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garbagevanfleet · 4 years ago

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Brightest Blue (series)

PART SIX

Pairing: Josh x reader Warnings: major marijuana usage!! Summary: Things are changing. New state. New school. New roommate. You just pray things are going to click into place. Notes: say hello to your new potential love interest - he’s cute, no? let’s see how he compares.

As always, if you see @lantern-inthenight, tell her thank you for being the very best editor.

taglist: @valleyd0ll @satingrass-maidensfair @guitarfingers @thebohemianpenguin @peaceisouranthem @oblvions @hansonobsessed @myownparadise96 @lara-gvf @anditsmywholeheart @kill-fear-the-power-of-lies @bigblack-catattack

On Monday it had dusted snow, but tragically, it had happened while you were in class. You hadn’t even known until you were leaving campus and had seen the lightest coating left on some spots of the grass by the treeline.

When you got back to the apartment, Josh was already there, stirring a huge pot of something on the stove. The room smelled like a restaurant.

“Josh, oh my god, it snowed and I missed it!” you exclaimed, tossing your jacket over the back of the chair.

He paused what he was doing to look up at you and chuckled. “Don’t worry, I promise that’s not the last time.”

“What are you making?” you asked, padding across the linoleum to peer over his shoulder.

“Vegetarian chili,” he answered, lifting a wooden spoon to your face. You blew on it for a moment before taking a taste. “It needs something, but I can’t figure out what.”

“I think it’s perfect,” you replied and meant it, suddenly excited to have a bowl of it.

He hummed at you. “Thanks, but it’ll be a while before it’s done.”

You watched as he swiped the scraps from vegetables from the cutting table into the compost bucket.

“You want to watch a movie tonight?” he asked.

You frowned back at him. “I wish I could, but I’ve got a lot of work to do on my presentation. I’m supposed to be reading it to the class in like two days.”

“Alright,” he agreed, just a shade on the solemn side. There was one thing you knew for sure, and it was that there was a lot you would endure to make sure you didn’t have to see him looking sad.

“I think I can still concentrate on it if I sit with you during a movie.”

He laughed under his breath at your bargain. “It’s okay, you can work in your room instead if you’d like. Or, you can have the living room and I’ll keep to my bedroom.”

You scowled at him and pointedly replied, “Don’t be stupid, Joshua. Okay, I’ll make you a deal. I’m going to work on my paper until dinner time, then we can watch a movie.”

“I’ll take that deal.” He reached out and took your hand, shaking it once in a faux professional manner.

“But, that means I have to work all night on it tomorrow,” you warned, looking directly into his eyes.

He just grinned back mischievously.

+++

“So, what happened?” you prompted, dipping a spoon into a cup of strawberry yogurt. Kate peeked up at you over the rim of her cup, crunching a piece of ice as she set it back down on the cafeteria table.

You had been expecting Josh to join you for lunch, but you’d gotten a text telling you that he had to bail to work on production stuff and he’d see you later. You had been a bit disappointed, but you had to admit that you envied his dedication. Plus, you had Kate to keep you company.

She poured more of her Diet Cherry Coke from the bottle into the cup of ice as she talked. “Not much, honestly.” She looked like she was going to continue until her gaze caught on something over your shoulder.

You were just about to turn your head to find what she was looking at when she spoke again abruptly, making you halt all movement. “Don’t look, but there’s a guy by the vending machine that keeps looking at you.”

You gave her a surprised look. “Oh, what does he look like?”

“He’s kinda handsome - short blonde hair, probably a little taller than you, a little shorter than me.” She paused, fiddling with the cap of her soda bottle as he snuck peeks at him from across the room. “Okay, quick look.”

You chanced a glance over your shoulder and hummed as you turned back to her. “I think I’ve seen him around. I don’t really know him though,” you stated. “Are you sure he’s not looking at you?”

She huffed amusedly at you. “Pretty sure he’s not.”

“Ooh, speaking of,” you started, reaching out and nabbing one of the waffle fries off of her plate and popping it into your mouth. “Have you been texting Jake?”

“Not really.” A scarlet-colored smile was forming on her lips.

“Does that mean yes?” you pressed when you realized that was all the information she was going to give you.

She shrugged at you, already collecting the remainder of her lunch to toss away with a cheeky look.

It wasn’t until your last class that you realized where you’d seen that boy before, and embarrassingly, it wasn’t until he was already sitting next to you.

You glanced over at him, trying not to look too surprised.

“Hey, do you care if I take this spot today?” he asked, seemingly knowing what your answer would be. You kind of wanted to say no, just to prove him wrong.

“Yeah, sure,” you agreed sweetly instead.

“I hope this isn’t weird, but I saw you at Bennie’s party on Saturday and I guess I just wanted to formally introduce myself. I’m Trevor.”

He held out an open palm for you to take, and you cautiously did. “It’s nice to meet you.”

He looked pleased that this was going as smoothly as he had clearly intended - not that he was lacking confidence, but something about his facial posture told you he had expected you to give him a hard time.

“So, I’m not going to lie, this is partly because you seem to be really good at this class, but would you like to study together sometime? We could maybe get coffee after class.”

You looked at him for a silent beat before replying. “What’s the other part of the reason?”

“You seem nice, and I think you’re very pretty,” he said honestly, giving you a smile.

You mirrored it back to him with a nod. “Coffee sounds nice.”

+++

You had made it a point to message Kate, telling her exactly where you were and who you were with, and you had texted Josh, telling him you’d be back in a couple of hours.

Trevor was nice and somewhat funny. He seemed a little intellectually shallow, but you couldn’t actually judge that from an hour and a half long hang out in a coffee shop.

When you got back to your apartment and checked your phone, you had six messages from Kate.

Oh i’m kinda shocked

Good for you tho

Is he cuter up close?

Are you guys actually studding

*studying

i’m going to ask around and see if anyone knows anything about him

You snickered to yourself as you were reading them, before quickly typing back, let me know what you find out tomorrow.

You were greeted by an empty living room and kitchen, but you could see that Josh’s bedroom light was on, so you headed that way as you shedded your extra layers of clothing.

You knocked on the door frame, though the door was wide open to reveal Josh laying out on his bed with a lit joint between his lips and Penny on his bedside table. Folk music was playing from his laptop in a tinny quality.

He peeked an eye open at the sound of your entrance, greeting you with a smile.

“You’re not falling asleep with a lit spliff, are you?”

“This is my second one,” he replied as if that was supposed to answer your question or quell your concern. “You want some? Or do you want to work on your paper?”

You ran your teeth over your bottom lip. “I finished my paper in class today. My professor gave us the whole period to work on it.”

He perked up then. “I can’t help but notice that wasn’t a no.” And after a pause he finished, “And congratulations - I’m proud of you.”

You gave him an awkward thumbs up that he promptly barked a laugh at.

“You wanna?”

“I’ve never smoked before,” you reminded him like it might change his mind.

“C’mere. I’ll help you.”

You held a finger up at him. “Hang on, I’m going to change. Don’t look at me like that, I don’t want my new sweater to smell like pot, dude.”

You returned back in your pajamas, still nervous, but now comfy. He patted the spot in front of him on his bed, prompting you to clamber on. Once you were situated, you tugged his comforter over your shoulders from where it was bunched up at the bottom of his bed.

“Are you good?” he asked.

You nodded at him, nervous enough that he could sense it.

“I’m going to shotgun you, okay?” He put his hand on your knee for comfort, and you had to admit that the touch helped ground you.

“Okay,” you replied quickly.

“Okay?” he prompted again, looking less convinced.

“What does shotgun mean?” you whispered like it was a secret, making him giggle into his shoulder.

“I’m going to blow the smoke into your mouth. Since it’s your first time, I don’t want you to get super high.”

“Oh. Yeah, that wouldn’t be good,” you agreed.

“Okay, I’m going to take a drag, and you’re going to open your mouth and suck in the smoke when I blow it out.”

You watched him raise the paper to his lips, the cherry turning bright orange as he inhaled. It wasn’t until he leaned forward with a closed mouth that you realized how...intimate the moment was.

You weren’t positive he wasn’t going to press his lips directly to yours until you opened your mouth and pulled in his exhale.

“Hold it in a second if you can,” he instructed, his voice a bit deeper from the smoke.

You did as you were told, grimacing as you exhaled. “It tastes like dirty socks.”

He snorted a laugh, tipping his head back until it was rested against the wall.

“I’m not sure what I expected though, because it also smells like dirty socks,” you continued, prompting his laughing to continue until he was sighing contentedly.

“That’s cute,” he said through a grin. “Innocent.”

You could feel your cheeks warming by the second. You rolled your eyes at him playfully.

“Do you feel anything?” he asked, sitting back up to attend to you.

You shook your head. “Not really,” you admitted.

“You wanna try again? You can just take a hit yourself if you want.”

“Actually could you do it again?” you asked, embarrassed, but not enough so that you were willing to do it alone.

He gave you a grin, lifting the blunt back to his lips, but this time when he leaned forward, the fingers of his right hand found your jawline, pulling you into him too. When he blew the smoke to you, it was just inches from your lips, and this time you drank it in, forcing it deep into your lungs and holding it there.

It started to hit you moments after you exhaled it - this pleasant, warm feeling.

“Hang on,” you said excitedly, throwing the blanket off of you as you scrambled to get off the bed. When you returned you had a little speaker and your phone. The playlist that the two of you had collaborated on for cleaning days started playing, and even though he was laying out flat on his bed, you could see his lips turn up into a smile.

You laid next to him, resting your head on his arm and giving a pleasant sigh.

“What’s it feel like?” he asked, a rasp behind the words. He lolled his head to the side to look at you.

“Warm and fuzzy. Kinda like being in love or seeing a really cute kitten. But also kinda like being on a sailboat in the middle of...I don’t know, some European sea. I can’t think of a single one right now if I’m being honest though.”

When you met his eyes, he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. “Damn, that’s awesome.”

He sat up on his elbow and reached past you to grab something from his nightstand. You were going to look and see what it was, but staring at the little speckles of plaster on his ceiling was suddenly the best thing you’d ever experienced.

“Do you always wear cologne?” you asked, suddenly unsure if you were talking really slowly or if your brain just couldn’t process the sound on time.

“Usually.” When you were able to look over at him, he had a bag of Tootsie Pops by his side, one of the sticks hanging out of his mouth. “You want one?”

You agreed by holding out your hand, letting him give you whatever flavor chance had picked for you.

He had unwrapped it already, which you thanked him for as the flavor of grape hit your tongue.

“What flavor did you get?” you asked, turning over so you could lay on your stomach, head propped up by your hands.

“Cherry,” he replied through a smile, opening his mouth to show you after he asked, “Is my tongue red?”

You giggled at him. “Yeah, it definitely is.”

There was a long, comfortable pause, but you were in no state to determine how long it lasted.

“I went on a date today.” It came out like an admission, despite your efforts to keep the statement casual.

He had an impressed look on his face ”Oh, yeah? With who?”

He sat up with what looked like some effort until he was sitting cross-legged. You breathed a laugh, casting your eyes to the pendant of his necklace where it rested against his sternum.

“This guy, Trevor.”

The shocked smile he gave you felt a little surreal in your state. “I didn’t know you even knew any other people here.”

“I actually met him today,” you admitted.

“And you went on a date with him?” And before you could answer, he continued. “How did it go?”

“It wasn’t really a date, per se. We just had coffee,” you informed. “And, actually, I even bought my own. “

He raised his eyebrows at you until you realized he wanted you to answer the other part of his question.

“Oh, it was okay. I liked him.”

“Was he kind to you?” he asked, keeping his expression level.

You nodded. “Yeah, he was. He offered to get my coffee, but I didn’t want him to think he was like. Doing me some big favor, you know?”

Josh huffed a laugh. “That sounds about right. Sounds like you.”

“We made plans for him to come over on Thursday and study.”

Josh tossed the stick of his sucker across the room, landing it perfectly in the little trash can by his door. “Would you like me to be gone for that?”

You frowned at nothing in particular. “Two things. One, how did you just make that shot? I can’t even move. And two, no, why would I want you to go?”

He shrugged, popping another sucker into his mouth. “I’m full of surprises, you’ve just gotta stick around.”

“Well, I live here so I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” The way you had muttered made him smirk at you. “But no, you obviously don’t have to leave while he’s here. Actually, I’d prefer if you didn’t - I don’t know him very well.”

Josh looked up at you through his lashes for a moment. “Then I’ll be here.”

The both of you hung out on his bed for an indiscernible amount of time, and not once did you ever feel less high. You had intended to get up and brush your teeth, but it didn’t happen, and there was nothing you could do about it. Your eyelids started to feel heavier than you could ever remember them being - like something had ahold of your leg and was dragging you down into sleep.

The last thing you could recall was the sound of Josh’s smoked-out voice, quietly humming along to the chorus of a song and the visualization of the sound behind your eyes, sweeping back and forth between notes.

#brightest blue fic #josh kiszka #josh kiszka fic #josh gvf fic #josh gvf #Greta Van Fleet #greta van fleet fic #greta van fleet fan fiction

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staliasjeronica · 3 years ago

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Riverdale S5 Ep11 Thoughts *Spoilers*

thoughts under cut to keep tag from being cluttered :)

- Oh yeah I forgot that Chad was blackmailing Veronica about the dirty dealings in her company even though it’s not her at all (unless it’s just been so long and I’ve forgotten but she’s my baby and I feel like I would’ve remembered but-

- Hiram and this dumb prison is one of the worst things for this show it’s a constant plot of people escaping and it’s so annoying like sure Hiram owns it and he was in the jail but no one has, like, taken him back to jail…??? Hiram is a fucking disease smh

- “back to remote learning” why didn’t you just stay that way though… like even right now in covid schools are opening back up and kids are complaining because it’s still not safe so like… just… go back to it??? I’m so not built for this world fasdhfkahf

- Veronica and Smithers 🥺🥺💞💞

- the way Veronica hugs Archie is so cute bc she’s so tiny but like she always gives her all and Archie is just 😐 never giving anything ahjfsdfsh it’s quite sad you can tell how done KJ is with Varchie lol

- “I really hate that I’m dragging you through this.” … what about constantly pulling him into your mob boss father mess that the writers refuse to allow you to escape from?

- “until you and Chad are officially done, I think we should keep our distance.” Varchie bones!!! you just KNOW that Archie has been looking forward to this because that man is whole heartedly in love with Betty and has been since forever and that while Chad prolongs the divorce papers, Archie will not be waiting for Veronica considering he doesn’t want her. Varchie = bones we love to see it!

- now who tf would join Penelope Blossom’s ministry… no one, realistically.

- can Cheryl stop being given the craziest and usually most boring plots ever please...

- Not someone holding a gun to Tabitha literally don’t hurt Riverdale’s best girl weirdo

- these bitches really haven’t aged huh…. poor Veronica though being robbed but like they stole some watches or something and the opal like that’s all you take..?? okay-

- Fangs 💞💞💞💞💞 also rip to him having to work with his ex tho

- STOP HAVING ARCHIE GO TO HIRAM WE’RE TIRED

- You know considering the whole reason why Hiram is still here as the villain and ruining Veronica’s life/growth to keep her in his plots al because Mark is a big soap opera celeb and apparently brings in money, you’d assume they would give him GOOD shit instead of everything he’s gotten. If they hadn’t of hired Mark can you imagine how much better off the show would be if they didn’t have to keep him around bc of his status????? God why-

- Reggie’s always there for Veronica muah…. oh fuck me I guess fjasjkdf

- “I work for one Lodge and it’s not you.” lmao okay??? you acting like that’s a flex, and that you’re working for the better Lodge who literally left you to die after the Serpents thought you shot Fangs so-

- MARTY BEING WHY REGGIE IS WORKING FOR HIRAM…….. YOUR DAD IS ABUSIVE LET HIM HANDLE HIS OWN DEBT??? God both Veronica and Reggie are always fucked over when it comes to their parents huh

- don’t you just love when they make characters act ooc for a plot ahhhhhh it’s totally fun to watch and totally not frustratingly annoying

- “FOR OLD TIMES SAKE.” 💞💞💞 we love Veggie even though they made Veronica act ooc and hurt him back then and they weren’t given an actual chance.

- “don’t be such a Betty” now why is Betty so surprised she only ever had fun when she was with Archie, when she’s with Jughead all she did was do what she wanted and order him around so likeefjhakdfh

- “he shouldn’t really be my problem anymore.” BUGHEAD BONES YASSSSS

- I know it was just a sound they used but like that squish sound when Darla kicked Tom’s face… did she like smash his face in damn what is this The Walking Dead?

- see the problem with them randomly bringing characters/parents in when they need them is that they’re never around so like no one really cares… like they could have utilized the parents so much (and Skeet and Marisol never would have left) and it would have been so much better than random appearances that make them look incompetent and awful parents because they’re never there during all the other times their kids need them. but we have to see the two toxic parents that won’t go away constantly??? literally what the fuck

- Betty calling Jughead’s writing cringey wbk she’s never liked his writing she was just stroking his ego bc she was his gf and had to be supportive lmaoo

- why are these 60+ year old men beating up Jughead like for why???

- so they just forgot that Tom was checking in on the convict huh gotta love dumbing down characters for plot!

- Fangs with his switchblade muah

- jealous Tabitha muahhh over a password

- “wait THE BETTY?"

- Cheryl looks so good

- Find meaning in his death… girl didn’t you not care that your husband killed your son over the illegal maple stuff I forgot the plot but it was something illegal and dumb

- “drain the vein” …...

- Reggie helping muah

- Why is Archie acting like an ass? like sure he doesn’t know that Chad is abusive and toxic but c’mon fucker you cheated on her and never apologized and you don’t even wanna be with her in the first place so why are you acting like you’re personally hurt sit down

- God Archie really hates Veronica huh… I don’t even blame him considering the shit she’s brought him into time and time again.

- Jughead was kicked like maybe five times yet he was fine falling out of a two story window and the serpent imitation but now he needs antibiotics..? plot convenience!

- literally don’t remember anything about Doc tbh or him talking to Donna and Bret like—

- ever since Negan people are obsessed with bats with barbed wire.

- also! yes please kill Hiram <3 I know they end up saving him bc of the opal but c'mon

- they searched basically nothing for five seconds wow such great detective work you guys!

- we know you just want his manuscript Jessica

- Cheryl with her rainbow skirt how cute!

- “daddykins” girl you’re like 25

- Veronica acting like she cares about Hiram fjsadhkfhas these guys thinking that they’d kill Hiram even though they need him lol

- bad bitch Ronnie we love her even though she’s gonna have to save her father to save others and get her opal </3

- not Veronica calling Archie first and not Kevin considering Kevin’s dad is there…. this is the pandering va fan service bs we have bc it makes no sense and it’s so forced

- Fangs knowing Archie rides with tools in his truck mmhm that’s a little sus idk how but archiefangs agenda coming through!

- no one would actually believe that Jessica ashkjdfsj and they take this bait…??? you gotta be joking lmao

- Jug got to help doc this time 🥺😭

- …. tell me why when he said boyfriend I immediately thought of Reggie I hate myself for wishing fahsdjkfsafj

- okay as cheesy and corny and awful the fight scene is since they posted a clip of it, them working together is so refreshing and nice we love leader!Veronica bc she’s so good at it. but the show only cares for Betty which is funny since she’s an awful detective fbahsdjfj

- my god enough with Jason’s body!!!!!!!!! you burned his body please let him stay dead let his body rest

- okay but the back and forth from Betty and Jessica is so good like I wish we could get that kind of rivalry drama type stuff all the time. too bad they refuse to let Veronica act like a normal person and get angry at being cheated on and such :/ when will Veronica slap the fuck out of Betty

- he’s not a blameless victim but Betty take responsibility for how awful a person you are PLEASE

- THE VOICEMAILLLLLLL Jughead only speaks the truth! it’s weird that he only realized what we all knew about Betty after but whatever, finally he gets upset like damn. also jeronica crumb he’s the only one to ever include Veronica smh ALSO Cole acted the fuck outta this voice mail muah

- the way Betty just sits there uncaring… she really is a freak huh god when will someone punch her in the face and take her ego down a million notches she’s so annoying

- “that’s darkness.” …?? what?

- the way bh’s relationship parallels jughead’s with Jessica though. the unhealthy habits, the bad energy, etc. except Jessica left it and Betty didn’t and it turned Betty into whatever the fuck this is. I miss s1 Betty :/

- so when will they sue Jessica for drugging them? mmhm probably never

- poor Tabitha being the only one who cares about jughead tho

- oh no I forgot there was a random musical number…

- you’re gonna have Betty and Tabitha act like THAT and not put them together so rude

- when will Cheryl be free from her mom. is was like turned on by abuse or something sigh why do the toxic (and most boring!) parents get plots and screen time and everyone else doesn’t...

- Veronica would be able to do Moree than pepper spray but whatever only Betty is allowed be “badass"

- fangs being fangs ugh so sexy my babyyyyy

- Trevor Stines is so attractive it’s a shame they only bring him back for five seconds to traumatize Cheryl over and over again though </3

- wow varchie in a pop’s booth what season is this again??

- god it’s so upsetting how amazing varchie would have been as just friends…

- the way he smiled at Veronica was so contradicting to the blank, “please don’t” expression when she was telling him she was gonna get divorced as fast as possible. why can’t he just admit he doesn’t want to be with her!!!!!! my god they’ve put off barchie long enough just let them be together so their characters can finally act in character and stop being so awful and annoying

- “this cause” what cause you fucking weirdo

- not Hiram threatening the mayor he could literally be your downfall if we had good writers fjasdkjfasf

- jughead how would you have killed him with a small wooden basket

- I like doc so much but I know we’ll never see him again until we randomly need him seasons from noow

- Betty wasn’t hit by the drugs until after the message though… how would she not remember? it didn’t seem to be doing anything to Betty until the bunker

- hopefully since they’re friends now Tabitha can make Betty act like a decent human being <3

- the way Tabitha looked at Betty please stop doing this to me...

- maybe we can finish that dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jabitha rising bughead dying we love to see it!

wow that episode felt like it was two hours long but thankfully I finally finished it… don’t have many actual thoughts but anyways hope you enjoyed my live blog of my thoughts!

#Riverdale #Thoughts #Spoilers

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cherryblossomshadow · 4 years ago

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Wonder Woman 1984 review

Long, rambly, and spoilery. You’ve been warned.

I saw WW84. I had thoughts. Let's talk about it.

I want to preface with the fact that it's amazing that we have another female-led superhero film! I loved Patti Jenkins' work with the first Wonder Woman (and this one too) and I'm so glad she's back for this one. There's obviously a lot to pick through, but first, a couple reminders.

No film will ever be "perfect."

Not every film is made specifically for you.

It is okay to vibe or disvibe with something. But that does not make it trash.

Also, please, keep in mind, what I'm expressing are my opinions. I'm entitled to mine as you are entitled to yours. I hope you have a lovely time on the internet, and I hope you wish the same for everyone you interact with.

Oh, and spoilers obviously.

Okay, with all that out of the way, let's dig in.

My overall experience with the film is positive! I had a great time watching it, it got me emotional, and I definitely want to watch it again. That said, I don't think it's better than the first one (although that would have been quite a feat), and that's ok. It's a continuation of a story we've already started, and it doesn't need to outshine the first.

Okay, after all the hyping up and disclaiming I've done, let's dig into what I didn't like about the film.

Number one is pacing. The storyline felt very erratic to me? Part of that, I feel, is because we have three (four?) main characters, and we jump between them pretty abruptly.

Number two is the themes. Now I do like the themes of WW84 (truth and sacrifice), I just don't think they were worked into the film as cohesively as I would have liked?

Number three is perceived character changes to Diana. And really, some of this is kinda circumstantial, I just thought it deserved its own bullet point. You'll see what I mean.

So, on Pacing.

We jump between Diana (and Steve), Barbara, and Maxwell pretty frequently. And before I talk about that, I have to talk about my view on the characters.

a. Now, I love the Mandalorian, but I was not personally invested in Maxwell's arc at all. Again, this is my take, and I know people disagree. Many people feel like Pedro Pascal carried the film on his shoulders. That's cool. He's a great actor. I'm glad he was in it. I just kinda checked out of every scene he was in (when he wasn't with his kid) because I wasn't invested in him. He played a sleazeball on purpose, and it worked. I was sleazed. So the movie kinda dragged for me whenever the camera panned to him.

b. I loved the focus on Barbara. I don't know Cheetah from the comics, so this is from a movie-only perspective. But I know one of the criticisms of the first film was that Diana didn't really talk to women after she left Themyscira (even though there was a perfectly good villainess sitting right there for her to converse with and have morality debates/fights with! Even Steve Trevor got to talk to Dr Poison!), so I thought it was great that 1) they set up a villainess for her to fight and 2) it was a villainess that she knew, she had talked to, she had formed a relationship with. It honestly surprised me that Barbara was helpful for so long (bc I had seen the trailer and got spoiled that she would become a villain), but I love that she genuinely did want to help Diana, up until she hit her hard limit (giving up her powers). Now, that being said, the Nerd Girl Makeover has been done a thousand times. I knew what her vague trajectory would be from the second she appeared on screen with frizzy hair. I did like that her motivation was not solely "pretty people are mean to me, and I want revenge and/or for this hot guy to like me," but specifically, "I want to be like this really cool girl" and then "I don’t want to be like anyone else; I want to be the best/number one" for myself." But I felt like the absolute inattention that she was shown at the beginning and the absolute worship Diana and later Barbara would get was ... highly exaggerated? And I know this was another criticism of the first film, that yeah "Diana did so well in the real world because SHE'S HOT and that's actually not empowering to women" or something. But like. Watching that part made me uncomfortable instead of seen. Pandered to, instead of impacted. Showing how looks change how society treats you is important, but not to this caricaturized degree.

c. (and d?) And lastly, Diana and Steve. Or more accurately, Diana and Steve's soul or memories or ??? that has been transplanted into some random man's body with absolutely no one's consent (I don't believe that Diana "consented" when making the wish, because she didn't know 1. That it would even work or 2. HOW it would work.). So ... Yeah. The first problem with this (chronologically, not by importance) is that it's really unclear what's going on? Some rando is reciting Steve's lines from the first film, then all of a sudden he turns into Chris Pine? (Fun fact: my aunt actually recognized the actor from Hallmark 😂 Could you imagine being the guy who gets replaced by Chris Pine for half the movie? Like "yeah, I played Steve Trevor, but they had Chris Pine do all the important parts" 😂😂😂). So, Diana and Steve finally figure out that he's inhabiting some engineer's body because of the wish she made. And then they bang. Or do they bang before they figure it out? Either way, yikes 😬. Not a good look.

To be clear, the yikes part is that Steve is inhabiting Engineer Dude's body without their consent (without his own either tho so that part's not really his fault), but then he chooses to do things sexually with that body that Engineer Dude didn't consent to (because he's like, literally not home. Whether he's been subsumed into Chris Pine or taken out or dormant or whatever). Oh, and then like, probably doing death-defying stunts with his body is also yikes. I'm not really sure what the rules around body possession are. Cuz you know.

Anyway, that is a huge issue that is literally not addressed. At all.

Again, I think they may have been trying to address some criticisms from the first film about Diana "getting rid of the dreaded V-card so quickly in Wonder Woman and then pining after Chris Pine (lol) for the rest of her long life" and how that sets back female sexuality and stuff. Which I get. They actually lampshaded it in WW84, how Chris Pine wants her to move on because "the world deserves her." Which I know what they were going for in the scene, but I feel like they didn't flesh out the journey from Hippolyta's "the world doesn't deserve you Diana" to Steve's "the world deserves you (to date them)" enough. But I digress.

I'm gonna talk a little bit more about the possession and that "the world deserves/doesn't deserve you" line in my Themes section, but honestly? From the previews, I assumed that Chris Pine was revived from the dead via time travel or something. Body possession was NOT in the the trailers. I think the Dreamstone could have created a body for him out of nothing. Or like "time-traveled" him into the future. So like. Why didn't they? Why introduce body possession at all? So they could make fun of the dude's clothes?

Okay, back to the pacing part of the pacing section. These three (four?) characters have completely different things going on in their lives (I actually forgot to talk about Maxwell, but he wants to "be the best," and he's gonna do it by giving people what they think they want (maybe) and then taking from them whatever he wants. Yeah idk). And all three do interact at the beginning (brownie points) even if the attempted seduction of Barbara by Maxwell makes me want to throw up. But the themes aren't worked in as cohesively as I would have liked, and the tone changes were jarring, as the film switched between them all.

Another facet of the movie is that the Dreamstone is kind of a mystery. And that was a deliberate Choice™, not a mistake. We're guessing at what the rock is doing and how and why and by who and all that stuff, and that's on purpose, but that makes for a confusing experience. Their approach is to throw something confusing at you and then explain it later. Which is great for worldbuilding. But not always for the Movie-Watching Experience™. So to recap, we're switching tracks and characters with their own separate stories while also setting up several confusing plot points that take a while to unravel. This all contributes to the Experience™, good or bad.

Honestly, I wonder how much Covid affected this movie? My dad felt like a lot of scenes probably got cut for various reasons, and it probably affected the flow of the movie. If so, it could have affected thematic coherence, too. Speaking of...

So, Themes.

The themes that I got out of this film were Truth and Sacrifice. Maybe I missed some; I'm not an experienced Media Critic™. But these are the ones I noticed.

And actually, these themes are really strong. Universally applicable, and used in all three character arcs. It's just tied in a bit ... erratically?

So working backward, knowing that the Dreamstone is giving you a lie, you need to renounce your wish and accept the Truth™. This is echoed in Diana's flashback, where she needed to accept that she didn't win.

Working backward again, Sacrifice was a big part of the story for all three characters because Diana was willing to sacrifice her power to keep Steve, but he wanted her to sacrifice him so she could save the world. Barbara was willing to sacrifice her "humanity" or "empathy" or whatever she lost for the power and influence she got by emulating Diana, and she was unwilling to sacrifice that to save the world. Maxwell was willing to sacrifice time with his son to "become the best," but he did sacrifice that to save his son's life.

And then, full circle, he confessed to his son that he wasn't the best, he's actually a filthy liar. Which, yes, kudos for the themes, be honest with your children, but you can still sanitize it a bit. That speech alone would have traumatized the kid.

Speaking of speeches, Antiope's speech confused me in a similar way? Like, she stops Diana from "winning" the tournament after cheating, and goes on this weird rambly rant which goes from "accept that you're not a winner" to "cheating is bad and so is lying." Which yes, cheating is bad, but it's weird that she wouldn't have been disqualified at this point for not shooting that last target? Like, did she need to be tackled? Idk, I felt like they came up with the line they wanted Antiope to say first, and then just made her say it. (And also, in other stories, Diana would have been praised for being "clever" and "never giving up without a fight." So like, I needed a bit more preparation for which take they were going for, because the anti-cheating spiel felt jarring to me.)

And again, I wonder if this is a response to a criticism of this first film. (Warning: WW17 rant gearing up)

When Diana has her big motivational flashback during her fight with Ares, she thinks about Steve, this dude she just met a week ago, saying he loved her. When she could have been thinking about literally any of the women who had raised her. I personally think it would have been cool to hear some of Antiope's words at that point. Since they set up Hippolyta and Antiope to have conflicting ideas over whether Diana should fulfill her humanity-saving destiny, it might have been cool to see her saying something about humans and how they need her or how she should help them or something. They could even have done the whole thing with not being able to hear Steve's last words, but with Antiope since she dies earlier in the film and doesn't finish speaking. I also think it would have been cool for them to expand Hippolyta's earlier line about "They don't deserve you, Diana," here to like "They need you, Diana," or something. And then Steve's line in WW84 could have been something like "They're with you, Diana," or "They could get to know you, Diana," and her character arc could have been about actually living among society and maybe getting to know these humans that she's saved so many times (which they kind of alluded to when she and Barbara had their little date at the beginning of the film). But I digress.

So, yeah, I found both of these speeches to be ... Not great? Like I can tell what they're going for and how they tie into the themes, but they're so heavy-handed and they don't actually fit in too well to the moment they happen in. Like as soon as the speech starts, you realize that they started going meta on you. The character isn't really speaking to the other character, they're speaking to us, and they're telling us how this scene ties into the greater themes of the film.

Oh and they have this great quote from Antiope "greatness is not what you think" and then Maxwell's son wishes for him to be "great." And they do nothing with it :(

As promised, I want to talk about the body possession a little bit more. So again, one of the recurring themes is Truth™. Which is a great choice for Wonder Woman, what with her Lasso of Truth.

But it's tied in a bit haphazardly. They force it into a conversation about cheating in a flashback at the beginning of the film. And then they talk about how you need to accept the Truth™ in order to defeat the Dreamstone. I already talked about the cheating, and how the "accept that you're not a winner" was kind of a weird path to take to get your point across to a ten year old girl.

But the Dreamstone. Oh, the Dreamstone. I said before that the movie is a mystery. It shows you things but doesn't explain them. Well, this is a bit of a problem. Because they never actually explain that the Dreamstone is giving you lies. To my eyes, the Dreamstone is changing reality. Steve is back, Barbara is powerful, and Maxwell is doing whatever he wants with the powers of the Dreamstone. THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A LIE TO ME. THERE IS NO "TRUTH" TO ACCEPT, JUST YOUR NEW REALITY. And that made the film less thematically strong (to my eyes, anyway. Other people probably picked up on stuff I didn't). But I feel like this might have been an easy fix? Like you already have Chris Pine in someone else's body (oh! So that's why they chose body possession! Because he's a Lie™! ... Still don't like it) I still think he should have manifested his own body or something but whatever. Barbara's appearance hardly changed at first. If they had people reacting to her as if she was hot when she really looked the same as she always does, then I would have bought your "but the Dreamstone only gives you lies." Instead, Barbara gained the power to walk in heels and then hotness and then the literal power of a God™ (a la Diana) which makes me think the Dreamstone is changing reality. Not bringing lies.

Oh, also, they could have had Diana's Lasso of Truth stop working for her. I thought that's what they were going for at first, but it turns out that Diana is just losing her powers. They also started with "the Dreamstone will give you what you want most," but then Maxwell started using it to clear traffic? Which by the way, is NOT an illusion. That is reality-bending.

There were just so many ways to make it obvious that "the Dreamstone is giving you lies," but they didn't use them. Or at the very least, they didn't commit. I felt like they used a little bit of "be careful what you wish for" (mostly on randos that Maxwell is duping), a little bit of "what are you willing to sacrifice," and a little of "you can have what you want, but it won't be real." All of which are valid ways to take a Dreamstone kind of story, but if they wanted to rely so heavily on Truth™ as the main theme, then I feel like more of the wishes should have been showcasing that. Instead, it felt like a jumble of all the kinds of messages we're used to seeing with Wish-Granting Objects, with no emphasis on specifically the "it's all a lie" part.

Ugh, I'm actually mad now, because I'm trying to think of a story I've heard where this magical thing is granting wishes but they're Explicitly Not Real. Like all the money gets turned back to leaves or whatever (kinda like Cinderella's pumpkin lol). Oh, Aladdin does this, too, because yeah Genie is granting wishes and changing reality, but not permanently? Like, almost all of the stuff he uses magic to do dissolves as soon as we're looking away from it or gets fixed by the end of the movie? And the film is very very clear on the fact that Aladdin is not factually a Prince.

But this film doesn't do that. They make it seem like the Dreamstone can change reality, then berate the characters for not Accepting the Truth™ about themselves. Maybe if they had made a bigger deal out of Steve coming back in someone else's body, it would have been 1) less confusing, 2) less icky (provided they don't do the sex in Engineer Dude's body), and 3) more thematically coherent.

Lastly, Diana's perceived character changes.

This one is probably the most subjective. Diana, as a character, in the first film was very morally grounded and motivated. The Diana in this film felt ... different. Again. Subjective. And also circumstantial.

Diana is still morally grounded in this film. But she's also willing to sacrifice the world to keep Steve Trevor around. Which feels like a jarring change from her characterization in the first film. She was so idealistic and optimistic in that first film, I couldn't imagine her making that choice. It just felt like such a tone change for her character. How did we go from "Who will I be if I stay?" to "Why, for once, can't I just have this one thing, Steve? ... I can't give you up. I can't. So I won't."

Also, her motivation in this film seemed to center around her loss of Steve Trevor and wanting him, and less around "save the world." Which, to be fair, I'm all for women being selfish in film. Give me women of all motivations and desires. I don't want Diana to be Perfect™. I just want her to be consistent. And I didn't think this characterization was as consistent as I expected. Was her life so terrible without Steve (even though they only knew each other for a short time)? Not to say this couldn't be a valid take on Diana (reminder: I haven't read any comics, so maybe it's not in character at all 🤷‍♀️), but if that's what they were going for, they should have developed the journey from naive idealist to jaded romantic more in order to justify this character change.

Also, the body possession thing. She's really okay with her boyfriend possessing somebody else's body. I did like the "All I See Is You" line, since it's romantic, but up until that point, we as viewers aren't really sure why Chris Pine and Hallmark Dude are both playing this guy. Then we find out in a romantic line that Chris Pine is just Wonder Woman's view of him. He still looks like Engineer Dude because he is Engineer Dude. At first, I thought that they used a different guy for the first meeting because Diana didn't recognize him. That this was her perception of him until she realized who it was. (I thought this was supported by Chris Pine's more rugged look in this film. But actually they were probably matching him to the body he was inhabiting, since the character really didn't look like himself). Leverage does a similar thing in the Rashomon Job. All the characters saw each other at the same event, but they didn't know each other back then, so they had different actors play their parts until it's slowly revealed that actually the random people at the event were the characters we know and love. It's great. Anyway, that's not what they're going for here, and the ambiguous framing along with Diana and Steve's chemistry is supposed to make you forget that he is possessing someone else’s body! Against their will! (Again, Steve and Diana didn't consent to the initial possession either, but they absolutely consented to what they did together. Engineer Dude did not.)

Yikes 😬

I will say, she didn't kill innocents this time. One of my critiques of the first movie was that she was so willing to kill Germans. And I get it, Nazis are usually an "acceptable" target in American media. But as a character, she believed that they were innocents who had been manipulated by Ares. And yet, she was slaughtering them en masse. But, in this movie, they're really careful to make sure that she's nonlethal.

And yeah, that's it.

Asteria was of course awesome. That bonus credit scene was 👌

I'm glad they got Linda Hemming back for costuming after the disaster of Justice League. Unfortunately, being set in the 80's, the outfits are not quite so modest as the first movie. But the important thing was the lack of male gaze in those shots.

The movie definitely hit me in my emotions. I cried three times: first during the tournament, watching the Amazon's being awesome. Then during Diana and Steve's fight, and when Steve convinced Diana to let him go. 😭

As I said, I definitely plan on rewatching. It makes me sad to see how much negative press that the movie is getting when it's one of so few female-led blockbusters. A lot of people are comparing it to the original or to the comics or TV show, when those are just not valuable comparisons. Comic books and TV shows are completely different mediums. And a successful sequel CONTINUES a story, instead of rehashing it. And also, not all films are created specifically for YOU. A lot of the 80's references went over my head, but that's ok. They weren't for me. I don't begrudge their existence just because I don't vibe with them.

Again, no film is perfect! I think I talked through a lot of its weaknesses pretty thoroughly, but I still think it's a strong film, and I want it to succeed.

Anyhoo, I hope you had fun watching the movie (even though it's not perfect) and I hope you had fun reading my commentary.

(Fun fact: I actually ran out of space in my notes app and had to stretch it across two notes)

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blushed-selfshipper · 4 years ago

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Hey it's me again (ofloveandknights) and 1st of all, thanks for the follow and semi blog review, it was sweet of you.

Second of all, you said that your si stayed with alucard post drac defeat, I just wonder how that went, like daily routines I guess + how'd you have the debocal in season three go for you guys then?

Hi! Again, so sorry that I answered till now, I had a terrible week lol But to answer:

I feel like, at that moment, my SI would have helped him take care of the castle, especially after the events of the previous seasons and just chilling overall. Adrian would probably insist on training them, just the basics and stuff, he would fear SI not being able to protect themself if the occasion arises, not only because Trevor would burn the world if that happened, but because he himself has come to care for SI.

Now, in regards of season 3, I think about two routes:

Honestly, the first one is just pretending it didn’t happen XD it’s just that I have read so many takes on how wrong it was (not to get into more discourse on this blog :s), from the biphobia, to the racism, etc, that I sometimes just like to pretend my SI met Sumi and Taka and just went “nope” and Alucard being bff with SI, he would have listened.

He also wouldn’t have had the need to open up to complete strangers having a friend already there. I mean, I feel part of the reason as to why things happened was because he felt so lonely (not putting the blame on him, tho), so having SI with him would have helped his mental health by a lot.

The other route, which is taking the s3 events into consideration, I just think SI wouldn’t have been present, either they would have been nearby, but not close enough to check on Alucard often, or they would have been somewhere else (since my SI is a healer, I often imagine them being on other villages healing people while the events of each season happen. That’s my explanation as to why they are not shown in the show lol), because I can’t imagine SI ever letting Alucard’s plotline in s3 happen. Not on their watch.

In this second route, SI probably returns before Trevor and Sypha and is the one that finds the impaled bodies of Taka and Sumi and they are devastated by it, asking Adrian what happened. I think Alucard would become very distrustful of them, he would probably try to ambush them, but wouldn’t hurt them as he knows SI didn’t have anything to do with what happened, but yeah, I think SI would be the one to comfort him the most.

Then, when Sypha and Trevor finally return, SI would throw hands at them, but then again, SI had also left him, so there would probably be a lot of guilt in the air, with the three (Sypha, Trevor and SI) blaming themselves for everything, even though there was no way for them to know what would happen.

No and add to that that Sypha and Trevor are also very broken after s3, I-

So yeah, a very complicated topic, that’s why the first route is the happier, easier one to go! 😊😊😊

Thank you so much for your asks! I’ll be sending you somes asks too! I’m just shy and take my time, but I am very curious about your own ships and blog! Especially about Obey me, because I recently installed it! 🙊

#anon #sorry for the terrible english and that this got looong

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nappinenn · 4 years ago

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contact, wild card

Contact: how does your OC(s) feel about touch/physical contact? are they affectionate? if so, how do they display affection to others?

Ziggy - Hates it unless she's drunk or it's Ellen. Needs plenty of personal space and tends to show affection mostly by doing little things like noticing what kind of starbursts you like so she can leave them uneaten. Makes it a point to perform some sort of PDA with Ellen, so people know they're dating because she's afraid someone might try to hit on her gf.

Ellen - Uncomfortable with strangers, but very affectionate with friends and family. Loves playing with Ziggys hair, especially when they cuddle as they go to sleep. Loves hugs and often leaves notes for people to find. Also overtly concerned of others and their well-being and easily falls into Mom-mode.

Bee - Used to be a big fan, but is wary of it now. Zero interest in romantic affairs. Shows affection and intimacy by being present in the moment and by giving the person he is interacting with his undivided attention. Does engage with friendly shoulder pats and once in a blue moon if someone is willing; a comforting hug (they are VERY good).

Randall: He's a player so ake what you will from that. Has a crush on Ziggy and tries to do some flirty shoulder punches etc. while at work. She punched him back once and he lost a tooth, but at least Ziggy took it home with her which he assumed was just her way of saying she likes him even if it was weird. Very cuddly but kind of an oblivious dumbass so don't expect any emotional awareness from him.

Wild card: talk about any oc! Anything you want!

Okay!! I'm gonna use this to name a couple of them and give you some basic info, since I've never really talked about them 💕

Ziggy, 24, F, a poodle

You've met her! She is the light coloured poodle gal I draw sometimes :D

Ziggy is a complete and utter party animal, has temperament issues and she's just like when she was a teen, except now she's forced to do taxes sometimes. She isn't sociable and many people dislike her as she can be a little crude, standoffish and rude, but she is kind at heart and loves those close to her dearly...in her own way. Ziggy is a heavy smoker, but due to encouragement (read; relentless whining and deep concern) from her girlfriend Ellen, she is trying to transfer to vaping. She doesn't enjoy it as much, but the watermelon flavour has made her more willing to at least try. She also drinks a little too much, and her boss is most displeased about it (she is a bartender at a bar called Sewer Rat). She started HRT at 18.

Ellen, 22, NB, a bombay cat

Goes by she/they but prefers she, is butch, and very progressive. Many people can find her off-putting at first, because she struggles with displaying and reading facial expressions. She is however extremely kind and friendly and tends to keep her girlfriend on a leash aka out of jail for punching a cop or something similar (unless justified!). She grew up too quickly, having to take care of her father who developed bipolar after her mom left. She is responsible and sometimes plays the violin and is oddly good at ballet. Has a distressing obsession with teeth and likes to collect them so having a punch-happy gf has proven to be a real asset in that regard! She does freelancer video editing and photography.

Bee, 37, M, a schnauzer

Weird guy and overly friendly so he can come off as creepy, especially with his unkept appearance. Completely oblivious about it tho and is just overall Extremely sweet. Lonely and jobless, lives off alimony checks he gets from his rich ex-wife. Depressed and still hung up on her, but is trying to let her go since she married the man she had had an affair with for the last 5 years of their marriage. Some fridays the lesbians next door invite him over for dinner and game night. He often brings the only dish he knows how to make, lasagna, because the girls seem to only eat fast food.

Sad because he always wanted to be a dad but couldn't have kids of his own with his ex, so he often hangs out near the fire escape he shares with the other lesbian, Ziggy, so they can chat while she's smoking out her window. Helping Ziggy with her problems has brought him such deep fulfilment he started online university and studies to become a therapist.

Bee is a nickname he was given in middle school, his full name is Bentley.

Randall, 26, M, French bull terrier

A bartender with Ziggy at Sewer Rat. Works out a lot. Doesn't really understand the woke thing and think there is still hope for him because her co-worker had a boyfriend once, even tho she's dated her girlfriend for 4 years. The girlfriend also looks a little like a guy, so maybe she's not a lesbian. Kind of an ass. Lives in a flat with 3 housemates, two being his twin Trevor and adopted brother Stephen. He is the 'middle' pup which has always left him in the shadows of his brothers, especially after Stephen because he was only a few months old when his parents adobted him. A bit bitter, and likes to play pranks. Just an average asshole of a dude. Still, somewhere deep in his heart has hopes of becoming a better person.

Trevor, 26, M, a French bull terrier

An overachiever, suffers from anxiety and wants to have a better relationship with Randall. Skateboards in competitions sometimes and works in an art gallery part-time while going to law school and taking online courses of his true passion; coding. A true busy bee, but only because he is pressured to. Keeps the boys of the household in check and is often labelled as the 'not fun' one. Loyal and kind person, just wants what's best for everyone, especially his brothers. Dislikes their parents, but respects them so keeps his mouth shut. Enjoys politics and often goes to protests and donates go charities. Just wants to sit down with a cup of tea one day and play a visual novel for a couple hours without distractions.

Stephen, 14, M, a fruit bat

Lives with his brothers because their parents left to travel the world. Secretly does graffiti and gets into fights with Trevor a lot. Thinks the world revolves around Randall. A troubled teen. Often hangs out at the youth center with his friends where they play billiard. Gets detention often, mostly for disturbing class and for playing pranks on the teachers.

Venus, 14, M, a rat

Best friends with Stephen since kindergarten. A sweet kid, but feels pressured to be rebellious by his peers. Dates a girl from another school, sorry her parents don't let her use the Facebook so you can't look her up. Videogame streamer and secretly does well in math. Sometimes sad Stephen can be a bit mean, but it's probably just because he is a bat and forced to go to school during the day. Likes salmiakki and avoids anything that isn't vegetarian friendly, but has no set rules about his diet and will down a burger sometimes. Wants to go scuba diving.

#oc spam #my oc #well many of them #ziggy #ellen #bee #bentley #randall #trevor #stephen #venus #long post #not art #ask #anon

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braincoins · 5 years ago

Text

Castlevania 3 Liveblog

I dumped all of this on @toxicure because they were asleep and then I decided to dump it all on all of you.

Minor spoilers occasionally, but most of it is out of context babbling.

and now to make cryptic non spoilery comments while you sleep

such as:

Awww

and

Oh, I was wondering about THAT. WELL THEN.

oh, someone's done well for themselves

I'm glad to see Treffy's friends continue to treat him ...well. >_>

and that Treffy continues to be a stranger to soap and water

"scribal skills" I'ma put that on my business cards

oh he gets a THE now

Fancy fancy

OH THAT'S A MEME IMAGE

never ever thought I'd say this but I agree with Trevor

also, so many people this season who are like, "I have no name. Call me The ___"

maybe THAT'S where the "the" came from!

oh that explains Mr. Freaky Eyes then

I LOVE HER

LOVE HER

"you saw that I have a knife, right?" Oooooh someone getting snarky

y'know, for a show that's so blatant about murder and gore and violence, they're SUPER squeamish about any sort of nudity

wait that might've been a sliver of penis! QUICK GET THE BELMONTS HERE STAT!

oh, yeah, nevermind, they're getting less squeamish about it all the time

OMG THEY FOUND THEM

lesbians

is... is that one dude masturbating?

oh no it's just crazy rocking okay nevermnind

wait shit I'm starting to agree with Crazy McFuckoEyes

In this episode we find out Trevor is not stealthy

AND SYPHA IS FUCKING AMAZING but we knew that but SERIOUSLY I LOVE HER

well. talk about being a slave to fashion

Isaac would be one hell of a Pokemon Master.

Like no one ever was.

Remind me never to put my elbows on the table or use the wrong fork. o.O

I really really really wish Alucard were here for this moment. xD

Oh, well, at least SOMEONE walked in on this self-pitying monologue

also, no surprise it was HER idea because she's awesome

what a leaden town [ba-dum TISH!]

no but seriously are they gonna try to turn it into gold?

Sypha is ENJOYING this

i love her SO MUCH my heart's gonna explode

I can't wait to see the Ifso Factso of this

OMG HE'S TOTALLY ADOPTED THEM

[snerk] wow, whipped and he KNOWS it

and speaking of whipped men...

aaaaaaand someone's just developed a BDSM kink

oh well there's where the effects budget went

the cows are like 'dude you took SO MANY SHROOMS'

Oh, and in case you forgot, Warren Ellis thinks Christianity should Aria of Swallow His Dick

omg they're a mood

also can I just say that I support guys wearing crop tops?

OMG STOP TOYING WITH MY HEART WARREN ELLIS

BELNADES AND BELMONT

also. ALSO. I want to know what Jason Isaacs thought when he was given THAT LINE.

"Okay, okay, we want you to say this the same way you'd say 'MUGGLES' or 'MUDBLOODS' or..." "Look, I did movies other than those ones. You know that, right?" "Yeah, yeah, sure whatever, just say it like MUDBLOODS." "Ugh." "YES, LIKE THAT!"

Oh no, no, no, hon. You haven't just felt useless. You've been useless.

Useless, but hot [fans self]

uh oh. See, I knew not to like that dude.

OKAY THAT IS FUCKTASTIC.

Castlevangelion?!

I SWEAR TO SYPHA IF THEY HURT HIM....

[snort] Dude is not used to being helped; Treffy is not used to helping people, it's awkward for everyone involved here.

TREFFY IS A CAT PERSON CONFIRMED

SERIOUSLY.

You thought TREVOR was the main character of "Castlevania"?

Trevor Belmont, last son of the House of Belmont: I am the main character. Sypha Belnades: [clears throat] Trevor: What? I am. Sypha: [gives him a Look (TM)] Remember that sex you were hoping to have? Trevor: No, no, you're right, she's right, Sypha's the main character. Sypha: Good brain-damaged servant. ^_^ You can have a beer now. Trevor: Thank God. Sypha: And after the beer, you can go punch some monks. Trevor: YESSSSSSSSS. And, uh... after the beer and monk-punching? [hopeful grin] Sypha: [looks him up and down] After the beer, the monk-punching, and a BATH. Trevor: Absolutely.

"I'm... I'm pretty?" This is a man who has never looked in a mirror.

Look, in Castlevania-land you're either pretty or you're some sort of horrible freak, man-wise. That's really the only two options.

You're Dracula or you're Godbrand. That's it.

omg he's pretty AND stupid

Okay I think the main message of s3 is "Men are stupid and need women to set them straight. Just be careful what KIND of woman you're obeying totally and entirely." I might be reading into things a bit. I mean, there's also... y'know... the entire rest of the plot.

wow that random guard dude has NO sword discipline whatsoever. Just waving a sword around like that? You'll take someone's knees off! Probably the guard dude in front of you!

the FUCK was that shot? It looked like we had claymation from a British kids' show for a second there

omg how are you THIS DUMB

does... does he wear a nightgown?

loosely laced like that, too?

damn, you little slut fodder for fanartists says what?

oh no. oh NO.

oh MY.

I LITERALLY JUST CHOKED ON MY COCOA

holy hell where'd she get those tits from? She must've been binding like HELL. HOW COULD YOU BREATHE?!?!?!

we're hopping between 4 different scenes: 2 are violence and 2 are sex. And I just KNOW that Pengy's gonna wake up and come out during a sex bit. I JUST KNOW IT

okay that's... that's like Katamari Hellmacy I guess 'cause What the FUQ

IT'S RAININ' MEN!

SING IT, ISAAC

Okay, look. We get to see all THIS sex, but we didn't get to see the one we REALLY WANTED? Like. Mr. Ellis. My Dude.

you're immortal and you never, in all that time, learned any combat skills? Not even in self-defense?

Isaac still leading the way in Forgemaster Fashion tho

does that thing have an eye in its crotch? Eye vagina. Vag-eye-na

OH FUCK YES LOOKIT MY BABE GO

the weird super smoothed-out combat animation is trippy tho

I have a THEORY there but I left it out 'cause I'm trying to keep the spoilers to a minimum

OH NO! THE MAD STRAWBERRY LORD TRIUMPHS?!?!?

OR NOT!!

I KNEW IT

oh no oh no I KNEW it

[has to actually clap hand over mouth so as not to wake husband]

you know... on one hand, if I'D been running this show, I'd've made that the last shot of the season because I'm an evil bitch. on the other hand, THANK SYPHA THAT IS NOT THE LAST SHOT OF THE SHOW

HELL YES THAT PIECE OF DIALOGUE

the fuck

WHERE DID YOU SEND THAT KID?! O_O

LEVEL UP! NEW SPELL UNLOCK!

DRAMATIC ORGAN MUSIC SAYS YOU'RE FUCKED?!?!?!

omg

will you two just go home and fuck Alucard already?

apparently everyone who dies goes to Hell.

Just. Just straight up.

ok but seriously dude the kid's okay?

OMG YOU FUCKER

good Treffy smart Treffy

[snerk] Carmilla and the lesbians like "TMI TMI TMI"

oh no honey you're not a SLAVE, you're a PET.

That's SO MUCH BETTER

and... wow. Okay. So. Yeah. Honoring our families again, I see. Yay.

THE END.

#Castlevania s3 #Lite Spoilers #Mostly if you already know what the fuck is going on

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having-a-freddie-time · 6 years ago

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save me

summary: Y/N is trying her hardest to get out of an abusive relationship without telling anyone. However, she can’t always hide the bruises, especially from her best friend since childhood, Ben Hardy. Once he finds out, he tries his best to help her out without her getting hurt.

warnings: doctor talk, fluff, tiny bit of angst, very sad family reunion, tears lol, some cussing. angst at the end tho lol

a/n: this part will be both fluffy and sad! also, it makes me so happy that so many people are wanting to be tagged in this!! please feel free to shoot me an ask, message or comment if you want to be tagged!! enjoy <3

word count: 2.8k

••••••••

"Mummy...?"

You couldn't believe what you were seeing right in front of you. Your mom, dad and twin brother were standing right before your eyes. Tears poured down your cheeks, your vision blurry from the salty liquid. You stood up from the wheelchair and ran into the arms of your family. You all held onto to each other, you ignored the soreness coursing throughout your body as you felt tight arms wrapped around you. You bawled into your dad's shoulders as your brother rubbed your back and your mom ran her fingers through your hair. Ben watched, his heart growing warm as he witnessed you in your happiest state. You dreamt of seeing your family again, although it was under better circumstances, but that didnt matter. They were finally there, holding you and making you feel safe.

After five minutes of crying and grabbing at eachother, the four you finally pulled away from one another. With tear stained cheeks, red and puffy eyes, you smiled brightly and help your hand to your heart. You figured Ben set this all up and made a mental note to make it up to him. Your brother, James, came up to you and placed his hands on your cheeks, wiping the tears from your eyes. You smiled and put your hands on top of his, looking him in the eyes. He had changed quite a bit from the last time you saw him. He had scruff growing all along his face, making him no longer look like a baby. You used to make fun of him for being a late bloomer, calling him "baby face" and pinching his cheeks. Now your baby brother, who was born a minute after you, was a big man. Although just 60 seconds apart, you always made him know that you were older.

"Look at how grown up my baby brother is!"

"You're only sixty seconds older than, you're not that cool." He chuckled and rolled his eyes playfully. He planted a small peck on the top of your head, taking advantage of his towering height over you. You smiled and leaned into him, scratching his back as he planted his chin on the top of your head. You both stayed in the position for awhile. Soon enough, tears formed in your eyes as guilt washed over you. You had always longed for warm and sweet hugs from your brother. His hugs had always made you instantly feel better if you were having a shitty day. He had always been taller than you, which made his hugs better. The sight made your mother cry as well, finally seeing her babies together again. She always took pictures of the hugs you and James shared. Her excuse as to why was to make y'all remind each other that you actually loved one another when you two got into typical brother/sister arguements. Everyone knew deep down that she took them for herself.

"I have missed you three way more than words could ever describe. I hate myself for never contacting you guys. I was just so-"

"Afraid? It's okay, Lily, Benny told us what we needed to know. He didn't go into too deep of detail in case you wanted to say more." Your father proclaimed, bringing you into his embrace. You wept as he held you, feeling a mix of a million emotions. You gripped your father's back tightly, as if you were going to lose him again. You cried as you heard him say your nickname he had given you at the age of three. You took in his fatherly scent, a mix of after shave and lavender. For some odd reason, your father always smelt like lavender, you never questioned it because you didn't mind it at all. It was a comforting scent you've grown to love.

The two you pulled away, looking into each others eyes. You and your dad had the exact same eye color. A mix of light blue and emerald green, almost identical. Everyone always complimented your eyes, you always bragged about how you had the exact same eye color as your dad's. James even had the same eye color, which left your mum's chocolate brown eyes out of the picture. However, your brother and you always looked more like your mum than your pops.

Your father planted a kiss on your forehead and gave you a nice big squeeze before pulling away and turning towards Ben. He clapped a hand on his shoulder and drew him in for a hug. He had always been the hugging type of man, if he shook your hand, he probably didn't like you. So coincidentally, he shook Trevor's hand when they first met, which should have been your first warning sign.

"Thank you for taking care of her, Benny." He whispered to him, just so he could hear. Ben nodded, turning his head towards you. His heart melted as he watched you and your mum holding onto each other like a mom koala and its baby. If it was possible, his pupils would have been in the shape of a heart. To nobody's knowledge, Ben had been feeling something different for you lately. Something he'd never imagined feeling about you. It made his heart flutter at the sight of you, his knees buckle when you laughed or smiled, his cheeks flush when you touched him, and his heart grow more each time you spent time together. He couldn't even begin to express his feelings for you because he didn't exactly know what it was. He had spent countless hours trying to draw up some type of conclusion. He failed nevertheless. When you had first told him about Trevor and his abusive ways, he wanted to break down right then and there. His heart broke into a million different pieces, but he had to tape it up to stay strong for you. He would go home and cry into his pillow, guilt coursing through his veins as he couldnt get the images of someone hurting you mercilessly out of his head. He shuddered at the thought and snapped out of his daze when he felt James wrap an arm around his shoulders. Ben smiled and brought James into a tight embrace. James was like the brother Ben never had. When the three of you were in high school and you were beginning the stages of womanhood, he spent a lot more time James as you spent more time with girlfriends.

A week later...

Your eyes flitted open, adjusting to the bright sunlight peaking through the curtains. You looked around, smiling at the fact that you had finally been discharged. You were discharged the following Friday when your family visited. Sadly, your parents lived five and half hours away and your brother lived even farther than them. They stayed until Friday morning, helping you get ready to leave. You spent that entire week, catching up with them and making plans for when you start feeling better. In this midst of that, Ben was off with Gwilym, making some plans of his own that you had zero knowledge of. He came back that Friday to take you back home to his flat. While you were in the hospital, James, Gwil and Ben had been moving your stuff out of your flat after it had been released by the police. You admitted to Ben that you were too afraid to live there anymore. Thus creating the idea of you moving into Ben's flat. He had two more spare bedrooms that you live in. You basically lived with him anyways so there wouldn't be that much of a difference. So you agreed, after arguing with Ben about you paying rent and him insisting that he doesnt give a damn. The two of you finally came to the compromise you paying fifty fifty of the rent with him each month.

Taking a deep breath, you swung your legs over the bed, throwing your comforter off of your body. Disconnecting your phone from the charger and slipping on some house shoes, you made your way downstairs to see Ben in the kitchen cooking the two of you some delicious breakfast. Which contained waffles, bacon, scrambled eggs, english muffins with strawberry cream cheese (your favorite), and tea. You shot him a warm smile as you walked towards the kitchen island and jumping up to plop a seat on it.

"What are we gonna do today?" You asked, reaching your hand towards the english muffins, only for Ben to smack it and tsk you. You creased your eyebrows and pulled away, playfully pouting. Ever since you got out of the hospital, living with Ben had been such a breeze. You were still on medical leave from work and Ben didn't have many big things in his acting world at the moment so you both spent quite some time together. He helped you sell your old flat and put all of Trevor's shit into a storage unit. You hadn't seen Trevor since you saw him being arrested after the attack. It was quite the heavenly sight to see, though the events that led up to it were horrific. You still had nightmares from the attack, causing you to wake up at ungodly hours in a sweat and tears. Ben wasn't aware of these nightmares because he slept like a rock. The only way you could calm yourself was to walk around the house, to become aware of your surroundings, to know that you were now safe. Often, you'd find yourself sitting outside of Ben's door, tempted to knock and crawl into his arms. Just knowing he was in the room comforted you. Luckily, he let you have the room that was closest to his, making it accessible for the two of you reach each other quickly.

"Maybe shopping? Need to get some more groceries then maybe we could go to the mall?" He asked, looking at you while carefully making you and himself a plate. Usually you'd argue about going shopping but since selling your house, you had some money in the bank. Along with the house, you also had money from your last check from work and your paid medical leave. When your boss had found out about your situation, he insisted on making it a paid medical leave as he wanted you not to worry about anything. You shrugged your shoulders in agreement. You had lowkey been wanting to do some retail therapy here lately. Usually, you'd be at the bottom of a vodka bottle, but it made you shiver at the thought of who you used to be.

"I wouldn't mind that, been wanting to go shopping lately. Retail therapy is the best way to go." You joked as you stabbed your fork into your waffle and bringing it to your mouth. Ben watched you, a smile rose on his lips as he did so. Each day he felt like he was falling harder and harder for you. He wanted so badly to ask you out but considering your trust for men has decreased dramatically, he decided against it and was willing to wait for you. He could never imagine pushing you and making you uncomfortable. It was the last thing he had ever wanted. All he wanted was to make you happy, together or not. Seeing your smile after going through a hurricane, made his heart sing.

"After this, don't forget to take your meds." Ben reminded as he started cleaning up all the dirty dishes he used to cook with. You nodded as you took a sip of your tea, not breaking eye contact with your phone. You had gotten a couple of sweet direct messages, emails and comments from Ben's fans every now and then when he post about you. His recent post was a picture of you in the wheelchair as you were leaving the hospital. You had a thumbs up and a soft smile. The caption always made you smile when you would read it.

'Strongest gal I have ever known. You're the bestest. @yourusername.'

You turned your phone off and put it face down, finishing up your breakfast and tea. You stood up, grabbing your cup and plate and placing them in the sink before heading to the upstairs bathroom. You let Ben know you were going to shower before you two would leave. He nodded and headed up to his room to get ready. When you made it to your closet, you tapped your index finger against your chin trying to decide what to wear for the day. You opted on an old vintage Queen shirt paired with some rocky denim shorts and cute wicker platform sandals. You set your outfit aside on your bed and undressed, getting ready to shower. Turning on some music, you turned the shower nob, making the shower piping hot just the way you like it. You hopped in, dancing and singing to the music that blared throughout the bathroom. You used a shampoo bottle as a microphone as you blared lyrics at the top of your lungs.

"Thank you for coming tonight. See you next time!" You announced to yourself in the mirror, trying to mimic crowd noise as you began to get ready. You dried your hair off with a blow dryer. You french braided it on both sides of your head, joining the two braids into a low messy bun. You pulled some baby hairs from your head, styling up the look a little better. After fondling with your hair, you began with your makeup. You swiped some concealer all over your face, blending it out with your sponge egg. You set the concealer with some powder and popped some nice and shiny highlighter on your cheekbones and inner corner of your eyes. You popped on some mascara, making your lashes POP and eye color beam. Finally done after applying a layer of chapstick, you slipped into your outfit. You wore a cute pastel yellow lacy bralette that went perfectly with your sandals and tshirt. Taking one last look in the full length body mirror, you nodded in content with the way you looked and finally made your way downstairs, after grabbing your wallet and phone.

Your sandals clicked against the tile as you skipped down the stairs. Ben was already done and ready to go when he saw you come down the steps. His heart lurched out of his chest at the sight of you, he couldn't help but smile at you.

"Ready to go?"

You nodded and slipped past him, beating him to his car. You waited for him to unlock it and slid into the passenger seat. You felt like today was going to be a great day. Nothing could stop the happiness you felt when hanging out with Ben.

The whole day consisted of laughter, shopping at the most random places, and loads of ice cream and random food trucks. This had been best day you've had in such a long time, all thanks to Ben. You were both strolling along inside the mall, when you spotted a Build-a-bear. You instantly started dragging Ben into the little store. When you were younger, your parents both bought you teddy bears. Ben, being the masculine boy he was, acted like it was too girly for him. Although when alone, he'd cuddle the bear close to chest and would yell at his mum if she tried to get rid of it.

"I have to get one!" You exclaimed as you went to choose your bear. Ben watched you adoringly with a loving smile on his lips. The way you stuck your tongue out of your mouth when you were trying to decide which bear you wanted made his knees want to pull below him. You ended up choosing a simple golden colored bear with green eyes. You stuffed it just enough for it to form but soft and cuddly. Finally, you got the choice of whether or not you wanted it scented. You chose not to because without anyone's knowledge, you planned on going home and spritzing it with Ben's cologne. When you were satisfied with how your bear turned out, you paid and the two of you finally ventured home.

"Today was so much fun Ben, thank you." You smiled and wrapped your arms around his waist, bringing him into a hug making him drop all the bags on the floor. He smiled and hugged you back just as warm and tight as you did. You pulled away far enough to look into his eyes. God his eyes always drew you in. You could stare at them all day long. Ben felt the same, you both were blessed with the most majestically colored orbs anyone could have. You smiled at him and brought your hands to his cheeks, softly pinching them.

"You're the best benny." You whispered as you laid your head on his shoulder. He planted his hand on the back of your head, lightly tangling his fingers in your hair.

"Come on, let's put this stuff up and go to bed."

••••••••

lol yay for shitty chapters bc i cant think straight

taglist: @benhardyisdaddy @monochromedeacon @queenbbarnes @haileylansley @shesakillerquueennn @onexlittlespark @zcars777 @loveandbeloved29 @beatlezrcool @likeit-or-leaveit @mrsmazzello @caborhapch @jacqueline1916 @thegarbage-queen @fatbottomedboi

perm taglist: @benhardyisdaddy @haileylansley @queenbbarnes @beatlezrcool @ezmina98

#having a freddie time #borhap #ben hardy x reader #ben x reader #ben hardy #bohemian rhapsody #gwilym lee #bran writes #save me #enjoy dis #ily to whoever reads this #please reblog #feedback is greatly appreciated #reblog

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jays1n · 7 years ago

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here's the original thing i wrote, i forgot i still had it and found it after i already rewrote stuff but it's still good:

gtav campaign au where steven and cib go way back, back up in canada and had a little crew together robbing tiny banks out in small towns. some shit goes down, and one of their original members (honestly maybe like gizzygazza, only one i remember from their combined pasts) dies horribly but their never tell cib like they didn't tell trevor. fast forward in time (i'll say maybe 5 years rather than ten), cib's living out in the grand senora for one reason or another and steven's actually like. 1%er, or 1%-adjacent and reminiscing. then his car's stolen by some asshole (read: james) that brings him back into the old life when he remembers the fun (and the money) of doing jobs like that. and then cib comes back and it goes about as well as you'd think

and i love the idea of a trevor-like cib, unstable as hell because all of his impulse control got buried 6 feet deep 5 years ago or left to live in the city, but now back with steven and james it's his chance to make stuff happen again that isn't just mutilating dudes out in the desert or making drugs in an old building. steven, knowing the truth of what happened 5 years ago (they never told cib gizzy died, said he got locked up so cib's been obsessed with breaking in ever since. getting back with steven is his chance to break his friend out, get it back to how things used to be!) is extremely afraid. cib is... he's dangerous at best, unthinkable at worst, and so there's a lot of light stepping around the subject

also, devin is lamar and fuckin, elliot as their FIB contact

talked about this before i left/deleted them, but i'd really like a GTA V story au; i dunno how many people on here have played it or care about gtav's plot but i do so

like before, steven as michael; the tired and now rich los santos businessman in witness protection because of the shit that went down years ago. cib as trevor; the dangerous guy from steven's past currently living out in the grand senora desert making money on drug trade and murder (but doing so in a fun, happy way. it's all good. for him, i mean). then, james as franklin; kid doing odd jobs with his buddy (devin as lamar) gets roped into the life by steven after he tried to repo his car and it ended badly. they become 'friends' and work together, though extremely begrudgingly and only for the money.

it's.. been a while since i've fully played the campaign (played it mainly 2015-2016, pc's too shit to play for more than 10 mins now so rip) but i remember most of the stuff near the end as i did it more recently

steven and cib used to run jobs together in their early 20s, maybe really late teens. up in ludendorf north yankton, a cold as shit border town half in canada half in the states, they steal and kill and run drugs, yknow, like all young adults do. their final job as that crew ends up being at an old bank on the farside of ludendorf. shit went wrong on the way out, someone snitched and the cops were already their; gizzy (brad) and steven both got shot by a sniper, cib getting run out of the area by the cops closing in. cib thought steven died and gizzy got arrested (the only body that got buried was steven's, so it was a natural assumption).

what really happened though, was the FIB (elliot as davey) take a chance and save steven. steven got a chance to live out in los santos under witness protection, while elliot gets the glory of having taken down their crew and has steven under him to do any jobs elliot needs done. gizzy died and was the body lowered in steven's grave, but cib doesn't know that

five years go by. now i'll probably divert canon just a bit; idk if i want steven to have a family, but i like to imagine maybe living with parker (or, hey, if you wanna throw ships in then steven/parker as the unhappy married couple only staying together because they've been through it all together. he moved with steven to los santos). they fight a lot but it somehow works. maybe andrew's there too, idk

i dunno. just really into the idea of it, especially the confrontation scene near the end of the game where they go back up to north yankton. cib's angry because he's finally realized who is really in the grave, flies back up there (followed by steven) and digs the body back up. when the body's brought up and cib gets confirmation its who he thought it was, there's a standoff and neither really want to shoot (cib does and will, but) then they get interrupted by a gang (idk, mayb funhaus or smthn. idk who to compare the chengs to) who kidnap steven after cib runs away (cib and them have beef, and he told them that steven was his boyfriend so they capture him as a hostage. threaten to kill steven but cibs like oh no.... aw man thatd suck....... lmao jk bye and hangs up on the gang). james won't stand for it though, gets pissed and kicks cib's ass into gear and they save him from i think getting thrown into a meat grinder? something weird like that

ALSO. farid as that one FIB douchebag working with elliot who later gives james the ultimatum that someone will die and he has a choice to make. steven, cib, or james himself will die and he has to do it. the best end (the 'kill yourself' that ends up just being 'fuck everyone else we're all besties' end) is great because they all work together and become kinda a family again, locking the FIB dude up and throwing him over a cliff in a messed up car. the other endings, though, are sad as fuck?

you've got either james going to kill steven (who, as he pulls up to the spot, gets really good news (and idk how id translate that into this au because ig michael gets a call that his daughter just got into a nice college after her struggling so much) and is so happy to see james because he thinks of him like a brother (or u could be shippy either way)). steven and james have an intense chase scene and james doesn't fully wanna do this. steven slips while they're at the top of a really tall water tower-type of thing, james grabs his arm and tries to pull him up but one of them lets go and steven drops to the concrete and it's... not pretty

or, there's steven going 'no.. no you're right cib's too dangerous to live in this world he's a liability' and being sad but thinking it's the right thing after james convinces him it is. they team up to go take him down and, understandably cib isn't having it. leads to a long car chase, ends in cib crashing into a gas tank. he doesn't die in the crash but steven shoots a bullet and ignites the gas and there's a long, loud death scene and steven and james go their separate ways. but that happy ending tho, hell yeah

additionally i want jeremy to be lester because hes fuckin Weird and maybe autumn works with him, split the role of lester with autumn as the tech side and jeremy as the weird dude with jobs and skills side

#long post

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theshipsfirstmate · 8 years ago

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Wonder Woman Fic: Pick a Star on the Dark Horizon and Follow the Light

Post-movie Diana/WonderTrev angst. “Perhaps one of the greatest tragedies of all is that Diana doesn't really learn about Steve Trevor's life until after his death.”

A/N: Definitely movie canon only, as I’m not super familiar with the comics, but I couldn’t not write this. Please forgive if there’s anything wildly OOC.

Also, big props to @blueincandescence, who made this amazing post about what Steve’s childhood might have looked like, which was an immense help in kicking off my own research.

Title from “The Call” by Regina Spektor.

Pick a Star on the Dark Horizon and Follow the Light (AO3)

Perhaps one of the greatest tragedies of all is that Diana doesn't really learn about Steve Trevor's life until after his death.

The details come in rapid, heartrending bursts in the weeks following the end of the war, but the dull ache in her chest is ever-present. There’s not a morning that she rises that she doesn’t think about his head on the pillow next to hers, not a night that she lies down to rest that she doesn’t long for his solid weight on the mattress beside her.

She had teased him, that night in Veld. They’d been halfway through disrobing, lips only parting when it became physically necessary, and she had smiled against his mouth, recalling something he told her on their first night together.

“So, Steve Trevor, this is what you meant when you said you’ve slept with women.”

His cheeks flushed red but it only made his eyes look bluer when they flicked back up at her. “Like I said, it's something of a euphemism.”

“You've slept with many women?” Jealousy, like some kind of acid, began to creep up her throat at the thought, and she was ashamed by the selfish, and hypocritical, impulse.

“Not many.” He smirked, and that burn hit her lower, making her fingertips flex against his bare chest. “And definitely none like you, Diana.”

Empirically, she knew it was the truth, but the way he said her name, soft like the flickering candlelight, reverent like a prayer, made her eyes slip closed. When she raised her head to the sky on instinct, his lips traced down her throat and across her clavicle and she lost herself in the flood of sensation. The only rational thought that remained in her mind was how foolish it would be to waste another moment of their precious time together.

Sammy, Charlie, and Chief stay in London for longer than Diana expects, given their various lines of work. They call it “celebrating the spoils of war,” but their tone isn't cheerful, grim visages incongruous with the happy, patriotic relief displayed proudly across the city. There’s no joy in a victory that came with so great a loss.

They spend most nights drinking too much at seedy establishments, and most nights Diana joins them, watching as they trade liquor for blood and listening as they tell her their most bombastic tales of Steve Trevor.

Charlie drains his glass and waves at the bar, forgetting that he’s already ordered another. “I once saw ‘im flip a tank with two perfectly-timed shots.”

Sammy’s hat is cocked too far to the side, and it tips further when he swings around to face her. Since Steve’s death, he’s been drinking his doubles like Charlie does, fast and without any kind of relish. “Not as impressive as the way you do it, my dear.”

“I once saw him row a sinking canoe upstream for 12 miles,” Chief mumbles with a smirk that makes its way around the table.

“I once saw him French kiss a duchess.”

“I tho’ it was a czarina.”

“It was both.” Etta sets down a tray in the middle of the table and everyone takes their next round with a mumble of woozy thanks. “And before anyone else goes blaspheming, remember, both were for a mission, only one was engaged, and, somewhat mercifully, they were not in the same night.”

“He was a legend with the ladies,” Sammy declares with a lecherous smirk that twitches in an odd way when it lands on her. “Bien sur, none like you, Diana darling.”

“Yes,” she admits. “He told me that.” Everyone but Charlie lets out that polite little laugh that tells her she’s said something not quite right.

“S’a a good thing he did,” the Scotsman burps. “An’ not just because you're a goddess or wha’ever. S’important to say things that need to be said.”

Charlie's sudden solemnity seems to draw the melancholy out of the others and soon, without realizing, they’re all looking at her with the same sad eyes.

“It's true.” Etta says softly, after a long moment, and Diana’s heart twists again at the tears in her voice. “You never know when it’s your last good chance.”

She and Sammy haul Charlie home not long after that, and Diana's left at the table with Chief and a half-full glass of what she knows to be whiskey, but doesn’t like any better as she becomes more familiar. He's always the quietest of the bunch, and since Steve’s death, that’s only fueled her suspicion that he might have the most to tell her.

Thankfully, she doesn't have to wait very long. Perhaps he’s already learned his lesson about saying things that need to be said.

“When Steve sent for me, the first thing I asked was why in the hell he was so eager to get to the front of the war.” Chief's candor makes her grin, but his next statement makes her stomach drop. “He told me about you.”

“I promised to get him off the island, he promised to take me to Ares.” Diana remembers, with a cold twist of regret. How eager she had been to get to the front, how stupidly naive about the ways of war.

“No, he told me about you,” the man corrects. “About where you came from, how you fought, how you saved him. He said you were like nothing he’d ever seen.”

Surprise and heartbreak flood her chest at the admission, and a memory it conjures. “He said the same thing about the war.”

Chief just carries on with his tale, unaware of her inner turmoil. “He also told me he got some of your people killed. Said he owed you.”

“No.” She sucks in a breath. “No, that wasn’t his fault.” Diana recalls the words Steve told her on the beach, the look in his eyes when she was pleading with the gods for Antiope’s life. “He was one of the good guys.”

“He said that?” The man lifts his head to meet her gaze, and she can see his question is a serious one. “I didn’t know he still believed there were good guys.”

Diana realizes that Chief had known a different side of Steve entirely, one it seems he hardly ever showed. She thinks it’s probably the same one that had pleaded for her help on the air tower that night, the one who tried to warn her how terrible a world it would be it everyone only got what they deserved.

“He was good,” she insists, like she would if he were here, if she could hold his face in her hands so he’d see the truth in her eyes. “He was noble and brave and gave his life to save so many. What more can a man do, to be good?” Chief just nods, looking at her like she’s said more about herself than Steve with the insistent, almost frantic words.

“He used to say that bravery is decided by whoever’s in power, but loyalty is the measure of a man,” he recalls. “And he was the most loyal man I’ve ever known.”

From the corner of her eye, Diana sees the barkeep give the signal to clear out. It makes her chest ache, like she’s leaving something behind.

“My father was a soldier, too,” Steve had revealed, stretching across her to lay his watch on the bedside table. He set the memento down, but didn’t pull his body back to his side of the undersized inn bed, crowding her with a heavy arm draped across her ribcage and a smile pressed to her collarbone. She wanted him again, but she also wanted to know more.

“Who did he fight for?”

This question made him stiffen in her arms, and she almost regretted it. When he looked up to meet her eyes, she saw them swirling with pride and pain. “7th Cavalry, United States Army,”

“And then, when the war was over, he had breakfast and babies?”

The corners of his mouth twitched at that, despite the anguish she could see etched across his face. “Not exactly. He had the babies, sure, but the war never really ended.” It had been so clear to her then, why Steve’s belief in Ares’ power consisted solely of the trust he was placing in her. “See, Sergeant Charles Trevor was a career soldier, and he fought for what he believed in… Eventually, it killed him.”

Diana’s heart clenched painfully at the thought of the devastation that must have caused him as a younger man, a boy even. She knew the soldier in front of her could take care of himself, but she found herself wanting to protect him and fight at his side in almost equal measure.

Her most immediate desire, however, had been putting that blissful expression back on his beautiful face. “What do you believe in, Steve Trevor?”

He had taken a deep breath in then, and pursed his lips, like he was battling the lasso of Hephaestus. But when he exhaled, his whole body loosened, and he looked up at her with freedom on his face. “I believe in love.”

She has tea with Etta one day, not long after her talk with Chief, and in between cups, the secretary asks her to go to a place called Ohio, and meet Steve’s mother.

“I've got his uniform out of storage,” she says by way of explanation, as Diana tries to swallow around the bite of finger sandwich that’s suddenly stuck in her throat. “He never gave them her address, because, well, counterintelligence and all that. So they sent the Medal of Honor and Victoria Cross to his London office.”

Etta digs into her purse and pulls out a piece of bronze with a red and green ribbon, handing it over for Diana to see. “The French sent over a Croix du Guerre as well, which is nice of them, I suppose. So I’ve uh…I’ve got those too.”

“What does any of this have to do with Steve’s mother?” Diana’s stuck on the idea, one that hadn’t occurred to her until now, that there might be a woman, out there in the world of men, who understands what it is to miss him like this. Perhaps even more.

“Well, it’s a military tradition of sorts,” the secretary explains. “Returning a fallen soldier’s honors to his next of kin. A wife or a mother, usually. Don’t your people...”

“We don’t have marriage.” Diana remembers Steve telling her about standing in front of a judge, about breakfast and reading the newspaper and promising each other forever. “And I was the only Amazon to have an earthly mother.”

“Who, by the way, I would love to meet someday,” Etta muses, so cheerfully that Diana almost forgets it’s an impossibility, turning over the spiked medal in her hands and seeing the glint off of his family name.

“This is how the world of men celebrates the deaths of their bravest.” It’s not really a question, but Etta nods. “Parades and confetti and scraps of bronze tied up with bows.”

“It's all very ceremonial,” Etta agrees at first, before sucking a breath in through her teeth. “But it's not really about celebrating how he died, is it? They're medals for honor and bravery, selflessness in the line of duty. It's more about how he lived.”

With each day they spend together, Diana comes to see more and more of the reasons that Steve trusted the secretary among his closest counterparts. And friends too, Diana muses. She's never had a friend like Etta Candy.

“Anyway,” the woman continues. “Won't be a long trip, we’ll be back before the new year. London at the holidays was Steve’s favorite. Ridiculous man, always loved the snow.”

There's so much still to learn about Steve Trevor, Diana feels a rush of nostalgic relief to hear something she already knows. That night, she dreams of snowflakes getting stuck in his eyelashes.

It's a long boat ride to America, much longer than their trip from Themyscira. Perhaps it just feels that way without his company. It's gloomy and freezing for the entirety of their journey and on the fourth day, she's just about to go stir-crazy in the shared state room when Etta digs into her bag and shoves a box wrapped in red paper into her hands.

“Happy early Christmas, Diana.”

She's aware of the significance of the impending Pagan holiday, but confused all the same by her friend's gesture.

“No, Etta, I cannot accept this.” It seems right to protest, though she knows the woman well enough by now to understand it won’t work. “I did not get you anything in return.”

“It's gift enough, not to have to this make this trip alone.” The sincere words are framed with a sad smile. “Besides, to be honest, I didn't really get it for you. It's, um -- it’s Steve’s present.”

Diana's vision blurs and her heads lists to the side, unable to see past his name written on the tag, barely hearing as the other woman explains, “I thought I might give it to his mother, but really, you should have it.”

She peels back the paper and opens the small box. Inside, nestled in tissue, is a blown glass figure, delicate and intricate and beautiful.

“We always joked about getting an office Christmas tree,” Etta explains, “but we usually weren't in one place long enough to make things festive.”

It’s a woman, dressed in a flowing gown, with wings lIke Hermes’ blossoming from her back. A simple thing, really, but it takes her breath away.

“It’s fitting in a way, isn’t it?” Etta muses when Diana remains silent. “You did pluck him from the ocean, after all.”

“Angel...” Steve's voice came almost as a whisper, but filled the silence of the room in Veld. They were tangled up in each other, catching their breaths for the third or fourth time since he shut the door behind him. “I think you must be an angel.”

“You know that I’m not.” Their faces rested so close on the pillow that her lips nearly brushed his as she spoke. “I told you, Zeus--”

“I know, I know, you're the greatest piece of pottery in human history.” This time he was teasing her, but as he nuzzled at her nose, warm hand running up and down her side, she found she doesn't mind at all. “But hear me out, okay? You come from the heavens. You pull me out of the sea, save my life. You protect humankind. Sounds like an angel to me.”

She could have corrected him again, but she decided to kiss him instead. The hours were ticking away on his father's watch and soon it would be time to fight again.

When their feet finally touch land in New York City, there’s barely time to enjoy it. Next up is a train to Cleveland and then a long ride to the Trevor family farm.

Diana knocks at the front door first, impatient for their journey to see its purpose through, and annoyed at the nerves that have begun fluttering around her stomach. But when it swings open, Etta has to take the lead. Diana freezes in her tracks, because another thing she never knew about Steve Trevor is that he got his eyes from his mother.

“Mrs. Trevor...” Etta begins, but instead of a reply, she gets wrapped up in a bear hug. Diana expects the bitter kind of breakdown that she’s watched for weeks as ships came back to harbor with less men than they departed. But there’s a soft smile on the woman's face that makes her tears look something less than tragic.

“It’s good to see you again, Etta.” She even sounds a little like Steve, the same dialect, same warmth. “Really, it is.”

“I’m sorry it has to be like this.” There are tears in Etta’s voice too as she nods, stepping inside at the other woman's insistence before turning back to the door. “Diana, this is Sarah Trevor. Mrs. Trevor, this is--”

“Diana.” She extends a hand, which Steve's mother shakes with the same smile and only the slightest hesitation. “Diana Prince.”

It's the name she'd given Etta a week or two earlier, when the secretary explained how she'd need a verifiable identity in order to do things like take a boat across the Atlantic. She's not sure why she sticks with the moniker at first, until she realizes it's one of the things she'll always be able to remember about Steve Trevor, how he sounded when he said her name.

“It's nice to meet you, Diana.” The woman releases her hand with a quick squeeze, and then turns back. “And Etta, please, I’ve told you. Call me Sarah.”

“I'm sorry... for your loss.” Diana’s heard the stilted words passed back and forth amongst strangers since the end of the war. It seems to be what one says under the circumstances, and somehow, suddenly, it becomes the only thing she can find within her own grief. “I'm so, so sorry.”

Steve’s mother turns back to her then, and gives her a long, discerning look. It’s almost too much to bear. She’s seen those eyes in her dreams almost every night since the war ended, she’d know them anywhere. “My dear, that's kind of you to say but it's certainly unnecessary.”

“I should have stopped him.” Now she can’t seem to turn the words off. She's revisited that night a thousand times in her mind, futilely perfecting a thousand different strategies where Steve got to live. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize what he was planning and I should have... I should have stopped him.”

“Diana--” Etta's right to warn her, she's spinning out a little and getting dangerously close to details she shouldn’t be sharing. But Sarah Trevor just shakes her head with a smile and takes Diana's hands in her own.

“See now, if you knew my Stevie at all, then you know there wasn’t going to be any stopping him.” It's the truth, and Diana takes what feels like her first deep breath in months, trying to smile back.

She follows his mother's eyes over to the fireplace, where there are a few framed photographs displayed on the mantle. One is the same picture from the victory parade in London, Steve grinning next to his plane. Diana battles the urge to cross the room and run her fingers over it as Sarah continues.

“Mothers of soldiers spend their lives dreading the call.” Diana thinks briefly of her own mother, remembers Hippolyta's words about her greatest joy and sorrow. “Mothers of spies just hope they'll be lucky enough to get one.”

“I should have stopped him…”

Etta mercifully saves her from her reverie, interrupting cautiously. “So, Sarah, how's the farm been?”

“Doing pretty well,” she answers, without turning to face the question. “We were back to top yield last summer, which is a good sign.”

Diana crosses to the window, where a half-melted white candle sits in a dish on the sill. She can see for what seems like miles across the rows of tilled earth, frozen and capped with white.

“Winter wheat,” Steve’s mother explains behind her. “Not much to look at until springtime. My brother-in-law runs the farm and the mill, his house is across the field.”

“That is important work.” Diana turns back to see she's being studied by both women in the room. “Something to be proud of.”

“Stevie always was,” Sarah nods, joining Diana at the window. Her hair is more grey than brown and the lines on her face might be from worry or laughter, but she's undoubtedly beautiful. Diana can't help but look for Steve in every part of her. “He’d ride his bike a half-mile across the way every morning before the sun came up, work the fields after school, and ride back at sunset.”

“In the summertime, when it was time to cut, he’d be over there all day long,” she continues, grinning blindly at the glass, at the memories of time long past. “I wouldn’t be able to see him across the field, the wheat was so high. But I could always hear him on his way home. He’d stand up on the pedals and stretch his arms out, calling to me as he got closer, ‘Mom! I’m on the wind!’”

Diana smiles and turns back to the mantle with her head swirling in a hundred different directions. Next to Steve’s army photo is a different man in uniform, a man she recognizes immediately, even though she's never seen him before.

“My boy was born and bred to be soldier, but I always knew he’d be a hero,” his mother recalls, when she sees what’s drawn Diana’s attention. “He loved frontiersman, pirate kings, dime novel detectives… But his biggest inspiration of all was--”

“Sergeant Charles Trevor.” Sarah falters only slightly when the name leaves Diana’s lips and then she blinks, looking at her like she’s seeing her anew, nodding softly in confirmation.

Diana looks again at the photo on the mantle. Steve may have gotten his eyes from his mother, but the crinkle in his brow, the good-natured smirk, and the debonair jawline were all from this man, standing proud with a rifle strapped across his back. He fought for what he believed in, she remembers. Eventually, it killed him.

“One day, Charles came back early from the front, beat all to hell.” Sarah's voice changes tone then, and when Diana looks up, she’s watching the front door. “He had ridden all the way home from South Dakota on his own, and it us took a while to put together what had happened. My little boy didn't say a word for a whole two weeks when he found out that his daddy was a deserter.”

The Amazons don’t speak such a word, but having witnessed the horrors of war in the world of man firsthand, Diana thinks she may be forming a new perspective on military obedience.

“Stevie didn’t understand what happened at Wounded Knee until some time later, and by then, his father had already given up on this world.” Diana thinks of Steve’s sad eyes, then of Chief’s words. It seems every death in the world of man is more tragic than the next. “The guilt derailed Charles for good, but it only pushed Stevie forward. He was always saying, ‘If you see something wrong happening in the world, you can do nothing, or you can do something.’”

“He said his father taught him that.” Despite what Steve had told her the night they met, Diana still can't imagine him taking the passive way out of any conflict. “He couldn't do nothing.”

“His father may have taught him the difference, but my boy never did ‘nothing’ a day in his life.” Sarah tells them with conviction that’s laced with a little exasperation. “He came home from his first day of secondary school with a fat lip and a story about a cripple boy who was getting picked on. Then it was a tribe that needed help, then an army that needed guidance, then a world that needed saving.”

“He was a hero,” Diana tells her, certain that a woman as bright as Sarah Trevor must surely know it by now. “He was a great man, and I…”

It's almost the first time she says it aloud, and she hears Etta swallow a gasp. “I’m sorry every day that he’s gone.”

If Steve’s mother senses the truth that’s threatened to spill out of her, she doesn't let on. In fact, she just smiles again, letting Diana see the best of him in her likeness. “Thank you dear,” she says, reaching up to brush away an errant hair. “But he's not gone. The wheat will grow high next summer, and I'll hear him from across the field. He's on the wind.”

Diana reaches up to touch at the wet corners of her eyes then, and when the sleeve of her jacket pulls down a little, something catches Sarah’s eyes. Oh. Of course.

“You should have this,” Diana fiddles with the clasp, her wrist instantly feeling more vulnerable without the timepiece or her gauntlets. “He told me about it, gave it to me to keep safe, just before…”

Her words and movements stop with a gentle hand that closes her palm around the watch, pressing it back towards her chest. It brings back a memory so strong, Diana’s knees almost buckle.

“If he gave it to you, dear, then he meant for you to have it,” Steve’s mother assures her with a meaningful look. “My son didn't part easily with the things that he loved.”

“Is it always this quiet when it snows?” It was in the space between very late night and very early morning when she sat halfway up to pull back the curtains and look out the window at the town square, which appeared far too serene for the war zone it had been just hours earlier. “Does it always feel there isn't a soul around for miles?”

“Is it quiet?” Steve was prone on the bed, dozing off but still grabbing for any part of her he could reach. When she looked back at him, the biggest grin split across his face. “I can't hear anything over my heart pounding in my ears.”

Diana flopped back down beside him with a full-bodied laugh that tapered off when she pressed her forehead to his. “Is it always like this?”

“When it snows?” She had nodded in agreement, despite the fact that her eyes were telling him something else entirely. In return, his told her everything she needed to know. He couldn’t promise her anything but one night, they both knew that. But maybe it was enough that he wanted to.

“It could be.” Steve’s smile matched her own and so she pressed them together, swiping her tongue across his lower lip. She didn’t ever want to stop teasing him, didn’t ever want to stop tasting him. But she knew the sun would be rising soon.

“And what happens in the morning?”

“In the morning...” he started softly, and she didn’t miss the way his gaze flickered dark before settling back on her. Time was nearly up. “In the morning, we have breakfast, and we read the newspaper, and then--”

She almost wanted him to lie to her, but she knew that he wouldn’t. “Then it’s back to the war.”

The sun is setting over the farmhouse in the distance when they step back outside, leaving Mrs. Trevor with another firm hug apiece and a promise to return someday that Diana hopes isn’t an empty one.

As they walk toward the waiting car, her footsteps slow, physically unwilling to leave this place that has memories of Steve in its bones, this place that had been the reason for so much of who he was. For miles around her, the fields are draped in white, but Diana can picture them in the summertime, golden grain high enough that Sarah Trevor would barely be able to spot her son's hair -- the color of chaff -- over the tops of the stalks.

A cold breeze picks up and Diana’s hit with a feeling so familiar, she can’t help but close her eyes and turn her head towards the sky. She’s done this countless times before, but it's never felt like it does this time, and she knows why.

Time will pass, and things will change, but Steve will always be with her. For the next hundred years, and then on after that. He's on the wind.

#wonder woman fic #wondertrev #wonder woman #wondertrev fic #diana x steve #diana prince #steve trevor #diana prince fic #wonder woman angst #first mate fic #diana x steve fic

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july-19th-club · 8 years ago

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22 24 28 29 41 49 and 50, for any character(s) of your choosing! ^^

SUUUPER late answering this (i think u sent it last night? idk i was asleep lol) ANYWAY. this is for the character ask game, so I’ll do the core four~

22. What are their favorite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back?

Adra: A big believer in rude gestures, both traditional and specific to sign language, but too easygoing to insult someone to their face.

Judi: WOULD insult all of her coworkers daily, but needs to keep the peace. Insults everybody inside the comfort of her own head instead. Rarely swears in public. Cusses up a storm at home.

Irine: ‘vă sĕlă’ is Musŏn for ‘go fuck yourself’.

Varas: Even ruder than Irine; needs to get out of the habit of bringing peoples’ mothers into it.

24. What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress?

Do you know I have never once bothered to think about this? jesus let’s do this

Adra: Doesn’t realize he’s a snorer for YEARS because he lives with his sister, who’s Deaf, and he still doesn’t actually believe he snores *that* much. Likes a comfy mattress, but his understanding of comfy is a rich person’s Painfully Scratchy, so it only amounts to average. Nightmare City; needs somebody to talk to pretty frequently.

Judi: The rich person for whom Adra’s ‘comfy’ is a joke. Likes her feather pillows & luxurious blankets & shit. Sleeps soundly but not for very long, bc she’s busy all the time. Morning Person.

Irine: Not a morning person, forced to be one by circumstance. Probably doesn’t snore, but even if she did, nobody would actually tell her.

Varas: Believer in the power of naps. Occasional clairvoyant dreams mean that he doesn’t actually always get the amount of rest he appears to be getting (those things take it outta you), so constantly looking for a place to sleep.

28. What is their biggest fear? What in general scares them? How do they act when they’re scared?

Adra: Oh Boy is he afraid of Shit. He has good reason to be. Maybe his biggest fear is that he’ll never get back home, or that when he does, he won’t have his life back. He worries about his family and his home a lot, but when he’s scared/upset he tends to withdraw, so it might come off like he’s just being grumpy. He’s sad. You should hold him.

Judi: Scared that even after years of preparation, she’s still not cut out for her job and may actually be bad at it. Scared that she’s too eager to use violence to solve problems (even though she’s only done it once, and it was necessary, the fact that she was ready and willing spooks her). Talks her fears out because she’s Mature and also because she can’t be left alone with her thoughts.

Irine: Not afraid of much, but worries that she’s gotten off track with her life. She’s had a single specific plan forever, and deliberately derails it to do something else, so out of the blue it will sometimes scare her a lot.

Varas: Scared that somebody will find out about his *~~~magic powers~~~*. Scared that somebody will hurt his loved ones (like, even more than they’ve already been). Scared he’ll never see certain ppl again. Scared that he’s actually a total turd human. Scared scared scared this guy is afraid of a lot in life. You should also hold him, but probably he will try to deflect you with humor.

29. What do they do when they find out someone else’s fear? Do they tease them? Or get very over protective?

Adra: Lives in the ‘boy-I-feel-you’ camp, so if he finds out that you’re scared of something, he will sit with you in solidarity.

Judi: Will try to talk you through it and help you feel good/better, even if she’s bad at doing that for herself. Usually it works, because she’s damn reassuring.

Irine: Will try to distract the fearer with other things, but if it’s not a distraction type situation, will get protective 10/10 get u a girl like that.

Varas: Miiiiight…….not..actually notice other people’s fears as much as his own? It’s a flaw he’s working on it. It’s not that he’s being selfish, he just assumes everybody’s scared of the same things (the ones he’s scared of).

41. What’s their sexuality? What do they find attractive? Physically and mentally? What do they like/need in a relationship?

Adra: Adra is Irinesexual. Okay, he’s the token straight boy, but he’s more steve-trevor-straight-boy than mon-el-straight-boy. Kinda sits and pines from a distance and maybe works up the courage to tell the girl he likes what he likes about her once in a while, but always in a way so that if she wants she can misconstrue it as him just being a good friend. A shy guy. Needs somebody to settle down with, and definitely wants to just have a house and a family someday like his sister and parents before him.

Judi: Bi with a preference; has had one husband years ago who unfortunately died, which is very upsetting bc they were deeply in love. Currently in a new relationship with a really nice guy, but *still* not quite ready to move on.

Irine: Realizing as she becomes an adult that she’s never really been interested in anybody romantically. Probably on the ace spectrum, but fine with sexual activity. Knows Adra likes her and is 100% cool with it, but hasn’t brought it up because she’s worried she doesn’t *like him back enough* or whatever. (IMO, they may very well end up in a relationship, if he likes her and she likes that he likes her, and he can be respectful of her reservations, they might do really well together). BUT her partner would need to be somebody willing to to explore the world with her, and Adra might not be that person.

Varas: That Guy is Bi. That guy was in a happy, successful poly relationship way back in the day, but hasn’t seen either of them since Some Shit Went Down due to his being an unwilling spy for the gov’t and his home life getting caught in the crosshairs. But don’t worry, y’all, it’s endgame.

Now I’m a little upset that I’m only doing the core four, because weirdly, none of them have the major romantic arcs. The three other narrators that haven’t been introduced yet are the big hitters in that department, and two of them are sapphic, so. Things progressively get gayer and this book hardly has any romance at all in the slightest; all the ships are in the future lmao.

49. What is their most valued object? Are they sentimental? Is there something they have to take everywhere with them?

Adra: He’s really sentimental, but due to being an army deserter, he doesn’t have any special possessions with him rn. He does end up getting really attached to his uniform tunic, not bc he likes the associations, but because it is this comfortingly familiar object.

Judi: She has a kickass sword and she’s real proud of it. Once she chopped a man’s head off. It was amazing.

Irine: Has this blue scarf she’s owned since back when her moms were alive that has sentimental value, so she wears it even tho it’s getting to be threadbare.

Varas: Technically, he’s a spy, so yeah, he travels anonymously and keeps the personal effects to an untraceable amount of genericness. His most valuable thing is his power, anyway.

and 50. If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack? What do they consider their essentials?

This is a great question because this actually basically happens in the book.

Adra: The clothes on his back and nothing else; he has literally no bag. He’s…not great at disaster planning and also doesn’t own much shit.

Judi: Practical clothes (one set? whyyyyy). Her late husband’s journals or important documents. Her Sword™. Good boots. Food. Toiletries. She’d pack it all up to take with her & leave on her horse, probably, bc he himself is super valuable, being a survivor of a really bad horse plague. His name’s King. In case you were wondering. You weren’t.

Irine: Change of clothes, extra scarf, small knife, provisions (nonperishable food). Maps/reading material if she thinks she’ll have the time for entertainment. Cloak, blanket, example of her work (she’s a weaver) if it looks like she’ll have to earn some money. Money. Tack. A horse or mule.

Varas: Clothes, food, money. Pertinent documents. Weapon. That’s it.

WHOOOO there we go thank you!!!!!

#long post #ask games #WOW!

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flauntpage · 7 years ago

Text

Your Wednesday Morning Roundup

With the Flyers off and the Sixers overseas in London, we might as well discuss more about the Eagles. This question was brought up earlier in the day while I was interning at WIP for Big Daddy Graham.

Other than Nick Foles, which Eagle will be most important for the team’s success?

Answers given out were Brandon Graham and Jay Ajayi, before Halapoulivaati Vaitai came up.

I agree with the latter of the choices.

It’s not good that Jason Peters is done for the season, but Big V has done an okay job at times protecting the left side. But when you replace Carson Wentz with Nick Foles, his role becomes much more vital to the success of the team.

He’s going to go up against some good defensive ends in Brooks Reed (4.0 sacks), Adrian Clayborn (9.5 sacks), and rookie Takkarist McKinley (6.0 sacks). Clayborn’s sack numbers are a career-high, but almost 2/3s of his season total came against Dallas, where he had six sacks against two of Dallas’ backup left tackles.

They weren’t good, and that scares me a little bit when the game is three days away. At least Stefen Wisniewski will be at or close to 100% come gametime, which stabilizes the line a little bit.

But if the Eagles win on Saturday, Big V might have to face either Danielle Hunter from Minnesota or Cameron Jordan of New Orleans. Give us some hope.

The Roundup:

Before we get started, TOMORROW. Live pod at Carlino’s Market in Ardmore! Damn good food! Damn good sports talk! Be there!

Plus, a new edition of the Crossing Broadcast is up. #LookAtChu!

—

Sticking with the Eagles, the team practiced yesterday without linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. But he should be fine for Saturday’s game.

Lane Johnson isn’t enjoying the negative press and how some have been counting the Eagles out when Wentz tore his ACL:

“I think everybody perceives us as being the weakest and that is fine. I think that is good. I think if teams want to overlook us, that is good. We’ll just see about Saturday. … We’re excited. We know what people are saying.”

The bandwagon had some jumpers when Wentz suffered a knee injury last month in a win over the Los Angeles Rams.

It wasn’t long after that when Johnson took offense and declared a media boycott that ultimately didn’t last long.

“What bothered me was we were 12-2 [at the time] and treated like we were the Browns,” Johnson said. “It happens, but I think although we don’t like it, it’s a good motivator to have people not write good things. I think it’s the best motivator there is and you can go and change it.”

Nick Foles explains what Doug Pederson meant when he told him to “go be Nick”:

“It’s just going out there and playing and staying in the zone and trusting my instincts,” Foles said. “I’ve played this game a long time. There’s a reason I’ve been able to do what I’ve been able to do. …When I play my best and I’m most comfortable, I just go out there and play. That’s the big message.”

Foles had all of last week to reflect. He has this week to prepare.

Text messages and phone calls are going unreturned. He’s aware of the pessimism about how he’s played and the skepticism about the Eagles’ chances of reaching the Super Bowl with Foles at quarterback. He’s trying to remain unaffected by both.

Injured Eagles safety and special teams ace Chris Maragos understands Dan Quinn and what he brings to the table for the Falcons:

“Coach Quinn, the thing about him is, he’s just so personable. He’s got a lot of energy, a lot of excitement,” Maragos said Tuesday. “Really optimistic guy, really detail-oriented. Great person, great human being.”

This week’s referee: Bill Vinovich. He doesn’t call a ton of penalties, but with a different crew, that might change.

The Eagles signed center Jon Toth to a reserve/futures contract.

I love Dave Fipp even more:

Yes Dave Fipp. http://pic.twitter.com/sAhCE3WT3p

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) January 9, 2018

He’s jamming to “Black & Chinese” by HUNCHO JACK, Travis Scott, and Quavo.

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With the team in London, it’s a great time for the team to build their brand internationally:

Dario Saric, Robert Covington, T.J. McConnell and Trevor Booker headed over to CitySport to teach basketball fundamentals to 60 kids at a Jr. NBA Clinic from 3:15 to 4 p.m. They were joined by players from the Crystal Palace soccer team, which Sixers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer also own. Thirty minutes later, the four Sixers joined their teammates for a media availability, where for about a half-hour they talked about everything imaginable to reporters from all over Europe. Then after warming up, the Sixers had their closed practice.

Covington and Markelle Fultz also participated in a meet-and-greet with United Kingdom fans, sponsored by Tissot watches.

“We are going to treat this in a way that will produce a real enjoyable experience, with the bottom line we are coming here to win a game,” Brown said. “So somewhere out there, there’s a little bit of a juggling act.”

An interesting quote from Celtics point guard Terry Rozier:

“We have a great history and not knocking the 76ers because they’re a great team, but I think the fans are going to find out why they should support us over the 76ers come when we play them in London.”

Kevin writes how the turnover issue isn’t that bad.

Tim is thankful the Sixers didn’t draft Lonzo Ball, particularly because of LaVar Ball. And everybody is talking about LaVar, including The Athletic, even though they have a “no LaVar Ball” policy despite posting two previous stories before deleting them:

The Athletic pretended to have a "No LaVar Ball" policy bc SERIOUS JOURNALISM, got called out and then tried to delete their archives to cover their tracks

Links are cache'd versions of the deleted articles.

1) https://t.co/fde2IgrJPf

2) https://t.co/wTXB84mgfq http://pic.twitter.com/7UOXL2dApm

— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) January 9, 2018

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The Phillies appear to still be in a war with blogs.

Carlos Santana was seen hitting balls in the Dominican Republic (h/t Mike Mullin):

Incredible experience getting to see newly minted Phillie Carlos Santana mash balls at BP in the Dominican Estadio Azteca @CSeidmanNBCS @CFJastrzembski http://pic.twitter.com/csw5FlNAd7

— Mike Mullin (@MULLINitover27) January 9, 2018

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With the Flyers off until Saturday night against the Devils, Sam Donnellon caught up with goaltending prospect Carter Hart fresh off his gold medal in the World Junior Championships in Buffalo for Team Canada:

During a preliminary-round game against the U.S., played outdoors in the Bills’ stadium in a blizzard, the foam in the back of his helmet froze, icing the back of his head. No problem. Reaching for his water bottle after a series of saves, that too had frozen.

“There was so much snow, it was insane,” he said. “They were taking wheelbarrows of snow off the ice. It was crazy. But fun.”

And when it ended with another shootout loss to the U.S.? Hart shrugged it off, and ran off a string of stellar – and more meaningful — performances from there. “I’ve never seen a goalie that’s just so calm back there,” said Team Canada defenseman Cale Makar after the 3-1 gold-medal victory over Sweden. “Even when we’re down or have a few lapses, he’s able to pull us back together.”

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Four local college hoops games tonight: St. Joe’s visits George Mason, and La Salle takes on UMass in A-10 conference matchups at 7 PM. Top-ranked Villanova hosts No. 10 Xavier at 8 PM at the Wells Fargo Center on FS1. And Temple looks to get back to .500 on the year with a road game against SMU at 9 PM on CBS Sports Network.

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In other sports news, Jon Gruden was formally introduced as the next head coach of the Oakland Raiders. There were some crazy moments as well.

Cole Beasley released a rap single. Haven’t listened to it and it probably sucks, but Howard Eskin liked it (I guess) and suggests he continues to go that route:

So now @Bease11 is a rapper. Do have to admit Cole you are better rapper than receiver. That’s because not very good receiver any longer. New career is good idea. @SportsRadioWIP https://t.co/xOAd5O5mml

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) January 9, 2018

Over in Lithuania, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball made their professional debuts in the Big Baller Brand Challenge Games for Vytautas in a 90-80 win. LiAngelo finished with 19 points and three rebounds, and LaMelo added 10 points and nine assists, but committed six turnovers.

More LaVar:

That spin tho. http://pic.twitter.com/6Mg3UWUEqS

— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) January 9, 2018

Former Cleveland Browns and North Penn head coach Mike Pettine is expected to replace Dom Capers as the Packers’ defensive coordinator.

Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane said there was a “misunderstanding” of what Richie Incognito said during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars.

Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason, the guy that was replaced by Jake Fromm earlier this season, will probably transfer to Washington.

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In the news, James Kauffman, the husband of former New Jersey radio host April Kauffman, was accused of having his wife killed in order to protect an alleged drug ring. Crazy.

Steve Bannon is leaving Breitbart News, again.

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit the sea north of Honduras. Not a lot of damage happened.

Kodak, which is somehow still a business, announced their own cryptocurrency called KodakCoin.

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