#also. the thing about the novel is that you don't get the feel that javier is. a manly man with handsome looks. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cheesybadgers · 7 months

Text

Narcos Fic: Old Habits Die Hard (Chap. 24)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Pairing: Javier Peña x Horacio Carrillo

Words: 3,440

Summary: It's been 15 years since Horacio and Javier brought down Gacha in Tolú, and now they're back where their story began.

Warnings: 18+ ONLY. Brief allusions to period-typical prejudices/politics/legislation, very brief sexual references, smoking, swearing, all the fluff.

Notes: Well....I feel like I should post this with a fanfare or something (just imagine there's one playing), but oh boy, oh man, oh god. I did it. I flipping did it 😭 It's only taken 36 months, copious amounts of blood, sweat and tears, a deranged amount of research, the last shred of my sanity, and probably a fair amount of back/neck pain from sitting at my laptop for too long to get here. But hey, if I don't write a self-indulgent novel-length fix-it fic for a criminally underrated rarepair from a defunct TV show, WHO WILL, I ASK THEE? 😂

I can't fully explain the journey this fic has taken me and my writing on, or the deep love I have in my heart for this ship and the OHDH universe that has lived constantly in my head these last few years. Even when I'm not actively writing, so many things remind me of these two everywhere I go. They got me through the darkest days of the pandemic and somehow became my comfort ship, despite er, certain canon events we don't talk about in this house.

Anyway, I think you've all heard quite enough from me for the time being. So, I will just say thank you so, so, so much to anyone who has read, commented, kudosed, reblogged, liked, sent me messages, made me things, suggested music recs, generally been incredibly supportive and kind ❤️

And thank you to anyone who may stumble across this fic in future. Please never be afraid to leave a comment, even if you're reading several years down the line, I will always love to hear from people about this story.

There will also be some moodboards and playlists posted on my Tumblr at some point (and *maybe* some new - much shorter lol - fics eventually) once I've caught my breath back a bit.

For the final time (unless I randomly think of anything I've forgotten, which is more than likely lol), I’ve also added to my OHDH trivia post to cover this chapter if anyone is interested.

Chapter 24: Suerte (Epilogue)

Early evening rays painted the pastel horizon, their last act of the day transforming the shimmering ocean into an inky palate of fuchsia, violet and saffron, the golden sands at the shore still warm to the touch hours past dusk.

Come the weekend, Colombians would travel far and wide to descend on the many beaches, bars and restaurants that dotted the waterfront. Or if they were feeling adventurous, they would birdwatch, dive off the Islas de San Bernardo, or canoe amongst the mangroves.

But it was mid-week and mid-December – when most locals were at work and school or preparing for Christmas. So, for now, Horacio and Javier had the place to themselves.

There was the added bonus of the coastline turning into a dense forest of palm trees just along from their beach house, civilisation a mile or so away on either side of them, so even at peak times, they remained secluded. It had become a daily ritual to luxuriate in the peace and quiet; a pre-dinner swim with no trunks required followed by entwined limbs and sand in their hair as the sun went down.

Today was no exception, the gentle lapping of the waves around them and their shallow breaths the only sounds to be heard, the taste of salt and scent of sun lotion heavy in the air and on their skin as Horacio rocked into Javier, slow and deep, their chests and foreheads drawn together.

It was almost dark when Javier switched on the shower taps, cascading soothing jets over his head, neck and shoulders. As he soaked his hair, the lights from inside the beach house sprung to life, illuminating the outdoor bathroom with an ambient glow. It was a feature of the premium accommodation they had splashed out on, a rare treat away for a special occasion.

The outside space was a mix of wood, tiles and natural stone for the walls and floors, encased by tall plants and trees for extra privacy. A double shower stood on a platform at the end of a walkway, with a large hot tub branching off in the other direction. On their first night here, they had opted for the tub, surrounding it with candles as a belated ode to Día de las Velitas, lost in each other beneath the bubbles and the stars.

A sturdy embrace enveloped Javier from behind, a position they had found themselves in every morning by the shore before breakfast, looking out to a tranquil sea and a kaleidoscopic sky. The day jobs kept them both on their feet and in good shape, although there was more softness around their stomachs, and Javier was stockier than in his younger years. But his upper body was even broader with muscle now.

He was no gym fiend, but he had accompanied Horacio in some of his strengthening training, wanting to keep his stamina up as much as possible. Not just for the obvious but because he was sometimes required to carry the heavier supplies at work and didn’t want to be shown up in front of his largely youthful team.

It was a welcome development to Horacio, whatever the reason. Not that he ever had any complaints before, but watching Javier blossom as he aged was a wonder to behold. Not to mention, there was more of him to enjoy now.

As for Horacio, aside from the sloping curve of his midriff, he was sheer jaguar strength. Not only in the noticeable places, but his core muscles were in peak condition, the daily horse riding improving his posture and taking him back to the drill commands of his cadet years. His skin was more weathered, and his days of being meticulously cleanly shaven at all times were long gone. But Javier assured him – a lot – the ruggedness was part of the appeal.

Javier wasn’t one to talk either, stubble being a more regular feature alongside his moustache nowadays. But that was mainly due to lack of time in his busy schedule rather than preference, so it wasn’t unheard of for Horacio to do the honours for him. For some reason, Horacio delicately scraping a razor blade across his jaw from the comfort of his lap was far more appealing to Javier than doing it himself in front of the bathroom mirror.

Their hair contained more grey patches, especially around the temples, which was easier to hide when they grew it longer. That wasn’t practical during the sweltering heat of a Texan summer, so they kept it shorter in the hotter months. But in the winter, they could run their fingers through choppy waves and coils of curls to their hearts’ content. And luckily for them, their anniversary fell in December.

“Can you believe it’s been 15 years to the day?” Horacio asked, scattering kisses across Javier’s back.

“This doesn’t even feel like the same fucking place, to be honest.”

“Tell me about it.”

Horacio let out a huff as flashbacks of leading his men on a fleet of raiding crafts towards Gacha’s hideout collided with memories from merely days ago of him and Javier island hopping in a hire boat along the same waters. They had taken a platter of fresh seafood and fruit, exploring the remotest beaches and lagoons, where their only company was the local wildlife.

He could still remember the sensation of the blood at his temple as he lay disorientated on the sand in the aftermath of the explosion, a stark contrast to dozing together under the shade of a palm tree or reading aloud to each other the words of Lorca, Gaitán Durán, Arbeláez, Neruda, Paz, Castellanos and Mistral.

“Although, I did notice signs for the barracks towards Coveñas when we were driving here,” Horacio added with a nostalgic smirk.

“Oh yeah? You didn’t want another night there for old times’ sake?” Javier tilted his head until he found Horacio’s lips with his teeth.

Horacio hummed and put up no resistance, his wet hands sailing with ease down Javier’s body, finding purchase at his hip bones. “It was tempting. But I figured you’d want to make the most of this before Christmas.”

“Damn right.”

They took turns massaging shampoo into each other’s scalps, lathering the suds through thick spirals, tenderly pulling at strands until they purred, thoroughly indulging in the sensation whilst they had the chance. And then they did it all again, rinsing off the soap, floating away on the meditative pressure of the faucet and their fingers.

“We could always see if Alejandra has more spa freebies if it gets too much, though,” Javier suggested through the haze of steam now cocooning them.

“I like your thinking.”

It had been a while since they last used such tickets, their previous visits not dissimilar to how their current vacation was playing out. But despite the chaos that would no doubt ensue, they were looking forward to catching up with Horacio’s side of the family. Between expanding businesses in Texas and Manizales and the oldest half of the brood living and working elsewhere now with the twins staying at home studying, they didn’t get to meet up as much as they would have liked.

However, Elena visited Laredo several times, swapping life stories and recipes with Chucho and joining Horacio and Javier in San Antonio one spring for the Fiesta. Her last holiday outside of Colombia had been before Alejandra and Horacio were born, so she was determined to take advantage of having family abroad before age finally caught up with her. There had even been discussions of a trip to Madrid if Horacio and Javier could arrange cover at work the following year.

“Pops is flying out on the 20th, right?”

“Yes. Marco and Raúl are covering the ranch and animals until your father’s back on the 28th. And Jorge is covering the farm until we’re home from Miami in the New Year.”

No one was keen to leave Luna, Sol and Leo, who had long since retired from ranch duties, but between work and Christmas commitments, Connie taking a full-time job in a different hospital, now Olivia was a teenager going on 30, and the earlier-than-expected arrival of Felipe’s and Juana’s second child – Óscar, a little brother to Claudia – New Year was the only time everyone’s schedules matched up.

These days, Luna, whose main residence was the cottage now, Sol and Leo spent most of their time nestled on furniture or looking for treats in the kitchen whenever food was prepared. However, Luna would sometimes still ride in the back of Horacio’s truck and keep him company in the lower fields.

Kira and Fuego had become old pros, showing their younger siblings, Cielo and Tierra, the ropes, not as replacements to the trio but as a new team with their own quirks and personalities. Thankfully, the dogs and Coco had taken well to the pair of barn cats, Churro and Tamale, who patrolled the outbuildings and dealt with any rodent intruders.

Meanwhile, Chucho showed few signs of slowing down, except one summer when he twisted an ankle, and even that was hard work to get him to rest. But he had been happy to step back from some of his more physically demanding responsibilities in recent years, trusting that the ranch and farm were in capable hands. With their expansion plans a resounding success – plus some new ones up their sleeves – he had become more involved in the business side of the operation alongside Miguel.

And, of course, he was always happy to offer Horacio advice whenever needed. But for the most part, he left him to it since Félix’s retirement, preferring to arrange for the guesthouses to be refurbished or to deliver fresh batches of cooking to aid workers and exhausted arrivals alike on the frontline of the border.

“Bet Jorge was as thrilled about that arrangement as my team.”

“Well, we can always delegate to our deputies whenever necessary. One of the perks of being promoted.”

It had taken Horacio five years under Félix’s watchful eye – and decades of experience – to be granted the title of farm manager. Then, Félix had retired the previous year, satisfied he had picked the right man as his successor and Jorge as deputy.

Horacio still had plenty to learn and likely always would with the constant conveyor belt of change to farming methods and technology that landed on his desk each month. However, there was a sense of familiarity with certain parts of the job, like the meetings, the paperwork, and the budget constraints. Except, this time, it all came without the funerals, the upper echelons of the CNP breathing down his neck, and the crushing weight of a country’s future on his shoulders.

“And a holiday on the Caribbean coast was necessary, was it?” Now that Javier’s hair was free from sand and shampoo, he turned to face Horacio, their lips almost touching.

Horacio nodded sagely and closed the gap. “A critical business need.”

------------------------------------------------------

Once dried off, they lay in a hammock in matching white towel robes under the thatched porch of their beach house with a perfect view of the sea, moon and stars.

“So, you like it here?” Horacio asked after a comfortable silence.

“It’s beautiful. I’m glad we came back – to see it how it’s meant to be.”

“Me too. Although, I fear violence will always be a parasite latched onto Colombia. Just when you think it’s gone from one place, it rears its head again in another. Or even the same place twice if you’re unlucky.”

Horacio remembered the stories he had heard from Trujillo in the last couple of years – particularly about Operation Orion. Officially, the incursion on Comuna 13 had been a success by the Colombian military against the likes of FARC. Unofficially, however, there were rumours of a leaked CIA report, disappeared individuals, and collusion between an Army General and none other than Don Berna’s subordinate. It was hard to keep faith that Medellín would ever be free from its past when history had such a predictable habit of repeating itself.

“I know. It feels like one step forward and two steps back in the States, too. Terrorism might be the new bogeyman, but re-branding to ICE and throwing a shitload of money at the DHS hasn’t stopped the drugs and the people finding their way over the border.”

Javier had heard directly from Steve about the shift in his job role since 9/11. Overnight, Steve’s whole department was removed from their current caseloads and signed up for every counter-terrorism and narco-terrorism course under the sun. It was now customary for DEA agents to be redeployed to the FBI as intelligence analysts if resources required. And if their eyes and ears were pulled away from the drug traffickers, it didn’t take a genius to figure out the consequences.

Meanwhile, in Texas, if anything, people only took graver risks in the wake of a beefed-up Border Patrol. Javier had spent a lot of the past year helping to set up new aid teams in Arizona and New Mexico, the inhospitable conditions of the desert not enough of a deterrent to stop families trying their luck or handing over their life savings to coyotes who didn’t care whether they made it across alive.

“But small things can add up to change. Bit by bit,” Javier added. “And at least they can’t arrest us for fucking in our own home anymore.”

“True. Not that the law stopped us before...” Horacio nuzzled against Javier’s neck before making a move to get up.

They may have joked in the here and now, but it wasn’t a change they took for granted. In fact, Luz and Carla had even persuaded Javier to attend a protest or two and pay bond and legal fees for those who had been arrested. After all, he’d had plenty of experience exchanging money for people’s freedom.

When news of the Supreme Court decision spread, it was another weight off their backs and one less reason to look over their shoulders, a chance to permanently put to bed memories of being spied on during such unguarded sacred moments. It was the final line to be drawn under those dark years, not to erase them because that was impossible. But it was, at least, closure.

Their cigarette was almost done, and Horacio had left the opened pack on the kitchen counter. Once retrieved, he took out another and leaned into Javier across the hammock, pressing the tip of his unlit cigarette against the lit one until it sparked.

“But you’re right,” Horacio continued, holding Javier’s gaze between exhaling a plume of smoke. He balanced on the edge of the hammock, just enough to stop it tipping sideways. “Things can change. But only if we want them to.” He perched their new cigarette between his lips as he reached into the pocket of his robe.

Their first cigarette was little more than a stub, so Javier stooped down to the ashtray on the floor to extinguish it. Once he sat up again, a small cubed box was presented into his spare hand.

Javier stared at the black box and blew out remnants of smoke, eyeing Horacio with an unreadable expression, an unspoken question and answer lingering between them and the mist of tobacco.

He prised open the box to reveal a ring of plain silver. Or, so he thought at first glance. But as he raised it towards the moon, the iridescent light caught on the inner band to reveal an inscription.

Suerte que encontré a mi media naranja.

(Lucky that I found my soulmate.)

“Fuck, Horacio…” Javier’s voice was strained, and his words came out as little more than a whisper. He held the ring between his thumb and forefinger, letting the ethereal reflection from above capture each word.

Horacio watched every shift in Javier’s face with bated breath and a dry throat, his limbs lead and weightless all at once.

“The world’s changing around us,” Horacio said at last; swallowing his nerves and summoning his courage. “But no matter what the law or courts say in any state or country, this can mean whatever we want it to mean.”

Javier’s jaw worked back and forth, his teeth clamping down on the inside of his cheeks. But it was no use, and he let out a trembling scoff, an attempt to distract from the shining pupils he finally confronted Horacio with.

And then a broad smile crept across Javier’s features, his palm connecting with Horacio’s cheek before he plucked the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag. “Pass me my jeans.”

It took Horacio a moment to process Javier’s request. Of all the responses he had prepared for – the good and the bad – that hadn’t been on his list, funnily enough. With narrowed eyes and pursed lips, he complied and fetched the jeans that had been flung over a sun lounger when they stripped off to swim earlier. Apparently, regardless of how humid the climate in Tolú became, denim remained a reliable staple of Javier’s wardrobe.

“Check my left pocket.”

Whatever Javier was up to, Horacio was torn between intrigue and irritation at Javier’s temerity to issue orders despite leaving him hanging. But he did as he was told, and in an instant, everything made sense.

“I can always take it back if you’d prefer…”

But Horacio was already opening the near-identical box, and any teasing faded to white noise as he came face-to-face with the gold equivalent of his own proposal.

“Hold it up to the light.”

The night sky was brighter now, making it easier for the inscription to be revealed.

Mi amor, mi vida, mi hogar, mi vaquero. Siempre tuyo.

(My love, my life, my home, my cowboy. Yours always.)

It was Javier’s turn to observe, and it didn’t take long for Horacio to raise a brow in his direction, shooting him a look of feigned exasperation that only came with the territory of a relationship as enduring as theirs.

“What?” Javier said with disingenuous innocence and a vulpine smile.

It was a contagious kind of smile, one that reminded Horacio they were equals in this and that he shouldn’t have been surprised Javier had the same idea.

“I take it my mother showed you her ring?”

“On my first visit to Manizales. It was beautiful. And so’s this.”

“As is this.”

“I like to think I put my own spin on it.”

“You did.”

They sat side-by-side on the hammock, legs facing towards each other with the rings held in their outstretched hands.

Javier’s thumb slid across Horacio’s left palm, tracing patterns over new callouses born from hard labour rather than war. He circled his wrist, waiting for the familiar rhythm but finding a beat that was, unsurprisingly, drumming quicker than usual.

After subduing with his touch, Javier retrieved the gold band, gliding it carefully onto Horacio’s ring finger, easing it over the knuckle until it rested snugly at the base.

They sat transfixed, marvelling at the light dancing across it as Horacio’s thumb ran back and forth over the curved surface in fascination.

Horacio repeated the ritual of mapping Javier’s left hand, lacing their fingers together as a tangible reminder of their bond. Their devotion. Their vow. Their choice. Whether the law honoured it one day or not.

He picked up the silver to his gold, shimmying it along Javier’s ring finger and passing beyond the slight resistance at his knuckle. Not too much force, but firm enough for it to sink perfectly into place.

With palms connected and fingers interlocked, their foreheads met, chests rising and falling in tandem.

“Te amo tanto, Javier.”

“Yo también te amo. Tanto, Horacio. Tanto.” Javier whispered, over and over in Horacio’s ear like a prayer – their prayer – before brushing his lips above Horacio’s brow, the bridge of his nose, both cheeks and down to his mouth, creating their own sign of the cross with each kiss. A new beginning and a welcome home.

They untied their robes and collapsed onto the hammock in a tangle of limbs, silver and gold melding at their chests and hands; their past, present and future as inseparable as their hearts, bodies and souls.

With one smooth motion, Horacio pinned Javier’s arms down into the netting of the hammock, a dark, hungry gaze passing between them as cool metal fused with hot skin.

15 years and several lifetimes may have gone by. But when Horacio had the man he loved, the man who loved him, his media naranja, underneath him, only one word ran through his head. Mine.

Old habits die hard, he supposed.

#Narcos fic #Narcos #Javier Peña #Horacio Carrillo #Javier Peña x Horacio Carrillo #Pedro Pascal #Maurice Compte #Narcos fanfic #Narcos fanfiction #Narcos fan fic #My Fan Fic #My Narcos Fic

45 notes · View notes

procuder · 10 months

Note

i wouldn't mind alicia and lloyd marrying each other if only their relationship got developed well... cause 300+ chapters and there's no relationship development between at all... in fact lloyd kept on pressing that he doesn't want to get married to a noble, doesn't want to be a king, just wants to be a bum and all, and live at the frontera fiefdom... and poof feels like he isn't allowed to get his wish... and doesn't alicia wants to have lloyd work and work for the prosperity of the kingdom, which lloyd also doesn't want... it feels like they just slap alicia and lloyd together so they can write a sequel and continue the bum lazy husband x hardworking wife trope...

also it bugs me of the implications, lloyd gets married into the magentano, so lloyd probably stays at the capital, then what about the frontera fiefdom who is the successor there, it's not julian since he stays at the capital too and also works for the royalty... (i'm guessing since i haven't read far from the official translations)

and what about javier when did he and siluria develop? siluria is supposed to be the head of namaran, which lloyd vouched for, she can't marry javier and go to the frontera fiefdom, and what about javier if he marries her, shouldn't he be staying at namaran too?

basically if the ending of the novel is when javier went to find suho (basing on the spoilers) then i would be fine something open ended and shows the main relationship of tged which is lloyd/suho and javier... or maybe show that he reunties with the frontera family too after javier picked him up... too be honest if alicia and lloyd's relationship was written/introduced in the sequel novel instead of rushed haphazardly in the tged novel then i think that would have been the best way

You've spoken for me and I have little to do but agree with you. Yes, it would be better that way.

I still don't see the benefit of having them marry like that lol. Especially since Lloyd still has the Magentano carry effect, I really don't like that kind of thing lol

It would be nice. It would be better if they started their relationship by starting to truly build trust with each other unlike how Alicia fully trusts Lloyd because the world tells her to. Well, it's clear that she would definitely be suspicious of Lloyd without this effect lmao I really don't like the way bkmoon wrote the female characters. Damn it...

And the bottom line is that he couldn't write a romance that made sense enough for me to accept it considering that it was mostly about Javier and Lloyd's relationship. Not even talking about the sequel...

Yeah I completely agree with you :D I love Alicia/Lloyd they have interesting chemistry and potential (no mention to the webcomic it's completely fcked up.) But it would have been better if he had let us just imagine what their relationship would be like when he couldn't write it well.

#an ask i received #tged spoilers

16 notes · View notes

tigger8900 · 8 months

Text

The Sun and the Void, by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ches, the god of the sun, and Rahmagut, the god of the void, have been absent from the world ever since Ches defeated Rahmagut and sealed him away. But every so many years the celestial phenomenon known as Rahmagut's Claw crosses the night sky, heralding the opportunity to seek the god's favor to satisfy one wish. Such a time is upon the land. Reina, born powerless, seeks strength through her grandmother, a powerful sorceress, but instead winds up indebted to her. At the same time, Eva wants nothing more than to rise to her full potential, but with her family suppressing her true nature she decides to take her life into her own hands. As the stories of these two young women converge upon Rahmagut's tomb, dueling ambitions will determine whether the world continues on in relative peace or if the land will be thrust into chaos.

The world building in this novel is fantastic. It's a fantasy world based on Venezuelan history and folklore, with a magic system centered around using real-world metals as reagents. There were indigenous people who lived in the land before human colonizers arrived, as well as a revolution that brings to mind the rebuffing of certain real-world colonial empires. This is the first book of a series, and honestly it's mostly set-up. But the set-up is so interesting that I didn't even care. I can't say enough how much I love the magic system. It's exactly the right balance of simple and complex.

The dual-PoV was done very well. I found the two voices to be distinct, and the characters were believable. Sometimes they did foolish things — very foolish things — but those mistakes seemed natural. The supporting characters were also excellent(Maior was my favorite, by the end). I'm not sure what I think about Javier. I feel like I know where the author is taking his arc, and I think it's going to annoy me. I'd say he's honestly the biggest weakness of the entire book for me, because he leans on tropes — the sick boy, the jerk, the master manipulator — that I'm not a huge fan of, and yet he's so central. Fortunately he's not the only relationship present, so that softens the annoyance a bit, and the fact that Maior exists almost cancels his unpleasantness out.

The author is also an illustrator and has drawn her five primary characters. They appear in the book, some at the start of part 1 and some at part 2, and can also be viewed on her website. If you're a visual reader like me, I recommend checking all five portraits before you start reading so your brain performance of the book doesn't do any odd recasting. There is sapphic rep here, though in this first book at least it's predominantly incessant longing with some small payoff near the very end. The author claims that the next book will be spicier, so I imagine it will get more development later.

The book has frequent action sequences, mixing physical combat with spellcasting. This is going to be a weird comparison, because the settings and plots are nothing alike — not to mention I trust this author more than I trust Cassandra Clare — but whenever the characters were fighting I kept getting Shadowhunters vibes. In a good way. Don't @ me, I said it was weird.

#books #book review #the sun and the void #gabriela romero lacruz #the warring gods #fantasy #high fantasy #sapphic #queer #lgbtq

4 notes · View notes

refriedrambles · 9 months

Text

Manhwa time~

I Became the Chef of the Dragon King, The Greatest Estate Developer, and The Crown Prince That Sells Medicine are all written by the same dude and at least the first two have wonderful dynamics.

First one we get this Korean girl from a pre modern period being tossed into another world after her father sells her off as a sacrifice and like the whole isekai bit is incidental it's great, she super diligent and hard working and the dragon king she decides she serving now just wants to sleep but she keeps waking him up with food or getting into some sort of trouble. It's great. Amazing. Lovely little slice of life romance.

Then we get to Lloyd and Javier. Best bromance in comics you can't convince me otherwise. Like probably my otp just in the fact it's the only thing I read where I stopped while actively reading and went 'oh man these two should fuck', and I mean they're not gonna, it's strictly platonic and that's honestly probably for the best in this particular case but still. Lloyd is a lazy, money grubbing, insanely competent lunatic with a system basically demanding he save as many people as possible. He's like Cale from Trash of the Count's House (if I fucked up the name of my fav light novel Imma be pissed) but he's not cool and no one thinks he is, the faces don't help that fact nor does the groveling or bootlicking but they are certainly part of his charm. Between his unhinged one man performances you get glimpses of genuine depth from the man only for him to start howling or cackling in greed moments later. Javier on the other hand was supposed to be the main character of the novel, he's a bodyguard who detested his charge cause the original Lloyd was a fucking mess. He is a swords master or at least very close to becoming one with a strong sense of duty and justice. He's got Cale's cool and collected demeanor which only breaks to show disgust for Lloyd and his antics, but his loyalty only grows as the plot goes on. He's so completely done with Lloyd's shit though. And beyond that they grow this bond. This undeniable chemistry, so strong it makes them gag when it's in the air. Yeah, it's fantastic

Side note Cale is probably my favorite character of all time. The red hair and eye bags on top of this characterization is just so perfect to me. The constant struggle between 'I just wanna do nothing' and 'I need to fix this' is perfect. He's a workaholic with the only goal to relax. Also we get world building for both worlds he resides in that really deepens his character, I reiterate it's perfect. But this is irrelevant. The Trash of the Count's House is a totally different property by a completely different author.

I don't have much to say about The Crown Prince Who Sells Medicine yet. Like Mc was a doctor who possesses the Crown Prince who's kinda dying and a huge piece of shit, pretty standard isekai nonsense at this point seen it a thousand times typically with noble ladies but quite a few have princes as MCs too. Like it's one of the generic backgrounds for an MC dies and possessed the body of whatever character in a novel, other variants being the socially isolated office lady overworked to point exhaustion, the betrayed lover, the abused orphan and chef. It's a weird little bag but it's what we got for the vast majority of story with the isekai possession trope that actually decide to even slightly touch on backgrounds. (Then there's the common 'your modern past life was actually your second life and your first was another iteration of your current one! There wasn't actually any possession cause it was you to begin with!' tropet which is convoluted but weirdly common.) His doctor/servant is left terrified and balking when the prince stabbing himself with pins and needles (questionable acupuncture) and starts requesting poisons only to down them in front of him (it's supposed to for medicine but the system aspect of this one isn't really helping it in this case) but I get the feeling he'd not gonna be a big part of the main dynamic. I'll have to keep an idea on it

#refriedramblings #manhwa shit

3 notes · View notes

kiingfluffybuns · 9 months

Note

Full of spoilers: TGED is properly translated at Yonder if you want to read the novel in English, there is a blog with around 44 chapters ongoing but I don't remember the account. And the webtoon vastly differs from he novel. In fact it doesn't follow it at all and is just a parody. The webtoon is too different from the novel and no the og!Lloyd is not a pitiful depressed character, not an alcoholic who seeks help, in fact he is horrible, its og!Lloyd himself who hates how poor they are, gets abusive at Julian and the servants, og!Lloyd was the one who chooses to be drunk and alcoholic, and even sleep around because he hates being poor in a country side. He lashes out that he hates being born in a poor family by getting drunk and trash at bars. And no, in the novel he didn't sleep at the side of the road he returned to his room and a certain thing happened and his soul separated he was never dead. Even in the webtoon the reason Lloyd is sleeping on the road is for gag purposes, because TGED webtoon is a gag manhwa, while TGED novel is a tragic "romance".

And no the reason Lloyd is seen as a servant is because of his plain dull face not the clothes, in fact he and Javier even wore similar black clothes. And Acros never neglected og!Lloyd in away that Javier is the only one who did swordsmanship, og!Lloyd did it too but got bored of it.

"He didn't actually cared if he died in a ditch." How wrong you are about this, the webtoon didn't even drew the picnic scene and conversation with Arcos and Suho!Lloyd showing that he really cares for his og!son when he sees his son change, please the webtoon completely removed all the sentimental relationships/conversations/interactions between Arcos, Marbella and suho!Lloyd, and suho!Lloyd and Javier. Also, when it was finally revealed, they know the current Lloyd is not their og!Lloyd, yeah you should read to find out what their thoughts were and how they love their son.

"He was mad, he was jealous, and he was frustrated, and the only thing that made him feel better was some drinks" He was mad because they are poor, that's why he chose to drink to lash out, no he wasn't jealous at Javier especially he was also getting swords lesson too, he simply broke Javier's wooden sword gift because he wanted too.

"He was so depressed he wanted to be blackout drunk, and that killed him anyway." He is not dead his soul was simply separated, which is why he was roaming around. If you want the details on how his soul got removed, I could say more spoilers?

First of all, calm down, man.

I said it in the start of my post, it's my speculation I got from the information I got from only the webtoon. And that I'm very welcome to talk about it, you can see it as a different perspective, calm down, lmfaoo.

I also find a little bit rude to drop on me spoilers without even asking me. 'Or should I say more spoilers?', that's a threat, like, are you okay? Why are you so mad?

I wanted to open a conversation, I find extremely interesting the imagery and what could it mean for the characters.

Also in nowhere says it's a gag webtoon, ofc the comedy is over the top, and it's clear is not going to always follow the source material, but that's the fun of it, to see a different take on the story.

I will probably like the novel more, sure. But I'm reading the webtoon first and liking it atm.

I see og!Lloyd is way different in the novel and that sounds fascinating and I would love to read about it myself.

But I don't see myself being wrong bc I decided to interpret it differently than y'all. If the webtoon choose to make og!Lloyd a victim when y'all hated him, shame ig. But it's also a good character analysis to compare and wonder how that affects the story.

Take it as it is. The webtoon is an au of the novel, and that's okay, we have to see it differently and treat it like so. Expect it to be the same, when it's gender is not even same is a bit bothersome.

But anyway, let's use this energy on having fun about it, make a crazy theory

#burnstalk #this is so funny lmfao

1 note · View note

thoughtsbyharu · 2 years

Text

Webtoon Review: The Greatest Estate Developer

Synopsis:

When civil engineering student Suho Kim falls asleep reading a fantasy novel, he wakes up as a character in the book! Suho is now in the body of Lloyd Frontera, a lazy noble who loves to drink, and whose family is in a mountain of debt. Using his engineering knowledge, Suho designs inventions to avert the terrible future that lies in wait for him. With the help of a giant hamster, a knight, and the world’s magic, can Suho dig his new family out of debt and build a better future?

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Shounen,Fantasy, Isekai

Adapted By: Lee Hyunmin

Art By: Kim Hyunsoo

Original Story By: BK_Moon

REVIEW (until epsiode 62):

Before we proceed to the review, I just want to say Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all will have a great year.

This 2023, I hope I can read and review a lot of webtoon or manhwas. I currently have a lot of backlogs for review so I hope I can finish those too!

This review is my first entry for this year! This manhwa is actually reccommended to me by my boyfriend and he insisted that I would not regret reading it and you know what, he was right! This comic did not dissappoint.

The introduction of this series is your typical isekai. Guy reads a novel, guy is transported to the said novel and yada yada. The isekai trope is done to death I know, but I think what separates this manhwa amongst the rest is its main premise wherein our main protagonist is an engineering student who uses his modern skills and knowledge to improve the current medieval world he is in.

The main character, Suho Kim a.k.a Lloyd Fronterra, is a very likeable, funny and refreshing MC. His main goal is to be filthy rich because in his past life, he is a very poor student.

He uses this motivation in order to survive the current world he is in even though sometimes his ways are quite questionable. His current body, Lloyd Frontera is the duke's son who is known to be a thug and a troublemaker. This actually puts him at a disadvantage at the start since no one wants to be associated with him. However, he finds a way to actually use this as an advatage to achieve what he wants.

He may seem like a selfish, capitalistic and opportunistic person, which is kinda true but his intentions are quite good. Although he talks a lot about money, when looking at the bigger picture, he provides people with comfortable housing, jobs and he even paid off his family's debt.

He also provides innovation to the people using his modern knowledge and he is also very hands on and hardworking with the projects he initiates, making it satisfying everytime an arc is finished. So I guess one thing I learned, is money is such a great motivator.

He certainly has a lot flaws, but I don't hate him? He's only mean to the people who gets on his bad side and they kinda deserve it especially once you knew what kind of people they are and what kind of things they did. So I don't really have a problem with it cuz it's karma at work.

Now with regards to the relationship. I....I ship him with the second lead Javier >//<

I just LOVE their chemistry! It reminds me of this ship dynamic:

Javier is SO done with every sht Lloyd does but is always there to support him. I love their banters and I just find their interactions so hilarious!

I kinda feel bad for Javier sometimes though since he is always in the middle of Lloyd's schemes but all is well since deep down he knows that helping Lloyd matches his own personal views and interests.

As for other characters, I really like Lloyd's parents, the queen, the cute animal summons, Sir Bayern and many more! All of these characters are influenced one way or another by Lloyd and helps him with his goal to get richer-- I mean, to help the people of their estate.

As for the story, I really like it! I like the pacing and of course, I live for its comedy. So far, I have no complaints. Oh! Maybe one con is, it is too good that I binged it for a few days and was left empty because I reached the latest chapter and was left hanging. I wish they could update 3x a week TT

The art is really good too. It has an anime vibe to it and also, I can't help but notice that the artist seems to like muscles a lot 👀

I also like how they drew the characters' expressions! It's just too funny! I like how they emphasize how cunning Lloyd is using his expressions!

Overall, is this a must read? HELL YEAH.

I didn't gave much details for this review because I don't want to spoil anything~ You gotta see how good it is for yourself~

------

Overall Rating: 4.8/5

Status: Ongoing

#the greatest estate developer #webtoon #webtoon review #bk_moon #kim hyunsoo #lee hyunnim #harureviews

7 notes · View notes

eveenstar · 4 years

Text

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝒶𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝒯𝒾𝓂𝑒

𝙰 𝚁𝚎𝚍 𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚁𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝟸 𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙸𝙸

Summary: In 2031, a journal is found. It tells the story of a woman named Y/N L/N, who claims to be a time traveler from 2021. This is the story of her life.

Tags/Warnings: Nothing to add yet.

Note: Also, this is a Javier Escuella x reader. The reader is also female, sorry!

“What the hell?”

“Is she alright?”

“Don't just stand there, help the poor girl!”

I remember waking up on a bed, not soft at all, reminded me of a rock.

The rays of the sun made the girl groan and sit on the bed. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around and noticed the strange ambient she was in. A few people walking around, yet none of them noticed she was awake. The woman got up slowly, swaying on her feet, and took slow steps towards her bag left on the ground, until a small voice startled her.

“Mama, the weird lady is up!”

“Already?”

(Y/N) sighed, her head up, and watching as all the eyes were on her. Her mind was still processing the information from the past hours, time-traveling. Right, right, she knew what to do. At least, what she was supposed to do. Her body felt different, probably still adjusting to going through a portal, her mouth was dry and she could still taste a bit of dirt on her lips from the fall.

“Hey, lady, you good?” A silvery voice ringed, waking (Y/N) from her thoughts. Looking at the group of people surrounding her. The man wearing a sombrero got closer to her with a cautious look on his face. The girl didn’t answer, the shock beginning to take over her body. Only know did the poor girl realized what she had done.

“Javier, be careful. She could be…dangerous.” Another voice coming from behind him said.

Dangerous? Well, she kinda is, right? Being a skilled hacker and knowing her way on a gun, but that probably wouldn’t serve much in this era. The hacker part, at least. (Y/N) focused on the loud voices coming near them, they were arguing, and probably about her too.

“Why are we keeping her alive, Dutch? The woman came through that shiny golden circle on the sky and you decide to keep her here?” A blond man waved his arm towards her angrily. (Y/N) recognized him from the old picture the other woman had shown to her; Micah Bell.

“We can’t just kill her, Micah. We need to hear her first.” The other man, Dutch van der Linde, or the dude with fancy clothes, replied. Seemingly annoyed by Micah.

“We have far too many mouths to feed already. We can’t have another one.” A feminine harsh voice announced. “Who comes through something like that in the middle of nowhere? In our camp? She’s dangerous.”

The woman let out a heavy and annoyed sigh. Crossing her arms and looking to the gang, with her brows furrowed. She wouldn’t let them talk like that about her like she wasn’t there. Everyone quickly looked at her.

“If you let me explain myself first before any of you open your mouths.” (Y/N) could see the surprised look on a few faces, but an angry one on the others. Maybe having an attitude wouldn’t do her any good here, probably should get rid of that before causing any problems amongst the gang. After all, she needed to gain their trust.

“I’m sorry, Miss…?”

“(L/N).”

“I’m sorry, Miss (L/N), they can be quite suspicious about strange folks. Of course, we’ll let you explain yourself after…that.” Dutch spoke softly with an educated tune, being the calmest and reasonable of them all. The girl took a few steps back, stumbling on her words a few times, even mumbling in Italian. Everyone’s eyes were on her like hawks, most of them curious but suspicious. It wasn’t hard to understand them, a random woman popping out of a hole on the sky dressed weirdly would any person be suspicious and probably very shocked.

(Y/N) was taking too long. Hearing a click of the tongue made her straighten up and fixing her eyes on the wanted gang.

“Well, err, I am…from the future-“

“The future?! I can’t listen to that bullshit!” Micah replied almost immediately.

“Shut the fuck up I’m talking!” The sudden shout made their eyes widen a bit, but she could still hear a few mumbled laughs on the background. “As I was saying, I came from the future. I’m from 2021. Someone sent me here to…help you all before a big tragedy takes place.”

After seconds of shocked nonbelieving silence, a few loud voices were heard around. Mostly because they didn’t believe one single word she’d just said, others were questioning why Dutch decided to let her live and how they should just throw her on the river. But, one of the girls slowly approached her, more calmly.

“Why you?” The young brown-hair freckled woman asked, one of her brows up in a questioning way. She sounded so gentle when she spoke.

I adored Mary-Beth. I think she was the kindest and most gentle member of the Van der Linde gang.

“Oh. Well, you see….” (Y/N) gazed hesitantly to Dutch for the first time. He was watching her with his arms crossed, with a heavy brooding expression and eyes narrowed. The leader was wearing a black and red vest with a blue and white pinstripe shirt, with gold chains on his vest, with a smart black jacket and a black hat. He was taller than her and stronger; with a thick, black mustache and soul patch under his lips, he also has dark black, slick backed hair that curls at the end. Taking a mental note on his appearance, he seemed far more intimidating in real life.

I recall thinking “Damn, is that my great-grandpa? He’s hot.”. But in a serious note, he seemed to be so cold-hearted but at the same time, kind and trustworthy. He did look like a gentleman. He was an outlaw, and well, I guess it does run on the family.

What was she doing? Why did she take the stupid decision on going back to the past just because someone didn’t like how this gang’s fate ended? Many, many lives didn’t have a happy ending too. So why change only theirs? (Y/N) was already regretting the foolish decision she took, but hey, she still had that block thing to go back. Nothing was lost yet, she just had to justify herself and get the hell out of there before they decide to kill her or worse.

Hearing a forced cough woke the girl from her thoughts. Feeling embarrassed when she noticed she had been staring at him this whole time. Good, just wonderful.

“I’m Dutch’s…great-granddaughter.” The words merely escape her lips and heavens, how she felt like throwing herself out of a cliff after it. A burst of loud laughter was heard, coming from some of the men. A great joke, yes, that’s what this was. They didn’t believe her, not without proof, and she couldn’t honestly blame them.

“You can’t possibly believe this crazy woman’s words, Dutch. C’mon.”

“Miss, please elaborate on that.”

“Dutch? C’mon boss, she hit her head when she fell!” Micah shouted, not very happy with the leader deciding to hear her story before making any judgment. (Y/N) was glad for it, who knows what would happen if he decided to listen to that idiot.

She grabbed her bag and started to look for her phone, it probably wouldn’t work much there but if time traveling is a thing, maybe ghost WiFi was too. Who knows. Probably asking for too much there. (Y/N) took a few steps closer and turned it on, showing them the colorful wallpaper and the date, “2021”, proceeding to shows some pictures of streets and buildings she had on her gallery. It seemed to have worked, has everyone had a terrified look on their faces. Most of them were still a bit hesitant, and probably scared of the unknown.

The girl turned to the leader, she didn’t have any proof about being his great-granddaughter. Wait, she didn’t ask for it too. Damn it, did she just get fooled by that woman?

“I don’t have any proof, sir, but that woman told me I was…your granddaughter and needed me to save you all.” Before he replied, she added. “She did mention a one night woman you were with.”

“If what you’re telling us is the truth,” He began, slowly. Still watching her closely. “I guess you’ll have to stay with us.”

Giving the man a slight smile, the girl nodded. She heard a few angrily mumbles coming from behind them, some of the gang’s members weren’t very happy with that sudden decision. With a gentle pat on her shoulder, Dutch made his way to the middle of the camp and looked at everyone, rubbing his hands together with a serious, yet sympathetic expression.

“Family, Miss (L/N) will stay with us for the time being. I don’t want any complaints about this, she showed us proof of her story and if she’s here to help us, we should give her a home.” Nobody spoke, just silence. Maybe they didn’t want to oppose their leader. “Miss Grimshaw, please help Miss (Y/N) prepare a tent and show her around.”

The older woman nodded, looking at Dutch and then glaring suspiciously at (Y/N).

“Miss (Y/N), I would like to speak with you…privately.” Feeling a sudden jump of beat on her chest, the girl nodded. The serious tune on his voice addressing to her caught her by surprise, she didn’t like that tune coming from adults. Perhaps because every time that happened, they would blame her for something afterward and treat her like a child.

“Don’t worry, he just wants to talk to you about that great-granddaughter thing, ya know,” Mary-Beth said, giving (Y/N) a warm smile. “I’ll catch you later, ‘kay? Someone has to show you around and meet the other folks.”

“Thanks…?” The girl tilted her head a bit. That’s right, they didn’t present themselves yet.

“Mary-Beth. You?” The young woman replied. Her name fit her perfectly, she looked like the main character of a romance novel.

“(Y/N).”

“Oh, well, nice to meet you, (Y/N). It’s better if you go now, don’t wanna keep Dutch waitin’.” Mary said, already making her way to another tent. (Y/N) nodded in agreement, putting her brave face and walking confidently to Dutch’s tent. Alright, probably not that confident, but she couldn’t let the others think she’s weak or scared now. She had a role to keep! The thought about going back to 2021 was already in the back of her mind and probably would stay there for a very long time.

#red dead redemption 2 #red dead redemption 2 fanfic #rdr2 fanfic #dutch van der linde x reader #dutch van der linde #javier escuella #javier escuella x reader

64 notes · View notes

we-will-begin-again · 4 years

Text

What's Your Role In A Found Family Dynamic?

Noah

the brains

people are not so much your forte. you are more at home with thoughts, ideas, hobbies, skills. as such, you probably have to learn how to work well with others--but once you do, hey, it has its moments. while you are treasured for your ability to solve problems, people also have this unique love of novelty. when you break from your schedule, when you say something no one is expecting--that's novel. you are as curious and lovable as the subjects you study. you are family. this place is not the same without your witty comments and wry observations. you definitely feel more comfortable when someone needs a straightforward answer than a shoulder to cry on, but it's not impossible to give both. know that your family loves you for more than that, though, and will (usually) remember to respect your boundaries.

Lori Grimes

the protective one

it does not require much for you to take someone under your wing. you have a knack for seeing the best in others and rooting for them, and they look up to you in turn. they feel that you are safe to go to in times of chaos or strife, and are calmed by your presence. you take extra measures to make sure everyone feels supported. things that others might not even consider, you have already likely accounted for. in most scenarios, you are "the leader." your struggles tend to come from your desire to provide things to others. you want to give, to see those you love happy, to make wherever you are a place of comfort. your failures hit you hard because you see this as your responsibility, and you hate to let people down. ...okay, yes, there's no avoiding it: this is the parent friend.

Javier García

the hermit who helps

at first, you were a resource for the established characters to turn to, but you quickly began to steal the show due to your personality, your usefulness, or your inherently interesting perspective on life. you were pretty much already able to provide for yourself, but the next thing you know, these people are growing on you. instead of asking favors, it becomes an invitation to socialize. you find yourself sticking around for no apparent reason other than you like it here. the people are fun to watch, if nothing else, but ultimately they're just--oh no. oh no, you care about them. you always thought you stayed away from this "relationship" stuff for a reason. it gets messy and isn't worth it unless it really works. for some reason, this group really works. these weirdos are now your weirdos, and if anything happens to them, there will be hell to pay. you were basically already looking after them before this, after all. welcome to the family, hermit.

Tina

the brains

James

the silent sufferer

you love your friends, but the truth is, you go through most of the real things alone. it's better that no one sees you like this. you'll be fine, really, because you're used to feeling this way. it'll pass. it always does. that's what you believe, anyway. you're more likely to give someone advice on a lesson you've learned without telling them how you learned it. you've come to realize that, if they're coming to you for advice, they'll be too preoccupied to ask. it stings, but it's... that's just the way feelings work sometimes. when you're around others, most of these problems seem to vanish, and you're better able to love the person you are. only on the worst days do you continue to hear that insistent whisper that it's, "all a lie because they don't know what's *really* going on." it's not a lie. you are loved. those moments together are real. there are times when you can afford not to be so strong.

Lucille

the hermit who helps

Mercer

the protective one

Molly

the silent sufferer

Carl Grimes

the heart full of faith

at some point in your life, you've probably been told you're "the glue" keeping a certain group of people together. you look on the bright side of things. you are able to convince someone that everything will be alright. your (found) family walks away from you feeling strengthened by your faith and--let's face it--wisdom. hopefully, you aren't being taken for granted in this. keeping morale up comes naturally to you. you probably do plenty without even realizing it. you're a good listener, thoughtful, kind. even leaders come to you for guidance. you may or may not be keen on being in charge yourself, but you are trustworthy, and you do right by the people who depend on you. the only person you can't always see clearly is yourself. it's easy to tell someone their potential but incredibly difficult to realize your own. you need the support of others just as much as they need you--but once you're put to the test, you'll realize you had the right stuff in you all along.

Susie Greene

the protective one

tagged by: @wrathfulmercy

Tagging: @betaofthedead, @wexarethewalkingxdead, @gcverncr, @nahthekidlived (penny), @pinkdanger, @doginthecorner, @kiingdombled, @savedpeople, @mercyprevaild.

#||dash game||#||my post||#||muse: lori grimes||#||muse: susie greene||#||muse: javier garcia||#||muse: james||#||muse: carl grimes||#||muse: molly||#||muse: lucille||#||muse: tina||#||muse: noah||#||muse: mercer||

1 note · View note

lloydfrontera · 9 months

Text

i think my issues with the canon romance at the end can be summarized by that competition alicia holds to win lloyd's hand.

she's like 'oh your new body sucks you need to marry someone who can protect you 24/7' so she holds a tournament to find the strongest woman in the continent and marry him to her so he'll have built-in bodyguard. which is objectively the funniest thing she could've done i love her so much. but. like. it's so unnecessary, redundant and also just,,,, factually incorrect??? ajdhka god lemme explain

here's how alicia puts it

but,,,, lloyd already has a bodyguard who's at his side 24/7. like. that's very much a plot point of the entire novel. there's literally a character who's arc is about coming to care about lloyd above anything else and deciding to stay at his side for the rest of his life to protect him. like. that's very much a thing that happened. it literally takes us 320 chapters to get to that point why are you acting like you're doing something new here

a swordsmanship competition. to decide who gets to marry lloyd. remind me what character have we spent the entire novel being told and shown over and over and over again is the most powerful and strongest swordsman in literally the entire world???

right. but he can't participate. because he's not a woman. which i think it's the point to this rant.

i don't think i need to spell it out but i'm gonna anyway.

the only reason javier isn't the one to end up with lloyd is because he's a man. because even by the in-universe made up requirements he's the most qualified one to do so, except that he's not allowed to even participate because he's not a girl.

and y'know what's the extra thing that just. makes me go a little insane because it's the one detail that makes me doubt for one second that all of this wasn't just pure chance or coincidence and instead is bk moon taunting us. y'know what it is.

what character is the only one who canonically can and has passed for a woman with no issue whatsoever in a seemingly out of nowhere gag that never comes up again. do you remember.

right. yeah.

so we have,,, a character who is devoted to our main character and has sworn to protect him for the rest of his life with everything he has, who is the strongest swordsman in the entire world and who can easily pass for a woman.

and then the main character is supposed to marry whoever wins a competition to decide who gets to protect him for the rest of his life, who is the strongest swordsman in the country and where only women are allowed to participate.

and i'm not supposed to read anything into that.

okay. i feel like i'm going crazy this is me right now

but seriously. this little tidbit that was probably just meant to be a joke about how alicia came to marry lloyd just,,, really highlights how unnecessary and redundant their romance feels to me

like. why would lloyd need to marry alicia. when he already has javier.

do you get what i mean

#i talk a lot <3 #tged #the greatest estate developer #tged spoilers #lloyd frontera #alicia magentano #javier asrahan #llojavi #again this is nothing against alicia! she's amazing!#her doing this is some actual queen shit #genuinely funniest way she could've done it #alas. i think actualy emotional build up is better for a canon relationship that just. jokes. but like. that's very much my own issue lol #ch 402

371 notes · View notes

lloydfrontera · 2 months

Text

my biggest gripe with the manhwa rn is that they made javier more of an asshole than he is in the novel and then took away most of the scenes where we see him being kind and soft with others.

javier can be an ass, he is a brat and he's especially annoying when he's with lloyd, but above anything else he is kind and loyal and selfless and good. i cannot emphasize enough how good javier is. he's the kind of person who cannot see someone in trouble or danger and do nothing about it. he's the kind of person who would sacrifice his life for total strangers and no hope of any reward. he's the kind of person who can't even enjoy a lavish party without feeling guilty because he'd much rather help people in need with that money.

he's so fucking good, lloyd is a little annoyed by it because he keeps getting dragged into life-threatening situations because javier just won't stop helping people they don't even know. mind you, lloyd is also endeared by this and would not want him to change but god can it be frustrating in his endeavor to keep them both alive.

there's this particular scene that i just. i'm so sad it was cut. where javier is helping around the refugee camp, going without sleeping and eating so he can focus on helping as many people as possible and then he spots a little kid that got lost on his way back. so he decides to help him.

and he's so gentle with this kid.

Javier walked over to the kid and called him. The flustered boy looked up. Javier strove to put on a warm smile on his face. "Are you lost?" “...” The boy nodded, his eyes all wet. Javier carefully stroked the boy's head. "I think I can help you with that. Why don't you let me help find your tent?" suggested Javier. “...” The boy nodded again. "But why didn't you eat the food? It's going to get cold. Are you not hungry?" "I am… hungry," the boy finally said. But what he said next caught Javier by surprise. "But I won't eat it," said the boy. "Why not?" "My mother is hungrier." "Is that so?" "Yes." “...” Javier wondered why this kid came out to take the food when he had a mother. There must be a reason, he thought to himself. He held out his hand. "I will hold the tray for you." "..." "I won't spill it. I promise." "Okay..." Javier took the tray and wrapped the boy’s hand with his own.

like. god. javier is not a naturally warm person. he's very reserved and stoic and sometimes outright cold, but he still tries so hard with this kid. because he knows what it's like to be him. he knows what it's like to be a child and be scared and hungry and without a home. and he remembers how much it meant for a kind adult to reach out a hand to him and help. and he wants to be that to others too.

everything he does, he does because he genuinely believes it's the right thing to do and therefore his obligation. and even when it doesn't come naturally to him, like being warm and gentle to a child, he still tries his best to do so.

and like that wasn't enough, when they finally find the kid's mom, javier finds out she's blind. recently blinded actually. that she used all her strength to get her child to safety and now she has to depend on him to take care of them because she can't do it anymore. her blouse is smudged with porridge.

so javier kneels down and explains who he is, why he's there and that he wants to help. he lifts up a spoonful of food and slowly and carefully starts to feed her himself. she's a complete stranger and javier doesn't hesitate one second to do this for her.

this is who javier is!! this is who he is at his core!! he's kind and he's selfless and he's above all else good!!

if your audience can't imagine javier comforting a child, then you failed your audience. you missed the point of his character.

#i talk a lot <3 #tged #the greatest estate developer #ch 127 #javier asrahan #sorry i have a lot of feelings about javier and how fucking good he is despite being constantly shoved into his role as badass protagonist #the world wants him to be the knight of blood and iron so bad but he's a kid whose world fell apart when he was a child #and then received kindness for kindness sake and he has never forgotten this.#he will always try to be the helping hand that he received from someone else first #HE'S A BRAT BUT ONLY WHEN HE'S WITH LLOYD. THAT'S BEST FRIEND PRIVILEGE BITCH.#and even with lloyd it's meant to be proof of his trust and closeness to him!! it's meant to reflect how javier doesn't feel the need #to be perfect and always in control with lloyd!! how he trusts him with the annoying and whiny and mean parts of him!!#there's a point to their banter and their bitchiness to each other!! he's not an asshole just because!!#also i've decided i dislike that they made him so expressive. he Would Not Say That. nor would he make that face.#when lloyd can tell what javier is feeling it's supposed to be special because no one else can.#no one else gets to know javier like lloyd does. THIS IS A BIG POINT OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP HOLY SHIT HOW CAN YOU MISS IT.#i'm fine. i'm good. i'm normal about this.

63 notes · View notes

lloydfrontera · 6 months

Text

Lloyd felt strange all of a sudden. He couldn't believe that a man like Javier was following him. How? Why? This moment, following his instruction, sharing jokes, and sitting around the bonfire with him, suddenly seemed bizarre to Lloyd. The Knight of Blood and Iron. When I read it, he was this fictional character I found cool and could only hope to hang out. Lloyd stared hard at Javier, sitting across from him. Javier, feeling the gaze, looked back strangely. "Master Lloyd? Why are you staring at me like that?" "Oh, your brows are slightly asymmetrical." "My brows?" "Yeah." "So...?" "What do you mean, so? That shows you're human too." "It makes me human that my eyebrows are not proportionate?" "Yeah. I means that you're not perfect."

i wish this energy had been carried through the entire novel in a more overt way you don't understand-

the idea of javier starting as this flawless, unreachable character who is just too perfect to be real and then as the plot goes on, as lloyd gets to know him, as they start sharing the role of protagonist, he starts turning into more of a real person, with his own quirks and flaws and imperfections. he starts making mistakes and maybe struggling at things that he would've easily accomplished in the original novel. he gets in a fight and by the end of it his face is covered in dirt and scrapes. he wakes up and his hair is messy leaning less towards perfectly tousled and more towards rat's nest. he's still infuriatingly handsome but he's also a little awkward and dorky.

and all of it making him even more endearing to lloyd than the character he read about all those years ago. because this is real, this is javier as lloyd knows him, this is the person he befriended, the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with, the person he's willing to die for.

basically i wanted javier to be lloyd's velveteen rabbit. loving him so long and so much he becomes Real.

#i talk a lot <3 #tged #the greatest estate developer #ch 343 #lloyd frontera #javier asrahan #i'm sorry but what's the point of making an isekai novel if you're not gonna explore the themes of what makes someone a real person or not.#like. are you even trying if you don't get all philosophical about it/j

89 notes · View notes

lloydfrontera · 6 months

Text

i'm not sure how intentional this was but i do think there's something extremely poignant about how similar javier and alicia are to each other. especially in the context of their roles of the original story.

like. they're both sword prodigies, both extremely dedicated to being the best they can be, both reserved and unwilling to open up to others easily. and it's not often but sometimes their thoughts just,,, echo each other. and not like lloyd and javier's do, where they're both thinking the same thing but from opposite perspectives, no, they just both have very similar ways of thinking.

I am not afraid. She wasn't confident that she would win. She didn't expect to. But it didn't matter to her. Even if she lost and perished, she vowed that she would at least buy enough time for her kingdom and people to be prepared to protect themselves. That is why. She walked toward the Bone Dragon once again without a moment of hesitation. This is my duty Failure. Death. None of it scared her. She instead glowered at the Bone Dragon with a calm gaze. -Ch 217

Javier tightened his grip on the sword and turned around, swining the blade empowered by the remainder of his aura and his eight. It was significantly weaker than usual, but that did not matter. Just once. As long as he could deliver some kind of damage to the king of hell, there was hope for Javier; Lloyd could perhaps survive. [...] Javier bled from his left shoulder once again, as he readied himself to launch another strike. He turned pale and his movement slowed down. But the grandmaster did not stop. Not yet. It wasn't over. Lloyd was still unconscious. He had to buy him more time so his unruly master could get up and run away. That was his duty as knight. -Ch 398

it's not that often and it's not that noticeable (mostly because there's a serious lack of alicia's pov compared to what we get of javier's but i digress) but i do think it's interesting.

and i think it makes sense when you take into account their roles in the original novel. javier as the protagonist, alicia as the antagonist, it makes sense their characters align in order to make parallels and contrast to each other.

i think it's a shame we don't really get to explore alicia's role as the villain in the original story beyond what little we get from the ending spoilers. nor the dynamic she would've had with javier as the hero. they, more than anyone else in the story, were made for each other. they, more than anyone else, should've been intrinsically linked to one another. but instead they're both just,,, around each other without ever quite touching. not truly. not in any significant way.

i dunno, i just think it was a missed opportunity to not have them develop their own relationship outside of their connection to lloyd. it would've helped to balance out the dynamics between the three and made alicia actually feel like a third protagonist rather than awkward love interest.

also i'm obsessed with the metanarrative of tged and it sucks that alicia's role as villain has almost nothing to do with the restoration of fate. if the role of protagonist is so important then the role of antagonist should've had at least an impact in the story rather than just being something to avoid!

#i talk a lot <3 #tged #the greatest estate developer #alicia magentano #javier asrahan #love talking about things no one else cares about and/or understands truly i am returning to my roots <33 #ch 217 #ch 398

59 notes · View notes

lloydfrontera · 8 months

Note

If og lloyd returns to his body after suho crosses the reincarnation gate what do you think will the frontera family and javier feel? Would they be glad for og lloyd's return? Particularly julian and javier?

so uhm. tumblr ate a similar ask i received before this one. like. the same premise so. i'm gonna assume it was by the same person. hopefully. sorry. anyway.

this is an evil scenario. i kinda dig it.

if lloyd crossed the gate and og lloyd returned to his body at that moment,,, there would be many, many conflicting emotions.

i'm gonna take the premise of the other ask and say the og lloyd that returns is the one from right before he got kicked out of his body. this is an og lloyd that didn't see lloyd save the estate countless times, didn't see the effect he had on everyone around him, that never had any reason to regret everything he'd done.

for arcos and marbella i think it would be an extremely bittersweet situation. they would be overjoyed about having their son again, they were absolutely devastated when they realized they'd lost him so i have no doubt they would be so, so happy if he came back. but at the same,,, it would be dampened by their grief over losing lloyd. they came to love him just as much as they loved their biological children, so they would mourn him just as much as they mourned og lloyd. and they would have to be very careful about how they express that grief lest og lloyd take offense to it and believe they'd rather have lloyd with them than him.

plus. well. og lloyd is,,, an asshole. and would presumably resume his terrible habits and attitude immediately, which would be jarring for everyone, but especially for arcos and marbella who deeply love their son and whose grief over suddenly losing him would probably made them romanticize his memory a little bit. it's a natural thing to do, everyone is a saint once they're dead, and while i don't think they completely forgot how terrible og lloyd was, it's a different thing to remember it while you're grieving and missing them than to see it in person again.

i think they would try their best to repair their relationship with him, grateful for the second chance they got with him, but i don't think they would get very far. the problem never was that they didn't care for og lloyd or didn't make an effort with him, it was that og lloyd wasn't interested in reciprocating those efforts. and it's really hard to make a relationship work when only one party is invested on it.

as for julian,,, it's hard to say because we never get to see how he feels about lloyd replacing his brother in the first place, which i think it's a shame cause he's one of the people who by all means has the most extreme response to lloyd in the entire novel. i think his perspective would've been really interesting to have but alas.

but,,, i don't think he would be happy at all. not even a little bit. maybe a part of him would be relieved his brother isn't dead, but that would be it. assuming this is in line with canon where julian has no idea his brother had been replaced, he'd first have to grapple with the fact that the person he came to love and admire was someone completely different than the one he thought.

that the brother that physically and verbally harassed him his entire life never changed. that the person he forgave and made peace with is not the one that hurt him in the first place. that the one that should've apologized and made amends with him is still the same and has no interest in changing.

that would alone would fuck anyone up, but then he has to also grieve the brother he'd come to love and really admire while having to watch the brother who he hated with a passion walk around like nothing happened.

julian hated og lloyd. he had an extreme hatred for him. and he was completely in his right to do it. so add to it the mess of betrayed feelings he would have plus the grief for lloyd plus a healthy dose of resentment and misattirbutted blame towards og lloyd for being alive when lloyd isn't anymore and,,, yeah. i don't think julian would have any positive feelings in this situation.

i think he would stay just long enough in the estate to be with his parents while the worst of the grief passed and then leave, with no plans of coming back unless his parents needed him to.

also i like to think that at one point julian snapped at og lloyd for one reason or another and when og lloyd went to hit him like usual not only did julian not flinch like he used but also sheherazade went absolutely ballistic on his ass. straight up trying to cut off his arm for it. javier was quick to stop her but like. it was a close thing even considering he's a grandmaster at that point.

after that og lloyd just avoids julian like the plague which suits all of them just fine. sheherazade especially. scary wife privilege <3

as for javier. god javier.

if arcos and marbella were happy about og lloyd coming back and julian was upset about it, javier would fall somewhere in the middle and also create a metric of his own.

just,, imagine the devastation he felt when lloyd crossed the gate on his own, his despair at not being able to protect the person he swore he would die for, then the bright spot of hope and relief when he sees him open his eyes and wake up, thinking that maybe, just maybe, fate was kind to them this time, maybe they get to have this one miracle, maybe they both get to life and be together like they wanted to... only for the slow and terrible realization that this isn't the lloyd he was hoping for. it's not his lloyd.

i think for one brief moment of grief induced insanity javier would genuinely consider throwing og lloyd into the reincarnation gate and see if that would bring back his lloyd. he doesn't of course, he immediately shakes himself out of it, but... the thought would've definitely crossed his mind.

because the thing is, while i've talked before about how javier wasn't glad about og lloyd being replaced and genuinely felt guilty for not being able to help him and for choosing lloyd over him, that's not,,, really because of og lloyd himself. like. it sounds harsh but javier kind of really hated the guy's guts. he cared for him as a member of the frontera family and would've genuinely tried to protect him had there been any need, but it would've been strictly professional and out of duty and loyalty towards arcos, not to og lloyd. which i don't really blame him for tbh! you reap what you sow and og lloyd earned himself nothing but javier's disdain with his actions and words.

but the point is! javier's interest in og lloyd is directly related to him putting his loyalty to arcos above all things. in the hell railroad arc that's his main reason to feel so conflicted about who to choose.

but at this point in the novel javier's loyalties have shifted. he's still extremely loyal to arcos, he still loves the frontera family, he still would protect them with all his being but... now his heart's loyalty belongs to lloyd.

I want to protect him. Lloyd is my true master in my heart.

and i think that, for one split second at least, the part of javier who would do anything for the people he cares about and is loyal to, would genuinely contemplate throwing og lloyd back into the reincarnation gate if there was even the slightest chance it would bring his lloyd back.

but he would quickly snap out of it. he is still very loyal to arcos and marbella, and this is their son, he's still a part of the frontera family and javier cannot, will not, risk his life on the small possibility it will save someone else. not even lloyd.

he would even feel guilty for having considered it in the first place, for letting himself be swept by his emotions, for being so selfish as to think about trading the frontera's son for the chance to get lloyd back. for knowing that even though he didn't do it, a small, grieving and half mad part of him still thinks it would be worth it.

i also think he would have a very hard time being around og lloyd but even a worse one trying to stay away from him. being in the same room as him would be bitter, disappointing and painful, but not being there would be maddening, every instinct telling him to go back, to see if he's alright, to be at the side of the person he'd spent the last few years protecting with everything he had. the one he'd been planning on staying with the rest of his life.

i think it was hard for him to come to love someone wearing the face of a person he hated. but it would be excruciating to see someone he hates wear the face of the person he came to love.

all in all. not a good time for anyone! which i think fucks i love this scenario it really woke up the brain worms <3

#hey i got an ask #Anonymous #tged #the greatest estate developer #lloyd frontera #javier asrahan #arcos frontera #marbella frontera #julian frontera #og lloyd frontera #sheherazade #come back right au

22 notes · View notes