#actively acknowledging it because it’s scar and its like being in the desert again and the wound from last season still hurts so he just

[mothssoup]

— maybe you’re both a little scared of having the other’s lives in your hands again

SORRY SORRY I HAD TO DRAW THIS SCENE THEY MAKE ME ILL

[heroes-writing]

Hello! There's an ask that I made for other opm blogs some time ago but it never really got answered. Weird as it sounds I would like either a scenario (short story? idk) or headcannons about how Sonic would be if he was hired to kill someone but in the process of stalking them, he became enamored with them? Not in a yandere way (lol) but in a genuine way because the person is so kind and sweet in everything they do. (Anyways, welcome back! I was surprised when I saw you on my dash xD)

Yee! And since I’ve talked to you further about thisrequest, I’ll add some more info for those who don’t know.

The character/oc featured in this as belongs to @vocakira! Andthe timeline is a little before Sonic meets Saitama, while trying to stay trueto Sonic– so he’s kind of crushing in this, but not fully enamored (Yet)! (ALSO I CANT BELIEVE I HIT 3k WORDS WITH THIS skjdbvksjdv)

:D Please enjoy!  

Word Count: 3350

There were a few ways Sonic could tell if someone was a liar.

Unsteady eye contact, hiding of the hands, and a sweaty facewere the biggest tells. His weaker employers, the greedy and the doublecrossing were the ones who he could easily call out.

Then came the businessmen, with their shady contracts, and theirwords holding two meanings. Unluckily for them, they always had an inability tokeep a story straight…

And finally, there came the liars Sonic was the mostfamiliar with:

The hardened killers.

With their cold voices, and their addictions to pitilesscruelty.  

Sonic knew he was dealing with the latter at his firstglance around the facility.

He never walked into a place blind– he always scoped outthe defenses, the ins and outs, the weaknesses and strengths. There were armedguards at every door, sealed entrances, and human sized cages they usedfor who knows what… Sonic could tell by the pristine lab coat of hisemployer and the copious amounts of sedative the facility kept in barrels—hewas in for an interesting contract.

Usually he wasn’t one to judge, maybe they had a real monsteron the loose, but there were too many alarm bells ringing for him to feel likehe could completely trust this place.

They were apparently a medical company, tackling issues ofmonsterfication and psychic powers running wild. Whatever. The detached way thehead scientist spoke of it was so fake Sonic wasn’t too focused on listening.

The contract was to assassinate a hero, after all.

“That’s not very noble of you.” He remarked, as dry as adesert. It was a low A-rank as well.

“She is showing signs of instability and refusing help atevery turn. It’s truly unfortunate.”

Sonic scoffed at first, but then narrowed his eyes inthought.

He was given a thick file, and when he opened it he was metwith a picture saturated with warm colors. A woman. Young. Notlooking at the camera.

His silver eyes ran over paragraphs of text, then large blocksof dense black ink of redacted information. He wasn’t fond of thateither…

Not even upon reaching the second page, his dark eyebrowshiked up his forehead, the rest of his expression twisted in apathy. “She won’teven hear me coming, huh?” He asked in his usual crass way. He shut the fileand fanned it slowly even in the cold lab in which he stood.

The scientist before him nodded and pushed his glasses upwith a thin finger. He had burn scars around his wrists.

“Partially. Her powers are likely to deafen you as well.Explosions and a refined ability for pyrokinesis have made our previousattempts at capture impossible. So, if you would be so kind, please keepher body well preserved. She is like a daughter to me.”

“Hn.”

That was the only sound Sonic made.

“This subject goes by Dahlia, and I guarantee you that sheis incredibly dangerous and liable to lose control of her powers. She hasrefused vital treatment, and so we must do what is right…” The man’sglasses glinted. “You understand, correct? This is what must be done.”

“I don’t particularly care.” And that was the truth.Unlike the sketchy man before him, Sonic didn’t feel the need to put on airsfor whatever reason. If what he said was true, then an unhinged opponent wasall too easy to take down, and if he was lying then…

Various instincts Sonic had honed over the years were alreadyblanching in distaste. Perhaps warning him of a broken contract to come. It wasall too familiar to him. This facility was obvious in its exploitative nature—Itcould have been a ninja village in disguise.

He didn’t have the hard proof though, and he was no hero. Hedidn’t have to seek out the truth, yet.

With a slight haughty nod of acknowledgement, Sonic vanishedinto a writhing mass of shadow and silence. He didn’t have to completely agreeor believe what these people told him.

The mission was accepted, regardless.

—

Sonic bolted through the hot air of the summer afternoon.Leaping from building to building in a black and purple blur, he raced aroundZ-City searching for signs of his target.

…The first step to a successful assassination after all, wascareful surveillance.  

Fortunately for Sonic, he never found that ninja art difficult,it was almost natural. As easy as breathing~

With a confident smirk he knew that his skills inobservation were extraordinary. His senses were keen to deception…

“There’s no disguise I can’t see through. You can’t hidefrom me—" He spoke aloud. The image of her face from the facility’s filewas ingrained into his brain—even if she got surgery to hide her looks, hewould–

“Ah—” Sonic froze on the edge of a grey bricked building, asmall drip of sweat slipping down his temple.

“There she is…”

Flores Dahlia’s red hair may as well have been abeacon in a crowd. Her eyes were orange just like in her reference picture. Herclothes were styled in the same way. Her red hair was so long and striking, itwas easily the first thing he noticed when approaching the main street.

Seeing her for the first time, her stature and expressionwere completely different from his reference picture.

He pulled it out of his back pocket, his eyes glancing backand forth between the image and the person sipping a coffee outside a café.

The image was perhaps when she was younger. Dark circlesbeneath her eyes and a worried expression.

The woman before him now was the opposite. A healthy glow toher skin, and a bright, bright smile.

Sonic realized very quickly that this woman wasn’t hidingherself.

Over confidence? Sonic thought.

Does she think she think she can take me on?

With the corners of his lips pulling downwards, Sonicglowered. For the next few days he spent many hours watching those gentle wavesof red, waiting for his opportunity. From early in the morning to the dark nighthe watched her live her life.

…To his discomfort it was peaceful and happy, to say theleast.

Nevertheless, against a dangerous target Sonic was no fool.He kept his presence carefully masked, and even though she was partially deaf,he used every ounce of his ability to remain silent. Looks could be deceiving, perhapsshe was the type to go berserk during the heat of battle?

Sonic was ready to catch this woman out on some nefariousactivities, or did that scientist think he was that stupid? The detailsof her violent nature were quickly being proven false—but he had yet to see herfight.

She’s a hero, and I haven’t seen her scrambling for fame…

Another half of him came to her defense—Well, she doesn’tflaunt her powers unnecessarily.

Flores Dahlia got up early and left her apartment around thesame time as her roommate. (Apparently another person of interest, but not onSonic’s payroll to kill.)

She dressed modestly, carried herself with poise, but she didn’tseem aware of the bounty on her head.  Shegreeted people politely on the street who recognized her and called her,“Dolly-chan!” Her hero name… She never gave any indication that she sensed Sonic,and so over the days his distance grew closer and closer.

Sometimes he grew near enough to smell her perfume. It wassweet, but not hard on the nose. There were times he brushed against her warm shouldersin the crowd—she met his eyes once and blushed shyly before glancing away. Hehad felt a little pride at that.

Sonic supposed she could be so extremely confident inherself that she became oblivious but…He shook his head gently, making his inkyblack hair sway around his face as he pretended to look at his phone.

This girl’s naivety was clear even after the first day onhis surveillance.  

Sonic rarely saw her without a kind smile on her face.

Even during the times where he tested her, placing himselfin her line of sight, steadily emanating killing intent, she seemed to see thebest in others. She had no idea she was under threat.

And because she was a hero, he was ready to watch herfight already! She didn’t search for opponents– even though that seemed to bethe association’s thing. Heroes always played gimmicks to raise rankings…Insteadhe watched her working a humble day job at a store for most of the time, herfriendliness was brightly apparent in her face and eyes.

There was not a shred of deviousness in them. No sign ofinstability or lack of control.

Today was no different as she treated herself to chocolate cheesecakewhile at a cutesy café. Lunch time always made her particularly energetic asshe would shuck her work apron and don her civilian clothes again. With a blankexpression he watched her take a picture of her food and send it to someone onher contacts list. When she got a reply, she smiled so hard it made herfreckles stand out…

Something in Sonic’s heart contracted a little.

…Maybe it was indigestion from his coffee…He looked at itwith a scowl and threw it expertly in the trash from a distance.

–Then her smile fell as a large explosion plumed from a fewblocks over.

A roar shattered glass in a flashy wave as wind and debrisflooded the street. Sitting at a nearby table from Dahlia, Sonic watched herleap to her feet, and race towards the scene.

Like a mirage, a completely black attire flooded over herform. It covered almost every inch of her skin, much like his own ninja gear…Heassumed the material could handle extreme temperature or high impact.

Finally! He thought.

With a serious expression he changed position to the highbuildings above the street. It was about time– He would see this damnwoman in action…

He watched her break out into a modest run, rounding cornerswith a determined expression. A large monster was throwing a tantrum in a largepark and those large bursts of dust were spiking into the sky at every second.

Silently Sonic followed, perhaps he would get his chance totake the kill while her back was turned…Perhaps he would give her a chance tosurrender…He wanted to get this mission over with, he was tired of thinkingabout her at every second of his day and feeling—something.

He needed a good fight. A challenge maybe? That could beit…

He had never fought someone who could generate flame before,and he wondered if that was enough to even compete with his speed…

“Heheh.” Sonic smirked to himself with his facedarkening…Brute strength can never win, not against my flawless techniques!!

Sinking into deep shadow, he watched this hero race onto thescene. What would she do? He wondered. What kind of brash and chaotictechniques would he see from her that would seal her fate? Would she finallydrop that good girl act?

Dahlia let orange flame gently burn at her hands and beneathher feet, levitating her from the ground smoothly. Her red hair swayed, and ina burst of speed she appeared above the large monster. Red clashed with thesoft blue of the sky.

The monster’s height towered above even the oldest oaks inthe park, but she had cleared the distance without issue.

Sonic’s grin deepened—and with a confused grunt from themonster, it tried to tilt its ginormous head skyward to swat at her like a fly.

She pinched her fingers together, flame bubbling up inbright balls of light. Without warning a rain of fire began to shower and peltthe monster like bullets. Tears and holes in its form blasted the monster away,erasing it with a pained scream that sent shockwaves across the park.

Trees bent over backwards, Sonic covered his ears, butDahlia cut the scream short as the rain of fire became a controlled wave thatcascaded to the earth. The monster was enveloped. Burned away. Gone.

Her face wasn’t smiling, and she looked a little worried asshe descended to the ground and glanced around.

With a wave of her hand, any remained embers that werecatching in the wind drifted towards her fingertips. The heat seemed to siphonaway from the humid summer day like a vacuum.

Sonic gaped at her.

That’s it??!

He watched her sigh and shake her head at the large blacksmear on the ground. She was perfectly calm, in complete control.

“Maybe she needs more incentive!” He growled.

Just as she was turning back to the direction of the street,her expression neutral—Sonic appeared before her like a mirage. His expressionsinister—

“Flores Dahlia prepare your-“

“Oh! You scared me!” Her lips formed a sweet ‘o’ as herhands flew around her.

Why does she have to be so very expressive?

Almost thrown off track, Sonic composed himself, “I’ve come for your life—”

“I’m sorry, sir, can you not hide your mouth in your mask.Please?” She gestured with her hands in quick tandem and dared to step closer.All too nonchalant in her action, but somehow knowing she probably didn’t meananything by it– Sonic’s eyes bulged.  

As an afterthought– a need to stay true to his priority, heslipped into a defensive posture, his hand on his sword.

She blinked at him.

“S-sorry!” She exclaimed in confusion, “I read lips, but Ican barely hear you with my aid…Do you need something?” One of her handsslipped behind her ear, revealing the shell of it and the device attached. Sheshowed him plainly, her posture full of openings. Too many damn openings. If hewas anyone else, he could have killed her by now!

That thought made him feel something like rage, and hedidn’t know why.

And her smile had returned, although uneasily.  

How can she be so unaware?!?!  

With a dark expression he snatched his scarf down with hisother hand, “I’ve been sent to kill you.” He said slowly.

In a calm and benevolent way, he extended his hand towardsher. “However, if you return to your caretaker, I won’t have to eliminate you, FloresDahlia…”

Her mouth remained open, but her eyes were glinting withsomething like acceptance.

“My caretaker? Is that what he told you?”  She shook her head.

“No, of course he told you that…” She muttered.

Her hands moved through a series of motions, “May I ask whatyour name is?”

…Sonic had to admit, he appreciated the polite opportunityfor introduction and straightened his posture.

“Speed of Sound Sonic.” He inclined his head, “Let me startout by saying, no opponent of mine has ever escaped alive. I plan on keeping itthat way.”

He flickered behind her, his lips right next to her ear, “Sowhat will it be?”  

She slipped her hand over her ear, shirking from him. Hisstomach felt a twinge of discomfort at that as she turned around skeptically, “That’sfine. I don’t want to fight you, and I have no intention of going back.” Sheturned to face him fully, her hair swaying behind her.

“If you kill me, I assume it would be quick. Thatpreferable to torture.”

…He hummed thoughtfully, “I’ve been told many things aboutyou—a penchant for lying is one of them.”

For the first time her expression twisted into anger. Hissilver eyes watched her warily, ready for flame at any second.

This was it then, he would goad her into showingher true colors—

Dahlia shook her head, pressing a hand against her chest, “Idon’t lie.”

“My ‘caretaker’ made me this way! Haru and I arestill recovering from his treatments to this day!” Dahlia pointed at Sonic, hersuit flickering away into a bracelet on her wrist. A pink skirt flared aroundher hips again, and a soft white jacket carried the scent of her perfumestraight to Sonic’s nose.

“I’m my own person, can I lie about that?!”

…

Sonic crossed his arms as Dahlia continued, “What he’s doingis illegal, and if you knew what was really happening in that facility youwould probably never go back—”

Sonic’s expression hardened at the edges, giving her hiscruelest smile. “That’s laughable. Just because you’re weak doesn’t meanthe same rules of your pitiful existence apply to me. No one can catch Speed ofSound Son—"

“Well good!” She exclaimed, catching him off guard.Her vehemence was painfully sincere as she leaned towards his face, her orangeeyes clashing against his silver ones.

“I wouldn’t wish that fate on anyone!! I’m serious, Mr.Sonic. Don’t think he won’t try to capture you once you’re done!”

She didn’t fall for his words, instead giving it her all forthat damn hero act… Growing agitated in her presence he did the only thing hecould think of. In a flash he pressed his sword against her neck, a few strandsof her beautiful hair flew away in the wind. Dahlia remained unmoved.

…Sonic found he rather liked that expression, those eyesstaring at him. She hadn’t even flinched, and she didn’t blink when he pressedthe blade into her skin harder.

“Fight me.” Sonic growled, the tension in his stomachwas growing into a tight knot at this point.

“No! I don’t want to hurt you, especially when you’re beingused like this—”

He scoffed, “You think you can hurt me?! You–”

She interrupted him at every turn. Dahlia glared at himsteadily although her lips wobbled, “I don’t want to take the chance. I’m notwhat they told you.” She tugged his sword away and for some reason, he lether.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you…And I don’t know if I couldmatch what they’re paying you—” Her expression turned worried and sad, “Evenwith my hero salary and my–”

Sonic sneered. The mere thought curdled his stomach, “Idon’t want your money!!” He shouted, and her eyes widened.

For a moment, silence reigned over the park. Sonic had lostwhat he wanted to say, and it was all because his interest in this woman wasbecoming too obvious to ignore…

He caught sight of her hearing aid as she adjusted it, andit hit him so suddenly that if what she was saying was true…

“Were you raised in that facility then?”

“I wasn’t born there, I was taken.” Her words became clippedand emotional, “I was normal, and they changed me.”

Steady eye contact, splayed hands, her breathing was even…

A shallow breath was sucked into his chest followed by anoise of anger. It’s just like his village, taking orphans to train, to turnthem into killing machines.

He sheathed his sword, his expression dark. “If I searchthat facility, will I find evidence that you’re telling the truth?” Hespat the word like venom.

She tilted her head, “You’ll find children who want toescape. I know some remember home. Will that be enough?”

He struggled not to scoff, “…I’m no hero, but I will not belied to while under contract.” Sonic turned his back to her—then instantly felta hand against his shoulder, trying to tug him around. Shocked by herforwardness, he remembered she had to see his mouth to understand him–

He obliged, a little red in the face, “I want to fight youwhen I finish taking care of this.” He said it like a threat, and Sonic wassure his face was icy, but she smiled, nonetheless.

“Can I treat you to a dinner instead? I don’t like scorchingfriends.”

His expression twisted. Embarrassment, frustration, and purepride fought across his face.

He didn’t say a word as he disappeared, his cheeks warm andhis shoulder tingling from her touch.  

“I’ll be back for you, mark my words!”

[the-nysh]

Bkdk fic recs? Not any particular genre/setting; just stories that you fell in love with.

Ohoo!! *___* Yes, do I have a handful of them! Time to go through mypersonal notes and share what I’ve saved!

First up are some of my fav prolificauthors (and their well-known, must-read fics), whose attention to detail, emotionaldepth, and characterizations I trust and therefore I would read anything they write of the pair:

 @atomicblonde/lalazee (Blood Moon), for writingsome of the most riveting emotional roller coasters, whose power with words anddialogue can both raze mountains and completely swoon you asunder with theirintensity. All her fics are worth reading (and there are plenty!) But I thinkthe one that particularly touched me most was Ugly Beautiful. :’)

@driftingglass (Before Midnight), forwriting some of the most immersive stories coiled with gripping and buildingtension, both plot wise and relationship wise. Also has one of the mostdescriptive and intense voices. And for writing a Deku with thedetermined/defiant agency he deserves.    

@soulestring/soulstring(Falling, I feel you), for some ofthe most emotionally raw & vulnerable scenes of feelings realization I’veseen. Through all the extensive denial, fear, reluctance, and passion towardslove. Chronic emotional constipation at its crippling worst and most beautifullyrewarding. Oho, I’ve reread these many times for just how strongly they stuckwith me. (Also features Kiri as a valuable mvp, oh thank goodness

@osakakitty (Make Every Moment Last,Like the Moon), mmm,for a finesse with sweeping/honest tenderness with enough resonance to make oneweep. I know many readers who have fallen victim to it. Not from sadness, butfrom just how thoroughly touching and profound her stories are. :’) What ablessing, indeed.  

@kanaevr/Kanae_vR(The Space Between), forwriting with an awareness and careful handling of both the characters and plotthat I could best describe as sincere.The detailed realism and slice of life aspects are both relatable and fun, which contribute towards a whole,well-rounded package that is thoroughly engaging to read.  

Next, aside from the many works available from the authors above, are some fav individual fics that I’mparticularly fond of:

In the Eye of the Storm by @cheshirebutton,THE iconic naga au. If there’s one fic in the fandom I’d consider my fav, I think it’d be this one. Which I’ve read 5+ times, and would definitely reread again. 8D Ilove it that much. Everything is handled with so much impressive quality and care;almost anything introduced has a purpose that will become relevant again later(which is why rereading is so fun). From the impeccable world building to thecharacterizations, the absolute stakes and peril involved that drives them towardsbelievable, life-altering decisions (the weightthey must consider between duty and personal feelings)…from the wedges thatkept them stubbornly apart, towards a curious magnetism and blooming/meaningfulsolidarity that brings them closer together even stronger. :’)) This is classicenemies to reluctant allies to lovers done beautifully, and has me convinced oftheir mutual feelings 1000%. Omg, they feel somuch. ;A; Whenever there’s a ch update I have to immediately dropeverything because it’s just thatgood, ahhh.

Hunting the Past by Justaperson1718, theassassin and blackmailed!bodyguard au! 8D Which happens to be my fav actionfic. It’s so smart and fast-paced, from all the convoluted planning and tensesteps involved to set things right, damn! We have these expertly specializedpros, extremely capable in their respective fields…but who are also fumblingdorks unaccustomed to sorting out their feelings and properly communicating(esp after all the conditioning/exp they’ve been through). It’s so fun to watch them executemissions and then transition to the domestic (yet still very muchliving on edge) down time with them learning to bond while taking care ofKouta. Unexpected surrogate action parents due to dire circumstances, aha!  

The Mummy by Spectra, my favadventure fic. A retelling of the classic movie, but done so well and with style. Probably some of the most genuine fun I’vehad reading fics in this fandom, ahaha what a riot. XD From the crazyshenanigans they get caught up in to the wholesome heh copious amount ofbonding from their time together. Truly, all scenes are extremely well paced andallotted for the type of ‘meat’ readers are in for. Kacchan is so comically (andseriously) overprotective of Deku, omg I love it. (Considering the endlesstypes of human & undead enemies after them, ahh!) Bonus, Kiri is such a goodaccompanying bro, what a delight.

Some Read It For The Articlesby low_commotion,for some of the nerdiest awkward dork bonding, from their shared seriousinterest in hero mags, to their more hands-on practical applications in the gymtogether (ayyy!! ;D)…all while everyone else in the class assumes it’s over‘something else’ and blows it out of proportion (oho~ but things ARE slowlyhappening!) It’s such a hilarious and witty slow burn scenario where they helpeach other improve, but I think what really shines are the faithfulcharacterizations. Deku has such a distinct rambling headspace, and while thepov is limited, the respectable merits inherent to Kacchan’s character stillshine…like ahh, that’s it; that’s why he’s a fav. A very fun and unique ficindeed!  

Just Like The Comics by brichibi,oh man!! The angst and feels truly got me in this ‘what-if’ scenario where Dekunever earned ofa, never went to U.A., and slowly became so jaded/bitter athaving to settle for something other than his dream, his growing envywitnessing Kacchan achieve his burned too much to bear. It’s such a fascinating and segmented Deku characterstudy where he has to discover what he really wants in life, with plenty ofmeta jabs at canon that had me going whoa!!! :O Plus Kacchan is as patient andaccommodating to Deku’s pace as he can be. :’) (Which…became another point ofcontention for Deku, to not hold him back from becoming the best…yet I love the counter, ‘I don’thave everything; I don’t have you.’ fuufjgkgh!!! ;A;)

And now even MORE fics that I like/enjoy, which have caught my attention, orthat I’m currently eagerly waiting for more updates:

warm hands and shipwreck on the red sea byflowercafeAHHHHH!!! Warm hands features my most fav headcanon: heated quirk musclemassages. (Omg it’s so tender/intimate; I’m so weak ;A;) While shipwreck featuresshark mer!Kacchan! 8D I love the realistic attention to detail/descriptions andpenchant for marine biology, ohh it has such an immersive Life of Pi feel. (Pluswelcome room for spice, oho.) Actually, all this author’s works are great withtheir extremely strong starts, definitely keeping watch!

under a hollow sun by umbrage, probablymy personal choice for the classic fantasy au most faithfully adapted (YESSfinally one that matches what I’d been searching for 8’D with a fun supportiveKiri too! *grovels at author’s feet*) Many classmates are incorporated in a fun way too! (Authoralso wrote another fic featuring funny accidental quirk misfire during certain…activitiesand dang, I wish more authors would make use of that too, ahaha! XD)  

springtime of youth by claimedbydaryl,I’m extremely fond of the last chapter, for how realistic and awkwardly naturalthe approach is, definitely left a lasting impression.  

Incandescent Snow by Chicory, acarefully crafted au and scenario that is gorgeous and tentative, with well-madeoc’s who contribute their unique pov’s of the boys’ growing relationship.  

Collision by stardustacademia(cosmiclarents), one of the most thorough and in-depth looks into Kacchan’spsyche and angst I’ve seen, but it’s unfortunately been deleted. :’(( Noting itanyway for remembrance’s sake.

Ambivalent by bakuboi ohdang this was such a unique approach to Kacchan’s pov and source of his anger I’veseen, and impressive writing insight for being anime-only too.

A Haze of Crystal by semiautomatichearts,ooh I really enjoyed the emotional depth in this one; the author has anotherhanahaki story I’m keeping an eye on as well.

how he should’ve known (andhow it turned out) by vannral, theirapproach to the classic fake dating trope caught my attention, but all theirworks are fun and worth checking out too! :D Def keeping an eye on their stuff.

The Devil Blues by iknewamantheir police detective au is so fun and well done; oho those sparks fly! They’vewritten more stuff with unique/interesting approaches I’ve enjoyed too.

Map of Scars by Celestialgunfireopera,ohh :’)) a very touching and vulnerable moment, through particular intimacy andacknowledgment of past actions previously left unsaid. That type of meaningful tendernessand skinship really hits the spot.  

By Design by EtherealBeing(also author of Bluebird), this one is such a unique idea/premise I have not seenbefore! :O Extremely fascinated to see where it’s going.

Izuku’s Home for Wayward Petsby glamour_weeb,wolfdog-hybrid rescue and rehab au, omg it’s so charming and wholesome. :’3  

Shadows and Gold by Sonday, thedesert prince/servant au, whoa!!  

Fireflies for the Moon byBestTankTopist (Keyade), the historical samurai au! Definitely got my eyes onit for more.  

Lunch on Tuesdays by @rironomind,and of course, I have to rec my buddy for her casual, slice of life take ofthese disaster dumbasses that is both fun and surprisingly bold (for tackling that topic in a way no one else has)with authentic Japanese flair (only rom could think of the meaningful gesture ofDeku sitting in seiza, like wow why have I not seen anyone else incorporatesuch behavior before, dang). Thanks so much, rom.

And there we go! Hopefully that’s a big enough handful of fics toappreciate, as I’ve read plenty more where these came from. :’D There are somany talented writers and amazing fics in the fandom worth all the support!  

[bellsyblue]

star wars the last jedi spoilers ahead

I went to see the film as part of a work function tonight (ty Jesus) and I need to get some stuff out of my system bc I can’t discuss with my housemate until she sees it tomorrow, so --

No real structure, just streaming it out.

The most important thing this film showed me was that Leia learned how to use the Force. It was beautiful. The universe that opened up retrospectively when she pulled herself out of the space wreckage to safety (let’s ignore the plausibility of surviving that for a second). I thought of Luke and Leia, fresh off their victory over Palpatine, bonding in the quiet safety of Leia’s senatorial apartments, Luke patiently talking his sister through the ideas of the Force; to quiet, listen and trust her feelings. Imagining her excitement and the joy on his face when she makes that datapad tremble on her desk, the first time she actively reaches out and senses him through the Force, the way they would laugh together the first time they test it on Han and freak him out. Imagining the euphoria of sharing something that’s just between them.

That moment Leia saved herself using the Force shone a beacon on a beautiful past of potential and I think that sustained me through the whole movie.

Thank god.

Because I have not facepalmed so hard nor so often since I had to watch Anakin and Padme “fall in love”.

I am sympathetic to the fact this film had to find its feet in the unexpected wake of Carrie’s death, but WHY DOES THIS FRANCHISE HAVE A 1/3 SUCCESS RATE IN WRITING BELIEVABLE ROMANCE???

On one hand, it’s a good day for you if you’re a Reylo shipper. On the other hand, it was like watching 6/10 fanfiction play out to a rushed pace. Finn and Rose were cute together but even their dynamic felt too fast. The flirtation between Poe and the Vice Admiral. Why so many close-ups??? Also, the Han/Luke shipper in me was mad that Luke didn’t already know Han was dead, but sure he closed himself off to the Force, so he was behind on the news.

the author acknowledges her impressions were exacerbated being forced to sit three rows from the screen

As this film played out, it sounded like it was written straddling the fourth wall: in some ways too aware of its meta wish list and headcanons from the audience, fandom in-jokes, and performing as an echo of the Empire Strikes Back (once was enough with TFA, but again??? seriously?) and Return of the Jedi mashed together “with a twist”.

I waited two years for this film. I read and discussed so much about its potential with so many fans, I think it was bound to fall short of my expectations.

I was really heartbroken when I found myself wishing the movie would just end. It felt way too long. I had waited two years to see Poe, Finn and Rey (okay and Kylo the human disaster) again.

Everything was so rushed. Characters were introduced in a rush. The editing felt rushed. In critical moments where you needed to linger, let the gravity of dialogue or exchange sink in, process who we had just met and why we should care about them, we were instead thrust onto more characters, more spectacle, it was all spilling out faster than Vice Admiral engaging light speed through an entire First Order fleet. Bringing Benicio del Toro in like a passing ship in the night, a darker, shallower tribute to Han Solo’s archetype (don’t bring him back and redeem him, please, you failed to make me care about him, it’s tired and I cbf sitting through that). Bringing back my beautiful Phasmum for two minutes of nothing just to kill her properly. Wtf, film, wtf.

I found myself really hoping Rey would join Kylo, just for something different to  untangle in the third film. Let Rey realise too soon what a stupid choice she’s made, but also wrangle with that commitment she’s made, following that dumb instinct that made her seek and have faith in Kylo. I don’t believe the film is done with those two yet.

“I can feel the conflict in you--” Omg every other time a force user opened their mouth in this film, I just wished to end my hearing. This kind of writing flew thirty years ago, but not today, ad verbatim.

I was actually enjoying the moments Rey called him “Ben” and he didn’t flinch, when they were finally fighting back-to-back, and I was like, “Okay, this has potential, the penultimate light and dark come together, now rule together and muddle your way through your problematic commitment, please, that would make fair drama.”

I like that Rey’s parents were revealed to be nobody of worthy note in the “legacy” of the Star Wars universe. I like the message that the greatest hope of a warrior could come from humble beginnings.

I liked that we discovered what really happened with Ben and Luke, and what really sealed Ben’s decision to go dark side. I like that the story made Ben and Luke both share the blame for this. Luke got lost in the airs of his own legend, and Ben had many chances since then to turn back. It’s still shit Snoke clearly got to him young and was manipulating him from a young age; but that doesn’t excuse the shitty things he’s doing by today’s events. He’s a survivor of abuse and sadly, it’s warped his capacity to make rational decisions that take courage by the average person’s measure.

I liked the moment Yoda and and Luke were reunited. Yoda has a levity we often see in older people who have all the perspective, but no fucks left to give. Threaten to burn the foundations of your religion? The old codgers will always call your bullshit. These kind of people bring you back down to earth for #realtalk.

This film smacked of some of the problems I suffered in Justice League, it rarely let people connect as real people with all the awkwardness, tentativeness and vulnerability we often have. Everyone was charging ahead. Everyone was so sure of themselves, even when they were supposedly crying, heartbroken or scared. That moment when Rose’s unnamed sister dropped the bombs and clutched her amulet, and we lingered on her face in slow motion as she closed her eyes? One of the best moments.

War and resistance are fucking scary, exhausting and heartbreaking. This is why I maintain Rogue One is still one of the best films of the film franchise, because it was on the ground where the highest costs were being paid. In war, most people don’t have the means or luxury of fucking off to an isolated planet to nurse the agony of our failure. We have to stick around and muddle through, take actions that compromise our morals and break our hearts in the process, and it fucking sucks (read: Cassian Andor).

I like that everyone in the First Order looked stressed and unglamorous af in comparison to the Force Awakens. I cracked up the moment I saw the shadows under Hux’s eyes, leaned over to my boss and was like, “Yo, that’s my bro, he’s wearing our look.” And seriously, compare Kylo’s unmasking scene in TFA to TLJ. In TLA, they took serious care to unmask him as beautifully, coiffed and confidently as possible. When his mask comes off in TLJ, the camera is tight to his face, showing the blotched complexion of his exhaustion, nervous sweat, his pores and moles and scars, he’s raggedy ann. As Snoke throws in his face, killing his father split him down the middle and he’s never been more conflicted.

I really liked the showdown between Kylo and Luke. I like that Luke apologised for failing him, that Kylo is so far gone in his rage of Rey deserting him, of being alone at last, that Kylo was unmoved. I like how the film says goodbye to Luke, and that Leia lives on at the end.

Farewell, Space Princess. You will forever be loved.

I give it a 6.5/10. But you bet your ass I’m going to see it tomorrow again with the friends anyway, and finish Close the Circuit because now I have enough lore answered to make up my own version.

I look forward to sitting back with enough vantage to actually appreciate Poe Dameron’s beautiful face. Incidentally, this was v insightful for Poe’s character. I’ve given him too much credit as a level-headed commander. He’s way more willing to sacrifice lives than I expected. I understand that was his entire arc, but... the more you know.