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rein-ette · 3 years

Note

Are you still working on your Commonwealth study? Do you have any thoughts on Arthur's relationships with his colonies apart from Canzuk + US?

Not properly, unfortunately with exams and then work I haven’t had mental/emotional capacity to do real research (and probably won’t for a while 😔). But I have continued to think about and develop certain relationships, and I think I also have old hcs I’ve never shared, so I’ll put those down!

Born into the Empire

Australia

@oumaheroes has already done such great hcs on him idk what I can add, but basically he was a little bit of a rowdy child, always breaking windows and shattering fancy pots, never able to sit still. I think rainbow once mentioned that Ken (short for Kenneth, my name for Aus) was a lot like England as a child in his curiosity and energy, and I wholeheartedly agree. But I think Arthur’s intensity was more inwardly directed, pushing him to pursue and master new talents and learn whatever he could, while Australia is a little more carefree in his love for the outdoors, exploring, jumping around and off things, little wild animals. Unfortunately for him, he was born in a period of the empire when Arthur was very serious about his kids education, and therefore often praised those who studied hard and learned fast, which really just wasn’t Australia’s cup of tea. Australia took this kinda hard and thought he was the “dumb” one in the family that Arthur was always scolding, but in reality Arthur knew and appreciated that Australias interests lay elsewhere — he was just a frustrated, tired, parent who really wanted to give his kids the best while also holding his empire together, two goals that were never going to fit well in the end and would completely exhaust him.

As Australia’s grown older he’s realized a bit of this (not entirely, though) and also that 1) he really did break a lot expensive things and cause general mayhem 2) scolding us Arthur’s way of showing he cares, if he didn’t he wouldn’t have payed attention to him at all 3) despite being a penal colony, he was still one of Arthur’s more “legitimate” children (being white and a boy) and was therefore still incredibly privileged — never having to question, for example, why it was that Arthur was his dad, if it should be this way, or if he had a seat at the family table at all (more on this later).

New Zealand

Zee, from birth, was a clear favourite. Obedient, calm, quietly intelligent, he would also later develop a blistering sense of humour which combined with his appearance made it overwhelmingly clear who’s child he was. If Ken questioned his place in the family because of his poor academic record and others did because of their appearance/race/other complications, Kaelan never had such problems; his siblings called him the “prince.” Zee, however, also had a charm that, like Matthew, endeared him to his siblings and mostly protected him from jealousy, though he certainly still had issues with being called a try hard, daddy’s boy, bossy, arrogant. Certainly as a child Zee was a little prideful and, under that unperturbed demeanour, willful, but he grew out of it by the 20th century and became one of those most trusted by Arthur, second only to Matthew. He’s also always been inseparable from his brother Australia despite their differences, and today they both have one of the healthiest and most amicable relationships with Arthur of any nation, let alone former colonies (family road trips, every summer).

Bermuda

I absolute fell in love with this girl after reading about here, once, in this fic by @shachaai, and after that my mind just ran away with me. For me, her human name given to her by Arthur just has to be Ariel — for the little mermaid reference, yes, symbolizing her connection to the sea and stunning good looks, but also because:

1. Ariel is a biblical name, meaning lion of God. This makes sense to me, because Bermuda began as a Portuguese trade post, so Arthur definitely consulted our resident bad catholic Port before naming her.

2. Ariel used to be boys name. This also makes sense, because I hc Bermuda was and still is a tomboy. Bitch is fierce, takes no prisoners, and has zero filter. Her letters to Arthur, which all the colonies sent so Arthur could keep an eye on things, were full of shit like “I swear to god if the Spanish don’t get out of my waters I might eat one of them,” and “father, I asked you for destroyers two months ago, and yet you sent them to Hong Kong — could you explain this most unusual occurrence, surely it’s not that you forgot”, and “thank you for the harpoon on my birthday, I caught a small shark a couple days ago and have sent you some of its teeth for your collection.” Arthur tolerates this attitude because he’s weak when it comes to girls; he absolutely spoils his daughters (and flushes like a 16 year old when a woman so much as bats her eyelashes at him). Yes, p*ssywhipped Arthur is a hill I will die on.

3. It also suits her because? Ariel? Shakespeare? The Tempest? Bermuda Triangle? Shipwrecks? Daughter-like figure of powerful and vengeful sorcerer? Yeah. And this girl is a fire spirit — she is so lively, snarky, clever. As she’s grown older she’s mellowed out a little, but still: a no shit taken, no fucks given type of gal.

4. Speaking of growing up, she’s also become quite the beauty. Shacha, if I’m remembering correctly, described her as dark skinned, wavy-haired, and green eyed and that image has been burned onto the back of my eyelids ever since. Those Iberian genetics really be pulling through for her, that’s for sure. Engport love child if I’ve ever seen one. Definitely one of the prettiest in her family.

Singapore

I’ve already mentioned this to needcake, but I’m not too big a fan of canon Singapore, so this is my oc version. Singapore is fascinating to me because it had only a very small local population before it became a colony (The original settlement had actually been destroyed by the Portuguese about two centuries before the British started building a port there.) So nation-tans like Singapore and Bermuda really are Arthur’s children in the most direct sense of the word. And yet, Singapore is mostly ethnically Chinese, with Malays being the second largest group. Growing up Asian in a white, Victorian era family surely cannot have been easy and more than once Singapore probably wondered if there hadn’t been some mistake. To make up for the constant fear that he wasn’t “really” British, Singapore studied ferociously and had a truly terrifying work ethic. I’m not sure if this is common knowledge outside Asian circles, so I’ll mention that this hc comes from the fact Singapore is well known for having truly exceptional students and some of the most prestigious schools. Singaporeans score highly in literally everything and they have an advantage with good English learning environments, a highly desirable trait in Asia, but these results come from brutally long hours — and its really saying something that they’re known for working hard, considering the studying ethic of students in Korea, Japan, and China aint nothing to sneeze at, either. To me this actually fits really well with Singapore’s upbringing in Arthur’s household, because Arthur himself prizes intelligence and hard work above all else, being a workaholic himself.

As for their relationship, it was probably the best when Singapore was young and peaked in the 1930s with the massive naval base the British built at Singapore, at the time the largest dry dock in the world. Singapore was a well-behaved child, not necessarily introverted but not rowdy either, and all the way into his teenage years he truly admired Arthur and was proud to be a part of the British Empire, despite his lingering unease and insecurities. The British defeat in World War II, however, was a massive turning point. He had worked his ass off to be a good son, a good brother, to contribute to the only family and system he had ever known, and he had thought by the 30s he was finally on his way to becoming a fine adult. And suddenly, the British surrender brings his entire world crashing down. He had followed the rules faithfully thinking it was his destiny, but suddenly it was clear that all rules were made up. Of course, his insecurities exploded. If the empire was a ruse, what the hell was he? A part of the illusion? He couldn’t have a truly Asian identity, because many of the old East Asian nations shunned him for his Western upbringing, and he could not entirely understand their values either. So he was a kid who kinda had to figure out late and very very suddenly who the fuck he was and wanted to be.

And, well, he’s done pretty well for himself, hasn’t he. After having a total crisis and questioning everything, I think Singapore slowly started to realize that just because the British Empire as a political entity didn’t last forever, that didn’t mean that his entire childhood and identity weren’t real. The love he gave to his siblings and the love he got back, the hard work he put in, his bond with Arthur and the safe, happy childhood he had — those memories and feelings didnt have to be diminished by what came after. Essentially, he learned the lesson all nations have to learn, which is that one needs to be able to discern between duties as a nation and feelings as a human being, and to some extent keep them separate to protect both.

Whoooooo ok I’ll stop there because this turned into a dissertation, sorry. Let me know if there are any specifics u want me to elaborate on or anything I missed, but I’ll leave this here for today :)

#hws england #hws Australia #hws new zealand #oc: hws Bermuda #not gonna tag anymore I’m lazy #fun times with the commonwealth #I probably won’t write so much for all of them I just put it there to remind myself #needcake #ask #my hcs

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formashimataichi · 3 years

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Do you think Chihaya is selfish?

Yes and no.

I think Chihaya is selfish in the sense that she’s hungry for the game. It’s her first real opportunity at having a dream for herself, and karuta is also incredibly exciting for her, so she tries to envelop her entire life within it. That means pulling people into her sphere who don’t necessarily understand karuta or its emotional merits (the most obvious example here being Taichi), which can then sometimes lead to her being unaware of said people’s personal problems, because her focus is primarily on sharing karuta and enjoying it with them. (There’s also obviously the matter of her learning how to play properly as part of a team, because she’s been used to individual play for so long, but I personally don’t think that’s as glaring an issue after their first year.) That being said, I don’t agree that she’s a willingly selfish person, as a huge portion of the fandom unfortunately likes to claim. When problems she may have caused for others are brought to her attention, Chihaya is overwhelmingly remorseful and does her best to hold herself accountable and to understand how she may have caused harm or been insensitive to someone’s feelings. She’s a very kind and empathetic person, and that’s part of what makes her desire to spread karuta to everyone she knows so endearing (at least to me), because it comes out of a place of genuine love and desire to see the game make others as happy as it’s made her. I feel like the way she goes about sharing karuta with her friends is actually quite selfless, because again, it’s not just about her own enjoyment—she’s very keen on spreading this happiness that she experiences to the people around her, even if her intentions are initially a bit naïve. Plus, Chihaya never intends to use any of her friends as stepping stones to her goal. In fact, that’s precisely what hinders her for the longest time, because she’s so worried about making sure her friends love the game that she can’t even wholeheartedly focus on her own dreams first. Her passion for the game evolves into being rooted in her compassion for others, and this is something a lot of readers fail to recognize. It’s kind of like how Hyoro initially believed Chihaya was someone who looked down on less-skilled players, only to later realize that she aims relentlessly for the top because she recognizes how lonely the people there are. It ties into her arc reflecting the need for her to be selfish in order to be selfless—she has to relentlessly pursue her own dreams to set her up to best support and inspire the people around her. It’s never Chihaya’s intention to bog people down or to rob them of enjoyment through the game, and that’s why a lot of the fandom narrative around her tends to bother me, because they pin other characters’ problems almost entirely on her behavior, when she’s only a fraction of the issue. So much of her narrative follows her holding her friends’ and mentors’ support close to her heart and wanting to pay it back tenfold. I wish more people appreciated that aspect of her character.

#ayase chihaya #chihayafuru #*meta #now this is not to say she doesn't have individually selfish moments #obv she does. as do a lot of the characters bc they're human! and teenagers!#but i don't think i would call her overwhelmingly a selfish character #or at least not in the same vein that most people do

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secretsantasides · 4 years

Text

Gift #20

Gift for Mana

Prompt: Analogical, Human AU

The night had always been relaxing to Virgil but in an unsettling way. It was so deep, so peaceful, yet the darkness had a way of swallowing him whole, leaving him perfectly cloaked yet dangerously vulnerable while stars twinkled miles above his head. The moon was full and bright, casting everything in a delicate silver glow. He was content to take this all in, breathing in and out in a soft sigh as he laid on a blanket in their backyard.

The last week had been rough on him, as hard as the day was long, but it was the weekend now and he was more than content to have this time to himself. Everybody needed their own version of rest and relaxation, and the only thing that would make this better would be-

“Virgil?”

The boy in question startled, before propping himself up on his arms and looking behind him. Standing there in one of the very few casual outfits that he had was Logan. He was tall and wiry in a way that was endearing, and his black hair was neat, but messier than usual. His crystal blue eyes peered at Virgil curiously, his hands in his pockets.

“What are you doing home? Did the lab let you go early?” At this, Logan strode forward, breathing a sigh of exhaustion.

“They did,” he said, finally settling down beside his lover, “and for once I’m glad. It was starting to become a real pain working with people who don’t really know what they’re doing.” Virgil laid back down, his blonde hair falling slightly to the side as he gazed up at the night sky. Logan followed his lead and couldn’t help the air that rushed from his lungs at the sight of the sky.

Millions of stars twinkled brightly miles above the two of them, standing out crystalline and beautiful against an inky canvas. There were a few clouds, but not many, and the new house they lived in together was far enough away from the city that there was almost no light pollution. The vastness of the night sky made Logan feel so small, so insignificant, that he involuntarily relaxed his shoulders, the tension melting off of him if only temporarily. Knowing that he was just another blip in the universe, seeing and experiencing just how vast the rest of the galaxy was, it made it far too easy to take a step back and just be.

Most of the time, Logan has so much pressure on him to be perfect, to succeed in every aspect of his life, that he gets completely wrapped up and absorbed in it until he knows little else beside his work and his home. In times like those, he was more than happy to put aside everything and get caught up in the stars. He could have stopped existing in that moment, or at least existed a little less than he did before. Every negative feeling wisped away from him, sucked into the night air by the temperate breeze. He exhaled a deep, steadying sigh, letting him relax into the blanket and the soft grass beneath it.

Fingers that were not his own found him, brushing against his hand tentatively. Logan turned his hand and laced his fingers together with Virgil’s, a warmth blossoming in his chest at the little smile on the blond’s face. It would be hard to describe with words how perfect this moment in time was to Logan, how wonderfully every little event in their lives met up with each other to create this scenario. All he could do was marvel at what he had, how lucky he was to have someone who accepted him wholeheartedly and without question.

“They remind me of you, you know.”

The sentence floated in the space between them, nearly tangible but not quite. Virgil furrowed his eyebrows.

“How so?”

“They’re,” Logan started, but stopped, trying to form the right words. “They’re mysterious, deep, and lovely all at the same time and it’s complex and incredible. It’s something that seems so simple but is incredibly artistic in its own right. They take my breath away.”

Virgil was silent, and when Logan glanced at him, he found the other’s green eyes focused on him intently, his gaze unreadable. Something jump-started in his chest, and a wave of nervousness overtook him.

“I-I mean, they’re just so cool, you know? There’s just so many stories behind each constellation and a lot o-of other cultures have vastly different stories for a single constellation compared to other cultures and it’s just incredible to think about, billions of different people from everywhere all having seen the same stars we’re looking at now a-and,” he rambled, pausing only to take a breath before he was cut off by a squeeze on his hand. He dared to look at Virgil again, having looked back up to the sky in his nervousness, and found a soft smile on the other’s face.

“Lo, it's alright.”

Logan’s mind ground to a comfortable halt. Not the stuttering, sudden cease of troubling thoughts that he was used to when caught off-guard, but instead the gradual slowing of the thoughts and worries buzzing around in his head. It was so easy, natural even, to listen to Virgil and his voice, to focus only on the feeling of their hands twined together. It was easy to get lost in who he was as a person, the oversized pullovers and hoodies, the movie nights, the quiet contemplation over coffee in the morning.

Virgil was comfort, and Logan was fine with it.

“You really think all that about me?” His voice is quiet, dispersing into the night and getting sucked away by the darkness above them.

“I,” Logan starts, but then falters. He doesn’t know what to say, yet knows everything he could possibly ever want to say to Virgil. “Yes, I do.”

The gentle smile that graced Virgil’s face made Logan’s heart do backflips. He could see the other’s eyes soften with emotion and the upward quirk of his lips. He could faintly see the reflection of the stars above them in his green eyes, making them look like the most precious jewels.

“For what it’s worth,” Virgil said, his tone smooth and calm, “I think you’re pretty great, too.”

Logan bit back a smile and rolled over slightly, bearing his other arm out to the blond, who immediately took the offer and snuggled up next to him, burying his face into the other’s shoulder. Logan wrapped his arm around the other’s back, holding him close, and pressed a chaste kiss to the crown of his head. He heard Virgil breathe a content sigh, and he finally allowed the smile he was holding back to appear.

Everything about this was perfect.

Virgil mumbled something into his shoulder. Logan shifted away slightly to reveal the other’s face, and in a quiet voice he said, “What?”

“I love you.” It was quieter than last time, tinged with that familiar edge of anxiety, but Logan heard it all the same. Warmth spread out in that perfect radiation again, seeping down his arms and legs from his chest, and he couldn’t help but chuckle as he drew Virgil closer again.

“I love you too.”

Above the couple, the night stretched out endlessly. Nothing disturbed them or shuffled around them, save for the breeze rustling the hair on their head. The world moved on, pushing forward through time like it always did, but as far as Logan was concerned, the entire world was right here, curled up against his chest. Time could have stopped and he wouldn’t have cared or noticed. All he cared about was the soft breathing of Virgil, of the grass under the blanket they laid on, the gentle whisper of crickets carried by the breeze that caressed them.

Everything was perfect.

#secretsantasides #fanfic #analogical #logan sanders #ts logan #ts virgil #virgil sanders #sanders sides #human au

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nejitensstuff · 4 years

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Hello everyone and welcome !

If you are here, I guess that's because, like me, you find that the parents of Elsa and Anna, Agnarr and Iduna, are very interesting characters who deserve to be more developed. If you've ever seen Frozen II, you know they're more present in this than in the first one. However, and although I was delighted to know a little bit more about their story, I found that they would have a lot of potential and I hope that wholeheartedly they will be even more present in the third movie, if Disney ever makes us a gift of another one.

For those who have not seen the movie, I really recommend it. I loved the first without worshiping it, the story was interesting and the songs were very good. But Frozen II is really a crush, I'm not an animated film lover in general, but the story is captivating, the characters are endearing, deep, the design is absolutely incredible, the songs are beautiful.

I preferred that one to the first one, but this remains my personal opinion. However, I was slightly ... frustrated that the parents' story was not completely addressed. Also, I wrote this little story about them. I write very often, but I never show what I write, I keep my stories for myself and I read them when I wish. But I thought maybe you were just as frustrated as me, so I decided to post my story here to share with everyone who wants to read it.

I warn you that I am French, so English is not my first language and it is very probable that I made mistakes. Do not blame me. You can and I encourage you to write a review, just to say what you think of my story or to give me advice.

One last thing, I do not know if this story will have a sequel or not, I write for pleasure only.

The characters do not belong to me, just like the songs, I'm just taking over the story that has already been created.

Thank you so much. Have a good read if I have not lost you with my speech already.

Agduna Fanfiction

Chapter 1 :

Heavy flakes of snow were falling from the sky, covering the kingdom of Arendelle with a thick white coat. Few children were playing cheerfully in the snow under the watchful eyes of their mothers, who were carefully embroidering blankets while their fathers were cutting wood for the chemneys. The kingdom of Arendelle was known for its particularly cold and harsh winters, but the happiness felt by every citizen warmed the Fjord with comforting warmth. Children's laughs were rising in the air, houses were lit by the fires that could be seen crackling softly through the windows. King Agnarr, straddling his faithful steed, accompanied by the chief of his personal guard, gave a benevolent look at his subjects, who cheered him heartily. The kingdom was relatively small, the inhabitants were very close together and the king, very close to the people who had an unchanging respect and love for him.

But at the end of this winter day, the king needed to be alone. He turned slightly to the head of his guard, a tall brown-haired man with brown eyes who looked suspiciously all around him.

_ Thanks Knut, I will continue the road alone from now on.

Captain Knut tensed, suspicious. The safety of the king was his first concern. His parents were dead, he had no brother, no sister even less an uncle or an aunt, he was the last member of the royal family. If ever something happened to him, another dynasty would have ascend the throne, agitation and trouble would take over the kingdom fur sure.

_ Are you sure this is a good idea, Your Majesty ?

The king gave him a reassuring look, and without an answer, he left the group on a small path that climbed to the forest. He felt the captain's look on him, begging for a turn, but he did not do anything about it. His horse took a good walk on a small path lined with trees covered with snow. He was ecstatic for a moment in front of the beauty of the place. When he moved away from the castle, he often realized how heavy the burden of power could be, he sometimes forgot to enjoy life as he should. The death of his parents followed by his accession to the throne when he was only thirteen had quickly made him mature. After a few years in power, he had hardened, he had learned to manage and administer his kingdom, concluding important commercial markets. His old preceptors praised the little boy they had raised to be a monarch.

However, there was still a problem, he had just turned twenty-two, and the name of no fiancée had come out of the long meetings that had often taken place at the castle to decide which woman would be fit to be queen. His advisers continually assured him that it was essential that he had an heir, in order to sustain his dynasty and bring some stability to his power. Of course, a happy man in his marriage, having beautiful children capable of carrying the burden of power, was a more respected monarch, which was essential, especially because of his age. Youth rarely show wisdom. It was what all the inhabitants of the kingdom of Arendelle had whispered on the day of his coronation, but to their greatest surprise, Agnarr had acted like a great king. After all, he had been roughed by his father, strict and cold, who did not particularly like him. He had trained a thousand times in the exercise of power at his side and although he had some difficulties at first, he quickly understood what a king's duty was. After all, he had it in his blood.

As he walked, a calm and gentle voice brought him out of his thoughts.

Where the north wind meets the sea

There's a river full of memory

Sleep, my darling, safe and sound

For in this river all is found

Intrigued and fascinated by the beautiful voice that sang softly. He got off his horse, tied it to a tree and walked silently towards the origin of the voice. With a gesture of his hand, he cleared a few branches of trees that hindered his passage and came out on a small clearing, surrounded by the woods. He stopped short, a young woman sitting back to him at the edge of a partly frozen river. Without noticing the newcomer, the young woman began to sing again, in the same enchanting voice that could have charmed the coldest of hearts.

In her waters, deep and true

Lie the answers and a path for you

Dive down deep into her sound

But not too far or you'll be drowned

Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear

And in her song, all magic flows

But can you brave what you most fear?

Can you face what the river knows?

Agnarr leaned against the trunk of a tree and continued to listen to the young woman who did not know she had an audience. The king closed his eyes, bewitched by the sweetness of that voice.

Where the north wind meets the sea

There's a mother full of memory

Come, my darling, homeward bound

When all is lost, then all is found

When the song stopped, calm returned to the clearing, Agnarr opened his eyes to fall on the young woman, still sitting back to him, who had not moved. Silently, he approached her and whispered in a voice as soft as possible, so as not to scare her.

_ It was beautiful, Iduna.

The young woman turned with a start. He observed the beautiful face he knew by heart. He missed her.

She glared at the king when she recognized him.

_ Your Majesty, she said, standing up.

_ Since when do you call me by my title?

_ Since you prefer the company of Miss Claire, perhaps.

His voice was cold, emotionless. Iduna and Agnarr knew each other well, they had spent all their childhood together, they were the best-friends of the world. But time had finally separated them. Agnarr had been forced to devote himself to his job and Iduna had had to give up their exclusive relationship. They had continued to see each other, but less often than before, Iduna had met other young people, and she had met Jörg, a boy of her age. He was very kind and Iduna was badly in need of a shoulder to rely on now that Agnarr was no longer there for that. She had spoken of her companion to the king who had congratulated her and had broken the contact just after, withour any reason. Iduna had learned a few days later that he had met Mademoiselle Claire, a young French aristocrat with a rather sulphurous reputation, with whom he immediately befriend. She was now staying at the castle, with Agnarr, and many whispered that she would soon be the queen.

The two young people had ended their relationship. Which unconsciously made them both suffer terribly.

_ I did not try to avoid you, said the king, I have less time to devote to my personal life, that's all. Claire has nothing to do with all this.

He detailed for a moment the frail young woman. She had not changed, she was still so beautiful, so bright. He scowled.

_ In that case, good afternoon, Your Majesty, she said moving away.

He caught her quickly, surprised.

_ But Iduna ! It's been weeks since we've seen each other and you're leaving like this?

The young brunette looked at him.

_ I have nothing more to say, Majesty.

_ Stop with this title !

Anger was slowly but surely rising at Agnarr's. He was a man with a fiery nature, he could get angry quickly enough and had a hard time getting calm. Only Iduna had the power to appease his fiery temperament. The young woman was far from aggressive or rebellious, she was calm, almost introverted, she hated conflict that she fled at all costs. But today, she was really and deeply upset by her friend. Her best closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

_ What have I done for you to behave in this way?

The young woman let out a sarcastic laugh, but her eyes glittered with sadness.

_ What did you do ?

The king did not answer. He waited, his hands outstretched towards her in a silent supplication. The young woman ignored him, indifferent, like he did with her for several weeks. What did he hope? That she throws herself into his arms? She sighed wearily and turned to him a cold look.

_ It does not matter anymore.

He frowned , feeling the problems coming. What did she mean?

_ Jörg is going to leave Arendelle ...

Agnarr suppressed a satisfied smile. Jörg had been Iduna's companion for over two months, he was cutting ice to sell to other countries. Agnarr did not appreciate this man. He had never met him yet. But when Iduna had talked to him about her beautiful ice cutter, he immediately hated him.

Seeing his smile delighted, Iduna dropped her bomb.

_ And he wishes me to leave with him.

The king tensed, his fists clenched, a veil of fury darkened his beautiful green eyes.

_ That's out of the question," he barked.

Iduna tensed in her turn, irritated by the reaction of her sovereign.

_ I do not think I asked for your agreement ...

_ And you do not have it ! he said between his clenched teeth.

Images of Iduna leaving Arendelle on a boat, hanging on Jörg's arm, invaded his mind. He saw red. It was his Iduna. She was his.

_ You do not have the right ! She said with affront.

_ Sorry ? He said in a dangerously calm tone.

Iduna faced him, not at all impressed by the king's fury. Even if she did not confess it to the king, Iduna did not really want to leave either, Jörg had made this proposal a few days ago and she still hadn't made her decision.

_ You have no right ! she continued. First you ignore me for almost two months without any reason, and then you prevent me from living my life. What do you want from me ? You may be the king but you have no right to stop me from living my own life !

The king stayed silent. Only few people had spoken to him that way. Maybe that was one of the reasons he loved the young woman so much. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage that was rising dangerously inside him. At that moment, he could have killed Jörg. He had always been jealous of the relationship between Iduna and Agnarr. Little by little, without her realizing it, he had pushed her away from the king and now he even wished to take her away from the kingdom.

_ He manipulates you ... he finally let go after an unsustainable silence.

Iduna stood up, stiff as justice.

_ I do not allow you to talk about my companion like that.

Insensitive to his words, Agnarr continued.

_ He is jealous of our relationship. He wants to take you away from me.

The young woman choked with indignation.

_ I could say the same thing about your dear Mademoiselle Claire.

Her blue eyes shone with rage, but Agnarr knew her better than anyone, he saw the point of sadness in his eyes. He frowned. Was she ... jealous?

_ Do not put Claire into that, what do you have against her?

Once again, Iduna let out a small laugh. She plunged her blue eyes into the king's, and spoke with great frankness.

_ No one appreciates your companion, Your Majesty. The whole kingdom is eager for her to leave Arendelle. Her sulphurous reputation doesn't please anyone here, you apart.

Agnarr gasped, shocked. So Claire had already made a name for herself ? He sighed. Claire was charming, but she could be very sticky, sometimes, and very annoying.

_ I don't know what you're talking about, Iduna, but I find it very childish that you behaved this way.

Stretched like a bow, the young woman bows angrily and leaves the clearing without Agarr trying to catch her. As soon as she disappeared behind the trees, the king finally calmed down, he inhaled slowly, thinking about what had happened. Iduna wanted to leave, she wanted to follow this man. At that moment, the desire to kill Jörg was big. Agnarr was not a very violent man by nature, his role as king had taught him diplomacy and exchange, rather than weapons. But Agnarr had also done the army, he had been there as a soldier, he was still training regularly so as not to lose what had been taught to him, and he could sometimes be impulsive when he was upset. And at this moment, he was more than upset. He walked towards his horse, thinking back to their discussion. Why did he care so much about Iduna? It was his best friend, certainly, but there was Claire now and it was normal that as they were growing up, their paths separate. But to see Iduna in this clearing had made him feel like a shock. He was lost. He had never been ecstatic at Claire's beauty. He found her quiet pretty the first time he met her at the castle, but after that, he didn't longer payed attention to her "beauty". While with Iduna, every time he saw her, he could not help but rave about her, she looked so beautiful, so fresh ... He shook his head to chase away his thoughts. He loved Claire. Iduna was his friend. Friends were supposed to support each other. So why did he want her to stay with him at all costs? Tormented, he slowly joined the castle, not knowing how to interpret everything he felt. But in any case, one thing was sure : he did not want her to leave.

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takarter · 5 years

Note

Supercorp college AU?? Thank you!

My first prompt!! Thank you! I wrote this some time ago, but here you go. Enjoy :)

Kara’s all grimaces and fingers struggling not to destroy her red solo cup as she makes her way through crowds of sweaty bodies, and mumbles excuses as she goes along. They’re answered with no more than giggles and laughter and inappropriate offers, and suddenly she understands why Alex had advised her to sneak in some alcoholic beverages suited for aliens.

Between dancing friends and people she’s never seen before, Kara finds an empty spot on what turns out to be a moderately comfortable couch. Though it’s the guy sitting on it, right next to her, that reminds Kara of how notably too sober she still is. Instead she watches this all unfold without any intoxication to make up for a lack of respect, or actual things to do. There’s only so many dance-moves Kara can pull off - forced onto the makeshift dance floor by no other than Alex - while being fully aware of how stupid she must look. And there are only so many conversations she can have with people much more inebriated before she realizes they’re all the same, and all equally as boring and insignificant.

The guy next to Kara won’t stop talking about the hot chick - Alex - dancing amongst some of his friends, the terrible music pounds in Kara’s ears, and whatever liquid she’s put into her cup tastes bitter and, quite frankly, unappealing without the added bonus of getting to enjoy this evening a little more. And Kara hates frat parties. She knows now why she’s never attended one before.

“That’s my sister,” Kara points out one more time, after one comment about beautifully swaying hips too much. She glares at him, too, just for good measure.

His gaze is resting on Alex’s frame, and he barely picks up on it, merely grins. “Think she’d let me hit that?”

Kara groans, and downs her drink simply because of the message it usually seems to convey. She’s done with this conversation, and she’s done with this party.

“She’s a lesbian.”

His goofy grin merely falters. Only then does Kara nudge his shoulder and point out someone else to him. Sam, one hand playing with short auburn hair, the other holding a cup of her own. Almost as tightly as Kara’s holding hers.

“And see that girl?” she asks. Kara makes sure he’s spotted Sam before she keeps on going, and she makes sure that he’s picked up on her malicious gaze as well. “The one that’s currently glaring at you? That’s her girlfriend.”

Kara emphasizes each key word in hopes he might understand, eventually, how incredibly unwanted his attention is. But he doesn’t, and so Kara gives up. She pats his shoulder in pity before she lets Alex know she’ll get out of there for a while, come back later to make sure both her and Sam end up getting home safely. And almost she feels guilty for the way Alex’s upturned lips fall, and her head tilts to one side in question.

She explains it’s just not her thing, and how she feels uncomfortable - how she’d rather be in her dorm right in that moment. How she’d rather be outside stargazing, or in one of the empty rooms of the frat house that’s not currently occupied by some drunk couple, doing things Kara would rather not think about.

In the end she settles for latter, and if only because a certain drunk guy has seemingly deemed it his mission to follow her. With a newly filled cup Kara escapes up the stairs, tries several rooms and sighs in relief when she finally stumbles upon an unlocked one.

She sneaks into it, closes the door behind her, leans against it with closed eyes. The music’s still decidedly too loud, though muffled and dull, and somehow she can’t help but grin. That is, until she opens her eyes - and finds that she’s not as alone as she’d previously hoped to be. The thought-to-be-empty bedroom is not all that empty after all, and Kara can feel the warmth spread up her neck as she looks at the girl now eyeing her curiously.

“Oh, hi.” Pulled out of her stupor - but not entirely, this girl is pretty -, Kara manages to wave with her free hand and gather herself up enough to then extend it as she takes a few steps closer. She’s about to shake this girl’s hand, at a party, but suddenly there’s that familiar upturn of now dry lips. “Wait, I know you! Chemistry. Lena, right?”

Kara finds little comfort in no longer being the only one to blush, and yet she does enjoy wide eyes and a bashful smile. “You know me?”

“Of cour-”

“You’re Kara Danvers.”

Kara thinks that somehow the tone of Lena’s voice indicates this simple statement to mean something more, but she hasn’t just yet gotten behind it as she gets comfortable on the bed, proceeds to look at Lena. “Yeah.”

“And you know me.” Again, Kara doesn’t quite know what that’s supposed to mean.

“And you’re studying at a party,” she shoots back instead, grins when Lena closes her book instinctively, and takes off her thick rimmed glasses. Kara regrets having said anything at all. It’s only now that she properly takes note of books, and pens, and a cup of coffee on the floor next to the other girl. Kara finds it all to be incredibly endearing.

Lena shrugs and takes a sip. “Lame, I know.”

But Kara shakes her head, disagrees wholeheartedly and then laughs. “Don’t go around calling any of this lame, now that there’s two of us.”

“What are you doing here anyways, Kara Danvers?” Lena draws out her name in a manner that might almost be teasing. Pale cheeks adapt a complimenting shade of red once more. “Football captain. Most popular girl on campus. Shouldn’t you be partying with your friends?”

“If by friends you mean my intoxicated sister, her girlfriend, and some creepy dude that won’t stop hitting on either of us, sure.”

Lena hums in understanding, smiles knowingly, picks up her books again. Kara doesn’t mind, merely watches in something that might come close to fascination. Perhaps she is drunk, after all. She certainly feels giddy, can barely stop the upward rising of lips. Once again she downs her drink, and hopes Lena does not mind her presence.

“So you’re staying here instead?” Lena asks, and Kara nods softly in response. With its relative silence, a comfortable bed and a definitive lack of people, this room is certainly better than any of the crowded ones downstairs. Having Lena’s company is a surprising yet welcome bonus, if she’ll have her.

“I’d love t-”

There’s loud knocking on the door then, and a voice that is distinctively Sam’s. Kara’s mad at the interruption, though only for all of one second, before the words catch up with her.

“Kara, you in there? Alex is sick, we better get her out of here.” The door opens slowly and Sam peaks inside carefully. “You’re not sleeping with someone in there, are you?”

Kara blushes, stumbles over words. Lena is the one who answers with a mocking “nope, we’re just studying”, Kara already a few steps across the room. Sam’s gaze as it meets her own is sceptical and adorned with raised eyebrows, but Kara merely shrugs, goofy grin still set in place.

She’s not quite sure what compels her to turn around once more. To apologize for her sudden appearance, as well as her sudden departure, sure. Though she doesn’t know why exactly she now also deems it logical to follow up an adventurous evening with something that is quite frankly reckless.

“Hey Lena? Just in case you ever need a study partner agai-”

Sam pulls her out of the room before she can finish, and soon Kara’s back amongst people. The music’s still bad, even more so now that there’s no door to muffle it, and the floor is sticky with alcohol. Alex is stuck in one of the bathrooms, and Kara knows it’ll be a long night when she takes a proper look at both her and Sam.

And yet all she can think about is green eyes, and how she’d like to see them again in a setting less gross.

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artificialqueens · 5 years

Text

(I Can Still Recall) Our Last Summer - Chapter Five (Group Fic) - pureCAMP

A/N - deepest apologies for the shalaska drought :)))

jk, jk. this one is sharon/willam so it doesn’t count… and there are only two chapters left so hold ur breath!!

real talk, show some love and hang in there!! i have a half written update for in sickness and in health being worked on right now and a three part au shalaska in the works, as well as all my other fics on the go that will be updated once these next ones are done. i’m still here and i’m still going!! encouragement is. well. encouraged.

The dressing room had finally been restored to its usual state of peace and calm. Ironically enough, the usual peace that the dressing room could call normal was a state of absolute chaos, with clothing and makeup strewn all over the place, and three drunk girls giggling in front of mirrors. It was worth remembering that the so-called dressing room was actually a small room once used as a storage cupboard behind the stage, with a couple of mirrors and three screens to give them a little privacy in case someone walked in.

For the past few shows, the mood in the makeshift dressing room had been quite sombre. Sharon had been quieter, a little more closed off, her performances more lacklustre than usual. She hadn’t realized what an effect she’d had on the room, but now, in her cheerier mood, things had returned to normal.

Raja, who was still half-naked but with a full face of makeup on, was doing poor karaoke into a makeup brush as Jinkx looked on, fully dressed with half an eyebrow painted on and not much else. Somehow, at the sight of her friends being uplifted by her own better mood, Sharon felt brighter. She laughed at their antics, teasing her hair up with a comb and trying not to choke on the hairspray fumes.

“Jesus fuck, this place needs windows.” She coughed. “Does this look done?”

Raja stopped singing to inspect her friend’s hair. “Yeah, it’s done. Special effort tonight? Any reason? Dick, maybe?”

Sharon gasped, affronted. “Raja! I’m debuting a brand new look for a brand new song, if you must know. It’s a new era.”

Nodding, Jinkx swung around in her chair, now with a second eyebrow. “A new Sharon who won’t take anybody’s shit and doesn’t cry over boys.”

“Hear, hear!” Raja raised her wine glass, ignoring the fact that it was empty. “Tonight is gonna be great.”

If you insist, Sharon thought to herself, before she could stop it. Bad Sharon. You need a better mental attitude than that.

It was going to be a good night. So what if she had been left reeling by Justin? He was gone now, probably married or safely tucked up in his fiancée’s arms. There was nothing Sharon could do about that besides feel heartbroken. She was strong - her friends had known it all along. Tonight was about her, and the girls, and not a single boy was going to mess up her life again.

If anything, she had learnt from them… right? Justin, sweet, deceptive Justin, had taught her about trust and heartbreak. Jaremi had taught her that maybe no-strings-attached didn’t work for her, considering she still had to quell the urge to become affectionate towards him. Overall, it had been bad, but she was learning.

Did that mean she was going to make the same mistake with Willam?

Maybe.

He was attractive, after all - in a mischievous way, all floppy blonde hair and too-white teeth and cocked eyebrows. His demeanor was as if the world had been created just for him, and he could do whatever he liked with it. Sharon admired his confidence. Knowing he was at the taverna, waiting for them to come on stage, gave her a little thrill.

Don’t do it again, Sharon. Don’t make the same mistake three times.

There was a pretty good turnout in the taverna that evening; Maria had clearly been around all day, hollering about the show. The residents of the island were fond of their few entertainment sources, especially The Supermodels. There hadn’t been any time to make posters as they normally would, but it seemed word of mouth had been enough. Every table was full, and some people were standing, holding their drinks and chatting as they eagerly awaited the show.

Sharon’s eyes found Willam immediately as they stepped on stage, assuming their usual positions. He was sat close to the old woman who had been with him at church, one arm lazily draped over the back of her chair. The excitement of performing a new song again, coupled with the adrenaline rush of feeling Willam’s gaze on her body, made Sharon feel utterly short of breath. Somehow she knew this would be one of her most explosive performances yet.

The music started. A few people gasped in excitement.

“Last night, I was taking a walk along the river, and I saw him together with a young girl…”

The inevitable nervousness dissipated as Sharon heard Jinkx joining in, her voice uniquely strong and powerful, followed by Raja’s deep, melodious harmony. Part of her wished that the three of them could stay on the island forever, making a living out of performing, forever remaining in the little safety bubble of music. It made her almost angry - yes, angry - that they would be leaving her too.

For once, she didn’t veer away from that thought, instead channelling her anger into the song. It was essentially a fuck you to how easily she had fallen, and how easy it was to do the same thing again (and again.) It was better to let it out now, on stage with people dancing and cheering, than to consign it into passive aggressive letters for the next few months.

Just this one last time, Sharon let herself wallow in her feelings as she sang. Justin had left her and it fucking hurt. Jaremi was just using her because she was letting him. Her own mother had slapped her time and time again, unable to stand her daughter’s failures. Her two best friends - her two only friends - would be gone in a matter of weeks, leaving her alone. It was all worth being angry over.

“You’ll think you’re in paradise…”

As the song drew to an end, Sharon found herself flooded with a mixture of emotions, her mood swinging suddenly from angry to relieved, grateful and beyond ecstatic. She clung to Jinkx and Raja, out of breath and sweaty, as the appreciative cheering and clapping rewarded them for their efforts.

“God, I love you two.” Sharon whispered, completely breathless. Jinkx kissed her cheek, and Raja pulled them into a tighter embrace.

The three of them stayed like that, holding onto one another as if they were going to collapse, until the collective euphoria from the music had died down. The patrons went back to their drinks and conversations, smiling at the girls as they went past, some offering kind words. At the first attractive man, Raja slipped away to flirt.

“Ah, your blonde is here.” Jinkx grinned, pointing over to Willam as though Sharon hadn’t noticed. “Go on, go secure your rebound boy. I’ll be here scouring for the lesbians, so I’ll be fine.”

She patted Sharon on the shoulder, her face a picture of playfulness. “Oh, her outfit is hideous. I bet she’s gay. See you later!”

The universe was practically forcing it to happen. There was definitely no getting away from Willam, that was for sure. It seemed written into the fucking stars. At least this time, Sharon reasoned with herself, she knew exactly what her mistake was. It was the universe’s fault that she was making it.

Willam patted the spare seat next to him. Coincidentally, he had ordered a drink for his great grandmother Pat, and she didn’t like it, but it just so happened to be Sharon’s favourite, so she just had to sit and drink it. It was just courtesy, after all. Goddamned universe, trying to be subtle.

“Sharon, I love you in this outfit. It’s very tight.” Was his opening line, as he pushed the drink towards her.

Thankfully, she caught it deftly before it could be swept off the table. “Thanks… It’s supposed to be.”

Pat laughed. “I like this one! I wish I could’ve worn these kind of things, back in my day. Very chic!”

“Oh, so you’re both fashionistas?” Sharon asked, sipping her drink. “Gotta love that. Anyway, I can’t stay long, but…” She grinned. “I’ll finish this first. I gotta make sure my ride home doesn’t leave me.”

Willam placed a hand on her thigh. Sharon tried not to shiver.

“You could always stay with me. Spend the night.”

Emboldened by the stage high, Sharon cackled with laughter. “Oh, you wish! Nah, I’m in deep shit. I majorly pissed off my mom.”

“The church bitch.” Pat said darkly. Her sinister tone caught both Sharon and Willam unawares, sending them both into a fit of laughter that somehow ended with the two of them leaning on each other for support. Willam was warm. She could feel muscles under his shirt. Shake it off, Sharon.

“Oh, everyone at that place fucking loves her, but I don’t.” Pat continued. “She’s a nasty bitch if I ever saw one.”

There was something strangely hilarious about such an old woman, shrivelled into her early nineties, being so catty. Sharon agreed wholeheartedly with every word that came out of her little puckered mouth. She had the same bright white smile as Willam, even at her age, which made her incredibly endearing.

“She always calls me by my proper name, too. Cow. I tell everyone I’m Pat, and she goes Patricia in her smug little voice that she has. Ghastly woman. I’m sorry you have her as a mother.”

Sharon raised her glass for a cheers. “I’m sorry I have her as a mother too,” She laughed, clinking glasses with Pat. Willam leant over and pushed Pat’s glass away from her, smile lines creasing at the corners of his eyes. “Maybe we should change your name to Trixie.”

Pat laughed. “Ha! I’m far too old for a young girl’s name like that. I bet your mother would call it a whore name. Maybe I will, out of spite.”

“I think you’ve had enough, Granny Pat. Two vodkas is your limit, we all know what happened at Christmas.”

He mimed some horrific dancing as Sharon finished her drink, trying not to splutter it everywhere. Pat, to her credit, was completely unembarrassed - if anything, there was a twinkle of amusement in her eye.

Sharon gathered the now-empty glasses towards the front of the table as Willam helped Pat up, wrapping an arm round her to lead her out. Between the two of them, it was easy to manoeuver an elderly lady towards the exit, and easier still to talk once they were outside. The pavilion outside the taverna and the shore below them both seemed deserted, the island residents either packed into the taverna, or tucked up into their beds. The sun was just starting to dip beneath the ocean.

“You sure you’re not coming with us?” Willam offered again. “I have several ulterior motives lined up, but I’m a respectful man, so sleeping is one of them.”

Sharon giggled. “I’m okay, honestly. I’m weirdly tired, I just want to go home and sleep for forever. But thank you.”

Willam saluted. “Any time, any time at all. See ya tomorrow, probably.”

He waited until Sharon had started to make her descent to the shore before he began helping Pat up to wherever her home was. Sharon could hear him singing, loudly parodying “Look into her angel thighs, one lick and you’re hypnotized…” for at least half of her journey down. She chuckled to herself, resigning herself to the fact that her next run-in with him would probably end the way most of her male encounters did these days - with a throaty gasp.

Down at the docks, Sharon sat on the very edge of the pier, letting her feet dangle into the gentle waves. Jaremi’s boat was nowhere to be seen, but he was often late. Most likely he was wrapped up with some girl, having lost track of time. He would squeeze Sharon into his embrace, which she would gladly fall into, and then she would smell the girl’s perfume all over him.

The sex was as present as ever, but as Sharon grew more disconnected, Jaremi seemed to grow more distant. She suspected that Jaremi was bored of her, and the variety of perfumes he smelt of only served to prove her theory. She just pretended it didn’t sting, and stared out at the ocean until it was time to go home.

Sharon watched as the sun sunk lower and lower, feeling the air grow chilly around her. It wasn’t often that the island felt cold, and at such an inauspicious time she was thankless for the breeze. An hour passed, and she pulled her feet out of the now freezing water, curling into a ball and shivering a little.

She waited. The waves got rougher.

A second hour passed. Not a single wave went undisturbed by the motion of a boat.

Naively, or perhaps stupidly, Sharon clung to the hope that Jaremi just hadn’t realized the time. He knew that he always collected Sharon, to sail her home before going off to do whatever he did in the small hours of the night. She relied on him for that. It was their unspoken deal. He wouldn’t just leave her sit on the pier and freeze all night, would he?

Her teeth chattered. She kept her eyes fixed on the horizon, rubbing ineffectually at her frozen arms and legs to try and get a little bit of warmth.

Finally, after a few more minutes of waiting, a person appeared, traipsing along the sand. She didn’t recognise the woman other than knowing her as one of the locals, and it was a relief just to see another person after so long staring at sea and sky.

“Hi, sorry… Have you seen Jaremi? Carey, the explorer? I’ve been waiting for him all night.” She rubbed at her arms once again, and felt no improvement.

The woman frowned. “You mean no one told you?”

Sharon’s heart fell into the pit of her stomach. “What?”

“He’s gone.” She said bluntly. “Sailed off this morning, maybe three or four. Back to his travelling again.”

Though it was difficult, Sharon tried not to look as though she felt like she’d been hit by a bus. She swallowed the lump in her throat, ignoring how strained her voice sounded. “O-Oh. Okay. No problem.”

Huge problem.

The woman went on her way, offering a weakly sympathetic smile before getting further and further away along the beach.

For another half an hour, Sharon simply sat and continued to watch the sea, reeling from the shock of his sudden departure. As it grew colder, she realized that something had to be done, lest she freeze in the night out on the dock. She tried to consider her options, now that she was essentially stranded.

There were no more boats running from the island to the mainland; it was too late now. There wouldn’t be another until six the following morning, and that was far too long to wait.

She could sleep in the little cabin on the shore, but that wasn’t ideal. It was a rough night, the sea beginning to churn angrily as it got colder. The cabins weren’t exactly built to be safe in that kind of weather, and she’d spend the night terrified and cold in the bed, fearing that the cabin might collapse on her. Of course, it didn’t help that her cabin was where she had lost her virginity to Justin, who was no longer keeping her safe…

The shack at the top of the island was the safest bet she had, but Sharon ruled that one out too. For some reason, she had been struck with a wave of exhaustion that had burrowed right into her bones. Even now, petrified and bitterly cold, she felt on the verge of falling asleep. It was unusual for her - normally she was a bit of an insomniac, able to stay awake for hours on end. She knew that tonight especially, given how tired she was, that she would never be able to drag herself up to the top.

That left… nothing.

Whether it was the cold, the fear, or something else entirely, Sharon felt sick. Before she could even think, the urge became too overwhelming, and she leant over the edge of the pier to vomit - just as a hand tapped her shoulder.

When she was done, she sniffed in embarrassment and turned to see who had tapped her. To her surprise, Willam was stood behind her, his brow furrowed in concern and confusion. He looked as though he was being ripped apart by the extreme change in weather, his shirt whipping in the gale.

“Are you okay? It’s fucking freezing out here!” He shouted over the wind. Sharon hadn’t realized how ferociously it had picked up, but her hair was flapping wildly around her face. “I thought you said you had a ride?”

Wordlessly, Sharon took Willam’s outstretched hand and managed to pull herself up, shivering violently. He pulled her close, opening up his coat to try and squeeze her into it along with him. It was a sweet gesture, even if the coat was as cold as Sharon herself. She appreciated the kindness.

“I-I did!” Sharon tried, her throat hoarse. “Turns out he l-left this morning and didn’t t-tell me. I need to g-get home!”

Willam began stroking her hair, murmuring quiet words of comfort. Although the wind tore the words away before Sharon could hear them, just the soothing tone of his voice was enough to help calm her panic. Everything was going to be okay. Even if her mom was going to go insane, everything would be alright for now. Willam was going to help her.

“I have a boat, okay?” Willam said, louder so he could be heard. “We’ll get you home, it’s gonna be alright. Stay with me, you’re okay.”

Everything else was a blur. Sharon, hunched and shivering but now draped in Willam’s coat, focused on making sure she wasn’t going to be sick again as she was bundled around. A man she didn’t recognise was untying Willam’s boat, and Willam himself was gently leading her inside. She couldn’t seem to take any of it in.

Thank the fucking lord for the interior of the boat. It was much grander than Jaremi’s, and warmer - that was all Sharon cared about. She allowed herself to be tucked up, slowly given water to sip, and warmed in one of the beds. Willam didn’t leave her side for a moment.

As the boat began to sail out, Willam sat down and smiled softly. “Goddammit, Sharon. I’m not supposed to show you my soft side yet. You’re supposed to think I’m effortlessly cool and hilarious first. Then I seduce you, we fuck and then I show you my soft side. Then, of course, I find out you’re far too much for me to handle and our tragic love affair ends there.”

He smiled again as Sharon laughed. “But seriously. You can have anything you need from me, I’ve got you. You ever need a lift home, or somewhere to stay, I got your back. I’ll give you whatever you need.”

Starting to feel better, Sharon handed Willam his coat back and shifted into a sitting position, her legs covered by a thick blanket. He took the coat and balled it up, throwing it as far as he could just to make her laugh again. Her stomach settled, Sharon obliged.

“You have a great laugh. I could fall in love with that laugh.”

“I’d be careful. I’m a minefield.” Sharon told him, grinning. “You heard the song tonight. You know I’ve got baggage.”

Willam nodded. “Is the asshole who left you here the asshole in the song?”

Sharon shook her head.

“Yikes. You really have been fucked over.” Willam cringed. “Anything I can do to help?”

Don’t do it, Sharon. Don’t cave. Don’t make the same fucking mistake again, you know it’s wrong. Don’t give in.

“Get your shirt off and get over here.”

Goddammit, universe.

When Sharon woke up, she felt warm. It was a comfortable, familiar kind of warm - the kind of warmth that comes from the body of a lover, cuddling up close. As her foggy vision began to sharpen, she zeroed in on the handsome face of Willam, just above her. She was nestled into his chest, still naked, apparently having grown fond of him in her slumber. Making no effort to move, she closed her eyes once again, willing sleep to find her.

“I know you’re awake.” Came Willam’s voice, gruff with sleep.

Sharon didn’t react. “That’s nice.”

He laughed, his bronze chest juddering up and down, and snaked an arm around her, shifting her even closer than before. Sharon sighed contentedly and let him.

“Didn’t you say your mom was gonna be super mad at you?”

“She always is,” Sharon dismissed sleepily. “It’s not like it matters.”

Contrary to her expectations, spending the night with Willam hadn’t made Sharon’s heart tighten with that familiar, aching lust. If anything, she just felt close to him - the same way she felt after spilling her emotions to Raja or Jinkx. He felt safe, trustworthy even. He didn’t set her on fire like Justin had.

Nobody else ever could.

“Alright…” Willam drawled lazily. “So if I hop into the shower, with the premium deluxe pressure and more than enough room for another person, she wouldn’t mind if you joined me?”

Sharon smiled. “She wouldn’t ever have to know…”

She sat up and began to laugh slightly. “What the fuck is premium deluxe pressure?”

“Come find out.”

For most of the following week, as Raja and Jinkx grew busier with preparing for their rapidly-encroaching departure, Sharon found herself spending her time with Willam and his charismatic grandma. It was nice to be around a family that just seemed normal - not overly wrapped up in themselves and their romance, as was the case with Raja’s parents. Pat was old and could move very little, but she swore and drank like a sailor, and it made for some interesting times. Willam, of course, helped.

It seemed more than anything that, despite their frequent rendez-vous, Willam was becoming a close friend. Their nature was more like a friendship than anything else - the sexual chemistry masked by their natural rapport. It was as if they’d been friends.

“It’s been a fucking nightmare trying to find support here, honestly.” Pat was saying, a glass of brandy sitting on the table before her. “Nobody wants to help a sweet little old lady these days.”

Willam snorted. “Sweet. Oh, what delusion.”

Sharon laughed. “Shut up! Let her be old and sad!”

Pat raised her glass in solidarity, her hands trembling but her resolve firm. Willam downed his as though it was a shot and shrugged.

“Why don’t you just die? Cheaper and easier for everyone involved, including you.” He suggested.

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Pat replied dryly, sending them both into fits of laughter. “Not for me. I’ll pay a ton if it means someone will come and fuckin’ help me that isn’t you, Bill.”

For as much as they were joking, Sharon sympathised with the old lady. She loved the island more than anything else in her life - she couldn’t imagine life without it. A life unable to look out across its views, taking in the beach and the fresh sea-salt air; that wasn’t a life at all, really. She hoped somebody would be available to come and care for Pat.

As Willam got up, gathering their glasses and leaving the room, Pat turned on Sharon. There was a glimmer in her eye, a kindly smile on her face. Even though she had only met her just a week ago, Sharon felt insanely grateful for her presence in her tumultuous life.

“He’s off next week, I’m sure he told you. Chasing his fortune in LA. He’ll miss you, of course.”

Sharon nodded. “I’m sure I’ll miss him too.”

The conversation had happened the night before, as they lay naked on top of one another - although Sharon left that detail out of her mind when she was with Pat. Willam, never one to hide anything, had come clean about his time on the island.

“I had to make sure she was okay. We were hoping to find someone to care for her, but if she has to go into assisted living then that’s that.” He held Sharon close. “It’s a shame, though.”

“Yeah…” Sharon agreed, not sure what else to say. “She seems like such a free spirit.”

Willam emitted his seal-laugh, the one that always made Sharon crack up. “She likes free spirits, I know that for certain. But yeah - I’ll be leaving soon. Five days.”

He stretched. “You have five days to enjoy this luscious body of mine before I go back to LA. I’m an actor over there.”

At least she had a little bit of a warning. Unlike Justin, who she was sure might’ve stayed, or Jaremi, who had left without a second thought, Willam had given her time. He was the first to think that far ahead, she assumed.

Not wanting her message to be misconstrued, Sharon gently tugged the duvet covers, trying to preserve some of her modesty before she spoke. She had always found it difficult to articulate anything just after sex, so it took her a little while to think of what she wanted to say.

“Look… Willam… without sitting here and talking about all the different ways my heart has been broken recently, I just want to say this. My friends are leaving soon and I don’t want everything to fall apart and leave me here missing you. So… can we not do a goodbye?”

She chewed her lip. “I mean, I’ll say goodbye to you. We can hug and I’ll see you off and whatever, that’s fine. But I don’t want any of the promises to keep in touch or visit, none of that awkward hanging on to something that doesn’t matter. I don’t want to know if I meant anything to you, or how much. I just want it to be over when it’s over, and we both know that it’s gonna be over. Is that- is that okay?”

Sharon expected that meeting his eyes would be awkward. He would look at her like she was broken, some kind of delicate flower he needed to treat gently. In the worst case scenario, his eyes would be filled with pity.

She looked up. Willam was smiling - not kindly, not sympathetically - just normally. “Sure. No goodbyes here. Nada. None.”

“Alright. Okay. Good.”

Willam laughed. “You have a massive hickey right by your nipple. I can’t be serious anymore, that’s so funny. Look at it!”

It had gone better than she thought it would.

“I’ll be fine.” Sharon dismissed it. “I’m a big girl, I can cope without a boy.”

Pat clapped her wrinkled hands. “That’s it, sweetheart! Atta girl. A life without men in it does wonders for your complexion, anyway. You won’t get stress lines if you don’t have a walking stress, bugging you for orgasms every ten minutes.”

Sharon howled with laughter. She suspected that maybe Pat was right.

Sex and laughter. That was how Sharon summed up her final week with Willam.

They had sex, they laughed, they sang. It was a blur of mindless fun that meant nothing to either of them. The two of them had grown close, three including Pat, but Willam had to leave. It was okay. Sharon had had ample time to prepare to be properly alone, and she didn’t mind so much anymore.

At the dock was the last place she saw him. He was stood next to his boat, the very ship he had taken her on when she was cold and in need. It would be taking him to somewhere in the middle of Europe, where he would then catch a first class flight back to LA - with the same sunshine, but less paradisiacal whimsy.

He was just standing there, looking pretty. Sharon crossed her arms.

“I guess this is goodbye?” Willam said, the cheeky grin on his face only highlighting just how clearly he remembered the post-coital promise he had made.

Sharon scowled. “Fuck off, Willam. I don’t do goodbyes. I’m an all or nothing kind of girl.”

Slowly becoming serious, Willam touched a bruise on his neck and softened. “Don’t I know it. So I’ll be seeing you?”

At Sharon’s raised eyebrow, he started to giggle. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I know. It’s over.”

“Yeah.” Sharon nodded. “Probably not. But for what it’s worth, have a nice life.”

He grinned. “You too. You deserve it. I mean that.”

Things were verging into dangerous territory. Sharon told him, in no uncertain terms, to shut up, and he did.

Then he was on the boat, waving.

Then he was gone.

#rpdr fanfiction #our last summer #purecamp #pharon #sharon needles #raja gemini #jinkx monsoon #phi phi o'hara #alaska thunderfuck #willam belli #submission #shillam #m/f au #mamma mia au

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annashipper · 5 years

Text

JT Anon

Ok so this is going to be a wildly unpopular opinion that you will wholeheartedly disagree w Anna, but here goes

I kinda hope they phase BC out of the MCU. Im not one of these fans that wants him to fail or to vanish forever or will never see another project until he leaves sophie (i don’t think thats ever going to happen). I just don’t think he fits w the MCU anymore and he is kinda, to me, a bummer stain on an otherwise fun experience.

The actors in the MCU are literally the only actors I’ve ever taken a mild interest in outside of their movie roles. Meaning i won’t immediately change the channel if they are on late night, or I might flip through a mag if they are in there, or im actually interested in their thoughts on their char.

The actors in the MCU, for the most part, are super engaging. They engage the fan base in a really great way. Now granted, I get it, lots of that is coaching etc, I get that. However, the actors all engage w the material and the fanbase in a really great way. they have lovable personalities, they all seem humble and grateful and excited to be there. Even RDJ who plays on this kinda ego centric char he has is totally endearing and everyone gets it. They make the fan base feel like they are all a part of something, everyone is in it together, they genuinely want everyone to have a great time, they get how much these stories can mean to a lot of people.

Now im sure someone can pull up an anecdote here or there where MCU actors have not been their best selves, but for the most part, MCU actors make the fanbase feel loved and valued. MCU fans are not talked down to by them. Each actor has a unique and lovable personality that is engaging

BC sticks out like a sore thumb. He isn’t delivering DRS and MCU toys to hospitals, he doesn’t have social media, so he isn’t engaging w elements of the fanbase that does charity work. He doesn’t talk excitedly about DRS and MCU projects, he doesn’t comment on fan art and projects in a respectful way (ignoring the freakier ones). Now i know the dusted actors were not doing the rounds media wise, but still

Ben just comes off as someone who thinks he is above all that. All i see and think about when i think about BC and MCU fans is a guy who is just so sick of fans. Fans are all obsessed w him and won’t they go away. anyone who doesn’t worship him and dares to chat in a neg way about what he is putting out is a stalker, florals, they are all so tiring! poor, poor women who lost themselves when he married, your uteruses still have use w out him! he just seems like he doesn’t want to be there and is delusional about how much people care about him beyond gossip and riling each other up for fun

To me BC is in a totally different category from the other main MCU actors. BC is running around to the MET gala acting a fool, Ben is running around too busy trying to sell every single stitch of clothing on his body. ben is too busy branding and selling his family. ben is trying to wring every last red cent out of every move he makes.

And before anyone jumps down my throat w a long list of products MCU actors sell, I KNOW. its about the feel of it.

Ben these days comes off as a stuck up, toffy snob who doesn’t want to be there. Ben comes off as someone who has disdain for his fans, and while he def wants them to keep him and his wife in expensive vegan clothing and millionaire status, they need to just shut the fuck up and hand over the cash. Ben comes off as someone who is entitled to fame and attention, but on his terms. Ben comes off as someone desperate to merch and brand himself. Ben comes off as someone waaaay more concerned at the moment w selling every single article of clothing he and his wife has, every single life event he can get a sponsor for.

His image is a bummer ink stain on the MCU. He is like the stuck up boring cousin at the fun family reunion who spends his whole time pouting on his phone. the only time he engages is when he is the absolute centre of attention, and he has to be making cash money off of it or he isn’t interested. he is like that one person at school who won’t shut up about how many haters they have and how jealous everyone is of them, and how he just wants to do him, meanwhile no one is actually thinking about him like that.

Think of any MCU actor and you can think of cute, funny, humble, joyful, REAL feeling fan engagement.

W BC you just get a grown ass man whining, pouting, doesn’t want to be there, would rather be selling shoes and shirts and hats

as a fan i have absolutely no interest in him as an MCU actor. I don’t want to sit there and have my eyes roll out of my head while he either sells me some product or makes some delusional comment about how obsessed, OBSESSED EVERYONE is w him and his family and WHY WON’T THEY JUST LEEEAAAVE HIM AND HIS WIIIFE ALONE (ps please buy these shoes, please buy sophies dress, please check out this vendor that sponsored our wedding, please look at the menu of the person making vegan food for us, please buy the pictures of our kids please please please)

he has moved on from depressing to why don’t you just leave then? honestly?you would rather be throwing yourself all over a red carpet and selling clothing and jewellery and cars and vegan shoes and talking about how hard it is to be you because youre so famous, then go do that. go do period piece after period piece in between selling washing machines. i might even see one.

BC is like getting together w your fav cousins and your mom say you have to take the annoying one along too, and he just ruins your day by complaining about being tired all the time and talking about all the expensive shit his dad in another state buys him

just let us check out fan theory and make memes and talk shit and watch interviews in peace. STFU about the stuff you have for sale. STFU about how obsessed everyone is. go to the met gala, go arrange paps for attention. just GO live the fame life you clearly think you have. let people enjoy MCU shit w out you popping in every few months to remind us that youre here too and SO SO FAMOUS

its getting to kinda ruin MCU shit to me. If i know BC will be involved, im not interested.

I just don’t want to hear him whine, and i don’t want to have another fucking thing sold to me, and thats all he’s got

J got sooooo many haters T anon

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Well, you’re right in one regard JT. I wholeheartedly disagree with all of the above. Not because I’m contrary and a SkeptoNanny (which of course I am), but because you’re wrong :P

Ben didn’t do ANY promo for Endgame, so if we’re going to talk about him being a killjoy during promo for MCU projects, we have to revisit what he’s done during Doctor Strange and Infinity War promo.

And while, yes, he did make a faux pas (a pretty major one) with that incredibly stupid quote on his Vanity Fair cover interview where he thought it wise to casually mention his wife and child are not a PR stunt, other than that, his promo tour for Doctor Strange was pretty much the same as any other promo for a standalone superhero movie within the MCU.

And then there was Infinity War promo, which was more about promoting the MCU than it was about promoting himself. I would argue that he actually did a stellar job with that. He even brought quite a bit of DorkyBatch out to play:

I mean...

So yeah. If we’re going to have a serious conversation, we have to be very precise about the timing of what Ben says and does; especially when it comes to MCU promo.

Meanwhile, since you brought up charity projects linked to the MCU, let me remind you that Ben has been involved with those multiple times, through Omaze, and he even did it for Endgame (which he supposedly would have no part in and didn’t really have to do, because his character had already been dusted out of existence).

By the way, the shoes he’s selling are not always vegan. Not the ones he wore to the MET Gala (LINK) anyway :P

#JT anon

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wanderingpride · 5 years

Text

A short story with Auro and Cassius.

It was getting late; the sunset was stretching its last rays over the mountains in the distance, Auro slumped on the grass in Cassius’ backyard, waiting for dinner. He always felt a little bad for Cassius. Not only did he have to worry about providing enough food for himself, but he had to make food for at least twenty extra regular humans on top of that. Auro shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of his brain whilst taking a deep breath in, inhaling the scent of freshly cooking steak. Mouth watering a little, he felt his stomach about to rumble, hunching over trying to suppress the sound. Alas, it didn’t work, as Cassius gleefully opened the window and chuckled.

“I heard that. Worry not, it’ll be ready soon!”

That smile never seemed to leave Cassius’ face, something that Auro secretly admired about him. His generosity and altruism were unrivalled. Auro wished he could match it. A sigh escaped his lips as he goes back to drawing soft circles in the grass, barely feeling the individual blades on his fingers anymore; a combination of tough calluses and the finger simply being too large the cause. He missed those little things.

The door to the backyard opens, Cassius barely able to keep his balance with the sheer amount of food he’s carrying as he places a very full tray of meat on the little picnic table next to where Auro is sitting. Cassius is barely phased by Auro’s enormous form now, it wasn’t the boy’s fault he ended up like this. That he believed wholeheartedly, no matter what disgruntled townsfolk say. Cassius serves himself some meat and oven-roasted vegetables, before pushing the rest of the enormous tray to Auro, a routine that both of them know very well. But most unusually, Auro doesn’t even look at the food, a thousand yard stare frozen into his face as his brows furrow, pushing the tray back to Cassius.

“Auro? What’s wrong?”

Cassius’ dinner now lay abandoned on the picnic table as the old man leapt to his feet and approached the giant, running a gentle hand down the side of Auro’s thigh as he walked around to the front. Auro’s gaze flickered down for a brief moment before looking away, eyes deader than before, face sunken and void of emotion.

“Cass.” Auro said, his voice booming.

“Yes?”

Auro bows his head before diverting his dead-eyed stare back to Cassius, taking in a breath.

“Why do you do this?”

Cassius tilts his head.

“Do what?” he asks, a little confused.

“You know...all this. You give me free food. A place to sleep. I can do all of this on my own, you know. I don’t need your help.”

Cassius’ brows raise. He knows better than to automatically assume Auro is being ungrateful.

“What? You know why I do this. Because I love you; you are my son and I care about you. Do you take me to be the type to leave someone to suffer?”

“Maybe I wasn’t suffering.” Auro snaps back.

Cassius takes a step back, crossing his arms.

“Let me head upstairs so we can talk face to face like adults.”

He briskly walks to the picnic table and collects all the food, putting it on the kitchen counter for the time being. Cassius soon emerges from the balcony of the master bedroom, Auro standing up to meet him despite still having to crouch a little bit to meet eye to eye.

“Auro,” Cassius begins, “what is this about.”

The giant’s shoulders tense, his face contorting into a scowl as his temper begins to flare.

“I’m just...I’m sick of being an inconvenience.” Auro answers, “You make me all this good food and built an entire goddamn fucking barn for me to sleep in and for what? This does nothing but make more problems, you have more to do around here now. You don’t just have one human mouth to feed, you gotta make a fucking army’s worth of grub for one person! And let’s not forget everyone who I’ve had to steal from otherwise I’d DIE otherwise.”

He begins to raise his voice, losing his composure.

“I feel pathetic! I can’t even fend for myself. Everyone I have met has showered me with life’s most basic necessities; things that I should be able to get on my own. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask to be babied. I know I’m an overgrown freak of fucking nature now but I still have my fucking DIGNITY! How am I supposed to survive if I can’t even rely on myself to stay alive...”

“Auro.”

“DON’T AURO ME. LISTEN TO ME.”

“No, Auro. Listen to me.”

A little taken aback at Cass’ sudden change of tone, Auro begins pacing back and forth, the wind from his movements rustling Cassius’ hair a little as the old man covers his ears slightly at Auro’s raised voice. But Auro doesn’t notice, too wrapped up in his own overflowing emotions to even look at Cassius properly. But Cassius doesn’t look away, not even for a second. Auro’s frustration tugged strongly on Cassius’ heartstrings; this definitely wasn’t a case of him being bratty.

“You can ignore my words all you like, but the truth cannot be denied forever. Do you know why people give you all these things? Do you know why people willingly part with these necessities to help their fellow man?”

Auro turns back to Cassius, his expression twisting with guilt as he sees Cassius remove his hands from his ears.

“No but please, enlighten me.”

“Because we want to.”

“WHAT KIND OF A REASON IS THAT.”

Cassius’ hands swiftly cover his ears again.

“A perfectly valid and believable one.”

“WHAT GOOD IS HELP IF ALL IT’S DOING IS SOFTENING ME AND MAKING ME RELY ON OTHERS FOR MY OWN WELL BEING?! DON’T YOU GET IT?!”

In a fit of rage, Auro’s hands grip the roof with a mighty thump, dislodging the dust on the balcony ceiling as it lands on Cassius’ bun. The man cowers a little at the thump, expecting the roof to cave in.

“Auro, please--”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP.”

The only thing Cassius hears is the sound of Auro’s heavy breathing, the giant beginning to hyperventilate, unsure how to handle what he’s kept pent up for so long now finally bursting at the seams. Auro hunches over the balcony, blocking out those last few rays of sunlight as it plunges Cassius into darkness, eclipsed by Auro’s torso. Cassius crouches down, hands above his head, Auro too worked up to truly take note.

“IF PEOPLE WANTED TO HELP ME, THEY WOULD HAVE HELPED ME BACK WHEN I ACTUALLY FUCKING NEEDED IT. WHY WAIT ALL THIS TIME? WHY WAIT UNTIL I CAN LITERALLY NEVER FUNCTION IN A HUMAN SOCIETY EVER AGAIN?!” Auro cries, rearing his foot back.

“I don’t know Auro, I don’t--”

“THEN WHY ARE YOU HELPING ME NOW? I’LL NEVER LEARN IF I DON’T--”

A splintering crunch brought silence to the pair, Auro waking up from his blind anger looking down to the ground. He lifts up his foot, finding the picnic table utterly destroyed. He glances back to Cassius, still cowering as Auro takes another step back, letting light back onto the balcony.

“Cass...I…” he mumbled, barely able to speak behind choking sobs.

Cassius cautiously rises to his feet, peering over the balcony to look at the destruction. His gaze is interrupted by the sound of a hiccup, eyes darting to Auro, eyes teary and face contorted in grief. The man sighs, all fear he once had melting away as he feels a wash of relief seeing Auro calm down once again. Auro covers his face, shoulders heaving.

“I’m sorry, Cass…”

Cass smiles gently.

“Come here.”

Auro approaches the balcony once again, peering at Cassius through a space in his fingers. He wipes away his tears, crouching down to meet Cassius face to face again as his eyes glisten once again, barely able to look at the man. Cassius reaches up and wipes a tear away from the corner of Auro’s eye, the man’s hand and sleeve utterly soaked.

“Do you know why we help you? Because we love you. Because humans are a social species. You and I, we are not meant to live alone. We are meant to connect with one another, to communicate with one another...to form incredible relationships and be a part of the wondrously wide network that is the human race. Humans help each other for a myriad of reasons. For me? It’s because you are a son to me. You are my son, and there is nothing more important to me than family.”

Cassius runs his hand down Auro’s cheek, Auro too ashamed to look at him.

“Helping people does not always mean they are too pitiful or lazy to get what they need themselves. Sometimes it simply means that people love and care for you so much, that they are willing to part with what they have for the wellbeing and happiness of somebody else. Don’t you see? People love you so dearly, that they are willing to part with everything they have for your sake. You are not the easiest person to care for, I admit, but seeing you thrive, recover and grow brings me so much more pleasure and happiness than any amount of material possessions ever could. You make me so proud, Auro Lengdreal, and I love you more than you realise.”

Auro backs away, a few seconds of silence befalling them before he bursts into tears, his weeping filling the air as his hands fall away from his face. Auro sits back on the ground, too exhausted to keep standing up as Cass recognises the cue to rush back downstairs, meeting Auro outside merely a few seconds later.

He lays on the grass, continuing to weep, as Cassius nestles himself in between Auro’s arms and chest. Auro places a very careful hand on the back of Cassius’ head, resting his fingers on the man’s shoulders. Cassius softly hushes the man, feeling Auro’s body convulse with heavy hearted sobs. Auro gently pushes Cassius into his chest, Cassius allowing himself to sink into the pressure, closing his eyes as he feels Auro’s warmth soothe him. He continues to quietly hush Auro, regardless of whether Auro can hear him or not. Auro begins to speak, Cassius feeling every word rumble through Auro’s chest.

“Cass?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry about the table.”

Cassius laughs, wriggling himself free from Auro’s hand as he meets Auro face to face, giving him a few endearing paps on the cheek.

“Tables can be replaced. Lives cannot. I’ll just get another one.”

Auro sits up again, running a hand through his hair bashfully.

“Yeah...I suppose. And uh, Cass?”

“Yes?”

“...I’m still hungry.”

A cheeky smile brightened up the old man’s face as he turned on his heel.

“As am I. I’ll go heat up the steak again.”

“Mine was medium rare right?”

“Of course. Extra fat on your cuts, correct?”

Auro reached over and gave Cassius’ hair a light ruffle, loosening his bun.

“You know it...dad.”

#tea writing #tea art #father and son

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sage-nebula · 6 years

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Well, it looks like Vanity Fair has joined Buzzfeed in not knowing anything about The Office but wanting to talk shit on it anyway. Here’s the newest nonsense:

For example, some time after Schur stopped receiving full writing credit on episodes of ‘The Office'—he was busy launching ‘Parks and Recreation'—the show made the mistake of driving a wedge between Jim and Pam in its final season. That’s not to say real couples don’t go through tumult, but the character assassination of Jim Halpert in the pursuit of high-stakes drama caused a beloved show to end on a sour note. No such trauma ever touched Leslie and Ben’s marriage and it feels unlikely that anything like it would befall Amy and Jake.

The writer of this article could not be more wrong about Jim/Pam or the series finale of The Office if they were a six-year-old who had never watched anything but Care Bears, and because I’m feeling pretty irate about it, I’m going to respond. (Beneath a cut, though, because this is long and I’m not bothering to be polite about it.)

First of all, just to get this out of the way: Jim throwing himself wholeheartedly into Athleap, to the point where it caused marital strife between himself and Pam, was nowhere near “character assassination.” “Character assassination” is what occurs when a character is written out of character, often for the sake of strife or drama, and that is far and away not what happened here.

Don’t get me wrong, before anyone gets it twisted: I love Jim Halpert. He’s far and away one of my favorite characters on The Office. But the reason why I love him is because he’s a realistic, believably written character who has as many flaws as he has good qualities (and the same goes for Pam, and every other character on the show). Jim was never supposed to be an idealized perfect boyfriend like Ben Wyatt. You want to talk about how Ben and Leslie never have problems? It’s because Ben and Leslie were written to be ideals. Parks and Recreation was written to be an optimistic, idealistic show, removed from the confines of reality. The reason why Pawnee, IN is so completely ridiculous is because it was always meant to be somewhat absurdist. The antagonists are cartoonish, and the protagonists are all idealized. Ben Wyatt was written to be The Perfect Boyfriend™. Any flaws he has, such as being “geeky,” only serve to make him more endearing and lovable. He is an Ideal. Leslie is an Ideal. And as such, their relationship is Ideal and, therefore, would never have realistic problems that would actually affect real, living, breathing human beings.

Jim and Pam are not like that. Jim, from season one, has always had actual flaws that could cause problems in his relationships. In season two’s “Office Olympics” Pam herself has a talking head where she talks about how, when Jim gets really into something, he gets super into it and does a really great job. But the problem, Pam says, is that he works at Dunder-Mifflin, so that rarely ever happens. I bring this up because Jim throwing himself wholeheartedly into Athleap in season nine, to the point where he tunnel visions on that and blocks out everything else, was a consistent character trait brought up in season TWO. The reason why it didn’t cause strife between Jim and Pam before is because they were on the same page before---they wanted the same things before. But Pam---because she was ALSO written consistently!---dug her heels in and didn’t want to move, because even after her development she tends to be hesitant when it comes to huge changes, whether that means being terrified of giving birth to her first child, or not wanting to move to Philadelphia. This means that Jim and Pam, for once, were not on the same page about their future, which means that these flaws that both of them always had from the very beginning of the series put them at odds with one another, as happens with real human beings in relationships.

Oh, and by the by? Jim getting tunnel vision about the things he wants and throwing himself into them 100% was foreshadowed as early as season two, but in season four when he shows Pam Second Life (as a means to show her Dwight’s Second Life character), she discovers that Jim’s Second LIfe character is a sports writer from Philadelphia. She thinks it’s hilarious and chants, “Show me Philly Jim! I want Philly Jim!” This is harsher in hindsight when we get to season nine and realize that Philly Jim ends up pulling away from his family (TEMPORARILY) because he’s so focused on that that he can’t focus on what’s going on in Scranton. So, again, this plot was set up long in advance. There’s foreshadowing for it pretty early on, if you’re paying attention.

So, right off the bat: It wasn’t character assassination. Jim was always a well-rounded character. So was Pam. Neither of them are perfect human beings, because while Parks and Recreation is an idealistic show with idealized characters, The Office is a realistic show with realistic characters. The two shows foil each other in every way possible (private vs. public sector, idealism vs. realism), and so it’s blatantly obvious why Ben and Leslie have a Perfect Marriage™ while Jim and Pam have a more realistic one.

But that aside? “The show ends on a sour note” --- are you kidding?

First of all, again, Jim and Pam’s problems were temporary. The two go to marriage counseling, and although Pam still feels conflicted, Jim tells her that---well, here, you can see the scene for yourself. They reconcile. And Jim, realizing that he almost lost Pam, decides to leave Athleap (at least for the time being) to spend more time in Scranton with Pam and the kids. He ends up staying there. And when Pam still has doubts, thinking that she won’t be enough for him, Jim is so flabbergasted that he has the documentary crew create a music montage of all their moments together, so that he can ultimately tell her:

“Not enough for me? You are . . . everything.”

Ultimately, in the finale, their issues are addressed. During a panel they hosted where people who watched the documentary (in-universe, of course), someone asked Pam what she was doing to “pay Jim back” for leaving Athleap. Jim cuts her off and says that “she pays me back every day, just by being my wife.” Pam is touched, but says she’s working on something. (And she also says, I think a bit before that, in response to a question of how she could have doubted Jim’s love for her, that she was scared of messing up what she felt was a perfect life. She says, “Everyone came up on the street and told me I had a fairy tale romance. But there were many times last year when it did not feel like a fairy tale. But it’s okay, because now it’s better than a fairy tale. It’s like---it’s like reading an amazing book that you never want to end.”) During Dwight’s wedding reception, Pam kisses Jim, and Jim smiles and says, “See? Now you don’t owe me anything” --- jokingly, of course. And then, when they return home, it’s to reveal Pam has sold their house so they can move to Texas and Jim can pick up with Athleap right where he left off.

You see where I’m going with this?

They tell Dwight they’re leaving, and he gives them twelve months of severence. Pam sits on Jim’s lap while Creed plays a song for them, her head on Jim’s shoulder. She says in one of her final quotes, “Jim sat five feet from my desk and it took me four years to get to him” and “don’t get me wrong, I’m not some tragic person. I’m really happy now.” Jim, likewise, says tha the owes everything he has to this job, that he’s so happy that the documentary gave him a chance to watch himself fall in love, become a husband, become a father. It is made painstakingly obvious that Jim and Pam are as deeply in love and happy in the series end as they ever were. They had a time of strife, because they both have flaws that clashed for a time, but they’re so happy and in love and hopeful for their future. And as if there was any lingering doubt, NBC had (at least for a time, idk if it’s still up) a “Where Are They Now?” photo slideshow up on their website, which revealed that they’re both incredibly happy in Austin (Jim is with Athleap, and Pam is a prominent member of the art scene). They’re happy and in love and absolutely nothing about that is sour, honest to god, I don’t know what show the writer of this article was watching.

So yeah, this is ridiculous, and to be honest I’m getting really, really tired of Parks & Rec stans bashing The Office. Whether it’s trying to tear down Jim/Pam to make Ben/Leslie look better, or tearing down the show in general in an attempt to make Parks & Rec look better, it’s really beyond old. I really enjoyed Parks and Recreation when I watched it, but all of this has honestly made me feel like I dislike it (when I don’t!) because I’m sick of seeing something else I really love constantly torn down and unjustly criticized in the pursuit of making Parks and Rec look better than it was. Prefer Parks and Rec and Ben/Leslie all you want, but don’t spread lies about The Office and Jim/Pam while you’re at it. The Office has arguably the best series finale in television history for how well it tied everything together and how it left every single character on a happy note (even Creed seemed fine going to jail, tbh), and to see that called “sour” because someone didn’t bother to actually watch the conclusion is honestly pretty upsetting.

#the office #jim halpert #pam beesly halpert #i'm not going to tag this meta because it's not really meta #it's just Facts #but god i'm so fucking irritated #at this point i feel like saying ''i don't like Parks and Rec'' because of how sick I am of this bullshit #and that's not even getting into how I feel about how Jake/Amy was written #godddd i'm so aggravated #i didn't want to hijack someone else's post tho so here this is in an individual post #but goddamn i'm irritated #either actually understand the shows you watch or don't fucking write about them #it's not goddamn difficult

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hibiscusangel15 · 7 years

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Irony

So the new ML episodes have completely revived my love for the show (and the ridiculous Love Square antics). The last episode (the one with Prime Queen), strangely enough, gave me some strong To/becky vibes that just reminded me why I love both WG and ML, and I needed to express these overwhelming feels somehow, so...here’s this thing.

Based off the ideas put forth by @pi-romantic‘s “The Definition of Miraculous” AU fanfic, which I’ll link here:

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

My fic under the cut, yo.

Something changed the day she kissed Chat Noir.

At the time, it didn't seem like a big deal. She had no other way of saving him from Dark Cupid's spell, and she needed him to help her capture the akuma. She was just lucky he didn't remember it.

But, oh, she did. The feeling of his lips pressing onto hers, stiff with surprise at first, then slowly, painfully melting into a soft acceptance that never left her. She was plagued by it, this warm, annoying feeling. It buzzed around her constantly, like gnats in the summer.

Becky hadn't even realized what about the kiss bothered her so much until, on their next routine patrol, he gave her his trademark cat-like smirk, and she knew.

And boy, did she fall.

Literally. She was so shocked that she slipped off the edge of the roof and nearly plummeted to the city pavement. That is, until Chat Noir, ever the hero, jumped after her without a second thought and scooped her up in his arms. Well, one strong arm. He clung to his staff with the other.

Not that it mattered. It was enough.

“Are you alright, my lady?” he asked, his voice shaken with alarm.

She didn't dare look up for fear he would see her blushing face, her too bright eyes swimming in her fully realized feelings for her partner.

Her heart thudded wildly against her chest. She hoped he would just chalk it up to her being startled at the fall.

And what a spectacular fall it was.

“Fine,” she managed to get out as he set her down on the street below. “Just fine.”

After a day or two of back-and-forth debate between herself, she decided it would be best to accept her feelings wholeheartedly. Maybe it was the mask, or maybe it was Tikki and Bob's joint encouragement at the idea, but she found it much easier to flirt with him in between battles now.

Of course, she didn't start with anything too major. Just some friendly, perhaps overly friendly depending on how one looked at it, banter that garnered that charming grin from her partner she came to adore.

Naturally, this evolved into her leaning closer into his personal space, and eventually scrounging for excuses to hold his hand on patrols.

She didn't know what he really thought of all this, but he played along with it, tacking on flirtatious winks and practically purring pet names to her.

My lady. My darling. My dear. Each and every endearment made her heart swell, and she held onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, he could return her feelings someday.

Becky sighed in the middle of her Chemistry lecture. She supposed her teacher was explaining what lab they would be doing tomorrow, but she just couldn't concentrate.

She began doodling a rather crude-looking caricature of her partner in the margins of her notebook and smiled at it, satisfied with her work.

“Is that supposed to be Chat Noir?” an altogether different partner asked all of a sudden.

Becky sat up straight in her chair, instinctively covering the doodle with her hand. Tobey McCallister hid an entertained grin behind his hand. Becky might have even found the grin familiar had she not been so flustered at being discovered.

“Wha-?! Chat Noir? Of course not! It's just...uh....”

He slipped her notebook right from under her to get a better look at it. “Oh, this is most definitely him,” Tobey mused, and his grin grew. “Though your artwork leaves a lot to be desired.”

She practically lunged across the lab station, her eyes focused solely on her notebook.

He caught her wrist so fast that she almost didn't see it.

Tobey sucked in a breath. Curse my cat-like reflexes....

He let go of her almost immediately and cleared his throat. “Yes, well, here.” He handed the notebook back, all the while avoiding her gaze.

She threw him a suspicious glare as she snatched it and held it to her chest.

“So...you have a crush on Chat Noir then, do you?” His question sliced through the silence like a paper cut.

Her sputtering denials did not match the absolute redness that flew to her cheeks, and at this, he smirked.

“Oh, this is poetic justice at its finest,” he said, leaning his head against a hand. “All these years you've been making fun of me for having a crush on a superhero, and then you go off and do the same! It seems as if the shoe is on the other foot now.” A hint of incredulous laughter paraded in his voice.

Becky glanced down at her misshapen doodle and scowled. He had defeated her, and she knew it. No use denying the obvious.

At this point, he began to feel a little bad for her. He knew from experience that crushing on a superhero was terribly difficult. It was worse than crushing on a celebrity, really.

“Not that that's a bad thing, mind you,” he added as he looked out the window. He saw her glance back up at him out of the corner of his eye. “I mean, he is pretty cool, after all.”

Her blush only became more pronounced. “...Be quiet,” she said at last, slapping her hands over her face. Thankfully, the bell rang in the next moment and Becky found her chance to escape.

It didn't hit him until she left.

Becky Botsford had a crush on Chat Noir.

...He was Chat Noir.

As in Becky Botsford was crushing on him and wasn't even aware of it.

Tobey had to laugh at the ridiculous irony of it all. Not only did Becky fall in love with a superhero, but that superhero just had to be him? Of course, with all the potential crushes she was apt to have, his alter ego was not a bad choice.

He couldn't help the Cheshire-like grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he walked to his next class.

Once she was sure no one was around, Tikki poked her head out of the little pocket in her bag meant to hold her and asked, “You okay, Becky?”

“Stupid Tobey...” Becky grumbled as a response. “He's got no right to make fun of me. He's the one in love with me and doesn't even know it. I mean, how ironic can you get?”

“What do you like about Chat Noir?” Tobey asked the next day. They were waiting for a beaker of water to boil, so he figured now was as good a time as any.

Her face grew pink immediately. “Not this again.”

“I won't make fun of you.”

She threw him a doubtful look.

“Okay, I might tease you a little. But I promise, nothing hurtful.”

Coming from Tobey, this was a huge deal. Not a lot of people trusted him after his akuma days, but Becky was one of those kind few who managed to.

Her eyes began to fog up with wistfulness.

After the water came to a good boil, Becky finally answered, “...He's funny.”

He gaped at her. “That's it?”

She sent him a glare so seething, it rivaled the ones his mother used to give him back in his villainous prime.

“No,” she emphasized, tugging her hair in front of her face in a vain attempt to hide her blushing face. “...He's incredibly cute. And I like how kind he is. Not just because he's a superhero, mind you, but....” She sighed. “There's this gentleness about him. Sure he'll tease you and everything, but he knows where his limits are, and he respects them.”

When he began to snicker, she snapped, “Which is more than I can say for you.” She crossed her arms in a huff and turned away.

Tobey was completely taken aback. Was the disparity between his secret identity and alter ego really that huge? Here Becky was, practically confessing her love to him, all the while hating him at the same time. It was absolutely ludicrous.

He cleared his throat. “I could say the same about Ladybug,” he began, already regretting it.

She looked back at him, her eyebrows raised.

Tobey's eyes flickered to the window. “I also admire her spirit. She's just so radiant all the time. She's so full of life and loves every second of it. It's all I can do to try and keep up with that spirit.”

His sigh brought him down to Earth again. “Which is more than I can say for you, Becky Botsford.” He shot her words right back at her. “Why, you don't shine in the slightest.”

How can he manage to insult me and so fervently compliment me in the same breath? she thought with an incredulous smirk.

“Yeah, well, you're no Chat Noir, McCallister,” Becky said aloud. The water had come to a good boil, so she shut the Bunsen burner off. “Good luck on finding someone who could tolerate that biting sarcasm of yours.”

“I don't need your luck, Botsford,” Tobey sniffed. He snapped a pair of goggles over his regular glasses. “Nothing could be so lucky as my Ladybug.”

The two bent their heads over their work and tried their best not to smile at the other's confession.

Oh, the irony of it all.

aefdi;ojafjio;f;jfe;kjs The Love Square makes me scream. Especially in this AU oh my GOD. Just the ideas alone slay me.

I know I have my other fics to write still, but hoooo boy, I haven’t had such strong feels or had fun writing in a long time, let me have this. Even if it’s a fanfic of a fanfic, lol.

Thanks again @pi-romantic for letting me butcher write stuff based off your fic, lmao.

Okay, but seriously, if you haven’t checked out “The Definition of Miraculous”, you’re missing out. Go do iiiiit.

#im scream #also I'm sorry but also not sorry for this lol #my fanfiction #The Definition of Miraculous #AU #WG #ML

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monbabi · 7 years

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monsta x and sleeping

shownu

• just likes having u with him • adores the feeling of ur skin against his and the weight of u being next to him or even on top of him • even on hot summer nights he’ll drape an arm over u and kiss u on the forehead • he’d tap his chest and u would know instantly to jump on him and cuddle it up • hes like a human heater • great for the winter, get one for $39.99 • “hyunwoo its hot get off” • “but its gonna get cold later in the night” • “im sweating hyunwoo” • “so am i wow we’re such a good couple” • he enjoys the peacefulness of the evening when its just u two and the moon • if u fall asleep first, he’ll smile and stroke ur hair so gently bc he doesnt wanna wake u up • if the blanket slips off he’ll always make sure to tuck u back in • esp if he wakes up in the middle of the night and sees the blanket astray • if he falls asleep first well u might as well be sleeping next to a corpse • a very • cute • corpse

wonho

• LOVES and i mean LOVES to wrap his arms around u • will actually pout and whine if u push him off or finds u outside his grasp in the middle of the night • if ur laying next to him he turns his head and kisses u anywhere on the face at the randomest times • u jus burped? smooch on the temple • telling him abt the man who flicked a booger off the bus? smooches the top of ur head and a look of disgust • taps his fingers on ur waist • likes to sleep with u facing him and he cups ur face and with ur cheeks in his hands he smiles and wholeheartedly tells u he loves u • always without fail says good night to u before he falls asleep regardless whether u hear him or not • when u fall asleep first he stares at u lovingly w tht cute cat smile of his • hes so infactuated • “how did i get so lucky to be able to sleep next to this angel” • brushes ur hair out of ur face when it falls over eyes • probably takes pictures to treasure this time • ur forever gonna be his homescreen • he laughs to himself when u drool or let out a snore • “cute”

minhyuk

• okay listen to me • he wont leave u the fuck alone • even if u want him to he just. wont • will literally cling to u like wrap his arms and legs around u • likes to nuzzle his head in the crook of ur neck • indulges himself in little smirks when ur shirt collar slips a bit or ur shirt rides up exposing ur midriff • also a fan of kissing ur face often just because • likes to be big spoon bc he likes the thought of being the protector and guardian of ur sleeping frame • will rant to u abt everything while laying in bed and he expects u to do the same bc he wants u and him to be as open as possible to each other • “its jus so frustrating!!! why are there so many snubbulls in this neighborhood!!!” • “so u wanna get anything off ur chest (y/n)?” • a really good listener hes receptive and will always give u good advice • not a light sleeper but if u leave the bed he’ll definitely wake up and wait til u come back • talks a lot about the past while running his hands along ur arms and u can feel his breath tickle ur neck and eventually u both fall asleep

kihyun

• he lays on his side, propping himself up on one arm and talks to u. about everything • u two have a lot of fun bc the conversation diverges a lot and the night is filled with high pitched giggles and playful tickles • really likes ur hands. is 100% for sleeping while holding hands • blows into ur ear just to mess with u and make u flustered • it works • hes so fuckin amused by ur reactions • u two sleep facing each other, with one of his hands holding urs and the other arm over ur torso, stroking ur back • he watches u while u sleep • okay that sounds creepy but he really does • hes mesmerized by the rise and fall of ur chest and how soft ur breaths come out and how ur mouth is left slightly agape and how ur eyelashes contrast against ur skin • he’s lulled to sleep, watching u relaxes him • sings u to sleep regardless whether u ask him or not • always takes requests tho • “kihyun can u sing me smth?” • “of course baby what would u like me to sing?” • “darude sandstorm” • “i fucking hate u” • “please” • kihyun: takes a deep breath “doodoodoodoo doo doodoo doo-”

hyungwon

• not super into skinship esp when sleeping • but not against a little snuggling every now and then • esp on cold nights he likes it when u cling to him like a koala • but most nights he’s content with simply sleeping next to u but not connected to the hip u know • endless giggling if u start sleeptalking • he finds it hilarious and so incredibly endearing u dont even know • sometimes gets so tired he doesnt even change out of the clothes he wore during the day • u come home late and u see hyungwon curled up on the bed in a hoodie and jeans and ur like ??? • sleeps with socks on • u think its weird but he gets cold easily so he’ll endure any teasing he gets from u • his voice gets really deep and husky when hes half asleep • and its cute when ur having late night talks and he’s just mumbling his responses and u run ur fingers through his hair and kiss his forehead • “hey hyungwon” • “mm?” • “do u remember how we met?” • “well it was sunny and mnndjsgkf….,.,,.,…i saw mmmnnjnc…,…and u were there,,..,,,,,,” • go to sleep babe"

jooheon

• will snuggle u to death • u could be layin on the bed chilling and he would walk into the room, give u that beautiful dimply smile, and jump on u • he hugs u so tightly bc he just loves holding u • its comforting to him • after a rough day he just wants to curl up in bed and hold u in his arms • like minhyuk u guys talk about ur day and ur problems a lot late at night • “ive been composing all day and scrapped so many beats and in the end i dont even like the the beats i kept” • “its okay honey ur such a talented person u’ll create something ur satisfied with i’ll listen to it if u want opinions!!” • “thanks baby ur the best” • alternates between big spoon and little spoon • secretly likes being little spoon more bc he can hold ur hands as they wrap around his waist and he likes the feeling of ur head against his body • likes kissing u on the cheek and u kiss him back right on his dimple • will quietly sing u to sleep if u ask • keeps his hand on ur butt bc he just feels like its a nice place to settle • gives u a little squeeze once in a while to mess with u or wake u up if ur falling asleep • he thinks its the cutest thing when u babble in ur sleep and records u to watch another day

changkyun

• likes to sleep facing u • strokes ur hair and kisses the top of ur head • if u have any moles on ur face he will definitely kiss each and every one of them • tries to do asmr for u • really just whispering “noot noot” in ur ear • gives a lot of little chuckles bc he’s so enamored with u • ur just this beautiful bundle of joy in his arms and ur all his he loves that • u guys talk about the future, all ur fears and excitement and hopes • whenever u talk he looks into ur eyes and nods intently, taking in every single breath u take and word u speak • he’ll probably gently bite u in the neck for fun when its quiet • “changkyun pls” • “its not my fault ur tasty” • “good night changkyun” • if u fall asleep first he’ll use it as an opportunity to gaze upon u and memorize ur facial features • as if u were going to go missing in the morning, he stores the image of ur face in his memory • he sighs, giving ur hair a light stroke • touching noses and sharing smiles • and slowly he falls asleep

#monsta x #monsta x scenarios #monsta x reactions #kpop #shownu #wonho #minhyuk #kihyun #hyungwon #jooheon #changkyun #this is a mess i wrote this at 4am dhdhdhfjdk

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imdrunkandreviewingshit-blog · 7 years

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Sober Review of "Okja": Be Careful What You Eat

SPOILERS ABOUND

Netflix’s identity is defined by television. The streaming service has taken a drastic shift from its early days, where it started as a movie delivery service. In the current internet culture, binge watching is king, making television the heir apparent. The “flix” have migrated on mostly to other streaming services. To compensate, Netflix has churned out original content at an incredible rate, but besides Cary Fukunaga’s critically acclaimed Beasts of No Nation, they have yet to produce a film that can capture a wider audience while also holding up critically (I’m looking at you, The Ridiculous 6).

Which is why Okja, Netflix’s latest original film, is so important for the future of the company. Delivering a hit that deals with popular social issues, featuring some of the best actors in Hollywood, and directed by an acclaimed foreign director would be a tremendous feather in their cap. In recent weeks, the marketing and buzz for this film have hit a fever pitch online and it seemed poised to usher in a new age of filmmaking for Netflix. And is it a hit?

…eh.

Is it a good movie? Yes.

Did I like it? Not really.

Okja, directed by South Korea’s Bong Joon-ho, is the story of a girl and her superpig. A tale as old as time, right? No one can accuse this film of lacking originality. Okja, the titular swine, is one of twenty-six superpigs distributed across the world by the Mirando Corporation, headed up by the brace-faced Lucy Mirando, to become a new major food source that is more plentiful and eco-friendly. After a visit by the eccentric scientific personality Dr. Johnny Wilcox, portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal, Okja is taken from her home and her owner Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun). After a run-in with the “distinguished” Animal Liberation Front, led by the honor-bound Jay (Paul Dano), and a mistranslation by one of their members, Mija is tricked into sending her friend to New York, but then engages in a plot to free her friend before she is sent to the slaughter and expose the Mirando Corporation’s inhumane treatment of the superpigs.

So, what works about this movie?

The best thing about Okja is the energy behind the characters. Most characters are engaging, be it the dual performances of Tilda Swinton or the various members of the ALF. Even the characters with the smallest of roles, such as Mr. Mundo or the exasperated truck driver of the Mirando Corporation, have an innate energy and likability behind them. A pleasant surprise was Steven Yeun as Kay, the misguided disciple of Jay, who features the only real character development in the movie. Ahn Seo-hyun holds the film down with her simple yet determined portrayal of Mija.

Okja herself is wonderfully captured. Some shots felt uncanny, with the CGI perhaps not being up to snuff when Okja was farther in the background. However, Andy Serkis works some magic here yet again with the facial expressions and overall body language of Okja. You see her smile, you can tell when she’s afraid, you know when she’s been traumatized. Her tears feel real to you. For a movie that doesn’t spend a whole lot of time developing the relationship between Mija and Okja, you wholeheartedly believe in it, partially due to Mija’s determination but also largely in part to the viewer’s being invested in Okja. It makes it all the worse when Okja undergoes her hardships.

But that is because these superpigs tug at your heartstrings. They are smart, they have emotion, they are self-sacrificing for those they love, and they make you question factory farming. That last point sounds like a lesser point at first. I mean, of course I know it’s a terrible thing, but I still go out and eat a burger at a restaurant once a week. But when Mija, Jay, and Kay rush into the slaughterhouse through a field of superpigs, and when Okja is led up the ramp to the slaughter, my heart dropped when I thought it would be the end. The most emotional moment of the film comes when two parents lift the fence and toss their newborn child underneath in the hopes of rescuing it. You can’t help but sit back and wonder at what point this may happen with genetically modified organisms, and you also wonder whether it is worth the allure of ending hunger and reducing the carbon footprint. The film never judges the public for eating the products produced from these factory farms, but it does hope that you think about when enough is enough, which is one of the film’s great successes.

Before mentioning the film’s flaws, I must address what I feel will be one of the more dividing aspects of this movie: the Nicolas Cage-like performance (which I mean in the most endearing sense) of Jake Gyllenhaal. Wilcox embodies what is the film’s biggest flaw: a wildly inconsistent tone. Every time Wilcox is on screen, the movie shifts to a surrealist comedy. Gyllenhaal speaks solely with his eyes wide and voice an octave higher than natural, a cartoon character come to life. His personality is great for the screen, but when the cameras are down and Wilcox is interacting with board members or drunkenly tormenting Okja, the magic is gone. He becomes a sad man, all too aware of the fact that time has passed him by. It’s a character that could be interesting but ends up feeling very out of place in the movie. He has no significant role in the plot and he disappears for the last twenty-five minutes of the movie, where it seemed that there could be some sort of closure in a revisit. What Wilcox does do, however, is make you buy that the superpig is one of the least strange aspects of the movie. As viewers, we all buy into Okja while we raise an eyebrow to this man who is just a slightly hyperbolic version of popular animal scientists that we have all seen before. In this sense, I found Gyllenhaal’s performance to be pitch perfect.

That does not save the tone from feeling wildly uneven throughout the film. A scene focusing on the ALF watching Okja’s traumatizing visit to the laboratory in which she was created is particularly disjointed, as is the ending to Mija’s first chase to reclaim Okja (hint: it ends with poop). Bong is no stranger to mixing in comic moments with serious content, as in his critical-darling Snowpiercer, but here, the transitions feel more disjointed. It’s hard to go from a rape, to a beating, and then to quips and more antics from Dr. Wilcox, and though not every attempt to juggle the varying tones is a failure, I feel that Bong either needed to further embrace absurdity or bring some characters back down to Earth.

For a film that wants its audience to think more about the production of its food, we get very little of a view behind the curtain. I feel that Tilda Swinton was wasted as the CEO of the Mirando Corporation (and to a lesser extent, Giancarlo Esposito as her number two). Tilda plays the twins Mirando, but neither has enough screen time to fully flesh out. In fact, I think that Nancy, the twin that takes over in the final act and has much less screen time, is the much more compelling figure, as it gives Swinton a lovely air of excess with which she doesn’t hesitate to chew scenery. However, both characters are by far the most forgettable of the main cast. For a film that has such an inoffensive lens into our obsession with factory farming, I expected to learn more about these figures and why they operated in the food industry the way that they did. However, only Nancy gives any sort of introspection with her curt summary of society: “If it’s cheap, they’ll eat it.”

Okja is not the hit that Netflix needs to cement itself as a serious film production company. However, it will find an audience with its solid characters, eccentric energy, and lovable superpig. It is encouraging to see Netflix take these risks, even if they aren’t a home run. Okja is much like the eco-friendly vegan restaurant down the block. It’s important, it’s good that it’s there, and some people might love it, but if you’re like me, it’s not anywhere you’re going to want to revisit any time soon.

#okja #okja movie #review #reviews #moviereviews #filmreview #movies #newmovies #drunkidiot #DIR #drunkidiotreviews

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