#which besides the fact i think he is the best actor in the world is why i’ve been on the kencen train for some time

[callixton]

chess by nature of having 10 billion million versions is my worst ‘no one gets this like me’ media. so sorry i promise it’s not personal but i do know them better than u* </3

*hallucinated a version of the plot when listening to the concept album 1000 times and now whatever’s closest to that hallucination is right

[ikeoji-subs]

Zettai BL Ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL Ni Naritakunai Otoko 2024 - Episode 1 Eng Sub

VS PHYSICAL CONTACT and VS HALLOWEEN

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translation notes:

about Mob’s eyebeams (3:47)

Maybe I just think I see tokusatsu references everywhere, but I think there’s an Easter egg of sorts in episode 1. After Mob comes back to himself and celebrates having escaped L’ing a B, he runs through a field beside the airport and some sort of laser beams shoot out of his eyes. The beams are two different colors: red and blue. I suspect this is a reference to Kamen Rider Build, in which Inukai Atsuhiro played the lead rider (also called Kamen Rider Build). Build had a number of forms (different suits, basically) that had different colors and features. The one he’s best known for (the one that comes up at the top of your results if you google “Kamen Rider Build,” among other things) is his “RabbitTank” form, which is half blue and half red, with one blue eye and one red one. 

Kamen Rider Build in RabbitTank form

It’s particularly appropriate for them to reference Build in this show since Inukai’s character on that show, Kiryu Sento, had a pretty ship-y relationship with Banjou Ryuga, a character played by Akaso Eiji from Cherry Magic. At the time, the phrase “a heated relationship between men” was used to describe how they related to each other, and Kamen Rider fans have referenced it ever since when things between two Kamen Rider dudes seem “heated.” The fact that both actors went on to be BL legends is very fitting. And it makes this reference even more appropriate for Zettai BL.–Towel

Inukai Atsuhiro and Akaso Eiji as Kiryu Sento and Banjou Ryuga, toku boyfriends

about “pretending to be possessive” (07:08)

Mob actually says that Ayato is pretending to have a “brother complex,” sometimes abbreviated (as Mob does here) as “brocon.” While this concept is somewhat Western due to its roots in psychoanalysis, it has a specific meaning in Japanese culture that you don't find elsewhere. It describes an obsessive attachment to one’s brother that may include possessiveness and jealousy toward the brother’s romantic partners. Brother complexes are classically associated with sisters, but it’s no surprise that a brother might be expected to have a brother complex in BL World. 

To be clear, though, Mob doesn’t believe that Ayato actually has a brother complex. He thinks he’s pretending to have one so that he’ll have an excuse to act out his actual possessive feelings about Toujou, brought on by Toujou touching Mob. 

Instead of assuming all viewers would be familiar with the idea of the “brother complex,” we decided to describe what Mob is saying in terms of Ayato’s pretending to be possessive. But knowing the specific reference Mob was making here should help to get a more nuanced sense of the meaning of this line.–Towel

It's also relevant to say that in spoken Japanese almost anything can become a "con". Such as brocon, siscon, lolicon, etc.–Snow

about “fair prince” (6:18)

Snow explained to me that Toujou was described here using a word that's associated with classical and poetic Japanese. Historically, it was used to refer to lords and ladies, and it's particularly common in classical Japanese literature. In modern media, it's often used in period dramas and may be used in contemporary settings to describe the person being referred to as admirable in some way. Since it has multiple meanings with specific connotations and various points of reference in Japanese culture, there was no direct equivalent of this in English. Translating it literally word-for-word wouldn't get the point across at all.

I tried to think about what an equivalent type of literature would be in an English-speaking context and what sorts of words or phrases would bring those things to mind. I tried to see if I could get one or two Early Modern English words in there (the kind of English Shakespeare spoke). I also looked for a link to Toujou’s rose motif by checking some famous rose-related quotes from older literary periods. But neither of those methods yielded anything that fit.

Then I started to think about fairy tales, which gave me the idea of calling him a “prince.” I added “fair,” not for any reason related to his coloring (though it’s somewhat appropriate given his blondness) but because it made the description sound a lot more antiquated and fairy tale-ish. Later in the episode, when a similar description was applied to Toujou in his vampire costume, it made perfect sense to make him a “dark prince” instead.–Towel

Tag list: @c1nto @my-rose-tinted-glasses @twig-tea @sorry-bonebag @porridgefeast @bengiyo @lurkingshan @wen-kexing-apologist

[poisoned-pearls]

YEEEE you always have the correct thoughts I'm interested 🔥🔥🔥🔥

AUAUAUGHHH OKAY SO

Jamil’s voice actor has said himself that even he believes that Jamil and Azul could be close friends- I wanna point this out because that man definitely has some of the best understandings of Jamil EVER because he’s not only seen most of his voice lines, but he also gets the background notes we don’t get to see to add the correct kind of flavor to the voice acting- ANYWAYS

Jamil and Azul DO get along!! very well, in fact! If they are put against a common force or just, generally in an event together they do work well and even joke like close friends would!

Like, even when Jamil is being mean, he’s not malicious. He’s snarky, not actually trying to hurt Azul’s feelings- and they both KNOW how smart the other one is, and both aren’t afraid to mention it

(usually it’s Azul, but Jamil also consistently gives Azul credit as well. He doesn’t ever really downplay Azul’s merits and abilities)

And the funniest bit is- no matter how mean Jamil is to him, even with what some WOULD consider as bullying, Azul does not stop.

Which is WEIRD AS HELL FOR HIM. He was heavily bullied as a kid, so much so that it’s very obviously hinted at that he had/has an eating disorder (he wears the same size as Epel and Riddle, people who are a good ~20 ish cm shorter than he is- this is besides the point-) so to him, the reward of getting Jamil on his side is worth the thing that literally controlled his entire life and caused his overblot. That is how important getting Jamil is to him. (which also begs the question, why Jamil? Sure, some of it is definitely because he sees himself in Jamil, but since this is MY post, I also believe it’s because he has a crush on him.)

And he is CONSTANT about it- it’s almost hilarious how fucking often octavinelle or the lounge or even just himself comes up in his conversations with him.

And sure, it is a little weird that he seems to disregard Jamil’s constant no’s- BUT he also understands and watches Jamil more than anyone else, so I think he does this precisely because he knows that Jamil holds himself back.

Jamil can’t reasonably Say yes to him, because of kalim and his duties, but it’s the same thing with Jamil’s lab vignette, he so desperately wants Jamil to do his best, to succeed, but because Jamil will not let himself, he pushes and pushes to try and get him to fold and do what he really wants. To flourish. And Azul wants him to do it with him.

and the reason why Jamil is always so resistant to it isn’t because he genuinely wants nothing to do with it, it’s because he cannot understand or comprehend a relationship like that where they are equal.

He doesn’t want to be under Azul’s thumb, but this is exactly where their animosity comes from- the misunderstanding of their friendship and the dynamics with it. He doesn’t want to go to octavinelle, to work at the lounge, because he despises being a servant.

But master and servant is the only real dynamic he knows- he legitimately can’t understand how it would be any different, and because of Azul’s reputation and persona, he wouldn’t trust Azul’s word on it either.

(It is also very ironic that Azul’s persona, which was made to protect him from bullying, is the exact reason Jamil is so hostile towards him in the first place)

But here’s the thing- consistently, Jamil always makes note of Azul. He pays attention to him, (‘you sure love your cryptic little asides’ means that he’s actually paying attention to Azul to notice said asides and notice the frequency of them-) and he acknowledges him first.

I cannot stress enough how fucking insane it is that he not only acknowledges Azul first, but by full name. He is in basketball club with Floyd, he should know him well enough to say him by name, and hypothetically be more friendly with. Floyd is genuinely the safest person in octavinelle for him to hang out with precisely because he doesn’t scheme, so why in the world is he acknowledging Azul?? He’s already fucking suspicious of him and wants him off his back, so why not go for what should be his safest in?? Sure, it makes sense for him to actually talk to Azul because, classmates, but to completely disregard Floyd and put Azul first? Azul stands in the middle of them no matter what reading direction would be normal for Jamil (like if he speaks Arabic then it would be right to left/) it wouldn’t make sense to point out the one in the middle. Genuinely when people say hello to a group they know usually they go by name in reading order-

Okay genuinely not being insane about one moment in dialogue for a moment

Jamil and Azul, work so, so fucking well. They are just similar enough while also being opposites in the most complimentary way it’s crazy.

They work well as friends and as business partners and as people fighting together and as a couple, they flow together and it is always in my brain

Because all it takes is for Jamil to realize that Azul is not lying. He is not trying to trick him or butter him up he means every single word of praise he says and he will continue to say it because to him Jamil is worth the pain. THAT is why they’re soulmates to me

Because all Jamil has ever wanted was freedom, and to catch a break. To not be the one serving, but to have someone serve him, to understand him. and Azul does. Azul wants to serve him and to hold him on equal footing and he already DOES understand him

(And he understands Azul, as well, even if he doesn’t admit it. In all of those lines he notices things about Azul you wouldn’t if you actually hated someone. Azul gives him a sense of hope, in a subtle way)

[luffyvace]

Luffy x male reader hcs ☆

Cuz yeaaaaa I never see this?? I’m sure there’s some male luffy simps out there somewhere !!

come get your food I know you exist!! <3

Now luffy’s not gentle with anyone

but if your a guy he assumes you can handle yourself, weak or not

Why? Because your a man! And men have to do what a man has to do

Luffy has mentioned multiple times to protect nami

because she’s a young girl! (Not a grown woman—she’s eight-TEEN)

robin is strong and has a devil fruit so she’s different!

nami has average feats besides some decent durability

but yeah so he’s not gentle at all

you may get treated like zoro and usopp

you two probably seem more like best friends than a couple

luffy drags you EVERYWHERE on your adventures!

like literally you don’t remember a time where you two are separated

which leads me to believe one of his love languages are quality time

playing together, fishing together, fighting side by side, exploring together

did you notice how many times I said together??

yes!! Because your never apart!!!

so, what’s the other love language??

why physical touch of course!

luffy has no concept of personal space

as we know

so he’s always slingshotting onto you, hopping on you back (even if your smaller), dragging you around, whatever!

he does this subconsciously of course

The crew gets this as well but with as touchy as he is with you, you can tell you two are the couple of the group

don’t bother with dates unless you want to have a eating competition

that’s a date he’ll gladly take on without RUINING

In fact he wins!

every time-

no matter what type of competition it is luffy will never hold back

not even to make you feel better 🤷‍♀️

if you’re just as hyper as him you two are the chaotic duo

nami is always scolding and punching you both

not that you learn your lesson or anything

you guys are always doing stupid stuff like challenges and pranks

and bothering your fellow straw hats when you get bored

🤪

With a more rational boyfriend

luffy doesn’t calm down at all

nor does he listen to you any better than nami

he drags you around on his silly adventures whether you want to or not

in fact that may be how you joined in the first place!

(you remind me of law—platonically)

Luffy always laughs and says “come on m/n it’ll be fun!” Whenever you express you don’t wanna do something

yeah he’s not a great listener

but he is good at picking up on feelings!

so if your genuinely sad he can tell straight away you aren’t your normal self, even if your the world’s best actor

m/n being more sentimental/emotional actually kinda goes hand in hand with luffy since he can pick up on those if nothing else

although you’ll be going through a roller coaster of said emotions-

at least he listens to your demands a little more

Unlike zoro for example as to where he doesn’t get to finish his sentences 🤦‍♀️😬

if luffy ever gifts you something it’ll either be so perfectly accurate (you probably think someone helped him but he did it by himself and didn’t think much of it)

or 😬😬😟

“gee..thanks luffy..”

”no problem m/n!” 😊👍

LOL

if your weak luffy won’t train with you-

you either train with zoro or get stronger with time

it’s not that he doesn’t want to

it just doesn’t cross his mind

he spent 10 years training, he thinks he’s pretty good

All he needs now is experience and adventure!

but if you ask him? Sure!

(im warning you this is training and he doesn’t hold back, especially since your a guy)

idk why luffy thinks guys can handle everything??

like dang you could be a lil gentle..?

anyway yeah

if your strong? Great!

now you can fight along side him :)

random

luffy tells you about everything and anything

Even stuff you don’t wanna know..

”OIII M/N COME LOOK A FISH POOPED IN THE OCEAN!! USOPP WASN’T LYING!”

what??

YUP I’m ending it there 😜

Hopefully my male readers enjoyed this!~ more op content coming soon💗

[mikashisus]

Venti Masterlist

A collection of all my Venti fics.

The Regula Solis Epoch

A genshin fic series that takes place before the time of the archon war. Still under construction!

Anatomy Study

xiao x fem!reader (modern, uni au - oneshot)

You had first met Xiao at a frat party. Now, you’re inseparable.

Older

zhongli x fem!reader (actor au + smau, age gap)

When your acting career booms, the stress of the spotlight and your every move being watched starts to drown you whole. The only escape from a complete all time low comes in the form of your attractive coworker, Zhongli— a distinguished and slightly older man that you can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Dream Catcher

xiao x fem!reader x scaramouche (smau + band au)

Traveling the world with your rock band was a dream come true after the intense work of releasing an album. However, when tensions begin to rise between you and Xiao, the band is at risk of falling apart— and it certainly doesn’t help when Kuni makes the situation worse by confessing his feelings.

Bad Idea Right?

alhaitham x fem!reader (modern au + smau)

A year after your terrible breakup with Alhaitham, you decide to make the awful decision of hooking up with your ex. Dating other men was now out of the question after many failed attempts, and why date other men if Alhaitham is right there waiting for you to trip and fall right back into his bed.

Good Luck, Babe!

clorinde x fem!reader (modern au + smau)

6 years ago, you "broke up" with Clorinde because she claimed your relationship was purely casual. Now though, you find out that Clorinde has finally come to terms with the fact that she's bisexual, and you can't help but to laugh and say "I told you so."

But you underestimated your ability to fully move on, and despite the protests from your friends, you decide to give her a second chance— which causes way more problems than you could’ve foreseen.

Memory Weaver

kaedehara kazuha x fem!reader (200 event - oneshot)

Amidst the festivities for the annual North Winds celebration, Kazuha stumbles upon a knight who, although sharing a dance with him, seems to be way more important than she's leading him to believe.

Maybe One Day

kinich x gn!reader

Kinich was sure about his feelings for you, and he was aware of the ones you harbored for him. Yet, there's one thing stopping him from telling you...

Partners In Crime

kinich, venti, yelan, nilou x gn!reader (oneshots)

Soul Eater au with Genshin Impact characters!!

Get Him Back!

kinich x fem!reader (modern au + smau)

You’re drunk— drunker than you've ever been at a party, and without realizing, you curl up into the person closest to you. You didn't get a good look at his face, but judging from the way your phone blew up the next morning, it was definitely someone you should've stayed away from. But now he has your contact somehow, and even your social media, and your best friend is yelling at you; because this is her ex. And now your parents are calling to get on your ass about your failed classes, and you realize you've dug yourself an even deeper grave.

Carnage

sunday x fem!stellaron hunter!reader

While on a side job in the Land of Dreams, you run into a beaten down member of one of Penacony’s elite families. You offer him a chance of escape, and without knowing any better, he eagerly takes it. There’s a gist, though, he’s told by another — you aren’t who you seem to be, and with the ticking time bomb nearing zero, Sunday has little time to break open that can of worms. It’s only when he follows you on one of your missions that he sees who you are at your core: a cold blooded, heartless monster that lives for carnage.

Empire of Blood

lyney x fem!reader

After saving your life from death's clutches, your savior, The Knave and Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers, brings you back to Fontaine with her. Not quite realizing she brought back a monster, she raises you to stand beside her destined heir, Lyney. Nothing goes according to plan when years later, a traveler shows up, and suddenly everything you've worked so hard to build comes crumbling down within the span of a few weeks. And now Arlecchino doesn't just have a phantom child to worry about, but a rebellious one with a swan song who plans on destroying all her plan B’s.

Swan Song

aventurine x fem!reader | upcoming!

No one knew you in this grand dream, and no one ever would. Your last name, past life, your home planet, and your identity were all unknown to the carefree faces of the people of Penacony.

Here, you were nobody. Here, you didn’t have to worry about the IPC tracking you down and once again dragging you back into their clutches.

At least, that’s what you thought until a high ranking IPC officer arrives on the Planet of Festivities and shatters the thin wall of glass separating your dream from your harsh reality.

Westward Lights

spiderman!xiao x fem!reader | upcoming!

Love was trivial, yet in the eyes of the damned, it was a last sliver of hope in the darkness, a swan song of sorts.

Yet, it wasn't powerful enough to move mountains or shake the earth. A single decision amidst the end of it all proves that everything had been meaningless, and the love shared meant nothing at all.

© 2024 mikashisus. do not copy, repost, or translate my works to any other platforms.

[sadcatinapartyhat]

In which Peter is not having a good night

An excerpt from the third chapter of my second-year Marauders fic, on ao3 :)

This was not how Peter had been picturing his first day back at Hogwarts. 

He should’ve known he was doomed the second he’d tasted that blasted pastry. Half the train ride stuck in the loo, all because his mother hadn’t remembered to check the expiry date on the eggs. Then Sirius’s brother went and got himself sorted into Slytherin, which meant Peter would never be allowed to be friends with him, which sucked, because he actually liked him quite a bit (far more than the original, anyway). Then he kept losing at that stupid Muggle game, even though he was the only one following the rules, and then—

Well. And then that happened.

And now Peter was downstairs on the sofa, staring at the ceiling under a scratchy red afghan, instead of upstairs in his bed with his nice soft quilt, wondering how it could possibly be true that his second-best friend in the world had been a man-eating monster all along. 

Half of him wasn’t sure it was true. Remus, a werewolf? Tiny, pale, exhausted Remus Lupin, who couldn’t even fly a lap around the school without trembling—a ferocious, hairy beast? It was ridiculous! Mad! Laughable! Remus didn’t have fangs, or claws, or glowing eyes. He didn’t growl, or walk on his toes, or any of the other things Peter remembered from the stories his dad used to tell. He didn’t even like bacon! (And who didn’t like bacon?) 

No. It simply couldn’t be. 

With a sigh, Peter rolled over to face the other sofa. In the dim reddish glow cast by the dying fire, he could just make out a long, thin form, staring corpse-like at the ceiling.

“James?” he whispered.

“Mmm?” 

James sounded wrong. Like he’d swallowed molasses, and now it was clogging his throat.

“Do you think…” Peter hesitated. “Do you think maybe they were…I dunno, just having a laugh?”

Silence. 

“I mean,” Peter continued. “Surely…surely Remus can’t actually be—”

“He is.”

At the ice in James’s voice, Peter shrank back into the cushions, pulling his blanket tighter. James was never angry—and that made it all the more terrifying when he was.

“He is,” James repeated, propping himself up on his elbow to glare in Peter’s direction with unfocused eyes. “Didn’t you see his face? He’s not that good an actor. Not even close. And besides, nobody has a laugh about—about that.” He drew in a deep, shuddering breath. “Think about all the times he’s gone missing, and all the other weird shit he does—it all adds up. Lupin is a werewolf, Pete. And Sirius knew. They’ve both been lying to us for ages.”

“Oh.” 

Well, if James was so sure it was true, it probably was. 

Remus was a werewolf. 

Peter tried to let it sink in. He rolled the words around in his mind, and conjured up an image of a werewolf and an image of Remus and held them side by side, and tried to see the resemblance. He thought back over every interaction they’d ever had, every time Remus had ever helped him with his homework, every sad smile he’d seen on his face, and he tried to reconcile those memories with the fact that Remus had never actually been his friend at all. He’d just been a monster. 

And then, the most ludicrous thought Peter had ever had in his entire life popped into his mind. 

What if both of those things can be true? 

Peter was so surprised he nearly fell off his sofa. 

Nobody says Remus can’t be both a werewolf AND your friend, the tiny voice in the back of his mind persisted. He was your friend yesterday, and he was already a werewolf then—why can’t he be your friend tomorrow?

Hush, Peter told the voice sternly. That’s absurd. Everyone knows werewolves can’t have friends. 

But why not? said the voice. Aren’t they only dangerous on full moons? Why can’t he be your friend the rest of the time?

Because! Peter thought furiously, mind too clouded by sleep to come up with proper reasoning. Because—because he just can’t! I can’t be friends with a werewolf, because NOBODY is friends with werewolves, and I don’t have to know why to know it’s not done. And that’s final.

Still, as he lay there in the darkness, the voice whispered: but what if they’re wrong?

Thanks for reading! If you liked it, you can keep reading from the start of the chapter, the start of second year, or the start of first year :)

[halfcentauri]

Hello! New blood here! I've been hesitant to make an account or even touch this site for a while, but a few hours on here and I already feel at home. Ya'll are honestly so cool.

A few words about me, I guess. Nice to meet you! I go by Elane, any pronouns. Really enjoy writing (mostly fantasy stuff), have been looking for a good place to meet other writers and talk shop, read stuff and share some of my own, but haven't been able to find a space that wasn't either too professional or too inactive.

I considered writing a new piece as my first post, but... I got lazy. I'm just gonna repost one of my short stories from a different site instead. It was the piece that was the most well-received of all my posts there, and actually led to me meeting a very cool friend, so it feels right that I lead with it.

(I'm sorry if it's frowned upon to repost old stuff here. I'm new to this site and have next to no clue about the culture aside from clips of voice actors reading funny quotes. Also, I was never the best at formatting my posts, and this is site is virgin ground for me, so please excuse me as I attempt to figure stuff out.)

The Eternal Storm

"You're safe in my arms," Percy murmured, holding me close. "Never doubt your place beside me, however vicious their stares, however fearful your heart."

"I don't deserve your grace," I murmured back. My eyes were damp with tears. I held him closer. "You spoil me with second chances I've yet to earn."

"You've earned the world and more." He bared his teeth like a lion, a fierce pride naked in his smile. So fierce, it was almost desperate, and yet... it would do so very little to change my mind.

Around us, the storm thundered on.

Flashes of vermillion lightning engaged each other in a slow waltz. They extended like tree roots amidst the swirl of violet smog, almost frozen in time. The wind picked up, batting my hair through the cracks in my chainmail, mingling it with his as we leaned in for a kiss. The air tasted of mercury, the lethal silver raining from the heavens.

I felt his breath on my lips as we pulled apart, giggling like schoolboys. "No man is beyond redemption," he declared, seizing me by the shoulders. "No betrayal cannot be undone. It takes only blood and toil to build a kingdom—nothing more. What failure cannot be remedied by the same?"

"A failure of character," I said, withering under his gaze. "A failure of the soul, that claims blood beyond measure, and creates toil beyond reason."

"Blood and toil all the same," he said, frowning. "All debts can be repaid, Norman, however great. It only takes time," he gestured at the storm, "and we've yet time to spare."

I smiled at him—a feeble gesture—and pulled away from his touch. His arms hung rigid by his side, no doubt itching to hold me again. "Storms don't last forever," I said, holding a hand out to catch the rain; the silver was fast to escape my grasp. "Neither do phantoms."

I let the silence hang in the air, so that he might understand the finality of my decision. After a long moment, he spoke, "It's true, then. You deign to visit me only to tell me you're to leave again?" He grimaced. "You needn't depart now. It's only been a few hours."

"I have nothing left to do here," I said, hollow-eyed. "My place is without; as you said, paying back my debts. This time we spent together will be forgotten like a daydream, and the better for it. I only thought it fair that I inform you of this fact in person, before it becomes yet another regret. I am sorry if I have disappointed you."

"It needn't be that way," Percy pleaded. "Norman, you needn't prove anything to me."

"Then perhaps you don't know me as well as you think you do," I said. "I am never without something to prove, whether that be to myself or... to you, my king. No words can change that which has been wrought with steel, nor can they undo the shackles of guilt." Tremours were beginning to creep down the length of my arms, and my breath was beginning to hitch. The mercurial fumes would soon impair my ability to think. "I would leave you to your peace; all I ask is that you don't deny me mine."

His eyes softened, the creases betraying his age. "Norman... When you braved this storm, you told me of a favour you wished to ask of me. I had assumed you favoured my company. Surely, you don't intend to tell me..."

My voice turned grim. "It is thus: I have tracked down your murderer to her abode, after years of fruitless effort. Grant me leave to do you this one justice, and one day I shall gladly take my place by your side, here in this eternal storm." Descending to one knee, I forced my eyes to meet his. "However, until my treachery has been repaid, I must continue to live. Burdens are a man's honour; they are proof of his nobility. Please, my king."

Percy drew a breath, and sighed. "Should you fall to an alchemist's art, it won't be a storm you find yourself in. We might not see each other ever again. Are you to tell me you are at peace with this idea?"

The truth was, I did not intend to die to the foul woman's sorcery, but I suspected such an answer would not satisfy him. Instead, I said, "Are you so reluctant to permit me this act of closure?"

"I am, but... I can see that whatever else I may utter, you have made up your mind."

"I'm afraid so."

"Then go, and live a fool." His eyes were motionless. "Avenge me and be fulfilled. If that is what my love means to you, then leave with my prayers."

"Thank you," I said, fixing my eyes on the jagged earth. "Until we meet again."

"Until you prove yourself," he said, turning away. His voice turned cold. "Eternal winds guide you."

With those final words, the storm cleared.

I opened my eyes. The winds were as still as the red sands around me. The amulet in my hand had dimmed, its glow but a shadow of what it once was, its vitality having been drained by my time in the storm. Gripping it tight in my palm, I shattered it into black fragments, and rose from my seat atop the dune. I stared ahead at the Archives—the castle Percy's killer called her home.

It was a grand spire that pierced the earth, creating a sinkhole as deep as a continent was wide. Its buttresses were woven of crystal lace, framing a stately golden entrance that beckoned me inside. My legs marched on without conscious effort, drawn by the promise of absolution.

A tall, pale woman greeted me by where a glass platform bridged the sinkhole. She was smiling, with all the gentility and power of a gracious host. "You're back," she said. "How was your trip around Szeneste?"

I said nothing as I drew my sword and broke into a sprint. Her smile never faltered as she drew an intricate circle in the air before her with gold-tipped fingernails. A smell like death followed, sulphuric and dry. I drew my shield and channelled my fury into a roar as my feet hit the bridge.

The woman surrounded herself with her alchemical circles, and gestured at me, a faint amusement in her voice. "Let's see if we can't end this story with some éclat."

END

For some added context, this was submitted as a response to a writing prompt: "The end of a vacation, soon to return to one's everyday troubles." Except I'm apparently allergic to writing anything that isn't fantastical, so this was the result.

I hope you enjoyed the story, as I'll probably be posting more stuff here as I write it. Probably new stuff as well. Can't be lazy forever.

Peace! ✌️

[heres-to-all-that-is-mine]

I was looking up music and I heard the song "hug me" (the one in the animation memes) and I couldnt help but think of an au where Phoenix needs to act in a movie for a mission with John Juniper and Juniper gets attached (phoenix is internally screaming)

Juniper is an actor.

World famous, critically acclaimed for his appearances in movies like “Spying the Liar” and “Marigolds are forever,” near-universally beloved and one of the best of his craft in the entire world - at least, if you were to ask him.

Though if you did actually ask him, he would, of course, put it a little more delicately.

The point is, Juniper knows acting, knows body language and cadence and what they can mean, has perfected his ability to pretend, to immerse himself in a role - he’s learned just about everything there is about acting and honed it to perfection. Not that he actually has to give his all most of the time, nowadays. Even a sloppy attempt seems to be enough for most.

Still, he tries, because what kind of actor would he be if he didn’t actually put in the effort? (Though few things were worthy of his real A-game.)

He’s getting off track again. Where was he? Oh, yes -

There is an actor on set that he does not recognise.

A minor part at best (though he knows that there’s not really such a thing as a “small” role, really - they’re all integral making a movie what it is), with no spoken lines, which seems to be perfectly suited to them, as they don’t speak. At least, not as far as he’s heard.

And they’re new. A last minute addition, he’s told - the previous actor got sick or something, and they were brought on to fill the gap. For some reason.

They’re reclusive, and quiet, avoiding interacting with anyone they don’t need to, and when they speak they speak in sign language rather than aloud - though as far as he can tell they show no indicators of being deaf.

He’s not sure what catches his attention about them besides the fact that they showed up so late into production, but he doesn’t usually pay attention to people enough to notice such things.

Still, he finds himself watching them as subtly as he can.

He sees their eyes dart around the room, and them sneaking off when people aren’t looking to snoop around the building.

He sees the way their eyes go unfocused sometimes as they tilt their head every so slightly, as if listening to something nobody else can hear.

He can tell they aren’t who they say they are, as if reading them like an open book.

They move silently, as though accustomed to sneaking constantly. They rarely startle, aware of their surroundings at all times, and when someone does manage to get the jump on them he can see as their hand twitches as if they’d been about to turn around and hit the guy, before their body language immediately becomes relaxed.

Despite clearly not being accustomed to the whole process, they’re a pretty good actor, blending into the background seamlessly.

These are all suspicious things, but not something he’d be particularly invested in usually. He’s far too busy - he’d probably just pass along a message to security or someone who could handle it better.

But this movie’s production is proving to be dreadfully boring, and he finds himself watching them more than he’d like to admit.

Which is how he catches them narrowly sidestepping a heavy piece of equipment falling right where they’d been just a moment ago, which would’ve surely severely hurt if not outright killed them, and instead of looking shocked or afraid he watches their eyes narrow and snap upwards.

Their gaze flicks back and forth for a few seconds before apparently spotting something, and looking upwards himself he catches a flicker of movement. His mind races for a moment.

There’d been someone up there, where the piece of equipment had been. Looking back down at the thing itself, he spots… loose screws.

Sabotage? A murder attempt? On his set? But… why? Why this random filler actor, rather than, say, him?

His train of thought halts suddenly as he catches the actor in question disappear into the crowd, using the tumult caused by the fall to slip away unnoticed, no doubt in pursuit of the strange fellow who’d just tried to kill them.

Juniper, swept up in the mystery of it, doesn’t even stop to think about it before he’s pushing after them.

[irontragedyreview]

I don't have much to say about this new chapter, there are things that I liked, and others that I don’t care about. On the other hand I was pleased to be right about Izuku and him naming her his hero, because many in the fandom prefer to ignore the relationship and importance of Ochako over Izuku for fighting over ships (we all know what I'm talking about). Besides I wasn't wrong when I said that what Horikoshi, did after the hasty fight between Izuku and Tomura could be fixed, it's like the poisoned apple that reaches everything else, some said we had to have faith and that Horikoshi knew what he was doing, I sincerely believe that Horikoshi doesn't care because if that were the case the confrontation between Tomura and Izuku would not have been the mediocrity that it was.

Regarding the chapter in question, I liked the moment between Ochako and Izuku, especially because of the pain shared between them by Tomura and Himiko endings’. We can discuss if this was taking the easy way out, that’s getting rid of the villains because from all of them Toga was the one who had the best chance of surviving out of the entire LOV due to the lack of physical injuries. Although Toga's death is a sign of sacrifice towards the only person who tried to reach her, it’s also a way of saying that she had no place in that society, one of the things that Toga said to Ochako during her fight was if Ochako's plan was to offer her blood and visite her in jail (this occurs when she was still rejection Uraraka). At the end of their fight her sacrifice was also the way in which she didn’t have to give up being herself, the words she says are more or less exact "I am Himiko Toga and I lived as I wanted." I'm not trying to belittle the entire confrontation between Ochako and Toga during this war (in fact, I consider it the best of all), even so, her death seems very similar to Tomura's to me, the fact that both characters die maintaining their convictions, it’s as if living the way she wanted was incompatible with the society in which she lived, so death was the only way out that allowed her to be herself, with Tomura feels the same. Something I'm going to celebrate about Tomura's end is that his convictions were maintained until the end. I think there was nothing Izuku could have said to him that would have made him stop or desist from his own vision of the world, his most memorable phrase for me it's "Even if all my hate fades away and nothing remains of me, I still want to be a hero for the villains”. Honestly I don’t think that the black and white vision that prevails in part of the fandom satisfies me, nor does the part that says he was a monster that had to die, but neither does taking him as a simple victim (not because he wasn’t, but because many times, this vision detracts Tomura's convictions and simply reduces him to the victim or AFO’S puppet and I don't like that)

Getting back to the topic, was Toga's death necessary? I don't know, especially considering how all the important casualties are from the villains, while the heroes maintain their lives, even characters like Edgeshot survive, but the characters of Toga, Tomura and even Touya (who is on the way to his grave), simply seem to die because the society doesn’t have a place for them that isn’t away from the population. This last chapter wants to show us that there is a change in society no matter how small it may be, and that people in general becomes more involved and  not a passive actor, which is why we see the woman who ignored Tenko not commit the same mistake, the idea of ​​reaching out to help others, arriving before the tragedy happens, arriving when it isn’t too late, however these are baby steps and that mentality would still have pushed characters like Touya, Toga and Tomura to expulsion because for society the moment to reach them had already been lost.

The idea of ​​"I wish I had arrived before that everything happened, if I could have been the support that person needed, maybe things would have been different, maybe we would have been different", that words are on Midoriya's side, Ochako's words are a reflection of his own thinking and desire, it doesn’t change the mediocre confrontation between them, it doesn’t change the disaster, but it shows that Horikoshi isn’t mediocrity enough, Ochako's words resonate with him and his thoughts are no different from hers.

[farmerbebop]

Anyone still remembers hotvillagepoll? Today it's the day of the quarter-final. That means you get to see the worst propaganda ever written again. I don't know if I should feel bad about the small number of votes or happy that only a few people have to read my propaganda.

Other polls in this round can be found under #quarter-final tag on this blog.

Propaganda

Once Upon a Time: I lived and died many times during this episode. From the moment I saw it until today I still can't make sense of what happened to me. It was painful, but it was beautiful. And have I ever seen any other actor who is willing to give a TV audience that much of himself? No. Did I become his fan at that moment? Probably not in my mind, I was still resisting the fact that he could possess such a talent. But in my heart, I was his fan, yes.

The Schizoid Man: Impersonating an elite spy is a lot easier than you think. Everything you need is in the files. So when did it go wrong? It's Patrick McGoohan you are dealing with. As one of the greatest actors of his generation, he could make anyone look like a parody of themselves, including himself. We still don't really know who Number Six is beside that he was a spy. But McGoohan playing the role is enough to make it so unique you would feel like there can't be any other Number Six in the world.

[macaroni-rascal]

Montreal Worlds 2024 Day 2&3

HOLY WOW! What a couple days that was. This is going to be a wild ramble and bullet point list of things that I can remember and stick out in the onslaught of skating that I've seen in the past 48 hours. It's also 11:30pm, so bear with me.

MEN'S SHORT

Roman clean program? In front of me and God and all of Montreal? Utterly wild, so exciting in the building.

Aleksandr Selevko is such a force, I enjoyed his skate SO much, what a magnetic skater.

JASON BROWN. What a serve, he is so beloved, you could just tell the whole crowd was so behind him and love him so much, it was such a stunning piece of skating.

The announcer's saying Lukas Britschgi instead of Deniss was so hilarious, and he had a lovely skate to boot.

Speaking of Lukas, LOVED him, he's so fun.

YUMAAAAAAAA. That is all.

Shoma Uno made me cry and he needs to pay for emotional damages, he had such a good warm up I was buzzing and kept excitedly hitting my friend's knee whenever he landed another clean jump. QUAD TOE TRIPLE TOE!

Ilia was there.

PAIRS FREE PROGRAM

DEANNA STELLATO THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE. The fact that she normally has such an intense reaction post good skate, but instead this time she just leaned forward, half crying, going 'oh my god' made me cry too. The roof blew off the fucking place. It was a singular moment in my life. I am just so unbelievably happy for her and all that she has achieved. Max was so good, so steady, so fucking wonderful. I am in awe of this team.

Glad M/K went back to that free program, a shame about her doubling, and wow did she ever take it hard. It's definitely their best program, for the love of God Bruno Marcotte STOP LETTING YOUR FUCKING SISTER CHOREOGRAPH EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM. DON'T ME COME TO OAKVILLE! I'LL DO IT!

So so happy for Hase and Volodin, they had such a lovely skate, a very well deserved medal, they've had such momentum all season.

Moment of silence of Conti and Macii, that was rough.

Pairs in person made me age about 15 years, so if I have grey hair in the coming months, I know who to blame. Holy shit, it's exhilarating but also tense as hell. I loved it!

RHYTHM DANCE

Hannah Lim, you're a fucking star.

Mrazkes are deeply underwhelming, like wow, they skate very small.

Lopareva and Brissaud also skate very very small. I kept looking up at the time thinking the program would be over and it wasn't. Not a fan at all.

Cpom CRUSHED IT and it was so awesome to see.

LAJOIE AND LAGHA MY LOVES! Easily the performance of the night, and not even close. So glad they got here after battling injury, so proud of them.

Gilles and Poirier are slooooooooooow. Very slow. Maybe the slowest of the last two groups. It's glaring. How have they not worked on this? They also skate small.

Guignard and Fabbri had a good lift, and a cringe everything else.

I just watched Evan during their performance and wow does he do not a lot. It's the Madi show and he's barely a supporting actor.

Fear and Gibson were there.

WOMEN'S FREE

KAORI KAORI KAORI KAORI.

Besides her heinous jumps, Isabeau created a moment, and it was lovely to experience.

Big ups to Chaeyon Kim for a solid, if boring and slightly cold, free skate. On this night, a well deserved bronze.

Leona, oh Leona. The whole crowd deflated when she fell. Such a shame.

OKAY SO CUTE MOMENT! So Kimmy Repond's dad was sitting ldown and across from me two rows, he was about 4 feet from me. I didn't know he was her dad at the start, but I knew by the end, because he was SO dad about the whole skate. Then when she skated clean, he jumped up, a man below me went and shook his hand and went "Are you her dad?" and he got tears in his eyes, put his hand on his chest, and went 'She is my daughter." I just about sobbed my brains out. So beautiful. He then didn't clap once for the next Swiss skater, which I do not fault him for, major dad behaviour.

Moment of silence for Amber Glenn.

Josefin Taljegard, I love you.

GENERAL THOUGHTS

The people around me and I all started chatting about 30 minutes into the women's free skate, by the end of it, I would go to war for all of them. Camaraderie between skating fans is very fun.

Still a giant fuck you to the woman who asked me if NikS. raped me when I pointed out to my friend he shouldn't be competing, special place in hell for you, you hot garbage person.

I got very cold during the women's free, got a hot chocolate, it wasn't good, but it saved my life, and for that I thank it.

Accidentally got up late (9:36am for a rendez vous at 10am) for breakfast with my brother, still arrived at 10:01am, I am a superhero.

Still fuck the seats in the venue, they need about 4 inches on all sides to be even remotely comfortable, including 4 more inches of leg room. We are humans, not dead sardines, for the love of GOD.

Kaori's speed and power made me gasp a few times.

I can't remember anything else but I know other things happened, ah well, it's almost midnight, I ordered late night pizza take out like a boss, I'm gonna eat that, unwind, and hopefully sleep more than four hours.

GODSPEED!

[holdmytesseract]

Ok, here's one of like three ideas I had for your Lyric Drabble Fest!

Lyric: "And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming Or the moment of truth in your lies When everything feels like the movies Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive"

from "Iris" by the GooGoo Dolls

I think it may be a good angsty prompt for a Tom fic! (esp the lyric about life being like the movies) But, like I say, you'll probably get more. :)

a/n: Ahhh, first of all... I am so so sorry @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 that it took me sooo long to write your drabbles. 🥺 You've been one of the first who send me a request... I feel so bad... 🥺 I really hope you're not mad at me... 🥺 And I also really hope that you like what I wrote. ☺️ I love this song! 🥰

Warnings: this is quite sad... mentions of breakup, divorce, angst, nevertheless there's a bit fluff, dad!Tommy

Word Count: 1030

Tagging: @lulubelle814 @km-ffluv @eleniblue @muddyorbs @loz-3 @vbecker10 @jennyggggrrr @mochie85 @chantsdemarins @peaches1958 @multifandom-worlds @fictive-sl0th @loki-laufeyson-1054 @lovingchoices14 @simping-for-marvel @stupidthoughtsinwriting @vanilla-daydreaming @lou12346789 @lady-rose-moon @evelyn-kingsley @the-princess-of-loki @acefeather2002

Lyric-Drabble-Mania Masterlist

Based on this song:

Nightmare Turned Reality

Tom walked over to his big kitchen counter; two glasses with one of the finest bourbon whiskeys in hands. With a soft thud, he placed one of the glasses on the counter, in front of his best friend, who sat on one of the bar stools. "There you go." He said, sitting down beside Benedict with his own glass in hands. "Thanks, mate." The dark-haired Brit took a small sip of the alcohol, tasting the flavour on his tongue. "So... It's final?" Benedict asked rueful, actually not wanting to ask this question - but he had to. Tom swallowed hard, took a big sip of the bourbon, but nodded meekly. "It's final, yes. We..." He had to take a deep breath, in order to control his upcoming emotions. "Y/N and I, we... We're getting divorced, yes. If everything goes by plan, we are going to sign the papers in two weeks." Ben had to swallow as well now.

He had seen it; witnessed it... Tom's and your relationship going downhill. You and him were such a sweet, wonderful couple. Five, almost six years everything had been dreamlike. Sure, there were arguments and fights, but that was normal. Every couple went through that. It couldn't always be sunshine and rainbows. You were so in love; the both of you never thinking that you could fall out of love again... But it happened. Neither you, nor Tom could mark the beginning of the end. It just... Was there one day.

Perhaps everything went too fast... Marrying barely after two years... Having a baby after one year... Maybe that was it. Or perhaps it was the publicity and the fact that Tom was famous. You weren't - which wasn't a problem at all. You were not even close to the film industry. You were a hairdresser - and the most beautiful woman in the- Tom shook his head. It was over. You often told him it was a lot for you to handle. The press, the publicity, the fame... Maybe it was too much in the end.

"Tom... Evie. What..." The actor's best friend started, swallowing hard. "What is going to happen with-" "Daddy?" As if on cue, Benedict got interrupted by said little girl. Evie stood in the door frame of the living room, rubbing her eyes with one hand and clutching her way too big stuffed animal - a koala against her chest with the other arm. She was dressed in her violet nightie; actually, supposed to be asleep this late. Tom could see a few dried tears on her cheeks and the redness of her eyes. He had a guess... "Hey, baby girl." He cooed, immediately getting up from the bar stool and walking over to her. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" "Had a nightmare, daddy." She snivelled, causing his heart to break for his daughter. Nightmares were cruel sometimes. "Oh no, I'm so sorry this happened to you." Tom immediately picked her up in his arms and exchanged a look with his friend, who nodded with a soft, sad smile. The two friends didn't need words to communicate. "C'mon, sweetie... I'm going to tuck you in again, okay?" Evie nodded against his shoulder. "Mhm."

Tom carried his daughter back in her nursery, where he sat down on her bed, still cradling her in his arms. Of course, she was way too big for his arms and lap now, but still. It gave her the feeling of safety and comfort. "What was the nightmare about, baby girl? Can you remember?" "Mhm." She mumbled and readjusted herself in her father's lap, snuggling close against his chest, blonde-brown curls bobbing. She had the same hair like her dad when he was younger. "Do you want to talk about it?" Another nod from the small girl. "You and mommy were shouting at each other." Evie started, causing a cold shiver to run down Tom's spine. "It was so loud and frightening, I covered my ears and sat in the corner, crying. Then you said you didn't love mommy anymore, a-and that you are going to leave. I-I was so afraid that you are going to leave me, daddy." Tom swallowed hard; his heart breaking completely now. Unbeknownst to his daughter wasn't her dream just a nightmare... It was reality. How... How on earth should he or you ever tell her? It would hurt her so bad. Hence, it already did...

Tom squeezed his eyes shut, deciding to focusing on the here and now. "First of all..." He started, cuddling his frightened daughter even closer. "Daddy is never going to leave you, okay? Never." "Promise?" Evie mumbled, holding onto her father for dear life. "Yes. I promise. You are the most precious thing in my life. I can't live without you, baby girl." To underline his words, Tom pressed a firm kiss on the top of her head. "Secondly... It was just a dream, sweetie. It's all in your little head. A dream can't harm you." He hated himself for lying to his daughter, but what choice did he have? Telling her and making a little girl's nightmares come true? No, he couldn't do this. He didn't have the heart to do this. The Brit's heart started to bleed even more, clenching with pain. Yeah, you bleed just to know, you're alive, Tom thought, fighting the tears so hard. "I'm here, okay? You don't have to be afraid." Evie didn't answer, just tried to be as close to her dad as possible. "Can you stay until I sleep in again?" "Of course, sweetie. Just let me say goodbye to uncle Ben, okay?" "Okay."

Tom quickly left the nursery again to explain the situation to his best friend. Ben understood, of course, and left right away. After that, Tom crawled into the way too small bed for the tall man, and enveloped his daughter, giving her again the feeling of safety. "That okay, sweetie?" "Uh.Huh."

Evie had been long asleep again, when Tom still laid inside the bed, eyes wide opened, glued to the unicorn night light. He couldn't sleep; the guilt of lying to his daughter eating him up inside. Why was life so cruel sometimes?

[guidingthulite]

mafuyu, tsukasa and bunnies, or why boku wa kuuki ga yomenai should get into project sekai

this is an analysis originally posted as a comment on youtube, but someone asked me to post it on tumblr, so here we are! if you're reading this, thank you! i appreciate your support very much!

when it comes to character analysis comparing these two, i feel like i don't have much to add, but a recap would start things up nicely!

first of all there's the obvious things they have in common, like being the sole responsibles for their sekais, and the first song being born in them, but even threre, they are quite different! you can't say there's an empty place in the wonderland sekai, it's an ever-expanding amusement park, and new things keep appearing in it! it was even the first sekai to gain all six virtual singers, while mafuyu's the last.

also, they both forgot childhood memories regarding rabbit plushies and family members. when mafuyu did, she shut down and thought more about what this means for her and who she is as a person. while tsukasa remembering just created a song, there was one time when tsukasa remembered something and shut down, during dazzling stage. though, unlike mafuyu, after shutting down, instead of thinking about that, he went "i can use this pain to better my acting skills" which is like. tsukasa. tsukasa darling no, oh no.

also! mafuyu was the first character from her unit to get an event, while tsukasa was the last (they even had they same attribute!).

mafuyu, to my knowledge, hasn't been missing from any n25 event, while tsukasa has been absent from nene's first two events.

actually, while mafuyu's not the leader, everything revolves around her: mizuki relates to her, ena envies her and is kind of fed up with her 'i don't care' attitude (yet worries about her), and one of kanade's main reasons to keep composing is to save her.

tsukasa's the opposite. even though he's the leader, he never feels like a 'main character'. hell, his first event was more of emu's 2.0! even when the conflict revolves around him (in the wonder halloween or the doll festival events) he rarely shows up, he's out of focus.

there's also the fact that, when it comes to themselves, they also parallel each other. tsukasa's self-centered, boasting about how he's going to become a dazzling star and everyone will look at him! and mafuyu is a selfless honor student who will help anyone who ever needs it. ... but it's not actually like that. tsukasa is very selfless, would do ANYTHING for his loved ones, and wanted to become a star to make others happy. mafuyu, while lacking a sense of self, when asked if she wants to do something, like going on the mystery tour or to the fan festa, answer something along the lines of "as long as it'll help me find myself"

hell, even how honest they are. tsukasa is an actor, but he's very earnest, and genuine even to a fault. he's very emotional and if he feels something, he'll express it somehow. mafuyu has a persona she won't give up, and if she even SEES someone from her school, she'll put it up inmediately. but when it comes to their issues, mafuyu knows what's wrong with her and is working towards getting it, but tsukasa buries his issues and IF SOMETHING he'll ask toya for advice but not before telling him that he owes him or that he's the best underclassman ever.

THEIR SONGS TOO. tsukasa's, besides the world hasn't even started yet (whose meaning again gets overlooked because when i read the lyrics for the first time, knowing what they meant to symbolize, i went "oh. oh this guy's not okay is he" and emu and miku go "this is a very cute and bouncy song, tsukasa!" IT'S NOT. I HAVE A PASS, I DON'T KNOW JAPANESE. YOU GUYS DO. WHY DID TSUKASA GET THE PINOCCHIOP SONG.) is a lot about the "we". tondemo wonders talks about how cool WE are, how WE still believe in wonders! and when it doesn't, it's about how the singer feels about the person the song is being sung to. and 88☆彡 is SO CLOSE to tsukasa being self-aware. SO CLOSE. i want the next tsukasa focus to destroy me. to kick my ass and stab me to death.

mafuyu, even though has not much sense of self, has her songs be more about... well... her. SHE is the jackpot sad girl. SHE remembers laughing with "you" when she's alone. isn't that strange?

also! the virtual singers! mafuyu's are most likely based on the other nightcord members (rin, sort of tsundere-y but caring deep down, is ena. meiko, not wanting to get involved directly and putting a distance between who she calls friends, even though she is trying to help, is mizuki. luka, being harsh when it comes to criticism, but having good intentions nonetheless, is kanade (though her harshness most likely stems on how harsh kanade is on herself. harsh, yet truthful) and miku, not knowing much about the world but wanting to experience it, is mafuyu herself. i haven't read the bug event, but i've heard len is mafuyu when she was a child.

wxs virtual singers are... kind of strange, when it comes to analysis. they're very secretive! wxs miku even refuses to talk about what she does when no one is visiting, which ties in with what i said before, that tsukasa barely depends on others when he's in trouble. but if i had to think of a pattern... they're there to help the members of wxs! compare wxs miku at the beginning of the main story to her in the latest event, or even the first few wxs ones. she's much more upbeat! as if she's trying to keep up with emu. rin and len are curious, and rin helped nene make more friends. len even got slowly more and more interested in rui's inventions. luka provides a sense of comfort, and meiko is very supportive! kaito... kaito's who tsukasa wants to be and never will. hell, they even bully him like wxs bullies tsukasa! and yet, he's responsible, wise, and can provide advice to anyone! the ideal big brother.

also, is it just me or the fact that wxs luka is the only virtual singer to first appear in a non-unit event is weird as hell? it wasn't even a tsukasa-focus! saki was the main chatrecter!

while n25 miku is mafuyu with an added childish wonder, kaito is an idealized version of tsukasa. and i think it's really funny, you know? how kaito's wxs "key" virtual singer, while he's taking his sweet time appearing in the empty sekai.

also, parents! mafuyu's put a lot of pressure in her, i guess you could say they pay her too much attention. tsukasa's (AND I'M NOT BLAMING SAKI FOR THIS, SHE'S A RAY OF SUNSHINE AND I ADORE HER) barely paid attention to him when he was little. he would wake up in the morning only to find them gone. or even in the middle of the day. or he would spend entire afternoons on his own because his parents had left. i don't really remember them appearing much on current events. i mean, i don't remember them showing up to tsukasa's show in stage of dazzling light, and they weren't around much in the doll festival event... ACTUALLY, he did run from their house to the hospital and they just. didn't notice. neither tsukasa nor saki mention being scolded for running away like that...

and this is kinda dumb and inconsequential, but tsukasa's first event was originally held during my birthday (june 15th) last year, and this year, a mafuyu event was held during my birthday. oh, and their palettes are opposites too!

SO THEN, WHY IS BOKU WA KUUKI GA YOMENAI THE PERFECT MAFUKASA DUET?

because i really like the song.

just kidding!

as i said in the video, the POSING, it's very tsukasa-ish. and there's a girl, the one the posing guy likes, who's always smiling, mantaining a perfect girl persona. posing guy takes interest in her, and tries to get a reaction out of her, which never happens. this is where my hcs start so take this with a grain of salt lol

emu has probably already told tsukasa about mafuyu. how she has this scaaaaary senpai who is always smiling but it's so unnerving! and her wonderhoy... is so not genuine! so tsukasa gets curious because what kind of person could scare emu. if she met a super aggressive thug she'd probably befriend them, getting them to smite her enemies or whatever.

so tsukasa meets mafuyu and yeah, seems pretty normal, emu's exaggerating, until SOMETHING happens and tsukasa's like HUH. HUUUUUHHHHHHH. so he tries to get a reaction out of her. not by being annoying or bothering her, just trying to get her to do something other than like. :)

tsukasa would probably become the first non-nightcord member who mafuyu shows her true "self" to because he's being too annoying (he didn't mean it!) ... but mafuyu finds it endearing. or, like, the lukewarm edition of endearing. they'll work on it.

LYRIC ANALYSIS TO TIE ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, I GUESS

translated lyrics by vgperson!

mafuyu is very... unreadable. he trusts emu's judgement, so even though she's smiling, she probably isn't really feeling it. he's tsukasa tenma, world future star, of course, so he'll get to the bottom of this! ... he just hopes he doesn't get mafuyu to hate him on the way.

tsukasa's behaviour is very... unconventional? he breaks the rules on the daily (thank you, rui! you made him a war criminal, just like you did with mizuki!) he doesn't really act according to any communicative rules, he's just. him

(like when he bumped into kanade and started communicating solely by onomatopoeia.)

(she did it back, so i guess that's good?)

tsukasa decided to become a star, and since saki liked his shows and his exagerated movements made her laugh, he adopted this as his default.

also, that last part, the pv has classmates saying "so happy we're shooting lasers!"

i want robo-nene to do that.

as i said. tsukasa tries to get a reaction out of mafuyu, but she doesn't yield, if she does, tsukasa's gonna tell the church emu, and if emu knows, the whole school knows, and that... would be bad. so she's not gonna play this game, she'll entertain it, sure, but she won't play.

i skipped a lot, sorry, but nothing to add :')

this, more than his mafuyu situation, would be more about where he was before the main story started. he focused so much on wanting to become a star, that he forgot why he wanted to do that in the first place

(we could also take into account the theory that mafuyu was, at some point, a childhood friend of tsukasa's, but due to both repressing their childhood, they forgot about one another. then this lyric could apply to the two of them instead of just tsukasa)

mafuyu THINKS tsukasa just wants to see her break, so she doubles down, but some part of her does want to trust him, so she takes barriers down slowly, because she IS getting tired, and maybe if only tsukasa sees, even if he tells emu, they'll think she's telling a lie or something, because why would they believe the cloudcuckoolander over the honor student? so mafuyu just joins tsukasa's toomfoolery... not by tomfooling herself, of course. she just indulges him and gives him what he wants: a peek at the real mafuyu

and mafuyu probably would think something like "well, now that he's seen the real "me", if that's how he wants to call it, he'll be disappointed and leave, and he can stop bothering me" but tsukasa is genuinely tearing up because mafuyu trusts him that much

he, of course, doesn't tell emu. but he makes sure to tell her that there's nothing wrong with mafuyu.

[tenebrius-excellium]

James Cameron’s personal thinking and the decisions he made about Avatar 2 are one completely inexplicable mystery to me.

On one hand, here is a capable director who is clearly passionate and reflective about what he’s doing. He can talk intelligently and articulate about the movie’s technology, the actors, the shooting, and he is even sensible and sophisticated enough to take into account The Numinous which he has accidentally captured within the first movie’s experience. The man patiently waited 13 years to again present audiences with the absolute best he had to give. He gained our trust, we waited with him and for him and took him for his word, and the guy had time, money, a star cast, mocap, the reviews from the first movie, fresh creative details about the world of Pandora like e.g. the eclipse or the songcord, everything.

And then somehow, with all that amazing material on hand, he actively dismissed everything else beside the visuals that would have made this second movie a masterpiece like the first: Great storytelling, strong and believable character arcs, the refinement of the previous movie’s flaws, compelling music. Do not get me wrong on this: Cameron chose this. Yes he had enough time to develop this film, in fact no one had more time than him. Yes his composer died, but he died in 2015, and Cameron probably had Simon Franglen lined up from pretty early on since he was a close co-worker of Horner. Yes he knew that most of his tropes were stereotypically bad, boring and even possibly harmful. He heard the audience responses!!! His writer’s room wanted to create new stuff, and he literally forcibly shut them down. I don’t get it. He limited the sequel in almost every way except for his beloved visual technology, and he doesn’t even seem to care much. How someone who is supposedly a sensible person, very in love with filmmaking, plus has every means to achieve what he wants..., who on top of that got to enjoy his audience’s decade-long patience, ...manages to neglect the very basics of sound film creation, like the importance of script, is beyond me. Cameron opened up another world, one that we waited 13 years for, and then gave no message. I mean, I know I didn’t expect profound, but there quite literally was no message. It was a beautiful documentary of Pandoran wildlife at best. It didn’t change a thing for me irl, except for the realization that Cameron won’t be able to pull off another movie like that or I’ll rapidly lose interest. I won’t be the only one.

And that’s how Avatar The Way Of Water is both a very good and a very very bad movie, and the reason we can’t even decide what to say in reviews. Should we recommend, or not? Should we rewatch, or criticize the heck out of it?

No one knows. Lol.

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

Hurt/Comfort Masterlist

warning: some of these fics may have trigger warnings so please be careful when clicking on some of the fic links!

Apricity - @ashtcnirwin (elivigar) michael/ashton T, 23k

Summary: In which Ashton and Michael miss their flight home for the holidays and are forced to spend Christmas together.

Blue Masquerade (ao3) - CalumSmiles (dreamforlife) michael/luke E, 85k

Summary: Michael is in love with Luke. That much is clear. Well, to Calum, Ashton and the rest of the world anyway. Luke is blissfully oblivious to the blatant signs. He gets a girlfriend. Michael tries to move on.

Spoiler: he fails.

Burst into Color, Returning to Life (ao3) - archersand michael/luke N/R, 11k

Summary: When the old house up the road was bought, Luke never expected to go inside. But a job's a job and if it pays well to clean the big unused rooms Luke will do it. Even if Mr. Clifford, who makes no appearance and with his rules about how Luke isn't supposed to ever interact with him, seems a little bizarre and eerie. But whatever, right? It's just for now. And Luke can put in his headphones, keep his head down and just get paid.

can't find the sound under my tongue (ao3) - lifewasradical luke/ashton M, 13k

Summary: One year, nine months, eighteen days. Luke and Ashton have been attached at the hip for one year, nine months, and eighteen days. Six hundred, fifty six days. Almost twenty two months. One could argue that no, it’s actually been months and years longer than that; but officially, their time together is bound by a date, one solid time where they said yeah, this is it. Despite being this far into a relationship, one punctuated by extended time on the road, living so intertwined, they still don’t live together.

Or, Ashton refuses to move in with Luke. Alternately, a fic inspired by black butterflies and deja vu

Cards Are Dealt - @ashtcnirwin (elivigar) luke/ashton E, 100k

Summary: “You wanna… date me?” he asks eventually, when the silence is starting to feel loaded. “I don’t date and even if I did, I definitely wouldn’t be interested in dating you. I’d say no offense, but… full fucking offense.”

Ashton snorts. “Don’t flatter yourself, pumpkin, I have no interest in dating you either. Actually, the thought alone is exhausting and a little nauseating.”

Clenching his jaw, Luke grinds his teeth and shakes his head. “Then what do you want from me?”

“Sex. I already said that.”

A story about wants and expectations branching out and evolving without the knowledge or consent of those they belong to.

Fine Print - @daydadahlias​ (cornflowerblue (daydadahlias)) luke/ashton M, 61k

Summary: If Michael says Ashton Irwin will be a good bodyguard then sure, Luke will put his money on Ashton being a good bodyguard. Besides, all Luke needs is a shadow. So what if he doesn’t like him?

Who ever cared about liking their shadow anyway?

or the one where Luke is a heartbroken solo artist who can’t sleep and Ashton is his less-than-enthusiastic bodyguard

I Only Wanna Talk (ao3) - dafeedil michael/calum E, 16k

Summary: He thinks it should feel wrong, kissing Calum here in the dark, when the thousand dollars he paid to have this is sitting neatly in its envelope just feet away. But it doesn’t feel wrong, not at all. In fact, it feels unnatural not to be kissing Calum.

Or, more simply, Michael falls in love with a prostitute.

It's a hell of a feeling though (ao3) - thenewbrokenscene michael/luke M, 58k

Summary: [AU, actor/model Luke and musician Michael]

After a recent scandal and the subsequent publicity nightmare, Luke Hemmings doesn't need any more trouble. He's just trying to enjoy his best friend's birthday party. But who the fuck invited Michael Clifford?

Magnet Souls (ao3) - jbhmalum calum/ashton, michael/luke E, 42k

Summary: Ashton loves sex a whole lot, Calum hates the thought of it. They’re soulmates. Alternatively, a story about self-respect and compromise in the name of love.

safe and sound - @sup3rbloom​ (haveufoundwhaturlookingfor) luke/ashton, michael/calum T, 8k

Summary: Luke has been doing good, making progress. Of course, everything goes downhill when Luke runs into one of his old alpha's who "trained him" at a celebrity event. Things go from bad to worse when Calum and Luke are taken by the same alpha's.

So Much Better (ao3) - cashcakeplz calum/ashton, michael/luke, bryana/ashton N/R, 84k

Summary: This is good, good for Ashton. He works so hard, always taking care of the boys, he deserves someone who will take his mind off of things, even for a couple of hours to get coffee. Maybe it’ll make him better, and by extension, the band better. Maybe Bryana is a good thing for everyone. Yet, even now, as Calum tries to think of how great Bryana could be for Ashton, he can’t help but think that he would be so much better.

Or the one where Calum and Ashton have been Friends With Benefits for years, and Calum thought his feelings for Ashton were simply sexual until Bryana came into the picture.

Strings Attached (ao3) - jbhmalum calum/ashton E, 13k

Summary: It's not smart to start a friends with benefits arrangement with your best friend and bandmate who you're in love with, but love isn't about being smart, is it?

Subject Line - @daydadahlias​​ (cornflowerblue (daydadahlias)) calum/ashton E, 20k

Summary: Maybe the sunrise doesn’t matter much after all. Calum can watch the sunrise any day. How many days will he get Ashton like this? Shirtless, sporting bedhead in a hotel room, with just the two of them for a few lazy hours alone?

Soon enough, they’ll be back on the tour bus and Calum won’t be allowed to hold Ashton’s hand anymore.

Take Notes - @daydadahlias​​ (cornflowerblue (daydadahlias)) luke/calum E, 78k

Summary: Or, the one where Calum wants someone to teach him about sex and Luke happens to be an education major.

The Sun Is Burning Down Los Angeles (ao3) - galacticsugar luke/calum M, 40k

Summary: Calum moves to LA to work for 5SOS.

The Upside of Everything Wrong (ao3) - cashcakeplz michael/calum, luke/calum, luke/ashton N/R, 24k

Summary: “Well we’ve always kind of deviated, don’t you think?” He says with a sly little smile that metaphorically knocks Calum on his ass. His face turns red again, and why, why is Michael doing this to him? “I do think that.” He whispers. He leans a bit closer to Michael, and lets his head rest against the boy’s shoulder. “But this isn’t a date.”

or the one where Calum's been betrayed by everyone he's put trust in, and believes he's unlovable until Michael appears, and shows Calum just how easy being loved can be

Tidal Wave - @ashtcnirwin (elivigar) luke/ashton E, 127k

Summary: “We talked about it before we went over to fetch you,” Ashton starts, “and Michael talked it over with Liz, and we decided that you shouldn’t live on your own for the time being.”

“You decided that I shouldn’t live on my own,” Luke repeats. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I’m an adult who can make his own decisions.”

Ashton smiles, but it’s thin and void of humour. “You’re staying with me for a while, Luke.”

A story about figuring out how to handle the difficulties life throws at you, on your own and with the help of loved ones.

Touchy - @daydadahlias​​ (cornflowerblue (daydadahlias)) ot4 T, 7k

Summary: Ashton has eye surgery and the boys take care of him.

we could work it all out (tell me where it hurts most) (ao3) - jbhmalum ot4 T, 11k

Summary: 3 times Michael takes care of his boyfriends when they need it and 1 time they take care of him.

you've got stars, they're in your eyes (ao3) - lifewasradical luke/calum T, 10k

Summary: “You know I love you, yeah? Please never forget that,” Calum finally says, turning his head so his watery eyes meet Luke’s. Luke frowns, running his thumb under one of Calum’s eyes, catching the tiniest bit of liquid on his finger.

“Of course, I love you too,” Luke promises and Calum can feel his heartbeat steadily thumping below his ear. He can feel the warmth of Luke’s skin, the faint puffs of breath coming from his open lips. Calum wants to savor the moment, never to forget again, knowing that after tomorrow he may very well never see Luke again.

Or, Calum leaves 5 Seconds of Summer.

[generalwildcat]

What are your favorite ships in HSMTMTS?

Despite my being a hopeless unromantic IRL, i love shipping. It's one of the things that gets me invested in shows and movies from seeing the chemistry being two characters to watching everything come together to daydreaming and writing stories in my head that never amount to anything.

My favorite ship is probably Seb and Carlos. No this has nothing to do with the fact that they're queer and it's the first gay pairing in the HSM universe, it's just a happy coincidence. Give me my gays! I can't begin to describe how much i love them. Their chemistry? Which is only amplified by the actors dating IRL? The opposite personalities and just imagining how much they'll rub off on each other the longer they're together? Seb being Seb? There is just so much to love here i can't put it into words. I think the best way i can possibly describe my love and support for these two together is season 2. Seb singing The Climb to Carlos at his quineñero is one of my favorite moments of the entire series. Just. Beautiful. Imagine that feeling watching that scene over and over again. That's me feeling the feels. (Sidenote, i know it's not HSMTMTS specific but their rendition of A Whole New World is equally beautiful and magical.)

A close second is Big Red and Ashlyn. I adore both of these characters individually. I'm a sucker for quirky characters and these two are as quirky as they come. When they first got together at the end of season 1 i wasn't entirely sure what to think. But seeing them together...i don't know how to describe their relationship as anything other than magic. And while i was internally fangirling that their characters turned out to be queer just like their actors, that wasn't the factor that made me like them more. While i am interested to see a dynamic going forward with Maddox thrown into the mix of having feelings for Ashlyn as well as Ashlyn having her bi awakening, it's beautiful to see these two just fully accept each other. Big Red knew or figured out he was bi and it didn't change how he felt about Ashlyn. He didn't wanna break up with her or explore other options or anything. He only has eyes for her. And Ashlyn's reaction to Big Red coming out (which was #iconic by the way) was just so endearing like 'yup that's my bi boyfriend and i love him'. There isn't and doesn't have to be any drama between the two of them and it's so refreshing to see a consistent, happy couple in the series alongside Seblos.

Assuming we're also including brOTPs on this ship, i gotta include Kourtney and Carlos. Have you seen the two of them together? I rest my case.

Can i also give a shoutout to the brOTP that is EJ and Val? The natural sibling relationship they already have? EJ going to Val for advice? Having the most unquestionable comfort in someone? Val giving the stamp of approval to Gina as his girlfriend? That Val was the one standing beside EJ in what was without a doubt his darkest moment in the entire series? Just. Yes.