#I barely edited the original screen cap | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theravenclawlover · 3 years

Text

Welcome to the Industry of Porn

Paring: Avengers X Female!Reader

Warnings: +18, heavy smut, drinking, slight angst in later chapters, fluff if you squint, and my English as usual.

Word Count: 2,357

Summary: AU where the Avengers are Pornstars. It’s pretty self explanatory.

Chapter: 1

Chapter Tittle: Sticky Fingers

A/N: This first chapter was edited so much from its original draft. The smut is less cringe in my opinion, but it still holds the same idea. I think that's what's going to happen to most of my chapters for this book (if you’ve read the original version which can literally be found in my other sites sans now the first chapter, you would see how different it is now). I really would like to leave the old version up to see how my writing style has changed, but I don't want to create a whole new book for that. Because I'm editing the whole document, technically destroying the first draft. But oh well...I don't have any new ideas for this yet, so don't expect any new chapters from what I have posted.

At the age of 21, you found yourself living in an apartment with your college roommate. You had dropped out of college around a month or so into the fall semester of your last year. It had taken you that long to call it quits, and it had been stupid, really, but you couldn’t take it anymore. Not only the prior year your grades had gone to the floor and you’d fallen into a dark corner in your life that had taken the help of some of your friends and your roommate from your first two years had been nice enough to rent you a room. She lived off campus as her parents had given her the money for the first two months for the rent, it was up to her to keep on paying it.

Your parents had no clue about your reckless decisions and for the time being you were planning on them not finding out. It was wishful thinking, but that’s what kept you going even if as the days passed by it seemed less likely to happen.

Living in L.A was not easy, especially when you had no job and only lived by the money your parents sent every other month to make sure you had enough. They knew you had no job, and they were okay with it because in their mind you were working your butt off. Journalism was supposed to be what you were majoring in, but college had put a dent on the beauty you had seen on it before classes started to make you ill. It was ridiculous to say the least, the amount of stuff you had to submit with barely any time to truly make it happen.

In this city everything was expensive, and it was easy to point out those who could really afford to live here by choice, and those who came here to study. You felt like a fish out of water as you were not a girl from a big city, in fact, you grew up in a beautiful small town in Montana. Everyone knew each other, even if you weren’t friends with that person, you knew who their cousin Mike was, or you knew if their uncle Bob had gone to prison because he had been drinking and causing mayhem around townhall.

Sure, you missed home, and there was nothing compared to the noise of the small town that even though loud it was familiar and welcomed. But like many of those who only knew that town, you wanted out as soon as graduation came around. You wanted a sense of dependency, but just like everyone else, you had failed to see the reality of making such big change. Even now, after three years in L.A., you didn’t regret it—only on those long nights that the silence got too loud for your harsh mind.

But as another dull day in your life after having dropped out came, you were sitting in front of your laptop doing nothing but stress over the hopeless job hunt. Most days were like that, staring into the bright screen as the jobs were too demanding of you or not your type of gig. As much as you told yourself to not be picky about the jobs, it was impossible for you to skip past the one in search of servers. You didn’t have personal experience, but your friends had enough to warn you off of the nightmare it was.

You swore under your breath as you groaned out your frustration; every job position you did end up digging further asked for either some previous experience or a college degree. Fucking hell.

As you rolled your eyes and set your forehead on the desk’s border, your stomach gave a growl that made you scrunch up your nose. You had forgotten to eat something after waking up, and now after hours of sitting in search of a miracle, your stomach protested in hunger. With a sigh that escaped your nostrils, you walked out of your small room and walked down the hall toward the kitchen. You stood there for a solid minute before deciding on what to eat. Grabbing some wheat bread, you set two slices on a clean plate and went to look for the almost empty container of Nutella and the almond butter. As you spread the almond butter on the bread, you noticed the silence the rest of the apartment had fallen. You were home alone. You had forgotten that Cassie—your roommate—had gone out with her photography class to work on a project for their senior capstone.

Glancing at the clock on the wall above the counter, you grinned to yourself as you saw that she wasn’t coming back for another hour and a half, thus giving you enough time alone to do what you have been prolonging for a couple of weeks now.

Inhaling your quick snack, you put the knife and plate in the dishwasher and washed your hands before heading back to your room.

Unplugging your now charged phone, you grabbed your headphones and threw yourself on top of your bed. Getting rid of your shorts, and t-shirt, you positioned yourself in the middle of your bed, slightly blushing at the whole situation. No matter how many times you’ve pleasured yourself, the blush on your cheeks never failed to appear. It had been weeks since you last had the mind to destress like this, and the fact that you haven’t dated in what feels like forever only added as to why you were becoming sexually frustrated.

Finally getting the headphones untangled, you plugged them in and soon you found yourself opening a tab on safari on the private search. You didn’t know what your mood wanted, so you decided to go to a general website and soon cringed at the amateur and more realistic videos they had on the trending page popped up. You scrolled for a minute before opting for just looking up your favorite channel, The Avengers.

You had found the site soon after your curiosity peeked at the age of 14. They had the hottest pornstars you've ever gotten off to, and what made it better was that, unlike most acted out scenes, they made it seem like an actual movie scene. Most of their videos were connected, others were just segments, and others were holiday specials. They had everything. You had probably seen most of their videos hundreds of times, and unbeknown to anyone, you had a subscription under your ex’s name. The fact that he had yet to cancel the subscription made you wonder if he knew and enjoyed the perks as you did. He probably had no clue you had used his card, he probably thought he’d done it.

Once you had logged into your account, you noticed that there were a couple of new videos added to their page. You read their tittles and not even two videos down you had clicked one at random to surprise yourself. When the video loaded, you silently squealed when two of your favorite characters/actors appeared on screen and started to talk. Black Widow and Captain Rogers were looking around what it seemed like an old run-down warehouse. The plot of the video was simple, they had received intelligence that some HYDRA (what they called their bad guys) soldiers had been spotted coming in and out of the place as of recently. As they talked, you marveled at their beauty, and at how hot they looked in those costumes of theirs. At times you wished you could be part of that, and the idea of getting wrecked by them only made you rub your legs together as your body started to heat up at the thought.

Not sooner had they reached nowhere with their search of clues, the scene had turned to Cap admiring Black Widow in her usual tight attire. And as one thing led to another, Cap had pulled her in and kissed her hard on the mouth with her only melting around his big arms. But your excitement grew as you noticed how the camera now showed a lurking Winter Soldier—another of your favorite characters. while the Soldier was behind them, looking from the shadows. Soon enough the redhead that was Black Widow freed Cap of his clothes as he pulled down her own. She kneeled when she had pulled down the suit he wore, and without warning she started to lick the man’s hard and thick length.

Your hand that was on your lower tummy now trailed touches on your body, and unconscious action from your part, as it only aided to the ever-growing need between your legs.

When she started to suck him off with the obscene act of deepthroating, your fingers played with your hardening nipples. You were now biting your lip as you only took in how she worked her way down to the base of his cock. He never failed to praise her, to voice his pleasure to her, and to the now you admired the aroused Winter Soldier.

After some minutes of the redhead gagging around him, and some minutes of you playing with your now hard nipples, Cap pulled her up, and as she stood she glanced at the man behind them. The Winter Soldier had been caught, and before he could escape, Cap invited the man over. With slight hesitation he walked over toward them, but soon no ounce of hesitation was found in his body as Cap pulled him in for a heated kiss.

You let out a small whimper as your fingers had now found themselves slowly rubbing your clit atop your underwear that now was covered by a damp spot. The man was rid of his armor as the redhead took it upon herself to leave him in the same level of nakedness as her. But not sooner had she kneeled and sucked on his hard member, had she been pulled up again and pressed flat against a table-looking surface. Both men gave a nod to the other, and Cap positioned himself behind the Black Widow while the Winter Soldier invited her to suck on him like she had wanted before.

And like that, the woman found herself being used by them as one of them fucked her from behind, smacking her ass every so often, making her almost as red as her hair while another man gripped said hair allowing him to use her throat as he pleased.

You were now panting as your fingers rubbed your hard and wet clit. The hand that held the phone started to slightly shake as the rubbing continued, but you almost dropped your phone when two of your thin fingers entered your needy hole.

By now the men had changed positions as the woman had already twitched and moaned out her first orgasm. And they keep like that until she squirmed and came on the other man’s cock. Neither of them giving in on their orgasm.

The Soldier pulled her up, and the Black Widow’s legs seemed to shake as she tried to keep herself upright as the men walked her over a little to the side as they now enclosed her with one of them pressed on her back while the other pressed her front. A messy three-way kiss ensued, and now your fingers seemed to not be enough as you felt yourself near your orgasm but always needed something more.

But not sooner had you added another finger to your soaked sex, you moaned at what came next.

The men had entered the woman, each filling one hole at a time. Cap was inside her used pussy while Winter Soldier slipped his cock inside her asshole. You and the redhead moaned at the same time; she felt the stretch and fill, but you saw it as the camera now provided a view from a better angle. With only seconds to assimilate her situation, she soon started to shamelessly moan and squeal at the feeling of being used like a toy between two men.

The rhythm they had set was merciless, and the clapping of skin, the squelching of her wet pussy only made you dizzy. You had removed your ruined underwear, and in seconds each foot went to a side of your bed to keep your legs open as the thrusting of your fingers brought you closer to your orgasm.

The groans, moans, whines, and dirty talk was making you now lose some of the grip on your phone, but you kept on going even as you twitched and forced your legs to keep themselves spread open as your thin fingers did their best to get you off.

And the people that were making you approach your orgasm seemed to be reaching theirs before you as both men came after the woman between them had gotten her third orgasm. They came with groans and whimpers, but soon pulled out of her, and just before you dropped your phone as you came with a loud whimper around your soaked fingers and hand, you saw how the cum from their deed dripped out of her as the camera greedily caught the filthy show.

It took you a couple of minutes to regain the feeling of you body back, and as you calmed yourself down and proceeded to clean yourself in the bathroom and put some clothes back on, you neglected to see you had clicked out of the video and managed to click on one of the many ads of the website.

When you grabbed your phone after feeling much lighter than before, you noticed the foreign page you had clicked on. And as you scanned it over, you noticed it was an ad claiming to be looking for new ‘talents’ for the industry of porn.

You read over the ad, made sure it was legitimate. And after you had your little fit of giggles as you told yourself that you couldn’t do porn, you looked at your forgotten job hunt that your laptop had been mocking you with earlier.

And just like that you found yourself closing all the other tabs and typing the most random of google searches you’ve ever made: requirements to work in the industry of porn.

I don’t remember if anyone wanted to be tagged for this, but let me know if want to be tagged for the updates!

Welcome to the industry taglist:

@ginger-haired-queen

Permanent Taglist:

@musiclover812

@cnco-ravenclaw-46

@teapartydreams

115 notes · View notes

kinsey3furry300 · 3 years

Text

A very confused Star Wars Fan desperately tries to justify their belief that “Caravan of Courage” shows the way forward for the franchise. No, really.

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve loved Star Wars. And I mean, all of it. The books, the games, the Lego, the spin-offs: I even enjoy the Holiday Special in a The Room so-bad-you-just-need-to-see-it sort of way. But particularly the films. But here is when we run into the big problem: I’m just the wrong age. The original trilogy launched before I was born, the prequel trilogy hit cinemas when I was already a teen and while I went and saw them and enjoyed them, I was at that age where I was self-conscious about seeing a “kids” film, and hyper-aware of how silly and cringy those films were in parts. So my indoctrination, my inoculation with the Star Wars bug didn’t happen in the cinema, and it didn’t happen with any of the main franchise works. It happened on home video, on a skiing trip in the French Alps in the early 90’s. I’d have been about 6, and this was the first time I’d ever been abroad other than to see relatives in Ireland. And I loved it: to this day I love skiing, but more than that, I have very, very fond childhood memories of this trip. This was shortly before I lost my biological mother to cancer, she’d have received her diagnosis just after we got back from the trip. This was when my younger sister stopped being an annoying screaming thing and became and became an actual person I could talk and play and share ideas with, this was before the combination my mothers long illness and my father having just launched his own IT start up meant I didn’t see him or her any more, despite the fact they were in the same house as me. This was this wonderful, nostalgic child-hood bubble when my family was intact, and nothing could ever go wrong. I skied all day with mum and dad, and would come back to the chalet in the evening. It was an English speaking chalet, I met my first real-life American there, and having grown up in the 90’s in the UK nothing was cooler than making friends with an actual American my own age. He had a hulk Hogan action figure with springs in the legs so if you put him on a hard surface and punched his head down, when you let go he’d jump really high in the air. We used to play with it together in the bath, back in that weird 90’s time-bubble when it was possible to convince two sets of parents that this kid you’d just met was you best friend in the world and of course shared bath time was, somehow, normal and appropriate. And fresh from bath time, tired from the day, the parents would give us some hot coco, dump us kids in front of the tv and grab the first shitty low-budget VHS they could find to keep us distracted while they went to the bar. In this particular time, in this particular place, that shitty low budget cartoon was the complete set of the 1985 Lucasfilm/ABC Ewoks cartoon, plus the two spin off movies, and to this day that cheap, kitschy, kind of bad series has a special warm and cosy place in my heart. I remember being enthralled by the world, in love with the characters, applied by the bad guys and the injustice they caused (to this day I’m still irate about that time Wicket lost his set of beads documenting his progress towards becoming a full warrior and the older Ewoks basically said, tough, you need to re-earn all those merit badges from scratch. This struck me as exactly the sort of bullshit an adult would pull, and pissed me off) and on tenterhooks about what would happen to the characters.

It was also, by a coincidence, the first ever Star Wars media I was exposed to, and the above combination of events probably explains a lot about me.

So I was surprised, the other day, when scrolling Disney+, to find they’d added Caravan of Courage AND Battle for Endor to the roster in my region. Surely Disney wouldn’t want their slick, cool brand associated with this old trash? Surely there could be no place for this in the post-Mandalorian Star Wars cannon? Surely this is a horrible mistake some intern made, right?

Unless…. What if I’ve miss-remembered? What if it’s not just rose-tinted nostalgia goggles, and it’s, in fact, secretly really, really good?

I rushed to my comfy chair, got a blanket, dimmed the lights, made some coco (with rum in it, because why the hell not?) and sat down to re-examine this lost gem.

And wow: it’s every bit as shit as you’d expect.

It has aged exactly as poorly as you’d expect a cheap, mid 80’s direct to video spin-off to age. Caravan of Courage? More like Caravan of Garbage, am I right?

And yet… I still enjoyed every moment.

And it was sitting there, in my pyjamas, watching a cheaply made direct to video cash-grab from just before I was born, seeing it again for the first time in nearly 30 years, and I realised something.

It doesn’t really matter if this film is bad, so long as I enjoy it. And if it doesn’t really mater if this is bad, then I, like many Star Wars fans, wasted a huge amount of time and emotional effort on being butthurt about stuff I didn’t like about the Rise of Skywalker and it’s ilk. Because somewhere, right now, a tired and frustrated parent is putting Disney+ on to keep their kids quiet for two hours. And they won’t think too hard about what they put on, so long as it keeps little Timmy busy for a bit. Somewhere, right now, a kid is watching Rise of Skywalker, and it’s the first Star Wars media they’ve ever seen.

And that’s okay. Because we don’t know what that kids home life is like. We don’t know if it’s good or bad. Maybe it’s great, maybe it’s about to take a dramatic plunge like mine did, and this moment here will be the cosy, warm memory they look back on in 30 years time, and that’s beautiful. They’re getting introduced to a fun, wonderful fantasy world that could be with them all their lives, through good times and bad, and as fans we should be happy about that.

Star Wars will never, die: it’s too darn profitable, Disney will never let it. And while I hope they learn from their mistakes and make sure every future Star Wars is a timeless gem of story-telling, statistically, if you keep making enough films, some of them will be bad. And while I’d like them all to be great, it’s still okay if they’re bad.

Because nothing can take away my memories of that week in that chalet. Nothing can take-away my memories of when they put the original trilogy on in cinemas for the special edition and I had my jaw hit the floor with how good it was on the big screen, not knowing or caring who shot first. Nothing can take away you memories of the Original Trilogy, the Prequels, or the Clone Wars. Nothing can tarnish the bits of the sequil trilogy that you like, and there are good bits in there.

But wait, what about continuity? What about the sacred, perfect written time-line that used to exist?

Well, what about it? Have you seen any other big, epic fantasy universe before? They’re all a mess. A work of fiction, particularly fantasy, can be extensive, or tightly written, but not both. Harry Potter is only seven books, and the last two feel, tonally, like they’re from an entirely different series. I love them, but the grim-dark kicked in so fast you’ll get whiplash. The Hobbit is a perfect written self-contained novel, and LOTR is *The* big boy high-fantasy trilogy: fast forward 50 years, and Christopher Tolkien is desperately squeezing every last drop of money out of his father’s corpse by finishing and publishing every unfinished note JRR ever wrote right down to his shopping lists. Even Dune goes of the rails with sequels. I can only think of four fantasy works that are both extensive and consistently tightly written, Song of Ice and Fire, Wheel of Time, Malazan: Book of the Fallen and Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. And even then, the prequels and spin-offs mess with the timelines: the Dunk and Egg novella’s change some character’s canonical ages and timelines, Wheel of Time was going slowly off the rails even before the Jordan died, Forge of Darkness made what was a good metaphor for the creation of it’s world into a literal war deep in the past, and Sanderson’s first Novel Elantris got a re-write to bring it more in line with the rest of the shared universe. The MCU, oft held up as the modern example of tightly planned, well thought out ongoing storytelling, is a lie: it was never as pre-planned out as Disney wants us to think; the first Iron Man, apparently, barely had a script, with Downey ad-lib-ing most of his scenes. None of the MCU films are direct sequels to each-other other than Infinity war and Endgame. There are three Iron Man films, and Three Thor films, and none continue an ongoing story line across multiple films, and the Cap films barely continue an arc, but only where Cap’s relationship with Natasha and Bucky is involved. Much like these, Star War’s cannon is a complete, nightmarish, confusing, tangled, illogical mess. And it has been since 1984, as Caravan of Courage proves. It was never consistent and well planned.

And that’s okay.

I used to care about plot holes. I used to care about which works were cannon in Star Wars lore. I’m over that now. I’m happy to imagine the books, films and games not as a blow-by-blow historical account of a galaxy far far away, but as campfire stories from within this fun, imaginative world that we’re all invited to listen to. Stories that are in-universe myth and folklore, that we can all snuggle up and listen to while drinking highly alcoholic rum and remembering better times, knowing that wherever the future throws at us, no matter how the world goes to hell around us, we’ll still have the memories, and the ability to make our own new stories in the wonderful Star Wars world we all share.

And that’s okay. No, more than that: that’s beautiful.

Also Star Wars is completely unambiguous on the fact we’re allowed to kill fascists no matter how many times they keep coming back with a new logo, so that’s timely I guess.

So, there’s my hot take two-years after everyone else stopped caring about this stuff, as per bloody usual. Tell me why I’m wrong below, and does anyone else have any truly awful spin-off shows that they kind of have a nostalgic soft spot for?

14 notes · View notes

inzannatea-arts · 3 years

Text

#21 Days of Nathan - A Recap Pt 2 Days 11-21

Apparently there was just too much on the other post, so here we go with post #2!

Day 11: One word to describe Nathan

My one word to describe Nathan is "Ebullient" -- meaning cheerful and full of energy. There's also an archaic meaning of boiling or agitated as if boiling. I feel in both watching Nathan's performances and in the few times I've had the opportunity to meet him in person this word is fitting. In person, he is a boundless energy and pure serotonin. Just a genuinely delightful and kind human who CANNOT SIT STILL FOR 5 SECONDS. But that same frenetic energy is contained, if only just barely, in so many of his performances... most especially Jack. You can tell there is something boiling just beneath the surface and it's utterly fascinating to watch.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inzannatea Arts (@inzannatea_arts)

Day 12: Play I’d like to see Nathan in

Really the answer is "anything". He has great range. But I think he'd give the appropriate gravitas and hilarity to the role of Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard's "Arcadia". He might be a little on the mature side, but he could probably pull it off. Arcadia takes place both in 1809/1812 and the present day with the activities of the modern overlaid on the action of the past. We gradually learn the fates of the past protagonists as the modern actors learn them in the present. It's a very interesting play exploring the nature of evidence and modern theories of history maths, and physics. It brings together themes of romanticism and empiricism, logic and love, sex and sensibility. I think it would be a fantastic role for Nathan and he would knock it out of the park.

Day 13: Favorite picture of Nathan Page from a public event

Event was originally supposed to be the cast and crew preview, part 2 for all the folks who bought that level of movie support, but who couldn't get away for (US) Thanksgiving weekend to the other side of the planet with three week's notice. I like it because I'm photobombing it 🤣 Not only that, it was just such a fun day. @skirtswithpocketsplease is always the right person to stand near in a crowd, fyi. @lechatnoir1918 can also be spotted in this great shot of Mary and Nathan (and bombastic me... and someone's very supportive husband just behind us) from @themissfisherphiles. So hard to believe it's been just over a year!

Day 14: Actor you’d like Nathan to work with

This is another one of those "anyone" answers... However, I would really love to have Nathan and Claudia Black (of Farscape, Stargate) work together. It's probably part of my Tony Tilse love, or maybe just that I could listen to these two talk for hours on end and it wouldn't even matter what they said. They both have amazing voices in addition to formidable acting talent.

Week 3 below the fold

Day 15: Favorite Behind the Scenes moment

This video was shot by Essie Davis’s dresser for series 1&3 Peter O'Halloran. Essie and Nathan are just so delightfully playful together, even when they're supposed to be Jedi-serious. I adore them 💓

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inzannatea Arts (@inzannatea_arts)

Day 16: TV Show you’d like to see Nathan Page on

I choose Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries. I'd love to have silver fox Jack Robinson come wandering back into his house to find, not the Miss Fisher he expects, but Miss Fisher the younger. He's been on his own long term mission and didn't know Phryne had gone missing... or maybe has been with her and neither realized the world thinks her dead-again. Either way, bring me silver fox Jack in mid-century Mod to drive the nail in Sparrow's coffin.

Day 17: Fav Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears moment

There were a lot of moments I really loved, but I think this was the moment that Essie and Nathan really made me swoon. Methinks the Inspector doth protest too much. No. No. No. No.

youtube

Day 18: Favorite Jack Photo

This lovely shot of Nathan probably needs to be credited to DP Roger Lanser since it's a Screen-cap directly from the Kate Dennis directed episode S1E3 The Green Mill Murder. Other crew are certainly to be credited as well, but Roger... man. Roger just has that eye for good light.

Day 19: Question I’d like to ask Nathan, given the opportunity

I've been lucky enough to have a very casual conversation with Nathan and I didn't really have any burning questions to ask him. We just talked about life and kids and the fires that were raging in Australia, and Lola. Mostly Lola. And how he wants to do more bicycle stunts. I guess after all this lockdown what my wing clipped wandedlusting self wants to know is, where have you always wanted to ride but haven't yet?

Day 20: All-time favorite photo of Nathan Page

This is from the 2016 Logies when Essie Davis had been nominated for a Golden Logie and brought Nathan Page along for the ride. All of the photos were wonderful. It was the first time we'd seen them together since Phryne flew away... and it was clear these too truly were friends. Truly just enjoying each other's company. This one is my favorite because of the sweetness of it. Essie looks a touch nervous. Nathan is full of pride for his friend. Beautiful.

Day 21: Best Cycling Moment

Really it was hard to choose. I love the koala 🐨 and all of the stuff with Lola 🐕 It's really fun to get to go barreling down the hills of rural South Australia 🇦🇺 whilst sitting behind my home office desk. It sparks that sense of adventure that seems to have faded to a mere ember in last year of lockdowns and loss. But--with all of those already cataloged elsewhere in this list, I had to go with this image of pure #couplegoals from shortly after the move to Adelaide. It came from the 18 April 2018 edition of "The Advertiser," (hand delivered to me by a certain delightful person who shall remain @geenee27) at #missfishercon 2018 in Portland, OR.

I wasn't sure I could manage to get through all 21 days, but it was really fun to do! Thank you, @izzyandlouie for organizing it! Thank you, Nathan Page for being so generous with your time and care. Thank you to Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Every Cloud Productions for introducing the world to our favorite dapper detective. Thank you @adventuressclubamericas for organizing the North American fans and making us a force. Also, also... since 21 days of Nathan is done, check out @adventuressesclubamericas for #Miss Fisher March Madness if you haven't already!

#21daysofnathan #20daysofnathan #nathan page #miss fisher's murder mysteries #Jack Robinson #phryne fisher #phryne x jack #sarah-jane howard #farscape #claudia black #tom stoppard #arcadia

16 notes · View notes

blazehedgehog · 4 years

Note

Thoughts on Nintendo making the Super Mario 35 game and 3D All Stars limited physically and even digitally?

It’s legitimately surprising how blind Nintendo is certain things. And even if they aren’t blind, they’re... ignorant, in a sense? Frugal to a fault? They’re dumb. Amazingly dumb. Let’s go with that. That's a nice way to put it.

I tweeted that I’d recently finished replaying Super Mario Sunshine a year or two ago (it took me roughly four years!) and that I’d burned through the PC port of Super Mario 64 not that long ago over the course of a single weekend. And that, because of this, I found it hard to justify paying $60 for the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection.

I don’t want this to sound like “because I played them for free, I don’t want to buy them.” I already bought and paid for Super Mario Sunshine on the Gamecube, and I own at least two, maybe even three copies of Super Mario 64 (original cart, Wii VC, Wii U VC). That's because Super Mario 64 is also one of the most influential games of all time. I know I say that a lot, but I'll repeat it as many times as I need to. Any third person action game made in the last 25 years owes something to what Super Mario 64 figured out -- analog character movement, how to set up the camera, all of it. Even if Super Mario 64 didn’t invent everything about 3D character movement, it probably still figured out a better way to do it. All modern game design roads lead back to that game. I will absolutely buy another copy of Super Mario 64.

But you have to do it right.

If you aren’t matching or or exceeding the work that fans are doing for free, then you are asking me to pay money for a worse quality product.

I can play Super Mario 64 at wide screen, in 4K, at 60fps, with modern camera controls, thanks to the PC port. It sounds cleaner, and it looks better than the N64 game did. Even if you subtract the recreated textures and the high-def models and just play the game with the original assets, it’s still running smoother and plays tighter, but still feels like Super Mario 64.

A case could be made that these enhancements to Super Mario 64 are pretty big and would require lots of new work and testing (as if Nintendo couldn’t just account for that). But, then, what about Super Mario Sunshine? Now, the All-Stars version has been updated to run in widescreen, sure, but even more could be done without messing anything up.

Super Mario Sunshine as it shipped on the Gamecube ran at 30fps, but that’s not always how the game was shown. For a large portion of its development, Super Mario Sunshine actually ran at 60fps. At some point, Nintendo decided to cap it at 30fps, likely because it couldn't maintain a stable 60. Using the emulator Dolphin, and the right Gameshark/Gecko code modifier, it’s possible to restore Sunshine’s original 60fps framerate.

youtube

All the game logic under the hood was probably always running at 60fps, it’s just they capped the rendering at 30 for the final game. And yet, the All-Stars version seemingly retains the 30fps cap, even though the Switch could probably do 60fps in this game with both joycons tied behind its back.

For a company that constantly oversteps their boundaries when it comes to fighting the threat of piracy, they sure seem to be making an excellent case for why people should pirate their games, because they’re lowballing things like this and expecting consumers to gobble it up. Thank you Mister Nintendo, sir, for this generous offering of reheated table scraps.

No other extras, no other bonuses. You get these three games and a soundtrack player. Development history? Alternate versions, like Super Mario 64 DS? What about archival material? Concept art, or anything like that? A lot of people are over the moon about Nintendo history right now thanks to the Gigaleak. No? You’re not going to provide anything interesting or cool? Just a bare bones collection of three games presented basically as-is? Not even Super Mario Galaxy 2? Can't be too generous, after all. It's only been 35 years, and Mario's just one of the biggest, most important franchises in all of gaming. Gotta save Galaxy 2 for the, uh... next 3D Mario collection...?

The whole release date thing is just the final slap in the face. It’s Nintendo creating their own artificial scarcity. This is something I’ve picked up on regarding t-shirts -- I run a Redbubble store with shirts I’ve done, and the sales have never been stellar. In four or five years, I’ve made something like $18. Total.

Why? Because they’re always available. The few times I’ve actually encouraged sales a little bit is when I suggested some shirts might be getting retired, eventually. And when you think about it, that’s the entire crux of something like The Yetee. Either you buy this shirt right now, right here, today, or it goes away and may never come back. Limited edition stuff boosts sales because it forces people to make a decision.

It also boosts a festering aftermarket, where, because people know this is a limited edition thing, they can effectively “buy stock” that will effectively collect interest over time. Buy them at $60 now, mark them up for $80, or $90, or $120+ in a year or three. But then all that does is create a scenario where legitimate customers aren’t going to be able to buy the product, because the people who flip these in the aftermarket will have spent $1500 hoping to make a return of $2500-$3000.

You saw this with Amiibo. You saw it with the NES Classic and SNES Classic. It is TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY and every store front worth a penny allows “third party sellers.” Everything is Ebay now. Wal-mart, Newegg, Best Buy, Amazon, Target, whatever. You name a major retail brand, and they probably let some random goober scalp aftermarket products out of their garage. In many states, scalping tickets is banned, but online this is just “business.” I’m sure Jeff Bezos is elated you spent $230 on a Squid Sisters Amiibo double pack (original MSRP: $30). You don’t get to be the richest man in the world by forcing your best moneymakers to play fair.

Nintendo has taken many notes. The bare minimum of effort, for full price, and “oh, gosh, you better buy it now! It might not ever come back! The faster you give us your money, the better!”

Go jump in a lake. I get better and more features in an emulator and I can play these games right now, today, if I really wanted to. If you aren’t going to offer competitive features and business, then our conversation is over.

#questions #nintendo #switch #super mario 3d all-stars #super mario 64 #super mario sunshine #super mario galaxy #scalping #rant #Anonymous

20 notes · View notes

thisweekingundamwing · 4 years

Text

This Week in Gundam Wing 12-18 July 2020

Here’s this week’s roundup!

Remember to give your content creators some love! And join in on the events at the bottom!

~Mod Hel

Fanfiction/Snippets/AU Ideas:

@anaranesindanarie

Man Lion Thing Dude (Ch. 11) https://archiveofourown.org/works/22449241/chapters/61250557

Mature

Trowa Barton/Duo Maxwell, Triton Bloom/Duo Maxwell

Duo Maxwell, Triton Bloom, Heero Yuy, Quatre Raberba Winner, Chang Wufei, Relena Peacecraft, Dorothy Catalonia, Rashid Kurama, Catherine Bloom, Original Trowa Barton, Treize Khushrenada, Zechs Merquise, Lady Une, Sister Helen (Gundam Wing), Maxwell Shinpu | Father Maxwell, OC's, Original Characters, Hilde Schbeiker, Lucrezia Noin, Solo (Gundam Wing), Long Meilan

Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Were-Creatures, Angst, Alternate Universe, Supernatural Creatures, Family Problems, Arranged Marriage, body guards, mentions of torture, Smut, Wizards, Magic, spells

Duo Maxwell is estranged from the last of his remaining family who are demanding that he return home for an important announcement. Meanwhile, Duo has been having strange encounters with 'wild' animals, all of whom seem to be hunting him.

@bobo-is-tha-bomb

Bad Publicity https://archiveofourown.org/works/25358377

M/F, Heero Yuy/Reader

Heero Yuy, Reader, Hilde Schbeiker

Romance, Drama, Reader Insert, Alternate Universe

You stared, eyes wide with horror, at the front page’s headlines. You quickly made your way to the kitchen, sitting down at the table to scan the article’s content.

@chronicwhimsy

Strangers (Ch. 7) https://archiveofourown.org/works/24357013?view_full_work=true

Chang Wufei/Duo Maxwell, Background Quatre x Relena, Background Heero x Trowa - Character

OC - Oliver McGann

Long Lost Twins, this was meant to be hijinks but then I got reminded these boys have Issues, Pining, Duo is a stressed-out jerk who needs a holiday, Post-EW, Frozen Teardrop can do one, sex in later chapters

If you said the word "brother" to Duo Maxwell, he'd think of the other pilots.

If you said, "no, your long-lost brother" to Duo Maxwell, he'd think of Solo and be very confused.

If you said, "no, your twin brother you were separated from at birth, and he's now working with the Preventers as a lawyer" to Duo Maxwell, he would go and punch his doppelganger.

Duo Maxwell isn't good at dealing with things, but unfortunately this particular thing isn't going to go away that easily.

@doctormegalomania

Your Body’s Poetry (Ch. 21) https://archiveofourown.org/works/20438891/chapters/61448776

Mature

Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner, Chang Wufei/Original Female Character(s), Relena Peacecraft & Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell/Original Male Character(s)

Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, Chang Wufei, Sally Po, Relena Peacecraft, Lucrezia Noin, Zechs Merquise, Hilde Schbeiker

Past Relationship(s), Slice of Life, Post-Break Up, Slow Burn, Developing Relationship, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence

Long after the wars, long after peace is established the Gundam Pilots discover one immovable fact: Relationships are hard work.

@duointherain

Beneath: Leprechauns and Clovers (Ch. 8) https://duointherain.tumblr.com/post/623591090469191680/fic-beneath-leprechauns-and-clovers-8

Note: I am taking wild liberties with Irish lore.

“I sorry,” Duo said, genuinely sorry he couldn’t give them what they were asking for, “but I don’t speak Banshee. I barely speak fucking proper Earth English and fuck does that piss folk off sometimes. Why can’t I just kill him? He can’t fuck Rey if he’s dead.”

Beneath: Leprechauns and Clovers (Ch. 9) https://duointherain.tumblr.com/post/624032787912114176/fic-beneath-leprechauns-and-clovers-9

Note: I’m doing Google’s CSSI this summer and one of the cool things they gave us was like an hour long lecture by Dr. Adia Gooden on unconditional self-worth. So that’s where the good advice comes from in this chapter. Link at the bottom.

Fingers on his forehead, thumbs on his jawbones, Duo applied pressure and tried to force back the confusion and irritation. For one thing, he was very, very tired of being outside of his body. This shit wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t supposed to be real, but there he lay on the hearth, hair undone like some maiden in a story with the defense rating of an unattended pastry.

@lifeaftermeteor

LAM!Verse https://lifeaftermeteor.tumblr.com/post/624025327508832256/private-island-location-redacted-fiji-south

Private Island [location redacted]

Fiji, South Pacific

12 August 211

“You’re in my sun,” Quatre said with a grimace, his eyes still closed, to the shadow looming over him.

Respite https://archiveofourown.org/works/25361758

F/F, Lucrezia Noin/Sally Po, Sally Po/Lady Une, Lucrezia Noin/Lady Une, Lucrezia Noin/Sally Po/Lady Une

Romance, Slice of Life, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Post-Canon, Post-Series, Post-Endless Waltz, Non-binary character, Non-Binary Noin, Polyamory

Noin, Po, and Une take some time away from their responsibilities and daily lives to take a much-deserved romantic retreat out into the woods.

Pride https://archiveofourown.org/works/25361545

Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

Post-Canon, Post-Series, Post-Endless Waltz, Fluff, Pride, Gay Pride, Short & Sweet, Slice of Life, Asexual Character, Asexual Duo Maxwell

Duo has only recently come to terms with his asexuality. It took him a long time to understand it, and even longer to embrace it as inherently part of himself. To celebrate, Heero takes him out onto the streets for New York City’s Pride.

Yoiko

Ai no Gekisen (Ch. 12) https://archiveofourown.org/works/7947910/chapters/61463575

Explicit

Gundam Wing, Ai no Kusabi

Zechs Merquise/Heero Yuy

Zechs Merquise, Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton

Rape/Non-Con, dark themes, Sexual Slavery, Bondage, this is not BDSM because there is no consent, Spanking, Public Humiliation, Public Sex, Literal objectification, Aphrodisiacs, Chastity Device, Non-Consensual Drug Use, stress positions, Threats, no actual incest happens in this story

"Given your condition," Zechs said, opting for amusement, "I can't really ask you your name. I think I'll name you 'Heero.' "

katopiyo

Answers https://archiveofourown.org/works/25370617

Duo Maxwell/Quatre Raberba Winner, Duo Maxwell & Quatre Raberba Winner

Post-EW

Duo and Quatre try to kill time on the shuttle back from the former pilots’ and the Preventers’ annual Christmas bash.

Fanart/Crafts/Photo Manips:

@bobo-is-tha-bomb

https://bobo-is-tha-bomb.tumblr.com/post/623923080739340288/i-really-need-to-take-up-art-again-gundamwing

WuFei Chang, fanart

https://bobo-is-tha-bomb.tumblr.com/post/623975050404642817/went-in-and-made-a-water-color-version-i-dug-up

WuFei Chang in color, fanart

@cynfinnegan

https://cynfinnegan.tumblr.com/post/623545925500010497/a-couple-more-gundam-wing-memes-this-time

Relena Darlian/Peacecraft, memes

@gundayum

https://gundayum.tumblr.com/post/623787099348402176/here-have-grown-up-hilde-in-a-god-damn-wedding

Hilde Schbeiker, fanart

@gwfrozentears

https://gwfrozentears.tumblr.com/post/623589386981949440/the-others-gundam-pilots-i-love-duoooo

WuFei Chang, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, & Duo Maxwell, fanart

@janaverse

https://janaverse.tumblr.com/post/623375597101596672/i-am-duo-maxwell-is-done-and-contains-as-much

Duo Maxwell, edit

@lemontrash

https://lemontrash.tumblr.com/post/622889139332956160/gundam-wing-art-party-had-a-voice-chat-party

WuFei Chang, fanart

Photosets/Gifsets/Screenshots/Manga Pages:

@cuteciboulette

https://cuteciboulette.tumblr.com/post/623474633219424256/cynfinnegan-super-robot-wars-dd-no-relena

@cynfinnegan (for the original game trailer)

Ok so I might have gotten a tiiiiny screen cap heavy here on Heero and most of all Duo…

(Also, the Gundams are so damn cute!!)

Here is Heero & Wing

https://cuteciboulette.tumblr.com/post/623475306697801728/cynfinnegan-super-robot-wars-dd-no-relena

And here’s Duo & Deathscythe Hell (for whom and which I had to make a selection because I took 20 cap of DS, 12 of Duo + all 6 “avatars” variations).

https://cuteciboulette.tumblr.com/post/623628937542680576/i-cant-remember-if-i-ever-own-this-sheet-of-gw

Gundam Wing Stationary page

@janaverse

https://janaverse.tumblr.com/post/623994461266034688/every-activity-in-the-household-is-up-for-grabs

Duo Maxwell, Sims, screencap

https://janaverse.tumblr.com/post/623555650802401280/duo-is-thinking-about-a-what-to-do-next-b

Duo Maxwell, Sims, screencap

https://janaverse.tumblr.com/post/623552160137953280/heero-playing-refuge-and-dodging-arrows

Heero Yuy, Sims, screencap

https://janaverse.tumblr.com/post/623551604048723968/i-titled-this-one-holy-crap-poor-duo-because-it

Heero Yuy, Sims, screencap

Head Canons:

@jinsai-ish

https://jinsai-ish.tumblr.com/post/623456882470928384/random-thoughts-on-gundam-wing-and-coffee-not

Random Thoughts on Gundam Wing and coffee

Fandom Discourse:

@lifeaftermeteor

https://lifeaftermeteor.tumblr.com/post/623926733835583488/worldbuilding-in-the-ac-univere

World building collection on AO3

Quotes:

@helmistress

https://helmistress.tumblr.com/post/623998635640815616/duo-goth-clowns-are-just-mimes-quatre-my

@incorrectgundamwingquotes

Quatre & Duo

@incorrectgundamwingquotes

https://incorrectgundamwingquotes.tumblr.com/post/623557208176754688/trowa-i-dont-really-like-this-mission-peer

Trowa & Heero

MoodBoard/Aesthetics/Playlists:

@lifeaftermeteor

https://lifeaftermeteor.tumblr.com/post/623995934438752256/respite-lifeaftermeteor

Noin/Sally/Une compilation

https://lifeaftermeteor.tumblr.com/post/623995413604810752/pride-lifeaftermeteor

Heero/Duo compilation

Calendar Events:

@gwcocktailfriday

Cocktail Fridays!

Post responses on Friday, during Happy Hour between 3 & 5 pm in your own timezone.

Here’s the prompt for Friday, July 24th! https://gwcocktailfriday.tumblr.com/post/623987548985966592/cocktail-friday-post-responses-on-friday-july

In need of SUMMER & FALL/AUTUMN prompts!

@gwoc-october

GW OC October 2020!

Help pick out prompts! https://gwoc-october.tumblr.com/post/621130082429337600/hello-gundam-wing-folks-thats-right-gw-oc

@seasons-of-gundamwing

Summer of Hilde!

Needs more prompts! https://seasons-of-gundamwing.tumblr.com/post/622567839387271168/summer-of-hilde-prompt-call

@thisweekingundamevents

Events Calendar

https://thisweekingundamevents.tumblr.com/post/624053314842230784/event-calendar-update

If you are hosting an event currently, or are planning on one, hit us up with links and dates! We’ll add them to the Calendar and reblog your notices to get the word out!

#Gundam Wing #This Week in Gundam Wing #Weekly Roundup #12-18 July 2020

20 notes · View notes

multimetaverse · 4 years

Text

HSMTMTS 1x10 Review

Act 2 was a great finale that capped off a great season though somewhat marred by Disney censorship. Let’s dig in!

Finally Ricky and Nini have found their way back to each other. Sweet callback to Ricky lighting Nini up with his phone as Nini does the same. Breaking Free was great though I had to keep pausing during the EJ to Ricky transition because it was so cringey. Ricky and Nini really do have the best chemistry on the show and it shines through this ep. Joshua did a great job improvising Ricky’’s confession to Nini as did Olivia reacting to it. Tim mentioned in an interview that originally Ricky was supposed to tell Nini that he thinks he kinda you knows in a callback to the premiere but on set he realized that it was too cheesy and decided to let Joshua come up with a confession based on memories of his and Olivia’s real life friendship. That was certainly the steamiest kiss we’ve yet seen on Disney + but it was well earned

It speaks well of Tim that he recognized that his own writing wasn’t good enough and that he trusted his actors to take charge. It also goes to show how much of a difference it makes having the showrunner actually on set in Salt Lake, whether that was Tim or Disney’s decision. It’s a sharp contrast with Andi Mack where Terri the showrunner was based in LA and only rarely visited set while Michelle Manning was the producer in charge in Salt Lake, a split which I think hurt the show in some ways

That rainbow heart sign from the Mathew-Smith family was lovely. It’s great to see Seb’s family of Utah farmers being so supportive. This also confirms that Seb is out to his family, and since Miss Jenn seemed to greet Carlos’ father near the beginning of the ep it’s likely that Carlos is also out to his family

A historic first for Disney with a Seblos cheek kiss. Though of course while it’s progress it still isn’t equality. It’s not so much the Rini kisses that really drives home the inequality since they’re the main couple and were always going to kiss in the finale but rather it’s the Redlyn kiss. It’s not like Redlyn has gotten any real development nor did their story line really need a kiss so early. They got to kiss simply because they’re straight. That being said, it does once more show that the limits are looser on Disney +, we never would have gotten even a Tyrus cheek kiss on Disney Channel

Unfortunately Disney for the second ep this season released promotional photos of Seblos scenes that were cut from the episode itself. It’s not queerbaiting in the traditional sense but it is baiting the audience as they know that a lot of people are very invested in Seblos and seeing that rep on screen and Disney is willing to use that to draw in viewers while cutting the actual on screen rep down. What’s worse is that if it wasn’t for Disney itself letting us know that these scenes existed we’d never know that Seblos scenes were being cut. And of course, it’s a waste of time and money for the show to film these scenes only for them to be cut. A big complaint with Seblos this season has been their lack of development but that seems to be less on the writers who are in fact giving them more scenes then on Disney which is cutting them down to the bare minimum

It’s all shameless triangulation on Disney’s part, trying to be progressive but not so progressive as to alienate conservatives. It’s not like any homophobes are still watching the show after Seblos got together. So far it seems like the Disney censorship on HSMTMTS is coming mainly in post production like it was in Andi Mack S2 with the cut bash mitzvah scene and the edited look back which is awful but is still better than the much heavier censorship we saw in Andi Mack S3 that was coming in pre-production when things like Cyrus being able to talk about his feelings for TJ and vice versa were just never being written. Hopefully Seb being a main character in S2 means that the censorship lessens at least a bit or at the very least stays in the post production stage

In an interview done early on in the season, Tim talked about sometimes taking giant leaps and some times taking small steps in terms of the representation on the show and know we have a much better sense of what that means in practice. There was the giant leap of Seblos getting together at Homecoming and the small step of them kissing on the cheek. Afaik Tim hasn’t addressed the Seblos cheek kiss which is probably for the best and if he does I hope he has the good grace to not lie to the audience about his ability to have gotten an actual Seblos kiss approved. I do think we’ll eventually see a Seblos kiss though I think the earliest that could happen would be the S2 finale

Very telling that Ashlyn assumes EJ is behind Ricky’s exit and not a good look on EJ’s part to not tell Miss Jenn at least that Ricky left. . Good for him though for playing to lose and giving up the role of Troy to help Nini and Ricky. Confirmation that he paid for Gina’s ticket and we got our first Hell Yeah on the show. I don’t like it but it does seem like that scene was set up for Portwell in S2; at the very least it seems like Gina may have started to feel something for EJ

Pour one out for those poor audience members having to sit through that trainwreck of a second act. You know you’re really in trouble when you have to send your choreographer out there as an understudy

I loved Big Red’s little xylophone during the intermission

Nice to see Nini and Gina end on a friendly, supportive note. Hopefully that continues next season

Kudos to Olivia and Matt for really selling the high school theatre actors barely keeping it together on stage aspect of the performance. Nini and EJ have so little chemistry that it’s almost hard to remember that they were dating for several months

Mr Darbus’ office set looked great. Nice touch to have Miss Jenn mouthing the lyrics to Wondering off stage

Lynne really sucks. Can’t say I’d miss her if we don’t see her in S2

Will be interesting to see how Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara save their jobs

Realistically I don’t think Nini’s performance was strong enough to earn a spot at YAC; someone like Gina or Seb would have been a much more credible choice imo. Nice touch to have the Dean leave through one door and Ricky the other

Now that the season is done it’s hard to see any traces of whatever more mature direction former showrunner Oliver Goldstick wanted to go in. The whole season seems very coherent and consistent in terms of tone. We did learn from Tim and Olivia that her song All I Want was a re-shoot so maybe it was a replacement for a song or scene that was pushing the envelope more than Tim and Disney wanted

One thing that may or may not be connected is that EJ’s panic attacks from the original character breakdown made no appearance this season and who knows if we’ll ever seen EJ having panic attacks or suffering from anxiety. Disney seemingly had no trouble showing Jonah’s panic attacks on Andi Mack which is doubtless where HSMTMTS took the idea from but it’s also true that Jonah’s anxiety story line was abandoned halfway through S3 and though it’s likely just the result of bad writing it can’t be ruled out that Disney got cold feet over focusing on mental health in both Andi Mack and HSMTMTS

Looking Ahead:

One benefit of this review being so late is that we now know the spring muscial! Beauty and the Beast which seems to suggest that all future musicals will be Disney owned properties

Tim also confirmed that they will still be incorporating songs from HSM 2 and 3 into the show which will certainly help pad out the 16 extra songs they’ll be doing in S2. Having 12 eps will be a big help to the show; 10 eps just wasn’t enough to properly deal with all the characters and plots

HSMTMTS really turned out to be a delight and while I think S2 will be as well there are definitely potential issues ahead that will need to be deftly dealt with. Nini either going away to YAC and then coming back to SLC or just not going to YAC is probably going to be wrapped up in an unsatisfying manner. In all honesty this kind of plot would have worked much better if it had been saved for Nini’s senior year

Whatever plan Ashlyn is cooking up to keep Gina in SLC is also probably going to be poorly done as there’s no reason Gina’s mother would willingly leave her daughter in another state

EJ is either leaving the show after he graduates or they’re going to have to contrive some way to keep him around East High in future seasons

Seb now being a main will be interesting, if nothing else to see what Disney’s limits are. Tim has hinted at their being drama for Seblos in S2 and I hope that it serves to develop them and is not just a means to keep them apart so there can be two gay mains but no gay relationship. As an aside Tim revealed that Joe originally auditioned for EJ which is wild; it’s funny that both Joshua Rush and Joe Serafini auditioned for EJ when neither of them had any realistic chance of being cast

I have no strong feelings on the cast list for Beauty and the Beast though I do think it’s likely that either Kourtney or Gina end up playing Belle as I think having a black girl play Belle is just the type of subversion that would appeal to Tim. Miss Jenn did say that she wanted Kourtney to come speak to her over break and while Gina is a bigger character I’m not sure if Sofia’s singing is quite good enough to carry the lead in the musical while I think Dara’s definitely is

I’d say it’s very likely EJ ends up either as the beast or as Gaston since he’s in what should be his last semester. And if Gina also gets a big role it would make it easier to play with Portwell in S2. If EJ is the beast I could see Seb getting Gaston in another subversion of expectations. Regardless I think with Seb now being a main and with Joe having one of the strongest voices in the cast that he’ll play an important role

Until next season Wildcats

#HSMTMTS #Rini #Seblos #Ricky Bowen #Nini Salazar-Roberts #seb mathew-smith #carlos rodriguez #EJ Caswell #Gina Porter #HSMTMTS Reviews

62 notes · View notes

tempest2k · 3 years

Text

[PAGES /1 TO /137]

For starters, I’m rereading Homestuck using The Unofficial Homestuck Collection, developed by Bambosh. It’s a fantastic program and if you haven’t downloaded it yet, I highly suggest you do so. I literally cannot recommend it enough. If you’re still not sure, here’s what it looks like in use.

So, Homestuck. There’s a few things we need to discuss before this blog can truly begin. First of all, I am 100% on-board the June Egbert train. However, (and please hear me out), I will not be referring to her as June Egbert 100% of the time over the course of this blog. When quoting characters or screen-capping text, I will make no effort to edit her name. In terms of my own original writing in these segments however, I will always refer to her as June. Secondly, this blog will NOT be spoiler-free. This is coming from the perspective of someone who has already read Homestuck trying to reread the entire thing in full. Comparisons to my experiences are vital to understanding my relationship with the work over all this time. Do not continue if you haven’t read Homestuck. With that out of the way, let’s get started.

This is June Egbert. We all know about June Egbert, Zoosmell Pooplord, Heir of Breath and all that. To be quite honest, reading this very first part of Homestuck was utterly mind-numbing. I had a conversation about it with a friend, and I think this comparison is quite accurate:

(x)

So far, I don’t feel like I’ve gotten much outside of this familiar slog, but sylladex logic and jokes are just as fun as they’ve ever been. Though honestly, that’s most of what Act 1 has going for it? Homestuck started this way because it was a forum adventure, and I can’t see any story starting quite like this again. I’m reintroduced to classic pesterlogs of yore, and it feels a bit like coming home. June and Dave have some fun conversations, though I will admit in hindsight that Rose being referenced many times to have hit on Dave is very disturbing. I can only hope that this is one of those instances where this twist was thought of after these logs were written.

GameBro magazine was pretty funny, I guess? I don’t know, there’s not a lot of memorable things here to analyze. I already feel like I’m almost done with this post, and It’s only barely started. This post feels a lot messier than my Vast Error blogs, so let’s try to get things a little on track.

When June goes outside, we get a short animation with “Windchime Foley” by Clark Powell in the background. Combined with the light prose, it says to those at the time, and to those who somehow went in blind without any knowledge of its extremities, that Homestuck is not an average comic. Homestuck is a webcomic, and it’s going to take full advantage of its medium as a story told in a web browser.

Shortly after this we get to the part where June sees the SBURB Beta through the kitchen window, and the comic’s first STRIFE page is reached. As a neat interactive game, it still holds up, I think. There’s no real goal, just endlessly looping as you attempt either of the two clickable options. The song Harlequin by Mark Hadley is fantastic, and a motif that’s widely referenced throughout the discography.

Skipping around a bit, there are a lot of sylladex shenanigans that I still really enjoy! They were why I remembered the comic enough to give it another go several years after I had first given it a shot, and they do hold up quite well, I think. The smoke pellets being set off by Sassacre’s book is a really fun thing? I forgot about it, and the way the sylladex is essentially just waiting to set off a chain of events is super interesting and FUN. It’s fun, okay? June also acquires the QUEUE modus, which also leads to some fun shenanigans. The data structure theming of the inventory system makes a lot of sense, though gets kind of thrown by the wayside as the comic goes on. In my opinion, the more creative modi are far more interesting. The queue modus makes opening the package she’s received from one of her friends a major pain.

It’s the bunny! In the box! The bunny was successfully removed from the box. I’m pretty sure this right here is why a lot of people associate June with bunnies, and I can’t really blame them. This particular bunny’s journey is far, far from over, however.

After this, Rose and June install SBURB and connect to each other! But this is where I decided to stop for now. Now, this has been written on and off over the course of a week I think? I have some thoughts I’d like to share that I’ve been pondering in the off-time.

The captchalogue system is really interesting, because from a story perspective at this point, it acts as a method of creating plot points. It also forces certain things to happen. The unpredictability of when it’s going to be relevant next is quite interesting. Act 1 is just a lot of fun, even if it was sort of a chore to reread. I can’t tell if that’s because I’ve read it before, or if it’s just not capturing me how it used to.

That’s pretty much all I have to say this time, and I’ve spent far too much time on this blog. See you next time.

#nukerehs #homestuck #homestuck reread

3 notes · View notes

chelsfic · 4 years

Text

Chapter 5/18 - Safety - Bucky Barnes x OC Soulmate AU

Masterlist

Summary: Soulmate AU! Bucky/OC. Our soulmarks appear at the moment of our soulmate’s birth. The Asset’s mark appears in the Spring of 1987. The words imprinted into the skin of his forearm. “Please! Don’t hurt me…”

A/N: I wrote this fic over the course of 2017-2018 and it was originally published on AO3. Recently, I decided to do some light revisions in order to fix inconsistencies in the POV, some awkward diction and typos. Please note–I’m aware that a lot of people love this fic just as it is. This is not a rewrite, I won’t be changing major plot points and I’m purposely leaving most of the writing alone. Just sprucing it up. Since I wrote this before I started posting fic to Tumblr, I decided to take the opportunity of posting the revised chapters here as I edit them. If you got to the end of this A/N: thank you!!!

Warnings: Kidnapping, Angst, Violence, Eventual happy ending

The next morning, SHIELD HQ, Washington D.C.

Director Fury sat behind a desk, fingers steepled, watching as Steve Rogers absorbed the information on the tablet in his hands. Natasha Romanoff sat beside the Captain, glancing at the screen over his shoulder, face impassive as always.

Steve’s eyebrows knit together in confusion, “I don’t understand what I’m seeing here. This is…”

“James Buchanon Barnes,” Fury finished the sentence. “Alive and apparently untouched by time, if nothing else.”

“But how?” Steve looked even more like a golden retriever puppy than usual as he sat there in confusion and sorrow, his eyes shining with the sting of unspent tears.

Fury sucked in a short breath, “The short answer is...science. SHIELD has kept files on the assassin known as the Winter Soldier for about sixty years. Many good agents have died trying to gather intel on him. A lot of people in the intelligence community think he’s a ghost. Well, I can assure you, as can Ms. Sophie Reynolds, he is most definitely flesh and blood...and metal.”

Natasha spoke up, “The girl, where does she fit in?”

The images on the tablet showed grainy surveillance footage of James Barnes, the Winter Soldier, exiting an apartment building via a fire escape with a woman thrown over his shoulder.

Fury looked uncomfortable for the first time, “She was a mistake. We never should have let her leave the Tower, even with a tail. They met two days ago....she’s his soulmate.”

“WHAT?” Steve almost shouted. “He...Bucky’s soulmate? But he never had a mark…”

Steve’s words drifted off as he realized the reality of the situation. Natasha spoke, picking up the thin file on Sophie Reynolds, “Well, no, he wouldn’t have. Says she was born in 1987.”

“That’s right,” Fury responded, “and she was our best bet at a capture until he made off with her in the middle of the night. Cap, you’re the closest thing we have to a connection to this guy, where would he take her?”

Steve Rogers shook his head. He didn’t have the answer. The Bucky he knew wouldn’t kidnap a young woman out of her home. Or murder intelligence agents. Or launch an assault against SHIELD in the middle of downtown Manhattan. He didn’t know this person at all.

Natasha glanced between Steve and Fury before speaking up, “I have some ideas.”

---

Sophie was awake and pretending to be asleep. She’d conked out almost as soon as they entered the hotel room last night and hadn’t had a chance to reflect on...everything. But one thing was becoming very clear to her: she could not trust this man. She could feel that he was close. ‘God,’ she thought, ‘this soulbond thing is weird. Also the whole not having a name to call my new soulmate...weird as well.’

She kept her eyes carefully closed and tried to regulate her breathing as thoughts crashed through her head. ‘So, the number one rule about this kind of situation was that you were NOT supposed to allow your kidnapper to take you to a second location. So, obviously failed on that.’ But she knew where she was. So the big thing now would be to absolutely under no circumstances allow him to take her wherever the hell he thought they were going.

She felt a stab of guilt thinking these things. Her rational self was screaming at her to escape this crazy person. But her very soul was singing out that he was the missing piece she’d searched for and he would never harm her and they should just hurry up with the whole happily ever after thing. She felt the urge to cry again but she didn’t have it in her. Why would she be fated for someone who treated her this way?

“Get up, we’re leaving.”

‘How romantic, I feel like Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. The beginning part where Darcy is still an asshole.’

Sophie stretched her limbs under the thin hotel blanket and cracked her eyes open. The man was sitting in the same chair he’d sat in when they arrived last night.

“Did you sleep?” she asked incredulously.

He narrowed his eyes at her and grumbled, “We’re on a deadline, let’s go.”

She took a deep breath before responding. She felt a little ridiculous having this standoff with him while laying in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. “No. I can’t go with you!”

There was a long moment of cold silence. Sophie felt her stomach drop and for the first time since they’d met, she felt truly afraid of him. Up until this moment the warm blossom of their soul bond had been a continual comfort. But when she’d directly refused to go along with his orders she felt the bond constrict, almost as if it was shrinking in her chest. It hurt.

The man, her soulmate, stood up and slowly stalked to her bedside using all his height to loom over her. His face looked like a thunderstorm.

“Get. Up. Now.” He ripped the blanket away from her and pulled her out of bed by her arm, wrenching it painfully. She felt the skin pinch where his metal fingers met.

“Ouch! Stop it, let go of me! Please!” He dropped his arm abruptly away from her as if he’d been scalded by the contact. She staggered several steps away from him, backing into a corner in fright. She felt the aching constriction in her chest ease a little and the twang of his emotions just barely reaching through. She watched him standing still in the middle of the room, chest heaving, staring down at his own hand as if it were a foreign object.

He turned toward her without meeting her eyes, “I’m...get ready we’re leaving in five minutes.”

With that he turned and started to re-equip himself with the dozen or so weapons he’d apparently been categorizing, or cleaning, or whatever you do with weapons, while she’d slept. They were arrayed on the small kitchenette table. Knives, guns...grenades? Sophie was in way, way...way over her head. She cursed herself for ignoring the grave warnings her SHIELD interrogators had given her about this man. She’d been so blinded by the newly formed bond.

A minute passed with Sophie staring, mesmerized, at the astonishing assortment of weaponry this man apparently found necessary to bring along on a trip to visit his soulmate. She spoke, her voice coming out thin and small, “I can’t go with you. I won’t.”

He straightened his back and sighed. “What did they tell you about me? When they interrogated you?”

She spoke to his back, “You’re...a spy or something.”

“Wrong,” he said, turning to face her, “I’m not a spy. I’m a weapon. I’ve been trained to do one thing very, very well. I hurt people. Most of the time I cross them off entirely. I...I don’t want to hurt you. But it won’t be difficult for me to subdue one small, weak girl who’s being stupidly defiant. Time’s up. Let’s go.”

Ouch. When Sophie was a little girl she imagined her soul mate as this knight in shining armor character. He would save her from some nondescript danger and carry her in his arms to safety. Never, ever had she imagined that her soulmate--the one person in the whole world who was meant to love her unconditionally--could be so...mean. She felt stricken . Her face contorted in pain but still...she had to resist.

There was nowhere for her to run. He stood between her and the door. She was literally backed into a corner. But she was also feeling increasingly desperate. The adrenaline of last night was gone and now all that was left was the cold, plain observation that this man did not have her interests at heart. He was clearly following orders to bring her some place. And she would bet her last dollar it was some place...unpleasant. Sophie had never been in a fight in her life. Never even taken a kickboxing or self defense class. So...she fled. Or tried to.

It was almost comically pathetic how quickly the man responded to her attempt to dart out around him. He simply put out his arm to block her. He was so solid she would have fallen right over if he hadn’t caught her. As soon as his arms closed around her she began to struggle, screeching, scratching, hitting and bucking. The only good it did was to at least assure Sophie that she was doing her damnedest to fight him. It just wasn’t enough. By a lot.

When she’d exhausted herself she fell limp in his hold and--again--started to cry. He tightened his hold on her and growled, “Are you going to walk out of this hotel room with me or do I need to incapacitate you?”

Even if Sophie was in a calm state of mind she wouldn’t have known how to respond to such a question. Instead she let out a keening sort of wail and slumped over, trying to move as far away from him as his grip would allow. Slowly, he let her go and stood as she sagged onto the floor. She heard a metal clicking noise before she felt him take hold of her wrist and lock a handcuff around it. She barely reacted as she watched him attach her to the foot of the bed. She watched him stand up and walk to the door of the motel room. When he opened it she could see the sunlight flooding the parking lot outside. He paused for a second, “I’ll be right back.”

Oh, good.

@watsonwise

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x oc #james bucky barnes x oc #winter soldier x oc #winter soldier #the winter soldier #sebastian stan #chelsfic

5 notes · View notes

a-bit-too-much-of-a-zelda-fan · 5 years

Text

LinkedUniverse Fanfiction Ch. 15: Painting the Town

Stop! You’ve Violated the Law!

So, you’ve stumbled upon this original post for my Linked Universe fanfiction. That’s okay, it happens to everyone. As of March 2021, I’ve uploaded the entirety of this fanfic to my Archive of Our Own page. Along with finally giving the story a name–Oops! All Links: A Linked Universe Story–I made substantial edits to some of the chapters. These range from minor stylistic revisions to fixing a gaping plot hole that kinda completely broke the character conflict in the earlier chapters. I also renamed and renumbered (but not reordered) the chapters. Specifically, this is now Chapter 17: To Sell a Butterfly (Pendant).

The AO3 iterations of these chapters are the definitive versions. So, if you would like to read this fanfiction, please do so on AO3, right here. With this embedded link. Hehe. Geddit? Link?

Note: My screen name on AO3 is FrancisDuFresne. Yes, that is me. I am not plagiarizing myself.

Anyway, for posterity’s sake, the rest of the original post is below the cut.

It’s finally here! Wow! ... If you thought the long wait would end with a chapter the scale of “Fire,” you’ll be sorely disappointed. Sorry, folks. Still, now we finally get to see more of Selggog and the Links’ quest. When we’re talking my fan narrative, what can beat the hijinx of the Heroes of Wind and Twilight? Word Count: 1576

“So why’d you come with me, instead?” Wind asked.

Twilight looked down to his friend and shrugged. “I didn’t want to sit around waiting for Wild to find weapons he liked. Potion shopping beats that, at least.”

Wind glanced upward at passing shop signs as they walked down one of Selggog’s many busy streets. The others sent them to resupply on potions. Hyrule had finished the last of their stock following their skirmish with the Hinox. The two of them had been searching for an apothecary for the past half hour.

The elder of them sighed. “We should ask someone.”

“Where’s the fun in that, though?” Wind countered. He was jovially bouncing about on the balls of his feet with each step. “Having absolutely no idea where you’re going makes it a little adventure!”

“Aren’t we already on an adventure?”

Wind frowned. He clasped his hands behind his head and looked up. White, fluffy clouds dotted the otherwise clear sky. “Yeah, I guess,” he said somewhat dejectedly. Then, more chipper than before, “Well, it can be a side quest. How about that?”

“’Side quest?’ Kind of a silly name for it.”

“Yeah? Well… I like it.”

Twilight let out a bark of laughter. “Maybe it’ll stick.”

Some passersby knocked shoulders with the Links as the streets became busier. “Ack!” Wind grunted. “You know,” he called out to someone ahead who had rammed into him, “wouldn’t kill you to say sorry!”

“Shhh,” Twilight hushed sharply. “We don’t want—“ he was cut off by someone bashing his shoulder—"unneeded attention.”

Wind rubbed his shoulder and looked up to his friend. “You think they’re always this in a rush?”

“Dunno. I’m not used to city life.”

“Yeah,” Wind said. He thought back to Windfall Island, which he used to think of as a metropolis. “Gotta say this place is a bit bigger than I’m used to.”

Twilight patted his pockets. Satisfied everything was where it should be, he glanced at his partner. “Just make sure no one filches anything. You have your wallet, right?”

With a pffft, Wind checked his own pockets over. “Of course I d—”

A pause. “Wind?” Twilight asked. He stopped walking.

The youngest hero looked up at his friend with a sheepish smile. He raised his arms in a guilty sort of half-shrug. “Wind,” Twilight said slowly, “Don’t tell me you—”

“Yep.”

“By Ordona…” he cursed, smacking his forehead. He thought that over. Why did I just hurt myself? I didn’t do anything wrong. He promptly smacked Wind on the back of the head.

“Ow! What the heck?”

“What did we tell you?!”

“To watch out for pickpockets…” Wind admitted with his head hung, kicking at a pebble on the road.

“And did you?!”

Wind looked up. His wide eyes seemed to burn with anger Twilight had never seen. “No, Twi!” he shouted back. “I didn’t! So can you stop yelling at me and making me feel like crap so we can go find it?!”

Twilight was about to fire back, then paused. For all Wind had been through, he was still just a kid. He sighed and looked around. Some people had stopped and were staring at them. “Well?” he called out to them.

They shrugged and went back to bustling down the street on their errands. When Twilight turned back to his friend, he found him breathing deeply with his eyes closed. “Hey,” he began, “I didn’t mean t—”

“Stop,” Wind interrupted. He opened his eyes and met Twilight’s gaze. “Just because I’m cheery most of the time,” he whispered. Twilight could barely hear him. “That doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings like everybody else.”

“I—”

“Just remember that.”

Twilight had never seen the youngest Link upset enough to yell. He really had struck a nerve. “Okay,” he said. “I will.”

Wind’s expression softened. “Thank you. Now let’s find my wallet. What’re we gonna do?”

“I would suggest we ask Sky to borrow the Master Sword for its dowsing ability.” He considered this. “But even if it was willing to help, there are so many wallets in this town that it probably couldn’t pick yours out of the crowd.”

A thought struck Wind. “What about your wolf sense?”

Twilight looked around. The streets were packed with people going about their business. He remembered how the residents of Castle Town reacted to seeing his beastly form. “No. I don’t want to scare all these people.”

“Fair,” Wind replied. “But what else can we do?”

“Uh…” he muttered, wracking his brains. “I… I don’t know.”

Wind’s jolted to attention as if shocked by a yellow ChuChu. The sudden movement made his partner flinch. “What if I just earn back all the money that was stolen?” Wind suggested, thrusting his arms down, palms up, as if pointing out something totally obvious.

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “That might actually work…” he admitted pensively. “How much was in there?”

Silence. Well, at least between the two heroes. The townspeople were loud and rowdy as ever. “Um…” Wind said, clearly stalling. “Not too much.”

“Don’t dick around with me. How much?”

“About two-fifty?”

“That’s a lot of smashed pots,” Twilight joked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms. “How do you plan on earning that much?”

The young seafarer dug in his pouch and pulled out a necklace. “I’ve got some treasures I can sell. How many people here would buy a chintzy necklace with a butterfly pendant?”

“With this many people, hopefully at least a couple.”

“How much should we charge?”

“How many do you have?”

“Seven.”

Twilight nodded. “Anything else?”

Wind shook his head. “Some trinkets, feathers, a lot of junk.”

“Right. Well, let’s get started.”

“Hoi!” Wind called out to the crowd. “Beautiful butterfly necklaces here! Twenty-five rupees apiece!”

No one walked over to them. The crowds just kept moving by. Undeterred, Wind repeated his sales call even louder. This turned some heads, but nobody came. He tried once more. The second-floor shutters of a nearby building slammed open. A disheveled old man in a sleeping cap poked his head out. “Quit yer yapping!” he shouted down to the Links. “People are trying to sleep!”

The two heroes glanced at each other, paused a moment, then shrugged in unison. Wind hooked his thumbs on his belt and shifted his weight to one leg. “Guess that’s out the window,” he said.

Twilight let out a frustrated sigh. If he had just been more careful, we’d have potions by now, he thought bitterly. No, stay focused. We need to figure this o—

“Oh!” Wind exclaimed, again startling his friend. “Let’s find a shop that will buy some of my stuff!”

“Uh, I’m pretty sure most shops won’t buy off strangers. They’re trying to sell their junk, not buy yours. Think how fast they’d go bankrupt.”

Wind shook his head. “No no no, I mean a treasure teller! Someone who deals in treasures. There was one on one of the islands I sailed to. I’m sure there’s one around here.”

“Alright,” Twilight said, “how are we gonna find one? Search every street? That didn’t quite work for the apothecary.”

“Look for a sign with a rupee on it,” Wind replied, scanning the street for such a sign. “There’s gotta be one aro—OH! Look!”

Wind pointed out to the building directly across the street from them. Sure enough, the storefront had a multitude of rupees painted all over it. Twilight sighed in relief. “That was easier than expected.”

“I wouldn’t get too excited. We have no idea what they’ll offer for my stuff. These guys can be fickle.”

“Right.”

The two heroes crossed the street and entered the store. The walls were covered in a bizarre wallpaper filled with celestial bodies and distorted floral patterns. The shelves immediately drew their eyes. Treasures and spoils lined the perimeter of the store. Everything from golden statuettes to fine china to jewelry to precious stones rested upon the shelves. A beaded curtain hung in the doorway between the store and some back room.

While Wind marveled over the treasures, Twilight strode to the ornately-decorated counter. It was adorned with an equally beautiful silver bell. He gently tapped its button. A soft, pleasing ding rang out. No one came after a few seconds, so he rang it again, a little harder this time. He strained to hear any movement in the back room but was left wanting.

By now, Wind had refocused and walked up beside his friend. They glanced at each other. A look of confusion and mild annoyance passed between their eyes. Wind shrugged. “Hello?” he called slightly louder than the second bell ring. Nothing.

“Oh, come on,” he grumbled with a huff. He hooked his thumbs in his belt again. “Maybe no one is here?”

Twilight shook his head. “With this kind of merchandise, the door would have been locked tight.”

“So why the heck is no one coming?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Alright, here goes,” Wind said with resignation lacing his voice. He cupped his hands over his mouth. “Hoi!” he yelled. “Is anybody here?!”

Nothing. The hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck stood on end. His eyes narrowed. Honing his wolf senses had carried over somewhat to his Hylian form. Something didn’t sit right with him. “Quiet down. This doesn’t feel right.”

Just then, a drawling whisper came from directly behind the young heroes. “No need to be afraid, dearies…”

#linkeduniverse fanfiction #linkeduniverse #my own #my writing #painting the town #I'm back bitches

251 notes · View notes

demaury · 5 years

Photo

On Film (or Between The Sheets) -- high school AU

CHAPTER 1. Life hasn't been the smoothest for Lucas in the past couple of months, family wise. When his dad ends up leaving the city to work in Paris, he's ready to do absolutely anything to be able to stay in his current school and keep his life on tracks. Anything. Even becoming a film student and moving in dorms. (read on ao3)

MERCREDI 12:41

If you were to ask Lucas how he’s managed to find himself in a situation like this, he’d probably have to explain quite a few things, but it’s pretty much a given that one of those things would be that, originally, he doesn’t even care about cinema all that much.

Certainly not enough to pick it as his main option for the BAC, that’s for sure.

“Come on,” he hisses through gritted teeth as the camera sways dangerously back and forth on its tripod.

Why is this not working? Why does the fucking world hate him that much?

He swears he’s been there for ages, crouching down and trying so fucking desperately to get that stupid camera to somehow fixate itself on that fucking support. His eyes travel around helplessly, but everyone’s busy around him. To be fair, it’s not like he’s exactly counting on it. There’s a schedule on the wall behind him, whose sole purpose is to remind them that they need at least three more pairs of arms each to be able to function with the shitload of tasks they were assigned at the beginning of the week.

A group of three third-years are glued to a computer screen and obsessing over whatever video editing software they’re using, two first-years and Emma are in the middle of filming an interview in the couch area of the movie theater hall, and Arthur’s gone seeing whatever movie he’s been assigned to watch. He briefly considers running outside to beg Alex to come help him, but the guy’s smoking with a third-year friend and Lucas doesn’t think he’d survive the humiliation of being brushed off, so he just sucks it up and focuses back on that stupid tripod instead.

If his teacher is back before he’s set it up-

“What are you doing?”, asks a voice behind him, just after he may or may not have clinked the camera a little harshly out of spite.

Lucas’ head snaps to the side, cheeks burning from being caught red-handed. He’s fucking sweating when his eyes meet Eliott Demaury’s questioning ones.

Of all fucking people, he screams to himself.

“I can’t get it to… I don’t know, fixate itself,” he says weakly.

He doesn’t even know the proper words for all that shit, how come are people even expecting him to put it all up on his own?

Eliott cocks an eyebrow. “Well, I’d say that smashing it probably won’t solve it, but I’ve never tried that either,” he shrugs with a smirk.

Lucas gives him a look. “Fuck you,” he mumbles, half-astounded by his own bravery. He turns his back on him, since the last thing he needs is some third-year know-it-all to make fun of him, and refocus his attention back on the biggest problem at hand instead. “If Chassart is back before I’ve finished setting this up, he’s gonna fucking kill me.”

“C’mon, let me help,” Eliott says as he crouches down next to him.

He reaches out to grab the camera, and Lucas glances at him from the corner of his eye before letting him. It’s not like he’s gonna do any worse than nothing, Lucas admits begrudgingly. Eliott starts fumbling in his jeans pocket, holding the camera nonchalantly from his other hand, and eventually he exhumes a coin that was apparently lost in there. Lucas barely holds back a snide comment — really, who still uses coins these days? —, but every bit of sarcasm fades out instantly as Eliott flips the coin expertly between his fingers. Next thing Lucas knows, he’s using it as a makeshift screwdriver to loosen the screw at the top of the tripod. Just like that, with a few movements that go way too fast for him to process and a satisfying click that he was so desperately waiting for a minute ago, the camera is fixated infuriatingly fast on its support.

He wants to die. Or at least for the fucking ground to open under his feet and swallow him.

Eliott tucks the coin back in his pocket like it’s nothing. “There you go,” he says casually, nudging the camera in his direction.

If only it was arrogance or made-up casualness, but really, no matter that Lucas talked with him a total of one time throughout his life, he knows Eliott is just that guy. Nice. Helpful. Exasperatingly good — a fucking natural. No wonder why he’s become Chassart’s favorite in no time. He’d be mad, jealous even, if being in the man’s good books was on his to-do list, but as it is he just wants to make it through that stupid hellweek that is his first film festival ever in one piece, and fuck the rest. If they’re being mistreated this way for a second-class film festival, he can only imagine how shit goes down when the third-years go to Cannes.

Cheeks burning and jaws clenching, he mumbles a small ‘thankyou’.

Eliott shrugs. “Why didn’t you just ask them before?”, he says, pointing at the trio of third-years on their computer from his chin.

“Didn’t want to bother,” Lucas groans, dropping himself flat on the carpeted floor.

It feels like forever since he even sat down, courtesy of a particularly busy morning.

“So you were just gonna wait for Chassart to come and yell at you?”

“Something like that, I guess.”

Eliott snorts and sits down, mirroring Lucas’ position. “Aren’t you supposed to team up with a third-year at least?”

Lucas swallows down a mean comment. Grow a pair, Lucas, I’m not here to fucking babysit you, is the last thing Léonie, the bitchy-third-year he was assigned to work with for the week, told him before turning on her heels with an overly exasperated sigh.

“Léonie’s gone to watch one of the movies,” he simply says, settling for a neutral observation.

He’s seen him hanging out with her quite a few times since Eliott arrived last September, the last thing he wants is to piss him off by being a bitch about one of his friends — even if said friend is the actual bitch.

“She told you to fuck off?”

Lucas glances up at Eliott, meeting his disturbingly beautiful eyes. “Kind of, yeah,” he admits.

Eliott hums noncommittally. “Who else is in your group?”

“Emma,” he says, gesturing at the couches where his friend is busy holding the fishpole over the film director they’re interviewing, “but she’s replacing someone missing in another team, and, uh, Maria I think. She’s a first-year.”

Obviously he had tried to team up with Arthur, but Chassart had purposely put them in different groups to ‘avoid any incident’, as he had said — what an asshole, he could have said he just wanted to feed off Lucas’ struggles at this point. He doesn’t bother enquiring about Eliott’s. He knows that one of his classmates, Sarah, has been literally close to fainting when she found out she was in his group.

“You can join mine,” Eliott says casually after a second.

Lucas quirks a brow. “I’m not sure this is how that works.”

“Not my point,” he waves. “We can make a trade. No offense but I’m sure Léonie would be happy.”

Lucas flips him off, offended, and Eliott starts laughing — the sounds sends fucking butterflies in Lucas’ stomach. Before he can even say that Sarah would murder him with her bare hands for being kicked out of Eliott’s group, he’s already standing up in a jump and walking right to the white board where the schedule is written, slaloming his way between the group of third-years and their chairs occupying most of the space.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Lucas whisper-screams as he bolts up and follows suit, just when Eliott wipes Sarah’s name off the board. “Do you have a death wish or what?”

“Chassart likes me, he won’t say a thing,” Eliott shrugs, then he pauses halfway through wiping off Lucas’ name too and turns to him. “Unless you like being mistreated?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows.

“Are you fucking serious now?” Lucas huffs, another wave of laughter erupting from deep within Eliott’s chest. On the other side of the lobby, a flock of people is emerging from the depths of one of the dozen auditoriums, making his attention snap back to reality. Chances are that Chassart will be here in a matter of minutes, maybe seconds even. “Alright, but just move your ass already!”

Eliott grins, blinding, and wipes the few other mentions of Lucas on the schedule, while Lucas is busy fumbling on the table aligned against the wall to find the black pen they need. He manages to find it under a bunch of papers sitting there and to toss it in Eliott’s hands. He has to admit, Eliott’s recklessness forces the admiration. Chassart is a bit of a psycho, there’s no fucking way he’s getting away with it.

And yet. He keeps watching as Eliott is writing his name down, in small caps that he isn’t even remotely trying to make similar to their teacher’s messy handwriting, until it’s all done and Eliott closes the pen with a satisfying click of the cap.

“Lucas!”

They spin around in time to see their teacher walking inside their designated area of the lobby. “What are you doing here?” Chassart asks bluntly, ever so amiable. “And what’s that camera doing here? I told Léonie that the interview was delayed to this afternoon!”

Lucas’ stomach churns and he hates it. Fucking asshole, he thinks, but he doesn’t really know if it’s about Léonie or about Chassart.

“I took Lucas with me,” Eliott says, barely more serious than he was two minutes before — meanwhile, all the fucking alarms go off in Lucas’ head, as Chassart’s eyes dart onto Eliott. “I needed him for something, so I made a trade.”

There’s a one-second blank, and behind Chassart’s back, Lucas can see Arthur making a ‘what the fuck?’ face. I’m going to die, that’s what’s happening, he wants to say, and if telepathy really is working then maybe Arthur will be able to remember his last few words.

But to Lucas’ astonishment, Chassart seems to deflate.

“Really,” he says after a pause, but it doesn’t really sound like a question. He heaves a sigh. “Alright. Whatever, if that works best for you,” he groans with an eyeroll.

A first-year slides in next to them at this moment, and it’s a much-welcomed distraction that allows Lucas to start breathing again. Chassart looks at the kid, who blabbers a question, when something nudges Lucas’ arm. His eyes jump onto Eliott, who lets him know with a subtle movement of his chin that it’s fucking time to move.

“See?”, Eliott says to him once they’ve retreated a couple of meters away. “I told you it was going to be fine.”

“Tell that to my fucking heart,” Lucas mumbles grumpily.

MERCREDI 13:01

“Why did you pick cinema as your major now anyway?”

Lucas looks up from his kebab, halfway through making a fool of himself thanks to an uncooperative tomato. Eliott’s questioning eyes are on him, which would be fine if they weren’t so piercing and intimidating all at once that his skin literally prickles under them.

They are on their five-minute lunch break, but rather than running like madmen to the McDonald’s next door to wait in line desperately long for a mere box of chicken nuggets and a few cooling French fries, like they all did twice a day since the beginning of the week, Eliott insisted that they push their luck to the kebab place across from the crowded parking lot.

And, well, like most things with Eliott Demaury, apparently, it had all gone too fast for Lucas to even process. Before he even realized they were ordering food and sitting down to eat.

Just the two of them. In a particularly silent restaurant.

That too would be totally fine. In another universe. Where he doesn’t have to smear mayonnaise all over his face and end up with a mouthful of tomato and kebab meat when Eliott Demaury happens to be willing to make conversation.

He has to bite down onto the sliced vegetable to tear it into pieces and free himself from the embarrassment, which ends up feeling like the longest seconds of his life. “I wanted to stay in that school,” he says after hastily swallowing down. He reaches for a paper napkin to wipe his mouth clean. “My dad moved away and since it was no longer in my designated area, it was the only solution. That or European section, but I know basically three words in English and my grades aren’t good enough to get in there, so yeah,” he shrugs and spreads his hands, “here I am, I guess.”

Eliott’s brow furrows, and it makes Lucas swoon a little bit. That story isn’t even remotely interesting by any means. But somehow, there’s something in Eliott that makes it seem like it’s a big deal that deserves his undivided attention. He’s not even sure his dad gave him half this amount of attention when Lucas told him about his plans for the new school year.

“You literally went from S to L just to stay in that school?”, Eliott asks, looking surprised.

Lucas makes a face. “Yeah. Stupid uh? To be fair I was lame with science and physics. I only liked math.” He realizes something just as he’s picking up a French fry in his plate. “How do you even know I was a S student?”

Eliott takes a sip from his Coca Cola before answering with a grin. “Alex is pretty chatty at night. I guess that’s the only perk of being the new guy, everyone wants you to have the audio-detailed version of everything that went down, ever.”

The way he has to look at him, waggling his eyebrows once to mark his words, makes Lucas feel naked and exposed. How much did Alex tell him exactly? How much does Alex care about him anyway? They do hang out sometimes, and Alex has been dropping by every now and then in the dorm he shares with Arthur and Basile, but that’s mostly it. Ending up in a street fight with him doesn’t magically forge lifelong ties, so he does wonder. It’s always been a strange feeling to think that people might care about him, especially when it’s someone he barely knows. The most he’s talked with Eliott until today has been a quick ‘hi’ at some point last September — a little breathy on Lucas’ part, actually. Really, not his finest moment. But if anything, he blamed it (and still does, and will probably keep blaming it until his dying breath) on the fact that he hadn’t expected the new third-year to look like that. If he had gotten the memo, then maybe he’d have reacted otherwise and not looked like he had been struck by lightning.

“What about you?”, he says, trying to sound casual as he grabs a few fries. There’s the nagging reminder, at the back of his head, that they’re supposed to hurry the fuck up if they want to make it back in time for the movie, but it’s not fair that is only shot at talking with Eliott should be reduced to nothing just because. “Why did you switch schools just before the BAC?”

He’s heard stories, or rather theories, about why he transferred, but if anything they all seem pretty stupid and rarely seem to work with reality. Last time he heard about it, he was chilling with the drama kids in their assigned work room at school between two periods, and Daphné said, with a trembling voice, that he had gotten involved with shady kids at his former school, including some who had a record already. He could not really tell if it was supposed to be a bad thing or not in Daphné’s books, given her excitement over sharing that particular rumor.

Eliott doesn’t really acknowledge that he’s talked for a good minute, looking too absorbed in the content of his plate to bother, and Lucas wonders briefly if he should repeat himself or not.

After an agonizing silence, Eliott finally glances up, looking awfully serious. “My parents sent me away from Paris because I helped my twin sister run away with her boyfriend,” he says, and Lucas blinks slowly, trying to keep his eyebrows from jumping up. “They didn’t approve of their relationship, and we’re like, related somehow. A whole mess.”

For a moment Lucas doesn’t say anything and simply stares, silently, as Eliott takes a sip from his drink.

“Did you really just give me the shitty plot of Riverdale?”, Lucas deadpans. A wide grin blooms on Eliott’s face, eyes crinkling and dimples popping out, and Lucas has no other option but to huff a laugh that sounds fonder than expected. “You’re such an ass.”

“But the fact that you’re finding it shitty makes me love you even more,” Eliott shrugs, crumpling a paper napkin between his hands.

He’s too busy checking the time on his phone to notice the way Lucas nearly chokes on his food — which, honestly, might be best for everyone.

MECREDI 17:48

The afternoon rolls around quickly, most of it being taken over by the interview Eliott is busy directing. At least the director is a nice guy in his forties who’s mostly grateful to have been invited at all, so it makes everyone relax a little — everyone except Eliott, whose level of concentration probably amounts that of a mine-clearer. Lucas, for his part, is mostly busy stealing glances at him, but it’s not like his job is a difficult one. Eliott has put him behind the monitor, so the majority of his task is just sitting on a chair behind the screen and making sure the fishpole doesn’t just appear at the top — The place where you’ll do the least amount of damage, Eliott has said, grinning, and he was rewarded by a kick of Lucas’ elbow in the stomach.

It should probably have bothered him, to be just an obstacle or something, but he can’t decently argue with Eliott’s reasoning, mostly because he’s right. He knows next to nothing about literally anything and he’d rather sit back and do nothing than to make Eliott mad at him.

He blames it on team work, that relevance that Eliott suddenly acquired in his life since this morning.

It’s because they’re working together and because Eliott Demaury is so much more used to all of this that suddenly the guy he’s been talking to only once prior to this day turns into the person he’s looking for in a crowd. It’s got nothing to do with his good looks.

“The movie’s about to start,” Arthur says after checking the schedule. “We should go now.”

Thanks to Chassart’s careful planning, it’s the most he’s heard from his friend since they left school after breakfast this morning.

Lucas doesn’t mean to do it, but while he hums in response, his body shifts towards where Eliott is standing. He’s chatting with Alex, retrieving his jacket from the back of his chair, and soon they’re already walking away to cross the lobby.

He blames the way his heart clenches on the fact that Alex could have told him to join too.

He knows Alex.

Alex knows him — well enough, apparently, to tell stuff about him to the new guy. It was only the least he could do, the polite thing to do. But he doesn’t, and Lucas simply stares as Eliott and Alex join two or three more of their classmates, before the group disappears in the depths of carpeted halls.

Yeah. It’s all because of Alex, he decides as he finally follows Arthur through the lobby.

#elu fic #skam france #mine #**#*ffs #*ofbts #eliott demaury #lucas lallemant #elu #so yeah #welcome to my teen life i guess

46 notes · View notes

vydante · 5 years

Text

Restart | Avengers x Male! Reader | 4

Fandom: Marvel

Pairing: Avengers x Male! Reader (romantically: undecided)

Plot: Dr. Strange said there was only one possibility of winning the battle against Thanos.

But when (Name) is forced into the past and into his younger body, he’s suddenly given the chance to start over and prevent the future from happening again.

So which route are you going to take? Are you going to risk the future and take preventative measures, or live life with the Avengers for the next 4 years, knowing what will soon come?

A/N: Long. Includes Endgame Spoilers.

“We have a lead on recent H.Y.D.R.A. activities. Normally, they’d send two or three of us, but from what we’ve heard this one might be bigger than we think."

You weren’t looking at Steve but instead at the information in front of you. You were all sat in the quinjet while Nat was flying it. They'd usually take turns and sometimes they'd let you pilot it, despite the fact that you didn't even have a drivers permit yet. You either walked, flew, or had someone drive you to where you needed to be. Though truth be told, even if you weren't secretly a nearly 30-year old adult in a teenagers body, you knew how to drive anyways.

You were next to your dad, who was also looking at the information. And while all of them were discussing what the mission was, you were busy thinking.

‘H.Y.D.R.A.?’

You hadn’t heard of that name in a while. While you were more than confident that the group was still up and running in your original timeline, you had stopped joining all missions regarding H.Y.D.R.A. You left that to the government and lived your life as peaceful as can be.

But now that you were reminded of H.Y.D.R.A., you remember that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been infiltrated by the enemy group. That caused an uproar among the United Nations. Because of that, it was one of the reasons why Steve was so against the government taking control over the Avengers.

You furrowed your eyebrows.

What should you do with that information? Should you take that up with Director Fury? Would he even believe you? Perhaps you should go to Strange. He’d probably know what you should do; he probably already knows that his timeline’s been jacked.

But… If your sense of time is correct, then chances are Strange isn’t even here yet- at least, with the wisdom of the temple folks and time stone. Perhaps there's someone else who holds that wisdom? After all, Strange had to get it from somewhere.

But what if they didn't want to help you? Then should you just remain silent as H.Y.D.R.A. quietly steered S.H.I.E.L.D.’s head in their goals?

Your head snapped forward when you heard Tony call your name.

“(Name)!”

You glanced at him.

“Yeah?”

“You listening?”

You nodded and stood up. You positioned yourself over the map on display and cleared your throat.

“So, Hulk and Thor tank the front line while Black Widow and Hawkeye flank the rear. Captain, Iron Man and I head into the building and take care of each floor, hall, section, whatever. One of the floors holds the files we need, and if our information is right, then it's not on the first 4 floors. As far as we know, there’s more than a few hundred enemies, soldiers, and non-soldiers alike. No civilians in a 130-mile radius. Anything I miss?”

After your mess up with Tony a few days ago, you made an effort to remember all of the missions from then on, which going on these missions helps with jogging back your memory. This one was easy to remember; Steve chewed you out for not paying attention when you were in the quinjet and you had been pissy for a while afterward.

You even stole and hid his shield, much to everyone's annoyance when the next mission came around.

You glanced at the rest of your teammates as you finished your recap of what you assumed Steve said. They were silent and looked at each other.

Steve coughs into his fists and looks at everyone else except for you.

“Well, I couldn’t have worded it any better.”

You mentally cursed. Steve didn’t say anything about the plan. Shit.

Natasha walked up to you and patted your bicep.

“Well said. Boys, we’re approaching the enemy base.”

Steve nodded. You all positioned yourself as the quinjet lowered itself onto the ground. If your memory serves you right, you should know what you should be doing. This should be easy. Your helmet snapped over your face and you stood there silently.

The entrance opened and you were greeted with the fresh patch of snow and silence.

You will admit, the nano-tech suit spoiled you silly. It was, by far, the best damn suit that you had ever made and now that you were without it, you had to hulk around in this bulky suit. You grumble quietly.

There were no extra thrusters, barely any heating, and barely any stabilizers, so you were constantly shaking around as you flew. No extra cannons, no armor regeneration, no nothing. And it made you put making a secret nanotech suit on the top priority of your list.

You knew you’d have to make a greater effort to conceal it. But since all you need was a housing unit for the nanotech- your dad preferred the one over his chest while you went for one around your neck- you’d just have to adapt for now. Maybe you’ll make the base as a watch, or something.

Reminiscent of your dad’s nanotech prototype.

But for now, you’ll just have to deal with this clunky iron maiden suit. You were lurking around the corner, having already breached the first few stories, and watched as Steve was on the opposite corner from you. Your dad was watching out for any stragglers on the lower floors. Outside were sounds of screaming and gunshots, and the thunder from Thor's hammer. Chances are, Hulk and Thor probably burst through their 2nd line of defense by now.

“Apex, you read me?”

That sounded so unfamiliar coming from Steve’s mouth. He hadn’t called you that ever since you disowned that nickname. And even now, you remembered that he'd sometimes slip up and calls you by your name.

“Yeah.”

You glanced over at him. He sent you a hard look and nodded over to his left. You glanced over and saw a staircase. While everyone in the building had already gone out to see the commotion, some had stayed and lingered behind. As far as you could tell, there were around, what, 30 plus? Not too bad, considering you and Steve were there, but it’d be a hassle nonetheless.

You heard your dad speak over the comms.

“Cap, Iron Kid, I’m heading up.”

Your lips quirked upwards at the nickname. And in true fashion, you heard the faint sounds of his blasters powering up.

‘Weee…! Weee…!’

They were such ugly sounds. Funny, but… You were just glad the noise got upgraded.

Lord knows the number of memes and edits people tagged you in on social media.

Thankfully the guys still around were too busy yelling to notice your dad living it up on the lower level. It all stopped. You raised an eyebrow at Steve, who only sighed.

“So, what’d I miss?”

You jumped and glared at your dad, or as best as you could with the helmet covering your face. He was crouched down in a similar position to you. You saw your dad’s face pop up on your U.I., and rolled your eyes at his smug face. You turned around and mumbled into the comms.

“Not much. Around 30 or so guys. A bunch is armed. There's a staircase across the room.”

Your dad nodded. Clint spoke up in the comms.

“Hey, we’re gonna need you guys to hurry it up there. Not sure if the other two are gonna join us back here, but if he isn’t then we don’t have that much time left.”

In the back was a bunch of gunshots, echoing the ones you just heard then and there. You met eyes with Steve and he nodded.

“Apex, you head straight for the staircase and go up. Iron Man and I will take care of the rest. Files should be straight ahead. Get it, get out. No horseplaying. On the count of three."

"One."

Tony squatted and prepared his blasters. His face disappeared from your unit hub when you glanced at your U.I.

'Thruster Percent: 89...'

"Two."

Steve readied his shield. He nodded and leaned forwards. You got into position as your U.I. was blinking red.

'Thruster Percent: 97...'

"Three!"

You shot off immediately. The enemies head had turned in your direction, but all they saw was what they thought was Iron Man flying by them and to the staircase.

"Shit, stop hi-!"

Steve threw his shield at him and swung at another soldier. One aimed at him with his gun but was knocked back by Tony. He grunted.

"On your left!"

Steve knocked his elbow back, colliding it into an enemy's face. His shield magnetically attached itself back on his arm as he deflected oncoming bullets. Steve rolled his shoulders as he stared directly into the barrel of a gun.

"I can do this all day."

You were still hovering above the floor as you made your way through the building. Strangely enough, each floor before was loud and filled with people. But the door leading from the staircase was locked from the outside, so it made sense that the floor was silent. The only noise you heard was either from the outside or from the floors below you.

You flew through a few floors until you reached what seemed to be the last one. You blew the hatch open and cautiously walked in, your thrusters out and ready. The screens were off, but you didn't want to trigger anything by turning them on; for now, you left them alone.

You settled down onto the ground as you carefully scanned the area. As far as you could tell, your signals weren't picking anything up. Though, that didn't mean that pit in your stomach lessoned any bit.

Something felt off.

"Hn, I don't like this..." You muttered quietly to yourself.

You carefully searched all of the tables and cabinets but it wasn't until you were deep into the floor did you finally catch a break.

"Sir, on your 5," J.A.R.V.I.S.' voice spoke up quietly.

Your eyes scanned to your right.

There was a table next to you that was stacked with paperwork. You carefully approached it. You shuffled through them and scanned each one.

No, no, wrong one, no, no...

Aha.

In your hands, you held a hefty and beaten folder. There was no label, but searching through its contents you founded exactly what you needed.

You held it with a vice grip and prepared your thrusters to break through the ceiling. You got what you needed, and now was the time to dip. But in the corner of your eyes, you spotted a coffee cup.

It was still steaming.

While it wasn't the toughest thing, beating a group of 30 plus people was a bit of a hassle for the two superheroes. Steve was barely breaking a sweat as he picked his shield back up. He glanced around as all he saw was the beaten bodies lying still. Some were struggling to get back up, but Steve just hit them with his shield and they were down for the count.

While they were done here, judging by the sounds of gunshots and screaming from outside, the others were still busy.

Steve glanced around the room.

"Iron Man?"

"Over here."

Steve turned to see where he was, and Tony was holding up an enemy by his shirt. He looked bloody and bruised, and it was clear that he wasn't going to stay conscious for long. But what bothered Steve was that he had an expression on his face that only said one thing.

Victory.

"What're are you smiling for, soldier?"

Steve spoke up and approached him with his shield in hand. He squared up to the soldier, but he didn't seem the littlest bit intimidated by the super soldier.

The soldier smirked and chucked, but coughed up blood.

"You... You think you've w-won..."

Steve couldn't see Tony's expression, but he could tell that he was rolling his eyes.

"And why is that?"

His eyes were glazed, and Tony wasn't sure if he was looking at him or not. Either way, he didn't like his expression.

"Those gunshots..."

He chuckled quietly. His nose was bleeding by now. Tony listened closely to those gunshots and Steve's eyes widened, his stomach dropping to the floor. The soldier shakingly holds up a finger and points it to the ceiling.

Now that Tony thinks about it, they're a lot closer than they were before. There was thudding, and a sound that rang familiar with Tony too well.

'Wee...!'

"... Where do you think they're coming from?"

Tony finally realized it. He shot his thrusters in the soldier's face and knocked him back to the wall. Steve was already in a full blown sprint to the staircase. Tony shot his thrusters and raced towards the upper floors.

"(Name)!"

Tony called out to you through the comms, but he only heard nothing. You didn't reply back, and that sent slight waves of panic through his skin.

What if something had happened to you? He'd never forgive himself for letting his only child get hurt. What would he tell Pepper? The rest of the team?

While Steve didn't doubt your fighting capabilities, you were still a child in his eyes. You were also reckless and had only so much experience on the battlefield.

"What happened to the child?"

Thor's voice rang through the comms. He was grunting a bit as the sound of Mjolnir hitting against a body echoes in their ears.

"He's been ambushed; he's not answering us."

Steve grunted as he sprinted up the stairs.

"Okay, we got our job done back here, I'll head up and Nat will get the other guy."

Clint says.

"As will I."

Thor responded back.

They didn't respond as they both made it up to the floor above them and saw that the door had been busted through; the sides were melted and still radiating heat, probably from your thrusters.

They headed up a few more floors, and each one only made their anxiety worse until they reached the door, which was locked. Steve tried to break the lock by slamming his shield on it, but Tony had to blast it open.

"(Name)!"

While they were expecting to be greeted with an intense struggle, they instead found unconscious bodies lying everywhere, and in the middle stood an unscathed and dumbfounded (Name).

Masterlist

152 notes · View notes

bnha-transparents · 5 years

Note

How do you make the manga caps transparent?

oh, i have been waiting for this question.

before i start, i’d like to say that i make all of my transparents on my iPhone. my tool of choice? my finger, and the app ibispaint x. i’m sure there are quicker and better ways to make transparents (scratch that: i know there are quicker and better ways to make transparents), but this way is fun for me. feels a bit like i’m coloring a coloring book.

the tutorial is under the cut because i go into quite a bit of detail!

alright, here we go!!

(i blocked out everything in this image outside of the part that we actually care about, because this is a page from a recent chapter.)

STEP 1: alright, so we got a page from the manga with this adorable little shinsou, which we’re going to make transparent. ideally, get a page that has solid black lines, and that doesn’t have little stray fuzzy bits outside of the lines. otherwise your life just becomes a whole lot harder. the reason i prefer not to do earlier chapters is because the website that i use to get pages doesn’t have good quality images of the first hundred or so chapters, and i’m too lazy to find another website. so what we’re gonna wanna do is…

STEP 2: crop the manga page to the part you actually care about! you can also do this in the app that i’m going to use, but i just prefer to do with the photos app. nice and easy.

STEP 3: when you open ibispaint x, there’ll be three options, “my gallery”, “collection”, and “online gallery”. pick “my gallery”, and it’ll take you to a screen that looks something like what’s pictured above. click that fancy little plus button indicated in the image to start a new canvas!

STEP 4: the option you want to pick is import picture.

STEP 5: alright, there’s our shinsou! we’re just gonna click on him, pretty easy, right? also yes, i have an album on my phone dedicated solely to manga caps that i plan to make transparent.

STEP 6: the moment you click the image, it’ll take you to a canvas and ask if you want to extract the drawing. you’re going to hit “OK”, because extracting the drawing makes it so that all the white areas in the image become transparent, leaving only the black and grey.

NOTE: this won’t quite work properly if the background isn’t pure #ffffff white! if you are making a transparent from someone else’s manga cap, make sure that the manga cap has pure white values. if it does not, there will be a very light, barely detectable film of nearly transparent grey values, but it isn’t full transparency. this means if someone uses your transparent over something like…say, a solid colored background, the colored background will appear darker in the final image. there’s a way to get rid of this film, but it’s hard to explain, so please ask me if you want to know how to do this. heroacacaps is a very popular blog that editors get their manga caps from, but their images do not have a pure white background. (it’s kind of funny, i can often spot when someone made their transparents using a manga cap from heroacacaps.)

OPTIONAL STEP: if you are using ibispaint x for importing anything that you don’t want to make transparent, then 99% of the time, you are going to want to hit “cancel”. also, this ONLY works well for black and white images, and trying it on a colored image with make the image turn monochrome. you can still use it on some colored images with white backgrounds, but it you need a few extra steps to make it work (hint: clipping layers, if you know how to use those. duplicate the extracted layer until it is completely black without creating black values outside of the lines, and merge the layers down into one layer. clip the original image over this layer. ask me if you ever want me to go further into detail!)

STEP 7: once you hit “OK”, this will pop up!! if you are using a good image where the lines are solid black values, the default option will be perfect for you.

click the green checkmark once you’re satisfied with the appearance of the image!

OPTIONAL STEP: you can manipulate these numbers if you need to. i find this useful for making the lines on sketches clearer. increasing the black percentage makes middle grey values appear darker, and decreasing the white percentage makes middle grey values appear lighter. the white percentage cannot be lower than the black percentage. i’m…not quite sure how to explain what the middle percentage manipulates, but you can mess around with it and see what happens.

STEP 8: so we’ve got the image on the canvas, but now we have a bunch of stuff in the background. to get rid of it, hit the little brush icon, and click the eraser icon. if you’re not sure what the eraser icon looks like, the next image has an image of it in the location where the brush icon was.

next, just…use your finger (or a stylus if you’re fancy) and erase away all of that outside stuff!

OPTIONAL STEP: some manga caps require the extra step of drawing any parts that were covered by things like text bubbles and other characters. it’s sometimes the most tiring part of the whole process, and i can’t really tell you how to do it. you just have to experiment with the available tools. there are lots of brush options you can try to imitate the way the lines look, if you click the button to the right of the brush icon, and there are also (painful and tedious) ways to replicate more complicated textures. i often have to do this step which is why i have an entire goddamn tag dedicated to transparents i needed to patch up.

if there was only one reason i had to pick for why you should respect the people who give you manga caps without backgrounds for you to use in their edits, it’s because a lot of times, they patch up manga caps without any comment. some replicate the actual style so well that you’ll have never realized that the person you got the manga cap from added in their own bits. here’s an example. this transparent? it took an hour. just look at the original, and consider how many different areas are covered by text. imagine how many different textures and lines that have to be replicated.

STEP 9: alright! now we’re ready to actually make this sucker a proper transparent image. this image is actually just lines, and if you stop here, you’ll only have the outline of the image! what we’re going to have to do is take parts that we don’t want to be transparent, and color them white. unfortunately, this is the bulk of the work, most of the time. to do this while still keeping the outline intact, we’ll have to use layers. hit the button with the rectangles stacked on top of each other to open the layers menu.

STEP 10: hit the plus button to create a new layer, and make sure to move it underneath the layer with the manga cap. i actually like to make two layers, with the lowest one having a color that’s dark, but not too dark. this added layer makes it easier for me to see what i’m coloring, and i really recommend it. if you don’t do this, you’ll have to hit one of the checkerboard patterns next to the word “Background” located underneath the layers. ideally the darker one, it’s easier to see the white on it.

STEP 11: hit the eraser icon and click the brush icon again to be able to draw! and now, it’s just simple coloring. if you’ve ever used a coloring book, then this might evoke feelings of nostalgia within you, because this is basically just a glorified digital page of a coloring book.

i like to color the parts closest to the line first with a small brush size capable of getting in corners (use the little slider next to the text that says “4.8″ in the image to change the brush size). it’s not that helpful for a transparent as simple as this, but more complicated transparents with lots of corners to color make this step a blessing. or maybe that’s just me.

STEP 12: aaaaand finish coloring all of it, with a bigger brush size. if you colored near the lines first like i mentioned in the previous step, then this will feel a lot more like using a coloring book than the previous step.

STEP 13: alright! if you used a colored layer underneath to help you see the white, then you’re going to want to hit the little eye button on the colored layer to make it invisible. after all, we do want the image to be transparent.

STEP 14: next, there are three background options underneath the list of layers, next to the word “Background”. if you want your image to actually be transparent, do not pick the solid white option. pick either of the checkerboard options, both will give you a transparent image.

STEP 15: you’re done! now just to save the image. click the little arrow pointing left on the bottom right of the screen. this will exit you out of the canvas, and back to your gallery.

STEP 16: click the button indicated in the above image.

STEP 17: the above will pop up, click “photo (transparent png)” to save the image as a transparent image.

STEP 18: click save image!

and that’s it. you should have yourself one gorgeous transparent in your photos. i would probably suggest checking the image to make sure that it isn’t transparent in areas that you don’t want it to be.

#faq #asks #anonymous #Anonymous

208 notes · View notes

princesweetpea · 5 years

Photo

I Found | Sweet Pea x Aurora Jones (oc)

All Chapters Here

Chapter: Eight

Warnings: Language, mentions of substance abuse, mentions of underage sex, smut

READ IT ON AO3

A/N: This is an edited version with additional content, as I took down the original because I was unhappy with it. Enjoy!

Rory’s phone buzzed against her nightstand a few times before it finally woke her up. She stared at her screen, wincing at the bright light with one eye still closed. Seven missed calls from Jughead, along with multiple texts. She opened one:

Jellybean taken. Kurtz involved. Need help searching northside.

She rubbed her hand over her face to wipe the sleep from her eyes and she sat up, rereading the text over a couple more times to make sure she was reading it right. She checked the timestamp: Ten fifty. She checked the current time at the top of the screen: Twelve forty-two. She swung her legs over her bed before hitting the dial button, pacing back and forth the entire length of the camper. Mambo still wasn’t back, and he wasn’t sitting outside. He’d left hours ago right after Sweet Pea had gotten there. Ugh, Sweet Pea. The phone rang a few times, then went to voicemail. She called again.

“Rory –” Jughead breathed into the phone. He didn’t sound like he had been sleeping, but more out of breath.

“Jughead, I’m so sorry. I fell asleep and my phone was on silent and –”

“It’s okay, everything is okay now.”

“What the hell happened? Is JB okay? Where is Kurtz?” She plopped into one of the armchairs and bit the nail on her thumb nervously.

“Jellybean is asleep in her room. It turns out it was all a ploy to draw me out and get rid of me.” He sighed.

“Get rid of you? What do you mean?”

“The Gargoyle King –”

“Jughead you told me you stopped playing that.” She interrupted; her voice was small.

“I don’t, I promise. Aside from tonight to get my little sister back, at least. Ricky DeSantos took JB, and they let her go once Kurtz had me agree to go with him. I didn’t know until I got there and she was nowhere to be seen. He locked me in a freezer. When I broke out, Kurtz was dead. The Gargoyle King killed him.” He sighed.

“Oh my god, Jug… are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just shaken up… but listen, I need to tell you something.” He hesitated.

“What?” Was it about Sweet Pea? Did he know?

“My mom is the new dealer. I’ve known for a long time, and I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner.” Oh. She mentally kicked herself for her selfish thoughts.

“Wow…” She didn’t know what else to say, really. At least now she knew what was fishy about her aunt being back in town. “Does FP know?”

“He does now. My mom threatened me to keep it to myself, but it came out in the first challenge of the game tonight. My dad was shot at Pop’s during the second challenge. We’ll get into everything later.” He sighed. He sounded so exhausted. Rory’s guilt grew, wondering if anything could have been prevented if she was there to help.

“Now what?”

“I think she’s going to leave Riverdale now. She said she wanted to take Jellybean with her, but I convinced her otherwise. She actually listened to me.” He chuckled bitterly.

“That’s surprising.” Rory mumbled.

“Yeah… I’m going to try to get some actual sleep. We’ll talk more at school, okay?” He yawned.

“Sounds good, goodnight.” She hung up and laid back onto her bed. She decided to text Mambo to check on him.

Again, where the hell are you?

She forced herself to stay awake, but after thirty minutes without a response, she unwillingly drifted off again, and remained asleep until morning.

_____________________________

A loud pounding on the metal door made Rory jolt awake. She looked at her alarm clock and groaned: five thirty-four. Mambo’s air mattress was still empty.

“Mambo, you have a key!” She shouted, her eyes falling closed. The knocking sounded once more. “Oh my god, I’m going to spit-roast you, you demon.” She hissed as she trudged to the door and flung it open after flipping the lock. She screeched, then attempted to pull her oversized t-shirt down over her bare legs while simultaneously trying to cover her braless chest, as she was only wearing a tee and boy-short panties.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Sweet Pea stated nonchalantly. Mambo was slung over the tall boy’s broad shoulder.

“What did you do to him?” She scrambled to try to pull him down and almost dropped him. Sweet Pea hoisted him back over his shoulder before pushing past her to get inside.

“I did nothing, thank you. He’s drunk as a skunk.” He scoffed.

“Where did you find him?”

“At a bar not far from here.”

“Why were you there? You were both there all night?”

“To also get drunk as a skunk, not that it’s any of your business. Stop nagging me. They obviously don’t card, even when the kid looks like a twelve-year-old,” He grumbled, gently laying the unconscious boy onto Rory’s bed. “I knew as soon as I saw him there that I wouldn’t be drinking tonight, much to my disappointment.”

“Why not?” She inquired curiously.

“So that I could watch out for him.” He sheepishly shrugged, yet still seemed tough somehow.

“Oh,” she replied softly. “Why did you want to get drunk?”

“That’s none of your concern,” He stated coldly, opening her mini fridge and pulling out some orange juice. “Glass?”

“Well, since it’s none of my concern, you can’t have any of that.” She replied, and tried to snatch it from his hand. He held it up above her head to where she couldn’t reach it and unscrewed the cap before expertly waterfalling the liquid into his mouth.

“Because I had to spend a couple of hours with you.” He scoffed after swallowing. Okay, ouch.

“What the hell is your problem?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, moving to sit in an armchair.

“You’re an asshole most of the time, then you try to get it in, and then you’re an asshole again. Like, make up your mind!” She laughed exasperatedly.

“If you think that a simple fuck is going to change how I interact with you, you’d be wrong. If that’s what you want, you’re going to have to get at the end of the very long line of other girls that are waiting for the same thing,” He spat. After staring into her teary eyes, he softened, but only slightly. “Get dressed, we’re going to Pop’s.” Is he serious?

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She snapped.

“I wasn’t asking. Get dressed.” He glowered. She felt an unexpected heat rise in the pit of her stomach and she squeezed her legs together, reaching for the counter to steady herself as nonchalantly as possible. However, he noticed, and a smirk crept onto his face. “Get…” he took a long step so that he was right in front of her, and he slowly ran a hand up her thigh, “Dressed.” She blinked, gulping.

“I… I said –”

“You have an awful poker face, princess,” he paused. “What’s the matter, afraid of temptation?” She glanced over to her brother’s unconscious figure. “He’ll be fine, now let’s get going before I fuck you in the bathroom.” His bluntness made her squeak. She grabbed a pair of leggings and a band t-shirt and scurried to the bathroom to change. Do not. Do not. Do not. Her mind raced.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Sweet Pea was at the far end of the camper, examining the paintings and drawings hung on the all while absentmindedly running his calloused fingers over the strings of her cello in the corner. The sight of the gentle movements of his fingers gave her goosebumps. She leaned against the counter and just watched him for a few moments before clearing her throat.

“Did you make these?” He asked, not shifting his attention from the artwork on the wall.

“Yeah, I did.” She replied sheepishly. She didn’t let many people see her work.

“They’re nice,” he said softly, then he plucked one of the cello strings. It was deep, and the vibrations hummed through the silent space. After pouring herself a glass of orange juice, she walked over to stand beside him, trying to pinpoint which piece he was looking at. She took a sip. “So… a little off subject, but I really want to put my fingers inside of you.” She choked on her drink, coughing back into the cup.

“Are you always so blunt?”

“I was not made to be subtle.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

“You are so confusing,” she began, peeking backward to make sure her brother was still breathing. He cocked his head to the side curiously, turning to face her. “You want me one minute, verbally abuse me the next, then try to be nice to me. You’re making me dizzy.”

“Don’t confuse attraction with emotions, Jones,” He stated simply. He’s right. They’re not feelings, just a mutual attraction. A mutual attraction you didn’t know existed until two days ago. The thought made her breathe easier. “Let’s go.”

When they stepped outside into the dark, early-morning air, Sweet Pea’s motorcycle was nowhere to be seen, but her mom’s car was parked right out front, meaning that he’d driven it here.

“You drove my mom’s car?” Rory groaned.

“I figured you would have nagged me more if I left it at a random bar, and I’m never in any mood to hear that.” He rolled his eyes and sat in the driver’s seat.

“You’re not driving! One time is enough.”

“You’re right, you drive,” He replied sarcastically with an amused expression plastered on his handsome features as he held out the keys to her. She gazed at him blankly for a few moments before huffing and moving to sit in the passenger’s seat. “That’s what I thought.” He smirked as he turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the remnants of Sunnyside Trailer Park.

The drive was silent. Rory’s eyes wandered awkwardly before landing on Sweet Pea’s freshly bruised knuckles gripping the wheel. Before she knew what she was doing, her fingers were gently tracing over the reddish-purple marks on his hands. He seemed to freeze, and his whole body stiffened. She caught herself, yanking her hand away and placing it under her thigh so that she couldn’t move it again. He veered off to the side of the road, parking the car and making sure the doors were locked before he pushed himself backward into the back seat.

“What are you –” Rory started to say, but was cut off by Sweet Pea’s lips smashing into hers, hungrily begging for entrance into her mouth with his tongue. She obliged, too caught off guard to protest or to much else. His hands cupped her jaw firmly as he pulled her into the back with him, and she let it happen. It was as if her brain wasn’t working, or maybe she was ignoring the protests from her subconscious.

He yanked her shirt over her head and gently pushed her back to lay back onto the seat. He wound his arm around her back and expertly unhooked her bra with one hand, and he pulled the straps down her arms before tossing the article into the front seat of the car. He detached his lips from hers and peppered kisses down her neck, stopping to suck at each nipple for a couple of seconds before continuing down her abdomen, stopping right above the waistband of her leggings. He hooked his fingers into the waistband and slowly pulled them down her legs, revealing her black lace panties. He groaned at the sight, feeling his cock start to throb. Rory propped herself on her elbows to look down at him. He kept eye contact with her as he gently rubbed her over her panties, lowering his face further down. She suddenly grew very nervous. No one had ever been down there with their mouth before.

“Tell me what you want.” He whispered against her heat before placing a gentle kiss. He pulled her panties down her legs slowly, holding her gaze.

“Don’t tease me.” She whined, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“I mean, my tongue can tease you better than my words can.” He smirked.

“I’ve… I’ve never…” She trailed off, too embarrassed to tell him.

“You’ve never been eaten out?” He froze, cocking an eyebrow. She reluctantly shook her head. “Lay back and relax. You’ll like it, I promise.” She let out a shaky breath and did as he instructed. His lips ghosted over her core before he licked a thick stripe up to her clit.

“Holy fuck – I –” She exhaled in a blissful moan. She could feel him smirk against her before he alternated between licking and sucking.

“You taste so fucking good, princess,” He breathed, and his voice was so raspy and full of lust it caused her to buck her hips slightly against his mouth. His comment made her cheeks heat up. He hummed against her, and it added to the immense pleasure she was already feeling. He pulled his mouth away and brought up two digits two her wetness, slowly teasing her entrance, causing her to whimper helplessly. “I love the little sounds that you make when I’m teasing you.” It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. He pushed his fingers into her slowly, curling upward against her walls before moving them in and out at a steady pace. She felt a familiar feeling start to rise in her stomach and her legs began to shake.

“Come for me, baby.” He growled against her, sucking her clit as his fingers sped up. She cried out in complete ecstasy as she came undone under him. He palmed himself through his jeans with his other hand as he watched her.

“Sweet Pea –” she panted desperately.

“Yes, princess?”

“Please.”

“Please what?”

“Please fuck me.” She whimpered, pulling him up by the collar of his flannel and attached her lips to his neck, sucking harshly. He sucked a sharp breath between his teeth and his eyes screwed shut as he fumbled with the button of his jeans. He pushed them halfway down, pulled his stiff length free from confinement and pushed a condom down onto his shaft. He inserted himself into her roughly without much warning. He thrusted into her hard and fast, desperation evident in each movement of his hips. He reached his arm up to support the weight of his body against the window, his hand slipping down slightly from the foggy glass.

“God, you feel so fucking good.” He groaned. Rory moaned as she tugged at his shirt desperately, wishing the material away. However, he paid her no mind.

“You’re so…” She trailed off, focusing on each stroke he made, perfectly brushing her g-spot with each thrust.

“I’m so what, princess? Tell me.” He rushed his words, his movements becoming sloppy. He was close.

“I can’t handle it, Sweet Pea.” She whimpered. She her nails into his shoulders as she writhed underneath him, coming undone with a string of curses. The sight of her blissful expression sent him reeling, spilling into the condom.

“God damn it.” Sweet Pea huffed angrily, pulling himself out of her and yanking the condom off before pulling his jeans back up.

“What?” She asked timidly. Did I do something wrong?

“I never finish that quickly. I don’t fucking get it.” He groaned, climbing into the front seat.

“Oh. It’s not a big –”

“Whatever. What did you think? Of me eating you out, I mean.” He asked breathily, still panting from their activities. She felt her cheeks heat up.

“It was… nice.” She shifted uncomfortably. It was so much more than nice. She wondered how many times he’d done that before.

“Right, nice,” he cocked an eyebrow mockingly. He also knew that it was so more than nice from her reaction. Her moans seemed to echo in his ears. “Let’s go get some breakfast or whatever, even though I already had mine.” He smirked, starting the car and pulling back into the road in the direction of Pop’s. She couldn’t understand why she went through with this again. He was all seven of the deadly sins. There was just something about him… Satan does that thing with his tongue. She shook the thought out of her head, mentally slapping herself.

____________________________________

“So, you’re going to prom with Reggie this Saturday?” Sweet Pea asked, seemingly uninterested, as he forked eggs into his mouth. Rory stiffened, swallowing the bacon she was chewing and shifted in her seat. She shrugged, avoiding eye contact as she washed it down with her drink. She didn’t say yes, so she wasn’t lying. He cocked a brow at her curiously, but didn’t press further. The silence was thick.

“What about you? Who are you going to prom with?” She cleared her throat. She honestly couldn’t imagine that anyone would want to be his date. He snorted. “What’s funny?”

“Prom is stupid. I wouldn’t be caught dead there. Plus, the theme… The Renaissance? No thanks.” He scrunched his nose up.

“I’m surprised you think it’s a bad theme, Rogue.” Rory smirked and met his eyes, referencing his role in Gryphons & Gargoyles. Sweet Pea stiffened; his eyes narrowed.

“I don’t do that anymore.” He said through gritted teeth, dropping his fork onto his plate. A couple early-morning patrons turned around to investigate the commotion.

“Don’t you, though?” She challenged him. She knew that she was about to poke the bear, but she didn’t care. “You sneak around in leather, take part in breaking and entering, steal, sell smuggled illegal items?” He slammed his fists onto the table and lurched forward, stopping right in front of her face. She flinched slightly, making him frown. He wasn’t going to hurt her.

“You don’t know anything about me.” He said gruffly.

“Doesn’t feel good to have someone assume what kind of person you are, does it?” She scoffed, referring to their conversation two days prior, before they…

“You don’t know me.” He repeated softly, shifting his gaze out the red neon illuminated diner window. She sighed, suddenly feeling guilty for not giving him the benefit of the doubt. To be fair, he did the same thing to me…

“Then tell me.”

“What?”

“Tell me stuff about you.”

“Absolutely not. What do you think this is, a date?” He said harshly, motioning between the two of them.

“You know more about me than I do about you. That isn’t fair,” Rory rolled her eyes and deadpanned. “We’re project partners after all.” He eyed her curiously, seeming to be deep in thought.

“Fine,” Sweet Pea threw his hands up. “One question.” He took a sip of his black coffee. She already knew what she was going to ask him.

“Who took your virginity?” She asked bluntly, taking a page from his book, but he didn’t seem phased.

“None of your business.”

“No, you said one question. That is my question. It’s only fair, you know mine.”

“No, I don’t…” He paused. “Wait, that fleabag Bulldog popped your cherry?” He howled, his features displaying pure disgust. Rory rolled her eyes at him, again, and she was sure they’d eventually get stuck that way if she spent time with Sweet Pea much longer.

“Say what you want about him, but he’s hot as hell,” She grinned. Sweet Pea faked gagging noises. “So, that is my question. Who and when?”

“That’s two questions.” He wagged his finger slowly.

“Just answer them!” She groaned.

“When did you and Mantle do the horizontal tango?” He smirked.

“The night before the first day of the school year.” She shrugged.

“This school year?” He raised a brow. She nodded sheepishly. “How many have there been?”

“Two. Well, three, now.”

“Who is the other one?”

“Sweet Pea!” Rory hissed in disapproval.

“Tell me.” He chuckled, taking another sip of his coffee.

“… Archie. Now answer my questions.”

“Archie fucking Andrews?” Sweet Pea raised his voice, causing the diner patrons to shoot daggers at him. He scoffed back at them, and folded his arms over his chest with clenched fists when he refocused his attention on the small-framed brunette across from him. She gave him a bored look, signaling that she was waiting for him to answer her still. He took a deep breath and leaned back into the booth. “I was fourteen when it happened.”

“Shocking,” She snorted sarcastically. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Who was it? Anyone I know? Toni?”

“God, no, definitely not Tiny. She’s like my sister,” his face contorted in disgust. He shifted awkwardly in his seat before lowly saying, “Serafina Kowalski.” Rory scanned her memory for any student with that name at the school, but nothing came to mind. Maybe she was older? Maybe… Wait a minute. Rory froze.

* “Sweet Pea, you’re late.” Mrs. Kowalski stated as she stood up straight, putting a hand on her hip.

“Morning, Serafina.” He challenged with a smirk. The Polish woman raised her eyebrows.*

“Kowalski…? Mrs. Kowalski?” She whispered. He avoided eye contact, idly scooting his remaining eggs around his plate with his fork.

“She used to teach freshman English at Southside High. I’d stay after school for tutoring all the time. One day, I was the only kid in tutoring. She’s suddenly putting the moves on me. I mean, I thought she was hot, so I flirted back. One thing led to another…” He shrugged, trailing off. She could see how extremely uncomfortable he was. It was obvious that he hadn’t told many people about this from his body language, and the way he kept his voice down.

“You were fourteen,” her heart wrenched, thinking of Mambo. She suddenly began to wonder if something similar happened to him. “Who else knows?”

“Just Fangs… and now you,” he paused. “If you mention this to anyone, I’ll tell everyone that you let me eat you out in the backseat of your car.” He spat. She rolled her eyes.

“You didn’t tell your mom?”

“I didn’t think it was a big deal at the time. She’s hot, and older,” he shrugged. “Besides, my mom was too high to give a damn.” He chuckled bitterly. With that added tidbit, she now had more information than they’d agreed on exchanging. She decided to be vulnerable and even the playing field.

“My mom was too high to give a damn, too.” She mumbled, barely audible as she reached across the table to put her hand on top of his white-knuckled fist. His eyes met hers, and he gave her a small smile before his features hardened again. He pulled his hand away, letting hers fall to the table as he went back to eating.

15 notes · View notes

noviceaoiryusei · 5 years

Text

「DUET 2018.05」 JR. BANG (7MEN 侍)

Jr. BANG

7MEN Samurai First Season

Feature

: Seven new smiles have been arranged

Featuring a new unit, 7MEN Samurai has appeared! Since we're expecting a new performance with these seven people, we will deliver a little talk about their concerns.

Reia Nakamura

Birthday: 1997.04.02 Birthplace: Tokyo Metropolis Blood Type: A Height: 166cm. Weight: 50kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: My hobbies are watching movies, oil painting and drawing. My special skills are skateboard, snowboard and playing the bass. Admired Senior: Tegoshi Yuya-kun, Kikuchi Fuma-kun. Fuma-kun is so manly and cool. * "7 MEN侍" is supposed to be read as「seven men samurai」。 Because the origin is "7 samurai" so, it just adds meaning to the kanji. Johnny-san and staff-san called us 「samurai！」. (laughs) The members, including me are all unique and interesting because we have different personalities. My strength is skateboard and everyone is practicing it. I am experienced, everyone is still a beginner except for Katsuki who had tried it several times. I am teaching them and everyone is motivated and also, I am improving too. We have been practicing skateboard togiether so, it is a lot fun to get togetyyher with everyone! * Recently, I am addicted to sukajan. I wore a pink sukajan that I bought recently. I want a black sukajan next and I am looking for it. The other day, I went shopping with Taiko and my hobbies match with Taiko. Because he is mature, I can talk to him with lots of things and it's comfortable to be with him. 菅田琳寧 Rinne Sugeta

Birthday: 1998.05.12 Birthplace: Kanagawa Prefecture Blood Type: B Height: 168cm. Weight: 57kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: My hobby is listening to music. My special skills are doing acrobatics and running. Admired Senior: Yamada Ryosuke-kun. Before I entered Johnny's, I went to watch Hey! Say! JUMP's concert and I've thought that they make everyone happy and they're also cool. * I'm so happy when I've heard about the formation of "7 MEN 侍"! I thought that I won't only do my best but also be responsible from now on. Taiko has always been beside me and we're always laughing together, I'm glad that our members get along together and everyday, it's fun to be with everyone. Everyone of us has different personalities, everyone has his own significance and that is our strength. When I'm practicing the skateboard, I want to raise my original level of performance. I want to challenge myself doing acrobatics while in a skateboard. My goal is to polish my own skills. Everyone wants to participate in skateboard events. And also, we haven't went altogether for a meal so, I want Reia-san to organize it! (laughs) * Recently, I had fun eating my favorite ice cream. Whenever I go home, I always drop by the ice cream store and bought it home. For a limited time, when I've arrived there, I got a bonus, I'm so happy! The other day, I ate a grape flavor and I also ate a mango candy flavor. 前田航気 Koki Maeda

Birthday: 1998.10.26 Birthplace: Kanagawa Prefecture Blood Type: A Height: 173cm. Weight: 57kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: My hobbies are dancing and rapping. My special skill is that I hold a Shorinji Kempo first stage black belt. I've studied from first grade to sixth grade of elementary school. Admired Senior: Aiba Masaki, because he is fashionable. And also, I admire him because he loves his surroundings. * When I heard about the formation of "7 MEN侍", I was surprised and really happy. There are still a lot of unfamiliar parts because I haven't done a live (performance) with (only) 7 people. From now on, I wish I could know more about each other. Everyone was challenged by the skateboard, we want it to be our strength too. Rinne in acrobatics, Igarashi in Japanese drums... I would like to make use of everyone's skills. As for me, I like rap and I'm studying it so, I will polish it. I hope that someday we could show it off in a performance. * I like secondhand clothes and I roam around different shops. I am happy whenever I find a new shop! The other day, I bought hanchingu (flat cap) and a blue trainer. I thought about putting my own clothes and for some reason, I'm using it as a lesson. (laughs) I usually go out shopping alone but now, I want an adviser (with me). Reia-kun also seemed to like old clothes so, 「let's go together」sometime！本髙克樹 Katsuki Motodaka

Birthday: 1998.12.06 Birthplace: Tokyo Metropolis Blood Type: O Height: 170cm. Weight: 58kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: My hobbies is cooking meat sauce pasta and dry curry, I'm good at cooking those. My special skill is doing Mathematics. Admired Senior: Nakajima Kento-kun. When you see him, it's like he's glittering and it feels overwhelming and also, he's cool. * From now on, I'll get fired up together with "7 MEN侍" --I'll do my best. Since there are many members who had worked with each other together, I am conscious and encouraged that there are 7 people (altogether). I'm on the keyboards, Taiko is on the drums... We can play instruments and I hope we could perform as a band as well. As for skateboard, I'm practicing it a little bit since I was in high school. I was supposed to practice with a group, I was suprised (so I said)「there's no way I could do it！」. (laughs) Jumps and techniques are difficult, I will make efforts to master it! * I went for a trip to New York with my friend. I planned our schedule and we went to various sights. We went to the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, to the art museums and we also went shopping. I was really impressed with the Broadway. We watched three productions (namely), 「Chicago」, 「School of Rock」 and 「Stomp」-- they are all in different types and each one of them is interesting. I have learned alot, it was a fulfilling trip! Konno Taiki

Birthday: 1999.11.24 Birthplace: Kanagawa Prefecture Blood Type: A Height: 170cm. Weight: 44kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: My hobbies are singing and playing the guitar (which started since last year). Recently, I've played "Yoru Sora / Mukuo". My special skill is also singing. Admired Senior: Kimura Takuya-san. I admired him when I saw him at a song program a long time ago. For me, he is a hero. * I'm happy to be part of "7 MEN侍", from now on, I will do my best and I'll straight up my mind. We have different specialties, I wish I could have each (other skills?). I will do my best for my favorite song! (?) I think that doing band performances will be our strenght because some of us can play instruments. Skateboard was the first challenge I thought hard at first but then, it has become fun. I am practicing it so that I could perfect it. Every member has strong personality and has freedom so, it feels like we'll be going to do independent things even if we go to an amusement park together. (laughs) I hope we can have a meal together and then enjoy watching the cherry blossoms together. * Together with my friend, we're addicted to this game were you cultivate jellyfish. I really love jellyfish so, it is really fun (to play). Like when you give more food and change the water, it gradually grows. But I have to watch it every 10 minutes, that's why I can't leave my phone. (laughs) I want it to grow bigger until it is barely enough to fit the screen. Igarashi Reo

Birthday: 2001.03.13 Birthplace: Saitama Prefecture Blood Type: O Height: 170cm. Weight: 53kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: My hobby is watching movies. Recently, I've also liked music editing. I hope I can work on with this together with the group at the future. Admired Senior: Marius Yo-kun. His appearance is lively and cool but he's cute whenever he speaks. * I feel nervous when I've finally got a group but being a member is really fun. Recently, I got messed up with the things that I do. (laughs) I will try hard to know better from now on so that I could have good performances with everyone. When I was in 3rd grade of elementary school, I have kept a Japanese drum for 6 years, I wish I could use it in the future. I would like to do fancation(?) as well. Practicing the skateboard is really difficult, I will exert my effort up to the level wherein I can decide which is my (best) skill whether it is in dance, singing, MC -- I will polish everything. I'll aim for a performance where I can entertain the audience! * My birthday, Taiko and the members, school friends, seniors... and lots of people celebrated my birthday. My family took me to eat to an all you can eat crab (restaurant), my grandmother whose birthday was a day apart (from me) was also celebrated too. My two sisters who's in 1st grade of junior high and in 5th grade of elementary school made me a cake. Sasaki Taiko

Birthday: 2002.05.20 Birthplace: Tokyo Metropolis Blood Type: B Height: 174cm. Weight: 59kg. Hobbies and Special Skills: I love clothes so, I like shopping. My special skills are dancing and playing the drums. I've started playing the drums since I was five years old. Admired Senior: Takahashi Kaito-kun. I admire him because his dancing looks so cool. * I am really glad to be part of "7 MEN侍". I won't forget the gratitude and the support that the fans had given us and I will do my best from now on. The members have been working hard. It is fun to be yourself when you're with everyone. I'm a beginner so during practice, I think there's sense to it. (laughs) I want to polish my skills so that I could show (to everyone) that skateboard is a form of entertainment. Also, each one of us has professional grade skills and strengths as well. I can also play instruments so, I want to be in a band as (part of the) challenge. * Rinne, Konpi (Konno) and I celebrated Igarashi's birthday. When I pressed the naku niwatori, I went 「uwaaa~」 as I thought of giving him present and I stopped. (laughs) Instead, I bought ice (cream??) cake for three people. Next time, we will celebrate Reia's birthday. And also next time, we will go at a theme park.

#magazine translation #7men侍

3 notes · View notes