#and it appears the more I actively bully him the more I am endeared to him. Which is fucking weird and wrong ofc

[hamartia-grander]

Being a Connor hater is so hard sometimes bc like everyone thinks he's so cool but I just think he sucks I love Connor. what the fuck was that. Anyways I bet Connor smells too

[gillianthecat]

SOTUS ep 3

ignoring context, i do love a good battle of wills between current enemies/future lovers

this I AM SPARTACUS scene 🥰 Rebel Alliance leader Kongpop, my beloved.

Arthit continues to speak absolute nonsense and I can't tell whether or not we're supposed to take it seriously as "wisdom"

"I think... you like me." Kongpop, light of my life, heart of my heart, I adore you. I can't believe he came out and said this already. This show is smashing together one of the most amazing characters of all time and one of the worst characters of all time. And honestly, Kongpop's amazingness is spilling over onto Arthrit a little bit and making him just a tad more appealing. If someone as forthright (to steal @bengiyo's word) and self-possessed as Kong sees something worthy in Arthit, it makes me believe that there is actually some there there, you know?

although again, is this genuine or weaponized flirting at this point? I'm not sure.

I'm keeping @clairificusrex's headcanon that Arthit is neurodivergent and ace in mind as I watch, and, as long as he isn't actively being a bully, it does help me see the character in a more nuanced light. I'll buy it.

big fan of these wide neck,deep v shirts they keep putting Kong in.

my girls! I still love them even if they're talking about crushes on our main boys. idk, something about them feels much more complex and real to me as compared to the university girls in a lot of other Thai BLs I've seen. it could be something as superficial as their makeup and hairstyling, which feels more "casual college kid" as opposed to "tv star" to me.

and look! we have a reference to the inciting incident of My Love Mix Up!

Arthit free and vulnerable in his own room! It was a wise choice to put them in dorms opposite each other so that Kong (and us) and see Arthit in a new light and become endeared by him. And for some reason, Kong is totally endeared by this bully grumpy cat. Ok, I admit it, I too am a bit endeared by Arthit sleepily hanging his laundry up.

Aw, poor May, she's got a big ol' crush on the boy who's nursing a crush on the bully grumpy cat. I hope she gets a good story in these 15 episodes of show. I have faith though.

I'm kinda thrilled that Hew was chosen as class president instead of Kong. I do love a good subversion of tropes.

oh there are adults at this university after all. and they'll intervene in this one case of a medical emergency, and yet are prefectly fine with this overall culture of hazing. that's the part of this show that actually pisses me off to be honest.

but I guess we have to keep putting Arthit in situations and making him all sad and pathetic if this romance is going to have any chance to take off. or at least any chance to earn the viewers' support.

oooh. the infamous pink milk appears! i did not realize its first(?) BL appearance was in the service of a conversation about masculinity, effeminacy and queerness. fascinating.

Kongpop, just what exactly do you see in this bully? As soon as I start to think maybe I could ship these two together, Arthit does some more petty tyrant shit. I do however love how Kong keeps flummoxing Arthit with basic politeness and courtesy. I approve of flummoxed love interests.

Well. I plan on continuing the show, but I feel like three episodes is the maximum dose for binging at any one time. That was a very high rate of power trips per hour.

*basically all i know about other people's thoughts on SOTUS comes from comments on this post by @waitmyturtles

[constitutionalweasleymonarchy]

I’ve always loved Ron (I still do!) but the way you describe Percy is making it so hard to choose which one I love more. They are so alike I’m so many ways, than they would like to admit. I feel as Ron was close to Percy when he was smaller and after the war of course. Percy would always protect Ron from the twins bullying tactics and that’s something that I always hope is true.

Plus, you are amazing at painting a picture of Percy. Like the way he wants to prove others wrong and let the woman (or women, “Days That End in Y”, God Damn Percy you animal 🥵🥵. I bet Molly would have a heart attack if she knew about her son’s multiple relationships! Its almost if he’s the hope of the family, minus the p. 👀 😂) know that he is different from the rest of his family.

He’s such an underrated character and I truly love the way you write him. You show his flaws, attributes and most importantly his heart in each of your fics. You’ve made me fall in love with Percy/Audrey, I’ll love to read more of your work!

Seriously, now it’s difficult for me to choose between Ron and Percy, especially since I realize I relate to the both of them. Do you have a preference? Also, what was the first thing that made you fall in love with Percy?

Love, love, love the way you write Percy and your writing is amazing ❤️ ❤️

❤️

I hope you have a good night/day

I’ve always loved Ron (I still do!) but the way you describe Percy is making it so hard to choose which one I love more.

This is such an incredible compliment!! 🤩

Lmao at Molly finding out about Percy's action. I think he's still the least of her concerns probably. Remember the twins using "magic" tricks to hit on Muggles in the village? And hey, Days That End In Y Percy has a respectable three committed relationships before settling down, with a few ✨intrigues✨ sprinkled in there. 😋 (I kid, of course. BUT if you'd like to read more about Percy being the, um, town broomstick, I am begging you to read A Touch of Mystery by @edie-k !)

It's impossible for me to have a preference between Ron and Percy. As HP characters go, Ron is like my first real love, the one you never forget. When I was reading the books, I was actively bummed out whenever he wasn't on the page. Percy's the one who snuck up on me. I wasn't into him the way I am now upon my first reading of the books, but I was fond of his appearances. Maybe it's because I, too, was a driven, studious rule-follower when I was younger, but I never found him insufferable, and was kind of surprised, in a way, by readers buying into the:

...treatment of him.

Anyway, nobody wants to hear me rant yet again about narrator bias and active reading. The point is, I think when I really got into him was when I started writing my Percy/Audrey fic Irrational back in 2009. That's right, I decided to write about him before I fully loved him. I wanted to write a romance and at that time I hadn't seen a lot of Percy-centric romance fics and I thought it would be fun to explore him and the person who would love him for who he is. I didn't want him to become reformed/ transformed/ whatever by Audrey. I wanted to celebrate his inherent worth.

And with that frame of mind -- plus going back through the books to revisit his scenes (and seeing the really actually great, endearing guy staring us right in the face in black & white, whose actions and mannerisms aren't nearly as worthy of ridicule as a younger sibling's jibes would suggest) -- it was impossible not to love him.

Anyway, your comment has me all 🥹🥰 over here, and I thank you for these fun questions!

[autumnslance]

I've got a writing question that's been on my mind for a while: how do you keep your OCs from becoming self inserts? Every time I think of developing an OC I realize that it's attributes that I

Oops, you got cut off! But in general: all your OCs are going to have traits of yours; it’s inevitable. Sometimes big things, sometimes small things. It’s how we relate to them, and also just natural, I promise. We write what we know, and we know how we interact with ourselves and the world.

But there is a difference between sharing some traits with a character and making them a self-insert. It’s letting their life, their community and culture, their experiences, also influence their traits and thinking, in ways that might be different from how you would respond in a similar situation. Even if you share those attributes.

This is me so let’s go behind a cut shall we?

Dark Autumn is as introverted and solitary by nature as I am; she can and does interact in professional and friendly ways with people (as I try to do), but needs alone time to recharge. However, Dark also has a very different outlook and relationship with her family than I, since her family is large and supportive, very close knit. If family is a lottery, I got the $50 scratch off prize while she hit the Mega-Millions. So I take that into account when thinking of her relationships not just with family, but with friends and potential romantic interests; Dark sees things through a lens of positive, low-drama familial relationships that I can barely fathom. This also means she has a support network and resources myself and other characters don’t, so gets some wish fulfillment of working through issues with care and grace instead of remaining in unhealthy places. She is my “comfort OC” so gets a lot of good things I wish I had—which shapes how she responds to others, like taking care of a FCmate and becoming something of a big sister figure for him, or the responsible older sister figure of my group of OCs. Which is me, really, idealizing my own older sister tendencies into this giant woman who’s better at it.

Aeryn was written to be on the ace scale; not my first character to be so, but the first written that way as I began to realize where my own orientations lie and wanting to examine that through fiction. That she fell for a certain rogue in the process of playing through MSQ again was not at all intentional. I like Thancred as a character—he hits a lot of tropes I enjoy—but in my own mindset, he’s a frustrating younger brother. I didn’t think I’d do NPC x WoL shipping. But there it is, because in determining Aeryn’s own experiences and how those shaped her, it ended up working out that way (and I spent the better part of 2 years writing the characters separately to figure that out and if it could work before writing them together because it’s not something that comes naturally to me).

Aeryn’s internal anger is something I have a difficult time with; it’s outside my own nature to carry things like that. I have my angers, certainly, but they are different from hers. I tend to need a lot to set me off and then it burns out hot and quick. Aeryn’s more of a long boil she keeps bottled up. I’ve gotten a few things through various fics, I think, but it’s why I do things like reference arguments but rarely depict them. Being non-confrontational myself (I’m meek and have hangups thanks to my own life) it’s a challenge. Aeryn responded to childhood traumas (that I never dealt with), bullying (that I did), losses (that I haven’t yet), and the responsibility she’s been given (thank goodness I don’t) far differently than I. Maybe I’d be more volatile, too, if I had her life. But I understand where her anger comes from sharing some of the reasons, I just shape it differently than my own.

There’s a lot of things about Dark and Aeryn that are accidentally similar, just due to the timing of their character generation and other RP OCs made for other games along the way; “Oh I haven’t done X or Y in a character in awhile” sort of thing, but how each approaches those similarities and why—their quietness, their issues with using magic, their tendency to “adopt” others as family—all come from different places and resolve differently, too.

C’oretta comes from a part of me that doesn’t quite want to grow up. That wishes I had been more of the peppy, active, cheerful, risk-taking, live it up stereotypical party kid, that “popular girl” archetype I felt so often on the outside looking in about. As my second character, I wanted her to be different from Dark Autumn—visually, emotionally, mentally. Where Dark is steady, C’oretta is flighty. While Dark is people oriented, C’oretta’s a bit selfish (like I often feel). Dark’s introverted, C’oretta’s extroverted. Much of C’oretta’s attitude is a deflection against the hurts in her life, a way to fight back against some terrible things. It’s a way I could never react. But I also can’t get away from a character who loves to learn and wants to try new things—but where other characters gain the ability to stick with and see them through, C’oretta gets my easy frustration and boredom, and then the “ooh shiny” of a new interest. There’s a history of ADHD (or whatever the acronyms are now) and even autism and learning issues in my family; it’s possible I have some undiagnosed ND stuff going on, and people have noted these things in C’oretta that I’ve based on my own experiences and those of people very close to me.

Many of my characters have traits I wish I had, or were better at; patience, kindness, consideration, convictions, courage, thoughtfulness, and so on and etc. They’re good at skills I haven’t the knowledge in, or the ability to do. They’re certainly more active than I am, or could be! Because I can take the time to think and plan and research and write those things out better, and just maybe along the way not only learn something myself, but try to practice it better myself. I can even sometimes let them teach me what I can possibly do or be, not just imagine it as an ideal that’s out of reach.

I try to let my characters make mistakes I wouldn’t—or in some cases, have in my past, and that’s OK. Especially if I learned from them, but maybe the character does not. Maybe they do but it takes awhile, or repeated instances until it sinks in. Maybe I let them make errors I still make, as a way to puzzle out better solutions I should probably entertain for myself.

Character voice is something I’ve felt I struggled with in keeping my OCs distinct. Do characters ‘sound’ alike, in dialogue and prose? Having distinct ways of speaking helps; C’oretta’s breathless chatty run-ons are certainly different from Dark and Aeryn’s quieter tendencies. I have to remember to trim down Aeryn’s dialogue more often, say less aloud, add more gestures and facial expressions. I tend to be a talker, an over-explainer (if you can’t tell), while the only times she gets like that are specific. Dark’s somewhere in the middle of those two, like I am. A lot of the reason I like writing NPCs and try to keep them close to my interpretation of canon is to practice distinct character voice to get better at it in my OCs, so they don’t sound like me!

And something I’ve never admitted to before is that I think for me, it helps that from the time I was a kid watching various series of Star Trek, I always have had an in-my-own-head-only self-insert. She’s always a support character (that’s what I’m best at). She has cool and unusual abilities to help the actual heroes, cuz heck it’s my internal fantasy and that’s fun. She has traits I want to be better at or wish I had, developed over time with more energy and focus than I can actually muster in reality. As time’s gone on, she’s become more of a mentor and Mom Friend as I’m now older and see a lot of protagonist characters as “my kids” now. She appears in nearly every story I’ve loved over time, in one iteration or another. And because I have a headspace character where I can say “this is what I, ideally, would say and do and be capable of in this situation…” My other characters that I actually write about can vary between doing something similar (if it suits them) to doing something completely different (cuz darn kids never listen) as I can compare them to the self-insert and decide where to diverge.

So it’s a mix of myself and my traits and knowledge, but taking into account how each character would respond and use those same attributes differently than I do or would. Write what you know, write who you are—and then add in some wish fulfillment, some what ifs, some bad choices, some good choices, and shake things up. Give the characters tics and tricks different from yourself and let that shape them, too, by remembering to take those things into account (even if you have to tape a note to your monitor).

And finally, don’t be ashamed of your self-inserts; I’ve known some great characters that started as self-inserts and grew, through their experiences, into wholly different people than their writers over time. Heck, the epic romance my original WoW priest was part of was with a character that started as a self-insert; his player began the game knowing nothing of the lore or roleplaying, but as he learned the story and how to RP, and determined how his character fit into the world and how that shaped him, the character diverged over time, while still sharing some key traits (some endearing, some frustrating, as people are and all part of that friend). It’s not a bad starting point at all. The rest can come over time and practice, especially if you make a lot of OCs and try to make them different from each other while also being aspects of yourself.

[hold-my-hand-kuroo]

i am aware that i do have requests, so please forgive me if i’m taking WAY too long! things have been a little stressful lately, so i’m trying to write what i have in mind rn to destress. if i post something that isn’t your request, i’m not ignoring it!! i promise that it’ll get done!! in the meantime, stay safe and healthy, everyone!! ❤️

ushijima, tendou, + shirabu dating headcanons

ushijima wakatoshi

a gentle giant, even if his performance on the court says otherwise

he’s not too excellent at expressing his feelings verbally, so he’ll need someone who can read his actions well

shows his love through physical actions. he’s absolutely so soft for you, and if you two are just sitting on the couch, expect calloused hands playing with your hair or tracing circles on your palm

he doesn’t even realize that he’s doing it, because it just feels so natural to touch and be with you

loves it when you fall asleep on him, because it makes him so happy that you feel safe. he’s used to people being scared of him and is absolutely aware that his appearance isn’t the most welcoming, so to have someone that lets their guard down when he’s around is refreshing

when it comes to dates, he literally has no preference and would prefer if you did the planning. he knows he isn’t romantic and is afraid that he’ll end up ruining your day unintentionally. plus, he’s happy just seeing you, so he’s literally down for anything

he absolutely swoons if you start talking about volleyball. you don’t even have to be knowledgeable on the sport! things like “your spike was amazing!” or “that team’s middle blocker is really tall!” get him excited, because he’s glad his passion doesn’t bore you

kisses. yeah. in private, his kisses are deep, but never rough, as he’s afraid he’ll hurt you. loves it when you leave small kisses on his hands or face and will definitely return them tenfold

PDA isn’t usually too much of a problem. it’s hard for him to get embarrassed, but he knows it’ll cause a scene, especially in front of his team, so he keeps it to simple hand holding.

always wants to be the big spoon during cuddles, no buts about it. whispers genuine compliments that aren’t laced with flowery language. in fact, they’re so direct that it always gets you flustered, and he’s here for it

tendou satori

this boy is so whipped for you

someone that likes him??? he’s so touched that he almost cries when you first start dating

after all, with a childhood filled with bullying and even now with people calling him a monster, he knows that he’s a bit of an anomoly

an anomoly you love!!

dates are so spontaneous. he’s a no-plan type of guy and just does whatever feels right or whatever comes to mind

you could be strolling at the park with him, see a dog, and suddenly be taken to the zoo

a big fan of PDA. he knows that you love him, and in his mind, that’s really hard to do (it’s not!!), so he wants to show to the world how kind your beautiful heart is

kisses before and after practice, walking around with his hands wrapped around your waist, you name it

the team never sees you two not touching, and rather than being annoyed, they’re endeared by the fact that satori has found someone besides ushijima that accepts all of him for who he is

expect playful teasing. not only can he guess blocks, but tendou is a MASTER at guessing your schedules

he just knows when you’re up for a late night snack and will drag you out at 3 AM for ice cream and chips

he’ll always try to get you to go home with him and play games or cuddle, but he’ll also have your schedule memorized. if he knows that you’re stressed about something for the next day, he’ll skip the late night snack and just visit you to help you rest up

when cuddling, he likes to intertwine his legs with yours and stroke your back. doesn’t have a preference for big or small spoon, but when he’s in a bad mood, nothing helps him cheer up better than you pulling him into your chest and playing with his hair

he feels so safe with you in your arms. during especially hard times, he’ll probably thank you for just existing and will turn into a sobbing mess

he’s always grateful and wants to return the favor. he’ll have a special ringtone for you on his phone so that he’ll always pick up, even if he’s busy

when he’s missing you during a long training camp, he’ll replace all the words in his song with just your name, and he won’t stop singing it. the team swears that they even hear it while he’s sleeping

shirabu kenjirou

being serious and extremely hardworking, shirabu isn’t the type to beat around the bush

he confesses first, albeit a stuttering mess, and tries to hide his elation when you agree to go out with him

but you know that he’s happy, because his ears get all red

a study date type of guy. while he may be focused, he certainly isn’t taking your presence for granted. his favorite pasttime is to read or watch a documentary as you sit in his lap

also loves it when the both of you quiz each other for exams and when you hum as he looks over notes

it’s just so peaceful around you that he becomes more productive

always makes sure to leave time for just you and no work at least two times a week. like ushijima, he’s fine with you picking out or planning date activities, because he’s really just there to see you smile

all about treating you to meals. he feels bad for always having you study with him, so he makes sure to reward your effort

he’ll never admit it, but he loves taking pictures of you doing something you like. currently has a photo of you smiling while petting a cat as his home screen, because the lock screen is too risky. goshiki or tendou might see, and he’ll never hear the end of it

he gets embarrassed super easily, so he doesn’t really like PDA, especially not in front of the team. even hand holding is hard for him, because his hands will get clammy; however, interlocking fingers is just small enough, yet still intimate, for him to find acceptable

if you cheer for him at games, he’ll pretend not to be affected by it, but he’s literally glowing on the court, and his performance is improved by quite a bit. in his eyes, ushijima is the star, but knowing that you’re focused on him more than ushi gives him such a swell of pride

when cuddling, he insists on being the big spoon, but actually prefers being the little spoon, so you two end up switching quite a bit

he’s the type to rise early just to take in your sleepy face and the way the light shines on your body. when you’re exhausted from school or work, he’ll make breakfast and deliver it to you in bed, but nothing get him more excited than cooking together (or making a mess together. you’re the only one he goofs off with, though)

secretly dreams about a domestic life with you

loves to caress and be caressed, because the action is just so gentle, and even if he doesn’t often admit it, he’s so fond for you

[shhhlikeme]

Ok! So tanaka, kageyama, tusukishima, and asahi are all pretty scary boys at first glance. So I was wondering how they would react to a new 2nd year manager not being fazed by them at all (maybe she has alot of older brothers or something) and calling them cute. Love you writing. I didn't see a character limit so if this is to many feel free to cut some 😘😘

Thank you!!!! I loved this one it was so fun to write so please request again :) Hope you enjoy it 🧝🏾‍♀️😘

———————————

“Scary” Karasuno Volleyball Boys Meet Their Maker!

Tsukishima | Asahi | Kageyama | Tanaka x Reader

———————————

You and Kiyoko used to be friends in elementary school because her mom and both of your dads were in the military so you’d often be the only two young kids at events and ceremonies

She would only come sometimes but you would be an active member of your dads military boot camp year after year, and seeing Kiyoko, another girl sometimes was always awesome

The two of you became pretty good acquaintances and one summer at boot camp she would occasionally show you the ropes when you said you were interested in joining the 200m hurdle

While you two weren’t close, you followed eachother on all social media platforms and would sweetly comment “😍😍😍” on eachother’s posts

When she got injured you made sure to send her a text of endearment and she thanked you

Y’all were those type of friends

So that’s why you weren’t too surprised when you received a text from her while painting your nails one night in your room

Kiyoko had kindly asked you if you could take over her duties as Karasuno’s volleyball manager while she left to Greece with her family tomorrow for a wedding

She would be gone for 2 weeks and apparently the girl she had gotten too replace her just backed out completely at the last minute

You thought about it, realizing you had nothing to do other than train your team of female spartan racers, before replying ‘sure! 🤷🏾‍♀️’ and asked her what you needed to do

Kiyoko prepared you to the best of her ability, sending you a long scrolling text of the job. She said that although she wouldn’t be able to introduce you, the the boys are super kind even though they can get a little rowdy

A little nervous but wanting to help nonetheless, you agreed and confirmed the favour once again

The next day the boys had a practice and you had a little bit of difficulty finding their gym. You had gone to the girls vball team gym first and the captain pointed you in the right direction

When you approached what must be boys’ gym from outdoors you saw a blonde girl about your size scarily jutting around the outside of the gym like she was being stalked for murder

She was clutching a bag tightly

You guessed that maybe this wasn’t the gym, but you could have sworn this is where that team captain told you to go

You held your ground a few feet away because she was obviously terrified and you didn’t want to scare her more than she already was. You could hear her mumbling under her breath things like ‘they’re going to kill me’ ‘I’m too little to die’ ‘so strong, so tall. So very tall.’ ‘Attack on Titan is me. I am attack on Titan. I am MARCO!’

Who is Marco.....? You questioned in your mind.

Your military senses peaked as you changed modes to enemy approaching preparation.

You didn’t know you had these senses, but your dads would be so proud

The petite blonde was twitching and fiddling her hands while her eyes darted around.

She also had been so wrapped up in her terror to notice you there watching her. Seeing a cute mini side ponytail in her short blonde hair reminded you of a toddler’s hairstyle and you immediately felt the need to protect her. Your dads had taught you as much, and your years of self-defence class and borderline military training by copying the guys at your dads camps had built you quite the esteem. You knew immediately that you were going to save her.

“Excuse me?”

“AH!” The girl screamed and jumped 4 feet in the air when you spoke. You held your hands up in surrender, though you remained on guard for her pursuer.

“Hey, hey! I really didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

With bugged eyes, the girl explained to you that she had been studying in the gym by herself when she heard a bunch of gang men approach. According to her they were huge, threatening and super scary so she scrambled for cover but when she tried running through the door she had bumped into their leader who had a bunch of piecings, a rockstar dye-job who was smoking a cigarette. Before he could beat her up for crashing into him she picked up her bag and and ran away. Come to find out she had taken his bag by mistake because it was the same colour and size and she didn’t mean to! Now she is being hunted down by the leader’s big scary hunchmen who will literally pummel her when they find her! They’ve been calling after her saying threats like ‘We just want the bag, we promise not to hurt you’ but she’s heard that in scary movies and apparently that’s what they want her to think before they hurt her!!!

Before the girl (who you were able to get her to introduce herself as Yachi from class 1-5) fainted induced by anxiety, you stopped her.

You were pissed. How could big tall men be okay with trying to hurt a sweet first year girl like this?!

The world was evil.

She couldn’t be much smaller than you, but she had no where near your combat expertise.

You held your hand out for Yachi to hand you the bag.

She handed it over with trembling hands

“Where did you last see them?” You demanded just like your dads would have.

Yachi immediately freaked out, claiming that you’re just as small as her and they would crunch you like a potato chip!

Slightly insulted, you managed to give her a sweet smile and ask again.

She pointed in the direction of the outdoor vending machines near the gym.

“I’ll get your bag Yachi don’t worry. Do you want to wait here for me or do you feel safe coming with? It would be great if you were able to actually point them out, because there are a lot of boys here by the school not to mention I can better protect you when you’re close by.”

Yachi gave you a look as if she was seeing the stars for the first time. She was in complete awe of you because you emitted a mass amount of strength.

The energy around you was comparable to that of a decorated military Five Star General who had just been challenged to a game of laser tag.

Seeing Yachi visibly gulp, she agreed to come with you because chances are she’d be able to call for help louder than you and she held onto your arm as you walked.

She hid behind your shoulder, afraid

Looking around, you spotted a group of 4 large guys in the distance by the vending machine— just like Yachi pointed out

Without your glasses on, you couldn’t make them out very well from this distance

Yachi almost squeezed a bruise into your arm which confirmed that was indeed the guys that were awaiting her decease, she said

There was a tall one with dark hair that had a permanent scowl on is face who was staring at the vending machines options like a psycho. The smallest one (who was still very tall) looked tough—must be the braun because he had quite the biceps and his hair was shaven like the boys in your dad’s training camps. One of them looked like a grown man with a man bun that really should be signing off on big stock deals or something. The giant one was blonde with glasses but he appeared to be the verbal slicer—since you could see his mouth mumble something to the military looking one, who flinched like he had been physically stabbed through the chest.

You had to admit, you could see why Yachi was scared of them...a little

Straightening your shoulders so to seem a little bit taller, you took a deep breath and stalked towards these bullies

You were ready to give them a piece and a half of your mind

You would rip them a new one like they deserved

And if it got physical, you were more than equipped to handle them due to your years of training

As you approached, the boys noticed the bag you held and their eyes lit up like they’d just been saved

They started toward you making Yachi gasp.

You cracked your knuckles in preparation

But... when you got closer to them enough to make out their faces, something Kiyoko explained to you got thrown to the forefront of your memory..... and then you realized.

Wait a second.....

“There you are, uhh... small person. You took our coaches bag!” Exclaimed the one with defined biceps.

The small blonde girl behind you let out a shriek and tried to book it. You held onto her arm now as she screamed bloody murder, begging the 4 boys not to kill her because she had a single mother at home who needed her. The boys tried to explain their reasoning over her screams which only made things more chaotic! You gave the four boys a look of death to shut up and they did.

You patiently waited for toddler girl to chill.

“Uh Yachi??”

“Y-y-y-ye-ye-yes?”

“You said these were the assailants you were running away from?”

“Mhm. Don’t look them in the eye!” She shut hers tightly.

You smirked, officially letting your guard down. Now you remembered everything Kiyoko sent you in that text, including who-was-who on the team, what they looked like, and what each player specifically needed managerial-wise.

“Is it Tanner? No, Tanaka from my year, Asahi 3rd......and those two—- Tsukishima Kei and Kageyama Tobio, right? They are in your year..... they’re all Karasuno volleyball players.”

Yachi looked dumbfounded.

“Volleyball players...........................of doom?”

You shook your head, cupping Yachi’s shaking hands in yours. You gave this girl who reminded you of a toddler the kindest smile you could muster.

“I’ve never officially met these guys but Kiyoko has told me lots about them. I do see them bickering in the hallways a lot though, and it’s adorable. They are totally and completely harmless.”

“Harmless?” Yachi repeated you as if she’d never heard the word before.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it in such a de-masculine manner......” Tsukishima deadpanned, irritated by the fact that you spoke of them like they had the strength of a group of newborn goldfish.

Tanaka felt the same way. He mumbled “We do harm on the court! And just because you’re a pretty girl doesn’t mean you can say that we aren’t tough—“

Tsukki told him to shut up before he scared the toddler girl again.

Kageyama drank his little milk carton, barely listening to the commotion as Asahi, silent in the back, was about to start bawling. He was just so happy to be called harmless instead of monster by someone so much smaller than him his heart was going to explode 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Luv him

“Yep! Harmless.” You chirped, eyes twinkling at Yachi. You reassured her some more. “Total softies. You have nothing to worry about! Kiyoko told me that once on the bus ride home from a game she played a movie on the bus......and in the end Kiyoko counted all of them crying to the wedding scene in Princess and the Frog.”

“Hey now—“ Tanaka yelled, red in the face from anger but mostly humiliation. You looked over at the boys and noticed they were all pretty red. Tsuki had actually turned away to totally hide his face, starting toward the gym without so much as a goodbye.

“Brat.” He muttered. The boys followed with their tails between their legs.

“See? They couldn’t even deny it.” You smiled at Yachi. She visibly calmed down. “They’re just a bunch of cute little crows😊.”

Tsukki has returned with a scowl that didn’t scare either of you this time. He held out his hand expectantly.

“May we have our coach’s bag back, now? I trust you two can find your way back to Snow White the other 5 dwarves in one piece, correct?”

Ouch. You winced at his short person joke. Wow, Kiyoko was right about Kei’s stinging verbal jabs.

But Psh. You were a black belt. You could handle military men. You could even beat some of them in an arm-wrestle sometimes.

So you definitely weren’t afraid of any volleyball boys, no matter how badly this cute tall one’s jabs stung.

You smiled at Tsuki who didn’t return it in the slightest. You moved to hold out the bag in front of you for him to take, but low enough so he’d have to lean down to retrieve it.

When he went to grab the bag, you expertly maneuvered it out of his grasp before taking his cheek between your fingers in a tight squeeze. So gullible, this one. You had him trapped, just like you would a toddler.

“I’ll bring it to coach Ukai myself cutie patootie.” You gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. He stared at you with surprised eyes before you continued. “After all, we’ll be getting to know each other pretty well as temp-manager and coach. Don’t you think?” The King of Passive Aggression’s eyes widened in shock behind his adorable glasses. You released his cheek from your grasp.

“Now get in the gym, soldier. You can introduce me to the rest of the team’s cuties and tell them that Karasuno’s new babysitter is here!”

[lady-griffin]

The extra comic in volume 6 is max adorbs. Any thoughts about it?

I just saw the comic. Super cute and rather insightful.

I love that those small details expanded on the characters and fleshed them out some more. 

I’m sure if you asked me what the harem’s most precious items were, I would’ve given items solely tied to Katarina - so I’m really glad that wasn’t the case, actually.

For some of them yes, but it made sense for said characters. 

Geordo - First Snake Toy 

I don’t know if ever wrote it down in one of my theories or in a response to question, but I had the head-canon that either Geordo or Alan kept the first snake toy. I thought it would be very endearing if it was Geordo, but I was leaning towards Alan being the one, as it was overall such a happy memory for him and the day when things truly changed.

I’m really happy that Geordo kept the snake. It’s sweet. I am curious to how he thinks it will help to get Katarina to do what he wants, because I’m not exactly following his logic - perhaps it’s explained more in the actual novel? (Haven’t read yet, no spoilers)

 I think it encapsulates their relationship rather perfectly.

It’s a “weapon” that Katarina developed to save herself from Geordo. 

Similar, to Alan, I think Katarina learning Geordo is afraid him of snakes made her realize (to some degree) that he’s real and not the perfect two-dimensional prince from her game who had no weaknesses or flaws.

It’s also a literal representation of how weird and different Katarina is from literally everyone else. And just how truly unpredictable she is.

I mean think about it from Geordo’s perspective.

Not only did Katarina learn about his fear of snakes, but what did she do with that information? She literally weaponized his fear against him No one else would have ever done that. Even some of his rivals at the time (Keith or Mary) wouldn’t have done that, but his fiancé did.

And there is no logical explanation for why Katarina would do such a thing. A prank? To try to scare him? Why?

It’s such a great example of the complex, unpredictable puzzle that is one Katarina Claes. A puzzle that Geordo, despite how well he knows her, still hasn’t figure out.

Also, this was probably the first time, Geordo ever showed her his Dark-Hearted self. His scary look, terrifying both Katarina and Alan, and when he smiled sweetly and asked what’s she doing and where her mother is. As well as him threatening to tell on her and despite her begging him not to,  he goes through with it. 

And from Alan’s POV we know that Geordo’s smile was also a happy one, he truly was having a good time with Katarina – teasing her and making her suffer just a little bit.

It’s just extra sweet and really endearing. 

Alan - Musical Sheet

I love that his most precious item was something that Geordo gave him and that he was embarrassed by it. So cute.

Keith - Pocket Watch

Really, if someone asked me what his most precious item was, I would assume it would be a gift from Katarina. But it being a gift from his parents (and Katarina as a way of them showing him he is a Claes and their son, and is one of them, is just so much better. 

I loved that!!!

Mary - Mother’s Necklace

I liked that it was her mother’s necklace. It’s very normal and simple, but I think that’s what makes it effective. I also like that while it has nothing to do with Katarina, but she brings up that Katarina thought it was pretty.

Which makes me think that Mary showed it to Katarina when they were younger and she was probably very nervous of what Katarina thought about it as she knew  it wasn’t very fashionable for the current time and her sisters probably made fun it. 

So, when Katarina said it was pretty, Mary must have been so happy, not just for the compliment, but just because someone was being kind to her.

While I think Mary and her love is very similar whether it’s for Alan or Katarina, there is a slight difference, I can’t help thinking of.

When Mary improved herself to be the perfect wife and a worthy partner for Alan, I think it was also out of a need to prevent any future bullying. Looking how talented, skilled, smart and perfect she is – what is there to even criticize. But I wonder, if she had the fear that if others learn (including Alan) of how much work she had to put in to become that way, would they think less of her or make fun of her?

When Mary improved herself to be a worthy companion of Katarina, it started out the same as it was from Alan. But Katarina learned about the work Mary was doing and how hard it was and instead of making fun of her for trying so hard, Katarina was impressed and in awe. 

And in general, I think Katarina’s kindness and always being supportive of Mary, made Mary realize she deserves better treatment from others.

Maria -  Scarf (Mother’s gift)

I have the headcanon that this was the first gift that Maria’s mother has given her in sometime do to their strained and repressed relationship. So, it’s just very sweet that it’s Maria’s most precious item. 

It’s also just a nice symbol of their relationship improving and overall the fact that it is in a far better place than it was earlier on.

Nicol - Fountain Pen

I really loved that it was something he inherited from his father and it’s a very practical gift (but has meaning for the two of them). That just seemed very Nicol and something I wouldn’t have thought of.

I also like the connection of his father using it when he was aiming for Prime Minister (to be with the one he loved) and he hopes that Nicol will do the same for Katarina -- not become Prime Minister, necessarily, but actively fight for her. 

Sophia - Sophia and the Emerald Princess

This would’ve been my choice and it just works. 

Katarina is Sophia’s first friend and this is the book they bonded over. Also the way Katarina complimented her appearance was similar to the book. And just, Katarina was the Emerald Princess for Sophia and her hero and in a way, Katarina was like a fictional character out of a book to Sophia (which is a nice little twist, unintentional or not).

This unbelievable person, who is a highborn lady, beautiful, and impossibly kind and she thinks Sophia is also beautiful and has no fear or disgust in her eyes when she looks at Sophia. The person who showed Sophia the beauties of the outside world and introduced her to new people and new friends and who saved Sophia.

I just…of course that book is Sophia’s most precious item

Raphael –

Poor baby, just let him rest.

Sora – Katarina’s Jewel/Brooch

I loved that it’s the Jewel that Katarina gave, because of course it is. I personally have two head canons about it -

1. Sora wears it as an accessory (a brooch) and is very open about how it’s a gift from Katarina and it represents their bond and relationship. And everyone, particularly Geordo and Keith, just hate him for it. Geordo definitely wants a present like that from Katarina, but has no idea how to ask for it and Sora is just so goddamn smug when he rubs it in everyone’s faces.

2. Sora tells no one how he came by the jewel but the others have seen him playing with it in his hand or staring at it and smiling softly to himself. Raphael asked and to his surprised Sora actually blushed and quickly pocketed it, while rambling on with a very obvious lie from where it came from. Raphael quickly realizes it was something to do with Katarina and while he feels jealousy, he is honestly just too tired to deal with the prospect of another rival.

Anne – Everything Katarina has given her

Super sweet and lovely. I also love the running gag of Anne ending the questionnaire and everyone (especially Geordo and Mary) are super jealous of her answers.

But everyone is jealous and desperately wants a passionate letter from Katarina telling them not to got through with a marriage to another person.  Because of course!

 It was simple and cute, but I thought  really expanded on some of the characters and each item fit each of them nicely.

I do wish we got a specific item form Katarina, that would’ve been interesting. (Doesn’t have to be from a member of the Harem)

[sepublic]

Luz and the Winds of Change

            For Season 2, I’d LOVE to see Luz find a Wind/Air Glyph, because... The thing I’ve noticed with Luz Noceda is that she is very much an active force of change; That she brings about the winds of change to people’s lives! Obviously part of the reason for this is Plot, but at the same time… People like Eda make a point about how their lives felt stagnant, meaningless even, until Luz arrived. Emperor Belos himself even acknowledges this, saying that Eda’s life to him was meaningless, until Luz showed up…

           Without Luz’s appearance, a lot of characters were set on a certain trajectory; Eda was going to keep being a loner and an outcast and eventually succumb to her curse. Lilith would’ve been more desperate for Belos’ approval, King would be both lonely and a bit selfish, Willow would’ve succumbed to self-loathing and shyness… Amity would become even colder and more miserable, the Twins wouldn’t bother self-reflecting, Boscha would continue to be a bully without ever considering her relationship with her friends, etc.

           But then comes Luz; Like the winds of change, she changes the trajectory and paths of these characters. She’s like a sudden gust that allows a ship to change course, or a ball to change its path mid-flight. Her mere presence alone inspires people to be better, and not from a preachy and judgmental “I think I can do better and tell you why” sort of way like Belos is, a way that tells people there’s something inherently wrong with them. No, Luz is someone who respects boundaries and wants to see others be the best they can be… That she’ll let others approach her instead of forcing herself onto them, do things at their own pace!

           I think part of what makes Luz so compelling is that her kindness and giving nature is so unconditional; That it’s not out of a sense of obligation like she HAS to take care of people, but simply because it makes her happy to see other people happy! That nobody asked Luz or implied she needed to do things for them, she was just allowed to be herself (which is what the Boiling Isles does in general for her), and that means Luz can self-actualize as a person who wants to help OTHERS self-actualize as well!

           It’s about learning to be yourself, and to Luz, this is something that means a lot to her considering she never got that chance for so long! And obviously, it isn’t like helping people is the only thing she can do, nor does she place all of her self-worth into this concept as a role/duty she’s bound to… Luz is still allowed to be a kid, still allowed to have her own desires and wants, such as wanting to learn magic, be a powerful Witch like Azura, etc.! She’s in an environment where she can flourish!

           Not to mention, Luz has some personal stake in a lot of people’s issues as well; Like with Viney and the Detention Kids, fixing their problems is also fixing HER issues with the school system as well! Or in Understanding Willow, how helping Willow and Amity be better friends also helps Luz, because those are her friends and them being happy makes her happy as well!

           Obviously episodes like Wing it like Witches also remind Luz not to vicariously live out her fantasies and issues, nor project them, through her friends, and to set a fine line between that and helping people… But it’s not a draining relationship. Contrary to what some characters believe, they’re not takers and they don’t need to provide more, nor compensate and justify their friendship; That what they’re already doing and got going on… is pretty good.

           In general, Luz is someone who inspires others to make a change. That her illuminating Light allows those such as Principal Bump to make an active choice on what road they’re going down, now that they can see what’s ahead… And to choose differently. Luz is somebody who reinvigorates, who re-instills passion into existence as someone who is VERY passionate over things as part of her ADHD hyperfixations, which is also another beautiful thing to see for a neurodivergent viewer…

           It’s funny, really; Many characters were set down paths that could’ve easily led to a LOT more misery, or at the very least towards them not truly feeling fulfilled like they are now. But Luz changedthat, she makes a difference because she’s different as a foreigner and an outsider, but not an invader the way Belos possibly is…

          And I also love how it’s such a different take on the White Savior trope in that our Dominican, dark-skinned protagonist is the one who helps enlighten the European-inspired culture… In a way that is VERY respective of others’ boundaries while still allowing her to have her own personal desires and be her own person, and NOT be defined by what she does for others in a co-dependent sense.

          Like the show makes it clear Luz isnotresponsible for these people, tying into the idea that many characters also still have their own personal guilt in wrong actions and how they DO acknowledge this and make a change… That Luz offers help but it’s also on people to take personal initiative and accept this help as well, that she’s not a bad person if she doesn’t fix EVERY person she comes across!

          She isn’t your personal caretaker, she’s a kid and the show focuses on how adults are responsible for the impact they have on children and ensuring the best for them, hence the emphasis on Eda as a motherly figure and what she does for Luz, it’s why Luz chooses to stay in the first place! Like a lot of adults are compelled to be better at their responsibility to care for the young generation, like the Bat Queen not projecting her trauma onto Owlbert, or Principal Bump letting kids study in multiple tracks! But at the same time Luz doesn’t feel entitled either, like the world or people owe her something…

          Luz being an outsider means that she’s another perspective, and THAT makes people ask themselves; What does my situation, and/or the way I treat others, look like to an outsider? Is this who I am, is this who I’ll be? Reflections are made of Light, and Luz can provide a mirror, without that being her only identity of course; She’s a FUNKY mirror all right!

          But, yeah… Luz really DOES represent the Winds of Change! She’s a new opportunity not just for people but for the Boiling Isles, and in a darker sense she’s a new opportunity for someone like Belos given the implications of her arrival and how she got there… But regardless. Luz is someone who is antithetical to the idea of stagnation, she helps flourish and inspire growth in characters like plant-motif Willow, while changing the destructive and hurting Fire of Amity into one that provides warmth and nourishment!

          She is energy, which relates well to her ADHD-coding, as well as movement… And THAT all feeds back into the idea of Luz being Wind as well as Light, as someone who compels others to move but not in a forceful way, simply giving them a well-needed push to change their current course and trajectory. Belos’ reign is recent, and not solid… But up until now it was on a trajectory towards becoming more powerful, more dictatorial, and more controlling. But then comes Luz, and she helps people realize that NO, this system is messed up, that we CAN make a change…

          And this ties back into how the moral is not, “I can fix this,” nor “You can fix this,” it’s “We can fix this together!” Luz brings people together, just as the winds bring things together! And honestly, an Air-motif makes sense, given Luz’s own relation to Owls, and how those are creatures who are very sensitive and dependent on the air currents, in the paths of the wind, and use it to propel themselves! While at the same time teaching others –usually their own children- how to use that wind to fly, soar, and find a different place and home… A way to leave an unpleasant situation and go somewhere safer.

          Obviously Luz isn’t perfect, and she’s not meant to be the fix-all solution for others to rely on. She’s got her past issues that she’s worked upon, and I think she can be overly-critical of herself when it comes to hurting people, as someone who’s been hurt; Which makes Luz’s relationship with Amity, who is ALSO self-critical, very fascinating! But in the end, Luz is still a fundamentally good person.

          Luz helps reinvigorate others, giving them a ‘Second Wind’ which also ties back to Wing it like Witches and its Sports tropes… And THAT episode also involved Amity, who has a flashback of being overly-critical of herself for hurting others, telling Luz not to do the same; That she doesn’t have to single-handedly shoulder the burden of the forfeit, even if Luz DID mess up by hurting Willow and Gus by accident, that she shouldn’t over-compensate for her failings and feel like she has to! Not when Luz taught Amity the same…!

          Wind is the antithesis to stagnation in that it’s defined as something that moves, and Luz is SUCH a dynamic character in the way she interacts with others! Wind can only be seen by how it moves others… Clearly there’s more to Luz than just that, she has more emphasis on a Light motif for a reason. But the way Luz changes others and compels them to take a different path is VERY obvious and visible, and one can best notice Luz’s bright personality through her effects on people; That, and because Luz is just such an utter goober as well! Like, even the audience is affected towards and endeared by her!

          Wind is not something you hold onto, and it’s not something that is itself when it’s in a box. It’s meant to be free, flying, soaring… Which represents how Luz is a character not to be stifled by a system nor conformity, that her Light is meant to shine and be seen by others, and help illuminate the path… But mainly so SHE can shine for herself, and be her own person! Air is associated with Freedom, which given this show’s themes of anti-authority, is VERY appropriate too…!

[morsquiesa]

𝐁𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐀 𝐃𝐈 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐎: 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄, 𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐒, 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘.

Since it is mentioned that Bianca has children, I thought it would be the time to elaborate on Bianca’s family since I realized my blog lacks the content. So up until to the point where Bianca resigns from the hunters and starts working for Hades as an ambassador, there are three alternate paths for her that I adore. 

The first possibility is the most independent and ready to explore verse for Bianca, which is the one where after her resign, Bianca never properly returns to the surface again to live there, and over time becomes a permanent member of the underworld. I am looking forward to developing this path, because I find it quite interesting to study how Bianca makes herself a place in the underworld, what kind of a dynamic she has with Hades and Persephone, what kind of dynamics she has with the other residents and deities, what kind of a part she plays in the order of things and formation. In this option, the only family Bianca has left is her brother, Nico di Angelo, but since her joining to the hunters of Artemis their relationship is strained and they don’t talk to each other, so him making an appearance is going to be rare in the threads and mentions of him won’t be joyful ones. ( I will write another meta post about this, so it’s a more detailed conversation for later.) Her relationship with her mother, Maria di Angelo, is also another long topic that I will talk about in a different post. But to sum it up, she has no family members she is actively talking to or has good relationship with.  

  The second alternate is the same as the first one, but Bianca keeps living on the surface instead of moving in to the underworld for good. She is still not talking to Nico, she is refusing to live in the camp. ( Another meta post.) She has an apartment in New Manhattan that Hades blessed with protection for her, so when she is not on duty she is hanging out in New York. I don’t use this verse a lot, to be honest, because it is an incredibly lonely one for her. This is mostly for my mutuals with demigod or mortal muses to make it easier to interact with her. This is the most under-developed alternate. This version of Bianca is going to be hardest to talk to, because she has burned a lot of bridges and she deals with a severe sense of loneliness and feels lost as she tries to figure out where she belongs in the world she doesn’t recognize, existential and identity crisis hitting hard and heavy. In the means of family, she leans into Hades the most in this verse, because she doesn’t have anyone else left. 

 The third, also known as the most developed and softest alternate, affiliated with @mvndrvke​​ and @nosestealer​. This acts like the continuation of the second alternate, because Bianca spends three years living that lonely life in Manhattan before Hades calls Bianca and Nico for a mission in the underworld. Doors of death are missing once again, and they enter the labyrinth together to find it, and it is no easy feat going into one of the most dangerous places in the world with a sibling by your side you haven’t talked to in years unless you didn’t have to, when you’ve gone no contact after a terrible separation. Ghosts were seen, old books were opened, harsh things were said, some terrible truths unrevealed, but after two weeks ( which equaled to a few months in the world ) in the labyrinth, they come out of it with amends to make, and Nico asks Bianca to move in with him into the camp,. Bianca hesitates because he already has a stable life he tried so hard to built with a loving relationship and caring friends, but she eventually accepts because they both know they will have to get through the awkwardness and heal the wounds they’ve been avoiding for so long if they want to make actual progress. In my opinion, if it wasn’t for Nico they could never get anywhere because Bianca wouldn’t take the first step with the fear of rejection especially when Nico didn’t need her anymore with his ‘ picture perfect life ’ so shout out to Luna for Nico’s maturity. In 22th of March, 2014, at the age of eighteen, Bianca move into the camp with her brother to open a new page, and it’s when things start get better for her. ( Nico is now nineteen, a year older than her, and he never lets her live it down.)

It does get better, but also, things are painful for a long while because that’s what happens when you try to reconnect with a sibling when you are both dysfunctional with a lot of layers of miscommunication to fix: you fight. A lot. But despite these fights, Bianca meets Will Solace, who is Nico’s boyfriend at the time, then Cecil Markowitz ( mvndrvke ) and Lou Ellen Blackstone ( nosestealer ) , who are his best friends. Her expectations of them are low at first, because obviously they are Nico’s friends and she imagines the mentions of her wasn’t the brightest so she expects a judgmental approach. But oh boy, is she wrong. With Lou Ellen’s kindness, Cecil’s compassion and Will’s deep sympathy, Bianca finds herself the first family she’s ever had since the hunters.

Now, let’s talk about other good things that happened during this year. Cecil Markowitz is a good friend, he is the shoulder she seeks to cry on, he is the biggest reason of her bright smile, but a good friend is not the only thing he is to her. With his unapologetic kindness towards the world, his sense of security in who he is and who he wants to be, his relentless compassion and with the promise of safety he gives to Bianca by being by her side even when she makes it hard to be, Bianca falls in love for the first time in her life. It is both an endearing and funny process to watch her try to figure out what to do with this new feeling, because she’s never been in love before and she’s took an oath for eternal maidenhood when she joined the hunters of Artemis, and pushed aside the thought. So this is completely new territory, especially she knows for a fact that even Cecil feels the same way she does ( which she is pretty sure that he doesn’t ) she doesn’t think she can provide a kind of relationship he would expect, whatever that it would be- she doesn’t know how to date, and she definitely doesn’t know the 21th century. Also, Cecil is one of Nico’s best friends and the panic of ruining the dynamics she’s tried so hard to built is really there. So this feeling goes unspoken of for a year and a half, until it starts to seep from the cracks and eventually the truth is forced out there- and she is not the only one to blame, because Cecil has his own confessions to make. After an intense argument filled with panic and fear, the day ends with a kiss and mumbled “ I love you’s. 21st August 2015 marks the date as their anniversary, and they still celebrate it. Lou Ellen finds out first, then Will, and they are both ecstatic about it, which makes Bianca feel better. They hide it from Nico for a few months, giving themselves a while to see if they can make it work or not until Nico learns in a traumatizing way and never lets them live it down. But eventually he is happy with the outcome too, and is supportive of their relationship when he is not bullying them for it.

 From that point on, it’s tooth rotting sweet Biancecil romance. After Bianca makes sure her bond with Nico is solid enough to remain steady and strong even when she moves out, she asks Cecil to move in with her to Manhattan. They both have their own reasons for not wanting to be a part of the camp any longer ( Bianca doesn’t feel accepted because in her opinion she’s never earned the justification to exist there with heroic actions like Nico did, and the stigma with hunters of Artemis is strong, even when they are former. Cecil struggles with belonging because he’s fought in the Kronos’ Army in the First Titan War. ) so after a year spent in Long Island, they move into her apartment in Manhattan. This is the first home they share together, and Bianca still holds those memories dear to her heart. They spend another year there, with Bianca keeping up the ambassador work, and they are traveling the world together, going on dates anywhere in the map they wish. A while later city of New Athens is completed, and they move there, buying a nice house and finally setting roots. After Cecil’s 22th birthday celebration in Lisbon, Bianca decides he is the person she wants to spend the rest of her life with. With a very romantic proposal in 16th December 2017, they get engaged. At the age of 23 and 24, they say their vows with their dream wedding in 19th May 2018. 

This continuation upsets me, because just after a year of their marriage, Cecil dies in the entrance of New Athens with the attack of Lamia. His date of death marks as 3rd May 2019, and Bianca is devastated. Nico goes out to hunt Lamia where Bianca does the funeral rites of her husband according to his wishes, then she goes to the underworld. She’s lost so much in her life, she refuses to mourn him too. I want my husband back, she tells Hades. And I am going to get him back. While Hades doesn’t approve at first, with the pressure from Nico and Bianca he reveals a way. There is a ritual she can make to bring his soul and his body intact. She needs a red carnation from Persephone, Cecil’s thread of life from the fates, Orpheus’ lyre, blessing of Hades, their wedding rings, and with the possession she cares the most about. Bianca disappears from the face of earth with only Nico knowing what she is doing, and she starts her quest to search for these items. She sometimes visits her mother-in-law and checks on her, but she is the only person she sees except for Will and Lou in a few rare occasion. She completes this quest in eighteen months, a year and a half, and she brings Cecil back from the underworld 8th December, 2020.

 Their life is not the same as they’ve left it, and while they are going through difficult times, they hold onto each other. While Luna and I haven’t decided on the exact dates, after a while spent in New Athens Cecil takes Bianca to a vacation in Cape Cod, and that’s where he proposes to her again to renew their vows, and gives her a list of houses he would live to buy for them from the area. At the age of twenty-five, they sell their house in New Athens and move into Cape Cod to build themselves a life there, a life they quite enjoy. Bianca is retired from ambassadorship, leaving her place to Achilles ( mvndrvke ) and taking interest in living off her retirement plan with caring for her garden at home. Cecil turns one of the rooms into his art studio and work there, and also work as the art teacher in the neighborhood elementary school. After many struggles and many discussions, they decide to carry on with their original plan of having children before he died. Their firstborn, tiny daughter Ludovica Ranieri Markowitz is born when Bianca is twenty-seven. She is named Ludovica because of Bianca’s fondness of the name, and Ranieri after her uncle, Nico ( it’s his middle name ). At the age of thirty, their son Alexander Steven Markowitz joins the family. He is named Alexander after his father, Cecil ( it’s his middle name ) and Steven after cap america on Cecil’s request. ( Don’t worry, Bianca made fun of him for it already.) Now they are enjoying their life being old, disgustingly in love, caring for their children and hosting great events at their house. Lou, Will and Nico are still a big part of their lives.

[bunnyywritings]

hi bun! may i pls request a matchup w a bnha character? i don’t have a preference for their alignment but i’d prefer a male pls! i’m 5’, have long dark hair, hazel eyes, a nose ring, a tattoo, am an aquarius & intp! i can be v shy and maybe come off as aloof when i first meeting ppl but i’m known to be very sweet & friendly, esp when i open up. i’m nonjudgmental and tend to be the mom friend bc i love to give gifts, advice, and stand up for everyone. activism is a passion of mine. i also like -

[a/n: thank you for sending in a request my love! I hope you enjoy your match up! -yours truly, bunnyy ]

I match you with...

tokoyami fumikage!!!

☾ this boy

☾ he’s the definition of the strong and silent type

☾ when he first meets you, he finds your aloofness a bit endearing

☾ but when he sees your interactions with your other classmates, he finds that his heart beats faster than usual

☾ your shy smile makes butterflies erupt in his tummy

☾ dark shadow 100% tease him about it

☾ he’s impressed when you stand up for shinso when there’s others bullying him about his quirk, despite not knowing him very well

☾ when the two of you got closer, he blushes whenever you give him a little gift “because it reminded you of him”

☾ he’s thankful that his features don’t really bother you that much

☾ i think that he’d be super insecure about not being able to normally show affection, things like kissing and whatnot

☾ your kind nature definitely bodes well with dark shadow, in fact, you’ve even assisted tokoyami with his training

☾ calming down dark shadow whenever he gets out of hand

☾ this sweet boy would love to snuggle up with you and watch some true crime shows or read a book

☾ and if you’re looking for quality time, then look no further

☾ he will always have time for you and will have designated days where he’s with you all day

☾ you guys would go on a date, have some lunch then get back and spend the rest of the day cuddling and reading a book

☾ hmm i would say it takes him some time to warm up to your pup, but once they get acquainted

☾ oh boy

☾ both you and dark shadow get a little jealous

☾ overall,

☾ this boy will love you so much, it may not be very apparent but whenever you both are alone together he will shower you with sweet words and nuzzles

-

Classes were over for the day and you wanted noting more than a nice warm bath. Of course, that hadn’t happened.

Denki had asked you for some advice, so you being...well you. You listened, and listened. And listened. You loved Denki but sometimes his thoughts were a little all over the place. He first asked you for relationship advice but before you could even answer him properly, he want on a tangent about how insufferable kiri and bakugo were being. Something about a lovers spat.

Tokoyami had noticed how exhausted you seemed to be after school today so he went to the convenience store down the block to get you your favorite snacks and set up his laptop to the new season of that one true crime show you both like. He was thoroughly surprised to see Yū sat on the couch with Denki. There was a kind smile on your lips but your eyes gave you away. He figured that you had let Denki talk your ear off. It wasn’t the first time that you had done something like this. He sighed and went up to his room. He came up with a plan. Quickly telling dark shadow.

Once Denki had stopped talking and let you respond, Tokoyami had rushed into the common room. He was groaning, steps staggered as he approached. “(Y-Y/n)...help m-me!” His voice was strained, it fooled Denki but not you.

“Oh crap! Tokoyami, do you want me to get Mr. Aizawa?!” Denki stood up, face scrunched in panic.

“No need Denki, I’ve got got it.” Your calm response made Denki relax before he nodded and let you do your thing. As you led Tokoyami into the elevator, it took everything in you to stifle your laughter. Dark Shadow’s over dramatic threats making it very difficult to keep your composure. Once the doors shut, your laughter rumbled in your chest. The sound making both Tokoyami and Dark Shadow smile. He wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you into an embrace, nuzzling the top of his beak gently against your cheek.

“Your too kind, my dear. Go take a bath. I have a surprise for you.”

Confused, you did what he told you. Taking a calming bath and changing into some sleep shorts and one of Tokoyami’s sweatshirts. You had head over to his room and you were very surprised when you opened the door. All the lights were off, save for some fairy lights that you had bought per Dark Shadow’s request. Tokoyami had the laptop ready to go and snacks ready to eat. He patted the space right in between his legs and you shut the door. Making your way over and getting settled in his arms. Dark Shadow had pressed play and the oh so familiar theme song reached your ears.

Grabbing a bag of chips, you leaned back and smiled as you felt Tokoyami rest his chin on your shoulder. Turning, you pressed a kiss against his beak.

“Thank you Fumi.” You hummed, watching as the feathers on his head puffed out a bit.

“Anything for you my dear.” He nuzzled you once more before stealing a chip from to bag in your hands.

“What about me?” Dark Shadow asked shyly as he appeared before you. With a giggle, you softly pat his head and pressed a kiss to his beak.

This was your favorite way to unwind after a long, stressful day.

[tragicbeauty1991]

In Defense of Disney's Captain Hook: A Not Wholly Unheroic Figure

With the recent popularity of ABC's hit show Once Upon a Time, the classic view of fairytale villains as irredeemable bad guys has been turned on its head, and while some of our favorite baddies like Cruella and Dr. Facilier remain fairly true to their original Disney counterparts in appearance and personality on the show, others have gotten such a complete makeover that they are hardly recognizable as the same character they are supposed to portray. Among those given the latter treatment is fan favorite Killian Jones, a.k.a. Captain Hook. In a day and age when Jack Sparrow is the first fictional pirate who comes to mind, it's no surprise that the show's creators decided to embrace the guy-liner and black leather-wearing sexy bad boy approach to the character, but while this creative choice has had the effect of garnering fans' attention, it has also had the unfortunate effect of turning the original character into something of a joke. While Killian is viewed as a well-developed sympathetic character with the potential for redemption, Disney's original version of the character tends to be seen as little more than a straightforward comical villain with little or no real depth. As a fan of the original Disney version of the character, however, I'd like to argue that from the very beginning, Disney's Hook was always intended to be a complex, likable villain and continues to be portrayed as such in modern Disney media. My argument is as follows:

Hook's original creators, including author J.M. Barrie, producer Walt Disney, and voice actor Hans Conried loved the character.

The original author of Peter Pan, James Matthew Barrie—who significantly gave his own first name to the pirate captain—is quick to remind the audience that despite his flaws, Hook “was not wholly evil; he loved flowers...and sweet music (he was himself no mean performer on the harpsichord)....” When Walt Disney decided to approach the character, he quickly realized that a villain with such a soft side would appeal to the viewers and instructed the animators to alter the original ending of the story, having Hook chased off by the crocodile but still clearly alive because “the audience will get to liking Hook and they won't want to see him killed.” Hans Conried, who served as both the voice-actor and the live-action reference model for Hook's character design, also had a fondness for him, stating that “He's a much maligned character. If you read the lines with any sensibility at all, you must have an animus against Peter Pan who could fly, and took outrageous advantage of this one-armed man. Hook was a gentleman. Pan was not. His behavior was very bad form.”

His motivation as a villain departs from the standard and immediately sets him up as a sympathetic character.

Whereas many of the traditional Disney villains are motivated by greed, envy, the desire for power, or revenge for a petty slight, Hook departs significantly from the norm in that his motivation stems from severe physical (and arguably psychological) trauma suffered at the hands of the supposed hero. While we are never told the exact circumstances under which the hand loss occurred, Hook has a legitimate reason to hate Peter Pan that runs much deeper than mere jealousy or megalomania. In fact, in his opening scene with Mr. Smee, Hook concedes that even such a crippling injury alone would not have warranted his hatred; rather, it is the fact that Peter gave the hand to the crocodile, causing him to live in a constant state of fear (and the boy's tendency to exploit that fear), that pushed him over the edge.

He has a multifaceted, well-developed personality which humanizes him for the audience.

In various interviews animator Frank Thomas has discussed the disparity between the personality storyman Ed Penner and director Gerry Geronimi envisioned for the character and the resulting difficulty he had in designing the version of Captain Hook that we see in the finished film. One viewed him as a foppish dandy of a fellow while the other envisioned a much darker, more frightening man who readily used the hook as a weapon against his enemies. This difficulty was further complicated by the fact that action-scene animator Woolie Reitherman—who was responsible for drawing Hook's interactions with the crocodile—wanted to bring a level of comedy to the character which somewhat clashed with his depiction in more serious scenes. The final result was a villain unlike any other Disney had created at the time—a villain who was by turns both fearsome and fragile, dangerous and debonair. Many of Disney's earliest films focused more on the new art of animation than the art of developing well-rounded characters, resulting in very black and white idealized heroes and villains. With Hook, Disney crossed a line into the morally gray territory, resulting in a sympathetic yet sinister character whose moments of weakness would endear him to audiences while his wickedness simultaneously appalled them.

His physical and emotional issues are highly relatable.

Ironically, despite the obvious mention of the prosthetic in his name, we tend to forget that Hook is technically disabled (by our “hero” no less!)...and that physical disability comes with a host of other issues, some of which are trauma-related. In addition to the crippling anxiety we see displayed on-screen, other Disney media indicate that he also suffers from high blood pressure (Kingdom Hearts manga), depression (365 Bedtime Stories), and low self-esteem (Jake and the Neverland Pirates). These are very real everyday issues that we can all relate to on some level either through personal experience or through someone we know.

The dynamic he has with Mr. Smee is unique among Disney villains and sidekicks.

Disney sidekicks—while often providing exceptional comic relief for the audience—are not always necessary for the hero/villain to stand on their own. Many early villain sidekicks, in particular, are given very little personality and some (Diablo in Sleeping Beauty and Gideon in Pinocchio, for example) don't even have any lines. While the sidekick to the primary villain often relies on his/her master as the brains of the operation, the primary villain usually has little need for their companionship. They are expendable resources whom the villain could easily replace or do away with altogether. Hook and Smee's relationship is different in that neither character could properly function alone; Smee relies on Hook for leadership and direction while Hook heavily depends on Smee for emotional support. Further, Smee—unlike many villain sidekicks—seems to genuinely care about his captain's well-being, and Hook recognizes and appreciates this, if only subconsciously. Despite being frequently irritated by his sidekick's apparent incompetence, Hook—a man who doesn't hesitate to shoot his own crewman for singing badly—never legitimately threatens Smee, resorting to raising a fist or giving a smack with the blunt side of his hook to show his frustration rather than taking a swipe at him with the more dangerous side of the claw. The crew, too, recognize Smee's privileged ability to speak his mind plainly to the captain without fear of serious repercussions, showing obvious disdain for him. One character is rarely ever seen without the other, and for good reason—neither one is capable of standing alone, their on-screen chemistry likely a result of the fact that animators Frank Thomas (Hook) and Ollie Johnston (Smee) were real-life best friends.

In the more lighthearted Jake and the Neverland Pirates series for Disney Junior, the characters' relationship is further expanded into actual camaraderie, and the two pirates play off each other extremely well in what voice-actor Corey Burton (current Hook) has described fondly as a “vaudeville comedy routine,” crediting the success of their dynamic in the show to his own friendship with fellow voice-actor Jeff Bennett, who performs as Smee, the relationship of the men behind the characters once again bleeding over into their fictional personas with the best possible results.

He occasionally displays qualities typical of a Disney hero.

While Barrie notes in his book that Hook is a “not wholly unheroic figure,” Disney's original film did little to show this side of the character. However, subsequent portrayals of the captain in various media indicate that this villain has the potential for moral growth. For example, in a deleted song from Return to Neverland, one of the pirates mentions Hook taking him in when he was a child. Another example of such benevolent behavior occurs in Epic Mickey: Castle of Illusion; at the end of the game when the illusion is broken and characters are saying their farewells to Mickey, Hook actually apologizes for his behavior while he was out of sorts, suggesting that although he is quite willing to fight anyone actively siding with Peter, he generally has no qualms with other Disney heroes and is capable of being civil and even polite to them. Additionally, in the Kingdom Hearts manga, Hook actually saves Peter (admittedly because he wants to have the pleasure of taking out Peter himself, but it's something, at least). Furthermore, in the preschool series Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Hook occasionally partners up with the main characters and in most instances, though he's a bit of a bully, ends up doing the right thing when hard-pressed to make a serious decision so long as Peter isn't around. In the episode The Legion of Pirate Villains, he even proudly proclaims to the main cast's common foe, “I am no mere villain. I am a villainous hero!” This concept of Hook as a sort of anti-hero was even hinted at in a line-up of character products known as the Disney Adventurers franchise sold at the Disney Store between 1999 and 2004. This franchise, originally intended to be the more masculine counterpart of the Disney Princess line, featured Hook as the ONLY villain apparently fighting alongside heroes including Tarzan, Aladdin, Hercules, and—astonishingly—Peter Pan.

TL; DR – Captain Hook is a highly complex, relatable character who deserves his place among the most iconic Disney villains. Walt and others who were critical to the development of his character loved him, and you should too.

[h50europe]

You know the feeling where there is this mental itch and you can’t help but have to scratch it? Once more, we are speaking up and share our thoughts on the latest developments concerning the departures of DDK and Grace Park. Don’t worry this is not going to be the never-ending story. For us, it means coming to a closure with it. 

Remember last year when a great guy left our beloved show? Masi Oka took us all by surprise when he opened up about his departure from the show. “I just thought the character went through a major journey,” he told EW. “Character-wise, I felt like Max had done too much of everything he can do.” Masi had nothing more to add to it, and the plot had come full circle. With teary eyes, we saw him depart in episode 7.13. It was a proper wake for a guy so humble and endearing. His character, coroner Max Bergman, often made us smile with his quirky sense of humor. It was a pleasure watching Masi Oka breathing life into this character in each episode. When he left, it happened quietly. He didn’t brag about his production company or the upcoming projects he already had in the pipeline. For me, Masi left like footprints in the sand being washed away by the sea. He was truly a class act. We still miss you, Masi. 

And then, there were the departures of Grace Park (Kono Kalakaua) and Daniel Dae Kim (Chin Ho Kelly). These departures caused an outcry in an already troubled fandom and shocked most of us to the core. According to VARIETY, CBS offered “large and significant salary increases” to keep Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park in the cast of Hawaii Five-0 after Kim had said via Facebook that he was unable to come to a deal with CBS to return to the long-running series. 

BUMMER! 

This was not the icing on the cake. It came later when – all of a sudden – the race card was thrown into this game. We stood there gaping because we weren't aware of all the fly-by-night fans that suddenly jumped on this bandwagon and blew this matter way out of proportion. 

As for the past few months, DDK has grabbed a lot of attention for being the role model to fight for equality of Asian-Americans in Hollywood. He got awards and prizes for it. In the meantime, Kim was also revving up his activity as a producer. His 3AD banner (production company) landed a new medical drama series on ABC for the coming season, The Good Doctor,  starring Freddie Highmore. 

Congrats! DDK is a helluva business man. I could adore him for the promotion stunt he pulled with this kind of action. Never before in his entire career has this guy gotten this much attention. If that wasn't well-calculated, why else hadn't he spoken up earlier about this matter? Over the past seven years, we've never heard him talking about feeling discriminated against or being underpaid. 

I feel so sorry for the man that he bottled up his frustration and swallowed his pride to work on a show that has shown more diversity than any other I know. He must have been struggling to go to work and see his "white co-stars" working their asses off for this show on a daily basis. 

Some people are predictable; some still surprise me. He's one of the latter. While he praises the cast and crew in his statement on FB, his fans are (suddenly) bashing the remaining cast to the utmost. 

And that is the reason, I said earlier, that I could adore him. The whole scenario as it is being presented to us looks orchestrated in a way. After one of the most successful seasons of the show, he and Grace Park are throwing in the towel. We don't know anything about Grace's motivation, so we are not starting to throw around rumors. 

IMHO, DDK killed it and poured gasoline onto the already spreading wildfire with the last paragraph of his FB statement. 

"I’ll end by saying that though transitions can be difficult, I encourage us all to look beyond the disappointment of this moment to the bigger picture. The path to equality is rarely easy (this must've felt like a blow to the gut for the remaining cast and crew). But I hope you can be excited for the future. I am. 5-0 continues on after one of its strongest seasons (like we didn't know that already. To me, this sounds more pathetic and like a mockery)." 

Then, he slipped back into the part of the shrewd business man he is by promoting himself: 

"I’ve got new acting projects on the horizon, and as a producer, my company, 3AD, has its first show, THE GOOD DOCTOR, set to air this fall on ABC. I hope you’ll tune in. There’s a lot to look forward to, and I’ll be sure to share it with you." 

We wish him (and also Grace) the best of luck for the future. We are sorry he had to endure all the discrimination over the past seven years and never LOST a word about it. 

We apologize for throwing up in our mouths – a little - when we were reading all the hatred messages produced by a bunch of spineless keyboard warriors who feel nothing but safe behind their screens as well as the "anonymity of the www." These days, it's easy to spread hatred and bully people you don't even know. Who are you to judge someone by his appearance or behavior? You are no better than the people you judge. Ever heard of reverse discrimination? What comes around goes around. 

We also apologize that you had to deal with the entire verbal diarrhea. If you came that far, thank you for taking your time to read. However, please spare us your unqualified hatred messages. We know them by heart. They are getting old. 

To everyone who feels compelled to stop watching the show: Goodbye! No need to tell this to your handful of followers; you won't be missed, and they probably won't even know what you're talking about because they don't give a damn about your feelings, anyway. 

To those of us who survived this circus and still stand with the show and the remaining cast: CONGRATS. Well done, ladies and gentleman. You'll earn another action-packed season and some changes in the cast that will open up new possibilities and interesting plots. Looking more than forward to it!

Read EP’s Peter Lenkov’s statement HERE 

And last but not least

Yours sincerely (now go on and hate me so I can block you ... snickers)

[avi-stella]

Another Day | Mob/Shigeo Kageyama x Reader

RATING: Teen | WORD COUNT: 1,720 | GENRE: Slice-of-Life/Friendship SUMMARY: You and Mob become friends. NOTE: My overdue part of a trade with @pepcvina. I'm sorry it took me so long to deliver! Since your part was 2K+ words, to keep the trade fair and as an apology for taking so long, I do have one other fic for you queued up. Thank you for trading with me!

Sounds of rustling papers and shoved books fill the room as you stand up from your seat, the chair legs scraping against the floor as you do. You start to pack your things as well, your eyes flickering over to the well-built teenager that you had just finished tutoring for the day.

"You seem awfully excited Musashi," you note with a laugh as the male shoves all of his supplies into his bag. Musashi had been your friend for quite some time now. You first met him near the beginning of the school year. Though initially frightened by his bulky frame, you later discovered just how much of a sweetheart he was when he happened to pass by and save you from some bullies.

You've spent a lot of time with him since then, wanting to show your gratitude by helping him with his studies which he was rather weak on, but nowadays, you merely hang out with him just because you enjoy his company. Of course, being friends with someone who looked like he could beat up anyone who got in his way did have its perks.

"We got a new member for our club!" Musashi explains with a large grin, prompting you to smile as well. It was great to see him so happy, though you are a bit surprised by his news. The Body Improvement Club did have some of the kindest people you've ever met in your life thus far, but you didn't think anybody else would be interested in their intense (you thought so, at least) regime.

"Oh? Who is it?" You ask, genuinely curious.

The teenager hums. "Do you know Kageyama Shigeo?"

Kageyama Shigeo, or mostly referred to as Mob. You knew of him and have seen him around in the hallways of the school, though you never really got the chance to strike up a conversation with him before. He seemed friendly, albeit awkward and perhaps a bit of a loner. You once heard rumours that he possessed psychic powers, but you never really believe any of them. After all, Mob looked too..."average", you guess you could say, to have such an ability.

"Huh, I never really took him as somebody who would be interested in the Body Improvement Club..." you muse as you finish up with the last of your packing.

"You should join too!" Musashi beams, giving you a firm slap on the back which causes you to stumble forwards, but you don't have the heart to get angry at his strength.

You shake your head at the offer. "I told you before, it's fine," you answer and refuse; it isn't the first time the teenager's asked you to join. "But I guess I am curious about your new member. I'd like to tag along for today."

As expected, when Mob first introduces himself to you, you only see someone plain and average; though you guess you are a bit worried as to whether or not he could keep up with the Body Improvement Club. In any case, the small smile that the teenager flashes you melts your heart somewhat. It's pure and innocent, and you feel almost compelled to protect him.

"Are you part of the club too?" Mob asks, tilting his head to the side.

"No, I'm just a friend," you respond. "And since you're a member now, I guess that means we're friends now too!"

Mob's face seems to light up at that, something you weren't expecting. "I've never really had a friend before," he admits with bubbling excitement despite the loneliness of the phrase itself. An awkward smile creeps up onto your features, uncertain on how to reply, so instead, you merely wish your new friend good luck with the club.

"Thanks!" He bows before leaving to join with the others.

You decide to hang around the room for a bit when the door opens again, and the Body Improvement Club trudges in with Mob passed out in their arms. "What happened?" You ask with pure concern and worry as the other members set him down. The teenager is drenched in sweat, and his body looks so heavy. You go retrieve a bottle of water for the male for when he later wakes up as Musashi explains what happened.

"Figures that it would be too much for him right off the bat..." you comment idly, wiping off the sweat that adorned Mob's forehead.

"We're going to continue with our run," the club president announces. "Can you take care of him?"

"Yes, of course," you answer with no hesitation.

Nodding in satisfaction and knowing that Mob is in good hands, Musashi leaves to continue with the club activities. You decide to leave Mob alone for now and allow him to wake up on his own as you go back to what you were previously doing. Minutes tick by until you hear the teenager groan, catching your attention.

Mob's eyes flutter open, confusion making its way onto his features as he glances around at his surroundings. "What happened...?" He croaks out, graciously accepting the water bottle you hold out for him. He unscrews the cap and takes generous gulps of the refreshing liquid.

"You passed out," you explain to him. "I can understand your eagerness, but if you push yourself too much like that, it could be dangerous. You should be more careful..."

You can't distinguish just what kind of expression Mob is wearing, but he nods in understanding. Your gaze on him lingers, and he shifts uncomfortably from your intense stare before he finally brings himself to ask, "Is something wrong?"

Not having realized that you were staring, you give a small embarrassed jump. "Oh, uh...no, I was just...wondering... Some people say you have powers. Is it true...?" You question slowly, not sure if it was appropriate to bring it up, but you were curious.

"Yes."

You blink in surprise, not having expected such a straightforward and nonchalant answer. "Oh, uh... I see. I think that's pretty cool."

A sudden lull appears in the conversation, and when you make no move to break it, Mob decides to ask, "You're not going to ask me to prove it?" It's something he's gotten used to that it feels strange somehow when you don't react as how others usually did with him.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. Plus, I believe you."

To your pleasant surprise, you and Mob became closer as time passed on. The teenager was great company to be around with, and it was endearing to see him try so hard with the club. You never expected somebody like Mob to be so hardworking and determined.

You supported Mob throughout everything and cheered him on whenever you could. Little by little, you can see the improvement in his stamina, and it warmed your heart. He even seemed to have become good friends with the other members of the club, and you can't help but laugh at the sight of someone like Mob with a happy grin on his face while surrounded by intimidating-looking males. You knew better though that they each possessed a heart of gold and wonderful companionship.

You're just about ready to leave the school when you feel somebody harshly pull you back by the collar of your uniform, causing you to gasp and drop your belongings. You don't need to look to know just who it was, and you mentally curse your bad luck.

"Going somewhere?" Your bully sneers as you try to maintain your composure.

"Home," you answer and stand your ground.

The male before you frowns. "I don't think so. Your friends aren't here, and we have some catching up to do."

A shiver involuntarily runs down your spine, and you gulp back your fear. Before you can respond, a meek voice interrupts and joins in on the conversation. "Excuse me..."

Your bully rolls his eyes, directing his attention towards none other than Mob. "What do you want?"

"Do you think you could leave her alone?" Mob asks, his question coming out as more like an innocent and polite request than anything else. "I think you're making her uncomfortable."

A frown mars the other male's lips. "What? Do you want to take her place instead?"

"What? Well, no, but—" Mob isn't given a chance to answer, his cheek making contact with the bully's fist. The impact and abrupt action catches Mob by surprise, and he crashes onto the floor with a loud thud which draws out a shocked and horrified gasp from your lips.

Within seconds, you're by Mob's side and helping him up, asking if he was alright as the male rubs the reddened skin. You snap your attention towards the other teenager and flash him an icy stare. You can tolerate being bullied yourself, but you will not idly sit by and watch your friend, somebody incredibly sweet like Mob, to be beaten around.

You might not have physical strength, but you know where to hit to make it count. Steeling yourself for whatever consequences there might be in the future, you give a strong kick to in between the male's legs. He winces and doubles over, his hand moving to massage his groin. You seize the opportunity, grabbing your stuff with one hand while holding Mob's hand in the other and dragging him along as you dash to safety.

As soon as you've managed to put enough of a safe distance between you and the school, both you and Mob slow down to a stop, clutching at your knees while you try to catch your breath. You both collapse to the ground, exhausted and relieved.

"Thanks for coming to save me," you offer the teenager words of gratitude when you see a small trail of blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. He must have been punched really hard, and you quickly fish through your bag for a handkerchief.

Mob gives a small hiss at the pain as you dab away the blood. "How about we get some ice cream?" You suggest. "My treat."

Mob nods in agreement, a ghost of a smile etched on his lips. You stand up and dust yourself off before helping Mob up as well. You gather your belongings once more as the two of you continue on your way.

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[thotyssey]

On Point With: Vinny Vega

Big-hearted, professional, photogenic and obviously hot as all hell, it’s hard to argue that this guy is not the most recognizable gogo boy in NYC right now. And on top of that, he’s gradually added promoter, party host, photographer, reality TV star and actor to his *ahem* extensive resume. And now he’s got the skinny on a new party he’s hosting this week! Thotyssey’s Living La Vinny Vega!

Thotyssey: Vinny, hello! You are such a familiar presence in this city’s nightlife, between dancing and hosting… and if you’re not here, you’re usually doing it in some other city! Do you ever see the light of day?

Vinny Vega: Of course! Haha, that's a pretty common question for me doing what I do, but of course I have my life during the day that keeps me pretty busy. For those who saw my episode of True Life on MTV, you might know that I am trying to dive in further into my career in photography.

I've had some really great jobs coming my way, and might have some other exciting shoots coming up in the next few months. I recently turned 30, and it's definitely time to venture outside of nightlife and see what the world ahead has in store. It's more of a shift in my priorities, then a total change. Really, nightlife is still a big part of me and who I am, and I'm really excited about what's going on right now.

Are you one of those people who can have a few drinks and still be “good” at what you do, or do you have to remain kinda level-headed when you’re working?

I would say that's an accurate statement; I know how to balance having fun and being responsible. I think that's a big asset in being an active part of nightlife. You have to work hard and play hard, at a pretty equal pace.

As far as dancing goes... on a typical night, are you into the sexiness and the music while you’re performing, or can you move mechanically and be like “hmmm, what should I have for breakfast tomorrow?”

I would have to say depends on the night and on the moment. Sometimes I'm lost in the music, and the atmosphere of the club. Then other times, I definitely have things on my mind outside of dancing. It really does depend on the night.

I read that you got your dancing start at G Lounge in 2009. Have you been to Rebar, where G Lounge once stood, yet? 

I have yet to be to be at Rebar, but I know a lot of people who work there and I really wish them the best. From what I have seen, it has a fresh new field to it and a really great industrial New York city vibe. I think that something that is really needed in my life right now: a classic return to form.

You were a Fashion Institute of Technology student. I notice that you sport some avant garde looks sometimes when you dance and host, with masks and elaborate shoulder pieces. Are those your designs?

Some pieces come out of my closet for sure, and I love a good look, but I'd have to say for the most part it's due to styling by those in charge of the party. It's an exciting part of what I do, getting to transform yourself. I always like expressing myself creatively and artistically, and that's a great part of being a presence in night life.

You get all the gigs, not just because of hotness (although there’s that!), but also because you have a reputation for being really nice and very professional. Are those traits you picked up over time, or did you come into it that way?

I think it stems from me being an outcast and a target of bullies when I was very young. It really helped shape who I am, and the kind of person I knew I wanted to become. The kind of man who would always reach out a helping hand, and keep an eye out for those in need. I often see people doing what I do who might be in need of a friend, and I'm always more then happy to help. Cattiness is not for me, I'm all about the heart.

What’s the best advice you can give a new gogo boy getting started?

Well first off, always be yourself. I tried to put on the “sex kitten” act when I first got started, and that's just not me. I'm a bit of a goofball, and I don't hide that when I talk to people. When you are yourself, that is when you are your most endearing. 

And then of course there's the aesthetic. Take care of your body, take care of yourself. Feed off the energy of the crowd, and know that you are part of the club's atmosphere. 

And go into it knowing that it is not a career path. I'm grateful for my job, and treat it with professionalism and fun, but it is not my career that lies ahead of me. But, it's now part of who I am, and I couldn't be happier to be a gogo, and done the things I have with that role. It's been a wild ride, and I'm not quite finished yet!

Do you need to be 100% secure with your body to be a good gogo boy, or can you “fake” it if you have insecurities?

Oh, I have plenty of insecurities--that's part of being a human being, in my opinion. There's always something you might want to tweak or change, but when being a gogo, confidence is key. At times you can find yourself venturing outside your comfort zone, but I've always found that to be liberating for the most part.

As you mentioned earlier, you had quite a moment when MTV aired an episode of True Life profiling NYC gogo boys in which you starred. How did you like the experience of seeing yourself in the show, and did that fame change your life significantly?

I've certainly seen a rise in the amount of people who know about me, and I can't express how grateful I am to have been part of that project. Of course, some scenes weren't the absolute most comfortable to watch, but that's why the show is called True Life. It showed a small piece of who I am outside of the late night world.

I also saw you pop up for a sec in Showtime’s reality show 3AM, profiling Markus Kelle, a few years ago! Did you know you were being filmed when that happened?

I did! I just wanted to say Hi [to Markus], and was a little baffled when I saw cameras, before I knew it I was signing a waiver [laughs]. It was such a quick hi and bye, I never expected it to make the cut. I adore Markus, so it was really fun to appear on his show even if just for a brief moment. I loved the series!

And you and fellow gogo Danilo appeared in a video for Koil & Vito Fun’s remix of Clean Bandit’s “Rockabye” that featured lots of pyro. Did your beard get singed at all?

Actually, it did! But it was a really fun experience and I love working with Vito: he's such a renaissance man, he's talented in so many ways. I'm actually working with him on another project that we're just starting; he's really an all around awesome person that I would not have met if it wasn't for working in nightlife.

I didn’t get a chance to talk to you this past Halloween because you were so busy… you showed up at Bob’s Only Bloodbath, you lurked the Blood Manor Haunted House, and perhaps most interestingly you starred as Rocky in a Monster production of Frocky Horror! What was the highlight of October 2016 for you?

You named them all! It's hard to pick just one... but of course, singing and acting on stage for the first time in years was an invigorating experience, and the whole cast was off-the-charts awesome, I'd definitely be part of something like that in the future.

What do you think has been the biggest change about nightlife since you started?

A lot of the best venues in the city have closed. The Roxy, Westgay, Roseland, etc. That’s been so hard on the nightlife community; we all feel the loss of those amazing places. Roseland was one of my first big circuit events in 2009 with Black Party. 

But with new venues opening like Flash Factory, there's always hope that nightlife is beginning to thrive once again. I wanna see the big crowds come out and fill the dance floor! There's nothing quite like the energy of a packed club.

As far as hosting goes, you’re a regular presence at such weekly parties as ACME’s STRUT and Ladyfag’s Battle Hymn, and you turn up at plenty of other places. Is it sometimes harder to engage people in those busy/loud settings with words than it is with your body?

For me, I often find myself conversing with patrons when I'm off-stage, helping them feel welcome in the environment and hopefully being a fun part of their night. Hosting feels very natural, and often times when I'm hosting you can find me dancing, I love the music. It's a similar vibe, just a little less scandalous with my outfits!

This is exciting: you’re co-hosting a new Thursday night rooftop party at the Sky Room in Hell’s Kitchen this season... Lip Service! It’s you, Scotty Em, Anthony Paparelli and Maddelynn Hatter in charge. How long has this been in the works, and what can you tell us about it?

I'm so glad you asked about that; I'm beyond excited for this event! "Lip Service" is an idea that's been in the works for awhile. In fact, I've talked with Scotty and Maddelynn separately about producing a new weekly event, and now we're all coming together and combining our own unique strengths to create a new weekly late night event. I haven't worked with Anthony much so I'm excited for that as well! All three producers bring something different to the table. 

I have high hopes for "Lip Service,” and NYC needs a new Thursday night party to kick off the weekend! I'm so happy to be part of this party, and we have some great guest hosts that will bring even more fun and personality to the night. If you're out on Thursday nights, Sky Room is the place to go!

What are your Pride plans this summer? And anything else that you wanna discuss?

Everything is still in the works, I'm weighing out my options,but June is getting busy really fast. All I can say is, thank you to everyone that has helped me get to where I am now. At the beginning of this year, I said I wanted to take more chances and try new things. That resolution is really coming to be a reality. There's a lot on the horizon that I hope people will take notice of and really enjoy.

Okay last question: what would your drag name be?

Hmmm...well, one time I was named "Venetian Blinds" by a friend of mine, and that sort of stuck. I like the sound of that! I've yet to really do drag, but there's a first time for everything!

Thanks, Vinny!

Vinny Vega is constantly gogo dancing and hosting at various venues throughout NYC and beyond. He will host “Lip Service” at the Sky Room beginning Thursday, May 4th (10pm). Follow Vinny on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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LeBron, Lonzo, Lillard amongst NBA gamers value watching through the last stretch

The final time we mentioned probably the most fascinating gamers within the NBA, the season hadn’t even began. Now that the playoff races (and the race to the underside) are getting critical, let’s check out who’s value being attentive to throughout this stretch run. 

Thank goodness his ankle harm wasn’t extreme. I doubt he’ll really win MVP, however Draymond Inexperienced is true that Davis has accomplished all the things he presumably can to place himself within the dialog. One of the best half: The Pelicans have wanted every considered one of his ridiculous performances with the intention to eke out wins. Their margin for error is miniscule. 

Ball is not the one Laker thriving recently, as they’ve received 18 of their final 26 video games. He’s undeniably probably the most thrilling Laker, although, and he’s making his early-season capturing struggles — and the overreaction that adopted — appear irrelevant. My favourite half about his sport is that his phenomenal basketball instincts present themselves on each ends. A few of his current steals have been as unreal as his finest passes. 

He is not on this checklist simply because he is LeBron. The Cavaliers are genuinely attempting to determine who they’re with this new group, and, just like the Pelicans with Davis, they want heroics from James with the intention to win. He had a basic fourth-quarter takeover in Denver on Wednesday, and there’ll doubtless be extra of these. 

The person has a counter for all the things defenses are throwing at him, and it’s a pleasure to observe him function with the ball in his palms. You already know that he has reached one other stage this season, and also you noticed him make the play of the yr in Detroit a few nights in the past.

Leonard’s doable return to the Spurs “quickly” will make them a must-watch crew. After enjoying in simply 9 video games this season, there’s nonetheless an opportunity he might elevate them to being fringe championship contenders. There’s additionally an opportunity they may fail to qualify for the playoffs within the crowded West. 

The final two months have been the perfect stretch of Lillard’s profession. Whereas he has by no means lacked for confidence, it’s one thing else to see him demoralize opponents with deep 3s and fearless forays to the rim as often as he’s doing it now. By the way in which, Portland’s subsequent 9 opponents are the Warriors, Warmth, Cavaliers, Pistons, Clippers, Rockets, Celtics, Thunder and Pelicans.

He’s clearly a genius with regards to passing, however that’s removed from the one mature a part of his sport. With a view to compensate for his shaky leap shot, Simmons has needed to provide you with all types of methods — and grow to be an knowledgeable at merely bullying smaller gamers — with the intention to get the place he must go. There isn’t a one within the league fairly like him. 

Gratitude will make you happier. Let’s take a second to be grateful that Embiid has performed 84 regular-season video games in his profession and hasn’t handled accidents this season. Already the perfect middle within the league.

Their video games are totally different, however Mitchell jogs my memory a lot of a rookie Damian Lillard by way of his perspective. You possibly can inform again in November he was beginning to determine simply how good he may be at this stage, and now he is aware of Utah wants him to be a star. He has accepted this duty with enthusiasm and poise.

I am a bit nervous about Cities. He has performed a ton of minutes, his crew is flailing with out Jimmy Butler and the ball would not all the time come his method when it’s presupposed to. It might be an amazing story if he dominated for the following month, and the Wolves might be in bother if he would not.

Vacation has been nearly as accountable as Davis for the Pelicans’ 10-game successful streak, averaging 24.9 factors, eight.5 assists, four.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals and capturing 52.1 % in that span. His minutes at capturing guard have made him extra aggressive normally, and DeMarcus Cousins’ absence has given him much more motive to search for his personal shot. That he has accomplished all this whereas remaining one of many premier perimeter defenders within the NBA is exceptional. 

Per week in the past, Love informed reporters he hopes to beat his unique harm timetable (which might have him return within the final week of March). When he does return — to a completely totally different roster than the final time he was wholesome — will probably be fascinating to see how he impacts the crew. The vary of outcomes should not as extensive as they’re in San Antonio, however Cleveland might set up itself because the clear favourite within the East or it might have bother determining a wise rotation. 

I am involved about Denver the identical method I’m with Minnesota. Coach Michael Malone is attempting to combine Paul Millsap at a difficult time, and the crew has spent the entire season attempting to outscore folks relatively than creating constant defensive habits. Jokic is nice sufficient to hold them by way of this, although, and his 36-point, 13-rebound, six-assist sport towards Cleveland must be a blueprint by way of how assertive he should be. 

I am unsure if he’ll ever have one other stretch like he did in early January, however he’s nonetheless getting buckets for a crew that most likely should not even be within the playoff race. He has had a sensational season, and holding on to the eighth spot may make up for lacking out on the All-Star Recreation. 

How will you not love this story? Satoransky established himself as a starting-caliber level guard after John Wall received harm, and he is the kind of participant who endears himself to his teammates by making them higher and doing just a little little bit of all the things.

Thomas has been higher with the Lakers than he was with the Cavaliers, however there’s nonetheless strain on him to show that he may be the type of participant he was in Boston earlier than he turns into a free agent. Take note of how he is getting within the paint and ending on the rim. 

Parker’s Three-point capturing has been there, and he gives much-needed playmaking when Antetokounmpo is on the bench. What actually issues, although, is whether or not or not these two guys could make one another higher once they’re on the court docket collectively. If they do not seem like a cosy match, then Milwaukee might be in a tricky place with regards to Parker’s free company.

VanVleet was undrafted as a result of scouts thought he was too small, sluggish and unathletic, however has grow to be a vital a part of the rotation for the crew that’s tops within the East proper now. The Raptors depend on VanVleet to shut most video games, so it wasn’t even all that shocking when he hit a game-winning jumper on nationwide TV on Wednesday. Oh, and he has a clothes line. As Russell Westbrook would say, ahh, that is fairly fascinating. 

Because the Pacers star informed CBS Sports activities’ Invoice Reiter on Thursday, he’s on the high of opponents’ scouting reviews now. He’s going through traps, double groups and the type of strain that the league’s high scorers encounter each sport. Indiana, a crew many people thought would tank this season, has a sensible shot of getting home-court benefit within the first spherical and advancing within the playoffs largely because of his breakout. With a view to accomplish these targets, Oladipo should be sharp together with his decision-making — the Pacers will not typically have the ability to overcome a 10-turnover sport from him like they did on Monday towards Milwaukee. 

Even amongst these of us who have been extraordinarily optimistic concerning the Sixers, there was a way that Saric may not complement Simmons. Because of Saric’s improved capturing, intelligent passing and opportunistic playmaking, although, this has not been a difficulty in any respect. I really like the way in which he competes, and there’s a actual argument that Philadelphia doesn’t solely have the Rookie of the Yr on its roster, however the league’s two best sophomores, too. 

He’s such a star in his position that I am beginning to assume we should always simply consider him as a star in his personal proper. Adams is likely to be the least egocentric participant within the league, and he does a thousand little issues that assist his crew win. Oklahoma Metropolis is in a bizarre place with out Andre Roberson, however you understand precisely what Adams will convey each sport.

I am fairly positive he is the one participant on this checklist who shot a mixed 2-for-14 in his final two video games, however that is completely cool with me. Jackson has been given a possibility to stretch his sport within the final couple of months, and he is (typically) exhibiting why so many scouts have been excessive on him this time final yr. 

Wade is directly the franchise participant and a backup. He’s in an amazing rhythm proper now, however I do fear a bit about him commandeering the offense. Winslow has merely been enjoying out of his thoughts recently, even making some Three-pointers. In the event that they each play at their peak within the playoffs, Miami might push the Raptors or Celtics within the first spherical. 

“Altering of the purpose guards: How Dejounte Murray was constructed to succeed a legend.” “Can Dejounte Murray be the following nice Spur?” “Can the Spurs Construct One other Star From the Floor Up?” In February, all people was writing concerning the ascent of this second-year guard. Murray is fascinating not solely as a result of he is the man who unseated Tony Parker as a starter, however as a result of he’s nowhere near a completed product. That is simply probably the most thrilling younger Spur since Leonard. 

The higher of the 2 younger Murrays, he’s a risk to erupt on offense on any given evening. He’s nonetheless a bit streaky — and he hasn’t regarded all that nice since Paul Millsap returned — however I’ve my eye on him down the stretch. The Nuggets want him to be nice if they are going to sneak into the playoffs. 

His power and athleticism have been on show because the All-Star break, which is sweet as a result of some Warriors followers have been freaking out about him. Nonetheless one of many smartest minds within the sport. 

Golden State’s stars do not convey a lot intrigue as of late, however its position gamers are a distinct story. When Bell will get again from his sprained ankle, I will be watching to see if he can separate himself from the Warriors’ different choices at middle. They may actually matter on him when it issues. 

The 25-year-old guard needed to go to the G League to get his swagger again, and he is had some spectacular performances for the Knicks, together with back-to-back 26-point video games after the All-Star break. Burke is splitting minutes with Emmanuel Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina on a crew that’s going nowhere, however in the event you occur to tune in to a New York sport, take a look at the way in which he zips across the court docket.

OK, that is simply to see in the event you’re nonetheless paying consideration. However severely, do you know the Mavericks have a healthy-eating zealot on their roster? Collinsworth simply put out two e-books! (Should you’d want, you may exchange him with James Harden or Stephen Curry right here, however we’re all spoiled by their brilliance so they will not be tremendous fascinating till they play towards one another with a visit to the Finals on the road.)

You heard about what he did towards Denver, proper? 

Each time the Clippers play, I’m hoping he’ll get within the sport and do precisely that.   

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Two words for 'Spider-man: Homecoming:' Spectacularly Amazing

I just came from seeing Spider-Man: Homecoming. That didn’t sound right. I just saw Spider-Man: Homecoming, and if I’m to sum it up in just one word, that word is fun. It’s funny as heck, but to sum up the whole experience, it was fun. But one word isn’t what I’m paid for. I’ll be sharing the experience through this spoiler-free review as the film is less than a week old and I don’t want to be that person just yet. But for the sake of a few shots in, I’ll go into some detail based on some of the stuff we’ve already seen, which are the trailers. Spider-Man: Homecoming is very different from the Sam Raimi/Tobey McGuire and Marc Webb /Andrew Garfield versions of the web-crawler. You could say after watching it that Sony and Marvel went out of their way to totally differentiate this film from the previous incarnations. First off, let’s just say that Spider-Man’s origin story is not a big deal here. The entire film is his origin story. A rebirth of sorts. A budding hero coming into his own. The film may be different from the previous films, but if you’re keen enough, it makes several references and even apologies for the stuff we’ve already seen. There are plenty of Easter eggs in this film. The characters are quite different beginning with Aunt May, then Peter’s best friend, Peter’s crush, the school he’s in, and Peter Parker himself. This film truly stays away from the baggage of the previous Spider-Man films and the origins of his powers and motivation isn’t discussed since we’ve been there twice. After seeing this film, you really won’t miss it, but it’s material for a second time. I for one am sick of seeing even a few seconds reference to Thomas and Martha Wayne in a Batman film. Peter Parker is portrayed as an excited and active 15-year old. He’s a smart nerd, but it’s not delved into much. He’s plagued by the same anxieties and immaturity of other kids, and nerds his age. In this film, guess we can say he was excited in Civil War and he wants more and like a kid, he’s eager to prove himself and it’s that eagerness that drives the movie. Jacob Batalon plays Ned, Peter’s best friend and co-nerd. As mentioned, this film tries to stray away from the baggage of the previous ones. No Harry Osborn here. Just plain Ned, with no surname though as a comic book fan, my first thought was a racially-bent Ned Leeds. As per the trailers, he finds out that Peter is Spider-Man which puts some dynamic into the film. You know what happens to best friends who find out their pal is a superhero right? Without giving too much away, just think Wade from Kim Possible. As for Jacob, he played his cards right and played them well. Speaking of friends, Peter spends much time in school as any kid should. If you’re keen enough, Marvel and Sony shoved a Black Cat somewhere in there among the students. How about Gwen Stacy? Her looks are there, but you’d be surprised. Laura Harrier plays Liz, Peter’s love interest. Spider-Man is quite a ladies’ man as he’s been with plenty throughout his comic book history. One of them is Liz Allan, but again, Liz isn’t given a last name because she’s a bit different. As a departure from previous films, love isn’t really on the table in this film, and it’s refreshing. How about Flash Thompson? Still a bully but not what you’d think. The same goes with Zendaya’s Michelle MJ Jones. And I thought Peter’s principal looked familiar. A descendant of the Asian guy from Captain America: First Avenger. Let’s just say that this film is racially diverse and politically correct as it gets. But Marvel pulls it off. Michael Keaton as the Vulture is a great villain. You could say that star power made Vulture look more three-dimensional and not just a throwaway. It was a great idea to put the Vulture into the film as he’s someone the audience hasn’t seen before. When they stuck the Harry Osborn Jr. as the Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man 2, I thought it was a horrible decision, not to mention a horrible take on the character, and the third tiresome Goblin incarnation in cinema. Michael Keaton, in my opinion, put on a great performance in the film, at the beginning and in the middle of the film in a twist that will make audiences drop their jaw even if you’re already aware of his relationship with another supporting character. Regarding that and the capabilities of his tech, he’s quite similar to Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin. As for the Vulture himself, let’s just say his motivations are pretty simple but something you can’t dismiss. Does this film have the Marvel villain problem? No, it does not. Michael Keaton’s star power alone is enough to put that worry to rest, and The Vulture is interesting enough for a second run. Then there’s also The Shocker (two of them), The Tinkerer and a name you’ll likely to associate with another antagonistic arachnid. Maria Tomei’s Aunt May was just hot. This film really moved away from the tradition of Aunt May being a frail old lady to a middle-aged woman that more logically fits Peter’s actual age. The traditional Aunt May logically would have been Peter’s great aunt unless Peters parents had him at 40. It’s awkward and refreshing at the same time to ogle at someone who used to be a very old character, played by the endearing Rosemarie Harris. In terms of her acting, she doesn’t get many lines in to gauge that. Tony Stark and Happy Hogan. Both of them have equal exposure in this film as Tony acts as Spider-Man’s mentor and financier while Happy acts more like his supervisor. Peter reports to Happy and Happy reports to Tony. I was quite pleased with the performances of both RDJ and Jon Favreau. They’re pretty much like the adults you’d expect dismissive of that young kid who’s out to prove he’s an adult. Iron Man’s appearances are thankfully not limited to the trailers. Thankfully evenly spread out in the film and Tony’s and Happy’s business for being there goes well with the plot. Not forced, not a gimmick but well-integrated. The effects are pretty much what you’d expect from a Marvel film, which is quite good and pretty much familiar. If I’d have to nitpick, the depictions of the Iron Man suit look a bit different, not just because it’s a new suit but the CGI felt a bit sloppy. The Vulture suit looked amazing and worked to great effect much like the Defoe’s Goblin Glider. The tech and the weapons used in the film are mostly Chitauri-based. You’d have to wonder where all the alien tech went. Not everything went to SHIELD and the government for sure. The Spider suit as we know have those expressive eyes which try to explain quite a lot about how those eyes have been drawn over the years. He also makes use of trackers much like in the comics and cartoons, but that’s thanks to Tony Stark. The suit also has its own AI and holographic capabilities like Iron Man’s. Spider-Man: Homecoming is perhaps the most fun Marvel film I’ve seen since Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1. Remember what I said about internal conflicts between the protagonists that puts a sour taste in films in about the third act? It’s there right at the part when Tony Stark wanted his suit back, but there’s not too much drama after it. Peter’s a kid; he bounces back like a kid calming down from a sugar rush, without the teenage angst young adults are often portrayed in. Through much of the beginning of the film, Peter has plenty of anxiety and excitability (for lack of a better word) after his experience in Captain America: Civil War. The film has plenty of humor. The film is riddled with it but it’s made in such a way that it’s not a comedy. It’s still a balanced action-adventure superhero film and I’m not saying this as an MCU fan. If you haven’t seen it, go see it. What are you waiting for? I guess, you could say, the first sentence was correct. The film was a nerdgasm.

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