#yes I finally finished s1 and I miss him already

[pineapplehazard]

Just finished s7!!! Right on time✨

Now did I cry when Eddie said goodbye to Chris? Yes, yes I did.

But here's my thoughts about the last two episodes:

- Eddie Diaz : the whole thing with Kim was actually crazy of him, but her playing Shannon?? That man has a reason to act like a mad man but girl what are YOU doing?? That was a quick expedition out for Marisol too, Buck and him see to have a way to make girlfriends disappear this season.

- Chris Diaz : valid. I get why he thinks it's better for him to be away from his father for some time, it's probably a good thing actually for them to have space to breath and accept what happened. But the Diaz parents?? Ramon shit talking about Shannon every chances he's giving (he literally did it at her funeral that man has no shame), and Helena acting like she just won lottery, please at least ACT like you're not happy to take Chris from you son. Honestly if my own mom wasn't sitting right next to me I would have been insulting both of them so MUCH.

- Hen Wilson : I'm mad that they were all going to be happy and then that woman whose son hasn't been mentioned since like ep2? comes to take her revenge out of nowhere. When I saw Mara all closed on herself and quiet when Hen visited her that broke my heart😭 then at the end the emotional whiplash of Chris leaving, instantly followed by the Wilsons getting reunited with Mara, ouch (is it like 'a soul for a soul' but with family, like they CANNOT be happy at the same time??), also I know the plot was for Gerrard to come back, but I love Captain Wilson, and I wanted her to take after Bobby

- Chimney and Maddie: they're relatively absent from the final 2 eps so I don't have much to say, I loved Chimney calling Gerrard trash to his face, and I loved Maddie. I just love Maddie.

- Buck : such a good husband for his chaotic dating-the-doppelganger-of-his-deceased-ex husband... He was just so supportive and trying to help, gosh he's just so cute. But MORE IMPORTANTLY where's my angst?? You're telling me Bobby's in a coma, and all we got from Buck (who's basically his son) is one line of dialog AFTER we know Bobby's going to be alright? Sentence immediately followed by an awkward sex joke argh!! My favorite thing about 911 is Bobby and Buck's relationship and I don't know if it's just an impression but i feel like they barely had any interaction this season, I missed them, I need more of them!! Also all things considered Buck had quite a quiet and calm season, which does feel weird and not something that will stick

- Athena : she mentioned Emmett and I was just woop crying incoming! I'm not gonna dwell on the whole cartel thing, I'm sure people already express so many opinions on this, my real question is how many times can Athena break rules before getting a problem with the hierarchy? (ik she did in s1, but since then she's been pulling some sketchy moves from time to time with no problems afterwards). Also ik the house was going to burn but I hadn't thought of the implications, that they would loose all the memories and stuff and that's so sad, I totally get her panic about wanting to get everything that's on her phone to still have SOMETHING.

-Bobby : please bobby never leave the 118, maybe they could handle it but I couldn't, so please don't leave ever.

(-Tommy : whether you ship them or not, the last scene we got of them together (dinner at Buck's) should start an alarm in your brain about their future together, specially once you consider Gerrard's come back. Tommy literally says that Gerrard's the closest things he got to a father figure when he was in the 118, and that it didn't help him be a better person. (ik he's not saying he saw Gerrard the way Buck see Bobby but he still acknowledge that he saw him as a model of some sort), that's the online line 'acknowledging' Tommy's past actions, but also showing that he followed Gerrard's lead, and we know Buck is not going to appreciate Gerrard's way of leading and this definitely could be a big cause of conflict between Buck and Tommy...)

It feels weird to finally be up to date, and to know killer bees will attack LA in two days😭

I FORGOT RAVI!!

He was there for 3seconds but still, I was so happy seeing him, and ik so far it doesn't seem he'll be back in s8 for some time, so I'm devastated

[verosikastrikerstellaexcuser]

so I finally started watching Helluva Boss because of blogs like these and the critical community, cause I had gotten real curious about the show. (I just finished Loo Loo Land)

And its just so. interesting. Loo Loo Land is really fun (mostly because of Octavia, I get the hype behind her. #autism bird swag <3)

and just. Stolas man. I already know how he's going to end up like in the later episodes but MAN. they were cooking with him as an antagonist and UGH. its such a shame.

The whole 'wanting Blitz to be his bodyguard BUT HE ACTUALLY DIDNT NEED A BODYGUARD -he just wanted his Blitzy near him' twist thingie was so good! even if I went in it already knowing that Stolas could petrify people.

it just makes me so sad that he will be completly changed in season 2 TT also that conversation he had with Via at the end (before petrifying that imp) was nice as well! I would have loved for him to be morraly grey character, someone who you can sympathize for/with (idk which one is correct I'm not english) in certain aspects but also point out their flaws INSTEAD OF TURNING HIM INTO A DWEEPY LITTLE POS.

also Stella is very cool I like pwetty birb woman with anger issues 👉👈 (completly justified anger, i would be furious too if my husband coerced a guy into having sex with him)

also robofizz slayed hard even tho i had no idea what he was saying half of the time especially without captions that are just auto-generated and dont work that well for me TT

I’m telling you man, S1 is genuinely really good! It had such a special feel. Flawed? Yes, of course, but still GOOD, because I had fun watching it, which is. You know the point of entertainment lol. I miss the energy it had and how the lore felt really fun and intriguing back then, and how excited I was for characters like Blitz’s sister to appear. I miss how it didn’t choose characters to overly sympathize with for dRaMa~ and how in general there was less drama with fun whacky episodes like the cherubs one. Things have definitely changed and sadly HB has deteriorated a loooot in S2, but it’s still worth a watch to me because even though I’m a critical or at least critical adjacent blog I will stand by that S1 was good. S2 frustrates so much by comparison because there are still pieces there sometimes, of the S1 I loved… it’s just so ARGH. But, S1 will never disappear, it’ll always still exist at least so I take solace in that and try to enjoy what I can from what remains of the show.

[hoodlander]

Finally finished Season 4.

My thoughts:

Karl Urban looking fine as fuck even though Butcher is supposed to be dying.

And Colby Minifie is looking hot as hell this season, not sure what it is.

Overall, a strong finale.

The writing for the entire season has been all over the place though. If there was ever an argument for going back to the 22 episode seasons - this is it.

So many heel-turns that happened too fast.

And I felt like half the season sacrificed good writing for stupid shock value gags. Shocking scenes should have a place in the narrative, but not just added to try and shock the audience for no reason.

I love Hughie. I really love him. He was going through it this season. I am disappointed in Kripke and the other writers for thinking the Tek Knight stuff was funny and not seeing it for what it was. That is was the same thing that Deep did to Annie in S1. I am disgusted when male SA is not taken seriously in media.

And then the triple whammy with the shifter. Hughie needs a damn break.

I think Erin Moriarty did an amazing job with shifter!Annie though. She was brilliant to watch.

Frenchie and Kimiko’s storylines this season made little sense to me and didn’t progress their characters. I’m glad the writer’s back tracked the ‘platonic soulmates’ thing and made Frenchie/Kimiko genuinely happen. If you want to do platonic that’s fine, but not after what they went through for 3 seasons and how they behaved with each other. Glad that was rectified.

I love MM. And A-Train’s redemption arc was the strongest arc of the season for me. It was the best written imo.

The Deep has wanted to be BFF’s with Homelander since S1. Loved seeing him doubling down on getting that friendship bracelet. RIP Ambrosius. She was the one Deep. She truly, truly loved you you stupid fuck.

I like Firecracker, she is interesting. Having her doing things for Homelander out of gratitude and respect instead of attraction was very refreshing. And I love how she and Deep are Homelander’s Ride or Dies. Whenever I see the three of them together all I see are Regina George, Gretchen Wieners, and Karen Smith.

New Noir is baby. Love him. As much as I miss Old Noir, this was a good way to progress the character and give Nathan Mitchell more to do. Loved his fight with the Boys as they reacted to him flying and talking.

Sage is fantastic. I love her. And her final scene with Homelander was brilliant. Like, yes girl come get your sad murder chihuahua he needs to go back in your purse.

And finally…

Grace really be making Homelander look like a #1 Dad.

Great idea, threatening arguably the second most powerful supe on the planet with imprisonment. I feel like she expected Ryan to be as easily radicalized as Billy. Then didn’t know how to handle his need for space. Like, kid just got a bomb dropped on him and needs to think. She couldn’t even give him that.

Whereas Homelander lets him go after their fights. He gives him space. And so far, he has shown Ryan genuine affection as much as he is capable of giving. If Ryan does go back to him in S5, which I think he will, Homelander will accept him back but then have to deal with some hard questions.

Ryan lashing out at Grace was expected honestly. She was going to gas him. He was already emotionally charged. He didn’t look happy or sad after her death. And if Billy only sees Ryan as Becca’s son if he kills Homelander then his love comes with conditions.

Grace and Butcher both fucked up.

Billy killing Victoria and putting his faith in the virus was short-sighted on his part. Vic could have helped them with the long game.

And ultimately the supe virus is a temporary genocide.

A virus only works when it has something to infect. If it kills every supe then Vought just needs to wait a few years to make sure the virus is gone and then start dosing more babies. And the cycle starts again. Vought could potentially find a vaccine for the virus as well.

The thing The Boys have to destroy is Compound V. And every Vought scientist that can recreate it by memory.

As long as Compound V exists there will always be Supes.

[whatisthismandoinghere]

For the drabbles prompt:

"Tell Me" - Klink confessing to Hogan he knows about the operation after the events of a near-disasterous plan involving both of them.

Alternatively, you can make it a missing scene between the time Hogan left the Hofbrau and the time Klink is yelling at him and Schultz in the Kommandantur.

Thanks for the ask!! Again we are going to ignore the fact that this is way longer than a drabble 😂 I went ahead and included your hcs about WW1 Klink too so I hope you enjoy pally!

**Side note: this all takes place right after the scene in S1.EP13 Hogan’s Hofbrau when Klink comes to the hofbrau and finds Hogan and his men there and Hogan ends up having the 5000 marks Klink had “pledged” to the Beautify Berchtesgaden fund**

“Some people can sit around drinking beer, I have a prisoner of war camp to run,” Hogan quipped. “Gentlemen,” he saluted as he turned to leave. But he wasn’t going to get off that easy.

“Come to think of it, I have some paperwork that I need to finish up, so I think I’ll join the major back at the stalag,” Klink said as he stood up, raising an eyebrow slightly at Hogan.

Klink’s mannerisms were making Hogan nervous, and he wasn’t quite sure what game he was playing, but he didn’t want to find out.

“Stay a while and enjoy yourself, Kommandant,” Hogan insisted. “We have everything under control. Besides, you’ve earned a night out.”

“No, I really need to get some work done. We also need to discuss a couple things when we get back to my office.”

Uh-oh. Alarm bells were going off in Hogan’s head, and he felt like he was trapped in a corner with no way out. 

“Looks like you’ve got yourself into some trouble with your Kommandant,” Milheiser chuckled. “Perhaps we can meet some other time.”

“Perhaps.” Hogan put on a fake smile as he and Klink said their final goodbyes and escorted the other heroes out the door. Yeah, perhaps if I don’t end up in front of a firing squad tomorrow morning, Hogan thought grimly to himself.

“What on earth do you think you are doing parading around as a German officer working at my camp?!” Klink shouted as the door shut.

***

The trip back to Stalag 13 had been completely silent, but as soon as Klink and Hogan were alone in Klink’s office, that quickly changed.

“Well…” Hogan began.

“Don’t answer that. I already know,” Klink sighed as he took a seat at his desk, resting his head in his hands.

Hogan was left standing there with his mouth slightly agape at Klink’s reply. What did he mean he already knew? That couldn’t mean what Hogan thought it meant, could it?

Klink glanced up to find a very confused and slightly worried Hogan staring back at him, and Klink knew he had slipped up. He hadn’t meant to let on that he knew about Hogan’s operation, but there was no backtracking now. Hogan was too smart for that.

“I know you were getting information on the Adolf Hitler Division. That was my assignment too.”

“Your assignment?” Hogan could barely get the words out in his shock.

“Yes, I’ve been collecting information for the Allies since 1938 - please let me finish before you start bombarding me with questions.” Klink held up his hand at the sight of Hogan opening his mouth again. “The incident with the Beautify Berchtesgaden fund caused some unprecedented issues though. Thank you for covering for me by the way.”

“You’re welcome,” Hogan said hoarsely. He still couldn’t quite process what he was hearing. Why hadn’t London ever informed them of this?

“I bet you’re wondering why London never informed you?” Klink asked.

Could the man read minds now? Hogan thought to himself. This night was just getting weirder and weirder. Hogan just nodded in response.

“They figured that the less you knew-”

“The less we’d talk if we were captured,” Hogan finished. “Standard procedure.”

The two sat in silence for a moment, Hogan fiddling absentmindedly with the top of Klink’s Pickelhaube that sat on his desk. After sorting through his thoughts some, Hogan finally spoke again:

“How did you end up working for the Allies?”

“Well, when Hitler became chancellor in 1933, I just had this- this feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Oh, everything was done perfectly legally of course, with the chancellorship being handed to him, but something didn’t sit right with me.”

“Boy did you call that,” Hogan cut in.

“Yes, unfortunately,” Klink sighed. “But there wasn’t much I could do at the moment, so I just waited, and things continued to get worse. There was the passing of the Nuremberg laws, Kristallnacht, it was a nightmare.”

Klink paused for a moment, and Hogan started to notice just how tired he looked. Dark circles under his eyes, worry lines across his forehead, and his movements were overall sluggish. Watching his country turn into what it is now had definitely taken its toll on Klink, and for once Hogan felt, not pity, but sympathy for the man and what he had been through.

“I’m sorry,” was all Hogan could think to say.

“So am I,” Klink let out a hollow chuckle. “But then I got to thinking…” A slightly mischievous look crept into Klink’s eyes, and Hogan couldn’t help but appreciate it, being somewhat of a troublemaker himself. “I was a colonel in the Luftwaffe. I had access to so much information, information that could be useful once war inevitably broke out. I had a few connections from World War One, British friends I had made as a POW that I had kept in touch with. Yes, you heard that right,” Klink added at the sight of the quizzical look on Hogan’s face.

Hogan held up a finger and opened his mouth as if to say something, but then seemed to change his mind as he settled for a shrug and gestured for Klink to go on.

“One thing led to another, and what started out as just small bits and pieces of information evolved into what you see now.” Klink finished unceremoniously.

“Did you always know about the operation?” Hogan asked.

“Yes,” Klink answered sheepishly. “My job was to help you in any way I could, draw attention away from you, and not let you know what I knew. I’m sorry.”

Hogan sat there for a moment, thinking about all he had just been told. To tell the truth, he had been kind of angry at first, but now that he thought about it, he was impressed. Klink of all people playing spy for the Allies. Hogan couldn’t help but start laughing.

Klink was a bit confused at this reaction and wasn’t quite sure how to respond. He was relieved when Hogan recovered from his laughing fit and held out a hand to him though. Klink accepted the handshake and took it as a good sign.

“Welcome to the team, Kommandant,” Hogan smiled. 

“Thank you, Colonel. Though I’ve been here longer than you have, so may I make some suggestions?”

“You’re not satisfied with the way I run my operation?”

“Not exactly. Now don’t get me wrong, you and your men do fine work, but what kind of name is Hoople? And who do you think you’re fooling walking around with a name like Hoganmuller? It’s lazy. We really should start working on your German…”

[aenslem]

aslkjdlasjf THIS GD SHOW, argh. i just finished season one, which i thought was a good idea, you know, finish the season before taking a break. *facepalms* i have those annoying things to do again (stupid household chores, every gd day you gotta do things), so it'll be a few hours before i can watch more, but i should be able to watch at least one or two more episodes today, so HOPEFULLY things will be a bit more resolved by tonight x'D

you were so right, there is so much happening, and i think EVERYONE on that gd ship needs a few years vacation after all this x'D

"married divorced remarried and divorced again and still having feelings for each other" asljdalksjda that is so correct, they are just that x'D

it's so fun, they're like "i don't trust him" pretty much all the time, and then Rush is like "so i had a dream" and Young is like "ok, i'll call General O'Neill" and they keep relying on each other so much right now, it's great, and Young risking the whole gd ship to save Rush, after having tried to kill him, what, twice already? amazing ❤

ah, yes, fanfiction ❤ it's so good at casting light on things from different angles, i love that, seeing characters and their motivations from all kinds of different point of views. though, you gif makers do that too and i love it, it's so great to look at different gif makers in the same fandoms and see how you focus different things.

right now i'm pretty exclusively reading McShep fics, but we'll see how that looks once i'm done with sgu x'D if you have any recs, please feel free to share!

btw, i've been trying to remember why i followed you from the start, and i'm pretty sure it's Star Trek, and specifically Spones, which, ALL MY LOVE! but i also want to mention how much i love following someone who gifs a lot of women, i love having more women on my dash! i never finished OUaT back in the days, but all your Regina and Swan Queen gifs are making me want to, and your Michelle Gomez gifs, waah, i do not want to watch CAoS! 😭 but you are kicking me in the butt about finishing Doctor Who too with your gifs of her (i sadly miss most of them though since i have it blacklisted for spoilers), i had no idea she was in it but man did that make me want to watch it when i found out!

okay, sorry that this got so long, even when i'm trying to keep things brief i end up being very wordy. so many things to say!

anyway, i'm gonna go do the things now, the sooner i get them done the sooner i can watch more sgu =D oh, wait, no, you posted something from 1x18 last night! i didn't look at it since i hadn't watched it yet, so i'm gonna go do that first! =D ❤

/Rodney anon

Oh don't be sorry , you can get wordy in my inbox whenever you like :3

You're fast! but why am I surprised, I finished 7 seasons of OUaT in a month lmao.

Well, imagine how it was for those who were watching sgu when it was actually airing, they did not have a chance to go and watch s2 right after s1, and you can :D so other things are not as bad as break between seasons of the show, but yeah, there's always things to do, sucks

askjhdaksjhd 'i just had a very interesting dream' scene is so good, and it so much better when you take it out of context lmao

well, they have to work together, they don't have a choice. you know how things were when he left rush on that planet, eli is smart, and eli was also right

but eli is still not good enough to do all the work, so no matter how much they don't trust each other, they have to work things out and work together and then finally going towards trust and comradery

well, at least they will try lmao

SPONES!!!!!!! SPOOOONEES! they are everything to me!!!!!

well, if you finish ouat and start caos... I am so sorry in advance lmao

I am not sure I can even explain what mess of the shows are those two, I have similar feelings towards both shows, I love the cast, I love some characters, I love women there, I hate the writers :D

Michelle is stunning in caos, there's also Miranda Otto, and they are like my moms, I love them, this show is worth watching just to look at them, but there's also... the rest of the show and plot asjkhdakjdh

same goes for ouat tbh, some characters are great and actors are doing such a good job and then there's whatever was happening in the show, but it;s still fun if you don't take it all seriously.

you will facepalm a lot and you will have an urge to rip your hair out sometimes, but if you try caos, I will give you two good reasons for it

that's it, think about it

okay, but you definitely need to watch doctor who, WATCH DOCTOR WHO!

[windviator]

4 formal bows + 1 cheeky one

[pooklet]

anon asks: unhelpful answers edition!

1. I don’t use the hair binner, so I’m not sure how that works. I’ve always used Wardrobe Wrangler to bin hairs (and I don’t even fully know how to use that). But making elders keep their colors isn’t part of that process, as far as I know. What I always do, when recoloring a hair, is just give elders the same hair color texture as adults. That’s all! So if I was retexturing a hair (ignore the old texture, I grabbed one at random) all the textures inside the bodyshop project would look like this:

It sounds like you may have downloaded some hairs in which the recolorer has given elders a different gray texture. I have no idea how to fix this after the fact other than to make a bodyshop project of the hair and replace the gray textures with the color that the younger ages have (assuming the recolorer hasn’t also deleted the elder stage, which is a whole other can of worms). Someone else might know if there’s another way to do without making a new recolor, but I’ve always just done that. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!

edit: oh my god i’m so dumb. you can just export the adult texture and import it over the gray one in SimPE!! again, this assumes that the recolorer did not completely delete the elder age, but yeah. there you go! i cannot believe i forgot about that lol.

2. My own! I’m still using human ones for the moment cuz I haven’t been able to decide which alien ones to default instead. I use 32, 42, 47 and 51 from my Kids In Technicolor set. If you want the exact ones that I'm using, here you go! These skew darker than Maxis’s default S1/S2/S3/S4 range, so if your skins are mostly geneticized in keeping with Maxis skintones, mine won’t fit well in your game. If you’re just interested in the textures that I use, not the specific shades, you could default some different shades from that set, which you can find in this sfs folder.

3. Hi anon! It is a default slider, yes, and it’s toward the back of the “Face” section, which is the first group of sliders. :)

Edit: if you are making sims in CAS, you won’t have that slider available and will need to get the Bodyshop Sliders for CAS mod. Sorry about that! I never make sims in CAS so I forgot that slider wasn’t there! Thanks to @kayleigh-83​ for pointing that out.

4. Alas, I have no idea how that mod works! Modding is completely beyond me. But it does work in my game, you just have to have it in your downloads. If it’s not working for you, you may have some sort of conflict, and may want to test it using the 50/50 method in CAS. Don’t forget to backup your neighborhood first, and restore it after you have finished 50/50ing!

5. I have no idea! :( There are tutorials on making accessories but I’ve never braved them. But this looks like a really good place to start, if you want to give it a try. :)

6. Hey anon! I assume you are the same anon who has asked for Lilac a couple times before and I am sorry for the delay. He’s going to be up with the other spares after the next Cakebread update (in which Tiara is finally going to die) but since you have been so patient I have uploaded him ahead of time. Here you go! Everything is in folders, so you can delete anything that you already have. You can dump his sim file in your Savedsims (or I think he will still work fine in Downloads).

The floorplans and library were built by @skulldilocks​ and my versions  are missing some CC that I accidentally deleted, so here are some top-down pics she took for me: library, gas station.

[sttheorycraft]

S4 Vol 1 Reaction/Analysis

This will contain spoilers, as well as my thoughts on Byler in S4 as a somewhat grounded person.

I'm probably in the minority here from what I've seen, but I found the season so far disappointing. That sounds a bit harsher than I want, partially I was too hyped and it does stay interesting enough to watch all 9 hrs in one day without getting impatient, which is saying something. But I was hoping for more? I was hoping for S1-level quality and it felt more like S3 again, with a more interesting villain but a less funny script. I'd give it a 6.5-7/10 if I were handing out ratings.

Aside from the entertainment value, what was particularly disturbing were the writing mistakes. They knew Hopper was going to survive before they finished S3, but they didn't set up any logical way for him to get out, just dropped him to the floor. And magically he didn't die during the explosion even though in S3E1 everyone on the floor level did. Wtf?

Then Will's birthday. Look, I ship Byler, but I'm not a Will megafan or anything. I don't care on a personal level that they forgot about Will's birthday. But guys, they forgot about Will's birthday. There's no other explanation. This is not going to be explained away in Vol 2. It's over. Jonathan and Joyce, and Will himself, did not all simultaneously forget his birthday. Will was already upset on that day and he didn't bring up that it was his birthday too? It would've been so easy to add in: they could've been doing Will's birthday party at the rink, it could've been a birthday dinner at the house. They just completely forgot.

And what's more deeply worrying for me is what that says about the writers' attention to detail this season, and what that in turn means for us theorizers. They completely missed Will's birthday despite it being prominently discussed in S2. They don't know their own show. How much of our theorizing to apologize for inconsistencies (e.g., my theory about Eleven never leaving the water tank) is just overanalyzing mistakes on their part? How are they able to weave intricate stories with subtle clues through Easter eggs left and right when they miss something so blatantly obvious?

Finally, Byler in S4. Anyone with two brain cells can tell that Will has the hots for Mike this season. (This translates to 85% of the general audience from what I can tell on Reddit, yes there are still a few that things WHOOSHED for.) So imo one-sided Byler is canon. What I've said above, however, calls into question a lot of the proposed evidence for mutual Byler in past seasons. This doesn't mean Byler can't be endgame, but if it is, it's less clear that it always was, or what their reasons are for making it so (perhaps trying not to queerbait or satisfying Byler shippers or whatever). There are undeniably rainbows throughout, but even that could have ambiguous meanings.

What's more concerning on the mutual Byler front is Mike on two occasions proclaiming that he and Will are "friends". If they were trying to be clear that they weren't doing mutual Byler as endgame without queerbaiting, that's what I'd expect it to look like. They aren't doing anything clearly though, as Mileven's problems leave some window for speculation, and what are they going for with Will's storyline anyway? It seems like Vol. 2 will be required for any certainty to be reached. Mutual Byler is absolutely still possible.

But I would caution any readers not to get OVERLY attached to mutual Byler if only so they don't get hurt. It's totally possible that Mike's monologue in Vol. 2 will be to Eleven finally telling her he loves her. It's also possible people predicting Will will be threatened by Vecna are right and that will cause some change on Mike's part. There's still some hope, I just don't want to see people hurt is all. I used to think Stranger Things was above queerbaiting but I don't know anymore.

On a personal level I just want to see things done well, whatever route they go with things. But honestly the writing so far doesn't give me confidence even of that. We'll see...

Finally, I've seen some speculation that they won't give Will a label this season. I could see that, but ffs he is clearly into Mike, who cares if he's specifically gay or bi. His feelings towards Mike are 100% going to be made explicit, probably to Mike himself.

[hollandssunset]

thoughts on the hsmtmts s3 finale

I wish I was in that writer's room babe.

I'm going to go in order throughout the episode, but this post is just a stream of stuff I was critical of. I'm sure I could make a whole separate post about the stuff I enjoyed. Also because my biases might show lmao, I am a portwell girly and an EJ defender. But for the record, I did ship Rina in s1.

Why did Val mention Maddox giving out nicknames, but then we just didn't see it?? I would've liked a scene where everyone gets their names OR if time didn't allow for that, having them sign the wall at the end with their name & nickname.

Gina should've wished Ricky happy birthday. This is a dumb detail, but her saying it after he walked away felt awkward to me lmao.

Emmy is adorable and very talented. But why did she sing This is Me??? Like this is a new character with barely any screen time, so I really don't care about her enough to enjoy this performance. In my version This is Me would've gone to Ashlyn and EJ. Ashlyn's part would be for her to work through coming out to Big Red. EJ's part would be showing more of his struggle with his dad and not knowing where he stands after this summer. Everyone singing on it would still be great, but that would be the plot thread for the song.

Honorable mention for Miss Jen telling Nini "Stay or go, you're always a wildcat." Because it was very sweet. <3

Another honorable mention for Kourtney's Let it Go performance. Dara is SO SO talented!!! And seeing how they did the visual effects for a stage production was cool.

I'm so happy we saw Nini and Kourtney interact, but I would've loved to see Nini with everyone. I know Olivia was probably in and out of that set so quick lol, but even just her waving at them during the final bow and everyone waving back would've been nice.

At the very least, when Miss Jen goes to the fire to look for Nina. I would've loved if it cut to Nina backstage dropping Ricky's envelope on his vanity and then he looks back just as she does. They make eye contact. She waves. He smiles and waves back. She turns her back and walks to her car. Just to give a more concrete Rini send off.

EJ looking at Gina during Ricky's song, yeah, that killed me. I hate love triangles lemme just put that out there. I could write a whole post about how differently s3 Portwell plot should've gone. But I will just say I would've LOVED for the framing of this scene to be Gina standing next to EJ, EJ noticing Gina enthralled by Ricky, and him almost accepting it? Maybe he says "he's great" she's just looking at Ricky so she softly says "yeah" but then snaps back and sees EJ's face. He just smiles and says "it's okay." Because at the end of it all, after everything EJ went through, he just wants the people he loves to be happy, especially Gina. Gina looks back at Ricky and that's when he looks at her and finishes the song.

Then of course cut to EJ calling his dad, aka my heart breaking all over again. BUT if I wrote this, EJ's dad wouldn't have hung up. Or maybe he would, but only because Cash Caswell would be knocking on that cabin door to tell EJ he was proud of him. "I thought I should say this in person. I'm proud of you, EJ, of course I am." And EJ cries and hugs his dad. EJ deserved that. He deserved to have all the shit he went through actually be worth something.

Third honorable mention for Everyday, I love that song so much and am so glad we got to hear it. Especially with the icon Corbin Bleu himself singing on it.

When Big Red said he was bi, Ricky should've said "same" Caswen anyone? yes pls

NO BUT THE REAL KICKER, WHY WAS RICKY SAYING HE LIKED GINA NOT IN THE TRAILER??? Like why show that being filmed to not even use that footage. Especially considering Ricky snapped at Channing, you think that man wasn't gonna expose him?? And let's say the footage comes up in s4, will it even matter if Rina are already together? Ricky's confession should've been in the trailer and that's what triggers their conversation. It could still be Gina being the vocal one, but at least that clip would've pushed her to confess. I understand wanting to be honest and tell people where you stand, but after last time, wouldn't Gina need more reassurance to tell Ricky how she felt? The clip of Ricky talking to Carlos could've been that trigger.

Don't get me wrong, the Rina scene was VERY cute. Great first kiss. Great chemistry. Beautifully shot. But...it could've been better imo. But ship stans scare me, so I won't say much more on that.

Okay, so that's everything and this is incredibly (and embarrassingly) long. I will be surprised if anyone reads the whole thing, but if you do, thank you so much and let's discuss if anyone is down. I have many thoughts (clearly lmao).

[forthisone]

Shadow and Bone Trilogy Book Review

Long, rambling, sometimes-capslock thoughts on the Shadow and Bone trilogy, having just a couple of hours ago finished reading the trilogy of Shadow and Bone, Seige and Storm and Ruin and Rising.

MALYEN ORETSEV IS TOO PURE FOR THIS WORLD AND I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL.

Fair warning: Major spoilers for the whole series and ending, entire focus on Mal/Alina 😅 I apologise for nothing.

I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME I’VE EXPERIENCED A SHIP I REALLY LOVE HAVE A HAPPY ENDING. Hooooooly shit. It feels good.

😭😭😭

Leigh Bardugo really served up everything I want to see! Give me all the tropes! All the angst! All the longing! AND with a happy ending?! *chef’s kiss*

I’m shook.

It feels amazing that for once in my life, something I ship has finally finished front and centre and I am absolutely here for it!

So let’s first clarify that I went in to the books just after finishing S1 of the Netflix show, already head over heels in love with Mal/Alina and rooting for them the whole way through. They are the reason I read the books. In the stories that I enjoy, I value love above all other aspects of the story; it’s just who I am.

The Pain of Siege and Storm

I admit, about 50% of this trilogy and the majority of Book 2 and early Book 3 was me in pain just wondering why they couldn’t be together and why they kept pushing each other away. Book 2 was an emotional rollercoaster ngl. I was frustrated that they spent so much time being miserable around eachother but were never allowed to be happy or give in to their feelings? They are best friends. Mal wants to support her. LET HIM SUPPORT HER. Let her confide in him and find comfort in him.

Endgame? Not Endgame?

This went on in a similar vein for some time and towards the end of Book 3, I was getting increasingly worried they weren’t endgame and this was indeed all leading up to Mal ultimately sacrificing himself... which obviously did happen...

But when Alina says “Bring him back to me.”, I just thought “THANK YOU. VINDICATION. THIS IS WHAT HAPPINESS FEELS LIKE.” and I knew we were home and dry and my god it felt good.

But I was so happy with the ending. It’s exactly what I wanted to happen, though I didn’t expect it... AND THEN IT HAPPENED. For them to go back to how they were and live the rest of their days in quiet happiness. Neither of them asked for this. They just belonged with eachother.

The last line of the book:

They had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things - if love can ever be called that.

HAPPY SIGH. YES.

More on this below.

People hate Mal?!?

I... don’t understand why so many fans apparently don’t like Mal. ?!?!????!? I had heard this before reading and went in to the books with trepidation. I was waiting for him to do something awful to justify the hate and... it just never happened. Is it just the way he behaves in Siege and Storm? Because I do accept he is slightly more problematic in the books than the show but Y’ALL KNOW HE WAS ONLY IN THAT PIT OF DESPAIR BECAUSE HE FELT LIKE HE WAS LOSING HER. She never really reassured him that much, if anything she confirmed his fears (from his pov anyway). And he was right to doubt her, because she was doubting her feelings too in secret, and he could feel it.

BUT. But he accepts it in Ruin and Rising. He grows into it. He accepts they can’t be together as they are. And he still stays, only to protect her, to keep her safe. He never asks for more than that. “You are my flag. You are my nation.” Roast me over a slow fire.

You will never, ever convince me not to root for the childhood best friend who loves her unconditionally and knows her better than anyone else and will die for her and will spend the rest of his days just being close to her, to protect her, even if that’s all he ever gets. This is the hill I will die on.

And then she comes back to him. 🤧🤧🤧

The Love Square

So, in terms of love interests for Alina:

Mal >>> Nikolai >>>>>>>>>>>>> Darkling

Wasn’t a fan of the love square here. I understand if she has feelings for different people, I respect everyone’s right to ship what they want, but I honestly had whiplash. One second she’s “in physical pain” missing Mal, next she is “drawn to” the Darkling, then wants to kiss Nikolai. I’m extremely monogamous and that’s probably why all this chopping and changing just felt really jarring to me.

I liked Nikolai as a character but I valued their friendship and I just wanted their relationship to remain platonic. I’m happy with how his storyline ended too. I hope he’s okay!

Mainly I did not understand why she was still drawn to the Darkling after all the loved ones he slaughtered in front of her. Fuck him, honestly (Ben Barnes I still love you though).

But this line near the end kind of summed it up for me, I guess:

Merzost. Darkness. You could hate it and hunger for it at the same time.

But I no longer care about any of this because my ship was endgame, baby! 😭😭😭

The Finale

I am glad Mal become more “important” in the end. That there was a magical bond between them. (I feel a little dumb I didn’t see it coming that he was an amplifier, because I did clock on to the jolts of light that happened when he grabbed her wrist and thought it was foreshadowing something).

I like even more that they agreed they would have found each other despite it.

“Maybe that brought us together, but it didn’t make us who we are. It didn’t make you the girl who could get me to laugh when I had nothing. It sure as hell didn’t make me the idiot that took that for granted. Whatever there is between us, we forged it. It belongs to us."

I was waiting for the scene in the conservatory the entire time and it was so perfect! Worth the wait! I can’t wait to see the aesthetics of it in the show. The flowers, the greenery... the lanterns. It was so pretty in my head!

I could pretend I wasn’t a saviour or a Saint, that I could simply choose him, have a life, be in love. That we wouldn’t have one night, we would have thousands.

It was a perfect ending for me really because I got both the angsty hero-sacrifices-himself-for-protagonist-and-greater-good scene AND the happy ending. I’ve honestly been spoilt 😂 My shipper heart has never been so satisfied.

The actual plot of the ending was a complete blur and I have no idea what happened other than Alina lost her power and the Darkling died and... some other people became light summoners? I think? I was so focused on whether Mal would live or not I couldn’t really process the rest! I will have to reread.

It’s a shame that Alina no longer has her power and that Mal lost some of his tracking skill in the end, but... I’ll take it for a happy ending where they spend the rest of their lives together as equals. It’s not like Mal stole her power from her. They both made sacrifices and in the end, they still won.

The shrieks of the volcra erupted around me as the Fold began to unravel. It was a miracle. And I didn’t care. The Saints could keep their miracles. The Grisha could keep their long lives and their lessons. Mal was dead.

I love that most of the book is all about her feeling the pull of her powers, feeling changed by it, drifting from Mal… but in the end, when it’s all done and over, she doesn’t care. She wants none of it. She chooses him. She wants him back. This is what I was waiting the whole series to read, honestly. Love conquers all, baby.

I just love that there were all these passages about their love not being possible because “they weren’t the same people any more” and the boy and girl from the orphanage were gone... and yet, it ends with the boy and the girl at the orphanage. Just like how it started. It's so obvious to me now that the whole story was about THE BOY AND THE GIRL. Every Before and After. It was right there all along.

THANK YOU, LEIGH BARDUGO.

My soul can now die happy.

I thought it was a really beautiful story.

Would happily reread. Will happily reread.

Im definitely going to continue with the other Grishaverse books too.

Can’t wait for more of the show because I’m honestly in love with the casting and this pairing and this series. Please, please, God, let it be renewed, and with the same cast, and covering the whole trilogy!

[klaus-is-the-real-number-1]

The House of the Rising Sun (Number 5 x reader)

A/N: This is an unfinished fic ive had in my drafts for well over a year,, enjoy? based of s1

Crime rates had never been higher, gangs ravaging the city any opportunity they got dealing class A narcotics and carrying out random acts of violence. No one leaves their houses at night, as soon as the sun sets the streets would empty and complete anomie would take place. One ‘gang’ were set above the rest, they were practically the equivalent of the mafia, all dressed in a smartly pressed uniform and operating throughout the entire city, the Umbrella Academy. Rumour has it they all had ‘powers’ of some sort, making them the most powerful gang, even if they didn’t have their ‘powers’ they would still be in the lead having very high levels of violence between them.

The Umbrella Academy all had nicknames, a mere murmur of the said names would send people running like scared dogs, tails between their legs. The most feared of the Umbrella Academy was The Boy, just as him name suggested he was the one no one knew anything about, yes there was rumours but never any solid facts. The Boy had apparently travelled to the future, has a kill count of hundreds and can appear in a flash of blue from thin air, but these are just mad rumours that drift round town.

Dusk set upon the city but you didn’t notice, too busy finishing bouquets in your shop. You ran a small florists on the outskirts of the town, you never caused any trouble and had never stayed late until today. You glanced out the window and gasped, looking at the pitch black sky, feeling your heart rate increase at the thought of walking four blocks in the gang ridden town. As quickly as you could you close the shop, making sure the doors were locked and the solid metal shutters were firmly shut. You leave by the back door, locking it and closing the shutter yet again, not leaving your small life source of a shop to the vengeance of raging gangs who carry out pointless crimes.

Shadows hid your small frame as you quickly walked home, defenceless, hoping to miss anyone out at the late hours of the night. Unfortunately, luck was not playing on your side, from the shadows you could make out a group of lads making their way threateningly down the street. All you could do is pray that you wouldn’t get spotted in the dark shadows.

“Well what do we have here?” You quickened your pace somehow thinking that you could move away from them but you were wrong. You were surrounded like you were feeding bread to a flock of seagulls, if the seagulls were feral and had rabies it would mirror how afraid you were at that moment. 

“Sorry!” Is all you were able to squeak out as you were roughly pulled out from the safeness of the dark into the centre of the group, your bag getting ripped off your back. Your frozen, watching them go through the contents of your bad, dumping out all your papers and pens that you had in your bag until finally finding your purse. “Please don’t it’s all I have.” 

As soon as the words left your mouth you were on the ground, a numbing pain shooting through the side of your head, you could see heavy droplets of blood hit the floor as your nose bled from the impact. Another sharp impact landed against your ribs as a sob wracked through your shaking body, unable to comprehend how quickly the events had escalated, all you could do now is wait for the next impact but it never came.

“Hey, assholes!” The voice was crisp and sharp, dripping with confidence and authority. “Pick on someone your own size.”

Coins fell to the floor as the gang dropped your bag and your purse and ran, you couldn’t even look up, the thought of someone more threatening than an entire group sent shivers down your hurt body. You didn’t hear footsteps, all you saw from your peripheral vision a blue light and a dark figure. The rustling sound of papers cut through the silent street and the harsh zip of your bag startled you.

“You need to see someone about that.” You look up and were met with none other than The Boy, the most questioned of the Umbrella Academy, dressed in a smart uniform, domino mask securely covering his identity. His fingertips lightly brushed the side of your head, causing you to flinch away. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He said unconvincingly, emotions hidden by the mask.

He held your now packed bag out to you, you lifted yourself off the floor, wincing as you did so. You cautiously took your bag from The Boys hand, holding it loosely in your hand. Taking a step, you stumble, your side collapsing in on it’s self, The Boy caught you, putting his arm around your waist to steady you.

“Here, let me help you home, where do you live?” In your shattered state you told him, and in a blink of blue you were at your door. You messily fumble with your keys as your shaking hands roughly push your door open, dropping your bag into your small apartment.

“Thank you.” The mask clad boy stood before you, hands in his shorts pockets.

“It’s okay,” You couldn’t see his eyes but you knew they were scanning over your body. “Make sure to get your injuries checked over, they got you pretty hard y/n.” Then he was gone.

You lock your door and double check your windows, securing them before limping over to your bathroom, looking at your beaten form in the mirror. Red marks spread over your face and the side of your body, bruising already starting to form, blood stained your white patterned shirt with a now ruined name tag, the thought of work taking over your thoughts, well not all of your thoughts. The Boy was also on your thoughts, his cold emotionless face, half covered by a domino mask, contrasted with the softness of his words, the caring nature of his touch. He’s a crime lord, a dangerous man, yet he showed kindness to you.

Five was angry, he was angry with himself that he didn’t get there quick enough to stop them hurting y/n. She was the only pure thing left in the city and they went for her, defenceless. Five would’ve killed them on the spot if he didn’t want to hurt y/n any more than she already was. He wasn’t actively going out of his way to find y/n, she was sunshine in a grey and broken world.

“Five,” He hadn’t even finished teleporting into his room before Luther started speaking. “We’re not meant to be out on the streets. What were you doing?” Luther’s big frame towered over Five, attempting to threaten him.

“I was out doing what were meant to be doing, keeping our authority through the streets. Haven’t you heard that they’ve been saying we’re weak.” Five snarled at his brother prompting Luther to sigh then walk out. It wasn’t always like this, they could’ve been heroes but Mr Hargreeves only saw the darkness and the powers within them, he made them the best at being the worst and for some it was the end of the line.

An aching agony wracked through your fragile body as your head pounded like a thousand drummers sounding the beating retreat. You hoped a shower would ease any of the pain, warm water running over all of your bruises, the side of your body looking like a black and blue watercolour along your ribs. Your work clothes were just casual, simple, it was one of the upsides of owning your own business. However, you did have an apron, it had different flowers embroidered on it and a simple name tag. A name tag now covered in blood.

Quiet music softly played in the background of your flower shop, you swept the floor in time to the music, swaying your hips as you did so. Heading back to the storage room, you heard the bell to the shop chime, a welcoming noise. 

“Hey, how can I help?” The man seemed startled, looking up at the arrangement of bouquets and flashing a quick smile.

“I’d like some flowers for my mom,” He almost hesitated with his words, a soft peach colour present on his cheeks. “I saw your shop yesterday and couldn’t remember the last time anyone had got her any.” 

“Awe, that’s super sweet, have any of the bouquets caught your fancy or does she have a flower preference?” The boy in front of you was about the same age as you, maybe older, he had sharp features but they were even out by the softness of his eyes.

He thought for a moment, searching the deepest parts of his brain. “Lilies, she likes lilies.” You smile at his words before looking round your small, compacted shop for any pre-made bouquets. 

“We don’t have any made up right now but if you come back,” You look at the clock, thinking about a convenient time for him to come back. “In about 2 hours I’ll have one made up for you?” You give him a sweet smile as he nods. “Great! If you want you can leave your name and number so I can text you when its done.” 

You watch him messily write his details on a post it note. Peeling it off the block, you stick it to your notice board, looking at his name as you did so. Five. “I’ll send you a text once your bouquets done!”

“Ok, thank you,” He hesitated as he strained to read your name tag. “Y/n.”

“No problem, Five.” You see a small smile break out on his face as he left the shop. The rest of your day dragged as a slow drip of customers drifted in and out of the shop. You made a large bouquet of different types of lilies for Five, taking extra care to arrange them in the prettiest way you could, making it extra special for his mom. 

You admire your handy work, loving when you get special orders being able to be as creative as you want. You send a text to Five saying that he can drop in any time from now until closing to pick them up, you get an almost instant response sending his thanks. 

Shouting echoed down the street, sharp crashing of glass cutting through the air. Smoke drifted like ghosts down the street as screams echoed down the road of people coughing, spluttering grasping for breath. Peering out your shop window you saw them again, the lads from the night before, petrol bombs in hand ready to throw. You had to consider you options, quick, close the shutters quickly and run out the back or just run out and risk that they recognise you.

Quickly, you pulled the shutters down as you hear the unruly lads shouting get louder, you think your safe but then you remember the window upstairs, wide open, vulnerable. Taking two steps at a time but you were halfway to the window and heard a ‘get the flower shop’.

A flame like a rabid hare shot past you, shattering on the ground followed by another, hitting the window dead on surrounding you in flame, no escape in a smoke filling room. Smoke licked the walls as smoke danced in your lungs, making you feel lightheaded, blurring you vision. The floor burnt as you dropped to your knees, trying to take in any remaining oxygen, begging for your eyes not to close.

As Five walked back to the flower shop only to be met with shouting, screaming and sirens, noticing the smoke in the air he quickened his pace, only to break out into a sprint at the sight of the small flower shop in flames. He couldn’t see y/n out in the street in front of the shop, in a blind panic he blipped into the shop, looking round and seeing smoke pouring down the stairs, dread filling his body. In a blink of an eye he was in the burning room, finding y/n unconscious on the floor, he grabbed her body and as quickly as he could in the haze of the smoke.

He flashed to the academy, roughly shaking y/n shoulder. “Y/n,” He checked she was still breathing. “y/n please. Wake up. Mom!” Grace came round the corner, watching her son frantically shake an unconscious body.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Grace’s calming voice did nothing to sooth the panicking boy, she looked at the girls flame licked skin. “Take her to the medical room, Five.” Without another word Five had flashed upstairs, Grace beginning jogging up the stairs wrapping her medical apron around her as she did.

You gasp awake, proceeding to cough up whatever smoke settled in your lungs. You didn’t recognise the room around you, it didn’t look like any normal hospital, or even a hospital at all. Panicking at the foreign surroundings you drag yourself out of the bed, body screaming out at the heat in your arms and palms from the fire, the fire, your shop. Before even having time to comprehend the series of unfortunate events that led you up to this point, a woman walked in, sending heaving 1950/60′s vibe.

“Hello dear, I’m Grace.” Grace had a soft voice but it didn’t sound quite right, it sounded almost robotic, not human.

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.” You pushed past her and hope to find a way out of the large eerie house you were in. Panic mode overtook your whole body as you tried to find any way out, footsteps echoing behind you as Grace tried to catch up with you but you saw the front door and ran for it.

“My dear, you can’t go yet!” But you had already ran out the door, it being left wide open behind you, sprinting down the street probably looking like a madman but in that moment it didn’t matter to you, you had to get out.

[janekfan]

What about Jon, crying frustrated tears back either pre Canon or in S1 and Tim comforting him and helping out until the breakdown has passed, contrasted with Jon, crying frustrated tears either from being so overwhelmed or from something Tim did in seasons 2/3????

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27581069

Finally! Sorry it took so long!! <3

It was cold. Of course it was, it had to be to protect the documents packed in boxes floor to ceiling all around and everywhere he looked there were more and there was no way he could do this!

Inhale, exhale. Calm down.

He’d have to remember to bring a spare jumper so he could work because as it was now his fingers were too numb to work properly and when he tucked them under his arms it only made him feel worse. Made him feel small and alone. Reminded him of a lonely childhood.

Stop it.

But Jon didn’t know where to begin. He could pretend. He could keep his assistants busy with real work, that wasn’t a problem but what was he to do? What did an Archivist do, really? Archive? Organize? How? When everything was a giant, muddled mess filed, a generous term, in no real order or catalogue he’d been able to understand. It was all just.

Overwhelming.

A splash of wet warmth collided with his wrist and embarrassed, Jon scrubbed hastily at the tears streaming down his cheeks. This was, he was stupid. Stupid. He should be able to handle this. At the end of the day, wasn’t it just shuffling papers around? Putting them in some semblance of order that only had to make sense to him? It had certainly worked for Gertrude. The sorrow and frustration came anyway, falling from his eyes and heating his skin and he was so caught up in his own discomfort that by the time he processed someone entering his office, it was too late to hide.

He tried anyway.

“Oh, Tim. Yes. Wh’what can I do for you?” It was a useless misdirection; Tim was sharp eyed and protective and honestly, it was a relief to see him because if Jon was going to continue crying (and it didn’t seem like he would be stopping anytime soon) there was no one better.

“Jon? What’s wrong? What’s happened?” And the tears which he’d managed to slow, came back full force and Jon tucked his chin to his chest and shook. “Ah, hey now, can’t be as bad as all that.” Gentle, Tim tugged him close, holding him around his shoulders and allowing him to bury his hot face in his stomach. “You’re alright. Whatever it is, we’ll help, okay, Boss?” A palm swept up and down the seam of his spine. “We’re a team! We can do anything if we’re together.” Jon pulled in a hitched and shuddery breath, nodding resolutely. Tim allowed him a few more quiet moments before ushering him out of his office where Martin and Sasha were certainly not waiting for them. Martin approached first, compassion shining clear in his expression, and took up his hands.

“You're freezing! Here, come with me. I’ll make you some tea and get you warmed up straight away.” Martin would hear nothing of his protests, pulling him gently away to the breakroom, warm fingers curled around his own. Just this once, Jon would let it happen, the reassuring glow of being surrounded by friends soothing the remnants of panic that had overwhelmed him so thoroughly before Tim found him. They were speaking easily around him about nothing important and Jon let himself drift in the current of their familiar voices.

It was cold down here. And dark, though Jon could See just fine, like he couldn’t hear them but Knew they were searching and feared the worst, that he’d gone hunting in the streets for first-hand accounts of terror. He welcomed the chill seeping its way beneath his skin, numbing his fingers and toes. It meant some part of him was at least close to human.

He reveled in the weird, sharp hunger that gnawed on tender nerves, appreciated the gravity of it and let himself sink into the deep, syrupy ache. He's on the brink. Can feel it in the heavy throbbing in his chest, behind his heart, taking up every empty space and making it difficult to breathe. The weight of his mistakes he supposed, a breadcrumb path he could follow all the way back, beginning with accepting the Head Archivist position instead of walking away. Then again, he’d never known when to stop and that didn’t seem like it was going to change anytime soon; that need for answers, to understand, to connect every dot, to soothe the sting of losing all his friends in favor of embracing a monster.

But Lord he missed them and they were right there. They just weren’t there for him anymore and he had only himself to blame.

Jon doesn’t ask for comfort, he’d be the first to admit he didn’t deserve any and is...content he thinks is the word, to wait until Tim and Martin and Melanie and Daisy and Basira decide he’s suffered enough to prove his worth and let him back in. It was cold down here. It was colder alone and the temptation to give in was so strong if only because he’d be warm again and he’s so, so tired of being lonely.

But he could get something nearly as good. Recognition that something happened to him, that he was still here, still Jon even if he was unwanted, there was enough of him left to hate. He knew how to be that. He'd always been that. Static, now always a low, persistent hum in the back of his mind, shoved forward suddenly with the Knowledge that Tim had decided to look in the tunnels.

Tim wanted to hurt him and he wanted to be hurt. To let it assuage the guilt even for a moment.

Jon already Knows he's spoiling for a fight.

Of course he was the one who would find Jon. Arse is mere meters down the tunnel and leaning with his back against the wall, arms hanging loose over knobby knees and looking for all the world like someone had kicked his puppy.

And what right did he have when he was the cause of all this fear and paranoia and death.

“Tim.” Bland recognition and it sent a shiver racing up his spine because it wasn’t like he had to turn and check, not with his spooky powers. No. He just knew everything now, didn’t he? How convenient. Tim could barely reconcile the figure in front of him with the friend who used to work with him in Research. This Jon was a slip of a man. An intruder he didn’t know and didn’t want to know. This Jon was lies and secrets and silvery scars mapping out the tragedy he’d led them all into willingly in his search for more and more and more. Damn the consequences, never content to let things be. No. This Jon was disorder and disarray, wild curls and no tie and the buttons leading up to his rust stained collar undone. There was dirt caked under the nails of his unbandaged hand and cobweb mingling with the premature grey in his hair and the nervous, twitching energy, the inability to stay still, conspicuously absent.

This Jon was a stranger who didn’t care who he harmed.

This Jon threw them all away like they were less than rubbish and the only way Tim could stomach interacting with him was behind a mask of contempt and hostility.

“Thought you’d be out looking for victims.” Involuntarily his lips curled up in a sneer.

“Sorry to disappoint.” Meticulously enunciated and condescending, strange eyes fixed to the wall in front of him. It angered him that Jon wouldn’t look at him. He could at least have the decency to look him in the face when he lied to him.

“Why are you down here anyway? Hiding? Plotting?” Jon snarled in response, low and dark, brows knitted in scorn.

“And what business is that of yours?” Bare more than a keen hiss and all Tim heard was an invitation to the party because it was so much easier on his conscience to paint Jon as deserving rather than admit he might be as much a victim here as the rest of them. Such a convenient target to aim at, to focus the knife edged anger and rage and agony at and Jon is so good at pushing every button. It was like he wanted this. Wanted to fight.

“Someone has to keep track of you and your secrets! Your lies!” Tim closed his eyes and tugged on his hair. “They’re killing us and you don’t even care!”

“You don’t know that.” Well now he had his attention and the flash of unnatural viridian had to be a trick, a reflection.

“I don’t need supernatural powers to know you!” He saw the hit land in the way Jon’s expression slipped and Tim felt good, the rush of adrenaline flooding his veins was heady and strong. “You’re running. From everything. And it all started when you began running from us.”

“I’m not.” At this point, Tim wasn’t sure Jon was capable of standing because surely he wouldn’t take this sitting in the dust and he didn’t care. This was the most he’d felt since this all began. He didn’t want to give it up. Not yet. Not before he’d made Jon understand.

“You're not even trying!” He spat, watching his shaking hands curl into fists, watching shadows soak into the bandages. “You just let things happen to you--”

“Oh yes, Tim!” Hurling his name like a curse, Jon stared up at him, narrow chest heaving fast. “I just let the Circus have me. I just let Daisy beat me unconscious and threaten to put me down.” For a moment, Tim thought he saw tears glittering on his face. “What do you know about how hard I'm trying?” The whole of him was shaking now, trembling as he sucked down noisy breaths. “Always sulking about this place! Maybe if you’d been paying better attention you’d have noticed Sasha was gone!” He collapsed against the wall, lazy grin carving up his face. Like he’d won the game. Landed the finished blow. “You may claim to know me. But clearly, you never knew her.” Lunging with a hoarse cry, Tim snatched him up by his collar, so close to the healing slash crusted with old blood bisecting his throat.

He only smiled wider. Manic. Frantic. Fingers grasping automatically at his wrists and Tim could feel sticky warmth marking his arm.

"Go on then! I know you want to.” Jon was whispering, words tripping over themselves in his haste to spit them out. “You can't stand me. Just like Daisy can't stand me. You want this. I Know yo--"

An echoing crack followed after the back of Tim’s hand collided with Jon’s mouth.

Replaced soon after by blessed quiet broken only by Jon’s harsh and strangled panting.

Tim dropped him back to the floor. Shaken. Disgusted. He didn’t know with whom. Maybe both of them.

"You never shut up."

Jon tongued the cut on his lip while Tim watched a bead of ruby so dark it was almost black roll down his chin and drip down onto the white fabric of his rumpled dress shirt where it would dry and age and match the rest that was there before whatever this was. He didn’t bother wiping it away.

“Feel better?”

“You know I don’t.”

Shaking out his hand, Tim collapsed beside him in silence, staring resolutely ahead, lips pressed thin until Jon’s head tipped slowly forward, chin coming to rest on his collarbone and smudging more red. Even in his peripheral vision Tim recognized it for what it was and knew if he looked properly he’d see tears steadily falling from his damned eyes despite how hushed he remained. He peeked anyway, witnessed him cave in and bring arms up to hug himself in a desperate bid to hold his pieces together. But he doesn't look at Tim. Doesn't reach for him like he used to.

"I am trying." He whispered, voice immeasurably limned with exhaustion.

Like a switch had been flipped, he was Jon again. Tired and drawn. Overwhelmed and lost and isolated. Tipped so far over the edge he goaded Tim into striking him because it was the best he could expect. Because at least he had Tim's full attention for a moment. And Tim walked right into it, led easily like a moth to a flame.

What a pair they made here at what might be the end of all things.

Troubled, Tim pulled him roughly into his side, hardening his heart against the whimper of pain and the stiffening of his entire body. Jon was skin and bone. Had dropped at least two stone he couldn't afford to lose. Tim had watched it happen and done nothing.

There were no apologies exchanged and when Tim dragged him stumbling into the light of the Archives, no one commented on the split lip or the new bruise or the blood dried and flaking that traced his jaw.

Jon was just a stranger.

No one cared if he'd been harmed.

[grahamcarmen]

Hi, so I just finished the new season today! I have so many thoughts, the last few episodes felt kind of rushed? I wished they had gone about the whole situation between Gray and Carm at the end differently. More so on seeing them reunited. My biggest question, is why was he so quick on going back to VILE? He knew what they were capable of yes, was it to feed his criminal impulses? Why did ever want to steal in the first place? What led him to that conclusion and how did he learn of VILE? I was keen on seeing more of his backstory, and still need time to let the story simmer so I can analyze it more. It's just confusing. I guess it's just because the show ended that I feel so bittersweet y'know. What do you think Carmen would've done after they all disbanded? How could she leave them so quickly after she just got back to Team Carmen in the end? Besides wanting to see her mother. I was hoping they'd at least stay together.

i think that more than a few people feel that ( the knee jerk incredulity at her just leaving them a note and yeeting was real)

like disclaimer again: i do love carmen and this season this is just expanding on some little ??’s

on gray and “thinking gray.”: I was also feeling the lackluster on the payoff motivation wise for gray returning to VILE ( which was definitely needed as he was the secret weapon needed to finally get evil carmen back and at least partially inevitable due to ownership of the choices yadadadada )but like when he finally got his memories back he just repeated some things that i never really doubted. that gray did this of his own free will, he probably is of a lower empathy in general (which does not mean incapable of caring and doing the right thing. just that..~~~), that he regretted hurting carmen. in s1 he says his primary motivation as making more money and i was like”mmhmm fits.” being a thief and all and why not since they hadn’t introduced the big “needs to be able to tie up loose ends.” as a operative qualifier to anyone, including some of the recruits there. the only newer thing was his video that he seeked them out. which is interesting and all but sets him up as a go-getter so its so confusing that he’d choose to return to VILE ...a place where he was hurt and is so freaking selfish with what capers they choose to pursue. i kinda went on a tangent on another post that there is a theme of using a false sense of bonding to give them a little more loyalty which is like really heavy considering that means offering a “home” to what looks like operatives who might all be orphans but i don’t think it was highlighted enough to say “HEY YO” even tho GRAY LOOKS SO TIRED TO LEARN ABOUT HIS PAST WITH VILE

its really interesting because of the 3 people who had access to him/nature we got; carmen who only encouraged his desire to help (for the kiddos, for her safety, for assuring her that they were in...whatever... together, and make sure that they weren’t being secret spy jerks) ACME who got like...0 usefulness (riperonis ma guys), and VILE with maelstrom just hammering home all his shadier deeds with  “YEAH THIS IS YOU.”  AND HIM JUST ACCEPTING IT AFTER SITTING FOR A LONG AF TIME ALONE.

and when this was happening I was thinking about this analysis from another fandom about characters who resign to the law of the strong which could have been a reason for why gray doesn’t seem to hold the consequences for his failure against VILE even though he really should. (if they bothered but listen-)

its something that happens when characters choose to live in worlds they know are unfair, know that they choose to lie and steal and cheat, and thus should not be surprised or hurt when it happens to them in return. which of course lead to them not knowing where to draw the line on what happens to them...and i mean this in like some narratives usually go (hahaha no thats messed up please gtfo being treated like that is not ok and in allowing others to define your limits you are whittling yourself away). and they decide to live in resignation that. i am capable of bad... so i AM bad. (I am that guy. i’ve always been that guy) and makes them absolutely ripe for the (but you’ve been good . you can choose to be better.  it won’t erase the wrongs of the past but it will make for a better future)

but that still leaves exploration of “WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE BY THE LAW OF THE STRONG??” and you know...not having anyone to rely on, poverty, or what was simple rebelliousness turning to darker and darker paths, are some easy reasons to put a spotlight on maybe our operatives having depth and like..arcs. especially any of those reasons combined. ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY’RE WHAT VILE CONSISTENTLY IS SHOWN OFFERING. (shadowsan really is their s-tier character huh)

which i really thought this show would go for when a shivering brunt who is loyal and protective asked if she was really going to be left behind or remember how unsympathetic most of them seemed to see carmen chloroformed because “she did interrupt our heist.” meaning that they understand this world. probably have understood it for longer than anyone should. (antonio being content as a “pawn” is the tenant in my head today) and why shouldn’t more money be important. or honestly how simple it was to accept that someone would just need more money.

with gray they introduced that he could be good and he could be bad but like leaned into “no all that niceness was fake and he’s bad.” due to the hyper specificity of the mind wipe apparently? which also leans into really flat interpretation of evil!carmen (i just mean that there is a lot there ...) meaning theres no really exploration of him and more of a judgment (even though he’s shown to be kind, snarky, and upfront, as himself without a mind wipe.) and then we wait...

the pacing of the last 2 episodes: adrenaline bebe!!! but also there were so many concepts being introduced and resolved and skimmed past so that it is a little confusing at some conclusions. like the scene you’re talking about where carmen just leaves a note and ghosts is like 30 seconds and thats a lot to unpack because ?? i’m really thinking that it might have been insinuating that carmen left them the pen specifically to give them a new home to wait for her because she was going on that little break like she planned (and they knew was the endgoal) because it was behind her note and presumably placed by her but because i was focusing on the letter goodbye like ??? i thought for some reason that it was zack saying he would now like to try ACME because HE thought of it and i was like ??when did you consider this?? and 3rd watch i was finally “ahhh ok ok i think i get it.”

another bitten off scene i think might have been when gray in his first mission is already exhibiting signs of going...”huh this is not good.”

from stopping carmen from unprofessionalism to seeing that new carmen is willing to up and leave the group for mental gymnastics instead of relying on them 100% to going to the ferris wheel where he DEFINITELY SAW HER TRYING TO KILL A CIVILIAN since it showed his reaction after ivy’s. and then it turn to team red because how they feel about it definately matters more than gray but its also so easy to miss that choosing to have gray witness that as the start of what makes him turn himself in (maybe this is just a possible interpretation and its midnight ok)

evil carmen! lost her empathy. ok. so then like thats a static judgment about how they’re gonna make her do bad stuff and she still absolutely cares about her history and VILE still needed to enforce bonding and giving her memories that they comforted her and gave her her coat so thats why she cares about it and her anger at betrayal and sense of loss that she still throws right in shadowsans face when “evil”

carmen thought she crossed a personal line?? like jeeeeeez that’s 6 months of crossing lines and the most recent and horrifying one happened like not even a minute ago and then 5 seconds later we get chief and her reconciling because yes it needed to happen so we’re not gonna address how traumatizing it was or

VILE JUST WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN HUH??

and all these things are important and have the groundwork for happening but man they just happen one after the other and its like

before moving on to the next thing and like let me breathe omg

and yeah that means that so many people were left confused because the show about family (carmen’s family that SHE built ) seemed to disband for carmen to go to see her mother at last alone, shadowsan to go to his brother and a heartbroken pair of red heads to join ACME

and we get a time gap before reuniting but only a few seconds to decide if reuniting was the plan all along(the pressure point)

and there is a lot of actual IN TIME that is broad strokes that many people have already picked whats going to haunt them that wasn’t explored more...

TLDR; i get it on both counts (gray and rushed)! glad there was some sweet in your bittersweet and since canon definitely had team red in the same place they absolutely reunited and moved back into the shop and carmen talked to them about how great her mom is and planned a dinner

[fictionisfact]

I got this little part from The Schuyler Vidders on YT so credits to them. ❤️

A/N: I had so many ideas for this one so it was kinda tricky picking which one. I hope you enjoy! 💞

Part 1

Here for you | Part 2

Based on S1 Ep. 9

You hated being ignored. But that’s what has been happening ever since that night. The night Ty had decided to kiss you and then run off. He hasn’t texted you back and he definitely hasn’t tried to return your numerous phone calls either.

“And my mom’s letting me look at drama camps for the summer.” Kyle said, knocking you out of your own thoughts. You were currently walking with him and Annie, alongside the baseball field that Ty currently occupied with his teammates.

“Kyle, that sounds amazing! Don’t have too much fun without me.” You responded lightly elbowing his arm. Your frown turned into a smile when he looked over at you and stuck out his tongue.

“Well, I’m thinking about spending the summer with my dad in Atlanta.” Annie spat out before she was interrupted by the one and only CeCe.

“Bottom of the eighth, CeCe Matney is at the plate.” CeCe started with a megaphone as you all three stopped in your tracks to see what was happening, “The crowd’s hushed. The whole game lies on this one pitch. Will ty Townsend go to prom with her?”

Your jaw dropped at the scene unfolding in front of you. Of course she asked him to prom. You guys walked a little closer to the fence.

“She’s funny if she thinks he’s going to say yes.” You stated with venom, more to yourself than anyone else. Annie looked over at you knowing how you felt about Ty ever since the kiss, she frowned upon her inspection seeing that you stared coldly at what was happening.

“And here comes the pitch. Is it a homer or is it a strike? Here comes the swing!” CeCe continued as she walked forward until she was right in front of Ty. She put down the megaphone and waited for his answer. “Well?” She said as she chuckled.

“Yeah. Yeah.” You heard Ty respond. She jumped into his arms and he picked her up and off the ground. When he placed her down, they kissed. You wish you could say it didn’t hurt, but it did. You scoffed and right when Ty looked over to see you looking, you took off with Annie and Kyle hot on your tail.

It was Saturday. The day you and Ty usually hung out together. You tried to put Ty in the back of your mind so your day wouldn’t be completely ruined. You jumped out of bed and headed for your door.

You came out of your room to see Dana Sue and Annie already in the kitchen getting ready to make smoothies. Dana Sue’s phone rang and Annie was first to pick it up.

Annie looked at you with an ‘uh oh’ look. You gave her a questioning face and she showed you the phone. You saw a text from Aunt Helen reading, ‘Can you pour it out right now?’ You covered your mouth in surprise. Annie handed the phone to her mom and she responded with, “Oh dear.”

“You can go. Take care of Helen. We’ll be okay!” You told Dana Sue with a smile. You hoped she would go for Helen’s sake.

“Fine, you girls be safe while I’m gone.” She responded in a hurry to get her bag and keys. She finally shut the front door when she had everything.

“I know you’re feeling down today, but that’s why we’re going to make today amazing!” Annie said as happiness sparkled in her eyes. You gave her a big hug and thanked her. That day was filled with amazing activities and your mind only wandered to Tyler only once.

“And the whole team was standing there chanting as if Ty had just won the World Series instead of agreeing to go to prom. So stupid.” Annie said informing Issac of why you were in a mood.

You had church this morning and of course Ty didn’t even dare to look at you. You were now sulking at Sullivan’s while working with Annie and Issac.

“Very stupid.” You hummed while listening in on what she was saying right next to you.

“Yeah, I didn’t go to my prom. My mom said I’d regret missing it, but I don’t.” Issac said plainly while you were shocked.

“I don’t think my mom went to hers either.” Annie responded causing your jaw to drop. Prom was so special to you.

You tuned out the rest of their conversation thinking about your ideal prom night. What you had been envisioning since you learned what prom was. To go with your best friend, which was off the table completely.

Your thoughts were interrupted by Micah walking in with gifts. Your smile grew as he asked to see the chef. As they reunited you continued to serve tables, finishing up after a long day.

It was finally prom week. You woke up and jumped off the bed and immediately threw on an orange t-shirt with blue ripped jeans. You tied on some white converse and waited for Annie to get done dressing so you could walk together.

As you neared the school, Simon suddenly called out to Annie making her turn around. You knew he was going to ask her to prom cause he texted you about it earlier.

“I’ll see you inside.” You said to Annie lightly touching her arm. You walked away with a big smirk waiting close by. You heard her say yes and you started whooping loudly. You regretted it once she gave you a death glare.

You both walked inside and got to your locker. You took out a few books before you were interrupted by someone calling your name, trying to get your attention.

You turn around to see Jackson with a poster that read, “I might strikeout asking, but will you take a swing at...Prom with me?” He had one of his baseballs in another hand as well. You gave him a smile and turned your head to see Ty looking at him with anger.

“Sure!” You gave him an answer and hugged him. You knew you shouldn’t have, Jackson was his biggest enemy. But you had to get back at Ty somehow for ignoring you. You looked over Jackson’s shoulder to see Ty walking away down the hall.

“You can just wait out here while I go tell Kyle.” Annie told you solemnly. You responded with a nod, waiting outside of the Townsends home. You weren’t waiting long until suddenly, the door opened hastily and revealed Ty.

“Uh, Ty I wasn’t expect-“ you started to talk before he cut you off.

“How could you do this to me?” He asked with sadness and anger mixed in his eyes. Knowing what he was referring to, you rolled your own eyes.

“What do you mean?! You have been ignoring me for days after YOU kissed ME.” You whisper-yelled at him, becoming angry at his attitude.

“That doesn’t mean you can go and get close to my greatest enemy!” He responded angrily. You wiped your face and looked him dead in the eye.

“I’m sorry, but you hurt ME first. You kiss me leaving me wondering if there was a chance you had feelings for me too, but then you go and accept CeCe’s promposal while I watch you kiss her. How is that fair to me?” You said with a single tear rolling down your cheek.

“You like me?” He asked dumbfounded and confused. You both were interrupted by Annie walking out of the front door. She realized what was happening and started feeling awkward.

“Uh, did I inturupt something?” She asked you both with a confused face.

“No.” You answered her before Tyler could. You grab her hand and start walking back home before Ty could say anything else. She knew better than to ask what happened.

You were currently taking prom pictures with Annie, Simon, and Jackson. You were wearing a crimson red dress with black heels to match Jackson’s suit. You put your H/C in cute bun.

Jackson ordered a limo for the 4 of you, as he is the Mayor’s son. Although he protested about going to prom with Annie and Simon, you forced him to due to the fact he has always had a crush on you. But you never took interest in him.

When you arrived Jackson left you to go hang out with the baseball boys. Throughout the whole night, many of your boy friends asked you to dance, causing dismay to Ty and probably to Jackson as well. You had a nice time, as you blatantly ignored Ty, trying not to ruin your night.

A slow song suddenly came on and Jackson asked to dance. You of course said yes. As you danced closely to Jackson, you couldn’t help but look over to see Ty and CeCe dancing as well. You felt yourself roll your eyes and look away once Ty locked eyes with you.

Prom was over but the night was not even close to being done. Your group went to Jackson’s house for the after party and of course Ty came with CeCe.

When you arrived, everyone was forced to put their phones in a bowl. Meanwhile Jackson was tending to his guests. You sat on the couch with Kyle and on of his friends, catching up with him. You looked over the couch to see Ty and CeCe, once again dancing.

You were overwhelmed with anger and jealousy. You interrupted Kyle mid-sentence telling him you were going to get some air on the balcony.

After a few minutes of laying your arms on the railing, you heard the sliding door open.

“Sorry Jackson, I just wante-“ you cut off noticing who it was when you turned around. It was Ty. You immediately tried to push past him to get inside but he held your arm.

“Please. I need to talk to you.” He begged you with his puppy eyes. You couldn’t resist and ended up listening to him. He closed the door and leaned on the railing next to you.

“You probably hate me.” He chuckled dryly. You frowned at his sudden realization. You grab his hand.

“Yes, you have been a total jerk this past week, but you know I could never hate you.” You said with a small smile.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry, for everything. When I kissed you, I got scared, scared that you didn’t feel the same way. I ignored you because I didn’t want to feel rejection. Not with everything going on with my family anyways.” He expressed with an apologetic tone.

“What about CeCe?” You said quietly, almost inaudible, looking away. He smiled at your jealousy and shook his head.

“Honestly, she’s great, but she’s not the one I want. Not talking to you everyday made me realize something. I don’t know if I could live without you. I tried to replace you with CeCe and well...that didn’t work out at all.” He laughed causing you to laugh and smile as well.

“I broke it off with CeCe, so you know.” He stated seriously after you were done laughing. You turned to him with a smirk.

“What are you implying?” You said teasingly. He smiled wide and tilted your head up with his finger.

“This.” He said simply as he leaned down to kiss you. You kissed him back with passion. You never knew how bad you wanted him until this moment. The world faded away and your problems were shoved to the back of your head.

You pulled away slowly not wanting it to end as soon as it started.

“We need to tell Annie.” You smiled softly at him.

“Ugh. Can’t it wait, I want to spend more time with you.” He said selfishly as he hugged you.

“Hmm nope.” You said getting out of his arms and bopping him on the nose. He looked at you with puppy eyes. ‘This is the boy I love,’ you thought to yourself, smiling happily.

A/N: I hope you guys don’t mind it was kinda long...Sorry! I wanted to stick to the episode and had to throw a few different scenes in there. At first I wasn’t happy with this, but I re-read it and I was more confident. Thanks for reading 🥺❤️🥰

[potahun]

Some more Qin Shen Shen moments translations (Part 10/?)

2020 S2 Reunion Edition 1/?

Link to other translations so far.

I will just...translate all the cuts from S2E10 and any related materials I can find, since I have been Qin Shen Shen-deprived, and one episode is really not enough. But the cuts are long, so I will divide it into parts.

a. Cuts from the interview with Wen Yu Xin Tian Di prior to the reunion episode S2E10:

ZS: Hel- LKQ, very fast: Hello everyone, hello everyone, hello everyone, we are Qin Shen Shen!!

ZS: *pauses before calmly picking up again* Hello to the viewers of Wen Yu Xin Tian Di. We are (finishing with LKQ: Qin Shen Shen~~)

(...)

ZS: Even though it’s been a long time since we’ve last seen each other, almost a year, (LKQ: Pretty much) after we did see each other again, it was like it hasn’t been that long since we separated. It’s just...fight when we want, act silly when we want, play when we want and laugh when we want -- *gasps at self* it rhymes. 

LKQ: Yeah, actually, at the outset, before I saw you again, I was a little worried. (ZS makes a surprised face) As in, would it feel like we haven’t seen each other in a long time, would it feel a little foreign...? (ZS: Really?) But NOT AT ALL.

ZS lets out a laugh.

LKQ: It’s still the same old....*strikes a pose instead of finishing the sentence* 

ZS:  Your Mandarin is also the same old one. *laughs*

LKQ: *nods* Yes.

(...)

LKQ: We’d often care about each other. (T/N: Sorry, based on what the voice-over said, I don’t know if what he says here is “we’d ask each other how the other is doing”, or “we’d think about the other’s well-being”, as in, it’s not clear to me whether they verbalised the care)

ZS: Yes. We’re...facing special times, so...just hoping everyone can take care of their health.

LKQ: Yes, but also: I’ve seen on the net that Zhou Shen’s done so many shows with different styles. (ZS: Heh. *nods* Mm.) He’s really worked very hard. 

ZS: Eh? It’s not so bad. I’ve simply had lots of fun playing games (in variety shows). (LKQ: The traditional clothing *unintelligible* is not bad!)... I’M NOT TIRED AT ALL~ (Both laugh)

Side-note: The traditional clothing might or might not be a reference to Youth Periplous 2 cosplays, since Zhou Shen did get a traditional outfit in YP2, but who knows what Li Keqin saw online. 

b. Li Keqin’s solo interview with Litchi’s New Year’s Eve. The interview question is “Is there any difference between your collaboration with Zhou Shen this time (in 2020) and last time (in Wo Men De Ge S1)?”

LKQ: His voice fits in the type that goes really high, and is very sharp. Mine is relatively deep, and thicker. We didn’t think the chemistry that would happen (by combining them) would be this strong. No matter what, a duo like ours shouldn’t become one of those “senior-junior” relationships, where we are forever speaking courteously to each other like “Ahhh, big brother Keqin~!” If we are to be a duo, then we’re at the same level of seniority. That’d give the audience a sense of familiarity. 

Side-note: He actually hasn't answered the question. 

c. S2E10: Backed by popular demand, Qin Shen Shen returns to Wo Men De Ge. The camera shows the two walking in the backstage as they head onstage.

LKQ, stopping to look at a placard: Eeeehhh. 

ZS: What, what are you looking at?

LKQ: This wasn’t here last year.  

ZS, grabs him by the wrist to pull him along: Why do you make it sound like we didn’t have anything last year?

LKQ, still wants to stop: Can we take a selfie?

ZS, yelling: We had that!

d. S2E10: Qin Shen Shen make it to the stage, while the other contestants are already seated. 

ZS: Hello everyone, I’m Zhou Shen~ We’re back again!

MC: Welcome! Welcome back to Qin Shen Shen! Welcome Shen Shen, welcome teacher Keqin, welcome!

LKQ & ZS, standing side by side onstage: Thank you, thank you.

LKQ and ZS look at each other, making the latter laugh, while LKQ slowly starts to circle around him. 

ZS, backing away: *laughs* Wait a minute...! What is this supposed to mean, what are you... *changes places with LKQ and puts some distance between them* I’ll use my toad technique: kwak! 

ZS grabs LKQ who is still circling to put him back in place.

LKQ: It’s been a while since we’ve been here. 

ZS: Stand properly while talking. 

LKQ: Right.

ZS: Right, it’s been a while since we’ve been here.

MC: Do you feel like anything has changed on this stage?

LKQ: Well, I do like the dry ice. *motions towards the dry ice on the floor, making the MC laugh* (to ZS) We’ve been talking about this issue all last year.

ZS: Yeah, I noticed there’s this issue in this season too. Some people would get a bridge, some people would get a door, some would get a mountain, and when it comes to us, it’s just ...(LKQ: Dry ice.) ...dry ice.

MC: Everyone knows that Qin Shen Shen is just one group of Li Keqin’s. Teacher Keqin has another group called “Ke Bu Rong Huan”. (ZS: Oooh!) And the “Rong” of “Ke Bu Rong Huan” is sitting over there (aka Rong Zu Er/Joey Yung).

LKQ (to ZS): Do you want to say hi? To elder sis Zu Er. 

ZS: I already did!! *bows all the same* Teacher Zu Er, hello!

RZE: Hello. *bows too* Fellow student Zhou Shen, hello.

ZS, bowing again: Hello, teacher. Hello.

RZE: Let me introduce you! *points next to her*  Miss Xilinnayi Gao. Zu Er’s little sister. 

LKQ: *waves* Hi. Little sister, hello. (ZS makes a face)

XLNYG: *bows* Teacher Keqin, hello.

LKQ bows again in response. ZS sees LKQ bow and follows suit.

RZE: Next to me is Tai Yi. (TY also stands up and bows silently)

LKQ, bowing back, along with ZS: Hello, hello. I saw on the show that you talk very little.

RZE: He always talks precisely. 

ZS: So both short, and precise. (RZE: Yes) OK.

RZE, continuing the presentations: Teacher A Zhe~

Zhang Xin Zhe and Qin Shen Shen continue with the bowing fest and courteous greetings.

RZE: Teacher Wang Yuan~

WY, also standing up to bow: Hello to both teachers.

Qin Shen Shen, by now synchronised in their bows: Wang Yuan, hello~ *more bows*

ZS (to himself): So polite. *bows again*

RZE: Teacher Chang Shi Lei~

Qin Shen Shen, synchronised again in their bows: Hello, hello.

CSL, standing up: Both of you, you’ve had it hard (referring to all the bowing)

LKQ: It’s already been 15 minutes!

RZE: You wanted me to introduce you!

ZXZ: This...Qin Shen Shen is...you know, before we came to participate to “Wo Men De Ge”, Qin Shen Shen was this tale you’d hear underground. You’d hear all sorts of tales, many of them. And today, we finally see them onstage, after struggling for this long...But I think it’s worth it. Because this kind of stage needs a chemical reaction like yours, to bring us more surprises.

RZE (about QSS): They have so much chemistry. (ZXZ: Yeah!)

[philcoulsonismyhero]

Fic Writer Interview

I got tagged by the excellent @astriiformes Ages ago to do this fic writer interview thing, and I’m finally getting around it! So here goes...

Name:

Mairi (sounds like 'marry'), Kamemor over on AO3 (after a particularly cool Romulan politician in a Star Trek novel, if you were wondering)

Fandoms:

Currently, I'm writing a lot of RWBY fic and that's unlikely to change because I'm deep in Special Interest Hell with no signs of coming up for air. In the past, I've also written a bunch of stuff for Criminal Minds and The Flash/DCTV. I've got a lot of other fandoms, but those are the main ones I've written for.

Two-shot:

Assuming this is asking if I've ever written one, technically no. But I do have a series (Just Hold On, a RWBY fix-it) that currently consists of two fics which could stand alone as they are, although I have plans to continue that one for quite a few more fics if I can find the motivation and time. And I guess I also have a couple of fics that I could have split into two chapters because they switch from one POV to another about halfway through. I like to stick to third person limited POV, and that means I often have section breaks when I want to switch from one character's perspective to another's, and for a two-person scene that usually means two sections. But I like the oneshot structure, and usually I don't feel like what I'm writing is long enough to split into chapters.

Most popular multi-chapter:

I only have one true multi-chapter fic, and it's Moving Forward, a Flash fic based on the idea of Reverse Flash being taken prisoner at the end of s1 rather than being wiped from existence. It's technically still unfinished, but I got a lot of lovely comments on that one a few years back when I was posting it, including a few folks that went through and commented on each chapter and really made my day. Maybe one day I'll actually finish it...

The only other thing I have that’s multi-chapter is a collection of missing scene ficlets, also Flash fic, but that doesn’t really count.

Actual worst part of writing:

My brain tends to be very visual when I'm writing fanfic for a TV show, and few things are as annoying as knowing exactly the facial expression someone is pulling and having No Idea how to describe it in words. Same with tones of voice. Also, I tend to jump straight into writing the bits of scenes that are most interesting to me, and going back and adding in the context that you need to make something actually readable for someone that isn't you can be a bit tiresome.

How you choose your titles:

It depends, tbh. A lot of my older fics are titled with short verb phrases that are pretty straightforward (like 'Moving Forward' or 'Breaking the Cycle'), but recently I've rather enjoyed using song lyrics. Most of my RWBY fics have lyric titles either from songs from the show itself or songs that I've got on my extensive Ironwood character playlist or otherwise just quite like and feel like they fit. I don't tend to find titles all that difficult, and I've got a fair few WIPs that have them already.

Do you outline:

Again, depends on the fic. With longer ones, yes, usually as a list of bullet points describing what happens. But shorter missing scene fics or things that I bashed out in only one or two sessions and only follow a single conversation tend not to be outlined because they just flow as I write them. I've got some more extensive outlines for a few of the fix-it AUs I've been playing with, but even then they're just bullet point lists or mostly held in my own head.

Ideas I probably won't get around to but wouldn't it be nice:

I have. So many. Most of them are RWBY fix-it fic, which is fun to write at the moment of divergence but then A Huge Endeavour to follow any further than that. I’ve planned out a bunch of different shapes for where the three different versions I’ve already written and posted would go, but there’s only one of them that I’m really continuing (aforementioned two fic series). Although I have a dilemma there, because the climax of the story arc that I figured out for that ‘verse would work even better in the other one that focuses more on Penny & Ironwood. But it’s not as simple as just throwing the idea into continuity with that one, because there’s a Major difference between the two in that in one of them, Qrow was the one who got through to Ironwood, and in the other they kinda hate each other over the whole ‘I blame you (and also me but mostly you) for Clover’s death’ thing, so I’d have to plot out a completely different relationship arc there which would have a knock-on impact on how well Ironwood is dealing with everything else. Canon divergence fic! it’s a good time.

I’ve also got So Much other RWBY fic in bits and pieces in various Google docs, it’s ridiculous. (Including a superhero AU that I’m rather fond of conceptually, but don’t really have a solid arc plot for.) A lot of it would be nice to get into a publishable state, but I probably won’t ever be bothered to.

On the not-RWBY front, I've also got a big Criminal Minds/Silent Witness crossover that I've planned out all the beats of, but actually writing it means coming up with the specific details of the murders and the autopsy scenes and a whole lot of technical stuff that I'm not comfortable just winging based on what I've seen on TV. But I also don't like researching real life crime stuff even though I love a good crime drama, so you see my dilemma. I like casefic in theory, but in practice I'm probably not going to write much of it. 

Callouts @ me:

Just because you’re an insomniac who mostly writes fic at night rather than sleeping doesn’t mean that every conversation fic has to happen as a result of one or both characters being unable to sleep, my dude. There are Other circumstances in which people talk to each other.

Best writing traits:

I’m good at character voice, although that’s a pretty standard thing to be good at. I also really like unconventional crossovers, I’ve gotten pretty good at playing around with conversations between characters who never met or aren’t even from the same universe and coming up with a believable dynamic for them. I also like to think that I’m good at getting into the heads of awkward characters and figuring out which bits to poke at in order to get them to do things they didn’t do in canon. (And figuring out how they rationalised the things they did actually do.) That’s a big reason why I liked writing Reverse Flash, the complicated bastard, and it’s why I’m having so much fun with Ironwood now. You’ve really got to work at him to get him to change direction, great big stubborn disaster that he is, and I think I’ve rather gotten the hang of that.

Spicy tangential opinion:

People should write more longfic focused on gen relationships. Some of the most fascinating relationships in stories, at least to me, are the ones between people you’d never expect to be friends, or between adults and the kids they feel responsible for who also feel kinda responsible for them, and that makes for a (imho) much more interesting story than most ships. I Live for a good complicated mentor/mentee relationship, but I hate looking for fic about them because then I have to deal with the fact that a lot of people ship those relationships and it squicks me out. Give me the longfics about types of relationships I actually care about!

(This whole thing is a good 40% of the reason that I’ve ended up get absorbed in planning out a RWBY Vol8 re-write where the parallels and the newly complicated relationship between Ruby and Ironwood is The Main Agenda. (The other 60% of the reason being ‘[x character] deserved better’.) There’s some Really Good Stuff there and I want to play with it in more of a longform situation than my usual oneshots.)

No pressure tagging:

@squireofgeekdom , @catgirlalchemist , and anyone else who wants to give it a go! Feel free to say I tagged you :D