#Original Best Girl (SH: piper)

[carlottastudios]

So, following that sketch about my current favourite-ship-ever, here’s one about my previous favourite-ship-ever! And I think currently my second-fav! Pirow!!! Aerrow x Piper! My first OTP and the ship that got me into fandoms to begin with! Oh, pirow, how much I owe to you and your wonderfulness!!! Because the previous post’s description was so…so…sooooooooooohohohoooooo long (hehe, sorry abut that ^^;), I’m going to keep this one brief! I just want to say that I haven’t actually drawn pirow in forever, and my realization of that was what prompted me to make this sketch several months ago (that’s right, this sketch is a bit old, I think from October 2019, because that’s how far back the posts I have waiting in the wings go). Also, forehead touches are prime couple content and I need more of it! ENJOY! See you next weekend! Chanell your inner Stork and stay safe and indoors as much as you can, guys! REFERENCES: None to be had except the character designs! DISCLAIMERS: Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps this drawing © me

[redhairedfeistynerd]

A Very Bucky Thanksgiving

Bucky Barnes x reader, singledad!Bucky, Riley and Piper Barnes, Steve Rogers

Summary: This is the first year Bucky has invited someone special to join in on their Thanksgiving dinner.Will everything go smoothly?

Warnings: some swearing, some sly sexual conversation

A/N: I originally wrote this piece for Canadian Thanksgiving but here we are!  I hope you enjoy another moment with the Barnes family.

For as long as his girls have been in this world, Bucky has been passionate about baking. He figures this came to fruition when his ex-wife started spending more time out of the house and preferred being away on business trips than building a life with him and their young girls. As their relationship slowly deteriorated, Bucky found solace in pastries, cookies, and breads. Navigating his way through forums and how-to videos online, searching for recipes like he once hunted for his latest mission.

His girls had requested their favourites for this last-minute weekend celebration. Pumpkin pie with maple cream, pumpkin walnut scones, and a new treat he was testing out today, pumpkin spiced doughnuts with maple salted glaze, and for his sweet lady friend; a pecan pie.

Bucky could smell the doughnuts before the time reached zero. The soft smell of cinnamon and sugar wafted through his two-story house, reaching him while he tidied up the bathroom from the girls attack on it early that same morning. Wiping down the counter, he flicked off the light, bounding down the stairs to the kitchen as the last seconds wound down on the timer. Oven mitt on, doughnuts pulled out of the oven (he was trying out a baked version this time) he had about an hour before the girls would burst in the front door after a day of shopping the holiday sales.

The weekend plans had changed at the last minute, his ex (Jackie) had cancelled on the girls again. The girls were to fly up to their mothers' cabin in Whistler, B.C. for a Canadian Thanksgiving but a last-minute job had come up and she chose that over her kids.

Bucky was not impressed by her choice. Riley rolled her eyes at the news and muttered “big surprise” when Bucky relayed the message to his youngest daughter.

Jackie always chose work before their daughters. Her new husband had more importance to her these days.

Her influencer status has skyrocketed after she left Bucky, leaving him high and dry to raise the girls. He didn't see it as an issue though, he loved his girls and if he had to do this on his own, then that's what he would set out to do. His Avengers status pushed away a few years before, he found that he was calling Steve a bit more during those earlier years. Sometimes he needs a break, to sit in a quiet room where Riley wasn't screaming at the top of her lungs, which would have Piper in tears. There was something magical about Uncle Steve though, maybe it was his rich voice, whispering sweet words to Riley to ease the screams to a low whimper. Maybe it was the way he sang the sweet songs of the 40s to stop the tears flowing from Piper's bright blue eyes. Whatever it was that Steve had, Bucky was extremely thankful for.  

One of their first Thanksgivings without Jackie, had both girls sick with the stomach flu. He'd never seen anything as disgusting as what his young girls were dishing out.  

Blood, wounds, and other violent memories had nothing on this. Who knew little people could cause THAT much mess?

Bucky was exhausted. Riley had finally fallen asleep on the couch and Piper was sprawled out in the master bedroom on his bed, resembling a starfish.

With one last swipe of the kitchen counter, Bucky tossed the rag in the laundry basket and released a sigh of completion. Turning on the hood fan, he turned off the track lights and walked towards his daughter who was now snoring lightly on the couch, when a soft knocking came from his front door. Puzzled, he turned away from his sleeping daughter and made his way to the entryway. He opened the door to Steve's smiling face.

"What are you..."

"Nat phoned and gave me the heads up that you were literally drowning in shit."

"Language," grumbled Bucky as he opened the door wider to let Steve in.

Steve chuckled and took a good look at Bucky. "Man, you're looking a little rough around the edges."

"You would too if you were knee deep in dirty laundry and had two goblins that were puking so much, they make that scene in the Exorcist look tame.

Steve scrunched his nose and tried to shake the memory of that scene out of his head. The previous year, Bucky had invited his old team over for a horror movie night while the girls were spending the night with their mom. Steve still hadn't forgiven Bucky for subjecting him to that movie. "Absolutely disgusting."

Bucky grunted and shut the door, Steve following him from the entryway and up the stairs to the kitchen.

"Here, Nat made some soup for you and the girls, if they are feeling up to eating it,” Steve said holding out the package.

“Oh ya, thanks. I’m sure the girls will appreciate their Aunty Nat making her famous soup,” he nods his head in thanks before muttering “hopefully it's not pea soup,” and walks across the kitchen.

Steve watches as Bucky tucks the soup away in the fridge, noticing how stringy his hair has become and when he looks his way, the dark circles are around his eyes. “Hey Buck, why don’t you leave the tidying up to me and you go take a shower, relax a bit.”

Bucky shuts the fridge door and looks at Steve. “Are you sure you want to clean up this cesspool?” He asks as his arms waving to point out the mess around the kitchen.

“Yes, I’m here to help you out, all right?” Bucky nods and pats Steve on the shoulder on his way up to the bathroom.

Steve manages to tidy up the first floor of the house, shift Riley from the couch to her bed, and fold a load of laundry. He’s pouring hot water into a mug when Bucky walks back in, looking like the shower did its job. “You want a cup of tea?” He asks Bucky when he sit down at the kitchen table.

“Please, a cup of something black so I can keep my eyes open for a bit longer. You feel like watching a funny movie? I feel like I need a good laugh after what this week has been like.”  

“Sounds good, how about you go on down and put something on, I’ll bring the tea and some snacks for us,” Steve replies and pours a second mug full of water.  

The men settle in and watch a classic comedy, quiet laughter sailing out of both of their mouths, trying to be quiet while the girls sleep. Steve decides on a second movie and they watch until they fall asleep on the couches.  

Bucky wakes up, his stomach twisting, and the pain, THE PAIN. "You've got to be fucking kidding.” He lurches off the sectional and runs to the bathroom by the laundry room.

Steve wakes from the sounds of his friend slamming the bathroom door, the unmentionable sounds have Steve pulling his pillow over his head. When he moves it away several minutes later, all he hears is silence. Steve gets up from the couch and makes his way to the bathroom, gently knocking on the door. "Bucky? Are you alive in there?"

"Fucking kill me, please,” he begs and Steve hears his best friend heave again.

Steve camps out at the Barnes household during that Thanksgiving weekend. There is no turkey, no pumpkin pie, or a dysfunctional family fight. Everything is quiet as Bucky careens himself in his bedroom while Steve manages the rest of the household. He keeps the girls busy and out of Bucky’s hair for several days; visits to the ice cream shop and to the park near their home, keeps them smiling and giggling while their dad is at home, miserable in bed.

Steve sits back on the park bench and admires the colours changing all around him; the leaves sway from left to right, falling gently down to the ground. Piles of brown and yellow sit before him, raked into tidy piles. He gets and idea, something to cheer Bucky up the last few days of having the stomach flu. He calls the girls over and tells them his plan to make their dad smile. He makes a video of them, jumping in the leaves and throwing them around, their laughter warming his heart. When the girls have finished frolicking in the mounds of colourful leaves, he takes each other their hands in his and begins the walk back to the house. He’ll send the little video to Bucky in the morning when he heads out and back to work.  

Bucky still smiles at the memory of that little video. He can now smile about his treacherous first Thanksgiving as a single dad but he made it up every year that followed; this year, he has to make up for what his ex has left behind. Riley is pressuring him to make her mom's famous stuffing (he laughs at this because this is a recipe that she took from a cookbook he had from his mom) Piper has decided that Bucky is THE WORST because he is going to kill an innocent turkey and all she wants is for him to save one (and yes, he does donate to a local farm that saves turkeys later in the week) and have it live the rest of its life, in their backyard. He notes that she will have a plate of vegetables tonight and he has no idea if that is sufficient enough for a teenage girl who that is 15.  

“Cranberries sauce”

“Check!”

“Water chestnuts.”

“Check!”

“Wait, what the heck are water chestnuts for, Pop?”

Bucky is sitting on the kitchen floor sorting through the pantry and about to answer when he sees you creeping into the kitchen, hiding behind his oldest, about to scare her. Her arms wrap around Piper and she squeezes her tightly expelling a high-pitched squeak.  

He will never get over how beautiful her smile is when her eyes meet his. His heart beats so fast that he’s afraid she will be able to see it pounding in his chest.  

The flowers she is holding scream fall – oranges, yellows, and reds – the cute Chinese lanterns that she adores, wobble back and forth as she walks towards him. She reaches for him with her free hand and pulls him into a tight hug, whispering “you look extra handsome today, soldier.”

“He got his hair trimmed for you,” Riley shouts from the top of the stairs and watches as her father’s face turns as red as the Gerbera's in the bouquet. She snorts as she walks down the stairs at Bucky’s embarrassment and hops down the last few steps to pull y/n into a hug.

“Hi sweetness, I missed your smiling face,” Y/N says into Riley’s strawberry blond curls.

“Missed you too. Are you ready for your first Barnes Annual Canadian Thanksgiving?” Riley asks while rocking on her feet.

Y/N looks at her, “Is it any different from the other Thanksgiving I would be having?

“Well duh, this one if full of maple syrup, poutine, and never-ending skits by Bob and Doug Mackenzie!

Bucky bursts out laughing and poor Y/N is looking between the two of them, lost when it came to the last item. “Okay, okay, Ri, leave the poor woman alone. Here love, let me take those flowers and put them in a vase.” Bucky squeezes her waist gently, taking the colourful bouquet from her hands. She follows him to the cabinet housing the vase and sniffs the air.

“What’s is that smell? It’s so-

“Delicious?” Riley adds as she passes by Y/N and hops up onto a bar stool? “Your taste buds are in for an incredible treat. Dad is the best baker this city has!”

“Pretty sure I’m not hun, but thank you for boosting me up a bit.” Bucky’s cheeks changing in colour, somewhat embarrassed by his daughter's compliment.

“Oh, come on dad, that’s why all the moms are always swooning when you join the bake sales,” Piper chirps in.

“The moms swoon over your dad? I’m pretty sure that has more to do with his-” she’s cut off by Bucky shoving a Snickerdoodle in her mouth. Squinted her eyes at him and waving her finger as if she’s promising to get him back later. He can’t help but smirk and squeeze her side.

“Shhh, my sweet. Don’t be telling my girls how irresistible I am,” he whispers into her ear and kisses it.

Riley makes gagging sounds from behind her dad and Piper’s face turns red from the affection their father is showing Y/N. This is the not the first time they have seen their father with a woman but this specific woman has done something to their father. He’s smiling, he whistles while he bakes, and he’s happy.  

Y/N turns to face Riley, “Oh kid, are we embarrassing you? Making you feel a little queasy inside?” She walks over to Bucky as he arranges the flowers in the vase and loudly kisses his cheek and laughs. “How about that Ri?”

“You’re the worst,” Riley chuckles and grabs the serving spoons to put on the table.  

Bucky pulls Y/N into a hug and kisses her lightly on the lips. He can taste the Snickerdoodle and it makes him wish he could fully indulge but he restrains, knowing that tonight they’ll have time alone once the girls head to their rooms for the night. He brings his lips to her forehead before taking the flowers to the table and placing them in the centre.  

“All right ladies, let’s get this show on the road!”  

“Don’t you mean Barnes’, Assemble!” Piper asks with a smirk on her face. Bucky just shook his head, a big smile across his face.

“Tell me where you want me, Barnes,” Y/N said as she looked at Bucky, his smirk telling her that where he wanted her was not in the kitchen.

“Turkey is in the oven, that weird Tofurky thing is in there too, I need to add the water chestnuts to the beans, the pot of potatoes needs to boil, and in a bit, we can get the rest of the veggies going too. Who’s good with making gravy?”

“I hope you made stuffing for me that isn’t in that bird, dad,” Piper said, giving her dad one of her teenage looks.

Bucky slides a bowl across the counter to his oldest so she can see the stuffing he made; animal free. “It’s vegan sweetie, I hope you like it,” Bucky responds. “I found this recipe online, some popular blog.” He watches as she scoops a bit of the warm food in her mouth, and can’t help but chuckle when a groan of satisfaction spills out.  

Y/N can’t help but take a scoop for herself, a squeal of delight escaping her mouth. “Shit, Barnsey, you’ve been holding back! Where have you been all my life?” She laughs and walks back over to him, wrapping her arms around him and going in for a quick kiss. “Let’s get this show on the road! All pots on boil!” She shouts and turns the last pot on.

The Barnes family and their first-time guest are indulging in their feast within an hour. Nothing but chewing and soft music can be heard at the table. It always amazes Bucky that it takes hours upon hours of work for this one evening and within minutes the food is gone. He’s thankful though; for his girls, for the life he now has, and for you. He wouldn’t change anything. One last scoop of mashed potatoes goes into his mouth and he places his fork down. “So, do you three want dessert now or do you want to digest a bit first?” Riley stands up from her seat and throws her hands in the air. “Roll out the cart of desserts for us to feast upon, father!”  

All Bucky can do is laugh, she’s always been the dramatic one and he lives for these moments. “Riley, I haven’t said what I’m thankful for yet this evening but one of those things I’m thankful for the humour you provide in this family.”

“Aww Pops, I appreciate that but can you please just bring out the good stuff?” Riley’s blue eyes sparkle and Bucky pushes his chair in and heads back to the counter where he has the pies and other sugary treats. He brings the doughnuts and pumpkin pie with maple cream out first, leaving the girls to help themselves as he returns to the kitchen to cut Y/N a slice of pecan pie. He places a dollop of fresh whipped cream beside it and carries it to her, his face turns red when he places it before her stating, “I made this especially for you.” A look crosses her face and its one he has only recently seen. He thinks its adoration? Or could it be...love? He’s not sure if it’s either but whatever it is, he hopes she continues looking at him that way. He sits back down across from her and watches as she takes the first bite of pie. Her eyes close and he can see the sparkle in her eyeshadow as the light above bounces off of it. It feels like forever before he hears a sound of approval from her.  

“Wow Barnes. I’m going to say this is almost as good as s-

“Well now, girls, how about you start cleaning up what you can and let Y/N finish up her pie.” He tries to pull back Piper’s chair and is met with resistance.

“No WAY, Pops. I want to hear all about how good this pie of yours is. Right, Riley?” Piper looks to her sister, eyebrow raised in hopes that her sister will join in on the teasing.”

“Hell no, I don’t want to hear about the crap these two get up to. Nu uh, NOPE,” she shouts and she grabs a few dishes from the table and heads to the sink to rinse them off.  

Dishes away and the leftovers wrapped up, Bucky takes Y/N’s hand and walks with her to his room. Door closed and locked behind him, Bucky finally pulls his sweet lady as close to him as possible. “Happy Thanksgiving, baby.”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Buck.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulls him into a kiss. “Come on Barnsey, there’s one thing you haven’t warmed up yet this evening.”

“Oh, did I forget to warm up your pie because I can head back-

She quiets him with another kiss, deeper than the last. “You know damn well that’s not what I meant. Now, be good a good man and get ready for the real dessert.”

Bucky can’t help but curl up and laugh loudly. His girl knows all the ways to make him laugh and smile, tonight is no exception. With one pull, she is on top of him, where he wants her this evening; where he can be warm within and thankful for everything his life has brought him.

[gadgetgirl71]

Top Ten Tuesday 29 December 2020

Welcome to this weeks Top Ten Tuesday. Originally created by The Broke & The Bookish, which is now hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week it features a book or literary themed category. This weeks prompt is:

Favorite Non ARC Books of 2020:

Confessions of a Bad Boy by J D Hawkins

Confessions of a Bad Boy Episode 1: Never Commit

I’m the internet’s favorite Bad Boy – the guy who’ll tell it to you straight. No bullshit charm. No excuses. Consider it a public service, letting women know the truth about what guys are really thinking and teaching guys how to get what they want.

Yes, we were checking that girl out. No, you don’t want to meet her parents. And no, ladies, we don’t care what shoes you wear – as long as they’re up around our neck by the end of the night.

Life was simple, until fate brought me back together with Jessie. My best friend’s younger sister, who I just happened to have the hottest one night stand of my life with four years ago. Who calls me at 3 AM to get bailed out of jail. Who I can’t keep my hands off of. And who can never find out who I really am.

She’s off-limits, but I don’t care. And when I need a fake girlfriend to help me out of a jam at work, she’s the only one who can help. Now I’m stuck sharing a hotel room with her for the weekend.

A long, sexy weekend, one that I wish will never end.

314 (Widowsfield Trilogy #1) by A R Wise

Alma Harper has been trying to forget what happened in Widowsfield 16 years ago. She has a good life as a music teacher now, and might rekindle her relationship with her one true love. However, the number 314 haunts her, and threatens to bring her back to the day that her brother disappeared. When a reporter shows up, just days before March 14th, Alma realizes that her past is coming back to haunt her. What happened on March 14th, at 3:14, 16 years ago? No one but The Skeleton Man can remember.

Off Limits (Kings of Mayhem MC #5) by Penny Dee

I’m about to break the biggest rule of all.

RUGER: I was sixteen when she was born. The niece of my best friend. An angel with bright blue eyes and hair the color of night. Through the years I’ve seen her grow from an adorable dimpled cupid into a strong, independent beauty. Into a goddess. A temptress. Fate has brought us together. But she is off limits. I’ve got no business wanting her. No business at all.

CHASTITY: For years I’ve crushed on him. An older man who makes me tremble. A biker King whose arms I want to get lost in. Whose body I can only dream about touching. Whose lips I’m dying to taste. I shouldn’t want him. But I do. I shouldn’t lust after him. But tell that to my poor hopeless heart. I should stay away. But I won’t.

Off Limits is book five in the Kings of Mayhem MC series. It can be read as a standalone.

Primal Howl (Primal Howlers MC #1) by Piper Davenport

Orion: I’m the oldest son of MC royalty. My father founded the Primal Howlers and he expects me to wear his patch one day. The problem is, I don’t know if that’s what I want. Lately, I couldn’t give two sh*ts about anything.

Until her.

Raquel: I moved to Monument, Colorado to write my thesis and get some much-needed distance from my overbearing family. What I didn’t expect was to find is myself hung up on a biker who appears to have nothing to lose.

I, however, have everything to lose and I’m worried Orion just might be my downfall.

Primal Need (Primal Howlers MC #2) by Piper Davenport

18+ for language and sexual situations…

Sundance: I’m the president of the Primal Howlers out of Monument, Colorado. My wife was taken from me ten years ago, leaving me to raise our three children alone. I’ve been diagnosed with a disease that I’m not sure I’ll beat, and to make matters worse, I’m now in the crosshairs of a rival club.

But enough about the upside of my life, because Wyatt Bates just walked into it, her confidence enough to rock my world, but her sweetness might just be the end of me.

Wyatt: I’ve lost almost everyone who ever loved me. Cancer took them all, so the last thing I’m looking for is a relationship that will break me again.

Then I meet Thorne “Sundance” Graves and my world is turned on its head by the sexy as hell biker. Now I must choose between a chance at love or the risk of complete devastation.

Roommaid by Sariah Wilson

Madison Huntington is determined to live her dreams. That means getting out from under her family’s wealth and influence by saying no to the family business, her allowance, and her home. But on a teacher’s salary, the real world comes as a rude awakening—especially when she wakes up every morning on a colleague’s couch. To get a place of her own (without cockroaches, mold, or crime scene tape), Madison accepts a position as a roommaid. In exchange for free room and board, all she needs to do is keep her busy roommate’s penthouse clean and his dog company. So what if she’s never washed a dish in her life. She can figure this out, right?

Madison is pretty confident she can fake it well enough that Tyler Roth will never know the difference. The finance whiz is rich and privileged and navigates the same social circles as her parents—but to him she’s just a teacher in need of an apartment. He’s everything Madison has run from, but his kindhearted nature, stomach-fluttering smile, and unexpected insecurities only make her want to get closer. And Tyler is warming to the move.

Rewarding job. Perfect guy. Great future. With everything so right, what could go wrong? Madison is about to find out.

Minus (Burning Saints MC #1) by Jack Davenport

18+ for language and sexual situations…

Burning Saints MC outcast, “Minus” Vincent, has been summoned out of exile by the Club’s President for reasons unknown. Upon his return, he finds himself tempted by forbidden fruit of the past that has only gotten sweeter with time.

Christina “Cricket” Wallace knows exactly what kind of life she wants, and it’s far from the chaos and mayhem of an outlaw motorcycle club. She’s worked hard to get where she is, and she won’t let anyone keep her from getting there…especially her over-protective biker brother, or the sexy as hell Club rival she thought she’d never see again.

As Minus and Cricket pursue their own roads, they find their paths intersecting in a violent and passionate collision that will forever change their futures.

Clutch (Burning Saints MC #2) by Jack Davenport

8+ for language and sexual situations…

The Burning Saints Motorcycle Club is the only family Clutch has known, and violence his only stock and trade. Humanity has handed him nothing but pain and struggle, and he’s come to expect even less from it. As an orphan, he’s always found it easier to bond with machines than with people. Now his club family is in danger of losing its way, its identity, even its very existence.

Dr. Gina Gardner is newly single, completely unprepared to mingle, and as it turns out, cannot sing and safely operate a motor vehicle at the same time. What she craves is time away to figure out what she wants. What she just might get, however, is a detour to what she needs.

When Clutch and Gina find themselves at the same crossroad, will they speed by each other, collide in a fiery crash, or blaze a new trail together?

A Witch for Mr Holiday by Deanna Chase

Welcome to Christmas Grove, where holiday magic and matchmaking is in the air.

When Rex Holiday walks into the charming town of Christmas Grove, all he plans to do is to spend the season helping out at his buddy’s Christmas tree farm. What he doesn’t expect is for an overzealous matchmaker to slip a love potion into his cider. But the joke’s on the resident matchmaker, because not even a potent love spell can break through the walls he’s built around his heart. But when the girl next door catches his eye, some of his barriers start to crumble. Still, Rex Holiday’s time in Christmas Grove is only temporary. He can’t afford to fall in love. Or can he?

Holly Reineer is a powerful spirit witch who can see the future for everyone. Everyone but herself that is. And when Rex Holiday walks into her life, she sees his, too. He’s destined for a big corporate job all the way across the country. So when he starts to show interest in her, she knows it’s only temporary, and Holly’s not interested in a fling. She wants her happily-ever-after. But he’s very hard to resist… Can a love spell rewrite the future? If so, Holly will need to learn to follow her heart and, for once, trust what she can’t see.

A Witch for Mr Christmas by Deanna Chase

Welcome to Christmas Grove, the town full of love, magic, and holiday miracles.

Ilsa McKenzie has only ever loved one man. But eleven months ago, he walked out of her life, leaving her heartbroken and her life changed forever. After leaving the magical town of Christmas Grove to regroup and get her life in order, Ilsa’s back, ready to face her past and start her future with or without him. There’s only one question. Will Zach want to be a part of her life or will he run again?

Zach Frost doesn’t love easily. He’s loved and lost before. All he’s ever wanted was to run his Christmas tree farm and start a family. And once Ilsa arrives in town, it seems he’s on the verge of making his dreams come true. But his past is complicated and it’s about to catch up with him. Can he make peace with his mistakes or will he let history repeat itself and lose his chance with the one woman who can make him feel whole?

Until next week.

#JustForFun, #Top Ten Tuesday, #TopTenTuesday, #TTT

[rachelannc]

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK: The Final Season. Netflix. (Credit: Screenrant)

My oh my. What a journey these past seven years have been with Orange Is The New Black. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been watching this show for the past seven years, and looking back at everything you’ve seen this show do, it just overwhelms you with all kinds of feelings.

I don’t tend to watch a lot of TV as committing to shows and the time and getting hooked onto something isn’t really in me, but Orange was the first show I ever watched on Netflix before Netflix really became what it was (as one of the first-ever Netflix original series made during a time people didn’t really know what Netflix was, giving roles to women, showcasing women’s stories and providing an intriguing setting at a women’s prison released during my slow college summer days, yeah, OITNB really stuck).

If you’ve managed to finish watching the final season, read on ahead if you don’t care for any potential spoilers.

OITNB was truly revolutionary. When it introduced us to Piper Chapman in its first season — an upper-middle-class white blonde entering prison — little did we know that she was just a “Trojan horse” to tell the stories of women who rarely get told: women of color, immigrant women, queer women, poverty-stricken women, women with addictions, mental illnesses, disabilities, etc. OITNB was a true pioneer in the way it told these very important, very under shadowed stories, and left us with some of its best episodes to date in its final season.

The main thing that has been OITNB‘s driving force is its ability to humanize characters

… characters we may have grown to hate or dislike simply because of their behaviors and actions with the characters we loved in the prison world. The flashbacks helped give us context as to why people are the way they are (it made early characters like Pornstache seem even lovable), which is something that is important and something we all should realize.

These women are women just like us. They have become a product of the system we are all placed into, and perhaps they lost their way. They found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time, or got caught up in something seedy just for the sake of trying to survive.

In season seven, Tamika (Susan Hayward), an old friend of Taystee’s (Danielle Brooks) who became a prison guard at the same prison Taystee was incarcerated at, loses her job as warden at Litchfield — a job she got to become a “scapegoat” for black women and diversity for the uppers in the system, but a job she ended up proving to be terrific at, as she implemented programs to try and help make the prison a better place for the women. Taystee even started tutoring other inmates to pass their GED test.

When Tamika gets fired, she says she’s relieved, because no matter what good she or others may continue to do, “The system will always be what it is, and there’s not a damn thing I can do.” (That is one hell of a line.)

OITNB did a great job of highlighting and revealing the problems in our system — and how undeniably unfair they can be.

No matter what you do or how good you can try to be, the system always feels against you, and you feel helpless. In the case of Taystee, the systems of oppression became too much and almost impossible to fight or dismantle (even Mr. Caputo and the villainous Fig have tried their best to bring justice to the prison). A life sentence in prison for Taystee can make you question why you should even continue to try or fight, as you reason that ending your life is the only way out.

One of the most heartbreaking moments came in the form of Pennsatucky. She’s been there since season one and become one of the most lovable rednecks the shows ever had. She’s got a good heart, is widely misunderstood, and only wants the best for others and for herself. Her learning disability may hit home to so many people, and the fact that she did pass her GED, all thanks to Taystee, only to find that out after Pennsatucky lost her life… That was an immediate tearjerker. And a real loss that doesn’t sugarcoat anything. (Ugh.)

One of the storylines I really loved this season was the relationship Nicky (Natasha Lyonne) found with Shani Abboud (Marie Lou Nahhas) in the immigration detention center. For such a brief character in the whole of the series, Shani’s story was so telling, riveting and important. Her story of deportation, but also of female genital mutilation within the Muslim culture, was so revealing. I’m glad shows like OITNB exist to shine a light on these issues and cultural differences that do in fact exist, but never see the light of day. Her presence was refreshing, and we got to see so many layers come to light of Nicky as well, for how broken she is but how much of a heart she has for everyone around her. (And I have to add, I’ve got such a girl crush on Shani, as straight as I am, ha!)

There are so many layers to this series, but as Piper has always been the one that tied the whole series together, we can’t help but feel and relate to her. (After all, most of this shows viewers might relate to the white liberal that is Piper?) As she gets released from Litchfield and transitions into everyday life, the struggles of that life out of prison become so real. Paying rent, finding a job, keeping up with your probation, and trying to stay out of trouble? Taystee made that very clear (and so did many of the other inmates) as they found their way back into prison, after being released, and it all just becomes one huge circle and cycle that repeats itself (for Aleida, “I’ve got people in there, and I’ve got nobody out here,” is so telling).

Piper’s moment with Larry when he laid it all out on her — for who he thinks she is, and read her and her actions like a book (as someone who has had her whole life laid out in front of her, this perfect, beautiful life, but one day maybe meant nothing to her, as she craved something different, which she found through Alex, and that drama continues to fuel her, even when she’s got this perfect woman in the form of Zelda in front of her) — was just so incredibly telling. (I fearfully might be able to relate to Piper in this case, quite frankly…)

We begin to know ourselves and our relationships better through these characters, and as these characters get tested, we see what drives characters to do what they do, which makes this series so damn compelling. It’s a series that has always been about everyone else but Piper, and we can all relate to it.

This series has opened up so many conversations over the years, and when it started in 2013, it began to highlight pressing topics during its run. The Black Lives Matter movement was at an all-time high when we saw the death of Poussey (Samira Wiley), due to an untrained guard trying to stop a fight he thought she was engaging in, only to accidentally suffocate her to her death. Then came the prison riots and the unjust f**ked up system that goes into saving the upperhands’ lives and and reputations at the sake of the inmates.

Although season seven as a whole seemed to be its most focused yet, with each episode and every scene serving up some hell of moments, powerful scenes, damn funny moments and the humor you find in these women who find happiness while even in the sh*ttiest of circumstances… I think that’s what this show’s all about.

Life will always throw you curveballs and tough moments, and it’ll never get any easier, as the system will always work against you and out of your favor, but, you can find happiness. You can find joy in the little everyday moments and find your life’s purpose and make someone’s day that much better.

All of the exits in this show were so beautifully raw, painful, unfair and real. The deportation of poor Maritza (Diane Guerrero), who had grown up in the U.S. her entire life, just felt so unfair! And while I had wished to see more of the other inmates’ stories whom we had fallen in love with over the years, such as Soso, Big Boo, Yoga Jones, and all the others in the Columbus, OH prison, this show seemed to do its part (I’d hope someday they’ll continue these stories of the other women). The last 20 minutes of the last episode felt a little rushed to get all the cameos of the other women in, but, understandably so, it was still a lovely send-off.

There’s not much else I can say at the moment, but I think for anyone who’s watched this show knows the great impact its had. Thank you, Orange, for what you’ve done and given us, and all the conversations you’ve sparked and platforms given for so many viewers and women over the years.

Orange, forever. 🧡

Have you watched the final season? Do you watch OITNB? If so, I’d love to know your thoughts on the season or series as a whole!

My Thoughts After 7 Years of ‘Orange is the New Black’ My oh my. What a journey these past seven years have been with Orange Is The New Black…

[carlottastudios]

Surprising precisely no one, I am late. Again. And I apologize. Again. Man, this whole quarantine business really screws with your head. You’d think you’d end up being more productive creatively, but no. Also, I admit that I’m working with a limitation because 1. My mom is concerned about me spending too much time on a screen and so has made a rule that, when we’re on vacation, on weekdays, my brother and I can’t go on screens until after we’ve had lunch. And 2. By the time I get onto a screen, I have a bad habit of hopping onto YouTube and/or Tumblr and getting distracted by watching videos or trying to clear my reblog-drafts. It’s a very. Bad. Habit. And I need to work on it. Anyway, I think another reason I’m late this time is because I wanted my next post to be the next chapter of The Sex Shop. But, unfortunately, due to limitations 1 and 2, I STILL haven’t finished said chapter! But I swear I’m working on it! And I’ll get right back to working on it once I’ve posted these drawings for you all! I swear, this is why I want to post fics only after I’ve finished writing them T-T Why is writing so hard??? I gotta admit, it’s fortuitous that I’m spamming you guys a bit this weekend because, I don’t know if you’ve realized, but there’s a bit of drama on DeviantART because of Eclipse. Apparently, on May 20, the DA team wants to make Eclipse permanent and force all DA users to switch to it. And if you’re like me and the Eclipse layout actually hurts your eyes to look at, you’re probably not happy about this. And even if I didn’t mind the Eclipse layout, I still think it’s a jerk move to force it onto everyone. I mean, was this change even necessary? But that’s a whole thing and those are questions to bring to the DA admins. Point is, there is a petition to put a stop to this (which I’ve already signed) and there’s also a Statement of Silence that’s going to happen. Starting May 1st at midnight and ending May 4th at midnight, DA members who choose to participate are going radio-silent and won’t even visit the site. I’ll be participating in this, so you won’t be getting any new posts next weekend. So, I order to keep from having to post 10 posts the weekend after that, I’m lightly spamming you now. Here’s the link to the petition: http://chng.it/5bYNx4S79M Here’s a link to the journal with all the info about the Statement of Silence (also apparently another reason for that silence is because DA’s Eclipse is plagiarizing another site?!?! 0_0 ADD THAT TO THE PILE OF REASONS TO DISLIKE ECLIPSE): The Sound Of Silence - DA Statement Phew! That’s all the updating! Sorry for all that seriousness, but I do like to make use of these descriptions instead of making journals. Anywho, please enjoy this pirow kissu! I don’t think I’ve ever drawn a proper pirow kiss before I made this sketch back in October 2019, so finally sharing it now feels good! REFERENCES: None to be had except the character designs! DISCLAIMERS: Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps this drawing © me

[carlottastudios]

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEENNNN!!! SPOOKY DAY IS FINALLY HERE AND I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT MY CHEEKS ARE HURTING WITH HOW MUCH I’VE BEEN SMILING ALL DAY!

Anyways, as promised, HERE IT IS! The special Halloween fanart I’ve been working on since Spooky Month started! And if my followers who were present last year recognize Aerrow, Piper, Perry and Finn’s design, that’s because this fanart is basically part of the same AU! Or rather, an upgraded version of the AU.

Because I love Halloween, I have a tendency to try imagining characters I love as Halloween-y monsters and characters like vampires and werewolves and witches and so on. And this year, I finally came up with a proper AU to facilitate these Halloween-y versions of characters I love. I call it the Hallow-verse. It’s basically an AU I’m going to let myself use for any fandom I want to. So, it’s kind of a crossover AU, except I’m only using one fandom at a time and I’m not having characters of different fandoms interact in the Hallow-verse except on special occasions. Because I’m actually super-mega picky about crossovers (I don’t know if you guys knew that before, but I’m letting you know now). I’ve already got a lot of lore in mind for this AU, but I won’t share it yet because I gotta post this before the trick or treaters start showing up! XD

Once again, happy Halloween everybody!

SPEEDPAINT VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3SEPIDVOpFI

REFERENCES:

None to be had except the character designs!

DISCLAIMERS:

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

this drawing © me

[carlottastudios]

You know, we all complain about the injustice of the fact that we never got to see that Pirow kiss, but have we ever talked about how Nerd Corps weren’t even kind enough to give us a hug?

Well, actually:

They were kind enough to give us that.

[carlottastudios]

I know. I know. This isn’t the full song. But as I said in my latest Reactionment video, the finale song from Phantom of the Opera is a mother fucking BEAST of a song! Too long to fit in a single video that YouTube will allow me to post! So, I have to cut it up. Also, my sanity could only take working up to this point of the song before I had to stop. After that, I honestly couldn’t motivate myself to work on the next part. So, as much as I’d wanted to post both parts today, the next part of the finale, the true finale of this series, will have to wait until next weekend. But next weekend is my deadline, because school starts right after. I am NOT going to continue this series after school has started. So the absolute final video of Raptor of the Opera WILL be posted next weekend, as God is my witness!

ROLES:

Repton as the phantom

Suzy Lu as Madame Giry

Aerrow as Raoul

Piper as Christine

SONG:

Finale from the Phantom of the Opera Musical

DISCLAIMERS:

Audio © Broadway

The Phantom of the Opera © Gaston Leroux

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

AT LAST!!!

IT IS DONE!!!

I THOUGHT I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS TODAY BUT, GUESS WHAT, ANXIETY-RIDDEN-ME-FROM-THIS-MORNING?! YA DIDS IT!!! YA FINISHED THIS MOTHER EFFIN BEAST OF A SERIES!!!

AT!!!

LONG!!!

LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTT!!!

Just in time for school to start tomorrow!!!

…

AH, WHAT THE HECK!!! If I can get through this project which took me TWO whole YEARS to complete, I think I can do just about anything!

And now, I am very happy to say, goodbye Raptor of the Opera! On my part, you will not be missed! FAIR! THEE! WELL!

ROLES:

Repton as the phantom

Aerrow as Raoul

Piper as Christine

SONG:

Finale from the Phantom of the Opera Musical

DISCLAIMERS:

Audio © Broadway

The Phantom of the Opera © Gaston Leroux

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO EXCEPT THE CREDITS!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

Welcome back to another round of “How much can I test my sanity before throwing in the towel for this project?”! And so far, it’s still not yet. Amazingly. Because this video…this motherfucker of a video…IS 7 MINUTES LONG!!!

I swear, I better get some comments on this video as some compensation for my work on this, because comments from people are into this series are seriously my only motivation for continuing this. At least the next video is much shorter and, thus, more reasonable, being only about 3 minutes long. I did want said next video to also be available this weekend, but I just was not feeling motivated to work on it. So instead, you’ll be getting something else tomorrow as a post.

I’ll try to have the next video ready for next week, but at this point, I can’t make promises. I really want to get this done as soon as I can so I can just move the fuck on to something else, but I’m going along with whatever I can motivate myself to do for this. And once again, I question why I wanted to do this whole series in the first place.

ROLES:

Finn (and Finn) as Andre and Firmin

Ravess as Carlotta

Junko as Piangi

Aerrow as Raoul

Piper as Christine

Suzy Lu as Madame Giry

Repton as the phantom

SONG:

Notes (Reprise) and Every Twisted Way from the Phantom of the Opera Musical

DISCLAIMERS:

Audio © Broadway

The Phantom of the Opera © Gaston Leroux

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

*drags herself up from a heap on the floor* I really…really hope you guys appreciate this series of videos. Because it is slowly draining my sanity and will to live. I swear, after this series is done, I’m not going to listen to this musical for at least a year! I can’t decide whether this entry was easier to make, or more difficult. I will say that it felt soooo good to make something resembling a music video, and the process was made much easier by my actually gathering clips to use before I edited them in what I thought to be the right places. But seriously, I am fucking DONE with Repton. I will not be using him in my AMVs for a loooooong time to come. And guess what? The pain only continues from here. Because, while this 5-and-a-fucking-half-minutes-video was already long enough that I could cry, the next entry…the next entry…is 7! MINUTES! LONG!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!! KILL ME NOW!!! ROLES: Finn (and Finn) as Andre and Firmin Suzy Lu as Madame Giry Lynn as Meg Ravess as Carlotta Junko as Piangi Piper as Christine Aerrow as Raoul Repton as the phantom the sky knights, Radarr, Arygyn and others as theatre workers and guests at the masquerade the Dark Ace as the butt of jokes for this video (to make myself feel better) SONG: Masquerade and Why So Silent from the Phantom of the Opera Musical DISCLAIMERS: Audio (c) Broadway The Phantom of the Opera (c) Gaston Leroux Storm Hawks (c) Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

Another done! And *starts crying* there's still so many to go! Many long ones! THAT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME TO MAKE! AAAAAGH! WHAT WAS I THINKING WHEN I STARTED THIS PROJECT?!?! Regardless of what I was thinking, I think it's clear from how I presented Repton what I think of the phantom in this story. At least, based on my very little knowledge of this story. So please take my view on his character with a healthy pinch of salt. But in short: I don't like. I can understand why he is the way he is. But I don't like it. I don't agree with it. I don't think he's in the right. I think he's a creep! I think he's an ass! And I don't think he's justified for doing all that he did! And if you believe he is, well you're going to have to do a damn good job at explaining to me why! ROLES: Piper as Christine Aerrow as Raoul Repton as the Phantom SONG: All I Ask of You (Reprise) from the Phantom of the Opera Musical DISCLAIMERS: Audio (c) Broadway The Phantom of the Opera (c) Gaston Leroux Storm Hawks (c) Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

Numero uno of the 3 RotO videos you’re getting this weekend!

This one was blessedly easy to make, in part because it was all pretty much just Piper having to talk while looking sad or something and Domowick clips where he doesn’t look like a total douche. The song is also very slow-paced, so I could just slow down so many clips to have them take up the appropriate length! Ah, truly an entry in this series that lowered my stress.

ROLES:

Piper as Christine

Domowick as Christine’s father (I actually have a guilty pleasure headcanon that Domowick actually is Piper’s father, but that neither of them actually know about their relation, so I was happy to delve a bit into that headcanon with this video)

SONG:

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from the Phantom of the Opera Musical

DISCLAIMERS:

Audio © Broadway

The Phantom of the Opera © Gaston Leroux

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

I had SO MUCH FUN MAKING THIS ONE!!! SO! MUCH! FUNNNN!!! Also, I managed to finish it all in just 2 days!!! WEEEEEEE!!! Can I just say that it was very therapeutic to go back to my Pirow roots? It just felt so good you guys! Just...*relaxed sigh* Like coming home, in a way. Hopefully this relief will tide me over while I make the next 7 episodes. Only 7 left! Then this shenaniganry is done! ROLES: Piper as Christine Aerrow as Raoul Repton as the Phantom SONG: All I Ask of You from the Phantom of the Opera Musical DISCLAIMERS: Audio (c) Broadway The Phantom of the Opera (c) Gaston Leroux Storm Hawks (c) Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

Numero Tres! And also, I finished this entry in only a single afternoon! Ah, bless short songs. Also, I’m really happy I got to use 2 characters I rarely ever use! I think it’s actually the first time I’ve used Carver! HURRAY!

But now that this one is done, it means…*sniffles* it means…*bursts into sobs* I HAVE TO MAKE THE LONG-ASS FINALE!!! DX

ROLES:

Junko as Piangi

Carver as Passarino

Piper as Christine

Repton as the phantom

SONG:

Don Juan from the Phantom of the Opera Musical

DISCLAIMERS:

Audio © Broadway

The Phantom of the Opera © Gaston Leroux

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!

[carlottastudios]

As promised! Here is the second RotO video for the weekend! This one took me a bit longer because of the end part of the song, with the faster pace and more action-y scene.

Also, it was while making this video that I encountered the full bitchiness of my Windows Movie Maker program. Because there were moments in here with Raoul where I would’ve preferred to use clips from episodes 1 and 2. Only my mother-fucking-piece-of-shit-windbag-asshat Windows Movie Maker got its head stuck up its donkey-shaped-ass and thought that my file of episodes 1 and 2 was corrupted! BUT THEY’RE NOT! THEY WORK FINE! BUT WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER REFUSED TO LET ME USE THEM! FUCKING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!

I swear, that nearly broke what sanity I have left for this series.

But I eventually realized that nothing I did was going to convince this crapwad of a program otherwise, so I caved and used different clips than the ones I’d wanted to. Yes, I am still bitter.

ROLES:

Repton as the phantom

Piper as Christine

Aerrow as Raoul

SONG:

Wandering Child from the Phantom of the Opera Musical

DISCLAIMERS:

Audio © Broadway

The Phantom of the Opera © Gaston Leroux

Storm Hawks © Asaph Fipke & Nerd Corps

I OWN NOTHING I USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!