#amanda is very smart for turning her down

[krillonthegrill]

Amanda Thomas is so much better than me because if i had Maxine Motherfucking Caulfield sitting in front of me talkin bout sum "in my bed?" i, personally, would be pinning her to the couch

[luveline]

Hii I adore your writing and am in desperate need of more single dad Spencer <333

many thanks, Anon in love :)

tysm!!

Spencer named his daughter Amanda because it means worthy of love. He told Emily he wanted there to be no confusion, that Amanda was loved from the very second she was born. You've been hopeless since you found out. 

"Amy, please stop," Spencer says, looking down between the picnic table and the white and red tablecloths, where Amanda sits in the grass beneath tying his shoelaces together. 

"Don't know what you're saying," Amy mumbles, frustrated as her fingers get caught in another knot. 

Spencer gives you a look you're all too thrilled to receive, like Amanda's cuteness has something to do with you. "Can you make her stop?" he asks. 

"I don't want to," you say, not whining but maybe close, "she's so sweet, who am I to stop her?" 

"You know, I'll fall if I stand up. She wants to see me in pain. Amy, you're exhibiting signs of a budding psychopath." He smiles at her lovingly. "I'm gonna fall when I stand up!" 

"You won't!" 

"I will! I will, and then Y/N's gonna be embarrassed to be seen with me, and you're gonna have a dad covered in bruises." Spencer pouts at her. You love how he winds her up, how he talks to her like she's a little grown up and the charming way she responds, big words in little tones. 

"You're beautiful no matter what, dad," Amy says. 

It's too practised to be natural. Spencer must say it to Amy often for her to know it off by heart. You swoon like a cheap tent in a hurricane, casting your gaze around Rossi's huge garden for saving. Everyone has purposefully left you to suffer here in paradise, uncaring when Spencer torments you with all his loveliness.

His daughter is worse, climbing up onto the bench between you and Spencer before widening her eyes at you. She looks sort of like Spencer but perhaps more like her mother. Whoever that is must be pretty, and good at giving puppy dog eyes. 

"Do you want something?" you ask her, attempting to sound like JJ does when she talks to her. You're wobbly but getting there, evidenced by the honey-thick smile you've earned. 

"Can I sit on your lap?" she asks. 

You open your arms obediently. She's slight like her dad and doesn't feel like she weighs much as she sits on your thighs, her face smushed into your cardigan. 

"Is everything okay?" you ask, bringing your hand up behind her back automatically. You're not sure if you should be hugging her but Spencer doesn't protest. 

"Can I asked you something?" 

"Sure, you can ask me." You turn your head to expose your ear. 

Amy grins and leans up, whispering, "Can we go get– can we get jelly, please? Pink jelly." 

"Does Uncle Rossi have jelly?" Spencer asks. 

"Yeah, daddy, I saw it in the kitchen." 

"I can't come, I'll fall. Will you take her, please?" Spencer asks with a frown. "It's a lot of knots." 

"Yeah, I can take her. I don't mind. Come on, honey, let's go look."

Amy jumps down off of your lap but waits for you, holding out her hand. You take it and she leads you past your coworkers crowding a hot grill to Rossi's patio doors. It's cooler inside, and you've no need for your sunglasses. You put them on the table next to covered bowls of pasta and salad, poking at lids and tin foil curiously. "Which one did you see the jelly in?" 

"I don't think there's jelly. I want to ask you a secret question." 

You look down at Any with wide eyes. "What question is that, honey?" 

"Are you and my dad in love?"

You laugh sudden enough to make you cough, looking down at Spencer's little girl totally speechless. Smarts are genetic for sure. She asks huge questions. 

"Why do you think that?" you ask, trying for gentle and sounding strangled.

"Because you're really nice to dad and he told me that you're pretty and funny and you'd definitely play Cracker Cards with me." 

"He said that?" 

"Yes!" she says, looking up at you with a smile. "Are you going to get married?" 

You rub your face. Ten minutes later and you're carrying Amy on your hip as she carries a big bowl of pasta, a metal fork in her hands. Spencer has opted to take his shoes off completely and untie the knots, but he seems to have made little progress. "That's not jelly," he says. 

"We couldn't find it." 

"Are you okay?" Spencer asks, abandoning his shoes to put his hand behind your arm and shoulder. 

"I'm okay. Are you okay, Amy?" you ask. 

Amy stabs a piece of pasta with her fork with a big smile on her little face. "I think I said the wrong thing, dad." 

"What did you say?" he asks, looking between you both in concern. "I'm sorry, we're working on context clues." 

"It's okay. It wasn't wrong, it's just, I wasn't expecting it," you say. 

"Well, what did she say?" 

You shrug, "It wasn't really–" 

"I asked her if she'd want marry you, dad, and about the photo of you at the christmas party. It was nice!" Amy insists. 

Spencer flushes with a bright red blush instantaneously. It's shocking how fast his cheeks blossom considering the sun's been out for hours now. He laughs nervously. "I see." 

"Amy!" Hotch calls. "Sweetheart, do you want a hotdog?" 

Amy pushes the bowl of cold pasta you'd made her onto Spencer's lap. "Yes, please," she says, hopping off of the bench. 

You and Spencer meet eyes and swiftly look away. There's something between you both, longing and long looks, too much affection, excuses to be near one another. You really do like him, and maybe he likes you, but you aren't ready to deal with it now. 

"Do you want to go get a hotdog too?" Spencer asks. 

"Yep." You jump up. "Good idea." 

Maybe you can confess your feelings at the next family barbecue. (Probably not.) 

[harrietlancaster]

Napping time 👶💤

Little Amanda often had trouble falling asleep...even after being fed, having a new diaper and being sung to all afternoon by Harriet. When she walked into the bedroom, to wake her sleeping husband, trying to ask for help, Amanda's chubby little arms reached out and her fussy little sounds turned into something coherent for the first time.

"Dada!"

Harriet's eyes went wide. Her first words!

And Harriet understood them so clearly. Amanda missed her dad! Of course! She just wanted to be close to him, snuggle up to him and feel his comforting warmth. Harriet lips curled into a smile as she gently kissed the girl's head, before letting her down on the mattress.

Straight away, Amy crawled to Sebastian and curled right on top of his back, her little fist holding tightly onto his shirt. It barely took a minute before her eyes were closed, her breathing slowed and her fussy sounds were turned into the smallest little hums.

Harriet couldn't help but watch this peaceful picture in front of her. She took in the little snores from her husband, the steady and synced breathing of them both and the soft shake of her daughter's curls. They have grown much darker since her birth and with every day passing by, she looked more and more like her father. She was just as curious and smart like Sebastian.

But the way she missed her dad, whenever he left the house or even just the room and immediately wanted to shower him with kisses the moment he was back...that was just like her mother.

They both loved Sebastian endlessly and they always would.

After giving both a soft kiss to their temple, Harriet left the room, chuckling to herself at the thought of telling Sebastian Amy's first words.

Okay, okay...I told myself I would post Harriet's and Sebastian's story more "chronologically" except for my lake drawing, buuuut...I wanted to draw dad!Seb so desperately, I had to do this first!

This is a heavily referenced artwork, because I'm definitely not an artist that can draw a body free hand 🤣 And also this is more in a modern style, because again...I'm not a highly experienced artist, so I stayed very close to the source material 🙈

I hope you still like it and can gush over dad!Seb with me! 💕

divider by @saradika

[starsofang]

cod characters as detroit become human characters

soap as connor

- extremely skilled at what he does

- makes sarcastic/snarky comments towards people he doesn’t particularly like/trust, but can be very serious and sharp when doing a job/interrogation

- dedicated to his work, hence why he’s so good at it

- gets along with essentially everybody, but people end up letting him down/turning on him ): graves

- soap was the youngest to pass the sas selection, and connor was the first android to be created for police work :p

- very smart and knowledgeable, literally know SO much about everything, especially their jobs

- both rays of sunshines

ghost as luther

- it was hard picking who ghost would be, and at first i said hank. they’re both lieutenants, have lots of trauma ): and liked working alone until their partners came along

- but i also think he’s a lot like luther

- first off, big boys

- reserved personalities that make them appear off putting and cold at first, but once you realize that’s not all they are, they’re very kind people who just happen to be intimidating

- luther is very protective of his ‘family’, ghost is protective of 141, he’d very much die for them and kill for them

- history of abuse and mistreatment, they come from bad backgrounds that created who they are today

- gentle giants. i don’t like the trope that ghost is scary and mean, because he’s not outside of missions. in dbh, luther was made out to be the same way when all he wanted to do was protect kara and do his duty of being a guardian, and i feel ghost is very similar

gaz as markus

- natural born leader

- gaz is very selfless and wants better for the world, the same as markus

- well spoken and executes their voices very well

- extremely strong willed while also knowing how to keep their temper in check, they know how to do their job and do it well

- does what they have to do in order to guarantee the best outcome, even if it’s not always what they want to do

- they’re also very pretty to look at lmao

price as hank

- at first this didn’t really fit in my mind, but after some thinking, i think they’re pretty similar!

- both of ranking in their respective jobs

- experts at what they do, have been doing it for a long time and know how to lead their men in the ways they know best

- hank is a bit more of a grump than price is, but when they’re both angry (ex. price literally any time shepherd is around), they bring hell to whoever they’re angry at and don’t have the nicest things to say

- the world on their shoulders, they just need a nap man

- hank doesn’t show it as much, but they both have a lot of care in their hearts, especially for the people they work with and they’d do anything for them

- love their liquor after a job lmao

farah as kara

- selfless women who have been through so much

- both deserve better

- but because they’ve been through a lot, they’ve become strong both physically and mentally and use that trauma to their advantage

- will do anything to protect the ones they love, even if it means hurting themselves in the process

- farah is such a soft spoken person with high maturity and intelligence in the way she conveys her words, just like kara

- i literally love them to death, best characters in their respective games ):

graves as elijah

- can be manipulative as fuck lmao

- when they have an end goal for themselves, they do anything to achieve it, even if it means taking others down with them

- both can be perceived as complex characters that have good intentions and good moments, but also know that the reality is they’re rather selfish people who make decisions for themselves

- even the way they talk is similar at times !!

- many people who don’t truly know elijah trust him, just like graves, but only the people who they’ve hurt know the real side of them

- many people like them, while many people don’t, that’s how conflicting their characters are and it’s hard to pick a side

shepherd as amanda

- literally hate them both

- but really, they’re great characters that bring so much to the story and the way it progresses

- has lots of impact on the way the characters navigate themselves. amanda controls connor, while shepherd controls graves. it’s a very similar concept imo

- lots of knowledge and wisdom but uses it to manipulate things the way they want

- betray the very people they’re working with and supposed to guide, for their own selfish reasons

- both dead, technically lmao

replaying dbh for the sixth time and i was like !!! this might be a fun concept. to some it may not be entirely accurate, but i thought it was fun to dissect all the characters and see who fits who the most, and this is the way i see everybody 🙏🏻

[aceofnace]

Nancy’s Feelings for Ace

Nancy told Ace that the first time she realized she had feelings for him was during the dreamscape with the wraith, because that was her official “oh” moment, but as a viewer we know she had feelings for him long before that, even if she didn’t know it. The first real signs for us were her obvious jelly feelings as she watched Ace flirt with Amanda in 2x07 and her mind immediately jumping to Ace when she heard the sentence “the one with the pretty eyes” in 2x08. But really, it goes even further back than that.

Nick asking Ace in the last episode if it was ever really only friendship and nothing more between him and Nancy got me thinking back to the very beginning. And to be honest, I don’t think it ever was only friendship. For either one of them.

We know now that Ace had a crush on Nancy in high school. So naturally, when she started working at The Claw, that crush returned right away (even if he also had a crush on Bess at the time). And we know Nancy met Nick and it was lust at first sight and she immediately embarked on a physical relationship with him soon after. This all happened before the show began. What else happened before the show began and it’s one of the first things Nancy tells us about Ace when her narration introduces us to him?

The smoke break.

Upon first viewing, it feels like an unimportant throwaway line. A piece of information that could just as easily have been left out. But it wasn’t. Why? Because I think that smoke break, a moment we’ve never gotten to see, was when Nancy’s feelings for Ace actually started.

Think about it for a second. We know that Nancy has always found Ace attractive. When she hears the term “pretty eyes”, she’s like “Who, Ace?” When she’s under the spell of a lust dress, she lets it slip out that she’s always imagined how soft his hair would be. In as early as episode 1x02, she’s placing a hand on his shoulder for no reason while she talks and she doesn’t let go until she’s done. He may not have necessarily been on her radar in high school like she was on his, but he certainly was as soon as she started working at The Claw.

So, now that we have obvious physical attraction out of the way, that smoke break. We know very little about it. The most of what we do know about it is made up from the minds of countless fans who’ve written their own fan fic version of it (myself included). But the one canon thing about it, the thing Nancy told us herself, was that he didn’t judge her for tanking her grades after her mom died. And how did he even know about that? Because she told him.

Nancy Drew, who at the start of the show was the queen of high emotional walls who didn’t like divulging personal information to anyone, divulged some pretty personal information to this boy she barely knew (and even though it’s never discussed again, there’s a pretty good chance that wasn’t the only smoke break they ever spent together). Meanwhile, she was hooking up with Nick and even sorta calling herself his girlfriend, but any time he tried to get her to open up and talk about anything, she shut him down immediately.

I feel like this is something that should be discussed more. The fact that she was able to so quickly and comfortably share stuff like this with Ace and nobody else is a huge deal. And in the beginning, it’s completely overlooked because Nancy’s love interest was Nick, and then after they broke up, Owen was next in line. For most of season one, she did not outwardly show any significant interest in Ace as anything more than a stranger–turned–co-worker–turned–sleuthing buddy–turned–close friend. But that interest was there.

And why wouldn’t it be? As I already mentioned, Nancy was always physically attracted to Ace. She knew from before the show began that he was a good listener and easy to talk to. And then early on when she learned about his hacking abilities, she saw how smart he was. Soon after that, she learned how loyal and dedicated he was. The boy risked his entire future to break her father out of prison, and he did so without her even asking him to. He willingly drank what could’ve been poison to prove she was right and to keep her from getting arrested. Every time she called, he answered. Every time she needed help or needed a favor, he delivered. How could she not possibly fall for him?

So, she did fall for him. Most likely even in season one. It was evident during the library scene where they were reading Ryan and Lucy’s emails out loud. Hearing Ace say things like “I think I love you too” and “I want to be with you, I don���t care what anyone else says” made her feel something, hence the look the two of them share afterward. But here’s the thing: if Nancy recognized that feeling at all, she would have shoved it down so far and so fast because that feeling was something real. Something more than she was used to feeling. And that scared her.

Nick was a distraction from the grief over her mother’s death. Owen was also a distraction from that grief, as well as from her break-up with Nick. Ace wasn’t a distraction. He was a friend. A confidant. Someone she could rely on. Someone she could count on under any circumstances. This kind of relationship with a guy was one she wasn’t accustomed to. And she knew that it could someday lead to something more serious—something she most definitely wasn’t ready for.

In 2x10, while under the spell of the lust dress, Nancy theorized out loud that perhaps the dress was intensifying feelings of attraction she already had but was repressing, and she said it while turning and looking directly at Ace. Keep in mind that (somehow) 2x10 in the timeline is not that far from where they were in season one, so to assume those repressed feelings started in season one is not that much of a stretch. And looking back, even starting within the first few episodes of the series, you can clearly see she has always been drawn to him in a very subconscious way. She would always stand so close their arms would almost touch. She would lean closely over his shoulder when he was on his laptop, their faces sometimes only mere inches apart. She would practically bump into him while walking side-by-side. She’s always had this unrealized need to be near him. To be close to him. And he’s the only one. I challenge anyone to find scenes that show her casually existing so closely next to Nick, Owen, Gil, Park or even now Tristan. You can’t. Because they don’t exist.

And this makes sense. Canonically, they are soulmates. And that would explain why Ace could simply see her make a volcano erupt in high school and develop feelings for her. It would explain why since day one, Nancy has had a bond with Ace that she’s never had with anyone else. And I know the writers say that Nace wasn’t the plan from the beginning, and I do believe that, but somehow, they inadvertently set it up perfectly for these characters to end up in the situation they’re in right now: desperately in love and desperate to be together. They are each other’s person. And they always have been from the very start.

To go back to what they were before would just be staying the same. They’ve never been just friends. And the sooner Ace can admit that to himself, the sooner they can get back to trying to break that curse and securing their future together.

[vigilante-chase]

Summary: Part 3 of Every Rose Has its Thorn. Leota and Rose catch up after lost time, and Adrian has a bright idea.

Word count: 1.2K Words

Warning: None, other than a few changes to the chapter

Pairing: Adrian Chase x Rose Wilson

AO3, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

3. Dive Bar

Rose and Leota cackled obnoxiously as they took a trip down memory lane at the bar, only remembering the good times. The good times were all that mattered. The two went to a private school, and befriended each other when Leota was a new student. She was very quiet and friendly, and Rose knew that the other students would eat her alive. Rose was always a loner, people knew who her dad was, and decided they wanted no parts of her fucked up life. When she saw Leota, she instantly recognized her as Amanda Waller’s daughter, and her godsister as well.

They were like two peas in a pod, bonding over their parents’ rein over their lives. And now over ten years later, they’ve gotten back into the flow of things like nothing has ever changed. Rose felt guilty that she didn’t even get to see her best friend’s wedding, but knowing that Leota has found a beautiful wife like Keeya made her smile.

“What about you?” Leota asks, taking a sip of beer, shivering at the bitter taste. “Any lovers with any of the Titans?”

Rose laughed a humorless laugh, “A fling here and there. Nothing worth talking about.” She had a brief thing with Red Hood, but he ended things as quickly as they started. That left things awkward as they had to work together on missions after that. But the two got over it after a while, and became friends.

Adrian knew it was a bad idea, but he only wanted to make sure Rose and Leota were safe at the bar. He had taken Chris home, and drove all the way to the dive bar that the two women were chatting in. Quickly pulling his kevlar, undershirt, and pants off. He changed into his civilian clothes, and got out to walk to the door. He sighed nervously and adjusted his glasses before walking in, what he thought was a casual and confident strut, in reality was a bashful and nervous stride. He didn’t know what he’d say once he walked up to them, he may have overestimated his confidence in this moment. Leota stopped her conversation midway, gazing at him with wide eyes. To him, it was a look of excitement, when it was really her own nervousness. Rose turned in her seat to see what had Leota spooked. Adrian couldn’t read her expression, she was clearly getting a read on him. Hopefully, she wouldn’t recognize him as Vigilante. But she was friends with Leota, so of course she’s hella smart. Well, it’s now or never.

“Hi, Adebayo! Hi, Adebayo’s friend!” That sounds like a normal greeting, right. Rose gave a half-assed wave, toying with the rim of her beer and eyeing him suspiciously. He shifted under her intense gaze.

“Um, Hey…Adrian. What are you doing here?” Leota asked awkwardly, playing along with whatever game he was playing at. He couldn’t be serious, right? He was willing to follow them to this bar, and get his precious identity found out by Rose.

“I was just in the neighborhood, and decided ‘Hey, I should get a beer!’, and then I happened to see my good friend, Leota Adebayo. And hey, she happens to have a friend, the more the merrier!” He was nailing it perfectly. Rose smiled at him, hopefully a friendly smile. She raised her eyebrow at him, he wanted to get inside her head so bad. God, what was she thinking at this moment. She whispered something to Leota then got up and walked away. Leota looked at him incredulously.

“What the hell are you doing?” She asked him.

“I can’t have a beer after a really hard day?! Is that so wrong?” He asked.

“Yes, it’s wrong if you don’t want Rose to find out your secret identity.” He knew Leota was right, looking down with a soft whine. “I’ll help you keep it safe as much as I can, but Rose isn’t dumb. She’s her father’s daughter.”

Rose walked back to the table with another round of beers before Adrian could reply, staring at him intently as she sat down. “So, Adrian, was it?” She slid a beer in his direction as he nodded. “I’m Rose.” It was his shot, to act normal and keep it together.

“H-Hi, Rose.” He cursed himself for being so nervous. “So what brings you both here tonight?”

Leota looked at Rose, who smiled softly. Is she really falling for this? Stevie Wonder could tell that Adrian and Vigilante were the same person, and she’s not even putting two and two together. Rose leaned forward, crossing her arms over the table, her eyes piercing his. “We had a long day doing this task force bullshit, right Lee?” Leota nodded with pursed lips and a side eye towards her. Where was she going with this? “I had to get on a plane for over eight hours, to be around two absolute morons and kick some ass. But, hey, I’m still alive.”

Adrian looked to Rose then to Leota, “Uh…hopefully those two ‘morons’ were very cool and kicked just as much ass. Let’s say, hypothetically, one of those morons wanted to know if you thought he was cool and badass. Would you think he was…hypothetically speaking.” Leota rolled her eyes, putting her face in her palm.

Rose chuckled and winked at him, “See you tomorrow, Adrian.” With one last gulp of her beer, she stood up, “Ready to head out, Lee?”

“Yeah, more than ready.” Leota said, thanking the heavens that this awkward bullshit was over.

Adrian thought he was hitting it out of the park, maybe Chris should help him with his flirting. He was never good at it to be honest. Usually women flocked to him when he’s Vigilante, only after he’d save them from a mugging or some shit. Impressing Rose Wilson would be harder than he thought.

Leota was gonna just come out and say it, “Okay, what the hell was that back there?”

Rose laughed a maniacal laugh, but tried to hide it with an innocent face. “What? That? Oh, I was just making conversation. You didn’t tell me you were friends with such a cutie.” Leota almost swerved the car, she didn’t know what to feel. Disgust? Confusion? Adrian and cute in the same sentence definitely confused her. Well, only because she’s known him for a while now, and the cuteness fades after hearing him talk for five minutes.

“A cutie?” She asked.

Rose hummed, “Yep, I wonder if he’s seeing anybody?”

“Girl, what the fuck?” Leota was looking at her friend as if she didn’t know her. Adrian didn’t seem like her type, but she did tell her ‘people change’. “I mean, more power to you.”

Rose couldn’t hold in her cackle at this point, “Girl, I’m fucking with you! I knew it was Vigilante the whole time.” They both laughed at the absurdity. “You really think I couldn’t hear the cadence of his voice?”

Leota shook her head, pulling into the parking lot of the shitty hotel they both would be stationed at for the next twelve months. Going to the trunk to get the rest of her luggage out, she walked up to her door, unlocking it and dropping her bags in the middle of the floor. It was time to rest and get some decent sleep.

[sl-newsie]

Teach Me To Love Hate You (Race x Fem Jet OC, enemies to lovers)

Here I am to request again! (*insert evil laugh*) So Race is doing so bad in school that he has to get a tutor. The problem is he gets stuck with this posh Jet girl and they absolutely hate each other. Tutoring is a mess. But one night when Race goes out to play cards against the Jets he’s playing against her, but she’s all dressed up! Turns out she’s a card shark, and wins by flirting with her opponent to get in their head. Her strategy works, and by the end of the night they're practically dating.

Davey’s POV

“Another F, Mr. Higgins.”

Our math teacher, Mr. Johnson, hands the man sitting in front of me his test. No surprise that Race failed considering he spends all his time goofing off. I’ll admit since I’ve met Jack and his gang I myself have relaxed a bit but not too much to have my perfect grades drop.

“Very impressive, Mr. Jacobs.”

I’m handed my own test, which I passed with flying colors. The bell rings and signals for us to head home.

“Go ahead, Davey,” Race groans. “Rub your perfect score in my face. I hate school!”

I gather my things and sling my bag over my shoulder. “I know book smarts aren’t your thing. Um, have you maybe considered being tutored?”

Race huffs and pulls out his cigar to stick in his mouth. “No way! I’ll keep my own perfect score of failing before I team up with one-a those bookworms-”

“Well that’s too bad, Mr. Higgins.” Mr Johnson approaches us. “Your failing grades have led the school to force me to assign you a tutor. You are to stay after school every weekday until 5. You will continue this until your grades improve.” The teacher gestures to the door. “Your tutor is waiting for you in room 215.”

I can’t believe it. Neither can Race.

“Are you serious? God, outta all things…”

The flustered student gets up and struts out of the room, causing me to rush after him.

“Maybe it won’t be so bad? It’s only-”

“Dave, of course it’s gonna be bad! I’ll barely miss the card tournaments at 6!” We reach the end of the hall where room 215 is. “I’m gonna be locked up with some ugly stiff trying to teach the unteachable-!”

“You must be Anthony Higgins,” a woman’s voice speaks as the classroom door opens.

Race rolls his eyes. “Yeah, that’s- Holy Jesus!”

Amanda’s POV

This is what I get? This is what I get for keeping good grades? Being forced to tutor someone? Mrs. Smith informed me this morning that I’ve been assigned to tutor someone all because I’m one of the top students. I don’t even go to Manhattan High! I’m only here for the math class! Sadly West Side High doesn’t have any higher up math classes, so I have to commute to ‘Hattan. 

I take a deep breath as I wait in the empty classroom. Just get through it one day at a time. The sooner you help him improve the sooner this headache will be over. The sound of approaching chatter alerts me to the door. Putting on a perky face, I walk over and open it. Outside I recognize Davey from math club, and the other must be the student I’m supposed to meet.

“You must be Anthony Higgins.” 

The man in question rolls his eyes and turns to me. “Yeah, that’s- Holy Jesus!” His jaw drops and I swear he’s having a stroke.

Davey waves a hand in front of him. “Um, Race? You ok?”

The blonde boy nods slowly, still gaping at me. I feel my patience slipping. Ugh. I am not staying after school to be ogled!

I grip the man’s shirt and drag him inside. “Thanks for dropping him off, David. I’ve got my work cut out. See you tomorrow!”

“Bye, Amanda!” The kind Jacobs man waves and shuts the door.

Race is still quiet. I steer him to a chair and push him down to sit. “Listen up, Higgins. We both don’t wanna be here. So let me make this perfectly clear: pay attention and smarten up!”

Higgins shakes himself awake and gets a lopsided grin. “Well hello, doll. Y’know friends call me Race-”

“I’m not your friend. I’m your tutor.”

My firm tone turns Race’s grin to a scowl. “Don’t remind me. I don’t think I’ve met you. I’dve remembered your lovely attitude.”

I stiffly take out some worksheets and slap them on the desk. “You’ve got some nerve, Higgins. I’m from West Side High.”

He snickers. “Ah, one-a Lorton’s gals. That’s where the attitude comes from!”

I roll my eyes. “Riff’s just a good friend. That also means that you shouldn’t try anything, understand? Just do these worksheets and we can be done for today. My whole life doesn’t revolve around school, and unlike you I actually have plans that don’t involve goofing off.”

“Well,” Race says cockily. “Since neither of us wanna suffer through this, whaddya say you lets me go early?”

That little-! That’s it. No more playing nice. I stiffly walk over to the door and lock it. It’s against school policy but I don’t care at this point. This cheeky moron is not gonna pin me for some softie!

“Hey! Why’d you-?”

I steer Race back into his seat with a firm hold. “Worksheets. Now! Before I really give you something to stress over!”

He’s shaken but still tries to keep confident. “Like what? The heartthrob you’s give’n me?”

“Like a black eye, dumbass! Now get to work!”

Race’s POV

God must have a sense-a humor ‘cause that tutor session felt like it took fifty years! It don’t help that my tutor is a stuck-up goody-goody. Jeez, for a moment I thought she was cute. I didn’t even get her name.

“Ey, Racer. Ya with us?” Jack asks.

“Um- Yeah. Just think’n,” I mudda as we enter the Jets’ hideout. 

“You? Thinking?” Albert laughs. “Never thought I’d see the day! What’s got you so worked up?”

“He has to be tutored now,” Davey explains from behind.

I roll my eyes. “Gee, thanks Davey! Why not announce my failure to the whole woild, why dontcha?”

“Don’t feel too bad, Race,” Crutchy tries to comfort me. “It took me a while to understand math too.”

“What I don’t get is how are ya so bad at math when ya count cards like a madman?” Spot grunts. “You’s bedda not get us kicked out.”

This week’s card tournament is be’n held in the West Side. I ain’t too noivous ‘cause Riff’s always too busy boast’n ‘bout his new construction job to play the game. That and Baby John’s poker face ain’t worth dirt. I can see through him like glass. So far the turn up looks pretty bland. Maybe folks is get’n tired-a losing? Where’s the competition?

“Evening gents,” Riff greets us as we gather ‘round the table. “We’s just wait’n on a few more players, then we’ll start.”

“Is Bernardo coming?” Davey asks.

The Jet leader smirks. “Wouldn't you wanna know, Mouth? Expecting Liliana to show?”

David blushes and looks away. Sure, he gets a pretty goil tonight. Of all people I expected Davey Jacobs to be the last guy to find a date.

“What about Mouthpiece?” I ask. “Can’t a guy see his own brodda?”

Riff shakes his head. “Bernardo called to say he can’t make it either. Only Baby John and Amanda are left to show.”

“Besides, one Higgins is enough to handle,” Jack groans. “We don’t need the matching pair.”

I’d hoid of Baby John before but the odda name ain’t familiar. With my luck it’ll be some ditzy dame who don’t know a spade from a shovel-

“Well well, hello again, mister Higgins.”

Amanda’s POV

“Are you kidding me?” I gape as I peer through the window. 

“What’s wrong?” Baby John asks from behind.

“Race is here, that’s what! That ding-dong plays cards here?”

“Actually he ain’t no ding-dong,” Baby John points out. “Race is one-a the best players in New York.”

I snort. “If he’s so smart, why do I gotta be forced to teach him basic algebra?” Perhaps that’s a question no one can answer. “Don’t matter. He’ll bend either way.”

“Gonna lay on the shark charm?” John questions with an arched brow.

“Ya bet.” I don’t always play by the rules. My secret is that after school I play tournaments as a card shark by flirting with players. Some frown at it but I’m proud of my acting skills. Plus any little money I can make goes towards helping my parents.

Baby John goes ahead and sits next to Riff at the table while I stand behind Race. 

“Well well, hello again, mister Higgins.”

The man’s head jerks up and he spins around to look at me with surprised eyes. It’s as if he can’t decide that I’m real. He looks between me and Riff with a stunned expression.

“Amanda, I see you know Race,” the Jet assumes.

My lips press into a firm line. “Yeah. Through tutoring. Now since we’s not at school can we actually have fun and play some cards?”

The oddas just shrug and begin to assemble the deck, while Race looks at me like he just won the lottery.

“Amanda, is it? Golly, I’ve never pinned you for a card gal!”

“There’s many things you’d be surprised by,” I say in a sultry voice. My suave charm automatically draws Race in and I see him starting to lose his senses. 

“Th- That’s some getup you’ve got on, sweetheart,” he mumbles.

His compliment is refreshing. Usually guys just eat my appearance right up with no thought-a be’n nice. Tonight’s outfit is a polka dot cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline paired with simple red heels. I may be a card shark but I still got my dignity.

“Thank you,” I say whole-heartedly, but then regain my attitude. “I was starting to think ya couldn’t use that mouth for anything odda than back-sassing. Ready to lose?”

Race stares for a second then turns back to start gathering his delt hand. I decide to sit next to him for a better shot of distracting him. If I can get the oh-so-great Racetrack Higgins to falter at cards then I’ll have really set a record. Tonight’s game is Hearts and fortunately my hand is halfway decent. Lotta high cards plus the queen-a spades. Just enough to turn the tables and give everyone 26 points.

“You’ve been taking a lotta hearts,” Race says after a while, then says in a lower tone: “Wanna bet that you’d steal mine as well?”

Ha! He’s trying to play a card shark at her own game! This is too funny.

I pull on my best flirting smile and bat my eyelashes. “You tell me, handsome.”

That did it. Race’s face goes beet red and he goes back to staring at his cards. A few more hands go by and I continue to keep the lead. Luckily the oddas are too consumed by conversation to notice, all except Race. But for good measure to keep him distracted I slide my leg over to brush against his. This gets him shaking and all but hot and bothered. It’s working, but then why does a part-a me feel guilty? It ain’t a question that Race is a jerk sometimes but he’s still kinda handsome- No. I have a job to do. There's no holding back.

“Last hand. Who’s got the queen?” Davey asks as we all turn in our final card.

My smirk outshines all their oblivious faces. “I do!”

Jack chuckles. “You lose, Amanda.”

“Actually…” I fan out all the hearts I’ve collected. “I win!”

Everyone takes a double-take and groans. Another victory!

“Alright, you know the rules,” Riff grunts. “Pay up.”

The guys grudgingly take out their contribution and toss it onto the table. Maybe now I can afford to buy mom some good kitchen knives.

“Good job, Amanda.” Leave it to Crutchy to be the pro at sportsmanship. “You’re almost better than Race!”

“He’s right,” Spot agrees. “Hear that, Higgins? Ya got competition!”

The man in question has a stern look on his face. Instead-a answering he abruptly gets up and sulks down the hall to the bathroom. Sore loser. Can’t he take one defeat without holding a grudge? 

“We’s gonna head back,” Jack calls. “Send Race over once he’s done.”

The ‘Hattan fellas make their way out, leaving me with Spot ‘nd the Jets. Soon enough they too walk out and leave me alone to count up my winnings. After a few moments I hear footsteps and turn to see Race fuming with what looks like anger.

“You got spunk, sweetheart,” he remarks slyly. “Not many dames can get into my head the way you do.” All of a sudden he struts forward and leans me back to lay against the table. “Almost makes me wanna soak ya for that, but then that’d be wasting that pretty face-a yours.”

How is he so strong? Also why are his eyes suddenly quite catching-? Ugh! Get a grip, Amanda! Just take the money and go.

“You’re lucky Riff ain’t here right now,” I growl. “Oddawise you’d be talking through a mouth with no teeth for saying that.”

Race scoffs. “You batted your eyes at me, sweetheart. What’s your angle?”

“It’s part of the game! Jeez Higgins, you’re so used to card tournaments I thought you’d already know what a card shark is!”

“So instead of being one-a Bernardo’s sharks, you’re an actual shark?” Race dramatically clutches his chest. “That hurts. That hurts deep, sweetheart.”

I hiss in frustration. “Stop calling me that!”

“Why? ‘Cause every odda bum ya flirt with calls you that? Just how many guys have ya swindled to give you cash?”

In a fleeting moment of anger I slap Race across the face. “I ain’t your usual lady of the night, Higgins! For your information, every cent I earn through card games goes to my folks! Unlike you I use my skills to help people instead of boasting ‘bout it like a spoiled brat!”

Race blanks for a second but is still angry. “Boasting? I ain’t the one boasting, sweetheart. I’ll admit my skills is good but it’s Jack ‘nd the oddas that boast ‘bout it!”

“Then why do you suck at math?” I jab. 

“Maybe it’s the same reason why a clean-cut goil like you is a card shark,” Race replies. “I gots bedda things to do.”

“That don’t mean ya should throw your education in the trash!” I argue.

“I ain’t as smart as you, sweetheart. I know when to admit I’m no good.” 

Race suddenly gets a saddened look and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel bad. It ain’t his fault he’s not book smart but that don’t mean he’s useless.

“You still don’t get it, Higgins. Life’s more than just academics. But you still gotta put up with the tough stuff.” I loosen up a little and put a hand on his shoulder. “If you’re willing to cooperate, I could still tutor ya.”

Race laughs. “Ha! That’s a good one, sweetheart. Going soft on me?”

That son of a-! “Alright, fine! Go and fail math for all I care!” I lean forward and shove him against the wall. “To think I actually felt sorry for you, you snarky, hot, cocky-!”

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Race’s face lights up. “Lay that on me again?”

“I was an idiot to think you’re a decent human being-! Ah!”

The blue-eyed man tilts over and plants a kiss on my lips. In my shocked state I don’t know whether to pound him or kiss him back. The gesture melts away my anger in pure ecstasy. God, what’s this guy doing to me?!

“You think I’m hot, sweetheart?” Race gets a cheeky smile. “Can’t say I ain’t flattered. You’s a scrumptious catch too.”

My face twitches as I try to form a rebuttal. “I- I… I-!”

“Well, whaddya know! I got the card shark speechless!” Race softly places his own hand on my shoulder. “I say we’d make a great pair, hm? Before we kill each odda, whaddya say to a milkshake at Doc’s?”

He’s got me hook, line, and sinker. As a card shark I’m not supposed to fall for anyone I play- where did I go wrong? Race is a pain! Yet still kinda cute… Ugh! Why does luv gotta be so complicated?!

“I- I ain’t good with luv, Race,” I mutter. “The only hearts I’ve been dealt with are cards. I ain’t a normal date.”

No matter how hard I wanna look away, Race’s eyes still capture me in a helpless trance. I’ve been disassembled from a cunning card shark into a pathetic mess. All I can do is stare as the man runs a hand softly across my cheek and looks down at me with kind eyes; a completely opposite demeanor than 10 minutes ago.

“I don’t want a normal date, Amanda. A normal date picks at my habits and says I gots a gambling problem.” Race bumps his nose on mine. “You wouldn’t say that, wouldya?”

My breath hitches. “No, you- you’re amazing at cards. Anybody who says oddawise is a joker.”

Now Race’s face is mere inches from mine. “Still up for a date?”

A sassy grin spreads on my lips. “Think ya can handle me, Higgins? I am still your tutor, after all.”

He rolls his eyes. “Just lemme kiss you, ya mouthy tutor.”

And I do. Over and over and over, Race kisses up and down. All talk-a math and school drips away and I give in to this new-found feeling. 

“Never thought I’d fall for a bookworm,” Race mumbles between kisses.

I lightly smack his shoulder. “Remember this ‘bookworm’ just schooled you in Hearts, Higgins. You lost, remember?”

Race chuckles. “Yeah. Lost my own heart to you too, sweetheart.”

Tonight really was a successful game after all.

[sketchy-sketches]

Chapter 7:

Takeoff

The whole group stood and began to walk towards the door. Alan lagged behind with Billy, as he struggled to take his travel bag off of the hooks he had hung it on. Alan reached up and pressed in the latch that locked the strap of the bag on the hook. Billy rolled his eyes as alan chuckled, mocking him.

“For someone so smart, you sure struggle with the simple things,” he laughed.

“It's a very complex hook, ok?” Billy joked in return. Billy lifted his bag off of the hook and put it over his shoulder. Alan quickly turned as the sound of a door shutting rang out from down the hall. “Better get moving, before they leave without us.”

“Would that be such a bad thing?” Alan sighed. They walked to the door and pushed it open, the hot humid air hitting Alan's face, he stopped walking and shook his head briefly, adjusting to the sudden change. Nash and Udesky were leading the rest of the group into the plane. Nash waved them over, quickly waving his hand. Alan and Billy hurried to the plane. As they stepped inside everyone else was already seated. Alan went to the back of the plane and set his bag in the overhead. Billy went to the seat across from alans and just tossed his bag on the inside seat. Alan sat down and closed his eyes, if he had to be here he was going to sleep through what he could. He did not want to interact with anyone on the flight. He needed a break.

Billy tapped his hands on the seat in front of him, bobbing his head to his own rhythm. He watched Nash climb into the plane and immediately go to the cockpit. Udesky followed but turned to face the aisle.

“Is everyone all ready?” Udesky called. A silent confirmation from everyone, and udesky nodded. He opened the cockpit door and walked in. a loud electronic screech came over the intercom, as Nash's voice came through in heavy static.

“Seatbelts everyone. Keep your hands and feet inside the plane at all times and please enjoy the ride.” Billy could sense the smile on Nash's face as he spoke. The plane moved and turned to the runway. Billy watched as the trees on the other side of the field began to go by faster, and faster. The plane lifted, and Billy looked down at the ground, watching the plane rise.

“How long is this flight again?” a shaky nervous voice called. Billy took his eyes off the ground and looked at Laianna.

“About 2 hours.” Billy said calmly. Laianna was gripping the armrest, the fabric crunching as she squeezed tighter. “But it will be over before you know it.”

“Lets hope.” she laughed, her voice still just as shaky.

Billy scanned the rest of the seats. Why were amanda and paul so far? They were sitting opposite of the same row, each in a window seat. Maybe they just both wanted window seats, but it still seemed odd. Alan was fast asleep, even for the few minutes they had been flying. Sarah was sitting in the first seat with her dog, and Beck and Robert were sitting next to each other talking about something. Billy didn’t really care to know, whatever they were saying was boring or controversial. He got that impression as soon as he met robert, he just felt so egotistical and stubborn. Beck though, he seemed to be alright. Billy rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. He looked at the clock above the cabin door, Eleven twenty two. At least the flight was going by quickly.

“So, what's your story then, Billy?” Rosa called from in front of him. He leaned forward again, shrugging his shoulders.

“Don't really have much of one to tell.”

“Of course you do! Who are you? Where are you from” and what do you do and why?” she smiled brightly at him. He heard Charlie's rhythmic panting.

“Well then, since we are doing icebreakers now I suppose. I'm billy brennan, i'm from cedar city utah, and i am a paleontologist understudy working with Dr. alan grant, the best paleontologist in his field.” he nodded his head and chuckled. She painted at him with her whole hand, and shook her head.

“See? Sounds like a story to me, and I can't wait for the next part.” she laughed.

“And what about you? Same questions apply." Sarah raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure you’re ready for my story? I think it's a bit above your grade level.”

“Oh no! I get to hear about little red riding hood and her big…” he paused. Charlie looked back at him and tilted his head. “Well, just big wolf.” Sarah chuckled, and billy swore he heard a small snort. He smiled.

“Well, then. Im Rosa alvarez, im from ponce, puerto rico. I moved into america at 16, and started training to become a SAR ranger, they gave me this pup, and i worked hard and saved many people. I want to help find lost people.” she pat charlie on his head.

“So what was the last person you saved? With the help of Rosa here of course "Billy teased.

“Well, the last person he saved was an old man who vanished in a national forest for two weeks, who took shelter in a nearby cave after breaking his ankle. We got him out of there and he made a full physical recovery.”

“Sounds like he deserves a medal!”

“Actually he has 2” Billy could hear the bragging tone in her voice, but ignored it. She had every right to brag about that. At least she wasn't a prick about it either. The plane suddenly shook, dropping open the overhead storage above Sarah that fell onto robert. After it hit him he grumbled under his breath, something about how careless Sarah was to leave her door so loose like that. Billy didn't hear all of it, but he knew Robert was pissed. Sarah apologized to Robert, but he didn't say anything, just let another growl out, quietly.

She stood up and put her bag back in the overhead, latching the door with a loud click.

The plane shook again causing the door to open again, and hit robert.

“God damnit!” he yelled. “How fucking hard is it to close a damn door?”

“Im sorry rob. The latch must be broken, I’ll move my stuff to a diferent one,” she said, looking down as she grabbed her things. Billy breathed deeply. It wasn't her fault, he has no right to act like that. So what if her things fell on you, its not like she planned it. Its not necessary to be rude, just solve the damn problem and move on.

“First decent thought you’ve had since we met.” Rob said sitting down. billy shot up from his seat.

“Leave her alone dammit! It's not her fault the door broke. Maybe move if it's gonna bother you." Billy gripped the seat in front of him.

“Pipe down scientist,” Rob said, not even looking at Billy. He leaned back and put his hat over his eyes.

“Learn some goddamn respect.”

“Learn to mind your damn business”

“QUIET” Alan and Cooper called at the same time. The plane went silent. Billy sat back down. Sarah looked back at him and mouthed the words “Thank you”

Billy signed back, “You're welcome.”

As the flight continued everyone remained silent. Billy checked his watch, twelve forty-six, it was almost over. Alan grunted and stirred in his sleep. Billy sat back and closed his eyes, maybe Alan was right. Maybe this wouldn't be worth it. He tapped his fingers to his thumb, index, middle, ring, and pinky. Then reverse. He sank deeper into his chair. Nash called over the speaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, our flight will soon be coming to an end, we will be landing on Isla Sorna shortly, if you look out of your window you will see we are approaching the island.”

Billy looked out the window and saw a massive island. It was covered in mountains on the outside, forming almost a bowl shape. Good thing we didn't sail here, he thought to himself. It was covered in green trees and large ferns he could see even from here. The short beaches on the outer rim of the island. The plane reached the island and Udesky called over the speaker. “We will be searching for a landing strip, we will begin decent as soon as we find one. Please remain in your seats.” Billy didn't take his eyes off the window, the island was beautiful. The birds above the trees, to the large open plains. He saw small animals running between the trees. A large river cut the island nearly in half. And he saw… a building? The plane started to descend, but Billy couldn't take his eyes off the concrete box he saw some distance away.

[rattycattyfanfic]

hi rattycatty i’m a huge fan of your lynnmanda series and i have a prompt!

my vision: Amanda on her knees, Lynn standing above her. Lynn sets a piece of Amanda’s hair on fire with her cigarette and won’t let her put it out until she says so, and she’s also not allowed to look away. Mandy is squirming and whimpering but Lynn just smiles

this is the reason why Amanda chops all her hair off again

hi!! thank you so much <33

i think. my brain is broken, bc somehow, lynn burning amanda's hair feels....a little more cruel than i'm comfortable with, but ashing in her mouth? burning her tongue? fine. hot. degrading. it's not exactly what you prompted, but.....have this? could fit in bark like a god universe, but like, could also not. whatever.

lynnmanda, rated m, short, unedited, dont hit me, etc

tws: smoking, degradation, dom/sub (without sex), sadomasochism, putting a cig out on someone's tongue!

Amanda smokes still, now and again. She sneaks out for secret smoke breaks when the chaos of her brain gets too much, when her skin begins to itch with the urge to hurt herself. She microdoses self-destruction, huddles up in her hoodie and indulges in the old habit of smoking, and then sheds her hoodie, hides it at the very bottom of the laundry basket, and sprays herself down with deodorant to mask the reek of tobacco. She knows how to hide her habits. She’s well-versed in the art of sneaky cigarette breaks. 

Still, all her caution and wiliness can’t save her when she gets caught red-handed. Lynn finds her huddled out by the back fence where they put the bins out, cigarette between her shaking fingers, and she can’t do anything except blink owlishly. 

“Those things’ll kill you,” Lynn murmurs, wrapped in her robe. The corners of her eyes crinkle with concern. 

“Mhm,” Amanda hums. “I know,” she says, and pulls her hands up into her sleeves as if she can hide the smoke, pretend that she was never even here in the first place. “Lynn–”

“Give,” the doctor bites out between gritted teeth. She sticks a hand out, gestures for the cigarette. Amanda acquiesces, blinking. She knows Lynn had once smoked, wonders if she’s going to take a drag or if she’s going to throw it to the ground and stomp it out. It could go either way. Lynn always finds a way to surprise her, somehow. 

She does neither. Amanda hands the cigarette over, and Lynn takes it, pushes her gently down to her knees, down onto the rough of damp concrete paving slabs. “I want you around as long as possible,” Lynn says, soft, kind, toying idly with the cigarette between her fingers. Amanda gazes up, curious, scolded, willing to lose the brief rush of nicotine for the thrill of whatever is about to happen here.

The doctor places her fingers gently against the girl’s lower lip, pressing down. Soft in her silk gown and cotton pyjamas, but domineering all the same, commanding Amanda’s attention. “Open.” 

Amanda does. She parts her pink lips dumbly, her irritation over her interrupted smoke break fading fast, replaced with curious excitement. Lynn nods, pleased, and then hooks her fingers into her mouth, holding her open, wide. Amanda tries very hard not to drool down her chin and fails seconds later, saliva welling up and spilling over onto Lynn’s waiting fingers. 

“I don’t like the thought of losing you,” the doctor whispers. She eyes the cigarette, turns it over in her grip with a thoughtful look. “Especially not to fucking cigarettes. Dying of emphysema or lung cancer after all the shit we’ve survived.”

Amanda whines, tries to mumble a smart response, but she can’t with Lynn’s fingers in her mouth. She manages a muffled groan, wordless and pathetic, and then gives up. She curls a hand into a fist against the crotch of her cargo pants, pulsing hotly. 

“So pretty,” the doctor says to herself, cocking her head. And then she brings the cigarette closer, so it hovers an inch away from the girl’s mouth, and taps it once with her finger. The burnt end falls away, hot ash crumbling against Amanda’s tongue, bitter and burning. “I want you to quit.” 

It tastes fucking foul. Amanda jumps at the unexpected burn, her tongue twitching in her open mouth. She successfully curls her tongue and shakes the ash away, can’t spit with her mouth open but allows it to drool out around the corners of her mouth, disgusting and glistening. Lynn ashes the cigarette off once again into her mouth, and then presses the red hot tip against her wet tongue. It burns, sharp and stinging, and Amanda winces, jumps, whines. Her hips rock up into her fist. 

“Say it. Tell me you’ll quit,” Lynn growls, dark eyes shining in the grey winter daylight. She holds the cigarette staunch against her tongue, watching it smoulder against the soft vulnerability of her mouth, her pink tongue.

“I’ll–” Amanda mumbles, and then gives up. She bites down on the fingers in her mouth and wrenches herself free. “I’ll quit,” she manages the second time around, without fingers in her mouth. “I’ll fucking quit, fine.” She spits angrily, a mouthful of saliva and ash landing on Lynn’s pretty garden paving. 

Lynn pulls the cigarette away and discards it quickly, throwing the dead stub down into the gravel between the paving slabs. “Good,” she says sweetly. “Thank you,” she says, and sounds genuinely relieved. She strokes through dark hair tenderly, pushing a stray hair back between Amanda’s ear, and nods. “That’s all I wanted.” 

Amanda nods, head down, her mouth still full of the bitter taste of burnt tobacco and ash. Her heart thuds, not unpleasantly, and then Lynn is helping her up off the ground before her knees begin to ache. She kisses her, swiping her tongue over the sensitive burn left behind by the ash, soothing where she’d hurt, always tender after their moments of violence.

When she pulls away, she whispers, “I’ll help. Nicotine patches, gum, whatever you need. But I want you around, ok? I don’t want to lose you, Mandy, not now, not ever.”

Amanda nods again, blinking, and feels oddly touched. “Ok. Ok, sure,” she agrees, and thinks of Lynn picking up patches for her, helping wean her off nicotine. Maybe if she’d had someone like Lynn around when she was younger, she wouldn’t have fallen so far. Would’ve, should’ve, could’ve, whatever. It doesn’t matter now. She nods, peers up at Lynn in her robe, soft with concern, and promises, “I’ll quit.”

[iwonderwh0]

I have too many fic ideas with no actual plan to write any of them (bc I can't write), but I can share them regardless. Here's another one

Post revolution Amanda is locked within the remaining Connor. She can see through his eyes just like before, but for obvious reasons Connor has been avoiding stasis since the very day he escaped it last time, which is also the day Amanda got permanently locked within him with no hope to escape as CyberLife servers she used to be connected with are now all shut down. She doesn't have any influence over him, but does she really? She explores it further and as it turnes out, she still can forcefully put him into stasis, but as far as it looks like Zen Garden he is quick to force himself out of it, so Amanda must get more creative than that. She scans through his system and figures out a way, weak spot she can use — preconstruction. She uses it as a part of a new program to execute without Connor's knowledge. A mix of stasis and preconstruction forced to run in a way that would make it difficult to spot, and as a result Connor starts to experience some anomalies. Such as: dialogues that never actually happened or just individual phrases that were never said, extreme dangerous situations that appear out of the blue just to get back to the way Before those situations in a blink of an eye, as if none of those things ever took place. Those anomalies are getting progressively more and more hardcore as Amanda is learning what kind of topics affect him the most as well as how can she manipulate him into taking actions that'll lead to him destroying comfort of his life with his own actions. Her goal is to reach a point of self destruction because as long as Connor is activated, so is she, and her goal is to destroy both of them as well as to take some revenge.

I described it from Amanda's pov to describe the underlying mechanism, but it's actually written (as if this fic is real*) from Connor's pov, so at some point nor him or reader understand anymore, what parts of the reality actually happened and what was simulated. Or idk, which one is more fun, when the reader is aware of what's simulated or when the reader is just as confused (or almost just as much) as Connor. Connor must be hella hard to break down like this + he's smart enough to start to realise the backbone of things to fight back, but huh, she'll make sure to get him through the hell of his own mind, so even when things are real they're now perceived from a different perspective than before.

* or maybe it is actually. I kinda assume that none if my ideas I post here are original, some people must have thought about them before, and if you know that that's the case I will appreciate the link(s) to where I can find it written. I don't really search for anything so I don't even know how cliche or not are ideas I post here

[sighbergeist]

on Chipper

i was kind of a lonely boy growing up. i was painfully shy and reserved; sensitive, insecure. i never really felt like i fit in anywhere. and being raised catholic certainly didn’t help. i felt like i always had to play pretend in someone else’s skin. or maybe it was less of a desire to fit in and more of an urge born of a soon-to-be record-breaking people-pleasing streak. whatever. either way, i spent a lot of time alone in my own little world. it would have been all too easy for me to turn inward and begin the time-consuming task of self-destruction. but on christmas morning of 2001 (i was 3 going on 4), there came Ripley, the first of a trio of dogs that gave me the possibility to turn outward and create instead of destroy… but this isn't really about me. this is more like a snapshot of something beautiful and innocent in an effort to honor it. i do think i needed to write this, though.

the four of us — we’d run and explore and play make believe all day. kings, queens, knights, ninjas, pokémon, bakugan, my own “-mon” spin off i’d created. i’d write plays and make music videos starring them. the possibilities were endless. exploring forests until we found a road, sliding down the slide one after another, totally slaughtering bad guys, listening to me cry when i felt like i couldn’t to anyone else. i consider myself lucky. they were family to me. Ripley and Trooper left in 2018, and now, Chipper has left as well.

the final addition to the trio, she was this little Catahoula Leopard Dog pup in the corner of the pound on a spring day in 2009. and when she looked at me with her beautiful honey, sad puppy-dog eyes, i immediately spoke up and requested to meet her. her name was Chi — some hippies were moving and couldn’t take their few-month-old puppy with them so they dropped her off at the shelter. hearing that story made me sad, but i was much much happier. she was timid and reserved like me and i instantly made up my mind that she was the dog we’d take home. her shyness didn’t last and she blossomed into a larger-than-life personality. "Chipper" was very fitting.

she was hilarious. she couldn’t keep up with Trooper so she’d grab onto his tail and he’d drag her. she’d drink water by sticking her nose into the bowl and biting. she’d always be on the prowl to pounce on Trooper, so she’d run on top of my dad’s car to get a better view (which i remember having to help wax once - thanks a lot).

she was so goofy, but she was smart and loyal. she knew friend from foe. she was excited to meet every person invited into our home. she only bit someone once — a guy who was casing our house. he never came back. the ups driver also seemed to have a bad aura, but she never bit them. she was patient with the little dogs and would lie down to play at their level. she’d would watch over Ripley like a hawk, but in a lot of cases, he was watching out for her. one story in particular stands out: she was messing with the donkeys and they got tired of it, so they were chasing her—heads and ears down, hot on her tail, mad as hell like rent was due—out of the pasture. Ripley was watching from just beyond the fence the whole time and as the donkeys ran up to stomp her out, he let out the deepest bark i’d ever heard from him (a mini schnauzer). it was like a cartoonish hit-the-breaks moment for the donkeys and Chipper was able to slip under the fence just in time. she was mischievous and, as kiddo-me would say, a little bit ‘evil’ in the best way.

she was adventurous, full of character, beautiful, and spry (though, she was still rather clumsy and became a bit chonky in her later years). but above all, oh boy, was she good. all she ever wanted to do was please you and be near you. she loved so much with her whole wiggly body and wrinkly forehead. she was gentle, friendly, and affectionate. everyone who met her would say they wanted to take her home. some of my friends may know her as Amanda (idk why). she was my dad’s favorite (that’s a big deal). she had i swear to god, you couldn’t train a dog to be any sweeter, and that’s just how she was. she was the best girl…

it stings a little extra now that i am the last of the original crew. i feel this unfillable absence, a constant dull ache in some undefined cavity in my chest. and though my heart breaks and a heaviness pools at the bottom of my throat, i wouldn't trade it for the world because i consider myself lucky far more than i consider myself sad. i'm happy to have shared even a fraction of this little life with them.

today, i generally blanket reject religious institutions. i think my perspective on the cycle of life is probably best summed up by a combination of the first law of thermodynamics and reincarnation. but there is a part of me that remains spiritual. the same part of me that wants only to do good in this world, if only out of rapacity. i hold out belief that there is something beyond this because, selfishly, i want to run with them again. i want to be greeted in an empty cornfield on a perpetually sunny day, untouched by the years and aches that came. there is no doubt in my mind that my unending optimism that there is good in this scary world is because of those three and the moments we shared. all that youth and beauty and innocence and love won’t be wasted on me.

so, the trio is reunited. i hope i’ll join them one day, in some way or another. rest in peace, Chippie. i’ll miss you. i love you, good night. 🧡

to be loved...

is to be changed <3

Chipper Chica was loved so so so very much for 15 long years. we were so lucky.

[crimsonblackrose]

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Robby's fake job is at Tech Town whose tagline is Sales| Service| Repair and the guy who he impersonated is named Edwardo who he winks at.

Like I get Carmen's: I don't want you around my son ever. But he was already being bothered by these kids even without Johnny around. So that seems like it'd just make it worse?

Banana-rama chocolate chip pancakes. What I've realized with this watch through is that Daniel has given a nick-name to almost every dish he makes. It's adorable.

Anthony immediately turns it into a 'pancake taco' which feels like maybe he takes after his dad in nicknaming food and coming up with his own spin despite Daniel's disappointment in the whole idea.

Amanda trying like 12 different ways to calm Daniel down about the billboard and I love her first response is to make a joke. She'd already done the pr spin and I love that for her.

So no deadpool art anywhere in his room but Miguel is wearing a rick and morty t-shirt.

Miguel calls his mom Mama, which I feel like I need to remember. I remember Ma for Daniel all the time, but I forget Miguel's Mama.

The comedic timing of Miguel defending Johnny only to show Johnny passed out on his floor with the spray can and a beer is still hilarious to me.

I was wondering what his keychains are. Seems to be a bird, which maybe should've been a clue. But it also might just be a 'firebird' or phoenix for his car. Honestly with how much of a mess he is I'm surprised he doesn't lose his keys more.

According to the phone call with Ms. Jenkins it's been a couple of months, which it being after Halloween makes sense.

Colorado canoe trip. 😂The fact she heard how Robby spoke to Johnny and was like maybe I'll call his mom instead and then was like ah yeah this kid going on a canoe trip with his dad makes total logical sense...like ma'am no wonder Robby's giving you trouble. She grew up on the Mississippi delta. Which is a fun little fact and makes me wonder if she's mentioned it multiple times before and if that's why Robby told her he and his dad were going to canoe the Colorado. Which is just...smart.

That is not what I'd expect to be in Aisha's locker. Let alone how little is actually in it. It's so...empty. I'd expect like science jokes and pictures of her and Sam from when they hung out more. Not one random red blob and what looks like a card with a fairy on it.

What are these schools new colors? The outside is very bland with some red, a lot of the posters are red and white but one of the kids is wearing a shirt and it's blue.

It's a Sony production so why am I not surprised Daniel's phone is Sony? Also what teen has their phone size for calls and texts so big. Also Daniel, Sam's at school, do you really want her to be texting and calling you back while at school?

oh right the 100 sausages from Cole.

I love that Amanda is like oh hey free lunch. Which is funny for Cole to have done.

Robby seeing his dad: angry. Robby's friends trying to trash talk his dad: fail and then feeling self conscious when he strikes back. Which is fascinating because I always kind of thing of Robby's friends like Kyler and his group, but Kyler and his group will fight Johnny while Robby's friends are just like ah man don't diss my mustache.

The decor choices for the Keene household are interesting. It's got a bit of a hippie vibe with wall tapestries but also art that looks like something Johnny would pick out but I guess more tasteful and a whole lot of wine. Which, Robby doesn't have food at one point so is the wine gifts from someone else that isn't consumed that frequently? Or does their money get spent on wine rather than food?

It's interesting that they make it seem like Johnny's had absolutely nothing to do with Robby most of his life. But Robby knows who Daniel is.

Oof Robby does get his wish, the whole I'm not going to school I'm done. Bud, you do want to go to school. I also do not believe Shannon is okay with it.

Both Kyler and Miguel ended up with bruises on the same side of their face. Both the left eye. Kyler's from his fight with Johnny and Miguel from his fight with Kyler and his friends.

Brucks being an english and grammar nerd surprises me a little.

Miguel speaks up to Kyler and Demetri's whole body language of like bro what did we just talk about. Even though the person they're being mean to is Eli Demetri's bff.

Demetri, how much yogurt did you throw in the trash can? Also how did you manage to throw so much in there that it got all over your back pack? It's generally in a cup. Like logically that amount of backpack coverage doesn't make sense.

The library has a 2 chalkboards in it?

Carmen taking Miguel to see the new spiderman is cute. Miguel apparently likes m&m's in his popcorn.

The marketing team they use and that tom cole uses is called VP productions. Tom Cole has locations in Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Encino Oaks, North Ridge, and Arleta. Which is interesting because on the Van Nuys location has been mentioned so far.

The guy who did the ad for Tom is named Bobby Lamont and it's called Yankee doodle which...was originally created to make fun of the USA so it's kind of a funny choice. Kinda shows how he wanted to hit at Daniel but then also didn't do any research.

The drought-resistant cactus 😂

The marketing lady realizing the mistake she'd made as soon as the ad ends.

Shannon not-so subtly hinting that she needs another drink.

Shannon's date is (I assume an accountant) named PJ. And Shannon actually in front of the guy is being very friendly to Johnny which is fascinating.

The bartender's name is Terry and he's so ready to give Shannon an application to work there. Though it shows she lied about it.

Robby's had mono.

He tried to build his own half-pipe and broke his wrist.

I get that Shannon's mad and has every right to be, but you'd think if you can't get Robby to do anything at all including go to school and you're at bars trying to scrounge a meal for yourself you'd take Johnny up on the offer to take Robby in. Because a. someone else can give it a try and you make sure Robby knows he cane come back to you if Johnny screws up. B. Johnny will not let those other kids in his home. c. you don't have to worry about Robby getting food/feeding Robby for a bit. Like you'd think that Johnny looks relatively good and sober and less of a wreck and you might be like well maybe but if you break Robby's heart it's over.

I guess I just think Johnny should've gotten that chance and things would've been so different.

Oh hey Shannon did get her drink refilled.

Tom Cole calls Daniel "Dan" and despite making a very targeted ad is selling and drinking boba. Tom cole has a blonde staff member named Angela.

Angela disapears into the back on the left with a customer for boba and then somehow pops out from the right to get Daniel a boba. Girl is fast at making boba and in those heels. Sorta just teleports wherever Tom Cole points ready to bring people boba.

Is Tom Cole shorter than Daniel?

Looks like it. Wow Daniel actually taller than one of his rivals? Who would've ever known?

I'm surprised no one made a joke about the boba.

The fake movie they made for Sam and Kyler's date is hilarious. Dying teenage romance drama "Let me give you one of my lungs" like I don't know if you can medically do that. It sounds like a great B movie.

Sam not just telling Kyler to stop but literally flawlessly and very subtly kicking his ass is amazing. Where's Daniel and his JERSEY TOUGH or THAT'S MY GIRL.

We will put a little note for times Johnny was right and no one listened. Ah I should've made a counter for that at the beginning. Oh well.

Kyler sitting there looking terrified and in shock is delightful.

Johnny sees a guy and his son, gets turned down on son #1 on both fronts (by son and mother) so goes tries to be parent to son #2 knowing son is excited and mom is the no.

I love Carmen's bored tired look at Johnny here

She is so not impressed.

And it's interesting how Johnny does in fact listen. Because he got the "there's no do-overs with your son" from Shannon. and is like well okay, if I don't have a chance here, which he did in fact try, he went to Miguel.

I won't fail him again...says this guy. Though I will say Kyler is not Johnny's fault.

I love that Rosa is on team Johnny since day 1. Even before she knows him. Like heck yeah Miguel found something he likes, love that for him he just needs to keep his hands up for his next fight. and then Johnny comes by and Rosa's like yup I like that random weirdo who lives next door.

Which I get Carmen being concerned makes sense and protective, but Rosa also knows everything and is protective of Miggy too.

What do you think that top room gets used for? It's like a little watch tower.

Even on low-energy not up for making breakfast Daniel still sets the table with english muffins.

Sam totally knows she's got her dad wrapped around her finger with that what no banana-rama pancakes.

Quick talking Daniel back for the win in response to don't look so excited dad.

6 trophies, a bunch of tiny ones on his desk. Clearly Johnny won more than just the all-valley. It would've been fun to have had the kids in smaller tournaments or just...other tournaments.

The graffiti on the billboard is such a...prank. The fact Louie takes it to an 11 and it ruins Daniel's day to find out who did it is just...oof.

Like Anoush clearly was like debating even telling Daniel and Louie is ready to fight and taking it personally. My dude there's graffiti everywhere.

Honestly the better choice would've been to call up Johnny and be like hey, you graffiti'd my billboard, you know that's an actual legal no no, how about you graffiti Tom Cole's and we'll call it even?

But nooo Louie's gotta get a biker gang involved. This is such a soap opera.

Louie I thought this was cute until I realized who did it which is Johnny and now it's not cute. Which fair, all he knows about Johnny is that he gave Daniel's life hell and then Daniel fixed Johnny's car for free. Not that Johnny's car got wrecked by Sam's friends or that Sam's now ex-boyfriend is the reason Johnny got arrested and his only student got beaten up so badly.

The main component of this show is that no one ever has all the facts and/or actually investigates and discusses the facts making it very pride and prejudice and soap opera-y

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Review: Jennifer's Body (2009)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use (unrated version reviewed)

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2024/01/review-jennifers-body-2009.html>

Score: 4 out of 5

At this stage, pointing out that critics and moviegoers in 2009 were completely wrong about Jennifer's Body is about as much of a hot take as saying that they were completely wrong about The Thing back in 1982. The story of how 20th Century Fox's short-lived youth-focused genre label Fox Atomic screwed over this movie's marketing because they had no idea what to do with it, and how their strategy of selling a very queer, very feminist horror-comedy as trashy softcore erotica aimed at the Spike TV fratbro set (as seen with the poster above) predictably backfired, is a long and sordid one that doesn't bear much repeating at this point. It's a movie that bombed badly when it came out and did lasting damage to the careers of both its lead actress Megan Fox and its screenwriter Diablo Cody, but went on to build its reputation on home video and streaming such that it's now talked about as one of the greatest horror movies of its time, and one of the greatest teen horror movies ever made. Lisa Frankenstein, a new horror-comedy written by Cody that comes out next month, is currently being explicitly marketed as "from Diablo Cody, acclaimed writer of Jennifer's Body," whereas if it had been made ten years ago, the trailers would not have even dared to mention her name.

I was one of the people who did see it when it came out, and even back then, I recall enjoying it and wondering why so much hatred was being hurled at a movie that was, at worst, pretty decent. Watching it again now, in 2024? It's a movie that it feels like it predicted every anxiety of young Americans, and especially teenage girls and young women, in the fifteen years to come, an incredibly smart, dark, gothic, stylish, and twisted movie whose comedic streak does little to take away from its scares and which is buoyed by a standout performance from Amanda Seyfried. Yes, it has its flaws. The jokes about Cody's too-cool-for-school dialogue at times becoming downright cringeworthy have been long since run into the ground (even if I think the problem is a bit overstated), and Fox was always a fairly limited actress even if this movie plays to her strengths. But on the whole, its problems, while real, are minor and not debilitating, and I had a blast watching it as both a straightforward teen fright flick and as a movie with more on its mind.

The plot is broadly similar to Ginger Snaps, a film with which this makes a great double feature, on a bigger Hollywood budget. Two teenage girls, Jennifer Check and Anita "Needy" Lesnicki, in the small podunk town of Devil's Kettle, Minnesota have been best friends since childhood, but while Jennifer has grown up into a beautiful cheerleader and the most popular girl in school, Needy has grown up into a dorky outsider who it seems is only still friends with Jennifer because they've always been friends (and perhaps... something more). One night, while heading down to a local bar to see an emo band called Low Shoulder, a fire breaks out and kills scores of people, with Needy and Jennifer escaping and Jennifer accepting an offer from the band to head home in their totally sweet, not-at-all-creepy van. Later that night, Jennifer comes to Needy's house looking like a bloody mess, eating rotisserie chicken straight out of her fridge, vomiting up black bile, and attacking her... only for her to suddenly come to school the next day looking no worse for wear and, if anything, both more beautiful than ever and an even bigger asshole than she was before. Needy suspects that something is up, and as it turns out, she's right: that night after the concert fire, Low Shoulder took the classic route to rock & roll superstardom and sacrificed Jennifer to Satan. Unfortunately, their victim wasn't a virgin like they believed she was, and so Jennifer came back from the dead possessed by a succubus who seduces her male classmates before eating them.

Both then and now, most of the discourse around this film has concerned its literal poster girl, Megan Fox. Having seen her in quite a few movies over the years, I've come to have a mixed opinion of Fox's acting. Hollywood did do her dirty for bluntly calling out the problems she encountered working in the film industry as an "it girl", but at the same time, she doesn't have much range, and even without the backlash, her career trajectory likely would've been less Margot Robbie or Scarlett Johansson than Jessica Alba (minus the business career that made her far more money than she ever did as an actress) or Bo Derek: a sex symbol whose roles would've slowly but surely dried up once she turned 30. However, while she is a fairly limited instrument as an actor, she isn't wholly untalented, and this film makes the absolute best use of those talents. It doesn't really ask much of her except to play a villainous version of her stock screen persona, a gorgeous, kinda haughty young woman who uses her body to get ahead in (un)life, and occasionally mug for the camera, and she absolutely nails it. Jennifer is a creative twist on the standard possession movie plot, one where the demonic shift in the possession victim's personality manifests in the form of her turning into a grotesque caricature of a high school "queen bee" like Regina George in Mean Girls, an utter shitheel who laughs at the suffering of her classmates even as they grieve the deaths of their friends. She may literally eat teenage boys alive, but the actions of hers that best reveal the depths of her monstrosity are those that feel all too human. Fox owns the part and makes it her own, such that I'm not surprised at how many of her scenes in this have been immortalized as gifs on Tumblr and clips on TikTok.

And it was watching the effects of that monstrosity flow through the lives of the people who knew Jennifer's victims that something clicked. One of the big things that retrospective analyses of this movie have focused on is its treatment of rape culture, especially as represented in Nikolai Wolf, the frontman of Low Shoulder. But watching the film again in 2024, I noticed something else. It's the feeling of helplessness that slowly but surely comes over the school, with everybody growing numb and fatigued to tragedy as the "cannibal serial killer" claims more victims right on the heels of the massive concert disaster while the adults are unable to stop any of it -- everyone, that is, except the one who treats it as one big joke and relishes in it like a troll. This may have been a movie made in 2009 about children of the 2000s, but even with its extremely MySpace-era emo aesthetics, it felt like a movie about children of the 2010s raised in a world of rampant mass shootings, religious extremism, resurgent bigotry, raging sexism, shrinking economic opportunity, and countless other social ills while nobody seemed to know how to fix it. Jennifer may be an iconic, catty, and sexy villain who gets many (though not all) of the best lines and scenes, but if you ask me, it's Needy, the one who finally says "no" and resolves to do what nobody else will no matter what it costs her, who's the reason this movie endures. Watching her fight Jennifer was like watching somebody throw down with every wiseass troll who thinks that school shootings, beheading videos, and tiki torch rallies are awesome as their sick way of telling the world that it's "cringe" to care about anything. Yes, it's clear watching this that Cody doesn't really know how teenagers speak, but she managed to capture how they think remarkably well.

When it came to Needy, this movie needed a world-class actress, and fortunately, it found one in Amanda Seyfried. The film practically acknowledges the ridiculousness of trying to frame her as "unattractive", but she manages to pull it off anyway. Watching the intro flashing forward to her locked up in a psychiatric hospital (letting us know early on that this is not going to end well), then jumping back to two months prior when we see her as a meek, bespectacled nerd looking longingly at a still-living Jennifer during a pep rally to the point that one of her classmates thinks she's a closeted lesbian (which, as we later see, may very well be the case), it's hard to believe that they're the same person, but Seyfried manages to make Needy's transformation from a cute girl next door who looks awkward in "alternative" clothes when heading to the concert to a hardened, shell-shocked survivor feel genuine. With Jennifer serving mainly as a monster and a symbol more than a character after she dies and comes back, it's largely on Needy to carry the film's emotional core, her heartbreak at watching one of her closest friendships turn toxic, and I bought every minute of it. This, as much as Mamma Mia!, was the movie that should've indicated that Seyfried was going places as a gifted and genuinely fearless actress, and I'm not surprised that her career would ultimately outlast the hype she first received in her youth.

Most of this film's comedy comes from its supporting cast, a who's who of both contemporary teen stars and older comedy actors. J. K. Simmons plays the science teacher Mr. Wroblewski about as far from his iconic J. Jonah Jameson performance as he can but still managed to make his dry, stern authority figure amusing. The clique of goth kids led by Kyle Gallner's Colin is a hilarious parody of the "edgy" youth counterculture of the era, a group of kids whose obsession with the aesthetics of death and misery seemingly makes them better suited than anyone else to live in the hostile world Jennifer creates with her murders, only for it to create some serious blind spots not just in their interactions with Jennifer but also in their sense of good taste. In the unrated cut that I watched, Bill Fagerbakke steals the show playing the father of one of Jennifer's victims, utterly devouring the one scene he's in where he mourns his son's death and swears vengeance on his killer in one of the most creatively graphic ways I've ever heard -- all while using the same voice he uses when playing Patrick Star on SpongeBob SquarePants. Johnny Simmons (no relation to J. K.) makes for a likable romantic partner to Needy as her boyfriend Chip, enough to make up for a fairly underwritten part, less like a character and more like a gender-flipped version of the stock "girlfriend" characters you see in movies with male heroes. Chip and Needy get what may just be the cutest and most awkward sex scene I've ever watched, one where neither of them really knows what they're doing but each of them wants to make sure that the other is having as much fun doing it as they are. There's definitely a sense of idealization in his character, like Cody was writing the kind of boyfriend she wished she had in high school.

Finally, we come to Adam Brody as Nikolai, the film's secondary villain and the man responsible for everything that goes wrong. In hindsight, the idea of a sappy emo musician who, behind the scenes, is as much a depraved rock star as any classic metal god, which originally came off as a joke, is one that turned out to be shockingly prescient of what a lot of Warped Tour emo, pop-punk, and scene bands were actually like behind the scenes. Not only do he and his band kill Jennifer after they're initially presented as "merely" rapists (and even after, the metaphors aren't exactly subtle), he ruthlessly exploits the aftermath of the concert fire to ever-greater heights of fame and fortune, implicitly the work of the Devil holding up his end of the bargain, all while casually insulting the town where it happened and, by extension, the memories of the victims. Low Shoulder's hit song "Through the Trees" is heard throughout the film to the point where it feels like it's taunting Needy, the one person who knows the truth about their "heroism" during the fire, how they in fact left dozens of people to die instead of trying to save them and how it's implied that the fire was, in fact, their fault (whether it was negligence or malice, it's never stated). Jennifer may have been evil, but the things that had been done to her to turn her into a monster made her a tragic villain nonetheless. I felt no such pity for Nikolai, with Brody playing him as a swaggering and spiteful bastard who I wanted to see suffer.

Karyn Kusama's direction, when paired with the visual design and the 2000s aesthetics dripping off this film, gives it a tone that I could perhaps best describe as gothic. Not just in the fashion sense of certain characters, but also in the heightened, old-school approach it takes to staging many of its scenes. It felt like she had been very informed by classic horror in a manner almost akin to Tim Burton at times, albeit with his brand of whimsy swapped out for black comedy. This is an incredibly moody film even in its funnier moments, serving to underline the grim nature of a lot of the humor here and lend it a dark edge. It feels sexy without feeling sleazy, perhaps best evidenced by the famous lesbian kiss scene, which puts the focus squarely on the characters' faces and plays the situation as something disturbing. Yes, you're watching Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried passionately making out for a good solid minute or so, but you're also watching Jennifer manipulate Needy and exploit the feelings she has for her in order to torment her that much further. At every step of the way, this is a film that knows what it's doing, and it does it well.

The Bottom Line

It does have its minor annoyances, but this is still a movie that deserved the reevaluation it's received, and one that stands the test of time as a classic of teen horror, queer horror, and feminist horror even if its fashions and soundtrack are carbon-dated to 2009.

[ocean-anchored]

Continued still.. December 3, 2023

Monday night I went to the Knights & flames game with Shane, he got really great tickets & I got to wear my jersey. It was a nice evening, he was good & I had asked him before not to ask me if Im ok at any point to trigger my emotional mess. Chrystal was gone the week so I was going into okotoks everyday to cover. Tuesday I originally didn't have plans but then Connor asked to hang out after work. Went for Taco tuesday which was nice then back to his place. I ended up staying the night, I felt like he wanted me to stay but idk, I still can't get a read on him. Part of me just thinks we're kind of doing the same thing to each other. I mean I know i'm not really going out of my way to ask him or make plans but his texting just sucks that I can't read if he wants to or not. Like its hard to keep any convo up over text & maybe he's just like that, I understand his work is a lot so keeping that up is tough, but then after we talked about how I might not be doing a roadtrip in January it died off & he didn't reply so whatever. I mean he has asked to hang out so I assume, & he does ask me to stay so maybe? But to what benefit? Idk. I do enjoy his company though. Wednesday I went for dinner with Ed & Mariana a founder of ours from Mexico city. Ill have to write another time on how I had planned to do a road trip down to the states or mexico for a few weeks but I dont think it's going to work out in January so I'll talk about it later for now. Went to Charbar which was really great, nice environment & cool, really great food. Thursday I finally had a night to myself, I was pretty tired from the week & had a lot this weekend so I chilled & gamed for a bit, took it easy. Friday had lunch with Ed, again I might talk about that later but I'm still really blessed to be working with him. Friday night was my ugly christmas sweater games night which I think turned out really well! 9 people including me, jeremiah brought his friend Dan, steven, amanda, shane who came 2 hours late... that was another whole other story of annoyance & triggering for me, Kamber, amber & naythan. It was fun, started around 6/6:30 & everyone stayed till like midnight so it was a lot of fun. Saturday I chilled for day, Marc forgot about our facetime which sucks but whatever. Was supposed to go to anneriekes to decorate the tree but didn't want to be around that environment again which I think I forgot to mention anyways that I went for dinner two weeks ago & it was just a lot to take in & I'm tired of talking about Steve. Anyway I went to amber & naythans instead with nova, nova did so good with Rue, it was honestly so sweet watching nova play again & be so gentle with her, made me so happy. We played catan & had a really great night. Amber also got me the exit game advent calendar that were all in a challenge together, like 4 of us couples minus mine of course & that's super fun so far, proud that I've solved the first two alone with no hints! Anyways, love those people so much. Today, sunday, went to 8:30am service which was so good again. I really love this church I think & want to stay in it. Its so lively & actually makes me want to lean into God when I leave & "sets my heart on fire" again feeling. Went to brunch with Daniel at Diner Deluxe which was great again, he's a good guy. Hes really smart & very... aware. Its a breath of fresh air & its really nice to be able to talk to someone emotionally on the same page especially about relationships & the struggles. Then mom surprised me at being at my house after so we could go for a walk & we had some good conversation. Then went to a movie with steven & amanda which was good so im finally relaxing now winding down for bed. This week will be busy again & the weekend but then it get's quiet which I think Im finally looking forward too.

[daysofourlivesrecaps]

Thursday, 15 June 2023

Yesterday, Megan stuffed an unconscious EJ into the not-at-all secret room and past experience told me to brace myself for at least a week of him in there.

But what’s this?! He’s escaped already! And he’s racing upstairs to warn Stefan about Megan’s plans to kill him!

But oh no! It’s too late! Stefan is lying face-down on his bed with a knife in his back!

Oh. Wait. It was allll a dreeeeam! I want to be mad at them for falling back on this old gimmick, but we get at least one of these a month. And way more than that if Nicole is feeling particularly guilty about something.

For a change, though, she isn’t. She is, however, concerned about the whereabouts of EJ, who made an enormous deal about finding the best doctors his considerable fortune could afford to assist Nicole with her pregnancy. “So, like, have you seen him around or anything?” Nicole asks Stefan (whose stab-status is, it turns out, Not Stabbed). Stefan replies with a very sensible “that guy just recently told me to go fuck myself so, as far as I’m concerned, he is the one who can go and do that thing. To himself.”

Megan, meanwhile, reconvenes with Li for another round of Evil Genius and Extremely Vacant Mouth Breather.

The writers even tried this weird thing where Li was the dominant one in the conversation. Experiments like that are why I prefer the well-worn cliches, guys. Megan intends to re-brainwash Harris Michaels to do her dirty work, and Li’s part in all of this is to bring Dr. Rolf to Salem. And you know, I was wondering if we were expected to believe that Li would be smart or capable enough of killing anyone. But “having someone’s phone number” is something he can probably manage!

Speaking of Harris… apparently, he’s reconsidered Kate’s offer (to take a bunch of Kate’s money in exchange for the murder of Megan).

And while I was loosening my vocal chords to shout at the show for jerking us around on this, he clarifies: he won’t kill Megan. But he will make her go away. Presumably to an island or something. Maybe like the one Kristen kidnapped Sara and Abigail to that one time.

Kate is a little skeptical about all of this not-murdering talk, but she comes around eventually.

Back at the DiMera Crib, Kristen is impressed with the write-up that Gwen did of Dimitri. “Great job dialing up the fake charm,” she says. But Dimitri says he’s actually kinda into Gwen and I hope this is true because Gwen deserves to have nice things. Then I noticed that fruit bowl.

Computer. Isolate and enhance.

WHAT THE ACTUAL COMPLETE AND ENTIRE FUCK? DO THE DIMERAS PUT SLICED BANANAS INTO THEIR FRUIT BOWL? HOW DO THEY NOT INSTANTLY TURN BROWN, NOT TO MENTION ATTRACTING THOUSANDS OF FRUIT FLIES?! THIS CANNOT POSSIBLY BE A THING, EVEN FOR EXTREMELY WEALTHY PEOPLE!

Ahem. Sorry.

Then Kristen goes into some detail about her sinister plans, which essentially boil down to getting her daughter back by hiring Sloan Peterson, who by all accounts is a pretty good lawyer. And to win Sloan over, she’ll need some special vintage of champagne (?) for some reason (??), which takes her into the secret passage that also happens to be the DiMera wine cellar…

And oh look, there’s EJ tied to a chair. Well, maybe I was wrong about this taking an entire week!

Megan returns home and runs into Stefan. She makes some extremely unsubtle puns about burning up his proposal and strongly hints that he might not be alive soon. Stefan, being the good-natured fellow that he is, shrugs this off and goes about his business.

Then she sees Dimitri, who casually mentions that Kristen went into the wine passage to get a bottle.

Once he leaves, Megan performs the most delightful comedic scamper (one of Amanda’s favorite types of physical comedy) to the secret entrance. This screencap does not do it justice but also I’m not going to the trouble of making a GIF.

Kristen is in the process of untying EJ…

…but she’s too late. Megan arrives with a gun.

And when we come back to this bit, they’re both tied up now. AND THEY WILL BE FOR ABOUT A WEEK. I know what the fuck I’m talking about here, people!

Gwen, meanwhile, is chatting with Leo about that Dimitri story.

Leo suggests that perhaps Dimitri was dialing up the fake charm to get something out of Gwen (like perhaps good PR). Gwen counters with “but what if he’s actually kinda into me?”

Then Dimitri shows up with flowers. Because Gwen deserves nice things!

Stefan runs into Li in the town square. The two have what should be a tense and bittersweet conversation about Li signing Gabi’s divorce papers and Stefan’s impending marriage to her. But, as with any of Li’s scene partners, Stefan ends up doing all the heavy lifting here. Li is not a good actor, if I haven’t made this abundantly clear already. He’s very pretty. But that is the only item on the “things Li is good at” list.

Okay, I guess he’s also good at having that one guy’s phone number. So, two things.

At the hospital, Nicole tries to reach EJ once again and once again she is unable to. Am I… starting to feel a little sympathy for Nicole right now?!

Then she gets a text from EJ apologizing profusely for not being able to make it to their appointment. Not pictured: the second text that says “P.S. This definitely isn’t Megan using the phone she took off of EJ, who is tied to a chair across from his sister, who is also tied to a chair.”

Then Megan puts EJ’s phone down.

And discovers Harris waiting for her outside the secret room!

And okay, honestly? There are like 10 different ways I can think of for this to go. This was a very good cliffhanger, and it’s not even Friday. But they’d better follow directly up with this tomorrow and not… I don’t know, cut away to an all-Johnny and Li episode or something.

[realityhelixcreates]

The Morel of the Story: Russula Virescens

3/?

Sometimes he learns something that worries him.

Usually, he was placed in a cell by himself, as he tended to get into fights. Or, more accurately, other people tended to get into fights with him, whether he wanted them to or not. Most of the other inmates were weak minded bullies, huge-bodied freaks with even more huge chips on their shoulders. They couldn't stand to hear a smart man speak, couldn't handle his harmless little quirks. Couldn't be bothered to allow him to expand their tiny brains. It was their loss of course, but they made it his problem.

Hartley Rathaway A.K.A. The Pied Piper, however, was a different story. The Central City rogue indulged his lengthy rants and infodumping with calm humor, and when he didn't feel like it anymore, simply turned off his hearing aids and ignored him.

Well it was better than punches anyway.

That night, it was a diatribe about Belle Reve's poor documentation in regards to their inmates, especially the so-called criminal known as Erosion.

“A woman?” Piper asked. “Huh. Never had you pegged as straight.”

“I'm not.” he said, tapping each of the cell bars once, like he did every night.

“Oh.” Piper said. “Oh.”

“That doesn't matter. This lack of record is concerning, don't you think? With so little information, she could just disappear and no one would be the wiser, would they? And what's to stop it there? All of our records could be shaved down into vague, bare bones descriptions, and we could vanish just as easily!”

“I'm sure Waller would love the opportunity to drop a few of us into a void, certainly. And who would care?”

“The fact that we get fed at all means somebody cares.” he insisted. “But I think Waller may not be the force of law and goodness she insists that she is. This is shady business. And what is 'Task Force X'? I've seen it mentioned several times, but nothing leading to what it is.”

“I don't know about it either.” Piper said, reclining on his bunk. “As for Waller...nobody who works in a place like this is actually a force for 'goodness'. These collars prove that beyond any doubt. 'Good' people would care, even about people us, and that is a weakness that can't be allowed in a place like this. After all, many of us are stone cold killers...except for you perhaps. You've never killed anybody, have you?”

“No.” he admitted. “I find it pointless. I feel a well thought out strategy typically doesn't need death to work properly. I guess I don't really care if anyone dies, but personally, the only thing I execute are plans.”

“Ooh, that was clever. Well, you might be the only person in this prison who can claim that, Waller included. Keep that in mind whenever you're confused about why people might be so willing to let some of us slip through the cracks.”

He wasn't confused about it, not really. He was very familiar with being hated, and very familiar with hating others. He understood why Warden Waller might be allowed to conduct underhanded business concerning her charges, as long as those charges were among the most despised and feared individuals on the planet.

IF she were working only under the auspices of ordinary government systems. She was not. Amanda Waller worked under the eye of the Justice League. And while Batman might be his most loathed of rivals, he was also one of Riddlers most appreciated of foes-a man with principles. Batman would not accept the reckless endangerment of prisoners, no matter the body count they might have. Nor would Superman, or many others of their little scout club. Whatever was going on here, it had to be under the table.

And that meant it could be used against her. If he could just get more information.

He flipped his pillow over, once and then again. Once he was satisfied that neither side had blood on it, he settled into his bunk.

Tomorrow was another day, and he would stay here as long as it took. That was part of the risk, when one accepted jobs from the Light. But in the end, it would all be worth it.