#you could write a whole book on this episode alone holy shit

[mixingpumpkins]

(Good Omens season 2 long post, you have been warned lol)

Okay I know episode 2 will be a bit underappreciated in the immediate aftermath of season 2 given all the Things That Happen Later

But I REALLY need to give a shout-out to this episode. My god.

It feels like we’re getting more of S1Ep3 at first — “Oh, cute, more funny biblical-era meetings to build their relationship history,” but then. THEN.

It’s not just the funny takes on the story of Job. It’s not just adding more depth to Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s (and Gabriel’s) characters. The shift in tone during that last scene in the episode is so goddamn good.

I wasn’t expecting it and it works so well — and that was the moment I knew this season was actually going to manage being a really good Good Omens continuation without clinging too much to the same things that made the first season so charming.

Like, don’t get me wrong, I love S1Ep3 so much and was totally down for more of those kinds of historical shenanigans. But the fact this ep went from funny to heartbreaking in the last scene was just... god.

It was that little bit of difference this season needed early on to show how it was going to stand out from season 1. I fucking love it. It would have been so easy to stick with these mostly funny historical flashbacks, and instead they let that last scene linger on the sadness and loneliness Aziraphale and Crowley have to wrestle with for thousands of years. And it miraculously doesn’t feel out of place in a story that, at this point, still has the same lighthearted spirit of season 1 and isn’t (yet) in the emotionally devastating place of the season 2 finale. That is so, so hard to pull off convincingly and they fucking did it.

And the implications for Crowley’s character in that last scene alone? Holy shit.

We joke about him being a “disaster puppy” and bad at emotions and “oh my god just fucking TALK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS already,” while Aziraphale generally comes off as the kinder, more compassionate, more empathetic one, but this scene gives us the chance to see that flipped that on its head. Crowley is clearly the more emotionally intelligent of the two, even if he usually pretends he isn’t. And that scene in episode 6 later drives this home.

Yeah, he ribs Aziraphale here. He laughs and pokes fun a little bit that Azi is worked up about something that, in the scheme of things, is a negligible wrong, if it’s even a wrong at all. (And let’s face it — Aziraphale’s anxiety about doing the right thing is often played for laughs from viewers, too.)

But the moment it’s clear that Aziraphale is fully, actually in-tears devastated about the fact that he’s lied and truly believes he has fallen, Crowley stops laughing immediately. His body language and what we can see of his face change like that. Even as the character whose WHOLE DEAL is saying “fuck it” to rules and shoulds and not caring if he riles Aziraphale a little — or a lot — he knows there is A Line here, and he will not cross it. (And right there, it’s immediately clear that this is one of the moments we’re not supposed to see Aziraphale’s distress as funny, either.)

Because as ridiculous as Crowley finds a lot of what Aziraphale believes and worries about, Crowley doesn’t want to hurt him. He doesn’t back down from his points, but he’s so, so gentle about it. It’s “I don’t agree with you, but I can see that this whole circumstance is actually very painful and terrifying to you and I am here to be sincerely supportive because I know what that feels like and I don’t want you to have to try to work through that alone.”

And that’s exactly what Aziraphale needs here. Crowley could have easily been more dismissive — he’s the one who actually fell, so he probably had it much, much worse. But he’s also had time to work through his feelings, as well as being the one who always put less stock in what the higher-ups thought of him anyway. I just love how for so many scenes in season 1, Aziraphale always seemed more like the older, more paternal, old-fashioned one while Crowley mostly brought the younger, edgier, street-smart vibe. And here, that dynamic does a fucking backflip. Crowley gets the chance to be the older, wiser one guiding a younger, less emotionally mature angel through a crisis. And then you can’t unsee it in the rest of the series (previous and subsequent episodes alike).

And the “I’m a demon. I lied” callback... *chef’s kiss* Every flashback scene with these two helps us better understand their relationship, but this final scene of the episode was a pivotal one. It really changes how you can see all their chronological interactions past that point, while not undoing everything the season 1 flashback scenes did.

This episode, man.

[zabala0z]

Oh my god. Okay hi. Welcome back to “New TMA listens to season 2” and guys holy shit I’m freaking out. I just listened to The New Door. So much is happening in 3 episodes and I gotta write it down oh my god. Guys. Guys.

MAG 44: tightrope

Gertrude Robinson!!!! She sounds so nice. Didn’t even realize there was a mention of this circus before until Jon said it. Gotta up my game. The guy who played the steam organ, Nikolai Deniken, was featured in Strange Music. Or his granddaughter was. I looked over the transcripts again; Gertrude mentioned that Deniken leaving in the 70’s made the circus tamer. Makes me wonder if the steam organ is essential for the circus . Also the circus of the other is such a metal name for a circus like okay damn.

I’m thinking the circus is gonna pop up again. New main villain??? Maybe??? Or maybe that cult that hadn’t appeared for a bit.

MAG 45: blood bag

Ewewew. It’s literally summer, the definition of mosquito season, why did I go through with this episode, I’m literally gagging. Anyways. Not many notes but the antiques dealer who bought that Victorian syringe off of Thompson is also from Lost and Found (MAG 38) and Piecemeal (MAG 14). Like all bro did was buy it and shit went off the rails. Wonder if he’s like cursed or something. Also small note for piecemeal: the guy who made the statement said after Mikaela Salesa left, Noriega was missing teeth, an eye and fingers. He may have had them before Salesa came but who knows. Salesa seems suspicious.

Also the description of the mosquitoes. Like. Eugh.

MAG 46: literary heights

Yooo Michael crew! He appeared in Pageturner as the childhood best friend who got his shit rocked by the lightning. He also apparently appeared in a boneturners tale when he returned a book. He seems like a book nerd now after his near death experience. That lightning figure that was chasing him at the end sounded like it was from the book but another thing: Michael was chanting that shit before y’know jumping out the window but he mentioned “The Vast”. I already vaguely know that name, along with a couple others. Like the fear entities or whatever?? I knew them before going in because Im into Hatchetfield and the lords in black got compared to them a couple times so I guess i didn’t go into this fully blind. More like 94% blind. I’m guessing The Vast is important though. We’ll see.

Finally the one I’m still freaking out over: MAG 47

Holy shit. If anyone saw my abrupt post, congrats. Anyone who didn’t: OH MY GOD MICHAEL APPEARANCE. The voice was so creepy, genuinely I’m freaked out. The whole premise of the episode was scary to me just because one of my fears generally is just being alone and having no one and just being lost so obviously, yeah. But also..god. Starting to doubt my assumption on how morally correct Michael.

Also SASHA. FAKE SASHA. She sounds completely different, thought it was fun they changed voice actors for this. I think fake Sasha has been rifling through Jons stuff. He’s been mentioning that someone has been going down in the tunnels and I think it’s fake Sasha.

Not many notes, I’m just freaking out. Couple things though: Michael said to Jon “do you even know they’re lying to you?”

Now they could either refer to fake Sasha as some gender neutral term since whatever replaced her is definitely not human and maybe doesn’t have a gender but I think more likely it’s referring to multiple people. Thing is, it could be anyone. I’m still suspicious about Elias, like he seems to know something no one does, jon had his rant about Tim and how Tim was here for practically no reason which is true and Martin is chill, I trust Martin. If Martin ends up like killing someone, I will die.

Just god. Michael is so creepy. It makes me wonder about its “domain”. It said it came to collect what is “mine.” The one who entered its domain. Is it like some underworld shit where you go in, you can’t come out? “The wanderer had a brief respite but it’s over now” like that’s just cruel.

Like I screamed when Michael said “did you notice which door she left through?” Like I full on got chills. Also “I am not a who, I’m a what, yada, yada” Okay pop off but you just stabbed a man wtf.

I have seen that infamous Michael line before in like fanart but god nothing compares to hearing the words actually coming from my phone while lying in bed when it’s pitch black outside. Props to the voice actor. Also that buzzing noise that happens in the background of fake Sasha and Michael disappearing when they leave? God it’s beautiful.

Anyways. Uh. Sorry for the long post but you guys gotta understand, I am literally going insane, I love this podcast so much. I got I think like 17 pages of notes/details from episodes to keep in mind like genuinely I am so invested. It like invigorates me. Fully.

Anyways, my only takeaway is bring back Sasha and Michael is terrifying

[katnissdoesnotfollowback]

Do you have a favorite Bridgerton book/storyline?

Favorite/Least Favorite changes book to show?

So let me start this answer by saying that I haven’t watched any of season 3 yet. 🫣 Part of that is money reasons. We pared down our streaming services to the minimum when money was tight and I just haven’t gotten around to renewing my Netflix. Probably will once the rest of season 3 drops because… (book spoilers below the cut)

My 3 favorite books/storylines are:

1) When He Was Wicked (Francesca & Michael Stirling) because holy damn and hell and everything holy in between. Michael Stirling is the epitome of making consent sexy. That's all I'm gonna say about that, but I've seen enough talk and gif's floating around here to know that they've introduced John Stirling already and I am HERE for them laying the groundwork for a season five or six focused on Francesca and Michael Stirling.

2) Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Colin & Penelope) asfklsjfksanfs. I loved how sweet their story is, enough that I am mildly concerned about how they're going to deal with the massive change on the show, i.e. the fact that book!Lady Whistledown didn't nearly bring ruin and humiliation down on the Bridgerton family at all, let alone twice. On the one hand, I understand why show!Penelope did this and I kind of love that they've given her this massive mistake, this huge flaw for her and Colin to work through. But also 🫣 I don't have an excessive amount of faith in them handling these kinds of changes well on the show because the show is all about The Drama. Which brings me to...

3) The Viscount Who Loved Me (Anthony & Kate) Look. I absolutely love some of the changes they've made while translating the books to screen. And I don't even care all that much for the historical accuracy of the show. They threw it out the window with season one and made it a brilliant alternate universe that allows them the freedom to not only give us a diverse cast but also give the middle finger to anyone who says "that' never would've happened." So I'm willing to forgive a lot of changes. Buuuuutttt.... having Anthony actually propose to Edwina, having Edwina actually believing she wanted to marry Anthony, changed the characters in a way that didn't sit very well with me. At least not with the way it was handled on the show.

So that covers my least favorite change they've made on the show so far, now for my two favorite changes.

Benedict. Gah he's so much better, such a more interesting and fleshed out character on the show than he is in the book. They've maintained his fantastic sense of humor and relationships with his siblings and somehow made it better by bringing in the pseudo underground culture of artists, the introduction of queer characters, and his cravats! I could write an ode to show Benedict's wardrobe it is FABULOUS. And while I know I said above that I don't really care for the changes made to Anthony's story, I'm kind of hoping they flip book!Benedict's story on it's head and see where they can take it. Because that book was one of my least favorites. Give him a man. Or give him a woman built like Luisa Madrigal but who sometimes dresses as a man and can pull it off. I don't care but do SOMETHING ELSE besides the nonsense that happens in his book and GIVE HIS PARTNER SOME FUCKING AGENCY.

Queen Charlotte. Look. She's not even in the books, but she's one of my favorite characters on the show. She and Lady Danbury own my whole heart, okay? And her spinoff show... I've only been able to watch it once because (other than the money issue mentioned above), I was crying literal buckets starting somewhere around episode five until the end and I binge watched that shit so what is that like six hours straight crying???? Also, having her as a character gave us Brimsley and Reynolds. (*whispers my poor overworked and beleaguered babies*) I wasn't overly fond of the role she played in dragging out the drama surrounding Anthony and Edwina, but that could've been avoided entirely if you'd given show!Edwina even an ounce of book!Edwina's compassion and understanding of her sister and had her do something equally dramatic like, oh I don't know... TURN HIM DOWN?!?!? (Can you tell I'm still salty about this?)

Alright, that's enough of that. I have a job interview to prepare for, but this was a nice distraction from my inevitable nerves.

Love,

kdnfb

[mischief-lies-and-stories]

Reviewing non-Marvel Loki Things (That I've Been Exposed to)

I am certain there's more, but these are all the non-Marvel Loki-related media I could think of that I've consumed. Maybe I'll do a part 2 if I think of some other things I've read/seen. These aren't really full reviews, just basic reactions of what I remember of these pieces of media.

The Gospel of Loki, by Joanne M. Harris

I...did not finish this. It was kind of interesting, I remember. But I'll be honest, one of the lines I remember most clearly is from the beginning where Loki says something like "For some reason on Asgard, I'm not allowed to fuck beasts or men and no one can tell me why." And then he just kind of, goes with it? Like first of all, why, if you can live forever, would you not only limit yourself to one gender (I'm okay with leaving the bestiality alone, but you could probably make a case for this, too, if they can consent), but force everyone else to, also? And anyway, even if Odin is a Puritan prick for some reason, the least believable thing about all this is that Loki stands for it???!!! Why is this the one thing about which he's like 'Welp, guess Odin knows best'? Frankly, it broke my suspension of disbelief for the whole thing. (You know how I was like Kid Loki saying "I killed Thor" made me go 'Oh, okay, the Loki writers don't have a clue who Loki is fundamentally'? Yeah, this is the line that made me do that with Harris.) I didn't even get far enough to maybe (probably) read my favorite myth (Sigyn catching the venom in her bowl).

Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman

So much better, holy shit! Leaps and bounds better!!! This is one of my favorite books. I've talked about it a little on here, but he's such a great writer, and I laughed out loud so many times for the way he portrays Thor and Loki especially (it helped that I first read this listening to him read the audiobook). I just love how he portrays Loki as only smart in comparison to the other gods, who are truly dumb as bricks, with Loki only slightly more clever by comparison. But I was still so attached to Loki that when he causes his own downfall in the end (like he does in the myths) I think I genuinely cried. This is one of those books I read at least once a year.

The Bifrost Incident, by The Mechanisms

I'll be real with you, I mostly only listened to the tracks I knew Loki (and Sigyn) were on. But I did also read the synopsis on the wiki, so I know the gist of the musical. And what I'll say of it is this: I discovered the album four days prior to writing this, and I've listened to at least the Loki track at least twice a day since. I'm a little grateful it's just (as far as I know) an album, because if there was a recorded performance somewhere, I could not watch it (even though I obviously would because I like to let myself suffer). Loki's arc is just too fucking painful (which is honestly saying something, given some of the shit he gets put through in other media).

Ragnarok, Netflix

I watched the first episode. I felt like it ended stupidly and way too dramatically for even the pilot. I know it's called Ragnarok, but it's a modern retelling, and Thor and Loki are kids, so it doesn't have to go so hard from the word Go. And Laurits did not make a good first impression on me either. Can't remember exact reasons why, though. I watched this a long time ago.

[waxwing-saint]

5 books and 5 fics

@lumosatnight, I may have tweaked your tag game, but I’m just as curious about people’s fic choices as I am their book choices. (consider yourself tagged for your 5 fic picks)

Books

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. It’s a classic for a reason. I read it probably too young and it jump-started my lifelong obsession with both Agatha Christie and isolated closed-circle mysteries.

If Not Winter fragments of Sappho translated by Anne Carson. Listen, I am a renowned sapphist. I am a sapphist in the deep aching longing kind of way, in the fleeting touches kind of way, in the openly watching each other across a crowded room kind of way. Anne Carson understands this vibe in a way no other Sappho translator does.

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado. I love short stories, but the problem with short story collections is that there’s always one or two bangers and the rest are mid. All of these are bangers. While it’s true that some are slightly less bangery than others, every short story in this collection is incredible, haunting, painfully well-written. Like I just don’t have words for how good it is and I’ve been trying to find the words since the day I started reading it.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. I see people who read this book in like three hours and I am confused and disturbed. This is not a long book, but I don’t know how to talk to anyone who can manage this book in under a month. The current record in my friend group is 29 days, which is frankly impressive. Reading this book is a lot like trying to look at an eldritch being—it is equal parts intoxicating and dismantling; the prose is so painfully beautiful, the grief and frustration so true to life, that you have to put it down after a few pages. And that’s the story of how it took me two months to read a 240 page book.

Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang. Is it cheating to include a short story? Who knows, I’m making the rules. This is my favorite short story of all time, and it is available in a collection with many other decent short stories (big props to Hell is the Absence of God) but none of them come close to this one, so much so that including the collection to rec this story feels disingenuous. There is something so special about a piece of art being created perfectly in the perfect medium. Would The Lament for Icarus slap so hard if it wasn’t a painting, but a novel? Could Artemisia Gentileschi have captured Judith fucking wrecking Holofernes in a gif? Both would be beautiful and poignant still, but it wouldn’t be the same. Story of Your Life needs the short story medium to do what it does best. Arrival was a good movie, but it lacked so much of the nuance found in the source material. (For further reading, please see the stage play The Last Five Years)

Fics

Spindle, Spire by @summerlightning. I don’t know why this is such a hard sell, maybe it’s the fandom or the fact it’s only available on tumblr, but of all the fics I rec this is the one the fewest people check out. Listen to the words coming out of my mouth: this. is. the. best. fic. i. have. ever. read. I would never fuck with you on this. You don’t need to know anything about the fandom or characters, leave this list, go read it (and then hmu so we can scream about it). I reread this fic at least twice a year. The aesthetic alone is enough to send me to an untimely demise. It is gritty, it is fucking gross, it is undeniably beautiful, it is a masterclass in writing with a strong narrative voice. There are pieces of this that haunt me to this day (“There’s another breakroom but it’s a scummy pond, mostly, and the cabinets fell off the walls long ago and rest in the water now like bloated wooden alligators with rusty hinges for teeth.”) shut up don’t fucking talk to me.

Watchers by a whole mess of incredible people. The Buffy spin off that was at times better than Buffy itself. And holy shit I go to this site all the time to read old episodes or feel nostalgic and shit and when I went to grab the link for this post I saw they’re planning new content. Fucking catch me screaming lads. Will be monitoring this sitchiation closely.

Ballads by @lipzlipzlipz. If we’ve spoken for more than forty-five seconds I’ve already reced this series to you(and I’ve also already told you to read it in post order not chronological order). Here I am recing it again and until my dying breath. Sometimes people make indulgent mistakes and then continue to make the same indulgent mistakes as they destroy themselves and all of their loved ones for one more chance to make that mistake all over again. Is it busted and bloody heartbreak? It is. Is it also the realest tragedy I’ve ever seen? It sure fuckin is babes.

Personal Jesus by @perfectly--random. This is the best fic I read last year, period, end of fucking sentence. It is a fic I think where it’s better to go into blind, so I’m not going to say anymore, but please someone come talk to me about this I’m dying.

Of Blood & Carnations by @rice-and-beans. This is the best fic I’ve read this year, period, end of fucking sentence. I’ve read a lot of excellent fics this year but I cannot imagine a world in which 2024 comes and this isn’t still the best fic I read this year. It’s so good that I can’t breathe when I think about it. It’s giving you Prometheus Bound and that’s all I’ll say about it because it’s another fic you should go into blind but take off the blindfold and peep the tags fist babes because she’s a doozy and you shouldn’t be unprepared. All that to say, beans cannot miss, hit up that author page and read them all, every one is a banger. This is the juice. This is the mineral the girlies crave.

Now. I limited my fics to completed works but if I hadn’t I’d have been struggling to fit in Danse Avec la Vie and Of Gods, Kings, and Men both by @sosh022, who I know can, in fact, finish a fic (contrary to popular opinion) and I can’t wait to one day have a headache fitting both of them into a list not unlike this one.

As per tag game rules I am required by law to offer up sacrifices to the altar so please tell your mothers not to draw me a bath only to stab me in the neck (I had a war to win). @sosh022 @lipzlipzlipz @perfectly--random @flyingpoptart @rachelc978 @drabsyo @terra-wisp actually you know what anyone. If you see this on your dash, consider yourself tagged m8 😤

[toastess-with-the-mostess]

Let's Rewind! Toast watches Voltron: Defender of The Universe (1984)

Season 1, Episode 3: A Ghost and Four Keys

First off holy crap is that a killer episode title, I know the gist of what happens already but damn that got me curious

Castle Doom is so cool looking, very cyberpunk

oh sick we get to see more robeasts The robeast coffins are such a cool way to send over literal planet destroying monsters, 10/10 decision

So Zarkon and his forces are ALSO eco-terrorists, fantastic

Coran was being so stubborn before letting the boys pilot the damn lions, why fucking say that they could if you were just going to go stop them from even doing it when they were ready to protect you??

"They wouldn't hit anyone with glasses, would they?" - Pidge You absolute cutie, very bad decision to go out alone but whatever the show goes on, so I know you're not dead by the end

It is sweet how much Coran cares for Allura, I know it's partially because of her being one of the last living royals but still I'm not too much of a Coran fan because of a later episode but for now he's ok

Oh shit ghost dad, that must be a sucker punch for the princess and Coran since they were close to Alfor

Looks like Arus is following Ancient Egypt mummification rules for their royalty, we're really hitting every ancient society with this planet huh

Pidge calls himself a "little Earth man" but I'm not accepting that because we have an episode of his home planet of Balto I wonder how they did the writing for this show because iirc they made up the lore just based off of watching the animation since they didn't get it translated from Japanese

This kid is fighting a whole armada with only a blaster to help, he's absolutely insane

Oh cool their belt buckle doubles as a phone, that's a space saver

Goddamn it Coran,,, this is where your character starts dropping off I understand that you're afraid of sending the boys out in the lions while missing Black, but you're literally about to get one of the pilots killed WHO YOU NEED BECAUSE THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT RIGHT NOW Allura stepped up at least

THE CHUTES ARE BEING USED Getting to the lions is pretty cool, very funny seeing Keith in green though First look at the lions, and they're very boxy looking, it makes sense and doesn't make them any less rad

Pidge has climbed a mountain to get away from the fighters, maybe not the best idea but ok NO THEY SHOT MY BOY

Nabbed by the Arusians surviving in the caves, lucky lucky

FINALLY, THE LIONS ARE FUCKING SHIT UP

Haggar just insulting Yurak for being useless and saying she's better than all of them is so funny too me Like you would be if you weren't weirdly loyal to Zarkon

Why do I remember that the robeasts were made giants before being sent to Arus? This last scene showed the robeast being enlarged in his coffin, so he could bust out of there

NIPPLE DRILL ROBEAST I actually have the 30th anniversary book for Voltron, in it, they actually name and describe the robeasts! This one is called the Battle Batbeast, weighing at 3900 short tons!

The first example as to why the lions can't just fight the robeast, they're legitimately too weak to Now the pilots are knocked out while Pidge is struggling to get to them

Cliffhanger! This is where episode 3 ends, I should be able to manage one more episode later today, so we might actually see Voltron next episode!

[carebooks]

so i watched the most recent Miraculous episode,

fair warning, i havent watched the show in a hot minute, i just randomly watched this one for the miraculous switch again, so im not fully up to date on some storylines

i got the whole love square going upside down, sideway and inside out, all of tumblr got that and they’re still reacting to it

no, that’s not what i wanna talk about

first, Gabriel’s in the kitchen… making breakfast… asking Adrien if he wants pancakes… i am scared

what alternate reality did i just walk into

what the fuck happened to Nathalie, she got a back brace and shit??

not them having the weirdest family breakfast of all time

HOLY SHIT NATHALIE JUST BENT HIS ARM BACKWARDS AND PUSHED HIS ASS AGAINST THE TABLE, BLACK WIDOW IRON MAN 2 STYLE AND IN A BRACE

“I’ve been your bodyguard, your friend, and more.”

“I’m only staying to protect Adrien from you.” YESS HONEY I SUPPORT IT, NATHALIE GET THAT BOY OUTTA THAT FUCKING HOUSE RIGHT NOW

yo, fuck Gabriel, if he gets Emilie to wake up she’ll just leave him for Nathalie and Adrien can go from losing a mom to gaining a shitty dad (bc we know Gabriel does not count as any type of father anymore) to having two good moms

i vibe with Nathalie, what a bad bitch

i feel so bad for Nathalie, she’s stuck with this asshole now

SHE’S CRYING AT HER RECORDINGS AND EMILIE IS SAYING SHE’D BE A GOOD MOTHER TO ADRIEN COME ON LADIES YA’LL SHOULD GET TOGETHER

the kwami’s just be gossiping about their owners, i love it

not Tikki calling out all of Marinette’s tendencies, knitting shit and unrealizable plans, the shade is real and im in love

ugh, why does Nathalie always look so good

I LOVE HOW MARINETTE JUST BECOMES THE EARLY VERSION OF CHAT NOIR JUST COMPLIMENTING HIM AND HE’S JUST NERVOUS HAHAHA AND TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE VILLAIN LIKE EARLY VERSIONS OF LADYBUG

LOVING THE PARALLELS

every time i watch an episode of this i wonder how much therapy Adrien is gonna need after he finds out about his father, his dead but not really dead? mother, and nathalie, like damn, you could write a book

i wish i could finish this but a bunch of people just barged into the empty classroom i was using and while i know them and am friendly w them i was really hoping for alone time so im lowkey vv disappointed

[theskyexists]

Hop hop is always the funniest motherhopper in the whole show

'i wish I could be lovingly embraced by all of humanity'

Me too sprig. Me too

They keep hinting that Polly is insanely smart

How are frogman and granddad the same. It's not frogman throwing cars around

Wow they're super powered handymen. Should go into construction! Ok well I guess the cop knows granddad did an oopsie

'it ended up doing more harm than good anyway' DID IT??? HE SAVED A BUS FULL OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE DRIVEN RIGHT INTO A CAR!!! nobody got hurt when granddad got angry at him. They really boiled the superhero genre down to nothing lol. Wow they're really not gojgn back on it ahahahahahaha. FUCK superheroes and them saving people from traffic accidents. Superheroes ain't shit!!! buses should just crash!!!!

Apparently.

Did Olivia take Marcy in when she hadn't even proven herself as head of the whatever artificer rogue guild? Wow

THE GHOSTS AND THE CRYPTID MOSSMAN LOOKALIKE ARE OTHERWORLDY PRISONERS. OOF. WOW!

Damn!;! Damn!!! That's why I like children's cartoons so much!!!! They just throw in horrific shit like it's FRESH. WAOW IS THERE FANFIC !!?! I LOVE HORRIFIC POSSESSION!!!!!! Marcy just went very much up in my characters I love list. Though she was seriously growing on me already. She trapped her friends in another world. Then didn't even go to look for them but let herself get distracted with what SHE could get out of it. Then never told them she was planning to take them travelling on and on - not home. Meanwhile she's just sooo sweet and sooo cute and harmless. A klutz. Sincerely affectionate but also careless. SO LONELY. She's got shit parents but she RARELY lets on. She lets herself be distracted. The most closed of all of them. An actual literal real world child prodigy, boundlessly curious and passionate for the world, and ruthlessly strategic. And now -she has merged with the best evil minds of Newtopia, been forced. She has become the city's evil heart. She refused to see the rot at the heart of the kingdom (she's smart enough to have discovered it) and now she has been eaten by it. Shes lost all control of her body and mind - by all accounts she must be trapped under the suffocating crush of the Core, yet aware. But at least, she is not alone anymore ....

am I gonna have to write the fic about the possession just like I did for catra...

Anne is the leader in the field, the soldier, the superweapon, the beacon, the protector, Sasha is the general, the tactical and violent hand of/against the state, and Marcy is the queen....strategic, focused on systems, improving lives

I should stop characterising bc the show likes to juggle them sometimes...also did just realise that my book has this ....theme role division for the three main characters

I like the gender non conforming FBI agents

God the squeak toy sounds for the frogs will never get old. Also the close ups with the voices

king Andreas sure is such a wonderful villain. So hearty and jolly and cruel

Ah the it girls are gay and in love

The characterisation of small children in this as Monsters will continue to baffle me

Ohhhhh I LOVEEEEERR evil hivemind Marcy. I LOVE HER. Esp bc the core seems to have also taken on some of her personality

HOLY SHIT I AM CRYING SPRIGS PRESENT FOR ANNE OH MY GOD!!!!!! THE VOICE ACTING AND TIMING AND WRITING ON THIS BIT HAAAAAAA

ANNE ONLY NOW IS INFORMING SASHAS AND MARCYS PARENTS THAT THEY ARE ALIVE. Also anonymously with the most outrageous claims....dude. they're not gonna fucking believe that

So Sasha's parents are divorced. She's also likely rich

They're opening an interdimensional portal with the energy from a car battery....

We're on the right track. YOU CREATED AN INTERDIMENSIONAL PORTAL WHAT THE FUCK

It's fascinating - apparently the only thing to see in LA are shops

ANNE IS HAVING THE 'IM JUST A KID' REALISATION

So they broke with Anne's blue colour scheme this episode just to do a Darth Vader reference?

Her parents have realised that Anne has become insanely proficient at combat

WHAT parents would not insist on coming along

I wanna know what SASHA is doing. GIVE ME HER RESISTANCEEEEE

GOD Anne's powers look so damn cool

Interesting that they never returned to that bit about the mother of olms when that was their main lead

Sasha has a new OUTFIT. Instantly gives Anne the commander helmet. They undersell how significant that is. Is this episode gonna be about how Sasha is in her rightful place as commander and Anne is...for other things? I hope the colour of the helmet implies this. YES. Grime is saying the same. Please let it come true. Please let

Even Anne can tell. BUT SASHA IS TRYING TO BE DIFFERENT AND NOT TAKE CONTROL SO MUCH. And she's. Right that the people want Anne

WHAT THE FUCK AHAHAHAHAHAHA. OK that's the most Anne thing I LOVE IT she just GOT EATEN to get Sasha to take command. Man. Every emotional moment between them always great

Skdnkdndkdhdjdjdbd sometimes there's an amazing joke

YES THEYRE GOING ALL IN ON TACTICAL SASHA

GOD I LOVE SASHA MILITARY TALK AND HER INTELLIGENCE. YES I LOVE THE RESISTANCE!!!!

Sasha is like: the resistance can't lose both of us. But then does send both of them on mission. She did this deliberately to train with Anne for sure and/or to help toady develop in Crocker's team. Nah the narrative is not that smart. She did believe they could do without them though

Sasha literally kicked a giant rock in half

It's actually really fun to think about how Anne and Marcy and Sasha haven't noticed their own insane power creep - even without stone powers

Actually why did Anne put on the exact same outfit again. The school uniform or whatever...

Sasha and Anne work so well together as co leaders AAAAA I love them. Sashas signature are emojis....

SASHA CHEERLEADING BUT BEING TOO BUSY TO REWRITE THE SONG OH MY GOD I LOVE HER

This last season is honestly the best. Except for all the sappy parent scenes.

YES I KNEW IT. Marcy is locked in her own mind and the core has inherited quirks.

LOVE that Barrel is the famous toad from the past that they got the hammer from. LOVE that Leaf apparently started the planter line. All young and contributing to a horrific interdimensional empire without second thoughts.

God...the core sure is uhhh a horrific ancestor hivemind hanging out in the body of the kid you quite liked and then killed. The character design for Darcy is amazing

The question is why Sasha and Anne are hitting just little targets when they KNOW that the heart of Andreas' power is the music box. take that, and he can't invade shit

So Leaf left a leaf of paper for Andreas...

Sasha is more of a dog person...who woulda thought. Marcy and Anne are definitely the dogs in the relationship...

I LOVE how all the episodes are coming back!!! Bittyburg. Domino. Trattonio.

Their official titles are madam generals. I love it

Just realised that the Newts look like lotr elves

The FLYING the EYES the VOICE the MAGICAL HAIR . GOD it's so cool

Sasha supporting Anne afterwards. So cool

'im sorry sash' THEY HUG.

Their strategy is like that of a movie that Marcy watched. YIKES. The core will see through it for sure

Ah Marcy was not happy about Anne and Sasha not sharing in her interests.

Oh SHIT. That's what happened to Olivia and Yunan. Grisly.

Are you fucking serious.....Anne and Sasha beat these two by doing a perfectly synced DANCE that they still remembered perfectly after a tearful and emotional heart to heart where Anne grabs Sasha's hand in both hands and anyway

The voice actress for Marcy must be having SO MUCH FUN

GOD!!! THE ANIMATION. THE AMAZINGLY COOL OUTFIT FOR DARK MARCY. YAAAAAA

Dark Marcy about to kill ANNE!!! YEAAAA ANGST

'amusing. You want to beg?' ahhh delightful. Stupid petty shitty ass imperialist ancestor kings are so easy.

'we look forward to dissecting you. Alive' I LOVE IIIIIT SO EVIL!!!! USING MARCYS VOICE FOR IT TOO!! please tell me Marcy was aware of almost killing Anne with her own hands.

But you know what? I do believe that Anne's parents have informed Mr X that there IS GOING TO BE AN ALIEN INVASION AND THEY NEED TO PREPARE THEMSELVES

They literally use their tongues for everything but those weren't incapacitated. Dark Marcy was very stupid to tie them up instead of instant collaring of course

Instead of helping the people not get murdered they're setting up a base....sldjdkdknff

Shit. She might NOT be aware of what happens on the outside. Too bad. The core is just distracting her with endless temptations

So they deleted her memory. Yikes. Is she getting that back? Permanent brain damage Marcy? Sounds very uh angsty

'and save any remaining civilians' YOU MEAN THE ONES WHO HAVENT BEEN EATEN WHILE YOU LEFT THEM TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES????

Wow when they went in for that hug I was like ????????????? Bc for on sec it was drawn rather differently like faces first

Wow. Soldiers are actually dying in this rts game

Olivias WHAT hahahahaha

Does...Sasha look like edelgard in Marcy's dream world hahahaha

Holy shit wow I did NOT expect them to parallel losing Polly's and Sprigs parents with losing Annes

Wow. What a solution. The monsters that killed your parents. The solution? Tame them and sicc them on your enemies. That's...unconventional

The cartoony shit where the enemy always surprise attacks with something non-lethal. Ah

Now they're just showing off with the animation for Marcy.

The only reason the whole of LA hasn't been blasted yet is due to one simple trick by Anne where her life might be essential

Is Andreas really gonna fight her? YEEEEESSSS ANNE GOING PSYCHOANALYSIS ON ANDREAS YESSSSS THATS WHAT I WANNA DO CALL HIM PITIFUL!! BOTH MOCKING AND GENUINELY PITYING HIM

Wow the Core builds some really shit AI lol

It hurts that they don't want what you want. Oh Marcy. I love you

Ok. Not the message I would have sent to Andrias, Leaf.

Wow the Core is so damn strategically weak actually. Guess having a hundred minds in there makes making decisions kind of difficult actually

So how did Anne get her third wind?

'nothing can take away the memories of the time we spent together'

But that's not true...because memories fade....

The Moon is a core base??????

Lol Sasha's outfit is punk

They look fucking cool

'this is the coolest most anime thing that's ever happened to me' well YEAH marcy

Pfffthrjdjdnfkfn a nat 20

MARCY STUMBLED IN SPACE

Honestly think this is dumb and they should have done a teamwork friendship move

Ok yeah I remembered right. Frobo CAN fly so why did he take the heron.

Wow CANON GAY NEWTS

'nothing will change what you mean to me' not time not space

Is that true?

YES!!! Grown up Polly!

Were Maddie's sisters so young that they're still pollywags?

Bessie and Joe the sparrow....

I guess it's nice that Sprigs still got Polly, and Hop Pop and Ivy. And that Anne's not dead. Really the defining thing here that makes things ok

You're telling me that. Anne Sasha and Marcy GREW APART. AFTER SAVING TWO WORLDS TOGETHER. WOW. Talk about a depressing message. I am...uh Deleting that part from my brain what the fuck. They could have just stayed friends???? Is the message that what Marcy was scared of actually happened and wasn't so bad? My god

[nat-20s]

me looking at my own post: you could fanfic out of this!

Anyway here’s how I think a typical “Martin’s Poetry Corner” would go!

~*~

Martin: And for my second thing, we’re going back to the poetry corner!

Jon: Again? Didn’t you have a poetry corner last week?

Martin: It’s been well over two months since the last poetry corner, my dear. And just for that comment I’m going to up the amount of the poetry corner. From now on this podcast is me reading poetry interjected with some guy talking nonsense.

Jon: You say that like the majority of our audience wouldn’t prefer that. Also, some guy? I’m wounded! Earlier you were calling me ‘beloved husband’ and ‘cherished one’ and now I’m ‘some guy’? What did I do to deserve that level of downgrade?

Martin: You decried the poetry corner!

Jon: I decried nothing! It was a purely non-judgmental comment on the frequency of it. If you want to do poem every week, I have nothing against that.

Martin: Hmm. I might test you on that. I know the whole point of this thing is to share things we think are lovely, and I do find all the poems I read lovely, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have an ulterior motive.

Jon: Oh? And what might your nefarious hidden agenda be?

Martin: I’m certain you’re the only one that would find it nefarious, but I can, must, shall, and will find a poem that affects you. Now, I’m sure the listeners at home would decry that goal. After all Mary Oliver, Maya Angelou, Wendy Cope, and Langston Hughes all did nothing. He didn’t even blink at “The Two-Headed Calf”, surely there can’t possibly-

Jon, laughing, which severely limits how much he’s able to sell his faux offense: I’ve been affected by poetry before!

Martin: Name one poem you had an actual strong reaction to.

Jon, smugly: It’s almost certainly not one you know. It’s called “Streets” and it’s by this really obscure author. God, what was his name? K was his middle initial I believe?

Martin, laughing: Piss off!

Jon: Well it’s true! I felt something at all of your poetry.

Martin: Liar! I very distinctly remember you calling it ‘almost affecting’! And you declared I was enamored with Keats, which doesn’t even make sense, we have wildly different composition styles.

Jon: You’re working from incomplete information. That tape was from my first read through. It was the reread where they got me.

Martin: Reread? I thought you hated rereading things?

Jon: Typically, yes. But. Ah. It was during the year you were gone.

Martin: Oh. Oh, love.

Jon: It’s been half a decade since then, Martin, I can assure you I’m fine. Though, I suppose reflecting on it, the affecting quality was more to do with who had written the poetry itself. Even now, you could write a grocery list for fun and I’d be hopelessly endeared by it.

Martin: Shut up.

Jon: I shall not! It’s been a hell of a road to get here, I think it’s more than acceptable to flaunt how much I like my husband, especially when he’s doing something he enjoys. In fact, I think it’d be more than appropriate if I did one of your poems for one of my wonderful things next week.

Martin: Absolutely not! Jon, there is a certain level of ‘embarrassing old men in love’ we’re allowed to be in the public sphere, and that would exceed it by, fuck, tenfold? Our quota would be wiped out for the year. For the next five years. No. Besides, my poems aren’t meant for anyone’s eyes and ears but my own, and occasionally you when you’re being nosy.

Jon, with audible shit eating grin: So you’re saying you wouldn’t like to hear your poetry in my voice?

Martin, having a gay panic despite being married to this man for years: I..uh..

Jon: Yes?

Martin: I would..I would like that very much. Privately. Er, please.

Jon: Well, since you asked so nicely. I suppose the poetry corner shall remain yours, for now.

Martin: Thank you for your grand generosity and understanding. Speaking of, should I get to the actual poem? I think I might have a winner with this one.

Jon: Please do.

Martin: So this week I’m bringing a poem written by an, as far as I can tell, unnamed ninth century Irish Monk-

Jon: -ninth century? Decided to abandon the contemporary route then?

Martin: Somewhat? The poem was written in the ninth century, but no one wants to hear me butcher the original, so I’m going to read the English translation by Seamus Heaney, which was done in 2006, so sort of contemporary? Depending how you look at it? Anyway, this is Pangur Bán:

Pangur Bán and I at work,

Adepts, equals, cat and clerk:

His whole instinct is to hunt,

Mine to free the meaning pent.

More than loud acclaim, I love

Books, silence, thought, my alcove.

Happy for me, Pangur Bán

Child-plays round some mouse’s den.

Truth to tell, just being here,

Housed alone, housed together,

Adds up to its own reward:

Concentration, stealthy art.

Next thing an unwary mouse

Bares his flank: Pangur pounces.

Next thing lines that held and held

Meaning back begin to yield.

All the while, his round bright eye

Fixes on the wall, while I

Focus my less piercing gaze

On the challenge of the page.

With his unsheathed, perfect nails

Pangur springs, exults and kills.

When the longed-for, difficult

Answers come, I too exult.

So it goes. To each his own.

No vying. No vexation.

Taking pleasure, taking pains,

Kindred spirits, veterans.

Day and night, soft purr, soft pad,

Pangur Bán has learned his trade.

Day and night, my own hard work

Solves the cruxes, makes a mark.

Isn’t that just delightful? Jon what did you-holy shit!

Jon, voice tight: What?

Martin: You teared up! You’re affected! Fuckin’ gottem!! I should’ve known. I should’ve fucking known that the way to Jonathan Sims’ soul was through a poem about a man feeling kinship with his cat. Incredible.

Jon, slightly sniffling: It’s a very nice poem! You read it because it’s a very nice poem!

Martin: Yes it is! That doesn’t discount the fact that I have read poems about love and hardships and finding joy in being alive and it’s the one about the cat that gets to you. Of course. I love you.

Jon: I love you too. Even if you are a bit too victorious over this. I think that will wrap it up for this week?

Martin: Think so! And as we say at the end of every episode, uh, the way to a man’s heart is not through his stomach, but through cat poems from a thousand years ago.

[animeomegas]

Omega!Kaidou Headcanons

Anon:  Ooooh can you do omega kaido hcs?

(Aww, I love Kaidou, he is baby. I just finished all my uni work for the week so I jumped to write this! Enjoy!)

Warnings: N-sfw under cut, mpreg, talk of insecurities.

General:

Kaidou is quite an insecure omega. Especially as a teenager.

Honestly, he has probably tried to masquerade as a beta before, and wished many times that he was an alpha like his younger brother and sister.

A lot of his façade as the ‘Jet Black Wings’ is a defence mechanism because of his insecurities and him being an omega fuels that.

Kaidou can be wary around alphas he doesn’t know, so it’s likely that you were friends first and romantic a long time afterwards.

When you are finally mates/almost mates, you see a completely different side to Kaidou.

He is incredibly touch starved. He loves cuddles and pets. He’ll take any affection you dish out. He especially loves resting his head on your lap or on your shoulder.

Kaidou wants to be an author when he’s older, and he has never had anyone support his dream. When you offer your support for him, he falls in love with you right then and there. That’s when he knew he wanted you to be his alpha.

His scent is light and flowery, with a hint of citrus.

Kaidou purrs a lot without realising and it always embarrasses him when you point it out. He purrs everytime you scent him, croon, cuddle him, etc. 

Kaidou is a very sweet omega who is a dedicated and loving mate and parent. 

Nesting:

As a teenager, Kaidou never gets to the point where he likes his nest. 

He wants a super cool nest! A combo between a ‘secret lair’ style and a ‘pinterest’ style nest.

He wants a room dedicated to his nest, preferably with a hidden entrance. He wants a super powerful colour scheme with cool posters but he also wants fairy lights and pastel blankets.

Kaidou has lots of cuddly toys but he gets embarrassed about it and won’t admit it. 

In fact, cuddly toys are his favourite courting gifts to receive, but he will always pretend that he think toys are for little kids, but you can see how tightly he cradles the toy, and if you scent the teddy first, you can even hear him purring. 

As an adult, Kaidou really wants his dream nest, but he feels guilty spending so much money on it. It’s up to his alpha to encourage him. 

When he has pups, they think his nest is the coolest thing ever, and they tell all the other kids at school because it has a hidden door! And beanbags! And a mini fridge! And it’s way better than your omega parent’s nest!!

Kaidou is very protective of his nest. He only lets you and his pups inside. No one else. He doesn’t even like when someone figures out where it is in his home.

This causes some conflict because he would love to give birth in his nest, but he would never be able to invite a midwife or doctor inside. 

You clutched a small bat plushie in you hands as you walked into your classroom. You had bought it for Kaidou on a whim yesterday on your way home from school. This was hardly the first time you had given him a courting gift, but this was the first one that had your scent on it. 

“Holy shit.” You whispered to yourself. “You can do this, don’t be nervous.” 

You saw Kaidou immediately. He was sitting on top of his desk, chatting with Hairo and Nendou. You huffed. You would have preferred him to be alone but you guess that couldn’t be helped now.

“Hey, Shun...” You started, awkwardly sliding up beside him.

He startled slightly, a blush settling on his cheeks.

 “Oh! Hey... Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I, um.” You pulled the bat toy out of your pocket, shoving it vaguely in his direction. “This is for you.”

Kaidou gently took it from your hands, eyes wide. He turned it over, running a finger over the fake fangs. You saw the moment he realised you had scented it. He looked up at you in shock before turning and sniffing absentmindedly at the toy, purrs beginning to sneak out. 

You puffed up in pride. Watching your intended mate accept and enjoy your gift with such fervour filled your heart with joy. 

“HA HA!” Interrupted Nedou. “Kaidou’s purring!”

The purrs stopped immediately, Kaidou turned bright red, shoving the toy into his bag. 

“I AM NOT! Shut up!”

The two began to bicker, Nedou laughing over Kaidou’s agressive denial. 

You were vaguely embarrassed that Kaidou’s friends had seen you give him a courting gift, but mostly you were pleased by his acceptance of your first serious courting gift. Giving someone your scent to put in their nest was a big deal after all.

Family + pups

When you decide to court Kaidou, he will try and keep you as far away from his mother as he can. Unfortunately, this doesn’t last long, because his mother just orders him to bring you over and he can’t say no to his terrifying alpha mother.

Kaidou is unbelievably nervous throughout the whole meeting. He knows his mother will order him to end the courtship if she doesn’t approve.

His mother’s opinion depends a lot of how well spoken, intelligent and ambitious Kaidou’s intended alpha is.

If you have good grades, can match her successfully in conversation, and are preparing to apply to a good university, she will adore you. 

(it’s best just to lie if you aren’t those things).

Kaidou’s mother is a very hands on grandparent when the time comes. She always take your pup(s) when Kaidou is in heat and you in rut. She also helps pay for tutors and arranges academic help for all her grandchildren.

Kaidou wants at least one pup but no more than three pups. 

He is such a sweet parent. 

He never, ever makes fun of his pups. He always treats their problems seriously and loves them for who they are.

He’s the kind of parent who jumps at the opportunity to support his kids hobbies. Writing, martial arts, painting, cooking, whatever they love, he makes sure they can do it. 

Kaidou makes an excellent stay-at-home parent. He loves spending time with his pup(s) and working on writing the book he wants to write.

Family cuddles are a scheduled weekly event. He is distraught if, when his pups get older, they don’t partake in the family cuddles every week.

It took Kaidou quite a few tries to get pregnant, and he ended up getting very stressed about it, thinking something was wrong with him. Luckily, it eventually happened for you both. 

When he was pregnant, Kaidou didn’t have many symptoms, but he was very tired and hungry all the time. 

He needed help to do most things because he was so tired, but he felt like a burden, so didn’t ask for help. This changes in his second pregnancy (if he has one). He needs to have help with your other pup(s) when he’s pregnant because he’s too tired to look after them fulltime.

It would make more sense for you to wait until your first pup was in school before trying for a second one, just to take the pressure off of Kaidou somewhat.

The night’s peace was broken by a tentative knock at your bedroom door. You startled slightly, starting to sit up, Kaidou also stirring in your arms. The door handle turned slowly, the silhouette of you oldest son was revealed, along with the quiet sound of sniffling.

Before you could even process what you were seeing, Kaidou had yanked himself out of your arms and thrown himself towards your crying pup. 

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Kaidou panicked, hands flitting over your pup as if to check for injuries. 

“Nightmare.” Your pup whined, beginning to sob and he held his arms out for a hug. 

Kaidou whined with him, quickly and firmly pulling him into his embrace. Kaidou then stood up, cradling your pup in his arms, rocking him back and forth. 

“Why don’t you sleep with us tonight, pup?” You said, voice still heavy with sleep, gesturing for Kaidou to get back into bed. It was freezing after all.

Kaidou didn’t need any more prompting and slipped back under the covers you were holding up for him. As he settled down, your pup quickly grabbed at your shirt, holding it tightly in his fist. You brushed your hand over his tiny one before settling your hand on his back, rubbing up and down to help soothe him. You could no longer see his face (it was buried in your mate’s chest), but you could still hear his sniffling. 

“What was your nightmare about, sweetheart? Must have been scary, huh?” You asked as Kaidou began scenting the top of your son’s head. 

“Yeah. W’s scary.” Came the muffled voice of your pup. 

In lieu of a reply, you pulled both him and Kaidou more closely against your chest. 

“Nothing can happen while you’re here with us, okay. You’re safe.” You kept rubbing his back as he finally started to settle. Eventually, his breathing evened out and he relaxed fully against you and Kaidou, his grip on your shirt loosening. 

“I feel so useless when he has nightmares.” Kaidou admitted, breaking the hush. “I can’t protect him from them.”

You shifted slightly to look him in the eye. 

“You’re protecting him right now, my love. This is what he needs from you and you’re so good at it. You’re such a good parent, Shun.” Kaidou blushed faintly.  “I fall in love with you all over again everytime I see you with our pups.”

Kaidou smiled slightly, resting his head against your shoulder. 

“I just want him to be happy.” 

“I know.” You replied, placing a kiss on his head. “Me too.” 

You started to drift off to sleep as silence descended on the room. 

“Thanks.” Kaidou murmured. 

Too tired to reply, you squeezed him lightly with your arms. It saddened you that your amazing parent of a mate still felt insecure four years into parenthood, but you were just going to have to keep telling him otherwise until he started to see himself as you saw him. 

N-SFW under cut (ft. Slightly!Older!Kaidou)

Kaidou always, always needs after sex cuddles. It helps relax him, quiet his insecurities and is equally as enjoyable as the sex in his opinion.

Kaidou is a big subby baby, and he needs cuddles for his aftercare or he can feel very rejected.

Do you remember the episode where Kaidou came last in every event of the physical fitness test, but came first in flexibility? Kaidou is extremely flexible and he loves to show it off in bed. He’s very proud of all the positions he can bend into. 

Kaidou loves dressing up in lingerie. He feels pretty and confident when he’s wearing lace lingerie. He looks best in pastel blue (it matches his hair), but honestly, he pulls off all pastel shades very well.

Along a similar vein, Kaidou finds it very embarrasing but very hot to look at himself in the mirror while you have sex. It requires a lot of praise though, as he can be quite insecure.

In heat, Kaidou is absolutely shameless. He will beg and plead and whine and nuzzle you to get you into his nest with him. 

Kaidou is weak to hickeys on his neck, especially around his scent glands. He doesn’t give many hickeys, but he is prone to leaving scratch marks on your back and shoulders. 

This man is very sensitive in a lot of areas. His nipples and the inside of his thighs are very soft and particularly sensitive.

He hates pain though. He is neither a masochist nor a sadist and thinks that pain has no place in love making. 

Kaidou likes a little bit of roleplay but he’s way to embarrassed to bring it up. You have to wait until you’ve been in a relationship with him for years before he feels comfortable enough to bring it up. He is interested in teacher/student and master/slave style roleplays. He enjoys playing the part of someone else, because it makes him feel more comfortable in embracing his sexuality outside his heat. 

“I’m-I’m coming out now. Don’t laugh, okay?”

You shook you head fondly. 

“I’m not going to laugh at you, baby. You always look gorgeous, don’t forget that.”

The bathroom door opened and Kaidou shuffled out, clad in the new pastel blue lingerie set you had ordered for him last week. 

You lost your breath just looking at him. 

He was wearing sheer knee socks with little bows, held up by the garter belt sitting snugly on his waist. On top, he was wearing a lacy bralette, completely see through of course. Your favourite piece however, was undoubtedly the little blue panties. You could see the fabric bulging, straining against his erection. Looking a little closer, you noticed a small damp spot. You grinned. For all his complaining, he certainly enjoyed this a lot. You haven’t even touched him yet. 

Kaidou shifted under your hungry gaze, feeling a little like your prey. He shivered at the thought. 

You moved to kneel on the ground before him, pressing wet, open mouth kisses over his thighs and tummy. Kaidou steadied himself by gripping onto your shoulders. You could feel his nails making small grooves in your skin. 

When you reached his chest, you began to suck and bite at his nipples through the lacey fabric, delighting in his moans and whimpers. He was always so sensitive for you. 

“So beautiful.” You panted, breathing heavily against him. 

“M’ not. Not beautiful.” Kaidou denied, eyes clenched shut.

You growled in response, biting him lightly on the shoulder. 

“Don’t you dare. You’re breath-taking, Shun. Stunning. Gorgeous. Perfect.” You emphasised every word with a suck or a bit on his neck. You wouldn’t stop until he learnt to love himself as much as you loved him. 

“Okay, baby, get on the bed. We have a long night ahead.” You made a point to crash your hips into his.  “I’m going to show you how beautiful you are.”

[supremekingofsalvation]

I have so many thoughts holy shit

so my theories and thoughts

OKAY BARE WITH ME

look, I think time doesn't exist in the in-between like, there's not a future or a past, it's just a now, just the space between those two, that would kind of explain the many Karls, like they're all the Karls that have been or will be on the in-between, but they're there now because there is just now on this place, y'all get it?

second, I may be pulling this literally out of nowhere but um,,,, this page??? didn't Karl had a fight with Sapnap that resulted on going to couple's counseling with Quackity? maybe? maybe I'm just wrong and this means something different?, but like I'm pretty sure Sapnap is one of Karl's most closest friends before being his fiance...

Third..... the castle is alive okay? it's a sentient being

I have lot of thoughts on this one in particular, mainly the fact that we don't know much about the in-between on itself

like it's the castle and the in-between two different separate beings? cuz they're usually talked about in separate yknow?

also "similar to you or me",,, okay WHO

excuse me who the fuck are you talking about

fourth, the in-between has been nothing but good, I get that. It has given Karl hope, it provides a way for him to heal and get control over his mind and it's basically a guide, and it doesn't feel like evil, or that it has bad intentions, but then, whoever wrote the books writes this on two of them and it's starts feeling almost... pushing? like it's trying to convince Karl by force or something.

and it just makes me wary that maybe, just maybe, the in-between or/and whoever is writing the diaries has more darker, meaner intentions or goals.

on another thought, as I said, the in-between and the castle are being talked as two different entities, so maybe the in-between itself it's the one writing the dairies of the castle? this would also mean the the space that it's the in-between is also alive.

fifth, not Karl completely avoiding the door on the bottom of the tree's pond after finding a book telling him to go look under the tree

sixth, OKAY OKAY THIS IS WHAT I MEAN OKAY?

the in-between has been nothing but good.

but then we find two books, both written on all capitals, both hidden, both talking nothing like the other ones and they both say ominous things.

The first was just called "????????" and it just said "CHECK UNDER THE TREE", leading to that door on the pond, the thing is, the books always talked like they wanted Karl to find everything on his own

why would they start giving clues now?

and the second was called "STOP" ominous enough, and it had 87 pages, 87 pages just saying "DON'T STRAY FROM THE PATH"

that doesn't sound anything like the other books, was that written by the same person? entity? being? or was it maybe written by another Karl, that has already strayed away from the path, something happened and now he wants to warn his other selfs? it would explain why it was hidden. This book in particular feels like urgency, panic, desperation.

it repeats the same thing over and over again, showing that they know what would happen if you, indeed, strayed from the path, and it's certainly not something good, it's trying to warn something. But I also maybe could be wrong and the other pages say something different, Karl didn't actually finished the books, which IS weird if you consider that Karl has always read all the other books to the end.

But also maybe I'm just being paranoid and it has something to do with the fact that the in-between is in literally nowhere, like no space on time, no space on land, the in-between is nowhere

so maybe "straying from the path" ends up in being dropped out of time?

and finally this

holy shit I have so many things just from this page alone, so many questions.

again, who or what exactly is writing this books? why does it know Karl? does it know why this is happening to him specifically? why does it want to help? why does it care about Karl's relationships?

I have so many questions because this phrase was also rewritten on the end credits like with "don't forget yourself", so it appears to be very important

but why?

(tbh this kinds solidifies my theory of all the books being written by another Karl who comes from the future and has written all of this to kinda guide his other selfs, it would explain why it cares so much)

on some last thoughts, it appears the books do tell some truths.

at one point it said that as the castle was alive, it would evolve, grow, change, adapt,,,, the castle kind of does seem bigger than last time we saw it.

but also pls appreciate this building it's so fucking pretty.

and the whole production of this episode? like Man.

Karl Jacobs I love you and I love your work Karl Jacobs. The amount of effort and motivation and the time the whole cast must've spent planning all of this? it makes me so happy they're so passionate about doing this so we can see it.

Tales From The SMP it's truly so fucking good.

[g-on-ef]

Hey I was wondering if you're still a fan of Helluva Boss and what you thought of the latest episode?

@megashadowdragon asked: have you watched helluva boss episode 6 which came out today ( if you were unaware) what are your thoughts

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It warms my heart to know you guys ask for my opinion ^^ now let's get down to business

WARNING THIS REVIEW WILL BE A NEGATIVE ONE WIT A HINT OF POSITIVITY THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON THE EPISODE YOU DONT HAVE TO AGREE WIT THEM BUT DONT WASTE MY TIME WIT YOUR NEED TO ATTACK ME FOR HAVING THOUGHTS OF MY OWN YOU HAVE BEEN WARN

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To answer both questions yes I still watch Helluva Boss however after their latest episode I think I will just stick to writing fanfiction about Blitz and Striker as well as stick to whatever content the fandom creates.

This episode if Imma be honest with you guys was not worth the wait, hell I was literally tempted to leave the episode as it just didn’t have my attention as the others.

The episode had some decent moments where I was chuckling a little but other than that I wasn’t that into it, to be honest the bad out weigh the good. 

Also I wanna add that a while ago I wrote how Vivzipop and her crew did not know how to handle complex characters or complex scenes and I was right, this show and their crew do not know how to handle mature topics without reducing them into a joke but we are getting ahead of ourselves so let’s start with the pros, the cons, and everything in between.

Let’s start of with the pros,

Loona knowing when Blitz was being serious was a nice touch, it showed that even if Loona acts like she doesn’t care about Blitz she actually pays attention to him and knows when he is being serious and when he is joking around.

Moxxie was the true MVP his interaction with the agents had me smiling as well enjoying his moments.

Blitz protecting Moxxie

STRIKER !!!! I am a simp for this imp and I’ll take whatever crumbs I can get to see him ^^

Verosika, Fitzorallia, love them, love them 

And that’s it...to be honest that’s it...like other than that that’s basically all that I like from that episode...

Now let’s get into the rest of this episode...

Okay was anyone other than me confused as to why they decided now was a good time to introduce the agents so late in the game?

Like at this point I am convinced that Vivizie and her crew are just winging it.

The agents were literally thrown in the show and it felt outta the blue, like I said it feels like Vivizie and her crew don’t know what they are doing and are just throwing things together like they could’ve given us hints that the agents were watching them, or give us a hint that they were being spied on, it didn’t even have to be big it could have just been small.

An example would be from my favorite book series Cirque Du Freak, in the first book Mr. Crepsely (a main character in the book) mentions something small that will become huge in later books, it was small but allowed the reader to be curious it gave the reader that something big was coming and we should be prepared.

Like I said it was a small hint but I left me curious and wanting to read more to find out more about what is going on.

Helluva boss didn’t do that it just threw this new idea and new characters without giving the others to grow.

If they gave us a hint that they were being watched it wouldn’t have felt like that idea came outta nowhere.

Also was I the only one that was uncomfortable with the way Blitz kept making jokes about the agent’s dead mom? I’m sorry but that was just wrong on soooo many levels.

Also with the truth serum thing...why did they use it if they weren’t even gonna get answers like again this came outta nowhere because the truth serum was supposed to make them speak the truth not look like they were tripping on acid. On less I missed something please let me now if I did.

Also to be honest the whole confession thing was once again treated like a joke, especially when Blitz asked Moxxie why he let Millie peg him, ummm...an emotional scene like that shouldn’t have jokes of any kind surrounding it, especially when it was supposed to be a heartfull moment.

Now Blitz ... okay Blitz and his vision was a little decent but I also didn’t like it.  A lot of people had their speculation especially with the Stolas scene but the more I look at it the more I see it as a bittersweet moment.

Revealing that he was afraid of intamacy wasn’t that big of a surprised since we already knew that like it was nice for conformation.

Okay now onto the Sto*itz moment in the song ... like I said this was bittersweet moment,

People interpet the scene as how Blitz is afraid to love Stolas others saw it as Blitz was still chained to Stolas and would only be free if he and Stolas talk it out and another mentioned how he was forever chained to Stolas and how toxic the relationship between the two is.

Honestly I viewed it as how Blitz will be forever trapped in situations like this were he is to afraid to love someone or love himself and unless he comes to terms with his own demons he’ll forever be trapped in an endless cycle of pain and misery.

Now onto why I think that that Vivizie and her crew can’t handle mature themes.

Two characters have just had a revelation about their relationship with one another and instead of being honest with each other it gets turned into a joke...again...

Moxxie told Blitz what he felt and Blitz told him he treats him like shit cause its tough love...da freak ??? You just had a moment where you realized you pushed everyone away because you were afraid to be alone so you rather push everyone away so you have an excuse to let them leave and instead of admitting to that you just tell Moxxie it was all tough love.

Not to mentioned that you’re giving compliments and than tell him your done because your out of compliments...again you had a huge revelation and instead of giving the characters time to digest what they went through you just toss it to the side. 

Another thing that pissed me off was how right after a huge moment you throw in a fight scene...I...why...just why ???

You had an emotional scene (that had no build up) but than throw it to the side for a fight scene that shouldn’t have been added at all.

Like the minute Millie and Loona saved them they should’ve opened up a portal and take them away not waste time on fighting only for them to get caught in the end.

Like I literally feel like they wasted all that time on animation than on writing and planning what they wanted from this.

Like again they had an emotional connection/scene and threw it to the side for some fight scenes which was a disappointment because had Loona and Millie saved them  and take them home Blitz could’ve had some major character development and the four of them could have a heartfelt scene admitting everything that bothers them and help them get closer. 

Nope, they decided to just throw a fight scene why I don’t know but it bothers me how they just tossed an emotional scene for some action scenes.

So yeah I am not happy with how that was handle at all.

Let’s also get to the Loona and Millie scenes...Millie crying for Moxxie once again made no sense as we never seen Millie care for Moxxie, hell she cares more for Blitz than Moxxie which is fucked up.

Hell when Moxxie was being critizied by her parents she didn’t do much to defend him hell Sally Mae was more honest with him than Millie.

Honestly Millie feels like she is being written by twenty different people who don’t know what they want from her.

And Loona, Loona could seriously be written outta the episode and nothing would changed.

Also they truly refused to let their characters grow seriously Moxxie was still treated like shit by Blitz in the end so yeah no character growth at all.

And now onto the last scene with Stolas and Blitz ... holy shit man Imma be honest with you guys Stolas asking for sex after saving them feels fucked up, to me it felt like the only reasons he saved the imps is so that he doesn’t get in trouble and for Blitz to reward him for saving them.

Again they could’ve had Stolas saving them and they could have had a heart to heart moment nope we had to toss all that emotional build up (if one can call it that) and toss it to the side for cheap jokes and a horny owl.

needless to say I was beyond disappointed with this episode and with the way they handle the “saddest” scene in the episode I am scared to see how they will handle the other scenes.

AGAIN I honestly don’t see why this episode took so long and I feel like Vivzie and her crew are more focus on the animation than anything else which sucks because this show has so much potential and it is being thrown to the side for pretty designs and shipping moments. 

Anywhore that’s my thought on this show let me know what you guys think ^^

~GoNEF out ^^

[salmonthestoryteller]

Shannara Chronicles

So I finished both seasons of the Shannara Chronicles. Love season 1, mixed feelings on season 2.  Spoilers ahead!

I did grow up reading the books, but it’s been forever since I read them. So overall that didn’t affect most of my opinions on the show.  My one exception is I love Flick, and was unhappy about his lack of screen time or mention in season 1. I was super salty about Eventine not being the one to tell Wil that Flick fought in the war.

I was watching the episode going:  “Wow, Eventine, you hear the name Ohmsford and don’t even ask about the man who went behind enemy lines to save your sorry ass during the war?? Wth, dude. Not cool.”

So I actually did appreciate getting more Flick in season 2, and Wil finally learning his uncle had fought in the war. The scenes between Bandon and Flick were well done, and even his death worked for me.  Because Flick fought a war to stop the Warlock Lord, watched his beloved brother lose his mind after that war, and there was no way he wasn’t going to do everything in his power to prevent his return.

I will also say, I do feel that Bandon should have said “Flick was right”, not “Allanon was right” in his final scene. Not just because I’m a Flick fangirl, either. Flick was the last person to try to reach out to Bandon emotionally. I also would have accepted “Wil was right.”  Because Wil was his friend in season one, so if he’s going to think about who he should have listened to in the end, it should have been the people who did try their best to help him and show they cared.  And the facts are, Allanon never showed Bandon he truly cared.  He admitted himself that this situation existed because he pushed Bandon too hard and didn’t think of what was best for him.  Because he treated him like a tool to use and not a person.  So I’m not fond of them giving Allanon that moment. It’s understandable Bandon wouldn’t want to listen to Allanon. But he should have listened to Wil and/or Flick.  And that’s what he should have said when facing the truth.

I actually ended up liking Eretia/Wil/Amberle in season one. It starts out and you're like - oh, god another love triangle. And by the time they’re reaching Safehold, you're like - holy shit. Not a love triangle. This is totally poly, and I’m down for it. Of course, then Amberle becomes a tree, so… But I felt like it was still addressed in season 2.  Wil is jealous that Amberle talked to Eretia and didn’t talk to him, Eretia calls out Mareth on her feelings for Wil while admitting she knows what it’s like to love him.  The year apart has led Wil and Eretia on different paths and to different people, but they don’t write off their history, or their shared love of Amberle.

Okay, just insert all the squeeing about the Eretria/Lyria romance in season 2 here. Because it’s gorgeous.  Their fights are understandable, but not for a moment do you not think they aren’t in love through every moment of it. I just wish they’d let Eretia keep Lyria’s ring.  It’s made more than obvious she will return to her, so why have her return the ring?  I am so disappointed in that choice.

On the flipside, what the heck was with the Ander/Catania romance in season 2?  It made no sense.  It did nothing for the plot. Let’s be serious here. Given that Catania was with Bandon in season 1 - is the very reason he is on the loose - and is probably a little traumatized over her boyfriend turning evil, and the love of Ander’s life - Diane, the woman he pined over for ten years, remember her? - just died last year, the idea that they suddenly fell so madly in love Ander would consider giving up a marriage of alliance for Catania is ridiculous.

Not to mention that Catania is killed so quickly it barely matters that they’re together anyway.  On that note, why did we have to kill Catania exactly?  It felt so pointless to murder her. I really hate deaths that are just for drama and not for plot.  And before anyone says “they had to stop her from giving Eretia’s message to Ander”: So Edian had the chance to kidnap the woman the King of the Elves is supposed to be in love with to use as a hostage against him - which would make way more tactical sense - but chose to just kill her and offer a lame excuse even Ander didn’t believe?  With geniuses like this as spies and leaders, it’s a wonder The Crimson is succeeding at anything.

Sorry, but the whole Ander/Catania thing felt like it was there because

“Women and Men can’t be friends”

“We can’t have the only couple kissing in season 2 be w/w”

And nobody is ever gonna convince me those aren’t the backwards opinions that made the writers put them together in season 2, as opposed to just having her be a friend and advisor.  Ander could have hesitated over the marriage cuz he still isn’t over Diane’s death and Catania could have been like, “She’d understand.  She’d want you to put our people first.” And they could have kidnapped her instead of killing her and then that would explain her presence in the Crimson stronghold when Bandon took over, rather than having the Warlock Lord raise her from the dead.  Edian could still have given the excuse, “Catania left cuz she disapproved of the marriage.”  And Ander could still have frozen and been like, “Wait, what?  She encouraged me to accept the marriage.”  Almost nothing would have changed by them not being a romance and not killing Catania. (Twice at that.)

(They could also have also just… not killed Diane in season one.  Just saying…)

On the note of deaths that make no sense.  Let’s talk about having Ander survive the battle against Dagda Mor, witness the death of pretty much his entire family and the woman he loved, only to have him killed in season two by an antagonist who dies an episode later.  Purely for drama and audience pain. Not because it makes one spit of sense for the story.

Remember how Slanter only agrees to the alliance in season one because of Ander?  Because Ander was willing to let him out of the prison he’d been kept in.  To make the choice as a king that, despite Slanter killing the brother he loved so much, if he wanted this alliance - then he needed Slanter.  He also was willing to respect Slanter’s culture when they found the dead gnomes.  If Eventine had still been in charge, Slanter would have told him to go eff himself for asking for their help, but Ander had shown Slanter he had more depth and understanding and Slanter was willing to risk his people on him being the man he hoped he was.  The evolution of their alliance and tentative friendship was a great story.  And then they threw it away for what?

If they killed Ander so Eretia and Lyria could be together, first Ander already knew Lyria loved Eretia and this was strictly a political marriage so he wasn’t in the way in the first place. Second, they still didn’t end the season with them together, so what was the point?

The elven-gnome alliance exists for exactly two reasons and their names are Slanter and Ander.  It is not going to hold with Ander dead.  For that matter, the alliance with Leah will probably not hold with him dead either.  Lyria is the daughter of the woman responsible for the death of the last known (Cuz nobody knows about Mareth) member of the elven royal family. (Queen Tamlin is a fascinating and complex character, but the truth remains Ander is dead because of her machinations). In a world that has been set up as misogynistic from episode one (Amberle wasn’t supposed to run the Gauntlet because she was a girl ringing any bells?) there is no way Lyria would be able to keep the peace under these circumstances.  Not because she wouldn’t be a good queen, but because she was just handed a political nightmare.

That’s before considering that part of Ander’s story both in season one and the struggle with the Crimson in season 2 is because he had spent the last ten years avoiding his duties. He wasn’t taken seriously as king because of that. Um… Lyria has the same issue.  She literally was “missing” for the last year and has a history of running away. She’s going to have the same struggles Ander had in getting her people to put their faith in her, let alone other kingdom’s people.  Realistically, someone would rise up, seize the throne in Arborlon - probably go for Leah first before attacking the gnomes. Or possibly vice versa.  Even if Ander had lived, he and Lyria would have still had a giant mess on their hands - killing him only makes this “Yay, party, everyone’s going to stick to the alliance this time” ending feel super unrealistic.  Sigh.

In a lot of ways it would have made more sense to have the Crimson’s defeat be the end of season 2 and Bandon resurrect the Warlock Lord in the finale.  Not bring the Warlock Lord back for - what? 2 episodes and defeat him?  It made him look really weak by comparison to Dagda Mor, and that was a bit of a disappointment for me.  He’s the Warlock Lord. His defeat should have taken a whole season.  I guess considering we won’t get a season 3, I get why they made sure to wrap it up in season 2. At the same time though it feels rushed after the build up.

All and all, I still enjoyed the show a lot. And I would have come back for a third season if we’d gotten one.

[palukoo]

andy, toby, and cj!!

thank you!! i always reblog these forgetting I can't pick favorites to save my life but! I will try!!

Andy

First impression: god i love her

Impression now: god i love her (but now with more depth!)

Favorite moment: see this is the favorites thing... remarkably hard considering how little she's there. I have to go with "the good people of Maryland. MARYLAND!" but really anything she does in that ep (esp the "you know i'm gonna get sued" conversation) or... in general... is great

Idea for a story: oh boy... well i AM going to write the long cj/andy fic at some point! hm. let's get specific... @otzi this is for you... cj, andy, and toby at a cher concert.

Unpopular opinion: are there popular opinions about andy? hmm, i guess maybe that i don't really blame her for the "you're just sad, toby" conversation because it is like. rude, obviously, and all that, but i think it's hard for me to begrudge her after he says he thought she was just being cute when saying she didn't want to marry him again. i think mostly though i just... think more about andy than the average tww viewer.

Favorite relationship: cj/andy! also cj/andy/toby or andy&toby bc yeah! but i also have to shout out donna&andy bc I want it so badly

Favorite headcanon: hmmm i have a lot, really. i mean, like, that she isn't straight... that she's one of the most liberal members of congress, probably. that she's also half jewish. that she's always wanted kids. that she struggles with like survivor's guilt after gaza... idk!

Toby

First impression: I honestly don't know but I didn't like Toby as much on my first watch as I do now bc I thought he was condescending and I'm right but like. They all are, kinda

Impression now: i love him! he's very funny and i love his dynamics with everyone and i go a little crazy thinking about him never working on winning campaigns and writing for rafferty and being so cynical but so idealistic at the same time. he still has written by a man disease (honestly. sorkin deserves his own subtype) but i love him!

Favorite moment: fuck! uh. um. hmm. okay obviously the "your father used to hit you" is a good scene and so is like. the better angels line... toby gets a lot of really good lines damn! i might just have to go with in excelsis deo as a whole though because it just shows him as a really good person, and it's bonkers to me with the context from later seasons that. he spends his entire birthday trying to track down next of kin for the dead homeless vet. idk. toby really gets a lot of sorkin's idealism dialogue which can be very lovely... but i think a lot of other moments i'd pick for him would be a lot more about his relationships with other characters bc. that is how i consume media

Idea for a story: honestly, while i love him, it's hard for me to think of doing like. a toby centric story. he definitely fits into a lot of my cj/andy(/toby) stuff obviously, but i tend to more cj centric... hmm. perhaps the post post canon toby & amy fic of my dreams where she writes a book that he critiques endlessly and they run someone's (probably rafferty's) campaign together

Unpopular opinion: i... don't hate his s7 plot? i totally, 100% get why people do, especially going back and watching s1, because his whole thing is loyalty and that jed is his guy and all that, but he also argues with jed over calls all the time, and i think... hm. the late seasons kind of break all the characters? and i get why people don't like that obviously, but i think it's just about pushing them to a point where there going to act differently than we expect them to (cj keeping will and toby out of the loop like she would've complained about and having to become much more pragmatic, josh leaving, donna leaving, toby committing treason, jed sort of losing power, etc...), and it's interesting development and it's weirdly something i accept at face value rather than push back against?

Favorite relationship: romantic? idk, i like cj/andy/toby and i like josh/toby too. friendship? everyone lmao. i really really love cj&toby and josh&toby and toby&sam and you get the point. tww is a family it's hard to individualize

Favorite headcanon: like i am obsessed with bi toby. idk, like. bc of what i want to write about, i sorta think of his relationship to the concept of family a fair amount... and then like this isn't even headcanon but there's a richard schiff interview somewhere where he says "his desire to cut people down is minimal. It's something he could do in his sleep, and it's not the point." and i just think about that so much.

CJ

First impression: wow!!!! wow!!! holy shit!!! i love her!!!

Impression now: all of that still and i would very very much like to hug her and want her to be happy and god she is so so good i lose my mind. i stay up at night thinking about her.

Favorite moment: there's too many!! cj has so many funny moments that i adore and they're a huge part of what makes me love her but i also love her heavier things. i love her trying to leak the story about the gay kid's dad in season one to danny. i LOVE her trying to quit until jed asks her to stay. i love her laughing and saying "the fall's gonna kill you" and i love her crying alone as she walks around new york and hallelujah plays. i love (maybe, it's complicated) her and donna in no exit. i love her when she starts as chief of staff and i love her answer to the press about her sexuality. i love her now knowing what the hell she wants in late season 7. hmm. i'm gonna say balancing the egg.

Idea for a story: okay well i'll talk about the cj/andy wip here in broad terms because like. it's about cj relearning how to be happy but like more specifically how to think about what she wants after canon, because i don't think she's like completely unhappy for all of canon and she's very optimistic compared to a lot of the others but like, she does spend a fair amount of canon just making sacrifices, and i want her to get a break and have a family!

Unpopular opinion: idk how popular or not this is, i just can't get behind cj/danny. i can't. it's too much him chasing after her while she seems mostly indifferent or vaguely annoyed. i hate that her ending is with him because to me the whole point of that episode wasn't "cj can't see a good thing in front of her" but was "cj has a hard time stepping away from what she perceives as an obligation/thinks she should do (usually to make other people happy)" and should've culminated in her not working with santos and not being with danny.

Favorite relationship: cj/andy! again i cannot possibly choose a platonic one... i'm going to SAY cj&josh bc. i love them, but in two seconds i'll remember anything about any other interaction of hers and go insane

Favorite headcanon: hmm again i have a lot! largely about family and that whole concept! huh. god. i think a lot of it is like canon or at least strongly canon supported, or i've already mentioned. like, cj being really good at disguising her emotions is just plainly canon. oh! hey! i really do love she/they cj!

[keelywolfe]

Drabble: Cheap Thrills (baon)

Summary: Stretch can get a lot of entertainment out of a thrift store find.

Tags:  Spicyhoney, Established Relationship, Domestic Fluff

Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

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Read it on AO3

or

Read it here!

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Stretch loved to pick up old books at the thrift shop. There were so many gems that might get lost at a traditional bookstore, like his trusty copy of ‘How to Teach Spanish to Dogs.’

Romance novels were cheap and plentiful, and he got them by bagful for Blue, who never much seemed interested in finding his own romance but loved reading about others. Old reference books filled with outdated information that was still interesting to read about, seeing what people used to believe, until science or society proved them wrong.

Then there were specialty finds.

Stretch wasn’t even two steps through the front door before he held up his prize, announcing happily, “look what i found!”

Edge barely looked up from his laptop, “If it has even one clown on it—"

“No clowns.” That was a prize he’d be sure to stash behind the shower curtain for maximum effect.

For once Stretch didn’t mind Edge working a little overtime at home. Kept him off his feet, gave all those healing juices a chance to settle in.

But a little distraction never hurt. Stretch flopped on the sofa and settled his head right into Edge’s lap, ignoring his exasperated sigh as he held out the book he’d found.

The cover was old and stained, but the title was still readable, ‘The Congregational Cook Book’ and in small letters beneath that, ‘edited by the ladies’ aid society of the First Congregational Church of Ebott, 1915.’

He knew his baby well. As soon as Edge stopped glaring an actually looked at the book, a flicker of interest made an appearance. He set his laptop on the coffee table, ignoring Stretch’s exaggerated sputters of suffocation as his forward lean threatened to smother him with Edge’s shirt, then took the book.

“A cookbook?”

“a really old cookbook!” Stretch enthused, “like, a century old. i thought maybe you’d like to try one it out. See how it compares to the youtube generation of cooking.”

“That does sound interesting,” Edge flipped through the book, reading aloud, “Salmon omelet, no, thank you, green tomato pickles, hot water gingerbread, hm, apple tarts. I do have apples, how does that sound?”

“baby, anything you make sounds like mana from heaven.” And at Edge’s raised brow bone, Stretch admitted, “except risotto, okay, but that’s less you than a general dislike of the genre.”

Edge nudged Stretch off his lap and stood, heading into the kitchen with book in hand. Normally, Stretch would’ve tossed him a fair thee well and let him get to it, but this time, he followed Edge through the swinging door. He was sort of curious if there were any differences in a recipe from a hundred years ago to now, and hey, science, right?

Not that he planned on helping with the cooking process, he was here strictly as an observer, and he plopped down into one of the chairs that surrounded their ‘dining room table’, “so, how much longer are we eating at the card table?”

“Not long,” Edge retrieved a large bowl from under the counter and a set of measuring cups from the cupboard before tying on an apron. “I’m working on a plan for our new kitchen layout. As soon as it’s done, I’ll have the builders get started on it.”

“uh huh, no rush, i was only curious,” Stretch propped his chin on one hand. “you do have a lot on your plate right now, babe. and there’s your whole mental health assessment you still need done.”

Really, it was sort of impressive how much Stretch could glean from slightest change in his husband’s expression. A normal person would think there was no change, but Stretch was good with languages, spent years learning Edge-ese. He knew a twist of distaste when it saw it, “Yes. There is that.”

Any other comment about it was effectively blocked by Edge’s renewed focus on the cookbook, reading the recipe aloud beneath his breath. His brow bone slowly furrowed, concentration replaced with dismay. Which…it was a cookbook, not a grimoire of early twentieth century curses. Wasn’t it?

“babe?” Stretch asked cautiously, “what is it?”

“What kind of recipe is this!” Edge exclaimed. He picked up the book and read aloud, “Eggs, oil, fresh butter or lard, sugar, baking powder, as much flour as it needs. Must be soft as an earlobe, thicker than cake.”

“uh…” Stretch scratched at the back of his skull. “and?”

“That's it. That's the entire recipe. There’s no measurements, no directions, no temperature for baking!” He slapped the book back down on the counter-top. “There are no apples listed! How can this be a recipe for apple tarts without apples? How in the name of the unknown am I supposed to gauge the softness of an earlobe when I don’t have ears?”

All great questions, except Stretch was in possession of exactly zero answers. “does seem a little speciest against those of us without earlobes.”

Edge glared at the cookbook as if by his will alone answers to his questions would come, which was why Stretch was a little surprised when Edge said abruptly, "Let me see your phone."

"yeah, sure," Stretch said, slowly handing it over. Not like he had any secrets or anything and while Edge might change his own passwords at least once a month for security reasons, he’d been using the first 6 digits of Pi since he got the phone. “why?”

“Because I left mine in the living room.” Edge tapped the screen impatiently holding it out as it began dialing out over speakerphone.

A sleepy voice answered, "'lo? Wassup, Boney Marony. "

"Jeff,” Edge said, “I’m afraid you’ll have to engage in wordplay with my husband later. Right now, I need you to come over so I can feel your ears."

A long moment of silence. "That’s very specific. Okay, I'll bite, give me five."

It was more like ten minutes, with Edge sitting impatiently across from Stretch, who was engaged in a furious game of Words With Friends on his newly retrieved phone. Until the light knock came on the front door followed by Jeff shambling into the kitchen. He looked like they’d woken him from a nap, his hair was smashed flat on one side and sticking up on the other. He scratched at his t-shirt covered belly and yawned out, "You know, before I met you guys, I never got calls like this."

“sounds to me like you needed a little more excitement in your life,” Stretch said cheerily.

Edge didn’t bother with a greeting. He limped determinedly over, stripping off his gloves as he went, and without warning began to vigorously fondle Jeff’s earlobes. Jeff squeaked out a mousy sound, his eyes wide as golf balls as he stared up at Edge.

Well. Wasn’t like Andy didn’t know why he was here.

“easy, babe,” Stretch winced, “he might need a little foreplay before you go right for the lobes.”

“I’m checking his ears, not his testicles,” Edge said curtly, even as he leaned down to peer closely at the ears in question.

That remark made Stretch and Jeff speak in unison,

“holy shit, wow, just tossing that out there, huh.”

“Okay, I’m good to help a friend out, but I am drawing the line at ball grabbing.”

Edge ignored them both. He let Jeff go and limped back to his gathered ingredients, already starting to measure them into the bowl, “Thank you, Jeff, that will be all.”

Welp, that sounded like a dismissal. Stretch climbed to his feet, jerking his head towards the door. “c’mon, andy, we can take in a flick while you’re here, if you want.”

Jeff was still a little wobbly, gingerly reaching up to touch one of his well-inspected ears as he followed Stretch out, “Do I want to know what that was all about?”

Stretch shrugged, “cooking.”

“Cooking,” Jeff repeated. He mouthed it again, soundlessly, then shook his head. “I don’t even think I want to know, plausible deniability is probably better. So, he asked for me to help, why?”

“well, how many other humans does edge know that he can call up and ask?” Stretch asked reasonably. He picked up the remote and turned on Netflix. “and don’t say your honey because we both know he’d just hang up, especially without having the proper forms filled out first.”

“Glad to be the go-to guy for illicit cooking-related bodily inspections.” Jeff joined Stretch on the sofa, settling in. “Classic Twilight Zone, huh? Good choice.”

The first episode was mostly over by the time Edge came out with a tray with a half-dozen golden-brown treats that brimmed with appley goodness. Stretch and Jeff dug in, mumbling thank you’s around their mouthfuls and Stretch was already on his second one when he noticed Edge was scribbling notes. He chewed and swallowed his current bite and asked, “what are you doing?”

“Gauging your reactions,” Edge said, still writing, “I kept a close track of the ingredient measurements that I used so that I can make changes for the second batch. Are they too dry? Is the pastry tough?”

“Tastes fine to me,” Jeff said around his mouthful.

“Crisp? Chewy? Is there enough spice?” Edge persisted. The two of them did their best to answer him around bites and finally, Edge made a satisfied sound and disappeared back into the kitchen.

“Huh,” Jeff snagged another tart. “How many batches you think he’s gonna make?”

Stretch shrugged, “i do my experiments and he does his.”

“His taste better.”

“my science isn’t the kind you lick.”

“So far it hasn’t involved you groping my ears, either,” Jeff took a bite and groaned around it, “Worth it, man, but the balls are still off-limits.”

“sounds reasonable.” Stretch snagged the last tart and sank back to watch the pig-faced doctor demanding a needle to sedate his patient, happily waiting to review batch number two.

Hey, he got a snack and a show, all for the price of a thrift store book. Now all he needed to do was sneak that clown statue into the bathroom, but eh, he might wait a while on that. This was enough entertainment for one day.

-finis-

Notes:

So, the recipe in question has been slightly modified from one in a reddit post and the poster had a couple of similar questions as Edge, although their solution wasn't the same. 😂 I couldn't resist writing how Edge would react to finding such a recipe.

The ‘The Congregational Cook Book, edited by the ladies’ aid society of the First Congregational Church, 1915.’ is real enough and I own it. Some of recipes and their measurements are very interesting in comparison to what we see now!

[gm--requests]

Normal Ship

@baekhyuns-lipchain​ hello my love! here is your selca ship! thank you so much for being so active on my blog and enjoying my content even though i’ve taken 8 million years to get this done for you. i have so much love in my heart for you. you requested enhyphen as well, but i’m still learning them (i didn’t follow i-land at all) so i decided not to do them just because it wouldn’t be a very accurate or well detailed ship. but i will be learning them enough to put on my new selca ship form when requests are opened back up. 

EXO’s Chanyeol- 

this man is awkward, but supportive. you never feel alone with him. he’s always got your back and is silently rooting for your success. he is the type to cuddle you when you feel bad, just wrap you up in his long arms and hold you real tight. he is also the type to make playlists of music for you. he makes them for all occasions and every song slaps (undoubtedly). he is definitely a dominant guy and can be kinda cheeky about it sometimes. though he can be awkward, he is very playful and will always be making small jokes. i think you two would have so many inside jokes that sometimes others around you would be confused by your conversations. he admires your intellectual abilities and loves listening to you speak other languages. also, super random, but please write this man tiny love letters, he’d get all blushy and the tips of his big ass ears would get all red and he’d chuckle and it would be so cute. 

(all) NCT’s Hendery-

this is my favourite pairing. holy shit i think i could write a whole book just on you two together. hendery is literally everything you want. he is supportive and energetic, he’s a good listener and will always make sure that you are heard and feel confident in your talents and appearance. he’ll pull you from every depressive episode and if he can’t then he’ll be by your side the whole time encouraging you to keep going. he is playful and you two would probably have a relationship full of banter. he is touchy and probably gives lots of back hugs and is always wanting to cuddle. he speaks quite a few languages so you’ll always have someone to practice with. hendery is also a music lover and would love listening to music with you as a way to really bond. also, i don’t take critism, hendery is the soft dom of anyone’s dreams. this man is kind and patient, but makes sure you get things done and listen to whatever “rules” he sets out. you probably forget he is the dominant one in the relationship until you do something that requires serious-ness and then you’re like oh shit he means business. he just is perfect for you. 

The Boyz’ Jacob- 

he is the mom of the group which i think would be perfect for you. not only is he a great hype-man, but he is also the type to want to take care of you when you need it, but also give you the space to do your own shit sometimes. i also think that he is the perfect person to encourage you to pursue the hobbies you have or pick back up the ones you took a break from long ago. he will want to listen to music with you, while you write. he’d probably write some music for you, nothing that is super great, but it’s heartfelt and a bit cheesy. he loves seeing you smile so he works really hard to bring you happiness all the time. he also loves that you are so educated and intelligent. it pushes him to better himself along side you and he appreciates that. also jacob is a bit goofy so i think you two would have lots to laugh and talk about. 

TXT’s Soobin-

soobin is a lot like hendery would be in this relationship imo, probably a bit more affectionate and a bit less dramatic. he also takes his dominant role more seriously. he is definitely your supportive backbone in every situation. he loves caring for you and is always able to keep you from over-doing things or doubting your abilities. great at reminding you of your worth. a little awkward sometimes but always has the best of intentions. he will definitely ask you to read to him and will sing to you in return. he is always always always holding your hand. he thinks it’s super cute to see how small your hand is compared to his, but also he likes having a grip on you, call it his caregiver instincts. you two will definitely have a friendship centered relationship because you will feel so comfortable around one another and never fear being open.