#ooh nice analysis

[reiding-writing]

YOU OPENED YOUR REQUESTS?? omg a wonderful start to the new year!! ignore if this doesn’t speak to your soul— but would you be able to write a good old fashioned best friends to lovers, mutual pining fic for reid? i’m a sucker for the “he fell first, she fell harder” trope, like he’s been in love with her since day one and their friendship has always toed the line of something more, but she’s an oblivious genius and doesn’t realize how deep their affections for each other run……. and like when she realizes her feelings (like a brick to the head) she starts DISTANCING HERSELF OOH A LITTLE ANGST THERE and reid is like :(( what did i do :(( but it’s ok bc they smooch and make up in the end

263 DAYS — SPENCER REID!

a lot can change in 263 days.

spencer reid x fem!reader | 7.3k | flangst | masterlist.

a/n — writing longer fics like this is so fun but also so long, but it’s been nice to get back into it 🙂‍↕️

WARNINGS | friends to lovers, emotional distancing, brief (almost) argument, reader gets injured and goes to the hospital (but recovers fine), happy ending

DAY ONE

You step into the conference room of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, a mixture of nerves and anticipation twisting in your stomach.

The space feels both larger and smaller than you'd imagined—a sprawling table, chairs scattered in quiet disarray, and a dozen tiny details you'd only seen in crime documentaries and shadowed profiles on paper.

The faint scent of coffee and something metallic—maybe old ink—hangs in the air, grounding you. You take a slow, measured breath, trying to steady yourself.

You’re here. You made it.

“First day?”

The voice is soft, inquisitive, and it pulls your attention immediately. You glance to your right and meet the eyes of someone who seems equally curious and cautious, like a bird assessing whether you’re safe to approach.

He’s lanky, taller than you expected, with an untamed mop of brown hair and a pair of shoes that look like they’ve seen a decade’s worth of pavement. Spencer Reid, you realise.

“Yes,” you manage, your voice steadier than you feel. “And you must be Dr. Reid.”

He smiles at the title, though it seems more reflexive than genuine. He shuffles forward a step, hands awkwardly held together behind his back. “Just Reid. Or Spencer. Whichever you prefer.”

You offer your hand to him, nervous, but inviting. “Nice to meet you, Reid.”

He nods quickly, eyes flickering over your hand like he wants to take it, but he doesn’t. “Sorry, I don’t uh— germs—”

“Oh,” You pull your hand back a little too quickly, awkwardly stuffing it into your pocket. “Sorry, uh—”

“No, no, it’s not you, I’m just— conscious about it,” He presses his lips together in what almost a smile, a silent apology.

You mirror it. “It’s nice to meet you anyway,”

“You too,”

His gaze flicks over you, not in the usual appraising way you’ve grown used to from strangers, but more like he’s cataloging details he can’t quite put into words. There’s no judgment in his eyes, just pure, unabashed interest.

“You’re nervous,” He says, then winces. “Sorry. That sounded... obvious. I just meant—it’s normal. Most people are their first day. Especially here,” His voice lowers slightly, conspiratorial. “It can be... intense.”

A laugh escapes you, light and involuntary, breaking the tension in your chest. “Not exactly comforting, but thanks for the honesty,”

This time, his smile reaches his eyes. “I’m not great at comfort, but I excel at honesty.”

You find yourself smiling back, even as a small voice in the back of your mind whispers that you shouldn’t let your guard down so easily. Not here, not yet.

But something about Reid—his sincerity, the way he tilts his head like he’s trying to solve a puzzle only you can provide—makes it hard to resist.

“So, what brought you to the BAU?” he asks.

The question is simple enough, but the weight behind it is clear. He isn’t just asking out of politeness; he genuinely wants to know. You consider your answer carefully, aware of the dozen eyes that will likely follow your every move today.

“Truthfully? It’s… been a dream for years,” you admit. “I’ve always been fascinated by the psychology of it. How people work, why they do what they do. And... I guess I wanted to make a difference,”

His expression shifts, softens, like you’ve just handed him a piece of yourself and he knows better than to drop it. “That makes sense,” he says quietly. “You’ll be good at this,”

The confidence in his words surprises you. “You don’t even know me,”

“Not yet,” he says, and there’s something almost playful in his tone. “But I’m usually good at reading people. Comes with the job,”

“Any initial impressions?”

He hesitates, and for a moment, you think he might deflect. But then his gaze meets yours again, steady and unwavering. “You’re smart. Observant. But you second-guess yourself more than you need to. And... you’re kind. I think you’ll see things others might miss because of that,”

The honesty in his voice leaves you momentarily speechless. Kind isn’t a word you’d ever considered an asset in this field, but the way he says it makes you wonder if it could be.

“Thanks,” You say, and mean it.

Before he can respond, another voice cuts through the room. “Reid! Stop monopolising the newbie and get over here.”

You glance over to see another man—broad-shouldered, with a gruff boyishness to him. If you had to guess, you’d say that Derek Morgan.

Reid offers a small, apologetic shrug and gives you a quick, almost shy smile before moving to join the others.

As the team gathers around the table, you feel his presence more acutely than you should, like an invisible thread connecting you even when you’re not speaking. Every so often, you catch him glancing your way, his brow furrowing as if he’s trying to figure out a particularly tricky equation. And maybe he is.

Over the course of the day, you learn what makes Reid so extraordinary.

The encyclopaedic knowledge, the way his mind works at lightning speed, piecing together patterns and details that no one else sees.

But you also notice the little things—the way he fidgets with a pen when he’s nervous, the way his voice speeds up when he gets excited, the way he looks at you like you’re the most fascinating mystery he’s ever encountered.

By the time the day ends, you’re exhausted but exhilarated, your head spinning with new information and possibilities. As you gather your things, Reid approaches you again, his movements hesitant but deliberate.

“You did well today,” he says, and there’s no trace of condescension in his tone—just genuine praise.

“Thanks,” you say, feeling a warmth spread through you that has nothing to do with the compliment itself and everything to do with who it’s coming from.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. Then, as if unable to stop himself, Reid blurts out, “You’re going to fit in here. I can tell,”

You tilt your head, studying him. “And you’re sure about that? Already?”

He nods, his gaze earnest. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just... I feel like you belong.”

The words linger between you, heavy with a meaning you can’t quite name. You smile, soft and unsure, and he mirrors it, his expression a little brighter than before.

As you walk out of the building together, the weight of the day finally settling on your shoulders, you can’t help but think that maybe Reid is right.

Maybe you do belong here.

DAY ONE-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE

The BAU has a way of warping time. Six months can feel like six years, and yet, it can pass in the blink of an eye.

By now, you’ve settled into the team, carving out a place that feels solid, even comfortable. The initial nerves have faded, replaced by a quiet confidence that surprises even you. But the biggest surprise is Reid.

Somewhere along the way, he’s become your constant. Late nights poring over case files often turn into coffee runs, his impossibly detailed book recommendations have all but taken over your nightstand, and your shared chess games have become an unspoken ritual, the board tucked into the corner of the break room practically reserved for the two of you.

It’s not that you don’t notice the way he seems to gravitate toward you—it’s just that you don’t think much of it.

Reid is Reid: attentive, brilliant, and endlessly curious. If he listens a little more intently when you speak, if his smiles linger longer than necessary, if he remembers details you barely recall sharing, well, that’s just how he is. At least, that’s what you tell yourself.

The morning starts like any other.

A case has just wrapped, leaving you with a rare, precious day in the office to catch up on paperwork and recover. The bullpen hums with low chatter and the rhythmic tapping of keyboards, but your attention is elsewhere—specifically on the chessboard in front of you.

“Check,” Reid announces, his tone smug but his face a careful mask of neutrality. He leans back in his chair, arms crossed loosely, his expression daring you to find an out.

You narrow your eyes at the board, studying the positions like your life depends on it. “I don’t like you very much right now,” you mutter, earning a soft laugh from him.

“You don’t mean that,” he says, his voice warm.

“Don’t I?” you quip, your fingers hovering over your knight. You’re stalling, and he knows it.

“Take your time,” he says, though there’s a playful glint in his eye. “It’s not like you have anything else to do today.”

You glare at him, but there’s no heat behind it. “You’re enjoying this too much,”

“Maybe a little,”

The banter is easy, familiar. It’s become second nature by now, a rhythm you fall into without thinking. Finally, with a dramatic sigh, you move your knight, narrowly avoiding defeat.

Reid’s brow furrows as he examines the board. “Not bad,” he concedes.

“I’ll take it,” you reply, leaning back in your chair and stretching.

“Lunch?” he asks, already rising to his feet.

“Let me guess,” you say, smirking. “Thai food again?”

“It’s efficient,” he says, as though that explains everything.

“Efficient isn’t the same as exciting,” you tease, but you grab your jacket anyway.

The walk to the nearby restaurant is brisk, the February air biting against your skin. Reid falls into step beside you, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

“Did you finish that book I lent you?” he asks, glancing at you.

“Not yet,” you admit. “But I’m close. You were right—it’s better than I expected,”

He grins, and you feel a flicker of satisfaction at the sight. “Told you. It’s all about the narrative structure. Did you notice how the author—”

“Reid,” you interrupt, laughing. “Save the lecture for later. I’m still processing and I have a feeling you’re going to spoil the ending,”

He huffs but lets it go, his grin lingering.

—

Back at the office, you dive into the endless pile of paperwork waiting on your desk. Hours pass in a blur of forms and reports, the steady hum of activity around you lulling you into a comfortable rhythm.

It’s only when a steaming cup of coffee appears in your peripheral vision that you realize how long you’ve been sitting there.

“Thought you could use this,” Reid says, setting the cup down beside you.

You blink up at him, surprised but grateful. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“I know,” he says, his lips twitching into a small smile.

He doesn’t leave, instead pulling a chair up beside you and settling in. For a moment, neither of you speaks, the quiet companionship as natural as breathing.

“You know,” you say, glancing at him, “you don’t have to babysit me.”

“I’m not,” he says simply. “I like being here.”

There’s something in his tone that makes you pause, a softness that feels almost... vulnerable. But before you can dwell on it, he shifts the conversation, asking about your latest case report.

The moment passes, but it stays with you, an echo at the back of your mind.

—

The day winds down with another chess game, this one more competitive than the last. The bullpen has emptied out, the rest of the team long gone, leaving just the two of you and the faint hum of the building’s heating system.

“Checkmate,” Reid announces, his tone triumphant.

You groan, dropping your head onto the table. “I give up. You’re officially unbeatable,”

He laughs, the sound soft and unguarded. “You’re getting better,” he says, and you know he means it.

“Flattery won’t save you next time,” you say, sitting up and meeting his gaze.

His smile falters, just for a moment, and there’s something in his eyes you can’t quite place—something intense and unspoken. You tilt your head, about to ask if everything’s okay, but he looks away, busying himself with packing up the chess pieces.

“Same time tomorrow?” he asks, his voice carefully neutral.

“Of course,” you say, watching him.

As you part ways for the night, that look lingers in your mind, and for the first time, you wonder if there’s more to Reid’s attentiveness than you’ve allowed yourself to see.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND FOUR

It starts with the little things.

You notice Reid’s uncanny ability to anticipate your needs long before you voice them. A cup of your favorite tea waiting for you on your desk after a long day.

A book you mentioned in passing, slipped into your bag with a handwritten note on why you’d love it. The way he finishes your sentences, not out of impatience, but because he’s somehow always attuned to what you’re thinking.

It’s Reid being Reid, you tell yourself. He’s observant, that’s his job. It doesn’t mean anything more than that.

But then there are the things he shouldn’t know. Like how your nose crinkles when you laugh too hard, a detail even you hadn’t thought about until you catch him smiling faintly at the sight. Or the way he hums along, almost unconsciously, to the songs you sing under your breath while focused on paperwork.

You’d dismiss it as coincidence, but Reid doesn’t believe in coincidences.

It’s a cold, gray morning when the call comes in—a double homicide in a rural town that has the local police out of their depth. By mid-afternoon, you’re knee-deep in the case, the clues coming together like pieces of a grim puzzle.

You and Reid are tasked with canvassing a suspect’s property, a sprawling, dilapidated farmhouse that creaks ominously with every step. It’s quiet—too quiet—and the sense of unease prickles at the back of your neck.

“I don’t like this,” you mutter, glancing at Reid.

He nods, his hand hovering near his weapon. “Neither do I. Let’s stick together,”

The words are barely out of his mouth when it happens. A figure bursts from the shadows, wielding a machete with reckless desperation.

You react instinctively, your weapon raised, but the suspect moves faster than you expect, slamming into you with full force.

Pain explodes in your side as you hit the ground, the breath knocked from your lungs. Reid’s voice cuts through the chaos, sharp and commanding.

“FBI! Drop the weapon!”

The suspect hesitates for a fraction of a second—just long enough for Reid to act. His shot is precise, disarming but not lethal, and the suspect crumples to the ground, writhing in pain.

Reid is at your side in an instant, his hands trembling as he presses them against the slash on your side, stumbling through the order for a medic on his radio.

“You’re okay,” he says, his voice tight with panic. “You’re going to be okay.”

You manage a weak laugh, wincing at the pain it causes. “You can’t get rid of me that easy, Reid,”

His eyes dart to yours, wide and filled with something that looks an awful lot like fear. “Don’t joke,” he murmurs. “Please don’t joke.”

His hands are gentle but firm as he applies pressure to the wound, his lips moving in a quiet stream of reassurances you barely register. “Just breathe. Help’s on the way. You’re fine. You’re fine.”

The world blurs at the edges, but through it all, you feel him—his presence steady and unyielding, anchoring you to the moment.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND SIX

You wake in a hospital bed, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling your nose. It takes a moment for the haze to clear, and when it does, the first thing you see is Reid.

He’s sitting in a chair beside you, his posture stiff, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. He looks exhausted, dark circles under his eyes and his hair messier than usual, but when he notices you stirring, his expression softens with relief.

“You’re awake,” he says, and there’s a faint tremor in his voice.

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” you say, your voice hoarse.

His laugh is soft, almost disbelieving. “You have a talent for understatement,”

He leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and for a moment, he just looks at you. There’s something in his gaze—something raw and unguarded—that makes your chest tighten.

“I thought—” He stops, swallowing hard. “I don’t know,”

“I’m alright, Reid” You offer gently.

He nods, but his jaw tightens as if he’s holding back a thousand words. “You scared me,” he admits finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

You reach out, your fingers brushing his arm, and the tension in his shoulders eases slightly. “I’m okay,” you say, and though the words feel inadequate, they seem to bring him some comfort.

For the rest of the night, he stays by your side, his quiet devotion more reassuring than any words could be. And for the first time, you start to wonder if there’s more to Reid’s attentiveness than you’ve allowed yourself to see.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVEN

The BAU rarely has time for unwinding, but tonight is one of those rare evenings. A case has wrapped early, the unsub is in custody, and Hotch decided to reward the team with a dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant not far from Quantico. The room is filled with laughter, the clink of glasses, and the scent of fresh bread and marinara.

You sit sandwiched between Morgan and Reid, your wine glass half-full and your plate of pasta nearly untouched. The conversation flows easily—Morgan cracking jokes, Garcia spinning outrageous anecdotes, Rossi offering sage commentary.

You chime in when prompted, but your mind is elsewhere, your attention flicking between your teammates and the warm, intimate glow of the restaurant.

It’s when the laughter swells again, this time at something Garcia said, that you notice it.

Reid’s gaze.

He’s looking at you, not laughing, not even smiling, just... looking.

It’s not the way someone glances at a friend or colleague. His eyes hold something deeper, something unspoken but achingly clear. Admiration. Longing. Affection so palpable it steals the breath from your lungs.

The realisation hits you like a freight train, or perhaps a brick to the head, straight into your brain like it’s punishing you.

Every late-night chess game. Every quiet conversation over coffee. The way he remembers the smallest details about you, the warmth in his voice when he says your name, the way his presence feels like a comfort you didn’t know you needed—all of it comes crashing into focus.

How had you missed it?

But the thought doesn’t end there. Because as much as his gaze stirs something in you, it also forces you to confront the ache you’ve felt for months.

The way your chest tightens when he smiles at someone else. The way your pulse quickens when he’s near. The way your stomach flips at the simplest touch—a brush of his hand against yours, his knee grazing yours under the table.

Oh no.

Panic bubbles in your chest, threatening to spill over. You tear your gaze away, your hands fumbling for your wine glass as you take a too-large sip. It does little to steady you.

“Hey,” Morgan says, nudging you lightly with his elbow. “You good? You’ve been quiet,”

“I’m fine,” you say quickly, the words too sharp, too rehearsed.

Morgan raises an eyebrow, but thankfully, Garcia swoops in to demand his attention, sparing you further interrogation.

Beside you, Reid shifts slightly, his knee brushing yours again. The touch is electric, sending a jolt straight to your heart. You chance a glance at him, and for a moment, you think he might say something, but instead, he simply offers you a soft, almost hesitant smile.

It’s that smile—sweet and unguarded—that undoes you.

You force yourself to focus on the chatter around the table, the way Garcia’s voice rises animatedly, the way Rossi’s laughter rumbles like distant thunder.

Anything to keep from drowning in the realisation that Spencer Reid, your closest friend and the person who knows you better than anyone, has somehow become the centre of your world.

And worse—much worse—is the fear that you’ve been blind to his feelings for so long, that your obliviousness might have hurt him in ways you don’t yet understand.

By the time dinner ends, your head is spinning, your chest tight with emotions you don’t know how to name, let alone confront.

As the team begins to gather their things and head for the door, Reid lingers beside you, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. “You sure you’re okay?” he asks softly, his voice tinged with concern.

You force a smile, though it feels brittle. “Just tired. Long day,”

He nods, but the worry in his eyes doesn’t fade. “If you need to talk—”

“I’m fine, Reid,” you say, a little too quickly. A little too sharply.

His expression falters, and guilt twists in your stomach. You want to explain, to tell him that your panic has nothing to do with him and everything to do with the fact that you’ve just realised you’re in love with him. But the words stick in your throat, too raw, too terrifying to voice.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” you manage, grabbing your coat and heading for the door before he can respond.

As you step into the chilly night air, the weight of your realization settles over you, heavy and inescapable.

You’re in love with Spencer Reid. And you have no idea what to do about it.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND FOURTY-TWO

The days that follow are a blur of avoidance and self-doubt. You bury yourself in work, volunteering for extra tasks, lingering at your desk long after everyone else has gone home. When Reid suggests coffee or a quick game of chess, you make excuses—paperwork, errands, a headache.

“It’s not you,” you insist each time, forcing a smile that you hope looks convincing. “Just busy.”

But it is him. Or rather, it’s you. The truth feels too messy, too raw to share. You can’t bear the thought of risking your friendship, of letting your feelings slip and watching the warmth in his eyes dim with awkward discomfort. It’s easier this way, you tell yourself. Cleaner.

It doesn’t feel cleaner. It feels awful.

—

Reid is nothing if not perceptive. You know this, and yet it still catches you off guard when he notices your distance almost immediately.

At first, he’s subtle about it. A furrowed brow when you brush past him in the bullpen without stopping to chat. A quiet “Are you okay?” when you excuse yourself from a team lunch, claiming a nonexistent phone call.

But as the days stretch into weeks, his concern deepens.

One evening, after a particularly grueling case debrief, he approaches your desk with a tentative smile, holding out a steaming cup of your favorite tea.

“Peace offering?” he says lightly.

You glance up, surprised, and for a moment, the warmth in his expression makes your resolve waver. But then the weight of your feelings crashes over you again, and you force a polite but distant smile.

“Thanks, Reid,” you say, taking the cup without meeting his eyes. “But I really need to finish this.”

He hesitates, the smile slipping. “Did I... do something?”

The question hits you like a punch to the gut. You look up, startled, and find him watching you with a mixture of confusion and hurt that makes your chest ache.

“What? No, of course not,” you say quickly, too quickly.

“Then why—” He stops, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag. “What’s wrong?”

Your heart sinks. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it,” you lie, but even as the words leave your mouth, you know he doesn’t believe them.

“Right,” he says softly, his gaze dropping to the floor.

The silence between you stretches uncomfortably, heavy with everything you’re not saying. Finally, he nods, stepping back.

“Okay,” he says, his voice tight. “I’ll… let you get back to work, then,”

As he walks away, a knot of guilt tightens in your chest. You want to call him back, to explain, to apologise, but the words won’t come. Instead, you sit frozen at your desk, watching him retreat with his shoulders slightly slumped, and wonder if you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life.

—

That night, Reid lies awake, staring at the ceiling of his apartment as your words echo in his mind.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

The lie is so transparent it hurts. He replays every recent interaction, searching for the moment he might have crossed a line, the moment he lost you.

Did he hover too much? Was he too pushy with his invitations? Did he say something wrong?

The thought that he might have ruined your friendship gnaws at him, an ache that refuses to fade. He tries to focus on the logical, the facts: you said he hadn’t done anything.

But facts don’t explain why the laughter in your eyes has dimmed, why the easy rhythm of your friendship has crumbled into awkward silences and forced smiles.

He doesn’t sleep that night, and by morning, he’s no closer to an answer.

But one thing is clear: he can’t lose you. Not like this.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND FOURTY-NINE

It’s late when the team finally returns to Quantico, the exhaustion of a long case settling over everyone like a heavy fog. You’re the first to escape the bullpen, eager to retreat to the quiet sanctuary of your apartment. But just as you grab your coat, a voice stops you.

“Can we talk?”

You turn to find Reid standing behind you, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his expression a mix of worry and determination.

“Reid, I’m really tired—”

“Please.” His voice is soft but insistent, his eyes searching yours. “Just a few minutes.”

You hesitate, your instinct to avoid clashing with the ache in his voice. Finally, you nod, letting your coat drop back onto the rack.

He leads you to one of the empty conference rooms, closing the door behind you with a quiet click. For a moment, neither of you speaks, the silence stretching taut between you.

“Did I do something to upset you?” he asks finally, his voice trembling slightly. “Because if I did, I—I don’t know what it was. And I need to know, because you’ve been distant, and I—” He falters, his gaze dropping to the floor. “I miss you.”

The raw honesty in his words nearly undoes you. “Reid...” You take a step back, panic rising in your chest. “You didn’t do anything. I’ve just… been busy.”

“Busy?” he repeats, his voice laced with disbelief. He looks up, and the hurt in his eyes is like a punch to the gut. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?”

You stammer, searching for an excuse, but the words feel hollow even as you speak them. “It’s just... work has been overwhelming, and I haven’t had time, and—”

“Stop,” he says softly, cutting you off.

You freeze, your heart pounding in your chest.

“I know you,” he says, his voice steady now, though there’s an edge of desperation beneath it. “I know when something’s wrong, and something is wrong. You don’t avoid people because you’re ‘busy.’ You don’t avoid me unless there’s a reason.”

You swallow hard, your throat tight. “I’m not avoiding you—”

“Yes, you are,” he says firmly. He takes a step closer, his expression earnest, pleading. “I just... I need to understand. Did I do something to push you away? Did I say something, or—”

“No!” The word bursts out of you, louder than you intended. You see him flinch slightly, and your resolve crumbles. “No, Reid, you didn’t do anything.”

“Then why?” he asks, his voice breaking. “Why are you pulling away from me?”

His hurt expression cuts you to the core, and for a moment, you consider telling him the truth—laying it all out, messy and terrifying as it is. But fear holds you back, the fear of ruining everything, of crossing a line that can never be uncrossed.

“I can’t,” you whisper, your voice trembling. “I just... I can’t.”

His brow furrows, confusion clouding his features. “Can’t what?”

The question hangs in the air, heavy and unanswerable. You take a shaky breath, forcing yourself to meet his gaze, and what you see there—hurt, confusion, and something deeper, something vulnerable—almost breaks you.

“I’m sorry,” you say softly, the words barely audible. “I’m so sorry.”

And before he can say another word, you turn and walk away, leaving him standing alone in the empty room.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE

You don’t even remember the drive to Reid’s apartment. The streets blur past in a haze of headlights and cold January air, your heart pounding like a war drum in your chest.

The weight of your own cowardice has become unbearable. His hurt expression haunts you, replaying over and over, the echo of his words a constant refrain: “Why are you pulling away from me?”

You can’t do this anymore. You can’t keep pretending you’re fine when every moment away from him feels like a slow unraveling.

By the time you reach his door, your nerves are frayed to the breaking point. You hesitate for a moment, your hand poised to knock, before finally forcing yourself to take the leap.

Three short raps echo in the quiet hallway.

The door opens after a moment, and there he is—Spencer Reid, standing in sweatpants and a rumpled t-shirt, his hair slightly disheveled, his expression wary but softening the instant he sees you.

“Hey,” he says, his voice uncertain.

“Hi,” you reply, your voice barely above a whisper.

His brow furrows slightly. “Is everything okay?”

“No.” The word slips out before you can stop it, raw and unfiltered. You take a shaky breath, clutching the strap of your bag like it might anchor you to the moment. “Can I come in please?”

He steps aside immediately, his concern deepening as he watches you.

Once inside, you pace the small living room, your hands trembling, your mind racing. Reid stands by the door, watching you with a mix of confusion and apprehension, his arms crossed loosely over his chest.

“Okay, you’re scaring me a little,” he says gently. “What’s going on?”

You stop pacing, your back to him, and close your eyes for a moment, gathering every ounce of courage you have. When you turn to face him, the words tumble out in a rush.

“I have been avoiding you,”

He knew that. But hearing you say it tears him up just a little.

“because I’m an idiot,” you continue, your voice trembling. “Because I thought it would be easier to push you away than to deal with the fact that I—” You falter, your throat tightening, but you force yourself to continue.

“I’m in love with you, Reid.”

His eyes widen, his lips parting in surprise, but you keep going, afraid that if you stop now, you’ll lose the nerve to finish.

“And I was scared. Scared of ruining our friendship, scared you’d look at me differently, scared of losing you. So I distanced myself, and it was stupid and selfish, and I’m sorry.” Your voice cracks, and you take a shaky step toward him. “I’m so sorry, Spencer.”

For a moment, the silence is deafening. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t move, just stares at you with an unreadable expression.

“Say something,” you whisper, your voice breaking. “Please?”

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he takes a step toward you. Then another. And another, until he’s standing so close you can feel the warmth of his breath against your skin.

“I’ve been in love with you since the day we met,” he says softly, his voice trembling with emotion.

Your breath catches in your throat. “What?”

“I didn’t know how to tell you,” he continues, his eyes searching yours. “You’re brilliant and kind and funny, and you make me feel like I’m not... like I’m not so different. I didn’t want to risk losing you, so I kept it to myself, even though it killed me to see you pull away.”

His words hit you like a tidal wave, a rush of relief and disbelief and something achingly tender.

“Spencer...”

He steps closer, his hand lifting to cup your face, his touch impossibly gentle. “You don’t have to be scared anymore,” he whispers. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Before you can respond, he pulls you into a tight hug, his arms wrapping around you like he’s afraid you might disappear. You bury your face in his shoulder, the familiar scent of him—coffee and faint traces of his shampoo—wrapping around you like a balm.

“I’m sorry,” you murmur against his chest, your voice muffled.

He pulls back just enough to look at you, his hands still resting on your arms. “Don’t be,” he says, his gaze soft and unwavering. “We’ve both been scared. But we don’t have to be anymore.”

You nod, a tear slipping down your cheek, and he brushes it away with his thumb, his touch lingering.

“Does this mean I can invite you to coffee again without you running away?” he asks, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

You laugh, the sound shaky but genuine. “Yeah, yeah that’d be nice—”

His smile widens, and before you can overthink it, you lean in and press your lips to his.

The kiss starts tentative, a soft brush of lips, as if both of you are testing the waters, unsure of what to expect after so long of keeping everything bottled up.

But as the seconds pass, as your heart beats faster and your pulse races with the rush of finally having everything laid bare between you, the kiss deepens.

It’s overwhelming, more than you ever imagined. The gentle pressure of his lips on yours sends waves of warmth through you, and it’s as if everything else—everything you’ve been afraid of, everything that’s kept you distant—melts away in that single, perfect moment.

The tension, the months of pining and longing, spill into the kiss, filling the space between you with everything you’ve been holding back.

You slide your arms around his neck, pulling him closer, and he responds instantly, his hands moving to your waist, holding you tightly as if he’s afraid this moment might slip away. His lips are soft but eager, the kind of kiss that says everything words couldn’t express.

The world outside this room fades into nothingness—the hum of the city, the quiet night air, the noise of your past self-doubt—all of it is gone. It’s just you and him now, tangled up in each other in a way that feels so natural, so right.

You pull back slightly, breathless, and when you look at him, the expression in his eyes is one of pure awe. He’s looking at you like you’re something he’s dreamed of for so long but never thought he’d get to touch.

“You,” he breathes, his voice barely a whisper, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this,”

You laugh softly, still reeling from the intensity of the kiss, the electric feeling of his arms around you. “I think I have some idea,” you say, smiling through the haziness of your emotions. “I’m not that oblivious,”

He smiles, a little sheepishly, and presses his forehead to yours. “Yeah, well… I guess we’re both just really good at pretending.”

“Not anymore,” you say, your voice filled with newfound certainty. “No more pretending. No more running. From now on, it’s just... us.”

Reid’s smile widens, and he nods. His hands move to cup your face, the touch tender, reverent. “I promise,” he says softly. “I promise, I won’t let fear get in the way again,”

You nod, your chest swelling with relief. You feel the same. Fear won’t keep you apart any longer.

The transition from being friends to lovers feels seamless, like something that was always meant to happen but only needed the right moment to click into place.

There’s no awkwardness, no second-guessing. It feels like this was the way things were always supposed to be, as if every conversation, every shared laugh, every moment you’d spent together was building toward this.

“You know,” he says quietly, a hint of playfulness returning to his voice, “I think I’m starting to like this ‘not pretending’ thing.”

You chuckle, your heart full, and pull him into another kiss, this one more relaxed, more comfortable. There’s no rush now—just the simple, perfect feeling of being in his arms, of knowing you don’t have to hide anymore.

When you pull away again, you rest your head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “I love you,” you murmur.

“I love you too,” he replies, his voice a little thick with emotion. “I’ve loved you for so long.”

The words are simple, but they carry the weight of everything you’ve both been through.

And as you stand there in his arms, the world outside his apartment feels like a distant memory, something far away that no longer matters. All that matters is the feeling of being together, of stepping into the future with him, side by side. No more fear. No more distance. Just you and him.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX

Returning to work after that night feels surreal, like stepping into a world that’s familiar but somehow brighter, sharper. Everything feels new, but also so wonderfully right.

The team notices almost immediately. They’re profilers, after all.

It starts with the little things—your hand brushing against Spencer’s as you both reach for the same file, the soft, shared smiles exchanged across the bullpen, the way you instinctively gravitate toward him during team meetings.

Morgan’s eyebrows shoot up the first time he catches Spencer stealing a glance at you, his expression so openly fond it borders on dreamy.

“Something you want to tell us, Pretty Boy?” Morgan teases one morning as Spencer sits at his desk, clearly distracted.

Spencer startles, his ears turning red as he fumbles with his pen. “I—uh, no, nothing.”

From her desk, Garcia narrows her eyes suspiciously, then looks at you, her gaze bouncing between the two of you like she’s connecting the dots. “Wait a second. Are you two—?”

“We’re not talking about this,” you say quickly, though the smile tugging at your lips betrays your attempt at sternness.

“Oh, we will talk about this,” Garcia says, grinning triumphantly. “Just as soon as I gather my emotional support snacks.”

Hotch and Rossi, ever the professionals, don’t comment, but the knowing looks they exchange speak volumes.

So does the HR form that magically appears on your desk the same afternoon.

DAY TWO-HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE

A quiet afternoon, as the team prepares for a lull between cases, Spencer walks into the bullpen holding a carefully wrapped package. The sight of him—nervously shifting from foot to foot, his hair slightly mussed, his tie askew—makes your heart ache in the best way.

“Hey,” he says softly, approaching your desk.

“Hey,” you reply, setting aside the file you’ve been working on. “What’s that?”

He holds out the package, his fingers brushing yours as you take it. “It’s for you,” he says, a little shyly. “I’ve had it for a while, but… I was waiting for the right moment,”

Curiosity piqued, you carefully unwrap the package, your breath catching when you see what’s inside: a first-edition copy of a book you’d mentioned offhandedly months ago, a rare find you never thought you’d own.

“Spencer,” you breathe, running your fingers reverently over the worn leather cover. “This is—this is incredible.”

He shrugs, his cheeks flushing pink. “I remembered how much you loved it, and, well… I wanted you to have it,”

You stare at him for a moment, overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of the gesture, by the quiet devotion it represents. Setting the book aside, you rise from your chair and step closer to him.

“Thank you,” you say, your voice soft but filled with emotion.

Before he can respond, you lean in and kiss him, your hands resting gently on his shoulders. It’s not your first kiss, but it feels just as electric, just as full of promise.

When you pull back, his eyes are bright, his smile soft and radiant. “I think I like this ‘new chapter’ we’re in,” he says quietly, his voice tinged with affection.

“Me too,” you reply, your heart swelling as you brush a stray curl from his forehead.

As you return to your desk, the book resting on the corner like a talisman of everything you’ve built together, you steal another glance at him.

He’s already immersed in his work, his brow furrowed in concentration, but when he catches you looking, he smiles—one of those rare, unguarded smiles that makes your chest ache with how much you love him.

This is where I’m supposed to be, you think. And Spencer would agree.

[bastardlybonkers]

Would the headlights on Bee's wings count as biolights? And if so, would that make his wings anymore attractive? I'd assume they work like birds, the prettier and brighter they are the more attractive. Considering Bee is bright yellow and has lights on his wings would he be considered attractive to other fliers? Thank you

ooh alright so this ask gives me an opportunity to do another little analysis/hc dump, this time on cybertronian beauty standards! lemme start with the basics first

-personally, i dont think of fliers like birds, though ik bird behaviors is a pretty popular hc for fliers lol. i think a lot of them like wings because that means they can fly (cool flying alt, can fly together) and because theyre nice to touch and be touched!

-i think cybertronians find faces attractive due to the increase in expressiveness, so theres a cultural bias towards finding faces attractive. however, faceplates are still appreciated, and as james roberts has confirmed, those without lip mouths have the most erotic mouth build 😏 so that lends a huge bonus to faceplates, evening them out a bit in terms of beauty standards

-lights and bright plating colors are probably attractive, but id say really anything that isnt grey and lightless is probably handsome (grey looks like dead bodies to them)

-some helm shapes are just not very flattering, at least to cybertronians. pre-ghost, bumblebee's helm was probably considered extremely average looking, but post-ghost whoever built his body decided to upgrade his helm a bit lol

now for starbee specifically...

-starscream and bee are both obviously affected by the beauty standards of their culture, so theres definitely some aspects that carry over. however, theres things that they dont really care about either (for example, bumblebee doesnt really care how shiny starscreams plating is)

-i couldnt for the life of me find the lights on bees wings youre referring to in the ask 😭 i looked at all my refs but i dont see them 😔 he does have lights on his legs, which starscream probably does like, as he likes bright and pretty things in general (both on others and himself)

-starscream has never particularly cared about wheels, hes far more interested in bees doorwings. personally bumblebee would like a little more wheel attention 😂

-bumblebee finds stars wings cute, which is different from most people who like wings, who like them for the power they represent (he also likes the powerful jet alt mode but he likes getting a rise out of starscream even more)

-heel thrusters are a unique thing to cybertronians, and are probably considered a more niche attraction

[ship-graveyard]

Traveling with P1Harmony 💕

🛫 - Air Travel Edition - 🛬

☁️ - fluff | 🌙 - gn!reader | 💞 - all members

note: occasional references to travel anxiety

———————————————————————

Keeho:

♡ - always makes it to the airport perfectly on time (no getting bored or stressing because he’s timed everything perfectly)

♡ - incredible at navigating crowds and fighting to keep your place in lines for security, boarding, and deplaning

♡ - idk how but the airline always loses his luggage

♡ - you need a break from the airport chaos? dw his arms are your safe haven and he’s got a hug already queued up for you

♡ - will take the middle seat for you if you’ve been assigned it BUT he will whine about it later (good news: you can just kiss his pout off his lips and he’ll forgive you)

♡ - want help lifting your luggage into an overhead bin? luckily your big strong boyfriend is here to help! (he will accidentally smack someone in the face with it when taking it back down but shhh he’s trying)

♡ - bothers you 24/7 on the plane, but he means well… he just can’t help it bc he wants to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible (ooh what are you watching?? are you hungry? thirsty?? he could definitely steal water from someone in first class, would that help?)

♡ - wants you to sleep on his shoulder SO bad. he’ll be slowly leaning into your space if you start to nod off until you get the hint

———————————————————————

Theo:

♡ - lets you completely melt into him if you want to sleep while waiting for boarding (just results in the sleepiest pile of limbs bc he’s probably out immediately too)

♡ - overpacks… why does he have 14 hats when he only ever wears one? why did he pack a toaster in his carry-on?? the world will never know

♡ - has 7 different beverages with him at all times

♡ - more likely to distract you and redirect your energy than directly comfort you if you get travel anxiety, but it still helps significantly just knowing he’s aware of it and by your side if you need anything at all

♡ - he’s going to fight you for claim of the armrest and not in a cute way

♡ - will smack you if you turn the overhead light on (if you really want to read/draw or do anything else that you need to see clearly, he MIGHT let you turn the light on if you ask nicely and/or sweet talk him)

♡ - spends half the flight judging the people who brought their children on the plane

♡ - will get hopelessly invested in whatever you’re doing/watching but pretends not to be whenever you catch him leaning over to see better

———————————————————————

Jiung:

♡ - brings an extra sweatshirt/jacket for you bc he knows you’ll forget your own, get cold, or need the comfort

♡ - takes care of everything that might be stressful for you. you’re nervous? dw he’s got your printed boarding passes ready and your luggage handled. you just need to show up and hold his hand

♡ - does a mental analysis of the best quality airport cuisine compared to affordability bc you deserve to be well-fed and pampered but he’s also really practical

♡ - surprise kisses as positive reinforcement when you remember to hydrate

♡ - zonks out on the plane. he’s been busy taking care of you, let the poor guy drool on your shoulder a bit

♡ - type of person to watch the flight tracker the entire way there

♡ - if you accidentally intrude on his foot space be prepared for the most intense high-stakes game of footsie you’ve ever been involved in (he’ll win but end up just pulling your legs onto his lap bc he feels a bit guilty and he loves you too much)

———————————————————————

Intak:

♡ - loses his boarding pass immediately (you better have backups)

♡ - will get lost in the airport if you let him out of your sight

♡ - lets you buy anything you want with his card (he just wants to trail along and hang off your arm and spend time with you)… puppyboy IM SORRY who said that

♡ - leans his entire weight on you when waiting to board bc he’s tired and he loves you and you’re right there

♡ - underpacks. it’s always “babe can i borrow your toothbrush? i forgot mine😔” and “one pair of pants is probably enough for the whole week, right?”

♡ - you’ll have to be the responsible one tbh but he’s always right there if you need anything and he’d step up in an instant if you asked him to. it’s only bc he feels so comfortable with you that he lets himself relax so much and truly be himself, so he’s eternally grateful that you look out for him when he needs it

♡ - asks to be involved in whatever you choose to do on the plane bc he wants to spend that time with you

♡ - if you have trouble speaking up, he’d happily do it for you. need accommodations?need to ask someone to move so you can go to the bathroom? he’s got you

———————————————————————

Soul:

♡ - gets pulled over at security for something really bizarre (a cool rock he found that makes it look like he’s smuggling drugs, a jar of loose coins of various types, the creepiest figurine imaginable that he decided was cute, etc, etc)

♡ - might need your help with translating some things depending on where you’re flying out of/to (he could probably figure it all out on his own, but he likes being able to rely on you so he doesn’t have to channel all of his energy into making himself understood)

♡ - traveling exhausts him tbh but hugs and spontaneous kisses help him recharge!

♡ - equally likely to distract you from nerves by starting fun conversations or reaching out and reassuring you with physical affection

♡ - hoards the little snacks they give out on the airplane and offers them to you as surprise gifts later

♡ - watches everyone else’s screen on the plane instead of his own lol (he’s invested in the movie two rows up leave him be)

♡ - wants to try to learn a few phrases of the local language on the plane if you’re traveling somewhere with a native language he doesn’t speak

♡ - if you fall asleep on the plane expect to have random braids in your hair when you wake up (it’s not his fault that he wanted something to do with his hands and in his defense he finds you absolutely adorable with them. esp finds it endearing if you leave them in bc that’s his handiwork you’re showcasing)

———————————————————————

Jongseob:

♡ - might share some of your travel anxiety, but instead of making him distant it just makes him more invested in getting you both there safely and being conscious of your needs. you can be certain that he’s done his research, and you’ll always be safe and taken care of when he’s by your side

♡ - the most difficult part of flying with him is getting him to wake up early tbh. he’ll be slumped against you in a half-successful back hug while you scan the departures board for your gate bc he’s still half asleep

♡ - effortlessly cool and fashionable even with messy hair and comfortable clothes

♡ - soft kisses to your temple and warm hands brushing against yours when he wants to get your attention

♡ - wants to switch off picking songs to listen to on the plane (or listen to a combined playlist of each of your interests) with shared earbuds bc he thinks it’s an important way to share your interests and emotions with each other

♡ - before you even ask he’s handing you a Nintendo switch controller and encouraging you to play something with him (dw he finds you adorable no matter if you’re terrible at it or if you kick his ass when it comes to gaming)

♡ - prefers pushing the armrest up so you can lean into each other and just be close (he isn’t super cuddly/touchy in public, but he enjoys the casual proximity. and sometimes the urge to dote on you is too strong to be contained)

♡ - not really the type of person to speak up and ask the flight crew if he needs something, but the second you need something he’s on his feet and advocating for you

[tonguetyd]

Good morning!!!!! Happy Arcadia day!!! Under the cut is a direct copy of all my notes I jotted as I was doing my first listen (with annotations after the fact). All typos are unedited

EIA

LTW: video game music? DRIFT MENTION! (Oh just wait babygirl) The way he says eclipse is so satisfying. STRINGS!!! Eclipse AND twilight mention? Darya will love this. FIRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! Oh the second he whispered we were in for it. FUCK YEAH! God ii is such a good drummer. OH! Trap switch up! Live by the fire and die by the sword nice. GOSPEL. I USED TO KNOW MYSELF. Oh vee…AND THEN ENDING SCREAMS oh his screams are so GNARRRRRLY fuck YEAH

Emergence: she’s still that bitch. I’ve had emergence in my head all day. Vibing. MIIIIIIISSSSSSS GAAAAABBBIIIIIIIIII

Past self: hip shaking so sad ass lyrics! Oh I love it. The falsetto. Oh this. It’s DYWTYLM updated and I love it. He says shit which isn’t as good as a “fuck!” but I love it anyway

Dangerous: god his voice. MORE TRAP BEATS AND WOOS! Chord progression switch nice. OH JE SAID THE THING!!!!

Caramel: slut dropping to the saddest fuckingg song in existence brb

EIA: music box!!! SHEET MUSIC!!!!!! I knew it! Gods sharpening blades lime ooooof yes. Said the thing! This is an analysis lyric song. FILL ORCH OOH!!! Said the other thing!!!! PKAY VICALS!!! That string feature is BEAUTIFUL JAW DROPPED WOE (literally just stared into space looking so dumb but so happy, we LOVE a string feature)

Provider: gospel! The way he’s rhyming these words are hitting. ….ph I’m blushing. I love the sexy songs I’m so ready to read the at first glance loving lyrics and then Realize after. Oof. That’s a GOOOOOD song

Damo: our lil sword guy ❤️ I still hear play discord and games on repeat, boy just wants to play amongus with his boys :::( oh vee count 2 just bc it’s this song also this after provider where he says I wanna be your provider and be this Rick (rock) for you right into nobody knows that I’ve got a problem. The culture of masculinity is rough :/

Geths: immediate thought “have I heard this before??” So that’s weird. oh ves :( WOA!!! This guitar tone hits. Weird Cali vibes. I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE THOUGHT OAUFH. Oh VEE!!!! Whiplashy song but I’m on the ride. A crowd cheering oh that’s us….oh that’s us….maybe it didn’t come with a gun but you deserve one. CALL BACK TO CARAMEL MELODY? A little???

IB: unsettling start ok. Ok piano hello. Car crash imagery, OCEAN IMAGERY. (I GOT THREE LOOKS!!!) ..oh it’s a suicide song. Oh. That. That was not. Mmm. Finally here but I’m not leaving this time. Like. Hopeful suicide??? Idk infinity baths washing over me with the car crash ocean just made me get that impression. But it’s also hopeful. So. Idk. Halfway thru! MORE SCREAAAAMMIIIIING YEAAAAAAAA!! Stank face fr. OOOOOH BREAJDOEN OKAY!!!!! FUCK yeah! Ok admittedly this post breakdown chugging does go on for a little bit but nice. LOVE AN 8 MINUTE SONG THATS 4 MINUTES INSTRUMENTAL!!! Sick af album ending too on a rough metally fade out. And that’s it!!! (Post yaps: what is happening in the bridge that people are yelling about? Teeth of god ohhhh interest-h…HEY….HEY WAIT THAT….THATS ME!!! VESSEL WHAT THE FUCK)

[starsfic]

AU where Izuku's hero analysis notebooks are more important?

Ooh, I've actually been dwelling on this since it feels like they were dropped pretty early in the series when they're part of Izuku's characterization. May be longer than 5:

So, hero analysis isn't that weird. The Support Department actually has a subsection of analysts and every good agency at least has one analyst. But your analysis is different when you're a quirkless boy who desperately wants to be a hero and the only issue is you don't have one.

Bakugou brings them up during his refusal to the League, citing them as a reason why Deku should be the one receiving this speech. He even has pictures of some of the pages on 1-A since he was going to use that as evidence to get Izuku out of UA if all else failed.

Shigaraki is very interested when he figures out wtf Deku is. So is All for One when Tomura shows him some of the images on Bakugou's phone.

After Kamino, Garaki and the League both decide to try and get the notebooks- Garaki to pick out some nice quirks for his lord when he gets out and the League to either sell info to villains or use that to kill and rob said heroes.

If some of these attacks Tomura remembers the pictures of the analysis on the Bakusquad, well, the Bakusquad gets hurt. A lot.

Class 1-A is very confused on why Izuku's room seems to be the target of these attacks until the notebooks are brought up and everyone collectively goes "Shit."

This does lead to Bakugou being framed as the traitor because learning you have analysis pictures of certain classmates on your phone leads to questions like "Why do you have this?" especially when people already knew about the analysis and Bakugou ends up being revealed as the one who told the League about the notebooks. A lot of things are brought up very quickly, including his insistence about learning about OFA, and with the context that he's the traitor...

Aoyama is very relieved as Bakugou is hauled away.

Meanwhile Izuku starts lessons with Nedzu after the notebooks are moved to his office. The first lesson is code making.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

I apologize for my lack of updates with regards to my reviews as of late. Between my brother moving in, hectic work schedule, the upcoming baby, and general exhaustion, things have just been hard... and then on top of it all, I've been sick. Thankfully, I put out a call for guest reviewers, so here is who I got to fill in for me today! Give it up for Frank Grimes!

He's promised me the April 1st Psycho Analysis will be a fantastic, totally unbiased look at the worst and most sinister villain he could come up with! Without further ado, here is his review:

Psycho Analysis: Homer Simpson

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

It’s am honor to be writing an analysis where I can finally, finally reach an audience who might understand my plight! Homer Simpson is the proverbial town idiot of Springfield, beloved by many from the locals to his wife and children… But I see right through him! Homer Simpson is a fraud, a parasite, and a complete and utter bastardization of the American dream! And maybe the people of Springfield can’t see it, but I can! And now I’m going to show you the true evil of Homer, too!

Motivation/Goals: A man like Homer Simpson is far too simple, too idiotic to have any true motivations; he is merely a bumbling moron who trips into unwarranted greatness with no rhyme or reason. He’s nothing more than a leech, a parasite that sucks up all the good in the world at the expense of hard-working people like me!

Performance: The only performance Homer is capable of is somehow putting up a front to deceive those around him and convince them he has more wit and charisma than he actually does! He truly has everyone duped, from Mr. Burns to all his so-called friends! How anyone tolerates him is anyone’s guess!

...Wait, that’s not what this section is for? Who is Dan Castellanetta?

Final Fate: He just gets away with everything, no matter how awful the things he does are! Strangle his son? Endanger the town? Well, he’s Homer Simpson! He gets to get away with it all! What a sick joke!

Evilness: He’s too stupid to be evil. Can he even get a score when he’s completely oblivious to his own actions? It doesn’t make him a better man, but he’s just a symptom of everything wrong with America. I suppose to be completely fair, I’ll give him… 11/10. That is my completely fair and unbiased sore for this miserable man.

Final Thoughts & Score: Grrr… Homer Simpson… Just talking about him makes my blood boil. He really is the sum total of all that is wrong and unjust in this world. He’s a miserable, degenerate parasite leeching off of society while nice and noble men suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. It’s enough to… to drive a man MAD! MAD I SAY!

I can't stand it any longer. This whole analysis is insane. Insane, I tell you! Daahh! Aaah! I can be a psycho, too! Look at me! Hi, I'm a worthless villain, just like Homer Simpson! Give me a review! Ooh, I cut out the best scene and best quote sections, but nobody minds! I'm peeing on the seat. Give me a Psycho Analysis! Now I'm returning to the review without washing my hands. But it doesn't matter, because I'm Homer Simpson! I don't need to finish writing this, 'cause someone else will do it for me. D'oh! D'oh! D'oh!

MF: Uh, you okay guest reviewer?

Oh, hi, Mr. Ford. I'm the worst reviewer in the world. Time to go home to my mansion and eat my lobster. What's this? "Extremely High Voltage." Well, I don't need safety gloves, because I'm Homer Simp--

Tragically, Frank Grimes lost his life in a freak USB chord accident while in the middle of typing the end of this review. I have decided to leave everything he wrote, and also decided to honor his last request and analyze him.

Psycho Analysis: Frank Grimes

April Fool’s! Of course Homer isn’t truly a subject worthy of a Psycho Analysis, jerkass though he may be on occasion. However, Homer’s one-time enemy… There’s a discussion to be had about that guy.

Frank Grimes is a man who thinks he should have it all. He’s worked hard all his life, and he has nothing to show for it. Meanwhile the oafish Homer has it all, and... Ok, you read what Grimey wrote in his review. You get the idea. Now let me show you why Grimes, not Homer, is a perfect animated antagonist who deconstructs the nature of the very show he's in and leaves viewers with so much to chew on despite his one appearance.

Motivation/Goals: Grimey really just wants a good life, because lord has his life been dogshit up until meeting Homer. He worked his ass off and he has nothing to show for it, which is where the main conflict comes from as he views Homer as a lazy parasite undeserving of all of his success. He has a beautiful wife, three children, all sorts of accolades and adventures and yet he’s a fat, drunken. How is this fair? It’s why Grines eventually decides he’s going to be Homer’s enemy and works to undermine him.

Performance: Many were considered for the role of Grimes—from Nicolas Cage to Michael Douglas, whose character in Falling Down was a big inspiration for Grimey—but ultimately it had to go to Hank Azaria, because to sell the rage and frustration of Grimes you’d need extensive knowledge of the show. And really, who could do better than the guy who plays about half the cast? This is one of his absolute best performances, which really is saying a lot when the dude plays Moe, Comic Book Guy, Disco Stu, and a dozen other iconic characters.

Final Fate: Much like at the end of his own review, Grimey snaps due to the pressure of being a “sane” man in an insane world. He runs wild through the power plant, acting as he imagines Homer does, and then he sees some live wires and, well… He finds out the hard way that refusing to accept cartoon logic means you don’t get to benefit from it, and not being the main character affords you no special privileges.

Evilness: Can you believe it? April Fool’s is where I’m debuting the new take on this scale. I realized a ten point scale is a bit much for this more minor score, and muddies things a bit, so I’m toning it down to five points. 1 is for jerks and bullies; 2 is for malicious assholes; 3 is for straight-up villains; 4 is for utterly sick and twisted fucks; and 5 is for complete monsters. And of course there will be halfway points between the numbers for villains between the two, you know, like a 2.5 is that transition between a guy who tries to cripple his coworker out of spite and an actual supervillain.

Grimes is kind of tricky in this sense. I don’t really think he’s outright evil, but he’s definitely not a zero; he’s sympathetic to a degree, but he is also a douchebag who berates Homer even when he’s going out of his way to be nice and accommodating. The lengths he goes to are pretty insane, but he seems to want to humiliate Homer more than actually harm him. I’d say he’s a 1.5/5, almost graduating into being a malicious asshole, but ultimately the only person he ends up harming is himself.

Best Scene: I think his two standout scenes are his aforementioned death scene, and the scene where he goes on his rant against Homer at dinner.

Final Thoughts & Score: Grimes is one of the most fascinating antagonists in the whole of The Simpsons, and truly the pinnacle of what a one-shot character should be.

“Homer’s Enemy” is a deconstruction of the very foundations of the cartoon, with Frank Grimes being exactly what happens if a normal person from our world was forced to live in a cartoonish sitcom world like Springfield. Because of this, there are a about a dozen ways to interpret the episode, the themes, and Frank himself. You can take away from Grimes the obvious moral that you shouldn’t let envy consume you and turn you into a worse person, or you could see it as a warning against taking things at face value (Grimes is envious of Homer’s ‘perfect’ life… the one where for every cool success story there is a marriage crises or panda rape). You can see him as the end result of what a life of self-pity and feeling you’re owed something better can lead to, or perhaps you can see him as the poster child for “Hard work hardly works” and that no matter how hard you push yourself or how much you suffer it won’t really matter. And that’s not even getting into whether Grimes himself is actually a tragic character who suffers because he refuses to play by the stupid rules of the universe… or whether he’s an arrogant jackass who is unbelievably stupid for refusing to play by the stupid rules of the universe. There’s a lot of ways you can take everything here, and none are more or less valid than the rest.

My personal take is that he is a victim of his own creation. He is indeed a logical person, he’s a normal guy, but he refuses to go with the flow and accept the weirdness around him. At any point he could’ve simply accepted Homer’s friendship, he could’ve just given in to the antics, and his life might have actually taken a turn for the better. But he’s a realistically sane man in an utterly insane comedy world, and his outright refusal to change leads to him breaking down and accidentally committing suicide. I do feel bad for him, but I ultimately think he’s kind of an asshole too. He is characterized by a disgusting level of envy and bitterness, mad that someone else has what he believes he deserves and is owed because he’s a “hard worker”… and yet, he never once showcases why he would deserve anything. He’s a spiteful asshat the whole episode! Why would he deserve anything other than an embarrassing death!

Ol’ Grimey is one of my favorite characters from The Simpsons because he’s just so remarkably complex and interesting, a vessel to deconstruct the very show itself. As an antagonist, I’ll have to give him a 7.5/10 though. He’s a great character fulfilling great narrative functions, but ultimately he’s still just an incredibly memorable one-shot antagonist who is arrogant and stupid to a lethal degree.

I think he’d score higher if he was built up over multiple episodes, but that would defeat the point and also dilute how good “Homer’s Enemy” is. It’s a 10/10 episode in my book, and Grimes is a 10/10 character, but I don’t know if I can justify ranking him higher because he's just not actually evil. Like this is still Psycho Analysis, I kind of have to factor evilness in even if it also has a distinct score now. Frank just isn't bad enough to sit alongside guys like Sideshow Bob. At any rate, he's better than his crappy son.

Lame character from one of the most mid Sideshow Bob episodes. 2/10, I'm not dignifying this crap with a full review.

[storiesofaot]

Hello, hello. I hope your day has been treating you well. I come bearing questions from this post. Do you have any details or further ideas regarding Hange's crush on Keith Shadis? How they behaved around him, what the nature of the infatuation was, maybe more on why, etc.

Heey there! 😇 Yes, thank you so much - I had a good day with some tea and gingerbread hehe! Hope your day is going or has been good, too! ✨️

Ooh yes, Keith Shadis, our dear sunken-eyed, bald-headed friend 🤭 I actually did some thinking and rewatching this afternoon, and now I do have some more thoughts about the whole Hange&Shadis thing! (Still feeling gloriously inadequate to actually try doing an analysis on them, but it truly was a lot of fun! 😁)

I have my own personal timeline for Hange in my mind, so I created a comparison with Shadis's time with the Scouts. I don't know if it'll matter that much for the following ramble, but I'll share it anyway :)

In that flashback scene from 3x11 (Chapter 48), we get to hear Shadis himself talking about the time he met Grisha, and sharing some of his beliefs with us. He always had the drive to know what was outside the walls; he felt trapped inside and wasn't too happy about everyone living in "comfort", simply accepting the situation without actually wanting to change anything about it. I think Hange was also always curious about the world beyond the walls. Her focus was on the Titans, yes, but she was equally fascinated by the ocean and all the new discoveries they made in Marley = the world outside of the walls. In that sense, I believe she felt a connection with Shadis, as those were likely the values he advocated for during his time as Commander, and they clearly resonated with her.

But Shadis believed that in order to accomplish something, one had to be special. He wanted to be special, and over time, he was even convinced himself that he was special, and even better than the others? I think, though, that the whole feeling special thing might’ve sparked that little crush Hange had on Shadis. This is just my personal opinion - it’s not really based on anything - but I can imagine that when Hange joined the Military, she was already exceptionally smart but maybe lacked a bit of skill when it came to actual combat?

He might have been the one who saw beyond that "lack" - he recognised her curiosity about the world and her genuine desire to understand things. (We know he’s very good at reading people; we saw it when Eren & Co. were training). So he made Hange feel special in a sense, because, as mentioned above, he believed that only special people could accomplish (great) things. He recognised her potential and might've been the one who allowed her to join the Scouts, maybe even pushed her to get a better fighter, encouraging her so that she could unfold her full potential (a little like he did with Eren, he could've made sure he didn't enter but in the end, he yielded; and we know Hange can be very persistent, too!)

This might be a slightly silly thing to admit, but it's all for the sake of this analysis sooo xD I remember back when I was in secondary school - I must’ve been around 16 - there was one moment where someone made me feel "special" in a way that hadn't happened before. It was just a little, minor, innocent thing, not even worth mentioning (he pretty much just opened the door for me 😂) but it was such a nice gesture. Because it was the first time something like that happened, I guess it especially stood out to me, and I will (always?) associate it with that person.

Bringing this back to KisuHan (lol xD), Shadis might have been the first one to truly see her abilities, to acknowledge her amazing mind and not dismiss her due to the way she appeared or acted? That's where her infatuation with him started; she felt seen and valued, he made her feel special, so her 15/16/17 year old brain crushed hard on him 😁 (and he still had his hair, sooooo xD) I don't know if she actually wanted to feel special, but since it kind of happened, in a sense it made him feel special to her, too?

(Maybe that was also the reason why she seemed truly mad or hurt when he told them the story about Eren and Grisha, a story he had withheld from all of them for so many years. She might have always thought highly of him, and the first little damper was him stepping back from his role as Commander, and the fact that he kept all that information hidden was another big damper?)

Now if you've made it this far - thank you!! (this turned out much longer than I thought it would be lol) I know, I could've just said "Shadis made feel Hange special." but where's the fun in that? 😂 Of course, this is just my personal opinion or explanation, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on their "relationship", too!

As a farewell, here’s a little photo of our buddy Keith. This was so much fun, thank you sooo much for asking, I really loved thinking about this! 🙌🏼

[dearweirdme]

Hi! I'm sorry for a longer ask. You don't have to reply to this lol As a taekooker of 10 years now, I'll admit I can understand why jkkrs think we're being hypocritical when it comes to sightings and overall moments between taekook vs jkk.

In the end, I feel like both sides can be hypocritical. Or maybe in the end it's not even hypocrisy, but rather that we both have a different foundation of belief. Taekookers believe that Tae and JK are dating. And obviously it's different for jkkrs.

So when you have a moment as simple as a sighting, I almost don't blame jkkrs for getting excited, because honestly, us taekookers would too. And if it was initially a taekook sighting, I'm sure jkkrs would be judging us for being happy or excited too. But as we all know and have explained to jkkrs before, it's always not really about the individual moment, but just more of seeing our favorite pairing/couple together. I assume it's probably the same for a lot them.

I truly think that's why these shipwars are just so ridiculous. Our beliefs are fairly similar if you zoom out a bit. The only thing I'll say, is that when I see a jkkr looking at an everyday moment between JK/Jm and then they start inputting these weird fanfiction-y narratives to that moment… that's where it gets to be too far. But tbh, I've seen a TON of tkkrs do this too. That's why I enjoy more rational takes, like your blog and others and typically avoid a lot of "theory/analysis" videos.

I think the extremists of both our ship and theirs forget that just because we think a pair is dating, doesn't mean every single moment is going to be dripping with proof of that. Like what is an airport moment showing? That they are going somewhere together. Okay cool they are friends and together. There really isn't much more to that and somehow it's made to be some romantic love bound getaway to go on a sex vacation or something. And if taekook were just walking together at an airport, I know it would just be nice to see them together, not that it's some proof of something. We have way more hints/real proof to show they are in love.

I think a lot of people (some tkkrs too) should tone down the additional narrative and truly observe moments for what they are, and not what we want them to be. The FULL moments, not an edit. I think some people lose sight of that. I sometimes did too when I was a younger taekooker. Now I mostly believe they are together, but know and accept that if they showed real signs they weren't, I'd just continue wanting them to be happy.

And as for the other ship(s). I just let them believe what they want. Clearly I believe they are wrong, but I leave it at that. I truly don't get the insecure shippers flooding yours and others' inboxes for validation or even for a fight. That's just stupid. In the end, none of us know any member of BTS personally and we are all just seeing what they choose to share or what is public.

Hi anon!

Ah yeah, I agree with this!

To me the difference between Jkkrs and Tkkrs lies in the depth and not the superficial stuff. Ofcourse we all ooh and awh when we see our favorites together. That's normal, I would never be bothered by Jkkrs just being excited for seeing Jm and Jk together. I am excited to see them do stuff (though also anticipating idiocy in my inbox). I think the difference lies very much in the extremities Jkkrs show. I also think they bend both Jk and Jk's characters much more than we Tkkrs do (more balanced and less push and pully with one being the dominant and the other being the one who is mercifully granted attention).

While my response to that anon from yesterday was basically "Tkkrs and Jkkrs are not the same" perhaps a more better way to say it is that there is no collective of shippers at all. Even amongst Jkkrs and Tkkrs you will find more rational and more delusional spaces.

[nolonger100daysoftavvyfanart]

13/04/25 Update Reaction

Ooh "Addendum" not Intermission. That's interesting.

And finally, non-kiddy meat guys.

Adult Meat Kartkat looks about how I'd expect.

I'm suprised by how normal Callie looks though. I don't know what I expected, but not this

CALLIOPE: a little more protein woUld fill yoU oUt nicely, i think!

I have to disagree here, having only one of the Karkats grow up to be hot and the other one stay average makes it funnier

Can this really literally be The Homestuck Epilogues: Volume Candy? That spiral pattern is classic cherub iconography so it could just be some cherub artefact, but it being an epilogue is the obvious takeaway here.

The cover is wrong, but that's hardly a silver bullet counter

HOURS IN THE FUTURE

It makes sense for Karkat, author of Summerteen Romance, to be the person Callie went to. And also, it seems like this isn't just the Epilogue, but also the rest of it...

so, either: a) everything we just saw in Candy was fanfic and exclusively to characterise Callie: GC talking to Vrissy could just be an extension of this fanfic, but Davebot and Al having been on both sides seems like strong evidence against this.

b) everything we just saw in Candy was fanfic, but it will go on to be real without a bridging explanation: after all, this is the comic where MSPA character Spades Slick turned out to be one of the final bosses, and a version of him was the big bad for the front half. Maybe Problem Sleuth turning up in the bonus comics as a solid, real guy in the meat timeline was foreshadowing that the lines were going to get blurry again.

c) Callie is having ult-self overlap with Al, and is subconsiously picking up on the Candy timeline through that: the fanfic was descibed as "Visions", after all.

There's that tower again (with Roxy flying up to it on wings of Rage?)

This image deserved more analysis, a lot of things are jumping out at me already: This looks like a job for... Somebody Else!

If I stop and go through the whole thing I'll lose the plot for the liveblog! Maybe I'll do it after, before I see someone else's analysis which biases mine.

That's probably a Snowman/BQ... probably the same one from DD&D

So now Jake and Jane are retroactively on their way to Deltritus too... I wonder if she went through Jasperoses's lessons, if so I'd assume Swifer won the re-election.

Oh! that's it. Maybe "Addendum" instead of "Intermission" was a cheeky nod to how they were going to "Add" things to the timeline.

That was about what I'd expect from an Intermisson! I'm excited to see where this goes.

[bunnakit]

4 minutes ep 1 raw reactions

idk if i'm gonna delve too deep into this and do my normal analysis so for now i'll just type up my raw reactions as i'm watching lmao.

the title sequence is fucking stunning, obsessed.

ooh he has a maine coon. rich boy maybe? expensive cat and nice apartment.

i really enjoy that the heartbeat sounds in the elevator scene sound like a heartbeat heard through an ultrasound. very interesting.

but umm. if you're having severe chest pain and trouble breathing please see yourself to the hospital my friend???

oh ok definitely a rich boy, hello fancy car.

AAAAAA BAS, IT'S BAS, LSKJGAI MY LOVE, GOD HE LOOKS SO GOOD

the music in this show is fucking gorgeous but like... also why so dramatic

ok so korn: transport -> investments (secret operation??? tf?) and they want great: university -> transport. got it.

ooh 12:39 okay i see you.

ooh 12:43 ok, 4 minutes, i'm listening.

OH. OH DON'T RUN THO

also like why was there a pedestrian in there???

OH. OK. INTERESTING.

i also hate that great initially ran bc now it's gonna take so much for me to like his char, which i'm sure is the point but still (；′⌒`)

aah. okay. i understand. it seems like she didn't want to do it tho. like yeah maybe suicide but... kinda seemed like suicide under coercion? or some form of intense external pressure.

HOLY SHIT JOB. THEY LET HIM OUT OF THE BE ON CLOUD VAULT. RUN BBY YOU'RE FREE.

HE'S SO THIN??? BBY ARE YOU EATING OKAY? i mean good for him if it was healthy and what he wanted tho.

this other doctor is so fucking hot tho who the fuck are you sir god DAMN. jaw for days.

ooh those dark spots on the ultrasound look like internal bleeding.

OH I'M SO SEXY AND SMART.

sexy doctor why shifty eyed??? i have a weird feeling about him. ok his name is tyme. as of rn we do not trust tyme.

more gorgeous music tho.

oh don't twirl your scissors like a douche.

he's got dead eyes and not much for facial expressions, he's freaking me out.

ew you don't even know your patient's name??? I DO NOT LIKE HIM SAM I AM, I DO NOT LIKE TYME EGGS AND HAM.

ok i dont like tyme but i WOULD like to see him and job's character fuck nasty. i am not immune to yaoi propaganda.

GOD BAS IS SO HOT I CAN'T GET OVER IT. I'VE MISSED HIM SO FUCKING MUCH. i love bible a lot but bas is everything to me. i used to reblog the same picture of him everyday. that's my sweet cheese, my good time boy, my rotten soldier.

oh i don't like this set up tho. this feels human trafficky. or like a no way in no way out. mmmm baby what do y smell is it death? OH LMAO IT'S GAMBLING. same thing kinda.

korn seems sensitive to smells, or maybe just smoke. he's just like me fr.

oooh curly hair girl isn't here to gamble, she's here for info of some kind.

OH BOYFRIEND TIME. OHHH OH I GET TO SEE BAS KISS MEN. LIKE I KNEW BC I SAW THE GIFS WHEN IT FIRST STARTED BUT UGH. I WAS NOT PREPARED. FUCK HE'S SO HOT. I CAN'T FUCKING DO THIS. HELP.

the fact that he opens up to his boyfriend and talks about his troubles as much as he reasonably can o(T ▽ To)

oh my god get OFF HIM there's no way your refractory period is that short.

not a huge fan of how korn came over, dumped his issues, had sex, and left tho. not great.

obsessed with this asymmetrical collar of great's shirt tho.

yeah i do love that no one fucking asks if great is ok, how he's doing, etc. he just went through something horribly traumatic and he could've been hurt, like. yuck. and his mom seems sweet but the fake sweet, like saccharine.

ooh why does his watch say 11:00??? something's gonna happen, huh.

fuck bas has an fantastic ass. i know we saw it but it somehow looks even better in those pants, my god.

7:13...

ugh i love brothers that can only be (mostly) themselves around each other. i really hope that's the direction this is going. two gorgeous gorgeous men on my screen, just an absolute feast for my eyes.

omg wait. wait. korn doesn't like the smell of cigarettes and he doesn't want great smoking. is there cigarette trauma? or does his dislike of cigarettes come from his concern for his brother's health?

OH facial expressions from tyme!! what a little grandma's boy.

11 am....

exploring the psychological depths of near-death experiences. the '4-minutes' phenomenon.

INCHRESTING. was manee coerced into suicide by someone trying to obtain a real time test subject for this phenomenon???

ooh he took the stairs today.

4th floor... 1:10 (13:10)... room 4... 1:11 (13:11)... ran into tyme outside room 1... at 1:14 (13:14)...

so in theory is each cardiac event he's suffering technically a near-death moment which is triggering the 4 minutes phenomenon where he has an out of body moment where he can see future events???

oooh he ran into him again. perhaps to show some things are simply inevitable?

damn the end sequence is gorgeous too.

fuck. i might be obsessed. uh oh.

god damn it sammon, you got me again.

wait so back to when it was 7:13pm... 19:13... 9+1=10, 3+1=4 so more 1s and 4s ₍ ˶•̀⤙•˶ ₎ hmmm

idk if i'm cooking or burning the kitchen down but i'm excited to find out

[jesncin]

Hello!! I saw yalls lunar boy post (which made me so extremely happy btw, genuinely got teary eyed while reading it) and it said that yall did a lot of research into queer indonesian history and media? If yall dont mind could you link some of those? Im studying up on queer indonesian history myself and struggling to find good resources 😅 ofc all of these are /nf!! Feel free to ignore me and im so sorry for bothering yall 🙏🙏

Not a bother at all, and I'm super happy to hear that the Lunar Boy Queer Escapism comic made you so happy! 💜 Ooh yes there's a ton of sources. From the top of my head:

Creating Spaces for Dialogue: Exploring Queer Cinema in Southeast Asia. An extremely thorough analysis and catalog of queer cinema throughout SEA, with a very robust Indonesian section. My buddy Gris did the research for this and they're very dedicated to this sort of stuff! The Kontinentalist in general has fantastic articles.

Queer Indonesia Archive. An incredible digital collection archiving the lives of queer Indonesians. There's magazines, posters, photos, newspaper clippings, and more! I've talked to and met some of the people working on this project and they're very passionate about memory preservation.

Beyond the Binary: Two Bissu Defend Their Roots in Sulawesi. New Naratif has some good articles covering queer Indonesian lives. I think personal interviews and their reporting are their strong points. I've illustrated for them a couple of times (all queer related things lol). Looks like their website is down at the moment but will be back in May!

Vice Indonesia has some great stuff like their video on Lengger Lanang, Bunda Mayora, and more! I recommend Madame X Memories: The Rise and Fall of Indonesian Queer Cinema.

Bissu A Frame of Diversity. A recent video on the Bissu of Sulawesi. I consider it extremely important to be able to hear from Bissu themselves, since most resources are by white anthropologists who often misconstrue queer Indonesian culture.

The writings of Nurdiyansah Dalidjo. He writes in Indonesian (sorry not in English, my language barrier self uses a mix of google translate and my own Indonesian to read his stuff), but the work he does is invaluable. Whether it's personal reflections on his life, or covering the lives of other queer people, it's all fantastic writing. He did a series "Queer di Masa Lansia" covering elder queer people that is very much worth a read. He's active in waria spaces, working together with transfemme lower class people. I've met him, he's very nice to me :( Idk why :'((

So I hope this is helpful! Early on when I did research for Lunar Boy I reached out to academics on queer Indonesian identities and while some of it was helpful (bless Dédé Oetomo for giving me the time of day and answering my questions), I've learned it was more valuable and enriching to find material that talks more directly with queer people. Stuff that isn't filtered through a scholarly lens or bias. If there's any takeaway I can give, it would be that.

[1moreff-creator]

DROS CH1 Bonus Scenes First Impressions

DROS content let’s go!!! Although I’m on vacation and haven’t had much time to write down Tumblr posts (I’ve been enjoying myself I’m just occupied), I can read DROS in my downtime so let’s go!

CWs: Murder and dismemberment, self-esteem issues

[Robert & Taylor] Ooh! I didn’t send this one, but it looks fun!

“Taylor: Hey. Um, I saw you were reading earlier. The Son of Neptune, right?” Why. Why are you immediately pulling out literary references. You know my history with those in fangans. Jk, obviously, but I’m gonna save the actual analysis of what that book could mean for a different post (which I was hoping to get out before CH2 started but that’s not looking likely so oh well :,))

“Robert: It’s fun to see Percy again, and to see where everything went after the first one.” Oh, it’s Percy Jackson. Of course it is, I don’t know what I expected with a title like that.

“Taylor: I grew up reading it, too. The new books are pretty good. I’m looking forward to the next one.” LOORE! Btw, the last Percy Jackson book came out in 2014, so this comment tracks with the Tragedy happening around 2010 (THH release date) and the characters believing that’s when the killing game happens.

“Taylor: I don’t think it’s anything that special, is it?” Taylor try not to have self-esteem issues for two seconds, challenge level IMPOSSIBLE.

“Robert: Everyone here just feels so… I don’t know, unapproachable, I guess? Like, they’re all so much cooler than me, and they know what they’re doing somehow. […]

Taylor: I try to fit in, but at the end of the day, I’m just me, you know? The only special part about me is when I’m doing an impression of someone else. Other than that, I’m just as regular as you.” Ooh parallels, neat. This was gonna come up in the mystery post I wanted to write before CH2 lol, kinda beat me to the punch on that one :p

“Taylor: Like, um… I bet if I, as me, started talking about conspiracy theories, it’d be really weird. But, if I pretend to be Kennedy, it feels natural! No one questions what I have to say, or why I said it that way.” I think I’ve made it apparent by now that Taylor’s impressions rub me the wrong way, and this isn’t helping… Like I don’t want to think they’re insane but they are not beating the allegations!

“Robert: You’re handling all of this so well. Even if you don’t show it all the time, what you just said… that’s confidence, isn’t it?

Taylor: Having confidence doesn’t make someone impressive if their confidence is wrong.

Robert: I… don’t agree with you.” Ooh interesting character stuff! :D

[The whole rest of the conversation] The kind of thing that’s really fascinating but hard to comment on in this style of post, requires a bit too much thinking. Robert wanting to fit in with the others is an interesting point to bring up in regards to his normality, as it reflects that there kind of is nothing that’s truly “normal” when it comes to people and their personalities, so in the right environment everyone can feel weird. Meanwhile, the fact Taylor considers “having something to return to” as a positive is a little concerning (do they have nothing to return to?), but at least I appreciate them being approachable. They’re nice (when they’re not being Very Weird) :D

[Noah & Harper] Hey, I think I sent this in! But I’m guessing I might not have been the only one, given this is a pretty well established pair lol :p

“Harper: Nothing in particular. I suppose I was just thinking about home.” You know, I’m getting more worried every time Harper brings up being restless or wanting to go home, ‘cuz it happens more than you’d think. Like, I could see the CH2 killer angle here, and that’s concerning.

“Noah: Well, I was going to see if anyone wanted to get together and play Never Have I Ever. You want in?

Harper: I appreciate the invitation, but I think something like that is much more your scene than mine.” Uh, noted.

“Harper: Just… seeing people helping one another again, I think. Volunteering at a soup kitchen and seeing their smiles, or giving a teacher a new set of supplies that they couldn’t afford. Doing what I can to help.” And then Harper says something like this and I kinda doubt ve’s ever gonna kill anyone :v

“Harper: I suppose this is what you’re normally like, outside of the fraternity scene. I haven’t seen you like this before.

Noah: Eh, not really. I spend most of my time with my frat back home, so, it’s all the same. You’re probably just thinking of me at an event we’re hosting versus real life.” Cool detail! Yeah, Harper would have a warped perception of what Noah’s usually like based on the circumstances where they met!

“Harper: I guess it’s finally hitting me how little I actually know about you. We’ve spent time together in the past, sure, but I know next to nothing about your life. I assume the same is true for you about me. 

Noah: I guess so.

Sheesh, I can feel myself getting more awkward by the second. RIP to my cool guy vibes.” Lol

“Noah: Does it really matter, though? People are way more than just who they grew up with.

Harper: Of course not. I always say that what a person does matters much more than where they come from.” I love how these bonus scenes usually have, like, some interesting theme being discussed by the characters. It’s fun :)

“Noah: Right. Well, I’m a college student, undeclared. I live at my frat’s house, and my dad drops by sometimes, ‘cause it’s his frat too.” LOORE!

“Obviously I know a little bit about the Young family, conceptually, considering it’s, like, a household name. But, I don’t really know anything about what it was like for Harper to grow up with them.” Oh wow Harper’s a bigger deal than I thought, damn.

“Harper: Well, I certainly grew up with a lot of opportunities. I’ve already done many things that I’m sure others could only dream of, and I’m still at a young age. It’s… strange, to grow up in a world where money isn’t a factor. I’ve learned a lot about other people’s upbringings, and mine is certainly different.” How incredibly non-specific! Lol. I guess it makes sense to go for something like this when Noah kinda knows what Harper usually does anyways.

“Harper: You said you had sisters, right?

Noah: Yeah, two of them.

Harper: What are they like?

Noah: They’re cool. We don’t hang out much, though.” LOO-!

[Cass & Kennedy] The one that’s locked in! I’m actually very interested in this, especially with the recent reveal of Cass’ true talent.

“It’s hard to say I’m anything but annoyed as I leave the Buffet. Antonia is still playing at the same games as always, and Paris decided to make it everyone else’s business for, from what I can tell, no reason. It doesn’t matter too much. I still have my own investigations to trust, and no one else seems to be onto me. As long as I can play the part of a salesperson believably enough, I’ll have time to figure out what she’s hiding. But what, exactly, is she hiding…?” Their beef runs insanely deep damn, love it xD

“Kennedy has, apparently, tracked me down to the Show Room, which I had assumed no one would really want to spend time in. This doesn’t contradict that data point, though; if Kennedy was looking for me specifically, as evidenced by their words, then it’s my presence rather than any qualities of the Show Room itself that led them here. Probably best to play dumb, though.” Bro relax. And I thought it was crazy how many mind games Antonia and Paris and Grace played in their Bonus Scenes, and how many the other characters also play in general, but this is next level over analysis damn. Kennedy’s about to talk to you and presumably say why she’s there, you can just ask them.

“”Mastermind…” I suppose I don’t think that Antonia isn’t the mastermind, but I’m not fully convinced that’s what’s going on.” Interesting…

“Cass: The point of the killing game is to produce exactly one winner, which likely isn’t the mastermind, if this is being produced as a Resort attraction like the video said. This “mastermind” role doesn’t necessarily tie heavily into the narrative they’re trying to craft.

Kennedy: Then why mention it at all?

Cass: Hm?

Kennedy: Even if I’m right, if they don’t want the concept of the mastermind to warp the game, why not make me look like a fool? They could have said there wasn’t one, and everyone else would have dropped it immediately.” I really do love how insane all these people are, I don’t think I mention it enough xD. These are great points Kennedy’s making, but I’m loving how Cass seems to be taking the route of speculating based on the presumption the hosts are trying to build a narrative, it’s fun.

“Kennedy: Which of you started the fight? You or Antonia?” What is he cooking?

“Kennedy: If the mastermind wants it to be known that there’s a mastermind, they probably want it to inspire drama. What better way to do that than making accusations public and starting feuds?

Cass: Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing…?

She shrugs.

Kennedy: I know I’m not the mastermind.” First, good point on the causing conflict stuff, also the Paris!MM agenda grows stronger as she’s the one who brought the beef up to the group (?). Second, I’ve always found it kinda fascinating how… self-serving, Kennedy’s theories tend to be. It feels like she only really wants to convince herself of any given theory’s validity; if he thinks there’s a traitor, then he doesn’t need evidence, that’s that. But he wants to figure out the mastermind, and doesn’t care whether or not he ends up looking suspicious in the process, because he doesn’t care what the others think of him. It’s interesting.

““Opportunity” acts like a trigger phrase. Right. I need to be charading as the Ultimate non-secret Agent. I make a show of sighing.” Wow they’re good :O

“Kennedy: To defend yourself from Antonia next breakfast. To make a case for your innocence at a Class Trial, if we make it there. To prove that you’re trustworthy enough to theorize with.

So for your pleasure, then…?” I think it’s interesting Kennedy specifically points out the “trustworthy to theorize with.” Cass and them had exchanged a few theories before, so I wonder if Kennedy genuinely wants more people to keep up with them in the “insane theory” department. They already hang out with Vivi a lot, and she kinda seems like the only one who respects Kennedy’s opinions on most things :v

Alternatively, it’s possible Kennedy sees theorizing alongside her to be a great benefit, which is entirely possible and would be kinda funny lol.

[Cass’ defense] Y’know, it’s kinda a shame she’s saying all this when she’s already dead in CH1. Someone who’s laid out the evidence of why they wouldn’t be the mm would have been nice to have for mm speculation, but she’s dead so it’s kinda moot :p

“Kennedy: Because you could still be the mastermind. Anyone else could be, too. That wasn’t actually what I was after today. 

Cass: Then what were you after?

Kennedy: You.” Ayo?! What is this ship that’s sailing?! /j

“Kennedy: Having allies to theorize with is important. You can only cover so much ground through your own investigations, and more ideas means you have a better chance of catching the truth. But, to theorize with an ally, you have to trust them.” You know, this little insight into Kennedy’s theorizing process is kinda making me appreciate the foils between Aidan and Kennedy more than I already did before lol. They kinda have opposite views in what bringing different people into an investigation helps with, and that’s cool.

Aidan, being a Contrarian and all, values different perspectives on familiar ideas. Revising theories with fresh sets of eyes helps see the flaws in them and the possible alternatives to certain solutions. However, presumably due in large part to his general disinterest in life, he lacks the natural curiosity of Kennedy, which limits the amount of questions he can actually answer, as there’s many he wouldn’t even think to ask. Sometimes, for example, discarding a path of investigation due to lack of evidence could be a problem if it’s discarded prematurely, such that he could struggle to fit new evidence into theories he’d previously discarded as a result.

For their part, Kennedy values the ideas of the people he brings in, as opposed to their perspectives. She appreciates when people bring up new avenues of investigation and possibilities to explore, but she also tends to jump to her own conclusions on said possibilities without questioning them as much as Aidan. This ends up with him investigating a bunch of random stuff that Aidan would dismiss due to lack of evidence, and him generally saying a bunch of insane shit, but never discarding any possibilities has its own benefits.

Obviously, that’s not to say that Aidan doesn’t value other people’s ideas and that Kennedy can’t be swayed by other people’s perspectives, the difference is only in what they prioritize.

I think. I could be horribly wrong about this lol :v

This one was really cool! Loved seeing Cass’ thought process now that they’ve been confirmed as a secret agent, it was a lot of fun and she’s great :D

[Antonia & Mark] Wait there’s a fourth one??? And it has Antonia in it??? This is the best day of my life :D

Also I don’t remember if I sent this one lol. Like this isn’t a bit about Mark and amnesia; I know I sent in an Antonia pairing (well, two; I know I sent in Antonia-Vanessa and another one with Antonia (don’t judge me I’m sad she’s gone :()), I just don’t remember who it was with, but it may have been Mark! In any case, I really like this, excited to see where it goes :D

“With my main investigation wrapped up, I’m sort of at a loss for what to do before the Trial starts. Shouldn’t it have ended by now…?” Oh shit mid-investigation??? Shit goes crazy.

“By the time I return to the Upper Common Room, Antonia and Vanessa are the only two still there.” …Three person Bonus Scene? I’d be down. Not sure if that’s allowed though xD

“Huh. How did everyone miss the box the first time they came down to the Dining Hall? It’s sort of big to be non apparent…” Hmm… I wonder.

“Antonia looks to Vanessa, who still looks pretty shaken up. She then stands up and walks over to me.” Ah, so this is how we make it be a “Mark & Antonia” scene instead of throwing a third character there xD

“Has she been with Vanessa the whole time? I guess it’s not the weirdest thing in the world, but I would’ve thought she’d be the type to investigate. Shouldn’t she be worried about losing the Trial? Shouldn’t they both be…?” Officially adding Mark to the list of chronic overthinkers, alongside literally half the cast. They’re fucking insane I love them xD

“Mark: How did you know to search this room more thoroughly?

Antonia: Well, we were the only group to come to the Fourth Floor. Once we arrived, there was nowhere else to travel to, so we simply looked around in place.” Hey future me, please recheck who actually found the box because I don’t remember if it was Antonia or Vanessa. Either way Antonia’s defense holds, but I’m curious as to whether or not Mark’s reasoning could have held any water. {Hey past me! It was Vanessa, Mark would have been wrong to assume anything based on the finder of the box}

“Antonia: Hmm. I would have supposed the killer could have kept any critical evidence in their room.

Mark: Even so, it’s probably better to give evidence that can’t pinpoint a culprit. If we found no evidence at all, we might start demanding to open each others’ rooms in search of where everything went. 

Antonia: Would Monoquin allow that?

Mark: Does it matter? If you’re the only one who won’t open your door to clear your name, it’s about as bad as getting caught with evidence.” Really good points, I wonder if that was Antonia’s exact thought process. Intentionally throwing in too much evidence so that there’s no time for the finer details is a hell of a strategy when you’re not sure how long investigations are, though.

“Antonia: You certainly seem to have your opinions on this killer’s logic.

Mark: Isn’t that the point of the Class Trial?

Antonia: I suppose so. It’s just… interesting, that’s all.” Genuinely wondering what the fuck Antonia meant by that.

“Antonia: Well, I do believe our killer wouldn’t be a first-time murderer.” … Uh… Hey guys I have a theory on what Antonia’s secret she was keeping from Cass is-

It’s a valid point, to be fair, I’m just worried about the implications that arise from it being Antonia specifically who comes to this conclusion xD

“Antonia: Well, with all of our other pursuits, do you really believe someone would kill just for the thrill of it? If we’ve all achieved great things, it stands to reason that whoever committed such a crime in the past would be doing so for a dedicated goal. Thus, killing would become a sacrifice to further that goal.” Okay so is she actually projecting her own situation on the hypothetical killer to seem useful without actually contributing to the trial (which is very smart btw) or is she trying some other strat? What…?

“Antonia: Is there much of a difference between a second murder and a hundredth? You’re already a murderer either way.

Mark: It definitely matters to the people that died… 

Antonia: Does it? It’s not as though Cassidy is still thinking enough to protest what happened to them.” Okay. What the fuck??? She’s actually out of her fucking mind??? It’s awesome??? I love her??? Also yeah I’m starting to get why Antonia was so insanely quick to jump to murder if this is really her backstory disguised as a hypothetical xD

“Antonia: We’re simply speculating as to the killer’s mindset, aren’t we? To better understand how someone willing to take a life– no, multiple lives– might think of the world. Disregard my opinion if you’d like, but I’ve listened to many people talk, criminal and otherwise. 

Mark: …Right. But–“ Is that it? Antonia’s just heard a bunch of insane people and knows how to replicate their thought processes? Or is it her actual thought process? I could kinda see both, honestly. I wonder if we’ll ever get a concrete answer as to what secret Antonia was actually hiding later, whether I’m overthinking this Bonus Scene or not :p

In any case, I got to see Antonia being cold as hell one last time, so I’m happy :’)

Also I just remembered. Hey Vanessa heard literally all that without reaction… and just never brought it up? Hilarious lol.

-

What lovely Bonus Scenes! Lots of very interesting pairings and conversations! I’m extremely excited for CH2, see y’all then! :D

[cheesecakeluvrs]

One Piece live action SaNami analysis

So first off I loved the Opla! I liked how they didn’t stay completely true to the manga and stretched out a bit. Some of the changes I did like, like the stuff they did with the Baratie but I didn’t like a whole bunch of the stuff that they did to Nami’s past and Cocoyashi village. Also normally I’m not a big Koby fan but this actually made me like him. When it came to shipping they definitely delivered, there was obviously Usopp and Kaya but we also got some good Nami and Zoro stuff, even though I don’t ship them I still think it was nice. Overall I think it’s a little over hyped for the time being but still a great watch.

Ok onto SaNami

So Sanji wasn’t in a whole lot of it and they also cut out some parts that had good sanami scenes but I want to specifically talk about 4 scenes.

So first off is the scene that they meet and where Sanji flirts with her. This was super funny (especially Luffy getting milk) but I want to talk mainly after when they are teasing her. So after Sanji leaves they are all teasing Nami about how Sanji treated her but Usopp also makes a joke saying “ooh Nami’s got a boyfriend”. Which I know per usual I’m looking too much into the sanami stuff but I feel like they could’ve also had them just making fun of Sanji but no, they had them joke at them being romantic partners. I don’t think it’s suggesting anything, I just think it’s funny how they went that direction.

This next one is the one I found the most interesting. So after Nami finds out about Arlong being at the Baratie she goes to where Sanji is? Was she talking to him about it? I don’t think this is the case because he looked shocked and immediately started to go over there once he found out that the Baratie was in trouble but she also just could’ve told him everything but that? I may be just misunderstanding this scene but why did she go in there first instead of just going straight to Luffy? Were they talking? Who knows

The next two will be less analytical but poor Sanji :( he just wanted a hug. This is probably just because she doesn’t know Sanji very well yet but I hope if they make a season two (which with the success of this first one Netflix will probably push for it but I don’t know if Oda will approve) then they will explore Sanji and Nami’s relationship more and how he turns into the protector we know today.

And lastly is the scene we saw in the One Piece inside the story but sadly we didn’t get the full body version, just them zoomed in. More of Sanji and Nami being touchy, typical.

Overall we didn’t get a lot of sanami but I was happy with what we got and I think if they make another season we’ll be getting a lot more because they’re exploring the relationships between the strawhats a lot more. I believe that a second season may reveal what Oda is trying to do with Sanji and Nami.

[defectivegembrain]

Tell your favorite and least favorite episode of community and why? If you want. No pressure.

Ooh yes I do want to thanks :D

I have two favourite episodes actually, for very different reasons:

My favourite for comedic reasons is Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design. It's just so silly and good for relaxing tbh because the drama is too silly to get upset about! Professor Professorson gets me every time lol 😂 Also, Troy and Abed get to have such a nice time ^_^

My favourite for more personal emotional reasons is Virtual Systems Analysis. It's an amazing exploration of autistic loneliness and alienation. Which also makes it hard to watch of course, but yeah. Have to be in the right frame of mind to actually watch it, but it is very dear to me.

My least favourite episode is Bondage and Beta Male Sexuality, because of Hickey being so awful to Abed, and the narrative feeling like it excuses and even supports him to a certain extent. It's treated like a two way altercation with equal amounts of wrong done, when it is in fact Abed making an honest mistake and being held captive by a guy with quite a lot of power over him! I'm also not really a fan of the stuff with Duncan, I don't think it's funny when he's creepy to Britta, and it felt kinda like we were supposed to think it was sweet or whatever when he ultimately didn't take advantage of her. Like, congratulations on basic human decency. I do remember enjoying Chang's plot in that episode though, but not worth it.

[inksandpensblog]

The Box

I'm finally watching the episode! These are my stream-of-consciousness thoughts through my initial viewing. This isn't thought-out refined analysis, these are just the thoughts as I have them the moment they appear in my head.

They're getting better at the 3d running/walking animation.

Green being the one to notice details, like in The Village.

Civilization!

Green only drew one but then he just has three more? Cartoon magic or stickfigure magic? Or just saving time on a meta level.

This looks like a nice little toh that's a white-filled head, they're ALL white-filled heads (all look like freehanded circles though)

For a given value of "white," I guess, but they're all very light colors. And they all have head accessories. Interesting...

Okay it's kinda funny that nobody would talk to them and the truck is right there. Did they think the color quartet were giving handouts or something? None of them stopped to listen long enough XD

Ooh, so these are some kind of simulation chambers? Looks like they've simulated a desktop art program.

Hmm, so Orange's ability to just have whatever he wants manifest into existence with the stroke of a pencil is unique to him; these guys try the same motions and all they get are regular lines. (Also if Orange can do all that outside then why are they doing these experiments in the simulation chamber? Is it just for safety or can they not do it outside? Shady could use his toolbar outside just fine...)

Orange's drawings were alive, almost from the first line it seems. Before they even took their shape. These ones aren't.

I don't like how coldly they're treating my boy :(

you.

and then they don't even interact?? okay, so...Victim is pretty single-mindedly focused on whatever is about to happen with Chosen, and whatever it is doesn't involve Orange so Orange is irrelevant to him rn. Why bind him then? Where's he going? :(

he went in. by himself. I'm...not sure how to feel about that. surprised? it's not like the thing had a door. though looking at that control-display, it does look like there's something within the chamber itself that's also containing Chosen. Or is that just the bounding box? I think it's a bounding box actually. So this is also a simulation chamber. (this is giving me all sorts of questions about how the artboard recognizes the toolbar icons as graphics while the tools still retain their functions as tools and I'm gonna stop before I spiral)

oh, it did have a door

WAITAMINUTE why is Victim's bounding box 2d and Chosen's 3d???

...oh. so...Chosen's fire registers as a separate graphic from him, then. good to know??

wait what the- just altering the visual is enough to affect his ability in producing that power??

why did we just cut to the hunter sharpening their spear? don't like that. not while you're stealing all my boy's natural defenses.

that one lingering second after Chosen's lasers die out but before he turns around to face Victim is haunting. Bro's been trapped and depowered again.

Okay nitpick but Victim's head isn't changing shape every frame and it's driving me up the wall. Did he have some work done between the last installment and this one?

I can't tell if I'm supposed to laugh or not at Chosen just standing there and tanking all of Victim's hits, and honestly I like that I can't tell, the dissonance is fun. But putting that aside...Chosen just let the dude have at him like it was no big deal. He didn't actually fight back until he decided he'd had enough. I suppose he could've just been confused about why this guy was attacking him...but he doesn't even block or dodge. He doesn't defend himself, his hands aren't even up, he's not even really in a fighting stance, and it takes him a bit to even retaliate. Even after the first one, his body language is just "bruh why." Which. Is an interesting attitude to have when he's trapped and depowered and being punched by a stranger.

Chosen finally counters, and it cuts to the control panel outside, looks like they're about to raise some setting. I've gotta take a break for a meeting, here's my thought: Victim never left the art program, in AvA1. In a very literal sense, he spent his whole life in it. It's where he found all the things that enabled him to fight back. In a weird way, it makes sense that this is where he's powerful, that this is where he's comfortable fighting. (and I know my personal headcanons are about to get blown outta the water but I'm really glad that I was on the right track in regard to this idea. though something I hadn't ever imagined was that he'd rely on other people to supply those advantages instead of obtaining them himself)

Meeting over, back to the episode! (I wonder if the title of this episode refers to the white chamber Chosen is in or the actual bounding box. Given that the mere appearance of a bounding box in Wanted was enough for many of us to clue in to Victim's involvement, even before he appeared in-person at the end of the episode, I'm leaning that direction. Amazing that it only happened once in the series before Wanted and it was already enough of a legacy to make him recognizable. I'm now realizing that in AvA2 the first thing Chosen did even before attacking the cursor was destroy the bounding box. Also realizing that the bounding boxes in this chamber aren't visible, unlike in the test-chambers in the previous scenes.)

interesting...each of Vicitm's limbs are separate graphics with their own bounding boxes, which is how they looked in the Bloop animation course that Alan made, but it isn't how he was in AvA1. Though he was recognized as a single graphic just a few scenes ago, so that might not mean anything.

why, stop, dude we get it you're strong now you've proved your point stop beating him up-

oh good Chosen's still got his own strength, he's fighting ba- what- okay what, can't take what you dish out??

Ooh, I don't think we've seen Chosen actually throw fire like that (instead of just blasting and halting blasts) since the early episodes.

okay, nice to know that Victim actually can dodge on his own

...don't like how little time it took Chosen to start feeling exhaustion...

...don't like how much trepidation the lasso is giving me. that feels like one of the crueler things to use against Chosen; not because we've seen it used against him before (only Victim and Orange have used it themselves, and only Victim has had it used against him, and good grief Orange and Chosen still don't know how Victim is connected to Alan-) but just because...I really don't want him bound and leashed again, he's been through enough of that. still, I had predicted that we'd see him using the lasso at some point in AvA6. I'm not happy I was right. (man, back before we knew Victim would make a proper return to the series I used to love the idea of him using it again. it's like the clearest example of him outwitting the animator and taking his tools for his own use.)

NOT THE NECK- they've never gone there, I don't like this-

oh what they actually- I was not expecting that. whips haven't appeared in the series before. oh I really don't like this.

God he's crawling back- why-

I had to pause. either the group outside just did something with the controls that Victim wasn't anticipating, or...Chosen felt threatened enough to turn his powers on himself and encase himself in ice as a defense. fuck. someone get him out of there. no flight, can't fight, man was pushed far enough he literally resorted to freeze. The Chosen One. I don't think that's ever happened before.

Fuck, that's just too much, I can't even bring myself to feel excited about seeing the duplicates again. though it is good to know that my headcanon about him needing to be in an art program in order to duplicate himself ended up being accurate. we'll see if my headcanon about it being one Victim with five bodies (as opposed to being five Victims) holds up. if they even have a way to show any difference.

[sighs, pulls AvA1 up in another tab] yep, they're all there. lasso, hammer, extended thumbtack (though it doesn't look like a thumbtack here, which is interesting), whatever that chain-accordion thing is, and the ninja star. why are you doing this? man literally froze himself immobile to get you to stop torturing him, just leave him be.

...haHAHAHA! Oh that felt good, that made me smile. Hopefully this means Chosen has recuperated a bit.

the animation of Victim on fire was so nice I completely missed Chosen breaking the ice XD going back to catch that made me realize that the other Victim duplicates literally just...stood and watched the one burning...

don't let yourself get backed into a corner-

OH he escaped the hold, nice-

I didn't realize until the lasso came back that he'd gotten rid of it when he broke the ice :( but before that he actually uses his fire-breath again, which is always nice to see. interesting to see it concentrated in a thin stream instead of just roaring out like usual.

oh yikes why- him on fire-

...don't do it, man...

OH HE OWNED THAT, LET'S GO!!! Great thinking, Chosen! (heh, nothing about this situation remotely resembles that time Chosen grabbed the cursor and forced it to click him free, but I was reminded of it nonetheless. something about the tool being turned against the user, but in such a different way than Victim does it.)

OH HE- ...oh...I was gonna say oh he learned, he adapted enough that he predicted them flipping his fire and he used that- but then they just nullified it immediately...

Victim don't snap the rope like that, we don't need any more implications we already know you're planning to put him in a world of hurt, why can't you just leave him alone now, what are you trying to prove

hh, back to Orange I guess...

MATH SPOTTED, MATH SPOTTED-

oh! they're bringing him to the- okay that makes sense, if it only works when he does it then obviously the next step to figuring it out is gonna involve him.

wait was he- could he not move when the bounding box was picked up?? (also neat that he immediately got worried once he realized he's in a bounding box, dunno if that's because of what happened in the last episode or if it's just because...he spends a lot of time in an art program so he'd naturally be familiar with what they can do and what it means to be inside one)

...well, nice that they at least get his attention before picking him up

oh now you're being friendly, sure. yeah Orange ain't having it.

okay, [picks up pencil] [instant notetaking] was funny XD

aaw, it's swimming around him

oh it knows what the eraser means

...wait it wasn't an electric eel in the last episode-

hexagons- and the power flickered

okay Orange stumbling around trying to stay out of its way makes it clear that he isn't controlling this thing once he's finished drawing it, it's acting on its own. it...it really feels distressed.

hah, they're all cowering. losers.

oh, back to this.

...did you have to make it so personal, Victim?

a chair

...okay not sure why that happened, could Chosen not just...lean forward? I rewound to watch it again and realized he's exhausted again after the slow-mo ends (is that from the slow-mo itself or just his exertion from the fight before the slow-mo?) and he...doesn't even struggle when Victim lifts him by hand with a lasso to the neck. is...is he just ragdolling now? is he at the point where that's his best option for minimizing conflict?

...he is. he's ragdolling. fuck. (damn you cc!Alan for introducing ragdolling in a comedic short-)

...no? no what?? no, he doesn't know anything about the animator? (which we know isn't true, but why would he deny that?) or no, he isn't going to answer?

don't tie him up, please...

oh now he starts struggling?

...back to ragdolling. good grief, the way they animate his legs just swinging even though they can still touch the floor...

...heh, I appreciate his spirit, especially at this point, but...Chosen you kinda just put yourself in a worse position.

...oh, what is that? I don't think we've seen anything like that before. It's got the floppy disk that's used as the "save" icon in many applications, but it looks kinda like a headset.

...a VR headset specifically, I guess.

OH WHAT- okay rad animation, but WHAT

...oh fuck, I've always wondered if there was a way to see the data that would be a stick's memory. FUCK what are they gonna use this for

wait they're bring Orange here?! Or are they just passing on their way back to the cell? but why are they going back to the cell, was the eel too much for them??

...wait, what? signal lost, I assume because Chosen dislodged it enough to disconnect, and then...instead of picking up where it left off it jumps all the way back to Showdown?? was...was Showdown just on Chosen's mind? or is this the memory of him recalling it right before flying to alanspc to entreat Orange's aid? ...or...are memories from beyond the sky-barrier not compatible? that doesn't make sense...

what's with everyone's reactions to Second's powers?

...I forgot Orange's cell is in here. whoops.

oh this is how he finds out??

hands first ("I did that??") and then his eyes ("Chosen was right??")

...and of course. I expected they'd lock him down with extra security as soon as they realized, but. poor guy.

(dammit I purposefully refrained from making a "dark mode" joke, you didn't have to go and put it on the damn control screen)

...and even after that (which, judging by Victim's reaction, even he hadn't known about Second's powers), the animator is still Victim's priority.

oh, this isn't just any clip of the cursor's involvement in Showdown, this is specifically while Yellow was rendering the cursor in.

and then they immediately pan to Yellow which means that observation is actually gonna be relevant, FUCK-

OH FUCK THE WANTED POSTERS

("earnings growth," so they actually do have a business element to them)

aaand the security cameras caught them peeking out of the truck, they literally just started printing the posters and they've already located Yellow-

that fight is mesmerizing. we haven't seen one like this before, as far as direction and setting. plus it's really interesting to see how the four respond. I might look deeper into that later. also that was a cool transition.

and Yellow is dragged off. The story has never had one of the quartet singled out in-universe by the plot like this before. they aren't even apprehending the others.

...of all the sticks to have a lighter, I never thought it would be Victim.

to be continued. good grief.

I have to eat before work so I'll think on all this and say more later.

[laylawatermelon]

Heartstopper Full Series Thoughts after each ep 😊

Spoilers below !! 👇🏾

Preface: my queer little heart adores this show and the ace rep in there!

After watching or TLDR: As a pan ace person inject this straight into my being as it's the queer rep we need and also a blessing to my eyes and heart every time.

I loved everything about it. The rest of the stuff down there is just my funny thoughts and a bit of philosophy and film analysis.

Ep 1

Ah yes my pan heart adores this show. Yasmin my heart beats for you endlessly. Tao..... U got it bro 🥲

The i love you scene is the sweetest thing I've ever seen.... I love love 😭😭

I hate crying to this show (hormones don't help 😭😭😭)

Tara and Darcy always love their storylines and complexities. Also their communication skills!

Ep 1 done!

Ep 2

Teehee the imagination scenes....

Ooh the i love yous

And the nick anxiety....

The title card was ominous

The color grading is beautiful though

Ah yes teenager angst

Also the co-parenting on tori???

Aw the little hesitancy from nick i get that babes 🥹

Eeee the teachers (lmao the cliche of teachers dating each other)

That tiny grandma car is insane

Rachel chinouriri!!!!!

Why's Tara upset about great grades ?

Awee nick and his little cousins

Ugh these imagination scenes are killing me

Ooh not the selfie

Ugh the aroace (and charlie and the food 😭)

I love the use of music in this series

Nick that's very specific (she's a psychiatrist she's gonna find out)

Darcy always speaking her mind i love it

😭😭😭Tori

Now you gonna put the straights on my screen 😤 (lmao very jk)

I love Elle's hair (not what I'm supposed to be focused on 🤣🤣)

Oh lawd Isaac

Lmao tori (her: i don't got time to learn them kids names)

I love Isaac's honesty and i just love Isaac

Platonic love for the win !!!

Oh i thought he was watching something savory 😏 but it's the same colors as the diagnosis website 😟

Twas right

Eheh something else

Smt lmaooo it wasn't savory time actually

Ohh the anxiety behind being left behind makes sense with tao

Communication 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

This couple pleases my eyes

I LOVE YOU RAHHHHHH

A gay person like me shouldn't be this happy i feel like im going to burst (rahhhhhh)

🌈🌈🌈

Charlie 😭😭😭

CHARLIE 😭😭😭😭😭

Nick you're probably worrying your aunt

Jeez kit and 16 year old in the same sentence made me giggle a bit (i just realized he's like 2 years younger than me 😭😭😭😭 i feel ancient)

Tara's nails are really pretty

I love his aunt + the message given

Ep 2 done!

Gotta get into the soundtrack as always!

Ep 3

I get it now... This show has the classic teen movie intros that's what makes it so special

Kit/Nick is just massive

Don't think Tara wants to have extra responsibility ?

Yay more queers !!! Always good to see the fam (Elle's crew)

Oooh secret relationship with the teachers ahhhhhhh

Yay more gays!

The coach 😂😂😂

Ugh. Hi. Hi. Aghhhhhh !!!

Ugh homophobia 🙄

Oop thought they were gonna get in trouble with the teachers

Ooooh (this is how to win a time war bigolas iykyk)

Oohh Charlie like mmmm clock it

Ugh the bullying was horrible and it did big damage to his mental health 😭

Ewwww they said i love each other 😊😊😊😊😊

Lmao Tori

His jumper is really nice i want it 🤗

Hooray animals (zoos are ehhhh though)

Is Darcy nonbinary? (I don't think she was in the comic but i might be misremembering)

Oooh Isaac babes this isn't the right time 😔

Oop charlie snapping

Tao and isaac are both immature i love it (like siblings)

Tao is like okaaayyy i see ittt

Lmao sahar and imogen

Coming out scene ! Aw the cute am i gay quiz (i failed every one i took by the way)

Ohh tao caught on 😟

The i love yous are killing me

Lmao i give you the gift of your clothes back 🤣🤣

Ughh he got the cute jumper i love (the pink it calls to me!)

The ILOVEYOU !!! (im sorry I'm obsessed)

I love the communication 💕 I'm also sobbing 😭😭😭

Tori 😭😭😭

Ep 3 done!

They did a really good job with the scene at the end and talking about mental health

Also i could relate to charlie a bit with the control thing and repeating thoughts/ocd intrusive (im good though! It's really mild and barely appears unless stressed or something)

Ep 4 start!

Yeah journaling!

The bi and lesbian unite!

Ugh Charlie 😭😭😭

The trees growing out of the corner is beautiful

Not this song 😭😭😭😭

Nick was so good 😭😭😭😭

Oh lawd boutta crash a car

Awww his friend are so cute

Ugh Tara's nails are iconic

Oooh say CAAAPPP (tain America ) 🎶caaaappp🎶

Is that Billie eilish i hear ?

Is Nick okay ???

Lmao sahar and imogen?????

This party is hilarious

I thought Tara was gonna be the one to help but it's interesting that it's tao

Awwww this is so sweet

Lmao the anger to marvel is hilarious (says Agatha all along actor)

Ocd + repeating thoughts (could relate)

Nick needs therapy too a little😔

Oh they're both journaling

I love the positive and normal rep of mental illness

Lmaoo Tori loves Nick 🤣🤣🤣 he has no idea (now that i think about it he's the only name she remembers)

I love the friendship and platonic love they emphasize

Aweeeee when they see each other is so 😭😭😭😭

Oh Isaac 😭 lmaoo messssyyyyyy

Ooh they darcy ! Shall be referring to them as such

I love the filming format

Yeah lmaooo messy taoooo

The huggggg!!

Love the mental health talks and everything

Christmas 👹 I LOVE CHRISTMAS

My babiessssssss back together again

I love the way that media depicts everyday life and can help people understand situations that may never encounter. Also the set design and lighting in this show are to top tier.

All hail queer works for having beautiful cinematography to display emotions and stuff. (Eg my beautiful man - eternal the movie especially, gameboys and sleep with me -ph short series)

Some suggestions (i should really do my queer works suggestions again im on the hunt for so much of them)

But anyways

Ep 5 lets go!!

Are we getting more Tori?

Lmao the bad tasting turkey

Hmm switch sponsorship goes crazy

Jeez

Is Oliver (former brother) now a cousin or something?

Lmao the gay question

Is that David????

Ugh

Ooop Nick cussing?

Ugh a front row seat to flirting in the group chat 🤣🤣

Sahar and imogen 😁😁😁😁

Ahhh tao and elleeeee

Oh tao and elle 😔

Omg the ignorance

Poor Tori 😭😭

Music is immaculate as always

Ohhhh whole family was there when they kissed (that's how he met them???)

Ohhhh okayyyy charlie and nic Nick hehehehe

The dawgggg

Lmao tao

😭😭😭😭 elle and tao are so 😭😭😭

Communication!!!!!!!

The dawgggg (again!)

Viral Queen elle

Aww Sahara 😔

Not rush (by troye sivan) In the bg show is queer all the way through 🙂‍↕️

Tai and elle the goofy couple that matches each other weird love it

Tao thinking about something else 😏

I love that she has another trans girl to talk to as she gets out

Jesus this guy -

Ahhhh the guy uhhh solitare ????

Tara's style is always amazing

Imogen and sahara !!! Vindication!!!!

Okay taoooooo elleeeee

I believe in love again after that kiss

I understand both Tori and Charlie with the argument they had. I just really feel bad for Tori.

I love the fact they talked about being trans and navigating sexual intimacy and things. It's so great. And that they have more than one platonic friend who's queer like them (elle has a trans girl friend, and Darcy talking to the other trans guy about exploring identity and gender affirming things to do and how it's supposed to be fun)

Ep 5 done!!

Ep 6 let's go!

Awww the rugby ladsss

Oh not cussing nickkkk ????

😔

Ooop okay plenty energy 🤣🤣

Trauma. Mhmm makes sense

This title card ain't looking too good

Elle's so talented

Ooh drummer boyfriend and the jock

Every time they kiss in school i have trauma

Lmao tao and Isaac so immature i love itt

Oh the mirror scene 😔

Lmaoo imogen diss

Nick please help the oblivious imogen

The cake is cute 🤗

Oh it's Michael he's so cute and awkward

I love the energy of all the core three being weird together

Aweeeee imogen and sahar 😞 but it's cute the conclusion they came to

Yeahhh oliviaaaa !! (soundtrack slaps)

I suspected the tara thing with pressure

Lmao he's a clingy drunk

I can't breathe - the tension -

I don't wanna be this person but ik their breath smell like hot garbage

Tori and Michael

Lmao Elle's dad

I don't know how i feel about this radio show

🤣🤣🤣 all of a sudden Nick gets it

Girl wtf are you talking and asking about ???

More thoughts about the whole thing at the bottom summary - i had to take a break cause 😤-

I took like 30 mins 😔

Lol nick getsss ittt

Oh no the body thing lmao mom is like no canoodling of any sense in my house

Oooh i want you that's craaaaazy

Doc said protection pleassee

Its a great message but my mind is like you WILL have confidence to bone your boyfriend and that in itself is beautiful 🙂‍↕️

This show gives me whiplash. Please give me a break. Sad. Sexy. Sad. Sexy. Extra sad. More sad.

I think I forget the ages the character represent and to get that whiplash into how messed up they use kids who just want to be themselves as talking points and not actually seeing them as people.

It brings up a really good point of how differences in queerness (or anything labeled as other) is no longer about individuals who exist but rather an idea to be imposed in them. But no more philosophy! Time for

Ep 7! Yay

Kit has the 'doe eyes in love' on lock beautiful performance

Nick ain't thinking bout nothing but that bodayyyy 🤣🤣🤣

Also Tara looks so at peace with dance

I love Tara and Nick's relationship 🤗

The journaling agenda

Omgggggg

Ooh Nick okayyyyy

Okay tao with the wisdom ew to the cucumber

Oh no now she's thinking about the politics

Let people liveeee pleasee

Nick said i been waiting on this !!!

Lmao David the panic Nick had

The dogs 🥰

Darcyyyyyy that's crazy

I live that they're displaying queer sex, normalizing it and not shying away from it being a normal and not fetishizing it (esp cause they're young and teens in shows usually are unfortunately overly sexualized or it's not shown to be intimate/delicate but rather more... Idk)

The other trans characters supporting Elle because they get it 😭

Nick has shalala playing in his head all the time looking at Charlie

I sense neurodivergence in Micheal (lowkey Tori as well but streets seem conflicted in the verdict for her ...)

Lmaoo the outrage in at school from Nick

Nick asks lesbian about gay sex perfect

I'm gonna cry Tara and Darcy, and all the coming out scene in this show (healing my heart one ep at a time 😭😭) one day it'll be me or I'll just pop out in rainbow with my queer af shows + books and no shame 🤷🏾‍♀️

Charlie and his teen angst

I can kind of understand his mom but honestly if someone wants to do something they will find a way to do it (+she's lucky he even tells her some people may just be sneaky about it)

Tao and elle are relationship goals 😭😭😭😭

Oh no Nick's pressure/anxiety

I love communication in this show 💕

Ooop not the sitting okkaayy charlieeee

Lmao to the mom

Nick said i been waiting for this !!

Oopp jessuese ! Hands handsssss

To mum: 🤷🏾‍♀️ he warned you at least you know it

Twas beautiful 🥹

Now the final episode

Lets gooooo!

Ep 8

Haha why are we like this

Nick said baby i don't careeee let's practice rn 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Oop Nick said I'm looking it up

Oh Nick please talk to him about it

Lmao he dropped him off like here's your deflowered son back

Tori is laughing inside

Jeez i can't imagine coming back after that and then talking to your mum

I get where his mom's coming from

Flowerovloveeee!!!! Omg all my favorite artists are here

Ask me my music taste and it's just heartstopper soundtrack

Charlie and Nick are a mess

I love the lgbt squad in all their sections

Imogen omg is this a coming out scene ?? Comp het???? Another lesbian 😭😭😭 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Tara ain't feeling it

Nick is so embarrassed and them buying stuff i love it

The friendships are amazing in this show! I some think we see that enough displayed in teen/young adult shows

Awee the queer guide and his rugby boyfriend

The maturity in Charlie now 😭😭my baby

I love that Nick has his group

Tori is so happy

Ughhh the set design !!!!!

Lmao Michael is so cute

He's standing so awkwardly i love it

The siblings are so sweet (we need more of this in TV shows!!)

The song is so cute!

Lmao Nick dissing imogen

Nick needs to see he'll be okay without him

Nick please you're in public

The fair scene is so cute

Nick ain't thinking with his noggin at all for most the show🤣🤣🤣

They're gonna make me explode into a billion pieces of sadness and queer joy 😭😭

Ugh intimacy

End of ep 8???

What happened? It's just done 😟

Okay season 4 please love you Alice will be back with a dissertation or something. ✌🏾