and some hurt/comfort

Note: this is my first official poly!marauders fic, and i absolutely adore writing their dynamic

When you began your animagus journey, Remus was unsure of what to expect.

Back when James, Sirius and Peter did it, none of their animagus figures came as a surprise, the picturesque manifestations of the personalities Remus had come to love. Sirius, the loyal guard dog, looming and intimidating in your periphery or on the battlefield, but playful and loving by the fire in his own home. James, the noble and brave Head Boy turned stag, equal parts beautiful and fierce, able to balance out and maintain the worst and best in the rest of the boys. Peter, the quiet and mousy dry-humoured boy they came to love much in the same way you love your pet rat, slippery and smart, able to wield what he has to his advantage. All of it made sense to Remus, which provided a balm for the anxiety that settled in his chest at the thought of the lengths his friends and partners were willing to go for him.

With you though, nothing seemed to make sense. Never really had, it was just right somehow.

You came in later in the Gryffindor friend group, a year younger than the rest of them and best friends with Regulus. It was seemingly a buy one, get two deal when Regulus was finally able to escape the Black household and join Sirius at Potter Manor at last. He refused to leave you behind, knowing all too well what it felt like. Neither Sirius nor James could argue with that, and Remus quickly found he didn't want them to.

No, because when you were integrated into the friend group, hesitant for a mere second – mostly out of respect for Regulus it seemed – before allowing your full personality to prosper at its natural breadwidth, Remus was infatuated. You weasled your way into his heart, knocking against every surface on the way there, leaving him breathless.

He was beyond relieved to look at his two boys – his two lovely boys – and see the same longing in their eyes.

In a relationship that already housed a half-blood half-breed, a disgraced son of a most ancient and noble house and a blood-traitor himbo-jock, Remus had not fathomed there would be room for one more. Until that one was you in all your clumsy-bodied warm-hearted glory – then suddenly, it was unfathomable not to have you.

Despite his shock, Remus found himself quite pleased when finally sat in your shared flat a year after Hogwarts, with you held securely in his arms while Sirius and James were commuting home together from their apprenticeships as aurors at the Ministry. The picture of domesticity. The life he never dared imagine. With your scent filling his nose and your cheek pressed against the skin of Remus' throat, he was sure there was nothing else he could ask for.

"I did something today," you murmured absentmindedly then, trailing patterns on his arm, careful not to snag him with the edge of your nail that broke a few hours earlier that he had not bothered filing down yet.

"Mhm, and what was that, dove?" he replied in the same tone, only half-paying attention as he drowsed in the warmth of you.

"I applied to become an animagus."

Suddenly, Remus was no longer tired nor warm nor comfortable nor nuzzled into your hair as he jerked back to look at you in shock.

"You did what?" His voice somehow didn't convey his immediate turmoil, but he's sure his eyes did as you bit your lip sheepishly.

"I applied with the Ministry to become an animagus," you restated as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Dumbledore's suggestion. Though if one person in our household is properly registered, it could be easier to avoid any suspicion should the order need you to utilise it more often."

The rest of the night was spent with you explaining what was surely a sound and reasonable plan, but that still lit Remus' veins alight with fire. As was the next few weeks, awaiting the pending response, spent with you and James – who quickly jumped onboard, eager to support you – reassuring Remus and in part Sirius that the plan was sound and reasonable and you would be fine.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to think you have zero faith in me," you joked one evening when you were all cuddled up on the sofa.

"It's not that I don't trust you, dovey," Remus began despondently.

Sirius preferred to cut to the chase with a deadpan. “We just prefer for our darling girl who has never once gone a day without a single bruise to not be undertaking dangerous magical transformations that largely depend upon precision.”

"I have gone a day," you muttered petulantly at that, to which James began rubbing your arms up and down whispering something in your ear about "pick battles we can win, angel".

Remus smiled a bit hesitantly at the sight of his two loves sat opposite him, while he himself was currently held in Sirius' arms and unable to see his face. He could, however, feel the tension in his grip though, likely at the thought of all that could go wrong.

"I understand why it has to be done," Remus started. "And you know I support you always, dove. I just can't help but worry."

You cooed at what Remus was sure was a slight pout on his face before leaning forward out of James' arms to kiss it off him. At that, a genuine smile spread across his lips and into your kiss, breathing you in as a sign of defeat.

"I may stumble, but I can do difficult things, my love," you whispered, brushing your thumbs over his cheekbones. "And with you here, I'll always be alright, won't I?"

"I suppose," Remus faux grumbled, to which James leaned forward to ruffle his hair.

"You are so cute," James all but exclaimed. "So, so cute."

"Alright Jamie, that's enough of that," Remus tried but James kept on playing with his hair, though with slower movements.

"Look at you caring for our little clutz." You let out an undignified "hey" at that. "With big Moony on watch, we will never have to worry."

"And big Padfoot!" Sirius exclaimed from behind Remus, causing the latter to roll his eyes fondly at the boy's not-so-fake fear of missing out.

James caught it too with a hearty laugh, slipping off the sofa to slide to the floor beside Sirius with a soft "of course, baby" before littering his face with a sickening amount of kisses.

As Remus watched you giggle, he pulled you closer. Sickening indeed he thought as he stared down at you with overwhelming love in his throat.

The cycle of worry and reassurance continued well into the animagus process when your application was approved, which Remus suspected Dumbledore also had a hand in. Though, for these, you often couldn't reassure him as much with your words, with the mandrake leaf and everything, but James was your perfect advocate, speech ready on his lips, and your hand never strayed far from Remus' body, keeping his anxiety at bay.

When you fell down the stairs one day or when you ran into doors, Remus' breath caught in his throat like never before, the implications of your clumsiness far more prominent than ever before. You were always alright, and Remus knew he just had kept telling himself that until it was over.

You're alright, you're alright, you're alright. A mantra, a prayer.

"She will be alright, right Siri?" A broken sob into his lover's chest on nights you were away to complete the process.

"Always, always, always." A murmured response that weighed a tonne in his chest.

He never did tell you about those nights, he knew you didn't deserve the guilt or the fretting that would overtake you at the knowledge, not when you were doing something to support your loves, your family, your cause. He could never tell you that while you, in all your clumsy chaos, was being brave, he was being a coward.

And you never did tell him that you knew, that you saw, but you held him closer the nights following them.

While one the precipice of oncoming political collapse, one is rarely allowed full reprieve from anxiety, but Remus found himself washed with immeasurable relief and calm when the front door opened on the final night and he heard two sets of boots and laughter as you and James walked into your flat.

The lightning storm in the background required for the final night of the process was still raging outside, but your flat might as well be on another planet for all Remus cared because you were inside, you were alright and you were laughing. 

Only James could follow you to it, as you had to go through the very final bit alone and Sirius convinced Remus you should be surrounded with calm and reassurance before you took those last steps alone. He agreed, always wanting what was best for you, but it did not help his roaring fears to not be able to go with you.

Thus, the homebound boys immediately shot up at the sound from where they had been anxiously perched on each their chair in the living room, running towards the front door. The latter placed his hand pacifyingly on Remus' shoulder, a silent I'm here, it's alright, she’s alright.

You were.

You were alright.

You were also being laughed at, they now realised.

Chucking off your boots, drenched to the core with hair plastered to your face, you looked awfully displeased with James who - equally as drenched but thrice as enthusiastic - was bent over against the wall, face scrunched up with delight. Remus supposed some of the water drops trailing down his face were actually tears of laughter.

"It's not that funny, James," you grumbled, but the twitch in your lips gave away that perhaps it was.

Ignoring whatever petty squabble for half a minute, Sirius swept you up in a hug and twirled you around, the squelch of your clothes and your own giggle filling the room. "My love!" he exclaimed with glee. "Oh you did it my darling, you did it."

Remus walked towards your embrace with reverence, laughing a bit wetly with relief. You looked at him with so much love in your eyes he wasn't sure if he could take it – and then you opened your arm to invite him into your hug, and he knew he couldn't.

With a shaky breath, Remus let himself fall into you with a few tears rolling down his face and an immense smile across his lips. He murmured some sweet nothings into your hairline that not even he could quite make out.

Pulling back just enough to see your now-wide grin, he kissed you searingly in the exact way he had dreamed of doing on this day.

Safe in his arms, at last.

At the thought, he could almost hear you whisper back that you always were.

"Thank you," Remus whispers against your lips. "Thank you."

"What for?" you laugh back into him.

He opens his eyes to gaze warmly into yours. "For being okay. For being brave."

A soft cooing sound escaped you as you gave him another lingering kiss that seemed to promise you always will be. He felt Sirius' lips drift between each of your foreheads, an eternal comfort in all of Remus' worry, even when he had his own.

"Is this the part where you lie to me and say you knew I could always do it?" you tease as you look between the two boys pressed up against you.

At the same time, Sirius gives you a resounding "yes" while Remus shakes his head at you with a laugh.

"It's not a lie," he begins, continuing despite your light scoff. "I always knew you could, you can do anything you set your mind to. I just love you too much not to freak out about the what ifs."

"You absolute sap," Sirius laughs at him, resulting in you slapping his arm lightly in defence of Remus.

"Do you disagree with him?" you question with a raised brow, challenging smile tugging at your lips.

Sirius' humour was washed away to be replaced with soft fondness. "Of course not, doll."

Behind you, James cleared his throat.

The three of you turned around to see your final boy leaning against the wall, admiration written clearly across his face as he took in the picture before him with heart eyes. It didn't escape Remus, though, that you tensed in his arms beside him nor that James had one of his most mischievous smiles across his face.

"Yeah, angel, we are all super duper proud of you now and forever and always." James says it in a way that makes Remus suspicious he has already told you as much a hundred times over while you were out together. "Now can we skip to the fun bit?"

You groan, throwing your head back against Sirius' shoulder – who whispered a petulant ow! – and promptly pulled out of their grasp. Remus tried to focus on whatever bit was about to come from James to ignore the feeling of loss.

"Fine, but I am going to need so much flattery from you after this relentless bullying, Mister." You threatened as you pointed your wand at James, first in replacement of an accusatory finger, and then to vanish the water from his person. You did yourself the same favour, then grabbed Remus' hand to direct your boys to the living room and its wonderful fireplace that Sirius kept alive for you while you were gone.

"You know I will, baby!" James called after you as he grabbed some water bottles from the fridge on the way to follow you, handing one to you unprompted.

"Now? What's so funny?" Sirius asked impatiently as he perched himself on the end of the sofa, directly in front of where you and Remus stood before the fire.

James' grin came back in full force as he looked at you devilishly. "Can I be the one to tell them?" At least he had the decency to ask you.

"You're the one who thinks it's so bloody funny, so you ought to." Remus chuckled at you, pulling you closer into his side, protecting you from James for once.

"So we all know that your lovely, lovely girl here does not have the best track record when it comes to, you know, general spatial awareness?"

Sirius barked a laugh at that and Remus had to pull you back from kicking his shin, resulting in you stumbling slightly. You shot him a half-hearted glare that seemed to scream don't prove his point!

"Yeah," Remus agreed readily, shooting you a smug smile at the betrayal.

"I have yet to meet a table she can outsmart." Sirius nodded solemnly.

This all seemed to excite James even further. "Right! Or a cart she can't run over her foot, or a door handle she can't smash against her hip, or a staircase that won't make her eat-"

"Okay, okay!" You threw your hands up in defeat. "We get your point, Jamie, gods."

James' smile almost turned rueful, but your cute expression was not really helping your case here. Remus couldn't blame him as James reached out to pinch at your chin.

"And we love you all the more for it, angel, really."

"Yeah, yeah," you grumbled, waving his hand away and placing more weight against Remus. "Get to it, Potter."

"Moony, Pads," James said, looking at them with levity, as if he was about to disclose serious news. "Our beautiful little klutz is a swan animagus."

There was silence for two seconds, as Sirius' jaw fell on the floor and Remus' eyes widened. Remus regretted to disclose that he was the first to break it as he snorted a laugh, prompting Sirius to immediately match James' previous hysterics, clapping his hands together.

"No way!" he laughed as you crossed your arms in further petulance.

"A swan?" Remus questioned with mirth to no one in particular.

"A swan!" James confirmed excitedly.

"And what about it?" you grumbled, stepping back so you could more easily glare at all three boyfriends at once. "What's so so funny about it?"

"It's nothing, dove, it's just-" Remus' placating was undercut by him laughing through it "- swans are know to be, like, elegant."

"I can be elegant!" you retorted. Sirius just snorted at you. "I can be!" you continued, nodding your head in that endearing way you do when you try to insist.

"You certainly look elegant," James relented. "But, my absolute love, you are anything but."

"Again, stairs." Sirius said it as if the word "stairs" in and of itself was an argument. Knowing your past, it most certainly was.

"Grace and elegance are often considered opposites of clumsiness and incoordination, dovey," Remus explained.

"I know that," you seethed in response, but the fight was already running out of you.

"It's just a tad bit ironic, isn't it?" James fought to calm his laughter.

Sirius did no such thing. "Understatement of the year, Prongs."

"Maybe the grace my animagus refers to has something to do with my inner grace in handling you lot," you grumbled, to which James cooed – effectively not helping his case. "And they represent wisdom and understanding, not to mention that they bite so you watch yourselves now." Your glare was withering as you couldn't help but laugh a little at your own joke.

With another breath of laughter, Sirius rose from his seat to reach for you in a hug, but you stepped out of the way. "No hugs for rude boys," you said simply.

"Oh, come on dollface, let me appreciate our little swan." You put up little effort as Sirius tucked you under his chin, chest still rumbling with laughter. “I just cannot believe you're a swan, baby."

"I can," Remus said, letting affection take over the humour in his voice once more. "They represent love too, you know."

James' face scrunched up in laughter as he roughly pulled the wolf into his arms, squeezing him tightly. "You're killing me, Moons, you can't say stuff like that."

"Why the hell not?" Remus grumbled all the while holding James tighter, eyes trained on you and Sirius.

"Because I’ll love you too much." At that, Remus laughed, kissing James' cheek softly.

"Regardless of any humour and irony, you did something incredibly difficult, dove. We're so proud of you." This was not just placation, Remus believed it with his whole chest. You could evidently tell as you almost shied into Sirius' chest.

James walked his embrace with Remus towards you and Sirius, so you were all standing close to one another in front of the sparkling fire.

"Is it okay to say I'm really proud of myself too?" you asked then with a slight self-conscious smile.

Sirius shut down any insecurity with the searing kiss he pressed to your forehead. "Of course, baby. It would be a tragedy if you weren't."

Remus could feel James tilt his head in thought. He couldn't help but pry. "What is it, Prongs?"

"Just that," James began. "Because of our animagi, I'm Prongs and Sirius is Padfoot. But you've always called Y/N dove just because – and now she is a bird, so should we all call her that now? It's not the same bird, but close?"

"No," Remus and you said quickly and shared a small smile. "Dove is mine, you lot can find your own bird-name for her," he teased.

James just laughed. "The possessive streak runs deep in this wolf, huh?"

"What nicknames can be derived from a swan then?" Sirius wondered out loud. "White Wing sounds too much like a superhero name."

"We are not calling me White Wing." You laughed, leaning your head on Sirius' shoulder. "I quite like what you've always called me. If we need a codename later we can come up with it then."

Remus was sure his irises could melt from how soft his gaze on you felt. "Sure thing, dovey. Tonight we just do whatever you want to celebrate."

Your smile was relaxed in that domestic, beautiful way that Remus felt the urge to frame. "We're already doing it. Just being with you three."

"Sap," Sirius whispered in your ear, accidentally tickling you, causing you to giggle and twist in his arms.

As Remus' body shook with both his and James' laughter, he knew that you had once again gone and done everything he never expected. If he was lucky, you would do that for the rest of his life – and that is what would make it good.

"Oh, I have to go tell Regulus!" Sirius exclaimed, running off - with you hot on his heel.

[justcallmemrslupin]

Why Wolfstar Is the Most Dangerous Harry Potter Ship (and Why the Fandom Needs to Talk About It)

I've been in the Harry Potter fandom for over 20 years. I watched it grow, evolve, twist, and turn. I saw fanfiction rise, canon conclude, and the fandom shift focus countless times. And still, one thing baffles me more than anything else: how deeply romanticized and normalized Wolfstar has become.

At first, I didn’t care. People were writing fanfiction. They wanted queer representation. They were dreaming up alternate stories — and as long as it stayed within the realm of fiction and imagination, I had no issue with it.

But it’s not like that anymore. Now, Wolfstar is treated like a canon pairing, and if you even dare to question it, you're accused of being bigoted, ignorant, or told to leave the fandom altogether. And that’s heartbreaking, not just because of how hostile the discourse has become, but because the ship itself is incredibly toxic, and no one seems willing to acknowledge it.

Let’s be clear: Sirius Black was not a good friend to Remus Lupin.

• He exposed Remus' most dangerous, painful secret to an enemy (Snape) and used him as a weapon.

• He wished for a full moon out of boredom.

• He trusted Peter Pettigrew over Remus.

• He didn’t even leave Remus anything in his will.

Wolfstar is dangerous because it romanticizes a friendship that was never balanced, never healthy, and never based in mutual care. It takes one of the most traumatizing betrayals in the books — the "prank" — and brushes it off as “teenage drama.” But what if James hadn’t stopped Snape? Remus would have killed someone. He would have spent his life in Azkaban — or worse.

And yet, Sirius said he’d rather die than betray a friend? He already did. And still, the fandom turns him into a misunderstood romantic hero and turns Remus into either his pining lover or a side note.

Meanwhile, Tonks — who loved Remus deeply, chose him in spite of the risks, and built a family with him — is hated, mocked, and erased. Simply because she married someone the fandom decided didn’t belong to her.

I once posted about this on TikTok and got flooded with hate. One girl even said: “Don’t f** with me, Lupin is gay and Tonks is a b**h.”

What?! When did we become so toxic that we can’t even respect canon relationships without being accused of bigotry?

You want to ship? Go ahead. But don’t pretend Wolfstar is some great love story. It wasn’t even a good friendship. And don’t attack people who see Remus Lupin for the kind, complex, human character he really was. Because what matters, as Sirius himself once said in the films, is the side we choose to act on.

And Remus Lupin chose good. Always.

[housemdork]

house md season 1 review!

now that i've finished season 1 and the corresponding episode recaps, i want to collect my final thoughts and decide which are my favorite and least favorite episodes!

these posts will be light on the analysis and heavier on my unsolicited opinions, borne via intuition and gut feelings and all in good fun!

season strengths:

the scope of what season 1 accomplishes. network tv or not, making sure to check every possible box without overloading the audience with over-obvious exposition is a feat, and i think season 1 does this excellently across the board. moments that come to mind are the tiny conversations with wilson that reveal just drips of his character, as well as more impactful moments like when cameron tells house about her deceased husband in 1x07. each of those moments feel earned and amount to a fuller picture. even the way they deliver news about each character adds to the characterization process itself.

longevity. this seems like a given, but in the age of non-network tv, i think it's taken for granted - something that happens to a character in episode 5 may return in any subsequent episode with a punch and a point. i love that.

the tone! even as the orange slowly petered off over time, i think they nailed the prime tone of house md by episode 5; "maternity" and "damned if you do" strike a perfect balance between grave seriousness, social issues, and house's comedic irreverence. the accusation of later seasons/moments becoming "tonally dissonant" from the larger narrative are based in these foundational episodes.

keeping things grounded. somewhere along the way i joked that "remember when wilson getting fired off the board was the worst thing that happened?" and that stands true lol. while my favorite season is 5, which captures house md at its most insane at times, the levelheadedness and plausibility of season 1 was refreshing. it makes sure the audience doesn't forget the Doctoring going on. it highlights the fact that every main character has a genuinely brilliant mind. it makes us feel not just for the interpersonal drama, but for the patients, too, a thread that gets lost pretty quickly.

house and atheism! this relationship encapsulates a lot of other subthemes that i enjoy - esp. unconditional love's presence in the show - and even its earliest roots do so much work for the show overall.

season weaknesses:

where is cuddy. maybe this is unfair because i'd argue the pacing of season 1 is pretty solid, so i should Trust the Character Unfolding Process, but she was just so underutilized. when she would appear at the beginning and/or end of episodes just to quip, it left me wanting SO much more. they made it clear that wilson's early character function is to appear to moralize; cuddy's narrative purpose is still murky, even when she saves the very fabric of PPTH!

the Hameron of it all...i have come to appreciate it a lot more than my first go-around, but it went on for too long. i think if the arc had been introduced later, the latter episodes would have stayed strong and i would have suffered less. i just can't get past the "young girl doctor falls for cynical mentor," trope, no matter how much they subvert it and reveal about cameron and house respectively along the way.

small issue, but vogler's departure was underwhelming. i guess this is related to my complaint about a lack of cuddy - she did that! i wanted a least a little more closure, especially since he's one of just two major Villain figures featured in the entire show.

favs:

i've been sitting here for about 30 minutes trying to come up a top 3 and it's killing me.

1x17 "role model": i feel the pariah flames licking at my feet for "three stories" not being my number 1, but the character work they do for house in this one is just something else. his decision to flub the speech, and the resulting fallout, is our strongest sign in season 1 that he's more than Kind Of messed up, even when he has good intentions (dogging on an evil pharmaceutical company and its head tyrant). ironic that house/cameron is in my season weakness list and yet this episode that features them so heavily is my favorite, but it's got all the god imagery/motifs that a guy could want. and "people pray so that god won't crush them like bugs. i'm not gonna crush you" ?? SHUT UP. BECAUSE THEN HE DOES JUST THAT. REPEATEDLY.

1x21 "three stories": yeah. it's just too brilliant. almost everything i could ever want is happening here, along with some of hugh laurie's strongest moments as house yet. i also use 1x21 as irrefutable evidence that unconditional love is one of the driving, if not THE driving, themes of the show. 10s all around. truly the only "downside" is that i wish wilson was around more but that's only because i'm annoying about him.

1x10 "histories": i get the sense that i may be one of the few to rank this one so high, but i this is my pro-wilson propaganda. we see him doctoring, doing oncology, having strong feelings, actually confiding in house, enduring the inevitable oncologist burnout, mentoring the fellows - a little bit of everything. the episode pairing him with foreman is so interested and unexpected, and it's just sooo tragic at the end. very memorable for me on 1st and 2nd watches.

least favs:

1x06 "the socratic method": this just didn't click with me. i think the message is unclear and the expository work gets in the way of a lot of the episode's chance for cohesion. cuddy giving house the birthday card, while super touching, feels out of left field in retrospect, and then we don't really pick that thread back up throughout the season. we learn more about their history much later.

1x03 "occam's razor": no major qualms except that it felt so much weaker than its 2 predecessors. it feels unsure of itself by jumping into sexual tension territory, but future episodes, even in season 1, will handle it a lot better. we just didn't know the characters enough yet.

if i'm to give the season an overall rating out of 10, with the rest of house md in mind, i'd give it a 6.5/10. i feel like that reads harsher than i mean it to. i enjoyed so much of this season, but it's riding on potential for me, rather than delivery. it sets the stage so excellently for season 2 and it's abundantly clear why it got renewed. we can only go up!

inaugural favorite wilson moment:

whatever the hell this was. i thought i was married to the breakup in 1x18 after he's fired but man did this floor me.

[xxgothchatonxx]

20 years on, I still think Jason Isaacs is the best Captain Hook.

Now, there are other Hooks that have been done after him that I mostly love (*slaps Warner Bros. upside the head* NOT YOURS) but Jason is exactly who I picture when I read about Hook.

He maintained the perfect balance of being funny ("YOU CALL THAT A FAVOUR?!") but also being legitimately intimidating. I like a good funny Hook, but J.M. Barrie's Captain Hook is a scary villain in the book. And that's what we saw with Jason Isaacs' performance. Especially in the scene where he taunt Peter with the reality of Wendy growing up. True, it's not in the book, but it's still very much in-character for Hook to do that.

Also this is the only on-screen Hook that i know of whose eyes glow red, like they did in the book.

He was also sexy. Yep, that's part of Barrie's Hook too. He is an attractive man. Jason describes it quite brilliantly as "seductive yet repulsive at the same time". It presumably goes back to the satire on gender standards Barrie was writing with George Darling, because Hook is a charming, attractive gentleman who carries himself well, but is also a cruel, vile villain. Yet would still be more respected in Edwardian society than George because, you know, Hook went to Eton.

And his attractiveness does tie in to Wendy developing her sexuality in this film. Yes, the uncomfortable sexual tension between Wendy and Hook was 100% intentional. So, there's another layer to his villainy. I've seen that aspect of Hook's character be done in another film (The Lost Girls) and... yeah, it was too much. Too obvious.

Jason Isaacs' Captain Hook is representative of the darker side of growing up. And for a PG family film done in 2003, it's pretty incredibly how much they were able to get away with in just how dark of a villain he was.

I'll finish (for now) with saying that Jason also has an incredible understanding of the appeal of this story, and the appeal of this film in particular. So, I highly recommend looking that up, particularly with this interview

Couldn't have asked for a better Captain Hook. Also congrats, Jason, on cementing Hook as one of the ultimate Daddy Issues villain crushes.

[luis-michael6160]

Multiversal Brothers-in-Law, or How Peter Parker Got Tim Drake into Bed EP:04

Spider & red Robin EP:04

[story collection] <-more stories here

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Wayne Manor Kitchen – 08:17 AM [Multiversal Boyfriend Chronicles, Part 4] 🥞🕸️ “He has a keycard?!” 🫖😵 “Alfred knew before us?!”

The breakfast annex beside the Wayne kitchen was set like something out of a Michelin-starred hotel: fresh fruit, steaming pancakes (some shaped like bats), crispy bacon arranged with military precision — courtesy of Alfred, of course. Cassandra was already at her usual seat, quietly flipping through a notebook filled with combat moves that would probably make most choreographers weep. Alfred moved like clockwork, placing tea and coffee with surgical precision.

Peter walked in wearing one of Dick’s old t-shirts — which Jason immediately noticed and side-eyed — and made his way over to them with a kind of casual grace that was... unsettling. Like he belonged.

"Morning, Cass. Morning, Mr. Pennyworth. Tim's still asleep — he needs the rest," Peter said in a soft voice, rubbing one eye with the back of his hand. His hair was a mess, and he moved like someone who had just rolled out of bed… but he was calm. At ease. Like this was home.

Silence.

Everyone stared.

Steph was the first to break it, eyes narrowing.

"Wait. WAIT. You all ALREADY KNEW?"

Cass gave a thumbs-up without looking up from her notebook.

Jason raised both eyebrows. "Cass gave him a thumbs-up? Cass? Has anyone checked if she’s a Skrull?"

Unfazed as ever, Alfred poured tea for Cass, then set down a cup of coffee for Peter.

"Master Timothy invited Mr. Parker to stay the night approximately two months ago," he said in that signature calm, clipped tone that could soothe an earthquake. "Since then, Mr. Parker has visited the manor once every two nights, alternating between his heroic responsibilities and his time with Master Tim. Miss Cassandra requested guidance on spider-like agility maneuvers, which Mr. Parker incorporated into her silent drills in the east garden wing."

"Two MONTHS?!" Steph practically shrieked, fork clattering against her plate. "And NO ONE said anything?!"

"He taught me how to swing on wires in the training room," Cass said simply, still reading. "It’s fun. Good balance. Better than Dick."

"HEY!" Dick exclaimed from the other end of the table. "Seriously, Cass?! I’ve been flipping off trapezes since I was three!"

"He does it upside down. With one arm," she added.

Jason leaned back, arms crossed. "This is ridiculous. Spider-Boyfriend gets Cass and Alfred’s approval before we even knew he existed? I feel betrayed."

Peter raised his hands in mock guilt. "In my defense… Tim said if we kept it quiet, we could avoid a full-blown family inquisition and awkward questions about what kind of web fluid I use in his room."

"AAAGH! Too much information!" Steph yelled, covering her ears.

Damian, who had been silently glaring with the intensity of a katana’s edge, finally muttered, "I can tolerate the meta with the irritating sense of humor. But the fact that he won over Alfred in two visits..."

"Five," Alfred corrected smoothly. "The sixth time, he brought apple pie from his Aunt May. Excellent recipe. He was cordial, respectful, and washed the dishes without being asked."

Peter shrugged, smiling. "I was raised right."

Steph, still shell-shocked, muttered, "What else are you hiding? Does Peter have a Batcave key? A chair at the mission table?"

"Just Master Tim’s reading chair, and a level C access code," Alfred said without missing a beat.

Jason turned to Dick. "Do WE even have level C access?"

"I don't want to know," Dick replied, pouring more coffee.

Cass looked from Peter to the rest of the room. "He’s good for Tim," she said simply, then went back to eating.

Steph sighed, finally relenting. "Okay. Okay. I’m happy for Tim, seriously. I just... it stings that Alfred knew before me."

"That’s because I observe," Alfred said with a small, knowing smile.

Peter sat down naturally, helping himself to some juice.

"So, does this mean I’m officially allowed to stay for breakfast?"

"Peter," Dick said, clapping him on the shoulder as everyone else sat, "after this? You may never be allowed to leave."

Peter laughed.

And, honestly? That didn’t sound so bad.

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🫶Tips give Peter pancakes

💬 The comments make Alfred even more of a boss than he already is.

[the-aleator]

endeavour musings, ix

featuring: Pylon s6e1 What an episode. Powerful, raw.

The cinematography is breathtaking, capturing the pensive and aching beauty of this landscape. I love DeBryn's "Something has to be lovely," and Bright's Old-Empire Fortitude in a shameful post. Strange gets a shout-out for not giving up on Fancy, and Joan has finally found a boss she can emulate (who is the Distaff version of her Dad....) Also, everything about this episode is a Trauma Conga Line for Morse and Thursday. And Shaun Evans and Roger Allam play this to the hilt. The Regret on screen is actually palpable. Thursday gets the brunt of it, of course, but Morse comes in for some of it, and also gets the added sorrow of watching Thursday fall apart.

Random Pointed Remarks from Side Characters: Mrs. Kirby, to Thursday, "You've made a mistake," and he reacts as if she's just hit him. The Vicar to Thursday, "You've lost your faith," "I didn't have much to lose," Morse replies. Let's just set up their character arcs for the rest of the season, shall we?

The fact that Thursday tells the truth about the Lott's planting of evidence to BOX, of all people. On the one hand, it's absolutely a way that Thursday is self-harming; on the other, in light of s6's ending, you can see how Thursday, even at his lowest, is planting a seed of integrity for Box to think about.

It's hard not to feel some pity for Box here: from the beginning of this episode, he is over his head, outclassed, inadequate, and doesn't even have enough sense or character to listen to Thursday, much less Morse. He won't go to the autopsy, or tell the dead girl's parents, a scene juxtaposed by Thursday, patiently waiting, humbly, hat in hand in respect for the dead.

We now have canonical proof that Fred Thursday is a legend even in universe. (BOX: "You're Fred Thursday!"). But we also know that Thursday loathes himself. He can't even answer Morse when he says: "Well, you're worth a hundred of his sort. Don't forget it. Because I won't."

I know we are supposed to feel Fred Thursday is doing a Bad Thing but it gives me a little cathartic cheer inside every time he punches out a pedophile. So far our count in the show is 4 for 4.

JUSTICE: does the end justify the means?

THURSDAY: That's what I told myself. It's what did for him, though. Even so, he went to the gallows swearing his innocence. BOX: But he wasn't, was he? He was a wrong'un. So's his boy. Bad stock. We don't know he did it. We never know. It's a balance of probabilities. You go with your gut. What's important is types like that get put away. THURSDAY: And if we've got to nudge the jukebox to get the penny to fall? BOX: What are you saying, Fred? THURSDAY: Not sure I'm saying anything. We're just talking.

It's pretty clear throughout this episode that Box thinks the end justifies the means. Any means: violence, planting evidence, railroading the nearest suspect, not respecting their rights, etc. It's culminates in this idea of "bad blood" which, to his mind, justifies his methods. Every time he says this phrase, "bad blood," it makes Thursday wince.

"Some...nobody" is the phrase Thursday uses about whoever killed Ann Kirby, and yet, when it might Stanley Clemence, who Thursday "carried out of a bloodbath," he can't justify it. "Guilty or innocent," he says to Morse, "I can't give up on him." 6. The ARC OF MERCY The music in this episode clearly states the motif: MERCY. When we first see Morse, it is to the soundtrack of Turandot: Signore, ascolta Giacommo by Puccini, a warning that solving a riddle wrongly has the penalty of death. At the end of our first scene with Thursday, standing over Ann Kirby's body, it is Spem In Alium by Thomas Tallis ("I have never put my hope in any other but in Thee, God of Israel who canst show both wrath and graciousness, and who absolves all the sins of man in suffering Lord God, Creator of Heaven and Earth Regard our humility"). Later, Thursday's flashback of Peter Clemence being hung is to the first line of Miserere mei, Deus by Allegri ("Have mercy on me, Lord"). It reappears after Thursday has decided to hand in the hammer, "Tell the truth and shame the Devil," and Morse has taken that responsibility away from him. It's an exquisite choice, further on in the Misere: "Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin." Was there ever a man so thoroughly heartsick with guilt in these two scenes? Thursday is clearly broken to pieces by the revelation of the hammer: what he did, what he didn't do. And then: the culmination, Morse takes the Third Option by returning the Sample Case to where it was hidden in the church. It is a striking narrative choice, that it is concealed in the organ. Finally, Morse stares at the stained glass: The Virgin Mary, robed as Queen, and a striking panel of Christ in the iconography of Salvator Mundi, who holds the globus cruciger in his hand, a Christian symbol of Christ's dominion over the whole world.

Finally, Morse turns away, evidence hidden, and leaves. I think the music + this scene is very suggestive. To do justice (as Thursday decides on), to reveal the truth, is no kind of justice at all--the only plea here is for mercy.

[bobsbagofmeth]

𝐏𝐁&𝐉𝐉 જ⁀➴ 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐔

𝐁𝐨𝐛 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 - “𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐲”

Bob doesn’t say much in interviews—but when he does, the room goes quiet. He’s the one fans write long Tumblr posts about, the one whose hoodie sleeves are always too long, whose solos are slow and aching and sound like midnight. He’s the moodier one, sure—but not cold. There’s a quiet kindness in the way he tunes Peter’s guitar or lets Johnny steal his fries. The one with the voice that stays in your head for days.

Dark circles under quiet eyes, sleeves pulled over ink-stained hands, guitar pick tucked between his lips or behind his ear, chipped black nails tapping out beats on his thigh, headphones in—even if there’s no music.

“If I write about you, you’ll never know. That’s the point.”

Age: 18

Nicknames: Bobby (he hates it for many reason but won’t tell anybody but the boys), Mrs Torres, Golden Boy

Gender/Pronouns: Cis male (he/they)

Sexuality: Gay (very closeted—even the boys aren’t sure)

Close Friends

Peter Parker (childhood friends—share everything)

Joaquin Torres (massive crush on him but will never admit it)

Johnny Storm (feels like Johnny hates him but have deep mutual respect)

Likes

Poetry books

Cigarettes

Vinyl

Staring out windows during thunderstorms

Playing piano

Dislikes

Being stared at

Fame

Being misunderstood in interviews

Social media (his account is run by management)

Personality

Silent but observant—he sees everything, says very little. Always looks a little lost in thought or like he’s writing a poem in his head.

Social battery runs out fast—disappears mid-party and no one questions it.

Has major golden retriever energy hidden behind his black cat behaviour.

Doesn’t know how to accept compliments. Will blush and look at the floor hiding a small smile. Every time.

Appearance & Style

Oversized hoodies, thrifted jackets, flannels he wears until they literally fall apart

All-black outfits with one random pop of colour (like red shoelaces or a blue beanie)

Always has headphones in—even when he’s not listening to anything.

Half of his wardrobe is technically Joaquin’s. He either “borrows” it without asking or Joaquin sneaks it in Bob’s laundry (whether it’s so he doesn’t want to do his own laundry or he wants Bob to wear it? No one knows.)

How He Smells

He smells like clean cotton, campfire smoke, and something earthy.

Wears subtle cologne—woodsy, almost musky, definitely trying to attract Joaquin.

Sometimes he smells like vanilla shampoo and hotel room coffee.

Little Quirks

Taps his fingers in patterns when thinking—fans have noticed it matches drum lines.

Keeps an old guitar pick in his shoe—says it’s “for balance” (no one knows what that means).

Keeps an oddly large collection of Polaroids in a tin Altoids box—never shows them.

Sleeps with his hoodie hood up and sleeves pulled over his hands.

Will ignore texts for 3 days then send a single meme and act like nothing happened.

[funktobacillus]

OK so being once more premature about sporch as per usual, given i am going off but a mere handful of interactions at this point and therefore dipping into the realm of extrapolation and tea leaves. but with that crucial framing established, my current impression of the vibes:

peter at johnny

he likes bothering him and showing him up, in a way that is obviously antagonistic but also intended with a degree of playfulness that maybe doesn't come across as much as he thinks?

like, a clear part of the thrill and power rush of the spidey persona is the gratification in getting to be a filterless Pest. imagine. you're a picked on, put upon dweeb getting shit from All directions, but also now you get to mouth off to literally anyone you want, to either pay back every infraction against you or to at least Earn the unavoidable disdain this time by deliberately provoking it. (and also you're a teenager.)

and that's a delightful charm point: the utterly UNmagnanimous attitude (though not behavior, usually, because he's still a Good Hero Boy). that his immediate reaction to perceived slights is to go "ok :) fuck you forever :)" refreshing! (<- me probably reenacting the original reaction to spidey's debut)

(i love him)

anyway, the relevance of his grudge-nursing here is in the one he seems to still be nursing in johnny and the FF's general direction for "rejecting" each of his respective overtures to them. and again, he's a Good Hero Boy, so i don't think he fully, actually holds it against them (especially in the context of Hypothetical Necessary Superhero Teamups), but there is that lingering pettiness of "well, we could have been friendly, but they weren't, so fuck 'em, i'm not making this easy!"

but that's something too. that he wanted it to be friendly. he wanted allies. he wanted one single person who wouldn't mistrust him, or disparage him, or underestimate him. and did he get that? no. he got the FF being So Meanies by saying stuff like "why did you break into our house" and "we are functionally a non-profit organization" and johnny being So Meanies by saying stuff like "why are you breaking into my house" and OK some stuff that was genuinely Meanies but also it's not like johnny had the context to actually know about spider-man's good intentions.

and that's another thing. peter has definitely had more opportunities to see johnny's good side than vice versa. what with the whole Beloved Celebrity vs. Controversial Mysterious Rando thing, but also because ouch, i just realized ASM #3 was before strange tales annual #2. which means peter was going into a hopeful teamup with the guy who inspired him to keep being spider-man and instead was met with "fucka you, you showoff jerk and probably criminal!" yow! the sting!

it's also worth noting that at this point peter kind of does not have friends. he has, At Most, Liz Allan's Pity. (OK and also the affections of betty brant, but that clearly also has another layer to it going on, mee-yow.) so i think that makes johnny an inherently Potentialful figure in peter's life. Friend-Shaped, in the sense of being Shaped ideally to be his friend, because this is someone else who maybe gets it! someone else who gets what it's like to suddenly have these powers, this pressure, compounded by the preexisting pressures of being this age. the School-Life-Heroism balance of it all. (now if only he weren't such a big frigging jerk!)

plus i bet it's exciting on some level to have this guy he can openly roughhouse with without worrying about turning him into paste or getting connected to his other identity. like, in terms of that outlet, johnny has ben and probably reed he can tussle or do loop de loops with, but peter basically has. Various Of Animal-Themed Adult Men And Sand who want to Kill him.

so honestly with the sheer amount of hostility in peter's life, thrown both at and by him, i think it's possible, or at least funny to consider, that he is maybe not. quite tuned. to Acceptable Levels Of Being A Dick To Someone You Actually Want To Befriend. like, not that he's Trying to befriend johnny at this point, but he's got this Bantery Barb-Based Rapport established, and with this guy who just makes it so easy lol. can't wear your temper on your sleeve any harder than having that sleeve explode into flames.

and between that and just not being super familiar with johnny’s personality yet and operating on a default mode of filtering all his spidey interactions through Being Needling, plus everything else i outlined, there's this cocktail that basically amounts to I Must Be A Shit To This Guy, For Reasons.

well, that's on the highly extrapolate-y end of my thoughts, but if this Undersocialized Spider Gremlin interpretation isn't entirely me being tea leafy and bears out even a little bit, i think that'd be fun because it'd mean there's a facet to their dynamic that's like

peter: haha somewhat friendly ribbing, i am going to get a Passing Grade in Teenage Superhero Acquaintanceship

johnny: I Am Going To Kick This Guy's Ass

johnny at peter

genuinely kind of fucking pissed off by him lol. but like, in a way close to how he and ben genuinely piss each other off sometimes, if not exactly to that level of underlying fondness.

that is, he's definitely intrigued by spidey and knows that he is ultimately a Good Guy, but that is an awareness that is 1) reserved for Terminally Serious Situations and 2) buried under an outer nougaty crust of God, He's So Annoying. (the outermost coating on top of the nougat is, i dunno, Basic Denial or something.)

because it does come across to me that spider-man is, like, kind of more in johnny's craw than the other way around at this early point. which i'm basing partly on the general tenor of how they think about each other in strange tales #115.

peter: man, good thing sandman didn't murderize him. still a pain in the ass tho.

johnny: grr, spider-man, freaking spider-man [with "imminent wall punch" energy] freaking spider-jerk, grr!

but i think it also makes sense just taking into consideration, like with peter, what johnny sees of spider-man and how that factors into the other relationships in his life. i mean, he had a bad first impression (maybe one of the worst kinds to form on specifically a member of the FF?), and then a bad second impression informed by that first impression (even if it turned around into the germ of what i'm sure will be a beautiful friendship v_v), and now spidey's decided to follow it up with an awesome hat trick of his seemingly established approach by this point: showing up both randomly and uninvited, being a fighty dick, then fucking off.

then there's also how, in the way that johnny has more people around to receive positive attention from, peter has more people around to receive negative attention from. (proportionally, anyway. and discounting villains, since, y'know, obviously they both have those. superheroes.) that is, johnny has three other people who specifically Know what It's like (aside from the "treated like the tagalong kid" element) because they were literally there, so peter isn't as unique a potential source of Connection about that as johnny is for peter. (not to say spider-man doesn't still have Peer Appeal, especially in the department of getting brushed off as an impudent teen.)

and at the same time, johnny is accustomed to that (imperfect but still present) level of support and the general adoration of the masses and of most of the teens around him, so when someone DOESN'T act impressed by him, it stands out to him more than it does to peter "class pariah" "public menace" "shitbearer" parker who is, as established, dumped on 24/7 on all fronts of both halves of his life.

that's something made clear through dorrie evans, for example, and johnny's total befuddlement around her. she doesn't give a SHIT about the human torch?? which should maybe be flattering, and somewhat is, that she's interested in him beyond the flashy parts that everyone knows about, but also, like. this is his whole shit right now? being The Human Torch of The Fantastic Four is kind of an important part of his identity? he kind of works really hard at this and it's like one of his favorite things to do? and also how can she not think the human torch is cool as hell, he literally flies and shoots fire? he goes whoosh? he goes fwoosh kablam?

(i'm enjoying dorrie so far. humble that boy. keep him guessing.)

incidentally, it's interesting seeing how johnny's feelings on his own popularity has apparently shifted, since he used to seem more shy about the attention and secretive about his identity (unnecessarily lol), in a way that was somewhat surprising to me based on what little i knew about him before i started reading FF. it gives the impression that it took him some time to warm up (heh) to his new lifestyle, which is fitting with this era's more "realistic" approach to characters compared to previous superhero comics.

so i suppose from that we've got: a guy who's a little overwhelmed by his new powers and fame, but grows used to it, grows to enjoy it, to understand and embrace the role people expect of him. he likes being part of the fantastic four, and going on adventures, and helping people and saving the day. he likes using his powers, and therefore demonstrating them. and people like that about him, so he indulges them because he likes it too, he likes having these abilities. and it's not like he can help that their nature makes him one of the literally most visible members of the FF. he is, basically, by physiology a flashy guy.

but since The Spotlight is inseparably part of his skin now, i think so is the scrutiny. the scrutiny working its way under there, by eyes that are drawn to the flash even as they're blinded by it. more plainly, a clear thing that sets johnny off is being seen as "just" anything. just a hotheaded, know-nothing kid, rather than a full-fledged member of the fantastic four. just a reckless showoff, rather than someone who puts hours of time into this every day to be able to do his utmost, to keep topping his limits, to reach the heights of power but also control, the care needed to Be fire yet touch like he's not. i mean, considering this is like (OK, a fraction of) the power of the sun in the hands of a sixteen year old, the things he's managed to do with it are pretty damn impressive. (if not also silly at times, because: silver age comics.)

and then there's this freaking dickhead who doesn't appreciate any of that -_-

and he's also a costumed weirdo dickhead? who came and picked a fight with johnny's family? which is, like, dime a dozen, but still. what the hell. plus he's not even a villain, maybe, apparently? even though he's been nothing but a mysterious megadick? and alright, so he's on the level, he's still this hostile snob from out of nowhere, what does he know about heroism, who is HE to tell johnny off like he's stupid or incompetent, as if he's better than johnny at handling things, HE PROBABLY DOESN'T EVEN HAVE AN OBSTACLE COURSE.

it is really too bad for a guy who wants to be taken seriously that one of the main tools in spider-man's arsenal is Not Taking Anybody Seriously.

for real, spidey is all tude and flippancy and insults and zingers and johnny has no reason to know or consider that that's a front. there is no time or room to contemplate spider-man's insecurities when johnny is too busy getting led constantly into his own foible-shaped box-propped-up-by-a-stick known as Getting Looked Down On.

since i ventured into Pure Speculative Territory for peter's section and have been dipping into it again here, i'll finish this section off with some Even Further Dipping, More Like Outright Dunking:

johnny's surface level jealousy as a thing of competition and insecurity around (Not) Standing Out, getting edged out by another teen hero, because the less Special he is, the less reason people will have to care about him as an individual member of the FF? (eh, this is the most baseless thread)

but similarly, dissing spidey as an Arrogant Ego Boy -> a bit of projection or anxiety about how others perceive johnny? both in how it bothers him that spider-man talks down to him but also how johnny knows his own motives and that he's not just a showoff, i mean look at THIS guy, he can't be more of a showoff than THIS JERK

though at the same time, because of that awareness of the difference between interior intention and exterior perception, and of his own temper and bad impulses, maybe he does feel bad about his initial misgivings and misjudgment of spidey (even if spidey doesn't make it easy on account of his seeming allergy to acting sympathetically or to NOT BEING A DICK)

but all this speculation is probably wandering away from the simplest fact of the matter: spider-man is annoying as shit.

peter and johnny at each other

"man what a freaking prick. someone should take that guy down a peg. And That Someone Should Be Me."

another simple and obvious fuel for their spats is that they are both Angy guys. johnny in a thematically appropriate way, where he bursts and goes after whatever provoked (or stoked?) him. and peter with his Auto-Fuck-You-Parry to any injustice he receives, which seems to get stored up as resentment that boosts his Being A Little Shit meter. which then ticks off johnny and incites a hothead response from him, which triggers another Auto-Fuck-You-Parry from peter, and so they are set up to be in a snit forever.

this all also is not That deep, i say, at the end of like 2000 words to the contrary. in that there is already a definite mutual bare respect between them established by the end of strange tales annual #2, and Snarkily Ragging On Others is a standard form of communication for both these and other characters, on account of they are, um. marvel superheroes. (alcohol poisoning game: take a shot every time a character calls something "corny" or "cornball")

so i imagine the direction they are going—or maybe the shape of their trajectory, because i already have foreknowledge of the direction they are going (Friendship)—is they're going to continue having this bantery, squabbly dynamic, which will smooth out into roughly the same harsh words but spoken with an even more obviously jokey tone, and their fights will probably come to blows some more times, including in Actually Serious-ish ways, but they'll understand each other better afterwards, and eventually after more teamups and time spent knowing each other, they'll reach a point of being willing to admit they are friends. or something like that.

anyway, welp, this wound up with Quite a lot of Assertions for something that is, again, Squinting At The Vibes Of A Few 60s Comics. i have known the components of sporch for a couple dozen and maybe-a-dozen issues individually. this is So Very premature. i look forward to seeing how these impressions change as i get further in my readthrough.

i now end these less jokey impressions and return to my more jokey impressions:

peter: ughhhh fucking ass sandman fucking doc ock fucking vulture fucking flash fucking j jonah jameson oh shit hey it’s the human torch lol. lmao.

johnny: man why is it so hard having relationships with girls they're just impossible to connect with. Anyway Time To Go Throw Darts At A Picture Of Spider-Man's Face.

[sashaisready]

This Must Be The Place: Chapter 12 - I love the passing of time

Biker!Bucky x Femme Reader

Back at your beloved late grandmother's home to pack up her house, you have a run-in with the town's biker gang 'The Howling Commandos' and find yourself entangled with the metal armed President.

Series Masterlist

Warnings: None...I don't think

“Wow…so he just accused you in front of everybody?” Peter Quill asked you in disbelief, sipping his coffee as you caught him up on the mess that was your life.

You nodded and stiffly sipped your own drink, “Mmm…he tried to come by later and apologise, but I wasn’t exactly open to a discussion”.

Peter nodded sympathetically, giving you an understanding smile, “Yeah…I can see why”.

You smiled back, well, more of a grimace really, doing your best to keep your mind from wandering to Bucky.

“Sooo…you’re unemployed,” he offered in a slightly playful tone, but tentatively as if he was still feeling out your sensitivity levels around this subject.

You laughed into your coffee cup, grateful for the levity, “sure am…now I just watch daytime TV and hang out at the supermarket all day like a bum”.

The two of you chuckled and you asked him how work was going at the plant. As he told you an anecdote about one of his workmate’s antics, Drax or somebody? You found yourself comfortable…relaxed. Being with Peter didn’t really need you to be ‘on’, you didn’t need to try and suss out what he was thinking or where you stood like you did with Bucky, it was just nice.

The two of you had been texting for a week or so, ever since that night you’d first messaged him after you’d (figuratively and literally) closed the door on Bucky. You’d quickly found a fun rhythm with him over text, a balance of jokes and getting to know each other with the occasional meme thrown in. After losing your job and your ‘situationship’, you were grateful for the distraction. It was also a nice thing to break up your work with back at the house.

Eventually, he’d asked you to go for coffee in town, and it was so lovely to go on an actual date rather than just to each other’s houses under the cover of night. Coffee was a great choice, it was low stakes and informal, it meant you could have a conversation and get to know each other better without the pressures of a fancy dinner or sitting in silence at the movies. Fun and relaxed, just like Peter himself.

Bucky had blown up your phone for the first few days, asking you to hear him out…asking you to just let him talk…you’d ignored him entirely. He even set a bouquet of flowers to your door, which you’d rolled your eyes at and given to your elderly neighbour. You’d also pocketed the cash and thrown out the note he’d slid under the door. You didn’t need a reminder of him at the house, too. He’d wormed his way into your thoughts often enough already, despite your best efforts to forget him entirely.

You hated him for what he’d done, but the fact was you held strong feelings for him (the strongest!) right before that happened, and you couldn’t magically switch them all off even if he did hurt you. A dormant part of you still felt something, as frustrating as that was. You wished you could press a button that would erase it all and allow you to hate him in peace, but you couldn’t. So, next best thing - you were going to give him a wide berth, get on with the house jobs and hang out with Peter until it was time to leave.

You sent Bucky a brief text asking him to leave you be and respect your wishes, and he finally did – the bare minimum, but he did. You hadn’t heard anything from him since. Long may it continue.

Steve had also sent you a very no-nonsense text apologising for ‘how your employment ended’ and said that the position was always open if you changed your mind. You politely declined and he sent you back a thumbs up emoji, which was a big deal for Steve who famously didn’t do emojis – it might as well have been a heart.

Nat, Parker and a few of the others had also reached out, expressing regret for how things went down and that you left. They were a sweet bunch underneath all that leather and scowling. Your heart panged a little at their words, you really did like being there with them, it was a shame it blew up so spectacularly.

Wanda and Vis had been there for you, enthusiastically inviting you along to their date nights and stuff with their other friends, not wanting you to spend your evenings rattling around in a dead woman’s home by yourself. It was appreciated, but you didn’t love playing third wheel at a romantic dinner.

Now you weren’t banging your evenings away with Bucky - the house was taking shape. You’d dropped off the cash donation to the shelter, plus moved out a whole bunch more stuff. You had a steady stream of strangers coming to collect old furniture and junk (‘treasures’ as Granny called them, which just thinking about made you feel guilty) from the ads you’d posted on various Facebrook groups and Craigslist. And you’d kept anything truly sentimental, of course. You still hadn’t done the damn fence, but the room painting was almost done. You just needed to do that, or pay someone else to, plus fix the slightly leaky faucet in the bathroom you’d always moaned to Bucky about.

“…and that’s when we realised it was Monday, not Tuesday, that the shipment was delivered”, laughed Peter as the end of his story snapped you back into the room.

You chuckled good-naturedly and took the last sip of your drink before Peter pointed at your empty cup, “Another? I’ve got a real hankering for a muffin or something…”

You smiled and nodded as he went to the register to get you both another round. As you were left by yourself, you mindlessly picked up your phone and began scrolling when a voice behind you called your name.

You turned, horrified to come face to face with…Tom.

Tom, who stood in front of you, his head lowered like a wounded puppy.

Tom, who had screwed you over and lost you your job.

Tom…who was sporting a painful looking black eye…and bruising all over his cheek.

“Tom, what the-”, you bristled.

“I’m sorry,” he interrupted, his voice panicked and urgent, “I’m so sorry. I was just passing and saw you in the window and had to…just…Fuck. It was so shitty. I never should’ve done it. I just…I needed the cash for my buddy and Bucky had already given me a couple’a loans and-”

Your initial wave of anger was quelled. He was just so…meek and lost. You just pitied him in that moment.

“I did it without really thinking”, he sighed, a little calmer now. “I knew that security camera was out. If I’d known they would’ve gone after you I never would’ve done it. I promise. I thought they’d just think they messed up the count, or assume I fucked up some orders. I’m so sorry”.

You sighed sadly. “What’s going on, Tom? Why did you need it for your buddy?”

He looked away, the guilt evident in his eyes. “I…sorta…I have a few issues with gambling. Alright?” he looked ashamed.  “And I actually felt so bad after, I came back. After all they’d done for me…and for me to do that to them…so I drove back to the bar, ready to return it all – but you’d left and they’d already figured it out after I got there…and they were so mad…”

You nodded with quiet understanding. He didn’t need a lecture from you, there was nothing you could tell him he hadn’t already told himself. And it looked like Bucky and Steve had told him too…

“It’s okay, Tom”, you told him, “What you did was fucked up…but it’s not your fault Bucky accused me, and that stuff turned out the way it did. That’s on him and only him”.

He nodded meekly, repeating that he was sorry as he awkwardly fiddled with his hands.

“I’m sorry…about your face,” you grimaced.

He shrugged. “It’s cool. Really. It wasn’t that bad. I stole, I deserved what I got. I was a traitor. But after Bucky calmed down…he listened. He sat down with me and told me to tell him everything. And I did…I admitted it all. What I did. My…uh…problem. And he and Steve are gonna get me straight, pay to get me some real help. Help me with my debts and support me to beat this thing once and for all”, his face looked hopeful.

You nodded encouragingly. You were mad at Bucky and Steve for hurting him, even though you knew that’s how things were duked out in their world. He was just a dumb kid who made a dumber mistake, who had gotten himself into a deep hole. But you couldn’t deny your surprise about getting him professional help. That was…surprisingly decent of them.

“Well…best of luck,” you smiled as you gave his hand a squeeze, “I hope you find what you need. And no hard feelings between us, okay?”

Tom grinned and nodded. He was alright, really.

“Hey I got you a biscotti…oh hey, sorry, who are-” said Peter, eyeing Tom as he walked back to the table with the tray of drinks in his hands.

“This is Tom, I used to work with him at the bar. See you, Tom”.

Tom nodded at Peter and gave you a wave as he left. You shared a small smile as he walked out of the coffee shop.

“All good?” asked Peter as he unloaded the cups and plates from the tray.

“All good,” you grinned. “And thank-you…I love biscotti. It’s like a fancy cookie”.

You both laughed, and just like that, Tom and Bucky and the bar and everything else floated away.

*

Some time later, after most likely too much caffeine and sugar, you were giggling with Peter as you walked out of the coffee shop and down the street.

“That was a lot of fun, thank you,” you said.

He smiled, “Yeah, I had fun too. Can I walk you back to your car?”

You nodded – pointing towards the street where you’d parked up.

As the two of you walked together, Peter very smoothly took his hand in yours. It gave you a burst of butterflies, and a twinge of melancholy that Bucky had never acknowledged your relationship publicly by doing something like that.

As you reached Sally you turned to Peter, “This is me”.

He smiled and very gently pulled you towards him. Before you knew it, he gently cupped your chin in his hand and pulled your lips towards his. The kiss was chaste, sweet. You kissed him back, unable to hide the smile that was trying to break out.

He pulled away and smiled as he looked down at you, opening your driver’s door for you. “Dinner, next time?”

You beamed, “Absolutely”.

*

Across the street, unseen by anyone else, a tall and blond figure watched the two of you with interest as he leaned against a shopfront window.

“Hm…” he muttered, pulling out his phone.

[sciderman]

I give you one better, I invite you to avoid the negativity and tell us. What would be the perfect DP/SP cannon comic for you? Like that topics and motivations and even silly jokes would make you fill with joy and happiness and fun reading it?

Also if you could choose any writer to do it, who would it be?

for real the spideypool book of all time is avenging spider-man #12-#13, for wade and peter's ridiculous dynamic where - unlike most of deadpool and spider-man's team-ups, spider-man is honestly in good spirits and good humour, and is rolling with the punches.

i think that's the big reason why i love this particular team-up so much - it's not as mean-spirited as literally every other spider-man and deadpool routine, where spider-man is kind of excessively mean to deadpool. like sure, wade and peter aren't friends, exactly, but peter's not excessively mean, and they just have this delightful little dynamic where - like, peter's disappointed, but i don't know, it doesn't feel belittling to me. even when peter's disappointed.

it's the most likeable peter's ever been in any spider-man and deadpool team-up. he really really has a likability issue in every single spider-man/deadpool team-up. in every single one, save for this one, peter is just... really unlikeable in the spider-man/deadpool dynamic. he's always holier-than-thou, and i really can't stand it.

so if there were a spider-man and deadpool book i'd want to read - it would have to have wade and peter on equal footing. none of this holier-than-thou stuff - peter doesn't see himself as superior. he probably will still see deadpool as a nuisance, but he doesn't think he's better than wade. i'd want it to stay street-level. i'd want a lot of opportunities for each of them to surprise each other with their abilities - i'd want wade to constantly be taken aback by peter's brilliance, and i'd want peter to be taken aback by how sharp wade is. i'd want that respect between them to grow, over time. equal footing. a balance of powers. i really don't think it's fair that, kind of consistently, peter's always held the power in the dynamic and wade's kind of always a bit of a doormat with peter. so - i want them to dismantle that hero-worship dynamic, and put them on equal footing.

god. and the series has to be funny. dear god let it be funny. the sm/dp series was just - not funny. i can't remember a single joke that landed, for me. if there's anything a spider-man and deadpool book has to be, it's funny. please. deeeeaaaar god please.

[crooked-wasteland]

Hazbin Rewrite Ideas

Since I have gotten about 3 asks now on how I would rewrite Hazbin Hotel, here are some actual ideas for a rewrite and why I think they would function as a cohesive narrative and not just metanarrative themes.

Adam is Second in Command

Adam being both the head of the exorcists as well as Sera being a terrible overseer and uninterested in what Adam is doing makes no sense. Even with the argument being that she's concerned about Hell rising up, it doesn't explain why she wouldn't take more control of the exorcists. She basically allows them to govern themselves and relies heavily on Adam of all people. In Season 2 they are trying to make her morally grey with how she comes to regret the exterminations after Pentious is proven capable of redemption, but it is undercut by how she treated Sinners as subhuman.

If they are in heaven, they deserve to be a person and if they go to Hell they don't. But it solidifies this idea that people need to prove they are worthy of respect, love, and life. Which is the fundamental core of White Supremacist ideology. Most racists have exceptions to their dogma, because those individuals "proved themselves" in some way or manner that they are deserving of respect. Usually by being useful or successful.

This framing is not removed just because Sera is black coded. Racist ideology is racist ideology regardless of what color it comes in. And even if you love the show, it is paramount to understand that the people behind the series are going to have their own beliefs and agendas that are still going to be filtered through Medrano's beliefs. And even if this is the result of a hired writer or not, it didn't touch Medrano that this sort of thinking is the definition of implicit racism.

As such, adding distance between Sera and Adam would have made it less scathing on her and show more of the bureaucratic "red tape" that I think was supposed to be somewhere in Heaven. Based on the first and sixth episodes, I feel like that was what they were trying to get across with Peter's panic over Charlie "not on the list" as well as her signing a contract just to meet with Adam. But it is so glossed over it may as well not be there at all.

And while I definitely do criticize Medrano when adding more characters to a cast, it usually comes from the fact that the additions do nothing to balance the cast and the story. Often adding new plot threads rather than integrating into existing ones. But here it is necessary. Add another Angel to be in charge of exterminators and Adam, who also reports back to Sera. Someone who is not objectively bloodthirsty, they are just doing their job (The Banality of Evil is a great reference). Meanwhile Sera is the one actually in control, but doesn't actually want to get too involved with the details because she finds the human impact of her decisions too upsetting.

She takes in numbers and facts without wanting to really know anything. So when Charlie goes to meet with Heaven, it should be Adam and his boss. Adam being insufferable and contrarian while his boss is apathetic and diplomatic would have made a better dynamic than having Adam and Adam2.0 (Lute). Having differences in personalities allows for more range of interactions.

Or, if you want to be more radical and clean up some of the fluff to the story, recycle a character into this role. Emily being Adam's superior actually sets a strong foundation for why they would even entertain and compromise.

I wouldn't have had this happen in the first episode either. Instead have it be episode 4 or 5 and keep everything in Hell, just have the interaction occur through the embassy.

And that isn't to say get rid of Lute. In fact, making her the second in command to the second in command is a perfect representation of Pick-Me Post-Feminism.

Rework the Timeline and Primary Threat

The 6 month timeline was a bad idea. It's clear they thought they had enough content to have an extermination at the end of the season, but no idea how to adapt to episode constraints. It makes no sense why the timeline is condensed to 6 months when we don't even see things happening in the show. Changes are practically instantaneous after a song and such songs are not a genuine show or reflection of the characters' wants and needs. It's a moment that "seems good for a song".

It also never confirms why they are reducing the time.

I actually like the Conan idea Anon supplied. Where the reveal of the dead Angel is what causes the growing tension. I would probably have cut the first 3 episodes to focus on one character each, similar to Creature Commandos did towards the end of the series.

For some reference, the show starts with the characters playing off each other and building their dynamics before going into their back stories. And the last 4 episodes, while balancing the current stories of the entire cast, tackle each monster's backstory one by one. They start with a sense of familiarity, so it makes sense to hold off on explaining their pasts until the story starts building tension. Interspersing it with the rising action towards the climax allows the audience to attach themselves to the characters in a complex manner. They aren't made one note for some tragic backstory to them excuse all the lives they take later on. You see them grapple with and indulge in their darkest self while also seeing where their humanity has been buried at the same time. You delight in their gratuitous violence and the carnage they leave while also wishing them happiness. Extremely contradictory emotions being balanced simultaneously is how you can quickly endear an audience to a group of sympathetic assholes. And James Gunn is one of the best writers for that trope.

So for the first few episodes I would focus on the characters' relationships with each other. Angel Dust not really participating, Vaggie being defensive of Charlie while also seeing Angel Dust as a lost cause, and Charlie desperately trying to instill change but not understanding Angel or Vaggie well enough because she is essentially a Hellborne Half-angel. Having her struggling to connect to sinners would have been an excellent source of narrative conflict early on.

It works with the B plot of episode 1 and connects better to the Pilot. Additionally, it builds a foundation for Lilith's motivations. Apparently in season 2 it is revealed she raised an army before vanishing, so focusing on Sinners rejecting Charlie during this time makes the most sense. It even allows some fanatics to accuse Charlie of being a traitor to even her own Mother. There is also an opportunity to bait at the idea of Charlie not being Lilith's daughter, but actually Eve's.

Keeping with the angel being killed in the extermination, have a rising tension be that exterminators have supposedly been spotted in the Pride Ring. Maybe they are searching for the missing angel and that is causing rising uncertainty and thus paranoia and desperation. It also can act as motivation for Sinners to go to Charlie. And Charlie sees this "threat of punishment" moving people to believe in her. What it means to rule through fear and how desperation creates Christ figures.

The exterminators find the dead Angel and are planning a preemptive mass scale invasion. No longer are they just thinking numbers, this is now war. And have the meeting between Heaven and Charlie be based on that. Heaven is meeting with Lucifer to basically say all bets are off and, if he wants to keep his family safe, they need to leave the Pride Ring before a specific time.

It shows that international hostilities are never so complete that the wealthy and powerful still look after each other. Even when they are supposedly enemies. It shows the nuance and complexities of class solidarity and diplomacy. It gives the foundations of how power becomes corrupt and how community and recognition supercedes even ideology.

And this is where Charlie meets with Adam and his commander and she has to make a deal. She can't call off another extermination, it is happening whether she likes it or not. But what if the only safe place is the Hotel? She explains her little rehab center and how she is trying to find a better way to reduce tension between Hell and Heaven by redeeming her people. Adam is opposed emotionally, talking about how undeserving they are and how their punishment has already been given, only to be silenced by his diplomatic superior.

The issue then is how many people would be sincere in their redemption if it was known that running to the hotel would make them safe? Every room would be packed to bursting as every sinner ran to save themselves and immediately abandon Charlie and her project once it was no longer convenient to them. Especially because they don't know how their exterminator was killed.

If Charlie wishes to spare her pet project, she needs to give them a good reason not to just go to war. Things will go back to normal, yearly exterminations included, but the deal with Lucifer would be amended to include Charlie's hotel as being safe only if she can find the murderer and bring them before Heaven for their final judgement.

Connect this storyline to the Vs. Carmella works under Vox but keeps her angelic weapon to herself because it's the only thing that can kill a Sinner. Maybe she is planning to kill the Vs herself because they keep control of her through her daughters. Maybe Valentino had them abducted to empower Vox over Carmella and take her territory. They are Val's victims in human trafficking and political plays, but during the extermination, Carmella took advantage of the situation and stole them back. Knowing that it would be assumed the people in charge of watching over her girls were killed by the angels and no one would necessarily look for her girls for the same reason.

Only for them to be attacked by an exorcist while fleeing and Carmella was forced to kill the angel to save them all. And because of that, she's trying to lay low and stay quiet during this whole situation to not raise suspicion that she has her daughters, or that it was her who killed the angel. Meanwhile Charlie is hunting her down to try and save her hotel. And this way Angel Dust's narrative with Valentino directly folds into the conflict where he can be a tool for Charlie and the narrative to get information on Carmella and solve the case.

There are multiple opportunities one could take with these ideas and not all of them are necessary to greenlight. If you don't want to suggest Eve could be Charlie's real mother, you don't have to. But if you enjoy playing with your audience and have an idea of how the reveal one way or the other would go, it's an opportunity. And the fact remains that you sometimes have to cut ideas.

Maybe not all of these ideas would work. But the Hell I imagine isn’t just sex and bowties—it’s systems, trauma, survival, and the hope of something more.

[yuqrian]

Against the bloodline?? 👀

This was a work in progress that I started in November 2024, but my writing made me cringe and I gave up 😂

The plot:

- Voldemort’s power is growing, unrest in the wizarding world - At Hogwarts, students with Muggle parents are being cursed, and Sirius is suspected because of his family - Remus and Sirius grow closer because they both feel like outcasts - Resolution: Regulus overhears a Slytherin bragging about their curse, and tells Sirius/Remus. Remus and Sirius come up with a plan to get the Slytherin to admit that they were the one who did it.

This what I had written so far:

Remus rubbed his tired eyes and pulled the Daily Prophet out from under a steaming platter of bacon and eggs. Across the House table, James cheerfully tore open two letters, just delivered by a large barn owl. “This one’s from Mum and Dad!” James’ eyes darted quickly across the parchment. “They had a lovely Christmas with their friends in Ulster. The Agnews sent this,” he passed a large, brown-paper-wrapped box to Sirius, “and they want to know if that secret passage behind the tapestry of Hedwig the Hungry is still known among the students these days.” “Last year, Moony and I had to hide in there for half an hour from Filch,” said Sirius, tearing off the wrapping paper from James’ parcel. “Remember? When we tried to hex Snape’s socks to smell like wet dog, but accidentally flooded half the corridor with stinking water?” “Bloody hell, mate, did you really have to remind me of that?” groaned Remus. He gave Sirius a hard thump on the upper arm, but Sirius only grinned back cheekily.

James continued in a high-pitched voice, a surprisingly good imitation of his mother, “‘Mafalda and Richard were ever so impressed that our son is doing so well at Hogwarts and in the Quidditch team. We’re so proud of you, darling.’ Ha, she definitely didn’t tell them about the suits of armour we made breathe fire at every Slytherin that walked past last month,” James glanced mischievously from Sirius to Remus through his round glasses. “Now that’s something to be proud of!”

Sirius chuckled from the corner of his mouth and tossed a chocolate from the now-opened parcel at James’ head. He snatched it swiftly out of the air and shoved it in his mouth, already unfolding his second letter.

“Peter says he won the snowball fight on his street—wow, good on him—Oh, wait, he was on a team with Macmillan and Abbott, they’re of age and already allowed to use magic outside school, and they’d enchanted the snowballs…”

Remus fished out a chocolate from the box on Sirius’ lap and flipped open the newspaper. His eyes were drawn to a moving black-and-white photograph beneath the headline: ‘Charity Ball at the Ministry’London – 26 December 1975 Incoming Minister for Magic Harold Minchum marked the start of his term with a glittering ball for Ministry officials and major benefactors. Following the forced resignation of former Minister Eugenia Jenkins last month, Minchum is said to be more than ready to take the helm. We interviewed Mr Orion Black, who attended with his wife, Walburga.

“Our family has had the pleasure of financially supporting Minister Minchum’s policy work, to help restore strength and skill to the wizarding community. We must ensure that the foundation of our society is purged of the weaknesses of these times. Hogwarts plays a key role in this. Education is currently free for students of both magical and Muggle-born descent, but is funded through wizarding tax money, and has been for generations. It would be fairer if Muggle-borns and half-bloods paid tuition fees, to balance this burden. Quality education is of utmost importance to raise our children into capable witches and wizards, and such a contribution would surely benefit the school. I have high ambitions for my children” (Sirius and Regulus Black are currently in their fifth and fourth years respectively at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, ed.)

“Many are afraid to speak these truths, for fear of powerful wizards who believe their views are the only ones that matter. Mr Riddle is one of the few who dares to challenge that.”

This is what I was planning:

James, Remus, and Sirius are having breakfast one morning after Christmas. Peter has gone home, but James stayed at Hogwarts for his friends and because his parents are on holiday in Ireland (visiting old school friends). Remus rubs his eyes—he, James, and Sirius stayed up a bit too late last night, caught up in a funny conversation and planning a prank for after the Christmas holidays.

In the Daily Prophet, Remus reads an article about a Ministry ball. There's a photo of Voldemort shaking hands with the Minister. In the photo, Sirius and Regulus’ parents are also visible. Remus reads an interview with Sirius’ father. James reads them Peter’s letter, which just arrived. Remus listens with half an ear while still reading the article. Sirius secretly reads along but pretends to be listening to James.

In Peter’s letter, he writes that he had a nice Christmas and had a snowball fight with other kids from his neighborhood. The 17-year-olds were already allowed to use magic outside school, so he lost. James’ parents sent chocolate and a note saying they had told their Irish school friends how well James was doing at school and in Quidditch. James grins a bit at this, and Remus notices that Sirius is secretly jealous of such nice parents.

Remus nudges Sirius to get a reaction from him reading along, asking what he thinks. Sirius rolls his eyes. James notices that Sirius is no longer listening to him and looks over at the article too.

Other students return to Hogwarts after the holiday. They whisper about the article, and Remus notices that Sirius is getting suspicious looks. There's speculation that Sirius’ family is grooming him for a future at the Ministry—on Voldemort’s side. Sirius initially ignores it—he's been through this before, back in first year.

Classes start again the next morning. A Hufflepuff refuses to partner with Sirius in Defense Against the Dark Arts. James tells Sirius not to let it get to him, that he knows he’s better than his family.

Then, a Muggle-born student is attacked by an unknown assailant (someone from Slytherin, but no one knows that yet). Other students think Sirius might have done it. Earlier, a rumor had started that Sirius had called someone a "Mudblood," but it was taken out of context. A Slytherin was provoking Sirius, and he responded with a sarcastic remark that included the word "Mudblood." Something possibly related to Snape and Lily?

James hears about it, and although he isn’t dating Lily yet, he still gives Sirius a weird look.

Quidditch Match: Remus is in the stands as a spectator. During a match against Slytherin, someone in the audience hexes Sirius’ Quidditch robes to turn Slytherin green and silver. "He’s showing his true colours." Sirius doesn’t notice because he’s flying. He gets hit by a Bludger from one of his own teammates. The match is almost over, but due to the confusion and being a player down, Gryffindor loses. The team is frustrated, and James is moody from all the drama and the loss. That evening in the dormitory, James and Sirius argue. James doesn’t understand why Sirius lets the bullying get to him, since he knows he’s on the right side. James’ whole family is on the right side, so he struggles to relate to Sirius’ situation. The fight is really about their communication problem: a lack of empathy for each other’s perspective.

Sirius is angry, Remus is there for him.

The culprit behind the wand curses is caught. He either has some kind of proof on him, accidentally reveals knowledge only the attacker would know, or corrects someone’s assumption about the curse and thus exposes himself. Regulus had already tipped off Remus about him.

James apologizes to Sirius.

[deathomatic]

here’s the deal I like animals I respect animals I appreciate them - But when a domesticated animal tries to steal my food I become a different person. They have their own food in a big beautiful tub that’s just for them and it’s expensive as all hell. And it’s nutritionally balanced to meet their disgusting needs. It’s for them to have. if I keeled over and died while I was about to take a bite of a big eleven dollar sandwich and St. Peter was like “alright here’s the score - I can let you into heaven right now (race cars and HJs for eternity) or you can go back as a ghost for closure and forever walk the earth but you’ll never be allowed to see the kingdom of god” I would INSTANTLY pick ghost so I could go back to earth and make sure the dog didn’t take my sandwich

[queerespresso]

🧸 Bison, my chaos cutie patootie killer

Like Kant, he doesn’t remind me of any of Khaotung’s previous characters. Bison is unique in being a dichotomy of cute, romantic, chaotic, aware yet hopeful.

I felt mixed about the beginning scene. There’s a part of me that was like “yasss, get it. You seductress.” That expression on his face when hugging the uncle, I’m not 100% sure but I do think he likes to be perceived as attractive and gets satisfaction from it (respect). But I also felt he is resigned to being a decoy in this way and is holding the guy off until Fadel can come in..sigh…he didn’t pick this life. I guess all of the characters are in situations because of others choosing. How they all react to it is different.

On the assassin front, I think he isn’t as reassured as Fadel that they’re killing “bad people”. I think that justification has appealed to Fadel’s sense of justice. I don’t fully understand Bison’s perspective on it yet as he thought it was cool that their killing was in the newspaper. He expresses not wanting to kill but it looks to me to not stem entirely from what’s right and wrong or good and bad. He seems to be dissociating from the moral implication as he knows he can’t leave his current situation at the moment..and he was raised with a different value set compared to the average family.

That flashback told us a lot. Him expressing him self drunk by shooting off rounds in a karaoke bar 😂. He seems to have a large desire to be ‘free’ and find himself. He’s definitely young. It reminds me of Peter Pan Syndrome or Fantasy Prone Personality. Bison clearly had a heavy upbringing, so he does have street smarts or awareness when it’s needed. But because he missed out on his childhood, he’s expressing it later in life. It can make him seem naive or overly romantic but the awareness IS below the surface.

While he does have that younger brother annoyed energy with Fadel, you can tell he loves him. Fadel is obviously protective of Bison but I think Bison would not allow anyone to mess with Fadel as well yet probably handle it more chaotically.

Him at the bowling alley. Love that “don’t bullshit” me vibes. It’s funny coming from someone who frequently fakes his identity but maybe that’s why he calls it out. He craves authenticity and honesty from people because he isn’t living that way himself. He’s down for the fun of a one night stand as it’s typical for his life but anything beyond that is new territory and that’s when I saw that hyper romantic version of him.

Cute him kills me. I’m a sucker for cute. I love both Kant and Bison’s cute moments. I find it funny that they don’t have them as much with each other. It’s like one is confident and flirty while the other is bashful and cute or they’re both suave, teasing and flirting. If they were both simping and cute with matched energy..hmm. When Bison was practically twirling his hair responding to Fadel “🥹 He likes me?” and that’s all he heard. I experienced intense cute aggression. I also felt nervous af with the vibe of what’s to come.

♨️💭 I don’t know the full dynamic yet (sub/brat/dom/top/bottom/verse) so can’t talk too much on intimacy. Bison gives me brat energy (as a brat ☺️). He likes to tease with the whole intercepting the kiss with a burger and pouty with the ice cream. He showed some dominance in the bedroom by reminding Kant he’s not doing it solo and was over Kant at one point. But also relented and joined Kant on the bed and gave some control to Kant in the end. I think the m*sochism will come from a place of control but the opposite of Kant, gaining control. There is a lot of trust and love when your partner gives over that control and trusts you to take care of them while balancing pleasure and pain. I think Bison wants to be loved for his authentic self (whomever that is and he doesn’t fully know). So Kant showing so much trust in Bison will push Bison to fall harder and faster maybe.