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kookygranger · 4 months

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Hi!

I'm so late!

But I'd love to know about HF!E

for the wip game!

Thank you, Betty! ✨

HF!E stands for High Fidelity!Eddie. It isn't a HF au it just takes place in a record store and I didn't have a name for it. It was an idea for a one-shot inspired by this playlist featuring gothic/spooky songs before goth was a genre.

It made me think about Eddie who just moved to Chicago with Corroded Coffin and is slowly being accepted by the scene. Reader works at a record store and is playing this mixtape over the speakers and Eddie very much falls in love.

I started writing it and then didn't really like it but here's a lil' snippet:

“What the fuck are you listening to anyway?”

“I made a pre-Halloween mix. Music that lead to goth before goth was a thing.” You frown as you try to unstick a bright red sticker from the price gun you’d been tapping on the pile of vinyl.

Eddie smiles to himself as he continues to pretend he’s browsing and not tuning into your conversation.

“Are you going to The Allied tonight? There’s some new band from Indiana or something playing, apparently they do a sick cover of Master of Puppets.”

Eddie pauses in his faux perusing for a second as he awaits your reply.

“I wasn’t really planning on it, no.”

The guy huffs, “No? What was your plan, going home to sulk to The Velvet Underground?”

“I don’t sulk–“

“You do when you listen to The Velvet Underground.”

“What do you want me to do? Pogo to Heroin? Anyway, I was gonna work on an article actually.”

“Why don’t you write about this band tonight? Tim says they’re pretty good. He saw them a couple of weeks ago at the Metro.”

“Tim said that about that god awful noise band that played at De Salle’s. It was the worst four hours of my life. I thought my ears were actually going to bleed.”

“Whatever, you say that like you’re not currently playing the most depressing German synth music that nobody in their right mind would listen to.” He points out the new song playing from the speakers behind you.

“First of all, this is David Bowie’s Low. And if you knew as much about music as you claim to, you’d know that this was his seminal work in his Berlin era and an ambient soundscape masterpiece. Secondly–“

“I like it.”

Both of your heads shoot up at Eddie’s interruption. He blushes and clears his throat as you catch his eye and the corner of your mouth quirks up. “Sorry, I just–it’s a good mixtape. I like the theme.” He frowns and shakes his head at himself, he doesn’t know what came over him. Who is this guy that’s bothering you, anyway? You have amazing taste and he’s pretty sure you’re the most angelic thing he’s ever seen. You gesture in his direction and look back at the guy that’s teasing you.

“The customer is always right, Simon.”

Eddie moves quickly to the B section and finds the album you were talking about before heading over to you.

“Did you find everything you need?” You smile at him sweetly as you hop off the counter and take the record from him. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked before. Customer service isn’t exactly my strongest skill.”

The guy, Simon, snorted. Eddie couldn’t take his eyes off the way your face lit up quietly when you realised what album he picked.

“What are your strongest skills?” That was such a weird question Munson, what the hell?

You looked up at him a little taken aback, before a small smile crept up on your face.

“Talking about music…or” you shake your head in contemplation, “writing about it actually.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Maybe it’s not so much a skill, more like an obsession.”

“She’s actually kind of good.” Simon butts in with a shrug and you roll your eyes.

“Such a high compliment cuz.”

You were cousins. He still had a shot.

“You write for magazines?” Eddie asks.

“Zines mostly,” you point to a stack of xeroxed pamphlets on the counter, “but I’ve published a few reviews with Spin and The Face.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows, “That’s pretty cool.”

You breathe out a laugh and take the cash he hands you, collecting his change. “Thanks.”

“Wait, you're Eddie, right?” He turns to Simon, almost forgetting he was there. “Your band’s playing at The Allied tonight? I met your drummer Gareth at a show last week.”

“Uh yeah that’s me. We’re called Corroded Coffin.”

“Cool name.” You smirk and hand him his record wrapped in paper. Eddie tucks it under his arm, his dimples showing as he smiles back at you.

“Thanks.”

“You’re from Indiana then?” You call back to Simon’s earlier statement, as Eddie doesn’t make a move to immediately leave.

He rubs the back of his neck as he nods, “Yeah. Just moved here a couple of months ago with my band.”

“Welcome to Chicago, Eddie.” You smile and introduce yourself, “Let me know if there’s ever anything I can do for you…vinyl wise I mean.”

“Thanks,” he scratches the stubble on his jaw before stepping away from the counter. “Maybe I’ll see you tonight at the show?” He tries to keep his voice casual, but there’s a hint of hope in there.

You bite your lip and shrug, “Yeah, maybe you will.”

Eddie nods and takes his queue to leave, the bell jingling again as he steps back out into the cold.

“Yeah, maybe you will.” Simon mocks you in a breathy imitation and you roll your eyes. “So now that you know the singer is cute are you coming?”

“Obviously! You better get me on the door list, or I swear to god I’m telling Aunt Carol about the stash in your underwear drawer.”

Okay, there were a lot more High Fidelity references than I remembered. Fun fact: I have read the book and watched the film and HBO reboot so many times I could quote word-for-word. I also dressed up as Zoe Kravitz's Rob for an office Halloween party once, complete with the Wings Over America live album that she talks about in that scene with the misogynistic cheater. Only one girl got it because she was a fan of Zoe Kravitz lol.

#wip game #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x you #she writes

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heartache-every-moment · 6 months

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album review #1

the downward spiral - nine inch nails

i will admit that this is my second favourite nine inch nails album. i recently got it on vinyl and that’s what sparked this review. maybe i’ll review all my vinyls.

the album starts with “mr. self destruct”. i’d really like to know what’s going on in that intro to be completely honest. anyways, if you look at this album as a downward spiral (why not?) this is the start of one. the chaos. the self destruction. the quiet part is the calm before the storm. something i’ve personally experienced with a downward spiral of my own. the music getting louder suddenly can represent everything going on at once; shit hitting the fan essentially. the feeling of guilt, the feeling of being a burden, the start of a downward spiral.

the second song on the album is “piggy”. when you’re spiralling, there’s a phase where you just do not really care any more. “nothing is turning out the way i’ve planned” is something that can make someone feel even worse. i really like the volume increase when he starts singing “nothing can stop me now”. i really like the instrumental for this song, not going to lie.

the third song on this album is “heresy”. i really like the almost 80s vibe of this song. the instrumental kinda drowns out the lyrics at first, but the rest of the song is great. i interpret this song as getting back at someone or something to prove them wrong. does that always work out? no. but honestly, it might be about someone proving their old self wrong. proving that they’ve moved on from that stage of their life.

the fourth song on this album is “march of the pigs”. could this be a reference to the second song? possibly. could it be that the person has become the person that they do not want to be? or that they’ve proved them wrong again? the aggression in the chorus makes this song great. the ending feels like the end of an emotionally satisfying climax.

the fifth song is “closer”. i will be honest that the two main things i associate this song with is my ex and a trip from hell. i love the song, love the instrumentals. but it kind of has been ruined for me i guess. the remixes of the song don’t have the same effect on me for some reason.

the sixth song is “ruiner”. the noises in the intro set the vibe for the song. the instrumental is fucking amazing for this song. the realization that someone who is close to you is not the best person is the feeling that i’m getting from the lyrics. the feeling of anger when you’ve almost idolized them. the quiet interrupted by the guitar is a great thing for dramatic effect. i think i’m looking into this a bit too deeply. the abrupt ending is amazing.

the seventh song is “the becoming”. i interpret this song as becoming the person everyone wants you to be. the person who doesn’t want to let anyone down. the people pleaser. afraid to be your true self out of fear of disappointing people. trying to be yourself afterwards feels scary. the “lighter” music coming out of nowhere and then abruptly gets louder scratches my brain.

the eighth song is “i do not want this”. feeling out of touch of reality and not wanting it to happen is the main topic of this song. not wanting to be controlled by someone else. no one knows your true feelings except you. wanting to do something that matters and wanting to change the world with it is truly relatable. wanting control over yourself; your own world. this is probably my favourite song off of the album.

the ninth song off of the album is “big man with a gun”. the feeling of power before the huge decline. i don’t have much to say about this one.

the tenth song, “a warm place”. the decline that i just talked about. the calmness. the realization of how you’ve reacted. an instrumental track. i am honestly a sucker for instrumental tracks. this sounds great on vinyl, and i’m tempted to put it on repeat to study. i love it when you can tell emotions from instrumentals. this is one of my favourite cases of it (my other favourite is whale and wasp by alice in chains).

the eleventh song is “eraser”. it’s… something. i don’t have much to say other than i like the instrumental. it kind of sounds scary. it’s my least favourite song off of the album.

the twelfth song is “reptile”. i don’t have anything to say, sorry.

the thirteenth song is “the downward spiral”. i think it’s best that i don’t talk about it for trigger warnings sake.

the fourteenth, and final, song is “hurt”. it’s the very end of the downward spiral. feeling numb. not recognizing yourself because of past feelings. i do not like the johnny cash cover, there i said it.

i feel like i’ve gone too in-depth for this review/my interpretation of the album. it’s a great album and i 110% recommend it.

9.6/10

#nine inch nails #the downward spiral #vinyl records #vinyl #music #music review #album review #physical media

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animereviewsbykyranskye · 1 year

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Reviews while I watch Trigun Stampede: Episode 3-5

This is going to be a hefty one. Hopefully I can catch up a majority of everything I missed before I get busy again next week. Let’s do this. Time for more gender envy.

Seven cities?

Oh yeah. The son died last time.

Oh god. There’s another one dead. And all of them have some on them. Why doesn’t he just blow all of them up?

That is a very creepy villain. All his mannerisms are so damn good. He is also clearly very injured/scarred with all the bandaging. We don’t see any of his face.

Who’s the random wanderer?

Oh god he really does care for the other people. He just got so serious. And he cares for any life really, even if they caused harm.

OOOOO its the twin! And the twin killed the bomber. I love the music in this!!!!

I just realised one his jacket, he has a logo that says project seeds. And with the brother saying that the plants belong to them, I’m assuming the facility that the brother destroyed was making the plants as a sustainable energy. It’s also why Vash knew so much about them at the start of the series. (sorry if this was known beforehand. I just only picked up on it now)

The brother is so creepy. Ooo. He’s been brought back in time and the gun has been destroyed. The scientist is definitely about to die.

They do really well with suspense and cinematography to portray the fear and chaos required for the shots to work. It is so damn good.

And now there are monsters. And the brother’s feet are covered in blood. Good imagery. Who’s this new guy?

Yissus this episode is harsh.

Ooo. do we get to see a face? Nope guess not. Partial one.

The weapon is really cool though. Terrifying but cool.

We’re getting snippets of the face.

DID THE CHILD JUST DIE??

And now Vash is being cast out.

----Between episodes thoughts----

What the actual fuck? This show was already mental but now. Wow. They did so well setting the brother up as a threat. What started as just a small look has become world destroying. Wow. Just wow. They’ve done so damn well with this.

----Episode 4----

For some reason my player has decided to break. Fun.

Ooo. New person.

I will say it again. This opening is sick. I need to check out a translation.

Thats a lot of bugs.

He got properly smacked. I feel like her driving is making things worse.

Oh god. Everyone is dead. Ominous noise is ominous. And there is a child as well.

This man is praying for others but doesn’t know the prayers. Who is this man and what is he trying to do while carrying a cross with him?

Worm?

Yes. Worm. They have been eaten.

The reporter does not trust this new man.

That is one nimble child. And now two people have been attacked.

Noice. Two very different ideologies. And he might be an assassin. Nice. And Roberto is gone.

I really like Vash’s personality. And they were just snorted out. Wow. And they’re back inside again. Noice. And the kid is a worm controller.

OOOOO. They look so cool!! I love the kid’s design.

The cross was a gun. Why am I not even surprised? That is such a convoluted design. It’s great. He must really hate worms.

New party member.

THEY’RE WORKING TOGETHER??

Ominous threat is ominous.

----between episode thoughts----

Not as crazy or heart wrenching as the previous one but an excellent introduction to the new characters - leading us to question their motives. Why does he want to be connected with Vash?

There is a morse code message in the closing.

But one that isn’t complete? Or wrong?

(.- ... .-.. -.--- --.)

The fourth letter has too many dashes, if you remove the last dash it is: ASLYG

Anyways. Just noticed that as I was typing the between. And it is blatantly morse code so yeah.

----Episode 5----

More new characters?

We actually know nothing about his arm, don’t we? Why does he have a metal arm?

Nicolas changed Vash’s nickname. Nice.

Spoopy threat for the episode. Unknown monster and child.

More shooting. And a creepy monster. Nicolas is helping him though.

The mother is going to sacrifice the child, isn’t she? Yeup. Imagine overhearing that. Oo the scene got smaller and smaller. That was cool.

The child was a thing from the past. Understandable. Oooooof. This backstory is harsh. It got worse!! Is the thing they’re fighting the child?

Fuck.

Vash knew the kid as a baby?

Oh no. He dead.

The wind came back when the child died.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Nicolas is working for the Brother!!!

----after thoughts----

Damn this show has such good writing, then the cinematography and the music/ It’s so damn good. I love it.

Also the morse code is the same at the end of every episode.

Edit:

Just found out that the morse code says Okaeri which means Welcome home. That is so touching and devastating. In the terms of the anime as a whole its nice for a welcome home as the anime is remade. But in the case of the story with the closing showing the connections between the twins, that is terrifying if its a welcome home from the brother. Vash is in serious trouble if it’s coming from him.

I love that though.

#anime #reivew #Trigun Stampede #chaos #this show gives me too many emotions #it is so damn good #Will probably be a top favourite if it keeps this up #so pretty #and so many good twists and set ups #ahhhh #gender envy #as always #reviews while I watch #kyranskye

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disappointingyet · 1 year

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These are my favourite films released in the UK in 2022 – as far as I can tell (it’s getting increasingly hard to work out what snuck out when. Taken as a whole, the list looks a bit Nordic, a bit gloomy, short on action. I’ve put together a round-up of some of the other movies I saw this year, including the critics’ favourite and at least one notorious turkey. And, as ever, there was a lot I didn’t see, because I didn’t get around to it or because I didn’t want to. Specifically, I should mention Top Gun: Maverick, which by most accounts is an excellent piece of film-making – but going to watch a sequel to a film I found excruciatingly dull and full of unappealing characters seemed kind of perverse. And The Banshees of Inisherin: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is unforgivable racist trash, I didn’t like In Bruges (or his brother’s film Calvary for that matter), so I’m not willing to give Camberwell’s Martin McDonagh another chance.

Anyway, on to the list (and do let me know what you think I might have enjoyed but missed).

1. Licorice Pizza

Paul Thomas Anderson in fun mode, telling the story of an entrepreneurial teen in early 1970s LA. It’s beautifully specific, and rather than making cheap and obvious jokes based on stereotypes of the era, it builds punchlines from history. Contains (words I never anticipated writing) a cameo from Bradley Cooper that’s just gobsmacking.

Full review here

2. Hytti nro 6 (Compartment No6)

This is a Finnish train movie set in super-bleak post-Soviet Russia. So yes, you will feel cold and uncomfortable just watching it. Our mismatched travellers are a Finnish mature student exiting a relationship with a Moscow-based academic and a young Russian miner. The question, of course, is how these two will find common ground, but this film – with moments of sharp humour and excellent observation – avoids the obvious and earns your time and patience.

Full review here

3. Verdens Verste Menneske (The Worst Person In The World)

I remain baffled by the title, which does come from a line in the film, but sets off all sorts of false expectations. The central character is no monster (nor, despite what one of the other leads tells her, a particular good person), just a typical contemporary female lead, struggling to find something fulfilling to do as her twenties and early thirties drift past her while dealing with the inadequacy of men, whether as relatives or partners. This is told in 14 sharply written chapters. In particular, the one in which two strangers at a party play at testing what they can do without technically cheating on their partners is great film-making. One quibble and a question: the film sympathises a bit too much with the I’m-just-saying-it-as-I-see-it comix writer dude, and can a bookshop assistant and a barista really afford a flat like that in central Oslo?

(MUBI)

4. White Noise

Middle-aged angst, teen angst, fear-of-the-apocalypse angst, married angst, it’s-the’80s angst, American consumer angst, academic rivalry angst… all these angsts and more are explored in Noah Baumbach’s dark comedy, adapted from a novel by Don DeLillo. Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig play the couple who know that in many ways they should be happy, but of course that just amplifies their misery. Baumbach does a fine job of recreating the 1980s and manages several switches in scale that could have easily tipped the film off balance. Make sure you stay for the closing credit sequence, which is great although it does make hard to actually read who the key grip or the catering company were.

(Netflix)

5. Bergman Island

A filmmaking couple go to Ingmar Bergman’s old stomping ground to get some writing done. All does not go smoothly. Much less heavy-going than that makes it sound, and at least as reminiscent of Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy as it is of Bergman. I found it captivating.

Full review here

(MUBI)

6. Emily The Criminal

Pleasingly spare, low-budget gig economy and scam economy LA thriller that makes superior use of Audrey Plaza's particular screen presence and vibe. Firmly recommended.

Full review here

7. Les Olympiades, Paris 13e (Paris 13th District)

Shot in very lovely black & white, this is essentially a sweet comedy-drama about the romantic misadventures of a trio of young(ish) Parisians, although it was marketed as something a bit edgier than it really is. Director Jacques Audiard is best known for male-centric crime movies, but maybe the co-writing credit for Céline Sciamma (Portrait Of A Lady On Fire, Petite Maman) gives a better steer on what this is like.

(MUBI)

8. Madres Paralelas

I’ve been mostly underwhelmed by Almodóvar’s recent run of what could be called anti-melodramas: stories of wild coincidences and personal tragedies told in numb, mostly humour-free fashion. Madres Paralelas worked better for me: he makes an odd choice of framing the central narrative with a very different one involving the same characters. It’s jarring, but I think it ultimately makes its own kind of sense.

Full review here

9/10. Bodies Bodies Bodies/Triangle Of Sadness

I wasn��t expecting to be repeatedly reminded in 2022 of Very Bad Things, a (not very good) 1998 comedy starring Christian Slater and Cameron Diaz that’s like The Hangover only with a high body count. These films are both vastly superior to VBT, but echo its rapidly escalating nastiness. Both involve the privileged classes placed in situations of extreme discomfort, although the politics of Triangle Of Sadness are more explicit and (it feels) more central to the film than those of Bodies Bodies Bodies.

In BBB, a bunch of twentysomethings gather in big, isolated house just as a storm is approaching. They start playing bodies bodies bodies (known in my time as murder in the dark), only… well, you can guess. There’s a strong 1990s vibe to this, especially the way the movie seems to feel about its characters, while being very 2020s in its casting, the sex lives of the characters and the woman worried her podcast (‘a podcast takes a lot of work!’) isn’t getting any respect from her friends. I really enjoyed this.

If you have seen Ruben Østlund’s Force Majeure or The Square, you’ll know to expect fairly broad satire and the lives of the pampered going very wrong in Triangle Of Sadness. (If you haven’t seen any of them, start with Force Majeure, which is the best of the trio.) TOS ups the stakes on Force Majeure’s ski resort by putting its characters on a luxury yacht. There’s a deceptively low-key beginning in which we’re introduced to Yaya (the late Charlbi Dean) and Carl (Harris Dickinson), models in a relationship driven - at least for her - by the potential for Instagram influencer synergy. The intensity builds when they bag a free holiday on the yacht, where Østlund attempts to outdo The Square’s much-discussed party scene. At which point, it’s fair to say that as much as Jean Luc Godard’s Week End and assorted Buñuel films, this is indebted to American gross-out movies. Subtle this film is not, but if you have a strong stomach and a taste for comedy that’s grotesque and openly political, this is a blast.

11. Competencia Oficial (Official Competition)

Take the title of the movie itself plus that of the film-within-the-film – Rivalry – and you’ve got the theme of this Spanish comedy. An aging billionaire decides to fund a potentially prize-winning film in an attempt to cement his legacy. He’s advised to hire the talented-but-eccentric Lola (Penelope Cruz) to direct and she casts a very serious theatrical type (Oscar Martinez) and a mainstream movie star who has houses in LA and St Tropez (Antonio Banderas). The two actors, inevitably, clash over their contrasting lifestyles and approaches to their craft, with Lola’s interventions pushing up the tension. The film is essentially a three-hander, as the trio rehearse the film in the vast, empty, marble spaces of the rich dude’s foundation.

It stays more on the leash than I was expecting – there are multiple opportunities for things to get unhinged that the film doesn’t take (or mostly). I did properly laugh a fair number of times, and with Almodóvar seemingly sworn off comedies for good, this does a decent job of filling that void.

#films of 2022 #films of the year #2022 best movies

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peakywitch · 2 years

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Old Chapters - Michael Gray

A/N: Season 6 spoilers AND PURE PURE PURE MICHAEL ANGST, quite the harsh vocabulary, mentions of a hypothetic abusive partner (there's no violence towards anyone!), almost a love triangle, michael x reader & tommy x reader, harshness level season 6! If you dont understand the story, don't worry neither do i lmaoo anyways enjoy xx

2k words

masterlist

The bell on the door rang, snitching on whoever got into the bookstore. Maybe it was Adam, who couldn’t take a no for an answer and came today to bother, yet again. But the guards that watched over the shop had strict rules from Tommy himself to not let him anyway near the door. Y/N listened carefully, trying to decipher the noise, if the intruder did any. She was kneeling down, and the stranger interrupted her while she was doing some stock review. Slowly, the small notepad that was in her hand was placed on the floor, and this helped her to find balance with the shelf in front of her.

“I’m sorry,” she said a few seconds after not hearing anything, “we’re already closed, we close at six, please come back tomorrow!”

She heard nothing in return, so maybe it was Tommy. But even the man announced himself every time. She waited a few more seconds but still, no noise. Not even Adam tumbling around and making books fly down. This silence was more dreadful than the Welsh curses that came from her suitor.

With a trembling hand, Y/N found reassurance when she hid the small gun in the pocket of her long, brown skirt. Before leaving the room she took a deep breath, trying to force a steady, undoubtful grip if needed. But, when she entered the main salon, a man was looking through pages of a book that had been bought more often than any other. But it wasn’t just any man.

It was Michael.

He was just standing there as if he owned the place and was doing some stock research.

“Hello, Y/N.” his low voice vibrated through her whole body, “long time no see.”

Indeed, long time no see.

She didn’t answer. She couldn’t answer. There was no possible answer, there was no need for a warm welcome. He didn’t deserve the Welcome back to Birmingham Michael! nor did he deserve her tears. Yet, she couldn't control those.

“You own this place now?” He asked, and for the first time in years, she saw his eyes, again. The last time she had seen him, it was at Polly’s funeral. His eyes expressed many more things than he had ever expressed. But now, he looked shallow, bored to death and stuck in limbo.

“Only one thing has changed in the last few years, and it’s something I thought you’d never lose. Your way with words.” He closed the book softly and left it in its original place. Now, all of his attention was directed to her.

“I ran out of words that morning, Michael. I don’t have anything else to say to you. Not that you would care, or that they would matter.”

When Michael left for Boston, it was a Thursday morning. She found out after she spent the night at Polly’s because of a fight the afternoon before. She was in Tommy’s office, and the leather couch was acting as a safety net because after he left without her she found herself spiralling out of control in her anxiousness. In the shatters of her heart, now scattered all over the place. Tommy took matters into his own hands when he found out that his cousin didn’t have the courtesy to tell his girlfriend that he was leaving. Without her.

Michael cleared his throat.

“I’m not here to talk about the past-” he took both of his gloves off, and the shinny wedding band that was hiding under the leather twisted a knife that she thought was long lost.

“There’s no past to talk about.” She muttered, trying to sound confident. He stared at her while taking off his hat. Those same, deep blue eyes always gave him a smug look, yet a kind one. His hair was smoothly brushed, and there wasn't a strand out of place. He was looking as if he had a nice life.

“I’ll be quick, and I’ll be blunt, too. Tommy wants me dead-” His voice sounded loud and clear, he obviously developed confidence out of nowhere.

“That much I know.” Y/N voiced out with a bit of sarcasm and Michael raised his eyebrows, surprised at her newfound tone and continued.

“And I, also, want him dead. But not just because I want to live enough to see my and Gina’s son grow up, but also because I want him to pay for what he did to my mum.”

My and Gina's son.

Lawrence Gray.

She saw the boy once, in a picture that was published in the papers in an article about Gina’s uncle, Jack, opening a new hospital for children and using his nephew and media bait. Blonde hair, and Michael’s face. There was no denying it. That’s what hurt the most. Because if the baby looked a bit more like Gina, she could have brushed it off. Maybe think of her as a whore. But it wasn’t the case. Same soft nose, long lips and that smile she had once seen in him, as he was a boy in the village.

The village.

That haunted, forsaken place that they wanted to leave way behind. That place that they left behind, together. Only for her to be left behind next.

“I want you to help me to take him down, Y/N. I can’t do it without you.” Y/N snorted out a laugh, he couldn’t be serious! He had to be joking!

“Oh my God, I think you should ease it with the snow, Michael.” she laughed out, but he remained unmovable in his place. He wasn’t joking.

“He trusts you, Y/N. And this is not for me-” his voice started to raise, letting her know that he took her laughter as an offence.

“Everything is always because and for you, Michael!” She fought back.

“This is for my mum!” he yelled. And Y/N stood in her place. The only time that she heard him yell, was the day of the fight, she would be lying if she said Michael was a verbally abusive partner. Maybe a dickhead, an idiot and sometimes a fucking twat. But he never abused her, in any way. Which made Y/N hate him more because if he was as nasty and as easy to hate as Adam, she wouldn't have had a tough time getting over him.

She stayed there, petrified in front of him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell.”

Fuck you, Michael Gray. Let me hate you.

“I want you to help me. And then, I will help you to keep the bookstore, or I can help you move out of Birmingham. I just… I need to trust someone inside.” He was trying his best to look… sensitive. To provoke something.

Y/N stared at him, not believing what he had just said. He became a stupider man.

“Gina sucked the intelligence out of you, Michael?” She laughed in disbelief.

Michael looked away. His ex-girlfriend talking about his wife and- yeah, she still had her thing with words.

“You actually want me to join you because you want to see how I'll stick with Tommy and want to convince yourself that you were right, that I would have eventually betrayed you. Or left you for Tommy or some shit like that. But guess what? I am not taking sides here-”

“There’ll be a day where you will need to choose a side.”

He sounded like a holy man, talking about judgement day. It made her crawl in her own skin.

“Jesus, Michael, who do you think I will choose? The man that left me and married someone else without notice? Or the man that took a chance on me and is now helping me? Do you want me to choose if the day comes? Fine, I will. But just know Michael, I would never betray you.” he smiled, “but then again, I will never betray Thomas. Because, unlike you, he never betrayed me, or my trust.”

“He betrayed me, and my mother!”

“You failed him first! You set him up, you sold him to Changretta, Michael! The man that killed John and almost killed you! And then, you betrayed me, I was your girlfriend! You told me you loved me!”

“Oh, come on! We were both barely 20, what did we know about love, ey!?” There it is, there it fucking is. A reason to hate him. “I heard you say that you loved me, night after night! And then, you just evaporated, and he was the one that told me, he was the one that helped me move out so I wouldn’t have to be the one to take everything out of your house, Michael! I was distraught!”

“I was young, Y/N!” he stated, trying to defend his reckless actions.

“I was younger, Michael! Three, almost four years younger! Fuck! But I always had at least a bit of human decency in m’self! I would have never, ever done something to you that would hurt you in the very least! And guess what? Age is not an indication of emotional responsibility, my son is ten times more considerate than you, and he is three years old!”

The sentence ripped apart her throat and her heart. Months of anger, nights of tears and mornings of dread. His ghost danced around the house for months on every sleepless night. Michael stood there, frozen, and she kept on speaking, allowing the words she only dreamed of saying to come out.

“So guess what? I will stand by the man that never betrayed me. You just want to see me sell you out, because you know I would if you ever told me about your plan of killing Thomas. Because he’s the only one left that I have, and I would sell you out if that meant I got to keep him. You wanted to see if you could trust me? Well, guess what? You can’t! You fucking can’t! Just like I will never, ever trust in you again!”

He laughed bitterly, and putting on his hat again, he spoke grimly.

“I always knew you’d betray me in the end.”

“No, you got this wrong. I will never betray the man that I love. Neither the man that I once loved. And.. not only did I love you, Michael. I adored you. Shit, I would have left for America with you! But… but now I’m so glad I never did. I have a loyal man by my side who cares for me and our kid. And I have barely any time to think of you and how you broke my heart. So go ahead. Go ahead and try to make me betray my husband, Michael. Because if you ever get a bullet in that fucked up brain of yours, it will be because of me. Don’t try my limits, because I am not the same stupid and disposable girl you once knew.”

The shallow and gloomy facade he once had, was now long gone. Even though he was the one to force her to move on, he was shameless enough to believe she actually would move on.

“So…” he said, putting on his gloves, “you have a son?” Was this some attempt to guilt-trip her?

“Yes, James. Causes more trouble than I ever did. But then again, it’s the Shelby blood, they were also quite the thing.” She smiled for the first time she had seen him that day. A small, shy and sad smile. Michael's eyes roamed her entire body, and smiled, after noticing one small detail.

“That they are.”

They stayed in silence looking everywhere but at each other. The books, the shelves, the chandelier, and the small cat sleeping in the staircase that everyone seemed to love. Without a word, Michael walked to the door and Y/N followed carefully every step. He placed his hand on the doorknob and opened the door after twisting it softly. The cold, winter air filled the shop.

“I’m happy you have James now. But you also forgot three small details. You’re not wearing a wedding band, nor is your finger shaped to its form, I doubt Tommy would allow that. You also forget that we both, too, were quite a handful. And the last one, you were never a good liar. Goodbye, Y/N.”

#michael gray blurb #michael gray fanfiction #michael gray #michael gray angst #tommy shelby #peaky blinders #peaky blinders angst #michael gray x reader #michael gray x you #thomas shelby fic #the peaky blinders #thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby imagine #thomas shelby x y/n #thomas shelby #finn shelby #john shelby #arthur shelby

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rolandrockover · 5 months

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Sweet & Dirty Love For Sale

Sweet and Dirty Love is a rocker. But more of the kind that sits on a motorcycle. And this one probably doesn't do it on a daily basis to get around in his preferred way, but is rather one of those who get on his shiny polished chrome bike on Sundays to show off a little in front of the neighborhood. Maybe the guy on there is also a bachelor and wants to pick up a few chicks within or beyond his age group. Who knows, he's in a good mood about it anyway. The star here, however, is not so much the guy sitting on the bike, but the impressive-sounding vehicle itself, after all he can be sure that he can prove good taste and put it on display. This machine has a lot of horsepower under its saddle and wasn't exactly cheap. So, Gene plays the guy in the fire chair, but Bruce and Eric Singer are the chopper itself. The chrome and steel gleam and sparkle, and the engine makes just that kind of noise that satisfies every hopeful expectation.

Purest music.

When Asshole came out in '04 I had read a review about it in a music magazine at an airport and in it was written a short but for me crucial sentence about Sweet And Dirty Love, that it sounded like it was fresh from Love Gun. What a compliment, which actually made sense to me (1), from a purely emotional point of view. Although… if you take a closer look at Sweet And Dirty Love stylistically it doesn't refer to Love Gun as much as it could to George Thorogood & The Destroyers or does to Queen, for example (2). This works for me in roughly the same relation as Domino does to ZZ Top as a balancing act that works extremely well, and one of the great strengths of Simmons and Stanley, but only if they know how to play them properly.

But back to Love Gun. There is one little thing that would suggest their connection. A tiny, playful bass passage, amidst all the stylish guitar solo intermezzi that actually doesn't belong there, shimmers through from the middle of the engine to quickly draw attention and saying: "Hello, it's me, Got Love for Sale! I've been here all along!" So let's not forget, in all reverence, that the driver wasn't a dentist the whole time, but the designer of the machine.

Side Notes:

(1) Did I ever mention that I've always considered the Asshole album cover to be a direct reference to the one of Love Gun?

(2) How about Tie Your Mother Down?

Press play to get straight to the point of Sweet and Dirty Love. Got Love For Sale starts at the beginning:

Sweet and Dirty Love (2004)

youtube

Got Love For Sale (1977)

youtube

Tie Your Mother Down (1976)

youtube

Just for the fun of it, I'll put this on top at the end.

Bad To The Bone (1982)

youtube

#Kiss #Gene Simmons #Love Gun #1977 #Queen #1976 #A Day At The Races #George Thorogood & The Destroyers #Bad To The Bone #1982 #ZZ Top #Roland Rockover #Youtube

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starlight-time-machine · 5 months

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Week in Review

11/05/2023 – 11/11/2023

Sunday

As expected, the Ichinose chapter last week was a fake out. Just one more gotcha – but just kidding this time! before the end of the road. And now that we’re here…it’s a little baffling to me that it took us 48 chapters and an entire year to impart the relatively basic message of “families aren’t perfect but you gotta keep trying anyway.” I wish we could’ve gotten more focus into each of the other family members like Tsubasa did, what with the whole set up of the seven deadly sins and all. I wish there weren’t so many twists that seemed to be only for shock factor/cliffhangers. And I wish this series had a stronger thematic backbone, but I’m learning that Taizan 5’s M.O. is all about bordering on trauma porn/shock factor until they pull it back for a conclusion that’s about as complex as you’d find in a Disney Channel movie. They always have great premises, but from what I’ve seen, I don’t think they have the skill to actually follow through with interesting and evocative ideas. I’m just glad the trip is finally over. I’ll give Ichinose a 3/10, and I honestly don’t think I’ll check out Taizan 5’s works in the future.

Next up is Undead Unluck, and it’s so serendipitous that we got this chapter right after episode 5 of the anime, because otherwise I don’t think I would’ve remembered Andy firing his fingers at the Round Table, and then I wouldn’t have caught this parallel of Fuuko shooting her guns at the UMAs! What a full circle moment. And oh my God Andy…pulling a Fire Punch, I see. Solid chapter overall.

Dandadan 127: YAYYY RIN!! LET ‘EM KNOW!!!

Magilumiere 90: Plot-wise I don’t have much to say about this chapter, but it’s fun to see everyone in the Manga Plus comments lamenting about Shigemoto being denied his magical girl dress.

Hmmmmm yeah okay, it’s the end of the line for Akane-banashi for me…I know I said I was going to stick with it for the rakugo stories, but I think I’ll just listen to a rakugo podcast or something. I’m glad I got to see fox Karashi before I went, though.

One Piece was fine.

CIPHER ACADEMY YAYYYYY I’m glad to finally learn more about Karigane and what a threat she can be! I also love when Byu’s eyes go into sniper mode, it’s such a unique character design detail. But oh boy……I tried so hard to get into mahjong when I played Yakuza 0, and I’ve since accepted that I’m just too dumb for it LMAO like, there’s no way I’ll ever be able to memorize all the point-winning hands, and I barely understand what a dora or tenpai is. I wouldn’t even be able to tell if I was winning if there wasn’t a video game telling me that I was…all of which is to say that this code battle is just going in one ear and out the other, I’m afraid. But I’ll just focus on the emotional journeys of the characters and I’ll still have a great time.

My friend and I finally marathoned a ton of House episodes, but they were all pretty standard fare. I can’t believe we’re only halfway through season 5 and there’s still four whole 22-episode seasons left…they really let TV shows go on forever back then, huh? What’s really surprising to me on this rewatch is how Taub has become my favourite character…? He’s pragmatic, self-aware, and doesn’t tend to get caught up emotionally – my kinda guy.

Monday

Finally got around to watching the Dirty Laundry episode that came out like two weeks ago. This one was pretty fun, with one or two wild stories, but still doesn’t reach the heights of some of the earlier Dirty Laundry episodes for me. And every time I watch, I think about how hard it must be to cast for this show, because not only do you have to get good comedians, you have to get four of them who are familiar enough with each other to have funny banter and to actually guess whose secret it is… And I fear that their talent pool is running out…or rather, their talent pool of people I recognise and would like to see on the show is running out.

Watched the new Make Some Noise episode while I was at it and I love seeing Jacob again, his energy with Lou is really fun. I feel like some of the prompts this season have been a little…subpar, though… I don’t like the ones where it’s just a pop culture reference that’s basically only one obvious joke, or the ones where there’s no real room to expand… But I think the guests this time did the best with what they got. But holy shit I did not enjoy the minigames in this episode…

Tuesday

Agh

Wednesday

Ack

Thursday

Aghhh

Friday

It’s been a busy week… I’ve gotten sucked into all my various projects and errands…but I always have time for new Undead Unluck episodes. Unfortunately, this was probably the weakest episode in the series so far. Story-wise it was a lot of setup for next week’s fight, and visuals-wise…look, I get it, there’s literally no other way they could feasibly do this on a TV anime schedule, but goddamn the 3D zombies look goofy as hell… I really hate seeing 3D human models in 2D anime, it just never looks convincing and completely takes me out of it. But it is what it is, I suppose.

I loved the part in the beginning of the episode though, where Shen was being cute and having fun banter with Fuuko. And then the fish-eyed lenses effect to amp up the horror vibes when they were listening to the recording was also a nice touch. Now I’m just really looking forward to seeing if Shen has his little unhinged moment next week. (Special shout out to the cameo from Mr. Spongebob himself, that made me laugh).

Saturday

Pretty good episode of SpyFam today. I love seeing the tension racket up as Yor and co. realize that they’ve been found out – the scene with the room service guy was particularly excellent. The Anya segment provided a nice balance of comedic relief, though perhaps it dragged a bit longer than it needed to. I’m excited to get into the assassin battles proper next week.

It’s fun to be eating Chinese food while watching Kusuriya, especially when it’s a super spicy mala dish…I feel like I’m doing a poison mukbang with Maomao. Rihaku is really cute in anime form! The Garden Party as a whole was adapted about as well as I could’ve expected, but I think I just prefer seeing it in manga form for whatever reason…probably something to do with the pacing of reading the dialogue versus watching it being spoken aloud.

Pretty barren week, huh? I wish I could say I was being productive the whole time but it’s more like I got sucked into my hobbies while watching a lot of YouTube in the background. Hopefully next week will be more eventful.

#week in review #2023

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eurofox · 1 year

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Yakuza 7 (like a dragon) review

I was dreading this one because of the turn based combat (I’m not keen on dragon quest for a start) and having an all new cast plus I had a major plot point spoiled beforehand but I decided to give it a chance anyway. Still prefer brawler style overall, but I did get used to it

The good shit:

I ended up really liking Ichiban, he was just the character that was needed after Kiryu. He’s still as dumb ofc, but he’s really enthusiastic about everything he does. I still prefer Kiryu, but he was pretty subdued when it came to almost everything and he really did seem fed up by 5 so Ichi’s a breath of fresh air.

The villains were good this time round and Ichi’s connection to them made it all the more interesting.

Sleep minigame was mad

No stupid enemies grabbing guns left about in cutscenes

Another great soundtrack

Lot’s of enemy variety, they really got wacky with it

I eventually got used to the combat. It’s ok, just a huge change. It does get a bit repetitive later though.

The special moves are all fun. Daigo and Majima especially. I think Majima was a sonic adventure reference?

Dragon kart is a nice distraction, wish we got more characters though, maybe next game

More locations and the uber app was handy given how big yokohoma was

Bringing back old theme songs was nice

I’m glad Watase made a re-appearence, he had a lot of potential and I’m glad he didn’t just get forgotten

Great news Wagi fans, he’s back (although how the fuck and why did no-one realise, did daigo not notice his captain never came out of hospital?)

The goon pokedex is a great

Finally, playable female characters. Both are fine, although there was a strong smurfette feel to the group at times. Also I love that neither can be attacked by Kiryu in the boss fight, cool attention to detail. Seong hui was also cool but I wish she fought, it’d make more sense for her than the other 2 in all honesty.

The CDs are nice

I loved the whole dynamic with the group and the little bar chats. Kiryu’s chats in 6 were more awkward and brought back bad memories for me in school trying to add to conversations so it hit to close to home. Ichi has more charisma. I hope they keep this for the next game, I’d love to see the Tojo gang discuss stuff, especially with Daigo as he never got to do much outside of chairmanning

They had a reasonable explanation for Han sorta coming back. He was OP tbh but still cool.

Date cameo, always good to see him

The kiryu fight was good fun

I got into Ichiban confections, but I did need a guide to get started. It wasn’t explained very well.

The tojo and omi being gone opens up a lot of possibilities.

Onomichio my beloved

The Bad shit:

OMG the fucking Majima fight is an absolute bullshit difficulty spike. Worst in any game I’ve played in years. I was comfortably beating enemies/bosses before that, there was no real indication I was severely underleveled except a hint that I should use the arena (and i was halfway through on my first attempt). I get they are meant to be Tojo legends but that felt cheap. Then I overlevelled and it wasn’t fun. Kiryu’s and tendo’s fights were far more balanced

Dungeons are pretty samey, although they are mostly optional I suppose.

The stop motion cutscenes they used sometimes made me feel sick for some reason. Didn’t care for that design choice at all.

Ok, maybe Kashiwagi could have survived, but no way lau ka long should have.

Mirrorface was dumb as fuck, he only played a small role thankfully

Graphics seemed like a downgrade compared to judgement at times, maybe I’m imagining it though

That annoying noise adachi and saeko make when you stand still for a second drove me nuts

that same ice clink sound effect in the drinks (minor quibble, but yeah)

Food does not give experience, why does it say that.

Switching jobs was a massive pain at times, I just stuck with enforcer, idol, hitman and hero.

Some attacks just seemed pointless

Poundmates are way too expensive

Yokohoma isn’t as nice to look at, but that’s not the games fault. Lots of bland office buildings.

Nanba’s betrayel for a brother we don’t even get to see annoyed me. Didn’t let that fucker back in my party after that lol. And if he wasn’t actually homeless why does he carry on like a hobo.

Geomijul are filling in for the florist . i thought they got rid of him for being too convenient a plot device but here we are again.

Arakawa and Daigo seemed to leave a lot of shit up to chance imo.

Crafting felt kind of limited

Ichi’s capacity for forgiveness seemed a little delusional at times, it is pointed out and I guess he says himself there’s no logic to it.

Trying to make the brothel owner out to be some swell guy felt a bit cringe, it’s the whole grey area thing I know but he still seemed like a dick.

Substories took too long at times and there’s a few pretty boring ones

I’m happy I gave it a chance anyway and it’’ll be interesting to see where they go from here. No more ‘traitor in the Tojo clan’ ‘someone shot/abducted daigo’ or ‘omi vs tojo’ plots from here on out. IDK how Kiryu will fight as he isn’t a gaming addict so how are they gonna square that when he joins?

The characters were well fleshed out and like judgement you can see they’ve gotten better with their story telling.

The combat was jarring at first but I got good at it eventually and started enjoying it a lot more. It helps they were so creative with attacks but I’ll always prefer brawling

#yakuza #yakuza lad #yakuza like a dragon #like a dragon #yakuza 7 #rgg #lost judgement and Ishin next

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yinses · 3 years

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B R A N D E D

| he would make sure that everyone knew who you belonged to |

tattoo artist! sukuna ryomen

rating: t

a/n: this is going to be a three part series. it got too long because i couldn’t shut up. thank you to @teoran for beta reading !!

you should have never informed yuuji that you were thinking about getting a tattoo, because of course his first response would be hey, sukuna owns a shop. why don’t you stop there. as if you didn’t already known that. your other friend, unfortunately had not known how to be subtle about it.

its when you go to hand off your card that they gasp audibly, drawing the attention of both yourself and the woman behind the counter.

“you’re not going to ask for a discount? i mean you know the owner, right?”

she jumps back quick enough to dodge the errant elbow you throw her way.

you knew you would regret telling her.

the woman is undeterred as she take your card, looking bored with the news. “so you know sukuna, huh?” the way she said it implied that it wasn’t the first time it had been made known to her.

you had known the man long enough to know where her thoughts were going with that assumption. sukuna wasn’t only popular for his art. a shudder rolled through your body at the idea of being categorized as one of his flings.

it wasn’t as though you were intentionally shaming the women. but it was sukuna. the same guy who locked you and his younger brother out on the patio whenever he was meant to keep an eye on you. and then blamed you for hiding from him when the responsible adults got home.

in hindsight, maybe you should have chosen another location. but now your card has been charged.

you scribbled your signature on the receipt, “uh yeah, awhile now. im not requesting him or anything.”

“his appointment book is full anyway. he doesn’t take walk ins.” its not said snidely, just matter of fact. as if she was seasoned with dealing with these kind of customers.

the man of topic strides in then, carrying a few bags of take-out that he drops carelessly onto the counter. he doesn’t m look unlike any other day, a loose white sleeveless shirt with a low hanging v-neck that just invited attention to his skin. the swirls of black ink made permanent by his hand only. though that was the advantage of this field and owning your own business on top of it.

sukuna was prepared to ignore the clientele planted at front desk, until he did a double take. those vermilion eyes took you in, morphing from speculation, to shock, a pinch of awe, then back to postulation.

“what are you doing here?”

a small frown mars you face. you didn’t actually consider that perhaps sukuna wouldn’t want you here. it was one thing to know the guy, but whether you wanted to accept it or not, you weren’t just another customer. so you unsurely respond with, “getting a tattoo?”

the snort he gives isn't one of annoyance. in fact its almost comforting to see the minuscule curl of his lips until they start to part, “yeah, missing something aren’t you?”

you realize with a frown that he’s referring to his brother.

“i have other friends.”

that slow smile wides as he gives your friend a brief look of appreciation. suddenly all those years of witnessing him cart his flings around rise to the forefront of your mind. really nothing rarely changed. “ i can see that.”

his gaze cuts back to you, “what are you getting? your boyfriends name?”

you cant tell if he’s teasing, fishing or a combination of them both.

he turns to lean over the counter, arms flexing at the action and pinches the fresh design still hot from the printer. you resist the urge to shuffle in place as he inspects the image with more interest than there were lines. it was hardly all that complex, just as you intended.

sukuna finally voices his opinion, to no surprise of your own. “yeah? kind of small isn’t it?”

“its my first sukuna,” you drawl.

you realize too late that the wording isnt best around him.

“no kidding.”

he tugs a styrofoam box free from the plastic bag before gesturing to you with a tilt of his head.

“alright, lets knock it out.”

you look to the woman expecting her to complain about his pending appointments but she only returns it with a pointed look. when it came down to it, what the boss wanted goes.

right then.

turning, you address your friend who seemed more invested in watching sukuna’s departure. “are you coming?”

her gaze snaps to you and she doesn’t even bother to pretend. she shrugs, “you may not be squeamish about needles but i am.” her hand waves vaguely towards the lounge area near the coffee station and stack of assorted snacks. “i’ll come running if you scream though,” she teases as you turn down the hall.

sukuna’s voice carries from the right in guidance where you find him setting his food off to the side. the room is neat. though you don’t know what you were expecting given the health expectations lining his work. then again, you’d spent the better part of the decade watching him cart week old pizza boxes out of his room so it was hardly a baseless assumption.

aside from the desk of tools and variety of inks the only other defining feature was the wall at the back. there was no rhyme or direction to the madness. the once white wall was littered with varying penmanships and messages. almost like an autograph book. some derogatory, others genuinely thankful for his work - you think you see a few numbers too.

the cushion of the seat protests under his weight as he rolls to the center of the room. he has the stencil of your chosen art held up in expectation.

“where is this pretty little thing going?”

“oh my rib- here on the right.” you think nothing of bringing up the hem of your shirt to expose the skin just under the curve of your breast.

he almost looks impressed, though there is some doubt. he wheels closer and gives no warning as his hand palpates the area. “over the bone? that’s daring for your first tattoo, princess.”

the name was nothing new, an accompaniment to yuuji’s ‘brat’.

part of you actually grateful that its sukuna. the entire shop had good reviews but it was best known for his talent. besides, the charge was already sitting on your card.

“i can handle it.”

he’s still squinting at your side, fingers tickling at your skin.

“yeah?” he answers absently. nimble digits you didn't think had any taste for delicacy carefully peel the plastic from the stencil. he doesn’t second guess himself in the slightest before pressing it to your skin.

when he pulls away, the chair follows him as he collects a hand mirror from his desk to reflect the design back to you.

“double sure?” he’s still rallying your resolve, but there is a hint of warning to his voice as professionalism seeps in.

with a firm nod you seal the deal,” yeah.”

“aright, pin up your shirt out of the way. tuck it into your bra if you want.”

you were expecting this already, given the location you’d decided on. with sukuna that action comes effortlessly without thought. it was no different than the times he’d seen you in your bathing suit, your brain reasoned. at least you still had your pants this time.

sukuna rests back into a lean against his small desk. absently you note that his eyes haven't left you once since you’d entered the room.

“eager little thing aren't you?”

but its sukuna.

you shrug.“ i guess. kind of been saving up for this one.”

the noise he makes is non-committal as he nods to the angled chair.

without your shirt there was no barrier between yourself and the leather. you expected the cold chill but the lack of stickiness kind of surprised you. once again you were reminded of the indisputable list of reviews at your fingertips.

sukuna goes about collecting the materials to disinfect your skin, angling the bottle and cotton over the trash can to catch the excess drops. satisfied with the saturation, he slides back.

you try to absorb the brief shock you feel when he applies the alcohol to your skin. it was hardly a substitute for actual bracing to come but it was good practice. when you look up, you catch his gaze again.

he’d been more observant in these last few minutes than you could ever recall sukuna caring before. maybe it was the job. though the thought of him excelling at customer service has you fighting a snort.

“cold,” you supply and he gives another grunt.

he chucks the cotton ball into the trash with all the efficiency of a man who has made a sport out of it and probably keeps score.

deciding on a solid color eliminated the need for him to break away to change shades, eliminating any surplus time keeping you in this chair.

a gloved hand braces your side, pinching the skin, while the other holding the gun rests against your sternum. when the motor starts you take a careful breath in. sukuna’s eyes raise at the sound.

“not nervous?”

you blink, expecting him to just get to it.

“uh, not really? i’ve never really been afraid of needles.”

he pauses. just when you part your lips to ask what wrong the buzzing starts.

its impossible not to tense at the first bite of the needle. but you fight the urge to jerk. it stings. the vibration of the motor is uncomfortable against your ribcage but it's not unbearable. you certainly wouldn't cry.

sukuna seems to notice it as well.

“not going to lie thought you’d be more of a cry baby? weren't you the one sobbing after you stubbed your toe.”

you latch onto the idle chatter even if it's a jibe.

“i was eleven and i sprained that toe.”

he gives you a quick glance. “sure, princess. completely called for the waterworks.”

you snort. “yeah well it made me stronger. im barely affected today.”

your words are followed by a shift of his hand as it turns to follow a line, the movement pressing firmly against the underside of your breast. you're too attentive to the needle pinching at your skin to take notice.

but sukuna does, eyes narrowing without your awareness.

“yeah, i can see that.”

rather than closing your eyes to block out the pain, you find a more comforting distraction in tracing the lines of his tattoos with your gaze. you can hardly make out the first tattoo he’d gotten at the age of seventeen after forging his parents signature.

the abstract design had now branched out, interlocking with new styles to map out the formation of a sleeve. it was almost like his own branded language. a dialect of bold shapes and bands. you’d never thought to actually ask what his tattoos meant. nor did you expect an honest answer.

sukuna works rather quickly and efficiently while your mind wandered. even if he hadn’t squeezed you in during his lunch break this felt like the usual pace for him. he looked so in the zone as he followed the pre-made lines to perfection.

you weren’t the model customer, still having your brief moments of weakness but he rolled with the interruptions better than you expected. sukuna was brash growing up and didn’t tolerate nonsensical people. you’d had your fair share of opportunities to be chewed out by him.

and earned a reasonable amount of them, though your returning attitude said otherwise.

but this sukuna was softer, if you could put it like that. he knew the right time to give you breaks but didn’t let your nerves settle too much. when he wasn’t adding a layer to permanency to your skin, an errant finger would smooth over the swelling flesh.

more than once you heard him throw out a quiet good girl. that you knew was meant to be encouraging but it came with additional implications that tickled your skin.

he tells you that you should be grateful that the artwork doesn’t need any shading. that it was never a good fit for beginners.

your chest expands the furthest it had in the last half hour when he finally rolls back.

“alright, princess, go ahead and take a look.”

you take the offered mirror again and angle it to take in the fresh piece. the reflection you get back is- amazing. you’d been so concentrated?? on micromanaging the pain that you failed to take in the little details he’d added along with the original design.

as if reading your thoughts, he snorts. “it's not my art if i don't leave my mark. you can tell me it looks good you know.”

if you didn't know any better, you’d say he was authentic in his attempt to bait your approval.

and you had no reason not to provide.

your legs are a little shaky but you manage to balance yourself before brining the eldest itadori into a hug. sukuna goes stiff for a moment before returning the embrace and doesn’t resist when you press your face into his shoulder. there’s an awkward pat before they release each other from the hold.

sukuna .. before he’s shrugging you off.

“god, what a noob. at least let me cover it up. you’re going to irritate the skin.”

when he turns back to rummage through his desk you note the hint of a flush creeping up his nape. you know better than to mention it, instead just smiling at his back.

there is a scowl on his face as he applies the cotton square to your skin and tapes it in place.

“please do not itch this shit. i don’t care if you feel like your skin is going to fall off.”

he presses a small tube of antibiotic into your hand.

“and apply this daily. you don't need it drying out. “

you’re grateful for the little slip of printed instructions that follow. you were able to remember the sensible directions but it couldn't hurt to have additional guidance when you started to question the progress.

“oh and no sex.”

that was definitely not on the list.

sukuna raises a brow in all seriousness. “what? if you get your blood pumping too much.”

you call him on his bullshit,” this small? hardly. “

he raises his hands in mock surrender. “alright, try it yourself if you want. i charge for touch ups though.”

the two of you size each other up. just like old times.

with a sigh you relent, “fine, no sex.”

“good, see me in two weeks.”

his words stop you short. it wasn’t as if you needed anything added and he wasn’t a physician checking on your progress. if anything, you would only revisit your artist if there was a problem.

“what for?”

the dawning grin would follow you for the next fourteen days.

“to make sure you didn’t have sex.”

#sukuna x reader #sukuna ryomen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen #sukuna blessings #sukuna ryomen

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writing-with-whiplash · 3 years

Text

Holding On

“Holding On”

Hey guys! This is a fanfic of @jangofctts amazing clone oc Sweets! Go check out her awesome clone oc’s by searching for “sunburst squadron” on her blog and also check out all the other amazing fics she has! Sweets is her creation. I do not own his character, I’m just writing for him.

Sweets x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: 18+ ONLY-- Not explicit, but a sexual situation, a little spicy, implied smut; lap dance; swearing; friends to lovers; lemme know if I missed anything!

Summary: Reader, a friend of the Sunburst Squadron, gives Sweets a private dance

Author’s note: The songs I had in mind for the dance were “Movement” by Hozier and “Hold On” by Brooke Annibale if you want to listen ;)

Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated!

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The night had started out like many nights on Coruscant with the Sunburst Squadron. Most of the boys wanted to go out to 79’s--per usual--and they finally convinced you to go with them. Clubs and the usual nightlife of the big planet-wide city weren’t really your thing, the strobe lights, loud music, and crowds of drunken partiers being much less preferable to your calm nights on base. You spent most nights murmuring encouragements to the poor soldiers in the med bay, reviewing paperwork for Void and Blanche so they wouldn’t overwork themselves, or hanging in the target range with Sweets. At the moment, you desperately wished to be in the target range.

The bass coming from the surround-sound speakers was cranked up so high you could feel the vibrations in your tummy and the glass in your hand. Troopers and civies alike paraded about the tightly packed bar, wiggling to the beat like intoxicated sardines. You simply shook your head, nursing your only drink of the night. You had told the boys that you just wanted a little buzz and they didn’t pressure you into getting more while they ordered round after round. Blue and Jaws were already slumped in the booth, although you couldn’t fathom how they could possibly sleep with all the noise going on. Max was chatting up some cute stranger at the bar and by the looks of it, he wasn’t coming back to the barracks with the rest of the group tonight. Blanche had entrusted you with making sure his boys made it back to base, but you knew you couldn’t pry Max away from his prize. Scanning the humid bar for the rest of the squad, you saw Bruiser in the midst of an arm wrestling match. His boisterous laugh barely carried above the pounding music as he smashed his opponent’s knuckles onto the sticky table, earning himself another small pile of credits. You made a mental note to make sure no one tried to pick a fight with him over money throughout the evening. Kami was a little harder to find, tucked away in a shadowed corner as he received a not-so-subtle lap dance from a pretty twi’lek girl. Fuse, the last member of the squad who decided to go out, sat nestled in the booth right next to you, bouncing to the beat of whatever was playing. He watched your gaze linger on Kami and the girl.

Scooting closer to you, he hollered, “Jealous, eh?”

“Jealous of what?” you hollered back. Fuse smirked and nodded his head toward the pair just as the dancer lowered herself in Kami’s lap, swirling her hips in time with the song. It hit you that Fuse thought you liked Kami. “Jealous of her? Fuck no! I’m not after Kami.” You shook your head and downed the rest of your drink, the alcohol burning your throat before settling in your tummy. When Fuse gave you a look of obvious disbelief you leaned back over to him. “I don’t like him! I just--” You paused for a second, debating whether or not to tell your friend about why you kept looking back at the pair. His expectant gaze implored you to continue. “I just wish I could do something like that. Dance like that.” You shook your head again, bracing for some teasing comment from Fuse. The trooper simply stared.

“What makes you think you can’t?” His brow furrowed as you shrugged, not wanting to open up about your insecurities in the middle of the bar. “What, do you think you’re not good enough or something?”

The concerned expression on your friend’s face made you cave. “I just don’t feel confident enough to pull something like that off. I’m awkward and clumsy and she’s so pretty and he’s so into it and I don’t know how to do anything like that. I don’t know how to make someone be into me like that.”

Fuse’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Girl, you could captivate any guy in this bar if you danced like that. And I know you could do it. I know you could!” Fuse shouted in your ear. “That dress you’re wearing is already stunning. You could take any of these guys home with just a sway of your hips. Why don’t you believe in yourself?”

Heat bloomed in your cheeks as Fuse’s words settled in your ears. You could take any of them home just like that? You shook your head a little at the thought. There’s no way it could be that easy. You were too stiff and nervous to have prowess like that. Besides, the only trooper you wanted was still back at the base, most likely spending his night alone with his sniper rifle in the shooting range. Fuse snatched your mind from the enveloping quiet of the range and shoved it back into the dingy club.

“Maybe you just need some practice,” he purred, scooting impossibly closer and wiggling his eyebrows.

“Shut up!” You shoved his shoulder at the insinuation, although you knew he wasn’t serious. Fuse cackled with laughter, lightly shoving you back. Your ankle wobbled as you took the weight of the shove on your high heel, damn the skinny things. They looked great, but at what cost? “I have practiced, thank you very much.” As soon as the words left your mouth you regretted telling him. If the air in the bar had been a little thicker, you supposed you could have snatched the words right out of it and popped them back in your traitorous mouth, but they had already entered Fuse’s ears.

Fuse’s mouth formed a little ‘o’. “And just who have you been practicing with? Honey, I can give you all the tips you need on how to dance like that.”

Rolling your eyes, you shook your head. There was no way in the galaxy you were about to tell Fuse you had spent several lonely evenings practicing a dance on an empty chair. The mirror you danced in front of did nothing to boost your confidence--only betraying wobbly legs and stiff arms. The sensual sway of the music you picked never influenced your movements. It simply made them seem more clunky and out of place. The flimsy armchair rocked dangerously beneath you every time you leaned against it, lacking the anchor of an audience. You had actually slipped off it once, and when Void asked you why you needed bacta for the large bruise blooming across your side, you made up a story about running into your desk in the middle of the night. To make matters worse, you weren’t sure if the audience you always imagined would even want a dance from you.

Sweets was so shy and quiet. Although he didn’t talk much when you first met him, it only took a couple of days for you to fall completely head over heels for him. After several weeks of working with the team, he had started talking to you about local flora he found on missions and let you watch him in the gun range. You got as close as he would let you, but you had no idea if he reciprocated your feelings. The thought of him refusing you--of him shutting you out--always made your stomach plummet as you tried to sway your hips over the empty chair. You could just see his face freeze at your offer of a private dance--how he would withdraw within himself with a disgusted look and never talk to you again. There’s no way he would ever want you or agree, so why should you risk your friendship over a stupid little dance?

Fuse ripped you from your spiraling thoughts with a snap of his fingers before your nose. “Ground control to sad girl, do you copy?” You flicked his hand away, trying to rid your mind of its noise. “Come on, I know you. You’re sitting here telling yourself that you can’t do it so much that you’ve convinced yourself not to try at all. And I’m here to tell you that you can do it. Any guy would be lucky to get a dance from you, you hear? Any guy. So who’s the lucky one you’ve been practising for, huh?”

“I wouldn’t tell you for a million credits,” you shot at him. It was true. The idea of Fuse knowing that you had feelings--and unprofessional thoughts--for his brother were mortifying, not only because of the storm of teasing to follow, but because of the possibility of some of the other squad members finding out, namely the squad member in question. Fuse was unpredictable.

“I think I know who it is anyway,” Fuse waggled his eyebrows, “and he’s not here with us tonight.” A knowing smirk spread across his face as you shrank back, stomach falling to the dirty barroom floor. “Don’t worry, I’ll never tell Sweets you like him. You’re going to be the one to tell him. No, no, don’t shake your head at me. I’ve seen how you look at him. I’ve also seen how he looks at you when you can’t see him.”

Your head shot up. Sweets looked at you like that? Impossible. The words coming from Fuse’s mouth had to be wrong. The beat of your heart outpaced the music as you desperately hoped he was right. After all the months of becoming friends with Sweets, all the sleepless nights dreaming of his arms around you, his lips on your lips, you couldn’t throw everything away just because Fuse thought Sweets liked you back. But your heart lurched, urging you to give in to your feelings. What would happen if you never told him? You very well could lose him that way, too. The thought of that happening hurt even more, causing determination to dissolve the pit you carried in your stomach. Adrenaline flowed through your veins as you promised yourself to see this through.

“I’m ready to head back to base.” You stretched and checked your watch. Blanche would not be happy if you brought the boys back too late, and by the looks of Blue and Jaws’ drooling faces, it was going to take a while to get into a cab.

“Where’s Max?” Fuse wondered aloud, scanning the bar as he pulled his comm out.

“I think he had company to attend to. I’ll get Bruiser. You can handle Kami.” You left Fuse in the booth before he could protest, eager to get back to base before your nerves convinced you to back out. Bruiser didn’t want to leave his winning streak, but the threat of Blanche’s wrath had him shoving credits into his pockets and heading toward the door. Max had indeed left with his date and Kami begrudgingly left his dancer to help you and Fuse haul the other two onto the small transport.

Anxieties swirled up from your stomach and into your heart, melting your shoes to the transport floor. You could have let them flood you, drowning out your true feelings and wants in a tidal wave of insecurities and disbelief; instead, you distracted yourself by focusing on the city lights passing by. No matter how much you tried to steel yourself, the waves of doubt lapped at the sides of your stomach, threatening to dissolve you from within. As you drew closer to base, you became more and more nervous until you began to shake. Fuse surprised you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“You got this,” he smiled. “I believe in you. You’re going to do great and he’s going to love it. Trust me on that.” You simply nodded, biting your lower lip to keep it from trembling.

Sooner than you had hoped, the transport arrived at base. Although Fuse had tried to bolster you again, your knees wobbled and stomach churned as you led the boys back to the barracks. Blanche was waiting for you at the door, nodding at you and failing to hide a yawn behind his hand. You hadn’t meant to return so late. Part of you began to wonder if Sweets was even still awake. No matter what was going to happen tonight, the adrenaline rushing through you wasn’t about to let you sleep any time soon. Just as you hoped that maybe he had gone to sleep already, sparing you from potentially making a fool of yourself, Sweets walked down the hall from the gun range. Your stomach lurched when you saw him, sending little shivers down your spine. You waved at him a little awkwardly and he waved back, touseling his curls a bit before shoving his hands in his hoodie pocket. Fuse cast you one last smirk and helped Blanche herd their brothers toward the bunks.

“Fun night?” Sweets asked softly, watching the others stumble and weave their way down the empty hall.

“Maybe for them,” you replied, your voice too quiet. You clenched your hands to keep them from shaking and hoped Sweets didn’t notice. Unfortunately, he did. You couldn’t decide if it was excitement or nervousness that caused your stomach to tighten at his next action--Sweets grasped your hands in his own. His long, slender fingers intertwined with your own trembling ones and before you could stop yourself, you imagined what they would feel like in other places. Sweets stepped closer to you, his breath fanning across your hair as he tilted his head to the side.

“You ok?” he murmured. His thumb traced circles across your knuckles, causing you to involuntarily shiver. Sweets took that as a “no” and pulled you into his chest. “Did something happen while you were out?”

“No.” The word barely escaped your mouth as a whisper into the collar of his hoodie. “I’m just tense is all.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

An idea formed as soon as he spoke. Before you could let it be drowned in nervousness and doubt, you asked him: “Would you dance with me for a little bit? The bar was super crowded and loud and I just want to move around a little bit.” Your heart thudded so hard in your chest at Sweets’ silence that you were certain he could feel it. “Just maybe not out in the hall,” you added quietly. He huffed a small laugh at that, grabbing your hand again to pull you down the corridor.

“Come on.”

Sweets lead you into his sanctuary: the shooting range. It was completely empty at this hour of the night. Instead of leading you to the target area, Sweets took you up to the observation room. It sat behind the range floor and up a flight of stairs, meaning less opportunity for intrusion. You silently hoped the range would stay empty tonight.

Sweets flicked the dim lights on and you pulled out your pocket music drive, selecting a soft but upbeat playlist. The two of you began to move on your own a little awkwardly from opposite sides of the room, but you gravitated towards each other as the song picked up. Soon, you were giggling as Sweets spun you in circles around him. The knot in your stomach loosened as he laughed with you. The fabric of your dress lifted and flowed with each spin and sway of your hips, making you loosen up a little just to feel it sweep around the tops of your thighs. As you began another twirl around him your ankle gave way above your flimsy high heel. Faster than a shot from his own rifle, Sweets caught you and pulled you into his arms. Your breath shook as you collided with his firm chest, heat tingling in your cheeks...and between your thighs.

“Maybe you should take those off,” he hummed. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

You breathlessly agreed, kicking the offensive shoes into the corner. Sweets chuckled and pulled you into a slow dance, one hand on the middle of your spine while the other traced small circles into your lower back. Maker, he was going to be the end of you. You laced your fingers behind his neck, trying to calm down as you swayed back and forth. Sweets’ gracefulness on the battlefield had captivated you, almost causing you to get shot on multiple occasions as you watched him instead of paying attention to the battle, and it was no different as he swayed before you.

“Feeling better?” The words vibrated in his chest, drawing you even closer to him. “I’ll dance with you for as long as you like.”

You hummed against him. “I’m feeling better, but I want to stay here a while.” The pair of you stood closer than you had ever been before, and it nearly took your breath away. A particularly sensual song came up on the playlist--one that you had practiced your dance to many times--as well as the song immediately following it on the queue. It was now or never. “Sweets, would you like a dance from me?” You couldn’t bring yourself to look at him as your voice squeaked, too afraid of his answer.

“I thought we were dancing,” Sweets said in a small, questioning voice. You could almost curse his endearing innocence.

Letting out a nervous giggle you tried to subtly elaborate. “Yes, we are, but I was wondering if you would want me to dance for you.”

When Sweets seemed to ponder your question in silence, you took it a step further. Lightly, you brushed your hips against his in time with the song, gazing up at him with hooded eyes and parted lips. Sweets’ eyes widened as the realization of what you meant sank it. You watched his Adam’s apple bounce as he gulped, nervousness creeping up from your belly. Finally convincing yourself that you fucked up, that he didn’t want you and would shut you out for good, you shrank away from him, the words I’m sorry just beginning to escape your trembling lips. Before you could slip away and fade from existence, Sweets grabbed you, pressing his fingers lightly into your hips. You snapped your head to find his normally calm eyes beginning to darken. He immediately closed his eyes as a deep flush spread across his face, nodding quickly. Relief flooded you, as well as a new kind of nervousness. You took a deep breath to calm your nerves. You could do this.

With every beat of the music you pushed Sweets gently backwards until he sat in one of the observation chairs. You took another deep breath, going back to all the nights you practiced to this very song. Only this time, you actually had your dream audience sitting before you, darting his tongue out to wet his plush lips. Closing your eyes, you ran your hands across your hips, allowing your muscles to loosen up as you swayed. As the song picked up so did your hips, beginning swirling motions as your hands continued to travel across the front of your dress. Sweets audibly gasped as you lightly cupped your breasts, his eyes tracking every move of your fingers as they deftly kneaded the soft flesh. You knew you had to keep him on his toes, wanting more throughout the whole routine, so you stepped around the chair, trailing your hand across his shoulder and throat as you moved around him. He tried to turn and follow your movement but you turned his face back to the empty room with a light touch against his jaw. His breath shook as you leaned against him from behind, just barely pressing your soft chest to the back of his head. You giggled at his reaction, ghosting your hands down his chest through the thick fabric of his hoodie.

“You wanna take this off for me, baby?” you cooed into his ear. Sweets nearly smacked you in the face as he rushed to throw the hoodie across the room. A laugh escaped you even as you tried to cover it with your hand and Sweets turned around at the soft sound of it. He smiled sheepishly, eyes crinkling at the corners. You leaned around to press a quick kiss to the heart on his his warm cheek and he immediately whipped his head back to the front, the blush from his face beginning to creep down his neck.

The song kicked up a notch as you made your way around the other side of the chair. You spun before your captivated audience in a slow, tantalizing twirl, running your hands from your breasts all the way back to cup your ass through your skirt as you turned your back to him. By the time you turned back around to face him, hands trailing down your thighs to lift the dress’ hem up a little, Sweets had leaned forward in the chair, elbows resting on his knees. You paced toward him with an exaggerated walk, reaching forward to press him back into the chair. Nudging his feet a little further apart, you stood between his legs, rotating your hips toward him. Sweets’ hands shot up, stopping to hover on either side of your hips. He looked up at you, dark eyes searching for the permission to touch you.

“Hold on to me,” you whispered to him. His strong fingers kneaded your soft hips as he pulled you closer to him, pressing his nose to the soft curve of your belly. You let out a breathy giggle and carded your hands through his curls. He let out a quiet moan at that, encouraging you to continue. The song on your music drive changed and the beat became slower, deeper.

You gently grabbed Sweets’ face, pulling his head further up your body as your hips swept in bigger circles, almost brushing against his chest. He buried his nose between your breasts, pressing a soft kiss to the skin your dress exposed. A high pitched whine left you and you pulled his hands up to your chest, lowering yourself into his lap. Every touch he gave you sent chills down your spine; hundreds of butterflies bursting from your stomach fluttered across your skin, exploding into stardust in your eyes. You raked your nails lightly across his scalp and down the back of his neck, finally settling on the thin fabric covering his chest as you swirled your hips against his. Sweets arched his body into yours, groaning softly at the contact. He pressed kisses up your throat as you continued your smooth movements, reaching up to pull your face to his. You pressed your forehead to his teal bangs, nudging your noses together as you closed your eyes. This night could not have been more perfect in your mind. Your whole body shuddered as Sweets ran his hands lightly up and down your back, settling again at your hips.

“Can I kiss you?” he breathed against your lips, voice quavering.

Maybe this night could be more perfect. You leaned forward to capture his lips with your own, keeping your hands against the back of his neck to press him to you. Sweets moaned into your mouth, shuddering as you fully ground down into his lap. Yes, this night was about to get even more perfect.

#sweets x reader #clone oc #clone oc x reader #clone x reader #clone trooper x reader #jangofctts #sunburst squadron #not my oc #my writing #clone wars #clone wars fanfic #star wars the clone wars #sweets #hint of spicy for ya #friends to lovers #clone trooper

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erin-hollow · 3 years

Text

Since I’ve seen Let There Be Carnage already and many people here haven’t, someone told me to write what I thought of it. This will be mostly spoiler-free.

First of all, content warning for the movie:

physical abuse, verbal abuse (domestic) and some mentions of abuse (parental and domestic),

a spider, a chicken, and several humans are killed on screen,

violence, blood, and eating people typical of the first movie,

loud noises,

flashing,

something that could be seen as a suicide attempt,

needles (but no hospitals),

prisons, (and someone getting locked up just for being different)

kidnapping,

domestic fights,

guns,

major eye horror,

something that might trigger emetophobia,

A police officer shoots a black woman (and he’s present throughout the movie)

People (mostly gay men) getting possessed and their minds being taken over without their consent

(spoilers for this one) a black woman is mistreated then is killed

If anyone thinks of others I forgot please tell me.

Now for my thoughts on the movie. This is a very biased review because Venom is one of my special interests. I loved so much of this movie. Carnage’s design was terrifying beyond belief, many of the characters were excellent, and all the acting was great.

The animation looked really cool. There are scenes where it’s almost impossible to believe that Venom’s floaty head isn’t really there. Tom Hardy has the same great performance from the first movie, and does an excellent job being two characters. The light shining off Venom’s body is beautiful, and occasionally Carnage looks real enough to touch. There’s even a short scene where 2D animation is overlaid over everything else, and the artstyle of it is really cute and creepy at the same time. I will say some scenes are a little dark and hard to see, but... look I’m assuming you’ve seen the trailers. You know how the movie looks. I liked it.

Despite what I’ve heard other people say, the humor wasn’t a big part of the movie for me. That’s not to say it was bad, but it didn’t factor into my enjoyment as much as the other things. The critics are right that it broke the mood of some of the scenes, but I didn’t really mind. Venom has a lot of great little one-liners and insults. He’s by far the most comedic character. Eddie and Dan have a few lines each, and Red has one joke. I thought most of it was really funny.

Carnage was so scary and uncanny that it took a lot of willpower for me not to scream in the theater. In full form he’s just a disgusting red version of Venom, but any time Cletus is mostly human but has some Carnage attributes it’s incredibly unsettling. If you’re a fan of horror, you’ll probably enjoy this movie just for that.

One thing I didn’t like was the queercoding aspect. The coding that they did probably counts as queerbaiting, and the metaphor they use is (in my opinion) homophobic. There is no arguing that the movie is very gay, but they way they went about it rubbed me the wrong way. The movie codes Venom being an alien as him being gay, which wouldn’t be that bad except for the fact that the “alien” traits that they focus on are him killing and eating humans (as in, the fact that he’s not allowed to eat people is the same as discrimination against gay people). The metaphor is also very mixed, especially where Eddie is involved. There’s even a scene where a female character successfully seduces the symbiote. I did enjoy the queer coding, but when it was like that I hated it and *in my opinion* I don’t think it’s something we should be thanking the director about. It’s 2021. Do better.

Carnage and Shriek’s relationship was really cool. For one subplot of a short movie, they managed to a lot with it. The writing of it wasn’t perfect, and Cletus sometimes seems a little inconsistent in this aspect of his character. I have no idea how comic-accurate it is, but I got the vibe very easily without reading the comics.

I’m not the biggest action movie guy, but I could watch that fight scene between Venom and Carnage a million times. It’s so interesting, with so many fun little moments. In my opinion it’s a million times better than the scene between Riot and Venom for several reasons. First, it seemed like the setting was made to serve the fight instead of the first movie where they were just stabbing each other on the launchpad. In LTBC, the setting both serves the actual mechanics of the fight and the aesthetics. Second, the characters have a dynamic, even before the fight. In the first movie Drake and Eddie interact maybe twice, and Riot and Venom’s relationship was never specified beyond them knowing each other. I won’t get into it too much, but here there is a very interesting relationship between Eddie and Cletus, and between Venom and Red, which factors into the fight. This might be a small spoiler, but in LTBC it’s not just the symbiotic pairs fighting each other, instead both sides have people to back them up.

Characterization is a hard thing to talk about without spoilers, but I’ll try. I don’t think any characters from the first movie have been taken out of character. Venom’s street smarts are incredibly inconsistent. Cletus isn’t for everyone but I there are definitely people who will enjoy him. One of Red’s motivations is kind of stupid. Shriek isn’t as active as I would have liked, in fact I strongly disliked what they did with her. If you liked Anne, Dan, and Ms. Chen in the first movie, you’ll like them here.

Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy the movie. It was well worth what I paid for the tickets and I assure you, if you liked the first movie you’ll like this one. Happy watching :)

The end credits scene. This is a SPOILER ALERT, but you’re probably gonna hear about it anyway. I’m still putting it under the cut.

They got teleported to the MCU for some reason that will probably be explained in the next MCU movie. Opinions will vary on this but for me personally I’m pissed off! They left all their friends behind in their own universe, sacrificed one of the things that makes this series so unique (Venom without Spiderman) and broke the MCU’s rules about no multiverses! And for what? to boost ratings? Because The Mouse wanted my favorite gay slimeball? Are they gonna put him on Disney+? Jail for Disney! Jail for Disney for 1000 years!

#venom let there be carnage #venom 2 #movie review #eddie brock #cletus kasady #carnage symbiote #venom: let there be carnage #tom hardy #venom movies #venom

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kumoriyami-xiuzhen · 3 years

Text

Hakuoki Shinkai: Ginsei no Shou - Saito Chapter Four

Well, this is probably my 2nd favourite chapter from Ginsei no Shou... Final edits will be done later as always. Need to go over the punctuation and some of the sentences which were compounded in the translation I used so I also need to review that... though it’s probably going to take a while before i get to the subtitled video for this since my finals are literally next week, with the last one being on friday and im only about 3/5 done with the timing for the first chapter.

Chapter 4 occurs in Edo.

enjoy!

Hakuoki Shinkai: Ginsei no Shou - Saito Chapter Four

Translation by KumoriYami

Twelfth month, third year of Keiou.

The Shinsengumi was very busy following the aftermath of the Battle of Toba Fushimi and other political affairs, and was very busy......

However, in comparison, the current political situation has undergone even greater changes. [check jp mtl. reword later].

The Edo Shogunate which had been provoked by Western vassals, had been unable to completely suppress them, finally accepted the Imperial Restoration Order [check jp mtl].

In name, the shogunate was abolished and a new government was established [reword later].

However, the Shogunate, which had held power for so long, naturally refused to give it up [check jp mtl].

At the end of the third year of Keiou, many soldiers had been stationed in Kyoto and Osaka in order to prevent the Sat-cho's forces/armies/troops from entering the capital.

The Shinsengumi which had been stationed at Toba-Fushimi, also confronted the Sat-cho's forces.

Then, on the third day of the first month, before the atmosphere of the New Year had yet to dissipate——

A single gunshot started the Battle of Toba-Fushimi.

Until now, the Shinsengumi which wielded blades, could have been regarded as invincible.

However against the Sat-cho which with the latest weapons and equipment, they had been unable to make up the gap in performance granted by guns [reword later.].

The warriors fell down one after another before they even stepped into the attack range of a sword, and their dead bodies piled up like a mountain.

Watching how he was no longer able to rely on his battle-honed swordsmanship, could only watch as Kyoto, which he had guarding with all his heart, turned into a sea of flames, I had no idea about what Saito-san had been thinking [reword later].

I had always viewed the Shinsengumi as samurai, and so, their defeat felt like it signified the end to the age of samurai......

I wasn’t able to put this into words, and was only able to watch in silence.

After, in order to avoid pursuers, we decided to retreat to Osaka Castle.

In addition to Amagiri-san, who had been repeatedly fought against.

because I was the target of that male oni——Kazama-san, we ended up being obstructed once again.

The fighting with the Sat-cho forces had ended up [with them] being completely suppressed by the latest firearms [check jp mtl].

Yet even the katana that he had always believed in was unable to resist the strength Kazama-san wielded as an oni......

Even so, Saito-san was like a well-tempered steel blade, completely unyielding——

In order to fulfill his orders to protect me, he drank the Ochimizu, became a rasetsu, and was finally able to drive back Kazama-san.

Afterwards.

We arrived at Osaka Castle, and met up with the rest of the Shinsengumi.

We followed Yoshinobu who retreated to Edo [check jp. pretty sure this is Yoshinobu being mentioned here], and vowed to make a comeback from Edo.

The reason why I was living with the Shinsengumi was originally to find my missing father.

Now, since there wasn't much meaning in doing so, I didn't seem to have a reason to follow them anymore......

After pulling myself together, I took [my] sword [check jp for kodachi] from Saito-san, and decided to follow the Shinsengumi.

This must have been because of being in contact with them all the time , the Shinsengumi had become my home.

First month and a half, Fourth year of Keiou [uh... reword later.].

We finally returned to Edo, and borrowed a hanamoto's residence/mansion [check game for the term they use] to use as our headquarters to regain our strength.

But, it wasn't easy to restructure/reorganize a severely damaged organization.

Kondou-san and Hijikata-san, in order to negotiate with the Shogunate, were attending meetings all day.

Inoue-san and Yamazaki-san had sacrificed their lives, and Okita-san was still recuperating......

The greatest burdens naturally fell onto Saito-san.

After turning into a rasetsu, he would feel unwell from simply being awake during the day, but he still never complained and devoted himself to working all day and night/tirelessly working.

Second month of the Fourth year of Keiou

One day during the second month of the Fourth year of Keiou, when I saw deeply distressed over how Saito-san was working and reluctant to even sleep, the following story occurred.

Second month of the Fourth Year of Keiou

During the first month of the year, the former/old shogunate army, which had been defeated at/in the/during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, retreated to Edo, was waiting for the opportunity to make a comeback.

The Shinsengumi, who had also returned to Edo, first stayed at a hotel in Shinagawa, then borrowed a hanamoto's residence in Edo to use as their headquarters.

In order to revitalize/restructure the situation [reword later. think that reads oddly], every day was very busy.

About a month after returning to Edo......

Yukimura: Um, I remember that this box should have......

I was in the middle of hastily organizing all sorts of things that had been bought for the/at the new headquarters/I was at the new headquarters and arranging all sorts of things that had been purchased [check jp mtl].

However, I couldn't waste too much time on this.

Because I still had to go shopping, and there were many other things that had to be done——

Yukimura: Ah……!

Because of how flustered I was, I accidently knocked down a pile of luggage.

Yukimura: Ah……

Those things need to be put back/returned to their original positions as soon as possible.

Thinking this, I quickly/hurriedly picked up the luggage. Just then/At this moment, someone opened the door, and a cool/clear/cool and clear [check jp mtl] voice came [echoed].

Saito:……Yukimura.

Yukimura: Ah, Saito-san. I thought you went out, but it turns out you were here [reword later].

Saito: I just returned....... putting that aside, I heard a loud noise just now.

Yukimura: Ah...... I'm sorry, I wasn't careful and knocked some of the luggage down [reword later?]. I'll clean it up right away, so don't worry about it.

Saito: It'll be difficult for you to do this by yourself, so I'll help you.

Shortly after he spoke, he picked up the luggage and returned it to their original positions [reword later].

Yukimura: But, Saito-san, shouldn't you be very busy……？

Saito: I'm not so busy to the point that I don't have time to put these back.

Yukimura:……Thank you, Saito-san.

Shortly after, we finished packing the luggage [thesaurus later].

Saito: Anyway, Yukimura.

Yukimura: Nn, what's wrong/what is it?

Saito: Are you the only one sorting out the luggage here?

Yukimura: Yes. It's because the other warriors have their own work to do. In the past, Inoue-san would help me clean up, but——

After saying that, I quickly stopped myself.

Yukimura:…………I'm sorry.

Saito: No, you don't need to apologise.

Yukimura:…………

Inoue-san and Yamazaki-san, they died during the Battle of Toba Fushimi.

During such normal daily circumstances, to suddenly think of……

It was depressing/I couldn't help but feel depressed [check video].

However Saito-san and the other warriors would never publicly express their grief.

That's why...... I try to not to mention Inoue-san to them as much as possible.

Saito: Anyway, Yukimura. I would like to take you somewhere later....... Do you have anything you need to do?

Yukimura: I was planning to go buy food for dinner after....... I was just thinking about which of the warriors I could go with.

Saito: In that case, I'll go with you. Afterwards, I hope that you can accompany me.

Yukimura: Alright, that's fine, but where are we going?

Saito: Matsumoto-sensei. So I can see the circumstances of the wounded.

Yukimura: Ah, so it was like that....... But, is that okay for you? It's still early.

Having become a rasetsu, Saito-san would feel unwell in the sunlight [check jp mtl 'during the day'?]

But, he still......

Saito: That doesn't matter. Please get ready as soon as possible.

Although I was very worried about him, but...... [check game]

Yukimura:.......I know.

I'm afraid that telling him to rest now, would instead be more painful.

I silently convinced myself, and decided to go with him.

Afterwards, we visited Matsumoto-sensei, confirming the/Matsumoto-sensei to confirm the circumstances of the wounded......

Yukimura: The majority of people seem to have recovered from their injuries, which is good [check jp mtl].

Saito:......Yes, it can be said that this is good luck/blessing despite misfortune. In order to prepare for the next battle with the Sat-cho, it is necessary for as many soldiers to recover from their injuries as soon to regain [their?] combat effectiveness.

Yukimura:......Nn.

Saito: Unfortunately, Souji......

Yukimura:......!

Hearing Okita-san’s name, I froze.

Just now, according to Matsumoto-sensei, Okita-san's seems to have seriously/significantly deteriorated——

In the future/From now on, I'm afraid that/perhaps he will never be able to hold a sword [ever] again.

Saito: The Chief and Vice-Commander hope that they will be able to fight against the Sat-cho again soon, but I do not know if they will be able to fight alongside Souji the day that hope becomes a reality...... [check jp mtl. difficulty with translating]

Yukimura:…………

Even Saito-san, who rarely expresses himself, couldn't help but feel extremely regretful when he thought of never being able to fight alongside Okita-san again.

Shortly after, he shook his head.

Saito:......Sorry, I’ve upset you by saying that. [check jp mtl. Tl is more literally: Sorry, for saying that, hearing that upset you]

Yukimura: No, how could that be…...

Saito: [We’re going] back to headquarters [check jp mtl], there is still work that needs to be done.

Just as Saito-san finished speaking, and was about to move [tl is “to take a step”. Check jp mtl].

Saito: Guh……!

Suddenly, he winced and groaned in pain.

Yukimura: Saito-san!?

I rushed forward to support him.

Saito:......No, you don’t need to worry, I was just feeling dizzy [check game for punctuation].

Yukimura: But......!

After Saito-san turned into a rasetsu, even/just walking in the sunlight would cause pain beyond imagination/would be accompanied by unimaginable pain.

Yukimura: After we return to headquarters, why don't you go rest for a bit? You've recently been busy with work, and don't seem to have enough rest [reword later.].

Saito: There is no time to rest now.

Yukimura: But, if you continue like this……!

Saito: I said that you don’t need to worry. Now, we’re going back to headquarters.

Yukimura:......

From the bottom of my heart, I could not accept Saito-san's words.

But, I also knew that the work he was doing, was something only he could do.

For that reason, I didn't say anything, and returned with him to headquarters.

Following that, it seems that Saito-san seemed to be reluctant to spend any of his time on sleeping/reluctant to even sleep, and buried himself in his work.

It wasn't like visiting the injured soldiers yesterday, or dealing with various trivial matters, such as allocating the necessary supplies for headquarters, would do anything to raise the funds that were needed to pay for the expenses during this period of time, or anything/and so on [check jp mtl. had difficulties with this sentence]..

Additionally, preparing money/funds for new clothes and bedding, the purchase of weapons, preparing medicine, arranging for food ingredients [reword later. check jp mtl. "money for clothes." word i have can be translated to a money-related word or "change" as in 'change of clothes']...... There were a lot of things that needed to be dealt with.

Of course, I also wanted to help as much as possible.

Despite that though, I am unable to completely do everything.

If only he would take a day off for his health......

Yukimura:……?

At this moment, I heard some noise from in front of the entrance.

Those voices, it couldn't be......

I hastily ran over to the entrance.

Opening the doors, standing in front of me were——

Yukimura: Nagakura-san, Harada-san, are you heading out?

Shinpachi:: Nn? Ah, yeah. I was planning on asking/inviting some of the soldiers to something good to eat/to eat something nice, to(/and) cheer them up [reword later].

Yukimura: That's it/That's......

If only doing something like that could encourage/cheer Saito-san up. [check jp mtl. Don’t think “cheer” is appropriate for Saito though that’s an accurate translation. thesaurus later?] .

Seeing how I was unusually lowering my head, Harada-san looked at my face.

Harada: What’s wrong? Did something happen?

Yukimura: Actually......

I told them about what I thought when I went out with Saito-san yesterday. [reword later?]

Harada: A way to cheer up Saito…...

Shinpachi: What can we do about that [though?]? Even if you told him to rest, there's no way he would just obediently do that.

Harada: Yeah. There'd be no choice but to use force to get him to sleep, right? [check jp mtl]

Yukimura: Fo-Force/By, by force?

Shinpachi: Hey hey, you're talking nonsense, Sano. How can a girl compel Saito with brute force? [check jp mtl]

Harada: We also should be helping [check jp mtl], but, it's not good to leave the other warriors to themselves......

Yukimura: The other warriors, are they too busy that they don't have time to rest......?

Shinpachi: Well...... we were ultimately defeated in battle. There are a lot of guys who are constantly accumulating resentment [reword later].

Harada: After all, they're all vigorous youngsters/young people, if they aren't allowed to drink and vent their frustrations, I really don't know what they might do.

Yukimura: That’s…...

Harada: Once we come back, we'll take on/share a portion of Saito-san's work. We can't always leave the entire burden on him/all the responsibilities to him...... right?

Yukimura:......Nn, both of you, thank you.

The two men walked shoulder to shoulder.

Watching their backs, I suddenly got an idea.

Yukimura: Letting them drink sake to vent/express their frustrations......

I didn't know if such a thing would work with /if such a method would be effective for Saito-san.

However, compared to doing nothing....... perhaps it was worth trying.

Thus, later that night.

Yukimura: Saito-san, are you/did you fall asleep?

I asked the question from behind the sliding door. [reword later?]

Saito: Come in, Yukimura.

Yukimura: Yes, excuse/pardon me.

Saito-san still looked too busy to pay attention to me/still looked too busy to me...... [check jp mtl]

Without looking away from the/his desk, he remained focused on writing a letter.

Saito: It's very late, is something wrong? [reword later]

Yukimura: Saito-san, are you busy right now?

Saito: There are still matters that must be completed [reword later]. Western-style training and weapons must be arranged for as quickly as possible.

Yukimura: Then when that is finished, will your work for today be done?

Saito:......?

Saito: No, after that's done, even though that is finished, there's still work that needs to be done and it is best to start sooner——

Turning his head, when he saw me, his expression instantly hardened/froze.

Saito: Yukimura, what is that?

Seeing how speechless he looked, I replied with a smile.

Yukimura: It's sake——I'll wait for you to finish that letter, there will be drinks tonight [check jp mtl. had difficulties with this sentence]! I'll be accompanying you too!

Saito:……What……?

When Saito-san's work finally came to an end......

I hurriedly explained my intentions, and poured the sake into a cup.

Saito:.......What is this/this for. What on earth are you thinking?

Yukimura: The letter's done. You can finish the rest of your work tomorrow.......

Saito: Even if it's not urgent/an emergency, it's better to finish this early.

Yukimura: But, can't you have a drink? It's important to rest properly.

I pushed the cup of sake in towards him/in front/before him.

He hesitated doubtfully for a moment, [but?] he still took the cup.

Saito:…………

But he still didn't drink.

It was difficult for someone to drink by themself, I thought, so I poured myself a cup, and drank it without the slightest hesitation.

Yukimura: Ah...... It's, it's good sake! Saito-san, please [check jp mtl. word i have is "please" but it can also mean 'to ask/invite' or 'request'. maybe change to 'please have some'?]!

Saito-san’s brows furrowed tightly, as if he was thinking for a moment......

Saito:......In the end, what is your purpose? [reword later? i don't like how that reads]

Yukimura: Actually, I——

How should I answer that?

Choices:

[It's to get you drunk] <-

[I just wanted to drink with you]

Yukimura: Because…… it’s to get you drunk.

Presumably it was because my answer was too startling, that Saito-san fell silent/was speechless [probably change to the latter].

Saito: To get me…… drunk? Are you able to drink a lot [tl is more “hold your liquor/have good capacity for drinking. reword later]?

Yukimura: Th-That's......

How was I supposed to say that I almost never drank, but was I being too bold to try and get Saito-san to be drunk? [reword later]

But......

Yukimura: If I don’t do this/If this isn’t done, you’re never going to rest. If you continue like this, you’ll definitely collapse one day. Please, just for tonight, please listen to my request and drink this sake/drink this [check game]!

Saito: Wa-Wait. You're not making any sense. Considering that....... you're not actually drunk, are you?

Yukimura: I'm not drunk! I only had one cup. Rather than me, you should be drinking this, Saito-san! This sake was specially prepared for you!

Saito:......Apparently, you won't let me go if I don't drink [reword later?].

He finally raised the cup of sake to his mouth.

Yukimura: Saito-san, did you drink it......?

Tonight's goal was to get him to rest properly.

If I was the only one that got drunk, then it was meaningless.

While I only had one drink, I wasn't sure if he actually drank anything......

Yukimura: Saito-san...... what do you think of this? [how is it]

Saito: Ah, aah......

Although I felt dizzy, I felt comfortable, like I was soaking in a warm bath.

Yukimura:.......By the way, Saito-san, you always, always...... act recklessly. Do you know how upset I get watching you...... No, you don't know.......

Saito: Even if you say that you are suffering/upset, as a member of the Shinsengumi, I must follow the Vice-Commander's orders.......

Yukimura: Then, when you were fighting against Kazama [check for -san], your entire body was covered in blood...... At that time, I really thought that you were going to die.......

Saito: I, I see....... Sorry.

Yukimura: Since coming to Edo, you've obviously been unwell, but you've been working so hard...... That's why I hoped you would be able to rest, and at least have a drink.

Saito: I understand.

Yukimura:....... Re-Really?

Saito:......Yes, I ended up drinking. But, you drinking in order to get me to drink feels odd....... For forcing yourself to drink to get me to drink, I apologize. [check game]

Yukimura: No......! I don't need you to apologize to me....... I just....... wish that you would cherish your body a bit more......

After that, Saito-san began drinking, and while I didn't know how much time passed......

I was hit by an intense feeling of drowsiness, and I couldn't even sit properly——

I fell onto the tatami like that.

I felt so weak and couldn't get up. [reword later]

If I relax a bit more, I'll probably fall asleep like this.

It was only out of a sense of duty that I wanted Saito-san to rest, and I then opened my mouth to ask a question.

Yukimura: Saito-san...... how are you......? Are you asleep......?

Saito:…………

I heard quiet breathing from the person sleeping beside me.

Yukimura:......That's great......

Although this method was a bit rough [thesaurus?], Saito-san finally slept.

I felt relieved from accomplishing this and I couldn't help but say what was on my mind. [check game]

Yukimura: I.......

Yukiura: I've always been worried about you....... You drank the Ochimizu, and now have a body that loathes the sunlight, and it's my fault...... that you've become a rasetsu.

Saito:…………

Yukimura: But....... if you didn't drink the Ochimizu and become a rasetsu then....... I would no longer be here...... and I would never see you again.......

Saito:…………

Yukimura: So even though it's painful...... even though I feel sorry...... and even though I feel sad...... I still want..... to thank you....... for protecting....... me.

…………

Saito:……………………Are you asleep, Yukimura?

Yukimua:…………

Saito:……Really……to think that you'd talk to yourself if the other person was asleep....... I don't regret drinking the Ochimizu in the slightest. I only made the right choice for my own honour, and to protect you.

Yukimua:…………

Saito:.......But you're worried about this and my body. However when I think about the Shinsengumi's situation, I cannot rest...... Nevertheless/Even so....... I'm very happy for you to have broken into my heart like this. Thank you, Yukimura.

Yukimua:…………

…………

……That night, I dreamt that Saito-san was saying something into my ear [reword later].

His voice, which sounded more gentle than usual, seemed to whisper [reword later].

It sounded so comfortable, so full of affection/care......

I slept like this until the next morning [reword later].

- The End -

*happy sigh*

Well, in kyoka-roku, during one of saito’s char perspectives, he does say that he might have been attracted to Chizuru since they talked in that alley…

#hakuoki #hakuouki #hakuoki game translation #Saito Hajime #Yukimura Chizuru #hakuoki shinkai #Hakuoki Ginsei no Shou #Hakuoki Ginsei no Shou Translation #harada sanosuke #nagakura shinpachi

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writefightandflightclub · 4 years

Text

Mixed signals

Author’s note: just a quick, simple hit of pure fluff, sweeties. Wrote this super quick idk.

Summary: you are Poe’s favoured comms officer, and it means so much to him to have your voice on the end of the line during a mission. You’re great at comms. You’ve talked him through some tough times. So why in the hell can’t he get you to speak to him when you’re face-to-face? And will his cute idea to get you talking work?

Warnings: hell, not a one.

(GIF by @cmorgana)

Poe has grown pretty fond of you over the past few months. The first time he spoke to you was over the comms, when his usual signals operator was injured and you were drafted in. He liked your style and you gelled well, and soon after he requested with the General that you be assigned to him and his squadron permanently whenever he was out on a mission. He trusted you to get the job done clearly, calmly, and decisively. You always stayed admirably cool in a crisis. And, to be honest, the other guy had always rubbed him up the wrong way, which was the last thing he needed when already under pressure.

He has come to depend on your voice on the other end of the line. Particularly the way you go over and above for him. Sometimes you talk him down if he’s scared on a mission -whether on the ground or in the air-, you boost him up when he’s hopeless, and sometimes you’ll even just keep him company through a private channel on his long flights home. You’re even ballsy enough to call him out when he’s being a dumbass, which he respects, even if he doesn’t admit it at the time. Your voice is often his lifeline, his saviour, and he’s losing count of the number of times you’ve guided him back home.

But when he’s face-to-face with you things are different. He can’t -for the life of him- get you to speak to him. It’s not like he hasn’t tried, of course. Case in point, the first time he spoke to you face-to-face, when you had just a couple of missions under your belt together, didn’t go down so well. He’d sidled over to your table in the canteen, thinking that he wouldn’t mind grabbing lunch and introducing himself to this (cute) new recruit he’d laid eyes on.

“Hey. Can I sit here?” he asks with a broad smile. “I don’t think we’ve met?”

“Yes, Commander Dameron.”

He recognises your voice instantly, suddenly turning goofy when he realises it’s you. “It’s you! From the comms!” he exclaims, with a succession of finger guns, cringing inwardly even as he does it, a heat slowly rising up his neck.

“Yes, sir. It’s me from the comms.” you slink away immediately, setting your empty tray down on the side without so much as a smile. He’s left sitting there alone, feeling like a bit of a buffoon, if he’s honest.

From then on, even in spite of that, he couldn’t stop wanting to talk to you. Your voice, the way you were with him on the comms already... did things for him, got him thinking about how he’d like to spend more time with you. But meeting you in-person, seeing how gorgeous you were, it had only cemented his attraction to you.

So, he tries again. And again. But no matter the situation, the topic, the time of day, the weather, you always seem to clam up and disappear, tight-lipped. For someone apparently skilled in communications there has definitely been some kind of break down between you. Maybe you’re just shy, he thinks; hopes, at first. But after a while he comes to the conclusion that you simply don’t want to talk to him unless you’ve been ordered to.

Finally, after months of pining, after becoming desparate to recreate the rapport he has with you over the radio, he just has to know what he’s doing so wrong. Did he piss you off? Is there something about him that you find deeply offensive? He needs to get you talking, and after some consideration, he figures out a way to do just that. At least, he has an idea and he prays it doesn’t make things any worse.

So, to implement his master plan, he approaches you in the canteen one day. He pulls you aside and softly asks if he can borrow you for a minute.

You clear your throat and respond stiffly. “Yes, sir.”

He smiles thinly when you fail to call him Poe, yet again, but motions for you to follow him anyway. He leads you into a spare bay in the hangar -now cleared out while everyone dines or hangs out in the mess hall- and gestures for you to tak a seat in the chair opposite him. Seeing the nervousness, discomfort in your expression, your tense shoulders, he reassures you that there’s nothing to be concerned about. It’s just a comms exercise. Then, he passes you a little hand-held radio and asks you to close your eyes tight.

“What’s happening?” you say, clutching the device in your fingers, your brows furrowed in confusion as you perch on the edge of your seat, clearly unwilling to relax.

“I’m going to ask you a few questions. And I just want you to close your eyes and talk to me like I’m in the air, ok? Just imagine I’m in my X-Wing, and you’re in the control room.” he sees a soft, subtle smile pass over your lips, sees you visibly unclench, just a little.

Maker, he likes looking at you. It kinda makes his heart flutter. Great, and now he’s getting nervous; he hopes this isn’t another of his utterly dumbass ideas. Only one way to find out, as per usual. Dive in.

“Black Leader to Nav Six. Do you copy?” He calls out, then mimics the “kchhh” sound of the radio.

You hesitate, your lips twitching up at the corners, but you respond. “Nav Six, I copy.”

“Do the noise.” he prompts you, with a gentle whisper.

You shake your head in confusion, flashing your teeth in a good-natured smile all the same. “Nav Six, I copy. Kchhh.”

“Black Leader to Nav 6. How’s your day going? Kchhh.”

“It’s getting a little weird, over. Kchhh.”

Poe notices your nose crinkle in amusement. He finds it adorable, and can’t help but smile in response to you. “Ok, Nav Six, I got eyes on the prize.” You must be able to hear the smile in his voice, because you reciprocate with your own broad grin. He always swears you can detect the emotions in his voice better than anyone. Always know what he’s feeling, often better than he does himself. Maybe that’s why your face drops as his tone switches, becoming more serious. Again, you mirror his expression unconsciously. “I gotta ask, Nav 6. Why do you talk to me on the comms but never face-to-face. Over.”

The radio drops from your lips and your face scrunches in mild distress. He swears a flush creeps up your neck, your skin beginning to glow with a soft sheen. He watches as you let out an audible, nervous breath, but determinedly bring the radio back up to your mouth. “Your voice alone is bad enough and then face-to-face? I have to look at you too?!” you blurt out.

“Wow, OK. Kriff. Copy. Loud and clear. Black Leader out. Kchhh.” He sits back in his chair, defeated, face agape. Maker, he hadn’t quite expected you to be that blunt. But at least he had some answers now. Mission complete?

“No, wait! I mean...” you appear to clutch the radio a little more tightly, screw your eyes up a little further. He watches your shoulders rise as you suck in a slow, deep breath. There’s something more. Something worse?

Searching your face, he leans forward again in his chair, his voice soft and gentle. “Talk to me Nav Six. Over.”

After one more long inhale you blurt out: “I have a huge crush on you, Poe!”

Oh. Oh. It’s a classic case of mixed signals.

“What?! You do?!” he smiles in utter delight, a warm feeling spreading through his chest, giving him jitters. Happy beeps. Happy kriffing beeps.

And now that you’re talking you can’t seem to stop.

Your hands are clasped together nervously, your shoulders practically tucked up next to your ears but you’re talking. “On the comms I can hide how I feel, a little, but in real life you’re so damn handsome and you smell too good and you make me so kriffing nervous that I can’t even speak.”

Now this. This he could work with. He scrapes his chair across the floor to come closer to you, and you bite your lip with apprehension as you hear the sound.

“Tell me more,” he encourages. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

You huff a little. “I was trying to avoid you finding out because it’s embarrassing and... and there’s no way you can like me back.”

He just looks at you, checking you’ve finished your outburst. Unbelievable. You really have no idea how utterly perfect you are, do you? You gulp as he shuffles his chair closer to you once again. He must be close enough for you to smell him now, he estimates, as your nostrils flare slightly, your breath quickens a little.

“Ok. Let’s review, Nav Six.” He can’t keep the smile off his face at the fact you still have your eyes screwed tight shut. “Some of that was correct- I’m handsome. I smell great. What I wanna know is why is there no way I can like you back?”

“You’re Poe Dameron...”

His eyebrows jump up in surprise and confusion. “What does that even mean?”

You laugh, hopefully realising how silly that sounds out loud.

Then he simply asks you: “Open your eyes.”

“Nuh-uh.” you shake your head, nibbling nervously on that delicious lip of yours.

“Fine, if you really don’t want to see me when I tell you I do like you back.”

Oh, you open your eyes now. You open them wide.

His eyes crinkle at the corners as he finally gets to gaze into yours. He looks up at you from beneath his pretty lashes, a little more nervous himself now. “In fact, I like you so much that I don’t even mind if you get all spluttery and nervous. If this is any indication? Then, it’s adorable on you anyway, quite frankly.” He reaches out tentatively to take your hands in his, scraping his chair a little closer. “But one thing I do kinda mind” he says, dropping his voice a little into his throat “is not getting to talk to my favourite person and look them in their gorgeous face at the same time.”

You’re grinning. “Are you done? Do the noise.”

“Sorry, Nav Six.” He says, matching your grin. “Kchhh.”

You giggle, and he just looks ardently at you, drinking you in. He traces his thumb affectionately along your jaw line, under your chin, over your bottom lip. Your breath hitches.

“See, this is exactly what I mean..” you say, becoming evidently flustered. “You ... you make me feel really... nervous.”

He leans in until his lips are almost on yours, enjoying the effect he’s having on you already. “Hmm, but I only wanna make you feel good, baby.”

Then he presses his mouth to yours, and suddenly... you’re giving him all the right signals.

#poe dameron x reader #poe dameron #poe dameron x you #poe dameron x y/n #star wars x reader #sw #star wars fic #swcreators #poe x reader #poe dameron fluff #fluff #reader insert #poe dameron fanfiction #star wars fanfiction

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babygirlizz · 2 years

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Izzie’s Favorite Movies and TV shows of 2021!

Aaaaaaand we're back! Another year, another movie and tv show review by yours truly. We have a long one this year!!! Lots of good shows this year, and so much Marvel. If you know me, you know my entire personality is Marvel. Although, I am garbage and have not see Shang Chi, Hawkeye, or the new Venom. NO GIFS ARE MINE (they were all just searched for here on tumblr). Sorry this is a bit late, and sorry there aren’t very many movies. Most of these shows and movies can be found on Netflix or Disney+, unless they are not released yet on streaming platforms.

Warnings!: Spoilers (marvel fans I am warning you now, there will be spoilers, especially for SM: NWH), language, death, gun shot

TV Shows:

1. OBX2

I loved obx1. I live in coastal NC so this show is really fun for me to watch. I love how this season was based in obx and the Bahamas! In this season, we see that Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline) and John B (Chase Stokes) survived the awful storm from the end of season 1 and have been picked up by a boat, heading towards the Bahamas. There is a reward out for their capture and the people on the boat decide they want the reward, but Sarah and John B make it out of the boat. Shit goes down in the Bahamas. Sarah's brother, Rafe (Drew Starkey (my love, my life)), shoots her, she survives by some some sketchy doc, and they make it back to the states. In fact, they end up in Charleston, SC. And it just so happens that JJ (Rudy Pankow), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), and Kie (Madison Bailey) are all in Charleston. They all meet up and reunite all cutesy. Secrets come out about Pope's family, Sarah and John B break up, they get back together, and the season ends with a nerve-racking fight scene on a boat and a cliffhanger of all cliffhangers. Overall highly recommend, but of course watch season 1 first.

2. Squid Game

Y'all this was insane. My roommate and I started this series dubbed because we put it on as background noise, but it was awful that way and we were intrigued, so we switched to subbed. There is too much that happens in this show for me to break it all down, but it is a wonderful representation of how the rich prey on the poor and those in debt for their own fun and amusement. It's gross and this show was amazing.

3. Ginny & Georgia

I was worried about this show cause I thought it was just going to be another show about teenagers written by 45 year old men. In this show Ginny (Antonia Gentry), her mother Georgia (Brianne Howey), and Ginny's younger brother Austin (Diesel La Torraca) move to a new town after the death of Georgia's husband and Ginny and Austin's stepdad. Little did we know, her husband didn't die on accident, Georgia killed him. After he had inappropriately touched Ginny during a workout, Georgia poisoned his smoothie and he crashed his car. In this town, Georgia is caught in a love triangle with a restaurant owner and the mayor. Ginny finds herself in a love triangle as well with a boy named Hunter (Mason Temple) and her best friends brother, Marcus (Felix Mallard). Shit starts to go downhill when Georgia's lies start falling apart a bit, Ginny gets caught with Marcus, and Ginny decides to take matters into her own hands. This is such a good show in my opinion, and I don't think it gets enough credit. Also, Marcus is hot and Hunter sucks. Team Marcus. Can't wait for season 2!

4. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

MMMMM BONKY. I am Marvel obsessed, but also Bucky is my main man. ANYWAY. Now that Steve has handed down his shield to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), it falls into the hands of the government after Sam feels it's the right thing to do (aka put it in a museum). This backfires, and the government finds a new Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russel). Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) does not find this okay, especially after Walker calls Steve, whom he grew up with, a "brother" to him. Bucky meets up with Sam, they fight a bit, Bucky gets arrested, they fight Walker, they fight the Flagsmashers, they breakout Zemo (Daniel Brühl), and they even go to Louisiana. Sam ends up taking on the role of Captain America, and Bucky is Proud™. I love u Bonky and honorable mention, my man, Torres (Danny Ramirez).

5. WandaVision

WandaVision was so so good!!! Scarlet Witch has been one of my favorite marvel characters since the jump and I was so excited that she finally got her own show! In this lovely show, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) has created a fake reality in a real town because of the trauma of losing Vision (Paul Bettany). This show is set up like a sitcom and basically every episode is a different decade. Time isn’t real in this world, and when her and Vision have kids, they grow up at an alarming rate. Furthermore, her brother Pietro (Evan Peters) shows up. BUT, this isn’t who normally plays Pietro (aka Aaron Taylor-Johnson) so she grows suspicious. We find out that the government is trying to fix what Wanda has done, but they can’t compete with her power. A bunch of ish goes down, and I cried many times. Wanda deserves happiness. That is all.

6. Loki

I love Loki. I love Loki. I love Loki. I have loved Loki for a hot minute, and I rarely side with Thor over him. Oops. Anyway, I loved this show. The cast was excellent; I love Owen Wilson. I think this show really shows a deeper side of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) that we could never get from the other Marvel movies he’s been in. In this show we get a look at a bunch of Loki “variants” and we get to see Loki fight against time. There’s too much for me to explain everything, but I will give it a solid thumbs-up!

7. Midnight Mass

Y’all wtf. I don’t tend to watch shows that have anything to do with religion; it’s just not my jam. However, I couldn’t NOT watch this show. If you have seen my other movie and tv show reviews, you would know that I loved Haunting of Hill House and Haunting of Bly Manor. Mike Flanagan is a genius and deserves all of the awards. This show is set on an isolated island. While Monsignor Pruitt is away, a new charismatic, young priest arrives. He goes by Father Paul (Hamish Linklater). While we see the arrival of Father Paul, we also see the rearrival of Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) who just spent a few years in prison for killing a girl while driving drunk. Riley grew up in this town, but didn’t really like it. Luckily, he runs into Erin Greene (Kate Siegel) who he grew up with, and just so happens to be pregnant. This town also has a new sheriff, Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli), who moved to the island with his son. They are both Muslim, and heavily scrutinized for it. Father Paul is welcomed by Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan) who is, in her eyes, holier than thou. With a new priest in town, miraculous event begin to take place. But, how? A few plot twists later and many loud gasps, this show was added to my top 10 of all time. Also, Father Paul and Sheriff Hassan are highkey attractive.

Movies:

1. Eternals

Eternals was an amazing Marvel movie. This movie takes us, first, to the moment our eternals come to Earth. It shows us the beginning of the relationships between these heroes, including a romantic relationship between Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Ikaris (Richard Madden). They, along with the other Eternals: Thena (Angelia Jolie), Ajak (Salma Hayek), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Sprite (Lia McHugh), Gilgamesh (Ma Dong-seok), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), and my personal favorite Druig (Barry Keoghan), protect mankind from these pesky little creatures called Deviants. Overtime, the Eternals split up. Sersi finds new love in a man named Dane Whitman (Kit Harington). Though, as the Deviants begin to rise again, the Eternals reunite to defeat them, including Ikaris. Shit goes down and Druig looks hot the whole time. Also, in the end we get to meet Thanos’ brother, Eros (Harry Styles). Yeah, Harry Styles is in the MCU now.

2. Black Widow

Black Widow is the story of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and her “sister” Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). It shows us their childhood and the moment they were brought in to be trained as Widows. Yelena finally escapes and her and Natasha join forces in order to stop Dreykov (Ray Winstone) and his daughter, Antonia (Olga Kurylenko), who is being forced to become the Taskmaster. We see a lot of humor in this movie, and Florence was the perfect fit for Yelena.

3. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Y’all I saw this twice in theaters. If you haven’t seen it, now is the time to skip ahead or be spoiled. This movie starts where Far From Home ends. Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) had just revealed Spider-Man’s identity, he’s Peter Parker (Tom Holland). After this, everyone thinks he’s a murderer. He’s taken into custody and that’s when, get this, MATT MURDOCK (Charlie Cox) comes in. Yeah, you heard that right. Daredevil got Spider-Man out of jail. Anyway, his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) suffer from this and struggle to get into college. So, Peter takes it into his own hands and goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to make everyone forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. But, the spell goes haywire, and opens up their universe to those in every universe that know about Peter Parker, even in their universe. This means we see all the villains. We have Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Electro (Jamie Foxx), The Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). After Green Goblin, aka Norman Osborn, kills Aunt May (Marisa Tomei)((Frick u Green Goblin)), Peter runs off to be alone. Ned starts telling MJ he wishes Peter was with them, and a fricken portal opens like Doctor Strange. This Peter, however, is not their Peter. Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) comes through the portal, and when they try again Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) comes through the portal. Together they find Peter and they all work together to cure the villains so they can be sent home. But, in order to restore the universe, Strange must make everyone forget who Peter Parker is. Peter is now living in New York with no friends, family, or loved ones and must find a way to survive without Ned, MJ, and Happy (Jon Favreau).

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sunlightdances · 3 years

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Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader (Could also be read as an un-named OFC) Rating: PG-13 for swearing and canon-typical violence, but no major triggers. Summary: She came out of nowhere, knocked him on his ass, and then asked him to apologize. How hard did he hit his head? Disclaimer: Wow it’s been 84 years! I’m so sorry. Here’s a Dean thing. A short thing. Hope you like it! As always, I don’t own Dean, or Supernatural. Please don’t re-post my work on any other sites or translate it without my permission! Reviews and reblogs mean the world to me.

“Dean!”

No sooner has Sam shouted his name than he feels a weight barrel into his side, knocking him flat on his ass.

His breath leaves him in a whoosh, and he’s too busy trying to get his bearings to realize that the monster they were chasing isn’t the thing that pushed him to the ground so hard he’s seeing stars.

“You owe me an apology,” an unfamiliar female voice says.

“What?” He rolls to his back, brain still foggy. What the hell is happening?

“I had this totally handled,” she continues, panting, “and then you and your behemoth of a brother show up and ruin everything!”

“What?” He repeats, unable to believe what he’s seeing. Where the hell did she come from? Who is she?

This girl -- woman -- he corrects as he gets a better look at her, is covered head to toe in tac gear. Well, almost. Her face is uncovered, and her hair is spilling out of a hastily tied braid. She has smudges of dirt on her cheeks and forehead, and she looks like she’s been at this hunt for ages.

Hell, maybe she has. Maybe that’s why she’s glaring at him.

“Dean.” Sam is there, kneeling at his side. “Are you alright?”

“I can’t tell. I was just tackled by a linebacker.”

She scoffs. “Oh, please. I saved your life.”

“Who the hell are you, again?”

Sam looks back and forth between the two, waiting for an answer.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is--” She’s cut off by an all-mighty screeching noise coming from above them.

“Shit,” Sam swears, and so does she, and then they’re both on their feet, leaving Dean, still a little dazed, to catch up.

“Here we go again.” She says in a low voice, immediately taking up a fighting stance next to Sam like she’s been doing it for years.

Dean mirrors them, quickly getting to his feet. It happens every now and then that they show up to a hunt that’s already being handled, but most people are happy for the help and support. Not her, apparently.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean glances at her, intrigued. Not now, he chastises himself.

It’s hours before they’re able to relax. Dean’s pretty sure they just slayed the mothman, though the jury’s still out as to what exactly it was they were hunting. Sam has theories, and so does she, though she doesn’t look too excited to share them.

They’re patching themselves up near the Impala, and Dean watches with interest as she starts emptying the pockets of her jacket, peeling it off to reveal a loose t-shirt. She rolls up one of the sleeves slightly and starts to stitch herself back together, barely even flinching.

“I can help with that.” Sam offers, but she shakes her head, her strained voice the only indicator that she’s in any pain.

“I’ve got it.” She meets Sam’s eyes briefly. “Thanks.”

She sounds tired.

Dean wonders how long she’s been hunting. How long she’s been on the road, and how long she’s been on her own. He has a thousand questions. Where did she even come from, anyway? He doesn’t see another car.

“Let me help.” He finds himself saying. “Consider it payback for saving my ass back there.”

She looks up, brows furrowed. “You don’t have to do that.”

“We ruined your hunt, you said.” He reminds her. “Least I can do is make sure you’re not going to bleed out.”

There’s something to be said, he thinks, about the weirdness of hunters, that they can flirt over wounds and bloodshed. Up close, he notices the flecks of color in her eyes, the way she gives him a subtle onceover as he comes closer into her personal space. It sends a thrill through him, and he has to force himself to stop thinking like this. They’re strangers, for Christ’s sake.

He finishes the last few stitches for her, pulling them straight after she started to do them a little crookedly.

“There.” He says quietly when he’s finished, his voice lower than he intended it to be. It makes the moment feel heavy, intimate.

He takes a few cautious steps back. He feels electricity crawling over his skin, and he doesn’t trust himself not to be too forward. He hasn’t felt a connection with anyone like this in a long time, the instant attraction nearly sending him reeling.

“Thanks again for your help, even though we barged in,” Sam interrupts. Dean’s relieved for the break in the moment, hoping to regain his bearings.

“I guess I don’t mind,” she teases. “I’m usually by myself. Even if you made it twice as difficult...” she says, rolling her eyes fondly, “... it was nice to have company.”

Dean feels something like panic welling up in his gut at the idea of going their separate ways. He has no idea why - he’s never had this instinct to keep someone around before, especially not when he barely knows them.

He’s intrigued, though, the way she came out of nowhere, guns and knives blazing, the way she’s clearly not a novice.

He never knew competency could be so attractive.

“There’s a diner down the road,” he says, unsure of himself. Sam shoots him a quizzical look that he ignores - he’ll deal with that later. “Let us buy you a bite to eat. Least we can do.”

She looks down at herself. “Do I look like I’m dressed for dinner?”

He chuckles. “I think people at the diner would be more worried if you were dressed to the nines.”

She’s quiet for a minute, a small smile at the edge of her lips. “Alright.”

Suddenly, the day is looking up. Suddenly, he doesn’t care about the persistent ache in his ribs or the nagging pain in his knees.

All he can focus on is her smile and the way it feels like promise.

#dean winchester x reader #dean winchester x ofc #dean x reader #spn reader insert

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