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duketectivecomics · 4 years

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You might've answered this already and I just didn't find it, but one thing that always perplexed me about Duke was how old he was in comparison to the other Batkids. It's obvious he's younger than Dick and Babs, and I pretty sure he's younger than Jason and Cass, and older than Damian, but I cannot tell if he's meant to be Tim and Steph's ages, younger, or older. Could you help me?

You’re all kinds of good here, anon!!! I answered a similar ask abt the Order of Adoption but didn’t dive into specific ages on that post BECAUSE well they didn’t ask lmaooo but ALSO:

Comic ages are very fluid usually! While Years™️ might pass in the canon proper, or while time seems to slow to a crawl, having a character’s age outright stated is something that occurs very rarely for most characters, if at all!

Because it’s always much easier to have a floating age range to work and play around in! It’s easier to keep a character Perpetually 12 or 16 or 25 or mid-40s or- you get the idea. SO, with that in mind. Let’s do our Best to Break Down What Age Duke Might Be Currently A N D how it might interact with the Other Batkids!

(Warning for a Very Long Post, lots of issue citations, and a LOT of comics terminology regarding specific runs/events/continunity. I’m gonna try to keep it as clear/concise as possible ofc but plz keep these things in mind! If you’re not at least marginally familiar with Bat-Comics, you might find yourself feeling a little lost here!)

So from the Zero Year arc we see a common Trend that plays out pretty consistently with Batfam comics: a Life-Changing Event Occuring while the protag is Young™️.

(Batman (2011) #30)

With how Duke is drawn in these particular issues, and given the trends of the past, I’d place him in the 8-12 range. The historic precedent being ofc that that is the same range that canon usually places both Bruce and Dick at for their Tragedies™; the more benign reason being that he... just very much Looks to be drawn in that Range. He’s very clearly an Older/Prepubescent child here.

Fast Forward to his Next Appearance in the Endgame arc and-

(Batman (2011) #37)

He’s definitely older! He’s wiser! And he’s giving Batman a fistbump lmao. Again, no strict age given here BUT, since they condensed each Robin to a Year or Two tops with Bruce (its n52 and its fucked up is what it is), we can assume it’s been at least 4-5 since Zero Year (which would mean if we go off the age range I proposed for that year, then theoretically he could be anywhere from 12-16 here, and I think that tracks pretty well. Not Perfectly and Certainly Not so well with Pre52 continuity ofc, but I’ll talk about that later!)

In We Are Robin, while its not stated Directly In The Text, it IS given as an Informational Tidbit that Duke is 16 (specifically this can be found at the end of issue #4)! (Sweet sweet canon confirmation FINALLY)

We know that WAR takes place Fairly Soon after Endgame (almost immediately, give or take a month or two given that Duke’s been placed in a few foster homes at this point and has racked up Quite A File) now, again id like to remind y’all that while this is a NICE starting point to have, keep in mind that comics are fluid and this may be retconned slightly/ignored in later stories bc Keeping Duke 16-ish is in DC’s Best Interest at the moment. (Having Relatable Teen Characters afterall is a Good Marketing strategy™️. And the longer they can Keep them Young, the Better)

With that in mind let’s take a moment to Highlight the fact that Duke and Damian have crossed paths at this point AND the storylines that have occurred during this year that were meant to be in conjunction with one another!

Because Prior to Endgame, Damian had Died! And just a year (in real, meat-space time) before We Are Robin, he was resurrected and had begun his “Year of Atonement” in the Robin: Son of Batman maxiseries. Midway through both this series and WAR (and, we can assume, midway thru this “Year” for Damian) the Robin War begins/ends and we see at least one major Moment between these two boys who will soon call one another brothers:

(Robin War #2)

Given that R:SoB is followed up VERY quickly by Teen Titans Rebirth (in which Damian celebrates his 13th birthday), we can conclude that Damian would be 12 during this time (well, 12 and 1/2 to play it safe lmao). That being said, this Confirms about a 4yr gap between Duke and Damian! (One Batkid down at least! but he’s the key to the others so put a pin in him!)

As We Are Robin draws to its conclusion, DC was releasing another arc that would eventually flow into the Rebirth Era, by the end of which, Bruce would approach Duke with an Idea (which involves Bruce becoming Dukes temporary guardian & as he states Many Times “Trying Something New” with Duke).

And thus the Rebirth Era begins, and Duke began his Year of training (most directly encapsulated by the Cursed Wheel arc in the All-Star Batman run:

(All-Star Batman #1 (back-up story))

Bruce introduces Duke to a training regimen that Alfred has named “the Cursed Wheel”. It encompasses all the training Bruce and the other bats have undergone and condenses it down into color-coordinated segments that will take Duke a Year to Complete.

It can be assumed that by the End of this Year Duke will somehow miraculously still be 16, despite, again, an entire ass year passing.

There’s one story that takes place mid-year in All-Star Batman, and the Cursed Wheel is meant to be capped off by Duke’s first Official Day as the Signal (in the titular Batman & the Signal ofc) BUT, near as I can tell after this story, Dukes age is not brought up again. So until they DO bring it up either in Batman & the Outsiders or whatever future run Duke becomes involved in, we can assume DC will be working with the idea that he’s meant to be in that 16-18 range from here on out (ie still a minor).

But, dear anon, you might be saying “okay, that’s cool, but how does that relate to my question abt how he falls in with the other Bats?” You’ll have to be a little patient with me here, but I think I may have cracked the code!

Keep in mind I’m gonna be addressing both the Post-Crisis to Flashpoint Continuity (ie mid-80s to 2010 in comics history) and the N52-slash-Rebirth Era (2010-Today). Its generally agreed by fandom and DC alike that these points of rebooting &/or Major Events constitute the era of “Modern” comics, and that everything from the 80s-on might more or less be canon on some level, even if not All of it is.

(Plus, most of fandom usually likes to borrow elements from both eras and much more rarely from stories before it, SO-)

Lets do a quick rundown of how everyone who’s Closer to Duke’s Age, Relates to each other first, age-wise:

Given that Jason was 15 when he died, in A Lonely Place of Dying its established that Bruce had become increasingly reckless since his death, and by the end of the story, Tim has stepped in to fill Robin’s shoes (he states that he’s 13 during this story btw). Pretty soon after, Stephanie Brown is introduced & established to be about a year older than Tim (wish I could pin-point a specific issue BUT, i unfortunately haven’t read any Tim OR Steph-involved comics that predate No Man’s Land... Besides the aforementioned Lonely Place and Young Justice technically, but im working on remedying that soon!)

NOW, during the No Man’s Land event, Cassandra is introduced, and pretty soon into her Batgirl run, its revealed that she’s around the same age as Jason (or at least how old he Would Have Been, had he not died.) Now, given that Jay has an August bday and Cass has a January one, fandom sometimes likes to play around with the idea of one being older than the other (OR even speculating/placing them in an AU as twins/siblings, given that Lady Shiva (Cass’ mom) was a Possible Candidate to be Jason’s biological mother but that’s a Whole Other Thing i wont get into here.)

The point being, Cass, in this era of comics, IS slightly older than Tim and Steph. At Tim’s start as Robin, their ages could either line up like: Tim-13, Steph-14, Cass-15 (being a few months ‘behind’ Jay), then Jason at 15/16 (depending on how soon Tim filled the role after Jay died in April) OR Jason-15/16, Cass-16/17 (in this case she’d be a few months ‘ahead’ now instead)

So brief detour to talk New 52, however! Because Tim, Steph & Cass all got switched around from where DC originally left them prior to the reboot! Now I haven’t read much of them in this era, other than Batman & Robin: Eternal, so my Understanding of their current ages is Spotty at Best. The general consensus seems to be that while before N52, Stephanie had been attending her first year of College (& doing VERY WELL i might add), with the reboot she was set back a few years alongside Tim to a vague Late-Teen state (so 16-18-ish, instead of a Very Clearly Established 18/19). Cass is probably the worst off for this reboot, given that B&R:E basically constitutes her new origin for the new continuity, and does nothing to confirm her age (all I really know is that she’s a Vague Late-Teen too... Probably? Maybe?), given how much they infantilize her, and subsequently how fandom in turn has taken to infantilizing her too, theres a semi-popular fanon that places her Younger that Tim and Steph. And I, for one, propose that we ignore that bc its Weak Sauce my dudes.

Some fans chose to ignore N52 continuity due to this vagueness, and will stick to the ages established before the N52/Rebirth reboots. But its something to keep in mind regardless bc we’re all obviously going to pull from what’s most familiar to us!

But WHERE could we place Duke with regards to them, then? Because them being “Late Teens” is certainly much too vague to work with!

This is Where Damian is the key!

Because Damian is one of those rare exceptions to the Reboot Rule. His story flowed almost seamlessly over from before to after. While he was made a Robin at the age of 10, he continued to grow and learn even after the universe was being rewritten to suit the whims of DC editorial.

If we choose to ignore how everyone else’s ages and origins were swapped around, and stick with the growth that was presented before the reboot, then we can draw some interesting conclusions!

Firstly, though Stephanie also had Died and subsequently Returned, she hadn’t lost much, if any time, from the Ordeal. At the start of her Batgirl run, she is enrolled at a Gotham university and making headway with a more firm foot in the Batfamily (even to the point that she and Damian spend a few issues bonding. At this point in time, Damian is definitely 11, and again, Steph can be assumed to be 18/19 during the course of her run. We’ll assume 18 for clarity’s sake.)

So, then when Damian is 11, now our line up is as Follows:

Dami - 11, Steph - 18, Tim - 17, Cass 19-21 (the range depending again, if you subscribe to Cass being either older/younger than Jason).

WHICH MEANS, If during Robin War Damian is 12 (and a half) THEN We’ve got an age line-up that Potentially looks Like This:

Dami -12(and 1/2), Duke - 16, Tim - 18, Steph - 19, Cass - 20-22 (And Obvsly Jason, Babs & Dick at their varying Older Ages than everyone here)

and im just now realizing i Didnt include Harper in this line-up, but thats bc she’d also throw a big wrench in all this. I’d personally throw her in with being Steph’s age, but I’m pretty sure she was supposed to be either that, or between Steph and Cass (again, since its N52, i believe Cass was/is assumed to be Younger than Steph, but that contradicts the assumed following of pre52 canon that we have for the above line-up, obvsly, and so we ignore that lmao)

All this to say, however, that canon and fandom is what you make of it, and if you want to wiggle these ages around a little, you’re more than allowed! God Knows i usually like to skew the Tim-Steph-Cass age group to be a tad older than this in my own fic writing, and I like to have Duke start as a Robin at 14/15 instead of 16, but that’s just bc I like the dynamic potential it could bring with them being Definitively Older that him, and thus in a more secure place to be Mentoring him right alongside Bruce & the others.

But you might see these age ranges and want to do something Different (say, making Tim, Steph, Cass, & Duke all the Same Age at 17 instead! And that very well tracks with how current comics kinda looks right now!) and you’re absolutely valid to do so! Because again, comic character’s ages are meant to be fluid, not fixed!

And at the end of the day, its all about wanting to see these teen heroes kick serious ass haha

#duke thomas #guest starring:#batfamily #damian wayne #tim drake #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #randywrites #randys meta #meta #asked and answered #anonymous asks #this was A LOT and i tried to throw some humor where i could #but uhhhh yeah!!! i hope this helps anon!!!#also just realizing its TWO AM WHERE DID THE TIME GO #ah well. Worth It

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calypsoff · 3 years

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Twenty Eight.

I was supposed to actually go to California first, but I ended up having to do a little detour, I had to drop off some of my clothing line for Lil Wayne, I met Lil Wayne. I went on my own to his home which was dope as fuck, he was a cool dude, but he is constantly high and then Pharrell which he was in New York and I flew there so Robyn said to just meet her there, she wasn’t happy, but I am meeting her at the venue. The past few days have been crazy for me, for the clothing line. So much exposure for us, we are a little sold out on a lot of shit, so I told the boys to stay in Texas and get shit sorted with refreshing stock, I mean I am doing the best part by getting to meet these people. And I did flex that on my Instagram page, of course I would. A nigga from jail is now hanging with the top dogs, this is mind blowing. Lil Wayne is cool as fuck; his entourage is funny as fuck and they were the most welcoming for me. It’s been a headache anyways; I have two suitcases because I am going to California to live at Robyn’ home so I needed all my shit, so I am stuck living out of a suitcase for a while. Staring at myself in the mirror touching my stubble on my face, my phone pressed to my ear as it rang out “hello” Robyn picked up “are you at the venue now? Shall I come?” I have been waiting for Robyn to arrive “I am, I am going to do some rehearsal so if you come, I may not be around, but Jen has your pass so come” I need a shave “cool, you got a barber with you?” you never know “you mean Yusuf? He is here” pulling a face “I need a barber; my hair is grown out. You going to sort out your man with one?” you never know she may help me “my man? Who is that again? The nigga that doesn’t listen to me anymore” she is still on that “but I did say I would come and visit you for like an hour, I had to go to come here? Clients Robyn” she wanted me to come and see her when I was in Cali for Wayne, but I had to fly out “clients or your girlfriend? Mhmm, just come here” taking in a deep breath “see you soon petal?” she hates when I call her petal “shut up, bye” she disconnected the call, I mean I have a business to run now.

I can hear Robyn rehearsing outside from the venue, but I am currently waiting with my suitcases for Jen to come, security did ask and told me I had to wait so it’s whatever. She is taking her time with it though, I am going to be cute with Robyn because I know she is a little annoyed with me, maybe it’s her missing me so I am going to accept her talking stupid with me and just continue to love her and show her that she means so much to me, I adore her so much and she knows that “welcome to the tour Christopehr!” Jen half shouted “let him in” she said behind the barrier, I grinned at her. She always has such good energy “you moving in?” she pointed at my suitcases “uh yeah, Robyn’ home. I think this may be her way to get me to move there” pulling along both cases “welcome, welcome” I stopped to hug her, I am not rude “this is your pass, do not lose it throughout the tour. I am sure you will re-join us again later in the dates. I hope you do for the overseas part” nodding my head taking the pass from her, placing it over my head “Robyn has got you a barber, Yusuf is offended but she has a guy for you” I cooed out “really?” I am shocked “yeah, she said he asked so I will take you to him. Come along, I will suggest getting these on her bus, we will be on the bus after this date to travel to Philli, she has a five day window after that so you both can spend time together” I didn’t know that “really? So she doesn’t get overworked?” that is shocking “it’s a little different, this is a major tour, she gets plenty of rest” I am glad to hear she does.

Dapping the barber as his friend took a picture of us “good looking out” I said to him “like I have been to many barbers but you, dang. You got me out here looking fresh as hell” I am impressed “thinking of you bro, you got to look fresh when you date Rihanna. Dang, when I got the message. I said Rihanna wants a haircut from me? I was shook then it said her boyfriend, so yeah” I chuckled “it’s only her side nigga you cutting for, so when I make it big you about to be my personal one” he nodded his head “appreciate it brother” like this nigga is good “how much is that?” grabbing my money from my pocket, I have money in my life finally “on your girl, she paid already” letting out an oh, she didn’t need to pay I could have paid that “perks of being with a millionaire” taking in a deep breath “yeah” I mumbled, it’s not even like that “shame she isn’t here, I would love to meet her” my phone started ringing “maybe one day” looking down at the I.D, it’s my mother “ma” answering the call “I miss you son, oh baby. Desean showed me who uncle is seeing, I am so proud of you. I just had to check on you and tell you how proud I am of you” I cooed out “doing it for you ma, you know that. I am currently doing something, but I will call you later, promise. Love you” I don’t want to speak in front of these nosey niggas “ok baby, I love you too” disconnecting the call “you want me to walk you out? Actually I think I should” I am dumb, I shouldn’t be asking that “please do, I don’t know where I am going” nodding my head.

I wonder if Robyn is done, the music has stopped playing so I am guessing but where the hell could she be. It’s funny because I am speaking about Robyn and here she is, walking with her entourage. Such a tiny woman in a gang full of men, she is running the show and they are all following her. She looks deep in thought, but me I am so glad to have seen her now. I mean I didn’t know where to go, I grinned watching her walk closer and closer, this guy is speaking to her as she made her way. Looks like it’s a lot of taking that is happening “Twin” I said, Robyn looked up and her face softened, from the angry face to the happiness “poppa is here, I will and thanks” Robyn moved away from her team, she did a little run to me “I missed you so much twin” hugging her, wrapping both arms around Robyn and pressing her close to me “I missed you so much” I admitted truthfully “how you think I feel” moving my head back and pressed kisses to her cheek, Robyn giggled as I did “you look well, I am happy to see you smiling” pressing a long kiss to her cheek “love you” moving back from her “I am smiling now” holding onto Robyn’ hand “what was that all about, seems like a deep conversation?” leaning back onto the wall “I haven’t rehearsed Stay so he was mentioning it and stuff but yeah. I like your hair, huh. Who did that for you” she winked “Yusuf” I joked “aye, I said it to him and goes I know how to do that nigga’ hair, but my poppa looking all handsome. I am glad you’re here, finally. I was becoming jealous of seeing you with other people on Instagram, it’s hard because I wanted you with me. And I get jealous” she is telling me like I don’t know that “I get that, you so beautiful twin” Robyn pulled a face “I am sweating, shut up. Come, let’s go and sit on the bus. It’s quiet on there” Robyn yanked my hand to walk.

She is right, the bus is quiet. There is many people in that venue so I am glad we have peace, placing my jacket on the table before sitting down on the seating area “so you sleep in the bunks?” I pointed “no, my room. My actual room is in the back, I have a bed. The fuck you think I am sleeping on a bunk? But we don’t really sleep, we party” Robyn sat next to me “god, I missed you” placing my arm on the back of the seating around just behind Robyn “aye!” I spat jumping forward “what you doing!?” Robyn didn’t even move her hand from my crotch at all, she is deadass “Robyn, you have your hand on my dick! Like you have my dick in your hand, why!?” I spat, she is being deadass “I heard about this fetish about you wearing sweatpants, and I see it. See how easy I grabbed your dick, you’re banned from wearing them!” my eyes widened “deadass!? Robyn, I can’t help it” she still hasn’t moved her hand “see, I haven’t see you in a while. I have seen thirsty pictures and comments about you, I have seen these videos and pictures of you in VA, you have fanpages now too, CJ? The fuck is CJ, it’s your dick! Right, so from now on you ain’t wearing these” I have to laugh “baby, please. Let’s talk like adults. I can’t help that my dick is big, please stop gripping my dick, please” she is waking my dick “tell me it’s mine” using my free hand to rub my face and laugh “ahhh!” she deadass squeezed my dick “ok, Robyn. It’s yours and you know this! I can’t help it” she let my dick go, I breathed out.

Staring at Robyn, well more like side eyeing her. I can’t believe I am allowing her to do this but I rather let her do it then listen to her drive me crazy about it, she will start saying that I am enjoying Staring at Robyn just doing the most and that I don’t love her “done?” I asked, Robyn smirked moving her hand away from my dick “yes, I think I got the perfect picture look at my hand on your bulge” she turned her phone to me “it looks nice, now jerk me off” Robyn waved me off as she went to work, she is now having to think of a caption, she had to do the most because my dick print has caused some drama, I just got a big dick. I cannot help it, it’s not my fault “what did you type out crazy?” I feel my dick is growing, I feel like I am getting hard because she continues to touch my fucking dick “special package” Robyn smirked “hashtag daddy home” shaking my head “I need to be jerked off now” I pointed at my dick “my hand hurts” Robyn placed her leg over my lap, she purposely rubbed her leg over my dick “you need to stop that” she is so cheeky “mhmm I am sick of being Rihanna’s boyfriend, everyone always pointing out like oh you are Rihanna’s boyfriend” rolling my eyes “you could always upgrade?” she mumbled “huh, to what?” raising an eyebrow “husband” I snorted laughing “wow Robyn, dang. I ain’t settling, no ma’am my knee will not be on the ground proposing” Robyn hit my chest scoffing “you are actually annoying, you say all this shit just to be sucking my toes. Fuck you” she mushed my face “this is why I want to be single, can’t let a nigga suck anything in peace. Annoying” she out here talking about husband “besides, I don’t want you as a husband” she is a lie “I need a wife that will cook and clean” I retorted “you’re annoying, keep annoying me, you know I will have you apologising” she is getting annoyed, let me leave her alone before she really gets mad.

Watching Robyn sit down but she sat across from me which honestly made me smile “for you annoying me I changed my caption to Rihanna’s boyfriend, hope you’re happy” locking my phone sighing out “see I know you’re lying baby, I just looked and commented on it. I put big dick breezy” Robyn kissed her teeth “the thing is, I will have you on your knee. I just know it” I sniggered at the fact Robyn is stuck on that “anyways, how are you feeling about your first date?” let me change the conversation “annoyed” shaking my head “oh twin, why you got to be like this. You know I am joking. You and I both know this right?” she does know but she is playing stupid “I do but yeah, I don’t know. I am just going to take it as it is, like I am so excited, but I have kept that thought to the back of my mind about performing Stay, the set list is going to set me off. Because it’s Stay and then Diamonds, I am ging to be crying. I know I will be because my mind is just on that, but I will make it” nodding my head “I will be there for you in the crowd, I am pretty nervous for you, I can only imagine how you must feel. It’s going to hit hard, first time performing it after that happened” she is going to cry, but I don’t blame her for it.

I did want to see Robyn before she went on stage, but she was gone, as soon as we got off the bus the entourage took her, and they did what they needed to do to get her on stage. Mel bought me to the mixing booth in the back, so I am just sat here waiting, I to be honest want to be front row. I really do but I think I will do it myself and go there myself, I am excited for this concert. I mean I am at a Rihanna concert dating her this time, ain’t no daydreaming and smirking to myself. Robyn just thinks and assumes a lot, she knows damn well that I would wife her up, me and her are forever now so that is it. The lights suddenly switched off and the crowd just went crazy for nothing, I mean not going to lie I am excited myself. It’s so damn dark, I wonder where she is going to be actually. She never really said or told me the setup, letting out an oh it’s Mother Mary. I should have known it would have been this song, looking at the screen to see Robyn. She looks so pretty, a little on the skinny side. I didn’t notice that actually until now, tilting my head to the side. Robyn has gone skinnier, maybe it’s the rehearsing that does it to her.

I found a while sheet and it shows what song is what, so the Stay and Diamonds is last, that is good to be honest. I hope she can keep it together, because like prior to this it’s all upbeat songs. Folding the paper up “we found love in a hopeless place” I bopped my head, I need to leave backstage. I think I am going to go to the front because being so far back sucks. I can’t see shit; I mean I can but I can’t. I am about to get myself lost, seeing that Robyn is walking around in the crowd. Let het just get her ass back on stage before I go out there, watching Robyn being touched and harassed by the fans, they really touching her too. Stuffing my hands in my pockets as I stepped out further, she is going back on the stage now so I can come out. Rich dapped me as I stood next to him, I have a feeling I am about to know all these songs off by heart because of being here. Smiling lightly, I am super proud of her, she really out there killing it too. It’s made me see how hard she does work, and then I am just a pain in the ass for her. I mean I don’t intentionally do it to her, shit comes to me. I don’t ask for it to happen, but it happens.

I am pretty nervous for her for this part, like I just think she maybe needed to rehearse but now she has to do it. I am literally stood front and centre to where she is going to stand, the crowd was in uproar assuming that she had finished but she came out and I just knew, I instantly knew with the look on her face she is already emotional. I can’t say how it feels to lose a baby inside of you, or the moment it happens. I can’t say how that is but with the pain she goes through I know it’s something awful, we both lost something that night. Robyn stood in front of the mic, the tune to Stay came on and she was gone, my heart fell for her and I couldn’t do anything to help her but watch her. The crowd screamed louder and louder, Robyn is just breaking, and the crowd chanted her name. I just want to help her, I feel like the Stay intro has been prolonged longer because of this, she is just crying. She turned away from the crowd, I feel so damn helpless what can I do and I am just thinking so hard on what to do, Robyn turned back around and stepped to the mix “all along it was a fever” oh she is pushing through, I swear I am rooting for her “He said, If you dare, come a little closer” dragging my eyes to Robyn and I feel pretty choked up, putting my head down and away from the fact Robyn has hands over her stomach. Flicking the tear that left pretty quickly, this is hard, harder then I assumed it would be.

#Chrianna #Chrianna FF #Chrianna Fanfiction #Fanfic #Fanfiction

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servinglemonade · 3 years

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The Mandalorian Season 2 Review

BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE MANDALORIAN SEASON 1 AND 2

Hi everyone, it has been a while since The Mandalorian finished up its second season, and to be honest, I kind of miss waking up at 9 AM on Friday to watch this show. Now, I loved season 1 and have watched it multiple times already. I was so excited for season 2 and to see more of Mando/Din and The Child and where their story would go. I never would have thought season 2 would go the way that it did. It was incredible and even better than I thought it would be. This Is The Way. Keep on reading to find out my opinions for every episode this season!

And again, beware... SPOILERS AHEAD

Chapter 9: The Marshal (dir. Jon Favreau)

I enjoyed the first episode back in the world of The Mandalorian. The first thing I noticed about this episode was the run time. Its a 54 minute episode, the longest we have gotten so far. I liked that it was so long, since we had been waiting on the second season for about a year and the episode overall was enjoyable. Being back on Tatooine was great since it is one of my favorite planets in the Star Wars universe. I liked seeing more of the Tusken Raiders and loved that battle scene with the krayt dragon. One thing I loved from that was the change in aspect ratio! When the krayt dragon opened its mouth, the ratio changed to IMAX/full screen. That was amazing and such a good choice for it. It just made it more cinematic. And of course, who can forget that Boba Fett tease at the very end of the episode! Fun fact, I never really liked/enjoyed Boba Fett. In the Original Trilogy, he does not do much, he is just kind of there and then ‘dies’. So I never really got the hype. But, oh, I am going to talk about Boba Fett later. In conclusion, chapter 9 was a nice episode.

Favorite moments: Mando taking out the krayt dragon like a BOSS, Mando talking with the Tusken Raiders in their language, The Child in his little pouch on Mando’s speeder bike with his ears flapping in the wind.

Overall: 7.5/10

Chapter 10: The Passenger (dir. Peyton Reed)

This episode was more of a side quest but hey, if it is nice, I do not mind. This is a fun episode but those spiders at the end... They just reminded me of those spiders in Rebels season 2/3 and I HATED those things. However, the action scene was very thrilling. I loved the beginning of the episode, where some guys try to take The Child from Din and he tricks them. The Child running into his arms again and Din messing with the guy that took his jetpack was great. The episode mostly takes place on this ice/snow planet, which I always enjoy in anything Star Wars! This episode also introduced us to Frog Lady, who was a nice addition to the gang.

Favorite moments: Din fixing the Razor Crest and then telling The Child he should help him and the final action scene.

Overall: 7.5/10

Chapter 11: The Heiress (dir. Bryce Dallas Howard)

This episode felt like a Clone Wars or Rebels episode and I LOVED IT!!! This was so good. I was quite surprised to see Bo-Katan show up here, she was great and I enjoyed seeing her in live-action. The action scenes, on the boat and on that imperial ship, were especially incredible and really well done, so props to Bryce! There was also an important storyline here regarding Mando and his Creed vs. other Mandalorians. Since we know Bo-Katan and other Mandalorians keep removing their helmet and Din never does, I wondered why. This finally gets adressed here and I loved seeing it unfold and how this storyline kept unfolding as the season went on. And of course, at the end of the episode, we got THE ASHOKA TANO NAME DROP! Confirming that we would be seeing her this season. I am a huge Ahsoka fan and she has become one of my favorite Star Wars characters, so I was excited to say the least.

Favorite moments: Mando crash landing the Razor Crest in the water, Frog Lady reuniting with her husband, Bo-Katan, and Mando telling The Child to stop playing with his food

Overall: 8.5/10

Chapter 12: The Siege (dir. Carl Weathers)

But before we see Ahsoka, a little detour. However, a short, sweet, and fun detour, directed by none other than Greef Karga himself! Yes, this episode saw the return of season one’s Greef Karga, Cara Dune, and the Mythrol (the blue guy from season 1). Nonetheless, the star of the episode was The Child with his blue cookies haha. The beginning of the episode was so funny with Din trying to tell The Child were to put the wires in and then them eating together. Din even showed a little bit of his face, with The Child trying to take a peek, so adorable. Additionally, I really liked being back on Nevarro and seeing how Greef Karga and Cara cleaned up the town. Once again, the action here was fantastic and Carl Weathers did a great job. The final action scene was amazing and showed how great of a pilot Din is. In this episode, I also really felt the bond between Din and The Child and how much it has grown over time! OMG, almost forgot... We learn more about Moff Gideon wanted with The Child, he used his blood and the midi-chlorians to create what looked like clones?! Crazy, AND they put a tracker on the Razor Crest, which got me very anxious about the next episode.

Favorite moments: The Child and the wires (aka me in Among Us), The Child in school and stealing blue space macarons, and the trio from season 1 back together and kicking ass

Overall: 8.5/10

Chapter 13: The Jedi (dir. Dave Filoni)

This was magical. Purely magical. Dave Filoni... Oh my goodness, what a legend. He understands Star Wars in a way no else but George Lucas does. From the action, to the samurai and western infleunces, to the emotion, everything was perfect. So, in this episode Din finally finds Ahsoka Tano, one of the few Jedi that are left. The episode wastes no time to introduce Ahsoka. Her entrance in the forest was amazing, the way she uses the force and her lightsabers, just ugh, amazing. Now, I really like Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka but it took some getting used to since Ahsoka originally is an animated character. However, she looked great here. I loved the scene where Ahsoka was communicating with The Child through the force and we learn his backstory!! His name is Grogu and was trained at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by many masters and was hidden during Order 66. The way we learned all of this was so natural and I really did not see it coming. It was great. I really like the name Grogu, it fits him haha. The little training session with Grogu was fantastic and showed how much Din cares about Grogu. Ahsoka tells Din she cannot train Grogu because of his attachements and how that can lead him to the dark side. She even references Anakin!!!!!! Omg, the feels. Mando and Ahsoka team up to fight the Magistrate of the town and this fight was fantastic. Manda and Ahsoka are both so cool and have some great moments. Then, when we thought this episode could not get any better, Ahsoka teases what is to come as she name drops GRAND ADMIRAL THRAWN!! Now, if you have not watched Rebels, this might mean nothing to you. But I gasped so loud when she said it, good stuff is coming for the Ahsoka show!!!! When Mando had to say goodbye to Grogu, I thought no... They are not going to do it, are they?! But Ahsoka sticks to her gut and says she cannot train Grogu. Instead, she sends them to the remants of an ancient Jedi temple where Grogu can choose his path. And so Mando, Grogu, and Ahsoka part ways. I just loved this episode. Also a special shout-out to Ludwig Göransson’s score. He has been fantastic for season 1 and 2, but the score at the very end of this episode, just captured the magic and beauty of this one. He is so talented!

Favorite moments: all of Ahsoka’s action scenes, Ahsoka vs. Mando, Din learning Grogu’s name and he keeps saying it, the Trawn name drop, Ahsoka referencing Anakin, and Din and Ahsoka traing Grogu

Overall: 9.5/10

Chapter 14: The Tragedy (dir. Robert Rodriguez)

This was a short but action packed episode, oh my goodness. It just kept going at some point, which was very thrilling to watch. This episode saw the return of Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, which was surprising. Now, like I said, I have never been a fan of Boba Fett. However, we was a badass in this episode with some very cool moments! I also loved that in the bts of season 2 Temuera Morrison talked about how he brought in some of his Maori traditions into Boba’s fighting style, which was very awesome to see. Okay, back to the rest of the episode. So, it starts out with Mando messing with Grogu and his name a little bit on the Razor Crest. He actually laughed, which is something we had not seen yet. He then trained with him for a bit and told him how proud he was of him and how he is special... Sooo soft! So then, they get to the seeing stone and of course Mando is an actual rookie and has no clue what any of this Jedi stuff (as he calls it) means, which is understandable of course. But I just thought it was very funny to watch. Boba and Fennec show up, a lot of Stromtroopers show up, and they have to fight their way out of that nasty situation. It was really cool!! All of them had awesome moments. Then, when everything has calmed down a bit, Moff Gideon’s dark troopers show up and take Grogu from Mando. I just- I can’t... Another thing that happens is the Razor Crest getting blown up! Holy shit, I was shocked. So Mando is left with no ship, no Grogu, and has to get him back. So, Boba and Fennec promise to help him. Very action packed, and tragic episode.

Favorite moments: Din knowing nothing about the Jedi, the whole bit in the Razor Crest with Din and Grogu being cute, Fennec being a badass, Boba being a badass, Grogu beating those Stormtroopers in his cell, and Moff Gideon being as vilanous as ever (gotta love Giancarlo Esposito)

Overall: 8.7/10

Chapter 15: The Believer (dir. Rick Famuyiwa)

I LOVED this episode. Rick Famuyiwa did it again!! Okay, so Mando, Boba, Fennec, Cara, and Mayfeld (from season 1) go to this Empirial base to get the coordinates of Moff Gideon’s cruiser so they can get Grogu back to his dad (yes, I said it, because it’s true!). So they want Mayfeld to come because he knows stuff about the Empire and I did not really like him in season 1. However, I thought he was really nice here. He even had some funny lines. I loved the action scene on the transport with Mando fighting those pirates they encountered. It was really weird though, not seeing him in his Beskar armor. So they inflitrate the base and Mayfeld’s old superior is sitting where they have to get the coordinates, so he cannot go in, Mando wants to go but here is the twist... It is a facial scan (insert suspenseful sound). So, he goes in, tries it with his helmet on, and that obviously does not work. So he removes his helmet. This was so powerful, he was willing to let other people see his face to save Grogu. It just shows how much he cares, and I loved to see it. The whole scene without his helmet was so suspenseful. I was stressed while watching it. Pedro Pascal is such a good actor, he was selling it! Mayfeld was so cool about it though. He had been messing with Mando having his helmet on the entire time and when he eventually took it off, he was really respectful about it. Another thing I thought was fantasic this episode was Mando treathening Moff Gideon with a little message. He basically used the same message Gideon told him last season when he was looking for Grogu, but now Mando used it on him. He even said that Grogu means more to him and Gideon will ever know. Oh my gosh!!! In conclusion, after this episode, I could not wait for the finale.

Favorite moments: Din removing his helmet, Din realizing his blaster was jammed so he just yeeted it to the pirate instead, Mayfeld and Din talking to the Empirial guy in the cantine, Mayfeld calling Din ‘Brown Eyes’, and Din’s message to Gideon.

Overall: 9/10

Chapter 16: The Rescue (dir. Peyton Reed)

Where to begin?! Oh my goodness, SO MUCH happened during this episode. Mando adds Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves to his crew to get Grogu back. They agree, since this is Bo-Katan’s chance to take back the darksaber from him. So Boba Fett distracts Gideon’s people for the rest of the crew to sneak on board. So we had Cara, Fennec, Bo-Katan, and Koska just kicking these stromtrooper’s asses and it was stunning to see. Mando goes to look for Grogu but encounters the dark troopers and they were ruthless. I honestly thought he was going to get hurt or something. Thank goodness he had that Beskar speer, so he yeeted them out of the ship and made his way to Grogu. Only to find Gideon standing there with the darksaber. He is like just take him, I got his blood. Of course, it is a trap and he attacks Mando. We get an epic fight between Gideon with the darksaber and Mando with his speer. It was so cool and Mando wins! He then walks back to the crew with Gideon in handcuffs, wielding the darksaber, and Grogu in his hand. Bo-Katan sees it and looks shocked since she now cant get it from him since it needs to won in battle as Gideon reminds everyone (he was obviously enjoying this), which I completely forgot. Then just says I yield, take it. She cannot just accept, which makes Din the rightful ruler of Mandalore (CRAZY!!!). This was left with no answers, so I am hoping that this will be explored during season 3!!. The dark troopers get back to the ship and they need a miracle now. Out of nowhere, one single X-Wing shows up. I knew it was a Jedi, but who? Of course, Luke crossed my mind, but I was like, NO WAY. So I thought, it could be Ezra from Rebels (he also has a green lightsaber). However, there was no way someone that powerful was Ezra, it had to be Luke. I will never forget it, my heart was beating so fast, I was crying, and the suspense was just, oh my. The hallway scene was fantastic. Then the jedi reveals his face, and it is Mark Hamill back as Luke Skywalker in all his glory. The CGI was impressive, although when he started talking, it looked a little off. Anyway, now Din has to say goodbye to Grogu and he lets him see his face. This was such a beautiful moment, it made me cry even more. This show is incredible, however this just proves that when you strip away all the cool stuff and guest appearances, this show is about Din and Grogu’s relationship, which in the end, is my favorite thing about the show. It was so emotional. Grogu then leaves with Luke and R2 (!!!), and that concludes season 2! This finale was just incredible, and what made it even more emotional was Pedro’s perfromance. He is fantastic! Again, the score this season was so good but in the finale, Ludwig outdit himself! So beautiful and emotional.

Favorite moments: the whole thing, not even going to try to pick just a few

Overall: 10/10

So that is season 2 of The Mandalorian!! I have to say, after the shit year 2020 was, Mando Fridays made it a little better. I cannot wait to see it continue. I think it will be after The Book of Boba Fett with Boba and Fennec (looking forward to that!). This ended up way longer than I intended, oh well. I hope you enjoyed reliving Mando season 2 with me! Now I kind of want to watch it again...

This Is The Way.

Yenai

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austencello · 4 years

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Crisis on Infinite Earths, Parts 1,2,3 - Arrow Music Notes

While many events and cameos took place during the first bunch of episodes, this review will focus primarily on Oliver’s journey and sacrifice…with a little detour about Smallville and Superman Returns near the end. (After all, John Williams themes were used. How can I not talk about that?)

Oliver Queen and Sacrifice

The whole of Season 8 has been leading up to Oliver Queen’s death. In fact, the biggest surprise to fans (including myself) was that it happened in the first episode. While many people had expectations for Crisis and the end of Arrow, one of mine was that the music “Sacrifice” would be used for Oliver’s death which we all knew would be a noble sacrifice to save many. I was quite pleased to hear that theme being used in that way. However, I was also correct in mu guess that his Arrow theme would be used as he died. But before we jump into that, I want to go through why “Sacrifice” was used for crucial moment but also in two other moments in Crisis.

Sometimes the titles of themes are just as important as the events they hearken back to but in this case, they are connected. This theme has been the journey of loss and becoming a hero for Oliver. The loss that made him a hero and overcoming guilt and grief. It intertwines saying goodbye to Tommy, his mother, Laurel, Sara, William and Felicity as well as the call to keep fighting, to choose good, and show the best parts of himself.

“Sacrifice”/“Not Going to Make it” was first heard in 1x23 (in strings) as everything came to a head with the Undertaking. Quentin said goodbye to Laurel telling that he loved her, about to sacrifice himself to save the city in trying to stop the earthquake machine, Roy and Thea saved people in the bus, and Tommy saved Laurel only to die himself. Oliver’s mission was to save the city not expecting to live but he failed. Not only that but he lost his best friend who had hated him and his vigilante life. This was not the sacrifice Oliver expected to happen and it rocked him to the core, staying with him and influencing him to no longer kill, to do things a new way.

Part of the theme within “Sacrifice” is “Just Listen” (1x08) where he showed Sara’s grave to Helena, recognizing that he hadn’t been a good person and how that affected those around him, including Sara’s death. This bit is also used in “I who Failed” (1x09), “Salvation” (1x18, when he saves Roy: “Give him a second chance”), “Killing Count” (2x07 - rescuing Felicity but breaking his vow to kill after Tommy’s death), “Reveal to Roy” (2x12 - revealing his identity to Roy to break him out of the Mirakiru haze), “Taking a Hand” (4x13 - defeating Malcolm for good, bringing things full circle from his fight in 1x23), and in 6x13 when Oliver saved William and the city from a bomb attack by Cayden James. This part of the theme is a theme of both failures and second chances, saving those he loved and providing justice as well. It is the actions of a man becoming a hero, believing in others, providing protection and safety, getting up from failures and trying again.

The inner part of “Just Listen” and his guilt over Sara’s death spills over into the future, alternate earth Oliver. “Sacrifice” plays both in Legends 1x06 when Sara meets the angrier bitter version and in the first Crisis episode as she speaks to a shaken, older, emptier Oliver who feels a great deal of guilt for bringing her on the Gambit. She tells him that it was destiny and her decision but also that they both became the best versions of themselves. Her (and our) Oliver became a hero, a father, and a husband while she is loving adventures through time and space. She reminds him that he is a good man on every earth (we are going to ignore the Nazi version for now).

While Sara gives hope to these broken future Olivers, it was Felicity who helped our Oliver grow in his hero journey, giving hope when he had about given up: “Oliver Gives Up”/The Essence of Heroism.” The electronic background is different for this version of the “Sacrifice” theme and a little slower in the strings but it still reflects Oliver’s despair mixed with light and hope, redeeming the theme of loss. Oliver sees no way to beat Slade, having lost his mother, seeing the city over run with Mirakiru soldiers, seeing no way other than his own death to save those he loves by giving up and over to Slade. Felicity reminds him that he is not done fighting, he is not alone, and then tells him that she believes in him. Tommy had hated him for being a vigilante but Felicity tells him that he is a hero, giving him strength with her faith in him. This theme of faith in the darkness returns in “One hand tied” in 2x23, where once again Oliver feels stuck in a corner seeing only one way for things to end and Felicity suggests a different way of making Slade outthink him. It is through this suggestion and belief that they defeat Slade together.

The theme returns in 4x18 during Laurel’s death “Canary flies away,” a reversal from 1x23 when Quentin was saying goodbye and now instead, it is Laurel who died. It also harkened back to the loss of Tommy in flashbacks to his funeral in 4x19 (in the piano) as Laurel spoke about how both she and Oliver loved him, the theme connecting Tommy’s death with how he saved Laurel and also how much Tommy’s death affected Oliver to the point where he couldn’t even fully attend the funeral. (Which also happened with his mother.) The loss of Laurel affected the whole team, this time leaving Quentin and Diggle with guilt, and Oliver with grief over losing someone close to him. He had grown enough to know that it was not his fault however and helped to recognize her as a hero to the city during her funeral.

A bit of “Sacrifice” plays at the end of “Leaving the Hallucination” (5x08) when Oliver leaves the alien hallucination, hearing the words and voices of all those that he lost and loved spurring him on to be the hero that he is, including Felicity’s words from 2x22. He could have stayed in a world where his parents were alive but he chose reality because his journey as a hero was not over yet.

Oliver becomes confronted with another kind of sacrifice as he faces trial and jail in 6x21 and 6x23. In 6x21, he doesn’t want to admit to being the Green Arrow and face prison because he was hoping for a life with Felicity and William at some point “Never a Normal Life.” Felicity reminds him that they fight for each other (harkening back to 2x22…you are not alone) but he cannot handle the idea of putting a target on them. The idea of losing her and William is intolerable. While he was acquitted for that moment, this comes back in 6x23: “What a cost.” He gives himself up to protect his family and the team, sacrificing himself to protect them as he says goodbye to William with Felicity in the background. Not quite sacrificing his life the way he expected to in 1x23 or 2x22 but still offering his life to protect those he loved most. It is an Oliver who fights to live for his family, who has been giving second chances in love and family. This is a man who has grown in accepting life and fighting for the good parts instead of just fighting the bad. This is emphasized in 7x21 as a dream/hallucination version of Tommy gives a speech of hope. While Tommy never came back from the grave, he has heard Tommy forgive him through dreams and the like. Here the theme “Sacrifice” returns again as Tommy tells Oliver to show the best parts of himself: loyalty, courage, selflessness, compassion.

These are the essences of being a hero and the core of who Oliver is and has become. The journey of loss and guilt turned his despairing guilt of sacrifice into selflessness, having courage to choose and put others first, having loyalty towards his friends like Barry and Kara, having compassion to save all earths. He had been confronted with the fact that his death could help save numerous earths including his wife and children. He knew that a sacrifice was necessary to help them survive, even more pressing now that he has his adult Mia in front of him. That is why Oliver didn’t hesitate to fight the time/space demons to help as many people survive the earth 38 evacuation. He had no idea that that was not the way the Monitor had foreseen his death. He took his future into his own hands, stoping the Monitor long enough to help a billion people survive even to his own demise. Which is why “Sacrifice” plays as Oliver fights even without arrows and facing them without a bow. It is the heart of a hero, fighting to give everything he has to protect others, sacrificing himself so that others might live. (Side note: this wasn’t my favorite musical version of this theme. I do realize the drum kit and electric bass gave it a cool badass aspect, harkening back to the pilot sound, but it didn’t carry the emotional weight that I would have liked. I did like that the melody was played in the heroic sound of the horns as well as the strings though. That was quite fitting).

Oliver’s actual death with Mia and the other heroes around him was a mixture of new and old music. A little bit of “Sacrifice” returns as the Monitor tells them that Oliver saved 1 billion people. A theme based on an upward scale in the violas and cellos played throughout. changing after the scale each time, matching his goodbyes to Barry and Kara versus goodbye to Mia. This natural minor scale (a minor scale that doesn’t change notes from the key signature) fits with the core sound and harmonic nature of Arrow since its inception. There are melodies throughout Arrow based on a scale in strings like “Honor Memory” (1x02) or “I forgot who I was” (1x05) and many of the repeating aspects of the fighting Arrow music include 4 notes of a scale since the pilot “Five Years”. So while using almost all of the scale is unusual, it still fits with the musical landscape especially as it is accompanied by horns (heroism) and toms (percussion) giving it a weight and gravitas. As he closes his eyes, the horn holds on to a major chord for a little bit giving Oliver a little peace in saying goodbye. What brings more pathos is changing the scale to a melodic minor scale after he dies. It’s almost jarring because it doesn’t fit with what we are used to, signifying that things aren’t right. The Arrow theme plays over it as the Monitor tells them it wasn’t supposed to be like that. It highlights the tragedy of losing our beloved hero too soon, both for the team but also for us as an audience. A bell also tolls at the beginning of that scale after Oliver’s death. The horn plays Oliver’s hero theme as it pans away looking at Oliver.

As tragic as this was, it turned out not to be the end of Oliver’s journey. Mia, Sara, Barry, Constantine, and Diggle all work on bringing back Oliver (more on that in a bit). After they find Oliver’s soul in purgatory and bring him back to himself, they meet the Spectre (Jim Corrigan) who tells Oliver that it is his destiny to become Spectre to save everyone. As this happens, the version of “Sacrifice”/“Never a Normal Life” plays as Oliver tells Diggle and Mia that it is ok. He chooses to sacrifice coming back with his closest friend/brother and his daughter to once again save them all. Mia begins to say “I love you” but is cut off as they disappear back to the ship, telling Sara that he chose to stay behind. Each time, it is a choice that Oliver has to make and he does so willingly because Oliver loves deeply and will do what is right to save others no matter the cost.

Oliver, Sara, and Mia

Near the beginning of Crisis, Sara and Oliver have a brief moment together on Earth 38 where Sara comments on parent Oliver and while it is a little weird, it looks good on him. The theme “The Real Me” (2x01) plays in the horn which first played when Oliver started to fit into his cooperate job, bringing in Walter against Isabel, having family to help him. She comments that he isn’t what he seemed to be and he answers that most people fail to see the real him. Many people had an idea of what Oliver seemed to be but Sara is one of the few who has known Oliver the longest in all his forms: playboy, vigilante, now a parent. Sara and Oliver genuinely care about each other and have been through the good, the bad, and the ugly. She is happy to see this new side of her friend.

Oliver also has a brief moment with Mia, giving her own Green Arrow suit as a variation of Oliver’s hero horn theme (no 2 - the descending one) plays. Drum-kit and strings play, giving a sound of new beginnings (drum-kit was used in the pilot as we see Oliver in the suit for the first time) and then Mia’s Blackstar theme plays in electric guitar as she is left looking at the suit when Oliver leaves.

Mia and Barry take Oliver’s death the hardest, determined to find a way to bring him back. They enlist the help of Sara and Constantine to find a Lazarus Pit, who both have their reservations considering they have been down this road before with Sara. Once they find a Lazarus Pit and put Oliver into it, the music hearkens back to Nanda Parbat when Sara and Thea had been put into the Lazarus pit. The female vocal and choir sings as crazy Oliver leaps out with a repeated electric bass note to add to the tension and adrenaline.

Cameos - primarily Superman

One of the fun parts about the Crossovers is all the musical themes that return and get woven together, like Supergirl and Batwoman’s themes interweaving as they face off each other in the 3rd episode. Not only were a lot of characters brought in for small or longer cameos but most of their musical themes were as well (which is quite impressive from a copyright side). While I needed help identifying the Batman characters, thanks to @jorahtheandal, I did recognize their themes from the various shows and movies. However, the ones that made me excited were the Smallville cameos and Superman Returns. My first introduction into the world of DC were through those two and “Lois and Clark.” I loved hearing the sounds of Smalliville again especially in the clarinet. There weren’t a lot of winds in this Crisis (the orchestra was made up of strings and brass) but that made moments like this even more special. Smallville had two composers and the second, Louis Febre, used a lot of solo winds, especially clarinet for the Clois theme and the feeling of home during seasons 7-10. It felt like truly returning home to the Kent farm and you could feel the warmth of the love Clark and Lois had for each other and the farm. (“The Proposal” is a good example of the solo winds used on the Smallville soundtrack)

Even more impressive was the fact that Blake Neely and team got permission to use John Williams’ themes for Superman. While the main Superman theme was used throughout Superman Returns, the love theme was not used much. (Superman Returns was written by John Ottman since John Williams was busy with Star Wars). However, in the second episode of Crisis, both the love theme for Lois and Superman and Superman’s main brass theme by John Williams appeared, definitely cementing that Brandon Routh’s Superman was a continuation of Christopher Reeve’s Superman. It was a lot of fun to hear those themes as he interacted with Earth 38’s Superman and Lois, especially when Clark switches into the Superman suit and his iconic brass theme is heard.

Other notable themes heard included Danny Elfman’s Batman theme at the beginning as well as his Flash theme for the ‘90s Flash TV show when Barry from earth 90 died. Black Lightning made an appearance in the 3rd episode along with his theme which was cool. The Crisis had its own theme of doom in the brass as well as the heroes banding together to fight against the Crisis (heard in trumpets) throughout the episodes. While Crisis on Earth-X is still my favorite both story-wise and musically, this definitely had some cool moments.

@dust2dust34 @academyofshipping @smoakmonster @ah-maa-zing @herskirtsarentthatshort @dmichellewrites @almondblossomme @withgraceandlight99 @jorahandal

#crisis on infinite earths #oliver queen #sacrifice #smallville #superman returns #sara lance #blake neely #olicity #felicity smoak #mia smoak #tommy merlyn #clark kent

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smallmediumproblems · 4 years

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Sic Transit

Summary: Jon wants to take a shortcut.

The excitement of the night’s activities was doing a decent job of keeping Jon awake. It also involved a lot more walking than he was used to. It occurred to him that he didn’t remember the last time he’d slept. He wasn’t even considering a full night’s sleep, that was well out of the realm of possibility. He’d struck an uneasy truce with the process, timing his work around when it might be most convenient for him to pass out at his desk for an indeterminate amount of time. His instinct was not to say anything now that sleep was catching up with him. When he found the tailors over an hour away, though, something broke inside him.

“We’re taking a detour,” he told the group. An odd look was passed around, but no one argued when he led them just a couple intersections away and started squinting around for what he’d been looking for. They should have been right on top of it, but were instead sandwiched between a closed segway rental shop and store pronouncing itself as ACME Water Slides. “There's sort of a tram system in this section. There should be cars somewhere? I don’t think it’s on a rail.”

“Like a funicular,” Nick suggested.

“Yes, exactly,” said Jon.

“Would this funicular happen to be ferret-based,” Nick asked very seriously.

“I literally cannot imagine how or why that w-” Jon started to say, stopping himself short with a sigh when Nick pointed towards the ceiling.

Two thick metal cables ran the length of the Arcade parallel to the hallway, criss-crossing at each junction like an enormous loom. As if on cue, something four-legged and furry and approximately the length of a VW bus bounded down one of the cables away from them, moving quickly but surprisingly quietly. Jon could just barely make out a vehicle cabin harnessed to its back.

“Of course,” said Jon, who was about ready to take his rock and go home right then and there. “At least it’s not spiders. What now?”

“We could try to lure one down,” said Morgan. She inspected the contents of her Joann’s bag thoughtfully. “Ferrets eat meat right?”

“Awww, come on,” said Static Man, leaping immediately to whatever conclusion she had reached. “I liked those ones.”

“I told you, they’re already going stale,” said Morgan. She pulled out what looked at first like a very large chew toy, but which Jon realized with horror was a human tibia covered in blunt, decorative spikes. As she did so, she jogged over to the nearest intersection to wave it at something she spotted in the distance. A massive ferret slowed to a stop in front of her, arching its back to sniff at the offering. After a brief appraisal, it slunk to the floor and wiggled expectantly.

“Thank you, Morgan,” Static Man commented with mock sincerity as they piled into the cabin. “Hey, we should get one of these.”

“I’ll look into it,” said Nick, and sounded like he meant it. “The food wouldn’t be cheap, but imagine the cuddles.”

The cabin was, not surprisingly at this point, bigger on the inside. They had to duck past the door, but the ceiling extended up several feet into the space the ferret should have been occupying. There was a booth with six cushy seats across from a screen of scrolling pink text.

“Uhh,” Nick hovered by the screen, poking it experimentally. The text was packed so incomprehensibly tightly that it was impossible to read while it was in motion. “You guys might want to get comfortable.”

“Here,” said Jon. He touched something that looked like a scroll bar on the side of the display, dragged it to a very precise point, and selected one of the items. The screen darkened to make way for an animation of some cartoon leaves, revealing a minimalist logo that read Birch & Co. Jon gave Nick a supportive pat on the shoulder before settling himself into the booth.

“Hey,” Static Man whispered loudly to Nick, “We should get one of those, too.”

Jon stifled a laugh as he relaxed back into his seat. “You’ve already got the food budget sorted. But I’d prefer we stay clear of any snuggle-related services.”

"You're not even in the same ballpark of how cuddly a giant ferret would be," Static Man reassured him.

The interior was cozy, in a touristy sort of way. It looked like someone had transplanted a pub booth into a ferris wheel compartment. There was a dizzying moment when the ferret wriggled back up onto its cables, inexplicably not rotating the cabin at all, but soon enough they were headed at a swift pace towards their final stop in the Arcade.

“I thought we were in for another rest stop,” said Morgan, peering out of the window. “Maybe hang out in a bookstore for a while. This is way better.”

Jon shuddered. “I really don’t want to see what kind of books this place has to offer.”

“Really?” Nick said, not hiding his surprise. “I figured you’d be kind of a bookworm.”

“In a general sense,” said Jon. “I’m not fond of titles with special effects. Have you heard of Jurgen Leitner?”

Nick tilted his head thoughtfully. “It sounds familiar. I’ve probably seen some of his stuff, but I wouldn’t recognize it.”

“Like the band Kiss,” Static Man added helpfully.

“He had a book collection,” said Jon, deciding to ignore this comparison. “It got loose several years ago, and its constituents have been making themselves a nuisance ever since.”

“Again, like Kiss,” said Static Man.

“You’ve-” Jon was about to say to Morgan, when he realized that she hadn’t actually told him about her encounter with a Leitner. Judging by the panicked look on her face, she also hadn’t told Nick or Static Man. “You’ve not heard of him, either, I take it.”

Morgan relaxed. “Doesn’t ring a bell,” she shrugged.

“Count yourselves lucky, then,” said Jon.

“I’m not so sure,” said Nick. That recognition on his face was resolving into a suspicious look that made Jon’s hair stand on end. Nick unsaddled his bag and started to rifle through it. “Could you identify something for me? I know we’re behind a statement, but I’m sure we could work out some-”

“Nicholas, what I want most in this world right now is a nap and a granola bar,” Jon said tersely. “Show me the book.”

Nick retrieved a slim brown paper bag closed at the top with painter's tape. It looked for all the world like he'd gotten a postcard from a gift shop. Inside was a travel brochure decorated with badly photoshopped pictures of planes and buses, with text that asked boldly "WHERE WILL YOU GO?" It took Jon a second to notice that the text was in Arabic. Judging by the lurid colors and the way the vehicles seemed to judder and shift, Jon guessed it was something to do with the Spiral. The side of the brochure was also taped shut. Nick made no motion to remove the restraints.

"Where did you get this?" asked Jon.

"The same place I got you," Nick said reluctantly. "I found it right next to the ritual that summoned you. I haven’t tried it yet, it’s… sort of a beta tester. Any good vendor has a few in the back. Most will cut you a deal if you’re willing to take a chance on one. They’re more dangerous, since what comes out the other end is purely theoretical, but potentially very valuable.”

The supposed Leitner seemed well secured, so Jon decided to stop and address this new detail of his situation.

“Are you saying you found me in a discount bin?” he asked.

Nick opened and closed his mouth, trying to find a way not to answer the question. “Technically, they are paying me.”

“Good lord,” Jon muttered.

“Wait, this wasn’t tested?” asked Morgan, “Nick, you said it was safe.”

“It is. He is,” Nick insisted tiredly. “The guy’s scared of spiders, for Christ’s sake.”

“You had no way of knowing,” Morgan exclaimed.

“Were you, like, not there when he lobotomized half a dozen swamp monsters?” said Static Man. He made an apologetic gesture to Jon. “No offense, dude.”

“No, that’s exactly what I mean,” said Jon. “You’re only putting yourself in danger dealing with these powers. Some of the others would have hurt you quite badly by now.”

“What’s this ‘others’? Are you dangerous, or not?” Nick drawled. He gave Morgan and Static Man a dissatisfied look. “I did plan for that. You two at least should know better.”

“This isn’t about me,” Jon started to argue.

“Then we’re having two different conversations,” Nick said sharply, cutting him off. “I trust the untested rituals exactly as much as I trust the tested ones, which is not at all. That works both ways. I can’t trust things like you until I’ve stared down their throat and gotten a good, long look at what makes them tick. I’m sure you think you’ve been very gracious this whole time. But you’re not the only one who’s pulling punches to get through this a little more comfortably. I can assure you, Archivist, that this would have been a very different experience for you if I’d wanted it to be.”

Jon caught the edge of the thoughts Nick was dancing around, and was in no mood to respect that privacy anymore. Nick’s very first statement had risen to the front of his mind again, the one he thought he’d had the decency not to touch. He unfolded a memory of heartbreak, of trust and hope that had been broken beyond all reason or repair. He could have pulled the whole thing from him like a stray thread from the hem of a jacket.

Instead, he awoke several minutes later in a darkened room.

“Heyyyy, discount bin,” said a shifting assortment of shapes at the edge of his vision. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Gbvfhnh,” said Jon. While this wasn’t what he’d intended to say, it conveyed vital information about how the inside of his skull was melting all over his brain.

“Cool, cool,” said the shapes. “FYI, we’re at the place. Doing the thing. And now we’re in the waiting room, cause it has niiiice comfy couches.”

“I was not aware that you had fingers,” Jon told the shapes, which sounded an awful lot like Static Man.

“Yeah, ‘fingers’ is kind of a strong word,” Static Man agreed. “What’s like, appendages, but for your appendages? Appendageages.”

“Digits,” Jon whimpered. The noise - any noise - made his blood pound distressingly, forcing his skull up against the other, more tender parts of his head. There was a distinct gray ache in his stomach that told him it was well past time he asked after that statement he was owed. He managed to move a hand up to his temples and started poking around to see if he could massage the pain away. “Wh… What happened?”

“Beats me, man. You guys had a psychic fight or something and you passed the fuck out,” Static Man failed to explain. “Nick said you were poking around in his head. That true?”

Jon let his hand settle over his eyes. “Yes. That was… An extremely poor decision.”

“...yeahhhh.”

Even if he’d been able to see Static Man’s face, it wasn’t likely that Jon could have read his expression. Judging from the length of the silence that followed, it was not a favorable one.

“Morgan was pissed,” Static Man spoke up again. “She thought you were dead for a second.”

“That’s kind of her to be concerned,” Jon muttered. “Where are they now?”

“Inside. They left me out here to guard the door, and our ride home.” A certain energy had drained from Static Man’s voice, as well as a good amount of volume.

Beyond him, Jon could hear faint sounds of nature. Water flowed over rocks, and something small rustled through foliage. Jon painstakingly adjusted to a sitting position and got a good look at their final stop. It didn’t look like a forest had invaded an expensive spa, so much as the two environments had grown up in tandem and arranged a business partnership along the way. Hardwood flooring snaked a path through beds of dark, loamy earth. Plants of varying size but uniformly good health spilled out over the dirt. It was hard to see the walls or the ceiling through the tree canopy, a problem that was not helped by the tastefully dimmed lighting.

Jon looked up to see Static Man lounging against a tree by the end of the bench (which was in fact very comfy) that had housed his head. He attempted an excruciatingly awkward smile.

“I hope you’re not still worried that I’ll run off,” said Jon.

“Honestly, dude, I don’t know what to worry about you,” Static Man commented. “You just attacked my best friend.”

“I am sorry about that, and I intend to tell him as much when he comes back,” said Jon. There was a tight sort of helplessness in his chest, and it trickled down into his gut as a deep, queasy feeling of disappointment. He’d had all the means in the world to get this right, and he had still managed to make himself hated and feared. Perhaps that was really all the Archivist was good for.

“Hey, you know what happens when I apologize?” Static Man replied, “After I attack someone?”

Jon stared at him hopefully.

“Usually, they’re still dead,” Static Man told him.

Jon glanced down again. Someone had laid his tape recorder discreetly on the floor, next to where the group’s belongings were piled at the head of the bench. A very small corn snake was observing him from atop it. It declined to skitter into the underbrush when they made eye contact. It also declined to put a good word in on his behalf.

“Would you believe I was scared?” he asked very quietly.

Static Man laughed. “That’s what you’re going for? You’re the scary one. That’s literally your whole thing.”

“Not really,” said Jon. “If anything, it’s my job to be scared. A passive observer to things that frighten and disturb. Everything else is rather ornamental.”

“That’s… Yeah, okay, that sucks,” Static Man said, shifting uncomfortably, “Still not getting why the hell you think it’s okay for you to act like this.”

“Because you’re good people, and it scared me to think of you getting hurt,” said Jon. “I’ve seen so many people die because of things like me, and the powers that made me what I am. Hearing him talk about it like it’s some kind of tool, another magic trick to add to his collection, I just… I panicked. No one encounters these forces without a price. The kind of people who go after them voluntarily tend to get someone else to pay on their behalf.”

“Oh, fuck you,” Static Man spat. “You don’t know a goddamn thing about Nick.”

“I know he’s not like that,” Jon shot back, “Which leaves the alternative: he has no idea what he’s getting into. There’s no coming back if he finds out the hard way.”

They both looked away sharply at the sound of the front door opening. Jon’s heart sank to see a familiar woman with a brown hemp apron and a face full of piercings taking in the interior with a polite, disinterested smile. She wandered to the empty front desk, and made a show of pretending to notice Jon and Static Man only as soon as she neared the benches.

“Am I interrupting something?” she asked, “Please. Don’t stop on my account.”

“What do you want?” Jon snapped at her. The pierced woman looked surprised, almost offended.

“Just taking a walk,” she said breezily. “I needed some time to think about our conversation. I thought maybe you did too. You’re about done here, right? Do you have a minute to circle back, rethink my offer?”

“I think I made it very clear that I’m not interested,” said Jon.

“I don’t think that’s what you said,” she told him. “You said, you made a deal with these people. And you implied pretty heavily that, when they’re gone, you’ll be free to go.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” said Jon. He leaned down to pick up the tape recorder before standing beside Static Man.

“I definitely wouldn’t warn you ahead of time,” said the pierced woman. “What I would do is wait for a dramatically appropriate moment to drop in and let you know that all hope is lost, and your friends are surely dead by now.”

An extremely sad mechanical noise came from the other end of the room. Morgan stood in the doorway to the rest of the store, clutching a bloody hunk of fabric to her shoulder with one hand, and her weaponized instrument in the other. The bottom half of the instrument was a splintered mess. She looked between the three of them. Her eyes settled on Static Man.

“Go,” she said hoarsely, “Get Nick.”

Static Man barreled past her into the room beyond with a roar like a passing semi truck. Morgan limped over to Jon, who reached out quickly to steady her.

“Guess he decided not to eat you,” she said.

“I am your ride home,” Jon pointed out. Morgan smiled.

“He’s pulled worse stunts,” she said. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

“So I heard,” said Jon. He helped her onto the sofa to secure her makeshift bandage, and tried not to look too closely at the messy gouge that it was covering. “That’s better than I usually get.”

“Are you two finished yet?” said the pierced woman irritably. “I’ve got some murders to commit, and I’d like to get started.”

Morgan glanced over at her with an almost palpable disdain before returning her gaze to Jon. She stretched to hook a shopping bag with her foot from the pile next to the bench. “Think you can get this one? Just need to catch my breath.”

“You want his help?” said the pierced woman with a laugh. “Sorry to break it to you, but the only thing he’s well-equipped to hurt is himself.”

“That’s a bit harsh,” said Jon. “Speaking of hurting yourself, why don’t you tell me about some of your jewelry?”

The pierced woman winced, and gave him an annoyed look. “We both know that’s not going to work on me, Archivist.”

“Perhaps not in your own little nest,” Jon argued. He stretched the limits of his focus on her, drawing on the growing, insistent hunger that was tying his insides to knots. “You said yourself that this is neutral territory, Ms… Daria, that was it. You wanted to talk, Daria. Let’s talk. Let’s hear about your last love, before the spiders. The sweet taste of poison on your lips. The holes driven through your body, your mind, your very being, by small and loathsome creatures you called friends. Tell me, Daria, did the spiders ever fill that space inside you after they collected what was left? Or is metal all you have to show for it?”

“You’re only slowing the inevitable, Archivist,” Daria said quickly. She shook very slightly, as though trying and failing to get away.

“How dare you threaten me with longing for my home,” Jon continued, “When you still dream of the hive? A love fermented into acid so sharp and vile that you’ll never taste anything so strong again. Not til the day your own corpse begins to rot around your tongue.”

“Ugh, Jesus,” Morgan exclaimed quietly next to him, but the words weren’t coming from inside Jon anymore, and he could not turn to look at her face. Every part of him was enraptured by drawing out whatever dark memories would keep Daria at bay. A noise like a tuning fork began to ring out from somewhere near Morgan’s voice. He wouldn’t have to hold her much longer.

“Mine will come for me,” said Daria. Tears were streaming down her face, leaving deep, steaming gouges in her skin. “And they’ll come for you, too. You’ve lost already. It doesn’t matter what you do to me.”

“Oh, I didn’t think it would,” Jon agreed, “But I’m pretty sure it’ll make me feel better to watch.”

Unfortunately, when Morgan cleaved Daria’s head from her shoulders with a red-hot violin bow, Jon felt no such thing.

#tma #the magnus archives #fanfiction #hiiiii guuuuuys #if anyone's still following this I promise you won't have to wait a year for the next update #work has calmed down #@thestudyofbasements #*eyes emoji*#I heard that comment #and I very much appreciated it

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jimintomystery · 5 years

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So You Decided to Get Into Avengers after Endgame Came Out: A Guide

First of all, I feel your pain. You had better things to do besides watching a gazillion Marvel movies, but now Avengers: Endgame is in the only thing in theaters and everybody’s going nuts about it. But this movie is super-duper not accessible. More than any other Marvel movie, this one assumes you know what’s going on and it can point to the box office history to back up that assumption. (I’m not a fan of that choice tbqh.) So now you can’t watch this 3-hour movie without everyone telling you to watch 20 other 3-hour movies.

Well, you’d be justified to say “screw it,” but if you still want to take the plunge, I’m here for you. I was here when the first Avengers came out, and all the kids who saw the movie were like “I want to read the comics now but it’s hard.” Yeah, it’s hard. So comics fans like me helped them out, and now those baby fans know more about the Avengers than I do. That’s how it goes around here--we work together, to follow the continuity no single superfan could withstand.

This is not a comprehensive guide to the “Marvel Cinematic Universe.” This isn’t even a guide to the best movies. This is the quickest way to get you up to speed so you can enjoy Avengers: Endgame. Don’t let this stuff scare you. You can do it.

Hashtag whatever it takes.

(The following contains very very light extra mild spoilers for stuff BEFORE Endgame, for people who managed to not care about those spoilers for 11 years.)

The short-short version

There are four main Avengers movies

Avengers 1 (2012)

Avengers 2: Age of Ultron (2015)

Avengers 3: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers 4: Endgame (2019)

Obviously the fourth movie kind of assumes you saw the first three. More importantly, 3 and 4 are a two-part story (like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I & II), so those two are really really inseparable.

Avengers 1 is the most succinct introduction of the main characters: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, the Black Widow, and Hawkeye. You could watch the movies that came before Avengers 1 for more detailed introductions, but you don’t need to unless you’re super confused. (If you just cannot handle the idea of literal Norse gods running around, I guess watching Thor 1 might help, but superhero stories work better if you’re more like “that’s weird but okay.”)

Avengers 2...didn’t go over real well with fans, and it struggled with telling its own story while trying to set up stuff for future movies. However, since the future movies in question were Avengers 3 and Avengers 4, that’s the stuff you’re interested in. Also Avengers 2 debuts key secondary characters (the Vision and the Scarlet Witch) and is a convenient way to be introduced to others (War Machine and the Falcon).

Captain America 3: Civil War (2016) came out between Avengers 2 and Avengers 3, and it basically ends up being Avengers 2½. This is arguably the hardest one to skip, since it fundamentally changes the relationship between Captain America and Iron Man, and sets up where the characters are at leading into Avengers 3. You also get to meet Black Panther, the Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, and Spider-Man without devoting a ton of time to more movies. To be fair, Avengers 3 does attempt to explain what has happened since Avengers 2, but it’s kinda hard since so much is going on in Avengers 3. I happen to like this movie a lot, so I think it’s worth the slight detour.

Avengers 3 is where Thanos comes looking for the Infinity Stones, to put on his Infinity Gauntlet. It may seem like all the movies are about Thanos and Infinity Stones, but don’t believe the hype. Prior to this, some of the movies had plot devices that turned out to be Infinity Stones, and some of the movies featured Thanos cameos. But the actual story starts here--all the teases and hints were just to establish that our heroes have a clue about what’s going on. Many characters from other movies meet the Avengers for the first time, but if you haven’t watches those movies you’ll be no more or less confused than the Avengers are.

Avengers 4 picks up right where Avengers 3 left off. I won’t say much about it, except that is trying to pay homage to all the movies before it while also trying to serve as an ending, which is challenging. To accomplish that I think they sacrificed accessibility, so there are many scenes that depend on you recognizing references to earlier movies. BUT, I think you can get by just from seeing Avengers 1-3 and Cap 3: Civil War.

Extra credit homework

Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier (2014) shows how Cap, a World War II hero, is adjusting to life after waking up in the 2010s and joining the Avengers. If you’re confused about SHIELD, Hydra, or the Winter Soldier, this will help. This is one of my favorites.

Guardians of the Galaxy 1 (2014) introduces a rag-tag band of misfits in deep space, led by a half-human/half-alien mercenary. Aside from being fun, it delves into Marvel’s approach to aliens and cosmic powers. If you’re wondering why all the aliens speak English and don’t wear real spacesuits and use glowy rocks to do everything...well, this doesn’t explain it, but it teaches you to chill out about it.

Thor 3: Ragnarok (2017) has very little do to with the first two Thor movies, except that it dramatically tears down the status quo. The aftereffects of this are felt in Thor’s appearances in Avengers 3 and Avengers 4. If you would be confused by questions like “why would Norse gods be refugees on a spaceship?” or “why would Norse gods have weird alien friends?” or “is Thor...like, okay?” then this movie will help.

Captain Marvel (2019) introduces Captain Marvel. A teaser in Avengers 3 made it seem like she’d be a big deal, but her role in Avengers 4 kinda fails to properly introduce her. I guess they figured everyone would watch this movie. You certainly can watch this movie, but I don’t know that it’s essential, beyond understanding that “Captain Marvel is hella tough and she’s so cool.” And I could just tell you that. So I will. Captain Marvel is hella tough and she’s so cool.

Wait, what are you leaving out?

If you are concerned that skipping over all the other movies will cause you to miss a key plot point related to the main Avengers series, allow me to briefly summarize what you need to know from them. That way you can decide whether to sink time into actually watching these movies, or just reading my quick notes.

Iron Man 1 (2008) - Tony Stark becomes Iron Man and meets SHIELD; he’s like “I want cheeseburgers” and his chauffeur is like “sure, whatever”

The Incredible Hulk (2008) - The Hulk exists, pretty much

Iron Man 2 (2010) - Iron Man’s friend James Rhodes becomes War Machine

Thor 1 (2011) - The world finds out Thor and Loki are real

Captain America 1: The First Avenger (2011) - Steve Rogers becomes a super-soldier in 1943, fights the Red Skull with his friend Bucky, and he never got to dance with Peggy Carter, his best girl :(

Iron Man 3 (2013) - Iron Man has anxiety attacks about the events of Avengers 1. Then he makes friends with a little boy.

Thor 2: The Dark World (2013) - Thor brings his human girlfriend to Asgard to meet his parents!

Ant-Man (2015) - Hank Pym invented shrinky-juice called Pym particles and gave it to Scott Lang. I skipped this one, tbh

Doctor Strange (2016) - Doc takes over the Ancient One’s job protecting Earth from weird magical dimensions

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 (2017) - Mantis joins the team and Nebula stops trying to kill them so they can be friends.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) - Peter kisses a girl, maybe? I skipped this one too lol

Black Panther (2018) - Black Panther has a genius little sister named Shuri and a cool general named Okoye and omg everybody loves this movie because it’s great

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) - Hank Pym’s daughter becomes the Wasp and they rescue her mom. I skipped this too (uh-oh I’m a bad Marvel fan)

Now, if you want to marathon all these movies, you go right ahead. They’re generally very good! But don’t let nobody tell you that you’ve got to watch them all. It’s not that complicated.

In conclusion all you really really need is Avengers 1, Avengers 2, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers 3, Avengers 4. And if you need a hand, you’ve got a zillion people waiting to help.

#avengers #avengers: endgame #mcu #marvel cinematic universe

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sockablock · 5 years

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Hey, gang!! It’s been a bit since my last update vis a vis writing, so I just wanted to fill you in a bit! I’m still absolutely working on a couple incoming ideas, but progress has been slow thanks to college (and also a week of illness 😅). The Day of Renewal is absolutely still going strong, and I hope to have the next chapter up soon! I’ve also (finally!!) starting revamping that ol’ Angels and Demons AU, which I’m sticking a very short preview of under the cut! Aside from that, I will totally keep pushing out little fics and drabbles as they come to me, so don’t worry there! I absolutely can’t wait to get back into the longfic/regular updating scene, and y’all’s patience means the world to me 💜💜💜

“Of course, there are many names for it,” Yasha said, taking a sip of her tea. “The one we prefer, is ‘Elysium.’“

“Elysium?” Caleb glanced down at his notes and scratched his chin. “I cannot say I have heard that one before, but I will add it to the search.”

“What about him?” Beau asked, jabbing a finger at Molly, who was midway through helping Jester demolish the last of the cookies. “Where’s he supposed to be from, then?”

“Shady Creek,” said Molly, through a mouthful of crumbs. “That’s where Gustav picked me up, anyways.”

“Yeah, but that’s not, you know, where you’re from,” said Nott. “You’re supposed to be from hell or something, right?”

“Supposed to be,” Molly rolled his eyes. “I’m not really into labels.”

“That place also has many names,” Yasha murmured, “but the one we use...is ‘Pandemonium.’”

Molly sat up just a little bit straighter. “Pandemonium, eh?” His mouth curled up into a grin. “Now that’s a label I could get on board with.”

“Certainly fits,” Fjord muttered. “Did you see what he did to the shortbread?”

“I helped,” Jester pointed out. “And Cad had a few before he went to make more tea.”

Yasha sighed, and took another slow sip before addressing Molly. “If you really are so unaware of your identity,” she said, “then you should do yourself a favor and avoid that place while you can. All joking aside, Pandemonium is the realm of the demons for a reason.”

“Right, right, and how cool is that?” Molly laughed.

“I would not call it ‘cool,’” Yasha said. “It is a pit of sin and hellish flames, comprised of nothing but the most depraved of human desire.”

Molly threw his chair back and clapped his hands. “Excellent!” he proclaimed. “When’s the next bus leaving?”

Caleb groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do we have to bring him?” he asked the group. “I feel as if we would have a better chance of doing this with literally any other demon, memory or no.”

“Hey, I can’t stand him either,” Beau shrugged, “but maybe he’s onto something. After we find this portal to heaven, or whatever, I think we could make a detour on the way home.”

#oh man i am SO stoked to write that fic ahdjakfshk #critical role #critrole #critfic #fic #fanfiction #jay speaks #programming note #cr2 #text #long post #if anyones curious #that AU will be primarily beauyasha #and i absolutely cannot wait

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thebiblesalesman · 5 years

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3 Popular Storm Rising Mystery Omnic (MO) Theories

“We learn that Doomfist is in collusion with whoever that mysterious omnic gentleman was. [...] No, he’s not a part of Talon. [...] Even though we’re in the past here, we’re learning about something that’s coming up, that’s unfolding... We know there’s going to be a minor detour because Doomfist has to spend a few years in jail because he’s going to get captured shortly after this. But then, the plan will unfold.” - Jeff Kaplan

1) MO is an avatar of the Anubis god program.

MO meets with Doomfist in Cairo, Egypt, near the Temple of Anubis, and that appears to be the entire linchpin for this hypothesis. Anubis is a “god program”, an artificial intelligence with the ability to control omnics. It first appeared in the comic Mission Statement. I previously discussed the controversy surrounding Anubis and “god programs” in a different post.

So here are a couple difficulties with the Anubis MO hypothesis -

(1) The timing. This meeting takes place while the Anubis A.I. is firmly under Overwatch supervision. (Per Bastet, Overwatch shuts down the Anubis project 10 years ago. The meeting of MO and Doomfist takes place 6 years ago. Helix Security takes over the Anubis facility sometime after the fall of Overwatch. Anubis breaks containment in the present day.)

(2) The motive. In Mission Statement, Pharah reflects that the root cause of the Anubis containment issue is a lack of upgrades to the facility. In Bastet, Anubis’s original purpose is hinted at being necessary for maintaining infrastructure in Cairo, if not all of Egypt. It’s not clear why Overwatch decided to take Anubis down, only that the absence of Anubis caused a humanitarian crisis in Egypt. And when it finally did go berserk, it began gobbling up the minds of freeliving omnics like Pharah’s associate Okoro. Anubis is not a friend to omnics, and it’s not “evil” so much as glitching. It is certainly not “fighting for [its] kind” as Doomfist suggests.

Anubis has a way of speaking that involves talking in third person through its avatars in a very robotic way (”Anubis will not be denied. You must be negated.”), whereas MO responds to Doomfist with a cool “You have my attention.” Even if the Anubis A.I. could evolve to a point where it could assume a specific identity in a single body, it had not done so by the present day when Pharah encountered it, nevermind six years previously.

2) MO is a Null Sector radical.

Much like the Anubis hypothesis, there’s one big keystone holding this idea together: MO has a purple jaw. Yep. That’s it.

Okay, actually there’s a few more items worth discussing with this -

(1) The timing. MO and Doomfist are meeting one year after Null Sector got crushed by Overwatch during the Uprising mission. With his own forces decimated, MO would readily find Talon an asset.

(2) The motive.

“My friend, the world doesn’t understand visionaries like us. I respect what you are trying to accomplish. You fight for your kind. It’s...noble. And doomed to fail. But with Talon’s help, that can change.” - Doomfist

We can gather that MO is not the peaceable sort by the fact that he is meeting with Talon in the first place. Doomfist has respect for him, which further suggests that his “fight” is quite literal. Doomfist’s mention of how the effort is “doomed to fail” could be a direct reference to the failed uprising.

Doomfist and Reaper actually discuss Null Sector in the Masquerade comic:

Doomfist: I don’t mind a little ambition in my people. I saw that someone killed Mondatta.

Reaper: Lacroix. Tensions in London are boiling over. Hasn’t been this bad since after the uprising.

Doomfist: That was a missed opportunity. But who would have thought Overwatch would get involved?

There’s a lot to unpack in this comic about the relationships between Talon leaders and who knows what. But for now I simply want to note that Doomfist saw Null Sector as a missed opportunity. He would be happy to give them another chance.

In the Creator Residency stream the other day, Jeff Kaplan noted that Doomfist and MO’s plans had to be put on hold for a few years because Doomfist was captured by the Overwatch strike team immediately after their meeting.

While Doomfist was in jail, Widowmaker assassinated Mondatta. Oddly enough Mondatta was one of Null Sector’s targets seven years earlier, his approach to harmony between humans and omnics and the invention of Turing Green considered inadequate, or even treasonous. Later on in Masquerade, Maximilien refers to Mondatta’s assassination as part of the progression of Talon’s plans, saying “War between humans and omnics seems all but inevitable.”

If Talon is trying to game society into a war, it would be beneficial for them to bolster a fanatic. And personally I think rather than an ailing psychotic A.I., a Null Sector radical seems a much more likely prospect for negotiating with, particularly one suitably humbled by a recent defeat.

That said, the logo on his hood does not resemble the infamous Null logo at all. It might be kind of weird that Doomfist doesn’t meet with him in King’s Row if he’s really Null Sector, but then again, maybe MO’s associates would not be happy to see a human in their midst, or maybe MO is on the run from authorities in London (more on that in the next section). Why not meet in Numbani though? There probably is some significance to them being in Cairo, even if it doesn’t slot nicely into a “MO is Null Sector” hypothesis. While I was checking out this logo stuff I could not help but think the bundles of wires around his head resemble a pharaoh’s headdress a little bit too...

You know, I don’t think this is helpful to discerning who this guy is. Let’s move on.

3) MO is Reaper.

Without fail every friend I played this event with last night thought MO was Reaper. He’s certainly got the aesthetic down. But with (a) visible gearing in his shoulders, (b) the fight for his “kind”, and (c) Jeff Kaplan’s explicit confirmation that he is an omnic in mind, there is no way that MO is Gabriel Reyes in a robot suit.

There is a possibility that MO is related to the “decades” of terrorist activity described in Reaper’s hero profile, but there aren’t many places to take that idea right now beyond their physical similarity.

I’d recommend an alternative reason for MO’s aesthetic: he is hiding. His face is swaddled beneath a scarf and covered in a hood. Even his hands are gloved. If anything, it might point back to him being a Null Sector radical, so infamous he cannot even show his face in polite company. (The image below is brightness-adjusted to show off MO’s pretty gloves.)

I was going to wait on posting this because I thought there might be a comic explaining more, but Jeff indicated in the stream yesterday that the comics they were working on had a “slip” and would be coming out later than they intended. So I’m not gonna exactly hold my breath.

But this is what I have so far. The MO you know~⭐

#overwatch #stormrising #omnic #myrestxt

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formerprincess · 5 years

Text

A tale written with fangs and claws || Chapter 54

Chapters: 54/? Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Corey Bryant/Mason Hewitt Characters: Liam Dunbar, Theo Raeken, Mason Hewitt, Corey Bryant, Nolan (Teen Wolf) Additional Tags: Alpha Liam Dunbar, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, Dunbar Pack, Bisexual Liam Dunbar, Werewolf Theo Raeken, Alpha Theo Raeken, Canon-Typical Violence, Smut, Mates, Liam and Theo are mates, Top Theo Raeken, Bottom Theo Raeken, Top Liam, Bottom Liam Dunbar Series: Part 1 of Morning Dew Pack

Now that he has money, Liam has to make decisions. The thing is, he has no idea what to decide on. But then again, he is always good at surprises.

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Liam marched into the little hut the salesman used as an office a man on a mission. The guy sat at his desk and read the newspaper but when Liam arrived, he dropped the paper and gave him a big smile full of pearly white teeth. “Hello, young gentleman, how can I help you on this lovely day?” “The blue pick up truck out there.” Liam pointed over his shoulder. “My boyfriend sold it some time ago and I’m here to buy it back.” Right after he had arrived back in Seattle by train, Liam had made his way to the used car dealer Theo had sold the truck to, only making one more stop at the ATM at the train station to get the money required. It was nothing he needed time to think about. The car belonged to Theo and his boyfriend had sacrificed it to help the pack without much of a doubt, Liam obviously would get it back now. Not getting the truck back was out of the question. “Are you sure you want that one? I can show you a lot of other cars more suited for a town like Seattle.” The car dealer tried his best to sell another car, probably a more expensive one. “No, thanks. I didn’t come here to buy some car, I came here to buy this exact truck out there.”

He held out the money. “Here, that should cover it. It’s slightly more than what my boyfriend got when he sold it, so don’t even try to argue. Now I just need the papers.” The salesman stared at Liam and Liam raised both eyebrows while he waited for him to move. Finally, the guy deflated. “You really know what you want. I’d have to say, it’s admirable.” He collected the money from Liam’s outstretched hands and then turned around to grab the right papers as well as the keys. Liam realized with a little pang of guilt he never had given away the spare key Theo had gifted him for his birthday. He still carried it with his belongings. “Here, papers and key. The spare key was missing when I bought the car. Some people looked at the car but no one was interested in buying it. Though the car is in great condition.” “Yeah, my boyfriend knows how to take care of things he loves.” Liam smiled. “Thank you. Have a nice day.” And he turned around and marched over to the truck.

He smelled other people when he slipped in the driver’s seat and his nostrils flared. Good things he already had another detour planned before driving home. Theo’s car would get a very hearty cleaning inside and out before the First Beta would get it back. There was a car wash nearby, Liam’s next designation. He had declined one of his friends picking him up from the train station as a matter of prudence. This was supposed to be a surprise and Liam wanted it to be perfect.

Thankfully, the car wash was empty when he arrived and it didn’t take long for the cleaning crew to take on the truck. Liam spent his time getting himself a cup of instant coffee from the little office/cash register the car wash had and then he texted his mother to let her know he had arrived back at Seattle safely. She had taken a later train then Liam and was still on her way back to Beacon Hills but would let him know when she arrived.

Liam had just finished his coffee when the cleaners were finished and he could pay. Now the truck smelled freshly cleaned, with a slight note of citrus, but he was assured the smell would soon evaporate. It was admittedly strange to drive the truck when it didn’t smell like Theo or the pack and once again Liam was reminded that his mate had sacrificed what had been the one thing truly belonging to him and yet never complained about it. It would be amazing to see Theo’s face when he got his car back. The first thing of (hopefully) many good things now happening to the pack, thanks to the money Liam now had access to.

Liam found a nice sparking spot in front of Isaac’s apartment building and could soon unlock the door to the apartment. He heard his friends mingling inside, their voiced filtering from the living room, the balcony, and the kitchen. He smiled. While this was not their pack house, it still felt like coming home. He dropped his bag by the door and wandered further into the apartment.

Theo walked out of the bathroom and put his shirt on while doing so. Given the scent of cleanliness waving off him, he had taken a shower. Kind of sad, Liam had not been there... Not that they would have done anything. With how crowded they lived currently, none of them was in the mood to have sex. They all used the same bathroom and the Alpha couple slept on the couch in the living room, right next to Corey and Mason. Not even Theo and Liam could pull a stunt like that. Standards and manners, you know?

“Liam!” Theo had spotted him. The young Alpha laughed and waved. “Hey, Dore.” Theo’s face lit up with a bright smile but Liam could also see the relief on the older’s face when he now crossed the distance between them and wrapped both arms around the young Alpha. “You came back, thank god!” he sighed. “Uhm.” Liam wrapped both arms around Theo’s waist and squeezed him. “Was there ever the possibility of me not coming back?” “Theo went crazy while you were gone. In his mind, you walked right into a trap and he was not there to protect you. I doubt he sat for more than five minutes.” Corey had appeared near the kitchen and watched the couple’s reunion. He smiled. Liam snorted and ran his hand through Theo’s hair. “I’m fine. The meeting was really a meeting. No trap. No dangers.” Theo hummed and turned his head to kiss Liam’s neck. “I still cannot grasp how you managed to convince me to stay here but let it be known, no matter what you say next time, I’m coming with you.” He pulled back and Liam used it to press a kiss against the corner of Theo’s mouth. “I’ll hold you to that,” he muttered and then kissed his mate for real. Theo sighed into the kiss and tightened his arms around Liam. It felt amazing, to be wrapped up with the man he loved and had loved for such a long time. Not a year ago he had only dreamed about doing this with Theo and now they were yet again at a new chapter in their lives and they were doing it together.

They pulled apart and Liam smiled. “I’m happy to be back, you know? Not sleeping next to you was really strange. But I’m happy we had our phone call last night.” Theo smiled. “I missed having you next to me too. And yes, I’m also happy about our call. I meant, what I said.” “Hm, I did too. It wasn’t easy the last couple of weeks but it’s getting better now. For all of us. Oh, that reminds me.” He grabbed Theo’s hand so the palm was open and facing the ceiling, then he pulled the car key from his pocket and placed it on Theo’s palm while Corey alerted everyone else about Liam’s homecoming in the background. “Your truck is freshly cleaned and waiting downstairs for you.” The twenty-two-year-old stared at the key in his hand and then at Liam. You could hear the wheels rattling in his brain but before he could open his mouth and ask, Liam was greeted (read: hugged to death) by his other Betas.

“Guys, I was just gone for one night.” Liam laughed when Sadie almost strangled him and kissed his cheek. Aka and Koda were jumping around and especially Koda always jumped up at Liam and barked happily. “We were worried about you. Now, tell us everything. What happened? You’re here so the meeting wasn’t a trap. Was it a business deal? What did your mom say?” So many questions from all sides and Liam could have not answered all of them immediately even if he wanted. “I suggest we move to the living room and then Liam can explain what happened,” Brett suddenly called over the noise. “Theo, what do you have there?” “The keys to my truck,” Theo muttered. He furrowed his brows when he now followed the group into the living room. “Liam gave them to me.” “Yeah, that. Guess I have to explain that.” Liam knew he had. Funnily, all his plan to make this a surprise had only entailed giving Theo the keys not how to explain all this. “I’ll start at the meeting. It was an actual meeting with one of the lawyers and the CEO of a company. His name is Chadwick and he’s a pretty cool dude. He owns this company called Aurel Tech, founded by his late father. Said father was a college friend of my grandfather which is also pretty cool if you ask me. My grandfather helped Chadwick’s dad to get the company by lending him money and Chadwick’s dad promised to pay him back one day. He marked my grandfather down with 3% shares of certain parts of the company.” “But your grandfather died,” Mason remembered. Liam nodded. “And I inherited everything he owned, yeah. Chadwick’s father died last year so he was never able to fulfill what he promised grandpa but Chadwick continued his father’s legacy. Aurel Tech accepted a merge recently and the shares my grandfather held were affected. So, basically, the meeting was to tell me about the money I would get from the merge.” “A business opportunity. See? Told you. This is so exciting. A company and newfound shares, almost like a movie,” Sadie squealed. “Yeah. Like that.” Liam nodded. “So, I get the money because I am grandpa’s heir and Chadwick’s father owed him some money. Because that’s how the economy works,” he summed it up slowly. Theo frowned at the key he still held in his hand. “So you thought taking the money the merge gave you to buy my truck back was a good idea?” he suddenly asked. Liam had wanted to continue with his story but now he had to answer to that first. “You sold your truck to help the pack, I didn’t even need to think about getting it back for you. I immediately knew this would be the first thing to buy. It’s not like that ate up all the money from the shares.” “Okay, how much money are we talking about here? Couple of hundreds? Maybe one thousand?” Mason asked. “A bit more,” Liam confessed. A bit was a bold understatement. “You didn’t have to get my truck back!” He stared at Theo. “Of course, I had to! The truck is your baby, it was your home for a while. The only thing truly belonging to you. We don’t even have to discuss this, T! I’m not taking it back!” “Liam, how much money?” Mason inquired again. “Oh my god, let him talk!” Tim suddenly cried out. “You’re always talking over him, interrupting him, he will never get to finish his story if you keep this up. Just let Liam explain and I’m sure most of your questions will be answered by the end of it!”

“Thank you,” Liam said softly after Tim’s outburst. Tim blushed and muttered a weak “You’re welcome” and Liam took it as a sign to continue: “To make it short, the amount of money we’re talking about is 7.2 million dollars.” That stunned everyone so much, nobody said anything for a while. "That’s...a lot of money,” Cade finally whispered. Ever gave him a look but then nodded. A truer statement probably never was spoken. Theo ran a hand over his face and shuffled over to the couch to sink down on it. “A lot-lot,” he mumbled. Liam tilted his head. “Are you not happy about it?” he asked and his heart began hammering against his ribcage. Theo scoffed. “It’s not that I’m not happy, it’s just...I think...Mark me down as speechless.” “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a first!” Sadie and Maya said at the same time and Theo glared at them. Liam sat down next to Theo. “I was just as speechless when I heard it. I didn’t even want to accept the money, it was Mom who made me change my mind. It’s insane. So much money.” “Just so I get this right,” Theo turned to face Liam, “You came back with 7.2 million dollars in your bank account?” “Not at the moment but it will get transferred to my account in the next days,” Liam corrected. “She said I deserved the money and maybe she’s right. Maybe it was fate or a miracle but it means life’s looking better now and really, that is what I care about. We all deserved good news.” “It’s certainly a positive outlook,” Isaac agreed.

****** Liam stepped onto the balcony and moved to the banister right next to Theo. After the exciting news of his new wealth, things had kind of settled down and the pack had dispersed in various directions already again. Theo stood on the balcony and watched the city beneath them, elbows casually rested on the banister.

The couple lasted next to each other in comfortable silence for a while until Liam began to speak: “So, now that we have this much money, think you can quit working at the Diner?” Theo scoffed out a short laugh and turned his head to him. Liam had to continue fastly. “I don’t want to fight with you but I am so immensely worried about you. You say you’ll heal but even we don’t heal if we get shot in the head or directly in the heart. And it’s not only that. There are bad people in this neighborhood and I don’t want you to get in trouble because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time.” Theo opened his mouth to respond but Liam stubbornly went on. “The Diner is dirty, the food is gross, and you don’t even like working there. Am I wrong? If so, then look me in the eyes and tell me you like working there right now.”

Theo sighed and looked around, seemingly searched for the right words. Finally, he looked at Liam again. “How about a compromise? I’ll keep working there until the end of this month so I can get the next paycheck. After that, I’ll quit the Diner and search for a new job. Because I will continue to work; no matter if you have millions in your bank account or not.” Liam grinned at Theo. That went better than he expected. Telling Theo he didn’t like working there had been done the trick. It surprised Liam how well he seemed to knew his mate and he prided himself on that one. “Deal! However, it’s not only my money, you know? It’s ours.” The older man just raised a skeptical eyebrow at him and Liam shrugged his shoulders. “We’re mates, we’re werewolf-married. The money is as much my money as it is yours, just like two real husbands. The only thing we don’t have is a shared account.” “You want to join accounts?” Theo seemed highly surprised by this and raised his second eyebrow. He stared at Liam in wonder. The young Alpha shrugged. “Why not? When we get people-married we would join accounts anyway, right? There’s no stronger bond than mating, might as well do it now.” “People-married?” Theo chuckled. Liam rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant! I had to distinguish.” "Hm, I get you. But really, I have no real objections to joining bank accounts. I mean, your account is literally the million-dollar baby. My account would love to get joined with yours. In fact, I’m pretty sure my account would propose to yours if possible. My bank account is a gold digger.” “Oh my god!” Liam sighed playfully. “Why did I fell in love with you? Your jokes are lame!” He punched Theo’s chest and Theo laughed loudly before he grabbed Liam’s wrists with both hands and held him. “I just adapted to the quality of your jokes, puppy.” “Asshole!” Liam gasped in mock outrage but the laughed.

****** "Hey, Zac?” Liam peered into Isaac’s office where the other was currently typing on his computer and occasionally glanced at the various papers strewn across his desk. He had an increasingly frustrated look on his face and Liam flinched. “Ah, sorry, bad time. I’ll come back later.” “Nah, it’s fine.” Isaac shook his head and glanced at Liam. He smiled tiredly and ran a hand through his already unruly hair. “I just have to work through this very bad report and it makes me want to jump out of the window. Any distraction is welcome. How can I help you?” The young Alpha stepped into the office. He pushed both hands in the pockets of his jeans and walked over to the free seat in front of Isaac’s desk. “You’re good with finances and I thought maybe you could help me set up a plan? ‘Cause I have no idea what to do with 7 million dollars.” "A financial plan, so to speak. I can do that, sure. The question is, do you really think you need one?” Liam slumped in the free chair. “I never had so much money at my disposal. My biggest fear would be to waste the money and then stand there with nothing.” “We’re talking seven million, Liam, I doubt you’ll manage to run through your fortune that fastly. Unless you plan on buying a yacht.” “I know nothing about boats. It’s not so much I’m afraid of spending the money. See, I’m not good with math or finances and I’m afraid I will do nothing with the money and therefore lose it. You know? I don’t so much need someone to tell me what to do with the money, more someone to give me advice. Just thinking about the amount makes me dizzy. Basically, my question is, how would you approach so much money?”

Isaac pursed his lips and considered the question. He grabbed his pen and an empty sheet of paper after a while and made three columns on the paper. “I would divide the money into three stacks, so to speak. Not actually divide it through three but you know what I mean.” Liam nodded. So far, that was clear. “Let’s start with the third stack. I’d put a certain amount of money in there you’ll never touch under no circumstances. Save it for a future event, an emergency or maybe for the shop you and Theo want to open after college. Or maybe for Landon’s college fund.” The twenty-year-old paled. “Fuck! I have totally forgotten Landon’s future! I’m the one who needs to take care of that! Shit! Thank you for reminding me. I’m such a bad big brother.” “Relax,” Isaac soothed. “That’s what we’re currently working on here. So, this third stack is for the future. Let’s call it the future fund.” He scribbled the name into the third column. “Personally, I’d put the highest amount of money in there. And not only keep it for one instance. Keep it for the shop and Landon’s college fund. Or for emergency money in case shit hit the fan once more. It’s good to know you’ll have saved money up your sleeve. Hence why this money is untouchable.”

This was a very good idea and Liam absolutely would go through with it. “What about the other two stacks?” he inquired. “The first stack, the one where I would put the lowest amount of money in, is to spend to your heart’s content. Simple, basic, the money you might need in daily life.” He saw Liam’s questioning look and went for a more elaborate explanation. “Say you put 20.000 here. Those 2k you can spend on whatever you want. You’re still looking for a job, the money you’ll earn there will add to this. But if you want to buy something, not necessarily because you need it but because you want, a new phone or a tv, a vacation, gifts, you’ll take it from the 2k. If you want, you could call this the luxury fund? Or, to make it sound more humble, the everyday fund.” He wrote the name in the first column.

Isaac leaned back in his chair and watched the Liam. “Guess you already know what the second stack is for.” “To get the pack a new home,” Liam mumbled. Now that the money was there, they could finally get out of Isaac’s hair. “Yeah.” Isaac smiled softly. “I don’t think this was ever in question, right? Now that you’ve got the money, you can have a new home. Though, I see the question rather at what you want. Do you want a forever home or just an interim solution?” “Huh?” Liam had no idea what Isaac was getting at and he blinked at him confusedly. “I know you all want a new house to live there, a real home. I get that, everybody wants that. I just see the danger in settling for something you probably don’t want until the end of your days just to have a roof over your head. You can stay here as long as you want, I don’t mind, I just want you to be sure what you want.” “I want to have a home and not live on a coach,” Liam said slowly. “I know that, Liam.” Isaac ran his hand through his hair again and dropped his pen on the desk. He looked around in his office. “When I moved back to the States and got this apartment, it was practical. Close to the company, central, chic. I had the money and felt like living the high life for once. I cannot for the love of God see myself starting a family here, raising kids in this apartment. It’s just too clean. And, honestly, sometimes the apartment gets lonely, hard to fill all open space with coziness and the feeling of a real home. But I grew comfortable over time and so I stayed here. It’s absolutely not what I want for the rest of my life. Me asking Nolan to become my roommate was the first step of making this apartment more into what I wanted but it was still not enough. Yet it is hard to kick your own butt and change the situation. Therefore I’m asking you, do you want the next best house just to have a house again or will you look for the house you could yourself see getting old in?” “Huh,” Liam muttered, “I never considered that. The first pack house we had, everything happened so fast and then we lived there. I never thought about the future. A lot of things can change over the years. Who says the house I like today is the house I will like in ten years?” He saw Isaac smirk and narrowed his eyes. “What?” “You, the guy asking his boyfriend to mate him only after a short time of being in an actual relationship; the one supporting your best friend in his plan on getting married in Vegas at the age of twenty; the one who took over as an Alpha for a whole pack; the one who decided to step up as his little brother’s guardian and remove him from his abusive home, you are worried about not liking a house in ten years? Liam, if I learned one thing about you since we first met, is you have an amazing instinct for those things. And if you’d go out and search for that one place you could see yourself living for the rest of your life with your pack, I’m sure you will never regret this decision. Plus, you can always sell a house if you don’t want it anymore. Right now you have the money to get the perfect place. You asked for advice, that’s my advice to you. Don’t have to follow it. Your choice.” “This is a lot. To think about and to take in. But thank you, Zac, I really appreciate you being so honest with me.” “Ah, don’t mention it. You kind of are like my little brother. You grow on people and with that comes the urge to protect and help you at all cost. Nobody ever told you that?” “I think Theo did, just in other words.” “See? He knows what he’s talking about. Anything else I can help you with?” “Nope, I’m fine. I’ll leave you to your report. But, please, don’t jump out of the window.” “Shut up and let me wallow in frustration, Dunbar.”

****** Isaac’s advice gave Liam a lot to think about. His first instinct had been to go and find a new place for the pack to live as soon as possible. He had not considered the decision between renting or buying, maybe even looking for something to live there forever. It opened a whole new can of worms for Liam to consider and make a decision. If he looked for a quick solution was this the best for the pack? And if it was just something for now, how long gave he them all to find yet another place to settle down? If he went and looked for a place to stay forever, would he still like the house ten years from now?

Funnily, it was Landon who helped his big brother come to a conclusion and he was not even trying it. The brothers talked to each over via video chat a few days later. Liam had informed the pack at the lake about his sudden wealth, obviously, Landon knew it too. He, in his childlike innocence, had just said that it was a lot of money but then showed no signs of caring, as Liam was told. Liam could not blame him; he didn’t care about money either at that age. When Landon then mentioned the money during their call, it came to Liam as a surprise. “Liam, you got a lot of money now, yeah?” “A lot of money. A very big lot,” Liam confirmed. “You can buy lots of ice cream with the money. I’d buy ice cream with the money. For all my friends and me.” Landon nodded earnestly to back up his words. Liam chuckled. “I’m sure I will use part of the money to buy some ice cream for everybody.” Landon nodded again and then worried his lower lip. It was a habit when he thought about something. “Liam?” “Yeah, Laddie?” “What else will you buy with the money?” He shrugged. Really, wasn’t that the question? “Maybe a house for all of us to stay? I don’t know.” The child seemed to get an idea and his eyes widened in excitement. “Know what else I’d buy?” “What?” Liam was as amused as he was curious. Talking to his little brother, even though Landon was still a child and therefore could not understand matters as well as adults, it was like a nice therapy session. It also helped Liam not to take himself too seriously. “A large treehouse with everything I’d want.” “A treehouse, really?” “Hm.” Landon nodded happily and smiled. “I always wanted a treehouse and with the money, I’d build the largest one ever. It would have a big trampoline room and a waterslide. And a large room where all my friends could have sleepovers with me. You and the pack could sleep there too. A room for the dogs to play and live and one room filled with video games.” It was a true kid fantasy but the childlike part of Liam’s personality was jumping on the train and loved this idea. But still… “And you think you would always like this home and never get sick of it until you die?” “No.” Landon shook his head. “Because it’s my house. I built it. It will always be awesome.” He paused. Then: “Liam?” “Yeah?” “You should build a treehouse.” Liam laughed. “It’s an awesome idea but I’m not sure the city would actually allow a treehouse right in the middle of Seattle. But tell you what, we get a house with a big garden and there we will build a smaller treehouse for you.” “And for Zack. He is my best friend, he has unconditional access to the treehouse.” “Best friends privileges. I had a cardboard fort when I was your age and Mason had unlimited access also.” Good old times. “I’d also allowed you in my treehouse. You’re my big brother.” Landon looked at Liam with the same admiration he had on his face when he told Liam he was his hero. The young Alpha melted. “We’ll found a secret treehouse club, how about that?” “YES!!!” Landon was all for that idea and Liam laughed again. This not so serious conversation was exactly what he had needed. “We’ll have passwords and all. It will be awesome! Aka and Koda can be our guard dogs.” “How do we get the dogs in a treehouse?” Liam blurted out. His tendency to do this had only decreased slightly since he was a teen but never fully went away. “You are strong, you can lift them.” Landon seemed pretty confident in Liam’s strength.

“Well, how do you get two big dogs in a treehouse?” Maya questioned later when they sat in the living room and Liam retold parts of his talk with Landon. “Carrying is nice but how do you climb the latter to the house when you’re carrying a Tamaskan?” She glanced at Koda who laid in front of the couch and gnawed on his chewing toy. Aka and he had turned into two beautiful dogs, completely healthy and happy, and it was evident how much they were bred to look like wolves. People often did double-takes when they spotted the two of them in the dog park. But them being wolfhounds, they were also large and heavy and Maya was right, getting them up the house would be difficult, even for an Alpha. “It was just a silly idea, childish. Fun to play around with the idea. If we find a house with a garden I’ll build a treehouse for the kids but the dogs stay down. Right, Koda?” The animal raised his head and barked friendly before he returned to chewing his toy. Liam smiled and reached out to pat his back. “Hm, just an idea, right. It’s cute how you take part in Landon’s fantasies and never tell him they’re silly.” Liam sighed. “He lived nine years with a man who hated fantasy, dreams, or hope. I kinda feel it’s my job as his big brother to give him this part of his childhood back or make up for the lost time. I also like to goof around with him and being childish. Not sure this part of my personality will ever die.” She chortled. “I can’t imagine you without this cute, not so mature streak. It’s what makes you the Liam we all love so much.” “You say that 'cause you got to know me like that.” “Nah, because it is true. A serious Liam with no play? Boring. I would have never joined your pack if you were like that.” She shuddered and Liam smirked. “I heard a saying once, not sure of the exact words but it went like this: If you forget the child inside you, you’ll never find the adult. I think it fits my personality very well.” “It sure does,” Maya decided.

****** Liam was not the only one looking for new homes. His Betas were quite busy themselves and produced countless information about houses for rent or to buy over the span of the next days. Liam was pretty sure there was not one page regarding realty in Seattle the pack didn’t look through. Not that he was mad at his Betas, absolutely not. It was lovely they wanted to help. The issue was more Liam didn’t really like any pick they showed him. One house had issues like badly built rooms, the other had not enough bathrooms, sometimes Liam didn’t like the exterior color. His friends were understanding but even that reached their limit one day.

“Liam, I love you, but it would be amazing if you could stop being so picky. It is really frustrating to have every suggestion turned down,” Sadie voiced her displeasure after they came back from yet another unsuccessful house visit. “Sometimes I think you don’t want us to find a new home.” “That’s a bit unfair, don’t you think. It’s Liam’s money and his decision about which house to get,” Mike replied with a side glare at the blonde fashionista. She glared back. “I’m just saying for someone who planned on getting us out of Isaac’s place as soon as possible, he’s taking his sweet time and I don’t get why. We had so many houses which were absolutely fine.” “Actually, Sadie’s right. You are being picky. I, for example, liked the mint-green house we visited. I mean, the color was ugly but we could have repainted it,” Theo joined the conversation and gave Liam an exhausted look. “But you didn’t even want to listen to any suggestion regarding this.” Sadie raised her hand. “Can’t we just outvote Liam and decide on a house? He struggled to agree on the first house and we all convinced him, let’s do it again.” “Oh no!” Lori cried and waved her hands frantically, “We’re not doing this!” “Why not? We did it before.” Sadie shrugged. “It is Liam’s money and - ugly truth here - he doesn’t have to give us one cent of it. He could run off with all those millions and leave us here in the dust. He’d never do that, don’t jump on me, but we cannot vote to tell Liam how to spend his money. And if you’re planning on voting, I won’t participate!” “Relax, I didn’t say we should dethrone him as the Alpha,” Sadie growled lowly. Isaac decided to cut in: “But it sure sounds like that. I would not recommend taking that road because it will rip your pack apart. Lori’s right, the only other person eventually having any right to spend the money is Theo as Liam’s mate.” Liam stepped in front of Sadie and took her hands in his. “I don’t feel threatened by any of you, to get this sorted out. For the other issue, I promise you all I’m working on it and I need you to trust me. I’ll take care of you all, okay? It is hard, we all want a new home, but just trust me,” he pleaded. She seemed inclined to argue with him but then she sighed. “You’re one of the people I trust the most.”

****** At the end of the week, Liam and Theo came home at the same time. Liam from some errands and Theo had dropped off the last things at the Diner. “Hey,” Liam smiled at his boyfriend and leaned in for a soft greeting kiss. Theo pecked his lips and then followed Liam inside the elevator. “How was your day? I feel like we didn’t see each other at all after our classes ended.” Theo went for casual conversation. Liam shrugged. “That’s cause we didn’t. You had stuff to do, I had stuff to do.” The elevator rode upstairs after he pressed the correct button. “Yeah, about that,” Theo muttered, “I went to the city center after I was done at the Diner and there I saw you sitting in a café with a woman. Who was that?”

Shit. Liam had not really thought about somebody seeing him. “Uhm... she works for a temp agency. You know, despite the money, I’m still looking for a new job. We met and had an interview so the agency can take me into their index and find something fitting.” They arrived at their floor and stepped out of the elevator. “A temp agency.” Theo made a vague sound and followed Liam until they stood in front of the apartment door. “Nice story, now tell me the truth.” “What?” Liam, in the progress of opening the door, stopped dead in his tracks turned to frown at Theo. The older man straightened his back and raised his chin in challenge, green eyes full with displeasure. “You’re lying to me. That was not a job interview.” And again, shit. Theo knew him better than Liam had given him credit for. But what was he supposed to do now? Yes, he had lied but he had his reasons for it. Maybe if he continued with the charade. “So you think I’m lying? What? Think I’m cheating and had a date with that woman? She was in her forties!” “I would never think you’re cheating. I know you’re not that type of person. But I want to know what this meeting was about.” “I told you.” Liam glared at Theo. “How dare you to call me a liar?”He pushed the apartment door open and stalked inside.

“Really? You’re actually keeping up that stupid story?” Theo was hot on his heels. Their friends already in the apartment shared looks. “Oh my, they’re fighting again,” Nolan muttered sadly. Liam closed his eyes for a moment. He didn’t want to fight with Theo but at this point, it was like an avalanche. Nothing he could stop. “Theo, drop it! I’m not a liar!” “If you want me to believe that you surely need to get better at lying!” Liam spun around and glared heatedly at his boyfriend. “What? Like you?” “I haven’t lied in years. Not to you anyways.” “Nitpicker!” “Okay!” Corey literally stepped between them. “Before something is said you will regret, let’s drop it. Stop fighting, dinner’s ready anyway. Just sit at the table, okay? Yeah, fine.” He took Liam by the arm and pushed him towards the table.

Corey’s interference stopped the Alpha couple from trading any more vile words but they were fighting. They glared at each other during dinner and at any opportunity, they traded barbs and passive-aggressive remarks. Liam was angry at Theo for riling him up, Theo was still accusing him of lying. When it was finally time to go to sleep, Liam had made his mind up. He would not sleep on the couch with Theo. “Oh, you’re staying on the floor with the dogs? Fitting since you’re in the doghouse right now,” Theo snarked. Liam let out an incredulous snort. “I’m in the doghouse? You should be in the doghouse because you started this fight! But yes, I’m staying on the floor. One night where I don’t have to be afraid to tumble down the couch because you take all the space!” “I am literally gluing myself to the backrest of the couch because you’re hogging the space! And you were the one lying, don’t put this on me!” “Guys!” Mason yelled, “Stop it!! I don’t know what’s the cause for this or why you think Liam’s lying abut at this point it’s enough. Just stop and go to sleep. Corey and I need sleep and if you insist on fighting, we’ll ban you on the balcony.” Liam threw a spare blanket and a pillow on Maya’s yoga mat he had borrowed. “You can sleep. I’m not planning on talking to him anymore.” He crawled under the blanket. “What a relief!” Theo sighed loudly. Corey groaned and smacked him square in the face with a pillow. “Shut up and go to sleep!”

Sleep. Good idea but absolutely not happening. Even after Mason turned off the light and Liam heard his and Corey’s breath even out after a while, he could not fall asleep. Theo wasn’t sleeping either but Liam didn’t want to talk to him. They would only argue further and further and didn’t solve their problem. Not talking was the best for now.

It had already been clear but Liam was barely getting any sleep that night. One hour maybe? He wasn’t entirely sure but in the early morning he gave up when he heard the first alarm clock. Usually, Theo and he had classes later and could have slept longer but since he was already awake, Liam decided to get up and make breakfast and coffee for everybody.

He just had brewed himself a cup of coffee when Lori joined him in the kitchen. She gave him a sweet smile. “Have you slept at all last night?” “Not much.” Liam sipped his coffee. “That’s what coffee is for.” He raised his mug. “What happened yesterday?” She asked sympathetically. It was her character to care and make sure her friends were happy. Liam groaned. “Do you know those situations when you just know you should not say something and rather keep your mouth shut? And then you hear yourself talking and your brain yells: This is your brain, what are you doing? Such a situation arose yesterday and everything spiraled down from there.” He glanced at the couch where Theo sat and stretched. Lori reached out and squeezed his arm. “You should make up. Both of you need each other.” “Tell that to Liam,” Theo gruffly muttered when he shuffled into the kitchen. “He started it.” “Oh, come on, drink coffee and stop being a grump! You were not innocent either,” Lori scolded and then decided to leave the two Alphas in the kitchen alone. Theo had filled a mug with coffee and now leaned against the counter while he drank it. He raised an eyebrow at Liam and Liam stared back. None of them wanted to back down.

Their game of dead silence and glaring went on for the whole morning until they both had to drive to college. The Betas were already gone and Theo’s truck was parked outside waiting for them. Liam was tired by this time, tired of this silly fight. And he had made a decision. “I want to drive,” he declared when they walked towards the truck. Theo stopped and frowned. “What?” “I want to drive today. You gave me the spare key so I could drive, right? I want to today.” He raised an eyebrow. “Got a problem with that?” Theo’s eyes flickered over his face and then he sighed. “I have better things to do than to fight over who’s driving. If you want to, be my guest.” He stalked over and got to the passenger side of the car. “You’re a brat,” Liam muttered when he unlocked the car and climbed in. Sometimes he could not let things rest. Theo scoffed. “Takes one to know one.” “How mature.” The young Alpha rolled his eyes and started the engine.

They went silent again while they navigated through the traffic on the streets. Theo stared out of the window. “You’re really mad at me still? What for? I should be mad,” he suddenly said. Liam bit his tongue to stop a snarky answer and counted to three inside his head. “I’d say we both said things we should have not said.” He sped up a bit to still get over the crossroads before the stoplight turned red again. Theo flinched in his seat. “You should have turned right at the stoplight. The campus’ the other way.” Liam didn’t reply but linked his phone to the holder on the dashboard and pressed to leave a voice message for Mason: “Hey Mase, Theo and I have something to take care of and won’t attend our classes today. Can you report us sick? Thank you.” Theo narrowed his eyes. “Where are we going?” “You’ll see soon enough.” “You're not telling me where we’re headed? That’s called kidnapping.” “You’re not a kid. Now stop complaining and enjoy the ride.” “But...” Theo cut himself off and just stared at Liam. Then he shook his head and sank back in his seat. “Fine! Have it your way!”

Their ride took a little bit owed by the morning rush hour and it led them both to the outskirts of Seattle. Theo tensed when he saw the road nestled between trees. “Liam, where are we going?” He asked alarmed. “You’ll see. Didn’t I already tell you that?” “Liam, I swear to god, can you answer one question without bitching?” Liam braked hard and stopped next to the road. “Do you trust me?” He asked his boyfriend. He looked at Theo. The twenty-two-year-old made a face. “I don’t trust anybody more than you. But you know me and sitting in a car driving in complete unknown terrain makes me nervous. This has nothing to do with you. But we’re still fighting, I don’t know.” Liam groaned. His head hit the headrest. “Theo, I love you. Yes, we’re fighting but if you think I will drive you out of town and leave you at the side of the road, you have lost your mind. And frankly? I am tired of fighting with you. It’s doing no good for either of us.” “Ain’t that right? Fighting and then sleeping without you is hell,” Theo mumbled and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I brought you here for a reason and it’s just a few more minutes drive. Can you last that long without knowing what it is? Please.” They looked at each other for a while until Theo grumbled. “You’re giving me the puppy dog eyes. I can’t say no to that one. But it better be good.” Liam beamed and started to drive again.

He turned right a few minutes later and left the main road for a smaller one. It led past wooden gates, open at the moment, and, following the course of the road, soon a big modern cabin with multicolored stones on the outside and large windows appeared in front of them. “Liam?” Theo asked hesitantly. “What is this here?” Liam parked the car and smiled at Theo. “Let’s get out, come on.” He got out of the car and Theo followed. “Could you please answer my question?” “This is the new pack house,” Liam confessed and pushed both hands in the pockets of his jeans while he raised his shoulders. “You were right, I lied to you. A little white lie. The lady does not work for a temp agency, she...” “Liam!” Theo waved his hand. “Stop right there and say that again. This is what now?” “I should probably start at the beginning, hm?” “Please do. ‘Cause I can’t make any sense of this.”

He sighed. “After my talk with Isaac, I had no idea what I wanted. To rent a house or buy one and if to look for something to live there forever. What if I didn’t like the house in ten years? I probably made this more complicated than it had to be but I could not help myself. Anyway, then I talked with Landon and he brought up the topic of building a house. I’m not so much of an idiot I don’t know how long building a completely new house takes but I figured why not look for a half-finished house, one that needed some more things done? This is how I met this lady you saw me with. She is the project manager for a real estate agency, I think. Didn't really understand what her position really is but she is in charge of the design of the house and the interior design. She pointed me towards this house. It was originally built by a rich couple but halfway through they lost interest and moved to Florida. It’s why this house is so much cheaper than it originally should be. When I drove here for the first time and saw it, I had this feeling that this was my house. Our house. For the two of us to own and for our pack to stay until they find their own places. For everyone to come together. Took me weeks but I finally found that one place. I only had this one other time in my life; this feeling that this is where I’m supposed to be.” “When?” Theo asked weakly. “When our mating bond snapped in place.” Liam took a breath. “I didn’t tell you guys because I wanted it to be a surprise. Didn’t want to say I found a new house but we can’t move in because it’s still a construction site. I wanted to show you this house when everything aside from the bedrooms was finished so everybody could decide how they want their room to look. Yes, I lied yesterday, to keep the surprise but I realized it was unfair to you. You know me better than anybody else, I can’t keep a secret from you.” His rambling was cut off when Theo marched over and kissed him. One hand came up and grabbed Liam’s jaw and he fell into the kiss, hands grasped Theo by his shirt. They pulled away after air became needed and Theo smiled. “White lies to keep a surprise are okay. I should have known you would never lie regarding serious topics and should have dropped it. I am sorry, I overreacted. The last weeks had also been hard for me” “For all of us. But there is a big silver lining at the horizon.” Liam smiled and pecked Theo’s lips once more. “The construction workers have their day off now, want to see the house from the inside?” “I am dying to.” Theo laughed.

Liam grinned and took Theo’s hand, pulled him up the stone stairs leading to the little patio and the front door. The key had been burning a hole into Liam’s pocket the whole time and it felt freeing to pull it out now and unlock it. He pushed the door open and Theo’s jaw dropped when he stepped inside. The entranceway had black stone floors and the walls kept in a soft gray color. A wall at the left blocked the view further into the house and a stairway led to the first floor on the right side. Right ahead of you when you entered, you could walk past the stairs and further into the house. Liam took this way and gestured to the left. “It’s not decorated yet but I’ll tell you what is planned. So here I figured we could have a reading corner. In the left corner would go a comfy settle and on the right wall we can have at least three large bookshelves.” Liam’s words described a narrow niche behind the left wall in the entranceway. Big enough to fit everything Liam had described and still not feel crowded but not too big so it got empty.

Liam continued his guided tour further along the stairs. Paint buckets, ladders, and tools were still lying around and they had to be a bit careful. It led them into the living room/kitchen area. “Now, downstairs is basically one big room, no doors or so. The kitchen is here,” he pointed to his right. Theo glanced over and whistled when he saw the stone grey kitchen. It was one the things already finished and held a modern refrigerator, stove, microwave, a kitchen island held in bright wood right in the middle of the area and a bar behind that with three stools on it. Beyond the counters on the right side the dining table was stationed, crisp white top and grey feet, big enough for everyone. The chairs were kept in grey. Large windows took over almost the whole walls and everything was bathed in light, perfectly accentuated by the white walls in the dining area and the white from the kitchen. The part of the garden you could oversee from here was unruly and rural but you got an idea how large the area was.

“The living room is to the left. No furniture at the moment because they had to repaint one of the walls and the ceiling but your imagination is big enough.” Liam pulled Theo along while he talked. The walls here were a very light shade of gray and the stones covering the fireplace were a darker shade, a nice contrast to wooden flooring in a soft brown color. The area was enough to seat everyone comfortable and still give them space to walk around without stepping on each other’s toes. The windows here were as big as they were in the kitchen and gave perfect lightning. You could also access the garden from here. “What’s up there?” Theo had tilted his head back and pointed to the white railing of the gallery above them. Liam snickered. “Oh, you will love this. Come!” And he dragged Theo behind him when he now ran from through the living room and further to the left side of the house until they reached a second staircase leading up and down. The young Alpha pointed downstairs. “Two guest rooms are down there. Originally, a sauna was planned and while I’m sure Sadie and Mason would love this, I’m not enjoying this idea. But a home gym? And a place for Maya, Brett, and Ever to meditate and do yoga?” “Are you asking me this or have you already decided?” Theo teased. “I’m asking you. Mike wanted a home gym in the first house. Why not have it now? It’s good for us wolves.”

He walked up the stairs and Theo followed close behind. Upstairs two doors branched from the large gallery Theo had seen before. “Those are guest rooms. Currently empty. The left one has its own bathroom, the right one has a small balcony. What you have seen before was this area.” Liam pointed around. Right above the living room was the circular-shaped gallery. “I thought we could install the library here? Put the shelves along the wall or maybe even in the middle? And maybe have a desk to work here.” “Hm, interesting idea. It’s a nice touch to be up here and read and not be away from the pack. We have to see how this goes in daily life, you know? But I like the idea behind this. I also like galleries.” Theo looked around and stepped to the railing. “I approve how open it is and how bright.” Liam stepped next to him. “I like all the windows and the light and the woods around us. Perfect for a wolf pack. We can go running and while there are neighbors nobody will complain about noise here.” He grinned. “Now, let me show you the bedrooms.”

And he guided Theo further to the left down the hallway, past the gallery. The hallway was not as open as the first part of the first floor but cozy and with the same grey color from the entranceway neutral but welcoming. The wooden floor from downstairs could also be found here again. The bedrooms branched from the hallway on both sides. Liam explained how each room had a specialty, may it be a balcony or a walk-in closet, an adjoining bathroom, the Betas needed to decide which room they wanted. They stopped in front of the last door, at the end of the floor. “I already picked out our room.” Liam knew he was being excited and like the puppy Theo always said he was but he could not help himself right now. Theo looked surprised. “You did?” They both knew how hesitantly Liam had been to pick a room the first time. But he had reasons for that and flung open the door they were standing in front of. It revealed a small staircase and Theo chuckled. “What is this? A tower?” “Almost.” Liam made his way upstairs.

The bedroom was held in white at the moment, only the floor was made from dark shadow hickory wood. Two large windows, one on the right side of the room and one on the left, and a slim glass door next to the right window allowed the light to flood in like it did downstairs. The left window had a window seat in white. “The bathroom is here.” Liam pointed at a door on the left Theo had not noticed before. The shape of the room had an octagon character without being octagonal. Maybe it was the association Theo also had, a tower. Liam didn’t know but he loved the room for so many reasons. “Wanna know why I picked this room for us?” Theo nodded. Liam hurried to the other side of the room. On the wall opposing the door was another door and when Liam opened it, it revealed a small room with one gigantic window. “I thought you could install your very own library here and you can put a desk in front of the window so you have enough light to draw. Your very own office, if you want. Nobody can watch you here, not even from the balcony.” “What balcony?” Theo questioned and Liam pointed at the glass door. There was a small balcony, big enough for two seats, with a wonderful view of the garden and the forest. Theo inhaled sharply at the amazing view. “You like it?” Liam asked hopefully. The view had been the cherry on top and he could imagine his boyfriend’s artist heart was doing cartwheels right now. “I love it,” Theo confessed quietly. He looked at the young Alpha and smiled. “It’s absolutely stunning, Liam.” The couple looked at each other and Liam smiled warmly. “I really hoped you’d say that.” He pointed outside the window. “I would show you the garden but it’s fallow at the moment, not much to see. The garden is the last on my list, maybe the pack can help to turn it into something beautiful. Oh, do you want to see the basement where the gym could go?” “I think I am fine with what I already saw. It’s a lot.” “Oh, yeah, I understand that. We can go back to your truck? The paint fumes make my head hurt,” he admitted. His mate smirked at the comment but then just took Liam’s hand and pulled him downstairs again.

Theo sat down at the steps leading to the front door outside. “Let me sum this up: You bought this house?” Liam sat next to him and wrapped his arms around his knees. “Yeah. Then I hired the construction workers to finish all the work the way I wanted it.” He squirmed in his seat. “Do you think this was too egotistical? To buy a house and then have everything made how I want it?” Theo looked at him and it had a sense of amazement in it. “I think this is one of the mayor Alpha decision you’d made since becoming one. You used your money to buy a house for the pack. Not A house but such a beautiful, fantastic house. This house is a dream and all the reasons you told me why you picked it out? You picked it with every single Beta of the core pack in mind. The others will love this.” “But do you think they will like the design choices I made and how I let them built things?” Liam needed to know that. “Lee, so what if the pillows are red or blue, if Sadie likes purple more and the walls are gray? It looks fantastic and I for my part cannot wait until the work is done and I can see the finished product.” He smiled at Liam. “Although, I’m feeling kind of bad. You put so much thought and effort in this and just because I got angry, I ruined your surprise. I am sorry about that.” “No, no, you were right. I should have let you in and tell you what I was planning. You’re my second Alpha, my mate, and I should not keep any secrets from you. And I should never ever lie to you ever again.” Theo laughed loudly. Liam put a hand on his boyfriend’s knee. “But I still want to keep it a surprise for the Betas. Is this okay with you?” “Of course it is.” Theo smiled at Liam again and then he leaned in and kissed him.

Liam moved closer when their lips touched and put his hand on Theo’s shoulder. His fingers gripped the shirt and he felt Theo wrap an arm around his waist. They moved closer to each other, lips slotting together more passionately now. He scraped his teeth over his boyfriend’s bottom lip and Theo willingly parted his lips. Liam lost track of time so he could not really tell when they got up from the steps and stumbled over to Theo’s truck. All he noticed was how he was suddenly pressed against the door and Theo fumbled with the door handle. At Liam’s chuckle, he bit down on his Alpha’s lip. The younger gasped but then pushed down the handle and pressed closer to Theo so he could open the door. They almost fell inside the truck and the door barely slammed shut again before they were frantically kissing and pulling at each other’s clothes. They had kept themselves in check all the time the stayed at the apartment but right now there was no holding back. “Wait, wait, do you have lube?” Liam inquired when he pushed his jeans down. Theo cocked his head to one side and then he scattered in the front of the car to grab something from the glove compartment. “You have lube in your truck?” Liam laughed breathlessly. “Hey, I don’t think nobody will ever check the glove compartment and we’re the only ones allowed to drive the truck. Why not? Maybe I planned on driving you somewhere and having my way with you.” The twenty-year-old raised an eyebrow. “Have your way with me. Well, Mr. Raeken, you can have me now.” His eyes flashed red. “Do your worst,” he joked.

Theo, never one to back down from a challenge, literally pounced on him and under Liam’s laughter the rest of their clothes came off pretty fastly afterward. He kissed Liam’s throat and his collarbones while he pushed two lubed fingers inside Liam, scissored them. The younger man gasped in pleasure and grabbed Theo’s shoulder for support. “Tell you what, after I’m done preparing you, I want you to ride me. Want to look into those beautiful red eyes when you move in my lap and moan my name. How does that sound, baby?” Liam whimpered and then nodded. Theo pushed his fingers in further and he mewled. That hit a sensitive spot. Of course, his mate noticed and aimed for it a few more times until he deemed Liam loose enough to take him without problems. “Always so considerate,” the young Alpha teased but his cheeks were burning with the warmth of feeling loved and cared for. Theo flipped him off then he continued to lube up his cock.

When he finally leaned back against the seat and pointed in his lap, he smirked smugly. “Shut up and come here.” “Bossy.” Liam rolled his eyes. Yet he followed Theo’s instructions and straddled his partner. “Were you always this bossy?” “Don’t act like you don’t love it,” Theo replied and put his hands on Liam’s hips. “Hm, yeah, I love you running your mouth and being all demanding. That’s hot,” Liam whispered against Theo’s lips and swallowed every possible answer in a heated kiss while he sank down on Theo’s cock. Both moaned loudly and it stopped their kiss. “Oh fuck, It’s been so damn long I fucking forgot how incredible you feel,” Theo gasped and closed his eyes. His head fell against the backrest. Liam smirked. He had almost forgotten how it felt to have Theo inside him and it took all willpower he possessed to not blow his load right on the spot, It really just had been too damn long. He began moving and moaned once again. Theo’s hands on his hips gripped him tighter, pulled him closer. Their rhythm started slow but soon became frantic and fast. This was not supposed to be romantic or cute, this was giving in to their desires. Nails turned into claws and raked over exposed backs, teeth turned just the right amount of sharp to leave pleasurable bitemarks but not injure, their moans and gasps grew louder and louder. Luckily they were all alone on the property. “I love you, I love you, I love you. You have no idea how much I love you,” Liam babbled and threw his head back. Both of his hands were placed on Theo’s shoulder to have a hold while he rode his boyfriend. Sweat was dripping down their bodies and the windows were probably fogged up. Not that Theo or Liam cared about that. “Hmm, I love you so much as well. So fucking incredibly much.” Theo’s words were slurred. If it was possible to be sex drunk he was as intoxicated as Liam. He thrust his hips up and hissed when Liam’s claws dug into his shoulder. Liam reached up and pushed one hand against the roof of the truck. He was close to his climax and had no idea how to prolong it. It was crashing over him and he was not even stroking himself. Just feeling Theo fill him was enough stimulation for now.

And then he came almost at the same time as Theo and both cried out each other’s names. Liam came between Theo and himself and Theo spilled inside him. Completely boneless, Liam fell against Theo and placed his forehead against his mate’s shoulder. Their ragged breathing and wildly beating hearts the only sounds in the truck. “That was probably the fastest we two ever came.” Theo laughed breathlessly and rolled his head to lean it against Liam’s. Liam hummed. “It was fucking intense.” He took a deep breath, gathered enough energy to raise his head at least, and looked Theo. “Hi.” “Hi.” The twenty-two-year-old smiled lovingly. It was that look which made Liam say the following: “I missed you. Not only you but this.” He gestured between the two of them. “Is this good or bad?” “It is good. I missed you too. Sex or rather being intimate is an important part of our relationship and we didn’t allow us any type of intimacy except the shallow kissing and sleeping next to each other for the last weeks. That is okay, Liam.” “We’re never going so long without sex ever again,” Liam declared. His mate laughed. “Deal.” And then he grabbed Liam’s face with both hands and pulled him into a deep kiss.

____________________________________________________________

I feel like Liam matures more and more with every chapter and still, he allows himself to struggle and not have everything in check. To me, this is what growing up and being an adult is about. To allow yourself not to be perfect all the time. But I don't want to blather. I am proud of Liam but I'm also proud of Theo. And once again, while writing it, both surprised me how well they know each other. I swear those two are writing their own story, not me.

As always, let me know what you think/want/wish/dream or expect from the next chapter. And how you liked this one here.

Love ♥

#thiam #A tale written with fangs and claws #Morning Dew Pack series #alpha!liam #My writing

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paperclipninja · 5 years

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Younger post-ep recap 6x06

Due to a rather unfortunate run in between my laptop and a glass of water I lost my original ramble for this week’s Younger (as well as the actual laptop so R.I.P Lappy, you were actually pretty terrible but we had a good run). So instead of my usual review I thought I’d do more of a recap and refresher of the last episode to get us prepped, primed and pumped (aka the 3 P's) for the next installment (ep7).

Episode 6 of Younger was in many ways so bonkers that it shouldn’t have worked, but somehow all the pieces came together and it did .Oh boy did it ever! I outright belly laughed a number of times throughout and I think my dog was mildly concerned for my well-being because there were actual tears coming out my eyes at a couple of points. I’m a sucker for a pun so ‘Merger, She Wrote’ had me at hello (you could say my hopes for the ep were high...yes I did and #notsorry). What I wouldn’t have given to be in the room to see the reactions to a script with ‘Liza goes to talk to the nurse who is actually a plant’ in it. So yes there were LOLs galore but most importantly, by the end of the ep order had been restored following the upheaval of the past 6 episodes (which is about the limit viewers can take sitting in the discomfort of an unfamiliar detour from the norm IMO: think the Bryce Reiger arc in season 3 and the Charles finding out the lie in season 5...it’s almost as though Darren and co. have done this before...), Finally the fam is back together at Millennial (or is it Mercennial now?)

Straight off the bat I was very distracted for most of the opening scene by Liza’s dress and look in general because it was AMAZING. I am loving all the Maggie/Liza in the morning scenes we’re getting this season and Maggie in a blue coverall embarking on a DIY rope harness ceiling painting project...what could possibly go wrong? I felt mildly uncomfortable at how relatable Maggie’s not being served for 10 mins in a bar and sneaking out to the fridge in the night were, but was also mildly mesmerized by Liza’s coffee mug that looked like some kind of old-timey wash basin (turns out this was not relevant to the story but noted nonetheless). Maggie also offers the very straight forward solution of merging the two companies to alleviate the tension that’s putting Liza and Charles in ‘not a good place’ and I love that her ‘bing, bang, boom’ is echoed by Liza when she floats the idea with Charles later in the ep.

The' Microdosing' book pitch provided us with the set up for the retreat and my fave thing about this scene was how IN character all the characters reactions were to it all; Diana is flat out appalled by the whole thing, Liza is Captain Cautious but trying to play it cool and Kelsey looks like she’s seeing colour for the first time and would 100% pledge her devotion to Travis in any kind of cult situation.

What might have seemed out of character, but actually ended up so perfectly capturing the way she always does everything with absolute gusto, was Diana's foray into boomer erotica narration (as Liza so eloquently put it, 'I think we just found our Seasoned Slut'. These lines, I swear *rofl emoji* ) I think I laughed through the entire scene of Diana in the recording studio, I mean, Miriam Shor's delivery of every line just kills me, but the highlight was undoubtedly when she suggested she could hit nipple a little harder and affirmed 'throbbing nipple' to herself as she walked back to the booth. Zane and creepy af Audrey Colbert waiting allowed for Diana to unsubtly hot foot it out of there, which was a great throwback to her refusal to be in the same room as Audrey in ep 3.

It was a also great opportunity to bring Zane and Kelsey back together and who doesn't love an awks 'accidentally had the mic open and didn't realize' moment when you're talking about how your author is definitely a murderer? I feel like Audrey may go and find another publisher now (just a hunch) but I would really like to see more of her because this character is a type of unhinged that we haven't seen on this show and I think that could be a lot of fun to see play out. I have to say that Kelsey Peters is NOT someone I picked as a boop-er of noses, yet there she was at the bar, booping Zane's nose and this was my favourite interaction of theirs in the series. I was totally digging the dynamic this ep and it will be very interesting to see what that will look like with the new work arrangements. Also, where was Zane when that was all going down btw? I assume Charles filled him in on the bringing the companies together plan before it happened?

Liza's excitement when she told Charles the idea of merging the two companies was endearing and I am unabashedly a big fan of Charles, but his attempt at convincing Liza to join him at Mercury after she tells him that she won't leave Millennial and Kelsey, by saying he left his company to be with her, was super shitty. But it was also super necessary. Because at some point this needed to be said and most importantly, Liza needed to call him out on it and let him know that he cannot use it as a bargaining chip. One of the things I love most about the Charles/Liza dynamic (aside from all the things, but that's another essay) is that Liza is her own advocate in this relationship, she will stand her ground when something is important to her and does not compromise herself to appease Charles. He is equally as stubborn but they are able to have the hard conversations that need to be had but this doesn’t lead them to question whether they want to be together (I very much appreciated the kiss on the cheek Liza gave Charles before she left for this very reason).

So of course being on a psychedelics retreat together when they've hit a roadblock in the relationship was definitely a very good idea...Well it was for us as viewers at least, because pretty much from the moment they arrive and Liza and Charles start talking straight to camera as the literal doctor (my god that whole line just cracked me up) informs them they'll be taking not-LSD, we know we're not in Kansas anymore Toto. Enter Josh for *insert drama here* purposes (and I do think he should franchise Inkburg coz why not?) and we have, ladies and gentlefolk, a recipe for some next level hilarity. But not before Josh and Liza share a lingering look as they take their dose of illicit substance to ensure that Lizs's trip includes one down memory lane.

I have made my feelings about love triangles known many times (quick recap: hard dislike. Tricky to pull off without one or more characters looking bad. Very tiring as a viewer and quite frankly I am pretty lazy and tired most of the time irl so just don't want it on my screen), however I will say that I did not see this ep as re-stoking the love triangle, I saw it as simply reminding us that it is there and can be reignited by the writers at any stage. Within the context of everything that was happening, Liza hallucinating Josh at her door actually made sense and I have no doubt that various factions of Younger fans had meltdowns at that moment for very different reasons.. Sutton Foster's physical comedy throughout this whole ep was second to none, starting at her realization that it was, in fact, Charles who had come to her room and continuing the next morning at breakfast.

Speaking of which, there was something about seeing Liza and Charles in the breakfast room together that made my sappy heart swell, it had such a vacay feel and I'm sure if you muted your volume you could pretend they were just listening to the activities for the day before going off to spend some quality time together...I mean, maybe that would be a thing, I wouldn't know....where was I? Oh yes, the unfolding of a series of comedy golden McNuggets™ that I am still laughing about. We learn that Liza is a supertaster (for those like me who pretended they understood what that meant but then realized they did not, I googled it and it means that she is sensitive to the drugs and basically the microdose affects her like a full dose, you're welcome) and I am chuckling even now when I think about Josh's, 'hey guys' in Charles' voice as he joins the table.

This is another one of those concepts that I feel like could've not worked at all but sweet lawd, the Charles and Josh voice swap scene was next level and I could watch this and the scene that follows over and over and never not laugh. I again LOVE the decision to have the guys talk to camera because it absolutely emphasizes the whole situation and Liza sidestepping away to visit the nurse just rounded off the whole crazy caper.

I have no words to describe how much I love the flat out ridiculous perfection of the visit to Nurse Maureen. Yes Liza has the epiphany that Josh and Charles bring out different things in her (though hot sex seems to be at the core of both so ya know, sounds like a win in the past and present and good for her on both accounts) and again, the unlikely scenario that her ex and current boyfriends are in the same place at the same time (while she is taking mind altering substance) has just played out so it also makes sense in this context. Quite frankly I'm shipping her and Maureen pretty hard at this point because a) it is not easy to pull off eyeshadow that green and b) everyone deserves someone in their life who has the kind of belief in Liza that Maureen does when she tells her 'I bet you can' dance just like me. I don't even know how to explain whatever that dance is but I just know that I want someone/something in my life that will windmill their/it's arms at me with such fervor that I find myself dancing with two attractive men in tuxedos on a galaxy stage.

I cannot express the joy I felt watching the entire dance scene, it was all just so. much. fun. But my absolute hands down favourite moment was when it cut back to the retreat and we, along with Charles and Josh, discover that Liza is in fact dancing with 'Maureen' the plant and seriously, this is up there with my highlights of the entire series. That and the reveal that the selfies Liza was taking were sent to Diana (Diana speaking to Liza in her 'sexy' voice, asking 'where is my plant?', Liza's, 'Maureen', I just cannot with every part of this glorious tie in at the end of the ep. I am sending Ashley Skidmore a houseplant to express my gratitude for gifting us with these moments*). Seeing Josh and Charles together was great but it was clear a scene was missing and I am SO glad that Younger released the deleted conversation between the two of them coz it was both necessary because YES and also because it suddenly made Charles' entire conversation and reason for his decision to sell Mercury make sense (ie. was pretty pivotal).

I big A adored Charles and Liza's conversation (and outfits and aesthetic overall) as they're leaving the retreat, the shift in Charles is palpable and it's just such a credit to the writing and acting to be able to convey so much in such a brief scene. Maggie of course experienced quite the shift herself, from ceiling to floor, with a sufficient amount of dangling as her helpful neighbourly pervert got himself off as she got herself down. But most importantly, Maggie got her mojo back (though is she not currently dating Beth? In which case location of missing mojo: unclear).

Now I gotta tell you, the final scene of this week's ep up and got me. Big time. Kelsey's earlier comment, that she really hates competing with Charles, certainly added weight to the resolution we've all been waiting for this season. Charles' honesty about his realisation that he is hurting his family, not to mention him confirming that he means Kelsey, Diana and Liza and that he wants to come home, ugh, my insides are gooey just writing these words, leads to his offer to Kesley and honestly, the interactions between all of them in this scene was wonderful. I loved that Kelsey held the room, that Charles was putting the offer to her from one businessperson to another (though thank goodness Diana was there to point out the difference between $1 and $1000000 eek! Also, I get that it would never occur to anyone that the price would be $1 so I'll cut Kels some slack). Diana looks like she is going to cry at any moment from elation and I love the way Kelsey asks for the approval of the ladies before shaking Charles' hand. This will forever be one of my favourite scenes on this show.

The thought of Charles coming back and working as an editor alongside Liza is an actual dream. I mean, I am very happy to be taken on the journey the writers set, but I have legit wondered what it would be like to see him in that role and he and Liza working together properly as equals and I absolutely cannot believe it's going to happen.

Well this ended up being quite a bit longer than I expected (lol, what a surprise). Bring on episode 7!

*I will not in fact be sending Ashley Skidmore a houseplant because I live in a very far away country, it would cost a lot of money and it is 1000% creepy to receive a dead plant from a stranger.

#youngertv #younger tv #recap #6x06 #liza miller #charles brooks #diana trout #kelsey peters #ramble #younger season 6

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onestowatch · 5 years

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Kristina Bazan Is More Than a Pretty Picture. She’s an Artist [Q&A]

Kristina Bazan is a woman of many talents. From starting her world-renowned fashion blog, Kayture, as a teenager, to being chosen by Forbes in 2016 as one of the 30 under 30 most influential personalities, it is difficult to imagine something Bazan is incapable of doing. So, when the fashion socialite and best-selling author announced she would be focusing solely on music, it first came as a shock. However, upon further inspection, music does not exist as some experimental detour in the life of Bazan; it serves as her starting point and a place she always seemed destined to return.

Before the fashion and fame, Bazan was an introverted teenager who took up songwriting at the tender age of 13. She even went so far as to join a rock band at the age of 15, in which she would play rock covers in her friend’s garage. However, it was around this time that her fashion blog, Kayture, began to take the world by storm, and overnight she would become fashion’s “it girl.” Now, some odd ten years since first picking up songwriting, Bazan returns to the art form that originally captured her heart with the release of her debut EP, EPVH1. The striking six-song collection is an introspective examination of our relationship with technology scored by transcendent moments of pop and electronic influence.

We had the chance to sit down with fashion “it girl” turned rising artist Bazan to speak on what has always arguably been her calling-music-and making that at-times terrifying leap into a new medium.

OTW: What was it like seeing yourself listed as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30?

Kristina: That was the first time my dad was like, “Okay. Now I respect you.” Before that, he was not really approving of what I was doing. That was the first time he was really like, “You were right for doing this, for working so hard.”

OTW: Besides being a part of Forbes’ 30 Under 30, most people know you from your fashion blog, Kayture, or the fact that you are a best-selling author. However, songwriting has always existed as a passion of yours.

Kristina: I knew I always wanted to be a singer, but it seemed like such an unrealistic fantasy to have. Especially because I was born In Belarus, and I kept moving around a lot, and in Switzerland, we don’t really have a music industry there. So, it was just absurd to even think about it. But throughout my childhood, and when I was a teenager, I was always writing songs, dressing up, and willing to put on a show for my family. I gravitated so naturally towards it.

OTW: Let’s talk about your teenage rock band for a second.

Kristina: Wow! You’ve done your research. It was really funny. It was only with dudes, and we played “Seven Nation Army.” I thought I was so cool cause I was the only girl with way older guys in a garage playing rock. The band was called The Few. I ended up quitting because of the blog, but they actually started performing in Switzerland. They’re really cool. I’m friends with them on Facebook, so when I share stuff about my EP, they’re commenting, “Yes! We knew you from back then!” I wish people knew me from that period, because it makes so much sense. Exactly the way I was at that period, is the way I am right now. I had this period in the middle where you’re playing the game. You’ve got to make yourself a career, to make people know that you exist.

OTW: Your passion for songwriting really does span quite some time. It’s something I noticed even comes up in a few of your past interviews, even when the focus was mainly on your fashion.

Kristina: It is actually what I love the most. Vocally, I’m not Whitney Houston. I think I have a nice voice, but there are vocal singers who just blow your mind. My forte has always been telling stories. I’m such a dreamer. My imagination is running wild all the time. I feel the absolute urge to put it into something. And music is such a beautiful format to tell stories.

You give music to people and they can make anything out of it and put their own memories onto it. It’s so beautiful.

OTW: Would you say your music taste evolved a great deal from teenage you to present you?

Kristina: I always loved electronic stuff. I’m actually super geeky. Growing up, I always played a lot of video games. I would prefer staying in and playing The Sims over going out with my friends. I got really into Myspace and blogs, and that’s actually how I got into blogging in the first place, because I’ve always been an Internet nerd. Musically, I had a huge obsession and still do with Crystal Castles and Daft Punk. Daft Punk is like my fucking religion. I just love discovering indie, underground electronic bands.

OTW: Your debut EP, EPVH1, gives off this moody ‘80s, almost Blade Runner-esque vibe. Did you attend for there to be an overarching theme to your debut?

Kristina: Well, actually, I was wondering, from my point-of-view, what can I bring to the table that’s new and fresh and that hasn’t been done. It’s such a hard question because there are so many incredible artists that are releasing music, and we’re just flooded with content. We barely have time to digest it. I was really wondering what I can do that actually makes sense. How can I turn all of these years of experience, of being a blogger, working in the digital world, and having this public image into use?

I wanted my whole EP to have this underlying subject manner of technology and the relationship we have with technology. And how it affects the way we live but also our relationships.

youtube

OTW: The examination of our relationships to Instagram must be particularly prevalent to you, as someone whose youth was formed alongside social media a popular blog. Did you find writing from that viewpoint allowed you to tell a very unique story?

Kristina: Well, yeah, because from the age of 17, I was literally sharing my diary with the whole world. I think that a lot of people grew up with me. I had really incredible experiences where followers approached me and gave me letters where they said seeing how I succeeded with the blog gave them the inspiration to pursue something they always feared doing. If you have great ideas, you put them into use, you believe in yourself, and you work hard, nothing should stop you.

I’m really proud that was the position and perspective I was defending. But at the same time, I don’t know why the word blogger has such a negative connotation nowadays. I was really ashamed to say that I’m a blogger, that I’m an influencer because it meant that I’m narcissistic, my life revolves around sponsorships and brands, and that it’s kind of an illusion. Honestly, it kind of is an illusion in a way. Your whole life revolves around portraying a certain lifestyle, portraying a certain image. At the end of the day, you make money off selling and this entire system behind it.

For me, there was a point where I completely lost the point of it. I don’t feel like it’s authentic anymore, even though I kept writing a lot. I always took a lot of time to write profound articles and really share things that meant a lot of me. But I knew that maybe 10% of my audience was really reading them. At the end of the day, what people wanted was just really pretty pictures of me in the streets, which is nice, but I don’t think it’s long-lasting. I don’t think that’s what people are going to remember in five years. While with music, if it’s good enough, it can have a really long life.

“At the end of the day, what people wanted was just really pretty pictures of me in the streets, which is nice, but I don’t think it’s long-lasting. I don’t think that’s what people are going to remember in five years. While with music, if it’s good enough, it can have a really long life.”

OTW: And by the time people have read this, you will have just finished performing your first three shows–in Paris, Los Angeles, and New York–how does it all feel?

Kristina: Amazing. I love being on stage so much. It’s incredible. It’s like you’re meditating with people. It’s an exchange of energy. There’s really such a beautiful and strong connection. People are chill, they’re here to listen to music, they’re open. For me, it’s the most beautiful thing ever. Since I’ve spent all of these years behind a computer screen, I cannot even tell you how nice it is to have real people in front of me and to see people connect to the music. I saw that some people know the words. Like damn, I wrote those words on my bathroom floor! It’s so crazy to be able to bring that and let people make it their own. It’s wonderful.

“Since I’ve spent all of these years behind a computer screen, I cannot even tell you how nice it is to have real people in front of me and to see people connect to the music.”

OTW: Now that you’ve fully embraced becoming an artist, what can we expect from your forthcoming debut album? Will it be similar to EPVH1?

Kristina: I think that the EP set the bricks of the aesthetics and the sound, but it was so interesting for me to get the first feedback. I was cultivating this whole visual and world for so long, and I kind of lost some objectivity at a certain point, because you’re so in it constantly. I just needed the point-of-view of the audience. I just wanted to have the opinion of random people I’ve never met. What does it make them feel like? What does it remind them of? And that really influenced the way I kept working on my album.

To me, the EP isn’t dark. For me, it’s really introspective and deep in some way. I wanted to touch a cord inside of you. It’s filled with light and it’s really positive. It just questions things. I had a lot of people tell me, “Why is it so dark? Are you gothic now? Are you punk?” Look at me! Do I look gothic to you? [laughs] People said that I was a Satanist cause I had a song called “The Devil.” Guys, we’re in 2018, can’t you play with this word and make a beautiful story out of it. In reality, it’s a love song. So, as much as I don’t find it dark, I want to show something lighter and sunnier on the album.

OTW: Do you find there’s a very different process when it comes to sitting down to write a blog post as opposed to writing a song?

Kristina: Very different. When I write blog posts, it’s like I’m in a trance and just write everything that goes through my mind. I literally cannot see the time pass. It’s really like you’re opening up and saying everything that’s on your mind. Music is different because you have a format. You have a certain timeframe, rhythm, syllables, and pattern that you have to respect. So, you have to synthesize your message and be really clear about what you’re trying to say so people can have a story to follow. You have to have a really clear idea about what your song is about. Often times for me, it stars with a word or a concept and then I have one hook. It builds almost like a movie. You’re imagining the colors around you, what people are doing, how does it make you feel. It makes you go into a lot of places in your head. It’s so much fun.

OTW: Who are your Ones To Watch?

Kristina: I love Timber Timbre. It’s really one of my favorite bands right now. I keep playing their stuff on repeat. Very chill but very sexy. It’s perfect for any occasion.

OTW: Any last words?

Kristina: Stay tuned for the album because it’s going to be filled with really beautiful surprises. And I can’t wait to see everyone during my performances. I hope as many people as possible can come.

#interview #kristina bazan #EPVH1 #pop #electropop #electronic

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michael-radi-the-glamorous-life · 5 years

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Those Who Can...

It’s an old and cliched phrase at this point, but I do still occasionally hear people say: “Those who can’t do, teach.” Which is really a misquote from George Bernard Shaw’s Maxims For Revolutionists:

"He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches."

Now, is there any truth to this? Perhaps for some people. Though I would bet that those who go into teaching purely out of disappointment of falling out of their chosen profession aren’t very good teachers, nor are they likely to be teachers for long.

And yet this idea persists. Why?

It’s Been A While…

Several times in the past six months I have spoken with people who I haven’t seen or heard from in many years, and the conversation generally goes something like this:

Them: It’s been so long! I want to hear what you’re up to - you must be doing great things!

Me: It’s certainly been my busiest year so far, especially with the production of The King’s Legacy coming up this summer.

Them: And I see you’re doing a lot of shows. Where are those happening?

Me: Two of them are back to back at the studio I work at -

Them: Studio?

Me: Yeah, I teach voice and musical direct 5-7 days per week at an after school studio throughout the year. And the third show I MD, which crosses over with the other two, is at a Long Island high school.

Them: Oh. So these are school shows.

Me: One is a school show, but all are educational, yep.

Them: That’s nice.

Me: Well, it’s hard work and it’s rewarding.

Them: …I’m glad you’re working. So [and on to the next thing]…

And then that’s that. It’s like teaching doesn’t count as work, professional or otherwise. And why? Because non-professionals (aka students) are involved? Sounds crazy to me.

Compare this to the general conversation I have with other working theatre professionals today:

Them: So what do you do, besides the writing and performing?

Me: I work at an after school theatre studio teaching voice, musical directing, and playing for classes 5 days per week, and I MD two of their shows each year. I also MD the annual musical at a local high school each spring.

Them: Wow, that’s a lot.

Me: Yep, but it pays bills and keeps me in theatre constantly!

Them: How many voice students?

Me: This year it’s 33.

Them: That’s crazy! I wish I had those skills. I stopped playing piano at [__] years old and I really wish I hadn’t.

Me: It’s insanely useful.

Them: That all sounds more fun than my day job.

Me: Yeah, I kind of substituted the fun and theatre for less money. What do you do? [Etc.]

That’s a different conversation, isn’t it? And I think I’m beginning to understand the difference.

Great Expectations

People we’ve known from previous points in our lives have very different perceptions of us. They knew us at a certain time and have not been involved in any of the subsequent growth/change/improvement/evolution/etc. that comes with the continuation of life. So they extrapolate from what they knew and they have expectations. Likely, specific expectations. And when it comes to theatre careers, everyone always expects that you are constantly inching yourself toward THE BIG WHITE WAY. What other path or goal could there be? And anything else is just a pit stop along the way, or a detour, or something holding you back. Right?

And those people tend not to be in the business - whether or not they ever were. Or else it probably wouldn’t have been years since you’ve spoken with them.

Whereas people who are in the business now understand a few truths of the current socioeconomic environment, particularly where theatre is concerned:

1) You take the survival jobs that you can get with your skills.

2) You keep the jobs that allow you to not go crazy.

3) Broadway is not the only goal.

4) Jobs that keep you in theatre help you hone your skills constantly.

5) No survival job is a hindrance unless you let it become one. Then you make decisions from there.

6) Young people - especially young theatre people - are awesome.

7) Teachers help shape the future of our country, society, and industry.

These are easy to forget if they’re not constantly in your face, which is probably why the old idea of looking down on teaching persists. It is natural that people get older, leave the business, forget what it’s like to be in the trenches, and adopt these negative or bitter-sounding ideas. But awareness of that could help.

“By Your Pupils You’ll Be Taught”

As much as I complain about the number of hours, the amount of mental/emotional/physical energy required, and general lack of workplace benefits, I love teaching. I do. I wouldn’t have chosen this as my survival job otherwise - the work is too time consuming and it doesn’t pay as much as other survival jobs.

And why do I love it so much?

1) Young people inspire me. Was I that cool and interesting and progressive-seeming to my teachers at that age? Let’s be real, probably not. But damn! Have you met these kids? If they are the face of our future, I am so on board.

2) They keep me young. Seriously. Adults constantly tell me that I’m not a “real adult” and I totally agree! Not because I don’t pay bills and buy groceries and do all of those “adult things,” but because I find that I’m not getting more jaded or bitter or conservative as I age (thus far). I have energy. I have focus. I have consistent emotional capacity. And I can tell you - without a doubt - it’s from being around young people all the time. I swear, this is why combined daycare/elderly care facilities are so successful.

3) I get to teach what I know, which refreshes my own knowledge. I tend not to lose the important information about theatre that I’ve learned over the years, because I constantly have to teach it. It forces me to refresh myself on topics that I would otherwise likely forget.

4) They challenge me. Oh boy, let me tell you. Every student is different. Not all techniques will work on all students. I have to find new ways to speak, explain, teach, and modify all the time. There’s no way around it, which is great, because it only makes me better at teaching. And as a lovely added bonus, I often find new ways of teaching that help me as a professional as well! It’s a true win-win.

5) They teach me. Every damn day. I walk into these rooms and I learn probably as much from them as they are learning from me. This is the wonder and the joy of teaching. I wouldn’t trade it and I’d never want to give it up entirely.

Why Today?

If I’ve been having these conversations throughout the year, why am I writing this post today?

Well, tonight Legally Blonde opens at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, and these kids have got me in an emotional place. They are talented, yes, but oh so much more. They’re intelligent. They’re open to new ideas and new people. They’re honest. They’re kind. They’re willing to do and try. They care. They are constantly learning and blossoming, and it’s a joy to watch.

Also, three times in the past month I’ve had students say to me that when they grow up, they want to be just like me. If that doesn’t make you understand why teachers teach (and give you a feel or two), then nothing will.

I’m proud to be a teacher and to work with young people. I hope everyone gets the chance at some point - it will likely change you for better.

(PS, Break a leg NHP Theatre!)

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whateverisbeautiful · 6 years

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Reveling in Richonne

122: The I Love You’s (8x14)

First of all…

I have so been looking forward to breaking down this solid gold moment right here. Cuz y’all, it’s everything. 🙌🏾 So you already know I have to happy dance in advance lol.

Wait it’s still not out of my system. 😋

(Side note: I’m already extra when it comes to even their smallest moments so this is about to be extra x10. So thank you for putting up with me lol 🙏🏽😂 And this post is particularly long (cuz of course), so I’ll spare your TL with this one 👌🏽😊)

Lemme tell you, every time I see or even just remember this moment I cannot help but react to it with the same high energy I had when I first saw it. This moment gives me complete and utter joy and it also really moves me, so this will always be me when it comes to this scene…

Cuz y’all...they said it!! 🎉Won’t He Do It! Yes He Will! All the time! Forever and Ever! Amen. 🙌🏾😌🙌🏾😌

And I love that while it was a big celebratory moment for us, it was such a normal thing for them. All the way here for it. 👌🏽😊

It’s funny cuz I generally avoid spoilers but, the week before, I had been hearing murmerings that 8x14 might be the episode where they say it, and just the mere notion of that had me turning up. So literally the whole episode I was just waiting and watching like...

Cuz ever since I boarded this ship the thought of what those “I love you’s” would be like and when they would come was on my mind often. And we finally got to see it! And of course Danai and Andy knocked it out of the park. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

But first, to back track just a little bit, in the few moments prior we see Carol open up to Ezekiel about her daughter.

(Side note: I wish Carol and Michonne would talk more. They’re different in a lot of ways but also have a lot of similarities too. Like in Carol’s conversation with Ezekiel she shares about how these people helped her find a better version of herself and that’s the case for Michonne as well.👌🏽)

The main reason I bring up this moment tho, is because, when they cut to the wider shot, Carol and Ezekiel are holding hands which is sweet, and what I love most about it is that you can see Michonne sitting in the background, almost center with the hand hold. And y’all that’s not a coincidence. 💯

How did Richonne’s romantic relationship start? With a glorious hand hold. 🙌🏾😋 And it’s cool that we get some parallel to R&M’s 6x10 moment in the same episode that we get to witness another long awaited exchange. 😊 (And this also sort of suggests that Carol and Ezekiel might be joining the couples club that I think only Rick and Michonne are in rn.)

But seeing Michonne sitting alone made me kind of sad too cuz it makes me think about how she would totally be spending that time with Carl if he was there (or Rick if he wasn’t out wildin 🙃)

So they hear the gate open and then Michonne springs up cuz she knows her man has come home, which is probably a big relief for her, knowing his recent inclinations to leave and get himself in serious predicaments.

My favorite thing about seeing Michonne spring up like this is cuz, as many have pointed out, it’s so reminiscent to when Rick heard her arriving at the gate in the season 4 premiere. Y’all their magnetic connection is still going strong all these seasons. 😊

So then Rick and Morgan walk in looking like two bad kids who can solemnly swear they’ve been up to no good. 😂

And when Michonne sees him, she has a look that says she’s both relieved and also that she can tell her man has likely spent the day wildin all the way out.

Morgan walks up to Henry and tells him he was able to kill the Savior who killed his brother. And rather than relish the vengeance, Henry actually expresses sympathy that Morgan had to kill again and he tells him sorry.

And then I get hit hard upon hearing Morgan tell Henry “Don’t ever be sorry” cuz it’s exactly what Morgan told Carl back in “Clear.” 😭

I’m always here for a “Clear” reference in this show even tho it’s also a heartbreaking reminder that Carl isn’t there anymore. (And I hope this show knows that in no way will Henry be a legitimate replacement, so TWD don’t try to make fetch happen. Just saying.)

So while that’s going on, Rick is walking towards the main house and people are looking at him cuz Homeboy def looks like he’s been suspect. And he’s just sort of looking right back at people like “Say something, I dare you.” 😅

One person he doesn’t look at tho is Michonne and y’all I admit I was not feeling that. I was like; Rick don’t you walk past your girl without acknowledging her in some way. Like I know he’s in a daze and probably feeling guilty but at least nod or something bruh, especially after likely making her stressed all day about where he went.

As he walks away, Michonne watches him go and they emphasize her having this look.

Seeing this reaction from her briefly made me worried that maybe this show was heading towards another moment of distance between them or even disappointment cuz tbh Michonne wouldn’t be out of line if she did feel a little disappointed. So at first, when it came to where they stand, I was like…

But the thing is, Sis is so understanding and the epitome of a great wife so any worry that maybe this was going to cause an issue between them was quickly dispelled in the final scene of the episode.

So now onto the scene that has kept me on cloud nine for months. ☺️Lol. Lemme get prepared.

The scene starts with Rick walking into their room seeming freshly showered, and I love that there seems to be this comfortability with him returning to him and his woman’s room. Like I think they have him enter the scene this way to hit home that this is Rick at the most settled he’s been in a while.

And it’s significant to see him putting on a clean white tee cuz it really does feel like it’s meant to imply a clean slate as well as the lighter side he’s coming back to. He’s leaning into the good again, (now that he’s gotten some of the savagery out of his system lol)

Also I love that there’s this candlelight glow that’s totally paralleling the precious candlelit dinner proposal scene in 7x12. 🙌🏾 I think having that similar glow going just helps to set the tone that he’s more in that 7x12 headspace again, rather than the headspace we saw in the dive bar.

We then see Rick have a visible moment where he knows this is the time to open his letter, like his North Star told him to in this very room earlier in the episode. Everything that’s happened today has shown him that now is the time to stop running. So he goes to the drawer and takes out the letter.

So then, Michonne walks in and stops at the doorway and this whole moment is super similar to the scene earlier. Cuz just like Rick walked in and found Michonne holding her letter near the dresser, Michonne walks in to find Rick holding his letter in the same spot.

Their reactions are different tho cuz where Rick saw her holding the letter and felt a sense of fear and anxiety, Michonne sees him holding the letter and you can tell there’s a sense of relief.

Like she definitely seems a little surprised too with finding Rick right there with the letter, but also happy that whatever he did outside the walls led to the letter and not more suppressing or running from coping.

So the first thing Rick says is “Thank you.” And Rick is a real one for knowing he needs to thank her. And I love how Rick so often says thank you to Michonne in this series cuz Homeboy knows he’s with a queen and he’s grateful. 😊

Now, you know my extra self had to really reflect on what each line of dialogue meant in this scene, and to me Rick’s thank you was for her getting him to see the light slowly but surely, and for fighting for Carl and for himself, for being by his side this whole time, for loving him, and sharing with him, and for everything she is. 👌🏽😊

It was also thanking her for being patient as he took a little detour to where she knew he needed to be. But I think most of all, at the root, this is Rick telling her thank you for not giving up on me. 💯

I love how it’s so visible that a weight is taken off Michonne when he says this cuz it lets her know that he’s in a much better clearer space than before. She was carrying so much for the both of them, to the point that I was like Sis is overdue for a shoulder to cry on, but in hearing and seeing Rick like this, some of that load on her is lightened.

What I adore most about this moment is the way they both take this deep breath when he says this. They are legitimately one and so in sync. 😍🙌🏾

In seeing that Rick is in a clearer headspace she knows they’re making some progress and it’s a relief that he’s more present and stable cuz again, if he’s okay she’s okay and you see that in the synchronicity of their body language.

They both seem to just loosen up due to knowing/sensing that they’re a little more centered than earlier. It’s not that all their external problems are gone, but they’re centered with one another, which is enough to make them feel a lot better. 💯

I love that seeing he’s okay means the world to Michonne and in both of them taking this breath it reminds me of the moment in This Is Us where they all take a deep breath to take a step towards releasing the pain of their loss. As TIU said, when you don’t deal with your grief it’s like your holding your breath, so it’s big for R&M to be able to take this breath together.

The next thing he tells her is “I’m sorry” and I was very proud of Rick for telling her that.

Like hearing him apologize had me like…

And to me, the sorry was for the way he’s been running from her and the pain, for not being there for her the way she’s been there for him, for leaving and putting himself in harms way, and doing the opposite of what she and Carl wanted, for letting irrational Rick dictate his actions and not the Rick that knows to listen to her, and for distancing himself when he knows that’s not the way they are meant to be.

Rick knows he owes her better cuz in all this grief he has every right to wrestle with it but again, when it comes to Michonne he also has every responsibility to be there for her too, for so many reasons.

To name one, he wanted her in season four to continue this bond with Carl and she did and they became best friends so she opened her heart so fully to Carl and raised him with Rick, so Rick knows that as the husband he has to walk with her in this, and he’s apologizing for not doing that fully.

But Michonne stays out here teaching how to be a great wife cuz with so much love and compassion she tells him “You don’t have to be.”

I love this. 👏🏽😊 Cuz it’s not that she’s just passively letting Rick slide, she just understands that since they can’t reverse the past, all they can do is move forward, learn from it, and be better. And this is her way of showing she’s still here for him and they can be better together.

And I feel like in her telling him he doesn’t have to be sorry it’s not just her saying you don’t have to be sorry for what you did (cuz y’all Michonne and Rick are cut from the same cloth so she can understand what he did cuz she’s capable of going ham on the Saviors like that too) but it’s also saying you don’t have to be in a sorry state forever.

I appreciate that she chooses not to linger on this or reprimand him and make this cause a wedge. Also probably part of why she feels he doesn’t have to be sorry is because she knows his grieving journey has finally led him to the letter, which is where the healing process will begin.

She wants him to know he doesn’t have to be sorry for his grieving process cuz she knows this specific process very well considering she’s experienced it twice now. I love that she understands him so fully and so deeply and more than anyone else I think Rick has ever come across. 🙏🏽😊

Cuz low key someone who wasn’t his soul mate might not have had a response like “You don’t have to be” when he apologizes but more like “you better be”, but Rick’s got himself the best of the best who supports him through literally thick and thin. 👏🏽👸🏾

Rick seems to often be waiting for someone to tear him down or doubt him or be disappointed in him (probably cuz of his past) but she never does. 🙌🏾

Michonne always uplifts him and this moment was yet another way of saying “I’m still with you” and you know Sis always means it. 😌

So after she tells him this, Rick faces her and finally really looks at her with clear eyes again and it makes all the difference. He’s got himself the best wife and he knows it. Cuz she’s so compassionate and understanding and just genuinely wants the best for him without judgment. At the same time she’s not passive and naïve, she knows what’s up but she always chooses to see the man over the mistakes. #RealLove 👌🏽

And then comes the words we’ve been waiting for. Cuz Rick turns and faces Michonne and with the sweetest sincerity says, “I love you.”

Every. Last. Thing.

That “I love you” was a reminder and a promise that, as much as his whole world has changed, his love for her hasn’t. It’s still there and going strong. 💕

I appreciate that he turns to face her more head on when he says this cuz he wants it to be crystal clear that he means this. We’ve seen that when he’s not being totally honest he can’t really look at people, but here he looks right in her eyes cuz this is the 100% truth. 💯😊

I said in the last post how I was nervous that because this episode tried to make Rick’s word seem like it was questionable that they’d want this scene to be interpreted as questioning if Rick’s words are sincere or just manipulative, but all you have to do is see his face to know he’s serious.

He’s looking at her the way he looks at her when he’s in his right mind, which is like she’s his sun, moon, and stars. ☺️

And y’all, when he says this it came out so effortlessly that I had to pause cuz it was so clear that not only was this not the first time he’s said this but it was very clear that Homeboy has told her plenty of many of times. 👏🏽😊

Before this episode, I was thinking they’ve said it before but of course Andrew Lincoln found a way to deliver this line in a way where it sounds like this is something Rick says all the time. 😋

But it still feels really special and significant this time, because while I feel this totally isn’t their first, second, or even tenth time exchanging “I love you’s”, I think this may be their first time saying it since losing Carl, which is why it’s so meaningful and a milestone, cuz it’s showing they’re back to telling each other what’s always been true.

And after seeing this so many times, I’ve come to like the sort of melodic way he says it cuz there’s something so tender about it.

Also it’s sweet that he nods when he says it cuz this isn’t meant to be angsty, it’s supposed to be more like he’s saying; “you know that thing I tell you all the time? It’s still true” And it never stopped being true, he’s just now in a healthy spot to tell her again. 😌👌🏽

And once he says that, Michonne then completes this perfection by telling him, “I love you too”

And I gotta happy dance one more again.

But for real, her delivery of that line was beautiful. 😭 It was so sincere and meaningful while also sounding comfortable and certain.

And there’s definitely something emotional in her delivery because they’re expressing this sentiment post-Carl, but there’s also such a sense that this is so normal and natural for them.

Danai is so good at communicating so much in just a facial expression but also in just a tone of voice like this moment here. 👸🏾

And I love that Michonne got to say I love you to both Carl and Rick in 8B. They’re family. 😭💕

Now as I was first taking this all in, I was like why didn’t they show Michonne’s face as she said that (cuz y’all my extra self would have wanted a split screen so I could see both of their every move in real time lol 😂)

But what works about doing it this way is that it just goes to show that those three words are so normal for her to hear and say that it didn’t need this reveal of her reaction. She said it like she means it and like she knows he means it too cuz he’s said it fourteen thousand times before. 😋

And Richonne tones for the win, y’all. Like the way they speak to each other is always so loving and genuine and melts my heart. 🙌🏾

I actually have live footage of my heart when I heard them exchange I love you’s:

Lol so if my heart turned into Simone Biles, and I’ve only been waiting like two years for this, I can only imagine how gratifying this moment must’ve been for those that had been waiting for this since season 3 and 4.

Like y’all have been going strong for this couple for years and that allowed people like me to jump on board down the line to see what’s always been there between them. So I was celebrating not just for me but for y’all who believed this day would come as early as the moment R&M laid eyes on each other. 😊 And y’all were so right. Won’t He Do It! 🙌 🏾😋

And I love that this moment had so many of us like...

So while I still would have loved to see Michonne’s reaction, I do love that we get to see Rick’s reaction to her.

Rick nods when she tells him, cuz she’s told him this plenty of many of times too. Amen. 🙌🏾☺️

And y’all I already adored this scene and watched it a ton of times lol, but I never noticed, until I saw it pointed out recently, that Rick actually subtly sheds a tear when she tells him she loves him.

And seeing that has me even more emotional than I already was. 😭

It makes this moment even more moving because even tho these “I love you’s” are not some new profession for them, it still means the world to them. 😊

And I think for Rick to hear his woman so genuinely express that she loves him too, it moves him in this way because he’s reminded yet again that he still has extremely valuable love left in his life.

After losing Carl, he’d been convincing himself that he’s a failure. But Michonne is here and showing him that he’s still loved, and seen, and cared about, and forgiven, and believed in, and that hits home for Rick and makes him really grateful. 😊

Y’all we really are so blessed that this relationship is in such capable hands with these actors. They’re so skilled at making these moments feel so authentic and personal because they’re characters are so lived in and it really does feel like we’re getting just a peek into the deep closeness and intimacy R&M have in everyday life. It makes you feel like it’s too personal to have an audience almost, but it’s perfect. 😌👌🏽

Like every night since 6x10, R&M get ready to go to bed in a room they share and this is how they talk, except more weighted this time given the circumstances.

I appreciate that they’re also so in tune with the characters so they knew to play this moment as meaningful but also casual because it’s a sentiment often expressed between them. They don’t just know they love each other, they clearly tell each other often too. ☺️

8x01, 7x16, 7x12, 7x10, 7x09, 7x08, 7x05, 7x04, 6x11, and even as early as the day they went canon in 6x10; those are all the episodes where I love you’s could totally have been exchanged. Here for it. 😋

And y’all I have to have my reoccurring epiphany that this is Rick and Michonne. The Rick and Michonne that met at that fence, and constantly found themselves staring each other down when they were just strangers in season 3.

The Rick and Michonne who were glad to see each other at the gate in season 4. The Rick and Michonne who knew the rules had changed for them in season 5. The Rick and Michonne who just needed a pair of mints to finally embrace the fact that they were in love in season 6. And now we’re here. It’s a blessing. 🙌🏾🎉

I love thinking about any Richonne scene prior, especially pre-canon, and then thinking about this glorious “I love you” scene following it. Cuz y’all these two have been expressing “I love you’s” to each other in so many different ways for the longest. And it’s just so great to get crystal clear undeniable confirmation that their journey, starting way back in season, 3 was about these two falling in love and now being this strong couple in love. 🙌🏾😌

My favorite is thinking about their moment in the season three finale which parallels this one. In both scenes Rick apologizes and she’s understanding, but in s3 he tells her that it “must’ve been something else” that led him to bring her in. And now in s8 we can pretty much confirm that the “something else” was cuz Homeboy was falling in love. 🙌🏾🎉

Y’all there’s just no denying that what these two have is the real deal. It’s crazy tho cuz even now, with the literal ILYs having been said, there’s people who still completely overlook their relationship or “don’t see the chemistry” or don’t get that Michonne and Rick are a soul mate package deal relationship, which just confirms that…

And again, I acknowledge that everyone absolutely has a right to their opinion on it. 👌🏽 But imho, if people can’t see that Rick and Michonne’s relationship is a soul mate relationship now, then it’s cuz they don’t want to see it since in every scene Rick and Michonne are in the “I love you” is evident.

Whether it’s in action or in different words, and now in those exact special three words. They are in love. And they are going to stay in love til the end. 💯

So to the people who specifically hate on them, I low key feel like this scene was also a way to say…

But regardless of who’s on board, Richonne only gets stronger and stronger and better and better, so it’s all good.

And y’all the scene doesn’t just end with the I love you’s! There’s more gold to witness. 🙌🏾

Cuz after they share these wonderful words, Michonne goes to Rick and reaches for him cuz he can finally receive it, in fact he needs that.

The way he looks down before she walks over, I feel like Rick doesn’t think she’s about to kiss him, probably cuz he still doesn’t think he deserves that.

But again, Michonne quiets those doubts in him and gives him the love and connection they both need and y’all it’s beyond precious. 🙌🏾

Like this reminded me of one of Richonne’s most life-giving moments with the Kiss of Life in 7x05, in the way Michonne reaches for him and reminds him why he’s got a bomb ride or die wife. 👸🏾

I love that they’re able to share this kiss and just be completely enraptured in this moment. And you can tell they’ve both been wanting to connect this way for a while. 😊

And that mirror showing us all the angles. 👌🏽That mirror is a Richonner and I’m here for it. 😋

And then the looks they share tho…like y’all this love goes deep. ☺️And it’s great how Richonne can’t help but do everything passionately when they’re with each other. 👏🏽

And then the forehead touch, making them like a perfect heart, is such a beautiful establishment of the strong unit they are and the way they lean on each other and are magnetically connected. This right here is unbreakable. 😌💯

To see them both just be fully locked into this moment and not fight the connection their meant to have is so refreshing. 🙌🏾😊 #magnets

And seeing them in front of this whole mirror is def meant to contrast the broken mirror Rick was in at the bar. In the broken mirror he was alone and troubled, but here he is focused and with the woman that’s his rock so he’s much more whole.

Even during their distance in 8x13, I knew we wouldn’t have to wait long until they were back in each other’s arms, and just an episode later they’re right back where they’re meant to be. 👌🏽

So then, still so close and connected, they both look over at this letter and it’s kind of like these two are looking at Carl in a way.

And it’s deep cuz Carl really was their North Star and such a driving force for these two as individuals. But he still is their North Star because he helped to give them each other, which is how they are able to get through this. 😭

Rick lifts the letter to imply he’s ready to take her words to heart and read it. And Michonne walks away cuz she wants to allow him time to fully take this in on his own.

Before leaving, she looks at him in a way that says; alright it’s time to take this leap, no more running and once you jump I’ll be right there with you. 👌🏽😊

And having gotten his strength from his everything, he’s able to sit and finally let Carl speak to him one last time, cuz I think part of him knows now that Carl won’t end with that letter.

Like Glenn said; the dead live on in the living. So Carl lives on in Judith and in him and in the woman he’s in love with especially, Michonne. So long as they have each other and love each other, they’ll never lose Carl. 😌

Before Rick reads the letter, he looks up and it’s like he’s trying to look up towards Carl cuz now the roles are switched and Rick has to look up to his son.

This episode concludes with Rick reading the letter and emotionally taking in the words. It’s clear this whole scene is not to suggest that Rick is continuing to be jaded, but to show he’s rising above that unhealthy space.

He’s open to the letter, he’s opening up to Michonne again and focusing on what he loves over what he hates, cuz real Rick is returning.

Y’all love covers a multitude of sins and, while TWD does not get a pass for all the baffling dumb decisions made this season, those “I love you’s” def sustained me for a good while lol.

That day was Easter, it was I Love You’s, it was a good celebratory day.👌🏽😊

And this special moment between Rick and Michonne was such a beautiful way to end the episode, having that moment be the final thing. It just goes to show how Richonne only get stronger and closer through adversity. They endure things that should break them, but together they’re stronger than all of it and they always find their way back to each other.

So I truly adore this scene for giving us the golden “I love you’s” and for showing us how lovingly and authentically they’ve found their way back to each other after the hardest adversity yet. And as long as they have each other they’ll thrive, because they are really and truly soul mates. 💯☺️

Rick and Michonne need each other, y’all. And they’re perfect together. And most importantly, they love each other.👌🏽😌🎉🙌🏾

gif sources: michonnegrimes gekari danaigurirasource spideyys andy-clutterbuck supagirl ricksmichonne

#richonne #richonne family #richonne fandom #michonne #rick grimes #michonne grimes #s8 #8.14 #ILY"s!!!!!#at last #Won't He Do it #Yes He Will #thank you so much for reading!#Reveling/Rejoicing in Richonne

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mounteenbase · 6 years

Text

Badboy!The8 ~ Pt. 3

A/N: Shoutout to Red Velvet to releasing a very appropriate song to this au! Also I think this is the final part of the serie! Unless I get a lot of requests for this I think this is where I’ll end it!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Part 2 ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

You quickly went over to Minghao and whispered to him “What do we do now? Run?”

Minghao sighed. “Just let me handle this, stay here and don’t embarrass yourself.”

So many questions were going through your head ‘Is he gonna take on all those guys on his own??’ ‘Is he really that strong?’ ‘How is he even this calm??”

You thought about running away while you still could but honestly you thought you had more chance to survive waiting for Minghao to solve it all

“Guys guys, I told you I’d take care of this. They won’t get up our business ever again.”

“Wohoo Ming is getting possessive. Chill dude, we just wanted to see which simple soul was stupid enough to get into this situation.”

They then proceeded to look over to you

“It’s a girl??” “Wait isn’t that Y/n from a few blocks over?” “Well fuck I think it is!”

Oh, oh god

you felt so stupid, that was his gang, not the Black Jets

He must’ve been just annoyed they saw you two together...

“Yeah that’s Y/n alright, she’s just into art. We won’t hear from them again in the future.”

“Wait one second... what’s she wearing? Oh my god Minghao you trying to get into her pants?” This question was quickly followed with laughter from the whole group

“Lemme look at her from a little closer though, I wouldn’t mind smashing that.” another gang member said.

“Can we just go and consider this finished? The wall and street is our territory again and she won’t get involved again. Let’s go.”

It was clear Minghao’s last words were an order. The last offer he’d give them before snapping

So that was it, Minghao and his friends left, you just sat down for a second to comprehend everything that happened in the past hour

After all this, why did you still feel like you wanted to discover more of him?

But time went by, new drawings appeared on the wall, everything was just like nothing changed

You did think of Minghao once in a while but you thought it was pretty clear he wanted nothing to do with you

That was until well, you started taking a new way to get home from work

Normally you’d walk by a big open street but they were renovating the sidewalk

You couldn’t complain you’ve almost sprained your ankle twice thanks to that sidewalk

So yeah, you just had to take another road

You did recognise the graffiti tag on the walls, this was Black Jet territory.

But then again, they never saw you and if you took another way around you’d take like 15 minutes longer to get home

Okay you might get whistled at once in a while... maybe you felt super unsafe as well...

One day after a late work party you recognised a Fire Horn member who had laughed at you that one night. He seemed to recognise you as well. “Woh woh Y/n I didn’t think so. You may not be a Fire Horn but you came up for our group so we’re cool. But let me give you some good advise, don’t ever go through here again. The Black Jets will eat you alive if they know who you are.”

So you were scared enough to try take the 15 minute longer route because you weren’t gonna arrange your own funeral. You did wonder, how were you know in the gangs? Were you an unofficial Fire Horn member?

To your relief the place was beautiful, more greens, less buildings, some nice old ladies that always greeted you on the way home

There was a cute middle school in the street and about when after school activities ended you had to make your way through the street

One day though a reckless kid rode into you with his bike, the child was okay though he could put his feet down fast enough not to lose balance

And well you were laying on the ground with chafed knees and hands

Luckily this sweet middle aged woman offered to get you some band aids and disinfect the wounds

She let you into her house and said you could wait on the sofa while she searched for her first-aid kit

While you were awkwardly waiting in the woman’s living room you heard someone come down the stairs

It was a surprisingly familiar face

“Woh woh what the fuck, Y/n? How the fuck did you even get in here?”

Yes indeed, this was Minghao’s home, apparently it was his mom that helped you

“Wait one second I didn’t even know this was your house! Your mom let me in because of this.”

You pointed to your knees and showed the palms of your hands afterwards

He came down further from the stairs and came to sit next to you and took your hands to examine them

“What did you do now though?”

Your got this nice feeling in your stomach thanks to the sudden touch but still answered normally “Some crazy kid drove into me with his bike, so I fell. Nothing serious though.”

His mom had returned with the first-aid kit, Minghao quickly gave you your hands back

“Oh was I interrupting something?”

He quickly got up to the kitchen “Nope. I’ll be getting some snacks, like a good host.”

You were just shocked how much more vulnerable he was in his own house

“So, do you guys know each other maybe?”

She quietly started disinfecting your hands and knees

“Uh yeah we met through this art thing.” You didn’t know how much his mom knew about his gang life because she seemed like a pretty nice lady that’s not really involved in all of that

“Now you say it, I you really remind me of this drawing he made not long ago! Oh gosh I don’t think I should’ve said that if you know each other.” She said with a smile

Okay no you were sure she didn’t know anything about his gang life

“You know actually my son used to have a jacket just like the one you’re wearing now.”

Oh yeah

The jacket...

Actually because that jacket was warmer than all jackets you owned, you kept wearing it

Then Minghao came back into the living room with some little snacks that definitely took way less time to prepare because he didn’t want to get back in here

“Ming, look didn’t you have a jacket just like this one?”

You never thought you’d live to see this

But Minghao, the gang member who beat up countless people, that’s in a gang and does illegal stuff before breakfast

That Minghao, was blushing, red ears and all

“Uhm that is the jacket...”

And apparently Mr. though guy also can’t lie to his mom (at least when it’s not about gang stuff)

“Oh my god is that why you keep sneaking out at night? Is she your girlfriend?”

“Mom don’t, we’ll talk about this later. I just gave her the jacket because I don’t wear it anymore and she was cold.”

“I knew I raised a gentleman! But sure, I’ll stop embarrassing you. Y/n your knees and hands should be alright now, do you maybe want to stay for dinner?”

“No she doesn’t mom.” he quickly turned around to face you “Y/n let’s talk. Privately. My room.”

“Leave the door open sweety.”

Minghao made this horrible sound out of embarrassment, you really couldn’t help but laugh

“Oh god who would’ve thought a gang member would be such a mommy’s boy. I’m sorry but I’m enjoying this too much.”

“Please just shut it for one second my world is kind of collapsing. You, why do you have to keep meddling with my life? First you slip your phone number into my jacket after that night. Then you started messing with the Black Jet graffiti and now you’re in my house?”

“Hey I learned my lesson but me being in your house was not on purpose. But why exactly is your world collapsing?”

You made yourself comfortable and sat down on his bed

You did wonder if that was lowkey inappropriate because you weren’t exactly close friends

“Just, I don’t want my gang life and family life getting mixed up with each other. Not even one of my gang members knows where I live.”

He sat down next to you now hands in his hair, clearly contemplating his life

“Well I’m smart enough to stay out of gang business unlike someone here. Normally I’d have to walk through the Black Jets neighbourhood but I made a detour to this neighbourhood. That’s why I’m here every day. I even made friends with some old ladies down the street.”

“Please don’t tell me you’ve met my grandma as well?”

“Oh my god I always thought Mrs. Xu did look like you.”

“Well I guess I can’t blame you for this all, it’s all my fault for being so reckless. You were smart enough to stay away from the Black Jets at least...”

“Actually now you say it, one of your friends warned me. He said if they realised who I was, they would beat me up. What’s that all about?”

“About that, well, I kind of made the mistake of spray painting your face on a wall to claim you. We hear the Black Jets saw you paint the wall red again, they were planning on abusing or even killing you. My actions did have consequences but you’re well and alive and that’s what I was aiming for.”

You didn’t believe your ears.

“So basically, I’m a member of your gang?”

“No not quite, more of a trophy? Wow that sounded way worse than I meant.”

“Nono I get it. Thanks though for the protection, what other consequences does this have though?”

“Uhm you cannot enter Black jet territory, in the gang world we’re practically dating and my gang will give you protection. And we need nothing in return it’s just if you are on Black Jet territory you’re a huge target, if you’re not they basically can’t do anything.”

“Hang on we’re dating?”

“Well, no but nobody can make a move on you. If they do they’ll get beat up by my people...”

Weird to think this was the real world and not kinder garden, then again the guy next to you probably witnessed some killings and torturing, hell he might’ve killed someone. You do hope nobody on your work starts flirting with you now though.

You felt kind of stupid that all of this is restraining your life. But then again it has been for who knows how long and you hadn’t even noticed.

“Can I ask something though? Why didn’t you like inform me about this?”

“I believed that you’d stay out of Jet grounds after my talk so I didn’t worry too much.”

“But what if I started dating someone?”

He sighed for a second

“I just hoped it wouldn’t happen okay?”

Minghao looked down from embarrassment until you laid your hand on his thigh

When he lifted up his head you both instantly locked eyes, you felt there was some kind of sexual tention

You then looked down at his lips, you saw him doing the same

Before you knew it, you were both leaning in

Minghao cupped your face with one hand, he took initiative and kissed you

The kiss was long but sweet, your lips were tingling of sensation

“Dinner’s ready!- Oh. Oh sorry leaving.”

Way to ruin the mood... and your first impression with his dad

“You staying over for dinner then I guess?”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Part 4 ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Masterlist

#minghao #the8 #mounteenbase #badboy!AU #badboy #bad boy #seventeen #svt #17 #scenarios #imagines #drabbles #au #kpop scenarios #seventeen scenarios #seventeen drabbles #seventeen aus #minghao scenarios

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chaoticneutralwriter · 7 years

Text

05; Attacked

In which you recall how you nearly died (it’s not as serious as it sounds)

idol!jimin x staff!reader

genre: mostly fluff, comedy, and others along the way

word count: 2.5k ish i’m trying okay?

A/N: Don’t imagine Jimin dancing to this.

It was ridiculous at just how well you can recall this particular moment in your life. The details were so vivid that if you so much as to even think about what happened, your body would react as if you were going through a PTSD flashback…okay maybe not that severe in terms of actual real PTSD flashbacks, but you still felt like you were gonna die that moment.

You’re probably dying to know: what exactly was that moment in life?

Well…

It starts out simple enough; you were in the office, working until the late hours of the morning because the comeback is looming closer which means everything needed to be in absolute, perfect order. Schedules are checked, then double checked, then re-checked again for things like meetings, promotional videos, and twitter posts. Poster designs need to be finalized, album pre-order counts need to be confirmed and not to mention how many social media platforms needed to have a new banner and icon update soon…Your head was spinning at this point at just the amount of preparations that needed to be done and you still technically had a month until D-Day when the changes come drastically.

But you pride yourself as a diligent worker, always determined and resilient to get the work done and with careful attention to the finer details to deliver top quality results. So you stayed and worked until at around 3am did you finally decide that you were satisfied with what you got done. Stretching, you cracked out the kinks in your stiff neck, hissing at the stiffness before getting up from office chair. Gathering your things, you exit your cubicle and made sure to lock up before heading out of the office area. Before actually heading to the garage where you parked your car however, you detoured to the washroom because goddamn all that coffee just built up.

So after the washroom trip, you were finally set to go home and were already fantasizing about how soft and warm your bed will be.

That is until you noticed the lights were on in the dance studio. The white fluorescent lights streaming through the door practically made it look like a beacon in the darkness against the dimmed lights surrounding the area outside the room (didn’t help that the door to the dance studio was literally just a large panel of frosted glass with a frame around it). Once you’ve slowed to a stop in front of the practice room, you also detected the muffled sounds of a beat, no doubt some kind of song being played only to pause for a while before starting up again.

You really didn’t have to think too hard to guess who might be the one staying this late cramming in as much practice as he can (your 50/50 chance bet with yourself was either Hoseok or Jimin) but regardless, it brought up a little bit of concern in you because even though the comeback was soon, it wouldn’t do them any good to practice to the point where they can’t the very next day. Giving your body the time to rest and relax before doing more strenuous activities is just as important for it to be able to keep going and not completely shut down otherwise.

Which is what drove you to press down on the handle and gently push the door open. Cautiously, you poke your head in, letting your eyes adjust to the sudden brightness and starkness of the vast room before your eyes land on a lone figure currently sitting on the floor. At the sound of the door clicking open, they turn their head towards you and you sort of wished you had someone else to bet money on who it could be in the dance studio this late.

“Oh Jimin-ah.”

“Noona, you’re still here?” He blinks at you, genuinely surprised to see you. You wished you could say the same to him, but then you would be fooling no one.

“Yeah, late night. I had a lot of stuff to look over…Comeback prep and all that fun stuff.” You lamely say as you slip in through the door and let it gently close. Even though you’ve been in the practice room multiple times before, it still made you feel like a speck of dust standing against the all white flooring and walls (save for the wall of mirrors on one side). You feel it ten times more now that you’re literally one of only two people in the spacious room (and of course it had to be with Jimin).

You catch yourself from sighing aloud. Even after the whole closet debacle, you still felt really fidgety when it comes to Jimin, but hey at least now you two talked more than you have before! … Kinda… God Yoongi would not let you live it down if you admit that he’s right.

“Oh, wow I can imagine…” Jimin’s light chuckle pulls you out of your thoughts and you watch as he runs his hand through his hair. “I feel the most sorry around these times; the staffs work so hard to help us get ready for comebacks and to make sure it turns out perfect.”

Which no doubt is why he’s working so hard right now. The thought makes you smile softly at him; that part of Jimin was something you really admire and love (but honestly who cannot love that about him?)

“Trust me, we get a lot of joy from watching you all perform on stage so all the work is definitely worth it.” You say in all sincerity. His lips pull back to a smile, the one that makes his eyes disappear to crescents and he looks down shyly.

Crap, your heart is starting to stutter against your ribcage but no, you’re better than this. You’re. Fine.

And just when you get a hold of yourself, Jimin looks up at you except suddenly his eyes are now glinting with an underlying mischief, the once soft smile is replaced with a faint smirk that looked too devilish for you to not be suddenly nervous and, smoother than any cucumber, says, “Then I’ll make sure to put on a cool performance for you noona.”

….

UM??!!

You physically feel your brain short circuit and suddenly you’re having a mental battle where an inner voice of logic is yelling at you to play this cool because goddammit YOU. ARE. BETTER. THAN. THIS. So with much effort, you let out a chuckle, praying that it doesn’t come off as sounding too nervous in order to mask your inner turmoil and reply as casually as you could, “I’ll look forward to it.”

If Jimin notices your sudden stiffness then he chooses to not comment on it. Instead, he shifts topic as he gets up from his seat, dusting his pants.

“I actually have a favour to ask since you’re here.”

“O-Oh…Um okay, yeah what is it?” The change has your nerves relaxing a bit but you still shift on the balls of your feet as you watch Jimin make his way to the stereo, fiddling around with the iPod plugged into it before turning to you again with a smile, all traces of…what happened earlier gone from his pretty face and it nearly has you reeling again because how.

“Can you help me record a video for this dance I’m working on? I want something to post on twitter.”

“Oh, yeah sure.” You agree, mind still not quite there yet but also not thinking much of it. Another known fact about Jimin is that he loves and feeds his fans well, even you who nowadays didn’t have as much time to be on the ball for their twitter postings knew that much. As you slowly stride away from the door, you suddenly feel uneasy — of what you’re not even sure yourself, but you can acutely compare it to the feelings a child would have if someone had suddenly taken their security blanket from them.

Yet you push through, determined to put aside those feelings. You make your way closer to Jimin who by now was also making his way to you, phone in his hand. You both stop with ample space in between as he hands you his phone, camera on recording mode already set up. You’re too hyper aware of your hands and take great care to not accidentally brush your fingers against his as you take his phone (you will not fall into that K-Drama trap, you have some pride). Jimin gives the room a once over before turning his gaze to you to gesture over to the wall with the mirror panels.

“You can stand just in the middle there.”

You wordlessly nod and shuffle your way over; positioning yourself to what you hoped would be a good angle. With the phone held in a landscape fashion, you begin to experiment with the shot; bending a little, leaning back slightly, or shuffling a half step to the left or right until you finally settle on a position you’re satisfied with.

“Good?” He asks, eyes dancing with hints of amusement and you return with a nod and a smile.

“Good.” The task of finding the perfect angle has your mind settling back down, welcoming the distraction to forget about the risk of a racing heart and a frazzled mind. You feel good which means you can totally do this.

And so you hit record.

With one last smile, Jimin bounds off towards what you had thought would be to the stereo system but as you look up from the screen wondering just where he’s going, you find him stopping in front of the light switches.

And suddenly the room is dimmed.

Your breath hitches (because what the fuck) and you had to count to ten backwards to reign in the onslaught of nerves. You were so caught up in doing so that you barely notice him heading to the stereo next to press play and in the moment of silence between tracks, a slow, heavy beat starts up as he gets into position. Wait isn’t this—

And then before you know it, he starts to dance.

Your thoughts start running a million miles a minute and the same goes for your heart as you watch him through the screen. His body moves with such precision and fluidity in time with the beat that even though he's practically on the other side of the room from you, it still felt like he was dancing way too close. You swear you could see the breath he takes and the way his face shifts as he feels the music.

The music… This song…!

As if Drake’s crooning wasn’t a dead giveaway, then the lyrics are because YOU DAMN WELL KNOW WHAT THIS SONG IS ABOUT AND YOU’RE SUDDENLY NERVOUS WHETHER JIMIN DOES TOO.

And that’s when you make your first mistake; your eyes stray from the phone screen to glance up at Jimin as if you would find some sign that he planned for this but you’re met with something worse. Way worse.

The smoulder that greets you nearly leaves you winded and it takes all of your willpower to not collapse right then and there. He’s still moving effortlessly to the song as if lost in a trance and you’re left trying to hold together what sanity you have left but it’s so hard to do that because of the way his fringe falls over his eyes only for him to move it away with a sweep of his hand and you get the full force of those eyes again AND DID HE JUST LICK HIS LIPS??

Oh no…oh no what is he doing now, no don’t— NO DO NOT GET ON THE FLO— PARK JIMIINN!!

You’re internally shrieking and want to so desperately look away but it’s one of those things where you just can’t no matter how much it makes you wish the mirrors would suddenly transport you to another dimension.

It felt like eons before he ends the choreography (by far the longest minute and a half of your life thus far) and you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. Before you actually get a chance to breathe though, he’s making his way towards you and you swallow the urge to make a run for it.

“Did it turn out okay?” He asks, voice taking on a rasp and sounding slightly breathy.

If you mean did the body rolls, casual grinding and all manners of movements that should be classified as illegal to be executed by Park Jimin were captured nicely in the video? Then yes, it turned out more than okay.

“Y-Yeah….” You stutter out instead and quickly spew out more words in hopes of covering it up, “It might be a little dark but the lighting behind you might be enough so it shouldn’t be so bad…” You feel the heat rising all the way from your neck to your cheeks and you actually think that it’s not such a bad thing that the lights were dimmed; you probably looked like a tomato right now.

Jimin gives you a noncommittal hum, showing no signs of noticing anything strange about the way your words came off as slightly choppier as he reaches over for his phone. You pass it over like the device had just burned you and silently thank your shaking hands didn’t drop it or that would’ve made things super awkward.

Jimin flashes you a smile after he looks through the footage and says in a very cheery voice, “Thanks a lot noona!”

You numbly nod back and muster a crooked smile, a little dazed and questioning whether or not this is an entirely different Park Jimin than the one a minute ago.

“Uhh…so do you—do you need anything... else?” You force out. As much as you want to exit the building right at this moment to just yell, it would be very impolite to not at least try to wrap up this interaction here.

He shoots you a sweet smile again (almost too sweet) and shakes his head, “Nope, that’s all I need help on.”

“Ah…” You more or less breathe out. You’re floundering again and the heat on your face is not letting up any time soon so before you might actually combust, you give one last, rushed words of concern (“Don’t stay so late!”) to which he replies with reassurances (“Don’t worry noona, I’ll leave soon!”) and then you’re skittering out of there, heart rattling against your ribs.

Your nerves are still shot even after you get into your car, and you take a minute for your mind to finally catch up to what happened in the dance studio. After who knows how long, the only conclusion that you can make is:

There is no way that happened. Absolutely. NO. WAY. In what universe does this happen?? And what higher being planned this??

Well, this universe clearly.

And little did you know, you didn’t have to look very far to find the person responsible.

A/N: So how about that comeback huh?

#jimin x reader #jimin scenario #idol!jimin #park jimin scenario #jimin scenarios #bts scenario #bts drabble #jimin drabble #bts scenarios

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