#which is an interesting thing for julien who as you know is great at Talking and less great at Having Teeth
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the man with the flawed facade...
[flintlock fortress is a collaboration with @dxppercxdxver]
#em draws stuff#team fortress 2#flintlock fortress#shoutout to maddie for asking me about julien and masks! she will not see this post but she is a real one nonetheless! :)#[maddie my good pal maddie who is not on this website]#anyway! this is a vaguely historically appropriate venetian moretta mask!#via which we can have Thoughts regarding our friend m. laurent's situation with gender (he's sure got one!)#another cool thing about these is you cannot Talk while wearing these because you have to hold them onto your face with your teeth#which is an interesting thing for julien who as you know is great at Talking and less great at Having Teeth
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Just a few excerpts below, but please read the full article, it’s really good!
In their live shows and on The Record, the group take turns singing lead vocals, meaning they regularly get to stand a couple of feet away from the spotlight – which I sense is a more natural position for each of them. “[Touring is] way more fun together, and easy together,” says Dacus, addressing her bandmates. “It’s cute watching y’all have your little bit during ‘Cool About It’, and when you look at each other in ‘Anti-Curse’, I have no choice but to stan.” As a band, they share the weight of responsibility that they usually have to shoulder alone.
The crowds are so deeply engaged, not just because of the emotionally devastating content of the songs, but because of what Boygenius represents. They are a queer-identifying, all-female rock group in 2023, triumphantly landing themselves in spaces that used to be dominated entirely by straight men, such as their Rolling Stone cover earlier this year, in which they playfully replicated a classic 1994 photoshoot of Nirvana in business suits. And it’s not just that: they are rock stars in a very traditional sense – as their bombastic, thrashy live show, replete with stage diving et al, goes to show – who also sing songs every night about how much they love and appreciate one another. “We talk to each other about our feelings and process emotions as adults,” Baker says. “Instead of screaming at each other and throwing handles of vodka backstage.”
The band’s willingness to step up and wade into political issues has further solidified the bond they’ve formed with their fans. Earlier this summer, they performed in drag in Tennessee to protest against the state’s anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-drag laws. In May last year, when it was leaked that Roe v Wade would be overturned by the US Supreme Court, Bridgers shared on Twitter that she had undergone an abortion the previous year, alongside a link to a donation page. Young, vulnerable people are seeing their favourite rock band stand up for them – it’s powerful, and the love and appreciation the fans feel for that is clear during the live shows. At concerts throughout the year so far, there have been reports of people throwing things at artists – phones, wheels of brie, their dead mother’s ashes – but at Boygenius gigs, fans throw pink carnations, in reference to a line that Dacus sings in “We’re in Love” (“I’ll be the boy with the pink carnation pinned to my lapel”). “We’ve given a lot of who we are as people in our art, through interviews and social media,” Dacus says. “I think that’s maybe the silver lining of the parasocial relationship; they might want to treat us the way they treat their friends, instead of a mysterious, untouchable, unfazeable, unhurtable thing.”
Boygenius know that they’re speaking to – and at times, for – an underrepresented group, and it’s a point of great pride, a driving force in their work. “Being into our band is a dog whistle for the kind of kid that has similar interests,” says Baker.
“Like a sensitive gay baby,” adds Dacus.
“That is what makes [the job] meaningful to me,” says Baker. “To be away from my family when they need me to be there, to be doing things that I find inane or self-serving. I’m like, ‘Dang, look at all those kids’. Like, actually, there’s 25,000 little gay kids out there who’ve heard us talk about things like: be inside of your life. Pay attention to your friends. It’s worth it to live.”
The group have become the role models they wished they had themselves when they were growing up. “I think that if I had more queer and trans idols when I was younger, it would have felt more normal to me to engage with those things,” Dacus says. “And it’s gotten to the point of silliness, all of our stage antics and kissing at most of the shows, but I wish I had seen playful, joyful depictions of queerness.”
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Citizens of Marevi, Part 1
Way to go, Jezabat. Because of your affinity for drawing Lego sea animals, and because you have too many ideas for the Marevi quintet, you had to expand this land's citizens into multiple pages!
Eh, whatever. Let's dive in!
Waterlily's family is formally known as the Medusozoa royal family. Multiple species have ruled over Marevi over the years. King Nettle Coelenta is a sea nettle. He is kind and respectful to everyone, but he's not very good at noticing lies or tricks. Still, he's willing to do whatever it takes to help someone. He never wants to hurt another person's feelings. Queen Moonlily is a moon jellyfish. She aims to make sure that people, especially Waterlily, are healthy and safe. She always tells Waterlily to remember to smile, and she adores her creativity. She keeps a calm heart and hardly ever gets mad. I imagine King Nettle sounding like Wade from Elemental for some reason.
Shelltop's parents are good friends with Waterlily's and have been working with them for a very long time. Snailtop Molluskas is a fun-loving man who will try to make something fun if it isn't. He's rather comical; he's been joking about Shelltop's likeness in appearance to him since Shelltop first hatched out of his egg. Clamilla Bivalva is considered to be where Shelltop gets his boldness from, since she's a decisive and confident woman. She tries to help Shelltop keep his room and belongings orderly. Snailtop and Clamilla love to play sports just like Shelltop does. Clamilla is great at badminton, and Snailtop is skilled at cricket.
Celina Cecae is Spike's mother. She is an affectionate and loving woman with a cool, relaxed mood. As kind as she is, she tries not to let anyone use her kindness to their advantage. Often times, she breaks down and cries. She was once the resident royal swordswoman of Marevi. She was known for her stealth, swift movements, ability to blend in with her surroundings, and illusory combat techniques. In those days, she called herself Nightrain. However, because of Needle's horrible treatment of her and her loved ones, Celina stopped swordfighting. She’s since taken her work to the strategists’ table, spreading peace, friendship and positivity to everyone. She calls Spike her little shining sun and admires his vocal talents. People casually call her Nightrain nowadays.
Pierre Gilden, Marcella's dad, is a courageous and insightful explorer. He's been on land numerous times throughout his life, and he usually carries his satchel around with him. To him, you never know when you'll see something interesting. He also really likes to cook for the family, which Marcie thinks influenced her "Butterpearl" nickname. Elena, her mom, is a jeweler who's made jewelry for the royal family and for her children. She even wears her creations. She's enthusiastic and buoyant, though sometimes critical. Elena and Pierre have always told Marcella to never stop being adventurous, curious or creative. They've also helped her learn to know when she might be in danger, or when she might have gone too far.
Dominic Gilden, who's often nicknamed Dom, is smart and not as reckless as his siblings tend to be. He's known by his family for being knowledgeable with furniture, so they'll come to him if there's something they need to fix or set up. He hopes to join Marcella and Cream on one of their adventures sometime. When he's bored, he likes to make tiny submarine sculptures with rocks. He looks after Felicia and Julien.
Felicia is Marcie's little sister. She loves giving people hugs, and she'll usually greet people with a hug. She always talks like she has something important to say. She often mentions wanting to live in the castle like her big sister does. Felicia also likes to blow into things, like coral tubes and horns.
Julien Gilden is the youngest of these siblings. They love to hear about what Marcella is up to, especially him. He asks lots and lots of questions, regardless of how relevant to the plot of this AU they are. If the others don't finish a meal, he'll do it.
Yogurt Pygmae and Meringue Hippokamp are Cream's fathers, and they run a confectionery. They often send Cream and his friends some seaweed buns, sponge cakes or candies. They comfort their sons whenever they’re not feeling good, and Cream goes to stay with them if he’s sick, injured, or otherwise unwell. Yogurt is a smiley, sugary, and very encouraging man who’s always rooting for his kids. Cream was pretty shy as a kid, so Yogurt helped him socialize. Meringue has a warm, tender heart and is just about the sweetest seahorse man you’ll ever meet. He pours his sweetness and care into everything he does.
Whip Hippokamp is Cream’s older brother. He’s a very trustworthy guy, and Cream loves him with all of his heart. He knows that he can call on Whip if he’s in a nervous or tight situation. Whip also stands by Cream’s side when he’s not okay. If he’s asked to do something or wants to do something, he’ll do it, regardless of how long it takes him. He likes to bake donuts, or as Marevians call them, sand rings. He taught Cream to bake them, and he even wears clothes with sand rings on them.
Emilio Cecae is Spike’s breezy grandfather. He’s in his late 70s-early 80s, but he’s had gray hair for his entire life. He’s carefree, brisk, and doesn’t let little things bother him. He works as a meteorologist, and that’s because of his fascination with weather, on the surface or in the sea. He also plays the flute and has taught Spike to play it. Xenia, his grandmother, is a technology expert who’s living her best life. Though she’s a little stormy sometimes, she’s an incredibly hospitable woman with a very open mind. She keeps appliances running in earth-friendly ways.
Gabbro is a hybrid of a pufferfish and a hermit crab. He’s a member of Shelltop’s volleyball team. He’s the teammate he’s closest to, and the friend that he’s closest to outside of his main friend group. He’s adaptable, dependable, and as tough as a rock when on the court. When faced with difficulties, he doesn’t really know what to say or do, but he’s trying his best. His name comes from a type of igneous rock.
Carla is a cardinal fish and another member of Shelltop’s team. She’s spirited and a fun person to have around. She knows just what to say for any situation. She can usually be seen wearing the team’s uniform, even when she isn’t playing with them.
Ursula is an oarfish and one of many Marevian citizens who isn’t a merperson. In contrast to the regular sea animals, the merpeople look more like Lego humanoids. She’s the head coach of Shelltop’s team, and she’s a lot bigger than she appears here. She’s great at managing her team, though she does it in the calm, lenient way of coaching that’s done in Marevi. Like, she does blow a whistle every so often, but she doesn’t shout that much. She’s also incredibly supportive.
Aura is an oyster and a friend of Waterlily’s. They’re usually taking rides on their train of thought, think-think-thinking up new ideas. They’re also an honest person. They meet up with her in the castle gardens or in another calming place to paint with her. They don’t know how to make pottery, but Waterlily’s been showing them. Their color scheme and appearance are influenced by the curious oysters from Alice in Wonderland.
Natalie Nautilusia is a cheeky nautilus and a close friend of Spike and Waterlily. She does things her own way and doesn’t care what anyone says or thinks about her. She’s also brash and frivolous. She likes to act, sing, and perform comedy routines. She performed with Spike in Quoth the Penguin, “Nevermore!”, and she’s been to Waterlily’s intimate get-togethers. In the show, she played the penguin. Her headcanon voice is Andrea Macasaet.
Chrysa is a hybrid of a crinoid, more specifically a feather star, and a sea anemone. She is a good friend of Cream’s and a regular customer of his family’s bakery. She’s friendly and tries to do good for others. She’s currently attending language school, hoping to be an author someday.
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The parallels between ootw and tvfn is also a very intriguing and seems almost intentional. Like if tvfn was written first why would she use those parallels to describe a guy who was polar opposite to jake. If jake introduced her to Polaroids or had Polaroid memories with him I think Taylor somehow would have sneaked those references at least in the short film.She even showed the guitar he gave her. She made CIWYW lyric video cover Polaroid and mentioned it in NYD because she and joe shared some fondness for it.
Take me away to you//take me home . I also read an article were Julien brunnetta(?) said harry was adamant about calling iicf 'if I could fly ' instead of 'for your eyes only.' Also on the childish thing,wasn't 1d releasing tvfn style pop music in their first two albums. It looks like she is trying to link him with pop like the way she used 'guitar' works for dear john.
But who knows.......maybe we're wrong maybe not. Its not like Taylor would come and say tvfn is about jake/harry/connor. I think it's ok to have different opinions on art unless you are crossing the line
I think it's ok to have different opinions on art unless you are crossing the line agree, and most of us (and everyone i've discussed music with here on my blog, i appreciate you all very much!) do tackle these concepts and subjects with genuine care for her, and respectfully, i think. we're not wildly spinning or fabricating, we're just having fun looking at the known information and the lyrical pictures she paints, and wondering about why she chooses to depict certain situations in specific ways!
part of analysis is laying pieces out and deciding for ourselves where they fit and how they tell the story. and as i've said, we also then make them completely our own with personal meaning! that's the magic of it all, it's her story however she intended it, and then it's part of us and our memories too. <3
(i'm only putting these under cuts because i talk a lot lol)
this is kind of topic adjacent, but it's very warm to me how she's reclaimed and reconnected to things, both on her own, and with joe and the love they've built and that healing process. the rep polaroids are so special.
the typewriter reference is such a powerful metaphor in the atw short film, the fact that he would give her an instrument that she then uses to write the story down, and to make it hers and her legacy, and i love how that connects directly to the guitar. little lived-in flourishes like that are part of what makes it affecting.
it's definitely interesting that there's no mention of polaroids specifically elsewhere on red (or photographs even? *except* the photo album on the counter where he's a little kid with glasses). there are so many other tangible pieces - lockets and keychains and handwritten notes and scarves. but it's like she keeps the pictures in her own mind. which, for me, also speaks quite a bit to maroon, the bruise of it, and the way she looks back at that.
"for your eyes only" is a famous song by sheena easton from a james bond movie of the same title, i always just though maybe there was a conflict! but you're right: "Songwriter Julian Bunetta talked to Rolling Stone about hearing If I Could Fly for the first time, stating "I remember when Harry first played it to me. That one I didn't write, but I remember when I first heard it. We were in Westlake Studio for a week. I kept asking why he wanted to call it 'If I Could Fly.' It's a great song, so it doesn't really matter what it's called, does it?" it's something i personally love about that song, that its title is its first line, and that while it isn't repeated, it shifts the meaning in a way. because the center isn't the intimacy shared with the other person - for their eyes only - it's the longing to go back to them. (full disclosure, if i could fly is, like, my second favorite song of their entire catalog, so i have Feelings.) it makes that lyric poignant and particularly vital - which is exactly why the similar one caught my attention in the very first night.
it does intrigue me that there seem to be links between tvfn and ootw, and of course taylor does repeat themes that aren't connected, or take on different meaning in new situations, so i don't want to make random parallels between completely unrelated things (unlike some genius annotators haha), BUT it's a case where i find it quite magnetic emotionally, because either that's intended, or she entirely reframed her experiences from one to the other. both are interesting to consider!
i think it's a pretty common opinion that hygtg itself is a nod to 1D's early music stylistically, and while tvfn is very tayloresque, sonically it wouldn't be out of place alongside tracks on take me home. message in a bottle definitely would too, it's classic pop of the early 2010s (complimentary!). like i said, it's just such a sweet pop song and she wasn't really pointing that type of innocent reminiscence at jg, everything with him is more mature and emotionally loaded. we for sure could be wrong on this one, but it doesn't make the connections less curious!
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Thoughts on episode 2:
1. I’m warming up to julien’s character. Her bond with her sister is great. I hate her father. Did he just expect her to not want to get to know her sister? Wtf? Yeah he apologised at the end but like how dumb can one be? Also her black outfit was A+++++
2. Obie is literally the worst. Boundaries? He doesn’t know them. He literally broke up with Julien a day ago and now he’s going out with her sister in front of her. That’s just cold. And as cute as Zoya is, I wanted her to kind of reject him for julien’s sake at least? Idk I find it a bit disturbing that he just jumped from one sister to the other and we are supposed to be fine with it. I’m finding it cringeworthy. C’mon Zoya, you can do so much better. He’s boring AF.
3. Speaking of boring… Aki. I get his presence in the group, I do. The soft reasonable one and I’m digging his bicurious side. But there’s just something off with the acting I think? He has some great lines but it all falls… flat. Especially against characters like Audrey and max who are more fiery and expressive. I think the actor is hot but the chemistry is just missing for me.
4. Audrey: clearly the best storyline in this episode. I love how they showed how she’s had to learn to be more mature and responsible simply coz her mom isn’t there for her and she’s had to grow up fast to deal with a lot of shit. Did remind me of blair and her moms relationship. Can’t wait to see how her relationship is like with her dad. And it was great to see an actual genuine friendship bond between her and Julien which was a contrast to julien’s relationship with monet and Luna who are all about the image and follower count.
5. I think max went in to flirt with the teacher, ruffle some feathers but then after finding out how popular the teacher is his sex appeal to him kind of skyrocketed and it’s become this ego thing? He has to be with the best. It’s messed up and I don’t want to see the teacher taking advantage of him. That storyline would suck. I also didn’t care for how Max’s attraction to Aki and Audrey was sort of cheapened by the whole teacher situation? Aki and Max’s first kiss isn’t even about them it’s about making their teacher jealous. Hell no. And then he sorts out his sexual frustration (which resulted from talking to his teacher) using Audrey? Yeah they both use each other but we don’t even get to see them kiss? Whyyyyy. Now he’s hiding a couples mutual interest in him and I know it’s building up to their threesome but like… I wanted the build up to be spicy and full of tension and I feel like this episode kind of dampened that instead of escalating my excitement for it. So far it feels like max is only there for Aki and Audrey for the thrill of it and I guess I want him to actually catch feelings and quick. Would be nice to finally see something real instead of the mask he puts on all the time. Would also be nice to see more of his family dynamic with his dads who were missing this entire episode ?
6. Aki and Audrey are doomed. Very much blair and Nate -esque. He just doesn’t get her. She wants something different. He’s sweet and perfect (nateeee!) but he’s just not enough for our girl. I think max can temporarily make this relationship work and solve their sexual dilemma but long term it’s not gonna last. Also the chemistry between just the two of them is missing so I won’t be sad for it to end. This can only work as an OT3, never an OTP. Audrey clearly needs emotional support which she’s not getting from Aki (as sweet as those flowers were, they’re not gonna cut it).
7. Can’t wait to see max having a field day knowing how both Audrey and Aki are attracted to him and almost spilling their secrets involving him. I feel like people will find out about max and Audrey because in the promo he is addressing her as he says if she didn’t want people to find out why did she do it ? Anyway max x Audrey chemistry is great in every form and I’m here for it. Give us the flashback to their hook up, you cowards !
8. Not enough screen time for Luna and monet.
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FAVORITE SHOWS IN POSTERS
Well, we’re back for another installment of this tagged meme, this time for TV shows! I also stole this from/was indirectly tagged by @jcmorrigan. My taste in shows also differs a bit from my taste in movies, as I tend to like a lot of comedy shows with not as many horror ones. I’m not into shows as much as movies overall, but there are some that I am very passionate about so I picked twenty again. So, here we go for part 2, in order:
1. Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend Of Korra (2005-2014)
I'm including these as one show since they take place in the same universe and tell a continuation of the same overall plot. Altogether this is probably the best piece of media to ever exist, including movies. It has so many great characters and villains especially and some of the most epic sequences, charming humor and heartwarming moments ever. I've never met a person who didn't like these shows, even people who normally don't like cartoons. My dad, who is biased against animation? He loved it. My mother? She loved it, watched it with her multiple times. My grandmother? Loved it. My ex-boyfriend? Loved it. My best friend? Loved it. I dare anyone not to, and I'm so glad it's making a resurgence since it's on Netflix for a new generation to enjoy.
2. Black Butler (2008-2014)
I never was big into anime growing up and only really started watching anime when I was like 16 and above, but this is one of the exceptions because holy shit is it ever dark and epic. I'm not sure I'd really recommend it for kids, it's more of a teens and young adults kind of anime and that's probably why it's so good, because it isn't afraid to explore dark and mature topics and do it with all of the intensity and gravitas required to do said topics justice. It has lots of great characters, and the story of demons who make deals with children who have a dark side is fun to watch play out.
3. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
My dad was a huge fan of this show so I watched it growing up since I was a toddler and it became a classic for me. I've watched thw hole show through at least 8 times, and I'll never stop because it never gets old or boring. It's also my only comfort show when I'm having a panic attack because of one time a few years ago when I was having a drug-induced psychosis episode and watching it calmed me down, so now it's like the opposite of a trigger and whenever I'm having an episode or something I watch it to bring me back to reality. For that reason it's more than a show to me, it's a medical treatment and I'm forever grateful to it.
4. The Good Place (2016-2020)
The big four shows made my Michael Schur all made it on this post (The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Office and Parks And Recreation), either in the main list of the honorable mentions, but this is my personal favorite of the four. It's so funny, quirky, relatable and basically tailor-made to suit my interests. Not only is it an entertaining and wholesome show, but I think watching it helped me come to terms with a lot of things like mortality, ethics, philosophy, religion and my relationships with other people. It gets alot of different viewpoints across and if you're a very analytical and philosophical person like me you'll probably enjoy seeing it all play out. Not to mention, every single character is 'favorite character' material. It's rare you find a show with no filler characters in the main cast, but I genuinely can't choose who is best.
5. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-?)
Another of Michael Schur's shows, this one is just barely under The Good Place and to be honest it was tough to pick my favorite between the two because they're both equally funny. I know it's kind of controversial right now because of the whole law enforcement thing, but I actually think they do a good job of handling social issues in the show and remaining respectful of real-life systemic problems. As for the characters, this is another one of those shows where every single character is gold and I think that tends to be a trend among Schur's shows in general. He produces damn good comedy, and damn good characters. I can't wait to see what they bring next.
6. Rick And Morty (2013-?)
This is unfortunately one of those cases of 'great show, horrible fandom' and for that reason I don't get involved in the fandom even though I love the show. It's a shame because it really is a great show, so funny and, again, such good characters. I think it's a lot more accessible than the fandom likes to claim, so I'm hoping more people will give it a chance and not get put off by the intellectual elitism of the fandom because it does have some of the most entertaining and batshit crazy episodes ever, poking fun of some of the staples of science fiction in media while also poking fun of itself the whole time. Unlike the fandom, the show doesn't take itself seriously and that's enjoyable nowadays.
7. Orange Is The New Black (2013-2019)
While this show is a comedy, it is also a lot of other things and it's probably made me ugly-cry just as many times as it's made me laugh. Well, maybe not as often, but those few scenes (if you've watched the show then you know the ones I'm talking about) made me hysterically sob hard enough to be worth like fifty minor sads. But I didn't even mind because the show is just that good, and it makes you /feel/ something in a real way. Probably because of just how real it gets in terms of telling stories that happen all the time in the real world, sometimes with inevitably tragic endings. But these things do happen every day, and it's important to shine a light on that. It's not just representation for LGBTQ+ but also for POC, the neurodiverse, the poor, and many more. Give it a watch to broaden your perspective!
8. Big Mouth (2017-?)
This is probably the grossest show I've ever seen but by god is it ever funny. Maybe it's because I have an immature sense of humor or something, but I love this show. It definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea and I don't recommend you watch this show with anyone else around because it will get awkward. I think part of its appeal to me is that everyone I talk to who likes it considers it so relatable to their lives growing up but for someone like me who grew up on the autism and asexual spectrum and who was physically an early-bloomer by years, nothing about this show is relatable to me in any way so it makes it all the more crazy and bizarre watching how the people around me must have experienced things. Did y'all really have these experiences with puberty in middle school???
9. Dexter (2006-2013)
I recently heard that this show is coming back for a reboot soon and I'm so excited because this is my absolute favorite drama/thriller show, as evidenced by the fact that it's the highest one on the list so far that isn't a comedy. I love the idea of having a protagonist who is sort of a villain (or at least morally dubious), and the idea of a serial killer who only kills bad people is particularly satisfying for some reason. Maybe because he's the vigilante we all deserve and want in this unjust and evil world of modern times? Idk but the very premise of this show set it up for big things and aside from the ending I think it delivered consistently.
10. Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)
This show took us on some journeys, and you can't deny that. Sure, maybe it didn't always finish what it started and didn't always end in the most satisfying way, but part of its charm is that you didn't care because the experience was just so much fun. They took characters and stories that have been told to death and somehow managed to put a unique and unexpected twist on them, and that alone is admirable. Good twists, good villains, and pretty much every cliffhanger known to man will keep you hooked on binge-watching every episode.
11. RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-?)
A bit different than the other entries on my list in that it's not fiction but a reality competition show, but I couldn't leave Drag Race out because it's just so fucking iconic and perfect. Even when you disagree with the judges or can't stand a certain contestant you'll still be having a good time. It's got the personalities you love to love, the ones you love to hate, and the comedy that's completely meme-able. I mean just how much has this show contributed to pop culture and the internet? More than most of us, henny. I've watched every single season, even the international ones and all of the spinoffs. This show will probably be on for another thirty years when Ru is throwing shade from a hospital bed and I'll still be watching.
12. House (2004-2012)
Some people hate on this show, and I don't get it. I love House. Yes, he's an ass. That's the point. He's supposed to be unlikeable, and that's why I like him. Maybe because I always love the rude, sarcastic, misanthropic jerkass-genius characters for some reason. And I also love procedural shows, so it's a win-win. I also work in the healthcare field so it appeals to me for that reason too, because obviously the whole premise is outlandish which is what makes it funny. Of course it's not realistic for a hospital, so just enjoy the absurdity and don't get too hung up on the details of medical accuracy and professional ethics and you'll be fine.
13. The Office (2005-2013)
The third of Michael Schur's show and the last one that made the main list (sorry Parks And Rec, I love you too but there was just so many good shows to choose from and I saw you last so the nostalgia isn't as strong!) I don't think I need to hype this show up any, it's already a classic and you can't even turn around online without getting hit in the face by a dozen Office memes. You'll have to pry this show and it's relatable characters (especially Michael Scott) from my cold, dead hands.
14. All Hail King Julien/The Penguins Of Madagascar (2008-2017)
Like Avatar/Korra, I also consider this as one show for the sake of this list because it also takes place in the same universe (Madagascar, specifically) and I just couldn't choose one over the other because they're both so perfect. They're funny and I love all the characters (it cut out the weaker links of the Madagascar film series and just focuses on expanding the standout side-characters like King Julien and the penguins). It also delved into some lore, particularly the first show, and even though I didn't also agree with the directions it took (you may have seen me get salty about the ending because I cared too much), I can't deny how much I love it.
15. Bones (2005-2017)
One of the other scarce non-comedy shows on this list, it still has it's funny moments. It's also, like House, another procedural show that involves some medical stuff, but this time on a more scientific and forensic level which is even more interesting. It's nice to see a lead female with Asperger's, too. There's a lot of cop/law enforcement shows where they try to solve crimes, but this one is the best, and I'm saying that as a fan of CSI as well. Don't fight me on this, I'm right. Oh yes, it's corny, it's campy, it's cheesy, but I love every minute of it. Don't watch if you have a weak stomach though.
16. The Simpsons (1989-?)
We all grew up with this show, don't lie. It's been around longer than most people on tumblr have even been alive. Should it have ended seasons ago? Hell yes. But that doesn't take away what the first like 20 or so seasons gave us (there's a lot of argument about when the show jumped the shark, for me it wasn't until much later than the popular consensus). The characters are amazing, but the secret to the show's longevity is that they always return to status quo and there's comfort and nostalgia in that. Bart will still be in 4th grade when you're out there pushing 90. This show is persistent. This show is eternal. This show will outlive us all.
17. Ash Vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)
Sorely underrated. This show is hilarious, gruesome and campy as hell and I love it. I don't think you necessarily have to watch the Evil Dead movies beforehand in order to get the plot of the show, although it would probably help. In my opinion this show ended way too soon and I'm hoping someday we'll get a comeback because Ash is the reluctant, self-absorbed hero we all need and it's 2020 so at this point there really might actually be a demon-zombie apocalypse and who's gonna save us then if not for the impulsive womanizer with a chainsaw for a hand?
18. Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)
Another show I grew up with, I don't think it gets as much credit as it deserves. It has some damn funny episodes and great characters, and it did a lot of the popular sitcom tropes before they were 'cool'. Some other great sitcoms, The Middle in particular, took a lot of influence from this show and it helped pave the way for the future of sitcoms at a time when they were about to make a comeback. If you want a good show about the real experiences of growing up, this is a much more accurate representation of the highs and lows of being an awkward tween from a dysfunctional home.
19. A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)
Unlike most people I actually liked the movie version from the early 2000's, and I read the books growing up so I was excited when I saw there was a live action television adaptation of it on Netflix because I felt like they cancelled the movie franchise too soon. I was interested to see how new actors would handle the roles, and I was not disappointed. I wouldn't say I liked either portrayal of the characters better or worse, they both added their own twist to it and this show is a great and loyal adaptation to the books, probably because the author was so heavily involved. He knew just when to stick to the books and when to improve upon what he had done with the benefit of hindsight. This show is basically the books, but remastered.
20. Winx Club (2004-?)
Sort of an odd one out on this list, but I really love this show even as an adult and it may surprise you to learn it is still going on and the most recent season came out last year. They take big breaks sometimes in between seasons, but it's still going strong and in multiple countries. The only thing I don't like about watching this show is all the different and inconsistent dubs since the original show is Italian and each dub only goes for a couple seasons so by the time you get used to one set of voices/names for the characters oyu have to abruptly switch to another, but it's still worth it for the beautiful animation and cool characters (especially the villains!)
Honorable Mentions:
13 Reasons Why, America's Next Top Model, American Horror Story, Arrested Development, Bates Motel, Battlestar Galactica, Black Mirror, Care Bears, Chernobyl, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Criminal, CSI, Duck Dodgers, Goosebumps, Kenny Vs. Spenny, Kim Possible, Kingdom Hospital, Lazytown, Lost, Making A Murderer, Mayday, Mindhunter, Modern Family, Monster High, Obsession: Dark Desires, Parks And Recreation, Prison Break, Project Runway, Queer As Folk, Queer Eye, Salem, Schitt's Creek, SCTV, Spongebob Squarepants, The Emperor's New School, The Good Doctor, The Haunting Of Hill House/Bly Manor, The Middle, The Pretender, The Walking Dead, The X-Files, Through The Wormhole, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Unsolved Mysteries, Yugioh
Tagging: @bullet-farmer and anyone else who wants to!
#avatar the last airbender#the last airbender#avatar#legend of korra#the legend of korra#lok#atla#seinfeld#the good place#brooklyn nine nine#brooklyn 99#rick and morty#orange is the new black#oitnb#big mouth#dexter#once upon a time#ouat#house md#house#rupaul's drag race#the office#all hail king julien#the penguins of madagascar#bones#the simpsons#ash vs evil dead#malcolm in the middle#a series of unfortunate events#asoue
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Edward Kenway for character asks!
ooooooo okay i should open this with a disclaimer: i have not finished black flag yet (about 2/3 of the way through i think? i need to level up my ship so i can beat the next story mission lol) so everything i'm saying here is based on the game up to thatch's death, and everything we know about edward in ac 3: forsaken and the comics that came out a couple years ago.
First impression
oh boy... to be honest, one of the reasons it took me such a long time to get around to playing black flag (it was one of the first ps4 games i bought when i got my console in 2016, and i didn't start until about a month ago) was because i didn't really feel particularly strongly about edward's character design. i was vaguely interested in That One Pirate Assassin Game after having watched (and loved) black sails, but was afraid i would be let down; to me edward just looked like Some Dude, and i was still hung up on the black sails gang. to me, black sails and its characters were so genre/time period-defining that any other piece of pirate media just seemed lackluster in comparison.
i'd also heard a lot of praise for edward and for ac4 in general so i was aware that it was a very popular and well-received game. but since i mostly heard that from reddit (didn't join tumblr ac fandom until odyssey in 2018) i kind of discounted it, bc gamer reddit tastes are... questionable at best.
Impression now
I LOVE HIM!!! i always think i want stories about virtuous characters who believe in goodness and kindness and aren't motivated by gold or glory but aren't afraid to do what needs to be done to help others who can't help themselves. and sometimes that's true (coughratonhnhake:toncough). other times i end up clowning on myself because i realize that it's so much fun when said good/kind character has a rough and rugged exterior, and is motivated by personal gain (i think edward and kassandra are kinda kindred spirits across time and space in that regard, but maybe that's another rant for another time). sometimes you just want someone to be a little bit of an opportunistic bastard, and boy does edward fit that to a T. he's an incredibly complex man, and i think what really got me was that even as he was impersonating assassins and then templars and then assassins again, all for personal gain (pickpocketing the templars in havana while he gains their trust and agrees to do their dirty work lmfao my beloved <3), his primary motivation for doing so was to prove to caroline and her family that he is someone worth a damn, that he is capable of great things and that he is worthy of their love and acceptance. and i know from ac forsaken that the marriage with caroline doesn't last (though i haven't played ac4 far enough to see if that happens on screen, or if it occurs between the game and the novel) which makes his backstory in the game all the more heartbreaking. but his optimism and perseverance and determination to prove himself are all what make me love him.
so that's edward the romantic. now let's talk about the way edward is with adewale, his crew, and his friends. and let's also put the rest of this behind a readmore bc girl i am RANTINGGGGGG
he has several lines that he says to adewale that make me physically cringe (namely: "many of [these men] wouldn't accept you as captain" or "what was it like being enslaved?" like i get that someone like edward would be asking that question in good faith and genuine curiosity but also JESUS CHRIST UBISOFT). but on the flip side - cringey as those questions are, he also takes the time to actually listen and learn, and i think he genuinely values the perspective that he gets from adewale allowing him to open these lines of trust and communication. there's a patience and mutual respect there that i adore.
i also love how much edward loves his crew and his other pirate friends. those scenes of him + kidd + thatch + adewale + hornigold (lol) drinking on the beach and having a grand old time and talking about establishing - to borrow one of my favorite chills-down-my-spine phrases from black sails - a nation of thieves, for people like them to live and prosper, free from the chokehold of civilization. and i know he's not as outwardly invested in counterculture/independence/anticolonialism as thatch and vane and kidd are, but the fact that he so wholeheartedly supports his friends' goals, lofty and impossible as they are, speaks volumes about his love for his friends.
Favorite moment
every scene he has with kidd when kidd casually and softly reminds him that they see that he is a good person beneath his opportunistic and rambunctious exterior. i especially love when they discover julien du casse's mansion containing orders for templars to go out and hunt down assassins: the way kidd immediately knows that edward wants to help the assassins as a way to make up for the damage he did while masquerading as a templar, even if he hasn't voiced it aloud himself. the way that they don't force edward to admit anything about himself before he is ready, but still constantly remind him that he has a good heart. they give him space to come to terms with his compassionate side in a world/environment that more often than sees compassion as something to be stamped out or cast aside. i don’t love when characters are forced to be the Moral Compass for a main dude character, but i think it works for edward and kidd.
Idea for a story
not an edward story per se, but there are 2 povs into edward's life that i would cut off (someone else's) limbs for:
jenny's pov growing up in the kenway household. from haytham's pov it seems that she knows way more about his past than haytham ever did (it was hinted at that there are rumors about edward’s past as haytham was growing up that he wasn’t privy to, but i don’t think at any point in the novel does haytham ever find out definitively that his father was a pirate) and i want to know how she knew so much, and more into what her life was like - through her eyes rather than haytham, who is like 10 years younger and by his own admission barely understands her and barely has a functional relationship with her. i'll expand further on edward and jenny in the next question/prompt/bullet point, actually, bc i have a LOT more to say.
connor's pov learning about his grandfather from... idk? who's around to tell him? what's so goddamn sad is that by the time connor rebuilds the colonial brotherhood he's kinda the only one left. sure there's aveline down in louisiana, but as far as we know everyone who was around in edward's generation is dead now, and i'm not sure how much of the kenway saga is preserved for connor to discover, or if all this information about their family line was discovered in the modern-day, by your abstergo employee character, and later by osto berg in the comics. which is why i so badly want a revelations-style game where connor traces his assassin heritage back to the caribbean, relives some of edward's memories, and then makes the trip to london to see his aunt jenny. it would have been such a cool way to round out the kenway saga.
Unpopular opinion
idk how popular or unpopular this is bc i rarely see other in-depth posts about it on my dash, but edward was a terrible father to jenny. he was every bit the wonderful and loving father to haytham for the 10 years that haytham had a father, but i wish we'd seen more of jenny's perspective than just a few lines of dialogue in haytham's diary: i hate the way edward sidelined her and raised her in the same manner that any other wealthy person of the time would have raised their daughter - that is, for the sole purpose of sitting pretty and marrying her off in an arrangement that would benefit the family. it's especially hard to reconcile because in ac4 there are female assassins in the americas, and there are female pirates in the caribbean, so it's not like edward isn't aware that women have as much right as any man to live life on their own terms. it just seems like by the time he returns to england and settles down with his family, he's reverted back to the societal norms and gender roles that the pirates fought (and lost) against, and it's hard not to be deeply disappointed by that.
to be clear, i don't begrudge edward settling down and becoming a Rich Society Man. dude deserves to live comfortably with his loving family. he has every right to dote on his wife and children, and leave behind the hardships of being a pirate. but i think "fightning against deeply-ingrained cultural norms/expectations is a long and bloody struggle, and after losing so many people he cared so deeply about, i think it's understandable that edward wouldn't want to continue that fight alone (and also adewale is still fighting the good fight) (do NOT @ me about ac rogue I Pretend I Do Not See It)" and "i don't love the way edward sidelined his daughter into societally-expected gender roles she did not want; it makes me think that he did not continue drinking his Respect Women Juice as much as i thought he did/wanted him to" are two opinions that can coexist.
Favorite relationship
i don't know that i ship edward romantically with anyone, actually. i thought he and caroline were cute in the beginning, but it's hard to want to ship them knowing that she leaves him eventually. and ofc there'd edward/tessa in ac forsaken, and we know they were very happy together and that he loved her so so much. but we don't see that relationship except through haytham's eyes.
as for non-romantic relationships, i already talked at length above about his relationships with adewale and the other pirates and kidd, and i'll just leave it at that. i'm also vaguely aware that edward's got some upcoming scenes with anne bonny, but i'm not at that point in the game yet so i don't have much to say about the two of them. so far i've only seen them say a few lines to each other at the nassau tavern.
Favorite headcanon
kassandra absolutely rubbed shoulders with edward at some point during his time in the caribbean; i like to think that she needed to lie low for some reason (maybe she was with the assassins idk) and joined his crew. i just need my best stabby gal and my second-favorite stabby dude to be pals!
finally, this isn't a headcanon per se but it is obligatory that any time i talk about kenways i yell for a bit about the fact that EDWARD WOULD HAVE LOVED CONNOR SO SO SO MUCH AND I'M FOREVER DEVASTATED THAT HE NEVER GOT TO MEET HIM. at the same time, if edward hadn't been murdered and haytham not been indoctrinated into the templars the way he had, i'm not sure connor would even have existed. and in a way i'm glad that edward wasn't around to see how broken and cynical and depressed haytham became, because i think that would have absolutely broken his heart.
send me a character!
#KEN👏WAY👏BRAIN👏ROT👏#assassin's creed#ac black flag#edward kenway#ask games#reiverreturns#THANK YOU FOR ASKING i hope you expected and wanted this can of worms#finally wrangled that stupid ask box bug - saved this in my drafts and edited it from there#and lo and behold i can type W E and L!
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Reverstrator
‘This is perfect, astoundingly perfect.’, Lila thought to herself, hunched over her computer. For some time, she’s noticed her control over the class was wavering, and it was all because of those two idiots from the stupid art club- Nathaniel Kurtzberg and Marc Anciel. They had some nerve, getting into her minions friends heads and pointing out flaws in her lies. It wasn’t her fault people wanted to hear so many of her stories; she just had trouble keeping up with them sometimes! Lila gave them a chance like she gave Marinette. Either believe her lies and keep their friends, or become social pariahs... They always choose the second option.
So, she went around claiming that Nathaniel stole some of her drawings, Marc plagiarized some of her essays, and she even threw in a couple of lies about Marinette, saying she convinced the two boys to go against her. But what Lila didn’t account for was Alix. She never really believed her lies either. Apparently, the famous skateboarder Lila told her about was dead so that got the pink-haired girl suspicious. Whenever Lila tried to make Marc, Nathaniel, or Marinette look like the bad guys, Alix would step in and act like their self-righteous white knight. Well, she won’t look like the hero tomorrow, her and Adrien. When those idiots in her class turn against those two, Lila will be free to ruin the comic book duo’s reputation as she pleased, she’ll have Adrien all to herself, and Marinette gets to suffer. Win-win-win! ‘Damn it!’, Lila mentally cursed as she glared at her computer screen, ‘Undo... Undo...’
How is photoshop so easy for some people?! And how can they edit these crappy romantic pictures without gagging? Especially this photo she snapped of Marc and Nathaniel a couple of weeks ago while they were on one of their dates. ‘Ugh.’ Lila nearly threw up when she took the photo, and this was taking up way too much of her time. Fixing the lighting, finding the right photos of Adrien and Alix, it was so frustrating! But it’ll all be worth it tomorrow when she finally puts those losers in their place
And hopefully, Marc or Nathaniel will get akumatized. Sure, this would be a stupid reason, but people have gotten Akumatized for less. Hawkmoth was a great guy and the Italian admired his work, but Akumatizing a baby, and a man obsessed with pigeons like thirty times? If she had the Butterfly miraculous, she would at least give the Akuma a gun. Then Ladybug would finally perish and be out of her hideous sausage hair.
‘Focus! You can fantasize about her death later.’
—
“Geez, Nath. I haven’t seen you look this happy in a long time,” Alix said as she poked her redhead friend who had a dreamy look on his face with her pencil “So, what’d you and Marc do last night?” she asked with a smirk, making Nathaniel snap out of his daze and blush madly, “Alix!” He looked around the cafeteria to make sure no one heard that
She snickered, “I’m kidding! Come on, tell me what happened. Your date had to have been amazing if you’re all happy and stuff.”
This is one of the things Nathaniel loved about Alix; she was a great listener. Growing up, no one really paid attention to him. Ever since his dad left, his mom has been busy running the diner, he always blended in with the background so no one at school noticed him either. It sucked until he met his first real friends
His mom took him to the Louvre when she noticed his interest in art and while there, he met a brunette girl running all around the museum while a ten-year-old boy tried to catch her. She was loud, energetic, and immediately took a liking to the young boy. Over time, she was able to pull him out of his comfort zone and he listened to whatever he had to say.
Then he met three other girls when he was ten- One with black hair, one blond, and one bluenette. The four of them met at a fine and performing arts fair and were probably some of the youngest people there to enter each of their work in the fair contests. His painting of the Seine took third, which wasn’t too bad. First and second were high school students. The three girls immediately went to congratulate him and asked all sorts of questions (The black-haired girl didn’t talk as much, though) For once in his life, Nathaniel had friends. Friends who noticed him and listened.
“Well, it wasn’t much,” he answered with a smile, “We just got ice cream from Andre’s, went to this new museum that just opened up, went to the park.”
“Didn’t it rain a little yesterday?”, she asked
“Yeah,” he blushes, “I may have used my blazer to cover us up-”, off Alix’s snicker, he playfully slapped her arm, “Alix, come on!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”, she continued laughing while Nathaniel gave her an annoyed look, “Go on, continue. But if you say anything else like that, don’t expect me to keep a straight face.”
Nathaniel rolled his eyes, “So I used my blazer as an umbrella,” he rephrased, “and well, we were just so close, and... God, he looked cute in the rain. So, I just leaned in and kissed him.”
Alix sighed dramatically, “Ah, to be gay and in love.”
“Uh, I’m bi,” he corrected with his arms folded
“Yes, and I’m aroace, Rose and Jules are lesbians and Mari’s pan as hell. These are things we know.” she said as she leaned back into her chair and propping her feet up on the lunch table, relaxed before perking up and asking, “Did’ja give him the necklace?!”
Without saying a word, Nathaniel pulled out his phone and pulled up a picture of him and Marc kissing in the rain. Alix zooms in on the silver half-heart necklaces around their necks. She remembered how Nathaniel begged her to help him look for a gift he could give to Marc on their date. She helped him in exchange for a drawing of her performing some skating tricks. It took hours to find a gift; this is one of the reasons why Alix doesn’t date. Finally, they settled for a simple, but sweet silver heart necklace and Alix had never been so relieved to see jewelry before.
Alix couldn’t help but let out an out-of-character squeal at the sight of the picture. Her excitement turned to bitterness when she looked at something else that made her narrow her eyes “Where’s she going?”
Nathaniel follows her gaze and glared at the Italian girl leaving the cafeteria, “Don’t know. Maybe she’s just looking for more people to buy her lunch.”
“Or carry all of her stuff.”
“Or carry her.”
“Or build her a palanquin.”
“How about a monument made out of solid gold?”
At that last one, the two best friends laughed
“Lying skeeze,” she muttered, “I’m glad the others are sorta taking what she says with a grain of salt, but she’s still got them wrapped around her talons. Especially Bustier and Damocles.”
Nathaniel rolled his eyes at the mention of his teacher and principal, “Ugh, don’t get me started on those two. I almost got detention because Lie-la claimed that I stole her ‘masterpiece’. Thanks again for backing me up.”
Alix responded with a nod, “Yeah, but it’s bull that she didn’t even get in trouble. Claimed it was a problem with her long-term memory or some shit, and Bustier ate it up!”, she exclaimed, “God, we’re surrounded by idiots. How long do you think she’s gonna last?”
Nathaniel pondered before answering, “I give her one more week. She’s exposed by an Akuma who’s after her for lying about them or one of their friends.”
Alix nodded, “Three days. Truth akuma who just blasts people at random and she gets hit, so she’s forced to tell the truth. Put that in your comic”
Nathaniel reaches into his messenger bag and pulls out his sketchbook, “Maybe something like... Lady or Lord Justice?” He pulls out a pencil and begins sketching on a blank sheet
“Truth fairy?”
“Lie-on Tamer?”
Alix shook her head, “Now that just sounds like a bad pun.”
“Akumas have dumb names,” Nathaniel said with an eye roll, “If anything, this is better than what Hawkmoth comes up with.”, he gets back to work on the sketch
“... Can’t argue with you there, man.”
—
“Come o-o-o-on, Marc! Tell us everything!”, Aurore urged the shy writer as the group of four made their way to Mme. Mendelieve’s class
“Who made the first move?”, Julian asked, smirking
Marc blushed, “Guys, keep your voices down.”
Mireille squealed, “Sorry, but you can’t just go on a date and not expect people to be all excited and ask what happened! So tell us!”
Marc loved these three to death and loved them like they were his sisters and brother, but sometimes they got just a little too much for him. When he first announced that he and Nathaniel were dating, the three of them wouldn’t leave him alone for weeks and constantly asked questions whenever they went out together
“Well, went out for ice cream, went to a museum we both like, and spent the rest of the day at the park before it rained.” He smiled fondly at the memory, “Nath actually used his blazer to cover us up.”
“Aww!”, Aurore and Julian cooed while Mireille squealed, “So romantic! Please tell me you kissed in the rain!”
When Marc tried to hide the blush forming on his cheeks, that was a good enough answer for his grinning friends
Julian clasped his hands together and crouched a little lower, “Please, please tell me you have photos!”
Marc laughed at his friend and pulled out his phone, “I do.” He shows them the screen and Aurore immediately grabs the phone out of his hand. Mireille and Julien huddle around her, “Oh my God! It’s like a scene from a movie!”, Mireille exclaimed before squinting her eyes, “Wait... Are you wearing the necklace now?!”
“Necklace?”
“He gave you what?”
Marc knows there’s no hiding it from the people who were very invested in his love life now. He slips his hand under the collar of his shirt and pulls out the little half-heart charm connected to a simple white cord. Marc was once again bombarded by questions
“Guys, can we do this after class? We’re gonna be late.”
Aurore let out an exaggerated groan but complied, “You better be prepared for any question we throw at you, Rainbow.” She said his nickname teasingly as the four of them made their way to class, but stopped to look and see Lila walking out of the locker room
“How long is she gonna be here?”, Julien questioned, his tone laced with venom, “I can’t take another minute of, ‘Oh, but all of her stories are real,’ ‘Don’t be so mean,’ ‘Lila’s hurt, don’t put any more pressure on her,’ ugh! Marc, I’ll say it again, your boyfriend and cousin’s class is full of idiots.”
“Well, their hearts are in the right place, they’re just being taken advantage of.”
“It’s been like three months since she, ‘Returned from Achu,’” Aurore said with finger quotes, “How has that lying fox not been exposed yet? Everything she says is full of holes!”
“It’s because whenever someone tries to point out her lies, she’ll play the victim and get sympathy,” Mireille said, disgusted, “It’s honestly just sickening listening to her fake crying.”
“Here, here,” Julian said in agreement, “I cannot wait for a truth Akuma to appear and just make her reveal everything so her classmates and that teacher will finally stop kissing the ground she walks on.”
“That would make for a pretty good Akuma,” Marc commended
“Hell yeah, it would.”
—
‘One for the soulless redhead. And one for that... “boy.”‘, the Italian sneered as she slipped an envelope into the vent of Marc’s locker, ‘Let’s see if they’re still together after this. Once Alix is out of the picture and Adrien only has me to talk to, I’ll ruin those losers’ lives. They should know damn well than to cross Lila Diabla Rossi.’
--
Nathaniel felt like someone was burning holes in the back of his head... Or rather the side. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, he moved his bangs to the side, acting as if he was just scratching the side of his face, and saw Lila glaring at him before quickly looking to the front. ‘God, what’s her problem?”, he thought to himself. ‘Probably gonna spout out more bullshit about how I stole her work. Heh. Good luck you vursht-kherd ligner.’
The bell rang, ‘Finally. I get to see my Rainbow.’, Nathaniel thought as he gathered his books in his bag. He was about to grab his sketchbook, only for it to be snatched by Lila. ‘Great, now I have to disinfect it.’
“Oh, Nathaniel! I’m so sorry about what happened!”, she “apologized” in that over-the-top sweet voice. “I just have so many problems with my memory because while I was helping disabled children in America, I fell off of a ladder while trying to get their frisbee off the roof of one of their homes, and I hit my head.”
‘Maybe that isn’t a lie, because that would explain so much.’, “Okay, so can I have my sketchbook back?”, he asked in a bored tone
“And I draw Ladybug all the time because we are besties after all!”, she exclaimed
“Great, so my sketchbook?”, he holds out his hand
“And your little drawings look so much like mine, and I got concerned. I’m sure you understand, right?”
“Can I have my sketchbook back?”, He repeated, now very annoyed, and even more when Lila sent him a smirk she didn’t think he noticed. ‘This bitch is trying to make me lose my temper or something?’ Then she just started talking again
“I know how awful it is for an artist’s work to be stolen! I actually witnessed art-theft first-hand, so you get why I accused you of stealing what I thought was mine. I just didn’t want to believe that you would steal a fellow artist’s work.”
‘God, strike me now.’
“But if you stole it out of jealousy, I would completely understand.”
“... Excuse me?”
‘Got him.’ “Well, let’s face it. Your art style is a little overused and no offense, but, not very original. So, if you were jealous of my drawing style, then there are no hard feelings. You’re still an amazing artist. While I’ve studied and perfected my work over the years, you-”
“Oh meyn got! Zey shtil!”
The students who were packing away their materials and getting ready to head out turned their heads towards the redhead who was shouting furiously in Yiddish
“Ir zent nisht a farshiltn kinstler! An anoying, lignerish hur iz vos ir zent!”
Alix, who actually understood a little of what Nathaniel was saying, tried not to snicker
“Aun gebn mir meyn sketshbook, ir vursht-kherd tokhes!” At that last sentence, Nathaniel snatched the sketchbook out of her hands, then he looked around and saw the shocked or confused looks on his classmates' and teacher’s faces. He ducked his head down, trying to look as small as possible right now
Breaking the silence was Alya, “What did you say?”
“It... It was...” Nathaniel stammered and his face turned as red as his hair.
Max turned to the little robot hovering beside him, “Markov, can you translate what Nathaniel just said?”
“Certainly, Max,” a little pixelated hourglass appeared the screen on the little robot’s face before disappearing with a little ‘PING!’, “Oh my.”
“Oh, what did he say?”, Lila asked as innocently as possible.
“I’m not comfortable repeating the last two, but he did tell you to shut up, and that you have sausage hair.”
“Oh, crap,” Nathaniel muttered
Lila started rubbing her eyes to make it look like she’s crying right now. “Nathaniel, how could you be so rude?! I was only trying to help you!”, Alya and Mylene went over to console her, not noticing the smirk on her face. The classmates that were on Lila’s side sent the redhead glares and disappointed looks
Mme. Bustier frowned, “Nathaniel, go to the principal’s office, now!”, before Nathaniel could respond, Marinette spoke, “You can’t do that. It’s the end of the day, so you can’t tell Nathaniel what to do,” she sent her enabler of a teacher a sneer
“W-well, I-”
“Check the rule book!”, Alix snapped, “Students are out of teachers’ jurisdiction as soon as school hours are over. So, you can’t send him to detention.”
“But he called me horrible things!”, Lila wailed
“Well, it’s not his fault,” Juleka whispered, but everyone heard and turned their heads toward her, “... He has bipolar disorder, and sometimes he just... Yeah.” Rose takes over for her, “And you did take his sketchbook, Lila. I saw you snatch it off the table before he could grab it.”
“W... Well, I just wanted to see it!” She claimed
“Doesn’t give you the right to snatch it,” Nathaniel murmured. Marinette walked over and took his hand, “Let’s go.” The five art club students made their way to the door, but Mme. Bustier called out, “Hold on! Nathaniel still needs to be punished for using such language in class!”
Alix rolled her eyes, “Did anyone in the class, besides Markov, understand what he said?”, all she got in response were head shakes and some muttering, “Did anyone hear any curse words?”, once again, head shakes. She turned to Mme. Bustier and shrugged, “As long as he doesn’t say it in French, I don’t really think you can punish him. He said it in a language none of us knew, so you can’t really punish him for cursing in class.”
Bustier’s face turned red in embarrassment. A student just corrected her in front of her own class. Before she could say more, the five of them were gone.
—
“Nath, that mouth!”, Alix cackled, “That was priceless!”
Marinette smiled, “I wish I knew more Chinese so I can cuss Lila out in class. The only curse word I know is húndàn.”
Nathaniel blushed, “Thanks for helping me out back there, you guys.”
“Of course, Nath!” Rose hugged him, “Lila stole your sketchbook, you had every right to be upset.” Juleka nodded in agreement
Nathaniel smiled before he realized something, “I left my colored pencils in my locker.” He reluctantly pulled away from Rose’s legendary hug and ran to the locker room, “I’ll catch up with you guys later!”
Once Nathaniel walked into the locker room, he made his way down the row of lockers until he got this. Right between Alix and Nino’s lockers. He put in the combination on the purple lock he brought from home since the school has terrible security. After Marinette’s near expulsion, some of the students bought locks for their easy-to-open lockers so no one could frame them for theft. Damocles tried to stop them from doing this but he was severely outnumbered, and the fact that some of the students had lawyers for parents who could sue the school for not protecting their children’s items made him concede
Once his locker door was open, an envelope fell out as he went to reach for his pencil face. Furrowing his brow, Nathaniel picked up the mysterious envelope he didn’t remember being in his locker. ‘Maybe it’s my report card?... But it’s the middle of the quarter.’, he thought, ‘And why would they put it in my locker?’ With a shrug, Nathaniel opened the envelope and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. He unfolded the paper, and his eyes widened in shock. His jaw hung open, his hands were shaking, and his breathing became unsteady
In his hands was a photo of Marc and Adrien, but not just any photo. It looked like someone took a photo from a distance, but you could make out every detail. The two of them were sitting on a bench in the park, hand in hand, bodies pressed together, and kissing. Nathaniel wanted to cry, to punch Adrien, to throw up. He looked over the picture even though his brain told him not to, but he had to look for something. Watermarks, any signs of smeared paint, anything!... Nothing.
“N-no... No... He wouldn’t... H-he...” He crumples the paper and throws it to the floor, then he makes his way over to the door. When he opens the door, he froze at the sight. Adrien and Marc were walking the stairs, talking. Adrien must’ve said something funny because Marc started laughing. “... Oh my God...” A tear streamed down his heartbroken face which contorted into a scowl. Not able to take another second of this, Nathaniel charged out of the lockers room and ran to the doors, bumping into people along the way, but he didn’t care. He just needed to leave.
__
Marc laughed, “Oh my God! He really cursed Lila out in Yiddish?”
“Yeah, it was pretty funny,” Adrien chuckled, “If I knew we could do that, I would’ve cursed Lila out weeks ago. But yeah, if he seems a little off in art club, it’s because of Lila.”
“Thanks again, Adrien,” Marc smiled
“No problem. I’ll see you around Marc.”, and he left
Marc still couldn’t believe his sweet boyfriend cursed someone out. But, it was Lila, so he could understand that. He made his way into the locker room and walked over to his locker. He pulled a silver key out of his pocket and uses it on the lock he bought for his locker. Marc’s always been a little protective of his stuff, but after what happened with Marinette and... Her... He and most of the students took action and bought locks for their lockers.
As he opened his locker, he noticed a crumpled ball of paper on the floor. Before Marc could go to pick it up, out of peripheral vision, he saw an envelope fall out of his locker and land on the floor. Marc picked up the envelope he didn’t remember being in his locker before and looked over it to see if anyone write anything like their name. With a shrug, Marc opened the envelope and found a folded piece of paper. With some hesitation, thinking it might be something bad like a photo of something gory or inappropriate, he pulled it out and slowly unfolded it... It was worse.
His widened green eyes scanned over the photo of Nathaniel and Alix, holding hands as they kissed on a bench in the park. He dropped the photo and sat on one of the benches, looking pale and shaking. Then he brought his gloved hands to his face and started crying. “What did I do wrong?”, he asked himself
__
“Anger, despair. Both caused by an untrustworthy partner, and those who turned out to be false friends. So hard to pick.” Hawkmoth beckoned a butterfly that landed in the palm of his hand. Once covered by his other hand, the butterfly was consumed by dark magic and turned black. Hawkmoth released the Akuma, and it fluttered away, “Fly away my little Akuma, go towards the one who feels the most pain!”
__
The akuma fluttered over to the school and found its target. Sitting on the steps of the school with his head tucked into his knees was Nathaniel. And while he could sense Marc’s sadness, Nathaniel’s feelings of rage and betrayal were too good to pass up. So, it dived down and flew into the half heart necklace turning it black. He looked up, revealing the Akuma symbol over his face
__
Once Hawkmoth felt Nathaniel’s emotions, he smirked, “Welcome back Evillustrator. I can assure you, you’ll have your reven-”, Hawkmoth stopped mid-sentence, a look of confusion on his face, “What’s this?”
__
Marc lifted his head up from his hands, revealing an Akuma symbol over his tear-stained face. And his necklace was now pitch black
Hawkmoth rubbed his temples, obviously overwhelmed by the emotions these two boys were feeling. Anger, sadness, betrayal, disbelief, “Well, there’s no need to choose now. Reverstrator, I am Hawkmoth. With my help, you won’t be separated from the one you love again, no one will come between you. All I ask in return is that you bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous.”
“Yes, Hawkmoth,” they say in unison. Once the Akuma symbols disappear, the purple and black mist bubbled up from their necklaces and surrounded them. The purple mist that covered Nathaniel went towards the front doors of the school, phased through, and made its way through the courtyard, startling a few students, then it went into the locker room and combined with the mist that covered Marc
The mist lifted up revealing a tall akuma, around Kim’s height, who looks like a fusion of Evillustrator and Reverser. The left side of his face is purple while the left is black, and his lipstick, while the same colors are inverted. The left side of his short-sleeved hoodie is white with black slanted stripes, the hood is black, he has black sleeves with white stripes under the hoodie, and he has white fingerless gloves which reveal black fingers. The other side is inverted. On the front of his hoodie is a black and white circle with the primary colors on it, but one is half yellow and half black. His pants are half black and white, he has a black boot on his right foot and red on his left. His hair is similar to Evillustrator’s but is more downward, the purple tips at the end are now black and white, and he has a black beret. Two noticeable traits about this Akuma is that he has two forearms on each upper arm, and he has four eyes, but two are closed at the moment while the top eyes, which are turquoise, are narrowed.
“I’m coming for you, Agreste.” He summoned Evillustrator’s tablet and pen in his hands
__
“Man, why isn’t Nath texting back?”, Alix questioned as she continued texting Nathaniel for the sixth time, “He’s been gone for like five minutes.”
“Yeah, and Marc isn’t here either.”, Marinette said, “You think they got... Sidetracked?”
Rose giggled, “Maybe.”
M. Haberkorn intervened, an amused smile on his face, “Now let’s not assume anything. They’re probably helping each other look for something.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet.”, Juleka said, a hint of playfulness in her monotone voice
Alix shook her head amusedly, “Alright, they get three more minutes, then we gotta go looking for them.” The three other girls nodded in agreement before they heard some screams coming from the courtyard, “Must be another Akuma.”, Alix said. The students and the teacher peaked out of the window and saw the Akuma running rampant around the courtyard
“WHERE IS HE?! WHERE’S ADRIEN AGRESTE?!”
“Who’s that?”, Juleka asked, shocked at the appearance of the enraged Akuma
“Damn, Hawkmoth,” Alix whispered, “you’ve made some weird-looking ones, but this one is just... God.”
“And why does he have Evillustrator’s tablet?”, Marinette piped up when she noticed the familiar Akuma weapon on one of the arms, and in the akuma’s hand was the drawing pen. She took a closer look at the Akuma and noticed a necklace with a heart charm around his neck. The more Marinette took in his appearance, the more she noticed how similar it looked to Evillustrator and Reverser, “Guys, I think that’s Marc and Nathaniel!”
The four looked at her in bewilderment before she urged for them to take a closer look at the Akuma. “It is them!”, Rose exclaimed
“They’re fused like Oblivio,” Juleka said, “How did this happen?”
M. Haberkorn shook his head solemnly, “I don’t know. But the four you need to get out of here before someone gets hurt.” As if proving his point, a loud crash was heard followed by more screaming. “Wait until I say it’s safe.” The four of them nodded. He made his way over to the door and carefully opened it. Peaking his head out, he saw the Akuma was erasing walls to classrooms, trying to find Adrien. His back was turned to the art classroom. “Alright, hurry out,” he whispered
They nodded and quickly ran out of the classroom; M. Haberkorn went to help any of the other students evacuate. Alix, Marinette, Juleka, and Rose ran through the crowd of panicking students, but Marinette stopped suddenly and ran in the direction of the locker rooms while Alix, Juleka, and Rose made it out
She opened her purse, allowing Tikki to fly out, “How do you think this happened?”, Marinette asked the tiny goddess, “I don’t know, but this Akuma is a combination of Reverser and Evillustrator, so you need to be careful. You remember how they were last time.”
Marinette nodded at the memory. Marc and Nathaniel were reckless, hostile, and apathetic as Akumas. Nathaniel almost killed Chloe with a buzz saw, and Marc nearly caused a meteor shower that could’ve destroyed Paris. Fused together, there was no telling what destruction they could cause. Before Marinette could say the phrase and transform, she noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the floor. Curious, she picked it up and opened it, revealing the photo of Marc and Adrien kissing
“What the?”, she whispered. Tikki’s eyes widened, “Well that answers Nathaniel’s akumatization, but what about Marc?” Marinette shrugged, but then noticed a piece of paper by the bench. She picked it up and saw that it was a photo of Nathaniel and Alix kissing. “There’s no way these are real. Marc and Nathaniel would never cheat on each other, Alix is Nathaniel’s best friend, she’s aromantic, and Adrien’s dating Kagami!”, she narrowed her eyes at the fake photos, “Someone must have wanted this to happen, t-to get them to break up, or maybe even deliberately try to get them Akumatized.”
“Well, you can figure this out later!”, Tikki told her chosen
“You’re right.”
TIKKI, SPOTS ON!
__
“He’s obviously not here, you jerk!”, a voice that sounded a lot like Reverser’s exclaimed
“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!”, Reverstrator shouted, “Fine. I’ll go look somewhere else.”
“NO! We’re going after Alix first! You let her get away!”
“What’s your deal with her?”, he growled, “She didn’t do anything!”
“Neither did Adrien!”
“Oh, of course, you take his side!”, Reverstrator exclaimed as he drew a boxing glove that punched the front doors open. Before he could walk out, Ladybug’s yoyo wrapped around his waist and flung him into a wall, “Oh, great. You’re here.”
Ladybug retracted her yoyo and spun it, preparing to use it as a shield, “The feeling is mutual! Marc, Nathaniel, whatever happened-”
“DON’T SAY HIS NAME! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT RIGHT NOW!”, he shouted, then drew seven swords, all aimed at Ladybug
From her hiding spot under the stairs, Lila watched the scene unfold with a twisted, unsettling, sadistic grin on her face. “Come on, do it!”, she whispered
Ladybug dodged each sword, quick and easy. They embedded themselves into the courtyard floor and formed small cracks. Lila stomped her foot in frustration and cursed out the Akuma for his failure to kill the spotted heroine, “Stupid akumas can’t do anything right!” Caught up in her ranting, Lila doesn’t notice Aurore standing a few feet away, but still in earshot, recording the battle and her. The blonde weather girl looked appalled.
“HOLD STILL, YOU PEST!”, Reverstrator was becoming angrier and angrier every time Ladybug dodged his drawn weapons. Swords and axes? Avoided and embedded into the ground. Missiles? Uses her yoyo to fling each one into the sky so they don’t destroy Paris. Boxing glove? Jump over it and just let it fly through the holes in the school walls. As she prepared to dodge more attacks, Ladybug noticed Reverstrator holding his head, and it sounded like he was muttering to himself
“God, you suck at this.”
“Well, why don’t you try it if you’re so great at it?”
“Maybe I will!”
“Don’t you dare- AH!”
Reverstrator seemed to go limp above the waist for a moment and stops moving. Ladybug slowly approached him, but stopped when he suddenly straightened up, and she grimaced when a few bones made an audible crack. His turquoise eyes closed and two monochrome eyes below them open up. Evillustrator’s tablet and pen disappear and are replaced with four monochrome paper airplanes sitting in Reverstrator’s hands.
“Let’s try this again! Your powers are useless now! REVERSION!”, Reverstrator hurled the four paper airplanes at Ladybug who acted quickly and shielded herself with her yoyo, blocking each one, “Are you KIDDING ME?!”
“Not so easy, is it?” Evillustrator’s voice snarked
“Shut it!”, Reverstrator yelled to the voice in his head as the glowing Akuma symbol appeared over his face
“Reverstrator, focus!”, Hawkmoth yelled, “I want my Miraculous!”
“Forget this!”
“No!”
Reverstrator’s body convulsed a bit, and as the monochrome eyes closed, the turquoise ones opened, “I’m going after Adrien,” Evillustrator's said, speaking through Reverstrator. His tablet and pen reappeared, which he used to draw a ball and chain around Ladybug’s ankle, preventing her from moving
“Don’t go after the boy!” Hawkmoth commanded, now concerned for Adrien’s safety
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t,” Reverstrator snapped, “You don’t even care who lives or dies when you send out a damn Akuma every week!”
“Your prime objective is to take the Miraculous!”
“Sure. Right after I give that rich boy what he deserves!” He drew a jetpack on his back and took off. Ladybug wrapped the string of her yoyo around the anklet, and it snapped open due to the strength of the magic weapon. Before she could swing away, Ladybug noticed Lila glaring up towards where Reverstrator flew away. ‘Later,’ she thought to herself before swinging off after Reverstrator.
__
Adrien, Nathalie, and the Gorilla sit through some traffic. Nathalie scrolls through her tablet, “You have a piano lesson in two hours, then tomorrow after school, another photoshoot...”
Adrien just zones out as she drones on in her monotonous voice. Plagg pokes his head out of his pocket and gives him a bored look as he munches on a piece of cheese. Adrien feels himself dozing off when suddenly- “ADRIEN AGRESTE!”
Nathalie put a protective hand on Adrien’s shoulder and ushered for him to duck down. She looked out the window, seeing nothing but cars and a few people getting out of there to see what’s going on. It was quiet for a moment when suddenly, an arm penetrates the roof, making Adrien let out a yelp as the hand grabbed his head, two more burst through and grab his face. Nathalie reacts, hits the first arm with her tablet, making it recoil, and grabs the other two arms wrists, “Adrien, run!”
With a nod, Adrien bolted out of the car and ran down the sidewalk, catching a glimpse of the Akuma as he rounded a corner and made his way into an alley. Plagg flew out of his pocket, eyes widened, “Did you see that guy?!”
Adrien nodded, “Hawkmoth is officially twisted.”
PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!
__
Reverstrator finally releases himself from Nathalie’s grip and runs off to find Adrien, “WHERE ARE YOU?!”
“Lookin’ for me?!”, Chat Noir’s boot made contact with his stomach, sending him to the ground and knocking the wind out of him, “I know I’m no Adrien Agreste, but you gotta admit, I’m way better.”, he smirked
Reverstrator got back up, “That, we can agree on. Adrien Agreste is a backstabbing two-timer who steals people in relationships!”
“What are you talking about?!”
Chat Noir furrowed his brown in confusion, and he didn’t have time to react when a fire hose drawn by Reverstrator sprayed him with a powerful blast of water. Chat backed away, grabbed his baton, and spun it around so it acted like a shield, deflecting the blast
“Marc, Nathaniel! Stop!”, Ladybug yelled as she dropped in and wrapped her yoyo around Reverstrator
“Don’t call me that! I’m Reverstrator now!” Suddenly, his torso started rotating around rapidly, unwinding Ladybug’s yoyo. Chat surged towards him with his staff ready. Reverstrator grabbed the staff with one set of hands and used the other set to grab Chat Noir by his waist then fling him into the streets. Ladybug threw her yoyo at him, but he managed to catch it just an inch away from his head. Grabbing the string of his yoyo with all of his hands, Reverstrator kept a tight grip as he spun his torso around and then flung Ladybug right into Chat Noir when he abruptly let go of the yoyo
Reverstrator got out his pen and drew a hole on his tablet, then a second later, one appears beneath the heroes and they fall in, “See? That’s how you get rid of heroes!”
“...”
“Oh, silent treatment, huh?!”
“Reverstrator! Why didn’t you take their Miraculous before sending them into the hole?!”, Hawkmoth asked, enraged
Reverstrator rolled his eyes, “They can’t get out of there. I’ll come back for them later.” He leaped onto a roof and made his way to the Agreste mansion
__
“Oh, I hope Marinette’s okay,” Rose voiced her concern as she, Juleka, and Alix walked back into the school when they saw that Reverstrator was gone
Juleka places a hand on her shoulder, “Maybe she just got separated while we were running. I’m sure she’s okay.”
Alix agreed, “Yeah, she can take care of herself. Maybe she just hid in the locker room.” The three of them walk into the locker room and look around for the pigtailed girl, “Marinette?!” She called out, “Marinette?!”
Juleka knocks on a few lockers, “Marinette? You in here?”
Rose walks out of the bathroom and shakes her head, “I don’t think she’s in here.”
Alix furrowed her brow in confusion, “Okay, maybe she got swept up in a group. Jules, you might be right about her getting separated.” Juleka smiled at that
Rose sighed with relief and then sat down on the bench, “Well, that’s good.” She felt her foot brush up against something and looked down to see the photo face-down on the floor, “Hm?” She picked up the photo, flipped it over, and her eyes widened in shock, “... Alix? Could you take a look at this?” She hands the photo over to Alix. The pink-haired girl gave the photo an incredulous look, “WHAT THE HELL?!” She stomps over to Juleka who’s looking down at something in her hands, “Are you seeing this?! I did not kiss Nathaniel!... Jules?” Juleka shows her and Rose what she’s looking at.
Rose gasped, “That’s why Reverstrator is after Adrien!”
“So if Nathaniel saw this photo, then Marc must’ve seen the other one.” Juleka turns to Alix, “So Reverstrator might be after you next.”
“But I didn’t kiss Nath!” She exclaimed, “And Marc definitely didn’t kiss Adrien!” She takes the photo out of Juleka’s hand and examines both photos, “These had to have been photoshopped, o-or something!”
Rose notices something on one of the photos, “Hey, what’s that?” She points to an orange smudge in the corner of the photo of Alix and Nathaniel kissing, “Looks like nail polish.” Juleka smirks, “Or Nathaniel uses hair dye.”
“Wait.” Alix narrows her eyes at the nail polish stain, “There’s only one person in the whole class who wears orange nail polish.”
“LILA!”, Rose and Juleka said at the same time
Alix nodded, “It makes sense. They know she’s lying too, so of course, she’d pull this shit! We gotta tell them before they go after Adrien!” She’s about to head out of the locker room, but Juleka stops her by placing a hand on her shoulder, “But what about you?” “I’ll be fine. It’s Lila you should be worried about when they find out what she did.” After that, she stormed out of the locker room with Juleka and Rose behind her.
__
Ladybug and Chat Noir were still in the hole. Ladybug tried using her yoyo to get out, but there was nothing for it to wrap around outside the hole. Chat Noir then wrapped his arms around Ladybug and extended his staff so that they rose out of the hole
“Nice thinking, Chat.” Ladybug commended as Chat shortened his staff
Chat smiled, “Thank you, m’lady. Now let’s go!” He and Ladybug vaulted and swung away
__
Reverstrator landed on top of a roof and just stands there, “... Why can’t I move? What are you doing?!”
“We need to talk right now!”, Reverser’s voice shouted
“I don’t want to!”, he yelled back while covering his ears, hoping that will block out his voice
“Well, I’m not letting you go until we talk!... Please?”
Reverstrator sighed, “Fine.” The monochrome eyes slowly opened, and immediately a few tears pour out as Reverstrator has a conversation with himself
Reverser speaks through Reverstrator, “... Why would you do this? W-what did I do wrong? I... I love you and you just...” One of his right hands wipes away the tears. Evillustrator speaks through Reverstrator, “I could ask you the same thing. I-I don’t know why you’re mad, but you really hurt me.”
“How did I hurt you? You kissed Alix!”
“W-what?! I never kissed Alix!... Is this why you’re mad at her? You think we kissed?”
“... Yeah.”
“No! That never happened! And I saw the photo of you kissing Adrien!” The turquoise eyes start crying, “Then I saw you and him laughing. An-and I just-”
“Well, that’s only because he was telling me what you said to Lila in class! I-I would never cheat on you. I love you...”
“I’d never cheat on you either, and Alix would never hurt you like that.” Reverstrator’s right hands wipe away the tears forming in the monochrome eyes
“I’d never do something like that to you... But where did the photo come from?”
The turquoise eyes narrowed when they noticed Alix, Juleka, and Rose walking down the sidewalk, “Let’s find out.”
__
“When I see that girl tomorrow in class, I’m gonna-!”
Reverstrator dropped down right in front of the three girls, startling them and cutting off Alix’s rant, “ALIX!” Upon seeing the menacing glare he was giving their friend, Juleka and Rose shielded Alix from the Akuma
“You better explain why there’s a picture of you kissing Nathaniel!”, Reverser shouted through the Akuma and summoned two paper airplanes in the two left hands
Alix gently nudged Juleka and Rose out of the way and approached the Akuma, but the two girls held onto their friend’s arms for protection, “Nath, Marc...” Hearing Reverstrator let out a low growl, she corrected herself, “Reverstrator, those photos are fake! I never kissed Nathaniel, and Adrien never kissed Marc! We wouldn’t do that!”
Before Reverstrator could say anything, Juleka spoke, “Lila faked those photos. W-we found some of her nail polish smeared on the back of one of them
“That... That...”
“Lignerish shlang!”
Without saying another word, Reverstrator crushed the paper airplanes in his hands and ran off to find the lying Italian who nearly destroyed a beautiful relationship. Alix called out to him, but he was already gone, leaping over the city once again. A second later, Ladybug and Chat Noir land by them. “Are you okay?” Ladybug asked as she checks to see if Reverstrator hurt them in any way
Alix nodded, “Yeah, we’re fine. But it’s Lila that you gotta save.”
Ladybug tried not to show her disgust at the mention of the liar, but Chat Noir wasn’t holding back, “What’d she do now?” he asked bitterly
“’Now?’“ Rose parroted
Chat continued, “Yeah. This wouldn’t be the first time she’s pissed off an Akuma.”
“Chat,” Ladybug hissed, “Not now.” She turned back to Alix, “So what happened?”
“Lila photoshopped a photo so it would look like Marc kissed Adrien, and Nathaniel kissed me,” she explained. Off the heroes’ looks of disgust, she continued, “Yeah, and all because they knew that she was lying!”
Ladybug took a sharp inhale. That liar could ruin her life all she wanted, but rope her friends and cousin into this? There will be hell to pay, “Alright. I guess we have to save her again. The three of you better get to safety.” Then she and Chat swung and vaulted after the Akuma as the three girls just stood there
“We’re gonna see how this goes, aren’t we?” Juleka asked after a few seconds of silence
Alix nodded, “Hell, yeah!” She exclaimed as they began springing in the direction of Reverstrator and the heroes went, “Hey, if we’re lucky, Lila might be exposed in front of everyone.”
__
Lila was walking on air. Marc and Nathaniel were probably beating that pesky bug to a bloody pulp right now. She was a little miffed that they didn’t slice her open with one of those swords or reverse her powers so she’d be useless as always. And hopefully, when she fails, those two f*gs will become public enemy numbers one and two. She could spin a whole sob story about how they were jealous of her relationship with Ladybug and they’ll be banished from Paris. Maybe she could even throw in something about Marinette and those d*kes she hangs out with. They are close; maybe get the idea of them working for Hawkmoth into those idiots’ heads-
“So, what do you think of doing another interview tomorrow?”
‘Ugh. Remember your fanbase, remember your fanbase,’ Lila reminded herself every time she hung out with Alya, “Alya, that’d be wonderful! I’d love to!” She exclaimed, before quickly dropping her expression, “But I just hope I’ll be okay to do it tomorrow. I’m just so worried about my bestie getting hurt!”
Alya nodded, “Yeah, Reverstrator doesn’t seem like the type of Akuma to hold back. But, I’m sure she’ll be fine... Though, I wonder why Marc and Nathaniel got akumatized in the first place.”
Lila internally smirked, ‘Perfect,’ “You don’t think it was because of me, do you?”
Alya immediately went to comfort her, “Girl, I’m sure it was just something else. Maybe stressed out from their comic, or-”
“But we haven’t been on the best terms lately, and-” She choked back a sob, “I can’t help but feel that I’m the reason they were Akumatized... Or... Maybe they were jealous that I’m friends with Ladybug?”
Alya frowned, “Well then, that’s just not right. Once they go back to normal, we’re gonna confront them about this!”
“ROSSI!”
Parisians cleared the way as Reverstrator dropped down from above and landed in the middle of Pont des Arts. “It’s time to reveal every single one of your lies!” Four monochrome paper airplanes materialized in his hands, “REVERSION!”
Lila ducked out of the way as the planes came for her, and they instead hit a few pedestrians who started revealing everything they’ve lied about, “I-I didn’t do anything! Please, whatever happened, I can help you!” She whined while throwing in a few tears for good measure
“ENOUGH!” Evillustrator’s pen materialized in one of his left hands, and the tablet on his right arm. He began drawing, “You won’t try to tear us apart ever again!” A buzz-saw appeared beside him and spun its way towards the two girls. Not taking any chances, Lila grabbed Alya and put her in front of her like a shield
“LILA?!”, Alya screamed as she struggled to get out of her hold, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” The more she struggled, the more Lila’s nails dug into her skin and she let out a pained scream
“Call it off! Erase it!”, “I’m doing it!” The buzz saw was erased from existence, and Alya was safe. Lila pushed Alya to the ground then ran away. Reverstrator was about to run after her, but when he saw the look of betrayal on Alya’s face, he said to her, “I’d start looking for new friends if I were you.” And he ran after Lila, leaving Alya horrified at what just happened
‘How could she do that?’ She thought to herself, ‘She used me as a human shield, I-I could have died. Why would she do this?... I thought we were friends.’
Rousing her from her thoughts was the sound of a notification from her phone. She wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks and checked her phone. She furrowed her brow as she read what was on her screen. Aurore had made a post on her blog, Bug & Cat Chat. She wasn’t a fan of the blonde girl having a blog that rivaled her own and stole most of her viewers, but she kept tabs to see what she posted and how she could make the Ladyblog better. ‘Ladybug’s Supposed Bestie Roots for Akuma?’
__
Lila ran as fast as she could down the streets of Paris, but Reverstrator was faster. She dodged every paper plane, every sword, dagger, and flaming arrow, shoving pedestrians out of her way and almost getting them hit in the process. When the attacks stopped, Lila stopped running and took a few breaths.
“Damn it, Hawkmoth,” she cursed under her breath, “Control your freaks.” This moment of peace was cut short by a scream. Lila looked back and saw a car being tossed into the air and heading right for her. She leaped out of the way as the car hit the ground
“Lie-La~” Reverstrator called out, “It would be easier for everyone here if you just gave yourself up!” He started lifting another car
Lila rubbed her eyes to make it look like she’s crying, “I didn’t do anything! Why are you after me?!” She looked through her hands and saw people in the vicinity giving her wary looks, ‘Why are none of these idiots helping me?! Can’t they see I’m in danger?!’
“Mommy! That’s the girl who put the Ladyblogger in danger!” A little boy shouted
Lila looked again and saw many of the citizens scowling at or backing away from her. Some were even looking down at their phones. When she listened closely, she could clearly make out Alya’s panicked voice coming from their phones
‘Who the hell recorded that?!’
“Aurore got a video of her rooting for the Akuma!”
“She wanted Ladybug dead!”
“I bet she’s working for Hawkmoth!”
Lila scowled, ‘That blonde b*mbo!’ She put her hands behind her back and pinched her wrists to make herself cry, “I-I’d never do that! I’d never put Ladybug in danger!” Another car was thrown her way, she ran with Reverser hot on her tail
“IT’S NO USE RUNNING, LILA! JUST GIVE YOURSELF UP! EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS WHAT YOU’RE REALLY LIKE!”
Lila was about the round a corner, but Reverstrator grabbed her by the back of her jacket and held her up in the air, “It’s over! Now confess everything you’ve lied about!”
Even when her life was on the line, Lila would not own up to her lies, “I didn’t do anything wrong! I don’t know why you’re after me, but-”
“ENOUGH!” Evillustrator summoned a paper airplane, “You are now forced to tell the truth! Reversion- HEY!” He tried to yank his arm away as Ladybug’s yoyo wrapped around his wrist
“Reverstrator, stop!” Ladybug called out as she and Chat Noir arrived, “Everyone already knows that Lila is dangerous-”
“SHUT UP LADYBUG! NO ONE ASKED YOU SHIT!”, Lila screeched, making everyone gasp. Lila was about to say more, but one of Reverstrator’s other hands wrapped around her neck and she started choking, but then he dropped her to the ground when Ladybug yanked on her yoyo and flung him into the side of a building
Chat narrowed his eyes at Lila who had taken off running a while ago, “Better hurry before she causes more trouble.”
Ladybug nodded then called for her, “LUCKY CHARM!” What dropped in her hands was, “Another yoyo?”
Chat Noir extended his staff, “Better figure out how to use it quick; Reverstrator won’t go down so easy!”
Reverstrator started drawing again, and another buzz saw came spinning for them. Chat Noir jumped in front of Ladybug and yelled out, “CATACLYSM!” The buzz saw crumbled into black dust, and immediately, the heroes were barraged by arrows. And with his free hands, he threw paper airplanes at them. They take cover behind a flipped car. Not wanting to risk getting shot by an arrow or reversed, Ladybug used the mirror in her yoyo to find a way to use her lucky charm
Use your yoyo to deflect his attacks
Wrap both yoyo’s around Reverstrator’s arms
He has super strength, so you won’t be able to hold him down on your own
Tie the ends of the yoyos to the lamp posts; they’re bolted tight to the ground
Break the necklace, catch the Akuma
Ladybug turned to Chat Noir with a determined look, “Hey, Kitty? Ever use a yoyo before?” With a grin, Chat takes the lucky charm yoyo and extends his staff. Ladybug spins her yoyo; the two run out from behind the car and start deflecting Reverstrator’s planes and arrows. Once they got close enough, Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around Reverstrator’s left arms, and Chat wrapped the Lucky Charm yoyo around the right arms. They ran in opposite directions and tied the yoyos around lamp posts so he can’t get free.
“NO!” He growled with tears in his eyes, “You won’t separate us!”
Ladybug walked over, reached into the monochrome hoodie, and pulled out a black heart-shaped necklace. She threw it to the ground, making it shatter into many pieces so the Akuma would fly out. She quickly unwrapped her yoyo, “No more evil-doing for you little Akuma... Time to De-Evilize!” She caught the Akuma, “Gotcha!” Fluttering out from the yoyo was a pure white butterfly, “Bye-bye, little butterfly.”
Chat Noir tossed her the lucky charm yoyo. She tossed it into the air and yelled out, “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!” The yoyo burst into millions of ladybugs. The swept around the city, fixing the school, getting rid of the weapons drawn by Reverstrator, removing the reversion curse of citizens who were hit by the paper airplanes, and finally, Reverstrator was washed over by a black and purple mist that lifted up and revealed Marc and Nathaniel passed out on the ground
Ladybug and Chat Noir did their signature fist-bump, “Pound it!”
“Ugh,” Nathaniel got up and rubbed his head, “What the hell...?” His eyes widened when he saw Marc on the ground, “Rainbow!” He rushed over to his boyfriend’s side, “Baby, are you okay?” Marc’s eyes fluttered open, and Nathaniel let out a relieved sigh, “Marc, I’m so sorry I thought you cheated on me, I- You’d never do that! I just-” “Nath...” “When I saw that photo, I just panicked!” “Nath!” Nathaniel was cut off by Marc throwing his arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. “... I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions either. Nath, I’m sorry.”
Ladybug and Chat Noir offered their hands and helped the two boys up, “I’m guessing you guys remember what happened.”
Nathaniel furrowed his brow, “I-I just remember seeing that photo of Marc kissing Adrien...” No one noticed the look of shock on Chat’s face, “Then I remember Alix mentioning...” His expression darkened, “...Lila.” Marc held his hand and kissed his cheek, “She’s sort of had out for us ever since we pointed out a few holes in her lies.”
“Well, don’t worry. I’m sure you won’t be seeing much of her anymore.” At the superheroine’s words, the two boys smiled. Suddenly, the distinct beeping of Ladybug and Chat’s miraculous’ were heard
“Well, we best be off,” Chat said as he extended his staff and vaulted away
Ladybug gave the two one last smile, “Bug out.” and she swung away
__
Hawkmoth threw his can to the ground, “NO! How could they have beaten Reverstrator? He should have unstoppable! Ladybug, I swear, I will have your Miraculous!”
__
Lila felt all eyes on her as she walked into Dupont. Normally she would preen at the attention she was receiving, but these looks were hate-filled. They all looked like they wanted her dead. Ignoring the glares, she put on a prideful demeanor as she strutted her way to class...
...Where she was met with even more death glares.
Alix stood from her seat, “You’ve got some fucking nerve coming back here, Rossi.”
She reared back, “Oh, Alix!” tears began to pour, “How could you say something like that?!”, she started sobbing into her hands but no one was buying her fake tears
Nino wrapped his arms protectively around Alya and glared at the Italian, “Just get lost, Lila. Everyone in Paris saw the shit you pulled.”
“I-I don’t know what-”
“YOU PUSHED ALYA IN FRONT OF A BUZZ SAW, YOU BITCH!” Marinette screamed as she stormed over towards the Italian, “You could have killed her!”
Lila backed away from the enraged pigtailed girl, “I-I was trying to push her out of the way, but my carpel tunnel acted up, and-”
“Cut the crap, Rossi!” Nathaniel yelled, “Marc and I almost killed Alya because of you!”
“It wasn’t my fault you two got akumatized!”
“IT WAS!” The entire room went silent when the redhead slammed his fist on the desk, “You photoshopped pictures of us cheating on each other, and that’s what got us akumatized!”
Lila forced tears out of her eyes, “I’d never do something like that!” she whined
Juleka spoke up, “We found your nail polish on one of the photos,” She held up the photo and pointed to the orange nail polish. Before Lila could retort, Marinette held up one of her hands, her nails were still painted the same shade of orange as the nail polish on the photo
“Th-that was just a coincidence! It’s a very popular color!”
Chloe laughed, “Newsflash, Rossi. Raw sienna looks good on no one. Especially not you.”
Adrien stood from his seat, “And I’m sure you can explain why there’s a video of you cheering for the Akuma,” he sent Nathaniel an apologetic look, “then saying Akuma’s can’t do anything right.”
The Italian went silent before, “Ow! My head hurts! See, while I was in Africa, I hit my head and-”
“That explains a lot,” Ivan muttered
“B-but guys, I’d never...” Seeing that no one was buying a single thing she said, she scowled, “Alright, fine! So I pushed her in front of me, so what?! Better her than me!” Marinette and Nino looked ready to strangle her. She points to Nathaniel, “And you and your f*ggot boyfriend should learn your place you k**e!”
The entire room gasped at the slur used against their friend
“Lila Rossi!” Everyone turned to see Mme. Bustier standing at the doorway, “Principal’s office, now!”
“B-but Mme. Bustier!” Lila stammered
“NOW!” She repeated, “I will not have that type of language used in my classroom!”
“But Nathaniel cursed me out yesterday!”
Mme. Bustier nodded, “Yes, but no one could understand him.” She shot the redhead an apologetic smile and he smiled back, “You on the other hand, we understood you loud and clear. I will not tolerate the use of derogatory terms in this class! Now go!” She points to the door. Defeated, Lila trudges out but not before she adds, “And I’ll be giving your mother a call as well.”
Mme. Bustier followed her out and slammed the door behind her, leaving the classroom in silence
“... Okay!” Kim yelled out, “No one’s saying it, so I will.” He approaches Marinette, “Mari, I-I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you. You’re one of the most honest people I know, and I just picked that... Cáo nói dối over my own sister.”
Marinette smiled and embraced Kim, “Thanks, Kimmy.” The athlete wrapped his arms around her, “Anytime, em gái.” The whole room started apologizing to the students who didn’t believe Lila’s stories and gathered for a group hug
Marinette hummed, “Guys, this is nice... But if you ever do this again, I will not hesitate to knock some sense into each and every one of you. And believe me. I will be very violent.”
Mylene chuckled nervously, “Noted.”
__
“Hey, Rainbow.” Marc looked up from his journal and saw Nathaniel standing by the stairs, “Hey.” Nathaniel went under the stairs and sat next to Marc before littering his face with kisses, making the black-haired boy blush
“What’s got you so happy?”
Nathaniel smirked, “Two things. First: Lila’s being arrested for possibly working with Hawkmoth,” off Marc’s incredulous look, he nodded, “Seriously! After that video Aurore posted, the police took her in for questioning.”
Marc tackled Nathaniel into a hug, “That’s amazing! So, what’s the second thing?” He gives Nathaniel a knowing look
“Well,” he takes Marc’s hand and kisses it, “Ever since we were fused together, I just... I’ve never felt closer to you. Even though we were Akumatized, it just felt amazing.”
Marc can’t help but blush, “Yeah. I-I know we were arguing most of the time, but I still loved being that close to you.” His smile dropped a little, “I could feel how upset you were. That also showed how much you really care about me.”
“Of course I do, Rainbow,” Nathaniel said as he caressed his cheek, “You’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I was prepared to murder Adrien because of that photo.”
“And I was going to throttle Alix...”
“... Not our best moment.” “No, not really.”
“But,” Nathaniel pulls his sketchbook out from his messenger bag, “It does give me a few ideas for our next comic.”
Marc shows Nathaniel the page he was working on, “Me too.”
#marc x nathaniel#miraculous ladybug salt#Miraculous Ladybug#Reverstrator#Reverser#Evillustrator#alya redemption#lila gets exposed#ao3fic
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inspired by the wonderful cas, here are my valentines!! hopefully everyoen got my cards, but why not have this!!
@prettyprincessfarmer ROSE!!!!!!! I love you so much oh my god ahhhh <3. You're so kind and enthusiastic and wonderful, and so many things i can't name right now. you have made my life materially better and i will appreciate you forever, i don't know where i'd be without you! i can't wait until we meet up and i can finally give you a hug.
@checksmicks YOOOOO HOWDY CAS!! i have. a whole lot of thoughts to say and not enough words, but ill say this! you are one of the best things to happen to me. I'll be perfectly honest, i might not get what you're talking about, but it is very fun to listen to you talk about telly hole and tally hall!! Solid Soda is one of the best things i've ever been apart of, and i'm super glad you made it. Please, know that you are loved and appreciated!!
@funkyworks OLIVER-OLIVER SOLIDARITY.... n-e-ways, you are so poggers!! we don't talk a whole lot but i admire you very much!! you're really cool and you make this hell site a whole lot more fun. Tha Trash Rays server is incredibly weird and i'm not sure if i get it but i do, in fact, appreciate it. I'll end with just a simple thank you, for everything!
@it2017 you have the same vibe as bob animal crossing (affectionate). anyways, howdy fred!! you care so much about so many things and i love it. Your vibes... impeccable!! effervescent!! incredibly satisfying!! i especially like your music taste it's very nice. have a wonderful day!!
@linabeanart AAAAA HI!!!! we don't talk a whole lot but i hope you know that i really admire you. one, your art is wonderful and you clearly put a whole lot!! and two!! aaaaa you're so cool and wonderous (is that a real word? i hope it is. it is now). have a great valentine's day <3
@salemruinseverything hi salem! ya know, ever since i learned that you care about idogs (specifically the idog clip, the coolest one in my opinion), i knew you were great. your vibe is utterly strange, but superb at the same time. i can't wait for us to talk more!
@fumkyfrenshfamtherfigure HELLO JAY!!! we don't have a lot of intersecting interests, but it's nice to have someone who can tell you what's happening when you're not there, ya know? you're also really talented, both in art and with words! have a good day, Julien.
@davethecryptid hi dee!!! i'm really glad we're friends, you're super rad! you care about so many things so much, and i really admire that. have a great sonic movie anniversary!!
@temptation-of-adam yoo hi otter!!! sometimes your vibe is utterly incomprehensible but?m that's a absolute a positive. we don't converse a lot, but know that you're sooooo poggers <3
@concentrated-mug-of-me hi thomas!! ya know, i'll be honest, i was a bit spooked when i saw a default icon following me. But; after learning about you; i realized that you're really cool! you're a great friend, and i'm not sure where i'd be with you!
@eboybillnye despite the cursed url, you are marvelous!! i don't talk to you a lot, but i really hope that changes soon. i really like hearing you talk about your interests, you clearly care so much about them. have a great valentine's day!
@paranormal-supernova SOAPY SOAPY SOAPY!!!! you clearly care so much about everything you post, which is so swag. you also have a delightful aesthetic, how do you do it? you have done so much for me, and i hope you know that i appreciate you.
@moon-jellie i haven't talked to you a whole lot, but know that i really admire you (and you're funky anime boys). have a great valentine's day.
#this is also kind of like a soft remake of a post on my old account#but! it's mainly inspired by cas because she is so cool <6#(╹◡╹)♡#favorites
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Clover?
alright,,,, the gang’s all here!!!! you get to hear my terrible clover thoughts now if i haven’t been banned from the fandom for my ship opinions yet <3
* favorite thing about them
hmmmm i like that she’s considered competent and feared wildly. like fossa stay away bc of her reputation. idk isn’t it great we finally get our dreamworks warrior girl who rlly is what they say she is? and her journey of learning compassion is just important for her character and the story - that love will heal
idk she’s so fun i love everything about her. she’s complex and writes dnd fanfic about herself, go girl!!! kind of weird, but yeah baby write it!!! and she takes herself too seriously, has a complex relationship with her family and her ideals. We were SO lucky to get clover
* least favorite thing about them
I wouldn’t say it’s my least favourite bc I actually rlly ENJOY it as a character trait bc I think it pushes for a interesting dynamic but I dislike how she immediately, always, encourages julien to do stuff to push the class divide. yeah julien it’s a great idea to make a rule that everyone has to like you <3 I enjoy it bc it’s unhealthy and bad, and they start to grow out of it (most important bit!!!) but she never gets to completely bc she becomes a queen???? But she gets her in with like acting with the “common” people in her future husband’s tribe which…….. like ok. it also makes me feel weird that she’s got an english accent and she’s super big on monarchy lmao
* favorite line
“two words, SHUT YOUR BLEEDING GOB!”
* brOTP
clover & crimson yeah booiiiii
also clover & sage????? their interactions in exiled are so fun. plus Fred the giant scorpion
clover & the royal quartet - plus xixi!!!! the time they all go on holiday together was cute even if clover ditched them to do other stuff. clover & mort get special mention bc i think they have some rlly fun moments that get overlooked.
it would have been nice to see her get more & more friendly with the other lemurs & even strike up tentative friendships with them. she was a “relic” of the old rule, of uncle king Julien, and her loyalty switch to julien, and learning that fun was necessary sometimes could have been expanded to show lemurs stop fearing her (ukj’s iron fist).
although we don’t rlly get it, i especially would like clover and ted to pick up a better report. clover needed to learn to respect ted tbh & ted needed more of her guidance.
* OTP
uhhh??? i don’t think i rlly ship her with anyone particularly and her story is better when it’s about friendship.
i guess i should mention sage. I don’t know how I feel about them. I liked the dynamic - and the dynamic of crimson “stealing sage” and how that was tied into clover’s feelings of self worth and difficult family dynamics - but I don’t know. Clover wanted so hard to create sage into her perfect fantasy man and sage was running so hard from his past mistakes he was self flagellating and it felt like it was really set up well but they weren’t 100% sure how to finish it? going from all that development and understanding in exiled to like jealous proving themselves to married was ???? A lot . I don’t necessarily think it was bad, it’s just …… idk how I feel
* nOTP
not to beat a dead horse, but like as mentioned in my other posts i find the royal quartet to have very strong symbolism around family and it just makes me feel :/// when their love is talked about as if it’s romantic?.
* random headcanon
even tho ahkj set up the start of the movie i kind of consider it a different universe and it wasn’t goodbye when clover left. julien United many of the kingdoms of Madagascar and I think it opened up a trade system that didn’t exist once. now the kingdoms mingle
clover comes over every second week to help train new recruits for the kingtail guard and it’s very fulfilling. the mountain lemurs are already tough and they appreciate her a & her skills a lot, but seeing the change & skills developed by the other lemurs is so satisfying for herself, afterwards the royal quartet has a fancy little luncheon and catches up.
* unpopular opinion
I don’t think I know of any clover unpopular opinions or like, disagree with any known popular ones?
#sorry this took forever#ask#anonymous#ask meme#ahkj#clover#i forgot the giant scorpions name he’s Fred right
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Queer book recommendations 📚
Okay, so I received this super nice ask, kindly requesting another list of book recommendations, but when I finally got around to answering it, Tumblr (being the hellsite that it is) ate the ask. Emi, I hope you know how thrilled I was to see that in my inbox — not only have you read some of my favorite books based on my recommendation, but you liked them enough to ask for more! I’m happy to put together another list, and please feel free to message me at any time to talk about books!
Without further ado (and in no particular order), here’s part two of some of my favorite queer books:
1. All for the Game trilogy by Nora Sakavic: I could talk about this series for ages. Listen, I know it’s problematic: they’re not the most well-written books, the plot is insane and there’s a whole host of trigger warnings that go with the series. It focuses on college athletes, who come together through Exy, a made-up sport that the mafia is involved in. Somehow, despite all of that, I managed to fall in love with the series quite quickly. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read before, and the characters — even with their numerous flaws — really drew me in. The found family trope is so well executed (I couldn’t help but root for the Foxes throughout the series), then I absolutely love the way they handle consent. Of the core characters, there’s two who are gay and one who’s definitely on the ace spectrum, though it’s not outright stated in the book. And while I said they’re not the most well-written series, which I do stand by, there’s also a handful of BEAUTIFUL lines from the books.
2. “Running with Lions” by Julien Winters: This is the only other sports-themed book on the list, I promise! Some of my love for this book likely stems from my own years running around the soccer field — this takes place at a summer training camp, but that’s definitely not the only reason it’s on this list. I’m a big fan of enemies to lovers, and while this is more ex-friends to lovers, there’s definitely some animosity to be worked through when Emir unexpectedly shows up at the soccer camp. I love the way he and Sebastian bond, and the way their friendship evolves before becoming a more romantic relationship. There’s some standard coming-of-age vibes within the book, but the plot and the characters are interesting enough to help set it apart from others in the genre.
3. “Orlando: A Biography” by Virginia Woolf: This one is a little different than the others on the list, but I wouldn’t recommend it any less. I feel a little in love with Virginia Woolf over the past year and, of her books that I’ve read, this one really stands out. It’s from the 1920s and features a main character who lives for 300+ years — and who’s trans (Orlando is born male, then wakes up one day as female). With the way time works and the plot itself, it’s a bit strange, but I found it captivating, and the whole thing is a love letter to Vita Sackville-West, another writer with whom Woolf was in a relationship with. (Don’t get me started on their relationship — there’s a book of love letters between the two of them that’s achingly beautiful, but the book is hard to find.)
4. “Upside Down” by N. R. Walker: This is trope-y and wonderful and I would highly recommend. It has issues with pacing, but it made me genuinely happy as I was reading it. I finished it in a day, maybe two, because I couldn’t put it down — and I have two of the author’s other books in my Barnes & Noble cart as I’m typing this. In “Upside Down,” both of the main characters are ace; one is sure of his identity and the other is just starting to figure it out, and they work to navigate that together. It’s sweet and a quick read if you’re looking for something fairly fluffy.
5. Iron Breakers trilogy by Zaya Feli: If you take the plot from Captive Prince and mix it with the writing of All for the Game, that’s a close approximation of Iron Breakers. The main character is hard to like at times (he has a lot of growing up to do) and the plot isn’t groundbreaking — there’s a lot of similarities to Captive Prince — but there’s also a lot of positives the series has going for it. The world building is really interesting, the love interest is wonderful and the series has some compelling twists. The first book is free through Nook and I bought the second two immediately after finishing it, then could not put those down until I was done!
6. “Olivia” by Dorothy Strachey: There’s not enough wlw romance on here, which is one of the reasons I wanted to add “Olivia.” It’s another one that’s slightly different than the others on the list; it was originally published in the 1940s and is loosely based on the author’s own life, telling the story of a girl who goes to finishing school and falls in love with her teacher. It’s the story of first love, and forbidden love at that.
7. “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas: This book absolutely worth a read — Yadriel is trans, and is trying to prove to his family that he’s a “real” man by summoning a ghost to help solve his cousin’s murder. Instead, he summons Julien, then proceeds to fall for the ghost while trying to help Julien figure out how he died. Thomas creates such an interesting world within the book and the three main characters (Yadriel, Julien and Yadriel’s cousin/best friend Maritza) are so much fun together.
8. “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli: Look, I think most people have heard of, if not read, this book but I’d be remiss if I didn’t include it on my list. It was actually recommended to me last time I made a queer rec list and it didn’t disappoint. In some ways, it’s a relatively standard coming out novel, but it has some really interesting differences. The way in which Simon is forced to come out makes the plot unique, and I love how supportive Simon’s family is — there are so many books where the character comes out and is subsequently kicked out, and it was nice to see a different take (I may have cried a little at that point, but that’s neither here nor there). If you haven’t read it, I’d definitely recommend.
9. Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo: This is like, “Ocean’s Eleven,” but with teenagers. I liked the first book slightly better than the second, but they’re both great — they focus on a group of six planning an elaborate heist, with Kaz as the leader of their little gang. Each character is really well-developed, and both the plot and the world-building are first class. There’s a mlm romance on the side, so this one’s a bit more subtly queer than some of the other recs, but they’re still great books.
10. “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune: This book is wonderful in so many ways. It’s focused on Linus Baker, who’s sent on a classified mission to a magical orphanage, where six “dangerous” children live with their caretaker, Arthur Parnassus. The characters — all of them, big and small — are compelling and interesting; they’re well-thought out and unique, which I think is a huge strength of Klune’s, visible in this book and the others I’ve read by him. Linus and Arthur are a bit older (in their 40s) and I love the way that contributes to their relationship and their character development, then the plot is somewhat simple, but the characters and the world are compelling enough that you don’t need any major twists or turns.
Next on my to-read list is “The Mercies” by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, which I’m absolutely psyched about, and I’m counting down the days until “One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston is released.
(You asked if I've read anything by Seanan McGuire — I haven't; any recs for what to start with?)
Please let me know if you ever want more recs and I’ll be happy to throw some titles out there, and I'd love to know what you think if you end up reading any of these!
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I Am In This Episode and I Don't Like It - Emily in Paris, Season 1, Episode 6 Recap (Spoilers!!)
Poster from IMDB
Birds having sex. That is how this episode opens. Shots of birds fucking. We then cut away from this to Emily lying in bed, unable to sleep because Gabriel and Camille are having extremely loud sex. I have heard neighbors through walls and the people above me's bed banging on the floor, but never have I heard the people who live below me (like Gabriel and Camille do to Emily) having sex. They must be really loud. Also, based on this scene, Emily sleeps with full makeup (including lipstick) and her hair perfectly curled. I honestly think the production team wanted this show to be mocked.
The next morning, Emily is again eating at a café with Mindy, who is whining about how her dad wants to buy her a BMW and a mansion. Her life is honestly so hard. She then reveals to Emily that she was on a singing competition show in China, where she failed miserably and became a meme. Not to repeat myself, but I think the show's goal is to be mocked.
Emily gets to work, and we learn that, because they are meeting with an important couture designer that day, she was told specifically to wear all black. At least the show is self-aware with how terrible her outfit choices are. They arrive at Pierre Cadault's studio, and it is clear that his aesthetic is definitely not all black - more beiges and pastels, just like the rest of Paris. I think the writers were thinking of New York when they chose all black; someone should tell them fashion isn't the same everywhere. Cadault comes to meet them, sees Emily's tacky Eiffel Tower bag charm, and calls her "ringarde" or "basic,” and then storms out of the meeting. A bit dramatic, if I’m being honest, but also, the bag charm was pretty basic:
That night, Emily is minding her own business eating dinner alone when some (not even cute) man begins talking to her about whether a couple at another table is mother-and-son or dating. After a cut to show that time has passed, Emily finishes the story of her meeting with Cadault. The man, named Tomas, says that it is "ringarde" to call someone "ringarde" and then says he doesn't think she's basic - he clearly does not know her very well. He then starts a pretentious speech about known sexist pig, Pablo Picasso, and a bunch of other buzz-word names. Tomas is a know-it-all asshole and reminds me of every guy I have ever dated. Emily is impressed, nonetheless, and sleeps with him. Do better, Emily. Also, while I love Lily Collins, she is not great at acting in sex scenes; it was unbearably awkward. By the way, even Emily's bras have pictures of Paris on them:
The next morning, she runs into Camille, who tells her that she can hear Emily just as well as Emily can hear her and Gabriel. The fact that they all hear each other, but not any of the other neighbors, is pretty solid evidence for my no-one-else-lives-there theory.
At work, Emily brags to Julien about how Tomas quoted poetry to her, and Julien rightfully says that's boring. As an English major who has had to deal with many men interested in poetry, it's only hot in theory. In practice, it's boring and annoying, and they always expect you to be so impressed that they can quote the same Shakespeare sonnet that everyone had to memorize in High School Brit Lit. Emily then learns that Sylvie is holding a meeting without her and not speaking to her because she lost them the account with Cadault, one of Sylvie's favorite designers. Apparently, Emily is not the only person at this office with no sense of professionalism.
Emily meets Mindy at their bench in the park, and they are again talking about Mindy's singing career. I cannot express how little I care about this plotline. Mindy says she has too much PTSD from her failure on "Chinese Popstar" to audition for a local jazz club, but when Emily asks her to sing for her right there, Mindy is belting in the middle of the park with very little convincing. (Here is the moment where I take a break from my criticizing everything to say I absolutely love Ashley Park's voice. Please go listen to "What's Wrong With Me?" from the Mean Girls Musical soundtrack.)
That night, Emily and Tomas run into Gabriel and Camille outside their building, because of course they do. (It was at this moment that I realized the actor who plays Gabriel, Lucas Bravo, could very easily fill the Armie-Hammer-sized hole we currently have in society.) Being her always-friendly, always-oblivious self, Camille forces Emily and Tomas to go on a double date with her and Gabriel. Gabriel sees right through Tomas's bullshit, which is probably easy to do since Tomas is blatantly rude to Gabriel because Tomas is the type to only be polite to people he wants to fuck. Back at her apartment, remembering her conversation with Camille that morning, Emily tells Tomas that they need to be quieter when they have sex. They are (somehow) even louder than before.
Because the whole premise of this show seems to be that Emily lucks herself into things, while walking to work the next day, she notices in the corner of a sign for a ballet that Pierre Cadault designed the costumes and that opening night is that night. After Sylvie refuses to go with her (and rips up the original tickets), she invites Tomas to join her.
As she's leaving for the ballet (in an absolutely ridiculous outfit), she runs into Gabriel again. Are you guys as tired of reading that phrase as I am of writing it? We may have to turn it into a drinking game. Gabriel tells Emily the truth about what he thinks of Tomas, calling him "an asshole masquerading as an intellectual." I loved that line. He also tells her that she is "wasting her time with a guy who doesn't deserve her," and um, what exactly is so great about Emily?
When Emily arrives at the ballet and meets up with Tomas, he asks her if he is playing a joke on him by bringing him to see "Swan Lake", which, according to him, is "for tourists". "Swan Lake" is actually my favorite ballet, so fuck him. Emily then has a moment of clarity and finally realizes what her horniness had kept her from seeing the last three days; Tomas is a pretentious douche. (Emily actually said "snob" but I feel "pretentious douche" is more precise). Tomas responds by calling Emily "simpleminded". When he realizes she's offended by this, for some reason, he tries to better the situation by calling her "simple but beautiful". I believe the sound I made at this point would be called a "guffaw". When she still isn't happy, he tells her to go to the ballet, and he'll meet her afterward and "treat her to some amazing sex." She flips him off and walks away, which is actually a lot more polite than how I would've responded in that situation.
She then finds Cadault and explains to him that she always wanted to be Serena van der Woodsen and would buy bag charms because it was the only thing she could afford from the designers that she worshipped. Cadault turns out to be a Gossip Girl fan, which is revealed by having him spoil Gossip Girl. Seriously, he just straight-up SAYS who Gossip Girl is. I know it's been 8 years, but there should've been a spoiler warning or something. I already knew, but what if I hadn't? It was rude. Anyway, the next day Sylvie gets a call from Cadault that he wants a meeting with her and tells her to "bring Gossip Girl". Everything always works out for Emily in the end.
#Emily in Paris#eip#Emily in Paris season 1#Emily in Paris season 1 episode 6#Emily in Paris ringarde#ringarde#Lilly collins#Ashley park#philippine leroy-beaulieu#Lucas bravo#Camille razat#netflix#Netflix original#tv review#Emily in Paris review#tv recap#Emily in Paris recap#Emily in Paris netflix#Netflix Emily in paris#television review#television recap#tv#television#girls gone mild#girlsgonemild#girls gone mild blog
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Are We Friends? *Markiplier x Reader*
Requested Summary: howdy! can you do a markiplier x male reader who was friends with ethan and he met mark through ethan while helping with like an unus annus video or something like that?? sorry if its not specific enough 💖
Slight Changes and fic notes: None of the Unus Annus vidoes are up when you’re filming, because I know a few was filmed in advance. Reader is a Youtuber, but more on a Julien Solomita vibe.
Fandom: Youtube
Pairing: Mark Fischbach x Male Reader
Warnings: None. Mostly implied malexmale romance. A non hate Amy fic (she is mentioned, but she’s “Markiplier’s friend” lol)
Notes: Obviously, Mark isn’t gay... this is PURELY entertainment purposes. Fanfiction isn’t to be taken seriously, please do not be offended. Mark is a real person with thoughts and feelings, and my fanfictions on/about him aren’t to be taken seriously. Also Mark is in a relationship with Amy, whom I love and respect, so in future do not request stuff that implies Amy is mean or nasty (not that anyone has, but I tend to see fics where the irl girlfriend is a bitch in fics and that’s not Peebles).
“You’ve literally saved my damn life,” Ethan exclaimed over the phone, always dramatic.
You almost rolled your eyes, but remained focused on the road ahead of you. If you had a dollar for everytime you saved your best friends ass you’d be a millionaire. Ethan is the most forgetful person you know, the amount of times you’ve reminded him of something is super high.
“Mark said I really needed goggles but-”
“You couldn’t be bothered?” You finished for him and his stupid giggle rang through the speakers of your car, letting you know you were right.
You couldn’t help but chuckle along with him, “Wanna hang out whilst we shoot? Can probably grab some foods afterwards if you want?”
“Yeah, that sounds chill.” You can hear people talking in the background, “I’m like five minutes from Marks, I hope anyway, so I’ll see you in a minute.”
After hanging up you continue driving to Marks’. You had never met Ethan’s other friends, mostly due to time restrictions on your life- you had different schedules and that made it difficult to see Ethan, let alone meet his friends.
You have, however, heard a lot about Mark. Ethan was a fan who got lucky to be noticed, due to that little ‘stunt’ it got you to meet Ethan at convention. You have played games online together on his channel, he’s shown up in vlogs on your channel. In fact, a lot of people love your friendship with Ethan.
Driving round the corner you see Ethan standing on the sidewalk, he gives an energetic wave to your car. You park in front of him and get out, throwing the goggles at his head but he quickly catches them with a grin.
“Why do you need goggles?” You asked and then frown at his attire, “why are you dressed like a gay lumberjack?” He laughs loudly at your question and puts the goggles on.
“We’re making Chica a doggo house,” he informs you like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, you just nod and chuckle following him towards a back gate.
Ethan pushes the gate open and instantly you’re met with Spencer, his dog. He bounds up to Ethan, a fluffy toy in his mouth and tilts his head at you- you’ve met Spencer before, he was a little timid of you and still is apparently.
You watch as Ethan struggles to strap his tool belt around his waist, giggling when you laugh at struggle. He pulls on some gloves and pops the safety goggles on his head, gives you a thumbs up and starts to pet Spencer. It’s five minutes of aimless chatter when Mark finally appears.
A part of you was worried about meeting Mark, a big YouTuber and also one of Ethan’s closest friends. It’s always very daunting meeting new people, but when they’re close to your friend it’s more difficult. You tried to play it off you were chill, hands in jean pockets and making goofy faces at Spencer.
“Oh,” Ethan grabbed your attention, “Mark that’s Y/N, he’s a friend of mine that grabbed our goggles.”
You gave an awkward wave as Mark waved and made steps towards you, extending a hand to shake that you quickly pulled yours out to accept.
“Great to meet you.” Mark smiles and you nod awkwardly, “Ethan talks about you sometimes.”
“Only sometimes?” Mark laughs and shrugs, “I don’t pay attention to him either, he’s such a rambler.”
Ethan tuts loudly and shakes his head, “No becoming besties.” He shakes a finger at you both, obviously joking but you roll your eyes at him.
You stand behind Amy as she films, trying not to laugh loudly when Ethan fucks up- which is a lot. Not that you can blame him, you’ve never done any labour work, not to Mark’s extent either. Woodshop was a struggle in school, you just did not enjoy yourself.
Once filming had finished you stuck around till Ethan was ready to get food.
“Mark, did you wanna tag along?”
Mark shakes his head, “Nah, you and your friend can hang out. I’ll make a start on editing another video,” Ethan nods, but doesn’t seem convinced.
“I don’t mind if you wanna tag along?” You shrug and smile.
Mark huffs dramatically, “Fine. You twisted my arm,” Ethan rolls his eyes and already walks outside as Mark goes to grab a jacket, so you follow Ethan.
“I’m glad he’s coming along, I really wanted you guys to hang out,” You frown slightly and look at Ethan, “you two will get along great, trust me. I just knew if me and Mika tried to set you both up you’d be totally against it.”
You wanted to laugh. Mark? Be interested in anything BUT friendship with you? Ethan could sense your amusement. You shake your head, huffing a small laugh at your friend.
“I appreciate that, but I don’t think I’m his type,” before Ethan can respond Mark locks his front door.
The three of you begin down the street towards the closest restaurant. The walk is filled with chatter, mostly you asking about the Unus Annus videos, the schedule and planning they’ve made.
“Any ideas for us?” Mark asked genuinely, you raised an eyebrow, “you’re like a daily vlogger. Right? So you’ve constantly got to be entertaining to an extent.”
You had a thought as Ethan opened the door to a Wendy’s, the intention of grabbing food and going back to Mark’s to eat it and chill.
“I guess, just do stuff that entertains you,” You shrug and follow slowly behind Ethan with Mark, “don’t force yourself to do stuff because it shows. I always try to find activities that I know I’ll enjoy or have a laugh watching back, like Ethan teaching me gymnastics- I was terrible, but it was so stupidly funny.”
Mark laughs and nods, “Yeah, I saw that video,” it’s an offhand comment.
But that comment has you stumbling, you just nod and look up capturing Ethan’s prideful smirk. You give a glare back, looking back at Mark who is still talking to you and smiling in your direction… perhaps there is merit to Ethan’s words after all.
(If asked nicely... I’ll do a part2)
#markiplier x reader#markiplier oneshot#markiplier imagines#mark fischbach x reader#mark fischbach oneshots#mark fischbach imagines#crankgameplays x reader#ethan nestor x reader#mark fischbach x male reader
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Pre and Post-Second Session Secrets
fic by cartoons-tothemoon!
fic commission info inside!
Private, in all his years, was always regarded as oblivious, dense, benign.
He knew this, and most of the time, he didn’t even mind such a thing. Was it really so hard to believe that a cutie pie like him that liked knitting and baking was also capable of feats of incredible violence?
Of course, the answer was always “yes.” Because of course it was.
However, Private had found himself a different role to settle himself into in his most recent years. Or rather, a secret trait, that he treasured along with his more open and obvious personality traits, like kindness and empathy.
And that trait was quite simply, being perceptive.
It was undeniable that Private wasn’t always aware of his surroundings, but he was aware of people.
He could tell when Skipper was getting a little too paranoid for his own good or when Rico missed Julien especially bad on hour-long missions, or when Kowalski was about to have a sensory-related meltdown.
It was why he was the one who always paid rent.
People liked Private, and Private liked quite a lot of them. Even the ones he didn’t like, he seemed to have an understanding of.
They thought they understood him, and he found that he understood them quite well.
———
He couldn’t understand this quite well, however.
Skipper was a…character. Let’s just say that. Ignoring his haircut and his arms and his sharp eyes that always had a certain spark to them and-
Ignoring all that, Skipper was the type to let things slip under the radar. Sure, it’s not like Kowalski WANTED people to know how his last relationship went, and Rico’s cavalcade of issues was always on full display even if they created a sort of smoke-screen for other things, but with Skipper…his issues only came up when they physically pervaded their lives. Dr. Blowhole or Hans, for example, it would’ve been nice to know that Skipper had particular targets on his back, but, that was spy stuff lost to the days. Of course he didn’t talk about it.
He was now referring more so to things like his extreme fear of needles, or that one time when it came up that he could tie a cherry stem with his tongue. Just last week was the first time Private had even heard a thing about Skipper’s apparently strained relationship with his family. He’d kind of assumed he didn’t have a family at that point, as sad as that sounded to say.
Weird insecurities, secrets, skills, and even just his past in general were things he never mentioned because it “never came up,” but it’s not like Private hadn’t asked him about a few of those things before. Skipper just happened to always dismiss him, there was always a reason for him not to contend with the questions in mind, be it they were already busy with whatever crisis the day had in store for them or whatever other excuse Skipper could make up at the moment.
So, Skipper was a private person. There certainly wasn’t anything wrong with that. It’s quite ironic that he himself wasn’t MORE private, in fact.
And sure, it occasionally lead to a whole incident, or two, or…five, but it’s not like they could really say something about it anyhow. It wasn’t that they weren’t allowed to call him out for certain things, they certainly were, but if they began asking him to be open…well, wouldn’t they have to be more open too? To point the blade one way and not expect it to pierce you as well was a foolhardy argument to make. And besides, what would they even be asking him? “Be more open and honest about your secrets and feelings?” Not only is that vague as hell, it’s just…
It’s a lot to ask of someone.
Private seemed open in a way that made people comfortable with him, but was he really open at all? Sure, he had no problem discussing things like his interests or some elements of his past with others, but now that he had to think about it, it kind of obfuscated the truth.
After all, being so open about living with Uncle Nigel most of his life made people forget that he could’ve been doing other things with his life as well.
Not that the Armadillo Kid forgot, anyhow.
So, maybe secrets were fine after all. Maybe Skipper didn’t even realize he was keeping secrets until they came up. After all, the needle thing only came up during a physical with the team’s doctor, the cherry stem thing only came up while they were getting ice cream, and his strained relationship with his family only came to light because he received a letter from them that he tore up before reading when he was helping Private sort through his mail pile.
To make something out of it when he has no reason to would just be silly, and to put this extra level of scrutiny on Skipper, or anybody for that matter would no doubt weaken their trust in him, and that was the last thing he’d want.
Being cute and loving and trustworthy wasn’t something Private saw as a skill he had to hone, it was just how he was, but that didn’t mean it didn’t take work. Love and trust were labors all their own, and just because they weren’t the same thing as being able to construct ray guns or have inexplicable amounts of dynamite in his hoodie’s pocket didn’t mean it wasn’t worth something, to somebody like him.
After all, no matter if the team possessed enough dynamite to destroy the Eastern seaboard or conquer Mars, they’d always need somebody to pay rent.
And although there were times when Private wanted to press, wanted to question, wanted to scream from the rooftops how much he wanted to understand with all his heart, he relented. He relaxed. Sure, he took note of such incidents, but that wasn’t being nosy. That was just his job.
So, Private, in all his patience, let things be. Sometimes secret were secrets for a reason, and prying open a treasure chest with a crowbar was never going to be an easy task, especially if he could later count on the key to wash up on the shore. Why pry now?
And that was his mentality for quite a long time.
Until a crowbar washed up on the shore.
———
In retrospect, it felt like it was a few day’s coming. Skipper seemed to be slipping from his usual emotional state of “fine, but tired” to “fine, but tired AND jumpy,” which doesn’t seem like that much of a difference until a tap on the shoulder gets you pressed against the fridge in the exact position it would take to dislocate your entire upper body.
He just wanted a glass of water.
Of course, Skipper apologized a thousand times over, but Private just brushed this off as Skipper having a bad bout of insomnia, and so, Private just dropped him off at his room for a nap, circadian rhythm be damned.
It didn’t seem like insomnia. Sure, it’s not like Private knew Skipper’s sleep schedule enough to say that it WASN’T insomnia, but…
He could just tell that something else was bothering him. He couldn’t tell why, maybe it was the way he only acted out like this when being touched or when he knew other people were around, maybe it was the eyebags that felt less sallow and deep than he knew they’d be after a practically sleepless week, or maybe it just felt like he had something to hide.
If he was trying to hide something, it would seem like he had nothing to hide in the first place. Skipper was a master of the double bluff, the triple bluff, and so on and so forth. Skipper practically waltzed around the truth on the best of days.
However, this clearly wasn’t the best of days. Skipper was obviously, clearly, undeniably hiding something, and was making no effort to even hide those efforts. Sure, a double bluff was a double bluff, but that only meant that this was either a remarkable version of such a psychology, or an absolutely terrible version of what it really was.
You could never really tell with a guy like Skipper.
Of course, given that his ice pack still didn’t seem to dull the pain of nearly having his arm removed from his socket, and how spooked Skipper seemed to be about the whole thing, there was a little bit of certainty that this wasn’t just an act. Whether because he did it in the first place, or apologized for it, he couldn’t say for certain.
(Sleeplessness, erratic movement, paranoia, irritation…were his hands trembling?)
At this point, Private wasn’t really certain WHAT to do, confronting him on it was certain to escalate things, but if he didn’t do SOMETHING about it, Skipper might actually kill somebody. It’s not like Skipper would approach him about any emotional vulnerabilities or problems he was facing. He didn’t talk to anyone about them. Not by choice, anyhow.
He had to do this. He had to figure something out, and it most certainly had to be him.
Private hated to boil this down in such a way, but getting people to open up to him, especially when they didn’t want to, was a lot like operating one of those coin-operated claw machines. Some of those games were easier than others, and a lot more may take it for granted that you would try again, but it was basically the same idea.
To win the game, you had to look at all the angles, you had to time your moves just right in accordance to the game, and, of course, you had to have a delicate touch. That was how you won your prize, be it an adorable stuffed toy, or insight into one of your dearest friend’s issues.
You couldn’t shake the machine, or break it. Because then you’re not playing the game.
You can’t analyze the game simply as a mechanical device, and expect to win either, because there’s nothing wrong with how the mechanisms actually operate, just how the machine takes them.
It has to be him. He’s the one with the gentle hand. He’s the one who can see all the angles, and, yes, he knows when he needs to apply the force necessary to not just play the game, but to win. The people around him need him to play to win.
And in many ways, they’re lucky.
Private’s great at those games. Where else would he get all of his stuffed animals, after all?
———
It felt like Skipper had settled down at dinner. Sure, he tapped his silverware softly when his fingers seemed to lose the rhythm he took while fidgeting, but he seemed more tired than anything else. Tired and sad.
Which, on one hand, was not great. The last thing Private wanted was for his friends to be sad, but it also meant that he was open.
He was stuck.
Trapped by societal convention. He couldn’t leave the table until he ate all of his food, and because Kowalski prepared it tonight, the consequences for leaving would not only be an empty stomach, but a hyper self-conscious scientist in the coming days, a price rather damning considering the combination of how sad he’d get and how much yellow-cake uranium he had access to.
So, now was the perfect time for an intervention.
“Hey, Skipper, how’s it going?” Perfect opener. Bland and unoriginal, a little suspicious considering the lack of conversation currently going on, but, nonetheless, it was the only entrance he really could take.
Of course, there’s already so much weight to be taken from “how’s it going?” But a person who’s doing fine in the world won’t think about that. They’ll just be fine. And they’ll say they’re fine.
“Oh, uh. Fine.” Skipper said, not exactly startled, but not exactly there, either.
“Do anything interesting today?”
“I already apologized for that.”
“I meant other things. Interesting things.”
Now, this did not look to be a compelling conversation, mostly because it wasn’t. Skipper wasn’t even really answering the questions, using half measures to make sure he never had to lift his eyes from the part of the table he had locked his gaze on, and seemed determined to not look up from until he could leave, a classic tactic to be sure.
“Skipper, are you…al..right?” Kowalski asked, hesitantly. “I’m not talking just now, I’m talking in general. You’ve been acting really strange, lately.”
Although Private could handle these things on his own, the fact of the matter is, you don’t turn down good help. Kowalski was good help. Sure, his plan may have to be reformatted, but he’d play it by ear, like he always did.
“Has something happened? Your erratic behavior began almost three weeks ago, and it’s continued since then, with seemingly no cause behind it.”
“I’ve been handling it.”
“Oh yeah, sure. That’s been going real great.”
That got Skipper to lift an eyebrow in his direction, but his eyes remained cast down as he primarily focused on eating. He was almost done, and although Private hadn’t been able to dig a lot on his own, he’d take what he could get.
“Sir, you assaulted a member of team, with no justifiable reason behind it.” Skipper flinched at that, but kept his head down. His guilt was already well-known, so it felt more like picking at flesh wounds at that point. “That is the behavior of somebody not just unstable, but somebody unfit to lead.”
Private…hadn’t expected that. This seemed to be spiraling out of control far too quickly. This is definitely not how he plays the game.
“Kowalski-“
“Can it. Skipper, if you can’t get yourself together and be the leader you’re supposed to be, then I suppose we’re just going to have to find a new leader.”
Private was shocked. Horrified, even. Skipper had lifted his head at this point to glare at Kowalski in twain.
“You seem to forget I have the number to HQ, too. Acquiring yellow cake uranium in New York City is, uh, shockingly difficult, in case you were wondering.”
Private knew Kowalski was bluffing. The team needed Skipper, just as much as Skipper needed the team. Even if he was going on some more secret missions than usual, he always came back to the roost, not to mention that HQ wasn’t really fond of them in the first place. They were stuck with what they had, and what they had was each other. Kowalski was never going to call, and Private knew this. And if Private knew, then Skipper did too.
Not like it didn’t make it hurt any less.
Maybe it made it hurt worse.
Skipper stood up.
“Then HQ better be on my doorstep by morning with a new assignment waiting for me.” Skipper sneered, and walked away from the table to put away his plate.
“Oh, and I’m sure your new team will just, fall at your feet, that’s what you’re looking for, right? For people to be quiet and not question your judgement?”
“And I’m sure your new leader will be just fine with whatever Geneva Convention violating monsters you’re storing in the break fridge. Because that’s what you want, right? A leader that’ll hold you accountable?”
“I’m not even mad about that anymore!”
“I f-feel like I’m w-watching mom and d-dad go through a, through a divorce.” Rico whispered to Private as they watched the scene play out. Private, however, could only watch. He felt like he was learning more and more with each passing venomous jab that they passed back and forth.
Kowalski was clearly mad that Skipper hasn’t been taking the suggestions he’s been giving on how to get back in “tip-top shape,” as Private would say, and whether he was just trying to get Skipper to take better care of himself, or if he was just trying to figure out what caused him to be in such a state, and his methods hadn’t been working. Obviously. Skipper seemed like he was too tired to continue, but only continued to do so out of either pride, or just because it was something expected of him.
“For the last time, I am HANDLING it.”
“Oh, really? Is that what you’re doing?”
Skipper glared, but he seemed more disgusted than anything else.
“For the record, yes, I am actually DOING something, but, think what you want, I’m going to bed.” He said, leaving the kitchen. Private could tell that there was clearly more that he wanted to say, but without the place to be open about it, he wasn’t going to be.
There also clearly seemed to be more that Kowalski wanted to say, but where Skipper went hot, Kowalski went cool. Explosions always got more attention because they were bright and flashy and dynamic, but Kowalski looked ready to launch a new ice age, and a new ice age would bring with it cold, lingering death.
Still, in all of this, there was still a question to be had.
“You’re not…really going to call HQ, are you?”
Kowalski crossed his arms and leaned against the counter with a sigh.
“No.”
Private smiled, not especially brightly, but, gratefully. It was a resigned response, sure, one that if Kowalski had more energy would be followed up with a tirade, but, still, it meant the world to Private.
It wasn’t his greatest fear, that would be badgers, heights, leopard seals, and whatever was living in the trash can, but Private couldn’t deny that he possessed some sort of anxiety surrounding the idea that this little family of his would fall apart, and eventually, they’d be nothing more than strangers. Maybe because it was something so…true. The fact of the matter was, that this was a job. They went from never knowing each other to what they were now, after all, but if Skipper or Kowalski or Rico got a better deal, who’s to say that they wouldn’t take it? And if they didn’t get a better job, then wouldn’t this job just have to end at one point?
This worried him, as a passive anxiety that he never thought he’d have to consider, the same way that “what if space squids came to Earth and decided to steal Kowalski’s technology, and then conquer the planet?” or “what if I have to be the one to make a doctor’s appointment?” was a passive anxiety. The chances of these events happening were slim to nill, sure, but it could still happen.
Still, there was something to be asked.
“What do you think Skipper meant by “actually doing something?”
Rico shrugged, “p-probably hitting the b-bottle.”
“Mmm. Not likely.” Kowalski replied. “Skipper isn’t the type to be incapacitated by choice, unless under specific circumstances.”
“G-girlfriend? He did say doing some-“ Rico looked at Private when he said it, who did his best to look neutral, if not a little bored.
Kowalski grabbed Rico by his skull, and shook it around. A weird counter-measure to the traditional head slap, considering they were beginning to wonder if that was doing more harm than good. “No, no. Remember Kitka? He was a lovey-dovey mess over her for a week! There’s no way we wouldn’t know if he was dating someone.”
“B-Boyfriend?”
“Night terrors?”
“N-New nemesis?”
“New medication?”
Kowalski sighed. “Who’s to say? Whatever Skipper’s newest problem is, or what happened, we can only do so much if he’s so insistent on not telling us.”
Private was about to pipe up. “And only saying that he’s “taking care of it” is negligible at the best of times. Until Skipper’s knocking down my door for some super-charged xannies, I think the best thing I can do is stay out of it, and I recommend you two do the same.” Kowalski then left the kitchen. And then there were two.
It had been a very stressful evening.
Private looked at Rico. Rico looked at Private.
“J-Julien’s telling me w-we b-bought too much ice-cream l-lately.” Rico sighed, feigning some sort of casual gesture. “W-winky flavored and e-everything. It’d, well, it’d b-be a shame t-to go t-to waste.”
Private smiled at that.
“I’ll go grab some spoons.”
———
Ice cream with Rico and Julien and his gang obviously wasn’t going to solve things, but there was something fun about eating too much ice cream and watching Clueless in Julien’s room that seemed to make Private far, far less stressed than he was when he entered.
For all his crude jokes and lewd gestures, Rico could be a really good friend. He hid it pretty well, but he seemed to be remarkably perceptive.
It was just a good thing to remember.
And although Private could’ve spent all night watching cheesy 90s movies and braiding Julien’s hair, it was already half past midnight, and he was supposed to be up bright and early as always.
…Of course, given Skipper’s state as of late, what had once been an 8 AM wake-up had slipped into 9:30…and then 11:00…and then they kind of gave up on getting Skipper up at any time that they didn’t have to. Still, a healthy sleep schedule makes for a healthy mind, and a healthy body, and Private liked being healthy, despite the fact that he had just eaten half his weight in ice cream, so, he figured it was as good a time as any to go to bed.
…But it looked like he was not alone in roaming the halls tonight, as he turned the corner, he saw Skipper peek his head out of his room, look left, right, up, down, and then left again, before slipping out of his room, and beginning to walk carefully into their living room.
To pretend that Private ever had a choice NOT to follow him would be like saying that you had a choice not to open that secret door behind the bookshelf, or the choice not climb a mysteriously hidden spiral staircase up to the clouds. Once you know it’s there, it’s not like you can ignore it.
So Private, at a pace approximately an entire hallway away from Skipper, followed him. Both carefully making sure they didn’t step on where the floorboards may creak, and carefully side-stepping various messes, until Skipper made it to the living room.
He looked around once again, but seemingly missed Private’s face peeking out behind the doorframe, masked by the cover of darkness.
Skipper seemed to be aware of a presence THERE, but with no way to see it or prove it, he ignored it. He continued to the window in the living room, which was supposedly Marlene’s idea of a fire escape, despite the fact that there was no conventional staircase, and the platform you’d land on was three stories below them.
However, because there was never a fire they needed escaping that wasn’t started by them in the first place, they bought the place anyhow, and disregarded the blatant safety hazard.
Skipper, was obviously aware of this, as when he opened up the window, he walked away to attach a rope he was carrying to a weight-bearing beam, before walking back to the window, and beginning to scale the building.
Private walked quickly to the window, conflicted between staying hidden and knowing what’s going on, but found a way to peer out of the corner of the window without being seen.
Skipper seemed to have landed safely, and scaled down the fire escape from there, before ending up in an alley, and turning a sidewalk out of Private’s view.
He was leaving at night? Well, that sure managed to explain the supposed bouts of insomnia he’s been having as of late, but where? And why?
Where was he going at night? Was Rico right and he was going to go see a date, or at least a sex worker? Maybe that paranoia came from guilt of some kind. Was he living this whole other life as a nightclub singer or gardener or something? Was he doing drugs? Where was he going?
And why was he leaving at night?
Well, obviously he was leaving at night either because it was an activity that could only be done at night, OR it was something that he wanted to keep a secret, and felt was far too shameful to share.
But that doesn’t really narrow it down, no. It becomes more of a Venn-Diagram at certain points than anything else. He’s repressed up the wazoo, just more casual about it. Anything could be worth keeping a secret for him and for him alone if he was operating under that criteria.
Well, regardless. Private might as well go get his pajamas on, because he had a feeling he was going to have a long night ahead of him.
———
He was only a little wrong about that.
It was only two or three hours he had to wait, but that was two to three hours he had to wait sitting silently in the dark, only occasionally being able to pull out his phone to scroll through, before hearing a random noise in the middle of night, feeling his heart rate jump about 20 beats higher than it should’ve been, and turning off his phone as fast as possible so the light illumination it gave off wouldn’t give him away.
It was a long two or three hours, and a mildly stressful two or three hours, at that, let’s just say.
However, it seemed to him that his patience was rewarded when he heard the slightly distant sounds of Skipper climbing the rope back up to the apartment. It wouldn’t have mattered how quietly he was climbing, after so many hours spent stressing over the slightest of sounds, when he heard the slight scuffle of sneaker rubber against brick, he knew it was either Skipper or a burglar, and he was ready to confront both.
So, Private got into position, just a few moments before Skipper had grabbed the window pane and pulled himself inside. He untied the rope from the weight-supporting beam, pulled the rest of the rope inside, and then closed the window as quietly as possible. He stared at it a moment, and then let out a sigh of relief.
And then Private clicked the lamp on from where he was sitting in Rico’s recliner, and Skipper half jumped out of his skin.
“You’re home late.”
“Private, I-“ Skipper almost seemed happy to see him, but then something made him hold back. “It’s, uh, nice to see-“
“What are you doing? Sneaking out-sneaking out windows in the dead of night? Why? We have a front door.” Private had left the chair that he was sitting on, and began to pace in front of him. He should have rehearsed. “Wait. The more important thing is, where are you going?”
Private didn’t seem to particularly care if he got an answer or not at this point, especially considering that as Skipper stood there with his mouth gaping, looking like he was about to say something, Private grabbed the sides of his face with his forefinger and thumb and pulled him down to his level.
“And just who in the world split your lip? What? Are you doing a fight club now?” He muttered. Skipper hid his hands as discreetly as possible behind his back. Private squeezed his face once or twice before letting go.
“I want answers. REAL answers. Nobody believed you when you said you joined a bowling league last week, so I want REAL answers. Now.”
“…” Whatever Skipper was trying to explain, or trying to cover up, he really seemed to not have a story put together either way. It was either incredibly hard to explain, or he foolishly didn’t have a story put together in advance and just…EXPECTED to never get caught.
“…You give the best hugs?”
“WHAT?”
“And you’re always so optimistic. It helps my uh, team morale.”
Private let out a quite confused screech.
“And you’re really good at cooking. Your meals are practically restaurant caliber as is.”
Private looked as if a vein was going to pop out of his head, he was so furious. “…You are doing NOTHING to help your case if you think that you can just WANDER in here at deadass hours of the night and think you can just GET OUT OF IT by making me fall to your feet smitten-“
“-Not a big fan of that language from you, bud…”
“That’s it. I’m getting Kowalski.”
“Wait!” Skipper rose his voice slightly, maybe a few decibels too loud as he reached out to grab Private’s hand.
This was a gesture that surprised both of them, as Private turned around to hear him out and Skipper dropped the hand like it was a flaming hot crucible. Skipper seemed conflicted on where to put his hands until he stuck them firmly at his sides.
“I’m sorry.” He said. “For…Everything. For, just being kind of awful lately? I know it’s been…Rough, but I’ve…” He sighed.
“Take your time.” Private said, and Skipper looked almost grateful for it.
“I’ve been forced recently to take a long, hard look at myself, by somebody who knows me quite well…Almost too well. The knowledge, and simultaneously the idea that they have that knowledge has been taking a sort of…mental toll on me.”
Private took a seat, apparently ready to listen more.
“It’s, I don’t know, really. On some level, I want to take it out on them for being right, but I really can’t, so…I guess that’s fallen on you guys when it shouldn’t have, and I’m…really sorry about that.”
Skipper sat down as well, in front of Private.
“I really do mean it when I say I’ve been working on it, I just needed to find an…outlet.”
Private tilted his head. This was something to take in. He felt sort of vindicated for having a feeling that there was more going on, but it was still rather vague.
“What are you saying?”
“…I’ve picked up some…night classes…to help with my stress.”
“…What kind of night classes?”
“Oh, you know…baking.” He said hesitantly.
And that basically clinched it for him. Skipper’s thought process had perfectly revealed himself to him! After hearing something that hit too close to home, he endeavored to better himself, but was embarrassed by it! That sounded reasonable, and it was just like Skipper to do too.
“Don’t get that smug look on your face, if it doesn’t work out I’m picking up night archery.”
“Who? Me? Smug?”
Skipper laughed as he gave him a shove. He seemed a lot more relaxed than he did in a long time. It must’ve felt good to get that weight off his shoulder. Sure, taking cooking classes might not be a big deal for anybody else, but this was Skipper. Skipper was a weirdly hyper-masculine, private guy. For him to even get in a situation where he’d willingly tell Private something like this, it was a pretty big step.
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell Kowalski or Rico.”
“Oh, no problem! If you want, I can pick out a recipe for you to bring in.”
“I was just about to ask for one, how serendipitous.”
Private couldn’t help but keep giggling, just from the relief of it all. It was a pretty tense scenario for quite a bit of time, and he couldn’t help but react in some way to the ease he was now feeling. Skipper got up and gave a stretch that was indicative that he was ready for bed, and couldn’t help but smile fondly as Private tried to catch his breath.
“You know, it’s funny. We, Kowalski, Rico, and I, were trying to figure out what was up. We thought it was anything and everything from a girlfriend to seeing a therapist that was putting you off so badly, who would’ve thought.”
“Ha ha, yeah.” Skipper said, as if Private couldn’t tell his hands were shaking.
“But wait,” Private said, in a sorta-fake moment of wonder. “Where did you get the split lip from then?”
Skipper panicked. “Why did you say that me giving you compliments would make you fall to my feet smitten?”
Private panicked more. “Good night!”
Okay, so maybe they were both working on this “open and honest” thing. So sue them. Baby steps or not, it was a step in the right direction. But, if Skipper’s secrets were as benign as that, then Private could take them any day, and he’d make sure he knew that. He hoped Skipper thought the same of him.
(Remember when 3K was considered long for me? Ha ha, anyhow, this is 5.5K words of nothing but dramatic irony. I really can’t believe that I went from writing short fluff pieces based on actual art to my own story arc about Skipper getting some FUCKING therapy.
Anyhow! Much more important things are afoot! I’m doing charity commissions, where all proceeds are going to bail funds across the country. If you like my writing, feel free to contact me at my Tumblr @cartoons-tothemoon, and we’ll work it out from there. $10 for 5K, or $2 for 1K. Of course, I don’t really know what to charge yet, but that can be negotiated! I’d really appreciate it if you commissioned me at this time, but my work on @drawbauchery’s is always going to be free. I hope you have a nice day!)
#cartoons-tothemoon#fics#pom#submission#can FINALLY post this#i'm sorry i always either have tablet problems or am sick when you send me a story#and it might be the most obvious thing ever but#i'm#once again#all over the skivate#private acting like mrs incredible 'i thought you'd be back by eleven'#and skipper the fearless leader FREAKING out because he's in trouble alskdnf#like i love the fact that being in trouble with his subordinates is so pressing#private canonically knows how to be intimidating when he's pissed so this just ticklesme#also small thing but i love how rico looks over at private when he talks about a girlfriend#he's somehow so considerate and inconsiderate at the same time#ko and skip's fight was really fun to read too#they're kind of in a power struggle#like toeing the line between family and business#it's really interesting#skipper's a dummy who's trying his best and i love him for it
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Why is Sans elles the best song from Le Rouge et le Noir in my opinion?
WELL IM GLAD YOU ASKED
Honestly, it's the song that sealed my empathy for Julien.
Yes, the song is angry but you can feel how much that anger is just a facade for Julien's desperation and fear of getting hurt.
It's the moment you realize that he's not just a cold manipulator that fell in love on accident that one time, but that he's really just a kid who's been hurt many times and has learned to reject everything that hurts him, even though his heart doesn't really want to.
We already know he's been hurt by the society around him and we know how much he despises it and how much he wants to rebel against it.
And then we see him get hurt by a woman and by love so he automatically tries to reject both of those as well (that's literally what Dans le noir je vois rouge is about).
Being rejected by both makes him feel like no one could ever want him as anything else than a trained animal who can recite the Bible in Latin by heart.
But now he sees another woman is interested in him (or at least he thinks so) and it confuses him so much, because of course he wants to be loved, but he’s convinced no one ever will love him. He wants to stay safe but what if he’s letting his only opportunity for love pass through his fingers?
He tries to keep up the same walls he uses to protect himself from society's injustices (he immediately thinks Mathilde - and all women for that matter - just want to use him for their own benefit and pleasure, which is the same thought process he has with noblemen) but at the same time he has the heart of a lover. Of an artist. That’s literally what Geronimo tells him.
He yells at women to leave him alone but you know he's actually BEGGING them. He's begging them to leave him alone, because if they don't, he won't be able to keep those walls of anger and bitterness that protect him stable and they will crumble around him. He will be exposed and vulnerable and he's terrified of that.
And then there’s the sword. Oh my god the sword.
He tries to make himself believe, “his ideas soar much higher” without them but we can visually SEE he doesn’t believe that.
When he sings that in the second chorus, he’s holding his sword, he examines it and smiles to himself. It’s pretty clear the sword is a representation of his ideals, considering his ideals are literally revolution and revenge on the nobility, the higher classes. They are perhaps just but unforgiving and violent ideals. Then the bridge comes, when he falls to his knees and repeats “de l’air, de l’air, sans elles, sans elles” several times. He’s literally having trouble breathing, even though he thought he could “breathe again” without women. He realizes he can’t breathe AT ALL without them. And then he sings only half of the chorus. He doesn’t say his ideals rise much higher, he just says “without them, my ideals...” and examines the sword again. He says he can save his skin but he doesn’t say he can breathe again. And then he throws the sword away.
In the last chorus, he just says his ideals rise much higher again but he doesn’t talk about saving himself.
He realizes that while he is safe without them, he won’t really be alive. He won’t be able to breathe as freely as he thought.
He knows his ideals would thrive without them, but he also realizes they are ideals driven by hate. And when given the choice between certain hate and potential love... He chooses love.
Now, just to be clear, I am in no way trying to romanticize Julien. He's still manipulative and he still has unchecked anger issues (oh yeah, shooting madame de Rênal, remember?). But this number really makes you realize how tragic of a hero he is. Giving him a few sad songs is one thing. Showing the sadness through his anger? YES.
Also it makes him a really relatable for me, with the whole trying-to-protect-myself-with-anger-even-though-I-am-deeply-lonely-and-sad-because-I'm-scared-of-getting-hurt-again-and-of-not-even-being-able-to-be-loved thing but that's besides the point.
Tl;dr: Sans elles gives us a great characterization of Julien Sorel; of both his good and bad qualities. Also, it is an anthem for everyone with repressed feelings of attraction (Hello, LGBTQ community) and is an absolute banger.
#sans elles#le rouge et le noir#l’opéra rock#musical#musical theatre#song analysis#character analysis#yes I am overthinking it#julien sorel#comédie musicale#french musicals#the red and the black#I know this fandom is dead#I just need to scream into the void#stendhal
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Gossip Girl Reboot, Ep. 2 Reaction / Review
This was posted on reddit first, crossing posting it here since I’ve chosen to review the ep’s and post on tumblr as well. So, this post is geared more towards reddit as a whole, this was posted a day after ep 2 aired.
i don't have a favorite character rating but #teamaki, yeah, the acting is awkward but it's getting better and it's not like it's the only bad acting in the show. i like the character either way.
now
people are so extra with zoya and obie and are looking at julien with the rose colored classes. yeah, obie shouldn't be dating zoya but let's not act like julien gave her all and everything to him. from the conversation with zoya in ep 1, his general feelings, audrey calls it out (maybe because she always feels that way)
She admits it at the end, she wouldn’t do the things he wanted when it came to his interest, he’d want to do random and fun things and she’d blow him off...how is this mart of someone fully invested in their other, no, she was invested what he did for her and how he made her feel. She misses him because in their other breaks he’d always come back. We saw a dying relationship and ppl can assume a lot about him but make 0 assumptions when it comes to her.
And then y’all expect Zoya to turn down the one person who’s actually nice, doesn’t ice her out and shares interest? What I want more than anything is for Zoya to find her own friends & her romantic interest, just one episode where her life isn’t an extension of Julien's. Idk wut, maybe she can go off on a find out gossip girl adventure. Idk something.
Then this talk about sisters and sister hood. Yeah, they’re blood related but what sisterhood is there? You say that’s is wrong for Zoya to do that to her sister but what about what her sister did to her? Even in this ep, she wants Obie so instead of idk driving Zoya away from him, she attacks her lil ‘sis’ over her long time boyfriend. She continues to let her friends talk bad about the girl. We can talk sister hood when she gives the mean team a good “learn me or leave me” when it comes to Zoya
At the of ep 1 Zoya says, she’s not playing the game. She’s grounded in fear of losing her scholarship, has already lost her dads trust. So she does that, she keeps her head down and doesn’t bother anyone but it’s the mean team to prompt Julien to after Zoya and she does. She’s minding her business at the even and Julien is the one to storm over and cause a scene. And it’s all about her, she’s scared of her dad finding out without any care that Zoya has lost and what she has left to lose. Of course she doesn’t care about Julien personal problems? When did Julien care really about hers? Then, she wants to sneak away and have fun and because she’s mad Zoya won’t run off and hide like a hood little girl, she once again collabs with GG, brings in the dads and fucks her sisters life up, AGAIN. Yeah, she changed her mind at the end but too little too late. Her come to jesus moment was great but the relationship she wanted/wants it very much damaged.
So yeah, Zoya dating the one person who has empathy for her is not as bad as the older sister who consistently let her be talked down, about and two, plotted with GG and didn’t even ask her if she was okay because, she didn’t mean it, it’ll blow over. Even in the very last apology when Zoya was about to leave, you could see that she had 0 faith in Julien, not only as a sister but as a person.
Which leads me to saying that Julien is probs the most interesting character of the show. She’s lovable and flawed and she is good but she as of right now, she’s mean at worst and horribly complicit at best because right now her career is a bit more important but her 14 year old sister doesn’t deserve the headache of navigating her with her. But I do love Julien because she has layers and I think by the end, she’ll be able to have her influencer career without compromising herself. That does lead us to the the chairmen and co-chair of the mean team.
Monet and Luna weren’t around as much but I do think...I do think...that if Julien goes nice, they’re gonna go super nasty. They have access to her life which mean access to that video if Julien didn’t out right delete it or they find out about it and snooping. They’re her friends but unlike her, they don’t have a much of a Conscious so far of right and wrong and they’ll strike anyone down. I think if we have wild cards, they’re it. If Julien really does go down a new path, learns more to fight for what matters and understand the real her is just as likable, the mean duo will not accept and will try and bring her down. They have their own meaning of friends with benefits.
My dude Obie, I can’t say much. I don’t think he’s as Malicious as y’all make him out to be but he is a bit callous and naïve...which could be worse tbh. I think he does want to do good but he only knows Performative good to counter-act his parents. I do want him to get with someone else but I do hope he learns what true activism means through Zoya and understand how much of a difference he could make if he really put his mind to it. I also want him to learn get out quick, because he wasn’t just looking for a reason to end things but one to stay and Julien didn’t give him that.
Audrey, I like the stuff with her mom. I like the little bit more depth we got, she slept with Max maybe but Aki made out with him, who am I to judge? I hope her mon can step up in the future but I don’t think it’ll be easy and hopefully they explore it more. Not just tease us. Her mom needs therapy but I think I'm a bit invested in her too.
Max, I love max but the dude is Pretentious ~ above earthly love ~ low key a shitty friend and talks in metaphors whenever he has the chance BUT he does it well. I don’t see him with Aki but I want it! I do see him going harder after Audrey but I think he was a bit shocked for all his flirting that he was into the kids with Aki. I think he lives to play with people. I don't know if he really likes Audrey but he does want to bang her, a lot, a lot a lot. I don't think he really wanted to sleep with Aki but he did like playing with him and he could pick up the fact that Aki might be feeling him. I don't think the interest was really, real until Aki kissed him at the pool, home boy was shocked and was like oooo maybe something is there but his focus is on the teacher. And I also think the not in a million years thing had his gears turning too. You tell him it can't or won't happen and now he wants to make it happen.
Aki, my baby, my voice of reason. What makes him great as a person, makes him not great for Audrey when it comes to emotional stuff. He means well and I get where he's coming from with wanting Audrey to understand her mom but she did need a partner. The thing she loves about him is the thing that makes it hard. I don't know how Aki was brought up but I feel like this plays into it, she's always comparing him to a therapist. I wonder if his parents a bit more emotionally cold or curt or just very analytical people. But, like he's been lovely since ep one, the only one of the group to sort of defend Zoya or Julien wanting to know her / keep her secret. (What secrets does he have?) And in ep 2, he really was like 'ya'll fucked in the head' to the mean team. I know some consider him boring because he doesn't speak up often but when he does speak up, he got something to say. I want the show to use him in a way to stir drama just by being friends, his character doesn't have to have a dramatic effect and he could get his own little subplot that's tied into the show but like, my can't become some douche. (If he does, only for a bit.) Now, I don't see Max being endgame for him AT ALL. If it's between the two, Max would go for Audrey for sure while leading my boi on in ways, he could even really start to like him but endgame no. I'd love to see a scene with Max does get jealous of Aki with another dude, in a romantic way or the dude could be hitting on him, I think Aki would be able to humble him just a bit because no one really seems to know what he's thinking. In the end, idk who he ends up with but I want him to find someone who will do my dude right and he should get some non-shitty friends who'll listen to his problems. (Still not over that Max)
The teachers while being shown more, don't have much of a presence. It's mainly Kate and the goofy one for extended scenes. KATE MY GOOD SIS. NO. Please, I want this to be the point where she loses GG somehow and someone takes over or maybe another GG pops up, can market better and isn't willing to have a faltering moments. I want it to spiral. Spiral hard. Also, sexy teach said not on my watch ezra! I stan him. Teachers are still fun for me, they make me want to never teach at a dumb rich private school.
Also, fuck the dads within reason. Esp, Julien's dad but only because we got to see Zoya's more and he is kinda in the right about most of the stuff but not the sister stuff. You can tell he's doing his best to instill morals in his daughter esp when he knows she can fall to outside influences.
Overall, I'm still enjoying it, I'm invested. I see room for growth for all of the characters (maybe not the teachers) and I want to see it play out. It does feel a little rushed but I think they're finding their footing and they have some big things to pull. But's not horrible and if they just play the drama bit longer and then conclude, it wouldn't feel that way. Maybe one more episode or half an episode could've been added to the Zoya-Obie-Julien story line to fully flush it out but I like the ending. Not sisters, not friends but cool with each and possibly re-build, at worst they just don't interact. I noticed some cool things with the promos but I need to confirm when I can find the one for 3.
Sorry if it went from all lower case to proper-ish, I had to switch to my phone and it auto-does it.
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