#kaye recommends

[pluggedintosaverockandroll]

some of my favorite video essays

it takes a village!! let's explore communal living & intentional communities

Infantilization: A Gen Z Crisis

Factorio teaches you software engineering, seriously.

ADHD: A Nightmare Under Capitalism

creating homo sacer: life that can be “killed” but never “murdered”

the feminist horrors of Jennifer's Body, Teeth, and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

‘Time Management’ is Capitalist Propaganda

Why Have So Many People Seen Ghost Ships?

A Look at Queerness in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

drowning in entertainment: the age of distraction

Our Obsession With Beauty is Dystopian

The Internet is Turning its Back on True Crime

the student housing crisis is out of control | Internet Analysis

clothes are so much worse now 😭

#video essay #essays #i have many more bc i love video essays sm but i'll stop for now #essay #video essays #you'll notice that there are multiple videos by the same creators bc i think they're cool #if you have any video essay recommendations feel free to share! #kaye recommends #<- i guess #kj post

[justsomeguy-cassavetes]

if you say so 🫡🫡

#my ebay recommendations slaying serving etc as per usual #go gay with danny kaye! #up in arms 1945 #danny kaye

[leonardcohenofficial]

Always been curious, how did you get into the Jack Benny show as a kid? What was your first exposure?

it was through a ten disc CD set of 20 episodes of the show with celebrity guests that my father randomly bought and gave to me when i was about seven! here's a photo of the specific set included below:

when i first started listening to the show, the only celebrity i really knew of the twenty featured was bing crosby, because i loved white christmas (danny kaye is also one of the guests included in this set, but i didn't have as strong an appreciation for him at that point), so i listened to that episode on repeat a lot; i eventually was curious enough to start listening to the other nineteen episodes included, and fell in love with the show as a whole

for MANY many years, these twenty episodes were all i knew of the show; much later on i saw jack benny's movies and watched episodes of the television show, but it wasn't until at least middle school that i found that people had digitized hundreds of episodes of the show and shared them in podcast form on itunes. it was then that i truly dived into the backlog of the show and fully got to experience the phenomenon that it was (albeit many decades late). it also led me to get into the bob hope show (though not as strongly because i don't like bob hope as much LOL) and the phil harris-alice faye show (which is hilarious and i also really like)

i have many favorite episodes of the jack benny program but the ones that are ingrained into my memory are the ones that were included in this set because they were the ones that made me fall in love with the specific humor and style of the show and i am always willing to recommend specific episodes to those looking to get into the show!

#thank you so much for asking della this really makes me so happy to talk about <3 #jack benny #the jack benny program #fieryphrazes #of the episodes included in this set the ones featuring robert taylor ed sullivan barbara stanwyck peter lorre danny kaye orson welles #richard widmark and bing crosby were/are my faves #the jimmy stewart and bob hope ones feature some period typical racism so i can't really fully recommend them #but for real i am always happy to talk jack benny anytime

[animehouse-moe]

Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut Volume 4: Star-Crossed

Following up the single volume affair of Bart and Kaye that put them in competition with Irina and Lev, volume 4 approaches the tensions between nations and the products of the space race. It's not so much about space itself as it is the roadblocks placed upon Earth that stop them from reaching the stars. Through that we face struggle, attempting to understand the unique struggles of others, and how as a single collective humanity we can reach the stars.

One of the, obviously, best aspects of this story is how well it blends reality with fiction. The challenges of the space race, of the differences between what's chosen for how to land on the moon, even historical events. Vast swathes of the story have some degree of truth to them, and are wonderfully complemented by the romanticism and drama that Makino has penned. Making promises under the threat of nuclear war, standing up to the pressure of a nation and expressing that you remain a person, finding ways to surpass oppression and discrimination and hatred. It's all very beautiful and thoughtfully composed, so it's hard to pick a place to start.

I say that, but what I'm most excited to chat about was the Cuban Missile Crisis. A grim name for sure, but I think Makino captures that Cold War panic perfectly, even with the characters "closest" to the issue. Bart and Kaye are massive fans of Lev and Irina, so the blow struck them incredibly hard. Both as fans of the cosmonauts who's named ships carried the weapons, but also as nerds with their head amongst the stars, dreaming of rockets rather than missiles. The awkward nature between them is tense but not intense, the silence speaks volumes, and the broken conversation before they separate really drives home the sheer shock of the event. In conjunction with that, I liked how they framed it. They took hold of the situation and spun it to paint Arnack (a United States-United Kingdom blend) as a saint that did no wrong. It's a blink and you'll miss (though really skip over) it moment where the text admits that Arnack was the first to place weapons in proximity to the rival country. They grasp the nature and expression of the crisis incredibly well, and given that we're currently alongside Arnack, ensures that they're shown to be better than the USZR.

Anyways, the actual best moment of the Cuban Missile Crisis (though titled the Imprisoned Island Crisis, a somewhat subtle nod to the state of the country) is what unfolds between Bart and Kaye. The threat of nuclear war looming, a single shot in the dark arriving the next day to effectively save ANSA's desire to land on the moon. Fear mounts and bubbles over into anxiety and terror that brings the two together in a dim room with the sound of rain droplets dancing across the dim window. There's nobody there to reassure the two, Bart doesn't have his brother, and Kaye is still without her mother. It's between themselves that they find a reason to drive their futures forward. That shared passion, the understanding of their fears and desire to find comfort when the world might end the next day. It's a hopelessly dramatic pseudo-tragedy, using threats of annihilation to spur Bart and Kaye forward into making a borderline erotic blood pact. What is with vampires and being hot?

Alright alright, moving on. There's lots to enjoy with this novel outside of the missile crisis. Like Queen Sundancia. I'll be honest, I don't personally think that the introduction to the character was the best it could have been. It's hard to express emotion effectively through just words, so when establishing Sundancia as the 18 year-old girl with her head in the clouds but a crown atop it that forces her to ground it comes off a little heavy handed for my tastes. That said, the more time we get with her, the more enjoyable and relatable her character is. The weight of responsibility is rather common and well understood, but I liked how it was broached with a girl faced with words that could drive the world to destruction or guide it towards a bright future. Talk about heavy. But that's what makes it enjoyable, and it's not obligation to her nation or duty that produces the outcome, but rather her first chat in a very long time where she's treated as that 18 year-old girl rather than the Queen of Arnack.

Speaking of new characters, Professor Klaus was a really nice addition to the exploration of content in this volume. Being directly linked to missile development, and having defected to Arnack gives Klaus a lot of flack, and expresses the approach of a man that has been buffeted by such words throughout the entirety of his career. He faces a different kind of discrimination to Irina and Kaye, and fills a nice middle ground that picks apart race and origin in a somewhat different fashion. Through it all though, Klaus shows that sciences and passion prevails, as even his own tough and stony exterior is cracked by a shared excitement and passion for space that had nearly been extinguished in his heart.

Okay, back to reality really quickly. Lev and Irina do a great job in their roles of this volume, as the cosmonauts isolated from space. The expo and their experience there really drive home their passion, and how alone they feel when alienated from not only what brought the pair together, but what they promised each other. The dejection and sorrow that's experienced by each is very well expressed to that end. Lev is bit more resigned to his fate, almost wearing a cynical smile in the face of his reality, while Irina first shows indignation towards their treatment, before stooping to dejection as she is forced to face reality through some of the experiences at the 21st Century Expo. It's a really sad sight, but serves to explain why the cosmonauts have spent so long travelling the world, and what the reality of early space travel is. In that way, Makino is very good at picking up on the nuances and flow of bureaucracy and how it affects people that are genuinely passionate about what they do.

So, to close it out: another very good volume. The drama is found outside of the oppression of Vampire and Dhampir, which is great to see that Makino isn't relying on it to drive things forward, but it still finds a way to isolate and direct hatred towards people. It doesn't give up on what brought it together, but it also doesn't cling to it hoping that it can continue to deliver. It's a natural progression, one that can feel odd at first as it places the USZR in the crosshairs of Arnack and the reader, but one that at the end of the day remains well executed and received. Vampires, Space, Romance, and Drama. All still apparent in the story, and all still important, but in varying concentrations and degrees, just enough to shake things up. Plus, Karei's art remains really pretty. So there's not really anything else to say other than, "I'm really looking forward to the next volume!".

#tsuki to laika #tsuki to laika to nosferatu #irina the vampire cosmonaut #irina: the vampire cosmonaut #irina luminesk #lev leps #kaye scarlet #bart fifield #light novel review #light novel recommendation #light novel #anime

[watchingalotofmovies]

Catherine Called Birdy

Catherine Called Birdy    [trailer]

A 14 year old girl in medieval England navigates through life and avoiding potential suitors her father has in mind.

Coming-of-age in medieval times was even less fun than it is today.

Overall, the movie makes its obvious points, and at times it's funny. But I didn't find most the characters very interesting, including Birdy. And the story often felt a little piecemeal and the scenes improvised.

#Catherine Called Birdy #Lena Dunham #Bella Ramsey #Billie Piper #Andrew Scott #Lesley Sharp #Joe Alwyn #Sophie Okonedo #Paul Kaye #Isis Hainsworth #David Bradley #recommended

[crowfeathers]

I finished I Am a Cat today! probably my favorite book I’ve read this year

it’s a great blend of comedy and philosophical talks, it veers off the path of the feline stuff and starts to feel more like you’re listening to a bunch of guys having a fun discussion in the other room. not a bad thing per se, it just is not what I expected prior to reading.

but I also will say this book will make you hate men unlike no other because the casual misogyny is so insane Holy god

#racism too but it’s not nearly as prominent. but yeah it bad #but all in all if you can handle it i recommend the book. i just try to give fair trigger warnings before i suggest books #kaye reads i am a cat #i still have screenshots to post but yeah im watching the movies now

[hotvintagepoll]

i found this blog by accident (i think the tumblr recommendations code or whatever figured out i have a polls addiction) and have had zero interest and experience in this topic but now. now i am so here. but i was wondering where i could go to watch movies with all these actors?? like i’m sure prime video or smthg might have a few classics hanging around but is there a service/website (of any legality) that specialises in vintage films and stuff? or is it really just physical media to get a lot of them? sry if this throws off your askbox, i didn’t know where else to ask! tyia <3

Hi!! I love this ask. Thanks for being here!

I don't know of any service that specializes in old movies, though HBO had a deal with TCM for a while that meant they had several classics on Max—I don't know if that's still a thing. In the meantime, though, the following websites all have "classic" channels that will be filled with great vintage movies to try:

Tubi—free streaming service that includes:

The Manchurian Candidate (Frank Sinatra, James Edwards)

The Philadelphia Story (James Stewart, Cary Grant)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Dick Van Dyke)

On The Town (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra)

House on Haunted Hill (Vincent Price)

The Adventures of Robin Hood (Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone)

A Streetcar Named Desire (Marlon Brando)

The Maltese Falcon (Humphrey Bogart)

Hoopla—free through many libraries:

The Court Jester (Danny Kaye, Basil Rathbone)

War and Peace (Jeremy Brett)

Barefoot in the Park (Robert Redford)

Cabin in the Sky (Rex Ingram)

Wings (Gary Cooper)

Kanopy—free through many libraries:

The General (Buster Keaton)

Flower Drum Song (James Shigeta)

Roman Holiday (Gregory Peck)

Seven Samurai (Toshiro Mifune)

His Girl Friday (Cary Grant)

Wuthering Heights (Laurence Olivier)

Sabrina (Humphrey Bogart)

Paris Blues (Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman)

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Conrad Veidt)

Youtube also has TONS of movies that have slipped through copyright or "accidentally" ended up there:

Charade (Cary Grant)

The Gay Divorcee (Fred Astaire)

Lying Lips (Carman Newsome, Robert Earl Jones, Oscar Micheaux)

Stormy Weather (Harold Nicholas)

Rebecca (Laurence Olivier)

The Cheat (Sessue Hayakawa)

The Lady Vanishes (Michael Redgrave)

Jungle Book (Sabu Dastagir)

To Sir, With Love (Sidney Poitier)

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (Peter Falk)

What a Way to Go! (Dick Van Dyke, Gene Kelly, Paul Newman)

And of course there are methods of other legality if you want to go searching for titles by hand :)

I haven't seen all of the movies I list here—this is just a sampling of some famous ones, and a few of my secret faves—so be careful if you have trigger warnings and things. Hope you find some great movies!

#:D #i went a bit insane there. but you see. hot men! #if i had to pick one i'd say tubi has the best rotating selection? #anyway good luck anon! #asks #hotvintagethoughts

[esotericfaery]

Pluto in Aquarius, After Capricorn

This is the planet of endings, intense upheaval and clearing the way for new beginnings.

Pluto leaves ambitious Capricorn for revolutionary Aquarius on Jan. 21st, then is back in Capricorn from Sept. 3rd to Nov. 19th, and then He settles into Aquarius for about twenty years, until March 8th, 2043.

With Pluto in Capricorn we’ve seen the slow breaking down of structures, plus exposing of issues with governments, rules and traditions. Pluto works socially / politically, but also personally. We see radical transformations in beginning stages.

In Aquarius, Pluto is much more about what happens next with social groups, communities and friends, humanitarianism, scientific inventions & progress, and individuality.

Aquarius pushes strongly for reform of all social structures, through idealism, equality or equity, technology, freedom, and a highly mental energy more than emotional, while Pluto brings in strict and transformative energy related to duties, responsibilities, & personal and social value systems.

Through issues of power and control, this energy causes strange, and intensely dramatic events to occur; even more so than the events of the last few years. This can cause a complete overhaul of society, and we could be living in a very different world in twenty years.

The last time Pluto was in Aquarius, the following impactful events occurred therein, or shortly thereafter, in no particular order: The Industrial Revolution, The French Revolution, and revolutions for America concerning their civil war, Haiti, and many more intensely dramatic social changes and shifts in power structures. I recommend learning more about that time, but I won’t make this post too long by going into that stuff further. We can expect that for this one also, critical issues will come up, and big changes will happen on the world stage, and within if we do conscious work. Irma Kaye Sawyer has mentioned that the American Civil War took place while Pluto was in Taurus. There has been some discussion about dates, and confusion online. Some are saying the American Revolutionary War was when Pluto was in Aquarius. As we're Astrologers on social media, not Historians, it isn't clear. If anyone would like to share specifics, please feel free to comment, with links if possible. If you're an American, maybe you remember those dates from high school history.

This is a gigantic opportunity for purging and renewal when the proper introspection happens and is followed with the right actions being taken.

If you’ve been seeing the Tower card a lot lately, it will certainly have something to do with Pluto. This manifests as personal, and or social / political events, depending on who and where we are in life. We can find the best ways to go through this rebirthing energy, or fight against it and make the experience more difficult for ourselves.

Over this twenty year period, we should work closely with Plutos transits, to see where we need to confront issues such as jealousy, paranoia or obsession, and find personal growth. All important transits are covered weekly in my Astrology affirmations series.

Pluto pushes for wisdom through confronting and transforming adversity, and Aquarius encourages standing up for the people whenever it’s right to do so, and causing real change.

#astrology #pluto in aquarius #pluto in capricorn #spiritual transformation #social revolution #pluto 2024

[queerliblib]

Any recommendations from trans feminine or non-binary authors? My local queer book club for non-male identifying folk is great, but it’s starting to feel a little too consistently cis for comfort. Thanks!

Hell yeah! Not sure what genre or vibe you’re going for but here’s a few from our collection <3

I Hope We Choose Love: a trans girl’s notes from the end of the world, by Kai Cheng Thom

Manywhere, Morgan Thomas

Any Other City, by Hazel Jane Plante

Super Late Bloomer, my early days in transition, by Julia Kaye

Detransition, Baby, by Torrey Peters

Pet or Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Nevada, by Imogen Binnie

Finna or Homesick by Nino Cipri

#queer liberation library #qll #asks #<3 #queer books #book recs

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Crow Heyden-Kaye was in Grade 8 when a worksheet handed out during class asked students to consider how they would describe their gender. It was the first time it occurred to Crow that "girl" didn't actually fit with how he felt. Over the next few years, he began using the pronouns they and them. In Grade 10, he came out as trans. His pronouns are "he" and "they."  "Immediately, it was like something clicked," said Heyden-Kaye, who is now 18 and lives with his parents and sibling in Ponoka, a central Alberta town of about 7,300 people. At 16, he asked his mom to make an appointment with their longtime family doctor so he could get a referral to a gender clinic. He wanted to start exploring the possibility of hormone replacement therapy. But during the telephone appointment, the family doctor began asking questions Heyden-Kaye felt were inappropriate.  "What if I wanted to get pregnant someday? What if I had a husband someday? Not related at all," he said. "I think he asked me 'What if you want to keep your boobs?' "  A week later, a staff member from the doctor's office called back and said the physician was also recommending that Heyden-Kaye read a book that discouraged transitioning.  "A referral was all that we wanted and then it would be out of his hands. He refused to do that for us."

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#Transphobia #Trans Healthcare #Transgender #LGBTQ #cdnpoli #canada #canadian politics

[longwuzhere]

Some cool Easter eggs I caught watching My Adventures with Superman that I want to show to people so they can be in on it with comic book readers

My episode 1 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 2 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 3 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 4 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 5 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 6 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 7 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here and here

My episode 8 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 9 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

(SPOILERS if you haven't seen the show yet):

We start things off with Jor-El and Clark meeting and like the last time, Jor-El speaking in Kryptonese much like how Jor-El in the comics did in Man of Steel #6 (1986)...

as seen in this panel (W&P: John Byrne, I: Dick Giordano, C: Tony Zuiko, L: John Costanza) where Clark meets a ghostly projection of his father at night speaking Krypton's native tongue to him. BTW Man of Steel (1986) is a fantastic read. Highly recommend finding it at your local comic shop.

After Lois, Jimmy and Clark get promoted from interns to reporters at the Daily Planet we see the three of them will be having Thanksgiving with the Kents. Ma Kent shows Lois the newspaper she framed that all three of them wrote much like how her comic book counterpart made a scrap book out of the newspaper headlines of Clark's various heroic adventures in Man of Steel #1 (1986) as seen here in the panel (W&P: John Byrne, I: Dick Giordano, C: Tony Zuiko, L: John Costanza).

The camera then moves and see see kid Clark and the things he did back then. The baseball photo kinda reminds me of this fantastic moment in Batman/Superman #3 (2013) by Greg Pak, Yildiray Cinar, Matt Lackey and John Kalisz, and Rob Leigh:

On Earth-2 Clark and Bruce met as young kids after the car, Alfred drove broke down and both had some fun playing baseball. It's a very cute flashback that highlights no matter where in the multiverse, a Superman-Batman friendship is constant.

Lois's father shows up to the Thanksgiving dinner and I got double confirmation now that it is General Sam Lane. I talked more about his deal here.

Later in the episode we have the awkward parents and their children who are dating each other moment and General Lane here asks if Clark was in the military. In one non-canon series, Superman Year One by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr., Clark signs up for the military after high school. Kind of a weird miniseries, not the best Superman comic, not the worst at least.

Things go from bad to worse when the area where Clark landed activates thanks to the presence of Kryptonite from the League of Lois Lanes sphere that held it and we see that symbol on the robots that the giant ship sends and on this person at the end of the episode. If you know your DC universe, that symbol belongs to Brainiac and we can conclude that the one with the symbol on their head is Brainiac as well.

Brainiac makes his first appearance in Action Comics #242 (1958) (cover art by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye). At this point Brainiac was a "twelve level" intellect alien who shrunk cities for his collection to help repopulate his dead planet, one of the cities is Krypton's capital city, Kandor. Several retcons later we learn that Brainiac is a robot created by the Computer Tyrants of Colu, Brainiac's home planet to spy and conquer worlds. The Brainiac that has a closer connection to Clark and his Kryptonian people kinda like what MAwS is doing was in Superman the Animated Series...

where Krypton was very depended on their AI, Brainiac who then screwed them all over when the planet was about to explode and saved his metal ass and has then became a thorn at Superman's side in the cartoon ever since. MAwS is doing something similar as we see Brainiac's symbol on the robots that were deployed from the ship and the very robotic looking body Brainiac has at the end of the episode.

As we see Clark try to stop the portal and ship, he breaks into the hull and battles the robots in it. As he's getting pummeled, AI Jor-El helps neutralize the robots. It's kinda the same idea that what Man of Steel (the movie) was trying to go for when Lois was on Zod's ship and AI Jor-El was helping her navigate throughout the place. As I said before in the last post, Shin Ultraman is a better Superman movie (and a highly recommend watching) than what Zack Snyder was trying to do in Man of Steel.

We wrap up episode 10 with the Kents, Lois, and Jimmy enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner and we see that Jonathan was able to get the turkey to temperature so Clark heats it more with his heat vision. Superman sometimes does this do heat very mundane things like coffee as seen in this panel of Super Sons #9 (2017) (W: Peter Tomasi, P&I: Jorge Jimenez, C: Alejandro Sanchez, L: Rob Leigh). Highly recommend reading Super Sons and watching the animated movie too!

Congrats to Jimmy on selling Flamebird for $5.6 million. I talk more about flamebird here. Missed opportunity to have it be $5.2 million cuz DC's love of the number 52, but whatever.

The final scene of the episode gives us this moment where Brainiac tells this Kryptonian Warrior a planet they can conquer. The warrior then states that Earth will kneel. The most infamous Kryptonian that likes to mention conquered people kneeling is General Zod and so this character here might be Zod. No confirmation yet but I'm like 99% sure. When we get a confirmation, I'll talk more about Zod later.

And with that we are done with season 1 of My Adventures with Superman and if you made it this far be sure to check out my other easter eggs post:

My episode 1 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 2 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 3 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 4 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 5 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 6 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 7 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here and here

My episode 8 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

My episode 9 easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman post is here

#My Adventures with Superman #MAwS #Superman #Clark Kent #Lois Lane #Jimmy Olsen #Jonathan Kent #Martha Kent #Jor-El #Krypton #The Man of Steel #Batman Superman #Bruce Wayne #General Sam Lane #General Lane #Sam Lane #Brainiac #General Zod #Super Sons #Superman the Animated Series #Action Comics #DC #DC comics #DC Universe #Adult Swim #Cartoon

[pluggedintosaverockandroll]

favorite video essays pt 2

"learned helplessness" & the tech literacy crisis | Internet Analysis

The Long Queer History of Punk

How Nostalgia Controls Us

Sympathy for the Machine

The Beautiful Horror of Deep Space

the perpetual infantilisation of millennial women

I Want More Quiet Horror

Boeing: How Capitalism Crashes Planes

How Greed Ruined Gaming

shop 'til you drop: horror's condemnation of overconsumption

#kaye recommends #essay #essays #video essay #video essays #kj post #tech literacy #queer #punk #nostalgia #ai #space #infantilization #horror #boeing #capitalism #gaming #overconsumption #youtube

[andysorbit]

With Love, John (M)

Summary: John is a personality all of his own. He can talk to anyone, charm everyone, and still go home with no one because he's bored of it. Bored of the blushing, tired of the smiling eyes with brows arched up in awe of him, sick to death of the strands of hair being pushed behind bright red ears because he is an Adonis among mortals. Then there's you. His ice water. The girl who makes him obsessed with a single poem because although those words aren't yours, you've opened a dictionary just for him and the words splash him and freeze him in place.

Non-idol!Johnny x Fem!reader

Andy's note: This is kinda long. I know, I know, I know. But!! It hit me a few days ago and I HAD to write it. This is my fkn baby. I put both ass cheeks into this and my ADHD-induced hyperfixation had a gorilla grip on me. I love Phil Kaye and I highly recommend you watch Phil perform Repetition here. Everything here will make sense if you do. I promise.

Genre: slight angst, mentions of childhood trauma, slow burn-ish, smut, romance, strangers to lovers

Warnings: Mentions of suicide, childhood trauma, oral sex, vaginal fingering, vaginal penetration, overstimulation, daddy kink, slight edging, dirty talk, unprotected sex, slight dacryphilia (blink and you’ll miss it), slight katoptronophilia 🪞 (blink and you’ll miss this too), praise kink, strength kink, size kink, is Johnny boy an overindulgence of the kind of man I want? Yes and idgaf.

Playlist: Close to You - The Carpenters, It’s The Falling in Love - Michael Jackson, Feelin’ You - Jesse McCartney, Cave Me In - Gallant, Tablo, Eric Nam, As It Was - PREP, From Eden - Hozier, I Feel Good All Over - Stephanie Mills, Punch Drunk Recreation - Jesse McCartney, NFWMY - Hozier, Like Real People Do - Hozier, Play Me - Taemin

You're flat.

Deadpan and cold like the ice cubes in your coffee on days when the sun refuses to set and you just want to leave.

You never know why you want to leave.

It's boredom.

Dissatisfaction.

Wherever you are, you just want to leave and when you do leave, you always want to go back to the place you left.

It's a pattern of boredom.

Of missing your friends and counting the minutes until you can get away from them the minute they're around you.

Of reading books and skipping to the end because you don't have the patience to take your time finding out what will happen.

A spoiler never ruined anything for you.

You wish life could be that convenient.

You wish you could skip to the end to see if this shit that feels more like poorly written filler actually has a point or if you're an NPC set up for everything yet destined for nothing.

The tall guy comes into the store on an evening that feels exactly like every other evening and you think it's Wednesday until Ningning tells you that it's actually Friday and you grunt because it's just that bad.

"Excuse me. Could I talk to you for a minute?" the tall guy asks you.

"Yeah... just gimme a minute," you mutter as you finish updating the inventory and Ningning is star eyes and nerves as she fixes her shirt and tucks a lock if hair behind her ear.

He's not that cute.

"What's up?" You ask as you turn to him.

"I noticed that you read a lot. Could you recommend me a book? I'm running out of things and I've picked some duds lately," he says and his voice is like sex and candy and crushed flower petals.

"What genre?" You ask him.

"Any kind. Doesn't matter." He replies as he shifts nervously.

"Date and Time. Phil Kaye. Come on, I'll grab you a copy. Ningning, stay on the register," You say and walk off.

The tall guy follows behind you and as you navigate the narrow paths of the bookstore lined with high bookshelves you know he thinks you're pretty.

It doesn't matter to you though. What does being pretty do for anyone? Nothing if you don't meet the right people.

You turn a corner and pull the book off the shelf, "Here. It's one of the best books I've ever read," You say as you place it into his hands.

He examines the book, "Really?" he asks.

You nod, "You can feel free to sit and skim it if you want."

"I'm John by the way," he says and smiles at you.

"Y/n. If you're trying to steal it, I will punch you in the throat," You say and turn to head back to the registers.

"No- I... I just think you're beautiful," he says and drops his gaze for a moment.

You highly doubt the glare you're giving him really has him that flustered but he's good at pretending.

"So did every man that's ever fucked me over. Get in line." You say as you turn and make your way back to the front of the store

Ningning quits when she finds out that a swanky fashion store at The Oculus in Tribeca hired her.

You're not upset.

She's not really a book-selling girl.

She likes fashion and rich boys who drive fast cars. She hates her roommate Minjeong and working in The Oculus is her step up. It's a higher wage and a step closer to an apartment she can share with her rich boyfriend and not with the girl who may or may not be moving up in the fashion industry a little bit faster.

You don't think Minjeong is a bad person but Ningning is young and one day, she'll see it too.

You post a 'now hiring' sign in the window, one on the counter between both registers, one by the lounge, and one on the patron bathroom door then pray someone worth their salt inquires before the day is over.

This isn't even your fucking shop.

It was your friends until it wasn't. She dreamt of opening a book store and you didn't. You had no sense of direction and were more than content to just work for her. She met some guy named Yuta and you didn't even know the shop was in your name until the mail started coming in.

She signed everything over to you and disappeared. The letter she left is as theatrical as she is. Repetition is her enemy just as it is everyone's but she, like Ningning, likes rich boys who drive fast cars and she fell in love with a rich boy with a fast car who drove her away from you.

Her letter begged you not to hate her and it also begged you not to look for her and you still roll your eyes when it crosses your mind.

John, the tall guy, comes in and he smiles, "So... you're hiring?" he asks eagerly.

"That's what the sign says, right?" You grunt.

"Can I apply?"

The air is thick and his eyes pierce yours. "Don't you have a job?" You ask him flatly.

"I did but... now I don't," he replies with a shrug.

"You know how to work a register?" You ask.

He nods.

"You know how to make coffee, tea, and espresso?" You ask him.

He nods, "I literally worked at a coffee shop I'm like... Michael Jackson with beverages. I got this and I already know my way around the store," he replies with a smile.

He's probably never heard the word 'no' in his life.

"Fine. You fuck up, you're fired. This is my store so I'm HR. The last guy I hired liked my ass. He touched it and I put his face through the fucking counter. Do your job, keep your hands to yourself, and if you're looking for love, download Hinge. Girls come here to read, not to get hit on," You say.

"I doubt anyone who comes in here is as pretty as you are but okay," he says coyly.

"I come here to work, not to get hit on. Do it again and you can go back to that coffee shop. What's your availability?" You say as you take a tablet off the back counter. You navigate the prompts to get him registered.

"Whenever. Just no weekends." He says as he pokes around with the register prompts. The cash drawer jumps open and he slams it shut, "I can definitely work the register," he says proudly.

You nod, "Hooray. The store opens at eight, closes at six. That's a full shift. Monday through Friday. You get twenty-five bucks an hour. Breaks are paid because it just randomly gets too busy for one person to handle everything alone but there's plenty of downtime in between for you to recoup. You got an emergency? Let me know. Jisung, Chenle, and Yeri work weekends. If one of them can't make it, you or I will come in for them. I'll probably send you in. Get a set of keys from the cubby under the register."

You pause and wait for John to get the keys. Once he does, you continue,

"It has three keys. Front door, closet, employee restroom. There is no back stock room. If it's not shelved, we don't have it. Also, the customer isn't always right. If someone's being a bitch, you can tell them. Fist fights are fine but don't destroy my shit. A guy named Jonghyun comes in sometimes. Never charge him full price for anything. I will fire you if you do. He's an angel and we will move heaven and earth to keep him happy." You explain.

"Is he your boss?" John asks. "Nope. He's just the only man I've ever met who doesn't turn my stomach and he's really wonderful." You reply.

John nods.

The patrons browse silently and you pass the tablet to John, "Fill this out. I'll approve it tonight and you're all set." You tell him and take a minute to sip your coffee.

John taps in his information and his hands are beautiful.

You stare at them for a moment before he interrupts you to inform you that he's finished, "Thanks, Y/n," he says.

"It's fine," You say casually.

John is chatty. It's not a bad thing but you don't talk much unless you're familiar with people and your social battery is still drained from going out for drinks with old college friends the previous night and listening to how much they envy you. They're all in long-term relationships, traveling every holiday, and living. How could they envy a life that's as thrilling as dryer lint?

As the days turn onward, you find that John is a splash of color to your grey backdrop.

You don't lose track of the days anymore, you look forward to drinking his coffee and teas, and you like listening to him tell you about himself.

You've learned that his family is short and that nobody expected him to grow to be well over six feet tall but his mom cheated on her husband with the really tall man who gave her a really great deal on a 1995 Chevy Cavalier.

You also learn that he played basketball in high school and college and could've gone pro but he hated it and just liked the attention from girls.

Your favorite newfound story is that his mother confessed the affair and that led to you to learning that his biological father, wasn't entirely a bad guy despite the circumstances and he gifted John a 2013 Jeep Wrangler that he still owns.

John likes to read, he likes cheap wine, samosas, and nineties video games. He prefers savory foods over sweet ones and his favorite thing about his new job is that he can get home to watch Wheel of Fortune on time.

"Date and Time is... really good, Y/n," John says on a snowy Valentine's Day morning. You nod and pretend not to notice the small heart-shaped box and a card in the cubby under your register, "What's your favorite poem?" You ask him softly.

For the first time, there's no bite in your voice; no vocal defense to continue building an invisible barrier to separate you.

"Repetition," he replies.

You stop reviewing the orders for the day, "Why?" You ask.

"Because... I don't know... it's pretty relatable I guess? Sunsets are just six PM now and I don't remember why I wake up anymore," he says and smiles bashfully.

You nod in agreement.

Phil fucking Kaye is a man who wrote your life story and never met you.

A man whose words hit you as if he called you out in a room full of everyone you've ever known and read your browser history aloud is bonding you to some guy you're not even sure you really even like.

"It's my favorite too," You pipe up, "My parents got divorced when I was younger but... they never fully separated. They co-parented under the same roof and it was just as bad as it sounds. All the other kids with divorced parents envied me but they didn't know how hellish it was and I was in the middle of it all. Sometimes they'd give each other the silent treatment for days and vent to me. I learned more about them than any kid should know about their parents and..."

You trail off and smooth out your sweater. John's interest is peaked and you don't feel like stopping yourself,

"Life became a game of repetition. Tense silence, being silently dragged in two opposing directions, never inviting friends over... after a while, I stopped calling it a bad life... it just became home life. After a while, hearing 'your mother is a selfish bitch' just becomes like anything else you hear. 'Time for dinner', 'your father's a liar', 'I never wanted kids', 'make sure you stay away from boys', 'I love you, kiddo'... all starts to sound the same."

John nods, "I get it. My stepdad- the guy I thought was my dad until the growth spurts started, made us do family therapy with my real dad. My mom broke their hearts. My dad didn't know she was married and my stepdad convinced himself that she only did it because she knew he'd give her a cheap deal on purchasing the car." John says with a frown.

"Did he ever come to grips with it?" You ask.

"Yeah... then he killed himself," John deadpans.

You gasp, "Oh shit. I'm sorry," You say and John just shrugs.

"I hear that a lot. It doesn't mean anything anymore. Like... what are you guys even sorry for?" he laughs humorlessly and turns to the registers, "You gonna stop pretending you don't see that?"

You sigh and give him a weak smile, "I didn't get you anything. I'm sorry," You say sheepishly.

"Don't be. It's not really conventional considering our 'I talk and you listen' relationship is literally just me talking and you listening. Open the card at least," he says and reaches for it.

He gently places it in your waiting hand and you open it. The pink card has a porcupine holding little red hearts in its tiny hands and beneath it are the words written:

"I think you're porcu-fine!"

You chuckle, "Really? That's cute," You say as you glance at him and notice his prideful smile,

"I finally made you smile," he says sweetly.

"The card made me smile," You object quietly.

"Come on, open it," he urges you.

You open the card and see a fifty-dollar gift card for Wine World and you smile again.

In his playful scrawl, there's a message inside the card on its white canvas:

I think you're a Moscato sort of lady. Happy Love Day, boss.

With love, John

You smile, "Thank you, John," You say quietly.

John waves a hand at you, "Seeing you smile is rewarding enough. I was beginning to think your face would crack if you ever tried to," he says.

"I feel bad for not getting you anything," You say, "I- This is really nice and I wanna thank you for this somehow."

John smirks, "You can come back to my place and we can order takeout and watch Wheel of Fortune or we could go somewhere and have dinner or... I don't know as long as we can eat together," he says as his eyes search yours.

You toss the idea around in your head. "It's not a date," You cautiously.

"Oh God forbid." He shoots back with a playful smirk.

You both opt for a Cuban restaurant and as you walk there, you realize that John lives a lot closer to the bookstore than you realized. Twenty minutes from the store and thirty-six minutes from your apartment.

"Now I'll have to bring you bagels on the weekends. Gross," he tells you as you both eat.

"You don't have to do that," You reply.

"It's more of a want. You like cinnamon raisin bagels, don't you?" he says.

You nod, "Yeah. How'd you know?" You suspiciously.

John smiles, "The way you like your coffee. Extra light and extra sweet. It was just a guess," he replies coyly.

You lean back in your seat, "Are you always so observant, Columbo?" You ask.

John nods, "Yeah. I can't help it and you're just so fascinating. You kinda remind me of Goob from Meet the Robinsons. I watch people come into the shop and they're so enamored with you- the waitress hasn't taken her eyes off of you since we got here and you just slump along... and you think you're universally despised or overlooked when in reality, everyone is in love with you and that scowl you can't seem to shake. You're an enigma."

John skirts his finger around the rim of his beer bottle and you frown, "Okay, Heath Ledger, did you practice that in the mirror while you were in the bathroom?" You mutter.

He laughs, "Of course I did. I made you smile today. Eventually, I'm gonna make you blush."

"Don't count on it." You tell him with as much conviction as you can muster up.

When the wine hits you, you feel sleepy and very cozy, "Take me home. I'm tired," You groan.

"My place or yours?" he asks teasingly.

"Yours." You say softly.

John's straightens up, "You don't mean that," he says but you know he's hoping that you do.

"Of course, I don't," You say with a satisfied smirk.

"Tease," he chuckles as he waves the waitress over for the bill.

John walks you right to your apartment door and his hand softly moves up to stroke your cheek, "See you tomorrow, boss," he says and you can see that he's also just a little too drunk.

"Will you make it home safely?" You ask him as you fish your keys out of your coat pocket.

"Yeah. I'll let you know when I get there," he says.

Before you can stop yourself, you hug him tightly, "Thank you for today. It was really good and I didn't realize how much I needed it," You whisper against his chest.

He circles his arms around you and then brings one hand up to stroke your hair, "Anytime," he whispers. He feels warm and smells good like old books, lemon balm, and aftershave.

You inhale him once more and let go, "I think I'll leave the shop closed tomorrow. We're supposed to get a snowstorm anyway. Take the day off " You say as you unlock your door.

"You got it, boss." John says as he slowly makes his way to the elevator.

You steal one last glance at him as the elevator doors close.

His brown eyes meet with yours and he winks.

Your intercom buzzes and wakes you up. "What the hell," You whine as you get up.

You practically drag yourself to the intercom, "What?" You grunt before pressing the listen button.

You refuse to react and opt to scream in your pillow once you're in the privacy of your bedroom.

"I have bagels and coffee. Let me in," John says and you can hear the wind whistling around him.

You buzz him in and run to brush your teeth. There's no time to tidy up but getting rid of your morning breath will do.

He knocks on the door and you rush to open it, "Are you insane?" You all but yell.

John smiles and if it were possible, he could beckon Spring back early.

His entire face is red and damp from the bitter bite of the wild snowstorm raging on outside.

He sets down his bag and you help him out of his coat, "I'll go put on some coffee. Jesus, John, you're a popsicle," You sigh.

You bring the bag into the kitchen and empty its contents onto the counter. Bagels, cream cheese, strawberry jam, and ground coffee.

You fight a smirk as you set up the coffee maker.

John comes in, "No funny business, hold me. I'm cold," he says as he waits for you with outstretched arms.

You stare at him unamused.

"Bring it in, mama. Daddy needs body heat," he says as he tries his damnedest to fight the playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"No," You say standing your ground.

"I'm gonna get you. Come here, you grumpy shrew," he says in a mocking voice and he inches closer to you.

He encases his arms around you and you hum, "Fine but only because you brought me bagels," You don't mind hugging him.

Surprisingly, you love it.

"Whatever the reason, I don't care," he hums against the top of your head.

He leads you in a very slow dance and you rest against his chest still groggy with sleep.

He pulls back and stares at you, "I think this is the part where we kiss," he whispers.

You fight a smile, "Okay," You whisper back. "That's all? 'Okay'?" he laughs.

"Fine. Bring it in, daddy. Mama needs a kiss. Is that better?" You say sarcastically.

Johnny presses a hand into the small of your back, "That's perfect... Good girl," he purrs.

"Oh stop it," You hiss sheepishly as you press your face into his chest.

"Are you flustered? That means you're blushing. C'mon, lemme see that pretty face," he says and his voice is coated in sex and sweetness as he pulls back to examine your face.

You know he's filing this away for a later time and you avoid meeting his eyes with yours.

"You can let all of those guards down, Y/n. I've already got you and we both know it," he says smugly.

He dips down to press his lips to yours and you believe him.

He's got you.

You let him take the lead and he kisses you so hungrily that you have to fight to stop yourself from squeezing your thighs together in front of him.

"Why do you feel the need to get me?" You ask against his lips.

He squeezes you tighter to him and trails kisses along your jaw, "Because you've never made me feel special," he whispers.

"Well, no offense but... you're just a guy. Flawed and human like anyone else, why would I worship you?" You tell him.

"And that's exactly why I'm so drawn to you. Around you, I don't matter," he chuckles.

You look up at him, "You sound insane. Make it make sense," You say.

"I hit my first real growth spurt when I was ten. That's when everything fell apart and my mom confessed everything. How do you look your ten-year-old son in his eyes and tell him that the man he's been calling daddy- the man who signed his birth certificate and raised him isn't his actual father? At first, my biological dad rejected me and my stepdad cried every time he looked at me so I did what any rejected ten year old boy would do, Y/n... I made sure everyone liked me. Everyone, all the time. It wasn't hard because I was already the kid everyone liked but I just never had bad days, never had down days. I was just always smiling everywhere I went because I never smiled at home," John trails off and holds you as close as he can get.

You let him and you stroke his back, "You need therapy," You say and he laughs, "See what I mean?"

He kisses you again, "I didn't walk through a blizzard with bagels to be abused. Eat with me and then let's just sleep," he says and pulls away from you, "Come on."

You take two plates out from the cabinet over the sink, "Why didn't you drive?" You ask him.

"I hate driving when it snows," he says.

You two clamber into your living room; cups full of coffee and bagels on plates and you watch the snow wildly rip through the air. The silence is comfortable and John offers you a bite of his bagel. It's a plain bagel with a small amount of cream cheese and some strawberry jam. It's a nice change from your usual cinnamon raisin with more cream cheese than bagel.

"Am I your boyfriend yet?" he asks. It's a whisper of a question that you almost don't hear.

"Ask me later," You reply and turn to share a smile with him.

"Okay," he says and scoots over to you, "You have jelly on your lip and I would very much like to be a cheeseball and kiss it away... can I? I mean, it's not a lot so it'd be a waste to use a napkin."

You laugh and lean into him then lick your lips, "Did I get it?" You ask playfully.

"You want the truth?" he counters.

"Nuh uh," You say.

"It's still there," he whispers and leans in to slot his mouth against yours. Your stomach and chest flutter and flip.

"I think it's later now. Am I your boyfriend yet?" he hums against your lips and his tongue dips past your lips.

You nod.

John pulls away, "I wanna hear you say it."

"You're my boyfriend," You say to him and he smiles contently, "Righteous."

He gently takes your coffee cup from your hand and places it on the coffee table then guides your hands to his chest, "So we're together now. It's official," he says proudly.

Together.

After many dates and stolen kisses in the bookstore, you think you've completely fallen for John. His hands rubbing gentle circles into your back when he hugs you has become an addiction that you never hesitate to indulge yourself with. Your hardened exterior finally crumbled and you can honestly say that you love this man. He knows it but he's gentle and patient.

You shut down the registers and smile, "If you insist," You say softly.

"I do... Spend the night with me this time," he whispers as he comes up behind you.

"Too much dip on your chip, buddy," You say flatly as he turns you around to face him, "I can be convinced though."

John kisses your forehead, "We can have dinner and eat ice cream..." he kisses your lips then trails kisses down your neck, "Then I can paint your nails and we can watch a scary movie and I could hold you when you get scared."

He presses his lips to the pulse at the base of your throat and your eyes squeeze shut. "Paint my nails?" You repeat incredulously.

"I had a summer job in my cousin's nail salon for three summers," he says proudly, "I can even give you cute little decorations."

He has you as he always does and you just want to be as close to him as you can get. "Let's go then," You whisper.

You stop off at a pharmacy and pick up polish remover and a few bottles of nail polish. Pink, rusty orange, teal, and black.

"Okay, let's go see what ice cream they have," John says as his hand envelopes yours.

You let your mind wander, just for a moment, to how his hands would feel as they roamed over your body and you purse your lips.

You pass the family planning aisle and he stops, "Should we get condoms?" he asks you gently, "It's totally up to you."

You don't want to be so obvious so you pretend to think about it, "I think we should... just in case," You say shyly.

He leads you down the aisle and he actually looks nervous for a moment.

You squeeze his hand, "Well... you know yourself better than anyone," You pipe up as you stop in front of the array of condoms.

He chews his bottom lip as his eyes scan over the different boxes. He grabs a box of extra-large Magnums and you freeze in place.

John laughs quietly, "Are you okay?" he asks.

"I- I- uh- you got extra large. You know what size you picked up, right?" You babble.

John leans into you, "Yeah... I know, baby," he replies and his smile is just too delicious.

"Oh... okay then," You say and try to stay cool.

"I'll be gentle with you. I promise," h says and you all but collapse into a puddle.

After settling in and having dinner, you and John tidy up.

"Come get changed so we can do your nails," he says gently.

You nod and follow him into his room. He opens a drawer and takes out a slightly worn Keith Whitley t-shirt. "Pants or no?" he asks.

"No... I don't usually sleep in pants. Don't like it," You say as you take the shirt from him.

"I don't usually sleep in shirts," he says as he fishes sweatpants and another t-shirt out for himself. In a moment of bravery, you strip out of your jeans and sweater and fold them neatly then slip the t-shirt on.

"I was gonna give you some privacy but okay," John chuckles.

You shrug, "It's fine. It's just underwear," You say with a chuckle. John removes his clothes and you gawk just a bit.

"It's just underwear," he repeats and redresses.

You admire the Mike Nesmith t-shirt that he's wearing, "I've never seen these shirts. Are they bedtime exclusives?" You ask.

"Yeah... they've seen their better days," he replies, "Get comfy and I'll go get the polish."

You climb into his bed and inhale his fresh sheets. Your nerves send your thoughts in a thousand different directions at a million miles per hour. You inhale then exhale, "This is fine." You tell yourself.

You glance at his worn down copy of Date and Time on his nightstand and smile.

John comes back in, "Okay, let’s do this," he says as he gets into bed beside you, “Did you decide on a color yet?”

You nod, “Teal for my main color and... orange for my secondary color,” You say. 

“Okay so I’ll do orange on your thumb and your fourth finger and the rest will be teal. Sounds good?” John asks as he rolls the teal bottle of polish between his hands. 

“Yeah... what are you doing?” You ask him. “Mixing it. It’s better to roll the bottle instead of shaking it. Prevents air bubbles," he says and gives you a cocky grin. 

“That’s cool,” You say and he leans in closer, 

“Tip me for sharing my knowledge," he says playfully and puckers his lips.

You kiss him softly, “Do a good job and I’ll tip you again ” You say. 

“Hold on. Let’s play some music," he says as he reaches past you to get his phone off of the nightstand, "What are you in the mood for, my love?"

You shrug, "Surprise me," You say. He pulls back and you watch him scroll for a minute. He smiles and taps his screen. Lucille by Kenny Rogers plays on the Bluetooth speaker on his dresser, "Here we go... y'know my stepdad liked country music. He had great music taste." John says.

"Did he?" You ask softly.

John nods and fond smile shines through, "I'm still curating a playlist of the songs we used to listen to... it was way too much to remember at once but every once in a while, another song comes back to me then I get to add it to what I have so far."

You smile at him, "Does it help you feel closer to him?" You ask him.

"Yeah... sometimes when I close my eyes, it's like he never left me" John replies and gets to work on your nails as you both share more stories.

John finishes your nails as hums along softly. "Your voice is pretty," You tell him.

He kisses you gently, "You think so?" he asks. You nod, "Yeah," You say as you pull him into a deeper kiss and he reaches behind you to put the bottles of polish on the nightstand.

"What are you getting at, huh?" he purrs against your lips. "Oh, nothing really." You reply coyly. John pushes you onto your back and stares you down, "Nothing at all?" he asks and peppers your lips and neck with kisses.

"My nails are wet, John," You whisper. "Oh right. Let me help them dry a little faster," he says and brings your hands up so he can gently blow on your nails. "John," You whine.

"They'll be dry soon. Are you wet somewhere else, baby?" he says as he eases up the hem of your shirt ever so slowly. You nod and carefully place your hands on his shoulders to prevent smudging your nail polish.

"Do you want me to touch you? I bet those pretty panties are soaking wet," he dips his hand into your panties and slowly eases his fingers past your folds, "Oh, baby... is this all for me?"

John rubs slow circles into your clit and your eyes flutter shut, "John... faster... please," You whimper. He watches you intently and you involuntarily spread your legs a bit wider. "You stay put and let those nails dry, sweetheart. I'm gonna see just how wet you are. I wanna taste you."

You've never let a guy go down on you and as much as you want it, you're afraid of it, "John... I- I- wait-"

"Baby, it's okay. I need you to trust me, okay? I promise you won't regret this. Just really want you... it's more of a need if I'm honest and if you'll let me, I'll make you feel so good,” John looks at you with hungry eyes and you nod, “Yeah... yeah,” You whisper and just like that, he’s inching down, raising your t-shirt past your hips, and hooking his fingers around your panties.

"Look at me while I do this, okay? Don’t close your eyes," he murmurs as he pulls your panties off entirely and tosses them to the side. You watch him with your hands placed awkwardly on your stomach and you want so badly to run your fingers through his hair.

He holds eye contact as he pushes two fingers into you and sucks on your clit. “John!” You shrill and he shifts to hook one of your legs over his shoulder then brings his arm around to hold you in place.

You buck your hips and throw your head back as you feel him bring you closer to the orgasm you’ve been dreaming about, “Please! Just fuck me, John... I need you inside me.” You beg and John pulls away.

He licks his lips and curls his fingers up to hit your spot, “I am inside you, pretty girl. Is this not enough? Tell me what you want,” he says softly. 

“I want you to fuck me... please, John. I need you,” You beg and he sits up to take his shirt off. His toned body is all you need to stop caring about how dry your nails are and you trace your fingertips over his chest and down his stomach. 

“Look at what you’re doing to me, Y/n. Feel it," he says and brings your hand down to stroke him through his pants. “Oh God, John,” You gasp. He feels huge and you’re afraid, excited, and overwhelmed all at once. 

He bends down to kiss you hard, "I don't even know what I wanna do next... wanna suck your tits, wanna keep eating that pussy out, wanna turn you over and fuck you into this mattress... decisions, decisions," He purrs as he lifts you and takes your t-shirt off. He quickly unhooks your bra and flings it aside, "Shit, babe... Y/n."

He mouths at your nipples and rolls them between his fingers, "You're so gorgeous. Fuck... you like this baby?" he breathes as he presses his face into the valley between your breasts and breathes you in.

"Yeah... John... feels so good," You pant, "I can't take anymore. Please, please, please."

John laughs as he stands up, "Miss Y/n is a beggar? I never knew that. Miss grumpy little bookstore boss is begging to get slammed. Looks like you're gonna cry if I don't."

You sit up and tug at his pants, "And I will so stop fucking around and gimme it," You demand and he laughs before nudging your head which sends you falling back against the mattress. You both laugh and you reach up for him, "C'mon, please? I really will cry," You say in a small voice.

John takes down his pants and his boxers and you stare at his throbbing dick. "Oh shit," You gasp.

John smiles as he pulls you up by your hand, "Come on, beautiful. It's not so scary, right?" he says gently.

You scoff, "Yes it fucking is. Holy shit, John," You say. John laughs again, "Take your time with it. Come on. Open your mouth."

You can't deny that just the sight of him is making your mouth water despite the sheer anxiety. You try not to wonder if he'll even fit inside you but it tugs at the back of your mind.

You open your mouth and he slowly guides himself inside. He holds your head steady and slowly rolls his hips, "Such a good girl. See? You're doing great," he moans. You wrap a hand around the base of his cock and bob your head around him slowly; savoring the feel of him against your tongue and the back of your throat.

"You're so fucking pretty. God, you look so hot like this... Such a beautiful girl. Come here. I'm dying to get inside you," John says as he pulls back and pulls you up to press a hot, wet kiss to your lips before kicking his pants and boxers off.

He climbs into the bed and pulls you on top of him. He teases your clit with the swollen tip of his cock and for a moment, you want to stop and use a condom but you look each other in the eyes and silently agree that neither of you can be bothered.

He lines himself up at your entrance and you hold your breath in anticipation.

"Hey, hey... you gotta relax, sweetheart, okay?" he says as he gently strokes his thumbs against your hips.

"O-okay. Just... please be gentle," You whisper. "Of course. I promised you I would. Just keep breathing for me and don't tense up, okay? Just relax," he says warmly.

You inhale deeply and hold it for a second before exhaling and holding onto John's broad shoulders. "That's my girl," he moans as he slides into you and completely bottoms out. He stretches you beautifully as he waits for you to decide that you're ready.

You clench around him and he presses a searing kiss to your lips, "Take all the time you need," he whispers.

You can see the need in his eyes but he's patient with you just like he's always been. He kisses you again then drags his mouth over the skin of your jaw then down to the pulse at the base of your throat.

As you begin riding him, he holds you steady and sucks marks into your neck and chest, "Look at you fucking yourself on my dick. God, baby... you like that, huh?" he groans huskily.

"Yeah... I- oh fuck! I love it, baby." You pant. "Aw, you love me?" John chuckles playfully.

"Uh-huh... I do... so much." You whimper as your voice breaks.

John smiles, "I love you too, baby," he says as he grips your hips and thrusts himself into you. You cry out and wrap your arms around his neck, "Feels so good... yes, John. Yes, yes, yes- God! Please don't stop... please."

John flips the both of you over and looks down at you, "So wet baby,' he sighs as he traps your arms above your head, "You're taking me so well... like we were made for each other."

You clench around him, "I was made for this... for you to fuck me... made for you," You whimper and wrap your legs around his waist. John reaches for a pillow and positions it under your hips, "You wanna see God tonight?"

You stare at him eagerly, "I already am," You whisper and John fucks into you like his life is depending on it.

You take it and you feel him slam so deep into you that you spread your legs even wider because he just invokes something so lewd and desperate in you and he is God tonight. You worship him with each stroke and his name is a prayer on your tongue and down your throat. His eyes are your pearly gates and his hips are your hellfire.

He presses a hand down against your abdomen. He knows he's got you wrapped around his fingers and he laughs a breathless laugh, "I'm just a guy... flawed and human like anyone else. Why would you worship me?" he heaves as he gives you back your own words. "John," You squeak, "Please."

The way he pins you down drives you mad and you just want him to wrap his hand around your neck. You reach up for his hand and he gives it to you. You bring it down your lips and kiss his knuckles then bring it down to your neck, "Please?" You ask softly and John circles his hand around your throat just right.

"God, you're such a dirty girl. Let's try something else. I think you'll like it," he says as he pulls out of you. You whimper at the absence of him inside you as you let him reposition you on your hands and knees closer to the foot of the bed.

"See that mirror?" John asks as he points to his full mirror across the room. You nod. "Watch us," he says as he slides back into you.

John pulls you up and presses you back against him. One hand travels up to your neck and the other travels down to tease circles into your clit. "John!" You cry.

"Cum for me, baby. That's my good girl," he croons softly against your ear. His fingers speed up and you cum undone but he doesn't stop, "Let me know if this is too much," he moans. Your body lurches and twitches but you don't stop him. You're greedy for him and he knows it. You mew and whimper but you let him keep going.

"Is this my pussy now, baby?" he asks. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes... fuck!" You whine and roll your head back against the firmness of his shoulder. 

“Gonna cum, baby... oh, baby, yes, yes... baby," he moans and his hips stutter as he fills you. “John," You choke out and he doesn’t stop.

He pulls out and turns you onto your back before easing back inside. He lays on top of you while using one arm to support his weight and you cling to each other as he milks himself into you. “God, I never wanna fuckin’ stop," he groans. 

“Then don’t stop... I don't want you to stop... please,” You beg as his hips sloppily collide with yours. He dips down to kiss you

He strokes into you a few more times before you both fall limp. As you both become more grounded, John sighs, “Ah shit.” 

“What, baby? What’s wrong?” You ask him softly. “I fucked my boss. That is so unprofessional” He says and smirks. “What kinda boss fucks a subordinate? That’s so slutty.” You chuckle. 

“Nah, she’s not so bad. Only slutty when she’s naked. Gotta look out for those quiet ones, y’know," he shoots back.

You both laugh. John kisses your forehead, “I love you," he says gently “I love you too.” You reply.

It takes a bit of effort but you both get up, shower, and then change his bedsheets. John gets you cozy in bed and presses a kiss to the corner of your mouth, “I’m gonna go get a morning after pill. Wait for me?” he says, mouth lingering for a moment. You nod and snuggle up beneath his comforter.

“We can eat some ice cream when I get back,” he kisses you and heads out. You lay in the silence of his room and replay the events from earlier. You blush as you remember the feel of his mouth on you and the way he moaned your name.

You roll over and eye his copy of Date and Time before sitting up to grab it. You flip the through the lightly worn pages before falling onto the poem that drew you both closer. A loose scrap of paper marks the page and you pluck it up to read it:

I told her I think she's beautiful. She said every guy who's ever fucked her over thought the same thing. Maybe she's not mean at all. Maybe she's just tired. Maybe repetition has made her tired?

He's not wrong. You slip the paper back into its place before closing the book and holding it close to your heart for a moment. Finally, you close the book and place it back on the nightstand. He really analyzed you and came to a conclusion in the very book you sold him. You feel yourself fall deeper.

It doesn’t take him long to come back. He brings you the pill with a glass of water and you take it. You laugh as the box of condoms sit atop his dresser still sealed up. “It’s funny how we grabbed those for ‘just in case’ like we didn’t already know what was gonna go down but it’s hilarious that instead of actually using one, you ended up getting stuffed and creamed like a cannoli," he chortles.

You blush, “I foresee an IUD in my future." John smirks, "More stuffin' and creamin'? Hell yeah.," he says with a fist pump. "Really, John?" You laugh. "Really, baby," he retorts.

The heat from outside billows into the store as John comes in. He ran to get lunch as you watched the store. “It’s swamp ass out there," he sighs as he wipes his brow, “But... daddy got those fuckin’ burritos, baby.”

You roll your eyes and smile, “You’re a mess,” You laugh. He brings the food and drinks behind the counter then looks you up and down, “I really love how that dress looks on you," he says as slides his hand up the back of your sundress to grip your ass. 

“Stop it, John!” You hiss reluctantly. 

“Shhhh, sweetheart. Nobody’s gonna know if you hush your pretty little mouth," he whispers and brings his hand around to slip down the front of your panties. 

“John,” You whisper. The jazz instrumentals play over the store speakers and John pushes you against the back counter and rubs your clit slowly, “Gonna let daddy make you cum right here?” he asks into your ear.

You close your eyes and push your face into his chest, “Oh God," You whimper and he rubs you faster. “You’re so wet, baby. You should’ve told me... I would've taken care of you sooner," he purrs. You come undone and he pulls his hand from your underwear and slides them into his mouth to suck them clean, "Love the way you taste," he hums.

You laugh shakily, relived that he not only got you odd but that nobody noticed. “See? Nobody saw us and nobody heard you," he says softly.

“Confession time,” John says as you two cuddle up in the coolness of your air conditioned apartment. “Oh Lord Jesus,” You say as you sit up and straddle him.

“So uh... remember that day I came in and you hired me?” he asks. “Yeah. I do. Best day ever.” You say quietly.

He pinches your cheeks, “Well... remember how I said I didn't have a job?” he asks.

You nod, “Yeah...” You say and narrow your eyes at him suspiciously. “I didn’t lie or anything like that but I was on my way to work when I saw the sign in the window and... I went and quit then came back hoping like hell I wasn’t too late," he says.

You crack up, “You’re insane, John! What if you were too late?” You ask him. 

“Then I would’ve crawled my sorry ass back to rhe coffee shop and begged for my job back.," he says with a shrug, “You were worth it.”

You smile and stroke his face, “Can I make a confession?” You ask. John nods. “I don’t recommend that book to everyone... Date and Time, I mean. It’s a really special book to me and I don’t just go telling everyone who needs a book recommendation about it,” You say.

John smirks, “I’ve been working in that store with you five days a week for almost two years now, sweet cheeks. I’ve never heard you recommend it to anyone. I already know but... why did you tell me about it?” he says and takes your hands in his.

You shrug, “Because when I looked at you, I felt like I was supposed to,”

He nods, “You liked me all along, didn’t you?” he asks smugly and you nod, “I did but that Valentine’s Day gift... that changed everything.”

John quirks up an eyebrow, “How?” 

You stroke your thumb over his bottom lip, “The next morning, I woke up and I remembered why.”

#johnny smut #johnny suh smut #nct smut #nct 127 smut #nct fic #nct 127 fic #neoculturecollectives #kpop smut #kpop fic #nct ambw #nct hard thoughts #nct hard hours #kpop smut fic #nct 127 #kpop #nctzen #johnny #Johnny suh #nct fanfiction #nct 127 fanfiction #kpop fanfiction #nct x reader #nct x black!reader #nct #ambw nct #nct x plus sized reader #nct x black reader #kpop ambw #ambw fanfic

[fanaticsnail]

I remember you mentioned having a Mihawk playlist, and the way you manage to find songs that perfectly fit the vibes of your fics and enhance the reading experience is one of the things I love about your writing

So I was wondering if you could share some of the songs on your playlist? Or even some songs that you associate with certain characters/tropes/scenarios?

I always love it when you send me asks, @sexc-snail.

I absolutely DO have a Mihawk playlist. I share the playlist construction with another creator on Tumblr who I love, cherish and adore: @sordidmusings. We add to it as we write, recommend songs as they come to us to help with words in works.

I could get into a long, long rant about music so I will add a page break here ❤. Lots of song recs to follow for the OPLA cast so far.

I am a violinist; have been playing for 25 years this year (I AM GETTING OLD, JEEPERS CREEPERS). Music is a great, passionate love affair for me and I adore learning about songs and pieces new and old. Here are some recommendations for songs and vibes I associate with the characters and the tropes.

I never add lyrics to my fics so the readers can visualize their own favourite melodies where they see fit, but I do have tunes in mind when I write them. The only fic I've really centralised a song about is the "You Should Be Sad" Mihawk fic I wrote a while back and the Koby series I'm writing.

Here are some song recommendations: all songs are Spotify linked. Enjoy a peek into my madness.

For the Characters

Luffy:

Long Way Home: Walk off the Earth, Lindsay Stirling

Following the Sun: SUPER-Hi, NEEKA

La Isla Bonita: Madonna

Zoro

Work Song: Hozier

Promise: Voyager

Cold Shot: Stevie Ray Vaughan

Sanji

Love Story: Indila

Know You Girls: Franz Ferdinand

Family Line: Conan Grey

Nami (She gets four, because she's amazing and I love her)

Runaway: Aurora

My Mother Told Me: NATI, Cullen Vance, Jonny Stewart

Outside: Ellie Golding, Calvin Harris

Queen of the Kings: Alessandra

Usopp

Mechanical Instinct: Aviators

The Higher Ground: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Eastside: Benny Blanco, Halsey, Khalid

Buggy

Be Your Shadow: The Wombats

Gasoline: Halsey

I Wanna Be Your Slave: Maneskin

Shanks:

The One that Got Away: The Civil Wars

Atlantis: Seafret

Barton Hollow: The Civil Wars

Mihawk

Seven Nation Army: Postmodern Jukebox

My Heart With You: The Rescues

The Snake: Lana Lubany

Koby (He also gets four, because he deserves only good things, and because Morgan Davies is Aussie like me)

Grieve No More: Patty Gurdy

Siuil A Run: Ella Roberts

Mad World: Jasmine Thompson

Again: Flyleaf

Helmeppo

Fighter: Christina Aguilera

Torn: Natalie Imbruglia

Elastic Heart: Sia

Garp

Sharp Dressed Man: ZZ Top

Under a Violet Moon: Blackmores Night

Billie Jean: The Civil Wars

For the Tropes

Unrequitted Love (My all time favourite thing)

Wrecking Ball: Beth

Can't Help Falling in Love: Tommee Profitt, Brooke

I Found: Amber Run

Comptine d'un autre ete l'apres-midi: Yann Tierson

Derniere Danse: Indila

Only in my Mind: Kenya Grace

Over and Over: Three Days Grace

Broken Pieces: Apocalyptica Lacey

Too Close: Alex Clare

Stupid Heart: Sorana

Enemies to Lovers

FMLYHM: Sether

Closer: NIN

Hella Good: No Doubt

Play With Fire: Sam Tinnesz, Yacht Money

Why'd You Only Ever Call Me When You're High: Arctic Monkeys

For when they give into their feelings:

Surrender: Natalie Taylor

As the World Caves In: Sarah Cothran

Freeze You Out: Marina Kaye

Say Yes To Heaven: Lana Del Rey

For when they give up but feelings are still there

Lose you to love me: Selena Gomez

Liar: Camilla Cabello

Darkside: Alan Walker

Say My Name: David Guetta, Bebe Rexha, J Balvin

Only Love Can Hurt Like This: Paloma Faith

I See Red: Everybody Loves an Outlaw

If you made it this far, thank you. This was a labour of love. Happy listening ❤

#one piece #opla #opla fic #one piece live action #x reader #buggy #shanks #koby #Luffy #Zoro #Sanji #Nami #Usopp #Helmeppo #Garp #mihawk #opla song recs #opla music #one piece music recs #fic recs #fic writers #music fic #music #spotify

[animehouse-moe]

Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut Volume 3 - Fly Me To The Moon

This third volume, a new story, something not adapted to an anime format yet, and something that I really need to give Kesiuke Makino credit for.

Let's take a short trip down what amounts to historical memory lane. Of course, Makino-sensei gets stuff like New Orleans down pat, and weaves a tough but considerately accurate and faithful picture of racism and discrimination of the era. So let's get the nitty gritty out of the way first.

Makino paints a very strong picture of segregation and discrimination, not just of the sentiment of "the other", but a systemic and foundational isolation of Dhampirs (in this story coming from full-blooded Vampires that immigrated to Arnack). The Moonlight District being an underdeveloped and under supported section of the somewhat fictional city of New Marseille, Dhampirs live in fear and constant poverty. Jobs opportunities are incredibly limited, wages are the bottom of the rung, and lynch mobs and supremacy groups roam the streets with a bloodlust.

It's a very bleak, and very faithful representation. They don't stop at "racism bad" or anything like that, they launch into full on descriptions, making sure that readers understand that members of the racial supremacist group of the novel are members of the community, are police officers and state troopers, are judges and political officials, and that they will abuse their power to abuse their position. It's willing to be realistic enough that it referenced historical events such as the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing.

Of course, its representation of racial discrimination and tensions is more than even just the harrowing aspects of it. It sees the middle ground, the indifferent, the challenges of breaking down those walls, and of trying to pretend they don't even exist. As was the case with the first two volumes, this third volume represents an incredible amount of perspectives and ideals, and even touches upon aspects such as the perception of class traitors and self-imposed responsibility to your community.

It really is impressive how well they work with this stuff, though some might find it a little prickly at first as Makino integrates stuff like Jazz culture, funerals, and the French/Creole aspects of Black culture. But, credit at the minimum has to be given for the passion and accuracy that Makino treats it with. They find the brilliant aspects between the rough lines and allows them to shine brightly, but refuse to ignore the negative pieces.

I think that's just enough of the heavier side of things though, let's talk about the amazing pieces of history which Makino highlights in electric fashion. So, there's a group of women Dhampir in this story, that provide calculations via punch card computers using FORX (the fictional equivalent of BASIC), who work out of what's called the D-Room. I'm sure most people know of Margret Hamilton, who famously stood next to a massive pile of punch cards that are in part responsible for the moon landing, but what about NASA's human computers and some of their first programmers?

Well, those were also women, but even more than that they were African-American Women. Under the helm of Dorothy Vaughn, one of the Langley Center's first African-American managers, a team of (largely African-American) women came to be and provided incredible feats such as the calculations for the first suborbital spaceflight of the United States, the first orbital spaceflight, and even calculations for the moon landing of Apollo 11. These historical women are represented fictitiously here in this volume, and it's incredible to see (though I do wish Makino could compile their research notes to provide context and information to readers!).

The story is riddled with incredible references like this. Take the whole thing with Fly Me To The Moon, rather than it being the song that it is in our reality, it's now a science-fiction novel. More than that though, and something that I think has beautiful meaning in relation to the lead characters, is the name of the original artist for the song, Kaye Ballard. Our damphir protagonist carries the same first name, Kaye Scarlet. The content of the song, and the significance of the novel to both Kaye and Bart provides such a stunningly picturesque sense of romance. The beauty in the song that "Kaye" made being the reason that Bart fell in love with outer space is just such a wonderful piece.

Alongside that though there's other stuff that might be picked up on, like the Keighley Research Center vs the Langley Research Center, and so on and so forth.

Makino really does such an incredible job of telling impactful and important stories of history with such riveting fictional additions. Every moment has you tense, worried, excited, angry, laughing, smiling, and so on and so forth. It catches you off-guard with realizations and reveals, builds tension in the blink of an eye, and sells its characters incredibly well.

If there was one thing that this volume wanted to impart upon readers, it would be this. No matter where you are in the world, no matter what challenges or difficulties lay ahead of you, whether everyone or no one will support you, it's okay to dream. It's okay to aim for the stars, to look past what lays in front of you and express that passion, to chase after what lays in your heart. Even if people tell you that you can't do it, or that it's a weak or measly dream, or that they say it won't change anything or that it'd be a waste - dream.

Coming off the tail end of volume 2, and leading with a new story with fresh characters and concepts, Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut volume 3 continues to stun and leave readers in awe at the quality and writing that Makino gives readers. Such an amazing science-fiction series that appeals to so many important pieces.

#tsuki to laika to nosferatu #Tsuki To Laika #Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut #Irina The Vampire Cosmonaut #Kaye Scarlet #Bart Fiefield #light novel review #light novel recommendation #light novel

[prince-toffee]

So, I rewatched the trailer over and over again, I stepped back, organised my thoughts, and I think I get it.

So first the Bad, then the GOOD, because there's actually a lot to like here.

The Bad:

So, the trend of companies kicking actual voice actors onto the curb and replacing them with celebrities continues. I remember being really angry when they first announced the voice cast, and I still am. It's quite literally the most boring, generic casting possible. You can not get much more white bread, milk toast than a Chris and Scar - I want to play an Asian woman and trans man - jo. Also, why is Chris Hemsworth here? Do he really need the money? Did Thor 4 damage his pockets that bad? There are so many talented voice actors that could've been Orion, David Kaye is a prime example Animated Optimus and Beats Wars/Unicron Trilogy Megatron, beloved by fans, if he was announced people would've been over joyed. I love Brian Tyree Henry, and he actually has some experience with va work as he voiced Jeff Morales in Spider-Verse, my original criticism still stands.... And Kegan, oh Kegan, I love you so much, Key and Peele was my childhood, and the Toad performance was perfectly fine, endearing even. But as Bee? I'm sorry, but no, that's not BumbleBee that's just actor/comedian Kegan Michael Key, I can't hear anything else. And it doesn't help that he's handed the worst lines.

Which brings us to the comedy. First impressions are EVERYTHING. And if you fumble that that hurts your film, and the perception of your film. I think that's really the problem here, it's a bad trailer not necessarily bad content. Packing the trailer with jokes for the sake of jokes and having that samey Hollywood liscensed music cringey feel to it. Like the guitar riff that played when the 'This Fall' card came up just made me turn off the video immediately. That's why I recommend watching the trailer without sound. Bee's jokes don't really land for me, I'm sure kids with love it tho, and that's good. But I'm sure all the jokes won't be bad, the final door gag is actually really funny. So I think it was just a bad joke that soured out feel of the tone at the beginning, which is unfortunate because like I said first impressions are everything. Because this is Josh Cooly, of Up, Inside Out, Toy Story 4 fame, I'm sure the film will have an emotional core to it.

A minor thing I don't much care for is having Bee be in the same age range as Orion, in my mind he's always constructed during the war at like the half way mark or near the end, he's the little brother of the group, and now he's old enough to remember Op and Megs before the war. Also he sounds way too old.

Oh, also I don't like Orion's personality.

Good:

Now for the good; I think the animations style is gorgeous. Would have I liked something Spider-Verse/Mutant Mayhem-esk, of course, but what are you gonna do? The stand out here is the environments, a visual feast. This might already be my favourite Cybertron, it's so different yet reminisant of the Cybertron we know. The fact that the surface transformers and shifts and changes is genius, very IDW Phase 2 inspired. And the fact that Cybertron is a techno-organic hybrid world ala Beast Machines is crazy! I love that, and wildlife! I bet that's how we get the cassettes. The character models are great too, you can actually tell what emotion is happening on a person's face. Gone are the days of faces being made up of razor blades and mandibles BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INSECTS FUCK YOU MICHAEL BAY. THEY'RE PEOPLE! There's the nose, the lips, the eyes, and I can tell where one begins and ends. The eyes are gorgeous and detailed, and the face surface detail has smuges, wear, specs of dirt, metallic texture. Like, you nailed it! It's a person but a robot, you got it!

We see what we assume are the 13 Primes, Alpha Trion being the only survivor, maybe they were killed by the Quintessons and they took over. D-16, a ref to IDW and his toys designation in the toy catalogue, he'll obviously name himself after Megatronus ala TF Prime. He seems to have the Decepticon insignia before meeting The Fallen so maybe Megatronus' face is some sort of religious iconography, the Primes are a religion on Cybertron after all. It's all so fascinating, I can't remember the last time I was so excited to learn more about a new TF continuity.

Orion and D-16 are both miners and or workers, that's a refreshing take, no coptimus here. They've suffered the same way together, I bet story will be about dealing with that pain, what justice means, how far one is willing to take it and where justice stops and injustice begins. I know people are mad that the origins are a little different, but I ask you, different from what? Which continuity are you talking about? TF has never had a consistent singular timeline, and that's what I love about this franchise! It builds on itself with each new continuity! Take a bit of the old, mix it with new ideas and create something fresh, then that old guard leaves and a new team takes over and does the same and the franchise continues to evolve or should I say transform. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get, and new incarnations always give second chances to improve apon what came before. No Reboots, no risks means no Skybite, or Nemesis Prime, no Stasis Pods, Sparks, Protoforms, Energon ore, no Star Saber, Hot Shot, Knock Out, Airachnid, no All Spark, no Sari, no Bulkhead, no old grumpy Ratchet, none of that. Reboots are a part of this franchise's DNA. I sense the people that are complaining are the people who only value one continuity and discard all others.

It's really neat this universe's version of The Cast System is lower class worker protoforms being denied a Transformation Cog, it seems like it's reserved for the higher classes, the very thing that makes their species special and unique is denied to them. Also I didn't notice it the first time, but Alpha actually pulls the t-cogs out of the dead Primes which kind of signifies a passing of the guard, the old Primes failed, now it's your turn, and of course history repeats itself with the downfall of Megatron.

I like how Trion is covered and intertwined with moss and vines and has a beast mode, showcasing that he's of an older era now gone and forgotten.

Some other smaller stuff:

The sun looks like a holographic simulation, which makes me wonder, Cybertron doesn't usually have a sun, but there's plant life now, so what's up?

The cave that the dead Primes and Trion are in kinda looks like a Dweller.

Megatron's black helmet is a ref to Marvel G1.

That spin kick where Elita twirls her entire waist around is sooo satisfying. I love it.

AIRACHNID!!?!!!! MY QUEEN HAS RETURNED!!!!!!!

I think that's a good point to end on. So, yeah, v excited.

#transformers one #maccadam #maccadams #tf one