Tumgik
#it’s a bit over the top at times but it’s silly fun with badass female leads and a really cute male lead a bunch of side quests and the
still-with-koo · 6 months
Note
Lilo my love,
I might have found a new drama for us to scream about 👀 and it’s a law drama. Vincenzo! Which you have probably heard of, but I finally started it. It’s silly, heartbreaking and the main lead gives both Doom and Ethereal Prince Lee Soohyuck energy. With a badass female lead!
Tumblr media
xoxo your Doom
kie my darling, hello 😘😘 perfect timing as always because i have been looking for something to watch in between new eps of this new kdrama i started (which btw, i LOVE!! it’s called strong girl nam soon and it’s a spin off from strong girl bong soon (have you heard/watched it?))
i actually started watching the first ep of vincenzo a few months back but it didnt pull me in right away so i gave up 😭😭 but i fully trust your taste and judgment so i will give it another go!! and i do like song joongki (he was in arthdal chronicles, another show i love) and a badass female lead is always a huge selling point 😍 ok away i go! 💕
Tumblr media
7 notes · View notes
rubywolf0201 · 1 month
Note
Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, games, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...
Oh for sure. I’ll tell you my list of favourite characters from the media that I consume:
1.) Matakara Asamine (BUCCHIGIRI?!)- It is no secret that ever since this anime aired, he has become one of my top fav anime character. Character-wise, I love how he is the sunshine puppy childhood friend character but with some depth like dealing with inner demons regarding his lonely past and insecurities and it kind of goes to show that Mata is not your typical cheerful sunny character as he underwent a corruption arc back in Episode 9.
Tumblr media
2.) Diamant (Fire Emblem Engage)- I’m pretty sure if you guys have scoured through my art blogs on my second art account and Twitter, you would realize I tend to draw fanart of him all the time. But as for why I like him. I like how he genuinely tried to reach out people outside of his kingdom that doesn’t need to involve war and bloodshed. He only gets angry/resort to violence if his loved ones or people closest to him are targeted (like the Morion incident) and that he also has major insecurities involving his duties as the Crown Prince. Oh and he also has a funny side to him like laughing at the most corniest joke that his retainer Amber has done. Oh and his relationship with Alcryst and Citrinne are the best too.
Tumblr media
3.) Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros)- Gonna throw in some women in my list because it ain’t fair if I talk about hot dudes all the time but really I’ve been playing Peach’s second solo game since yesterday and I’m instantly in love with it. Now as for her character, she is a darling. She can be baking a cake one day, doing her royal duties another day or just go out and have fun with Mario and friends. But really, Peach is Nintendo’s most iconic female character of all time due to how she showcases that being girly and being badass aren’t mutually exclusive and that they can go hand to hand (Amy Rose is of similar vein too as well) and that whilst a pacifist, she won’t hesitate to get her hands dirty.
Tumblr media
4.) Tooru Kirishima (The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting)- If anyone from 2022 has remembered how much I talk about this man, then yeah. Anyways, I just love how despite being an extremely violent yakuza enforcer, he’s actually a kind, quiet and socially awkward man but can be a bit of a tease towards his closest friends and family (have you seen the man interacting with the mum’s in Yaeka’s school?). His relationship with Yaeka started out awkward at first but over time, you see them geniunely bonding with one another. But that being said, it’s not best if you get to his super scary side if you piss him off more than once. Also, I have a weakness for scary men (sometimes women) with a heart of gold to them. He’s my silly little meow meow
Tumblr media
5.) Takina Inoue (Lycoris Recoil)- I got into the anime pretty late last year despite being released alongside The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting in the Summer 2022 anime lineup but yeah I love Takina. She originally started out as a cold and ruthless girl who follows orders to a tee without being aware of the dangers she posed but after meeting Chisato, her worldview changed for the better in that she became a much kinder person than the cold hearted assassin she was before. She can be slightly awkward with her interactions, a bit straight faced with embarrassing things but that doesn’t hide the fact that she can and WILL kill for her loved ones if they’re in any danger (she’s basically a female Kirishima lol). Oh and I love her voice actresses performance so that’s why she is my fav. (Tho if you ask me who I like more, it’s Xanthe)
Tumblr media
6.) Penny (Pokèmon Scarlet and Violet)- Penny is one of the Pokèrivals I just vibe and relate with because like her, I’m a huge nerd when it comes to anime that I like and we are also introverts too. She is blunt and rude yes but she’s a child who is capable of growing, as shown in the DLC epilogue where she began to take notice of how Arlan pointed out that her dad cares for her and that unlike him, she at least have families who love and care for her. (Oh and she has a party full of Eeveelutions, what’s not to love?) Oh and I recommend checking out her storyline because it’s amazing.
Tumblr media
7.) Kiyoshi Teppei (Kuroko’s Basketball)- Like with Kirishima, I was also constantly crazy about this lil guy back in 2021-2022. Now I know he was introduced pretty late in Season 1 out of nowhere with no buildup, but he quickly became one of my favs because of how he is a teddy bear personified, can be a little dumb and unaware of the things he do but all he wanted to do is just have fun. Oh and he can display a selfish side if his friends are in any danger (Kirisaki game arc). His chemistry with literally anyone in the Seirin team is just too good but I like the ones with Hyuuga cuz you can te the VA’s are clearly having fun with voicing them.
Tumblr media
8.) Souma Shiki (Play it Cool Guys)- Out of all the five main guys, I identify with Souma the most and the reason why is that like him, I’m trying to find things that I enjoy the most but sometimes feel insecure about it as well. The way he just laughs is just too plain adorable and his chemistry with the main cast, especially the ones with Shun is mostly enjoyable. Definetely one of my favs.
Tumblr media
9.) Mitsumi Iwakura (Skip and Loafer)- Something that me like Mistumi is that out of all the female main characters that I have seen so far is just how confident, ambitious and reassured she is. Sure, Mitsu makes some mistakes here and there but it’s justified in that she’s moving to an environment that she’s completely unfamiliar with but still she tries her best with the things said environment provides her. Oh and any scene with her is just so enjoyable because of how endearingly innocent and awkward she is and that she is also trying her best in what she’s doing.
Tumblr media
10.) Jing Yuan (Honkai Star Rail)- Listen I know that prior to being “fixed” in later updates, many ppl aren’t too keen in using him due to how his gameplay style wasn’t really the best and how other Lightining damage dealers like Kafka and Serval beats him. But I hardly saw anyone talked about his character so here I am. I think what made me fascinated about Jing Yuan’s character is that even if he appears to be slovenly and sleepy looking all the time, he is pretty shrewd and calculating when the situation calls for it. He is also a pretty nice guy and that despite having deep issues with his former comrades in the Cloud Quintet, he tries his best to stay strong as possible to the point of being self-sacrificial. That and he is one of my “Not Gay BUT-” type of characters.
Tumblr media
14 notes · View notes
theclearblue · 3 months
Note
Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...
I have, but luckily I enjoy gushing about some of my favorite characters aksjdklkgl so I'm happy to answer again! Last time I just listed some but this time I'll 1. Do a limit of one per series and 2. Give an actual description of why I love them. Also I'm so sorry this will be mostly animanga characters just because these characters stick in my head easier for some reason? My memory is truly awwwwful. (Also also this is by no means a definitive list or order, just some that I really really like).
Zoro (One Piece)
I feel like I've talked a fair length about Sanji and Robin and why I love them so much, but I have a little bit of a difficult time with Zoro. Fun fact before I started watching one of the few things I knew was that he was a fan favorite an was determined that I wouldn't like him that much, he's the "cool and badass and broody" one and I thought he was gonna be the kind of character similar to Megumi (JJK) or maybe Bakugou (MHA) both who I like but it's not favorite archetype. But then I realized. He's just a Guy. a Silly Guy. My man is stupid in such interesting and unique ways ajfdklsl. But what I REALLY love about his character is , yeah, he is kind of broody and reserved, but it seems more like a burden he puts on himself in order to protect the people he loves rather than a true reflection of himself. He cares SO much about the people that he loves and it's clear to me that his greatest fear is not being strong enough to protect them. His "I need to get stronger" attitude honestly seems to stem a looot from his anxieties and maybe even trauma around losing Kuina at such a young age. Ok I could talk forever about him and it's actually not difficult to pin down why I love him but I'll end it there.
2. Kenjaku (JJK)
I've kind of built a bubble within my online presence where I don't really see the vitriol, but I know this is REALLY not a popular opinion, and a lot of people are confused as to why I really like them (biggest offender is my sister who gives me shit for this constantly lmao). And I get it! Kenjaku is genuinely vile in what they have done (particularly as Kamo Noritoshi) and what they're trying to do with the merger. By all means he shouldn't (isn't) supposed to be likeable. But they REALLY captured my attention when I caught up to JJK back in August and read the Culling Games arc in full. For starters, silly guy, and I love silly guys (see above example). They're pretty unique where they fall into this "mad yet cold scientist" trope but...they're playful? They're genuinely excited about sorcery and will be kind of annoying where, for the life of them, they CANNOT read the room that everyone just doesn't care or actively hates them (which makes me a little sad honestly lol)? Little bits of information were just constantly intriguing (their relationship to Tengen, being a foil to Yuki, and not to even start on them being Yuji's mom). What really cemented it for me was the Takaba vs. Kenjaku fight though. Kenjaku before this seems driven to keep going for scientific curiosity, but it's clear to me that they're bored, disappointed, and even seem depressed a little bit ("And yet...there must be more to human potential"). But then Takaba comes along. And they honestly have an instant connection while also pushing each other in ways nobody has before. Isn't that insane on Kenjaku's part? They've been alive for over 1000 years!! They find someone who understands them, they might be enemies but they are a duo. Gahhh I could talk about Kenjaku forever they have so many layers and they just fascinate me SO much.
3. Yona (Yona of the Dawn)
One of my favorite protagonists of all time, without a doubt. And I didn't even like her in the beginning (you're not supposed to really). At the beginning of the series, she's honest to god, a spoiled brat. She whines, she complains, she's incredibly weak and takes people for granted. But good god, this is one of the best character arcs I have ever seen in my life. When her entire world is thrown upside down and she's betrayed by her childhood best friend, and has to go on the run with Hak, she just matures and grows into herself so beautifully. She travels around her kingdom for the first time and sees the complexity of the situation where, yeah, she lost her father because of Soo-Won, and that hurts still, but she understands why because it becomes kind of clear that her father was pretty incompetent as a ruler. If I picked one character on this list that just has the best character development, Yona sweeps I'm sorry.
4. Killua (HxH)
Ugh this really should be both Gon and Killua but if I had to choose one it's Killua. Another great example of amazing character development. At the beginning he's already a fun character to watch, he's easygoing and quippy and just cool honestly. But with his upbringing as an assassin he's clearly not very...well adjusted to what a normal life looks like. He's raised to be a cold and ruthless killer and nothing more, and that's reflected in the Hunter exam arc when he swipes a guy's heart from his chest without a second thought. But then he meets Gon, and for the first time in his life he gets to just be a normal 12 year old boy? And as he goes on this adventure you can just see him become more human to the point he can't ever return to how he was at the beginning of the series. And to have that parallel with Gon (particularly in the Chimera Ant arc) where Gon is losing his humanity while Killua gains it?? UGH I want to give this kid a hug so bad I love him.
5. Riza Hawkeye (FMA)
On this list because she sent me into my first gay panic (at least, the first one I was consciously aware of LMAO). God, what a woman. She is incredibly hot but I do love her character as well. It's hard to talk about her without also talking about Roy (and vice versa) because they are just SO intertwined, but god if there were ever soulmates, it's maybe them. Just the level of respect and trust they have in each other is unlike anything I've ever seen, where they both are so haunted by their pasts but they keep each other going and are able to so easily rely on each other? Ugh they're just so amazing, and with Riza seeing how strong she is where her own father uses her to protect flame alchemy, and her just 100% trust in Roy to burn the tattoo?? Wowowowowow she just. She changed me.
6. Anatole (The Great Comet of 1812/War and Peace)
Ok so um. My big secret is that I'm a Musical person. I really don't talk about it much here lmao, but when I tell you I was like. Obsessed with the musical The Great Comet of 1812 for a solid two years that's no joke. Which is just. If you don't know a musical that adapts about 90 pages from the novel War and Peace (stick with me here). And my even bigger secret is that I'm obsessed with Anatole, who is the villain/antagonist. Um he's not even particularly deep I don't think, he just sucks. But he captured my heart by being a silly guy. This man is an arrogant piece of shit man but also kind of a coward, and him singing the line "Just as a duck is made to swim in water, God has made me as I am" to justify him cheating, I-...it changed something in me. Never before or after have I wanted to dissect a character's brain so much in my life. He's maybe the first silly villain that I just really loved lmao, maybe there's a Anatole -> Kenjaku pipeline (this pipeline only exists for me and no one else in this world).
7. Toph (Avatar the Last Airbender)
God choosing between Zuko and Toph was difficult for this entry, but I want to talk about Toph lmao. Just. What a unique and refreshing female character where I still think her writing is ahead of it's time. Just on the surface she's so fucking cool right. What an introduction where she's soloing all these musclehead earthbenders and putting grown men into the dirt. And such good representation of a disabled character where she's clearly not incapable and the things she can do well, she does really really well! But she is faced with the reality of needing help sometimes and she's not ashamed to ask for it, and I think there's this really good balance struck with her character between these two factors. I think she also just blends into the gaang seamlessly while also challenging them in new ways, and vice versa, and they really don't seem complete without her.
8. Eurydice (Hadestown)
Ok oooonnnnneee more musical character and this is definitely more justified lmao. Another big secret is that I love Greek mythology, was obsessed with it as a kid and still am. And Hadestown twisting the Orpheus and Eurydice story into this grim early 20th century industrialist/capitalist setting with jazz elements?? I'm a history major I'm such a BIG nerd for shit like this, and this is the best iteration of Eurydice to me. In the original myth, she gets sent to the underworld because a snake bites her, there isn't any agency to it, it's just bad luck essentially. In the musical, she CHOOSES to go down with Hades to the underworld, and that small thing does wonders for her character. She obviously loves Orpheus, but the fact is, she's going hungry and growing cold, and where before she would run away, she stayed for her love of Orpheus. And then Hades slips in to offer her food and shelter for the exchange of labor, and she leaves to the underworld, not realizing the colossal mistake she just made. She's such a flawed character but you understand why she makes the mistakes she does, and her character is just so incredibly human.
9. Mob (Mob Psycho 100)
This kiiiiiiid. God I love him. Apologies to Gojo but this is just the best instance of an "OP" character. This kid has busted ass psychic powers, powers that people literally worship. Unfortunately this doesn't save him from any of the horrors that middle school presents. He can't talk to his crush, he kinda sucks at sports, and he has little to no social skills. And on top of that he feels the need to suppress his emotions due to the consequences of his powers? GAHHH I just think Mob is maybe one of the relatable characters ever, you can be the best at something but that doesn't save you from the growing pains that being a teenager presents! And just his journey of self acceptance and kindness and love is so heartwarming to see, the way he resolves his insecurities throughout the series just healed something in me too.
10. Sophie Hatter (Howl's Moving Castle)
HMC isn't even my all time favorite Ghibli movie (top 3 though), but it's certainly the one I've gone back to the most and that's in large part due to Sophie. At the beginning of the movie, she certainly isn't in a bad place in life but there is this...melancholy? sadness? to her where it seems life is more happening to her and she has zero self esteem. When the curse is placed on her and then we can literally see her character journey and the ups and downs being reflected in her appearance, it's just so unique and realistic. It's so satisfying to see her start to actually live her life, to gain confidence in all of her various states, and how she helps both her new found family and how they help her as well. Another character where her development is just unmatched.
Thank you for sending this ask, I had a lot of fun rambling here <3
5 notes · View notes
atlafan · 4 years
Text
The Tutor - Part Three
a/n: alright, I think I have these two out of my system now. hope you enjoy! feedback is always appreciated, as well as reblogs! 
Part One Part Two
Warnings: fluff, SMUT, slight angst, slight spitting, partying, alcohol consumption.
Words: 18.6K
Tumblr media
After spending like what felt a week in bed together, the spring semester officially began. Y/N was in a stage of just feeling giddy from how good Harry made her feel. Now that they had been together for a few months, she felt totally comfortable with him. She would often sleep naked, or lounge around in just her underwear she knew they would be alone for a while. Harry didn’t mind one bit. He liked how cute and sweet Y/N was, and he loved being loved on by her.
When she walks into their Art of Film class she scoffs when she sees him sitting in the second row. She walks right up to him and rolls her eyes.
“We are not sitting this close up.” She shakes her head.
“I like sitting closer, Y/N.”
“But if we’re going to be watching movies, then we should sit in the back.”
“This isn’t even a stadium style classroom, so that doesn’t make any sense. If you wanna sit in the back then be my guest, but this is where I like to sit.”
Y/N sighs heavily and sits down next to him. She didn’t like sitting up front in class, it just meant she would be called on more and she didn’t much feel like participating to the extreme in just a gen ed. She liked to save her energy for her major courses.
“You’re a little too studious sometimes, you know that?”
“Y/N.” He hums warningly and side eyes her. “Are you going to be able to handle sitting next to me? Or is this going to be an issue?”
“Golly gee, professor, I don’t know, maybe I should come to your office hours later to discuss it.” She smirks at him and he rolls his eyes.
“Don’t be mean.” He pouts. “I have a tough time concentrating in the back sometimes, so sitting up front is better for me. We’re in the second row at least.”
“I suppose that’s true.” She sighs.
Other students fill in. Billy from senate is in the class as well, and sits behind Harry. Y/N gives him a smile as well. The professor walks in, and sets his bag down on the desk. He gets his computer hooked up to the tech station so he can use the projector.
“God, please don’t tell me we’re going to watch Fight Club and Pulp Fiction.” Y/N groans.
“I didn’t see those on the syllabus.” Harry says, taking a few papers out. “Actually, a lot of the films we’re going to watch were directed by women, or have strong female casts.”
“You…already printed the syllabus?”
“Yeah, it’s what I did after I sent you home last night. I did it for all of my classes.”
“Good morning everyone, I’m Professor Robinson, feel free to call me Eric.” He smiles. “I’m really excited about this course, it’s one of my favorites to teach. We’re going to watch some great films, and learn about what goes into making them. I hope you all will get the book needed for class. It’s a little dense, but I promise I’ll be able to explain it in ways for you to understand.” He starts to go over the syllabus a bit. “One of the first films we’re going to be watching is Baby Face, it came out in 1933, and is considered a drama and a noir. This came out right at the beginning of when the Hays Code was being introduced, so we’ll be comparing this to Double Indemnity, which came out in 1944, another Barbara Stanwyck film. You’ll be able to see how differently the films were made, and even the difference in how female characters were treated. We’ll go over the Hays Code as well, but these two films will be great starting points. Now, you may have noticed that Wednesday evenings were put on your schedules from 7-9PM. These are optional meeting times. I will be showing the films here during this time, or you can watch them on your own. Whatever’s easier.” He smiles and continues on.
Y/N was captivated. She wasn’t sure what to expect from the course, and even though they would be watching a few black and white films in the beginning, the subject matter actually interested her.
“Alright, now, I hate doing the normal ice breakers where we all state our names, our majors, and a fun fact, and I know you all have made claim to your seats, so, turn to the person next to you, introduce yourself and talk about what you look for in a film when you go to the theater.”
Harry and Y/N look at each other and smile. Harry extends his hand out to her and she giggles as he shakes it.
“You’re so silly! Okay, when I go to the movies, like, if I’m going to pay to see a movie, I want to know that I’m going to laugh and not be bored. Like, I know it’s a good movie if I don’t check my phone the entire time. I like when the beginning is easy to follow along so I’m not confused.”
“Same here. I sort of like being sucked into another world, like, escape for a little bit. I feel like when I go to the movies, it’s one of the few times I don’t need to think too much about anything. It’s when I feel my least anxious.”
“Okay!” Eric says. “Glad you all could get to know each other a bit. I think we can end class a little early. Please make sure to check out the moodle page, there is a forum post do before Wednesday, and make sure you have Baby Face watched by next Monday. Thanks everyone!”
“This is going to be a fun class.” Y/N says to Harry as they walk out together.
“I think so too.” He kisses her cheek. “Where are you headed next? I have stats.”
“I’m heading to my Macroeconomics class, and then I have Organizational Communication, then I’m done for the day.”
“Alright, and then I’ll assume you have lifting?”
“Mhm.” She grins at him and pulls him aside.
“What?”
“Your birthday is this Friday.”
“Is it?” He pretends. “Had no idea.”
“Well, I hope you know I have a lot planned.”
“Is that so?”
“Yup, you’re going to be spoiled rotten, babe.” She gets on her tip toes to kiss him. “I gotta go, I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.” He chuckles as he heads upstairs to his stats class.
//
Y/N and Harry decide to be good sports Wednesday night and go to the formal viewing of Baby Face for their class. Most of the class actually showed up, so it made it more fun to watch. There was a scene where a man put his hand on Barbara’s knee, and she poured hot coffee on him without skipping a beat. Y/N loved her. She climbed her way up to the top by manipulating men, just as the men her life when she was younger had tried to manipulate her.
“I loved that movie!” Y/N exclaims as they leave the academic building. “She was so badass, taking no one’s shit.”
“Yeah, I really liked it too.” He yawns. “Christ, I’m tired.” He leads her in the direction of her apartment.
“Did I tell you me, Gina, Amanda, and Becca all signed a lease for an off campus place next year? We’re really excited.”
“That’s great! We’re all staying in the same apartment, which I’m happy about. It’s the perfect spot.” Harry walks Y/N up to her door and she looks confused when he stays outside. “M’gonna go back to my place, it’s late and I have an 8AM tomorrow…”
“Oh…alright.” She wraps her arms around his neck, and his go around her waist. “Thanks for walking me home.”
“Anytime, baby.”
They stand outside kissing for a while before he detaches himself from her. They both giggle and say goodnight before she goes inside. Louis and Niall were in the living room when Harry gets back, and he flops down onto the couch with them.
“Hey, mate, how was the movie?” Louis asks.
“Not too bad, actually. We both enjoyed it. I don’t think I’ll have the energy to go every Wednesday night, though. I’m pooped.”
“Did you go to the gym this morning?” Niall asks.
“Yeah, went for my usual run. Forgot how tiring going to classes all day were. Sort of miss just working in the law office.”
“I’m surprised Y/N isn’t with you.” Louis says.
“Nah, I walked her home and told her I wanted to come back here. I can’t get into the habit of having a lot of sleepovers during the week.” He hoists himself to his feet. “Well, I’m off to bed, goodnight.”
“Night, mate.” Niall and Louis say.
Harry gets cozy in bed, and then groans to himself when his boxers become uncomfortably tight. He rolls his eyes at himself. Did he have to press up against Y/N while they were making out earlier? Of course he was fucking did, and now he was too riled up to fall asleep. He wondered if the same thing ever happened to her.
Harry: can’t sleep
Y/N: thought you were exhausted
Harry: I was, but now I can’t stop thinking about you
Y/N: me or my parts, lmao
Harry: YOU
Y/N: not much I can do to help you from all the way over here…
Harry: picture???
Y/N: Harry!
Harry: you sent a ton over break!
Y/N: that was different
Harry: please??
Y/N: fine, I’ll send you a snap, gimme a minute
Y/N rips her blankets off her body, unsure of what sort of picture he was hoping for. She gets up and strips herself of her bed-shirt, and takes a mirror selfie, careful to hide most of her face, just in case, and sends it to him on snapchat. Harry was already stroking himself in anticipation. He grins ear to ear when he sees the notification pop up on his phone, and opens it immediately.
“Oh, fuck me.” He groans when he sees her naked body on display for him. She had squeezed one of her breasts, and he could just make out her biting her bottom lip. He knew she didn’t really like receiving nudes, even if it was from him, so he sends her back a pouty selfie telling her how fucking beautiful she was.
Y/N: you did this to yourself, you could have come up
Harry: I was trying to be good
Y/N: look at you now, giving yourself a hand job
Harry: don’t be mean…would you send another?
Y/N: yeah, hold on
She sends him a snap of her breasts pushed together, and that does it for him. He bites down on his knuckle while come gets on his other fist and lower belly. He gives himself a minute before cleaning himself up and laying back in bed.
Harry: thank you baby
Y/N: you realize you owe me
Harry: I’ll give you anything you want, you know that
Y/N: love you, goodnight
Harry: love you too, sweet dreams
He sighs happily as his eyes flutter closed. Y/N rolls her eyes and smirks to herself. Sometimes these moments were gentle reminders that even though Harry was a little more “woke” than most guys, he was still your average college guy. He wanted nudes from his girlfriend, and he wanted to sext even though he easily could have just come inside. She wasn’t annoyed her anything, and she didn’t want to be with his birthday so close. However, now she was left there, aroused at the idea of him simply getting off to a couple of pictures of her. She figures if he could do that, then she could do the same. She told him about most of her winter break, but what she hadn’t told him was about her new little friend. The girls had all gone to a sex shop, and she bought a little bullet vibrator. Y/N gets up and goes into her closet to use it. If he didn’t want to come in to satisfy her, she had other ways of getting around it.
//
Thursdays were days Y/N could meet up with Harry for lunch, so she happily goes to see him at the dining hall. She smiles and sits down with her food. He had his laptop out, typing away at something.
“How could you possibly already have something so important to do?” She sighs.
“Student senate stuff.” He says and then closes his laptop. “Thanks for your help last night.” He smirks and then kisses her cheek.
“You’re welcome.” She sips on his drink.
“Are you excited for your game tonight?”
“Mhm.”
“Are you upset with me?”
“No, why would I be?”
“You seem a little annoyed with me…”
“Not at all, Har.” She shrugs. “I just think that if you wanted to fuck me, you could have come inside.”
“I didn’t feel like spending the night.”
“I’ve told you before that you don’t need to.”
“You say that, but then you give me this look, and then I feel guilty…so I just don’t come in at all. It’s easier.”
“Mm, and then you get to conveniently rub one out.”
“Are you upset that I asked you to send me pictures?”
“No, I suppose it’s flattering. I just think I make things a little too easy for you sometimes. It’s not exactly easy for me to get off on my own, you know?”
“Aw, did I leave you hanging?” He genuinely felt bad.
“Nope, took care of it myself. Don’t exactly need you, do I?” She grins. “Made my back arch off the bed all by myself, no help from you whatsoever.” She bites into her sandwich, and looks innocently as his grimacing face. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re being mean. What are you saying, I don’t make you feel good anymore?”
“No, you make me feel plenty good. But I know a thing or two now, so don’t you worry about not wanting to come up and fuck me because I can handle it all on my own. In fact, let’s be like an old married couple who have sex nights and just do it once a week. That could be fun.”
“You are annoyed with me.”
“I’m not.” She leans closer to him so no one around can hear. “I just don’t want to be your personal porn star when you can’t fall asleep at night.”
“That’s not what I…” He sucks his teeth. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, you’re right. It was a little selfish, I’m sorry.” He pouts at her and hides his face in her neck. “Love you so much.” He kisses on her neck slowly, and she sighs.
“It’s okay.” She rubs his back. She really couldn’t stay upset with him when he was like this. He was just too cute. “I love you too.”
He sits up straight and pecks her lips before eating more of his food.
“I can hang out tonight if you want, no Friday classes this semester.”
“Me neither! Although, I’ll still have practice tomorrow morning. I’ll think about it. Maybe you could come to dinner after the game?”
“I’d love to.”
The girls ended up losing, so there was no community dinner down town, and Y/N was in too sour of a mood to have alone time with Harry, which he understood. Tomorrow was his birthday, so she’d rather start fresh with him when she was in a better mood.
//
“Shh.”
Harry’s eyes flutter open around nine. He usually never sleeps this “late”, but his alarm didn’t go off for some reason. His eyes snap open when he sees, Y/N, Niall, and Louis all creeping into his room. They were holding balloons and streamers and confetti.
“Happy birthday!” They all scream and dog pile on Harry. He laughs hysterically.
“Okay, okay!” He yelps. “Can’t breathe!”
The boys both get off the bed, but Y/N stays straddling him.
“Right, well, we’ll be whipping up some brekkie downstairs.” Louis says with a wink as he and Niall leave the room.
Y/N gets up quickly to lock the door and then she gets right back on top of Harry. His hands grip her hips tightly.
“What a nice surprise.” He smiles up at her. “Do you mind if I go brush my teeth and all that? Just woke up, you know.”
“You know what’s funny? With all of the excitement this morning, I forgot to take a shower.” Harry’s eyes grow wide at her. “What do you say, Har?” She says lowly.
“They’re home…”
“They’ll be busy making what I asked them to, and they’ve been told not to come upstairs. They just want you to have a good birthday, and so do I.”
“Do you even have anything with you?”
“Yeah, my bag’s right over there.” She points to it. “So…”
“Alright, yeah, let’s go take a shower.” He says excitedly.
Harry brushes his teeth while Y/N gets her hair up in a bun so it won’t get wet.
“Did you shower after practice?”
“I rinsed very quickly, not the same thing.” She takes her clothes off and presses her body against Harry’s. “This is much better.”
“I agree.”
He pulls the curtain back and helps her in. They both giggle as the water hits his back, and she wraps her arms around his neck. His hands slide down to her ass and he squeezes her. He licks into her mouth, and she happily glides her tongue along his. She bites his bottom lip and steps back, grabbing at his body wash.
“Which scrubbie is yours?”
“Oh, I just use these.” He holds up two gloves that are made from exfoliating rags. “They work much better and they’re more sanitary.”
“Learn something new about you every day, Har.” She grabs the gloves and puts them on, and squeezes the body wash onto them. “Turn around, gonna getcha all clean.”
“Wow, I’m really being spoiled today.”
He turns around and nearly purrs at the feeling of her scrubbing his back. She turns him around so she can do the same to his front and arms. She peels the gloves off and rinses them out.
“Thanks, baby.” He smiles as the soap rinses off him.
“Want me to wash your hair too?” She asks shyly. “Grew my nails out for you.” She holds them up to show him and he his mouth forms in an “O”.
“Yes, please.”
She giggles and get his shampoo lathered into her hands, and he bends down a bit so she can properly scrub at his head. He moans softly as her nails scratch at his head. She massages his scalp a bit as well before helping him rinse it out. Once he’s all clean, she gets on her knees in front of him, and starts stroking him up and down.
“Is this what you wanted the other night?”
“Yes.” He grunts. “Are you sure you feel like doing this right now?”
“Mhm.” She hums before swirling her tongue around his tip.
Harry mindlessly grips at the tile on the wall while she bobs her head up and down on him. She swallows around him and plays with his balls, doing everything she knows he really likes.
“Baby, please, let me touch you.”
She looks up at him and he nearly loses it. He helps her stand up and he pushes her up against the wall, and she gasps with surprise at his abrupt forcefulness. His lips sponge at her neck and across her chest. One of his hands slides between her legs and her head rolls back against the tile.
“We’re wasting water.” She groans. “Let’s get out, and then we can play a little more.”
“You’re not just teasing?”
“No, babe.”
“Okay.”
They both get out, and get wrapped in towels. Harry smells the food from downstairs, and his stomach growls, but he soon forgets he’s hungry when he sees Y/N drop her towel and shake out her hair.
“Come and get me, birthday boy.”
He drops his towel and nearly tackles her onto his bed. He nips at her lips and works his way down her body, biting and sucking where he pleases. He just wanted his head between her legs. He spreads her apart, and licks a flat stripe up her center.
“Jesus.” She shivers from that alone, and slots her fingers through his hair.
He sucks harshly on her clit, and swirls his tongue around it, nibbling a little before sucking on it again. She moans out a little too loudly and she covers her mouth with her hand. She didn’t exactly want to put on a show for the boys downstairs. That all goes to hell when he licks into her. She props herself up on her elbows to watch him. He looks up at her while he fucks her with his tongue, and the eye contact is too much for the both of them, but they continue through any embarrassment they may feel.
“Oh my god.” She pants as her head rolls back. His mouth moves back to her clit, and two of his fingers slide inside her, twisting around as he pumps them in and out. “Harry, fuck, oh my god.”
He curls his fingers up as he gets in knuckle deep, and rubs them against her g-spot, as he continues to suck on her clit. He groans against her when he feels her tighten around him.
“Gonna come?”
“Yes, oh my fucking god, shit!” She cries out as she pulses and vibrates around him. He takes his fingers out and laps away at her as she comes down from her high.
“Ready for my cock?”
“Please.” She breathes and nods.
He gets up and grabs a condom to roll on. He gets back on the bed, but she pins him down, pinning his hands on either side of his head.
“Let me take care of it, baby, just want you to feel good and relax.”
She lines herself up and sinks down on him. He moans out at the tight feeling. She brings her hands back down to his and intertwines their fingers as she keeps them pinned on his pillow. She rocks back and forth on him slowly, just getting adjusted, and then she starts to get a good pace going, moving up and down on him.
“Fuck, Y/N.” He grits his teeth and squeezes her hands. “You feel so good.” He was panting, watching her above him like this was really doing something to him, and he sort of speaks before he thinks. “Would you spit in my mouth?”
Y/N kept moving on him, but she looked down at him deeply concerned.
“You want me to what?!”
“Never mind!”
“No, I’ll do it!”
“Forget I said anything! I don’t even know why I-“
“Harry, you want me to spit? I’ll spit!”
“It’s weird, it’s too weird, I went too far!”
“Open your mouth!”
Harry’s mouth falls open, his tongue peeking out. Y/N wells up some spit in her mouth and leans down so her mouth was close to Harry’s. She didn’t want to spit harshly. She sort of just wanted her saliva to drip from her tongue to his. Maybe that could be sensual? So she does just that. She opens her mouth and lets the spit in her mouth roll from her tongue to his. She was moving on him in slow circles as she did this. He swallows it and looks up at her. He uses the power from his legs to thrust up into her since his hands were busy squeezing hers.
“Do it again.” He breathes.
She happily obliges and does it again for him. It was his birthday, she’d do anything he wanted…within reason of course. She supposed it wasn’t the weirdest thing he could have asked for. His tongue had been so far up her cunt, swapping spit was probably the least odd bodily fluid they could have shared.
She stays close to him, sucking on his tongue while they move in sync with each other. She starts squeezing and tightening around him. She was rubbing up against him in the perfect way, and he was about ready to lose it himself.
“M’gonna come, Y/N.” He groans.
“Me too, fuck, me too.”
She sits up straight and her back arches as she comes, and his release wasn’t too far behind. He feels like he explodes inside of the condom. She lets go of his hands slowly and he helps her off of him. He runs a hand through his hair as he watches her wobble around to get some pants and a t-shirt on.
“Just gonna go pee.” She kisses his cheek and slips out of his room.
He disposes of the condom, and puts his boxers and sweatpants on, not much feeling like a shirt at the moment. He was sitting on his bed, twiddling his thumbs, when she came back into the room. She sits down next to him and smiles.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah…I just, um, was that weird?”
“What?”
“When I asked you to spit in my mouth?”
“Um…” She blushes. “It took me a little off guard, but it’s really not that weird.”
“I don’t even know why I wanted you to do that, it just sort of slipped out.”
“It’s really not that different from kissing, I mean, we technically spit on each other all the time.”
“Guess that’s true.” He smirks and grabs his glasses. “It’s been quite the morning.”
“It’s not over yet.” She stands up and reached for his hand. “Come on.”
They both come downstairs, and Harry gasps.
“Yorkshire pudding?!”
“Got the recipe of Delia Smith’s website.” Louis laughs. “Hope it tasted good. We made eggs, beans, and bacon too.”
“Thanks guys.”
It was a nice breakfast for the four of them. Y/N hangs out with Harry all day. They paint each other’s nails, watch a movie, cuddle, and just enjoy each other’s company. He had gotten a little sleepy, so he was peacefully napping with his head resting in her chest. Y/N noticed that Harry was a stomach sleeper, but he liked having something to hold on to. It was really cute. She was playing with his hair while reading on her phone. It was a really nice lazy day, and a perfect way to make sure everything was getting set up for his surprise party at Ashley’s. She hears his phone start to buzz and sees it a FaceTime request from Gemma.
“Babe, it’s your sister.”
“Okay.” He mumbles and sits up. “Hello!”
“Happy birthday!” Gemma and Anne say together.
“Harry, are you still in bed?” Anne asks.
“Was taking a nap, Mum. It’s my birthday, I’m allowed to catch up on some sleep.”
“Are you doing anything fun?”
“Y/N and the guys made me breakfast, and then we watched a movie, and I think we’re going out tonight.”
“Is she with you now?” Gemma asks.
“Yeah.” He flips the camera.
“Hi, Y/N!” Gemma says.
“Hello.” She says shyly and waves. Harry flips the camera back to himself.
“I love you both, but m’all groggy.”
“Alright, honey, I sent you a nice package so hopefully you’ll get it soon. We love you!”
“Thanks!” He tosses his phone elsewhere, and pushes Y/N back down so he can put his head back on her chest. “So comfy.”
“We should probably get up soon…”
“Why? What else you got planned?”
“Just dinner with friends. We should be there around seven.”
“S’only four now, plenty of time to keep chilling out. I never get to do this, it’s nice.”
“Okay, babe.” She goes back to playing with his hair and reading on her phone.
//
When it was time to get ready, Y/N put on some black tights that had a pattern on them, her black mini pencil skirt, and a long sleeve red crop top. Harry had a long sleeve blue button up on paired with his black jeans. He was putting his boots one when he watched Y/N zip up her own boots.
“You look so fucking sexy.” He says as he gets up and wraps his arms around her. “Are you sure we have somewhere to be, and I can’t just take this all off you?”
“Sorry.” Y/N giggles. “But dinner’s waiting.”
“But I’m only hungry for one thing.” He pecks at her lips.
“Didn’t you have enough of that earlier?”
“Never enough, babe.”
“Oh, Harry.” She swats a hand at his chest. “Come on.”
They both get their coats on and head out. She loops her arm around his, and leads the way. He realizes they’re headed towards Ashley’s apartment, but he doesn’t question it. She opens the door and everyone yells surprise. Harry laughs and walks in. They put their coats away and he’s amazed at the spread of appetizers there was.
“Thank you all so much, this is great.” He smiles.
All of his friends from senate were there, Louis, Niall, some other people from the soccer team, and other friends. And of course the entire women’s hockey team, but that was a given. A cake is brought out and everyone sings happy birthday to him. After settling down from the food, all of the drinks come out. Everyone takes shots of tequila, and then Y/N makes Harry a vodka cranberry, his favorite. That’s what he stuck with all night. He didn’t want to throw up from mixing drinks.
Y/N was off talking to her friends, but when the music starts to get good, Harry finds her, and yanks her towards him. She wraps her arms around his neck as they start to slow grind.
“Can’t believe you put all of this together for me.”
“Well, it wasn’t all me, the guys helped.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He presses his forehead to hers. “Love you so much.”
“Love you too.”
Harry was really drunk, like, more drunk than Y/N had ever seen him, so she was taking it easy on her own drinks. He stayed attached to her while they danced for the rest of the night. She indulged in making out with him, but there was no way they were having sex again when they got back to his place. Louis and Niall had to help walk him back because there was no way she could carry him. They help him up the stairs in and into his room.
“I’ve got it from here, boys, thanks.”
“Night, Y/N.” Niall says as he and Louis leave.
“Okay, let’s…Harry…” She giggles as he sloppily kisses her neck. “Come on, I wanna get you into bed.”
“Mm, me too. Let’s get you into bed.”
“No, baby, for sleep. Gotta get you out of these clothes for sleep.” He bites down on her neck and squeezes her ass and she groans for a moment before pushing him off. She puts her hands on her hips and looks at him. “We can do that in the morning, you’re really drunk.”
She steps forward and unbuttons his shirt, and gets his pants off. She sits him down on the bed while she gets her own clothes off. She throws on one of his t-shirts and flips the lights off. She climbs into bed with him, and he spoons her, pressing his bulge against her ass.
“M’so hard.” He whines.
“I know, but there’s nothing I can do about that right now.”
“You gave me such a nice birthday.” He holds her closer and nestles into her hair.
“I’m glad you had a nice day, babe.” She chuckles.
“It was the best.” He yawns, and not too long after…he’s out.
Y/N was grateful he didn’t get sick. She didn’t do well with throw up. She drifts off slowly after him. She wakes up a couple of hours later to the sound of his door opening and closing. She sits up immediately, hoping he wasn’t getting up because he was sick. He comes back moment later chugging water from his water bottle.
“Oh, thank god.” She breathes.
“Need some?”
“Yeah.” She smiles and takes the bottle from him.
“Sorry I woke you. I was fucking parched.” He crawls back into bed and takes the bottle from her. “Think I’m still a little drunk.”
“Wouldn’t be surprised, I let you drink too much.” She runs a hand through his hair.
“Oh, but I had so much fun. I’ll just sleep it off.” He gives her a few pecks before settling back down. She rests her head on his chest and he holds her close. This was the life.
//
The team made it to the first round of playoffs, but nothing further, so their season ended at the end of February. It was sad for the seniors on the team, but mostly everyone was happy for their break. No more early morning practices. They just needed to keep up with lifts in the late afternoons. This also meant that Y/N could stay out later most nights. Ashley and Megan had people over almost every night to drink. They weren’t raging, but Y/N was loving not having to worry about getting up at the crack of dawn. Harry didn’t always go with her, which was fine. He had 8AM’s on Tuesdays and Thursdays, after all.
There was one Tuesday night Harry was already asleep in bed when his phone started ringing. He saw Y/N’s name, and swiped to take the call.
“Baby?” He says groggily.
“Hey sunshine!”
“Amanda?” He sits up. “Why do you have Y/N’s phone?”
“Well, her head’s in the toilet at the moment. She really wants to go home, but it would look bad if one of us carried her. UPD would question us for sure.”
“She’s sick?” He sighs, already pulling some sweats on.
“Yeah, so is Gina. It’s no Bueno.”
“What the hell happened? Where are you?”
“At Ashley’s…we did shots, and then played slap the bag. Not a great mix.”
“Okay, I’ll be there soon.”
He rubs his eyes, grabs his glasses and heads out. He walks right into Ashley’s. Her apartment was filled with smoke and people. Harry partied like anyone else, but not so much on a Tuesday night. He walks to where he knows the bathroom is and doesn’t see anyone.
“Harry!” Amanda says. “She’s over here.” She tugs him over to the living room where Y/N was basically passed out on the couch.
“Christ, where’s Gina?”
“She’s crashing in Megan’s room. Come on, Y/N, Harry’s here.” She nudges her.
“Hm?” Her eyes open slightly and then they grow wide. “No! I don’t want him to see me like this!” She hides her face in her hands.
“It’s okay, babe, let’s get you home.” Harry says, lifting her up bridal styles. “I can’t carry her likes across campus, we’ll get stopped. Help me get her on my back, that’s less weird looking.”
Amanda nods and helps Y/N get situated so Harry could give her a piggy back ride. She was complete dead weight.
“She’s gonna kill me for calling you, but she didn’t want to stay…I’m sorry, I know you were sleeping.”
“It’s alright, Amanda. I’d rather her be safe. You guys have been going a little nuts lately, yeah?”
“We can’t help it. We’re not allowed to get crazy during the week during the season. Things will settle down soon. Spring break is coming up, you know? Last year we all went home and detoxed essentially.”
Amanda gets the apartment door open, and lets Harry take Y/N upstairs.
“Are you gonna spew again?”
“No.” She mumbles.
“Alright, well, I’m gonna put this bucket here.” He brings her barrel over. “Let’s get you out of these clothes, yeah?”
“Go home, you need to sleep.”
“I’m gonna take care of you.”
“No, you’re gonna be mad at me in the morning.”
“I won’t be.”
“Yes you will.” She pouts and her eyes start to tear up.
“Nope, none of that, come on.”
“I can take my own clothes off.”
“Okay, I’ll get your pj’s then.” He goes into her dresses and she lunges towards him, tackling him down. “Y/N! What the fuck?!”
“Don’t go in there! I have things in there you can’t see!”
“You could have just said that! You’re not on the fucking ice!” He gets them both up. “What’s in there that I can’t see?”
“Personal things.”
“Babe.” He pinches the bridge of her nose. “Get your clothes off, now, and I will get your pj’s.”
He goes back into where he knows she keeps her larger t-shirts.
“Harry!” His eyes grow wide after grabbing a shirt off the top. There were two different vibrators and a dildo. “I’ve only ever used the little one…”
“Put this on.” He hands her the t-shirt and closes the drawer.
She strips out of her clothes and he looks the other way to give her some privacy. She gets stuck when she tries to get her shirt on and he helps her.
“Fuck, I have to pee so bad.” She says, sprinting out of the room. He sits down on her bed and waits for her. She brushes her teeth while she’s in the bathroom too. “You’re still here?” She asks, shocked.
“Where the fuck am I going? I’m not leaving you like this.”
“But…you saw the things.”
“We can talk about it tomorrow, or never, I don’t really care.” She sits on his thighs, straddling his lap. “Y/N.” He sighs.
“I just…I don’t want you to think…I mean…I got them over winter break, and-“
“I don’t care, you don’t need to tell me, okay? Can we go to sleep?”
“You’re gonna stay?”
“I just said I was going to! Come on.”
“You’re angry.”
“I’m a little cranky, yeah. Your friend called me drunk to tell me your head was in a toilet while I was sleeping. At least tomorrow we don’t have class until 10:30, so I’ll have to get back and grab my shit beforehand. Now, lay down on the edge so you’re closer to the bucket.” He rids himself of his sweats, leaving himself in his boxers, and gets in with her. She turns to face him while he’s facing her. “You need to turn over.”
“But you’re so pretty.” She whispers and it makes him crack a smile as she pokes his dimple. “I’m sorry she called you.”
“I’m not, I’d come get you any time. I’ll carry you home whenever you need.” He strokes the side of her face. “You’ve done the same for me, it’s fine. Just lay on your stomach for me, okay? I’ll rub your back how you like.”
“Okay.” She smiles and does as he says. She falls asleep with him softly petting on her and it feels amazing.
His alarm goes off at 8AM and she groans.
“Up, let’s go.” He says, rummaging through her closet for her spare towels. “We’re showering quickly and then going to my place, and then we’re getting greasy breakfast sandwiches so you’re not hungover for class.”
“Eric won’t care, he likes me.” Y/N mumbles.
“A little too much if you ask me.”
“Oh stop. I could say the same about that freshman you’re tutoring.”
“How about neither of us play the jealous game?”
“Deal.” She stands and nearly vomits. “Ugh, I feel like shit.”
“You’ll feel better soon.”
“You came to my rescue last night?”
“Yup, that’s me, prince charming.” He rolls his eyes and tugs her out of her room.
She puts her hair up and they both get into the shower. Harry gets them both clean, and dressed. He makes sure she has everything for class, and then they head to his place. Once he has all of his things, and has new sweats on, they head to the coffee shop on campus for breakfast sandwiches.
“Harry…you’re wearing sweatpants to class.”
“I’m aware.”
“But you never wear sweatpants to class.”
“I’m a little fucking tired, Y/N, is that alright?”
“Please don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not…” He sighs and looks at her. “I just…I’m feeling anxious from things happening so abruptly. My entire routine got messed up and-“ He could feel his breathing quickening so he takes a deep breath. “It’s fine, I’m fine, we’re fine, let’s just go eat.”
They both get coffees and breakfast sandwiches and grab a table to sit. They had about thirty minutes before class, so they could take their time eating.
“Fuck, this was a good idea.” She moans as she eats.
“Yeah.” He agrees as he bites into his own. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Maybe go a little less hard at the parties during the week?”
“You got it. I hate throwing up, I’m not dealing with that again, nor am I going to do that to you again.”
“I wouldn’t care…it’s just…it was a school night is all.”
Y/N nods her head and continues eating her breakfast sandwich. Once they’re done, they head to class and sit down. Eric was there a little earlier than usual.
“Ah, Y/N, I’m glad you’re here. I wanna talk to you about your paper on your Bond comparative essay.”
“Oh…okay.” Y/N walks up to him and he takes her paper out. Harry can’t help but watch the conversation as other students come into class. “I know I’m not a very good writer…”
“No! You’re brilliant, actually. This is one of the better papers I’ve seen. You made a lot of incredible points. You got an A, see?” He shows her and her eyes grow wide. “I was wondering if I could if I could hang onto this and scan it to save as a copy. Students are always asking me for example papers, and I think this is a great paper to use.”
“Are you serious? Yeah, that’s fine with me.”
“Great, thanks.” He smiles. “Well done.”
“Thank you…” She blinks and sits back down. She looks at Harry in shock. “He wants to keep my paper to use as an example.”
“That’s great! You worked really hard on that one, Y/N, you deserve a little praise.”
Eric passes out the rest of the papers, and gives Y/N hers so she could look at any notes he may have made. Harry also got an A, not that Y/N was surprised, but she was happy for him nonetheless.
“H, what did you get?” Billy whispers from behind him. Harry turns to look at him.
“An A, what about you?”
“B+, not too bad.”
“Alright everyone, today, as a treat, we’re going to watch Austin Powers since we’ve just finished our Bond unit. Since we’ve watched a few films, you’ll see that this movie takes a lot from Gold Finger and Golden Eye.” He says as he starts the movie and turns the lights.
“Ugh, thank god. If there was ever a day to just chill in class, it’s today.” Y/N whispers to Harry.
“Agreed.” He whispers.
Eric clears his throat to get their attention, and they both sit back in their seats. There were plenty of laughs throughout class as the movie continued. Y/N stretches as she stands once class ends, revealing a little bit of her stomach. Harry catches Eric looking briefly, and puts his arm around her shoulders.
“Have a good stats class.” She puckers lips and kisses him.
“Thanks, have a good rest of your day. I won’t be able to meet up tonight, I’m doing a group tutoring session, and then I have an 8AM tomorrow…”
“Okay, well…thanks again for last night. I really owe you.”
“No you don’t.” He smiles and gives her a lingering kiss before they part ways.
//
Spring break was definitely the detox Y/N needed from all of the drinking she had been doing with the hockey team, although, she really didn’t want to go home. Harry would be staying on campus with any other students who couldn’t go home. He had projects he needed to work on, but he also thought it would be a nice time break to spend with Y/N. She couldn’t stay on campus, though, because she needed to work at the bar. She also needed to bring up going to Italy this summer to her mom.
“Great work tonight, honey.” Angie says to her as they wipe down the tables.
“Thanks…um…can I talk to you about something?”
“Of course!” She stops what she’s doing to look at her daughter. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine, I just…well, I’ve been invited somewhere this summer, and I’d really like to go.”
“Alright, where have you been invited to?”
“Italy.” She mumbles.
“Come again?”
“Italy.” She says a little louder. “See, Harry-“
“Oh, here we go.” Angie rolls her eyes.
“Mum, please, let me just explain.”
“Okay.” She crosses her arms and sits down.
“He and his friends spend three weeks in Italy every summer, one of their dad’s has a house by the water or something. They go end of July through early August, so it’s not like I’d be missing the holiday rush…I’d like to go the whole time, but I’d be willing to compromise, and I’ll pay my own way.”
“You expect me to let you take an international flight alone? What if you get abducted?”
“Mum.”
“Three weeks alone with your boyfriend is a long time…”
“Well, we won’t be alone, his friends will be there.”
“You know what I mean.” She sighs. “I really hate this whole you being an adult thing. I can’t really say no, you’re almost twenty years old, and it will be summer so you should take advantage and travel…” She takes a moment and looks at Y/N. “Could you go for two weeks instead of three? I think that’s plenty of time to spend together.”
“Yeah! I can definitely do that.” She smiles.
“And I’ll pay for half the ticket, that’ll be your birthday present. Your passport should still be good from high school.”
“Mum!” She squeals and hugs Angie. “Thank you so much, Harry’s going to be so excited!” She kisses her cheek. “I’m excited too, of course.”
“Well, I should hope so.” She chuckles, and they continue to close down the bar.
//
Y/N convinced Angie to drive her back to campus on Friday instead of Sunday. She dropped off all her things, and walked to Harry’s. She knocks on the door, and he opens it confused, but happy to see her.
“Hey!” He wraps his arms around her. “You’re back early.”
“Wanted to surprise you, can I come in?”
“Of course! Yeah, come on in.”
“Are you busy?”
“I was just working on a paper, but I can definitely take a break.” Hey both go up to his room, and he moves his things away from the bed so they can both sit. “Got a lot done this week, I’m feeling good.”
“That’s great! Okay, so, I have really good news that I’ve been keeping to myself because I wanted to tell you in person.”
“Oh? Please, do tell.” He grins.
“My mom said I could come to Italy this summer! Only for two weeks instead of three, but still.”
“That’s great!” He cups her jaw and pulls her in for a kiss. “We’re gonna have so much fun. I can show you what website to go on for the plane ticket, there’s this site that sells them for really cheap. I use it when I go home and stuff.”
“Sounds good, thanks. I think two weeks will be plenty, don’t you?”
“I mean, sure.” He shrugs.
“I wouldn’t want us getting on each other’s nerves being together 24/7.”
“We’ll be too busy to get on each other’s nerves, trust me. I can’t wait to tell my friends you’re coming, they’re dying to meet you.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. What are their names?”
“Well, Lou and Niall will be there, they came last year and are coming again. They go right from there to here for soccer. Then there’s my friend Adam, his dad is the one who owns the house, and Mike, Ben, and Clark.”
“Are any of them seeing someone?”
“Um, Adam brought a guy with him last summer, but they’re not dating anymore, so he may be going stag.” He shrugs. “When we were in high school we used to bring a lot of girls with us because we thought we were cool.” He laughs. “But Ben might bring someone, I’m not sure exactly. Sometimes we would just meet people in Italy to hang out with.”
“Hang out with.” She rolls her eyes. “Any Italian chicks I need to worry about.”
“Not that I can think of.” He taps his chin playfully. “You know me, I’m a real sexual deviant.” He says sarcastically and she nudges him. “Come here.”
He pulls her down to lay with him, and they both sigh. He rubs her back and she lays her leg over both of his, pressing into the bulge that’s growing in his pants. He tilts her chin up to look at him and she removes his glasses. He presses his lips to hers and she moves the rest of the way on top of him. He licks at her bottom lip, and she opens up for him. He has one arm wrapped around her back, and the other one around her ass, keeping her nice and close. Her fingers slot through his soft hair and she moans softly when she rolls hips her hips slowly on his.
“Missed you.” He says against her lips, taking her bottom lip between his teeth.
“Missed you too.” She whimpers as he presses his hips harder up towards hers.
Things started to get a little more heated from there, Y/N could feel her lips getting swollen from how hard her and Harry were kissing each other, and she was about ready to lose it in her pants from the way they were grinding on each other.
“Harry.” She groans. “Please.”
“Please what?” He moves her hair away from her neck and starts sucking on her soft skin.
“Can we please fuck?”
“Yes.”
He flips them over so she’s on her back, and he yanks her leggings and panties off in one swoop. She gets her shirt and bra off while he gets naked himself. He climbs back onto the bed and he wraps her legs around his waist. She slides her hands up and down his torso and chest.
“Have I ever told you how much I love your tattoos? Because I do, they’re so cool.” Her hands trace over the ferns on his hips.
“Thanks baby.” His hands knead her breasts.
Harry slides his hard dick over her folds and against her clit, causing her hips to buck up. He dips his head down to kiss on her neck and her hand wrap around his back, nails digging in.
“Do you wanna…put it in?”
She feels him nod his head yes, and before she knows it he’s pushing inside her. Her gasp turns into a moan. She bites down on his shoulder as he rocks in and out of her. He sucks on one of her nipples as he thrusts in and out.
“Feels so fucking good.” Her head rolls back into the pillows.
He pulls out and grins at her. She raises an eyebrow at him, and then he flips her over, pulls her up to her knees. She looks back at him as he slides in again. He gets an even pace going, and then he tugs her back to him, his chest flush with her back. He’s got one arm snaked around her, and the other rubbing slow circles on her clit.
“Fuck, oh my god.” Her head rolls back to his shoulder and she looks up at him. He slots his mouth over hers, and the both moan into each other.
“This why you wanted to come back early? Just really needed my cock?” He says into her ear and it has her pushing her ass against him.
“Thought about you every night.” She groans.
“Yeah? Did you bring home your little toys to help you out?”
“H-Harry, don’t-“
“Maybe I should use one on you sometime, would you like that?”
She was dripping all around his cock, she loved when he would just say whatever he wanted into her ear.
“Only wanna feel you.” She admits. It was true, she didn’t like having to use her vibrator, as good as it felt. She really just preferred Harry’s hands on her.
She feels him smile into her neck, knowing that was exactly what he wanted to hear. He picks up the pace on the way he’s rubbing her clit and he feels her squeeze around him. She hooks an arm up around his head to tug at his hair.
“Shit, Harry!” She cries out as she comes to her release.
He gently lets go of her so she can press her front to the mattress. He keeps his hands on her hips as he drives into her hard and fast. He had her panting, and he was panting too. He pulls out and comes on her ass and back before collapsing next to her.
“Fuck.” He breathes and then looks at her. “You have the most perfect ass I’ve ever fucking seen.”
“Shut up.” She giggles.
“Let me clean you up.” He kisses her forehead and then gets up to grab a rag to wipe her clean.
“Thank you.”
He gets back onto the bed and pulls her close to him. They lay there naked for a bit, just enjoying the time skin to skin.
“Do you feel like having a little date night tonight since you’re here? We could go downtown for dinner and then come back to watch a movie in the living room.”
“I’d like that. I’d just wanna go home and change first.”
“Oh cute, then I can come pick you up.”
“Always the romantic.” She kisses his cheek and gets up to grab her clothes. “Give me, like, an hour to get ready, yeah?”
“Sounds good to me, see you soon.” He smiles and kisses her as she leaves his room.
Harry was really happy that Y/N came back a couple of days early. He was trying to play it a little more cool, but she was such a source of comfort for him. He had incorporated her into his routine, so when she wasn’t around he would get a little anxious, which he knew wasn’t healthy, but there wasn’t much he could do about it right now.
He puts on a green sweater with the black jeans he knows she likes, and puts his contacts in. He runs his hand through his hair a few times, getting his curls to sit just right. He knew he needed a haircut, but he also liked when Y/N would really tug on his hair. His logic was the longer his hair the better the grip she could get on him. He left the bit of scruff he had grown out and put on some cologne. He heads down the stairs to put his boots on and goes into the living room.
“Going on a date with my girl, mind if we have the living room when we get back? We’re gonna watch a movie. You can join if you want-“
“And watch the two of you make out?” Louis scoffs. “I’ll pass, mate.”
“Same here.” Niall chuckles. “But we can definitely clear out of here.”
“Thanks, I just get sick of watching stuff on my little laptop screen. Are you guys doing anything tonight?”
“Might go see some of the girls from the other international house. I don’t see myself staying out too late, I went a little too hard last night.” Louis says.
“Yeah, I spewed in the bushes, so I won’t be drinking tonight.” Niall says.
“Alright.” Harry chuckles. “Well, see you later.”
Harry makes the walk to Y/N’s apartment, and he knocks on the door when he gets there. His cheeks immediately blush when he sees her. She had a dark blue thing sweater dress on, showing off all her curves. She paired with some black boots and black tights, looking cuter than ever.
“You look so pretty.” He pouts at her and takes her hand.
“Thanks, thought I’d dress up a little It’s rare that we get to go on a real date.”
“I know! I’m really glad you came back a couple days early. Meant it when I said I missed you.”
“I meant it too.” She loops her arm through his so she can cling to him a little tighter.
The end up at the local bistro, even though Y/N told Harry it would be too expensive, but he assured her it was fine. She talks about her week working at the bar, and he talks about what he might do for work this summer.
“I could always go back to the bakery, but I really want to take the rest of the semester to figure out what I actually want to do. I might go see my advisor next week. I literally have zero idea what I want to do with my life.” He sighs and pops a fry into his mouth.
“Does anyone?” She laughs.
“Well, you sort of do. You’ve got a job lined up right away after graduation.”
“Yeah, working for my mom until she decides to retire really sounds great.” She rolls her eyes. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I wanna take over the bar, but I wanna do it more in a way where like I could open up multiple locations, you know? I could oversee multiple businesses across the country.”
“Wow…that would be really cool.”
“It’s just an idea, I don’t know if it’ll ever happen. People like small town bars with good food, and that’s what my mom has, I think opening up multiple locations could work, it would just take a lot of marketing and PR. I may pick up a PR minor, the classes double count in my major and I think that may be what I’m a little more interested in these days.”
Harry loved listening to Y/N talk about her aspirations. She really was smart, and he didn’t think she gave herself enough credit.
“Are you not interested in the law stuff anymore?”
“I don’t know…” He sighs. “It’s just such a big commitment, you know? It’s more school, and then you basically have to study and pass the bar where you want to live, and I have no idea where I want to live. I don’t know if I wanna stay in the U.K. forever. I’ve barely been able to explore America while I’ve been here, and there are parts of Europe I’d like to go to. I don’t know, maybe I’ll become a travel blogger or something.” He jokes.
“You laugh, but you’d hit it big.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Well…” She blushes. “You’re insanely hot, Harry, so you have that going for you. People would follow you on a superficial level, and then there’s the fact that you’re smart and nice. You could talk about the country or town you’re in and say what you really liked and what you discovered.”
“Not a very sustainable job though.”
“Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher? You’re really good at explaining things. You never once made me feel stupid last semester.”
“I think I’m better one on one. I feel like whenever I have to give a presentation I just word vomit. I’m also not on an education track, so again, more school. I ‘d need my master’s, and you need to take whatever tests there are in the state you want to work in, and that’s if I wanna stay in America. I don’t even know what I’d want to teach…”
“You could find a job like in a tutoring office like we have here. It takes someone really important to run those types of offices and-“
“Y/N?”
“Yeah?”
“Um…do you mind if we change the subject a little?” His leg wouldn’t stop bouncing. “I know this stuff is important to talk through and figure out, but it’s making me anxious.”
“Oh!” She reaches across the table and puts her hand over his. “I’m so sorry, of course we can talk about something else, anything else.” She smiles. “What movie do you feel like watching later?”
They settled on The Devil Wears Prada. It was something they had both seen, so it didn’t matter if they paid attention or not.  His arm was around her and they were lounging comfortably.
“I really like this dress you’re wearing.”
“Yeah? Thought you preferred me in sweats.” She raises an eyebrow at him.
“You could wear a paper sack and I’d like it on you.” This makes her burst out laughing and he smiles down at her.
They both adjust so they can lay down, and he pulls her body on top of his. She sucks on his bottom lip, and his hands slide down to her ass. His tongue drags of hers and she moans into his mouth.
“You’ll stay tonight?” He whispers. “Missed having you to hold onto at night.”
“Of course I’ll stay.” She stays. “No one else I’d rather have cuddles with.” She kisses on his jaw and moves to his neck.
“Leave a good one on me babe, mark me up.”
Y/N bites down decently hard on Harry’s neck and it makes him grit his teeth and squeeze at her harder, but god did it feel good. Truth be told one of his regular tutees flirted with him a lot, and even though he had mentioned Y/N over and over, she would still flirt with him. A nice new hickey may help her get the picture. Also, Harry just really liked getting them. He liked giving them too, but they just felt so fucking good.
//
“Did you have a nice break, Harry?”
“Yeah, Bri, thanks, did you?”
“Mhm, I got caught up on some things, but I’m definitely still struggling with Intro to Gen Psych…”
“Alright, well, let’s look at your notes from class.”
She reaches into her bag, and when she gets everything out, she notices Harry taking his jacket and scarf off. Her eyes bug out when she sees the giant welt on Harry’s neck. Now, normally he would want to be more professional, but at the end of the day, he was twenty and didn’t give a fuck.
“Everything alright?”
“Um…y-yeah, everything’s fine? Did you, um, go out over the weekend?”
“I did, yeah. Went to a party with some friends Saturday night. My girlfriend came back a couple days early too, that was nice.” He smiles and grabs her notes. “See, I think if you highlighted within your notes, like we’ve talked about, you would have an easier time finding things.”
“Right, um, sorry, Harry.”
“Don’t apologize to me.” He furrows his brows at her. “I already passed this class, it’s you who still needs to finish it. Tutoring can help a lot, but if you don’t take what we do here and apply it elsewhere, you’re not going to see any improvements.”
He was close to her, showing her what she should highlight, and it made her nervous, but in the best possible way. All of a sudden they hear some giggling, and it was a giggle Harry knew all too well. They both look up and see a good chunk of the hockey team. Many of the girls still got together to study like they would during the season.
“Oh, shit, is that Harry?!” Megan says. “Ow ow! Look at him on the clock.” She teases.
“Leave him alone.” Y/N swats a hand at her, and looks over to Harry, mouthing I’m sorry. He waves at them and gives them a half smile.
“Damn, Y//N, I would have tried to fuck my tutor too if it were him.” Another girl teases her and they all start laughing.
“Hey, uh,” Harry turns around in his chair and smirks, “we’re in a library, ladies.”
“Is that so?” Y/N struts over to him and looks at Bri. “Careful with him, he’s a little too good at his job.” She kisses Harry’s cheek and then goes off with the girls to the back of the library.
“Sorry about that, Bri.” Harry chuckles.
“So…that was your girlfriend?”
“Mhm.” He smiles proudly. “Now then,” he clears his throat, “let’s talk more about your note taking, shall we?”
//
It was hard enough saying goodbye to Ashley, Megan, and some of the other seniors on the team, but it was just about move out day, and Y/N cried every time she thought about not being able to just walk down a couple of streets to see Harry.
“We’ll see each other before you know it, and when we do we’ll have two weeks of perfect weather in Italy together.” He says as he holds her close to him in bed.
“I know, I’m just really sad.” She cries into his chest and he tries his best to soothe her.
“Please don’t cry, Y/N, you’re killing me.”
“I’m sorry.” She sniffles. “I don’t mean to be like this. The time difference just sucks, Harry.”
“I know.” He sighs.
“And you won’t even get to see me for my birthday.” It was in a couple of weeks.
“But we already sort of celebrated, remember the big party we had here last weekend?”
“How could I forget? You made me margaritas all night, and then fucked my brains out.” She chuckles and so does he. “Couldn’t walk right for two days.”
“Cause I know you like it like that.” He kisses the top of her head. “Look, I’m gonna miss you too. It’s not easy being away from your favorite person, but we’ll make it work. It’ll just make things better when we see each other again. I do have one favor, though?”
“What?” She looks up at him.
“You’ll have to leave lots of marks on me, really good ones, so that they’ll just barely have faded by the time I see you. The only thing is, my mum will be pissed if she sees my neck like that, you’ll have to be creative about where you put them.”
“Challenge accepted.” She gives him a devious smile and sinks down under his covers. Thank god Harry had an a/c in his room.
“What are you…oh!” He starts laughing when he feels her suck on his inner thigh, like he would normally do to her. “Why did you tell me this tickled so much?!” He rips the blanket away to look down at her.
“It doesn’t tickle when you do it to me.” She pouts up at him. She moves to kiss on his hip and then things feel less funny.
“Yeah, I like it when you do it there.”
She kisses up his chest and sucks a nice, dark mark on one of his pecs and then smiles up at him. Her eyes start to water again and she hides her face in his neck.
“What happened?”
“We’re not going to be able to do this whenever we want soon, and it just…” She cries into him again.
“Baby.” He coos. “Let’s just enjoy right now, yeah?” He rubs her back. “Want me to make love to you? Be all sweet and slow?”
“Mhm.” She says, muffled from the way she’s pressing further into him.
“Alright.” He rolls them both over and runs his fingers over her folds. Yes, they were both already naked.
He slides his middle finger inside her slowly, working his way in and out, sucking on her nipple as he does so. This helps her to calm down just like he was hoping. He sucks his finger into his mouth when he’s done and then rubs his hard dick against her clit. She groans and then he slips inside. He hides his face in her neck so he can kiss on her while he rocks in and out. They both just wanted to be as close as possible right now.
“Harry?”
“Yeah?” He moves to look at her and she puts her hands on his shoulders.
“When you get close, will you please come inside me?” She looks so innocent right now.
“If I say yes will you promise to tell me when you get your period?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, baby, I’ll come inside you when the time comes.”
She pulls his face down to hers to kiss him. Things are slow and sloppy and just perfect. He rubs her clit to help her along and she cries out as she comes. She nearly comes again when she feels him fill her up. It was the first time he had ever come inside her without a condom, and it felt so fucking good.
“I love you so much.” He says to her as he pulls out.
“I love you too.” She clamps her legs together to try not to make a mess on his bed, and she stands up. She throws on one of his shirts before heading to the bathroom.
They snuggle all night, and most of the morning. Harry helps her pack up her apartment, and he waits with her for Angie to come pick her up. It was a really difficult goodbye, but Harry tried to stay strong for the both of them. Of course the second the car pulled away he started crying. He calmed himself down, though. They would call, text, and FaceTime. Thank god she was coming to Italy.
//
“Shit.” Y/N says to herself.
“What?” Julie asks coming into her room.
“According to my pills, I’m going to have my period when I’m in Italy.” She groans.
“So?”
“So?! I’m gonna be swimming and stuff.”
“Just use a tampon.”
“I’m going to be with mostly boys, and I have zero idea if it’s a fancy boat with a bathroom on it. I’ll only have it a few days, but still. Fuck, and I’ll probably have it right when I first see Harry.”
“Do you guys not…do it when you have your period?”
“Don’t be gross.”
“It’s a valid question!”
“We did, like, once in the shower, but it sort of hurts, so it I didn’t like it and we didn’t do it again.” She sighs. “I miss him so much, I don’t think I’ll care when I finally see him.”
“Show me the new bathing suits you got.”
“Hey.” Cooper comes into the room as well and just stands there, munching on some chips.
“What?” Y/N asks.
“M’bored.”
“Wanna look at my new bathing suits?”
“Alright, yeah.”
//
“You have WhatsApp?”
“Already downloaded.”
“And you’ll text me updates, and you will take a picture of you and Harry together so I know you’re really with him?”
“Yes, mum! Please, I need to go get through security. I love you, and I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”
“I love you too, have a great time.”
Y/N gets through security, and texts Harry and her mom updates. She had the window seat so she was able to get comfortable for her long flight. She wanted to look cute and refreshed, so she gets up to change in the bathroom of the plane. She puts on a pair of high-waist jean shorts, and a black crop top. Her hair is down, but she ties a bandana he had given to her in it, and touched up her makeup. She was feeling really good, despite being in the middle of her period. At least it would end in a day or so.
The flight lands on time, and Y/N texts Harry and her mom that she’s landed. She gets her backpack on, and manages to follow the signs to baggage. Luckily there were a lot of signs in English. Harry had “tutored” her a bit in Italian this summer, so she wasn’t totally lost. As she approaches baggage she squints when she sees three guys who look very familiar.
“Oi! There she is!” Louis says and Harry turns around, beaming at Y/N.
She runs towards him and jumps into his arms, wrapping all of her limbs around him. He looked so fucking good in his little shorts and t-shirt and tanned skin. Their lips collide and they almost forget their in the airport.
“I hate to break this up, but which bags are yours, pet?” Niall asks.
“Oh! The floral ones!” She points to them as they come off the belt. Harry sets her down and he grabs her bags. She gives Niall and Louis a hug as well. “Now, if we let you two sit in the back of the car together, do you promise to hold off on the groping?” He teases them as they walk out to the parked cars.
“Think I can behave myself for a bit, yeah, Y/N?”
“I’ll do my best.” She giggles. “How far away are we form the house?”
“Bout an hour, not too far.” Harry says. “We’re having dinner on the boat tonight, you’ll love it. Fresh steamers, you like those, right?”
“Love ‘em.” She smiles.
He puts his arm around her and keeps her close as Louis drives back to the house. She switches her gaze from Harry to out the window, unsure of what she preferred to soak up in the moment. Harry had a lovely tan, his hair was a tad shorter, but not by much, and he had definitely been trying to grow out his scruff. He was handsome as ever.
“You look really cute.” He whispers in her ear and it sends a shiver up her spine. “Is that the bandana I gave you?”
“Mhm.” She smiles up at him. “I wear it all the time at work.”
“Good, it suits you.”
They pull up to the house in what feels like no time at all, and Y/N’s jaw drops as she gets out of the car. It was beautiful, and private. There was a path to a private dock where the boat was, and there were a couple of other guys outside.
“I’m just gonna show Y/N to our room, and then we’ll come down for dinner.” Harry tells Niall and Louis as they make their way to the boat.
“Our room, huh?” Y/N smirks up at Harry as he carries her bags in. He stops short and looks at her.
“Shit, uh, did…fuck, did you not want to stay with me? I think we can-“
“Harry!” She laughs. “Jesus, I was kidding, why would I come all this way and not sleep in a bed with you?”
“I…don’t do that.” He side eyes her as they both go inside. She shakes her head at.
“Wow…even more beautiful on the inside.” She looks around.
He hums his response and gestures to follow him upstairs. There were a lot of bedrooms, both on the main level and second level of the home. Harry was the only one to bring a date this summer, so his friends granted him the privilege of the bedroom with the en suite bath.
“Here we are, love.” He puts her bags down and closes the door behind them. He lets her look around for a moment. She peeps her head into the bathroom and then she smiles at him.
“This is amazing. I can’t believe I’m really here.
“Me neither.” He cups her jaw and kisses her. She wraps her arms around his waist as he licks into her mouth. “Missed you, baby.”
“Missed you too.” He bites down on her bottom lip, and his hands start to slide farther south, but she stops him. “We can’t.”
“Dinner can wait.”
“No, I mean…I need two more days.”
“What?”
“I have my period, but it should be done soon. I’m sorry…”
“It’s alright.” He sighs. “Better to have it now than later when we’re camping, right?”
“Mhm.” She smiles and kisses him again.
“Besides, we’ve got that nice big shower.” He winks at her, and then leads her out of the bedroom.
He keeps his hand on the small of her back as they walk down the dock to the boat. She could already smell the seafood.
“Shit!” She stops short. “We have to take a selfie to send to my mom, she wanted proof I wasn’t kidnapped.”
“Alright.” He chuckles. She takes her phone out to snap the quick photo, and then they continue onto the boat. “Oi! Can I get everyone’s attention, thank you.” All of the boys look at Harry and Y/N. “Clark, Adam, Ben, this is my girlfriend, Y/N.”
“Hi.” She says shyly.
“Don’t look like a hockey player to me.” Ben says, jokingly. “Nice to meet you, finally.” He extends his hand and she shakes it.
“Don’t be fooled, she can really pack a punch.” Harry says, sitting down.
“It’s great to meet you, Y/N.” Adam says, giving her a hug. “Hope you don’t mind being with a bunch of guys for the next couple of weeks.”
“It’s not a problem.” She smiles.
“Harry’s told us a lot about you.” Clark says, shaking her hand. “Nice to actually see you in person. Harry’s always sending us pictures of you.”
Y/N turns to look at Harry, giving him a face.
“All tasteful, I promise. Come here.” He pulls her to sit on his lap. “How’s dinner coming along?”
“The steamers have just about popped.” Adam says. “We’ve also got crab legs. Do you like all that, Y/N?”
“Yeah, I love seafood, thank you.”
“Alright, now that we don’t need to drive anywhere else,” Niall starts. “can we get to drinking?”
“Read my mind.” Ben says, getting up to pull the cooler of beer over. “Do you like beer, Y/N? We have other drinks if you don’t.”
“Beer’s great, thanks.” She smiles and leans forward to grab one for her and Harry. “I guess this is my first legal drink, that’s sorta cool.”
“That’s right! You don’t have to second guess a thing here.” Harry says, cracking his beer open. They all clink their cans together and take a sip.
Adam brings the pig pot of steamers up from below deck, and Clark brings out the crab legs and butter. Louis helps with the cocktail sauce and plates. Everyone takes what they want and dig in.
“Mm, these are delicious.” Y/N says. “Thanks so much for making all this.”
“We thought your arrival would be the perfect night to do this, so thank you.” Adam says.
“So, you three have known Harry since high school?”
“Well, we call it secondary school.” Ben says. “But yeah, think you and Adam have known each other the longest though.” Harry nods his head. “We became pretty good mates after a school camping trip.”
“I think we started coming here when we were sixteen?” Clark looks at Adam.
“I’d say so, yeah. My dad’s had this house a while. I think sixteen is when he trusted us enough to come here a lone. Lotta good summers here.”
“How did you two meet again? You had a class together?” Ben asks.
“Nope, she needed a tutor.” Harry says.
“Mhm, and lucky me, I got paired up with the most studious one of them all.”
“H really is a bit serious, isn’t he?” Clark teases.
“Gotta be serious to get good grades.”
“So, how did Harry get all these tattoos, I’m not seeing many on you.” She says to three of them.
“That would be me, love.” Louis says. “You didn’t get them all with me, but I feel like freshman year we were constantly driving out to the tattoo shop.”
“Once I got one I couldn’t stop.” Harry says. “I went with these guys to get a few more, the ones on my arms. My mum was pissed.”
“Didn’t you say she nearly fainted when she saw the butterfly?” Clark asks with a laugh.
“Yeah, that’s why I got so many on my stomach in the first place so she wouldn’t see, but it was inevitable.” He shrugs. “Think I’m due for a new one while we’re here, I’d say.” He looks at his right arm. “Not sure where though.” He laughs.
“You should get a mate for your mermaid.” Niall jokes.
“She’s an independent woman, she’s all set.”
Everyone laughs and continues to enjoy their food. They all help clean up and enjoy more drinks by the fire pit after the sun goes down fully. Y/N was having difficulty staying awake. She was up early, had that long flight, and she really just wanted to shower and go to bed.
“Would you care if I went in?” She says to him. “Think I’m ready to for a shower, and I wanna unpack a bit.”
“Sure! Yeah, I’ll head in with you in a minute.”
“Okay.” She stands up. “Night everyone, thanks for a great first say.” She smiles and then heads inside.
“She’s really nice, H.” Adam says. “I like her a lot already.”
“Thanks.” Harry smiles. “I like her a lot too.” He stands up and heads up to their shared bedroom.
“You could have stayed outside if you wanted, I’m just getting my things settled.”
“I know…I thought you might need help with the shower.” He rubs the back of his neck.
“I probably could have figure it out.” She smirks at him.
“Well, maybe I need a shower too. Been outside all day, after all.” He steps closer to her and she can feel her cheeks heating up.
“Harry…I…I want to, but…” She bites her bottom lip. “Last time we tried to do it on my period it really hurt, and I didn’t like it as much as I may have led on.”
“You didn’t fake it did you?”
“No! I came, but…it just wasn’t super comfortable. I really wanna be close with you, I just need a couple more days, and then you can pound me into the mattress for all I care.” Harry chuckles at her statement and he nods.
“Well, can we still shower together without the funny business? I just really missed you.”
“Yeah, just give me a minute in there alone, you know the drill.”
He nods and watches her walk into the en suite with her toiletry bag. She gets the water going, and steps in, opting to get her hair wet to give it a good wash. She calls for him once she feels secure enough, and he comes in right away. They look at each other for a moment, and then he crashes his mouth to hers, pushing her against the wall. Her hands fly to his hair and she moans into his mouth at the feeling of his hard dick pressed against her hip. His tongue glides against her as he gropes her breast with one hand and her ass with the other. He detaches his lips from hers to get some air, and immediately starts sucking on her neck.
“Th-thought you said no funny business.” She manages to get out.
“I don’t find any of this funny, do you?” He says lowly into her ear.
“No.” She breathes and he continues his attack on her neck.
“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna do anything you don’t wanna do.” He pulls away from her slightly. “I just couldn’t help myself when I walked in here, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She pulls him back, pressing their fronts together. “I really missed you too.”
After some more passionate kisses, they clean themselves up and get out of the shower. Harry leaves her so she has some privacy putting her underwear on. She runs the blow dryer through her quickly so it’s not sopping wet before coming to bed. She throws on a large t-shirt, and Harry can’t help but smile as he watches his cute girlfriend crawl into the large bed with him.
“So, are you not able to swim? We were hoping to take the boat out tomorrow.”
“Does the boat have a bathroom?”
“It does! It’s small, but functional.”
“Then I can definitely go swimming.” She smiles and cozies up to him. She sighs happily. “I really missed this.”
“Me too.” He looks down at her. “I think I sleep better when you’re next to me.”
She pouts up at him and slots her mouth over his. It felt so good to just be able to kiss and touch how they pleased. FaceTiming was great and all, but always left them with a sense of wanting and yearning. The physical touch was something they both craved from the other.
//
The morning sun creeps into the bedroom, causing Y/N’s eyes to flutter open. She feels like she’s in a dream, but things become real when she feels Harry’s arms around her and his pelvis pressing into her ass. She thinks to maybe take care of him, offer up a hand job or something, but before she can he’s peppering kisses to the back of her neck and then getting out of bed.
“Ready to start the day?” He yawns. “We gotta pack up everything we wanna eat for the day. There’s a mini kitchen below deck, which is nice. I stalked up on some things I know you like from the store.”
“Thank you.” She smiles as he walks into the bathroom. Y/N gets up and stretches a bit. She scowls when she feels a cramp roll through her lower body. She grabs her pills and swallows. She was on the first week of her new pack. “One more day and you’re gone.” She says to herself.
“Are you talking to your period?” Harry chuckles as he comes out of the bathroom.
“Maybe.” She raises an eyebrow at him. “Just started my new pack of pills, should definitely be over by tomorrow.”
“No worries.” He kisses her cheek and goes into the drawer for his swim trunks and a white t-shirt.
“Should I pack other clothes to change into?”
“Nah, we’ll come back here and get cleaned up. I think we’re gonnna go to a bar tonight, should be fun.”
Y/N nods and searches for one of her new bathing suits. She snatches and goes into the bathroom. She hated using tampons, especially this late in her period because things just felt uncomfortably dry, but it wasn’t like she could wear a pad with her bottoms, so this is what she needs to do. Once that’s all situated, she puts her hair up into a messy bun, and slides her bottoms on. They were navy blue, not super high waist, but not super low cut either, mid-rise. She grabs her top, and struggles with getting the back tied. It was a really cute floral string top that matched perfectly with the bottoms.
“Har?” She calls from the bathroom.
“Yeah?” He peeps his head in carefully.
“Could you tie the back of this for me please?”
“Um…sure.” He swallows as he steps closer to her and ties the back of the top. “Is that good?”
She looks in the mirror and adjusts her breasts.
“Yeah, should be alright, thank you.”
“That’s a really nice bathing suit.”
“Thanks.” She smiles. “I just got it, I wanted to have some cute ones for the trip.” Her breasts giggle as she lets them go, and he can’t help but watch.
“Thought you might wear a one piece or something.” He says as he follows her out of the bathroom.
“I can’t really wear those, my torso is long, and they make them way too high cut, it’s not cute on me.” She puts on a pair of jean shorts and a tank top over her bathing suit and smiles at him. “You’ve got sunscreen and all that?”
“Yeah.”
Harry knew he didn’t need to worry about Louis, Niall, or Adam really looking at Y/N. It was Ben and Clark. As good of friends as they were, and they were just as respectful as Harry was, he knew they would still look and gawk at her. He had zero control over it, and that’s the part he hated.
The kitchen smells like fresh coffee, and Harry can hear Y/N giggling as Ben pours her a cup and gives her some creamer. Here we go, Harry thinks to himself.
“Here, Harry.” Louis says, handing him a cup of black coffee.
“Thanks.” He smiles and takes it from him.
“Sleep well, Y/N?” Clark asks.
“Better than I have in weeks, yeah.” She looks at Harry and he looks at her.
“Alrighty then.” Adam says. “Well, I’ve got most of the coolers packed, got all the sunscreen we could need. I figure we could grill on the boat for lunch later. Sound good with everyone?” Everyone hums in agreement. “Perfect, let’s head out.”
Y/N puts her sunglasses on and goes outside with everyone. She sits down on the boat and watches all the boys while they work to get going. It was quite a sight to see Harry maneuvering the different ropes. Adam drives the boat out, and Harry plops down next to Y/N.
“He’s gonna take us out to this sand bar where other boats anchor. It’s a lot of fun, just swimming around, doing nothing. You can lay out on the other end too, work on your tan.”
“Is that what you’ve been doing?”
“Mhm.” He smiles. “I love sitting out in the sun.”
“Me too. It’s been great working at the bar because I can go to the beach during the day with my friends and stuff, and then just go in at night.”
“How’s the gang doing?”
“Oh, they’re great. Max has a girlfriend, and she’s really nice. She came to visit for a weekend to meet all of us.”
Harry felt slightly relieved knowing that Max was seeing someone. He never brought his uneasiness about him to Y/N, and right now he was especially glad he didn’t.
“That’s nice.” He kisses her cheek.
Once the boat is anchored at the sandbar, Y/N takes her cover up off along with the boys. Having basically grown up in a locker room, Y/N wasn’t really nervous to be so exposed around friends. If they hadn’t seen a boob or a butt cheek by now then that was on them. She takes a few photos on her phone. The view was incredible, and she felt so lucky to be there. Harry comes up from behind her and gives her a squeeze.
“Would you help me with the sunscreen?” He asks.
“Of course!” She sprays it all over him and rubs it in on his back and shoulders. “Do me?”
He nods and does the same for her, making sure to get under her straps so she wouldn’t be splotchy. They hear a few splashes. Louis, Niall, and Clark all jumping in.
“The water’s so warm!” Niall shouts to everyone still aboard.
“I’m not quite ready to go in yet.” Y/N whispers to Harry.
“You don’t have to…here.” He grabs a towel from a bag. “Lay out on this, I’m just gonna go in for a quick dip and then I’ll join you.” He smiles and kisses the tip of her nose.
“M’surprised she’s not right in here with you.” Louis says as Harry swims over to them.
“She…uh…well, she’s got her period.” He whispers. “So I think she’s trying to hold off on going in for a bit.”
“Ah, say no more.” Louis says.
“That’s gotta be so annoying.” Niall says. “Did it just start?”
“No, she said it should end tomorrow, so she just needs to tough it out today.”
“We should have gone to the shops then…” Louis says.
“It’s alright, she can still swim, she just doesn’t want to have to deal with, uh, changing yet I think.”
“Changing what?” Clark asks.
“Her…you know.” Harry says, blushing. “Ugh, can we not talk about this actually?”
“Talk about what?” Ben asks as he swims towards them.
“Nothing.” Harry, Niall, and Louis all say at the same time.
They all hear Y/N laughing from the boat. Adam is sitting next to her on the deck.
“Look, Adam has someone to have girl talk with, this’ll be perfect.” Ben says.
“Oi.” Harry splashes him. “Don’t say shit like that. Just because he’s gay doesn’t mean he’s girly. We all paint our nails and wear jewelry for Christ’s sake, we’re not all exactly following gender norms here.”
“Okay, okay, fuck.” Ben laughs and splashes Harry back.
After his quick dip, Harry joins Y/N on the deck to lay out. She looked perfect to him. Laying on her stomach, he could see the cute curve of her bum. He lays down on a towel next to her, and boops her nose as she turns to look at him.
“How was the water?”
“Nice and warm, ready whenever you are.”
“Sun feels good.” She yawns.
“Good.” He smiles at her. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too.”
Y/N ends up falling asleep for a bit, which Harry thinks is the cutest thing in the world. He nudges her awake, though, and hands her a bottle of water. She shits up and happily takes it.
“Think I’m ready to go in now, I’m hot.”
“Okay.”
He leads her down to where the latter is, and helps her in by giving her a piggy back ride. She warned him that she wasn’t the strongest swimmer before the trip. Luckily, she could easily stand about belly button deep.
“Y/N, catch!” Niall tosses her a tennis ball, and she catches it.
Adam was hanging out on a float nearby with Ben, and Clark was talking with Louis about some soccer player. Y/N, Harry, and Niall get into a game of catch with the tennis ball. Once noon hits, someone has the brilliant idea to start drinking. Y/N goes up on deck with Harry and she pulls him aside.
“Would you come to the bathroom with me?” She whispers as she grabs her beach bag.
“Yeah.”
He leads her below deck and shows her the bathroom. She asks him to just wait outside and guard the door while she’s in there. He hears her grunt painfully before hearing the sink. She comes out with sigh.
“Alright?”
“Yeah…it just…ugh, it’s just annoying. It’s fine.” She takes a moment to look around. “It’s like a little apartment down here, it’s nice.”
“Yeah, the couch turns into a pull out, it’s pretty cool. We’ve all slept out on the boat before. One summer when there was a lot of us someone just used it as a spare room.”
“Who wants vodka?” Adam asks.
“Me!” Y/N says as her and Harry come back up. “Any soda or anything to go with it?”
“Cranberry juice.” Harry says with a grin and Y/N smiles wider.
Ben fires up the grill while everyone starts to drink. It was a delicious lunch that Y/N was grateful for. Everyone was getting a little tipsy, which resulted in Harry (and others) doing a backflip off the deck and into the water. Y/N had no idea Harry would even do that. He must really be letting loose.
Once everyone sobered up a bit, Adam drives the boat back to the house. It was the perfect day in the sun, but Y/N couldn’t wait to shower off all the sunscreen.
“Do you guys wanna, like, chill for a little while? I could use a nap, honestly.” Clark says. “We won’t be heading to the club until midnight so I’d rather sleep and then have a late dinner.”
“Agreed.” Niall says. “I’m exhausted.”
“Midnight?” Y/N says to Harry as they go up to their room.
“Yeah, things are open later here so we go out later. We’ll pregame and stuff like normal, but it’s sort of lame to be the first ones at a club.”
“Right.” She chuckles. “Well, I am in desperate need of a shower.”
“Alright, I suppose I’ll be a gentleman and let you go first.” He rolls his eyes playfully.
“You can come in with me.”
“If I do that I’m gonna need to fuck you, Y/N.”
“Oh.”
“You’ve looked so sexy all day.” He plays with the strap on the top of her bathing suit. “Don’t have much self-control left.”
“I’ll just, um, go in alone then.” She swallows.
She really wanted to have sex with Harry, but it just wasn’t time yet. She takes a quick shower, and he follows in shortly after her. She didn’t seem to be bleeding anymore, but she put a pad on anyways and a large t-shirt. She sinks into the pillows on the bed and waits for Harry.
“Think I need a nap too.” He yawns. “Swimming and day drinking really tires you out.”
“Yeah.” She laughs and opens her arms for him. He rests his head on her chest and gets comfy.
“This is the best.”
“Absolutely.” She plays with his damp hair and he feels like he’s going to melt into her.
“Oh!” He sits up abruptly and looks at her. “I had an epiphany the other night with the guys.”
“About what?”
“What I might like to do after graduation. We were sitting smoking and it just came to me.”
“I’m sorry, did you just say you were smoking?” She sits up with a surprised look on her face.
“I don’t do it during the school year because sometimes I wig out, but I was fine the other night. Anyways, do you wanna hear what I wanna do?”
“Of course, lay it on me.”
“Human Resources.”
“What about it?”
“That’s what I want to do, Y/N! I all of these ethics classes would really prepare me for that field, and I could literally work anywhere. I’d probably have to start out doing some customer service work and then slowly work my way up, but I think I could be good at it.”
“You wanna deal with sexual harassment stuff?”
“That’s not the only thing that HR reps do, there’s payroll, workplace compliance with dress code and safety. I’d be like Toby from The Office, only cool.”
Y/N smiles and giggle for a moment.
“Well, you’re clearly excited about it, so I think it’s great. Course, I think you’d be good at anything you set your mind to.”
“Thanks, babe. I know it sounds like a boring job, but I don’t think it has to be. Plus, you can make a fuck ton of money.”
“Is that the most important thing to you?”
“No, I suppose being happy is, but a decent salary would be nice too.”
“You’d probably have to wear a suit every day.” She bites her bottom lip.
“Mhm, probably.”
“Sexiest HR rep in the history of HR reps.”
He smiles as he leans in to kiss her. She pulls him on top of her, but keeps her legs closed. After a quick make out session, they decide just to cuddle and snooze for a bit. Harry wakes up to a lack of warmth. He sits up when he doesn’t feel Y/N next to him. She comes out of the bathroom and looks at him.
“What time is it?” He knuckles at his eyes.
“A little after six. What do you think we’re doing for dinner?”
“Ben said he’d make fresh pasta.” Harry yawns and stretches. “It’s his turn to cook.” He gives her a kiss on the cheek before looking for some clothes.
“What should I wear tonight? I have this cute red dress…” She pulls it out of the closet and his eyes grow wide. He puts his glasses on so he can see better.
“That’s…wow, yeah, that’ll look great on you.”
“I really like the cut out on the front. I’ll just put some shorts and a t-shirt on for now. No use in getting ready yet.”
“Right.”
Harry just throws on a pair of shorts and looks at her.
“Must be nice to just walk around shirtless all the time. Wish I could do the same.”
“Well, you could, but I wouldn’t feel terribly comfortable with all of the guys ogling you.” He smirks and she nudges him out of the room.
“Something smells good!” She says as she sees Ben over the stove. “You really made fresh pasta?”
“Yup, and meatballs. Mum’s recipe.”
Y/N was amazed at seeing so many guys just being domestic. Her freshman year of college she had made friends with a few guys on the men’s hockey team and their apartment was always gross. They never did their laundry and always ordered takeout. This was one of the things Y/N really liked about Harry. He was clean and respectful, and it was nice to see he surrounded himself with similar people.
“Oh my fucking god.” She moans as she takes a bit of the food. “That’s delicious.”
“Thanks.” Ben beams. “Hear that, mate, she likes my cooking.”
“Don’t get too cocky, she likes mine plenty, right?” Harry says to her.
“Of course, babe.”
“Babe.” Adam and Clark say together lovingly.
“Enough teasing.” Harry points his knife at them. “Get enough of it from these two at school.”
“Please, we hardly tease you.” Louis scoffs.
“You did when we first started going out, it was so annoying.” Harry rolls his eyes.
“You teased him?” Y/N looks at Louis and Niall. “Not very nice boys.” She shakes her head as she takes another bite.
“It was all in good fun.” Niall says.
After cleaning up dinner, the drinks come back out and everyone does shots of tequila. This was what Y/N had been missing. Just hanging out with people her own age without any parents around.
“Wait, so I need to ask.” Clark starts. “Why hockey?”
“I was too aggressive for soccer and lacrosse. No padding.” She takes another shot and sucks on a lime.
“Jesus.” Adam says. “Why were you so aggressive?”
“I had a lot of, um, pent up anger from my parent’s split…we had to see, um, well it was suggested to me that I try hockey. I already knew how to skate, so it wasn’t difficult for me to pick up.”
“She’s brilliant on the ice.” Harry says, putting an arm around her. “I bet you’ll be captain senior year.”
“Do you have siblings, do they play sports?” Ben asks.
“My younger sister does theater, she’s going to this school…um…AMDA in New York this fall, I’m really excited for her, she’s very talented. My little brother plays hockey too…for the same reasons. At least the boys get to hit each other.” She scoffs. “If there had been a female football league I think I would have done that, but it didn’t exist so hockey it was. Besides, I really do just love it. My mom was able to send me to hockey camp a couple times, and I got to meet some nice people that I still stay in touch with. It’s just a great sport.”
Pregaming was good, but it was getting to be time to change. Y/N takes her hair out of its bun and shakes it out. She had some nice beach waves from earlier. She touches up her makeup, and slips into her dress. It was tight, red, and had a cutout just below her breasts. It wasn’t something she wore often, but she thought a club in Italy would be a perfect occasion. She slips her white tennis shoes on, ever the practical person. Harry feels the wind get knocked out of him when she steps out of the bathroom.
He didn’t look too shabby himself. A white, silk short-sleeve shirt with the first few buttons undone, and a pair of black shorts. He looks her up and down after putting his contacts in.
“Jesus.”
“Isn’t it cute?” She spins around for him.
“Very.” He puts his hands on her hips. “Do we need to leave?”
“Harry.” She giggles. “We can get frisky when we get back.”
“Does that mean-“
“Mhm.” She winks at him.
The boys were all dressed and ready, and a few paid some compliments to Y/N. Harry keeps his arm around her as they walk to the downtown area. They’re able to get into the club with ease, and they all go up to the bar. The bartender gives Y/N’s hers on the house and she smiles.
The music was good, they all dance as a group, but Harry dances behind Y/N with his hands on her hips, which she didn’t mind one bit. His friends had seen him dance with plenty of girls, it wasn’t awkward or anything. They all drank a fuck ton as the night went on. Y/N was loving having her dance partner back. Her head was rolled back onto Harry’s chest while they grind together. He turns her around and pulls her close so he can kiss her, tongue immediately going into her mouth. She wraps her arms around his neck and tugs him as close as they could possibly be. This kiss is hot and forceful. Her fingers lace through his hair.
“Fuck.” He breathes. “Need to get you out of here.” He nearly growls. Y/N nods her head, too frazzled to speak.
Harry finds Adam and lets him know they’re leaving. They both walk quickly, hand in hand, out of the club. The walk back to the house felt like any other time they left a party to go get busy. They giggle and stop to steal kisses until they get to where they need to be. He gets her inside and lifts her over his shoulder.
“Harry!” She squeals.
“Shh, some of the boys could have brought people back.” He gives her bum a little smack as he carries her up the stairs. She laughs, but does as he says to try to stay quiet.
He gets them both on the bed, and she straddles him immediately, her hair falling into her face as she sucks on his bottom lip. He helps move it out of the way, and this his hand slide down her body to grope and squeeze at her ass. She rocks her lips against his, and at this point it just feels torturous for them both. He grabs her hips and gets her on her back.
“You’re really all good?”
“Mhm.”
He lifts the hem of her dress and bunches it up by her hips. His mouth falls open when he sees the red thong she had paired with the dress.
“You’re the devil.” He says, kissing her lips as he pets over her. “You’re good, you’re okay with this?”
“Yes, so okay with it, please.” She nearly whines.
He moves the thin material to the side, and slides two of his fingers inside her. They swallow each other’s moans. He uses his other hand to yank her breasts out of the top of her dress, something she wasn’t expecting, and then he sucks on one of her nipples while he fingers her. Her back arches when his fingers curl up against her g-spot.
“There we are.” He smirks. “Like that, baby girl?”
“Yeah, just like that, Harry.” Her head rolls back into the pillow. “Oh my god, oh my fucking god.” She moans.
“That’s it, let it all out for me.”
He was knuckle deep, and she couldn’t control any of the noises leaving her mouth. She cries out when she comes to her release. He gives her moment before pulling his fingers out. She looks up at him.
“Get your clothes off, now.” She demands.
“Yes ma’am.” He says, saluting her and getting up.
She helps him get his shirt off, attaching her lips to his stomach and sucking on his special spots. His hips buck forward. He tugs her dress off, and his pants drop to the ground at the same time. She wiggles out of her thong, and Harry rids himself of his boxers.
“Really wanna feel you, can we do that?” She pouts at him.
“Yeah.”
She pins him down and straddles him, lining herself up with him and sinking down. They both let out throaty moans at the contact.
“You’re so fucking tight.” He groans as he rocks her back and forth on him.
“Been too long without you.” She starts bouncing up and down on him slowly, and he rubs her clit. “Fuck, Harry.” She squeezes around him.
“Come as many times as you want, don’t hold back.” He says, rubbing her faster.
Her body falls on his and she cries out into his neck. He helps her move back and forth on him as she comes to. She knew she was overly sensitive from having not been touched by him in two months. He looks at her and opens his mouth. Her eyebrows raise, but then she remembers what he wants her to do. She wells up some spit and lets it drip slowly from her tongue to his. He swallows it and smiles up at her. A hand goes to the back of her head, and he yanks her face down to his so he can kiss her. Their tongue move around each other as he thrusts up into her.
“Need it from behind.” He says against her mouth.
She gets off him and gets in position for him. He gives her a gentle smack before sliding back in. His hands grip at her hips as he thrusts in and out.
“Gonna fuck you every day for the next two weeks, as many times as you want. You just say the word, and it’ll be just like this.”
“Fuck, Harry.” His words alone were going to make her lose it again.
“Don’t care where we are, if you want my cock, my mouth, my fingers, you’ve got it.”
She moans out as she comes again, and he loves the way she tightens around him, but he’s trying to hold on a little longer. He hadn’t fucked her in so long, and even though he knew they could do it again, he just wanted to enjoy the initial moment a little longer. He pulls out of her and gets her on her back, and in he goes once against. He takes her hands and pins them on either side of her head. He kisses her as he rocks in and out.
“H-Harry?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“Oh, baby, I love you too.” He kisses her.
Things had turned from rushed and frantic to loving and sweet. She rocks her hips along with his, and it feels amazing. He slows down the pace to really just take her all in.
“Love you so much.” He whispers in her ear. He picks up the pace a little, and he can feel himself getting closer.
“Please, come inside me, Harry.” She whimpers. “Wanna feel all of you.”
He bites down on her neck while he comes and she moans out at the feeling of him filling her up. He kisses her cheeks and nips at her lips before slowly pulling out. She gasps at the loss of him at first. She gets up to use the bathroom quickly, and then gets into bed with him. He tugs her to lay fully on top of him. She nuzzles into his chest, leaving kisses every few moments. He rubs her back and moves some hair away from her face so she’ll look up at him. He opens his mouth to say something, but he feels good about the comfortable silence. He opts to just kiss her forehead instead. They both sigh with happiness.
As they fell asleep in each other’s arms, neither had a care in the world. They both knew this was the only time in their lives that they could be so carefree, and they weren’t going to waste it or worry. They wanted to be with each other right now, and that was good enough for the both of them.
719 notes · View notes
makeste · 4 years
Text
BnHA Chapter 278: MOMO IN CHARGE
Previously on BnHA: Deku and Kacchan were all “SIR, THAT’S OUR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SENSEI” and got really ferocious and made a very passionate attempt to blow Tomura up and it was great. It basically did nothing, but it was still great. AFO was all “COME HERE LIL BRO”, and Tomura was all “silly Sensei, you can’t just take over my mind and body just like that”, and he was very confident of this despite there really being no evidence to back it up, but okay! Gran was all “time to make the fandom mad at me” and grabbed Tomura by the collar and yelled at him about Nana a bit, and then Bakugou and Endeavor made an even MORE passionate attempt to blow up Tomura, which may or may not have done some actual damage. The chapter ended with Gigantomachia battling Mt. Lady, just kinda out of the blue, which is FINE, but she had better be all right, though!
Today on BnHA: Everyone is all “WAUGHH IT’S GIGANTOMACHIA” and running around freaking out about it. The U.A. alums all kick some ass, and pretty much everyone else not from U.A. does jack fucking shit. Mt. Lady, who I plan on naming all of my future children after, does her best to stop Machia but he keeps flinging her aside. Kamui Woods is all “here I come with Midnight to put Gigantomachia to sleep!” and is PROMPTLY FUCKING MURDERED!? by Dabi because he’s a flammable tree man, and so Midnight falls all the way to the ground and is badly injured. So then she’s all “well I better call the most competent person I can think of to fix this mess” and dials up YAOYOROZU FUCKING MOMO, who proceeds to take charge LIKE THE BOSS SHE IS, and mobilizes the rest of the kids. And honestly I have more faith in them than in any of the adults at this point, so yeah, you know what? Let’s do this.
so I am possibly a bit spoiled on this chapter because I did a “top five predictions” post earlier this week, and someone replied to that yesterday on Thursday saying that they were mostly correct. I don’t know exactly how close to the mark I was though, and in any case most of the predictions were just “so-and-so shows up, probably”, so it’s not too bad. we’ll see how it goes!
OH THANK GOD MY BABIES ARE SAFE
Tumblr media
I mean, CLEARLY they’re all about to be in horrible danger, seeing as Jirou is about to inform them of the whole “THE BIG GUY EVERYONE WAS AFRAID ABOUT WAKING UP WOKE UP” thing, but in the meantime at least Kami and Toadette and Honenuki made it back to the group safely
also Kaminari’s use of “Jirou-Jack” here is fucking inspired and I want him to teach a class on nicknames. isn’t he the one who coined “Yaomomo” as well? this boy has a gift and it needs to be appreciated
so Jirou is all “SOMETHING REALLY BIG IS COMING”, and actually she says “INSANELY HUGE”, which if anything is still an understatement, hard as it is to believe
WOW
Tumblr media
“A BAD GUY IS HEADING THIS WAY?? SOUNDS LIKE IT’S TIME TO ABANDON THE CHILDREN IN THE WOODS” kjlfakh okay you know what?? fine!! you weren’t even going to do anything anyway so let’s not pretend!!
holy shit it’s like Mt. Lady isn’t even there
Tumblr media
look at those speed lines!! goddamn. I just felt this huge rush of empathy for Mt. Lady though. like can you imagine growing up with this super-destructive quirk, and managing to become a hero with it against all odds, and having to put up with the manga making fun of you all the time just because sometimes you have a tendency to DESTROY A LOT OF STUFF, but it’s not like you can help it!! but the upside has always been that when your quirk is on, you are fucking UNSTOPPABLE though. so even though it’s been a hell of a rough ride for you, it’s worth it because you’re a complete badass and the number of people who can beat you out in terms of sheer physical strength is probably in the single digits. and you’re working really hard too, and lately you’ve been moving up through the ranks and actually becoming a damn fine hero if I do say so myself (and I do), and it’s like, about time though?? like finally, finally it is all starting to come together for you. and then this snarling trashrock person suddenly comes stampeding along and you put your all into trying to stop him, and it doesn’t even do a damn thing. like, holy shit. that’s just not fucking fair and YOU DESERVE BETTER, MT. LADY
anyway so she’s still hanging in there for now though so let’s check in with our villain squad riding on his back
lmaooo they’re all “I don’t even understand what is going on here”
Tumblr media
YOU GUYS, THIS IMPLIES THAT THEY WERE ALL PLUCKED OFF THE GROUND BY THE SCRUFFS OF THEIR NECKS AND THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SAY IN THE MATTER OMG. like I’m picturing Spinner being held by his cape pinched in between Machia’s thumb and forefinger, and awkwardly trying to lecture him like a mom with his hands on his hips all, “BAD GIGANTOMACHIA! NO! NOOOUAGH -- !” and cutting off with a yelp as he’s dropped onto his back
and I am glad they got Toga some clothes! I like to think Gigantomachia grabbed those for her as well. so thoughtful
wow Skeptic actually wants to go back to Re-Destro??
Tumblr media
color me legit impressed. I underestimated your loyalty my dude. and let me also just take this moment to extend my gratitude toward Horikoshi for leaving the rest of the MLA out of it because good fucking riddance to them, goodbye forever hopefully!!
I guess they’ll be needing Skeptic’s quirk down the line for some reason? maybe he is meant to be like a new, less out-of-control Twice. smdh y’all out here trying to replace your dead buddy like a pet goldfish
who is this “they” Dabi is referring to
Tumblr media
do you mean the heroes? lol yeah I guess they’re pretty distracted by the literal fucking kaijuu you’re currently piggybacking on
SIGH
Tumblr media
“the Jakku team must’ve made a mistake” BOY, I’LL SAY. you know what, don’t even talk to me about that yet. it’s still too fresh. suffice it to say that your suspicions are correct and things in Jakku are not very daijobu right about now
anyway here’s a closeup of this bubble person just cuz
Tumblr media
they are everything and I want them to be my friend. also there’s a squid person a few paces behind them who can probably do anything a squid can do. or they might actually be a shark person, actually. I don’t know. either way I love them
GETEN PLEASE GO AWAY
Tumblr media
WE ARE PHASING OUT THE MLA!! MOVING FORWARD IT’S ORIGINAL LOV ONLY!! I’M SORRY BUT YOU DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT. we already have an ice character so shoo
OH DAMN MY MAN CEMENTOSS HAS HAD ENOUGH OF HIS NONSENSE TOO AHHHH YESS
Tumblr media
1) hey so Cementoss is legit terrifying who’d’ve thought
and 2), did Cementoss always have a mouthful of gigantic perfect teeth each the size of a slice of bread, or is this just something I’m only noticing now because I’m behind the curve. either way, let me just say sincerely, DKJDLKFJLSKJG
RE-DESTRO YOU GO AWAY TOO!!
Tumblr media
@waywardfacegarden​ you asked the other day which are the characters I actually dislike, and this is one of them lol. he’s just a big ol’ prick, and on top of that has the audacity to not even be interesting in any way so as to balance it out. anyway so apologies to any Re-Destro stans out there but I basically spend every panel he’s in hoping that someone will punch him in the face hard enough to finally make him shut up
anyway so my man Edgeshot is here though, finally!! but of all the people for him to fight! this is a real predicament for me. the most soothing character in the series contrasted with the character who grates my nerves the most. Edgeshot’s sexy ASMR voice is gonna be drowned out by all of RD’s punching and self-important ranting in the anime and I’m lowkey devastated but I’m gonna pull myself together and read on
SPEAKING OF SELF-IMPORTANT RANTING
Tumblr media
Edge, if you can liberate us from having to put up with his insufferable ass once and for all I will be so grateful to you. can you do this. please. for me
and it looks like some other boring MLA villains are following along behind Machia so I’m gonna need someone to kick their asses as well. please
-- YESSSSSS
Tumblr media
okay so now I see what that comment on my prediction post was referring to lol. I did indeed have my fingers crossed that these two would show up again, and sure enough! THE GANG’S ALL HERE YAY
and Mt. Lady is being sumoed aside!
Tumblr media
anyone want tonight’s lotto numbers. during this brief fleeting moment of having my predictions be actually credible, I would just like to say that Hagakure is the U.A. traitor. thank you and goodnight
OH NO KAMUI IS WORRIED
Tumblr media
HE LOOKS SO PANICKED?? OUT OF THE BLUE I SHIP IT SO MUCH?? I keep forgetting they’re on the same team and stuff and wow, I need to calm down
LOL MIDNIGHT IS ALL “NO TIME FOR SHIPS!!”
Tumblr media
I wonder if her quirk will actually be enough to take him down? this is something I’ve been itching to see for a long time, actually. just how powerful is she? we know her quirk is more effective on males than females, but is anyone actually capable of resisting it? imagine if she really did just knock Gigantomachia out after all of this buildup. that would be some god-tier shit omg, DO IT
(ETA: I am just going to assume that since Horikoshi had to go to elaborate lengths to take her out of the fight, this means that her quirk really was capable of knocking them all out. another tragic case of Too Badass For The Plot. y’all better respect Midnight.)
YESSSSSSSS
Tumblr media Tumblr media
is she stripping. you know what -- don’t think about it. I won’t let you ruin this for me Horikoshi. Midnight’s gonna be a badass because the ladies are fucking ruling this arc and that’s all there is to it
NOOOOOO
Tumblr media
DABI GET BACK HERE I JUST WANT TO TALK!!
oh thank god, she’s all right. BUT KAMUI ISN’T THOUGH DLKJSFLKSJDG??!
Tumblr media
did Kamui Woods just... die
(ETA: okay but for real, is there an actual curse in effect on the Billboard Top Ten right now, though?? did one of them accidentally disturb the tomb of some ancient king??)
...
Tumblr media
( ・ั﹏・ั)
oH MY GOD!?!
Tumblr media
NOOOOOOO WHY ARE YOU SO QUICK TO SLEEP ON MAJESTIC, LET’S SEE IF THEY CAN DO IT!! GIVE US MAJESTIC GOD DAMMIT
(ETA: Horikoshi is seriously just yanking our chain at this point. when Majestic finally does show up, he or she better have the coolest fucking quirk of all time, that’s all I’m saying.)
okay how badly injured is Midnight here, though?? she just fell all that way?? DO I NEED TO BE REALLY MAD. I CAN WORK MY WAY UP TO IT PRETTY QUICKLY, JUST SAY THE WORD. I’M ALREADY HALFWAY THERE HONESTLY. WHERE’S KAMUI WOODS
!!!!!!!!!!!
Tumblr media
AND JUST LIKE THAT MY ANGER EVAPORATES INTO THE NIGHT, YESSSSSSSSS!! MOMOOOOO
holy shit. “a quirk that can stop that thing,” she says. and goes and calls YAOYOROZU FUCKING MOMO y’all I am barely holding myself back from SCREAMING right now I...
you guys
Tumblr media
you guys. if Midnight and Yaomomo team up to take down Gigantofuckingmachia using some sort of MOMO MADE A MACHINE TO SPREAD MIDNIGHT’S QUIRK strategy, or whatnot?? I will fucking die on the spot. you can end the manga right there. Kacchan you can keep your quirk I don’t even care
“IT MIGHT BE AGAINST THE LAW” lmaooooo insert John Mulaney “WE’RE WELL PAST THAT” gif here. holy shit. listen, that is fine. if anything it’s even better
WHAT THE FUCK
Tumblr media
DO I NEED TO START GETTING REALLY MAD AGAIN!?!?! FUCKING WHIPLASH, IS WHAT THIS IS, BUT YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT SORT OF OVER-THE-TOP REACTION IS NEEDED HERE AND I’LL GO FOR IT
(((( ;°Д°))))
Tumblr media
[GRABS HORIKOSHI BY THE COLLAR] listen, you. if you only just now, for the first time ever, gave us a lady hero actually mentoring another lady hero, which we have somehow NEVER HAD BEFORE in almost three hundred chapters, only for you to then KILL OFF THE MENTOR IN THE MIDDLE OF HER GODDAMN SPEECH TO THE MENTOREE, I will... there’s... I’ll... okay, listen. DON’T. THERE WILL BE A RECKONING. CAPSLOCK SUCH AS THIS WORLD HAS NEVER WITNESSED!!
ヽ(#゚Д゚)ノ┌┛
Tumblr media Tumblr media
I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO REACT TO ANYTHING IN THIS CHAPTER AND I’M LOSING MY MIND OVER IT
so the other kids are all “what the fuck” and “so Momo’s in charge??” which, YES!!! IT’S THE ONE GOOD PART ABOUT ALL THIS SO DON’T YOU DARE QUESTION IT
MOMO NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE CRIPPLED BY YOUR ANXIETY, YOU CAN DO THIS GIRL I BELIEVE IN YOU
Tumblr media
hell, it’s not even just an “I believe in you” thing, because it’s not just belief, it’s fact. you motherfucking can do this, you are the most capable and brilliant student in 1-A, you just gotta have faith and let yourself shine!!
so now there are some more panels of Machia running and the villains and heroes fighting, blah blah blah. and Momo screwing up her face as she makes her decision...
YESSSSSSSSS
Tumblr media
my baby girl is all grown up and TAKING THESE MOTHERFUCKIN REINS and MOMO I WILL LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU JUST SAY THE WORD!!
lol she’s all “Jirou use your ears and scientifically calculate how long it’ll take him to get here”, and Jirou is all “I can literally fucking see him, he’s gonna be on top of us in like two seconds” WELL OKAY THEN
thank god there are no adult pros left to fuck this up. is that weird that this is a real and honest and completely sincere thought that just ran through my head? like, at this point if any of the adults were around I’d just be afraid of them dying honestly. but with the kids I actually feel real hope that they’re somehow gonna do this. of course it helps that unlike the adults they’re pretty safe from being killed off
also! way to represent the entirety of class 1-B there Honenuki lulz. sorry, The Rest of Class 1-B
OH MY GOD
Tumblr media
MT. LADY I WILL LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU AS WELL!! YOU HAVE MY LOVE AND FEALTY!!
Tumblr media
I’M STANNING HER SO HARD I’M GONNA EXPLODE SOMEBODY HELP!?!
JIROU SAYS THAT MACHIA HAS SLOWED DOWN!! YOU GUYS I’M ABOUT TO GET “MT. LADY FOR PRESIDENT” TATTOOED ACROSS MY FOREHEAD
lmao at Shouji using his power of “putting some extra eyeballs on my arms” to inform everyone that Gigantomachia is Right Over There and Very Big
Tumblr media
good job Shouji
oh my glob I have so much love for Momo right now that it can’t even fucking be contained. brb wildly flailing my hands around a little to try and release some of this excess excitement
Tumblr media
maybe Momo can be president instead and Mt. Lady can be the vice president
NO THE CHAPTER IS ENDING I’M NOT READY
Tumblr media
AND JUMP IS ON BREAK AGAIN NEXT WEEK TOO, FML!!
okay!!
Kaminari is so fucking brave right now I just want to crush him in a hug?! we know he’s still scared!! look at his eyes!! and he was freaking the hell out earlier too, and now the situation is much worse! but he doesn’t give a fuck because his friends need him! he is ready to be a hero, my little baby boy is all grown up and I’m so proud??
Mineta’s face in the bottom right corner is everything. I know, I know, boooo Mineta, but that’s still the best face anyone has made in the entirety of this manga
Tetsutetsu’s out here all “I humbly request to also represent class 1-B” and Momo is all “okay fine I guess we can have two of you guys”
can we all just stop for a moment to appreciate how KamiJirouMomo is alive and well. like, we had interactions between all three of them in this chapter, in all possible permutations? do you know how happy this makes me?? I am vibrating with joy??!
I really can’t stress this enough -- I have no clue at all what these little soda can things are (anesthetic, I guess??? you know, like how you sometimes buy cans of anesthetic at the supermarket?? what do you mean you don’t do that??), or what they’re gonna do with them. I have like negative clues. but DAMNED IF I GIVE ONE SINGLE FUCK. the next chapter can be them all fucking hurling them at his face for all I care. THE DETAILS OF HOW SHE KICKS HIS ASS DO NOT MATTER!! GOOD MORNING TO YAOMOMO AND YAOMOMO ONLY!! MY MOMO ACADEMIA
432 notes · View notes
vei-saretti · 4 years
Text
Part one of my "Let's roast Attack of the Clones".
I still don't understand how we got The Clone Wars, arguably one of the best Star Wars television media, out of this steaming pile of bad dialogue and awkward romance. I just... How.
This movie starts out with a bang, doesn't it? :D (Sorry, Cordé)
Speaking of Clone Wars, I love how now because of that show, I actually have genuine feelings for the once nameless Jedi that show up in the background, like Plo Koon and Luminara.
Haydennnn! I'm a firm believer that, like little Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen also did nothing wrong, he was just a bit less experienced than the other actors and was given shitty dialogue on top of that. The kid did his best. And I love him for it. But also why does he sometimes sound like a Brit trying to pass off a shitty American accent lol. Dude's American already. I read somewhere that the reason he speaks the way he does might be because he was trying to replicate the speech patterns Vader has in the OT, and just the general way he talks, which, if true, is I guess commendable, but he sounds like an idiot half the time.
Hayden and Ewan had great chemistry considering the awful script. I hate when people say they didn't. It's the dialogue that's awkward and clunky, not the actors' chemistry.
UGH ANAKIN STOP TRYING TO SOUND SMOOTH YOU SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT. And he acts like an emo from 2005 in this movie and it's so fuckin' cringyyyy.
I can't wait for them to bring Temuera back. I miss his voice. He's such a badass as Jango.
Anakin, sounding like a teenage girl: sHe'S nOt LiKe ThE oThEr GiRlZ, mAsTeR.
These worm things are probably why centipedes make me wanna die when they get in my house.
"The Chancellor isn't corrupt." LMAO ANAKIN YOU DUMB HIMBO.
Obi-Wan: Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin. Don't rush into things, Anakin.
Also Obi-Wan: Dives headfirst out a window after a fucking droid.
What even is the whole droid/speeder chase though? It's like George just decided that anything goes and the audience will just take his shit (spoiler alert: We did).
How much do you wanna bet Jango was following this whole chase just like "Smfh, do I have to do everything myself?"
Obi-Wan saying he hates it when Anakin jumps off high things when Obi-Wan didn't just do that himself 5 minutes ago would be me as a parent.
Idk why, but "She went into the club, Master!" is a way more funny line to me than it should be.
Yeah, Death Sticks dude is hilarious, but can we talk about the pink Twi'lek that looks like she fell in love when Anakin waves at her table lmao. Like honestly same, girl, same.
Ooh Anthony Daniels cameo.
And here we see Padmé turning over her power to the most powerful Sith in the-- Oh, whoops, I mean Jar Jar Binks. Silly me.
How does Padmé see Anakin bitch out like a child and still wanna fuck him? I don't get it. Like he's cute and all but his personality is uglyyyy. To be fair though, Obi-Wan seems like he can be a dick sometimes. Very helicopter parent seeming.
EW STOP WITH THAT CREEPY EXPRESSION YOU LOOK LIKE A SERIAL KILLER. And didn't Anakin learn anything from Obi-Wan's constant flirting with anything with legs? Why is he so bad at pick up lines?
Padmé talking down Anakin as a Jedi in front of the Naboo dignitaries is incredibly awkward and just downright rude, honestly. I hate how that scene feels and I really wish they had taken it out or just not had it in the first place. What purpose did it serve? We're trying to root for their romance, not pit them against each other, damn...
I love the look of the Kaminoans. Creepy as hell but fun to look at. Their history is very interesting as well.
THE LAKE DRESS MY GOD THE LAKE DRESS. I love it so much, but also is she trying to tempt poor Anakin? It practically goes down to her ass in the back...
"We keep him here", like Jango is a pet dog or something lol.
I just love how the Jedi Order essentially ordered Anakin to go on a romantic getaway with a very attractive young female senator like that wasn't the worst fucking decision in the history of ever. "Oh yes, this horny 20 year old Padawan with an authority problem would never do anything behind our backs."
Oh look, it's my Mandalorian husband (sorry, actual husband :* love you). But really though, I'm so sad that this and the video game Bounty Hunter are the most Temuera ever got to play Jango, other than the occasional one line part. Jango is who made me fall in love with Mandalorian culture and we were robbed, man. Can't believe it took 18 years to bring Tem back to Star Wars. Disgraceful. The guy is amazing. And the way he speaks Mando'a? Ugh, perfection.
Why is Padmé insisting on wearing the sexiest outfits she owns? Like what is this slinky black corset number? It's like she's trying to torment him.
Also Hayden delivers these awful fucking lines better than most would in his situation... Even Natalie is struggling. But Hayden's speech at the beginning of the fireside scene is just sooooo cringy, no one could save that. Not even Leonardo DiCaprio could make that sound romantic.
This Obi-Wan vs. Jango fight is AMAZING. I'm pretty sure this is the first time we ever saw a Mandalorian really fight. Now we have a whole TV show. Oh, how the times change.
The seismic charges are hands down the most satisfying sounding weapon in all of Star Wars. I have it as my text ringtone. Scares the shit out of me whenever I get a text. 10/10.
21 notes · View notes
mysterylover123 · 5 years
Text
BNHA Rewatch: Two Heroes
mysterylover123
And before we start Season 3, one more road stop: The Big Freaking Movie, Two Heroes, last year’s surprise anime blockbuster and HeroAca’s first excursion onto the big screen. Time to share my thoughts and rewatch this very entertaining film!
Tumblr media
We open with bald eagles, deserts, and cowpoke themes, to make sure we know we’re in America. We fly into “California” which looks more like Las Vegas (not really complaining, I loooove that they picked my hometown state for this) to find young, white schlera eye-having All Might and his hunky bro David Shield kicking ass and taking names. My state’s name, to be precise. 
Tumblr media
Some exposition follows, basically recapping the premise of HeroAca, as I’m reminded of what a stroke of genius Hori had when he decided to make the MC an easy expositor thanks to his geeky knowledge of all things Hero. Deku will always be Captain Exposition.
Tumblr media
Melissa! She’s fun and adorable and amazing, and I just love that the first HeroAca movie chooses to focus on a geeky, kind and energetic lady. 
Deku looking back and forth between Melissa’s breasts and All Might’s crotch belt is peak Bi energy.
Tumblr media
I’m so jealous that Melissa gets to touch Deku’s hand.
Tumblr media
Melissa describing All Might as someone David ‘loves’ is just throwing away all pretence of his heterosexuality, if it ever existed. How the hell did this guy end up with a kid?
Tumblr media
Deku blushing around and enthusing over both Melissa and David is max bi energy.
Tumblr media
Uraraka’s Annoying Crush Counter: 5
Tumblr media
But I’m glad the girls are here! The Bones animators clearly know well what the fanbase wants to see, choosing to give all 6 class 1-A girls at least a cameo in the film, and three of them involved in the main plot. I especially love that, despite being initially pitted against each other, Uraraka and Melissa develop a bit of a womance in the film. OchaLissa ship!
Tumblr media
My one major regret about this film is that Mineta is included in the Main Cast. I wish either Mina or Tsuyu had come along for the ride instead - one, they’re better, more lovable characters who could do the same job he does, and two, then we’d have a nearly gender-even cast! (6 Boys: Deku, Katsuki, Tenya, Shoto, Kiri, Kaminari; 5 Girls: Ochaco, Momo, Jiro, Melissa, Mina or Tsu). 
Tumblr media
Kacchan makes his appearance! This bit was leaked online before the film’s release and drew quite a lot of ire from BKDK shippers and Bakugo fans. I’m mostly annoyed that Deku is acting OOC here; this is Post-Final Exam Deku, post Hero Killer Deku. Would the guy who punched All Might in the face and Bakugo in the face and the Hero Killer in the face be cowering in fear behind Iida, the guy whose life he saved, from the guy he, only a few weeks ago, punched in the face?! Badass Deku Rights!
Tumblr media
Ooh a wild Todobaku moment! I always love when they bicker. Or rather, Katsuki bickers and Shoto ignores him.
OH NO you cannot slap me with the Ingenium OST theme and hardcore feels out of nowhere! God this scene is heartbreaking. I love, however, the cut to the whole of Class 1-A and Melissa when they talk about the future.
Tumblr media
AH Bakugo’s feet! Why are we staring up his crotch? So this movie has a lot of KiriBaku scenes, and I should probably talk about them a little, since their friendship is a big deal in S3. They’re the only major HeroAca ship I’ve never shipped as a romantic pairing, per se. Like, in this scene, I see Kiri as Katsuki’s wingman, his bro, the guy who teases him about his obvious feelings from someone, not as the guy he has feelings for.
Tumblr media
And for Kiri’s sake, I kinda dislike making him basically Bakugo’s sidekick. He willingly hangs out with the guy, when he wants to, in canon, he doesn’t follow him around and become the butt of the joke, and he has lots of other relationships in canon to draw from, so this dynamic between them doesn’t appeal to me.
Tumblr media
Melissa being a quirkless kid like Deku is a great idea for the film, especially since she and David still find a way to help others. They’re a brighter image of the person Izuku could have been. 
Tumblr media
Full Gauntlet is pretty cool
Tumblr media
Everyone dresses up pretty! The movie suits/dresses are awesome and (almost) everyone looks great. Why Deku is wearing a baggy zoot-suity mess is beyond me, but hey, he sheds it pretty quickly so I’m not complaining. 
Tumblr media
If by ‘female assassin’ you mean Beauty Queen. Jiro is gorgeous.
Tumblr media
OK the plot ensues! Darn, I could’ve easily enjoyed a movie that was just everyone hanging out and goofing off...ah well, I still love what we got.
This villain does what neither Tomura nor All for One could ever do! Subdue All Might! My god he’s a criminal mastermind!
Tumblr media
Deku wants to help, and everyone but Shoto basically piles on the bandwagon afterwards. “And me!” “And me!” “Me too!” “And Me” “Nobody cares Mineta.” I like how they bring up the Powers dilemma, since that’s a big deal in Season 3.
I was pretty impressed by the amount of level grinding our heroes had to do to make it to the top floor. 200 freaking floors, that’s impressive.
Tumblr media
Todoroki saved Bakugo! Yay! BTW I love all the tactical planning stuff in this portion, and how lots of characters get to contribute.
Tumblr media
10 little superheroes, trying to save the day. Two got lost and then there were eight.
Tumblr media
8 little superheroes, escaping from the garden. One saved the others and then there were seven.
Tumblr media
7 little superheroes running against the sea, four were trapped by robots and then there were three. (i don’t count mineta). 
Tumblr media
Three little superheroes, reached the top and flew; one had to float them so then there were two. (she’s fine, Bakugo saved her. Save to win!)
Two little superheroes, faced with a gun. One fell out the window and then there was - never mind, she saved him, he’s fine.
That was fun. Anyway, to sum, the group gets split up as they work to get to the top, leaving only Deku and Melissa to reach the final boss dungeon. Highlights include the usual Kamijiro bantering, Todobaku making an awesome combat move, Uraraka standing against the coming onslaught of robots in a weirdly dramatic scene, and Reciproburst.
Tumblr media
Dislikes include Kirishima being portrayed as not much use and kind of stupid (c’mon, he can do better than that!) and Uraraka not getting to kick any real ass other than floating Melissa and Deku. 
Tumblr media
So we make it to Dramatic Plot Twist Tower and find out that David set up the whole thing. I joke, but I actually didn’t see this coming the first time around and was genuinely surprised. I also think it fits really well with the story they’re telling here: about trying to hold onto the past and forgetting to look to the future. I usually measure good plot twists in terms of how they change the story, characters and themes, and this one does.
On the other hand, Sam betraying him is just kind of silly. “Oh no, not...that guy!”
Tumblr media
The villain being named Wolfram makes me wonder if there are any secret Buffyverse fans on Bones’ writing staff. With the next movie’s villain be named Hart?
I love how Melissa is a quirkless character who gets to save the day every bit as much as the powered ones. Also, Deku is freaking awesome in this scene, ngl. It has vibes of his fight with Muscular, that “pinned by an unstoppable wall” thing.
Tumblr media
And this has vibes of Deku vs Overhaul trying to save Eri. OMG S4 IS GONNA KILL ME. Anyway Deku tries really really hard to save David Shield and does lots of cool leaps and gets beaten up while doing it, enough to earn some of Wolfram’s respect, but is unable to. Fortunately...
Tumblr media
Watashi Ga Kita!
But then...duh duh duh! Wolfram has that power-enhancer-plot MacGuffin! Actually, it’s not a MacGuffin now, because now we the audience kind of care about it. It has weight, it’s significant. The characters care about it, but there’s more to it than just being an interchangeable object.
Tumblr media
I LOVE how they animated the metal on this guy. That’s Metalbending. OMG. 
Class 1-A showing up and kicking ass as always. I just wanna quibble for a second with how this movie uses Howitzer Impact: a giant mind-blowing explosion in manga canon, a small underwhelming fizzle here.
Tumblr media
DUH DUH DUH DRAMATIC PLOT TWIST. Again this one floored me the first time around. My jaw actually dropped when AFO’s theme started playing. Holy crap WHAH How what how. I’m not as excited about this plot twist, as it basically just happens for the sake of being shocking, but hey, that is clearly something AFO would do, and I like seeing him and hearing his theme here anyway, so who cares. Just roll with it!
Tumblr media
And now, the reason this movie was made and the premise behind it. We never, in the canon of the manga, actually get to see All Might and Deku fight the same villain at the same time, so the movie I think was made for that purpose: DOUBLE DELAWARE DETROIT SMASH + YSR
Tumblr media
OH YOU SAY RUN. You could soundtrack a scene of people sitting around staring at the wall and turn it into the most epic thing ever. I will never get tired of this beautiful, peerless, impossibly good composition. And this is honestly one of my favorite YSR scenes, because dayum, you can’t get much cooler than the Double DD smash. 
Tumblr media
Visual storytelling here is on point. David Shield’s image of All Might turning into Deku is perfect.
We end on a sunrise, fittingly, and Long Hope Philia sountracked credits - with a small bit of depressing to end on, as we see David is probably gonna get arrested and All Might can’t do nothing about it.
Two Heroes is great. My quibbles with it are all minor. It’s the perfect first movie for BNHA; it is big and bombastic and action-packed, but more important, it gets what MHA is about at it’s core. BNHA is a story about the prior generation of heroes (and villains) passing the torch down to the next one. You know, like how teachers pass info onto their students in Academia. The movie gets that, and it delivers it with aplomb. It’s a great script, every scene and moment is necessary and everything happens in the right place and right order. It’s a thrill to watch, and I can’t even begin to imagine what insane stuff they’re gonna put in Movie #2 BKDK Boogaloo. Starting S3 tomorrow!
BKDK CORNER:
Tumblr media
On a rewatch, I’m a little more OK with this scene, because Deku pretty quickly bucks up and takes the challenge - and he doesn’t exactly cower from Kacchan, Iida just gets in the way. I also love that gay sounding “Kacchan, people are watching!” line in the sub. 
Tumblr media
All of Deku’s Love interests where white flowers on their fancy wear.
Tumblr media
NGL this is my favorite part of the movie. That is the sweetest, softest, most endearing smile Bakugo has ever had, and Todoroki seeing it and smirking is just perfect. Baku is peak Tsundere in this scene.
RANKER: The Formal Wear
Girls:
4. Momo - I like the tiara, and the dress is kind of a nice color.
3. Melissa - pretty but a little birthday cake-y.
2. Ochaco - Very cute and well-tailored. The tights really sell it.
1. Jiro - unconventional is the winner of the day here.
Boys:
6. Izuku - Deku where the f did you get that suit? Take it off, please. Why is your taste in clothing so bad.
5. Kirishima - it’s ok, but a little generic.
4. Kaminari - the waiter look isn’t half bad on him
3. Iida - sharp dressed, of course. It looks nice!
2. Todoroki - perfectly handsome, and of course his suit is white.
1. Bakugo - that vest tho. damn. 
50 notes · View notes
dynamitesunshine · 4 years
Text
Jon’s Toku Thoughts: Gekisou Sentai CarRanger
Tumblr media
Fighting for Traffic Safety! I marathoned through CarRanger so fast because I really wanted to watch it. I was not disappointed I could not stop watching it and it was all I wanted to watch all day. It was soooooooooo amazing and fun. Each episode felt memorable because of all the craziness going on between the CarRangers, SignalMan, Dapp, or the Bowzock. By the end of it I loved everyone. The ending was freaking brilliant and unique; something that only really worked because of the characters of CarRanger. Naoki and Natsumi were my favorites of the series in the beginning by the end of it it was the entire team and SignalMan, Dapp, and VRV Master. 
Naoki is my favorite male Blue Ranger ever (tying Yakumo right now maybe slightly edging him out.) I saw a lot of myself in him from being a designer, worrying what my friends think, willing to go to great lengths to protect people in need, loving and wanting to protect animals, figuring things out, and more. I also enjoyed his fighting style with his kicks, his intelligence, and his blasters. The Police Fighter was also my favorite VRV Machine and Dragon Cruiser is amazing too. 
Natsumi is my favorite female Yellow Ranger, she was just strong, determined, and kicked ass; also that she was the mechanic was great too. Her personality stood out and she was a great fighter; she also believed in people too. I just loved the episode where the little girl was lying all the time but no one would believe her except Natsumi because she went through something similar and it helped stop the Bowzock. Also, it helped inspire the little girl too. I enjoyed her episode with her back story of why she became a mechanic too. She just has a lot of heart. 
Kyosuke has to be the craziest Red I’ve seen and that is very tough with seeing Kai, King, Takaharu, and Lucky lately; he ties as my favorite Red with GaoRed and TyrannoRanger too. He was an amazing leader and inspired his team many times and helped inspire Zonette which helped a lot in the end. His plot with Zonette was fantastic and hilarious especially when he fought as Kyosuke and not Red Racer and defeated a Bowzock. 
Minoru is something else, I went from not entirely liking him to loving the hell out of him by the end; I think it was because he reminded me a bit too much of some of my negative traits and that I relate to him pretty close as well. Still his compassion, belief in his friends, strength and wackiness made him an enjoyable character. I mean a guy who gets over his fear of lightning by eating Electric Eel is something else. I would put him in my top 5 Greens honestly. 
Yoko unlike some other pinks in some series actually has a character I mean sure she is your girly girl, that likes shopping but she did the accounting at Pegasus working with the Expenses and Finances so she wasn’t dumb by any means and fought to help restore the Imo King so he could be back with his wife. She really cares about everyone and totally wrecks the Bowzock when they piss her off. She is something else and I would say in my top favorite Pinks too. 
SignalMan is wonderful, I was completely blown away by how ridiculous, badass, and silly he was. I love how he would say You can’t _______ without my permission and it was a multitude of things. He grew a lot during the season and even with him being out for part of the season with him returning to his home planet it leads to a great storyline and he just leaves a great impression on you. I loved the episode where they use the Traffic Rules against him and he needs to break free from his own teachings to fight back against the enemy. Honestly, this was a great use of the Extra Hero rather than the 6th Ranger in Sentai. I felt that him helping out and having a common enemy worked better than the last few sixth rangers in Sentai at the time. (Though I have only seen DragonRanger and KibaRanger who got shafted a lot in their respective shows).   
The Support characters are all amazing, Dapp was one of my favorite mentors ever because he had a bond with the team, helped support them in battle, inspire the team, and wasn’t afraid to smack one of them lol. VRV Master was hilariously awesome and I liked how they played the mystery of who he was. Radietta was hilarious and I loved the Magical Girl/White Racer aspect of her. 
The Bowzock were amazing villains, I loved them all they had funny and fantastic characters. Zelmoda is probably my favorite of them I mean that he overcame his fear of lightning because of friendship with Gynamo was amazing. He was also very threatening and a tough opponent. Grotch was silly but also great with his inventions and figuring out that the Imo-Yokan made them grow giant. Gynamo was great he was threatening but just a bit of softy when it came to Zonette, also that he was smart in the end too. Zonette was interesting she had a lot of things going on but it was interesting to see her work things out. Professor Ritchihiker was amazing and helped lead the Bowzock into more villainous territory. He was probably the biggest villain in the beginning when he joins the Bowzock, and he was pretty successful in his takeover of the Bowzock too. 
Exhaus was something else, he is probably one of my favorite Sentai villains because of his motives that are very different than most of the other villains and that is just wonderful. Also, that he was very calculated and planned a lot of things from the start in the background made him an amazing villain. 
Both the RV Robo and the VRV Robo are two of my favorite Giant Robos ever because of how badass they are and this series had fantastic Giant Monster fights which have kind of been lacking in some Sentai. The VRV Fighters are some of my favorite Mecha ever probably because of the usefulness of their transforming ability. I also love their weapons from the ViBlades, the Auto Blaster, The Giga Formula (Especially the individual weapons of this). Hell everything about this series I love even the suits. I also loved their abilities they got when transformed too. 
Seeing the characters learn and grow as the fight against the Bowzock was wonderful and the ending of the series has to be one of my favorites. Since it’s coming out on DVD from Shout Factory or already came out I wanted to be as spoiler-free as I could. 
This is definitely one of my favorite Sentai’s ever. Tied with Kyoryuger and MagiRanger.  It’s one of the most fun Sentai’s ever too.
9 notes · View notes
daresplaining · 5 years
Note
not sure if you have been asked this before but how would you rate the daredevil runs from miller to soule, and why?
    It has taken literally a thousand years to answer this, and I apologize– it’s just a huge question, even skipping all of the pre-Frank Miller runs (thank you for that, by the way– maybe I’ll rank them in a separate post, because I love a lot of the pre-Miller stuff!). Every reread brings with it new insight, and so my preferences are ever-evolving. That said, here’s how I would rank the main Daredevil runs from Miller onward (I’m not including annuals, mini-series, or novels, and I’m skipping the really tiny one-or-two-issue runs for the sake of brevity):
1. Mark Waid Daredevil volumes 3 and 4 are, for me, a perfect encapsulation of everything that makes Daredevil great. It’s all there! Smirking, swashbuckly Matt pulling off badass feats to save the day? Check! Dark, emotionally turbulent Matt trying to cope as the world falls apart around him? Check! An excellent supporting cast? Check! Fantastic hypersensory moments? Check! Great stories? Stunning art? Stilt-Man? Check! Everyone needs to read this run. It’s pretty much perfect.
2. Brian Michael Bendis I’ve learned that my Daredevil preferences tend to lean light(er…), but dang, Bendis writes a heck of a noir comic. He balances intense crime drama with striking character moments, changes the status quo over and over again (in a good way), and gives Matt some of the best zingers he’s ever had. (Seriously. Bendis’s Matt is really funny.) He also gave us Milla Donovan and Angela Del Toro, and for that I am eternally grateful. And whooo, that Alex Maleev/Matt Hollingsworth art… This is a classic, enduring run for a very good reason.  
3. Karl Kesel/Joe Kelly Okay, I’m cheating here. These are two separate runs. But they happened back-to-back, had the exact same tone, and were great for all of the same reasons, so I usually squash them together. If Karl Kesel and Joe Kelly have a problem with this, they can take it up with me (preferably in person– I have a lot of comics for them to sign.) These runs are fun. The Daredevil pendulum swings from light to dark and back again, and these guys landed on the upswing, after Matt had reconnected with his quippy, swashbuckly past. They feel old-fashioned, nostalgic in the best possible way, not afraid to be a little silly while still delivering solid, character-rooted stories. And it helps that the cast of characters is top-notch. Karen is around, trying to re-start her life while juggling humorous relationship issues with Matt. Foggy’s family drama is on full-force as Rosalind Sharpe and Candace come to town. Misty Knight stops by, as does Natasha Romanov. Kathy Malpher, one of my favorite minor DD characters ever, has lots of panel time. Deuce the Devil Dog is there. And it all ends with the breathtaking DD #375, which has got to be one of my top five favorite issues of all time. If you haven’t read these runs yet, go do that and thank me later.  
4. Frank Miller Darkness is only effective when interspersed with some light, and lightness is only effective when injected with some darkness, and Frank Miller (pre-”Born Again”) hit that perfect balance. It’s noir. It’s deep. It’s intense. It’s also some of the funniest Daredevil material ever written. Please go back and read “Guts”, or “Hunters”, or the Power Man and Iron Fist crossover. Let me say it louder, because I feel like I’m alone here: I love Frank Miller’s Daredevil because it is FREAKING HILARIOUS! And it goes without saying that “Born Again” is also stunning– definitely one of my favorite DD stories. And he gave us Stick and the peerless Elektra Natchios (three different versions of her, in fact) and the world has never been the same.
5. Denny O’Neil Denny O’Neil had the misfortune of getting sandwiched between Frank Miller’s two runs, and I feel like that’s the reason he doesn’t get the attention he deserves for some truly fantastic comics. Uh… weird comics, in a lot of cases, but heck, I like well-done weirdness. O’Neil added an international angle to the comic. He sent Matt to Japan and Italy (and even- gasp- New Jersey) and brought in Glori O’Breen, a great character even with her slightly over-the-top accent. He reconnected Matt with Natasha Romanov for a few beautiful one-shot team-ups. He killed off Heather Glenn in a horrible way, but did it with such grace and style that it didn’t feel entirely gratuitous. And he’s responsible for “The Price”– one of my favorite stand-alone issues. Plus, the fact that he was working with David Mazzucchelli didn’t hurt either.  
6. Ann Nocenti Superhero comics– superhero comics writing in particular– has been a white male-dominated profession for far too long, and there are far too few women who have written Daredevil. I hate to start a discussion of Nocenti’s run with “Look! A woman!” but it’s worth pointing out because look at this list. Seriously. (And for anyone unfamiliar with the pre-Miller runs, I assure you, it’s more of the same.) Ann Nocenti’s run is fantastic for the ways it really digs into the heart of the material. She took the post-“Born Again” landscape and ran with it. This was the period that tied Matt to Hell’s Kitchen, and Nocenti made that plot point stick by showing us the fabric of the neighborhood, bringing in characters like the Fat Boys, placing Matt and Karen within the community with the founding of Karen’s free clinic, and turning the Hell’s Kitchen of the Marvel universe into a living, breathing place. In contrast, she also took Matt out of the city, and in doing so, wrote some of my favorite Daredevil stories. She wasn’t afraid to address pressing social issues. She wasn’t afraid to tell stories that were just plain weird. And her run is utterly unique and complex as a result.
7. Ed Brubaker/D.G. Chichester Yeah, okay, this is really cheating. These are two completely different runs, but they are nevertheless tied because of the same factor: I adore some parts, and dislike other parts. “The Devil in Cell Block D” (the first arc of Brubaker’s run) is phenomenal. I re-read it a lot. So is “Last Rites” (by Chichester). Chichester wrote two of my favorite stand-alone issues: “34 Hours” (vol. 1 #304) and “Just One Good Story” (vol. 1 #380). Brubaker gifted us with the awesomeness that is Maki Matsumoto (A.K.A. Lady Bullseye), and Master Izo! Chichester gave us D.A. Kathy Malpher, one of my favorite DD characters ever (bring her back, Marvel! Where did she go?)! Also, his hypersensory writing is visceral verging on gross– which, for me, is ideal. However, Brubaker’s run went downhill a bit after the first arc. I mentioned the light/dark balance in regards to Frank Miller’s run, and Brubaker went all dark. (I consider it the darkest DD run yet.) It’s great storytelling, but not my style. And while I love his shorter arcs, Chichester’s longer work– “Fall From Grace” and “Tree of Knowledge” in particular– don’t do it for me. I find them overly convoluted and lacking substance. Also, while Scott McDaniel draws my favorite rendition of the radar sense, he’s my least favorite DD artist. D.G. Chichester + Lee Weeks 4ever.
8. David Mack I like “Vision Quest” a lot more than “Parts of a Hole”, though that’s somewhat due to the artist switch partway through the latter. “Parts of a Hole” did an excellent job of introducing Maya Lopez, and has a lot of great moments, but “Vision Quest” is practically a piece of fine art. It’s stunning, both narratively and visually. I consider it more of an Echo comic than a DD comic, but it still belongs on this list.  
9. Charles Soule I haven’t had a chance to reread this run in its entirety, since it just ended, and I really need to do so because I’m having a hard time figuring out my feelings on it. There are aspects of Soule’s characterization of Matt that I disagree with. The sensory writing varied in quality, and we clearly have different perceptions of the radar sense. There was a distinct shortage of female characters– and, in fact, of side characters in general. And the mind wipe was a huge misstep, since it erased so many of Matt’s long-held friendships. In a comic that has traditionally drawn much of its power from its strong supporting casts and Matt’s dynamics with them, that decision has caused serious lasting damage. However, there’s also a lot I loved. Sam Chung, though (I feel) underused, is a great character in his own right, and he also provided the chance for us to see Matt in a long-term mentorship role– something I’ve wanted for a while now. Muse was a fascinating and terrifying antagonist. And Soule’s perspective as an actual lawyer added extra zip to many of his stories, whether it was putting Matt in the mayor’s office (finally!) or sending him to the Supreme Court in what may be my favorite law-centered DD story ever. But the real reason Soule’s name is this far up this list is because of the “Double Vision” arc (or, as I call it, “Mike Murdock Must Die 2.0″) which is sheer brilliance, and to my mind, one of the greatest Daredevil stories ever told.
10. Bob Gale “Playing to the Camera” does not get nearly as much credit as it deserves for being a genuinely hilarious superhero law-based comedy of errors, and a bright spot amid the angst-fest that is Daredevil volume 2. My major complaints are that it’s too short and I dislike the art.
11. Andy Diggle I don’t dislike “Shadowland”. I don’t love it, but it’s a cool story concept that suffered– as events often do– from storytelling spread too thin, across too many characters, in too short a timespan. (Though I need to know if he came up with the “Matt Murdock dared evil… and lost” tagline, because if so, that wordplay would rocket him right to the top of this list.) I prefer the lead-up to “Shadowland” to the event itself. But I love DD: Reborn (yes, I said I wasn’t going to cover mini-series, but it’s essentially part of the main comic because it bridges the gap between two volumes. I say it counts). I’ve always enjoyed stories that take Matt out of NYC, and Reborn is a fun adventure story that gets back to basics and serves as a great bookend for volume 2.  
12. Scott Lobdell I like “Flying Blind”. It’s quirky and unusual (which I appreciate), and Matt is written very well. I just don’t love it. It’s one of those arcs that slides right to the back of the memory and only returns to the forefront when you’re reflecting on the first time Matt ever saw Foggy, or wondering if Matt’s bad French in Brubaker’s run is left over from his SHIELD-implanted fluency. It’s a neat idea, but could have been executed in a more engaging, lasting way.
13. Gregory Wright This short run went right out of my head the instant I finished it the first time, and upon rereading it has remained fairly unmemorable. The art is hit-and-miss, and the story– while perfectly fine– isn’t anything exciting or innovative. There are some great hypersensory moments, it’s worth reading, but I don’t have much to say about it beyond that.
14. Alan Smithee “Alan Smithee” is a pseudonym used in the entertainment industry by writers who don’t want to be associated with a certain project. The commentary on manwithoutfear.com states that this run was actually written by Chichester, who used the pen name as a way of protesting his abrupt firing from the comic. I treat it as a separate run, since that’s clearly what he wanted. I always tend to group the Wright and Smithee runs together in my mind because they take place one after the other, are both very short (only 5 issues each), and are very similar in both tone and quality. I like the art in Smithee’s run more, and the writing is solid. However, the whole thing is colored for me by the horrific and unnecessary death of Glorianna O’Breen, a character I love. I’m perfectly fine with characters dying if their deaths are well-written and impactful (heck, I’ll be honest– I love a good death), but Glori’s demise just seems gratuitous, and is therefore not appealing to me.
15. J.M. DeMatteis This run is super weird, but not in an interesting way. It leans toward the religious, which is not my thing, and it relies on the dead sex worker storyline from Man Without Fear, which is really not my thing and should have stayed out of the main continuity. It’s good to read, because it’s a major shift in Matt’s life and sets up the fabulous Kesel/Kelly runs, but… eh. That said, Matt battling his different identities in a graveyard while getting heckled by Stick, and yellow suit DD running around creating mayhem, are 100% my things… so credit where’s it’s due.  
16. Kevin Smith You may have noticed that “Guardian Devil”, the first arc of Daredevil volume 2, the run that rescued the series after its cancellation and brought Matt Murdock to the forefront of the Marvel street-level universe once more…! …is rarely ever mentioned on this blog. That’s because I really don’t like it. At all. I’m grateful to Smith for bringing readers back to DD, but would be happy if he never wrote these characters again. His run is poorly paced, out-of-character, and covers themes/topics/etc. that I personally don’t enjoy. I forced myself through it because I’m a Daredevil completist, but I haven’t read it again. I probably will someday, just to make sure I remember all of the key plot points, but… not yet.  
46 notes · View notes
minaminokyoko · 5 years
Text
Captain Marvel: A Spoilertastic Review
Well, here we are. Our first female-led Marvel movie (unless you count Ant Man and the Wasp, which I kind of do because Scott was basically useless and Hope ran the whole movie like a boss, but too bad she ran the show on a dull, rushed movie). How does it measure up?
It's fine.
I'd coin Captain Marvel as good, not great. It's definitely a popcorn flick, in the same vein of Ant Man for sure in terms of where it fits in our giant pantheon of MCU movies. I'd rank it dead center, so slightly underneath Cap 1 and Thor 2, but above Doctor Strange. I think Ant Man is a good comparison for the tone and the enjoyment of this movie, although it does do more to characterize the main lead than Ant Man did for Scott Lang. To be fair, though, somehow they end up in the same spot for my personal rankings.
So let's dive in and see why.
Overall Grade: B-
Pros:
-Plenty of action. No shortage on that whatsoever.
-Lots of off-world adventures, for those fans who sometimes are annoyed that too many MCU movies are earth-based. We don't hit earth until about the halfway point and there are still some shenanigans then.
-The dynamic between Carol and Fury is a lot of fun. Larson and Jackson work off each other's energy very well and the banter feels fun and familiar without ever veering into any weird territory. Fury is just as effective as ever at her side, and it's before he becomes full on grumpy Dad Fury, so he's a lot less cold and it's fun to see.
-It was also delightful getting to see Coulson one more time, although it's a cameo, not a whole role as some of the trailers sort of imply.
-The female relationships are probably the strongest in the Marvel lineup, aside from Black Panther. Particularly Carol, her best friend Maria, and Maria's daughter. We don't see a ton of it, but it's just enough to put a huge grin on your face. It's very warm and endearing. I also like that Maria was not only a supportive best friend struggling to get over her loss, but she got to join the action as well, and it was badass. I really am happy with Marvel pushing forward to give black women more representation in the superhero genre. Too many folks think black women in film are only sassy best friends or baby mamas or Tyler Perry stereotypes. We love sci-fi/fantasy just as much as everyone else, and so I loved seeing two beautiful black actresses shining next to Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson. It lends the film a lot of heart.
-Brie Larson is relatively decent in the role. She has some moments better than others, but overall, she did a good job. It never felt like she couldn't handle the work of beating some ass, and she sold me far more than Gal Gadot did as Wonder Woman. Which, yes, I know, it's unfair and kind of tasteless to compare them, but I have to note it since I didn't care for the WW movie that this is what I was talking about with film presence. Gal Gadot, to me, looks like a supermodel wearing a Wonder Woman costume. To me, she never embodied the poise, agility, and strength that Diana has in the comics or in the animated series. I believed Gadot more during the softer parts of the WW movie, but she couldn't pull off the action because she just doesn't have the presence. Larson does, imo. She carries herself in a manner that makes me feel like she can kick your ass. She has a stance and a stature that allows me to feel her strength, and it's in line with other Marvel women like Widow, Okoye, or Scarlet Witch.
-My favorite part of the movie is hands down the "I'm Just a Girl" by No Doubt scene. Oh my God. I was internally squeeing and singing along with the lyrics while she kicked ass. I was so delighted to see them perfectly use that song that I already liked in high school anyway, and it just worked so well.
-I also liked the montages of Carol getting back up. That is a really, really important image for the girls growing up to see. It's not about how many times you fall. It's about how many times you still get back up. That's great. We fall and get dirty and scuffed and mocked and hated. But we still get up and try again every time. Love it. It's very empowering.
-The de-aging looked pretty good. Jackson is tougher since he's gained weight since the size he was back in the 90's but they filled in his wrinkles well enough. Coulson's looked better, although I did notice just it a tad bit during the stairwell scene, but overall, I thought it was well done.
-Gosh, her costume looks amazing. I want it. I want to wear it for Halloween. It's gorgeous.
-The sequence of the Skrulls acquiring her memories was very neat and uniquely done. Kudos.
-THE MOTHERFUCKING FIRST END CREDITS SCENE. Y'ALL. I SCREAMED. I SCREAMED AND CLAPPED MY HANDS SO HARD I HURT THEM. OH MY GOD. SHE'S ON EARTH. THE QUEEN IS ON EARTH AND WE SHALL ALL BE SAVED. SHE IS GOING TO TURN FUCKING THANOS INTO FUCKING PURPLE CLAM CHOWDER WITH HER BARE HANDS FOR KILLING FURY AWWWWWW YEEEEEEEEEEAH BOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. Ahem. Sorry. I am really goddamn excited about that tiny piece of Avengers: Endgame because Marvel and the Russos have been so fucking stingy with details. We still don't know the plot. We only have that 30-second Superbowl spot and the Sad Stark trailer. I was livid they didn't give us a final trailer in front of this movie, but I guess with it a month and change away, they're just banking on us frothing at the mouth wanting more. Jerks. But anyway, yes, this fucking scene is mint and I wish I could rewind it.
-Nick naming the Avenger Initiative after her was a great cherry on top moment.
-I fucking lost it when Nick started singing “Mr. Postman.” Deadass, I just started listening to that song about a month ago thanks to that one famous Vine where those dudes sung it acapella. I was dying. You go, Nick. 
Cons:
-This movie overall has a bit of a bland taste to it. It's most revolving around Carol. The problem is that I think they were too chicken to dive deeply into who she is and her personality and her desires because they were afraid the feminists would complain that they made her too soft, so they replaced it all with action. Which is fine, some people just want a girl kicking ass, but I think it did Carol and Larson a disservice by rushing everything and doing drive-by characterization. The dialogue doesn't stick as well due to the bland flavoring, for example. If you ask me who Carol Danvers is, I can't really tell you. I can tell you what she does, but not who she is. I regret that probably the most out of everything. This movie is a bit of a vehicle than a movie where we discover who she is. We discover what she is, but not who she is. She's kind of just every tough, stubborn, smartass female lead you could see in maybe an Avengers OC fic on AO3. She really needed more distinct quirks and likes and dislikes, and I really fault them for cutting out her life on the Kree planet. It would have shown us so much more about her if we knew what her Kree life was like juxtaposed against her original human life, and it could up the stakes and help them sink it, and give more immediacy and concern to the dangers she faced.
-The villains were telegraphed. Again, people ding Marvel for this all the time. It's because they seem to struggle with balance. Often, the villains are thin to cut down the running time by not developing them at all. It's a shame. I've always found Jude Law very entertaining and I think they should have given him something to work with other than Obvious Bad Guy Pretending To Be Good. It was so transparent, much like the bitchy sister villain from Incredibles II. He might as well have been twirling a mustache. I mean, any dude who tells you your emotions are bad is probably not on the up-and-up. And it would have been better to see him and Carol square off at the end in an emotional battle than for it to just be a cheap shot and a joke. But I digress.
-While there was a lot of action, aside from the "Just a Girl" sequence, I will forget it all by morning. I think they wanted the movie to have mass appeal, so a lot of it comes across as generic. The stuff that stands out more are bits like finally seeing what alien Goose actually was or some of Fury's quips and the bits with Maria's daughter and Carol. The action itself is serviceable, but I'd have liked it to have more flavor if possible.
-Not outlining the limit to Carol's powers. This is going to be tough lining up with Endgame because she's so god-like we're gonna wonder if she just bitchslaps Thanos and that's the end. She feels overpowered without the chip limiting her, so I would have liked them to give us some kind of idea as to how she won't just wipe the floor with him in retribution in Endgame.
-Nitpick: Nick losing his eye to Goose annoyed me. People called it. I didn't want them to be right, but ugh, they were. It was a bit too silly for me.
-Nitpick: They really didn't need to waste our time with the second end credits being Goose puking up the Tesseract. We knew he did. You didn't have to show it, dummies.
-Nitpick: Was hoping for some 90's era cameos from at least one other Avenger, but no such luck. Damn. What a letdown.
I had fun, and I am eager to see her fit into the rest of the MCU. And I am also selfishly even more interested in Kamala Khan someday popping in as the new generation of heroes. Please, God, give me Kamala Khan. I want her and my son Peter Parker to team up and be the cutest superhero dorks ever. But until then...God help us all. Endgame is coming.
Enjoy the sunlight coming off of Ms. Danvers.
Because it's finna get dark up in here, my children.
See you in Endgame.
Kyo out.
5 notes · View notes
otakween · 5 years
Photo
Tumblr media
Parasite Eve (The Novel) - Review
And now, for something completely different. I realized that with my main Project Alpha (watching all anime in alphabetical order) I would be missing out on somethings that don’t have anime but are still otaku related. Therefore, I will be doing two side projects for A. video games that don’t have anime and B. manga that don’t have anime. I’ll probably add other projects as I go. 
First game alphabetically on my list for video games is Parasite Eve (thanks to 3rd Birthday). Turns out, the game is actually a sequel to a novel. Instead of reading it and then writing a review, I decided to review as-I-go so this post will be pretty lengthy.
Thoughts:
Part 1 Prologue & Development)
-The vibes I’m getting from this are Frankenstein combined with Junji Ito (yes, I know he adapted that recently). The mysterious heat thing feels distinctly J-horror. Maybe because they’re so into body horror?
-I’m still not sure if “Parasite Eve” is supposed to refer to a woman or an event. Maybe that’s the point?
-So main “villain” is kind of omnipresent microorganism who can control minds? I hope they explain how it works eventually
-Holy research, Batman! All of the medical and scientific scenes are really impressive to me. They feel like they were written by a real doctor. I want a “making of” feature lol.
-Creepiest bits so far are the opening car accident (reminded me of Bird Box a little) and the extremely in-depth surgery descriptions definitely had me feeling squeamish
-The characters already feel well-developed and distinct. I can tell because I’m having no trouble remembering their names lol
-I know it’s all medical necessity but the transplant scenes did feel very violating. It was also creepy that the author chose to describe a braindead woman’s body in vaguely sexual terms
-The politics about braindead bodies in Japan vs. America adds a really interesting layer to the story. Also, the feelings of people who experience failed transplants. These are both things I had never really considered. It’s attention to detail like this that makes this story feel more realistic and immersive.
-I’m wondering how the “villain” will manifest herself? Is it going to be like Tomie where she grows put of the organs? Is she going to possess the donors or become a clone of Kiyomi. We’ll see!
Part 2 (Symbiosis)
-Okay, now I have a much better idea of how “Eve” works. The descriptions of her taking over her host’s body and mind were nice and creepy. The horror of the situation is that it’s not really something you could report or ask for help without seeming crazy and being locked up or put on drugs.
-I said the first part reminded me of Junji Ito and Frankenstein. This second part reminded me of Get Out, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Saya no Uta. I guess I could throw in Brain on Fire as well with all the memory lapses.
-I much prefer the subtle horror of the novel to the monster-attack style horror. I found the scene where Asakura is attacked by Eve just felt really cheesy. It was one of those horror scenes where the victim is being attacked by a very slow moving creature and they probably could have escaped like a million times. Her immediately kneeling down on a mug she shattered also felt pretty silly.
-So Eve is mitochondria? I guess? And she’s existed since the beginning of time but needed science to progress to where it is today to help her evolve. That’s creative but pretty out there. It’s confusing because she obviously has to be more than one mitochondrion at once and she also refers to other mitochondrion as her sisters even though they both came from Kiyomi. I guess I’ll just try not to overthink things…
-Things suddenly got very sexual at the end of part 2 and I cannot unsee certain things D: I’m not really sure what Eve’s end goal is here. Is it just to be all yandere for Toshiaki or does she want to take over the world as a new species or something?
-I really enjoy how much insight we’re getting into Mariko and Kiyomi’s characters. Horror is always more effective when you care about the characters and understand who they were before everything went wrong.
-Pretty stupid of Mariko to not take her pills, it’s kinda hard to see her side of things on that one. It’s interesting to see her dad and the doctor grappling with this trouble child.When they called her behavior “autistic” it was kind of jarring though. Not sure how I feel about that.
Part 3 (Evolution)
-Oh…OH. Okay. I was warned that this book is trippy and this is where stuff starts to go DOWN. Where’s my brain bleach…
-F’real though, the 3rd part was basically nonstop madness and body horror. I was on the edge of my seat but also cringing throughout the whole thing. I must have been quite the sight reading this on the train, I could just feel my eyes widening at some of the more out-there scenes.
-So it gets extremely sexual and there’s some rape going on which of course is always hard to read. It makes sense for the plot tho so I was ok with it. Logically, Eve 1 would need to “evolve” through reproducing. Some of the descriptions made me kind of side-eye the author tho like “Are you enjoying this a little too much?” I dunno. it was just a lot.
-Really intense body horror. The descriptions of people slowly dying by fire were especially lovingly crafted (lol). I liked that they explained the logic behind mitochondria having that ability and compared it to spontaneous human combustion
-Team Toshiaki was pretty badass at the end there, working together to save Mariko. I’d be on the next plane out of the country lol
-I’m glad Toshiaki was redeemed in the end. It’s not like he really did anything wrong since he was basically brainwashed.
-I wonder if any book characters will appear in the games? I don’t know how far apart the stories are but it would be fun to get some cameos. I wanna see Mariko come back for revenge lol
-What crazy person thought this would make a good video game??? I mean, good for them, but if I didn’t know already about the franchise I would not be reading this thinking “mm yeah. Awesome game material right here.” It’s mainly science and practically all-powerful mitochondria monsters. And you fight those with guns or something? Okaaay…
Epilogue
-Dang! Major jealousy feels. I wish I was graduating grad school rn (but 6 years…damn. I could never be a research student).
-Of course it ends with a super complicated scientific explanation. I’m really glad it did though. I didn’t really understand what was going on with the male-female thing.
-Typical horror movie sting foreshadowing sequels at the end. Creeeeepy.
-It’s pretty hilarious how Asakura is like “man, what a year amirite??” YOU CAUGHT FIRE AND WERE ATTACKED BY A MITOCHONDRIA BLOB THAT KILLED YOUR MENTOR!
-Oh snap. The book has a bibliography. Mad props to the author who of course has his PhD in pharmacology. It’s always great when super smart people create something like this for us plebes.
I’m super glad I read this! I don’t read a ton of horror (even though I’m a big horror movie fan) and this was a great re-introduction into the genre. Although I found it a little over-the-top at times (borderline cheesy) it was super smartly written and refreshingly original. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the franchise has in store for me!
I give Parasite Eve a 8.5 out of 10
3 notes · View notes
ketzwrites · 5 years
Text
Rewatch 102: The Descent Into Hell Isn’t Easy
Written by Ed Decter (story) & Hollie Overton (teleplay) | Directed by Mick Garris
This is a poorly written episode. It feels like a filler rather than an episode: it exists only so Clary can find out Valentine is her father. Something Hodge could’ve told her in the first act. 
The consequence is that the characters run in circles and make nonsensical decisions to stretch out the storyline into implausible lengths. 
General Notes
The biggest problem with this episode is that the dialogues and actions don’t make sense. For example, Jace says Clary isn’t safe outside the Institute alone. But Alec wants to keep Clary in the Institute, not let her go on her own. This isn’t a logical conversation. Also, they are both acting as if Clary will get out no matter what, as if the Institute doesn’t have ways to just lock Clary inside, where she is safe. Like a holding cell or a room with a lock rune around it.
It’s not that the episode absolutely lacks good writing. Jace and Clary brainstorming and Jace coming to the conclusion that Clary’s memories were stolen works perfectly. But it all goes downhill from there.
Another thing that doesn’t make sense is the shadowhunters going to the Silent Brothers. None of the three highly trained shadowhunters present considers going to the High Warlock to get rid of a warlock-casted spell. They do not know Magnus went into hiding. That should be their first option before going to the Silent Brothers - a shadowhunter institution - while breaking the Clave’s orders - another shadowhunter institution.
But, all right, say they go to the Silent Brothers first because shadowhunters trust shadowhunters more than downworlders. Then, another problem arises. Alec thinks Clary is her father’s spy pretending to be a helpless girl in search of the Mortal Cup. It’s a fair assumption even though we know he’s wrong. But then, Clary’s answer is listing all the bad things that have happened to her. Alec should never have been shut down by that. A spy would have a sob story to gain sympathy. If only they had a way to know beyond doubt that Clary is telling the truth- Oh, yeah. The truth-compelling Soul Sword is right there.
But alas, Clary has made her choice between the Shadow and Mundane Worlds.  She is now a shadowhunter. Throughout the episode, Clary chooses Jace (Shadow World) over Simon (Mundane World). But this decision comes too quickly. It’s hard to swallow how okay she is with that idea after what happened in the first episode. The explanation that Clary always felt something was missing and now she’s found it notwithstanding (see: The Bad)
Again, Clary makes it clear. “I don’t care about your rules or what is forbidden.” But when offered the opportunity to leave the Shadow World, she doesn’t go. She wants to stay and be a part of it, but only as far as it helps her find her mother. Clary wants to eat her cake and have it too.
It’s convenient how Hodge doesn’t tell Clary about Jocelyn and Valentine being married. We need to stretch that secret for the whole episode, or we won’t make it to the 40-minute mark.
Why would the shadowhunters system even have a restricted file on Jocelyn “Fray”? For all that they know, she’s Jocelyn Fairchild or Jocelyn Morgenstern. Jocelyn used “Fray” to hide from the Clave; if they know about that, they could have found her.
Alec tells the Clave about Clary. As of episode two, the orders are to keep Clary in the Institute. Whatever happens next that isn’t that consists in Alec, Jace, and Izzy explicitly disobeying Clave’s orders.
The Good
Jace might be acting like a jerk to Simon, but he makes a point of warning him against Izzy’s cooking twice. It’s silly but that’s Jace in a nutshell: tough exterior hiding a soft heart.
Good for the show not to shy away from a male figure (Luke) fighting a female figure (Midori – Circle Member). In a world of supernatural beings, gender means nothing in terms of physical prowess.
We get the tiniest bit of complicity between Alec and Jace with the joke about the runes being lethal to Simon. Good. Show us they are friends and they enjoy each other’s company.
The Bad
The justification for Clary accepting the Shadow World with ease doesn’t convince me. Never once did I see Clary longing for adventure or something fantastical to happen in her mundane life. In fact, she refused and fled every time something extraordinary happened. I do not believe she was missing this part of her life at all.
Simon’s interest in Clary loses believability as he ditches her for the new hot girl. I no longer feel bad for Simon when Clary chooses Jace instead of him. Also, Simon has an older sister. Why would he compare himself to Alec, the oldest brother, when Izzy says “firstborn; heavy is the head that wears the crown”?
Why does Hodge look barely older than Alec and Jace? They went with an actor ten years younger than the rest of the adult shadowhunters (and didn’t age him as they did with Nicola - playing the severe and professional looking, Maryse). It’s confusing, especially since Hodge refers to Jocelyn as his best friend.
Shadowhunters has a tendency to go for badass lines in detriment of characterization. In the same episode Clary reacts to Jace’s suggestion that Dot might be working for Valentine with the sassy cold line “even better, she’ll lead us right to him” but then is distressed when Dot is taken by the Circle Members. Does she trust and care for Dot or not?
“Is this the least revealing thing you own?” It’s a top and pants. Clary was admiring much more revealing top just a few days ago. What’s up with the mismatched criticizing of Izzy’s clothes??
Why does Magnus have glitter on his forehead? No, seriously. Why?
The Interesting
Izzy doesn’t act like a human being around Simon. She is too alluring, like she is performing instead of just being. Izzy doesn’t think she’s ever going to see him again, so she’s having fun with him before it is time to discard him. That sort of aloofness gives the vampires a chance to kidnap him.
Jace says that “no training and no planning gets you killed”. He then proceeds to go along with Clary’s spur of the moment decisions for the rest of the season.
I get why Dot wouldn’t trust Luke. He was once Valentine’s Parabatai, he only quit the Circle after being turned into a werewolf, and, even as werewolf, he isn’t a part of any packs. But why would Luke distrust Dot?
22:48: Alec is worried about Clary’s safety, about the repercussions of what they are doing for all of them. He is thinking rationally about it and ignoring the emotional needs of everyone around him. Jace is willing to risk Clary’s safety to find the Mortal Cup before Valentine does because Jace sees himself in Clary and he would be willing to get hurt in order to find answers. He is focusing only on her emotional need instead of the real-life repercussions of what they are doing. This is a “mind versus heart” dilemma.
Jace and Clary cute flirting before entering the City of Bones is cute. Inside the City of Bones? Not so much. It is one thing to flirt over Jace’s personality; Clary and Jace are equal in understanding those. It is another thing to flirt over the Shadow World; Jace is the authority there and if he is not telling Clary how things really are, he is shaping her understanding to his liking. Here it’s harmless and Jace does tell her the real meaning of things, but the tendency isn’t as romantic as the writers think it is.
“No more ‘I’m sorry’s. You’re a shadowhunter now” and shadowhunters don’t make mistakes or aren’t held responsible when they do. Question him, Clary! This world view is wrong.
2 notes · View notes
raejin99 · 6 years
Text
The only thing I’m gonna say about the Bolter discourse since I don’t wanna talk over people and I don’t really have the energy to Discourse in general right now:
Hey, you, person who thinks that everyone getting upset over the smaller bolters are being silly. Yes, you. Come here for a minute.
Don’t Be That Guy
See, here’s the thing. I get it. I like the change. It’ll probably look good on the new models. But there’s an important thing to keep in mind: Context.
You see, Sisters of Battle have kind of a weird position in both the game and the lore, which can be summarized in two points:
They are the primary source of representation for women, and
They are considered by some to be the female equivalent of Space Marines
Now I’m just going to keep things focused on Sisters for right now, since that’s what the current Discourse is about. But let’s keep both of these two points in mind as we continue onward.
Why are smaller bolters a big issue? Well...they’re not. Not on their own. I can’t speak for everyone, but a lot of people I’ve seen upset aren’t upset at the specific change itself, just the fact that it was the release of Sisters that spurred the need for “human-sized” bolters. Let’s unpack why point-by-point.
Sisters are supposed to be equivalent to Marines, at least in a vague sense. Unfortunately, this is not the case in practice. Both in-lore and in-game, they are much weaker and generally less effective. Their only real equivalence is that they wear power armor, wield bolters, and ride in rhinos.
Continuing from point 1, Marines are given significant prominence in the narrative and GW’s advertising. Sisters are given a secondary role, at best. Marines have many different Chapters with varied histories, their own codices and bits, are featured in the vast majority of Black Library fiction and are shown victorious a solid majority of the time. Sisters, on the other hand, just got a new set of releases confirmed after decades of waiting, their different Orders mostly boil down to what color you want your boob-plate to be, and if I’m being generous fiction tends to show them being victorious 50% of the time, with the other 50% typically showing them being defeated quite brutally or used as fodder (need I remind everyone of the little lore bit in the first Grey Knights Codex where the GK sacrifice a bunch of Sisters to kill daemons that was so over the top they actually retconned it).
So from points 1 and 2, we know that Sisters are not actually equivalent to Space Marines. Okay, so what do they have, then? Well, from the lore and the game, we know they’re full of Fire and Brimstone style Faith that lets them pull off some crazy ass miracles, and they are a mobile fire-line force centered around the Holy Trinity of weapons: Bolters, Flamers, and Meltas. The latter part is great, and the first part is evocative, but here’s the thing: That’s all they are typically portrayed as. Like I said before, Marines have many different Chapters with their own unique histories and tactics, including some that are mobile fire-line forces or are fire-and-brimstone style zealots. Sisters are only one thing, and people wanting a primarily female force are basically forced to deal with that, whether they want to or not.
As a separate but not unrelated point, despite what some people may protest, Sisters are needlessly sexualized, even in full power armor. Sure, laugh at the mention of boob-plate, and some people don’t even necessarily mind that it’s there, just that that’s the only fucking option. If I want a tournament legal force, aka no major conversions using 3rd party bits, I have to accept the boob-plate metal-corset high-heel combo whether I like it or not. And don’t give me “But blood angels have muscle plate!”, because yeah they do, but you literally do not have to use it if you don’t want to. And don’t even bother trying to argue this point until Space Marines have a unit that runs into battle Literally Naked like the Sisters Repentia do.
Alright, see those points? Pay very close attention now: when people are upset over smaller bolters, these points factor into that. See, Sisters don’t get much love from GW or the lore. They’re nowhere near Space Marines in how they get treated, basically the black sheep of the power armor bolter wielding family. Sure, plenty of fans like them, but GW has only recently realized this. 
What little they did have for a long time? That was what they did have that differentiated them. While one might think of their faith and zealotry first, sadly we have Black Templars also crossing into that territory. What they did actually have was being badass humans capable of wielding the same superhuman weapons that Marines did, and the bolter was as much an icon for them as it was for the Marines.
The smaller bolter on its own is not an issue, especially if it had been introduced with, say, Guard or Tempestus Scions. But the fact that it’s when Sisters are released, for whom the bolter is such an iconic part of their image and appeal, that they decide to change it? It’s insult on top of continued injury.
Like I said, I can’t speak for everybody, but the people I have spoken to seem to share this general opinion. It would not be a bad change, the timing is just severely tone deaf. So once again, even though it might seem like a minor thing to you, DON’T BE THAT GUY.
That’s all I have to say on the matter, I’m not going to discuss it anymore but please feel free to discuss it amongst yourselves. Unless you try and give a really egregiously stupid counter argument, like saying Space Marines are just as sexualized, in which case I will reblog solely to make fun of you.
3 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
Welcome to another profile on Behind the Screens, giving you personal insight on who your favorite creators are and what they do when they aren’t wowing you with their creative ability.
Happy Tuesday friends! Today, we have the delightful pleasure in getting to know one of your most requested authors, @formerprincess. Rena, our aforementioned guest, is the writer of numerous works, most notably A Tale of Claws and Fangs, Overslept, and Finding My Way To You. As you’ll come to find out, she’s also so much more, so let’s not wait a second more to dive in.
Rena! To get us started, share something about yourself! And for the twist: the word could should be around the number of letters of the characters in you’re favorite TW rarepair ship.
Erica Reyes + Stiles Stilinski = 25
Shy but it you know me I can be pretty weird. Huge book lover. Disney Fangirl. Big heart. Need writing like air. Wrestling fan.
Woah, really?! A wrestling fan? What got you into it?
I get this question so often haha. Because I appear so shy and innocent, people are always like: What? Wrestling? You? It’s fun.
My dad watched it for a while and sometimes I watched it with him, nothing too invested. But then I learned about Nikki and Brie Bella over tumblr rp and I got really curious about them so I researched online. I love them both, especially Brie, love that they stand for strong women and through them I started to actively watch Wrestling and over time gathered some other wrestlers, male and female, I love to see in the ring. It’s fun to watch them and what they do in the ring is impressive.
From wrestling to Teen Wolf, I dig it! And, how you find your way to the Thiam fandom? What about the two grabbed a hold on you?
That’s kind of a long story. I started watching Teen Wolf because I saw gifs and pictures of it on tumblr. I got curious and wanted to see this show but it wasn’t broadcasted on TV in my country, so I kind of searched online for a way and I watched until the point where Liam was introduced in the series  but then stopped because I lost interest and with work I was too busy to even think of Teen Wolf. And then I was on tumblr and I saw a gifset of the scene where Liam and Theo almost fistbumped and I was like ‘Oh hey, these two are cute together.’ I don’t even know why, I just liked the chemistry they had in the scene, Theo’s soft smile, and all. I grew curious who they were because I recognized Liam but I had no idea who Theo was. Quick online search. Aha, those two are Theo and Liam, Thiam for short. Interesting. The Thiam fandom was so very small at this point, there like five fanfics or whatever, so I didn’t really get much from my little expedition into the Thiam fandom.
I kind of forgot about them again because life and other stuff and all and then I saw something about Theo being evil months after my little encounter with the Thiam fandom and I was all ‘Wait a minute! What? But he and Liam…What the hell is going on?’. I was totally confused and stayed confused until was finally able to watch Teen Wolf again (I watched because I heard about the series ending and felt nostalgic so I gave it another shot). I watched season 4, 5, and season 6A and I was hooked!! And so ready for more screen time of Theo and Liam together, so ready to see what would happen to my boys.Tumblr came in handy again and damn had the fandom grown. I saw what everybody had to offer and the ship itself gave me so much inspiration that I wanted to contribute and put in my own two cents on them. The fandom was so welcoming and friendly, it felt like a family from the start and thus I decided to stay. I met many great people because of Thiam already, it’s really awesome.
What drew me in about them? The unspoken chemistry between them, not only romantically but also platonically. Even when I saw gifsets from them without any context, the looks they shared showed such a connection for me, I was astonished and delighted. And when I saw the whole scenes with them, every episode, I liked how different they acted around each other. I always felt like they got each other to a point no other was possible. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the relationship they have with other characters but I always felt they had this special level of a connection. As if they found their ideal counterpart with each other because they both have this fire inside them and don’t shy away from unleashing it.
Oooh, that last bit is so poetic!
Thank you. It came to my mind while I laid in bed and couldn’t fall asleep. When I thought of this, I sat up and almost yelled “That it! That’s Thiam!” Thank god I didn’t or I would have scared the neighbours probably haha.
Haha, most definitely. What’s another thing you’re passionate about beside Thiam and wrestling?
Being creative in general, not only writing.  I mean, yes, writing is the biggest thing I am passionate about. I view writing as a way to deal with the stress of daily life and I would go crazy if I couldn’t write. I also write poetry sometimes.
But not only writing, sometimes I like to create some picture collage or maybe an outfit on Polyvore. Or I simply create things in my head, characters, storylines, worlds, whatever I can think of at those moments. Sometimes I take my thoughts and try to realize them in my Sims game, it’s fun.
LOL, fellow Sims lover! This is one of my fav things to do! What’s been your favorite characters/scenario to conceptualize in the game? How did the game turn out? Any entertaining stories?
Hey, that’s great haha! I love to do this and I’m currently building some houses I could use as inspiration for my stories. I usually play with original Sims, see them starting a family and see how many generations I can have until it starts to get old or until I’m running out of ideas but I once created Stiles, Lydia, Erica and Derek in the game and the Stiles Sims immediately took a shining to the Derek Sims. It was hilarious to watch because even when I was not telling him to, he was interacting with Derek, followed him around. It was adorable. He tried to make Derek laugh^^. It ended with them falling in love and Lydia and Erica being the bridesmaids.
Aww, natural shipping, sigh. That’s the best. Let’s say you could put Thiam in a similar situation, but with characters of another show. Which would you choose? How’d you think the interaction would go?
I’d chose Shadowhunters tv series and to me, this would be hilarious and awesome at the same time. Theo and Jace would so have this little competition who’s better at basically everything; Izzy would be like an older sister to Liam but without actually treating him like a baby. She would admire his determination and will to protect those he loves, they have this in common. I imagine Liam and Jace siding when it comes to fighting because they are all like: Act first and think later but really just want to protect their family and friends. Alec would roll his eyes and ask himself what he has done to deserve this but come around in the end because is actually someone able to not like Theo and Liam? 
Magnus would be totally amused by the whole thing, especially if Liam and Theo are not a thing yet but he has eyes and he can basically taste the sexual tension okay? And Luke, Liam would not stop asking Luke questions about how he leads his pack and everything because another Alpha, how cool is that??? Also Maia and Liam? Dreamteam! Both struggle with control sometimes and they so would get each other. Imagine Luke and Scott running after their Betas to save them from trouble XD. Theo and Clary, because I love the headcanon about Theo being an artist, would bond over that and probably have a tentative friendship going on.
Before we chat about your works, one more silly question. If you could build the ultimate paintball/laser tag team from any five characters AND one villain on Teen Wolf, who would they be and why?
Liam, Kira, Allison, Theo, Erica, and Kate Argent
Liam because he is very athletic and competitive.
Kira because it surely would fun to have her around and she is just an awesome badass cutie. Also, she has fast reflexes.
Allison because she has an amazing aim and also girl power!
Theo because he is like a mastermind and can come up with the best strategy.
Erica because she is my queen and she would lure the other team out so we can shoot them. She and Theo would be great at making a cunning plan.
And Kate because she is ruthless and would destroy the other team.
Perfect. I still say Theo and Allison would’ve been a sight to behold together–for better or worse. Alright, so we have wrestling, sims, shadowhunters, outfit planning. And on top of all those, writing! If your creative process was a person, what type would they be? What would they do? Wear? Listen to? How do they handle conflict?  
They would be a very chaotic type, all over the place. Somebody you see and wonder how they get any work done because they seem to not be organized at all. They would be that type of person that oversleeps and then bolds into work with their bag hanging off one shoulder, their jacket almost slipping down the other shoulder, travel mug filled with coffee clutched in their grip, and clutching a notepad with lots of notes hanging out from it to their chest. They would not be the one that steps into the spotlight at all but rather satisfies with the result of their work.
Their clothing would be a mix from different styles, Boho but also athletic, sometimes chic. Everything they want to wear, they wear it.
Their taste in music is mixed. They mostly listen to Pop but they also have some rocks songs they are addicted to, some Hip Hop. Whenever they hear something with a good beat, good lyrics, that’s what they like and listen to. Their favorite band would probably be Little Mix.
Handle conflict? That’s a tough one. Hm. They would try to see it from the other’s perspective while at the same time telling themselves they should not explode and yell. They are mostly quiet but if they are peeved, they can lash out. If somebody yells at them they would shy away and close themselves off.
Does your creative process also extend to other fandoms? Pairings? Novels or stories with original characters?
I started to lay down the basics for my own original novel and I can’t wait to start. I wanted to write it for years and now I finally got the right motivation and the right mindset.
Aside from Thiam, I have written some fanfictions for Charmed since that’s one of my favorite tv shows. And I have some Stucky fanfictions started as well as the base for a Malec fanfiction that lingers in the back of my mind.  But Thiam is definitively the ship that inspires me the most and I wrote the most about.
An original novel, that’s awesome! What genre are you setting it in? Also supernatural?
It is a novel playing in this day and age but it’s all about the supernatural world mixed with the normal world of the humans. Think Charmed or Shadowhunters. You have the innocent humans living without actually knowing that demon witches, vampires and such live among them. The supernatural society is still in the focus of the novel.
That sounds awesome. Would you say there’s one trope or situation that somehow always wrangles itself in your stories?
I try my best to use different tropes and situations to challenge myself as a writer but one thing that happens for sure is character A watching character B and marveling around how gorgeous they look and how stunning they are. Just some good old-fashioned swooning. I just like to imagine one person being so completely enamored by another person that they have to stop and stare for a while because they sight is breathtaking. And the other person is either completely oblivious and continues with what they do, or knows exactly what they are doing, smirk at person A and preen at the attention.
And yes, friends to lovers, I’m a sucker for this.
Who isn’t really?! What’s the best friends to lovers story you’ve ever read, either fanfiction or novel? (Or one of the best, since they’re probably so many to choose from)
I guess it’s one of the greatest tropes out there haha. Puh, I read so many great stories and novels about that trope, it’s hard to tell. I remember a novel I once read (I can’t remember the title  or the character names though) where this was one of the main story lines but it really took the whole novel for them to finally become a couple and yet while reading you saw their relationship growing and evolving. That’s what I always try to achieve with my stories. 
I also read a Malec fanfic once where both were human but Magnus was a tattoo artist and Alec a florist. They got to know each other and it was simply perfect, Magnus helped Alec with some things and it was just adorable and awesome and amazing. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title of this one either. I will search for it and maybe give it a shout out later when I found it again because it was really good
Oh, I’ve read that Malec fic, so good! There’s a fantastic MM novel called Switched—I think—by N.R. Walker that’s friends to lovers and I read it in one night. It’s just something about two people, who know one another in and out, coming together, more sighs.
I’d love to jump into your Thiam works. First, the Raeken Twins and your story, Finding My Way To You. Do you have any twins headcanons/imagines which helped you bring Mike Raeken to life?
I got this awesome ask one day about Theo and Mike from PPL being twins and my mind began to rattle. I thought about Theo, his personality, and began to develop someone who would be Theo’s complete opposite. Pretty Little Liars helped a lot because Mike was a sweetheart there, at least until the point where I stopped watching the show. I absolutely loved the idea of Theo having someone to take care of and protect, being a big brother.
I had a vague scene in my mind where Theo berates Mike for being too trusting and Mike just rolls his eyes and tells his big brother to relax. That was the base on where I developed the Raeken Twins. I wanted somebody who was the opposite of Theo but I didn’t want to go completely black and white and so I carved out Mike’s character more, gave him some rough edges as well.
It is fun to play around with the aspect of Theo having his counterpart who at the same time gets him to a T and has someone he always aimed to protect. He may act like he doesn’t care but it had always been my headcanon that he would do anything for Mike and Mike is that one person who knows everything about Theo and who also knows Theo does in fact care
So, if Mike Raeken was part of the Pack and the TW universe, how would he handle these few scenarios:
a: Who would be his pack allies, the pack members he’d bond with? Who would be his pack friend-enemies?
Mike, just like his brother, would become a member of the puppy pack because Mike’s a puppy too. He’d probably bond the most with Nolan and Corey because they share the most character traits with them being kind of cute and sometimes awkward. Brett would be his crush for sure. But he would also be good friends with Liam and totally root for Thiam.
Friendenemies? Good question.  He’s not as harsh as Theo so he probably would not really have problems with the people around. Unless you come for his brother, then he will end you.
b: In a Supernatural crisis, how would he respond?
That clearly depends on the situation. When it comes to facing an enemy and taking them down, Mike’s a fighter and goes into the full experience. He is fast, he is agile, he is ruthless. But if it comes to protecting the people he cares about, he gets very defensive and worries more about them and bringing them to safety than taking part in the fight itself. He’s not even afraid to charge in and drag the person out of the fight (especially his brother). Mike is pretty level-headed and can stay calm even if times get rough. He checks a situation, makes his own theories about it, but he mostly stays in the background, lets the others talk and discuss, and only interferes when he feels like it’s not going anywhere. But most of the times he is fine with just watching and striking when it’s the right time.
c: One hilarious scenario you think would occur between him, Theo, and other member of the pack?
They would pull a Switch-A-Raeken so often to confuse the pack and get their laughs out of this. Liam is probably the only one who can tell them apart because he pays so close attention to them (mostly Theo though) but the others always get totally confused and the twins love to switch even during a conversation to completely confuse everyone.
One situation I find absolutely hilarious and I will write one day would involve the Sheriff, probably to introduce them as twins. One twin gets arrested, the other shows up to bail him out. Stilinski is in his office when suddenly one of the deputies knocks at the door. He calls them in and they open the door, slightly nervous. “We…uhm…have a situation here with the boy we arrested. You might want to check? He said you surely would love that.” The sheriff narrows his eyes and gets up from his chair. He walks out of his office and there they are. Two identical smirks on their faces and casually leaned against the backrest of the bench in front of his office. “Hey, Sheriff!” One of them says. Stilinski is baffled, moments pass by. He finally finds his voice again. “There are two of them? Because one Raeken wasn’t enough???” He yells, voice cracking at the end. He scratches his neck and grimaces. The twins’ smirks intensify. The deputy ducks away and hides behind the computer screen.
Rofl, I hope you do write it! Are you planning to continue Finding My Way To You too? Any spoilers you can slip us?
I am definitely planning to but I have more prominent ideas for A tale written with fangs and claws and other stories at the moment. I do have written some part of the next chapter still. I love this story and the feedback I received was wonderful. Raeken Twins are a fun thing to write about, so expect more to come.
For a spoiler, I will tell you we will have some drama, much love and yes also smut. There will be a slightly different take on the Dread Doctors spin because I am dissecting the storyline a bit to make it more fitting for Finding My Way To You. There will be a shift in the relationship between the twins as well. For everything else, you need to stay tuned ;D
Well, I suppose we must now haha. Until then, we have all of a Tale of Fangs and Claws to keep ourselves busy. Speaking of….a Tale of Fangs and Claws Time!! (I held out for this long; I’m proud of myself.) For anyone unfamiliar, could you give us a quick synopsis? What inspired the idea? 
Whooo!!  The story is about Liam becoming an Alpha when he least expects it. He and Theo are living in Seattle, are roommates in college, and totally in love with each other but they both feel the other might not return their feelings in the beginning. Theo still joins Liam’s pack and together they return to Seattle. The story follows Liam’s journey in his new role, especially when other werewolves appear and Liam and Theo soon have a pack of their own to take care of. They become a family, face many battles and they all learn more about each other and their strengths and weaknesses, help to find their place in the world.
My inspiration for this came from the sole wish to see Liam as Alpha. I think he would be a great Alpha and would have loved to see it happen at the end of the show as some kind of next-generation thing with the older pack members leaving Beacon Hills and him taking over from Scott. The more I thought about this, the bigger the need for Alpha!Liam became and I started to imagine his pack, created their characters a little bit and searched for faceclaims. It took me a while until I finally started to write the story; until I had a decent enough base to actually imagine turning this into a multi-chapter fic and upload it.  Add me playing around with my basic photoshop program and create some Liam as Alpha manips and the inspiration was there. It came to the point where I could no longer hold back and thus I uploaded the prologue. I never imagined the success it would have and I am still amazed by this.
Wow, and it’s almost 300,000 words long! First, huge congrats on being the longest Thiam fic thus far! Is this the longest story you’ve ever written? Did you originally plan all the chapters or has it reshaped itself? Would you say you have a secret to writing longer fics while also keeping your personal interest high?
It’s crazy! Thank you so much!! I have to say I never expected this to turn out so huge, I still can’t believe it. Every time I check the chapter numbers, it still feels so unreal. When I started, I had no idea how long this would be. I had basic elements and certain points I wanted to have happen but everything else was non-existent in the beginning. It still is nowadays because that’s how I write. I don’t have everything planned out and so my own story keeps surprising me but I love this.  I’m writing a chapter and some things are coming to my mind while I’m writing and I take a break to consider, bring this in a vague timeline, and then continue writing.
 I admire people whohave every little detail plannedout but I’m so not like this and I had it happen to me that I wrote a chapter completely different than I intended to. Because my thoughts didn’t work as good as the thing I had been actually writing, if that makes sense. Sure, I have some scenes I have in mind for a long time and while I have not every word planned out, I have a pretty solid image of the scenes. Theo’s development for example. I knew how I want to have the big moments to happen and I am even more excited than usual when it is time to write it.
The story is indeed the longest I have ever written until now.  Who knows what the future has in store? :D
I wouldn’t exactly call it a secret. Thiam itself inspires me so much and receiving so much feedback from so many people is also a very good source of motivation, not gonna lie. This story, the reactions I got from people, has made me feel better about my talent as a writer and that fueled my passion. I associate so many great things with this story and I got attached to every single character that writing a new chapter feels like coming home. I see them as part of my family, my babies if you want, and I am curious to see how they develop further. That’s what keeps me inspired to make this story longer and longer. I’d say the secret, in general, is creating something you truly love, no matter how cliche this sounds. Create this word that is truly you that brings yourself joy and I’m sure you won’t lose interest.
Yes, I so agree! When I was writing my main Stacksonstory, I fell so in love with the characters and the progress of the story! And then to be able to talk about them with so many people, it definitely kept the thoughts coming, even long after I finished it!
Exactly what happened to me with A tale written with fangs and claws! It is wonderful to have such great response and it’s a great source of motivation. I get so many ideas for this story just by reading comments or talking with people. That’s the beauty of fanfiction I think.
Most definitely! Would you then say any of your original characters are based on people you know personally?
Actually no.  I was more inspired by fictional characters, took some things from them, and created my own individual character. If there are any resemblances I haven’t noticed them yet but hey, maybe I will someday^^
Maybe, who knows what might happen. Not us, certainly. Thinking forward, is there one thing you’re dying to add in the story but you have to write a few more chapter before it comes up?
Liam’s and Theo’s wedding! I am dying to write this since a few chapters and everyone who read the last chapter knows I’m toying around with this thing a bit but I really, really can’t wait to write their wedding. It will happen one day and I am excited about it but it will take some more (a lot more) chapters until we can get there.
Yessssss, we’ll be patiently waiting until then! Before we wind down, I’d love to give you a time to impart some wisdom onto us. Any life hacks or creative wisdom on your mind lately?
It is important to figure out what works best for you and never let anybody butt in, writing-wise and in life too. I had to learn this myself but there will be people telling you how you should do a certain thing and then you need to figure out if this is really the best for you. I’m not saying you should not take advice, you definitely should, but it is okay to change this advice, maybe combine it with the advice you got from someone else and create your own special way to get things done. There might be people who are very critical of how you work, how you handle things, and sometimes it can really get to you and be a bummer but it is important to remember that as long as it good for you, as long as it helps you get something done the way you want it to, it’s the right way for you. Your own opinion and your own wellbeing are more important than what some might think are the right thing for you. Your way is the right thing and great things will come from this, just stay true to yourself even when it’s hard sometimes
Also: Allow yourself to change. What was on your mind a year ago, what you wrote a year ago, doesn’t become less valid just because you changed your perspective. You are ever-changing and there will be moments where you realize that your old mindset doesn’t apply to the situation anymore, not to the person you became anymore. That’s okay. It doesn’t take anything away from the progress you made before, doesn’t take anything away from what you created back then. It simply shows your development as a writer, as a person, and that’s a fascinating progress.
Thank you so much for your honesty and depth. Aww, well, we reached the end of our time, Rena! Luckily, we’ve learned so much about you in our short time together. To end us out, what’s next for you? Any big plans?
I have several projects planned. In terms of fanfiction, I’m planning a sequel to A tale written with fangs and claws if I finish the story, I’m planning on continuing my Mated series, Finding My Way To You will be continued as well, and there are several other fanfictions on the line. I’m also planning on finally writing my first original novel, something I’m very excited about.  Those are the things I have planned, who knows what else is gonna happen? Life is full of surprises.
Good luck with your novel! And all the other bundles of surprises and happiness that are whirling your way. Is there anything else you’d like to share? The mic’s in your hands.
It’s okay to struggle. I sometimes feel like the standards expect everyone to be perfect at anything they do and it can be really frustrating when you feel like you’re not reaching these standards. You feel like a failure and it’s a horrible thing to feel. I had so many moments where I felt like I would never reach the standard for that thing to be considered good or even great and it took me a long time to learn not to always compare myself to others and be proud of who I am, my talents, what I create. I still feel like I’m not good enough sometimes but every time I struggle, I learn new things about myself and that’s what made me realize it is okay to struggle. You learn next to nothing when you don’t struggle and ease everything perfectly on the first try.
Sure, it’s great to have a lift first time you do something, it’s even important to be a natural in some things, but I also know that struggling causes doubts and insecurities because you feel like anybody else doesn’t seem to struggle at all. What I’m trying to say is embrace your struggles as part of your development process on becoming the best version of yourself that you can be. And remember: Nobody has the same story to tell as you. The world needs to hear yours, don’t let the doubts take this away from you. It’s a long and difficult way to go but it’s worth it in the end.
Thanks so much Rena! It was a freaking blast getting to know you and your life, inspirations, and quirky interests haha! 
Thankfully, the conversation doesn’t have to end here. To chat with her about her works, Thiam, Teen Wolf, even Wrestling, you can find Rena at these three places:  
AO3: Former_Princess
Tumblr: formerprincess
Ask Box: formerprincessask
In her words, “It’s more than okay! I love getting asks, messages. I’d even love to get a carrier pigeon. I am a shy noodle myself but I absolutely love to interact with people and have them interact with me. Ask as many questions as you want, send in as many things as you want, you will never bother me and in fact make me very happy. Also - on a non fandom related note - myaskbox is always open for anybody who needs somebody to listen to them.”
She’s also currently accepting prompts, though it might take her a while to get to them–you know busy lives and what not. So, feel free to “send in things, share your thoughts, headcanons, and everything else,” with her. (Also, her words!)
Thanks so much for reading. We will see you next week as we get to know about fandomtrashwhore, aka Marie, our resident Thiam Social Media expert. Until then!
Have a Thiam Creator you fan over? Send us their names. Likewise, if you as the creator, would like to be a part of the Behind the Screens series, give us a shout too! We’d love to get to know you, as well.
25 notes · View notes
fae-fucker · 6 years
Text
Zenith: Chapter 7
The man on the screen is Governor Cyprian General Cortas, who is the father of Andi’s first ever (accidental) kill. 
So of course, this means that Andi must have yet another dramatic flashback:
Wind in her hair, the kiss of freedom coating her skin as she sprinted through the darkness hallways, Kaley Kalee beside her.
Laughter bubbling between them as they snuck onto the Governor’s general’s personal starship transport ship.
The click of Kaley’s Kalee’s harness, buckled tight in the copilot’s seat, and Andi’s nervous laughter, again, as she dared Kaley to undo the harness.
To fly free.
“Don’t you trust me?” Andi asked, as her fingers curled over the wheel.
looked at her charge, the girl she was sworn to protect.
“Are you sure about this?” Andi asked, her fingers curled over the throttle.
Kalee lifted a pale brow, a smile tugging at her lips. “As my best friend and personal Spectre, I command you to do this, Androma.”
The engine purred as Andi started it up. A feeling of excitement coursed through her at the sound.
Kalee smiled. “For once in your life, have some real fun.”
Young Andi was a total dumbass, as you can see.
Shinsay decided to rewrite this scene to further absolve Andi of any crime. See? Kalee ordered Andi to do it! Technically it wasn’t her fault!
Also, I’m glad to see that Kaley’s name went from white to whiter.
I see that they changed this dude from governor to general, and chose to have the narration and the characters properly address him by his surname instead of his first name.
I hope the people who bought the preview bit were compensated, because they basically bought the first goddamn draft and were promised that “not much sould change” in the final product, yet here we are, with major character and narrative changes. 
I guess if nothing is of any consequence, then this doesn’t matter, but in a good book, even small changes can make a big difference.
In front of her was a victim of her foolishness, and next to her was the man who created her and then betrayed her.
The man in front of her was a victim of her foolishness. Beside her was the man who’d rejected her love.
The two of them, together? It was nearly enough to shatter Andi.
Yeah, look at this hardened badass nearly shattering because of Teh Menz. I get why she’d be upset in Cyprian’s presence, but Dex is her shitty (D)ex, why is she so miffed over him?
Why was the line changed from Dex betraying her to him “rejecting her love?” Andi had a good reason to hate him before, but now she’s just a woman scorned? Come on, Shinsay. Weren’t you all about girl power and shit? Can’t do one goddamn thing right, can you?
And can I just wonder about the possible and implied age difference between Andi and Dex? If he’s old enough to have taught her “everything she knows,” he’d have to be older to actualy know those things. Is this going to go into squick territory?
Anyway, Andi sees Arcardius behind the general and we find out that she attended the “Academy” with other “military students,” where she also learned to dance (???) and how to pilot ... things, I guess, and also where she’d been handpicked to be the personal “Spectre” for the general’s daughter, which is apparently super duper cool and most people only DREAM of. 
Everyone wants to be a dancing body guard, I guess. 
Cyprian reads some of Andi’s crimes back to her from a newspaper for ... reasons. So we can know how epic and edgy she is.
Turns out that she once shot down two passenger ships as a “distraction” from when she was smuggling illegal weapons. I’m ... not even going to open that can of strategically questionable worms.
Update: This has been changed to Andi shooting down two “black market ships” (what does that mean) and the debris from that battle falling down on a “village.”
Just one village? That’s some pinpoint aim on that debris. 
Also, this just further removes Andi from doing any actual harm. Like yeah, she did a dumb thing, but in the original version, she purposefully shot down civilian ships as a distraction. 
How the fuck did you edit your book about a space pirate and make her WIMPIER?! 
Can’t fucking handle the thought of your character not being morally fucking flawless, can you? Unless it’s just on the surface and only there when she needs to be sexy and badass, huh?
[Andi] took complete responsibility for those deaths. She’d never thought the debris would get through the atmosphere in such large pieces, let alone hit one of the few settlements on Pazus.
Oh, and she even feels remorse and takes responsibility, what a peach! 
Jesus Christ, how fucking boring can she get? 
It’s honestly so sad how even female authors can’t write morally grey or just outright cruel female characters in fear of them being unlikeable. 
Yeah, bitch. That’s the point. Let her be shitty and unlikeable. You can’t both let her be a ruthless space pirate and the “Bloody Baroness” and a pwecious widdle angel who cries for every man she kills and knits little mittens for their children and widows.
One of the darker choices I’ve made, Andi thought.
In case y’all didn’t get that shooting down two civilian ships and murdering over a dozen people for your own gain is “dark,” Shinsay’s here to clear it all up!
Update: This has been removed, but I’m leaving it in the snark because you need to see the stupidity, even if it was edited out.
“You were never caught,” Cyprian General Cortas said, his voice low, “but I knew it was you. That is what you do, Andi Androma. You leave a path of chaos in your wake, and you don’t ever look back to see whose lives were ended because of it.” His green blue eyes flashed at her.
It’s Morse code. He’s trying to tell you something, Andi.
.- -. -.. .-. --- -- .- .. ... .- -... ..- - - .... --- .-.. .
“The Bloody Baroness,” Cyprian General Cortas said, as he set setting down the screen, “is mentioned in thirteen cases since last year, six of those involving numerous deaths. Though And I have no doubt, Androma, that there are many more cases that went unnoticed. You are one of the most notorious criminals in all of Mirabel.”
Dude, did you come here to do anything besides stroking Andi’s ego? Because I’m getting kind of mixed signals here, buddy.
Bloody Baroness is still stupid and not at all intimidating, Shinsay.
At least she’s not an assassin and her job doesn’t rely on being undercover, I guess, so I’ll forgive some of the ridiculous infamy.
Against all odds, Zenith continues to be better than Throne of Glass.
“I’m not here for revenge,” he said, and again, Andi was reminded of the crash. The light. Kaley’s bloody hand, slipping from Andi’s as she breathed her last breath.
That’s great, buddy. You’ve had this flashback five times now.
Update: This has been removed. Why do you keep removing my favorite dumb bits, Shinsay? A pox on your house! 
Anywho, remember that dude in the MOST DARKNEST DARN DANKNESS DARK DARKNESS DARKNESS COLD VOID COLDEST VOID NOTHING EMPTY BLACK DARKNESS???
Turns out that he’s Cyprian’s son! And he’s been missing for a while! 
And now the general is so desperate that he’s asking Andi to help him find him again.
Valen, Kaley’s older brother with summer hair and soft eyes, who’d made her blush as a child, who’d never spoken more than a few fleeting words to Andi each time she visited Kaley’s floating estate on Arcardius.
*looks at Valen*
*looks at Dex Dogtective*
Hoo boy here we go.
Also, what does “summer hair” look like?
Update: This has been removed, and now Valen has “dark hair” and “soft hazel eyes.” There’s also no mention of him making Andi blush, and in fact the text says that they barely spoke to each other, though he did try to stop Kalee and Andi from sneaking out, and didn’t show up to court when Andi was on trial.
Three years after losing one child, the other had been taken from [Cyprian].
Two years after losing one child, the other had been snatched from him, too.
Again, the guilt clawed at Andi from inside.
I love how the inclusion of “again” both tries to excuse and also ironically highlights the extremely silly repetitiveness of Andi’s pointless oh-shit-I-feel-bad moments.
It’s Shinsay shrugging at the reader like: “Yep, there that wild bish Andi goes again with dem flashbacks.”
“Two weeks months ago, one of our satellites picked up a coded signal from Xen Ptera’s prison moon, Lunamere. The message was in the code that our top military operatives use, meaning only a select few know it. It said four words: I am here, Father.” Arcardian military code, which you no doubt remember from your time serving.”
We get a brief flashback to where Andi sits and tries to decode the “strange ancient symbols” where she admits that she can fight good but she’s not especially book smart. Why the hell are the military using one single code that apparently military students get to learn, and why the fuck is it ancient? 
That’s like ... the mother of all secutiry flaws. How has nobody cracked their code yet? What the fuck?
Anyway, apparently the general had been personally teaching his son this super secret, ancient, well-known code, and he thinks this signal is from Valen because it’s the last word he told him to decode.
I’m gonna love the explanation to how the fuck he even did that.
The reason Cyprian is telling her all this is because he wants Andi to find Valen, and he can’t send his men to do it because it would upset the fragile truce that’s between uh ... “their” part of the galaxy and the part of the galaxy where Valen is being held. Sending a pirate who has no official ties to anyone I guess makes sense, but this raises like a billion questions still.
Won’t the people holding him captive realize they’re working for Cyprian as soon as they try to bust him out? Just because they’re pirates he assumes they’ll be allowed to enter the prison and get whatever dude they want? What exactly is Cyprian expecting to happen here? Even if they’re pirates, when they deliver Valen back to him, the enemy will realize that they were infiltrated and still go to war. Or is he hoping that they’ll never admit that they did it? If they kidnapped the guy in the first place and placed him in the prison, they were already doing something that could easily provoke a war, so I don’t see them exactly backing down and pretending it didn’t happen. War is kind of inevitable at this point. It would’ve made more sense for Cyprian to hire Andi to smuggle him out so he’d be safe and not used as a pawn, but he’s framing it as a political move to avoid war, which doesn’t make much sense.
And if the government isn’t actually affiliated with the people who stole Valen, then why can’t he just ask them for help? Surely if they wanted to keep the peace, they’d help the guy find his son? I know that he suspects the government did it, and if they actually did it, keeping up appearances won’t change the outcome. If they didn’t do it, then asking might actually help him find him faster. I’m just saying that he probably should’ve like ... asked first. For political reasons, even if they deny it. The book does mention that “there has been no word from their end” (What, they’ve been silent for two years?), which is a red flag, but Cyprian should’ve been more persistent and not resort to pirates so quickly. The fact that they didn’t instantly jump to help him find Valen is enough to turn up the pressure, I’d say.
And why aren’t the people holding Valen captive demanding a ransom? He’s the son of an influential politician, what were they doing to him during these two years? Wouldn’t whatever medium Valen used to send out that signal still be picked up by the captors, even if they can’t decode it? (Don’t get me started on that btw.) When we saw Valen in the prison in the prologue, he was just rotting away and nobody seemed to want to keep him in good health because he’s a political asset, so why’d they take him in the first place? If he’s been gone for so long and has managed to survive but is seemingly also abandoned, what were they doing to him? What was their plan? “Let’s just grab him and have him sit there for shits and giggles.”
I guess these are questions that will be answered, but this feels a bit flimsy already.
*inhales*
I’m ok.
Andi says that she can’t do it.
“You can’t?” Cyprian The general barked out a laugh. “The Bloody Baroness does whatever she wants. Even if it means stealing a starship in the middle of the night, crashing it into the side of a mountain, and slaughtering an innocent girl in the process. One she was sworn to protect.”
Cyprian is supposed to sound angry here but somehow ends up stroking Andi’s ego some more.
“She was to be my heir,” Cyprian General Cortas whispered. “And you stole her from me. From my wife. From my people.”
Cyprian, you fucking drama queen. You do realize that military ranks can’t be inherited, yes?
This all makes sense to Andi, because of course.
The Mirabel Patrolmen couldn’t just waltz into a Xen Pterran prison and steal a prisoner out from under the guards without violating the terms of the treaty. The agreement was meant to prevent further war between Xen Ptera and the galaxy’ s other major systems, Prime, Stuna, Tavina and Phelexos. Galactic peace had always required a careful balancing act between each system, and when the Olen System rebelled, it had upset that balance.
The Unified Systems couldn’t risk an upset again.
But a pirate, not officially affiliated with any side...
Yeah, you’re right. And when you deliver that boy back to the general, he’ll just go “oi oi thanks lads, here’s your payment though you were totally not affiliated with me in any way lmao anyway cheerios” and the Xen Pterrans will be like “oh his son is back at his side is he? well that definitely doesn’t mean he hired people to invade our space, maybe Valen just walked out of the prison.”
Like ... they stole your son. They probably 100% stole your son. They broke the treaty. You’re free to attack. What I’d do is send in a spy, to check if Valen truly was there, get proof, and then hide him away to a safe place and then explode that shit. 
But no. Let’s send a fucking NOTORIOUS SPACE PIRATE with her FANCY SHIP and IDIOTIC, FLASHY METHODS (blew up two ships which then rained down on a village, good job).
That’ll fucking do it, you jackass.
“There is, of course, another option.”
Andi raised her eyebrows, and Cyprian General Cortas smiled, cold and calculating.
Cyprian tells Andi that if she does this, he’ll ERASE ALL HER CRIMES so she can START FROM SCRATCH. And if she refuses, he’ll just kill her.
“I will pardon you for your crimes. Lift your death sentence. You could return to Arcardius, Androma.”
Home, Andi’s mind whispered.
A thousand memories suddenly unlocked, poured into her from the place she’d kept them safely hidden away.
Her mother, twirling in a circle as a silver gown blossomed around her. Her freshly painted nails shining under the chandelier light as she pressed a soft hand to Andi’s cheek and whispered, “My daughter, protecting the general’s heir. A true Arcardian dream.”
Her father, later that night, praising Andi as she blocked his attack. “You’ve been practicing without me,” he said, hands flexing as he lunged forward and she slipped easily past him.
Arcardius, full of warmth and laughter and beauty .
Arcardius, full of Kalee’s screams and blood on Andi’s hands, hot and wrong and...
Tumblr media
The chapter ends on Andi accepting (after making the general recite the “Arcardian Vow,” bless this book’s little heart) and asking for ship upgrades to help on the mission and we get this:
At that, Cyprian the general smiled, and looked not at Andi, but at Dex.
“He The bounty hunter will take care of that for you,” Cyprian General Cortas said, his voice dripping with sick satisfaction, “since he’ll be joining you on your mission.”
Oh, joy.
Who saw this coming. I sure didn’t.
What a buffet of surprises Shinsay has cooked up for us. 
14 notes · View notes
oovitus · 6 years
Text
Learning how to self advocate for wellness and career advancement
I've recently been meditating on personal and professional development and in a lot of ways, maintenance. Part of it aligns with recently discussed concepts of wellness and work-life balance. Part of it also has to do with this intrinsic unsettled feeling I'm experiencing with work. I attended an academic conference recently which I believe was clarifying and is helping me to frame my approach. Health This all started with a dive into self care, specifically, trying to make sure that I was taking better care of this 41 year old body of mine. I had not been to a dentist in 15 years. Yes. You read that correctly. I had not seen a dentist since before medical school. Part of it was because I'm irrationally terrified of the dentist... part of this fear probably came from all those times my mother forced me to sit with her and hold her hand through many root canals and extractions while she squirmed, wiggled and held a vice grip on my hand. The other part of it was the silly thought, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The final factor was the disease of busy. I flossed. I brushed. I have a nice smile. I'm fine. It wasn't until my little one bravely sat through the first couple of dental appointments during which we found out he had multiple cavities between all of the molars, necessitating 8 crowns, a failed attempt at in office nitrous and subsequent trip to same day oral surgery center with a pediatric anesthesiologist that I finally made an appointment. So I did it. I had a couple of cavities, needed scaling (which is a special kind or torture) and am now getting teed up for a root canal. I suppose it's not bad for 15 years. At least I'm keeping all of my teeth, for now. Let's move on to fitness. I'd topped off the scale at 5 pounds over my full term pregnancy weight. I hated what I saw in the mirror. Inside I was happy. My outside didn't match my insides... maybe I wasn't happy. Regardless, I've spent the last year trying to make sure to make time to do tedious things like plan healthy and nutritious meals and get some exercise. I found a colleague and now friend who was an online health coach. I found a supportive environment of other busy, professional women who found time and prioritized this portion of self care and found that they ended up being happier, more patient and feeling more fulfilled all around. I found tools which were easy to implement (albeit requiring some behavior change), accountability partners and fun exercise options. I enjoyed it so much that I myself became a coach. With everything we give to our patients, our learners and our hospitals, we absolutely must prioritize ourselves in there somewhere. Working out may not be your thing, but you have to identify what it is that recharges you and make time for it. Put it on your schedule or it will not happen. It will ebb and flow, but you've got to take care of you before you can take care of anyone else. I still need to schedule that Pap and Mammo... I'm a work in progress. Personal Development Part of the company's philosophy is ensuring that you spend some time each day on your own personal development. This created an opportunity for me to read some personal development books (the former four letter "self-help" category). Below you will find the books I've gone through over the last 6 months (good grief, whoever created audiobooks is literally the best because I become narcoleptic while reading). I've read (or listened to in audiobooks) "You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero. She's not a physician, but she's been through some things and many of her struggles and insecurities resonated with me. She is also remarkably sarcastic and funny and I had many a laugh while listening to her book. I followed that with "The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success" written by Darren Hardy. This dude for all intents and purposes is a self made gazillionaire and did it all with hard work and discipline, specifically with small changes every day. He had an authoritarian for a father, so we have that in common. It focuses more on the business world, however if I ever consider entrepreneurship, I'll probably revisit it. I followed that with bits and pieces of several books from Brene Brown... "Rising Strong" and "The Gifts of Imperfection," both of which hit chords with me. Let's figure out how to pick ourselves up after we fail at something because that is what bravery truly is. It takes no energy to stay down after you take a hit. Facing the day, reflecting on how you may have been responsible for whatever you've experienced is an important lesson. Reading her book is like sitting in a therapist's office, without the $200 price tag. She's a shame researcher and she hits the nail on the head when she discusses the mountains of self imposed guilt we shoulder unnecessarily. She's also witty and sarcastic from time to time. Next was "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson. Now, if you can move past the fact that this guy is a bit like a frat boy in his use of language, there are some important lessons to be learned. Some things just don't deserve our energy. Seriously. My latest read is "Feminist Fight Club: A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace" by Jessica Bennett. I came upon this book on my way to the aforementioned conference. I knew I was specifically attending a workshop designed to appeal to women interested in leadership in academic medicine. I was looking for something which would light my fire and help me think outside the box a bit. Jessica Bennett is a journalist who specifically writes about issues of gender, sexuality and culture. In her book, she highlights the research which discusses not only how institutions may unknowingly or overtly be preventing growth of their female professionals, but also behaviors we may be demonstrating which hinder our own progress. I take each of these books with a respective grain of salt, but it's really kind of opened my eyes to some self reflection and highlighted some things I may want to work on within myself. When we spend so much of ourselves in tending to other's needs, our own needs and need for growth can get lost in the mix. Professional development So, I'm an academic. I teach medical students, PA students, residents, fellows, faculty. I have sought opportunities to develop my educational niche, my ability to provide feedback, teach a skill, develop a curriculum, pitch an idea to my department chair. I teach a lot of things... probably too many things, which is why I find myself feeling stale and unfulfilled here. I feel like I've spread myself so thin that I'm doing an ordinary job at all of the things for which I'd prefer to be doing an extraordinary job. I feel like an octopus juggling knives which are on fire. Is this imposter syndrome creeping in? Perhaps, but I know I could do better with my time and efforts if I peeled away from some things. I officially mentor some and unofficially mentor others. I've not received any training per se in mentoring, save observation of folks I hope to emulate. I don't know what the steps are. I don't know what skills to hone. It's kind of like teaching, but also very different from teaching. There should be a program for mentoring the junior mentor. There probably is, but I've not yet had the bandwidth to seek out or discover it, but it is something I need. What I found most interesting in the sessions at this conference was the focus on not necessarily seeking out the most sage mentor. Sometimes peer mentors are actually better for you as you navigate different challenges in your career. I've been at this academic gig for 6 years now. At the conference I attended, many of the female leaders commented on "cycles" and feeling unsettled after a certain amount of time doing each of the jobs they did. That hit home for me. I feel unsettled. I want to do what I'm doing differently and I need to advance my position from my current title to the next. As such, I've been meeting with my closest mentors, having heartfelt talks about what I thought I wanted when I started, what I've done and where I see it going. I see now that I've invested a tremendous amount of time and emotional capital in one path. It was my hope that by working hard and contributing, I'd be rewarded with position. Boom!!! Words from all of the books came to mind and highlighted for me that I in fact cannot do it all and I should be asking for compensation in some way for what I am doing. You will not get 100% of the things you DO NOT ask for. I must focus my efforts on those things which are most meaningful to me in my professional life. I need a new goal. I need a promotion. So, I'm going to spend the next couple of months working on my dossier, writing papers, reviewing and revising the curricula that I am responsible for and pouring the energy freed up by letting go of tasks held by one of my octopus tentacles. It's exciting and anxiety provoking to have this new approach and challenging in that I've never before created a dossier or gone up for academic promotion. Why didn't someone tell me about all of the stuff that goes into this? Why didn't someone tell me to keep better track of all of the lectures I taught, programs I developed, mentees I invested in, meetings I attended, evaluations I received??? This wasn't part of orientation when I became faculty. It was discussed as an afterthought in my annual meetings "You should be ready for promotion in a couple of years." After reading my most recent book, I wonder if the experience is the same for my XY colleagues. Is the assumption that because I'm a single mother, I must not be interested in promotion or advancement, so I don't really need the guidance or personal investment? To adapt a quote from Jessica's book, "No one gets shit done like a mom." I'm trying to figure out what my professional and personal mission statement is. What are my values? What do I hold dearest to me? Do my actions align with my values and my mission? How do I parlay these reflections into actions moving forward and be sure I'm looking out for my own professional interests, professional development and advancement? Learning how to self advocate for wellness and career advancement published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com
0 notes