#plot hole whack-a-mole

[knackfandomarchive]

Lucas looked down at the shoreline again. "Are we sure he's really gone?"

Knack stooped to peer over his shoulder, but there was nothing to see except rocks. He turned his head. "Do you want to look?"

Lucas made a face as though he tasted something bitter. "I —" he held the word in his mouth and slowly shook his head, "yes? Maybe? Not really," and then he huffed a sigh through his nose.

He slumped his shoulders. "No."

Knack waited a beat before asking, "is that your final answer?"

Lucas turned around and did a full-body shrug. "I don't know! Do you? Want to?"

Knack eased up into standing, buying time to think. He watched the churning water below as he did so. He brought up his hands in a marching position and said, "it wouldn't do us much good." Then made like he was going somewhere.

"Then why offer?" Lucas called after him, before hastening to catch up.

While Knack wasn’t running per se, his stride length was much longer than that of Lucas and he had a habit of walking briskly. So Lucas nearly had to sprint, not only to keep up but also to close the distance.

"Wait up!" Lucas shouted.

And Knack did, giving a salute of acknowledgement. "Sorry." He turned to look up at the control tower.

"Do you think," Lucas huffed, "Gundahar left his airship?"

"Hope so." Knack pointed up. "If we climb to the tippy top of the tower, we might be able to see the whole island from up there."

"And maybe we'll see Gundahar's hangar or ship!" Lucas added, getting excited. But then he sobered up and finished with: "that is if the Monks haven't gotten to it first."

[onlycosmere]

Revision Strategies

LansManDragon: I'm an aspiring fantasy author myself, and have been finding the revision aspect of my writing to be quite difficult too. I often get a little lost in the weeds, I think, when trying to juggle all the moving pieces myself.

Do you have any tips for revision strategies for beginner authors? I find when I focus on revising plot, I end up with issues with my thematic vision. And when I fix that, I get characterisation problems rearing their heads. And when they're sorted, I get tone or atmosphere pipes bursting. It often starts to feel like a game of whack a mole, where I'm running around desperately plugging holes with duct tape.

I feel like I have a good mind for feeling my way towards the nexus of these interrelated factors, but once I find that point, the changes I have to make often leave me feeling wholly dissatisfied with one aspect of the story or another.

The whole process feels like a war of attrition against my enthusiasm for a story sometimes. I love to write, and have solid discipline with my word count goals. I feel like I'm proficient at identifying which parts of my story aren't working, and also don't have any issues with make even fairly drastic changes when needed.

I guess the revision aspect just feels a little mentally exhausting? Seeing that so many different people come together to help edit your works is both daunting and inspiring.

Is there any videos or guidance you could recommend? Any words of advice? I'd love to be able to figure out some way to revise properly and not feel burnt out on it.

Brandon Sanderson:  So, here's a few things to keep in mind.

First, I didn't start with this many people. I started with just myself, and trying to learn. I do have a few tips for beginners.

First is this: try, if you can, to give yourself some space to write something else between revisions. I find that for me, two drafts at a time is best. Rough draft, followed by a 2.0 revision immediately. From there, space--write something else, and give the book a rest.

The whack a mole you describe is the growing pains of becoming a better writer. It's actually a good sign, as you're aware of all of these things. I suggest viewing the revision process like carving a sculpture from a block of stone. Start with the big picture, the general shape.

When you approach a revision, try to identify the big problems--the character issues, the plot problems, the issues with theme and tone. Fix those first. Give the book to people, get notes, think about them. Do another revision on those.

That done, you can work on the medium level things. A chapter that feels rushed or slow. A problem with foreshadowing--too much or two little. Careful refinement.

Give the book a rest, then come back, read it again. Make any final tweaks to these things, then focus on prose. Refine the book again on a more granular level.

If you're getting good at identifying problems, and if you have good work ethic like you say, you'll be fine. Don't expect a given book to be fixed in one draft--but don't shoot for twenty, either. Do two. Get feedback. Do two. Get feedback. Refine, refine. Fix prose, and then let that be the end for that story--the best of your ability at this time.

[druidx]

argh!

every time I think I've figured out how to fix my timeline, a new plot hole opens up, like some kinda 'whack-a-mole' cartoon skit...

Once I figure it out it'll be amazing. But I'm also this 🤏️ close to saying fuckit and keeping it as it is...

[sunset-a-story]

Out here playing whack-a-mole except it's plot holes.

[mheiiiuiiu]

Unlikely Savior (Tobi with Looney Tunes logic)

So I fell in Naruto brainrot and I decided to watch some of the scenes of anime to remember who is who.

Then, Tobi decided to drop his whack-a-mole Jutsu before revealing his voice. That is the moment I know I need someone or myself to write the scene where Tobi the Orange Mask guy meets anyone from Looney Tunes. @kaylark told me the best option is Bugs Bunny, I agree cause I want to see less homicidal Orange Mask Dude but then I was thinking whether or not Bugs will be able to save Obito.

So both of us fell into this brainrot and it is an inescapable hole.

- Taz the Tasmanian Devil fell into some hole where reality met another reality cause of some plot and ended up drilling the boulder that fell into Obito cause he fell from above during the Kanabi Bridge.

- Bugs Bunny enters the Naruto world thanks to the plot and finds the dying Obito. Then, using the logic of fulcrum and Looney Tunes, Bugs manage to save Obito and lift the boulder.

- Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are running away from authorities because they are doing a heist and don't ask me why those two would be doing a heist. It just happened that the heist is somewhere in a museum and then they stumbled into a painting of Hi No Kuni Map. Then, using the power that bestowed on me as an author I will imagine those two enter the painting cause Looney Tunes Logic and then stumbled into dying Obito. Then, they use fulcrum and Looney Tunes Logic again to save the dying Obito.

So what happened after Obito is saved by the Looney Tunes character you asked?

Obviously annoying the whole Shinobi World by using the trick where they paint a cave and enter the said cave and then when the person who hunts them might not be a certain Hatake tried to use a paint cave, he failed to enter the cave. Obito will be thriving. He will learn Looney Tunes Jutsu and troll Hatake Kakashi.

----

Oh and the Looney Tunes Logic where they bend the shotgun.

Imagine Bugs Bunny grab someone's weapon, stretch it to a square and do some elaborate origami. Konan will be seething. This situation happened when Akatsuki/Madara tried to locate Obito at the Kanabi Bridge but let's use logic, a suspicious group trying to get dying teenager?

No way.

*Konan after getting trolled by Bugs Bunny*

Pain: Can someone (do some task but Pain can't cause he is crippled crippled) ?

Konan: Not now sweetie I'm going to trap that damn talking bunny this time

[precuredaily]

Precure Day 235

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! 37 - “Danger! Five de Chance! (Part 2)” Date watched: 18 March 2023 Original air date: 26 October 2008 Screenshots Precure Metamorphose Gallery | Sky Rose Translate Gallery Project info and master list of posts

It’s the final countdown!

When last we saw the girls, they were trapped in a devious game show concocted by Mucardia. They have to win ONE of the challenges presented to them, and it’s down to Urara and Karen. Can they beat the game and return to their daily lives, or will they lose the Rose Pact and be stuck in this dimension forever? LET’S DIG IN!

The Plot

The cold open is a recap of the last episode and rolls right into the opening theme.

Coco, Nuts, and Syrup have been watching the game on a monitor and try to break into the set, but are unsuccessful.

Urara volunteers to go next in the game. She admits to Karen that she really wants the trophy with everyone's names on it. This is the first time Karen has heard about the trophy. Mr. Magic simply scoffs at this.

Urara's challenge is to play Whack-A-Mole to the beat of her single Twintail Magic (hey kids, buy the CD). If she misses even one mole, she loses. Halfway through, one of the moles catches the mallet, then they all pop out at once and she loses. The moles then grow giant and give way to a Hoshiina, so Urara transforms. She tries to fight off the moles, but a hole opens up beneath her and she's captured.

Naturally, last up is Karen. Karen's challenge is a coin toss (of course). She is nervous because she knows she's bad at this, but accepts on the condition that she performs the toss and uses her own coin. Mr. Magic adds another condition that if she loses, he gets the Rose Pact. The others object to this, but Karen reluctantly agrees.

Karen tosses the coin, it flips for an eternity in slow motion, and everyone watches in suspense. In the split second before Karen covers it with her hand, Mr. Magic sees that the coin landed on tails. She takes a long time to decide what to call, so he suggests that he will call heads. Karen flashes back to the cheating in all the other games and decides to call heads for herself. This would be her loss, if not for what comes next.

Karen is afraid to uncover the coin, and stands there for a long time deliberating. Mr. Magic is annoyed and tries to pressure her into showing it. Eventually he grabs her hand and pulls it up, but the coin sticks to her palm. It then falls on the ground and spins on its edge for a moment before finally falling on Heads.

Mr. Magic tries to call for a redo, but Karen regains her composure and points out that nobody said the coin had to be read from her hand, just when it fell.

Since the villain has lost, the stage cracks and shatters. The captured Cures are freed, the fairies all break through the door to enter the world, and then Karen and Kurumi transform.

Everyone fights all the Hoshiina from the game for a while, until Mr. Magic causes them all to combine into a giant composite Hoshiina.

Nuts and Rose perform Milky Rose Metal Blizzard, dispensing of the Hoshiina.

Coco helps the Cures perform Rainbow Rose Explosion. Mr. Magic tries to block it with a wall made of the audience Hoshiinas, but it crushes them, and he teleports away before he can be destroyed himself.

The girls reappear in the main studio, and Karen says it was all their feelings together that let them win. A PA says that all contestants need to gather at the studio and they head towards it, with Karen asking not to do the coin toss.

Fast forward some time and the girls are watching the episode at Karen's house, showing that they won. It's revealed to be a recording and that they've watched it dozens of times now. Nozomi wants to see the trophy, Rin remarks it should be arriving soon.

Kurumi is shown chowing down on their year’s supply of chocolate, and she remarks to Syrup that she's fine with not having her name on the trophy, but her body language belies that she is sad. The trophy arrives and Karen ushers her over to reveal that they got Kurumi's name added as well. Jiiya says he pulled some strings, and the episode closes on a slow dolly out of everyone admiring the trophy.

The Analysis

What I LIked

Maeda Ai gives a particularly strong performance as Karen in this episode, especially during her inner monologue. She goes through epic highs and lows and you can really feel the weight of her decision.

Urara finally tells Karen out loud what they’re really competing for: the trophy, not just chocolate, and this is when it clicks for her why everyone is so dead-set on this game.

To spice things up a little, the way the games are twisted in this episode is different from the last one. Before, the cheating became apparent fairly immediately, but when Urara is playing whack-a-mole, it seems to be a regular game for just long enough to lull her and the audience into a sense of security. Then the mole grabs her mallet.

Mucardia’s attempt to psych Karen out in the coin toss was well done. He spoon feeds her the correct answer, knowing that she will think he’s cheating, and thereby tricks her into changing her bet to the wrong answer. She then agonizes over her choice for long enough, and Mucuardia’s impatience becomes his undoing when the coin lands on the ground, now on heads instead of tails.

The absolute irony of Mucardia calling Karen’s victory unfair is hilarious, as if he hasn’t rigged every single game to prevent the girls from having any chance at winning. Honor is not his strong point.

During the fight scene, each of the Cures is briefly ambushed by the Hoshiina that took them down, before another Cure saves them. It’s a great visual manifestation of the central theme of the show, being stronger together than alone, and making up for each other’s shortcomings.

Karen is at her peak in these two episodes. Sure, it’s not about her aspiring medical career, but rather it’s about her root character trait that’s been present since her first appearance: her desire to help her friends and those she cares about. When the weight of the world falls on her shoulders, she finds the strength to rise to the challenge. She finally understands what’s at stake in the real game of Five de Chance, and why everyone wants to compete on it with her, so more than protecting the Rose Pact and the Cure Rose Garden, now she’s competing for the sake of her actual friendship.

Kurumi, and previously Milk, has always stood out from the other members of the team. She’s friends with them, she fights with them, but she isn’t strictly speaking a part of Precure, and she doesn’t have the same relationship they have with each other. Giving up her spot to Karen represents this, and it’s reflected again in her attitude at the end. She lowkey wishes it were her name on the trophy, but she recognizes that the other five have a closer bond than they do with her. To turn that around and find out that they actually value her enough that they got her name on the trophy ANYWAY speaks to the closeness of their relationship after all.

What I Didn’t Like

Again, only the smallest of notes, but the fake out ending when everyone is running to the real set of Five de Chance after escaping Mucardia’s dimension is odd. There’s a freeze frame and I wrote in my notes that it was the end, and then the episode keeps going with the scene set in Karen’s house.

I also wish we’d seen a little bit of the actual Five de Chance competition.

Unlike the previous episode, there are no dramatic mural still shots before Urara, Karen, or Kurumi transform.

Miscellaneous

It’s not entirely clear what kind of cheat Mucardia was planning to do with Karen. He offered up his own coin, which was a Hoshiina, so perhaps it would have fallen the way he wanted, or jumped around and reversed itself if it landed on the wrong side.

Ordinarily in a coin toss you’d place your bet before the coin gets thrown, but here they wait until it’s landed and Karen covers it to make their calls, which is how Mucardia is able to influence the bet.

Much like Bunbee in episode 35, Mucardia directly calls out the start of the commercial break. It’s a bit less fourth wall breaking than when Bunbee did it, because they’re on a game show.

Apparently Mucardia isn’t in complete control of the world, because if he was then I can’t imagine why he’d just let it crumble around him after losing.

Since it’s a direct continuation of the previous episode, it’s naturally the second episode in a row where Milk appears in her fairy form.

As in episode 35, both Milky Rose Metal Blizzard and Rainbow Rose Explosion are used in this episode.

Once again, to pad time, Urara, Karen, and Kurumi’s full transformations are played, and the team finally gets their full role call.

Conclusion

Much like the previous episode, it’s great from start to finish. There are fewer gags, because there’s more tension, but the drama and emotion are at their peak. Karen’s anguish is beautifully realized with some dramatic lighting and an internal monologue. The villain seems to have won. And then….. It turns around, and the audience is rewarded with the culmination of everything that happened in the two-parter. It’s the perfect tribute to the girls’ friendship and a reminder of what’s at stake on the human level. Mucardia also showed what he’s really capable of, and what his major pitfall is: he gets caught up in presentation and loses sight of achieving the goal. Now that his veneer of confidence is cracked, it will be fun to see what he tries next. We’re moving into the show’s endgame, so every episode counts, and these last two were some of the best the series has to offer.

Next time on Precure Daily, it’s a double whammy! The girls go to a concert and find themselves face to face with their fellow Precures, and then in the main event they have to find out why the monarchy is acting strange in the Land of Sweets. Look forward to it!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 0 kettei

[narastories]

Hi! For the Salty Ask List, how about 11, 27, and dealer's choice if you'd like - by that I mean answer the question you most reblogged the List hoping to answer lol. Outlander or Dresden Files, unless there is another series or media you're just dying to talk about 😊😘

Heey :) You know what? I think I'll answer this one with Outlander, it's fitting the questions ^^"

11. Is there an unpopular character you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

BJR, for sure. I think out of all the villains I ever latched onto he's the most hated by their fandom. Obviously, I know people who love him and we've both written fic with him but if you look him up you'll just naturally run into people foaming at the mouth xD And it's sort of warranted, but still... If you have a character like that with a plot written *like that* don't be surprised that some people will be into it. I think he's wonderfully complex and fun to explore in fic, but I also accept that he's a walking red flag.

Alternatively: Frank. With him, the hate is really disproportionate to what the actual character had done. I'm taking Frank Randall away from the fandom until everyone learns to appreciate him like they should :P

27. Least shippable character?

This is going to be mean.

But this is supposed to be salty. Right?

Claire.

Yeah, yeah. It sounds strange. The canon revolves around a ship containing her. We've also written alternate ships, it's not impossible. There are tons of fic but hear me out: for a protagonist, she's extremely hard to put into an interesting ship. Usually, the protagonist is the *most* shippable character and she's... Canon is, well, there. And then you can get creative in fic but then you're going to play whack-a-mole with her questionable traits and illogical life choices and constantly need to patch up the plot holes and make it work somehow. She's just. Frustrating.

For once I actually wasn't hoping to get any particular question so I picked one that fits the Outlander theme.

Bonus: 10. Most disliked arc? Why?

Bees. BEEEEEEES. The fucking Bees.

I've talked about this a lot, but it doesn't change the fact that there isn't a single arc, plot, or even just MCD that turned me off so much and so violently as that book. I still haven't read more than a few chapters btw. From time to time I'll think oh maybe I should read it properly, just on principle. And there's Willie and wouldn't I want to at least read Percy's and John's scenes fully? Potential for fix-its? But then every single time I come to the conclusion that it would be a waste of precious time to do so.

Maybe I could give the audiobook a go and just zone out while I do something else... Except I hate to spend even one audible credit on it bc fuck DG.

Anyways, salty asks got salty lol

Thank you for the ask though <3

[iannageorge]

“From the start of the Second Titan War in December 2005, most financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, nonbank lenders, and other financial firms) bet that the war would last for decades, if not centuries.”.

hmm

“.. like many others, the company believed that Olympus’s war against Titans would last for decades at the very least.”

hmmmmm

“By 4:30 PM EDT, joyous yet troubling rumors of an imminent Olympian victory crept from Manhattan into the ears of investors.”

hmmmmmmmm

“unaware that all their fates the following morning had already been written three years previous by a demigod named Percy Jackson.”

Ahh, prophecies. gotta love ‘em.

not.

😉

The plot holes I had to write my way out of to get the parallels… until I remembered that the prophecy details were kept secret! And then it made sense again.

I mean, if no one at CHB aside from Chiron, Dionysus, and Annabeth knew (Pls correct me if I’m wrong lol. It’s been years!), why should anyone else have in the godly world?

(This fic really was like some game of whack a mole just so I could write about a banking crisis. 😂 To some extent, you really have to suspend some disbelief!)

[nym-wibbly]

I'm in awe how you remember great huge chunks of new canon for these meta, Nym. How do you get all that from a single viewing of a show like SPN?

Heh, it never occurred to me that it was noteworthy! You've really got me thinking, now!

I guess... I approach any TV show I like enough to bother watching with a fanwriter's mindset? I actively character-study the main figures in a show as I go? I definitely don't recall all the monsters-of-the-week and fights and cases of the Supernatural storyline. I was focused on the main and recurring characters and their character arcs, on keeping up with the unfolding story, so I remember the main beats and their significance?

I feel like I missed great, relevant swathes of Dean's and Sam's character arcs, though. Because they were the show's constant, and because the whack-a-mole plot never stopped hammering them in 15 years, I'm sure there's plenty I won't pick up until I rewatch. I still find new things in shows I've seen so often that I could - in the event of a technological apocalypse - recreate the scripts from memory. *cough*Stargate*cough*

I took to using Tumblr's episode- and scene gifsets to help me contextualise and remember the events of specific episodes while I was following Once Upon a Time. I was struggling badly by then with cognitive dysfunction and recall, so I was actively looking for anything that helped me keep my fandom activities going. Writing fanfic most of all. That's why I tag the Supernatural gifsets I reblog or create with the season and episode number - little nudges for my brain to file that canon moment in the right spot in the overall storyline. When I can't figure out what ep I'm looking at/remembering from a glance at Amazon Prime's episode list with its tiny summaries plus my hunch, I google it. Once I've done that, the knowledge tends to stick.

I had an amazing art teacher in my second year of senior school - one of the few positives of my tween and teen years! He told the class about the technique used by Roman rhetoricians to remember their speeches - mentally dividing up the physical space where they were going to speak into 'pigeon holes' and 'storing' pieces of their material in them. Visual cues to recall. I've never stopped using that tip in some way. I guess I sort of use a TV show's episode numbers/titles and even main characterisation beats as my pigeon holes, once I get invested in a show!

[alt-ctrl]

The Paradox of Progress: Unraveling the Double-Edged Sword of Innovation

In a world where technological advancements seem to outpace our ability to comprehend them, we find ourselves teetering on the precipice of a peculiar paradox. Welcome to the topsy-turvy realm of progress, where each step forward might just be a moonwalk in disguise. Buckle up, dear reader, as we embark on a rollercoaster ride through the labyrinth of innovation, where nothing is quite as it seems.

The Yin and Yang of Advancement

Picture, if you will, a world where every solution spawns a new problem, and every problem catalyzes an innovative solution. It's not unlike a game of whack-a-mole, except the moles are wearing lab coats and brandishing patents. This is the paradox of progress, a concept as counterintuitive as a fish riding a bicycle.

But before we dive deeper into this rabbit hole, let's take a moment to appreciate the sheer absurdity of our situation. We're living in an era where our smartphones are smarter than we are, our cars are learning to drive themselves, and our toasters are probably plotting world domination. Progress, it seems, has a wicked sense of humor.

The Domino Effect of Innovation

To truly grasp the paradox of progress, we need to don our metaphorical deerstalker caps and channel our inner Sherlock Holmes. Every technological advancement sets off a chain reaction, a domino effect that ripples through society like a stone tossed into a pond – if the pond were filled with jello and the stone was actually a rubber duck.

Take, for example, the humble social media platform. What started as a way to connect with friends has morphed into a behemoth that influences elections, shapes public opinion, and has us all addicted to likes faster than you can say "dopamine hit." It's as if we've created a digital Frankenstein's monster, except this one has a penchant for cat videos and political memes.

The Butterfly Effect on Steroids

But wait, there's more! The paradox of progress isn't content with merely complicating our lives; it insists on weaving an intricate web of cause and effect that would make even the most enthusiastic spider throw in the towel. We're talking about the butterfly effect on steroids, where a software update in Silicon Valley can lead to a revolution in Timbuktu.

Consider the rise of e-commerce. On the surface, it's a win-win: consumers get convenience, and businesses reach wider markets. But dig a little deeper, and you'll find a world where local shops struggle to compete, delivery drivers are run ragged, and our cities are drowning in cardboard. It's like we've traded our quaint main streets for a concrete jungle of warehouses and algorithms.

The Illusion of Control

Now, you might be thinking, "Surely we can control this runaway train of progress?" Oh, sweet summer child. If history has taught us anything, it's that humanity has about as much control over progress as a hamster has over its wheel. We're along for the ride, desperately trying to steer while the vehicle of innovation careens wildly down the highway of time.

But fear not! For in this chaotic dance of advancement and consequence, there lies a strange sort of beauty. It's in the unexpected connections, the serendipitous discoveries, and the moments when problems and solutions collide like subatomic particles in a hadron collider of human ingenuity.

The Silver Lining in the Mushroom Cloud

As we navigate this brave new world, it's crucial to remember that the paradox of progress is not a death sentence but a call to action. It challenges us to think critically, to question our assumptions, and to approach innovation with a healthy dose of skepticism and a dash of humor.

So, the next time you find yourself marveling at the latest technological wonder or cursing at your "smart" home for turning your lights off while you're in the bathroom, take a moment to appreciate the beautiful absurdity of it all. Remember that for every problem we solve, we're likely creating two more – but hey, at least we're keeping ourselves entertained.

Conclusion: Embracing the Chaos

In the end, the paradox of progress teaches us that innovation is less like a straight line and more like a pretzel – twisted, salty, and oddly satisfying. It reminds us that every silver lining has a cloud, every rose has its thorn, and every technological breakthrough probably has an unintended consequence lurking just around the corner.

As we forge ahead into this brave new world, let's do so with our eyes wide open, our minds questioning, and our sense of humor firmly intact. After all, in the grand scheme of things, we're all just highly evolved primates trying to make sense of a world that's changing faster than we can update our smartphones.

So here's to progress, in all its paradoxical glory. May we continue to innovate, to question, and to occasionally step back and laugh at the beautiful mess we've created. Because in the end, isn't that what being human is all about?

[rydykg]

fixing plot holes is like playing whack a mole. every time you fix one another pops out

[goldenkid]

update on morai planning: thalia’s arc is pretty much done!!!! i finally broke through the brick wall after like a week and i now have pretty much all the right vibes for everything going on with her (and my god does she have a lot going on). all i need to do is some research, and then i’ll have the rough shape of her plot done!!

i’ve also been brainstorming ari’s arc and tbh it’s been the easiest of all of them - a big difference from earlier drafts, but ari’s changed a lot from every previous iteration and it’s so much more fun to sketch out his story now. i have a few holes i need to fill in, so that’ll probably take another day - or several days depending on how good the ideas i come up with are - but i had a brainwave earlier today that moved things along a lot and hopefully i can have another one of those.

anyway it’s nearly one in the morning so uhh i’m going to bed bc my brain is done, but tldr: good vibes and excitement all round for morai!

[dropped-the-soap]

Vito on Friendship & Loyalty

Spoilers for Mafia II and Mafia III under the cut.

Vito, the cold-hearted calm rational

Contrary to the wiki writers’ belief, Vito values friendship and sentiment above anything else. He could be called naive (especially in his line of work) but it’s so hard to blame him. 

Mafia II: Henry & Leo

It’s both damning and redeeming for Vito, this trait.

Without helping Henry, without being his friend, Henry would have an easier time pulling the “this is only business” card when being asked a favor by Vito (to spare Leo). 

(Assuming there was nothing else going on behind the door when Vito stands there and tries to smoke with his hands shaking, Henry literally stared at Leo for a few long seconds, probably replaying the kicked-puppy look Vito had given him just before leaving the kitchen, and then let his hand fall with an eloquent “fuck” and told Leo to get the hell out before he changes his mind. Or maybe he changed his mind when he took the shot and deliberately missed.)

(It’s interesting, and painful, and beautiful, to think of this as Henry’s unintentional way of redeeming himself. After everything he’s pulled Vito into, he saves his life with this decision. He is also the reason Vito needs to be saved in the first place, but that’s how the whole game goes.)

Without helping Henry, without being his friend, Vito wouldn’t have gotten into... any of the shit he’d gotten into, honestly. (With the exception of the army.) I also think - because it is never said otherwise - that Vito has suspicions, maybe truly thinks - that he had been fucked over by Henry, in the end. He was the one who seemed to be able to accept the whole idea (where Joe only shoots it down without second thoughts) after being told by Wong. And when he gets told so (as a fact) by Leo, I don’t think he truly has it in him to argue otherwise. 

The only times Vito is truly upset with Henry is when:

a) Henry shows up after being a stranger for years (the cold act goes away embarrassingly quickly, though) - after Henry abandoned him.

b) Henry says he has to shoot Leo, no matter what (”dammit, Henry, I’m your friend here!”) - when Henry seems to prioritize the mission over Vito, over their friendship, their past, the fact that Vito would have done the same and more for him, and when Henry seems to be unperturbed about the fact that Falcone is being a hypocritical dick with the dope, as if the lies and two-faced philosophy didn’t matter.

c) Henry omits the fact that they are not going to just get rid of all the dope at once, but sell it instead in smaller doses. - Henry purposely avoided this bit of information because he could tell that Vito would probably refuse to play the part. A betrayal of trust. 

He forgives all that. After the last mention of Henry in the car with Leo, he never speaks his name again. (Let’s ignore that the game is just full of plot holes, let’s see this as Vito’s coming to terms with Henry’s ultimate betrayal.) 

Without helping Leo, risking everything, he would have been killed after the fuck-up with the Tongs. 

Leo, technically, did nothing wrong - from The Family’s point of view. He had repaid what was owed. 

The fact he didn’t include Joe in the deal (whacking Falcone) was a dick move only from a friendship perspective, and I think Vito wouldn’t hold it against Leo as much as he did if Leo wasn’t a father figure to him. He genuinely liked the old man, he risked everything for him without a second thought. 

Leo didn’t save Joe (even though, presumably, he had the power to do so, although that’s left for us to wonder about) while knowing he was closer than a brother to Vito. 

Getting out of the whole mess alive wasn’t entirely a win for Vito. (The ending never felt like a good ending, no matter that the player/Vito survived.) He was never truly grateful for being allowed to stay in the business, to be a goddamned mole and to work with people he couldn’t trust for years to come. He never stopped looking for Joe, he never stopped hoping, he spent a lot of time and money on tracking down Joe’s killers. He never forgave Leo.

A Leo Afterthought

(And it all makes me think that Leo kind of wanted to have Vito inside Falcone’s family from the very beginning - and Joe was a good excuse. He told Vito it’s because of Joe – and Vito accepts that, because yeah, in the years spent in the same goddamned suite in the prison, they talked. Leo knows how important Joe is to Vito. Therefore it is logical and nice of the old man to take that into account.

I don’t think Leo took that into account. As in, not the way Vito thinks, expects. He probably knew that Vito would be of better use in a different family. Leo knew that being Vito’s friend is much more secure position than being the capo di tutti capi himself. He had time (too much, I’d say) to get to know Vito, he could tell Vito is prone to sentiment, attachment. He also knew that keeping Vito on his good side would get him results. If Falcone planned to do something that would somehow hurt Vinci’s family, Vito wouldn’t give a fuck. But if Falcone planned to do something that would hurt Leo Galante specifically, Vito (assuming he would know about it) would tell him. The incident with Henry only proved him right. 

Also, I am almost certain that if Vito and Joe, while trying to kill Alberto Clemente, saw Henry sitting there in the hotel room with Clemente, they would never go through the attack. 

They both didn’t care for their Families and duties as much as for those they considered friends.)

Mafia III: Lincoln & Alma

Then - Vito gets to New Bordeaux, having to work for Leo Galante he now hates. He finally sees him as a member of The Family, not family. And he is bitter as hell about it. He lost Frankie, he lost Henry (be it to the Feds or the Tongs), he lost Leo, he lost Joe. Now he is stuck in this city, working for someone who hates his guts and wants to find the smallest excuse for feeding him to the fish, too. 

In the end, he gets fucked over again. By Sal. I don’t think he even tried to get close to that man.

Vito, who sees value in friendship and loyalty, and works on these principles, always has, on one side. On the other - Sal Marcano. The exact opposite.

I cannot imagine how would that feel for a 26 year old Vito, still mourning, lonely as fuck, being thrown out of Empire Bay to the lion’s den. He gets River Row, the biggest dump, and makes it profitable with a lot of work. He sends messages back to Galante, he meets Alma. 

Alma is probably the first friendly face, someone Vito grows attached to (against his better judgement, he probably thinks), someone he can trust, in the end. There are no interactions in the game, but they talk about each other with loving exasperation, with respect. I don’t have to see them together to know they care about each other, genuinely so.

Then Lincoln comes, and - oh, along with him, the potential of a close associate, or a painful betrayal. Vito sees the ruthless kid-turned-killing-machine and knows he can’t risk getting too attached. 

He never stops expecting the betrayal. He is overjoyed if it doesn’t come. He is disgusted if it does. (Depends on the player, of course.)

And as @tommytranselo​ mentioned in some (frankly amazing) posts - with Vito being the one offering a doctor, a protection, asking if Lincoln sleeps or eats - this could play into that theory. That he gets attached, he cares, he wants to trust and be trusted, it comes naturally to him. In his life, he's had only a few close people and he thinks he had lost them all (and not all of them to death).

I think Vito tries to make a connection the moment he meets Lincoln for the first time with Sal and Giorgi by his side. When Lincoln comes to fish Vito’s ass out of the freezer, Vito is understandably keeping his distance. This is strictly business, it seems (and he really, really, needs to keep this in mind so he wouldn’t get burned). Lincoln needs some help - money, people, because you can single-handedly bring down the Empire, but you can’t single-handedly hold it for long - and Vito is already a dead man walking. He needs to expect Lincoln will try to get rid of him, in the end, too. 

But at the same time - Lincoln got fucked over because he was loyal. Lincoln did all this for love, for family, for things Vito would die for, and kill for, too. Lincoln paid the highest price for trusting someone he shouldn’t have, loving someone he shouldn’t have. Lincoln made the mistakes Vito kept making, too, over and over. 

In Donovan’s files in the menu of the game, you can read Donovan’s analysis of Vito: “Vito toes the line about loyalty and all that other bullshit, but make no mistake -- the man's a killer. If he even thinks you're planning to fuck him, he's coming after you.”

Vito grew absolutely ruthless over the years - because of this constant fuckery going on. Probably going apeshit whenever he met yet another fucker who wanted to mess with him. (Grecco being the most recent example.) I think that working under Sal, he had witnessed this happening so many times that he would have to be mad to think he would be an exception. 

And even though he wouldn’t say anything, I think it would be pretty clear from all the cold but polite encounters those two had to have over the years. Sal knows Vito’s standing on how he treats people around him. Vito knows it’s only a matter of time for him. And if there’s something worse than a simple fucker who fires a few shots at you and openly tries to kill you, it’s a fucker who invites you for a drink and gives you false smiles instead while plotting your death. A fucker who can’t just hate you openly, a fucker who will keep you close first. Before he stabs you in the back.

The Potential Ending (why would you, tho-)

That’s why making him think he will get fucked over again by Lincoln will push him to desperate measures. 

After killing Vito, Lincoln comes to Alma. The conversation goes:

Alma: “He’s dead. isn’t he? Vito.”

Lincoln: “You need to know I never lied to him. He came after me.”

Alma: “When it comes to trust, you are both fucking assholes. You for... whatever bullshit you’re going through. Vito, on account of taking a mountain of shit back in Empire Bay. All because he was a good little soldier. And that’s before whatever happened to that friend of his… Como se llama? Fucking Joe. Vito used to say the two of them always did what they were told. Didn’t stop Joe from getting cut to little bits by his own goddamn people. So what happens now?”

Lincoln: “Do what you’re doing, and keep the money coming.”

Alma: “I can live with that.”

(The tones are important. This sounds very cold when written. Watch the vid if you haven’t.) 

After Lincoln repeatedly asks for Vito’s help with securing the district but doesn’t assign it to him, Vito finally snaps: “Don’t matter your shade, you’re just another two-face scumbag like everybody else. And I’m through with it.”

I Deserved Better

Vito: “I always thought you were different from those other cock-suckers. That fat Derek Pappalardo. Alberto Clemente. Leo Galante. But no, there’s always somebody waitin’ to fuck me.”

Lincoln: “Nobody forced you to get greedy. You could’ve sat back, been content, watched the money roll in. but no, that wasn’t enough.”

Vito: “Fuck you. I gave up everything for this life. Everything! And look where I ended up. I deserved better.” 

It wasn’t that Vito wanted more. Vito wanted to be treated with trust and respect. He was never greedy, he was okay with being what he was as long as there was no bullshit involved. He has always been open about this. “I got no problem being small time as long as it comes to me straight down the line. The way things work. If you ask a man to lock down turf, you put him in charge of it. No question.” (source)

Straight to the point, no bullshit, no lies, no two-faced business. Be either friend, or an enemy, or nobody. Simple as that.

Vito will have more respect for the biggest scumbag there is as long as the said scumbag is straight with people. Hell, it is preferable to get shot between the eyes right away before believing someone to be a friend only to get a knife in the back. It always comes back to this.

No matter how much loyalty and love had cost him so far - he keeps on hoping, caring. He is bitter and angry, tired and broken-hearted, and yet, he cannot help but hope.

[alfred-horsecock]

Good characters are the most important part of writing. You could have the most amazing storyline and worldbuilding ever and if your characters are shit I will refuse to even glance at your show/book/movie for more than 5 minutes. I could literally play whack-a-mole with all the plot holes in Doctor Who and it has been one of my top 10 most best favoritest shows since I was 10 because the characters are fucking awesome.

[anklesalltheway]

The Gibbs Family Backstory [Draft / Version 1]

Continuation of this question about that turned into a thrown together retelling of the Gibbs family drama backstory! (mostly focusing on Charles). 

This post is sort of a thrown together duct taped info dump of me rambling about Charles plus what I sort of have so far as the Gibbs family backstory that somehow ties in: Charles’ story, Julia being the family glue, Margaret marrying Swann, and the aftermath of Joshamee becoming a pirate. 

This story is unfinished, but I think I have mostly a gist of it now so excited to finally publish something! :D

also pls I would love feedback + constructive crit. and any mention of plot holes cuz I’m dealing with those like whack-a-mole. lmao.

anyways enjoy!

tw: family drama ? 

Once upon a time in Bristol…

(continuation from the ask) In Charles & Julia's youth, they were very involved and hands-on with their children's upbringing. They didn't have a lot of money, but they had enough to support themselves between Charles' long trips at sea. Joshamee & Margaret had a very happy childhood, and the siblings were inseparable. Charles would tell them stories of nautical lore, he would teach them geography and share his personal adventures of sailing around the world, and regularly took his family out sailing.

And then the war happened the Admiralty called Charles to sea. Charles left Bristol and returned a medaled war hero. And everything changed. Dazzling in the Admiralty spotlight, his ambition only grew uncontrollably... which started to take a turn for not exactly the wiser. He started getting bigger ideas for his family's future.

===

To ramble on him a little bit on Papa Gibbs - Captain Charles Gibbs - is an interesting character. and I hope a complex character between lawful good and lawful neutral.

He's a good man, a great leader, and carried high honour and respect. He worked hard, and was proud and determined. He came from a self-made family, and was highly ambitious to attain greatness to (cue Hamilton soundtrack) blow them all away. He worked ruthlessly to rise in the Royal Navy ranks in a dog-eat-dog environment where he could only look out for himself (and those closest to him).

Perhaps what is his fatal flaw was not knowing when to stop and look at all what was achieved, and his obsession to achieve greater and greater led to tragic decisions and consequences. Later in life he makes some terrible choices and faces some tragedies when he becomes too blinded by his own growing ambitions and trying to keep said ambitions going.

Back to Charles as a father... Charles only wanted the best for his children, and to give his family the best life he could. His had his struggles with being years away at sea, and with his post-battle traumas as a soldier. But he used it to fuel his drive to achieve glory while still trying to be a good dad.

He was definitely strict on his children, and accepted nothing less than their best. His word would not be questioned, because he knew what was best for his children and would take no objections. To some extent, Margaret’s success is an example of the success of this.

===

Time later Charles learned that his son didn't want to follow the same aspiring path in the Navy (& compete with his father's ascension) and was content to sail as a Boatswain without the responsibility of a leadership position. Friction arose between them.

To the point Charles left Joshamee mostly to his own devices with his Naval career, and begun 'investing' more into his daughter (who by then was blossoming into a young lady). Her success would equally mutually benefit his own. She was to be presented in fashionable society, and as her chaperone he would find both a smart match for her, but also network for his progress.

Margaret was always her father's daughter, and his pride & joy, and she shared his ambitious streak in wanting to make her family proud. Even if it meant undergoing a transformation (down to her own speech) from years of rigorous education fit for an upper-class debutante. At the same time she was becoming an accomplished musician on the harp and harpsichord, and the opportunity to travel to London to be introduced to high society and dazzle them all with her musical performances was beyond exciting. 

But as their spotlights grew brighter, Julia & Joshamee began to obscure into their shadow. Not that they minded. The extra funds for refineries and keeping a housekeeper was lovely. They were both cheerful people who enjoyed life’s simpler gifts, Bristolian to the core, and didn’t feel as much at home with the upper crust. (Margaret took after Charles while Joshamee took after Julia.) However they would still cheer for Charles & Margaret from the background, look forward to receiving their letters, their gifts, and toast and drink to their success. 

Julia did her best to support her son on her own. It wasn’t so different when Charles would be away at sea, only this time he was in London. She would see Joshamee off to sea, using her own funds to give him additional supplies and requesting her side of the family to put in a good word for her son to crew aboard the majestic ship the HMS Dauntless, then commanded by Admiral Lawrence Norrington. 

But still she saw the chip he carried on his shoulder, his sad eyes amidst his bright smile. Joshamee - who was always inseparable with his little sister - was starting to feel a divide between them thanks to their growing class divide. For all this there was an unspoken sadness that started forming as both Julia & Joshamee were being 'left behind' simply for not as strongly desiring to keep up. 

And Margaret couldn’t see this until after it was too late.

===

Not long after, Margaret was courted & betrothed & married to Weatherby Swann, Esq. A very smart match indeed. The newlywed couple’s happiness was contagious. 

And as the Gibbs welcomed their new son-in-law and his family and eventually newborn Elizabeth, joy was restored. Thanks to Julia also insisting their family grow closer together again, like the old days. And they did.

The Gibbs household was full of celebration. 

Charles couldn’t be prouder, and took the united families sailing, for both new memories and old time’s sake. Julia loved being a grandmother, and was Margaret’s lifesaver as a new mother. Joshamee liked his brother-in-law and adored his little niece, and would tell his grandest stories at all hours to anyone who’d listen. And Margaret couldn’t be happier.

Years pass. All is well again.

===

And then, Joshamee is discovered to be affiliated with pirates in the rum running business. Betrayed by both the Navy and the Pirates. 

And threatened by the East India Trading Company to be marked a pirate, were it not for his sister’s timely intervention.

Charles was enraged. In his mind, the only way to keep scandal from unraveling was by disowning Joshamee.

The Gibbs family was now divided more than ever.

Julia came to her son’s defense. As did Margaret. But Charles would hear none of it.

He argued if any of them defend Joshamee, they would all be condemned for aiding a person convicted of piracy, or associating with a person convicted of piracy. There was no way out of it but to let the chips fall.

And yet what no one knew at the time was that Charles had also begun to secretly affiliate with pirates, only he was better able to keep that a secret to his grave.

Margaret was thrown into a difficult position where if she didn’t stand by her father’s decision, she would extend scandal to the distinguished Swann family, and worst case scenario leave her daughter Elizabeth motherless.

“Father! My husband is both a lawyer and friend of the king! Then I shall ask him to request the King’s signature for a pardon, a Letter of the Marque!!”

“And further shame both our families by siding with a pirate?! Yes, Margaret, why not, go ahead and draw even more unnecessary attention! To the king, no less! To pardon a disgrace to the admiralty!”

“He’s my brother and your son!!”

“You turn your back on your brother, or you turn your back on me, your mother, your husband and your child, your place in society I worked my lifetime to give you, and even yourself. You will be seen a pirate and a disgrace to society, no different from him. And do you know the penalty for aiding and abetting a person convicted of piracy?! The gallows. You side with your brother, your child will be motherless.”

“How dare you bring my daughter into this!”

“Make your choice Margaret. Now.”

“Mother, please!”

“Charles, Margaret. I don’t want --”

“You leave your mother out of this -- her mind has already been made!!”

“You left mother no choice in the matter, and you are doing the same to me!”

“SILENCE!!” Charles roared in rage, the fierce voice of a seasoned captain against an insubordinate, raising his trembling hand as though to strike it, before lowering it. “Enough. There will be no further discussion.” 

Margaret glares tearstained back at her father, whom she once idolized. But the damage is done. She will try to do what she can for her brother on her own. “I will never forgive you for this. You give me no choice but to turn my back on the both of you.” 

She gives her heartbroken mother a long and sorrowful look, ‘she doesn’t deserve this...’ before turning and leaving the Gibbs residence, gently slamming the door behind her.

And so Julia & Margaret were strong-armed into silence, and could only help Joshamee secretly from the sidelines. Margaret did her best to support her mother & brother from afar, and vowed to not repeat her father’s mistakes with her own family. 

But still it was a decision that haunts Margaret, and one she forever deeply regrets. She, who recalled how close she was to her brother, how could she leave him like this? She could never endanger her husband and daughter, but could she ever leave her brother behind?

When she tried to find her brother again, however, he was already gone.

After frantically searching again, Margaret stood at the furthest docks. Feeling like she could walk into the ocean if she wished. But at the same time, the docks meant she’d reached a dead end. Did he take it upon himself to leave by his own will to end their suffering? 

To this day she still checks the Fort Charles records (in addition to checking the Harbormaster’s ships logs) if any ‘Gibbs’ have visited, been arrested or face an appointment at dawn with the gallows. And regardless of the cost, she would rescue him in an instant.

Still, she hopes he’s well. She senses he’s still alive. Somewhere. Out there. Staying elusive, but not staying out of trouble. Sailing free on the seas. Smiling brightly in a tavern with a drink, and telling the grandest stories one will ever hear in their lifetime. 

How she misses him.

===

So where did that leave Charles & Julia?

Julia stood by Charles, but emotionally she distanced herself. She still loved him, but silently found it impossible to forgive his actions. What she would do to return to the past, to their happier days.

Charles was immovable. He made the decisions he thought best.

===

And then the Admiralty called Captain Charles to go to sea again.

Captain Charles achieved one of his greatest victories in a defying-all-odds battle against three enemy ships.

But the victory was short-lived. His ship the HMS La Perla (The Pearl, named after his daughter) was caught in a shipwreck. Charles cried out for Davy Jones, and bartered his 100 year service aboard the dutchman in 10 years time to save his ship. And by extent his life, his reputation, and his crew aboard it.

The deal was done. La Perla was refitted to sail again, all the crew were safe, and in 10 years time Davy Jones would have Captain Charles Gibbs to serve aboard the Flying Dutchman.

Charles returned to shore, only to learn that his wife had passed away. Had he not cheated death, perhaps he would have reunited with her.

His wife no longer in this world. His son who-knows-where. His daughter across the Atlantic Ocean living her own life.

And now Charles was the one left behind in the once-lively home.

Now in his old age, he was awarded the promotion of Rear Admiral for his bravery in the 3-against-1 victory and his rescuing La Perla. Little did anyone know what he did to rescue that ship. Little did anyone know where that would leave him now.

A scattered home. Heavy debts. Secret piracy. Trauma and losing part of his sanity. The Black Spot.

Was this where all his once-noble ambitions got him?

===

Epilogue I.

Over a decade later on his deathbed, Admiral Charles Gibbs held onto his daughter’s hand. He bestowed his entire inheritance to her. He did right with her. At least he did right by her, and his son-in-law, and his granddaughter. 

“Have you heard word from your brother?”

“Joshie?”

“I -- I tried writing to him. I heard from some -- ” pirates “friends. Of his whereabouts with a certain Captain Jack Sparrow.”

“...”

“I’m deeply sorry, Margaret.”

“-- father...?”

“Your mother was right all along. -- I should have --” he continued in a lengthy and regretful confession, of his errs, of what he wished he would have done differently, what can be done posthumously to make amends.  “... forgive me.” 

Margaret looked away, wiping away tears. Some was too late, some was what she was longing to hear. Empathetically she returned a sad smile and grasped both his hands. 

Her father looked at her with a weak grin, the flawed hero within him still glimmered brighter than his medals. But as he looked to her hand holding his that beared the Black Spot hidden behind a cloth wrap, a dreading gnawing concern came over him, as he looked up at her.

No, perhaps there were still a few secrets best to take with him to his grave.

But she could not live on without warning.

“Promise me, Margaret... When I am gone, you shall never go to sea.”

Epilogue. II.

As though witnessing her brother at the stand being tried for piracy wasn’t enough of a living nightmare, worse, that she couldn’t speak a word in his defense, else she be publicly accused of associating with a pirate… but worse than worse she could never live with herself at the mere thought of having to watch own her dearest brother face imprisonment or walk to the gallows.

In the dead of night a cloaked figure approached the lonely prison cell, key clasped in a delicate gloved hand unlocking it, “Hush! C’mon, we ‘aven’t got anoth’r moment t’ lose...” opening the cell door, the moonlight revealed Margaret’s noble face weakly smiling at him, “...Joshie.”

[seulgiology]

take you on a drive | johnny suh

Headcanon!

pairings: childhood friend!johnny x childhoodfriend!female reader

words: 1.5k

genre: fluffy headcanon with humor uwu

synopsis: I’m pretty sure we all know NCT 127. You know, the 10-member K-Pop group who makes some questionable, but nonetheless amazing music? Then you must know their lead dancer and underrated vocalist/rapper, Johnny Suh. But what was he like before the fame and popularity? What happened in Chicago?

warnings: cursing

a/n: fuck, yall im so sorry for that long ass gif jdlknjdbc,,, anygays ADMIN 1 HERE YER YER. unedited in my angst to post this

disclaimer: This is a work of fiction from our imagination. It is not intended that the plot, theme, original characters, idols, etc. portray any real-life events/people. Plagiarism is NOT tolerated on this blog. If you believe we have copied an existing authors’ work, please message us privately. Thank you and enjoy :)

--

boy oh boy i hope ya’ll saw those pre-debut pictures of johnny cause-

CHILE

but before we get into that;

how’d you meet in the first place?

funny you ask

it was by pure coincidence

you were a rising junior in high school

yikes lol,

you were pretty fucking young

you had just got your drivers license and desperately wanted to drive your parents car

the sad part:

your annoying ass little brothers had to go with you wherever you drove

two of these devils were too much

imagine being in a CAR with them

hell

around august, you being the good sister you are,

offered to take them to the amusement park

with their equally annoying friends lol

12 year olds are just,,,

sigh

but you weren’t the only one chaperoning

one of their friends older brother (you vaguely remember his name being Johnny)tagged along to watch the devil spawns with you

and my my my, you were not expecting him to hop in the back of your moms mini van with all that hair

ya’ll know that hair he had pre-debut when it was super long and shaggy-like? yea that one

but he was cute

in a nerdy way though

you couldn’t help but steal peeks at him a few times-

or what you thought was being discreet

-through the rear view mirror of course

and what you gathered was this:

naturally puckered lips

might still be going through puberty with his voice

muscly arms, probably his whole body too

friendly eyes but intimidating face

in conclusion-

you didn’t know what to think about him

there came a point on the highway when your brothers and their friends wanted snacks

you exited the highway to the nearest gas station and sighed into the steering wheel as you waited for them to come back

“are you always this annoyed?” came a sudden voice.

you damn near banged your head against the car roof with how high you sat up

“shit, i thought you were in there with the boys.”

your hand was clutching your flowery tank top, the hot weather was not playing today

and he sniggered under his breath at obviously startling you

“What’s so funny?” in all honesty, you weren’t even upset

you just wanted him to get that you were not the one to mess with

… with your clear jelly sandals

… and clip on earrings your little sister forced you to wear

… and the flowers on your tank were the icing on the cake

the childish pout on your face was absolutely adorable to him

“You’re blushing. it’s cute.”

You couldn’t keep your front in place for long with that contagious smile he had

“It’s just insanely hot.”

“Pfft and so am I.” He playfully scoffed at your remarks, his bangs shifting along with his movement

the car fell into a comfortable silence after that,

both of you too awkward to continue

when the boys finally got into the car after 902837 years,

you were once again on your way to the esteemed amusement park

once you guys arrived, the boys immediately ran off to the biggest rollercoasters to ride

with you two alone

so much for chaperoning right

at least they said they’ll call if they need you

so there you were;

thinking how the hell you ended up with this sarcastic and sweaty dweeb

you turned towards him in time to see him already looking your way

might as well make the most out of the situation, right?

“I heard the Goliath is pretty scary.” You warily suggest

“Only if you’re a wuss.” He jesters back

“Tch, im pretty sure you’ll be throwing up your intestines by the time we’re done”

“I guess we’ll have to actually get on the ride to see, don’t we?” The cunning smirk was challenging and you were ready for it.

even if you were a little bitch who couldn’t stand heights

sorry to the readers who actually are afraid of heights

but if this guy Johnny was daring you,

something about him made you want to prove him wrong

“Race you to the coaster!”

and he ran off, leaving you in the dust

“I bet $5 he doesn’t know where he’s going.”

about an hour later, you and Johnny rode about 4 roller coasters

laughing until you cried

and screaming at the top of your lungs in absolute joy

but the slightly older teen at your side was having the time of his life too

for a completely different reason

his mind went blank when you held his hand tight as the ride was climbing to the top

he couldn’t contain his smile when you tugged him along to another ride and told him,

“Johnny we have to ride this one, It’s going to be even better than the last.”

you met up with the other boys to eat some of the food you snuck in

ngl y’all every time i went to six flags they don’t allow outside food in?????

none of you were tired yet, and spent another 3 hours at the park

You and Johnny found yourselves near the boardwalk part

It came to a surprise that he was the one tugging you along

you played all of the typical games people play

whack-a-mole

milk bottle

balloon bust

ring toss

roll-a-ball

that game where you have to shoot water in a hole to blow up the balloon

even managed to win your shaggy haired companion a stuffy

“it’s so pretty at night, isn’t it?”

you asked as he carried you on his back,

since you were complaining about your feet hurting

the lights of the carousel and the boardwalk together was so beautiful

you sat down near the big fountain in the middle, waiting for the other to make their way back

you chatted on and on about the amusement park

adored by the way his eyes seem to disappear when he laughed with you

and when you made your way back home, the conversation continued in the car too

you sung songs together and even managed to get on your brothers’ good side

surprise number 826363 of the night;

johnny could sing

You all sang your hearts out to Beyonce’s If I were a Boy, and TVXQ’s Mirotic

He couldn’t remember a time where he had so much fun in one day

so it was absolutely devastating when you pulled up to his house

“I guess this is it huh?”

he was so nervous, omg

he didn’t want to leave like that

shit, he spent the whole day having fun with an amazing person

he couldn’t believe he had to walk back in his house

and go on in life to only have this day as a memory

to lay at night and-

“You want my number, or...?”

you stifled a girlish giggle when he fumbled with his phone in his hand

you quickly opened up his contacts and added your name

with a little “<3″ at the end ‘cause you had to

you handed him back his phone and enjoyed the feeling of his fingers brushing against yours

your initial confidence soon left and all that was left was suffocating awkwardness

god he really wanted to say something

but he just had  to be a nervous

even if you both were pressed against each other on those roller coasters

“uh... I had a lot of fun with you- with everyone I mean, today, by the way,” he forced the words out

he could hear how nervous and shaky he was, but you could see his eyes held sincerity

“Yeah, so did I.”

you stared at him with a small smile on your face

shifting in place under the weight of his strong gaze

HONK!

you both jumped at the sound of the car honking obnoxiously

“Damn where is the knife ‘cause this tension is THICK”

“How do you even know what tension is, aren’t you like, 6?”

you snorted at johnny’s comeback and shook your head in amusement

“I should get going before they try and drive the car down the street”

you subconsciously put your hands in your back pockets and slowly back track towards the car

“Hey, y/n!”

just as you were getting in the front seat, you whip your head in his direction looking at him expectantly

“Maybe next time you won’t actually be scared.”

he sent a giddy grin your way before closing the front door

leaving you in the drivers seat with tingles throughout your body

and a grin on your face that you couldn’t wipe away even as you bid your parents good night

you toppled on your bed in a fit of giggles as you hug your phone to your chest

take a shot from every time i type giggles

“omg is he asking me out on a date?” you couldn’t help but ask aloud

suddenly, your phone chimes with a new message

your phone drops on your bed from your excitement

you already knew who it was from

you quickly opened the message and didn’t stop your eyes from rolling all the way to the back of your head

save me in your phone as ‘youngHOE’ ;)

he never failed to make you laugh