#NGL i was kinda banging my head against a wall to figure out what i wanted to do with this one

[starlitangels]

if you're still doing micro fics what about Albus and Machiavellian?

Sure. Let's give this a shot. Machiavellian has political connotations and I cannot imagine Albus getting involved in politics at all so we're improvising

Machiavellian

—

You jolt awake with a quiet yelp. Cold sweat clings to your neck and hairline. You pant, trying to calm your racing heart.

You hear the metallic tap tap of familiar knuckles against the metal door. Never a proper knock with Devlin's implant. The tap was enough to be heard. "Sister? Is everything alright?"

Swallowing thickly, you scramble out of your bunk and pull your overcoat on over your nightclothes before stumbling on tired feet to the door and pulling it open. "Yes," you reply. "Everything's fine."

"You're sweating. Are you certain?" Devlin pressed.

"I just... had a bizarre dream."

Devlin raised a single brow in curiosity. "Would... talking about it... help?"

"I... I don't know."

"I'm here to listen, should you wish. Would you care to accompany me up to the bridge? Walk it off, perhaps?"

You slip out of your little ship cabin. "Sure."

Together, the two of you walk toward the bridge. Quiet and unhurried. It is, technically, night. At least, on the overworld. Down here, in the mantle, the delineation of days was much more difficult to notice.

"Devlin?" you asked.

"Yes, sister?"

"Would you say Albus is machiavellian?"

Devlin inhales deeply through his nose. "Not technically, no. An unscrupulous, cunning schemer, sure. But the word most often applies to politics. Why?"

"Just... that weird dream I was having. He was actually like a political leader. It was terrifying."

"Mm. Yes. I imagine it was."

"No, Devlin, you don't understand. It was Albus—but, like, Albus if he hadn't been raised a bastard."

Devlin blinks at you several times, steps slowing to a stop. "Really?" he asks. You nod. "That's almost more terrifying than how he is now." You nod more enthusiastically.

Devlin resumes leading the walk to the bridge. You follow.

The door whirrs open.

To reveal Albus doing a handstand against the wall, arms shaking slightly, muttering something under his breath that would give the older temple attendants where you grew up an utter heart attack. If you'd repeated his words, you would have had your mouth washed out.

"What?" Albus demands the moment you and Devlin walk in and both shoot a glance at him. You shake your head. "Let me guess, you two were talking about me." A statement, not a question.

"A passing comment," Devlin says—lies—smoothly.

Albus raises a brow. An odd look considering he's fully upside down. "About what?"

"If it were any of your concern, we'd tell you." Devlin's tone is sharp on his tongue.

Albus scoffs. "No you wouldn't."

"Boys," you sigh. "Not right now." You look at Albus. "I had a dream you were a political leader."

Albus makes a face of disgust.

"Exactly," you say, sitting in one of the crew seats and closing your eyes. "It was a weird dream and I still feel weird because of it."

"Well. Snap out of it. We'll be getting a move on soon."

"I know that," you retort sharply, rubbing at your eyes. "You'd be in a funk if you had the dream I had too."

"He'd be worse," Devlin singsongs from the captain's chair. He isn't sitting in it, just leaning over one of the arms and looking at a readout. He never sits in it. Sometimes you wonder if he's afraid to. Because he built this ship for his father and he seems to want to respect that.

Albus snaps back something vulgar and snarky and Devlin merely snorts.

You close your eyes against the burn of fatigue.

You don't remember falling asleep in the chair.

But you do remember waking up back in your cabin, safely tucked in. The faint but familiar smell of Albus clinging to the front of your nightdress. Somewhere in the distance, if you concentrate, you can almost hear him and Devlin bickering as brothers do.

You scoff at your dream. Machiavellian indeed.

[byebyler]

My random It 2 thoughts

That I just want to get out bc I want to talk about it, not because I have any piping hot takes or anything. Hiding it under a read more to spare you all

So basically before we go see any new movie, my sister will be like “Well I’ve been reading stuff online and here’s every shitty thing anyone has said about this movie so far” and I’m always just like mhmm but this time I especially didn’t care? Idk I was excited about the movie and the comments had me hesitant but actually none of it was all that bad to me. There was something about the flashbacks not adding anything to the story, and the horrible baby-fication cgi they used on the kids to make them look younger, but it didn’t really bother me. The cgi looked worst on Richie but even then I didn’t care cause tbh I liked his scenes the best. I think the flashbacks were some of my fave parts, just cause I love the kids. They’re so adorable and such good actors and yeah 

Even the love triangle between the adults was just whatever. It wasn’t as bad as I expected. Mostly because it wasn’t even there to me? Like Bev forgot who wrote the letter, she thought it was Bill, it was actually Ben and then Benverly happens. Way to go. Also I was like pssh I don’t care about Benverly but then when they were separated and Ben starts in with “Your hair is winter fire!”??? It made me cry, ngl

Honestly though the adults were kind of the weak point for me? Like I only know Bill Hader and Jessica and James, and I’m sure everyone else has been good in other stuff. But they just seemed kinda bleh for me. Mike was good enough, Bill had some good moments, and the guy playing Eddie was like amazing at mimicking young Eddie. And I love Bill Hader. I loved his portrayal of Richie. Tbh Richie was my favorite in this movie. In the first movie I’m gonna say it was Eddie, cause he had the most personality and was funny and charismatic and had good line delivery. And yet I don’t like adult Eddie for acting just like young Eddie lol go figure. Anyway I just love Bill Hader. He was my favorite part of the whole movie 

Although honestly some of the comedy bits were odd for me. Like a joke or one liner in places there shouldn’t really be a joke or one liner? Idk I just felt like they could’ve edited better. Same with some overly long scenes. Several times I found myself sitting there just like ....so this is why the movie is three hours long? Was it worth it? Idk

Like it was just trying to be comedy horror instead of just a horror drama? I don’t really know how I felt about all that. Also the whole set up was just... I don’t know. Like everyone comes together, there’s the scene in the restaurant, and before you know it everyone is split up again for like an hour looking for tokens?? So much time is spent on Bill getting his bike back and I thought the little bell on the handle was going to be his token but then he just gets the paper boat from the sewers and that’s it?? And all the stuff at the carnival. Like it was a cool scene and carnivals were hot in horror/sci fi this summer (Us, Stranger Things) so I guess it’s a given. But idk all the stuff with the kid just felt like it could’ve been easily cut. And we didn’t even waste time going along with Ben or Mike (surprise!) to find their tokens so I feel like they really could’ve cut stuff down. But again, Bill Hader and the flashbacks were some of my fave parts so I guess I can’t complain about the Richie stuff, in the past or present 

Also god. The scene where he starts carving “R + ” onto the bridge. I was like “If I have to see an R + E on there I’m gonna lose my goddamn mind” and my sister was like “Oh you know he’s going to revisit that spot at the end after Eddie dies and stare longingly at it” and I was like well I’m gonna lose my goddamn mind then. And I did 

Oh and I loved Henry Bowers, I thought he was great. The part where he gets in the car and zombie!Patrick is driving cracked me up more than anything else. It was hilarious. Also it was totally unbelievable that young Bowers fell like fifty feet down that well and banged all up against the sides of the rock walls and was able to walk away with no broken bones or internal bleeding or head trauma?? I guess he’s invincible since he was like possessed or whatever 

Other random thoughts: I cried so much during the movie. Like not full on sobbing but tearing up practically every ten minutes. Even at the beginning with the gay bashing because yikes. That was brutal to watch. That little girl with the birthmark- honestly I thought she had her face painted at first since they were at the carnival. I didn’t even realize it was just her skin. Also idk what happened to her bc I wasn’t looking, but I knew they were gonna do like a countdown fakeout and then make you wait and THEN do the jump scare. Still wasn’t looking. Also the weird long limbed old lady scared me. I thought it was just going to be an old lady but nope. And I jumped at the Paul Bunyan statue part. But I also jumped when Richie locked his car and it lit up and made a noise sooo I’m basically a scaredy cat. But yeah those parts did scare me but also the cgi was so bad? Mostly with the old lady. It just was not fun to look at. They did a spider head monster like in The Thing. They should’ve also honored The Thing by throwing some practical effects in there to switch it up. But I guess that’s asking too much 

Anyway I know the movie is still fresh in my mind and every time something is new I’m just like “this was the best!” but I really did like it. For everything I complained about, I still thought it was a great movie. And I kind of like how fucking looong it was because that just gives us more content to watch and rewatch and comb through. I know I’m already planning to see it in theaters at least two more times. But yeah lately it’s getting harder and harder to find something to be excited about but this did the trick for me, for now. I really loved it, and I love both parts of the whole, and I think when part 2 comes out on blu ray and I can watch them back to back, it’ll be a good cohesive piece