#SHUT UP THIS IS SO GOOD

[ninja-go-to-therapy]

Stringed

For Discolored.

Kat, not only have to dragged me into writing for Trolls, but I have degraded myself to writing a songfic! SONGFIC! Have a happy birthday and enjoy the whump!

(Yes I changed some lyrics to make it fit better.)

--

Since he woke up, Branch had been doing everything he could think of to fight back. Every annoying trick Poppy had ever taught him. The leash was chewed. Bella was kicked when she tried to feed him. He hissed and growled at Daffy when he approached.

Hour three was when he resorted to screaming. Just screaming his head off. He could see it wearing them down. After another hour of near constant screams broken by Branch’s need for oxygen and only Branch’s need for oxygen, Daffy finally pulled over.

“Quit throwing a tantrum!” he shouted.

Branch just continued to scream. He kicked his feet on the ground like a toddler just for good measure.

Daffy growled.

“I think you need an attitude adjustment!” he said “Fine. We can play a little game!”

Branch squirmed and kicked as Daffy approached him, but eventually Daffy unclipped the leash.

Branch barely questioned it before standing up and bolting to stand in the doorway.

“Calm down, baby.�� Bella begged, wring her hands in worry.

Branch snarled at her.

“We just want to bond with you! Why won’t you let us!” Bella yelled.

“You kidnapped me!”

“John Dory did that first!” Daffy pointed out “If he had left well enough alone-”

Bella placed a hand on his chest.

“Babe.” she said

Daffy huffed, crossed his arms, and shut his mouth.

Branch narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He had a feeling the rest of that sentence was important.

“Branch, Darling, Baby. We’re just doing the best we can. I know this is a little jarring, but we want to have some family time with you and this really was the only way. Don’t you want to spend time with your parents? Get to know us?”

“You. Kidnapped. Me.” Branch repeated.

He really didn’t know what part of this wasn’t getting through!

Bella sighed.

“This is not a discussion. We are going on tour! You are going to be nice to your mother! We are going to make happy family memories! And you will be performing! End of!” Daffy said sternly.

Branch laughed.

“There is nothing in the world you can do to make me sing for you!” he snapped.

Bella began to fidget with her bracelet.

“Guppy, we’re your parents. We can make you do anything we want.”

“Maybe Grandma could! But you didn't raise me! I’m not afraid of you!”

“Are you going to make us do this the hard way?” Daffy asked.

Branch maintained eye contact as he throw open the door.

They sighed.

Branch couldn’t care less about their empty threats. He had entertained them for too long as is. They had let him off the leash and stopped the bus. That was practically an invitation to leave. Branch used to make a habit of rejecting invitations, but he was a post-Poppy Branch now. He didn’t need it hand engraved.

He could hear a song starting as he stepped off the bus, being followed by his parents. He didn’t really plan on joining in on it. His parents could sing it to each other while he walked away. Or maybe he’d end up singing half of it from a mile away. He didn’t care.

He was barely paying attention to the music when every inch of his body suddenly locked up. It felt like he had been sewn up with sting and every stitch was being yanked. He could see the string bracelet his mother had giving him glow a strange blue.

Then his head was twitching back and forth to the beat. This wasn’t the normal choreography that came so naturally to a troll in a musical number. Those instincts could be resisted or interpreted. This was a rigid command. Branch helplessly hit each beat with unnatural perfection.

“Now's time, get in line.” Bella sang.

Branch felt himself step back into line with his parents.

“Don't be afraid tonight.”

Branch helplessly synced to his parents’ dancing as they continued to sing.

“We're gonna take you high. And before you realize.”

He didn’t know what was happening. He felt sick, but he couldn’t stop.

“Round and round you'll go.”

He spun.

“Up and down, never slow.”

He threw himself around like a rag doll.

“Feel the excitement grow.”

Branch felt like screaming! Why was he doing this!?

“Oooh! This is where you let go!”

He continued to dance too perfectly. It was intense. It hurt.

“Hands high like a roller coaster. This power taking over. Take us higher, here we go. Ohohohoh Welcome to the show!”

His parents were still singing, like this was fun. Like they weren’t hurting him.

“Don't fight us and just conform! Cause you were made to perform! We're not about to lose control!

Or maybe they were singing like they were.

“Ooooh! Welcome to the show!”

Then Branch discovered a new layer of torture when his own voice sang.

“Oooh! Welcome to the-”

Branch sounded as on key as ever, but it felt like singing through a blown out throat. He was relieved when his parents took to vocals back over. Branch continued to dance to their duet like a prop, but at least he wasn’t singing with them as he bounced between them.

“Oh! Oh! We're on a mission. Nothing”

“NOTHING!”

“Can stand in our way!”

Branch noticed the choreography had him dancing like a literal puppet. It made him feel sicker.

“Ohohoh! We don't need permission! We're gonna rise up!”

“And we'll be the change!”

The torture came back in full force as Branch’s voice vocalized in the background while they sang.

“Oh! Oh!”

“Hear it on the stereo!”

He wanted to cry, but nothing was responding.

“Whoa! Oh!”

“You're about to lose control!”

He was twitching on beat. So Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

“Whoa! Oh! Everybody knows! Oooh!”

“This is where you let go.”

Branch was sick and dizzy, but it didn’t stop him from hitting Every. Last. Mark. With uncomfortable accuracy.

“Hands high like a roller coaster. This power taking over! Take us higher here we go! Ohohohoh!”

“Welcome to the show!” came again from his own unwilling throat

“Don't fight us and just conform! Cause you were made to perform!”

Branch had never heard of a troll singing against their will. He didn’t know how his parents were doing this. It didn’t feel natural and it hurt.

“We're not about to lose control! Oooh oh!”

“Welcome to the show!”

More like Welcome to the horror show! His parents took back over the next lines, but the dance got downright demeaning.

“Come on. Come on. Come on. And put your hands u-u-up.”

Branch felt his wrist lock above his head, mocking being shackled.

“We're gonna have some fu-u-un.”

Stepping from to side to side. Perfectly on beat. So perfect you’d never guess how much pain he was in.

“We've only just begu-u-un.”

His skin itched and burned everywhere as he danced.

“And it's too late to ru-u-un.”

His arms pulled like there were strings in his bones.

“You can't run so put them u-u-up.”

His parents were dancing with him again.

“We're gonna have some fu-u-un. Turn up the bass, let it wu-u-ump. We've only just begun.”

Bella’s hands were on him. He managed to shiver, butt hat was probably only because it was involuntary.

“And you can't run.” she sang from behind him.

She spun him around and he mirrored every step while he sang in perfect pitch with her.

“Hands high like a roller coaster. This power taking over.”

Now that Branch had a close look at Bella, he noticed her bracelet was now faintly glowing blue and gray.

“Take us higher. Here we go!

Gray and blue like his had become. The bracelet he had failed to take off.

“Ooohohohoh!”

He got the next line all to himself.

“Welcome to the show!”

Branch finally understood some of what was happening to him.

“Don't fight it just conform.”

Somehow, the stupid promise bracelet was controlling him. The song was all his mother’s design.

“Cause I was made to perform.”

He stored that information away for later use and tried to focus on blocking out the pain. His throat hurt. His joints hurt. And frankly his heart wasn’t in the best shape.

“I do not have the control.”

It felt like his throat was shredding with every note, but he continued to sing his part without a single hitch or crack.

“Whoa oh! Welcome to the shoooooow!”

Bella split off from him to dance with Daffy again.

“Hands high like a roller coaster! This power taking over! Take us higher, here we go!”

Branch got another turn, hating the sound of his too perfect voice that felt like it should be nothing but raw growling at this point.

“Ohohoh! Welcome to the shoooooow!”

They were on either side of him, framing the puppet like twitches he was doing.

“Don't fight us and just conform! Cause you were made to perform! We're not about to lose control. Whoa oh!”

“Welcome to the show”

It finally clicked. Branch may’ve been the one singing it, but they were welcoming him to the show. The show he was about to be an unwilling star of! Hence why he was the one welcoming himself.

“U-u-up! We're gonna have some fu-u-un. Turn up the bass, let it wu-u-ump We've only just begun.”

They almost seemed to mocking him.

“Welcome to the show.”

He wanted to scream, but his voice was stuck being so painfully perfect.

“U-u-up! We're gonna have some fu-u-un.”

His sure they would.

“Turn up the bass, let it wu-u-ump.”

Branch started to sink to the floor like a puppet being lowered.

“We've only just begun.”

He was sure of that too.

“And I can't run” Branch sang in horror.

He was left panting on his hands and knees. Everything burned like he scrubbed himself raw with acid. Hands and breath shaking, Branch slowly raised his eyes.

Bella was standing over him, adjusting her own bracelet. It was back to the off white color.

“We don’t want to have to do that too much, but we’ll do what we have to if you’re going to be trouble.” Daffy explained.

“Just behave yourself and do what your told and we won’t have to do that again. Alright, Guppy?” Bella added sweetly.

She hugged Branch before he could pull away and helped him stand.

“I’m going to puke.” he announced.

Bella rubbed his back and helped him stumble towards the toilet. He made good on his promise.

“It’ll get easier.” Bella said, her kind voice almost making Branch feel better.

Branch coughed before he could say something snarky. It was probably for the best. He wasn’t ready to go round two and insulting his mother was probably “making trouble”

“You were perfect.” she said.

Branch hated that word. He hated the possessive way she said it.

“Are we going to behave now?” Daffy asked.

Branch wanted to bite the man and refuse. He wanted to scream like some kind of creature. He wanted to shove Belladonna’s motherly hands off of him!

But the bracelet still felt tight on his wrist. If he did any of that, he’d go through it again and Branch just couldn’t do it. Not so soon after the first time.

“I just want to take a nap.”

He would fight again in the morning. When he had his strength back.

“Good boy, Guppy.” Bella said, giving him another hug.

Branch slumped and let her carry him to his bed.

“My perfect boy.”

Branch still hated that word, but he was too tired to even make a face.

--

"Welcome To The Show" by Britt Nicole in case you couldn't tell.

Happy birth, you smug bitch! ILY.

[sexyyeehaw]

SCREAMS

some fanart based on scenes and designs from this amazing fic 'The echo garden' by @altraviolet 🙏 🙏

[mroddmod]

the queen of the disco or whatever

[churroach]

Full of Desires

[goldensunset]

did you know? if you do your laundry you can get your clothes back

[hinamie]

I don't want to regret the way I lived

[egophiliac]

still ruminating over Lost In the Book With Spooky Skeletons Part 1, so here's a selection of some of my favorite little bits! (...some more loosely paraphrased than others) (I just feel like Idia has no room to criticize in general, okay)

anyway, I'm sure we're just going to have a fun time celebrating Halloween and nothing bad is going to happen whatsoever! :)

[cynical-canidae]

Ok so basically

[may12324]

Marcille and Falin

[knifeforkspooncup]

The pining, the longing, the self hatred, ahhhhh just nail the coffin shut already

read this gut-wrenching (and very relatable!! who said that) excerpt from Gabrielle Bates and Jennifer S. Cheng and now my tired brain is being annoying about it and won't let me work, so enjoy some gay yearning infused ramblings ab crowley or whatever

you greet the dawn like a blade, the sun cutting every sliver of longing out of you (this is a lie and you know it / this is a lie and he knows it / he must, oh god he must, after so many stretches of forever). the want that you hide in the hollows of too-dark glasses and too-casual words is the same want you've carried for six thousand fucking years; the same want you've held between clenched fists and in the shallow of your ribcage and under the floorboards and anywhere that might keep it captive, might make it small enough that you can one day stop burning up kerosene at the thought of his hands and the bend of his elbow and a mouth that speaks only softness (your want will never be small, and you know this). he turns his face to catch the light and maybe it would have been better if you'd burnt up in the fall because now you're all teeth, all hopeless, heavy desperation, and he's right there. he's right there and he's been right there for an endless infinitude. and yet you will never know him except from the teetering precipice of the lines you've both drawn in the sand (reaching, forever leaning towards warmth). because the walls have eyes. because the walls have maws that open/close/bite/break/rend and to touch him would be to doom you both. he turns his face to catch the light and you dig half-circles into your palm; the only physical evidence of a love so gaping and blood-red it may as well be a wound straight through your side. he turns his face to catch the light and you look away. you cast your gaze up and away, as though She might absolve you of such gentle sin.

[catharsistine]

The scene in the Barbie trailer when Barbie is skating around with Ken and asks "Why is everyone staring at me?"

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE AN ADOLESCENT GIRL.

Living in Barbieland (childhood girlhood) but then suddenly you're all grown up in the real world subject to scrutiny and sexualisation (the guy slapping Barbie's ass) and feeling like existing is a crime?

Being forced by adult men into a box (which leads to the not like other girls syndrome) and exploring the 'real world' (being forced to grow up too quickly) while fighting the realisation that maybe the world sucks and being a woman is so difficult while hoping with all your heart that it's not always going to be this way.

Losing touch with the very things that made you happy because they're considered immature and girly? (The group of teens that said they hadn't played with Barbies since they were five.)

Older women telling you that you have to learn the truth about the world and that you can never have your old life back (Kate Mckinnon's Barbie) despite it being the only thing you yearn for, but also older women being a bright spot and support (the old woman on the bench) in the endless slough of life.

And this is just the trailer!!! I'm so excited for this movie I can't breathe, Greta Gerwig the woman that you are 😭

[whereisyourpippinnow]

FRED HECHINGER as CARACALLA | part 1

Gladiator II (2024) dir. Ridley Scott

[winterswake]

The Smolder™ 🥺🥺 by Sauron

[anthyies]

the thing about disco elysium is that it has women in it. what you see on the internet about it might lie to you about that but it has women, gay women even, very compelling women even, in it.

[itslilacokay]

new group activity: period cramp transferring (based off convo with @cyanvalour)

[catgrandpa]

I need a fic where Bruce realizes this kid who shoved his way into his sidekick roll will not be leaving anytime soon, and instead of emotionally distancing himself he becomes a combination Helicopter Mom and Shotgun Dad.

☆彡

Tim: Bruce, I’m headed out to meet my friends at the mall.

Bruce: Is that Kent boy going to be there?

Tim, rolling his eyes: Yes, Kon is going. And so is Bart, and Cassie, and maybe Bernard if he can make it.

Bruce: Hnn. Do you have everything? Coat, scarf, keys, wallet, tracker, pepper spray, dagger, kryptonite shard, emergency beacon, first aid kit, fire starter, extra pair of-

Tim: Yes, Dad! I already went through the list with Alfred. I’ll be fine.

☆彡

Kon: Hello Sir! I’m here to pick up Tim!

Bruce: Follow me.

…

Bruce: Sit down.

Kon: In your study? Is Tim on the way, or…?

Bruce: I just thought you might need reminding of the fact that I have a vault downstairs full of items specifically designed to take down a Kryptonian.

Kon: Whuh?

Bruce: You should probably ask your father about the time I was slightly annoyed with him for encroaching on one of my cases.

Kon: Why are you telling me this?

Bruce: Now just imagine what would happen if someone were to hurt my darling little boy.

*door opens*

Tim: Hey Bruce, Alfie said Kon was here, have you seen him? Oh! Hey, why are you two in here??

Bruce: Oh, hey sweetheart, we were just chatting. Have a good time at the carnival!

☆彡

Dick, pouting: I don’t understand, you’re not this protective over who Jason or I date.

Bruce: Don’t be ridiculous, Jason and I may have our problems, but he would never betray me by gallivanting off with someone I disapprove of.

Dick, who covered for Jay sneaking out to visit Roy Harper just last night: Mhm yeah, sure. And you’re not worried about me?

Bruce: Chum, I’ve known who you were going to marry since you were 12 years old.

Dick: WHAT?

Bruce: I have the whole ceremony already planned. I’ve got Gotham’s best wedding planner on standby. You have a very nice house waiting for you both, 20 minutes from here. A modest 7 bedrooms on 5 acres of land.

Dick: I’m not even dating anyone?!

Bruce: I can’t wait to meet my 3 grandbabies:)