#I need a 4 hour directors cut NOW | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mysticworks · 1 month

Text

Your eyes ~ LN4 x Reader

P R O L O G U E:

Lando falls in love with your eyes and can't look away.

Next part -> Part i

Coworker Reader! x Lando

Preview:

This was a duel between the two of them, the rest of the table, all but spectators.

I felt a smirk creeping up on my own face - Well this meeting just got interesting.

Words: <1k

Genre: ? McLaren worker! x lando, she's feisty and he's whipped

--------------------------------------------

L A N D O'S P O V :

She sat across the meeting table with the rest of the engineers, her eyes staring straight ahead; focused. There was always this concentrated look about her, like the cogs in her brain were constantly whirring.

The team had been called together by the managing director, to reflect on the performance of our 2023 season so far.

The air was tense - Zak was not happy, and every person in that room knew it.

“The car, after so many updates, is still lacking the pace that our competitors are able to reach. I take that as a massive disappointment from the engineering team.”

He threw a pointed look towards the far end of the table, and Stella - the team principal - dropped his head mumbling an apology.

I watched as her eyes sharpened at Zak’s word, and she bit the inside of her cheek as if refraining from saying something.

Zak paid no heed to the apology, continuing harshly in his well rehearsed business voice, “If this sort of performance continues we’ll have to be looking at a restructuring of the team; see if everyone truly has the skill they claim.”

That was a threat directly thrown at the engineering team - Zak was intending to dismiss employees.

Her eyes narrowed at this comment, hands coming to rest on the table as she cleared her throat.

“With all due respect Mr Brown,”

No one but the CEO had said a word for the half hour we’d been sitting here, and the sudden voice speaking up made every head turn her way.

She looked unfazed by the attention, continuing her words anyway, her stare at Zak, piercing. I noticed just how sharp her eyes were, a gaze so intent it threatened to cut through ice.

��To place the blame on the engineering team is an extremely injudicious pretext.”

Zak looked taken aback, his eyes widening at the answer - he looked surprised almost, like he hadn’t expected anyone to challenge him.

“We’ve seen the team performance rise massively in the last race when compared to the start of the season. We’ve now moved from the back of the grid to being in the top 4. That’s enough evidence of the car being up to par with our competitors.”

She brought her arms onto the table now, leaning forward.

“In my opinion, it’s the drivers, who need to do their part better.”

The room filled with an audible gasp.

No one had ever questioned me or Oscar for our season so far. Not even Zak himself.

Andreas sent a look towards y/n, a glare with murderous rage, as if telling her to take her words back or risk the consequences - yet she didn’t falter - not even for a second, ignoring his look completely.

Her eyes remained trailed on Zak, who looked torn between intimidation and bemusement.

He sat for a while in silence, as if pressured now to weigh his words wisely. It seemed an eternity before he spoke.

"And what exactly, are you suggesting we do," his gaze flickered to her name badge for a split second, "miss y/l/n?"

There was a smile on her face now, one eyebrow raised. There was a fire in her eyes, burning so vividly it was captivating. "I suggest we make the drivers extract the best from their cars, before you randomly fire us engineers."

Another gasp went around the table - murmurs and slow movement before a heavy silence fell upon the room again.

Both Zak and y/n had brought on some sort of staring competition, leaning into the table and watching either - Zak was in charge, by order of hierarchy, but the power dynamic had flipped, and it was y/n who exerted a powerful control.

This was a duel between the two of them, the rest of the table, all but spectators.

I felt a smirk creeping up on my own face - Well this meeting just got interesting.

------------------------------------------------------------

After the meeting - 10pm:

The revolving doors to the McLaren HQ finally slid open, and out she came. Her hair was tied back now, and she’d changed out of her uniform too, into a more comfortable outfit.

She still had that same look on her face; the look of surety, confidence.

I'd been waiting on the front lawn of the office space, hoping to catch her leaving and strike up a conversation. Her retorts in the meeting room had been so fierce as she held her ground, unwavering as she went head on with the CEO.

It was admirable really, and maybe that’s what piqued my curiosity so much. Maybe that’s what made me want to know more.

Grabbing two cones from the nearby ice cream vendor, I jogged across the cobblestone pavement towards where she was headed.

This was my chance.

135 notes · View notes

randomxreaders · 4 months

Text

The transfer

Fem Reader x criminal minds

(bau team)

a/n: okay guys this is my comeback and yall aren’t ready cause i got a criminal minds series for you so although there was a 2 year wait it will definitely be worth it pookie pies(not proofread)

PART 1- The news

4:35 am

Y/n just stepped foot out of the elevator onto the familiar sixth floor assuming that there was a god awful case and that’s why she had been woken up with the urgent phone call. As she stepped into the bullpen she noticed the emptiness of all the desks, the only person there was Hotch. He stepped out of his office and called down “Y/l/n thank you for coming so early you’re needed in my office.” oh. This wasn’t for a case Y/n’s stomach dropped when she stepped into Hotchs office and saw Linda Barnes the new director of the fbi. “What’s going on?” Y/n asked.

2 hours later

Two hours ago you were called into Hotchs office. Garcia was the first to arrive going straight to her batcave too tired to realize anyone else was there. Then Rossi and Morgan came in they were conversing most likely about the game last night, they glanced up to Hotch’s office making eye contact with you until Barnes shut the blinds for more privacy. “Hey, what's that all about?” Morgan asked Rossi confused, “Don’t know.” Rossi replied, sending a questioning look towards the now closed blinds.

A few minutes later Reid walked into the bullpen sitting down starting to work on his paperwork until Prentiss and J.J walked in, “Hey, have you guys heard from Y/N we were supposed to carpool this morning but she never showed.” Prentiss said, “She's been in Hotch's office has been for a while now.” Morgan said. The team looked around confused but then started to work on their paperwork from the last case.

Back in Hotch’s Office

“I’m sorry your transfering me!?” Y/N asked shocked. “Yes agent Y/L/N you will be moving to California and will be starting your own BAU team. You will be the unit chief and other pre-selected agents will also be working with you.” Y/N looked at Hotch hoping he’d step in and say something, but he just stared at Barnes. “Ma’am all do respect I don-” Y/N was cut off by Barnes “Miss Y/L/N I did not make this decision. The head directors of the FBI did you have to go, here is the paperwork all the information you need will be in there.” “So I have to leave.” Y/N said teary eyed but also filled with rage. “Yes, sorry.” Barnes handed you the paperwork as she walked out of the room. “I’m sorry Y/L/N but there's nothing I can do.” Hotch said “ Yeah I know” “You can fill that out in here if you'd like.” He said looking at you with sympathy.

The team saw Barnes walk out of the office and knew that this couldn't be good, Hotch came out next the door opening just enough for the team to see the tears slowly fall down your face. “Looks like we're losing another on.” Morgan whispered. Spencer couldn't tear his eyes away from Hotch’s door. Hotch walked to Rossi’s office “Shit” he said after he closed the door “This is worse than when J.J had to leave.” Hotch sighed. “What happened Aaron?” “Y/n’s getting transferred to California to start her own team.””Well that's an amazing opportunity, but it's hard to see her go.”

Y/N read over the contract it said that an apartment would be provided, a place for the team to work and rental cars. Y/N signed the transfer papers and headed to Barnes office.

The team looked up and saw Y/N walk out of Hotch’s office at the same time Hotch walked out of Rossi’s. Hotch walked over to Y/N “Do you want me to tell the team.” Y/N silently nodded then headed off to Barnes office.

#criminal minds #bau team #spencer reid #emily prentiss #jennifer jareau #aaron hotchner #criminal minds x reader #bau x reader #fem reader #tv series

116 notes · View notes

projectbluearcadia · 1 year

Text

[P1] Your Blood, Your Heart

[ Part 1 ] [ Part 2 ] [ Part 3 ] [ Part 4 ]

So I played the vampire event on Lonely Devil. And y'know I thought, "Hmm… Vampy Luci. SPICY."

[ Story Premise - In which all of the brothers are pureblood vampires, and although Lucifer has been protecting you, he loses himself to carnal desire, demonus and the thirst for blood. ]

Note: The other three parts are marked NSFW.

Wordcount - 1047

It's been difficult for you, living among the seven Pureblood brothers, but it could be worse. Among other things, it doesn't seem like Lucifer is interested in your blood, and he's been protecting you on the condition that you do what he tells you. You were initially reluctant, but as it turns out, most of the time he just wants you to do little chores. Alright, fine. Do your share, and you're safe. Pretty fair trade.

Maybe that's what made you think Lucifer wasn't interested in your blood, that he was too "proper" for it. He certainly acted like he didn't want it, instead preferring the iron-enriched wine supplied to the family by Diavolo.

How utterly naive of you.

---

"MC, what are you doing awake at this hour?" is Lucifer's first question as he sees you cross through the living room, the moonlight cutting beautifully through the window to illuminate the vampire's unreal features. There's a wine glass in his hand, a half-empty bottle of Lucifer's favorite Miel de Sang casting a deep red glow onto the coffee table.

"Couldn't sleep," you answer sheepishly. "Sorry. I went to the kitchen to heat up some spiced milk." You gesture to the warm cup in your hand, and Lucifer sighs.

"Well… you may as well come join me. I could use some company right now." The request sends you stumbling. Lucifer? Company?

"Are… are you okay?" you ask as you come to sit next to him. Lucifer looks straight in front of him before he rubs the bridge of his nose.

"No, I'm not. As if my brothers weren't enough of a handful, those damn werewolves in Purgatory Hall won't stop howling every morning. And then there is also the matter that my favorite drama was canceled yesterday on account of the director's illicit affair with a vampire hunter…" Lucifer lets out a long groan.

"It's just one day," you try, giving him a tentative pat on the back. "Out of thousands. I guess it's more like trillions for you, but…"

"I appreciate it, MC. And… thank you for always doing what I ask. It helps a lot." Well you weren't expecting that.

"Oh, uh… thank you?" Lucifer chuckles.

"Isn't the response normally 'you're welcome'?" You drink your milk awkwardly.

"You're being nicer than usual, so I'm off my game."

"Well, while I'm being nicer, your perfume is lovely today. It's not as overpowering."

"I thought you said it should be overpowering," you reply unsurely as Lucifer pours himself another glass, and the muted stench of iron comes to greet your nose. Alas, it’s a smell you’ve grudgingly gotten used to.

"To deter my brothers, yes. But you're alone with me right now, so there is no need."

"And you like the smell of my perfume?"

"I gave it to you; do you really think I'd give you a perfume I didn't like myself?"

"Fair point." You finish your milk a little quicker than you'd like, but you'd rather not indulge in the awkwardness any longer than you have to.

"Hey." You shiver as you stand with your back turned to Lucifer. You're not allowed to leave yet; you disobeyed him. That's what this feels like. "Before you leave…" His voice growing gentler makes you turn, bemused, to see him fiddling with his glass, his eyes just barely averted from yours. "Can I… Have a hug?"

What?

"Is… that a command?" you ask hesitantly.

"No. It was just… it was just a whim. That's all." You hesitate, only because you know that's a lie. This isn't one of his petty little "Bark for me" whims he's indulged in just to make fun of you. He really wants a hug.

So, what can you do but lean in and give him a nice little hug? And, maybe you like it when he squeezes you back and returns you to the seat next to him. Surprisingly enough, the arms of the cold-hearted taskmaster are quite comfy.

"Thank you," he mumbles against your shoulder, and you can't resist the urge to fluff his hair. For a moment, you worry that he'll rebuke you, but he doesn't seem to mind. "I think I'm touch starved," he chuckles. "I like… the feeling of your hands too much."

"Well, you have had a lot to drink," you point out, taking that as a sign to stop touching him, but his head is still leaning against your shoulder.

"Mm. I haven't had enough to drink tonight."

"Enough? Lucifer, I'm pretty sure you're wasted. You just asked me to hug you."

"No… no…" Am I going to have to lug him to bed? you wonder with an impending sense of trepidation. "My throat is so dry that it feels as if it’s going to stick together and close when I speak." Lucifer lets out a slow exhale.

"Is that wine really that dry?" It’s a joke, but you're getting the distinct feeling you should have already taken off running, but is that safe? Safer than just staying here and hoping for the best?

"It's sweet, just like a ripe fruit, but… the taste isn't quite as resplendent as if I had bitten through the skin and eaten my fill." Yeah, you should run, but his lips are against your neck like a sharpened blade. His every word thrums through your veins, sending your fingers twitching and fidgeting. Fight? Flight? How about freeze?

"Lucifer?" you whisper. "I'm not a fruit, so please don't bite me." His lips part, and every last one of your muscles stiffen. He could kill you.

"I can't take it anymore, MC," he whispers back, tracing his lips up your neck to graze a spot just behind your ear. "I want to taste your blood, indulging in you just a little bit each night… I want to take my time giving you so much pleasure that the only thing you can do is beg for more of it…"

He lightly bites the shell of your ear, and you twitch as he puts his hands on top of yours, interlacing your fingers. His voice, low and husky, echoes through your being as he loses himself. "You belong to me. I want you to tell me, from your own lips, that you are mine. You can do that for me, can't you?"

#obey me lucifer #obey me shall we date #shameless self indulgence #fanfiction #obey me!#obey me #obey me lucifer x reader #vampire lucifer #vampire fiction

232 notes · View notes

munsonxmayhem · 2 years

Text

Fuck what you heard.

Joseph Quinn x Fem!Actress!Reader

Requested by @goofygublermgg

Warnings:

- angst

- fluff

- kissing/implications of sex

————————————————————————————————————————

“Come on, (Y/N)! Just ask him out, we both know you guys are into each other.” Your friend and coworker, Maya, pleads to you as you make your way to set.

“Maya. I’m serious, drop it. We all know why it can’t happen.” You state, firmly. She sighs, “I guess.” She drops it, for now.

You knew you and Joseph had unspoken feelings for each other, for quite some time now. You just couldn’t bring yourself to let it happen, it wouldn’t fair to him; or at least that’s what you’d tell yourself. You were a pretty high list celebrity, often getting invited to award shows, red carpets, and after parties with other A-list celebrities. Your fame came with a price though, and not one you’re too fond of.

Ever since you’d taken the spotlight in your career, you’d been the talk of the tabloids. ‘Inside Gossip: Star (Y/N) (Y/L/N) spotting with co-star Timothee Chalamet! Romance or One night stand?’ It was constant, always a tabloid painting you out to be the slut of the entertainment industry; always trying to air who they thought you were dating. Rarely did they get it right.

You’d stopped having relationships because of the constant invasion of privacy; the paparazzi and tabloid would try to catch you any way they could, causing serious issues with friends and co-stars when they would blatantly lie about your relationships with them.

Joseph had just made his big break, landing a role alongside you in season 4 of Stranger Things, and you both had become friends very quickly; along with your other costars. Not wanting to ruin Joseph’s reputation, you kept your growing feelings towards him to yourself, and did your best to steer clear of his flirtations, and such. That didn’t stop your close friends from feeling the growing tension between you two.

“Hey, hot shot!” You hear Joseph yell from behind you as you walk onto set. Turning to face him, he smiles wide. “Hey, Joseph.” You smile back, he’s fully dressed in his ‘Eddie’ costume. “Last day of filming, how do you feel?” He starts, clearly eying you in your short skirt. “Feels good, need a break.” You tell him, moving to stand beside him as you walk. “Yeah? Tired of slumming it with us?” He refers to your social status. You laugh sarcastically, “No, I love you guys. I’m not so different, anyways.” You wave your hand.

“I know, only joking.” He nudges your side, smirking down at you. “(Y/N)! Joseph! To set!” You hear the director call, and the conversation ends there as you get to your places.

When the director finally yells ‘cut!’ everyone joins in for a giant hug, both sad and happy that the end has come this season. “(Y/N)! Cast party at 7, you coming?” Joe Keery calls to you as he makes is way to his makeup trailer. You nod, “Yeah, I’ll be there!” You call back, waving him off.

After a couple hours of getting out of costume and then getting into your cast party attire, you make your way to the car with Maya, and Joseph. The rest of the cast was loaded into other cars. Pulling up you see the flashes of paparazzi, and your heart starts racing as you realize you’re seated next to Joseph.

“Fuck..” you mutter, glancing between Maya and Joseph, who look very concerned. Your eyes land on Mayas, “Switch with me.” She’s about to protest when you’re sliding over her lap, “O-okay!” She said, holding her hands up as she makes her way to the middle seat. Once you’re settled you look at Joseph, who looks like you just broke his heart. Maya looks at you and then the paparazzi, she reaches out; holding your hand. “It’s okay.” You sigh as she comforts you.

As the driver opens the door, Joseph steps out, waving happily at the paparazzi. Then Maya gets out, doing the same. Then you get out. The crowd immediately gets much more rambunctious; yelling and pushing on the barrier. You hear everyone shouting at you. “(Y/N)! Is it true you’re dating Timothy Chalamet?” You hear one man scream as he hold up a giant camera, a bunch of others chiming in on dating rumors. You shake your head, anxiously and Maya takes your hand; concern written across her face as she drags you to the entrance.

“God that’s insane, are you okay?” Maya inquires, her hand on your shoulder. You nod, “Yeah, I’m alright. Should be used to it by now but..” You sigh, shaking your head of the thought. Joseph is looking at you, worried. You give him a small smile before walking with them. A photographer pulls the three of you to the backdrop in the center of the room, lined with your other cast mates. You three make your way into the line, Joseph standing right next to you. You glance at the proximity, before starting to exit the line. He gently grabs your arm and give you a ‘where are you going?’ look, you give him a sympathetic nod before mouthing an ‘i’m sorry.’ Moving you take your place in between Maya and Sadie.

After the photographer gets all he’s needed, everyone breaks up into groups for different interviews. You land in a group with Jamie, Sadie, and Millie. They ask you the normal question; “What’s it like working with each other?” “How’d you feel seeing Vecna for the first time?” and they ask you what it’s like to be amongst the new characters this season. The interviews end fairly quickly, luckily being more respectful than the ones outside.

You’re making your way to the exit when you hear a voice behind you. “Hey! Wait!” You turn and see Jamie jogging towards you, “What’s up?” You laugh at him. “Maya, Joseph, Joe, and I are all going out for drinks after this. Wanna come? Please come.” he practically begs, hands clasped together in a makeshift ‘prayer’. You laugh loudly, unclamping his hands. “Yeah, sure. Why not?” He yells a yes before taking your hand and leading you to the back doors instead.

You, Maya, Joseph, Joe, and Jamie pack yourselves into the car waiting outback. You’re sat on Maya’s lap, laughing at the whole situation. Joe is in the middle seat, and Joseph had taken the window seat; Jamie sat in the passenger seat. You can’t help but to glance at Joe, who’s staring sadly out of the window. Your heart aches at the sight, knowing your constant rejection is what’s doing this to him.

The drive to the bar is short, and luckily enough the word of your guys’ whereabouts hadn’t hit the internet yet, so you were free to walk yourselves in. You guys find a booth seat, and Joseph takes the inner seat, Jamie is about to take the seat next to him when you lightly pull him back, giving him a look and he nods. You slide in the seat before him, taking your seat next to Joseph.

He glances over at you, a shocked look. “Sorry, do you want me to-“ He’s about to stand but you place your hand on his arm, shaking your head. “It’s okay.” You tell him and he slowly sits back down.

After a few drinks everyone had become a bit buzzed, just enough to let loose, laugh and have fun without worrying about anyone that could be watching.

While everyone, including yourself, was deep into conversation; you slowly reached your hand to Joseph’s, not to draw any attention. His eyes dart to your hand as you link your pinky finger with his. As you look up at him, he gives you a sweet smile before turning back to the conversation.

By the end of the conversation, Joseph had intertwined your fingers with his; keeping it under the table. Your body buzzed at the contact, wanting for so long to have it. You didn’t care anymore, this is what you wanted and you’d be damned if you let internet gossip take him away from you, too.

That’s why by the end of the night, and after everyone was ready to you; you pulled Joseph beside the exit, a confused expression on your face.

“What’re you doing?” He inquired, raising a brow. “Do you want to come back to my hotel? I’m not ready for this night to end.” You confess, your hand on his arm. His eyes go wide at your suggestion, “Y-Yeah, are you sure? What about-“ He gestures to the couple of, obviously paparazzi, that had made there way to the bar.

“Fuck it.” You grab his arm, linking yours around his as you make your way outside. He smiles at your boldness, and your inability to care what they say anymore. They immediately starts flashing their cameras, recording and photographing you.

“(Y/N)! Are you dating him?” and “(Y/N! What about Timothy?”, you turn to face one, looking straight into their camera. “Fuck what you’ve heard.” And with that, you send a middle finger their way and get into the car, taking a seat on Joseph’s lap.

The ride to the hotel is short, and everyone’s laughing about what you’d done. “Fucking finally! I’ve only been waiting for you to stand up for yourself for like.. ever?” Maya claps, enthusiastically. You laugh along with them, looking at Joseph who just looks happy to be there with you.

You two exit the vehicle, saying your goodbyes to the rest before walking into the hotel. The walk is quiet, and he takes your hand in his.

When you manage to open the door to your room, it’s not long before he has you pressed against the back of it. Lips pressed to yours in a passionate kiss. You were caught off guard at first, but soon your lips mold into his. His hands explore your body, desperately, like you’d slip away if he let you go.

Your hands made their way to his shoulders, pushing his jacket down on the floor. You let out a soft moan into the kiss as his hands grip your ass tightly, pulling you against him. His tongue pushes past your lips, expertly dancing with your own.

You let out a gasp as he lifts you up, wrapping your legs around him. He reconnects your lips again, taking you to the bed and dropping you onto it. You burst into a fit of giggles at your rough landing. He stands at watches you, laughing at your fit. “Are you alright?” He laughs, a bit worried.

“Yeah, I’m okay! Just a crazy night, you know? I’m gonna be the talk of the town tomorrow.” you sit up, taking his hands in yours. “(Y/N) (Y/L/N) and Joseph Quinn: New Romance?” you let out a breathy laugh, looking up to him. He shrugs, “It’s got a nice ring to it don’t you think?” He smirks and you nod, “It does, doesn’t it?” You wink at him.

He leans down, placing his hands on either side of your waist, and kisses you gently before parting. “I think the paps got it right this time.” You whisper before he’s making his way on top of you, placing kisses along your neck and chest.

After what seems like hours of finally giving into each other, you both fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms; fully prepared for the internet to be broken the following morning, not caring because you’d have each other, and that’s all that mattered.

——————————————————————————

#joseph quinn x fem!reader #joseph quinn #joseph quinn x reader #joseph quinn x you #joseph quinn x y/n #eddie munson #stranger things

472 notes · View notes

writingbyshiloh · 11 months

Text

Part 4. Cooper

Series Masterlist

CW: domestic red I think? (possibly) OOC Cooper, FBI!Reader

AN: I pictured the show to be Euphoria, but no specific details so it can be any show with a drug dealer character. IDK Cooper's official rank and I am scared of spoilers so we just went with the assistant director. Just realized that if you read all the parts back 2 back then they are very similar but also ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. No beta

------

Reddington in the post office is a scene that never fails to surprise you. In the early days of the task force, he seems to be there frequently. As the years went, he saw less and less of the walls inside. He never goes to the post office if he can help it, and you don’t blame him.

You see Dembe nudge Reddington, a silent indicator for him to start talking about what he needs the team to do this week.

As Reddington lectures, Liz interrupts and Aram pulls up the supporting documents and photos. Red usually tells Liz the details, and she tells the rest of the team.

You knew a tiny bit. He left shipping documents on his kitchen table a few nights ago while he went to the bathroom. He wouldn’t just leave documents lying around if he didn’t have a reason for you to see them.

To keep yourself sane you set boundaries. If you're not working, or if someone isn't in immediate danger it is not your problem what Reddington is doing. This came after a series of him dropping clues and waiting for you to put the details together.

You still listen, minus a few instances where you zone out thinking about Reddington's suit, waiting for the shipping documents to make some sense to you, but nothing yet.

“Liz, you go with Reddington to the shipping docks. You two” Cooper points at you and Ressler “see what you can find with -”

“I’ll go Ressler” Elizabeth cut in.

Everyone turns to look at Liz.

“I’ll go with Reddington” you suggest, pronunciation wobbly. You’re so used to Red, the “ington” feels off.

“That was fast on the jump” Red notes, once you were out of the earshot of the group, preparing to go to the docks.

You shrug. “It's so nice out. And I can not get caught in a fight between you two.”

Red and Liz fighting always makes you feel like you’re in the middle. Liz would sometimes rant to you about Reddington, which never fails to make you feel like a bad friend. On the other hand, Red keeps his thoughts about Elizabeth to himself in times like these.

---

“Do you understand it yet?” Reddington asks.

You frown. You both have been walking around the docks for an hour, trying to find something on this week's blacklist. Technically, you’re looking for clues, Reddington is watching you, trying to see the exact moment you put the pieces together.

You admire how he pushes you to do your best, to get better at both your job and thinking like him, but now it’s on your nerves. Having elected to ignore him, you exaggerate checking the number on the shipping container.

“My god, you agents are so meticulous. You don’t need every number from every crate.” Red observes.

“I’m not taking every number, just what I think is important.”

“That seems to be the majority, dear.”

You shoot him a look over your shoulder due to the use of the pet name in the field.

He puts his hands up in surrender, but he is smiling.

You’re saved from a reply by your phone, Aram calling with no doubt some important information.

---

That night, Reddington visits you. He says he can't spend the entire night but has a few free hours. You don't know what he has to do before or after your time together, but it's not your problem.

“Do you watch this every week?” Reddington asks, glancing at your television.

“Yeah. We talk about it at work,” you respond, placing your water on the table, and settling onto your couch next to him.

“Who’s everyone?”

“It started as me ‘nd Aram but then Samar started watching with him. I think Liz is in season one. Dembe too maybe?”

You tip your head against his shoulder, feet propped up on your coffee table as the show started playing the introduction. He had one of your pens (technically a pen you took from work) in his hand while he mulls over one of his crossword puzzles? Sudoku? Sudoku with words? Red showed you once how it works and once was enough.

---

“That's no way to run a drug business!”

You turned your head to the side to look at him, now sitting on the edge of your seat watching the show.

“I thought you weren't watching.”

“I wasn’t, but this is ridiculous!” he huffs. “He's not even marking up the price at all? And his storage? I mean it is ridiculous! No wonder the police were called.”

“He's just a minor character”

“For running a business like that he should be!”

“Just watch the show.”

---

You were happy to go into the post office today, if only for a chance to talk to Aram about the show.

“Did you see the new episode?” Aram’s words hit you before you even left the elevator.

“Of course! I didn't see the big arrest coming. And that fight?!”

Aram walks with you to the central part of the floor, the rest of the team waiting, both you and Aram dying to talk about yesterday's episode. You catch Reddington in the office out of the corner of your eye and can’t resist winding him up.

“I can’t believe the arrest! Forgot the rest of the prom, I thought he was going to keep dealing drugs for the whole show,” you exclaim, slightly too loud to make sure Red can hear.

‘My god, he was the worst drug dealer I've ever seen. Ressler would do better!” Reddington jokes. Aram's head snaps to him.

“Mr. Reddington, I didn’t know you watched the show!”

“How far along are you?” you chime in.

“My beloved watches it. I caught a few minutes.” Red smoothly deflects.

You freeze, never hearing him call you that before, but you like it.

“Do you want to join our text chain?” Aram eagerly asks.

Cooper saves Reddington from telling the task force that he doesn’t know how to use a cell phone.

The assistant director launches into some of the information that the team rounded up yesterday. Numbers you took note of pop up and you make a mental note to tell Red “I told you so”, no doubt knowing that he wants to tell you the same, for taking too many numbers.

Once everyone is back up to speed and assignments are dolled out, Cooper catches you at your desk. “I need to speak to you in my office.”

You nod and follow him while you feel anxiety roll in your stomach. It could be good news but you can’t think of anything good. More bad news flashes through your mind as you climb the stairs. You could be suspended, fired, or anything else due to Reddington. And there was that one time you made a questionable decision in the field which could be coming back to bite you.

“Close the door, please,” Cooper asks quietly.

You nod, the door firmly shut as you sit, forcing body language to act neutral and calm.

“I wanted to talk to you about fieldwork.” Cooper starts. You force yourself to make eye contact and not start fiddling with anything on his desk.

“You’ve been going into the field with Reddington more. Any reason?”

“Can I be honest?” you ask, trying to come up with something to say.

“Please.” Cooper leans forward in his chair, awaiting your response.

“It makes me uncomfortable when Agent Keen and Reddington fight. I felt that if I go with him yesterday, then they could cool off.”

“Uncomfortable how?”

You sigh.

“Like, he killed Sam, and then she faked her death to get away from him, and no one knows how or if they’re related…” You train off, not enjoying thinking of reasons Red and Liz fight, but more than happy to if you can keep your job.

Cooper nods, understanding. There's an unspoken feeling in the post office when they fight.

“And do you mind? Going into the field with Reddington.”

“Not as much as the fighting.”

Cooper nods again, posture more relaxed before he continues. “I noticed you’ve been working less.”

Your face reacts before you could try to stay neutral. Of course, Cooper would notice. You’ve lost track of the number of times he turned off the lights at the post office before he leaves late at night and you had to scramble in the dark to turn them back on again.

“I’m sorry, I can start staying later again.” You say, trying to fumble your way through apologizing.

Assistant Director Cooper holds up his palms for you to slow down.

“Your hours are fine. Is everything okay with you?”

The question shouldn’t take you by surprise. Things are more fun with Reddington as part of your life, but there's more stress. The stress of hiding the relationship mostly, especially from Liz.

“I, uh, started seeing a guy recently? So I have a reason to spend time outside the post office?” you want to speak in sentences but you’re nervous in case this is a leadup to something else.

He nods like he understands.

“I’m happy for you. Now we just need to get Ressler a girl.”

You both share a smile, while you silently thank your lucky stars.

“Is there anything else, sir?” you ask, arms ready to push you up and out of your chair.

“No, that's all. Thank you.”

You nod and get up. “Do you want me to leave the door open?”

“You can close it. Thanks.”

You pull the door shut behind you and glance down at the post office. Does Red also get hit with this stuff? You wonder. You’ll have to tell him later, once the case concludes.

---

Tag list: @soraya-daydreams, @horrorqueen22, @wild-rose-35, @anonymoussherlockandmarvelgeek, @zombieskullxz, @rhepworth, @fanficismydrug, @btsjiminsthings, @emilynissangtr, @navs-bhat, @thatonerandomsimpinthecorner

#We r at the bottom on the red gifs #however I do like a white dress shirt with a dark vest #raymond reddington fan fic #raymond reddington x you #raymond reddington x reader #the blacklist x reader #the blacklist fanfic #the blacklist fanfiction

81 notes · View notes

currentlyfckingurmom · 10 months

Text

Human: Rewritten

Chapter One

Natasha Romanoff x Female OC

A/N: Troyes, France is 6 hours ahead of NYC so 7pm there is 1pm in NYC

Barcelona, Spain; January, 2012

The repetitive ticking of the clock registered in her brain before her eyes even opened. She didn’t need that clock to know what time it was, of course. It was 4:30 am— the same time she’d woken up everyday for the past twenty-five years of her life. She no longer needed to wake up that early, yet it’s a habit so deeply entrained in her framework that it’s seemingly unbreakable. She rolled out of bed and made her way into the dingy kitchen with light footsteps. With some quick math she figures that she got barely two hours of sleep last night, but that’s typical. She started the coffee machine and asked with a sigh, “Would you like some coffee or are you just going to lurk in the corner?”

The leather-clad stranger with an eyepatch stepped up to the kitchen island opposite of her and responded, “I wouldn’t mind a cup. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you knew I was here.”

“Well, you know what they say about old habits. You got a name?”

“You can call me Fury. We have a lot to talk about, Eight.” She slid him a mug of cheap coffee and gestured for him to take a seat.

“Then we’d better get started so you can get the hell out of my apartment.” He simply chuckled in response and Eight could already feel her patience wavering.

Two hours later, Eight rubbed her forehead in an effort alleviate the headache.

“Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division? Really, dude?”

“Yeah, it’s a mouthful. Trust me I know.”

“I’m sorry that you came all this way for nothing, Fury, but there’s no way in hell I'm working for some government spy circus.”

“It’s technically an extra-governmental spy agency-”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m not joining,” She said, cutting him off.

“So, you’re just gonna hop from one shitty apartment to the next until you die? That doesn’t seem like a great life.”

“Better than the one I lived before.”

“You aren’t the person to live in hiding. You’re the person who thrives in the action and lives to kick ass, and we both know it.” When she didn’t respond he continued, “I’ll leave you my card. When you change your mind, which you will, you’ll know where to find me. You don’t have to be the bad guy anymore, Eight.” With that he slid off the stool and left her apartment, leaving her with nothing but her rapidly spiraling thoughts and a black business card.

Troyes, France; May, 2012:

It had been four months since Director Fury paid a visit to Eight’s apartment in Barcelona. They had kept in contact and he hadn't given up on her joining SHIELD. She’d lived in three different apartments since then. Eight was watching the seven o’clock news when she saw something that made her choke on her Cheerios. “An alien invasion? What the hell is—” Her muffled exclamation was interrupted by the ring of her burner phone. “Hello?”

“Eight, you watched the news recently?”

“Uh yeah, I'm watching it now. You fighting aliens now, Nicky?”

“Okay first of all, I told you to stop calling me that. Second, yes, aliens. I’m forming a team of extraordinary people to help protect against these threats. They could really use a hand to finish off this fight.”

“I may be a bit unusual but I’m not ‘extraordinary’, Fury. I don’t wanna join your band of misfits.”

“Alright, how about a compromise? You fly your fancy jet here right now and help them out and if you still don’t wanna join, you can go right back to France after the fight is over and I’ll stop bothering you about joining.” After a few seconds of silence she agreed.

“Fine, but I’m not gonna change my mind. How do you know about my jet?”

He gave a hearty laugh and said “I know everything, Eight. You should know that by now.”

New York, New York; 96 Minutes Later:

Eight flew her jet into the city, making sure to take out a few flying Chitauri in the process. She found herself extremely grateful for the stolen German jet capable of flying 2100mph. She saw a few interesting characters standing in a circle fighting off an endless sea of aliens. She maneuvered the jet and— Is that guy wearing blue tights? Is this what Fury meant by extraordinary? She landed in the street about 20 yards away and killed the engines, then hopped out and started jogging towards the group. A couple of them turned around, probably wondering who the hell she was and—whoa that’s a beautiful woman. After realizing her steps had literally faltered at the sight of the woman, she slowed to a walk and said “You guys need a hand?”

“Depends on whose hand it is,” replied the gorgeous redhead.

“I’m a friend of Fury’s. He practically begged me to come save your asses.”

“Fury doesn’t beg,” she said in a doubtful tone.

“Not typically, but I'm just that awesome. If you don’t believe me then call him up but I’m gonna go kill some aliens.” With that she took off down another street where there was a group of the repulsive bastards. After unloading all of her magazines into Chitauri bodies, she switched to swords and daggers. After another hour or so of fighting, there were no more aliens in sight. Eight started jogging toward the rich dude’s tower when she saw said rich dude falling through the rapidly-closing portal. She stopped next to Mr. Blue Tights and Mr. Hammer Man when the big green thing grabbed Mr. Rich Dude from the sky and landed next to the group. The green guy yelled, waking Mr. Rich Dude up with a start. “What the hell? What happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me. Except for her, she’s pretty hot,” he said, nodding toward Eight. Just then the redhead jogged over to us and eyed Eight’s blood-soaked form from head to toe.

“See something you like, Red?”

“No. I’m pretty sure I'd be classified as a sadist if I liked the sight of that much blood,” she said with a raise of her eyebrow.

“I’d be into it if you were.”

She shook her head at Eight with a small smirk. There was barely a second of silence when Mr. Rich Dude spoke up.

“Anybody want shawarma?”

Three Hours Later:

Eight had gone to the Triskelion after the band of misfits apprehended Loki. Agent Hill showed her where to land her jet and directed her to a room so she could shower and stay the night if she wanted to. Eight had put on black jeans, a white tank, and a black jean jacket, all of which had been in a to-go bag in her jet. She was toweling off her hair when someone knocked on the door. Eight opened the door to see none other than the one-eyed-wonder standing there. “What can I do for you, Nicky?”

“The Avengers are being debriefed in Conference Room 6B in ten minutes. You should come.”

“The Avengers? Is that what you’re calling them? That’s cute. But I'm not an Avenger and I don’t want to be an Avenger, so no thanks.”

“You should come anyway.”

“I don’t actually have a choice, do I?”

“You know me so well, Eight,” he said with an amused grin.

She walked into the conference room, finding the Avengers already there. Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Thor, and Natasha Romanoff—whose names Eight had learned from Hill—were scattered around a large table, along with Fury. Romanoff eyed Eight from where she was standing and arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her. Eight squinted her eyes and wiggled her eyebrows in response, and she could see the redhead stifle a laugh.

“What’s your name?” She accompanied the question with a blank expression.

“That’s a very personal question, Miss Romanoff. Let’s slow the pace, please.”

“You know my name but I can’t know yours? That doesn’t seem fair.”

“The world isn’t fair, Miss Romanoff, and I love a good mystery.”

“If you two are done flirting, we have business to attend to,” interjected Fury.

“Right, my apologies, Nicky.”

“Don’t call me that, Eight.”

After an excruciating 43 minutes and 27 seconds, Fury finally let the group leave. Eight was so close to freedom when that unbelievably sexy voice called to her.

“Eight!” Romanoff hastily walked towards her in an effort to catch up.

“Yeah?”

“Is your name actually Eight?”

“If you want it to be.”

“Why are you so damn stubborn?”

“It amuses me, Red.” There was a brief silence during which both women were trying to figure out if the conversation was over.

Eight was about to leave when Natasha continued, “So that’s it? You’re just gonna leave?”

“Well, no. I’m going to stay the night, steal some really expensive jet fuel, and then leave in the morning before Fury can get up my ass about joining his little team.”

She rolled her eyes and responded, “Why won’t you join the Avengers? And why won’t you tell me your real name?”

“It’s just not my style. I’d rather fly solo.”

“You ignored my second question.”

“Then maybe you should take the hint and stop asking.” With that she turned around and started walking away, but a hand on her arm stopped her dead in my tracks. Alarms started going off in Eight’s head, and Romanoff might’ve been saying something to her, but she was too caught up in the memories to register it. After a few seconds, the white of her vision cleared up and the voices in her head faded into the background. Her heart was still hammering in her chest and she was trying to keep her breathing steady. Eight regained her neutral expression and said. “Sorry, did you say something?”

“Are you okay?” Natasha had a concerned expression and if Eight wasn’t so blinded with anxiety, she would’ve appreciated how cute the furrow of her eyebrows was.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just gonna turn in. It’s been a long day.” She turned around and walked back to her temporary room at a brutal pace. As soon as the door closed behind her, hot tears raced down her cheeks and she lost the ability to breathe as she fought the old conditioning messing with her head. It was gonna be a long night.

3:21 am:

She finally managed to calm herself down and stop the panic attack after almost four hours. Trying to sleep would be pointless, so she decided to leave before anyone woke up. Eight didn’t have much to pack so she grabbed her duffel bag and left the room. She made it to the corridor attached to the landing pads, then ran into the one person she really didn’t want to see. “What are you doing out and about, Red?”

“I’ve got places to be and things to do. Were you just going to sneak out in the middle of the night like a teenager with a rebel streak?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing, actually. Do you need a ride? Where are you going?”

“Madrid. Fury said I could hitch a ride on another plane that’s headed for Germany.”

“Well I’m going to France if you wanna ride with me. My jet will get you there a lot faster.” Natasha studied her for what felt like way too long, probably debating if Eight would try to kill her or not. Spies can be so untrusting.

“What the hell, why not?”

And that is how she ended up in a jet with “Candy Shop” playing over the speakers and Natasha Romanoff in the copilot seat yelling at her to ‘slow the fuck down!’

“Why would I slow down, you psycho?! That’s the whole damn point of this thing!”

“Where did you even get a German jet this fast?”

“Germany.”

“No shit Sherlock. How did you get it?”

“I went to Germany, stopped in at the local speedy-jet dealership, and walked out with this beauty.”

“Sarcasm is a defense mechanism, you know. You’re dodging my questions.”

“You act like you’d answer my questions if I were to start asking about you.” It was quiet as the two women shared a look of mutual understanding.

Madrid, Spain:

Eight landed the jet at the local SHIELD base and killed the engines. They removed their headsets and Eight stood to help Romanoff get her bags. “Well, I’ll see you around I guess.” Eight had never been good at goodbyes. Or any social interactions, really. Twenty-four years in a cell will do that to you.

“Will I? See you around, I mean.”

“Um, I don’t know, honestly.”

“Why won’t you join SHIELD? I mean what else are you doing?”

“Oh, I see. You just love me so much that you don’t want me to leave. You’re gonna miss me so much-” Eight was cut off when Natasha threw her backpack at my head. “Hey! You’re lucky I caught that! Fucking crazy woman.”

When their laughter died down, Natasha said, “Well I should probably go. Thank you for the ride.”

“Of course. Hitchhikers are always welcome aboard my beloved jet.” A small smile appeared on her face and she stepped forward to give Eight a hug but she must’ve seen her body go rigid because she stepped back. And then she was gone. Eight walked to the front of the jet and started the journey to France.

Series masterlist

#natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff fluff #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanov #natasha romonova #natasha romanoff smut #natasha x y/n #natasha romanoff angst #natasha romanoff x oc #yelena belova #black widow #black widow x reader

43 notes · View notes

yes-divine-ruler · 1 year

Text

Prove it - E.P

Summary: Evan and Y/N are co-stars, finding each-other insufferable on set. Until Evan makes a move that might change their professional relationship forever.

requested using prompts 3 & 4 from @/egofelix’s (deactivated) NSFW WRITING PROMPTS found on @/kitwalker02’s page

#3: "If you don't like my teasing, then why are you moaning?”

#4: “Do you like it when I touch you like that?”

CW: oral (f receiving)

Words: 1434

Evan Peters, my insanely hot but rude co-star stood by my side off set, his chin between his finger and thumb as he read through his script, mumbling to himself. I rolled my eyes, becoming increasingly annoyed by his persistent mumbling.

“On in 5,” the Assistant Director tapped me on the back, giving me a thumbs up as I turned to look at him.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment.

“Nervous Y/N?” I heard Evan’s voice mock me, opening my eyes again to glare at him.

“Shut up,” I mumbled, finding my position on set as the make up artist fussed over powdering my nose.

“Camera rolling,” the camera operator called, his face navigating in close to the screen.

I watched the director as he counted down from 5 on his hand, Evan just appearing in his spot on set. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, I swear he didn’t take his job seriously.

“Action!”

“What are you rolling your eyes at?” Evan scowled, taking a step towards me.

“Cut! Evan!” The director got up from his chair, his hands up in the air in defeat, “we’re trying to film!”

I couldn’t help the smirk that curved my lips, stifling the laugh that tried to escape from them.

“She’s being a fucking bitch!” Evan spat, pointing a finger accusingly at me.

“You’re so soft Evan, can’t take a little eye roll?” I teased, placing my hands on my hips.

“You two! Take half an hour, we’re going to try this again later,” the director sat down again, his body slumping in his chair as if he was exhausted.

“When you get back I’m expecting a good fucking scene so we can all go home!” He howled, turning to his phone, deterring his attention away from us.

I sighed in exasperation, walking away from set and towards the dressing rooms. The dressing team finished for the day, the only scene we needed to film being the one Evan had just fucked up. I was tired and ready to go home, his intolerable behaviour setting us back. I sat in the corner of the first dressing room, looking myself over in the mirror.

“You happy with yourself?”

I turned to see Evan, his lips formed in a tight straight line.

“What are you talking about? You’re the dickhead,” I scoffed, turning back towards the mirror and using a spoolie on the table to comb my eyelashes.

“You’re so fucking rude all the time,” he had the cheek to say, causing me to rise out of my chair and face him menacingly.

“You’re the rude one, you do it on purpose to annoy me,” I said, throwing my hands up in disbelief.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Evan sneered, taking a step closer to me like he did on set. I didn’t back down, my stance firm as I glowered back at him.

“Then why do you do it?” I asked him, taking a step closer to him, narrowing my eyes.

“Because I give what I get,” he said proudly, sliding his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

“You give it first!” I couldn’t believe this guy, he was so full of arrogance, it spilled through him as he spoke.

“I can do no wrong,” he said very matter-of-factly, now only inches apart from one another. I hadn’t realised how close we were, I could almost feel the heat radiating off his body.

“You’re full of shit,” I scoffed again, turning my back to him and deciding I’d sit back in my chair and ignore him until we had to go on set again.

I was stopped, when his hand grabbed my elbow, pulling me back around to face him, our faces now so close I could see the freckles on his nose. I froze, his cool minty breath fanning my face.

“I’ll prove it,” he almost whispered, his chest moving in coordination with his steady breathing.

“I doubt that,” I still had the confidence to retort back to him, even though I could feel my heart pounding in my ears from how close we were again.

He leaned forward, his lips ghosting over mine, as he whispered “you wont be doubting that when I’m finished”.

His lips collided with mine. I took a second to respond, startled by his advancement towards me. But soon, I melted into the kiss, letting his lips assault mine in a fiery exchange. His big hands gripped onto my waist, pulling me into his chest, my arms instinctively wrapping themselves around his neck.

His tongue evaded my mouth, my fingers tangling in the back of his hair, pulling on it softly. He groaned, backing me up against the dresser, his hand coming up from my waist and cupping my breast through my clothes.

“Let me take it off,” he demanded, tugging on the bottom of my shirt and pulling it above my head.

His lips worked at the skin on my neck, trailing heavy, salivary kisses down to my collarbone. I moaned softly, his warm hands wrapping around my back and working to unclasp my bra.

He tossed my bra to the side, his lips connecting with one of my nipples. I gasped at his touch, as he backed me up further so I was seated on the dresser. He sucked softly, working at my other nipple with his forefinger and thumb.

“Evan, oh my god,” I moaned, knowing now inside me that his mouth and fingers felt better than I’d ever imagined. I came down from my high for a second, realising that my insufferable co-star had made a move on me, and I was falling for it like a sick puppy.

“Evan!” I yelled, pushing him away softly, his head lifting from my breast.

“What?”

“We can’t do this,” I replied while crossing my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling self conscious by my exposed breasts.

“If you don’t like my teasing, then why are you moaning?” He said suggestively, moving down to his knees. I blushed bright red, as his fingers traced my upper inner thighs. It was like a cat caught my tongue.

“Do you like it when I touch you like that?” He mumbled, his bottom lip between his teeth as he lifted up my skirt and revealed my pair of lace panties.

He tucked his fingers into the waistband, pulling my panties down until they were off my legs.

“What are you-” I was interrupted by his tongue on my clit. He lifted up my skirt so it was flush against my stomach, looking up at me through his thick lashes.

I moaned softly as I watched him seperate my folds with his tongue, humming into me as he got a taste of my sweet arousal. His mouth returned to my clit, sucking softly as my thighs clamped around his head.

“Holy shit,” I cursed, lifting my hips up to meet his face, the pressure of his tongue on me filling me with intense pleasure.

“God you taste amazing,” he groaned as he pulled away for a second, lifting my legs towards my torso, so I was completely spread and exposed to him.

He flattened his tongue over my clit, before assaulting it with wet kisses, strings of spit connecting me to his mouth. His eyes never left mine as he tasted me, the knot in my stomach ready to unwind as I watched him. I pushed aside all my thoughts telling me how wrong this was, totally consumed by feeling like I was going to cum.

“Oh my god,” I moaned, finally at my climax, buckling my hips up once again to meet his face as I rode out my orgasm, feeling him lap up every last bit of my release.

His hands dropped my legs, as he stood up and dusted off the front of his jeans at his knees. He looked at me with a smirk, as I panted, sprawled out in front of him from the mess he made.

“Told you I could prove it,” he bragged, as I pulled on my panties and went to collect my bra from the floor. All the eye contact I could make before I couldn’t make now.

“You got 10 minutes to get yourself together, see you out there,” he walked over to me and slapped my ass before he reverted towards the door of the dressing room, leaving me speechless.

#evan peters #evan peters fanfic #evan peters fanfiction #evan peters requests #evan peters smut #evan peters imagine #evan peters x reader

173 notes · View notes

wanderlust-in-my-soul · 1 year

Text

Currently watching - January

Because I love a good little list - with an alphabetical order this time! 😊

Regularly updated during the month, latest update 31.01.2023

This may contain spoilers!

1. Ameiro Paradox (6/8 on Viki and Gaga)

An enemies to lovers story with journalists and cute smiles. I am a little bit confused by Kaburagi, just like Onoe is. It is not bad, the acting is quite nice.

2. Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu aka The End Of the World With You (1/8 on Gaga or Viki)

This feels depressing and heartbreaking and I love it! Done right this can become a little sad gem.

3. Cutie Pie 2 You (1/4 on Youtube)

Well, I haven't been waiting for this and the first season left without a deeper impact on me. So right now I am very much unimpressed with this one.

4. HIStory 5: Love in the future (5/20 on Viki)

It is starting to grow on me. Both storylines. Seeing Hai Yi being nice, caring and less arrogant is kind of sweet. And all the flirting between Liang and Wynn is very much entertaining. Besides that, the main story is kind of confusing and I can't stop myself from asking, why doesn't He Bo Wei search himself in the internet?

5. Individual Circumstances (4/8 on Viki)

After years spending their lives apart from each other an almost worn out movie director and a famous writer meet again. The past has to be processed and the writer deals with their history and present in one of his stories. I like this one a lot. Can it be please next week, so I know what they were talking about in the preview?

6. My School President (8/12 on Youtube)

I loooove this one so much!!!! It is my favorite watch of the week! Set in highschool we meet Tinn (the school president) and Gun (head of the music club). Tinn has a huge crush on Gun and Gun sees in Tinn the enemy who is standing between the success of his music club and the win of the Hot Wave Music Contest. Sometimes you just need a good old high school bl to be happy. I enjoyed this series so much. And the music is so good!!!

7. Never Let Me Go (7/12 on Youtube)

The tension and chemistry between the two mains is definitely there and noticeable. I am hooked with the story and at this point really anxious about what's to come. There are so many layers to unfold and I love reading all those metas here on tumblr! So well written analyses.

8. Physical: 100 (2/10 on Netflix)

Okay, listen...my best friend told me, I should watch this and after 15 minutes we were on the phone with each other and for the next 1,5 hours we had the time of our lifes! This show is insane and so much fun to watch!

9. The New Employee (6/8 on Viki)

I love the manhwa and I really enjoy this adaptation. It is funny and cute and not so far from the original material. The two mains have a wonderful chemistry.

Finished in January

Series

1. 2 Moons the Ambassador (12/12 on Youtube)

It was just bad. The acting was not good. The plot was...lame and there was too much going on with the amount of couples to deal witj. And there was just too much dull drama without reason and so many plotholes and logical errors... 2 out of 10 for the sweetness sometimes

2. Till the world ends (10/10 on Youtube)

This one was such a pleasant surprise for me. A story about the end of the world with explicit and brutal scenes, decent acting and a kind of good story! The chemistry was there and with episode eight they said, well lets show world what we can do. I won't talk about physics nor the ending. Well the latter would explain the first issues, but I don't care. I liked it! 8,5 out of 10 dystopian ideas

3. Remember Me (14/14 on Gaga)

Okay, this one is so complicated for me. First I found it boring. With episode three I was hooked and totally into it. Around episode 10/11 I just got bored again and the story became...difficult to like anymore and the last one was just meh...I really liked the storytelling, but some parts could have been cut short and others needed more story time. I felt like they have forgotten that there were like four other stories beside Champ's in the last episode so everything felt rushed. And yes, the big problem with Name's decision to speak. Like as it is just so easy to overcome your fear and barrier and mental health problem and just speak. One day, after you notice it would be better for others if you speak, you just do it...well, that is not how it works. And yes, thinking about it, this is a really big problem of the show in general. Just presenting mental health problems as something you can overcome with enough selfcontrol and some words of encouragement...or the sight of others who feel unwell in your depressed presence...damn...It could have been such a nice 7, but thinking about those flaws really hurts...there is no real working with the problems. Champ just decides to forgive his family and his depression is healed...Name speaks because he just decided to do so...Gun and Golf broke up and just a few days later Golf says sorry and pulls out a ring and everything is fine again...Well no...that is not how life works. 4 out of 10 stories to tell

4. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko Season 1 (4/4 on Gaga)

A man who tries to avoid the world of BL, by reading Yaoi mangas to get to know all the tropes he has to avoid in order to not get involved with the world as a main character. It is hilarious. I had a really good time watching it. 8 out of 10 tropes to avoid

5. Love Bill (10/10 on Youtube)

A vietnamese drama about a young man falling in love with a screenwriter. Well, of course there are some other things happening in between, but this is the heart of the story. Our boy Nguyễn Bá Vinh is doing a great job! I really enjoyed this drama. And the ending is so perfectly fitting for this drama. Thien is a screenwriter and known as the king od sad endings. So yeah, the ending is sad, but at the same time perfect and bittersweet. 7 out of 10 rainwater barrel showers

6. The director who buys me dinner (10/10 on iQiyi)

Okay, I read the Webseries, so I do know what Dennis was up to and what his story was. I liked the story between Yudam and Dongbaek. The ending? I wish they would have stick more to the original, but I am not mad about it. They had a fresh start and it is not that open of an ending for me. Yudam agreed to have dinner with Dongbaek and I believe that those two will be happy in the end. 7,5 out of 10 pills to swallow

7. Island (6/6 non bl)

I have never thought I would say I like a horror series, but here I am. I hate horror besides Vampires, Aliens and Witches, so this was a surprise, especially when I think about my despise and horror for The Exorcist. But this one is really good! And now I can't wait for season 2!! There is so much to unpack and I am hooked! 9,5 out of 10 lust demons

8. War of Y (20/20 on Gaga)

I finally watched it. I don't know. It was good imo, without a doubt. But it is a little bit paradox. The series tries to go against the industry and the fanservice and the working conditions, but in the end it is just another bl. Most of the stories have their happy ending and are kind of unrealistic. I enjoyed my time watching it, even though it was tough at some times. 7 out of 10 two-faced media

9. Gaya Sa Pelikula aka Like in the Movies (8/8 on Youtube)

What a perfect little series! I loved every second of this and I wish it had more episodes. But they managed to tell the story in the time they had without cutting something short or anything. It is a deep story with a light storytelling that fits the tone perfectly. The story is about Karl and Vlad who become fake boyfriends to help each other and who happen to fall in love with each other for real. But nothing is that easy in this world and the process of coming out and coming to terms with who you are needs time. Absolutely love this one! 10 out of 10 dishes to wash

10. Ingredients (21/21 on Gaga)

This was the perfect thing to watch while laying down with a cold. It warms your heart and makes you smile. It is such a cute and wholesome story and I believe they will manage to overcome all obstacles in their relationship. I am very grateful for this recommendation! 9,5 out of 10 desserts

11. My Engineer (14/14 on Youtube)

Well this one was a ride. I liked the beginning, but my patience died at some point. So Bohn and Duen became a couple, but they didn't touch each other, no hand holding, no kind of showing affection and the only one who does shows them through words is Bohn, but he becomes so jealous I wanted to slap his face. He is sulking the whole second part of this series! That was so annoying. The only bright spot were RamKing. I get it, they are cute and the only ones with at least two brain cells! 5,5 out of 10 sulking faces...

12. The Tuxedo (8/8 on Gaga)

This was not good. I think it is cringy and there was no chemistry between the mains or a plot I could really follow. I mean there are short films out there, which can transport a better story with a better feeling for time and substance than this series. The amount of times I cried noooo...Not good... 3,5 out 10 what the hell was this blue tuxedo?!?!

13. History 4: Close to you (10/10 on Viki)

Yeah, close to you...what a perfect titel. Best friends to lovers, stepbrothers to lovers. And I liked it. I don't know what else to say. I know there are some scenes that are just bad. There is no excuse for that, but you know what? I watched KinnPorsche, I watched Dangerous Drugs Of Sex...And besides those scenes I really enjoyed the stories. Yes, also the stepbrothers. 8 out of 10 Cardigans

14. Between Us (12/12 on Youtube)

Well, in the end it was boring and I couldn't care less about WinTeams relationship or their traumas, which is really sad, because it plays such a big role in the series. I liked them in UWMA, but here, in their own series, they were blank and boring. 4,5 out of 10 swimming pools

15. The Devil Judge (16/16 on Viki)

Why so good? I couldn't stop watching in the end. You know the feeling when you are so tense, you just want to spoiler yourself the ending, but you don't want to, but you want to and in the end you are sitting there in tears, because the drama is so sad and you're so tense. And still, since the beginnen of the show, you question yourself if you want to hate Jung Sun Ah, feel pity for her, fuck her or let her fuck you. In the end I let her fuck me out of pity while I hate her with all my guts. But the drama is just so fucking good. So thrilling and with some really good (and some not so good) plot twists. And in the end, every meme is true, gay sex would be less gay than what ever was going on between Kang Yo Han and Kim Ga On and I respect them for that. 10 out of 10 intense eye contacts

16. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2 (3/3 on Gaga)

A man who tries to avoid the world of BL, by reading Yaoi mangas to get to know all the tropes he has to avoid in order to not get involved with the world as a main character - Part II (yes, I copy paste this one...). It is hilarious. I had a really good time watching it. 7,5 out of 10 tropes to still avoid

New Category: Dropped/On Hold

1. I will knock you (1/12 on Gaga)

Well, I don't like it. It brings me no joy so far. So for now it is on hold until I have nothing more to watch...

2. To Sir, with love (2/17 on Youtube)

I know that it is good, but I don't know. I just can't find the energy to watch it. Perhaps some day in the future.

3. Something in my room (3/10 on Youtube)

I saw people talking about this one and how good it is. Well, it is quite okay. I guess it will get a little bit deeper with more episodes, but I haven’t had the time to watch more or the motivation to watch it...so for now it is on hold

4. Hit Bite Love (on Youtube)

I couldn't get over the first half of the first epsiode. It just made me uncomfortable. So this was a dropped for me...

Short films

1. Invitation (on Gaga)

A short film about a jobless person who finds binoculars and breaks in a stranger's home. There is a good twist in the end. The acting was okay, the story was okay...the ending was good. 6,5 out of 10 binoculars

2. Fragile Souls (on Gaga)

I like this one a lot. It has depth and a really deep story for a movie under 10 minutes. The acting is good, too. It is a story about opening your heart to someone and not keeping you inner demons all to yourself. You are allowed to be vulnerable and it gets better. 8,5 out of 10 grainy metaphores

3. Jay (on Gaga)

Jay is a 13 years old boy who is fascinated by his older brother's physique what somewho change into attraction. He is discovering his own sexual orientation while his brother doesn't keep his own a secret from the younger brother (he has sex with his girlfriend while the door to his room was open). It is a complicated film which ewokes complicated emotions. Jay is in an early stage of puberty and his hormones and emotions are going crazy. He can't bring himself to like the girl who has a crush on him. Instead he fantasises about his brother, or his brother's body, a male body to whom he has easy access. The acting is not bad, the subject difficult, but all in all not a bad short film. 7 out of 10 pants

4. Going South (on Gaga)

What a ride. This movie was tense and uncomfortable to watch. I guess you can start a discourse about the question wether the sexual encounter is consensual, dub con or just simply r*pe...With all I have seen it is r*pe for me. There was so much aggression between those two and I understand both sides, which doesn't mean that ones actions were justified. 5,5 out of 10 chasing scenes

5. Suddenly Last Summer (on Gaga)

It is the story about a student, who stalks his teacher after he discovered the latter is gay. The student goes so far that he blackmails the teacher to do everything he wants for a day in return he would keep his secret safe. Well it was a slow and quiet movie. The acting was good. The story itself was okay. I liked it. Did I liek the student? Nope...But his behavior fits his character and his role in the movie. 8 out of 10 headphones

6. Kiss Of The Rabbit God (on Gaga)

This is such a beautiful and good short film! I loved every second of it and I was hooked to the very last scene. The following is all you need to know. Oh I love some good stories! A long time ago in the Qing Dynasty a young soldier fell in love with a handsome official and was sentenced to death for confessing his longing. When his spirit travelled to the Underworld the soldier’s crime was forgiven as one of passion and he was ordained The Rabbit God, the god of secret lovers. The god now travels through eternity answering prayers of forbidden love. 10 out of 10 crimson-hair

7. Langit Budak Biru (on Gaga)

It is not easy to watch, it is not easy to think about, but it is important to think about, to talk about. A movie about two boarding school students in a very religious and very homophobic country trying to understand why they are here and how to survive. My highest resprect for this movie. 10 out of 10 !

Movies

1. Gameboys: The Movie (on Gaga)

Well I haven't seen the first season, but you can indeed watch this without knowledge of the things that happen before (imo). I thought it was a decent movie. The acting was good, the stroy was there and I liked it. But I can't with "Baby" as a term of endearment. At some point all I could hear and concentrate on was this term and I am honest, I hated it. 7 out of 10 ... baby ...

What I’m looking forward to in January:

Beautiful Scars (2nd)

Stoma (4th)

Cutie Pie 2 You (6th)

Utsukushii Kare: Special Edit Version (16th)

Individual Circumstances (19th)

Hit Bite Love (21st)

Kare ga Boku ni Koishita Wake (23rd)

Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu (30th)

Langit Budak Biru (30th)

Future

The Luminous Solution

93 notes · View notes

caffiend-queen · 5 months

Text

Did anything good happen in 2023? Yes!!

Sometimes, we all need a reminder that the world is not in a death spiral. This is a wonderful article from the Washington Post that shows huge and promising developments and it's worth reading.

Research has indicated that uplifting news can provide an emotional buffer against distressing news and feelings of hopelessness — and even encourage optimism or action. So, in that spirit, here are some of the more uplifting developments you may have missed this year.

The WHO approved an effective new malaria vaccine.

In October, the World Health Organization approved a malaria vaccine — only the second time a vaccine against the potentially deadly disease has been created. The WHO said it expects the vaccine, which costs $2-$4 per dose and has been shown to reduce symptomatic cases by 75 percent after three doses within a year, to be available by the middle of 2024.

More than 600,000 people died of malaria in 2021, with children under 5 representing 80 percent of malaria deaths in Africa. The United States reports about 2,000 malaria cases every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, with the majority of them contracted abroad.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, said the announcement gave him“great pleasure. ... I used to dream of the day when we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now, we have two.”

The FDA approved a groundbreaking pill to treat postpartum depression

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration also approved a number of potentially life-changing drugs, including a first-of-its-kind pill to treat postpartum depression, which affects up to 1 in 5 women. The severe and debilitating condition can cause pregnant and new mothers to experience intense hopelessness and, in rare cases, psychosis — and it can last for years.

The new drug is taken once a day for two weeks and, unlike the existing treatment of an IV injection that may take as long as 60 hours to administer in a health-care setting, it can be taken at home — greatly improving accessibility, especially for parents caring for a newborn.

While experts say the drug may not be suitable for all women with the condition and won’t be able to treat all aspects of a new mother’s mental health, they argue that the drug is nonetheless a convenient and fast-acting treatment, and is particularly useful in the early days after a birth, when parents and babies start bonding.

Two sickle cell disease treatments gained approval

In December, the FDA also approved two therapies for sickle cell disease, a rare and debilitating condition that affects around 100,000 Americans, most of them Black. The disease causes extreme, constant pain and can drastically cut the life span of those affected.

The new treatments are both gene therapies that have been shown in clinical trials to stop severe pain crises for most patients: One uses a harmless virus to insert a gene into the patient’s stem cells, while the other is the first medical treatment to be based on the gene-editing tool CRISPR.

Both are intensive, expensive procedures — and require chemotherapy, which has significant side effects. But patients who have received the treatments have spoken of its profoundly beneficial impact on their lives.Jimi Olaghere, a father of three who likened the pain caused by the disease to glass shards sawing back and forth inside his veins, said that after years of being unable to sleep at night because of pain, he has energy again, and that the treatment has enabled him for the first time to plan for a future with his family.

We learned more about dementia and memory loss — and how to prevent them

Scientists also made progress in understanding one of the biggest health concerns for countries with aging populations — dementia, which can have a devastating impact, robbing people of the ability to engage in daily tasks.

While there is no proven cure for dementia, scientific research has continued to find that there many steps we can take to reduce the risk of developing dementia.

One study published this year suggested that lifestyle habits, including regular mental and physical activity, eating a healthful diet, and regular social contact were linked with a slower rate of memory decline. Another found that living in areas with more natural green spaces was associated with lower rates of hospital admissions for diseases including dementia, while separate research indicated that the use of hearing aids could cut the risk of cognitive decline by nearly half.

The FDA also gave full approval, for the first time, to a drug that modestly slows Alzheimer’s disease. While difficult questions about safety, effectiveness and cost remain, many neurologists say that having a drug that slows Alzheimer’s is nonetheless a milestone after years of failed trials.

After 20 years, countries agreed a treaty to protect the ocean

Human health wasn’t the only area to see improvements this year. Even as scientists voiced concern about the state of Earth’s health, there were some positive steps to protect the planet.

In May, more than 190 countries agreed a major deal to protect the biodiversity of the world’s oceans outside of national borders, after more than two decades of talks. The United Nations adopted the treaty in June.

At present, only 1.2 percent of the high seas — which make up two-thirds of the planet’s ocean surface — are protected, leaving large stretches at risk from rising temperatures, overfishing, pollution, mining and other threats. The deal will allow nations to start creating new marine protection areas in the high seas for the first time, although it still may be years before U.N. member states formally adopt the agreement and are able to begin the process of designating the new zones. Even then, enforcement may be difficult.

But the agreement has been welcomed as a much-needed start on the path to protecting 30 percent of the planet’s land and sea by the year 2030, a goal announced at a U.N. biodiversity summit in late 2022.

Brazil deforestation falls after reaching 15-year high

Last year, The Post published a series of storiesshowing the fast pace of destruction of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest under then-President Jair Bolsonaro. During his presidency, the rate of deforestation of the Amazon rose to a 15-year high, and those responsible for the destruction acted with impunity.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva returned to the presidency in January this year. His first six months in office showed positive signs, as authorities drove thousands of illegal gold miners from Indigenous lands, and the government said deforestation dropped by 50 percent.

There are questions about how likely the president is to reach his goal of ending deforestation by 2030, especially given government plans for a large-scale railway project and to pave a 540-mile highway. And deforestation isn’t the only environmental issue facing Brazil, which has come under scrutiny for its reliance on oil as it announced plans to align itself with a coalition of major oil-producing nations, OPEC Plus.

But European countries and the United States have once again offered to restart funding — which was suspended under Bolsonaro — to help end deforestation in the Amazon. Resuming the program would be a significant step for a rainforest that stores billions of tons of carbon and pulls millions more out of the atmosphere every year.

Even in a year of difficult news, moments of humanity shone through

While suffering across the world may have dominated the headlines in 2023, this year also reminded us that kindness and generosity exist, even amid crises and tragedy.

In March, after tornadoes devastated Mississippi, a group of Ukrainian refugees made a 16-hour journey to distribute water to victims of the disaster. Many had only just arrived in the United States — and still had immigration forms to fill in or job interviews to prepare for — but hoped to help a community they felt faced a struggle similar to theirs.

“When they stop what they’re going through to help someone else in need, that to me is the definition of love,” Corie Jones, the deputy director of Volunteer Mississippi, told The Post.

And in October, as police officer Arizbeth Dionisio Ambrosio was clearing debris after Hurricane Otis swept Mexico, she came across a woman with a crying, hungry baby. Ambrosio, who was breastfeeding her own 1-year-old, offered to nurse the baby and was able to soothe the infant — a moment of empathy that was praised around the world, and led to her receiving a promotion.

Ambrosio told The Post she didn’t consider what she did to be anything heroic or out of the ordinary. “It was what I needed to do and I did it,” she said. “When you are in a situation like that, you do not think whether to help or not. ... I felt peace because I was with the baby giving him what he needed at the moment

Find the full story here.

#Good things in 2023 #human acts of kindness in 2023 #reclaiming the rainforest #protecting the world's oceans #new advances in port-partum depression #new meds for sickle cell anemia #new affordable Malaria vaccine #ways to cut the risk of dementia by 50%#reducing the risk of dementia

10 notes · View notes

hobbydrawer · 2 years

Text

**What did the Scrapped Watchman (Carabineer) and Flame Eater (Mangiafuoco) tell Pinocchio?: The decipher**

Warning: Based on the released demo’s gameplay. Content is subjected to change by Neowiz and Round 8 studio in the final version

Special thanks: To my Twitter fellow @Feeshligulu for agreeing to jump into this rabbit hole with me 👁👁

So in the demo, we noticed that during the boss fights, the 2 bosses, Watchman (which is supposed to look like a Carabineer) and Flame Eater (obviously based on Mangiafuoco), spoke in some rune-like, ineligible language that at once couldn’t be understood by the player.

Me and my fellow Feeshli noticed that in the Director’s cut gameplay footage, Watchman’s dialogue has been turned off but Fuoco’s one wasn’t, so our senses both tingling on something.

1. On what type of encoded language it could be?

Since the game was released in English first, and by suggestion by many people on the Internet that English is the default language for Lies of P, we go ahead and guess that it could be mono-alphabetic substitution, in Latin alphabet.

(Actually we were kinda afraid that this is wrong and in fact, the dialogue was based on French or Korean 😰. Good thing that we are correct, for now.)

My friend, who is an enthusiast in encryption and decryption herself, go ahead and try to count how many times one letter/symbol appears in both the dialogue. Usually we would need like paragraphs to make sure we are onto something but luckily, both Watchman and Fuoco provided us with enough samples to analyze.

2. The method to decipher

What she did is simply counting the times letter/symbol’s appears in the dialogues, then assign them in an order from the “most appearance to least appearance” (with 1 the most amount of appearance to 26 the least amount of appearance).

Then we temporarily have 1 = A, 2 =B, 3 = C, etc. until we assign all the number with an alphabet letter. So we end up with some gibberish at first, like: DEFA OBEDM! (for e.g).

After that, we calculate the frequency of said letters, comparing with English’s alphabet’s frequency and Feeshli did her magic with some softwares specializing in mono-alphabetic substitution, did a few more proofreading and tweaking so that in the end, we have this beautiful alphabet substitution chart:

3. The results

Watchman:

“Are you a child if you are I don’t want to fight” => “Sorry for not being able to protect you”

Fuoco:

“It’s cleansing time” => “The flame embraces everyone so will you”

————————————————————

4. Conclusions and comments

This is based on the limited info we got from the demo gameplay so it maybe incorrect, and that the context of said dialogues are not fully understood and fully provided. Please take this with a grain of salt.

Now this comes some funny questions:

1. How did the Watchman and Fuoco know that P is a puppet, given the exquisitely human-like details P has?

I mean, there is that scene where you gotta lie that you are a “human” so you can gain access into Hotel Krat. The voice on the other side was fooled by Pinocchio’s answer and willingly let our marionette come in.

Then how come these two automatons (especially Fuoco) know just immediately? Does it have something to do with your Humanity points, that by the time Pinocchio got to Hotel Krat, he is ready to bypass as a human already, versus at early game when you can still tell that he is a marionette? Or is it an error within the Hotel system?

2.Pinocchio’s age

Now that Watchman’s saying raised me some concern. Why does it ask P if “are you a child”?

This then goes back to my first concern in how the puppets recognize and distinguish themselves with the human. Given P’s appearance in game, it’s almost impossible to tell that our doll is a doll, if excluded the Legion arm.

So I was wondering if the puppets might be seeing each other (or recognizing) through the Ergo’s flow in the body.

In this sense, not only they can distinguish fellow puppets vs. human, they can also tell the age of the puppets.

If we refer to the original novel, Pinocchio is only a few hours old by the time he sprints out of Geppetto’s house (after kicking the poor old man in the face, snatched his wigs and ridiculed him) and runs into a Carabineer (police). Going by this reference, it is possible that our P is a relatively “young” puppet, probably equal to an infant or a child in the puppet’s world.

TLDR: we decipher some enigmatic quotes from the boss fights, find out what fellow puppets think about P and probably the puppet’s language

#lies of p #pinocchio #theory #btw given what watchman said i was a bit worried #is he talking to himself or to P #because i was afraid he is accusing P for killing some people #and given Pinocchio’s a$$hole personality in the novel i was concerned if this is true in LoP too

87 notes · View notes

angst-is-love-angst-is-life · 6 days

Note

Ok. Now I gotta get the director’s cut on your fic “12 Hours”

Was it a result of another sudden hyper focus? Or were you planning it and letting it marinate in your brain awhile?

12 hours

Ah yes, thank you for asking!

It’s funny you ask that specifically because it’s kind of— both? I initially only wrote the last 2 hours and the style was very different than what ended up in the final draft. Either way, at some point after writing the first 2; my brain was like “Hey! How about we write ALL TWELVE HOURS LIKE THE TITLE SAYS! WON’T THAT BE FUN!?” And I cried because yes, it would be fun but it would also take wayyyy more time to finish. Alas, at some point I wrote the first six hours before getting stuck on the break. So at that point, it had been marinating for a while. And then Flash day rolls around and I really wanted to post something for it— wrote the entire break and then some, also editing parts of the last two hours. I wrote it from 12-4 am and did not sleep that night. But it was worth it because I posted something for Flash day. So now that that’s been answered— onto the commentary!

I wrote this entire fic in my notes app, there’s an outline in my docs somewhere but it really wasn’t followed at all.

The hour by hour format was my genius way to simultaneously get into Barry’s current headspace AND gave me a set amount of writing needed for each one which was extremely helpful.

His kidnapper had attached each of his wrists to the front bar of a cosmic treadmill and given him one command in a monstrous voice: “Run.”

Some background: in this universe, instead of training and motivating Barry to get faster, Zoom decides the most efficient way is to make him run all day every day. This concept is somewhat adapted from my age old idea of season 1 Thawne putting Barry in a hamster wheel and just forcing him to get faster whether he wants to or not. Obviously the hamster wheel, while funny, isn’t really the right vibe but the premise is similar.

And it’s never mentioned in the fic; but he is getting faster. Zoom’s plan is working and Barry may as well be a dead man running because once Zoom gets what he needs from him; there’ll be no need to keep him alive this time around.

Originally, Jesse and Jay weren’t going to be there because there was no reason for it. Both narratively and in-universe but both of those changed in a way. Narratively, it’s fun to play with Barry’s guilt and self sacrificing tendencies. In-universe, it’s just one more way to keep him trapped. He’s not going to run away if he knows innocent people would be hurt because of it.

But even when this weak and close to powerless, he could still protect them. No matter how exhausted he was, something inside Barry gave him the courage and energy —anytime Zoom made so much as a move toward the other two— to direct their captor’s attention to him. It always left him worse off, bruises and sometimes cuts littering his body. It didn’t matter, he could heal even if it still hurt. Always better me than them.

I’ll admit. This was, in part, my whump gremlin ass hijacking a little bit. BUT it’s those self sacrificing tendencies I mentioned. It’s honestly a huge part of his character so I’m very glad I put it in. Also, that innate need to protect people which is arguably the most prominent trait of his character. Ah poor Barry.

A wave of weakness came over him as the dampeners took effect. It slowed him down just enough to prevent phasing.

Although hostages are an excellent way for Zoom to keep Barry trapped; he’s not stupid enough to just leave him to his running. I knew I needed something that could both prevent his escape and keep him at the treadmill— while allowing him his speed. Lightbulb moment as I remembered the cuffs Thawne used in 1x17 that appeared to do exactly that.

02:59:00

Help me.

02:55:59

Please. Someone come find me, please—

02:54:59

I have to keep going. I can’t. I don’t have a choice.

This was a fun little tidbit I decided to add in to emphasize that Barry is really Not Ok right now. These kind of thoughts happen extremely often and are similar in wording each time. He’s tired, he’s done, he’s been waiting on a rescue for who-knows how long and has pretty much lost hope on that miracle. He’s not quite accepted his fate but that makes the lack of choice so much worse.

Get up or he’ll hurt them. Legs shaking so violently, he got to both feet, began to run, and caught up with the treadmill.

Another very intentional choice. Not sure if it’s canon that did it or maybe it was another fanfiction not sure (or hell— maybe I’m projecting. Who knows)— but I love making Barry’s main motivation protecting others. Perhaps it’s the general lack of self preservation he seems to have. Sparing himself of more pain wasn’t enough, his companions would pay for it if Zoom caught him not running (it happened before and that was the one time he couldn’t protect them. Well, Jesse in this case.) and that’s what he needed to keep going.

There was one last rule. If he stopped on the first run, he wasn’t allowed to feed himself. If he stopped on the second run, as he just had— Zoom would leave him cuffed overnight, and Barry had to sleep like this.

Just some more comfortability motivation for him to keep running because Zoom’s a dick and so am I

With that reminder, he released a dry sob between pants, with energy he most certainly didn’t possess. Sobbed because he’d been here for so long, and he was so tired, and he just wanted to go home.

Crying would have been a waste of energy before now, Barry doesn’t let himself do it until the 12 hours is up.

The penny landed on heads for unhappy ending sorry (jk, it was just the vibe)

Last thing I’ll leave you with is I was this 🤏 close to adding a rescue. And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about writing another chapter with just that…

Fanfic Writers: Director’s Cut

#fic writer director's commentary #asks #ask game answers #anon asks #12 hours fic #sorry if this is incoherent at parts. it’s late but I wanted to finish tonight

3 notes · View notes

orlaite · 2 months

Note

What are the most visually beautiful movies you've ever seen?

Oh man this is a difficult one because visually beautiful can mean so many things! Beautiful locations, lighting, production design, blocking, makeup, camera-movement, etc.... So this will get rambly but ty for the ask Taylor!❤️

I'll start with one of the most recent movies I've rewatched and my favourite, favourite director: Days of Heaven by Terrence Malick. I just watched the Criterion 4K after previously having watched it on an old library DvD and man... As soon as the movie came on I could feel that it'd been way too long since I saw a Malick film and that this was the among the best birthday presents I've ever received. The landscapes, the beautiful sunset/sunrise light, the molten steel at the factory in the beginning... I'd say almost all of Malick's films fall under the category of "most visually beautiful movies" ever but Days of Heaven has the sensory and naturalistic feeling of later Malick movies blended perfectly with the controlled and composed cinematography of his earlier Badlands. Riveting and beautiful to watch.

Bernardo Bertolucci was a cursed name in my household after I made me and my friend watch 5 hours of Novocento and neither of us liked it very much so watching The Last Emperor we were both shocked by how good it was; the gargantuan scale and detail of the sets and the beautiful cinematography of Vittorio Storaro was a big part of that experience. Storaro's work on Apocalypse Now is also timeless and and an all-time GOAT.

Ran by Akira Kurosawa is another beauty... I love how carefully composed he makes the natural landscape look and the costumes and sets are wonderfully colorful. Those intermittent shots of clouds are gorgeous and so effective. While I'm talking about Ran let's talk about a movie that he directly homages with the shot of the castle burning down: Die Nibelungen by Fritz Lang. The production design of Die Nibelungen is unparallelled and still holds up 100 years later.

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Red Shoes is the most quaint of the movies I've listed thus far, taking place almost entirely on sound-stages and some of them do look a bit dated, but the The Red Shoes ballet itself are the most beautiful, impressive and immersive consecutive 15 minutes of cinema ever created. Period!

The last two movies I wanna highlight are great Epics: Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia. Only Wyler could create a movie as grand as Ben-Hur without losing control and ending up with a cluttered and haphazard visual expression. It's so large, yet so acutely and finely composed, with all those extras in all these gorgeous costumes, and maintains a consistent level of impact and beauty across nearly 4 hours of Biblical Epic. Mad impressive.

And Lawrence of Arabia... Need I say more. Freddie Young's cinematography, the natural and variagated landscape of the desert, Lean's direction and Anne V. Coates' cutting... I'm actually not gonna say more.

#asks

4 notes · View notes

agentnico · 6 months

Text

Napoleon (2023) Review

Wow, Napoleon Bonaparte must have really peed off Ridley Scott. The man evidently despises the little fella.

Plot: A look at the military commander's origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine.

So, this is the second feature film to come out this year featuring Joaquin Phoenix playing a character that really needs to cum, excuse my ironic French. The first is Beau Is Afraid, but the second is with Napoleon. Phoenix is an uber-horny little dude in this! You may have read other reviews and reactions mentioning this, and it's true - Napoleon is a surprisingly funny film, at least regarding its titular Emperor. Joaquin Phoenix really emphasizes the pathetic man-child aspect of Napoleon, and there are some great lines he says involving boats and lamb chops that are hilarious. But he is also a sex freak. Director Ridley Scott seemingly continues his streak of staging over-the-top riotous sex scenes, with recently in House of Gucci where Lady Gaga and Adam Driver do it like it's nobody's business, but now in Napoleon also where Phoenix seems to be channeling a puppy humping a chair whilst his wife played by Vanessa Kirby is as stiff as the aforementioned chair. As such, this movie ends up being a comedic gold mine at times, which is not what I would have expected going into it.

It is really gratifying to see a big-budget historical epic gracing our screens. It's rare for Hollywood these days to release a movie of this caliber, with only certain directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Denis Villeneuve, Christopher Nolan, and Scott having that reputation and freedom to receive big budgets from studios and do what they want with it. Ridley Scott seems to be the primary pioneer for continuing to make historical epics such as The Last Duel and Exodus: Gods and Kings, and I really do wish that Hollywood will continue to allow this genre to continue and give them the budget they need, as seeing these major scale battle sequences on the big screen can be so much more exciting than a CGI superhero space fight. With Napoleon, Scott again impresses with the grand scope of the battles, from the sweeping shots to the intense close-ups, with some creative imagery throughout. The stand-out sequence for me was the Austerlitz battle on ice, and it stood out from both a cinematic and narrative point. On the one hand, it is the prime showcase of Napoleon's tactical mind and his impressive skills in planning traps to defeat his enemy, and on the other hand visually when the enemy ranks are attacked by surprise cannon fire and as they start sinking through the breaking ice and drowning, the collective colour of their blood mixing with the ice and water symbolizing the image of the French flag... I mean that is pure cinema right there! That is what makes Ridley Scott stand out as a director - he is a filmmaker driven by the old school and unwilling to fall into contemporary film constraints. The common phrase "they don't make them like this anymore" is prevalent here more than ever.

That being said, Napoleon is not without its problems. For one, I'm usually the first to complain if a movie is too long, however here I find the opposite. It's a near 3 hour-long movie and yet that is hardly enough time to deliver a satisfying recollection of Napoleon's life. That right there is the issue. Napoleon's life is filled with so many fascinating moments, that any one of them, whether it be his rise to power, his chaotic relationship with his wife Josephine, his invasion of Russia, or the detrimental Battle of Waterloo, any of these could have been enough for one film to tell, yet Scott tries to tell Napoleon's entire life. With also reading that Scott is saving a 4-hour cut for the movie's streaming debut on Apple next year, you can really tell that this theatrical version is stripped down with many chunks cut out, resulting in choppy editing, and no breathing room for the narrative to have any emotional resonance. The movie feels rushed and unfinished, so I'd be interested to see how that 4-hour version next year will pan out, and if it will be a similar situation to Scott's other epic Kingdom of Heaven, where the Director's Cut is an entirely different movie to the original.

The other major issue is the characterization of the titular character. I'm not judging Phoenix's performance; he, Vanessa Kirby and the entire cast play their parts well - it is more so the way the character of Napoleon is written/treated that is the concern. Writer David Scarpa and director Ridley Scott are evidently trying to deconstruct Napoleon, yet they are unsure about how to go about it. He feels all over the place, with on one side this calm and calculated general, on the other an angry child, and finally this sex freak. They really should have focused primarily on only one of these, as instead Phoenix is forced to jump back and forth from scene to scene, and it feels like he's got some sort of multi-personality disorder. The character is very inconsistent and messy, and as such is more a caricature of the real-life figure rather than an impersonation. Vanessa Kirby's Josephine stands as the more well-written and thought-through character, yet due to the movie's rushed pace we don't get to spend nearly enough time with her, and by the end of the film she vanishes into the shadows when the writers again get stuck with what to do with her.

Napoleon is a solidly entertaining historical epic that harkens back to the old days of Hollywood. With surprising amounts of humour and also some truly incredible battle sequences, it feels cinematic and bold. Yet due to leaving too much footage on the cutting floor and a script that struggles to juggle all the real-life events as well as its titular character's layers, the movie fails at reaching the highs of Ridley Scott's other directorial efforts. Again, once the 4-hour version premieres on Apple this movie may then turn out to be a masterpiece, but until then it's simply a passable historic affair, if with some historical inaccuracies. Though don't mention that last part to Ridley Scott, he'll start having his own manchild moment again screaming "Get a life!".

Overall score: 7/10

7 notes · View notes

bowelfly · 1 year

Text

while i usually keep this blog focused on art and bugs, movies are my third big passion, and since i don't believe in streaming services i don't have a spotify wrapped for 2022 to show off but i do have a letterboxd account so i felt like going through my 2022 movie watching stats. this post is basically for me alone and will be obnoxiously long so i'll put in a read more thing here out of courtesy:

ooh so close to almost 1000 hours of movies! still 718 films is pretty good, though that does also include around 80 or so shorts, mostly animations, that i also logged.

i was averaging around 2 movies per day for the year. being 500 miles away from all your friends, family, and partner does give you a lot of free time it turns out. the most movies i watched in a single week, december 10-16, was 28. the weeks i only watched a couple things were either when i was visiting my partner or too depressed to even watch movies

one of the things i've done this year to keep myself sane in isolation was to stream movies for friends. however since i have multiple non-overlapping friend groups, there were a number of movies i watched multiple times because i have a deep psychological and emotional need to share weird shit with the people i care about. NOVA SEED, FANTASY MISSION FORCE, and BUDDHA'S PALM were the triple crown winners this year.

i only watched 7 movies that came out in 2022. my sweet spot is genre movies made from the late 70s through the mid-90s which you can see clearly if you look at my lifetime stats. predictably, i have very strong opinions about practical effects and stunts and film stock

my ratings spread for 2022 is about what it normally is for other years with a lot of things ending up in the 3.5-4 star range. maybe i'm just generous with my stars or maybe i just like what i like and try to not watch things i won't like unless they're bad in a fun way but i really feel like i've been moving away from the whole so-bad-its-good thing over the years and focusing on things that i unironically like--though these are often films that other people do categorize as bad or so-bad-its-good.

my most watched actors is a bunch of golden age hong kong dudes because i went super hard on the kung fu and wuxia films this year. like about half of these are big name stars and the other half are less well-known character actors that still are in like 200 movies playing assorted emperors and evil administrators. really glad to see my main man lo lieh running away with first place. he's most well known for playing evil white-haired kung fu masters usually named pai mei or variations of that, but he's also played the protagonist or antihero of a number of great films like FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH or THE FUGITIVE (1972, not the harrison ford one). my favorite role of his is without question Bi Gu of East Island the rascally kung fu wizard who hollers his name from offscreen before every time he enters a scene in BUDDHA'S PALM (1982).

also very pleased to see one of my favorite american character actors, brion james squeaking his way onto the list, though sad that he got separated from his best friend and frequent collaborator tim thomerson, who i think is just below the cut here.

most watched directors. i've been a huge fan of the very recently deceased albert pyun for years now, largely on the strength of his absolute god-tier masterpiece NEMESIS (1992) though he has a number of other very entertaining movies (RADIOACTIVE DREAMS, CYBORG) and also a cavalcade of very bad movies that are nonetheless all fascinating in their own ways. i could go on about him at length but this post is long enough. maybe another time.

other than that, chor yuen (THE MAGIC BLADE, DESCENDANT OF THE SUN) and chang cheh (CRIPPLED AVENGERS, FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS) are gods of early wuxia cinema and fucking rule, and keita amemiya's 90s work (ZEIRAM, MECHANICAL VIOLATOR HAKAIDER, CYBER NINJA) are pinnacles of kickass japanese practical effects work.

i also watched a lot of russ meyer and john waters films because i'm a pevert.

this is mostly just a reminder to check out my WUXIA WIZARD WARS tumblr post and letterboxd list if you like movies about wizards shooting lasers at each other and summoning fucked up monsters and shit like that

finally, because i have a brain disease, i made a list of the 100 best films i watched this year, mostly first-time watches but probably like 15-20 rewatches that i especially enjoyed or think more people should know about or give another shot. if i didn't already have way too many projects i'd consider setting up another sideblog just going through all these one by one with reviews and screenshots but that's a lot of work and i am a tired old man. i might give an occasional highlight post like i did for THE BARON AGAINST THE DEMONS

and i guess that's about it? this has been an especially heavy year for golden age hong kong kung fu and wuxia films but i explored a lot of other interesting places and times and genres and microgenres and have a lot more i plan on checking out next year. i've got stacks and stacks of unwatched japanese V-cinema and pinku violence and kaiju and tokusatsu films; tons of giallo and hammer horror and eurotrash lesbian vampire flicks; classic westerns, revisionist westerns, spaghetti westerns; SOV horror, eastern european stop motion, hong kong CAT III sleaze, russian postapocalyptic dirges, poliziotteschi, krimi, and noir films; AIP and PM Entertainment action schlock; italian mad max ripoffs, italian alien ripoffs, italian conan ripoffs; approximately 300 movies with NINJA, BLOOD, or SHAOLIN in their titles; and probably some other shit too.

finally, if you've made it this far and you're a nasty little film freak like me i'll let you in on a secret: i have copies of every single one of these movies on my hard drive. literally thousands of movies dug out of dozens of digital dumpsters with my own two greasy grabby raccoon paws. if any of them particularly catch your interest but you can't find a copy, well you can maybe slip old professor bfly a little private request and get yourself a copy of whatever you need. it may take some time since i only have so many google drive accounts unless someone wants to subsidize a deluxe mega.nz subscription for me to mass-upload things to. i also have a soulseek account sharing the entire hoard but it's very slow and not always online but you can DM me for that as well. again though you may have to be patient because i am old and tired and slow and have a full time job and a hundred dumb hobbies and social anxiety and generalized brain damage

happy new year everyone now go watch a movie about some dudes kicking the shit out of each other for me

#bfly talks movies #letterboxd #long post

36 notes · View notes