#also not in paperback yet i don’t think

[leslie057]

rating things owned by nancy elizabeth wheeler

because she’s got a lot of little things. mostly they are very cute and strange little things.

starting off strong we have the prettiest tissue box in the world. 9/10, i think if i were sick it would make me feel better to have such a nice tissue box.

i’m fairly certain this is her diary beside it because her diary looks pink in the upside down version of her bedroom. so this is probably it? 11/10, i want to read it so bad. and very sweet pic with mom—7.5/10.

next up these pinstripe pants !! 10/10 i love them so much. oh and the index finger ring is there obviously, 8/10, such a consistent piece of her character.

a ribbon for being the bestest girl ever in the world. 10/10. also the card of cardinals: 6/10, probably just a christmas card or something rather than a symbol of her love for birds. but i still like it.

mr rabbit gets 11/10 for the name alone. and why does he look dead. i love him. he’s me.

descent from xanadu: QUITE LITERALLY 0/10. at first i was SO excited to cheer her on for reading a sex and drugs book at school but as it turns out? bizarre and gross. seems to go heavy on nonconsensual stuff. i snagged a free pdf and command f’d for whore and bitch. lots of results obviously (one use of c*ck crazy bitch…lovely). it seems men in this book say a lot of sexist stuff that the women pretend to hate but love which i can’t imagine is great for a teenage girl to consume. also just not sexy at all.

literally so bad, and this is not the worst of it.

sooo bad. the author was what 70 (??) writing that his female character got clinically DIAGNOSED with being a slut for every guy she comes in contact with. i know options for sexy literature were probably limited at this time but…please go check out something else. i wanna bonk her on the head with this book (paperback) and hug her. you don’t need to read this to be cool and sexually aware. moving on.

on the other side of that, the blondie calendar gives us a sense of the GOOD media she’s consuming!! a 10/10 no questions asked. we don't really get to see many of her hobbies or interests outside of investigation so this is a much appreciated detail.

of course like all good things in life the blondie calendar does get replaced. its replacement is what i will call Weird Antinaturalist Art Piece #1 seen in her room in s4. i give it a 4/10 because idk what’s going on really.

and here is a very crunchy screencap of Weird Antinaturalist Art Piece #2 from s4 which i will give a 5/10. note the boyfriend typical photography above it, for sure a 10/10.

there is also Weird Antinaturalist Art Piece #3 which gets an 8/10 because i like the composition and the piano player. where did she get this and why. interior decoration is her passion.

the sleeping bag and crochet pillow setup. 7/10. would take a cat nap here.

pluto!! 15/10, the best mickey mouse character i would say. i hope her cousin is taking good care of him.

bulletin board 10/10. i love how obvious it is that she has had this up for forever. probably a nice constant in her life.

and my favorite pic up there is this precious one. look at herrr. 5000/10.

her floral weekender bag. 6/10, i like it, but not as much as i like the speedwalk and the toss into the backseat. she was SO ready for her lab takedown road trip.

trapper keeper is a 9/10 because they probably put anything and everything on trapper keepers back in the day and yet still she chose this lovely understated hot air balloon. elegant.

tom cruise poster is 1000000/10 actually. she is so loyal to that man. actually though not a great pic of him all things considered so maybe i give it a 999999/10. (i love it so much because i know for a fact that jonathan byers works proactively to never acknowledge this poster, because he is more mature than that.) (he is not more mature than that, in fact he is a little pouty about mr cruise.)

KITTY FIGURINE. 10/10. i thought it was just in s4 but i found it on her other nightstand in s1. very very adorable. i imagine it is now one of the first things she sees in the morning (well that and her blue telephone: 8/10) which is bizarre and cute. the mixtape drawer gets a 10/10 for reasons that i don’t think i need to get into.

white fingerless gloves! 10/10. so chic for monster hunting.

black fingerless gloves from s4. hmmm 3/10, they're cool i guess but they don’t feel very nancy and the white ones are so much better. especially because you may get the splatter effect of monster blood on them in a battle scenario, which would be badass.

piggybank (with her name on the side). 2/10 unfortunately i don’t like him. he looks at me like i took out his whole pig village and i just need some quarters. also did she paint this herself? in that case, 3/10 for customization lol.

pastel underwear drawer: 10/10. her committment to the hollistic aesthetic and color palette of her room is impressive here. it was a good idea to use this drawer as a deterrence against her little brother and a money hiding place but clearly he has no manners and is a THIEF.

STRIPED SOCKS. 10/10. i realize it's hard to see because she's moving so fast (slow down he is not going anywhere) but they are indeed stripey even though i would have guessed solid white. and wow what good sleeping socks. stripes are just cozier. hope she got lots of sleep in those.

#long post #bedroom analysis #stranger things #nancywheeleredit #character analysis #nancy wheeler #karen wheeler #mike wheeler #stranger things details #jancy #< target audience #jonathan byers #jonathan x nancy #screencaps #ballet slippers necklace coming in part 2

[jinchuls]

WHAT FANTASY BOOKS ARE YOU READING? *ready to take notes*

i finished the acotar series today and sobbed sm i loved it, moved immediately on to throne of glass bc sarah j maas has me in a chokehold rn. acotar is one of the best series i have read in a long time, i usually struggle going from book to book in a series but that one, the only reason i stopped was bc i had to wait for the rest ti be delivered

i am gagging to read priory of the orange tree rn but my bookshop only had the sequel so i must wait but it looks so so good

#on my tbr is caraval - the poppy war - six of crows - babel #i love fantasy #fourth wing i want to read bc dragons but the reviews are so mixed im scared #also not in paperback yet i don’t think #so might get it in my kindle but i refuse to buy hardbacks #love letters ˚‧⁺ ･ ˖ · #ִ ࣪𖤐 true love: nana !

[70sscifiart]

Black Mirror and retro sci-fi paperback cover art

Someone on the Black Mirror team really knows their late-60s sci-fi paperbacks! Spoilers for Season 6 ep "Beyond the Sea." 

This paperback is a 1967 edition of Ray Bradbury's 'The Illustrated Man,' with a top-tier Dean Ellis cover.

Ellis was a great paperback artist: He balanced one central image with intricate details, making covers simple yet engaging. Ellis covers don't usually have this much ennui, which makes this one a particularly good pick for the episode, about an astronaut who also feels alone.

The other main paperback featured in the episode is a 1968 edition of 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress,' by Robert A. Heinlein, with a cover by Paul Lehr.

Lehr is an icon of 60s/70s covers, so he's a great artist to include. This particular cover has one of his signature tropes - A crowd of tiny figures gathering around a single object, in this case a moon base.

That said, that particular Lehr cover looks more similar to the style of Richard Powers (a surreal 50s artist who influenced Lehr) than is typical for Lehr. Here are a few other 1968 Lehr covers that I think represent him better, with more shadows and monochrome.

But here's what blows my mind: We never see the cover to one paperback spine in this scene. It's this 1967 Richard Powers cover, with the yellow spine.

It seems to show a man enviously watching a woman from behind a screen - incredibly on-the-nose symbolism for this episode.

I wonder if the prop person for the show came up with multiple options and the Powers cover lost out to the Lehr one. Either way, it's an amazing Easter egg. 

 If you liked this, subscribe to my newsletter - My latest issue covers Black Mirror’s retro sci-fi cover art in more depth. You might also enjoy my art book Worlds Beyond Time, which has a restored version of that exact Dean Ellis Illustrated Man cover in it.

#Black Mirror #Beyond the Sea #retro sci-fi #paperbacks #cover art #70s sci-fi art #newsletter #Worlds Beyond Time #dean ellis #Paul Lehr #Richard Powers

[transguygardner]

Taylor’s Guide for Getting into DC Comics

decided to make an official post for my method on getting into DC Comics

I don’t know anything about DC Comics and comics continuity scares me

if you’re intimidated by how many comics there are and all the different timelines and continuities and oh my god there’s so many characters then i suggest starting with watching Batman the Brave and the Bold

what it is: it’s a three season 22 minute cartoon from 2008. it focuses on Batman teaming up with a bunch of different heroes and is generally episodic in nature

why i recommend it as a starting point: at this point pretty much everyone has heard of batman in some shape or form. so this gives you a familiar character while being exposed to an enormous cast of different characters. it doesn’t give you the origins or much explanation for many of the characters or how they all know each other which is much like reading modern comics! so it helps you get used to not knowing who everyone is and not getting an origin story every time someone shows up. it also shows you pretty much every corner of the dc universe so you gain some passing familiarity with someone from every niche even if its by name only

some of its flaws: since its an adaptation there are things (many things) that don’t line up with how things are (or ever were) in the comics. which brings me to my next step

READ THE WIKIPEDIA PAGES OF CHARACTERS YOU’RE INTERESTED IN

i’m not talking about the wiki/fandom pages. i’m talking about wikipedia. this will give you some broader context for the characters both in universe and in the cultural landscape. also if you don’t feel ready to read the comics yet/don’t know where to get those comics it will give you other adaptations of that character if there are any. it could also mention another character that you also think is interesting and then you can read their pages

when you’ve done that then you can move onto

I know what character I want to read but how do I know what to read?

your two best friends are going to be googling “[character name] comic vine” and “[character name] dc wiki”

both comic vine and the dc wiki keep lists of character appearances. the dc wiki has them linked at the bottom of each character page while comic vine has them linked at the top

whats the difference between them?

comic vine keeps every appearance of the character under the same list even if its from a different continuity. they also list trade paperbacks and other language reprints under the same page. comic vine sorts it by series so you will see the series that your chosen character has the most appearances in first. which might not always be issues about them

the dc wiki separates out the character appearances based on which continuity its under. so characters will have multiple appearance lists depending on when it was published and if it was for an au or not. for example: bruce wayne (new earth) and bruce wayne (prime earth) are two of the MANY different pages with appearance lists for batman on the dc wiki. vs comic vine where they’re all under bruce wayne. the dc wiki does not include reprints and trade paperbacks under the appearance lists and sorts it alphabetically

so which one do i use?

personally i’d start with the comic vine list. its easier to get the relevant info from and then use it to answer these questions

does your character have a solo series?

a solo series is anything that’s named after that character. sometimes they’re duo series (batman & superman, blue & gold, fire & ice: smallville etc). if yes start with one of those. if you plan on reading everything and don’t mind older writing styles pick the oldest one and move through the list of solo series. if you are turned off by the older writing styles start with the oldest one published in or after 1986. if you just want to read more modern/current stuff start with one labeled “rebirth” at the top

is your character on a team book?

if your character doesn’t have a solo or you read the solos and want to read something else see if they’re on a team book! team books are just what they sound like. books that focus on a bunch of characters that are operating under the same team name. if you read their wikipedia page it probably mentions if theyre on a team. you can also double check with the dc wiki (check the [character name] new earth and [character name] prime earth pages to see if they’re affiliated with anyone)

if they’re in multiple volumes of the same title team book i would generally start with the oldest. again skip any from before 1986 if you can’t handle the older writing styles. and if you only want the really new stuff start with ones with the rebirth label on them

my character doesn’t have a solo or a team book!

so you’ve got a few options.

look up a reading guide (which honestly you couldve done for the other characters too but i think it’s better to learn how to choose which ones to read yourself since they don’t always have reading guides)

start at their first appearance then go from there (if comic vine has your character listed with 250 or less appearances this is a decent choice especially since anywhere from 10 to 25% of those will be reprints)

choose based on the artwork (good art/art you like can get you through a lot of bad writing)

generally all of these are good options to take. with option three just be wary if the writer is tom king since he is known to take extreme liberties with characteristics

tips and tricks

if you really like the writing or the art on a book take note of who wrote it or who drew it. if you search “[creator name] comic vine” it will pull up a page similar to the character ones and you can check what other stuff they made. following a creator’s career is a good way to branch out your reading list and helps you identify what you do and don’t like

if there’s a specific kind of character you want to read (divorced, fire powers, alien, etc) you can check the category pages on the dc wiki. just find the page of a character you know fits that category (maxwell lord for divorced for example) scroll to the bottom. expand the categories and click on the one you’re looking for. you’ll find a list of characters with that tag on them

some characters are just confusing so don’t worry about it. hawkman, hawkgirl/woman, and supergirl have three of the most confusing continuities in dc comics. so if it seems confusing don’t let it stop you

you really don’t have to understand the nuances of continuity in order to enjoy comics. that has never stopped a writer before. so it shouldn’t stop you!

you can read comics with the dc universe subscription or comixology or going to your local comic shop. some used bookstores also have comic bins. if you google “read comic online” you should probably find something. make sure you have a good adblock though

thats basically it. just rinse and repeat with however many characters you want!

final notes

personally i think reading stuff from oldest to newest is the most interesting way to read comics because then you can see how the character has evolved over the years and find out which writers like to collaborate with previous ideas and which ones like to bulldoze it all down

1986 is chosen as a dividing point because that is when DC’s first MAJOR continuity reboot happens. it’s Crisis On Infinite Earths and basically just combines all the different DC earths into one. so there’s a lot of explaining whats going on in those earlier books. you CAN start with the 70s stuff if you want but generally its easier to start with the late 80s if you don’t want to go all the way back

books labeled rebirth are chosen for the people who want to start with the now because that is the start of the last major reboot and will introduce you to the modern interpretation of the character. which imo isnt always the best since a lot of the modern interpretations are more shallow. but to each their own

#dc comics #comics guide

[halfway-happyyy]

california king bed (jake seresin)

AN: the one where jake seresin realizes his selfish tendencies could cost him everything. inspired by this ask. fluff and a dash of smut exist below the cut ♡

warnings include: consensual penetrative vaginal sex, some oddly specific details in here friends, so sorry it's part of my process sometimes, minors DNI.

characters: jake 'hangman' seresin x female reader

Jake Seresin is falling in love with the woman sleeping soundly beside him.

It’s much too early to be contemplating such things, yet despite that, a morning sun bathes her in a pale glow, highlighting the parts of her that no one else gets to see as up-close as he does. A front-row show to the world’s most wondrous woman.

He knows it’s love because everything else he’s ever experienced has paled in comparison to what he feels when he’s with her. Where he had never before bothered to know a woman as intimately as he knows her, he can tell anyone who'll listen what her favourite films are. He can name- with infuriating confidence- the types of flowers she wants to make up her future wedding bouquet, the titles of the tattered paperback westerns her beloved grandfather used to collect, that her socks stay in the laundry basket a full week before she finally summons the strength to put them away. He knows he’s in especially deep because the precarious stack of unread novels next to her side of the bed never ceases to make him smile anytime he catches sight of it.

She shifts then, rousing him from his reverie. Her body is entirely nude save for the white cotton sheet draped over her front. He counts the freckles that scatter her back like constellations, and the urge to reach out and trace them is almost entirely overpowering. He refrains from touching her though, because as much as he wants to wake her, he also wants this moment to himself. In the silence, he can admit that he is on thin ice with her. He knows that the fight they had last night could very well have been one of their last, and he realizes without a shadow of a doubt, that he wants a lifetime more of heated arguments with her. He wants the fights and the makeups; the fucking and the loving, and the life- the good bits and the gory bits. He wants all of it with her.

But she is fine sand and he is the hourglass that encases her and sometimes- like last night, he feels powerless to stop her inevitable departure.

“I worry sometimes that I’m not cut out for relationships.” The alcohol in his veins made his tongue loose- made being honest with her as effortless as breathing.

She laughed, but any humor behind it was frozen inside a block of ice the size of Texas. “So what? The last seven months were a trial run? ‘Let’s see if Jake Seresin can do this… and if he can’t oh, well. Onto the next one’.”

“It’s not like that…”

She folded her arms across her chest in defiance. “Then tell me what it’s like because I care, Jake. I care so much. But if you can’t let me in…” Her expression hardened, as if a shadow passed over it. “If you won’t let me in, I don’t think I can keep doing this.”

He watches the steady rise and fall of her chest in the glowing morning light; watches her eyes dance beneath veined lids, wonders briefly what kind of dream she’s having and if it’s as lovely as she looks right now. He gazes at her a little while longer; wants to memorize every miniscule detail of her face lest she opens her eyes and decides she’s finished with it all. But her eyes do slide open a little while later, her pupils constricting to pinpricks at the sudden onslaught of sunlight. She doesn’t smile at him like she normally does when she greets him in the morning and that rattles him a little if he’s honest.

“I’m sorry for last night.” He offers finally, his voice gruff and heavy from recent sleep.

She watches him, her expression unreadable. “You were just being honest.”

He closes his eyes, wants desperately to get what he’s about to say, right. “I do well on my own. I always have. It's why I choose not to share the sky with anyone, it's certainly why I choose not to involve myself with anyone.” He clears his throat. “I have spent so much of my life thinking I was above loving and being loved back, and for some reason that all went out the damn door with you.”

I have spent so much of my life thinking I was above everything, period.

“Women like me come along once in a lifetime, Jake.” She inches closer to him, her fingertips find the jut of his chin, forcing him to gaze at her. “You know that don’t you?”

He nods his head furtively.

“I realize how close I came to blowing this all up last night. It’s the last thing I want to do.”

The weight of the vulnerability that comes along with that confession feels like it may just crush him if he’s not careful.

Her face hovers mere inches above his; her warm breath as it ghosts over his lips causes him to shiver against her in unabashed anticipation. Bending forward, she captures his lips in a kiss that while languid, is also painted with a dash of scarlet passion. This was what they needed after a night of stifling silence. Knotted bedsheets always offered them a solace not found anywhere else on earth; their bed had a habit of bringing them back together when they strayed too far from one another.

He's already entirely ready for her when she breaks their kiss to straddle his thighs. He can tell she is too by the way her arousal trails down the velvet-soft of her inner thigh, over the head of his cock, and down the underside of his shaft. The sensation of it causes his eyes to roll back in his head as he grips himself firmly in his hand and lines himself up at her entrance.

Placing both hands firmly on his shoulders, she lowers herself onto his impossibly hard cock and begins to ride him slowly, and deeply. She drops her head to the hollow crook of space between his neck and shoulder blade and peppers kisses to the warm skin there.

Jake can barely string together a coherent thought; she’s always taken him so well, but there is an intimacy to this time that causes a lump of emotion to swell inexplicably in the hollow of his throat. His large, deft hands roam the dips and valleys of her back; he feels her muscles bend and flex as she rides him like her life depends on it and being close with her like this after last night, just feels like coming home after a long, exhausting mission.

She pulls away to gaze at him, opens her mouth to say something, but a desperate whimper escapes in place of any actual words. Jake stifles a groan and cups a palm to the apple at her cheek, nodding at her.

“I know, baby. Keep going.”

And she does.

She fucks him until her hips still and Jake feels her spasm around him. His name is a breathless scream on her lips; the electric and all-encompassing heat of her orgasm drives him ever closer to the precipice of his own and Jake wonders briefly if this is what heaven is like.

“It’s too good, baby.” He gasps as she continues to pulse around him, and when she doesn’t immediately stop, his fingernails leave crescent-moon indents in the soft skin of her hips as he tosses his head back and comes into her in thick, hot waves.

She stays connected to him longer than she should, and when she lifts herself off of him, the sudden loss of intimate contact is almost painful. Pressing a kiss his sweat-damp forehead, she disappears for a little while. Her absence is felt long enough that Jake wonders momentarily if she left, but then she enters their room a couple minutes later with a bowl of strawberries which she places on counter next to his side of the bed.

“I love you.”

It has nothing to do with how good she just fucked him, or that she brings him freshly washed strawberries in the mornings, or even that she waits for him while he spends most of his waking moments in the clouds.

He loves her because where everything else in his life is difficult or heavy, loving her is the easiest decision he’s ever made.

“I love you too, you cocky bastard.” Her words are warbled around the strawberry in her mouth, and as she tosses a wink his way, Jake can’t help the hearty guffaw that tumbles from his mouth in happy waves.

#have i been on a rihanna kick lately? ill never tell #jake seresin #hangman seresin #jake seresin x reader #hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin smut #jake seresin imagines #top gun: maverick #tgm #glen powell #smut #writing #drabble #california king bed

[thunderon]

i asked you a while ago whether the next tidbit of TLT content would be the nona paperback short story and you gave a very nice well-formed answer summarising what you expected... and you were right... and now i'm back again because i can't find the post and i'm also losing my mind trying to figure out when we'll get a taste of alecto. do we know when tamsyn finished writing nona relative to cover reveals and things? we were so spoiled with harrow + as yet unsent + like 6 preview chapters back to back we barely had to wait. and now it's been a year and a half. and she's still writing. are we going to see a thing before 2025?

im guessing it’s this ask?

when i read htn in 2020 i was assuming we’d get alecto in 2021 (haha) so honestly ive been waiting so long that im just chilling these days. for me, alecto is just gonna get here when it gets here and i take it as it comes. i don’t have any real information on any of this other than past experience, but since my last post turned out to be correct here’s some more of my guesses:

genuinely have no idea if we’ll see anything pre-2025. id imagine that tor will release ~something~ just to keep the hype going, but who knows. to answer your question, nona was originally part i of alecto and so im assuming muir had finished the vast majority of ntn by the time it was announced the trilogy was splitting into a series, and then the cover release happened in january with the book release following in september

i believe the alecto cover has been confirmed finished for a while now, so really it’s just whenever they decide to release that, but i think they’ll follow a similar timeline to the nona the ninth cover release approx 9 months prior (with snippets following). but with the huge gap who knows maybe they’ll throw us some extra stuff.

overall: id imagine the whole release schedule of everything all depends on how close muir is to a finished product, which is anyone’s guess

#asks #this is vague wish i could give a better timeline #but im just wildly speculating here #mostly taking the watched pots never boil approach tbh #im just patiently waiting these days #the locked tomb #alecto the ninth

[foxingpeculiar]

This is about the WoT show—Verin, specifically—but I’m gonna take a minute to get there.

I read WoT for the first time around ‘98 or ‘99. I remember the year specifically because I remember having… it was either tFoH or LoC on my desk in freshman history and this dude looked at me with… impressed surprise? and said “you READ all that?” And in my head, that was one of those moments you have as a teenager when you start to realize not everyone thinks like you do.

Anyway, I stopped reading, I think in the middle of aCoS, because that was the last one I had (I think tPoD had come out but wasn’t in paperback yet). And like, that’s kind of a sloggy bit, especially if you don’t know how long it’s going to go on. So I was like “screw it, I’ll read it when it’s done.”

Cut to 14-15 years later, aMoL is out and my roommate is actively devouring it, which reminded me what I told myself back then, so I tell him I’m gonna start in on it. He offers me a few pieces of advice (eg: read New Spring after tFOH; it’s a nice breather and it’ll mean more).

But he also says he’s going to spoil one important thing for me. Because the series is so long and dense, and there’s SO much to pay attention to, he says, this particular bit is very subtle and too easy to miss, to not remember enough about it when the reveal comes to appreciate the genius of how well it’s done.

*spoilers to follow for show-only fans or anyone who has not completed… I forget which of the last books it happens in (I think aMOL, but maybe ToM) but it’s endgame stuff—obviously*

He tells me to watch Verin and spoils that she is, in fact, Black Ajah. (He does not, however, explain that there’s more to it than that, which left some surprise in it—I appreciate the way he did that; it was artful. I am obviously not being so elegant here). And that was one of my favorite threads in the books, watching that, which I would absolutely have missed otherwise (cos fuck man, 2787 characters!)

So I was excited to see Verin in the show. And this episode tells me I’m gonna get what I want out of that. I enjoyed her coming in with the very-carefully-calculated “fun auntie” vibe. I really enjoyed her iykyk conversation with Sheriam (*cough*), but the scene that really got me on board was Verin and Yassicca after spying on Sheriam’s log.

Cos like, Verin already absolutely knows what’s going on: where the girls are, who took them, and why. That’s the whole reason she’s doing what she’s doing, is to know things like that (or at least have very solid theories about them, as I believe the case is here). But she can’t tell anyone without explaining how she knows, so she has to put on this innocent face and guide the people around her toward what she wants them to know without them realizing she’s doing that. This includes both people in the light AND other black ajah.

And these are Aes Sedai, the craftiest, sneakiest, most manipulative people around (with the possible exception of the Cairhiens, but the Aes Sedai have a more widespread and visceral reputation). The point being that the standards for the kind of 3D chess she’s playing are particularly high, and yet NO ONE has a clue what she’s up to until she decides to tell Egwene.

So, with that in mind, I am struck by the kindness of the character in that scene—how gentle she is with this earnest little rabbit of a girl. When she brings up compulsion, you can almost feel her regret at having to mess with a naif’s whole worldview. (But only almost. It’s just beneath the surface.) She’s lying and manipulating with the worst of them, but she’s not a cruel or selfish person. And Meera Syal is doing a great job at loading all of that in there, which is a fine line to walk.

Anyway, that’s my fan ramble for today.

#personal #wot show spoilers #wheel of time #wot season 2 #verin mathwin

[giggly-squiggily]

Better Than The Book (Blue Lock)

Heyo everyone! This is completely self-indulgent; I've been in a big reading mood lately and Chigiri likes novels; put these two things together and boom! We've got ourselves some fluff for Kunigiri! Also Lee!Kunigami; he deserves the world and I haven't had a proper fic written with him on the receiving end of tickles yet so here we are :D I hope you like it!

Summary:

Kunigami was in quite the predicament.

You see- Chigiri had fallen in love with another man.

“What’s so great about that Will guy anyway?” He voiced after another half hour of silence from the redhead, his face hidden behind a worn in paperback. It was no secret he loved reading- Chigiri would often spend a good portion of time browsing book sections of stores whenever they went shopping, reading synopses of the available choices. On buses and trains, he read on his phone, eyes scanning the various chapters of whatever book he was into at the time. And of course, he read during his downtime, curled up on the couch with a forgotten mug of tea as he got lost in his fictional world.

His most recent selection- Moriarty The Patriot- was no exception. Kunigami hadn’t a clue what it was about, but that didn't matter. What did matter was how Chigiri seemed to swoon at the blonde criminal within the pages. SWOON! The audacity of this master of crimes to try and take his boyfriend!

“You wouldn’t get it. Besides, you’d be such a Sherlock stan.” Chigiri looked over his book at him- the first glance he’d given him since starting to read. “What’s with the look? Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

“What? Me, jealous? Please.” Kunigami rolled his eyes as he sat back in his seat, crossing his arms with a laugh. “Like I’d be jealous of some pretty boy with a taste for crime.”

“Oh my god, you are jealous!” Chigiri was grinning now, barely concealed delight in his voice at the huff Kunigami let out. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about- I’m not jealous, especially over some self-proclaimed ‘master of crimes’- H-Hey!” Kunigami jumped when Chigiri jabbed him under the ribs with his foot. “Watch it!”

“It’s alright if you are.” Chigiri grinned behind his book as he jabbed the other again and again, relishing the huffs of laughter the ginger let out as he tried dodging. “I’d be jealous too if you fell in love with him. Actually no- like I said you’d be into Sherlock. Though I suppose that could work too; I don’t mind him.”

“Oohoho, now you’re crushhuhuhushing on two me-Hehehehn!” Kunigami jerked back against the arm of the couch, trying to block out the invasive foot. This only opened up more tickle spots for Chigiri to jab at. He let out a wheeze when a poke was delivered dead center into his belly. “Juhuhuuhust hohohohow hoohohohot are thehehehse guuhuhuhuhys?”

“Pretty hot. I’d date the entire crew. I bet you’d say the same if you saw them.” Chigiri teased, giggling some when Kunigami grabbed his ankle. “Aww, already done?”

“Ahehee..yeah, for me.” Kunigami smirked, adjusting his grip before scribbling his fingers up Chigiri’s foot, grinning fully when the redhead squealed. “Come on, don’t tell me you didn’t think this would be the result?”

“Ah! Aheahhhahhahahahaha! Kuuhuhuuhuhnigaahhahahhahami!” Chigiri bursted into giggles, covering his face with his hands as he squirmed about on the couch. “Wahhahahahhait, wahhahhahahait, my boohohohohohohook!”

“Oh yeah, your catalog of pretty British men. Yes yes, I’ve got it.” Kunigami tossed said book safely on the coffee table before gently pulling Chigiri flat on the couch by his ankle, climbing up so he hovered over him. “You know- two dimensional guys are great and all, but you’ve got the real deal right in front of you.”

“Sohoohohoho youoohohohu ahahahahre jeehahhahahalous!” Chigiri declared through his giggle fits, squeaking in mirth when Kunigami grabbed his side, squeezing gently. One hand grabbed at the wrist of the offending hand while the other pushed at his boyfriend’s chest, burying his face against his shoulder. “Admihihiihiit ihiihhihihihit!”

“You really are just asking for it today, huh? I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, Princess, but I’m not- GAH!” Kunigami yelped when two hands attacked his ribs, Chigiri’s vengeful fingers going right for the deadly spot dead center of the bones. “Ahehahahahhahaa, Chihiihihihichhiihihihihi wahhahahahahait!”

“Hehehehe, hehehe…I gohohohot you nohoohohohow!” Chigiri giggled as Kunigami flopped to his side, rolling off the couch. He was soon stuck between it and the coffee table, completely vulnerable to the redhead’s vengeful fingers. “Tahhake that!”

“Gehahahahahhaha, prihihihihihihincess! Ahehahahahhahaha, cuhuhuht that ohohohohout!” The ginger howled, all his worst spots being attacked as Chigiri lowered himself gracefully upon him, one hand digging into his belly while the other scribbled along his lower ribs. “Thihihiihihihs ihihihihihihisn’t fahhahahahhair!”

“Hm, maybe.” Chigiri mused, laughing at how feeble Kunigami’s reach was to his own tickle spots. It was like sitting on a T-Rex with the way Kunigami’s arms were squished against his sides. “Don’t feel bad. It sucks for me too- now I can’t reach your armpits.”

“Oh hoohohohow thehehehehheherrible! Whahhaahtever shahahahll we doohohoh-AHH NOHOHOHOHO NOT THEHEHEHEHRE!” Of course Chigiri had to go for the chin! Arching with a rare shriek, Kunigami tried to simultaneously squish his chin closed while also wiggle away from the touch. “PRIIIHIHIHINCESS!” “Are you gonna admit you’re jealous?” Chigiri cooed, a small grin pulling at his lips. “Do it and I’ll stop!”

“AHEHAHHHAHAHA! EHEHEHHEVIL! EHEHEHEVIL LITTLE MIIHIIHIHNX!” Kunigami cried, laugh nearly going silent as Chigiri leaned in, replacing his fingers with kisses. At the same time, fingers resumed their game pinching and prodding at his hip bones. “GEHAHHAHA NOT THHOHOHOOOHSE! AHEHAHHAHA!”

“Just admit it and it’ll stop.” Chigiri reminded him against his pulsepoint, feeling his boyfriend start to crack. “Looks like I found your kryptonite, Hero~”

That did it. Kunigami braced himself before exploding- much like how he did on the soccer field, With a mighty push, he managed to scoot the table over, giving him enough room to wrap an arm around the smaller boy and flip. Chigiri squeaked, unprepared for the sudden rotation. He was so surprised he forgot to tickle, giving Kunigami the chance he needed to grab his wrists, pinning them above his head.

“Ahehe…hehehe…gohohotcha, Prihihincess.” The ginger growled, no malice in his voice as he locked eyes with a wide eyed Chigiri. “Yohohohu know what I’m gohohonna do to you?”

“Something silly, I’m sure.” Chigiri couldn’t help but giggle in anticipation, feeling his heart race. He waited for his wrists to be released, for tickly fingers to find his bad spots once more.

Instead, soft lips captured his own, filling his body with a warmth only Kunigami could provide. Any thoughts of tickles slipped his mind completely as he brought his now freed wrist up to grasp the bigger boy’s shoulders, pulling him closer. He could feel Kunigami’s hands on him, one at his waist pulling him just as close while the other snaked through his hair, sending shivers down his spine.

When they eventually pulled away, Kunigami smiled, leaning into him so their foreheads were pressed together. “So…” He asked, breathless. “Better than the book?”

“What book?”

“Thought so.”

Thanks for reading!

#Blue Lock #tickle #tickle fic #chigiri hyoma #kunigami rensuke #kunigiri #Chigiri having fictional crushes #Kunigami's mildly jealous #but it's all cute and whatnot #I love them your honor ahhhhh~ #Fluff

[lostfracturess]

nici i’ll have u know i just took two shots of tequila in preparation for this chapter 🤣🤣 and it’s close to 1pm on a tuesday

ALSO I CANT BELIEVE S&C IS OVER 100k NOW THANK U FOR THE NEVER ENDING FEAST QUEEN

“how can u stay so calm?” “drugs, sweetheart. it’s the drugs.”

i cackled so fkn hard 🤣

"Tell me," he whispered, his breath a warm caress against your ear. "Where would you want him to touch you?"

IM CHEWING MY MF KNUCKLES I NEED THIS MAN (or both men) IN MY BED IMMEDIATELY

Geto stripped the rain from his hair, then twisted the dark strands into a fresh bun. His eyes flickered between you and Satoru, a single raised eyebrow his only question. You wouldn't meet his gaze, the floor suddenly fascinating. 

stoppppp okay first of all the writing is eating so hard idk how but w every chapter i just fall more n more in love w the way u write 😭 BUT ALSO DON’t GIMME THE IMAGE OF A RAIN SOAKED GETO or else something ELSE is gonna be soaked out here🧍🏻‍♀️

ok i have to stop quoting every other line lmaooo

"Just so we're clear," Satoru's voice suddenly cut through the quiet, "I don't share. Not you."

PLS I KNOW I SAID I WLD STOP QUOTING EVERY OTHER LINE BUT THIS WAS THE NEXT LINE AND IM SCREAMING this is not fun to read while i’m in my fertile window

sighhh the conversation ab the 37 y/o pt passing n how he’s just a statistic now 😭 so heartbreaking yet realistically put

im loving the daddy dom energy satoru is exuding in this chapter i just love when usually flirty/amused men lock tf in when things get serious lol it’s so hot. also so sweet how all he’s concerned ab is her reputation & career ahead

“A familiar ache rose in your chest. You longed to reach out, to bridge the chasm he insisted on maintaining. But his posture, rigid as stone, and his clenched jaw, sent a silent warning. This was his battle, one he'd fight in isolation—as always.”

ughh i feel like this perfectly sums up their dynamic. also if s&c was a paperback book this wld 100% be a quote that readers wld highlight on the page n crop to post on pinterest lmaooo it’s so good

“He was falling apart. But all you could do was watch.”

🥲 pls. stopp im so fragile rn.

NOOOOO NOT SUKUNA BOOO BOOOOOO 🍅 🍅 GIMME FIVE MINS IN A ROOM W HIM RN 💥👊🏼

i have sm anxiety over this ethics hearing my palms r actually sweaty. its like i’m THERE rn.

wait nici can u explain again sukuna’s want for revenge towards gojo n wanting to tear him/reader down 😭 was it like the jealousy that he wasn’t able to become a successful surgeon like gojo n had to settle on educational matters instead? :”) im dumb sry. ik he’s the root of gojo’s addiction but i think i might be missing something here lol. or do we not know yet

ok i still hate sukuna’s guts but there is partial truth to what hes saying🧍🏻‍♀️not saying reader isn’t brilliant n talented in her own right, but for sure, satoru’s attraction to her has given her opportunities that other qualified students were potentially robbed of (we live in a society lol). but idk how exactly she ranks among her peers, so maybe she rly was the best student for the job, but that’s all very subjective

"Because you would do the same," you finally managed, the words scraped raw from your throat. "You would stay. You wouldn't leave me."

ok “why do you even stay?” sent a chill down my spine but THISSS. im gaspeddd :””(( reader loves him sm and if her commitment to not letting him take all the blame isnt evident enough, her sticking w him thru his drug addiction is truly a type of devotion that comes from a purest point of love

“You—you make me feel things I've spent a lifetime avoiding, things I don't know how to handle. It scares the hell out of me."

ouchhhh 😭 ok but i feel him on this. that avoidant attachment be hittin againnn lmao me n him are so same

"You don't need to deserve me, Satoru. Love isn't about deserving. It's about choosing each other, again and again, no matter what. And I choose you.”

CRYINGG YES 😭😭😭💕💕💕 this healed a part of me ngl

"If you don't come down in the next few minutes, you're the one getting folded, first-year."

WHY IS HE ALL OF A SSUDEN MR FUNNY MAN NOW PLSSSKDJDJD their chemistry this chap is off the charts

FFFFFUCKKK MEEE JUNKYARD BOY CHOSO!!!!????? I BET HE SMELLS LIKE GREASE N SWEAT N SOMEONE I WANNA FUCK. omg he called me pretty company 🤭🤭 bye dr gojo im all about them blue collars im sorry 😔🤚🏼

"I love you, first-year. Damn it, I love you. I don't care how complicated this gets, I want you."

god pls 🧎🏻‍♀️ if i’ve done anything good in life, then just give me this man

OMGGG HES GONNA FUCK US OVER THE HOOD OF A CAR ?!??!!?

"You give in too easily." A teasing smile played on his lips. "You don't really want me to fuck you on this hood, right?"

😐😐 this isn’t funny. im not laughing rn. i will not stand this sort of edging. gimme dick NOW

omg🧍🏻‍♀️ive no words to say about that smut. delicious, devious, dampening. he is my every fantasy and i desire him. i desire him so deeply

aaa he hurt her in his sleeeeppp 😭😭 for a man that cares so deeply like him that mustve really fucked w him. also this is so random and must be my daddy issues speaking lmao but satoru (minus his addiction) wld be such a good family man🧍🏻‍♀️the way he loves is sooo providing and stubborn to a fault but almost in a way that’s kind of grounding lol bc i feel like he’s almost always, at the end of the day, right about everything? haha i cld be proven so wrong ab this but i just had to share the thought

mannn im on the second court hearing n im just SO damn curious what is going thru satoru’s head rn 😭 it seems like something switched in there somehow, his demeanor is so different

him actinf so calm rn is scarinf the shit ourta me im ngl🧍🏻‍♀️like bb ur scaring me. PKS IN SO SCARED WHY IS HE SUDDNELY TELLINF US HE LOVES US

ah. and there it is. satoru’s impending fall from grace. i saw it coming from a mile away and that he wld do something like this, but fuck. the way it was written. i thought it would be something that came a place of more heightened emotions from him, something desperate to protect (kinda like in the first hearing). but THIS….so calm, collected, so sure of his love for reading that he’s willing to let go of almost everything that has given him purpose in life up until this point. it aches.

:( im heartbroken rn. amazing chapter 😭💕 thank u sm for writinf it, oh my gosh, jusf amazing

i need more tequila

giiirl!!! not the tequila ahhhhh 😭😭 that brings back bad memories omg.

& yes the story is over 100k already and still no end in sight. i never thought i would write so much lol. but also i'm already so sad when the story will eventually someday end. like i never want to not write about my unhinged neurosurgeon gojo help.

stoppppp okay first of all the writing is eating so hard idk how but w every chapter i just fall more n more in love w the way u write

thank you so so much!! that's such a big compliment coming from a fellow author <3

BUT ALSO DON’t GIMME THE IMAGE OF A RAIN SOAKED GETO or else something ELSE is gonna be soaked out here🧍🏻‍♀️

GIRL 😂 I'M SORRY.

i have sm anxiety over this ethics hearing my palms r actually sweaty. its like i’m THERE rn.

so glad the angst transpires well in this chapter!!!

wait nici can u explain again sukuna’s want for revenge towards gojo n wanting to tear him/reader down

so first: sukuna is an asshole.

second: sukuna is an asshole.

third: SUKUNA IS AN ASSHOLE.

no seriously, how i portray him is like a very power driven man, that thrives on the misery of others. moreover satoru being his lifelong rival and sukuna finally getting a change to push him of his throne is just something he wouldn't let slip through his fingers. so it's really all about power and control on sukuna's side.

also satoru's states in that chapter that he did something stupid in his past that sukuna is still mad about. feel free to speculate, given satoru's past 😂

ok i still hate sukuna’s guts but there is partial truth to what hes saying

yes it is!! satoru really has just eyes for yn and is defensively letting other students down in the process. this just adds to the overall mess their relationship is.

ok “why do you even stay?” sent a chill down my spine but THISSS.

hmmmmmm ahhhhhhh SO HAPPY that these lines landed well <333 love them!! they are so messy and raw ahhhhh

WHY IS HE ALL OF A SSUDEN MR FUNNY MAN NOW PLSSSKDJDJD their chemistry this chap is off the charts

he had a little bit of drugs and was all happy again lol.

FFFFFUCKKK MEEE JUNKYARD BOY CHOSO!!!!????? I BET HE SMELLS LIKE GREASE N SWEAT N SOMEONE I WANNA FUCK.

i was wondering, if i should just do a random character or one of the jjk cast and choso just came into mind at first. idk why but i think it fits ahaha.

omg🧍🏻‍♀️ive no words to say about that smut. delicious, devious, dampening. he is my every fantasy and i desire him. i desire him so deeply

here to serve!! so glad you liked the spicy scene. they are always a pain in the ass to write.

aaa he hurt her in his sleeeeppp 😭😭 for a man that cares so deeply like him that mustve really fucked w him.

YES!!! you're the first to comment on that!!! also thought that this is so so so SO BAD for him. like he would never (physically) hurt her and doing it unintentionally in his sleep??? EVEN WORSE. poor boy must have felt so miserable and angry at himself after.

the way he loves is sooo providing and stubborn to a fault but almost in a way that’s kind of grounding lol

honestly, love your observation about the potential family man side of satoru! his love IS fierce, demanding, and sometimes overbearing, but at its core, it's deeply protective, and i think you're spot on about that being grounding.

but THIS….so calm, collected, so sure of his love for reading that he’s willing to let go of almost everything that has given him purpose in life up until this point. it aches.

so happy satoru's fall from grace hit well!! wanted that choice of his to feel both shocking and inevitable. not a desperate outburst, but this chillingly calculated decision, born out of love. it just hurts so good!

thank you so so much for your lovely reactions to the chapter ellie, as always!! it means the world. also give me some of the tequila lol. sending you kisses and hugs ♡

#symptoms and causes #inbox

[elizmanderson]

(For the ask game)

I've heard you mention 'Remarkable Retirement' a few times. And I NEED more information so I can propperly obsess.

Thanks:)

SO GLAD YOU ASKED

first of all, obligatory plug because The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher is out now in hardcover, paperback, and ebook, with an audiobook pending! you can find tbr and buy links (plus fun stuff like a "which character are you" quiz) at my linktree.

(I also have a shiny new website if you prefer a traditional website format or if that's more accessible to you)

okay anyway

the inspiration is exactly what you'd think it was

for anyone who doesn't know yet, the book was inspired by this post that I saw on tumblr years ago when I had my original account

...except it's not a series, she's 83, and she had one cat in the first draft who got cut because I simply cannot keep track of characters' pets, rip Mittens

here's a plot summary

which I c/p'ed from Goodreads just now, but I wrote this summary myself except for the lovely blurb from SJ Whitby at the bottom

You're never too old for adventure.

When you’re a geriatric armed with nothing but gumption and knitting needles, stopping a sorcerer from wiping out an entire dragon-fighting organization is a tall order. No one understands why 83-year-old Edna Fisher is the Chosen One, destined to save the Knights from a dragon-riding sorcerer bent on their destruction. After all, Edna has never handled a magical weapon, faced down a dragon, or cast a spell. And everyone knows the Council of Wizards always chooses a teenager—like the vengeful girl ready to snatch Edna’s destiny from under her nose.

Still, Edna leaps at the chance to leave the nursing home. With her son long dead in the Knights’ service, she’s determined to save dragon-fighters like him and to ensure other mothers don’t suffer the same loss she did. But as Edna learns about the abuse in the ranks and the sorcerer’s history as a Knight, she questions if it’s really the sorcerer that needs stopping—or the Knights she’s trying to save.

“Beyond the utterly charming premise of this wonderful book, you will find dazzling wit, a cast of delightful characters, and a plot that will sweep you away. At heart, this is a love story, but one that shows the depth and complexity of love in all its permutations. But my very favourite thing about this book is how it makes me believe in a kinder, better world.” - SJ Whitby, author of the Cute Mutants series

no-context spoilers aka random shit in the book that I like to mention now and then for funsies

handkerchief magic

a largely useless wizard

"I'm fine" [but she was not fine]

"snickerdoodles"

"we're not flying right into a SHITLOAD OF DRAGONS" (I have a temporary tattoo and stickers with this quote on it lmao it's a fave)

a dragon who thinks he's a lap dog

a dragon who hoards flowers

an extremely self-indulgent kiss-on-the-beach scene

a Soft Old Man™

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's PTSD

idk I'm bad at giving info without a specific question

I could literally talk about this book (or,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,anything I'm writing) all day, but I never know where to start or where to stop when I lack a specific question lmao. so if you have more questions or new questions or questions about anything listed here, please let me know what they are so I can answer them better!

#answered #the remarkable retirement of edna fisher #title game #ask game #e's writing

[brilliant-red-eternity]

Do you believe im Ko-Chan und Akane-Chan supremacy?

I’m sorry for the late reply. I’ve been up to my ears in work lately and I needed some time as English is not my mother tongue. I hope I understood your question correctly. If by "supremacy" you mean do I believe in Shinkane then my answer is yes, of course. I guess my blog betrays my true feelings for this ship ;)

I’m very excited about Providence and would like to use this opportunity to express my thoughts and expectations. I must admit that I’m out of practice when it comes to writing, but this is my first Ask and I want to make an effort. I really enjoyed writing about this ship in the past and I’m still in love with their dynamics. Hopefully the muse hasn’t left me yet.

From what I saw in the trailer, it looks as if Akane and Kogami will once again work together as a team and solve a case that will bring to light another mystery of the Sibyl System. We’ve been waiting quite a long time for this to happen, but it remains to be seen whether their relationship will also develop in a romantic way. I really hope so, even though Shiotani keeps emphazising that PP is not a Shoujo anime. The authors will probably just drop a few breadcrumbs here and there and we’ll have to read between the lines to understand the personal motivations and relationships of our characters – but who knows?

I think Akane and Kogami’s relationship is very complex and it's always fun to watch them work together and mature. Despite their different opinions and occasional disputes, their actions were always proof of how deeply these two care for each other. Not only have they always tried to protect the other from physical harm/death but also they have always supported each other mentally in times of doubt. There’s mutual trust and respect. And there’s this insanely powerful connection between them, this spark they can ignite in each other, even if they're miles apart. Kogami was subject to Akane’s influence while he was living abroad in war zones. His firm belief in her righteousness and the fact that his revenge led him into exile made him reflect more closely on moral duties. On the other hand, Akane developed this peculiar habit of lighting Spinels that helped her solve cases in Tokyo. There’s also this bittersweet scene in the PP movie where Akane finds a paperback of Proust: she immediately associates it with Kogami, takes it home and therefore withholds evidence. The authors have taken great pains to avoid the stereotypical portrayal of romance but the message gets across anyway if you pay attention.

Providence will very likely focus on their professional teamwork. Still, it will be exciting to see how they approach each other after all this time – and not just because of their mutual attraction that seems to become clearer with each new story. They both have matured on their individual journey, and they both have changed. Akane has gotten quite tough and she is more committed than ever to changing the Sibyl System and society for the better. She still rejects violence and strictly adheres to the law. While Kogami admires her for it, these are qualities which he himself does not possess. After he killed Makishima, Kogami had to survive for a long time in a lawless world and he wandered around there without any real goals. I had the impression that he hated his new life and eventually got weary. Akane's sense of justice has always been the magnetic north of his compass, so if there was someone who could provide him with a sense of purpose again it would be her – or some task associated with her. I really hope that he’s willing to get his life back on track this time.

(-Did you come back to fight violence with violence?

- I’m just doing what needs to be done. I don’t have any regrets.)

The phone call probably occurs at the beginning of the movie and I bet you that it was Kogami trying to get in touch with Akane for the first time. The atmosphere is tense and it provides a good starting point for the hero’s journey. One of the basic dramaturgical recipes in PP has always been Akane and Kogami pursuing the same goal while favouring different approaches. Personally, I think this is due to the different realities of their lives and individual experiences. As an enforcer and mercenary, Kogami was always in a position of powerlessness and only violence could help him change a situation. Akane, on the other hand, was able to seek peaceful solutions because of her relationship with the system by either slapping Sibyl’s wrist or negotiating deals. Moreover, it seems as if Akane has worked her way up on the job ladder since she is now shown as a supervising inspector. Kogami is still in the dark about Sibyl’s true nature or Akane’s dangerous ties to the system, so I think we’re looking forward to some kind of collision here.

Kogami seems a bit depressed during the conversation and the falling rain enhances the impression. It’s unrealistic to expect that he could immediately reconnect with his friends after all this time but man, does he have to be so bad at making conversation or saying sorry? He’s lying through his teeth when he says that he doesn’t regret anything. He’s full of regrets but as always his pride prevents him from being honest. I have long suspected that PP actually stands for "pride and prejudice" as Kogami seems to have no idea how to handle his own wants and needs or Akane’s newly acquired toughness. But you don’t have to be a profiler to know the reason why Akane acts so business-like and tough: she seems to protect herself emotionally because she didn’t do so in the past and therefore got her heart broken.

Kogami should have known that Akane won’t be thrilled to bits. She probably worries whether or not Kogami was only allowed to return to Japan to do the "dirty work" for Sibyl. We know from SS that Akane doesn’t trust Frederika or Foreign Affairs. There’s a lot of competition between their ministries and the SAD is a brand new unit whose mission is still unclear. You can’t blame Akane for being suspicious and wondering what to make of this. However, given the development of his character, I think Kogami won’t let himself be used for fights he doesn't believe in ever again. But I'm not so naive as to think that he suddenly stops doing what he always does (fighting fire with fire or whatever the fate of Kei’s brother may be) and be good, especially when he comes under emotional pressure or has to defend his idealism. Akane knows that he can’t help it. Of course she knows.

 (-The next time you violate the law, I will stop you no matter what.

-Even so, I’ll believe in you who strives for righteousness.)

I think Akane says that more to herself. She must have realized that his return has the potential to become a great burden for her. She has a soft spot for Kogami and she knows it. She has proven more than once that she is willing to put herself in jeopardy for him and as much as she despises his illegal actions, she has never held him accountable. At the present time, she would have to use a dominator or arrest him. Both options would put Kogami at the mercy of the Sibyl System and that’s exactly what she has always wanted to avoid. Now that he’s back, she must be afraid that Sibyl may only spare his life as long as he complies and makes himself useful. Kogami created chaos in everything he did and the system is notoriously unforgiving. But not Akane. She has always tried to protect Kogami either by letting him go or by warding off an overly harsh judgement. Considering that, it’s kind of crazy that he of all people always emphasizes Akane’s sense of justice. Objectively speaking, she let a murderer go because she has feelings for him and knew that Sibyl would execute him. That’s why Kogami looks so pathetic every time he begs for condemnation. He must know that he’ll never get it from her.

Anyway, a collaboration between the PSB and SAD seems to be under way and they will probably meet regularly in the future. Keeping Sibyl in check and ensuring justice is Akane’s second full-time job. She has enough on her plate already and she certainly doesn’t want to babysit Kogami, who she knows will neglect his duties whenever he feels like it. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to see Kogami disobeying Frederika’s orders in Providence just so he can support Akane and follow the path of her "righteousness". As always, he’ll wreak havoc on the mission and his life will probably hang by a thread again causing a distraction for Akane who will then be compelled to save him from one of Sibyl’s crazy minions. She’ll go to jail for this, but we all know she will forgive him in the end. I can’t wait to see something like that in Providence. These two are practically made for each other. Try and convince me otherwise!

(-Will you come with me?

-Even if you told me not to, I will follow you.)

Be still my beating heart. I’ve always believed that Akane and Kogami are more than just colleagues. The romantic subplot has always been there given that Japanese culture is based on subtlety. Japanese people love to beat around the bush. Admittedly, Akane’s girlish demeanour in PP1 gave the impression that it might only be a one-sided and immature crush, but once Akane began to mature as a result of the Makishima case, their romance gained momentum. I’m glad she never broke the habit of looking at Kogami with dreamy wide eyes. It’s quite adorable and reminiscent of their early days as inspector and subordinate.

Some people think that Kogami only recognizes his younger self in Akane and that for him their relationship is merely platonic. His idealization of Akane raises questions, though. It’s clear that he has irrevocably changed and will never go back to his old self. I don’t even think he wants to. He respects Akane as his equal but considers her sense of justice superior to his or anyone else’s. In the PP movie, we witnessed how carefully he weighted every word she said when they talked on the balcony at night. He shielded her from the explosion without a second thought and the first thing he did when the camp was under attack was to help her escape. He always treats Akane with extreme care and priority. And if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, bear in mind that Kogami refers to Akane as her in the novel – as if he were sanctifying her. His character is not easily understood but I think it’s obvious that he has feelings for Akane. And from what I saw in FI and the new trailer, it seems that he no longer wants to hide them.

"Even if you told me not to, I will follow you". Kogami can be absolutely stubborn and persistent. He has already proven that in PP1 when he was chasing after Makishima. He was far too busy and selfish to be considerate of other people’s feelings back then and he didn’t let Akane’s warning get through to him. He had to learn the hard way. There’s something about this snipped that reminds me of Natsume Soseki’s "The moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?" to which the answer is: "I can die happy." Both are confessions of love. By saying that he would follow Akane unconditionally, Kogami reveals his real motives for the first time. And no, I don’t think he’s doing that as atonement for his crimes. He has undergone a transformation in SS which allows him to stop running away and "take responsibility". He had strayed far from the straight and narrow and it added to his loneliness and made him unhappy. Frederika recognized that. She must also have recognized that Kogami feels drawn to Akane and that he has found hope through his encounter with Tenzing. So, wherever their path may lead, I think he’s willing to die for Akane and become a happy man.

And as far as Akane is concerned: Kogami has always been the person she trusted the most and I really hope he becomes Akane’s ally. I’d love to see her laugh and find some happiness in this crazy world. She has secluded herself from friends and family over the course of the series and she absolutely needs someone to open up to plus a shoulder to lean on. She should no longer be a lonesome queen. Providence could be a first step in that direction and whatever happens between them as colleagues, friends or lovers, I expect it to be very important for their character arc. Kogami will probably learn to hold back and try to see the world through Akane’s eyes. And since we already know that Akane will end up in jail, it would be interesting to see if her policy might change in the future. Will she lose her influence over Sibyl? Will she be able to hold on to her non-violent way of life if it means she can no longer ensure justice and create change in the system? A system that won’t stop its Machiavellian practices and has begun to spread its tentacles all over the world? In PP3 Akane says something akin to "justice must be enforced, even if it disrupts a peaceful society." It doesn't sound vindictive or bitter, just reasonable.

The system despises both Akane and Kogami. They have demonstrated time and again that they would rather act according to their own principles than blindly follow orders. This is not in the interest of an authoritarian system. We learned in SS that Akane is being observed by the higher-ups since SEAUn. My gut feeling is that we should probably not trust Atsushi Shindou who has been portrayed as a Sibyl enthusiast in PP3 and who seems to have practiced strange mind manipulation techniques as an inspector. But what do I know? However, I’m pretty sure that the authors won’t be able to avoid showing the romantic side of their relationship in PP4. After the ending of FI it would come across as very artificial and forced.

Gosh, this answer has developed into a novel! I don’t know if you enjoyed my rambling analysis but I’ve always loved this little fandom and it feels good to be back! I want to thank steoh @mochidoodle for the translation of the trailer which I have quoted above in brackets.

#answered #psycho pass #shinkane #kouaka #akane tsunemori #shinya kougami

[rriavian]

Hello.

You know, if you wrote a book about your version of Corintheus based Dreaming analysis, I would love to have a paperback edition of that ( i love paperback 💖)

Anyway, i probably have told you quite a number of times that, my favourite moment of Baiting the Trap is Corinthian nibbling Dream's earlobe in the library right before Lucienne. Also, i have stated it enough times that,one of my favourite Corintheus prompt is Lucienne's reaction to the Corinthian-Dream dynamic.

So my question is:

When Lucienne was asked to be dismissed from the Library right after the above mentioned scene- what was her immediate range of feelings? Was she hurt that Dream allowed someone as disobedient as Corinthian to be so shamelessly invading his personal space before her presence? She is the most loyal most sacrificing subject of Dream realm. She deserves to be treated with dignity and decency. And being compelled to watch a private kinky moment like that isn't quite decent for Luci. I am not sure if I could make it clear. In my mind, Lucienne is ace. I assume she wouldn’t be comfortable to witness anyone’s unwarranted private moment. Let alone Dream's. The closest analogy is : an elder daughter being bound to watch her ever so dignified father's new shrewd gf trying to show off a glimpse of what they do in their private moment. So, was Lucienne hurt? Or angry? Or shocked? Or confused? Or all together?

Eventually, what was her personal thoughts about Dream- Corinthian relationship when she overcome the initial shock?

I have two more supplementary questions. I will send them eventually. Answer whenever you want to. Or feel free to not answer at all, if there is an upcoming fic shading light on this plot.

Much love💖💖

<3 oh if I wrote a book there would be so much I’d put into the analysis!

That moment in the library is definitely one of my favourites too, and one of my biggest narrative regrets is that there hasn’t (yet) been more Lucienne in the series. Her reactions to the dynamic are very important narratively, and very very interesting given her relationship to both Dream and the Corinthian. So I was happy to get a question about it! This is also something I’d thought about when I was writing so will probably come up at some point, but at the moment my answer shouldn’t spoil anything :)

The aftermath of the scene in the library links directly to the one between Dream and Lucienne in Courting the King, where there's a bit of tension before it’s resolved. There was worry when she left, some anger (at the Corinthian), but no confusion. I don’t think Lucienne was hurt—maybe a little bit of wounded pride—because while protective of Dream/the Dreaming she also respects his right to decide how to run his realm/respond to an insult against him. I think they both verbally negotiate where the boundary of that is. There’s a balance there and I think Lucienne’s stubbornness can, like any strength, work against her in certain situations.

There’s a wonderful parallel in how both her and Dream are incredibly alike in how they can be very stubborn, very prideful, so in many ways they’ve always understood each other.

What happens in both this scene and the one in Courting the King is that they are examples of Dream’s way of being like ‘I respect you greatly but you need to let me handle this’. It’s not an insult against her capabilities, or her role, nor a dismissal of the worthiness of her opinions (Dream is quick to rebuke the Corinthian when he precedes to insult her). It’s a demonstration of Dream taking his own responsibilities very seriously (I am the King and I will deal with this) while also making it clear that this is additionally a decision of personal agency.

Dream doesn’t need someone to step in and take away his choice of whether to accept what the Corinthian is doing or to punish him for it.

The privacy of the moment is definitely a factor in his decision too. Dream knows very well that the Corinthian is trying (and succeeding) to get a rise out of Lucienne. He knows that the Corinthian is using it as a way to finally feel like he’s won, to get pleasure from the context of how disrespectful it really is, to find a sneaky way to achieve what Dream is still denying him. That links something else too - while allowing this change to a sexual relationship is a decision that Dream has made (and the myriad of reasons within that is an analysis in itself!) that doesn’t mean it’s one any one else has agreed to see, that they’ve agreed to be made a part of.

The Corinthian tried to make Lucienne a part of it here, and Dream dismissed her to protect her, to make it clear that this fight was to remain private.

It was very much done out of respect to allow her dignity. To treat her with care. Dream is refusing to be remiss in his duties as King, as her friend, as someone who loves her dearly, by allowing her to be used as a pawn in a power play. And so Lucienne wasn't hurt because she understood why Dream did what he did even if she doesn't know all of the reasons why.

Lucienne being ace is definitely a reading I like! I’m also ace so that’s an interpretation I very much lean towards, though in some ways I read Dream as ace too haha.

As for her thoughts on the relationship, I think that will need to unfold as the series continues, but right now I think Lucienne is looking at Dream like ‘I support your right to choose sexual partners/forgive criminals even when it’s obvious you have terrible taste in men’. She’s pretty convinced that the Corinthian is going to betray Dream/the Dreaming again and—as shown in that scene in Courting the King—is being very cautious about keeping an eye on his behaviour in the Dreaming.

You are wonderful as always and I hope you enjoyed reading this <3 Feel free to send any questions at any time! Some might take longer to answer than others but I do love answering asks about these things :)

#dream of the endless #corintheus #the sandman #the corinthian #the sandman netflix #lucienne and dream #lucienne the librarian #sandman fic meta

[bookofmirth]

When people say Elain is an introvert (and it’s why she’s well suited for Azriel) and is currently thriving/happy…it makes me laugh a little and it’s kind of annoying. Compare ACOTAR & ACOMAF Elain to ACOWAR - ACOSF Elain and there is a massive difference. She is traumatized. In the beginning, Elain is described as laughing, talking, interacting and dancing with multiple people at parties. She personally greets them. She can convince anyone to do anything with a few smiles. In the human lands she was happy and the farthest thing from introverted. After being turned by the Cauldron, she becomes quiet. She has unresolved trauma. I think in SF, it’s stated that Elain is overwhelmed by crowds and she didn’t use to be that way; she loved balls and parties. That joy was taken away from her. Elain in the Night Court seems out of place. Shippers argue we’re being “anti-feminist” (or that we hate her) when we say Elain shouldn’t be in the NC (or with Azriel) even though she has became friends with the wraith twins and is making a home there for herself. Elain doesn’t seem like herself and as if she’s not happy. How can someone read SF and conclude that she’s fine and is meant to be in a court that “sucks the life from her.” Also adding, shippers say we really don’t care about Elain because we say she should choose who/what she wants and when she chooses to kiss Azriel we don’t agree with it. Well, we don’t know if she really wants him, because it wasn’t in her pov. She wanted to kiss him, yes, but is it only lust or is there romantic feelings? For Az, I only picked up on jealousy and lust.

Honestly some people learned about feminism from wikipedia and it shows. That's a rich criticism coming from a fandom who can't extend that same grace to other female characters, though. Just saying. Everyone is a feminist when it comes to Elain, but Mor? Nesta? Feyre? They forgot how to read.

Elain in acowar-acosf is a shell of who she used to be. in acosf it's described a couple of times that she is starting to seem more like her old self, but that old self goes away so quickly. She's being sly about something, we just don't know what. She has zero relationship with Nesta, whom she was closest with before. She's trying to help the IC when trouble comes, but gets shut down. She's not friends with anyone in the IC, which is weird to me considering how much time she spends with them. Something isn't clicking in the Night Court!

In fact, sjm said in an interview (in the back of the paperback of acofas, I think?) that Elain has been having nightmares about vines choking her. We haven't read about those in canon yet, so where are they? I assume she's still having them because we haven't had her story yet. We haven't even had a chapter that tells us her thoughts yet, like you mentioned.

I've never seen anyone argue that Elain shouldn't have tried to kiss Az - not saying it's never happened, I just can't speak on it. Personally, I've even said that I don't really care if she was hurting Lucien's feelings by doing so. Be messy, do what you want, follow your heart or vagina or whatever Elain, do it. But like you said, we don't know how she actually feels. There's nothing wrong with her (or Az's) sexual desires, no one has ever said that that in itself is a problem. It's the utter lack of romantic feelings that is putting us off, when paired with the idea that supposedly, they are in love? I can accept that they are sexually attracted to one another, but chafe at the idea of them being so in love when Az couldn't think of a single positive thing to say/think about her beyond that physical attraction.

#antielriel #ask #anon #elain

[nice-and-accurate-ramblings]

⚠️WARNING: GOOD OMENS 2 EPISODE 1&2 SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT!!⚠️

I need to get my live reactions out because I am LOSING IT. Do not read beyond this point if you don’t want spoilers for the first two episodes!!!

I am going insane after the prime premiere so here are my insane ramblings externalized:

THE COLD OPEN IN EPISODE 1 KILLED ME IN MY SEAT INSTANTLY

THE NEBULA. ANGEL CROWLEY (whose name we don’t get, ofc, that made me laugh). HE WAS SO EXCITED AND AZIRAPHALE’S “I WOULD HATE TO SEE YOU GET INTO TROUBLE” AND THE W I N G.

The fjuckin. WING. I AM UNWELL. I AM GOING INSANE JUST THINKING ABOUT IT

AAAAAAAAAA

And then the title music played and I apologized to my friend that I dragged to the premiere for being Extremely Not Normal. And then told her it Would Get Worse.

GOOD OLD FASHIONED LOVER BOY, IM-

Maggie: Oh nooooo, we’re locked in the coffee shop together,,, what will we doooooo (every fanfic author in the room just got so many ideas.)

Hm. Lindsey, huh? Hmmmmm.

That’s uh. Not a normal amount of texts. That seems a bit Not Great. I’m watching you Lindsey. I haven’t seen you yet but I am watching

THE APOLOGY DANCE AHSHDJFJF!!! Stan Pines and Crowley have something in common apparently. Also. Aziraphale what do you mean you had to do it in 1941. what were those other times. Where did this come from. I need EXPLANATIONS.

There’s no way their two-halves-make-a-whole miracle is what set off alarms in heaven. Gabriel Absolutely Did Something.

There are too many flies in the book shop for this to NOT come back to Beelzebub somehow

Re: Beelzebub- why ask Crowley to keep them in the loop if Shax already asked him that? Are they just not communicating, or is this somehow connected to Beelzebub???

My heart fuckin stopped when Gabriel started singing Everyday.

Crowley. Crowley I need you to repeat that bit about Jane Austen. CROWLEY YOU CAN’T JUST DROP THAT, I-

Good to know that scene overlooking the ocean was in fact as emotionally intense as expected. aaaAAAAAA

Re: Job minisode- “I’m a demon. I lied.” Gives a whole new fuckin context to the “Would I lie to you” “You’re a demon” from season 1. AaaAAAA

Another one from that minisode: Aziraphale thinking that heaven could be convinced to not destroy the earth if they just understood properly in season 1… aziraphale being disgusted by human food and drinks until he was tempted to try it and understood… Mr Gaiman I am in your walls for this

Anthony J “You can’t kill kids” Crowley strikes again. And we still don’t get clarification on what kind of kids he meant, which is incredible honestly. Plus, the goats were adorable :)

How is the jukebox doing the same thing as the Bentley. Is this a “every record eventually turns into Everyday in the same way music left in a car too long turns into Best of Queen” or is this a Pointed Thing

Have I mentioned that I would die for Muriel? I would die for Muriel. It has been two episodes and I simply adore the low ranking sunshine angel.

They are so fucking married

“OUR CAR” “OUR BOOKSHOP” they are so fucking married. Crowley why are you sleeping in your car, pls it’s OUR bookshop 😭😭😭

Aziraphale took drivers tests before they were cool (aka mandatory) 🙄 come on Crowley keep up

Aziraphale driving the Bentley is something I didn’t know I needed and yET-

First the “naked man friend” comment and then a random guy stealing the seat across from Aziraphale in the pub… rip crowley

Gabriel with the Terry Pratchett paperback… Gabriel reading off the first line of Good Omens… wait the book exists in the world of the show- Aziraphale owns the book in the world of the show- what

Never thought “Archangels don’t know where babies come from” would be a plot point and yet. Here we are.

Pausing one more time to go absolutely feral over the ending of the Job minisode because that played my heartstrings like a FIDDLE. “I’m like you now” “I’m a fallen Angel” and “I’m not here to take you to hell, don’t think you’d like it”; “I’m on my own side” “Sounds lonely” and “I’m a demon. I lied.”; how heckin PRETTY THE WHOLE SCENE WAS

someone please send help because idk how I’m going to be normal after this.

Okay, scheduling this for a little after the episodes drop and spoiler tagging like crazy! SOON, THE REST!!!

#good omens #good omens s2 #good omens s2 spoilers #goodomenss2spoilers #gos2 spoilers #gos2 #good omens liveblog

[authorsadiethatcher]

I’ve teased this previously, but now it’s here. The complete series of Fake It Until You Make It (all eight seasons, 115 episodes, and 261,000 words) is here. I decided to change up the cover and colors. Even though red was a major theme in the previous covers, the Thatcher College colors are blue and yellow, and I have to say blue looks pretty good on a bimbo. What do you think of this as a representation of Jessi?

I should mention that Fake It Until You Make It is no longer available on Kindle Vella. If you have purchased episodes previously, those episodes are still available to you (I checked on my own device). I also intent to have my friend record the series as an audiobook, but it will be a long process, so I don’t have a time frame for that yet.

Fake It Until You Make It is the longest single narrative story I have ever written. You will also notice the pricing falls outside my usual pricing structure for my books, but you will still get a significant discount over buying the seasons individually. And the cheapest way to get it now is to subscribe to my Ream. All the episodes were just added there today.

Fake It Until You Make It: The Complete Series is available from Amazon, Smashwords, Google Play, and Ream (Advanced Bimbo tier). It’s also available in a really thick paperback.

Jessica is tired of being a nerdy wallflower at college. Returning for her second year she vows to live her life differently. She vows to be one of the popular women. Her journey takes her places she never would have imagined, but her path is set. When Jessica is done, she will be a bimbo. There will be no turning back. This is the complete series of Fake It Until You Make It, featuring all eight seasons of the serialized story.

#Sadie Thatcher #writing #BuildingBetterGiggles #story #omnibus #fake it until you make it #book #ebook #paperback

[evilelena]

An excerpt from 3x6 (Episode written by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Joe Piarulli, and Luan Thomas)

_____

Then the scene changes — and the next thing we know, we’re staring at another wallet-sized photo.

Unlike Betsy’s photo, this one’s in colour (and has a small rip in the top right corner). It shows Johnny looking much younger than he does now, but a few years older than when we’ve previously seen him as Teenaged Johnny.

College-Aged Johnny is dressed in jeans in the photo, and has a gold cross hanging around his neck — but no shirt on. He’s standing in front of ocean waves with a “soulful” expression on his face, his wet hair hanging down in what looks like a mullet hairdo. Overall, the photo seems very…not candid.

We notice that the photo is being held by Miguel’s hand; however, we don’t see the rest of Miguel just yet. Instead, Miguel’s hand moves the photo behind a different snapshot of College-Aged Johnny.

The second photo looks just as staged as the first one. Again, Johnny’s (maybe) at the beach; but in this photo, he’s leaning or sitting fake-casually against some wooden stairs whilst gazing “mysteriously” at the camera. He’s wearing a pair of white pants, no shirt, the gold cross necklace — and a black headband that’s a little too wide to be his special black karate headband (plus, Johnny had quit karate by his college years) holding back his mullet-y hairdo.

We hear Johnny’s present-day self say-

JOHNNY’S VOICE: (matter-of-factly) These are the only photos I have. Don’t have much after high school.

Then we see Johnny on his davenport, staring expectantly at Miguel — who’s free of his harness (it’s now on Johnny’s coffee table, underneath one of the pulley contraption ropes hanging down from Johnny’s ceiling), and sitting in his wheelchair.

Miguel peers down at the photos in his hand, wracking his brain for something tactful to say about them.

MIGUEL: (thinking What now? while trying to sound nonchalant) Oh. Okay, um..

Miguel glances at Johnny, and asks in his most polite voice-

MIGUEL: Do you have any where you’re wearing a shirt, maybe?

Johnny murmurs Yes, and reaches into a cardboard box on the table in front of him. Despite what Johnny told Miguel, the box appears to have several photos in it (granted, they might be pictures of Johnny’s beloved late mother Laura, or baseball cards or something).

JOHNNY: (handing Miguel another photo) There you go, how’s that?

Miguel takes the photo from Johnny’s hand, saying Okay. Miguel hopes his eyes will land on a picture from this decade where Sensei looks normal — not like he’s posed for the cover of a corny romance paperback for teen girls called My Dream Guy, as he did in those two old photos.

But the third snapshot is also at least thirty years old; and Sensei’s “shirt” is a torn white tank top that doesn’t even cover half of him. He’s wearing a gold cross necklace in this picture, too (the only thing Miguel doesn’t find weird. Miguel’s never seen present-day Sensei wear a cross necklace, but Miguel’s ma often does.)

College-Aged Sensei is also wearing a pair of no-longer-in-fashion jeans, which his hands are slung faux-casually in the front pockets of. He’s leaning against a fake rock or tree, and has very 1980’s hair (albeit not a mullet this time). Although he’s smiling in the third photo, to Miguel the smile seems put-on for the camera.

MIGUEL: (pretending to consider the photo) Uh…that’s…um….

Miguel isn’t sure why Sensei even has such photos. Because they live near Hollywood (and the photos look like headshots or modeling shots), Miguel wonders fleetingly if Sensei tried to pursue an acting career back in the day; but he doesn’t feel like asking Sensei at the moment.

Miguel also notices with some mild curiosity how the upper left corner of the third photo says ‘BILLY’ on it — followed by a vaguely foreign-looking word that starts with the letter Z.

The Z-word (Miguel’s not sure how to pronounce it) happens to be a word Miguel recognises from a chain of convenience stores in Poland. Miguel knows about the stores because a Polish exchange student at West Valley High once brought something to school in a bag, which had the Z-word printed on it. When another student pointed to the bag and asked What does that word mean?, the exchange student explained how there are many stores called the Z-word back in his home country — and a few in the Czech Republic.

(If Miguel’s memory serves correctly, the exchange student said the Z-word also means “little frog”. Miguel found the conversation interesting, and eavesdropped because he loves geography. Last summer, Miguel actually used his geography knowledge to call out Kreese — when Kreese was hanging around the Cobra Kai dojo pretending to be Johnny’s friend and told the Cobras a bunch of tall tales about how he’d killed all these warlords a long time ago, yet he couldn’t even keep his African countries straight.)

Did Sensei travel to Europe in the 80’s and pose for these pictures, and get them developed at that store?, Miguel thinks, as he simultaneously tries to come up with an inoffensive way to decline all three of Sensei’s college photos. Is there a town or village in Poland called Billy? Maybe the chain has a location in Billy?

Miguel forgets about the words printed on Sensei’s third photo a moment later, though. He focuses on the task at hand, and tells Sensei-

MIGUEL: (nodding, smiling, and keeping his tone pleasant) Y’know. We’re probably just better off going with new photos.

JOHNNY: (staring thoughtfully at Miguel) Ya, like present-day?

Miguel answers Johnny’s question affirmatively, but secretly wonders what else “new” might mean.

A moment later, Miguel wonders even more how Sensei’s mind works — and has to do everything in his power to keep from visibly cringing. Because Sensei next says-

JOHNNY: (sounding doubtful and dubious) Hmm, ya, I’m not sure I want’chu to grease me up right now. Baby oil gets all over everything.

Johnny (suddenly concerned about the cleanliness of his bachelor-pad apartment) bites his lip in hesitation, like he’s worried Miguel will somehow produce a bottle of baby oil and…use it on Johnny, and smear it all over Johnny’s davenport and coffee table and circle-shaped table in the process.

Meanwhile, Miguel thinks Wtf? Then he deduces that a 1980’s person in Billy, Poland must have used baby oil to prepare College-Aged Sensei for the photos, so he’d look more like he went “swimming” or “surfing”.

MIGUEL: (murmurs with closed eyes, barely managing to maintain his calm-) I’m not gonna grease you…

Miguel stops talking — as he recalls how nicely Sensei wrote about him in the 80-page Facebook message to Ali. Miguel also feels relieved he’s not attached to the pulley, or wearing his baby harness right now.

In no hurry to put the harness back on, Miguel opens his eyes and says-

MIGUEL: (helpfully and maturely) I was just thinking maybe we could go with something more…contemporary? Ya?

Johnny considers this for a moment. Then he snaps his fingers, and points at Miguel like Miguel just gave him a brilliant idea. 

JOHNNY: Yes!

Johnny points at his laptop, declaring as Miguel frantically shakes his head no-

JOHNNY: We’ll look at what Ali’s into, and take pictures of me doing the same stuff.

Miguel, thinking Sensei’s suggestion sounds like something one of his classmates would come up with, tries to clarify-

MIGUEL: That’s not exactly what I meant…

But Johnny barely seems to hear Miguel, and is already peering at Ali’s photos again on his Dell laptop computer. 

JOHNNY: (studying Ali’s Facebook photos) I’m not doin’ yoga.

MIGUEL: (resigned to going along with this silly plan) No.

JOHNNY: I will pet a dog.

Johnny glances at Miguel.

JOHNNY: You think the aquarium will let me get in there with the dolphins?

MIGUEL (staring at Sensei like he’s an alien from the destroyed planet Melmac) I dunno??

Johnny nods distractedly and scrutinises Ali’s profile for another moment or two. Then he grins at Miguel, because Johnny just thought of another possibility — at least in his head, since this service doesn’t actually exist anymore (and hasn’t for years).

JOHNNY: (citing a photo-developing service popular in the 1980’s) You know what? We could Fotomat it.

MIGUEL: (utterly perplexed) What?

Johnny doesn’t explain what Fotomat is and merely snaps his fingers again. Ready to get to work on emulating Ali’s interests, Johnny instructs Miguel-

JOHNNY: Alright, let’s go, Hot Wheels.

Johnny stands, and taps Miguel’s leg so he’ll hurry up — which Miguel sees, but doesn’t feel on account of being paralysed.

JOHNNY: C’mon!

Miguel looks like he’d rather not. Johnny heads for the door, as Miguel frowns down at the dated photos of Sensei still held in Miguel’s hands.

But Miguel feels he owes it to Sensei to try. Thus, he calls out (so Sensei will know he’s following right behind)-

MIGUEL: Alright, let’s do it!

#cobra kai #cobrakai #johnny lawrence #miguel diaz