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#another life special video beyond live
herewegobebe · 2 years
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KEY 키 'Another Life' Special Video @Beyond LIVE ✧ 'GROKS IN THE KEYLAND'
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ultrakdramamama · 2 years
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KEY 키 'Another Life' Special Video @ Beyond LIVE - KEY : 'GROKS IN THE KEYLAND'
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KEY 키 The 2nd Album 〖Gasoline〗 ➫ 2022.08.30. 6PM (KST) #키 #KEY #샤이니 #SHINee #AnotherLife #Gasoline
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swampjawn · 2 months
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God I love animation. I love it for the way it can bring anything to life beyond the constraints of boring ol' reality, but also the ways that it's inextricably linked to, and draws on the conventions of live-action film-making.
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So fuck it, let's look at how Hayao Miyazaki straight up copies some camera framing techniques from his predecessor and the other most influential Japanese filmmaker of all time, Akira Kurosawa! (Kurosawa really was the master of framing scenes around his characters, so he's a great source of inspiration)
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(btw, this is a screenshot from this TV special where the two met for the first time just after the release of Kurosawa's final film. It's pretty interesting, and also very cute how nervous Miyazaki seems to be to meet one of his idols.)
Specifically, how the two each choose to break the 180 degree rule (well, not technically 'break' in the case of Kurosawa) to show their protagonists' changing destiny in "Throne of Blood" and "Princess Mononoke".
For anyone who doesn't know, the 180 degree rule is a basic film-making rule of thumb which states that in any scene where two characters interact, you should draw an imaginary line between them and the camera should always stay on one side of that line.
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("In the Mood for Love" - Wong Kar-wai)
This way, one character is always looking to the right of the camera, the other is always looking to the left, and the audience doesn't get confused by the geography of the scene. Crossing this line can be disorienting, but when done intentionally, it can convey a paradigm shift of some kind in the scene.
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In this scene from "Throne of Blood," (a feudal Japanese retelling of Macbeth) Washizu's wife Asaji discusses tactics with him and tries to convince him to aspire to the throne and to assassinate his lord Tsuzuki while he sleeps.
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As two servants appear to notify them that Washizu's sleeping quarters are prepared, the camera dollies left and around the characters' backs. This camera movement is motivated by the motion of the servants' torches outside the room, but it also signifies a change in Washizu's outlook.
Washizu is completely silent for most of this scene, contemplating his wife's advice. But as the camera slides behind his back and across the line of action, the scene is now re-framed, illustrating his change in perspective.
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He's been convinced and the trajectory of his life is about to change - and now, facing away from the camera, is the time for action.
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Because the camera slides smoothly across the line, Kurosawa isn't technically breaking the 180 degree rule. Miyazaki on the other hand, takes it a little further.
The complimentary scene in Princess Mononoke comes near the start when the wise woman of the village reads Prince Ashitaka's fortune after he's cursed by the wild boar spirit. She tells him that it is his fate to leave the village and travel to the west, where he may be able to lift the curse on his arm. The trajectory of Ashitaka's life changes in this moment too. As he accepts his fate, the change is symbolized by him cutting off his hair, but also by the camera jumping the line.
Throughout this dialogue scene and even as he cuts his hair, the simulated camera sits just slightly to the side of Ashitaka's left shoulder.
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But once it's done, for the final shot, the scene is reframed and we jump to the other side, where Ashitaka is now looking to the right of the camera instead of the left.
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Making the camera dolly across a scene like Kurosawa's version in 2D animation is no simple task, so this transition with a simple cut is in a way subtler, in another way a bit more jarring, but it conveys the same meaning.
This is the moment when our protagonists make the choice to embark on a new destiny and re-frame their lives.
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This has been an excerpt from a short video essay I made a while back, which not many people watched. I think this is at least in part due to my failure to package it well, and it seems you tumblheads like this animation/cinematography analysis stuff, so this is an experiment to see if, with the help of y'all, and a new title and thumbnail, it's at all possible to give this video a second wind in the eyes of the Youtube Gods!
So if you found this interesting, I'd appreciate if you checked it out! Thanks for reading!
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rboooks · 11 months
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The Adoptive Son. Part 3
A pair of large, cornflower blue eyes stare across the living room of a luxurious penthouse at a nervous-looking man. The pair belong to a young teenager named Tim Drake, who, for the past few weeks, had spoken only a handful of words with Dick since Operation Honey Pot had begun.
They were waiting for Crowne to go get the surprise he had special ordered for Drake from an acquaintance
He tended to stare at him whenever he was around. Sometimes Dick didn't think Drake would even blink. It felt a little like Drake was starstruck by Dick- but he couldn't figure out what he had done to earn such rapture from Drake.
Other times, Drake would study him the same way a scientist would study a newly discovered bug- fascinated but weary, as though he didn't know if it was dangerous. So the scientist needed to pin the bug to a board and take it apart to understand it.
It sort of made Dick uneasy.
The night Crowne had brought him back, Drake happily played some video games while his babysitter- a sweet college student named Nancy- had been working on her assignment at the table.
Drake had turned to greet Crowne and had promptly choked on his own spit at the sight of Dick. Crowne had run off to cook them a meal, insisting Nancy finish her homework and not worry as he cooked.
She had smiled gratefully, turning back to her books while Drake had been rooted by the tv, with the most awe-struck expression Dick had ever seen.
Dick is a little surprised by how well Crowne treats Nancy Salazar.
Nancy is studying to be a pediatric occupational therapist. She adores children and is fascinated by the physical therapist aspect of the medical field.
Dick had learned that Nancy had been struggling to pay her Gotham University tuition after losing her job to a rouge attacking her workplace and the company deciding they needed to make budget cuts to complete the repairs.
She had also fallen behind on her bills due to her father suffering a medical emergency and the family pooling together what little they had to help him get life-saving surgery.
Her dad had been the family's primary provider for as long as Nancy could remember. Since neither of her parents could speak English, they had limited employment options. Nancy's siblings were all younger then than her, so they couldn't help much with the bills.
She had tried to take over as the eldest daughter, but soon it became apparent she was close to losing the house her parents had left their home country for to build a better future for their children. It devastated her.
She had been on the brink of becoming desperate for any job when she had run into Crowne at a wifi-cafe shop. She had seen Tim struggling to get through the door with his wheelchair and had gone to help him. (the child had seen internet videos of parkour and chosen to attempt the tricks himself. He had broken his leg from jumping from one roof to another.)
Her kind actions got Crowne attention, and he invited her to sit with them, then witnessed her have a meltdown when the owner of the cafe told her he had just filled the barista position she had come for an interview for.
It must have all piled up until Nancy couldn't hold back.
Crowne and Drake had consulted her, listening to her woes. After she calmed down, the two adults exchanged contact information to get to know each other. He had offered a babysitting job with complete benefits and a full-ride scholarship. Crowne had even gone far and beyond, paying off all her father's medical expenses and debts.
Dick knew all this because he had done a background check on her to see if she was involved in Crowne's schemes. Her story felt just a tab bit too far fetch for all the good fortune of meeting Crowne that fateful day.
She even admitted that she was sure she would have resorted to a life of crime with how desperate she had been back then.
When she came back clean- just the eldest daughter of immigrants trying to make it in this hellish city- Dick had thought Crowne was infatuated with her.
Nancy was a very attractive young lady, and it would not be the first time a rich man took advantage of a woman in finical distress. He hadn't found evidence yet, but Dick would keep an eye on her to ensure she was safe.
Her involvement was a lot easier to dismiss than it was for Drake.
"You and Danny are dating. He told me last night." Drake says after about half an hour of Scientist-looking-at-bug staring.
Dick throws on his best Wanye smile, making sure it's both charming and besotted. "Yes. We've agreed to become official. I hope you don't mind."
Drake tilts his head, looking ironically enough like a bird. "That depends."
"On what?"
"On what your intentions with Danny are." Drake puts down his Crowne laptop, which Danny had been programming and designing back when they started talking. The design is still the slimmest Dick had ever seen, small enough that it sat comfortably in Drake's school back and robust enough that it worked for all his gaming and photo developing.
It took Crowne about two months to complete what he called "modern," but it wouldn't be out to the rest of the public until Christmas when Crowne planned to reveal it to raise profits as high as possible.
The only reason Drake was allowed to have a model so early was simply that Crowne obviously saw him as a younger brother and sometimes maybe even a son. Dick certainly pick that up in the two-month undercover mission.
He must win over Drake as soon as possible for the sake of the mission. So far, he's come up with nothing incriminating, but more kids have disappeared. If the other boy can't stand him, it will seriously risk his access to Crowne's home and any clues on the missing children.
"I want to give him the life he deserves." Dick settles on. He's noticed that Drake is crazy intelligent. There was no reason to outright lie and get caught if the boy was smart enough to connect the dots.
"Danny deserves the world." Drake nods, stating the words like a fact. "Whatever you searching for, you won't find here."
What?
"Do you not want me to date Danny?"
Drake pauses, carefully turning the question in his head before answering. "I want someone to date Danny because they like him"
"I do like him."
"Do you?" Drake's eyes are practically ice, and Dick gets the sense he just walked into a trap. Carefully, he double-taps his left belt loop sending a warning sound to the Batcave. They won't pull him out yet, but it will have either Babs or Jason nearby in gear, just in case.
A soft click is heard from his right earring, and he knows Alfred is listening.
"I really do." He says in a warm voice.
Drake seems skeptical.
"Danny always had people falling for him. I had to tell him Jenny Wilson wasn't asking him for a private tour of his kitchen when she tried to get him to bring her back to the penthouse. He honestly thought she cared about his grape peeler. He's like that, you know? Though thoughtful, caring, kind, intelligent, and strong, Danny can't see that people generally think he's what they would want in a romantic partner. I think he was bullied a lot as a kid before his adoption, and it's ruined his ability to see his worth."
Dick tries not to scowl. Yes, he's suspected the same thing. He just hopes it's not why Crowne has inflicted so much pain.
He can't stand people who use bullying as an excuse. It doesn't justify anything they do, it also demonizes the victims, and they get too scared to report what they are going through. ''I can't claim to not be like the other people because I don't know them. I know myself, and I can promise that every inch of me wants to see Danny living the life he deserves."
Whatever Drake is going to say gets cut off by Crowne walking back from the elevator carrying a box. "Tim, come look!"
He settles the box on the coffee table, so Drake can reach over and open it. There is a small gasp of delight from the boy as he pulls out a well-done Robin hoodie. It's not over the top like most Robin merch, but it's not subtle either. It's so nicely done. Dick can even tell it's based on Jason rather than him.
The second Robin is Drake's favorite. The teen prices it by holding it up and cheering, "Oh my gosh! I love it, I love it! Where did you get this!?"
"One of Nancy's friends is majoring in fashion design. She overheard me say I wanted to get the second Robin merch that wasn't a blatant grab for money, and she had her friend draw up some designs. I will sponsor her and sell her work in our stores."
Crowne is wearing a Robin hoodie of his own, but this one is based on Dick, and for a moment, his heart soars at the sight of Crowne in his family colors. It's a dangerous thing.
He knows one of the pitfalls of undercover work is getting too attached to the lies. He couldn't allow himself to actually fall for someone like Danny Crowne. Nothing good would come out of it once he saw him jailed for everything he's done.
He hasn't gotten anything to show Crowne's crimes, but Bruce had enough proof for the shell companies doing strange and dangerous experiments.
They needed to figure out what the experiments were attempting to do. Still, they found small clues: systematics showed weapons that didn't intend to harm humans, half-erased research on "eco-energy," what looked like machines attempting to rip holes in reality, and glowing green liquid that made Bruce pale when Jason brought back a simple.
It made Dick angry that the liquid prompted his ex-mentor to contact Talia al Ghul to ask, but she claimed to know nothing of Danny Crowne. Bruce felt she was lying, so after asking Wonder Woman and Superman for help, the big three went to Nanda Parbat to look for clues.
Dick wasn't sure what they found, but Bruce had a surprise for him back at the cave once he finished visiting his "boyfriend."
They could take down Crowne Co. with what they did have, but there was a chance Crowne could claim that his scientists went rogue and let them take the fall. Also, they didn't have any names of the scientists. It was like the invisible man was conducting them on his own.
Dick had to wait a little longer. See the big plan and unravel it so everything can never be rebuilt.
Yes, he's only seen a good man who may be socially awkward once you get past his regal composure, and his speech may be a bit too formal. A passionate inventor who always tried to find a new ways to improve people's lives, especially in medicine.
A man who cooked because he liked feeding people.
A man who offered a helping hand because his parents were often mocked for their careers- Dick suspected they may have been prostitutes based on the small comments of people thinking "it wasn't real jobs and they should be ashamed for themselves"- but most of all, Dick found a man who seemed lonely.
Someone lost after life displaced him, desperately trying to find himself again. It made Dick feel better knowing someone like him was doing the same.
"What is your opinion, Dick?" Crowne asks, doing a slight turn. Dic can't fight the urge to lean in for a quick kiss, telling himself it was all for the mission and the butterflies he felt in his stomach were terrible indigestion.
Crowne smiled into the kiss, pressing a second one on Dick's lips before leaning back, looking a little flustered still, and over his shoulder, he saw Drake's eyes narrow.
Maybe the kid was jealous?
He didn't know, but he better keeps an eye on Tim Drake. Something told him not to underestimate that boy.
"I got you a Nightwing too. The first Robin and Nightwing are one of my favorite heroes. They make me feel safe. I know I shouldn't worry with them guarding me at night." Crowne says, and Dick fights hard not to flinch.
You have no reason to feel guilt. It's for the mission.
He hopes he finds proof soon.
(Part 1), (part 2)
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thegreymoon · 4 months
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The Story of Minglan
Super hopeful we're now getting to the part where we finally get rid of Manniang 🙄 I am tired of her nonsense. She isn't even smart and her schemes are so vulgar and basic.
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Tingye, please listen to Nanny!
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Mmm... doubt that, but OK.
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LOL, she seems unhappy at the prospect of doing manual labour for a living 🤣🤣
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OH FUCK ALL THE WAY OFF 🤬🤬
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This is rich, coming from a man who has never once made a decision in his life without consulting his dick first 🙄
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LMAOOOOOOO, he couldn't sneak if his life depended on it 🤣🤣
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Aww, Minglan, cutie, reaching out to make up with Gu Tingye 😢
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Oh? 👀
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Why not? They couldn't swing it after all?
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I find it fascinating that all these high-born women were still expected to cook.
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I can't imagine a European duchess or queen cooking anything ever unless it was a special hobby or something. When I think back on other harems in c-dramas I've seen, all the consorts/wives cooked. For example, in Nirvana in Fire we see Consort Jing being especially good at it.
Even in 2ha, Taxian-jun, who was a whole emperor at the time and had countless servants to prepare his food, insisted that Chu Wanning cook for him, even though he was terrible at it. He personally taught him to make that rice porridge and he ate it no matter what slop Chu Wannning ended up concocting. Of course, cooking and eating is Mo Ran's love language, so it made sense that he insisted on Chu Wanning doing this for him, because he desperately needed to feel loved by him, but it still seems like cooking was the norm rather than an exception among all high-level wives.
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SHE WAS SELLING HIS MOTHER'S STUFF?
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LMAO, oh, Manniang, you are so done! 🤣🤣
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Honestly, Manniang is so embarrasing.
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There she was, thinking she was fit to play on the big chessboard with the likes of Madam Qin and the rest of the nobles, but she got caught out like a rat by Nanny Chang through some elementary-level trickery. Truly pathetic.
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How is he penniless when he has farmlands and shops in his possession?
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Also, how is it even possible for some rando to sell land registered to another person without their consent?
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Wait, who's alive?
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How does anyone ever fall for this bullshit?
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Why should he be the one to kill your treacherous ass and then carry you around on his conscience?
Fuck off and go die on your own terms, if you're so eager.
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LMAO, classic DARVO.
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Just boot her out already! I swear, men will stick their dicks into anything that comes attached to a pretty face.
She's not even a competent liar, Tingye! Please find some self-respect.
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I mean, good, I am beyond sick and tired of her whiny, fake baby voice, but I'm worried she'll try to harm the kids.
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Storywise, it makes sense, because we can't have competition for Minglan's legitimate offspring 🙄
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With a mother like you, who needs enemies?
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God, if she whines, "Erlaaaaaaaaang," once more in that slimy soft voice, I will break something, it grates on my nerves so badly.
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I went down an ASMR rabbit hole sometime back and there were these women using this fake baby voice to narrate their shitty videos. It unnerved me so much. I can't even pinpoint the reason, it's just that all the alarm bells I have in my brain start blaring when I hear it.
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LOL, of course she does.
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heliza24 · 10 months
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Wilhelm closing the curtains
I know people have varying opinions on the moment when Wilhelm closes the curtains in 2.5, but to me it’s always felt really special, in a way that goes beyond a reaction to past trauma. There is something about that action that feels really sacred to me, but I was struggling to articulate what until I started talking with @bluedalahorse about it. She said something so great that it sparked a bunch of ideas in my head: what if we thought about Hillerska, not just as a school deeply entrenched in the class system, but as a panopticon?
A panopticon is “a disciplinary concept brought to life in the form of a central observation tower placed within a circle of prison cells. From the tower, a guard can see every cell and inmate but the inmates can't see into the tower. Prisoners will never know whether or not they are being watched.” Basically, it’s a conceptual prison where because  you could be observed at any moment, you behave as if you are always being observed.
Now obviously Hillerska isn’t a literal prison; this is a metaphor more than anything. But I think it’s a useful way of examining the dynamics in the school.  Because the adults at Hillerska aren’t the only ones enforcing upper class values and hierarchy. The students are also policing each other  as well. That means that any student could be observed “breaking the rules” established for upper class kids at any time. An important part of the unspoken rules you agree to at Hillerska are to follow the traditions set out for you, and to keep the authentic, vulnerable version of yourself hidden. It’s very important that you only show vulnerability in sanctioned ways, and to the correct people.
There are a lot of tangible ways this system of self-policing manifests. There’s the “get on the table” tradition, which allows the Forest Ridge boys to monitor each other’s hookups to make sure that everyone is picking appropriate partners. There’s the pledge that August makes Wilhelm take after his initiation, to “never betray the proud traditions of Forest Ridge House”. And there’s the system of prefects, where one student is elected to explicitly control and discipline the other students. 
I would say that the royal family and the court operate in much the same way. The members of the royal family are always policing each other for good behavior, and the apparatus of the court and the royal staff works to cover up any deviant acts and reinforce the status quo. The royal family is always being observed by the public and the media, so they are always careful to act with propriety. So between the palace and Hillerska, Wilhelm has lived his whole life being observed. He’s never been free of the panopticon. 
Thinking about Hillerska in this way can really help us understand August’s actions in season 1. When August records and posts the video, he’s acting in the way that he’s been trained to do. Wilhelm has broken the rules in a few ways: by having sex with another boy, by falling in love outside of his class, and maybe most importantly, by being intimate with someone who lives largely outside of the panopticon and can therefore not be controlled by it. As Nils tells us in season 2, the rules about who you can be intimate with are very image-dependent. You can have gay sex as long as the person you’re sleeping with will be discreet. But Simon is an outsider. His ties to his family and Marieberg mean that he’s immune to the Hillerska panopticon in a lot of ways. So it makes total sense that August would act almost without thinking (he’s intoxicated when he records the video) to reinforce the rules and punish Wilhelm for stepping out of line like this. 
To return to the royal family for a minute, I am continuously fascinated by the way that Kristina reacts to Wilhelm threatening to post on social media that he is stepping down as Crown Prince. The most powerful threat that Wilhelm can make is to remove the power of his immediate observers (the royal family and of the court) by exposing his true self to the general public. The panopticon relies on your close circle observing and controlling you, but as soon as you reveal your authentic self publicly, the power of that circle disappears. When Kristina tells Wilhelm “you have to realize that there will be reactions when you threaten us” in 2.2, she basically draws a line between Wilhelm the Person and Wilhelm the Prince. Wilhelm the Person was threatening Wilhelm the Prince, and by extension the whole royal family and circle of observation. 
Because of that I think it’s important to remember that Kristina leverages therapy not as a genuine solution for Wilhelm’s mental health struggles, but as a tool of the panopticon. Therapy is supposed to teach Wilhelm how to better control and suppress his emotions, so that he can act more controlled while he is being observed. I know some people like to speculate that Erik was also struggling under the weight of the crown before his death, and that may be true. But I also think it’s important to recognize that Erik was using coping skills that were explicitly approved by the panopticon system. Wilhelm never knew he went to therapy, which meant he was likely using it as Kristina intended, as a way to help him maintain a perfect princely image. He was having hookups with sex workers, who could certainly be controlled and paid off enough to ensure that they never threatened his image. And he was (at least) casually drinking, a form of self medicating that might be seen as more acceptable by his family and the court than relying on actual pharmaceuticals. (There’s certainly a longer tradition of princes and kings drinking than taking antidepressants). I think that if Erik had lived, he would be sympathetic to Wilhelm’s plight. But I also think that he would have encouraged Wilhelm to deal with his problems through officially sanctioned methods, which ultimately wouldn’t have been enough to help Wilhelm.
So now let’s finally return to the window and the curtain. The idea of a window through which the prisoner is observed is crucial to the concept of the panopticon, and I think it’s really interesting to contrast the way that August and Wilhelm react to it. August takes the call from the palace, where Jan-Olaf maps out his future to him, standing naked in front of the window. August is comfortable with this system of observation and control; he’s consenting to Jan-Olaf’s demands without argument and is unafraid to be seen while doing so. He’s a part of and protected by the system, so it doesn’t matter if anyone sees him.
When Wilhelm closes the curtain for him and Simon though, he’s effectively taking himself out of the panopticon. He’s taking away the pressures that come with being observed and freeing them both to behave genuinely. I think that’s a really big deal for Wilhelm, who was raised in the royal system of control and is now living in the social hierarchy of Hillerska. As much as closing the curtains is a reaction to what August did, it’s also a revolutionary act. Claiming privacy in that way is a really big step in Wilhelm’s journey, and I think it’s something he had to do first before he was ready to publicly claim his queerness and relationship with Simon at the end of Season 2. 
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mako-neexu · 7 months
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i still think about that one video about guda's trash heap theory so wild??????????? ashfglakdfb i wish the mushroom would give more information about it already. iirc it was 2 hour ish? yes im a very normal guda fan who goes so far to watch a 2 hour documentary/theory about my favorite self insert protagonist but tldr (+some notes i found in my discord server since i forgr the youtube link and i have to search my history later) is basically goetia's plan of incineration burned the concept of not only life but also death which led to the "aftermath/wreckage" of death having nowhere to go but the only living human of the present who is always present at rayshifts. along with that aftermath/malignant information (grudges of the dead and their wishes) it went to guda and mash as evident in their shared dream together in scathach interlude. regular clean up is necessary when it comes to these malignant information that SHOULD be processed in the underworld. then as ogawa heim was mentioned dantes' purpose in creating the pseudo singularity was a place of rest for dead spirits with nowhere to go since goetia of course recruited him with the thought of "there is no underworld for these spirits to go. thus i will have the count of monte cristo make a singularity from the tower. create a waste pit for those spirits to dwell in" but of course gankutsuou hates goetia but goetia again made a prison tower/hunting ground modeled after the chateu d'lf to eliminate guda and again that didnt work since king of the cavern fell for guda and thus a remnant of him remained in guda's "trash heap"/"waste pit" as someone who regulates it. again since dantes betrayed goetia, goetia decided to use the demons to control the waste pit itself since someone HAS to regulate the trash heap no matter what or else if it overflows even goetia knows theres bad consequences. and after fujimaru defeated goetia and the 72, no one else was managing phh's waste pit anymore. so of course fujimaru's own "trash heap" would have finished its roll. but of course that wasnt the case. the theorist says that all humans have these "trash heaps" (evident by mash and guda dream share in scathach interlude) but only guda was a special case because they are far more exposed to singularities + the "soul" of mankind was lost in part 2 prologue, guda's own trash heap was turned into phh's waste pit. so its not guda's anymore. its no longer guda's "personal" property. normally, it should be the underworld to handle the "malignant information" but as the original underworld of phh was gone from the incineration of humanity, ogawa heim was destroyed, and the demons handling the trash heap was also gone, it had nowhere to go but the human closest to the action, closest to death's door themselves, closest to all these ghosts and these souls. they also mentioned something from lord el melloi's adventures? im not familiar with it but its an interesting phrase. "a person can only forgive one murder in their lifetime. but most people would use that one instance for themselves to accept their own death." "if one person were to kill another with emotions beyond their control, that person would bear the same degree of emptiness. and that void would be equal to one human being." which also means that the "trash heap"/"waste pit" of a human is only enough to house the self's own "malignant information"/"curses". so in regard's to guda's waste pit, it is no longer theirs since the accumulated curses keep flowing into them. their trash heap has become like that because its the effect of the earth's bleaching.
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hausbabylon · 1 year
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hexed hearts
Wanda Maximoff x Reader
Word count: 7,390
A/N: First Wanda story! I’m not sure if this has never been written or if this is a huge cliché of a story, however, I enjoyed creating this, and I hope you all enjoy reading it.
Warnings: Infidelity, illicit affair, mind-manipulation, cliffhanger ending.
You're a researcher who intends to investigate the strange occurrences happening in the town of Westview. Your inspection leads you to Wanda Maximoff, the cause of the anomaly, and a confrontation ensues.
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You arrived in New Jersey on a crisp autumn day, eager to begin your investigation. As a researcher specialized in anomalies studies, you were totally captivated by the Westview case, therefore you didn't hesitate to check out this small town.
It was harder than you thought to get any information. The entire place was covered by some sort of veil, and no one with whom you managed to communicate seemed to want to know about what was happening.
So, you decided to take matters into your own hands and launched a small drone to break into the area. The device was equipped with the most advanced technology, meaning it could record real time, and you hoped that you would be able to gather some valuable data from its surveillance footage.
As the drone flew over the town, you were stunned to see that it had entered some kind of force field.
At first, everything seemed normal enough. Westview had charming, picturesque characteristics all over it. But as you began to dig deeper, you noticed something, or rather, someone.
Suddenly, the drone's video cut out, leaving only a glitchy screen. You tried to regain control of the drone, but it was impossible.
Frustrated, you made your way to the force field to see what had happened.
You stumbled upon Wanda's intense, fiery red eyes, provoking the biggest feeling of panic to rise within you in a matter of seconds. As far as you knew, she was responsible for all this.
"You were trying to spy on me, weren't you?" Wanda's voice was laced with anger and suspicion.
"No, I swear! I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to understand what was happening in this town," you tried to sound as sincere as possible, hoping to ease her rage.
"You don't understand anything," Wanda yelled, startling you. "You don't understand the sorrow, the dread, the suffering. You don't understand what it's like to lose everything you love and have nothing left."
"I'm sorry. I promise I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again," your voice was trembling as you spoke.
You knew she loved the weakness you were presenting, it was notorious given the expression of amusement she had drawn all over her face.
"I can't let you go," she answered, her tone final. "You're a threat to everything I've built here. I can't have that. I won't let you ruin everything."
Desperately trying to come up with a way out of this mess, you pleaded for mercy.
***
It was a beautiful summer day in Westview, perfect for a pleasant walk.
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and everything seemed perfect. In this picturesque town, nothing seemed to matter at all. You felt happy and content, living a simple life in this idyllic environment.
You had a job in a vinyl shop, therefore you spent your days surrounded by records, helping people find whatever they needed. In the evenings, you mostly spent time with your friends, gossiping about the latest news and events in town. Life in Westview was perfect. The thought of anything outside of this town seemed odd to you.
You were on your way to get yourself another smoothie during a day out with your friends when you saw her.
You were completely taken aback. Her beauty was beyond words, and her presence was captivating. Her red hair framed her face perfectly, and her stunning green eyes were full of emotion and depth. Her features were delicate yet powerful, and you found yourself mesmerized by her every move.
When she caught you staring, you felt your heart pounding its way out of your chest. You thought she was going to look away, or worse, look at you badly, however instead...
"Hi there," she greeted you with a soft smile.
"H-hi," you replied shyly, reciprocating.
"I'm Wanda," she introduced herself, extending her hand.
"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met before," you said, taking her hand. "And I'm (Y/N)."
"It's okay," she said, still smiling. "I just wanted to welcome you to town."
You nodded, completely mesmerized by every single detail that made her up, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Wanda."
As you continued walking, she asked you about your life in Westview. You told her about your job and your hangouts with friends.
She listened intently, until she concluded, "It sounds like you have a wonderful life here," she observed. Every word she spoke was filled with warmth and kindness.
You agreed, feeling a strange mix of happiness, "Yes, I do. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else."
You couldn't get rid of the thought that there was something more about Wanda. Nevertheless, you quickly dismissed it from your mind, deciding to focus on the simple pleasures of your life in Westview.
From that day on, you were inseparable. You crossed paths every so often, and each time, your connection grew stronger. You talked about everything, exploring the town and getting to know each other. You found yourself falling unavoidably in love with her.
One sunny afternoon, the redhead and you were enjoying a picnic in the park. You had packed a basket full of your favorite foods, and you were lounging on a blanket under the shade of a tree.
As you chatted and laughed, you couldn't help but simply think about her, appreciate her. She had become your closest friend, and you trusted her completely.
You reached for the last strawberry that remained, but she playfully pulled the plate away from you, "Not so fast," she refused, a mischievous glint in her eye.
You rolled your eyes and chuckled, reaching for the plate again. This time, you managed to grab it, quickly putting it in your mouth before she could snatch it from you.
After finishing your food, you were just laying on the grass as you watched the clouds. You chatted about your favorite music, exchanging recommendations and opinions. Wanda had a great sense of humor, and you teased each other relentlessly about your tastes.
"You like that song? Ugh, I could never guess you were that type of person," she laughed.
"It's a guilty pleasure," you justified.
"Fair enough. But if you want great music, I can give you some recommendations."
"Deal," you agreed, eager to know more of her interests.
You kept enjoying the warm sun and cool breeze, until the older woman invited you over to her place to listen to her records and drink some lemonade.
As you walked to her house, she continued chatting about her vinyl collection, stating that you would love every single one of them, given her similar music taste.
However, when you made it there, you were surprised to see a man there on the porch, reading the newspaper as two kids played hide and seek in the small garden.
"Hey, Vis, this is my friend, (Y/N)," Wanda introduced you.
"Oh, it's famous (Y/N)! So nice to finally meet you," he kindly said as he stood up and smiled widely at you.
"Tommy! Billy! Come here for a moment, I'll introduce you to someone special," the redhead called the kids, and immediately, one of them stopped counting and the other came out from his hiding place.
It was then that you realized that this man, Vision, was Wanda's husband, and they had two kids together.
You felt shattered and confused. You had no idea that she was married and had a family, and the fact that she had asked you to come to her home made you feel like you had unknowingly crossed a line. It all began to sink in. You had developed feelings for someone who was already taken, and you didn't know what to do.
You started to distance yourself from her, and it was probably the most painful decision. At some point, you started questioning if it was worse to be surrounded by her even if it made you suffer, or not to be surrounded by her at all.
You missed her madly, however you knew that it was the right thing to do. It was hard seeing her every day, and despite the fact that you tried your best to stay away, you found yourself constantly drawn to her, lost in thoughts of what could have been.
At some point, it was unbearable to continue like this. You needed to move on and find someone who was available and could return your feelings. So, you started dating someone sweet and kind, hoping that a new person would fill the void in your heart.
Too little avail, for you simply couldn't quit daydreaming of her smile, the way she wrinkled her nose whenever you teased her, her piercing eyes that acquired a peculiar bright when she ate her favorite food... she all etched into your heart.
You realized too late that you had made a mistake by distancing yourself from her. Wanda moved on with her life, and you were right where she left you. You should have talked to her and told her how you felt. Although she might've found it obvious, it was too much of a coincidence that you cut her off from your life right after she introduced you to her husband and her kids.
You thought that she would reject you when you asked her to meet, nevertheless, she didn't hesitate for one second to ask how you were and subsequently, told you that there wasn't a day she wondered what had happened.
You liked to believe that she thought of you from time to time, and a sense of bliss took over you when you confirmed that indeed she did.
"Wanda," you said, looking around her living room filled with pictures of her and her husband, and her kids. "I needed to let you know that there is nothing wrong with you."
She looked at you, her beautiful green eyes meeting yours. Oh, how you missed them, "What is it?" she questioned.
"I've been trying to deny it for a while now, but I can't help the way I feel about you," you started, your voice breaking with each word, knowing that this would probably mean a goodbye for good. "I'm in love with you."
"I... I don't know what to say," she replied, her eyes growing wider. "I had no idea you felt this way."
"It's been eating me away. I just had to tell you."
She reached out and took your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "I'm married," she said softly.
"I know," you answered, feeling a pang of disappointment, which you were expecting but never truly prepared for. "I don't intend to cause any disruptions. I just needed..."
"I'm in love with you too," she interrupted, her voice filled with emotion. "I want to be with you."
Your heart leaped with joy, almost so suddenly that you felt like you were going to pass out. Wanda, your dear Wanda, shared your feelings!
As she leaned in, your lips met, and a rush of electricity coursed through your body. She wrapped her arms around your waist as she deepened the kiss, pulling you in closer.
Your mouths moved in perfect sync. You tangled your fingers in her hair as her own hands roamed over your back, reveling in the warmth of her embrace. Time seemed to stand still as you lost yourselves in the moment, consumed by the intensity of your desire for one another. Finally, you pulled away, breathless and flushed with the realization of what was about to start between you.
But then, the realization hit you. Wanda was married, with kids. You couldn't just come in and ruin her life like this.
"I know this is complicated," she commented, as if your thoughts were so loud for her to hear. "I promise you, we'll figure it out together."
And just like that, you were together. It was a surprising turn of events, but it felt so right to be with her. You knew that you had a lot to deal with, given her marriage, but as long as you were together, nothing else mattered.
Your dates were the most romantic in the world. The way Wanda would get all dressed up, pick you up promptly and always look for an opportunity to surprise you. You would talk for hours and laugh until your cheeks hurt. You thought it was perfect.
But there was something missing.
You tried to be understanding and patient, however it was becoming harder and harder.
You broke down when one time you walked out of the restaurant, you couldn't resist the urge to take Wanda's hand in yours. But as soon as you did, she pulled away and looked around nervously.
"Please, not in public," she whispered, avoiding eye contact.
You felt a pang of hurt and frustration. You had been dating for months now, and yet she still acted as though you were hiding some dark secret. There was almost nobody around, ten people maximum who were too invested in their own lives. No one was looking.
When she dropped you off, you confronted her, probably for the thousandth time already.
"Why can't we be together openly?" you asked, trying to keep the anger out of your voice.
"Because I have a family that I love," she replied, notoriously irritated for having this conversation again. "You knew what you were getting into when we started this."
"You act like I'm some sort of inconvenience to you," you snapped, tears already pricking at the corners of your eyes.
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at you, her voice rising with anger, "You know what? Maybe you are an inconvenience. It's not like you appreciate the sacrifices I have to make in order to be with you!"
You felt your heart sink as her words hit you like a ton of bricks. "Why the fuck would you say such stupidity? You've respected my decisions, even if you don't always agree with them."
"You don't know the half of what I have gone through," the older woman spat, her voice trembling. That was the moment you knew she was losing it. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have to lie to your own family every day? Everything I have right now, I earned it after so much sorrow. I won't toss it in the trash just to be with an ungrateful brat."
You took a step back, feeling hurt and confused, "I never asked you to do any of it. I just want to be with you, to introduce you to my friends as my girlfriend..."
"I can't give you that," she shot back, "You want everything to be easy and perfect, maybe you should just find someone else who can give you what you want."
You felt a lump form in your throat as her words stung you deeply, "What do you mean, Wanda? Are you breaking up with me?" She remained silent, leaving you hurt and confused, unsure of what to do or say next, "Fine, then maybe we should just end things here."
She finally spoke, "No, that's not what I want," she replied, her tone growing softer. "I'm sorry," she apologized, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know I'm not the easiest person to be with."
Despite all this, you couldn't help but fall more in love with her every day. She was kind, intelligent, and beautiful.
Taking a deep breath, you looked into her eyes and told her how much you loved her. You explained how much this whole situation hurt you.
"I just feel like we're never going to be able to be truly happy if we keep hiding."
Wanda stopped and looked at you, her eyes searching yours. "I know, and I don't want that for us either. I'll try to be more open, I promise."
You thought that this little talk would make a change for the better. This was only the beginning of what it would be like to emerge from the fire only to fall into the embers.
***
The reality of Westview that Wanda Maximoff had built up was already a part of your bitter past.
You had been completely immersed in said alternate reality, but you couldn't recall what happened there. Your recollection of that time was probably suppressed or deleted when you returned to what you perceived as your current reality, leaving you with no idea of what transpired in Westview during this bizarre and surreal period.
You frequently experienced being attracted into vivid dreams that felt terribly real. She was supposed to be the enemy, your enemy, but some dreams tightened their grip on your heart with tenderness, so much so that, inevitably, you felt longing and attraction towards the redheaded woman.
Every night, you hoped with all your might to have one of those nocturnal reveries that involved words of love, walks around town, laughter, and other memorable moments. On one night, however, that wasn't the case...
"What's the matter, darling?" you asked, putting down your bag and approaching her.
She didn't answer, just kept flipping through the photos.
"I don't like that," she said, holding up a photo of you with someone you couldn't quite recognize.
"That's just a picture of me with a co-worker in a reunion," you responded, perplexed at how she was intending to make a big deal out of it.
"Too close, look at how she's grabbing your waist," she snapped, raising her voice. "Whenever I visit you at your work, you're always by her side and I hate it."
You tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen and just kept flipping through the photos, getting angrier and angrier.
What happened next made you truly wonder, was you crazy or did her eyes actually turn red?
You felt a knot in your stomach while your hands trembled with fear, and you had a feeling that something horrible was going to happen. You were paralyzed, unable to move or breathe.
"Why the fuck are you just standing there?" She yelled as she turned to you with said red eyes.
"Wanda, please calm down," you whispered, taking a step back. "You're scaring me."
She got up from the table and started pacing, still holding the Polaroid that upset her the most.
"I can't believe you're doing this to me," she finally said, so calmly that it scared you even more. "Betraying me, huh?"
"I could never betray you," you stated. "I love you and only you."
It was like she did not listen to anything you said at all, ignoring your attempts to clarify the misunderstanding that was all in her head. "I can't stand the thought of you seeing someone else," she shook her head. "You belong with me."
Her words sent shivers down your spine, "Yes, I belong to you. You're the only one I love," you reiterated.
She grabbed your hand and pulled you closer to her, much to your surprise. "Prove it," she whispered dangerously close to your lips. "Prove to me how much you love me."
You woke up abruptly, immediately feeling a cold sweat running down your back, definitely due to the terror that felt so real. And you couldn't deny that frustration took hold of you afterward, for as was typical, the best part was cut short.
***
You waited for what seemed like a lifetime; nevertheless, Wanda Maximoff finally stood in front of you, looking as lovely as in your dreams.
"Hi, Wanda," you greeted her, stunned at her beauty.
"Hello," she replied, with a glimpse of a smile on her lips. Her green eyes acquired that peculiar brightness you already knew all too well.
"I'll get straight to the point. I don't understand what happened between us in Westview. These dreams, were they not dreams but rather... memories?" you asked, desperate for answers.
"I used my powers to draw you into my reality because I felt like you were threatening what I created," she explained. "At first, I started to be your friend so I could keep an eye on you, but as time went by... I swear to you, even if what I created was not real, what I felt for you was the realest thing in the midst of it all."
You stood and stared at her without a word. You never expected her to show you such honesty so easily.
She seemed very willing to do things right, and perhaps her way of doing so was by simply surrendering to the acceptance of her bitter situation and leaving everyone alone. Nevertheless, you didn't want her to leave you alone, not after what you had lived.
"I- I..." you started, but she cut you off.
"You don't have to say anything," she responded. "You think that it was wrong. And you're right, I shouldn't have done it, you have a life and a free will on your own like everyone else in Westview. I was just so lost in my own grief."
You looked at her and understood her pain better than you thought possible. "I'm sorry for what you went through," you said, taking a step closer to her. "What's your final decision?"
"I want to focus on the only true love I've always had for granted if everything fell apart. On you."
Your heart leaped. "What do you mean?" you asked, not sure if you heard her correctly.
"I love you," she established, taking a step closer to you. "We barely know each other in this reality, but the feelings I have for you are real, your essence is real, and I want to get to know you for who you are. If you allow me this time, of course."
"Wanda, I'm flattered but... I feel like you consider me a substitute for Vision."
"I could never," she assured you, grabbing your hand. "Even when I had Vision with me, I never considered you a substitute, a second choice, or a fling. You were my love too, a unique love in its own way, simply that," she continued. "I couldn't stand losing you too, knowing you're somewhere over there. That was why I was visiting you in your dreams, giving you your memories back little by little."
You looked into her eyes, and the weight of her words sank in. That was when you knew that you couldn't resist her anymore. The warmth that had spread through your chest grew stronger, as a grin spread across your face. "You don't have to ask again," you said, inviting her into your arms, to which she didn't hesitate for a single second. "I'm already yours."
And as you held her, you knew that nothing else mattered. It seemed like the entire world vanished, and the only ones who existed in that moment were her and you, two souls reencountering, wrapped up in a warm embrace.
The months passed, each one bringing with it a seed sown in the soil of your hearts.
They say it doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you don't stop. How true it was, for each small step guided Wanda on the path to rediscovering joy in her life.
"Hey! If you keep digging on the glaze, we won't have a way to decorate the cookies," the redhead scolded you, making you let out a growl of frustration.
It was perhaps the third time you had tried unsuccessfully to take some of the sweet glaze that was temptingly resting on the kitchen counter while she was distracted checking on the cookies.
"Then why do you make it so delicious? It's not my fault you're good at everything," you inquired, taking another bit, and before she could protest, you placed some on the tip of her nose.
She wrinkled her nose, which you always considered adorable, "Mmm, resorting to flattery to get what you want. It doesn't work on me," she stated, taking your waist in her hands, in a firm yet delicate grip.
"What, now you can't praise your beautiful girlfriend and everything she does?"
"Not when there's glaze around," she directed both eyes to the tip of her nose, which still had the little stain you caused earlier. Laughing, you removed it with a napkin and subsequently kissed the area.
The cookies came out of the oven, spreading a delicious smell around the house. Some were star-shaped, heart-shaped, Christmas tree-shaped, and gingerbread man-shaped. You started eating them once you headed out into the backyard of her house, with the starry sky above you.
She looked up at the stars, which seemed to be aware that somewhere a passionate couple was going to appreciate them, as they were brighter than usual.
Despite this, it didn't take you ten seconds to turn your attention to her. The most admirable landscape of all was right next to you.
"I love you," you told her. You repeated it to her every time you stopped to appreciate her and therefore think about how lucky you were to be surrounded by the presence of someone so wonderful, which happened many, many times.
She looked at you, and with that smile she specifically adopted when you directed those three words towards her, she replied, "I love you more, my sweetheart. Thank you for teaching me every day that this world has its charm. You are the best demonstration of all."
All the progress she seemed to have made crumbled in just one careless, reckless moment of curiosity.
When she confiscated the Darkhold from Agatha, she had the ancient magic book at her mercy and really did nothing more than flip through it. It was only recently that she decided to actually open it and study it.
Since then, the days and weeks went by in which she did nothing more than that. It was her first thought in the morning after getting up and her last thought before falling asleep. At first, you didn't think much of it, in fact, you were somewhat happy that she had found an interest on her own initiative.
You were so naive in believing that she was just curious, and that she was really going to study the contents of that dangerous book without actually putting something into practice.
The only complete sentence she addressed to you since all that time was about bringing her sons Billy and Tommy back.
Her eyes possessed a peculiar mixture of longing and illusion at the same time. You knew then that no matter how much she had improved since the incident in Westview, there was an emptiness that gnawed at her and it was the absence of her sons.
You were mindful of how dangerous the Darkhold was, and that the dark powers it possessed were not something to be played with, much less if it was for her own desires. You tried to persuade her to drop the possibility of doing that, but she seemed quite convinced. It only remained for you to continue pretending that her sick interest in that book was not affecting your relationship.
She became even more distant, if that was possible. She spent all day immersed in those pages to such an extent that she forgot everything else in her life, like eating or even sleeping. She had left behind her purpose of acceptance in the face of the fact that nothing about Westview was real. It wasn't enough for her that she and her children were happily living in another universe, she wanted it to happen in her current one.
And you couldn't help but feel frustrated, as well as guilty. You did everything you could to make her happy and to make a positive contribution to her life, but it wasn't enough, it only took one book for all that to go down the drain. You felt so guilty, for you were also allowing her to go out of her way. You should have insisted more, however, you didn't want to make her mad, or make her think like you didn't care about her sorrow.
And little by little, the day when you officially gave up came.
You had placed a sandwich on her nightstand, still with a shred of hope that she would eat. It pained you to see her with those huge dark circles under her eyes, a sign that she wouldn't leave that book even for a little sleep, and you were troubled by the way the breakfast you had placed on her nightstand that morning was still untouched.
"Please, eat something. You didn't have breakfast," you requested in a tone that had long since become a plea. Most of the time, this was in vain.
It is well said that it is a stupid thing to think about doing the same thing and expect different results. In your case, it could be called delusional.
"I'm not hungry, but thank you," the redhead replied, without looking up.
"Of course you're not hungry, you're so invested in that fucking thing that it distracts you from even listening to your own body," you grumbled, resigned that this would be another day just like the others. This routine became monotonous, and you were beginning to lose patience.
"If you don't like it, you know you can leave," she snapped, leaving you stunned at her rudeness.
"Okay, I'll do you the best of favors and leave, for good."
Her green eyes met yours, and at that fact alone, you regretted the decision you made. Instantly, you felt so willing to take back what you said and continue to suffer only if there was a one in a million chance that you could experience this again.
"You can't leave me!" Wanda's trembling voice echoed through the room, her eyes flashing with anger.
"I promise, it won't make any difference for you," you countered, steeling yourself to make this decision final.
You headed for the bedroom door, determined to put all this behind you. It was something that hurt, but sometimes running is the brave thing to do, for maintaining was more torture than letting go.
You felt a strong grip on your arm as soon as your hand was about to turn the doorknob, She grabbed you tightly, her eyes blazing red with fury, "I said, you can't leave me. I won't let you."
You tried to pull away from her grasp, but she was surprisingly strong. You knew this was not a human force. "Wanda, please let me go. You're hurting me..."
But she wouldn't listen.
"No!" Her jaw clenched in desperation, tears cutting tracks through her face. Her grip on your arm tightened even more, as her fingers were digging into your flesh like claws.
You weren't sure how, but the sight of those mesmerizing green eyes was enough to make you feel the need to not only stay with her but to do what you could to be of her convenience.
"Repeat after me," she ordered you. "I swear to keep the Scarlet Witch's secrets, never betray her trust, and serve her faithfully until my dying day."
Without any difficulty whatsoever, and in the most willing manner ever to come from your lips, you repeated: "I swear to keep the Scarlet Witch's secrets, never betray her trust, and serve her faithfully until my dying day."
Since then, you had the honor of assisting Wanda in multiple stages of her Darkhold dominance.
You were in charge of pleasing her in all aspects, finding certain items or scouting locations that were required for some rituals or spells, but perhaps the most remarkable thing was when she taught you about astral projection.
She ordered you to keep an eye on Stephen Strange because he contacted her not long ago. It took exhaustive practice over many hours for you to be ready for such a thing, without him noticing your presence.
The first few days were boring to witness, as they were full of cheap tricks that were no match for the power of your beloved Wanda Maximoff herself. However, you eventually found out the reason why, and it was something that would be of utmost convenience to the redhead in question.
"My mistress," you ran to Wanda in hurried steps. "Stephen Strange was found by a girl named América Chavez. She has the ability to travel between multiverses. That's the reason why he contacted you, I'm certain."
"Interesting," Wanda replied. "Apparently, Stephen is more naïve than he thought. You can go now."
"Yes, my lady," you responded obediently, kissing the corner of her lips.
"Don't distract me," she protested, slightly angry.
"I-I'm sorry," you lowered your head, with palpable embarrassment.
You felt her hand touch your cheek, and subsequently, her index finger and thumb caused you to look up.
"Hey, I'm proud of you, okay?" Her gaze softened, and a small smile graced her lips. "So far, you've obeyed my orders, you've been willing to learn from the Darkhold to serve me, and you've never refused a single request from me."
"Thank you, I'm happy to hear that, my mistress. Do you need anything else?" You asked.
"Yes," she confirmed with her voice low and raspy. Her hand slid down to your chest, and she smiled when she felt your heart racing like it always used to. You could notice your body responding to her touch; that's the moment you knew where this was going. "I need you. Come to my bedroom tonight, at eight o'clock, and don’t you dare be late. You know how much I despise uselessness," she murmured, her lips brushing against your ear.
You swallowed hard, trying to calm your trembling voice, but failed as you responded, "As you command, my lady."
Wanda leaned in and kissed you deeply. Her tongue explored your mouth as her hands roamed over your waist and your back.
"You are mine, and I expect complete obedience from you. You will do as I say, and you will do it with enthusiasm."
You nodded, feeling an incredible desire take hold of you.
"Good," she purred, making you feel a deep sense of loss as soon as she pulled away.
You wished this could be done at the very present moment since you were unsure about being able to wait until the hour she established. Nevertheless, you knew as well how much she despised impatience. So you did your best to wait, and when the time came, you showed up promptly at her bedroom.
It was approximately half-past ten.
You were lying next to Wanda, with your body tingling with the after-effects of intense pleasure as you struggled to catch your breath.
"You always serve me so well in this, my loyal follower," Wanda commented, when she decided she had enough. Afterwards, with only her underwear on, she went to her wardrobe to put on a dressing gown.
"Anything to please you," you replied, which sounded more like a gasp. "Do you need anything else, my mistress?" You reiterated in your most respectful tone.
"Actually, I don't think I'll be needing you at all anymore. I'll continue on my own," you felt a knot form in your stomach at her words.
"What do you mean?" You asked, doubting if you really heard her right or if you were just misinterpreting her words.
Maybe she was only referring to today, tomorrow you could be of use to her, right...?
"I no longer need you, nor will I ever need you," Wanda repeated, her eyes cold and distant. "You have served your purpose, and I have already decided that it is time for you to leave."
"But we were supposed to do this together! Bring your children back and..." You protested, your heart racing with panic. "I thought we had a pact, my lady. A pact of secrecy and loyalty.
She adopted a twisted, mocking smile, as she crawled towards you, her breath hot against your ear. "I never said we were equals," she hissed. "You don't decide when to leave me, I decide. Now you no longer serve me."
Your mind reeled as you struggled to make sense of her words. As simple as that, you had been nothing more than a disposable tool in her quest for power.
"I beg you, my lady, please reconsider," you pleaded with all the sincerity you could reunite. "I have given you my loyalty, my time, my intimacy, my heart. I have served you to the best of my ability. I have nothing if not for us to do this together; you can't leave me."
Wanda's expression didn't change, and she looked at you with disdain. "I can and I will. Put on your clothes and go. The rest is not my concern," she replied firmly.
Even though you grabbed your clothes and got dressed, you weren't going to leave with your head down; at least, you would tell her a few truths to her face.
"You know? I thought you were a powerful sorceress, a force to be reckoned with. Now I see that you're nothing more than a petty, manipulative tyrant."
Wanda's eyes narrowed as she stood up, her own anger flaring. "Don't you dare speak to me like that," she snapped, "I am your mistress, and you will show me respect."
"I will show respect to anyone who deserves it," you retorted, your voice trembling with rage.
Wanda's face transformed into a mask of fury, and she raised her hand, a bolt of red energy crackling in the tip of her fingers.
"You dare to defy me?" She didn't even shout; her tone of voice was low, it was a warning. Her eyes were red, and your breath, you swore, was coming in short gasps.
"I dare say enough. I don't deserve this," you said with apparent calmness, but your flashes of sudden adrenaline were pouring out of you.
The place crackled with tension as Wanda and you vied for power with your gazes.
For a moment, your fight seemed like it was going to turn into something dangerous, deadly, though deep down, you would never hurt her, but would Wanda hurt you? You would find out in a moment, it seemed. You knew the things she was capable of when she was upset and feeling challenged.
But then something happened that surprised you, her red energy suddenly dissipated, leaving you confused.
She took a step forward, right towards you and smiled.
It wasn't the kind of smile you liked, although all of it was beautiful. Her pupils were slightly dilated, and her teeth glittered almost sadistically. You couldn't bring yourself to react.
Her footsteps echoed in the space as she circled around you, placing herself behind your back, her hand gripped you tightly around your waist, clinging you to her body. You gasped loudly as you felt yourself under her mercy again.
"My dear pathetic thing... do you really think you can defy me and get away with it alive?" It was a question you dared not answer, but her hand circled your hip until it reached your lower abdomen, very close to the edge of your underwear. "Answer me," she commanded.
Your skin bristled, and her hand kept moving down, threatening you.
"I already defied you," you whispered, knowing full well you would provoke her. You just wanted her to make you hers again.
You heard Wanda giggle, "You're lucky I have better things to do," she let go of you abruptly, walking away from you, subsequently taking a seat quietly in a nearby chair. "Fuck off then. You're not deciding to leave; I discarded you first. This is not an act of dignity," her sharp tone of voice cut you like never before. “Just know, I’ll make you regret this.”
You nodded your head, humiliated, but at the same time tired of it all, "Maybe I’ll regret it, but maybe I won’t," you implied. You couldn't show weakness, but your watery eyes gave you away. "Goodbye, Wanda."
"Honey, wake up," you heard her voice echoing through the atmosphere, but little by little, the image began to fade until it was all black. "Wake up, (Y/N)!"
You snapped your eyes open, and were met with the blurry sight of Wanda with an expression of utmost concern on her face. Your eyes were watery, your back was cold but covered in sweat, and your heart was racing.
It didn't take you long to hug her and cling to her as you sobbed uncontrollably. Despite her obvious confusion, she did not hesitate to reciprocate and comfort you.
"I had the most horrible dream ever," you said once you had calmed down enough.
"And it's different from the previous ones?" She questioned. "Because you had these dreams about Westview being part of a reality I created, which I dragged you into, but then it became a dream within a dream… it’s complicated but it’s been several ones, darling. I’m worried about you." She confessed.
You nodded, "This was the worst. I dreamt that the kids didn’t exist in our ‘multiverse’, they were simply a creation from your reality, but you got so obsessed with bringing them back,” you said, with a lump in your throat as you recalled. “You became a person I no longer knew, and I wanted to leave you, but you manipulated me into staying. You ordered me around, and when I had served your purpose, you decided you didn't want me anymore. I begged you to let me stay, and... you didn't care."
You didn't understand why these horrible dreams seemed to have a sequence, and why they were so long and so realistic that they kept haunting you.
"I would never do that!" She exclaimed, holding you tighter, shocked at what had been revealed to you through nocturnal reveries.
"Wh-what happened?" You heard Billy’s timid voice coming from the door frame, and as you turned your eyes, there stood your sons, Tommy and Billy. Their expressions as concerned as your wife's.
"Nothing, sweetheart. I just had a horrible dream," you replied, feeling the need to compose yourself quickly so they wouldn't see you this way.
Said need, however, faded as the twins ran in your direction and, along with Wanda, they hugged you so tightly that, little by little, the bitter memories were replaced by the love that reigned daily in this wonderful home this family had created.
Later that day, after a week of that incident, you arrived home with the groceries; the twins were already sound asleep upstairs.
"Mmmm, two bowls of ice cream in the dishwasher. Wanda Maximoff, you gave our kids ice cream for dinner?" You reprimanded her, not hiding your amusement despite trying to pretend being annoyed. She knew full well that she couldn't upset you.
"You can't resist when they both even make up a song to ask for it," she justified, raising her arms. "You know, we're so lucky to be here. Maybe these things are so simple, but I can't imagine all the circumstances that could have prevented you and I from being in this kitchen, talking, after you've gone grocery shopping... did you bring me something?"
You laughed, nodding slightly as you pulled out of the bag a package of M&M’s, the redhead’s favorite treats.
After she made tea for both of you, that night she made you aware of the Multiverse. It really existed and wasn't just a figment of your imagination, and your dreams were more like a journey into a universe where everything was actually happening.
With that in mind, it pained you to think that maybe you didn't do so well in all realities, but it also made you realize that you were the lucky one because you had a great life in Westview, with your wonderful wife and your precious kids.
"I think we should be careful, who knows if that fucking witch will manage to travel between universes and disturb our peace," you concluded, feeling the fear creep over you at the mere thought of that possibility.
"Fucking witch? You've called me a lot of names, but I don't like this one," Wanda replied, her eyes turning reddish. "Good, you drank your tea."
"Wanda... what...?"
"I told you I'd make you regret this, but I never specified in what universe."
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nomacam · 1 month
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Seungmin: The Heartfelt Voice of K-pop
In the kaleidoscopic world of K-pop, there shines a beacon of melodic magic, none other than Stray Kids' vocal virtuoso, Seungmin. With his celestial vocals, boundless charisma, and unwavering dedication to his craft, Seungmin has carved a special place in the hearts of fans worldwide, captivating audiences with his soul-stirring performances and heartfelt sincerity. As an ardent admirer of Seungmin, I am thrilled to pay tribute to his extraordinary talent and the profound impact he has had on the world of K-pop and the lives of fans everywhere.
From the moment he graced the stage as a trainee to his current role as an indispensable member of Stray Kids, Seungmin has enchanted audiences with his ethereal vocals and magnetic stage presence. His journey is a testament to his boundless talent, relentless work ethic, and unwavering passion for music, inspiring fans to pursue their dreams with courage and determination.
As a vocalist, Seungmin possesses a voice that transcends the realms of the ordinary, weaving tales of love, longing, and hope with each soul-stirring note. Whether he's delivering haunting ballads or electrifying anthems, Seungmin's vocals never fail to leave a lasting impression, touching the hearts of fans and earning him praise as one of the industry's most captivating vocalists.
Beyond his vocal prowess, Seungmin is also celebrated for his warm personality, genuine humility, and deep connection with fans. Through his heartfelt interactions on social media, sincere messages, and genuine appreciation for fans, he has fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and support within the fandom, creating a welcoming and inclusive community where fans feel valued, heard, and understood.
In addition to his musical talents, Seungmin is also admired for his versatility and dedication to his craft. Whether he's dazzling audiences with his dynamic dance moves, showcasing his acting skills in music videos, or honing his craft as a songwriter, Seungmin approaches each challenge with enthusiasm and determination, continually pushing the boundaries of his artistry and inspiring fans to do the same.
As a fan, Seungmin has left an indelible mark on my life, inspiring me to embrace my passions, pursue my dreams with determination, and never lose sight of my true self. His melodic magic, unwavering positivity, and genuine love for his craft serve as a constant source of inspiration and motivation, reminding me to persevere in the face of adversity and never give up on my aspirations.
In the vibrant world of K-pop, there are few artists who can capture hearts with their voice and charm quite like Seungmin. As a member of Stray Kids, Seungmin has carved out a special place for himself, not just as a talented singer and dancer, but also as a beloved personality with a heartwarming presence.
One of the first things that fans notice about Seungmin is his voice. Often described as honey-like, his vocals have a soothing quality that can instantly uplift your mood. Whether he's hitting high notes with ease or delivering emotional ballads, Seungmin's voice has a way of resonating with listeners, making them feel a deep connection to the music.
But Seungmin's talents extend far beyond his vocals. As a skilled dancer, he brings energy and precision to every performance, adding an extra layer of excitement to Stray Kids' dynamic choreography. His stage presence is undeniable, commanding attention with his charisma and natural grace.
Offstage, Seungmin is known for his warm and caring personality. Fans often describe him as the "mom" of the group, thanks to his nurturing nature and his ability to take care of others. Whether he's offering words of encouragement to his fellow members or interacting with fans, Seungmin always leaves a lasting impression with his kindness and sincerity.
Another aspect of Seungmin that fans appreciate is his versatility. Not only is he a talented singer and dancer, but he's also a skilled musician. Seungmin plays the guitar and piano, adding a personal touch to his performances and showcasing his musical prowess.
In addition to his musical talents, Seungmin is also known for his sense of humor and playful personality. He's often seen joking around with his fellow members, showing off his comedic timing and ability to lighten the mood. His infectious laughter is enough to bring a smile to anyone's face.
But perhaps what makes Seungmin truly special is his dedication to his craft and his fans. Despite his young age, he approaches his work with a level of maturity and professionalism that is truly admirable. Whether he's practicing for a performance or interacting with fans on social media, Seungmin always gives his all, showing just how much he values and appreciates the love and support of his fans.
In conclusion, Seungmin is not just a talented artist, but a shining example of kindness, humility, and passion. His voice is a beacon of warmth in the world of K-pop, and his presence is a reminder of the power of music to connect people from all walks of life. As he continues to grow and evolve as an artist, there's no doubt that Seungmin will continue to capture hearts and inspire others with his talent and spirit.
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fivegems · 2 years
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KEY 키 'Another Life' Special Video @Beyond LIVE - KEY : 'GROKS IN THE KEYLAND'
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ninapi · 1 year
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New to this (Atsumu version)
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Premise: Atsumu get's another chance to get back the love of his life, the mother of his son, and build the family he was supposed to have.
Word Count: 3643.
Warning: a tiny, very tiny bit suggestive.
Chapter 4: The price of fame
It was a beautiful morning, summer was around the corner and you could already see it, the view from your train window was breathtaking, everything so green and lush. Your son was beyond excited, this was his first time riding a bullet train so everything was extra special for him, even the sandwiches you bought to eat on the way.
You finished eating yours first and decided to read the instructions in the email you have received from your son’s new school, you saw they were requesting some additional documents that you would probably need to get before officially transferring him over. That's when you noticed his name in the application, ¨Tsumu, oh my god.¨ you shoved your phone on his face, zooming on the name for him to see what he's done, ¨What is it, love?¨ he really didn’t notice? ¨Tsumu, Seiji has my last name, not yours. And they need us to take his birth certificate to complete the registration!¨ he was honestly so confused, ¨Why does he have your last name? Isn't he my son? He should be a Miya, no?¨ you sighed, deflating onto your seat, ¨Well yes, he should be a Miya. But you can’t give out last names that aren’t yours if the dad isn’t present after birth, so he has my last name.¨ your son was using his dad’s phone to watch animal videos, so you weren’t concerned about him hearing all this, ¨Oh, I didn’t know that. We need to change it then. Shouldn’t be hard if I go with you.¨ he shrugs, not making a big deal out of it, his son should have his name, that’s obvious. You agreed to this, it was easier to just do it when you go for his certificate than to fill out another application or even look for another school. But you realized that, a week ago, the implications of doing just that would have been really heavy, and right now they weren’t, it all felt just natural.
A couple of hours later you finally arrived to Osaka, Seiji was so much better it was encouraging, his fever was almost non-existent at this point, he was just very excited to see his new house and hoping the weekend would come faster since his daddy promised to take him to USJ before he has to go to school again.
You were gathering your stuff, zipping Atsumu´s backpack shut while he picked his son up, his large hand quickly seeking yours, lacing your fingers together as he pulled you towards the exit of the station. Along the way you stopped in a few shops to get some food and other things you might need now that his bachelor’s apartment was in need of upgrades, but you arrived there relatively fast.
He was right when he said the apartment was bigger. But it was still fairly empty, it made you question why he never bothered buying proper furniture. Your mind takes you to some things he’s said over the last few days that might indicate him going through some very depressing years which could explain why everything was so empty, it must have been tough for him too.
He had the entire floor just for himself, three large bedrooms and a smaller one that looked like it could be an office, only one was occupied and had pretty much the same setup that the one back in Tokyo, a very large bed in the middle of an empty room with a larger than life screen on the wall. Though he at least had a living room there. Well, more like a sofa. It was also littered with exercise equipment and you could see how he mostly spent majority of his time there. Another big screen was adorning the opposite wall. You know it would be a challenge to make this place look like an actual home but you were kinda looking forward to it.
There were big boxes at the entrance, blocking the door, you almost couldn’t get in because they were so big. Once you both were safely inside, Tsumu brought them all in and you noticed he was moving them all to one of the empty bigger rooms. Seiji ran after his dad to ‘help’ him and to your surprise, he had bought an entire room set from Ikea, everything matched perfectly and in just a couple of hours your son had a lovely room. He got him a fancy looking bed, it almost looked like a tent and Seiji was the happiest child on earth, he was already planning what he would do with all his free space, maybe he’ll start a rock collection and display it there or maybe even a research lab, he needed to start young if he wanted to save elephants from extinction. His dad also ordered a big bookcase since he noticed his son’s love for books and a child sized desk with a matching chair. Even with all this he had so much space, you could easily see this room filled with toys and laughter in a near future.
He didn’t mention ordering anything, it was the most pleasant surprise you’ve got in a very long time. He was all sweaty and in desperate need of a shower after building all that furniture, but you brought him into an unexpected hug, going on your tippy toes to kiss his lips, ¨Thank you, Tsumu. Seiji’s never had his own room before, look at how excited he is. I didn’t know you had all this planned already!¨ he wrapped an arm around your waist, caressing your cheek with his unoccupied hand while looking down at you adoringly, ¨Yeah, well the kid needs a room. I’m glad he likes it, we still need to get him more stuff though, but for that I need your help, he needs more toys and stuff to make the room look like a kid’s room but I suck at that and got everything white. Can you help me with that, mama?¨ he slurred the last part of the sentence, placing tender kisses along your jawline. ¨Sure, let’s do that later then. I think you need a shower.¨ you pinched your nose jokingly, making him laugh, but you gotta admit he looked hot as hell building all that, specially having your child clinging onto his back supervising his work and handing him the correct tools needed while he was working. ¨I think you need a shower too though…we should save some water you know, bills are expensive and all, probably should just share it, don´t you think?¨ his face was now buried on the side of your neck, placing soft enticing little kisses to sway you to his side, your son who was now getting ready to climb his dad’s leg unbeknown to any of you, startled him when he yelled, ¨Yes, daddy! Let’s share!! I need a shower too.¨ this kid, seriously. Managing to peel yourself out of his grip you wave at him, heading over to his suitcase to look for a clean set of clothes for your child, ¨Have fun, you two.¨ Tsumu loved his son, but he was getting to his limit and needed a plan. Mumbling incoherent things, he lifted his little boy from his leg and took him to his bathroom while he thought of strategies to have you all to himself for a while. He had more fun that he thought he would though, his naked toddler running around his big shower area splashing him and making silly noises, apparently his bathroom looked like a spaceship and they were now in a quest to save humanity.
You went to stash your son’s clothing in his new closet and left the rest of his things there on the floor for him to decorate his new space, while you prepared lunch.
Once they got out of the shower adventure, Seiji ran into his room noticing all his things waiting for him and called his daddy in, he wanted to show him that one polaroid picture of a beatle he took at the park, what he didn’t see was his dad’s face when he was looking at all the other polaroid pictures in the box. Pictures of newborn Seiji in your arms, pictures of his first birthday, his first steps. Beach trips, theme park fun, silly pictures all over the place, all of them being just the two of you. A hole was growing fast in his heart and that’s when his son found the beatle. He wanted his daddy to help him pinning them to the wall above his desk, he really loved his polaroid collection. While he was at it, he also gave him some drawings and other trinkets to place higher in places he couldn’t get himself to reach and while he did as his son requested, he realized what he’s missed was bigger than he ever thought.
After a hearty lunch, Seiji had finally crashed for nap time and you were filling all the forms online that you needed to get the documents requested by the school, it seemed like it would be much easier than you thought getting his name changed and all you had to do was to go in person and sign together. You were about to rely the good news to Atsumu when you noticed his sullen look so you scooted closer to him on the sofa, ¨Hey, what’s wrong?¨ you placed a hand over his arm, giving him a concerned look, ¨I just realized I missed so many of Seiji’s firsts, it made me feel lonely. Those are things I’ll never be able to experience, you know? Like seeing him walk for the first time or hearing his first words, his first day of school, things like that…¨ you nodded, smiling at the thought of your son’s first words and steps, ¨Did you know his first word wasn’t mama? It was actually pudding¨ you imitate your baby boy and this made Tsumu smile, leaning over to rest his head on your shoulder, ¨A very Miya thing to do if you ask me.¨ he nuzzles your neck, sadness still embedded in his soul, ¨I wish I could have heard it though.¨ you held his hand, gently rubbing his knuckles with your thumb in thought, ¨We can't go back in time, Tsumu. But who knows, maybe you’ll get another chance…¨ you were being vague, not wanting to get ahead of yourself, you just wanted to lift his mood up but hearing you say that was like swallowing fireworks to him. ¨Another chance as in, another baby?¨ the hopeful look in his eyes was squeezing your heart raw, would you give him that chance? To be a dad for real, from the start? ¨Well, who knows what could happen. Was just saying.¨ you were getting shy and his heart was in cloud9. Maybe he would get a chance, a bigger chance than he ever expected to have.
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The next day you went to get the paperwork you requested the previous day after Atsumu finished his morning practice. He went back home to pick you both up and headed over to register your son officially as Miya Seiji.
Once you got all the papers straighten out and printed for the school, you stopped to get some ice cream, enjoying the lovely weather. Your son raved about how he tried that fancy ice cream his daddy picked and wanted him to pick a new one for him, going for one called, ¨Spring cookie waterslide fun¨, who comes up with this names- but he loved it nonetheless. 
After a lovely family date, Tsumu had to go back to practice and when he arrived at the gym every single pair of eyes were on him right away, making him shiver.
Hinata was the first one to move, walking ever so slowly over to his setter. He showed him his phone that was full of pictures of him with his family in different locations; pictures of you holding hands at the train station, of him kissing ice cream out of your lips, of him holding his son. ¨Where did you get those, Shoyo?¨ his tone was honestly pretty scary, so cold it could freeze them all in a second, making Hinata want to flee to safety, but he was brave, he could do this. ¨They are all over the internet. Your name is actually trending in different platforms.¨ he’s gotten the attention of the media before, but never like this, he didn’t think it was a big deal though, you were there to stay, might as well let the world know.
He went to get changed ignoring all the stares and all resumed their practice as normal.
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When he got home, he saw you laying on your shared bed, scrolling through social media. The comments were pretty intense. Women of all ages calling you ugly and a whore. Even insulting your child calling him a bastard. But you knew none of this was his fault, it comes with the package if you get involved with someone remotely famous.
He plopped on the bed feeling awfully tired, crawling all the way over to rest his head on your chest. You ran your fingers through his hair while reading some more comments, ¨Is it real bad, baby?¨ he didn't even want to look into your screen, burying his face on the softness of your chest. ¨Well, if you erase all those fangirls from it, it’s not as bad. Seems like you have very good and supportive friends rooting for you.¨ that was unusual, so he peeked up at you for clarifications. You went to the main trending page to show him, ¨C´mere look.¨ 
¨Kageyama Tobio Official: Miya-san is a great setter, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.¨
¨00_SunaRin_00: They’ve been together since high school, if you didn’t know about her is because you don't know anything about your beloved Tsumukyun.¨
¨The new Tiny Giant: We love you, don’t listen to all this nonsense!¨
¨NOT the real Bokuto Kotarou from MSBY: TsumTsum is the greatest setter one could ever wish to have, if you are mean to him and he leaves our team I will hate you all forever! 👿 ¨
Atsumu was beyond moved with all the comments from his actual friends, people that actually knew him for who he was and who wanted him to be comfortable and embrace his happiness. His heart felt tight and his eyes filled with tears. You were holding him gently, throwing the phone away to the side. ¨Everything will be fine, Tsumu. I don't really care about what they said. Even if they said I’m ugly and don’t deserve you, all it matters is what you and I think.¨ you smiled, but he knew you better than you knew yourself, the look in your eyes, the forced smile, of course this was affecting you.
He buried his face on your chest once more, wanting to be babied by you but also thinking of a way to protect you from all this. He was placing soft gentle pecks in between your breasts, while you caressed his back lovingly in silence. ¨Baby, I think I should say something. I know you said it doesn't matter, but it does to me. I don't want them saying bullshit about the woman I love or my son.¨ he was looking into your eyes now with determination. ¨Would you let me post a picture of me and Seiji together in my account?¨ you nodded at his request, his face was all over the internet now anyways so its not like it mattered. ¨And maybe this…if you don´t mind of course…¨ he was acting strangely shy while roaming his bedside table’s drawer. He brought out a small red velvet box, opening it for you to see what was inside, your breath hitching at the content. ¨I…well, I’ve had this with me since back in the day when I was going to propose, is it ok if maybe you wear it for a sec and we take a picture of our hands so I add it to the post? I know we aren’t engaged or anything, but it would bury all those rumors down and they would have no other choice than to accept it.¨ he was so ridiculously nervous, his ears were ringing and all he could hear was his heartbeat. Your face was bright red, but your eyes never left the ring.
So it was true, he really wanted to marry you all those years ago.
You gave him a small smile, trying to swallow down your own tears and handed him your hand for him to put it on for you. He complied immediately, giving your finger a light kiss after sliding it down. It fitted to perfection. He snapped a quick picture of your joint hands, quickly posting both of them to his account. 
¨THE_Miya_Atsumu: Sorry I’m late. I know you’ve already seen pictures of my family going on online, but wanted you to hear it from me. Meet my son, he is five and is as promising as his dad. And even if I would like to tell you that the beautiful woman in the pictures is my wife, well we aren’t there yet, but as you can see, she will be soon. I really don’t appreciate you being mean to the woman I love or even worse, my son. So I hope you understand and to continue having your support.¨ 
The likes were going off the roof, in less than a minute he was trending once again. While others were sulking, majority of his real fans respected him for coming out clean, for valuing their support, and they were all dying due to Seiji's cuteness. Things were slowing down and he could finally breathe once again.
He was staring at the empty box, knowing he should probably just put the ring back inside, he didn’t want to make you even more uncomfortable, but you were happily looking at it in awe.
¨It’s a beautiful ring, Tsumu. It’s a bit surprising that it still fits, don’t you think?" his sneaky self was going under the shirt you were wearing, he just wanted to hide from you, he didn’t want the ring back, so his head went inside the shirt seeking for shelter, you were actually wearing one of his shirts as you haven’t finished unpacking yet, so he fit in it just fine, looking to stuff his face on his favorite bouncy set of pillows. ¨Tsumu, what are you doing?¨ you were laughing, squirming at his cold hands, ¨I just, don’t want to see you taking off the ring, so I’m going to live here now.¨ he was so silly, but you loved this side of him, ¨Do I have to take it off?¨ his heart stopped for a minute there, did you not want to? ¨Well, no not really. It’s yours after all, I just never got a chance to give it to you.¨ he was mumbling, half suffocated by your supple skin, ¨Well you kindda just did…¨ his head popped out of the collar of the shirt just a bit, making you burst out laughing again at how ridiculous the two of you looked right now, ¨Do you, want to…you know…marry me? Doesn’t have to be now, we can wait as long as you want until you actually want to-¨ you shut him up by kissing the tip of his nose, pushing his head back down to rest on your chest, ¨Yeah…I think I’ll keep it for now.¨ his heart was over the moon, you didn’t want to take it off! He felt so grateful, so accomplished, there’s just so much love in his heart right now, he doesn’t even know how to express it, so he kisses every inch of your skin he has available in his proximity.
Your son came in running into your room, laughing at how silly his daddy looked right now, ¨Daddy, you look like a fat taco.¨ refusing to go out of his safe heaven he just waved his son off, cuddling your soft body, sneakily trying to get you off your bra, only to get his hand swatted away by an angry mother. ¨kay, kay. I’ll wait till the slimy demon child goes to bed.¨ he grumbles, going out of his little paradise and lifting his son up to tickle his tummy as an act of revenge. Your son’s laughter being the cherry on top for the happiest night of his existence.
¨Daddy, can we go to USJ tomorrow?¨ you were supposed to go on the weekend, but fighting those puppy eyes was something he just couldn’t do. He had late practice tomorrow so you all could go in the morning. ¨Ok, but daddy has to go to work after lunch.¨ the child went out in a frenzy, hurrying to pack his bag for tomorrow's adventure.
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You weren’t so sure about going out in public so quickly after all the mess from the day before, but Seiji insisted and he was going back to school next week so you wanted to indulge your son.
You all had so much fun, all Seiji wanted to do was go on the same rides over and over again in the Mario land and you both complied, now being proud owners of power-up bands and defeating Bowser.Jr with team effort. Your son has never had so much fun in his life. You ate so many yummy snacks and took pictures with every single character available.
You also officially took your first family polaroid in front of the castle, this becoming Seiji´s new treasure, quickly defeating the beatle.
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The next morning Atsumu was trending once more, pictures of you having fun at Universal being in the front page of many local news sites, this time however, the comments were all positive, all talking about how cute you all looked wearing the same shirt and matching headbands. Some of them even on your side saying you were actually very pretty and looked super cute together, that you made the perfect couple, the perfect family.
And all of the sudden, the price of fame didn’t feel as high and you both felt you could live with it.
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96 notes · View notes
munamania · 5 months
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hi everyone this feels wildly self centered and silly but i made a guide to my dyke drama/lore that i talk about in barely coded but convoluted terms. i love internet safety. doing this at the request of exactly one person and for the rest of u it's under the cut if youre curious and feel so inclined hashtag close friends <3 i highlighted my previous ways of referring to these people and important notes bc otherwise i just rambled soooo bad <3 and as much as im maybe romanticizing in some ways here i do genuinely care for and love (most of) these people outside of my weirdofreak brain and try my best to do well by them in our relationships. and maybe i just wanted to write beautiful things about my friends whatever
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lydia: they're on here we met on here and now we're roommates. we met bc we were two of the only bitches posting in the muna tag and she was brave enough to reply to my one naomi video. and i was like um ok... FREAK.. and then yk we were mutuals but i was always paranoid they'd somehow know film girl or my roommates (or just. other ppl) bc i was being insane so that was awk but then i had a mental breakdown a little bit one night on here about my childhood and decorating for holidays and they offered to meet on campus and give me some leaves for my window and i was like aww (and we used them this year to decorate our shared apartment :')) and i remember i was wearing my black and white sweatshirt that i wore to go see dan live that ive since given away i think but it feels like. a sign u know.. or whatever.. and we do have mutual friends in weird circles including one that connects to steve (see later notes) so it's like chances are we couldve met in person but this just made it really special. we beef bad. but with sooo much love. and i do think we're better for knowing each other or whatever...
film girl: this was bad. i have a tag dedicated to anything i remembered to tag as part of the saga but it was so bad and beyond anything words can say... i'd give her another name but she could never be anything but film girl. it's like if u were there u know. if u weren't... let's just say i was crazy insane mentally ill bonkers jeff buckley lover you shouldve come over i know it's over. maroon 5 even about it. bad. but consider she leaned into me like she did her bf for their first kiss, said our night together when we went to our friend's party where she had dressed up as jennifer check (i showed her the movie it was a whole thing) and danced with me and talked right against my neck and grabbed onto me while walking and said she was maybe bi and i deserved someone really nice and im so swaggy etc and then going back to her place and making me food and watching himym on the floor (oct. 21st u will go down in herstory...) made her the 'happiest person in the world,' stayed over at my apartment until the following morning more than once, unwrapped her bruised hand and held it out to me to see/touch (absolute freaks moment like kill me actually. and that was the day i perioded myself. to use pj of bottoms' terms.) was just generally engaging in psychosexual warfare with me all the time. and we didn't even fuck. or kiss. and she had a boyfriend. who looked like a girlfriend (not that i personally had in february of last year but regardless..) i mean come on she was a straight woman she wasnt even allowed to say slay.. i genuinely still think we need to kill each other but it doesn't matter. how is she still linked to my life? well. we had a class this semester with steve and stede and lydia and scully (prof im in love with. this name is hilar), sort of friends with cool artsy queer girl group (hometown friends, one her best friend i almost met up with at muna concert (with her) one who looks a bit like jackie kennedy. ok not really but that's the one my one friend josh (woman) made out with last semester), had a class with steve and sam last semester with dave, our shared prof that steve told details of our first date and etc to.
steve: this is gonna be ex situationship from beginning of this semester - mid october. gets this name bc they're obsessed w that pirate show so like stede but i simply wont name them that and at this point im annoyed enough w their taste in things that steve feels fitting. anyway. was genuinely very kind and sweet but also got clingy soo fast and we were on very different pages. we'd met last fall (when they had a gf) and worked together on sets and in a couple classes, they kind of got caught up in my triangulation of desire for jane at her birthday party.. and i had fun flirting! um and they were genuinely again very very considerate and sweet but like. seemed to struggle to have a personality outside of their ex and maybe their siblings a bit. idk. just very passive. sowwy. also they were not a very good kisser. i do remember back in may being vindicated bc they also commented on film girl and bf
jane: naming her jane in a gay way. a jane austen way. in that i think we should write lifelong love letters to each other. holy shit shut up. so this is always 'friend im in love with' or 'a little in love with' or whatever. she is also girl with cool short hair and piercings and tattoos and a bookbag with tits on it so god forbid my infatuation. and i just love her voice and i think she's brilliant and so good at what she does and all around just like an awesome person she inspires me to be better and whatever. and she always dresses so cool and used to host house shows (i still never made it to one) (film girl did once) and when we first started talking we were at a film event and were supposed to be networking or whatever but instead we stood by the drinks together and talked abt how we both wanted to be friends in our writing class but never said it and thought the other hated each other a little bit but we were both just awkward and so we'd always make eye contact and laugh and banter together in class and i rlly was just in love with her. and this summer was crazyyy we were on steve's set together and i was a little freak just so obviously enamored with her but the thing is she was obnoxious too so i didnt even feel like a loser. she asked me to massage her arms once and said my half assed attempt was lame and we leg wrestled (also w steve. kinda funny. like yeah u would) and exchanged drunk stories and she said i needed better ones and then i beat her at stack cup at her bday and gave her her card and she hugged me and her lips were wet from the beer she just drank from and right on my arm and i was like wow. her kingdom (surrounded by people who she loved and loved her) for a kiss upon my shoulder. if u will. and i had to have a middle school Look Away moment bc she stripped in front of a few of us that night and i was far too intoxicated to not like lose my mind. also she was supposed to give me a book on set once but never did and im still bummed. and one random night she texted asking if id found a place to live and when i answered she never followed up and i still wonder what that was abt. if anything. um but she does have a boyfriend of like 5 or 6 years. from high school. the worst part is hes a semi cool dude but it's just like really. let her fuck a woman! just once even! jk they are both genuinely cool people first and i think it's great they found each other in this life. but also like fuck off ugh. yk. not to romanticize my life and friendships i just think in another life we were soulmates or maybe in a way we are now. but we also only knew each other for a brief time so maybe something else. we could've done backstreets
sam: friend i just mentioned recently who has a crazy name we shant get into it. i do have a different actual friend named sam but i havent seen her in forever. so i met them working on steve's senior film set and thought they were cool and they were one of the only ones to make it out to our post-wrap dinner/drinks and then we had two classes together this semester. and so we became sort of allies we'd meet up to go to the museum together and send each other the attendance and i went to see fnaf when he rented out a theater for a huge group lol and he helped on my film which meant a lot even if it was only for a bit cause of you know. the everything that was going on. with steve and etc. it wasnt easy to get there so like bless their heart. they also came up with the name for my film and we had that moment around the fire and well i do hope i'll continue to see them just as a friend even, and they're genuinely just the coolest they do a lot of drag and character/costume design and are genuinely just one of the funniest most down to earth ppl i know and they always have the coolest fucking outfits and hats and shit and omg they looked so good in their doc. just something abt the posture and the whimsy and the earnestness and look overall. woah. um when we were on steve's set my friend jackie leaned over and said 'i thought they were film girl for a second' so basically i need to redacted. but it's not like that bad of a resemblance. once again has a partner cause im cursed forever to sleep on a twin size mattress maybe or whatever. i havent even listened to that song more than like once but maybe it is real for me. anyway they were also in the class with steve and film girl with dave.
stede: im sorry this is so funny to me bc this person and steve go by the same name irl but spelled differently or whatever. we met and had a very energetic chat in the hallway at the beginning of this semester jim thought we knew each other lol. they're real cute and endearing and like i said kind of give butch. and we had two classes together but i had so much shit going on man i just. yeah. seemed like they were maybe a little into me but whatever. and well i think we should have a fling but who said that
jim: my buddy prof he's my buddy :-) he helped me so much sophomore spring as i was trying rlly hard to produce our class films and insane already over film girl (he didnt know that but it was omnipresent) and so close to dropping out and is just the coolest guy. he's a little bit like a father figure what who said that. i remind him of his youngest daughter a lot and ive lived in the same buildings as his older one. so just funny connections. i go to his office hours and such a lot with the film friends
grace: one of my film friends. (i just realized i do know a girl in film named grace but it's not her so anyway.) i am in awe of the way she commits to stuff and motivates people around her. she is just so game for anything to make the best of a situation. shes studying abroad this semester so ive only seen her on video chats/texted and missed the one day she came back for her bf's bday. well and she was the friend who said 'no he can keep himself busy' when we went to go see x together so she didnt make me hang out w her not even lame bf at first which was so nice. cause then i eventually actually did want to meet him. and theyre the least annoying couple ive ever met. and shes bi <3
jackie: another film friend. also love her dearly another stoner so we'd smoke together before class sometimes and just went on a walk with our other friend one night around the woods and stuff that was fun. i usually refer to grace and jackie collectively as 'the film friends.' we met in that spring of sophomore year (same class as film girl and jim). this one did have steve produce her senior film after they said they wouldn't work on mine bc of the ""situation"" i was a little sour that was an awkward um situation but it's whatever. i sometimes say film friends and mean a larger group of these ppl/a few extended but whatever
frank: ive just called him frank hes frank hes the coolest dude in the world i think everyone would be obsessed with him and i just think like man hes lived such a life. he's my short cool professor whos just so good at what he does. he's met so many people and done so many things. his van is so him he has a suction cup to pull his windows up in the winter and random albums in the front seat. im gonna try to work w him next semester. i was in that van last night feeling like i was in a gta level to go pick up pizza for our final class.
scully: my film comedy and tv analysis professor she is so everything to me... she loves women and evil women and gay people and camp and horror and comedy and tv and sex and just weirdo freak shit and shes so intelligent and quick on her feet and charming and just. an amazing lecturer. she said be gay do violence once. i felt seen. she said she used to pull her friends (favorite characters) out of the tv and carry them around in her pocket and i knew she understood... she saw bottoms and emailed me and lydia right away. and she's seen willow. and ofc so many other things. and she'll go 'this seems like the type of person/film/etc that you would be inspired by..' OK QUEEN I LOVE U. i want to do cocaine with her. huh. im taking gender and film with her next semester :333 im so excited
claire: friend from high school friend group who ended up ditching me and our other friend a lot that one summer and we almost lived together and we're just always kinda weird around each other but we were some of the only ppl the other hung out with fall semester 2020 so like.
drake and josh: i almost always refer to them together they're codependent a little bit roommates and i love them dearly and i met them thru claire sophomore year but ive hung out with them alone and stayed at their place when i got too drunk and that night i fell down the stairs. me and drake act a little homoerotic sometimes for fun. i cried at dinner over film girl once to her it was embarrassing. i miss going hammocking with them <3
dave: i had him last fall he's really cool he got me on a shoot w the mayor (and steve and jane) and was so cool about me not ocming to class a lot bc i kept in touch w him and hes my homie. film girl had a class w him then too and then last semester was the like news class that crew had together. and steve told dave all abt our first date and etc and got date ideas from him and i was like oh wow... ok lol
couch: couch roommate. theyre not relevant in my life enough to make a name but the couch story was stupid as hell and this one also left ground beef in the sink that one time and had a thing for a rugby girl that steve had a little fling with
jean: if i say 'one of my masc gfs' i probably mean them. sort of friends with couch like she was in my apartment once last year but um. yeah. had a crush on them for like a month at one point and we follow each other on insta and talked when we saw each other on campus the first time and thats like it. chances r ill forget abt this fake name and still just throw that in if i ever see her
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chosetherose · 1 year
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🎃 Anon very specifically foreshadowed the closing scene of the Karma music video
This is the 9th message from 5/17. Pay special attention to the parts I highlighted in pink.
🎃 Imagine this. You are sitting on a beach, cold and windswept. The sea is dark and angry before you. The sun sets in muted colors. You finish scrawling on the parchment. Your pen dries up as you reach the end of a story in 11 parts. None of it makes sense anyway. You're sick of having to dilute everything so far beyond recognition. But a story told through metaphor is still a story told. Even the great poet Sappho is survived by stilted fragments and mistranslated lyrics. Maybe that is the beautiful curse people like us must all share. Perhaps loving someone the world doesn't approve of forces you to be clever. You scan your writing once over, brow furrowed. All you can do is hope that it is enough. Of course it’s not. It never could be. You know this. And yet you keep trying, trying, trying. Your image is ten times bigger than you are. You have spent your life living in your own shadow. Stealing your own thunder. Trying and failing, relentlessly, to fill your own shoes. You roll the parchment, slipping it into an empty wine bottle. You may have told the story inside out and backwards, and it may well sink to the bottom of the sea or fall on deaf ears. It may wash up on a sunny beach in Florida, or a rocky shore in the northwest. Either way, someone somewhere will know about that recipe card. And the warm safety you cherish within your fence. And the heist that stole more from you than you ever planned on stealing from the museum. And most importantly, they will know about the human heart. The flawed, scarred, angry, grateful, nonsensical heart. The one that hides deep inside glittering ballgowns. The one that questions everything, but mostly it questions if the world it has grimaced through so many smiles for would love it for what it truly is. You drop the message in a bottle into the riptide. You fight every urge to fish it out before it drifts too far. You watch it until the waves have swept it far, far away. And now it is just a matter of time. The dripping of candle wax. The ticking of a clock. 🎃
Pumpkin is equating dripping candle wax and the ticking of a clock as ways to count down the time. This makes sense: candle clocks were used before modern clocks were invented. They had consistently spaced marking that, when burned, indicated the passage of periods of time. They were mainly used when indoors, at night, or on a cloudy day. [More on this below].
Ten days after this message was sent, the Karma video was released. The coffee clock in the closing scene is in the same place on the piano as the candle theory candles were in the Cardigan video. Like, exactly the same place:
In the Karma video, the 12 numeral on the coffee clock is aligned between the rightmost E and F piano keys; the 5th and 6th of 12 keys.
In the Cardigan video, the left candle is at the same placement. Between the rightmost E and F keys.
The pink lines I drew on the picture below aren’t perfect but get the point across:
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Now, let’s look at the obviously Easter-eggy nails holding the coffee before it’s placed on the piano.
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Run through my thoughts with me:
The blue nail represents 1989 (5th album)
The black nail represents rep (6th album)
We know midnight on the coffee clock is aligned between or at the 5th and 6th piano keys.
At the end of the video, the coffee clock strikes midnight. (Is this a YAIL reference? Coffee at midnight?)
Will some kind of Karma will be served between 1989 and Rep re-releases? Perhaps…between August and February (as the nail placement hints if you think of each clock numeral as months of the year)? Perhaps…in October like 🎃 has hinted toward? [Or I suppose another view is some kind of Karma could be served after 1989 and Rep re-releases are both out? Perhaps after February 2024 when rep would be released? Maybe October 2024? Lord I hope it isn’t October 2025.
I think there is something interesting about how, before clocks, candles were used to tell time inside, at night, on cloudy days. Like in a hidden cabin or in a dark dungeon that is the opening scene of the bejeweled video. Hiding out from the world like so much of Taylor’s lyrics have illustrated. Now there is a whole era based on a clock and in the Karma video, there are no candles in sight but instead a lover at the piano and one ticking countdown.
My main takeaway here is that 🎃 made a very specific connection. Closing their 9th message with dripping candles and a clock while 10 days later a video drops where a clock is in the same exact place as the candles we’ve theorized about used to be. To me, this is significant.
There is so much more we could unpack here and if I hashed this theory out perfectly it would never get posted. There are also other ways to interpret what I’ve put together but I’m leaving it at this for now.
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best-underrated-anime · 4 months
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Best Underrated Anime Group L Round 2: #L1 vs #L2
#L1: Normal Girl™ accidentally joins Kansai’s biggest criminals
#L2: Girl turns into a tanuki and learns about racism
Details and poll under the cut!
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#L1: Akudama Drive
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Summary:
After the fall-out of a war between the Kanto and Kansai regions of Japan, citizens of Kansai now live in a dystopia. Criminals are bigger and badder than before, resulting in a specialized Execution Division rising to combat these ‘Akudama.’
An ordinary person accidentally wedges herself into the midst of a gang of the worst of the worst, and now she’s on the run with Kansai’s top Akudama to fulfill a cryptic mission. Her goal was to get back to her normal life, but one thing leads to another and she gets trapped, bound by her sense of morals to stick with her terrible team.
The team in question consists of a Brawler with a need to find the toughest opponent to fight, a Doctor who toys with lives, a Hacker who has run out of games to play, a Courier who always gets the job done, a Cutthroat with a kill count of 999 bodies, and a Hoodlum who was set for a prison sentence of 5 years. Joining them is the Black Cat, their mysterious recruiter, who promises great wealth to the Akudama.
Propaganda:
Akudama Drive is an anime produced by a video game company, and it’s amazingly a single standalone piece, unlike their other projects. The three people who lead the creation of the Danganronpa series (character designer, story writer, and music composer) came together and produced something so different from their usual pattern and it pays off.
The character designs are so fun, the music vibes hard, and the story is better than anything seen in DR before since (no offense meant) the cast all get fleshed out as individuals beyond a single trope. Everyone is depicted as morally grey, and it’s such a fun experience to watch the madness break out and root for the bad guys or the bad guys.
Every scene is so pretty, and you can see the color theory SLAPPING THE SCREEN, it’s so pleasing to look at. The voice acting is also top tier! The character evolution can literally be heard in the voices 🛐 The anime is a fun show with cool stunts and epic battles, but it’s still got some interesting social commentary if you’re the type that loves dissecting that madness. There’s a little something for everyone!
Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore, Rape/Non-Con, Self-Harm, Constant Flashing Lights and Screaming
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#L2: BNA: Brand New Animal
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Summary:
Throughout history, humans have been at odds with Beastmen—a species capable of changing shape due to their genetic "Beast Factor." Because of this conflict, Beastmen have been forced into hiding. Anima City serves as a safe haven for these oppressed individuals to live free from human interference.
During a festival celebrating the town's 10th anniversary, Michiru Kagemori, a human who suddenly turned into a tanuki, finds that Anima City is a far cry from paradise. After witnessing an explosion in the square, she is confronted by Shirou Ogami, a seemingly indestructible wolf and sworn protector of all Beastmen. As they pursue the criminals behind the bombing, the two discover that Michiru is anything but an ordinary Beastman, and look to investigate her mysterious past and uncanny abilities. Could she turn out to be the missing link between Humans and Beastmen?
Propaganda:
This is one of the first few anime I watched when I was getting into it, so I'm rather fond of it. Though the show is only one season, overall it's pretty solid and ties everything together at the end. I also really like how they utilize color in the animation (it especially makes fight scenes more interesting to watch). The worldbuilding they have with the beastmen is pretty neat as well. This anime is good if you're looking for something quick to watch.
Trigger Warnings: There is some violence, and since the characters are animals, that may fall under animal cruelty. There are a few parts in the show where the colors get pretty intense, so that could be considered flashing lights. There is racism, as the beastmen are discriminated against by humans.
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When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.
If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.
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Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.
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shineemoon · 2 years
Video
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KEY “Another Life” Special Video Beyond LIVE - KEY : 'GROKS IN THE KEYLAND'
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tyravenholme · 1 year
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The Insanity of Bloodborne
Bloodborne is among one of my favourite video games of all time. Created by From Software and released on the Playstation 4 as a launch title, Bloodborne is a game that borrows heavily from the Dark Souls series, but instead of dark fantasy, you are thrust into a world of beasts and lycans, living abominations from the minds of man, and ancient beings from places beyond comprehension. It is a wondrous adventure that has you stumble your way from one bloody scenario to the next and by the end, you’ll be left with more questions rather than answers, and that’s not a bad thing.
Among what I’ve already mentioned, there is another thing I love about Bloodborne, and it’s something it has succeeded in doing that I think other games in the same genre have tried to do but failed every single time, and that’s insanity.
A common element of cosmic horror stories are characters going insane from having witnessed things that go beyond their understanding, people who bear witness to a great old one have their eye combust just from merely gazing upon such entities, or lose themselves to such a degree then end up in a hospital and remain there forever. Even in one of my favourite stories, a short manga series by Itou Junji called Hellstar Remina where a giant planet sized creature that makes it approach to Earth has swathes of characters in the story go to extreme illogical lengths in order to survive the coming end.
But when it comes to video games trying to induce this same element of insanity into players, they are for the most part, extremely lacklustre and have been reduced to a simple game mechanic, a meter you have to monitor whenever you encounter anything that could set you off that you have to balance out so you can continue the game. Amnesia is a prime example of this, and while the game does do a decent job of making this feature work for the games in that series, I do think it makes the whole point of “going insane” redundant.
That’s where Bloodborne shines. Instead of making insanity an obvious game mechanic, it’s instead subtle, and called something else entirely. Insight. Insight is presented as a sort of secondary rare currency in the game alongside Blood Echoes which is what you use to gain experience and level up, while Insight is used at an alternate shop to purchase things and seemingly that seems to be all its good for. You gain Insight whenever you first encounter a boss enemy which are typically these large monstrous beasts or sometimes otherworldly abominations, and gain more upon defeating them.
For the longest time, I didn’t realize what the true purpose of Insight was until after I had already beaten the game and started diving deeper into its lore and, ironically, seeing the truth of what Insight really was.
To give you an example, there is a Doll in a place called the Hunter’s Dream. When you first reach this area, which you will do within minutes of starting the game most likely, the Doll will be resting and inert, it’s just a Doll, nothing special, though it does resemble a human woman. And until you gain your very first Insight, as you start with zero when you start the game, the Doll will remain as such every time you return to the Hunter’s Dream, but when you encounter your first boss and return to the Hunter’s Dream, the Doll will be standing and waiting for you, and when you go to speak with them, they will indeed speak back, even stating very clearly that they are a doll.
In another scenario, you might think the character who is witnessing this doll come to life and assert a will of its own was going mad, and that’s exactly what’s happening. The more Insight you gain, the more insane you are becoming, but you need to go insane in order to see and understand the truth of this world. The more insight you accumulate, the more the world actually changes around, this Doll is just one example of that.
There are these wandering enemies that you encounter later on that hold these cool lanterns that they can spew magical energy from, and at first, they will look like regular lanterns, but gain enough Insight, and you may see something more to them that you couldn’t before.
I think what makes this mechanic work is that the game doesn’t tell you what Insight can actually do, or what purpose it actually serves. The game withholding information from you is a classic From Software method of storytelling, giving you just enough information for you to try and piece together things yourself, and in the end, all you’ll have is a theory with strong evidence, but nothing will ever be confirmed. Not only that, but the fact that it’s not some meter you have to balance, but rather a number you can accumulate in the top right of your screen is surprisingly simple in its complex execution.
The best thing of all though is that just like those doomed characters from the horror stories, you have no idea you’re going insane until its already too late and you’ve seen every horror your feeble mind can handle. It’s so brilliant that I can only applaud whoever thought up this mechanic at From Software and being able to translate one of the most difficult elements of cosmic horror into a video game and not make it some gimmicky mechanic you have to constantly monitor, instead, it’s just a thing that’s there and you can engage with it or not, it doesn’t really matter, since you’ll gain Insight as you progress through the game whether you like it or not.
Not to be a poet or anything, but if you want to actually beat the game, then you’ll have to go a little bit insane.
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