#you did a fantastic job making these op :]]

[writingoddess1125]

Modern AU Buggy X Reader

Buggy x GnReader

Just fluffy Headcanon!

• Buggy is the leader of a budget theater group that he spends nights writing or getting his people to practice for local shows- during the day however he has his own Boat Charter company and a second business of a delivery company.

• Has Rhinophyma and Roseaca which is why his nose is so large and red. Hates it and has been to so many dermatologist to get it fixed- but due to blood flow and other things will have it for life.

• Has a deep anger towards his half brother Shanks- He feels like their mentor Gol D Roger's who owned a large shipping company when he died it should have been Shanks who owned the shop to keep the legacy alive. Buggy would have been willing to follow Shanks if he did this since he knew he cohldnt- But Shanks ended up just leaving town and Buggy trying to keep it together before it finally went belly up.

• Secretly wanted to be an actor but never got the chops for it due to his nose-

• When you first meet Buggy its at one of the plays, it's a fun improve night. While not many people are there you go with some friends since you found the tickets online.

• You're one of the few people that actually play along with the act and seem to be enjoying themselves. Instead of half drunk college students that got the tickets off groupon-

• He has you come down to the stage and does a whole improve act with you, Being such a good sport you end up helping him get the crowd more engaged.

• Buggy invites you to do shows with him which you agree to. Hum giving you his number in exchange

• Showing up every Thursday to the improv nights and you start becoming friends with his theater group. Noticing how Buggy seemed much happier as you got along with everyone-

• After a few months he works up the courage to ask you out on a date, which you gladly accept.

• At first he tries to take you to the most expensive places but when you express he doesn't have to spend money to show he lives you- He gets more creative and thoughtful.

• Walks through the beach, coffee dates, going to musicals together.

• His favorite are movie nights, He will show off his limited cooking skills aka Hot Dogs and a assortment of junk food while the two of you watch mostly terrible F Tier movies together.

- "Which one did you find?" You call out from the kitchen getting some soda for yourself and Buggy.

"It's called Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter {OP note: This is a real movie- absolutely awful}" Buggy yelled out, laughing at just the name as you jump onto the big couch and hand him his drink as he eats some chips.

"That sounds absolutely awful" You say, looking at the cheap movie cover and reading the back with a snort. Buggy nods, patting himself on the back for finding such garbage.

"It truly is, I've outdone myself" He says proudly before the two of you start the terrible adventure. Having to pause the movie at times for laughing so damn hard-

"This is so bad!" You say as you laugh and roll on the floor- Buggy no better. However he wiped the tears from his eyes as he caught his breath.

"While we can laugh at least he made a movie-" He pointed out with a shrug, you sitting next to him and raising a eyebrow at the oddly kind words from Buggy.

"What do you mean?"

"I always wanted to make a movie- But I doubt anyone would watch them.. they barely watch my shows" He muttered, his insecurities getting to him as he subconsciously touched his nose. You reaching over and grabbing his hand quickly, kissing his lips to snap him from his terrible thoughts.

"What are you talking about?! I think your shows are great and I know you'd do a fantastic job making a movie!" You proclaimed loudly with a smile, your Boyfriend turning and staring hard at you.

He stares at you- like youd said the craziest thing ever. You feeling a creep of worry going up your back at how he was looking at you

"What is your ring size?" He finally ask and gestures to your ring finger making you blush deeply red.

[ao3cassandraic]

Saraqael, Heaven's Only Competent Angel

Season 2 got terrifically lucky with Liz Carr. Fantastic casting choice for a decidedly intriguing angel.

Saraqael strikes me as a Chief Operating Officer type. Judging from the colors of her lapels and Muriel's ascotty thing, Muriel is in her chain of command (near or at the bottom, naturally). Those colors also suggest that Saraqael, archangel or no, is a step down from Michael and Uriel. The big archangels don't wear plaids.

When Muriel goes to Saraqael with the matchbox, she makes a quick (and bureaucratically correct) decision to bring it to Michael and Uriel. She approaches them politely, with the correct form of address even, but fearlessly and without undue fawning. Good for her.

While Michael and Uriel are being completely and utterly useless, Saraqael heads over to the Realtime Big Globe and starts searching, zeroing in on the miracle plume quickly. So she's upper management, but she hasn't lost all ability to do hands-on OSINT. Intriguing.

Saraqael stops the standoff at Aziraphale's bookshop door with a firm but polite "Shall we discuss this inside?" She's also the one with the measurement of miracle strength, which fits a manager who still keeps her hand in. Otherwise, she observes -- and unlike Michael and Uriel, she doesn't give away anything. (Lord, Michael. "Did we [mention we were looking for Gabriel]?" It was the first thing Uriel said! Y'all get your good-cop-bad-cop story straight beforehand next time.)

And it's competent-ops Saraqael who decides on action: sending Muriel down for miracle verification and keeping a close eye on Aziraphale. Aziraphale calls this "very professional of you," and he's not wrong, considering Heaven's twisted, surveillance-laced notions of professionalism. Saraqael does her job.

Somebody definitely needed to coach Muriel better about fitting in on Earth, but I'm willing to forgive Saraqael that one; it's probably not her job to do that, but Muriel's line manager's job. Muriel's 37th-level -- I have to assume there's a line manager or two (or twelve) between them and Saraqael. Plus, of course, all the angels (except Aziraphale, possibly Sandalphon, and the Metatron) are ruinously terrible at Earthing -- s2 continues the s1 throughline of the archangels being seen on Earth only rarely and briefly.

Another moment of Michael's utter uselessness, incidentally -- in the Job minisode, when she archangelsplains the meaning of "Shuhite" our timorous Aziraphale actually rolls his eyes, and Gabriel quiets her with one hand. She's actually right to be suspicious (this happens often in s2), just terrible at actually communicating her suspicions such that anyone else will take action on them.

(I actually have considerable sympathy for Michael here. I have also 'splained a mighty 'splain professionally in my time, and had many eyes rolled at me. Michael's right. So was I. But so it goes. Knowledge without adroit communication isn't worth much.)

Saraqael recognizes Crowley in his bee!demon disguise immediately (unlike Michael and Uriel, again), but notice that she doesn't raise any alarms and she doesn't even bother punishing Muriel. (I am a bit sorry she doesn't get to take a crack at his horrific garb. Missed opportunity there.) With the Metatron's find-Gabriel mandate still in place, she lets the situation run to see if Crowley will get her closer to finding Gabriel -- which, in fact, he does! So she knows when not to act hastily, too.

In the meeting about the Second Coming, and at Gabriel's trial, Saraqael again observes but mostly holds her peace. Her opsness comes to the fore again when they decide to mindwipe Gabriel; she's the one to set it in motion via her glass phone, and she's the one to report that he can't be found. As ops, though, she doesn't unilaterally decide what to do -- she asks.

(And the Metatron, extremely punchable boss that he is, throws the worst and least accurate possible insult at her! Look, I'm not expert at British English or anything, but "wet" seems to mean "whingy halfhearted coward," and that is so not Saraqael! Ugh, if Gabriel learned management from the Metatron, no wonder he's such a horror in s1.)

So we're set up very well for the angels-and-demons bookshop scene. Does Saraqael act swiftly when told to? Yep -- if not for Crowley, Maggie and Nina would be table seasonings.

Does Saraqael observe, and draw correct conclusions? I think so. Because I'm on the side of things that thinks she rumbled the human-guise Metatron well before Crowley gave the game away to Aziraphale, yet said nothing. Very intriguing.

Here's where I'm going with all this. Two points, actually:

Point one: Maybe it wasn't the Metatron who mindwiped Crowley, since that's a thing that sure seems to have happened. (That would leave human-Enoch-becomes-the-Metatron theories intact.) Maybe it was Saraqael. Who worked with Crowley on the Horsehead Nebula, and might well have heard him asking dangerous questions. Whose job mindwiping apparently is. I'm not wedded to this theory, but gosh, it sure is interesting.

Point two: Organizations can shamble along like zombies with consistently crappy ops (a lot of us have probably worked for such; I sure have). An organization that had competent ops but suddenly loses it, however, is boned, humped, screwed, at least temporarily and quite possibly permanently.

If I were Aziraphale, wanting to ruin the Metatron and wreck Heaven's whole deal, the very first angel I'd want to subvert, recruit, or -- and I hope this doesn't happen but I'm not ruling it out, because if I'm right about what Saraqael did to Crowley, Aziraphale's gonna go postal when he finds out -- destroy, would be Saraqael.

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Saturday Lovely Fandom. We've reached the second to last ep of this series rewatch. Unreal. God I LOVE this ep. So so good. Tim being her handler. Reminds me of Alias. Which was my first love for tv show/ship. If you ever watched Alias you’d know why I love this asset and handler situation so much. Let us start.

5x21 Going Under

Start out strong Lucy is going UC. Has to do with the last episode. Frank Teska has been released from prison. He killed his brother for the attack on his daughter Dara. He is back in business. Looking to get into the Ghost Gun trade. You need specific polymer to make them. Metro raided and took his supplier out. Which is where Lucy comes in. She will pose as someone at Southland Chemicals. Be his new supplier.

We join our ship talking about the OP. Tim mentioning he’s using Hard Luck as his CI. Lucy not trusting this guy as far as she can throw him. Tim’s reply is the best. The fact that his CI knows how important Lucy is to him *squee* Then telling her as such. That this guy knows Lucy is special to him That if he messes up Tim will hunt him down. Gah I love this. Calling in favors for his girl. Work version of romantic ha

Lucy’s sweet expression when he tells her this. Basically saying he loves her in not so many words. Lucy being Lucy calling it 'Undercover love.' hehe Tim isn't even fighting it anymore. Just smiles shakes his head and rolls with her antics. We all know he loves her for it. Damn they cute. Actions always speaking louder than words with these two. Lucy couldn’t be cuter as Tim walks away. Her smile saying more than words ever could about how she feels about this man.

Then we get these GLORIOUS phone calls. Like rom-com goodies up in this episode. Love me some protective Tim. Asking her if he needs to talk to her boss? Lucy waves him off. Says she's got it. Tim looking mighty fine Phew lord Scruffy, his sweater and his eyes popping in this lighting. Mmm. Lucy of course checking in on him next. I love this so very much. He won't tell her he's struggling.

So she's going to check on in him since he won't do as such. Tim knowing exactly what she means. Asking if that means he misses her? We all know he does but he deflects in the cutest way. Saying no. His smile when she calls him a jerk. But he's YOUR jerk Lucy haha. He is so damn smitten with her. Loves teasing and messing with her. Just as much as she does for him. One of their love languages shining through in this moment. My damn heart.

She asks if Tim can check in on Tamara? Tim doesn’t hesitate for one second. Of course he’ll check in on their daughter. Doesn’t want her to lose any focus on the job. We then delve into the cute snippet conversations that have my shipper heart fluttering. Lucy telling Tim not to watch 'Top Chef' without her. I love that they have a show they watch together. Makes me giddy. Such a couples thing to have that. Tim giving her crap saying he can’t make any promises.

Lucy asking Tim if he ever wished he had a normal job? Tim says without people shooting at him? Not once. Lucy replying me either. These tidbits are just fantastic. They both love their line of work so much. This whole talking about everything and nothing at all just shows the deep bond they have. Comes from riding together for years 12 hours at a time. Her being UC is isolating but they get to have these moments despite that. Little pockets of joy before this OP heats up.

Tim asking if she’s making any friends? Lucy going on about a lady in her office. It’s so cute I can’t stand it. Talking about his grandkids and such. I love this is so very much. They did a really good job with these shots and the VO's. I saw a lot of people saying felt like rom-com and it really does in the best way. Just being on the phone whole time. Even though they're physically apart they still find a way to connect and be together. It’s so sweet imma get a cavity.

Day 4 rolls around and Tim ask if the monotony is getting to her? Lucy tells him no as long as it’s not for nothing. I mean she had two weeks of it in 3x14. 4 days is nothing but now she has Tim so she's got more to miss this time around. I adore the voice overs in this scene. Tim reassuring her it’s probably cause Frank is double checking her story. I love this shot of Tim in the side mirror. Fierce protector reporting for duty.

Frank has finally surfaced and approached Lucy. Her cover story of being a wanted felon has worked out. Frank thinks she’s an easy target because of it. Lucy playing the fresh start card with him. Not wanting to get into business with him. She does this so well. He tells her not an option. That he needs certain plastics and she needs to not go to jail. Telling her it’s low risk.

Gah I love Tim watching over the situation from across the way. Looking fine af BTW. My god I'll never be over how tall he is and I love it. Tall drink of yum. Look at him in his civvies, the hat, the glasses, the intense way he's watching her. Listening in to their convo. Trying to keep his protectiveness in check. Doing his best not to step in. Especially when Frank threatens her. Which causes Lucy to say yes. Frank says they’ll have dinner tonight then. He’ll come get her from her place. They can hammer out the details of this new partnership.

Lucy meets up with Wesley, Harper, Grey and her man. They’re going over this date for her. Tim looks like he’s going to crawl out of his skin. He hates the idea of this guy possibly thinking it’s a date. He hates this entire conversation really. Keeping his hands in his pockets. Looks at the ground trying to settle his protective nature.

I love Grey checking in with Tim. Minute he hears the word 'romantically and date.' He immediately looks at Tim. Knowing he hates this on so many levels. Tim isn’t being at all discreet with how he feels about this situation. He's basically squirming in front of all of them. Tim continuing to try to put on a brave face. Not well but sure trying. His whole body language screaming his immense discomfort.

Tim is being the least subtle he’s ever been in this moment. Hating the idea she needs a good wire in case he’s handsy. You can see him take a deep breath and clench his jaw at the thought of this. This conversation is killing him softly. Some angsty goodness though. The check in's these two have above getting me in the feels before she sets to leave. That silent communication of their's prominent af. I LOVE him walking Lucy to the door. The intense looks they share on the way.

They both look amazing btw. He keeps constant eye contact with her till he can’t any longer. The intense longing in his stare as he watches her go. *heart clutch* His entire world just walked out the door and it shows. Eric crushing it with the longing look. This is the type of angst I eat up. It’s so so good. Worried Tim is lovely to behold. And that man is insanely worried. He is an open book as she walks away from him. Trying to keep himself from losing his damn mind over this man possibly touching her.

Grey immediately checking in with him. Man wasn't exactly subtle during that whole conversation. Asking Tim if he’s ok? Tim lying saying he’s 5x5. Such a detached military reply. When he is anything but detached in this moment. Wade knowing he’s lying. Their friendship is underrated. Grey saying he has to treat this like any other OP. Any other UC. Sure he'll get right on that. Thanks to Lucy his emotions aren't so easy to turn off anymore. Also not like it’s the love of his life he’s watching over or anything…

Lucy goes to dinner with Frank all wired up. Tim watching intently outside. Fierce protector at the ready. The intense look on his face as he watches over her is doing things to me. *fans self* Like a lion pacing back and forth in it's cage waiting to be let out. Ready to attack at the slightest provocation against her. It's insanely hot tbh. He would gladly throttle this man if given the chance to. All he needs is to be given a reason.

Lucy almost gets Frank to admit to his brothers death when bullets start flying. We watch Tim in an absolute panic call this in. Desperately searching for her in the wreckage from his car. Trying to find her as he rattles off their address. I love her jumping up and looking his way so he knew she was ok. His giant sigh of relief when her head pops up. Feel like we all did that with him. Went from all out panic to instant relief. I said in the hospital scene she is his whole world. That just got shot at and he was paralyzed until she popped up.

He couldn’t breathe until he knew she was alright. His whole body slumping against his seat in relief. Eric crushing it out here with his expressions getting me all emotional. I love how his eyes dart back to her once more before he takes off after the shooters. Double checking she really is there. He couldn’t even be in pursuit of them until he knew she was ok. You can see he wants to stay but can’t. Having an internal battle but knows he has to go after them.

His cop brain in a delay due to this. This delay in reaction definitely affects him in his pursuit of the shooters. Don't think he was fully there mentally. Tim's head was most definitely not in the game when he went after them. Taking us back to 5x01 when Tim told Lucy if her head isn't the game 100 percent it'll get her killed. He is the living embodiment of that line in this moment. This dude almost killed him. Even when the gun is in his face his reaction time is slower.

That is not the Tim Bradford we know and love in the field. He was clouded his emotions running rampant. He had not compartmentalized at all. When Jan shows up it really hits him what almost happened to him. Saying he got lucky it was empty. Otherwise…ugh I don’t even wanna think about it. He’s panting his adrenaline waning and it showing. Looking over where the guy was knowing this could've been far worse. Knowing what it would've done to Lucy.

I love the minute she’s done dealing with Frank Lucy calls Tim. Anxiously awaiting him to answer her call. Both so worried about one another. Gah this episode is fantastic. Never seen Tim this panicky or shaken up. This is a UC OP he’s involved in I can’t imagine how he’d be if he wasn’t.

He just loves her so much. Having a legit meltdown till he knows she’s ok. It’s all over his face as he talks to her on the phone. Eric killing me softly in this one. Lucy isn’t pulling any punches with her worry either. Both making me emotional as hell. Tim replying ‘Yeah I am now.’ *internal screaming* Wasn’t ok till he knew she was.

The love they have for each other is all over this moment. I’m not crying you are…You can see all the tension leave his body when he hears her voice. The neediness in both their voices when he says they should meet up. Gah yes you do. They needed to hear each others voice to calm down after that adrenaline fest.

Then we come to THE laundry scene. One that broke my damn brain. Pretty much broke the entire fandom's brain. I love how she rushes to him and clings on. Wanting zero space between them. Tim leaning into her arms. Rubbing his hand up and down her back. I’m sure both their hearts were racing. They are each other’s safe space and this hug shows that.

So scared and only finding comfort in each others arms. So much emotion surging through them in this hug. I love me a good hug and this one is fantastic one. Trying to ground one another with it. Speaking their concerns about what they just went through. The swaying gets me too. I love everything about this hug.

Lucy basically launches herself at him. He catches her effortlessly and holds her so tightly to him. The remaining tension melting out of of their bodies. Because they were running on adrenaline and anxiety until this hug. Tim holding her so close making sure she’s real. There with him. I’ll never be over this moment and how lovely it is.

This next portion just proves why Lucy is his person. Tim is losing his mind with worry over this guy. Over him trying something. His anxiety coming off him in waves. Lucy wants to soothe him because it's her natural instinct. Tim looks like he wants to cry or punch a wall or both when he ask if he’s tried something? Lucy reassuring him he hasn’t but even if he did she’s got this. The fierce protector coming out strong right now. He can barely contain it. Tim deflecting a little saying ‘I know.’

Lucy knows this man so damn well. Telling him knowing and feeling ok are two different things. She's so right. I love the way she grabs his jacket trying to comfort him. Tim is being so soft and vulnerable in this moment. She wants him to know it’s ok. She’s ok and it’s very ok if he isn’t. Eric killing this episode left and right with his expressions. His heart is hurting it’s all over his face and Lucy is reaching out with a reassuring touch. I love her for validating his feelings. Not judging him for them.

But also knowing he’s being very vulnerable right now and she’s being wonderfully receptive to that. Tim gets a little defensive saying. Not his first time. Lucy is SO good with him. Doesn’t shame him for being bristly about this. Knowing it’s his PTSD in full swing. So soft in her reply and expression. Letting him know probably what’s making this so much worse for him. This is why she’s his person. Never shames him for his feelings only loves him through. Gah they’re making me so emotional. I love this couple so much.

Before Tim gets anymore emotional he tells her he has to go. Now isn’t the time to talk about this. That he knows if she doesn’t feel safe she will bail. If she’s good he’s good. Lucy confirms she’s good. Tim says he has to get back to the station then. Grey is waiting for a status update. Lucy stops him before he can go. Not ready to be apart from him just yet.

Grabbing his arm keeping him from leaving. I love the way she is looking at him landing on his lips. Then she says the 4 words that made us all collectively lose our minds. ‘Lock the door first.’ Is this real life? Did we really get this moment? Adrenaline fueled we made it out alive laundry room sex? Oh my damn lord.

The way he looks at her when she says this. *fans self* Tim is definitely not treating her like any other UC…I remember gasping at her saying this. Needing to be with him in this moment. Tim’s smile realizing what she’s saying. My god. Laundry room sex is now canon for them. We got shower sex last ep and now laundry room post-op sex. My god the writers were good to us. I like being pandered too LOL Also you know there is a damn good chance highly likely really this was unprotected too.

Lucy couldn’t let him walk away yet until she had him. Hot damn. Tim not one to deny her anything is easily roped into her naughty plans. I’m still not over the risks they took to have this heated moment together. They had a frenzied hookup while she was on assignment. I’m dead. They’ve actually killed me in the best way. S5 truly is a fic come to life. I love every minute of it. Clearly missing and craving sexy time with her man. Also probably still hopped up on adrenaline as well. Undercover hookup phew lord we are blessed haha

Lucy calls Tim after she gets away with Frank from the warehouse. Saying the OP is done. Frank has nothing left to build. Tim is flirty af in his reply. With a shit eating grin to go with it. Saying that’s too bad... Lucy is confused and says why? Tim referring to their hookup in the laundry room. Bummed he wasn't going to get another. Timothy Bradford I never haha This man is so different when he is truly loved and happy my goodness. I couldn't love it more.

Hard to believe this entire episode is canon. Tim is definitely loving his sex life with Lucy and proud to let her know about it. Hell so are we haha Horny Tim is hilarious and I love him so. They could find another laundry room for a repeat performance if he would like LOL Fanfic come to life this season swear to god. We live in a world where this scene happened and I’m dying.

They return home because at this point it’s their home. Gah love how Tim looks at Lucy as he approaches her. Man is so insanely in love with her. Lucy saying she needs a big meal, hot bath and quality sexy time. Heh. Then to sleep for 24 hours straight. I love how Tim encases her hands in his caressing them as they speak. Running his hands up and down hers. Needing this connection.

I love Tim being the physically affectionate one of the two. I always knew once they got together he would be the one who couldn’t keep his hands off her. Touching really is one of their many love languages and I adore it. Never saw them nearly as touchy with their ex’s. Just another reason proving why they’re so right for each other. Gonna be the death of me and I welcome it. Lucy can tell something is up. Asking him what’s going on?

Oh my poor damaged boy. Having a trauma response right now with her saying she needs time to decompress. I love him not deflecting and telling her how he’s feeling instead. That’s not easy for him. I also totally get his response. I still have trauma responses to things as well. Lucy knowing it is telling him it was only a week. That one nights keep will do her just fine. Trying to say without saying she’s not Isabel. Tim accepts her answer.

Lucy says she has to come clean about some thing though. That she knows she made him promise not to. But she watched 'Top chef' without him. For shame Lucy Chen . For shame LMAO I guess that monotony did get to her since she finished it without him.... Tim is so offended I’m dying. Calling her a 'Bad girlfriend' *screams into a pillow* They’re so friggin cute I am dying. Lucy's 'No, I'm sorry!' It is horrible Tim is right haha Making him promise not to then watching it without him. Every right to be playfully mad at her.

Lucy wastes no damn time and confronts Tim about the shooter in the alley. I love her so much for always calling him on his shit. Saying how he didn’t tell her he almost died in that alley. Tim brushing it off saying because he didn’t. Oh Timothy. Acting like her losing you wouldn’t completely wreck her. Absolutely devastate and ruin her like it would for you. I think that’s exactly why he did it though. Acting like it’s not a big deal when he knew it was.

Protecting her from that fact. Lucy coming at him saying doesn’t matter who told her. That they’ll set aside the fact he left it out of the report. 2x01 Tim would be appalled ha. Doing it for the same reasons Lucy did then. Insane how this same kind of fight still involves Isabel indirectly. Lucy can’t believe him right now. Acting like it’s nothing. Like she didn’t almost lose him.

We see a little more trauma Tim come out here. Just assuming she's keeping things from him when she's under. I so relate to him reacting this way I do. I misread something my best friend had texted me the other day. I made an assumption like Tim is here. My friend was wonderful texted me back ‘ Your trauma is showing.’ And it knocked me out of it. It’s involuntary when it runs so damn deep. And we know it does for him.

I’m so glad Lucy is there to knock him back out of it. Saying No you know Isabel did for a fact. Calling him right out for it. These kinds of fights are so good for them. Forces them to face the stuff they’re hiding. Things they didn’t really touch on last episode. This was a much better and more open conversation. Tim didn’t hide behind being ‘fine.’ And Lucy isn’t letting him get away with it. Tim can’t fight that logic and it’s all over his face in the second gif. The way his body slumps in reply.

Lucy making a strong ass point next. Saying if this is going to work between them he has to see the difference. She not wrong. He really does. Tim shooting back of course he can. (Babe you got some work to do...) What I love the most is Lucy said her piece. Put him his place about this. Which was needed and now Tim is saying his. The dialogue in this scene so much more productive than 5x20 was. Airing things out and how they actually feel. Tim voicing his need to know she will listen to him if he sounds the alarm.

That otherwise all the pain he went through was for nothing. Then he says the line that shows me Lucy is the love of his damn life. ‘I can’t lose you the way I lost her.’ Tears in this man’s beautiful eyes. Imma cry myself. Finally voicing the fear he kept inside last episode. He cannot lose this woman My heart. She is everything to him. Pulled him out of the depths of his pain and hurt. Brought him back to life. He loves her so much and is saying as such in this moment.

Lucy can see this and reassures him he won’t lose her that way. She would walk away for him if it ever got that close. Ugh my heart. He sounded the alarm earlier and she shut it down. So they both have stuff to work on. I mean it's why he brought it up. He felt like he was sounding the alarm in the laundry room. Lucy brushed it off saying she didn't want to tap out. But them having this conversation hopefully they can be more aware of these things for a future OP and in general really. The need to openly communicate is a must.

Tim says 'Okay.' Choosing to trust what she is saying. Then we get another glorious hug. The way he clings to her. His hand around her neck pulling her to him is so visceral. He loves her so damn much and it’s shown beautifully in this embrace. How much she means to him. Pulling her in close. Lucy doing the same thing clinging to him like a life raft. Her arms pulling him close to her as well. We see both her hands on his shoulders. *sigh*I'm so proud of them for both speaking their minds in this scene.

Lucy calling Tim out was so needed. He has to see she isn’t Isabel. If not it’ll destroy him. No one gets through to Tim like Lucy. This scene was so raw and honest. Very much needed after all that was left unsaid in 5x20. Never be over them being vulnerable with one another especially Tim. Not only telling her he needs her to listen but sharing he CANNOT lose her. Basically laying any cards she didn’t already have from him on the table. So proud of him. He’s come so far and this scene shows it. I truly love the writers for how real they write them. Phew Lord this was a good ep.

~~~~

Side notes-non Chenford

Angela calling Aaron from closet about a case hilarious. The entire ep trying to do stuff for her I was laughing so hard.

Also nice to see Celina go out with a nice guy. She deserves it.

Well the next one is the last one holy moly. Thank you forever and always to those who like, comment and reblog these reviews. You all have made me so appreciated by doing so. I will see you all in the 5x22 :)

[throwaway-yandere]

"I AM HERE" (Yandere Modern CEO! Alhaitham/Reader)

a/n: btw, the logo's made by Esther anon!!! ❤️ Thank you so much!!!! Ily!!!

Unreliable Synopsis: You got recruited as Alhaitham's assistant... But honestly? You'd rather be a damn idol producer.

Mother of Klee, Alice's note: We (Our cutie pie Lumine and I) just wanted you to know that it wasn't our idea to make you Alhaitham's assistant, ✾... That's all! I'll have Barbara pray for you every Sunday <3

Yandere Idol!1k event masterlist

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You didn't get the job.

Technically you did get to work for the company, but you still didn't get the job. It's a strange predicament, truly. It would be comparable to learning how to prepare fried eggs in a culinary class and then being informed that you must serve medium-rare steak with sauce for the test.

Yes. You didn't become an idol's producer.

But anyone can imagine the kind of stress you're under when you found out you were hired as the CEO's assistant.

-----

"Ohohoho, a lost guest! It's always nice to see a new face around here! Can I get you something to drink? I promise you can trust me!" A man approached you with two bottles of iced coffee.

You raised an eyebrow, clumsily scratching your neck. 

The taller blonde man beside him sighed exasperatedly. "I don't think anyone in their right mind would accept drinks coming from..."

An idol wearing a weird bonnet? Yeah.

"Geez, trainee, what's with that look? I don't spike drinks. Is that sooo hard to believe?"

"You're Kaveh and you're Venti of 5wirl, aren't you?" It's clear to you who they were after that brief exchange.

"Yep yep!!!" He does a tiny little finger-gun gesture. "The one and only– wait a minute, that's Itto's line."

"S-Sorry to bother you, but I'm quite lost right now..." You stuttered. "If you could lead me to CEO Alhaitham's office, that would be fantastic."

"Aaaahh, so YOU'RE (Y/n)! We heard rumors that you're going to work as that idiot Alhaitham's assistant, is that true?"

Your nose scrunched. Sadly, that does seem to be the case based on TeyvatPro's employees' behavior towards you.

Venti gave you a look of pity, "maybe you'd have a good life if he wasn't the CEO and a cum laude Akademiyan graduate. Unfortunately for you, that guy is both."

But you're also an Akademiyan graduate...

"That bastard's an absolute numbers guy for a linguistics major, if I were you, I'd purposefully bomb that interview," Kaveh said.

Venti shrugged. "Do you even have to try? I'd crumble if I'm stuck with him in a room for more than an hour. He probably got that attitude from his seniors."

But based on the magazine you've read, you were a senior when Alhaitham was a freshman...

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. Enough slander, Venti." Kaveh scoffed. "Like, hello? I was Alhaitham's senior you prick!"

You perked up. "Oh? What did you major in?"

Kaveh gazes at you proudly. "Architecture."

You raised a hand and you shared a quick high-five. "Nice! I love to idle around St. Deshret's building back then--"

"Aaaaaaaalright nerds, we're here!!!"

Venti loudly announced, bowing in front of the door.

A closed door, huh? There are unspoken things about doors when it comes to superiors. It's a pseudo-science that when a superior's door is always open, they value employer-employee relationships and are willing to hear out inquiries. Considering how Sir Alhaitham's closed...

Well... You shouldn't make a mountain out of a molehill.

A pink-haired lady opened the door.

"There you are, little one. Come, wait inside."

---

"We didn't expect someone like you to apply here. Your GPA is astoundingly high– what exactly made you want to apply here?"

The money and the location, but mostly the former. You had a similar salary before your old company faced bankruptcy, but the workplace here has some pretty decent coffee and a nice dental plan. Those standards may be low but at least they weren't nonexistent like your newbie self's preservation skills. 

Miss Miko smiled slyly.

"You know what, don't answer." She said. "The boss should emerge in 3... 2... 1..." 

You heard the door open, but you can't see who it was yet since a bookshelf was blocking your view. 

"Well then, I'll be taking my leave~." The ex-idol giggled. "Farewell, little one."

Of course, it was none other than the CEO himself. Alhaitham walked to his desk, ignoring Miss Miko as he sat down, which amplified your nervousness. He's known as a genius businessman for a good reason. With a demeanor imbued with confidence and wit, his face glows in a rather youthful light. 

"I'm certain you've deduced why I called you here."

You're wary of how his cologne smelled like money. He smells like he's trying to prove something to you. 

"Y-Yes, sir, but I don't think I'd be fit to be your assistant–"

"That's right. You're still incompetent." He deadpanned, "I'm only hiring you because you have neat handwriting, and based on Lumine's analysis, you're something of a realist. My criteria are usually stricter than that."

You know little regarding the full business Alhaitham conducts, but if his standards helped him stay as the CEO instead of Madam Alice, it must be a challenging one.

"But...?" You droned.

"But?"

"W-Why me, then?"

Alhaitham scoffed, "there's no use explaining more than half of my reasonings to you. Let's just say I enjoy how you're something of an odd one out. Uniqueness as an asset is something I value, especially in this industry."

"If I'm not worthy, then may I propose that I'll only be a temporary assistant until you find a suitable idol for me? O-only if you'd allow it, of course."

He raised an eyebrow, not expecting those words from you.

"You're seriously determined to be an idol's producer?"

"I am."

"Even when being MY assistant provides better benefits?"

"Yes, sir."

"How stupidly honest. No, scratch that off the record: you're stupid AND honest." 

You laughed uncomfortably. You're not sure why you're so direct with the CEO. Being straightforward with your potential employer is quite a welcome change from your usual practice of masking your true thoughts with formalities. You usually keep your opinions to yourself, but his mere presence implores you to speak frankly.

"I know that look." He said. "You notice it too, right? We communicate rather naturally for an employer-employee relationship."

"Yes, sir. It's a bit strange."

"Hmm. If you look deep within your past, you wouldn't think it's strange at all."

What does he mean by that? 

Alhaitham reached his hand out. He smirked as you accepted his handshake.

His strong grip feels oddly familiar... You would think that you've known him from somewhere but you are still an Akademiya graduate. You need more evidence to support that gut feeling of yours.

"I like you. Let's get along for the next 5 years."

"Until you find a suitable idol for me." You answered without malice.

His face clenched slightly.

"Sure. Until you no longer need this company."

At that time, you should've noted that there's a difference between those two sentences.

-----

"I AM HERE." Your phone spoke in an AI voice.

It's been a long time since you had your first encounter with Kaveh & Venti and that interview with Alhaitham. Nowadays, you work hard to please the latter. 

You opened your phone. TeyvatPro's app logo is a heart-shaped leaf, but it's anything but natural and comforting. It's corporate and cold. The AKASHA - Device Policy app served as a reminder that you've long abandoned your old job and entered a new business environment.

You miss your old boss. You miss your old colleagues.  

You looked around, unfazed. It's just one of many features the AKASHA app has; it allows Alhaitham to make your phone speak whenever he's searching for you. Since you're usually around wherever he is, this tracker sufficed.

The door opened. You committed the painful error of fulfilling his demands at an ungodly hour of the night, and now Alhaitham has sent you more tasks.

Alhaitham pocketed his phone after seeing you. He just used it to make your phone ring. The AKASHA app doesn't allow you to silence his calls. It'll only stop saying "I AM HERE" once your boss turns it off.

"Mx. (Y/n)."

"Here are the files, sir." 

Miffed at the exasperation in your boss's tone, you cast your eyes downwards as you passed his folder. However, you have to face him head on or he'll begin his streak of "professional" insults. 

You won't let him run his mouth just yet. "Would that be all?"

Alhaitham didn't look like he was in his best mood. As he looked through the folder, skimming through each page with hawk-like eyes, you noticed two strange papers on his desk.

Is that... your file?

"S-Sir, permission to speak?"

"Granted."

"Why is my resume on your desk?" You showed your best poker face because you knew that your next words aren't pleasant. 

"Am I fired?"

Alhaitham spoke immediately, not looking up to face you. "You're uncharacteristically confrontational. Is it because it's 2 in the morning?"

He's wrong about the hour– you're always begrudgingly bending your schedule for your bosses– but he's right about your "lack of spine." However, while you don't need another ulcer, you need this job.

Alhaitham continued, now sporting a more pronounced frown.

"How did you arrive at such a conclusion? I took you as my assistant for good reasons and your groundless inference shames this company."

"I... Pardon?" Rude.

"Perhaps it was wrong for me to assume that you possessed a greater aptitude for critical thinking," Alhaitham spoke sardonically. "Take a look at the desk again. The reason why your resume is there should be obvious."

"Is that right?..."

You glanced at his desk again, gaining unspoken permission to touch and move papers on your boss's desk. When you did, the underlying reason became apparent.

Kaveh's file is also on his desk.

With nowhere to turn, you came up with a single hypothesis.

"Does... Does this mean..." 

You beamed a wonderful smile at your boss, unable back your excitement. "Does this mean I'll be reassigned as Kaveh's producer?!"

He smirked.

Unbeknownst to you, Alhaitham was pleased as you started associating his motivations with another cause entirely. 

You grabbed Kaveh's resume, grinning from ear to ear as you fan your face. "Holy. Oh my God. I'll finally be an idol's producer!"

"Kaveh is still a trainee," Alhaitham replied but you didn't hear him.

There's no better fit for you to work with than someone as theatric as Kaveh. Visual kei, rock, disco– it makes virtually no difference what Kaveh's idol genre will be; you don't care as long as it sounds nice! In addition to being the only noisy members of the "ABC" or "Alhaitham Bashing Coalition," you both graduated from Akademiya, thus it's impossible for you two to not be close friends. 

"I've never seen a person this happy for getting a downgrade."

"Then clearly you don't know what it's like for people who abandoned their engineering careers to pursue art."

"No. No, I don't." Alhaitham said, picking up more folders in his drawer. "Send this to Miss Minci down the first floor and you'll be excused for the day."

As you should've been in the first place. Today was a Sunday.

"Of course! Thank you so much, sir Alhaitham!"

He nodded, uninterested.

"Don't forget to close the door on your way out." 

--------

"I'm taking Kaveh off the list."

"No, it's nothing personal– never mind. Yes, it is. Alice, I can't tolerate it. If I could swap out Venti for Scaramouche on 5wirl, I would. They're too enmeshed with my assistant's business. They don't know (Y/n) any longer than I have, yet they act like they've been friends with them since they were young while they can barely recall who I am."

"I've looked at Kaveh's file and honestly, only an idiot would miss that he wants to join TeyvatProductions to spite me. He knows my history with (Y/n). He knows what I did to their old company."

"... Hah. Please. They're not going to resign. I listen to their phone calls– they're not going to leave until they pay off their student loans and other debts."

You swallowed dryly. By now you were supposed to be at home, but Miss Minci instructed you to return Alhaitham's folder with her revisions and now you can't help but listen while hiding behind the bookshelf in morbid curiosity.

Consequently, you are now hearing sounds that were not intended for your ears.

"... (Y/n)? A pet?"

Alhaitham laughed.

A pet...?

Your breath hitched as you recalled a conversation you had with Venti months prior.

---------

"Haven't you ever wondered why the big boss never takes his earphone out?"

Whenever you two are alone together, Venti makes sure you turn off your phone when speaking to him. You never understood the reason why before this talk.

"Nope."

"Seriously?" Venti blew a raspberry. "Bullshit– ain't no way. You've never thought that, hmm, maybe he's listening to our conversations? Not even once?"

Alhaitham looks at you like an ant lining up in a row: with clear indifference and little regard, yet he is confident that you serve a purpose no matter how insignificant it may be. You noticed that the ability to exercise control matters to him. Alhaitham is obsessed with omniscience in the most subtle way. He is slightly despised by his people, therefore he used you as a subpar pawn to observe their behavior.

Deep down, you know he has no need for an assistant; you're only here to boost his pride. Hence, you tossed that hypothesis out the window.

"No, I doubt he has the time for that." You said after contemplating.

"Gosh, you're naive," Venti sighed. "You're book smart but not street smart, aren't you?"

"Hah?"

"C'mon, just admit it, (Y/n)," the idol frowned.

"Isn't it obvious that Alhaitham's keeping you like a pet?"

----------

So that's what you are.

Now that you overheard Alhaitham's phone call, everything pieced itself together and it terrifies you.

"They're not a pet to me. They were once my mentor–" Alhaitham muttered.

You took a step back.

Shit.

He must've heard that.

You didn't mean to snoop around. You're not a bad person. You just wanted to drop a few more folders. You didn't mean to eavesdrop–

"... (Y/n), are you there?"

You didn't breathe as you continued hiding behind the bookshelf.

You can't handle this right now. Confrontations are something you do not trust yourself with. 

You stole a glance at Alhaitham as if seeing him for the first time. There sat a man with a veneer of calm. A man you've never met before.

"... Hmph."

Alhaitham pulled out his phone.

His face, his smirk, his breathing... they're now entirely alien to you.

Your phone rang.

"I AM HERE."

Your blood froze.

Anxiety coursed through your veins, not to recede but to possess. Your reaction is almost immediate yet his impinged movements served to make your heart run faster. You propel your heels to the door in a noisy attempt to leave even while you heard his chair drag against the floor, making his way toward you effortlessly. 

Then his cold hand was clamped above yours, holding you and the doorknob with intense firmness.

You trembled.

His grip feels like deja vu.

"There you are. Why are you still here, my assistant?" 

ANSYTEA: hehe thank you ✾ anon for joining the 1k event <333!!!

[room-surprise]

Dungeon Meshi Anime Review, Season 2, Episode 14 review

This is technically the second cour of Dungeon Meshi, with a new opening and ending so we've made it to season 2, baby!

Happy Kabru day! I think Trigger did a great job with this so I don't have a lot to talk about.

Spoilers below!

The new OP is really nicely animated and very sweet, but I don't really like it. I think the song isn't as good as the first OP and the visuals just don't really excite or interest me the way the first OP did. It's cute though! I think it would have made a great ending...

The ending is wonderful like before, with more beautiful illustrations. Are these also by Kui? Will we get Kui illustrations for every ending? That would be so fantastic! I like this song better than the new OP song...

What the hell are Fleki and Lycion laughing at in the ending. Just pointing and laughing at a water fountain...

There my darling lad Kabru goes, killing again! Good for him.

Animated very nicely, conveys just how fast and lethal Kabru is against human opponents. I hope that anime onlies are now worrying about Laios and his party! That's what they should be worrying about!

Love that they managed to capture Kui's insanely wonderful fight choreography, Kabru switching targets last second after doing a fake-out, and then stealing one person's sword to use it to kill two other people... He's so slick, and Trigger captured it so well.

Sadly no improvements (extra clarity) was added to any of the talking scenes in this ep that start to explain Kabru and his party's motivations. I didn't expect them to change anything though, so it's still as good as it was in the manga, which is still pretty damn good... But would have been nice to have someone tighten up the dialog and make it flow more like human conversation.

Characters sitting around and talking about stuff that isn't monster biology or cooking is probably Kui's greatest weak points as an author, and I don't blame her at all, but it's the one blind spot she could use a liiiiiiittle extra help with. At least in the first half of the manga. Towards the end she gets way better at it. Practice does that to you!

EDIT: Trigger made Holm eat meat!!! He's a religious vegetarian!!!! Oops.

SO.... english dub issues.

The cast is still generally great and the dub script is generally superior to the Japanese subtitles, though it seems like the Japanese subs might be getting better? Or this episode was unusually bad in English so the Japanese subs seemed better.

Kabru's voice in English...

The thing about Kabru's character is that he changes how he talks and acts depending on who he's talking to. The Japanese version does this relatively well.

It's mostly about the pitch of Kabru's voice and how sweet his tone is. He's trying to make himself sound non-threatening, polite, and friendly. And then when he's not doing that, he sounds more stern and mature, talking in a deeper pitch without being so self-effacing.

The English version... is struggling a bit with this.

In the other episodes it sounded alright, but in this episode Kabru's voice actor, for whatever reason, seemed to be mumbling/slurring his words, not enunciating, and cutting off and shortening his words, shoulda, woulda, kinda, and talking in a more "relaxed" and informal manner

This isn't inherently a problem, but since nobody else in the anime so far talks like this, what does this style of speaking signify? Why is Kabru talking like this for this entire episode?

Is it because Kabru's from the West? Do all the people in the West talk that way? Will the elves talk like that?

Since they didn't match Zon and Leed's way of speaking to each other I doubt they'll follow through with this...

If it's meant to make Kabru sound "tough", why does Kabru do it the entire episode and not just with the corpse retrievers? Why does he keep talking that way while talking to his friends?

Even if sounding "tough" is what he's trying to accomplish, Kabru wasn't really being tough in those scenes, he was being tricky and conniving... And then with his friends he was being curious and solving a mystery.

It's not the worst performance I've ever heard, but it's a change/addition with no basis in the original version, so as with Leed and Zon, I'm left wondering "why are you doing this? What are you trying to tell us about the characters?"

I'll have to go back and listen to Kabru's earlier appearances to see if he sounds the same in those, but I really don't remember him talking this way before...

Kabruuuuuu

[pedrostylez]

Hi Abi, I’m answering your call for Javi P requests 😉 I’m thinking maybe Messina goes behind Javi’s back to plan an undercover op with fem reader. Maybe she’s thrust right into a narco hotspot and when Javi finds out he is MAD

Anon this is an amazing request. Wow wow wow. I’m sorry I didn’t write this last night-I saw the request and my face went 😯

2.5k words-OOF

Very little editing so sorry in advance

So here we are! Um…there’s a knife involved? Ok anyway so…

To be fair, Javi is always pissed about something. His blood is always boiling from the heat, from Murphy giving him a hard time, from Messina being up his ass about something he did wrong–there is always something. 

When he is in the middle of a conversation with one of these cartel members pretending to not have an agenda, and sees the local girls come out to offer their attention in exchange for money, he is not phased. This is typical of the drug lords around here, and he was prepared for this. Messina had done a fantastic job of recruiting local girls to help with information so that her agents wouldn’t have to put themselves at risk the same way anymore (something Javier was not willing to admit was a brilliant idea). He would likely pull his normal girl to talk after she had gone around to everyone, maybe get her to suck him off and be on his merry way. 

But what he didn’t expect was to see you step out with all the same girls, dressed up in your tallest pair of heels and the shortest dress from your closet. Javier’s blood seemed to boil hotter, watching you barely glance at him and turn your attention to the cartel big-wig he sat across. Your unfazed reaction him made him want to call Messina now, because you had clearly been prepped for who was on this mission for information.

He was a pro at keeping his face blank watching you from the corner of his eye as he slowly sipped on his whiskey. It was getting to the point that he didn’t want it anymore, warm at the bottom and burning his throat, but he used it to keep himself busy as he watched you. The way you stepped around him, slid into the seat beside the man he was talking to made him feel physically ill. As far as he was concerned, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into. He inhaled harshly when you lifted your leg and he saw the curve of your ass, your dress hiking up along your thigh. 

You quickly looked at him when he breathed sharply, giving him a don’t ruin this look, before turning back to your target. You needed information and Messina had specifically asked you to help-who were you to refuse? “Did you want to talk privately with me?” You say in broken Spanish, making Peña snort, beginning to cough back into his drink. You glare at him, glancing back to the cartel member and seeing him lean away from you, exchanging looks with Peña. 

Javier speaks quickly to the man, laughing together and looking back at you before you could translate. The cartel member stood up, nodding at you in a polite manner and stepped away, leaving you to sigh and glare at Peña. “What the fuck–”

“Stay in character, hermosa.” Peña mumbled, bringing his glass up to his lips but not letting any of the liquid into his mouth. His eyes blazed into you, trying to silently communicate that you being here was a bad idea, that he had this handled. 

His comment made your back straighten, glancing over your shoulder as you took a quick drink from your own glass. Just water, made to look like tequila. You turned back to him and his head tilted, a small smile growing. “What?”

“Aren’t you going to offer your services to me?” He asked, smiling at the blush that trailed up your cheeks. He watched you gawk at him, mouth opening and closing over and over until you snap it shut. 

He had expected you to walk away, angry with him for even asking. Hopefully you would be so annoyed and offended you would just leave, and get back into whichever car had brought you here and let him do his job. But the calm look that crossed your face before a small smirk caught him off guard. “Did you want to talk somewhere more private, Javi?” His veins felt like they had been pumped full of adrenaline, smiling back at you and standing up without a nod, holding his hand out to you. 

He let you lead him to the back rooms where he had been multiple times with other girls, letting the door shut quietly before leaning against the door. “Why the fuck are you here right now?” He growled, running his hands through his hair and tugging lightly. His frustration was apparent to you, the quick change in his demenor making your shoulders slump. It felt like you were back in the office with him glaring at you, wondering if you would ever be anything more than a desk jockey. 

You sighed, pulling the hem of your dress down. His eyes followed your hands briefly before snapping back up to your face. “Messina told me to help with the operation Peña, I don’t know what your fucking issue is.”

He shook his head, throwing his hands up in the air and gesutring behind him. “It isn’t safe for you.” He stated, standing up straight and beginning to pace in front of the door. “You can’t just waltz in here, without any type of protection, without telling someone-”

“I have protection, Peña.” You scoffed. “And Messina didn’t want to tell you, but Murphy knows. He’s right outside.”

Javier stepped up to you, eyebrows furrowed together and his fists clenched. “What protection do you have, huh? You don’t have any room on you for a gun, I know that’s for sure.” He said quietly, trying to intimidate you. 

“I don’t have a gun Peña–”

“Then why the fuck are you in here?” He was ready to yell at you like a child. How could you come in here with anything less than a gun? How could Murphy or Messina allow this to happen? 

You pushed against his chest, doing your best to hold your ground. “I have a knife on my leg, asshole! I wasn’t going to let him grope me.” You whisper yelled, sitting down against the dresser on the far wall. 

Javier laughs, leaning one arm on the dresser beside your hip. “How exactly were you going to get information then hermosa? Just ask nicely? He would have tried to touch you.” He couldn’t believe how unprepared you were. 

You pause in your thoughts, shifting slightly. “I would have just pulled out my knife and stabbed him, Peña. That’s what we are trained to do.”

Javier turned to you fully, standing in front of you with his hand still beside your hip, bringing his fingers to skate along your thigh that is exposed. “Would have stabbed him, huh? Even if he was being nice and touching you like this?” He whispered, listening to a girl in the hallway giggle, heavy footsteps stepping past the door you both were behind. His rough fingers drifted up beyond the hem of your skirt, feeling the strap around your thigh that held a switch blade firmly to your outerleg. 

Your breath caught at the feeling of his fingers, his palm pressing to your legs quickly and spreading heat across your skin. You shivered, hands going to the dresser to keep yourself upright and bringing your eyes down to watch his hand. Your hand tingled when it overlapped his on the furniture. 

Peña’s pupils dilated at your reaction, stepping closer to you and pushed your legs apart. The dress rolled slightly, exposing your knife and he tsked at you. “It’s too obvious cariño. He would have grabbed it,” His hand quickly wrapped around the handle, pulling it from the velcro holster and up to your eye line. “And he would have brought it up for you to see, asking why you had it.” He pushed the release on the knife, watching you jump at the sound of the blade. “And then he would have held it to your throat until you told him all your little secrets about the DEA.” 

You were acutely aware of the tip of the knife at your collarbone, Javier running it back and forth from strap to strap of your dress. You wondered briefly if he was right, that maybe you shouldn’t have been here. “I would have said I needed it incase someone got too rough with me.” You swallowed, eyes glued to his as he smirked at you. He tapped the flat side of the knife against your skin, feeling suddenly calm at the idea of you in here with him instead of out with the cartel. 

He placed the knife beside you, giving you a pointed look as he leaned his front against yours. Holding you in place, he grabbed your hand that was on top of his and brought it up to the side of his neck. “If you have to stab someone, you do it here. No where else.” He said quietly, moving your fingers to the front of his chest. “You can go here too, but not as effective.” 

“I know where I would stab someone.” You say just as quietly, mesmerized by his ability to take control of you like a doll, unable to pull away. 

“No you don’t.” He was sure you didn’t, and didn’t want to debate about it. “You’re lucky I’m not sending your ass outside right now back to Murphy and giving you a lesson instead.” His hand wrapped tighter around your wrist, pulling you toward him so your chest bumps against him. 

“Let go of me.” You grit out, pulling your hand again and reeling back your other hand to slap him. 

He lets you, grabbing your hand immediately after and holding you to his chest. He was heaving, eyes blazing with want as you looked at him angrily. “Stop being such a fucking brat and listen to me. This isn’t safe for you.”

“Fuck off–”

You weren’t particularly expecting him to kiss you. It was brutal, pushed and rushed, his eyes clenched closed, your arms tangled between you and his grip bruising. You opened your mouth to yell at him again when he pulled back, but he lunged back forward, teeth biting at your bottom lip without a care in the world. He released your wrists and wrapped his hands in your hair, yanking your head back to have access to your neck. 

He felt like he was losing his mind, lips searing to your neck and listening to your breath catch. His pants started to become uncomfortable as you shifted to sit on the dresser, legs spreading for him to be closer. He groaned at the contact of your warm center over his, clothes in the way but still radiating to each other. “Listen to me, hermosa.” He exhaled, letting his fingers trail down your sides to the hem of your dress, shoving it up to expose some underwear he had seen through your skirt at work when you bent over. 

You leaned back on your hands, chest heaving along with his to watch his next move. “I don’t have to listen to you.” You smiled, shimmying your hips as he pulled down your underwear. You hissed at the cooler air touching your center, suddenly feeling very exposed. 

He growled, running his fingers along your seam to open you up, wetness gathering on his first two fingers. “You can’t stay here for this operation, I want you to go back to Murphy’s car.” He huffed, using what was on his fingers to circle your clit. He flicked his eyes up to you to see you were looking down, watching him. Your face flushed, hair a mess from his hands earlier. 

God he wanted to fuck you. 

You glanced up at him as he finished his sentence, his mouth open, eyebrows still furrowed. His pants looked tight and uncomfortable, a tent forming in the room he did have. “I’m not leaving, Javi.” 

“God, you’re so fucking difficult, you know that?” He moaned, pushing his two fingers into your center to listen to your whine, chuckling to himself briefly. “That’s it baby, if I make you feel good will you leave?”

His question threw you off, clenching your hands around the edge of the dresser. “I’m not agreeing to anything.” You sigh, watching his hand continue to pump two fingers in to you, a brief laugh bubbling out of his mouth. 

You writhe against the dresser, pushing your hips to meet his hand as he flattens his palm, letting your clit push against it. He looks up to your face frantically, wanting to watch your reactions and suddenly feels calm. You’re here, and not out there, where he can make sure you’re safe. “That’s alright hermosa, you don’t have to. Let me make you cum, huh?”

You puff out a few breaths, nodding quickly as he picks up speed. “How are you so wet for me, hmm? Were you waiting for this?” He asks, wrapping his other hand around your neck gently to force you to look at him. “Tell me you’ve been wanting me to do this to you, cariño.”

“I-I’ve been wanting this, J-Javi.” You stutter out, closing your eyes quickly but popping them back open when he squeezes around your neck, forcing you to look at him. 

“Look at me when you start to cum, pretty girl. I want to see you.” He growls, curling his fingers upward in search of what most people haven’t been able to find. You squeak out when he finds it, a knowing smile coming across his face as he continues to curl his fingers and lets his palm remain flat against your clit. “That’s it, you’re close huh?”

You nod again, wanting to cry out at the feeling he is making you endure, reaching out to his shirt and fisting it in your hands. “I can’t-I can’t hold it.”

He sighs, continuing his minstrations at a steady pace. “Don’t hold it. Let me see you-go ahead. Did you just need permission?”

You start to cum, holding your eyes open and watching as his eyes move from your face down to your center to watch your walls flutter around his fingers. He groaned, continuing to push in to you to lengthen your orgasm until you’re squirming away. When he pulls out his fingers he immediately places them in to his mouth, moaning at the taste of you. 

You’re heaving, watching him as he picks up your knife and places it back on your leg, rolling your dress back down. He pats your thigh, pulling your hips forward so that your feet land on the ground. Javi moves his hands up to your face, leaning to your cheek and giving you a quick peck. “Go head out to Murphy, hermosa. I’ll be out shortly.” 

In a daze, you walk outside and around the corner, wondering what the hell just happened with Javier Peña.

[fyeahnix]

I've been slacking on HFW updates here so here are my tweets over the last couple of days compounded in sequential order:

Another of my favorite things about Horizon, which I probably mentioned when I played ZD, is how Aloy uses technology to enhance her own skills. It's so easy to let tech do all the heavy lifting for us, but she never does that. Even without the Focus, she's still a competent and crafty hunter. And that's fucking cool. Also I just really like Aloy in general. Such a great character.

I like to think Talanah is still overall a better hunter than Aloy and would be absolutely OP with a Focus. She had to get nerfed some type of way. This is based on absolutely nothing but vibes because I cannot remember every single event from the first game nor did I read the comic. Sorry lol

Forbidden West has done a fantastic job so far of adding in a bunch of cool new shit to play around with on top of what you got in the last game, including the expansion of the climbing mechanic. I can't even imagine how they'll top this if there's a third game coming at some point in the future. No, I am nowhere near done with this. I've only just started, haven't even GOTTEN to the actual Forbidden West yet. It was just a point I wanted to make. THIS is how I feel a sequel should be done.

The only thing truly frustrating me about HFW right now is the vantage points. I love the concept in theory, but in practice....ugh. idk if I'm having issues with spatial awareness or what..but getting feedback that's like "maybe I'm too high? Maybe I'm too low. Maybe I'm not close enough?" Kinda sucks because I FEEL like I'm close but the game is so super specific about specific angles. I got to the correct spot like 10 times but because I wasn't looking at the exact angle, it wasn't completing. It's a skill issue on my part probably but it is still very frustrating.

Now that I'm really looking at the map, No Man's Land feels like "Starter Area #2" lmfao

Monster Hunter solidified for me that I love the feeling of saying "OOOO SHIT" when I see another large monster. Saw the first Snapmaw and just had that same feeling lol. Horizon series is literally Monster Hunter Jr for me and I mean that with all the love and praise in the world. Ofc I am going to be shocked when I see A Very Large Monster lurking around in the water when I wasn't expecting it.

Aloy is doing The Protagonist Thing and I love it. Really showcasing her flaws in this game.

I appreciate the fact that Aloy is like "I can't fucking cook, taking this shit to an actual chef" when she picks up ingredients. We love honesty.

Goddamn the tattoo work on these characters in Forbidden West is so GOOD

It is very cool to see Aloy's vocabulary around Old World tech evolve between the two games. She has clearly learned quite a lot.

The way Aloy says hi to a certain character is so reminiscent of how she said hi to the first hologram she saw on the Focus. How cute lol.

Very very interesting how different tribes describe Aloy's hair color. Like it's such a SMALL detail but really shows the level of attention they put into making the tribes culturally significant from each other.

There is just so much to talk about with this game.... But the food you can buy...so much juicy lore and worldbuilding in the descriptions. I LIVE for shit like this

[aciddaffodil]

Spring 2024 Anime- What I Finished

Dungeon Meshi

For a manga reader the anime adaption is doing a fantastic job with its pacing and Senshi panty shots. It's definitely became a comfort anime to watch for the past six month so weird not to have Dungeon Meshi Thursdays. BUT upon reflection, the earlier episodes can feel redundant and episodic in nature to people, but I love it. The world building, the cooking, the silly interactions, the crazy camera shots and amazing Trigger animation just made it a fun experience to watch. Season 2 will be even better.

Train to the End of World

My one of two 10/10 anime this season, and I rarely mention ratings for stuff as is. It's a post-apocalyptic affair after an event called 7G warps the world, changing each town to some wacky version. The show takes place 2 years after the 7G. These 4 girls living in Agano, after seeing a newspaper with a photo of their missing friend Yokano in Ikebukuro take a tarin car on the tracks to go look for their friend after knowing she's alive. What comes is just this wacky adventure and world, where friendships are tested, and we see them all become closer to each other. The animation is insane, and I loved how perfect the music was for this series. I can't wait to rewatch this again and just experience it when I show it to my partner :)

Re: Monster

A very mediocre iskeai with an OP character who grasps the system very easily to his advantage. The format of days, especially early on are SO annoying and just take you out the story. There is not time enough dedicated to characters outside Ogoura** as he is narrating...*constantly*. As a protagonist, is very confident and he rarely fails, there is no struggle to his story. I have to say it did get cute towards the end and to see him and his harem, along with the mercenary group, working together and happy. Not something I’d choose to watch again but tolerable.

I was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I can take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability

Reincarnated Isekai are a hit or miss (though I do try to watch as many because it's my favorite genre of manwha) and this definitely was worth sticking out for. There's a ton of sakuga animation and seeing how unhinged Llyod is over learning magic and spell casting makes it worth it. The fanservice IS unnecessary in this show when it just randomly happens or with long running gags like with Slyvia loving Llyod EXCESSIVELY. Overall though, I enjoyed this series and I'm happy I stuck it out even if I'll never rewatch this again lmao.

Bartender: Glass of God

A very pretty SOL following a hotel trying to hire a Bartender who keeps declining they're offer. You learn a lot about bartenders and here people's life stories. The best thing about this show is the drinks and seeing them poured and made, but also the struggles of people. The music is not much to speak of but the animation is clean and pretty. It's a feel-good anime and definitely a great series to wind down and watch pretty cocktails and drinks be made while enjoying a good cast of characters.

An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love your Elf Bride

The genre of "bad-guy-falling-in-love" will never fail to be entertaining to me. It's just the most wholesome shit on the planet to watch and to see their relationship develop. Will they kiss? Or will there be tons of fake-outs to get the audience excited enough to keep watching to see if it happens... I loved that the finale was just a wholesome ending seeing all the characters interact with each other.

Windbreaker

A very wholesome, feel-good delinquent anime. We follow Sakura a bi-colored and heterochromia kid who comes to Furin a town known for their delinquents to fight and be the best. What we get, is a heartful story of seeing people accept you, fighting for the sake for others, and friendship. It's so cheesy but in the ear of high stakes shounen anime, this was so refreshing to watch. Cloverwork's also will continue to blow me away because the fight scenes are so dynamic and fluid, along with art style changes in impactful character moments. The cliffhanger ending I think was the best way to hook people for the next season, and just excited to see where it'll lead.

Astronote

I started watching this series because the art style reminds me of Akiko Higashimura and it did not disappoint. It's a story about Mira, a space princess, who comes to run a boarding house, for the purpose for finding a key to reclaim her right to rule Wid. The show follows the residents at the boarding house along with the deuteragonist Takumi, a chef, who is in love with Mira. It's a wacky, heartfelt and at times, fast paced. The finale we get a little mecha action and just a wholesome wrap up in loose ends of all the characters. Truly a story about found family and good food. Some of my favorite lines:

" I'm going to choose a life that makes me happy."

" Just know I'll always be thinking of you on the other side of the universe."

Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night

NGL I totally watched this over Girls Band Cry because it had jellyfish in the title lmao. The anime follows 4 girls to collab together to be JELEE, a music project, and also to confront each of the girls' own struggles and past. Whether it be trying to live up to a mother's standards of being a performer to make her dreams come true, trying to find yourself and finding comfort in idolizing someone, the social anxiety of trying to be yourself as you grow up even when being your online persona is easier, the pressure to be an artist and like you're art. It's also just a really stunning anime to look at and the character designs pop off. The second half got crunched for the plot, which made some interactions half-baked in-between all the girls. But overall, I did enjoy it a lot!

Tonari no Yokai-san

The single-handed seasonal anime that has made me break down and sob. I was on and off crying the entirety of episode 12 and what an ending. A slice of life series following a community, or a world rather, of youkai, spirits and humans coexisting. Grief is so well explored (and experienced) from the kids to the adults, and the way the conflict at the end has been hinted at, just happens and is so well done. A 10/10 on my list for sure.

Vampire Dormitory

A love triangle disaster filled with miscommunication tropes where the FL becomes a thrall of a vampire which gives her a purpose in life. She cross-dresses as a guy for her own safety so he doesn’t know she’s a girl who’s actually his destined partner. Someone who Ruka needs to marry in order to inherit the Leader of the Vampires. Honestly the plot of this infuriated me and I considered dropping it, but it's a cheesy dramatic vampire romance so of course I stuck it out. It was a happy ending, even with the cliffhanger and hint of another love triangle if the series continues.

Tadaima, Okaeri

Best romance of the season. Follows a gay couple in an ABO world, as they rias they're family and interact with the people around them. This show is so precious to me. I think seeing the innocence and honesty kids have and HOW WELL its written in this, was so refreshing. The dynamics and conversations that the adult cast goes through, about moving past one's doubts and loving yourself to ABO problems, somehow just works together. Studio Deen for real be carrying a BL a season for the anime community, which I'm here for.

Oblivion Battery

MAPPA's seasonal original anime entry, that is about baseball. I'd say it's a fairly well character drama that happens to be about baseball. I loved the internal battles we saw of several of the character's with t the anxieties that come playing and trying to be the best. I think it's cool when insecurities are explored and aren't automatically fixed. I definitely cried the second most to this anime and wished more people had checked it out. The music doesn't always work for me but the animation, as always by MAPPA, was done very well!

Kaiju no. 8

Probably the quietest hyped shounen entry I've experienced? As a manga reader it's been so fun to see fights and to see it be adapted. The music is a bit grating at times but overall fits the anime very well. The fact they're rumors of Season 2 already being worked on, tells of how much old and new fans alike are enjoying it. The redesign of characters from the manga, however minor, don't bother me and still obviously keep the essence of the characters. Hoshino has been the coolest to see animated and I just love him-character shout out moment. Do I like either OneRepublic or Yungblood song......no.....

Mysterious Disappearances

Was a dark horse for me. I think what drew me to it, was the art style and music until I got invested in the story. Follows a 20-something writer who works at a bookstore when she wrapped up with her coworker when a youkai in the form of a book takes over her body. What comes to follow is a tale of her adventure with him and his younger sibling. There's tons of explanation of legends and Japanese folklore which is super cool and digestible. It had a predictable plot, but it had a satisfying end.

Go Go Loser Ranger

Gotta confess, the concept for this series is SO COOL, the Boys but power rangers. We follow Fighter D, who's been used for the past 10/15 years along with his fellow Fighter Monsters to prop up the Rangers, an organization that uses the Monsters to promote their own power and prominence in society. I think he makes for an interesting protagonist, because he's firmly on his own side even when a Boss Monster appears in the latter half of the show. I admire that he doesn't become over-powered but somehow makes it through by his own luck and cunning. The animation and the 3D models killed my soul...but I'll watch another season when it comes out and I plan on reading it so.

The New Gate

Read the manga. I was so disappointed by this adaptation especially in the last two episodes. They rushed the flood arc, and all the training and backstory you get from it. I think Shin's mischievousness' and silliness gets really played down in the anime. The fight scenes just DON"T hit the same way and.....this is why you don't compare it.....but I had dropped the anime after 4 episodes to pick it back up after having read to chapter 104 and was just...disappointed. Sigh.

I had a lot of fun with the season and just, am happy that I chose to go through with this and to try and watch new things and just explore animanga. It has helped me have a focus in life, and a desire to analyze media and art.

[arkiliastuff]

The Angel of Music - Part Two

Ricky Olson x Female Reader

N/A : Here's the Part Two of "The Angel of Music" aka "Phantom Ricky of the Opera" xD. Sorry it tooks so long >< I struggled a bit on writting this part, so I prefered to make it a shorter than the first one. But worry not, the third part is coming pretty soon 👀. Hope you'll like this one, though !

Warnings : Some fluff and angst. Romantic tension (idk how to call it)

PART ONE | PART THREE

─━────༺༻────━─━━─━────༺༻─━─━────༺༻─━

As your manager was getting close to the stage where both you and Ricky were, you couldn’t help but let out an irritated sigh. Ricky looked so confused about the situation but remained cautious as the gray-haired man, probably in his fifties, was approaching. Yet, his stress was rising in his chest as he was thinking whether to leave now or not. You suddenly, but softly, leaned close to his ear.

“The man walking towards us is my manager” You whispered to him, filling in advance the blank in his thoughts. “He isn’t someone I really appreciate. You’ll soon understand why”.

Ricky listened to you, without saying a word as the manager came to you.

“Y/N ! That was fantastic !” He said joyfully “I think I’ve never seen you perform like that before. You were really into your role, this time ! Should I be thanking this young man for helping you out ? Oh ! But where are my manners ? I’m Alfonso, Y/N ‘s opera manager. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young sir.”

“Hello. I’m Ricky Olson” He replied shortly while shaking firmly your manager’s hand.

As your manager was getting into a monologue with Ricky, flattering his singing, you didn’t say another word. You were too embarrassed by the situation and Alfonso’s eccentric behavior. Even seeing him talking with Ricky was making you cringe. Despite you trying to not take it personally, it hurted you to be ignored by your manager. 

Ricky put a sudden hand on your back to support you, as he saw you felt awkward and in distress.

“But she’s the one who sang the most. If there is someone you should be praising, it’s definitely Y/N. I didn’t do anything.” Ricky kept saying while looking at you “ I just lended a hand to help her during her rehearsal. She did this amazing performance on her own.”

Red was coloring your cheeks as you turned your head to Ricky, not expecting this move from him. You felt your shoulders getting more relaxed though, thanks to his supportive move and soothing words.You looked at him shyly but with grateful eyes, too stunned to speak. You just murmured an almost inaudible “thank you” that you hoped Ricky heard. Your manager arched a brow, with a smirk, while caressing his beard with amusement.

“Well, Y/N, it seems that Mr. Olson holds you in high esteem here. I admit you did an amazing job here. You can be proud” Alfonso said, almost surprising you too until he came back to talk with Ricky. “Either way, I was wondering, Mr. Olson, since I heard you have a beautiful singing voice, will you be interested in joining our troupe to fully play the role of the Phantom ?”

Straight to the point, huh ? you thought to yourself, tired by his sense of business.

“Sir, I think Mr. Olson cannot—” You began to speak, but your manager stopped you in your sentence by raising a hand.

So annoying. Ricky saw that lack of respect towards you, which irritated him more.

“Well, I’m afraid I have to refuse your offer, sir ” Ricky said the most politely possible. “ I’m a band musician and we’re very busy touring, so we don’t have too much free time to stay too long in cities we visit during our breaks”.

“But maybe you could…”

And again your manager started to insist a little too much on Ricky. He tried to convince him about the role and kept flattering him about his singing. He also mentioned the alchemy the two of you had on stage. But no matter what , Ricky said no, he couldn’t do it.

You knew that way too well. As the guitarist from Motionless in White and as a busy man himself, he didn't have time to play a role at the opera. You were well aware of that. You also knew they had a lot of shows that were going to happen soon in October and November and even later in the year. How could he be available anyway ? Deep down, you felt a bit sad. But, come on, you were just a fan like the others. He couldn’t make an exception for your pretty eyes. He did that only to help you and because he’s genuinely a kind person.

You zoned out from the conversation a little but you came back to reality as you saw Ricky picking up his guitar and being pissed off by your manager. Oh no. He was going to leave mad. You had to ease the situation and stop your manager being so forceful.

“Listen Mr Alfonso, he can’t participate in our show. He’s a busy musician and you should respect his decision to refuse” You said bitterly, getting a bit mad yourself.

Your manager looked at you with wide opened eyes, completely in shock you dared to speak against him. You didn’t even dare to look more at him as you shifted on your heels facing now Ricky who was ready to go.

“Need a ride to walk you back ?” You joked.

His face got more relaxed as he chuckled softly to your joke and then he nodded.

While both of you were walking back to the entrance, you looked at Ricky, still worrying about the situation earlier.

“I’m sorry if my manager bothered you just now” You said “He’s very stubborn when he finds the “perfect representation” or “the perfect actors”. He doesn't know how to quit when people are saying no to him, which is very problematic.”

“It’s fine. He was indeed very irritating.” Ricky sighed “I understand what you told me before. He’s for sure a peculiar one.”

Both of you laughed softly until you accompanied him to the doorway. As you got closer to it, you felt your heart was breaking. You feared this moment, wondering if you could ever meet again. It was uncertain but you wished that to yourself. Ricky looked at you with a soft smile on his lips that made you melt inside.

“Well, I guess this is where I leave.” He said “ Thank you for walking me back. It was nice meeting you. I had fun too.”

“Yeah, same here. I can’t believe I got the chance to meet you here. Thank you again for your help. In return, I’ll do my best to prevent my manager from leaking anything about you coming here.”

“I appreciate that.” Ricky replied.

Both of you stood on the stoop, facing each other as an awkward silence was settling between you. Timidly, you took few steps forward, bouncing on your toes.

“Is it okay to ask for a goodbye hug ?” You asked, blushing coyly, already regretting your demand as if you were crossing an invisible line.

You had a feeling you weren’t going to see him soon, so you wanted to give it a try. But was your request even justified ? After all, you weren’t even close to him or you didn’t know him personally. Maybe it was selfish of you to ask that. Even for a second. What were you even expecting ? He was probably going to refuse anyway. That’s all you were expecting in the end.

Ricky stared at you, with so much intensity in his eyes, processing your request very carefully. You felt so embarrassed about his silence, fearing his final sentence.

“It’s okay, you can say no—”

Without saying a word, he opened his arms and hugged so reservedly, you barely felt his touch. He just patted your back few seconds before breaking the embrace. You didn’t expect him to actually agree to your request and make the first move. You were too stunned to speak, your mouth half-opened, realizing what just happened.

“Well, here you go with the goodbye hug” He said nervously and almost stuttered in his words. “I should go now. Goodbye Y/N !”

As you were waving at him, still processing the hug he gave you, you remembered something. The lamp in your mind got lightened as you saw the back of his sleeveless jacket with a key pattern. The key necklace ! The iconic necklace that Ricky always wears. You remembered old pictures of him, wearing it during live concerts.

“Wait Ricky ! Wait for me here ! I’ll be right back !” You shouted at him as he was getting away from the opera.

You just saw him turning around in your direction as you ran fast like you could to your dressing room. You unlocked your locker, full of your outfits from this morning, looking for your blue jeans pants. You searched in its pocket and found the precious key necklace. You squeezed it and held it firmly in your hand before running again. You ran outside, like your life was depending on it, to reach a confused Ricky who saw you out of breath. You caught your breathing back while lending your hand to him.

“I believe this belongs to you, right ?” You exhaled.

He looked at you and then to your hand. His eyes widened, realizing what you were holding, and showed a sign of relief on his face.

“My necklace…” He whispered “I don’t remember when it fell, but thank you so much for giving it back to me. It means a lot.”

He smiled at you with an infinite gratitude in his eyes. You were glad your cheeks got red because of your running so he couldn’t see you were blushing.

“N-No problem” You simply reply.

You bounced back on your feet, saying goodbye again to him, before going back nervously to the opera. Your heart was about to burst and you couldn’t stay outside any longer. You had more than enough time spend with Ricky. You were already very grateful for it. There was no need to run any much longer to him without making it weird.

When he saw you getting back inside, Ricky finally left without being able to unravel his happy smile on his lips.

One month later, this meeting has been on your mind for a while. It gave you a lot of serotonin, sometimes you were giggling on your own, sometimes you were remembering stuff you said and regretting you said it that way. But besides that, it gave you more energy to tolerate your coworkers and manager.

The rehearsals were getting longer and longer as some of the other singers were struggling, and so do you sometimes. Despite the fact you had your confidence back, you couldn’t help but stutter on the lyrics and felt your voice was cracking on “The Angel of Music” part. Plus, your teammate, who was playing the Phantom, didn’t help you focus. He wasn’t taking his role very seriously. He was pissed off by your  performance whereas you were doing your best, and mostly annoyed by the numerous rehearsals you did today.

“Come on ! This isn’t that hard !” He shouted at you, very fussed.

“Well, if you could be more serious and supportive about it, that would be great for me to handle ! This part is very difficult for me to sing with my voice cracking on the notes !” You replied getting irritated yourself by his asshole behavior.

He shrugged, not really caring about how you felt.

“Stop crying about it and just practice more. Ugh... anyway I need a coffee break” He mumbled leaving the stage.

You pinched your nose, exhausted by rehearsing with your coworker all day. You checked the time and saw it was 9pm. Way too late. It was time to go. Without seeing anybody around, you picked up your stuff from your dressing room and left the opera. It was completely dark outside and cold, just lightened by the lamps. You saw Alfred outside, taking a cigarette break and told him you were going home. Today’s rehearsal lasted more time than it should have.

You didn’t see any improvement at all with you and your coworkers' performances. You had no idea what was happening lately but it felt like nobody was really in the mood ? And your manager didn’t help at all, stressing all of you as the day of the representation was approaching. But you still had time though, it was going to be at the end of November, so there was no need to stress out. You didn’t give any more thoughts about it as you walked fast to your home, while listening to your music.

Once you arrived, you threw all of your bags and stuff on your couch and went straight to your bedroom, lying down on your bed. You let out a tired and fed up sigh. Gosh, you were trying your best to not punch your coworker in the face today. You didn’t want to work with him specifically, in the first place. Yet again, your manager didn’t let you have a choice. If only Ricky could have stayed instead…

Thinking of him, you grabbed your phone and started to check your social media if anything new happened. You just got logged on, and you saw a post from Motionless In White’s official account. They have posted pictures from a concert they were in, just a few weeks ago. They were stunning as always. You were mindlessly swiping until one picture caught your attention. One with Ricky on it, playing his guitar, so focused, despite few strands on his face. His visage was enlightened by a blue neon light with an orange neon light as a contrast. This picture was gorgeous. You were in complete awe.

You were too hypnotized by Ricky’s face, losing yourself in your own thoughts. You were remembering your unexpected encounter with him at the opera, also him helping you while playing the Phantom so well… If only Ricky was your opera partner, perhaps the rehearsal sessions would have been better. No it wouldn't have. If Ricky was in front of you again, as the Phantom, you’re not sure if you could keep it cool once more. 

Strangely, last time, you didn’t feel nervous. Even if it was your first time meeting him, unofficially, outside of Meets & Greets that you went and felt embarrassed as hell, this time you were more at ease. Maybe it was the adrenaline of performing with him that helped you stay in your character. Why was your mind playing tricks on you, right now ? Probably because you were tired.

As you were about to log off from your social media,  thinking about which meal you were gonna make and taking a shower after, your phone suddenly buzzed. It surprised you.  You weren’t expecting anyone talking to you that late. You slided into your private message as you saw a new friend request notification.

As you were reading the mysterious unknown’s nickname, your vision got blurred when you realized who it was.

rickyxolson_ : “ Hey Y/N. I hope you’re doing alright. I know it might be unexpected or strange to receive a message like that from me. But last time we met I didn’t dare to ask for your phone number or anything. So yeah.. I tried to find your account here, and you just came in my friend's suggestions. I really enjoyed meeting you and talking to you. So I was wondering if you could accept my request so we could keep in touch ?”

Your eyes widened as you were reading his message.

“W-What in the Tumblr fanfiction is that ??” You let out a scream, shouting at your phone like it could hear you.

Your heart was pounding so fast, you had to breathe very slowly and deeply to calm you down. But how could you be calm ?! THE Ricky Olson you met, at the end of September, was sending you a message ? You had to read his message again to make sure it was real. You even pinched your forearm skin to double check you weren’t dreaming. It hurted you a bit, so guess you were fully awake. This was way too real for you. It didn’t stop you panicking though. You were freaking out. As you were reading Ricky’s message for the third time, you asked to yourself : 

“What should I do ?”

[kaybaeisgay]

alright here we go…. these are my One Piece: Live Action thoughts and critiques now that i’ve finished binge watching the show!

overall rating is a 6.5/10 on a Netflix original scale with some episodes being below that and some being above. (EDIT: before you throw tomatoes pls know that i highly enjoyed it!!!!! just had some thoughts on how it could have been improved in my own humble opinion!!)

(spoilers under cut)

initial praises:

the FUCKING CAST. they are all so good!!!! i admittedly had low expectations for some characters prior to watching (i.e. shanks, mihawk, garp) due to how iconic and mysterious they are, but i feel like they all did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life

THE STRAW HAT CHEMISTRY. from the second i saw the cast interviews, i knew they were gonna be perfect, but the core cast truly was brilliant together

BUGGY 🗣️🗣️🗣️ listen. i’ve always been a buggy denier…… i understood the Power of His Ponytail for others, but never really got it for myself. that being said…….. JEFF WARD POPPED OFF. imo buggy had potential to be either just okay or the worst part of the show. and jeff, my guy, you knocked it out of the fucking park

visuals!!!!! the practical set was beautiful, and the coloring was so perfect for how fantastical the one piece world is. it was really immersive and i was super impressed!

makeup and costumes were fabulous. i know people clowned arlong’s design from the trailers, but i always really liked it bc of its practical effects and watching his full performance in the show was icing on the cake. the fishmen all looked incredible! absolutely spot on from the costume and makeup departments

drunk usopp???? need it like i need air

suave but unpervy sanji???? please, oda, bring him back i BEG

luffy’s curly hair 😭

zoro and nami’s interactions?? chef’s kiss. loved how they made each other work for their trust and friendship

all the little cameos to diff characters in wanted posters

the cgi they did use looked so fucking flawless. like the sea king and buggy’s devil fruit? it was truly a spectacle

the bad and the ugly:

the writing. i have to say, while i thought some parts were fine, i thought other aspects of the writing (namely the parts NOT written by oda) were lacking and stereotypical. it seemed like there was a real need in the writers room to spell everything out for the audience about the one piece world, when i really don’t think that is necessary. part of the charm is how whimsical the world is and how unhurried the east blue beginning arc felt. and they inserted a lot of weird bullshit i felt didn’t fit the original story

on that same note: the straw hat bonding was weak imo. i am a nami-stan to the day i die, but i really felt like they used her character to override the developments between luffy and the other straw hats. i think having nami present in axe-hand morgan’s base with luffy/zoro immediately discredited the initial bond that the two boys were supposed to have. i get why they did it, and i never thought i’d see the day where i wouldn’t want to see more nami, but i feel like her presence during that moment, her convo with kaya, and her staying for baratie really stole important bonding moments from luffy and each of the boys.

similar to that: luffy’s characterization. (note: i adore iñaki! this has nothing to do with him, just how the writers wrote luffy.) i don’t think the writers knew how to approach writing luffy or even zoro for that matter—which, to be fair, they are difficult characters to write. but i think they got very focused on trying to explain or make sense of luffy for the viewers when i truly think the appeal to pre-time skip op is how both the audience and the straw hat crew are constantly learning more and more about who luffy is through his actions. and in tandem, they didn’t know how to flesh out luffy and zoro’s relationship. where animanga luffy and zoro are bonded because they innately seem to just get one another, i think the LA writers didn’t trust that either their script or the actors portraying them could get that across as well without having them literally spell it out for us. and in turn, i think it really watered down their connection when that bond should be one of the absolute strongest.

okay i’m beginning to realize that all my critiques have to do with writing

like, they didn’t show us how much each village comes to love the straw hats???? which is a HUGE part of why we and everyone in the world adores them??????????

little (and big) things about the characters that got lost in the LA: zoro’s sense of humor, usopp’s love of bugs (seriously, he wouldn’t be spooked by a damn spiderweb, cmon), nami being a weather prodigy, usopp being a sniping prodigy, bellemere and nojiko having hope bc infant nami was laughing, luffy only doing stuff bc he wants to, luffy and zoro not caring about the details of nami’s history, sanji bonding w luffy bc he was strong and kind and joining because luffy asked him to, helmeppo’s falling out w his father (like if you’re gonna put so much of him in there at least set up his backstory correctly???), arlong seeing zoro’s wound from mihawk, arlong park walk???!, and so many other things honestly…..

in general, the whimsy of the world was lacking. so much of what sets one piece (especially at the beginning) apart from other shows is how much fun it is. i get that netflix wanted to netflixify this world, but that’s not why we fell in love w the show. we want to see them goofing off, we want to see all the silly, ridiculous jokes. we want the hilarity of it all and how each character (no matter how cool) is still subject to being a fool at times. usopp’s character really brought a lot of life to the show after he was introduced, which i am infinitely grateful for, but i think the writers forgot the core of the show: the fun of it all.

OH. and here is my biggest gripe of them all……. THE FUCKING MARINES. like holy shit, i didn’t realize i was watching a fucking military propo??? i understand they wanted to make koby more relevant for the story but fuck, did we really need fifteen minutes every episode dedicated to the marines???? i loved koby and garp’s actors, but all the focus on them (WHEN THEY ARENT EVEN IN THE EAST BLUE MUCH AT ALL) really soured me on their characters tbh. they robbed us of so much time that could have been spent on any of the above issues listed just for the sake of adding fish-eye-lens close-ups of them shootin’ the shit with each other. it’s like they didn’t want new viewers becoming unsympathetic to the fucking military even tho oda specifically wrote marines as antagonists lmao. truly, i think all the issues i had w the show could have been fixed if they simply didn’t make so much of it about garp and koby.

along w that thought: someone—anyone—please tell me why they needed a garp and luffy confrontation in this first fucking season. please, help me understand. because imo, that was the most atrocious thing they could have done. they literally cut out KEY PARTS to the arlong park arc just to make room for it. the arlong park bit was so badly fumbled imo. making nojiko and the villagers actually hate nami instead of pretending to??? TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO. saying nami asked to join arlong instead of him forcing her to?? FUCKING AWFUL. having luffy chase nojiko down for the story instead of his “i don’t need to know it, i just need her to rely on us”???!!!! fine, go ahead and erase a crucial part of his character. and don’t even get me started on how garp’s moment completely replaced nami’s iconic “goodbye” to coco village and genzo telling luffy not to make her cry. seriously, i could go on for hours about those episodes alone.

additionally, they made the whole “luffy didn’t tell us about his grandpa being a marine” thing like an issue in the crew when that is not at all how it should have gone. the entire point of garps original intro as luffy’s grandpa in animanga is that we AND the straw hats have spent enough time with luffy to understand that he doesn’t say more than what needs to be said. while we were all surprised, no one (not even his crew) are upset about him withholding that. so to introduce garp so early in the plot and then make it a whole moment of dissent for the crew is fucked up and pointless.

i really think they only added so much of the marines because they were worried there weren’t enough “stakes” to push luffy and the crew forward in the narrative, but that is utter bullshit because the ENTIRE point of the east blue arc is that it’s BEFORE luffy ever has a bounty—before he ever is being truly chased—so EVERYTHING he does is simply for the pure sake that he WANTS TO. and that is precisely why each crew member loves him. that’s why WE love him.

last but not least: where tf was hatchan??? ☹️

overall, my problem with the LA so far is that i feel as if the writer’s don’t have a full grasp on the straw hats, and while they were writing the story, things that should’ve been central to their personas got left behind. it felt like since they didn’t feel like they understood luffy as a character, they tried to overcompensate by making him into something he isn’t.

the outline for everything was there and i think it was still a very fun watch, but im left longing for the magic and catharsis of the original story. in the end, it was entertaining but really just made me want to rewatch the anime to get the full effect of oda’s wonderful storytelling

[ubercharge]

im not sure if anyone asked you yet, but thoughts on the dunmeshi anime?

thanks for asking! sometimes i forget i exist here as a person cuz i just log on to queue random stuff without making posts 💀

it's pretty rare for me to watch an anime without ever reading the manga, and there've been stellar adaptations recently. ONK, kisekoi, BTR, frieren, CSM just to name a few. in a landscape where we're used to being disappointed as readers who have a frame of reference before watching a show, i had very, very high hopes for the dunmeshi adaptations that weren't quite fulfilled.

i'll dump everything under a cut since i actually have a lot to say, sorry if you were expecting it to be brief 😎

the lines in the artistic style are good, nicely translating the characters into animated format. really no notes there. definitely a nicer comparison for char designs between manga and anime vs. tonsuki and tensura who both have incredible manga styles that the anime stumble over (though in the latter's case, i don't think they were aiming for it sadly)

the shading has been fine, but weakened by the colour choices. some of the dungeon scenes (e.g., living armour stuff) are lit with a medium blue which helps to sell the idea of the scene being in a place not lit by fire (and contrasts it with the making camp & cooking scenes), but the lack of dark shading flattens some of these very well-drawn images.

the earlier chapters don't have the same level of detail as newer ones, but the art style is still fantastic - it's expressive with high contrast and shows action and impact perfectly well. manga will often times have a naturally easier way with contrast due to it being in black & white, but i don't think that means anime should just give up on contrast in favour of playing ineffectively with colour.

here's a night shot of fern from frieren. the choices made here allow for the shading to stand out from the flats and give her more definition overall while still being relatively simple (just flats + shading)

when dunmeshi has more "normal" lighting conditions, it does a lot better. similar to fern up there, there's about the same amount of difference between the flats and shadows, so i really wish they did a better job on the dungeon scenes since they're going to have to deal with non-torchlit scenes plenty. i won't argue that the living armor scene certainly has some kind of a sickly, alien mood to it, but tl;dr i think it should've had darker shading if not also being less green. this largely applies to every other blue-green lit scene they've done.

looking at kui's coloured drawings in the ed gives me an idea of what could've been and it makes me sad to lose out on colour choices more similar to that (even if they obviously can't have her level of detail on top of it)

some of the backgrounds haven't been too interesting but some have been good, overall it's probably fine. plus you can only draw and detail repeating bricks so many times before the viewer gets bored of looking at them anyway, i guess.

the animation is really fun and expressive. it's trigger, so they don't keep scenes stiffly on-model when they want characters moving around. this is good because it helps to sell both action and comedy moments!

the music overall i haven't really cared for? the BGM has not been particularly moving, interesting, or memorable - mostly generic. and i've seen too many fantasy shows for my own good, so i might be harder to impress (but i even remember tenken had a good BGM song or two to make a fight dramatic and that show was barely above average at best)

i'm biased not being particularly into bump, so i would've selected a different artist for the OP (i actually did like the bump OP from SxF though, come to think of it). before anyone makes a wisecrack based on what i've watched lately, no it doesn't have to be yoasobi.

i maybe feel the ED song would've been better for the OP, i don't like the largely peaceful bit of the OP with very still visuals. the OP is where you reel people in! it should be an eye-catching hook, representative of what to expect with some extra sauce on top.

the ED is great, total bop. it's a fine time for slower visuals as an enjoyable wind-down from the episode, so less or no animation is no big deal. plus kui's art is absolutely gorgeous! it all perfectly fits that "end of work" fun and lighthearted mood they were going for.

i largely enjoy the voice acting. i would've personally gone for a less "old man" voice on senshi because he's really not that old for a dwarf, but they obviously wanted to make it clear he was the older, wiser, knowledgeable character.

this might be my own personally most blasphemous opinion, but i would've picked a different VA for falin. i want to make it clear i absolutely adore saori hayami - she's incredible and one of my faves. with that said, her voice fits the character, so maybe it's just because i've heard her too often which is not her fault by any means! i love the voices for laios, marcille, and chil.

it seems netflix's subs go off of the official EN TL of the manga, which makes sense, but i've talked about how i don't like it more than ehscans' TL (which is one of the single best TLs i've read for a series, official or otherwise) and that holds true for the anime ("mad sorcerer" is cooler AND less clunky than "lunatic magician"). i prefer less localisation stuff and/or quirkiness in my subs and more direct translation for both manga and anime.

as for the changes/additions they've made to the show, some of them have been alright and some i didn't care for. they really want to sell marcille as the funny joke character which is why they had her being chased by the basilisk instead of having doni & fionil like it was in the manga which was better for the pacing and had good impact vs a funny clip of marcille running back and forth.

i don't dislike when adaptations add or change stuff, but placing them cleanly is important. dunmeshi is already really funny! i don't think it needs help being funnier by reaching for the cheap laugh. when laios sees two people running for their lives from a basilisk and he just goes "wow that's a bad way to run from that monster", it's already lowkey hilarious - all the more so followed by marcille telling mr. monster-know-it-all to go rescue them if he knows what's up and him rescuing them by making himself big and chicken squawking real loud (which embarrasses marcille and chil, but c'mon guys, at least his idea worked!). i feel like the comedy in laios' funny hero moment is undercut by forcing the marcille butt of the joke moment in the anime.

dunmeshi is already incredibly good at just about everything it does. i feel if an adaptation wants to add or change something, it's often better amplifying a strength or shoring up a weakness in the source material. BTR adds a lot to the source (not hard considering the source is a 4koma) and makes already funny things even funnier. the "we should all get social media" scene is elevated to iconic status with the visual of bocchi glitching out + the VA's inhuman screech. i can't say where i'd really want to change or add stuff to dunmeshi, since it really feels so good and whole, but i'm sure there's room in the process of translating manga panels to animated scenes, and i think the direction overall could've been better (comparing most shows to BTR isn't fair i know because BTR is directed & adapted so well it's hydrogen bomb vs. coughing baby territory)

i've mostly said negative stuff, but i don't want it to sound like i hate or even really dislike the adaptation. i think when it comes to a series you really love, you want to see the best adaptation possible within reason, and the disappointment of stuff not being quite what you were hoping for is amplified by so many other recent adaptations being so good.

dunmeshi does not have a bad anime by any means, but a lot of that is thanks to the source material's quality. if they do another season, i hope they have more time/budget/whatever because i think a lot of the parts it does have are good parts! but in this case, i wasn't hoping for good; i was hoping for great.

trigger makes great shows with wacky storylines (in some ways, the same one wacky storyline, but that's a different discussion) and dunmeshi, being directed by someone who's worked on a bunch of trigger stuff (largely sci-fi leaning), maybe needed some more direction from people who've worked on fantasy stuff? i can't say for sure what would've been enough to take the show over the top, but though i generally don't hope for much from adaptations, i really did have higher hopes for this one than it ended up achieving.

overall it seems i'll end up scoring the show a 7 or 7.5 when i finish the season, though there's certainly still room to wow us all. whatever you feel about the adaptation, whether you liked it or not, whether or not you've read the manga, feel free to comment your thoughts below or in my inbox. let's keep it free of manga spoils for anime-only watchers, though!

[bigskydreaming]

I’m rewatching X-Men (2000) for the first time in a long time and besides finding it exquisitely nostalgic, I keep finding myself thinking, “Damn, [character] is kind of OP” with literally every. Single. Character. And it’s funny now to think of how crazy powerful all the X-Men are compared to say, the Avengers, where I feel like the only god-tier power the MCU ever delivered was Captain Marvel and maybe Thor in Ragnarok. I guess the first X-Men kind of downplays Jean Gray’s powers, and there are cool take-downs like Magneto’s iconic “That remarkable metal doesn’t run through your entire body, does it?” line and Toad getting fried by Storm, but I feel like it’s so fun that most of the time literally every character is OP. Anyway, I wanted to ask you as an X-Men expert, have they always been so cool and powerful, or do the comics toggle back-and-forth with how powerful they are like the later X-Men movies did? And did comics Avengers and Fantastic Four ever think they had a chance vs. the X-Men?

LOL its ironic, I kinda consider them to be massively UNDERPOWERED in the X-Men films, but also I hate everything about them because Singer, so who's unbiased, not THIS guy!

For the most part it depends on the character. Like, you know Bobby's my Blorbo above all Blorbos there, so the X-films in particular did a shitty job of depicting his actual power levels, but in their 'defense' I guess, so does every other adaptation. Nowhere but the comics has been consistent about him being portrayed as ridiculously OP as he is, which is kinda funny because for all that Iceman doesn't SEEM like he'd be a top tier power level kinda character, he's consistently been that way since the early 90s. Hell, for that matter, he and Jean were the original omega level mutants used to debut the term in its modern interpretation.

(A lot of people point out that omega was first used to describe Rachel Summers, who isn't considered an official omega level mutant these days, but that was by Sentinels describing her as an omega level THREAT, so I don't consider that the same thing as the OL classification mutants use among themselves, but just throwing that out there).

In the comics, there are different classifications, kinda, that mutants use to describe different power levels. Most mutants are gamma or beta mutants. Most combatant mutants like major X-Men and foes, such as Cyclops, Bishop, Psylocke, Emma Frost, etc, are alpha level mutants.

Omega mutants are the rarest of the rare, and are, simply put....god-tier mutants. Their literal definition is mutants whose upper levels of power are beyond any ability to measurably quantify. A lot of people default to calling them infinitely powerful, which isn't quite INaccurate, but also isn't quite accurate....its more like....they're mutants who will never stop finding new ways to grow and advance their abilities, who have no upper ceiling to their powers...though all of them reach different tiers of ACTUALLY utilized power at different times/lengths of time.

A ton of people HATE the omega concept because frankly, it DOES make those with that designation overpowered as fuck but I like to point to DC and the Justice League which has always been full of god-tier characters who are nevertheless possible to write for and give relatable issues and equivalent foes. Personally though, I've always loved it for the narrative possibilities rather than the power levels per se. I like it because omegas are like, ultimate examples of evolution (Marvel style, lol, as in the kind they always have go hand in hand with mutants but uh, isn't always scientifically on point haha). But I mean, they're individual mutants who embody the concept of constant, unending evolution. The view of omega mutants as just the most powerful misses the point, IMO...part of why I hate Bobby's constant cycle of 'untapped potential' storylines (his most often recurring narrative) is because it fails to acknowledge that omegas like him CAN'T ever fully realize their potential, just MORE of it, because like evolution, there is no actual intended ENDPOINT for his or any other omega's powers. There will always be more. Further they can go.

Anyway....I know X-Men '97 emphasized Jean, Storm and Magneto as omegas, but even it didn't actually convey the level their powers are at in the comics, other than Magneto doing the global EMP thing. Omegas can pretty much all affect things on a global scale. A group of twelve of them in the comics recently terraformed Mars, in order to relocate a bunch of mutants called the Arakkii there after they returned from their 4,000 year long war in a demon dimension, protecting Earth from being invaded by it. (Long story).

But yeah, so omegas are a thing in the comics, and no adaptation has quite yet even scratched the surface of what they can do in the comics. There's only 12 acknowledged omegas out of all the Earthborn mutants (though Hickman's list is shit IMO and its ridiculous that there's only one person of color on it, Storm, and there's several other mutants of color I'd happily add to it if given the chance to balance things out), but the Arakkii (who are all black-coded if not actually black, because of where and when Arakko/Okkara originally existed on Earth before Amenth invaded 4K years ago), have a similar number of omegas of their own. But again, we're talking around 12 mutants EACH, among their total respective populations of about a million mutants each.

Anyway, the big four of the omegas, the major names among the X-Men, are Jean, Storm, Bobby and Magneto, with the other Earth omegas being Exodus, Elixir, Hope Summers, Absolon Mercator, Jamie Braddock, Proteus, Gabriel Summers/Vulcan and Quentin Quire (sigh). And then on the Arakkii side there was Isca the Unbeaten and her sister Genesis, Apocalypse's wife, Lactuca, Sobunar, Xilo, Ora Serrata, Lycaon, Tarn, Lodus Logos, Idyll, Kobak Never-Held, and Apocalypse and Genesis' kids, the original four Horsemen. Plus they keep going back and forth on whether or not White Sword is an omega or just a really powerful External, but whatever, I digress. Anyway, that list isn't accurate anymore because as of Genesis War, a few of them are dead, just like on the Earth list Hope is....transcended I guess you could say, lol, and Elixir and Proteus are back in the White Hot Room with her and who knows where the fuck Mercator is these days, but like.

Point is, the omegas are cosmic level. Jean's current solo literally has her being called a cosmic entity, because yeah, she's one with the Phoenix again but since the Phoenix has long been described as a future point of her own evolution and was recently solidified as like, a mass gestalt of mutant life force and psyche that was collected within her and her power like a nexus point, its kinda one and the same. Storm's solo is said to have plans to have her interact with the Abstracts of the Universe (the like, ultimate top-tier beings in it), Eternity and Oblivion.

Bobby's been quite literally unkillable since the early 2000s at least, as in he's been hit with a nuke and atomized, been blown up MULTIPLE times, and he just makes himself new bodies out of the next nearest moisture. He once started a new Ice Age, can create armies of semi-autonomous ice giants, teleport anywhere there's water, etc. Oh yeah, and since he's the walking embodiment of the future heat-death of the universe, he's also frozen reality on a quantum level to quarantine a cosmic tier threat. Oh AND frozen Hell. Jean reignited a sun recently. Storm took out an alien mercenary army in seconds by just hitting them with Jupiter-level atmospheric pressure with a snap of her fingers, and the only thing about that which actually required she exert herself came from holding BACK enough that her allies standing mere feet away weren't affected the same as her targeted enemies. Vulcan talked about obliterating Mars when he got cranky, and everyone took that very seriously because he can absolutely fucking do it. Any of them can.

There's a reason X-fans are sore about how editorially scripted AvX went, and not just because the X-Men were known to be a lesser priority at that time due to the film rights, so they were never going to get to be the 'winners' of that, ideologically, even though the optics for how that fight started were not actually as great for the Avengers as Marvel seems to think they were. But it also has a lot to do with the fact with all credit to the Avengers heavy-hitters, which there are quite a few of, they tend to get their powers/origins from cosmic storylines far away from Earth, hail from other dimensions like Asgard, etc, whereas mutants have been home-growing cosmic tier fighters on Earth for decades now, and that was pretty much treated like a non-factor.

None of the omegas (and Magneto and Storm may not have OFFICIALLY been listed as such yet, but Bobby was, and its not like they actually got any power UPGRADES when they were finally canonized as omegas, it just was a label change acknowledging the power they've always been depicted as having) actually played definitive roles in that, and again, when you've got global threats in one side's ranks that you refuse to acknowledge as such in order to make sense of pitting them against opponents they should be able to handle with a finger snap, it does tend to make stans cranky. Its like yeah, they gave me a panel of Bobby fighting Red Hulk in the background, but that was the extent of his impact on AvX as a whole, even though he'd quite literally taken Thor on, solo, mere months before during the Dark Iceman arc.

But yeah, you say AvX around X-fans, we will hiss at the memory like a snake. Was not fun for us. And again, this isn't to disparage the cosmic tier characters the Avengers have, and of the Fantastic Four, Sue and Johnny are right up there at the top of any power ranking system one might care to devise. But...like....mutants tend to deal with their threats internally in the Marvel universe, so every mutant alive has known for decades that Magneto, Storm, Iceman and Jean should not be locked in a room together and told to fight because without nonomegas who can't actually survive the stuff they can around them to remind them to keep their power levels DOWN, those four could very easily blow up the Earth before they even realize what happened since omegas vs omegas equals unlimited escalation.

Meanwhile, it was literally only during the Krakoan era that anyone OUTSIDE of mutants sat up and took note of the omega classification (which has existed for decades) even being a THING, let alone mutants casually being like 'oh yeah, we have like, twelve of those guys.'

LOL, so anyway. Yeah, it is kinda funny to hear the X-Men in existing adaptations described as OP, because none of them even come close to scratching the surface of how many of the X-Men are portrayed in the comics. I have very little interest in the MCU as a whole, and am not expecting to be a fan of their take on the X-Men but I am very curious to see which X-Men they emphasize as the heavy-hitters and what level of power they depict them as being at. For better or worse, whether fans like it or hate it, there's a good dozen of them who can go toe to toe with literal gods without breaking a sweat.

(Like, literally literally, not how Kalen usually uses literally literally. Bobby single-handedly thwarted a Loki 'take over Asgard' scheme in the EIGHTIES, at a time when only Thor himself was going one on one with his brother and if he wasn't around, Loki was considered a 'bring your whole team' kind of threat. And this was a full decade before the omega term was even a thing. Thor's canonically been wary of Bobby since the latter was SIXTEEN because he considers him to be a baby Ymir, the father of all frost giants. He was literally playing poker with other Avengers when he sensed Bobby go Dark Side during the Dark Iceman arc and his face went 'oh fuck.' You know how powerful you have to be to make Thor's face go 'oh fuck'?)

(Fimbulvetr is the Asgardian term for the Everwinter, the start of Ragnarok. Its a Ymir thing. Incidentally, after AvX when the X-Men and Avengers were making a point to cooperate, Thor and Bobby teamed up against Ymir himself, and THEN Marvel was perfectly happy to allow Bobby to kick his ass solo and be like 'what, was that supposed to be hard' to an incredulous Thor, BUT I DIGRESS).

But anyway, the official omega list is very recent, but everyone on it like Storm, Jean, Bobby and Magneto have all been consistently powerful as fuck since the 80s, MINIMUM. Bobby's 80s solo was used to debut Oblivion, an Abstract of the Universe, Storm was channeling the energy of multiple stars when fighting the Brood in space, and that was all decades ago. They've all had occasions of being nerfed since then, but for the past decade or so, the Big Four have had relatively few occasions of that compared to any point before, and Marvel's been more pointed about keeping their upper ranges of power more normalized for them.

[saba-ody]

i watched the first episode of OPLA! and i really enjoyed it!! this is gonna be a long post and there will be SPOILERS for just the first episode of netflix's one piece.

here's what i thought:

-really love the core cast. inaki is a GREAT luffy. he really captures how luffy is both childish and rude and he SELLS it.

-mackenyu is fantastic as Zoro. he has some of the best fight choreography from what ive seen so far.

-i am in love with emily rudd as nami. she is fucjing perfect and i love that they gave her some badass shit to do in the first episode

-koby was great!! i thought he was fun and likable and i sure as fuck hope this show goes on long enough for his return in post-enias lobby.

-fucking HELMEPPO stole the show. he was funny and entertaining to watch and he had some of the sillier bits of the episode. i like that they chose to make him have long hair that gets cut by zoro. also his whole booty cheeks were out while flexing in the mirror with zoro's swords and i thought that was funny.

-they managed to make axe-hand morgan fun! i think he's one of the less entertaining early OP villains but I thought they did a good job with him!!

-i really liked shanks' appearance in this episode. the scenes with him and young luffy hit exactly like they were supposed to!!

-alvida was really fun to watch too!! i'm excited to see how they adapt her later appearances.

-okok i gotta talk about the fight choreography again. this shit was GOOD. i mean actually good. i feel like in a lot of shows in the recent past, fight choreo has gotten.. lazy? what i mean is that in this show the hits FEEL like they're hitting. and that is a compliment of the highest regard. luffy's fighting style is well adapted (and i will GET to his devil fruit in a moment) zoro's 3 sword style was both well choreographed and utilized within the scenes it was needed. i love how they play with it a little bit, not having him use all three until the climax of the episode. NAMI has some fantastic shit with her staff and i'm genuinely so glad they dont have her basically sidelined until alabasta like they do in the manga. alvida and morgan both have their weapons have true weight that you can feel to them and i'm so glad. this was the thing i was the most concerned for and its safe to say i'm happy with it.

-luffy's gum gum fruit and the cgi used for it was surprisingly good!! going into live action with a main character made of rubber is one of the most difficult things CG artists have to deal with and i hope they know how fucking good rhey did. body stretching hasn't ever looked this good.

-i liked garps inclusion and i really hope they don't reveal that he's related to luffy until way later. i get the feeling they might since he's there and i think he's going to still be important throughout the season.

-i LOVE. and i mean LOVEEEEEEEEEE that they are already setting up for season 2 mentioning baroque works so much. that shit is fucking AWESOME and i couldn't be happier that they're going ahead and foreshadowing shit for later that is amazing and i'm so damn happy.

-the setwork and costume design are FANTASTIC. the atmosphere becomes amazing because of these two things in conjunction and its fucking great. you absolutely are pulled into the world and its amazingly believeable. everything feels real. the locals, the outfits, really theres some great shit in here so far and i am DAMN excited to see more. they truly went all out and it feels fantastic.

-this show is really funny. not exactly in the way that the anime is, but in a way that works a lot better for this medium. zoro, especially, i thought they really nailed on the head. he's funny!! and luffy is too!! so is nami!! they're all really funny and entertaining to watch and i just cant believe this show exists at all.

-buggy showed up and i'm so excited to see more of him. what a god of a man. he is. kinda bad asf too.

i have one or two critiques too!!

-i liked the original way of making it known that koby wasnt working with luffy and i think its a bit lame the rest of the marines aren't shown to be glad that morgan's gone.

-theres some camera work in this show that just seems,... off? theres these closeups with a shitton of gaussian blur and it just looks. unprofessional to say the least. luckily, its not completely like this (which is kinda what i thought the show would look like at first, which had a bit of apprehension in me.)

-i just realized they didnt show shanks' arm being cut off by the sea monster. i'm sure they will but they didnt here. i sure hope they do that shits an iconic scene.

-uh. that was pretty much it. netflix was being stupid as shit for me so i didnt really get hd quality but i was watching it on netflix party w my girlfriend and it was just so exciting that i didnt really care. but fuck netflix btw.

so, pretty much, you might get the jist that i'm enjoying this show, and i am!! its honestly hitting all the marks i was hoping it would and a lot more. i love that its a show that knows what its doing. it doesnt feel lost. it feels like its confident in itself and its production. i really hope its a hit, and i sure as fuck HOPE netflix doesnt drop it if it doesnf make a gazillion dollars. i'm not religious but i'll pray for that.

[soulmuppet]

Get started in your sad space cowboy journey with this collection of eight short pamphlet adventures for Orbital Blues from various writers!

While the adventures are designed as one shots, each one takes part in a different location in the same star-system, so they can be pieced together into a longer campaign.

This fantastic collection features a range of amazing talent from a variety of creators all illustrated by Orbital Blues co-creator Joshua Clark!

The Ground Forgets The Garden by Alyssa Ridley: Eight years ago, a workers co-op attacked a corperate grain ship, and crashlanded on the toxic planet of Gentiana to form an agrarian commune. Now the Kettani Agricultural are back, and want you to get their ship back from these "pirates".

Hard Vacuum, Cold Feet by Connor Shearwood: Articulated Spacetime are building a miniaturised Van Keer gate, and their last attempt blew up an entire planet. The scientist responsible was blamed and exiled when she tried to stop the project, and now she's turned to you. She's scrounged enough credits together to make it worth your while to steal the prototype before they can test it again.

They Laurel The Graves Of The Dead by Gareth Hanrahan: The leviathan wreck of the warship Charon slouches on her long, slow orbit, but ecades later, Charon has found a new purpose. The warship’s forward medical bay escaped the salvage team’s claws and has  become an independent, semi-legal hospital where outlaws and other settlers of the fringe can receive high-tech medical treatment. Sure, it’s a radioactive ex-warship tumbling slowly towards inevitable doom, but if you’ve got nowhere else to go – the Charon Hospice’s waiting for you.

Hardsuit Holdup b Jess Levine: As sunset fell on the great corporate war, so, too, did it fall on robotics manufacturer, corporate dynasty, and “family business” Hartwell Circuitech. Rumors claim the deceased Hartwells hid their fortune on a startrain, now wandering endlessly through the vacuum. In a stroke of luck, a contact sent you a tip that the Hartwell Limited would soon stop in the nearby Prospect Belt, but the airlock only opens for a select few, so you’ll need to cut a stranger in on the job. Pick your partner, board the barge, and you might just bring home the bounty.

Nameless, Aimless by Kayla Dice: In this pissant star system, somewhere between dead end planet número uno and dead end planet número dos there lies a reef of asteroids that Olageleo once made into a town. The metals mostly dried up, just enough that Olageleo pulled out, leaving two deadly gangs, both alike in notoriety and severity. It does seem to be a situation waiting for some strangers to come along and knock the whole thing over.

Timawa Graffiti by Makaptag: An abandoned resort world overwrought by gigantic trees, where there is only one port. The planet became too expensive to maintain, and has been left behind by the corp to die. Our Outlaws must travel through a terraformed pleasure forest to find an ancient mechanical relic, the last service robot of the resort. 

We Built This City on .repeat() by Nathan Blades: Out here, they build cities made of sand. Metropolis Technologies send out their Architect Robots to reconstitute empty plots into buildings and roads. The first few cities were closely supervised, but as the demand for resorts increased, MetroTech shifted to dumping a squad of robots in the middle of nowhere, enlisting staff for the soon-to be shops, and leaving them to it. You must seize the means of construction.

Voidlock Tombstone by Zachary Cox: A Hasugian Void Cavalier, the Dread Interloper, has crashed in the asteroid fields around Kassar IV. With the hull split in two by the failure of its Van Keer drive and its crew killed by spatial warping, it slowly vents atmosphere into the cold dark. You're not the first fool with an inkling that there might be something worth salvaging on this state-of-the-art warship. Pray you can make it out alive, before the Outlaw gold rush begins or Hasugian themselves turn up to claim this billion-credit corpse.

[aparticularbandit]

It's a testament to Miu that after she died Kokichi is literally going through how OP she is.

Like, oh, yeah, I commissioned Miu to make these cool hammers that can get us through the escape tunnel and also they can stop Monokuma and also one hit takes down an Exisal.

Oh, yeah, I commissioned Miu to make these electrobombs that decommission all electrical signals in a certain area for two hours.

Oh, yeah, I commissioned Miu to MAKE SOMETHING THAT CAN HIJACK THE EXISALS AND LET ME REMOTE CONTROL THEM.

Miu is so OP and the only thing that stopped her from stopping the game sooner is that she didn't think of any of this stuff on her own and no one other than Kokichi realized how absolutely OP her Ultimate Talent is.

Kaede and Shuichi just wanted her to make motion sensor security cameras from the old film cameras.

Miu literally ADDED UPGRADES TO THE ULTIMATE ROBOT. Who is supposed to be the pinnacle of robotic achievements. She's out here MAKING HIM BETTER.

This entire game is just subtly building up Miu's ability so that they can calmly yeah, Miu made a remote control to hijack Exisals as just a sidebar and you don't even think twice about whether she can do it or not. Because it has proven over and over that we literally do not know the limits of what Miu is - or was - capable of. So of course you believe it. Yeah, Miu absolutely did that. Why couldn't Miu do that? That's believable.

They did a fantastic job with writing Miu and writing the characters' reactions to her so that you can believe she's capable of all this stuff and also believe that no one other than Kokichi would realize that.

[butmakeitgayblog]

Have you seen that gifset reimagining the clexa sexa?

I have and I actually talked to the op because I'm friendly with them and I think they did a really nice job on it, cuz everyone knows they're a fantastic gif maker! Literally always keeps the ADC thirst traps coming ( ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ) But also, while I like the overall concept a lot, something about that second scene has always made me feel... idk. A lot of feelings lol. Because I watched TLFOAH and really felt all of the emotions as rawly as they were portrayed, and that scene for me was a visceral moment for Alice. Yes she was attracted to the guy and yes she did want to have sex with him, obviously, but you could very much read the conflict so clearly on her face. The way she kept her face turned away from him and how her eyes kept looking off into space. Flashes of looking so emotionally empty. The tiny winces in between breaths of pleasure, almost like she couldn't quite settle in the moment or decide if she liked it. She didn't grab at him or cling to him, didn't hold him close. Nothing. She was just kinda... laid there. While looking as though she was struggling to stay in the moment.

So for me it just pulls up a lot of mixed emotions because Alycia acted that scene so well. This traumatized girl who'd lost her childhood friend and first love due to someone she trusted lying and betraying her, and then there she was trying to move on by recklessly throwing herself at this seemingly new life just to make herself forget the pain of her past. And for me that read all over her face in that scene. So it makes me feel conflicted when seeing it and knowing it's context and then trying to mentally apply it to the love scene between Clexa. If that makes sense.

Again, this isn't me shitting on op's work because without a doubt it's a very well done gifset and I know a lot of people love it. It's just for me personally, it evokes more sad or conflicted emotions than anything