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optimistpax · 1 year

Note

ooh I'm thinking of reading tf 2019 but idk if it's for me, could you share more of what you enjoyed about it? I'm curious!

Absolutely!! I'm always down to talk about comics!

Gonna throw my thoughts under the cut bc oops this got really long really fast... i have a lot of thoughts

TLDR: I like it bc it's easy to get into organization/access wise, it's soooo pretty to look at, has genres I personally enjoy and find fun, has a lot of characters I vibe with, and its themes are empathetic and hopeful which is nice to read about when life is tough

Organization

So the first thing that I think rocks about the 2019 comics is that they are actually organized in volumes that make sense from the get go. All the main story AND side stories are compiled in chronological order. This may not seem like anything significant, but I have major beef with serialized American comics about this so imo this is great skldjfg. Also!!! 5/6 of these volumes are on overdrive! So if they aren't already on your libraries library app (libby or hoopla), then the library can absolutely get you them if you ask! I'm certain that the 6th volume will be up there soon, it did come out relatively recently tho so it might be a month or two. It's also only 4 years/6 volumes long so it's not an overwhelming amount of content to read, which is nice :)

Art

Another thing I really love about the 2019 comics is the art!! They've got a couple artists that are series regulars, but 9 times out of 10 they knock it out of the park! Usually I'm bothered by a series jumping around different artists, but the regulars have similar enough art styles that with the colourists help, it's not that noticeable when they do switch around, which is really nice! I also Looooove the use of colour dots (i dont think they're screentones in this case? since they're quite big and used as a texture thing? idk im not a professional comic artist.) You can see some in my header! It's a double page spread from the first volume!! gorgeous stuff :)

Genre/Story

As for the story itself, I think it'll really depend what kind of genres you like reading. It starts on Cybertron before the war, which is fun to see since we get to learn a little about their culture, history, and geology. The genre starts off as a murder mystery and evolves into a political drama before finally dissolving into something more action-y. So it's not for everyone, but I personally had a fantastic time!

Characters

The 2019 comics have a MASSIVE cast of characters. There are so many characters that there's bound to be at least a FEW that you really enjoy! Lots of more obscure characters from the depths of tf lore that haven't really been developed in mainstream media (afaik) get some time to shine (Flamewar, Roadrage, Jumpstream, Javelin, Lightbright, and Subsea to name a few) and also introduces some new characters (Termagax, Codexa, Geomotus, Exarchon, Cryak, Rubble, Gauge, Lodestar) which imo were really fun to see! There's also a surprisingly large (relatively fleshed out) female cast which is refreshing to see in a franchise that originated as Reagan-era toy ads lmao.

I say relatively fleshed out bc the massive cast of characters is one of the series biggest strengths, but it's definitely also one of its biggest weaknesses. Since there are so many characters sharing limited panel time it's difficult for the series to explore them in depth bc there are just SO MANY. They're also using the toy designs where they exist (see: lots of same designs with different colours), so characters are sometimes difficult to tell apart. Esp if they don't show up often and you're not already overly familiar with transformers. Altho my comic book club of non-transformers fans managed to get through the first volume alright (or at least they said they did) so it can't be that unintelligible...

Themes

I really liked the themes in this series! Again, that's a personal preference that'll vary from person to person, but I had fun with this one. I'm not sure if it's the right word, but I think the narrative felt very empathetic(?). Characters were very rooted in their ties to other characters, their relationship with other characters. Something something we're better with the connection to and with the support of others. Some of my favourites character arcs in support of the theme of empathy in no particular order off the top of my head:

Cyclonus and his grief

Arcee and the lasting impact that the PREVIOUS war had on her and her relationships (esp with Greenlight and Gauge)

Gauge getting to CHOOSE her family not because she has to but because she wants to

Sad videogame dad Bumblebee

Geomotus and how he's autistic and taken seriously and respected and also his friendship with Landmine

Optimus being chosen for the matrix because he has the quality of HOPE

Javelin's PTSD

Shadowstriker trying and failing to keep Flamewar from being a gremlin and getting in trouble

Megatron being the pettiest man alive

Starscream's love for Cybertron?? ???

Wheeljack being SO supportive of his mentee Gears

I would apologize for the essay but you DID ask ahaha! Anyways, I definitely think the 2019 comics are at least worth looking into if you're a transformers fan and are looking for some comics to read. I had a blast reading them :)

#if youre not sure whether you wanna get into it check it out from the library (digital or hard copy)!#costs you nothing and supports your library and if you dont like it then you can give it back with zero repercussions :)#ask #if anyone else wants to share what they liked about idw2 u should also share!#love hearing about ppl having fun

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ghostdrew22 · 3 years

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Can i get a draco x reader where the reader is obsessed with the yule ball but unfortunately she gets into a accident so she in a wheel chair for a few days and draco likes the reader so he makes her day memorable by picking her up and making her dance like the scene in twilight.

Requested: Yes Pairing: Draco Malfoy x fem!reader Warnings: a bit of angst i guess, swearing, insecurity, an injury, asshole!theo nott Summary: Draco x reader where the reader gets injured before the Yule Ball and Draco swoops in to make the night memorable for her.

WORDS : 2451

Not going to lie, I struggled a bit with this one and I ended up focusing more on the build up than the actual scene but I hope you like it because I’m quite happy with the way it turned out.

Lyric snippets I used are from “High School Sweethearts” by Melanie Martinez and they’re not in chronological order, I honestly just put them in randomly.

Anyway, love you all,

jean <3

<~>

“Y//N, I’m bored.” Draco grumbles as he sits down on your lap- resting all of his body weight on you and trying to annoy you.

You grunt at the action but get comfortable regardless- propping your chin up on his shoulder and resting your arms around his waist like you usually do when he sits on you for fun. “Well, we could go over plans for Friday.”

“If I have to hear you talk about that damn ball one more time I swear to Merlin I’m going to kill myself in the Black Lake.”

“Promise?” You ask perkily and he lifts up one of his hands to flick your head, “Sorry!”

You both laugh and he rolls off of you and into the seat beside you. “Okay but seriously, I’m bored.”

You laugh and shake your head as you get off the couch, “I’m going to do my muggle studies homework in the library- if you come along then when we’re done we can do whatever you like.” You offer your best friend and he tilts his head to the side as he considers your offer before grinning and jumping off the couch.

“You’ve chosen some very bad words.”

“You also have to listen to my Yule Ball ideas.” You add and he groans.

“That’s not fair-“

“Take it or leave it.”

“Fine.” He mumbles with an eye-roll as the two of you walk out of the Slytherin commons and toward the library.

“And damn it, if you fuck me over I will rip your fucking face apart”

“If you cheat, you will die, die”

“So I was talking to Theo and he basically suggested that we wear matchin-“ As you and Draco walk toward the library, and you relay all of your thoughts regarding the Yule Ball to him, you come across Theodore Nott. Your date to the Yule Ball- technically your boyfriend considering the fact that you’ve been flirting with each other for weeks- shoved up against a wall with another girl’s lips on his.

You and Draco freeze in the hallway and take in the scene- trying to decide how best to react. Draco takes a step forward- ready to defend your honour- but you’ve already yanked the girl away from Theo by her hair and swung your fist straight into his face.

“You must accept that I’m a little out of my mind”

A crackling sound is heard followed by the shriek of your voice- “You filthy piece of shit!”

Theo stumbles backward then grips his bleeding nose in shock- obviously not expecting you to have had such a strong hook- “You bitch!”

“I guess your mother and I have something in common then.” You spit back and his eyes widen in fury as he regains his balance and walks toward you.

 “What the fuck did you just say?”

“I know that it’s dark and lonely in there for your two single braincells but I feel like the quip was quite straightforward. You are a son of a bitch.” You grit out with venom lacing your words and Draco sucks in a large breath from behind the two of you- watching the scene unfold and deciding that it’s best to let you handle it.

Theo laughs coldly and runs a fist beneath his nostrils to wipe away some dripping blood, “This is exatly why I didn’t make things official with you, you’re fucking psychotic.”

“Oh please, you’ve got to have something better than that.” You scoff and roll your eyes.

“If you can't handle the choking, the biting The loving, the smothering 'Til you can't handle it no more, no more Go home”

“You know what? You’re right.” He sniffs and bends down a little lower so that you’re both eye level- just so that he can patronise you. “You’re clingy, bitchy and honestly I could do a lot better than you looks-wise. You make me want to bash my head into a wall and the only reason I asked you to the Yule Ball, and flirted with you, was to get Daphne Greengrass’s attention.”

“Fine, since I make you so goddamn miserable we can end all of this here.” You crane your neck and shrug, “If you can’t handle me then you can fuck right off.”

“I will!” 

“Theo-“ Draco calls out to the fellow Slytherin, perhaps hoping to talk him out of the stupid decision he’s about to make, but Theo’s having none of it.

“Oh, sod off!” Theo shouts back as he walks away from you and Draco and gives you both the middle finger.

You take a moment to breathe before the adrenaline runs out and the searing pain in your fist comes rushing at full force. “Ow, crap!” You exclaim as you hurriedly grab your bag from off the floor and start running toward Madame Pomfrey.

“Y/N! Wait up!” Draco shouts from behind you as he tries to run with you.

“Run faster!” You shout with a giggle as you turn to stick your tongue out at him. Then it happens.

You turn back to watch where you’re running, but it’s too late and before you know it, you’re tumbling down one of the many flights of stairs that graces Hogwarts.

~~~

“You’re such a dumb shit.” Draco mumbles from beside you with a chuckle.

“I know, shut up.” You snap back at him but you can’t hide the slight smile tugging on your lips.

After your beatdown fight with the stairs, you got carried to Madame Pomfrey’s and had to be treated for your fist injury as well as the ones you sustained from your tumble. She was quick to give you a potion for pain and immediately got started examining you- deducing that you’d sprained one of your legs and hit your head, but not hard enough to contract a concussion.

So now you’re sat in one of the beds with your leg hanging above you in a cast, a bandage wrapped around your head and one wrapped around your fist. Madame Pomfrey walks back with a wheelchair and gives you a stern look as she gently unhooks your leg and lays it down on the bed.

“Now, you’re going to need to use this for a week, then after the initial week I will examine you again and either remove your cast or put you on crutches.”

“Wait, a week?” You furrow your eyebrows and she nods, “But the Yule Ball is in three days.” You frown.

“You won’t be able to dance but you can still have a nice time.” She offers you a wayward smile and you nod faintly with a thin smile- trying not to think about how the night you’d had perfectly planned out for weeks is suddenly coming apart before your eyes.

She helps you into the wheelchair and then her and Draco have an exchange in which he promises to get you to dinner, and back to the dorms, in one piece. Then before you know it Draco is wheeling you out of the ward and toward the Great Hall, but you’re not particularly hungry and instead want to lie down.

“Draco?”

“Hm?”

“Do you mind just taking me to my dorm? I’m not in the mood to eat.”

He stops abruptly and peers his head round your shoulder so that you can see each other, “You’re not hungry? It’s apple pie night.”

“I’m not in the mood for apple pie.”

“Uh oh, what’s wrong?”

“You mean besides the fact that I technically just got cheated on and then landed myself in a wheelchair, leaving me injured and dateless three days before the Yule Ball?” You raise your eyebrows and he laughs, “Nothing really.”

“Okay that’s fair… You want to talk?” You shake your head in response and he nods silently as he thinks. “Okay, how about I bring food up to your dorm and we can sit and eat it in silence together instead?”

“I can do that.”

So Draco does as you ask, despite it being a very long trip for him, and drops you off in your dorm room before collecting dinner for you both and returning to join you.

“Give me passion, don't make fun of my fashion”

You finish up your dinner with a laugh as Draco shakes his head at you.

“That’s a ghastly dress Y/N.” He says as he looks at the y/f/c dress you’d originally picked out for the Yule Ball- before you realised that the cut was too small and wouldn’t be accommodating to your hips.

“Hey!” You gasp and toss a pillow at him as you both laugh, “Don’t be rude.”

“I don’t have that setting.”

“I noticed.” You grumble and sigh as you fall back against your headboard.

“Are you sure that you’re okay?”

You look down at your fingers as you fiddle with them and make a thinking face, “I don’t know.”

“That’s okay- not knowing, I mean.” He reaches out for your hands and encapsulates them in his own, “What he did was shitty, it’s not your fault and none of the things he said about you are true. But it’s okay to be confused between anger, sadness, relief-“

“Relief?” You raise your eyebrows up at him in question with a smirk, “Why would I be relieved that he called me a clingy and psychotic bitch?”

“I-“

“I mean maybe that’s arousing for someone with a degradation kink like yourself but I found that quite demeaning.” You tease with a wide grin at the sight of his frustrated and annoyed features.

“You know I was going to offer myself up as your new date but-“ He trails off as you cut him off.

“I’m sorry! Please go with me?” You whine and he laughs.

“Since you’re begging…” You throw another pillow at him and he raises his hands up in surrender, “Okay, okay! I’d love to be your date to the Yule Ball.”

“I know you would.” You smile proudly.

“Pansy will just have to deal.”

~~~

“You can't be scared to show me off and hold my hand”

“Draco, are you sure this isn’t too much?” You peer your eyes up at him- referring to the dress his mother had tailor made for you.

“Y/N, my mother was more excited than you when I told her that we were going together and she could send you dresses tfor you to try- it’s nowhere near too much.” He reassures you with a chuckle.

“Thank you so much, it’s truly exquisite.”

“No, thank you.”

“For?”

“Giving me the opportunity to take the prettiest girl in our year out to the Yule Ball.”

“I don’t remember convincing Cho Chang to lower her standards to yo-“

“Why do I bother?” He mumbles to himself and you giggle.

“Thank you, and you look great too.”

“I know.” He smiles smugly before walking behind you so he can push your wheelchair. “Now let’s go in so that I can show off my incredible date and best friend.”

“If you think you can be my one and only true love You must promise to love me”

After an hour of you and Draco sitting by a table- eating, laughing, observing how ridiculous everyone looks on the dance floor- you start to feel an immense weight in the pit of your stomach, a reminder as to why you’re sat on a chair instead of dancing the night away with your date, and you have to look away from Draco to hide the tears that are pricking at your eyes.

He notices the change in your demeanor and furrows his eyebrows in confusion, trying to figure out what exactly changed your energy so quickly- then his eyes scan the room and land on Theo dancing with Daphne and a wave of realization hits him like a freight train. He clears his throat to drag your attention toward him and you swallow hard before plastering on a fake smile and meeting his eyes. “You know, she doesn’t look as good as you do.”

You tilt your head to the side in confusion for a second before registering that he’s referring to Daphne. “Oh.” You look back at her and Theo, “I really want to believe you but it’s kind of hard to do that when I’m staring straight at her holding the guy that picked her over me.”

“Bu-“

“It’s okay, really.” You give him a wayward smile, “I think I see why he likes her and not me, she’s just better.” You shrug before continuing, “There was some merit in Theo’s words that day, I am a bit much too handle and I guess she just isn’t.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that.” Draco furrows his eyebrows at you, “There’s nothing wrong with you, you’re not too much Y/N, you’re just enough and he’s a fool not to see what an incredible person you are.”

“Drac-“

“I love you. And not like best friend love, like you’re my soulmate and I want to spend the rest of my life with you love.” He interrupts you with his confession before he loses the nerve, once again, to tell you how much you mean to him. “And I know that we’re still young, it sounds ridiculous of me to say something like that so confidently but it’s true and I just know it.”

He takes a moment to breathe before continuing, “You don’t have to feel the same way, I honestly don’t expect you to, but I want you to know that I plan to love you forever whether it be as your best friend or more.”

“You’re such a sap.” You finally breathe out with a soft smile on your face once he’s done, “I love you too, you fucking idiot.”

“You’re so bloody rude.” He grumbles out with a grin, “But you’re still the only one for me.”

“That I am.” You laugh out with a smile. “I’m sorry that I got myself injured, we could be having our first dance right now.”

He goes silent for a moment before a grin sneaks its way onto his face suddenly, “Who said we can’t?”

“What do you mea-“

Before you can even finish he’s standing up, snaking his arms around your waist and delicately pulling you up off of your wheelchair and into his arms. You gasp at the sudden movements and struggle to find balance in his arms but he does the work for you and helps you rest one arm along his while he takes the other hand in his own fingers and holds you up by your waist- with your feet resting on his. “Is this okay? Are you comfortab-“

“It’s perfect.” You cut him off with a content sigh and a smile as you start to sway back and forth gently.

“You’re perfect.”

“I know.” You giggle.

“Cocky.” He scoffs before dropping his lips down to meet your own- making you heave another content sigh against his lips.

“Merlin, It was about time you disgusting lovebirds got together!” You hear Pansy utter from somewhere behind you and drop your head into Draco’s shoulder as you both laugh at her comment.

#draco #draco malfoy #draco x y/n #draco x you #yule ball #draco fluff #draco angst #draco malfoy fluff #draco imagine #draco fanfiction #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy angst #harry potter #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter imagine #harry potter x reader #theodore nott #daphne greengrass

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tiramisiyu · 3 years

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I feel the same as the anon from before, lol. Your blog is very nice, and I can appreciate Xia Yan like you too.

I just recently read the Sariel date thing and was curious how Tears of Themis is approaching the romantic aspect of its storyline (whether through dates or each characters’ personal story).

Mihoyo’s really taking their time in building up each boy’s experiences with the MC before they jump into it, from what I’m seeing in the dates.

To you personally, what’s the biggest difference between Tears of Themis, Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice and Light & Night in regards to their romances and characters (specifically, in terms of their personality and backstories)?

I’m aware this is quite a long question, lol, but I think the answer would be interesting. Thanks very much.

Glad to bring some appreciation for Xia Yan as always! It feels like it's been forever since I've translated anything for him, so I'm glad to still keep up that energy...

Themis' approach to romance is very, very linear, from what I can see - that is to say, the sequence in which dates occur is basically the sequence of when they release, so that the romance is a very gradual buildup. In the personal stories, you can also see that gradual shift of closeness and passage of time. Overall, it's very organized, taking one step at a time. After being so used to how gradual Themis takes things, I was pretty surprised with how L&N handled it, with that particular Sariel date (which implies significant relationship progress already) or other stuff like the Osborn kiss card. So yep, I pretty much agree with what you said about building the boys + MC's experiences in Themis.

Hahhhh, my first answer to your question about the differences was... Themis has really really long af dates....... the other two have dates that are around the same length...

Okay, I kid, that's not gonna be my answer. I'll drop my messy thoughts below cut-

Let me stick in this picture from OminsLin on Weibo on her experience playing the three games:

MLQC: "I'll pick you up"

Themis: "I'll pick you up, is that alright?"

L&N: "I'll be the one picking you up, got any problems with that?"

(comments on this post are also hilarious af)

This is obviously a joke post that doesn't represent, like, each of the 14 boys across the three games, but key points I can pick out is that Themis men are super, super, super, super respectful. They chug that respect women juice. They're so tentative and so concerned with ensuring MC is comfortable. In the meanwhile, L&N men are a lot more like, blitzing storms that do their own thing (Osborn, Charlie, and Sariel especially), serious forces to be reckoned with. I don't really know how to summarize MLQC boys; they generally show that respect but at the same time, are constantly doing their own thing, especially when it comes to the plot.

In terms of romance, I have to admit that I don't have the best handle of how MLQC handles it, because when I started the game, I kinda just read whatever I felt like without much rhyme and reason LOL. I do know that there is chronological order to the dates and a general progression to the relationships, though, like Themis. (But anyone, pls do feel free to drop any comments about your thoughts on this!) As for L&N, for now, still awaiting judgment because that hot spring Sariel date left me a little unsure on how much scope the dates we have right now cover, and if they'll be dropping dates at random points in the relationship development timeline, rather than in a linear method.

In terms of backstory, it's a little hard to say because everyone has fairly varied ones, and there are overlaps from similarity so there's not necessarily a large difference between any of them that I can talk about. Oh, except for Sariel, who's the only one out of the 14 guys who's over a millennium old.

#ask #mlqc #tears of themis #light and night

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triforce-princess · 3 years

Text

well, i finally 100% completed hyrule warriors age of calamity in its entirety, including post game content, so i’m finally going to write a full review. beware this review will contain every spoiler imaginable so please do not click the read more if you haven’t finished the game yet and don’t want to be spoiled!

tl,dr; this game is a lot of fun despite some of its shortcomings and it’s really nice to see characters get the development they needed in breath of the wild. also a huge improvement gameplay-wise from the first game. if you’re a fan of breath of the wild it’s worth a try, just don’t expect breath of the wild style of gameplay! and if you’re a fan of the original hyrule warriors, you are going to love this a lot. ok now to get into the details. this is extremely long;

about the gameplay; it took me a while to fully adjust to the new controls and mechanics, but once i finally understood it it was so much fun. i originally wasn’t crazy about the sheikah slate runes since it was difficult at first to remember that a. i had that ability, and b. when the proper time to use it was. but when it finally clicked for me it brought a whole new interesting layer to the gameplay that challenged my memory in a fun way. it took me even longer to learn what the use of the rods were but those were great in a pinch once i figured it out. i also loved the flurry rush mechanic since dodging is a pretty important aspect of the gameplay. all these new layers added to this gameplay makes me wonder how i ever put up with the original hyrule warriors gameplay lol. something i wasn’t entirely crazy about was the wall jumping and paraglider stuff? i never really found it useful and it always just became a problem when i was trying to dodge and i’d be confused about why my character was slowly flying around at critical moments.

the camera in this game was pretty frustrating. with the more organic map & lots of tight spaces (which i’ll get more into later), the camera would get stuck a lot and you’d be unable to really see what’s going on and it got pretty frustrating at times. i wish there were some way they could fix that but i’m not sure what they could do without having the camera go out of bounds & show the edges of the map. maybe they could’ve made some of the objects that are in the middle not be things the camera get stuck on though.

i also felt like there were too many special effects going on with some enemies and attacks, sometimes it would cover up large parts of the screen & you wouldn’t be able to see what you were fighting and that was pretty stressful (i found myself frequently yelling “i can’t see!!” when i’d defeat a guardian or something in a room with lots of other enemies. this only became an issue in the later parts of the game though.

now about the maps, i do love how much more organic and natural they are. it’s a big upgrade from the original which had a lot of wide corridors leading into square rooms which were allied/enemy basses. but unfortunately, this causes issues with navigation and the camera getting stuck (like i mentioned before). i had a lot of problems where the map was too natural and i was confused about why i was getting stuck on level geometry when it looked like i could walk through there. i think the breath of the wild style makes this confusing too because you can’t really undo a thousand hours of being able to walk through nearly everything. but also it was just really unclear what was a wall and what wasn’t sometimes. i was surprised i actually had to zoom in on the mini map and look at that to move around at times. definitely an ambitious aspect of the game & i appreciate the effort and detail, but i don’t know if it works that great for this style of gameplay. i also don’t know why they bothered putting so many small details on the ground if they’re just going to pop in so close to the camera. it was kind of awkward when you cleared out all the enemies & were traveling to another location and it was the only noticable thing on screen.

speaking of ambitious, we can’t ignore this game’s framerate issues. it’s the first thing on everyone’s minds when talking about this game. most of the time, it was pretty acceptable. but they definitely pushed this game farther than the switch can go and it shows. i really appreciate the love they put into making this game as detailed as they did, but i don’t know if it was worth it in the long run. there’s only a couple times i can think of where the framerates got absolutely unacceptable, and it always seemed to be when there was a lot of electricity and enemies on screen at the same time. it happened once during the final vah naboris mission and another time where there were a ton of electric lizalfos all shooting electricity at once at the same time you have to fight an electric lynel. but, i’m not the kind of gamer that loses my shit over dropped framerates, i grew up with the n64 & have had to put up with poor early emulation many times in my life so framerates don’t really phase me until it just gets unplayable.

wasn’t crazy about how many late game missions were just boss rushes, but that’s pretty standard hyrule warriors fare. at least it was more fair in this game where most of the time you only had to fight one boss at a time and the next boss wouldn’t spawn in until you beat the first one, so there was no risk of accidentally aggro-ing a boss in another part of the map & have an unfair fight on your hands like in the first game. it was pretty anti-climactic how the seemingly final mission which had the highest recommended level was just another boss rush, and not even the hardest one (it was just a bunch of regular malice bosses in a row).

bit of a side note but i didn’t like having to grind for materials and find koroks for 100%. the koroks weren’t nearly as bad as breath of the wild though, thank god.

i’m pretty disappointed that some content that’s clearly in the game isn’t unlocked in the base game, it’s looking pretty likely that they’ll add it as dlc later & pretend it’s new content to make the game relevant again...i’ve always firmly believed dlc should be extra content that’s added in later. hopefully they’ll add some really cool stuff as dlc alongside the stuff that’s in the game & it won’t be so disappointing. there’s two characters i was sure would be unlocked as playable characters (sooga and astor) but i found it weird that you don’t get them in the post game and instead you get to play as the egg guardian (terrako) and calamity ganon???? talk about subverting expectations. also really frustrated to learn that zelda’s royal dress isn’t available in the base game but its in the files & is just missing one body part?? really hope that’s just a free update and not like, paid dlc. kind of dumb that they didn’t give the devs one extra day to model feet on the character.

about the story; the story starts out really strong i feel, i loved seeing characters get the development they didn’t get in breath of the wild and this game’s story makes breath of the wild’s story feel even more incomplete than it did before this game came out. and actually seeing the story play out in chronological order in real time without link having amnesia gave the story so much more feeling and connection. this is probably my favorite aspect of this game because i was always so disappointed with how disconnected you feel in breath of the wild because of the way the story is told. and it does so much of a better job illustrating link and zelda’s feelings. i’m probably the single most difficult person to convince when it comes to link and zelda being in a relationship or having feelings for eachother and i thought this was quite possibly the best master sword scene in any zelda game;

in previous games link has always had to prove his courage in a variety of trials spread across the land and to me its really boring, especially after how many times its been done. the thing that gets me about this scene is the master sword deems him worthy because of his desire to protect zelda even when he’s been beaten down & disarmed. that was a really beautiful moment to me & i’m glad they wrote the scene this way.

speaking of being worthy of power because you want to protect someone, i wasn’t really that crazy of zelda unlocking her power just because she loves link but honestly this game illustrated it in a much better way & i’m more down with it now. i loved this shot how it really captured what she was feeling;

it’s also in general awesome to see the champions in action, both in gameplay and in cutscenes. i remember being in awe the first time i got to play as urbosa. it feels like we finally really got to know them and how powerful they really were, instead of breath of the wild just telling us they were cool & we just had to believe it.

now for the part i know people say this game is shit because of; the time travel aspect. yeah, it’s a little silly and nonsensical, but honestly, it was kind of fun. and i don’t get how a time travel plot is somehow weird for the zelda series. the most critically acclaimed game of this series, ocarina of time, is entirely revolved around a time travel plot & the heroes would not have won if it weren’t for time travel in that game. yeah, it’s goofy, but this series is known for its nonsensical aspects & plotholes. there’s always some kind of unexplainable magic in this series that solves problems. i don’t think that makes this game shit. plus i was kind of starstruck when i first got to play as sidon lol. i was thinking to myself, man, who would’ve known 3 years later we’d get to play as sidon! crazy! none of the champion descendants were really my favorite to play as but it was still cool to see them & play as them.

something i didn’t understand was why kohga and the yiga clan joined zelda’s cause? i feel like a vital scene got cut. i don’t get why he’d join even when astor betrayed him, considering his group’s ambitions and how many times they tried to kill zelda. and where’d sooga go? the scene of astor betraying them kind of implied he was going to die but we never got confirmation of that, and he even shows up in a post game mission as an ally (no cutscene, just one line of dialogue during gameplay)

as for the ending, i guess it was alright? astor was a really lazily written villain and i just did not care for him at all. kinda don’t even care that we don’t get to play as him (yet, probably). calamity ganon’s design in this game was terrible. and i guess it would’ve been hard to make it work, but no beast ganon? just felt a little to easy to wrap up. despite this i guess it was nice to see hyrule get a happier ending even if it was a bit nonsensical at times. also this is just a bit of a personal thing for me but i liked seeing hyrule before it was destroyed. it always bums me out when you find a locaiton in game that’s been destroyed & you can only think about what it mightve looked like before. this is something that’s bummed me out since wind waker (was always disappointed you don’t get to see what greatfish isle is like!!) and breath of the wild gave me so much disappointment in that aspect lol.

one final thought but it was odd to me how many lines revali got & how often he interacted with link lol. was weird to see him slowly warm up to link a little towards the end (but of course he’s still a little mean...). no other character acknowledges link as much as revali. this scene confused me the most??

there were so many other people revali could’ve spoken to. he barely even acknowledges teba who was the one who specifically came to his aid!! and the way link looks at him with big puppy eyes?? link barely makes a facial expression at anyone else! and how revali expresses gratitude for the first time in his life after looking at link’s stupid cute anime face and smiles (but he turns around because he would be too ashamed to smile at link i guess)

anyway that’s it, i finally got out all my thoughts about this game. this went on way longer than i intended and i’m sorry if you read the whole thing & it took forever lol. this game is fun, get it.

#legend of zelda #hyrule warriors: age of calamity #breath of the wild #text #hwaoc spoilers

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marmolady · 3 years

Text

Homecoming: Part Two

Continued from PART ONE

Main Pairings: Estela x (f)MC, Graleister, Variego

Summary: Endless Ending. Back on La Huerta for the first time since the world's resurrection, there are some heart-to-hearts with old friends in order.

Word Count: 4680

Chronology: After 'The New Taylor' and 'A Ride to Remember', sort of midway through 'Inheritance'.

Tagging: @saivilo, @edgydepressedchoicesthot, @sceptilemasterr, @greengroove @mauvecatfic

Thanks for reading!

“Howdy there, pilot. Have you thought of a name for her yet?” Taylor asked as she stepped into the cockpit, squinting as she adjusted to the bright light that shone through the large windows as they soared over the Caribbean.

“You comin’ in here to annoy me is just part and parcel of my La Huerta jobs now, ain’t it?”

“Oh, Top Gun, so sentimental,” she teased-- but really, like she could talk.

Jake rested his hands behind his head and looked out over a familiar green spot in the blue expanse, now fast approaching. “Well, she’s no ‘Delilah’, that’s for sure. If something comes to me, it comes to me. But like I say, it ain’t the same. It’s not as if you people are about to let me hide from the world with this baby as my only friend.”

“Damn straight.”

“Thought as much. Well, everything’s reading as normal; think we might make it, sans freaky storms this time.” Jake turned to his visitor with a smirk. “I’m still gonna want you to get your ass in a seat. A landing’s a landing.”

Safely in her seat-- Estela by her side, and little Fenix in a pet carrier tucked against the seat in the next aisle-- Taylor felt her stomach doing violent flip-flops as the green spot in the ocean came closer, beginning to take on detail. Rivers she’d bathed in snaking out to the sea, Atropo looming, and the now-abandoned Celestial-- still standing by all appearances unchanged-- in its shadow.

Estela was calm and quiet, contemplative as the small plane descended. So much about this journey was familiar, and yet, everything had changed. This time, marching towards her destiny wasn’t a lonely trail to a foregone violent conclusion; this time, the future was all a big unknown other than the fact that it would be anything but lonely. She wove her fingers with Taylor’s, feeling nerves flowing through, and gently squeezed.

“Almost there, querida.”

With a gentle bump, the plane was on the ground, and Taylor gave a small sigh of relief. She didn’t want to be rude about Jake’s flying ability, but until that point, she’d finished every ride with him in either a crash, a near crash… or plummeting into the sea. That she was something of a nervous flyer was, she thought, pretty damn reasonable.

In no time at all, the cabin door had been swung open, and the warm Caribbean air welcomed the small group home.

“And here I was worried I’d need to replace another plane. It seems the pilot can fly one of these things after all; that’s a fiver I owe you, Grace.”

“He of little faith,” Grace laughed, though it was quite clear she was at least somewhat giddy with relief. “Jake knows what he’s doing.”

No sooner had Taylor set her feet on La Huerta soil than a familiar figure was running towards her, streaking out of the cover of the foliage at the side of the runway.

“Diego! Ohmygod!”

Diego flung his arms around his friend and held her tight. Last he’d seen her, she’d only just clawed herself back from death’s door; Taylor was going to get hugged, and she was going to get hugged hard.

Estela set out into the humid air, immediately aware of the sounds of the jungle; insects and birds, rustling of leaves. Even the smell of the soil was distinctly La Huerta. She hadn’t expected to feel like this, but… she was home.

_____________________________

An almost comically deep miaow made Estela jump. Engrossed in what she’d been writing-- and the frustrated doodles she’d been swirling on a separate piece of paper-- she hadn’t noticed Taylor’s cat, Madam, joining her on the wooden bench outside their home.

“I must be making myself crazy, hey Mierdita? I guess you’re here to make sure my senses stay sharp… or you’ve come to complain to me about Nixie.”

“Mow.”

Estela giggled and scooped the little cat, presently bright orange in colour, though that was subject to change, and hugged her to her chest. It was nice to have the company. Taylor was down on the beach, catching up with Diego for the first time in far too long. And what Estela was doing… for the most part, she needed to be left in her own space to do it. The little cat might have been a distraction, but from the number of doodles Estela had scribbled, it looked as though her productivity had already peaked for the time being.

“You’ll just have to learn to forgive Taylor. You know she likes to surround herself with lots of friends.”

Madam nimbly climbed her way up onto Estela’s shoulder, and enthusiastically rubbed against her face.

“I’m glad I can make you feel better. I guess I wasn’t getting anywhere with writing this anyway….”

With a little sigh, she tucked the unfinished letter in her hoodie. She’d written so many letters to her mother-- one for every week she’d been working here on the island-- but to find the words to say goodbye, to get some kind of closure, did not come easy. Maybe with a little more time to think….

“Hello?”

Estela looked up to see Varyyn outside the front of the house. “Haalta, Varyyn. I’m round the side.”

With a low growl, Madam ducked down into Estela’s hood and pressed herself against her neck. She eyed their visitor with great suspicion from her perch.

“It looks like your little friend is happy to have you back,” Varyyn said as he approached, “--and less pleased to see me.”

“Don’t worry; she has a lot to say, but it’s all talk. She won’t bite.”

Varyyn, rather daringly in Estela’s view-- though he did regularly hang around with a hulking smilodon, so maybe he was just good with cats-- reached and tickled Madam under her chin.

“I have been wanting to find you,” he said. “Diego had told me you were preparing a memorial for your mother.”

‘’S a long time coming,” Estela grunted. “And maybe it’ll be a long time still; I don’t want to do anything extravagant, but it’s got to be right.”

“That is fair. I hope I am not disturbing you.”

“No, no. I don’t mind,” she said, gentler. “So long as it’s in progress. Finally. I couldn’t exactly get any kind of closure until I’d dealt with Rourke, and then… I needed to go home. I dunno… maybe it was easier to feel it as anger, because the sadness was too much to bear if I let it take its place. When I let myself really feel it….” A tear rolled down her face, and she brushed it away. “I don’t know if I can say I’m at peace with it all… I don’t think I ever really can be. But I’m better. I brought over the letters Mom sent me when she was here on the island, to bury. And I then thought of writing again… to say goodbye. All I’ve gotta do now is find the words. Anyway,” she finished hurriedly, “you wanted me for something?”

Varyyn nodded sagely. It wasn’t lost on him the intimacy of what was being shared. Perhaps the violent death of his own mother had given Estela a sense of tragic kinship with him?

“Seraxa and I talked at great length. It had… troubled me that there had been no acknowledgement of your mother’s sacrifice. She must have felt very alone standing against the Hydra, but we will not see that bravery forgotten now.”

He reached into his satchel, and brought out a neatly folded set of clothes.

“To wear the traditional uniform of our warriors is the greatest of honours. We wish to pay tribute to your mother as a hero to the Vaanti, if you will accept this gift.”

Estela’s eyes grew wide, and her bottom lip wobbled. “I--- um, thank you.” That’s the best you can manage? “I… don’t know what to say. Thank you.” In Varyyn’s nod of understanding, the look in his eyes, it was plain to see he felt the depth of her gratitude.

A gentle smile came to Varyyn’s face, as though he was relieved. “It is your choice whether you would like to wear this in her honour, or simply keep it as part of your memorial.”

Her cheeks flushed, Estela hugged the folded uniform to her chest. There were just… no words to adequately say what the gesture meant. For Estela’s own protection, any trace of Olivia Montoya’s connection to Everett Rourke had been wiped from record; and with it, all evidence of the courageous last stand taken. But here she was remembered.

“I don’t think I’ve told you…,” Estela choked out after a little while. “I mean, it’s not as if I’m the best conversationalist… I don’t know what to say to people half the time.” She shook her head. “But, anyway, I always found you impressive. When your mother died… it was sudden, and brutal, and somehow you had the strength to honour her by taking up her mantle. Immediately. And you always seemed so together, however much you were crumbling on the inside. You had to be.”

“I had good friends to lean on. And I had Diego.” Varyyn chucked darkly. “It is terrible, but when you all came back through the gate, as much I was very sad for you all, and for Diego, that everything you knew and loved was gone… there was a very selfish part of me….” He stalled.

“Fair enough,” Estela said, not about to force him to finish a clearly uncomfortable sentence. “It had only been a couple of days. How’s anyone supposed to bear that much loss? While carrying the expectations and fears of your people? Diego gave you comfort when you needed it most. And… then you gave him the same.”

“Yes.”

Having that shoulder; it made all the difference. It made living through the worst of horrors bearable, and then, somehow… it made the act of living on, in hope, possible. Varyyn had Diego. She, Estela, had her Taylor. And they all had one another.

“We’re lucky we found the right people.”

___________________________

As she slogged through the soft white sand, Taylor wasn’t sure what was going to give out first, her legs or her lungs. Using her best friend’s hand as an anchor, she kept on putting one foot in front of the other.

“Hey, Taylor, you know, it might be easier to have a real conversation if we sat down for a bit.”

Diego was polite and tactful, but what he meant was clearly; ‘You are an absolute wreck; sit down before you put yourself in an early grave’.

Taking the hint, Taylor flopped down heavily, squinting against the bright sun as she tried to get herself comfortable. While she struggled to get her breath back, Diego sat himself down close by, patiently letting her recover.

“I swear the beaches in San Trobida aren’t so much of a work-out,” Taylor said apologetically. “Not as soft. I have actually gotten a lot fitter, if you can believe it.”

Diego put a hand on her shoulder. “I can actually. You did a pretty good job of covering up how much you were struggling those last few days you were here, but I really don’t think you were fooling anyone. You do look better. Last time I saw you, it was hard not to get the impression that one stiff wind could have you over.”

Taylor snorted with laughter. “Damn, and I thought I put up a good front.”

“Not remotely. You are incredible, my friend, but a talented actor you are not.”

This was wonderful. The warmth of the sun of her body, and the easiest of company. Taylor reclined back, her arms propping her up in the sand from behind.

“Well, now that I’m not having to focus on not falling over… how’ve you really been?”

Diego stared wistfully out to sea, all the while playing with a little lock of his hair that Varyyn had braided for him. “’How have I really been’ as in not the brush-off, ‘oh, I’m good’ answer?”

“Yep. And I promise I’ll keep my own bullshit in check as fair trade.”

“Okay. If that’s how we’re doing this.” Diego fiddled with his hair for a little while longer as he contemplated his answer… and where to start. “I’m good.” As Taylor rolled her eyes, he added quickly; “ I am good.”

“Yeah?”

“Going back home was the best thing I could have done; it made me realise just how much I actually belong here. I’ve found my people. And Varyyn. I don’t have to tell you how cut up I was to be away from him; you could see it. Heck, even Grandma Bhandarkar saw it-- I have never been force-fed so much in my life, and I grew up with my abuela!”

Taylor chuckled. She was eternally grateful that the extended Catalyst family had been there for Diego when she couldn’t be, through one of the most pivotal periods in his life. “Did you… did you manage to talk to your parents at all?” she ventured gently.

With a sad smile, Diego shook his head. “I called from Raj’s place. I did speak to my dad, and honestly it was better than I expected. But he said Mom’s not ready.”

“Oh, Diego….”

“No, I knew she wouldn’t be ready.” He gave a little sigh. “That big, scary conversation’s done now, though, and I feel kind of… lighter. Like… I can start to accept how things are. If Mom and Dad were ever going to accept who I am, you’d think the year and a half I’d disappeared off the face of the earth would have done the trick.”

Taylor put an arm around Diego as he sniffed. “You know it’s all them, yeah? None of this is on you.”

“Yeah… I know. I came back here and… Varyyn just looked at me like I was the most beautiful person in the world. I could not have felt more loved. So, yeah-- I’m good.”

“So,” Taylor said gently, “what happens next? Do you still want to come back to Hartfeld with us in September?”

Diego huffed out a long exhale. Now, that was a question.

“The only really honest answer I can give you is… I don’t know. Could not be more conflicted.”

“That’s… that’s fair.”

“I keep thinking about that vision we saw when I took my action figures from Vaanu. I didn’t think it was possible for me to be that comfortable in my own skin, but it wasn’t like I was just seeing it-- I could feel it.”

“Yeah. It was kind of, just… radiating off you. You were just one-hundred percent genuine Diego, no holes barred… and everyone just loved you for it.”

“Look, I know that whole thing was just Vaanu trying to manipulate you into sacrificing youself--”

“Diego--”

“No, it’s okay. Because even if that’s all it was, it doesn’t matter. The more time I’m here with Varyyn… and people are respecting me as me-- you should see the queues of kids that form when I re-tell the original Star Wars trilogy….”

Taylor chuckled fondly.

“...The more I realise that, actually, that could be me. If I wanted it.”

“That really could be you. Without a shadow of a doubt. It would just mean…”

“Leaving Varyyn? Shattering both our hearts into a million pieces? Yeah, that’s the sticking point.”

Putting her head on Diego’s shoulder, Taylor offered what support she could. “What… what does he think?”

“He really loves me, so he’s unhelpfully understanding about the whole thing. It would be so much easier to know what I should do if he’d just say he’d rather I stay here!”

“So inconsiderate.”

“But, well, he said how much I light up when I talk about what I saw in that vision. And he lights up when he talks about that,” Diego said with a resigned laugh. “He says if I stay here, I shouldn’t be giving up every part of me.”

“He’s right,” Taylor said. “It’s you he fell in love with, and it’s you the hordes of Vaanti children seek out whenever they need smiles put on their faces. One way or another, I think you should always feed the real you. ‘Cause that guy’s pretty great.”

Diego glanced away, bashful, but unable to hide his smile. Again, he started playing with his hair.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough, Taylor. How about it’s your turn. Do you have a plan? I guess Vaanu didn’t bother showing you what a future on Earth could look like, hey?”

Taylor gave a soft humph. “No, they certainly did not. That’s something I’m just going to have to figure out myself.” She frowned. “They just showed me enough to put the pressure of ensuring the happiness of everyone I love on my shoulders,” she said bitterly.

Catching her tone, Diego raised an eyebrow. “That’s really getting to you.”

“Yeah,” she heaved. For a moment, she considered what she wanted to share. “Look, I haven’t exactly talked about this before…. All those visions I saw, just about all of them showed you guys rocking your dream careers. Except for, well….” She trailed off, sadly.

“Except for Estela and Aleister, right? Now you mention it, that does kinda say a lot about the impact Rourke had.”

“Exactly. It makes me so… so angry,” she said, than added with a dry laugh, “I don’t have the energy to be angry. Seeing you all die in my dreams doesn’t help either; all I can think is that he did all that. ”

“So, you’ve put it out there now. Maybe that’ll help you move past it?”

“I sure hope so. Letting that fester isn’t going to be healthy for me, and it sure as hell won’t do Estela any favours. She’s been amazing. There’s been so much she’s had to move through. I think I’ve been so focused on her that it only just recently sank in how much I’m simmering in hate for that bastard. And I don’t want to let it out and feed into her own feelings. Does… that make sense?”

“That sounds pretty natural,” Diego assured. “Being protective of your family is pretty much wired into you; kinda makes sense that it would get you all fired up-- and that you want to shield Estela from even more hurt and anger. I’m here, you know. If ever you need a best friend to off-load on; I’m your man.”

“Thanks,” Taylor said softly, and boy, did she mean it. A little smile came to her face at the sound of Furball yipping as he chased a euphoric Fenix up and down the shoreline. Bad feelings passed quickly, for there was just too much beauty in the world she had fought for and won. “All things considered, I’m doing really well. Since I ramped up the self-care, I’m getting less nightmares-- I know they’re not proper nightmares, it’s just my brain replaying memories that aren’t even all mine. But they’ve gotten better.”

Diego shook his head, incredulous. “Honestly, I don’t know how you managed to sleep with that going on at all.”

“With great difficulty is how,” Taylor laughed. “Poor Estela is now pretty used to me waking her up, screaming and crying.” She smiled softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without her; she has this magic way of just… chasing away all the horrors. I guess it’s because I feel safe when she’s holding me.”

“N’aww!” Diego’s eye twinkled. “I really am the best wingman around. I’ll happily accept tips for match-making services given.”

Taylor snorted. “I feel like we can take some of the credit, but fine, thanks for the help. I’ve seen hundreds of different versions of me and Estela falling in love… and it’s surprising how many times it was you who gave me the push.”

“So, you really do owe me one.”

“I really do.”

Fenix ran over, panting heavily, and flopped down into Taylor’s lap. A little way behind, Furball trotted after.

“Hey, Diego?”

“You’re missing your buff wife?”

“That, and I’m absolutely starving. You wanna head back to Catalyst Village?”

Diego looked out at the darkening sky. This day had flown. No doubt, the days to come would fly too, and in no time at all he’d be faced with leaving Varyyn… again. Then his stomach growled loudly.

“Apparently, you’re not the only one. Come on-- d’you need a piggy-back?”

Indignant, Taylor plopped Fenix down in the sand and got to her feet. “I certainly do not.”

“Okay… reframing that. Would you like a piggy-back?”

Ooh, that smirk. “Oh, all right,” she relented. “In the time it would’ve taken me to walk back, I’d have already died of hunger.”

So, they made their way back up the beach; Diego giving a more-weary-than-she’d-care-to-let-on Taylor… and their two furry companions leading the charge, drawn home by the scent on the wind of food being cooked over an open fire.

___________________________

“A toast!” Aleister pronounced loudly, holding aloft a glass of Breath of the Moon. As his friends and family around the fire raised their matching cocktails, he thrust his own glass ever-higher with slightly-tipsy gusto. “To new beginnings! To reuniting with comrades! To bringing about justice!”

Estela leaned over and whispered in Taylor’s ear. “You see why I thought you should only take a little sip of this stuff?”

Taylor sniggered. “I’d make a toast to the fact that we have a whole house to ourselves again.It’s gonna be a lot easier to get our sex on when your brother and sister-in-law aren’t in the next room.”

Giving her wife an exaggerated wink, Estela huddled closer, delighting in the giggle she stirred. Somehow, everything felt easier here. It was is if just to be in this place brought her back to the best of herself, to the sense of peace within herself that had once felt like an impossibility. Now, with Taylor, in their home and surrounded by people they loved, it was an inevitability. This time would refresh her-- it would them both-- and ready them for the greater steps that lay ahead.

It seemed the feeling was catching,for everyone was relaxed and laughing as they cooked skewers over the crackling fire and sipped their cocktails. In the firelight, Varyyn’s face seemed to glow with affection for his beloved husband beside him-- who himself was bubbling over with the simple pleasure of being surrounded by friends. Estela wondered about the two of them… what the future might hold. A year could go by so quickly-- she learned that the had way when she’d been counting down to Taylor’s self-sacrifice-- but away from the one you loved, time would stretch agonisingly. She did not envy the choice Diego was faced with; that they were now with him to offer support though that… that mattered.

Opposite them, Jake was back to ribbing Aleister, something even more fun now that the target was a little sozzled. No amount of back-and-forth teasing could hide the genuine --rather unlikely-- friendship that had formed; Aleister, blessed with both wealth and contacts in high places, had made himself a pivotal force in the fight to clear Jake’s name. The more Estela had gotten to know her unexpected sibling, the more it became obvious to her that at his heart, Aleister was driven by the same protectiveness of those dear to him that powered her. It was something, she’d come to realise, that Rourke had cemented into them both-- not through any passing of genes, but by fierce resistance to the poison he’d inflicted. It had taken time… and it had been painful, but in their budding kinship, Estela had found undeniable comfort.

Taylor took Estela’s hand, and laid a weary head on her shoulder.

“Hey.”

“Hey, you,” Estela laughed softly. She could feel the smile on Taylor’s face; so open and radiant, full of tenderness for the people surrounding her, and it spoke wonders.

With her free hand, Taylor gently chinked her glass to Estela’s.

“Cheers. To being home.”

“To being home.”

#endless summer #playchoices #estela montoya #estela x mc #diego soto #varyyn #variego #aleister rourke #jake mckenzie

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theot5inourstars · 3 years

Text

Something At First Sight - HS

a/n: some more Harry and Aria, from when they first met. Gotta be honest, i had a lot of fun writing this lol even though i took almost two freaking months to post it rip. I dont want to post their story in chronological order, so everything Haria related can be read in any order. Happy reading, feedback welcome xx

This is mostly fluff w some ~sauciness~ ew im sorry i hate that word

word count: 3,311

***

Aria awoke to the soft October sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains, her eyes adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. She could just about make out the orange of the autumn leaves. It took a minute for her brain to catch up as she admired the mahogany four-poster bed, the too-floral-to-be-pretty wallpaper, and finally the floor, upon which were carelessly littered the clothes she had worn last night. And the memories from the night before came flooding back.

She glanced around the rest of the room, noticing it was empty, before her eyes landed on the other half of the bed, which was also empty, and, - as she placed her hand where he had laid not too long ago, - cold. Great she thought, he fucked your brains out and then he bolted.

She had shimmied into her jeans and was looking in the mess of sheets and duvets for her top, when the door abruptly opened, causing her to let out a little squeal in shock, as her arms rushed to cover her scantily covered chest.

She was surprised when an amused set of green eyes met her own. She took in his appearance: white t shirt and jeans from last night, but his hair was messier now, and Aria proudly took credit for that. “Leavin’ before breakfast, love?” He asked in a raspy voice that made her stomach flip. But his question brought her attention to the trolley he had since pushed into the room, two silver cloches sitting along with a fruit basket. She raised her eyebrows at him, looking unimpressed.

He coughed, ahem ahem, before dramatically removing the cloches to reveal “breakfast crêpes!” Harry had the widest cutest fucking grin on his face; Aria let up a small smile. He continued slowly, “since you said you liked crêpes, I thought I’d make them,” he shrugged casually, as if it was no big deal that he remembered the smallest detail and inevitably made her heart melt.

“You made these?” Aria asked suspiciously. Harry nodded, like an excited little child, smiling widely at her. “Gotta say, I’m impressed, Styles. Maybe I will stay for a bit,” she thought aloud, now having draped a bedsheet around herself.

“Oh you must stay,” Harry said, his voice low. “Plus your friend’s still in Niall’s room.” Aria rolled her eyes at that.

Before she could say anything else, she took two steps back in shock, as Harry took his t-shirt off. “What do you think you’re doing?” She asked defensively. He chuckled, “relax,” he said, as he handed it to her. “You can wear this, I sort of spilt coffee of yours earlier,” he said pointing to the corner where a coffee-stained once-white croptop lay drying. She rolled her eyes before slipping on his t-shirt, which was all too long, and the shoulders didn’t sit right at all, but gosh, Harry thought he had arrived in heaven.

He had obviously seen plenty of other women wearing his clothes the morning after, but there was something about Aria, something about the way she frowned slightly while trying to adjust it the tee, something about how even though her shoulders were much too narrow her chest filled the t-shirt surprisingly well, how she bit her lip subconsciously as she tucked it into her jeans.

Harry was broken out of his trace. She had said something. Fuck. Now she’s going to think he’s some sort of creep. Did she ask him a question? “Pardon,” Harry said stupidly.

“I said,” Aria began, a teasing smile playing on her lips, “it’s rude to stare.” Harry felt a slight blush creep up his neck, as he let out a laugh.

“Okay, I’m hungry, which one is mine?” Aria asked as she situated herself at the edge of the bed, legs crossed, cutlery in hand. Harry thought in that moment that even though he had known her less than twelve hours, he would love to have breakfast with her every single morning. “This one,” Harry said as he passed one of the plates to her. “It’s got spinach, ham, eggs, mozzarella and pesto,” Harry explained. Aria let out the cutest oooh as she took a bite, “and bacon!” She said happily, making Harry laugh. “And bacon.”

“What’s in yours? Sweet, I assume?” She asked, thinking back to their rather random post-coital conversation about crêpes. He nodded, “Nutella and strawberries.” Aria nodded, “I will have a bite in a bit,” she said not particularly enthusiastically. Harry chuckled again, “of course! And if you like it, I made another one for you, just in case,” he said, with a dimpled smile. That was such a sweet gesture, Aria felt her cheeks warm up and she looked away.

Harry brought his hand to her neck; she looked back at him, as she felt his thumb trace over a particularly sore spot on the column of her neck, and she realised he wasn’t looking at her but rather at her neck, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “Huh,” he said softly, his thumb raising goosebumps in its wake. Aria furrowed her brows, “what?” Even though part of her knew just what.

Harry shook his head, “nothing jus’ admiring my handiwork,” and as he said that he applied the slightest pressure to the already sore spot, eliciting a surprised gasp from Aria. It had been just one night and he already knew how to press her buttons, gosh. Harry’s pupils dilated, as he felt Aria’s pulse quicken beneath his fingertips. She hated herself for letting him have this effect on her. She was otherwise frozen in her spot, but as she noticed Harry lean in, she jumped up and back, almost hitting the wall.

And she pulled out her phone. It took Harry a second before he realised she was using the front camera to look at the rather large hickey on her neck. He watched as her eyes widened, as she brought her own fingertips to the spot to examine in, wincing slightly at how sensitive it still was. He smiled, he felt so smug as he remembered just how crazy it drove her.

She shot him a look, his smirk widened. “Don’t look so smug,” she started, “you have some too.” Harry didn’t think Aria could turn him on anymore than that, but dear lord, she had. “Some? As in plural?” Harry asked in disbelief. Aria nodded, sheepishly, almost, her cheeks reddening, as Harry reached out for her phone, which she handed over, front camera still open.

He examined his own neck. He had two hickeys on the column of his neck and one right above his clavicle, and this was disregarding the ones further down his chest. His was shocked, and a little offended that he hadn’t given her as many. He glanced at Aria who was watching him closely, and as she did she bit her lip again.

“C’m’ere,” Harry said, his voice becoming deeper all of a sudden. Aria squinted at him quizzically for a second before walking to him slowly. He reached out his hand and she took it, and before she could register what was happening, he twirled her into his shirtless chest, one of his arms around the front of her body and the other still holding the phone. Aria was strong and independent and could fight, and she never felt the need to be protected. But in that moment, she felt oddly safe with Harry’s arm around her waist, as she felt his warmth radiate against her back, her heart thumping against her chest.

Aria knew Harry could feel her heartbeat quicken because of the soft “y’okay, love?”, the cheeky bastard asked, as he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss on the column of her neck. But she could almost hear his heartbeat quicken too, and she took solace in the fact that she wasn’t the only one who was nervous by their sudden… intimacy.

“Look up for me, yeah?” Harry said, and it hadn’t been a question, as he held the phone up in front of them, above head level. From that angle all of the marks on Harry’s upper body were visible as well as the massive hickey on Aria’s neck. She felt her cheeks flush, but with embarrassment and arousal. How could any human being have this kind of effect on another just by taking a selfie? It was quite ridiculous, Aria thought.

She tried to hide her face by turning her head into his very toned chest, in doing so making the mark on her neck more visible, and not realising the camera also caught the change in tone of her face. She also obviously didn’t see Harry’s cocky smirk but she felt a soft chuckle reverberate from his chest, as he snapped another photograph of them.

Aria then turned around completely, still not looking up at Harry, “are you done with the pictures yet?”, she asked. He took a final look at the four pictures he had managed to snap, very pleased with himself, before he locked her phone. Aria gasped as she felt him slip the phone skilfully into her back pocket, without actually touching her. He then leaned down and whispered in her ear “yes, they’re for later, princess, when you’re missing me.” Cocky fucking bastard.

Aria looked up at him, finally, purposefully widening her eyes, looking all sweet and innocent, one of her hands tracing down his chest. And she tilted her head ever so slightly to the side before asking, “but what about when you’re missing me?”

Harry scoffed and rolled his eyes, and in one fell swoop had lifted Aria off of the ground, her legs almost reflexively wrapped around his torso, as he pressed her against the wall behind them. He could tell Aria hadn’t expected that, not only by her slight gasp, but also the look of surprise on her face, or rather that of utter shock.

Harry’s eyes barely had any hints of green as he looked at her. “Careful now,” he said, his voice an octave deeper than he had been a minute ago, as he pressed slow painful kisses to her neck. Aria pursed her lips fighting not to make a sound; she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But in doing so her legs around his waist tightened, which lead to Harry letting out a soft growl against her skin. “You’re gonna be the death of me, princess,” Harry said, barely above a whisper, before he lifted his head up.

He looked at her for a second, both of their chests heaving slightly before he finally pressed his lips to hers. It started off slow and soft, Harry being the fucking tease he is, but soon morphed into tongues and teeth clashing, and Harry began walking them over to the unmade bed, Aria still wrapped around him, breakfast long forgotten. Harry lowered them into the mess of duvets, Aria’s legs still around his torso, her hands in his already unruly hair, as he carefully hovered over her.

“You okay to go on?” Harry asked, pulling away, his eyes piercing into Aria’s. She nodded. He was about to reprimand her for not using her words, but she remembered the warnings from the night before, “yes,” she said, a little breathless, as she pulled his lips back onto hers.

Harry’s fingers reached the waistband of Aria’s jeans where they felt the edge of his white cotton t shirt, but before he could take them off, an obnoxious buzzing sound broke their trance.

It was Aria’s alarm. She pulled out her phone from her back pocket where Harry had so delicately placed it, and snoozing it, as she looked carefully at it, her brows furrowing in concentration as Harry hovered over her.

She looked up at him, an almost guilty look in her eyes, and his face fell knowing what it meant. “I should get going, I have a train to catch soon,” she said, managing to slide out from under him. Harry nodded; he understood, of course. But neither of them said anything for a while, as Aria gathered her things and straightened herself up in front of the mirror. Harry had insisted as they ate breakfast that she continue wearing his t shirt instead of her coffee-stained one, “for mostly selfish reasons,” he had reassured her with a wink, and was now observing with the most gentle of smiles as she rolled up the sleeves a bit, looking at herself in the mirror.

“It’s rude to stare, Styles,” Aria reminded him, glancing at him for a mere second, a gleam in her eye. “Can’t help myself,” Harry said, as he folded his arms across his chest, but looked away anyway.

He was deep in thought, and he came to the conclusion that he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her, not yet anyway. “Don’t take the train,” Harry stated suddenly. Aria frowned at him, almost amused, before rolling her eyes and mumbling a sure. “No no, I can drive you back,” he declared.

Aria scoffed, “no, absolutely not,” even though she would love nothing more than to go on a mini road trip with Harry, it would make no sense for him to drive all the way to St Andrews and then drive all the way back to Glasgow, and it would have been extremely selfish of her to even think about asking him to.

“Why not?” Harry challenged, “I’m free all day today, I would rather spend time with you than be cooped up in this room with sheets-” Harry paused and took three quick steps and now stood behind her, looking at her through the mirror, “-sheets that smell like you,” he said, his voice low again, his hand traced down the side of her neck, moving the hair that covered the hickey out of the way, as he pressed a soft kiss on her temple.

“Oh come on, road trip, it’ll be fun!” He said, pulling away suddenly, his tone taking a turn back to his cheery one. “Hardly,” Aria said as she quickly composed herself, “its an hour and a half away.” Harry was about to say something else but before he could Aria said, “okay, let’s do it.” Harry’s eyes widened, as he gave her a huge beaming smile, and pulled her in for a hug, lifting her off the ground. “But I’m driving,” Aria announced, making Harry chuckle. “Absolutely not.”

***

Harry drove. But that allowed Aria to admire not only the Scottish countryside but also Harry’s beautiful side profile, so her complaints died down very fast. Somehow, with all the rest stops and snack breaks, they managed to take a little over 3 hours to complete the journey. It had to have been some sort of record in Delaying The Inevitable.

When Harry pulled up in front of Aria’s flat, they both got quite quiet, not looking at each other, afraid to break their little bubble.

“That’s a pretty necklace,” Harry said finally looking at Aria. She glanced down at the silver necklace that lay on her sternum and smiled to herself, before she reached behind her neck and unclasped the piece. And before Harry knew what was happening, she had leaned across the centre console and reached around his neck and clasped the necklace there. The necklace, with one evil eye charm and one disk charm with the letter A engraved on it, fell in between the open buttons of Harry’s shirt, accompanying his gold cross. It was an interesting contrast between the gold and silver jewellery.

Aria noticed Harry was about to say something as her eyesight drifted back to his face, but she beat him too it, “just something to remember me by.” It was a bittersweet feeling, it seemed like something was… ending.

Harry placed one of his hands on the necklace, on his chest, and the other on top of Aria’s much smaller one. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. He wanted to protest and tell her that she didn’t need to give him her necklace, but if he’d have learnt one thing about her in the past day, it was that she would not have listened. Not in an uncompromising way, just in an end of way. And it would certainly bring back good memories for him.

They stayed like that for a minute, holding hands. Aria was not looking at Harry anymore but he couldn’t not look at her. And he smiled to himself as he watched her cheeks redden from their sudden intimacy.

Harry took a deep breath, “another really good way to remember you by,” he began as Aria looked up at him, her brows slightly furrowed wondering where he was going with this, as Harry continued, “would be if you gave me your phone number,” he announced. It was hardly a question.

But Aria had a strict NO PHONE NUMBERS TO BE GIVEN TO ONE NIGHT STANDS rule, which echoed in her head like a siren. Oh, but this was Harry Freaking Styles, said a small voice in her head. Harry carefully observed her as she contemplated what to do. He could almost hear the cogs turning in her head.

“No,” Aria stated with finality that broke Harry’s heart a bit, and maybe even her own. “But you can have my email address.” Harry’s ears perked up, “I will take what I can get,” he replied with a small, nervous chuckle. Aria nodded, almost awkwardly. “Alright then,” she said as she typed in her email address into his phone, like it was 2005. “I take ages to reply, just a heads up,” she admitted as she handed Harry his phone back.

“Hey, maybe one day you’ll let me use the email to iMessage you,” he said with a wink. Shit. She didn’t think of that. He could very well iMessage her, and well, she wasn’t going to block him… Aria pushed her commitment issues to her back of her mind. What were the chances that one of the biggest pop-stars on the planet would actually take the time of day to email someone he had a) just met and b) someone who was Aria? With that silent self reassurance, she nodded, not saying anything about that.

“I should get going; class tomorrow, need to prep,” Aria said as she reached to the backseat and grabbed her overnighter. “So, I guess this is goodbye then?”

“Only for now,” Harry said with a small shake of his head, reassuring mostly himself.

Aria leaned across to Harry again and gently pressed her lips to his. “Bye, Harry,” she said, her lips still hovering over his, eyes still closed, before he leaned into her again, and kissed her once more. It was soft and quick, and without another glance or word, Aria was out the door, not giving Harry time to process.

So he sat there, as he watched Aria disappear behind the reflective glass doors of her building, thinking about everything he was feeling. And while Harry had never been in love - sure, he had been in his fair share of relationships with people he loved, people who he thought he could eventually be in love with, he couldn’t say for certain he was someone who had been in love. He thought about gazing into Aria’s deep chocolatey eyes, and felt the necklace burn into his soul in the best way possible, he felt what he could describe was the closest to being in love as he had been ever in his life. He had only known her for 16 hours, but dear god, he wanted to spend his every waking minute with her. And even if he hadn’t felt love, he had felt Something. Something he could describe in no other way.

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tae-cup · 3 years

Text

Fragments of Skin and Alcohol | JJK

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Reader

Summary: You don’t remember much, but you remember them...

Genre: Choose your own adventure, amnesia au, fluff

Warnings: Alcohol and cursing (honestly, it’s really not that bad)

Rating: PG-13?

Word Count: 2k Words

A/N: My inspiration after writing the past four stories every single day for four days straight made my brain flop but also run with more ideas at the same time oh my god. A real mess of a timeline I’ve got going...

Someone tell me why I wrote the aftermath of a breakup before the actual relationship? My timeline writing actually went 7, 2, 1, 3, 6, 5, 4. I know I said I’d publish in chronological order, but I take it back. You guys are smart people.

Header by the talented and amazing @dnrequests

Timeline Place: 6

Other:

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

You were suffocating, swaying amongst the crowd, the bass rattling your bones. The stench of sweat slicking down skin and alcohol burning throats filled the air. The flashing lights left your eyes to adjust over and over, the alcohol buzzing in your veins and making you stumble. Yeah, you were a little buzzed, but not too bad.

You usually didn’t drink away your problems, but you had a big problem. The ending of a long term relationship was always hard, especially when you had been so sure that you loved him. You grimaced at the thought of his face and clutched your cup tighter, taking a large swig.

You made your way to the edge of the room, leaning against the wall to get your bearings. Your makeup was probably ruined and the dress your friends had made you wear didn’t leave much to the imagination.

You had never been a fan of dresses, often preferring a suit, but they had insisted and you had decided to get out of your comfort zone a bit. You were a little jealous at how easily they were able to go out and show off everything they got. Jennie was beautiful after all and so were Jisoo and Rose. How did they meet an ugly duckling like you? Who knew.

You placed your sweaty palms against the wall, dropping your empty cup onto the ground. A part of you knew you should pick it up, but your mind immediately hissed aw, fuck it. It sounded like something your boyfr-ex boyfriend would chastise you about. And fuck him.

But even that was hard to think about because you didn’t hate him. It didn’t even end on a bad note or anything, you both just sort of went your separate ways. While you wallowed in your misery, you didn’t note the figure leaning against the wall beside you. He cleared his throat loudly and you jumped a little, turning to look at him.

The man had doe eyes and his hair was swept to one side, the wave hanging in his eyes. You ogled him with no qualms; alcohol was funny like that. Fear? You hadn’t heard of it since...you once again lamented a lost love. The man, however, was well built, with well shaped muscles and a slim waist. You averted your eyes, regaining a sense of dignity. The man looked like...a literal god.

“Rough night?” He asked gently, his voice softer than you expected for his look. He pulled off the edgy vibe well enough.

“More like a rough life.” You barked without thinking, wanting to slap yourself for how...out of control you felt.

“Yeah, I get that.” He crossed his arms, eyes glancing over the sea of people. Then he turned to you.

“Want to head out? Some fresh air would be nice.” He smiled a little, reaching out to touch your arm.

Your eyes flickered from his face to his arms, to his hand on upper arm. Then you pulled away, the touch and gesture feeling all too familiar.

“Don’t do that!” You exclaimed, out of all the thoughts flying through your head. He raised an eyebrow, backing away slightly.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly, his voice almost lost in the music. You shook your head, trying to get a grip, trying to think straight.

“No, no, it’s just….don’t try and pull a fast one on me, okay?”

“A fast one?”

“Being all nice and handsome and then turning around, springing a relationship and love confessions all over me like-like-like a...a..” You trailed off, forgetting what you were trying to say. The man seemed amused by this.

“I won’t, I swear.” He held up his hands. You glanced at his calloused hands, rough and worn. “I’m Jungkook, why don’t I just drive you home?”

“I’m Y/N...and Why should I trust you?” You crossed your arms, your common sense not completely null.

“I don’t know, maybe you shouldn’t.” He shrugged.

“That’s reassuring.”

But the twinkle in his eye and the alluring nature of his posture pulled you closer. Jungkook didn’t really give off a threatening aura. You finally just nodded and let him lead you through the party.

“Try anything weird and I won’t hesitate to call the cops.” You clarified. He simply smiled and hummed in agreement.

His hands were strong and elegant. It was a thought that hit you quite randomly as you sat in the car. The low rumble of the road below, the silence making your ears ring in contrast to the music of the club, made for a peaceful moment.

He focused on the road ahead, not engaging in conversation, but you attributed it to him being a keen observer. You weren’t really in the mood to talk, the high of the night wearing off.

“You know, when I was younger, my mother always drove me around when I couldn’t sleep. She’d pack a late night snack, strap me into the back, and just...drive.” The man said, breaking the silence.

You nodded a little, your hair pressed against the window. The yellowish orange glow of the streetlamps passed you by on the highway. The road was almost deserted at this hour.

“You look pretty young still, Jungkook, too young to talk about ‘when you were younger’.” You smiled softly. You heard him shift in his seat slightly, taking a glance at you.

Then he dipped his head. You watched him turn and indicate out of your peripheral vision.

“My point is, I like driving. It calms me.” He stated, his voice light and lilting. Another beat. “Tell me something about yourself.”

“Why?”

“I told you something about me.”

You scoffed but thought for a moment.

“My friend, Jennie, when we were in elementary school, she accidentally fell off the slide and chipped her front tooth. Good thing it was already wiggly, but it still looked gnarly.” You said. He snorted.

“Okay, but that’s not about you.”

“Why do you want to know about me?” You rolled your eyes.

“I just want to find out more about the beautiful stranger I’m driving home.”

“And maybe I want to find out more about the beautiful man that’s driving?”

You watched the corners of his lips pull upwards.

“I’m sorry, I’m not the best at...talking to people, anyone.” He said sheepishly and the car fell into silence. You waited a few minutes, the alcohol beginning to make you sleepy.

“I think you’re doing a fine job so far.” You mumbled, but you knew he heard it.

“Thanks.”

You returned to watching the window. The passing cars lit up the interior every now and then. His black leather seats must be hot when it was sunny. You weren’t quite sure why that was the first thing to come to mind, but you weren’t sure why anything was happening.

The loss of control was exactly what you needed tonight, but it was also such an awful feeling. It made your stomach churn, fearing you might not be able to make the right decisions. You were trusting Jungkook to be an honest man.

He slowly pulled into a residential neighborhood, your house nearby. You blinked, seeing the familiar surroundings. You instantly shot up, remembering self defense 101.

“W-wait, let me out here.” You stuttered. Never let a stranger know where you live.

Jungkook didn’t even flinch, remaining in a calm and level tone. His hands were loose on the steering wheel. His eyes didn’t even strain from the road.

“If you’re worried about me knowing your address, you gave me it at the beginning of the drive.” He said plainly and you let yourself relax.

You just needed to remind yourself to kick your drunk self’s ass later. You leaned back and rested your head against the headrest, groaning in frustration at yourself.

“I really didn’t drink a lot.” You murmured.

“I can see that.” He replied sarcastically.

“Seriously!”

“How many drinks did you have?”

“One...two...three...five...I dunno, lost count.” You mumbled, let your eyes flutter closed. You were feeling awfully sleepy.

He eyed you out of his peripheral and then slowly pulled up to your house. Then, he parked, went around to the passenger side, and opened your door. You remained still. Jungkook sighed, gnawing anxiously at his lip as he looked from you to your front door.

The man tapped his foot anxiously. He could carry you inside, but that would mean he A) had your house keys and B) you would let a stranger into your house. Besides, that kind of thing really only happened in fanfiction, right? You didn’t even open your eyes, knowing what he pondered.

“If you’re thinking of carrying me into my house, bridal style,” You slowly opened your eyes and stretched your arms, your knuckles brushing against the roof. “Then you are sorely mistaken, big guy.”

Then you gathered your things, made your way out of the car, stumbling a few steps, and walked to your front door. You fumbled with your keys before finding the right one. Your frustration only grew as the keyhole kept moving. He watched you, amused.

“Well, little miss, it looks like you’re having some trouble there.” Jungkook swooped in and fit the key to the hole, even helping to turn it. You flushed a scarlet red, and not just because of the alcohol.

The quiet street felt so still in that moment. You didn’t dare move or make a sound, lest you disturb the leaves. The soft ding of the car door alarm beeped across the emptiness. You took a deep breath and then turned to face him, your faces a few mere inches apart.

“Thanks for the ride.” You whispered, voice hushed.

His eyes searched yours and your lips craved his, your hands wished to roam his body. And damn him for being so alluring to your drunken state, Your eyes flickered to his lips and he didn’t miss the action. It had been a while...it was time to move on, even for a brief moment.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked, a husky tone to his voice.

You answered by leaning in and pressing your lips to his. Your hands moved to his shoulders and his arms fell to your waist. He pulled your body flush against his, fighting for dominance, which you gladly gave. In an instant, he pulled away, let you catch your breath. Jungkook shot you a small smile, far too timid for someone who just kissed you so boldly.

“The rest will be saved for later, yeah?” He said shyly.

“Later?”

He dipped his head and you found yourself smiling, truly, for the first time in months.

The next morning, you woke up, head pounding. You yawned, watching as the sunlight filtered through your curtains and then across the wooden planks of your bedroom. You carefully stepped onto the cold floorboards, wrapping a soft robe around your body.

With a sigh, you pressed your fingers to your lips. What had you done? Sure, it was a pleasant memory and not unwelcome, the memory of his lips against yours, but was this okay? Moving on, even though it had been months, it still felt like you were cheating.

You slipped on your fuzzy slippers and ran your fingers through your hair. Your fingers caught on the loose strands and the knotted ends. Then, you opened the door of your house with a slow creak. There, on your doorstep, was a note weighted down under a stone.

How about we meet in the daytime? I’d love to get to know you :) - Jungkook

You smiled softly to yourself, rereading the simple words over and over again. Yeah, it was time to move on from your last partner. His messy handwriting and even cuter smiley face had you smiling far too wide for so early in the morning. And they say chivalry is dead.

Want to try another path?

Go Back To The Beginning

#bts #bts x reader #Jeon jungkook #Jungkook #Jungkook x reader #JJK #JJK x reader #JK #jay kaaaaay #gukkie #fragments of you #amnesia au #fluff #PG #non idol au #castlebangtan #bangtanuniversity

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snowdice · 4 years

Text

Gaps in His Files (Part 11) [Relabeled; Refiled Series]

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Relationships: Logan/Patton

Characters:

Main: Logan, Patton

Appear: Remy, Virgil (but only in the epilogue)

Summary:

Logan Berry has learned many things the last 10 years: a lot of math and physics, a bit of humility, and how to be a hero being just a few. Through his education, his experience teaching, and his exploits as the superhero Bluebird, he’s changed in a lot of small and large ways. He has recorded these changes in well-organized documents and files. He’s even had to create two new file designations: a red one for files about his moonlighting at Bluebird, and a light blue one dedicated to his boyfriend, Patton.

When Bluebird is targeted by a memory device and all of those 10 years of progress suddenly disappear, Patton Sanders and Logan’s extensive files are left as his only resource to get those memories back. But what is Patton supposed to do when there are clear gaps in his files? And what does he do when he is one of them?

This is set 25 years before Sometimes Labels Fail though it’s story is completely independent of it and it is not necessary to read that one first.

Notes: Superhero AU, memory loss, past child abuse, past child neglect, unhealthy ideas about ones place in relationships, emotional suppression, self-deprecating thoughts, medical procedures mentioned, very brief unhealthy views of sex

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

Logan had not lied to Patton this morning. He was not going to go to the university today, but… he didn’t think he was going to find any answers in this apartment. And he did want answers now. He had always wanted to get his memories back of course, but something a little more urgent had been niggling in the back of his mind since yesterday to the point of a headache.

He’d spent the first hour after Patton left searching around the apartment. The two of them had fallen asleep either on the office floor or in the living room the last few nights while going through Logan’s files in the hopes that those would return his memories. They hadn’t; Logan was beginning to think they wouldn’t. There was something missing from the files that Logan could not determine. The files they were reading were extensive, but heartless: noncontextualized receipts, detached notes, and aloof reports. Logan was all for facts most of the time, but his notes gave little insight into meaning. Perhaps if he got his memories back, he should reevaluate his filing system’s configuration. He knew by now he wasn’t going to find anything within those pages.

So, instead of continuing to read through old receipts, he decided to investigate a room he hadn’t been in yet: the bedroom. The blinds were thick and had been closed tight keeping the room dark enough that it could be night. He’d left them closed and flipped on the light. Like most of the apartment, there weren’t many decorations. There was just a large bed, carefully made that took up most of the large room and a nightstand with only a reading lamp on it. The only thing that seemed out of place was the suit he found in the closet covered in a white plastic bag. When he unwrapped the suit, he found it was not something Logan would ever think to wear. He much preferred plain black suits over the honestly rather gaudy golden one he found inside the plastic cover. He was unsure why he’d apparently purchased such a thing especially since he seemed to have a perfectly functional black one in the closet too.

Then he’d laid in the bed that he knew he must have slept in every night for years judging by the way the right side molded to his body. The sheets had smelled weird somehow, though not as though they’d been spoiled, and he’d found himself rolling toward the other side, his hand finding a pillow in the center of the bed. He’d felt something like a tearing in his chest and found himself curling around the pillow so he could hug it to his chest. For the first time since he’d woken in this time, he’d been absolutely certain that something of his memories must still be in his head because this… this was something like a word on the tip of his tongue he couldn’t quite capture.

Part of him had just wanted to go to sleep in this strange, but not strange bed, curled around that pillow, but the other part had forced him to his feet.

He’d gone back to the main room and found his wallet. He dug out the receipts there before spreading them out on the kitchen counter in chronological order.

He was going to retrace his steps from the week before the incident.

Most of the receipts were places on or around the college campus. He decided to avoid the ones on campus, staying true to his word, but planned to work his way out using the university as the epicenter.

The first place he went was a coffee shop which according to the address on the receipts was only a few blocks from where his office building was. It was called ‘The Hideout’ and was the source of multiple receipts. He was easily able to find it on foot.

The second he walked into the shop, he was hit by a wave of déjà vu so strong that he felt he might get a nose bleed. It was as though he’d walked the path to the cash register thousands of times in a dream.

“Hey Logan!” a cheery man said. “I haven’t seen you or Patton in days. I was getting worried.”

“I have been ill and am still recovering,” he replied. “Patton has been caring for me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to be out and about. Do you just want your usual coffee or are you eating?”

“I’d like a turkey sandwich,” he said.

“One turkey sandwich, no tomatoes,” the man said, “and a coffee with two sugars, don’t tell Patton.”

Logan gave him a tight-lipped smile and handed him a twenty-dollar bill, adding another receipt from the establishment to the pile in his wallet.

He sat at a corner table and the sight of the calm coffee shop both made him want to relax and want to jump out of his skin. There were ghosts dancing in front of his eyes: little wisps of figures that weren’t there and conversations that weren’t happening. His head hurt.

He ate the sandwich and drank the coffee, the taste as familiar and unknown as the rest of this place. The man at the till waved to him when he left.

The next place was a small bookstore that he walked around for half an hour and the grocery store on the corner. Each prickled familiarly at the back of his skull but did not give him quite the pounding headache as the coffee shop had.

He felt like a ghost haunting his own life.

There were a few other places he found himself, a couple of fast food restaurants and a juice bar in a gym that didn’t seem to affect him at all.

Last, he ended up outside a tailor’s shop farther from the university than anything else. He had a feeling this had been the source of the new suit in his closet. He didn’t go inside, just stared at the mannequins in the window for a long time before he walked away.

He got back to his apartment a bit past noon. Perhaps he should not have been surprised after yesterday that there was a figure on the couch. Logan froze. Patton did not react for a moment to the sound of Logan entering the apartment and Logan wondered if he’d fallen asleep sitting up with his head in his hands.

“Did you go to class?” he asked after a few long moments, still not moving.

“No,” Logan answered.

After enough time that Logan started to shift uncomfortably, he removed his hands and gave a sharp nod. “I’m glad to see you aren’t dead.”

“Would you like to know where I went?” Logan would like to tell him, especially because now it felt like the missing memories, wherever they were in his head, were slamming into whatever figurative wall the memory gun had erected in his mind.

Yet, Patton said, “no. Not right now.” He got to his feet then. “What would you like for lunch?”

He was not hungry as he’d eaten recently, but he wasn’t going to say that. “Anything is fine.”

“I’ll make buffalo chicken tenders,” he said and once again Logan was stricken that the man with an expression on his face that on lesser men meant Logan was about to be cold-cocked would put forth the effort to make one of Logan’s favorite lunch time foods.

Logan wanted his memories back and not even for himself. He just wanted to remember how to wipe that expression off Patton’s face and wondered why on Earth future him hadn’t bother to write that down.

Want to read more? Click below!

AO3 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Epilogue

#sanders sides #logan sanders #patton sanders #logicality #tsss #superhero au #memory loss #past child abuse #past child neglect #emotional suppression #self deprecation #gaps in his files #labeled universe #relabeled; refiled #adriana writes

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lunawings · 4 years

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My history with King of Prism and worries for the future

Poor Nikkanen. They made us wait TWO YEARS for the release of the full version of his ONLY song. I don’t think Prism Rush was supposed to end when it did, and the unreleased songs are more or less proof of that. (I mean what were they saving them for? I doubt the “Best Of” collection was what they originally had in mind.) I had always assumed that some time after SSS ended we’d start getting new songs on Prism Rush again and get another Prism Rush compilation CD. But that did not happen.

Did SSS not do well? I mean... having been in a sold-out theater many a time I had assumed that it did quite well. But maybe the TV ratings and/or DVD sales weren’t what they should have been. (Then again, if we’re just talking about Prism Rush, it wouldn’t matter how well SSS did or didn’t do if people didn’t spend enough money on the app to warrant releasing new songs for it.)

But that aside... it is a bit concerning to not only have Prism Rush ending, but over a year after SSS, to have nothing on the horizon in the future except for some “Best Of” discs... Maybe they’ll announce something at the Zoom show? Maybe they won’t.

It may be too early to start mourning the King of Prism series as a whole, but...

But I can’t help but feel myself starting to mourn at least my own future with it. With no new Prism Rush content and without ability to go to in-person cheering shows, I... I just I... I feel like I may find it hard to keep as passionate as I have been in the past. And to make matters worse, I’m not going to be able to work on my translations as much as before either. When I was translating 2-3 events a month on my Prism Rush translation blog, I had no job and then like... half a job. To make a long story short recently that first job not only got upgraded to full time, but I got another job as well. So now I have a job and a half and... a lot less free time.

For a long time my main fandom has been split something like 49%/51% Love Live/King of Prism, but with the constant stream of accessible new Love Live content and lack of much of anything King of Prism I think that percentage will soon change...

And so, while feeling emotional about all this, I started mentally revisiting my favorite moments from my time in the King of Prism fandom. (It’s all stuff I’ve talked about before, but if you’d like me to dig up the post or explain the details, do let me know...)

(In somewhat chronological order-ish)

*Stepping out of Toho Cinemas and into the Bay City Nagoya Mall in early January 2016 not knowing how to process what had just happened. I’d heard people talk about how exiting to the parking lot after seeing Star Wars the first time in the 1970s was a bizarre experience. They didn’t know how to tell people the world was different now. I thought to myself that this was probably the same feeling. How could I tell people the world was sparkling now?

*Three weeks and three showings later, realizing I did not want to trade after I opened up my Shin filmstrip bonus. “I think I like him.”

*Hanging up said filmstrip and my other original theater bonuses on the wall of my apartment. “King of Prism won’t be in theaters much longer”, I thought to myself. “It was fun while it lasted.”

*The radiance exploding from me as I talked to OTHER PEOPLE who had seen King of Prism for the fIRsT tIME (a thing that did not happen for several months).

*Tokyo cheering shows back in the heyday. Looking around a giant, screaming, sold-out theater in Ikebukuro after many months had passed and realizing I was a part of something much bigger than I had realized.

*The first Animate Cafe in Kyoto. Everyone gleefully answering “Naaaani” while listening to the explanation of how the cafe worked. The miracle of getting my first, and still favorite, cafe Shin badge.

*Screaming at the Over the Rainbow event live viewing when they announced Pride the Hero. We did it. We really did it. We were actually getting the sequel I once thought was impossible.

*The midnight showing of Pride the Hero. People crying before it even started and the thunderous applause after it finished that I thought would never end. (People in Japan usually never clap after movies.)

*Music Ready Sparking. (The first concert.) The feeling of seeing SePTENTRION (long before they were called that) rising up to the stage to perform live for the first time.

*The realization that I knew all the words to Dramatic Love, despite having never sang it before. (The instrumental began during the credits at the concert and we all... just... started singing. Japanese fandoms usually never sing at concerts unless directed to.) This is probably still my favorite moment of all time in the King of Prism fandom.

*The announcement of the Prism Rush app and the golden age of the game. Biting my nails with anticipation over what would happen next in the White Day event.

*Screaming in the theater during the Rose Party 2018 event live viewing when they announced SSS. We did it. We REALLY did it this time. We got an actual anime. We reached the mainstream.

*The adventure that was reading Road to SSS for the first time on Prism Rush and trying to predict what all the duos would be only to be blindsided by completely new characters. Going from “the heck are these guys” to “MY SONS” regarding the Amamoto twins over the course of about an hour.

*Listening to everyone (not so) silently laughing, screaming, crying, and otherwise sUfFeRiNg during the non-cheering midnight premiere of SSS Part 1 and realizing I had never felt so emotionally connected to any such other large group of complete strangers before.

*Going from the Nagoya premiere straight to the SSS greeting show in Tokyo where Junta Terashima looked at me... maybe. (I’d like to think he did.)

*When the OP played for the first time during our very first SSS livestream on Rabbit and seeing y’all just typing “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” into the chat.

*In Tokyo, walking out of KFC in the POURING rain and stumbling upon SePTENTRION’s shopping street despite having completely missed it the first time. IT WAS REAL.

*Glancing over at my TV screen during our very last SSS livestream on Rabbit and having the color drain from my face when I saw Shin in his Daisuki Refrain outfit (which was not shown in theaters) for the very first time two minutes before you guys in the chat would see it, and having no idea how to contain this emotion.

*Clicking to another tab after our last SSS livestream to type my commentary post and then clicking back to see you guys collectively making the Wiki page for SePTENTRION on Rabbit.

*Prism dolphin show.

*The CLOUD of real (fake) money flying through the air during Kakeru’s prism show on the during all-night Prism Shower showing of SSS. (Also people offering to pay for young Alexander to go to the Prism King Cup.)

*The miracle moment when I finally got the livestream for the Rose Party 2019 on Stage to work on Kast despite a typhoon and an earthquake. THE PRISM SPARKLE PREVAILED. Dangerously walking back to my hostel in said typhoon and sleeping for about an hour and not even caring because I was convinced more than ever that the prism sparkle is real.

*Seeing Shota Aoi live for the first time, realizing I was looking at a literal angel, and not knowing how to contain this emotion.

*The chills during an orchestral Dramatic Love.

*A very overdue performance by my favorite boy during the Best Ten movie. It was worth the wait. Feeling I may actually be able to leave Japan with no regrets thanks to Daisuki Refrain.

*The Best Ten greeting show in Nagoya where Masashi Igarashi jumped an original Nagoya-themed prism jump.

*Finally telling Junta Terashima and Masashi Igarashi my feelings in the letters I spent days writing to put in their present boxes at the SSS live.

*Dropping all my luggage when I stumbled upon the very place, the very scaffolding under which Minato met Kouji for the first time in Shizuoka. IT WAS REAL.

*Masashi Igarashi waved to me at the end of the 2nd performance of the SSS live... maybe. (I’d like to think he did.)

*Hearing the “Naaaani” response to anything ringing through the Makuhari Messe hall before the SSS live and just thinking about how far we’ve come as a fandom and yet how much has stayed the same.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had a moment in early 2016 when I hung up all the King of Prism stuff I had on my wall and thought “It was fun while it lasted.”

It looked like this:

Nowadays I have two FULL photo albums filled with concert tickets, theater bonuses, post cards, coasters, stickers... (Not to mention an entire drawer filled with my collection of Shin merch.)

Everything inside is a memory of some event I went to, something I ate at a cafe, some kind of experience I had such as the ones I talked about in this post... It’s always been pretty disorganized because I was constantly getting new things all the time.

But now that I have no idea when (...or if) it will be added to, I can finally take it all out and organize it by character or something.

But I’ve been avoiding it.

Because I know when I do, there will probably be a moment where I close the cover and think to myself “It was fun while it lasted.”

#king of prism #kinpri

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motherofmercury · 3 years

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alloooo feel free to answer all of them or just the ones you want 3, 5, 13, 18 (do i get bonus points if i guess h.d. and am correct??), 25 <3 <3

pennnyyyy <3 <3

3. what order do you write in? front of book to back? chronological? favorite scenes first? something else?

I used to obsessively write chonologically and ONLY chronologically, but recently I have actually been finding it super useful to write whichever scene is currently tickling my fancy at any given time and then just jump around like that and fill in the gaps later. Although scenes do have a habit of tickling my fancy in a largely chronological order hahaha what can I say, I like to keep thing under control.

5. character you were most surprised to end up writing

Honestly, I have to say Harry! I never once intended to write the Golden trio era because it’s just so developed already, and Harry as father/uncle/mentor to the next gen kids was obviously going to happen, but Harry as a person in his own right was something i never thought I’d write and then you and An got me writing that Cedric/Harry fic (and also we discovered scarry) and suddenly I seem to be writing a lot of Harry!

13. your strengths as an author

I’m good at descriptions and imagery, and I’m also good at knowing when to say a pronoun or a name for best readability when it comes to same-sex love scenes ;)

18. were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? what were they?

Oh man I used to be a terrible chameleon like this, but I think I’ve finally managed to start settling into my own voice (no bonus points for inside knowledge <3 also I don’t think it counts when I intentionally copy the style haha). But yeah sometimes I like to copy other authors’ styles just to mix things up a bit!

25. copy/paste a few sentences or a short paragraph that you’re particularly proud of

This is from All Empty Aching Blue which I’m really quite proud of in general <3

The lights were too bright for Lily’s eyes and she couldn’t focus her mind. The camera flashes tried to blind her through her swirling, endless fog, but it was tattering her away at the edges, pulling on her attention and trying to hurl her out into its numbing stream. All she wanted was some milk. But someone was yelling at her and they were flashing and calling and she wanted to get out, needed to get out she couldn’t stay here or she’d be drowned into something horrid, she needed to get away get away get away get away get away, Lily just take a step- take a step and just a little twist—with a harsh crack, she was gone.

get to know the author asks

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jbk405 · 3 years

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Story-arcs of The Clone Wars

Yesterday I was talking about Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and how to watch this series (And Rebels) to catch up and understand Ahsoka’s appearance in The Mandalorian. Since TCW was an anthology series its episodes frequently jumped around in chronological order (The very earliest episode doesn’t come out until the second season, and the pilot movie is technically third) and so there’s a thousand-and-one different “proper” ways to watch the series. Some say to watch it in straight chronological order so that you get the full story, others say to watch it in production/release order since that’s the way it was meant to be experienced, and some have their own personal mishmash based on story-arcs.

Throughout the series they frequently had three- and four-part story-arcs that formed what were essentially mini-movies (This is what they did for the original theatrical release). Quite often these were among the best episodes of the series, and they contributed the most to the ongoing storylines that built towards what happened in the movies, what came next in Rebels, and which are now being followed in The Mandalorian.

I can’t give a final ruling on the overall order to watch the series, but what I can do is give an overview of the various individual story-arcs. My takes on their quality, how accessible they are to new viewers, and where they fit in the story. I will be covering them in release order from beginning to end, skipping over the standalone and two-part episodes. I won’t do season seven as it is still recent, and that is the climax to all of these arcs.

So, with no further ado:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008): The pilot movie, which had a theatrical release. As I said, this was composed of what were originally the first four episodes of the show, and I find that the enjoyment is a lot better if you view it that way instead of as a single whole. As an introduction to the series it serves functionally well: It introduces Ahsoka Tano and it features almost all of the main players of the series (Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padme, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, Rex, Cody, etc.). Quality wise it’s “Okay”. I disliked it when I first saw it back in 2008, but when I rewatched it a few months ago it was a lot better than I remembered so it’s possible I was just in whiny “It’s not REAL Star Wars!” mode back in 2008. If you’re watching it with somebody who doesn’t like ‘cartoons’ or is an Original Trilogy purist this may not be the best place to start since it doesn’t present the best first impression, but if they’ve got an open mind or are interested in the series it could work.

Malevolence Arc (Season 1): Three episodes of the first season revolving around the Separatists’ new superweapon, a powerful ion canon aboard the dreadnought Malevolence. The first episode shows them discovering the weapon, the second disabling it, and the third episode shows their attempts to finish destroying the ship itself. There are numerous references and homages to the original Star Wars film and the effort to escape/destroy the Death Star. This arc has some great character work (Jedi Master Plo Koon is heavily featured and he is a heavy fan favorite, plus a personal favorite of Dave Filoni) and some light debates on the worth of the life of a clone. However, this early the show is still working out its kinks so there’s a few points where characters fundamentally misunderstand the whole “Jedi shouldn’t have attachments” philosophy, and the supposedly competent military commanders make baseline errors that come close to sabotaging their own forces. An adequate jump-on point for the series, just bear in mind that it does get better.

Nute Gunray Arc (Season 1): A very loose three-part arc, it follows a different primary cast each episode as one group initially captures Separatist leader Nute Gunray, another transports him, and a third tries to recapture him after he escapes. Each episode of this arc is very different tonally from the one before, it starts with a semi-comical Jar Jar Binks episode, the middle is a military action story, and the conclusion is a much more intimate military action, almost horror story. Jedi Masters Luminara Unduli and Kit Fisto appear in parts two and three. The episodes themselves are good, but I would recommend against this being your first exposure since their loose connection means they don’t really build to anything as a whole by watching them together.

Ryloth Arc (Season 1): Three episodes towards the end of the first season showing the different stages of the Republic’s attempt to liberate the planet Ryloth from Separatist occupation. Here is where the arcs start to pick up a little bit of steam: Each episode shows a different stage of the invasion and focuses on different characters, but unlike the Gunray arc they are all still the same story. The first episode focuses on Anakin and Ahsoka trying to break the Separatist blockade so they can reach the planet, the second focuses on Obi-Wan Kenobi attempting to destroy ground-based weaponry so they can land their forces on the surface, and the third focuses on Mace Windu leading the attack on the Separatist capital. This is the first arc to really try and show the cost and effects of war: Ahsoka loses a lot of men in the first episode and struggles with that guilt when they need to attack again, Obi-Wan needs to circumvent civilian hostages and human shields that the Separatists are using, and Mace needs to ally with the local resistance and try to forge a partnership despite their admittedly not-identical goals. These aren’t the individually best episodes of the entire season, but it’s probably the best arc of the season.

Children of the Force Arc (Season 2): The three episodes that open season two. This introduces Cad Bane, a bounty hunter hired to steal a Jedi Holocron so that Darth Sidious can get a list of Force-sensitive children the Jedi have found and can kidnap them to raise as his evil lackeys. The first episode is a heist episode, the second an action retrieval episode, and the third a chase episode. I will admit to not liking this arc as much as others seem to, because the main characters keep making ridiculous decisions that only make sense if they have literally forgotten other parts of the story (For example, a Holocron can only be opened by somebody using the Force, so the Jedi initially don’t believe that anybody would bother trying to steal one because it would be useless to them. This requires them to just forget the existence Count Dooku, a former Jedi who is leading the Separatists and who would love to gain their secrets). However, despite not being my personal favorite, this could serve as a good intro if you wanted to start here. Cad Bane recurs in several future episodes so it’s a good introduction, and it features a large portion of the primary cast. It also has good action, and several bits of character development for Ahsoka, Anakin, and their relationship.

Geonosis Arc (Season 2): A four-part arc (Some people actually include the preceding episode as well to make it five episodes, but I don’t), this is in my opinion the first really good arc and starts to show where The Clone Wars is going to excel as a series. This follows the Republic re-invasion of Geonosis (The planet from Attack of the Clones) after the Separatists have somehow managed to overwhelm the forces left there after the film. The first episode is straight military action, often described as being like Saving Private Ryan and other WWII films focusing on the Normany invasions. The second episode is military espionage, a sabotage mission. The third (Believe it or not) switches over to a zombie episode and goes straight horror. The fourth stays horror, but instead of zombies it’s paranoia from spreading mind control. Barriss Offee is introduced here, and her master Luminara Unduli returns. The cast semi-rotates throughout the four episodes, with different Jedi ‘sets’ being primary in different episodes. It gives a perfect highlight of all the different characters and shows some excellent development as well (Including just how much Anakin’s fear of losing those he cares about can cloud his judgement, and how this can push him towards morally questionable actions). If you want to include the episode prior to this arc as well, that one is a political thriller based on the Alfred Hitchock film Notorious. As I said, I don’t really count it as being in this arc, but it does set up the plot so others do count it.

Mandalore Arc (Season 2): This arc introduces a whole new faction to the series: the Mandalorians. The planet Mandalore itself has renounced its violent ways and its leader, the pacifist Duchess Satine Kryze, leads an alliance of 1,500 neutral worlds that want to stay out of the clone wars. However, there are rumors that the Duchess is actually in league with the Separatists, and apart from the rumors there have also been attacks by people wearing Mandalorian armor, so Obi-Wan is sent to figure out what’s going on. He and the Duchess have a history that is separated by their opposed political views. The first episode shows Obi-Wan on Mandalore looking into the subversive group Death Watch, the second episode shows them all journeying to Coruscant to speak with the Galactic Senate, and the third tries to expose a Separatists conspiracy on Coruscant itself. This is the first arc with Obi-Wan as the primary focus for all three episodes, though Anakin and Padme do join in parts two and three. This arc could serve as an intro if you wanted to enter the series here, since the Mandalorians will grow into a major part of the series and will intertwine with Obi-Wan’s personal arc for seasons to come. For those looking to get background on The Mandalorian, this is also where we start learning things about their culture that show up in the live-action series.

Boba Fett arc (Season 2): The three-part finale to season two. Boba Fett -- still a child keep in mind -- infiltrates a Republic cruiser with a group of clone cadets in a plot to kill Mace Windu in revenge for Windu killing Jango Fett. He has a group of bounty hunters helping him, and when Windu survives the original assassination attempt things spin further and further out of control. I honestly don’t have much to say about this arc. It’s not bad, but I find it kinda forgettable. It’s got some good character scenes, and a few good action pieces, but other than that....eh. Despite this, this arc could also serve as an entry to the series since it builds off the Attack of the Clones film more than it does any previous episodes of this series.

Nightsisters arc (Season 3): Here is where the series takes a hard left turn. This arc focuses primarily on Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku’s assassin. Darth Sidious feels that Ventress is growing too powerful, and Dooku may be thinking of using her to help overthrow him, so he orders Dooku to kill her. Ventress survives, and escapes back to her people: the Nightsisters of Dathomir. They accept her back, and help her try to get revenge on Dooku. First through a direct assassination attempt, and when that fails they trick Dooku into accepting a new apprentice that they have brainwashed to betray him at their command, Savage Oppress. This is the first arc to focus primarily on one of the villains (None of the heroic main cast appear in its second episode at all) and when it ends both Ventress and Oppress are alive and working independently as new factions in the plot. This changes the status quo for the rest of the series, and introduces a new plot thread as well: The return of Darth Maul, the brother of Savage Oppress.

Mortis arc (Season 3): Another three-part arc, this is the first real foray of Star Wars into straight fantasy, and the first attempt of this series to address the Prophecy of the Chosen One. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka find themselves on a mysterious planet with properties they cannot explain, populated by ‘Force Wielders’ of immense power and who represent the Light, the Dark, and the Balance. Almost all of the sci-fi trappings around the Force are dropped, these people are clearly wizards/angels/demons. It gives a lot of character focus on the three leads, directly addressing their hopes and fears and their destinies. It’s so different from the rest of the series that it may not function as a good introduction, but it gives such a good presentation of each character I heavily recommend against skipping it.

Citadel arc (Season 3): This is a military rescue arc, with Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan attempting to rescue a Jedi Master and a naval officer who have been captured by the Separatists, and who have vital military information that could change the course of the war. This is where you can first begin to really see The Empire growing unseen within the Republic, as the officer is in fact Captain Wilhuff Tarkin (AKA Grand Moff Tarkin, the villain of the original Star Wars film). Throughout the arc Tarkin and the Jedi have several debates about politics, the military, and the current war, as well as what the Jedi’s role should be in all three. At this point I think we’re past “introductions” to the series, as the series becomes ever more tightly interwoven over the remaining seasons. Tarkin will return as an antagonist in the future, and the cracks between Anakin (And Ahsoka) and the Jedi really start to widen.

Calamari arc (Season 4): The season four opener, this is a Water arc, which I have to applaud the franchise for finally doing. The water world of Mon Cala falls into civil war when the Quarren ally with the Separatists against the Republic-aligned Mon Calamari. We get to see Jedi Kit Fisto, an amphibious Nautolan, at home underwater while our air-breathing main cast are in scuba suits and helmets. Unfortunately, when the underwater fighting spills out of control the Republic needs to bring in the also-amphibious Gungans to fight and I find this part of the story ridiculous (They’re the only other amphibious species with an army? The Republic has never had to fight on a water world before, so they don’t have any widely available submersibles? Come on). Despite this contrivance, I very much like that the series finally addresses how different species require different environments. The Separatists use shark people on this planet, as they would be useless on other worlds but this is the perfect locale for them. The arc doesn’t have much of a story impact for later, it’s self-contained action/adventure.

Umbara arc (Season 4): One of the best arcs of the series, this arc (As reviewer SF Debris put it), “Puts the ‘war’ in ‘Star Wars’”. A four-part arc, the focus is almost entirely on the Clone Troopers of the 501st, who are normally under Anakin’s command but are being transferred to Jedi General Pong Krell when Anakin is recalled to Coruscant. Anakin only appears in the first episode, and none of the Jedi main cast appear in the other three episodes except for holo-communications with Obi-Wan. All the episodes are filled with intense action, but the series also finally really digs in to what it means to be a Clone, and the morality around using them for battle. ALL the props for Dee Bradley Baker who spends all four episodes talking to himself as dozens of different clone characters. They debate loyalty, duty, training, the values of their own lives, and the value of a system that claims to stand for freedom but which doesn’t offer it to them. These concepts had been touched before in individual episodes which also focused on the clones, but never to this extent or depth. I consider this arc one of the stand-out entries of the entire Star Wars franchise.

Slaver arc (Season 4): To be honest, I’ve never quite been able to get a good grasp on this three-part arc. After a village full of Togrutas (Ahsoka’s people) are kidnapped by slavers allied with the Separatists, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka go undercover to locate and rescue them. I suppose it’s an okay arc, but it just never clicked for me. Nobody seems to recognize the problems with forcing Anakin -- a former slave -- to go undercover as a slaver. The slavers sometimes try to pull a “Slavery is actually moral because the strong are supposed to dominate the weak” speech, but it never comes close to working on Anakin (Again, he is a former slave) so there’s never any tension of “Oh no, will he decide the villain is right and betray his friends?”. Individual parts of the arc are well done (There’s a hilarious part of the first episode where Obi-Wan is getting his ass kicked, only to reveal that he was just playing along to buy time and just effortlessly mops the floor once he knows he can stop pretending) but as a whole....eh.

Deception arc (Season 4): A four-part arc, Obi-Wan has to go undercover as an assassin in order to infiltrate a Separatist criminal plot. To do so, he stages his own murder and then impersonates the assassin. You really see Anakin start to come apart in this arc, he’s a hair's breadth from just executing the ‘assassin’ when he catches him, and he is barely holding on to any of the Jedi teachings in his anger. Ahsoka is likewise conflicted, and though not as completely overcome as Anakin she likewise questions their responsibilities in this case. Obi-Wan faces the standard moral quandaries of being undercover: How far does he go to retain his cover when it comes to harming innocents? How much harm does he let the other criminals do before interfering? This is one of the arcs where each episode has its own type as they progress, from Prison Episode to Fugitive Episode to Planning Episode to Crime Episode. Cad Bane returns, along with several other criminal characters.

Ventress/Oppress arc (Season 4): Some classify this is as two separate two-episode arcs, but I view them as one. The first two episodes focus on Asajj Ventress (No Jedi characters appear at all) as she first tries to re-assimilate to the Nightsisters, but they are soon wiped out by the Separatists in revenge for their plot against Count Dooku in season three. Ventress escapes with no personal goals or direction, and eventually falls in with a group of bounty hunters. The last two episodes follow Savage Oppress on his quest to find his brother, Darth Maul, guided by a magic amulet from Mother Talzin of the Nightsisters. Maul is living in madness on a junkyard planet with a mechanical spider’s body grafted to his torso to replace the legs Obi-Wan cut off in The Phantom Menace. Obi-Wan attempts to stop their mutual rampage, and Ventress shows up for her own revenge against Oppress, but they are overpowered and barely manage to escape. This arc mainly serves as set-up for later arcs in season five, which build to the climaxes for the series.

Season five gives a slight shift from the earlier seasons: there are only story-arcs in this season, with no standalone episodes at all. Five four-part story-arcs fill out the entire season.

Onderon arc (Season 5): The planet Onderon has allied with the Separatists, but there is a pro-Republic underground fighting a guerilla war against the government. The main cast are sent to Onderon to train the resistance, without involving the Republic forces in an internal matter. Apart from the bizarre Prime Directive issue (The Republic is literally at war with the Separatists, I do not see any logic in saying they can’t ‘interfere’ in an internal matter of a Separatist planet) the arc works very well showing the main cast working from a very different angle from usual. They need to focus on being undetected and secret, taking into account public opinion around them and the effect their efforts have on the civilian populace. They cannot just fight the war themselves, they have to train the locals to take over so that they can leave and return to the primary war. Saw Gerrera is first introduced here, and Lux Bonteri returns from earlier in the series. This arc helps lay the groundwork for Ahsoka’s storyline at the end of this season in particular.

Youngling arc (Season 5): A group of Jedi children trainees come together to gather their first Kyber crystals, and subsequently get entangled in pirate raids and the larger war before they can return home. Ahsoka is present as their chaperone. This arc is almost “filler” since it really doesn’t have much of an effect on the larger story. To some viewers it was a fun arc that remembered that Star Wars isn’t just about war scenes. To others it was a waste of four episodes in a season that was so tightly packed it didn’t have any episodes to waste. For me...it’s better than a lot TV shows which introduce child characters where they really don’t belong, but I agree that it didn’t need full four episodes dedicated to them. A two-parter would have worked just as well, with the other two episodes free for another small story.

Droid Commando arc (Season 5): R2-D2 is added to a special droid commando unto being sent into Separatist space. Despite following this same group for the whole arc, each episode is a very unique and distinct story. Almost avant-garde for some of them. Like the Youngling arc it’s not that critical to the later stories, but it tells its own story.

Maul Mandalore arc (Season 5): Here is where, as they say, shit gets real. Maul decides that if he cannot rule the galaxy as a Sith Lord, he will will take power from the shadows as a Crime Lord. He and Oppress first try to take over a pirate gang, and when that fails (partially due to Obi-Wan) he joins up with Death Watch, the Mandalorian extremist group trying to take over Mandalore. Obi-Wan travels to Mandalore to help Duchess Satine against what he thinks is just a Death Watch takeover, unaware of Maul’s involvement. Simultaneously, Darth Sidious has sensed Maul’s growing power and is unwilling to have another player in his game, so he personally travels to Mandalore to deal with the situation. This arc is big. Several long-time recurring characters are killed off, and it had some of the most standout lightsaber duels of the entire series. This arc, and one other from later in season seven, is probably the most influential towards what happens in Rebels and The Mandalorian.

The Wrong Jedi arc (Season 5): Did I say that the last arc was where shit got real? Well, now it’s realer. There’s a bombing of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and Anakin & Ahsoka are investigating. However, it looks like it may have been an inside job by a Jedi, and Ahsoka herself is framed as the bomber. As Ahsoka is accused, imprisoned, and eventually a fugitive, this arc finally shows what the audience has known was coming all along: The Empire isn’t just coming, it’s here. The institutions of the Republic have been corrupted, and with the rationales of “it’s temporary” and “we need security” the freedoms and liberties that the entire clone wars were about have already been wiped away. Even the Jedi are not free from this corruption (Although personally, I very much disagree with the way the episode seems to accept the villain’s motivation speech as correct. It’s the only real flaw in the arc). This arc originally served as a pseudo-series finale since the series was cancelled after season five, and though I’m happy we got more, if it had to end here it would have been monumental.

Season six (Also known as “The Lost Missions”) is composed of the episodes that had been competed before the show was cancelled after Disney purchased Lucasfilm. It’s about half the length of a full season, and returns to the earlier mix of different-sized arcs.

Fives arc (Season 6): The four-part arc that opens the season, this finally addresses the point that has been looming over the series from the beginning: How could these stalwart, heroic Clone Troopers betray the Jedi they have fought side-by-side with for years when they receive Order 66? Clone Trooper Tup snaps and murders a Jedi, and this leads to an investigation amongst the Jedi if his is an isolated incident, or some sort of Separatist plot. Fives accompanies Tup back to Kamino for treatment, and is drawn deeper and deeper in as the Kaminoans seem more interested on covering things up than actually figuring anything out. The conspiracy widens more and more, until Fives believes that it is galaxy-wide and manipulating them all. This arc continues several of the moral and ethical questions surrounding the clones from earlier in the series, and moves the series firmly more towards the inevitable film storyline instead of the clone wars adventures themselves. This is another one of the arcs where each episode has its own tone, from the “No one gets left behind” military mission, to the rogue patient plot, to the paranoid conspiracy pursuit.

Clovis arc (Season 6): This is another one of the arcs that never quite clicked for me. Rush Clovis returns from earlier in the series in the hopes of reforming the Banking Clan and bringing ‘honor’ back after it has been corrupted by the greed of the clone wars. However he was previously a Separatist, and despite their explanation of how it’s okay I keep thinking at every scene that they should arrest him for treason, not let him continue to operate in the Republic government. Plus, when has anybody ever viewed banks as Honorable Institutions with Good Old Ways? I do believe that it is possible for a bank to act honorably and treat its customers fairly, but not that banking itself is some sort of Ancient Honorable Institution. Maybe if season 6 had a full complement of episodes I wouldn’t mind this detour, but since it was cut short I begrudge every wasted episode.

Yoda arc (Season 6): Another pseudo-series finale, these are the final episodes of the season and would have served as the end of the series if season seven had not been revived. Yoda goes on a vision quest to try and parse out so many of the mysteries of the clone wars and the manipulations of the Dark Side. Like the earlier Mortis arc, these episodes are straight fantasy as Yoda faces the ghosts of people from his past and his own internal demons. They make an effort to address what it means when people say that the Jedi have become corrupted by fighting in this war, and they try to reconcile their peacekeeper philosophy with serving as soldiers. The arc ends on the depressed-yet-hopeful note which is the mantra of Star Wars of this era, as the Empire’s rise may be inevitable but there is still hope for afterwards.

#Star Wars: The Clone Wars #Recap #Star Wars #Story-arcs

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battlekidx2 · 4 years

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Star Wars the Clone Wars (2008) Thoughts and Review

With season 7 of the clone wars fast approaching I decided to give the series a second shot. The first time I started watching star wars the clone wars I dropped it. I am so glad I gave it a second chance. I watched it chronologically this time around which made a significant difference in the experience. The first time I watched it the show felt incredibly disjointed with characters who had died much earlier suddenly getting introduction episodes and the timeline was all over the place with closing episodes for arcs happening before opening ones. I couldn’t understand why so many people liked this show that was so all over the place, but now that it’s been a few years and there are many lists on how to watch it chronologically returning for the show seemed like a must. This is a truly great cartoon with amazing writing, animation, and characters. It’s a deeply tragic tale where the heroes don’t win every battle. You know the outcome and yet you can’t help but be enthralled by everything that happens. The show becomes steeped in grey the longer it moves along and decidedly doesn’t deal with the absolutes of black and white, light and dark. This show managed to blow me away even though I came in having heard all the praises that were thrown its way. I highly recommend that anyone who hasn’t watched this show go out and start right now.

Animation:

There was a rather large jump in animation quality in season 4. That’s not to say the animation before wasn’t impressive just that it became even better. The character animation is where it was most noticeable. I wasn’t a big fan of Count Dooku or Chancellor Palpatine’s character models at the start, but after the animation bump they were much better. From the clothes, to the hair, to the facial expressions. The character models for everyone were much better. The hair moved now! All jokes aside the clone wars seems to have an endless well of finances for the animation. There were so many different planets and character models utilized throughout the show’s run that there’s no other way they could pull it off. (It was rather famously financed by George Lucas) Considering the last season was released in 2013 I can easily say the animation still looks better than a lot of shows today. I had heard that the animation was good, but I wasn’t quite prepared for how good.

Standout Arcs:

Landing at point rain - This is the episode that really hooked me and made me think this show was something special. There were losses and the plan didn’t go the way our characters wanted. Obi Wan was struck out of the sky and put out of commission because of his injuries. The large scale battles and 3 separate storylines following the 3 generals were all juggles very well and, while not the morally nuanced storytelling that the Clone Wars became known for, it was still a well made war episode that showed the grueling nature of it and what was the start of what was to come.

Padawan Lost arc - This arc made me realize how much I loved Ahsoka. Not saying I didn’t like her before just that I hadn’t realized how much I had grown to love her character. These episodes did a good job of showing Ahsoka’s growth and how capable she was without her lightsaber, master, or army. The intercutting of the discovery of the other taken padawans that were never searched for with the council telling Anakin not to look for Ahsoka, but to trust in the force shows the disconnect that the Jedi council was beginning to have even with its own order. It shows that their rules against connection was, in a way, pushing them away from the light. This was the beginnings of showing how the order has lost its way. I found myself worrying over Ahsoka and her well being. I wanted her to succeed and come out the other side with the other “prey”. Which was an excellent juxtaposition to the council. Ahsoka lets her attachments help her protect the other prisoners and they get to escape because they act as a unit disproving the council’s decisions on connections. It’s fascinating that an arc that seemed at first to be disconnected to the main theme of the series became intertwined with it. I really like how the clone wars can turn your expectations on its head.

The Umbara Arc - What can I say about this arc that hasn’t already been said. Wow, just wow. This arc is incredible and showcases everything that makes the clone wars great. The animation in this four episode arc is phenomenal and some of the best 3D animation I’ve seen put on TV. The clone wars excels at showing large scale fights and this is no different. It was a marvel to look at. There were so many dark themes that were within this arc. The clones having to come to grips with the corruption of their leader and their own ability to choose despite how horrible the choices they are left with are. The revelation that they were shooting on their own troops in “Carnage on Krell” was harrowing and my shock mirrored that of the clone troopers themselves. The betrayal and hurt that all the troopers were feeling was clear as day and the realization at what they had to do to Krell, a leader they were programmed to trust, not only foreshadowed order 66 but also showed that casualties of war aren’t just people but also beliefs and worldview. The growth that the clones, especially Rex and Fives, underwent was amazing. These two became some of my favorite star wars characters with this arc. Fives with his staunch beliefs that he and all clones should stick to what they believe to be right and Rex with his realization that his loyalty and programming were misplaced, that everything that he believed and fought for may have been a lie and corrupt all along. We’ve seen the senate treating the clones like objects and products, but to see the reality of it on the battlefield was a different experience entirely. When they took Umbara it didn’t feel like a victory for the clones or to me. It felt hollow and saddening. We know how this all ends and having the clones humanized in such a way makes everything that happens later all the more hard hitting. This arc was truly great and it alone makes watching the clone wars worth it.

I also really like how it was a reversal of order 66 with the jedi general betraying his clones. It showed that clones banding together can take down even a prepared jedi, alibi an overconfident one. The conflicting emotions that the clones go through when disobeying their orders opens nuance to order 66 and their possible refusal to carry it out. The struggle of going against their programming is at the focus of this arc. The eventual retcon of this struggle by having the control chips in their brain is simultaneously something I don’t like and something I think makes sense. I don’t like it because it removes the implications and possibility to disobey the order on the clone’s end, but it also would be poor planning on Palpatine’s part to let everything hinge on the clones obeying their programming and not question it. The chips also lead to some of my favorite episodes with fives discovering order 66. This doesn’t effect my love of this arc I just wanted to voice my opinion on this point.

Darth Maul Ascendant arc and the Lawless - This arc was phenomenal. I don’t know what to say. I loved just about everything about this arc. From Darth Maul and his revenge against Obi Wan to the fall of Mandalore by its own hands. This arc was beautifully tragic. Nothing went right in this arc for anyone. Obi Wan couldn’t save Satine, Bo Katan couldn’t save Mandalore, Maul couldn’t save his brother or himself. The most popular shot from the episode “The Lawless”:

Perfectly encapsulates how futile and (once again) tragic this episode is. Obi Wan is just a silhouette against the backdrop of explosions and fighting. He’s so insignificant and small. He can’t win. He can’t save Mandalore. No matter how hard he tried. He’s just one person in the middle of this mandalorian civil war. This entire arc is filled with shots and scenes that are like this one, beautiful to look at and yet portraying immense tragedy. And I think this juxtaposition was intentional. You can’t take your eyes away despite all the horrible things happening before you. I think these episodes were some of the best animated content I have ever consumed. There are quite a few clone wars arcs that make me feel this way, but I think this is my favorite or at the very least contains my favorite episode in “The Lawless”. It is easily something I will never forget.

Ahsoka on Trial - This arc is masterful in how it juxtaposes Ahsoka and Anakin’s journey’s. Both have to deal with their disillusionment with the jedi order and the perceived lack of trust the order places in them. With the ending shot (shown below) of Anakin and Ahsoka foreshadowing through lighting the path their choices will bring them down. Ahsoka has a lit up sky behind her while Anakin has the looming, dark jedi temple behind him. Ahsoka continues down the stairs into the light having turned her back on the growing darkness within the jedi order and tentatively towards a path we cannot see but has at least some brightness and hope. While Anakin is stuck going back to an order he doesn’t have faith in feeling like he has failed his task in protecting Ahsoka. This arc is what the show felt like it was culminating towards with Ahsoka. We knew something was going to happen that would take her out of Anakin’s life before the events of Revenge of the Sith, but the way this played out was better than I could have imagined. I couldn’t help getting emotional over Anakin and Ahsoka parting ways and knowing how Anakin’s story plays out just added to my sadness over it all. There is also a very interesting parallel between Ahsoka and Ventress. They are both force wielders that were betrayed by the order that they followed and seeing their interactions after all this time was fascinating. I also couldn’t truly argue with Barriss when she voiced her reason for attacking the jedi temple. We’ve seen through all our main characters the shortcomings of the jedi and the corruption within the senate that the jedi work with. What Anakin says in Revenge of the Sith “From my point of view the jedi are evil” suddenly makes so much more sense after watching this series and especially this arc. This managed to add so much to the prequel trilogy, at least in my opinion.

Fives and Order 66 - I can’t believe the show decided to show someone actually discovering the truth behind order 66. I was rooting for fives throughout this entire arc and was shocked and sad to see he died so close to getting out the truth (despite knowing that he wouldn’t succeed). I had grown very attached to fives with all the episodes he was a part of and liked how his sense of duty was to doing what was right and saving as many lives as he could showing how despite the clones being programmed they all had different interpretations of their programming. This arc showed how capable the chancellor was at covering his tracks. He had a hand in every event that transpired during this series and yet has everyone fooled in one way or another. No one really knows the truth about him. After the episode “Orders” I had to pause the show, sit back, and let what had just happened sink in (like with many other episodes). How could this show tell storylines that I knew were doomed to end only one way and yet still completely emotionally invest me? And I think that question is just a testament to how good this series really is and how good this arc is.

I will say that easily the weakest episodes to me were the ones focusing on the droids such as R2D2 and C3PO. I like them as support characters, but their spotlight episodes were a slog to get through and I probably won’t rewatch any of them. The good news is that these are far and few between, but there is an arc with them in season 5 that I’m not too fond of especially since the rest of season 5 was phenomenal. There were also a few senate based episodes I struggled through, but most of them I was interested by because of how you could see the corruption and how the senate themselves had begun to see the war as a chance to profit and saw the clone troopers as disposable, easily renewable weapons. It was at times fascinating.

Characters:

Ahsoka - I love Ahsoka Tano. I’ve heard that she wasn’t well received upon her introduction. I’m not entirely sure why because I didn’t have a problem with her in the clone wars movie. She wasn’t my favorite, but she had a lot of room to grow and I wanted to see what they would do with her. The very premise of Anakin having a padawan is fascinating to me because while we know what she isn’t around for revenge of the sith we don’t know why. Is she killed? Does something drastic happen that removes her from the story? Does she stay a jedi or fall to the sith? These were all possibilities and thoughts that I had when I started watching the clone wars. I made sure to stay away from spoilers because I like it when I get to watch something unfold. Ahsoka’s arc is fantastic. We get to see her transform into an idealistic, overconfident youngling to a calm and confident jedi. She, like Obi Wan and Anakin, goes through trials and sees her faith is the Jedi order shaken. The disillusionment and what paths it takes them all on is really interesting. Unlike Obi Wan who still wields and believes is the light side or Anakin who wields and falls to the dark Ahsoka becomes something in the middle, not light or dark. They all portray the different paths that their disillusionment can take. Ahsoka’s decision to become something in the middle echoes the sentiment that you should not deal in absolutes, which is a message within the series. Ahsoka’s decision to leave the Jedi order and forge her own path is what I feel the story was always culminating towards with her. This is why I’m excited for Ahsoka vs Darth Maul in season 7. They are both former apprentices that were betrayed by the order that they had sworn their loyalty towards, but while Maul focuses on vengeance and continues down the path of the dark side, Ahsoka focuses on the future and taking her own path separate from the light or dark. They are perfect opposites to one another in how they dealt with their similar situations. Ahsoka is the perfect example of the idea that the power doesn’t matter, it’s what you do with it. She chooses to still do what she knows is right despite not wielding the dark side. I’m really happy that she survived the series and the empire’s reign. I can’t wait to see what they do next with her.

Obi Wan Kenobi - I really liked what they did with him in this series. We got to see how his emotions did clash with his rigid adherence to the jedi code. His most telling moments were in his greatest failures. Even in the darkest times he didn’t lose hope. He continued to believe that a better future was possible in spite of all of his loss. And I think that is admirable. Because we are so often given characters that are either overly idealistic or overly pessimistic and I can understand both of these archetypes, but Obi Wan has seen the worst of people and lost so much and yet he still maintains hope and I think that is powerful. It may also be because I am a huge fan of Obi Wan. But his hope also has its downsides even within the show because it extended to his belief in the jedi order and their code. It prevented him from being with the one he loved and creates a divide between him and Anakin where they can’t really see eye to eye. The dynamic between him and Anakin is amazing and made my rewatch of Revenge of the Sith and their battle within the film so much more heartbreaking. Obi Wan is a character that has to do something and help where he can, much like Anakin, but where Anakin is brash and reckless Obi wan is calm and diplomatic. They are set up as amazing foils to one another. I just love how much this show fleshed out Obi Wan’s character and showed more to him than the movies got to. This show did a fantastic job with Obi Wan and made his transformation from who he is in the prequels to who he is in the original trilogy make much more sense. (I highly recommend SUPER FRAME’s review of this show. I really agree with his thoughts on Obi Wan in this show)

Anakin - Anakin is a character that unlike Obi Wan I wasn’t the biggest fan of coming into this series. I didn’t hate him, but I much preferred his Darth Vader counterpart. This series changes this and I now like Anakin much more and find his fall to the dark side to be just as fascinating as his life as Darth Vader. We get to see that he really does want to save everyone and how his attachment and possessiveness lead to him doing horrible things even from the very beginning to protect those he cares about. His protectiveness becomes closer and closer to possessiveness as the series progresses. This is most noticeable after Ahsoka leaves the order and Padme decides to work with Clovis. Anakin is controlling and demands/orders her to not work with Clovis. He tries to take away her choice in the matter. This is eerily close to who he is in revenge of the sith even if it is just for a moment before it gets shoved back down. All of these moments (once again) make his turn in Revenge of the Sith very believable because it’s clear that he can be capable of the things he does in that film and onwards. He was always teetering on the edge and he just needed a push to start his descent. The tragedy of Anakin Skywalker actually became a tragedy.

This entire show seems to be a story of disillusionment, of loss, of tragedy. What starts out to seem like a tale of triumph and valor is revealed to be a facade for the bleak reality that is war. Even the “good guys” have lost their way. Time and time again we see the council and senate make decisions that aren’t what would be considered the right thing to do. The senate looks at clones like products. Disposable, reorderable weapons to wage a war that they themselves are safe from as long as they stay on Coruscant. The Jedi order has lost their way. They are no longer peacekeepers, but weapons and warriors that perpetuate war by siding with the republic. They can’t help planets like Mandalore because they side with the republic, planets that tear themselves apart and are their own worst enemy. They are supposed to help the people and the further into the war they get the less people they can protect and the more people that die. The clone wars is known to be a tragic tale where neither side wins and both were manipulated. This show perfectly captures the tragedy. I couldn’t help, but understand Barriss’ scorning remarks about the Jedi Order by the end of the series while still sympathizing with Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi Wan’s desperate attempts to do what is right in spite of their terrible circumstances.

There is too much about the show that I want to talk about and this could probably continue for much longer, but I can’t endlessly add to this if I want to get it out before season 7 airs. There were some fantastic arcs like the mortis arc that I didn’t talk about and that’s because I wasn’t sure where to start with them. I would like to maybe later come back once I find the words and talk about them. I found this show got better with almost every season with season 5 being the best, especially since almost every episode was in the correct order. There were many highs within the series and it managed to expand a lot on the Star wars world, characters, and mythos. I liked how they brought Maul back and what they did with Ventress. Maul was something that easily could have gone wrong and Ventress is a character they easily could have just written off or killed. These are two risks that I felt paid off and there were many more. It took risks and managed to effectively comment on the justification and morality of war. It has arcs I find to be some of the best I’ve seen in animation and left me awestruck. I cannot wait for the 7th season. I’m so glad this show is getting the opportunity it deserves to end properly and tie up its loose ends. I will watch the episodes as they drop and I hope everyone who reads this will as well.

(I apologize if some of this seems jumbled. I think I may have a concussion so writing this was a bit more difficult that it should have been)

#star wars #star wars the clone wars #swtcw #swcw #mortis arc #darth maul return and ascension #madalore #obi wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #anakin #obi wan #ahsoka #padme #this show is amazing #ventress #i love this show #I'm really excited for season 7

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almasexya · 4 years

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Moby Dickheads (Whale God, 1962)

“What, you’ve gone out of order?” I hear none of you saying, because something tells me the chronological order of these reviews isn’t something getting a lot of attention.

That said, the reason I’ve jumped back a year to focus on another kaiju movie with a spurious claim to the title is twofold. One, this movie is damn hard to find. Unlike every other title on this list, Whale God has never seen a US release in any capacity, meaning that the only way to watch it is either to be fluent in Japanese, or hope somebody has undertaken the task of translating it.

Two, now that my Gamera set is here, it’s time to do something I hadn’t initially planned, which is to add the non-Toho kaiju movies into my rotation, which will only serve to make an already massive project take even longer. But what the hell, I’ve got the time to spare.

So if you haven’t caught on by now, Whale God is not a Toho production, but was produced by Daiei, the studio best known for the Gamera and Zatoichi series. While it’s not a typical kaiju film by any stretch of the imagination, Whale God definitely represents Daiei dipping its toes into that pool, and ironically is a far better film than their first true entry into the genre, which we’ll get to soon enough by god.

It honestly took me some time to find a copy of this film that was worth a shit. There’s an upload on youtube that’s okay, but if you want to check it out for yourself, I’d recommend the version on Internet Archive, which is how I found it. It doesn’t seem like Daiei paid much attention to this film either - as far as I can see it’s gotten one DVD release in its home country over a decade ago, so I wouldn’t expect this one to come stateside anytime soon, if ever.

That said, Whale God is not for everyone. It’s more of a period picture than a kaiju movie, and it’s the only film on this list I anticipate including trigger warnings for. Even the bloodiest of the Gamera pictures don’t hold a candle to the violence depicted here, not to mention the fact that one character rapes another. Whale God is very much for adults, at the far end of the pendulum away from the kiddie fare most kaiju movies are known as.

You could call the film a Japanese Moby Dick, and you wouldn’t really need to say much more. A small whaling village in Tokugawa Japan is terrorized by a monstrously large whale that, no matter how hard they try, they cannot kill. Generations have tried, and all have failed, leaving protagonist Shaki (Kojiro Hongo) to avenge his family and kill the beast. The village elder and permanently grouchy old Samurai played by Takashi Shimura fills in for the Ahab role by offering his land, titles, and even his daughter to the man who can slay the beast, which leads the drifter Kishu (Shintaro Katsu of Zatoichi fame) to come to town and try to kill the whale himself.

Katsu is nearly unrecognizable as Kishu, a psychotic rapist who is about as far from the noble Zatoichi as you can get. It’s almost disturbing to see him at his most depraved, but he clearly relishes the chance to cut loose. The conflict between Kishu and Shaki drives the film to its conclusion, as the two characters serve as foils to each other: Shaki cares for nothing aside from killing the whale, his obsession driving him to mania, while Kishu couldn’t seem to give less of a shit as long as he gets to kill something big and get rewarded for it.

Watching these two actors square up, both psychologically and at one point literally, is damn exciting to watch, with both men giving it their all. Kishu is an absolute bastard, but he’s a compelling bastard you just love to hate, while all-around nice guy Shaki is almost depressing to watch as he slips into whale mania, abandoning everything in his personal life in a single-minded pursuit to take down the Whale God to avenge his family. Obsession and the damage it causes is a powerful theme here, and it’s made quite clear that going after the whale god isn’t going to end well.

Scaring up info on the production of Whale God is difficult. According to IMDB, the special effects director was Takesaburo Watanabe, who worked on a few of the 70s Godzilla films but otherwise wasn’t involved in any other kaiju films. From what I could glean there were two whale props, one smaller one designed to swim around, and another one large enough to climb on. Both get their fair share of screen time, with the latter one appearing at the end as the Kishu and Shaki stab at it with their harpoons in showers of blood and gore.

The whale itself is based on a real living thing that I confess I had to look up, called a North Atlantic Right Whale, which is apparently threatened with extinction today. For a baleen whale, the Whale God sure smashes up a lot of boats and appears to either be eating people or just swimming into them, but it serves to make him a frightening antagonist, and we can chalk up any odd behavior to how damn big he is anyhow. The Whale God doesn’t have the personality of most kaiju, but he doesn’t really need it: he’s wild nature personified, and he does let loose a few roars near the end of the film that should satisfy kaiju fans.

Between this film and the Daimajin series, it’s a shame the Gamera movies weren’t initially shot as period pieces, because Daiei’s team definitely seemed more suited to this kind of work. Whale God is a well-paced and compelling character study that also has a giant baleen whale that inexplicably eats people. It’s also a film you definitely need to be in the right mood for, because the dour atmosphere, punctuated by Akira Ifukube’s score, never lets up. Whale God is a bleak and often downright miserable film, but it has a way of sticking with you after the end card. If you’re in the mood for a mature period piece, give this one a look.

#monster monday #whale god #tw rape

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littlepurinsesu · 4 years

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V Watches MagiReco - Episode 3 Review

*Spoilers for Magia Record Anime Episode 3*

And so the Rena and Kaede friendship-ending plotline comes to a very satisfying conclusion! This episode actually had me in tears quite a few times (;Д;)

So many things to talk about and unpack so I’m going to try and keep it as succinct as possible >_< Starting with the most obvious: OH MY GOSH THOSE TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCES. I LOVE THEM. SO MUCH. HOLY CHEESE (♥ω♥*)

Yachiyo was the most elegant water goddess ever. True beauty right there. I have nothing else to say. Perfection. Momoko’s was super BADASS I LOVED IT omg all the flames and kicks!!! They really did a good job showcasing the duality of her tomboyish image and her gentler, “girly” side. Rena’s was like a cuter and more whimsical version of Yachiyo’s (since they have the same water theme), and I really love how the anime took the mirrors in her doppel and featured the imagery so heavily in her transformation! That last shot with the thunder was also super cool! And Iroha leaping off the building with all the feathers was so pretty *___* The bird imagery is as heavy as ever with this transformation, especially with the fact that she’s literally “flying” as she “falls” off the building. I also find it quite interesting how the cloak always comes last with a slight delay, especially with how the cloak was depicted as being almost “its own thing” before she caught up and merged with it!

All in all, these transformations were top-notch, and I love them even more than the ones we saw in Rebellion. They definitely lean more towards traditional magical girl transformations (which I personally prefer), while still retaining a decent amount of the trippy look of the Rebellion transformation style and overall PMMM aesthetic - a really good balance that encapsulates the tone of MagiReco quite well, in my opinion ^^

Okay enough rambling about transformations and onto some plot xD

Mitama finally appeared! Her voice is as Mitama as ever, and I really like the touch they had with how all her movements seem very deliberate and calculated, and very flamboyant. She gives off the impression of a very friendly and approachable person, but you can’t quite tell what she’s thinking or hiding, and get the feeling that there’s definitely more to her than meets the eye. Which is basically Mitama in a nutshell, so A+ for her portrayal. I do wish we saw her do a bit more, though, but it was only her introduction this week, so hopefully we’ll see more of her in the coming episodes :) The Mayu cameo was shorter than the Ren one, but I do like this method of “debuting” characters without shoehorning too many girls into the main plot, so I hope they keep this pattern up.

One small issue I had with the episode was the fact that they seemed to either change or gloss over the tension between Yachiyo and Momoko? This is biased because I’m a viewer who’s familiar with the game story, so seeing them getting along fine threw me off for a moment. But I guess it wouldn’t be an issue with anime-only fans, especially if they really did decide to just do away with the tension and have the two of them as perfectly amicable friends. Which is fine, too. I was just confused for a moment because of my expectations (one of the interesting things when you watch an anime with a preconception of the plot and characters) ^^;; I did like their tension and the way they made up in the game, though, so I’d be a teeny bit sad if they really did cut it, but that’s more of a personal preference, so not really an actual problem :)

Momoko’s super awkward and stiff “apology” was hilarious to watch, though xD Also, Momoko with her hair out!!! Definitely wasn’t expecting that! I thought it was supposed to show how stressed or tired she was worrying about Kaede, but no, seems like she sometimes just walks around with her hair like that. While I prefer her with the ponytail, I always appreciate it when anime (especially magical girl anime) show the characters with different hairstyles; makes things so much more realistic :3 And Mitama doing her hair was super cute, too ^^

The way they went about showing Rena’s internal struggles was really well-done. One thing I’ve always liked about PMMM is how you often get a sense of things being either “not quite right,” or you just have no idea what’s going on. I felt that in the scene with Rena watching TV in her room (Sayuki cameo!), transforming in and out of different characters. It’s strange and eerie, and it disorients you because you’re wondering what’s going on and what’s even real. But it’s a really nice kind of confusion that keeps you on edge, which PMMM is really good at, and I think it was captured very well in this episode.

I personally don’t relate to Rena’s personality or struggles at all, but for some reason she always manages to make me cry. I bawled when I read her Magical Girl Story in the game for the first time, and the little bits of it they incorporated here (much appreciated) got me sobbing as well... I really hope they don’t stop developing her character after the main five enter the scene and Team Momoko takes a backseat. There’s so much to explore with Rena, and I think they’ve done a really good job so far.

Kaede is as precious as ever, and her interactions with Rena were super sweet. I think it’s nice that Rena has a friend who’s so open and patient when she’s trying her hardest to open up and express herself well. The past two episodes really showcased the relationship dynamic between these two, including all of its strengths and weaknesses. I did, however, furrow my eyebrows slightly when they found Kaede. It’s understandable if they wanted to change the brainwashing from the game version of events, but the fact that Kaede seemed so chill and undisturbed when they found her seemed kind of weird to me, and frankly, didn’t make much sense xD I’d expect her to be a bit more scared or even traumatiised after being stuck in a place like that all alone, especially considering her timid nature xD

But the fight against the Rumour was definitely a feast for the eyes. The Rumour looked quite different from the game version, but in this case I think the creative liberty they took actually made the Rumour seem more distinct from a Witch. The barriers aren’t exactly identical in nature, the the huge winding staircases extending into the sky really go to show how large the scale of a Rumour can be. Iroha didn’t do much, but Yachiyo and Momoko had amazing teamwork; the water and fire looked amazing together! And again, I loved the use of mirrors in Rena’s attacks! It’s a unique and aesthetically interesting choice, and also helps differentiate her water-based attacks from Yachiyo’s. Kaede’s trees and leaves also looked lovely!

Backtracking a bit to the very beginning, but I wasn’t expecting Touka and Nemu to make an appearance so soon! That short scene did a pretty good job at showing the basic facets of their personalities, especially Touka’s, as well as their relationship dynamic. It was a really nice way to parallel and lead into the friendship-ending dilemma that Rena and Kaede are experiencing.

And on the topic of things I was not expecting... that Mami appearance at the very end!!! She showed up earlier here than in the game, but I think that scene provided some pretty important information that the game glossed over. Here we aren’t just told that Kyubey can’t enter Kamihama for mysterious, unknown reasons; we’re actually shown what happens when he tries. And seeing Kyubey openly asking Mami to go to Kamihama and investigate gives her a very logical reason to be there when she eventually gets introduced to the game’s main cast. But yeah, seeing Mami definitely had me feeling all nostalgic again ;___; I don’t even remember the last time I saw her, or any of the Holy Quintet members, moving in anime form (;Д;)

Oh, and Lil Kyubey is possibly one of the world’s most adorable creatures ever and I WANT ONE AS A PET OMG (ᗒᗨᗕ)

This week’s review turned out a lot longer than the ones in the past weeks (and I just keep jumping all over the place between topics and not even going in chronological order) ^^;; Probably because I just had too much to scream about because of the transformation sequences ^3^ So I’ll quickly end this now by saying how excited I am to finally see the mightiest magical girl Tsuruno Yui debut next week!!! (*≧▽≦)

#magia record #magireco #puella magi madoka magica #puella magi madoka magica side story #pmmm #fandom #mine #anime #review #magia record review #v watches magireco

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ineffably-good · 5 years

Text

Flufftober 23: Letters

Summary: Aziraphale still has secrets.

One of Aziraphale’s most prized possessions was his old, secretary-style desk. It was filled with big drawers, little drawers, cubbies, and pigeon holes. He had purchased it in the 18th century; two hundred years later, it had that glow unique to well-loved and well-maintained furniture. Of all the individual pieces of furniture in his shop, it was undoubtedly his favorite.

Among the many valued features of his desk was a small, hidden compartment just behind the smaller drawers on the top. By placing your fingers exactly so, you could press a small bump that in turn slid a panel back and opened up a space just the right size for hiding away a stack of papers or a small book. The angel used it to hide away things that he had formerly wanted to keep from the archangels’ eyes – letters of a personal nature, some of them between him and Crowley, and some of them from humans he had been close to over the years.

Even Crowley didn’t know about the compartment, as far as he was aware. Not that he wouldn’t have shown him, if asked – but sometimes it was nice to have an inconsequential secret in reserve, something to keep to yourself like a magpie with a shiny pebble.

He hardly ever opened it, so he was somewhat surprised when the bump caught his eye one morning as he sat with his cup of English Breakfast tea, getting ready to start his day.

Curious, he pressed it, and it slid open with a soft snick.

There were a few dozen letters inside, tied with an old blue ribbon, and a few other ephemera he’d collected over the years. Most were old, quite old. Several of them had antique wax seals on them. One was even a scroll.

Aziraphale took a sip of his tea and let his eyes roam over the envelopes. Most of them, the ones from Crowley, he knew by heart, having read them innumerable times. A few of them were less familiar, because he hadn’t returned to them as often. It was one small set of these that he pulled out – a half dozen missives from his dear friend Oscar, a cherished memento and one he didn’t often examine because the loss was relatively recent and fresh. And also because Crowley tended, even now, to bristle somewhat adorably whenever Mr. Wilde’s name was mentioned, so he tried to spare him the aggravation. Still, Crowley was out, and he felt that he’d gained the distance to re-read them.

He sat back in his chair, tea in hand, and unfolded the first one. Oscar’s letters were an experience just to look at – his wild handwriting looped and sloped across the page, and he was downright profligate with spacing, sprawling his large words across them without regard to margins or line height. Aziraphale smiled, remembering his exuberance from this small thing.

The first letter he pulled out was from 1882.

My dear boy, it began.

How are you in London? Having found much delight in our recent visit, I thought I would share with you the depth of doldrums I find myself faced with at your absence. Truly you are cruel to withhold yourself from further visits with me; please remedy this at once by joining me in North America, for this tour is interminable. I arrived in New York on Wednesday and was immediately set upon by …

He read it closely in silence, a smile on his lips – this, he knew, was one of the few happy letters in the pile, and his heart broke in advance thinking of what was to come. He read through one other relatively pleasant, chatty letter from his London days, then got to the difficult materials – two letters written from jail, and finally two increasingly desperate letters from his final days in France.

When he finished, he put them down on the desk and laid his face in his hands, overcome with sadness for his lost friend.

“Angel?” came a voice behind him. “You okay?”

Aziraphale actually jumped. Somehow he hadn’t heard Crowley come in. He discreetly wiped his eyes and straightened his shoulders.

“Oh!” he said nervously. “Crowley, love! You’re back! I didn’t see you there!” He stood up with his back to the desk, hiding the contents from view.

“Why’re you upset?” Crowley asked, worried. “Has something happened?”

“No, no, nothing like that. Just thinking over some old memories, got myself a little worked up, I’m afraid. I’m fine!” He gestured to the back room. “Shall we go make some more tea? Mine’s gotten quite cold.”

Crowley narrowed his eyes. “No, thanks, I’m fine. What’s all that?” he asked, pointing at the desk.

“Correspondence,” the angel said lamely. “Nothing important.”

“Nothing important that has you crying at your desk at eleven in the morning?” Crowley said, arms crossed. “’fess up, angel. What’s going on?”

Aziraphale sighed petulantly. “Well if you must know I was reading through old letters. From a friend. And they’re quite sad.”

“What friend?”

Aziraphale just shrugged.

“What friend?” Crowley insisted.

Aziraphale huffed. “Oh for Heaven’s sake, they’re from Oscar. I came across them this morning, haven’t read them in years.”

Ah, Crowley frowned, that explains it. Old Oscar. The demon tried to bite it back, he really did, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Sitting here crying over your old love, angel?” he said bitterly. “That seems a bit maudlin, doesn’t it?”

Aziraphale glared at him. “We weren’t lovers.”

Crowley wasn’t sure if he believed him. At a minimum, Wilde had definitely been a flirtation, if nothing else. He suspected a bit more had occurred than the angel was willing to admit. It was his own fault for missing that century, but that didn’t make it any easier to bear that the angel had had feelings for someone else.

“I’ve heard that story before,” Crowley said, kicking himself mentally even as he couldn’t stop the words from coming out of his mouth. This was an old and tired argument and he couldn’t believe he was starting it when the angel was clearly upset.

“Not,” Aziraphale said with increasing testiness, “that I have to explain myself to you, dear. You chose to sleep through that century and if I took comfort in someone else that’s no one’s fault but yours.”

“Oh really, now, is it?” Crowley snapped. “Because I was away from you lots of times for decades and even centuries and I never ‘took comfort’—” he paused to make the appropriate air quotes “—in some human.”

“And if you had it would have been just fine,” Aziraphale snarled back, standing up and taking a step towards him. He looked frighteningly cross. “I certainly wouldn’t be bullying you about it a hundred and thirty years later, you overbearing –”

The angel cut himself off, just in time to prevent whatever insult had been about to escape his lips. Instead Crowley watched as Aziraphale’s face shuttered closed and he set about straightening his coat, waistcoat, and cuffs, which he knew from long experience was always a defensive move.

“Pardon me,” Aziraphale said formally. “I’m going out.” And he brushed by Crowley and was out the door before the demon could even form a thought.

“Shit,” the demon said to the room around him. “Shit, shit, shit.”

He took one last look at the pile of envelopes on the desk and then walked away, avoiding temptation like any proper demon would certainly not do, and went upstairs to sulk at his own idiocy.

He received a text a while later.

A: Read the letters, if you want.

C: I don’t have to, angel.

A: I want you to.

C: Come home.

A: Read them.

Crowley, reluctant but intrigued, went back downstairs and sat down at the desk, where several things became immediately apparent to him.

One, the majority of envelopes spread out across the desk were from him, and they had obviously been handled frequently from the crumpled, soft edges of the envelopes and the worn corners.

Two, there were a small pile of objects scattered among the letters that he recognized. A black feather he knew was his. An oyster shell. An old hankerchief with a small snake embroidered on it. An old wax sealing ring with his insignia on it. Things of his.

Three, there were only a few open letters, perhaps six in total, and they appeared quite crisp in comparison to everything else. He took a moment to sort them into chronological order and began reading.

When he finished, his thoughts were spinning. The letters were mostly sad. The first two were flirtatious, yes, but Aziraphale’s friend mostly wrote to him about his despair in prison, about the friends who had abandoned him after he was disgraced and ruined, about the loves who turned against him, about his poverty and poor health in France. The last letter, terribly short and brutal, discussed his failing strength and impending death in a dingy hotel room with dismal wallpaper and few comforts. He thanked Aziraphale for his friendship and begged him to remember him.

And then the letters stopped.

I am an ass, Crowley thought.

Aziraphale showed up about thirty minutes later, looking drawn. Crowley met him at the door, helped him out of his coat and gently led him to the couch.

“I’m sorry, angel,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what he was to you. I’m going to stop with this whole routine, okay?”

Aziraphale sniffed, clearly not quite ready to forgive. “We shall see, shan’t we?”

“The letters were really sad,” Crowley admitted. “Not what I expected. And there weren’t very many of them.”

“No.”

Chilly, still, Crowley thought.

“Doesn’t look like you’d read them much," he commented gently, still trying to find a way to open up a conversation. "They were all crisp, compared to the other ones.”

That seemed to work a little.

"No," Aziraphale admitted. "I haven’t read them often. It’s hard to see the downward spiral of someone who was brilliant and full of life.” He flushed and looked as if he’d said too much, and Crowley saw him tense up again.

“I can see that,” Crowley said softly. He was going to be good if it killed him. If the angel wanted to reminisce about how wonderfully and sensitively Oscar kissed he was going to sit here and be supportive, even if he had to stab himself in the hand with a fork to let the feelings out later. Because honestly, the angel was right. It didn't matter.

Aziraphale relaxed fractionally and took a breath.

Crowley steeled himself to offer the first positive comment he had ever made about Mr. Wilde in recorded history. “He’s… he’s interesting. And I can see that he cared for you.”

Aziraphale looked at him consideringly. “He did.”

“Well then, he wasn’t a complete idiot, was he?” Crowley said with a smile.

Aziraphale cracked a small smile back and the room thawed considerably.

“Want some cocoa?” Crowley asked. “I’ve got those fancy marshmallows that are shaped like squares and those peppermint spoons that dissolve.”

“Oh,” the angel breathed. “That does sound nice! Thank you, dear.”

Crowley wandered off to the kitchen, quietly magicking both of the things he had just mentioned (and which he did not, in fact, have) into existence as he went, and set about making the best Belgian cocoa he could, then setting it up on a lovely tray with a flower and a plate of biscuits. He was going to spend the rest of the day being exceedingly nice to his angel.

Aziraphale watched carefully as the demon left the room, then went over to the desk and straightened up the pile of letters and objects. He slid them back into the compartment and sealed it quietly before Crowley could return and note its existence. It gave him a small thrill of satisfaction to do so.

He thanked the lord he hadn’t also gotten out the admiring letters from Noel Coward and Truman Capote.

The demon didn’t have to know everything, after all.

#good omens oneshot #flufftober 2019 #ineffable husbands #Aziraphale x crowley #Oscar wilde #jealousy #mostly fluff

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