#forgive the rant but this annoys me considerably

[rreskk]

HEADCANONS: Fem!reader in a relationship with the Holy Trinity

MICHAEL DE SANTA – - “Ah, I’m sorry honey. The movies on.” His love language depends on how much quality time interferes with his own interests. While it may seem neglecting, you’ll come to understand that he’s in his own world. And he makes up by gifting you presents – unwanted or not – trying to reamend the many times he’s bailed on dates, etc. - He may have been a charming man at first, but being in a relationship with Michael really highlights his unfamiliarity with intimacy and connection. He’ll find it hard to communicate his wants due to that barrier between short-term desire and long-term love. You’re usually the one to make a move and give him a foundation to build his trust on. - Michael loves to be glamoured with your compliments and praises. One time he bought a new suit and showed you. After commenting on how handsome he looked, it encouraged him to dive deeper, attempting to drink and eat healthier products but also wear more fitting outfits. You make him look more presentable as you provide support and comfort. - He is a father! When dating a father, here comes responsibilities like parenting advice, and what NOT to say. You’ve experienced how dysfunctional he is. Michael knows he’s a troubling father and he listens to your advice – to an extent. He’ll mostly always add a little twist that completely destroys the meaning of your words, but it’s the consideration that counts. And maybe the tearfulness of his children after. And you annoyance because he dismissed your advice. But hey, that’s Michael! - “You’re dating a movie producer, honey.” Michael will always find a way to be prideful. In all cases where you find a flaw, he’ll shrug it off by mentioning how successful he is (in these flaws), making it sound like a good thing by paradox-ing whatever the hell he’s done – whether that’s criminality or being a selfish ass. -Surprisingly vanilla in the bedroom department. The typical rose petals on the bed and his infamous boxer shorts for when sexy time does occur. Though vanilla, it’s charming because it’s Michael. It’s more bonding he focusses on. Because he’s a bit estranged romantically, he tries to ensure sexual activity is maintained. - He invites you into this nostalgic journey. Allowing him to reminisce really brightens his mood. Even more if you engage and ask questions. It may boost his ego, but he’ll assume you are genuinely interested. - Out of the trio, due to his maturity (even that?) and experience, he’s the most likely to keep you out of the criminality, and so he should! Michael protects you from any dangers and will seclude you from his own issues.

TREVOR PHILIPS – - “What do you mean you were busy?” The most clingiest. He’s very dependant when you earn his trust. Everything has to be outwardly expressed, whether that’s a doctors appointment or Jerry from down the road talking about his heater breaking. Trevor won’t even be interested but he’ll feel safe knowing due to his trust issues. You may get interrogated a lot when you forget to tell him certain things, but if you apologise MEANINGFULLY, he’ll forgive you. Maybe… (The grudge stays there though). - He does carry this intense aura around him and it gets a bit uncomfortable. Trevor has got something constantly making him angry or sad, so you’ll have to deal with this baggage, even if that’s listening to him rant or holding him – as requested. It’s better to say nothing because if you try and be rational, he’ll assume you are devaluing his feelings. - “Why are you closing the door? Leave it open. Ain’t no one here except me.” Trevor does not understand privacy and boundaries. You could be going to the bathroom or wanting time to yourself and he’ll demand you leave the door open. For no reason. He just like hearing you shuffle around. It makes him feel less alone and more safe. However, it can be annoying for you since you are forced to deal with his smell and intensive clinginess. - Very touchy and physical. Trevor has a high sex-drive and will crave bedroom time A LOT. From quickies to a passionate 3 session afternoon which leaves you both gasping for water and the bible. He does make you feel loved though. Not an inch of your skin has been left cold. He has touched you all. One way or another… - Unfortunately includes you in his drama a lot. Trevor doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut, let alone his impulses. And he gets into situations all the time. You are either a target of revenge or a cover-up. No in between. SOS babe, you’re in some trouble.

FRANKLIN CLINTON – - He treasures normality out of them all. Franklin craves a normal relationship where you do your own thing, and he does too. Independence is key. However, sometimes you’ll wonder why he hasn’t messaged in days after he left the house last Tuesday. It can strain a bit of your relationship as you don’t share much details about your everyday life, so you have no idea about the activities he gets up to. Vise versa. - “You need a ride out?” Franklin is also observant though. He sees you getting ready and offers you a ride. He sees you looking for something, offers to look. He sees you frustrated, he offers a solution. Despite being the youngest, he’s got a heart of gold towards  the people he loves. - You don’t have to prove your self-worth by being sexually active. Franklin is open-minded enough to understand boundaries and feelings. Just because you’re distant that day doesn’t mean you hate him, and he knows that. Just because you haven’t been sexually active in the past month doesn’t mean you hate him, he knows that too. - Franklin tries to keep you out of his business but sometimes information slips. He can trust the wrong people and get into some trouble, causing you to be a target of revenge. He tries to be private but he’ll talk to people he’ll deem “trustworthy”, and sometimes they can be the wrong people. - Takes you out a lot in dates. You’ll visit new diners, movies, bars, discos. Whatever. Franklin loves quality time and will ensure you are taken out every week. That’s how he bonds. You can share memories and moments together, whether that’s funny memories or romantic, or maybe sad. He finds value in everything. - The people he surround himself with can strain the relationship. Criminals and gangsters. He’ll invite strange people home and you’ll have to deal with their antiques. Franklin shrugs it off as it’s “business”, but you’ll always find the strangers invading your personal space and privacy. Dangerous strangers as well. It puts you on edge.

#grand theft auto 5 #trevor philips #gta v #grand theft 5 #grand theft auto #trevor gta #grand theft auto v #gta 5 #trevor philips/reader #trevor philips x reader #trevor philips fanfiction #trevor philips/you #trevor philips headcanons #trevorphilips #michael townley/reader #michael de santa x reader #michael de santa #michael de santa/reader #michael de santa fanfiction #franklin clinton x reader #franklin clinton fanfiction #franklin clinton #franklinclinton #franklin clinton/reader #franklin clinton headcanons #my fanfic writing #my fanfic #my fanfiction #my headcanons

[secretmellowblog]

@breadvidence recently wrote a great bit of Les Mis meta where they pointed out how Jean Valjean’s “compliments” to Javert in Montreuil-sur-Mer really are just..... conciliatory flattery, and don't reflect his real feelings about Javert at all. And that's a great point, and something I wish more people explored! Lines like "you are a good man and I esteem you" aren't Jean Valjean's earnest feelings towards Javert. Instead they’re examples of the way Jean Valjean often retreats into excessive deferential politeness to authority as a survival strategy. As I mentioned in another recent post— Jean Valjean is a genuinely kind person, but he’s also someone who often has literally no choice but to act overly polite to authorities/the police, because if he’s not polite enough they might start to find him suspicious. If he doesn't lick their boots enough, they might start investigating him. He's instinctively deferential out of fear of violence. He's flattering out of fear. He's polite "at gunpoint." He's polite to cops the way you're polite to an armed police officer who pulls you over.

And Jean Valjean's polite tranquil behavior towards Javert during Javert's "resignation"— saying things like “you are a good man and I esteem you, I want you to keep your job” and etc etc— is later explicitly confirmed to be at least somewhat of a calculated tactical decision Jean Valjean made out of terror:

He was carried away, at first, by the instinct of self-preservation; he rallied all his ideas in haste, stifled his emotions, took into consideration Javert’s presence, that great danger, postponed all decision with the firmness of terror, shook off thought as to what he had to do, and resumed his calmness as a warrior picks up his buckler.

I love the phrase "he resumed his calmness as a warrior picks up his buckler"-- it's such a great way of summarizing how Jean Valjean's ability to have polite conversations even when he's breaking down internally has been such a useful defense mechanism for him. I also love the contrast between the excessively polite way Jean Valjean talks to Javert when he’s acting out of terror/self-preservation….vs the more honest way he talks about Javert when he’s alone during Tempest in a Skull:

“That Javert, who has been annoying me so long; that terrible instinct which seemed to have divined me, which had divined me—good God! and which followed me everywhere; that frightful hunting-dog, always making a point at me, is thrown off the scent, engaged elsewhere, absolutely turned from the trail: henceforth he is satisfied; he will leave me in peace; he has his Jean Valjean. Who knows? it is even probable that he will wish to leave town! And all this has been brought about without any aid from me, and I count for nothing in it!”

It's just extremely funny. The contrast between “you are a good man and I esteem you” vs “that Javert, who has been annoying me so long” <3 The contrast between “you are an honest man” vs “that frightful hunting dog” <3 The contrast between “I want you to keep your job” vs Jean Valjean fantasizing enthusiastically about how hopefully Javert will leave town and never ever annoy him again. <3

It makes the “Punish Me, Monsieur le Maire” stuff even funnier. Jean Valjean is dissociating out of panic and saying whatever polite platitudes he thinks will flatter Javert....but those polite platitudes keep making Javert spiral further into long-winded deranged rants about how he dESPISES this kindness and it enRAGES him, as Jean Valjean just sits there very politely & quietly losing his mind. It’s peak comedy really.

I feel like Jean Valjean’s deeply weird thing with Javert often gets flattened in different directions, when people interpret it. Either Jean Valjean is an all-forgiving all-loving angel who thinks Javert did nothing wrong, and all of his flattery is sincere expressions of admiration—- or Jean Valjean is (like in the BBC version) the kind of violent pitiless person who would angrily order Javert to kill himself. It's rare for writers to get anything resembling the hilariously baffling ambiguous Weirdness of his relationship with Javert in the book. I think it's because adaptations often don't grasp the idea that a genuinely kind compassionate character can also (underneath it all) still be deeply tormented, broken, and angry-- and that their anger doesn't mean they're any less kind, or any less capable of pity and mercy.

#is this coherent? #who knows #les mis #jean valjean #people might take this as me being anti valvert or whatever. but it is the opposite. it is a valvert post #this is Thee dynamic #the comedic potential #the hijinks that could ensue #also a tangentially related thing: #I think the thing that often puts me off a lot of valvert fics #is that I think most writers believe 'jean valjean being excessively kind to javert' would be a sign their relationship had *improved* #whereas to me its like #almost the opposite in a way? #I think maybe you would know Jean Valjean actually had a healthier dynamic with Javert #if he was comfortable enough to be angry with him or upset with him #without needing to be afraid that he'd suffer consequences for not being excessively respectful/deferential/ polite #and thats my hot take #like comment and subscribe! -dabs #read 'Annoyances' by secretmellowblog on Ao3

[sparxaf]

S6: A Rant

Man, this season started off so promising. I was actually excited for episodes again. Now I'm just back to being exhausted with it. The branching is not well executed at all. The Grace situation is BAFFLING and there's no option to be a decent person and at least flat out tell her you want to pursue Ozzy.

And now, for something completely expected! Enjoy an impassioned, profanity-laced rant about Amelia!

Thar be spoilers ahead.

Fuuuuuuuck this ho sideways with no lube. All her sister talk is bullshit. I really don't care if she and Ryan cracked on, because fine. But the way she went about it, the way she neglected to tell me, and then blew off my feelings about it? Oh no. Bitch, you know better. We're Scorpio risings. Which means we never forgive and we never forget.

It's especially weird considering how vehement she was about not liking Jamal because he said he had feelings for Ivy and then got over her immediately... um. What does she think just happened with Ryan?

She had the audacity to act like it hardly mattered, since I didn't pick him anyway. Yeah, I didn't. But here's the thing. I could have. He was still pursuing me. It's weird and gross that this guy was actively trying to get with me and he's telling me he has all these super deep feelings, but he's been cracking on with my sister secretly? What's that about? Like they could have told me and that would have made my decision for me and they could have just been getting to know each other without being snakey. If she "knew" I wasn't going to choose him, what possible reason could she have to keep it from me?

Perhaps she simply has a ravenous appetite for my scraps.

This is the second time she's kept something from me when it comes to guys (that I know of). And acted like she did it for my benefit and like it didn't matter at all. My only angry option here was, "I'm annoyed with you." And her response was to act all giddy for me and my new partner as though it's all forgiven. She's so dismissive that they wrote actual dialogue for MC to say, "I said I'm still annoyed," and Amelia was like, "Oh well. Doesn't mean anything. Still sisters! Byyyyye!"

I have played nice with her so far. No more nice. I don't give a shit about Ryan. Other than feeling even more ick than I already did, nothing's changed there. But she seems to have a chronic issue with honesty and a lack of consideration for my feelings, and I have a big problem with that.

Honestly, there's a part of me that wants to pursue Ryan just out of spite. Then I throw up in my mouth a little, and I change my mind. Neither of them are worth that.

#litg s6 #litg spoilers #litg amelia #litg rant #litg double trouble

[abyssal-ali]

Poem 0.01

Tw: mentions of different types of abuse, depression. Generally depressing/sad.

Note: none of this is dissing physical abuse, just showing my perspective on emotional/mental abuse.

Bold print is what the person wants to say.

OG work, I'm still thinking about how to revise it so the rhythm flows better but it's okay for now.

Physical abuse is the most obvious to spot.

A flinch here, a shrinking form there.

But what about mental and emotional abuse?

It's internal, unseeable, hard to diagnose and harder to treat.

The victims are conditioned to make themselves smaller, not unlike victims of physical abuse.

However, unlike physical abuse, victims are less likely to noticeably shrink physically, instead shrinking their mental and emotional needs.

If they skip their meals, or are always up late and early, people will be likely to notice and ask if everything's okay.

People only notice their emotional needs when they're voiced.

"My grandpa died, can I have a hug?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Of course you can have a hug!"

Their way of speaking is by shouting silence at you, desperate for you to notice on your own, to prove you care about them by paying attention, noticing their absence.

"I'm feeling more depressed lately. I'm talking less or saying superficial stuff so you don't worry about me. I'll be fine by myself, don't worry."

If they actually said what they were thinking or feeling, whether they knew it or not, you would be willing to help and empathetic to their lonely feelings.

But they don't, not wanting to make you feel guilty for not noticing.

After all, you're busy with your life and your own problems, they'll be fine dealing with it on their own.

They've done it countless times before.

They appear as helpful, cheerful individuals, the "therapy friend", the one who checks in on others and takes care of their needs.

They're quick to say yes, comfort their acquaintances, and take the initiative to ask people how they're feeling and offer advice or hugs.

The person may not even know that they need to talk or hug until they're asked, and wonder how their friend picked up on it.

Maybe it's because the friend has years of experience in picking up on the slightest changes in their partners’ emotions and doing everything they can to alleviate their mood.

Maybe it's because it's all they've known so they don't know how to address their own emotions.

They're asked how they are.

"Oh, I'm good!"

But that sounds too cliche.

People like to be told the truth.

"I've been going through some stuff lately, but it's getting better! I've been seeing my friends recently."

"Oh, that's nice!"

And the conversation is over.

Physically abused people try not to take up literal space in your life, hiding and making the smallest footprint possible.

Emotionally abused people try not to take up emotional space in your life, enriching yours by helping you with your problems.

They're always present, the friend you call first because they always have great advice and a listening ear.

You love them and are so grateful for their wisdom and support.

They're always there for you.

But then you wonder, why do they never ask you for help in return?

Why do they never rant about their day to you?

Yes, maybe they're naturally a kind and forgiving person, but even those people have limits.

They told you about that horrible day they had last week.

What did they say?

"Oh, everything went wrong today. I was so annoyed.

Speaking of annoying, how's the situation with "x" going?

Did my advice help?

Oh, good, you deserve peace."

Do they always change the subject?

Do they always gloss over the bad things and focus on others?

It's not a bad thing to be helpful or considerate of other people's feelings–in fact, more people should do that.

But do these people ever get the chance to unload?

Do they have a willing emotional support friend who lets them rant on bad days and gives hugs ‘just because’?

You feel bad for people who publicly ask for help.

The ones who admit something is wrong, who cry in front of others and ask for hugs or kind words.

But they address the issue.

They actually say that something is wrong and they want something to be done about it.

They stand in front of everyone and scream.

"Something is wrong! I want to be supported! I want to be seen!"

People listen to them.

What about the ones who never scream, are always composed?

If you could hear their thoughts, all you would hear is desperate cries for help.

To be seen, really seen.

To be noticed.

After all, the ones who are the quietest are screaming the loudest.

It's a natural state of people to be exuberant, boisterous, open and unguarded with those they're close to.

"They're just naturally quiet. An introvert, you know? They always make us laugh, though."

Are they laughing?

Or is it a mask, distorting the screams and turning them into an acceptable outlet?

What about the ones who you admire for being so brave, even though they're going through a difficult situation?

The ones who always have a kind word, no matter what they're going through themselves?

They mention an incident from years ago and you're surprised.

How did you not know about it?

"I didn't want to worry you, you were going through that thing back then, too. I was fine."

They look at you, surprised, and your heart gives a little wrench.

How many times have they done this and you never knew, never noticed?

You ask them about it.

"I'm fine! It's in the past, and you were carrying enough around."

Their eyes are innocently wide, confused as to why you're asking this now.

You may decide not to press it, to leave them alone.

You may decide to dig to the bottom of this and see past the mask.

If you do, you reiterate your concern and speak gently, reassuring them that you want to be there for them in the same way they are present for you, and they burst into tears.

You're slightly shocked, having never seen them cry before, but you pat their back and let them cry until your shirt is soaked and their face is red.

They apologize for the mess and wipe their eyes, composing themself and erecting the mask, startling you with how even they appear.

You're too shocked at the 180° switch in moods to reassure them you don't mind.

If it weren't for the red eyes, you'd never know they'd broken down on your shoulder a minute ago.

You wonder how often they do this, breaking down and immediately putting the "fine" mask on, never taking the time to enjoy the post-cry relaxing and free, aired-out feelings.

They leave, embarrassed at dumping all that on you, and your heart breaks a little more as you begin to reinvestigate every encounter and conversation you've had.

#Poetry #ali writes #tw abuse mention #tw depression mention

[darlingofdots]

rant incoming

I started a new book last night (a Pride & Prejudice variation because I am a nerd) and so far I have three major issues with it, but two bother me more than the other and one of those is probably more personal taste so let’s talk about

TEENAGE CHARACTERS

In this specific case, Georgiana Darcy, beloved by all, very good with a pianoforte, almost ran off with a Regency fuckboy. She’s sixteen. Why, oh why does she sound and behave like a ten-year-old? 

This is an issue I encounter quite a lot in fiction and it annoys me every time. Granted, I am solidly past my teenage years at this point, but I remember being 16, and of course one must adjust for the period, but it really stands out to me just how many supposedly teenaged characters in books seem to have the maturity and speech patterns of children just over half their age. 

It’s particularly strange when you contrast these portrayals with characters from young adult fiction, who talk and think like, well, people. Sixteen-year-olds definitely aren’t adults - they’re not physically matured, their lives happen in different spheres, they can’t vote (mileage may vary based on location). But they’re also generally mature and intelligent enough to think critically about themselves, form their own opinions based on information available to them, and have complicated inner lives. 

Also, if you’ve ever been in a setting that involves adults, sixteen-year-olds, and prepubescent children, you’ll know that there’s a huge difference between how all of these people communicate. Teenagers (especially sort of fifteen-and-older teenagers) are perfectly capable of having reasonably intelligent conversations with adults. They are usually at least aware enough of the outside world to have a basic understanding of their place in it, whereas younger children don’t quite have the tools to put things together yet and are a lot more dependent on validation of their ideas and thoughts from others. When I have conversations with kids that age, the only difference is that they talk about school while I talk about university or work, and although I am definitely conscious that they’re younger than me, the fact doesn’t stand out in the way they act or speak.

Now, I’m mostly reading historical romance these days, occasionally interspersed with YA and high fantasy, so I can’t judge if this problem is prevalent in other genres as well. But I find that the more I encounter it, the more it bothers me when supposedly sixteen-year-old girls (and it’s almost always the girls that sound like they’re ten, what a strange coincidence) are portrayed in a way that feels somehow disrespectful to girls who are actually sixteen and expected to make choices that will affect their entire lives, nevermind (depending on where you live) drive cars, drink some kinds of alcohol, and vote in local elections. It makes me so sad, as a former teenage girl, when I open yet another book featuring younger siblings and am once again disappointed.

If you are a writer writing characters much younger than you are, please make sure to portray them accurately. There is a lot of development and growth that happens in the first twenty years of life, and your characters should reflect that development.

#text #jo rambles #romance on main #sort of #writing #i could talk about my pet peeves for daaaayyyys #long post #forgive the rant but this annoys me considerably

[froggerzz]

SLEEPY BOIS INC, ZODIAC SIGNS RANT TIME

Philza - March 1st - Pisces, water sign

Techno - June 1st - Gemini, air sign

Tommy - April 9th, Aries, fire sign

Wilbur - Sept 14th, Virgo, earth sign

Ok, so the zodiac signs of sleepy bois inc. makes perfect sense to me so I’m going to explain exactly why. Firstly, Philza is a Pisces, a water sign, I find with Pisces specifically that there is a lot of empathy and parental energy, they tend to be very caring but can be surprisingly terrifying when angry or annoyed. They’re usually generous, wise, forgiving and very tolerant - this fits Phil so well when you take into consideration his obvious role as father figure to them. 

Wilbur is a Virgo, an earth sign, meaning he is the most stubborn of the group and I have to agree, he tends to cling onto things for a long time and he also tends to be very dedicated and hardworking once he loses himself in something. Virgos are very creative, patient and they thrive on emotional connections. Virgos and Pisces are signs that are usually either very strong together or hate each other, him and phil have a really solid friendship and i believe that lies on their shared traits as hard working, dedicated and loving.

Tommy is the perfect disruption for this little harmony they have here, he is absolutely vital as the token fire sign, Aries, and although he attracts conflict by being such a stereotypical Aries he also attracts fun and new opportunities. He is a wonderful force of chaos, impulsive, competitive, confident, passionate, optimistic, and most key of all, acts before he thinks. In fact he’s such a typical Aries that I find it hard to think he would be anything else. Aries and Virgos typically don’t actually get along, which makes sense that they would have such frequent minor conflicts, there is nothing particularly special about the Pisces and Aries dynamic however it is notable that their relationship usually depends on how patient the Pisces is. Since Philza Minecraft is a very patient man, this makes sense that the dynamic works.

The final piece of the puzzle is the air sign, Techno the Gemini. It makes me unnecessarily happy that this four person friend group has one person of each sign and it pleases me to think that this is why they all work so well in their family dynamic. Techno is yet again, typical to an air sign. He is emotionally closed off, versatile, quick witted, easily bored, introverted, aloof, independent, intelligent and adaptable. I find it easy to believe he is a Gemini and he provides an air of calm and that final piece of balance to the group. When all combined together they all bring out the best in each other as they all have qualities the others don't share and therefore a powerful force exists among them. Interestingly enough, Gemini and Aries get along quite well, and I’d argue that Techno’s anarchy and Tommy’s impulsivity result in a wonderful shared bloodlust that unites them. I am going to pretend that I do not see the fact that Geminis get along the least with Pisces and Virgos and instead put it down to other aspects of their chart

#technoblade #tommyinnit #philza #wilbursoot #dreamsmp #mcytrs #techno #sleepy bois inc #minecraft

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER PRE-GAME 9/30/2020: 30 MILES FROM NOWHERE/CONFESSIONAL (2019)

Spoiler alert. Or whatever. It’s not going to matter, you don’t care.

So, I've been away for a minute. Just about any reason to be away from Tumblr is probably a good reason, but I have an especially good one. I'm finally working on a "real" writing project, which demands, and deserves, all of my attention. My social media abstinence isn't just a matter of time management, though. Once I had a long term obligation on my plate, I became very aware of how the short term satisfaction I get from posting mindless rants was eating away at the fuel I have available for sustained efforts. When I wind myself up with a 500-1000 word blog post, it generates a lot of electricity, but I blow it all as soon as I experience the catharsis of posting it, and I'm further pacified by ego-stroking likes and reblogs. Not to sound like a sanctimonious luddite--I mean, I'm still here, after all!--but it turns out that the staying focused on the long haul has been surprisingly revivifying. In fact, I haven't been talking about my big fancy project for the same reason; I don't want to lose any of the juice I've been storing up by wasting it on the shallow pleasure of describing it. Also such things should probably be somewhat confidential until they're approaching the publishing stage, but I digress! There is an actual reason I'm saying all this, that has more to do with this blog.

(Don’t get all excited, I’m not doing EVIL ED right now, I just need a relatable image.)

As I got deeper into my experience of "real" film writing, I started to reflect on the meaning of my personal writing. Like, the point of it. I tend to write in a sweaty, compulsive, sadomasochistic haze, in which I'm sometimes hyperbolically generous, and sometimes--perhaps more often, unfortunately--as nasty as humanly possible. Sometimes the movies deserve it, when they're lazy, pretentious, or otherwise demonstrate an open contempt for the audience aka ME. Often, though, I'm just creating an opportunity to vent my generalized rage and frustration. That can be very entertaining for myself and (hopefully) my teensy-but-devoted readership, but lately I've asked myself whether there isn't some negative tradeoff for all this amusement. In this phase of my life, it's reasonable to assume I'll make more and more friends and acquaintances who create things I don't always care for, but I don't necessarily think they deserve to be abused for it. As much as I have a right to say whatever I want, technically, I'd be embarrassed if I were caught just jacking myself off by making fun of their work in public. And more to the point, I don't necessarily want to contribute to the growing atmosphere in which people feel more afraid to try and fail, because the public so commonly misidentifies sarcasm and mean-spiritedness as intelligence and superiority, and that form of petty darkness spreads across the internet a lot faster than a movie can reach a wider audience. After all, I'm in the process of potentially turning myself into one of those well-meaning failures right now. I could stand to be a little more deliberate about how I speak, and about what, in general.

My father is an art critic, and once in an extra petulant moment, teenage-me asked him in an accusative tone what he thought the point of his profession was. He replied calmly that he wouldn't publish any comment that he didn't think the artist could make use of somehow. I don't know if he always stuck to that policy, but the thought sure stuck with me.

So anyway, over the last few months I've been giving myself a bit of an attitude adjustment, through a combination of personal reflection, and hard work on something meaningful/not for the internet. I've been feeling all proud of myself and shit, but today reminded me that any path to enlightenment is always marked by setbacks, doubt, and temptation. For today, in complete innocence (or at least a melange of innocence and ignorance, as I very much invite this type of problem), I managed to watch TWO (2) movies about an academic film-cum-psychology project, focused on a gang of college buddies who inevitably reveal what bad people they are under the unique conditions of the project, and then the project turns out to be run NOT by its presumed-dead originator, but by the originator's even-crazier lover. It's amazing how particular something can be, and still be utterly obvious and cliche. In my defense, I really tried to turn the second movie off, because it was...just instantly terrible, but the seed of suspicion had taken root--is this randomly selected movie ACTUALLY EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS MOVIE?--and I just had to find out if this could be true. I suffered, deliberately, for another hour and a half, to confirm my awful hunch. I don't know how I would have felt if I had turned out to be wrong (better? worse?), but I don't have to worry about that now. Now I just have to worry about my overpowering impulse to be as ugly as possible about what I have personally subjected myself to.

(The completely deceptive poster for our not at all witchy or eerie opening feature.) 

In need of a passable time-waster this afternoon, I put on 30 MILES FROM NOWHERE. Released in March of 2019, Caitlin Koller's claustrophobic black comedy feels oddly like a product of 2020. A group of estranged, middle-aged college pals of the BIG CHILL ilk--which one of the characters calls out, out loud, just so ya know--come together for a fallen comrade's funeral, only to find themselves trapped in his widow's increasingly creepy cabin in the woods. Said comrade was driven to suicide by the failure of a psychological experiment he conducted that plunged its subject into madness, and if you don't realize right away that the obnoxious and unstable cast are the new subjects of their not-quite-dead friend's renewed project, then you're firing a lot slower than 24 frames per second. The dialog is often decent, aiding a handful of funny, natural performances...but it's hard to forget that you're just waiting for the conspicuously crazy widow to reveal that the "unexplained events" in and around the cabin are part of a controlled attempt to get the guests to devolve into their worst selves, which isn't such a difficult task considering the undesirable state they all arrive in.

It just made me ask myself, what was the point of this? Why do people make movies that are entirely predicated on the shock of the twist, knowing that if the twist isn't so shocking--or is baldly obvious from the start--then the whole experience just falls apart? Why not hedge your bets with a little more depth, or purpose, or style, or really anything more reliable than a smug attempt to prove that your script is smarter than your audience? Even if you do manage to pull off this dubious accomplishment, it reduces your movie to something like the experience of having somebody jump out of a closet and scream in your ear to "get" you. I've always felt concerned that if somebody ever tries to "get" me like that, I might just automatically punch them in the face. But anyway, whatever shred of good will this movie could have accrued with its plucky performances is blown away by the final insult, when the cops arrive to clean up the inevitable bloody mess. The responding officers are hilariously unimpressed and unsurprised by the byzantine scheme that has resulted in a shocking act of violence, because the cabin's "guest book", which our heroes all filled out, was actually the signatory page of a complicated waiver form granting full permission to the hosts to, like, do whatever the hell they want to everybody. Presumably this shit just goes on all the time, leading the local law to shrug off anything that happens to or because of the dumbassed lab rats who frequent the cabin? I dunno. I mean, what can I say? ACAB, I guess!

At the time, I managed to resist the urge to take to the internet and decry the crimes of this lame-o party joke. I really don't like the sensation that a movie is just trying to trick me into thinking something that isn't true. But, this isn't, like, an affront to cinema. People make annoying, below average movies all the time, and maybe you kinda have to, if you eventually want to make better movies. I imagine myself in the shoes of the people who actually put some elbow grease into this production, having to wade through the rantings of internet ghouls like myself while they're trying to see how their efforts are paying off. Making a movie is probably a lot harder than I think it is.

But that's part of the point I'm heading toward. I'm always amazed by people's willingness to pour huge amounts of energy and capital into something to which there is ultimately very little point. I mean, I have bad, unoriginal, boring ideas every single day of my life. But I almost never DO any of them. I have a hard enough time convincing myself to just get out of bed in the morning, let alone devote blood, sweat, and money to deliver unto the world material evidence of my personal mediocrity. I can't imagine thinking it would be worth it, for myself or the unfortunate people who are subjected to my project, to actually execute on my bad ideas. I'm being judgmental, but honestly, I don't even know if my attitude makes me better or worse than someone who accomplishes the task of completing and selling a movie that's mainly a waste of time. Movies are so complicated, and realizing them requires the consensus of so many people, that it's sort of incredible that there are people capable of making one that doesn't have a powerfully compelling motivation behind it. People who are able to do such a thing obviously have something that I don't, and it isn't just "consideration for the audience."

So, I could probably stand to be more forgiving--or just, less eager to absolutely flay someone alive on my dumb little blog because they so opened themselves up to my arsenal of elaborate insults. But like...not all the time. Sometimes, a movie really fucking asks for it, and in revealing itself to me, it has effectively signed a waiver giving me patent freedom to do whatever I want to it. CONFESSIONAL is the latest movie to give me such a gift. After the final credit rolled in 30 MILES FROM NOWHERE, I looked for a little palate cleanser. As little as I like movies that put their single egg in the motheaten basket of a "shocking twist", I also have a problem with what I identify as canned theater. Not that I think all movies have to be lavish productions, but I think they should try to do something that is natively cinematic. It's very rare that I'm impressed by anything that is literally all talk. So, I went in search of some more familiar form of trash to help me recallibrate, and trash is definitely what I got.

(Me crying over my own bad decisions.)

To be fair, I kind of should have known that I was in for a challenging experience. The 2019 found footage thriller CONFESSIONAL is more or less based on the "confessional" part of sleazy reality TV shows, isolating each cast member in a soundproof stall so they can spill the rotten contents of their guts. Unfortunately, I spotted a review suggesting that the movie succeeded, against all odds, at remaining visually dynamic despite the unchanging scenery, and I was intrigued. The reviewer was correct, impressively; the monotony of the coffin-like environment with its dark foam walls was the least of my concerns. Other problems superseded that threat, immediately. The plot concerns a group of college pals who come together to remember a recently deceased friend--a filmmaker who expired mysteriously while completing a psychology-tinged project in which she recorded all of her friends' most shameful personal secrets. Now, somebody else has taken over the project...someone who "has never been identified", according to an early title card in this movie-within-a-movie (EVEN THOUGH THIS PERSON WILL BE EXPLICITLY IDENTIFIED AT THE END OF THE MOVIE SO LIKE WHY), but who seems likely to be the decedent's ex-lover...who continues to expose their subjects' most shameful secrets on film. I mean, what the fuck? Did I somehow manage to pick a second movie with almost the exact same plot??? I couldn't believe it. I didn't know if I could take it. My prospects only got worse when the cast showed up and started talking. I tried to turn the movie off. I backed out and walked away from it, twice. But I couldn't leave it alone. I had to know if it was really the same movie.

CONFESSIONAL concerns characters who are contemporaneously in college, which actually goes a long way to making everything worse. Each of these walking cliches is connected in some way to Amelia, a film student whose mysterious death has created a campus scandal, leaving shattered hearts and lives in its wake. The living have each received a blackmail-flavored invitation to speak about the deceased in a tiny "confessional booth" somewhere on campus, where, predictably, they find themselves locked in until they confess whatever they know about Amelia, and their classmates. I don't know why practically every single movie about young people has to be so miserable, but this is one of those. I assume that it has something to do with the fact that youth is simultaneously so desired and so ignored. People in their teens and early 20s are so sexually coveted, yet so easily dismissed as individuals, that we wind up with all this media that panders to them relentlessly (or at least, panders to the legions of ticket-buying perverts who enjoy watching them prance around), without almost any consideration of how they actually think and act, and look. Movies like FAT GIRL and  WELCOME TO THE DOLL HOUSE may be accused of their own form of pandering, a venal form of voyeuristic schadenfreude, but at least they reflect something of the awkwardness, isolation, and incompleteness of adolescence; something more than the dissociated, pornographic fantasies of adults who have long since forgotten what it was like to be powerless and ignored, or desired by people who don't even like you.

Not that CONFESSIONAL is supposed to be a work of grim realism, but it is most definitely rooted in a fantasy about college life that makes its contrived, message-y plot a lot harder to take. With almost the sole exception of "the nerdy one", every single character looks like a Bratz doll, oozing an exaggerated indecency that belies the movie's pretentious insistence on addressing the sex & gender Issues of the Day. What you get is a really good example of what happens when millennial characters are modeled, not on any actual millennials, but on other forms of marketing that are aimed at millennials, which are themselves just based on other preexisting youth-targeted commercials, et al ad nauseam. Even setting aside the deliriously slutty wardrobe choices, makeup appears to have been laid on with a trowel, coating each actor in a thick creamy layer of spackle that only makes any scars, pits, or other evidence of individuality look utterly bizarre. Accordingly, everybody preens, pouts, and generally behaves as if they're about to take off their clothes, which might be a huge relief given the profusion of chafing, cheapo mesh and straps they're laboring under.

So, ok, not every movie can have a great costume department, but the dialog here is a perfect match for the disastrous aesthetic decisions. Actually, this is the real reason I almost walked out on CONFESSIONAL. If I may ramble briefly, without substantiating any of my broad-ranging claims: Sometime in the late 90s/early 00s, horror cinema seemed to suffer a degenerative slide away from genuine thrills and chills, and into a version of the genre that is best characterized as the Slutty Halloween Costume approach. Any sense of existential dread, revulsion, or bodily vulnerability was widely replaced by a cutesy, Hot Topic-y preference for fast fashion and sex appeal, in which bloodshed more facilitated an informal wet teeshirt contest than any real fear induction. Horror's new mall goth look came with an equally shallow, boring verbal affectation: a sullen, sleazy, tooth-sucking sarcasm, that ushered in a new era in which, instead of making fun of the scummy coked-out dialog in porno movies, we now expect everybody to just talk like that, because it's hot. There's probably a line to be drawn between this unfortunate development, and the boneheaded real-world trend of identifying "sarcasm" as an important personal selling point on dating sites, but I won't try to prove that here. For now, I will just say that as soon as I heard the CONFESSIONAL characters start to speak, with their sneering, insinuating tones, with the vocal fry, with the head wagging, the jutting jaws, the smoldering gazes, the juvenile dragging-out of horny grownup words like de-bauch-er-y...I almost lost my nerve. Listening to these little creeps hissing and spitting for 84 minutes is a lot like being hit on by some barfly who continues to bludgeon you with his hot breath and corny lines without ever noticing that you've thrown up into your pint.

Uh, anyway. So what actually happens in the movie. Why would anyone ever allow someone to record video of them revealing the ugliest, most embarrassing parts of themselves? Especially a kid, for whom popularity and reputation are often a matter of life or death--literally and specifically, in the case of this story. The flimsy reason is that the late filmmaker, Amelia, was the most awesomest girl ever. Everybody loved her, because she was so sweet, and so smart, and so cool, and so nice, and so deep, and so original, and so talented, and so sexy, and just like, the bestest most perfectest girl in the whole wide world. N.B. "The greatest of all time" is, perhaps counter-intuitively, a really bad quality that makes for really shitty, boring characters. For better or worse, Amelia is rarely on screen (and when she is, she's no Laura Palmer, frankly), so it's up to the viewer to just sort of imagine a type of person who could make you act against your best interests on account of you just like them so much. After all, so many of the characters were obsessed with her in some way, that it's like they're here to help you clap your hands and believe in this seductive, compelling part of the movie, that just isn't actually there on the screen. The anonymous antihero behind the confessional booth scheme slowly extracts from each character the selfish, destructive behavior that in some way contributed to the tragic loss of the most amazing person of all time--and part of the result is, if not a very interesting excuse for Amelia's death, then a story so wacky that I really wish they had centered the movie on it, instead of on the tawdry soap opera we're locked into. Even if that imaginary movie had been really bad, and it probably would have been, at it would at least have been entertaining.

Part of what leads up to the death of Amelia is the existence of a secret school fight club, led by a stereotypically sleazy gender studies major, named Major, who is out to prove men's inherent superiority. The club is called CFB, or Cock Fights Back, which is somehow a garbled pun relating to cock fights, and Trump's famous line of "locker room talk": "grab'em by the pussy" > "pussy grabs back" > "cock fights back". CFB is different from your ordinary fight club in that the fights are always between girls and boys, and the boys are always blindfolded, in order to prove that a fully-abled female is no match for even a handicapped male. To complicate things, a new designer amphetamine is gaining popularity on campus, called "odds-on", meaning that it makes you the odds-on favorite in your CFB fight. As awkward as that is, it also seems that men are never the guaranteed winners of these fights, which makes you wonder why Major insists on continuing to host them. As much as I would have preferred to watch a stupid movie about this stupid idea, I'm stuck instead with a movie in which Major is such an aggressive MRA because he's secretly gay, and he thinks that hating women is a great way to hide that...as if that isn't what we all openly suspect about aggro MRAs. Secret gayness is a big part of this movie, involving multiple characters, although it amounts to very little other than the perpetuation of some stale, harmful cliches about how unfulfilled homosexual urges lead to suicide, sexual abuse, and murder. CONFESSIONAL is just as reliant on this grim vision of gay life, as it is on its weirdly obtuse discussion of drug addiction, for the suffocating sense of self-importance that it uses to try to elevate itself above its porn-y trappings. None of the movie's hot button issues are given any real thought, but are only dragged through the mud to create the illusion that there's a point to all this, thus relieving the film of any sense of innocence that could have made its condescending sleaziness forgivable.

Admittedly, I can't really remember all the details of the film's tortured intrigue anymore, even though I basically just saw it. A lot of its meandering revelations just left me thinking, "Why did I need to know that? Why should I care?" I do know that about half way through this ordeal, I became really anxious about whether it would turn out that CONFESSIONAL did NOT have exactly the same plot as 30 MILES FROM NOWHERE after all, and I put myself through all this for nothing. But no, I was right to begin with. The wonderful Amelia's ethically dubious film project has been picked up by the unhinged lesbian character who loved her so much she wanted to become her, and killing Amelia and usurping her confessional project was apparently the best way of doing that. I guess exposing all the dark, violent secrets of all these tangentially involved characters was just an added bonus, or whatever. Ultimately, this ugly, ignorant PSA about something-or-other only deals itself further damage by relying so heavily on the potential of its clumsy twist to blow your mind, which it does not at all.

So that was it, that's how I burned a whole afternoon allowing my mind to implode-not-explode under the ponderous force of TWO (2) movies about exactly the same exhausted cliche that is still being peddled by certain pretentious assholes as fresh and exciting, and beyond the capacity of the audience to anticipate. There's probably a whole slew of other movies that employ this overly familiar "surprise", but I don't have it in me to dig them out of my long-suffering brain. Feel free to contribute in the comments. For now, I must prepare myself for the ordeal of Blogtober, during which I will *hopefully* choose my screening selections and words more thoughtfully than I have in previous years, when this blog was motivated by just as much abject misanthropy as these movies, which do nothing but willfully insult the audience's intelligence. Maybe today's detour into degradation will help me go forth toward more additive experiences, having purged several lungfuls of meaningless venom from my system, and this season will bring with it more interesting, provocative posts than the last. Or maybe not! In any case, I promise to keep trying my hardest to make it funny.

PS I actually love both FAT GIRL and WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE. I’m “just saying”. 

#blogtober #2020 #confessional #2019 #30 miles from nowhere #horror #thriller #black comedy #found footage #brad t gottfred #jennifer wolfe #jennifer bosworth #caitlin koller

[ambidextrousarcher]

Sarcastic StarBharat Reviews: Episode 14- In which a (completely non-canon) coronation is stopped.

Tagging @butchcaroldanvers, @mayavanavihariniharini, @medhasree, @chaanv @shaonharryandpannisim @allegoriesinmediasres @hermioneaubreymiachase @iamnotthat @ratnas-musings @justahappyreindeer @avani008. I’m forgetting someone...

The episode begins exactly where the last one ends. “Who dares?” asks Mr. Permanently Angry Drama Queen. Gandhari stutters a hesitant “husband…” I am NOT going to use the word ‘arya’. For some reason, if freaks me out. Another voice joins in “Putr Dhritrashtra”. “Mata?” “Are you ready, son?” “I have been ready for years, mother.” Yeah, Mr. Conceited Ego, we all know how ready you were. BTW, I think I have not pointed this out, thinking it obvious, but in case it isn’t, it’s a CANON FAIL #23: I don’t remember Dhritrashtra being the original person to be crowned. From what I know of canon, it was always Pandu. I’m not sure if Dhritrashtra was crowned after Pandu’s exile, but I doubt it, seeing that it was always Yudhisthir who was apparently the heir to the throne. “You will be Hastina’s King today” says Ambika. She gushes a bit about her happiness. She ends with “We should be there by the time Pandu and Vidur have finished taking the oaths. Come, Gandhari.” Mr. Drama Queen has to keep adding unnecessary drama (I’m actually kinda feeling sorry for the actor by now) and he says “Tell her not to walk by my side.” Dude, she’s your wife, isn’t she? Ms. Always Patnidharm? (This ain’t canon Gandhari, either). “If my pace slows while walking towards the throne for any reason, I will not bear it!” Ah, apparently this show has had enough of psycho ladies. Time for psycho dudes! Psycho dude #1: Mr. Drama Queen. #2 is Shakuni, I’ll defo come up with some name for him too. I think Mr. Ominous Music is good. Dhritrashtra strides off. “Come, sister. Whether or not you walk equally, he can’t sit on the throne without you.” This, quite obviously, is Mr. Ominous Music. Scene switches to an elaborate ceremony. Mr. Honey Boy and Vidur are here. They go stand on two sides of the hall. They do the required salutations. Vidur is the first to start the oath. He and Pandu do it in tandem. Vidur represents the virtues of justice, Pandu those of valour. They are handed the ceremonial spectre and the ceremonial armor respectively. They make oaths to the respective item. With that, the jayjaykars begin and the ceremony comes to an end. Mr. Drama Queen strides in with his usual angry strides, followed by Ms. Always Patnidharm, Mr. Ominous Music et al. He gives perfunctory pranipaats. Bhishm pointedly doesn’t bless him, his usual customary ‘Ayushmaan Bhav’ is missing. Satyavati gives him a blessing and then outlines her hopes. “The throne of Hastina will receive its lord today,” she says. (You’re right, lady, but the lord in question is not the one you think it is…here anyway). “This is one of the happiest moments of my life. Today, you will lift the weight of your father’s nations on your shoulders, that has been borne by myself and Bhishm for so long. Now is the time for your coronation.” Mr. Angry Drama Queen manages to look both angry and dramatic as he ascends the steps to the throne. He joins his hands as Bhishm passes the ceremonial sword to him. “Stop, elder brother,” This is Vidur. Ah, the moment of reckoning is here. “Mahamantri Vidur, how can you do something so inauspicious?” This is Satyavati. “The reason is that I just swore the oath of the Mahamantri.” He repeats that oath. “Hence,” he says “It is mandatory for me to stop this Adharm.” “What Adharm, Mahamantri?” “This coronation, Rajmata.” Cue shocking music. “A man who is blind from birth is not eligible to become a King.” This is further extension of Canon Fail #23, kindly note. Also, for all of Vidur’s ableist words, apparently, this made sense in the culture of that time…but I am not sure. Obviously, Mr. Angry Drama Queen is not going to take it well. But then, if it made sense in the culture of the time, enough that Dhritrashtra, to the best of my knowledge (correct me if I am wrong, folks) was never a candidate for the King at least until Pandu exiles himself, even after that I think he was more of a place holder type King, not the King regnant. People with better canon knowledge than I, please comment. The scene drags on a bit, with repetition of the above dialogue. “You are saying this now? You knew about the coronation beforehand.” Good question, also one that was in my mind, too. “With situation, dharma changes, Rajmata.” “Dharma and change?” This is Mr. Ominous Music, henceforth also dubbed Mr. Annoying Poseur. “This is the first time I have heard of it. I have heard of selfishness changing, but Dharm? Yes, but Hastinapur is a large Kingdom. Maybe the rules are different here.” “Yuvaraj Shakuni!” Here comes the Paragon of Perfection. “You do not have the right to speak in our dynastic issues.” “Forgive me, Mahamahim Bhishm, but a brother has a right to speak in his sister’s stead. Dharma says so, in the entirety of Aryavrata. Whether this is Dharma in Hastina or it has changed, only Mahagyaani Vidur can say so.” “I can answer your question also. Seeing no fault in his elder brother is a younger brother’s Dharma.” Title BGM starts playing. Ah, so this is important. “But when it comes to a King’s virtues and vices, then it is the Mahamantri’s dharma not to see the man as his brother.” “Only the eldest son of a family has the right over the throne, Mahamantri Vidur,” says Satyavati. She’s seriously sounding like a broken record by now. “If every son of the family is equally eligible, only then does the eldest have that right.” He then goes off into obscure philosophy that we don’t need, about Ashad and Shravan, so I am not noting that here. “When thinking between age and virtue, virtue is more important, Rajmata.” Title BGM plays again. Audience, please take note. There is some discourse about the Shaastrs but the long and short of it is that only an able bodied man can be King, according to them. “Not in a deficient man.” Finishes Vidur. Mr. Drama Queen has had enough. “Deficient!” he exclaims. All eyes turn to him. “Me, deficient!” “Forgive me, elder brother.” “Silence! Silence. I have been insulted enough, Vidur. When your ever-changeable dharma has left this Court, send for me.” He descends the stairs and strides back as everyone watches, absolutely shocked. Honey Boy comes to his senses first. “Elder brother!” He calls. “Stop!” But he strides away. Ms. Always Patnidharm (I refuse to give this caricature Gandhari’s name. The Gandhari I know has a lot of self-esteem) asks Sukhdha to take her to her husband. “Just because he is blind, we cannot accept that, Mahamantri Vidur.” “Eyesight is the first and foremost weapon of a King, Rajmata. Unless a King can read a man’s intents on his face, he cannot find hidden enemies in his court. When a King goes on progress, he sees the people with his eyes. How can a blind man do that?” “For all that only we have a Mahamantri, all the ministers, the Senapati.” “Forgive me, but we all have the duty to follow the King.” Dhritrashtra knocks braziers down. “Brother, listen to me,” says Honey Boy. “What else is left to listen, Pandu?” Dhritrashtra goes off on a rant about what a special snowflake he is. “Only Vidur has said so, brother. Since he is the Mahamantri, maybe he considers that his duty. But, we can also keep our side to…” Mr. Drama Queen knocks his brother off. “Ask for favours? Beg for favours? I am the eldest son of this dynasty! All those people who should by rights ask me for favours, you want me to beg in front of them?” “Please calm down!” “I am calm, Pandu! If I were not, I’d have killed you for your betrayal!” Huh? The one mistake Honey Boy is doing is that he’s too considerate of Drama Queen. Since when did he betray Drama Queen? “Betrayal? Brother, I have never…” “I know everything! You and that Dasi-Putr have planned this out. Talking about love and dharma, you want to steal my rights from me! You want to be King!” “This is a false accusation, brother! I have never even thought of such a thing in the wildest of my dreams!” “Go away, Pandu! Or you will burn in the flame of my anger.” Drama Queen pushes Honey Boy away, knocks another brazier down, growls, and strides off again. We come back to Vidur. The previous dialogue that he said is repeated again. “It is a King’s duty to be whole and full of virtue,” Vidur finishes. “And that’s you, Vidhvaan Vidur,” says Mr. Ominous Music. “Of course, you think of yourself alone as worthy.” “Gandhaar Yuvaraj!” This is Mr. Paragon of Perfection. Satyavati stops him with a raised hand. “Give him an answer, Mahamantri Vidur.” He bows. “A thorn’s duty to guard the tree, Rajmata,” he says to the strains of a sad theme BGM. “He neither aspires nor has the ability to replace a flower. I too am a thorn like that in the tree of this dynasty.” Why this much flowery language, bro? “When the subject of the country’s greater good comes to the fore, I will definitely bend. I know that God is always offered flowers, the thorns are thrown away first. But I have no sadness for that. I will always do my duty.” “Rajmata,” says Mr. Paragon of Perfection, “Vidur’s devotion to the throne of Hastina is complete, I have no doubt of that.” Just like that, everything is forgiven by Satyavati. “You are saying the right thing, Son of Ganga. But the throne cannot be empty anymore.” “That is why I advice that elder brother Pandu should have the throne.” Cue title BGM. The camera pans on everyone’s faces, finally focusing on Pandu who is standing at the threshold of the hall. Episode ends. I like this episode! You know why? No Krishna Gyaan! Yay!! Also, Vidur, how I wish you taught your younger nephews that dharma changes according to situation. If only you taught them that, they would not have obeyed their git of an elder brother when he sold them and their wife in a dice game…ah how I wish that! Precap: “There has been injustice with Gandhari, father, injustice and that truth is hurting my heart like a knife.” Yells Mr. Annoying Poseur as he drives a knife into his leg. Okay, that, too, as far as I know, is non canon, so here we have canon fail #24. “Shakuni!” Yells the queen.  

#sarcastic starbharat reviews #ep 14 #non canon episode no. 6 #scribbler gets salty #nila rants #dhritrashtra #aka mr. drama queen and mr. conceited ego #pandu #aka honey boy #shakuni #aka mr. annoying poseur and mr. ominous music #gandhari #which is not gandhari but ms. always patnidharm #vidur #satyavati #the psycho dude saga continues #bhishm #aka mr. paragon of perfection

[dracolucius-abraxusmalfoy]

I’ve been inactive lately and I felt guilty so here have some fluffy angst.

Part 3 for @fallautumncozyblog​

See part 1 and part 2 first.

When he meets up with Draco in the kitchens the next morning, he feels a little like he’s walking on air. Draco is already at the table, bent over a textbook and notes, and picking at the lemon earl grey scone that he favours. His cup of tea isn’t even steaming anymore.

“Draco.” He says, and he can feel the emotions in his throat, just barely holds them back.

“Draco.”

Draco looks up. Worry etched between his brows. “Are you alright? You sound odd, are you sick?”

Harry shakes his head. “I talked to Hermione. Last night.”

Draco’s face immediately falls, and he looks away, too his notes, even though it doesn’t even really look like he’s seeing them.

“Oh. Right. Okay. I’ll…” he doesn’t finish his sentence, but Harry can take a wild guess at what he was going to say, because he’s standing now, shoving notes into his book bag in a way Harry knows he’ll take hours to short of later.

“Draco-”

But he shakes his head. “No, it’s alright. I get it. They’re, they’re your everything, Harry.”

And, god, he’s so smart. Harry never really appreciated quite how smart until recently, but he’s even smarter than Hermione sometimes he thinks, but he’s so, so terribly dumb.

He doesn’t bother with words again, because apparently, Draco isn’t going to listen. Instead, he grabs the front of his robes and crashed his lips against his.

Draco stays stock still, doesn’t move a muscle, so instead of continuing, which really, isn’t at all pleasurable unless it’s being reciprocated, Harry pulls back.

“Is this-” he starts but doesn’t get a chance to finish asking if it’s okay, because suddenly Draco’s hand are in his hair and his lips are pressed against his and, ya. Defiantly. None, not a single kiss he’s ever had with a girl, has ever felt like this.

That bloke he’d met in London over the summer had come close, but nothing quite reached the level of magnificent of having Draco pressed up against him. Draco who pulls away far too soon.

His smile, bright and warm and joyful makes up fro it completely.

“Oh.” He says, and Harry laughs because yes, Oh. He grins back.  

“You absolute Berk.” He says because that’s their thing, now, before kissing him again and sitting down in the chair.

Draco moves his chair closer, before sitting back down next to him.

“Your talk was that good?” Draco asks

And Harry nods. “It was.” And smiles. “We should talk.”

Draco reaches out to touch his arm, and his smiles haven’t changed. Makes slow churning warmth settle in Harry's belly. Happiness he thinks.

“We should. But not right now.”

Harry nods and pours himself a cup of tea just as a house-elf conveniently pops up to bring his customary bowl of fruit.

The day goes by in a blur of Draco. It’s all he can think about, but they don’t have a moment to spare between classes and homework and by the time curfew rolls around Harry hasn’t been able to catch up with him. As eight years they're given considerably more leeway than everyone else, but Harry does think that extends to being out more than a couple of minutes past the final curfew. He’s tempted to go looking for Draco anyways, but he’ll probably be in his common room anyways, and as much as house relationships have improved this year he doesn’t think his presence in the Slytherin commons will be any more well-received than it has in the past. Maybe if he can get an invitation things will be different. He’s surprised when he pulls out the map then, to see that Draco is in fact still in their window. They’ve always been careful not to stay out after curfew. Many of the teachers are forgiving of Draco’s past, but while Harry would most likely get a slap on the wrist for all but a few of the professor’s, Draco’s probation hinges on his good behaviour, which means no detentions.

He’s only a floor away, and Draco is still curled up on the sill when he rounds the corner.

“What are you doing?” He asks, and Draco startles, almost falling sideways in his hurry to turn around.

“Merlin, Harry. I thought you were a professor. I couldn’t concentrate on homework and I  couldn’t sleep either.”

Harry nods and comes to sit next to him. Draco moves easily, lifting his feet before putting them back down in Harry’s lap. It’s nothing he hasn’t done before but it feels bigger now.

They’re both quiet for a long time, listening to the rain pattering against the window, and for the sound teacher’s shoes on the stone.

“Draco?”

He’s been waiting to ask this all day, practically holding his breath, but now that the moment has arrived he feels like he doesn’t have any breath to hold.

“Yes, Harry?”

“Are we… Is this.”

Draco sighs, and turns away from the window to face him.

“What do you want us to be Harry. Because I can assure you, whatever it is you want, I’m okay with.”

“I… Like you.”

Draco nods, stretching a hand out for Harry’s, grasping it tight when Harry reaches back.

“I like you too.”

Harry smiles and squeezes back. “Good. And… I want to be this all the time. I don’t want… I don’t want peoples opinions to stop me from touching you when I want to.”

Draco’s smile grows bigger, and sadder, all at once. “Are you sure? That’s not going to be easy. I’m alright if you want to-” “Is that what you want? For it to stay a secret? Everyone already knows we’re friends. We don’t have to announce it or anything and to be honest with you, I don’t think I’m much for public displays, but Draco I don’t want to hide.”

His shoulders relax minutely as if he’s been expecting Harry to back out at the first sign of an exit, but he nods and squeezes his hand tighter.

***

It takes less than a week for Ron to notice something has changed, and he must have been paying closer attention than Harry thought because he hasn’t done much more than rest his hand on Draco’s back. Maybe there's something about the way they move together now, more united, in sync. He noticed it with Ron himself when he and Hermione finally got together.

Whatever it is that he’s seen, he apparently decides that the best place to confront Harry about it is in the crowded hallway outside of the charms classroom.

He doesn’t say much, yes something vaguely incoherent about betrayal and lunges at Draco. Harry’s not sure how he really thought that would end for him, but apparently, he hadn’t expected Harry to fight back, cause he looks surprised when he ends up on his back before he gets within a foot. Draco looks surprised too, having taken a step back, but unharmed. Harry turns his attention back to Ron, and while he’d been hurt and annoyed before, now he was fuming.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Did you seriously think I would just let you attack him? Did you seriously think I wouldn’t fight back?”

Ron sneers at him, his face red as his hair. “You’ve done plenty of attacking yourself. Don’t think you have room to judge there mate.”

His stomach sinks, and he can feel the blood drain from his face. He can see Draco lying on the ground, can hear his wet gasping breaths. It’s something he’s simultaneously tried very hard to forget, and promised to always remember.  

Hermione’s scandalized Ron is almost enough to convince him to leave Ron to Hermione.

“That was a low blow Ron and you know it. You know.”

“Yeah, I do. No wonder you were so beaten up over it. Just couldn’t stand the thought of cutting up you boyfriend could you? I always wondered why you had no trouble with the other death eaters. Guess I know now. How long have you been fucking him I wonder? Was it some big joke? ‘wonder how long it’ll take Ron to see! Right in front of his big stupid face!’ Bet that’s why you saved him from he fire too, couldn’t stand to loose your little piece of ass.” Harry punches him then. At some point, Ron had gotten up off the floor and in his face. Harry had been planning on letting him finish his little rant before walking away, but he’d gone too far, again. Harry know too that despite what he thinks of Draco, no matter how mad he is at Harry, that he knows better than to think those things are true. Which is worse, somehow, because that means he’s saying them to be cruel, because he knows they’ll get under Harry’s skin. That’s what makes Harry punch him, heat of the moment or not.

Ron is defiantly surprised by that. They’ve never come to blows before, not physically like that, but he doesn’t hesitate to give back. Harry’s jaw cracks from the force of the hit, and he can hear both Draco and Hermione’s frantic yelling, but he tackles Ron to the ground  anyways. He’s just about to hit him again when Draco grabs his wrist and pulls. He’s not strong enough to actually lift Harry off of Ron, but it does pull him to a stop, makes him think long enough to hear the words he’s saying.

“Harry. Harry come on. It isn’t worth it. I’m not worth and neither is he. Let’s go.” He pulls again, and this time Harry goes with him willingly, standing up and taking a step back from Ron. He’s realizing now that everyone is watching them, a circle formed around them.

Draco is still talking to him, and put an arm around his waist, one hand circling his hip in a comforting motion. “Let’s go Harry. Come on.” Harry nods, and follows him. They walk until they reach the front doors, and then keep walking. Only stopping to sit once they read the edge of the lake. Draco’s attempt to draw him out are only met with stony silence, and eventually, he stops trying.

Things go on like that for a while. He spends most of his time with Draco outside of classes, and talks to Hermione when he can, even if that means he and Ron ignore each other’s presence completely. Ron continues to glare at him in classes and in the hallways, and when it comes time for bed, their dorm in these and awkward, Dean and Neville constantly trying to find ways to talk to both of them without breaking the precarious ceasefire.

Harry hates it. He misses his best friend, and while he’s not willing to leave Draco just to make Ron happy, he’s do just about anything else. He knows he needs to find a way to fix this, but the only way he can think of seems like it would never work.

Draco thinks he should do it anyways.

His last class before lunch is Transfigurations. Draco is placed in the 7th year Slytherin-Hufflepuff class, so Harry is left alone with Ron and Hermione. Their table is quiet, and Harry half contemplates sitting with with Luna and Ginny across the room, but gives it up as a bad job when Hermione glares at him. He wonders briefly if she’s become an expert Legilimens, but he thinks she’s just rather an expert at reading his expressions.

“Harry James don’t you dare!” She whispering furiously, and Harry holds his hands up to his chest in innocence.

“I didn’t do anything!” He says, smiling,  but his frown returns when Ron shoots him a glare around the back of Hermione’s chair.

He sighs, and turns away. He has to talk to Ron over lunch, talk to both of them, if he can convince him to skip. They’ve both got a free period after lunch, maybe  if he promise to take him down to the kitchens afterwards. He doesn’t think Draco will be there, unless he decides to skip Arthimancy again. He nods to himself and settles down to wait.

Transfigurations, much to his, and everyones surprise, has become his best subject. It had been useful while they were on the run, and while he might never have a perfect understanding of theory- although, he was picking that  up quite well too- his spell practicals where the best in the class, even above Hermione.

Everyone had been a little surprised when his new wand had  been Fir. Hermione had thought he’d keep Draco’s, but although his wand worked surprisingly well for him her had felt like it was sad, almost, being away from its original owner. That’s how they’d become friends, when he’d noticed Draco’s new wand misbehaving, and had remembered the Hawthorn one buried in the bottom of his trunk sometime during September.

Harry had found him in a forgotten  window seat on the fifth floor, and Draco had been grateful when he’d returned it, won back with a simple expellearmus. Harry had showed up at the window a week later to  find Draco  once again doing his home work  there. He’d joined him without  a word, and, somehow, they’d become friends.

He smiled to himself,  thinking about it. Their relationship hadn’t been effortless, but Harry found that talking  with Draco was easy, and at some point, Harry found himself waiting in the windowsill for Draco almost everyday.

Transfiguration passed in a blur of practical spells and theory he would have to relearn later from his books. When class ended, he gathered up his stuff quickly, leaving Ron and Hermione behind so he could wait just outside the door. He knew if he tried to catch him before he left the room he wouldn’t be getting anywhere.

The flow of students passed him without even a look in his direction, as he waited. Ron was almost always the last out of every class, and so it was almost ten minutes before he passed, and Harry reached out to touch his shoulder.

He was suddenly nervous, unsure what Ron reaction would be, but he steeled himself. It had to be done.

“Hey, mate, I was hoping we could… talk?”

Ron met his eyes for only a moment before looking away and shrugging.

“Sure, whatever.”

Harry nodded and started making his way towards the common room, trusting that Ron, and possibly Hermione, would follow.

There was rarely anyone there during lunch, and if there was the dorm would defiantly be empty. He couldn’t see any reason Seamus, Dean or Neville would be there for any reason Harry wouldn’t have heard about.

Sure enough, the common room was empty save one first year hunched over a desk in the corner. Harry sat down in his favourite chair, leaving thee love seat open for Ron, and Hermione, who had indeed trailed along behind them.

Once they were seat he cast a wandless silencing spell, and Hermione gave him a look. She’d been after him about doing unnecessary wandless magic since the war had ended. She didn’t want him to tire himself out just because he could. Wandless is hard for a reason Harry.

She wasn’t wrong, and so he relented, giving her a sheepish grin before turning his attention back to Ron, who was staring moodily into the fire.

“So..” He paused. He didn’t really know what he wanted to say. Didn’t know how to say it.

“So..” Said Ron, looking up to meet his eyes. Harry could see the determination in them, and Harry thought that was a good thing. He thought that maybe it was the determination to work it out.

“I miss you, you know. You’re my best mate and I miss you.”

Ron doesn’t appear to soften any to that, but Harry thinks he see’s a subtle shift in his eyes.

He doesn’t say anything, and Harry’s about to start talking again, will keep talking until he relents, but all at once that fight goes out of Rons shoulders.

“I don’t care you know. That you like blokes. I  wish you’d told me, but I don’t care. I just. Why’d it have to be him? There’s plenty of others that would kill for the chance mate and not just because you’re Harry James fricking Potter either mind you.”

Harry shakes his head. “It’s him because it’s him Ron. Why Hermione?”

“Because it always been Hermione.” He says, seemingly without even thought.

Harry lifts an eyebrow. “And it's always been Draco too, don’t you think? Even if it wasn’t the same”

“How long-”

Harry laughs, “Days actually. Just days before you ambushed us in the hallway.”

“Oh.” He says sheepishly, but smiles, just a little, vaguely in Harry’s direction.

“He’s.. He’s a good sort Ron. I know he wasn’t in the past, but it is now.”

“I still don’t understand.”

Harry nods, and catches Ron’s eye.

“You don’t have too. Just try to accept it. That’s all I’m asking.”

Harry doesn’t think that that’s the end of it, not by a long mile, but it’s something at least, and at this point, he’ll take whatever he can get.  

Bonus:

“Did you have to bring him round for Sunday dinners?” Ron asks.

He looks vaguely constipated.

“He can hear you” Draco pipes from Harry right. They all three ignore him.

“You told me to invite him round to the Burrow.”

“Ya but… Did it have to be during Sunday Dinners? Everyone’s going to be there.”

“Isn’t that rather the point of inviting him to the Burrow Ronald?”

Thank god for Hermione.

Harry squeezes Draco’s hand, just to let him know that Harry hasn’t forgotten he’s there. That tends to make him rather tetchy. The squeeze back is tight enough to hurt. Harry winces. Too late then probably. He sends him a pleading look, paired with his largest puppy dog eyes and a rather messy kiss to his cheek. The kind Draco pretends to hate but always seems to get him to do whatever it is Harry’s asking.

He rolls his eyes, but his grip on Harry’s hand loosens significantly.

“Good then! All sorted. Better hurry, don’t want to miss the beginning of dinner you know how Molly gets about that. Come along then!”

Harry pulls Draco hand to get him to walk faster. The Burrow is within sight now.

Molly is in the doorway before they even reach it, and she’s fusing over Draco before she even acknowledges the rest of their presence.

“Draco! So good to see you. You’re far to thin darling, come in come in! Here have a mince pie.”

Harry can tell that she’s trying hard for him, even if she isn’t nearly as strained as he was expecting. He appreciates it more than anything, and when he is given his customary Molly Weasley hug, he squeezes her extra tight. The returning tightening of her arms is enough to let him know that everything is going to be alright.

He winds an arm around Draco waist when he’s released, and Draco doesn’t hesitate to lace their fingers together on his hip.

#Draco Malfoy #drabble #drarry #Harry Potter #Ron Weasley #fluff #angst #fanfiction #fanfic #Hermione Granger #My writing #writing

[rainywritingsx]

i saw you on a diff blog so i thought i would ask for a scenario of (kaminari, bakugou, kirishima) talking abt how fem!reader can be annoying sometimes & they overhear and their feelings are hurt so when they confront the boys teary-eyed, the boys make it up to them by letting them paint their nails and doing face masks! :D

Thank you so much for this request anon, I absolutely love the idea lmao. The 1-A girls should just do a whole skincare routine for the boys, imagine that lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! I did my best trying to write everything as good as I could, and if it’s a bit out of character I’m sorry. Feel free to give me feedback! xxx

Kaminari Denki

He was just being an airhead like he’d often be and he did not even for a second realise that his girlfriend was actually in the room next door and that the door was wide open, so she was able to hear every part of the conversation he was having.

“She’s sweet and all, but she’s so annoying sometimes.” He complained to his friend, Ashido. She just nodded slowly, not really knowing what to say. Kaminari leaned backwards to lie down in his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

“Like I know we’re a couple but she always wants to do hang out with me after school and she always texts me.” He groaned which made his companion frown slightly. Sure, couples have their ups and downs and all but she didn’t think he should tell her this.

“Denki, I don’t think you should just say stuff like that..” she said to him.

Both of them had no idea that y/n could overhear every word of their conversation. So there she was, in her room, with tearful eyes as she tried to process the things her boyfriend had said about her, trying to understand his complaints.

Was she really that annoying? Why didn’t he tell her if she really was? Did he not trust her enough? Did he think she wouldn’t take it into consideration?

She stopped thinking when she heard her boyfriend say goodbye to Ashido. Maybe she should confront him about this... that would be the best thing to do, right? They could just talk it out. She slowly got up and took a deep, slow breath before walking to the room next door. The door was open so she didn’t even bother knocking.

“D-denki?” The blond haired boy smiled when he heard her voice, but soon his face changed into a frown upon seeing her teary eyes and pouting lips. He got up and walked over to you.

“Hey, what happened?” He asked, gently resting his hands on her waist. She told him about what she had heard and his eyes widened. Before she knew it, a billion apologies and hugs were thrown at her and she chuckled softly.

“You know I can be really stupid sometimes... will you forgive me? I’ll do anything!” He said. At first she just poured, but then her face changed into a small smirk.

“Anything?” She asked him sweetly, hiding her hands behind her back. He just nodded, making her giggle.

“I didn’t think you meant this.” He whined as he looked at his girlfriend’s concentrated face.

“Stop moving! You don’t want your nails to look ugly, do you?” She just said as she held his hand a little tighter.

“Just don’t tell my friends about this.” He mumbled, making y/n laugh softly.

“Its not that bad. Taking care of yourself is normal, soon your skin will shine even brighter like a cool hero!” She said as she finished painting his pinky finger.

“And?” She said as she showed him his fingers. Y/n had decided to paint them yellow and make small black lightning bolts to decorate them. The face mask he was wearing was a pickachu sheet mask (probably doesn’t exist but let’s pretend it does).

“You look lovely!” She said happily as she clasped her hands together and nodded in satisfaction. Kaminari just sighed softly.

“The sheet mask isn’t that bad actually.” He muttered, making her smile softly.

“So, am I forgiven now?” He asked his girlfriend. She pretended to think deeply for a while before looking back at him and nodding, a smile plastered on her face.

“Totally. But don’t you ever dare say stuff like that before talking to me. I want you to be honest with me.” He nodded softly.

“It was stupid and I didn’t even mean it. You know im an airhead.” She softly hit the back of his head.

“That doesn’t mean you can just say stuff like that.” She chuckled.

“I know I know, I’m sorry babe, it won’t happen again!” He smiled brightly, making y/n’s heart melt. Who could ever be angry at this sweet guy?

Bakugou Katsuki

Surprisingly to some people, Bakugo was often really nice to y/n, even in public. Yes, he still had his bad days sometimes but he had a super soft spot for her. Now this didn’t mean his personality took a whole turn but his gestures always clearly showed he cared about his girlfriend a lot.

But sadly, today was one of those bad days. He was talking to Kirishima and basically all he did was rant and complain about anything that was on his mind.

At one point, the subject he was ranting nonsense about was his girlfriend, and Kirishima just let him be since he knew he didn’t mean any of his words and she wouldn’t hear it, since she was hanging out with some of her friends.

Or that’s what they thought.

It turned out that some girls weren’t feeling well- uraraka had trained way too much yesterday and seemed like she could throw up any second, Yaoyorozu had tried making a meal which wasn’t exactly the best, so the girls decided to go to their own homes and meet up when everyone’s health was better.

So the two guys didn’t know that Mistuki let in y/n. At first she didn’t really know what they were talking about, but she could sense that her boyfriend was in a bad mood. She took off her shoes and hung her coat on the hanger and slowly walked up the stairs to his room. She froze however, when she heard her name slip past his name a few times, along with some big complaints.

Now she was aware that her boyfriend was a hothead, but that didn’t give him an excuse to be like that to her. Sure, he had days where he was just angry but he’d never ever insult his girlfriend. She slowly started tearing up but tried to stay strong by clenching her hands into fists.

At first she thought of just leaving him alone for now until Kirishima left, but she didn’t want to do that. A soft sigh escaped her lips before she knocked on their door. She didn’t even bother saying who it was and opened the door.

“Mom I told you-“ Bakugo stopped when he saw you standing in the doorway, eyes glossy with tears. He gasped softly and immediately put two and two together. Kirishima smiled at you awkwardly and slowly got up.

“I should go... uhm.. yeah... talk to you tomorrow Bakugo.” Before he left he quickly muttered something about his friend’s actions not being manly.

“Y/n..” was all he said. His girlfriend sighed softly and sat down in his bed, next to him. Panic took over him as he saw the first tear roll down your cheek.

“Okay okay don’t cry.” He said and sighed softly. “I didn’t mean it... i was just pissed today because of that half and half bastard...” he stopped when he didn’t hear you say a word. I’ll tell you what, we can do whatever you want to do alright?”

“Can it be anything?” She asked hopefully, and although Bakugo could sense that y/n was planning something he wouldn’t like at all, he nodded.

“I didn’t think you meant this.” Bakugo grumbled as you continued to apply pink nail polish on his thumbnail. You giggled and looked at him.

“You look lovely and the mask is good for your skin! Maybe I should also do your hair like Best Jeanist did..”

“WHAT?!” He exclaimed making y/n laugh loudly. After a small silence Bakugo spoke up.

“Are we good now?” She chuckled and nodded

“Yes but if you do shit like that again I swear to god I’ll kick your ass to Jupiter.” Bakugo smirked and nodded.

“I’d like to see you try.” He replied cockily, making her roll her eyes.

“I’m serious, Katsuki. Don’t do it again.” The girl said as she looked him dead in the eye. “Just talk to me next time instead of complaining to Kirishima.” He nodded and suddenly pulled her closer before kissing her deeply. Y/n knew Bakugo wasn’t the best with words and this was his way of apologising. Yes he had become a lot softer for her but there were still some things he should work at.

“You’re forgiven.” Y/n spoke softly when the blond haired guy pulled away. He smiled and then looked at her face in confusion before laughing loudly. The girl frowned at his reaction.

“What?” She put her hands on her face and then stopped when she realised part of the liquid of the face mask was on her face. She sighed softly and then grabbed the jar which contained the liquid and smirked at her boyfriend.

“Ah, I think you need some more. Or if it doesn’t work we should do it again...”

“WHAT?!”

Kirishima Eijiro

He had a long day at UA. He lost in a training battle, got a low score on his English test and he just wasn’t feeling great. His girlfriend, y/n, had noticed his mood but didn’t think too much of it, since Kirishima often had his bad days but got over it and kept his temper.

Today was different. He was talking to his friends during lunch and kept ranting about everything that happened that day. Little did they know his girlfriend was just walking by when he started talking about her.

As his friends all silently ate their food-bakugo hadn’t arrived yet, hence the silence, as the irritated redhead complained about anything, not even bothering to think about his words.

“-and don’t even get me started on y/n! That woman literally drives me insane! She’s so annoying, I want to feel like a man for once but that won’t happen if she continues babying me!” A soft frown appeared on y/n’s face as these words hit her like stone bricks. Was this really how he felt about her? Why didn’t Kirishima just tell her if it bothered him this much?

“Sometimes I don’t even know why I asked her out, ah... every second of the day she asks me how I am, if I’ve eaten, how this went how that went- it’s tiring!”

“I think it’s more tiring for her.” Ashido mumbled as she dragged her fork through her food, annoyed by her friend’s attitude.

As the conversation went on, y/n stood in silence, reflecting on everything she did and how she acted around her boyfriend. Was it that bad?

But why didn’t he tell her? If he was all about being manly, he should’ve manned up and told her right?

She needed answers because this wasn’t like him at all. This wasn’t the kirishima she knew. So she took a deep breath and put her plate down on the table where he was sitting. The force caused a loud sound which made Kirishima whip his head around. He was about to go off when he saw his lover’s tearful eyes piercing into his own.

“Y-y/n...” she didn’t utter a word as she suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him with her to a more private place. She did not want to cause a scene in the middle of the school.

“What was that for?” She said in a shaky voice. Kirishima sighed softly, looking down in shame. He knew exactly what she meant by ‘that’ and he felt bad. Seeing her made him realise how dumb his words are. He was just being an idiot and didn’t think about his words.

“I’m sorry.. it’s just- I had a horrible day and I took it out on everything and everyone, b-but I know that it isn’t an excuse for it.” She huffed and crossed her arms against her chest, eyebrows furrowed in anger as her lips were formed in a small pout. Usually he’d find her adorable but knowing that she was angry, Kirishima decided to keep his mouth shut.

“Okay, will this make up for it? We can do whatever you want for the whole day and I won’t complain, I promise. I don’t care what it is, even if it’s not manly I’ll do it.”

“Okay, lets go to my house after school.”

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?”

“Just do as I say.” She said before turning around and leaving. Kirishima chuckled as he shook his head.

Okay, when Kirishima told y/n they could do anything, he didn’t think they’d do this.

“You okay babe?” Y/n asked her boyfriend teasingly as she continued to decorate her boyfriend’s white nails with pink flowers. He was about to talk when she stopped him.

“Don’t talk. You aren’t supposed to talk with this face mask on, or it won’t work!” She said as she held up a finger against his lips. He sighed and poured childishly, making y/n giggle softly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about this unmanly thing.” She chuckled and tried to hold in her laugh when she saw his facial expression relax immediately.

“But you know, if I made these flowers red you’d look good with them. And a real man has great skin.” She teased, meaning it as a joke but Kirishima actually agreed, which he showed by nodding. He then looked at her with puppy dog eyes as if to ask if he was forgiven. She smiled and pecked his lips quickly.

“Of course you are. But if you ever talk like that about me again I will not hesitate to tell everyone about this.” Kirishima nodded quickly at this before y/n continued decorating her boyfriend’s nails. He’d never admit it, but he actually quite liked this. The face mask was nice and the nails wouldn’t be too bad if they were more masculine colours. But of course he would never say that to y/n, or she wouldn’t leave him alone. He was just glad that his girlfriend forgave him, because losing her was one of the last things he wanted.

#kaminari #kaminari denki #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #bakugo #katsuki bakugou #bakugo scenario #bakugo x reader #kaminari x reader #kirishima #kirishima eijirou #bnha scenario #bnha kirishima #bnha bakugou #bnha kaminari #kirishima x reader

[msawesomegeek]

Avengers Infinity war/end game review

A/N: So quarantine happened, and I finally got around to watching movies again, now including giving the MCU one last chance. And spoiler alert... It didn’t truly deserve it. Also spoiler alert, and also this is two three hour reviews crammed into one, so it is gonna be a little while.

Also also, while I have seen most of the movies in the marvel cinematic universe, I have not seen Dr. strange, guardians 2, into dark world and Captain marvel. 

So let’s start off with Infinity war, it had some genuinely good moments. The only plot and character arc that was outright annoying was Bruce’s. It was good it had real character developments, and a lot of relationships that were great. I thought it was funny to the right extent, and serious when it needed to be. Honestly I could have done without a lot of scenes but I understood the fact that all characters needed some screen time to be fully developed. But like, did we honestly care that much about the romance with Vision and Wanda to need the scene before them being attacked more than just a quick establishment of them kissing?  I enjoyed the emotional scene genuinely, the Peter and Gamora scene was heart wrenching, and showed Thanos devotion to his goal. I had a little hard time believing he loved her enough to it being enough of a sacrifice, but it still worked. 

The big scale battle was kind of annoying but I will get into that later. 

The cinematography was fine, I enjoyed how colourful they allowed space to be, and that the lighting for the most part was not grey and gritty. 

There were a lot of plot holes in this movie, like why did Thanos forget all the crazy powers he had in the Gamora Peter scene and not use it in the battle later?  The problem with this is also that power differences is so weird, and non consistent. Like in the battle with Thanos, strange, Spidey and Tony, how do any of the three heroes have a chance against someone who can manipulate the rules of reality? Like Strange, maybe, but the two others? Not a chance! 

The stones themselves raise a lot of questions. Like if he can control time and space, why not bring Gamora back the second the gets the soul stone? Or go back to a time when the rule that you have to do that does not apply. And in End Game, why not just kill baby Thanos? Why doesn't he go back in time to make sure the avengers do not get in his way in the first place? 

The Loke death in the beginning felt so... Pointless? Seriously? Why has Loke been apart of anything in the MCU up until now? His arc has been pointless, and when he dies it is within the first 10 minutes, so it’s like: Oh, Loke is in this. And he is dead again. But because he has been “Dead” before, it does not resonate!  And that is a general annoyance I have with these two movies, the stakes are non-existent. We know which characters have movies coming up, so we know who is going to survive in the end and who doesn't. So when they die, it doesn't have any impact! 

So the movie is pretty good, it has some real emotional hits and some genuinely funny scenes, but it also leave you confused during some scenes. The thing I enjoyed the most about this movie, is the fact that Thanos won. The fact that the good guys lost, is amazing! Because after seeing them win challenge after challenge over 20 films, it was great to actually see our heroes lose, actually lose. 

Onto End Game, to say that this is the worse of the two is correct. The movie for a two parter movie does hold up as movies on their own, which is great considering how all other movies split into two parts are as stand alone movies.

The colour grading in this movie is just weird, and a lot of times, it is weird looking at and clear that it was shot on a green screen, and usually an unnecessary green screen, for my taste. This combined with lack of playing with colour in this movie, everything just visually seemed gray and boring. No shots were interesting, they never played with the pacing of anything, it was all just regular film making, which is okay, but honestly bland. Even the composition of the everyone avengers assemble shot is so messy it does not evoke the amazing comic book front page style it could have been.

End game has a lot of big problems, and I might go into more of a ranting terrortory than actual reviewing, and for that I am sorry. But it has a lot of problems. The character arcs are so rushed and you never get time to absorb anything emotionally or care about anything that is going on, because then we immediately cut to another character, and we have to be completely invested in them.  Thanos role in this movie was weird, while the first half of it was earned the rest of his part in the movie seemed forced. But what I think both movies got wrong about Thanos, is that they cut out death. Which is a shame, because a big part of his character and motivation is his love affair with mistress death. Hell they even put it in as an easter egg the first time we ever see Thanos! And his philosophy combined with his love and romance with death, would make sense, but they completely missed that opportunity. Which would also give more impact to him killing people more than just morals, and make him a more dimensional character. 

The three biggest problems this movie has is pacing, tone and character arcs. Along the same lines of infinity war, the pacing is a little better in the first movie, but all over the place in End game. And the problem is because the pacing is so quick and everything needs to progress so quickly, everything just seems so rushed, and everything that was supposed to be an obstacle was basically solved in a super easy barely an inconvenience kind of way. The problem with the pacing is also that it rushes the characters. Meaning every time something happens to any character, any tension and character development, hell even emotional impact that could have had is cut short to cut to another characters arc. And even if it is not like that, the harsh editing in the movie ensures that any emotion any scenes hold is immediately undercut by something. Like, wow Hawkeye has lost all sense of morals and Natascha can't talk sense into him, but his surface is beginning to crack, that is interesting, let’s immediately cut from that to Thor opening a beer! 

The only things that were actually given any kind of consideration to the pacing in this movie was when Scott came back, and the funeral scene, and maybe the fight scene in the end. Every thing else in this entire movie is so weirdly paced! Like, oh boy the stakes are high, I wonder if we will ever be able to figure out this time travel thing. 5 minutes later, Iron man comes out of a car and deus ex machina’s the entire thing. Like why? This should be a bigger issue?  Oh no, we lost the one infinity stone, but we don’t have enough Pim particles to travel back anymore times. Simple just travel back to world war two, steal them as you conveniently get into a heavily guarded area while remembering that the love of your life exists while also without much trouble steals and have a cathartic moment with your father who dont know its you, so you can conveniently get back. That whole sequence is pretty cool, but is undermined so many times by being resolved too quickly, making you wonder what the point of it being a conflict at all was?

Which brings me to its second biggest problem, tone. This movie unlike the first one that balanced things pretty amazingly, cannot decide whether it wants to be dramatic action or a comedy, and it ends up being neither. I cannot stress enough how much I hate the jokes in this movie! The jokes are good, hell they are funny (though the Thor got fat jokes needs to leave and never come back. (although that big Labowski reference can stay, but it is on thin f*cking ice.) The other movies had fun moments, this genuinely felt like I was watching a parody movie half of the time. Yes the jokes are funny, I laughed out loud at the america’s ass jokes, but that joke felt like a meme that was somehow left in the final cut.  The problem is, whereas the other movies, usually only used the comedy as a relief in certain scenes, it allowed other scenes to be genuinely emotional. It knew when it was appropriate to joke around. It did actually get it right a few times, the whole “hi peter” introduction between cap marvel and Spidey, was in character and genuinely appropriate to the situation, and funny, that scene worked. Where it did not work, was when Tony got back from space, part of that scene was amazing! It was a broken Tony confronting people he did not agree with about the fact that they lost and that he was traumatised and that he told them something like this could happen but they did not listen to him! And it just cuts in-between him being mad as hell and sad as he should be, to be cracking jokes two seconds later. And I hate that scene! Because it did not understand that it was not the time that it needed to break the tension it could have been an amazing and heartwrenching scene that eventually led to Tony giving up his super hero career and setting Tony and Steve on the path to forgiving each other. But no, it was constantly undercut by comedy. It was like they forgot that scenes were allowed to be emotional and not have any quick wit in it and still be good. The tone was just messy all the way through and seemed like I was watching two movies that had been mashed together into one. 

The last problem this movie has is character arcs. Besides the undercutting of the emotions of its character in order to make jokes. This movie also seemed to forget who these characters were. It has a problem that many films like it has had, which is too many characters in one film. Every character is never given proper time, we like them because we know them, but this movie does nothing to further their relationships or own growth. The time jump, screws a lot of things up. Like I did not mind but why give Hulk the power to control Hulk then? (His arc through the entire MCU) and not right as he grabbed the stones, him through them being given the knowledge that Hulk isn’t the disease but the cure. Why not make his arc matter to the plot?! (like it did in the first avengers which was though a pretty deus ex machina, solution still a development that coincided with the plot!) The whole Natascha, Hawkeye fight was good, it meant something and it reminded me of their fight in the first Avengers that showed how good friends they were. But the quick editing ruins Nats death so much. This plays into pacing as well, but we are never given any kind of time to be sad about Nats death. Yes she was a minor character, but she was a character we cared about. If they could only have spent a few more seconds at Hawkeye realising what is happening, and being sad about Nats sacrifice in the soul world, and then picking up the stone and being like, I will finish this for you Natascha. That was all the writers needed to do, it would take two minutes more, but it would have allowed her death to mean something more. Hell Coulsons death was given more screen time in the first avengers than someone we have spent so many movies seeing and caring about! 

I honestly wished that they had followed the comics version more, and in infinity wars, introduced Thanos, then wrapped up all the original avengers character arcs in that film. Let the snap happen and let Thanos also kill the original Avengers. Then let End Game be about the devastating loss, and the second squad (Black Panther, Scarlett, vision, Captain Marvel, Peter, Strange and part of Guardians & Ant-man) Struggle with their personal grief about losing their friends and mentors, finding the courage to band together and fight to go and defeat Thanos. I would have loved that so much more, mostly because it would give them a chance to lose and have these newer avengers actually mourn them all properly, while also being able to properly process it, and then decide to pick up their torch and finish what the original avengers started. But sadly we got this mess.

Also, I really need to rant about one particular thing in both movies, and honestly it has been a long time coming, but if I have to look at one more giant CGI henceman battle, I will walk out of the movie theatre! This is in both infinity war and End game! I do not care! I hate those big CGI lord of the ring type battles. Why? Because, yes it makes it all look grand, but it also make it look pointless. I don’t care about any of the people they are fighting I care about the villains and the heroes, characters I have spent time with. Why does Thanos send, wizard what's his face and other CGI dude in the first place? I do not care about his henchmen! I do not care about their meaningless fights with their meaningless goons. Why not instead of this giant battle in Wakanda and on the planet in End game ending battle, have all of our previously established villains, such as Loke, Hella, Thanos, that dude from guardians, whoever is the villain in captain marvel and doctor strange. Be the people they fight? Why not make it a few villains that we actually care about be the villains they are fighting, and instead of them punching random fools they could actually fight people who pose an actual challenge to them. Giving everything more meaning and not just, look how many CGI extras we can afford. It is not fun anymore! I have had it! Fight fewer but harder bad guys! That way the fight has some actual stakes and meaning! 

If you have made it this far, wow, impressive. I also imagine that it is very clear that I thought there was a lot of problems with these two movies. I will not say I hated them. They were not flaming piles of garbage like suicide squad, but they are also not anywhere near as good as the first guardians movie.  In the end, they were entertaining. Were they, I am willing to sit through these six hours ever again entertaining? Abso-f*cking-lutely not. 

I have before given up on the cinematic univers and come back to it and this was me actually hoping it would be great movies that everyone said they were, so I could get back into Marvel super hero movies, but sadly, they were visually pretty stale, tonally, pacing and characterly a mess, and not the finale to 22 films I had hoped for.

I give infinity war 8/10 stars

And End game 3/10 stars.

Send me a message if you agree, disagree or just wanna talk about movies (or have any recs for what I should see next) Until then

- Geek out.

#movie review #movie rant #rant #movie #movies #movie reviews #film #films #film review #film reviews #film recommendation #film recs #film rec #Movie Recommendation #movie recs #movie recc #movie rec #MCU #marvel cinematic universe #captain america #Iron Man #Thor movie #thor #Spiderman #Thanos #Avengers #Hawkeye #Black widow #black panther #wakanda

[staliasjeronica]

Riverdale 3.10 Thoughts *Spoilers*

- Jughead deadass tried to make us think that Archie was dead when we knew for a FACT that he wasn’t. What a dick lol

- FRED SEEING ARCHIE AGAIN. MY HEART.

- So… it took you being attacked by a fucking bear… to realize that you should have come home/stayed home because Hiram is a crazy, whiny ass piss baby? You literally lost your girlfriend for that but great job you’re the last one to know baby

- VERONICA SEEING ARCHIE AWWWW MY POOR BABIES

- The fact that Archie thinks that he wouldn’t get recognized without red hair… lmao dude sometimes, somehow, red hair looks like brown (some variations of it, anyways, I’ve noticed) so your “disguise” is shit but we still love you baby

- Why would Archie think that Veronica would never want to talk to him? Just because he broke her heart doesn’t mean she doesn’t still care for him, or a part of her loves him. Probably this “new, darker” Archie that no one wanted. Literally the writers need to leave Archie alone he’s so precious and innocent and that’s why we loved him! Hopefully when we slowly get him back to normal he can bring Betty with him and make her realize what she needs in her life/love life and finally the show can rise to a slightly better show.

- I don’t like that Varchie have sex because of Reggie but for everyone hating on her… fuck OFF man she’s currently SINGLE so she can fuck who she wants… I just feel bad for Reggie bc my poor boy is going to have to watch Veronica make this hard decision of who she wants to be with and ultimately it may hurt him. And I don’t want that. But I don’t write the show so yanno what the fuck can I do?

- He got a root beer float so signify that he’s not the same Archie anymore (I’m guessing) uhhh alright sure

- “New vacant look in your eyes…” Jesus fucking Christ Jughead can you ever be considerate, like, ever? At least Betty is showing she truly cares about her future husband (because we KNOW they are endgame okay we KNOW THIS) 

- SO NOW THAT HE’S GONE THE SERPENTS ARE HELPING HIM? DUDE IF YOU WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED SERPENT PROTECTION BEFORE HE WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD TO LEAVE. I mean sure we needed to see a change to dark Archie (why the fuck was it a bear attack that did it though? A dream would have simply sufficed but sure) but wow you guys are horrible at plans if you come up with them wayyyyy too late

- I’m still mad at Jughead for sending Fangs deep undercover and risking his life to get his spot in the Serpents back. It’s clear that Jugrat has wanted to find someone to send in, but was too much of a whiny piss baby to ask, so he waited until he could pretty much blackmail/emotionally manipulate one of the Serpents and so he chose Fangs. (Also he did Choni wrong and Jugrat is dead to me until he finds some sense and ultimately ends up with Veronica)

- Can’t wait to see how much chemistry Archie and Betty have that Betty and Jugrat don’t

- I hate Betty but I feel bad for her about what her mom did. She’s so fucking mind washed and it hurts because the Alice we all know and love would NEVER do this shit.

- DADS OF RIVERDALE COMING TO INTIMIDATE HIRAM YES BITCH!!! FRED SAYING HE’D KILL HIRAM YES BITCH FP JONES NOT TAKING CONTROL/TAKING OVER FRED’S MOMENT YES BITCH

- Archie has to repeat Junior year? I mean it makes sense but I know the fear of not being able to graduate with friends… god lEAVE ARCHIE ALONE DAMMIT HE’S BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH

- REGGIE’S BIG ASS HAPPY ASS SMILE WHEN HE’S WALKING TOWARDS VERONICA I’M— HE’S SO FUCKING IN LOVE WITH HER MY HEART!!! He cares so much, she didn’t text him (because she was with Archie 😬😬😬) BUT HER PUSHING HIM AWAY MAKES ME SAD. I mean I know WHY it just HURTS

- “I get it, Archie’s back. Enough said” REGGIE FUCKING GULPED DOWN HIS EMOTIONS I’M SO SAD HE DESERVES THE WORLD.

- But also realizing that Reggie and Veronica were openly affectionate at school means that Betty and Jughead know? And they DIDN’T rat on her to Archie the second he came back? Mmhm ooc but thank GOD

- Oh yeah deadass forgot “Claudius” was a thing like he hasn’t been here for fucking years lmao

- See, this Hiram, the forceful “this is not a request” Hiram would have been a MUCH better villain than “I’m torturing this boy just for kicks” but wbk the Riverdale writers are on crack and can’t see/make a good storyline.

- We know FP becomes Sheriff which I guess will be good against Hiram and for the Serpent’s CRIMINAL ACTIVITY (fuck you Jugrat for not knowing how a GANG works you fucking idiot) but let me ask this… why the flying fuck aren’t they just giving SHERIFF Keller his job back? Like we know he knows how to be a fucking Sheriff so why are they going through the trouble of finding another one? Like what the fuck guys it’s NOT THAT HARD

- I wanted BARCHIE to study but BARCHIE AND JUGHEAD but I guess I’ll take what I can get

- FANGS MY BABY BOY. Thank God Barchie can be alone ❤️❤️❤️

- So because I don’t care about spoilers I already know who the Gargoyle King is (which I’ll rant about when it gets to that point) BUT IF HE KNOWS FANGS WHY DOES HE TRY TO FUCKING RECUIT HIM INTO HIS INNER CIRCLE LMAO *ps my baby Fangs looks so scared! If Jughead fucks this up and gets Fangs hurt I’m sacrificing him to Hiram myself

- “There he is” BITCH YOU CAN’T TELL ME BETTY IS SO FUCKING IN LOVE WITH ARCHIE LIKE WE NEVER SEE HIS THIS TRULY HAPPY!!!

- AWWW A WELCOME HOME/STUDY PARTY. Poor Reggie having to hear Veronica call him lover… but the angst… I’m here for it

- VERONICA SINGING IN SPANISH BITCHHH FUCK ME UP SHE SOUNDS SO FUCKING GOOD! But being able to see Reggie behind Archie reacting to Varchie is so angsty and incredible

- Archie having an anxiety attack my poor child LEAVE HIM ALONE JESUS CHRIST WRITERS

- See, this mind game shit that Hal does to Betty is where they should have gone. I mean, only that not the sudden ass black hood shit. THIS is a good villain. But they ruined it before it even began.

- Both Veronica and Reggie have a point. He’s different, but Reggie sweetie you gotta realize that he’s going through a tough time right now? I just know the writers are going to manage to fuck this up. God can’t they do ANYTHING right

- “You got some pretty big coconuts” ummmm what the fuck I didn’t realize Reggie was Cheryl… But again having Reggie get mad at Archie for having an anxiety attack is ooc and NOT THE FUCK IT Literally it pisses me the fuck off that they’re doing this to Reggie like sure he can be jealous but this is over the top and NOT IT THANK YOU NEXT

- “Hiram… no.” BITCH YES HERMIONE! Also I didn’t realize she had to appoint a sheriff but that still doesn’t answer my question as to WHY NOT SHERIFF KELLER? But the fact that she chooses FP is such a fucking “fuck you” to his Lodge saying last episode that I’m not going to search out lol.

- Hal being the OG Gargoyle King… wow… they really can only use characters they can make us hate, huh? But if he killed back then, why was he “normal” up until Betty’s stupid, somehow inspiring speech? IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE RIVERDALE WRITERS BUT I’M NOT SURPRISED

- Alice comes in every Monday? SHE WOULD NEVER. I mean of course rn she’s not in her right mind but he literally almost killed her? We know Polly was trying to get Alice and Betty to forgive him bc of her time with the Farm but come the fuck on why would Edgar want his “star recruiter and source of money” to visit her killer ex-husband

- I love how Fangs is getting more screen time but it’s scaring me because he’s not Betty or Jughead… and also what about his bEST FRIEND SWEET PEA. But Fangs looks so scared my baby!!! If anything happens to him… well you probably read what I’d do to Jughead

-What kind of fucking twig costume is that lmao and how is he making that weird growling sound (and why)

- SO FP AND JUGHEAD ARE HERE BUT WHAT ABOUT SWEET PEA WE KNOW HE’D BE HERE TO PROTECT HIS BOYFRIEND BEST FRIEND. Also we are NOT allowing another kid to be branded. We just aren’t.

- oh nvm he is here lmaoooo it’s okay I’m good now

- LMAO EVERYONE SCATTERS BUT THEY LEAVE THEIR KING AHAHAHAHA WHAT LOYALTY I’M QUAKING

- So didn’t we LITERALLY see Tall Boy die? I could have swore… or is this some mandella effect kind of shit

- So Jugrat what happened to “no crime” yet you kidnap a man and beat the shit out of him… so if he’s breaking his own rules lets kick him out YES LET’S DO IT But wow Jughead is so weak he can’t handle anyone calling Betty a bitch… even though she is…

- SO JUGHEAD GETS TO PUNCH HIM FOR CALLING BETTY A BITCH, RIGHTFULLY SO, BUT HE STOPS SWANGS FROM GOING OFF FOR KILLING THEIR FRIEND AND MOST DEFINITELY FANGS’ EX BOYFRIEND? Does Jughead deserve rights? let’s not discuss because that’s a BIG FUCKING NO

- REGGIE ON A DATING SITE MY BABYYYYYY he passed by all those girls bc he loves Veronica just saying :)

- First of all… Archie no sweetie you can’t cheat on your SAT’s… and Reggie just fucking spilled the truth oops

- NO JUGHEAD YOU CAN’T SACRIFICE YOUR “BEST FRIEND” but of course it’s going to happen…

- Did Betty just call Penelope “auntie” ummm no. Also Penelope gets screen time but Choni isn’t here to take their SAT’s? That is HoMoPhObIc

- “Are you one of those sickos who fantasize about serial killers?” Betty… your stupid ass does realize you’re basically talking about yourself, right? I mean obviously not in a romantic way that you’re insinuating but that’s still who you are. You and Jughead get your rocks off to serial killers and trying to solve them even though you’re shit at being detectives… but I’m all for going after Penelope so whatever

- Oh jk so it wasn’t Hal… damn my rantings about it are now void thanks Riverdale lol

- It’s funny how Betty never realizes these kinds of things despite how “great” she is at being a detective. She never gets anything until she’s told about it and that’s so fucking annoying. if you’re going to shove Betty (and Bughead) down our throats AT LEAST make her good at it

- “Because I will never be coming back here again” lmao we know Betty is going to come back like next scene lolol but alright

- RONNIE CRYING IN HIS BED MY POOR BABY

- It’s a good thing they didn’t ruin Archie by having him angry at Veronica. By him asking her to stay with him, we been knew that Veronica is one of his weaknesses. ALSO VARCHIE SEX MY BABIES.

- Am I just blind when tf did Archie get that cut above his eyebrow lol. Also he’s literally me taking a test aha

- “Why do you think I sent him instead of going by myself?” BECAUSE YOU’RE A COWARDLY CUNT THAT’S WHY

- Oh poor Hiram got shot… oh no… so sad… But if they think they’re making us believe he’ll die… we’ve literally seen him on set recently so this bitch ass of course will survive. Honestly just kill off who you’re going to kill off already and get it over with. I want to know if it’s worth it to watch the rest of this season!!!

- They’re really going to regress and make Veronica act ooc by thinking that Archie would actually try to kill Hiram… what shit heads. We know he’s going dark and wants Hiram dead but he would never ACTUALLY do it because he cares too much about Veronica. But also I know that’s her father but after everything he’s done why does she care that he got shot? I mean that’s like Betty watching her dad die… she wouldn’t care. But then again Betty is a mean bitch so her heart is darker lol

- SWANGS FREAKING OUT OVER ACCIDENTALLY KILLING TALL BOY AWWWW BABIES! But also does this mean Swangs didn’t take the SAT because Jughead made them babysit Tall Boy? I mean it makes sense bc Tall Boy would escape otherwise but my Serpent babies deserve a chance to get out of Riverdale. I’d want SP to become a doctor and yes slightly bc of his role in Hospital Show

— Imagine Sweet Pea becoming a doctor, and flipping off every person who told him he was just some lowly south side scum, and telling them he made it as a fucking doctor like come on I need this, he needs this

- Jughead doesn’t know what to do mmhmmmm great leaders need to be able to think quickly

- “Fangs sobbing” hey subtitles… STOP

- Fangs says “okay” as if “we’re gonna throw a party” makes absolute sense. What the… fuck? Also I LOVE my boys we know this but they KILL Tall Boy and Jughead’s okay with it but Choni steals an egg from his enemy and he kicks them out like a whiny bitch? Jughead is homophobic and we know he only kicked Choni out bc they could easily take over his Serpent King title lmao what a fucking loser, Jughead

- “Veronica and I broke up” um you broke up awhile ago just bc you had sex doesn’t mean you guys got together again but alright

- So speaking of Archie being on the run and breaking out of jail… why is he able to come back as if that didn’t happen? Wouldn’t they have a warrant out for him?

- SEE BETTY VISITED HER FATHER AGAIN.

- REGGIE COMING IN WITH A “CONGRATS IT’S A BOY” BALLOONS. HE REALLY LOVES HER SO MUCH HE JUST WANTED TO GET HER FLOWERS AND SHIT AND HE WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION I’M—

- Sweet Pea’s “woo” do I need to say more

- So now it’s canon that my boys drink alcohol but I’m definitely going to say it’s only for celebrations and shit okay? okay

- FP why the fuck would you scare them like that? Like, they get arrested for literally nothing and you roll up like a bitch… that was cruel

- Poor Fangs he’s so fucking scared… he can’t even be happy that he’s a part of the Serpents again (but ofc Choni doesn’t? Jughead you’re so fucking—)

- No… no you’re going to make Archie a fucking alcoholic? Really? Fuck Riverdale lives

- “It looks like a cell in here” FRED WHY WOULD YOU POINT THAT OUT TO ME NOW I’M SAD

#Riverdale #Riverdale 3.10 #Riverdale The Stranger #Veronica Lodge #Archie Andrews #Varchie #Betty Cooper #Jughead Jones #anti-Bughead #Sweet Pea #Fangs Fogarty #Swangs #Jeronica #Reggie Mantle #Veggie #Regonica #reggieronnie

[blueraspberrymilkshake]

I'd just thought of an idea loosely based off of the Can't Buy Me Love/Love Don't Cost a Thing movies.

Kyle decoded to borrow his dad's car despite being told not to (even though he had just earned his driver’s license) and decided to take a quick ride out of town with Stan and Kenny. While he was generous to invite them both, he was conversely cautious - he even threatened to leave Kenny in the middle of the road when he caught him eating a bag of Cheesy Poofs. But all of that ranting didn't matter anyway because he got into an accident, and everyone except Kenny survived.

Because his parents’ car insurance wasn't covered yet, Kyle needed to pay $1000 out of pocket. Cartman later found out about Kyle's situation at school and just so happened to have the money. And of course Kyle demanded how he was able to get that kind of money. Cartman claimed that he had saved up for it (which was only half-true; he found most of the money from his Mom for a while).

Cartman then requested that Kyle should pretend to be his boyfriend for two weeks. Since Kyle was only ‘slightly above’ the popularity chain at school, he thought that dating him would give him the same treatment. Kyle was shocked. He didn't want to go out with Cartman because: One, he had to be intimate towards the guy he was fighting with for years, and two, it would ruin his chances with the cute new girl at Park County High School.

Alas, he had no other choice and gave in. To his surprise, being with Cartman wasn't as bad as he thought. Well, yeah, he was still an annoying shithead at times (calling Kyle corny pet names, flaunting his relationship status in front of everyone during Kyle's basketball practice) but most of the time he was considerate and could crack some pretty funny (and inoffensive) jokes. They'd even helped each other on their spare time; Kyle taught Cartman how to drive and be a better basketball player, and Cartman would show the redhead some cheat codes for a new video game that had recently came out.

A few weeks had past and the ‘couple’ hadn't broken up yet. Kyle had finally paid for the car to get fixed, and meanwhile Cartman was already on his high horse, and felt as if he was one of the popular kids. Even though most of the other guys don't really care about their status, the brunette would continue to brag anyway. One night at Token’s house party, Cartman went as far to make fun of everyone there, including his ‘boyfriend’. Kyle was finally fed up with his nonsense and finally ‘dumped’ Cartman.

The brunette realized he was wrong and insensitive towards Kyle, and was spending less time with the rest of the boys. A few days later, Cartman was on his knees, begging for Kyle's forgiveness. Kyle, remembering all of the cute times they had together, decided to give him a second chance, but this time, they were dating for real. Cartman was ecstatic, while everyone else at school never really gave a damn about those two or the love lives in the first place.

#kyman

[love-little-lotte]

My Ranking of Outlander Season 4 Episodes

Season 4 is over, and now I’m experiencing my first Droughtlander. I found out about the show last November, when the fourth season just started. It seemed like it was only yesterday, and now I can’t believe that thirteen episodes had passed since then. 

As most shows with more than three seasons, Outlander had its ups and downs. The show has been running for more than four years now, so I understand that the producers and writers are going to have a hard time making sure the viewers stay. Plus, it’s difficult to fit a really long book in just thirteen episodes. 

There were times I wasn’t impressed by it, as many fans have ranted in social media. I can’t count how many times some moments felt forced. But, of course, there are also swoon-worthy scenes that took my breath away. This is Outlander we’re talking about.

So, here is my personal ranking of Outlander Season 4 episodes. This is my opinion, and my list. If you don’t agree with my choices, then you can leave a polite message about it. Just don’t be mean. We’re all entitled with our opinions, aren’t we?

And on a side note, let me just say that I haven’t read the books so I may make comments that will go against it. I’ve only read the first two, Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber. But I’m writing about the show, not the book, and yes I should take the source material in consideration but I guess I’m still free to talk about the show without reading it. 

#13: Episode 8 - Wilmington

First off, I just want to say I really try to like Bree and Roger. There are times I’m so infuriated by them, and sometimes I feel their pairing is super forced. However, they’re kind of starting to grow on me. Especially at the last part of the season. This episode didn’t really help, though.

This was the show’s 50th episode, and I had such high hopes for it. Also, this was Bree and Roger’s first reunion episode! I thought there was going to be more of it. More spark and chemistry, I guess? The handfast scene felt off and rushed, and in my opinion, their first sex scene really tried hard to sample Claire and Jamie’s wedding night scenes. Actually, a lot of scenes were super rushed in this episode, and it really pissed me off. I get that they want to fit in more scenes as possible, but it just came out super wrong. And I’m really trying to like Bree and Roger, believe me, but their scenes in this episode didn’t do much for me. 

Claire and Jamie were the only highlights of the episode, and I may be really biased because I really love the both of them. Claire fangirling over George Washington is funny (and quite creepy, too, if you think about it). Plus, Claire being the iconic feminist boss that she is was a delight to watch. Jamie rushing off to save Murtagh and friends was also fun. Sadly, not even Claire and Jamie could save this episode. 

On the other hand, Bree and Bonnet’s scenes were difficult to get through. I’m not really good with scenes like that (as I have mentioned a lot of times), so I was kind of relieved that they didn’t actually show the whole attack. Still, I felt really sorry for Bree in this episode. 

#12: Episode 11 - If Not For Hope

Lord John Grey appearing is my favorite thing in this episode. I just really love that guy! As Bree quoted once in this series, “It’s impossible not to like you.” (Or along those lines.) And I couldn’t agree more. He saved Bree from a forced marriage, even though she blatantly blackmailed him about his secret (which she apologized for later on). 

Anyway, this episode is all about Bree coping with her pregnancy. We finally get to see her and her pregnant belly!  It was delightful to see the men Jocasta invited fighting passive-aggressively for Bree’s attention. I’m also surprised to see a familiar face: Billy Boyd from The Lord of the Rings franchise. I was half-expecting him to ask about the second breakfast. 

Fergus and Murtagh was also very good to watch in this episode, as well as Fergus’ devotion for Marsali and their bairn. It’s very Jamie-like, and I love that about him. Milord will be very proud of wee Fergus.  

And of course, we get to see Claire and Jamie forgiving each other. Their apology to each other was sweet and tender, and it was good to see that their communication is still present, even though they’re an old married couple. I love how that they can still open up about their insecurities to each other. 

However, this episode was just a bit draggy for my taste. The pace was very slow, and there were times I was bored out of my mind. I know the show doesn’t have to have action every time (this is a drama, of course), and I understand they need some “filler chapters” to build up the plot. 

#11: Episode 12 - Providence

A lot of people had negative feelings about this episode, but I actually thought it was okay? Probably because I lowered my expectations after the previous episode. Yes, we only had glimpses of Jamie and Claire in this episode, but I’ve finally accepted the fact that this time, it’s not just about them. There are other characters now, and I just have to live with that.

First, let’s discuss Roger. I understand his anger and frustration in this episode. I mean, who wouldn’t? I get that he regrets most of his decisions because he suffered a lot from it. Thankfully, Fr. Alexandre was there to make Roger reflect more about his decisions. Fr. Alexandre’s story was actually really, really sad, but also really annoying. I mean, I get that he’s a religious guy and that he wants to do the moral thing. But he’s going to die if he won’t baptize the child. ANYWAY, Fr. Alexandre’s death scene was brilliant, though. Because of it, I discovered the musical score “Adagio for Strings” and it’s super beautiful and haunting. I love listening to it now.

Moving on! Bree and Lord John’s scenes are really cute, to my surprise. Their friendship may seem really unlikely to a lot of people, but I don’t know, Lord John’s just really drawn towards Jamie’s kids for some reason. *shrugs* Hats off to Bree in this episode as well. It takes a lot of gut to talk to Stephen Bonnet after what he did to her.

My favorite scenes in this episode was actually Fergus and Marsali. Especially Fergus. I wish there were more scenes with Fergus and Marsali. Their relationship is kind of like Jamie and Claire, but less problems thrown in their way, I guess. And that little scene where Fergus was leading the Regulators to rescue Murtagh? ICONIC.

Maybe the only fault that I can see in this episode is that it’s the penultimate episode of the season, and it’s just treated like it’s a normal episode. There was no build-up for the rescue. I guess I expected more.

#10: Episode 3 - The False Bride

We have two parts of the story in this episode. This is probably the first episode Bree and Roger showed up in this season. Let’s talk about that first.

Though I’m not a big Bree/Roger fan, this episode actually did justice for them. At the beginning of this episode, at least. I get to see more of their bonding, and I love how playful they are with each other. Their festival scenes were cute, and Roger singing while looking at Bree was actually really sweet! But then, he had to ruin it by proposing to her and Bree turned him down because obviously, she’s not ready. Ah, if Roger just didn’t open his stupid mouth. But he’s a guy from the 70s, and yes, times were different so I half-forgive him.

Claire and Jamie had a more uneventful night, as they leave River Run. There was a storm, and friggin’ Clarence the Mule got frightened and ran away. Claire chased after him and got lost, but found some weird things - like a skull that might belong to a time-traveller, just like her, and will probably be more important in the later episodes.

But it was actually destiny that they got separated because when Claire and Jamie finally meet each other again, they discovered their future home: Fraser’s Ridge! It reminded them of the Scottish highlands, and it felt immediately like home. It was a beautiful moment, and no one can do forehead-touching better than Claire and Jamie. 

Nothing really bad in this episode, I guess. There are just better episodes.

#09: Episode 5 - Savages

I feel like I should put this episode more high up. Probably because one of my favorite characters returned: Murtagh! He’s one of the best supporting characters in the first two seasons, and I was really sad when I thought he’s not coming back. But due to popular demand, he did! And thank you Outlander producers for that. 

However, it was not an easy reunion. Murtagh’s part of a group of Regulators, something like an organization against the redcoats. It’s what he does best, I guess: fighting off redcoats like they did back in Scotland. 

Claire and Jamie talking about Bree in this episode is really sad and sweet at the same time. Love how Jamie talks about Bree to Murtagh, though! Like “my daughter’s in college and she’s super clever and all!” Ah, Jamie as a proud dad is indeed very appealing! 

This was also a very devastating episode for Claire and her friend, Adawehi. When I saw how they interacted in the previous episode, I thought that they were going to be really good friends all throughout the season but nope! This German dude had to kill Adawehi for revenge. Which, of course, wrecked Claire. 

This was a good nostalgic episode. Love Murtagh whistling the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy when he met Claire in the last scene. 

#08: Episode 2 - Do No Harm

Finally, we get to meet Jamie’s Aunt Jocasta in River Run. One episode in and you’ll definitely see the MacKenzie trait in her. She’s manipulative and cunning, just as Colum and Dougal was. They’re undoubtedly related. Needless to say, she was an interesting character. It’s always nice to meet Jamie’s relatives. They’re full of surprises and Jocasta didn’t fail. 

Jocasta planned to leave her estate to Jamie. Though Jamie deserves it, since he proved to be a great landowner, he and Claire is not too happy with the fact that they’re going to own slaves. They tried to talk to Jocasta about freeing them and paying them for their work, but, of course, this was frowned upon by Jocasta. They also tried to save Rufus from an unlawful execution, but that didn’t really go well for them. 

This episode is probably the most controversial (not sure if that’s the right word, but it sounds fitting?) episode in this season. It tackled slavery, which is a very sensitive topic even now. Some people said the show could’ve done better. However, I think the show handled it as best as they could. They handled it very well and very carefully.

Also, you can’t blame Jocasta for her actions in this episode. Remember, this was the eighteenth century and she was only acting like a regular woman in her time. She was just doing what she thinks is the best for her estate.

Jamie and Claire had agonizing choices to make, and I can’t blame them, too. Jamie inheriting the estate is good, but I also understand Claire’s hesitation in keeping slaves. I also get that they want to help Rufus but it wouldn’t be easy, given the circumstances. Everything’s just very complicated. But in my opinion, I think the show handled showing both sides (Jocasta’s views vs Jamie and Claire’s views) fairly. 

#07: Episode 7 - Down The Rabbit Hole 

Without a doubt, this is Sophie Skelton’s best episode yet. I have to admit that I was not a big fan of Sophie’s acting in the previous seasons, but this episode (and most of this season), she got better and she’s starting to feel like Bree.

A lot of fans don’t like Frank, and I get that. I, too, am not a big fan of him. But I understand Frank and Bree’s relationship and why he was included in this episode. He was a bad husband to Claire (she’s also not a good wife to him, might I add), but there’s no denying that he was a good father to Bree. He was her father for most of her life, and she looked up to him. And that little scene in the port where she turned around and saw him and they did that nodding thing? That really touched me. It’s as if she made peace with him, and promising him that he will always be his father, even though they’re not really blood related.

Though I don’t like the part that they showed Frank knew about the fire and didn’t tell Claire anything! Like, umm, you should’ve told your wife about that, Frank. It was good to see Tobias Menzies again, though. He’s a wonderful actor. (Can’t wait to see him in The Crown!)

Also, a lot of fans were not happy to see Laoghaire (hopefully I spelled that right). It didn’t stay true in the books, and Bree didn’t get to spend enough time in Lallybroch like she’s supposed to. Again, as I haven’t read the book, I’m going to let this pass. Laoghaire and Bree’s interaction at first was all right, until the former found out that the latter was Jamie and Claire’s daughter. This, of course, made Laoghaire flip and start spewing lies to Bree. Thankfully, Bree’s smart and finally realized that this was the woman who tried to kill her mother before. Ahh, I can’t stress enough how I was thrilled to hear Bree tell Laoghaire that Jamie never really loved her and he was never hers. Yes, gurl, tell that bitch the truth!

It was great to see Old Ian again because Steven Cree’s amazing. But it was sad that Jenny wasn’t there. I would love for Jenny to see her niece. Plus, this is probably the first episode (ever?) that Jamie and Claire didn’t make an appearance so that was also really sad, too. I missed them in this episode. 

#06: Episode 10 - The Deep Heart’s Core

Did somebody say family drama? Because this episode definitely delivered a good family drama. I mean, this is Outlander we’re talking about! No one creates good family drama more than Outlander. Well, probably Downton Abbey. 

This episode started off really well, with more scenes of Jamie and Bree bonding. I especially love their conversation about Bree’s pregnancy, and how they opened up to each other’s trauma. Jamie was able to comfort Bree, telling her about how he coped after what Black Jack Randall did to him. (Side note: I wonder what would Bree think about Frank if she knows he looks exactly like Black Jack.) 

And just as Jamie and Bree’s relationship began to flourish, it was finally revealed that the Jamie attacked the wrong man. All because of friggin’ Lizzie. I know it’s not entirely her fault, but ugh! Anyway, Bree just started screaming and slapping Jamie and Young Ian, which really stressed me out. And telling Jamie “you’re nothing but a savage”? That’s a tad too harsh, Bree. 

Claire’s also felt helpless because she doesn’t know what to do. She’s mad at Jamie, but she can’t really blame him for acting like a normal father. (But she gave him the cold shoulder, which annoyed me because they could just talk about this.)

So, yes. I was more or less frustrated the entire episode. But it made me feel things, so I ranked it higher. The episode actually delivered all the drama and I just love it. 

#05: Episode 1 - America The Beautiful 

Outlander started the fourth season very strong. It had romantic cute Jamie and Claire moments, thrilling action, and of course, a very sad ending that gutted me. I couldn’t ask for anything better. 

After they were shipwrecked in the Season 3 Finale, it looks like the Frasers and their company were well-adjusted in America. Though their friend was executed for a crime, which was very sad, life goes on. Fergus and Marsali announced they’re expecting a child, which is thrilling for them. Jamie’s been offered a land by Governor Tryon, which is quite problematic because if he accepts, he’ll be swearing loyalty to the English Crown, and, as Claire reminded him, the English would be defeated by the American Revolution in the near future.

We also finally get to meet Stephen friggin’ Bonnet. If you think you can’t hate on another Outlander character more than Black Jack Randall, then think again. This thief is just an ungrateful asshole who, after being saved and shown mercy by the Frasers, decide to rob them and even kill one of their companions.

And despite the weird CGI in the river scenes, we are given a cute Jamie and Claire moment as Jamie gifts her a medicine box for their wedding anniversary. It was just so cute and romantic and aahhh, Jamie knows how to make a girl swoon after being twenty-four years of marriage. Claire is one lucky gal. Actually, this episode had a lot of cute Jamie and Claire moments, like the one when they were talking about the American Dream. The one with the medicine box was my favorite, though. 

And even though the ending was really dark and horrifying, I just want to point out that Caitriona Balfe’s acting was exceptional. The expression she made when she realized that the ring Bonnet took was Jamie’s ring was so heartbreaking. Honestly, Stephen Bonnet is such a piece of shit. 

#04: Episode 4 - Common Ground

Remember Tryon’s offer? Obviously, Jamie accepted it, and they - him, Claire, and Young Ian - start to build Fraser’s Ridge in this episode. It may sound really tiring, but it was great family bonding, trust me. It’s amazing how it only took them one episode to build their cottage because in the next episode (Savages), they already had furnitures and other house stuff. 

So, as the Frasers begin to settle in their new land, the Cherokee were still wary of them. I can’t blame them, though. I mean, it’s their land, too, you know. Jamie tried to earn their trust, offering them goods through John Quincy Myers, one of Jocasta’s friends, who is close to the Native Americans. 

Book readers were also surprised to see a major difference from the source material. There was a scene in the book in which Jamie wrestles a bear. However, the show changed it into a man wearing a bear get-up. Apparently, this man was banished from his tribe, lost his mind in the woods, and began to attack people like a bear. This guy is feared by the Cherokee but when Jamie killed him and brought the corpse to them, they dubbed him “bear killer” and finally formed a truce.

As much as I want to see Jamie wrestle a bear (how cool would that be???), I understand that TV shows don’t have enough budget like a blockbuster film. So, it was definitely all right for me to see Jamie wrestle a regular guy. I’d choose that rather than see him wrestle a bad CGI bear. Ugh. Also, I miss seeing Sam Heughan in action sequences, just like in the first season. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Especially when Jamie carried Claire princess-style and told her about his plans for Fraser’s Ridge. It was so romantic and sweet. 

#03: Episode 6 - Blood of my Blood 

Lord John Grey’s first appearance in this season! Ah, that guy really knows how to make an entrance. In this episode, he said he “happened” to pass by Fraser’s Ridge, but of course we all know he just wants to see Jamie. You’re not being subtle there, Lord John. 

He also brought Willie along, who prefers to be called William now. Of course, William doesn’t know about Jamie being his father, which is probably very torturing for Jamie. As they were about to leave the next day, Lord John fell ill and Claire tends to him, as Jamie takes out William so he can’t catch the measles, and of course, to spend quality time with each other. 

Jamie and William are so cute together and it makes me wonder what could happen if Jamie was the one who raised him. It’s sad to think that Jamie never really gets to raise any of his children. He didn’t even get to see Faith before she was buried. And to think, all he wanted was to have a big loving family. (Wait, I’m straying away and I’m getting emotional.) 

ANYWAY, Lord John and Claire also has a heart-to-heart talk with each other. I actually love the both of them so much. Caitriona Balfe and David Berry work so well with each other and it’s amazing. I know what’s going to happen to Claire and Lord John in the future (I accidentally read it in a comment thread ugh) so it’s good to see that both actors know what they’re doing. 

The ending with Jamie giving Claire a new ring is so romantic and just plain swoon-y. I love it so much. Jamie and Claire romantic moments will never get tiring, I swear. 

I also love the title of this episode because it could mean both things. First, it could mean Jamie and William because he did mention that “his blood is my blood” when the Natives was about to punish them because William took fish from their waters. Also, it could mean Jamie and Claire’s wedding vows because he presented her another ring as a symbol of his love for her. 

#02: Episode 13 - Man of Worth 

It was totally worth the wait. One of the best finales Outlander ever did. It had just the right amount of action and romance and drama. Everyone did a good job, and I’m so happy with it I can almost cry. I wasn’t too happy in the previous two episodes, so it was relief that the ending was just so good. 

They finally rescued Roger, even though they had to exchange Young Ian for him. Young Ian’s actually one of my favorite characters, and he’s such a sweet goofball that I’m so sad to watch him go. It was the brave thing to do, and it was so good to see him grow up. He’s no longer a boy; he’s definitely a man of worth. 

The whole scene with Jamie, Claire, and Roger in the woods was definitely fun to watch, all because of their exceptional acting, particularly Sam Heughan. His protectiveness and devotion for Bree was very apparent, as he wanted Roger to accept her, even though she was pregnant and all. It was such a Jamie thing to do, and I love that about him. 

I’ve also read a short excerpt that’s been going around Facebook - the one when Bree gave birth during Drums of Autumn. Turns out her parents were present in the book, and it was such a sweet scene, and I’m kind of upset that it didn’t make it in the show. I’d love to see her and Jamie as she was giving birth. Still, I’m okay with how the show did it. Would’ve been nice, though. 

Murtagh and Jocasta was a surprise, but it was a good one. Let’s throw in another major couple, shall we? I think Murtagh deserves a good love story, so I approve of this pairing! Wish to see more of this, too. 

Love Roger and Bree’s very dramatic reunion. Of course they’re going to run to each other as music builds up. This is Outlander, after all. I just hope that they have better scenes together in the future seasons. 

#01: Episode 9 - The Birds and the Bees

I mean, seriously. This is what we’re all looking forward to in this season. Jamie and Bree was the major highlight of this episode, and I love every moment they share. It was just a beautiful first-meeting scene. And I’m just so happy for the both of them! Finally, they get to meet each other! Sam Heughan and Sophie Skelton actually had good chemistry. They play the father and daughter duo perfectly. 

I also love Jamie talking about Bree to Claire. This is what he’s wishing for a really long time: to actually get to spend time with his wife and his daughter. He gave them up so they can be spared from the Battle of Culloden, and now he finally gets to be with them. I’m a wreck in this episode, to be honest. Especially when he took her hunting and Jamie told Bree to call him “Da”. It was honestly the best thing ever. Can you just imagine the possibilities if Jamie actually saw her grow up? (Actually I can, and now I’m sad because it’s not true.)

Claire meeting with Bree was also sweet. Claire’s reaction when she first saw Bree was so pure. She’s been missing Bree for a really long time, too, and she thought she’s never going to see her again, so it’s just a miracle for her to see her daughter in the eighteenth century. 

Though it’s quite sad when Bree admitted to Claire about being raped, it was a good mother-and-daughter scene. Claire’s maternal instincts kicked in, and she’s honestly just destroyed that she couldn’t protect her daughter from all the dangers in the world. 

Ah, yes, this episode ended quite badly, as Lizzie (friggin’ Lizzie) had mistaken Roger for Bree’s attacker. Because of this, Jamie beat him up and Young Ian sold him to the Mohawks. I’m not a big fan of Roger, sure, but he does not deserve those punches. 

Still, this episode was well-executed. It’s my favorite in this season, all because of the reunions, the smiles, and tears. 

There you have it! Season 4 may be messy and rushed, but I was entertained and I had fun for the most part. It was fun looking forward to Monday (I watch it in Netflix, and it arrives a day later in my country) and now, I have no idea how to spend my Mondays. 

It’s not the best season, in my opinion, but I’m glad that they have expanded the story to other characters. As I said earlier, this is not Jamie and Claire’s story anymore. It’s now going to be about their extended family, too. I’m honestly looking forward for the next seasons, though I wonder how they’re going to make Jamie and Claire look like real grandparents. 

Your grandparents could never. I mean, look at them! 👇

#outlander #outlander season 4 #outlander series #outlander starz #sam heughan #caitriona balfe #jamie fraser #claire fraser #jamie x claire #sam x caitriona #outlander season 4 ranking #outlander episodes

[crackmadhi]

Every good Friendship starts with an Asshole and a Fight

Friday, 16 March 2029

“Can I truly confide you with this task?”, Edgeworth asked Klavier and Simon for the fifth time while they were walking down the corridor into the entrance hall of the prosecutor’s office.

Simon rolled his eyes but remained silent luckily enough. Klavier shot him a warning look to remind him that he better kept his mouth shut and let him deal with this. A stressed Herr Edgeworth was nothing he could not handle.

Shooting him his best smile Klavier reassured him: “Of course, you can trust us, Herr Edgeworth. We know of what importance the royal visit is for the prosecution’s office as well as for our country. We will act prudently and vigilantly to prevent any unplanned incidents. You can count on us, Herr Edgeworth!”

Edgeworth sighed and massaged his temple. He knew for a fact that Gavin and Blackquill were the most suitable men for this reception. They were his most trusted employees and also the most hardworking men in the office.

Other than that – He opened the door for the entrance hall – they also were the only ones that actually knew Your Graciousness, Nahyuta Sahdmadhi. At least indirectly.

Gavin knew him through the relationship he had with Apollo Justice and Blackquill had met him in court. The latter event had not gone down peacefully, and Edgeworth had to scold the man for the stupid stunt he pulled, as he acted as the defence’s co-council.

And still he was a better fit for this reception than any rookie that was working in the office right now. The stupidity of the situation did not fail to annoy him greatly but there was nothing to be done than work with what he had got now.

“I hope you will hold your promise, Gavin. But even if I wanted I could not do it myself, since my schedule is too tight. I’m not even pleased to take you out of your offices, since there is so much to do, but there is simply no other way. I’ll leave it to you them. Be considerate and try to look at it as a short break form the madness in the office. Or do not. At this point I don’t even care anymore”, Edgeworth mumbled and walked away.

“The chief surly is stressed as fuck”, Simon commented dryly as he looked after the man in maroon.

Klavier punched him in the arm and hissed: “Don’t talk like that about him. He could hear us.”

“As if it would surprise him that people would say such stuff about him. And I wasn’t even mean. I just stated the obvious.”

“Yeah, if you think that makes it better. Anyway, you remember that we have to greet him by his proper title and do the bow thing?”

“Yes, I know!”, Simon moaned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’ll do it, but I have to say it again; it is completely stupid and irrational. You’ve spoken with him when you video chatted with your ridiculous boyfriend, and then you called each other by your names! And I think the title is hilarious and completely unfitting for the brat.”

“Cool. You’ve ranted long enough?”, Klavier said unimpressed and put his hand on his hips. “As long as you are still angry at the man for being mean towards Athena -”

“And almost putting my friend innocently behind bars because of his petty arrogance!”

“- yeah sure that too, you will refrain from talking with him. Don’t forget that he asked Athena for forgiveness and also wrote a letter to Bucky. Give him at least some credit for trying, okay Herr Samurai?”

Simon did not respond but what was new about that? Klavier was used to have a conversation on his own when the samurai was around. The man just was not much of a talker.

Frustratedly he turned towards the door and awaited the arrival of the khura’inese visitor. Not a minute later he heard the distinguish jingling of the monk’s golden jewellery, whereupon the royal man shortly followed.

A tall, buff man in a black suit was accompanying Nahyuta, surely his bodyguard. Klavier shot Simon a short look, but the tall man had put on an emotionless face, completely unreadable for a stranger.

They waited for Nahyuta to come closer, before they bowed and Klavier greeted the man with: “It is an honour to welcome you officially in LA, Your Graciousness.”

Klavier could almost feel how the monk uncomfortably shifted on his feet. Yes, this man definitely disliked it to be treated as a nobleman. He did not blame him for it, being famous had its benefits but it was exhausting.

“We hope Your Graciousness will enjoy their visit”, Simon suddenly added and straightened up again.

Klavier followed suit and saw the monk visibly relax, as they finally were able to talk on the same eye level. Now he had a better look at the monk and quickly observed the man’s demeanour. A serene smile laid on the brown lips and his hands were intertwined behind his back. Uptight and distant but in the most tranquil and gracious way possible.

“Please, let us not bother with this formality. It is not necessary for you to call me by my royal title. I will be your colleague, not your regent in the following two weeks”, Nahyuta stated calmly and looked in Klavier’s direction.

The man nodded intently and responded: “Of course! Whatever suits you best. Just call me Klavier!”

“Very well. Please feel free to call me Nahyuta, then.”

Both men glanced over to Simon, who had crossed his arms demonstratively while they had been speaking. As Klavier dangerously raised his eyebrows and additionally stared daggers at him to what the man rolled his eyes, huffed deeply and stated: “It’s Simon.”

Nahyuta did not react to this unpassionate reaction and waited for Klavier to start with their tour through the prosecution’s office. Silently Klavier gave the monk credit for ignoring Simon’s rudeness and pointed at the door leading to the corridor.

“Well, let’s get right at it and stop wasting anymore precious time!”, the blond man exclaimed and lead them the way.

The morning went by in a snap. The prosecution’s archive, the different offices, the common areas, they managed to go through it all. While doing so, Nahyuta had his bodyguard leave them, so that it was only the three of them wandering through the building.

As Klavier had expected, he had been the one who did most of the talking, but then and when Simon added something small to the conversation. It was not much but more than the rock star had hoped for. The samurai had even managed to not sound passive-aggressive towards the prince, which was hopefully a sign of Simon’s forgiveness for Nahyuta’s past behaviour.

“Anyway, now that you’ve seen all of this we are heading towards the cafeteria for lunch. In the afternoon we will go and visit the courthouse and the police HQ”, Klavier explained as they passed some elder prosecutors in the hallway.

Nahyuta still seemed to be intrigued by all the information Klavier gave him. It was refreshing to see somebody with such a curious mind for a change, reminisced the rock star happily.

“That sounds wonderful. I’m thrilled to see and learn more about the courthouse and the HQ. On my last stay there was no time for a tour like this and I’m glad that I now get the chance to catch up”, Nahyuta responded, while thankfully lowering his head towards the blond man.

Klavier was about to laugh and reply something as one of the elder prosecutors began to speak. It was a slimy, arrogant man in a mouse grey suit. He was talking with an even slimier man in a black suit and had been watching the them closely.

Klavier knew them. They had lost several trials against his brother. Simon knew them as well. Both of them had almost lost their jobs during the reformation process of the law, which the chief prosecutor had initiated after he had been freed.

Therefore, they meant bad news.

“What a great new generation, right? The enforcement, the future of the law built on the shoulders of a convicted murderer, the former pawn of a dictator and a psychopath’s little brother. That will surly work out perfectly fine, won’t it?”, the grey one told his friend annoyed.

They had their backs turned towards the younger men and acted as if they were not there. Clearly, they knew that they were heard. Their words were meant to hurt, and they knew they would do the trick.

“It surely will”, the other one bawled and slapped his knee.

“And of course,” the grey one wickedly added, “they get along effortlessly. What else could you expect from three criminals like them? Ruthless, manipulating men with no respect for us, who worked in this field much longer. I still can’t believe that the chief prosecutor was stupid enough to fall for them. Then again, Gavin might be just as biasing as his brother? He probably deceived the oblivious fool, like all his stupid little fans.”

Klavier stood still like an ice statue. He had closed his eyes and tried to sustain an even breathing pattern. For outsiders it might have looked like the man was near to explode. To Simon it looked like his friend was about to break down and cry.

It was not the first time Simon had to listen to these dickheads’ accusations. He did not care what was told about him, as long as he could do his job properly. But saying this about Klavier, the one out of these three who had not done wrong anything in his hole life, that, he could not tolerate any longer.

He turned violently, made a step into their direction-

“I beg your pardon?”

Simon stared at the monk. What on earth was going on with his voice? I sounded so icy in a creepily friendly way that it made Simon’s hair stand up.

“What did you say, Your Graciousness?”, the man in grey replied innocently.

But Nahyuta had none of that. Determined he walked towards them, his head holding high and a defeating smile on his lips.

“My, my. I did not speak quieter than you two did just before. So, do not try to make a fool out of me. Tell me clearly, what did you just speak off?”

The elder man’s expression soured. He did not like the tone Nahyuta was using.

“It was a private conversation. It is none of your business.”

The prince kept his mouth shut and closed his eyes. Slowly he lifted his hand from behind his back and formed a prayer pose with his fingers.

With a furious flick of his tongue he opened his eyes again and shot them a piercing look with those energic, passionate eyes.

“You truly believe that you openly and violently insulting my highly appreciated and helpful guide, would be none of my business? I might have been the pawn of a tyrant, but I am no longer blind to the truth. Prosecutor Gavin is a hardworking man, who loves what he does and lives for it. Making him responsible for his brother’s foul crimes is defamation. It shows the pettiness and ugliness of your wrenched soul. Might you be reborn as a mole in the stony mountains, unable to dig yourself a home and stuck in the sun’s burning rays you cannot see nor enjoy.”

The man in grey had gone paler and paler. His lips were trembling and his palms sweating. His cowardly friend had already run off and he followed right away, unable to stand the monk’s intense presence for one more second.

This. This pleased Simon. This pleased him so much.

But before he could say that to the monk, the man had turned towards Klavier. Carefully he approached him and waited for him to notice him before he started to speak.

“I hope you are alright, Klavier. These men were inhumanly nasty, I had to speak up. But if I overstepped my boundaries I apologize and promise to not interfere again in the future”, Nahyuta stated sincerely and lowered his head humbly.

Klavier looked as if he had just died a little. The cool and usually composed mask he wore all the time had broken into pieces, and now he was jittering and looked small and vulnerable. Simon stepped to his side and discreetly drew circles on the other man’s back.

Klavier needed comfort. Uneasily Nahyuta tried to catch Simon’s attention with a guilty look. The other man got the message and shook his head. No, this was not Nahyuta’s fault, he seemed to say wordlessly.

For some longer they stood still and waited for the blond to calm down. When he appeared to be stable enough again, Simon stepped aside and gave the man room to breathe.

“I hope this is not going to end badly for you, Nahyuta. These two are manipulative, horrible men. I don’t even want to think of what they might be ready to do to you”, Klavier whispered worriedly and warily observed the prince’s behaviour.

Nahyuta did not seem to be bothered to much by the potential dread coming from those men.

“I don’t think”, Nahyuta stated with a smug smile on his delicate lips, “that they can say much against the prince of Khura’in. They are cowards and I cannot believe that they have enough guts to tell the chief prosecutor that they got into a fight with the very important international visitor.”

“He’s right. They are too scared to do anything, trust us, Klav”, Simon soothingly affirmed Nahyuta’s statement.

Klavier still looked troubled but said nothing else. Simon suppressed a sigh and decided that it was better to leave it at this.

Firmly he looked from one to the other and proposed: “Let’s continue this weird tour and go to the cafeteria. Food might be the right distraction right now.”

Both men nodded in union and followed Simon to the cafeteria.

Link

#ace attorney #ferienreblog

[stonersolana]

sorry, little bit of a rant

since Nicole has been back from rehab, she's been making Rich and I feel guilty for showing any affection toward each other and has been kind of guilting Rich and I into having sex with her (we haven't, mainly because we both know she's guilting us and two, because she keeps trying to bypass the time and effort it's going to take for us to forgive her). for her, sex is the most important part of a relationship when to Rich and I, it's barely a tertiary part, and nearly threatened to leave him over it a few times in the past few months. it's getting to the point where Rich and I can't sit next to each other and touch without her pouting. she complains that we never want to spend time with her, that we never cuddle with her, and tried guilting me into sleeping on the edge instead of the middle (i mainly sleep in the middle because i feel shadow monsters breathing down my neck and like I'm in danger but when i sleep in the middle, it's a bit better because i know I'm safe. Nicole knows this but wants to sleep in the middle so Rich and I won't be able to cuddle). yes, Rich and I are closer to each other than we are to her but it's mainly because of how she treated us when she was drinking and how she started to replace us with the guys she's been sleeping with. we try to include her, we do cuddle her and give her attention but it's literally never enough. we once spent the whole day cuddling her and giving her attention then bitched about how we ignored her all day.

it's making my depression worse, but if i bring it up, she takes it as me or him attacking her instead of us trying to rebuild. you can't force someone to be automatically okay with the past 5 months of alcoholism and verbal abuse in a matter of a few days. but she's not patient and is putting it on us. I'm just frustrated and hurt. Rich even told me yesterday that if it came down to it, if it was me or Nicole, he would choose me. because i actually show consideration for his feelings, i haven't ever given him a reason to kill himself, i treat him with love and kindness and i actually try to put an effort into the things he likes instead of getting annoyed by it.

#sunbun speaks #husband #wife #nicole #richard