#and utilized in very different ways than them so it was never really a Thing in the first place

[arundolyn]

i don't really know how to articulate this super clearly but i really appreciate that like. kuon conceptually with the 8 floaty swords behind him could very easily have turned out like a murakumo knockoff and im impressed by how visually and stylistically distinct he is. its really nice

[emotionalmessss]

hope you’re well ♥️ may i request a headcanon where yan!chrollo’s partner escaped but when he confronts them (or however you write it-it’s up to you!) they are really remorseful like “i knew i shouldn’t have left” on their own volition? thank you! ♥️

A/N: ouu, I really like this idea. I can never say no to Yan!Chrollo lol. I’d be more than happy to answer, and I’ll try my best! Thank you for the request, enjoy! :) (this ended up much longer than I expected)

Warnings: yandere themes, unhealthy/forced relationship, stalking, implied kidnapping, kinda implied non-con, psychological abuse, hardcore manipulation. chrollo is a dick.

Chrollo is no saint, but he definitely has the patience of one–though only to a certain extent. With you, however, he seems to have all the fucking patience in the world. Because of Chrollo’s emotionally complex nature, I kind of feel like it’s difficult for him to form emotional attachments, especially with those outside the Troupe. Connections have never really been a priority for Chrollo, nor do they come easily to him. But, with you, it’s different. You’ve always stood out, and his relationship with you is something that he treasures deeply. In his own twisted way.

Ever since Chrollo first laid eyes on you, he’s been utterly fascinated–a reaction that probably confused him at first, considering his interests usually only involve the wellbeing of the Troupe, books, and stealing valuable objects and Nen abilities. Chrollo has utilized all his available resources to gather as much information about you as possible, spending countless hours studying every single aspect of your life. Say goodbye to your privacy because there’s no such thing when it comes to Chrollo. And sure, a few members of the Troupe probably found Chrollo’s behavior unusual, but they knew better than to question the boss.

Chrollo might be completely infatuated with you, but he’s not blind to how difficult the situation is for you–he is well aware of human nature, and even more familiar with you. In fact, he completely understands your struggles. But, does that mean he’s going to let you go? Fuck no. As far as captors go, Chrollo has been incredibly lenient with you, hoping that you’d eventually realize that there is no one else in the world that could cherish you the way he does. And when you escaped from him, you betrayed that sliver of trust he gave you.

Your escape was successful, congrats. Managing to slip past Chrollo’s defenses was a challenge in itself–and you should be proud–not everyone can outsmart the head of the Spider. But, that’s just the beginning, don’t celebrate just yet. Surely, you’ll have to deal with a fuck load of complications, like starting your life over from scratch, fending for yourself, constantly watching your back, and maybe, just maybe, going as far as adopting a completely new identity. Things couldn’t get any more complicated, could they? Oh, they can and they will. 

It wouldn’t be long before you started to doubt and question everything–your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, your choices, and most importantly, Chrollo. You might’ve thought you had the upper hand, but somehow, for some fucking reason, Chrollo always has the last laugh. Chrollo would never allow himself to show it, but he would definitely feel slightly irritated with the situation and your behavior. You actually had the audacity to run away from him? Have you forgotten who he is and what he's capable of? It’s not very often that someone would defy him, and part of him secretly applauds your pathetic–yet somewhat amusing–actions. Did you truly believe that he wouldn’t be able to find you again? 

I’d imagine that Chrollo probably saw your sudden absence as nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Annoying? Yes. Unexpected? No. Would he have expected you to be remorseful after escaping? Not entirely. Fortunately for him–and unfortunately for you–Chrollo knows you very fucking well. So well, in fact, that he’s become really good at predicting not only your next moves, but also what goes on in your head. He knew it wouldn’t take long for your mind to overwhelm you–that fresh start of yours isn’t feeling all that fresh anymore, is it? 

Chrollo wouldn’t go find you right away, no, he’d let you struggle for a bit before he made a move. The Troupe would probably question their boss’ somewhat unusual approach to the situation, but they wouldn’t push their luck–they knew better than to risk overstepping any boundaries, especially when it involves you and Chrollo. Just because his love for you is fucked up unconventional doesn’t mean he’s going to act impulsively to get you back, that's not how Chrollo operates, his methods are much more refined and efficient than that. 

But, that doesn’t mean Chrollo won’t be thinking of you. You’re always on his mind. He’d deny it, but the mental image of you–somewhere far away and stressed out, trying to move on with your life–was oddly satisfying. Some might say that’s cruel, but Chrollo sees it as conditioning. And Chrollo is a master manipulator. He may appear relatively passive on the outside, but you should never underestimate him. I feel like nothing is off-limits with Chrollo, and he’ll do anything and everything to make it impossible for you to leave him. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. So, it's really not much of a surprise that you’re remorseful about running away. That’s exactly what he planned. 

From the very beginning, Chrollo has been subtly manipulating and conditioning you, instilling doubt and dependency within you. He’d isolate you from the outside world and from the other people in your life, both physically and emotionally. He kept you by his side, never allowing you to stray too far. Even when you thought you were alone, he was watching. He gave you the illusion of freedom–a door that was occasionally left unlocked, access to his entire apartment, the opportunity to go outside, but only with him. He’d make you question the relationships you had with everyone that wasn’t him, slowly turning you against them. Do they actually care about you? Do they actually understand you like he does? Those were his ways of making sure there was nobody else you can interact with, forcing you to become dependent on him for everything.

Chrollo wouldn’t stop there. There were times when he would let his guard down, allowing you to see moments of vulnerability. He would tell you things–his past, his thoughts–enough to make you believe there was more to him than the monster you feared. When you eventually opened up to him about your own thoughts, he’d listen. He always listened so fucking carefully. He made you feel like he understood you better than anyone else ever had, or ever could.

And it all paid off in the end. For him, at least.

It’s almost been two months without Chrollo and surprisingly, it doesn’t feel as good as you thought it would. In fact, your newfound freedom feels fucking horrible. It doesn’t make sense–you should be thrilled that you’ve managed to escape after being held captive for one year. You had planned this escape for months, spending countless nights going over it again and again in your head until it was foolproof. It worked, yet you were far from satisfied.

Feeling more than a little conflicted about your state of mind, you move to sit on the couch in your living room. The old, faded piece of furniture creaks beneath your weight as you settle into the cushions. It felt cold and unfamiliar. The couch was probably older than you–faded, torn, and pilling–unlike the expensive plush one that Chrollo has. That one felt warm and familiar. Anxiously, you stir your half drank cup of coffee and take a sip, grimacing slightly. Even his fucking coffee was better than yours. 

This new life was supposed to be a fresh start, but instead, it was a constant reminder of everything you left behind. It seems that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t get Chrollo out of your mind. Every little sound–footsteps, doors opening–sent you into fight or flight mode, always on edge. It felt like you were living with a shadow that was slowly closing in, but you weren’t entirely sure if you wanted to run away from it. Fear, longing, and resentment were just a few of the emotions you’ve learned to cope with, but it never got any easier. 

Part of you missed the late night, deep conversations, the way he listened intently, as if your words were the most important thing in the world. Now, your nights are restless, haunted by constant nightmares involving a certain raven haired man. Maybe it's Stockholm syndrome? There’s no way to be sure–therapy costs money, and you aren’t exactly rolling in it. Your hands tremble as you place the mug down, spilling the dark liquid all over the side table. Still trapped in your mind, you get up from the shitty couch and head towards the kitchen, moving to grab a rag to clean up the equally shitty coffee. 

A small creak from behind catches your attention, making you pause momentarily to glance over your shoulder. Like countless other times, there's nothing there. Maybe you don’t even need a psych to diagnose you, since you’re already going insane. Sighing, you grab the rag and start walking back toward the living room. 

“A bit late for coffee, is it not?” The smooth sounding voice instantly makes you freeze in place, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with a rush of emotions. There’s a certain lightness in his tone that’s not usually present–it’s almost like he’s teasing yet chiding you. Either way, you weren’t going to concern yourself with the semantics.

It feels like your body has been completely paralyzed. Yet, somehow, you manage to summon the courage to slowly turn your gaze towards the source of the voice, finding it at the front entrance of your apartment. What you see is enough to make you feel faint, your head spinning and your stomach dropping like a stone–it’s Chrollo, looming in the doorway, his large eyes focused solely on you as a soft, enigmatic smile plays on his lips. Unconsciously, a whimper escapes your lips and your mind suddenly kicks into overdrive, frantically attempting to process the overwhelming reality of what’s happening. All those conflicting thoughts from moments ago flood back into your mind.

You find yourself caught in a whirlwind of emotions, torn between the relief of finally seeing him again and the chilling fear of what this unexpected encounter might bring. You had started a new life here, a life that was simpler, quieter, more peaceful. But as you stand there, facing Chrollo and the flood of memories he brings, you can't help but question–was it truly peace? You must’ve only been standing there–stuck in your thoughts–for a few minutes, but Chrollo seems to notice your dazed state and decides to speak up again, effectively snapping you back to reality. 

“May I come in? We have so much to discuss.” Chrollo says, his voice as gentle and as reassuring as you remember. Without waiting for your response, he's already stepping across the threshold and moving into your apartment, making his way toward the living room. His approach is calm and measured. It’s almost as if he’s been in your apartment a thousand times before, and as if he has all the time in the world. Rooted to the spot, your hand trembles as you clutch the damp rag, watching as Chrollo takes your previously occupied seat on the couch.

“Chrollo?” You find yourself whispering, your voice barely more than a shaky exhale, hesitant and filled with uncertainty. Saying his name after the silence of these past months feels strange, foreign, but oddly enough, you find yourself not hating it. Chrollo doesn’t immediately respond. Instead, his gaze remains fixed on you as he sinks deeper into the couch, leaning back casually and letting his hands rest on top of his thighs. The silence stretches on, lingering too long, and a part of you believes he’s doing it on purpose. 

“You seem troubled,” Chrollo observes, his dark eyes softening a fraction. “Come, sit. Let’s talk.” He insists softly, tilting his head toward the empty spot next to him on the couch, a silent command for you to join him. Despite his calm demeanor, it’s quite clear that he won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He won’t deny it–your little escape was mildly infuriating. But he wasn’t entirely without compassion–at least, that’s what he liked to believe.

Your chest tightens painfully at his words, each breath feeling like a struggle, as if your lungs are refusing to expand. Your vision blurs as tears gather, threatening to spill over at any moment. You’ve reached your breaking point–the emotions you’ve been painstakingly avoiding have finally surfaced. The ache of remorse gnaws at you, a torrent of regret and guilt that you've been desperately trying to suppress. You open your mouth to respond–to say something, anything at all–but find yourself choking pitifully on a sob, no words coming out. 

The tears start to fall, pouring down your cheeks as you stumble blindly toward the couch, dropping the rag on the ground and barely registering the resigned sigh that Chrollo lets out. You plop down onto the couch next to Chrollo, feeling utterly pathetic about your current state. Not even a second later, Chrollo’s arm slips behind your back and wraps securely around your waist, pulling your trembling body toward his. You don’t fight it, instead allowing your face to bury into the comforting warmth of his chest, while his hand gently cradles the back of your head.

“I’m sorry,” you repeat over and over again, your voice cracking as you sob into his chest. 

Chrollo’s quiet again, the silence only broken by your sniffles and unsteady breaths. His fingers thread soothingly through your hair, softly shushing you. “You’re okay, I’m right here,” he reassures, his voice stripped of its usual firmness, now softer, gentler, almost tender. His expression remains unreadable as he looks down at you, his eyes revealing nothing of thoughts that are undoubtedly coursing through his mind right now. Internally, however, he feels a tinge of satisfaction upon hearing your apologetic pleas. Maybe things can go back to the way they were, or maybe they'll morph into something new, something better. 

There’s another pause, a moment where he lets you compose yourself. He doesn't mention your escape, or the remorse you've shown–not just yet. In truth, Chrollo is not the least bit surprised by your emotional spiral. He knows you well enough to understand that this is not merely a reaction to his relentless pursuit and eventual discovery of your whereabouts. No, this is an entirely different kind of response, one born out of internal conflict.

If it were any other man in this position, they might have felt guilty for putting you through so much torment. But Chrollo is not ‘any other man.’ Far from it. As he watches you break down in his arms, he doesn’t feel any guilt. He doesn’t see your suffering as something he should apologize for. Why would he? For Chrollo, he sees this as a necessary consequence of the bond he’s carefully created. And he can see that you’re finally starting to understand.

During your time together, Chrollo had a way of making you question everything. Slowly but surely, he instilled a sense of doubt and dependency within you. It was never obvious. That wasn’t his style. 

He had a way of making you believe that the outside world was cruel and dangerous. Every time he caught you looking at the door, he’d remind you–without even needing to say a word–that he was the only one who could truly protect you. A raised brow and slight tilt of his head was more than enough to remind you of everything he had told you before. He was never threatening about it, he didn’t need to be. A simple look from him was all it took for you to hesitate, to second-guess walking out that door. 

Would it really be better out there than here? Could you really handle Yorknew City? Surely, there were people out there much worse than him, right? People who wouldn’t think twice about taking advantage of someone like you. You could imagine it so vividly: faceless men with rough hands that wouldn’t give a shit about you, your struggles, or your pleas. They’d only see you as a pretty little thing to use. Chrollo never said it outright, but the implication was always there: he wasn’t like them. His touches, though somewhat unwelcome and borderline possessive, were never violent. 

At least with Chrollo, you knew the rules and boundaries–his rules and boundaries. And he never lied to you, not really. The world really was dangerous. There really were people out there who would hurt you. He made sure that you believed he was the best choice. And who else was there for you, really? Not your friends, the ones he slowly convinced you that they didn’t care as much as they claimed. Not your family, who couldn’t possibly understand the complexity of your situation. No, it was just Chrollo. He wasn’t the monster you wanted him to be. He was something far worse: he was everything you didn’t know you needed. And that was much more fucking terrifying.

Finally pulling himself from his thoughts, Chrollo decides that he’s made you suffer in silence for long enough. “You should not have tried to escape, [name],” he says, his voice gentle but carries a clear note of criticism and disappointment. He deliberately uses your name, refraining from the endearing nicknames he usually employs. It's a subtle punishment, a way to remind you of your mistakes. He knows exactly what kind of impact it has on you–how the distance it creates makes you feel small, like a reprimanded child. “Predictably, it didn’t end well.” His tone is soft, almost conversational.

Chrollo pauses again, his fingers suddenly halting their soothing rhythm in your hair. Abruptly, he withdraws the comforting contact, depriving you of the warmth you didn’t even realize you’d come to depend on. You can’t stop yourself from tensing in his arms, struggling to stifle a choked sob. You can’t see it–not with your teary face buried in his chest–but there’s a faint curl of his lips, a flicker of satisfaction at your reaction. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing. He lets out a deep, exaggerated sigh, his hand pulling away from your scalp completely. Now it rests on the frayed backrest of the couch, lazily tracing patterns on the rough fabric. 

“Running… it doesn’t suit you.” The words are so plain, so final. It's not suggestion or opinion, but a fucking fact. It’s the way he always spoke to you, as if he knew you better than you knew yourself. “It only leads you to pain and suffering. Surely, you’ve realized that by now?” There is no anger or frustration in his voice, just that same steady, disorientating calm that makes you second-guess everything. He speaks as if this entire situation is simply an inconvenience to him, which makes it near impossible to decipher his true thoughts and feelings. 

And then, Chrollo gently but firmly tilts your head up, leaving no room for you to resist him. Not like it would do you any good. Forcing you to meet his gaze, he studies you intently, his dark eyes partially shielded by the strands of raven hair that fall across his pale face. “You’re an intelligent woman,” he murmurs, and for some reason, it felt more like he was mocking you rather than giving you a genuine compliment. “I’m certain that you can grasp the situation.” As he speaks, his grip on your face tightens significantly, hinting at the threat that lies beneath his words. It’s his little way of telling you that you should know better.  

You wince as his fingers dig into the soft flesh of your jaw, more out of surprise than pain. The pressure isn’t unbearable, but it’s enough to remind you of his control. You don’t have much faith in your ability to form a coherent sentence right now, not when your throat feels tight and your thoughts are a jumbled mess. Instead, you nod in response, hoping it’s enough. 

Chrollo’s eyes flicker with approval, and maybe a hint of amusement. It’s impossible to be sure with him. He releases your jaw as he lets out a satisfied hum of acknowledgement, now wiping away a few stray tears from your damp cheeks. The gesture should feel comforting, but instead, it leaves you feeling hollow, like being soothed after a punishment you never deserved. “Good girl.” The praise rolls off his tongue easily, but there’s no warmth in it. “You’re emotional,” he says, almost to himself. “But you’ll understand in time.”

“It’s time to go home. We’ll continue this conversation later,” He adds, reminding you that this matter is far from resolved.

[rabidline]

ICE BRAVE 2025: Program Set List (Spoilers Alert + LONG POST)

Shoma Uno was blessed with many different programs during his competitive years, and ICE BRAVE 2025 utilized that really well. From my perspective, the main objective of the set list is to celebrate Shoma's range of music genre, highlight the individual skills of each performers, and also make sure they all not die doing this show because all of them charged forward with full power.

SPOILERS ALERT. If you don't want to be spoiled about the show (especially if you're flying to Japan to watch) I don't recommend reading. Because honestly, Shoma made some incredible choices, I tip my hat to him and his team as producers.

Warning: I have included relevant photos for visuals so this is going to be REALLY REALLY LONG.

01. GREAT SPIRIT (Opening Number - All Skaters)

Well Shoma can't not open the show without this one, can he? Bless the day Shae-Lynn Bourne chose Grespi for Shoma. The program started with Shoma skating alone, and then Rika and Marin skated together in the center, before all the men joined them and they all skated together.

02. COME TOGETHER (All Skaters without Stephane Lambiel)

Still on SLB's Shoma playlist of intense heavy duty music, all skaters except Stephane (who skated backstage) continued the intense opening with Come Together.

03. INTRODUCTION - MENT / TALKING TIME (All Skaters, introduced by Shoma Uno as MC)

So this show has no breaks / intermissions (there was no zamboni time between halves) and no pre-recorded videos to fill the space when the skaters are resting, meaning it's a full nonstop show for 90 minutes. How the 7 skaters bought time to rest was this "MENT" (Talking time, common in KPOP concerts) where the skaters are on the ice and talk to the audience with mics. So the first MENT was Shoma on the mic introducing the cast, and they did some tricks when they were introduced.... Stephane who is like. 10 years older than all of them did a cartwheel LMAO (my Steph fan friend: STEPHANE NEVER DID ANY CARTWHEEL EVER)

04. LEGENDS (Shoma Uno & Stephane Lambiel)

I was watching from the very first show, and after the introduction, I note that the next program is about to start and... Shoma and Stephane stayed out while the rest of the skaters went backstage. My brain went haywire trying to think what program they would do together in that black shiny pleather opening costumes??? AND THEN LEGENDS STARTED PLAYING AND I LOST MY MIND. THIS EARLY IN THE SETLIST... SHOMA YOU GALAXY BRAINED GENIUS. They did the program in a diagonal mirroring way, with THAT step sequence done side by side. Some amazing new choreo with a bit of ice work too at the end. Just... the coolest legends skating Legends... and on the third show, they did it in front of the legend that brought this program to the world: Mihoko Higuchi herself, there in the flesh. They bowed at the end to the audience- this is also an interesting detail, there were only 3 bows in the whole show outside of the closing number: Stephane/Shoma, Shoma/Marin and Shoma alone. The rest of the programs flowed into the next without any time for bows.

05. LA VIE EN ROSE (Yoji Nakano & Rika Hongo)

Now this is where Shoma's portfolio of programs shine: he has many music that allows for physically less intense programs but still allow for some really good delicious flowing skating. La vie en Rose was reimagined to be a romantic duet with a little bit of cheek. Yoji and Rika played off each other so well, they were in their own little musical. One thing that is a bit clunky was that they did play a little humorous skit, which while cute may be disrupting the worldview fans have of La vie en Rose, which is a very sentimental song in Shoma's career (JNats 2019 gala anyone...) but overall it's very sweet and cute, and Yoji is perfectly charming to Rika's gorgeousness.

06. TIME AFTER TIME (Yoji Nakano, Kazuki Kushida, Tsunehito Karakawa, Rika Hongo & Stephane Lambiel)

Still in the light-hearted cheeky romantic musical vibe, the charming couple of Yoji and Rika were joined by Maitre'd Stephane Lambiel and his assistants Tsunehito and Kazuki Kushida, and they had a charming dinner with jazzy entertainment provided by the assistants and then Yoji too, lol. Yoji and Tsune are Prince Ice World skaters so this type of musical interlude with tricks and smooth skating are very much in their wheelhouse, and Kazuki Kushida has also charisma to spare. Stephane and Rika spent most of this number on chairs to enjoy the show, and at the end they all lifted Rika up, lol.

07. TANGUERA (Tsunehito Karakawa, joined by Shoma Uno & Marin Honda)

Dinner's over, the Maitre'd kicked everyone out of the ice, except Tsunehito who took off his vest and stayed. And then Tanguera started playing... the lights turned red... and we're in the spicy part of Shoma's portfolio. Tsune's skating is smooth and sharp, and he's joined midway by the owner of the program himself, and then Shoma and Tsune faced off against each other with some sharp skating. It built and built to the reveal of none other than Marin Honda in an incredible one shouldered red dress entering the ice to skate against them both, and well, this section ends with her sitting on their knees, a queen on her throne.

08. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN / PPA (Marin Honda solo, ft. Shoma Uno & Tsunehito Karakawa)

Marin's red dress was more flamenco than tango so it's obvious the next song was Stairway to Heaven / PPA. The guys did feature a bit on the opening choreo, but this is Marin's show and they are immediately dismissed. And what a show it is, Marin Honda at her most glamorous best with her full splendor.

09. BUENOS AIRES HORA CERO / BALADA PARA UN LOCO (Shoma Uno solo)

After 8 years and countless questions by fans... she's here. The original and inimitable Loco, now skated by 2025 Shoma Uno, who is not only blonde, but wore a costume with such a sheer back I can see his entire back and shoulder blades moving to this music. And well. Loco is Loco. Shoma's masterpiece, and he kept the axel on the music change, with either 2A or 3A depending on his mood. He's on his full dangerous mode with this one.

10. GRAVITY (Stephane Lambiel solo)

How best to follow Loco? (this is a question that comes up often in this show, lol). Well, how about Gravity skated by the man who created it? Stephane is clearly the best professional skater in the cast with his years of experience, and it's amazing to see Gravity free from the shackles of competition, in its sensual, languid and emotional best. And Steph picked an excellent shirt for this one too ;) Also I included the jump landing photo because STEPHANE JUMPED SO MUCH IN THIS SHOW. Incredible.

11. WINTER (Rika Hongo & Marin Honda)

Beautifully dressed in all white, Rika and Marin look like the Winter Queen and Snow Princess respectively in this program. The choreography for Winter was pretty faithful to Shoma's original short program, especially on the step sequence. The ladies took turns skating harmoniously with the musical phrasing of the piece, which I loved.

12. NARCO by TIMMY TRUMPET (NEW PROGRAM) (Shoma Uno, Yoji Nakano, Tsunehito Karakawa, Kazuki Kushida)

This was a fun group number that was converted from land dancing choreography. The long training time really showed here, the guys are so good and synchronized, and this was probably when Shoma's projection power was at his very peak and brought up the temperature of the venue up. Very nice red costumes for this one.

13. MENT / TALKING TIME (MC by Shoma Uno, Yoji Nakano, Tsunehito Karakawa, Kazuki Kushida, Stephane Lambiel)

More talking time! Stephane joined the guys on the ice with towels and water bottles, making it very similar to KPOP MENT. At the shows that I attended, this is where Stephane said his compliments and thoughts on the show IN ENGLISH. Which Shoma does not understand. And then Shoma talks about his compliments and thoughts on the show IN JAPANESE. Which Stephane does not understand. (Spoiler alert: they both just said the same thing basically. IDK if they coordinated but they both look so confused askjdnaksjdnkadsn) It's a whole ass skit on its own lmao. 14. EARTH SONG / HISTORY (Yoji Nakano, Tsunehito Karakawa, Kazuki Kushida)

Shoma's one and only Michael Jackson program was a deep cut with Earth Song as its opening, but it was really convenient in the show because the slower, more mellow song allows for the guys who skated this to catch their breath before really turning on the full MJ experience when History started. It has everything a classic MJ program has: moonwalks, hip thrusts, popping, backflips, MJ poses. This is also one of my favorite program of the show- Yoji, Tsune and Kazuki Kushida were AMAZING. Love the energy in the program, and I still remember the sound of Kazuki Kushida blowing a kiss to my direction even now lol. 15. RIVERDANCE (Rika Hongo solo)

How can you not ask Rika Hongo in your show to do her legendary Riverdance program? This is a music Shoma and Rika shared. The opening choreo is actually Shoma's choreo from 2009, and then new choreography was added before Rika going full legend and unleashed her legendary step sequence from her original FS. It's a really cool way to both honor Shoma's portfolio and Rika's program. Also the penlights by the audience turned to all green for her, it's a really cool sight to see. 16. TIMELAPSE / SPIEGEL IM SPIEGEL (Stephane Lambiel solo)

This is a masterpiece. There is no way around it. For the promotion of this show, Shoma talked about making Stephane do this program that was really difficult. Which most fans thought it was Bolero, but Timelapse / Spiegel im Spiegel was Stephane's own selection of music given to Kenji Miyamoto to choreograph for Shoma, and the first time Shoma and Kenji listened together to the songs they went .... "oh shit" because it was SO HARD. Stephane was faithful to the original choreo by Kenji Miyamoto, and it was truly incredible. This is masterpiece level.

Also when the music started the crowd can't help but gasp... Shoma gave the best music choices he can choose for Stephane. Incredible. 17. WILD SIDE by ROBERTO CACCIAPAGLIA (NEW PROGRAM) (Shoma Uno & Marin Honda)

How do you even follow a masterpiece like Stephane's Timelapse / Spiegel??? Well, you don't. All you need to do is reveal that you have been practicing ice dance together for NINE MONTHS. When I tell you I sat there with my mouth open the WHOLE TIME. How do I even talk about it. More than the twizzles, the lifts, the dance spin... it was that they moved together as one. They were breathing together... their lines polished to match each other. Marin looking ethereal like the fairy queen... and Shoma looked like he would destroy and remake the world anew for her happiness.

This was really the moment everyone broke character in the audience, so far we were applauding really hard (Stephane's program had the biggest applause), but this was when we just started talking in disbelief to each other when it was over. Shomarin bowed to the audience after this, and it's hard not to feel like this was Shoma's way to tell the audience, his long time fans, that this is his happiness now, with Marin. And as his fans love him because of his skating, he tells them through their skating as well.

18. DANCING ON MY OWN (Yoji Nakano, Rika Hongo, Kazuki Kushida)

I'm kinda sad that there's not many photos for this program (I guess the photographers were reeling after Shomarin revealed THAT). But this was a beautiful callback to La vie en Rose back in the start, but this time, Rika left Yoji for Kazuki Kushida. Again this is where Shoma's portfolio of variety of songs shine, it was a beautiful, lyrical interpretation of the song with just lovely skating skills, and giving skaters time to breathe and recover. And they honor David Wilson's penchant for very literal choreo with Rika doing her beautiful Biellman spin on the lyrics "I'm spinning around in circles".

All choreographers in Shoma's competitive career were well represented, in my opinion. From Mihoko to Stephane to David to Shae and to Kenji, with Kenji overseeing the overall choreo for this show to make up for his choreo only represented in one program and its skated by the person who chose the music for him to choreograph (Stephane's Timelapse).

19. BOLERO IV - NEW BREATH (aka SHOLERO) (Group Number - All Skaters)

The program that Shoma was most happy about during his competitive life... of course it will end with this. All skaters were decked beautifully in gold and cream, and they did this beautiful circle formation and choreography reminiscent of Bejart's Bolero at the beginning, before it goes into the song. The skaters then left the ice one by one to leave the skater and choreographer alone with this program that made them World Champion and the coach of the World Champion, before Stephane sent Shoma off to finish the program with the legendary demonic step sequence. 20. SEE YOU AGAIN (Closing Number - All Skaters)

Just beautiful outro song to conclude the show, with the skaters showing beautiful, lyrical skating to this song, which had been with Shoma almost every step of his career. The jackets the skaters wore for this song has Ice Brave tagline: "MY BRAVERY IS BUILT BY THOSE WHO STAND WITH ME." And it really is Shoma's thesis statement for this show- he wants to show what he can create with other skaters, away from skating alone in competition. In his interview after the first day of the show, he confirmed the same thing- this is what fulfills him now, skating together with others to reach the same goal. He even said that it makes skating alone to his solo program (Loco) felt lonely.

21. OUTRO / TALKING TIME & FINAL LAPS (All Skaters, MC by Shoma Uno)

"Hello, Shoma Uno here." was the opening line of so many posts on Shoma's website back during his competitive days, so of course he started his final MENT with that. It was really a moment to thank all the audience, before going to the final laps. Tsune does a jump, Yoji does a backflip, and Shoma does his 4T and 4T3T... in his ice dancing blades. You know. Just Shoma Uno things.

TL;DR IT WAS A REALLY GOOD SHOW IM SO HAPPY

Photo Credits:

MATSUO.K for AFLO

Kota Yoshida for Mainichi

[nezz-cringe-crib]

"Near ruined the show" nnnoooooo nNOOOO stop blaming your hate on Near it's okay to think the plot was weakened because they threw in somebody who was very similar to L but you're hating WRONG that's not how you DO IT </////////3

you're mad at the fact that there was not a drastically different detective than L to capture Kira. in your head you recognize that L was not enough to capture Kira and, understandably so, you think a good way to finish a show off in which the first detective is not adequate enough is to bring in someone who's much more different than him. someone like Beyond Birthday probably would've satisfied you or hell if Ohba wasn't a misogynist and let Naomi live she could've absolutely captured Kira, or at least gotten really close to it.

but that's the THING your problem is that ohba is way too deeply attached to his edgelord L sonas to throw them out for something different to elevate the plot and come up with something even more satisfying. your problem isn't Near it's Ohba. Near could have very well served as a great right hand man to another detective in charge and you would have gotten that same warehouse ending with an even deeper twist.

Near is still an effective character because Near actually is subtly different from L in a way where he has just enough of a difference to overcome L's flaws that he can capture Kira with the help of Mello. it's just that Near and L's mannerisms, tone, etc. are very similar to each other and in the end Near is still technically a "copy of L." mainly because that was Near's whole job. it makes sense. he was literally raised to be a copy of L. he can never be exactly L but he's a half of L and more. Mello is the other half and more. that's why they catch Kira in the first fucking place. their characters themselves are great actually it's just how their utilized by Ohba's shitty writing. yes i can understand why it's still frustrating that they brought in a copy of L nonetheless bUT THAT'S NOT FUCKING NEAR'S FAULT THAT'S OHBA'S LEAVE THAT SILLY FREAK ALONE <////////3

[indiaalphawhiskey]

India, I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but I’ve noticed that something you really value about Nicola is how vocal she is when it comes to different social causes, how she consistently speaks up in different ways. That’s honestly something I admire too.

So my question is: how do you personally deal with the fact that L and H aren’t very outspoken when it comes to activism or social issues, especially when that’s something that really matters to you? And even more so considering that people around them have been called out as problematic.

I’ve especially seen you talk more about Harry, and he’s often labeled a “yes-man” or called out for his privilege because of the people he calls “friends.” How do you navigate all that and still feel comfortable supporting him?

Hi, love. So, this is an extremely complex question with no simple answer, but I'm going to answer it as best I can. I don't expect people to agree with me, nor do I expect people to think what I'm doing is inherently right or enough. Conversely, I'm not here to debate these choices with strangers on the internet. This is just me, a human, coping with the realities of the world and trying my best.

I've worked in humanitarian aid for six years and it's been very humbling for my personal ethics. What do I mean by that? I mean that I've seen, first hand, titans of the sector -- and I mean people who have been on the ground for literal decades, who have done this every day of their working life until their literal dying breath (I am not exaggerating) -- constantly grapple with the very real, very tangible consequences of what I foolishly thought were "easy, obvious" questions, with "inherently right and wrong" answers. It has made me extremely aware of how little I truly understand about the hand of global politics in what should be universal human rights and what it really means to stand ten toes down and speak out when you genuinely have something to lose, both personally and professionally.

Because, the truth is, most of us do not have anything to lose. Some of us do, of course, but not all of us. Certainly not me. My livelihood was aligned with my ethics, everyone I respected, respected my ethics, everyone I worked with expected me to speak out. My life was (and is) very easy in that regard. And therefore, it's very easy for me to look like a "good person", because I'm doing the right thing with nothing at stake. But who would I be if I truly had to sacrifice something for my ethics? What if my career, my safety, the safety of my loved ones, my relationship with people who I have loved my whole life, were threatened? Would I be brave? Would I speak out? Would I stand ten toes down? I truly don't know.

Every day I break bread with people whose political and ethical views don't necessarily align with mine, because the truth of my life is that I can't sanitize it so that I only have relationships with the people who agree with me. That's not pragmatic, and more than that, I don't know that I'm personally brave enough to do that.

What I learned about Nicola on the Bridgerton world tour is that she's an exceptionally brave person, because she can do all of these things in the midst of the biggest break of her career, which she has worked towards since she was nine years old, even in the face very real consequences to her personal and professional life. I love her for it. I aspire to it. It makes her so, so, so wildly beautiful to me.

But, what I also learned is that not a lot of people are brave, never mind exceptionally so -- not her co-stars, not Harry, not Louis, not any of the boys, and not me. And, if you have decided you can only stan/love people who are because that's how you choose to utilize your support, then that is a decision you've made and you're welcome to it. But, I don't know that I could personally live up to that standard, so holding celebrities to it -- even celebrities I truly love -- feels hypocritical. This is not me excusing their silence. I'm acutely aware that they've been silent, and it's top of mind when I think about them, all the time. I won't ever forget it.

That means that I'm never going to stop wanting them to do good. I'm never going to stop hoping that they do speak out (all of them, because I hold all the boys to the same standard). I'm never going to stop hoping that they distance themselves from people with questionable reputations. But, until I can hold myself to my own moral standards without a shadow of a doubt, I can only assume that others are doing the same within their personal and professional limitations.

I understand if that's not enough for people, but everyone has to decide that red line for themselves. I'm not here to convince you to support people who aren't living up to your moral standards. I've just learned through my work that I don't know anything. I'm not as smart, or as kind, or inherently as good as I think I am. I'm just currently in circumstances that allow for me to be.

[fandomfuntimem]

Dp x Dc or just Dp things I (personally) want to see more of.

Just some stuff I've seen and really liked but never see enough of.

Danny is very casually a genius and/or skilled (engineering, gymnastics, really any skill you pick):

There isn't enough of it tbh. I dont think people realise just how smart and skilled he is. Being a ghost probably made him very flexible and gave him extra abilities the average human may not have. Also he comes from a family of scientists, yeah maybe up against them he doesn't seem smart, but being "smart" comes in different forms. More often than not the ability to be smart comes from your ability to pick up on things, retain information, understand information, and use that information accordingly. Danny does that, especially with his villains. He even finds outside the box ways to defeat his villains. Like tricking Freakshow into becoming a ghost.

I just think its under utilized. A lot of Teen heros are geniuses but no one ecknowledges it. Hell, you can make it that Danny doesn't even realise just how smart he is. He doubts it and often thinks he's one of the dumber people in the room. But when sleep deprived and running on a cup of coffee he can solve a problem he hasn't even seen before the konk out for an hour.

Danny has BEEF with the JL or isn't outright a fan:

In a lot of fics the JL (especially Batman) are huge hypocrites. Like they'll barge into Amity trying to solve problems that don't even effect them, screw things up more, then offer Danny more training. Hello????? You guys being there caused the problem???? Then, in other things Batman preaches about territory and Danny will get threatened or treated with suspicion for even stepping foot NEAR Gothem, but then barges into his territory like its his buisness.

Let Danny call them out. Let him point out that everything has been fine untill they showed up. Let him get MAD. This is HIS territory, HIS haunt, HIS people. These guys have done nothing for him! Why should he accept their help when their help only makes things worse? In fics where they help him because he needed it and ended up in Gotham let him be suspicious and careful. He doesn't need to be vivasected or hurt to be warry of the crime fighting furries he just met.

Mans has the experience to know you can't trust anyone untill they prove you can.

Danny should be casually overpowered and spooky:

This isn't even he has to be experienced. He is so used to his powers he doesn't realise how scary it is. He will casually stop a punch from superman, laugh, quipe, then punch back.

He accidentally breaks stuff, walks through things, glows, its so normal for him. He apologizes and does it again because he forgot. He genuinly has no idea how strong he is, he just knows he needs to be soft on humans.

Danny and Phantom are very different personalities:

I'm not saying they're two different people. They have the same mind same person. But the way they act is so different. Danny is grumpy, quiet, whimpy. Danny is a loser, and everyone knows it. Phantom, on the other hand, is confident, he jokes, smiles, makes a game out of his struggles, he's strong. Phantom is just a good guy. Everyone (minus others) loves him!

This happens because Danny is more comfortable as Phantom or Vise Versa. Sertant trates carry over, they're nerds, they're smart, they enjoy a good pun, they're sassy. But because Danny is a loser everyone sees it as lame, but with Phantom its endearing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

None of this means you need to get rid of silly nerdy Danny. You can have that but all these other things ad depth to his character. Hes smart but not confident, he's kind but not naive, he's powerful but not violent, and he finds comfort in the fact no one knows him.

Idk. I'm not a big fanfic writer so i thought i would just share and see what others do with it.

[wellofdean]

So...thinking about Dean and Jack...

Jack is not a child. He is NEW, but he is a cosmic being of unknowable power who was cognizant enough in the womb to save Kelly because he was still using her body as an incubator, and to show Cas a manipulative, glorious vision of his future actions specifically as they relate to Cas's desires. When he is born, he speaks English and understands peril, has the physical strength and angelic power to defend himself. He doesn't understand the world, but he is a VERY fast learner. There are a lot of ways in which children are vulnerable and need protection that simply do not apply to Jack at all. He is not a baby, physically or mentally.

Where Jack is vulnerable is in his sense of self and his identity. He is emotionally and spiritually vulnerable, and he is vulnerable to manipulation. From the first time Sam talks to him, he is asking Jack if he can re-open the rift, and Sam DOES want to use him. I don't blame Sam for that, it's a perfectly logical thing to want. Sam believes Mary might still be alive, and he wants to use Jack to go see, and hell, maybe as a weapon, too. Sam needs to believe that Jack can be good and useful to them, and he is not really honest with Jack at first. Dean is right about that.

Dean, though? Dean is completely, 100% honest with Jack in every interaction, no matter how ugly the truth. He tells Jack exactly what he thinks and feels. He has a very reasonable reaction to Jack as a still-unknown cosmic power, and Dean quite reasonably sees him as the reason Cas is dead. Dean is emotional and grieving, but he is honest. Later, as he comes to see Jack as something other than a threat, he is kind to Jack while still being honest. When he comes to love Jack, he loves him honestly. He never lies or manipulates Jack even one time until they lure him into the mal'ak box, and when they talk him into it, Dean can barely look at Jack and makes Sam do the talking, because he really just can't. Lie. To. Jack.

Jack emulates, loves and respects Dean. When Jack thinks Dean has to kill him, he understands and accepts it because he trusts Dean. I think Jack looks to Dean for an honest, clear-eyed assessment of his situation. Cas is blinded by love, Sam is more interested in utility, and Dean is being forced to sacrifice Jack, who has become his and Cas's son -- his family. If Dean can do it, Jack is willing to submit, and then DEAN CAN'T DO IT.

it makes no sense to me to apply real-world child/parent roles to them, to compare Dean with John, who was raising human children, or to think of Jack as an actual human child, and I don't blame Dean for any of it. Dean is so emotionally compromised in so many different ways and I think there is a widespread tendency to begrudge Dean his legitimate feelings when they aren't comfortable, and to apply reality-based roles to these characters who are not at all living normal lives. When it comes down to it, Dean STILL loves Jack (and Cas!) too much to kill Jack or to lie to him, even after Jack oopsie-daisy kills Mary in a moment of uncontrolled panic and has no soul and can't tell right from wrong, and can't even feel remorse. Jack is legitimately dangerous, and Dean is not wrong to try to contain that.

And, by the end of the story, when Dean is saying Jack is not family, not like Cas and Sam are, Dean has lost his compass, and we know that because he also deceives Amara, and tries to kill Sam. Dean is truly in error in those scenes, and doing the wrong things, and seriously, Dean is so good, so self-sacrificing, so full of love that I am able to forgive him a moment of error at the climax of his existential crisis. By that time, Jack is a complex character who is as heavy with grief and guilt as Dean is, and who feels the weight of the world, like Dean does, and who understands Dean.

Is Dean perfect? No. Is Jack a child? No.

I'm just going to say it: I think Dean was a good father to Jack, because what Jack needed more than anything else was honest information about who he was, what threat he posed, who loved him, and HOW to love, so that he could decide who he was and what he wants to be.

He got that from Dean.

[ooooo-mcyt]

Somewhat of a continuation to my post on manipulative characters in the life series:

I think we need to remember that "manipulation" is not a single monolithic act and that there are a hundred different ways for someone to be "manipulative" that are not all created equally and do not all map onto each other. Like, someone can be good at mostly benignly influencing how they're perceived, or they can be good at selling things and scamming, or they can be good at turning people against each other, or they can be good at lying to/using and then betraying teammates, and those are all 'manipulative' in some way, but a player being good at or willing to do one of those things doesn't mean that applies to the others?

Scott is good at making people like him and keeping his emotions under wrap to a degree that he can control how he's perceived by others, which is 'manipulative' in a way, he's good at manipulating broad and impersonal (or antagonistic) social settings to benefit him, but you'll rarely see him do the kind of manipulation that involves scamming people, and he would literally never hurt or betray his team, nor is he in the habit of trying to personally control his teammates in a manipulative way.

Gem is good at turning people against each other, making people like her and then pointing one person one direction and one person the other in a way that benefits her team, but she also isn't a scammer, or, importantly, a traitor, and has proven she'll stay with her team even when given the option to choose a bigger team over them. As willing as Gem is to twist narratives, usually she doesn't lie to her teammates or even consider leaving them.

Scar is our big scammer, his big talent comes in with making deals, his ability to utilize a combination of genuine persuasion and his littleguy persona to make people buy literally anything he sells. He's also fairly good at 'misinterpreting' instructions in a way that happen to benefit him and only him. That being said, he's not really a traitor (other than briefly in third life). While Scar can be isolationist and impersonal, he tends to hold onto the teams he does have and won't backstab them.

Martyn is our big traitor, he's earned a reputation at this point for his willingness to flip on a dime if a teammate isn't useful anymore, he very much is the type to stay with someone only so long as it's good for him. He's maybe the first one I'd say is probably willing and able to do all kinds of manipulation as well to be honest, though I think disloyalty within teams is the biggest one for him.

Etho's also good at pretty much every form of manipulation, which does go understated. He'll use the "I'm so pathetic and scared of you :(" shtick to control how people perceive him, he doesn't often 'betray' teams outright but he does always seem to have his foot in at least two (if not more) teams so he has options, and he's scarily good at using the "I'm so pathetic" thing specifically to lure people into traps (the time etho went "waiittt joel i'm scarreedd, joel lets teamm, i need youu :((((" in secret life to manipulate joel into being an easier kill for the boogeyman army was wild).

Ren is good at twisting narratives, and specifically tends to do in the context of making sure he's always viewed as the good guy (even when this means actually literally lying. i know i always use this example. but the time ren suggested unprompted to grian that they attack the g's. and then formed an army against grian the next episode because he "made" ren kill impulse. was wild). But that's, like, the extent of his manipulation. Ren will manipulate narratives and even lie outright to avoid facing his own capacity for harm but other than that he's pretty loyal and honest.

Like I'm just saying that the word "manipulation" covers a super wide range of behaviors, some mostly benign and some very much not, and I feel like sometimes we start assuming someone who is capable of 'manipulating' in one way is automatically willing and able to be manipulative in every conceivable way even when they very obviously don't do that, or, on the opposite side of things, assume that just because someone is honest in some ways means they can't be manipulative in others. Just because Scott can make people like him doesn't mean he's using and trying to control and hurt his teammates, and on the other hand, just because Ren is very loyal and usually honest doesn't mean he's incapable of lying or twisting narratives when he really feels the need to. Idk.

[nihilistem]

adhd study tips.

by a stem student with adhd.

disclaimer!!! I’m by no means an expert in mental health or adhd but I do happen to have it. My intention with this post is to help others with adhd get more comfortable with studying so the process will be smoother for them!! At the end of the day, despite having the same disorder our brains will still work differently so do keep in mind that these may or may not help you, but are something you can try out if you’re stuck on not being able to study efficiently.

here’s some adhd study affirmations + tips on straying from discouragement if you’re experiencing burnout.

(And here’s part 2 of adhd study tips.)

I’ll start this off by listing more commonly known study tips that also work well with adhd.

change up your environment every now and then. we seek novelty even more than neurotypical people already do so switching it up will definitely help in our studies, especially if the place is well lit!

try some questions of the topic you’re trying to learn even when you know nothing about it. both neurotypical and neurodivergent brains are hardwired to remember things when we are proven wrong, and this is a great way of utilizing this neurological response!

take walks, exercise or stretch during your breaks. this tip is very effective at satiating our hyperactivity and also keeps us energized throughout our study session.

keep a notebook for your brain dump / ideas. we always either think of really stupid things or the most brilliant ideas in the middle of our study sessions and it almost always leads to distraction, but writing it down somewhere lets your brain know that the idea isn’t going anywhere and you can continue studying.

now, onto the tips that have personally helped with my adhd (and I haven’t seen many others talk about.)

alternate between various study plans, routines, schedules and techniques and always be open to finding more of them. majority of the time people always say ‘have a routine that works for you and stick with it’ but our adhd brains get bored very quickly, especially when it comes to repeated routines and schedules. I personally never stick to the same routine or plan more than three days in a row and sometimes I even make a plan on the spot and I’ve been more productive doing that than when I had only one or two study routines to switch between.

do not time yourself at the very beginning. Instead, focus on something in your studies you’re interested in and start there. what do I mean by this? well, since starting is always the hardest, when we begin our very first pomodoro we might find ourselves spending the first 25 minutes zoning out on a textbook just to get that ‘study time’ in even though you didn’t actually learn or recall anything. So to combat this, begin with something you’re genuinely curious about, or ask a question you can’t help but wonder the answer to. Once you find the answer, you might find you’re more in the zone and can continue from there. If not, take a short break and begin the pomodoros afterwards.

if you’re zoning out while reading up on a topic, try walking around while reading, looking at different sources on it or do some questions on that topic. again, novelty always gets us every time. sometimes the problem may be that the explanation in front of you isn’t making sense in your head and other sources may phrase things in a way that is better for your understanding. perhaps the problem is that you’re staying too still and you need to satisfy the hyperactive part of your adhd. or maybe your brain subconsciously believes that they already know what needs to be known about this topic, and there’s no better way to test that by trying out some questions on it.

switch between lyrical and non-lyrical music playlists, but make sure the lyrical music inspires you to excel. this definitely won’t apply to a lot of people but I found that when I constantly listened to piano, lo-fi or just non-lyrical music while studying in general, it actually promoted my likelihood of zoning out. but recently I found a playlist I deeply resonated with that was related to my studies called, ‘pov : a try-hard mid student who wants to ace everything’ and because I related very deeply with both the title and the lyrics of the songs, I was actively being encouraged to study as I was studying. but I also recognize when I really need to think in certain areas and that’s when I switch back to the non-lyrical music.

this is all I have as of right now but please do lmk if you guys want more of these!! I really wanna help out as much people as possible because my studies suffered greatly due to both my adhd and my late diagnosis of it and I’d love to help out others going through something similar.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Screw everything else inject On1y into my damn veins

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Aug 2024 Week 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

Monster Next Door (Thai Thurs Gaga ) eps 5-6 of 12 - Extreme introvert dealing with a very hot, very drunk, very affectionate extrovert was an excellent experience all around. “I was drunk and talking out of my ass, but I wasn’t lying” maybe one of the world’s greatest confessions. How meta that he’s checking out the book of the story that he’s in. Carry on boys, very enjoyable, very Thai BL.

My Love Mix-Up Th (Fri YT) ep 12 fin - It’s cute. They are all very cute. I do like it when high school BL gives us a coming out sequence. I know it’s old-fashioned, but it’s a trope that goes with this particular setting really well, and I just like it when it’s done nicely. I’m not sure I needed it to totally dominate the final episode of the series. But it was fine.

I gotta say, Fourth is an absolutely outstanding actor. He really did knocked it out of the park in this last episode especially. 

In conclusion:

It was fine and it was charming, but it was also a little lackluster. Thailand managed to take one of Japan's softest cutest most bonkers BLs in recent memory and make it softer and cuter and... dull. They did this by watering it down. JBLs almost always have an edge to them, even the rom-coms, by dulling the edge, MLMU lost a great deal of the sparkle and tension as well. What an office setting managed to mostly maintain in the consummate hands of TayNew felt somewhat lackluster when handed off to the next generation and a high school setting. Cherry Magic was a lovely reinterpretation, Mix Up was an amateur's watercolor rendition of a colorful oil painting. Am I being harsh? G4 tried their best, and Fourth turned in some outrageously good acting in the latter half. But the show? It was fine. If you like water colors and you haven't seen (and loved) Kieta Hatsukoi. 8/10

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (Fri iQIYI) ep 8 fin - This was the first hint we got that the lead's relationship was anything more than sexual. And it was utilized for a breakup?! JJ and Wan's friendship is the best thing about this show. PWan selling JJ out to Methas was great. I was modestly delighted by the big fuck off ownership engagement ring. I admire a boy who likes to mark his territory with bling. I actually thought this was a decent final episode. If very rushed. I know, in general this ending was objectively weak, but I grinned the entire time, so I can’t really complain that much.

Final thoughts?

A story about a kid who infiltrates a cooking competition under false pretenses and then has to deal with the consequences when he falls in love with the head chef. The side couple is a poor little rich boy meets physical therapist (morality chain). The core friendships are excellent and the chemistry cannot be faulted across the (charcuterie) board. What this show lacks in substance it makes up for in health code violations. It was all chili all the time. Considering that the plot centered on betrayal but the romantic relationship never sweetened enough to balance that bitterness; one could be forgiven for throwing this one in the compost. But I got over all its weaknesses in flavor balancing for an ultimately satisfying meal, with a great dessert course. I've always loved spicy food. Plus the blooper reels were fantastic. 8/10

Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues WeTV) ep 2 of 10 - I like the side couple a lot. It’s nice to see that dynamic developed (as it wasn't in the CBL version). Of course, Thailand leans into a secondary couple, but I also like the super popular jock + geeky boy who couldn’t care less. You know what? I’m actually really enjoying this. And yes, I AM biased because it's August. (Wait, that could be taken several different ways this month. But you know what I mean.) Anygay, this is a lot softer than the original, and so Hero is much more of a pining character and less harsh. But I'm still enjoying it. I like the stepbrothers trope (we don’t get it very much from Thailand), and I enjoy the beats and pulses of this particular story. We will see if it derails into inconsequence and lack of conflict the way My Love Mixup did.  

Sunset X Vibes (Sat iQIYI) ep 11 of 12 - I’m enjoying this show but it should’ve been just 10 eps. It’s feeling bloated at this juncture. That said, I loved our little GL kiss. Very pretty. I also really like the bit with Sam and Yo flirting with each other. Sam trying to get Yo to call him P'Sam was fucking brilliant. And then slipping in all of those nongs. Delightful. Linguistic negotiation, it's what's for dinner... along with Sam's d**k apparently. I frankly did not think they would take this couple that far. So, thank you very much everybody involved.

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 4 of 12 - I do enjoy watching Yim freak out and fall in love all over again. The reality is still better for me than the fantasy parts, but it’s all fun enough. The magic mushrooms bit was odd. In fact, there is definitely a core tenor of ODD going on with the show. Which I’m accustomed to from Japan but I’m not really sure about from Thailand. Thus I remain engaged but suspicious of this BL. 

I Saw You in My Dream (Weds Gaga) ep 6 of 12 - Yu wants to take his baby on a trip, gets thwarted by his younger brother. Ouch. I really do think it’s time for Ai to tell Yu what’s going on with his dreams! Drunken boyfriend bolster pillow is a fav trope of mine. As usual, I’m catching second lead syndrome. What? I liked the rich boy badminton player. And then he picked up a guitar. Oh well.

The Trainee (Sun YouTube) ep 8 of 12 - No one cares about the hets. He was jelly? Cute. Also kinda an arse, by hey this is BL. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The On1y One (Taiwan Thurs Gaga) eps 1-2 of 12 - announced in 2023, high school, stepbrothers, and is reputed to be high heat. Based on a novel Mou Mou + the Your Name Engraved Herein team.

ARE YOU READY? I'M GOING TO NOT SO QUIETLY LOSE MY DAMN MIND

This is old-school BL and it’s bloody fantastic. Tsundere seme to beat all tsundere (smartest + tallest + bestest at everything but people) meets socially-ept cutie smart-ass protag.

They living together by end of ep 1 and start kissing by end of ep 2.

There is an Unknown quality to this, and that I love. Also, and ironic to say this while Addicted Heroin Th is airing, but this REALLY reminds me of Addicted. It’s so fucking good. I am all in on this show. Shut up while this eats my life.

Cosmetic Playlover (Japan Tues Gaga) eps 5-6 of 8 - Of course! The POV shift to the seme character at ep 5! How could I forget? Japan loves this beat! AND.... The running of the gays. And a use of a first name! So darling. Also some crazy great communication and conversation that is NOT a hallmark of Japan. Sahashi is so very possessive. I loved the switch that went on in his brain and the mania in his eyes when he thought someone else was interested in Natsume. I continue to love this.

I Hear the Sunspot AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 10 of 12 - I’m never going to like Maya. Sorry. And the leads were separated for most of this episodes so it was largely disappointing. I did like the insight into the way T sees the world, and sees the alienation of a disability and what it's dong to his friend. It’s very empathic. He’s such an appealing character in his obtuse bull-headed way.

Seoul Blues (Korea Fri? YouTube) ep 2 of 8 - It’s intriguing, and I'm happy to have anything from Korea on my dash. But, like Blue Boys, I’m not entirely sure if I like it or not.

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) eps 3-4 of 12 - This may be Taiwan but I’m still in the "no singing" camp. I’m getting a slightly better chemistry feel off the leads in this episode. I’m not sure if they’re keeping it stiff because the younger character is under age or if it’s just that the actors aren’t there yet? (In other words is this a directing choice or a performance issue?)

Takara's Treasure AKA Takara No Vidro (Japan Mon Gaga) ep 8 of 10 - I've finally come down firmly on the fact that it’s the uneven power distribution (in terms of interest and enthusiasm for the relationship) that I dislike about this show. Generally, I like a power dynamic differential, kinky and all that. But this particular dynamic, when it’s the weaker personality that’s so much more into the stronger one? I never like it, unless it engages a serious pivot at some point. (See My Personal Weatherman or Takara & Amagi.)

It's airing but...

Sugar Dog Life (Japan Sun grey) ep 3 of 10 - I was really loving this one but I can't find ep 3 anywhere so I guess I gotta wait it out. I hope I get to see it eventually.

4 Minutes (Sat Gaga) eps 1-6 of 8 - Gaga picked this one up so we can watch it there. If I have time, I'll get caught up and put it into rotation.

In case you missed it

Meet You at the Blossom (China) - I'm eating crow, binging the fucker, and live blogging.

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer IS COMING IN SEPTEMBER!!!! (Yeah this is gonna sit here until then).

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Coming Next Month:

The Time of Fever (Korea)

9/1 Live in Love (Thai)

9/3 Happy of the End (Japan)

9/6 Kidnap (Thai)

9/7 The Hidden Moon (Thai)

9/9 Jack & Joker (Thai)

9/14 Love Sick 2024 (Thai)

9/17 Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan)

More deets next week. It's late and I'm tired.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

It was pretty. I am very shallow.

Even more pretty. Petition to have Tenon with his shirt off and hair back in every subsequent Thai BL? Just because.

(SunsetXVibes)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.

[brucewaynehater101]

Tim Ruler of worlds

In my head i think that the brucequest was way faster in this AU, when he realized that no one believed him about Bruce being alive Tim felt hopeless for half an hour before he remembered that he has a lot of planets under his rule and surely someone there could help him.

the only reason it took a month to get a team ready, was that there needed to be a competition for the honor of being on a team working directly under red robin, despite the time it took it was a great festival for his planets and a boost to tourism and trade, so Tim didn't complain.

Thanks to that + an spaceship, the Brucequest was over in less than a month, before Ra's even noticed that something was happening Tim was done.

but i'm not sure if i remember right but i think that in canon by the time Tim ends his quest the league had also realized that Bruce was alive, so here the only reason Tim ends up CEO of WI despite speedrunning the Brucequest is because the JL still didn't do anything even with a step-by-step slideshow on how to save Bruce, Tim is pissed but he has other things to do, so he just decides to try again later, but the one who is really pissed is Bruce when he discovers he could have been saved months earlier, but not a single person of the JL bothered to watch Tim's slideshow.

Also i called Tim red robin in this but i'm not sure if Tim would even be red robin in this AU, because having planets do competitions for the honor of working with you is very good for a person's confidence, i'm thinking that he was heading for a depressive spiral before the competition, but then seeing all the monuments the people of his planets built in his honor, the good he did for those planets, and the love they have for him as leader, really helped him grieve for his friends, rest a bit from all the stress from home and find hope in himself as more than robin, i think at this point since he's no longer Robin he reveals himself as Tim Drake for his subjects, the competion/festival lasts even longer because of that.

Also it really says something about Tim and his family that he considers ruling a multi-planetary empire more relaxing than being at home.

Oof! This has a great mixture of fix-it, fluff, and angst. You're right that maybe Tim would utilize the resources he has as a planetary ruler to aid him in the BruceQuest. Perhaps one of the reasons the JL refused to listen to Tim is because he managed to finish the BQ so quickly and refused to list his resources. I'm not sure exactly why, but perhaps this meant they didn't quite trust the info (not to mention all of the rumors of Tim not being mentally stable).

I'm not sure if Tim would release his civilian identity to these planets. However, I could see him creating an identity just for the plants to have a name to call him. He considers it like a royalty name or something. I do agree that with this AU, it makes sense for Tim to never take up the Red Robin mantle. I like Cardinal for him, but maybe he gets inspired by some myth by the planets.

A really funny and cool take would be the different planets having a prophecy about the hero that unites their planets and bring them prosperity. They start referring to Tim by this name (out of appreciation, love, and admiration). After repeatedly being referred to by this mantle, he decides to make it his vigilante name as well. I don't know what the name would be. Perhaps it means a significant amount in the aliens' language and gets roughly translated to English for Tim to use (like Superman's "S").

Honestly, Patron could also be a cool name for him.

[redux-iterum]

Can we have some fun facts about Whitestorm, Redtail, Speckletail, or Bouldernose? I really like their characters and seeing as most are gone, and Bouldernose isn’t likely to get more screen time, I thought now would be a good time to ask. If you don’t want to that’s a-okay!

I really do appreciate the effort, complexity, and life that you poured into these characters! All of them seem like their own person with goals that I would be willing to read a book about!

Thank you for the kind words! Let me see...

Whitecloud has never once wanted to be in charge of anything, but he was very aware of how good he was at being a leader. And what sort of fool would he be not to utilize those skills with an apprentice or an entire Clan? He would've been content never making it to even deputyhood, honestly, but ThunderClan needed him more than ever, so by golly was he willing to step up.

As a side note, he never raised his voice. He spoke mostly in a quiet, lax rasp that was somehow nonetheless easy to hear. Yelling at Fireheart to escape with Cinderpaw was the first time in years he had actually shouted, and it hurt his throat when he did it.

Redtail, I've always imagined to be pretty short for a ThunderClanner, as well as long-bodied and long-tailed. He was compared as a kit and apprentice to a weasel more than once. Not that that really bothered him. He was good at rolling with jokes and comments that would've thrown anyone else off.

Another side note: his body made it down the river all the way past RiverClan territory, was picked up by an unusually kind human when he snagged on a fallen tree close to shore, and buried on that human's property that the river ran alongside. Thankfully, he rests in a small grove, shadowed by trees. It did take him a second to find StarClan, given just how far away he was from the territories, but he was never at risk of becoming a wraith - he didn't know that Tigerclaw was the one to push him in, so he assumed it was a rogue and ran his way home, barely taking time to look around at his new surroundings and enjoy the view. He should have. It's a very pretty place.

As we've mentioned before on this blog, Speckletail's father was deputy before her, and likewise didn't make it to leadership. She is delighted and amused in StarClan that her son is deputy now too. Also immensely proud of him, but amused.

Speckletail herself had probably the most "buddy" relationship with her apprentice, Mousefur, when the two were training. Like, they didn't feel like a typical teacher and student. They felt like old friends with a few years' difference in age. They got along really well all throughout Mousepaw's apprenticeship. It likely led to Mousefur being as chill and practical as she is.

Finally, Bouldernose is good with kids. Shockingly good. He isn't allowed near the younger kittens (better safe than sorry with a newcomer tom), but apprentices and near-apprentices all like him greatly, and he likes them in return. He's also pretty good with making up stories as he's telling them, so when it's a rainy day or the kids are bored, they'll go to him and he'll whip up a tale about a cat with rabbit ears that whispered secrets to reeds. It's always weird random premises like that. The apprentices love it.

Final extra info! The Aulmir doesn't really allow for good tracking or use of one's nose thanks to the nasal cacophony that is the streets. Too many really strong scents to keep track of or identify. It overwhelmed him at times. Now that he's out in the wild, he can make very good use of his sharp senses (particularly his nose) and has a ball learning about all the new things he can smell and see out here. He's doing great, basically.

That's about all I got! I hope that sufficed.

[axuanmii]

admit you ship incest dude. the cn/jp shippers say its incest. pick up a book and translate it, it says kaeya is adopted. .. and heres a long paragraph about how incest is only between biological families and more disrespect to people who are adopted...

no idea why my inbox didn't give me this notif until now, but now's a better time than any to talk more about this.

i'm chinese. i speak fluent mandarin chinese. i've consulted other native chinese speakers about this, both genshin players and unrelated. i play genshin with chinese audio and english subs specifically to catch and complain about inaccuracies. i'd reveal more information but then i think it'd be trivially easy to doxx me if one knew what they were looking for.

fundamentally, the issue of incest lies in physical reproduction, yet i find adoptive incestuous relationships discomforting all the same. it's why i didn't like or finish go ahead (以家人之名) because i felt that it laid too much into the siblings aspect for romantic relationships to be feasible, and it was super contradictory from the initial general message of the first bittersweet yet wholesome episode.

however, personally, i just don't think kaeya felt like a part of the family until crepus's death and he really reflected on crepus's actions towards him (hangout). and even after beginning to view crepus as a father figure, he wouldn't have so shallowly made the transition for diluc to be his brother by adoption and consequently changed his entire mind about the guy (which you can see with the way he chooses to refer to both men with different terms, one adoptive and familial, one very clearly 'sworn', very consistently throughout the whole game. if that ever changes in chinese, well, at least you can know that i'll make a post about it if i still care about genshin by then.)

the localization team does make plenty of serious mistakes, and it's of my opinion that as a result, it has very clearly skewed character relationships with those mistakes, (cynari and collei, eulamber, some npcs in liyue, sumeru) some from cultural differences, some just from lazy translation overall. there's layers of complexity in how chinese utilizes honorifics and affectionate terms, as well as contextual consideration between fiction and reality, and sometimes i feel like the english localization team just threw it all into google translate and called it a day.

i don't even ship kaeluc that much. i like to call it the secret third thing where they can't get off their asses to talk about anything ever so they exist in an undefined space and to have them return to any semblance of a healthy relationship, platonic, familial, or romantic, would require a novel's length worth of development that hoyoverse will probably never write, and so my brain has made up novels of all three kinds and more.

however, i also don't care about people who do ship kaeluc or treat any other fictional media in an incestuous or otherwise problematic manner, regardless of language or culture. this is because i operate on a "don't like, don't read, don't interact" mindset. it makes being in fandom more fun; you should try it.

my disappointment wasn't aimed at the fact that i think too little people ship kaeluc. it just sucks to see people claim that that's what's wrong with the fandom and spin this evil gross imagery around the ship over a misunderstanding, especially when that's not how i view it. it's also the only thing vehemently regularly repeated ('klcers dni') when there's so many other issues with the game and the fandom.

(off topic but what's the worst thing that'll happen if a kaeluc shipper likes your fan stuff. it's not like they come into your tumblr asks to bother you with an "oh btw you're wrong about how you enjoy this media and this is what's right"-- oh wait that's what's going on here right)

including the fact that people like you purposefully go around searching in the kaeluc tag (which you probably did, because nobody is scrolling that far back in my blog to find this one specific post to complain about) to police and pick fights with people over a stupid issue from 2020/2021. i guess tumblr isn't a safe place to talk about kaeluc either lmao.

and to think i left anon asks on in the hopes that it could be an inbox for anyone who wanted to ask me art questions or just leave something positive and not feel too awkward (where do i get the confidence in thinking anyone would ask my incompetent brain for help lol).

to be fair, it's going to be my fault for continuing to draw attention to this by responding to such an ask instead of just deleting it and moving on but fuck it we ball.

this ended up pretty long but i feel like it would've been too rude to just say "会说中文的干嘛要翻书 :P". probably would've been funnier though and saved me a lot of time. kudos to you if you actually read this and read through everything.

final note:

[pinkacademiaprincess]

Hiii I’m so sorry to bother you!, hope your day goes well <3 I just want to ask, how can I improve in maths? I’m preparing myself for the sat and I have trouble with understanding it. Any tips would be very much appreciated, thanku !! ♡

Become a Math Whiz: Acing Math Class & the SAT 📈✏️📚👩‍🏫

ty for the ask & the kind words! you are never a bother, i'm happy to help 🥰 i can def give some tips as someone who went from struggling w/ math to being good at it. and i’ve taken the SAT so i know that experience as well! i hope this helps 💗

take accountability

it’s very easy to try to shift blame & avoid taking responsibility for your grades/ performance. i used to think things like “the teacher is just bad!” or “i’m just not a math person!” but this mindset is just deflecting. some things are out of your control, like what teacher you have or preferring other subjects, but you have to step up & work hard to create your own success! remembering this will help you stay motivated and disciplined.

find your learning style

i talked about this in a previous post too, but there are different styles of learning - visual, auditory, hands-on, & reading/writing - and not all of them work for everyone. if you spend a ton of time studying and don’t see improvement or results, that’s a big sign that you’re studying wrong. a method that works for your friend or that your teacher uses might not actually be effective for you. so do some research into learning styles and study methods, and find implement strategies that work for you.

never fall behind

okay, easier said than done. but one of the biggest reasons i used to struggle is math is that i would get stuck on a concept, never fully master it, and then i’d stay behind. in math, a lot of topics build on each other. if you get stuck on a topic, it’s crucial that you figure it out asap or your confusion will snowball. you can’t build a solid structure on top of a wobbly foundation. the moment you encounter a problem area, study it until you’ve completely understood.

practice makes perfect

i try to steer clear of recommending specific study methods b/c everyone has different learning styles. but math is so dependent on problem solving & applications that you really have to master this skill in order to succeed. beyond just reviewing your notes & reading over concepts, you need to practice applying topics by solving problems. do the homework questions & do them for accuracy, even if it’s just graded for completion. find extra problems in the textbook, workbook, online, etc. redo questions from class or the hw that confused you until you can do them correctly without your notes. drill it until you can solve them AND understand how the steps work!

ask for help

i am clearly a big proponent of asking for help. in school, your teachers are gonna be one of the best resources you have. for one, they’re teachers for a reason, so even if you think they’re not too great at explaining stuff, they know the concepts. and besides that, your teachers the ones who are creating units, assigning your work, writing & grading your tests... they should be your go-to for questions. visit them during office hours or email to set up a meeting where you can discuss concepts. ask for extra practice problems, ask them to look over your work & let you know how it looks, talk through your work with them. aside from teachers, you can get help from a tutor, a classmate, whoever you can turn to. but pls don’t suffer alone! succeeding with help is still succeeding.

use the internet

so maybe your teacher truly sucks at explaining. maybe you don’t have classmates to help and can’t afford a tutor. or maybe you just wanna supplement your learning another way. i really really recommend utilizing free learning tools online!! khan academy is an obvious one for videos, practice problems, and more. you can also find tons of youtube videos explaining math topics. sometimes it helps to hear things explained another way. i also google “[math concept] practice problems” if i want extra questions to work through.

bonus: tips for SAT math

the SAT is a bit different b/c the math concepts aren’t actually too advanced. it’s all multiple choice so you don’t get to rely on partial points for showing your work. the SAT is testing your strategy & speed as much as it’s actually testing you on math concepts, so here are my best tips for that specifically:

use khan academy’s SAT prep tool - it’s free (!!!!!) and it links to your collegeboard account. it uses prior years’ SAT content so it’s very similar to the test itself. it helps you pace yourself, pinpoint your problem areas, learn & apply concepts, & track your progress. here's a screenshot from when i used it, as you can see my scores improved and i was able to ultimately get a superscore of 1450!

take practice tests - this helps you get familiar with the time constraint. khan academy has plenty!!

do a ton of SAT math practice questions - ideally, find a ton of questions used in prior SAT tests and just crank them out. the test's concepts are quite repetitive so if you just focus on the topics they usually test, you can master them

learn test-taking strategies - the SAT is multiple choice and has a tricky time constraint, so however you can save time will help. become good at using the process of elimination & other multiple choice test methods. you can find these sorts of tips online!

i hope this helps! know that you are completely capable of improving at math. i went from thinking i suck at it & doing poorly in math class to acing my calc courses & studying to enter a math-focused field. utilize your resources and figure out your best study style asap, and you WILL see improvements!

[skyloftian-nutcase]

The Many Languages of Love - Familial (Ordon Fam)

Summary: When Uli gets run down, Rusl and the boys step up to help.

Setting: Post-Twilight Princess

Rusl always knew that whenever he came home, there would be warm food and an even warmer hug waiting for him. Whether it was from working in the forge, delivering something to Castle Town, the more covert affairs of the Resistance, or more recently the shroud of darkness that had engulfed Hyrule, Rusl could always rely on Uli to hold the fort at home.

Of course, he tried to pitch in as best he could. When he wasn't doing any of the aforementioned activities, he at least tried to maintain cleanliness in the house, and of course he always looked after the children when he had time to do so. Uli generally managed the home happily on her own, though, and he thanked her for it every day.

So it was a strange and concerning thing when, one evening, Rusl returned home to find Uli sitting on the sofa, no fire crackling in the fireplace, no food to be seen or smelled, and a general dark atmosphere to the space.

"Uli?" he questioned, walking towards her. "Are you alright?"

Uli jumped, startled, having been lost in thought. "Oh! Dearest, I--I'm so sorry, I just--"

His wife paused, sighing and sagging a little in the sofa. Rusl knelt in front of her to be at eye level and looked her over. She seemed very out of sorts. "What's wrong?"

Uli shook her head. "I'm just tired. I'm sorry. I'll work on dinner."

Rusl laid a hand on her knee. "If you're tired, then rest. I'll take care of dinner."

Uli's posture changed, stiffening a little as she shot him an uncertain, questioning glance.

Rusl tried not to be offended by the look. "Just because it didn't quite go that well last time doesn't mean I can't make something for you. Go rest in bed. I'll take care of everything."

Uli watched him a moment longer before sighing and nodding. Rusl kept an eye on her until she vanished into the bedroom, and he nodded to himself, setting to work. The cleaning could wait until after dinner. As for the children, he knew Colin had Hana as he usually took babysitting duty around the evening. He saw them outside just a moment ago. So that just left dinner.

Nothing was really laid out to be utilized, but as Rusl walked to the kitchen area, he saw some usable items. Eggs, some goat milk and cheese. That was good. Uli usually loved eggs boiled, but...

Well, to be honest, Rusl got tired of peeling them and mutilating them. Besides, he was cooking now, which meant they could have something different! Uli might appreciate a change. Also, boiled eggs were usually served for breakfast. He needed to make something a bit more substantial.

What else can I make with all this? He wondered, growing steadily more baffled at the prospect.

He would need some help.

Gathering the ingredients, Rusl stepped outside and headed towards the outskirts of the village. Colin took note, following him.

"Is dinner ready?" his son asked as he traipsed along, his baby sister bundled in his arms.

"Not quite," Rusl answered. "Your mother needed some time to rest, so I'll be making dinner."

Colin paused, expression growing worried. "Is Ma okay?"

"She'll be fine," Rusl assured his boy. He had to smile at the child's concern; Colin had such a big heart. Although it was a valid question since Uli usually never faltered, Rusl did know his wife had her slumps just as much as anyone else; women seemed to suffer from it more than men (Rusl had to marvel how women endured so much mentally and emotionally - he admired Uli all the more for it). He was more than happy to take care of her and the family until she recovered. "But we can make the load easier for her for a little while."

"Where are we going?" Colin questioned next.

"Well..." Rusl paused as they found their way to the last house in the village. "I figured I'd recruit some help."

Rusl and Link had both been on their own journeys now, after the attack on Hyrule. Rusl usually got by with scrounging together something somewhat edible, but he could just as well go a day without eating until he reached a settlement. Link might have better experience - the boy used to help Uli cook when he was younger.

Rusl was humble enough to admit he was a terrible cook, after all. But he was certain they could make something together.

Link was inside munching on a carrot (Rusl sincerely hoped the boy wasn't just going to eat that for dinner). After a brief explanation and another assurance that Uli was, indeed, going to be okay, the three put their heads together on the matter.

"What about an omelet?" Link offered. "It's better than just boiling them."

"How about egg stew?" Colin picked up a glass of milk and shook it. "Ma always says milk is great for stews."

"I've never heard of egg stew, I'm afraid," Rusl laughed. "Is that something you had in Kakariko?"

"I had omelets in Kakariko," Link noted.

Colin shook his head. "No, there weren't egg stews in Kakariko Village. But it has to exist, right? And Ma makes lots of stews for dinner."

"But we ain't got any of the ingredients for stew," Link sighed. "There's usually other stuff in it. I can see if I can get some pumpkins."

"Uli needs dinner sooner rather than later," Rusl interrupted the train of thought. "Let's use what we have. She could make something out of it. How about the omelet idea?"

Link rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I don't know how to make omelets."

"Well it can't be too hard," Rusl supposed. "I've had plenty in my travels. We'll figure this out. We know it takes eggs."

"But how do they end up like that? Uli always boils them."

"Maybe it's after you boil them?" Colin offered. Hana giggled in support of the suggestion.

"Omelets are yellow like the yokes. Maybe it's just made out of egg yokes?" Rusl muttered, thinking about it. That had to be the case. But the yokes varied in texture from watery to powdery depending on the degree of boiling the egg. They were never soft and fluffy like omelets.

"Maybe we could ask someone in the village," Link offered with a shrug.

Rusl was humble enough to admit he needed help, but he wasn't that humble. "No. We'll figure this out. We're all smart lads, we can get this done."

After intense debate, the group decided that a omelette was their best option. They tried to boil the eggs so they could separate the yolks more easily. Rusl lamented it was good they needed the yolks and not the whites as he seemed to shred them while peeling the shells. Colin managed to peel them perfectly, at least until he and Link made a competition out of it. Rusl eventually had to slow his rowdy children down before they destroyed the eggs entirely. Then they mixed the yolks in with milk and boiled that, slowly adding cheese as the milk warmed.

The family looked at the bubbling, semi-soupy mixture in bewildered silence.

“I don’t think we did it right,” Link finally noted.

Colin suggested, “Maybe we just need to boil it longer?”

“We’re gonna burn something.”

Rusl ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. If he really wanted to help Uli, he should probably—

“Rusl?”

Startled, Rusl, Link, and Colin jumped and whirled to see Uli at the entrance to Link’s home. Hana cheered happily, hands in the air in greeting of her mother.

“Uli!” Rusl looked guiltily between the strange cheesy soup they’d made and his wife. “I—we’re still working on—”

“Is that dinner?” Uli asked, her tiredness fading in lieu of amusement.

Rusl felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment, and he puffed his chest out somewhat defensively. “It’s still a work in progress.”

“Pa,” Link argued halfheartedly, and Colin looked pleadingly at Uli for assistance.

Their mother sighed good naturedly. “What were you trying to make?”

“It’s fine—”

“Omelets,” Colin answered.

Rusl looked grumpily at his boys. Traitors.

Uli burst out laughing.

After catching her breath and wiping her tears of mirth, his wife said, “Let’s go home and I’ll make an actual omelet.”

Rusl was not going to make her work when she’d been too tired to do so earlier, but despite all his insistence, she nudged him gently until he relented. The compromise was t the would help cook.

And honestly, Uli’s smile was brighter than it had been in a while as she giggled about the home, as Colin helped clean dishes, as Link gathered supplies.

Rusl swallowed his pride, settling to clean up after his wife, happy that, despite his fumbling, she was still feeling better.

[a-bottle-of-tyelenol]

agere athena headcanons !!

— art by gigi —

— requested by @ghostyroyalty —

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

🤍 - athena is a caregiver with big babysitter energy (an alloparent, if you will). she’s never been particularly maternal but she enjoys being called momma since it reminds her of the few children that she did have. she finds humans fascinating and much of her interest in regression surrounds the specifics of it and how it affects them— what it does, how it happens, and what results she’ll get with differing behaviors. some might say she “experiments” on her littles, but it’s really just her learning everything there is to know about them (though, they are absolutely experiments).

🤍 - I personally give her very bird-like appearances and mannerisms. she has massive wings that she’ll use to scoop up a little and hide them away from the world, and she has a nest in her Quick-Thought domain that she often invites them up to nap inside. she refuses to sing lullabies for her littles but she will chirp and whistle in a pretty bird song which works all the same. in a mix of bird instincts and her general intrigue in humans, athena also has the habit of bringing things to her littles, like food or gifts, to both make sure the chicks/hatchlings are taken care of and just to see what they’ll do with them.

🤍 - and because she’s a goddess, sometimes her littles will wander up to her and give her gifts in return and she never knows what to do with them because offerings are usually meant to be more symbolic than anything, but she accepts them all the same. she has a whole section of her domain where she stores all the little rocks, trinkets, and flowers given to her by kiddos with big doe eyes and a innocent smiles.

🤍 - she’s very tall, which means that she often has to lean down to talk to humans at eye level and she finds that appearing physically small helps ease them into their regression. in that same vein, she finds that regressors really like her owl form and love watching her fly around. she finds it very sweet and, when she’s feeling generous, sometimes she’ll let them hang out on her back while she flies around in her primary form.

🤍 - she actually starts out fairly judgmental, seeing regression as a weakness in her strongest soldiers. she finds man’s inability to brush off their emotions to be a hinderance in their performance as soldiers and while she understands logically what trauma does to someone, she finds it difficult to empathize or understand beyond how it works on paper. as she interacts with regression, and the regressors themselves, she slowly begins to open up to the idea and sees how beneficial it can be. it’s to the point where she can go a little overboard and insist its benefits onto humans who don’t regress (which is actually how quite a few people started regressing lololol).

🤍 - she’s a very strict and calculated caregiver with specifics planned out in what a little is to eat throughout the day and what the most beneficial forms of play are. specifically, she likes to use play as a way to practice concepts introduced in training— such as endurance, reflexes, memorization, and strategy. she enjoys physical games like tag or hide and seek because it utilizes a lot of the skills she sees as important.

🤍 - she is a bit of a “tough love” caregiver. she will very much throw a baby out of the nest just to make them fly and she’s accidentally made a few kiddos cry with her blunt attitude. she always feels bad and her intentions are good, but she does definitely struggle with the softer aspects of age regression. she does genuinely try her best, though, and she’s a very quick study so it doesn’t take long for her to figure out what works and what doesn’t.