#its fun ducks season i love fun ducks

[obsob]

hmm anyway. holds u in my arms

[intricatechaosofyou]

The Right Wrong Turn

Pairing: Crosshair x f!reader

Fandom: The Bad Batch; Star Wars

Summary: A hiccup in the mission ends up with you on a rooftop with the Batch’s sniper. Using the prompt “This did not go the way I expected.”

Warnings: 18+!!!!, blasters, shootouts, cursing, some sexual tension, a couple of references to lines in season 3 but NO SPOILERS (tell me if you find my references though ;) !!)

Author’s note: Happy Bad Batch season my loves!! Our boys are back and I couldn’t be happier (or sadder). I had the privilege of writing for @urfriendlyneighbornightfury so I hope you enjoy this babe! I had so much fun writing it. Italics indicate small flashbacks. Also, please keep in mind that this is post-Echo but pre-Order 66.

The Bad Batch has meant so much to me over the years and while it feels like the end has come far too quickly, I’m grateful for everything it’s done for me and the rest of the Star Wars community! Thank you to @ghostofskywalker / @cloneficgiftexchange for putting on this event!! I’m so grateful to participate in this huge event!!

Sending everyone a Wrecker-sized hug and a happy season 3!! <3

━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━

You panted as you made a sharp turn down an alleyway, trying to lose your pursuers.

It was supposed to be a simple mission: sneak in while Hunter and Wrecker distracted the guards, download a few files, then Echo and Tech would pick you all up in the Marauder.

What you hadn’t planned for, however, was the heavy encryption on the files you needed.

———————

“Tech, I thought you said I just had to plug this data stick in and the files would download!” You whispered into your comm as a red screen appeared on the datapad.

“Theoretically, that should be all you have to do. However, I do suppose the encryptions on the files could prevent the transfer,” Tech replied, his static voice from the comm making you angrier by the second.

Your failed attempts at transferring the files had set off the alarm. You needed to get out of there, but you needed those files first.

“Keep the data stick in,” Tech requested. “I can undo the encryption from my end and transfer the files manually.”

A blaster shot fired right past your shoulder and you immediately ducked behind the large desk in the office. Sneaking a look, you counted three guards with their blasters pulled on you.

Kriff. You had to get out of there.

“Cross,” you hissed into your comm as you pulled your blaster from its holster on your hip.

You didn’t even have to finish your sentence before you heard the sniper’s voice crackle through the comm.

“I’ve got eyes on them. I take middle.”

You couldn’t see him on the next rooftop over, but you knew he was already lining up his shot through the large glass window behind the desk you were hiding behind.

“No fair. I wanted middle this time,” you answered, a smirk forming on your face.

Crosshair tutted. “Too bad, sweets.”

You rolled your eyes as you shifted your blaster in your hands, getting ready to fire.

As soon as Crosshair’s shot came through, shattering the window behind you and killing the assailant in the middle, you stood and shot the two remaining.

“Tech, how’re we looking?” You questioned.

“Files are transferred. Make your way back to the Marauder.”

You grabbed the data stick and booked it to the stairs just as another group of guards bursted into the office.

———————

You thought that they’d give up once you exited the building, but they were still managing to follow you through the busy streets of Bracca.

It was getting harder to lose the guards behind you as you dashed through the streets. One wrong turn and you knew you were in deep trouble.

As you turned down the next alleyway in hopes that you’d finally outpace the guards you heard someone hiss your name.

Looking up you found Crosshair, leaning over the roof of a nearby building, hand outstretched to you.

“Hurry up before those di’kuts catch up.”

You smiled and grabbed his hand, allowing him to hoist you up onto the roof.

“Could’ve used some help earlier, Cro—“

The clone’s hand covered your mouth before you could finish your snarky comment, pushing you to lay down the cold metal roof as he followed suit, laying halfway on top of you as the guards flooded into the alley in pursuit of you.

He lowered his head, sharp eyes watching the guards, ensuring that they didn’t spot the two of you.

But you? You watched him.

He had shed his bucket before helping you onto the roof, granting you full freedom to ogle at his face. You watched the way his eyes darted across the length of the alley, the way jaw clenched every time a guard spoke, the way his lips were parted as he took slow, steady breaths.

Suddenly, the chill of the night was replaced with a heavy heat and you were overcome with the need to move out from under him.

The hard plastoid of his armor dug into your skin as you attempted to shift out from underneath him. But your movement only caused him to hold you down harder, his free hand pressing your hips down to keep you from squirming.

You stifled a frustrated groan, going to shift again but the way he turned to look at you made you freeze. He stared you down, almost daring you to move again.

Unfortunately for him, you loved getting under his skin.

You tried to shift out from under him again, accepting the unspoken challenge from the sniper.

He retaliated, pressing his entire forearm against your hips to prevent your movements.

With a huff, you realized this might be one battle you wouldn’t win. You resigned yourself to watching him again as he took a glance back at the alley.

When his eyes found yours again, he finally took his hand away from your mouth but his arm across your hips stayed in place.

“You nearly got us caught,” he hissed.

“Yeah, well, this didn’t go the way I expected,” you replied, a sarcastic smile on your face as you once again attempted to get out from under him.

The way he put more weight on your hips told you he wasn’t letting you go that easy. “What did you expect? That I’d just let you stand around up here and let the guards catch both of us?” He questioned.

“Stow it,” you demanded, trying to ignore the way your face felt hot. “We need to get back to the Marauder.”

“Not until you answer my question, sweets.”

You huffed, letting your head fall back. Maker, this man was stubborn. “Don’t call me that. You know I hate it.”

“Hate what, sweets?”

“You calling me that!”

“Why, sweets?”

You bit back a snarl at the way he emphasized the name just for the sake of driving you crazy. “I said stow it.”

“What’re you gonna do about it? I seem to have the upper hand, sweets.”

You hated the way his lips curled up into his signature smirk as the nickname left his mouth. Your hands acted on their own accord as they grabbed his face and crashed his lips onto yours. His response was automatic, hands coming to cradle your face to bring you closer to himself.

The kiss was a mess of tongue and teeth, both of you still in an attempt to win an imaginary battle against the other. He pushed you and you pushed back harder against him. Around and around you two went in desperate attempts to put the other in their place…until Crosshair’s comm sounded.

The sniper let out a discontented huff as your mouth left his as you pulled the comm from the belt at his hips.

“We’re still on a mission, sweets,” you reminded him, reveling in the way his jaw ticked as you used the nickname against him before turning back to the comm and assuring Hunter that you and Crosshair were en route to the Marauder. “We gotta get going.”

Despite his groaning, he still shifted off of you and offered you a hand to help you stand up.

You brushed yourself off and took in Crosshair’s usual frown. “Cheer up, Cross.”

“I don’t like being interrupted,” he replied, pulling a toothpick from the pocket on his belt.

Shrugging, you grabbed the toothpick from his hand and put it in your own mouth. “Don’t worry. We’ll finish this later.”

The corners of Crosshair’s mouth ticked up at your insinuation. “I like that plan, sweets.”

Although you rolled your eyes, you couldn’t help the fond smile from growing on your face. Instead of granting him a response you simply turned and started the trek back to the Marauder with Crosshair right beside you, his hand resting on the small of your back. Yeah, you’d definitely be finishing this later.

[highlifeboat]

Hey, Dad, since we on topic of Mascot Horror media, what's your opinions on some of those?

In general? I think mascot horror is great, and as much as I think people are kinda getting over it, I still find it enjoyable. In terms of specific ones... (I'm gonna list a lot so be ready to read a ramble.

Shipwrecked 64 is amazing from what I've seen. It's pretty... dark a gruesome, but the story is very compelling and I've been watching GTLive play through it and it's been really fun. First mascot horror to scare me in a hot minute.

Güby is a more recent one. Not a game, but like one of those mock-kids shows that features a cartoony/puppet protagonist. Gets to the spooks pretty quick but I love Güby's design and I'd say it's pretty unique. It's on YouTube if you wanna check it out.

BeeVeeKee's "Not Your Normal Kids Show" is also a good non-game mascot horror. They're mainly on TikTok but the series is on YouTube in a playlist and I recommend it.

Poppy Playtime is getting more interesting as time goes. The Cat Nap short was really cool and I'm still excited for the new chapter.

Garten of Banban is... something. I'll be real I have no clue what's happening in these games, I mainly use gameplay of them for background noise, but apparently they have been getting better so cudos to the developers of that game.

Hello Neighbour fucking sucks. It started out good and then it was like watching a train crash.

Speaking of trains, Choo Choo Charles is hilarious and amazing and I love him and I love Pickles. Like. SO much. She's best girl.

Amanda the Adventurer is amazing and I need to consume so much more content of that game. Also Wooly might be evil, but he's just a Little Guy so its okay. Him and Amanda are great I love them.

Slender is a classic Mascot Horror before FNAF. Maybe not scary by today's standards, but goddamn that scared the shit out of me at 7 years old.

Mr. TomatoS and Mrs. LemonS are interesting ones, weirdly full of lore complete with extra files and talking to each other and such.

UuuUUUhhh

DUCK SEAONS! Duck Season was a FANTASTIC game! A games based of Duck Hunt where the Dog tries to kill you and also might be your dad? FUCKING. BEAUTIFUL!

AND TATTLETAIL! DOESN ANYBODY REMEMBER TATTLETAIL BECAUSE THAT GAME WAS ACTUALLY REALLY FUCKING GOOD AND THEN IT JUST LIKE VANISHED FROM THE PLANET AAAAHHHHH

Anyway that's my opinions on some mascot horror games.

[huggybug]

Hi, could you write something with sunshine x grumpy couple but the other way round than normal? Like sunshine trev x grumpy reader, I feel like it’s never that why and trev is sunshine!

something about the sunshine - trevor zegras

word count: 3.0k words

note: uh hi this ask was literally from so long ago so i’m sorry about that! i tried my best at this trope but it kinda just went off on its own little path so i hope it still does the request justice <33

“Y/n! How’s my favourite lady doing today?” You fight the urge to roll your eyes when Trevor walks into the room and plops down on your table.

You loved your job, really, being an athletic trainer for a major sports team was probably your biggest career goal and somehow you landed it as your first job. However, with it, you were under mountains of stress and out of everyone, Trevor always knew how to make it worse.

“Busy” You mumble, finishing the last few forms you had to fill out on your laptop before shutting it. “Do you need something?”

“Uh yeah, can you tape my ankle?” Your eyes dart up to look at him.

“You need your ankle taped?” You ask curiously.

“Yeah that’s why I’m here, jeez Y/n you should really try to keep up” He teased and you shook your head.

“Why do you need it taped? Practice is over” You were just about ready to leave actually, it had been a long day and the bottle of rosé in your fridge at home was calling your name.

“Yeah but… it hurts?” Trevor’s words came out in a questioning tone, like he was unsure why he was even asking.

“Okay…?” You got up, reaching for the roll of tape on your desk and making your way over to him. You were halfway through taping his ankle when he spoke up again.

“JD and I are going out tonight, you should come hang”

“I’m good” You mumbled, not letting your focus away from the task at hand.

“We’re super fun! I promise you’ll have a great time” You looked up to see him grinning widely at you.

“Trevor… we’re not friends” He froze for a minute before recalculating and his easy going façade was back.

“But we could be?” It came out more as a question than he initially intended.

“I’m just here to work, I have enough friends” You mumble, “Thanks though” Trevor’s smile faltered but he didn’t let it show for more than a split second.

It wasn’t that you didn’t like Trevor, in fact all the guys were great. You just didn’t love mixing your work like and personal life.

“You’re all done” You say as you lay the last piece of tape down. “If your ankle hurts maybe you shouldn’t be going out tonight” You raise your eyebrow at him which only makes him smirk.

“Thanks Y/n, see you tomorrow”

…

The season was well underway and you were busier than ever. You were down a few trainers and the Ducks staff had all been working around the clock to try and make up for it.

“The world isn’t going to stop turning if you take a break” You sigh, looking up from your computer to see Trevor and Jamie sauntering into your room.

“Thanks Trevor” You smile sarcastically. Over the past few months, you’d found yourself with both Trevor and Jamie more and more often. While you didn’t let it cross your self drawn boundaries by seeing them away from work, they seemed to find their way to your room frequently, whether it was because they actually needed something or just to come bother you.

“Aw cheer up sunshine”

“Don’t call me that” You bite back, annoyed with his presence already.

“Sunflower? Gumdrop? Sweetheart?” Trevor’s rattling off words like there’s no tomorrow, you glare at him until he stops.

“Are you having a stroke?” Jamie laughs at that but Trevor elbows him in retaliation.

“I’m trying to find a name that works for you babe, got any suggestions?”

“What do you guys need? I’m almost done for the day” You checked the time to see that you’d already stayed an hour past what you wanted to which meant you were way too late to girls night, meaning you’d once again have to ditch your plans because of work.

“Come out with us tonight. We’re meeting up with our friends from LA, you’ll love them” Trevor explained, nudging Jamie with his elbow which made him chime in as well.

“Yeah, Trev tells Alex about you all the time, he’s dying to meet you” Jamie coughs awkwardly when Trevor’s bony elbow hits him in the ribs.

“We’ve been over this before…” You answer, not even looking up from your work.

“Yeah but one of these days you’ll come to your senses and realize how amazing of a time you’ll have with us” Trevor grinned and you faltered. Maybe it was because your night out with your girls was ruined or maybe after months of Trevor asking, he’d simply worn you down.

“Fine” You finally caved and you swear Trevor does a little happy dance.

“I’ll send you the details, see you there!” Trevor is grinning ear to ear as he leaves the room, pulling Jamie behind him.

…

The bar Trevor chooses is exactly the kind of bar you’d expect him to pick. It’s packed, clearly a well-known spot in California, and you’re pretty sure there’s some sort of filtering system at the entrance which only allows people with over 1 million followers in. Luckily, you didn’t have to worry about that since you came with Trevor who somehow got himself on the list and your group is swiftly ushered to the VIP area.

“You look fantastic” Trevor grins at you once you’re all sat down at the table. He had already introduced you to his friend Alex and Jamie’s friend Quinton but he apparently hadn’t taken a moment to really look at you until now.

“Watch it Trevor, we’re still work friends of some sort” You point a finger at him and he laughs it off, knowing you’re only joking. To be fair, it was half a joke, half serious.

“I’m going for drinks, Jamie help me” Trevor practically drags his best friend away from the table with him and you shift awkwardly in your seat. Leave it to Trevor to ditch you with (albeit seemingly nice) strangers.

“So… you work for the Ducks?” Quinton asks and you smile awkwardly while nodding.

“Trainer” You mumble and both boys nod, pretending to be interested you’re sure. You fall back into silence for a few moments before the two boys start talking about something else between the two of them and you sink back into your chair.

You should’ve just stayed home tonight. Even though your original plans were wrecked, you shouldn’t have agreed to coming out with Trevor and Jamie. You were very obviously crashing their plans; you certainly didn’t fit in with a group of four hockey players.

You could only spiral so far before the boys returned, Trevor handing you a martini, your drink of choice. It took you a moment of staring at the glass before you looked at him, wondering how the hell he knew your typical order.

Trevor was too busy making fun of whatever it was Jamie said to the bartender so you didn’t say anything, just took a sip of your drink. Immediately, you started coughing which attracted the attention of the guys quickly.

“Woah, slow it down there Y/n” Trevor laughed and you shot him a look, hopefully playful enough to be passed off as a joke.

“You okay?” Jamie asked, offering up his bottle of water which you waved off.

“Fine. I just wasn’t expecting the gin” You drank vodka martinis. To be more precise, vodka martinis with a twist.

“Shit sorry” Trevor apologized, reaching to take your drink but you pulled it back. “I’ll go get you a new one” He offered and while it was very nice of him, you refused.

“I’m fine” You were firm enough that he didn’t bother to ask again, simply turning back to the conversation that had already resumed.

You stuck around for a respectable amount of time before you started planning your escape. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Alex and Quinton, they were actually nice guys and fun to be around. Just as the night went on, the more you felt like you were imposing. You waited until Trevor left, taking Alex over to say hi to someone they knew who was just across the roped off area; fishing in your purse to get cash to cover your drinks, you slide over to Jamie, placing a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

“Thanks for inviting me, tell Trevor thanks too” You hand him the money, flashing a quick smile and Jamie smiles back, quickly waving your money away.

“We were both happy you finally said yes, you’re cool Y/n” Jamie was sweet, honestly a little too sweet for an NHL player in your opinion.

“See you tomorrow Drysdale” You say goodbye to Quinton before grabbing your purse and rushing towards the door, hoping you can get out without Trevor seeing you because you know exactly how that conversation would go.

You were almost to the exit when someone grabbed your arm. Your instincts kicked in and you pulled away quickly, freeing your arm roughly from the person’s grip. Preparing for the worst, you turn around, only to see Trevor.

“God Trevor, I thought you were some creepy dude” You roll your eyes, turning back around and heading for the door, knowing he’s following close behind.

“Nope, just me” He leans forward and you can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

“Close enough” You retort and he pokes your arm playfully.

“Why are you leaving?” Trevor finally asks when your both standing on the sidewalk outside of the bar.

“I work in the morning” You answer, typing away on your phone, trying to get an Uber.

“So do I” You look up to see him grinning at you which makes you roll your eyes.

“Go have fun with your boys, I have to go” Trevor pouted and maybe if you were tapped out on your Trevor time, you would’ve seen it as endearing.

“Fine, I’ll see you tomorrow”

“Bye Trevor”

…

A few more months passed and you stuck to your rules, no more nights out with Trevor or Jamie and you were back to strictly work ‘friends’ only.

However, tonight was Dux in Tux, the organization’s annual charity event and while it wasn’t technically a night out with them, it was close enough.

“How great do I look in this? Scale of 1-10” You shake your head at Trevor who had been flaunting his ugly shirt-tuxedo all night for you.

“Go do your job” The players were all supposed to be serving the tables and while most of them had been following orders well, Trevor had spent a lot of his time at your table. The other trainers found it funny, they weren’t telling Trevor off but you had no problem in doing that.

“Is he bothering you?” You look up to see Max Jones behind Trevor, throwing an arm over the younger boy’s shoulder.

“Always” You answer with a smirk and Trevor sputters.

“Z, go help Jamie clear plates” Max points over to where Jamie is trying to pick up the slack where Trevor had been lacking all night.

“But this is my table!” Trevor pointed out and the table full of staff chuckled at the two grown men arguing about this.

“Go”

“Oh come on!” Trevor whined but trudged away anyways.

The rest of the night went smoothly, Trevor was kept busy, thanks to Max and you had easily avoided all the questions that had arisen from Trevor’s adamant presence at your table; the open bar had been a fantastic aid in that.

“Hey Sunshine, need another drink?” Trevor asks when you approach the bar later on in the night. The guys had just finished their little show so there was a group of them hanging around the bar.

“Sunshine?” Troy asks and a few of the other guys chime in as well.

“Don’t call me that” You grit out. Trevor knew your boundaries but he liked to push them. He loved to bend your rules to see how far you’d let him go, how long you could stand him annoying you before you put an end to it.

“Oh c’mon babe don’t be like that” Trevor grinned, throwing an arm around you and pulling you into his side. You groaned, trying to push him away but he wouldn’t budge.

“Woah woah woah. What are we missing here?” McTavish asks and you shake your head, slipping out of Trevor’s hold.

“Nothing, Trevor’s just a dick who likes to piss me off. Now if you’ll excuse me” You retrieve your fresh drink from the bar and hightail it over to your little group of staff, glad to hopefully be in a safe zone away from Trevor.

It doesn’t work, in less than 15 minutes, Trevor’s excusing you from your own conversation and pulling you away from the event and into the hallway to the locker rooms.

“What is your deal tonight?” You ask, exasperated from all the antics he’s been pulling tonight.

“Does it really piss you off when I do that stuff?” He asks frantically.

“What?” You’re confused, crossing your arms over your chest, suddenly feeling very trapped in this hallway.

“Why I call you sunshine and when I hang around you, do you really not like it?” Trevor asks, his gaze is heavy and you feel hot underneath it.

“What do you think Trevor?” You raise an eyebrow, honestly curious as to what he thinks you feel about him.

“Answer me”

“I…” You trail off, unsure how to explain what exactly it is that you feel. You’re not even sure yourself how you feel about Trevor. It started off as pure annoyance. You didn’t like when he hung around your room at the rink, how he’d play with the rolls of tape you had on your desk (and how he usually stole them for himself). But somewhere over the course of the season, it changed into tolerance which the. shifted into fondness. And now, you honestly missed him on the days that he wasn’t around for practice or a game for whatever reason.

“Because if it really bothers you I’ll stop. I thought we were friends and had that kind of relationship but I might’ve read it wrong and I’m sorry if I did, that’s on me” Trevor was rambling and you let him. It was cute. When he finished, you finally had collected your thoughts enough to speak.

“I don’t hate it” You pause as Trevor grins so wide you’re afraid it’ll crack his cheeks. “But the sunshine thing has to got stop around people at work”

“Is that you saying you want to hang out with me?” Trevor was smiling so hard it made you want to laugh. “And is this a friends hang out or a…” He winks over dramatically, “hang out”

“You’re so gross” You laugh while shaking your head.

“You love it”

“Ehh” You scrunch up your face and Trevor rolls his eyes.

…

After a couple months and many dates (most in Anaheim and then some when Trevor flew you out to visit him in New York after he went home for the summer) you found yourself with a boyfriend. It was probably breaking your ultimate rule but you didn’t care. That was the thing about Trevor; when you were with him, nothing else mattered.

It was a weird adjustment at first but luckily, you had officially started dating during the off-season so you weren’t exactly forced to come to terms with how this affected your work life just yet. Trevor always pushed it away, promising you that nothing would happen or change, that he would take care of it and that you trusted because how could they afford to make their star player upset?

After spending the summer travelling to and from Anaheim, you were both officially back for the season and you couldn’t help but think about how things had changed just over the course of a few months.

“That night we went out, how did you know I liked martinis? Or was that just a random guess?” Trevor looked down at you from where he was sitting on the couch while you laid with you head in his lap.

“Uh… I don’t remember” He cleared his throat then looked back at the TV which was playing the highlights of whatever baseball game was on today.

“You’re lying” You said flatly.

“No I’m not” You narrowed your eyes at him as he played with the short hair above his ear, twirling it as best he could around his finger.

“Yes you are, you’re doing the weird thing with your hair” Trevor’s hand freezes in it’s spot.

“Okay, I’ll explain but you have to promise you won’t think I’m creepy” He sighs, nudging you off his lap so you have to sit up next to him.

“What? Trevor-” You turn to face him, draping your legs over his and his hand automatically falls in place over them.

“Promise!” He insists.

“Fine, I promise” You roll your eyes.

“At every team event, I’d kinda… watch you. That sounds so creepy. I wasn’t like stalking you, I’d just happen to look for you every once in a while and every time I saw you, you were drinking a martini with a twist. Obviously I didn’t know you only drank vodka martinis” He grumbled and you laugh.

“That was the worst martini I’d ever had” You gagged, thinking back to that night when you stubbornly finished the whole martini because you wouldn’t let him get you a new one.

“Well I didn’t know! Vodka and gin are both clear!” Trevor whined, his head falling back against the couch cushions.

“At least you’ve learned, hm?” You reach to play with his hair, combing through it with your fingers as a smile makes its way onto his face.

“Yeah, thank god for that” He answers sarcastically which makes you smile.

[edenvinity]

ranking the f1 driver pairings as amazing race teams

me and my family have been watching amazing race for years so you KNOW i had to combine my interests !!!

amazing race is basically a show where teams of two race all around the world and preform a series of challenges rhat can range from physical to more mental, and the team that reaches the “pit stop” last is eliminated. plane flights + transportation around the country is also often up to the teams, having to buy their own plane tickets + hailing their own taxis + driving themselves around a country which works against one team dominance

KEY:

detour - teams can choose to complete one of two challenges

roadblock - one person in the team completes a challenge (one person cannot do every roadblock)

express pass - by doing an extra challenge, one team can get this pass that allows them to skip any one challenge

teams are ranked based on how far i think they would make it in a fictional all-f1 season of amazing race :)

10. pierre & esteban

sorry you KNOW they would be a dumpster fire. like the couples who go on and are like “i love my partner so much :))” and then immediately implode the second aomething goes wrong. would start off polite enough before the first detour where one of them is like mildly slow and the bickering starts. they would start rushing in an attempt to catch up and leave an important item behind (passports, clue, etc) and thats just the nail in the coffin for them

9. lance & fernando

tbh i could see them making it maybe 1 or 2 legs more depending on the challenge but. nothing against lance but hes a rich kid. the challenge would be like “find all the items on this shopping list at a wet market” and hes LOST. fernando gets 3/4 of the list AND has to find lance who is desperately looking for duck eggs (it was at the first stall) and then they get back and lance bought regular eggs anyways for a massively jacked up price. sorry but as entertaining as it would be they are doomed to flop

8. alex & logan

SORRY WILLIAMS BESTIES they would be such a silly team and fan favorites but respectfully i dont see them being very good 🥲 i think they would have a very good dynamic but other then that based on the pumpkin carving/drawing challenges,,,, they would not go far 😭 they would get a challenge to deliver something to several different locations (without map) and eventually get lost and be so far behind that when they get to the mat its like. nighttime. but they would be very cheesed and happy still !!

7. yuki & daniel

THE FUNNIEST PAIR EVER can you IMAGINE the dynamic when trying to navigate or drive a stick shift car. one of the friendlier pairs, willing to help point other teams in the right direction at challenges. also between the two of them they have a pretty decent skill set so i think theyd do pretty well at the challenges, plus be able to get around the city well enough. theyd eventually go out on a leg w more physical challenges just by virtue of the remaining teams being better but they have SO MUCH FUN and SO MUCH banter

6. kevin & nico

solid guys overall !! could see them maybe making it another leg further over the next team. definitely one of the most chill teams, sightseeing/enjoying the travels more (not to say that they arent competitive tho) and overall having a great time !! i think their experience with raising children would also factor in well (patience/calmness) and thus would keep them from making little mistakes and stay consistent. would eventually go out in a leg where they start from a lower spot and cant manage to find any earlier trains/flights and thus cant make up any ground and end up going out

5. lando & oscar

they are the most unstable team LMAO they (lando) always take big gambles with challenges to try and get ahead and as such always end up gaining/dropping tons of places in each leg. impeccable dynamic tho !! oscar is def the grounding force and keeps them on track, navigator to landos driver, while landos creative strategies often help them gain places where they might otherwise be stagnant. would eventually go out on a leg where lando insists on trying to catch an earlier train but ends up missing the connector to their destination (setting them back) and they cant catch up, eventually resulting in their elimination

4. valterri & zhou

i actually cant really explain this one guys its just a gut feeling. like i know that valterri is reasonably fit from biking a lot and zhou could help them get around more reliably in asian countries but other then that i dont have an explanation. theyre chill and like just kind of cruising/enjoying themselves. theres a roadblock where they have to name several different types of beer by taste and valterri crushes it. theres a challenge where its watching this person dancing and having to recreate the entire outfit that zhou kills. they go out right before the final because theyre beaten in a footrace to the mat

3. lewis & george

these guys are EFFICIENT. lewis somehow manages to get them on the earliest flights possible. george reads the map once and immediately find the fastest routes from place to place. they are reasonably good at most challenges. their downfall is challenges requiring them to work together closely, which happens in the final where they are required to learn a traditional wedding dance and preform it and they just cant sync up, costing them major time, and the entire experience just leaves them irritable which eventually leads to them claiming third

2. max & checo

similarly to lando & oscar, max is the competitive force with checo grounding their team. highly competitive (though not to say they dont enjoy themselves), always going for express passes and valuing efficiency. their strategy works for the most part, with them racking up the most leg wins. their downfall ultimately came during the final challenge, where they had to match moments from previous legs with their locations, and neither of them really remember LMAO. just barely misses out on first which goes to…

1. charles & carlos

impeccable dynamic. gets one express pass and uses it strategically. very supportive of each other during challenges. they are just a generally overall solid team but not outstanding, never really winning and just beats out valterri/zhou for the third spot in the final. but in the final leg they are just incredibly in sync which allows them to complete the challenges efficiently, and at the end challenge they have memories tied to each place and are able to figure it out faster then max/checo and beat them to the mat to take the win !!!

okay thanks for listening to my rambles ☺️ maybe a part two of this later ranking old driver pairs OR an f1/survivor ranking

[twig-tea]

A question for you because you seem like one of those people who has watched everything: how did you get started watching bl, and what are your ultimate favorite shows?

Double-barrelled! I'm honoured.

How did I get into BL?

The short answer is that ~2016 the YouTube algorithm served me up Lovesick and I immediately went EXCUSE ME WHAT IS THIS and looked up everything else available and watched literally everything I could get my hands on (which at the time was easy because there was only a handful compared to today, but it still felt like a wealth of content to enjoy).

The longer answer is that I used to be really involved in GL (I was the secretary at the first Yuricon in North America in 2002 or 2003) and then BL manga fandom (was in a scanlation group for awhile) through ~2006? so its extra hilarious that this wasn't my route in; I apparently took a break right before they started making live action versions in Japan. But when I got into Thai BL it was fun rediscovering these tropes in a new medium and through the lens of a new-to-me culture, noticing how they differed and how the genre had matured (and how it hadn't), and on catching up on the stuff out of Japan, seeing some of the manga I read over a decade ago come to life! So I mention this history because it's definitely a part of why I stayed (and probably why the algorithm found me relatively quickly).

I only started tracking things in a spreadsheet in 2020 (and it's not nearly as comprehensive or useful as @absolutebl 's), but I did try to backfill the highlights of what I've seen and I have over 550 rows on there, fwiw. I'm a completionist so I do try to watch everything, though that's getting more and more impossible these days.

Ultimate Favourite Shows

This question is so hard. I know you didn't even give me a limit but you have to understand @lurkingshan, I can't choose favourites, I have a draft top ten list that has been blank for 3 years because I can't commit. Okok. I'm just going to list shows as they come to me (not in any particular order):

Thailand: Until We Meet Again, He's Coming to Me, Diary of Tootsies, WhyRU, Ingredients, Not Me, Secret Crush on You, I Told Sunset About You & I Promised You the Moon, Triage, You're My Sky, Make it Right, La Pluie, My Ride, Bad Buddy, My School President, Laws of Attraction, Moonlight Chicken, Dear Dr I'm Coming for Soul, To Sir With Love/Khun Chai, The Eclipse, Midnight Museum, Lovely Writer... Grey Rainbow [ducks, hides, runs away]

Japan: Doushitemo Furetakunai (no touching at all), Kinou Nani Tabeta (What did you eat yesterday?), Our Dining Table, Takara-Kun and Amagi-Kun, Old Fashioned Cupcake, 7 Days (mon-thurs & fri-sun), His (miniseries & movie), I Want to See Only You, Kieta Hatsukoi/My love mix-up, the Cherry Magic Movie, Life~Senjou no bokura/Love on the Line, 180 Degrees Longitude Passes Through Us, Given (anime is my fave version), Tokyo in April Is..., Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, Utsukushii Kare/My beautiful man

Korea: Our Dating Sim, Semantic Error, The Lover [BL side], Color Rush, Blueming, Cherry Blossoms After Winter, Love Class 2, Made on the Rooftop, Discipline Z, Light on Me, To My Star (yes both seasons), Strongberry (faves are Long Time No See, Confidential Coffee Break, and A First Love Story), Sing My Crush, Just Friends?

Vietnam: Goodbye Mother, Hey! First Love, Nation's Brother, You Are Ma Boy, Follow My Sunshine, FOOLs, Tien Bromance: My Small Family, Love Bill

Philippines: Gameboys, Gaya sa Pelikula, Boys Lockdown, Cheat [warning: horror], Your Home, Better Days

Taiwan: Be Loved in House, My DNA Says Love You, We Best Love (1 & 2), HIStory (Crossing the Line is my fave, and second fave is...Make Our Days Count [ducks, hides, burrows into ground]).

Other: Summerdaze (short from Singapore), Stay Still (Hong Kong), HeHe and He (Hong Kong, final season in progress but s1&2 are so funny) and the bromances/difficult to categorize: Scumbag System, Word of Honor, The Untamed, Guardian, Coffee Prince, Bromance (Taiwanese), Great Men Academy, Mr Queen, Sleuth of Ming Dynasty, SCI Mystery

*deep breath* ok I'm stopping lol narrowing it down any less than this gives me pain so I won't try. Also I'm sure I forgot something obvious (and Tumblr was eating drafts of this at various points). All I can say about this list is it's under 100 and that's the best I could do.

Thanks for the ask, and to anyone who made it this far thanks for reading!

[skrunklybf-archived]

peek; reiner x f!reader x bertholdt

summary: he should've turned around. he should've closed the door. but bertholdt couldn't pass up the scene unfolding right before his curious eyes, right on the living room couch...

tags: smut, mfm threesome, oral (f and m receiving), face riding, voyeurism, established relationship (reiner), praise, creampie, cum eating (f and m), unrequited feelings, bittersweet ending, subby bertholdt

wc: 3.2k

notes: hehehe <3 reiner brain rot too real lately

taglist: @arminfj | @thicc101q

sleep clings to bertholdt's eyes, threatening to drag the heavy lids down and end the netflix marathon earlier than he'd like. only a few more episodes to go before he's finished with the season -- before he's caught up enough to watch with his roommate and his girlfriend, who had strong-armed the brunette into watching in the first place.

"we'll wait for you," she had thrown on a pair of puppy dog eyes, "then we can all watch together!" bertholdt sheepishly agreed, unable to turn her down, swallowing the lump in his throat with practiced precision. he always had a soft spot for reiner's girlfriend; a soft spot he tucked away for everybody's sake.

you. in all your sweet, glowing glory... why did he have to think about you in such forbidden light?

reiner had always been a good friend to him. understanding, compassionate, brotherly. signing a lease together took less than a minute of thought. still, bertholdt wondered if he was torturing himself by doing so. everyone knows that with reiner comes reiner's girlfriend -- he's a doting and loving partner, utterly obsessed with you in ways that occasionally left a sour tint in the brunette's throat. you deserved all the praise, all the attention, all the sickeningly sweet affection reiner loved to rain on you. an outsider could look upon your relationship and coo, swoon at the way you loved each other so openly and endlessly.

bertholdt wanted to. he just couldn't, sometimes.

rubbing his eyes, he stands and stretches his long limbs with cracks and pops. staying curled in bed for hours is fun until it isn't, he decides, and pads quietly into the hallway. the apartment felt dark and cool. it's late, he thought, i'm probably the only one still up right now. the low glow of some late night talk show gently illuminates the end of the hallway, serving as a beacon on his journey to the kitchen. only as he draws closer does a peculiar sound tickle his ears.

"mmf, taste so good..."

a small hum, followed by a shaky breath. bertholdt feels his heart thump harshly once before pausing its rhythm completely. that had to have been the television, maybe an ad that only rolled in the evening hours. curiously, the brunette slowly tips his head around the corner.

you. your head is lolled back, oversized tshirt tugged up to expose one of your tits as you sit on your knees on his couch. thick thighs encompass and shield the seat you dutifully grind on in hypnotizing rhythms. below, reiner is stretched out on his back, thick cock freed from his sweats and bobbing underneath your backhanded grasp. he's grabbing your hips and rolling you over his tongue, earning hushed gasps and mewls as you try to contain your excitement.

bertholdt swallows thickly. guilt and arousal kick up a dangerous storm in his stomach. he quickly ducks back into the lonely hallway.

"you like it when i ride your face, rei?" barely above a whisper, bertholdt bites his lip as your decadent voice still finds him.

"pussy's so sweet baby," reiner is even more muffled, face still stuffed into your cunt. "yr'so wet for me."

this is wrong. the brunette feels the confusion scrambling around in his tired body. blood doesn't know whether to settle in his tensed face, or his twitching cock. he can't do this, he can't invade your privacy like this.

"oh, fuck," a particularly sharp moan from your pretty lips forces his eyes shut.

"shhh, baby. you'll wake up bert."

he chokes on a sigh when you giggle and apologize. bertholdt's chest tightens dangerously as his mind jumps. you giggled, what does that mean? did you want him to hear? you were fucking on the couch, in the living room... where he could come out at any time and catch you both in the act, much like he just did. but... you don't know he's there. reiner doesn't know he's there. how would reiner feel if he did?

"just like that, keep licking rei," around the corner, only feet away, you whisper desperate praise to your boyfriend lapping away at your pussy. the sounds of his tongue sliding over your slick folds are lewd and sloppy. bertholdt absentmindedly palms at the tent in his pajama pants, back pressed firm against the cool wall.

he needs to turn around. he needs to go back to bed and forget this ever happened.

"mm'gonna cum,"

he needs to go.

"please don't sto-- ah, ah!"

he's squeezing the pulsing prick in his pants, eyes screwed shut so hard he's unsure if he can open them again. your breathy moans are cut off, like something's been shoved in your mouth to conceal the mounting pleasure. deep hums mix in the air with your obscene sounds. the couch creaks, nearly beckoning bertholdt to peek around the corner again.

reiner's large hands are guiding your glowing body, squeezing the supple meat at your hips and thighs as he commands you. head thrown back, you're caught in a state of bliss with your hand clamped over your own mouth. the movements are rough and desperate as you hump reiner's tongue, your other hand clinging to the arm of the couch for stability. bertholdt's widened gaze fixes on your plump ass, shaking and gyrating so feverishly on his roommate's face. he fists his aching cock and pushes aside all the fear and guilt in favor of soaking in this devious moment.

slowing, twitching, your body eases into a gentle rocking motion and heaves a sigh. a bell-like giggle falls from your lips when you look down at reiner between your thighs. bertholdt can't see the blonde's expression. he swallows again, hand shoved down past his waistband.

reiner mumbles something against your sex that makes your gaze flick upward, instantly sealing the tall brunette in place.

he stops breathing.

a shy smile creeps across your flushed face. "well, i guess you're right," you coo, "i think we were too loud, baby."

he was dead. bertholdt would never see the light of day again -- images of reiner beating the shit out of him for creeping in on his sex life burn vividly into his panicking brain. the brunette quickly withdraws his dampened hand and clears his throat. "i-- 'm sorry, i was just... kitchen," squeaks out, anxiety bubbling once you begin to dismount with shaky legs. reiner meets his gaze as soon as his face is freed. a slick sheen over his mouth catches the light of the television.

the blonde tugs his sweats back over his cock, but doesn't look away. bertholdt can't force himself to look away either, even with your wide-eyed form glancing between the two men.

"it's okay bertie," you say suddenly, breaking the silence with sweetness. "i'm sorry i woke you up."

the brunette clears his throat again but the nerves don't budge. he tries to angle his body away to hide the tent in his pants. "it's fine," he feigns coolness, trying and failing to read his roommates expression, "s-sorry to interrupt."

"maybe sorry you got caught." the ghost of a grin flashes across reiner's face for a split second -- so fast, bertholdt wasn't sure if he imagined it or not. he goes to speak with reddened ears but you chime in first.

"don't be mean!" after scolding your boyfriend playfully, reiner sits up and wipes the cum from his mouth. "he lives here, too." the shirt you're wearing (reiner's old college memento) makes you look so small, so innocent and naive as you look over at bertholdt again. your eyes fall down to the bulge outlined in his flannel pants. bertholdt feels scrutinized by the world's most perfect couple.

"he's a big boy hun, he can handle it." reiner's voice feels so gruff, even as he jokes and pulls you back down to sit on his lap. a small squeak slips out of you, undoubtedly adjusting to the erection pressing against your lower back.

the brunette feels stuck, bolted in place. his brain scolds him, telling him to retreat back to his room with his tail between his legs -- but a naggy voice points out how nobody has yelled at him. neither of you had shouted, panicked, ordered him to leave. the living room air feels electrified as he and reiner continue to lock eyes, a myriad of unclear emotions swirling between them.

"um... yeah..." bert mumbles, watching reiner whisper something along your ear. he feels out of place when you shoot a puzzled look back over your shoulder. after a moment, he watches you nod, face flushed and looking almost nervous from his position in the doorway.

strong hands glide up your naked thighs, dip under the cotton tshirt, and cup your tits with a gentle squeeze. reiner barely arches a brow as he watches his friend over your shoulder. it almost feels like a game of chicken; if bertholdt looks down, he loses. so he fights to hold the blonde's gaze, heat still radiating off of his entire face.

"you can look, bertie," your lips curl so sweetly over his name, even with the low tone you let drip from it. bertholdt feels his cock pulse. reiner dips a hand down to spread your legs. with your pussy so puffy and wet, bertholdt loses the staring match and the last shred of his dignity. "do you like it?" he can't help but slowly nod when you speak. your boyfriend's fingers swipe expertly over your pussy lips, gathering slick and juices up to spread over your swollen clit.

"is this... umm. are you...?" berthold feels tiny when he speaks, despite towering over both your seated forms. he isn't even sure what he's trying to say -- lust, confusion, anxiety all washes over him in unforgiving waves. still, he can't look away from reiner groping you, spreading his angelic girlfriend open just for bertholdt to see. reiner offers a short nod, instructing his friend to come closer; and he does, feeling like a newly trained puppy as his long legs drag him across the living room.

"everything's up to you, baby." the blonde breathes into your ear, sounding oddly neutral about another man being within arm's reach of your half naked body. bertholdt doesn't want to question how he's not caught in a headlock at the moment.

"up to me? are you sure?"

"mhm," he trails kisses along your neck, "we talked about this before... besides, if it's gonna be anyone, it might as well be bertholdt," he stops for a second to eye his friend, "right?"

an unspoken conversation seems to pass between them, searching each one another's gaze for a few moments as you agree sheepishly.

"whatever [y/n] says." reiner says again, dipping two fingers into your slippery cunt. "if she says stop, you stop." bertholdt finds himself nodding feverishly, entranced with how your pussy sucks on reiner's large fingers. he can't believe this is happening. he can't hear much over the heartbeat in his ears.

a delicate hand reaches out and pulls him forward. bertholdt follows obediently, relishing at the feather light touch you trace down his thighs. he pulls sheepishly at the taut fabric around his aching cock. eyes half lidded, he feels his throat close as you look up at him through thick lashes.

"can you take these off, bertie?"

reiner's motions below your waist slow, simply stroking along your entrance, curious to see what happens next.

at first the brunette feels hesitant, thumbing the waist band sitting at his hips, but swallows down the anxiety and abides to your request. his dick nearly slaps up against his toned abdomen once it's free. flushed, long, dripping a bit at the tip. bertholdt holds his breath as you trace the shape with wide eyes.

almost as if it all clicked into place, a sweet smile spreads over your lips. you hovered, freeing reiner's cock beneath you, and slowly eased down onto the familiar prick. bertholdt gnaws at his lip -- he wonders how tight you felt, wonders how reiner squeezed his fat cock into you without passing out. reiner pulls your shirt over your head and tosses it to the side. he grasps at your hips, rolling you over him, groaning into your shoulder. leaning back into his strong hold, you began to grind, eyeing the nervous man in front of you.

"kiss me."

he wouldn't say no. he glances at reiner briefly for approval, but the blonde simply arches a brow in response. bertholdt cups your face with clammy hands and gently presses against your lips, cautious, unsure if you'd change your mind after contact. you don't -- actually, you lean into him, sucking in a long breath through your nose.

it feels so odd, making out with you while you ride your boyfriend, but bert enjoys the sensation. something about how scandalous the situation sits in his mind makes his cock twitch. he lets you guide his large hands down to cup your tits. little moans rumble into his mouth as reiner ruts up into your cunt, smacking against your gooey center. berthold pulls away just enough to gingerly ask, "can i...?" with a pinch of your nipple.

giggling almost drunkenly, you guide his head down and hold his face against your tits; the heat from his cheeks could nearly burn you. bertholdt drops to his knees like he's ready to pray.

"t-touch me, lick me," you purr, leaning your head back to moan into reiner's ear. he traces loving kisses along your cheekbone and reaches down to press a finger against your clit. bertholdt grips his touch-starved cock with one hand and your tit in another, slicking a tentative tongue over your hardened nipple. the men work in tandem, fucking into you and sucking your sensitive spots, earning a string of honeyed moans and praises.

reiner loved fucking you like this -- slow and sensual, massaging his dick into your gummy walls while he kisses you. the feeling of you writhing under his grasp sends his heart pounding no matter how long you've been together. he peeks over your shoulder, over the tiny love bites he's left on you, to watch bert suck your tit into his mouth. the brunette pumps his own cock with closed eyes, slipping out little moans and grunts as the air around you three loosens even more.

reiner knew bertholdt was wrapped around your finger. he knew if he could trust anyone to help fulfill the fantasies you sheepishly talked about late at night, it would be him. the thought of his best friend touching you was a curious one; reiner found himself more okay with the action than he initially thought; knowing you were enjoying yourself, knowing you were still his. some protective pleasure bubbled into his chest seeing bertholdt meekly obey your mewling requests, but still looking to him for another stamp of approval.

"can you bend me over rei?" your request is so breathy, so laced with want and need that both men groan against you. "... and can i maybe suck your dick, bertie?"

maybe he was dead. maybe this was his own weird version of heaven, with a soft hand holding his eager cock so close to your plump lips. reiner has you draped over the arm of the sofa on your knees, one of his legs steadying himself on the ground and the other pressed into the couch. he's rutting into you, heavy balls slapping against your pussy lips with every hungry thrust. bertholdt watches your pink tongue dart across his flushed cockhead with burning desire.

he carefully combs a hand through your hair, heart fluttering when you glance up at him. your eye contact sends shivers down his spine -- the brunette moans brokenly as you allow his length into your throat in one smooth motion. he throws his head back, working hard to keep his hips from jutting forward and seeking more stimulation.

the way you slobber on his cock leaves bertholdt dizzy, vibrations from your muffled moans tickling his sensitive prick. he pries hazy eyes open enough to watch his dick disappear into your mouth over and over again. he's rocking into you, working with the rhythm reiner sets at your backside. the blonde opposite of him gushes with praise, leaning in to rub practiced circles over your throbbing clit.

"my pretty baby," he massages your ass with his free hand, "you look so good stuffed with dick."

your motions grow sloppy, desperate, a chorus of sweet hums and choked mewls escaping around bertholdt's dick shoved down your warm throat. he feels his stomach tightening each time your nose brushes against his pelvis.

"f-fuck, that feels so good," the brunette breathes heavily, seeming to spur reiner into a faster pace behind you. "thank you-- fffuck, ah! --t-thank you s'much--" waves of pleasure and satisfaction threaten to crash over bertholdt at a dizzying speed. he grips your hair a little harder than intended, "i'm g'na... w-where can i... fuck, m'gonna cum," he finds himself flicking his gaze up, catching eyes with reiner momentarily. some insane shred of him blared with an alarming reminder that you are reiner's girlfriend -- and he had his dick shoved in your pretty little mouth.

your eyes are screwed shut, too buried in your own world of pleasure to give a verbal answer. with a few bobs of the head, bertholdt's cock throbs and releases in your throat, his body locking up and stomach muscles flexing with a long moan. he tosses his head back again, ears fixed on the sounds reiner coaxes out of you as he bullies his dick against your cervix. your second orgasm of the night follows close behind, your plush pussy walls cinching around reiner's thick meat. he groans out swears and praises, gripping your ass with one hand, effectively pussydrunk and riding it out as long as he can.

"that's it baby, cum for me," the blonde rumbles, swirling quick shapes over your clit, "you've been such a good girl sweetheart. making us both cum--" the words seem to simply fall out of reiner, quickly becoming the next one to lose himself in a fit of bliss.

bertholdt isn't sure what comes over him when he kneels down to kiss you. your moans feel so sweet filling his mouth; he can taste himself on your tongue, which comes as a stark reminder that you just let him cum in your throat. you.

with your hot cunt busy milking reiner for every last drop of cum, bertholdt relishes in possibly the last few kisses he can get. he holds your cheek in his hand and presses your foreheads together, trying in vain to steady you against your boyfriend's impressive hip strength. reiner eyes this, but simply continues to shower you in praise as he slowly descends from the breathtaking high.

"fuck, i love you so much," he breathes, pressing against your ass and running his large hands down your back in a soothing motion. your eyes flutter open again, locking with bertholdt's for a second. he feels his chest tighten and his stomach drop when you look away and over your shoulder, tossing reiner an affectionate gaze and sweet smile. "i love you too, baby."

bertholdt pretends you were still looking at him,

i love you, too, [y/n].

[writebackatya]

DuckTales Team Ideas:

You know what love about DuckTales?! A lot of things. But more specifically the found family aspect of the show and all of its characters!! I love that within this found family are groups/teams built up from this group of badass adventurers. You got your Team Science, Webby and her friends, the Duck Boys, the Original Three, etc. But you know what? We can make even more teams out of these fun characters! So here’s a list of team up ideas that I think would be fun! Post-canon stuff up ahead so beware of spoilers:

Rules for teams:

1. Must consist of at least three people, cause Disney loves their trios

2. Must have a team name

3. A third rule, cause trios

The Moon Crew: Della, Selene, and Penumbra

I made a post about this team up before but I’ll post it again. We need Della to go on adventure with her badass Amazon girlfriends. It’d be fun. Personally I think the adventure should be a fish out of water story in Duckburg. I mean think about it, one’s a goddess, one’s a moon lander, and the final member hasn’t been on earth for an entire decade. Imagine the shenanigans! Well I can, I’m working on a story about that. Well not about that particularly but it’s an aspect of the story. Anyway moving on

Team Webby: Dewey, Lena, and Violet

Do you know what I’d like to see? Webby’s best friends (yeah I don’t care what Scrooge said, Dewey can be Webby’s family and best friend) team-up to save Webby from Magica. I think it’d make for a fun adventure.

(Also at one point Dewey needs to say Bippity Boppity Dew! Like at the moment the group stops Magica and her evil plan)

SEA-Nior Junior Woodchucks: Fethry, Huey, and Violet (Also Launchpad and BOYD, but I’m picking main threes here cause trios)

Who doesn’t love these three? Jerks! That’s who! We need more Fethry! Huey is great! Violet is underrated! They’re all Junior Woodchucks! And they need to go on a sea related adventure! Also they’re all…

Bad Bit Rebel Squad: Gandra, Gosalyn, and Lena

Stop me if you heard this one before: a good natured loving hero gets paired up with a snarky street smart loner. Anyway. What if we put all that sass together in one killer trio? No villain would be able to stand up to that much sass

Bad Bitches would be a group that consists of Della, Gandra, Gosalyn, Lena, Penumbra, and Goldie. And you know what? Throw Louie in there as well

Spy Team: Dewey, Gandra, and Webby

So…anybody else think it would’ve been so great to see these three team-up? They all have a spy background! Webby’s granny is a spy, Gandra is a spy, Dewey dew-geared Double O Duck with Launchpad*. It would be cool to see Webby and Gandra fight on the same side. Plus I think Dewey and Gandra has great comedic potential [shameful fanfic plug] Also you Beakley and Launchpad could also be a part of that team. Now the question is: Would the Beakley and Gandra dynamic be more Beakley and Lena 2.0 or Beakley and Della 2.0? Only you can decide!

The Yahoo Community: Della, Gyro, Huey, and Manny

Larry, all these actors were on DuckTales and Season 6 of Community

SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE!

Clone McDucks: May, June, and Webby

Yeah, we needed to see these three get in their own adventure together. It would’ve been great. I think they’d embrace the fact that they’re clones but they’re own person. Also Clone McDuck sounds similar to Clan McDuck. I thought it was cute. Also I really just want to drive the point home that they’re clones just to irk those reading this who didn’t care for the final twist. I mean I thought it was cool and I loved rewatching the entire series a second time while knowing the twist. It gave me a whole new perspective on the series and they really foreshadowed in parts I didn’t notice on my first watch through but hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion

The Justice Ducks: Darkwing Duck, Gizmoduck, Storkules, Penumbra

Any fan of the original Darkwing Duck should be familiar with the Justice Ducks. Well I always thought if that team were to ever be brought into the DuckTales 2017 universe that both Storkules and Penumbra would fit in perfectly with that group. Both Penumbra and Storkules are warriors that fought for their people and have struggled to fit in with the world, so why not have a job that involves doing what they do best? Fighting for those they care about

The Tremendous Triplets: Huey, Dewey, June, Louie, May, and Webby

It’s twice the amount of triplets! The six of them would be unstoppable!! This show needed more than three seasons damn it!!!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this rambling! If you have any team ideas please share them! They don’t all have to be trios and if you can come up with a name too, that would be great! Also if you come up with a better name for any of the groups I made up, please share them! I know The Tremendous Trios isn’t that great. I just love alliteration and thought it would be cool if their name had 3 T’s cause…trios.

[silverskye13]

Tango’s build plans this season made me instantly think of your Hels for him, and I got to wondering what that conversation between the two mighta looked like 🤔

((love the writing, it’s SO good i think about it so much

"Hey! Psst! Tanguish! Over here!"

"My name's not Tanguish."

"Well I can't just go calling you Tango, now can I? That's my name."

Tango -- or rather, Tanguish -- rolls his eyes and walks a little faster down the cracked hels street. He dips his head as he passes Hel's Kitchen. The bar is buzzing with activity, literally. Evil Beezuma is in there picking a fight with someone he doesn't recognize. They're probably from a world that isn't Hermitcraft. Tanguish only knows things about Hermitcraft. And a couple hazy memories of Third Life, stolen from Tango.

"Why Tanguish? It sounds like I'm in pain."

"It needed to be edgy!" Tango yells. Or Tanguish thinks he yells. It's hard to tell. His voice always sounds loud. It sort of scares him. "That's your guys' thing, right? You know, spooky hels dimension, dark mirrors, shadow beings, blegh?"

Tanguish stuffs his hands in his pockets and steels a glance down a nearby alleyway. Someone is cornering someone else down there, but they're busy. Good. He doesn't want to draw attention to himself.

"Listen, can we talk some other time?" Tanguish hisses under his breath, and the air around him plumes with frost on the exhale. He ducks down a side street and lighting-fast lifts something from a cart as he passes. He can smell it's food, but he's moving too quick to tell what it is. It frosts a bit at his touch, whatever it is. "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

Tanguish glances down at a puddle of oily liquid pooling in between some cracked cobblestones. Tango, his hermit, glances back at him, grinning. "You're stealing again, aren't you buddy?"

"Keep your voice down."

"I'm pretty sure you're the only one that can hear me, dude."

Tanguish glances around. People are staring, but its the kind of staring they shoot crazy people who are muttering and hissing to themselves. Tango is probably right. Of course he's right. He's a hermit. The hermits always know what they're doing. (The hermits never know what they're doing, but this isn't something Tanguish knows. Sometimes he wonders about it, but he hasn't quite figured it out yet.)

Tanguish stumbles into someone, purposefully. He apologizes. He takes their wallet. He walks faster.

Tango whistles, "Wow that was smooth."

"Shut up."

"So anyway, what do you know about Wardens?"

"You really don't know when you're not wanted, do you?"

"Oh no! I know," Tango laughs, and Tanguish rolls his eyes again. "But I've got no one else to bounce ideas off of, and making you look like a crazy person is kind of fun for me."

"I'm not crazy."

"Neither am I."

Tanguish opens his mouth. He closes it again. He thinks this probably makes him look crazier.

"So, Wardens," Tango prompts him, his image appearing as a vague shadow in a window. "We're getting them soon. Do you know about them? They seem hels-y."

"They are hels-y," Tanguish finds himself saying. "They live in the ceiling, up by the bedrock."

"Really? They're super deep underground here."

That makes sense. Which means it probably doesn't. That's how hels work, right? The opposite thing? So if Tanguish thinks that makes sense, it probably shouldn't work like that. He thinks. He's not sure. He's... not sure about most things. That's Tango's job. Tango is looking up at him from another puddle of questionable liquid in the road. Tanguish steps through it, uses it as an excuse to slip into the side of another stall and pocket something. His hands are shaking. He can't believe he hasn't been caught yet. Someone down the street is yelling. Maybe he has. He doesn't get away with stealing wallets very often. He walks faster.

"I'm making Decked Out again," Tango informs him from the glint off someone's watch. Tanguish thinks wearing metal in hels is a terrible idea, given it's so hot here. But then again, he is made of ice and skulk. He would think it's hot here. Maybe this is normal for other people? That makes sense (it doesn't). "You helped me with Decked Out the first time! Remember all the level designs? You liked that."

Tanguish can't remember if he liked that. Mostly working with Tango makes him feel nervous and vaguely uncomfortable, like his skin itches. He thinks, maybe, it's because Tango is made of fire and redstone. It makes sense that he'd find those things irritating, right? (This does, actually, make sense).

"What's the plans for Decked Out II?" Tanguish asks him, dipping down a side street. The yelling is getting closer - he's definitely been caught. He starts running.

"Well I really liked the Clank stuff. And of course, there's going to be Ravagers. But I want to add Wardens. Wardens will be super cool as a final boss level. And all the sneaking and quiet stuff?"

Tanguish is good at sneaking, and being quiet, and he'd suggested the Clank. It has nothing to do with how successful (or not successful) he is at stealing things, or his ability to measure everyone else's tolerance to him stealing things. Nothing to do with it. Definitely. He vaults over a wall, scrambles onto a roof, and keeps running. There are no reflections nearby, except for the little patches of ice that spread out where Tanguish steps, and they go by too fast for him to make eye-contact with his double. This, he thinks, is a very impolite way to hold a conversation.

"But what I really think you'd be interested in, is I want it to be ice themed!"

"Ice themed?"

"Yeah, everything's scarier when it's cold."

Tanguish would argue everything is scarier when it's surrounded by lava. He leaps from one rooftop to another, and watches a river of the stuff glow ominously beneath him. Who the heck lives in a house so close to a lava flow? The rent must be cheap on this side of town.

"You've got an ice house, right? Ice... cell? Wels says you all live in cells."

"I don't have a cell. No one I know has a cell." This is a lie. Helsknight has a cell, and while he and Helsknight aren't exactly friends, he's at least not on Helsknight's kill-on-sight list. He hears its a long list. He doesn't want to be on that list.

"But you've got a house?"

Tango -- Tanguish, that's what he's been named, apparently -- slides to a stop on some deepslate shingles. Ice simmers and melts around his feet. He should invest in a new pair of shoes sometime. Sure they're uncomfortable around his claws, but it'd be harder to track him when he's running.

"I don't think I have a house? And if it did, I don't think it'd be ice themed."

"Would you like to build an ice-themed something-majigger?"

It takes Tanguish a long time to register what he's just been asked, "You mean like, with you?"

He looks down at the deepslate tiles, which offer a dim reflection, more shadow than anything, for him to stare at. He can still make out Tango's eyes, glinting like sparks. "Unless there's some other crazy dungeon-building mirror-self you know of who needs help building an ice cave for his death game."

None of that sounds reassuring.

"You can steal stuff," Tango offers, trying to sweeten the deal.

"What stuff?"

"Like, all the stuff? From everyone? We can use them as prizes for hidden chests and things in Decked Out. You could even test some of the levels. See how far you get."

Tanguish feels weirdly like he's making a deal with the devil. Isn't he supposed to be the devil? That feels like a thing he's supposed to be. He thinks he's not that great at being a hels. He could be a competent builder, maybe. He could be a more than competent play-tester, probably.

"Yeah, okay," Tanguish says. He takes the food out of his pocket - it's a muffin, thoroughly frosted over. It's melting again in the heat. He takes a bite anyway. "Yeah, I'll help you build your ice-ama-bob."

"Awesome! This is great!" A pair of hands leap out of the deepslate reflection and grab him. "Lets get started!"

Tanguish lets out a screech and disappears. His muffin bounces off the deepslate tiles and drops like a stone into the street below.

[qqueenofhades]

hello! you asked for winter prompts? ❄️🌨

- first snow

- baby, it's cold outside

- holidays in the city

- hot chocolate

and i have a hankering for some Fivan but anything you want to write is lovely! 💙

The wind off the water stings like a whip, and the stormclouds roiling in the northern sky are laden with the promise of snow, the first of the season -- which in Weddle comes much later than it did back in Os Alta, where winter often lasted five or six months of the year. Fedyor isn't entirely used to the gentler, warmer, mistier climate of Novyi Zem, or Novyi Zem in general, but he can't say that he objects. In fact, it's nice not to freeze his arse off in a tent, or a battlefield, or wherever he was spending the latest campaign. Of course, Ivan is worried that it might turn them soft, but that's just Ivan for you. It's three months since they arrived in Weddle and got a small apartment in its city districts, settling awkwardly into their new life, but he still stays on his toes, tense and watchful, just waiting for something to go wrong. Even here, on the far side of the True Sea, far from Ravka, his face could be infamous, and if Queen Alina is inclined to pursue the vendetta that drove them into exile in the first place....

Fedyor sighs, shakes his head, and continues on his way. By the time he reaches the market square, the first flakes are swirling down, and he pulls up his hood -- it's still strange not to be wearing a kefta -- and greets the merchants politely. Neither he nor Ivan speak Zemeni particularly well, but Fedyor is a quick study and Ivan is extremely stubborn, so between the two of them, they've picked up enough to get by. There are enough immigrants around here that they can get by in a rough polyglot of Ravkan and Kerch, but it's better not to draw attention to themselves. You know. Just in case.

Fedyor finishes his shopping and heads home through the narrow streets, windows lit with candles and pine wreaths hung on doors, kids laughing and looking at the sky in eager expectation of snowballs with which to wreak generalized havoc. He likes the energy of it, the ordinary vivacity of living among regular people and not shut away behind the cloistered walls of the Little Palace, and he stops to savor it for a long moment. Then he ducks into a narrow stone doorway, fumbles with his mittened hand for the key, and opens it, ascending a creaky staircase to the second floor. Pushes the door open and calls, "Vanya, I'm home."

His husband glances up briefly, his scars looking particularly pronounced in the grey light, and silently satisfies himself that Fedyor is in one piece. Then he says, as usual, "Any trouble?"

"No." Fedyor knows why he asks, but he does feel that if there was, he could handle it, lingering parem hangover or otherwise. He carries the shopping into the crammed galley kitchen and begins to unload it, as Ivan pads in, leans against the doorway, and watches him like a lone wolf. Over his shoulder, Fedyor adds, "We could even go out and do something, you know. Something fun."

Ivan snorts. Ravka or Novyi Zem, it doesn't matter; Ivan and fun simply do not go in the same sentence. "Or not."

Fedyor raises an eyebrow, but decides not to press. Instead he fills the kettle with milk to warm it, melts some chocolate in the tarnished tin pan, and stirs it into two cups, handing one to Ivan. "Fine, then. Suit yourself."

They sip the hot chocolate for several moments, neither of them speaking, falling into that long-married silence where they don't need words to communicate. Then Ivan says at last, "I wish we could, Fedya. I just -- I don't think -- I'm not in the mood."

Fedyor could remark that when it comes to doing anything frivolous, Ivan rarely is, but he knows the feeling. Part of his eagerness to go out and socialize and make the best of it, in the way he habitually does as much as Ivan glowers in solitude, is to cover up that bone-deep pain, the sundering and the loss, the knowledge that it might be a very long time -- if ever -- until they go home again. He's grateful for the new life they're building in Weddle, even though it's decidedly out of the pulverized ashes of their old one, but that can't whisk away the ache. Then Fedyor finishes the hot chocolate and sets aside the cup, puts his arms around Ivan's neck, and snuggles close. "In that case," he orders, "keep me warm some other way. It's cold out."

Ivan smiles, just a bit, the way he does with Fedyor and no one else. He brushes a kiss over Fedyor's temple, slips his arm around him, and holds him close, and they stand there in the kitchen, listening to the shared echo of their heartbeat -- always, no matter where they are in the wide world, the one thing that feels like home. Then he shifts his position and lifts Fedyor up onto the counter, moving close to kiss him and let everything else fall away. "As you wish."

[obsessionnostalgia]

Claire Novak fic recs: yeah, I was trying to reblog something every time I found a new one but its too disorganized so now it lives here. You have a Claire Novak rec? i want to read it.

Where the Heart Is by goldenraeofsun

Features a time-traveling Claire hanging out with Sam and Dean circa season 7. There's angst. There's Claire hooking up with a diner waitress. There's Claire having self-worth issues. There's Claire making fun of Dean to his face. All the good stuff.

Like a Duck, He Fits the Bill by golbygloom

Claire Novak and her budding attachment to the guy who isn't her dad but wears his face. The angst of having to get out of your own way to make connections with others.

Let Me Come Home by prosopopeya

Deancas-centric but Claire Novak is a POV character, struggling in foster care and the uncertainty of whether her uncle (Cas) will get his shit together in order to take her in. The Claire and Dean parallels are strong.

Rec from kerryweaverlesbian:

no such thing as a unique experience by @astralpenguin

A 15 year old Claire meets the (now older) little girl who was possessed by Lilith for a long time. Neither of them realise this element of connection for quite some time. Tons of empathy and understanding. These two feel so much like complex teenage girls, and also the dramatic irony is incredibly fun. One of the best fics I've read all year

Rec from carhengeapocalypse:

Another rhinestoneangels (@pinknatural ) fic fatherisms

Claire is a baby when Jimmy agreed to be Castiel's vessel and Dean steps in to help take care of her. The timeline jumps around and the story is told in snippets and it's very good

as if death itself was undone by microcomets

Claire confronts a human Castiel in a grocery store.

Claire heaves a deep, bone-weary sigh. “Here I am, consoling an ex-angel using my dead father as a meat-puppet on his self-esteem issues. I should write a book or something.”

everlasting by entropic_saudade

Claire wants to have a permanent mark of her and Kaia’s love. In order to do the stabbing safely, she helps Dean bring Cas back from the Empty so he can heal her.

gifts given & words unspoken by rhinestoneangels

Short: Dean and Claire make cookies after Castiel brings her back to the bunker, injured. Some implications at this point, Claire is more family to Dean than Mary. Set in season 12.

coming out by dicklessthewonderclown

Short, Dean POV conversation on a drive with Claire where she comes out as wanting to date Kaia and also admits (by accident) that Dean is a kind of sort of maybe father figure to her.

A Christmas Miracle (for someone else) by bitterred

Set post-canon, mirroring all the "Cas is dead and Dean is depressed" fics, Claire Novak finds a cat during the holiday season.

i'm sorry i'm the one you love (no one will ever love me like you again) by monsterfatigue

Kind of weird that Claire decided she was in love with Kaia even though they had barely known each other. After Kaia comes back from the Bad Place, nothing is simple. Claire isn't sure why she thought it would be.

This Is A Love That Lasts Forever by HeddersTheOwl

Another fic where Claire being friendly with the angel that wears her dad's face is complicated.

"You look too much like him. It's not fair. You're not him." 

meteor site (our hearts collision) by sobsicles

Claire has religious trauma laced with homophobia. Kaia doesn't want to be anyone's nightmare.

the way a dad should by fleeceframe

Dean and Claire are driving back to Jody's when Claire needs to stop because her period has started. (Side note: i was SURE that part of the reasoning for carrying tampons/pads in the impala was going to be partially related to the fact that they're sometimes good for wound care, in that the products are designed not to grow bacteria.)

i don’t know nothing (and that’s fine) by halfwheeze

Claire Novak meets Magda Peterson, the psychic girl from 12.4 American Nightmare, and likes her so much it makes Claire look stupid. Look at that, they have matching religious trauma: "When Castiel-" she pauses, remembering that his name isn't carved into the internal dialogue of every girl with religious trauma from here to Texas, "the Winchesters' angel, I don't know if he was with them when they got you- when he came to Earth, he needed a vessel. A human strong enough to hold an angel, with strong enough faith to allow them in and allow them to stay." That's what the Winchester Gospels said about them anyway. Castiel just said that they needed to believe. They were special. Believers. Bullshit. "When Castiel came to Earth, he took my father. And then, when my father told him he couldn't stay anymore, Castiel approached me. Being a vessel, it's passed down in the family line. The blood. The body. All they need is the body. And I was a kid. He might as well have been God. So I said yes. And my father took him back. If you think about it, it's my fault that my dad is dead."

Bartenders Love Me by clusterjam

Claire Novak doing her Dean-coded thing: hustling in a bar, flirting with the bartender, and oh yeah: angst about whether her dad would approve of her.

Subject: Dean Winchester Is Dead by angelszn

There aren't enough fics about Claire finding out Dean (or Cas) are dead. Dean Winchester is dead. Dean Winchester is dead, and Claire got the news in an email of all things. As if the gravity can be contained in the tiny black letters on the screen. It didn’t even seem possible. 

patricide of the lowest order by angelszn

This one's dark (Major Character Death tagged) -- Castiel killed Claire's father, after all, and what is Supernatural but a series of revenge plots?

two steps on the water by orpheuscas

Claire in the aftermath of being cured of werewolfism. Heavy dose of "Dean is basically Claire's dad now" included.

she'll say she got the map from me by 13zepptraxx

Hey you know that episode where Dean goes back in time and hangs out with his mom? He tells her, "No matter what you hear, or what you see. Promise me you won’t get out of bed." but then an angel wipes her memory? What if Claire went back in time after Dean died because she was sick with grief and basically did the same thing?

[itsthevioletqueen]

Connecting all of Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared

This is not meant to be a theory with hardcore evidence, but more of a fun hypothetical that connects the original web series, the original pilot, and season 1 of the show that makes sense in-universe... or universes.

This contains spoilers for the Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared TV show, specifically episodes 5 and 6.

In the original web series, Yellow Guy, Red Guy, and the Duck are living in a world with living objects that sing lessons that end up going wrong. Red Guy manages to find a glitch leading to the real world and escapes, but winds up in a black and white tiled area with a machine that he finds out is operated by Roy Gribbleson, Yellow Guy’s father. Red Guy manages to find the cord of the machine and unplugs it (”I wonder what will happen...”), and it ends with a new universe with the trio now being their favorite colors.

In the new series, it’s revealed at the end of episode 5 that there is someone new pulling the strings (”...but no matter how much the wheels turn... the journey always ends up back at home.”) and in episode 6, Yellow Guy discovers who it is:

Leslie, a human patchwork woman that resides in the attic of their house.

Unlike Roy’s cluttered machine that does everything, she has a piano to sing the teacher’s songs, shaped windows with props from the previous stories she’s made (perhaps mementos of her favorites), and a dollhouse replica of the house that the trio are living in, complete with many dolls of them.

And unlike Roy where he’s said in an old interview that he created and controlled his world to punish his son (and his two friends) for being rude, Leslie seems to be making and controlling these stories just for fun (”Because it’s so FUNNY! Gosh, you still don’t see the funny side.”)

The original pilot took place in a place called Clay Hill, a new place that the trio live in with some neighbors and a mayor. In the actual show, they just live in a house of unknown location with no neighbors to be seen.

In episode 5, there’s a moment of Red Guy wanting to travel somewhere via car with Yellow Guy and Duck. A GPS springs up and asks Red Guy where he’d like to go, and he picks a random spot along the road, which is Clay Hill.

The GPS says that Clay Hill doesn’t exist anymore.

I like to imagine that Leslie had created Clay Hill and its citizens, but the trio, Roy, the teachers, and whatever other props there were ended up getting teleported to Clay Hill from Red Guy pulling the plug from Roy’s machine. Leslie would’ve noticed them and decide to incorporate the main three into the story she was making (as well as decorate their house with the props from the original series) and see what exactly what they would do.

They were the ones that drove the story along, with the Duck being the new mayor, Yellow Guy turning into a rule breaker, and Red Guy going out to find Mayor Pigface. They ended up showing their personalities, how differently they deal with situations, and their overall dynamic to Leslie.

And she loved them so much that she thought none of the other characters would have amounted to that much charm and decided to destroy all of Clay Hill, except for the trio’s house.

Now it was the three of them, no one else, just the three of them...

…and Roy living in the walls but let’s not worry about that!

Also, Red Guy and the Duck end up in the black and white tiled area again in episode 6, so I’d imagine that place could be a limbo of sorts.

[cheiyunn]

Raison d'être ［Part 1］

~Epsi bandhouse~

~Phone call~

Reiji: Yes, this is Karasuma. Ah, Duck River`s secretary? It has been a while

Sekkun: Indeed it has been a while. Is now a good time to speak?

Reiji: Yes..?

Sekkun: Next week, there will be a party held at the company. We would like for all of Epsilon phi to be present, does that sound doable from your end?

Reiji: Is that so, what kind of party is that?

Sekkun: To tell that truth, not even I have been fully informed. I intend to invite the other band as well, and the president has requested of me to have you all present as well

Reiji: The president?

Sekkun: Yes. Possibly for a lovely surprise of sorts

Reiji: I understand, we will consider it

-Phone call ends- 

Reiji: -that was what was discussed on the call. You all have your schedules free on that day right?

Tadaomi: I`m good, though I wonder what sort of party it will be. I look forward to it

Kanata: Here here~ I`m also o-kay~! You`re going too right bro?

Haruka: Shut it.

Kanata: Oh bro~ Are you in a sour mood again-

Haruka: I keep telling you to piss off and stop talking to me! 

Haruka: Hurry up and finish what you were saying

Reiji: While what will be discussed has not been revealed, as far as I understand, it would be best to be present. You are okay with that right, Shu?

Shu: Why would they hold a party now of all times..? How annoying~

Reiji: Our presence is a request from the president himself so it would be good to at least show up

Shu: Hm? It's not like I care anyways~ And anyways, recently I haven't seen papa at all, is he in a good mood perhaps~? Goodness, adults are always so full of themselves

Reiji: The press will also be present at the party, it may be good to partake in a few questions. Recently we`ve been focusing mainly on livestream performances and haven’t really done any stand out activities.

Tadaomi: That reminds me.. Argonavis has also been doing street performances, it seem that they cut ties with Duck Rivers

Shu: That seems so, how pitiful~

Tadaomi: How did they feel.. Maybe as expected, quite sad?.. Or maybe, they felt frustrated?

Haruka: Who knows. They’ve been thrown around alot with the company so it must have been difficult

Kanata: What? I don’t give a crap anyways. More importantly, does that mean that Gyro and Furai will have continued support or.. I don’t get it. Why does the company keep giving benefits to those shitty bands.

Shu: Yeah

Kanata: Ah- Shu-kun sorry! Its not like a wanted to badmouth your papa

Shu: I don’t mind, It seems like he has something in plan anyways~ But I don’t really want to know either~

Tadaomi: Since LRFes got suspended, there haven’t been many chances to meet the other bands.. Its been all so boring

Reiji: If we participate in this upcoming party, we may be able to get insight into the current workings of Duck River and its surroundings. Regardless of that everyone, make sure to leave your schedules open

Haruka: How annoying..

Shu: I wonder whats in store~ I’ll keep my expectations up for now

~FuRai bandhouse~

Fuuta: Aoi! Seconds!

Aoi: Hold on Fuuta! You haven’t finished everything on your plate yet. On Curry day, you need to finish everything on your plate first remember!

Yamato: Aoi, I ate everything so, seconds. It doesn’t need to be curry, you can just give me white rice

Misaki: Ain’t that just white rice on more white rice! Where’s the side dish gone?

Kohei: Can’t you guys eat a little quieter? I want to make an announcement but if it's like that, nothing will be heard right?

Fuuta: Ko-nii, what happened

Misaki: I’m always down for a fun story

Yamato: The crop season is already past but has a new form of rice been announced?

Aoi: Oh come on everyone pipe down! Okay Ko-nii, go on!

Kohei: Actually, we’ve been invited to a party hosted by Duck River next week. Some sort of announcement is going to be made, so FuRai must be present is what they said

Fuuta: A party means a festival of some sort right? Sounds fun!

Misaki: That Duck River has been giving us little jobs here and there, and overall has been lookin’ out for us after all. And to add to that now a party invite?

Kohei: Yeah, they said that we must be present but I wanted to discuss it with everyone first

Aoi: I think it's good, and it's nice to greet those at the company too

Misaki: Since its a pretty established company’s party, surely nothing bad’s gonna happen right? I’m down

Yamato: Me too, as long as I can eat alot of white rice, I’ll go along

Fuuta: Me too me too, as long as it sounds fun

Kohei: I got it, then I’ll reply that we’ll be attending

Aoi: At that party, will the other bands be joining as well?

Kohei: Nope, from what I’ve heard at least. But all I’ve been told is that FuRai must be present on orders from the president. I don’t know the reason

Yamato: I see. But why is the company being so kind to us. It may be out of pocket, but there are other bands more popular than us out there

Misaki: Yeah, there's alot of bands better than us too

Kohei: To be honest, I was wondering about that too..

Fuuta: Well well, its good to be friendly with kind people, I’m looking forward to it!

~At party~

Reiji: Shu, what do you want to drink? Food as well, if there is anything you fancy I will bring it over

Shu: Hmm.. what to drink.. 

Shu: Oh? Isn’t that those FuRai onii-sans ?

Kanata: Geh.. seriously? I kinda really don’t wanna see their faces..

Fuuta: Ah! Y’all are also here!

Reiji: Everyone, it has been a while

Tadaomi: Kaminoshima-san, you seem well. Sakutaro-san as well..

Fuuta: Yup! Since its a party, I made Sakutaro all sparkly and-

Kohei: Fuuta. Stand back. You guys were also called here it seems.

Haruka: To do what isn’t clear though

Yamato: *Face stuffed with food* Nijou, band meetups have been a while. There’s alot of white rice so I don’t think its a bad party

Misaki: *Face stuffed with food* plus the foods good! If y’all don’t hurry it up, the meats gonna be all gone!

Fuuta: *Face stuffed with food* Really?! Aoi, I cleared my plate nicely so can I get seconds?!

Aoi: Oh come on.. Don’t talk with your mouth full! Do you have no class..

Shu: Aha~ Whenever I see you you’re always stressed out with taking care of others~ Is it possible, that you’re better at that than music?

Aoi: Well..

Sekkun: I apologize for interrupting everyone’s nice talk. This is a greeting from today’s party’s host, Duck River’s president Ujigawa. Please turn your attention to the stage.

Kohei: Seems like somethings about to start, you guys, stay quiet okay?

Ujigawa Gen: Everyone, we would like to extend our gratitude to everyone for attending despite being so busy. Today, we are here to give Duck River’s habitual thanks alongside an important announcement, hence we have decided to use this event. It may be a humble party however we do hope you all are enjoying yourselves.

-Crowd claps-

Fuuta: Did humble mean big and sparkly?

Aoi: Shh-!

Ujigawa Gen: More concise information will be released at the later press release however, soon, a new band will be debuting from our company. They performed spectacularly during the LRFes, a band many of you may already be aware of; Fujin Rizing.

-Spotlight turn on-

Fuuta: Uwa-! So bright!

Misaki: Waa I can’t see a thing!

Aoi: What is this, a spotlight?!

Yamato: Oi. Didn’t he just say debut?

Kohei: We’re going to.. debut?

Ujigawa Gen: Fujin Rizing, come up onto the stage

Sekkun: Everyone, please this way

Kohei: Ah, okay

Fuuta: *Making eating noises*

Aoi: Come on, Fuuta! Everyone else as well, leave your plates at the table!

Ujigawa Gen: They are today’s party’s main characters, Fujin Rizing! An applause.

-clap-

Ujigawa Gen: Within the sea of bands, they have the most potential shown.I myself have fallen in love with them. Duck River will now be supporting them.

Fuuta: Eh? Me? Uhm.. I’m FuRai’s vocal, Kaminoshima Fuuta. I don’t get the hard parts but this just means that we’ll be able to excited everyone even more now right? Ah, if thats the case then we’ll do our best, its a pleasure to be working with you! Eheheh~ when I’m holding a mic it makes me feel like singing, hey, is it okay to perform one song? Yokatai Ikubai-

Kohei: C’mon give me the mic! Our apologies, we are also a bit surprised as well. We will do our best to answer everyone's expectations. From now forth, we look forward to working with you. C’mon you guys, say your respects.

FuFai: We look forward to working with you!

Ujigawa Gen: That is all for today’s announcements. With Duck River’s backing, they will most definitely reach the top. From now forth, we look forward to your continued support. Please continue to enjoy the party.

Shu: What was.. that..

Tadaomi: Everyone looks so happy, right, Shu-kun?

Kanata: Really..? This isn’t really what I thought it’d be..

Haruka: Hah. Were we called over just to be shown this? What a load of bull.

Kanata: Oh hey wait up!

–walks off–

Tadaomi: Are you two leaving? I still want to check up on everyone else’s..

Reiji: No. We’ll end up being swarmed by the press and we’re in no form to provide comments.  It's best to retreat now, Shu this way.

–walks off–

~Epsi bandhouse~

Kanata: Ah~ I feel like I’m uselessly tired out..feeling super pissed off though. Like seriously, why were we even called over in the first place?

Haruka: Like hell we’d know. What we’ve learned is that today’s party was mainly for those guys.

Kanata: Huh? For those ridiculous gang?

Haruka: You saw it all too remember. FuRai was chosen by Duck River, it's like we weren’t even in their view.

Kanata: Hah, so what you’re saying is that we’re inferior to them? Why?

Haruka: Like hell I’d know. I don’t even think they know either. Hopefully they won’t be put through too much though..

Kanata: Why do we have to protect them- Ah. I get it! You wanna play along with friends right~?

Haruka: What did you say.

Kanata: Then how about you go and play like a moron with them then?

Haruka: You fuck-

Reiji: Shut it and calm down you two, your noises can be heard from outside.

Tadaomi: Hey, do you think Shu-kun is okay? Ever since we came back he’s been locked in his room..

Reiji: I don’t know. It would be fine if his mood was soured only a bit.

Kanata: But like- If Shu loses interest, ain’t that the end for us too?

Haruka: What?

Tadaomi: Does that imply.. The disbandment of Epsilon Phi?

Kanata: Yup. But it doesn’t really matter if we split ways right? It's not like anyone here put any emotional ties to this band after all

Haruka: Hah. The one with the ‘I don’t care about this band’ feeling the most is you after all

Kanata: Oh shut it, its not like you have any other place to go regardless

Reiji: Stop it.

Shu: Whats with you all, with the glum faces and even gloomier talks

Reiji: Are you okay, Shu?

Shu: Not like anything bad happened~? More importantly, Reiji, work.

Shu: Thoroughly look into that FuRai group, I want to crush them.

Reiji: … understood

Kanata: Ahaha~ Sounds like fun, I’m in~! What’re you gonna do, I’ll help out~

Shu: Of course~ Despite being a band they’re all so close and friendly, so making them fight like you brothers isn’t a bad idea either~

Haruka: Cut it out already, are you seriously going to do the same thing as last time? Haven’t you had enough-

Shu: Last time you say? Did something happen~?

Shu: We’re just here to tell them that the protagonists of this story are us, and not them.

Tadaomi: Then does that mean that this time they’re going to be your toys? 

Shu: There isn’t much to play with those toys~

Shu: Those pieces of garbage, I’ll rip apart into shreds and pieces and throw them into the incinerator. Making sure to not leave a single uncharred remain. Ahaha~

~FuRai band practice~

Kohei: Okay, lets take a quick break.

Fuuta: Okay~ Fwah, its the most fun when you’re singing after all

Yamato: Yup, and I think the new song is coming along well, its fun

Aoi: Agreed! Ah, Ko-nii, until what time did we have the studio reserved?

Kohei: Duck Rivers is taking care of it so they said until whenever we feel like enough. Going for too long isn’t good either after all

Misaki: Then that means we won’t have to worry about the studio stuff anymore yeah? Since Duck River is gonna handle it

Yamato: Seems so, plus they said that we’re free to use to studio in the company as well

Misaki: And any costs relating to the band they’ll cover is… is it possible that they’re some super ‘white company’?!

Fuuta: What do you mean by white company? The building being all white..?I don’t remember it being that color though..?

Yamato: Speaking of white; rice. If its a company like white rice, I’d be willing to join too

Aoi: A white company means a company that's easy to work in..!

Misaki: Well at least to us now its a good company

Aoi: They did nicely explain the plan too after all. Full support until debuting is really reassuring!

Kohei: It was a big hit with backers at the party so I suppose it's also a plan in the production.

Fuuta: It was surprising but everyone looked happy after all

Yamato: Yeah but there’s one part I don’t get

Kohei: Which one?

Yamato: It's specified in the contract, the ‘obey every order given by the company’ one.

Kohei: Ah..

Misaki: Yeah that one, but ain’t it common in the adult world? Since its pretty impossible for us to debut with our own power so yeah

Aoi: Thats true, and they seem to take us very kindly. If we have any opinions, maybe its best that we talk to them

Yamato: Hopefully so

Fuuta: It’ll be fine! In our future, there’s only good things after all! Come on you guys, we’re rested enough so lets continue practicing!

Kohei: True, lets resume the practice and song making. We’ll need to get better so we can proudly show ourselves anywhere.

~office~

Ujigawa Gen: My apologies for calling you here when you’re so busy. It’s been a while since the party but how have you been?

Kohei: Good, our thanks

Fuuta: That reminds me, the delivery at the sharehouse the other day, that was super good! Thanks!

Ujigawa Gen: Ahaha, then thats good. Anyways, I had instructed you to make a new song yes?

Kohei: Yes. We made a few and have all the demo tracks here

Ujigawa Gen: Good. Then lets have a listen. You, set up the player.

Sekkun: Understood.

–played–

Sekkun: In total, these are all the songs they have provided.

Fuuta: Hey hey~ They’re all good right? I like all of them!

Yamato: They’re all good originals, the pull of the guitar inside brings out-

Misaki: No no, my drums aren’t losing out either y’know?

Kohei: How was it? Each song possesses a taste of us that no other band is able to show.

Ujigawa Gen: Remake it.

Fuuta: Eh? Remake, as in which one?

Ujigawa Gen: All of it. None of them are close to a level that can be used 

Kohei: That can’t be..

Misaki: Oi, you’re kidding me right..

Yamato: Why?

Aoi: Um.. since these are all demos after all, the arrangement can be changed as many times as you want

Kohei: That's right, so how about possibly examining them a bit more?

Ujigawa Gen: …hah

Sekkun: Do any of you know, how long the president has been in this industry?

Aoi: …ah

Sekkun: You are against a professional here. Whether a song can be used is our decision.

Fuuta: ..wait

Ujigawa Gen: It seems like you all, are still not fully aware of your given position at this time. Maybe we will need to explain this better. Wakakusa Aoi, you stay. The others will be leaving.

Aoi: Eh? Me?

Misaki: Hold up, our leader isn’t Aoi y’know?

Yamato: Yeah, FuRai’s leader is Kohei-san

Fuuta: Yup, since Ko-nii is the most mature out of all of us after all.

Kohei: It may be out of line but its just as stated, I am the representative. If its any sort of explanation I will partake in it instead.

Ujigawa Gen: No. Wakakusa-kun is staying back.

Fuuta: Why?

Ujigawa Gen: In addition to the trombone he can also play the piano, he possesses the most musical knowledge. Out of everyone here, is there anyone else who understands it better than him?

Misaki: Well when ya put it that way…

Kohei: Then how about we all stay instead? Only having Aoi would be-

Ujigawa Gen: If you have that much free time, It’d rather be spent on practicing. At this level, you all are nowhere near my vision, in both song curation and playing ability.

Aoi: We understand.. I’ll be fine and I’ll relay everything to you guys later so you all can leave first

Fuuta: O-ok..

Sekkun: The exit is this way, I will guide you.

~Outside office~

Sekkun: Everyone, good work. The driver has been informed of your destination and soon Wakakusa-san will be sent on his way too.

Kohei: Okay, thank you for today. Then excuse us.

-car leaving noises-

Shu: Hey. You.

Sekkun: Oh, Shu-san? What a coincidence, did you have business nearby?

Shu: Papa. He’s inside right, let me meet him.

Sekkun: Unfortunately, he is currently still in a meeting.

Shu: The people you just saw off were the FuRai people right. Now, there should be time. Let me in the president’s office.

Sekkun: Not possible. The president is currently still in discussion with Wakakusa Aoi-san and it may take quite a while. So please do return.

Shu: ..ha? What do you mean?

Sekkun: Unfortunately I am unable to answer that, it was his order. If you’ll excuse me, I have something to attend to now.

Shu: Huh, wait!

Shu: Papa leaving only one of them back and having a conversation.? Why? Wakakusa- that Wakakusa Aoi was who he mentioned. Constantly babysitting others, yet papa.. favors him? Why didn’t he go home with those other idiots?! Is the thought of papa favoring you getting to your head? Or is he trying to take papa with flattery..

Shu: Wakakusa.. Aoi..

~FuRai band practice~

Fuuta: Ah.. no.. that one didn’t feel right either..

Yamato: I also felt that it felt incomplete, its lacking the usual FuRai-ness

Kohei: Yup, we’ve hit a small slump. Lets take a quick break for now

Misaki: Since we were told to remake all our new songs, no wonder the excited is waning

Aoi: You’re right..

Fuuta: Hey hey~ that previous one needed a little more -bam-! - whoop-! No? It needs more excitement so the people listening will also be more pumped up right?

Misaki: Thats true but then Aoi- no, Duck River is gonna be like ‘its a different direction than wanted’

Kohei: Yeah, lets examine each one in depth. Aoi, can you tell us any other stuff the company has told you?

Aoi: Hmm… I’ve told you basically everything though..

Kohei: Even the smallest things can help, we need a hint. If we rack our brains together we can make something. Even after that, you’ve been individually called to the office right? Right now, you’re our messenger to and from Duck River.

Aoi: I got it.. I’ll try to recall something..

Misaki: But like.. Why is Aoi like our middle man for communication with Duck River though?

Fuuta: Aoi’s been working pretty hard lately too. With practice and university, plus to add on, getting called over by the company. Sounds tiring..

Aoi: I’m fine, plus with everyone helping out, the housework has been much less than before too

Yamato: But the order to create new songs and what details they want are slowly getting more detailed, it feels like we’re slowly being controlled. 

Misaki: Totally get it! If it keeps on going, soon the next order will be something like ‘quit skaa’ or something like that! And something dumb like ‘Sax and trombone are banned’ !

Aoi: Ah-

Kohei: Oi. Aoi. Don’t tell me they really suggested something like that?

Aoi: Its not immediate but.. From now on forth, those kinds of music are a bit..

Yamato: So its true?

Misaki: Whoa whoa, to tell us to not do Skaa anymore.. What’d that mean? Are their brains wired wrong or-!

Kohei: Misaki, enough. There must be a reason for that-

Fuuta: THATS NOT FURAI ANYMORE

Aoi: Fuuta..

Fuuta: If its not Skaa.. if Sakutaro isn’t with FuRai then it isn’t FuRai anymore! We did Skaa so we could make everyone happy, if we aren’t doing it then what's the point of doing a band-!

Kohei: Its alright Fuuta , calm down! It isn’t immediate like what Aoi said, so don’t worry!

Fuuta: No! I definitely don’t want that!

Misaki: Ah~ Fuuta sorry for overreacting like that as well. It ain’t immediate and surely nothing that bad is gonna happen, it’ll be fine I swear-

Fuuta: Even if its not now, it’ll happen someday right? When that happens, I won’t be able to sing happily anymore, I won’t be able to take it anymore.

Aoi: Fuuta, I’m sorry. Its because I said such weird stuff, I’m really sorry.

Misaki: Nah, It ain’t Aoi’s fault. The one at fault is Duck River, whats the point in making us debut then?  Was it not because you thought our music was good?

Aoi: I thought that way too.. But it felt weird, the more I was there, the more I thought why we were even chosen in the first place. But I couldn’t say anything-!

Kohei: So that was the reason you lacked excitement, I’m sorry for not realizing it sooner.

Aoi: No.. I’m also at fault for not speaking about it

Misaki: Gosh.. whats with this then? I really don’t understand them at this point

Kohei: Yeah, even I think the company’s choices are getting weird.

Aoi: But with the contract, they won’t listen to us. And if worst comes to worst, they could terminate our contract. Its our one and only chance too!

Misaki: This is so much bull! Man, what are we supposed to do then?

Kohei: Whats wrong Yamato? Your hand is raised like you wanna ask something?

Yamato: If there’s something weird you think is going on, can’t you just ask?

Aoi: Eh?

Yamato: Written in the contract is that we need to obey the rules of the company but it didn’t say we couldn’t ask questions about it.

Misaki: I get it..

Kohei: Thats true, we just need to ask them what exactly they want to do, and we’ll also state our opinion

Yamato: Yeah, in order to create a future where Fuuta doesn’t have to worry, we need to do what we need to do.

Fuuta: Really? Is it okay for me to be with Sakutaro from now on too?

Aoi: Yup, Fuuta

Misaki: Yeah! Thats why we’re gonna work hard! With that being said, should we immediately walk into Duck River!

Kohei: We should contact that secretary of his, we’ll get a reservation so gimme a bit’

Fuuta: Ko-nii, hurry hurry!

-phone dialing noises-

Kohei: Yes.. yes.. I see.. Understood, then I will relay that

Misaki: How’d it go? What days’ good?

Kohei: The discussion will happen later on but first, Aoi needs to come to the office alone again

Yamato: Aoi got called along again

Kohei: The president has something to discuss with him, once thats over he’ll discuss it with everyone together

Fuuta: What does he want to discuss..?

Kohei: Not sure. But for this time it can’t be helped. Aoi, apologies but could you go over there again.

Aoi: o-okay, got it

~Office~

Shu: Its rare for papa to call me over like this~ Did the wind blow the wrong way today~? Will you let me hear a fun story~?

Ujigawa Gen: Wait for a bit

Shu: I’m busy so I opened some time up for you, make it quick won’t you~

-Door knock-

Shu: Who? Reiji? I told him to wait outside, I give no permission to enter.

Ujigawa Gen: I don`t mind, enter

Aoi: Pardon my intrusion, its Wakakusa.

Shu: Huh what. Well isn’t it the babysitter, what do you need?

Aoi: Ujigawa-kun.. um- I- 

Shu: Y’know, just when I’m with my papa, you decide to slither your way in, what great manners you have~

Aoi: Ah, but I was also called to the president’s office today..

Shu: Hah?

Ujigawa Gen: I called him. Both you, Shu, and Wakakusa-kun.

Aoi: Us both? Why?

Ujigawa Gen: Because there was something I needed to tell you two. Well, Wakakusa-kun, sit there.

Shu: I don’t want to sit with someone unrelated*, hurry up and be frank so I can get this talk over with, its unpleasant.

Ujigawa Gen: Don’t throw a tantrum, Shu. Goodness, I wonder which one really has bad manners.

Aoi: Uhm, sorry if you’d prefer to reschedule this appointment then I’ll just be making my leave..

Ujigawa Gen: No, you don’t need to leave. As per Shu’s request, I will speak frankly. Its in regards to this company’s successor. 

Shu: Aha~ Why this topic? This has nothing to do with him then.

Ujigawa Gen: Duck River’s successor has been decided to be Wakakusa Aoi-kun.

Shu: ..Hah?

Aoi: ..what are you saying..

Ujigawa Gen: Wakakusa-kun, I apologize for the sudden spring of an announcement, I will explain it to you later, so you don’t have to worry about anything. 

Aoi: ..wait hold on a moment.. Why would I..?

Shu: Aha. Ahahaha..! Papa, did you get so lost in work that you’ve lost your mind?! Even if this was a joke, it isn’t funny at all.

Ujigawa Gen: Have I ever once made a joke about the company’s successor?

Shu: ..hah? How would I know?

Ujigawa Gen: This is my decision. No one will object 

Shu: What are you saying? I won’t forgive that. Duck River’s… Papa’s successor is me right?!

Ujigawa Gen: How many time am I going to need to say this? The successor isn’t you, its Wakakusa.

Shu: Then what about me? What’s going to happen to me?!

Ujigawa Gen: Don’t you remember how I had previously said I would cut your finances? I have no intention of supporting from now on. By now, you are no longer someone with any form of relation to Duck River. Whether you want to continue with you band, or go back to Kyoto, do as you wish.

Shu: Are you.. getting rid of me? Are you.. seriously saying that?

Ujigawa Gen: You are no longer of any use to me. I don’t want to see your face ever again

Aoi: Uhm.. no matter what thats too harsh..!

Shu: Oh shut up you! 

Shu: …why? Why isn’t it me instead of him?! Why is it this random person out of nowhere, becoming papa’s successor?!

Ujigawa Gen: Shu.. how dare you say such words to your own older brother..

Shu: … what did you.. Just say..?

Ujigawa Gen: Both of you are my sons.. with different mothers, you’re half brothers.

====

* - I couldn’t really understand what Shu was saying here, any help would be thanked.

[wolfcamellias]

So my friend linked me your SWK analysis and we went back and forth going like "YEA YEA YEA!!" cause we love epic breakdowns of characters, it was an absolute treat to read.

So I was just watching through some episodes in Season 3 and something happened that I don't think I saw in the analysis which might be a fun 2 cents (though if it was just totally ignore this!)

Specifically episode 10 where Mei explodes with the samahdi fire and there's this beat where Wukong is protecting MK from the fire, and then (at 7:05 specifically) MK ducks out of his protection and rips his wrist out of Wukong's grip.

and then after Mei quells the fire Wukong is standing there like

and I just realized with your analysis its not because he's staring in shock because Mei tamed the fire, its because MK left his protection

which gives so much more weight to him saying "Thanks for not giving up on me bud" cause perhaps Wukong thought MK did

[leans against the wall] Glad you enjoyed it!

And, no, I didn’t include this in because I was on a deadline (I have so many things to write and draw oml) and then.. whatever but I want to point something out

When LBD gives Wukong flashes of the future it’s always showing Xiaotian burning up in a fire; cut to this moment of Xiaotian diving straight into the flames and Wukong ending up fully traumatized from the experience

He’s shaken to the point of full on silence for the rest of the entire scene

It’s ALSO because he believed Xiaotian had given up in him and left his protection, so yes to that! Good eye btw so many people didn’t catch that

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: January 2024

I know folks say January feels like a long month but it kinda felt normal to me? I dunno. Anyway this is how I spent the last 31 days.

……….FILM……….

Asteroid City (2023) The artistry is top notch and spoke the loudest but I feel like I'll need to watch it a couple more times to take in the quieter voices. I can't tell if it's me or specifically this film, but it felt...sadder than Anderson's other work?

Saltburn (2023) A lot of false starts, or rather a lot of pivots from what I thought the movie would be. And then also a lot of false endings? I dunno. I found the whole thing...indulgent (take that for what it's worth). A lot of beautiful and memorable imagery.

Spice World (1997) Technically a New Year's Eve watch and a great way to wind down 2023. Truly a wild ride and so many great cameos. And for anyone who doesn't know the Spice Girls I actually think it'd be a pretty great introduction to them.

……….TELEVISION……….

Delicious in Dungeon (Episode 1.01 to 1.04) Digging this adaptation so far! If you haven't heard me ramble on about how great the manga series is, this is your chance to see if you dig the tone and concept.

Daisy Jones & The Six (Episode 1.01 to 1.10) Gotta love the Fleetwood Mac fanfic. Feels both familiar and wholly unique and the brief documentary-style character moments are a lot of fun too. I strive to be Warren the drummer.

Blue Eye Samurai (Episode 1.05 to 1.08) Really great season of television. The last episode stuck the landing in an unexpected way and while I didn't looooove it, I respect it. Still suffers slightly from "just wait til next season" but one misstep amongst a season of perfect steps is okay by me.

The Crown (Episode 6.07 to 6.10) Having not watched the rest of the series (outside of a few eps of the Diana-centred eps this season) I really found the finale...moving. Elizabeth and Philip really do feel like the end of an era.

……….YOUTUBE……….

This Candyman Makes a Wonka-Style Candy Feast | WIRED by Wired Certainly didn't realize how interested I'd be in the process of making candy, but here we are. Really great breakdown and watch it if for no other reason than to learn the backstory behind the "drops" in "lemon drops". VIDEO

How YouTubers Can Avoid Burnout by Extranet Shaquille While specifically talking about YouTubers, this succinctly captures my approach to working in the creative industry: push yourself but not for the sake of exponential growth. Any creative could benefit from hearing this alternative to those pushing the grind mindset. VIDEO

……….READING……….

Full House by Zeke Masters (Complete) Picked this up randomly at a thrift store and it didn't disappoint. Not quite as horny as I expected an "adult western" to be, but that's okay. An easy read and if I see more of "Zeke's" books I'll definitely pick them up.

There Is A Tide by Agatha Christie (Complete) Plenty of twists and I think it all played fair as everything Poirot revealed made me think "oh yeah that was mentioned earlier". Great introduction to Christie's work and excited to pick up more!

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (Complete) Heart-wrenching. Such a deeply personal reflection and perspective on Canada's relationship with oil and the people who take it from the ground. While the entire read is a blend of very fun and deeply sad, I found the written epilogue to contain the biggest gut punch. Should be required reading for anyone who drives a car.

Richard Stark's Parker: The Score by Darwyn Cooke (Complete) It's incredible just how cinematic Cooke's work is. So much style and substance with such little brushwork (and only two colours)! If you haven't read any of the Parker retellings then know each pretty much stands on its own and are all worth checking out.

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 3 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Really enjoying this reread while also catching the Netflix series! It's interesting to see the little details peppered in that really shows the whole thing was developed from the beginning. Go watch the show and if you like it well enough then the books are, as cliche as it is, even better.

……….AUDIO……….

God is Dead by Twin Temple (2023) Satanic doo whop? Heck yeah. Their first album was great but something about this follow-up really clicked for me. Maybe it's the the track "Be a Slut (Do What You Want)".

……….GAMING……….

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) My Tuesday crew is knee-deep in Ozian politics. They're allied with a few different parties and many of those parties are in conflict with each other. Classic. Anyway you can read all about their antics here!

And that's it. See you in February!

[danglovely]

Ranking Taskmaster Series

15. Series One

Even the worst series of Taskmaster is really good. The show hadn't figured out how to maximize the in-studio dynamic yet, so it comes off a little awkward. Tim Key constantly trying to cheat and Romesh Ranganathan obliterating a watermelon is still good television.

Best Task: Eat as much watermelon as possible.

14. Series Three

Alex and Greg are always consistent, so series quality becomes highly dependent on how memorable the tasks are and how how good the cast is. This series was a bit forgettable on both counts, but I'll never forget Rob Beckett's surprise for Alex.

Best Task: Communicate to your teammates the names of these films, books or TV programs.

13. Series Six

Iffy cast chemistry and tepid task designs. The standout moment comes because Lisa Tarbuck thinks showing love means making someone sit in a cake. Long live Team Funk (Alice never agreed to that name).

Best Task: Get the highest score in darts.

12. Series Four

This is definitely an unpopular opinion. This series has so much going for it with Hugh Dennis trying to find a loophole in every task and Mel Giedroyc naturally being the victim of three solo tasks due to relentless optimism. While the moments are good, I'm not sure the whole amounted to more than the sum of its parts.

Best Task: Put as many different things in the bathtub/Seal the top of this bathtub with cling film/Fill the bathtub with water.

11. Series Two

A shorter series and one where the show was still finding its footing. It probably would be lower if not for Joe Wilkinson. The first contestant to realize very early on that he wasn't going to win brought us Potatogate, a lovely scramble platter, and the knowledge that there's strength in arches.

Best Task: Place these three exercise balls on the yoga mat on the top of that hill.

10. Series Seven

Another unpopular opinion, it really speaks to the quality of the show that I have potentially its most popular season so low. James Acaster refusing to acknowledge Alex, Jessica Knappett falling off the stage, Phil Wang's pendulum. What brings this series down for me is twofold: (1) Kerry Godliman's constant indignant anger at perceived unfairness and (2) Rhod Gilbert's abuse of Alex and Greg -- funny at first, wore a little thin after awhile. Rhod still managed to steal the series with the finest workaround on the show.

Best Task: Tie yourself up as securely as possible.

9. Series Fifteen

Fifteen seasons in, it feels like show doesn't benefit from the contestants having watched so much Taskmaster. Mae Martin knew every trick coming in, and they built a lead that was as expert as it was uninteresting to watch.

Best Task: First to complete a line or four corners wins.

8. Series Nine

A lot of intriguing stuff going on here. This is a cast that just genuinely likes each other, but it also brings some of the most contrasting energies to the table. Ed and Jo are polar opposites in scale of competitive energy while David can always be counted on to find the worst way to approach a situation. The only reason this series isn't higher is the lack of standout task design.

Best Task: Put the most gold rings on this drumstick.

7. Series Thirteen

This is the first series I ever saw and it's a gem. Every contestant almost feels understated in how brilliant and hilarious they are. Judi Love is the best last-place of all time; Bridget Christie is the wild card we never knew we needed in our lives.

Best Task: Get the most ducks in Alex's basket.

6. Series Fourteen

I always seem to prefer the contestants that come in last over those that come in first. John and Fern were so fun and Dara was so weirdly intense. This would normally make for a mixed series if they hadn't completely exploited that dynamic by putting them all on a team with each other.

Best Task: With your hands on those hips at all times, put the most sand in the shopping trolley.

5. Series Ten

Johnny Vegas and Daisy Mae Cooper are top tier Taskmaster contestants, but I really love this series for the location tasks. Printworks is just a dark and amazing setting. Plus, Mawaan tried to fill an egg with helium in hopes that it would float.

Best Task: Complete the most tasks. There is one task behind each door.

4. Series Twelve

Couldn't this series let everybody win? We have an Alan Davies Wow Monster, Desiree pulling off the worst task performance of all time while always looking collected. Victoria learned how to ride a bike on national television and Morgana showed why being chaotic is a strength. I welcome any number of new revelations from Guz in the lab.

Best Task: Pop the balloon.

3. Series Eleven

Mike Wozniak elevates the series by himself. Lee was a big get for the show, Jamali's antagonistic relationship with Greg is fun, Sarah and Charlotte are delights. However, Mike is a unique pleasure and any series with him in it is bound to be one of the best.

Best Task: Say the word "metronome" between every tick of this metronome.

2. Series Five

This is what many believe to be the best series of the lot and they're not wrong in doing so. Bob Mortimer and Sally Phillips are legends for obvious reasons. Mark and Nish pleasantly bond over the underdog roles (despite Mark almost winning). Aisling brings her own level of unhinged energy. The tasks are on point and this cast just jives. It's a tragedy it didn't get ten episodes.

Best Task: Eat one item, throw one item, balance one item. 1. Series Eight

My favorite series is one of the least popular for one reason: Iain Stirling's competitive rage. This doesn't bring me down though -- The show has a hypercompetitive contestant almost every season (you could argue Lou Sanders was even more so) and everyone there seemed to genuinely like Iain (He and Lou are friends and Paul said he received an unfavorable edit on the podcast).

But mostly it just can't overcome all the good. It is a unique delight to watch Joe Thomas constantly be baffled by his own existence; the trainyard is the best location task setting the show has ever done; Paul Sinha in a phone booth. Throw in some unique Japanese theming and some peak task design -- at least for me, Series Eight reigns above.

Best Task: Get as close as you can to Alex without him noticing you.