#i think. with adaptive nature i started to expect a little bit too much from myself with the chapters

[scribbling-dragon]

writing shorter oneshots has actually been so much fun recently. like, seriously, i love doing them. it’s great! im having fun, and being able to sit down and write something short n sweet has been super nice

[moviecritc]

good luck, babe! ⋆ lestappen

pairing: lestappen x driver!reader

summary: charles doesn't want to accept that he has feelings for both of max and you

word count: 1.1K

warnings: charles being stressed, idealizing, insinuations, making out

a/n: so, ik that good luck, babe! is tecnically abt a sapphic relationship. but it adapted perfectly to the plot and i love chappel with all my heart so i couldn't resist

masterlist | wattpad | letterboxd

part 1 | part 2

It had been three weeks and Charles was still feeling guilty. Just by feeling them close to him, Charles saw all the problems that this would bring to his work. Just the rumor would have terrible consequences. It was illegal to be with a man in countries they raced in, it would be unthinkable. But this was just the tip of all the emotions he was dealing with.

He couldn’t get them out of his head. Neither of them.

Having to see them almost every week didn't help at all. Both Max and Y/N seemed totally unconcerned; they were present in interviews, responding normally and acting naturally. Not Charles, he was tired and it seemed his mind was elsewhere. Because it was. He excluded himself from conversations with the other drivers while he overthought all his interactions from the last few years. He even wondered if he was the first person they had asked to do that.

Y/N had tried to approach him several times, asking how he was or how the race went, Charles always answered in monosyllables or directly escaped the conversation. Y/N noticed his discomfort but kept trying to talk to him because she didn’t want to lose a friend.

“Let it go, Y/N,” Max would tell her after she told him how Charles had responded. “We can't do anything if he doesn't want to accept his feelings.”

“I know,” she responded, curling up under Max’s arm. “But it still annoys me.”

That week was the Monaco Grand Prix, so the attention would be especially focused on Charles. Between that and his urge to mess up his home race, Charles was on edge. Somehow Y/N noticed, as there had been several times when Y/N had noticed the nervousness of her teammates and had talked to them.

"Charlie!" That nickname again. After the interviews, she managed to corner him in his garage. “Can we talk?”

“I don’t think so…” he said, although he struggled to swallow the words.

Y/N grabbed him by the arm. “Please,” she leaned her head a bit, with a compassionate look, almost as if she pitied him.

Charles didn’t resist, feeling submissive to Y/N’s touch. He couldn’t say no, nor even make a gesture of denial, her presence paralyzed him.

They went to his room in the motorhome. Charles realized it was a bad idea too late.

“Are you nervous about the race?” asked Y/N, with a sweet smile.

“Do you really have to ask?”

Y/N didn't take Charles’s sharp tones seriously, knowing he was just trying to put space between them.

“It’s normal, Charlie,” Charles wanted to tell her not to call him that, because it wouldn’t end well. “Everyone expects you to win your home race. It's usual.”

“But you always end up winning. Or Max,” Charles shrugged, leaning against the wall while Y/N had sat on the cot in the room.

She averted her gaze with a little smile. It was true that she was on a very good streak, if she won in Monaco it would be her sixth victory in a row.

“You and Max don't talk much, do you?” asked Y/N, although she knew the answer she wanted to hear Charles talk about them. She was dying to hear his name from his lips.

“No, obviously not,” Charles started biting his nails.

“Obviously?” She seemed confused.

Charles clicked his tongue, knowing it was all a ploy to seduce him again. He was just a kink for them.

“If you came to talk to me about what happened… it's better that you leave,” He tried to sound confident, though his voice said otherwise.

Y/N pursed her lips and stretched out her arms for Charles to sit beside her. He didn’t even need to be touched, he went to her side without resisting.

“Charlie, it’s eating you up inside,” She made a gesture to put her hand on his knee, but changed her mind at the exact moment.

“Y/N, it's wrong,” That sounded sure. “Do you know the problems it could bring us?”

“People don't have to know,” Now, she placed a hand on his knee and moved Charles’s chin so they could look at each other.

“Y/N, no,”

Charles looked at the wall again and Y/N repeated the gesture. “But you want to,”

“Of course I want to!” he burst out, running his hands over his face. “But…”

“No buts,” Y/N decreed. “Kiss me already. Satisfy yourself.”

Charles licked his lips, staying still for a moment. “And Max?”

Y/N suppressed a laugh. “Aren’t I enough for you?” “If we do this, we do it right,”

Charles still thought it was going to be a one-time thing.

“Then let's go to our penthouse,”

Charles slightly frowned. “Do you and Max live together?”

“Sure. For about three years or so,” Y/N was almost opening the door.

Charles understood that getting involved in their relationship would surely bring problems. Seeing that Charles wasn’t moving, she turned, seeing him still seated.

“Y/N… I'm not a homewrecker,”

She rolled her eyes instead of letting out a groan in front of Charles. “Do you really think you’re going to wreck our home?”

Y/N took a couple of steps toward him, kissing him. He followed the kiss for a moment, but then pulled away.

The next day Max caught him off guard and practically cornered him after practice.

“What… what’s up?” Charles stuttered.

“Damn, Charles,” Max grunted. “Why is it so hard for you to understand that we want a relationship with you? That you're not a homewrecker? On the contrary, you're going to improve our relationship, damn it. We need you.”

Charles grabbed him by the shirt collar and kissed him as if his life depended on it.

“Where’s Y/N?” he questioned, with his lips and cheeks reddened.

She won that, with Charles P2 and Max P3, and the feeling on the podium was incredible. The way they looked at each other and touched each other occasionally "accidentally". They didn’t go to any club to celebrate, although they practically didn’t sleep that night.

Six months later, Charles had practically all his clothes in Max and Y/N’s penthouse. One morning, Max simply dropped the question that had been going around the heads of the three.

“Char, why don't you move in here? Officially,”

Y/N loved the idea and it showed on her face.

Charles didn’t even hesitate. “I’d love to,”

They took advantage of the winter break to move, and although it took Sassy and Jimmy a while to get used to the presence of Leo, everything was so simple and natural that it was almost perfect.

[nothingtoseeherebyeexx]

Delicate, Chapter Three: Cinnamon Girl

here we go again! same disclaimers as last time. important talks and a long awaited reunion <3

< prev chapter next chapter >

Narcissa was conflicted, her smile tight as she took in the news.

She and Mary had been invited to a party by Lily Evans.

Lily Evans, who was extremely close to Alice Fortescue.

Alice Fortescue, that who surely going to be present at aforementioned party.

Did Alice know she had been invited? How did she feel about it? Was she the reason Lily had asked for Narcissa, specifically, as Mary’s plus one?

And then, how would Alice react when they saw each other again? How was she? Did she think about her, from time to time?

“You don’t look as excited as I expected. What’s wrong?” Mary interrupted Narcissa’s spiralling, bringing her back to reality. A party at the Potter’s meant a lot of celebrities and therefore the possibility to make oneself known: it was a chance too good for Mary to miss. However, Narcissa was bound to behave in some stupid, pathetic way and she needed Mary to stop her in case she started demolishing her public image by, let’s say, bursting out crying in front of her late teenage love.

“Sit down, I’m going to tell you a story. But you’ll have to promise me you won’t ask any questions until I’m finished, okay?” Narcissa said as she took Bunny from her tank and let her slither around her arm, because for some obscure, probably-rooted-in-her-troubled-childhood reason, it brought her some comfort.

Narcissa sat on the carpet, Mary mirroring her and not speaking a word. She looked worried, and that made something melt in Narcissa’s chest: she hadn’t felt like this since Andy (and Bella, in a way) left, when she was still a little innocent girl sharing little innocent secrets with her sisters. It happened a lot with Mary, an overcoming feeling of nostalgia that was only accentuated by the way the girl seemed to have adapted to Narcissa’s house, by learning in which drawer she kept the spoons, which switch turned on each light, which doors tended to fly open with a smack if you opened them too quickly.

God, she was getting soft.

“You know I went to a conservatory, Hogwarts, right?” Narcissa began.

Mary just nodded, without interrupting her.

“I attended that boarding school for five years, so basically my whole adolescence. I was already professionally trained when I started, obviously, and private teachers were much stricter than the ones at school, so I have always been ahead of my classmates and I found myself with a lot of free time and freedom, especially compared to my life back home. I was never quite able to shake off the feeling my parents were watching me, though, so I never had the courage to really break their rules. That was until a new girl showed up, at the beginning of my third year.” She couldn’t help the smile that naturally bloomed on her lips, her gaze fixed on Bunny.

“Her hair was a mess of curls, her smile a bit crooked, her tie always out of place. Subconsciously, I knew she was the exact opposite of what my parents approved of, so I immediately despised her. However, fate decided it would have been funny to tie our lives together, and since my roommate had coincidentally graduated, the two of us ended up sharing a room. And I’m forever glad it happened, Mary. This is the part where things start to get really personal, okay?”

“My lips are sealed.” Mary replied, raising her palms in surrender. She had gotten a little closer, moved by curiosity.

“They better be. Anyway, this girl took guitar lessons and I had piano, but we still shared singing classes together. Oh, Mary…I will never forget the first time I’ve heard her singing. I remember thinking, and it is a big compliment considering where I grew up, that I was lucky for witnessing the beginning of something so great. You see, I have been raised to become a singer, to use my voice as a means to get richer and greater, but I still felt like an amateur standing next to her. Not because her technique was better than mine, the teachers always praised me more,” Narcissa added, aware she sounded ostentatious, “but she had this energy, this unique style that wasn’t…fabricated, like mine. I stood next to her, and I realised the way I sung might have been flawless and pleasing to the ear, but it could never be anything more. It was never going to feel real.”

Narcissa paused, trying to find the right words to continue this conversation.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Mary tried to come to her rescue, but Narcissa shook her head.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just…hard to voice these thoughts for the first time. I’ve never told this to anyone,” Narcissa replied, a bit bashful. “At the time of the story, my relationship with my sisters was already a mess, and we didn’t talk much. But you already know that, the media made sure of it.” She added, bitterly.

She had grown used to it, seeing as she had been under flashing cameras since the day she was born. Mary pressed her lips together, looking regretful, like she could’ve just ignored the news spread by paparazzi.

“Because I was a child, the moment I was confronted with this random girl that I considered so much better than me, I got incredibly jealous. I wanted to hate her, I really did. But she was always friendly, laughing at my snarky comments like they were inside jokes, and even when I pulled pranks on her she retaliated like it was a game between the two of us. I like to remember those days as the the chance I had at a normal adolescence.”

“What did you do?”

“I know you’re the one who put that red sock in my white laundry, Black. Since you like pink so much, I’ve mixed some hair dye with your shampoo. Now we match!”

“You-“

“I was mean, at times, but she always reacted in a way that inevitably made me feel like shit. For instance, her parents owned an ice cream parlor, and when I made a snobbish joke about that, she showed up the next day with a giant bowl of every ice cream flavor imaginable. We ate it all in one afternoon.”

“What were you saying about my parents selling ice cream?”

Narcissa took another spoonful and closed her eyes in delight.

“That it is truly one of the most noble and respectable occupations. Wait, what flavour is that?”

“Mmh…Blue?”

“I fell for her smile, her clumsiness, the songs she wrote. She was a poet. Still is. I wanted to be more like her, so we started spending more time together, skipping the classes we didn’t like, hiding in the yard behind the dorms. She smoked and played her guitar, while I simply watched her. I even started writing songs, which wasn’t expected of me by my parents: all my future albums had already been written, hidden in my future manager’s drawer.”

Narcissa noticed that Mary was itching to ask something, probably what happened after that, but she was stopping herself.

It was a cute effort, cute enough to be rewarded.

“We fell in love. We kept it a secret at school, but I knew she expected to make it official once we were out of there. As you know, however, I had other plans for my future,” then Narcissa added, rolling her eyes, “Well, my parents had other plans. Anyway, we had this huge row, we were both mad at each other, and I said some things that deeply hurt her and that I wish I had never spoken. There, end of the tale.”

Mary was gaping at her, disappointment evident on her face.

“Time for the questions,” Narcissa allowed.

“That can’t be the end! What happened then?” Mary protested quickly.

Narcissa smiled so, so sadly.

“She made a song inspired by the last words I’ve said to her, became worldwide famous because of it, and I’ve had to listen to my worst mistake playing on the radio for ten years. And apparently, we are going to one of her best friends’ party this weekend.”

Mary looked comically horrified. “Oh my God, Narcissa… I had no idea, I’ll just tell Evans we can’t go-“

“No, don’t,“ interrupted Narcissa, “It’s fine, really. Maybe I’m delusional, but…” she sighed, “I just want to see her again. The worst part is that we never got any closure: I just ran away, and she didn’t chase after me. Not like I was expecting her to, obviously.”

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the complete truth. During the first years after their ‘breakup’, Narcissa had wanted nothing to do with Alice, because she had showed her the promise of what could’ve been their future in another life, and it was too good and too far from her family’s expectations.

In the end, though, all that was left was an aching longing that she had put into words with songs that would’ve never seen the light of day. Or so she had thought, before she left her home on a delirious rampage.

Narcissa had hoped for a call, a text, anything really. And yet, the only way she could hear from Alice was on the radio, or through her headphones. She finally had the chance to speak to her, and she wanted to take it oh, so desperately.

“Lily told me your cousins will be there, too.” Mary interrupted the heavy silence, and Narcissa was grateful for the change of topic. Mary had crossed the carpet that divided them, close enough to hug Narcissa if she wanted to.

She decided to let her head fall to the other girl’s shoulder instead- Narcissa had never been too keen on physical contact, and yet this small display of affection was enough to comfort her. It was enough to make her realize she hadn’t been comforted in years. Fuck.

“I figured. I want to talk to them, it’s been so long. I’m so proud of them. Regulus, especially,” Narcissa let her hand travel on the carpet, while Mary listened in silence.

“He left when he was only 18. And he didn’t even go to his brother first, he preferred staying with this girl no one ever heard of.” Narcissa remembered with a smile.

She didn’t know the details of what happened between the two brothers after Regulus’ undertaking, but Sirius had always been very protective of him, even when things were complicated, so she could only imagine how enraged he must’ve been when he discovered he was bested by a woman he had never even seen.

“I think she’s called Pandora Lovegood,” Mary informed her. “She was rumored to be Regulus’ girlfriend, and people on the Internet started to make these crazy theories about the real reasons behind his escape, saying he did it for his ‘forbidden love’. They never confirmed anything, though, and he keeps bringing her as a guest during social events or parties…maybe you can ask him about it this Saturday.”

Narcissa was glad Mary couldn’t see her face, because she was really close to cackling: Regulus, the 12 year-old boy who had a full breakdown in her room because he didn’t want to kiss a girl on the cheek for a movie, with a girlfriend. Simply hilarious.

“I guess I could, yes,” she agreed, her sarcasm going unnoticed.

Her head was still on Mary’s shoulder, the silence between them stretching long but comfortable.

“Mary,” Narcissa called.

“Cissa,” Mary answered.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Narcissa didn’t really know why she asked, or where she wanted the conversation to go. Mary was extremely reserved about family matters, so-

“Yes, I do. I have two brothers, both younger. One is in middle school, the other a few years younger.” Mary’s tone was fond, and even if she was out of Narcissa’s sight, it wasn’t too hard to imagine a small smile on her lips.

“You never talk about them. You’re always working, either at the café or here…don’t they miss you when you’re not home?” Narcissa questioned, feeling bold.

“Oh, well, it’s not like I see them when I get home, since I’ve been living in a hotel for a while now,” Mary explained, sounding embarrassed.

Narcissa was not expecting that.

“You what? Since when?” she asked, startled, moving away from Mary to look at her in the eyes.

“I’ve wanted to leave that house for a while, so I saved some money with my part-time job,” Mary said, ”I moved about a month after signing the contract, when I was sure I could make it by myself.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Narcissa replied, distraught, putting a hand on Mary’s shoulder. “I have asked you to come live with me!”

“No you haven’t?” Mary countered, confused and slightly alarmed by Narcissa’s fervor.

“You want me to come live with you?”

“We spend most of our time together already, I thought it was obvious?” Narcissa answered frantically.

Mary just laughed, uncontrolled and loud. Narcissa pouted.

“Fine, fine! I’ll come live with you, if you’re so desperate to have me around,” she smiled. “I’ll bring my stuff tomorrow, if I can manage. Is that okay with you?”

“Sure, whatever.” Narcissa replied, still looking like a crossed child. They sat next to each other on the floor, letting the silence settle for a while. Mary was good at reading people, Narcissa had learnt. She always seemed to know when someone needed some quiet, or preferred to ramble, and adapted accordingly. Everchanging, constantly camouflaging to survive.

“Why did you ask?” Mary asked.

Narcissa sighed, because one, she was expecting that question, and two, she didn’t know, either.

“Sometimes I hate them. Sirius and Regulus, I mean,” Narcissa explained. “Sure, they fight, seem to hate each other, and their relationship isn’t perfect, but at least it’s there. For my sisters, we’re dead to each other.”

“Have you tried calling them?” Mary suggested, and it should’ve been a silly thing to ask, because of course Narcissa should have tried to call them, it was the most logical thing to do. But she hadn’t. Andromeda left when Narcissa was still controlled by their parents and didn’t try to contact her, not even after her escape. Bellatrix was still proudly part of the family, so Narcissa hadn’t even bothered trying.

“No,” Narcissa replied, defeated. “It’s useless, they went on with their lives. I keep up with the articles about Bellatrix, so I kind of know what’s going on, but Andromeda has completely disappeared. I wonder how she did that.”

And why she didn’t bring me with her.

“…Do you resent her?” Mary whispered, quietly. Narcissa turned to look at her.

“For leaving?”

“Mhm.”

“Well, if I did resent her now it would be hypocritical, since I also ran away. But I used to, yes. Why? Are you worried your siblings might grow to hate you?“

Mary leant back, eyes travelling to the ceiling. Narcissa thought she looked so serious at times, with her gaze lost in thought and her lips clamped shut. Preoccupation made her look older.

“I’m not worried. When the time came, I told my parents it was time for me to enter the real world, that I had found an apartment out of town I could afford and that I was going to call them weekly,” Mary smiled bitterly, her eyes bright with tears Narcissa wasn’t going to address. “They didn’t bat an eye. One less mouth to feed, I guess. My youngest sibling, Theo, told me with tears in his eyes that he was going to miss me, while the oldest, Bingley, felt betrayed. He didn’t say it, but I could see it in his face.” Mary sighed, looking at Narcissa’s neck, where Bunny had slowly found her designated place.

“I know they will understand, if not now when they’re older, then. And if they do not understand, I’ll explain why I left myself.”

“…Why did you do it, though?” Narcissa asked, cautious.

“I did it because I deserve to be happy. Back there I wasn’t in pain, but I was miserable. And I couldn’t pretend like it didn’t affect me, so I packed my stuff and left for a place that allowed me to grow. And here I am,” Mary smiled at her, nudging her arm, making Bunny hiss in agreement.

Narcissa was having severe flashbacks of a conversation she never had, a scene in a parallel universe where her family was slightly less dysfunctional and talking felt a lot more natural. She refused to tear up.

“Why didn’t you ask your brothers to come with you?” She asked, or rather, sobbed. Fuck.

“Because it was risky,” Mary answered, seeming to understand that this conversation had more layers than just simple curiosity. “Although it wasn’t the best, my house offered stability, and I can’t support two more people on my own. When the time comes, they’ll be free to leave and come to me, but I’m not a mother, Cissa, and I don’t have to play the role for them.”

Shit, she was about to cry. Shit, shit, shit.

Did Andy feel like that? Did she also consider taking her sisters with her, when she had left that night?

When Narcissa ran away, three different types of illegal substances numbed most of her feelings, so she couldn’t really draw a comparison between their experiences.

“They won’t understand, Mary. You can’t expect them to.” She replied, managing to make her voice sound a lot firmer than it actually was.

“And that’s fine. I’ll explain when the time comes,” Mary replied, sounding so sure, so calm, so mature for a twenty two year-old.

Then she added, smirking, “Maybe I’ll start by calling them.”

Narcissa shoved her.

~

Lily had informed Alice that she and Mary would soon start working together, but since MacDonald was already quite busy with the release of her debut album, they weren’t going to start writing together for a few more weeks.

Alice was grateful for the delay: Lily was determined to work with Mary, and the girl seemed really close to Narcissa Black.

So, simply put, Alice’s (already trembling) emotional stability was really close to falling apart.

No one knew of their relationship back when they were at Hogwarts, and no one knew that relationship was actually something more than friendship. A something that apparently still meant everything to Alice, and nothing to Narcissa, since after ten years, the first was still unable to move on, and the second had completely erased the other from her life.

But Alice remembered. Oh, she remembered so well.

All her songs revolved around Narcissa in one way or the other: the memory of her, the feelings Alice had for her. Everything, for everyone to hear. She would be lying if she didn’t admit that a small part of her, the weakest, hoped Narcissa heard them, too.

Alice’s creative process wasn’t a journey through emotions or stories she wanted to explore or create, it was an eternal war that always took place on the same battlefield.

The school, the dorm, her lips.

The whispers, the fights, her kisses.

Was it possible for a poet to worship, despise, cherish and reject their own muse all at the same time?

Oh, how a juvenile mistake can change someone’s life. Because that’s was what it was to Alice, a mistake. It should’ve never happened, even if it felt too good to be true, even if it’s what led her to fame.

Even if it felt like love.

Luckily, the possibility of meeting Narcissa were low, even considering Lily’s new project. She was going to work with Mary, not Narcissa, so she was still safe, for now.

Speaking of this Mary, Alice was was looking forward to meeting her: Lily had been talking about her for days, about how fun she was, how talented she was, how she seemed to completely ignore all the rumours about her. So when Lily told her Mary was going to be present on Saturday, Alice was extremely excited.

The party at the Potter’s had already started, and even though the ‘small gathering’ already counted more than seventy people, Peter was still nowhere to be seen: James, Sirius and Marlene had gone to pick him up, so they were going to come back soon. Even Regulus, who was bringing Pandora, still hadn’t shown up, but Dorcas Meadowes was already deep in a conversation with Euphemia Potter and Mrs Zabini, probably discussing Zabini’s next spring collection. Lily was somewhere with Frank and Benji, probably ignoring the champagne glasses in the living room in favour of the vodka shots available in the kitchen.

Since Alice refused to get drunk so soon, she was left chatting with people she didn’t know too well about things she didn’t really care about, but honestly, she was enjoying it. She was just talking to Molly Weasley (neé Prewett) about the challenges and difficulties of growing pumpkins (Molly worked with her brothers in the film industry so what would she know about growing pumpkins, Alice had no clue) when the doorbell rang. She heard Lily stumbling in her heels from the kitchen calling “It’s her! It’s her!”, but since Alice was closer, she went to get it.

She opened the door, and Narcissa Black was on the other side.

She opened the door, and Narcissa Black was on the other side.

And she was beautiful. She looked more mature now, healthier, but her attitude was as confident as ever.

Posture impeccable just like that day they met, when Alice had walked into her future dorm room and had found this blonde girl made of steel and ice staring down at her like she was a stray dog.

Her eyes were bright like every time Alice pulled out a cigarette in front of her, wordlessly convincing her to skip classes and lay on the grass together.

Narcissa looked like beauty and regret.

As time stretched indefinitely, Lily caught up to Alice and leant on the door frame, looking at the girl standing next to Narcissa. Because Mary was there, too.

“Mary, hi! You look gorgeous!” Lily greeted the girl, who thanked her and smiled brightly.

Alice tried to say something to Mary, but she couldn’t get her eyes off Narcissa. Of course she couldn’t, she never managed to.

Then Narcissa did something mad, horrid, monstrous.

She offered Alice her hand and spoke.

“Alice. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Lily was now looking at Alice with faux surprise.

“You know each other?” she asked, innocently. Alice glared at her, because she knew Lily knew, and she knew Lily did it on purpose. Alice also instantly knew Marlene was part of this, too.

People these days, can’t even let you handle your problems unhealthily.

Then Narcissa spoke again, and of course Alice gave her her full attention, because she still reacted to her voice like a dog to whistle. Ten years later, still as pathetic as before.

“…You haven’t told them?”

Oh, she was offended. Now that made Alice’s blood boil.

“Ironic, that.” Narcissa added bitterly, letting her hand fall, untouched.

Alice felt her gaze harden, but kept her mouth shut. Instead, she did what she had learnt to do well in the past years when confronted with Narcissa Black: Alice turned on her heels, and walked away. She vaguely heard Lily taking her two guests to the living room to introduce them to Effie, before disappearing in the kitchen.

Turns out, it was just the right time to get drunk.

[hismercytomyjustice]

I’m getting caught back up on Dracula Daily and this time around, I find I’m so fixated on Lucy. Maybe it’s knowing what’s coming, maybe it’s listening to Re: Dracula this time and the actress doing such an amazing job…

I gotta put my feelings somewhere, so…

…this got wildly out of hand. I’m gonna put it under a cut…

Spoilers for the later parts of Dracula below.

I wonder if part of why she always ends up hypersexualized in adaptations is because those making them see her getting three proposals in one day and think she’s some kind of flirt or too liberal with her affections. Like, yes she has three separate men vying for her hand, but that’s because of who she IS.

Even writing about the proposals to Mina, her dearest friend, she’s so considerate of her suitors and their feelings. She’s so vulnerable with Mina with how she tries to tease them a bit yet also is just so moved by their ardor that she can’t make light of them. And how she flits back and forth being like “oh, I know all about how a man tries to woo a woman” only to then be like “but Arthur didn’t do those things” and how she had to meet him halfway in a sense to help him propose.

You just see her working through her feelings as she’s writing. How she wants to initially make light of the cowboy’s proposal, thinking that at least she won’t have to hurt him like she did Dr. Seward. But then he becomes vulnerable with her too and she realizes how much he does care for her too and how much she doesn’t want to hurt him.

She’s so carefully considerate of their feelings. She even asks Mina not to tell others aside from Jonathan lest they all think they can expect multiple proposals. I think she starts out feeling flattered, three proposals from three kind men, and this is the sort of thing she’s supposed to want, right?

But then she realizes that three proposals means two rejections. And Lucy is just so good and kind and compassionate. She’s such a natural when it comes to reading people and so earnestly tries to make everyone she comes into contact with feel genuinely cared for. She can’t stand the thought of hurting these men, even though her heart lies elsewhere.

I think it’s very telling too, how both Seward and Morris ask to stay friends with her after her rejection. They don’t offer in a way to soothe their bruised egos or to try and change her mind, but because they genuinely care about her and value her friendship. And we see it so clearly later on when they do everything in their power to try to save her. Not just because they wanted to marry her, but because they truly love her and she loves them. Even if they aren’t the ones she said yes to, they still care so deeply for her and she returns that sentiment in kind.

I think it speaks a lot to how Van Helsing reacts later on too, when he arrives to try to help her. To be fair, we don’t get to see much of him outside of his crusade against the darkness, but he is just so beside himself with how devastated he is in what’s happening to her. He’s so desperate to help her, to the point of breaking down. And all the while, even as the life is literally being drained from her, Lucy tries so hard not to worry the others and to be strong for them. Even as she’s dying, she’s so concerned about doing everything she can for them to ease their minds and to thank them for their help and support.

She’s the polar opposite of Dracula. He’s the night and she’s the day. He’s the darkness and she’s the lighthouse that pierces it. Dracula only sees people for what they can do for him, but Lucy is so selfless. Dracula claims he can love, but it’s Lucy who truly loves.

Dracula is arguably drawn to Lucy for her beauty. He’s incredibly vain and loves to have pretty little things at his beck and call.

But going after Lucy is the biggest mistake he could possibly have made. Precisely because of how much those around her love and care about her. Their love for her is what leads to his ultimate downfall.

If he hadn’t targeted Lucy, how long would it have taken for Van Helsing to arrive on the scene? Seward’s the one who contacts him, after all, to ask for his help to save the woman who turned down his proposal. He had every reason to wash his hands of her after the rejection but he doesn’t. Morris comes to her aid too. She has Van Helsing, Morris, Seward, and Arthur all fighting for her and trying to save her life. Plus the Harkers.

What would have happened if Jonathan had made it back to England and this group hadn’t already been brought together to save Lucy and stop Dracula? He was a broken man by the time he escaped the castle, barely managing to keep his health and sanity in tact. Maybe he and Mina could have tried to fight Dracula on their own, but how successful would they have been? How many more people would have died while they tried to figure out what to do?

Even Van Helsing, resident vampire aficionado, is hesitant to reveal what he knows to the others. He certainly doesn’t want to end up being one of Seward’s patients. So how would Jonathan have faired when it came to drumming up support to fight Dracula on his own?

Plus, with Van Helsing’s knowledge, they’re able to prolong Lucy’s life with the blood transfusions. This gives the other men ample opportunity to come to terms with the supernatural aspect of her affliction, making them more receptive to the idea. It also trauma bonds them. They’re so desperate to save her and yet her life keeps slipping away like sand through their fingers. They’re devastated by her “passing” to a level they might not have reached had she more quickly succumbed. Sure, they still would have been upset, but they fought so hard. She fought so hard. She brought them together and gave them a common goal. Yes, Van Helsing showed up to fight vampires from day one, but the other men showed up for Lucy.

Maybe they still would have banded together to fight Dracula, but she was the catalyst. They never signed up to fight a vampire, they signed up to save their friend and loved one. For them it wasn’t just a matter of ending Dracula’s reign of terror, but just as importantly to save Lucy and then to avenge her.

So by the time Jonathan and Mina are back in town, there are already four other people ready to go to war against Dracula. Jonathan has his own reasons for wanting Dracula dead, but those are further compounded by Mina having been Lucy’s best friend. Any hesitation Jonathan may have felt about going after his captor is quelled by he and his wife’s need to avenge Lucy.

So now Dracula has six people ready to tear him limb from limb. And yeah, they’re understandably terrified of him just as the folks back in Transylvania are, but that’s trumped by their mutual love of Lucy. Love is what puts the final nail in Dracula’s coffin.

Dracula literally could not have picked a worse target than Lucy. He likely selects her because of her beauty, but has no idea how the people around her are so fiercely loyal because of who she is not just because she’s a pretty face.

Now he has to deal with Van Helsing and his vampire knowledge, Seward and his access to Renfield, Jonathan and his intimate knowledge of Dracula himself, Morris who knows how to fight, and Arthur who bankrolls their band of mercenaries team.

But, most importantly, Dracula has to deal with Mina who takes the time to put together her “Dracula 101” crash course in addition to using Dracula’s link to her against him. You do not mess with Mina’s Jonathan and her bff if you value your life. Dracula is so busy reveling in the horrors and games he’s subjecting them to that he doesn’t realize just how badly he screwed up until it’s far too late.

I gotta admit I know how Dracula ends, but I haven’t read the entire novel yet. Just the bulk of it. Apologies if I missed or am mistaken in my analysis.

I just have a lot of feelings, okay. And Lucy deserves the sun and the moon and the stars. (-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷄_-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷅ )

I’m so sad she’s constantly diminished or misinterpreted in the adaptations.

Going back through Dracula Daily for the third time (yes I know I haven’t actually fully finished it, I have ADHD okay, but I’m really trying this time around) I’m reminded of Hadestown and how you just want things to end up better this round. I want Lucy to live and marry Arthur and for her and Mina to stay bffs and for her their kids to be friends and and and

(ಥ﹏ಥ)

[dontmixpaintinyourcoffee]

Ive been watching Frankenstein movies again (I think I'm gonna have to make some kind of something about it, but I also have never made a video for the internet before so... To be determined?)

Anyways- I have a new recommendation for Frankenstein nerds with time on their hands! And I haven't seen much about it?? Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, but even the 1994 Kenneth Branagh version has something of an audience, and I think this one deserves at least that amount of attention.

Drumroll please!!

"Frankenstein" 2004, Directed by Kevin Connor

Now I think the reason this one is so unwatched is because it's actually a TV movie broken into two "episodes". The whole thing is about 3 hours long. And weirdly enough, aired on Hallmark??? But guys it's like. Really really good. Like, REALLY really good.

Some highlights for me personally include:

Henry Clerval! He's here! He's jolly! He's a little bit of a menace! Genuinely though he has a wonderful sense of charm and charisma to him, which works really well against the naturally more serious and dramatic Victor. Plus he's a history nerd with a bad relationship with his dad who doesn't want him to go to college. So naturally he hops on Victor's carriage mid-ride to Ingolstadt. What a guy

Elizabeth! Her relationship with Victor feels natural, but she also feels like her own person. Also they don't frame it like they're siblings (looking at you Kenneth). It feels more like they're childhood sweethearts who happen to live together, there's never a point where they refer to each other as siblings, there was never an intention from the parents to make them siblings, it just feels way less icky than many other adaptations. (It's still kinda weird though just on principle) I think she could've been explored more but she's fun when she's on screen. She paints, she jokes around, she has goals and expectations, I like her.

The portrayal of Victor is one of the most successfully sympathetic I've ever seen. It is very very easy to make Victor an asshole. Which he is, but it's easy to make him the wrong kind of asshole. Petty and vindictive, eager to run away from responsibility and denying the consequences of his actions. That's not him here. It's more that he's overwhelmed. He's completely over his own head. There's a lot of emphasis put on the fact that Victor is mentally unwell after his experiments. He's completely broken himself down, the minute the lightning thing doesn't work he flies into a rage. And then when the Creature starts breathing, he sees it for a few seconds and then blacks out. As far as he knows, he hallucinated the thing getting up (and he continues to experience paranoid hallucinations throughout the story, it's not a one time assumption). He still abandons the Creature, but it's not because he hates it, it's because he's exhausted and overwhelmed and literally doesn't know what's real. And that goes a long way in making the two feel equally sympathetic, which I think is very important.

This portrayal of The Creature is also one of the most successfully compelling I've ever seen! His performance is very gentle and quiet, which I think makes his rage and torment all the more intense. It's pretty common for the Creature to speak in a deep growl or low-toned monologues, but Luke Goss keeps his voice light and soft, which really really works. Plus I think his makeup and costuming is excellent. They stick way closer to the book description. He has a very pretty well-shaped face, but his skin is dry, grey, and cracked. His eyes are bright but sunken in shadow, and stitches poke out from just under his hairline. At the same time it's believable that Victor designed him to be beautiful, and that strangers would find him unnerving.

It's definitely too long, but it's a good time! You can also just find it on YouTube for free so, bonus points for that

[cantsayidont]

March 2021. For a long time, I was very reluctant to investigate the DOCTOR APHRA series, put off by the overly cutesy covers and the grim mediocrity of most post-1986 SW comics, but I eventually got some of the trades from the library and was pleasantly surprised.

The titular Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is an archaeologist (she does actually have a doctorate, even though she did end up blackmailing her thesis advisor to get it), treasure hunter, thief finder of rare antiquities, con artist, and all-around ne'er-do-well who thinks principles are for suckers. Naturally, she gets herself into a lot of trouble (including owing large amounts of money to many very dangerous people, like her sometimes-ally, the Wookiee mercenary Black Krrsantan), and many of her adventures revolve around her trying to get out from under the aftermath of her previous capers.

Aphra is also a lesbian, and kind of a fuckboy, leaving an ever-growing trail of embittered ex-girlfriends who aren't sure if they want to kiss her or shoot her. Much of her initial ongoing series deals with her on-again, off-again relationship with Magna Tolvan (the white cyborg lady pictured behind her above), an Imperial officer who eventually joins the Rebellion after Aphra ruins her career. Given the usual trajectory of online fandom, which is very eager to impute gayness to the most drearily hetero of media, I hadn't expected Aphra being gay to be more than a vague implication in the actual comics, but she does actually canonically sleep with women. Who'dathunkit?

Aphra's early appearances in Kieron Gillen's wretched DARTH VADER comic and the lackluster Jason Aaron STAR WARS book present her as pretty overtly villainous. When she got her own book, Gillen apparently decided that wasn't viable, so in her own series, Aphra acquires a bit of a conscience — never enough to keep her out of trouble, of course, but enough to distinguish her from her meaner allies, like Triple Zero (a protocol droid with the personality of a gleefully polite serial killer) and BT-1 (an astromech who's basically R2-D2 if somebody let him have way too many grenades). The latter part of her first ongoing, written by Si Spurrier after Gillen's departure, eventually threatens to soften her a little too much, but the current ongoing, written by Alyssa Wong, seems to have found a better balance in that regard. On the other hand, I find the current book a bit too episodic — it's more accessible, but a lot of what makes Aphra delightful is her increasingly frantic scramble to escape the accumulating consequences of her many, many terrible decisions.

The massive (1,200+ page) Omnibus pictured above compiles all of Aphra's early appearances and the complete run of her initial ongoing title in chronological order. While her early adventures are important insofar as they introduce Aphra and some of her major supporting characters, they aren't as much fun as her first ongoing series, so you could just as well start there. There's also an audio dramatization of Aphra's early adventures, adapted by Sarah Kuhn and featuring Emily Woo Zeller as Aphra. The dramatization is okay and Zeller is great, although Marc Thompson's Vader is completely unconvincing and a bit of a drag on the proceedings.

[rosemarydisaster]

Hi Hello, I know I haven't talked a lot about CR lately (my brain won't let me watch it for some reason) but I'm back to talk about The Legend of Vox Machina, particularly: Grog.

Spoilers for The Legend of Vox Machina episode 9 below. There will be spoilers for the stream too, but I will also mark down where those start.

I love love love all the changes. Not only do I think they're a great way to adapt the absolute beast of content that CR is. Some are good sacrifices, there's shit gotta leave out, no matter how entertaining. I think they've pick very well what to leave completely out. Also, they're really smart in the way they've fused different adventures so they can have a two for one (like adding stuff from the rakshasa fight to the dungeon crawl at the Matron's temple so they can have that Kashaw-Kiki interactions). And of course there's the switching the order so it's more streamlined thing too, like Pyra. But what I thought was the best decision was the party splitting on the past three episodes.

Sure, you should never split the party and I hope they don't abuse that solution or that at least they play with the different combinations because it can be a detriment to the group dynamic. But this time?? They nailed it.

The fey wild group was perfect, you have all the development you need for the ships and also Vax and Percy get to patch things up a little and the twins are together for the family reunion. you have all the people important for a Vex Arc on one side.

On the other hand, you have Grog go through his arc with the two people most important to him. I love the Vax-Grog Dynamic, but like in the OG fight against the Earth breaker, his first choice will always be Pike and his second Scanlan. Also, you get some cute gnome flirting and a bit more development for Scanlan since Pike is the one that challenges more his flirty nature. Vex and Percy are permanently done with him, but they treat it like something that's just intrinsic to Scanlan. You can't change the weather, you simply complain about it. Pike on the other hand is the one that gets frustrated at the fact that Scanlan is unable to have a proper heart to heart or to be sentimental without defusing the tension. And Grog bringing out Scanlan's more caring nature is a nice touch. So it is the perfect team for Scanlan progress too.

But going back to what I actually wanted to talk about (because my Scanlan Meta will come too, but most likely next week) Grog. I love what they did with Craven Edge, I love how the show allows them to have this more "feelings based" resolution to Craven Edge's exhaustion. Because in game greater restoration or a night's sleep heal literally anything unless the DM specifically requests it.

What this does is it gives them the chance to introduce the whole "where does your strength come from?" Question in a place where the stakes are super high and it's thematically appropriate. That whole speech about how Grog considers strength helping those who can't help themselves...chills.

Now spoilers for the stream

I think it also Segways brilliantly into the whole "My strength are my friends" by maybe combining it with the whole "Vox Machina...Fuck shit up". If that happens, I'm gonna cry so hard I will dehydrate. I love the fact that they are giving so much attention to Grog, his growth his emotions because they're often brushed off. Travis wasn't still super comfortable roleplaying emotional scenes in campaign one and Tal, Liam and Marisha had a lot os experience and really angsty characters. Also Laura and Sam are just that powerful, you can't expect most people's experience first character to be that emotionally vulnerable (specially while streaming).

Ashley was also more nervous with the streaming and stuff, so Pike and Grog while not underdeveloped at all, usually didn't have the emotional spotlight on them the way we're seeing in the show. I think giving Grog the physical vulnerability and stripping most of his companions away is a great way to allow that depth to shine. When you don't have four extra characters each making questions and each proposing solutions, the spotlight shines directly on Grog and I love it.

I've always treasured those rare moments were Grog gets to open up and show his heart. I really love that trope of big dumb character also has emotional complexity, so I really enjoyed the last episode and I can't wait for the next one.

[eldritch-spouse]

Hmm I think neomorphs would understand bonds and maybe could bond w humans?? I also think they *could* be smart enuf to understand human culture

Like imagine ur horny and u start shedding ur clothes and the neomorph immediately knows exactly what u want

I think I heard u say this abt breg in one of ur fics, but they would def also make low noises to comfort a mate bc I imagine them as very territorial

I also feel like they could have have a crush on a human if said human took care of them(or they just find them mate worthy) so they try to pursue u.. I remember one scene in a movie where rhe neomorph just stood quietly infront of a human (b4 getting killed oop) literally towering over them.. if I was there and had it staring at me like that I’d feel some romantic tension

Yes, that's what I was hinting at with this ask.

To me, I believe their ability to form bonds outside the species would stem more from the fact that they're the "blank slate" before David 8 starts fucking with them to make the xenomorphs we know. But take what I say with a grain of salt, I'm rusty on Alien lore. Anyhow, I don't think David could have made xenmorphs into such a social/colony-based species if the neomorphs themselves didn't already have some level of surprising social adaptability.

The scene you're mentioning is a tad dubious because the person standing in front of the neomorph was David, who is a synth. Xenomorphs can tell a human apart from a synth, so I'm keen to believe neos can do the same, and they might have hesitated purely out of morbid curiosity. It could also just be the fact that the neomorph had recently eaten, and therefore might not have had as much of a violent drive at the moment. Though the way they reacted inquisitively to David's exhale, as opposed to violently, is a good start.

My idea with that comic was to explore that hypothetical bond a little bit more, this time in a setting where you meet one in a premature stage and experiment with the possible outcomes of raising one of these beings (which makes absolutely no sense from a realistic point of view, but all my brain cells were effectively shut off when I sketched it). You're under the impression his obsession with you is typical of pack behavior, and to a degree it is, but you mean more to him. And that only sinks in when it's already too late to do anything about it. Now, I'm a yandere blog primarily, so of course the neomorph was implied yandere in that comic.

The bond implies that he'll get to know your body through scents and gestures. Just as he'll be able to decipher your intent from the tone of your voice and you'll pick up on the different meanings of his vocalizations. It's a learning curve, but they're very fast learners and extremely adaptive, so you might "synchronize" much faster than expected. Naturally, this would definitely lead to him understanding what abrupt stripping means, or if nothing else, gouge your arousal through some sort of scent stimulus. Mimicry is likely to happen at some point, wherein the neomorph will attempt to reproduce your own sexual gestures in an attempt to behave more like you and further erase any sort of communication barrier.

When it comes to noises, I haven't really thought about it too much, but I like to imagine they might be capable of differently pitched rumbles, judging from that same scene where they interact with David. Not all of their high-pitched vocalizations might be born of hostility/fear/alarm, but if they're quiet around you it's probably a good sign.

I'm on the fence about them being territorial. I can see neos being protective, but I just haven't seen enough to determine if they'd stick to one place and become attached to it.

[lurkingshan]

Hi, I read one of your recent posts on BMF Ep 10 and I just wanted to add some of my perspectives, if that's okay!! I totally understand the cat and mouse game frustration but in terms of Kawi's character, I think it makes sense. Depsite how much Kawi has progressed, there are moments in which he will still run and push (especially in this situation, as he seems to have an overwhelming fear of intimacy). Plus, all that Pisaeng is doing are regular boyfriend things one would expect to do in a relationship (in Pisaeng's mind). He never really pursues action if he senses a rejection from Kawi, I didn't really view it as chasing (of course, that's just me though!!). I do hope they have a conversation however.

I hope this doesn't come across as rude or like I'm trying to change your mind... I would've added to the post but I feel so awkward publically posting, sorry! You can just ignore this if you'd like @_@

Hey anon! You don't sound rude at all and I'm always happy to chat about my reactions. :)

I completely agree with you about Kawi. I didn't have any trouble understanding him this episode at all. This is Kawi's first relationship, his first time being attracted to a man, his first time even entertaining the thought of sex. Of course he will be naturally inclined to move slow, and Pisaeng knows him well enough to expect that. I liked that Kawi got a little pissy with him too after realizing he lied and was kind of a grump on their date. All of that felt right to me just knowing what we do about Kawi and what this relationship represents for him. I've seen some people read Kawi as ace and I think that's valid, too. Either way, his reactions and behavior this episode make total sense.

Where I struggled a bit is more with Pisaeng's side of things. I don't like that he lied to Kawi about his conversation with his mom as a way of garnering sympathy so Kawi would let him stay over. I didn't like the "wacky hijinks" undertone to the whole thing where the show is presenting it as cute and comedic that he's trying to scam his way past Kawi's boundaries. It didn't feel right, because the Pisaeng we have known for 10 weeks is pretty honest and forthright about his feelings and what he wants, and given the episode started with them affirming their feelings for each other, I didn't see any reason for him to be lying and scheming instead of just talking to Kawi about wanting more intimacy. And after all that, I didn't like that it didn't get properly addressed before Kawi suddenly agreed to have sex with him after all.

Like I said, this show is smart and has earned some trust, so there's a chance they circle back to this next week. But this also felt like classic Jittirain, because needless deceit in romantic relationships is kind of her thing, so I do think there's a chance this is a holdover from the novel they just unfortunately did not adjust and adapt as well as they have the rest of the show. We'll find out for sure next week!

[alcamcat]

What do they miss?

Something they miss from their world as they start living in the human world. -The game and the characters do not belong to me-

James:

I have a feeling that he misses the authority and control he had over his old life (and the demons within the castle) the most at the beginning. While he appreciates that his brothers will be better off in this world (especially Damien) and that he is no longer under constant pressure from his father, he struggles to keep himself in check. In his world, he was the heir, the one most (if not all) demons looked up to in awe, and now he's basically starting over from scratch. Though his manners and quick-wittedness play into his hands, he doesn't particularly like not having the upper hand and be the one in control.

Erik:

The opportunity to see through the other person. In the Abyssal Plains he always knew why demons approach him, and his magic and abilities made it easy for him to get energy. And although his mother's upbringing was regularly repugnant to him, he finds it particularly exhausting at the beginning to adapt his behavior to that of humans. Unfortunately, he quickly realizes that his mask is useful, but there are also a few small things that he has to adjust first. When is flirting too much flirting? Which compliments can he use with whom and when? When should he wear which clothes to express what? Unfortunately, while he doesn't like to hide his true nature behind his mask, it's a lot easier for him to get where he wants to be. It's just exhausting to put it mildly.

 Sam:

To be the freaking demon he is! He misses not being able to use his speed and strength the way he would like. He likes to be a demon and he doesn't like the fact that he has to hide almost every part of himself that he usually relies on and is proud of. Yes, he knows he has to adjust, but he's going to clash with James more often because of it. He came to the human world to be with his brothers, but that doesn't mean he won't make it clear what he thinks of humans and the way they do things.

Matthew:

His mother. That may sound a bit like mama's boy at first, but there is a completely different reason. His mother encouraged him to learn to read and exercise, eventually replacing James as heir to the throne. His mother always saw that he was capable of greater things. Now that he's only with his brothers, he feels like everyone is treating him like a child again, which he absolutely isn't anymore. He doesn't like the fact that he has to constantly prove himself and that his brothers (even Damien) often don't take him seriously, even though he knows they don't do it with bad intentions. He enjoys being with his brothers, but why can't they see that he has so much more to offer?

Damien:

My first impulse was to write that he doesn't miss anything! His status as a bastard child has branded him, he would much rather be human and his mother is no longer alive. But then I thought of something he might be missing. In the Abyssal Plains, no one expected anything from him (due to his status), but things are a little different in the human world. People assume he can read and write, that he knows when to behave and how - and even if he doesn't really want to, he has to rely on his mind reading more than he likes to avoid attracting attention, especially in the beginning. While there's no way he'd ever go back, being a normal person is more complicated and has more pitfalls than he thought.

[micahtranslate]

Chainsaw Man Starter Rope Cast Interview: Shougo Sakata

How did you feel when you were cast as Aki?

I was half happy and half in disbelief. In my audition tape, I tried not to overact, and I made it to the studio audition. I acted very naturally there, and I felt like the face-to-face audition also went well, so I had my hopes up a little (laughs). There was a bit of time between the audition and when the results came out where I had started to give up, but then I received the response that I passed the audition. The best way to say it is, I was really surprised, but I'm going to do my best to adapt the manga I love into an anime.

What's your impression of Aki; what about him appeals to you?

My impression of Aki is that he's "a normal person." He can deal with all types of people evenly. Aki also wants revenge against a specific devil, but I like that Himeno-senpai provided a space for him to grow up properly. Aki is often said to be kind. He can't accept the misfortune that befell his family, so he can't accept the absurd things that happen to the people around him, so he tries to eliminate the cause. I think that looks like kindness to others. When he beats up Denji, whose very existence an absurdity, I think that was Aki's form of kindness. He believed that it would be better for Denji to give up than for him to lose his life.

How did you create Aki's voice?

Before recording the second episode, where he first appears, I worked really hard to figure out my acting approach, but director Nakayama said, "I want you to act the way the character would naturally and realistically talk. Dial back your acting a little bit." I took that advice, and from there I kept repeating through a process of trial and error, until one day the director said, "Your voice is like Aki's, so you don't need to perform too much." I remember I was very happy when he said that. After that, I was able to loosen up and act naturally.

What details do you focus on when you're acting?

Aki's speech doesn't include any superfluous details, and there are a lot of things that don't require emotion. What I'm conscious of is thinking naturally about "Who am I communicating this information to?" and acting naturally, like I'm drawing from how I normally talk. Lately, it's getting clearer and clearer where Aki is looking, who he is talking to, and what he is trying to convey. But I think I can still get closer to Aki, so I want to focus more!

What's the atmosphere like when you're recording?

The cast members are just like their characters (laughs). Fairouz-san starts conversations, Toya-kun suddenly loses focus, and Kusunoki-san speaks kindly to Toya-kun…Recording always progresses harmoniously, it's a great atmosphere. In particular, Toya-kun is really in sync with Denji, and I love it. No matter what anyone says, Toya-kun's Denji improvisations are one of the highlights. Fairouz-san's energetic, bright and funny energy is also the best, and Makima, played by Kusunoki-san, feels very fitting when you hear her voice. I think this is a result of Kusunoki's love for Makima.

What are Aki's highlights in the early part of the anime?

The way Aki takes out the cigarette is drawn in a really cool way, so please pay attention to it. I only saw it in the rehearsal footage, but the sequence is him tapping the box, taking out the cigarette, lighting the lighter with the hand still holding the box, and smoking it. I thought, "Are you going to draw that many details in the anime?" I was really excited and beyond surprised And… as for Aki, I also love his interactions with Himeno-senpai. Their intimate-feeling conversations are nice. The performance that I personally focused on was the scene where Aki's "ball" is kicked by Denji (lol). I studied vocal expression a lot, so please listen carefully!

Finally, do you have a message for the fans?

My honest thoughts are, I've been given a very important role, and I will play Aki in every episode to live up to the expectations of the fans. I will do my best to live up to the Aki Hayakawa that everyone imagines. I'll keep recording, so I would be happy if you could attend!

Translation notes:

It was hard to translate what the director said in a way that preserves the original meaning, a direct translation sounds a bit like it is an insult or a criticism. What Nakayama was saying was basically that Sakata's natural voice was already great for the role. The literal quote is "坂田くんは声帯がアキだから、「こう演じよう」としなくていい", so a more direct translation would be "Sakata-kun, because your voice is already Aki's, you don't need to perform like this." but that isn't the clearest. I went for more of a localization than a direct/exact translation to be clearer.

When Sakata says "肩の力を抜いて演じられるようになったのはそこからですね," a direct translation would be "I was able to act with my shoulders relaxed," meaning he was able to loosen up and act more naturally, but a direct translation doesn't convey that as well.

Translated "どんどん明確" as clearer and clearer, but a more literal translation would be "steadily becoming clearer," or "increasingly clearer."

Sakata says "中でも戸谷くんの演じるデンジはシンクロ率がとても高くて", which literally translates into saying that Toya and Denji have a "high synchronization rate," kind of using the language of mecha anime (how the pilot is synchronized with the mecha), but to be more clear I just translated it as "Toya-kun is really in sync with Denji"

"デンジな戸谷くん" would literally translate to Denji-like Toya-kun (using Denji's name as a na-adjective), but since the main point of the sentence was to highlight Toya's improv skills, I didn't translate it in that literal sense.

He literally says アキの「ボール」, so this feels like the best way to translate it.

[editrevue]

some wild cards for the ask game- elle and/or suzu since it was her birthday recently!! love you guys 🩷

OH MY GOSH MOLLY THIS IS LIKE WHAT 2 MONTHS LATE IM SORRYYYYY. [ask] THANK YOU FOR SENDING THIS IN. GENUINELY ❤️🙏 I'll just do a general opinion for Elle because she is just a little guy but Suzu will be under the read more! we love you too!

ELLE NISHINO

General Opinion over said character: so much unending love in my heart!!! I did not know what to expect going into the game. she was so mysterious and had so very little to her name at the start but the more we learned the more I got attached and both of us have this funny little thing with kuromaya that they're her self inserted stage parents because of how much she loves maya. it's so cute. she's so cute!! her entire story with frontier tugged on my heart like crazy and was just so special to me. she's a fantastic character too i love the dreamscape and the trope of her stories coming to life, it's such a shame that's all they did with her, left her to the main story and there she stays. i hope in the future they at least give us another card or two with her in it, maybe like a memoir or something. i felt like what she set up for everyone was really important given everything, so it's a little sad to see that arc over already!! i'm rambling but all in all i think she's a wonderful addition to the stage girl roster and I thought what they did with her story was incredibly fun and new, albeit a bit strange at first going into everything especially with all the changes after the anime but I really think she deserving of more love from the dev team and people in general ! Elle is like the brooke page of revue starlight

SUZU MINASE

Sexuality Headcanon: this may very well be me projecting my bestie friends onto their kins teehee but Suzu is pansexual in my heart of hearts. they are a total lover

Gender Headcanon: transgender!! transmasc or transfem, it could literally go either way to me, it changes daily because both make sense. any pronouns or simply a he/her or a she/him!

A ship I have with said character: loving attachments to suzu / mahiru and "traffic light trio" (suzu/hisame/koharu) you honestly cannot make me choose ♡

A BROTP I have with said character: Suzu and Sakura!! Suzu and Mahiru!! Suzu and Hisame/Koharu!! Suzu and Karen/Hikari!! Suzu and Claudine, Suzu and Futaba, Suzu and the siegfeld juniors !!! the list goes on and on for sure she's so lovable and tries to befriend everyone, she has an infectious laugh and a charismatic personality. those by name stand out to me the most given their bond stories or interactions in the stage plays :3

A NOTP I have with said character: Suzu and Sakura is a personal one, and obviously pairings that are gross to ship (juniors or teachers). otherwise I don't think any of them would be inherently weird or "bad" to ship! haven't given it much thought!

A random headcanon: I think that while suzu loooves giving nicknames she's absolutely abysmal at terms of endearment and pet names. she's not necessarily bad at romance and compliments, she's very charismatic, kind, and even a bit touchy by nature, but she can be veeerrrryyy unserious and it definitely comes out when she's flustered, backed into a corner, or nervous (ie; flirting with someone she has feelings for or having embarrassed herself in front of them). she has a lot of humility though and bounces back very quickly, able to try again whether or not it was successful! and anyone she's pining after definitely has a soft spot for it, and wouldn't change it for the world.

General Opinion over said character: oh. my. gosh! i love all 3 of the seiran girls so so so much Blue Glitter literally changed me as a person fundamentally i think. Live #2 did as well obviously and of course, but Blue Glitter and Delight........ ough. all 3 of them get the short end of the stick in the game and that's okay. they get a whole manga adapt and multiple stage performances, so I can let it slide. though I'm glad suzu was able to get some well deserved attention in Rebellion! both on the stage *and* in the game! another fantastic story btw, read it when you have the chance if you haven't! but yes yes, suzu. she's so silly, earnest and innocent, she's such a people person and someone i truly think everyone needs in their life! i've been thinking about her (and hisame) more recently, more than usual, and idk! idk i get sentimental, don't tell anyone. but I love them both a lot, suzu is no exception, and I genuinely think the kind of character she is and her dynamics with the others is so good. she's such a good character!!!!!!!!!!!!! everything with mahiru is just!!!! augh!!!! um waiter, more seiran please .

[weavingmemoir]

I both hate and love that there is a lack of exploration on Cybertron’s wildlife. Seems like there’s dragons and weird weeds and shit that Cybertronians just completely brought to extinction and they never really talk about how that’s Sad . They never mourn it. I don’t think any Cybertronian is even familiar with their own fauna and flora besides turbofoxes, and the only who might recall is Arcee and that’s never explored.

The fact it’s not explored leaves so much room for you to just bullshit around it. Caves seem notorious in Cybertron, it’s a planet filled with holes, there’s gotta be wildlife that adapts to it. Maybe not everything lives off Energon, maybe some wildlife has adapted to eat PURE Energon, straight from the stone or source, with all its impurities. Maybe that makes their blood rich and puts them at the bottom of a food chain, allows them to be hunted, allows for an ecosystem to grow from that. Maybe even those predators can eat pure Energon sometimes, so we get herbivores and carnivores and omnivores.

Weaver plays on the idea of Cybertronians just, destroying all that to build incredible cities that require nothing of the sort. Cybertron is a techno-planet, but certainly it started to die when the ecosystems began thinning out and eventually being wiped out completely, herbivores being stopped from eating Energon, or being used to purify it without much trouble. The cybertronian equivalent to a deer being hunted en-masse for its pure-Energon rich blood, among others. Predators being chased off.

Now of course not all these beasts would have only one mode! Maybe the bigger ones turn into giant guys too. Most probably do, they just find it more comfortable to be in their beast form, like Tigatron and overall how the maximals enjoy being animals. It’s, Yknow, at their core. We get a bit of that with the colonies, I suppose! Maybe they were a part of this ecosystem. Those who managed to hear the word left.

Weaver is a Wyvern, a dragon whose arms are wings. That’s a big dinosaur. And his whole play in the ecosystem, his species at least, was living in cave systems and finding the most mineral rich ones to reside in for most of their lives. They hunted small animals that wandered in, completely nocturnal animals, evolved to hunt in complete darkness and in small spaces. Their parts can shift and change and their bones are hollow, so they look heavy but actually aren’t, not a weight that indicates to their size, anyway. They’re heavy, just not as much as you’d expect.

They had courting rituals, and they had defense mechanisms, and they liked art and pretty things. Their outer shells are fragile, so they’d cover themselves with stones and gems, and they couldn’t directly eat Energon gems so they’d use that to decorate their horns. They are entirely evasive, don’t enjoy fighting because of their fragile nature, and will often flee and hide in things. They use a lot of fuel but are not 100% carnivorous, they can convert mixtures of minerals into an Energon replacement, and they expel excessive heat through their horns (which open at the end like pipes) and they can spit fire, though that one’s a little harder to do and requires them to nearly overheat, so it’s not particularly safe. One of their most strange and effective evasion tactics is shadow travel: they can hide amidst complete darkness, almost in a pocket dimension, but this is a last resort as it eats up all of their Energon reserves and leaves them tired after. There is a time limit, but time passes differently once you’re in this pocket dimension, so 5 minutes in could be close to 500 years outside.

These creatures are wiped out eventually, they are incredibly defensive of their cave/territory and because of their choice for a home, their territory were often targets for mining. Most would die trying to defend them, some would die from Energon depletion, and some, like weaver, would try to show they were like the people trying to harm him by transforming. This never ended well. For weaver, they forcibly stopped him from transforming back (he managed to hide for many years and keep his cave, by the time he resurfaced there were already inhibitors and he was very much at the near beginning of the Decepticon movement) and tore his claws, his horns, and anything in him he could potentially use as a weapon. Every piece of him that’s red are replacements to originals, he was essentially declawed lol. He felt immense amounts of pain and was forced to work as a miner since he was big, and his root mode is much much stronger and more resilient than his alt.

Eer. He’s got stones and he likes makeup because it reminds him of covering himself in stones, he’s very proud of all that. He chooses red specifically for his replacements because it pops out and shows that they’re out of place, that he’s out of place.

[alaezasmystery235]

Hope you are doing beautiful dear.This is a cute game, Alaeza. Congratulations for 1.6k followers sweetie, you deserve it.

I chose the first option and here is your exchange reading for the same :

𝖠 𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 / 𝖿𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖿𝗎𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽 . 𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝗆𝗈𝗈𝖽𝖻𝗈𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗋𝗀𝗒 .

My initials - I,r

My signs - Libra Sun, Saggitarius Moon and Aries Ascendant

Your child is very friendly, sociable, intelligent and humorous.

They are brave and determined to get things done. I sense it's a 'she' so your first child might be a girl. I see them as a mature sibling to their younger sister/brother. They are responsible and understanding of others.

I feel they are great in academics ( I received a message so I informed that ) - ask them not to stress themselves because they can overwork themselves. They tend to be perfectionists or take exams a bit too seriously - but I think they will understand how this takes a toll on their health and they will always have supportive parents. You all will be a beautiful family - expect numerous family gatherings after their birth - especially there is a celebration I see.

I see sweetness, generosity and great leadership qualities in them. Every little detail like the texts, butterflies, flamingos, dark/prominent eyelashes, etc says something about your future child. They will be empathetic and will love their father figure a lot - they will try to irritate him more than you during their childhood ( I hear so ). As they grow up, they will start exploring new fields, take interest in arts and astronomy. They are somewhat like a visionary. They have a strong willed and powerful young mind.

I see adorable features like round face, round eyes , big daunting eyes, dark eyelashes and plumpy lips.

They seem to have a social circle with whom they will go out with. Your husband and you will be showered with small gifts - they like to make things for people they love so expect cards and like even a leaf - they will describe how that leaf reminds them of you. They are a ray of sunshine. She can be very good in team sports. I feel it's a girl. She loves dancing, singing just for fun and will keep you on your toes - affectionate towards you.

Immensely cares for both of their parents and at times you need to tell them to take some less responsibilities - a very beautiful, healthy and strong relationship with you and your FS I see.🤍 ( Your FS could live at a distance and I even see your child will learn about two cultures or like see two different approach to life from you and your FS ) They want you to stop overthinking ~ I heard a calm mind and peaceful sleep.

Extremely kind and caring, thoughtful and wise. Search about the qualities of flamingo and duck - they have this adaptive and cooperative nature. Flamingo and duck even symbolise open heartedness, will and balance which I think matches with your child's energy.

Zodiac signs - Aquarius, Capricorn, Aries, Pisces

( I hear a pretty well balanced nature )

Numbers - 345, 8

I see a lot of sequences coming

I hope you resonated with your reading. Take care of yourself. Loads of love and affection to you Seafoam 💗💗💗

Yours truly

Irene

Thank you for this Irene 💖. I love how you have channeled my future child . He already seems soo sweet . I appreciate your time and energy 💕.

⋆·˚ ༘ 🍋 ✧*

𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Hair like Daddy

Mommy's nose

Hazel Eyes

Small fingers / Mommy's fingers

Reliable

Calm

Preppy

Free spirited

Sympathetic

Loves arts

Indulge themselves in nature

Moody / Stubborn

Easily hurt / Sensitive

March / October Baby

𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱

This part is extra , since you have channeled so much for me 🫂 , though it was not needed .

💚 They are otherworldly. They can vision things . Intuitive/pshycic powers are coming through .

💚 They are in a perpetually pensive state , quietly absorbed in their own meditative world . May loves Yoga .

💚 They loves to enjoy their solitude. Want to have their own little corner inside a house where they can spend their time alone .

💚 They are inquisitive . They have a thrist for knowledge. You may often found them reading books and exploring things on their own .

💚 They feel for others . They are gonna be so so kind . I can feel them . I'm seeing a girl around 2-3 yrs , giving a piece of bread to a beggar while smiling , yes it's soo cute .

💚 Initials I'm getting are L , R , J , Z .

ʚɞ feedback is mandatory

[prowerprojects]

Well, who could have predicted what went down between SA2 and now. And I imagine if certain events went differently, we might some things would be way different. Especially when English is telling one story and Japanese telling another. (He wasn't the only character who experienced writing issues, his in particular just became "unfocused" after a while until they started scaling back the cast a bit.)

Hmm, probably would have helped if he had more kids around his age to interact with frequently. Cream slowly faded to the background {to her fans' dismay}, Marine is in Blaze's dimension and good luck finding Charmy interactions. Closest thing now is Sage and that's a mystery for now.

I think his theme song pretty much laid out his aspirations and still holds true for his Frontiers story in both versions of it. Presented differently in it and SA2, but ultimately the same goal: Finding his own style and path. (How far his potential goes really depends on him, so him pushing himself in different ways [and perhaps at times too much] could make him discover more things about him he hadn't before. That, wanting to show his friends his new skills is a good motivator too. xD)

I don't expect a drastic timeskip either; at most it'd probably be a few years. I'm sure they want keep the characters relatively similar-looking in nature if they ever decide on any physical or outfit changes to fit their current story, but not disrupting the iconicness of the designs. It's not the same as making an adaption with a different art direction. (Heh, I actually like the idea of him having a ponytail, to go along with his tails. Like Bark's, but shorter. But I can see them going for stylized models; the Mario crowd has been going nuts over "Wonder".)

In Boom's case, since it was meant to be its own subsection, the characters having designs that distant them from their Modern selves made sense from a marketing standpoint. Mixed on release, warmed up since but not wholly. At least wasn't the early concept art, Sega stomped down hard to get what we got. (It was mainly Knuckles and Sonic that got most of the criticism, with Amy to lesser extent, and Tails having little to none. Heck, some think his Modern self SHOULD have the goggles and toolbelt. Funnily enough, some did like the idea of a bulkier Knuckles, just not top-heavy, and more like his ancestors. And I have seen some scarf/adventure-looking Sonics here and there. And the surprise that was Vector, that leather jacket does suit him.) In any case, making changes isn't easy. Execution matters so much.

Considering that Eggman has a Vtuber model now; that'll likely mean other characters down the line, depending on the topics that pop up. (Though Shadow does feel like he's next. Hoping that his is mainly him and Tails before Sonic inevitably pops in, which is a recurring gag for that series.) But yeah, just a few fun shorts. Nothing crazy.

Yeah, his development from sa1 to sa2 made sense, it's unfortunate that it didn't work out in the long run.

Actually... idk about that. I feel like interacting with the other kids a lot would only highlight how more mature he is compared to them. When with his own friend group of older friends he still comes off as more childish than them. Maybe if they'd leaned into "youngest characters all being friends" from the start, but we'll never know now.

(Though take this with a grain of salt since maybe I also have a bit of resentment over people trying to metaphorically "banish them to the kids table", as if they all need to hang out with each other just because they're the same age.)

Yeah "Believe in myself" is a great theme for Tails and I feel like. You need to listen to it to understand him as a character, though I feel like it fits what he's going through in Frontiers somehow better than sa1? Like, a lot of the stuff mentioned in the song you can't really get from his story in the game itself (or maybe I just. forgot or wasn't paying enough attention). (Though it might also be the case of them writing frontiers and using the song as a baseline for his character and arc, while in sa1 it was probably the opposite)

Maybe they will change up some clothes!(Tails with a little ponytail? Aahhh it would be so cute) (I do agree with those people I wish Tails had goggles and a toolbelt in the mainline series. Maybe not on a permanent basis but at least goggles when he's flying? On the other hand, I do enjoy the main characters all having pretty simple designs. I also agree with Knuckles being bulkier, I like what they did for the movie, it just makes more sense for the type of character he is)

I only brought up Boom as an example of people reacting negatively to the redesigns, and it wasn't even canon.

Man Shadow could give us so much lore. I need the next season of TailsTube now (I can't believe it was a whole season? 4 episodes? Tails you hack) Man I really want some Tails & Omega interactions. I need to know what their relationship is like in canon. Or Cream? You could use Cream for the Chao lore. Aahhhh.

[diamagneticcoordinationcomplex]

Same anon! Sorry for the spam QnA, but it's interesting knowing more about your author's thought processes! If you have the time, I would love to know how do you characterize Ingo and Emmet? other than the fanstories itself of course 😊 Do you have a guideline? Some perspectives on their characters? Some shipping dynamics? I kinda view Ingo as kind of passive in this case, except for a few moments where he has to break out of his shell (like for pokemon battles where he and Emmet whoop everyone's butt 😫😫). He's a very kind character. And Emmet is a great support! He's very energetic and could be in your face, but he has good intentions even if he doesn't like people very much (Noy shy! just prefers solitude!). Except when it comes to Ingo, to which then he will be do everything!!! Pokemon make them reunite!

-💌 anon

Hello! Back at it again, anon!

I'm honoured that you'd want to know about my thought process! (I myself am not very interested in that kind of thing, so this is new!)

How do I characterise the train twins...? I wonder how I do that myself lol

Okay~ buckle in cos this might be long!

Guidelines on their character: Most of these are adapted from the multitudes of submas fics I've read prior to starting my own. These would include:

Ingo being LOUD and verbose

Emmet having clipped speech with barely any intonation

Frowny Ingo (˚∆˚) with minimal facial expressiveness (he can't help it!)

Smiley Emmet (˚v˚) with all the facial expressiveness

Ingo being polite and Emmet not giving a sh*t

I think much of these stem from how I like the twins having this complementary aspect to one another. They match each other's quirks, compensate for each other's weaknesses, encourage each other's strengths... it's just nice and cool imo ♡ A perfect two-car train! Wonderful synchronicity! Bravo!

Personal perspectives on their character: some of these may overlap with the guidelines bc I'm not sure how common these interpretations are...

Ingo being thoughtful, careful and prudent

Emmet being impulsive, active and spontaneous

Conscientious-of-other-people's-feelings Ingo

Honesty-is-the-best-policy Emmet

Ingo leans towards being a pessimist, correlating with his careful nature

Emmet's an optimist and simply wants the people around him to be happy and have a good time

Ingo is the ideals of their dynamic, able to come up with creative ideas and solutions

Emmet is the truth of their dynamic, able to work towards a goal and succeed, to 'turn the ideals into truths'

They work so well together as a two-car train that any arguments that do happen get cleared up almost instantly (idk how often other siblings fight, but I very rarely have any arguments with my own sibling so...yea)

They can be playful with each other (ie. pranks) but they are mature adults with a job, so they know when to pull the brakes and take responsibility

Emmet has this interesting contrast with being a chaotic, playful little sh*t (I say that with the utmost affection♡) but also possessing the level of responsibility and follow-the-rules mindset of a subway boss... so that's interesting to play around with

I'm probably still missing a lot of aspects but I can't think of anything else rn. Hope these little bits were interesting to read about!

Hm, shipping dynamics... I myself am a gen fic writer so I don't have any opinions on shipping. Not sure why, but it's kind of hard for me to see either twin in their own romantic relationship. They seem kind of... untouchable? I suppose? Perhaps that's evident in the Crystal Conductors AU, since the guys are literally immortal rocks lol. Not much romance to be found there, and if there was, it would be a sad one and I ain't gonna subject them to that.

But, I will comment that your thoughts on their shipping dynamics are interesting and do make sense! Ingo's calm passiveness~ Emmet's peppy enthusiasm~

The twins really do need their heartfelt reunion... *sigh* Alas, I shouldn't get my hopes up and expect too much ;;v;;

Thank you for the ask (again)! It was fun to answer your questions and apologies for taking so long to respond!