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paintedrecs.bsky.social
painted
@paintedrecs.bsky.social
87 followers 31 following 610 posts
Great Pretender (Laurent/Edamura)
post-canon, slow burn, hurt/comfort, pining, friends to lovers
172k - complete.
READ HERE: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60877471/chapters/155500042
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paintedrecs.bsky.social
I nearly put Great Pretender on again but maybe I'll watch HMH instead, it's been a while. Even though Netflix is putting up new images to try to tempt me
November 8, 2025 at 1:59 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
And yes I ship them, although it's very complicated, and the fic I've been writing in my head for ~3 years is just.....way too long to actually deal with. They have a total of 5 fics on AO3, so, y'know. One less than when I kicked off a fresh wave of Xanatowen I guess
#KyoKaraMaoh
Yuri being surprised that Shori and Conrad appear to be "bonding" by leaving the house alone at night without telling alone Conrad has just saved Shori from a literal (water) wave of magic power in a surprise attack Shori's not new to seeing magic, but he hasn't really experienced it on this level, or in a way where he'd be in danger yet Shori taking Conrad's hand to help him off the ground after this first battle, where he watches Conrad sacrifice himself to protect Yuri. First step towards acceptance and respect. Conrad understands how important this gesture is.
October 10, 2025 at 5:44 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
Shori was the character who surprised me the most when I first watched #KyoKaraMaoh - he's the main character's overprotective older brother, so you'd think he'd be annoying or a foil. But he's intelligent and thoughtful and really does try to understand the perspective of those who took Yuri away.
"Aren't you diligent," Shori says to Conrad, who's been cleaning the Shibuya family's bathroom. Conrad in an apron, fresh from cleaning. Shori taking Conrad outside so they can talk alone. The apron has been abandoned by the door. "Our worlds are so different, yet the stars look the same." Look, Shori rejects this sentimental drivel right away, but I love how Conrad's first instinct is to wax poetic about the connections between their worlds.
October 10, 2025 at 5:32 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
when your favorite show takes 60 episodes for your favorite characters to share a scene together, so you always have to rewatch it about 15 times before continuing

#KyoKaraMaoh
Shori meeting his little brother's alternate world friends for the first time Shori greeting them with deep suspicion because that's his default mode with his precious little brother Conrad knocking on Shori's door at night to try talking to him. Caption: "I'm sorry to cause you any trouble." Shori rejecting an attempt at conversation. "That shirt you're wearing. It's mine," he says, and tells Conrad to return it to him in good condition because it's his favorite. Subtext for Conrad being responsible for Yuri's safety, probably. But I also just really like Conrad wearing Shori's clothes.
October 10, 2025 at 5:26 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
I should read this beast first though. And like. All my other books.
Solo Leveling omnibus novel, glow in the dark cover
August 5, 2025 at 1:16 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
I just really really love Link Click
Lu Guang wearing pink glasses Lu Guang holding a book and wearing regular glasses Lu Guang smiling softly at Cheng Xiaoshi during a photoshoot Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi attempting to ride a bike together during a photoshoot
February 1, 2025 at 9:03 PM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
past me is funny
December 21, 2024 at 8:06 PM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
172k Great Pretender fic, Laurent Thierry/Edamura Makoto

Explicit, slow burn, pining, post-case 4 canon compliant, healing from trauma, emotional hurt/comfort, epistolary, found family, friends to lovers

archiveofourown.org/works/608774...

#GreatPretender #FrenchBean #Edaurent
banner for To the Sea, AO3 fic by paintedrecs. Collection of canon images of Laurent and Edamura
December 21, 2024 at 6:19 PM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
Final side doc word count....
December 20, 2024 at 2:55 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
actively pretending i never said it was 150k in total
December 18, 2024 at 10:52 PM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
my side doc for this fic lol
December 11, 2024 at 11:46 PM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
I haven't been watching Nocturne because quite frankly I'm not interested in a Castlevania world without Trevor in it.

But now I'm having a LOT of thoughts about Alucard going to sleep for what, 300 years, because he felt the same way?

#Trevorcard #Castlevania
Alucard: "Sarcasm still runs in the Belmont blood," Alucard looking ridiculously beautiful and soft: "Trevor would be proud."
December 11, 2024 at 5:16 PM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
me: I'm getting really frustrated with my fic again, i need to take a break and do something mindless for a while

my television:
December 7, 2024 at 2:50 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
when you accidentally type a single letter in the search bar instead of the full word you were looking for, and your google doc has a complete meltdown at the unreasonable demand
December 3, 2024 at 4:20 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
I loved basically everything about the show, but it needed a more substantial ending to deal with all the messy complicated experiences they slogged through.

Which is why I started writing my fic to begin with. It's certainly not perfect. But it was necessary, for me.

#GreatPretender
Laurent on Liu's boat after Dorothy's death Laurent in his hotel room, waiting for his final farewell to Dorothy Laurent to Edamura after they close out their final con: "Since you like coffee, why not open a cafe?" "I'm going to taste different types of coffee around here," Edamura says, in his final scene, putting Laurent's idea into motion.
November 29, 2024 at 5:14 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
But you don't get over trauma overnight. Laurent spent more than a decade trapped in this life that just kept hurting him and others around him. Edamura went through absolute hell with Akemi and his father. The final episode's cheery heist wrap up was...a weirdly abrupt tone shift.

#GreatPretender
Young Laurent staring out the plane window on his way back to Paris after Dorothy's death Laurent at the table with Liu after Dorothy's death, debating whether to stab him - which would result in his immediate death as well Edamura running the auctions for Akemi Edamura lit in moody blue as he sets up plans with all the horrible criminals he'd disdained throughout the whole first season
November 29, 2024 at 5:07 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
I love this show, including all the devastatingly human imperfection of Case 4. I love some final pieces of ending...like seeing Laurent make a choice about what to hold onto and what to leave behind.

#GreatPretender
"All is well now," Laurent says, holding Dorothy's ring. He reaches back, and tosses the ring as far as it can go, into the depths of the ocean. He smiles. He doesn't need to hold onto it anymore. Young Laurent looking at Dorothy's ring as he makes plans for how to avenge her death. Current Laurent looking at Edamura's Hideyoshi figure, as he makes plans for his own future.
November 29, 2024 at 4:54 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
- Laurent reads Edamura in the midst of an intensely chaotic scene & pivots to respond exactly as he needs to. Which Edamura clearly expected.

- This quiet talk on the boat after everyone else is asleep...the future, their plans... When they DO talk it's exceptionally good.

#GreatPretender
"I'm surprised you knew how to play along with Edamame," Kudo says. "Did you send that email?" Edamura asks, when Laurent joins him on a quieter part of the boat, late into the evening. "How they live their lives, huh?" Edamura muses. "What will you do after you get out of this racket?" Laurent asks, looking at Edamura with the most exceptional amount of fondness.
November 29, 2024 at 4:32 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
Some thoughts:
1. the communication between Laurent & Oz is top-tier
2. Laurent being able to casually break out a move like this is v hot
3. it's funny then that he lets other people mostly do the "action scenes," as he told Clark. he has so many skills.
4. flexible 😏

#GreatPretender
Oz reaches over to put his hand on top as well. "Edamame," Laurent says. "Even if it is an act, I'm glad I could hear your true feelings." "But the way you are now," Laurent says. He looks at Oz. Oz agrees: "No matter how you look at it, you're screwing up." Laurent kicks the sword out of Edamura's hand; Oz catches it.
November 29, 2024 at 4:27 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
I honestly don't think Laurent does enjoy deceiving people all that much. It's just his life as he's chosen to live it for too long; after he lost Dorothy, he didn't care about anything or anyone. Especially himself. But that lack of honesty made him lose a lot along the way.

#GreatPretender
"Edamame, isn't that enough?" Laurent reaches over to put his hand over Edamura's. "LAURENT," Edamura shouts, turning his anger toward him. "You're lowlife trash that gets off on deceiving people!" "You disgust me!" "You always drag me into things without a single word of explanation."
November 29, 2024 at 4:23 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
This scene really got me the first time I watched it. Largely because so much of what he's saying is right. His father abandoned him for someone he'd never even heard of. It's a lot of excuses; he could've found a way to be there for his family, too.

#GreatPretender
Edamura yelling at his father, pointing a sword at him: "You're the one who abandoned me and Mom!" "She never stopped saying that she believed you!" Shot of Laurent, his face in shadow, while Edamura continues: "Mom lies alone in her grave while everyone avenges Dorothy!" "Apologize to Dorothy when you see her."
November 29, 2024 at 4:18 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
He is really not doing well.

#GreatPretender
Laurent staring at his reflection in the window. Dorothy appears behind him and puts her arms around him. "Tomorrow is finally the day." Laurent's mouth curves into a smile. The camera pans back. He's alone.
November 29, 2024 at 3:10 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
The way Laurent not only sees her, even years after the initial trauma - he has conversations with her, he's able to touch her.

#GreatPretender
Dorothy: "You think it will go well?" "Of course," Laurent says, reaching up to touch her hair. The camera pans out. There's nothing there. Laurent's arm drops to his side. "At least have a drink with me," he says to the empty room.
November 29, 2024 at 2:51 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
He's angry, and rightfully so. How can he ever trust anything his father says? Most of his life has been a lie.

#GreatPretender
"Was Dorothy that important?" Edamura shouts, furious. "More than Mom and me?" "Aren't you ashamed for lying to your own child?" "I'll never trust you again."
November 29, 2024 at 2:36 AM
paintedrecs.bsky.social
It was actually important for Oz to tell him, since he's the one who freshly betrayed his son, and had been doing it for all these years. And he's definitely the one Edamura is most angry with.

When, exactly, was he planning on telling him? Edamura's right to call him a liar.

#GreatPretender
"That's it," Oz says. The story's done and Edamura's finally caught up on what everyone else has known for either months or years. Oz sitting, looking at his son smoking through a whole pack of cigarettes. "After all, I've been tricked this whole time," Edamura says. "I was going to explain it to you sometime," Oz says. Like that's any excuse at all. And he hadn't.
November 29, 2024 at 2:34 AM