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#i guess? it's just details of it as an adaptation lol
lovers-instead · 2 years
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Gabe is here!!!!!
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sskk-manifesto · 1 month
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Atsushi's back in the game!!! ۶( ˆ o ˆ )
#And Kouyou!!!!#Also. I can say Steinbeck is kinda 👀👀👀#King of the specific category of “I forget I like him until he's on screen”#I'm seriously unlocking memories with this rewatch. Like I haven't thought about it in two years–#but I just know when I was watching the anime for the first time I was being like#“Of COURSE the villains need to spend several minutes each episode explaining in detail how their own superpowers work so that the–#protagonists can get a perfect idea of how to best counter them. Why are villains made so freaking stupid in this show” aljhvwslchvqliyqwb#But. Eh. I guess that's just bsd to you.#Alsoooooo random thought of the day: I don't really favour how Tanizaki's ability was adapted in the anime.#I very well understand they were going for this green Matrix-like illusion effect‚ but every time someone says “... Snow?”#I'm like please explain where do you live that has snow glowing green.#Aamsjgvfaskjhfv sorry this is me being very. Cranky and nitpicky and having terrible audience etiquette in refusing to–#engage in suspension of disbelief. It just bugs me akvakcvqkyb I just feel like... Green is such a non-snow color–#that quite of completely disrupts the Light Snow / Sasame Yuki aesthetic. I would have liked it much better light blue or simply white.#What else. The way the Guild just goes on at stereotypes still troubles me a lot. The “usamericans can't be touched by laws–#because they use money to corrupt anyone” “foreign criminal organization come in our country to corrupt our pure and untouched soil”#Idk. Maybe all of it is true. Can it still be deemed a stereotype when it's objectively something that's happened before–#and will probably keep happening?#I suppose I'm just not a fan of the constant hostility against any foreigner. Idk.#This situation besides is extremely ironical. If you meet me irl it probably won't take long to see me being very outspoken about–#how much I despise usa cultural colonization of all other countries. It's something that really bothers me‚ how rooted and pervasive–#their influence is. So in a lot of ways I can relate to the author's sentiment#I just feel that. If you start treating them as stereotypes and ignore the complexity of a country and the wide spectrum of causes–#that contribute to its attitude in international relations. You end up practicing precisely what you're trying to criticize.#Okay this is the last time I'm getting into the politics of the Guild arc lol#random rambles#This time I took watching the episode slow I feel a little late
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oddaesthetin · 9 months
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HOW THE JJK BOYS WOULD REACT TO YOUR LOVE FOR EAVESDROPPING (nanami ver.)
nanami kento
• 100% responsible adult
• not the type to give a damn about other people’s business because “i already have a drama of my own, why would i want to know theirs”
• i feel like nanami is the type of partner who would scold you for always sticking your ear to your neighbors’ drama
• but he catches up later on and unconsciously adapt your habit of listening to them as well lol
• you’ll be surprised one day he’s the one updating you about the recent continuation of your neighbor’s cheating issues
• becomes incredibly in denial when you tell him you noticed he’s getting interested (he was also questioning himself whether or not he was infact invested)
— 🖋 —
“sweetheart.”
you continued sipping your tea. maybe if they could yell just a little bit louder you’ll catch some of the details even quickly. all that you’ve learned so far is that mrs. makino was yet again caught by one of his sons face-timing someone that isn’t their father, talking sweetly and obviously flirtatiously, then the son told his father about it, whom, then confronted his wife just minutes after he came back from wor—
“y/n. please stop that.”
your concentration vanished as you heard the man sitting in front of you sigh.
you sat straight, “what, i’m sorry, were you saying something?”
he looked at you very seriously. enough to make you feel guilty about not giving him, or the food in front of you any attention for the past couple of minutes.
“is this really how you wanna spend our dinner? i don’t think gossiping could make your stomach full.”
you looked at the food again, his plate already half empty, and yours barely touched; and just started noticing how the evening wind’s starting to get chiller. you were the one who suggested you two eat at your apartment’s balcony, but in your defense, you didn’t know the drama was gonna continue tonight.
you pouted and whispered, “but it was just getting to the good part! mrs. makino was about to explain her siiiidee.”
the stern look (hOT) remained, and with a defeated sigh, you finally went back to eating.
————
you just came back from a 3-day trip, and for the sake of your pet fishes lives, you ask your kind boyfriend kento to take care of your apartment while you’re gone.
a week has already passed since the last drama from your neighbor’s apartment and you will definitely be lying if you say you weren’t curious about the latest updates. you were dying to ask your boyfriend about it until you realized he’s the mature adult in the relationship and that he probably didn’t even choose to pay them some of his attention.
you rolled your eyes at the thought.
“something bothering you, darling?”
caught. you shook your head dismissively and went back to washing the dishes. “i just thought of something…err, about work.”
nanami, who’s beside you drying up the dishes you’re finished washing, took the plate and the sponge out of your hands. “perhaps its the jet lag taking a toll on your mood. you should rest.”
you took a deep breath and kissed his cheeks before lying on the sofa in your small living room.
just as you were starting to get engrossed to the reels you were watching on your phone, you heard him speak.
“by the way, i think mr and mrs. makino split up. temporarily, i guess. i heard them talking the other night. the husband took their sons. said something about until mrs. makino realizes something—why are you laughing?” he asked confusedly, and you also couldn’t help but be in awe at the sight you saw. your charming, mature and responsible boyfriend, just looking at you seriously while wearing an apron, holding a sponge covered in bubble in one hand and a plate on the other.
you wiped the tears that escaped your eye, “OH MY GOD, DUDE, I GOT YOU INVESTED IN THIS. YOU FINALLY LOVE THE DRAMA.”
“no, i’m not, dude.” nanami gave you a snub and continued with what he’s doing. “i was just thinking you wanted an update. that’s all.”
“WHATEVER YOU SAY, HONEY.”
without looking back at you, he rolled his eyes. he wanted to give an answer but was left speechless and instead just thought about how he preferred being called ‘honey’ by you than being called ‘dude’.
not proofread yet
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themoonitselff · 4 months
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HEAR ME OUT, a Modern Mizu x Reader AU, But the reader is a famous singer? Sorry this is a little bit cheesy and idk what Mizu would be in this AU all i got is that the reader is a singer. I got this idea because i am a huge Swiftie and a huge Mizu worshipper soo lol
I got you, bestie. I like Taylor Swift too, and this request just makes my Vigilante Shit headcannons more canon. I ALREADY SAID IT, BUT I'LL DO IT AGAIN. (Don't worry I'll make it large and full of details just for you<3)
Modern! Mizu × Singer! Reader
Warnings: NOT PROOFREAD, I guess. Mizu being a cutie patootie with you.
Summary: You wrote a song for Mizu, thinking about her last relationship with the ex-principal of your University.
PD: This is headcannons+mini-fanfic, I'll do my best. <3 (let's pretend that I'm not a fan of Reputation and Midnight)
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Let's start really slow before we get to the juicy point(you can scroll to the end if you don't want to read aaall of this). Mizu would be studying Civil/Mechanical Engineering (don't know how to say it in English). And the University she's in is one of the best of the country, so the campus would be huge, and it would have a lot of buildings and areas, she does the mobthly payment on her own, and she also has a little help on her dad when she's too busy with her part time job.
She has an amazing music taste, The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, Laufey, she listens to Pop, Rock, Alternatives and ofc Arctic Monkeys. She also listens to you, but only the popular ones, since you're not like a big deal for her. (SHE REALLY LIKES YOU IN SECRET)
But then, she heard that you were moving to this state just to finish your career since you're a bit busy with your musical career. She doesn't get surprised, she doesn't believe it, her reaction is just like “Oh really? That's amazing.” with sarcasm on it
It was lunch time, Mizu was eating peacefully while hearing all of the news and updates Ringo was telling her of his day, something casual, she had to adapt to his common behavior. They were on a bench, looking at the football game they had in front.
“And the teacher was sooo mad because this girl got late, and they started arguing, and— Oh! Did you heard that (y/n) is gonna study here? I'm so excited to know her! I love her music, and she's so beautiful, and...” Ringo couldn't stop talking about you, which made Mizu roll her eyes as she finishes her coffee.
“Okay, I get it Ringo.” She said, her face was neutral, not believing it.
“I think tomorrow is when she's arriving, do you think she's like in the photos?” He blushed, slightly.
“Uhm..” Mizu imagined the celebrity getting off her car and walking inside the building, then getting drowned and breaked into pieces by the fans and other people that just know her because of her looks. “If she doesn't end dead, maybe.”
The same night, she stalked your account, your biography in Wikipedia and EVERYTHING, basically.. She realized that Ringo wasn't lying, it was on the news, everyone knew it. That's when her heart went on the floor because if you were gonna transfer into this University, it meant: a massive crowd of people wanting to get inside. “Ewww, people” She thought.
It didn't looked like, but she was kickin' her feet and giggling of excitement, the fact that you would be near to her, makes her sick.
The next day, she did what she didn't do every day. She brushed her hair, took a bath after 6 days of focusing on studying, put on the best hoodie she got from Akemi, her favorite pair of shoes, everything. But acted like nothing happened, like she wasn't screaming inside to see you.
“Why are you dressed like that?” Taigen asked, as he looked at Mizu's persona, who was really... Pretty, not like other days.
“Like what?” She replied, her eyes were looking for you in the University alley's, but you were not there.
“Like you're gonna fuck with someone.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.” Then she chopped his bangs off.
She did know what Taigen was talking about.
The night came and everyone was in their dorms, in the whole day, the only thing that people was talking about was you. It made her sick, like, c'mon you're just a singer, what's the matter?
Then, she hears someone knocking her door, she gets up from the couch and goes to open it, her lazy was all on her body
“Wha-?” She didn't finished, her jaw falled onto the floor, surprised.
It was you. (Y/n) the Music Industry. Her heartbeat went fast, her hands started trembling and flickering, her beautiful blue eyes opened like plates, it was impossible.
“Hello! They told me this is my dorm, and I have to share it with.. You. ” You showed the card and the directions, gently, with a sweet smile on your face. “Your name is Mizu, right?”
Mizu was still in shock, but recovered fast, she went to her natural face again and nodded. “Yes, what's yours?”
“(y/n), nice to meet you!” You took your bags and entered with confidence. “Uhm- I thought you would scream and go wild, but happily you did not.. So, if you don't know, I'm a Popstar, and I work with music, so I hope it doesn't disturb you.”
Mizu just closed the door, slowly, watching you get inside and getting comfortable, her mouth slightly opened. “No.. not at all.”
Now that you're roommates, she has to deal with Ringo and Akemi fangirling about you all the time and asking Mizu if they can take pictures with you. It pisses her off because you're just a human... And because she feels like she's the only one that can do that(possesive and protective)
She's normal about it on the outside, but fangirls too in the inside. Not like you imagined.
As the times goes on, she introduces you to her friend group (Akemi, Ringo, and the fool of Taigen)
They're nice to you and you always hangout together, it's like a dream come true to Ringo, that is like a bodyguard to you, he's always protecting you and making sure you're okay... And asks you to sign his albums and photocards and the whole merchandising.
You start getting more connected with Mizu, and shes now the only one who knows all of your exes, your future albums, your songs and why you wrote them, it's like Mizu and you are besties. Best friends.
Mizu didn't knew when, but she was falling in love with you.
She loved your eyes, your body, your voice, she loves when she hears your voice echoing in your room, she loves hearing you okay the guitar, she loves the fact that she's so important to you, she loves how shy you get with your fans, she loves you. She does.
And you do too. You love how good she is with you, you love that she sees you as a person and not as a singer. You love her eyes, you love her silence, you love cuddling with her, you love how she priories you over everything. She's the best for you.
One day, she told you about this guy that was her fiance, two years ago, He was the Principal of the University but now was just the teacher of Veterinary medicine. How dumb.
You were mad. You could not believe what he put her through. You were in her bed, hugging her as she was on her knees in front of you, crying and getting vulnerable with you, for the first time ever, her eyes were crystalized in tears, her nose was reddish and her face was so warm and weak, your fingers were cleaning her tears rolling through her cheeks, while you saw her lips moving and telling you everything.
It was a mix of “Omg Mizu is so sexy when she cries” and “I want to kill that motherfucker” vibes.
You could do nothing about it... But making a song.
You worked day and night, wrote the lyrics, made the rythm, you did everything just to make it sound sexy but angry at the same time, like the vibes you felt when comforting her. Because let's be honest, she's too good for a man, she needs something better.
She needs a woman.
When you got summer vacations, you published the song, and made a concert in a Stadium.
That day was a bit stressful, there was TOO MUCH people in the campus, your suit was too tight, your make up felt heavy, but you were not leaving this.
You sang a few songs before the main could be presented, Mizu was in the VIP zone with her friends, she was excited to be there, to admire you.
“Picture me, thick as thieves with your ex-wife.” You cooed, you left hand was on a chair and the other holding the mic, your boot tracing an oval in the floor, and the flashes were pointing at you, it was your peak.
“And she looks so pretty. ” Your body turned a bit at the side, your leg stumped so hard on the chair anyone could hear it “Driving in your Benz.”
“Lately she's been dressing for revenge.” Then, your free hand passed through your body from your chest to your mount venus, your expression was the same of an orgasm, you let out a little moan, seductively, the public went crazy, screaming and getting wild.
From mizu's pov, when you released the new album, she listened to all of the songs, and played them on streaming apps everytime she could.
When she heard this one, she immediately downloaded it, it became her favorite, she never told you, but she was loving it.
But, listening close to the lyrics she realized You were talking about her and what she told you.
She would be shock first, then a bit angry because you took her situation just to make money, to see it like “Omg so (y/n) made this for me”
She felt harder for you.
When she was watching you at the stage, she couldn't stop feeling a warm spot on her core, her cheeks getting hot and her lip getting bitten.
You looked really good in that suit, it made you look sensual.
After the show, Mizu went on backstage and hugged you so hard, then, you both looked into each other's eyes, connecting souls, Mizu was so focused on you, your body, your face, your escense. She was honestly in love with the idea of you.
Relationship Headcannons.
When she confesses to you, she does it in a casual moment.
Just imagine the two of you super cozy in the couch, watching a movie, then, you make visual contact, and then kiss.
She wouldn't say “Im in love with you”. But she'd let you know, cause' when you know, you know.
She would give you a bouquet of flowers with a “I want to be your girlfriend” note. When you receive it, you'll nod at her and kiss her passionately, your heart going faster.
Since then, you wouldn't use your bedroom to sleep anymore, you would sleep with her every night, and every night is kissing and cuddling, if not, hugging and laughing, if not, just smiling at you, but Mizu is not letting you go anywhere.
She's too obsessive with you, to the point she would know when do you poop and when you get hungry.
Your first dates are private and in public just holding hands.
When you make it official, you let a paparazzi take a picture of you sitting in Mizu's legs while kissing, her hand on your ass.
Or maybe, it would be like the Kylie Kenner and Travis photo, where you're kissing at a party or sum place and Mizu realizes someone's taking a picture, so she does the middle finger thing.
Anyways, your relationship is hugely healthy, she's always working on making you feel relaxed and fine.
She also learns how to play guitar just to help you with your songs (like in Enchanted from Taylor Swift or Brooklyn Baby from LDR)
She's too private when it comes to arguments and problems. She's not letting anyone in your relationship, she always solve it when you're home.
She's always marking territory, with a hand on your waist or holding your hand. If she feels jealous she'll kiss you right there.
Mizu is the type of girlfriend that loves to talk to you with the eyes since she's bad at talking, be prepared for that.
Sometimes she will not be in the best mood. Mizu can avoid you for days and getting more distant if you insist on asking her why. She needs her space too.
If you're patient and stay by her side without being too dependient, you'll have her head over heels.
Always supporting you on the stage.
Always taking care of you and protecting you.
Always loving you.
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post-it-notes7 · 8 months
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oh man mir arthur really does just willingly breed paranoia in his organization doesn't he haha - based on this comic it seems like mir arthur is even able to create Audible illusions which is something I didn't realize before. What limitations if any does he have, can he extend his range to environments and so forth? (Even if he can't I imagine getting everyone to double guess the limits of his ability is probably something he encourages to keep everyone on their toes lol (also really loving the continuation of the comics insanity it always brightens my day!))
Aha, he really is a fan of misdirection, I'm glad you picked up on some of those smaller details, anon :)
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He does have some limits! When Mir Arthur speaks with someone else's voice, he's actually adjusting his own voice to mimic them! He tends to avoid talking when he can if he's masquerading around as someone else, as he can only mimic a voice if he's actually heard it before (and preferably multiple times if he's going to do it at length). Optical illusions are his specialty, meaning if someone's paying close enough attention, they might be able to spot a discrepancy between what they see and what they hear (ex: seeing a hand mirror shut without hearing a click) and figure it out. Fooling the other senses isn't something he can really fudge without help.
He has two primary ways to cast his illusions! He can fix them onto things, almost like drawing a curtain over the object, and freely walk away (though it'll start to unravel over time and can get ripped away through magical means). Or, he can actively generate an illusion around himself that can change and shift at will (these are usually much stronger, confined to his space, and take more effort and energy on his part). His range depends on how large, complex, and adaptable the illusion is. The more detail, the more concentration it takes, and the less distance he can cover.
In the rare event he completely exhausts himself, he'll be unable to generate any new illusions for a while (though any that he's previously fixed in place won't be greatly affected)
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Even he isn't immune to nap time.
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perenial · 9 months
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gene im so glad you said this cause I haven't seen anyone else comparing it to the book as source material for like character and tone but i am So sure that if terry was alive the season would not be like this but i fear good omens fans dont realise how big a factor the lack of terry's influence is?? or like they forget that good omens was never just neilman???
ok before i go any further: i rly don't want to detract from anyone's enjoyment of the season and everything im going to say comes from a place of love for a) the original novel (& season 1 to a certain extent bc it got me back into it lol) and b) tv as a medium so like peace and love on planet let people enjoy things etc etc
but
like u said, terry's influence on the book was enormous – what makes gomens gomens is the balance of his genuine warmth and precise understanding of humanity tempered with neilman's sardonic voice and general like.....savvy approach to storytelling? i guess u could call it? anyway what rly helps the book is that it took them years to write it, passing ideas back and forth and rewriting each other's work until their voices blended seamlessly and a well structured capital-s Story was created. when i praise the book for being self-contained i think a huge part of that comes from the circumstances in which it emerged: two authors with complementary styles writing in a v particular time period where they had both the space to play with their ideas and the constraints of the novel as a storytelling format from which to craft something extremely specific.
adaptations are a tricky business and a tv version of gomens produced literal decades after the book was always going to have some unique challenges, but i don't think that's a bad thing bc the challenges could prove to be creative opportunities to take both the established audience and those new to the story by surprise. my biggest hot take here is that i don't think translating a story into a different medium means it has to follow the original narrative exactly, bc each medium has its own ways of communicating information and these structures, rules and traditions in turn inform what that story is. what matters more than following a story beat-by-beat is capturing what that story is about at its core, what themes and messages and ideas it works through and how.
all this is to say i never expected tv gomens to be a perfect reproduction of the book and if it had it been, it probably would have been worse off for it. that being said, there are parts of the book – like u said, its tone and character – that needed to have some fidelity in order to pull it off, and for the most part s1 did that bc it was still working predominantly within the bounds of the novel & its core ideas. while i did have some issues w how neilman & amazon adapted some details and characterisations, i generally rly liked s1 – it reminded me of why i loved the book and it was just generally fun to watch.
s2 was. not that fun to watch
a few positives before i go ham w the critiques:
the hair & makeup + costumes were fantastic (although i feel like s1 was slightly better re: makeup?)
the sound design & score made some of the more awkward scenes bearable and thats no mean feat imo
david & michael gave incredible performances w what they were given – michael especially managed to salvage aziraphale enough that his complete 180 didnt feel completely tonally dissonant (more on this later)
the detail of the sets is NUTS and i genuinely want to see more of hell bc of how intricate and fun the props look
i actually like gabriel/beelzebub!! their getting together montage worked for me, although they could have spent sliiiightly more time establishing what it is they like abt each other so much + why gabriel wanted to stop armageddon 2.0 so suddenly
the opening scene, although not on par w the novel's & s1's, was visually gorgeous and thematically resonant (although neilman owes me royalties for ripping it off from this shitty fic i wrote back when raphael!crowley was all the rage lol)
now w THAT being said:
like i said yesterday, the pacing was fucking awful. flashbacks are hard to work w at the best of times and the way they were used in this season felt so needless, especially the 40s one in ep 4 that takes up like 90% of the episode. in both flashbacks + present day there were scenes that dragged for no real reason, dialogue that looped back around on itself to stretch out the runtime, and weirdly enough places where there should have been character & plot work where there just,, wasn't any?? for example, maggie & nina's night locked in the café – some parts of the dialogue in later episodes made out that they'd had some rly deep conversation abt how they feel about each other or even that they'd had an affair, but that isn't clear from those scenes in the café. i'm not saying we had to see that conversation in its entirety but that there needed to be more connective details – either in dialogue or direction – that gave that part of the story coherence.
(there were pacing issues w the editing too but i don't want to jump down the editor's throats on this one bc im more focused on writing & direction issues)
the second major problem that i mentioned in my tags yesterday is the protagonist shift, which is an issue that started in s1. aziraphale & crowley are side characters in book gomens – significant ones, yeah, but still somewhat peripheral to adam (& anathema who counts as a deuteragonist imo). this works incredibly well w who they are as characters: they're Just Some Guys who happen to be involved in this epic biblical-level bureaucratic nightmare and importantly, they don't want to be in the spotlight. the arrangement was created so that they could explore what it meant to be themselves away from the Big Narrative; literally any time they get involved in larger affairs is bc the plot is alive and caught them unionising on company time. the last fucking chapter is adam (& god) being like haha u guys are alright keep it sleezy and letting them go. like. hello. neil u let them go.
but then!! tv gomens s1 does something interesting at the end w the body swapping addition that i dont totally hate – it gives aziraphale & crowley the extra bit of character work that brings them slightly more adjacent to their book selves. see i kinda view tv a/c as the younger, less settled versions of book a/c; they're still caught up in the immediacy of being key players and haven't fully realised that earth is their home. i haven't watched s1 in a while but one scene i remember rly clearly is crowley throwing all those astronomy texts in the air and angsting abt when he was an angel; i remember it bc his anguish in that scene feels a lot newer and rawer than book crowley's feelings about falling. when tv a/c do their bodyswap, it gives them the chance to land a blow against heaven/hell in a way that solidifies their allegiance to earth in a way that more closely resembles what book a/c have been abt the entire time (still adjacent, though. not parallel).
the reason why this works is that it does one final pivot to orient aziraphale and crowley as almost-main characters in a manner that makes sense in relation to a) their book selves and b) the position the tv show has placed them in. a combination of factors made tv a/c feel a lot less mature than their book counterparts but at the end of s1 they're sort of facing the same direction the book ended in, albeit through their own flashy late 2010s means.
when s2 was announced i was.......apprehensive bc to me, that felt like a satisfactory ending. i get the impression that amazon saw how wildly successful the adaptation was and was like oh shit we could make way more money out of this and neilman, having all those undead darlings that he and terry killed in the process of whittling the book into a workable novel, jumped at the chance to resurrect all those half-realised ideas. but not only were those ideas probably discarded for a reason, they've either been laying in wait for years unworked or they're new inventions, which means they weren't molded in the way that the book had been. like i said before, book gomens underwent years of rewrites and creative collaboration, and i think that process was what made it so good; s2 didn't have that. even if some of terry's ideas made it into s2, his influence is still missing bc he and neilman weren't in dialogue the same way they were in the book (and in some ways s1 bc i know terry was involved in the process of adapting gomens to screen before his death).
i don't think it's a case of newer fans forgetting terry so much as it is the context of terry's involvement being so removed from the current circumstances that certain aspects & discourses (i.e. is the s2 finale queerbaiting (no), does binge watching change the viewership experience (yes), etc etc) about the show overshadow other discussions that would usually be taking place. and before anyone says it's a case of neilman forgetting terry, i definitely don't think it's that either bc thats. yknow. wildly disrespectful. but also there are larger systems and structures at play than one writer no matter how much beef i have w him and his decisions, bc ultimately he's just one guy (a powerful and wealthy guy, but just a guy) and there's a wider cultural shift happening rn towards rehashing old stories without understanding what made them successful in the first place, and that same culture just doesn't allow for much, if any, constructive discourse analysis
so yeah
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marley-manson · 9 months
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Could you expand on your dislike for the Raphael!Crowley headcanon? I'm fairly certain I know why but your meta posts are always so thoughtful and articulate and I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic
Thank you, I really appreciate it! And fwiw I always enjoy reading your thoughts as well!
And yeah I'm happy to! I mean first I should say that I don't actually like, hate-hate it in fanfic, it's not like an instant back-button for me if it comes up, and I feel like I've seen one or two fics after season 1 where I thought it was fine and it didn't take me out of the story.
But yeah in general I just don't like Crowley being special lol. I like the book vibe where Crowley and Aziraphale are just two... not quite nobodies, given their roles in Eden and the spy allegory of the present day, but certainly not particularly powerful or impressive demon/angels. Crowley and Aziraphale's "superpowers," such as they are, are just their adaptability thanks to living on Earth so long. That's what defines them compared to the rest of Hell and Heaven and sets them apart as uniquely capable of giving a fuck and doing something about the apocalypse. Eg Hastur and Ligur are explicitly more powerful than Crowley, but Crowley escapes them by the skin of his teeth because he's able to break convention by weaponizing holy water, and he's familiar with technology, and more capable of thinking on his feet in general.
I like that all their uniqueness comes from living on Earth with humanity. It resonates with the thematic core of the story, it's fun, and it's interesting. Crowley now being able to perform super impressive miracles and casually resurrect people (something presumably not every angel can do since Aziraphale can't resurrect Edinburgh girl) and read heaven's secret files and potentially stop time in season 1 because he's a former archangel diminishes that vibe to me.
Another con of Raphael!Crowley as a headcanon is that a lot of the time, ime, it feels similar to lost scion of royalty headcanons in other fandoms in an unpleasant way - the way that kind of leans into the idea of someone being inherently superior and worth more by birth (or creation I guess in an angel's case lol). I don't think this is necessarily inherent to the headcanon, or an aspect I think Gaiman will definitely emphasize, but there is that worry lol, especially considering how gary stu-ish Crowley felt to me this season.
Like, why is him being a former archangel meaningful or significant at all? Why does the headcanon exist? What makes Raphael!Crowley different enough from Random Angel #2398!Crowley that it's even brought up as a character detail or plot point that excites people? And I'm not implying that there are no valid reasons (eg exploring why a high ranking angel specifically would fall, or to add some drama for Aziraphale if he finds out and it matters to him, or to add drama between Crowley and the other archangels, etc), but quite often the vibe I get from this headcanon is that Crowley's just inherently more interesting and cool if he used to be a high ranking angel instead of some rando, which is a vibe that puts me off.
Ultimately I just tend to prefer mundane origins to surprise significant origins, and stories about average people (at least in their own context, as angels or w/e) moulded by life who make interesting plot-driving choices rather than inherently unique and special people. And Crowley being Raphael doesn't necessarily make him special, but it does lean in that direction, especially if it's treated as a surprise significant reveal and yk, a source of superpowers.
And to be fair I actually have been thinking about directions this concept could go in season 3 that wouldn't annoy me, and one is to emphasize that archangels aren't inherently special at all and it's an arbitrary designation, and Crowley doesn't give a shit and anyone who does (like other archangels or w/e) is going to be painted as naive and silly and too into hierarchies.
And/or, yk, emphasize that "Anthony Crowley" is emphatically NOT Raphael, regardless of who God created him as. Choose your own destiny. All that jazz. Especially if the Metatron is offering him angelhood again I could see former identity and status being brought into play and held up as extra significant by the antagonists and treated as something to be shut down and dismissed by the narrative, which I would enjoy.
So yeah, at the end of the day I just prefer Crowley as just some guy who happened to get the Earth Agent assignment, rather than the mysterious only fallen archangel.
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lloydfrontera · 6 months
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this is like. so non-important compared to all my other grievances with the webcomic but like. the reasons kim hyunsoo gives for changing javier's hair from silver to mint. lol. lmao even.
they're so,, lazy,,,,
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that sounds like a skill issue my dude :/
i mean the novel illustrations did it perfectly well imo
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'but nali' i hear you say 'those are novel illustrations, where there's only one drawing per chapter. of course it's more difficult to do in a webcomic'
and sure. you're right. it's very different in a webcomic. in fact i am almost certain that no webcomic has ever had a protagonist with silver hair.
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not a single webcomic ever has done that before. truly. a completely unrealistic expectation to have.
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really it's not like silver hair is one of the most popular tropes in manhwa and almost every other webcomic has one of those
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clearly. this was a completely impossible thing to ask of an adaptation. it's not like it's one of the most iconic parts of our protagonist's design. it's not like it's mentioned almost every single time javier is onscreen.
really. what a truly necessary change.
which. speaking of.
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now, correct me if i'm wrong. but shouldn't your deuteragonist, the very first character your character meets, your second main character's design,,, more important than a secondary character that isn't introduced like,,, more than a hundred episodes later???
like. i don't think we even get told what color lloyd's hair is. but god does the novel mention that habiel has silver hair every five minutes.
i'm sorry i just think that if you're gonna adapt something the very least thing you could do is try to be faithful to one of the very few character descriptions we ever get! especially that of your goddamn main character!
how come a secondary character takes precedence over him?? why not change that character's hair color then???
and even then. if your character design skills suck so much that two characters having the same hair color is enough to make them look too similar perhaps there's a bigger problem here.
i just,,,, i am almost certain i know what character he's speaking of. maybe even two characters. hell maybe even three. but fucking guess what. the webnovel illustrations already did designs for those characters. it gave them all silver hair. and there was No Issue at all because their designs were so distinct from one another that at no point was there any doubt of who was who. because that's what good character design is about.
like. that's such a stupid reason oh my godddd if you're gonna pull that bs then what's your excuse for all those other characters with brown hair. are you not worried they're gonna overlap because their hair color is the same. i mean you made silurian's brown hair darker so now it matches like 90% of your background characters. do their design not overlap like that.
i'm just!! it's such a stupid thing to get mad about!! especially when there's far more egregious changes being made but like!! it just,,, it shows the kind of attitude the people adapting tged into a webcomic have towards the source material
it's not about the hair color. i mean it is but there's more to it. it's about how the artists feel comfortable disregarding parts of the novel and canon because it's more convenient to them. it's about how they prefer to focus on unimportant stuff that gets them a few laughs rather than put a little bit of effort into getting their characters right. it's about how they waste entire panels into making ugly faces and repetitive jokes rather than take a bit of time to get the hair color of their protagonist correctly.
it is,, disappointing i guess :/
and because i'm petty. here.
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that's literally it. that's all kim hyunsoo had to do. it's such a tiny detail and yet. couldn't be bothered to get it right lol
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mdzs-fanon-exposed · 4 months
Text
MDZS Fanon VS Canon: 2/?
Wen Ning fits Jiang Cheng's list of requirements for a wife
Rating: FANON – NEUTRAL
A lot of ships involving Jiang Cheng will use a list detailing the characteristics of his ideal woman as evidence for one pairing for another, and the character brought to me to evaluate as a suitable match was Wen Ning. Unfortunately, I have to rate this as fanon because Jiang Cheng's wife requirements... aren't canon to the novels.
In terms of the official adaptations, Jiang Cheng's requirements for his perfect wife seem to be Untamed-only canon, as part of the Jiang Cheng/Wen Qing subplot the drama invented. However, the MDZS Fandom Wiki (which, side note, is a horrible source for anything) credits the following list of requirements to a since-deleted Tumblr post:
Naturally beautiful, graceful and obedient, hard-working and thrifty, coming from a respected family, cultivation level not too high, personality not too strong, not too talkative, voice not too loud and must treat Jin Ling nicely. (source)
Using the Wayback Machine, I managed to find the original Tumblr post in question (seen here). According to the user who posted it, this is a translated excerpt from a Weibo post written by MXTX herself, listing 10 supplemental facts about the books – supposedly posted a year before The Untamed was first announced.
I do not have Weibo and cannot verify this claim, but regardless, I do not consider "word of God" to be canon for the purposes of this blog. Whatever MXTX's intentions were when writing this list, Jiang Cheng's requirements are not mentioned anywhere in the actual text, and so I cannot rate this suggestion as anything but fanon. You, the reader, are free to choose whether you think MXTX's supplemental material is canon-accurate.
As for Wen Ning himself: Canonically, Jiang Cheng "could never tolerate" him (Seven Seas Ch. 19, p. 251), and so unfortunately this ship cannot officially sail. Even if Wen Ning does fit every entry on this list, Jiang Cheng would not consider him a prospective match. I do not consider the list canon, and so any attempts to figure out if Wen Ning fits the letter of the list (if not the spirit) can not be anything but subjective.
But, well, this post is about the list itself, not Jiang Cheng's feelings about it. So while I'm here, I might as well have some fun with it.... Feel free to use the notes to debate whether or not you think Wen Ning is secretly right for Jiang Cheng's dubiously-canon standards.
Naturally beautiful: Wen Ning is ADORABLE and I LOVE HIM. You can't look at him and NOT call him cute; even Wei Wuxian thinks his "side profile [is] delicate and refined" (Seven Seas Ch. 12, p. 141). Would Jiang Cheng think this? Um,
Graceful and obedient: He's pretty meek and he's described as a yes-man (Seven Seas Ch. 16, p. 22), and he does what Wei Wuxian says a lot (under magical flute coercion or otherwise), but he can be pretty stubborn when he wants to be. I wouldn't call him falling off a roof "graceful," but I suppose that was after he was zombified.
Hard-working and thrifty: Yes – I can't imagine he got all those Wen subordinates by being completely lazy. And if anything he's kind of the pack horse for the Burial Mounds crew lol.
Coming from a respected family: Technically? Yes. The Wens have historically been a powerful and influential family, and Wen Ning is the younger brother of someone of "a rank on par with Wen Chao" (Seven Seas Ch. 12, p. 148). Functionally? Uhhhh
Cultivation level not too high: This one is debatable, but probably a yes. We don't receive much information about Wen Ning's cultivation level, since his fighting prowess isn't really plot-relevant until he dies, but he is described as "unremarkable" in comparison to Wen Qing. Just like, in general, I guess. (Seven Seas Ch. 12, p. 149)
Personality not too strong: See #2. I would say yes with some caveats. Especially (and ironically) when Jiang Cheng is involved.
Not too talkative/voice not too loud: Also a match! Wen Ning stutters a lot and doesn't really raise his voice unless he's angry, so he's pretty quiet. Remember that time he and wangxian were on that boat and Wei Wuxian straight up didn't notice him for like five minutes? Poor guy. Can you believe this happened to him twice.
Must treat Jin Ling nicely: Do we count murdering his dad? Because if we don't, then Wen Ning treats Jin Ling very nicely. He even saves his life multiple times!
In conclusion: ?????????
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crackedpumpkin · 1 year
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|| ᴏʙʟɪᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴘᴛ. ꜰᴏᴜʀ || 2k12! ᴅᴏɴɴɪᴇ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ||
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a/n: Hello hello, and welcome to the final part of Oblivious! :) It's very delayed and a teensy bit rushed, and I apologise for that. I've been so busy with work, studying, and planning for my trip to Korea that I've been neglecting some of my writing lately. I'm currently backlogging chapters for various fics, so my good friend @theblindhag(Hey I know this is super last minute but can you help me out lol)) can help me post them when I'm overseas!
Thank you guys for loving this mini-series I continued from kite-anon's initial request. Kite anon, if you're seeing this, look at the legacy you've left behind lololol :) Enjoy!
[ 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ]
“What do you think?”
You do a quick spin in the knee-length sundress you’ve just tried on, April humming in thought before giving you a thumbs up and a wide smile. You grin in response, giving yourself a glance over in the mirror.
“Do you think he’ll like it?”
“He’d be an idiot.” April snorts, dismissing your concerns with a simple wave of her hand. You giggle at her remark, doing one last twirl before nodding with a satisfied smile. You like the design and might even dare say that you look relatively pretty.
You pay for the dress, leaving the store with a quick thanks to the staff who assisted you both earlier. “I guess this was a successful hangout,” April says, handing you your shopping bag with the dress inside, transferring her own into her left hand so it won’t bump against your legs while the both of you walk.
“So, who’s this guy you’re going on a date with?” April hums with a teasing glint in her eyes. You hit her shoulder lightly with a playful scoff. 
“I see, so this was all so you could get the details outta me.” 
“Can’t help it if I'm curious.” She shrugs nonchalantly in response. “So? Who’s the lucky guy?”
“...Josh…”
“Which one? We have too many in our school. I swear, it’s like a plague.” She mutters.
You hesitate. “Josh Curtis.”
She gasps. “From Chemistry class?”
You nod with a sheepish smile, her wide eyes drawing a chuckle out of you. “I heard that he had a crush on someone in our class. Turns out it was you!” She gives you an impressed nod.
You laugh, pink tinting your cheeks as you shake your head. “I’m probably not them. I barely even speak to him.” You spot a cafe up ahead, relieved by a change in subject. “Didn’t you say you were craving a croissant? I’m starving. Let’s eat!”
April lets it slide with a raised brow and knowing smile, following you inside the quiet cafe. You order a latte and sandwich for yourself, along with a croissant and Diet Coke for April. You insist on paying since April took time out of her schedule to help you shop for your date.
You both sit in a secluded corner of the cafe, your phone vibrating in your pocket. You grab it, confused when you see the black screen. Ah. You reach into your pocket again, pulling out the T-Phone and answering the call without looking.
“What’s crackin’?”
“Not much, just wondering when you were gonna come over and pick up your jacket before your date.” 
You pause, speechless, when you realise it’s Donnie on the other end. You fumble for words, April watching your visibly stressed state with an amused grin. Ever since that day when you had asked to go back to how the both of you were before, he had resumed as if nothing had happened.
Sometimes you catch the little forlorn glances he gives you, brushing it off as guilt for not accepting your feelings. It was a little off-putting, though, how quickly Donnie had adapted to it. Sure, you’re the one who suggested pretending as if the whole heartbreak thing never happened, but he was getting over it quicker than you expected.
You frown slightly. He could’ve at least pretended to be affected.
“My jacket?”
“Yeah, I helped you wash it. Getting the tomato stain out was a little hard, but I figured something out.”
You huff with a thankful smile, running your fingers through your hair. “Thanks, Don. You didn’t have to.” You say gratefully. 
“Don’t worry about it. It’s no problem,” He replies with a chuckle. You feel your heart stutter ever-so-slightly, ignoring the sensation. It’s nothing to think about.
“I’ll swing by in a while, just gotta get ready for tonight’s date.” You glance at the clock, relieved when you realise there’s more than enough time to prepare. The server comes with the food you’ve ordered, and you thank him quickly before taking a sip of your latte.
“Alright, see ya then!” He hangs up promptly after his cheerful goodbye, and you lower the phone once the monotonous dial tone reaches your ears.
“So, how’s it going with you and Donnie?” 
You choke on your coffee, coughing as you process the sudden question. April hands you some tissues, gently patting your back as she waits for your response. Your coughs finally subside, looking back up once you pull yourself together.
“It’s going fine. We’re back to being friends now.” You say calmly. Well, as calm as you can be after choking on your drink.
“Are you happy?”
You flinch. You hesitate, looking down at your cup and nibbling on your lip as you think of how to respond. It’s not that you aren’t happy. You had Donnie back as a friend and recently hung out with the rest of the boys. You even had a date!
So why do you feel like something’s missing?
You shake your head, ridding yourself of such thoughts. 
You’re happy.
You are.
You have to be, right?
“I am,” You reply confidently, though the hint of uncertainty in your words says otherwise.
“Okay then,” She begins to eat her croissant. You smirk, an idea forming in your mind for some payback. You take another casual sip of your latte, setting it down and readying your ammunition.
“So, I heard that Jones asked you out in the hallway.”
You grin as she chokes.
— — — — — — — — —
“What’s crackin’?” You greet Mikey with a fist bump as he skates past you, making your way to Donnie’s lab after Mikey hollers his greetings in response.
You pause for a moment, taking a deep breath before you push the lab doors open. You hate how you still have to do that every single time, nervousness crawling around in your stomach like a worm about to consume its very first apple.
Donnie turns around, about to greet you, before his jaw goes slack, lips parted as he stares at you. You flush, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear before subtly checking for any dirt on the dress you had bought. Was your makeup smudged? You’re pretty sure it isn’t. 
You straighten your back, coming to your senses. Why were you even concerned about what Donnie thought? You’re happy with how you look. 
You do a quick spin with a confident smile. “What do you think?” 
As if your voice snaps Donnie out of his daze, he clears his throat, averting his gaze and nodding. “I-it looks good. You look good.” He stutters slightly, shifting to grab your jacket. 
You take it with a grateful smile. You hear him swallow thickly when your eyes meet, taking the jacket from his hands. 
It couldn’t be…could it?
Nah, it’s probably nothing.
“Thanks for all the flashcards, Donnie,” You add, pulling out the stack of conversation starters from your purse and handing them back to him. He takes it from you with a simple nod and grin, seemingly having composed himself.
“I hope you have fun on your date. Make sure you get back safe and stay away from the trouble hotspots that I warned you about. Call me if you need anything, and if it gets chilly, make sure you wear your jacket. If he tries to pull anything, just let me know, and he’ll never see the light of day again. Do you have enough money for the cab fare, just in case-”
“I’ll be fine, Donnie.” You cut him off with a laugh. “If anything happens, you’ll be the first I’ll call,” You promise with a playful wink. 
“No,” He sighs, shaking his head. “I’ll accompany you there from the rooftops, just in case.”
— — — — — — — — —
The walk to the cinema is quiet. 
You cast a glance at Donnie, who’s walking beside you, eyes skimming over the way the skin between his eyes furrows as his lips purse into a slight frown. You lick your dry lips, glancing back down at your hands. 
“So,” You try to break the silence, tilting your head with a smile. “How’s it going?”
“Mmhm.”
“You good?”
“Mmhm.”
“You want some pineapple pizza?”
“Mmhm.”
You stop in your tracks. Donnie doesn’t notice, too engrossed in his thoughts. You prop your hands on your hips, brows furrowed in growing concern for your friend. “I got attacked by a Kraang last night.”
“Mmhm,” He hums again but pauses, rapidly blinking once he processes your words. “You got attacked by the Kraang?” His voice is filled with disbelief, hurrying back over to you and gently taking your wrists. He lifts them with worry, checking your arms for any bruises or scrapes.
You watch him for a moment, slowly placing your hands back down. He looks back at you with an uncertain gaze, breath stuttering when you look up at him with glitter-dusted eyelids, the subtle shimmer making the colour of your eyes pop.
You chuckle. “No, silly. You just looked so distracted. I figured this would be the only way to snap you out of it.” You spot the cinema up ahead and quicken your pace, wanting to avoid whatever awkwardness this entire exchange is.
“Well, I’ll update you on what happens,” You say, hands grazing the cool metal of the fire escape’s railings. You risk a look at him, only to find that he’s already staring. 
Neither of you looks away.
The beep of your phone signals a message, serving as a medium for you to snap out of whatever the hell this staring contest is. You clear your throat, checking your phone to see a message from your date for tonight. 
“Well, looks like I gotta go.” 
You begin to walk down the stairs, but you’re stopped by a hand grasping your elbow. You turn back, looking into conflicted auburn brown eyes. You raise your brows, waiting for Donnie to speak first. 
“I- uh,” He stammers, eyes darting all over the place. His hands are clammy, and you could easily tug your arm away from him.
But you choose not to, waiting patiently in silence. 
He’s scrambling for words to form a coherent sentence, and the corner of your lips tugs up into an amused smirk. If you didn’t know better, you’d have assumed that he’s trying to confess to you or something along those lines.
But there’s no way, obviously. 
 “It’s nothing.” he finally says, meeting your gaze with a newfound resolve. You’re surprised by the sudden change in attitude, your arm falling to your side when he lets go. You’re…oddly disappointed. 
“Okay…” Your steps are unsure, casting another look over your shoulder every few steps, almost as if you’re waiting for him to call you back – to stop you. Once you’re at the bottom, however, you look back up at the shadowed figure on the rooftop, watching him turn and leave the way you came. 
Your heart grows heavier with each step away, glancing back into the empty alleyway before taking a deep breath and standing upright, rolling your shoulders back. You couldn’t have a date like this. It’d be disrespectful. You enter the cinema, looking around for Josh. 
“Hey,” You greet Josh with a warm smile, walking up to the blonde head of hair you spot easily in the crowd. He moves away from the wall he’s leaning against, sliding his phone into his jacket pocket. 
“Hey,” He grins, handing you a small bouquet of flowers. It looked clumsy, the ribbon slightly messy. It looked handmade. His eyes are anxious, seeking yours for some form of validation. 
“Josh…” It’s too sweet of him, really. Your heart melts at the flush on his cheeks, accepting the flowers with a bashful smile. You take a moment to admire them, fingers brushing against the delicate petals. You look back at him, realising he’d dressed up for today.
He coughs, adjusting the collar of his shirt with a nervous smile. “Shall we?” He offers his arm out to you. You glance back at the entrance, your smile faltering when you remember Donnie’s gone. However, those thoughts are banished from your mind with a quick shake of your head.
You take Josh’s arm, and the both of you chat away as you walk to the theatre hall where the movie’s showing. The date is relatively peaceful, and you find yourself enjoying every moment. Josh is sweet, kind, and everything you could ever want.
But he’s not Donnie.
That in itself is enough to bring on a crushing weight on your chest, finding it hard to continue brushing off the wistful glances and goofy smiles Josh sends your way. Finally, the date ends where it began, having made casual conversation in the cafe next to the cinema’s entrance. 
Now’s the hardest part.
“Josh…Listen,” You’re caught off guard when he smiles, eyes hinting at the fact that he knows what’s about to be said. His hand rubs the back of his neck, a soft chuckle falling from his lips. 
Honest and sincere blue eyes meet yours, and the words die in your throat. But he nods, a silent encouragement for you to continue. God, how could you do this to someone so sweet? 
“I’m sorry,” You start, cheeks burning in shame. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done, and I really hope we can continue to be friends still… Would that be okay…?” 
He’s silent for a moment. “Sure. I’d like that.” He replies breathlessly, though his words are resigned. Your heart feels as if it’s torn in two, but he catches your eyes, smiling lightheartedly. “He must really be something, huh.”
“Yeah.” You manage a nod. 
“Well, I hope everything works out for you. You can keep the flowers, by the way.” He gestures at the bouquet you’ve placed on the table. “They made you smile, and I’m happy enough with that.”
If you didn’t already feel horrible for turning down a gentleman like him, you definitely feel awful now. “Thank you. I enjoyed today.”
He stands up, hands in his pockets as he flashes you a grin.
“No problem.”
— — — — — — — — —
He wants to stop you. To tell you never to go near this ‘Josh’ guy ever again. 
He pauses, steps slowing to a halt when he sees you smiling at something the attractive boy beside you quips. 
This is wrong.
You didn’t have a thing for blue eyes. You preferred earthy tones. You preferred him.
Donnie watches you wave goodbye, walking past the alleyway he’s hiding in. You’re a few steps away from passing it. His heart stings in his chest, sucking in a harsh breath through his teeth with a wince. 
You’re about to leave.
He feels nauseous. His stomach lurches slightly, the sensation enough to make him feel horrible. He didn’t understand why he felt this way, only that he was sure he’d lose you forever if he let you go now.
He doesn’t know what overcomes him, vaguely registering hurried steps, his arms reaching out to you. You turn at that exact moment, catching a glimpse of him in the corner of your eyes before he sees his hand wrap around your wrist.
You’re tugged back, falling into Donnie’s arms as your back presses against his plastron. Your breath hitches in your chest at the sudden contact. You don’t dare to look behind you. 
You’re scared of what you’ll see. 
You feel him inhale shakily, his warm breath sending tingles down your spine. His fingers curl around your wrist, holding it firmly. His touch is electrifying, but you dare not break the silence. 
Your cheeks warm when he moves to wrap his arms around you, holding you flush against him. You can’t take it anymore; you’re sure your face is the exact colour of the traffic light only a few feet away. 
You part your lips, afraid to let even a single word slip past them. Maybe your voice will come out shaky. You swallow thickly, willing your heart to stop beating so goddamn loudly in your chest. You hesitate.
“Donnie?”
— — — — — — — — —
tags:
@cowabunga101
@urfavarab
@mellytumbles
@etherealyblue
@shakeyourtrees
@theblindhag
@mikavoltron
@creat0r-cat
@gingerdraw-blog
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natalchartnurtures · 6 months
Text
Mars Be Down to Earth
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Note: This post might not give you anything new if you're at an intermediate or advanced level of being on the astrology wildride :p
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Earth Mars, on a good day: "I've nailed the art of deliberate moves. I go through my day with a solid purpose and a sprinkle of precision. I act, grounded in Earth's wisdom—that's the secret to my 'it' life"
Why?- So, we step into the cool world of Earth Mars. The Earth element is known for its steadfastness and its mastery of making what I refer to as 'money moves'. Because Earth is their turf; that's what they know like the back of their hand. It's their arena, and we're just hanging out in it, you know? I love admiring these creatures simply existing in their habitat. I learn a lot from them because I barely have any Earth in my birth chart at all, lol.
But yeah—Earth energy is all about being practical, grounded, and reliable, kind of like standing on solid ground, really. This Mars crew has a solid drive for the material world, finding fulfillment in real, concrete accomplishments. This is because they understand the tangible world like none of the other elements can. It's their superpower. They have the potential to realize their manifesting potential if they choose to align with it. They stand to be master manifestors and can teach it to the rest of us peasants as well.
There are a couple of ways, out of the infinite ways, it could manifest.
It could show up as a patient persistence, a (extremely sexy) dedication towards whatever it is you desire to have in your life. Plus, you probably dig channeling your energy into creative and sensory experiences, wink wink because you've got standards and love being comfortable. You could be interested in the idea of lasting success over instant gratification. in which case, good for you, Taurus Mars. You're already better than most of us on days when you're feeling yourself. If you can harness this power of yours, you stand to create successes that most people can ONLY dream of achieving. Your methodical approach to most things in life allows you to map out a plan to realize any dream—honestly, any god-loving dream out there. With your step-by-step strategic approach and action, you could go places, kid.
Now, if disciplined ambition, hard work, action rooted in wisdom, and endurance got thrown into a pot, the resulting concoction would be none other than a Capricorn Mars. Honestly, it's crazy how this sign tames the flames of Mars to bring out a more mature and sophisticated version of the fiery energies of Mars. Mars here isn't as prone to being impulsive, resulting in all its energetic impulses getting funneled into pure goal-oriented action, on a good day at least. It's the marriage of bold initiation and relentless hard work. What do you think the child of this is going to turn out to be? Legendary success? If you guessed that, you'd be correct. Efficiency might as well be this Mars' middle name here, and really its all about, in wise words, getting shit done. It's reliable, driven, capable, and acutely aware of what it takes to bring a desire about. It's honestly deliciously sexy to watch y'all do your thing. Keep going, you hot ass baddies. Show us what you're made of :]
Imagine Mars playing chess. If you did, you probably caught the essence of Virgo Mars. Smart, fast-thinking, doesn't miss the details and perfection-striving, Mars here is quite a force to be reckoned with. Mars goes for nothing but precision and will achieve it no matter how long. You guys will analyze the living crap out of any of your mistakes, which allows you to learn from them in a deeper way and make some pretty efficient changes to your overall plan to get where you need to go. Y'all are adaptable like that, which is quite impressive—it's great decision-making. Another thing about Mars here is that Virgo bestows a service-oriented mindset to the natives having this Mars, which, in turn, makes y'all humble-ass badasses, which is ridiculously amazing. OMG. Also, y'all enjoy taking care of your physical bodies and well-being, and it shows! Y'all love looking the part as you're kicking ass on your good days. This energy commands respect in a quiet way, which is low-key some big-dick energy. Love it!"
So that was my take on Mars in the Earth element. hope you liked it!
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bigmammallama5 · 6 months
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So a thought I've been having for a few weeks now of kryptonians and mild colour blindness. Like, if they lived under a red sun, and predominantly lived there, they probably had *some* colour blindness, right?? I mean, i guess they couldve been genetically engineered for that to like. Not happen but then I'd be petitioning for them to have a wayyy wilder sense of sight and perception of colours. Anyway it also led to mild colourblind kara thoughts and her arguing with everyone about it djdjdkf
rip you just opened one of my special interest barrels and im supposed to be working LMAO
Ok honestly I've wondered about that too bc if Krypton is a red sun planet and they supposedly had flora and fauna before the war that inevitably collapsed the planet, it would be adapted to that darker "sweet spot" for life to grow. Like would the plants be darker (blacks, deep greens, purples, reds?) and would the animals and kryptonians have altered vision and metabolism to make up for the lack of light? Like would we be seeing more bioluminescence (let kara glow in the dark, it would be funny)? Would they have better low light vision and even dark vision? Would they have heightened hearing or even echolocation?
It is canon that kryptonians started growing clones of themselves to use as basically free extra parts to extend their lives during the golden age (i may be getting a few details wrong here, it's been a minute since i looked at my notes and stuff) (The reason the civil war began is bc anti-clone kryptonians wanted to prove that those bodies were real people (and they did! bodily and mental autonomy for the win!).). SO it is very plausible that there was more genetic engineering to benefit their race and their existence on this red sun planet since most of the population was using this technology as opposed to natural birth. That would make a more interesting take on Kara's senses and powers on a yellow sun planet since she was supposedly conceived in one of these tubes (kal/clark was the first kryptonian in generations to be created (lol) the "old" way bc he had the luck of his parents loving each other and not solely together for political purposes via the matricomp).
Also it would just lead to some really cool ways to play with her powers, give a different way to play with her heat vision and x-ray vision (even her hearing), and kick off a huge social media hubub when Supergirl accidentally reveals that she's weirdly color blind.
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crumpetz · 7 months
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Are You ok? I'm worried
I am okay! Don't worry! This goes out to everyone in the past months who's sent something like this too. I'm sorry I never replied. I was tired, saved it for later, and then forgot. If i seem like i'm blowing you off, this is probably the reason every time :')
I was putting off giving much detail, cuz i didn't want to share so much about my personal life that it felt burdensome for ppl just there to read i guess? but being vague is actually having the opposite effect so, if you don't wanna know, please skip this!
what's been going on with me is mostly a connective tissue disorder i've had since i was born, and it's the kind of thing that gets worse over time. around my last update of Big Road Home, it had one of those "getting worse" checkpoints.
i lost a lot of strength and dexterity in my hands, meaning there are some days typing isn't doable. i've had all these new food allergies and sensitivities, so a lot of my life is just in the kitchen trying to make food i can eat without reacting. i had to go off my pain meds cuz they were making the food reactions worse, so i've been spending a lot of my life managing pain (it's been surprisingly good, btw, it's just time consuming). i also had covid again, and the long-covid brain fog is so bad this time :'''( i'll be halfway through writing a sentence and forget what i just wrote and where i was going with it.
written out like this, i'm aware this seems like a lot. and it is. but i really don't want anyone to feel burdened by it. i'm not trying to do toxic positivity on myself or anyone else. i just see all this, PERSONALLY, as part of my life? like most adults have jobs they have to go to, my job that i have to go to is taking care of my body, which is trying really hard to do what i ask of it (i think working in childcare may have influenced how i think of it lol for me my body is a tired toddler and i gotta be proud of it for just showing up).
i've had these problems all my life, so i got most of the frustration out about it when i was a kid/teen. now, i've trained myself to view new limitations as a quest to find out how i'll adapt to living with that. and sometimes i do get scared i won't succeed on the quest (pain management, i'm looking at you) but so far, i've been very lucky with finding things that work for me.
all that is to say, i'm fine, just taking my time. thanks to everyone who's asked or reached out to me <3
(and just a note about the fic for anyone wondering: i'm trying to have multiple chapters ready before updating Big Road Home because otherwise there will be a cliffhanger without a quick follow-up. but the parts i'm at just happen to be when my rough drafts get really rough and are missing entire scenes because those parts were so complicated that i was saving them for later. jokes on me that i'd have brain fog when that later arrived ;v; wish me luck)
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mossy-rainfrog · 13 days
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[ID in Alt Text]
strolling in fashionably late to the two year anniversary of the greatest musical adaptation of Moby Dick of all time, Caleb Hayashida's 'Moby Dick or the Whale'. I've been thoroughly enamored with this album for over a year now and it only felt right to do a tribute for its birthday :)
now, go do yourself a favor and listen to Sea Fever 💙💙
some notes about the details I added under the cut!
Some notes on this as a tribute!
Firstly, as always, my Ishmael design is stolen from the beloved @pocketsizedquasar :3
Secondly, the primary songs captured by this piece are meant to be 'Interpretation', 'Whiteness of the Whale', and 'Whaleman's Hymn'. Interpretation is primary, since that song refers directly to the painting at Spouter Inn, and Ishmael's attempts to interpret it. (Aside: it's a brilliant song that foreshadows chords repeated during the chase, it confuses and delights the listener much like book Ishmael's ramblings do, and it odes to the album itself being an interpretation of a novel. also it's a bop. I fucking love it.) The whale in the picture is, you guessed it, the whale song. That one I felt was important to center as Hayashida himself intentionally put that song at the center of the album as a focal point for the rest to follow around (and for the narrative to break inside - give it a listen, the end is incredible). It's literally the centerpiece. And finally, the lyrics are from Whaleman's Hymn, the gorgeous ode at the end of the album.
Ishmael is also posed as both moving and stagnant in the center as a reference to the cyclical nature of Hayashida's album. It ends with the same lyrics it begins with ("I must be out to sea"), and so here, Ishmael meant to be caught in the space between both of those songs. Moving and yet unable to move from where he is.
The watery effect was particularly inspired by Drifting, as that song fills me with an immense sense of peace and gives me the feeling of laying down at an aquarium watching the light of the water dance around. It also helps make the mood of the piece a bit more dynamic, as the looming painting, dissonant colors, and heavy shading all feel a bit foreboding, and the water effect both enhances that by giving an unnatural feel, and subdues that by communicating a semblance of peace and muting the colors.
The oil effect and jagged colors of the piece itself are references to the official album cover art! The flaming harpoon's colors are mimicked in the red light at the top of the painting, and the bright teal/white is mimicked in the whale at the bottom. They're also positioned over each other, just like on the album cover.
The painting itself is also supposed to be reminiscent of The Chase, in all its chaotic glory. Hayashida has an INSANE stroke of genius with that song where, at a certain point, two different time signatures overlap to show the whale opposing the crew/Ahab. The blend is so smooth that it's easy to miss if you aren't looking for it, and yet so brilliant that it makes you anxious for the buildup and final clash. The saturated opposing colors are supposed to be something of a nod to that, as well as the nature of the painting being a sinking ship and a white whale lol
So, yeah those are my notes! :D thank you for reading and definitely give this masterpiece a listen!! 💙💙
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melrosing · 1 year
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sparknotes for ep 2 of my made up Robert's Rebellion adaptation because I don't trust HBO :) this part is more detailed because the introductions are over and I am having fun. once again, some changes: Rhaegar and Joncon canonically meet when squiring together, but I want to introduce him slightly earlier so now they'll first meet with Joncon as a page at the Red Keep (so he's maybe a little younger than Rhaegar). also, spot bonifer hasty - this is just before he finds jesus Prev Part - Episode 1
Next Part - Episode 3
Episode 2: The Boys Are Fightinggg
It’s been five/six years since ep 1. We open in the library of the Red Keep, where a fourteen year old Rhaegar Targaryen sits reading a heavy tome, brow pinched. After a moment, he shuts it carefully and rises to walk to a window overlooking the training grounds. A maester asks if he’s alright, and Rhaegar answers “it seems I must learn to fight” (cryptic lil fuck)
Opening credits roll. They’re the same as GOT except the music is caramelldansen
Joanna Lannister at Casterly Rock, sat in her solar with Genna; she’s visibly pregnant. A maid enters the solar looked panicked, and insists she speak to Joanna alone. Joanna allows this, and the maid confides something (guess what) concerning the twins. After ascertaining the maid won’t speak (and maybe issuing a tiny little threat), Joanna dismisses her with a bag of gold
Joanna confronts her children one at a time. Cersei is belligerent, insisting it was only a game. Jaime is distressed, unable to comprehend why what they were doing was wrong. Joanna states she will be placing their rooms apart, with a guard on Cersei’s etc - and don’t make her tell their dad. Both children look utterly horrified by that prospect, and Joanna seems uneasy threatening it
Aerys and Tywin at the King’s council. Lots of matters on the table etc. Some guy called Denys Darklyn is asking for a charter for Duskendale (it's clearly not the first time), which Tywin dismisses. Some Kingsguard has died, and they need a replacement. Tywin makes some suggestions of his own, and asks Aerys which he would prefer. Aerys is not really listening, only waving his hand over the flame of a candle. Tywin interrupts his musings, and Aerys burns himself in surprise. Asking the King his input on some matter, Aerys has little to offer. Tywin says something faintly facetious regarding the King’s attention span, and Aerys thinks he sees Pycelle smile
Rhaella, also pregnant, is in the gardens at the Red Keep, sat beneath a memorial statue of her parents. She grasps a bunch of flowers that she presumably means to lay at their feet, touches her bump and looks uneasy. Watching on is a castle guard who stands at the garden gate; Rhaella meets his eyes, pleading him closer, and they hold one another’s gaze for a long moment. Ultimately the guard breaks it, and looks down to his feet. Rhaella, looking away in despair, stiffly but violently shreds her flowers, and drops the remains beneath the statue before rising and leaving the garden
Anime boy Rhaegar learning to fight in the training yard. He seems a little surprised if reassured by his own skill, overpowering the master at arms at one point. Young page Jon Connington watches on, looking like he’s about to burst into applause. Aerys himself looks on from a high window, and looks Intensely Bothered
Aerys walking through the halls past a small crowd of men. He hears one say that Tywin truly rules the Seven Kingdoms, and turns abruptly to see the speaker - one Ilyn Payne, who looks shocked to see Aerys there. Aerys looks violent, like he might do something for a moment, but is ushered onwards by Barristan Selmy
Rhaella and Rhaegar at the dinner table in the royal… chambers??? whatever lol. Rhaella says she’s heard Rhaegar is fighting: that is good. Rhaegar is not super responsive to this praise. Rhaella then asks her son if she thinks the baby will be a boy or a girl. Rhaegar looks at her sadly
Aerys arrives belatedly to ruin dinner, decides he dislikes how quiet and miserable his family looks. Cracks a shit joke, doesn’t like the way his son looks at him, reads judgement in the kid’s eyes. Aerys is about to escalate in this sudden disagreement with his son, when Rhaella begins panicking - there’s blood pooling beneath the table. As Aerys realises what’s happening his anger abruptly turns to Rhaella, and he looks like he might strike her - then Rhaegar stands between them, and silently warns him off. Aerys is furious, but it works, and he storms out
Now Aerys is storming into the throne room, where Tywin sits his throne, listening to the grievances of some visiting lord. Aerys identifies Ilyn Payne at the sidelines, calls him over, and orders his tongue ripped out. This is appropriately grim :) Tywin looks on, displeased but unable to say anything. Aerys orders him off of his throne then takes it himself, and announces that as king he is ordering a tourney: the winner will join his Kingsguard
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[CN] Victor’s Luolan Date (Eng Translation)
“It appears I’ve already found the rose from the legend, one that will never wither.”
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⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 楼兰之约, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Subbed Video】    
[Anika's Notes]: tbh ig the VAs were told to soften their voice 10x than usual for this event LOL. The amount of nonverbal sounds—— 😩 also, since Tumblr wants to reduce my workload LOL and won’t allow more than 30 pics, PLS DO WATCH the video for the god-tier voice acting, new bgs, the bgms and sprite alterations too~💕
youtube
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【Transcript Version】
【Chapter 1】
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Victor: If you keep crying for any longer, your eyes might become swollen.
MC: [sobbing]  The ending was simply too unfair. Who can resist crying…
Through the hazy veil of tears, I see the lights in the living room flicker on.
The time-traveling drama I’ve been following all summer aired its series finale tonight. Victor even joined me in watching the web series together after getting off work.
We were chatting about the storyline just fine, until the final scene when my tears began streaming down uncontrollably––
Upon returning to the present day, the heroine enters Luolan once again, only to discover that the once prosperous city has eroded into the long river of time.
But the rose that the Prince of Luolan had carved outside the palace walls still blossoms on the crumbling ruins, quietly awaiting her for a thousand years.
Victor places a towel, radiating warm steam, over my eyes, gradually soothing my emotions.
MC: Don’t you find it beautiful?
Victor: Carving a rose into a stone is quite romantic. I can understand why you like it.
MC: I see absolutely no hint of being moved on your face…
He slightly furrows his brows in response to what sounded like an odd statement to him.
Victor: You’re not expecting us both to cuddle up and cry our eyes off, are you?
A rather peculiar image flashes through my mind, and I can’t help but burst into laughter.
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Victor: Crying one moment and laughing the next. Your emotions are truly fickle.
MC: Precisely. Compared with my vivid and overt emotional display, this audience member’s emotions are too composed.
Victor: The selling point of all time-travel dramas mostly revolves around the theme that love can transcend time and space, with endings that can either be joyful or sorrowful.
Victor: This ending was predictable.
MC: But this series is adapted from the legend of the last prince of Loulan!
MC: Additionally, in the last century, a foreign explorer claimed to have seen flower-shaped carved patterns on the stone tiles at the Luolan ruins.
Victor listens quietly, then turns his gaze to me after a brief pause.
Victor: So, is this why you want to visit the Loulan ruins?
MC: Well, it’s not the sole reason. The legend of Luolan’s overnight disappearance has been widely known as a mystical tale. I was originally–– hang on, how did you know I wanted to go there?
The answer to my question is a document he hands to me. Upon closer look, I realize it’s actually the official permit granting access to enter the Luolan ruins.
MC: Why do you have this document too?
Victor: …dummy, it’s yours. Could they have sent it to the wrong person?
I flip through a few pages, and sure enough, find my full name written in the applicant’s box.
MC: I had just woken up when I filled in the address… I guess I subconsciously thought it would be safer to have it sent to you?
Victor: Sweet talker.
He raps my head.
Victor: But I heard that it’s no longer open for public visits.
MC: Yes, indeed~ Currently, only teams on scientific expeditions or those with permits are allowed in.
MC: The conditions for obtaining the permit are so incredibly stringent. I even tried leveraging all my connections, but still couldn’t succeed!
Hearing my words, he gives me a sidelong glance but doesn’t interrupt my unceasing torrent of complacent monologue.
MC: Luckily, I was able to negotiate a documentary collaboration with the local government and received an invitation for sightseeing~ I even signed multiple agreements to protect cultural relics.
Victor: No wonder a certain dummy’s tail is raised high into the sky; it indeed was no easy feat. However––
Victor: [sulking] You just said you had leveraged all your connections. How come I don’t remember myself being among those connections you leveraged?
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MC: Because this was meant to be my Qixi Festival surprise for you…
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Chapter 2】
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Victor: Is this abrupt emergency break also a part of the surprise?
He pinches up the coffee-spattered shirt clinging to his body and stares at me sitting in the driver’s seat, lost for words.
MC: That pit just now was really too tricky…!
Just a few short hours ago, we landed at Luolan Airport. However, upon arrival, we were informed by the airline that our checked luggage had been delayed in the transit city and wouldn’t be delivered until two days later.
To avoid delaying our itinerary, we agreed to deal with the matter of collecting them on our way back. With that settled, I confidently got into the driver’s seat of the RV, and alongside Victor, embarked on a self-driven journey into the desert.
Yet, as expected, things aren’t as uncomplicated as I initially thought.
Looking at his shirt– practically soaked through and with coffee still dripping from it– I promptly grab some tissues and wipe it off for him.
The next second, my gaze suddenly falls upon the carry-on suitcase on the luggage rack. My eyes light up, leading me to pause in my actions.
MC: Why not take it off and wash it immediately? Although, while waiting for the clothes to dry, it seems like you’ll have to either be completely naked––
Unsurprisingly, as I deliberately prolong the final note, his reaction of furrowing his brows is true to my expectations.
MC: Or you could wear the couple’s outfit I packed inside the carry-on luggage for taking photos~
Victor: It seems like occasionally; one can still count on––
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However, as soon as I take out two sets of lavish Western Region attire, his voice ceases to be heard.
The gold-plated ornaments chime with a delicate tinkling sound, aggravating the crease between his brows.
Victor: What are these?
MC: Compared to my dancer’s attire, yours is actually a collaboration with the museum, an exact 1:1 replica of the half-sleeved garment worn by the Prince of Loulan back in the day~
Victor: So?
Seeing that he is unmoved, I extend my hand and point to the sign denoting the “uninhabited area” by the roadside.
MC: There’s no place to purchase clothes around here. If you don’t change soon, that coffee stain won’t come off. And then, regardless of what outfit you wear on the return trip, it’ll end up on the news––
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MC: 《The CEO of LFG’s Grand Cosplay Elevates Airport Fashion》 or 《The CEO of LFG Spotted in Stained Shirt - Speculations of Bankruptcy》. Your choice?
After quite a while, he compromises with a sigh, taking the clothes from me and walking towards the bathroom at the back of the RV.
Not long after, the sound of water seems to quiet down. In anticipation, I turn my head––
The soft crimson robe barely conceals the glimpses of sculpted and muscular contours underneath, complemented by intricate gold ornaments that adorn him with an air of regal nobility and grace.
Faced with my unblinking gaze fixated on him, he displays a somewhat unnatural expression, which is rarely seen on his face.
Victor: Why aren’t you changing?
MC: [still busy gaping]  What?
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Victor: Why am I the only one wearing the couple’s outfit?
MC: Okay, okay, I’ll “accompany” you.
Watching the awkward expression on his face, I can’t contain my laughter and let out a chuckle. Just before his gaze can shoot my way, I hurriedly grab my attire and head to the bathroom.
The desert weather is always fluctuating and unpredictable. Right after I finish changing my clothes, I notice a sudden sandstorm brewing outside the window.
Seemingly catching a sound, his gaze lingers on me for a brief moment, and an almost imperceptible tenderness crests on the arches of his brows.
With the scope visibility diminished, Victor assumes control of the steering wheel, deftly maintaining a steady distance from the swirling sand and wind.
After who knows how long, we finally spot a single-story house coming into view at the end of the yellow sand. Brimming with excitement, I tap the navigation icon to zoom in and get a closer look.
MC: It’s the cultural relics preservation station!
Initially, our intention was only to charge the RV. But with the yellow sand swirling around, we find ourselves invited by the stationed personnel, Maizi, to come inside and rest for a bit.
Just as we step inside, a dense mass of sand and stones outside the window surges forward, closing in rapidly.
The sandstorm has begun.
Thoughts of how an entire kingdom was once buried under this very sand spring to mind, and an instinctive fear begins to loom large within me.
The delicate brick house trembles subtly amidst the raging wind, and at this moment, a crisp sound resounds in my ears.
Several pairs of shimmering gold-plated earrings illuminate my dusky field of view. Taking note of my reaction, Maizi places them in front of me.
Maizi: Don’t be scared. Here, we’ve been wearing these kinds of earrings since childhood. They’re like protective charms for children in the desert.
As Maizi speaks, she turns slightly and shows me her earrings. The luster has dimmed a touch, suggesting she’s been wearing them for a long time.
Maizi: These are the ones I made for my kids. If you don’t mind, would you guys like to choose two pairs?
MC: Thank you, but it’s alright.
With a hint of bashfulness, I gesture with my hand and point at Victor’s ears.
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MC: Besides, my boyfriend doesn’t have ear piercings.
Maizi: It’s no problem. My eldest son doesn’t have ear piercings either.
With a smile, Maizi offers me a pair of clip-on earrings.
Maizi: Consider them as a wish for your safety and well-being. Take them.
As the sandstorm eases up, not wanting to impose any longer, we say our goodbyes and ultimately accept the two pairs of earrings before returning to the RV.
Perhaps due to how terrifyingly unnerving the sandstorm was, Victor doesn’t refuse when I offer to help him wear the clip-on earrings after he’s put the earrings on me.
I take up the clip-on earring and carefully trace my finger over his earlobe to figure out its placement. However, after spending a good amount of time, I still don’t find the ideal position I’m entirely satisfied with.
Victor: Still not done?
MC: Have a little patience. I don’t seem to recall rushing you when you gifted me earrings for the first time~
[Tidbits]: AHHH YESSS the call back to their first “kiss” kiss date– “Dazzling Date” 🥺
At long last, I find the right spot and fasten the clip. Following this, I can’t help myself and imitate the past actions in my memories, gently cradling his face and leaning in to take a closer look.
The glistening golden pieces dance softly. However, in the next second, a subtle blush at the corner of his eyes captures my attention.
Seeing this, I mischievously continue leaning closer and closer to him. As I catch a momentary hitch in his steady breathing, I deliberately reach out to stroke his earlobe.
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MC: Oh gosh, could you be allergic to metal? The corners of your eyes have turned red. Maybe I should take them off…
Before the words fully leave my mouth, I find myself abruptly pulled into his arms.
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Victor: They’re on just fine, don’t mess with them.
His arms tighten around me a little more, and I obediently nestle into his embrace, letting the cocoon of safety enfold me.
The swirling underlying tension caused by the dreadful weather finally dissipates, akin to feathers drifting in the air. As drowsiness slowly sweeps over me, I register the sound of my last question being put into words.
MC: Victor, what if we can’t find the remains? What should we do then?
Victor: If we don’t find them this time, we will come back next time.
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Chapter 3】
[Anika’s Notes]: While I’ll talk about this later, just wanted to say— that the way we get a mere glimpse into how extreme level of PTSD this man has given MC from the main story like— I’m counting fingers for the number of times she got nightmares when he isn’t next to her— (⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠)
A man sits in solitude beneath the palace walls, gazing towards the east for a long, long time.
He has probably repeated the act of carving a million times before. It seems as if the carving knife in his hand has a soul of its own now, each stroke finding its mark with precision, etching deep scars.
Fresh blood trickles down along the blade’s edge, staining the rose with a blood-red hue. Yet, he appears unresponsive to the pain, persistently carving stroke after stroke.
Only when the red headscarf is lifted by the wind does a familiar face emerge before my eyes.
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MC: Victor!
I reach out in a panic to touch him, but a sudden onslaught of sand and wind surges forth, engulfing him in the blink of an eye.
Startled awake from the nightmare, I instinctively reach my hand to my side, only to find nothing but an empty space.
Victor is not in the car.
Amidst the boundless silence, a distant chime of camel bells suddenly reaches me. Compelled by the sound, I push open the car door––
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The sandstorm has ceased at some point, revealing a sky that’s now crystal clear and brilliantly bright.
The curtain of dusk hangs low, but the luminous moon has already ascended in the vault of the heavens, radiating its brilliance alongside the sun.
Among the endless sand dunes, Victor, attired in exquisite garments, guides a pure white camel through the terrain, advancing his way through the light.
Stretching behind him, across the infinite expanse of Lop Desert, stands several silent, solitary, and enigmatic remnants of ancient civilizations.
The breeze dances by, causing his knuckles to gently clasp the upper garment brushing against his grave and stern visage, setting the accessories on his splendid attire to chime with delicate, tinkling sounds.
Perhaps dazzled by the light, he squints his slender eyes and immediately spots my presence. He appears slightly taken aback, but then quickens his stride as he approaches my direction.
In the boundless landscape, with each step he takes toward me, I feel as if he is crossing through a thousand years to reach me.
The scene from the dream resurfaces in my mind once again, and before I can even fully comprehend it, I’m already sprinting toward him with large strides.
I practically crash into his arms.
Victor: [breathes sharply]  Running so fast––
Seeing that I’m breathless and staring fixedly at him without even blinking my eyes, he freezes for a moment. Then, as if realizing something, he envelops me in his arms.
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Victor: The Luolan ruins we are heading to are in that direction. We can’t drive there, so I borrowed a camel from Maizi for transportation. 
Victor: It was released to wander in the desert, and I needed to go and guide it back myself. You seemed to be sleeping so soundly, so I didn’t wake you up.
His words are extremely slowed, spoken one at a time. Listening to him, rather than an explanation, it sounds more like he is comforting me.
MC: You weren’t here just now and… I had this strange dream.
With his questioning eyes upon me, I feel compelled to respond honestly.
MC: I dreamt that you turned into the Prince of Loulan and were swept away by the sand...
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Victor: [sighs with infinite indulgence and helplessness]  …
MC: You find this amusing?
Hearing my grumbling, he finally can’t hold back a muffled chuckle, drawing his arms around me a little tighter.
Victor: Have you confirmed it now?  – that I haven’t been swept away by the sand?
MC: Who knows, maybe you had gotten swept away! And it was this camel that rescued you and brought you back.
I huff angrily and bicker with him, effectively dispelling the uneasiness that the nightmare had triggered.
However, the camel seems to have caught on something, suddenly swaying its head and coming closer to me.
Momentarily taken aback, I then laugh in spite of myself and reach out to pat it. This gesture seems to act as a signal of some sort, prompting it to obediently lower itself to the ground.
MC: Huh, could it be that I have a natural talent for taming camels?
Victor: It’s more likely a stroke of luck.
As he speaks, he nimbly mounts the camel’s saddle and reaches out to hug me, lifting me up onto it alongside him.
The camel stands up in due course and suddenly leaps into the air, prompting me to let out a subconscious cry of exclamation.
MC: Whoa!
Victor: Hold onto me firmly and sit tight.
After he tugs on the reins, the camel pivots to change its direction and heads toward the ruins.
Probably due to Victor’s presence, I swiftly adapt to the bumpy ride. I even begin swaying my ornaments to create a pleasant sound, echoing in harmony with the camel’s bells.
MC: I feel like I’m a dancer being offered to the Prince of Luolan~
Victor: How come I’m not aware of any dynasty where a prince would rush out of the palace to welcome a dancer?
His teasing leaves me momentarily dumbfounded. It takes me quite a while before I open my mouth to speak, unwilling to resign myself.
MC: I never said the Prince of Luolan is you.
For an instant, Victor seems to stiffen up. When he speaks again, his tone takes on a slight rigidity.
Victor: [sulking] Who is he, then?
MC: …that’s not the important point!
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MC: The important point is that you’re the Mr. Husband of my dreams– whom I’ve long set my heart on, and now you’re stealing me away to elope.
Victor: Childish.
A gentle tap lands on my head, and as I tilt my head up, I find myself ensnared by the light of his tender eyes.
MC: You clearly look really happy~
He doesn’t banter any further and only gives a tug on the reins, prompting the camel’s steps to become a bit brisker.
Receding into the distance amid the boundless expanse swept by the northern breeze, the glory and decline, the prosperity and withering of ancient Luolan have long frozen into eternal slumber.
MC: How wonderful!
Victor: What’s got you so moved again?
MC: The weather has cleared, which is wonderful. We’re heading to the ruins without any hiccups, which is also wonderful. But the most wonderful thing is having you by my side, chatting about all sorts of nonsense.
MC: No matter what, everything is wonderful as long as Victor is around.
The jingling tinkle of camel bells accompanies his gentle laughter close to my ears.
Victor: It’s only possible with a certain dummy around.
As the outlines of the ruins become distinct, I turn my head back in exhilaration.
MC: Even if I have to turn this place upside down, I’ll find that stone-carved rose!
His gaze lingers briefly on my arms waving around in excitement, and then he arches an eyebrow.
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Victor: It appears crucial for me to remind you that you signed agreements for the preservation of cultural relics. If you do turn this place upside down––
Victor: I won’t be able to save you, even if I were to sell LFG.
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Chapter 4】
MC: …it’s all completely weathered away.
As I look at the historical ruins of the ancient kingdom before my eyes, which have gradually been devoured into nothingness by the endless expanse of yellow sand, I can’t resist pouting my lips.
MC: Locating the ruins of the imperial palace itself is akin to a far-fetched tale, let alone finding the stone-carved rose.
Victor: Why are you so hung up on that legend?
MC: Just a bit of anticipation, you know. After all, you see, If I were in that position, I’d surely leave behind some traces for you.
MC: The speculation is that the woman in the tales possessed an Evol similar to yours, which led her to go there. But, due to certain factors, she had no choice but to leave.
Victor: It won’t be the same.
He softly counters my statement, his gaze filled with seriousness.
MC: Hm?
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Victor: With me, those factors you mentioned won’t come into existence.
A warm and fuzzy feeling suddenly envelopes my heart. I grin, drawing closer to him.
MC: Guess there’s no way around it. It seems I have no choice but to concede that the legend is, indeed, bogus.
He pauses for a moment, and his lips twitch. But in the end, he doesn’t say anything. Soon, a glimmer of a smile sparkles in his eyes, and immediately after, he tightly clasps my hand.
While I’m still in the midst of my puzzlement, a sudden glaring sunlight makes me reflexively squint my eyes. And then, a hot and humid breeze, carrying an exotic fragrance, hits me in the next moment.
After struggling to open my eyes, I curiously peer in the direction of the light, only to find myself frozen right where I’m standing––
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Before my eyes lay a quaint-style courtyard adorned with fragrant blossoms. A flowing river winds its way through, its glistening waves reflecting in the sunlight with water that is clear and pristine, hosting schools of fish swimming within.
Compared to me who is filled with utter incredulity, Victor’s expression remains unchanged as if the current sight before us holds no element of astonishment for him.
Could this be a mirage? Puzzled, I gingerly brush the river’s water with the tips of my toes. The cool sensation of the flowing stream leaves me bewildered, prompting me to lift my gaze to the person next to me.
MC: Victor, am I dreaming again?
Victor: Just earlier, didn’t a certain someone say that she wanted me to take her away to elope?
He smiles as he looks at me, and in his eyes, the magnificent beauty and grand scenery of an ancient landscape are reflected.
The lofty dome of the circular palace hall is embellished with ceramic glazed tiles on its overhanging eaves, each detail unmistakably declaring the opulent and prestigious nature of this place.
Atop the roof stands a wooden pagoda reminiscent of those unique to ancient Luolan, and a lush canopy of greenery veils the gray-red palace walls I’ve seen in the drama.
A somewhat daring conjecture surfaces in my mind.
MC: This wouldn’t be the Imperial Palace of Luolan, is it?
Seeing the originator of all this noncommittally raise an eyebrow, I feel my heart tighten and rush to examine him thoroughly, circling around him.
MC: [anxiously, PTSD x2]  A-are you feeling any discomfort?
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Victor: [?? laughs helplessly. *screams* DO YOU SEE HOW BADLY YOU GAVE HER AND US MAIN STORY PTSD––] Dummy. I’m not that fragile.
Victor: As long as we manage to sidestep the butterfly effect and avoid impacting the course of history––
Probably noticing that I’m tensely staring into his eyes again, he slips my restless hand into his palm and gives it a gentle squeeze.
Victor: Don’t be so anxious. There won’t be anyone else here for the time being.
Hearing him say this, I poke my head out and gaze at the rare and magnificent view that lay before me.
MC: So, can we take photos?
Victor: Ask your phone.
But I soon realize that my phone is entirely frozen on the lock screen interface and is refusing to respond whatsoever, leaving me with no choice but to resentfully lower my hand.
MC: The phone says it’s not possible…
Victor: That being the case, simply keep your eyes wide open and commit it to your memory.
I let him lead me toward the depths of the courtyard, and along the way, we see the flowers bloom all the more luxuriantly. Unwittingly, I find myself mesmerized by the vista.
It’s not until a glazed table adorned with delicacies and fine wines appears amidst the blossoms that I stop in my tracks in astonishment.
–– Everything unfolding before my eyes is gradually starting to align with the scenes from the time-travel drama in my memories.
MC: It turns out that the drama is actually so detailed. It seems that I, who diligently watched every episode without exception, am about to become a walking encyclopedia of Luolan––
From the garden on the other side of the wall, there suddenly comes voices of conversation. I hastily hush and excitedly prick up my ears to listen to their dispute.
However, all that reaches my ears are unfamiliar and garbled sounds, and soon I start feeling my head beginning to spin a little. Once the women have walked farther away, I find I’m already frowning without even realizing it.
Victor: Looks like a certain encyclopedia trained through time-travel dramas is really just a half-filled bucket of water sloshing around.
MC: Says who!
[Anika’s tidbits]: HAHA as you guys know, I’ve long stopped explaining the thousands of idioms and intricate phrases Li Zeyan writers use unless they’re absolutely necessary/ crucial– or else my translation notes would be bigger than the content itself LOL– and this is one of those and it’s one of my favs 😂 the full idiom phrase is “一桶水不响, 半桶水晃荡” – it literally means while a full bucket of water doesn’t make noise as it is heavy and stable, a half-filled bucket sloshes around– i.e. those wisest among us prefer being quiet and are self-confident, while those who are in the less wise/ smarter group often try to compensate their lack of knowledge/ understanding by asserting that they do~ 💀
Displeased with his jest, I swiftly focus my gaze on a copper utensil.
MC: Believe it or not, this was designed for storing spices, and it’s a very rare and expensive item.
I open the lid as I speak, and sure enough, a strong and fragrant aroma assails my nostrils. I can’t help but lift my chin complacently.
Victor: [laughs indulgently]  Alright, I underestimated a certain dummy.
I vaguely feel that the aroma is somewhat familiar, so I lean in to take a whiff, and a powerful fragrance of mugwort instantly invades the tip of my nose.
MC: [sneezes]  Ah-choo!
I rub my nose and look up, only to find that I have blown most of the scented powder onto Victor’s body, causing his figure to be coated with a drizzle of white.
The next second, he narrows his eyes and swiftly scoops me behind him. The smell of bone-chilling danger subtly spreads through the air.
MC: You’re not angry––?
Victor: Hush.
Looking in the direction of his gaze, I instantly become dumbstruck where I’m standing.
A massive leopard is peering at us from beneath the poplar tree, its face obscured by the shade of the tree, its pupils gleaming with an eerie and chilly light.
MC: L-Leopard…
Victor: [smiling]  I’m familiar with it.
Despite being faced with a ferocious beast, this man actually still has the mood to crack jokes!
MC: But according to historical accounts, this should be one of those leopards raised in captivity by the royals and aristocrats. It’s probably quite docile… it wouldn’t eat us, right?
Victor: [still smiling]  Being raised in captivity doesn’t mean it has lost its ability to hunt.
Seeing the leopard arch its back, fear grips me so hard that I cling tightly to his arm.
MC: Do we still have a chance to slip away secretly?
Victor: [still smiling]  We’ve already made direct eye contact within its territory. Stay calm for now.
Pressing my hand against my wildly thudding heart, I raise my gaze to see it take a whiff of the air and then proceed to saunter leisurely in our direction.
After a while, it approaches Victor and sniffs gently. My heart leaps to my throat, but leaving me stupefied, it actually lays down, its shape reminiscent of a fluffy cushion. It even nuzzles him affectionately with its head.
What follows is a fuzzy ticklish sensation, and I stare in startled shock as the leopard’s tail merrily swishes against my lower leg.
MC: …didn’t we just make eye contact with it? Yet you’ve actually managed to tame it?
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I cast an incredulous glance at Victor, while he is staring at the incense burner with furrowed brows.
Victor: This scented powder probably isn’t intended for human application.
The enormous creature rolls over, laying bare its soft belly, exceedingly similar to the way Pudding behaves coquettishly after sucking on catnip.
Victor: It might not necessarily be us who drew it here. This fragrance is not just on me.
It’s only now that I realize a subtle aroma of mugwort is also lingering in the air. Following the fragrance, my eyes land on one side of the path lined with densely grown nepeta herbs. I immediately heave a sigh of relief.
At this moment, the leopard flexes its limbs in an inviting gesture, signaling for Victor to pet it. As I watch his rare expression of being at a loss for what to do, I can’t help but break into laughter.
Victor: [laughs helplessly]  …look at what good deed you’ve done!
MC: Being approached by an imperial leopard is a rare blessing that can never be obtained even if one beseeched it.
[Anika’s tidbits]: ANOTHER ONE OF MY MOST FAV PHRASES EVER! The term MC uses here is 求都求不来 (qiu dui qui bu lai), which is a play on this phrase: 可遇不可求 (ke yu bu ke qui), which means “can only be obtained (serendipitously) but not be sought after” – which paints the perfect imagery for “destiny, sth/sb being destined for someone”~ and a very important thing to note, which I’ll come back to later. 🥺 
Likely attributed to my overly bright gloating, Victor curls his fingers as he pinches up a small amount of the scented powder, which he then dabs on my face.
Sure enough, the leopard turns around and nuzzles against me. Seeing that I’m not putting up any resistance, it then straightens itself up and buries me completely in its soft fur.
MC: …ngh, Victor! Save me!
Victor: Nope. This “rare blessing that can never be obtained even if one beseeched it” is now being given to you.
Nudged by the leopard, I’m prompted to draw a few steps back, and as I let out a startled cry and tumble backward, I find myself landing in a soft embrace.
Amused, Victor pats the leopard on the head, and it obediently sits back down on the ground, reminiscent of a docile house kitten.
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Even as he enfolds me in his arms and sits us both down on the grassy lawn, I remain a bit indignant.
MC: Why does it only listen to you! We both clearly have the same scent.
At this moment, I happen to glimpse at the golden silk embroidery on his clothes shimmering in the sunlight. I then contemplatively look at my own dress, which is somewhat plain.
Victor: You don’t think it’s because of the clothes, do you?
MC: …who can say, perhaps its owner has clothes identical to yours.
Victor: Well, a certain someone must be thinking to herself, “Had I known earlier, I would’ve chosen a fancy princess gown for myself.”
Seeing me choked silly by his spot-on guess of my thoughts, he studies me with even more and more interest.
Victor: [IN THE MOST DOTING AND ADORABLE VOICE EVER]  But however you slice it, a certain dummy still looks like a certain dummy.
Disgruntled, I lean closer to the water’s surface to check my reflection. A pouty face suddenly jumps out at me, which indeed is in disharmony with the dancer’s attire.
However, when I turn around and notice the wine cups on the table, an idea immediately strikes me.
I pick up a cup and lean in to bring it to his lips, working hard to make my voice sound soft and enticing as I speak.
MC: Your Highness~
He pauses for a brief moment, almost imperceptibly, before swiftly locking eyes with me.
Victor: There’s no wine in the cup.
MC: …you spoilsport!
Huffing, I sit up straight from his arms and shoot him a glare.
MC: Isn’t it because I’m afraid that if I spill the wine just like I sneezed earlier, it could result in altering the details of the history!
Victor, however, lightly quirks the corners of his lips, pours the glass to the brim with wine, and once again draws me closer to his side.
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Victor: What did you want to do to me? Go on.
MC: You…
Before I can fully comprehend why he is being so cooperative at this moment, I feel a gentle force gripping my chin up.
I find myself falling into those serenely deep and unceasingly approaching pupils, and my breathing becomes rapid, beyond my control.
Victor: Weren’t you quite bold just a moment ago?
Victor: Seeing how you’re being so tentative like this, do you want me to teach you how one should drink this wine?
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My slightly trembling hand is gently lifted by him with an irresistible force, and the small wine cup is soon raised to the level of my eyebrows and then even higher.
His fingers trace a slow path from my wrist to the palm of my hand, making the wine in the cup ripple, mirroring the swaying of my heart in tandem.
Just as his waywardly mischievous fingers are about to enter between the crevices of mine, he applies a slight pressure. The teetering fine liquid finally spills out, and the cool sensation quietly trickles down my forearm.
Along with the soft sensation, a rush of warmth suddenly washes over me. I stare wide-eyed, completely unguarded, and am rooted to the spot.
That pair of deep eyes, which has been fixed on me all along, makes it clear that he has no intention whatsoever of letting me go.
The scorching tip of his tongue gently licks and sucks on the continuously dripping nectar-like fine liquid, sending a wave of tingling shivers coursing throughout my entire body. 
The incessantly rising, delicate sensation of itchiness makes me a bit restless. I have the urge to escape, yet simultaneously, I can’t help myself from pandering to it.
He looks at me with slightly half-lidded eyes, his lips curling up into a triumphant arc of someone getting their way.
Victor: Have you learned it now, dummy?
MC: !
I suddenly snap back to my senses and hastily pull my hand back, tossing the ceramic glazed cup back onto the table as if I were holding a hot potato.
MC: W-What am I learning this for…
Victor: Clearly, it was a certain someone who started it first––
Before the words even leave his mouth, I notice a skylark swooping down. Seeing this, he swiftly pulls me to the side to dodge.
While I’m still amidst my puzzlement, a black shadow suddenly flashes before my eyes. Much to my astonishment, the leopard has scampered into the air to catch the bird.
“Clang” –– the table is abruptly turned upside down by it, sending fruits and vegetables tumbling and leaving the cups and dishes in a complete disarray.
When I see him calmly looking at the spilled wine, as if he’d already foreseen it, I realize where his confidence in pouring the wine earlier came from.
And also, the uniqueness of this “trip.”
Looking up at this world that doesn’t belong to me, I can’t bear to tear my eyes away from the courtyard blooming with vibrant and luxuriant flowers––
The abounding blossoms of crimson pomegranate adorn the trees, while the light purple clovers form dense clusters, and the red lotus stretches wantonly by the riverbank…
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MC: I’m still finding it hard to believe that I’m able to see the ancient Luolan with my own eyes…
Victor: So, have you found what you were searching for?
At his reminder, I belatedly recall the original purpose that I had cast to the back of my mind.
After casting a surveying glance all around, I don’t find that rosy color I was expecting to see and can only gaze at him with a sense of bitterness.
Victor: During this period, roses hadn’t been cultivated yet.
As if he can sense what I’m thinking, he explains in a calm tone.
MC: So that means, the stone-carved rose doesn’t exist either… Since you knew this all along, why did you go through such great pains to bring me here?
Victor: Compared to simply answering you whether the legend is true or false, bringing you here to see for yourself is more just.
Victor: In this boundless universe, there will always be a kind of beauty worthy of a certain dummy’s pure yearning.
Only at this moment do I realize that this voyage across time and space is precisely his answer.
MC: You… don’t you think it was quite naïve of me?
Victor: I do. But it’s also a precious trait of a certain dummy, and I think I can help you maintain it in moderation.
My heart suddenly turns into a mush. I settle my gaze on the edge of his lips before lifting my head and kissing him.
The aroma of wine and fragrance of flowers gradually fade away, and I find myself drenched only in his pleasant scent. Amidst our closely interwoven breaths, time seems to slow to a crawl, stretching ever so slowly.
It’s not until the familiar dryness lingers around the tip of my nose that I slowly open my eyes, slightly gasping for breath. What greets my eyes is the view of the endless sand dunes.
Apt to the occasion, my phone starts vibrating and powers up automatically. Only ten minutes have passed.
I feel as if I have just woken up from a dream. I gaze at Victor in a trance, and the rose-colored kiss mark on his lips enters my field of view, making me unable to help the smile spreading across my face.
MC: It appears I’ve already found the rose from the legend, one that will never wither.
In those eyes, brimming with unending tenderness, I see him lowering himself——
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Victor: Then, allow it to bloom for a little while longer.
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[Anika’s Analysis & Ramblings]
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