#a fun movie honestly i kept my expectations low so it was a pleasant surprise !

[yume-fanfare]

also!!! watched road to show earlier it was fun <3

[jombocostello]

(Bruno, Abbacchio, Doppio, Gyro) Oneshots

Hi!! My sister is in the hospital right now and she's a massive Jojo fan, so I'm hoping to ask for some either fics or headcanons for the characters abbachio, gyro, Bruno, and doppio? I think I've spelt those right. Thank you!

Yes of course!! I really hope she’s doing alright, and I hope you are too!!

Bruno

It's late in the evening when Bruno gets home after a long day of work. When he unlocks the door, you jump up from your seat in the kitchen and meet him at the doorway. "Hi, Bruno," you say, helping him remove his long coat and walking with him into the house. "How was your day?"

"Well..." He furrows his brow. "It was alright. Busy, but alright. Giorno has been growing exponentially; I have a feeling he may take my position sometime soon."

"Really?" As you hang up Bruno's coat, you turn to look at him. "He's that good?"

"He's a natural leader. I'd be glad to be replaced by him." With a sigh, Bruno takes a seat at the kitchen table. "Could you make some tea, (Y/N)?"

"Sure." As you fill up the kettle, you watch Bruno rest his cheek against his hand. "Why are you so tired?"

He breathes a little laugh and looks down at the table. "Work has been getting harder. The job's aren't too taxing, not at all, but I just get worried sometimes."

You walk over to the table and pull out a chair. You take a seat and place your hand over Bruno's, resting it against his cheek. "It's not me, is it?" you ask softly, frowning. "I've told you - you don't have to worry about me."

"I - " he starts, but his voice falters. "I can't help it," he says, smiling a little bitterly. "I never wanted to involve you in my life. It'll always be too dangerous for you, and I love you far too much to want you in trouble."

"I'm not scared enough of them to leave you, Bruno," you whisper, leaning in and ghosting your lips over his. "I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth."

You feel him smile against your lips, and he kisses you with everything he has. "Then I'll take you there," he replies breathlessly, hand leaving his face to rest on your hip. He rests his forehead against yours and looks deep into your eyes. "Everywhere I go we'll go together. I love you, and I want to be with you always."

"Bruno, I - " You grin, and he smiles widely as well. You run your fingers through his short black hair and sigh, shutting your eyes. "I love you so - "

The whistle of the tea kettle surprises both of you, and you jump before bursting into peals of laughter. Bruno laughs with you, and you're happy to see such a lighthearted look on his face. "I'll get that," you say between giggles, and you slowly pull your hands back and stand up.

Once the tea is made, you and Bruno sit down together on the couch in your quaint living room. You flip on the television and start browsing the channels; once you find a particularly sweet old movie, you set down the remote and take a sip of your tea. Bruno watches you silently; there's a quiet beauty in everything you do, and it's intoxicating to him.

The two of you finish your tea, and as the movie winds to a close, you rest your head on Bruno's shoulder. The warmth of his body and the soft sound of his breath lulls you to sleep.

Bruno looks down at you, careful not to disturb you as he tilts his head. There's a peaceful smile on your face even in slumber, and he leans down and presses a sweet kiss to the crown of your head. "I love you," he whispers, and he hopes you can feel how much he means it. He'd do truly anything for you.

-----

Abbacchio

"So? Do you want to go or not?"

You find yourself standing before your teammate Leone Abbacchio, and you're utterly stunned. He's just asked you on a date - tonight - and he's waiting rather impatiently for your answer. "Well..." you start, the confusion in your voice clear. "Sure."

"Good. I'll pick you up at eight." He stares you down for one more moment and then turns on his heel, walking out the door of the Libeccio.

You're left completely blindsided by what just happened. Abbacchio - the irritable, displeased, and all around negative member of your team - just asked you out to dinner. You would be lying if you said you weren't excited (you've always found him handsome and a bit intriguing), but you're mostly just shocked. He's never expressed that kind of interest in you before.

You head back to your place and start to get ready. As you're getting dressed, you replay Abbacchio's little proposal from earlier. He had seemed almost annoyed about the whole affair - had someone put him up to it? You huff out a laugh as you throw on your shoes; Abbacchio wouldn't take any bet that forfeits his pride. Once you're all ready, you head outside and watch for Abbacchio.

Perfectly on time, he drives up to the curb in a sleek car. "Hey," he calls loudly through the window. You wave and hop in, buckling your seatbelt as he drives away.

The ride is mostly silent. You glance over at Abbacchio as he drives, but he doesn't tear his gaze away from the road. Though you're not speaking, there isn't an uncomfortable moment, and you're honestly excited for this date.

The restaurant is one of the nicer places in the area. "Have you been here before?" you ask Abbacchio as he gets out of the car. "I've never been, but I've heard it's great."

"It's alright," he replies, his voice low. "I've only been here twice."

"You know what they say," you say with a little grin, "third time's the charm!"

Abbacchio actually smiles at that, holding back a little laugh, and you consider that a great victory. You follow him into the restaurant, and you're taken to a beautifully lit table near the back of the room.

Before you can sit, Abbacchio casually pulls your chair out for you. It's the most nonchalant act of chivalry you think you've ever seen, and you thank him before taking a seat.

You're both quiet for a while before the server arrives and gets your drink orders. Finally, Abbacchio speaks. "You look nice tonight," he comments matter-of-factly. You smile and thank him, and he just nods his head.

"You look nice too," you say, and you mean it completely. Honestly, he always looks nice. His long silver hair is always perfectly maintained, and tonight he's wearing a black dress shirt and pressed black pants. He looks great.

"Thanks." A little more silence transpires, but your server arrives to break up the tension. After placing your order, you lean back in your chair and gaze at Abbacchio. You're not really sure of what to say, so you figure you should just speak what's on your mind.

"So what was the reason for this date?" you ask, grinning when Abbacchio blinks in mild surprise. "Anything in particular?"

He recovers and shrugs. "I've always found you interesting." You weren't expecting to hear that. You watch him with raised eyebrows as he speaks. "I wanted to get to know you better, because I honestly like you a lot. Is that alright?"

It takes you a couple seconds to actually register the question. "Is that - yeah! Yeah, of course - that's why we're here right now." You smile warmly at him from across the table, and he returns the gesture as well as he can.

"I'm glad." The two of you chat for a while before the food arrives, and then you chat some more. You're honestly so engrossed in your conversation that you hardly eat.

When the check arrives, Abbacchio picks it up and sighs. "Unfortunate that tonight had to end so soon," he mutters, signing the bill. "I had a great time, (Y/N). Would you want to do this again sometime?"

"Yes!" Your answer is immediate, and Abbacchio nearly laughs at how happy you sound. "Yeah, that would be amazing. I had a wonderful time too."

You head outside, and as you get into the passenger's seat, Abbacchio gently places his hand on your leg. "Thank you for this," he says, as genuine as he's ever been to you. "I hope we can get to know each other better."

You smile, feeling utterly content, and you lean over and give Abbacchio a quick kiss on the cheek. His face goes red, but his smile doesn't waver. "I would really love that, (Y/N)."

And together, you both drive into the night.

-----

Doppio

The sun shines down brightly on you as you hop out of a little car, quickly adjusting your shirt before running around to the driver's side. "We're here!" the driver calls, and you grin as Vinegar Doppio opens the door and joins you outside.

"I heard it wasn't too crowded - it's the best-kept secret in Italy." You laugh at that and follow Doppio down the street a bit. "I'm so glad you were free today, (Y/N)!" he says brightly, leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to your cheek. "I missed you."

You giggle, reaching down and lacing your fingers in his. "I missed you too. It's been lonely with you away for work."

"Let's not talk about that - we're together now, so who cares?" You laugh and nod in agreement as Doppio pulls you over to the little ice cream place you're visiting, and like he said, the line is nearly empty. "See, I told you! Hardly anyone even knows this place exists."

As you both step into line, the other man in line turns around and glances at you. He has bright blue hair - which actually looks a bit like ice cream - and red glasses. He stares at Doppio and it seems like he's about to speak, but before he can, an ice cream cone is handed his way.

He grabs it and shuffles off, and you and Doppio move up to order your ice cream. "I'll have strawberry, please!" Doppio says, voice as pleasant as ever, and you watch the way he smiles as he speaks. You've been dating him for a while now, and you really adore him. He's so easygoing, and he makes even the most mundane things fun.

You get your favorite flavor, and after a short wait, your ice cream is prepared. You take Doppio's free hand again and walk with him to the park across from the shop, swinging your hands back and forth. "We're so lucky," he comments as he takes a seat on a bench overlooking the grassy field. "It's such a nice day!"

"The weather decided to smile down on us today," you say, grinning as you sit beside him. The two of you eat your ice cream in relative silence - the only sound shared between the two of you is Doppio loudly slurping on his cone and your soft laughter in response. It really feels amazing, just being able to comfortably spend time with someone you love so much.

After a while, you've both eaten your ice cream, and now you find yourselves looking out at the grassy plain. "I love you," Doppio says softly from beside you. You turn to him, eyes wide, and he just gives you a content, relaxed smile. "You're perfect, (Y/N)."

You grin, reaching over and wrapping your arms around him. "I love you too," you murmur, and Doppio briefly presses his lips to the top of your head. "Thank you for today," you sigh, and Doppio just hums in response. He reaches down and wraps your hand up in his - the feeling is so warm and familiar and you fall even deeper in love. You two spend a long time like that, wrapped up in each other's arms in front of the beautiful field, until you find yourself nodding off to sleep.

-----

Gyro

"Where the hell did you even learn how to ride a horse?"

You roll your eyes at the question your companion Gyro just shouted at you from a few feet away. "You're so prim and proper, I never would've expected you to know how to ride."

"When I was a kid," you call back, and you're grateful when Gyro rides a little closer to you, allowing you to lower your voice. "I lived on a big, rural plot of land and I would just go out and teach myself."

"Huh." Gyro reaches up and adjusts his hat; the wind had displaced it somewhat. "You're pretty good. Not as good as me, of course, but not bad at all."

You scoff, reaching over and slugging Gyro in the arm. He reels back, shocked, and you burst out laughing. "You're quite the critic, asshole," you shoot at him between giggles. He just watches you, and you're surprised to see that he doesn't look all that annoyed. "Well anyways," you say as your laughter fades away, "when do you think we should stop?"

"I don't know. Let's ask Johnny." Gyro twists his body around and absolutely bellows, "JOHNNY!"

A few paces behind, Johnny Joestar throws a little rock at Gyro, who dodges it easily. He seems even more sick of your talkative companion than you are. "How should I know?" he shouts back. "The sun is just about set - let's just camp here."

"Fine!" Gyro calls back, and he quickly hops off of his horse. You follow suit, and after a minute Johnny catches up to you two and does the same. You help Johnny lean against a large, somewhat comfortable rock, and then you get to tying up the horses.

Gyro pulls some kindling out of the bag attached to his horse's saddle, and he starts a fire with only a little difficulty. Once all the horses are tied up and fed, you sink to the ground and yawn. "What, the Steel Ball Race getting to be too much for you?" Gyro teases, and you laugh at his shit-eating grin.

"No, I'm fine. Just kind of tired."

"So am I," Johnny says, nodding. "I think I'm gonna get to sleep early, if you guys don't mind."

"Not at all!" you say. You toss him a blanket, also from Gyro's bag, and he gratefully takes it and wraps himself up.

"Just don't be too loud, Gyro," he mutters before shutting his eyes. Gyro blinks, affronted, and you huff out a laugh. "Goodnight." It doesn't take Johnny long to doze off, snoring softly.

"Well..." Gyro starts, and to your surprise he's actually trying to be courteous to Johnny. He's normally extremely brash, and he doesn't usually care much about the requests of you or Johnny. "Want some coffee?"

"Yeah, that would be great." You watch as Gyro grabs the kettle and grounds, and he carefully fills the kettle with water from his canteen.

Silence fills the area as the coffee slowly brews. You watch Gyro out of the corner of your eye, studying the way he looks as he gazes into the fire. Ever since you teamed up with him in this race, you've gotten to know quite a lot about him. He's much less secretive than Johnny, and you know practically everything about him - where he's from, who he was before he arrived to the US, even his real name.

Suddenly, you're caught staring. Gyro's gaze flits to meet yours, and he grins as you quickly avert your eyes. "I know I'm handsome, (Y/N), I don't blame you," he says, grinning widely as you grimace.

You just sigh, leaning back and looking up at the cloudless night sky. Gyro's expression softens and he watches you. "You seem a little melancholy today," he says gently. "Anything on your mind?"

"Yeah." You turn to him, folding your hands in your lap. "Do you think we'll even be able to get through this? I have no idea what's even going on half the time." It's true; ever since you gained a stand ability from possessing one of the holy corpse parts, you've witnessed some of the weirdest, most inexplicable events you've ever seen.

"Of course we will," Gyro responds. He sounds completely sure of himself. "Not only will we beat the race, but we'll come in first place! Well, I will - you can have second, and Johnny can be third."

You laugh, letting your head fall back. "Thanks, Gyro. I hope Johnny won't mind." Gyro suddenly remembers the coffee, and he carefully pours out two cups.

"Don't burn yourself," he says as he hands you your cup. Your hands brush against his as you take the drink, and for some reason you feel yourself flush. Thankfully, Gyro doesn't seem to notice your quick change in demeanor. "This stuff really is horrible, but at least it's different," he comments, taking a sip. "The coffee back home was far too sweet."

He's right; it's extremely bitter, and you find yourself wincing at the taste. Still, you're grateful for the warmth, so you drink it slowly. "Thank you," you say, and Gyro just nods in response.

"You look nice like this." Your eyes widen and you look up at Gyro, who's studying you with a serious look on his face. "I like seeing you relaxed for once."

You smile a little, nodding. "Thank you. Yeah, it's nice to finally get a break." Gyro watches as you sip your coffee. "Hopefully we won't be bothered by any dinosaurs tonight - shit!"

You tip your cup a little too far and spill scalding coffee on your hand. You grit your teeth and gingerly set the cup down, leaning forward to inspect your hand. It doesn't look too hurt, but it stings like a bitch. "Are you okay?" Gyro says, reaching out and gently taking your hand into his. You nod.

He reaches over into his bag and takes out a little strip of cloth. Carefully, he starts to wrap up the little burn on your hand. One loop brushes against the wound uncomfortably, and you hiss through your teeth at the burning sensation. "Shit!" Gyro says, looking up at you with wide eyes. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," you say quickly, shaking your head. "No, it's fine. It just stings, is all."

It only takes a couple more minutes for Gyro to be done fixing up your hand. Once he's done, he pats the top of your hand and smiles. "You're alright," he says gently.

"Thanks, Gyro," you say, and you really do mean it. You don't think you've ever seen him like this: quiet and sweet. You start to bring your hand back, but Gyro doesn't let go. You look up at him with furrowed brows.

He looks into your eyes for a moment, and all he finds is mild confusion. Then, he leans down and brushes his lips against your knuckles. "You're welcome," he breathes into your hand, and he lets go.

Heat instantly rushes to your face, and you quickly turn away. "Yeah," you mutter, not sure of what else to say, and you fix your eyes on a fascinating cactus a few feet away. You hear Gyro laugh softly, and you flush even more. You'd never even entertained the thought that he could be so suave.

A few minutes go by in this heavy, powerful silence, until Gyro finally speaks. "That should be fine in a couple days," he says, and you turn to him. "It's odd, but I've gotten the same exact burns off of these things." He pats the steel balls that rest in the holsters on his hips. "They can generate quite a lot of heat."

"Oh." Gyro smiles at you and leans back, resting his hands behind his head. "Well, thanks again. I'm not usually that clumsy."

Gyro's eyebrows shoot up at that, and he grins at you. "Oh, really? Then how do you explain the two loaves of bread that you dropped off your horse a couple days ago?" You blink, surprised, and Gyro's grin only grows. "And when you led your horse - and Johnny and I - down a dead-end pathway for a whole hour?" You start to smile, laughing, and Gyro leans towards you with bright eyes. "You're a total klutz, (Y/N)!"

You both dissolve into laughter, completely taken by the moment, and it takes a long time for you to compose yourself. "Oh man," you giggle, wiping a tear from your eye. "You really got me, asshole."

"I know." Once you've both gotten ahold of yourselves, you find yourself looking into Gyro's eyes with the remnants of a smile on your face. You've always known he was handsome, but something about the dim firelight makes him look like a Roman statue - perfectly sculpted, but real and tangible before you. "(Y/N), you're staring again."

You blink, startled, and Gyro laughs at the shock in your expression. "It's fine, I don't mind." He smiles as he reaches out and brushes a bit of sand off of your shoulder. "Gives me the perfect opportunity to appreciate your beauty up close."

You laugh shortly, and Gyro takes your hands in his. "I'm not kidding. You really are lovely." The laughter dies in your throat, and you look up at Gyro with wide eyes. "We should get some sleep, it's getting late," he whispers, his face mere inches away from yours. Before you can reply, he leans in even closer and presses a quick, fleeting kiss to your lips. "Goodnight."

He turns away and tilts his hat down over his face before you can get a word in - though even if you could, you don't know what you'd say. You're left totally starstruck by Gyro, and all you can really do is lean back and shut your eyes. You grin, resting your head on your small backpack, and sleep quickly catches up to you. You have no clue what tomorrow brings - Gyro's just proven himself to be a man of surprises.

[generalasshattery]

MK Movie Thoughts and Reflections

It’s been a few days since I watched it, and it’s all had time to settle in my brain. Who wants a tangent?

So, I guess I should start with the like biggest issue. Cole. Like I get he was only put in the movie because the studio insisted, and I feel like a little bit of the resentment for having to do that is obvious by just how bland a character he is. If they had to have him, they could’ve at least made him a little more fun to watch. Like, you had the opportunity to make a new Mortal Kombat character, some of the most deliciously and wonderfully over the top and charismatic fighting game characters out there... like why didn’t they make any effort to justify his existence on screen? Want to give us an everyman that can be used to introduce the world to the public? Do it, make him an audience proxy. Use some wit and charm to make people feel like he represents how they’d act in that scenario. I’ve seen this done to absolutely beautiful effect, my favorite example is actually a short horror film on YouTube called Downstairs. Lean into the batshit insanity you’re introducing in the form of mortal kombat. This role is historically handled by Johnny Cage, but he’s a celebrity rich boy, how would Joe down the block honestly handle this shit? Would he be stressed the fuck out and anxious? Or riding high getting to live out an ultimate power fantasy? That’s what would’ve been fun to explore with a new character IMO.

With that out of the way, I’m not going to belabor all the things I didn’t enjoy. Because well, it’s obvious. Jobbers irritate me, like what the fuck was that they did with Reiko? Did not like. Killing a clearly post burns Kabal in a fire? Like that just upset me. And all the weird lore building choices were just that... fucking weird. They do not need to be super heroes. They do not need to awaken super powers. Tech based abilities make it more interesting against the more supernaturally influenced characters. Genre bending has always been a feature and not a bug in MK. The game was supposed to be a Jean Claude Van Damme game, it was supposed to be all these different genres of movies coming together to fight the Van Damme, in a manor of speaking. Taking away the absolutely fun part of the story where special ops, a celebrity, and monks team up with a god to fight ninjas, a sorcerer, criminal empires, and monsters, is like missing the forest for the trees with the franchise. And I just can’t even go into Shang Tsung. I just can’t. I like Chin Han, he plays assholes very well, but Shang Tsung is a special kind of asshole. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa just set the bar so high with how much intellectualism he brings to the lines. He can drop them in such a smart sounding way that it makes you feel like he’s three steps ahead of you. There’s something so obviously manipulative and toying in his vibe (god the best part of MK11 is him, I’ll fight people on this, he fucking stole that shit for me) that it makes him feel instantly threatening. Immediately you know this is a man you Should Not Fuck with. I need that from Shang Tsung, or I don’t even really feel like you should bother bringing him to screen.

But despite all that, I did actually enjoy the experience of watching the movie, admittedly because I expected not to like any of it, so there were quite a few pleasant surprises. The gore and fight scenes were so perfectly stylized with the excessive blood and choreography, showing off the characters fatalities and famous moves... yes feed me that fan service. Feed it to me.

And while I don’t love all the casting (Reiko and Shang Tsung for example), some of it was pure perfection. Kano, Jax and Sonya? Story was... A Choice but loved the actors and what they brought to the characters. Also, like Lui Kang being cast with just the prettiest actor made me very happy. Pretty boy Lui Kang can hang, especially with his belt/slash floating in the wind. I was here for that.

Holy god damn hell, Joe Taslim, what the fuck dude? You made all my Bi-Han fantasies and dreams a reality. Like god damn, I could feel the depth he was bringing to the role even if the script didn’t let him explore it. I seriously hope we get so much more from him because got damn. I was so pleased with his performance. Holy shit not to mention the ice effects, his Katara moment of stopping the rain and then wrecking the shit out of a street is the kind of raw destructive power that canon has always hinted he has but hasn’t really shown us. He’s so often relegated to being a jobber, and MK is so especially bad at telling you a character is powerful but not showing it. Oh boy the movie showed it. Not just him either, I felt a real sense of power from a few players, and that was deeply satisfying.

Also like Kabal? For as much as his death pissed me off, damn did they nail his vibe. I think we’d all rather have good guy Kabal (which would’ve been a more interesting story with Kano on both sides the fence [and I DO NOT have the energy to write the dissertation I have for that weird ass choice]) but I really thought they got the bad guy him just right. Side note: My sister watched it with me and just adored him, she loved his fight scenes and kept asking me who he was and telling me how damn cool he seemed. And I do agree. His fighting scene was so damn good. The way they handle his choreography and effects made him look every bit the intimidating opponent he is, even if he didn’t actually win. Very good work there.

Hanzo has some promise here, but man did they cock tease us with those trailers. Didn’t even toss a handy j for our troubles. I will say, assuming they do make another film (and that is a big assumption) I am cautiously optimistic about where it could be heading. The actor really didn’t get enough time to explore the part, but Scorpion has the potential to be fascinating and I feel like him and Sub Zero getting their own film properly could really give me some satisfying story telling in Mortal Kombat’s biggest rivalry.

Over all? Not super satisfying for the dedicated fans. Wouldn’t really recommend it if you don’t Stan Bi-Han specifically. But if you set your expectations as low as possible, you may find some fun in it the way I did.

[titusmoody]

It’s the end of the first quarter of 2021. Here’s a brief review of the things I watched/played/read.

Games

Donut County- pretty charming, very easy, fairly satisfying to play. I’d recommend Untitled Goose Game over this, though.

Heaven’s Vault- If you only have room in your life for one space archaeology game, play Outer Wilds instead. However, you get to translate alien writings yourself (in a simplified game way) in this one, so I’d recommend both. 

Donkey Kong Country 3 103%- so many fun level mechanics in this one. The difficulty of finding and completing everything in the game was spot-on for me.

Donkey Kong Country 2 102%- Each level mechanic in this one is explored and used in far more interesting ways than DKC3, though I honestly had more fun with 3 this time around. This one is the “dark, edgy” one aesthetically which is extremely dumb. Also, there was a lot of guesswork involved in finding some of the hidden stuff, which I didn’t enjoy.

The Room 4- I like escape room games. This one was good. It continued 3′s trend of trying to shake up the format a little, which is fine (better here than in 3, I think) but I wouldn’t have minded if all 4 stayed exactly the same, just with new puzzles.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales- Everything about it was competent. Not only was each gameplay activity fine-tuned to feel good, but the structure of the game also kept kept you experiencing a good variety of each activity. PS5 graphics are good, too. Nothing about it really got me excited to play it, it was just a good after work unwinding thing.

Cyberpunk 2077- Exactly the opposite of Spider-Man in terms of quality consistency. There are aspects of this game that are amazing, horrible, and every step in between. However, I’ve thought about it quite a bit and will probably continue to think about it for both good and bad reasons.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair- Donkey Kong Country has better level design and controls. Well, the best levels of this were every bit as good as the best DKC levels, and maybe I’m just so familiar with DKC levels that I zone out a little during the boring bits, but had to pay attention to every moment of this game. Still, I didn’t have as much of an overall good time as the DKC games I played earlier.

Hue- Good 2D puzzle-platformer. I’m no longer surprised by these, but I still appreciate them, much in the same way as I like playing escape room games. I was under the impression for a few years that because I understood the potential of puzzle platformers, it meant I wouldn’t want to play any more of them, but that’s simply not true. I had a good time with Hue.

Shows

Gravity Falls- It’s fine. Pretty entertaining. I wish there were more low-stakes kinds of episodes, just to get more familiar with different sides of the characters. It would have made the characters and setting feel more rounded.

Cowboy Bepop- I didn’t get the hype for this show when I first watched it at 21, and now I can say that it’s simply not my kind of show. I have much more appreciation for it now than I did the first time, but it doesn’t hit me emotionally the same way that it seems to hit so many people. 

Seinfeld- It’s Seinfeld. There was precisely one episode that I had never seen before, plus confirmation that I didn’t dream the episode that’s told in backwards chunks like Memento and is set in India.

Paranoia Agent- While it was disappointing that this ended up being a more simple morality tale than every Satoshi Kon movie I’ve seen, I still enjoyed watching this a lot.

Aggretsuko- I liked the mundane, every-day storylines like a modern, more empathetic Seinfeld. Unfortunately as the show went on, there were more and more wacky situations that no one actually gets into. I might watch the upcoming season if I hear that it’s less ridiculous.

Over the Garden Wall- This was really cool and I’m glad it exists. It’s ten episodes long, which is perfect for it. I thought it was at its weakest during the more lighthearted or humorous moments--precisely the opposite of Gravity Falls. The word “classy” comes to mind to describe this show. 

Beastars- Really good when it isn’t falling into anime plot and dialog cliches. A lot of this first season is dedicated to introducing characters and the setting, which I thought was very well done. I’m curious to see what Season 2 is like.

Movies

Scott Pilgrim vs the World- It’s a fun movie to watch. It definitely makes many of the characters’ flaws seem like more fun than it probably should, but I’m more bothered by the criticism I hear that boils down to “it’s a bad movie because the characters are bad people” which I suspect is an impression you only get if you lack both empathy and media comprehension.

Big- Kinda bad. It has iconic moments that are only possible with its weird premise, but it’s just not a premise that supports an entire good movie. 

Phantom of the Opera- Way better and way worse than I remember. Has the precise right amount of horses.

Knives Out- Not really a movie I needed to watch a second time, but it sure is good.

District 9- I didn’t remember most of this movie and unfortunately I zoned out for most of this rewatch, so I still feel like I don’t know what it’s about.

From up on Poppy Hill- Not one of the top tier Ghibli movies, but still really good in a down-to-earth way that I like from Ghibli. 

Enter the Dragon- I knew to expect everything to be turned up to 11, which is good because it really is a lot. I liked it, though.

Shutter Island- I have never actually liked this kind of twist-reliant movie. I thought I would for many years, but I was always disappointed. At least now I am aware that it’s not what I’m into.

Soul- The premise is much too convoluted, but it does have an excellent moment near the end.

Onward- I liked this one a lot. Why don’t more people talk about this one? It’s definitely better than Coco, which itself was really good.

A Silent Voice- The kind of movie that reminds me that sometimes Japanese storytelling is more to my taste than Hollywood style, in that scenes can be more emotionally ambiguous. 

Tangled- Good in exactly the same way as Frozen and Moana. I can’t really complain, but this isn’t the same situation as puzzle platformers or escape rooms. In this case, I do get a little sick of being completely unsurprised. This movie was made first, so it’s only by chance that this is the one that I saw last.

Monsters University- A good movie, but it really doesn’t have to be about the same characters as Monsters Inc. 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail- Still funny

The Departed- Good if you want an enjoyable crime thriller to watch, bad if you want a Scorcese movie.

Titanic- Getting very drunk and watching this with Brittany might be the best time I had in the past three months. Maybe I won’t think too hard about why a movie about the overdue, violent death of a social order resonates with me right now.

Prince of Egypt- Impressive and grand, but I didn’t really care about the characters or story.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan- A good but not great (by TNG standards) concept for an episode that was made extremely enjoyable by the added budget and longer runtime of a movie.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock- Not as good, but still watchable.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home- The kind of ridiculous concept you’d only make when you’ve already had three successful movies and are confident that you’ll be able to make at least another couple. The gang go back to the 1980s (present day to the original audience) and save the whales. It’s apparently exactly the right movie to watch if this is the third consecutive Star Trek movie you’re watching.

Mamma Mia- A lot of fun, but has weird problems that seem like they would’ve been easy to solve at the script level. Maybe if the conflicts had been introduced early on instead of dragging the whole pace of the movie down for much of the last 20 minutes, I would’ve enjoyed the whole thing.

Books

The Well of Ascension- The second book of a trilogy. Very competent. Introduces a whole lot of minor conflicts that really keep the momentum going and give the characters short-term goals that contribute to the overall plot and their arcs. 

The Hero of Ages- The final book in the same trilogy. Equally competent. I wish there had been more long-term payoffs, which is the trade-off you make by stuffing the books full of those short-term conflicts. Spoilers ahead, but not ones that I think ruin the experience of reading. It’s very odd that of three of the central characters, one dies, one becomes a god and then dies, and one becomes God. 

Check Please- About as pleasant as it gets. Full of the type of minor character that sitcoms end up running into the ground because they’re too one-note (Creed from The Office, for instance) but in a series with a pre-planned length, there’s no chance for it to get stale. Plus, I really liked both of the lead characters.

Milkman- Good book about “The Troubles” in Ireland. Very odd collection of characters, but the narrator had an extremely enjoyable voice to read. 

And Then There Were None- Classic mystery story for a reason. Feels more like a Hitchcock movie than Sherlock Holmes. I read it in one day both because the prose was easy and I wanted to know what happened next. Not much substance to it, unfortunately.

Homegoing- Extremely ambitous book where each chapter is narrated by the descendant of a previous chapter, alternating between two branches of the same family. I liked it quite a bit, though because I only finished it yesterday I don’t have much reflection done yet so my opinion has yet to solidify.

[wtfzodiacsigns]

The Signs as People I've Come To Know

Note that everyone described was born under the sign they are listed next to.

Aries: He doesn't really know fear, but when he does it's intense fear. More than anything, he is a daredevil, going from place to place and from person to person quickly and dangerously. He tells jokes until they're soiled and sour and you just wanna tell him to shut up, but you know you aren't going to because his stupid jokes that often make no sense and aren't even funny are all a part of what makes him who he is, so you can't help but laugh, and at the end of the day that's a person you find yourself always coming back for. A person you just genuinely want to be around for a long time. He can be air headed, but he protects ferociously and is endearingly kind to strangers. Inside, he never quite lost his childlike nature, something I hope he can one day embrace. I also hope he can one day understand, he is not his mistakes.

Taurus: She has a lot to say that she keeps inside, but whenever she does speak it is always soulful and insightful beyond description. It's so easy for her to get lost in her own mind, and though she doesn't care to admit it, it happens a lot that she shuts down and isolates herself. But everything is honestly better when she's around. Sometimes it's hard to convince her of that, but she has an inner and outer beauty that glows on everyone she meets. She doesn't realize other people take notice of her radiance. When she retreats, it's not uncommon for her to be quiet and not really know how to explain why she's feeling the way she is, and yet she approaches things with such an extreme level of insight and consideration. She makes everyone around her proud. Introverted as she may be, she pampers all her friends, even when they may not deserve it, and she's more brave and outspoken than I think she understands. She is one of the people who genuinely makes me happy.

Gemini: She is curious about almost anything and everything, and invests fully into things that interest her. It's actually beyond pleasant to watch her work out a task she loves working on, or talk about anything she loves in general, because her eyes light up and she has this smile on her face and you can just tell in that moment she loves being heard and she loves sharing what she's come to find wonderful with someone. I wouldn't call her quiet, at times she is, but I would first use the adjective "thoughtful" to describe her, as her mind is constantly generating new ideas. She processes and remembers information quickly and speaks about her feelings almost fluently. More than anything, I hope she knows I am always there for her. I hope she knows how much people love her. She is so kind, and a delight to be around.

Cancer: She has been through a lot. She used to walk through life with a heavy heart, but she is trying to learn how to remove the crutches and take everything as it comes. Very driven by her emotions, she experiences drastically different periods of highs and lows, but never lets anyone go to bed without knowing how much she loves them and cares about them. She has certainly been done wrong by the world, and this has led her to experience frequent trust issues and to on occasion become suspicious about other people's motives. However, this doesn't stop her from giving her all to those she loves, even if at times they may not completely deserve her help or her advice. She often settles for less than what she deserves, but I hope that she can eventually come to understand she need not settle and need not cater to people who do her wrong. She should look out for herself too, it's something she owes herself.

Leo: Though I haven't known her for very long, it's clear how influential she is and how in tune she is to other people's feelings. She seems very open to the world around her, and has no problem expressing herself without fear of what other people may think. She always does her makeup almost flawlessly, and you can tell she dresses for herself and no one else, and only worries about impressing one person, her. She is extremely loyal to those she cares about, and often talks about them as if they are wonders of the world. Even if you haven't spoken to her before, you will want to, because she gives off extremely positive and warm vibes, and publicly stands for everything and everyone she happens to believe in. She has a big personality, but a beautiful one at that, she is a true individual, and is one of the only other Leo's I've come to know, as well as one I hope to know better soon.

Virgo: She is wise beyond her years. She often works harder than most adults I've seen, although she is young in age. She always wants to make sure she has a say, but it's just as important to her that other people do, too. Other people don't always treat her as nicely as she deserves to be treated, and it's because they think they don't understand her, but in reality, they wish they had the heart and bravery that she does. She has accomplished and been through so much in such a short period of time, and she never let it taint all the love in her heart. She can be a bit anxious and scared, waking up at night after a nightmare or worrying she has not done her best, but she always gives her all, and I strongly believe there is nothing she cannot surmount or accomplish. Always willing, always eager to help. I wish I had her strength. I wish I had the beauty of her soul. I hope she someday sees how magnificent she is.

Libra: He is a character, he has always been a character dating back from the first day that we met. Everything he does and everything he says is with good intent and magnifies his already vibrant personality. Overall, he is a people's person, friends with everyone who is kind and attentive toward him. And he plans to keep it that way. He always tries to see the best in everyone. Although sometimes he cannot continue this and experiences outbursts of anger, they are usually temporary and he can move on from situations quickly. He is a marvelous friend. Creative, funny, often indirect, but always there in some form. Half the things that Come out of his mouth are jokes, but when he speaks and he's being serious, all you can hear is his heart speaking too. He's great to have around.

Scorpio: He says that he has a twisted mind, but really he's just into a lot of horror movies and has extreme reactions to otherwise small situations. I couldn't see him harming a fly, unless the fly went and did something to really piss him off. He can be a little self centered, but he is also self sufficient and just wants to make sure he himself is okay. When he starts something, it'll get done before he moves onto the next thing, and he's not really one to leave anyone with unanswered questions as he's pretty intense and direct. He's great to talk to because no silence is ever awkward, some of those silences are necessary and he knows it. He won't let things stay quiet for too long, either. One of my favorite things about him is once you've been a part of his life, he'll never forget about you. Even if you're miles and miles away.

Sagittarius: He gets extremely excited about small things, like going on a trip or hanging out with his friends and playing video games. He knows no part of life is insignificant, and that everything we go through either means something or leads to something else, but he also knows when to let go and stop worrying about things that are out of his control. Overall, he loves to have fun. He loves to laugh with his friends and share what makes him happy. When people disagree with him, he can become rather snippy, and might even resort to telling them they are flat out "wrong." He doesn't realize he's being rude, but often it just doesn't come out the way he would like because he speaks exceedingly freely. That's what he is, a free spirit. He makes decisions for himself and is not afraid of his opinions. He will share them willingly with anyone who asks and takes great pride in being who he is and leading the adventure called his life.

Capricorn: She is aware of who she is, what her limits are, and what her intentions are as well. Though sometimes she surprises others by acting the way one wouldn't have expected, she is consistently trying to take responsibility for things she know she's done wrong and does not like it when people refuse to acknowledge it when she has been acting like a fool. She holds herself accountable for many things, even when they are not exactly her fault, and she refuses to be kept in the dark for too long. When people don't like her, she wants an explanation, because she always tries to do her best and be the best version of herself she can become. It hurts her to consider that she is not doing well with that. She wants stability and security, she wants to be able to feel safe in situations, and that's all a part of what she fights for. Overall, life is a fight she does not want to lose. And one she will not allow herself to.

Aquarius: She is one of the most artistic people I've had the privilege of meeting, and decorates everywhere she goes and everything she creates with her glowingly positive vibes. She cares deeply about her friends, and however quiet she has a brilliant way of words, and is a phenomenal person to have a late night (or any time of day really) conversation with. She understands life on a deep level that not a lot of people do. Although she may not always feel comfortable completely showing her emotions, she is not afraid to be in touch with them and always knows how to nicely phrase them. I'm grateful that when I ask her what's wrong, she doesn't lie to me and she trusts me enough to talk to me about it. I know it's not always the type of thing that's easy for her. She is artistically talented in every aspect, and aims to perfect her performance in all she does. But honestly, the way she adds her own flair to all she accomplishes and makes it so original is an amazing thing to witness in itself.

Pisces: He doesn't understand the impact he can have on others. It is not uncommon for him to get so lost in his thoughts he forgets about the rest of the world, but he seemingly always finds his way back. Whenever he drifts, he will usually talk about it at one point or another, and he always has all these philosophical things to say that never cease to amaze me. His speech is always sweet and fluid, and he always sees things, both their interior and their exterior. Even though sometimes he asks silly questions, he's highly perceptive and caring. He loves having a good time, but he loves talking about life and all it entails as well, and he knows that both those things can overlap. He's one of the greatest friends I think I will ever know, and he always tries to be, even if at times he can't. I wish he came out everyday.

Source:avenge-my-ghost

[usopp-writes]

“We’re neighbors, and you always hear me screaming about my cooking disasters, and swoop in to save me. I probably should start paying you, honestly.” 

@one-piece-24

When Thatch first moved in, he hadn’t expected to befirend any of the people living in the building, as it seemed so cold and unpersonal. The first week he didn’t meet a single one of his ‘neighbors’, even if he was often outside. He had the appartment at the ground floor, with a small terrace and there was an open lawn, which everyone in the building could use.

Even if the weather had been nice and warm, he still hadn’t seen anyone outside. His neighbor to the left of him was home, he had heard the male curse and grumble everyday, but Thatch hadn’t been able to hear why. He shortly wondered if everyoe was on vacation or if no one used the lawn at all. It was a shame if they didn’t.

He decided to do something about it. The next day, a Sunday, he took his plaid, a bottle of water and a book, before going outside.The sun shined from a light clouded sky and the temperature was quite pleasant. He lied on the plaid and started to read, enjoying the sun.

It was almost time for him to make dinner, as he heard his neighbor curse loudly. About how stupid the food was for not do what he wanted it to do. A little amused, thatch rose from the plaid, brought it to his lounge chair n his terrace, before stepping onto his neighbors terrace.

“Needing a hand?” He asked, as he knocked on the glass door. A tall, muscular and blnd male with the most calm and laid back ice blue eyes turned and looked at Thatch. The latter had to hold back a giggle at the male’s haircut, as it looked liked he had a bunch of bananas on his head.

“Oh.. You’re the newcomer, yoi.” The male stated and then cursed, as something seemeingly went wrong again. “Yes, I’m your neighbor and you have a colorful vocabulary. Couldn’t make it out until today, but it seems you don’t get along with cooking.” There was no mockery at all.

The male let a hand go through his hair. “Can’t deny the fact I’m hopeless in the kitchen. What I make is barely edible, yoi.” He said embarrassed, which made Thatch walk intot he appartment. “I’m Thatch by the way. Here, let me help you. Can’t have you eat only barely edible food.” He winked.

To his surprise the male stepped aside, letting Thatch take over his kitchen. “Marco, yoi.” His neighbor introduced himself. Nodding, Thatch rescued what he could, making Marco’s dinner more that just edible.

Marco looked at Thatch, as he worked his magic in the kitchen. He couldn’t believe how easy his neighbor and now friend made it look, when he was cooking. Then again, Thatch was a professional cook, so it made sense, but it still looked amazingly easy. Marco could now make some easy and well tasting dinner himself, thanks to Thatch.

That fateful summerday he had first seen his neighbor lie outside - and damn did Marco like what saw - then his neighbor had invaded his kitchen, rescued what would have been a disaster yet again. It had started a whole new neighborhood for Marco, where Thatch would come and rescue his dinner and over the time, Marco made sure there was enough food so Thatch could eat along. It had devoloped into a nice friendship.

Both liked the same books and movies, both enjoyed food and good alcohol and both had lost their parents at a young age and then been in the fostercare system. Marco was happy he found a friend like Thatch and while they also were different in many ways, it just felt natural to be around the always cheery and happy cook.

Which was why Marco wanted to do something special for Thatch. Just what? Of course, there was something else he wished from Thatch, but he didn’t want to ruin their friendship and so he kept that in the back of his mind. Still he wantedd to make up for all the times Thatch rescued his dinner and for the nice company.

“Say Thatch, let’s go out tonight, yoi.” Marco said, as Thatch opened his door, seeing Marco on the other side. “Going out? Why?” To Marco’s surprise Thatch looked slight shocked and a little uncomfortable. It wasn’t the first time Marco asked him out like this. As just friends. Why did Thatch all of sudden avoid his gaze and looked like he would rather slam the door again?

“Is something wrong?” Marco was worried, thoughts of what he could have done wrong or that Thatch was getting tired of him or had picked up that Marco liked him more than just a friend ect. went through his mind. He stepped back and mumbled an apology, as Thatch didn’t answer right away. He had turned, as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

“Sorry, it’s not you, Marco. I just ... Please come in and I’ll explain.” Thatch sounded distressed and Marco followed him, wanting to help his friend no matter what. He sat next to Thatch, waiting for the cook to start tell what bothered him.

It took a few minutes, but then Thatch started to explain. “This date always comes as a surprise to me every year and I would forget it, if it wasn’t for Izo. You remember my friend, right?” Thatch looked at Marco, who nodded, wondering what this date meant and why Thatch forgot and was reminded of it by a friend.

“It’s my birthday...” Thatch whispered it, like he was embarrassed by the fact he was born and had lived another year. Marco looked confused, but before he could even ask, Thatch continued. “I never had a great birthday in my life. Even if Izo tried so often to make the day special, I couldn’t get myself to enjoy it. You know I was 7 when my parents died, right? Well, to them I was just a burden and even the people I came to live with afterwards didn’t bother with my birthay or so...”

He let the explanation hang, just staring at the window. The sun was low and would soon turn orange, when it was setting. Marco took thatch’s hand. “I’m glad you were born. You’re the first person that could teach me to cook somewhat decently. I can share stuff with you that others wouldn’t understand and I have enjoyed your company, even if we had our fights. You’re not a burden and you’re not unimportant. Not to me. I would still be hopeless in the kitchen and be isolated in my appartment, unless I visited Oyaji and my few brothers, had it not been for you. So Happy Birthday, Thatch. Thanks for being alive and part of my life.”

Marco looked at him. Thatch’s cheeks was dusted in pink and there were tears in his eyes. Silence fell over them, as they just looked at each other. Marco was the one to break the silence. “I actually want to take you out to thank you for all the times you’ve saved my dinner, yoi.” He grinned slightly. “Guess I have to change my plans and take you out to celebrate your birthday. Let’s invite your friend Izo too. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to also celebrate you. After all, that’s what friends do, yoi.”

Assured that Marco wasn’t making fun of him and actually meant his words, Thatch smiled brightly to him and picked up his phone. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted too and you’ll get along. After all, you get along with me.” He grinned and Marco just rolled his eyes lightly. He better make this a night Thatch wouldn’t forget.

[inamint]

Adam & Ronan

~ It’s not that faithful to the books. I just wanted to write some something with these two great characters. ~

‘So, what did you forget?’ Ronan’s voice asked; simple ‘Hello’ wasn’t an option.

‘Conditioner, sunglasses and my Latin dictionary.’ said Adam, holding the phone by his shoulder, while he was taking empty boxes downstairs to the garbage bin.

‘That may or may not be my doing.’

‘Ronan! I’m going to need this dictionary!’

‘No, what you going to need is a way to translate shit. I’m your way.’ Ronan simply said. Adam tossed the boxes into the container and grabbed the phone in his one hand, using the other to cover his eyes from the light of the setting sun. The campus looked amazing and peaceful; Adam insisted on coming here couple days earlier than everybody else would, so he could get to know the place. His dorm room was in a low, three condition building, one of many on both sides of wide sidewalk filled with trees and benches. Adam decided it was warm enough for him to take a walk around.

‘I can’t call you in the middle of the night while I’m doing my homework, because I forgot what consuetudine means.’

‘Well, I’m not stopping you. Also, my seventeen century friend, we have internet now. You can just check it on Google.’

‘So, your thievery was completely unnecessary?’

‘I didn’t say that you are going to use Google. It’s just for emergencies, when I’m not picking the phone. But you shouldn’t count on that. I am picking the phone.’ Adam could not supress the smile hearing determination in Ronan’s voice.

The one problem with him arriving here earlier was that he cut three days out of his time with Ronan. Three days of what was an idyllic summer at the Barns, filled with calm, restful nights and long, pleasant days. Four words he never fought he would be using to describe his life. Well, it was also satisfying (another new word). Especially after he get his acceptance letter from Cardanial University and they both, Ronan and he, started to feel that their time together has sort of an end date. Adam moved to Ronan, because there was no point in keeping his old place, and quitted all his jobs but one. Ronan kept telling him to abandoned it all, but Adam didn’t want to; he didn’t want to lose the appreciation of hard-worked money. So, three times a week he drove to the old Church, where he was tasked with renovating benches, confessionals and other wooden elements that needed polishing and impregnation. Then in the evening Ronan would show and they both would go and meet Gansey and Blue at the bar or, if the couple was on the road, sometimes to 300 Fox Way. The psychics there were not at all confused or surprised by their relationship, what Ronan found upsetting. Not that he wanted or expected homophobia or anything like that, but the whole thing was for him too close to fate and destiny and souls being bond to be with each other bullshit. Either way, they popped at 300 Fox Way now and then, where Adam would get some more lessons on card reading and Ronan would get into disputes with Orla and Jimi. It really was an idyllic summer.

‘So, what are you up to now?’ Ronan asked.

‘Not much. I’m walking through campus.’

‘Something interesting?’

‘Nothing. All of it. I don’t know. It feels like home, you know? Lawns, big trees, statues… It feels good.’

Maybe it wasn’t the best thing, telling Ronan that he feels great here, without him, but that was the truth. Well, not the part where they are separated, but Adam felt… welcomed. This new-old place felt like he belonged there, with sandy buildings, open spaces, bronze figures and big library in the centre. Of course, it all hasn’t even started yet, but it was looking good as far as he could tell.

‘I’m glad. But I hope it doesn’t mean that we could be having fucking awesome outdoors sex right now and I could drop you there on Sunday.’

Adam laughed, shaking his head. He knew Ronan good enough to know that he’s masking some other feelings with this pretentious statement. Not that it wasn’t true; Adam wouldn’t be mad if some fucking awesome outdoors sex with Ronan was happening right now.

‘You know that I have a job interview tomorrow morning, I need to be here.’

‘You’re already hired! They even have your measurements for some stupid uniform.’

‘It’s not uniform, it’s just an apron.’

‘They don’t need to standardize you for you to operate a coffee machine’ Ronan snorted.

‘No, but that’s how you make a brand. And it’s also because of some sanitary requirements. Don’t be an ass.’

‘I can’t, that’s my factory setting. Anyway, have you seen the place already?’

‘No, the café is on the other side, couple buildings behind the library. I don’t feel like going there today.’

‘And what do you feel like?’

‘Honestly?’

‘No, lie to me.’

‘Shut up, asshole’ another little outburst of Adam’s laughing. ‘I feel like you should be next to me.’

Although Adam did feel welcome here, it was strange to not be with Ronan now. Since their first night at the Barns, before the whole Glendower escapade ended, they weren’t without one another for more than twelve hours and they always knew that they are going to see each other the same day or night. Their relationship was addicting. But it wasn’t like with Blue or in all those movies. They weren’t holding hands in public, practising PDA or talking about it with other people or even with themselves. They weren’t for show-off. Yet at the same time it was so intense, so consuming, so overwhelming. When they were alone they were all hands and mouths and butterfly touches followed by hard grips and being out of breath and lying awake in the middle of the night, skin to skin. Nothing Adam ever felt, even Cabeswather, nothing could compare to being with Ronan.

Now, he was going to spend so much time without him. Right, the Barns were only like four hours’ drive, three if you let Ronan go his normal speed, it wasn’t another country or continent or even opposite side of the States, but still. He came here to do his own things, the ones he always worked so hard for. It wasn’t Ronan’s world, even if Adam pitched the idea to him a couple of times.

‘You know, you can always quit. I’ll be right back in a split second and we’ll pack you ever faster.’

‘Ronan…’

‘I know. I’m just kidding. Well, maybe a little not. But I miss you, too. Already.’

‘We’ll call each other every evening. Of course, if you’ll learn how to answer the phone.’

‘I know how to answer the phone, jackass. I just don’t care about it. But I care about you. Who knows, maybe I’ll even text you sometimes.’

‘No way!’

‘Yeah. What about some steamy fantasies in the middle of a class? That should be fun.’

‘Yes, especially when I’ll be going to the blackboard with a boner. Maybe I’ll just power off my phone for the classes.’

‘Don’t you even dare.’

Adam felt a shiver come down his spine. Even though they never used the word ‘love’, they both had their own ways of saying it. Ronan’s was words mixed with anger, possessiveness, dependence and neediness. Adam’s was touches, filled with the same emotions. They both knew how it works; neither of them needed long, sappy declaration. Well, maybe until now, who knows.