#i just think it would be cool i want chil to have a cool neck scar

[chilpilled]

hey what if ur first death in the dungeon leaves a scar. someone walk with me here

[fuumiku]

Day 2 : Role Swap

Ok I have thoughts for this one bear with me. He’s a mage with a half-foot guild still but his activism is especially targeted towards half-foot mages specifically since they’re rare and so looked down upon (and the two are correlated).

Marcille scouts out places all Tomb Raiser style for lost treasures and knowledge, keeps maps and written info etc in her book. She’s still much of a scholar but more in an archeologist sense, she wants to discover the truth of dungeons and see if it could revolutionize the world. She’s a buildings and engineering nerd instead of magic nerd. She hypes herself up as a passionate cool rogue adventurer like in books✨ Chil thinks it’s a silly and unstable profession. All her um, grace and agility when doing headstands and dancing are coming through with this new role of hers.

Chil does need to borrow mana and so they hold hands a lot. I am so taking advantage of the mana transfer thing. "I’m out of mana, you’re an elf and you never use magic, give some to me! You have so much, don’t be selfish!!" -inparty fight breaks out as he chases after her and she runs away- I imagine that’s just kinda how he and half-foot mages roll? Dunmeshi-typical worldbuilding monologue that explains how "Most people don’t even use their mana, they don’t even learn magic. If you give me your mana I’ll be able to do more magic, win-win, no harm done." I imagine you have to be magic-savvy to be able to transfer mana to someone but it’s fine he can just steal it methinks 🌟 So he gets to be the one who’s very casual about physical touch. He does NOT want to be a healer it stresses him out but ah shit there Falin goes.

More AU details under cut

You’ve heard of onion knight now get ready for onion mage Y’know the saddest part of mage Chilchuck is that he wouldn’t use explosion spells

You know how Marcille uses her staff to grab people by the neck or head sometimes… Chilchuck would have a free choking stick he can use to make people listen to him. He can REACH THEIR NECKS . It doubles as a walking stick for his old man back… /j And a weapon, sort of. I think staff more than lance, but long weapons like that suit him I think. Holding the monster at bay with a 4 feet long stick like "Stay BACK!! Go for my party members shoo shoo!!!!"

From my observations, staffs for magic all have a ‘hole’ at one end, oh size, shape, material and form varying. For example both Marcille and Rin have a similar hoop, but Falin’s is a lantern which imo the metal frame of it and the glass form this hole I’m speaking of. Maybe it’s like, the staff condenses the magic inside the hole and helps channel it and give it form? What I’m saying here is I didn’t decide what it was made out of but I like to think it’s carved wood so it can be homemade but unique to him.

Marcille and Chil both fight in battles, but he stays where it’s safer and does long distance spells only. Marcile uses daggers probably… But yeah her role’s more being a scout rather than a fighter, while Chil’s role is being a magical fighter and his expertise on magical creatures and such.

I think he’d be self-taught, where it’s his own magic system… I think he likes theory more than vibes and working at the whims of creatures, so maybe elven with an half-foot script? He doesn’t seem like the type to get buddy-buddy with spirits much A bit like his cowl it’s like he always has a part of home with him a bit with his half-foot magic… He’d have sucked at the beginning, it’s pretty experimental magic, but he made it work and tbh he’s a Big Deal for it. Learning on the field ofc ofc he’s no honor student

I think the racial prejudices tension would be worse, because he’d be nervous of the whole ‘half-foots who get too curious about dark magic get taken away’, and I think as a half-elf who doesn’t do magic it might be uncomfortable for her to deal with how the half-foot is better at it than her and how her mana would have had better use with him instead of her? Idk brainstorming. I def think she’d habe more of a complex about being a half-elf… Still with existential dread and still Hopes to find a cure to death, but she goes about it through artefacts etc rather than magic. I’m unsure how her career would turn out that wqy exactly because job stability and academia are important to her, but yeah I think she went to school on an agricultural and history level and focused her research on that front? And then she could become that adventurer scholar who explores to pierce secrets of the world and ancient civilizations trope yeah I think that’s the angle.

Maybe his plans for the future after quitting being a dungeon diver would be teacher/mentor instead of shopkeeper 🤔 One one hand oh god have mercy on his blood pressure, on the other he likes contributing to his community and would want to encourage half-foot mages and pass down his knowledge and expertise I think. Empty nest syndrome where…- OHHH mage Meijack……. I was thinking becayse Meijack followed in his footsteps in canon but it could suit Puckpatti and Flertom too… Their dad would have shown them some magic tricks hehe. They can be a magical girl trio in my heart, Powerpuff Girls energy…

A rogue has gotta be able to make intricate af braids and updos with their fingers (ignore how in canon Chil is just barely decent at them nvm). I was thinking maybe one of Marcille’s lockpicks is Ambrosia-shaped… Or maybe it’s an hairpin. Maybe she keeps her lockpicks as pins in her hair but they’re easy to grab… Getting more gimmicky by the second but my heart yearns for it I cannot lie. I ended up doing something close to canon for Marcille’s outfits but at first I imagined she’d wear stuff more akin elven fashion, short dress with pants, light material, though also with a leather armor breastblate. She has long gloves like the ones that look fancy, maybe even up her upper arm rather than just forearm ooh… Also her little pouch, which actually contains stuff this time around (lockpicks). They still have matching pouches yay

In that last doodle Chilchuck weaved her a little familiar with twigs… So it is magical but it’s hers, and it’s a second stand-in for Ambrosia. Maybe a golem… It’s very silly and prob not real in the au but the thought of it is really cute. Someone on the discord said Fantastical Beasts Pickett which yesss lmao, it’s like a pokemon for "(lock)pick it!" I love arts and crafts Chilchuck so much. Sew clothes. Weave twigs. Woodcarve. Necromance a frankenstein. He can make himself a new wife (/J I AM SO /J)

Also for Izutsumi: I think the reverse of a ninja is a bard. Take that as you will. Angry bard who grew up in a troupe……

[majesticbrownjawn]

I was almost done writing this when I came across this post that’s a perfect for this little jawn.

Drive-Thru

Rated: NSFW 😈

———————————

“Watch where you’re going, babe. You gone fuck my shit up.”

She’d nearly hit a stopped car in the drive thru of Erik’s favorite fast food spot. The line was wrapped around the building.

“Well that’s what you get for making me drive. You know I hate driving,” she pouted.

Erik simply raised a brow at her and pointed to the boot on his foot. He broke it trying to break her fall. He told her it wasn’t a good idea to climb her ass on the counter and stand on it to reach the top shelf of plates. But he still flew to her rescue when he saw her wobbling, not knowing the floor was wet from a glass of water she spilled on her climb up. She regained her balance before she fell but he instead cascaded to the floor with a loud thud. He hobbled on his foot for a week before she made him go to the doctor. That was yesterday.

She felt guilty about it, which is why she was the one driving and not him like always. But she didn’t have any less of an attitude about it than she normally would.

“Cool ya puss, baby...” He gripped up as much of her thigh as he could squeeze. The short, thin, baby doll dress she wore made it easy. “...before I cool it for you.”

She huffed in frustration at him telling her to chill but also because his warm, rough hands had worked her up that quick. They always did, no matter the time or place. Even in the drive thru of Erik’s favorite chicken spot.

“But Eriiiiiiik-,” she whined.

“Hush,” he whispered as he leaned over and nuzzled his face in her neck, attaching his supple lips to her. She soon realized the attention to her neck was merely a distraction when she felt two fingers gently pressing against either side of her clit.

“Fuh-fuck, Erik.” Her fingers dug into his forearm but it did nothing to stop him from making circles up, down and around her sensitive bundle. She let out a silent scream when his thick finger slid between her engorged pussy lips and went inside her.

“That’s what I thought. Shut the fuck up.”

She looked at him with pleading eyes, vigorously nodding her head like the good girl she was.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they missed the car in front of them moving up in the line. A honk from another car momentarily brought them out of the lusty haze they created within the confines of his SUV.

“Think you can pull up with two of my fingers inside you?”

He slid another digit in before she could reply. The surprise and pleasure of his action shot a jolt of pleasure through her body, causing her foot to hit the gas pedal unexpectedly. She had to slam on the brakes to not hit the car in front of them.

“Careful baby. I’d hate to have to chastise you for fucking up my car...but then again, I’d love to punish yo thick ass right now, especially after what happened to my foot.”

“But daddyyyy—“ so much pressure was building from the work of his fingers inside her that her vision was blurring. “You said—you said you didn’t blame me.”

He used the pad of his other thumb to wipe a single tear from the apple of her cheek. The guilt and pleasure she was experiencing was too much.

“I don’t blame you, baby. But next time imma let cho hard-headed ass fall.” Erik’s head nodded to the front of the car. “Time to order. You know what I want.”

“Welcome to Clucky’s, what can I get you today?” The voice from the intercom was bright and clear.

“Umm, hi,” she replied with shaky breath. “Can I get a number threeee?”

Erik decided in that moment he’d latch himself to her nipple. He didn’t even bother to lift her dress up. The warm breath of his mouth seeped through the material, completely overwhelming her senses.

“Is that all, ma’am?”

“Order my shit,” he demanded in her ear as his thumb flicked at her clit tirelessly.

“And a number 10, please.”

“Look at this pussy, got you creaming down my fingers. You wishing it was daddy’s dick, don’t you?”

“Did you say cream, ma’am? We don’t sell coffee after breakfast.” The cashier obviously heard Erik’s nasty ass.

“Uhhh I mean mayo, shit!” She said, trying to cover it up, embarrassed.

She quickly closed the window and lifted her dress, whimpering as she watched his fingers go in and out of her. The milky, creamy wetness she produced was having a serious effect on her man too. Her eyes traveled over to the ever-growing pipe in his joggers, yearning for her hands, begging to feel as good as her pussy felt right now. His eyes caught hers and gave her a silent warning not to touch him. She ignored it and reached over anyway, gently massaging the bulb of his dick over his sweats. He grunted in pleasure, despite the look of disapproval on his face. She couldn’t help herself. She loved to make daddy feel as good as he made her feel.

“Ok babygirl, since you don't want to listen, you better make me cum before we get to the window or imma bend your ass over the trunk and fuck you in the parking lot. You want everybody to see me wrecking yo shit?”

Part of her did. And he knew it.

Her cheeks burned at the thought of Erik fucking her pussy with dozens of eyes on them but the thought of other women looking at him in the lustful, longing way she did filled her with unwarranted jealousy. A jealousy that made her pussy all the more slippery. To know women wanted him but he only wanted her was a turn-on itself. He knew how her mind worked and that the words he said would have the exact effect on her that they did.

“Aye—“ he pinched her hardened nipple to bring her back to the moment. “Make me cum.”

She was excited and nervous. Erik had the stamina of a marathon runner. The nigga never came fast, her begging him to ‘please nut’ was a frequent occurrence during their lovemaking. Now he was demanding she make him cum in a matter of minutes, and now the line was actually moving past a snail’s pace. Sis was running out of time.

She widened her plush thighs to give Erik more access and a better view. He always praised the beauty of the deep brown to bright pink ombré of her pussy when he was in it. It was a start, but she’d certainly have to do a lot more.

“Daddy, why’s your dick so hard all of a sudden?” she asked innocently, sliding her delicate hand into his pants and pulling out all 8.75inches. She gasped at the sight of it. Seeing it in the daytime with rays of sunlight shining on it was a sight to behold. “Is that my fault too?”

The only answer she received was the visible tightening of Erik’s jaw and beads of precum slowly trickling from his tip. She moved his natural lube around him, focusing on the head of his dick, knowing it was his most sensitive area. Her hand cupped the soft skin of his tip and made circular motions around it while he continued finger-fucking her.

“Ooo shit Erik, that feels so good baby. Can you add another finger, please?” His eyes bulged and she felt his dick twitch in her hand. “Fuck daddy, yes, yes. I’m gonna cum so soon...thank you daddy, thank you... You’re making me cum so hard for you, I can’t take it...fuck I can’t...fuhhhhhkk!!”

Her hand momentarily paused the work it was doing on Erik’s dick as she came, but that didn’t stop her from noticing the rapid pulsing of it as she orgasmed. Her daddy loved to watch her cum with his thick fingers inside of her.

“That’s my pretty baby, get that good nut.” The sound of his voice with his fingers still filling her hole had her wanting her another cum, but it was his turn.

“Can I make you cum now, daddy?”

“You better. We’re almost at the window.”

She glanced down at his hand inside of her and gently pulled out his fingers, her aroma filling the confined space even more. Erik closed his eyes and deepened his back into the seat, the smell of her bringing him to that familiar, blissful state she and her pussy always put him in. His moment of calm was quickly lifted when he felt his own hand sliding up and down his dick. Erik looked down to see his babygirl’s hand over his using the juices from his fingers—from her pussy—to wet his dick up.

“You nasty, clever little slut—you making daddy use his own hand to cum? Hmm?”

“Please don't be mad daddy. I’m helping, see?” She guided his hand back to her glossy pussy and scooped out more of her sticky cum and made him stroke himself with her juices again. This resourceful bitch. He smiled proudly at her, his eyelids slowly fluttering from their collaborative stroke.

She leaned over to him, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him into her for a slow, lazy kiss. She dominated it and him in a way that was rare for her. They moaned into each other with need as she continued the swift cycle of wetting his fingers with her pussy and jacking his dick.

“Mmmm daddy, I think imma cum again…” she whispered against his lips.

“Do it. My baby deserves another nut.”

“I do? Cuz I’m a good girl for you?” She kept up her motions on them.

“Yes. Only for me. My good girl with the pretty kitty.”

She unexpectedly bent down to deep throat Erik. The taste of herself on his dick excited her. She gagged on his thick member a few times before looking up at him and letting out a mangled “I love you.” He held her head in place as he exploded in her mouth, cum escaping out the sides as she desperately tried to swallow it all. When she was done, he pulled her back up to his lips and kissed her gently, despite his heavy breathing. He released her in time for her to pull up to the window.

“Sorry for the wait ma’am. Y’all had the number three and—“

Her eyes followed the cashier’s line of vision back into the car and straight into Erik’s lap, where his dick stood erect against his stomach.

“The fuck you looking at? You ain’t never seen a dick before?!” Erik’s girl’s attitude and acute jealousy was unmatched. It was part of the reason he stayed on hard for her. She was like him in a lot of ways, just wrapped in a fluffier , cuter package.

“Baby, chill,” he requested softly. She yanked their food from the cashier and sped off without paying.

“...and what the fuck you mean ‘baby chill’ you the one with cha damn dick out in the middle of a drive-thru!”

“You pulled it out though.”

“Whatever nigga, I’m never driving again. Fuck this and fuck you!”

“I love you too, babygirl.”

[coeurdastronaute]

Stud 10

Previously on Stud

“No.” 

“I thought we agreed not to look at the price tag.” 

“How much does it cost?” Clarke wailed, groaning as she looked at the spec sheet the realtor had given them on the trip over to the building. 

“What were you complaining about if not the price?” 

“I don’t complain, thank you.” 

“You often voice your concern in a loud and disgruntled manner,” Lexa explained as she continued scrolling on her phone, checking her emails eagerly. 

The car slowly trickled its way down the busy streets toward their evening appointment. It’d become somewhat of a routine at this point, and Lexa was certain their realtor would get sick of them after a dozen or so showings, and they were none the closer to agreeing on anything. 

“It has five bedrooms and six bathrooms, Lex.” 

“But the location and the view.” 

“We don’t need that big of a place.” 

“One can be an office, one is our room, one is an art studio for you, and that leaves two bedrooms for visitors. You know Aden will be dying to stay, and my dad, and your parents when the visit. And what about Raven? She needs a place..” 

“We don’t need that much space. Your dad owns a place on the Upper East, so he doesn’t need any room.”

“But the view.” 

“Can we at least agree on size?”

“I don’t like to limit ourselves. What if we find the right place but it has like an extra bedroom?”

With a sigh, Clarke tossed the paper between them on the seat before looking out the window of the unmoving scenery. It was a rainy day, and a balmy evening. She hadn’t enjoyed the house hunting as much as she’d thought she would. Something about finding a place together felt more like a nightmare than a dream. They couldn’t seem to agree on much of anything, and Clarke didn’t want to fight anymore. She just wanted to magically find a place they agreed upon and she wanted to not live out of suitcases at Lexa’s because her place sold so quickly. 

It didn’t help that Lexa was a little busier than normal with her new pet project, or that Clarke was feeling the pressure of work and her parents and her friends. It was a rough spring, and she just wanted something to work out. 

“I don’t want a big place. I want something comfortable, and ours. It can be a studio for all I care.” 

Lexa paused and turned off her phone, the back of the car going darker with the absence of its light. It’d been a long few weeks of running around and looking everywhere, and she wasn’t sure why, but it was only right there that she felt a wave of sadness on her chest. It might have been Clarke’s voice, or her optimism despite it all. 

There was a way in which Lexa was vastly aware of how much she worked, and with Maggie getting started, she was conscious not to get completely sucked into it. She also knew that she was distracted, and Clarke was kind enough not to hold a grudge. There might have been a tiny part of Lexa that almost didn’t want to find a new place because she loved her place, and she did not like change. 

“I take back the thing about you complaining all the time.” 

“I don’t think you said all the time.” 

“Right,” Lexa nodded and smiled, taking her girlfriend’s hands. “Let’s skip this one. It’s not for us anyway.” 

“We already told Elaine we’d be there. I’m not going to make her mad. I kind of like her and she’s put up with us.” 

With a dramatic flourish, Lexa sagged against the back of her seat and chanced a peak at her girl to see if a tantrum would have it’s desired effect. It never did, but she always had to give it a try. When it failed, she tried to the grin, the same grin that led to window sex, that grin. It was effective sometimes, though she never tried it in a car. 

“I promise you right now, that we will find a place by May first, and we will be enjoying our own place all summer.” 

“We’re going to London in June, and I was invited to a family trip to some beach house. And we promised my parents we’d visit.” 

“Okay, we will find a home and we will have a place to come back to, just ours,” Lexa kissed her girlfriend’s hand and held it, trying her best to sound as reassuring as possible. “Plus, that’s not a family trip. That’s the annual board retreat and it’s dreadful.” 

“What about the family trip?” 

“Aden picked camping. So we’ll be hitting a few national parks.” 

“But you.... You guys own like mansions on lakes.” 

“Dad’s stoked. We used to camp all the time when we were kids. He dug out all the old gear and booked the grounds.” 

“Like tent camping?” 

Lexa smiled and nodded earning a slight sigh from the teacher beside her. 

“For someone who is adverse to the luxury of my position in life, you sure do like the fancy digs and vacations.” 

“I know,” Clarke shook her head and looked out the window again. “I’m getting spoiled. I just don’t like nature that much.” 

“So you’re bailing?” 

“No! It’s a family trip, of course I’m going to be there.” 

That part made Lexa feel a bit warm in her chest. Of course Clarke would say something like that, and of course she would like to go anywhere her family did. So she squeezed her hand and picked up the paper to look at the specs for the place. 

“Maybe this place will be it,” Lexa offered. “Too big and all. Wouldn’t that view of the park be so nice? And those windows.” 

“You do seem to love windows,” Clarke recalled, flushing slightly. 

“I think we’re here,” Gus offered as he pulled up to a building. “Nice looking place from the front.” 

“We’ll find our way home tonight, Gus,” Lexa informed the driver. “I think I owe Clarke dinner.” 

“I can wait.”

“No,” Clarke offered sweetly. “She really does owe me dinner. Have a good night. Thanks for the lift.”

“Good luck in there,” he smiled and closed the door after letting them out. 

Before he pulled away, Gus stood by the car and watched. Clarke hugged Lexa’s side and Lexa had her arm over her shoulder. She kissed her temple absently and the driver who had held her in his arms on the day that she was born felt insanely proud at the moment he’d witnessed. He’d always worried about her, especially after the death of her mother. But Clarke was a spark. Lexa knew him well enough to know he’d still be there, to turn around before they moved to the elevators with the realtor and gave him a wave and a smile that he returned. Gus truly did hope they would find their home, because Lexa needed a place to come back to no matter what. 

XXXXXXXXXX

The view of the park was spectacular. 

Clarke didn’t pay much attention to it, not at the present moment despite her forehead resting on the glass. She felt Lexa kiss her shoulder before her tepid breath moved to her neck and a hand that tugged her shirt higher while another was firmly rooting around in her shorts. There were words happening,but Clarke couldn’t really decipher much of them. Her fingertips clawed and found no traction against the glass. 

As sloppy and poorly planned as it’d been, Clarke relaxed, going slightly limp, allowing the window and her girlfriend to support her as she tried to catch her breath and remembering the feeling of the cool glass against her heated skin. 

“I love our place,” Lexa whispered, kissing Clarke’s shoulder and earning a chuckle. “So many windows.” 

“I don’t know which will be worse,” Clarke stood on her own slightly. “Sore from moving all of the stuff or from christening every surface and new piece of furniture we get.” 

“How can you be sore when I make you feel so good?” 

There was a mischievous grin there that Clarke kissed in an instant, gobbling a Lexa in such a good mood up deliciously. Even though they were both slightly sweaty, she held her close, not minding the smudges she was sure existed behind them. 

“Our place,” Clarke muttered, something she was still not used to saying. “Can you believe we agreed on a place?” 

“Yeah, because you’re spoiled and I give you whatever you asked for. It was inevitable.” 

“Shush.” 

“Our first night, and you’re hushing me. Sounds about right.” 

“You make me sound like I’m a demanding brute instead of an incredibly devoted,” Clarke explained, kissing her girlfriend’s neck. “Alluring,” her jaw. “Loving,” her lips. “Supportive partner.” 

“You’re a complex woman, Griffin.” 

With a shrug and a smile, Lexa relaxed a bit. The sun was setting later as the spring bloomed in the city. There was something sweet to the moment, and she was savoring it because she was someone who held moments tightly. 

“We should order dinner. We didn’t unpack anything.” 

“The bed is set up.” 

“And that’s it,” Clarke shook her head. 

“You wanted to do it all yourself.” 

“Yes, well, I got distracted by your affinity for--”

“Fucking you against hte window,” Lexa agreed quite seriously. “Yeah yeah. When are you going to stop using that as an excuse?”

“When you stop doing it.” 

“So… never?” Lexa pushed forward again until Clarke was leaning against the window. She hissed slightly at the chil as hands moved to her hips. “You’re just so pretty and I have an outrageous amount of affection for you.”

“Don’t sweet talk me.” 

Somewhere between the kiss and the complaint, the buzzer went off. And despite Lexa’s idea to ignore it, Clarke slipped from her grasp and pressed the button. She felt her stomach growl and she realized how hungry she was. They did need to eat, and they did need to start unpacking. With a forlorn glance she looked away from the windows once again. 

“Your dad is on his way up,” Clarke yelled from the other room. “Please wipe off the window or something. I’m going to clean up in the bathroom.” 

Despite the frantic screech and order, Lexa just looked around at the boxes and held up her hands, unsure of how she was supposed to find anything. Instead, she listened to her girlfriend swear as she bumped into something and ran into the bathroom. Lexa just moved toward the door. 

“Hey, kid,” Alex grinned and hugged his daughter at the door. “I was just heading home and I thought I’d bring you a house warming present. See if you needed any help hanging up shelves. I’m quite good at that kind of thing you know.” 

“I know, I know. Not yet, but I’ll let you know.” 

“I ran into Elaine in the lobby.” 

When he moved aside, Lexa saw her realtor and nodded politely at her. 

“Great minds,” she offered, holding out a bottle of wine. “I tried to drop something off before, but you guys were quicker than I thought you’d be moving in.” 

“The reno guys were really good,” Lexa explained, examining the bottle. “Thank you. This is one of my favorites. Come in, guys. We haven’t made a dent in unpacking, but please--”

“Where’s that pretty girlfriend of yours?” 

“Sorry, I was just… um… is that wine?” Clarke breezed in and accepted a bigger hug from Alex than Lexa got. She kissed the realtor’s cheeks and accepted a half-hug. “Did you two plan this?” 

“No, no, just good timing,” Elain blushed slightly as she looked from Alex back to the pair. 

“What do you think,” Lexa turned to the girl who hugged her side. “Our first dinner party?” 

“We were just going to order, and these are both very good looking wines,” her girlfriend agreed before turning to her father. “Would you both like to join us?” 

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Alex waited for the inevitable refusal of his refusal. 

“Yeah, I just wanted to drop this off. I hadn’t even planned on coming--”

“You can’t let us drink this on our own,” Lexa shook her head. “Come on. We’ll have some food and finally christen this place.” 

There was a slight elbow in her ribs, but Lexa was proud of her choice of words. She was proud of her place and she was proud of her girl, and she was proud of being someone who could invite people in for a quick dinner and drinks. 

“Please stay,” Clarke offered again. “We always order too much, and you’re saving me from having to do any unpacking tonight.” 

“I think we have to stay then,” Alex grinned and looked expectantly at the realtor who finally gave in. 

“Perfect.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“It was a very nice place,” Elaine promised. 

“You’re being generous,” Alex chuckled as he shook his head. “We thought it was going to be a nice area. We should have listened to you.” 

“I can’t believe Mom let you make that call,” Lexa laughed before taking another sip of her wine. “Or that you let him buy it.” 

“We were all young and dumb,” the realtor shook her head and took another drink as well. “That would have been thirty or so years ago.” 

The foursome sat on a hodgepodge of furniture assembled on the patio overlooking the park and the trees and the beautiful sunset. With take out containers passed around and random plates and plastic cutlery, they shared and laughed and drank wine from coffee mugs. It’d been an evening of good conversation and good wine and good food, and much to Lexa’s liking, she stole food from her girlfriend’s plate and laughed at her father’s stories. 

“Your mother never let me hear the end of it, anytime we bought a new property, I wasn’t allowed to even say I like it or not.” 

“At least we agreed,” Clarke offered. “I think you eventually had a good eye to find this place.” 

“Well, when you finally agreed to live with me, I figured I should provide adequate shelter.”

From her spot, Clarke leaned against Lexa’s legs and looked up at her, smiling and in love. It was a sight to see. Lexa swirled her wine and took it all in, as she was known to do, while her father reminisced with Elaine, barely remembering each other from too long ago. Lexa rubbed her girlfriend’s shoulder and her neck absently. 

“It’s almost unbearable, isn’t it?” Alex shook his head after watching the two of them. He smiled at the pair across from him. 

“What’s that?” Elaine leaned closer. 

For a moment, Clarke and Lexa were making eyes and whispering, smiling, happily unaware that they were now the subject of observation. 

“How happy and in love they are.” 

She turned her gaze upon them and sighed, amazed by it after finally having the time to observe them. 

“It’s beautiful.”

“I’m so proud of her.” 

This time, Elaine turned toward the beaming father and smiled smaller, to herself, in awe of such honesty and the source itself. 

“Don’t look now, but I think your dad is hitting it off with the realtor,” Clarke whispered after tossing a glance at the pair across from them. 

“You’re completely impossible lately. Trying to set up everyone we know.” 

“Maggie and Raven could hook up.” 

Lexa just shook her head and finished her drink. 

“Can I get anyone a top off?” she interrupted the conversation as she stood. 

XXXXXXXXXX

“I think she liked him and he was certainly interested in her,” Clarke informed Lexa. “You didn’t pick up on those vibes?” 

“My dad doesn’t have vibes.” 

The girl at the sink snorted as she continued to rinse out the paltry amount of dishes they’d accumulated in their tiny dinner party. Disinterested in anything at all, Lexa absently played with her empty mug, waiting for the moment to carry her girl to the bedroom and sleep off the inevitable wine hangover. 

“Aw babe. He might not know it, but they were definitely hitting it off.”

Despite how amused Clarke was at the whole thing, Lexa felt her cheeks grow warm at the thought of the betrayal. It didn’t sit right, it didn’t feel right, and everything felt heavier caught in the wine-shaded haze of the long night. 

“There’s no way. He’s… he’s not interested in anything like that.” 

“For someone who likes fucking me against windows, you sure are a prude. He looked like he was having fun. Let the man flirt a bit.”

“You’re reading too much into it.”

“Does he at least know that you’re okay with him dating someone else?” 

“I’m not.”

There was a pause. Clarke looked up from the kitchen sink toward the girl at the island, and she waited for the joke, for the laugh, for the punchline. But nothing else came. 

“You can’t expect him to be lonely for the rest of time.”

“He has friends. He stays busy.” 

Hands were on hips, and Lexa knew it was a fight before she could stop it. But she didn’t care. She was having feelings, and they were burning up through her veins and scorching her neck and cheeks and chest. 

“And every night he crawls into an empty bed, Lexa,” Clarke argued. “I don’t know about you, but when you’re gone for a week, by Tuesday I’m absolutely sappy with missing having you near. I can’t imagine how that is for him.” 

“He doesn’t want anyone else.” 

“Maybe he doesn’t, but don’t you think it’s important for him to know that you don’t want him to be alone?” 

“No.” 

It was stark and honest for the moment. Lexa wondered if she sounded selfish or confident in her delivery. There was a thin line between spoiled and demanding. 

“If it were you, and something happened to me, I’d want you to never feel an ounce of sadness or like you were alone or like I would want to take away one second of your life pining away for me.” 

“But you’re you, and you’re not dying,” Lexa shook her head and spoke forcefully with her hands. “I don’t want anyone else. I want you and only you. Ever.” 

“Your father has a few decades ahead of himself, and he’s supposed to pine away forever?” 

Lexa didn’t like the thoughts in her head or the words that were coming out of her mouth or her girlfriend’s mouth. But they kept happening. There wasn’t a pause button. 

“That’s my dead mother you’re replacing!” 

“No one could replace her! I can’t believe you’re acting like this.” 

“I never thought this would be an actual option. I’m sorry I’m not mature enough to handle the idea of my father with someone else.” 

There was something to be said for the honesty. Clarke only ever asked for that from her girlfriend, and when she got it, the actual hard parts, she was always proud, even in heated exchanges or disagreements. Maybe even more so then. And even when she was mad, she softened because it was Lexa. 

“I didn’t know your mother,” Clarke began, soft and gentle despite the anger she fought to keep down for the moment. There would be time to be forceful later. “But I’ve heard stories from everyone I’ve met through you. She was a force that I can’t even fathom. Your father’s potential choice of going on a date with a woman does not take away his love or devotion to her. Nothing could do that.” 

Lexa grit her teeth and took a deep breath. 

“She was my favorite person and sometimes I feel like I’m losing her.” 

“Just because you don’t actively think of her every second doesn’t mean that you aren’t. She created your whims and your thoughts and your like and dislikes-- she made you a person and every action you do is because of her. She’s innate to you, love.”

“I don’t know.” 

“Gus told me a story about how he saw your mom and dad fighting after some event, and when he mimicked her, he moved his hands,” and Clarke moved it to show what she meant. “And it was exactly what you do when you get frustrated and mad. You just did it two minutes ago. She’s not gone. Your father deserves happiness.” 

“He does.”

“Let the man go on a date.”

“I can’t stop him. He’s an adult--”

Clarke gave her a look until she acknowledged her power. Lexa nodded and looked away before flopping down on the still-covered couch, defeated and exhausted from the uproar of thoughts and feelings. 

“I’m sorry I yelled,” Lexa offered quietly between them. Clarke didn’t move closer, but just stood across the room until she leaned against a chair. 

“I’m sorry I yelled,” she returned. “You’re just insanely frustrating sometimes when you’re purposefully obtuse. And I know your father, so I know who is really to blame for that genetic gift I have to deal with.” 

Despite the dig, Lexa smiled to herself and snorted. Sometimes Clarke was too good at deciphering her, and to be left so bare and honest and broken down into her simplest parts was excruciating and wonderful, all at the same time. It’s easy to see what’s wrong with an engine when you take it all apart to find the source of the problem. 

 “I hadn’t thought of any of this. I don’t know what to think.” 

“We can figure it out tomorrow, if you want.”

It was hesitant because the entirety of their conversation had been so heavy and unresolved that Clarke wasn’t sure Lexa would want to go to bed or if she’d be stuck in her head about most of the ideas. But Lexa watched her shy smile and she returned it, holding out her hand before moving. 

Clarke crossed the box-mined living room and took a seat on her girlfriend’s lap, carefully kissing her cheek before laying her own on Lexa’s shoulder. 

“I wouldn’t know what to do without you anymore,” Lexa confessed, the first time she’d had that thought. “You’ve ruined me.” 

“Guess I should stick around then, huh?”

Lexa hugged her close and nodded. 

“I’ll talk to my dad.” 

“Only if you’re ready.”

“Maybe I should talk to aden first. He’s brilliant.” 

“He surely got the brains,” Clarke agreed. “And the talent, and the physical prowess, and the--”

“Okay, okay. I get it.” 

“Let’s go to bed. I’ll make pancakes in the morning.” 

Lexa smiled and nodded, because nothing in the world sounded better to her than waking up with Clarke and eating pancakes.

NEXT

[galileosunshine]

A Fallen Angel’s Consolation

Rating: General Words: 2855 Series: Love Live! Sunshine!! Pairing: YohaRiko

Summary: Yoshiko treats Riko out to dinner, and tries to act the part of a proper girlfriend. And that means - no Yohane. 

Written for @aisuwa as a makeup gift for Secret Admirers 2018 exchange! 

Read on AO3

Tsushima Yoshiko had never been more on edge in her life.

She was a jittery mess of nerves on the inside, and she fought to not constantly fidget with her hands or fix her hair or sigh. All of it was because of what she had planned for this evening with her girlfriend, a certain senior with red hair and a passion for playing piano.

It wasn’t that their evening’s plans involved anything out of the ordinary. It was just a Valentine’s day dinner at a restaurant. Granted, the restaurant was rather upscale, located on Awashima Island, served gourmet dishes along with balcony views of Uchiura’s sea, and required a certain dress code and at least a week’s prior reservation. And all of it came at a hefty sum of money.

Ok, it was pretty extravagant. Yoshiko wanted to do something special for their Valentine’s. But besides the fancy dinner, Yoshiko didn’t want anything else be out of the ordinary. And to be specific, she wanted to be herself unassuming – and that meant none of her fallen angel pretenses and speeches about hell or little demons. Absolutely nothing Yohane-related.

She wanted everything to be proper, down-to-earth…because Riko was a proper, down-to-earth kind of girl.

Yoshiko and Riko had only been dating for a couple months. And for that matter, it was the first time Yoshiko had dated anyone, so she had more than a few anxieties about how their relationship was going. She definitely didn’t want to screw this evening up. She wanted Riko to have fun, without having to be embarrassed about her own girlfriend while in public.

And that’s what made her worry. Yoshiko just hoped she could keep her fallen angel side under control.

Yoshiko swallowed down her nervousness as she finally arrived at Riko’s house, pulling her car into the driveway. She gave her makeup and hair a final lookover in the mirror before exiting the car and heading up the path to Riko’s front door.

Before Yoshiko even had a chance to knock, the door opened and Riko stepped out to greet her with an enthusiastic smile.

“Yocchan! You’re here!”

Riko wore a low-high, off shoulder dress, in her namesake’s color of pink, and a small pearl necklace hung around her neck. Her hair was styled with waves, and it was swept to one side and hung over one shoulder. It nearly made Yoshiko forget how to breathe, and for a second, all of her worries were forgotten. But only a second.

“Riri!” Yoshiko said, then quickly bit her tongue. “I-I mean…Riko! You look great!” Yoshiko mentally berated herself for letting herself trip up already. She had to be more careful than she thought, or else she’d unconsciously fall into her habits.

Riko tilted her head slightly, confused at Yoshiko not calling her by her usual nickname, but she quickly put it out of her mind. Their reservation was in thirty minutes, and it wouldn’t look good to be late.

“You look great too, Yocchan,” she returned the compliment. Then she smiled playfully. “I half expected you to be in some gothic getup and your face painted all white, but here you are.”

“Whaaaat?” Yoshiko let out a forced laugh. “I wouldn’t do that!”

“I don’t know…” Riko feigned.

“I wouldn’t! Not for a night like tonight,” Yoshiko said, feeling her cheeks get hot. “And certainly not for the kind of place we’re going to.” Yoshiko didn’t mention that luckily for her, her mom had a spare black dress that fit her, or else she really might be in one of those gothic dresses. But Riko didn��t need to know that.

“I know, I’m joking,” Riko giggled. She stepped out of the doorway and clutched Yoshiko’s arm. “Shall we go?”

Yoshiko gulped at the sudden cool sensation of Riko’s arm against her own. “Ahh, yeah! Let us descend to – I mean! Um…yeah, let’s go.” Mentally berating herself again, Yoshiko led the two of them back to the car.

It started a week ago, at the shoe lockers after school.

“Hey Riri,” Yoshiko asked nervously, leaning against the wall of lockers. Riko was switching out her shoes as they talked.

“What’s up, Yocchan?” she replied.

“Next week…is Valentine’s, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. What about it?”

Yoshiko’s eyes darted about. “Well…I was wondering…what you wanted to do? I mean I know the tradition is the girl gets chocolate for her boyfriend, or the person she likes, but since we’re both girls…do I, like, give you chocolate, or do you give me chocolate or…I mean, not that either of us is the ‘guy’ in the relationship, but…y’know! Or, um we can both get each other chocolate, or…”

Yoshiko’s head swam as she babbled. Why was it so awkward talking about this stuff? She thought she’d get use to this lovey-dovey stuff after a couple months of dating. But she was still as tongue-tied as ever when she was with Riko.

Riko answered with a laugh. “You’re overthinking it, Yocchan. Just like you said, we can both get each other chocolate. C’mon let’s walk.”

They exited the school building and began their daily walk down the long slope leading up to Uranohoshi, and that led to the bus stop at its end.

“There’s one other thing!” Yoshiko said, calling after Riko.

“What is it?”

“I kinda…wanted to do something special too. Besides just the chocolate.”

“Something special?” Riko echoed, and she hummed in musing.

“Eh? What’s wrong?”

“Well usually when you say ‘special,’ it means some kind of Satanic ritual or something else involving Yohane.”

“Ahh, that’d be nice…wait, no! I don’t mean anything like that!”

Riko wasn’t convinced, however.

“Are you sure?” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t want to be dragged into one of your little demon shenanigans.”

“It’s not that!” Yoshiko replied in a fit of embarrassment. “I was just thinking of going out for a nice dinner? It’d be my treat! My mom was telling me about this fancy new restaurant that opened on Awashima Island. We might be able to get a reservation there. That is, if you want to…”

Yoshiko’s face felt, as she might say, hotter than the flames of hell. And her embarrassment only got worse as Riko stayed silent for the next several seconds, until they stopped walking, having arrived at the bus stop.

Finally, Riko turned toward her and gave an earnest smile. “Yeah, that sounds nice!” As relief flooded through, Yoshiko’s body, Riko stepped closer to the dark-haired girl and planted a small kiss on her cheek. “As long as you don’t make a scene and nothing ends in a public spectacle then, I’d be happy to!”

“G-great!” Yoshiko responded, her heart racing out of control, both from the kiss, and in excitement for the coming week. “I promise you won’t be disappointed!”

Although Riko probably didn’t mean her words to be taken so seriously, Yoshiko was determined to act the part of the proper girlfriend on this date.

And so, on their ferry ride to Awashima, she didn’t make any comments about crossing the River Styx or entering the realm of Hades, or about the night being as dark as her tainted soul, and she certainly didn’t stand at the helm of the boat, claiming it be her vessel in their journey to the underworld. As much as she wanted to.

Riko found Yoshiko’s demeanor to be strange as well, voicing her concern.

“Are you alright, Yocchan? You seem awfully quiet.”

“Do I?” Yoshiko said back, and Riko raised an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?”

Nothing was wrong, Yoshiko wanted to say. But she knew that would just make Riko more curious. And the last thing she wanted was for Riko to be worried about her on their date.

What made the entire situation worse was that, whenever she didn’t know how to respond to something, she always had her Yohane persona to fall back on. It made everything easier when she could turn it into a joke. But now she couldn’t even do that.

“I just want you to enjoy yourself,” Yoshiko said instead, with a smile that she hoped would ease Riko’s worry. Then she pointed to the sky, trying to divert attention away from herself. “Look, the stars. Aren’t they pretty?”

“Yeah,” she replied without looking. She only continued to stare at Yoshiko, concerned etched even deeper on her face.

When they arrived on the island, they were ushered to the restaurant, where they claimed their reservation and were seated on an open-air balcony overlooking the Uchiura waters. Off in the distance, they could make out the lighthouse, its beam of light circling around and around. Little lamps were also set adrift in the water below, and combined with the fairy lights that lined the railings, Yoshiko and Riko felt like they were floating among stars.

“Wow, this is beautiful,” Riko said. “I feel like I’m in a dream.” Seeing the enchanted gleam in Riko’s eyes, Yoshiko smiled, perhaps her first genuine smile that night.

Soon, they had their drinks, and were offered menus.

“Geh,” Yoshiko flinched, eyeing the rows and rows of fancy sounding dishes. “I can’t even pronounce half of these!”

Riko giggled. “I think some of these are in French.”

“What? How am I supposed to know what to order? They don’t even have pictures!”

“Maybe we should ask for a children’s menu?”

Yoshiko sputtered. “H-hey! I don’t need a children’s menu!”

“Oh?”

Yoshiko raised her chin up haughtily and made a V-sign in front of her eyes. “The great Yohane has lived ages, millennia, longer than you fellow mortals. She certainly does not require a chil–”

Yoshiko came to an abrupt halt, realizing what she was doing. Her hand came down from her face in an instant.

“O…kay?” Riko said, curious as to why she had stopped. “But I would think that Yohane, having lived so long, would at least be able to read a few foreign languages.”

“Let’s…not bring up Yohane, ok?” Yoshiko said, her face turning red. She quickly looked about the room to make sure no one had seen her. In the fine dining establishment they were in, Yoshiko was afraid she might even get a complaint for making ‘gang’ signs.

Riko furrowed her eyes in confusion. Now she really suspected that something was wrong. But once again, she decided to let it go for the moment, and instead focused back on the menu.

“We could pick at random?” Riko suggested. Despite her teasing, she had to admit that she couldn’t make out most of the food options either.

“Pick at random?” Yoshiko echoed.

“Yeah, my mom and I do it sometimes. It’s kind of fun, to get something completely unexpected.”

“What if we don’t like it?”

“Usually, since we’re getting two dishes, there’s something we can enjoy. We can share that, and ignore whatever we don’t like.”

Yoshiko thought for a second. She looked down again, at the words written on the laminated pages, with all its roman letters in fancy squiggly lines, and the extra vowels and accent marks that made her brain hurt deciphering how to pronounce them.

“Y’know, I like that! Let’s do it, Riri!” Yoshiko said, she really didn’t have any better ideas. And then she realized what she said. “I mean – ! Good idea…Riko.”

“Ok, that’s it.” Riko closed her menu with a loud thump and tossed it on the table. She folded her arms and put on her best ‘stern’ face, making sure to looks Yoshiko square in the eyes. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Wh-! What? Nothing’s wrong! I’m completely okay! What gave you that idea?”

“Well for one, you’re reacting like that.”

Yoshiko flushed.

“You won’t call me Riri, which you always do, even when I tell you not to! And you’ve only cracked one Yohane line this entire evening! You’re acting like… Well, you’re not acting like you.”

Yoshiko hid behind her menu. What could she say? She couldn’t deny that everything Riko said was true.

“Sorry…” Yoshiko mumbled out apologetically, and Riko immediately softened. She didn’t mean to yell at her. She was trying to help Yoshiko after all, not make her feel worse. Riko reached across the table and laced her fingers through Yoshiko’s.

“Yocchan,” she said, her voice low and hopefully soothing. “You said you want me to enjoy myself, but I can’t have fun if you’re not having fun either, ok? So tell me what’s wrong.”

Yoshiko set down her menu with her free hand, and took a long intake of breath before letting it out in a sigh.

“Well…you said you didn’t want anything Yohane related tonight, so I was trying to be…y’know, not. I was trying to be normal.”

Riko pursed her lips. “Is that all?”

Yoshiko nodded.

“You’re really an idiot, Yocchan.”

“H-huh?”

“I said not to make a public spectacle. You don’t have to completely avoid being Yohane, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“But…”

Yoshiko went silent, her eyes taking on a faraway look, and Riko started to realize that it wasn’t simply a misunderstanding on Yoshiko’s part. The source of Yoshiko’s worry went deeper, farther into her past. And when the girl finally spoke up, her voice was cracked and wavering, a mix of fear and anxiety that spoke of years of being rejected and ridiculed for being Yohane.

“It’s just…I don’t want you to hate me,” Yoshiko said, barely above a whisper. “You’re my first girlfriend, and…you’re the first person who’s accepted me despite…well, everything. And also today’s Valentine’s day, so I wanted you to have a good time, and so…because you made it sound like you didn’t want anything to do with Yohane tonight I…”

Yoshiko trailed off. She probably wasn’t making sense anyways, but more so because she was afraid that she’d start crying if she said any more. Her body was already trembling enough as it is. Riko was also looking at her as though she’d break into a million pieces at the slightest breath. She certainly felt that way.

Yoshiko felt her hand being squeezed.

“Yocchan, I don’t hate you, or your fallen angel stuff. I mean, I don’t like it when you drag me into it or make a scene in public, but I don’t hate you for being you.”

Riko sighed. It’d take more than a few words of consolation for scars this deep.

“I love your passion for all the fallen angel stuff, I admire it. And I love how you can just put yourself out there, and unapologetically be yourself. It’s really helped me too, to come out of my shell, and be more assertive. I love all of you, Yocchan, so you don’t need to pretend to be something you’re not, ok? Not with me.”

Yoshiko’s eyes met Riko’s for an instant, and then looked away. And then she looked at Riko again, and the second time, she held her gaze.

“You…mean it?”

“Of course I do.”

Yoshiko squeezed Riko’s hand back, and gave her a shy half smile, pointed tooth and all. “You really are my most loyal little demon, Ri– …Riri.”

Riko’s heart heaved a sigh of relief. She felt that at that moment, the entire evening could’ve ended and their time would’ve been worth it. Normally she’d brush off a comment about her being a little demon, but in that moment, it was the highest praise she could ask for.

Because it wasn’t just praise. It was Yoshiko saying thank you. Thank you for being there for her, for putting up with her, and most of all, for accepting her. And that’s when Riko stumbled upon another realization.

Perhaps that was all Yoshiko was ever asking for, when she invited people to become her little demons.

“Ahem,” a voice called from behind Riko, and they both swiveled their heads toward the source of the sound. “Are you ready to order?” It was their waiter, who had been standing there for who knows how long.

Yoshiko and Riko exchanged glances and smiled knowingly at each other, before Riko turned back to the waiter.

“Yes, we are.”

And as planned, they picked randomly off the menu, pointing at a spot and requesting whatever their fingers landed on.

The rest of the evening passed just as lightheartedly. They chatted about school and recent Aqours activities, laughing at each other’s blunders and swearing to do better. They talked about new songs, even coming up with some new concepts for their subunit. When their orders arrived, and they saw the food sitting on their platters, they had a fun moment of “so that’s what that was!” and enjoyed trying each other’s dishes.

Most of all though, was the feeling of freedom Yoshiko felt. She was more boisterous and “fallen angel” than ever, at one point even trying to perform a summoning by drawing a pentagram with ketchup.

And through it all, she basked in the light of Riko’s eyes, and the warmth of her smile, that told her she was accepted, and that she was loved.

Notes: Well, I never expected myself to write a YohaRiko fic ^^;; I probably wouldn’t have if it weren’t for this exchange. Although it is faaaar from being my favorite ship, it was a nice challenge to try and write for it, and to try and understand it a bit more. I hope you enjoyed!

[majordomo-zazu]

/Okay off-topic but since The Jungle Book 2016 is my Favourite Movie of All Time Ever and I’ve just watched the trailer for Serkis’s film and all the extended interviews I’m gonna rant about it for a minute cause I have THOUGHTS

Warning: Very long

Okay first off I massively respect that it’s drawing from the book and trying to distinguish itself from the Disney version. Massive points for that

BUT this is so fresh on Disney’s coattails that it’s impossible to distinguish the two. Even the opening shot of Chil (sorry, RANN) the kite makes you think Favreau. And I’ll talk about this more but some lines and shots are STRAIGHT from the Favreau version

Serkis’s enthusiasm sells this for me, if nothing else. He’s so happy to be making this and to be playing Baloo it’s hard not to get on board

The animals look like shit, let’s get that out of the way first. Motion capture was...the wrong choice. Like, the faces in Favreau’s film aren’t perfect (notably on the wolves, Khan, and Bagheera). But here they are SO distinctly human because that’s Serkis’s calling card.

Christian Bale sounds so much like Ben Kingsley to me. It looks like they’re going the same character direction with Bagheera, where in the book he’s like...Disney Baloo levels of chill. I wish the delivery showed that more

The monkeys dragging Mowgli up a cliff??? The fact they can’t speak??? Come on, that’s straight out of 2016

The shot of the landscape when the monkeys drag him over the top does nothing but remind me of 2016 as well. It has the same sandy kind of colour palette the ‘wolf’ scenes did

and JUST after saying the monkeys have no structure Serkis says they ‘pay/are in service to...’ That COMPLETELY undermines his last point and just makes the audience think ‘King Louie.’ Also he doesn’t tell us who it is? Kaa? Shere Khan?? Either one is a no one both accounts.

In fairness, the actor playing Mowgli looks REALLY good

shot of Mowgli on Bagheera’s back over a waterfall between the trees. Not bit-for-bit like that iconic shot from Favreau, but close enough to remind you of it

I liked that initial shot of Shere Khan, but after reading @cavetigrim ‘s post about it I’ve changed my mind. It’s a good shot, but makes no sense. How does he hunt?? Or fight??? A limp in his back leg looks less cool but makes SO much more sense

Also, I can’t really tell but it looks like Tabaqui is a striped hyena? Okay, guess I won’t be getting a jackal, again. Are we seeing some anime influences here?

Me: In the Disney movie Shere Khan’s face is too flat, it looks kind of weird. Andy Serkis: I can fix that! Me:...okay Nevermind.

Honestly I feel like this would be stronger if they made hyperrealistic CGI animals and just had their mouths move with dialogue. A bit weird, but it would go far to separate it from the Disney version

Shot of main character climbing cliff as the kite flies by...Disney

I admit, the human stuff seems really interesting. And some of the backgrounds are beautifully shot

Baloo looks fun. A totally 360 from the Disney version which I am totally here for. And we know Serkis can act his ass off

I wish the wolves looked as good as Council Rock did

Hearing Serkis talk about Hathi is interesting. Though covering him in moss is a bit of a stretch. I wonder if he’ll talk?

Slowed down the bit of the two wolves fighting and there’s a monkey running up the cliffs...final battle scene?

Baloo looks awesome, just to reiterate 

Shere Khan swiping at a man brandishing fire towards him? I hate having to keep saying this but...DISNEY

Okay either the wolves are attacking Mowgli and Bagheera is defending him or Bagheera goes batshit crazy because in another clip he attacks Mowgli AND Baloo....Gotta be honest, I REALLY want to know why

Everything about Kaa...from the animation to Blanchett’s delivery...eurgh. It actually makes me appreciate Scarlett Johannson’s performance more which is something I NEVER thought I would say

Animals all lining up in front of the elephants....A ‘Letting in the Jungle’ type scene?

Apparently Kaa is some kind of “Prophet” or “Seer”...Why won’t any movie just give me a big fuck-off chaotic neutral snake who just wants to eat a ton of monkeys? Also, telling the past? Isn’t that exactly what another giant python did two years ago?

“The Jungle is no longer safe for you,” - Bagheera, 2016, and also Bagheera, 2018, apparently.

Baloo has wrinkles on his forehead asdfghjkl

I’m kind of...alright with the bad cgi. Yeah, it’s bad, but I don’t NEED to pretend the animals are real

Okay there’s a shot of Akela in the behind the scenes interview but I first though he was basically because he’s so much...like a hyena

Okay in the full daylight shot Tabaqui is a BROWN hyena? Native to AFRICA? Either that a really fucked up Striped Hyena

Kaa is...a green anaconda. A’ight.

I don’t know what it is but Baloo wins me over every time he’s on screen haha. Apparently there’s a scene where Mowgli, Baloo, and Bagheera are in the Cold Lairs vs Shere Khan, Tabaqui, and the monkeys, which I am totally down for, but are the monkeys working for Shere Khan? Like in the anime? I’m not really too keen on that tbh

Okay Bagheera is trying to straight up kill Mowgli. That look he gives him is so strong that I want to see the movie just to know why Bagheera’s attacking him. Then he goes for Baloo’s fucking neck goddam

Again, the actor playing Mowgli looks phenomenal

Overall, of course I’m going to see it. It’s the Jungle Book (sorry, Mowgli). Serkis’ enthusiam and real passion for the project have won me over entirely, even if I don’t think it’s going to be perfect...or that good at all tbh. It reminds me a lot of the recent live action Tarzan movie, which was a fun watch, but nothing substantial. 

I really want to root for this movie, but with every second shot I’m just reminded of Favreau’s version and how good it is. I don’t want to constantly be comparing the two but that’s all this trailer did for me

And there’s absolutely no way it’s going to meet me ‘8-cry Jungle Book standard of excellence’ (meaning I cried eight separate times when I first saw the 2016 movie), the impossible standard on which I judge every movie I’ve seen since then