#slight spoilers but. the way he was rejected by everyone even his own parents because of what he is

[clqveris]

han yoohyun experiences change through han yoojin

[firefly-in-darkness]

Smooth

Pairing → Sam Wilson x Reader

Characters → Marvel 

Summary → Y/N has to fight off the smile and laughter at Sam Wilson’s chat up lines throught their relationship but here are a few of their milestones.

Word Count → 3.7k

Prompt → Trope: 5 Things Plus 1 for @bonkywobble​ challenge - congrats on your follower milestone lovely!

SSB2021 Square Fill → Posted at the end of the story as it’s a spoiler // @star-spangled-bingo

Warnings → Fluff, sweet, tooth-rotting fluff. Cheesy chat up lines.

Betas → @daydream3r-xo​ // all mistakes are my own.

A/N → This is my first proper Sam Wilson fic - I have done one in the past but there was more platonic - so I hope you enjoy this story!

Firefly’s Masterlist 

Sam Wilson couldn’t believe his luck, he’d signed up to the right gym, that’s for sure. There was the most beautiful woman standing at the opposite wall with a group of women. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her as she instructed the class. It was like he was hypnotised, but at least he was happy about it. Her figure was strong, and she commanded the attention of the women with ease and a stunning smile that made her eyes sparkle.

He dropped his bag onto the floor and folded his arms, as he watched on in wonder while she instructed them to loosen up with various stretches. The way her body bent and twisted into the poses was enough to make him stir under the belt.

Lost in his daydream, Sam didn’t realise the instructor had turned away from the class and walked in his direction. Lost in the sight of her plump lips and then he realised that she was looking at him. No, not just looking, her lips were moving. She was talking to him. He snapped out of his haze and apologised for not hearing.

“Are you here to assist with the self-defence class?” Her eyebrow raised at him, slight confusion on her face.

Now that she was in his personal space, Sam felt nervous. He was usually so quick and an absolute charmer with women. Well, with most people, young and old. He’d get himself out of any situation and this is when he needed his wits about him.

“Uhm- No, I think there’s something wrong with my eyes.” Sam wrinkled his nose and cringed at his train of thought.

The woman looked at him with widening fear and reached out to take his arm, “Right, okay, what do you need? What’s wrong?”

The feel of her soft skin warmed his arm in an instant, a tingle bloomed across his cheeks. Then he refocused back on his plan, even if it could potentially end badly, he wanted to charm her.

“I just can’t take them off you.” Sam grinned, but it dropped when he saw the scowl, she was giving him. 

Suddenly the most beautiful sound came from the woman, the laugh that fell from her lips made him feel like a cloud, completely soft and weightless. And the sight of her head thrown back brought the grin back to his face. It worked.

“But I am more than happy to help out with the class.” Sam’s smile didn’t drop but his heart raced at the thought of his offer being rejected.

“Oh, you are definitely helping out now.” grabbed his bicep and brought him to the front of the group. “Now ladies, this is-”

“Sam” He waved and gave them a lopsided smile. “Sam Wilson.”

“Sam is going to be our test dummy for today’s session.” Y/N grabbed a [added vest and handed it to him, “now put this on and be a good boy so these Ladies can practice kneeing someone in the stomach.”

“What? I thought you were going to wrestle me or something.”

“Nuh-uh, good luck sugar.” She grinned.

“Wait, do I get to know your name?” Sam asked as he pulled on the vest.

“You can call me Boss Lady.” She replied and returned to the group of women.

Sam didn’t miss the teasing smirk she sent his way as she walked away and discussed the techniques with the women that were lining up to practise their recently learned moves on him. He was glad he had this padded vest and years of training in the army to deal with the blows about to come his way.

At least he got to meet her, see that stunning smile, and hear that beautiful laugh. It was all worth it.

Y/N stroked her fingers through her hair, a failed attempt to tame the flyaway while giving herself a once over in the pocket mirror. Nerves swirled in her stomach as the Uber approached the Italian restaurant. She wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not, she hadn’t been on a date in over a year and she had only known this guy for a few weeks through an online dating app.

The maître-d took her coat then led her to an empty table, leaving her to browse the drinks menu. Y/N wasn’t fazed by being here before him, she was a little earlier than planned and decided to order a glass of wine.

Yet, the minutes ticked by. Y/N sipped on her drink, eyes focused on the entrance for any sign of her date but after twenty minutes and an ignored message, she decided to ask the waitress to clear the reservation and bring over the cheque for her wine. She wasn’t going to sit there any longer, waiting for someone that wasn’t going to arrive.

Feeling scorned by being stood up, she left the restaurant in a flurry but tried to remain composed and swiftly began to walk down the block to the busier part of town to hail a taxi. But before she reached the end of the sidewalk an illuminated sign across the street caught her attention. Compound. It was the place that Sam had mentioned to her earlier in the week when they were at the gym. 

They’d formed a good friendship over the last few months and with a few of the other regulars at the gym. Sam had invited Y/N alongside Bucky and Nat who were personal trainers at the gym. Y/N knew them well but had declined the invite to the bar that was now opposite her. She made up an excuse, unsure as to why she lied about needing to go to her parents.

But now that she was here, she might as well put the time she had in getting ready to good use. She could just think of some other excuse and pretend like the evening hadn’t started as badly as it did. With a renewed surge of confidence, she skipped across the street and entered the bar.

It was busy but considering it was a Friday night, most people ventured further into town for a night out. She spotted Bucky and one of his best clients, Steve, at one of the pool tables in the corner. Bucky had just broken the set and Steve moved to take his shot. That’s when Y/N saw that Natasha was here too, almost hidden from view by the muscular giant that was Steve. Y/N was sure that Natasha never looked less than radiant, she never looked out of place anywhere. She was perfect.

Y/N removed her coat and hooked it up, uncertainty starting to worry her about turning up unannounced. She shook it off and walked over to the bar to grab a round of beers to take over to the table, she couldn’t go over there empty-handed.

At the sound of her name being called, she turned around to see Bucky, his signature smile on his lips and arms opened wide to welcome her in a light hug.

“Hi Buck, parents didn’t need me so thought I’d gate crash.” Y/N grinned and held up the bottles, “And I have beers.”

“Always welcome. But we need one more.” Bucky gestured over to the table, the new addition at the table was Sam.

An unexpected rush of butterflies assaulted Y/N’s stomach as she ordered the remaining beer and walked over to the bar with Bucky in tow. She greeted everyone, pausing as she approached Sam. This was the first time she’d seen him in something other than gym clothes and she appreciated the form-fitting shirt that hugged at his muscular arms.

“Somebody call the cops because it’s got to be illegal to look that good!” Sam bellowed out and held out his arms, gesturing up and down her body.

Y/N couldn’t help the giggle that erupted and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was glad that her date had stood her up because now she was able to enjoy the night with friends that wanted her to be around. Plus, who doesn’t love a confidence boost from a handsome guy?

Even though Sam used the most ridiculous lines to get Y/N’s attention, something was charming about him. It was a confidence boost for sure and when later that night, he asked her on a date, she secretly hoped that it was going to lead to something more. Even if the rational voice in her head told her not to get attached too soon.

Sam couldn’t believe his luck; they were on their fifth date and Y/N had invited him up to her apartment for coffee. Of course, he hoped it was code for sex. But honestly, he didn’t mind if that didn’t happen, he just wanted to spend more time with Y/N. She was great company, had a wicked sense of humour and was genuinely fun to be around.

Nerves bubbled in Sam’s stomach while he waited for Y/N to return with their drinks. He had sat on the cosy couch that was adorned with plush cushions and the softest blanket he’d ever felt but he needed to distract himself from the butterflies somersaulting in his stomach. A display of photographs and memorabilia adorning one of the walls caught his eye and he wandered over.

Several photographs of Y/N with different groups of people; at festivals, out for dinner, on vacation. Some of the frames had ticket stubs tucked into them, the other frames had ornaments hanging from them or polaroids stuck to the corners. It was a collage of happiness and colour. He couldn’t help the smile that formed as he thought of all the possibilities of their dating heading towards making memories like this, together.

Sam returned to the couch and Y/N placed the cups onto the coffee table. He noticed the change in her body language; she smoothed down her skirt several times, a coy smile played on her lips as she sipped on the drink. He grinned, she was on the same page as him and maybe just as nervous.

“We don’t have to do anything.” Sam’s voice gained her attention, “I’m happy to wait and see where things go if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Y/N’s eyes sparkled, she looked as if the weight of the world had been taken off her shoulders and then she plunged towards him. Their lips met in a heated kiss; Sam was shocked at the sudden change of pace, but he couldn’t resist the need to feel her body pressed up against him.

They both pulled back for air, and Sam brushed his knuckles against her cheek, “I guess that means you do want to do something.”

Y/N bit her lip and shuffled backwards, straightened up and gestured for him to follow her to the bedroom. Sam kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie in the doorway, completely enamoured by Y/N while she removed her heels. 

“Sam, can you help?” Y/N looked behind and pulled her hair over her shoulder, exposing the zip that she couldn’t quite reach the top of the dress.

Slowly, the zip glided down, showing a hint of the black lace underwear. Sam looked up to the ceiling, thanking God for the beauty before him. She turned around and began unbuttoning his shirt, her fingers delicate and features focused on the clothing. But there seemed to be an air of nervousness coming from her.

Sam tipped up her chin before she could finish undressing him. He kissed her lightly, in hope to ease her, comfort her. 

Their lips parted and he rested his forehead against Y/N’s, “as I said, we don’t have to do anything.”

Y/N nodded and guided him to the foot of the bed to take a seat, “I’m okay. It’s just been a while.”

Sam was in a similar situation and didn’t want his nerves to add to the concern that was already laced on her features as she stood in front of him, “We’ll do this at your pace.”

She nodded, a smile now taking over her features as she removed her arms from the sleeves of her dress and letting it pool at her feet. Sam’s mouth dropped agape as he took in her all beauty; the soft skin that curved and dipped in exquisite ways. 

His hands rubbed at his thighs and looked back up to the woman who approached cautiously, a smirk on his face, “I hope you know CPR because you are taking my breath away.”

Y/N bit her bottom lip and straddled his lap, “I think I’m pretty good at mouth to mouth.”

Sam held her waist with one hand, the other exploring and massaging the exposed skin of her thighs, her hips and stomach before he reached for her neck. Their lips crashed together, and they shuffled up the mattress, exposing more of their bodies and letting passion guide them through the remainder of the night.

The episode of The Big Bang Theory played in the background, Y/N was too occupied with painting her toenails, her feet rested on the coffee table as she tugged up her sweatpants for the fifth time in the hopes to not smudge the polish.

Sam had been in the bedroom for ten minutes, putting on an outfit that he needed Y/N’s approval on. At least they’d ordered food before he went in there because otherwise, Y/N would have consumed everything in his fridge which didn’t consist of much other than a block of cheese and a bottle of vodka.

The buzz at the intercom made her jump but luckily there were no smudges to her newly pampered feet.

“I’ll get it,” Y/N shouted from the lounge of Sam’s apartment and headed to the front door to wait for the delivery person. She handed the guy some bills and a little tip before hitting the door shut with her hip.

Y/N held onto the pizza boxes and bottle of soda tightly and cautiously made her way down the hall. She waited for Sam to appear, but he still hadn’t come out of his bedroom. It was getting a bit ridiculous now.

“Sam, hurry up or your food is going to go cold.” She called and poured out the drinks.

“What do you think?” Sam asked as he entered the room, arms wide as he twirled slowly.

Sam was in a crisp white shirt, smart black trousers, and a suit jacket. The bowtie was a little crooked, but it made his sheepish grin all that more endearing to her.

“A little formal for movie night don’t you think?” She smirked and dipped an onion ring into the garlic sauce.

“Thought it might impress you.” Sam grinned at her, “Thought it would bring a bit more class to the charity gala. We need to raise money for the community centre.”

“Well, I think you look rather handsome and I’m sure someone will bid a lot of money on you.” Y/N’s eyes squinted at him, for being reminded that Sam was being auctioned off alongside Steve and Bucky for dates to the rich women of New York.

Y/N knew they weren’t exclusive, but she knew they weren’t dating other people, they just hadn’t talked about that. It had only been a couple of months since their first date and as much as Y/N was enjoying Sam’s company, she didn’t want to rush into anything or mistake how she felt and that it was unreciprocated.

“Do you know what my shirt is made of?” Sam walked towards her and knelt to be at her eye level, “Boyfriend material. Yeah, I like the sound of that.”

Sam pressed a kiss to her cheek then stood back up to return to the bedroom while Y/N remained glued to the spot, eyes wide at the way he’d casually pulled off another cheesy line and quietened her insecurities in one swift movement. She was falling, hard.

Sam pulled the van into the driveway, feeling giddy at the sight of Y/N standing on the porch with their realtor. The sun beamed down onto Y/N’s skin, an ethereal glow as she spoke animatedly with Phil, probably talking his ear off about the cost of hiring a van themselves in comparison to hiring a removals company.

It had taken them a while to get here but Sam was over the moon to be where they were now. Everything came into alignment, apart from the odd bump in the road. But after many sleepless nights, a last-minute scramble for cash and only a few days to pack up their separate lives; they were finally moving into their dream home. 

They had talked about this for months, both unsure to take the leap when viewing different houses until this one came along. The minute they walked into the place, it felt like home. It was vacant and they were able to imagine what it would look like with their belongings; where the sofa would look best in the lounge or which room should be the guest bedroom or office space.

Of course, the kitchen was Sam’s favourite place, it was open planned and the best for socialising and he couldn’t wait for everyone to come round for a barbecue as the French doors opening onto a patio that stretched into a neat lawn. Perfect for hosting their friends this summer.

“Did you get lost pumpkin?” Y/N smiled at him.

“Never, I’m like a homing pigeon when it comes to you.” Sam chuckled, “are we ready now Phil?”

The middle-aged man that had a childlike spark, gave him a curt nod, and headed into the property, “Right this way.”

The papers were signed, and all that was left was to be handed over the keys so that they could begin unloading their belongings. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as Phil placed a set of keys into Y/N’s hands.

“Be careful with those.” Sam gave her a lopsided smirk and a raised brow.

“I’m not going to lose them!” She retaliated.

“Yeah, but this one,” Sam pointed to one of the keys, “is a special one.”

Y/N turned to him, brows knitted together in confusion, “what are you going on about Sam?”

Sam placed his hands on her shoulders, focusing her attention on him. His face lined with seriousness, “It’s the key to my heart.” 

Y/N groaned and rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him.

“Nailed it!” Phil said as he high fived Sam, “Now, I will leave you lovely pair to get acquainted with your new home.”

Y/N placed the keys onto the kitchen island and looked out onto the garden. Sam’s arms wrapped around her waist; his chest pressed tightly to her back.

“We did it, baby girl,” Sam whispered into her ear and lightly pecked her cheek.

“That we did.” She turned her head to capture his lips with her own.

Y/N grabbed the plates, shoving them into the dishwasher while Sam waved Steve and Peggy off from the front door. It was a good date night, regardless of the lack of wine. Peggy was almost ready to burst with the twins that had wriggled constantly in her belly. They’d finally decided on a name but refused to tell Y/N or Sam.

“Anything else I need to do, baby girl?” Sam asked as he returned to the kitchen.

“All done in here.” Y/N yawned, “Think it’s time for bed.”

Sam’s face dropped for a split second, but Y/N spotted it. She wandered round to his side of the room and wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers massaging the back of his head.

“What’s up?” She asked, pressing a light kiss to his lips.

A grin formed on his lips, the warmth spreading to her in an instant, shared happiness was a beautiful feeling.

“I was just thinking that I don’t think there’s anything I’d like to change about you.” He swayed your body to the music that filtered through from the music dock in the living room.

“So why the grumpy face?” Y/N pouted and squeezed his cheeks together; lips mushed into a dramatic grimace. 

“Because I realised there was something I’d like to change,” Sam mumbled through your hold on his face.

Y/N pulled away instantly, her hands dropping to her side as anger began to bubble under her skin, “excuse me?”

Sam tugged her by the waist, keeping her close, “Let me finish.”

She relaxed the tension in her body and placed her hands back on his chest, the annoyance still simmering but less noticeable. Sam’s fingers traced soft lines up and down her back until she gave in and placed her head on his shoulder.

“Now, where was I? Ah yes, the one thing I’d change about you.” He spluttered as Y/N hit him on the arm, lightly but still effective. “The only thing would be your last name.”

Y/N cringed at the chat-up line and pulled away, breaking their hold in favour of turning out the lights in the kitchen before re-joining him but he was nowhere to be seen when she turned around. The sudden silence had her on edge as she headed to the lounge to find Sam kneeling in front of her, his hand raised with a velvet box.

She gasped and clamped her hand over her mouth, he was being serious. He wasn’t using some cheesy chat-up line, well he was, but he was doing this! Y/N squealed internally, the sudden realisation that Sam was talking had her snapping up to his eyes.

The gorgeous brown brimming with tears as he told her how much he loved her, “I want you in my life always baby girl, will you be my wife?”

“Yes!” she responded, throwing her arms around his neck as he spun her around the room. 

Y/N pressed kiss after kiss to every place she could, their salty tears mixing in with their passion. Sam pulled back with a chuckle, he took her left hand and placed the sparkling ring onto her finger.

He might have used his cheesy pick-up lines to get to this point, but Y/N loved every single one. Especially this one.

The End.

SSB2021 Square Fill → Proposal // @star-spangled-bingo

Everything Tag List: @kitkatd7​ / @fandomfic-galore​ / @writerwrites​ / @thefridgeismybestie​ / @wedonttalkaboutitenough​ / @courtneychicken​

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[thefanficmonster]

I'm so happy you like the idea! Your first three words are: Rattle, Candlelight and Corset.

Oh this is gonna be interesting 🤭

Regretting

Pairing: Chris Redfield x Female OC (taken in by the Winters family as a daughter of theirs basically)

Warnings: Swearing (No Spoilers for any games don’t worry😊)

Genre: Romance, Fluff

Enjoy the mess my brain’s produced. Love, Vy ❤

“I have several questions surrounding this bullshit event!“ Gwen shouts from inside her room where she’s been getting ready for the past hour with the Captains of the BSAA keeping a watchful eye outside her door, making sure she doesn’t get any ideas of running away.

“I have as many as you do, trust me on that one.“ He replies, readjusting his tie. He hasn’t found himself in a three-piece-suit in a long time, all’s been soldier get-ups, bulletproof wests and combat boots. Truth be told, it’s not that he doesn’t want to dress nicely, he’s just rarely had any occasions worth dressing up for. Lord knows he’d be at home in this very moment, seated on the couch with a cold beer bottle in his hand. So to make the truth truer - he actively avoids places and events that would require him dressing up. It’s simply a hassle in and of itself, but dealing with the people at the even - that’s what he’s most bothered by.

“You cannot expect me to believe that’s the truth!“ Gwen shouts again, the sound of shuffling accompanying her voice. 

“Leon said it was important, Jill backed him up and you know I rarely get a say when the two of them partner up to support one another.“ Chris says, sighing while reaching for a cigarette before withdrawing his hand, remembering he didn’t take his pack with him on purpose. Claire says he needs to break the habit little by little so, in order to give her peace of mind, he does try whenever she’s looking. However, when she turns away, he’s quick to light a cig, almost as quick as a dying man getting connected to life support.

“You, Leon and I have very different definitions of the word ‘important’.“ She sasses back, her voice now being the only sound coming from the room which is a sign Chris cannot decide the meaning of - is she almost done? Is she starting over with everything? Either way, he doesn’t mind. Running late to the gala the mayor’s throwing is not particularly bothering him, he actually prefers it.

What’s been bothering him is the fact that he’s found himself impatient of something else. Impatient of seeing her - not that he’d ever admit it. Him and Gwen have been friends for quite some time. Well, they did get off on the wrong foot, but were quick to arrange a relationship alike a friendship and function without wanting to gauge each other’s eyes out. Somewhere along the lines they became actual friends without even noticing.

Gwen Winters had every right to be suspicious of Captain Chris Redfield. Not that she was always wary of him or anything - seeing as how him and her ‘parents’ are friends, she never thought twice about the guy. However, when she expressed interest in joining the BSAA and earned herself a scoff from him, she was rather pissed. Being the main chemistry project of an asshole with a saving-the-world complex back in Raccoon City, it’s safe to say she got some above average strength to her name. And that’s putting it mildly. Being rescued from that lab by Leon and getting taken in by the Winters family, she’s developed her own hero complex, the need to save those who can’t save themselves always dwelling within her.

And so, despite the amusement Chris showed when she brought up the idea, she became a BSAA soldier. 

“I think we established that on your very first mission, soldier.“ Chris chuckles, recalling that first mission he was so opposed to, mostly because Gwen was tagging along at her request and the allowance of Leon. He was very fucking afraid they’d have to carry her dead body out of there but the action was quick to turn the tables on him - having Gwen save his life more than once. What surprised him most though was her humbleness about it. She didn’t rub it in or nag him about having proved her point. She was just glad they had all made it out in one piece and that struck him with a whole new intensity. Almost like a wake up call.

The door beside him suddenly swings open, causing him to abruptly straighten up from his leaning position, shooting a look at the doorway from which emerges Gwen. Or at least he believes it’s her. Had he not known she was the only other person in the house at the moment, or had he seen her passing by on the street he wouldn’t have recognized her.

And he’d have every right not to: this must be the first time she has worn a dress since prom - if she even wore one then - and the same probably applies for the make-up she’s put on. It’s not much or anything, in fact the only reason he’s noticed it is because he’s so used to seeing her make-up-free face. So much so, he’d recognize even a drop of foundation if she applied it. And oh boy, is he whipped by the sight. He can lie all he wants and to whoever he wants to, but he cannot lie to himself. Especially not when his jaw has fallen to the floor, his eyes have grown wide and his heartbeat has picked up noticeably.

If Ethan could hear at least half of what Chris is thinking at the moment, he’d be as good as banned from the Winters home forever.

When Gwen’s eyes meet her Captain’s, she can’t help but smirk, “What is it, Cap? I exchange the bulletproof vest for a corset and you suddenly don’t recognize me?” She asks, raising a teasing eyebrow.

He knows it’s wrong, for so many reasons: He’s her captain, she’s his soldier; She’s an adult but he’s still significantly older than her; She’s the ‘daughter’ of a friend of his, to make matters even worse - It’s so wrong yet he can’t get the thought out of his head. It’s not just now, it’s something he’s been struggling with for quite some time. He’s constantly haunted by her: the sound of her laughter, her smile, that focused frown that appears every time she is looking at a map or a new case, analyzing its every detail, the twinkle in her eyes whenever she gets told she’ll be going on a mission and that same sparkle growing brighter when she returns from it having successfully completed it.

It’s all overwhelming, and in the nicest, wrongest way possible.

“Honestly, Winters, seeing such a shift does rattle a person. Especially when I haven’t seen you out of a soldier’s uniform for years now.“ He comments, his eyes traveling up and down her body on their own accord, despite his best attempts at keeping his gaze on her face.

She laughs, “Can’t really go to training in a dress and high heels, you know. If I had more opportunities, the dresses in my closet wouldn’t be covered in spiderwebs.“

“Duly noted.“ He smirks, offering the young lady his hand as he leads her down the stairs, “I could help you out with that.“

She frowns, pausing mid-step, “Oh no, no, no no. If what you have in mind is a bunch of charity events, you better get that thought out of your head. A bunch of rich assholes drinking champagne, really not my scene.”

Chris chuckles offering her his arm as they walk out the front door to where he parked his car upon arriving at the Winters home, running into Ethan, Mia and their five year old daughter, about to head out for the night. He won’t complain about the lecturing he received, he deserved it after all. It’s a miracle the two even agreed to let Gwen accompany him, not that they could stop her either way seeing as how she’s an adult woman who’s more than capable of making her own decisions.

“No, no, I know you hate those events. I do too.“ He says, oddly timidly as the two get seated in the car. “I was thinking more along the lines of...“ He contemplates how to say it without making the rest of this night awkward, or mess things up with Gwen in any way. She means a lot to him and he’d hate to lose her over his complicated feelings he wishes he could control. “Dinner under candlelight, maybe?“

He’s as stiff as a boulder, tense and expecting something, anything. Literally anything, even outright rejection would be better than silence. Regardless of her answer, he’s gonna regret this move later when Ethan hears about it and goes to kick his ass.

Out of the corner of his eye, he catches the slight shake of her head, a blush evidently appearing on her cheeks, visible even in the dim light in the car. A small smile graces he features as her hand travels to his which is nervously resting on the gear shift. “Sure, I’d like that.” She says, her smile growing wider.

There’s that same twinkle - the sparkle in the eyes of a soldier willing to fight for the greater good, putting everyone above herself. And, on his hierarchy, she’s number one.

“I’m glad.“

Chris Redfield has regretted many things in his life and will probably regret even more in the future. However, he was a fool to think he’d regret this decision - one look at Gwen’s eyes and all regret was erased. All ass-kicking he might receive for it seems more than worth it, looking at it from the perspective of this very moment.

Then again, Captain Chris Redfield has never been a stranger to a little ass-kicking.

Thank you so much, Anon for this super fun challenge! I hope to receive more three words to turn into fics cause I really enjoyed this experience 🥰

[fallen-gabrielle]

Headcanon about Numbuh 999

Her background and relationship with Monty

It is really a shame that we didn't get to know more about Numbuh 999, a.k.a. Nigel's mom. It is revealed in the very last episode. Kinda too late to explore the character, huh? Well, that's what the fanbase is for, isn't it? Headcanons and theories is what gives the fandom some content while on hiatus (or because we won't get anything canon ever again since the sequel will not be a thing).

I tried to piece together the few information we had in the cartoon to give her a backstory. Things we know for sure:

she was the first girl operative of the 7th age of the KND, she has a long lost brother who is the father of Numbuh 10

...Okay, that was fast. Most of the following is based on some personal experience and knowledge of the mid 60s. I headcanon that Monty's rebellion happened in the early 60s. Also, I gave her a headcanon name, because she needed one. I refer to her as "Margaret".

So, how did kids got lost/separated ? I'm going with the divorce of their parents. And my train of thoughts starts here to follow a logic path.

She went to live with their mom and he went to live with their dad. Simple. But 999's journey just had begun.

A single divorced mother in the mid 60s was actually not well seen by society. So they would always shame the mom for ‘failing her marriage’ and 999 would constantly be reminded that a girl like her with that kind of background would never be able to do something good in her life. Teachers back then loved to shame a kid for living with a divorced parent. Being a victim of adult tyranny, when she learned she could make a difference by joining the KND, she didn’t hesitate. But of course, joining a ‘boys band’ was actually difficult, most of them thought it was ridiculous for a girl to fight. ‘Girls can’t fight! They all cry when being slighted touch, don’t like getting dirty and so on!’ Would be the arguments the KND use to exclude her.

Monty was actually neutral about girls (mostly because he didn’t really know how they work since it seems his mom died and thus not having a womanly figure in his life before). It was with the ‘girls are also victims of adult tyranny’ argument that sold the idea of having girls operatives (people keep saying that girls should act in a certain way and not speak for themselves, for exemple). So yeah, 999 wasn’t part of Monty's rebellion. She joined the KND some time after.

I believe with that in mind that she was extremely cocky, and showing off her toughness. Most of it was only a facade, because she needed to. She would totally have disobeyed direct orders just to spite her hierarchy and piss off Monty, because she didn't like to blindly obey to a boy (also, she secretly enjoyed to piss him off, cuz annonying the guy always so serious and sure of himself was funny to her). ‘I am a woman of action!’ is totally one of her lines. I just like the idea Nigel got some of his ‘free spirited’ temper from his mom, while he got the rest from his dad. "It's okay to ask for help" Why I believe this quote fits 999:

Like I already said, she was constantly reminded that, as a girl, she couldn’t be as strong as boys. She fought her ass off to prove herself to everyone and was always scared to ask for help, that would make her seem ‘weak’. At some point in my story, she yeet herself in a battle/mission when Monty actually ordered to not engage. Leaving a kid completely on her own kinda triggered Monty’s trauma from losing Ben to the social services, he really didn’t like to see a fellow kid all alone, so he went after her. They both get separated from the bigger group, and in the end they still did the mission with plan a (which Monty thought it would be too dangerous, so that’s why he said ‘do not engage’ but she didn’t listen). Thing is, she twisted her ankle in the precipitation, and Monty immediately proposed to carry her, but she said she was able to walk (spoilers, she really couldn’t). At this point, Margaret always defied Monty’s orders and authority, because she thought he was just being bossy for the sake of being an annoying boss for the girls, while he just didn’t care if the operative was a boy or a girl, as long as the work was done well. He was just always thinking of every different outcomes for each situations, because he didn’t want to repeat the only mistake he made: thinking that his father was the only source of evil in the world and thus didn’t see the social services coming for him and his bro. So he started to think about all possibilities and really pondered his decision. He was kinda sick of her behavior and they had a heart-to-heart talk. He asked her what was her problem, and she answered him that, as a boy, he couldn’t understand what it was like to be told how to act and what to become according to their society and adults. Except that Monty did understand: his father always tried to make him the next head of the family, thing Monty never liked. She also told him that her mom would get the "blame" in her parents’ divorce, and that the men in her family (father and brother) left her and her mom alone. While Monty couldn’t understand what I felt like to be in the middle of a divorce, he could a least relate to her for being separated from her brother too. He then tells her that it’s not a crime to ask for help when we really need it. It means we know our limits, and this is the first strength we can have. He then convinced her to heal her ankle (he was good at healing injuries, because of Ben), and you know, he wasn’t exactly the best when he was talking to girls, so she asked him if his mom ever taught him how to talk to them, to which he answered in a deadpan tone it was kinda hard for her to do it since she was already dead for years. Awkward silence as she realised that if her family was fucked up, other kids had it even harder, and felt ashamed for thinking he was being pretentious: he was just hiding some big sadness (and girl, you haven’t heard of Ben yet, so brace yourself). It was also the first time Monty ever mentioned his family to a knd operative other than his best friend so it was a weird moment for him to think about his mom since he never did it all this time.

In the end, they completed the mission, and after that,  they started to see each other, to learn more about themselves. Their relationship grew until they fell in love. When he felt really at ease with her, he told her everything about his family: who his dad was, what happened to his brother. He was kinda scared at first, because he thought she would reject him if she knew his origin. Since he loved her so much, he needed to be completely honest with her (and he already knew about her family’s drama soooo). She then told him that he wasn’t responsible for his father’s sins. That he shouldn’t feel guilt for something he never did. Her feelings for him didn’t change. In conclusion, their relationship was rocky at first, and then evolved through talks and learnings.

Some more details on her here.

[cynnymonsnaps]

[Dangerous Fellows Info Dump]

First thing to the fandom and it’s an info dump about all these lovely lovely characters. (Main Capture targets, side characters and our very special MC in all their goodness.)

I don’t regret playing the game but definitely didn’t plan writing like 40+ pages of notes on this, and I regret how much time I put into this.

Be warned that this entire post will have some spoilers from all routes, so I suggest you read this after finishing all routes.

[Capture Targets]

Harry:

Very polite, kind and positive. The kind of boy your parents want you to date.

Protective of those who put themselves or are in danger. Usually goes all mom on them and scolds them.

Tries to mediate among the group, but often times get’s ignored by those arguing.

Bottles in his negative emotions a lot of the times which gives him really bad migraines.

His migraines usually happen when he wants to cry. Let the boy cry gosh dang it.

Used to take medicine for the migraines but ran out of pills. Now just carries the pill bottle around to make him feel better.

Tries to keep hope for the future, what an optimistic man.

His father was an alcoholic who used to abuse his mother and him. One day his dad just disappeared and left them both behind.

He loved his mother dearly. He lost/separated from her when the outbreak began. They were supposed to go to the doctor for his migraines.

When Harry’s dad left, his mom gave him her ring which she said would bring him happiness that he always wears.

Often tries to stay neutral or see the good in people. Doesn’t like suspecting people because it would bring division among the group.

Easy to regret his decisions, slightly unsure when to bring things forward that could change the flow of the group.

Appreciates when MC looks out for him and is happy that they are willing to listen to his troubles.

Harry and Lawrence have a strained relationship that isn’t obvious to the eye. They think too differently when trying to handle peoples lives.

Quite the one for close contact. Often patting MC on the shoulder to comfort or support them. Ex. During Scarlett’s incident he hugged them from behind to comfort them while they mourned.

Ethan:

A man of few words. You can tell what he’s feeling usually through his eyes or through his actions. Ex. Looking out the window while others are out on patrols.

Very brave and willing to put himself in front of others who are weaker to protect them from zombies.

Like a big brother looking after his siblings, giving them snacks when they’re hungry, staying with them if they can’t sleep, letting them cry it all out while he comforts them.

Doesn’t like taking a gamble with zombies, but if there is benefits for the future than he’ll use force to break through.

He looks like he’s made of steel, but even he’s afraid of the zombies.

A very sleepy boi. Someone please go help wake him up. Don’t massage his hand though, it’ll make him sleepier.

Used to be on a baseball team before the apocalypse, who used to joke around with his teammates all the time. Ex. going along with MC and Judy’s married couple skit.

Doesn’t really like thinking too much, (not in a meat head way but more like in a disassociating way.) Often keeps his opinions to himself unless he thinks it’s important to say it. Sometimes can’t get social cues.

If he’s not patrolling around the school, then he’s fixing up something. (Which is why he’s always a sleepy boi)

Lawrence and Ethan almost seem to have a leader and servant relationship. Sometimes it’s a Papa and Dad relationship looking after the teens.

Ethan and Zion are bros in strength and mind. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them work out together.

Zion:

Seems like a cocky asshole, but he’s just mostly a caring rough teddy bear. 

Not good at handling vulnerability whether it’s his own or someone else’s. Ex. Often doesn’t know what to do when MC cries except for telling them not to cry because that’s not why he saved them from zombies for.

When heated up in an argument he’ll often get loud and start yelling. He has his opinions and feels frustrated when they don’t come to conclusions because of it.

Hates when people try to play the victim because he knows everyone has their own stories and problems.

Always get’s straight to the point and is always blunt about it. It makes him seem like an asshole without feelings.

Always the first to rush into danger especially when it’s to save someone.

Doesn’t like when people try to bite off more than they can chew. Warns them about it and always ends it with “Don’t get into trouble.” Even though he always does the same.

A Rowdy fellow who gets excited and proud about finding a large food haul, laughs freely with his friends, and doesn’t really care about others opinions about him.

He’ll let people do the dangerous tasks if he knows they can do it. He’d rather the guys do the zombie bashing and patrolling outside rather than some of the girls who can’t fight for themselves. Ex. Judy wanting to go on the outside patrols but Zion rejecting the idea cause she can’t really fight a lot of zombies.

Loves to tease and lightly bully his friends.

Dense when it comes to love. Can’t see the reasons why Scarlett wants to keep his student ID or why she treats MC badly cause she thinks that Zion likes MC.

His family was rich so a lot of people would want to be friends with him for his wealth. Because of all the fake people buzzing around him he’d often forget their faces. Hates when people try to use others for personal gain, so he’s gotten good at seeing the signs.

Instead of looking at his background, he wants people to look at him for him and consider his feelings.

Knows no human can always make the right decision all the time so it’s suspicious to him how Lawrence is able to do so 24/7.

Used to play soccer and can run really fast. Probably was a really good player back before the zombie apocalypse.

Sarcastic to a T.

Strangely gets very serious when asked questions about life or hypothetical situations. Also takes promises seriously which is very cute.

Doesn’t really have plans for the future and never planned to go to College.

Zion and Eugene have a very bro relationship. Zion always bragging his little achievements and Eugene always shutting him down and telling him to stop exaggerating. They both seem like normal teenagers again when they are together. Zion always scares the piss out of Eugene and makes fun of him for it.

No one let’s Zion have his fun exaggerations.

When MC tells him about hearing noises in the hallways, he brushes it off and calls them paranoid. (Which you shouldn’t do in a zombie apocalypse. That’s just like waiting to be killed.)

Eugene:

Has an attitude and not as trusting of the MC at first. But behind that attitude is kindness covered with harsh words.

Easily gets annoyed or fed up when everyone argues.

A slight nihilist, seems to always shift to the negative point of view. Very cautious because of it.

Seems whiny but can actually be strong willed in dire situations.

In his own way, reassures the MC by stating the situation, grounding the MC in the situation. (A good tactic for when you’re disassociating.)

Sarcastic little shit who can’t fight back against logic.

Pretty real with his feelings. He doesn’t shy away from his feelings at all.

Doesn’t seem like it but he tends to worry about the group when they don’t come back on time. Especially when people start disappearing.

Likes when MC is straight with him and make him look straight at the situation sometimes.

Can’t believe how understanding and kind MC is. It pisses him off that they are probably bottling up all their anger and sadness. It’s okay to let out the rage MC please.

Always wanted to become a singer when he finished school. He loves to sing and wants to make it his profession. Everyone didn’t believe he could do it though and thought that it wouldn’t make any money from it. He was very discouraged and hesitant to share it with MC.

Doesn’t really like to get sentimental, usually wants to move away from good times with the gals. You can’t hurt when they die if you don’t get close. *SOBS*

Knows how to play the piano and has a lovely singing voice.

A little weasel and eats the chips that he found during patrol. To not guilt the MC he tells them that everyone snacks on what they find during patrol and makes them an accomplice by feeding them some nice “BBQ chips” (that are actually ramen bits. No you can’t tell me those are chips, there are squiggly noodles in there. HE’S EATING OUT OF A RAMEN BOWL PACKET.)

Willing to be the bad guy and kill off his feelings to get the MC out of the school over run by zombies and get to the safe zone.

He get’s jump scared easily which makes everyone want to scare the piss out of him. He does not appreciate it. At all.

Lawrence:

Seems charismatic and like a leader with a gentle yet powerful voice.

Logical and calculating. Very smart and can make quick yet successful plans.

Seems like he cares and watches out for the others. In truth he is watching the others, finding them troublesome. When they get too troublesome he plans to get rid of them.

Knows how to get the others attention. Especially zombies who are sensitive to sounds.

Makes MC shy with his aura. Later on it turns into fear and anxiousness with how scary and creepy he becomes knowing he’s okay with mercilessly killing someone.

Always seems to have the most perfect timing when accidents happen around the group.

Has a solid mask that allows him to lie through his teeth and distance the suspicion from him.

Has a great poker face until things don’t go how he wants them. In which he becomes disappointed and very quiet.

Likes when the MC is honest with him. He doesn’t like people keeping things from him or lying, but MC would never do that. So kind, pure, and naive.

When someone talks about leaving the school, his masks slips. He does not approve.

To protect his own he becomes very violent and scary. After the giving the (over)killing blows he seems calm and airily creepy.

Possessive over his things. He will make them his. He will have his utopia.

Pretends not to know things. Like the Safe Zone (which he took down all the posters for) or the basement (which he maintained all this time)

Tries to teach people “lessons” when they get to curious and snoop around.

Was an straight A student who studied all the time. He would go to a library and have a study group. Would study for his parents to be satisfied and was probably gonna go to College and get a good job.

Wanted to learn how to bake but his parents wouldn’t allow him.

His parents were probably very controlling and didn’t let him do anything. Which is probably why he feels great to control others and be free to do whatever he wants for the future.

Met the MC two years prior to the apocalypse where they offered him their umbrella when it was raining. He liked them ever since.

Really just a kid who needed real connections and friends and the others could give him that if he stop thinking about them like his own soldiers.

His real cocky smart ass self makes you wanna beat him up.

For sure bold and daring. Dangerously so.

Together with Ethan, they researched what the zombies were sensitive to.

Smart enough to know which chemicals can poison a human being.

KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A BIG GIANT EXPLOSION. HELLO?!? WHAT?!?

Was the student council president before the apocalypse.

[Side Characters]

Judy:

A bubbly girl who is a breath of fresh air that lightens the atmosphere when she's around.

Knew MC before the apocalypse happened. Went to the same school together.

Protective of her friend and overall glad to see her again.

Doesn't like when someone attacks MC so she defends them and tells them to back off.

A touchy feely kind of person and often hugs MC close when they sleep at night. Or shoves her cold hands on their neck when they wake up.

Has a good heart and would want the best for the group. Doesn't want to push MC away even if Scarlett is trying to make her doubt MC and leave them behind.

Admits to not wanting to be alone and wants to be closer to MC, who is all she has from before the apocalypse.

Lesbian/playful sister vibes going on constantly.

Optimistic bean. Still has an imagination and hunger for food cause of it.

Not the brightest banana in the bunch, but that's not gonna stop her from helping around.

Wears a hairpin to keep her bed hair somewhat out of her eyes. (But also where is it? I literally don't see it at all)

Judy has a good sense of humor and often works off of MC's jokes for funny married couple skits.

Likes to eat food. Often craves foods like pizza and fries.

Sue:

Reserved and kind person who gives chances to people. Ex. One of the people who wanted to hear MC out when they first joined the group.

Smart and observant. Knows when something is fishy and correctly found out the culprit just by observing them.

Was probably student council president of her school before the apocalypse.

Very thorough with her searches and seems dutiful in her tasks.

Reassuring and comes to comfort MC when people start to doubt them again. Tries to make them rationalize leaving.

Hailey:

Seems nervous all the time.

Gentle yet scared like a rabbit.

Doesn't have a loud voice or presence. Often blends into the background and can be talked over a lot.

Very tol.

Looks weak willed but is mentally strong as she's willing to go on food searching patrols.

Actually blunt.

Chooses to get to know MC because she can't watch and suspect her without truly knowing.

Worried about Judy and MC eating themselves into a coma. "You'll get fat guys."

Scarlett:

To the point and a realist. She knows the risks they're taking in another person because they'll deplete more resources.

Jumps to conclusions and makes accusations.

When she see's people getting close to MC, especially Zion, she get's aggressive with them.

Doesn't want to listen to or believe in MC.

Arrogant and thinks she is higher on the food chart. Or at least she acts that way, in truth it's mostly a defense mechanism. She's actually introverted and a scared child fearing death.

Blames an unavoidable event on MC.

Okay with letting the MC get into danger. Pretty petty and okay with MC dying.

Lies to the others to make doubt on the MC.

Likes Zion and will cut any girl going for him.

Jay:

Typical spineless guy in a horror film.

Wants to conserve as much resources as possible so doesn't want MC to join them.

Often agrees with Scarlett.

Weak and a coward.

Very whiny. More so than Eugene.

Can't really fight against zombies.

Doesn't go on the patrols and often has the others do them instead.

Doesn't like danger or putting himself at risk. Will push anyone in front of him to keep himself safe. Ex. Pushing MC down the stairs so they can be a distraction for the zombies.

No one really cares about him.

[MC]

You:

Can run well and hit zombies well. (with determination and the right choices)

Survived by themself by hiding in empty homes since the beginning of the outbreak.

Got nervous being around new people and having people around that they burst into tears of relief. It reminded them of their friends and mother and they just miss them all so much.

Knows how to read the room and doesn't usually say unnecessary things.

Often the bigger person when Scarlett picks a fight with them. Ex. Not saying anything rude back at Scarlett and not punching her when she slapped them.

Often keeps things inside until they boil over. Like how they often cry after their emotions get too much.

A quick thinker. Great in critical situations and tight spots.

Often willing to do risky things to help their goal. Ex. Wandering the school to figure out what the key might unlock, searching more for Judy alone, going to the basement alone to investigate.

Has a fear of being alone.

After getting a second chance to save everyone they get very clingy to Judy.

Has an ongoing married couple skit going on with Judy.

When everyone keeps doubting them, they don't feel safe anymore in the school. They don't feel like they belong and almost leaves if not for Sue reassuring them and calming them down.

After Sue admitting her suspicions, MC is careful and acts cautiously. They observe more and doesn't blindly trust. Begins to act differently towards Lawrence from that point on and doesn't see his actions just from the surface.

Nags the guys sometimes, just cause they care for their well beings.

For some hope and positivity for the future they make small life goals that they can reach.

Wins Eugene a chick with a hat on it. (Which also has a cocky face like the boi too.)

MC mourns everyone's disappearance and deaths properly. Even if the people were unkind to them.

They used to massage their friend, Claire's hand to keep her awake during their old Bio class.

MC breaking the 4th wall to change the ending. Any previous route acts as a very bad dream that they had. (My preference for the previous route is the normal ending or Lawrence's ending.)

Very sarcastic with Zion and Eugene.

Really likes sweets.

Doesn't think that they've ever actually encountered Lawrence.

[journodale]

Why I’m mad about the Rise of Skywalker

My first reaction to The Rise of Skywalker – once I got past the litany of eyerolls and “oh, come on!” reactions while I was watching it – was just how mad I was about it. It’s not a deep-abiding rage, mind you, and much of my anger is a form of disappointment, but some of it is just about how petty and spiteful aspects of the film seemed to be in response to things that happened in The Last Jedi. (Spoilers, and occasional salty language, about herein).

My biggest and first complaint is that JJ Abrams and his co-writer, Chris Terrio, turned Rey into Ken the Jedi Prince. Ken. The. Fucking. Jedi. Prince. For those of you who are unaware, these stemmed from a series of largely shite (but occasionally charmingly shite) young adult novels in the early 1990s, as the franchise was experiencing its first major revival with the publication of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy. Several of those books revolved around the discovery of a Jedi “prince” named Ken, who started to follow Luke Skywalker around until he discovered that he was indeed Palpatine’s grandson (the books had a whole story arc about his father, Palpatine’s son, being a three-eyed mutant), though these storylines and characters conveniently disappeared from the old expanded universe and were never spoken of again. Around the same time, Dark Horse Comics also published Dark Empire, many of the plot points therein were also lifted liberally by Abrams and Terrio – specifically that Palpatine has resurrected himself by use of clone bodies and mysterious dark side powers – the film simply called the planet Exogol rather than Byss, but the broad strokes are the same, including that Palpatine was eventually trying to move his essence into a new body (in this case it was Leia’s unborn third child rather than Rey). These comics touched off a whole litany of spin-offs wherein the nature of the Force and the conflict between the Jedi and Sith descended to increasingly cartoonish depths, and yet here they are, reviving themselves, because of the need to give Rey a bloodline.

In an interview with Terrio in The Hollywood Reporter, Terrio stated that they chose to make Rey a Palpatine because it was the “worst news she could receive,” and then handwaved a bunch of bullshit about “dark side royalty” and how she was choosing her own family over her ancestry. The problem is that this makes no sense, either from a story perspective, or from the broader continuity of the Star Wars universe. Terrio insisted that the original films established that the Force ran along family lines because of Luke Skywalker’s line to Leia in Return of the Jedi about how the Force was strong in their family – discounting that this was Luke’s awkwardly trying to tell a woman who made out with him six months before that she was actually his long-lost twin sister, or the fact that the whole existence of the Jedi Order and their prohibitions against marriage and children precluded there being Force-wielding dynasties out there. Rian Johnson in Last Jedi to make the significant revelation that Rey was the children of junk traders and nobodies was not only “democratizing” the Force – that one didn’t need famous parents to feel the Force – but also to being a hero. Terrio insisted that they weren’t slighting Johnson – and that could be the case. They instead were taking the laziest course to telling the story of the film.

Absolutely nothing in the story demanded that Rey be of Palpatine’s bloodline – if they insisted on bringing back Palpatine (another lazy choice, but more on that later), he could simply have demanded that Kylo Ren find her because she was simply a powerful Force user, whom the Force seemed to manifest in her as a response to the rising darkness (which would seem to have been the whole promise of The Force Awakens’ title). They wouldn’t have needed to invent a son for Palpatine (and then handwave away the fact that he apparently didn’t have Force powers despite their insistence on strong Force lineages, or if he did, how he managed to avoid being groomed as his father’s new apprentice and heir, and how he wasn’t the subject of a war of succession to the throne upon Palpatine’s death), and they would have maintained the notion that the Force belongs to everyone – not the Jedi, not the Sith, and certainly not to famous bloodlines (as Johnson made explicitly clear in Last Jedi). But no – giving Rey a bloodline was about fan service, and the constant need by certain fans that she be related to somebody important (never mind that all of the theories they put forward would not have worked out in terms of ages and timelines).

Another example of Abrams and Terrio totally not thumbing their noses at Johnson was the complete abandonment of the core theme of Last Jedi – that it’s people and relationships that matter, not things. What Abrams and Terrio replaced it with was about turning objects into fetish items – lightsabers in particular. The fact that they insisted on Rey having rebuilt Anakin/Luke’s lightsaber – recreating it exactly rather than turning it into something new – or having Rey build her own lightsaber before the film opened, coupled with the fact that they also introduced Leia’s lightsaber to imbue it with special meaning, as though it was the fact that it was these two lightsabers in particular that imbued Rey with particular symbolic meaning for the final fight was a complete abrogation of Johnson’s message. Lightsabers are not Excalibur – they are not magic swords bestowed upon Jedi by women in lakes. That said, Abrams is pathologically incapable of writing screenplays that don’t have MacGuffins (though the Sith Wayfinders were themselves also MacGuffins, and the dagger another one – even though its appearance and history made absolutely no sense), so this is more of his particularly lazy writing. As an aside, the whole Wayfinder MacGuffin is itself partially lifted from the Jedi Prince series, where the Imperial warlords were looking for the Glove of Darth Vader and found it in pieces of the second Death Star…on a water planet. I’m not even kidding.

The redemption of Kylo Ren didn’t make any sense. Terrio tried to handwave some Joseph Campbell bullshit about how great myths required atonement with the father figure and the great sin of patricide, but Ren’s actual rejection of the dark side was completely nonsensical – particularly because of how they used the device of Leia going into some kind of meditative state that eventually led to her death, as though it was her mystical intervention and self-sacrifice that somehow drove it out of him, as though the dark side was some kind of demonic possession. It also didn’t make sense how Rey decided to heal Ren immediately after she struck him with a lethal blow with her lightsaber – which they played as an act of mercy – and it was Terrio’s contention that it was what allowed Ren to let the light in and see his father again (which was a memory and not a ghost, because how else were they going to get Harrison Ford wedged into the film for fan service). There’s no logic to any of that. Both Force Awakens and Revenge of the Sith showed that going to the dark side was a choice – Ren chose to kill his father because he thought that was what would allow him to bury his past. After a career of mass murder and raping the minds of his interrogation victims, he’s going to suddenly turn it all back because he got stuck by a lightsaber and healed? Really? I’m not buying it. (Incidentally, the fact that Ren’s body dissolved in the end also makes no sense either – Kenobi, Yoda, and Skywalker’s corporeal dissolution had to do with the powers that Qui-Gon Jinn learned to unlock to maintain his presence in the Force after death, which he later showed Yoda how to do in The Clone Wars series and in Revenge of the Sith. I can see Luke having taught Leia the powers, but Ben/Kylo Ren before his training had been completed? I have a hard time with that).

Yet another of Abrams and Terrio’s lazy choices was the need to bring in a Big Bad™ in the form of Palpatine rather than engaging with another of the significant aspects of the Last Jedi’s themes, which was about the banality of evil. The whole point of the casino sequence that fanboys like to deride is that it showed Finn the evil of indifference of those who profit from war, while the underlying theme of the rise of the First Order in the films had to do with people being nostalgic for fascism – sure, a lot of people got trampled underfoot but at least the trains ran on time and we were “safe” with stormtroopers on every corner. It made the film as relevant to the 2010s as George Lucas did with commenting about Nixon and Vietnam in the original trilogy, or his construction of a trilogy of films about political violence and the rise of authoritarian populism with the prequels. Killing Palpatine does nothing about these bigger, underlying societal problems that the Resistance has to confront. Remember in Last Jedi where Poe talks about being the spark that will light the flame that will burn the First Order to the ground? Well, that’s all evaporated with the revelation that hey, it was Palpatine pulling the strings all along. Nothing to confront here, people, let’s just kill the Big Bad™ and go home. Again, it’s cheap, it’s lazy, and it’s fan service.

I have a big problem with the way Abrams and Terrio treated the Finn/Poe relationship, which all of the actors were pushing for. Abrams, in several interviews, dismissed this as the fact that they have a bond that’s “stronger” because they’ve been through the fire together, or some bullshit like that, then assured fans that they would get their LGBT representation because it’s important to show queer fans that they too belong in the Star Wars universe. That “representation” – the fact that a tertiary character from Last Jedi shares a same-sex kiss with another woman (whom the materials accompanying the film identify as her wife) – is brief, in the background, and was easily sliced out of the film for foreign distribution. And yet, Abrams expects plaudits for his “representation,” while also trying to reinforce Finn and Poe’s hetero credentials with the ambiguity of what Finn planned to declare to Rey as they were sinking in the quicksand, and with Poe’s awkward flirting with Zorii Bliss (and we did learn in the subsequent materials that the pair’s previous “emotionally complicated” relationship was when they were teenagers). Abrams later said that a kiss between Finn and Poe would be “heavy handed” – erm, you know, like the fact that he had Rey kiss Ren, the man who chased her, tortured her, tried to rape her mind, killed her friends, and was a mass-murderer. Yeah, he’s a dark, broody soul who just needs the love of a good woman to complete his redemption story (and I’m sure that the Internet is replete with all kinds of fanfic about how her magic vagina cures Ren’s manpain). That’s totally not heavy-handed, heteronormative fan-service in the slightest. There was actual ground that could be made where Finn and Poe were gay male leads in one of the biggest blockbuster franchises on the planet – something that has never been done before. It would have been ground breaking, keeping entirely with the story that had been established, and would have actually been worthy of applause.

The diminution of Rose Tico’s role is also bullshit, and Terrio’s assurances that they filmed more good stuff with her that just wound up on the cutting room floor also doesn’t pass the smell test. Terrio asserted that it was great how she rose from being a lowly mechanic to being one of Leia’s right-hand advisors – which conveniently had very little screen time. There was an opportunity to have her included with the group aboard the Millennium Falcon on its spy mission right at the very beginning of the film, rather than the insertion of the puppet creature Klaud, so as to show that Rose was an integral part of “Leia’s best agents” entrusted with getting the valuable intelligence from their spy in the First Order, but no, that would be a little too obvious. What is left is essential proof that they have caved to the loud and obnoxious fanboys who objected to her presence in “their” films.

There’s a lot of other nitpicking I could do – whether it’s Abram’s inability to grasp how hyperspace works, the fact that the celebration scenes at the end don’t make any sense with the exception of going down the fan service checklist, or the fact that the closing scene contained so much cheese that I’m surprised the Supply Management marketing boards didn’t file a trade complaint and impose 300 percent tariffs on it. The pace of the film was so frenetic that any scene that could have been poignant or moving was lost in the bang-bang-bang editing. Overall, however, I’m just incredibly disappointed in the lazy writing and fan service that pretends it’s being clever.

This was not the film we deserved. This was a film that rewarded the legions of fanboys who complained that films with strong female characters who don’t wind up in bed with a man at the end were a “feminist agenda;” that films that didn’t pander to the very straight white male entitlement to a particular fandom were the works of “social justice warriors” that hate their own fans; that films that don’t recreate the wonder they felt when they were twelve years old – which is an impossibility – are somehow raping their childhoods. The CBC’s Eli Glasner called it “cinematic comfort food,” but it’s more insidious than that – it’s a repudiation of attempts to grow the franchise beyond just a nostalgia cult, as it increasingly morphs itself into (and by cult, there is now a legion of online “truthers” who trade conspiracy theories about how the films have been hijacked by executives with agendas). And because it will rake in billions of dollars, it will assure the people with the purse strings that this is what the market needs more of. My hope for the franchise is moving toward vehicles like The Mandalorian, and the other forthcoming live-action series on Disney+, because the lessons for blockbusters are apparently to be hollow facsimiles of what came before.

[socialdegenerate]

I wanted to like IT chapter 2 (even knowning that the adult parts of the book were never as strong as the kid parts) but fuck there was so much gay suffering that I mostly just left with a deep fucking sadness and I can’t in good conscience recommend it to anyone who’s not hetero- and not just because of the bridge scene.

I’m gonna throw the spoilers under a cut

I know there was talk about ~new~ gay parts being added but I genuinely wish they just hadn’t.

The bridge scene was fucking hard to watch (again, have read the book, knew it was coming). In the book, the homophobic attack is part of the sickness that infects Derry- the bridge attack on the gay couple and the black club being set on fire and everyone ignoring Bev when she screams for help from her father’s sexual abuse of her. It’s contextualised- hard to read, but contextualised.

The movie wiped that context. The black club wasn’t burnt in a racist hate crime- Mike’s parents burned in their apartment for motives that aren’t made explicitly clear (it might have been mentioned as arson in the background of a scene, but it wasn’t an obviously racially-motivated murder). I don’t really remember the first film (been a while) but I don’t recall if Bev was screaming for help in the street while everyone pointedly ignored her.

The bridge scene, though, was there in all of its voyeuristic horror. It wasn’t contextualised as part of Derry’s curse. It was just a gay couple being viciously beaten half to death (I was in a 4D theatre so every single punch sent my chair rocking) and one thrown off a bridge because they dared to be affectionate in public. There’s no link to the way the town destroys its residents from the inside out.

It was bad on its own. But then they added the Richie stuff. Why is he a depressed alcoholic? Because he’s a deeply closeted and ashamed gay man. He’s rejected and shamed for it when he reached out to the wrong boy. He’s mocked for it by Pennywise, who uses the dead body of the gay man who got thrown off the bridge to taunt him. He’s literally dragged kicking and screaming from the dead body of the man he loved (who was presumably straight and was married to a woman).

And right in the middle of his mourning, the hetero couple get their romantic kiss scene (and their happily ever after). It was such a kick in the teeth, and his gayness wasn’t even that explicit. I’m pretty sure it won’t take too much mental gymnastics for a large portion of the hetero audience to miss that he’s gay altogether.

It takes a lot for me to write a movie off altogether, but this one just had nothing for me (the only slight bright spot were all the jokes about everyone hating the endings to Bill’s book, followed up by a lingering close-up on a turtle carving lololol). The gays suffered, the heteros got their happy ending, ~fin~

[aliteraryprincess]

Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

Warning: Contains spoilers

Welcome back to Fairy Tale Friday!  Today we’re looking at the first “Sleeping Beauty” retelling of this feature.  So let’s jump right in!

As a Retelling:

Hillyer draws from the more well-known Grimm version of the tale called “Little Briar-Rose,” which ends with the prince waking Sleeping Beauty.  Earlier versions of the tale, such as Giambattista Basile’s “Sun, Moon, and Talia” and Charles Perrault’s “Sleeping Beauty in the Woods,” include a frankly more interesting second half involving the prince’s first wife or mother attempting to murder and eat Talia/Sleeping Beauty and her children.  Hillyer chooses not to utilize this plot point and focuses her novel on the familiar and famous part of the story.  However, Hillyer does include many embellishments and deviations right from the start.  Instead of focusing on a single princess, we have two sisters as our protagonists: Aurora, who is our Sleeping Beauty, and her half-sister Isabelle, called Isbe.  We also see the sibling relationship between the main antagonist, Malfleur, and her sister, Belcoeur.  While there are multiple romantic relationships, the relationships between these sets of sisters are the source of the major plot points.               

This book has the most unique take on the faerie gifts I’ve seen in a “Sleeping Beauty” retelling.  In both the Grimms’ and Perrault’s versions, the princess is given gifts by faeries or wise women at her christening.  These gifts include beauty, grace, wit, virtue, and musical abilities.  In Perrault’s there are seven faeries and in the Grimms’ there are twelve, but Hillyer uses three (as does Disney’s Sleeping Beauty).  Whereas the gifts in the fairy tale are given freely, the ones in the book come at a price.  The faerie offers the exchange and Princess Aurora’s parents accept or deny it.  They thus barter away her voice for beauty and a good temper and her sense of touch for grace.  The third faerie’s amendment to Malfleur’s curse comes at a price as well; she requests Aurora’s sight.  The queen balks at this and through some tricky wording presents Isbe in Aurora’s place for this tithe.  Isbe grows up blind while Aurora grows up mute and unable to feel anything.  While Isbe never regains her sight in the book, Aurora is able to speak and feel once she is in Sommeil.            

Both Perrault’s and the Grimms’ tales involve a fairy setting the curse on the princess.  The curse states that the girl will prick herself on a spindle and die, and this is the same curse Malfleur casts on Aurora.  Hillyer creates a backstory for the reason behind the spindle.  Malfleur supposedly saved everyone from her sister, Belcoeur, and she feels they have been ungrateful to her and wants the curse to act as a reminder.  Belcoeur liked spinning, so she uses that for the curse, and Aurora ultimately pricks her finger on Belcoeur’s own spinning wheel.  However, Hillyer does diverge in the amendment to the curse.  As in the tales, a faerie who has not yet given her gift comes forward to change it so Aurora will sleep rather than die.  However, the faerie specifies that only true love will wake her up.  This does not appear in any variation of the fairy tale that I’ve read.  In both the Grimm and Perrault versions, the fairy says the princess will sleep for one hundred years.  Perrault’s specifies that the arrival of a prince will wake her whereas the wise woman in the Grimms’ says nothing about how it will happen.  This change makes sense for the story Hillyer has created, and nixing the hundred years isn’t unprecedented.  Disney’s Sleeping Beauty forgoes it, as does Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley.          

While the fairies in the tales never appear again after placing the curse, Malfleur is the main antagonist of the book.  Though we don’t see her often, she poses a clear threat both to Aurora and Isbe’s country, Deluce, and their neighboring country, Aubin.  Due to this, her motivation in cursing Aurora goes much deeper than in the fairy tales.  Perrault’s fairy feels she has been slighted because she doesn’t receive the same gold plate as the other fairies, never mind that the royal family didn’t know she was coming because they thought she was dead.  The Grimms’ fairy feels insulted that the royal family purposely leaves her off the guest list. It’s an incredibly petty reason to curse an infant. Hillyer makes Malfleur’s motivation much less petty. In addition to wanting to remind the people of her power, she has a deep-seated grudge against the royal family. Her people used to rule everything, and now she has to see those lands taken over by others.     

Even though the different variations of the tale are mostly named for the princess, she does very little since she is asleep. Hillyer changes this so Aurora is a more active participant in her story. When she pricks her finger on the golden spindle found in an abandoned summer cottage, she enters the world of Sommeil, which was created by Belcoeur. Here she tries to find a way back, learns about the true story of Belcoeur, and meets her love interest, Heath. While she does all this, her body appears asleep in her own world. In Perrault's tale the fairy who changes the curse puts everyone in the castle to sleep.  In the Grimms’ story, they all just fall asleep when the princess does.  Hillyer uses a different take on this.  People in Deluce still fall asleep, but it happens slowly and is referred to as a sleeping sickness.  It turns out the sleeping spreads through another aspect Hillyer draws from the fairy tale.  In the Grimms’ version of the story, a hedge of thorns grow up around the castle.  In Perrault’s it is a full forest.  Hillyer uses vines that have thorns and purple flowers growing on them.  Isbe and Prince William figure out that the flowers give off a poison and anyone who smells it falls asleep, which is an interesting and unique twist on the original story.         

As previously mentioned, the spell can only be broken by true love, which does not appear in any variations of the fairy tale.  While the Grimms’ Briar-Rose does wake with a kiss from the prince, it is not specified to be true love’s kiss.  Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty wakes just from the prince arriving after the hundred years are up.  Talia of the earlier Italian tale doesn’t wake when the king comes at all.  She remains asleep through sex, pregnancy, and childbirth, waking only when one of her children sucks the flax out of her finger.  Hillyer chooses not to use any of these methods to wake Aurora, but she does use the kiss as a fake out.  Isbe believes true love means a kiss from the man Aurora was supposed to marry, so she travels to convince Prince William of Aubin to help her.  William agrees, but as the two return to Deluce, he falls in love with Isbe instead.  Naturally, when he kisses Aurora, she does not wake up.  Isbe later returns by herself and kisses Aurora’s forehead, and this was the most surprising part of the book for me.  Since the story essentially hinges on the relationships between sisters, I thought Isbe’s kiss would wake Aurora.  But it doesn’t.  Aurora saves herself from within Sommeil by putting on Belcoeur’s crown.  The crown originally belonged to Charles Blackthorn, Belcoeur’s lover who Malfleur murdered.  “True love” is engraved inside the crown.      

My Thoughts:

There are some fantastic concepts in Spindle Fire.  Tithing away senses for faerie gifts is one of the most intriguing ideas I’ve come across in a fantasy novel this year.  It also has some great twists on the original tale, and I appreciated Aurora having more agency and waking herself up.  Plus I always enjoy stories about sisters.  However, I had a lot of problems that kept me from enjoying the book more.

I felt the story moved too quickly and didn’t give the reader enough time to understand the characters and relationships or learn about the world.  I didn’t feel like I knew Aurora or Isbe at all when the action kicked off, and I wanted to see more of their relationship before things began changing.  And even once the plot progressed, I never felt a connection with Aurora or even thought she had much of a personality.  I found her parts of the story boring, while I was interested in what Isbe was up to.  I also had an issue with the book being written in third person, present tense.  This is a personal thing, but I have a very difficult time with long works written in present tense.  The only time I think it works is when it is paired with first person narration.  So even when I was interested in the story, the writing kept me from being fully engaged.

My other big problem was the use of a love triangle.  I don’t mind love triangles if they are done well, but they usually aren’t.  And the one in this book is no exception.  Malfleur and Belcoeur’s backstory boils down to a love triangle between them and Charles Blackthorn.  There is jealousy and a bit of resentment on Malfleur’s part before this, but this causes the major break in their relationship.  Malfleur and Charles fall in love, but she rejects his marriage proposal in order to put her magic first.  When she leaves on a three year long trip to develop her magic more, Belcoeur and Charles end up falling for each other.  Malfleur naturally sees this as a betrayal by both of them and later murders Charles, sending Belcoeur his severed head in response to her plea for reconciliation.  Honestly, I’m just really over the trope of two sisters being torn apart because they love the same man and it wasn’t developed enough for it to work well anyway.  The book also seemed to be setting up for more love triangles in the sequel, possibly between Isbe, Aurora, and William and between Isbe, William, and Gil (who Isbe assumes is dead, but I don’t buy it). 

My Rating: 2 stars

Other Reading Recommendations:

The starred titles are ones I have read myself.  The others are ones I want to read and may end up being future Fairy Tale Friday books.  To keep the list from getting too long, I’m limiting it to four that I’ve read and four that I haven’t.

Other Retellings of “Sleeping Beauty”:

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley*

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman*

Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine*

When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden*

Thornspell by Helen Lowe

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen 

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

More Retellings by Lexa Hillyer:

Winter Glass

About the Fairy Tale: 

Sleeping Beauties: Sleeping Beauty and Snow White Tales From Around the World by Heidi Anne Heiner   

Have a recommendation for me to read or a suggestion to make Fairy Tale Friday better?  Feel free to send me an ask!

[shewolfofficial]

Crush!Levi x Reader ~ Outside

Summary: You and your friends, Mikasa, Eren and Armin talk about the outside world and your futures, secretly being listened to by a certain Captain

Warning: Spoilers for Aot Season 3, Cursing

A/N: So I've had this idea play in my head for a while now and it's finally time I write about it lmao

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's weird when I say it... But shouldn't you guys watch out for me more?" Eren sighed hunched over as Armin helped him walk "I knew if you got hurt it would heal up quick, so I just watched" Armin told the brown haired boy beside him, Mikasa followed the two as you walked on slightly ahead. The three sat down next to each other "that's so cruel.." Eren mumbled looking down to the stone path "You're the one who incited it" Mikasa retorted calmly, lost in throught you subconsciously kept walking on ahead thinking your friends were still following until Armin called out to you.

"Hey Y/N where are you going?" he asked gaining the other two's attention, whizzing around you offered a shy smile "sorry I just got lost in thought.. I guess.." you scratched the back of your neck as you made your way back up to the trio "Let me guess... You were thinking about the Captain again?" Eren raised a eyebrow immediately sending you into a blushing state "w-what!? Eren shut up!" you exclaimed in embarrassment, Mikasa chuckled "it's alright Y/N why are you still embarrassed when we talk about your crush?" she pinpoints. Shrugging your shoulders you sat in front of them "I don't know.. I just don't like the thought of people teasing me about it" you sit back looking up to the star sky "we won't tease you, and don't worry if horse face starts teasing you then I'll gladly knock him out" Eren smirked at the thought making you roll your eyes "just to get dropped to the floor by Levi again?" you snicker to him, Armin laughs lightly "yeah he came out of nowhere".

Silence fell over the four of you when you noticed a Garrison soldier walk with a lady across the street, freezing with wide eyes the man looked identical to Hannes. Until he turned around fully making you all ease up and sit in silence.

The silence didn't last long until Mikasa spoke with her arms crossed over her legs "once we retake Wall Maria... A-And defeat all the enemies coming for us... Will they come back?" she asked looking downwards as her raven locks cupped her face. Vivid images of your childhood, your home and your parents came back into your mind as you kept silent." Those days... We'll bring them back.. But some things are forever changed and we'll make them pay for that" Eren responds calmly looking over to the large wall, nodding you sigh leaning back against the step behind you "bein' honest, I actually can't wait to go back home... To walk the streets again.. Smell the fresh baked bread I'm going to make sure we get our home back and I'll be damn stubborn about it" you smirk deviously to them, Eren nods smiling.

"Yeah.. but there's more than that" Armin adds looking to you, tilting your head to the side slightly you raised an eyebrow. "The sea" he smiles "a salt lake so big that merchants could spend their whole lives and still not get all the salt" his imagination sparks at the thought of it. Raising his head up to the sky smiling widely "there's more than just titans outside the walls! Fiery water, lands of ice, sandy snowfields.. I joined the scouts so I could see all of that" Armin exclaims turning to Mikasa and Eren. Smiling fondly to the blonde you listen. "Y-yeah you sure did" Eren replies.

Armin leaned forward ever so slightly, his eyes widening a inch before he stood up abruptly. "Right!?" he said grinning "Let's start by seeing the sea! Y/N we can even bring the Captain!" Armin turned to you as you smiled at the thought before he gazed back to Eren. "You still doubt that it's real Eren! You'll see it does exsist!" Armin continues excitedly, Eren couldn't help the smile that tugged at his own lips "all right then.." he replied not breaking eye contact "guess we'll have to go see" he continued. "It's a promise then!" Armin squeaked even more excited "Yet another conversation you two will get" Mikasa pipes up as Armin didn't stop his rambling "we can explore the outside world! It's got to be way bigger than inside the walls!" Armin finishes glancing quickly over behind Mikasa and Eren "okay I get it" Eren tries to calm him down motioning for Armin to sit back down.

Finally sitting down Armin watched you sit staring out towards the wall once again in thought. Mikasa quickly caught on and furrowed her eyebrows. "Y/N?" Armin asks tapping your shoulder gently, turning around to face the three again you nod letting him know you have your attention. "Do you ever plan on telling the Captain? You never know.. he could return the feelings" Armin grinned, shaking your head you let out a sigh "I highly doubt it Armin... Plus Levi would probably just tell me to get a grip of myself or just tell me to piss off" your face drops at the thought of it. Eren's expression softens "you still have some chance right?" he looked to Mikasa who nodded "maybe if you do end up getting together you could probably settle down in Shiganshina" she states plainly making you squeak. "Mi-Mikasa! You say that so casually about me settling down with him! He doesn't like me for crying out loud" you exclaim from embarrassment, Mikasa lets a laugh slip past her lips.

"I just... I don't want to tell him because one, he's our superior, two, he'd most likely reject me and three, he's probably not into romance or love" you sigh as Eren pats your back. "Come on.. You could at least try?" he attempts once again as you catch Armin glancing back behind Eren again. Shaking your head to Eren you look questionly to Armin "what do you keep looking at that's behind us?" you ask curiously. "O-Oh nothing, don't worry about it" he responds waving you off.

Silence clouded the four of you again before you suddenly shot up "shit! Shit! Shit! I forgot Levi told us to be in bed like half an hour ago!" you screech looking down to them, Eren bursts out laughing at you being so worried about going to bed. "Y/N o-oh my!" he continues to laugh hunched over "I never knew you would take his bedtime schedule so seriously! Awe little Y/N! Levi said it's time for bed" Eren cries from laughter as your face scrunches up in annoyance. "Eh!? Yeager I swear to fuck!" you frown at him making him laugh harder, Armin tried to pat his back attempting to get him to calm down while Mikasa sat there silently watching.

"But everyone went to bed Eren! He'll kill us!" you continue to screech in panic, Mikasa shakes her head at you two. "Y-You're so scared of him giving out to you it's hilarious" Eren wipes a tear from his eye slowly gaining back his composure. "Well fuck you too I guess..." you mumble to him.

// Time Skip \\

You heard Mikasa and the other two stand up from behind you, looking over your shoulder you shot them a questioning look "where are you three off to?" you ask watching their every move, Eren snickers playfully "heh... Bed" he says. Rolling your eyes you turn back facing ahead "well goodnight you guys" you call back to them. "Y/N you're not coming?" Armin puzzles "I'll be there in a bit... I need some... Me time.." you tell him as he nods before walking off with the others.

Sighing you lay back on the stone looking up to the stars in silence listening to the crickets chirp their tunes in the midst of night. Hearing shuffling from behind you-you dismissed it as someone walking into their home behind you until you felt a slight nudge at your shoulder.

Orbs flickering up to meet cold grey ones your eyes widened as you hurriedly sat up giving your superior a sloppy salute, Levi clicked his tongue waving off your salute. "What are you doing out at this time?" he asked, the question immediately made you regret your choice of staying out late . "I... - uh..." you tried but Levi shook his head, sitting down next to you he placed his cup beside him. "H-How long have you been there for sir?" you nervously asked the raven haired man. Levi looked to you at the corner of his eye "I've been here since you and the three others sat here earlier" he informs making your breath hitch in your neck "d-did you hear what we were talking about?" your voice was laced with embarrassment as he nods. A comfortable silence overcomes the air as you sit next to each other.

"You know.. I'm quite interested in the fact that there is different types of land and a so-called sea as Armin calls it" Levi says looking to the star speckled sky, nodding you smile at the thought "yeah I bet the outside world is beautiful.." you add. "Do you....Plan on leaving the military when all the titans are gone... And once we have taken back Wall Maria?" Levi looks to you with a strange glint in his eyes. Shrugging you sigh "I don't know.... All I want is my home back... Shiganshina... I don't know what I'll do when we take it back" you honestly say thinking about your future. "What do you plan on doing when the titans are gone?" you offer him a soft smile "I don't know.. " Levi mutters picking up his drink and taking a sip from it. "Maybe when we take back Wall Maria and defeat our enemies and titans I'll serve in the military for a few more years before living in Shinganshina... Only if everything goes well" you couldn’t help but giggle slightly, Levi hummed in agreement.

"I heard what Mikasa said earlier sending you into hysterics" Levi says careful not to make you too scared of the situation. Your mood dropped at the mention of it "Captain I'm sorry-" you were caught off by Levi making his signature 'tch'. "Why are you apologising for the feelings you have Y/N? You can't help it" he says as you nod nervously, Levi takes another sip from his drink "I wouldn't mind settling down with you in Shiganshina" he says suddenly, your jaw drops slightly as you stare at him in shock. "No need to be pissing yourself when I'm around, am I that scary?" Levi teases slightly making you scratch the back of your neck "w-well I don't fancy getting shouted at.. " you reply innocently.

Levi rolls his eyes before turning to you "so what d'ya say Y/N? Wanna uh... Go out?" Levi struggles with the question as you nod eagerly smiling widely. Scooting closer to you Levi feels your side against his as he places his free arm over your shoulders taking another swig from his beer.

"Well.. I guess we'll have to see what the future holds then" Levi says finishing his drink, nodding you hesitantly rest your head on his shoulder treasuring the moment.

[dairy-farmer]

binchhhhh have you season season 8 yet??? and if so thoughts?? 🤔

I diddd!!!! and I just finished it!! i tried staying up till 3 to watch it but fell asleep and woke up at 4:30, it’s like 10 am now and honestly???

*SPOILERS FOR VOLTRON SEASON 8 BELOW*

 worth it. no regrets.

overall im like…satisfied? like it got a happy ending for the most part, because the main plot is accomplished the universe can finally begin to heal and voltron has served it’s purpose, which i was expecting but there’s also a part of me that is…like really really sad??

like allura’s gone because she sacrificed herself alongside honerva (which really made a sharp character turn at the end, which is slightly supported by the closer examination done to her character in the episode where they delve into her mind but i still feel could’ve been built up more)  and i really wish she could’ve like lived on (but like what else are fanworks for??) especially given the fact that she and lance were really beginning a promising relationship.

-even though there could be a case built that it’s just a rebound relationship, though i think that its very unfitting for either allura or lance’s characters. i mean the same could be said for klance if it had been canon, that lance saw his chances with allura dissipate and that keith was just next in line. but the way the allurance was portrayed was actually quite soft, like the two became closer friends who shared a romatic love for one another and isn’t that how love’s supposed to be?

(believe me im just as disappointed as all of you that klance didn’t end up being canon because despite my (still present) belief that they belong together, but i…was kinda prepared to find this out? like Dreamworks being the parent company and after shiro was confirmed to be gay and who was a main character i just knew that asking for more than a single LGBT main character was pushing my luck. (ezor and zethrid were present but they hardly had any screen time and theyd been classified as villains even near up to the end)

of course while i did enjoy the season and the entirety of voltron overall i think ill just list of what i liked, what left me confused, and what kinda bothers me:

-keith, embracing and fully accepting the entirety of his galra heritage and even going so far as to use the words ‘us’ and ‘we’ in his speech to the other galra at the end ✔️ pretty good for a boy who started out angry and sad at the world with no idea who he was

-lance’s altean marks!!! all i can say is hell yeah!!! (like i dont think he’s altean because i dont think he can shapeshift or is genetically similar at all but the marks on his cheeks (i interpret them) are like a kissmark from allura, a reminder that she did truly love him  and almost a symbolic way of her having passed on the torch to him. ✔️ (they’re like lance’s moon!!! ya know like how in ATLA how sokka found love and then lost it but was reassured that yue was up there, looking down on him)

-did kova die in the ritual?? is that what happened when honerva set him down in the circle??? she drained the quintessence from an immortal being❔

-that little dialogue exchange from honervas memories of lotor like how zarkon replied to lotor saying “you may be the prince but i am your emperor” and immediately afterwards when lotor said he wanted kova and haggar almost said no and he replied “you may be the high pristess but i am the prince” pretty much mirroring his father and delivering the chilling hint that despite how much lotor may have tried to reject it, small parts of zarkon did make their way into him ✔️

-SHIROS!!!FUCKING!!!ARM!!!WRESTLING!!!COMPETITION!!!✔️✔️✔️✔️ like you can tell being called old got to him, and am totally in the belief that no matter how good he may be at hiding it he’s just as short tempered and fiery as keith was ( i even think that maybe he saw a younger version of himself in keith when he first met him which may be why he was so determined to help him- especially since much of shiro’s own childhood is never adressed. can someone say orphan!shiro?) 

-farmer lance ✔️✔️✔️ like keith’s dad was a predicted to be farmer/firefighter- hes confirmed firefighter but i like to think that maybe he grew tomatoes part time or smthn. and keith a city slicker he doesnt know jack about farming. excellent matierial if you ask me, yall pickin up what im puttin down?

-takashi shirogane got married and we dont even get a name??? scam ❌

-shiros kiss ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

-uhhhn the fuckin uhhh slight homicidal tendencies that allura developed after accepting that parasite thingy . like everyone was glancing at each other, clearly aware that she wasn’t acting like herself but no one actually steps in? says enough is enough.?❌

-Merla name drop??? ya know what i can appreciate the little things ✔️

-go!lion throwback with gremlin pidge✔️✔️

-shiros goodbye. “you never have to thank me for anything”. like the sincerity, the implied level of thanks that HE feels towards alllura. binch..i shed a tear i wont lie…✔️

-lance found love✔️✔️✔️ me being a klance/shance lover or not i love my boy lance first and foremost and He.Found.Love. the one thing he’s wanted more than anything else and i for one love that he found his happy ending no matter how short lived it may have been

-lance signing like 1000 blue lions dolls just to get ONE for his boo? hero✔️

-end credit where the lions are flying towards an outline of allura made of stars✔️ while even though she’s gone, shes now part of the galaxy she fought to protect✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

-voltron ends just as it started, with lance mcclain center stage ✔️✔️

- the scene where baby!lotor is running towards honerva to hug her and then just stops. dead. in. his. tracks. purposeful or not i think it really gives credit towards his natural instincts to sense danger.✔️

-despite lotor having killed hundreds of alteans, and the additional reaffirmation that he above all was desperate to preserve life no matter the cost, that he had a sense of right and wrong that became skewed. that he lost himself. found himself, and lost himself again. makes him a character really suited for deep pensive analysis. like before we even KNEW or met lotor i was writing him as a paris hiltonish party kid who was really just looking for a good time but now i feel like when writing him from here out and maybe for others we can actually give him his due as a complex character who under a different set of circumstances couldve been someone else. someone better? maybe ✔️❌❔

*SEASON 8 SPOILERS END*

well thats all i can think of off the top of my head. is there more pros and more cons? probably but that’s really more up to everyone else’s personal interpretation. 

is voltron perfect? definitly not, there’s a lot that coulve been improved upon, somethings that coulve gotten more in depth work. they had a lot of interesting pieces that if executed better, with longer episodes or possibly even more seasons, or maybe decided on a method of storytelling and stuck with it, i feel like it couldve been something great. 

but i liked it. 

and if if you’re with the opinion that the ending sucked and you hate everything about it well, you can always just drench yourself in fanworks like you’d drench turkey in gravy to make it a little more palatable.

because YOU my good bitch are valid as well!!!

so really theres something for everyone!!!! (also please dont kill me for my lack of fics, my chem final was yesterday (only thing i can remember from it is the thought that i should’ve chosen A. sparkling water rather than C. gold metal for question 19—buuuuut that means im free for break!!! and guess who’s gunna get flooded with all my half finished fics!!! das right allayous

[evilrevan]

Tekehu has stolen my heart faster than I thought possible. Just sfhhdd. I got so ideas about him and my Watcher, Elatharis. Damn it sharkman.

Some NSFW content below: Shouldn’t be any spoilers for him or the game.

I GOT FEELS OK?! OTP: Tiger Shark

The first time Elatharis met Tekēhu she most certainly considered him conceited and full of hot air. Even when he chatted with other members of the crew, flirting here and there, Elatharis simply ignored him and hoped to god no one would start a brawl over him.

After spending some time with him out on the open seas and on uncharted islands, she realized there was far more to him then he let on originally. Surprisingly they shared common ground and through it, Elatharis began to divulge a bit of her past with him. Something she glossed over with Pallegina, Aloth, and Eder. 

The size difference between the two is laughable at best. At 5ft Elatharis is dwarfed by Tekēhu’s massive size. The only time she’s taller than him is when she is in her werecat form, which is taller than him even in his wereshark form.

Tekēhu has never seen others spiritshift before. He only knows his own wereshark form and nothing else. Not even the watershapers can transform like he can. So when he hears about Elatharis being able to spiritshift into a large ferocious cat he’s more than a little interested in seeing it. Elatharis rejects him every time he asks her to change. 

In an effort to see her form, in the middle of battle Tekēhu, decides to spiritshift into his wereshark form. This catches Elatharis off guard for two reasons: HE CAN SPIRITSHIFT INTO A HAMMERHEAD SHARK and HE IS A DRUID TOO????!!! Cue a hell of a lot of questions from Elatharis on the subject.

Traveling around tekēhu notices other druids as they explore other islands and notices their werecat forms are nothing like Elatharis’. She merely replies, ‘Elves were never known to become druids like myself. Maybe that’s why.”

Tekēhu does find it unsettling that Elatharis doesn’t love the gods and frequently questions them and their ‘divine goal’. Still, he appreciates her tenacity and willingness to crave her own path separate from the gods themselves.

Wanting to pursue Elatharis tekēhu tries a different approach and talks to Eder, Pallegina, and Aloth as the three of them traveled with her the longest out of anyone in the crew. He questions if any one of them ever got together with her before she came to the deadfire. Each one tells them no. Eder provides the biggest sorta hint as to why Elatharis never sought anyone to love, “I think with her awakening causing her to lose herself from time to time, I think she didn’t want to get someone tangled up in her in case you know... went mad. Hells, There were times nothing woke her up from her thrashing and mumbling.” Elatharis overhears their talks and chimes in stoically, “Part of the story, yeah. And I’d appreciate it if the conversation was dropped.”

All of the crew asks Elatharis why she has a young orlan girl on the ship. She gives them half-assed answers as it doesn’t really matter what they think. In the end, she simply says, if you fuck with her she’ll gut the offender, Or offenders, from their crotch to their chest. No one asks anymore. Save tekēhu who doesn’t relent until he hears an honest answer out of her because he can’t see how she decided to take on such a small child to work on the ship. Elatharis caves and tells him she’s her daughter, sorta. Took her from a clan that was going to sacrifice her soul to strengthen another’s bloodline because the leader didn’t have sons with a leader’s soul. Elatharis couldn’t bear to leave the child with them even if she killed their leader.

Vela adores Elatharis and loves learning from her on how to use druidic magic like her tall mama. When Tekēhu offers to show her some tricks the little girl jumps for joy over his watershaping skills. Vela doesn’t care much he’s a godlike or that he smells of the sea... or has scales on parts of his body. She likes what he can do with water.

When Vela knows Elatharis isn’t looking she asks Tekēhu if she can touch his hair or ride on his shoulders. He lets her do both.

When Elatharis does show interest in wanting to be with him, she establishes she doesn’t want to have sex with him. She doesn’t tell him why or elaborates. He teases her about it but accepts the boundaries she’s set in place. 

When she suggests he can sleep in her quarters he immediately thinks of it in the wrong way. Elatharis stresses to him she’d rather just... cuddle and fall asleep together. She doesn’t even mind if it is naked or clothed. Just no sex.

The two of them get extremely mushy and sweet it hurts other members of the crew. Some think it is adorable. Others are screaming for them to get a room and fuck already. and the rest are begging for them to be private with their kissing.

During the night tekēhu wakes up in her quarters feeling like something is very- off. To his amusement (and slight terror) he finds Elatharis has spiritshifted into her werecat in her sleep, engulfing him in her furry feline form. In the morning he teases her relentlessly - nicknaming her his Tigress for a plethora of reasons. The main one? She’s as fierce if not more so than the tigers the Queen of the Huana has. Even if her fur is nothing but the color of her red hair and not white and black. 

In response to his nickname for her, Elatharis calls him her shark. Fish man sounds... off-putting and not really him. With his sharp teeth and ability to turn into an actual shark - Shark glides off the tongue more. Sharkie if she’s feeling playful.

When things finally get serious they do have sex, but not before Elatharis explains to him why she didn’t want to have it at first- she was scared with all the other flings he’s had, that once he had sex he’d just up and leave. Tekēhu assures her he wouldn’t do such a thing. Not with her.

At the end of Deadfire Tekēhu convinces Elatharis to go visit her parents back in Aedyr she hasn’t seen for nearly two decades. When they get there Elatharis is faced with the reality they’ve been dead for 8 years and all that money she sent to them over the years helped only a little bit while everyone took advantage of her poor parents. Tekēhu tries to console her the best he can.

Afterwards she, Tekēhu, and Vela settle down on an island in the Deadfire- relaxing and spending what time they can with one another. Elatharis adopts a ton of animals. Some of which like to taste Tekēhu