#and of course chemistry also plays a big role if at the end u want the characters together indeed

[darabeatha]

Where do I sign for dynamics where your muse has a crush on mine and/or my muses developing these silly crushes o r obsessions towards other characters-

[myheadhurtscutely]

With the Band -Rocker!Anakin Skywalker x Reader-

First fic, kinda nervous (>ლ)

C ` Anakin Skywalker x Reader

Summary ` Anakin, your not boyfriend, boyfriend, has been touring around the area lately, and for some reason he seems like he just can't not have all eyes (and hands) on him..

!Warnings! ` Manipulation, Toxic!Anakin, Gaslighting, Love bombing, anakin just being an asshole in general. Cheating?? kinda. ANGST ANGST ANGST, tiny like smut references??

word count ` 1.6k

You guys weren't a thing. You knew that. He definitely made sure you knew that. You were his thing though. You knew that just as clearly.

Anakin had been touring for about three weeks now. His band was still stumbling through here and there, small faults, technical issues, band arguments. You saw it all. You had been there since day one. In highschool Anakin had made up his band consisting of Obi, his bassist. He was a shy kinda guy, didn't say much, but when he did it was nice to hear. His drummer- well nevermind his drummer changed every few weeks. Anakin was as stubborn as he was handsome. He saw it as His band, Obi was the only one who could tolerate his attitude. Anakin of course took the role of lead vocalist AND guitarist.

You had tried to join your freshman year of college as the guitarist, but your best friend, Anakin Skywalker, was just trying to help poor little you stay safe and focused on school. He told you he didn't want grubby hands thinking about you, and perverted eyes, feeling you up. You were just a girl. He made sure you understood. You were reasonably upset by this, but Ani fixed that after a couple of after show parties in the basements of venues... more specifically, the bathrooms.

It started as just a onetime thing. Both of you were intoxicated and you did what two friends, who have had undeniable chemistry since highschool after some alcohol and bud, do. Hook-up. It really was just flings here and there, Anakin bombed a test? Your phone would light up. 'hey r u busy rn?' Sure, you had an eight-page paper due by tomorrow, but yeah besides that you were free. free use. Anakin's drummer he got last Tuesday cussed him out and left? Ding! 'i need you rn'. You couldn't deny you're closest friend comfort. It was a vicious cycle. You felt awful, you really did. It was like you knew what he was doing, but you felt like there was no way out.. besides, he needed you. He also needed the 18 other girls around campus that rotated shifts in his bed when he wasn't playing gigs. But he told you, you were special, he meant it surely.

This night was special. It was the BIG gig. It was in the middle of the tour, the largest number of tickets sold at one of the biggest venues they could book. It was downtown at one of the smaller stages meant for local artist, but it was right next to the college nearby. Prime market. young women. pretty girls. desperate college chicks. Anakin knew what he was after by the end of this show, but you follow him obliviously up the stairs with your "v.i.p." pit pass behind him. Your already ripped stockings tearing on the metal fencing up the stairs. Anakin only hauled his guitar, refusing to help Obi and you carry any of the sound equipment. It's okay though, it's just cause he's hungover and his throats a little sore. Obi-wan grunts, hauling literally everything known to man, amps, cords, a random bass drum? Probably belonging to the drummer that left this past Friday. You held drinks, bags, clothes, food, and some lighting equipment. Anakin insisted on a fog machine also, which conveniently got left at home two hours away. God bless you Obi.

You dropped your stuff and rushed to give Anakin a peck on the cheek, which he quickly dismissed annoyedly. 'He's probably just stressed out,' you fought in an attempt to reason with yourself. After giving Obi-wan a thumbs up and a wishful good luck, you are quickly rushed off the wings of the stage, to the back of the pit. What the fuck? You could b a r e l y see the rail at the front of the stage through the sea of crappy highlights, and slutty tops. Oh well, lights come up, Anakins standing there, soaking up all of it. The attention, the lights, the sounds, the attention, the crowd, the attention, the attention, the attention. Excitement boiled in your stomach. Seeing him in his white tank top, stained with god knows what. His box bleached frosted tips at the very edges of his grown out hair. Sweaty and shiny from the lights, he was a sight to behold. An image to have every man and woman on their knees begging for a peek. You and Anakin knew that.

The set started out with his earlier tracks inspired by the likes of deftones and superhaven. His sweat dripped down from his chin, to his angular neck. His adams apple dancing with the runs erupting from his vocals. No one could admire him as deeply as you did. No one could appreciate his stage presence the way you did. Like the way the spotlight, contrasted harshly with his tanned skin, highlighting his carved cheeks and white teeth.

As he continued, you began to push your way to the front, fighting as if it was a ragging mosh pit at a Victoria's Secret perfume clearance sale. Clouds of vapor and smoke raised high creating Anakin's own fog machine. Second hand highs at these shows were a guarantee. Still pushing past sweaty bodies, with heavy drums and piercing guitar pounding in your ears, you slowly became disoriented. It was as if it was all hitting you, the meds were wearing off or something. you were suffocating, drowning in a large sea, with your only chance of safety just a few inches ahead.

You grab the rail.

Consciousness is regained and so is your composure. Smeared sweaty make up, clouds your vision, but you saw. You saw clear as day. He had leaned down from the stage and kissed her. Kissed her. Right on the lips. This was his song about you. You were the one with the beautiful eyes he sang about. You were the one he made listen to the strumming pattern of it till you could recite it like a scale. It was yours. For once it was yours. From him.

Glitter rained into your watery eyes, what a poor style choice. If only you would've known he'd kiss a beautiful brunette girl halfway through his set, you probably would've chosen a more neutral palette. Chasing whatever air remained in the world, you gasped, running out from the exit doors. It was already late. The only light illuminating onto your back was the exit sign and a streetlamp on the other side of the alley. The bands van was parked crookedly in a nook between the garbage cans and the dented fire hydrant. locked. Yay! and it was raining. You started to think that maybe you were in a dramatic romance novel. The rain really was just unnecessary. Regardless, you rampaged back into the back door, left unlocked in case of a fire. Storming up the steps, you could hear the unplugging of a turned on amp, causing a shrill amongst the chatty, squealing crowd. Anakin's figure became visible from the wings, Obi-wan following in after him. Without a thought going through your mind, you ran right up to him and slapped his chest. His head snapped in your direction, with his attention previously being on the cheering crowd behind him.

"Hey! What the fuck is your problem?" His arms throw themselves up in frustration.

"Don't play dumb with me, you fucking kissed her! You kissed her Anakin? You, you said that wouldn't happen." Your voice quivered as he mumbled, guiding the both of you out the door and into the rain, away from the scene you had just caused backstage.

His arms swarm you like an unwelcome crowd of bats. clouding your vision. In more ways than one. You thrashed but only for a second before completely crumbling in the man's arms. Sobs stained his disgusting tank top. Your cries drowned by the leaving crowd at the front of the building, and the heavy downpour casting you and Anakin in your own little shell.

"You know better than to expect me not to push the bands publicity. It might be better for you just to stay backstage from now on. Or go stay with one of your other guys when I do shows." How did his snide words warm you so sincerely...? He was right though. You knew better. You couldn't be upset; it was for the band. After he made it big, he'd be yours and yours alone. You knew the deal.

"m' sorry Ani, I just-"

"Don't call me that right now. You hurt my goddamn feelings." He shoves you away from his chest. "I was having a great show and then you came backstage screaming at me, putting on a pathetic show like always." He knew where to plant his knife and how to dig it around inside you. It cut you up completely. Every time.

You couldn't do anything but sob. Every show you'd go into it expecting a different outcome. You were the stupid one. You were the idiot. It was your fault. He was right and you knew it. There was nothing you could say to combat it. You just cried.

He paused for a moment. The both of you standing in the pouring rain. You, staring at the ground as he watched the rain fall. "fuck.." you could hear him curse under his breath.

"I'm sorry Anakin. really." He said nothing, dragging you back into his chest, kissing your forehead, swaying the both of you back and forth. His wet hair, dripping onto your nose after he pulls away slightly.

"Look at me," he takes your cheeks in his hands, "It's gonna be okay, just try to be better for me next time 'kay?" He finishes it off with a soft kiss to your puffed and dry lips.

"I love you." He hums in a lack of response.

Notes ` first fic, longer than i meant it to be, proof read before bed, so barely, thank youu <3 (hell if its anakin skywalker i will let him act this way, sure young man, be outta pocket..)

[blglplus]

My Top 10 BL’s of all time (and also 2022 because I’m new)

So I only discovered BL this year and what an incredible year of TV watching it has been. This year was difficult and I needed the escape. I first got obsessed with Heartstopper and then someone suggested I check out Thai BL and she was a goddamn genius. I had already been reading a lot of M/M romance novels and watching all the western queer shows I could like Heartstopper, Love, Simon, Young Royals etc. But the absolute joy and madness of BL knows no equal. 

So here is my personal top ten BL’s that I watched this year. Meaning many of these are from previous years it’s just that I only discovered them this year. So the title of this list could be very misleading

1. 2gether - this was the first one I watched and will always have a special place in y heart. It was like watching high production fanfiction and I’m INTO it. It loses some points for being homophobic/femmephobic towards Green of course. Also it had a LOT of “sing your feelings” but it was cute, funny and Bright was SO good. Not to mention insanely hot? I even watched Boys Over Flowers because he was in it and ENJOYED it. 

2. My Beautiful Man - this one hit me on a personal level and I just loved it. The complexity of the characters and their journeys. The actor who played Kiyoi was incredible! He deserved the award/awards he got. This one had depth in a way that I can’t quite articulate.

3. Seven Days - this was so freaking cute. I watched it because @absolutebl recced it and Phi was right - I have already re-watched bits of it multiple times. The chemistry was on point and again there was a complexity and depth to the characters that was explored really well. Love it. Also I love all the nods to the manga in the filming style, very cool. Phi was also right that you need to ignore the hair.

4. Cherry Magic - how is it possible for one show to be THIS adorable? This is the one I want to show all my friends and family. I was constantly giggling in that shy way you do when you’re texting someone you have a crush on. I loved it.

5. KinnPorsche - how much hotness can one show contain? And I’m not even into dudes very much! Was this show messy and at times illogical? Sure. Did I care? Not at all. I love every single inch of it. I loved the narrative behind it. It was a trip and it was amazing.

6. Semantic Error - this show is perfect. It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s beautifully shot, the leads have great chemistry. Perfect romcom. The uke is so hot!

7. Why R U - I honestly found this show hilarious. I love a neurotic meta thinker (Zon) and Tutor/Fighter had such good chemistry. It got messy towards the end sure. That scene where Zon was freaking out in Saifah’s bed and made a pillow fort was just so funny to me, I can’t explain it. I love them.

8. Love By Chance - the Ae/Pete only cut. Luckily I was warned by the internet about the rapiness of the side couples in this one so I skipped lots of them (though I still watched Pond’s story and Tin/Can). Ae and Pete are so freaking cute and Perth’s acting as Ae is incredible. I can’t believe he was only 16 at the time! When they look at each other I get all warm like drinking a hot chocolate. It’s so freaking cute. Also I love the read of Ae as demi.

9. We Best Love - No 1 for you. This was cute as was it’s sequel. Great chemistry, solid story, excellent.

10. The RamKing cut of My Engineer. If we were taking the whole show into account there are other shows I love more for sure, but I love this side couple SO MUCH. Even though I sort of enjoy the D/s elements of seme/uke I love it when there is less seme/uke or the lines are blurredand both characters take both roles and it feels more honestly queer. Also I’m a big fan of the silent, tough, loyal type that Ram is in this one. Plus the longing glances! And the flowers! Just so cute! I’ve already watched their cut at least 3 times through. I quickly started fast forwarding over the others when I was watching it.

Honourable Mentions:

Bad Buddy - this was great and solid plus I love that they are explicitly verse and some queer stuff is addressed. Not to mention side GL couple! We love! More of this please (though can we have some that aren’t femme please for the love of flannel?) It didn’t make the list because it just didn’t quite make me squee as hard as some of the ones above.

Love in the Air but only Payu/Rain. I feel like the dubcon with Payu/Rain is less dubious because of the non-verbal signals going on there. Consent doesn’t have to be just verbal - some people struggle with verbal. But maybe I’m just justifying this to myself haha, but hey, I won’t yuck your yum, don’t yuck mine. Plus Rain is hilarious, like honeslty hilarious. I mostly hated Prapai/Sky. The diary reading was especially terrible.

Secret Crush on You - yes it’s cringey. I love it anyway. I love the friends (especially Daisy of course - I wish Daisy’s story was more fleshed out!). I LOVE the chemistry and that there are seme/uke vibes but Toh, the uke, is hella into it! Love Jao/Sky. This show is happy and comforting and I can skip the extra painful bits!

I told the sunset about you - this one gave me too many feelings and it hurt. But it was beautiful and great also. The one I would show to my arty friends.

2moons2 but just the side couples. Especially Beam/Forth, so cute!

What I’m watching now:

I am participating in this strange antiquated tradition of watching TV shows AS THEY AIR with only one episode dropping per week! It’s madness! Absolute madness! I’m currently watching: Between Us (Win is so hot!), My School President (so cute!), Never Let Me Go (so exciting!), The New Employee, Ameiro Paradox and Gap: the series (I will watch all the GL dammit).

I’m also part way through:

The Eclipse

Be Loved in House (I do)

planning to start eternal yesterday because apparently I like pain?

[svtinq]

omg i love ur hs headcanons, can i request like the genshin boys but as substitute teachers? preferably childe, zhongli, itto, diluc, xiao and kaeya plss - if thats too much its fine!!

teachers? oml bloody genius

genshin boys as substitute teachers (ft. DCKZ + xiao and itto)

Diluc

"good afternoon everyone"

grumpy

"quiet when I take the role, I want no funny business."

probably leaves the class alone most of time bc he has "emails to send"

sighs so mf loud when the class gets too loud

sipping his black coffee every two seconds while he's typing away on his computer

established the fact that he can answer your questions at the start of the class bc he has a "literature degree" even though he's taking a physics class

looks busy and scary enough that no one approaches him w/ their "literature" questions

wearing a low buttoned black shirt and hair tied back in a low ponytail

he's the teacher u wanna get a piece of ifykyk

girls and gays be whispering about him after class

actually a really good teacher, very coherent and answers the question

Childe

"oh let me see what you guys are doing..."

the P.E teacher sub who forgot they had to be here.

turns the air con on SO HIGH and is still sweating

forgets to take the role until theres 10 minutes left of the class

let's you out 5 minutes if you promise not to "trip and die" in the five minutes left bc he doesn't want to get sued.

super chill, i promise you that you will get no work done

has those casual conversations with the class, the vibe turns grey after you figure out he has a fiance.

too dumb w/ a lack of credentials to answer literally anything so he insists the questions you ask him aren't included in his paycheck

"trigonometry? oh yeah .. no"

if you are picking subjects/university courses, expect him to give a big lecture about taking sports science or coaching

Kaeya

"shoosh, shush shushs sushsuuhs shhhhhh"

" you guys are giving me a bloody migraine"

the sub that everyone loves

you hear cheering when he walks into the room

sits down and rolls his eyes before proceeding with the role call - he knows he's iconic

drippyy

"so rachel what's up with you and bryan?"

adopts and i mean adopts every child

will be patrolling at lunch and get bombarded

wanted to leave the school one time but the kids protested

very attractive, 10/10 teacher crush material

zhongli

he's a chinese teacher with the cutest accent

zhongli is like unintentionally funny, theres just too much of a cultural difference

when substituting for an english class he walks in, stares at everyone, smiles and nods before sitting down and not saying a word for the rest of the lesson

"a-aron"

mispronounces literally every name on the role, not just the exotic ones

will see a chinese last name on the roll and his face lights up

proceeds to have a conversation in chinese on the spot while everyone is just confused

also very attractive and always well groomed

bitch comes to teach in a suit every day

if you get him at the end of the day and he's tired, your tired, seeing him taking his suit jacket off and loosening his tie is gonna keep you awake ALL NIGHT - different kind of caffeine bro

xiao

tired substitute

studying to teach chemistry/physics cause I swear the science department is always on their last line

seeing him not be tired and smile is like seeing a shooting star bitch, you better wish you could take a picture

has tattoos and is forced to cover them up, but he fucked the system and still wears sleeveless tops and turtlenecks anyway

NECK TATTOO PLS

apprentice teacher so he's really young and seggsy ijsnvils n burnt out ig

"oh you need help with this one?"

talks in the deepest and calmest voice and leans over your shoulder to read the question

the guys don't really like him, oh i wonder why?

this sexy asian man is the standard be sure to ask a lotta questions ;)

itto

retired athlete

he probably played rugby

the girls would be asking questions and accidently find out his athlete profile

known around the school and sticks out like a sore thumb, a big thicc thumb

doesn't care if the class if loud asf but the teachers next door always tell him off

"okay so we're gonna have to turn the volume down by like 35 okay?"

yeah no he's not gonna be able to answer any questions but he tries really hard

the younger year levels bully him while the older ones drool over him

if you come to school early enough he'll be in the school pool swimming laps or running on the track field

forgets to call the role, the administration is not happy with him lmao

"so how was everyone's weekend?"

wears tank tops and basketball shorts to school

goes wack on house spirit day - #1 contender to be voted to wear the school dress

the head of the sports department is really done with babysitting him

[gayathreya]

an ode to maara/bommi

[soorarai pottru spoilers]

so i’ve watched it and i LOOOVE it, easily in my top elite list of fav suriya films. there’re many things i love about it; maara’s persona and characterisation, his relationships with the people around him, the suffocating elitist atmosphere of the film, the music, visuals,

but my mind keeps coming back to this specific relationship and it’s my fav aspect of the movie. one that i’m not alone in echoing cos i’ve seen maaany people say likewise. i’d like to gush about them.

maara and bommi were just.. SOOO GOOD together???? i have a very small list of suriya romances i actually care about onscreen and this easily skyrocketed up. cos most of the time, it’s either i really like the heroine but the romance in the film isn’t that great/gets little scope (e.g. ngk, where i like sai pallavi but come on their marriage was trash cos ngk is a trash cheating and manipulative fuckboi, or anushka in singam, which is fine i guess but the third film soured me on all the characters), or it’s a case of me really loving the romance itself but i’m not having loads of feelings about whoever is paired up with him (e.g. ayutha ezhuthu, which is an all time favourite suriya romance highlight on screen and it was fantastic, but esha deol’s character was not at all a standout character on her own even if i enjoyed watching them together).

so there’re many a times the problem for me where either the romance doesn’t work, or the woman opposite him is not fleshed out enough. in comes soorarai pottru and i was DELIGHTED with their individual characterisations and their relationship dynamic cos finally here u have a romance depicted on screen where they’re both essentially treated as equals by the narrative even if the story is naturally centred on maara completely because the film is about him.

bommi is her own person and it’s established immediately the moment they meet, which is the exact reason why maara falls for her in the first place despite her roasting him all the time and after that too. she stands on her own, doesn’t need ~a man~ to help elevate her or achieve what she sets out to do. and she does all this without the help of the protagonist. her character is not dependent on maara in the slightest. she’s easily more successful than maara for the entire film until the end, and her personality isn’t overshadowed by her husband cos she pretty much has her own shit to run and holds her own opposite him. even when maara initially gets his dream off the ground, bommi isn’t relegated to a lower bar within the context of the film where her only role is to support him, but she works at expanding her own business/franchise and meets maara as a respectable equal in his venture as a food vendor, which even maara is surprised by but pleased about. she outright meets him in their shared field of interests and expertise, and maara never once treats her any less or jokes about her proposal.

and of course whenever they came together..... i gotta say, it was pretty hot lol. their emotional scenes had A LOT of weight. their physical scenes were certainly sexy and hot i could def watch them kick it up a notch. i don’t really find suriya has much chemistry with many of the heroines he’s paired up with but somehow he seemed comfortable with aparna enough to do loads of sexy staring, gazing, looking sexual, etc, and actually looked good playing a character who was not just in love with his wife, but who also was physically attracted to her, which is what completely sells the relationship and makes it look organic on screen. it helped that the visuals/lyrics depict him as more submissive in their love too (i thought both veyyon silli and kaattu payale had pretty obvious more sub vibes on behalf of the man, or the more serious bit where he comes back home exhausted and seeks comfort), it really works very well. i adored their scenes and it always works for me when suriya plays more subby characters in his romance because....... because. interests. *coughs* he is Good Boi (tm). he is Sub (tm). plus the physicality of maara/bommi shown is not only sexual, but they had softer moments too which made it all the more endearing. more than once, maara hugs her for solace or when he’s distressed and it’s very sweet and gentle, or the little quick scenes where he puts his hand on bommi’s head. those were all very cute moments and stays with u even though it’s short. it was a lovely sight to see in films where your usual hero/heroine barely even touch each other, or when they do, have no vibes or connect at all, while the physicality here is both sexual and also paired with emotional influence.

the only thing i really had an issue with is the lack of a proper resolution or dialogue after their big fight. i know some people have pointed out the fight itself was not something they liked because he hit her, but i didn’t have an problem with that tbh. it was a natural progression of maara’s character as he was steadily failing repeatedly, getting steadily angrier as he struggled to control it, and thinking she called him a loser was the snap. it worked quite well imo because the narrative also establishes pretty fast he regrets what he did and he immediately goes to look for her, finds her gone, and spends the next how many hours searching everywhere while looking very upset. so i don’t view it as a glorification or justification of his action since we are shown he knows he fucked up. but that being said, it was never mouthed explicitly. i felt their reunion was too quick and too easy and i would’ve liked an explicit line from bommi calling him out on that, and maara explicitly apologising for it and saying openly he messed up big time with her. that was the only part about the relationship i was disappointed by and i wish it was worked in better cos i don’t require a whole conversation or exposition dump, but even a few extra lines would have been nice in the scene he finds her again and runs to once again seek wordless comfort and apology.

>>> ETA: HE DOES NOT HIT HER. i’m adding this lil para here cos i’m uncomf with how many notes this post got spreading this misinfo i wrote myself which i’m wrong about. my first watch i did not catch it and thought nothing of it, but then i saw people saying he did and was talking about it and when i rewatched it, i agreed. but now, after multiple watches, i want to note i’m back to my initial instinct, which is that he doesn’t. maara pushes her by her chin/throat, and he then smacks the plate of food bommi has hard. it’s obvious when u pay attention to the speed and angle the plate flies off to the left, as well as the sound of the metal clang. the only explanation is maara slapping that away and not bommi flinging it. i do urge people to not continue spreading it without fact checking at least, considering sudha in an interview herself had a convo with someone and she agreed with the use of the word ‘’restrained’’ in how maara reacted during the fight, which wouldn’t make sense if he outright slapped her. this also makes it in character for bommi, who doesn’t seem to be the type of person in the narrative who would have just taken that with no fall out after.

SO YEAH despite this one thing, i really, reeeeally loved this relationship and romance and individual characterisations that had their own journey and arc but also were tied down to the same path that they don’t drift away within the frame of their movie and their own goals. this was a married couple shown right with individual personalities and ambitions, and not a woman who was fused to the hero of the movie and only there to meet the commercial requirement of a love track in a film. plus of course uhhh they were really hot together. i’ve mentioned that, right.

cos they were hot

and they should have made out for me

and i would have liked to witness more of them being any kind of physical since suriya and aparna were really nice to look at. O_O

[sugar-petals]

Hav u done predictive readings for who the boys will end up with & how their career will go etc?

a 2020 career prediction i’ll publish at the end of december! their future partner we’re doing now. i added some angel oracle cards today ♡ those describe the theme of their relationship.

Jungkook: QUEEN OF CUPS

Hallelujah! Oh yeah. That’s an ideal card, picture perfect. The Queen of Cups is quite possibly one of the best partner allegories to have because a) Cups rule smoothness of relationships and emotions and b) she’s a royal card which indicates a highly developed state of mind where things finally come to fruition unlike with the aces and pages. Jungkook will mean so, so much to his partner. That’s a twin flame or soulmate connection we’re talking here. A really beautiful and dignified person, a little touchy feely, but experienced with love. They can really depend on another. Maybe they’re from Busan like him or the shore generally, the sea plays an important role for the Queen of Cups. There are tiny little cherubs on the card, I’m thinking he’ll be treated like an angel. It’s a very healthy relationship that leaves nothing left to be desired. As for looks: It might be a blonde, taller person whose favorite color is blue. There are cliffs on the card that remind me of Cornwall’s coast. The English theme is pretty consistent in his readings lmao we’re dealing with an excellent speaker. And, because it’s a court card with quite abundant imagery, it’ll be a S/O of quite some status. I am sure the person will be known to us already, or at least a big deal within his or her family. It’s queen energy, so the mom friend is right on their way into JK’s heart. Another aspect is that his partner might be rather spiritually inclined — mind you, every person is spiritual, how aware you are makes the difference — or even psychic. Water signs ahead; Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer.

— angel card: “Playfulness — To bring about romantic feelings, allow your youthfulness to shine with delight.”

Taehyung: THE EMPRESS

Yet another powerful female archetype, this reading does not mince words.  And also a very wholesome outlook, it’s very similar to the Queen of Cups vibe, or Queen of Pentacles if we’re looking at other tarot suits. I was really happy when I saw this card come out. The Empress almost always signifies kids, the theme is fertility. Taehyung will live a very lavish life with this partner. The card has so much opulence and positivity on it. Nature, food, pillows, ample garments, jewelry, good weather, and harvest time. And, of course, the Empress is fairly curvy, so expect either Taehyung gaining weight in the future or his partner being chubby. It’ll be the good life, in a good place, with the right person. There’s a settled and satiated feeling there. Stagnation could be possible after a while because this card gets too cozy. However, loyalty and a ripe sexual life are like glue to the union so I don’t see Taehyung stress anytime soon there. The card gives me plenty of clues how his home will look like as well, it’s highly decorated and comfortable. Interestingly enough, we see a huge wheat field surrounding the Empress — hence the card symbolizes fertility — so I wonder whether Taehyung’s dream of getting involved in farming will play out. I mean… coincidence? The countryside will take on an important role in any case, maybe with photography as well. Tae marrying a farmer’s girl, who knows! Beautiful card, definitely. It’s a good prospect for him. The Empress is major arcana so, this state of happiness will last him for a giant while and it’s destined. The boy will shed a tear no more. 

— angel card: “Attraction — you receive love by enjoying the moment.”

Yoongi: KNIGHT OF SWORDS

It’s the fastest card of the tarot! The power of swords paired with a knight on his speedy horse is quite a combination. Yoongi’s future partner is not going to waste time to charge right into sweet honey boy’s life. We’re dealing with a hothead, athlete, extrovert. I don’t think Yoongi has to do as much as crook a single finger to get things going. In fact, he’s the one waiting it out. He’ll just lean back and poof there is his significant other bursting into his life. Though I gotta say, the Knight of Swords has a detriment and that is: He leaves as fast as he arrives, and you have to be sure of your boudaries. Major burnout dangers there. The relationship might be short compared to say Namjoon’s or Tae’s reading. It’s Yoongi’s part to make this last if that’s what he’s going for. It’s a sword card, there have to be efforts and mental clarity involved to solve the problem. Though, someone rushing towards their love interest with so much passion has a good reason why he or she does that. Yoongi could get snatched away by someone else, with so many people interested in him you really have to be determined. With the archetype being a knight I also know it’s going to be someone younger than him, there’s a certain rebellion to the card. It has military energy. Yoongi’s partner will be one outrageous and direct person. They are 100% unafraid to face off with Yoongi, they have better comebacks than the master of sharp remarks himself. When it comes to sex, Yoongi will probably forget his own damn name after that ride. This person is wild as hell. It’s not a fellow sleepyhead as we saw in the ideal type reading, but a S/O bringing him out of his dreamy world. There’s a strong encouragement for Yoongi to achieve a lot more when he enters that relationship, it’s a power up to be expected here.

— angel card: “Worth the Wait — Divine timing predicates your relationship.”

Namjoon: TEN OF PENTACLES

Nice! Wow. The tarot says Namjoon is blessed. This is the card of wealthy, happy old age. He’s headed right for it already. In all tarot suits, the 10 indicates fulfillment. E.g. the Ten of Cups shows relationship completion because cups stand for love, the Ten of Swords shows total defeat because swords symbolize conflict, the Ten of Wands signifies complete effort/exhaustion since wands represent impetus. So the Ten of Pentacles equals coming full circle in terms of material things as pentacles are responsible for all tangible value in life. He’ll be living blissfully with his S/O. Everything is cared for. We’re talking long-term relationship here. The card shows an old man settled in his favorite coat and spot. Namjoon has a kind of master plan to gently arrive in his 80s, 90s. It’s not a surprise, we know he looks ahead, the tarot is aware of it, too. And yes: He will finally be able to answer his question “Who the hell am I?”. Ten of Pentacles means: Identity found. I had to wipe away a tear for that one man. I think it has to do with the location. The setting of the card is like a polished type of town with castles. A bit Italian, Mediterranean. Not as modern as say Seoul, bigger cities. It could be him moving to a warm country where things are slow, antique, and indulgent. I once said Namjoon has a type of European mindset going on, if he moves there it with his loved one or his partner is European it wouldn’t be shocking. There are two dogs on the card so, Joon will have pets involved in the partnership. The 10 of Coins also shows a couple immersed in a chat. His S/O is primarily someone he can talk to about the world, it’s a very conversation-heavy union. Now, the old man on the card could also show that he finds another old soul— we’ve had that topic come up in the other readings as well, the tarot is sure he’ll meet someone on par. Earth sign energy here.

— angel card: “Love Without Fear — Open your heart to give and receive the highest of energies.”

Hobi: THREE OF PENTACLES

Even more pentacles. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn is possible. His partner is a darn good team player, their friendship bond is strong. First thing that came to my mind, they’ll build a house together or get busy working around their home in some kind of way, that’s interestingly enough the central theme I get from the card. Distribution of chores and general tasks is a big thing, and they’ll be planning a gazillion industrious things from what I got through the imagery. There’s an abbot, architect/craftsman, and monk seen on that card working on a church wall embellishment. One gives directions, the other has drawn a sketch that illustrates what kind of decor the abbot wants to have on the church wall, and the third guy does the crafting, hammer and chisel in hand. It’s not a love-related card per see so it’s important to point that out. It could hint at some pretty huge artistic collaborations coming our way instead. If you combine that, it could happen in a way like… Hoseok gets with someone he collaborated/collaborates with sometime soon, or a little later. Yup. Chicken noodle soup with Becky G on the side! Their chemistry is amazing and she is so cute, it’s very much possible. Or, in a wider sense, it’s someone from an upcoming project. That’s interesting. It seems quite sure that Hoseok won’t retire after BTS even if he’s pretty damn rich already, he’ll stay in the industry and foster (=embellish) his career with a strategy behind it much like the abbot on the card. We’ll get to know his partnership(s) along the way, but the tarot says it’s not top priority. Pentacles are earth sign energy so Mercury, Saturn and Venus are what will dictate that union, it’s the overall pragmatic energy that’s taking center spot. Also, since the church is so prominent on the card, Hoseok is working towards marriage nine times out of ten. 

— angel card: “Fresh Love — A new person has stirred your romantic feelings.”

Jimin: FIVE OF SWORDS

That one is… sigh. The odd one out in this post. How do I put it. It’s a series that just doesn’t break. Jimin constantly gets the messy cards and not so love-friendly swords when I do relationship readings on him. There is something going on and I kind of hate it already. But the tarot is being adamant so we have to decipher what’s going on and see the resolution, there’s more to it than just the cards doing him dirty. The Five of Swords pictures a battle aftermath with a mischievous winner and two defeated parties walking away sore. The winner picks up the weapons left behind to hoard then. So when it comes to his future S/O, we’re talking someone wants to play win-lose with Jimin’s insecurities and will get away with it because they’re strong, sly, and full of themselves. They don’t have his best interests in mind, especially when quarrels go down. Lack of harmony overshadows the relationship. There’s some major bullshit and that’s scary. The partner is like a leech, leaving only Jimin pissed, it’s not a lose-lose situation, things are wholly unequal. Picking on Jimin leaves their ego inflated and intensifies resentment. Working against each other over working with another is going on. Jimin has to walk away from that situation and mend his wounds, and never return. It’ll be a period of growth in his life ahead where he becomes aware just how giving too much and being defeated by that does him no good, as well as learning how to spot douchebags who don’t care about him. The Five of Swords is among the quintessential breakup card, it’ll be what defines his future relationship unless or until he has the grit to stop the fight and search for equity and affection instead of put-downs.

— angel card: “You Deserve Being Loved — You’re worthy of love.”

Jin: SIX OF PENTACLES

Pentacles, pentacles everywhere. I see that the hyungs have some financial themes going on, Jin’s card is emblematic of that. First let’s have a look what’s going on with the imagery. A wealthy man holds a scale on this card. He distributes coins to poor men kneeling before him. It’s an interesting symbol for a relationship, if not for another more important area of Jin’s life which could very well be philanthropy. He is the wealthy man on the card, sharing in just ways as the scale indicates. That could be providing for his partner a lot or simply doing charity together with them. I do have to say, and that is similar to Hoseok’s card, I don’t see too much of a romantic theme here which is surprising, but the tarot knows its ways. Some members might be doing partnerships much later in life or eschew them. With Jin here, I get a sense that business relations and deals will be an overarching theme in the near future. It could be the situation with his dad’s business in Germany the card is hinting at, and if marriage is involved, there’s a major exchange of valuable ideals and things involved between parties. A recurring theme is class difference though, the same popped up in the last reading. Jin’s status will be much, much higher but he can tip things into balance with a fairness mindset, Libra energy. A huge gap will be bridged. Last but not least, mea culpa: I think I’ve been missing the obvious interpretation there. The signs are everywhere in the cards for his readings, and oh my god: Jin is the member who’ll get together with a fan. 

— angel card: “Children — Kids will have an influence on your love life.”

[plusultratm]

NSFW Headcanons [ Drink you Sober playing in the distance ]

Waiting for promps? Not in this neighborhood, we got no chill. Rosario’s got no chill, and The Pink Lady wanting some featuring time in y’all’s dashboard, so here they are... Never mind that they’re late, they’re here. Things might be elaborated on later on, cheers.

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Rosario enjoys being affectionate whenever possible; aka when she’s slept with someone she cares about, or that she feels would like it. She can usually tell through the time spent in the act, and she’ll deliver without them having to ask. If her partner falls asleep, she might feel inclined to rest by their side, help along with their slumber by running her fingers through their hair or along their sides, humming softly, and of course allow them to cuddle up to her and hold her.

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

She loves her chest. She wasn’t as big of a fan when she was younger but she has come to like it a lot. Her clothes aren’t too revealing but it’s clear she knows it’s one of her best assets and she’s not embarrassed by it. In her partners she enjoys hands a lot. Had her husband, Yuudai, not had nice hands to her standards, perhaps they wouldn’t have dated, and that might seem arbitrary to some but hands tell Rosario all she needs to know about anyone who potentially hopes to enter her life.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

When I say she’ll take it, I mean she’ll take it :). Safe sex takes a priority in her life, however, so she’ll only do that within committed relationships; which... hasn’t really happened since Yuudai’s passing.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Not sure how big of a dirty secret this could be but in her relationship with her husband she was always, exclusively, the submissive half of their dynamic. Not to say she didn’t enjoy it, she did, she likes it and will more often than not choose that for herself, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to do differently... at some point.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Rosario definitely knows what she’s doing, having spent a few years married to a pro hero and having seen some more people down the line, she’s had her fair share of experience. Her marriage was certainly not a boring one, and despite the amount of work each of them had, they hardly ever spent much time apart. Yuudai and her lived to have each other on edge and she’s tried to keep that in consideration for new partners. All sex is a give and take situation, even if sometimes she people she is with don’t seem to know that themselves. She normally goes for people who are older than her.   

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

Missionary. Good ole’ missionary. For no other reason than being able to see and be seen, not to mention everything is within reach, and she very well likes feeling her partner’s weight and shape pressing her down against whatever surface they’re currently in. Similarly, she’s into the cowgirl position as well. Basically anything that makes her feel like things are deeper than they actually could be. She cheats herself most every time she sleeps with someone, unless she expresses otherwise; more than anything with friends.

Nothing like sex to strengthen the bond, eh?

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

She used to be a lot more humorous and open to goofiness when she was married. Now, however, she sees sex as a pretty serious affair. After all, the way she sees it there should be no space for anything to go wrong; this isn’t someone she’s seeing frequently, after all.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

The carpet very much matches the drapes (even the rest of her body hair has a peach tint to it ). For her own comfort she keeps the area trimmed short. She’s shaped it in the past but doesn’t feel particularly strongly about it.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

No matter whether she’s taking the dominant or the submissive role, Rosario is affectionate throughout. She enjoys feeling the other person’s closeness, so whatever is happening, she tries to make sure they don’t pull away too far from her. Rosario is either always wrapping her legs or her arms around them, making sure not to break eye or physical contact. She’s found it doesn’t feel as pleasurable if not everything from the other person is invested. Sure! It doesn’t have to carry a romantic intent, but she wants to feel wanted, since, as far as she knows, it’s what she does for whoever she’s with at the moment.

It’s a matter of her being all over them and wanting them to be all over her in return.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

She’s more likely to do it if her partner or significant other are in near proximity. She’s a huge tease, so this plays part of that as well. Big fan of the “You can watch, but you can’t touch” approach.

It’s not to say she won’t do it just for the sake of it; she will if she needs to let out some steam (which will happen, inevitably; her job isn’t the easiest), but she prefers having company over if the need arises.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Clothed sex. Dirty talking. Roughness. Possessiveness. Daddy kink. Mommy kink.

* clearing throat *

This woman is a switch, or rather she’s experimenting with it and liking it so far, in case that wasn’t clear enough already.

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

Number one and general answer. would be the comfort of her own home or her partner’s place. Most of the time she’s big on privacy and is only interested in sharing the moment with her current person without fearing. That being established, Rosario doesn’t really mind: Beds, walls, floors, carpets, counters, chairs, couches, sofas, she’s game for wherever she lands on.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Stress, basically. A rough hand if you will. There’s another side to it, when the itch is not as itchy, with whispering, small touches, barely caresses, being spoken to really softly, close proximity; as in when she’s somewhere talking to someone and without even noticing the space between them has closed off by how attracted they are to one another. She’s always too happy to entertain the chemistry when it feels right.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Weird positions that the other person clearly pulled out of a porno are a no. Anything she’s previously said no to being tried again are a no. Backdoor *ehem* sex is a no. Certain bodily fluids are also a no.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Both, she enjoys doing both. She’ll gladly do it for a little while, because she likes it and she wants to make sure her partner’s having a good time, not just getting herself off. She highly dislikes having someone trying to push her head down as if trying to coax he into it; she’ll do it if she feels like it, but that’s one way to ensure she won’t want to do it. Congrats, you played yourself.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

Who is she with and where is she?, Can she take her time with what she’s doing until they’ve been edging themselves for God knows how long?, Has she been mad at this person, have they done something good, something bad?

What exactly went down before the do came to be to influence her decision? Hell, sometimes it might not be a conscious decision, but let’s just say she has no blatant preference. Circumstances will tell.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Heat of the moment is her preference. In any other moment, even if tension is palpable, but nothing has happened as a potential trigger, she prefers to save it for a more proper setting, if that makes sense. She’s only ever had quickies with people she couldn’t stand at first.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Her entire job and career path involves her thinking outside of the box and taking risks. Of course she’s happy to experiment in her intimate life, as well. Most of the time she’s doing stuff she’s feeling curious about, but if someone asks, and she’s in a proper enough mood, more often times than not, she’ll be game to try things out. And... if only because it feels fair and she always wants to make sure before she agrees or fully rejects something, she’ll try everything twice.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Rosario enjoys going for a few rounds, more than two, whenever possible. She won’t hold it against the person she’s with if they’re not capable.

Meeting other people taught her just how different everyone can be, so she’s not about to judge someone over something as fundamentally intimate such a sexual habits, prowess, or openness. Physical intimacy is offering oneself in the most vulnerable of ways possible, why make it unpleasant?

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Rosario has been a widow who lives all on her own for quite some time now. On top of that, she sometimes doesn’t feel like calling one of her friends or going out for that matter.

Of course this woman owns toys. Not all of them were obtained due to being a widow, however.

Back when she worked at home in her own workshop she had plenty of time to call her husband while he was on breaks... it made for an interesting part of her teasing rituals, which were extensive sometimes.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Huge tease. When her husband was still around the teasing wasn’t for an immediate thing, no, it usually lasted for days, and it usually went unnoticed by others. WHY YES, Rosario loved teasing Yuudai until the inevitable happened; which usually involved her being a brat and feigning not wanting him for a good minute before they ended... wherever they landed at the time.

As a single woman she still enjoys being a tease but the game will obviously not take as long if she’s looking for a one night stand. She has a few somewhat steady partners with whom she can play into what she enjoys the most, but she doesn’t see them often.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Rosario is usually not a loud lover; whimpers, small and contained moans, panting, little squeals of encouragement or her partner’s name will come through but no screaming or crying put from her.

Notice how I said usually.

With more out there partners that are demanding she will comply to whatever they ask of her; mainly because if she’s lucky she won’t have any other choice but to obey. 

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

Underwear. Obvious answer, but I could’ve said she went commando 👀 .

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Rather high. Depends on several things, but it usually peaks during stressful times. She’ll deal with complaints or having to work extra hours on something she can’t figure out right away and she’ll suddenly get the pang that she needs it. As a single woman she’s had no problems getting partners to try and scratch that itch, but it’s needless to say it’s not as easy to find someone who will properly satisfy said need.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

She doesn’t immediately fall asleep, it takes a little while, about ten to fifteen minutes before she finally does. Depending on the person she might just get up, clean up and leave.

This also depends on how long they spent in the lovey dovey, but in general she’s not a fast sleeper.

[y-ildthoughts]

WHY R U? THE SERIES FULL REVIEW

So now that the series has come to an end, I feel like I should summarize my feelings about WHY R U? the series, because honestly there are a lot of them.

When I heard the initial premise, I was very excited, a series about the fantasy story of a BL fan girl! It seemed like an original idea with a lot of potential for different narratives. A new way for fan girls to be satisfied; seeing their imaginations played out on screen as part of the script, and not just as fan service or in a fan fiction.

When the cast was announced I'll be the first to admit I didn't know any of the other actors apart from Saint. However, the lure of Saint in another BL role was more than enough to persuade me to anticipate the series. His previous role in LBC was carried out superbly. In fact, I learnt that the accent he put used for that series (which annoyed me greatly as a viewer initially) was an artistic choice for that character specifically, which makes me respect him as an actor even more.

By the end of the first episode, I was left with some rather conflicting opinions. Nevertheless, I continued to watch, episode by episode and have finally come to some sort of conclusion. It's a rather messy and confusing thought process but hopefully you can bear with me.

At first, I was off put by the jumpy plot, the narrative follows the characters along at the pace of a fan fiction, with little to no filler to explain how characters go from to enemies to friends in a single leap. The argument I've heard raised against this is that it's -meant- to be like that. Which I can appreciate, and I applaud the writers for their work, but I also think there's a reason that rarely if ever books are directly translated to screen in that manner.

However, I will say that once the relationships between characters- mostly Saifah and Zon - had settled that this style of plot development bothered me less and less and instead I found myself egging on the romantic tropes the two encountered.

As I've said I previously hadn't encountered any of the other actors before but now that I've watched the whole series, I have to say that they put together a really great cast. It's actually also a rather large cast I think, so I'll try to mention the actors that really stood out for me, but I don't think I can write about everyone.

Starting with the main cast:

Tommy Sittichok Pueakpoolpol plays Zon, and although this was not his first professional work it is arguably his biggest project to date. I think he plays the character very well. There is a sudden change in his character from stubborn to endearing; but this comes with the change in equilibrium of his relationship with Saifah and is therefore understandable.  Overall, I really enjoyed this character's journey and especially fell in love with his soft boi persona that he has adapted to by the end of the series.

For his first ever professional works Jimmy Karn Kritsanaphan did a really well to undertake such a big role as Saifah. That being said, the characters integrality within the plot was not reflected equally to his time on the screen.  It could be due to the point of view that the series is shot from - predominantly Zon and Tutor's- that we don't get to see this character’s development in greater detail.

Zee Pruk Panich and Saint Suppapong Udomkaewkanjana play Fighter and Tutor respectively. I mention these two actors together because putting the more adult scenes aside, these two actors show such great chemistry and tension between their characters, there's a real push-and- pull between them which I think really draws you into their storyline. Also, I think they really deserve recognition for the "hard carry" they did of the series' last few episodes after the corona virus outbreak.

As is typical of Thai BL series due to their nature, I feel that female actresses in these series have to work especially hard to gain recognition for their roles beyond being hated for keeping a male couple apart. Refreshingly in this series Zol played by Perth Veerinsara Tangkitsuvanich has a rather neutral yet involved role in the narrative. She particularly shines in giving a comical and expressive performance whilst maintaining verisimilitude. The other stand out female actress from this series for me is Janistar Phomphadungcheep who plays Hwahwa, is obviously gorgeous, and part of her role is dependent on that. More than that though she executes Hwahwa's brand of "dumb" comedy hilariously well, so well in fact that she easily defies the typical reaction that a female love interest ensues.

And finally, without going into too much detail I also have to give special mentions to Nat Natasitt Uareksit who plays Blue, Poppy Ratchapong Anomakiti playing Junior and James Rusameekae Fagerlund as Kae. Throughout the series these three actors all had what have to be considered scene stealing moments.

Maybe it's just me but all I found myself wanting to do was to protect Blue from his older love interests, as his sweet demeanour is revealed. Junior's "waterfall" moment upon seeing the engineer gang in the cafeteria in episode one really set the president for his comedic moments throughout the series, as rare as they were. P'Kae is the boss we all wish we had, and his protective streak when it comes to Tutor has definitely earned him a place as a fan favourite from the series.

One of the biggest talking points of the series has got to be its method of shooting and how that has affected the entire production. The production was shot live, meaning that each episode was shot and edited before it was released for broadcast each week, with the exception of some scenes. To shoot live requires quite the commitment from both cast and crew, it's also an incredibly risky method of shooting as any number of unforeseen circumstances can occur and interrupt shooting which has a direct effect on the entire production. Hence why live shooting is less common nowadays. However, the team definitely deserves credit for this decision as without the corona virus outbreak I think that this method would have benefitted the production overall.

That being said unfortunately the outbreak has forced many productions to shut down, and of course this has negatively affected the production of this series too, possibly more so than others that are in production stages currently. As such more casual fans of the series that may be unaware of the situation, and therefore not understand the reasoning behind the shift of focus from around episode eight and nine when the virus began to affect production. When in actuality the team should really be applauded for managing to still broadcast such coherent episodes under the circumstances.

Is it a perfect ending to the series; with a broad oversight of each character, couple and relationship that the viewer may desire? No, I would regretfully say that it doesn't manage to reach these criteria, but it makes a damn good effort to try, and this valiant effort is spearheaded by what should be categorized as a FighTor fan's dream. Endless scenes of the two characters exploring the more intimate side of their relationship. Which is actually a rather fitting filler for the series considering it is meant to be a fan girl dream story. So without these scenes I'm not sure that the series stands up with the  storyline as it is. However, this doesn't and shouldn't distract at all from the stellar acting performances that we've seen from this series.

So, congratulations if you've managed to make it this far and read the whole review, my thoughts on the series were decipherable enough through the review, I hope.

[bearingwater]

April Forecast for Aquarius

Synergies abound! Until April 20, the Sun is in Aries and your third house of kindred spirits and communication. You’ve got ideas to share and things to express—and you’ll utilize every platform at your disposal. After a month of Mercury retrograde (from March 5 to 28) imposing a gag order on your genius, you’re ready to let those creative concepts out of the bottle. Writing, teaching and media outlets could be your playgrounds.

The April 5 Aries new moon sets the stage for a brand-new project or collaboration. With the moon in your third house of local affairs, you might find the perfect “test kitchen” right in your neighborhood. Look for resources in your own backyard or pilot a community project, from a pop-up shop to a trunk show to a small event where you can teach your new methodology. A conversation or a seed of an idea could blossom into something truly meaningful between today and the October 13 Aries full moon.

If you feel intellectual or creative chemistry with someone this month, explore! A person you meet near the new moon could turn out to be a synergistic supporter or partner in crime. Don’t rush to anoint anyone your brand-new BFF though, Aquarius. From April 10 to August 11, expansive Jupiter will be retrograde (backward) in Sagittarius your eleventh house of groups and friendships. Let the relationship unfold in due time. Only when you see who a person is through various situations will you know how trustworthy and solid they are.

Bountiful Jupiter is making its once-every-12-years visit to Sagittarius from November 8, 2018, until December 2, 2019. Your connections are going through an important evolution and possibly a few growing pains. Perhaps you’ve synced up with an avant-garde new crew or joined a group endeavor. Since the eleventh house rules technology, your social media presence could have blossomed this year. Maybe you got involved in an exciting digital venture.

Global Jupiter is bringing interesting friends and like-minded people your way in droves, perhaps from far-flung places. But have you rushed into a collaboration too quickly? You might feel a bit stifled by a group project now, which could stir a rebellious streak if you don’t get some breathing room. As much as you like a shared victory, you can’t do it at the expense of your individuality. Rather than capsize a team effort, find a way to put your unique stamp on a project or carve out something that’s yours and yours alone. Pull back and do that over the spring and summer, then you can rejoin the crowd in the fall. If you’ve sidelined a few loyal, longtime friends to be part of a new circle, use the retrograde to reconnect since these rear-facing transits connect us to our past.

Jupiter is the first of three slow-moving outer planets to start a retrograde this month, to be followed in late April by Saturn and Pluto. These luminaries make their U-turns around the same time most years, so it’s nothing to panic about at all. In fact, these celestial slowdowns can be a blessing, giving you the spring and summer to soul-search, recalibrate and correct course.

So, Aquarius, what DO you really want? A visionary moment arrives on April 19, when the Libra full moon illuminates your ninth house of big-picture goals. Under the light of this full moon, you’ll see sweeping new possibilities (ah!). You could be inspired to take a leap of faith, especially since this is the rare second Libra full moon of 2019. The first, a supermoon, fell on March 20—smack in the middle of Mercury retrograde. The conditions weren’t totally ripe for risks then, but after a month of letting the energy settle, you could be ready to make your big move. From travel to launching a startup to spreading your message far and wide, this no-limits lunation could bring a huge epiphany around your life purpose—AND the ideal platform for expressing it.

Your energy gets a bit more earthbound the next day, when the Sun begins its annual visit to Taurus and your anchoring fourth house of home and family. Slow down a little and make sure your roots are firmly planted before you blast into the Next Big Thing. Connect with loved ones, rejuvenate with self-care and feather your nest.

That said, you may experience a shakeup in your foundation on April 22, when the Sun makes its annual conjunction (meetup) with your co-ruler, disruptor Uranus. There could be a sudden change of residents under your roof, an unexpected urge to move or a need to pull up the stakes and relocate. You might decide to renovate, redecorate or make some other radical shift to your lifestyle. While that’s all well and good, this IS a one-day transit, and the dust will settle not long after. So unless you absolutely MUST make a swift change, you might be better off capturing your ideas then following up with due diligence. Start with a Pinterest board instead of impulsively painting a wall or ordering all new furniture.

The Sun-Uranus conjunction in this family zone could also bring a tense moment with a relative. The fourth house is linked to mothers and women whereas the Sun is one of the astrological symbols for a father figure. Unresolved anger might erupt out of the blue, or you might need to deal with a change related to a parent.

Resolutions take time, especially when you get to the root of them, and you’ll have plenty of time for that over the spring and summer. Transformational Pluto will be retrograde in Capricorn and your twelfth house of endings from April 24 to October 3, followed by Saturn in this same sector from April 29 to September 18. You may need to excavate some old emotions for the purpose of examination and healing. Forgiveness or closure work could be on the agenda—and with these two heavyweights in your twelfth house, the only way around it is through it.

These five-month retrogrades can be rich times for developing an artistic project or honing your spiritual practices and abilities. You may need to go a little “off the grid” to meet the muse—and she may only show up in the quiet spaces. Some media- and phone-free time would benefit you greatly now. Where have things gotten excessive in your life? Scale back, surrender and reduce the ruckus. Powerful messages and guidance will come to you if you can find that space of inner calm.

Love & Romance

Play for keeps or just keep playing? You’ll need to answer that for yourself before you can expect someone else to fill a role, Aquarius. With love planet Venus in dreamy Pisces until April 20, you might still be holding out for something with a fairy-tale ending. Yet Venus is in your second house of pragmatism and security, so you realize everything requires SOME degree of compromise. If you’re not clear about what you want and need, you won’t be able to call in the person who can satisfy that. Even if you’re in a relationship, you could be sending out mixed messages about what’s important to you: Is it enchantment you want or a rock-solid guarantee?

Confusing matters more, over in your passionate fifth house, lusty Mars is revving his engines in easily distracted Gemini all month (from March 31 to May 15), which can tempt you to do the very things that will UNDO stability. You could be attracted to excitement with an edge, which could make you shortsighted in your choices. It’s not easy to reconcile—and that’s is where self-awareness comes in. Apply yours liberally when you feel whipped about by dueling desires and temptations.

Self-discipline might be totally MIA on April 15, when Venus squares off with indie-spirited Jupiter in its own liberated sign of Sagittarius. You want to have your gluten-free cupcake and eat it too—and maybe take a few bites of someone else’s as well. Don’t paint yourself into a corner that you can’t get out of, Aquarius. Be honest with your love interest (and yourself!) and admit you’re not sure what’s best for you at the moment.

Venus scurries into straight-shooting Aries and your communication center on April 20, which might begin to give you the clarity you so desperately seek. Hopefully you didn’t burn any bridges earlier in the month. By staying open and amenable to working things out, you can get things back on track—and if you’re finally ready, the fast track.

Key Dates

April 10: Venus-Neptune Meetup Pampering: incoming! Today marks the annual alignment of romantic Venus and dreamy Neptune in your second house of sensual luxury. You don’t have to reallocate a rent payment to enjoy some world-class indulgences, like a hot-stone massage or a deliciously decadent meal. And if you can enjoy this with your favorite plus-one, all the better!

Money & Career

You’ve got ideas for days, Aquarius! And finally, you also have the green light to express them. Last month, communication planet Mercury was retrograde from March 5 to 28, making it hard to get a straight answer or clear direction. Now that the mixed-message mania is over, you can forge ahead. The Sun is in Aries and your communicative third house until April 20, perfect for writing, teaching and learning…or just to put your thoughts together into something original.

The April 5 Aries new moon could deliver an aha moment or spark a conversation that leads to more. Explore collaboration with a like-minded person and consider testing your synergy on a trial project. Over the next six months, this could potentially develop into more. But tread slowly, because risk taker Jupiter will turn retrograde (backward) in your collaborative eleventh house from April 10 to August 11.

Focus on ramping up your own star power before you share the stage with too many people. With energizer Mars in Gemini heating up your creativity zone all month, your inner performer/artist needs an outlet—and a spotlight! The April 19 Libra full moon in your visionary ninth house could bring a major epiphany about your purpose. An opportunity to travel, study or showcase your ideas through media could be part of this magical moment. The next day, the Sun enters Taurus and your domestic fourth house for a month, conjoining inventive Uranus on April 22. Carve out an “innovation station” at home because some of your best ideas could come to you while you’re relaxing at Chateau Water Bearer. Meditation, journaling and creative visualization could turn up serious epiphanies with metaphysical Pluto retrograde in your subconscious twelfth house from April 24 to October 3, joined by structured Saturn retrograde here from April 29 to September 18. If you have healing or artistic gifts, consider working with a coach or getting certified by a master trainer.

Key Dates

April 12: Mercury-Jupiter Square Watch that you don’t exaggerate or make promises you can’t keep. It’s not that you’re trying to deceive anyone…it’s just that exuberant Jupiter can inflate reality, especially when it’s squaring the communication planet! If anything, undersell yourself or what you can do. People will respect your humility—and then be impressed when you “overdeliver”!

Love Days: 9, 14 Money Days: 20, 29 Luck Days: 18, 27 Off Days: 11, 16, 24

[zombizombi]

hummingbird heartbeat pt44

Nothing really changed, with Jeff and Kent. At least, it didn’t seem like it. Had Bitty expected things to change? Sort of. How was a more nebulous concept, it was just -- Kent and Jeff were boyfriends, now.

He thought.

He was like, 99% sure, anyway. Kent hadn’t given him many more details, even though an entire month had passed, and Jeff -- well, Jeff wasn’t interested in talking to Bitty about Kent. Bitty knew, at least, that they hadn’t been… intimate, knew that Kent hadn’t slept with Jeff yet. To hear Kent tell it, they barely touched each other. On Skype calls where Bitty saw them together, Jeff and Kent seemed the same as ever. They weren’t even sitting closer on the sofa or anything.

It was weird. 

And honestly, Bitty didn’t even know why he cared so much, it was not his business. Moo Maw always said people ought to mind their own business. Except, well… Kent was Bitty’s business, so by extension, his relationship with Jeff was, too. Kind of. Right? Which meant minding it was a little more acceptable. Reasonable, even.

“I guess I thought something would happen?” Bitty said to Jack, curled up in bed one night. Their nights together were becoming more rare, would be rarer still. Jack’s season was upon them.

“Something happened. You said they talked.” Jack turned on his side a little more, tucked closer to Bitty. He ran hot fingers down Bitty’s side, tucking them up under the hem of his shirt. “Maybe they’re just still figuring things out.”

“I don’t even know if they’re dating,” said Bitty. He shivered.

“You know you have to be patient with Kent.” Jack pressed a kiss to Bitty’s neck. “Why is this bothering you so much?”

“I don’t know, I --” Bitty sucked in a quick breath as Jack’s teeth closed on his earlobe. Jack was right, he should worry about something else. It was just so hard to stop thinking. He’d never been good at that, not really, because Bitty’s mind was always sort of going, worrying about something. It was -- “Honey,” he said, as a little shiver ran down his spine.

“Maybe you need a distraction.” Pushing Bitty’s shirt up further, Jack pressed his hand flat against the small of Bitty’s back and brought his lips down to Bitty’s collarbone.

Bitty’s breath caught. “Oh?” This was probably going… good places.

“Mhm.” Jack’s breath was hot against the hollow of Bitty’s throat.

Jack was a very good distraction.

Bitty spent the rest of his time in Providence trying not to worry too much about Kent and Jeff. He had enough on his plate, anyway. It helped to pick Jack’s brain about captaining a hockey team -- the NHL season would be starting soon enough that if he wanted to really get Jack’s full laser focus, Bitty had to do it then. And he really, really wanted Jack’s full attention. Jack and Kent were different in a lot of ways, including the way they played hockey, and the advantages that could come from being able to talk to not just one, but two NHL players in leadership roles weren’t something Bitty could pass up. Advice from different perspectives and leadership styles would come in handy, was worth spending some precious boyfriend time on.

And it was apparent, several games in, that Bitty’s extra attention and work was paying off. Samwell’s season was going well -- really well, actually. A brand new first line meant big changes in play, new hurdles to overcome. The new guys were fast, good skaters, but sometimes lines took chemistry, and sometimes chemistry took a few months to build. They didn’t really have months, though, and if running drills on passing was what Samwell needed to make it to the Frozen Four, well.

Bitty spent extra time going over tape with the coaches. He worked with the boys on passing and drills, organized a couple of game nights for team bonding, tried to ensure that he was available to any of the guys if they needed him. It was great. The guys were really getting it together, and Whiskey was honestly amazing. He was really focused, really talented, and really… intense. He was the best player they’d had since Jack, and so far, they’d even managed to avoid any real injuries. Bitty allowed himself to hope for the Frozen Four.

Stirring the custard ingredients together, Bitty balanced his phone on his shoulder with his chin. “I think it might not be completely out of reach?”

Kent laughed. “Why did you say that like a question?”

“I don’t want to jinx it,” Bitty said. “You know, it’s like -- if you say too much about it, it’ll definitely end up not happening?”

“You guys are having a good season so far, though.”

Even though Kent couldn’t see him, Bitty nodded. “We are!”

“And you’re, like, working on your thesis, right?”

Bitty sighed. “Baby, that’s not until Spring. School’s barely started!” And his thesis was kind of not his highest priority at the moment. Or like, ever, but definitely not now.

“Well yeah,” Kent said, “but you’ve, like, thought about it. Right?”

Right. How did he end up dating two insane overachievers, again? Bitty poured the vanilla buttermilk custard filling into the blind-baked pie crust. “I’ll get it done! Worry about your own dang GPA!”

“Mine’s really good,” Kent said, smug and satisfied in a way that was both irritating and adorable at the same time.

“Yes, your brain is very sexy, dear,” said Bitty. “Isn’t it your bedtime?”

Kent gasped. “Not for another, like, two hours!”

Bitty opened the oven. “You are absolutely ridiculous, and I --”

“Oh my god, Eric, don’t you want to talk to me?” Kent’s voice sounded farther away, and the sound of running water filtered through the line. “What kind of pie are you making?”

“Mr. Parson,” Bitty said. “Am I on speaker phone?”

“Yes,” said Kent, after a small silence. Bitty heard the sound of a door shutting in the background.

“It’s chess pie,” Bitty said. “Who’s there?”

“What the fuck is a chess pie?” Jeff asked, and Bitty sighed. Why didn’t anyone know this?

“Y’all really need to come visit.”

“It’s good,” Kent supplied.

“All right, super chief. We play Boston on our first roadie, I think.” Jeff’s voice was closer. “Make one then.”

“We do,” Kent said. The water in the background shut off and, after a minute, Kent picked the phone back up. “I was gonna get you seats, if you wanted. And maybe you could, um.”

“Stay?” Bitty finished for him, smiling a little.

“Yeah,” Kent said. “And you can tell me all about your boys in person, so I can see how cute you look when you’re all focused.”

“Gross,” said Jeff, and Bitty laughed.

Those fuzzy, warm feelings of confidence about their season couldn’t last. Bitty should’ve known that, but everything was just going so well. The new lines were starting to gel, plays were making sense -- they could do it. They could totally do it.

At least, that’s what Bitty thought until Derek Nurse gave himself the most idiotic hockey injury ever. The game was beautiful otherwise, honestly. Everyone was playing gorgeous hockey, and Bitty was really, really proud of their progress.

In the third, Nursey slapped the puck on a rebound, sending it careening into the net over the unprepared goalie’s shoulder. It was a filthy goal. Grinning, he returned to the bench, bumping gloves with the guys as he came within reach.

“Nice goal!”

“Top shelf, Nurse!”

“Fuckin’ s’wawes--”

“Hey, thanks for the assist, Poindexter!” Nursey grinned over his shoulder.

Dex rolled his eyes. “You’re lucky you didn’t break your neck crashing across the boards like that, Nursey.”

“Jeez, Dex,” Nursey said, “I’ll interpret that as ‘you’re welcome, keep it u--’” the door clicked open just as Nurse was about to swing over, and somehow, despite literal years of playing hockey, he fell. As luck would have it, he broke a bone with that foolishness, which would not only screw up everything about their game but also serve as the catalyst for the Haus becoming ground zero in a not so cold war.

Honestly, this was the universe’s way of paying Bitty back for thinking that they were doing well that season when it came to injuries. He should’ve knocked on wood.

Dex and Nursey were absolutely ridiculous -- everything one of them did irritated the other, and they weren’t, apparently, able to be reasonable in any way whatsoever. Bitty probably should’ve anticipated it, as they’d always nitpicked each other, but after the injury their feuding was on a completely different level. Slytherin and Gryffindor level, even. Everyone had assumed there’d be some nonsense with them moving in to the Haus, of course they had, it was just -- it was so, so much worse than anyone imagined. Complaining about a lack of privacy, Dex attempted to turn his bunk bed into a private oasis. When that didn’t work, he vanished into the basement, accompanied by some power tools. Bitty wasn’t sure what was going on down there. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know, truth be told.

When Shitty invited Bitty and Jack to come up to Cambridge to see their new place, Bitty leapt at the chance to escape the Haus for a visit with old friends. It would be great to get away from the world’s most annoying d-pair, and it’d be good for Jack to take a quick trip before his season really got going. It was their last chance.

“Welcome,” said Lardo. “To Haus 2.0.”

“This is interesting,” Bitty said, looking around the house. It definitely had the same feel the Haus used to have. Messy, lived in, vaguely gross. Rent had to be insane.

“Right on,” Jack said, accepting a beer from Shitty as he looked around. “Samwell after Samwell. I’m jealous.”

“Ahem! Allow me to give you a tour of our buckwild best friend abode,” said Shitty. He waved an arm. “It’s several degrees of dece!”

“And pancakes every Saturday,” Ransom added.

“You guys have another roommate?” Jack asked, talking around a mouthful of pie.

“Yeah,” Holster said. “She hates us.”

“Like legitimately wants us to die,” Ransom added.

“Hey, not our fault!” Shitty shoved his shades up on the bridge of his nose. “The Craigslist ad said, and I quote: must be motherfucking down to motherfucking clown.”

“That’s kind of a big ask,” said Jack.

“Oh yeah, how’s my old room at the Haus, Bits?” Lardo asked.

Bitty sighed. “Well, Dex now lives in the basement. So.”

Lardo raised a single brow.

“It’s a long story,” Bitty said.

“To rooming situations from haus to shining haus!” Shitty raised his beer, and everyone else followed suit.

“Hear, hear!”

Hanging out in Cambridge felt like old times, complete with Lardo slaughtering them all in Mario Kart. She was gracious enough to let Bitty be Peach, but the niceties ended there. They were taking a break from the game, Shitty and Rans and Holster and Jack all occupied with a board game, when Lardo leaned over a bit, bumping shoulders with Bitty.

“How’s Kent?” Lardo asked. “Are you guys still…?”

“Yes, we are.” Bitty drained the last of his beer. “He’s doing really well. Season starts soon, so he’s just been busy.”

Lardo nodded. “How many years is it, now?”

“Oh my Lord,” said Bitty. “It’s -- I don’t know. Three? Isn’t that crazy?”

“Yes,” Lardo said, passing him another beer. “Being in an LDR that long is pretty intense, bro.”

“It’s almost over,” Bitty said.

Lardo glanced at Jack, laughing about something with Shitty. “Is it?”

Ah. “Well -- no. I guess it isn’t.” Bitty rubbed the back of his neck. “But I’m going to Vegas after I graduate so it’ll just be… different.”

Lardo nodded. “Been planning that a while,” she said.

Bitty chewed his lower lip. He had been. He’d been thinking about it for a long time, actually, worried about logistics and appearances. Kent’s coming out had helped a little, but there was still no telling how the Bittles would handle their baby boy moving to Vegas to live with his boyfriend.

His boyfriend and his boyfriend, really.

Bitty spent his last night with Jack in Jack’s apartment, both of them snuggled up on the sofa with television and Jack’s favorite pie. Bitty ran fingers through Jack’s hair, smiled a little. “I’ll miss you, honey,” he said.

“I’ll miss you, too,” said Jack, curving gentle fingers around the back of Bitty’s neck.

“Yeah?” Pressing a hand to Jack’s chest, Bitty pushed up off the sofa a little. “Wanna give me something to remember you by?”

Jack laughed.

Kent put a new video up, and Bitty waited to watch it until he was home in his room, able to give it his full attention. Kent was in Jeff’s living room, sitting on the sofa wearing a faded Boston University hoodie that Bitty didn’t remember seeing before. Kent still didn’t put his face into the view of the camera, even though with Bitty out, it was truly only a matter of time before someone found the channel for real. There were a smattering of jumbled comments, a few coherently asking “IS THIS KENT PARSON?!?!?!!?!?!”, but nothing concrete. Yet.

In the video, golden sunlight streamed through the window behind Kent and Kevin curled up next to his side, her head resting on a little toy teddy bear. He scrubbed behind her ears with one hand before he began to play. The melody was sweet and familiar.

It was Rainbow Connection, the song from the Muppets.

Behind him, Jeff walked by, pausing for a moment. He laid a hand on Kent’s shoulder, for a moment, bent down, the ends of his dark hair falling into view, but the rest of him wasn’t visible on camera. His voice could be heard, just barely, murmuring something quiet — but Bitty couldn’t understand what he said. After pressing a kiss to the top of Kent’s head, Jeff wandered out of view of the camera. Kent played and sang without interruption, though Kevin had shifted, wagging her tail and staring up. Halfway through the song she laid her head back down, using the teddy bear as a pillow.

It was a serene little video, everything about it warm and soft. Domestic. Bitty’s stomach hurt a bit looking at it, and he took a deep breath. It was okay to be a little jealous, right? Surely Kent was a little jealous sometimes. Bitty was just used to having Kent all to himself, but it wasn’t bad for Kent to be with Jeff, too. He’d kind of been with Jeff the whole time they’d been together anyway, hadn’t he? And they’d had such a great summer.

It made him feel a tiny bit better to see a couple of comments asking where Sweetie’s boyfriend was, several of them decrying the lack of “cute baker” in the video.

When Bitty called on Skype that night, Kent answered from his own bedroom.

“Oh,” Bitty said. “You’re not at Jeff’s?”

Kent blinked. “No? Why would I be?”

“Well, I saw your video today and just thought --” Bitty squeezed Señor Bun. “It was really good, sweetie.”

Kent shrugged one shoulder. “You know I like to sleep in our bed.” Kit crawled into his lap and he buried one hand in soft fur. The purring was loud enough that Bitty could hear it through the computer. “Jeff’s downstairs, though.”

Of course he was. Jeff practically lived at Kent’s house. Bitty nodded.

Kent frowned. “Babe,” he said, after a moment. “Are you okay?”

“I just miss you,” Bitty said.

Kent softened all over, eyes warm and gold in the lamplight. “I miss you too, Eric,” he said. “I miss you all the time.”

“Even with Jeff there?” Bitty asked, hating how small his voice sounded.

“Yeah.” Kent slid his tongue along his lower lip before sucking it in under his teeth for a minute. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. “Eric,” he said. “Are you sure you’re okay with this --” he waved a hand -- “whole thing?”

“Yes,” said Bitty.

Kent tilted his head, and the light flashed on the lenses of his glasses. “We don’t have to do this,” he said, after a bit of quiet. “Me and Jeff, I mean.”

“Yes, you do,” said Bitty. Even if Kent thought they could go back, they couldn’t. Shouldn’t. “You belong together. Just like you and me.”

“Eric.” Kent rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away from the camera. “C’mon.”

“It’s fine,” Bitty said. “I mean, it’s different. I’m getting used to it. But it’s -- it isn’t bad, honey.”

“Really? ’Cause you don’t seem, like, thrilled about it,” Kent said. “You’re being weird.”

“It’s fine,” Bitty said, again. Because honestly, it was fine. And he’d be there when school was over, he’d already been looking at the job market in Vegas. “I’m not being weird. I want you to be together. Besides, it’s not like --” he cut himself off, shutting his mouth before he finished that sentence. What Jeff and Kent did was only marginally Bitty’s business, even if he could not stop thinking about it.

“It’s not like what?”

“It’s not like it’s a whole lot different from how you’ve been the entire time I’ve known you,” Bitty said, voice soft, “is what I was gonna say. Is it?”

Kent flushed. “It’s different,” he said.

Holy shit. Bitty sat up straighter, ignoring the twist in his stomach. “Kent Valeray Parson,” he said. “Did you sleep with him?”

Kent’s blush deepened. “I --”

“Oh my god,” said Bitty.

“Not yet,” Kent said.

“Oh my god,” said Bitty. But it had been so long! And Jeff was so, so hot. “Why not?”

Kent rubbed his face with both hands. “Just -- because, okay? We just haven’t.”

“If it’s because of me,” Bitty said, “I --”

“It’s not.” Kent stared down at his hands for a minute. “It’s not you.”

Bitty frowned. Did -- did Jeff not want to, or something? Oh, Lord. Maybe it was some kind of like, ‘I love you but I don’t want to sleep with you’ thing. Jeff was kind of known for fucking around. With women, granted, but still. Surely it wasn’t that Kent didn’t want to. “Honey,” he said. “Do you not want to?”

“Oh my god, Eric,” Kent said, “you have eyes, are you serious? It’s just not -- we’re not there yet, okay? Fuck.”

“Well --”

“Can we not do this?” Kent pushed Kit off his lap. “I don’t ask you about Jack, do I?”

Oh. “Okay,” said Bitty, squeezing Señor Bun. Kent was right, of course. He didn’t ask for details about Jack like that, never had. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked, it’s not really my business --”

Kent was quiet for a minute, picking at a thread on his comforter. “I just don’t know if he, like. Wants to?” he said.

“Sweetie,” Bitty said. “It’s Jeff.” Jeff Troy’s reputation was well-deserved, he was pretty sure. The way he looked at Kent? Bitty was pretty sure that wasn’t the case.

“I know,” said Kent.

“He’s, um.” Bitty rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of the word. He was not going to call Jeff a fuckboy. Even though he was, according to internet message boards. “He, like, you know.” Liked to fuck. Oh, Lord. That meant -- surely Kent would ask Jeff to get tested. Bitty didn’t need to worry about that, too, did he?

“But I don’t think he’s picked up in a while?” Kent said. He chewed on his lower lip. “So, like. Maybe he’s not?”

“Or maybe he’s just saving himself for you?” Bitty countered.

That sentence was too ridiculous to bear, and after a moment, both of them laughed.

“So,” said Kent, “how ’bout them Dodgers?”

“Smooth,” Bitty said. “Real smooth.”

He missed Kent more than ever over the following few days. It wasn’t that he didn’t have enough to do. Bitty had more than enough to do, and he worried, going to bed at night, about not having enough energy to do it all. Kent sounded relaxed on the phone. Happy. Their calls were the same as ever, sweet and warm and faithful. Bitty could almost forget, sometimes, that Jeff was there -- except that Jeff was always there, always had been, and it was… hard, maybe, to think about him watching Bitty and Kent together all that time.

There was so much Bitty wanted to ask him, so much he knew Jeff wouldn’t say.

Bitty couldn’t really devote his time to cross-examining Jeff, anyway. At the Haus, Dex living in the basement was turning out not to be so bad. He was handy enough to fix the place up himself, and Bitty was certainly not going to complain about someone doing work. It needed it, and having Dex fix things kind of took some financial pressure off of everyone else -- as well as giving him something to do. It kept a little peace.

The Haus wasn’t entirely harmonious, though. Whiskey still hadn’t come around, Bitty noticed, preferring to spend most of his time elsewhere with other friends. He wasn’t being team. And as Captain, it felt like Bitty’s job to make sure all the boys were team.

All of his efforts to do so, however, fell flat. Repeatedly. On Skype with Kent, Bitty sighed a little, flopping down on his bed.

“What is wrong?”

“It’s nothing, Kent. It’s just been on my mind,” Bitty said. It was probably stupid to be so uptight about it, anyway. Kent wasn’t the most popular guy in his dressing room, either, and he did fine. Right?

“So it’s something, then,” Kent said, voice about as placid as Kent’s voice ever got.

“At the end of the day,” Bitty said, “I don’t care. I just can’t stop thinking about it and it bothers me.” Kent would know what he meant. They’d talked about it before.

“That’s, like, the definition of caring, Eric,” said Kent, voice warm.

“His high school girlfriend came into town and he didn’t even show her the Haus --”

“You mean he didn’t introduce her to you.” Kent’s voice was a little softer. “Eric --”

Bitty sighed. “That is what I meant,” he admitted. “It hurts. What am I doing wrong?”

“Not everybody is going to like you, babe,” Kent said. “Doesn’t matter what you do. I mean, I know you hate that, but Brian says that’s life or whatever.”

“I know that.” Bitty sighed again. It didn’t make him feel better, though, knowing. It didn’t help at all.

What was he going to do? He’d tried basically everything he could think of, and Whiskey still spent more time with the lacrosse team than he did at the Haus.

“It’s okay if he doesn’t want to, like, experience college the way you do,” said Kent, slowly, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with one finger. “You know that.”

“But I’m his Captain,” Bitty said. “And I can’t seem to get him involved in the team, you know? Team spirit?”

“Some dudes just, like, aren’t into that,” said Kent. He shrugged. “There’s always one or two in a room. It’s no big deal, guy’s good at hockey. You’ll be fine.”

“I just want --” Bitty chewed his lower lip. What did he want? A perfect senior year? Harmony across the Haus and the best team Samwell ever had?

Jeff pushed Kent’s door open. “Your phone’s ringing,” he said.

“Aw, fuck,” said Kent, “that’s the GM’s ringtone. I gotta take this, here --” he traded the laptop for his phone, leaving Jeff on screen. “Talk amongst yourselves.”

“I --”

Kent was gone before Bitty or Jeff could protest, and Bitty rubbed the back of his neck as Jeff chewed his lower lip.

“So,” said Jeff.

“So,” Bitty said. “You, uh. Y’all --”

“What did you say you wanted there, bro?” Jeff asked, interrupting Bitty’s question.

“Nothing,” Bitty said. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as Jeff raised a brow, clearly unconvinced. “I don’t know. There’s just one guy on my team, y’know, I just. He’s not like, a part of the team?”

“Ah,” said Jeff. He sat, then, just quietly waiting. After a few minutes, Bitty somehow ended up ranting to him, too. When he paused to breathe, Jeff cleared his throat.

“Why don’t you go ahead and take about twenty percent off ’er there, bud,” Jeff said. “Nobody’s perfect, fuck.”

“But --”

“Some guys just don’t wanna do the whole, like, thing,” said Jeff. “It’s fine. If it’s not on the ice, it’s not important. I mean, like. You said he’s playing well. So stop trying to force everybody to be all Happy Days with you.”

Bitty sighed. “I am not,” he said, “forcing anybody to --”

“Just let the guy live, damn,” said Jeff.

What sucked was that Jeff was right, and Bitty knew it. He was trying to think of a decent comeback when Kent returned, the sound of the door interrupting Bitty’s train of thought.

“Jeff, stop antagonizing Eric,” Kent said.

“Oh my god,” said Jeff, “I wasn’t even doing anythi--”

“Yeah,” Bitty said, “stop antagonizing your boyfriend’s boyfriend.”

“Hey!” Jeff ran a hand through his hair, pulling it out of his face. “I’m just being honest, man!”

“Horizontal violence,” said Bitty, and Jeff rolled his eyes.

Climbing back into bed, Kent had to crawl over Jeff. They paused for a moment, Kent half in Jeff’s lap, and Jeff leaned in to press a kiss to Kent’s mouth. When they parted he was grinning, and Kent swatted at him before pushing away to settle on the bed again.

“I miss you,” Bitty said, and he felt it with his whole heart, wasn’t sure if he meant just Kent or both of them. Watching them, Bitty realized that together they felt like home.

His chest felt tight. He missed the warmth of their Canadian summer, laughing in a rental house and sharing ice cream. Leaning his cheek in one hand, Bitty smiled softly, just looking at them on camera.

Looking back, something in Jeff’s face softened a little, and he turned to look at Kent.

“I miss you, too,” Kent said, and when Jeff reached out to run his thumb over Kent’s cheekbone, he closed his eyes for a moment. “Wish you were here.”

“Soon,” said Jeff. He glanced at Bitty on the screen, smiled softly.

“Soon,” Bitty agreed. Soon they wouldn’t have to rely on Skype at all.

( the whole fic is here on AO3 )

[spellmanmortuary]

What do u think of the season in general?

what i thought of the season ?? sweet baby jesus lemme TELL U

     i loved it sooo much. i really really love that the season had an even theme and i loved every single episode ( except for doctor cerebrus’ house of horror, that i only liked bc it was like an hour of hypothetics yknow ). i wish that they had focused a little more on sabrina’s feelings for nick because it felt a little one sided at times, and i wish that they would have given a little more depth to roz and harvey’s relationship. 

     i especially adored episodes that focused on sabrina’s relationships, mainly lupercalia. it was so nice to see more of the witch lore, see development for nick, and see her relationship to roz and nick deepen and gain more texture, that was super nice. then on blackwood,,, blackwood was a Trip, but seeing the Spellmans in conflict was super interesting. we were so used to seeing them always working as a unit, or at times ambrose and sabrina’s aunties being a unit on raising sabrina, it was interesting to see these other sides of him where sabrina is the voice of reason, zelda is the stubborn one that doesn’t want to listen, ambrose being moody and hilda trying to keep the house functioning. that was super interesting and i just wish it had been resolved before leviathan’s untimely death :/

about lupercalia, i adored the costumes and i loooved nick and sabrina in it from the start. they just have such great chemistry and they look so good together and their characters just compliment each other SO well. plus, gavin is an amazing actor and i loved watching him shine during this episode.

     another episode i really really loved was the mandrake. godd kiernan was SO good in that episode ! she was so great playing mandrake!sabrina and i loved that they put old wardrobe pieces on her, while the og sabrina had her new black and red leathery wardrobe on. i loved nick’s role in it and i love that he was a key point in her discovering the truth about miss wardwell. another thing i really loved was theo and mandrake!sabrina’s scene -- theo SCHOOLED her ok ?? and i loved the formation of the fright club ( well, the mortal side of the fright club ) when theo woke up on the mandrake first and freed them, then roz explained what was really going on and harvey was,, there. 

     speaking of harvey, they reeeally need to give him something to do bc he is literally the only powerless character on the show. doctor cee is possessed, dorian grey is dorian goddamn grey, roz has her cunning, theo can communicate with his aunt dorothea ( and perhaps more spirits ? ), ambrose is an amazing warlock TA, hilda and zelda are powerful and super smart witches whose personalities compliment each other, the weird sisters are The Weird Sisters, nick is the greatest conjurer since edward spellman aka one of the strongest warlocks ever, sabrina was given her powers by LILITH HERSELF and she is also part SATANS DAUGHTER as well as part EDWARD SPELLMAN’S daughter so she is literally the most powerful witch Ever, and heavens, even mortal!wardwell has more play than harvey because she is the unofficial town historian, so she knows all about the witches in greendale and can at least help the fright club with research. meanwhile what does harvey have going for him ? his gun and the mine maps he steals from his dad ? give the boy something to do !! you’re wasting a perfectly good ross lynch !!

     and now let’s talk about nick. i know that there’s really no valid reason for him to betray sabrina like he did, but i understand why he did what the dark lord asked. he is an orphan and his only parental figures were a werewolf and blackwood. blackwood also had a hand in raising the weird sisters, and look at how deep and non-faltering their faith in the dark lord is. they’d do anything for him, even if he doesn’t directly ask them to ( see feast of feasts -- the three of them would love to be queen of the feast to honor him ) and that is what nick grew up with/around. so when he gets access to edward spellman’s texts, it sends him and his faith for a loop. there’s this new figure that is just so opposed to what he has been taught, of course he becomes a big fan. he starts believing in his word and it changes him, but what does he do when the dark lord himself shows up and simply asks him to keep sabrina en route to the path of night, it’s obviously hard for him to refuse because opposing to an ideal is one thing, but opposing to such a powerful and dark force face to face is something else entirely. however, he never asked him to fall in love with her, nor did he ask him to spend so much time with her, and mainly, he didn’t ask him to break so many rules and traditions for her. plus, the fact that nick went against witch law and against every tradition in the book for her despite knowing he was being watched by the dark lord only heightens how much he knew he was risking. i just don’t think nick had any idea of how far that simple request really went, i think he just pushed it to the back of his mind after he fell in love with her. 

ambrose and prudence have soooo much potential and it will be very interesting to see how the weird sisters act when they are separated, as well as seeing the church of lilith rise with our queen zelda as high priestess and the queen of hell lilith as their main deity. 

now on to the ending,,, god oh GOD. i can’t. first of all, everyone looked SO good and i can’t BELIEVE harvey deigned himself to cast a spell on someone. the musical number was gorgeous and i love everyone’s voices, i also love luke cook’s face and i think he did a great job in the role he was given. i wanted nick and sabrina to make it out of the season safe and sound SO bad but alas,,, that had to happen. it really goes to show how much he truly is willing to risk for the girl he loves. plus that shot of madam satan carrying him into hell was STUNNING ok 

i squealed when i heard sabrina say “let’s go to hell and get my boyfriend back”. i really love that her friends ( mainly roz and theo ) are willing to support her in all of these crazy supernatural missions and i realy appreciate that harvey is beginning to dip his toes into all of this magic stuff with the three of them. 

i would really, really love it if they are able to get back nick because he is such an amazing love interest for sabrina and he is a very fun character, not to mention a male character that i need to see more of ! ( also, i want gavin to stay on because he kills the role and he deserves all the notoriety !! ) also, i want to see lucifer wreak more havoc because who else is gonna be the villian, then ?

overall, i really liked this season and i liked it better than the last one. i wish they would’ve focused more on sabrina’s side of her relationship with nick and that they had used that cerebrus’ episode better, and i really really want to see sabrina and the weird sisters become real friends, and maybe they could include roz in their friendship. i can’t WAIT for part three.

[ipurpleyou1993]

My thoughts on:

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung

Starring: Cha Eun Woo/Shin Se Kyung/Lee Ji Hoon/ Park Ki Woong

- Stand up for what you believe in. I think this is very important. People usually take advantage of those who are weak. So make your stand - especially if your boundaries and rights are being poked.

- Sometimes, being different is okay. Averting the community's standards is okay too. Why be like everybody else when you can be yourself?

We do not have to compromise our identity to match other people's standards. ✅😊💯

- Let us be each other’s support system. Let us value encouragement over discouragement. If someone wants to sing/dance/act/write, let them. Let them find what they are passionate about and support them.

Encouragement and kindness are free.

- Equality has come a long way. 👍🏻

The series is set during the Joseon Era where the status of women depended on who they marry. They are practically born to serve men during this time. So, I’ve come to appreciate the liberties we have now more than ever.

- Do your part. Do not be afraid when you are just doing what you are supposed to do.

- Adapt to the changing times. Change is the only thing that is constant. Let's all move forward with lessons from the past. 💜

- Wouldn't it be nice... if the world was Cadbury? Char! Hahahaha! Wouldn't it be nice if someone makes the decision to let go of everything just to be with you? #SanaAll

It may sound cliché but it's really romantic - how two persons can come together to achieve everything together. Wouldn't this really be nice? 😊❤️🥰

- Safe to say, no matter what era we are currently in, women make the world a better place. HAHAHAHA!

The Gist:

The series depicts the story of two young individuals who, despite being in different social classes, fell in love against all odds.

Shin Se Kyung plays the role of Goo Hae Ryung. She is a quirky young lady from a noble family who enjoys reading a lot. In saying so, she works as a book-reader to noble ladies in her neighborhood to earn money. Although, due to her book preferences, she always ends up not getting paid.

During this time, women tend to enjoy books about cringy love stories - most of which are written by “Maehwa”. Hae Ryung, on the other hand, prefers western literature which usually end depressingly. Hence, the no-payment scenario.

Little did everyone know, Maehwa is the pen name of Prince Dowon Yi Rim (played by Cha Eun Woo). He is the King’s son who lives at Nokseodang - the most secluded area in the palace - where he stays with a eunuch named Sam Bo and 2 young court ladies.

Naturally, as a kid who never left the palace, he is very innocent, naive and gentle. He found writing as a means to pass time inside the palace. Thus, the inspiration for the novels he usually writes are the secret love affairs of eunuchs and court ladies.

Digging deeper into the conflicts inside the palace, the king and his right-hand man decided to request the hiring of female historians. They meant to spy on the queen dowager who seems to be plotting against them behind their backs by doing so.

This move took a turn when the crown prince - Yi Jun - approved the plea on the condition that the female historians should take the civil service examination for government employees and that their involvement should not be limited to the queen dowager but to ALL members of the royal family.

A lot of controversy rose as females were not allowed to hold any position in the government during this time.

Hae Ryung and Yi Rim's story start to blossom here - when Goo Hae Ryung decides to ditch her arranged wedding to take the civil service examination to work inside the palace as a female historian.

They are set to an adventure of finding out their real identities and the people behind their past experiences.

The rest is for you to find out. So, watch this. It will be worth your time. 👍🏻💕

What I liked about the series:

- I love how unconventional the theme of this series is. Well, it's a gender bender type of story. The aggressiveness of the female lead and the innocence and naivety of the male lead is fun and fresh. ❤️💕😍 It makes the story more interesting since it's different from the traditional sageuk we are previously acquainted to. 👍🏻😊❤️

- I was thrilled when I found out that Cha Eun Woo was casted here as the male lead. I grew fond of him when I watched My ID is Gangnam Beauty. He's such an eyecandy! 😍😍😍

Of course, in relation to his outstanding visuals, we get to see a glimpse of his beautiful physique *wink wink*

On a serious note, what I liked about him in this series is that he has a very demure personality. Rarely do we get to see men in sagueks who are effeminate - mainly because historical dramas are very patriarchal in nature (IMO, ✌🏻).

I also liked how his character really transformed from this very innocent prince to a very mature potential king. The character growth was well-displayed so it was very satisfying to watch. ❤️😊😍

His acting is one to praise as well. I could say that he has improved a lot in the duration of the series. You might find this hard to believe in the beginning. But wait til you see him in the last few episodes. You'll get to appreciate his improvement more. 😊👍🏻����

Aaaaand, may I just say, the term "Face Genius" really works for the man. Well, who wouldn't love this BB's face? TELL MEEEEE! 💕😂😊

- I was impressed with the acting skills of Shin Se Kyung here as well. The role of Goo Hae Ryung suits her! Her portrayal of the character was so on point that it actually came out naturally. Good job! 👍🏻👌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I love how her character is so independent, responsible, intelligent, fun, aggressive (in a good way), lovable and just plain quirky with a sunshine-attitude. Like I said, I enjoyed seeing women do what is considered taboo in this particular era. It's something fun and interesting to watch. 💕😊👍🏻💯✅

In this day and age, I think we need more Goo Hae Ryung's in the world - someone who stands up for her rights; someone who is not afraid to do her part for the common good; someone who is not afraid of power; someone who does not bend over backwards for power; someone who is righteous and responsible.

Very few are blessed with this kind of courage. So, if you're one of these very few individuals, SALUTE!

Also, I love how she looks so elegant in a Hanbok. She's rocking the traditional outfit as if they were casual attires. No wonder she was part of the 2017 Hanbok PR Ambassadors. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

PO: I honestly think not all korean actresses look good in this traditional outfit. ✌🏻

- Their chemistry is 💯💕💕💕💕. They look good together. All their scenes made my heart flutter and skip a beat. 😍😍😍

- I like how the series tackled a bit about Christianity. There's this one scene that I really liked between Min U-won and another historian who was willing to let go of his position and to sacrifice his life for his religious belief.

I honestly appreciated my faith more because all this time (in my 26 years), I was and I am still reminded that all are equal - rich or poor - in the eyes of God. 💯😊✝️

- Friendship appreciation post: I loved how the friendship of the people in this series protected and cheered up each other.

It's always good to know that someone has your back - all the time. 😊✅💯

- Yo, I also loved the big reveal regarding the leads' identities. Goosebumps, everywhere! Especially...

SPOILER ALERT!

Especially when they confronted the king on the latter part of the series. Ooohweeee! Daebakkk!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

- Storywise, it's good. 💯

It talks about love, forgiveness, friendship, faith, loyalty, dignity and responsibility.

Kudos to the team for a job well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Cons:

- Okay... I have to admit, I did find the acting skills of Cha Eun Woo a little mediocre at the beginning. It was as if he wasn't ready for the role...

Some of his facial reactions were either exaggerated or repetitive... ✌🏻

But, let me tell you this. Do not let this bother you. He's got something in store for you on the latter part of the series. Do watch. 👍🏻😊✅

- I was a bit sad too when I heard that Cha Eun Woo was paired with Shin Se Kyung. My first impression on Shin Se Kyung is not that good. I honestly thought that her acting skill is not that impressive (Personal opinion, friends ✌🏻)

I have watched her in The Bride of Habaek and I was quite disappointed. Same with The Girl Who Sees Scents. 😔

But then again, all more reason to watch this because she really showed off what she's capable of. I've come to love her here because her acting prowess was showcased beautifully! 💕👏🏻👍🏻

- Again with the villain predictability. One can say that this story has the usual sageuk villain. ✌🏻

Soundtrack:

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung OST

My personal favorite is Fall in Luv by Henry. It's the first track in the link provided above. 👆🏻👆🏻

Highly recommended for those who want to stray from conventional dramas. This one's fun and really enjoyable! You won't regret it! 💯👍🏻😊

CTTO Photos/GIFs/Music

[girlbookwrm]

Bah! Bah! Bah da-dah. Badabadabadadah bah dah dah! (<-- this is the iron man song)

THE MIGHTY ENDGAME REWATCH CONTINUES: PART THREE

(parts one and two are HERE)

The Gal Pal has joined us, so tonight we are three (@goteamwin is the Roommate and @pegasuschick is the Gal Pal.) This time we ALL pregamed with booze and cookies. 

Further note: It Has Been Years and I Still Miss The Old Marvel Logo

The Gal Pal: For a second I thought this was Lord of the Rings

THIS WAS A GAMBLE. I have to remind myself of this every time I watch this movie because this was a hhUUUUUGE gamble starring a recovering addict and directed by a nobody using technology that had been tested in Transformers, a franchise known for it’s kwality filmmaking (not u bumblebee i’m sure you’re g r e a t)

(the roommate would like it noted that they probably stipulated in RDJ’s contract that he wouldn’t be fully paid until he finished the movie because he’d flaked out on previous filming commitments for. you know. getting arrested and going to jail.)

This is a solid opening. A Super Solid Opening, in fact. Quality flashback. Actually TFA, take note. This is how you do a flashback, TFA

WELL THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY

comedy moment with the stark missile here. 

Howard Stark Mark I. (of three. Never forget. that there are three howard starks)

Oh No it’s Wrong Rhodes. Rhong Wrodes? just Wrodes?

Obadiah Stane? Really?? who thought he was a good guy??? although I love how easily he does this “getting on the stand to accept an award for Tony” thing. like he’s done it a thousand times before. because of course he has.

GOD THEY'RE ALL SO YOUNG

no da Vinci his a fair comparison, actually, given that Da Vinci apparently designed loads and loads of Very Deadly Things. 

At this juncture, the Gal Points out:

Not to be super gay here, but I would observe that the later Iron Man movies get hotter lady extras. Just a note.

she is not wrong. 

You're better than this journalist lady.

actually wait is she only sleeping with tony for the purpose of snooping?

SHIT SHE TOTALLY IS.

on the one hand DAMN PEPPER I HOPE CHRISTINE GETS MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THAT BURN but on the other hand BOO GIRL ON GIRL CRIME.

Tony your music is bad

why isn’t it the iron man song

what band is it that does the iron man song

black sabbath, said the Gal Pal and The Roommate in unison.

tony i thought you weren’t a painter how do you even know who pollack is

The perpetual question with this movie: Was the script That Good or is RDJ Just That Good?

Will We Ever Truly Know

WRONG RHODES HAS A POTATO FACE RIGHT RHODES HAS A GREMLIN FACE. YOU NEED CORRECT GREMLIN POTATO FACE PAIRING.

Things that Date This Movie:

Tony’s suits (the fabric ones)

The phones (ohhhhhhhhhh my god flip phones oh my gooooooooddddd)

the fact that the hero is a new york billionaire with his name on the side of a building and people actually like him

Wait is Obie fucking someone? NO DON'T MAKE ME THINK THAT

I hate this part NOSE NO THANK U. GROSS. GROSS. NO I DON’T LIKE IT. NO. i came here for an ACTION MOVIE not a BODY HORROR MOVIE HELP PLS

Yinsen is v well dressed. like. Yinsen is SO dapper wtf Tony looks like a bum by comparison. And his chemistry with Tony is Un. Paralleled (except by pepper.) He fucking NAILS THIS ROLE. Ho Yinsen, International treasure

sub note YINSEN’S FIRST NAME IS HO. YOU ARE ALL VERY WELCOME.

sub sub note: The Roommate spent like fifteen minutes calling him Jensen. This Seems Racist. She points out that I am being racist for thinking that. She may be right. 

the ten rings IT IS LOTR

“I don't watch Iron Man that often, it's always a surprise when I enjoy it” - The Roommate

I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T A PAINTER TONY. THOSE ARE VERY GOOD DOODLES FOR SOMEONE WITH NO ARTISTIC INCLINATIONS.

I love/hate that it’s like: Oh no this bad guy speaks English NOW WE'RE IN TROUBLE.

THAT. SEEMS. RACIST.

“Yes I would like a delivery date” says the roommate, someone very accustomed to working with clients that do not provide a coherent delivery date/schedule.

every time i see this scene i am reminded of that interview where Cevans is like: tthHHAT’S RDJ?? and then he licks his lips like the thirsty little bitch he may or may not be.

army recruitment - avengers - dick swinging contest - dumpster fire <-- this is literally the note i made for myself, i don’t know exactly how we got onto this particular sidetrack but look here’s the story:

the pentagon subsidized the early marvel movies, but then they stopped. that was a fun fact that I knew

the gal pal looked it up and it is Very Real. She was explaining to us that they STOPPED subsidizing marvel movies after the avengers because SHIELD. ‘Does the army answer to SHIELD or does SHIELD answer to the army?’

Me: SO ARE YOU TELLING ME. THAT THE ARMY. A REAL LIFE ORGANIZATION. STOPPED FUNDING MARVEL MOVIES. BECAUSE THEY GOT INTO A DICK MEASURING CONTEST WITH SHIELD AND MIGHT HAVE LOST????

yes

the answer to that question is yes

the military industrial complex is a dumpster fire.

32 minute mark and Tony has more time with yinsen than anyone else

I cannot believe it took them them THIS LONG TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. No one thought to question that glowing thing in tony’s chest, just like: Nah that seems right. That’s part of the missile building process, right? They're working. this seems fine

It's still a horror movie but now Tony is the monster 

he was always the monster

YINSEN WE HARDLY KNEW YE

Tony Tedward Stark you're literally the only person in the world who didn't know Yinsen’s family was dead. “I’ll see them when I leave here?” THEY’RE DEAD TONY. THEY’VE ALWAYS BEEN DEAD.

also: YINSEN IS AN INTERNATIONAL TREASURE

Tony, at the end of this fight scene, is A) deaf from all the bullets pinging off his suit. B) very badly burned, and C) has broken every bone in his body.

All Jameses in the MCU come with an innate Bullshit Detection Sensor. “Steve’s in trouble” “What’s that explosion? probably Tony.” JAMES POWERS ACTIVATE.

40 minutes in and this is the first time I buy Wrodes as a pal. Maybe

Tony Stark: BRING ME BURGERS. YINSEN TOLD ME NOT TO WASTE MY LIFE

oh hey phil is here!

Tony you have PTSD ---- aaaand you also have a burger stashed in your sling? that’s the best thing. THAT’S THE BEST THING.

UGH GOD OBIE’S ON A SEGWAY GROSSSSS (as if we didn’t already know that he was evil just from his NAME)

The Gal Pal, re Tony vs his PTSD: of course he builds himself a suit of armor. we're lucky he didn't end up in a gimp suit.

me, internally: bold of you to assume he doesn’t.

I refuse to even imagine this movie with Tom Cruise it would be so Wrong. (For those who don’t know, the studio really wanted Tom Cruise  to play Tony, Jon Favreau really went to bat for RDJ against the studio, you know. on account of the whole. addiction getting arrested thing.)

TONY THIS IS A LABORATORY, WE WEAR OUR SHOES AND BUTTON OUR SHIRTS.

Mad money really dates this too. Add that to the list of things that date this.

Tony: Pepper you’ve got small hands, right? get down here.

 Now is the perfect time to remind you all that comics tony has canonically been pegged by Gamora.

You Are Welcome

A) pepper is great. B) Tony is definitely not really going into cardiac arrest. C) I’m remembering that they were my first Marvel OTP and I love them.

Re: Rhodey and the whole “Manned vs unmanned flight” and Tony coming in like “What about just the pilot with no plane” or whatever QUICK QUESTION ASKING FOR A FRIEND WHEN DOES THE FALCON PROGRAM HAPPEN

RDJ and his big sad brown cow eyes. 

The Roommate: I know I wasn’t into it at the time, because I was a youth and he’s like forty and I was like “No, he is Not For Me.”

Me: PAST YOU WAS A MORON.

The Roommate: Yeah i know that NOW.

Tony built his own keyboard that's so extra

Yikes generic ten rings bad guy you should put a bandage on that

ROBOT ABUSE, but also, can we talk about how much I love DUM-E, U, and also this entire sequence?

U is getting real fancy with the camera zooms

At this point we got into a discussion of whether the arc reactor gives Tony powers:

Me: Please. He’s a glorified normie. He’s the Batman of the Marvel Universe.

The Roommate: Yeah! He’s the Batman of marvel with out the...

Me: The what exactly? 

The Roommate: The dead... no his parents are... the car-- no he’s got lots of fancy-- The pearls. He’s the Batman of Marvel without the pearls.

now we have to wait until Civil War to see if Maria Stark is wearing pearls when she dies.

PIZZA. Obie is like the stepdad with that pizza. “I’m taking the pizza back. Nah go on take a slice.” G R O S S

Paul Bettany! You're better as a disembodied voice. 

The Roommate: I do not care for your purple robot form. I know Wanda does but--

Me: Listen. We’ve all made mistakes and bought an unreasonably large purple dildo

The Gal Pal: And we’ve all gotten attached to non-human characters. 

The Roommate: Like the fox from Robin Hood!

The Gal Pal: Exactly. And hey, maybe he just keeps going, you know? like the energizer Bunny.

Me, Upset: NONONONONONONO

The Roommate: now hang on a minute that’s interesting.

Tony, i feel like you didn't think though. But seriously, what is this scene? Why is there a Ferris wheel? Are those the director's kids?

YOU’RE DOING GREAT, DUM-E.

Tony, quick question, did you cut holes in all your tee-shirts? Why? There’s no need for it? It’s Literally? Just for the dramatic effect? Tony?? WHy??? ARe YoU LIke THiS????

they are literally titty windows

these shirts are probably very expensive

sToP

oooo the bad guy (side note, put on a bandaid my guy. get some neosporin or something) has the iron man 1.0 suit and waaaIT A SECOND ARE THERE BULLET HOLES IN THE CROTCH ARMOR??? DID THEY SHOOT TONY IN THE CROTCH?

First of all, Jarvis is a treasure, I’m sad they ever got rid of him, second of all I love that Tony can just show up unannounced at a Very Important Party and no one questions it, third of all:

Poooterrrrrr

Oh hey Phil is here!!

Oh Pep. You are so on top of things, you basically run SI, you know your fear about the deoderant is just paranoia. You applied twice and you have an extra one in your purse and you’re wearing perfume. You smell like roses and victory.

O! T! P!

Christine, why do you have these photos where have you been keeping them why don’t you just pull them up on your phoneOHHHH RIGHT THIS IS THE PAST THERE ARE NO SMART PHONES YET FFGHSSJJSJSDKDKD I FEEL OLD.

Tony is standing on a higher step than Obie for this. The Smolest Avenger.

This is the first full iron Man moment but all I can think is:

Toe socks Tony? really?

~Cool guys don't look at explosions~

SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO TELL MARVEL THAT MORE VILLAINS =/= BETTER VILLAINS.

Rhodes sees the boom on the screen and is like but… Tony is here. in the US. I know he's here. I'm 99% sure. 98%. (explosion #2) I’m 95% sure. (by explosion #5) I’m 42% sure that Tony is in the US.

Definitely the worse thing that Pepper saw was him cutting titty windows in his tee shirts

MARVEL! MORE VILLAINS ARE NOT BETTER VILLAINS!!

beeteedubs We All Hate the way Obie says “data” and “manufacturing.” Dah-tuh. Man-uh-fact-ering. U G H.

YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND PEPPER I HAVE A NEW JOB NOW AND IT'S SAAAAVING THE PLANET

every movie ever: Is this hacking? Is this how hacking works?

Obie’s frankenstein vein and the way he slllluuuuurrrrps his whiskey. GROSS.

Oh Hey Phil Is Here!!!

What other applications?

WAIT WHAT OTHER APPLICATIONS ARE THERE FOR SHORT TERM PARALYSIS?

NO DON’T TELL ME I DON’T WANT TO KNOW

Hhhhhhow does Obie already have a specially designed arc reactor extractor?

TONY WHY DON’T YOU GET ON THE SCOOTER INSTEAD OF SHOVING IT AWAY? WOULDN’T YOU GO FASTER?

DUM-E IS A TREASURE

Re Pepper:

The Roommate: Pepper’s superpower is calling the right authorities and making sure the right people get arrested.

Me: so what I’m hearing is that Pepper’s superpower is being a responsible adult???

This Seems Accurate.

“Anything else I can do?” says Terrence Howard. “yeah, you can turn into don cheedle” say we all.

Where's the water in this creepy underground lair. Whyyyyyy are there water light effects? WHERE? IS? THE WATER???

OMG look at that cgi wowwwww he’s just coming up through the concrete and it is Definitely CGI.

dear obadiah stane: YOU DO NOT FIRE PEPPER POTS SHE IS ESSENTIAL. IF YOU FIRE PEPPER POTTS YOUR COMPANY COLLAPSES LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY.

Hey Obie. Did you put the Batman voice modulator in yourself orrrr... 

Holy Cow Digital Hand is Very Digital.

HANG ON ISN'T THIS EXACTLY WHAT ANT MAN DOES TO TONY IN CIVIL WAR???

Blow the reactor, he says. JUST DO IT, he says.

The Gal Pal: Shhhh you can hear Howard Stark rolling over in his grave

oh hey Zuul is coming

OH HEY PHIL IS HERE!!!!

The roommate: THAT'S NOT TRUE SMALL AIRCRAFT ARE VERY SAFE

WAIT WAS CAPTAIN MARVEL PHIL’S FIRST RODEO? *need to see Captain Marvel Intensifies*

“Girlfriend who worries about me” Tony says. It's Rhodes. Right? I mean. He already has a girlfriend who worries about him. It’s Colonel Rhodes. 

tony is so bad at lying

which is cute and all but FORREALS do you remember seeing this movie for the first time? whether you like Iron Man or not, whether you like MARVEL or not, this is fucking cinematic history happening here. this is the first franchise of its kind, it opened the door for so many others and it is so weird to remember that.

BAH! BAH! BAH DA-DUH. BADABADABADADAH! BAH DAH DAH!!

we have spent literally the entire movie waiting for this song to play

wow Jarvis u ok

THERE HE IS. Lookit him. with his eyepatch. he’s Seen Things. he’s Done Stuff. him and phil. geeze.

Me: I really wish I had just seen Captain Marvel 

The Gal Pal: I feel like that every morning

i mean i don’t want to harp on this given that we’ve already moved on from the incorrect hulk but WHY WOULD TONY STARK BE RECRUITING ROSS?????

[thezodiaczone]

June Forecast for Aries

Spread your wings, Aries. The Sun is flitting through Gemini and your social third house until June 21, putting you in communicative and convivial spirits. Synergies will appear at every turn, and you won’t have to go far to find them. The third house rules local activity, and with the energizing Sun here, RSVP “yes” to barbecues, casual hangouts and industry Happy Hour events. It’s the best time of year to meet like-minded people whose skills complement your own.

Who knows? You might team up on a trial project to test your chemistry, especially around the June 13 Gemini new moon. This is an excellent day for brainstorming, creative work (especially if it involves writing, media or teaching) or pitching one of your dynamic ideas. Put the word out! Through mutual friends and colleagues, you could meet the coding genius who can build your e-commerce concept store or the dream DJ who will spin at your neighborhood cleanup fundraiser.

Has rivalry riddled a relationship? Your bond with a sibling or close friend could also turn over a new leaf at the Gemini new moon, which presents an opportunity to heal any rifts. With la luna in your communication center, you’ll have to talk this one through—and patiently. Try the Imago dialogue technique, a four-step exercise in which one person speaks uninterrupted, then the other mirrors the message back (“What I HEAR you saying is…”) until you both feel thoroughly heard and validated. It’s amazingly effective, and one that we (as twins and business partners) employ often.

Intentions planted at the Gemini new moon will unfold in the coming six months. Send out pitches, proposals, budding ideas. Reach out to an influencer or a person you admire with a DM on social media or by contacting them through more formal channels. Ask a mutual friend to introduce you or spread the good karma yourself by playing superconnector and hooking up two people you think would be compatible. Just get their permission before you go surprising them with a “Meet each other!” email or group text; make sure everyone is briefed ahead of time.

Father’s Day is on June 17, and if you’re celebrating, try to keep it fun with minimal drama. The moon is in Leo this year, so an over-the-top gesture might actually work. We’re not talking about anything flashy and bank-breaking (unless that’s how Daddio rolls)—more like meaningful and heartfelt acts that speak to a cherished memory between you and your favorite father figure(s). A video montage, an autographed artifact from a favorite artist or athlete, even a handwritten card expressing your gratitude could get your dudes misty-eyed this year.

If you gather with loved ones, leave the disruptive divas OFF the guest list. Peaceful Venus is forming a close opposition to combative Mars, dialing up the tension. Those attention-seeker types could be hellbent on making Dad’s special day all about them.

The rest of the month takes a different tone as Neptune and Mars turn retrograde, bringing the total retrograde planet count to five by the end of June. (Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto are already in their slowed-down cycles.) The mood gets a bit more somber and sensitive, especially once the Sun starts a four-week voyage through watery Cancer on June 21.

Cancer rules your fourth house of home and family, making this your annual time to dial down the ambitions and reconnect with your roots. Slow down, spend more time with your clan or let your lesser-seen domestic side have a few weeks to play. Creativity is heightened now because you’re so emotionally receptive, making Cancer season ideal for working through any complex feelings. You might find catharsis through reading novels, DIY and art projects, decorating or cooking—or in some way turning your nest into a sanctuary. Women will play a prominent role now, and you’ll crave quality time with the nurturing people in your circle. Your own “maternal” side could make a strong showing now too.

As for those retrograde planets, foggy and imaginative Neptune is the first to start its backspin on June 18. Neptune will reverse through Pisces and your twelfth house of closure and healing until November 24, a transit that happens around the same dates each year. Neptune rules compassion and creativity, but it also reveals where we can be gullible and easily deceived. With the fog thinning, you may actually see MORE clearly now, making the summer ideal for ascertaining who’s a trustworthy member of Team Aries.

Use this cycle to do forgiveness work, heal from a heartbreak or mourn a loss that you haven’t wanted to deal with. Neptune retrograde can be a numbing agent—kind of like when the painkillers kick in after surgery. But rather than check out or go into denial, be brave and delve into places that were too tender before.

On June 26, your ruling planet Mars—the arbiter of ambition and assertiveness—turns retrograde until August 27. Mars makes this U-turn every two years, and this time it will largely backtrack through Aquarius and your eleventh house of teamwork and technology. A digital or collaborative venture could hit a pothole, or you may have to navigate some in-fighting with a group (whether at work or socially).

It’s a good time to develop projects behind the scenes and to work out the kinks—then go full-force in the fall with your big debut. Impatient Mars wants everything yesterday, but you’ll have to grit your teeth and wait it out. With Mars retrograde, some of the people involved in your endeavors could be maddeningly out-of-sync, yet you won’t be able to bypass them or just do it all yourself. Set aside that Aries urge to seize the wheel and take over dictator-style. That will only burn bridges and tarnish your reputation for the long haul.

A sobering moment could arrive on June 27, when the confident Sun forms its annual opposition to cautious and constricting Saturn. With the Sun in Cancer and your emotional center head-butting Saturn in your career sector, you could have a moment of doubt that shakes you to the core. Perhaps you open your heart or share an idea that you’re all lit up about only to be met with a chilly reception from someone you hoped to impress. A creative idea could seem to be blocked by bureaucracy, and in frustration, you may consider abandoning the project.

With the Sun and Saturn in your “parent houses,” some mommy and daddy issues could surge up—hello, repetition of a childhood wound! Remind yourself NOT to take it personally, hard as that will be. This is a short-term transit, and the pessimism it brings WILL pass. If you’re thinking of pitching an idea, you might want to choose another date—or at least know that you might not hit a home run on your first at-bat. Come prepared with facts and figures, not just enthusiasm, and know that you may have to wait for a decision.

Luckily, some of this will be offset by the Capricorn full moon the next day, on June 28. This once-a-year lunar lift will land in your tenth house of public recognition, career and success. Saturn’s strain will still be felt since the moon and the ringed planet are in close cahoots. A potential upside: You could land a leadership opportunity or a job that comes with greater responsibility and long-term benefits. The catch is that it could be a weighty role that will demand a LOT of your time and energy if you step into it.

The tenth house rules men and fathers, and this full moon could bring a sobering moment with an important guy in your life. You may need to summon serious maturity and do some “adulting.” It’s an excellent day for clarifying your boundaries and priorities. Working with a mentor or leaning on a wise and experienced guide can help you navigate anything that feels daunting now.

Love & Romance

Thanks to amorous Venus parked in Cancer and your sentimental fourth house until June 13, you’ll be in high spirits—and fine flirting form! The first couple days of the month are especially heart-opening. On June 1, the love planet forms a flowing trine with optimistic Jupiter in your eighth house of merging, and the next day, she fist-bumps enchantress Neptune in your twelfth house of fantasy and surrender. You might reach the conclusion that being in control is overrated—at least for now, under these receptive skies. From mind-body-soul connections to mind-blowing intimacy, you’ll be tingling right down to your marrow.

But don’t give away ALL your power! You may have second thoughts about someone or something on June 5, when Venus spins into her annual, one-day opposition to domineering Pluto in your tenth house of boundaries. Don’t let the wall go back up!

Meantime, lusty Mars is touring Aquarius and your social eleventh house all month, turning retrograde on June 26 until August 27. Not all your friends will be supportive of your relationship or dating choices, so be selective about whom you share juicy deets with.

On June 13, Venus cranks up the action when she vamps into dramatic Leo and your flamboyant fifth house. Regardless of your relationship status, this is sure to heat up your romantic life as well as the glamour quotient. Venus will stick around until July 9, so get some fun plans on the books, ideally things that include serious playtime and maybe some music festivals, since this realm rules creativity and the arts.

But note: There will likely be a few choppy moments along the way as Venus collides with less lighthearted planets. On June 14, the love planet faces off with unruly Uranus in Taurus, bringing up the issue of stability and security versus freedom. On June 21, Venus opposes Mars, adding to the tension. And then on June 25, Venus will clash with expansive Jupiter, which could leave you questioning someone’s integrity. Navigate your way through this obstacle course and you’ll come out with a clearer idea of where you stand.

Key Dates

June 5: Venus-Pluto Opposition Your emotions may go on an extreme seesaw ride today. Part of you wants to connect on a deeper level, yet old buried fears—of abandonment or vulnerability—could form a wall around your heart. Feel your way through this; you don’t want to project YOUR issues onto loved ones.

Money & Career

Teamwork makes the steam AND the dream work this month, as fiery Mars continues racing through Aquarius and your eleventh house of group endeavors and technology. A collaboration or online project that began heating up in May could gain even more momentum as June rolls along. Your influencer status is on the rise, and the public may embrace your cutting-edge ideas. With clever Mercury in Gemini and your articulate third house until June 12, you’ll be wit and charm personified, whether in a morning meeting or as a social media feed favorite. The June 13 Gemini new moon is especially favorable for putting your concepts out into the world, signing up for a class or teaming up with a kindred-spirit type.

That could come to a halt—or at least downshift noticeably—starting June 26, when Mars starts its once-every-other-year retrograde backspin until August 27. The red planet will reverse through Aquarius and your future-forward eleventh house until August 12, then it will crawl backward through Capricorn and your career sector until it turns direct (forward).

A summer slowdown doesn’t sound like what you had in mind, Aries, and there could be some frustrating obstacles to navigate, especially when other people are involved. Your first impulse might be to lean in to your independent side and break from the herd. But taking a rash “I’ll just do it myself” stance will not only burn YOU out, it could burn bridges and earn you a rep as a reckless renegade who doesn’t know how to be a team player.

As a straightforward Aries, you really don’t “do politics,” but learning to play the game could turn out to be an invaluable lesson from your retrograde ruler. Rather than damage key relationships during Mars’ retrograde, work on team-building and strengthen any weak links in the chain. Retrogrades are a perfect time for reflection, repair and rethinking. Use the time to course-correct so you’ll be ready for a big splash in September. With Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and Neptune all retrograde by the end of June, making careful and well-planned moves is in your best interest.

On the flip side, if you’re the kind of Aries who teems with brilliant ideas that you never give voice to, Mars retrograde is a time to move past those insecurities and start sharing openly. When the year’s only Capricorn full moon illuminates your tenth house of ambition and success on June 28, you could rise into a leadership role or finally make a long-desired career change. Since full moons can signify transitions, you might change paths or leave a role that no longer satisfies your soul.

Key Dates

June 27: Sun-Saturn Opposition Sure, it would be nice to have it all, but this once-a-year cosmic clash of the dynamic Sun and cautious Saturn brings a needed reality check. You can load up your schedule as much as you like, but that doesn’t mean you’ll actually get to enjoy any of it. Choose quality over quantity. Less can definitely be more!

Love Days: 17, 21 Money Days: 11, 29 Luck Days: 8, 26 Off Days: 19, 23, 6

[nevospitanniy]

Rambly Teen Wolf/Big Wolf On Campus meta

Preface this by saying I didn’t expect to actually get into TW. This show kicked me in the teeth, balls and every organ I do and do not possess. If I’m going to be any degree of helpful, I need some structure up in here. Fair warning, it’s just like my opinion man.

1. Characters

Tommy is Scott. A werewolf with a heart of gold that cares deeply about people around him. It’s explored much more in depth with TW, duh - they had more seasons, more money and a higher age rating, using more drama and angst. But the outline is definitely there: they are both introduced to the fantastic world of lycanthropy by their extremely knowledgeable and helpful buddies (Merton/Stiles respectively), can be shitty to their best friends (Tommy throwing Merton under the bus to save his popularity/Scott abandoning Stiles for Allison multiple times), take on the role of the designated savior of the town from supernatural threats, prefer non-lethal methods, are Alphas (Tommy’s status could be contested, I guess, but the show never put an actual emphasis on pack dynamics, probably they thought it was too odd of a concept to start explaining because then you have to get to the whole omega part and that is c o m p l i c a t e d), fight organized evil!werewolves, had two main love interests, none of which held up (yeah, weaksauce, but I thought I’d still put it out there), kinda subpar in academics but good athletes. Scott gets so much more actual character development it’s not even funny, while Tommy just sort of meanders in what he has and gets dumbed down a lot for seasons 2/3.

Merton is Stiles, no shit. A nerd best friend, a friend in need more importantly, a loyal (mostly) spastic (very) companion. Dynamic between sciles and tommerton (platonically) is quite different because of how their backstories differ - after all, Scott and Stiles have known each other since forever, while Tommy pays attention to Merton only after being bitten, when they become friends almost out of necessity. But there is no denying that all four of them, in their respective duos, are joined at the hip, oftentimes with an inclusion of a girl to break up their awesome bromance (Allison/Lori and Stacy). Merton/Stiles go unappreciated for their efforts a lot, especially if you consider they are human and yet get into the same exact shit as fast and durable werewolves, surviving by wits, last ditch effort loyalty change (Merton) or a fear override (Stiles) and saving the day half of the time because they actually do research. Both seem to have a penchant for magic (unsubtly implied but never expanded upon for Stiles), both are comedic reliefs, even if in slightly different ways as commanded by the genre, both are excellent students, both are mostly unsuccessful with women and ambiguously bi/pan/omni, if you consider the technically non-human options. Complicated family relationships. Both have abandonment/commitment issues, both room (jury is still out there for sciles because of 6b) with their best friends in college. As for notable differences, Stiles undergoes a massive character transformation, a monumental shift, I’d say - not exactly doing a 180, but inching closer than any other character to actual plot relevant growth, and not for better, which is a rarity. Merton’s personality also changes for the worse, but it’s a result of clumsy writing and forced female presence in the shows plot as a romantic crutch. It would be interesting if fan meta on Merton’s less ehh flattering moments was expanded upon and explained in the series; what I wouldn’t give for an actual quality heart to heart between Tommy and Merton Ike every show nowadays seems to have in abundance, where they call each other out on their issues.

Women are more complicated. There are no exact parallels, barring the very basic archetypes, which would do no justice to any of the four, namely Allison and Lydia for TW and Lori and Stacy for BWOC. But yes, Allison is close to Lori - a fighter, someone who can take it and dish it out. Problem with Lydia/Stacy comparison is that it breaks down as soon as Lydia gets a sliver of character development, because at first, her queen bee status definitely resonated with Stacy, but while she was put on a bus without any real involvement in the show’s plot, Lydia becomes downright plot essential.

2. Writing

BWOC had an incredible season 1, with select episodes of season 2 being very good and, well, we don’t talk about season 3. Point being, even with the constraints of a cheap Canadian show for kids it managed some genuine brilliance, I’m sure in a big way thanks to the chemistry between cast members (specifically the two of consequence). Monster Of The Week format certainly seemed to work well for them, and I will forever mourn the loss of all the potential arcs and plot twists that never saw the light of day. TW had the privilege of, despite a mediocre display in season 1, becoming popular enough to spawn 5 more seasons, and I think they definitely had very strong moments, most of them carried on the back of Dylan O'Brien, like void!Stiles, relationship between him and his dad, and yes, his relationship with Derek, which turned out to be largely inconsequential to the plot (writers queerbaited the f u c k out of its audience and then just did nothing of worth with the pairing, BUT THATS HARDLY RELEVANT). I don’t know whether Peter Knight is just that good or the innocent nature of BWOC lends itself to less complicated plots and finished stories, but most BW episodes were microcosms, closed systems that had little bearing on any overarching storylines. They provided closure, well-defined villains and good guys, which is a very appealing quality, if a touch simplistic. I admit, I would’ve liked to see something with more “depth” and conflict, but the restrictions of the channel/network/rating are nothing to sneeze at. TW on the other hand ties almost every episode into another, weaving a continuous storyline. Personally, I think they should’ve done more one off episodes to break up the monotony of waiting for action set pieces. You need some hella witty dialogue to keep people watching while fuck all is happening and they sort of failed at that (again, Stiles carried most of the comedy). Almost everyone in BWOC is uniquely likable; TW has a much bigger cast so they definitely had ups and down as far as character writing was concerned.

Main problem with this whole disjointed comparison is how you can’t compare things that aren’t on the same level. It’s not a dig at quality or anything, but TW had 6 seasons and a huge budget, while BW barely got 3. TW and BWOC kinda started in a similar vein, but boy do they differ. That being said, I have an inkling that BW may have ended up looking a lot like TW in different circumstances - if it was made at a later date, on another channel, with a different rating/audience in mind. But then again, a lot of good things BW is liked for are a direct result of these aforementioned “hurdles” - all the double entendres would never fly for a tv-14 rated show, its generally cheerful and uplifting tone was probably required by the network and being a child of the 90s it carried a lot of charm that would be borderline impossible to fabricate now if they wanted to keep the ~aesthetic. So I can only compare real TW with hypothetical BWOC that got a bigger budget and more screentime. But doing that makes NO SENSE, so imma just finish with some general thoughts about the direction show might’ve gone.

I genuinely think that in different circumstances, Merton could’ve had a wonderfully dark character development. He’s a non-violent character, but does have this morbid curiosity that could’ve put him eventually in a position to cause grievous bodily harm to someone. He seems to get off on power play (both having power over someone and surrendering it), and that’s a slippery slope for an emotionally tender and damaged character. Tommy is his rock in a number of ways, his human connection outlet, a more teen oriented show would, of course, use his ‘scars’ to carry the narrative of overcoming tragedy. Merton does the same for Tommy, being his emotional support, because how liberating it must be to not hide his werewolf side and he could do it literally with 1 (one) person before Lori came into focus. Queerbait aside, their relationship was great, a deep involved friendship, and with Tommy being so resistant to evilness and Merton being so easily corruptible, they could’ve played off this contrast in a way more interesting than what we saw in s3.  

I also would’ve loved to see some female characters that aren’t barely two-dimensional; Stacy was, in one word, confused - we know very little of her actual personality, aside from her feminism rhetoric and an allergy to committed relationships. Lori was ‘the action girl’, and she got a slightly bigger piece of pie, but still not nearly enough. Fuck, I don’t even know if the show passes a Bechdel test. TW showed us actual fleshed out female friendships that weren’t toxic or competitive, would’ve been nice to see something of the sort in BWOC.

[pldubrahs]

anyway, this has been a While coming and now im back in new orleans so LOTS OF GUSHING ABOUT THE LIGHTNING THIEF MUSICAL, UNDER THE CUT

the ambiance of the theater, dim and filled with soft storm sounds

this show does really beautiful things with overlapping singing and w harmonys and its So low budget but still so good and the cast is small but amazing and literally everyone but chris is cast into several roles and its just amazing

if u dont wanna read this whole thing, just scroll down to the end for a Special Surprise

ACT 1

the Bitter, Angry, Sad music, ltm is truly the Emo Rock Musical we deserve

i seriously almost fell out of my chair when chris mccarrell came out. he honest to god was SUCH a good percy, so fidgety and all his expressions were ON POINT

“CHROOONOOOOOOOS”

ms dodds in General she was hilarious for the literal 3 minutes she was onstage

the pen to sword transformation is literally just: chris hides the pen and grabs the sword from somewhere else onstage. during my show, in the ms dodds fight scene, the sword was on the back of chirons wheelchair and it got stuck so he had to trip after the chair as chiron wheeled off and TUG it off to fight

DID I MENTION HOW MUCH I LOVED CHRIS MCCARRELL AND HOW AMAZING HIS VOICE WAS? BECAUSE I DO AND IT W A S

sally is a BLACK WOMAN 

just in general, this show was Amazing at raceblind casting

sally sprayed febreeze after smelly gabe, like he leaned to look in the fridge and she stood behind him spraying febreeze directly at him for like 30 seconds

“he was handsome and strong and before too long- you came!” percy was roasting marshmallows and looking out towards the audience and sally was rubbing up and down the sides of her body during this before “you came!” and it was v funny

Strong in general was Great bc WOW IM LOVE THE “NORMALCY IS A SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED MYTH” MESSAGE

grover and percy meeting outside camp

“oh look a goat” “percy!”

“he met a furie” “youre all furry! what happened to your legs”

the v cute friendship bickering, overlapping voices thing that percy and grover v often did. this was the grover and percy friendship that we always needed

during the weird dream when he sees annabeth and hes like “gee whiz shes the most beautiful girl ive ever seen”

and then when he officially meets her after hes not out of it, he says “youre my dream girl!” and then backpedals and its great

ANOTHER TERRIBLE DAY. DEFFS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE SONGS. MR D IN GENERAL WAS JUST AMAZING, GEORGE SALAZAR ROCKED IT

he kicked the chair over so much and then there was a part after his camp halfblood intern thing left so his chair didnt get reset behind him and so he kicked into the air, got frustrated, and put the chair up himself

“of course, who am i to give relationship advice, im literally the god of alcohol”

“you can hate it here, but i HATED IT FIRST”

so so so many Soft sex jokes and bc im a Child i loved them 

chiron is just a guy galloping with a horse tail its the cutest thing and everyone laughed bc like imagine a kid galloping w their legs high and w/e, but on an adult and slow motion

“you’ll get used to mr d. he can be a bit... well, he hates children”

luke was Very attractive and ALSO he had a lot of chemistry w percy and w annabeth and i, who remembered shipping percy and luke back in my Youth, was Living

annabeth deffs had a crush on luke dont @ me

also luke was Softly bitter. like he sounded like a modern kid, bitter and upset but saying it in a joking way; totally makes sense that no one suspects that he’d do anything w chronos bc all the kids are upset and he doesnt get dark until the very end of the show

“are you ever going to wear pants again?” “Nope!”

luke: “havent you ever played capture the flag?” percy, excitedly: “not with swords!” *makes swooshy lightsaber noises* annabeth, suffering, full of regret: “It’s not a lightsaber.”

“sexist much?” “no, i love girls” [muffled luke and grover cackling in the background]

CLARISSE, LOVE OF MY LIFE! her song was so so good

im sure everyone has mentioned this but the LEAF BLOWERS BLOWING TOILET PAPER TO REPRESENT WATER LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE

the campfire song

percys Soft concern for annabeths story about running away “wait is that true”

grover starting to cry during his part

“my father is chronos.... remember my lecture, he ate his children””....... chiron wins”

APHRODITE'S DAUGHTER’S STORY “godess of love, my moms aphrodite... i bring home a boy and shes there in her nightie! oh nooooo” “she steals my mascara and all of my dates!” wonderful

percy sings nicely about his mother and everyones like “hes doing it wrong”

“we dont care where our parents may be, as long as you are here with me!” FRIENDSHIP MAKES ME EMO

“havent you noticed that there arent any other little sea godlings running around? any sons of hades or daughters of zeus? the big three gods arent supposed to have kids!” i loved this tiny easter egg i love my big three kids

“look at the boy, hes clearly not a thief!” “oh, yeah no yeah yeah yeah no no yeah yeah no yeah no, youre right! you cant fake being that stupid unless youre a brilliant actor, but im also the god of drama, so i can tell you HES NOT”

“his lightning?” “yeah, we're not talking some crummy tin foil zig zag from some off broadway play!”

GOOD KID IS EVEN BETTER LIVE THAN IT WAS ON THE RECORDING IT RUINED MY LIFE

Killer Quest! is an amazing end of act song and v upbeat and cute

“so where is the underworld actually” “look for doa records” “its a record company? actually, im not surprised”

ACT 2

WE’RE LOST IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE IN NEW JERSEY AND WE’RE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT TO LA

“half bloods to monsters smell like mickey ds, like tacos or take out vietnamese”

“dude are you talking to the squirrel?” “satyr powers, be nice. this squirrel knows every corner of the woods, maybe he can help us” “really? because i think that seems kind of nuts” [silence] “you hurt his feelings. tell the squirrel youre sorry.”

medusa in general, what a Good scene

ensemble members shaking maracas to make snake noises for her

medusa cant say “nemesis”

“ive done everything to prove to the gods that im the best and you- i mean, you dont even know how to hold a sword” “yes i do!, yes... i do...” “no, hands here *adjusts percys grip*” “i didnt ask for any of this: gods, monsters, quests- oh, wow, that is a lot easier”

my grand plan is the most annabeth chase song ever and i love it its such a good look into her character and i love her so much

“when boys mess up they always get another chance”

“cause most girl never win if theyre polite”

THE COMMENTARY ON HOW WOMEN HAVE TO BE IN TODAYS SOCIETY IN ORDER TO BE TAKE SERIOUSLY HELL YEAH

“the gods will think we’re impertinent” “we are impertinent”

the squirrel gave them three amtrak tickets

DRIVE IS A COUNTRY SONG AND I FUCKING LOVE IT IM HONESTLY SHOOK

i hate country except for this One Song

ITS ONE FOOT FORWARD AT A TIME; DUST OFF ALL THAT GRIT AND GRIME; WE STILL GOT A LOT LEFT TO DOOOO, CAUSE PEOPLE ARE COUNTIN ON US AND IM COUNTIN ON YOU! DRIIIIIIIIVE JUST DRIIIIiiiiiiiiIIIIIIVE STAY AHEAD STAY AHEAD STAY ALIIIIIIIVE

“is that chihuahua?” “its a chimera!”

“maybe if you hadnt brought all those dam snacks” “uh it was the hoover dam and i was hungry!”

ares drives them to las vegas and when they get there he says “this is where i... get off” and its HILARIOUS i love lowkey sex jokes

gentle easter egg to bianca and nico re: may 1st 1939

“the oracle can can it ill save my mom and savE THE PLANET!” im love percy so much

tREE ON THE HILL IS ABOUT THALIA AND IT MADE ME CRY GOD WHAT A GOOD SONG and grover feels like a failure and annabeth is like “no u saved my life ur a good friend and a good guardian <3 friendship”

THE FERRYMAN TO THE UNDERWORLD FLIRTS WITH GROVER

“you wanna hear my demo?” “uh-” [loud music plays] “im sorry i couldnt hear you over this SWEET ASS RIFF”

YOURE IN THE D.O.A. AND YOURE HERE TO STAY YEAH YOURE STUCK FOREVER NEVER GET AWAY NO HOPE FOR SURVIVAL YOURE DEAD ON ARRIVAL

“oh! do you have any josh groban?” “we will.” I CACKLED

DJ CEBERUS W A COOL 3-HEADED DEADMAU5 ESQUE MASK

the ferryman also attacks them all like “youre not gonna save the planet, you wont protect your friends, you wont be remembered”

everyone says this but “i think this pit is tartarus” “LIKE THE FISH SAUCE?”

“why would chronus want my shoes?” “they were really cool shoes”

bitter, sad hades who just wants people to stop thinking that hes the bad guy and for his brothers to come visit him

“one does not simply walk out of the underworld”

W H A T  B E L O N G S  T O  T H E  S E A  C A N  A L W A Y S  R E T U R N

small reprise of good kid as he considers hades offer and then the melody cHANGES and percy realizes that the seashell, a gift from a god, can SAVE THEM and its beautiful because SON OF POSEIDON IS A GOOD SONG

“maybe my dad was a screwup too, his best laid plans always falling through... maybe he never knew how to care but hey, thats life, and life aint fair... but i think my dad mayve thrown me a line, and better late than never, ill finally get a sign!”

its a good song kids

the kids get to the oceans and they FIGHT ARES and ares and percy are both singing, percy singing The Son Of Poseidon chorus and ares singing Put You In Your Place and its b e a u t i f u l

THE TOILET PAPER THROW- basically they bring in like 6 leafblowers w toilet paper rolls attached and the first five rows get covered in toilet paper. as someone who was in the fifth row, it was amazing

poseidon comes in, they have a Heart To Heart, he brings sally back to life, he flirts with sally, its hilarious and awkward

“the gods are unfair but we’re not total dicks”

percys like “you dont have to stay w gabe anymore” and sallys like “smh boy u cant solve all my problems. you saved my life, now i have to figure out how to live it”

he gives her medusas head

“what is this” “its a... do it yourself scupture kit” “oh! *begins to open it*” “no no no its, um, medusas head”

“well, as my official protector, you can officially escort us back to camp” “and youre conscience this time!”

chiron is also cast as poseidon so like he runs into the camp scene after a quick change and says “i hoofed it here as quick as i could!” 

last day of summer happens and w/e its cute but whAT REALLY MATTERS IS LUKES BETRAYAL: okay so the music slows and goes into the minor key and percys like “we still dont know whos working w chronos :/” lukes like “yeah it sucks” and he starts singing about how he doesnt trust the gods and how the gods hate them and how they need to take over the world and put the gods in their place--he and percy do their handshake fist-to-the-chest thing and luke is serious and percy does it but hes v confused and it Hurts. this is the first time in the show that luke sounds just Bitter and Angry instead of jokingly deprecating and its quite the effect

THE DARK GOOD KID REPRISE 

“ill do anything, i dont care if i hurt anyone, it doesnt pay to be a good kid, a good kid, a good son" GOD IT HURTS luke has so much pain and i feel so bad for him like yeah hes evil but,,, hes had a hard life

annabeth comes in and DISARMS LUKE but PSYCH luke has a small switchblade and STABS PERCY IN THE BACK (bc they cant use scorpions onstage)

percybeth moment interrupted by clarisse’s loud coughing and grover

percys like “we cant just sit here and wait for our parents to fix things.”

“the gods will say we’re impertinent” “we are impertinent” goddamn that symmetry

“are we ever gonna once have it easy?” my poor poor kids

percy- “feeling ready” annabeth- “feeling stoked” grover- “feeling queasy”

THE SEA DOESNT LIKE TO BE RESTRAINED

bring on the monsters is just a Good song

also hey if you got to the end of this, congrats! i have a ltm audio and either in a message or in an off-anon ask and ill hook u up