#and the moth is his heart and he's giving it to Daniel!!!

[123pixieaod]

Hunger Games AU

Part 2 :)

(((Tw: HG levels of violence)))

Part 1!

When he wakes, it is dark and he's alone. The cave casts shadows over him, crevices carefully constructed to hide the hundreds of cameras tracking his movements. Keep them entertained, Sebastian had told him. How's this for amusement? Watching a man wither away to nothing, forgotten by his teammate.

Daniel whimpers. It's embarrassing, the way the sound echos, emphasising his isolation, his weakness. His shoulder aches as if there's a fire raging under the skin. Someone, it must've been Max, left a full water bottle and small pile of nuts beside him. Daniel stares at the offering. He wonders if his fever has finally broken, or if this is simply a brief respite, the calm before the storm washes through him once more. He stretches out a hand, pallor and thin. Movements stiff and aching. He tries to keep his injured shoulder as still as possible, but the reverberation of movement makes the joint burn even stronger. Max had cleaned it as best as he could, helping Daniel wash it upstream in the river, and then bound it with the sleeves ripped from his shirt. Distantly, Daniel knows he should try to change the bandages, wash the inflamed skin again.

He imagines it. Teeth wounds punctured into him, skin red and angry and growing with infection.

He makes himself chew and swallow a handful of the nuts, even though they taste like dust in his mouth. He closes his eyes, forcing them down as he thinks of Max carefully gathering for him, brow pinched in the way it does when he's especially concentrated.

"Eat up," the Orange Lady singsongs. "Come on, I know you must be hungry, my sweetness!"

"I never got to get married", the girl from 12 says wistfully.

"I can't believe I died for you," the boy from 10 says.

"I hope they skin you alive, " the boy from 2 hisses. The girl from 5 starts to chock. Daniel squeezes his eyes shut again.

-

Max is married. His wife lives with him in the almost desolate Victors estate, in the house next to Daniel's. She's a few years older than him, but nothing scandalous. Daughter of the two local teachers, the elderst of a bunch of two girls and five boys. Straight dark hair, pale skin, and eyes of electric blue. She's pretty, but in the way a daisy is pretty, or a bow is pretty. Not hot; not desirable; not sexy. She's the perfect wife for a victor like Max, the exact fit to smooth out all his edges, to soften him to the public gaze. Daniel knows because he picked her himself.

Max hadn't wanted a wife. He'd shouted and he'd stormed away and he had ruined more than a few ceramic plates against the wall, but Daniel was firm. Choose a wife to marry as soon as he turns sixteen, or Daniel would choose for him. Max had refused. Daniel has chosen Emilia.

He thinks he picked well. Sebastian gets on well with her anyway. She pops by, offers to water his dying flowers, or makes some poppy bread for him. Every Wednesday, she goes into the poor streets in town, giving away fresh vegetables and new clothes. She keeps Max's home clean, she feeds his cats for him, she weats pretty dresses and always smiles. She doesn't really interact with Daniel, but he doesn't care. He prefers it, this strange situation they have where they both pretend the other doesn't exist. Max the only commonality in their lives. But she's very good. A good wife. Daniel chose well for Max.

Even still. It doesn't change the fact that they sleep in separate bedrooms.

Max plays with his wedding ring when he gets nervous. Daniel will stare, watching his pale fingers twist the golden band,around and around and around. Daniel keeps his fingers bare. There's no point.

It worked, anyway. Max became known as the most successful victor in history, the 13 year old who killed over half the contestants and had the game finished in under 3 days. Brutal, but secretly tender. Married to his childhood sweetheart, a woman too sweet for her own good. A perfect match. Nobody would dare break them up, ruin the image of youthful, pure romance.

-

Max always catches any bugs that get into the house. Daniel will watch him cup his pale fingers around the spider, the action achingly soft.

"Why do to do that?" He asks, but only after he's been drinking.

"Do what?" Max replies quietly, preoccupied with getting them outside.

"That," Daniel says, watching him open the door with his elbow, pale fingers bled grey in the moonlight. The golden ring goes silver, like old women's hair twined around his finger.

He's in the cave. He's lying on his back, shivering,  infection eating his shoulder alive. He's alone. Max is in his kitchen, saving a spider. Movements gentle, body soft in a way only Daniel gets to see.

"Because it's only right," Max says quietly, shutting the night out as he closes the door.

Daniel wants to remind Max he killed 12 children in the space of 3 days. Max looks over, expression open and soft. Belly up, vulnerable without even knowing it.

Why don't they haunt you? He wants to ask.

We do,they whisper back. He's just better at ignoring our cries than you are.

.

"How did you manage that poppet?" The Orange Lady asks with a giggle. She finished every sentence with a giggle, even when she was doing something like describing someone's death.

"The guy from distract 5 bit him," boy from 10 says.

"He has drank too much sea water,  he was crazy," boy from 2 adds.

"He tried to eat Daniel, " girl from 12 says softly. "Max killed him quick, but not before he had bitten into Daniel's shoulder and took a whole chunk off it away."

"Sounds like something I would do," the Orange Lady giggles. The girl from 5 keeps chocking

Daniel, Max says, demanding his attention. Daniel turns, finding him standing very still, hands cupped.

Max cradles a moth in his hands. Daniel, he repeats, only now his tone is soft. I can feel her wings against my palms. Here. He comes over, directing Daniel to hold out his hands, place them over Max's cupped ones.

Max, Daniel replies. I can't, my shoulder.

Max just shakes his head, telling Daniel to do it. Daniel does, and then Max slowly opens his hands. Daniel closes his, his own hands now a prison.

Can you feel it Daniel? Max asks, eyes bright. Wings beat against his palm and fingers, delicate and soft. It's like he's holding a heart.

He nods, and Max beams, gently placing his hands on top of Daniel's. They're warm but toughened, skin thick with calluses. Daniel thinks of the hardness they're capable of, the brutality they've wrung out on others. So gentle now, so loving.

You can feel it, the wings? Max asks again. Daniel nods.

Yes, Max, I can feel the wings.

Part 3!

[eichornia]

So I had a thought:

- It's 2024. Daniel is back in the grid, his hand is completely healed, his curls are thriving. He feels confident again and he's happy. He's in a low dose of antidepressants and the therapy does wonders. 2022 seems really far away.

- He's starting the season in a good mood, flirting his way through the paddock, joking with the Netflix boys. It's Thursday and they're in Australia. Australia, baby, his favourite place in the world. His family is coming to see him race, Isaac being old enough to really enjoy being in the garage. He's curious and funny and Daniel misses him a lot when he's away. He loves Isabella too, she's his princess. But she's not really interested in the sport (yet) and she's in a hardcore Bluey phase. So Isaac asks him if he can go with him to the garage and when they're there, he asks if they can go visit the Red Bull garage because he's obsessed with the RB and to be honest, with Max too. Just like his uncle, Blake likes to say. Usually that makes Daniel to show his karate moves but not for long because Blake is a scary motherfucker sometimes even if he hides it well.

- So to the RB garage they go. They chat with Christian for a bit (Do you want to run for us when you're big, Isaac?, he asks) (And Isaac says yes, yes, yes) and they dodge Helmut when he appears in the garage because he's scary and not in a nice way. (Isaac says he smells like moths and Daniel has to fight really hard not to laugh) and then they spot Max. He's talking with GP but when he sees them, he waves smiling and he talks with Isaac like he's an adult (and even invites him to look into the car and explains to him everything, twice when Isaac asks again about some things).

- And yeah, Daniel has feelings. Like, he knows he had feelings for Max since... Well, a long time ago. He knows but he was scared of being bisexual (thanks Josh Allen for fixing that) and older than Max, and he was scared of being reciprocal because yeah, like Max was his teammate? His hot, younger, faster teammate.

- But now Daniel is (even) older and has learnt to not give a fuck about what people thinks. And yeah, watching Max with his niece? It's doing things to Daniel's heart.

- So yeah, Australia is awesome, racing in Australia is even better, getting points in Australia is a dream come true after these past years. He's high on endorphins and that's his excuse to intercept Max when he's on his way to his driver room after the podium. (Hey, hi, Maxy, Maximus, I was thinking, like, congrats in the podium, by the way, good trophy and all that, but I was thinking of asking you if you wanted to come to Perth?)

- The craziest thing to happen is that Max says yes. No doubts at all, just his big smile that makes his eyes go small and a 'yes, Daniel'.

- PERTH. It goes like this: Max comes to the farm, falls in love with Daniel's house, Daniel's falls in love a bit more with him. And Max knows nothing about it because Daniel is a bit immature but he's not stupid (not about this anyway) and Max is one of his best friends and he doesn't want to ruin their friendship.

- So he says nothing and he enjoys having this week with Max in his home. They race dirt bikes, they cook together (well, they try) and they play with Isaac and Isabella when they come to visit. And then it's Sunday, a whole week has passed and they're going to fly together soon to Japan. They're enjoying the hot tub after having a nice dinner and Max is laughing at Daniel's impression of Toto and Daniel feels like his chest is filled with helium, feels high, lucky, funny. And that's his excuse to kiss Max.

- Max doesn't stop laughing for a second even in the middle of the kiss and then he stops moving and breathing and Daniel is panicking a bit. Because he knew it would ruin everything, this thing he feels for Max. But then Max's hand is in his neck, drawing him against his lips again, magnets in the dark.

- So yeah, that's a thing they do now. Making out. Heavy petting. Every time it happens, Daniel wants to flail his arms, run in circles, scream like fucking Tarzan. It's like getting a podium over and over again, it's like champagne bubbles getting trapped in his chest. Max kisses him like he races (point-blank, non-stop, making him weak at the knees) and he likes to make Daniel straddle him and he likes to caress his thighs, draw his tattoos again, the three against his lips before kissing each of his fingers.

-It makes Daniel effervescent with happiness and when they're racing in Japan, he's fourth in the race, almost a podium and he comes back to the garage and hugs everyone and laughs and almost cries because he's coming back, baby, he's so coming back. And he goes back to the hotel and doesn't go to his room, he goes straight to Max's room and he doesn't stop to think because he's going to chicken out otherwise.

- And he's on his knees.

- He's on his knees for Max, and he puts his forehead against Max's tummy and kisses his belly button and blows a raspberry against his hip and Max pushes his head away, silly-laughing, and Daniel says let me, let me, please, I won't do it again, Maxy, but let me and Max touches one of his brows and touches his hair and then brings him against his body.

- And kissing Max is like getting a podium but blowing him is getting second place, getting drunk, getting sweaty, getting high-high-high.

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You can read the continuation here.

[onakomiyaki]

you with the dark curls, you with the watercolor eyes. pt.1

pairing: daniel ricciardo/max verstappen

summary: max always love him. like a moth drawn to a flame. but he flew too close to the fire. the love that once felt like the warmth of the ray of golden sun burnt him, leaving a daniel-shaped-scar on his heart.

warning: angst, unedited, rushed, and some incorrect grammar.

inspired by this song and its meaning. fueled by 3 cans of redbull energy drinks at 3 a.m

i really need someone to be my beta reader fr.

he wasn't sure what to feel when he heard about the rumor that has been going around the paddock. daniel is leaving the team. he is going to leave him. and max feel empty, almost. he feels like he should be mad at daniel.

together forever, he promised him back then–when he still a young naive boy, messing around at the garage of the karting track with a dream of becoming what daniel is. a damn good driver.

and he is leaving now. alas, he still have faith that it was just a flying rumor, made by the engineers to amuse themselves. so he just brush it off.

but when horner gathered the team at milton keynes–just a week before the next grand prix to announce the departure of the beloved aussie by the end of the 2018 season–he fell silent.

max–who sat across daniel on the meeting room–watch the older man in disbelief. his eyes desperately trying to make contact with him.

talk to me, daniel.

but his eyes never meet him. instead, daniel's head hung low, eyes on the floor. then to horner, then to the staffs–roaming around the room but refuse to make contact with him.

and that make him furious. he just silently stand up, walking towards the exit door. horner watch in silent, holding his hand up to stop daniel who is about to follow max.

"he is not good with goodbyes, let the kid be."

but he didn't listen. instead just give horner a stern look before jolting out to chase the blue-eyed dutch.

"max, wait-"

"leave me alone daniel."

"max, please listen to me-"

"i don't want to hear it daniel."

"max i'm sorry-"

"i said leave me alone!"

daniel stop at his track, staring at max who just shout at him. the younger halting his walk also, shoulder hunching before crouching down. he dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing out.

"why?" he weakly ask, voice even more hoarser than usual.

max had never been good with goodbyes, thanks to his beloved father's unorthodox way of teaching him a valuable lesson back when he was a mere young child and his parent divorce.

the older man walk towards him, crouching beside him then ruffling his dirty blond hair. max–eyes blearing red, nose runny, and face turning as red as a tomato–turn his head to watch him. the tears stain on his cheeks glisten under the light that seeps through the tinted glass wall.

"because i have to." daniel simply said.

"what's wrong with staying here? is it not enough?"

"max, it is more than enough here. its just-"

"me? is it because of me?"

and daniel went silent, lips shut in thin line. his eyebrows knitted together, trying to hide the pain. his brown eyes lost his sparkle, masked with the sadness with a tint of jealousy. and max, notice that. he always notice the subtle changes on people's eyes. he knows when people were mad at him, or disappointed at him, or in this case, jealous of him by looking into their eyes.

so that's why daniel refuse to look at him. he is jealous of him.

daniel gently wipe the tears from max's cheeks, cradling his face with both of his hands carefully before touching their forehead together. max welcome his touch, leaning into him as both of his eyes closed and he let out a quiet sobs.

"it is me, max. never you." he said, pulling him into his warm embrace.

max buried his face on the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent as he's clutching his polo shirt like his life depend on it, afraid that he will disappear on him. god, he don't want him to go.

"i'm sorry daniel..." max said, mumbling into his shoulder.

daniel let out a small chuckle as he pat his back. he kissed his temple before letting go of the hug, once again cradling max face with such gentle touch as if max was a precious delicate diamond.

"how the hell you're a better driver and more mature than me, yet you are 8 years younger than me max? you beat me in every aspect in life at this point." daniel give him a big grin, showing his dimples to the pouting young man.

daniel put his right hand on top of max's head, brown irises met ocean-blue. he give him a reassuring smile when max–clearly still upset–didn't utter a word.

"max, i will stand with you. always. i'll watch every move you take. i'll be there at your wins or lost. i'll be there at your first world championship and many more i believe to come. i have my eyes on you, and i have no plan to take it away soon. together forever, right?" he continue, smiling at him.

max once again staring at him with quivering lips, searching for any lies in it. and when he didn't find it, he jumped into his arm, making the older man stumble back with a yelp but still catch him anyway.

"daniel?"

"yes, max?"

"i love you."

"i know, you can't resist a handsome bloke like me, maxie."

little did he know, max–underneath the gloomy sky of milton keynes, in his warm embrace–had confess to him.

max emillian verstappen, love him–daniel joseph ricciardo.

after the dramatic departure of daniel ricciardo, max had become a different person. people around him begun to notice the different vibe max is with daniel and without. he smile less now and keeping the conversation around him bare minimum. its just like his debut era once again, but worse.

and truth be told, the redbull racing team miss the loud ball full of energy aussie in the pit. pierre gasly is the driver who replace daniel ricciardo on the team for 2019 season. the shy soft-spoken frenchman can never fill the seat of daniel, max thought. and of course all the team share the same sentiment.

so when pierre introduce himself at max, the dutchmen just shot him with a half-hearted smile. pierre knew that the 22 years old still need time to adjust, so he is not offended by that. especially after daniel himself told him to just brace for the impact. he remember how the aussie describe max as a feisty cat.

"he will warm up to you after a while. let him come to you first, not the other way around."

and so, pierre just keep enough distance to keep max at bay, in case the dutchmen need his help or change his mind.

but even before max start to warm up to him, the redbull team decided to drop him from not performing well enough mid-season. max doesn't say anything.

then, came in a young talented driver from torro rosso, alexander albon, to avert the crisis. like pierre, daniel actually approach him and tell him to take his time with max. which alex responded that he'll be fine.

surprisingly max opened up immediately with the half-brit half-thai driver. their mutual hatred towards the marketing team bonded them in a way that pierre gasly couldn't do. that, and also the fact that alex ignore all the warnings from pierre and talk to max anyway.

"so you're telling me, that you are in love with ricciardo?" alex ask, pointing at max with his plastic fork.

"yeah... kinda?"

"but you only realize that you're in love with him after he left?"

"yes..."

alex let out a cackling laugh, and max shot him with a confused look. he scoop his salad then eat it, chewing as he tried to held back his laugh when max frown.

"did i say something funny?" max asked.

alex shake his head, swallowing before shot him a smile.

"you two are so bad at this." he said.

just when max about to open his mouth, daniel wave at them, calling their name as he jog towards them. his yellow polo and hat stuck like a sore thumb on the sea of navy blue.

"god that color is hideous." alex said, shielding his eyes from the bright color.

meanwhile max just stare in awe. he missed him so much, and boy do daniel look ravishing with that trimmed beard.

and he hate to admit the fact that daniel look good in yellow and black. no one should look good in that bright yellow color, but daniel just did. and max had to look away to compose himself.

who knows yellow would suit him well, personality-wise and appearance-wise.

daniel walk to the redbull hospitality like he owns the place, catching few handshake and hugs from his former crew teams. alex shake his head at the sight, muttering something about the crew being daniel's groupie. and max couldn't agree more.

even though he is not a redbull driver anymore, the whole redbull crew allow him to enter the redbull hospitality. he is still an honorary member of redbull racing team in the heart of the crews. and christian horner of course. so its only normal that the aussie had the privilage to enter redbull hospitality.

alex turn his body, waving at daniel before giving max a knowing smirk. max shot him with a warning glare, mouthing a silent 'don't' to the older driver.

"hello fellas."

"daniel! join us!" albon said, pointing the empty seat beside him.

daniel–being the sunshine he is–nod his head as he sat down. he give alex a pat on his back then give max a warm smile as he open a can of redbull he fetch earlier.

"what you eating maxie?"

and max stomach fluttered at the nickname. daniel is one of the only person who can call him that, leclerc being the second just because max feel close enough to the monegasque. max finally peel off his gaze from his sad-looking salad, to stare at daniel.

blue met honey color, and max felt his breath stuck in his throat.

"lunch, i hope." he simply answer, stabbing his salad like he want to murder it.

a

alex watch in silence as he exchange text with george and lando in their group chat. he sent them a secret snap of max and daniel who sat across each other with a simple caption 'imma play cupid.' which lando only reply with 'max gonna kill u' and the other brit simply send a rolling eyes emoji.

he stand up from his seat taking the empty container and the half-full redbull can with him as he pocket his phone. max shot him with a confused look, eyebrows knitted together in silence. and alex noticing the poor look on the dutch's face.

"i'm done with lunch, you guys take your time okay? i have to go and fetch george from williams garage." he said raising his eyebrows at max.

"aww mate, just invite george to join us! the more the merrier, right max?" daniel said, reaching for max's arm and put his hand on top of it.

max swallows as he look at his arm. "yeah, sure."

"nah he'll be okay... he just want to complain about the cheap foods they serve on williams hospitality."

if george heard alex had thrown him under the bus, he would kill him immediately. but he had to, he's playing 'cupid' after all. alex is ready to risk it all.

"is it that bad?" daniel asked.

"oh yeah. it is that bad. they can barely afford spareparts what makes you think they can afford decent foods?"

"damn alex that was uncalled for." the aussie wince.

"careful what you said about them, you might be the one to replace george someday you know?" max said, almost as if he put curse on alex.

and alex shivers at that.

"hey, i thought we were bonding max! not even a year and you're already kicking me out of the team?" he said with pout, while the dutch shrug.

"unbelieveable, i'm outta here." alex said with exageratted sigh as he walk away from the two men.

max silently watch alex with an annoyed glare when alex give him a thumbs up when daniel wasn't looking. he even more annoyed when he saw alex making kissing gesture with his hand. max just give him a secret middle finger as he scratch his temple and alex let out a silent mocking laugh.

after alex was gone from his vision, max stole a glance at the older man, cheek blushed at the thought of kissing him. then he let out a shuddered breath.

he still look the same and it hurts him. it hurt to see him in that yellow polo instead of navy blue. it hurt to see him walking side by side with nico hülkenberg instead of him. what hurt the most is the fact that he can not spend times with daniel throughout the race together anymore.

he remember what he said at the interview while doing truth or lie challenge with daniel, and honestly he doesn't feel good about it. but he had to, so daniel can be rest assured.

"you okay?" daniel asked as he watch max with a worried expression.

max nod his head, continue to eat his salad in silence. the older man nudge his cheek with his point finger, making him stop his chewing and stare at him instead. daniel shot him with a big smile, showing his pearly white teeth.

"you need to smile more." he said.

but how can he smile more when the reason he smile is him, and he is away now.

"what if i don't want to?" max said.

"then i'll have to come to you every racing week to remind you." he said, giving him the wide grins he love so much.

i would love that, thank you.

"oi, ricciardo! its time to go." nico shouted, earning few head turns from some redbull crew who enjoyed their lunch in peace.

some redbull crew shouted back, saying that daniel is theirs now, and nico let out a barking laugh.

"that's my cue." daniel said.

"oh, yeah."

before he left, he take off his cap. max watch slightly confused at the older one, he watch as the older man stand up and walk to him. and what comes next was something he didn't expect.

daniel had taken max's hat off, putting it on his head while he put his hat on max's head. daniel adjust the strap of the hat and look down at max with that tender look, patting his head as he finish.

"a bit of happy color here to brighten your day." he said, walking backward as he adjust max's cap on his head. he shot him a wink as he run back to nico's side.

nico raised his eyebrow as daniel walk closer to him, pointing the hat. daniel just shrug his shoulder as he slung his arm around nico's shoulder, walking together. max watch him with mouth slightly ajar.

"fuck..." max silently cursed as he pull the hat down, trying his best to hid his flushed face with that hideous yellow cap.

he hate how daniel got him feeling all nervous without even trying.

he love hate that man so much.

the 2019 season went by like a blur for max. lewis had won another world championship, adding 6th trophy to his collection. and max is on 3rd position on the championship standing. he heard that daniel got into 9th position.

max knew that 9th is not enough for daniel, it will never be enough. the boy wonder–who fell rather ungracefully–would not accept 9th place to redeem himself.

and so there he was, standing near the renault garage. far enough for the crew to not notice him but close enough that he can see daniel's car, while almost all of the grid celebrate lewis's 6th wins.

"whatcha' doin?" alex said, standing still behind max as he whispering to max.

max jumped a little before turning his body to face the taller man.

"holy shit–stop sneaking up on me!" max answer, hand on his chest

alex let out a giggle before move to stand beside the poor dutchman, redbull on his hand. he quirk an eyebrow at the man before staring at renault garage.

the pit crews and engineer team seems to working on daniel's car, checking and doing some inspection. alex clicked his tongue.

"poor man went from riding a rocket ship to a family car," he said. "no wonder he look pissed."

"you saw daniel?"

"no, but lando did. he saw daniel screaming with his helmet on. its like 2018 all over again he said."

"oh, yeah."

max fidget with his fingers, biting his lower lips. the 2018 japan q3 was daniel last straw and he remember, all of the world remember. and boy he remember how everything went downhill from that point on.

"i mean i would scream too if my team keep screwing me up. or worse, if other driver screw me over." alex said, took a sip of his redbull.

"but you're not that type of person, no? you hardly swear." max asked, turning his body to watch alex.

"no, but i would cry myself to sleep after that though, that for sure."

he didn't expect that answer from the thai, and he burst into laughter letting out a high-pitched noises as his hands closing his mouth. alex let out a giggle through his straw, also didn't expect that reaction from max.

"are you guys looking for daniel?"

both max and alex turn their head, their laugh had stop. nico watch with amused look on his face at the two redbull drivers as he fold his arm in front of his chest.

"well, that's the plan," alex sheepishly said. "do you know where he is?"

the older blue-eyed man and the younger one seems to sizing each other up, exchanging a silent threat to each other. alex in other hand is too busy looking around to notice, trying his best to find the curly aussie. nico nod his head as he point to the direction he last saw daniel. max eyebrows furrowed and alex tilted his head in confusion.

"he went to our garage?" alex asked as he stare at the german in disbelief.

"horner took him." nico answer, shrugging his shoulder.

the younger redbull driver let out an 'ah' sounds, suddenly what nico said make sense. well christian horner fancy daniel, of course that man would cheer the aussie. 2019 season with renault had been rough for daniel and horner knew that he need a few pats on the back.

now that he thought about it, max sometimes see horner as a threat. then he realize how stupid that sound when he knew horner treat daniel like his oldest son.

but now it seems like he need to worry about certain german in the game. he had been watching how close nico and daniel from afar, highkey jealous at the interaction. he also have notice a few times nico give him a smirk everytime he and daniel sharing a bromance moments. max starting to dislike that man.

nico shot max with a small smirk as pat him on the shoulder. "goodluck finding him. it was nice talking to you guys, see you at the party." he said as he wave at the duo, walking to renault's garage.

alex wave back at the german with a smile on his face before returning his gaze to max, who keep staring at nico's back. alex sure that if max have a laser-eyes, nico's head had already turn into pulp right now.

"should we go now?" alex nudge him with his shoulder, trying to distract max from nico.

"yeah, lets go." max said, already walking towards their garage.

well that was something.

they didn't find daniel on their garage, instead they were greeted by sebastian vettel, which is also suprising but make sense? vettel used to drive for redbull after all although now he drive for the italian team. while alex was excited to talk to sebastian, max can't share the same excitement.

"sebastian, what a surprise!" alex said, pratically buzzing with excitement.

sebastian let out a chuckle, his blond hair bounce a little when albono hug him. he pat the rookie in the back before letting go.

"hope you don't mind me staying. i need to talk to the big man." he said, voice laced with a german accent.

"please, you are always welcome here. or anywhere basically," alex said as he give the older man a smile. "have you met christian yet?"

"yes he have." helmut said, walking to the trio with a smile on his face. christian was following him, not far behind.

"oh you're talking to the big men. i'm out of here." alex said as he raised his hands, slithering away from the room. "christian please don't replace me with sebastian!" alex shouted once he out of their sight, and horner let out a laugh.

"interesting kid, huh? he seems to be shy at the beginning but his personality starting to show." horner said.

sebastian nod in agreement as he give him a smile. max clear his throat as he stand there awkwardly.

should he leave?

should he stay?

either way he wait for his cue.

"are you looking for daniel?" horner asked and max raised an eyebrow. "if so, he's back to his hotel room."

"i'm sorry?"

"i said daniel is back to his hotel room, you can find him there." horner said as he give max the name of the hotel daniel staying in with the room number.

"i-"

"go, he need a company. and mine won't be very helpful, poor man almost cried when i invite him here. so i send him home, he looks exhausted." horner pat the young man before turning his body to talk to sebastian and helmut.

ah. he knew.

"thank you christian." max politely thank him.

and so he bid them a farewell as he walk to his room, and sebastian watch with a smile on his face.

"its webber-vettel all over again, huh?" sebastian said. and horner laugh.

"trust me, it is worse." horner said.

max is standing at the front of the elevator, playing with the hem of his rb polo shirt as he wait for the door to be opened.

he had asked the receptionist to take him to daniel's room since he doesn't have any access card, although the receptionist almost refuse. but after seeing max's worried eyes and hearing his pleads she nod her head.

when the door was open, the receptionist simply tap her card as max push the button on the 9th floor. and he was thankful that the receptionist didn't follow him because max need his time alone to calm himself.

what should he said to comfort daniel?

he should've bring gifts for daniel earlier.

what if daniel doesn't want to see him?

worse, what if daniel is in there with another person? a woman?

before max even had a chance to back off, the door open with a ding, making him jumped out of his trance. he let out a nervous sigh as he walk toward daniel's room.

and now suddenly he was standing, face facing the door as his finger hovering at the bell button.

but even before max can push the bell, the door open in front of him, and max watch with suprised look on his face.

daniel look like a mess, in short brief and plain white t-shirt that hug his body perfectly, hair messy–cleary tussled. his eyes were red and watery. his nose also in the same color.

oh he had been crying.

"the receptionist call and told me that you'll be here." daniel said, voice hoarse as if the man had not drink for a month.

"sorry for coming uninvited. i have beers." max said as he show him a pack of beers in his hand.

daniel let out a chuckle, his chest tremble as he open his door wider, inviting the younger one inside.

the room is surprisingly tidy, the bed cover are the only messy thing in the room. max had expect daniel to trash around the room but maybe daniel is too tired to do so, or maybe because it is daniel and not him.

max sat down on the bed as he watch daniel fetch something from the fridge. damn that man even look better in his short brief and that plain t-shirt that shows his back muscle with the dim lighting of his room. he tried his best to not drooling over the aussie right now.

"i only have sliced fruits, is it okay?" daniel said, breaking the silence.

"its okay... i'm fine." max answer, the pack of beers sat nicely on his lap.

the aussie turn his body, giving him the mixed fruit to the young dutch. max took the container, mouthing a small thank you and daniel return with a small smile, ruffling his hair before taking the pack of beers off his lap.

he put the pack on the table and open it, taking a can of beer then sitting down beside max, thigh touching. max silently stare down at their thighs (more of daniel's and his tattoos), face redden at the close proximity. then he turn his face to watch daniel downing the beer.

"are you okay?" max asked.

"m' fine." daniel answer.

but max knew that daniel had lied to him. he knew that he is, in fact, not fine. he knew that daniel knew that he can see right through him. so he just stare at him silently.

talk to me, daniel.

daniel let out a sigh, cradling the can of beer on his hand. his hand is trembling and max can see that clearly. so he did the only thing he knew.

he took daniel's right hand, bringing it to his lap. max intertwined their hand, as he calmly rub it. daniel shuddered at the touch. yes physical touch are something that they are not foreign about, but something about it feel different.

it feels more, intimate.

daniel watch their hands in silence, his tremors slowly fade away. then, he peel off his gaze from their hands to max's face, watching at how soft his gaze at their intertwined hands is. he studied his face, how his lashes fluttered a little as daniel squeeze his hand tighter.

"better?" max asked.

"yeah."

"good."

max–finally muster up a courage–turn his head to face daniel. once again after few moons, blue meet honey color. he held his breath when daniel's eyes wander from his eyes, to his nose, and finally to his lips. daniel give him a small smile.

"i never notice that." daniel said

"notice what?"

daniel's free hand softly cradling max's jaw, thumbing at his upper lip.

"that.." he said, face inching closer.

oh.

oh.

"my–my mole?" max asked, trying his best to not melt and lean into his touch.

"your beautiful mole, yes," daniel whisper as he stop midway, nose almost bumping to max's. "you are so beautiful, it hurts." he finished.

max feel dizzy. he only let out a nervous chuckle as he look away from him, free hand hiding his-now red-face. max was not sure if its really daniel or he currently daydreaming about him, again.

it's unfair, no? what daniel did to him is unfair.

"wha-what are you saying? me? beautiful?" max ramble, still looking away.

"you are max. your beautiful ocean eyes especially."

"s-stop saying such nonsense, i'm not."

"but you are, and i'm not a liar."

max let out a cough. he need to get away from daniel, he can't hold it together any longer. he took his hand back, then standing up. this man is dangerous, too dangerous.

"i'm thirsty, do you have water-"

max feel his body shifted, he let out a gasp. daniel had yanked his arm towards his direction, making him stumble onto him. max's eyes widened when daniel open his legs, pulling max even closer to him. he feel daniel wrap his hands around his torso, burying his face on his stomach.

"dan-"

"m' sorry."

the choked voice of daniel broke his heart even more. he touch his curly hair slowly and he feel daniel's hold getting tighter around him. daniel let out a muffled sobs, his shoulder are trembling.

he finally letting go of his emotion.

turns out the happiest man on the grid was not the happiest all the time.

max warp his hands around daniel's head, body a little slouched as he held the man. and daniel desperately clawing and fisting his polo shirt, almost screaming onto him.

max is sure his polo is now drenched in tears, but he doesn't care. he care about daniel, only him.

i love you.

...

[quotessharry]

Moth to a Flame (DR3 smut)

Synopsis: she is the team principal of Alpha Tauri and very much in love with her driver, Daniel Ricciardo. Spoiler alert: he loves her too. Spoiler alert no.2: they’re dating

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x F! team principal

Warning: smut, age gap (she is pushing 40 and Daniel is 34)

A/N: lately I’ve been obsessed with the idea of having a secret affiair so here we are!

She was sitting on her chair, watching the cars pulling for their pitstops, she watched as Daniel’s car came inside the pitlane, and before she could blink it was over, she let out the breath she held and turned over , smoothing her long hair when she saw he didn’t drop out of top 10. She took a gulp of her Redbull can and stared at the screen in front of her, putting on the hat to shield herself from the sun and prayed the best for her man.

She walked inside the garage and she was met with pat on her back and murmures of “congratulations” and “good job boss” she smiled and laughed at their comments and brushed it off, it was a good race and Daniel finished 7th, getting his first points of the season and moving them up. The cars pulled into the parc ferme and drivers got out to get weighed. She slumped over the entrance, waiting to catch daniel before he rushes to do his interviews. He showed up, sweat running down his face with big grin plastered on his lips, his brown eyes shining with happiness. She walked to him, patting his back “you did well, Daniel. Nice job” she said with a smile

He bit his lips slightly, his hand on her arm “thanks boss”

He lowered his voice “so I’ll see you-?”

She shook her head “yeah the plan is still going strong”

They only been dating for few months, of course she always knew Daniel even though she only moved to Torro Rosso when Daniel was in Redbull. But things started when he came along in Alpha Tauri, her attraction to him was undeniable, due to Christian Horner, his attraction was all over the place, but they couldn’t. She was his boss, she was older than him and pushing 40. But they did, they came along and went on dates in the middle of the sea in Monaco, on the boat she asked Toto Wolff to lend them. As it went by and both realized they want to continue, they decided to get a place. Anywhere in the Europe and Australia was out of question due to how many people would recognize them. Asia was too far and that only left US. It was a pain to do it, they needed a decent apartment but small and full furnished, located in a quiet neighborhood so they could at least walk around without being bothered by paparazzi. After tons of travels to the city of angels and pictures being exchanged, they settled on a unit in an apartment complex, located on 10th floor, with only one master bedroom, small hall and kitchen. They’d use every chance they got for a little bit of getaway and so far, everything was good.

Christian was nice enough to invite them for a dinner and called it a double date, that was the only time they could walk hand in hand, heart shaped eyes at each other.

She left the garage and walked along the pitlane, spotting Christian. They exchanged side hug and handshakes, he turned to her with a smile “you did well today, so did Daniel. You must be proud of him”

She raised her eyebrows “as his boss or the greatest love of his life?”

They both shared a laugh at her comment.

He spoke in a lower tone “so how’re you guys? All good?”

She appreciated his support more than anyone else, she shook her head “we’re good, lately we’ve been hanging out in US more than Monaco or anywhere else” she added with a fond smile.

They spotted Daniel and he waved at them, she really wished she could run up to him and give him a congratulatory kiss “he really loves you, you know that right?”

She rubbed the sweat off my nose “I know, and I love him too, I truly do. It’s just-“

Christian gave her a bored look “if it’s your usual age bullshit please don’t, you look younger than him. Now come on, let’s go to our motorhome and have something. You deserve a rest”

He parked the car in the parking space, she always takes a cab not to be caught in anyway possible and he gets a rental car. When he switched off the car, the excitement consumed him and walked towards the elevator, pressing the button to their floor and bouncing on his legs, smiling and giggling silently to himself. In past 3 weeks they only had stolen moments here and there, neither could afford to disappear to at least sleep in the same bed together, but here and now, it was them and them only.

The elevator stopped and he got out, standing in front of their door and took out his key and opened the door.

He walked inside and saw her on the sofa in front of the TV, his smile widened and in that terrible Texan accent he said “hey, howdy?”

At his voice she jumped off the sofa and ran to him “Danny, hold me” she said and jumped at him, his hands landed on her hips to held her up as she wrapped her arms out his neck, squeezing him tightly she repeatedly gave him small kisses on his face “I.missed.you.so.much”

Daniel laughed in delight, nuzzling his nose to the soft skin of her neck “i missed you so much more” he said, giving her a chaste kiss that sent a shiver through her body and she giggled.

She pulled her head back and looked at him, her hands playing with the curls behind his head “so how are you feeling racer boy?”

He smirked “pretty good I would say, it’s been pretty decent”

She pulled his head closer and their foreheads touched “what about me? Aren’t I a tough boss?”

He laughed again, his arms were beginning to get tired but he couldn’t careless, all he cared was her in his arms “hmm, you are, but I’m into it”

She smiled softly “you flirt” and leaned down, kissing him slowly, taking his plump lips between her teeth and letting his tongue to devour her and kiss every corner he couldn’t reach because they had to settle for a quick peck in his driver’s room.

He turned around and walked towards the sofa, laying her down and leaned in, she met his lips in a desperate kiss, breathless.

He pulled back a little, to give her room to catch her breath and whispered “I missed you so fucking much” his hands reached and cupped her cheeks, his thumb running circles on her face.

A giggle left his mouth “you know, at first I never even imagined us like this”

She raised her finger, tracing his mustache and laughing like a child “who would have, honestly?”

His hand started moving on her skin, he needed to feel her close, he craved having her in his arms like this. She laid her head on the comfortable armchair to make herself more comfortable, his hand reached the hem of her top, playing with the material “ok now, listen, we gonna stay in all day and we gonna fuck until we’ve covered every single corner of this unit and-“ he chuckled at his own words “-and yeah, that’s the only plan I have”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest, causing her breasts to look bigger than usual “really Ricciardo? That’s all on your mind? Fucking?”

His eyes dropped to her chest, taking his time to appreciate them, he stared at the hardened nipple poking through the thin top and he forced himself to look away. He left a kiss on her cheeks “when it comes to you, yeah, no shame” he gave her a satisfied smile. His hand slightly nodged her head up and his thumb traced the line of his jaw, slowly allowing his fingers to feel her skin prickling at his touch and the pure joy on her face. He cupped the back of her head and his lips replaced the feather touch of his fingertips, leaving small kisses along her jaw. Her desperate hands fisted his shirt, riding up the piece of clothe and he took it off.

He left his mark on her neck, knowing well he only had two weeks to enjoy this sight. She placed her hands on his sides, and dug her fingers but not hard enough to leave any marks on his tanned skin. Her hand dropped lower and she growled at the feeling of his hard cock “fuck, can you hurry up?”

She was needy, and she wasn’t in the mood to hide it from him but Daniel wanted to take it slow, he was in pure agony for weeks, only his own fist and her pictures but it would never compare to her laying under him with soft moans and throaty noises to fill the empty apartment.

He kept kissing her neck and smoothing her sided “a little more”

He twitched the thin band of her top around his forefinger and pulled it down, his breath hitched in his chest at the sight of her naked body and perky nipples staring back at him, begging him to mark and bruise her soft skin. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, he hissed when his hardness pressed against her thighs. He dropped his head and continued his line of kissing, dipping his hand inside her short and pants, breathing heavily when her wetness coated his fingers, he pulled his hand out and stared at her, bringing hit fingers and coated his lips, then licked it clean “mmm…even more delicious than what I remembered “

She felt herself getting wetter at his small show and encouraged him to go ahead by pushing his head to herself.

His dragged his wet lips across her collar bone and went lower, left a kiss on side of her breast, his tongue darted out and sucked in her hardened nipple and she let out a moan out of relief “fucking hell, yes” his other hand cupped her other breast, fondling and twitching the flesh.

He sat back and sweared under his breath, unzipped his tight jean and a pulled it down at once with his underwear, freeing his painfully hard cock “look what you did to me” he told her teasingly and pushed her down flat on her back and pulled down her shorts, eyes fixing on the wet spot on her underwear “beautiful” he said, and pulled it down.

He positioned himself between her legs, bucking his hipe forward and his tip grazed over her wet slick. She gasped and arched her back “uh…Dan…just-“

He kept rubbing himself on her, his face inches away from his lips “just what? Tell me” he taunted in a low voice.

“Just…fuck me” she said, blushing at how filthy and needy she sounded like.

He was weak for her, he was always weak for her since the first time they met, since the first date and first night. How could he deny her when she asked for it like that? He flipped her over and she held onto the sofa, he took a hold of her shoulder and pulled her back until her ass was pressed against him. She reached out and placed her palm on his side, feeling the warmth and prickly skin. He nuzzled his face into her long hair, leaving small kisses and light touches where he could reach, he murmured “mmm, smells so good”

She let out a small hiss when he pushed inside, he pulled her closer by her hair and thrusted, after months of fucking. She still wasn’t used to his thick cock, she still felt a deep burnt anytime he’d push inside.

She held herself up and her head fell down as she couldn’t help the occasional moans and whines that left her mouth. She didn’t want it to end.

“It feels so…uh fuck…it feels so damn good” she murmured, between each thrusts.

Daniel placed his face next to her, kissing her cheek and hearing her soft moans “I’m glad you are enjoying it” he turned her face and captured her lips in a kiss, a slow kiss, he took his time tracing her lips with his tongue and sucking the soft skin of her plump lips, making up for the lost time.

She started rocking her hips to accomodate his thrusts, he pulled her hips closer and thrusted rougher and deeper.

His thumb traced her jaw “you okay?”

She felt her stomach twitched “yeah… just…I’m close”

He growled when she tightened around him, taking him even deeper. He dug his fingers deep enough to leave a mark on her hips and increased the speed. The only sound in the house was the occasional “uh uh” between each thrust and his throaty sounds. Her hips buckled into him and he knew, her face was buried deep in the sofa as she cried out and came hard, body shaking and line of swear words coming out of her mouth. He slowed down and fucked her through it, rubbing her back to sooth her, he tensed, she felt him twitching inside her and he came next, laying his head on her back, both breathing heavily.

She looked over her shoulder, catching the sight of him with his curls sticking to his sweaty forehead.

“Anytime we do this, it’s just better than the last time” she said and giggled.

“So by next year we gonna have some top notch sex then” Daniel added, grabbing her waist and pulling her to sit next to her.

“I’m too hungry, shower and sandwich?” She offered

“Oh fuck yeah”

They were peacefully sleeping under the covers, no sound to bother them and no ringtone to wake them up.

She didn’t know what time it was when she heard the phone, at first she thought she is dreaming but the sound wouldn’t stop, she rolled to the other side and grabbed her phone. Not long after Daniel’s phone rang. He rolled over, his face squished into her pillow and he murmured sleepily “is the world on fire?”

She finally opened her eyes, and she had never sat up as fast “Daniel it’s Christian”

He checked his own phone, eyes widened “and it’s Blake”

Both answered simultaneously, leaving the bed.

“So I assume you have no idea what’s happening?” Christian asked.

She rubbed her eyes “no, it’s 6 AM here how am I supposed to know?”

Christian ran his hands through his hair “well, it started off from Deux moi, someone said they saw you together and now everyone is going absolutely insane”

The sleep was gone from her eyes, she looked at Daniel and she was sure he was hearing the same thing.

Christian continued “listen, the PR team got it, just talk to them they will take care of it and you two can enjoy the rest of your week together”

She shook her head “sure Christian, thanks for the heads up”

They both sat on the bed, she spoke first “I’m gonna talk to PR department, call your PR manager”

A very small part of Daniel wanted it all to come out and save them from all the secrets but he knew it could jeopardize her job more than him.

By the time they were done it was around 8 am, both needed nothing more than crawling in bed and faling sleep while cuddling. She came inside the bedroom, sighing.

Daniel patted the space next to him eagerly “get in bed, I miss you”

She sat on the bed, grabbing his hand and fputting in on her lap, smiling at him “one more phone call”

She waited until the call was answered “Susie hi-“

“Sorry to disappoint but it’s Toto” said the thick Austrian voice.

“Hi Toto, where is Susie?” She questioned, Daniel’s eyebrows couldn’t be lifted higher if he tried.

“She is showering Jack, is it important?” He asked behind the line

“Yes, it is”

The line went quiet and she heard footsteps, then the door opened and the voice echoed in the bathroom as Toto put the phone on speaker.

“Hey dear, what’s happening?” Susie asked in her usual kind voice.

“I kinda need a favor?”

Susie shook her head even though she couldn’t see it “continue”

“I’m gonna need you to post a picture of one of those old holidays, you know just to prove I’m not dating my driver” she said, giggling.

Susie chuckled behind the phone “you got it, don’t worry. How are you doing?”

She glanced at Daniel “we’re good, we’re ok. It’s all good”

“Catch you for dinner in Vegas?”

“Absolutely”

“Come here, let’s turn off the phones and sleep I’m tired” Daniel said, grabbing her hand and helping her lying down. Pulling her to himself.

Her cheek was pressed against his chest, she scooted closer, breathed in his scent, her fingers tracing the outline of his abs. He reached and grabbed her wrist “uh, uh little miss, don’t”

She laughed and reached up, pecking his lips “piss off you love it”

“I do, I love you”

She reached and twisted a loose curl around hee finger, smiling sweetly at him “and I love you too “

When she woke up Daniel was still sleep, his gorgeous face squished into the pillow and his curls disheveled, his long legs sprawled over her space on the bed. She grabbed her cigarette and lighter, and opened the balcony door. Since most of the units were empty, the yard and the small swimming pool were empty. This house was the only place she would ever smoke.

She lit up the smoke and leaned against the hand rail, the LA sun shining on her.

“Still smoking that thing?” Daniel’s sleepy voice came.

She turned her head and glanced at him, no shirt, his tattoos adorning his tanned skin, only a black underwear reaching his mid thigh. She checked him out, starting from his disheveled curls and tired face, his nose and the slight curves of his plump kiss, oh how badly she wanted to kiss him and make up for the lost time.

“You know I only do it here, and in Italy”

He laughed, and for a moment she forgot the outside world. That’s probably the reason she fell in love with him. Or maybe it was the moment that she was mad after Austin GP, he just pushed her down on the small sofa in his driving room, did not hesitate to pull down her pants and underwear, told her to keep it down and he kneeled between her thighs, eating her out like a man starved. When he was done, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and said “took it like a champ”

Daniel stood behind her “is it even any good?”

She looked at the cigarette and shook her head “not really, it’s pretty useless” and she lit up another one, causing Daniel to laugh. He moved closer and placed his palm on her lower back, moving lower. He gripped her ass softly, and she closed her eyes “Daniel…”

He leaned into her, his face next to her “do you want me to stop?” And softly kissed her cheek.

She turned her head to him, her tongue tracing his lower lips and he pulled her for a full kiss, sliding his tongue inside her mouth and deepening the kiss, his hand around her waist pulled her back until she felt his hardness against his ass.

“No no, please continue my love”

Daniel’s heart melted in his chest at her soft voice, murmuring at him. He slipped his hand inside, tracing her wet folds that caused her to shudder, her grip tightened on the hand rail. She hid her face in his neck, moaning lowly as he looked down at her.

He swore under his breath and pulled her shorts and panty aside, freeing himself from the black underwear.

She was in pure agony before he finally pushed inside her, filling her just right. Her head dropped between her hands “fuck, yes”

He started thrusting, slowly but steadily, his heart beating faster each time he felt her tightening around him.

She closed her eyes and focused “Daniel?”

He gripped her waist, digging his fingers into her skin roughly to leave a mark “yes baby?”

She glanced at him over her shoulder “I’m tired of hiding”

Daniel’s heart raced faster, she couldn’t be saying what he thought she was.

His thumb traced her jawline “I will do whatever makes you comfortable” and another thrust, causing her to moan louder.

She moved her hips to meet her thrust causing him to pound into her deeper “let’s…oh fuck just like that” her sentence was cut off by his hard thrust.

“Let’s put this out there, I don’t care about the consequences for me” she said, confidently.

“Fuck I’m close” he grunted, his thrusts getting messier and faster.

Her eyes rolled back “holy shit, it feels so good, ugh don’t stop”

He kissed her hair “fuck, oh…fuck” his breathed harder as he came inside her. His fingers reaching to rub her clit and her moans got louder.

“Boss is desperate I see” he said teasingly, smiling at her.

She shuddered as her orgasm took over her, shaking and shivering as he ran his hand over her back, whispering soothing words next to her ear.

“If that’s what you want, we gonna do this” he said, and sealed it with a kiss.

I have ideas for part 2 but it depends how good this part does!

[rosetheocto]

My Rants and Reviews on the Failtopia S2 Finale Outfits!

this post was inspired by the one made by @cosmo-production so please check out their post too! my review is under the cut

Major Failtopia Season 2 spoilers ahead!

Mar

yeah it’s the basic one, but i think that fits him! If I had to pick another outfit it would be the Pro one, but I genuinely can’t see him in anything else other than the boring chef outfit. I feel like if he wanted to change it he def could (I mean look at his imp outfit) but the basic chef outfit is very solid for him! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! 7/10

Orion

I know the outfit is very clashing and has a bunch of colors, but in Dan’s defense: Orion’s makeup already has a bunch of colors, and when you look into it the colors the outfit has actually matches with the makeup a bit! and also, I kinda wish Dan didn’t have the makeup be as out there for the sake of those drawing fanart, but at the same time this is Daniel Failboat. Insane designs are expected. That being said though, I can’t change the clothes or makeup even if you forced me to. the context for it is just so freakin cute!! we all love great fathers in this household. He makes me wish I had a meaningful relationship with my dad. 6/10

Friend

I like it! I have a few minor gripes though. This may be a bit of a hot take, but I don’t like Zone (the hat) or Ship (the staff). Not in the Finale at least. I think Friend should’ve removed them both to show that they’ve moved on and don’t need something like Lee anymore. Symbolism and character arcs and all that other fancy stuff idk. Also I like that she looks more like a priest than a Cleric, it makes sense! He’s really religious in-universe and their war cry is literally “die, sinner :)”, so I don’t have any problems with that! As much as I like her in purple, he looks oddly good in a black and white outfit too! 8/10

Shrimp

listen guys I’m sorry but her outfit kinda sucks.. the bright pink hearts don’t really give off the same vibes as her first outfit did.. I get where Dan was coming from with it but I just personally don’t like the design :((

I think that he should’ve went with the emo goth outfit for her instead, especially since it fit her more and the fandom latched onto it like a moth to a light, but that’s just me. it gets a free half point for matching up with Bill though, 3.5/10

Erica

look I love it but the actual armor part is so overdesigned. I hate drawing that thing. that’s my only problem though the rest of her outfit is cool as hell!! Let’s go lesbians. 8/10

(and this doesn’t really count for anything, but don’t like her weapon, again I get the idea Dan, but she realistically would NOT use the giant arm 😭)

Chi

This kind of outfit fits her so well omfg. The stupid bowtie? The short sleeves and general lack of lab safety?? The triangle patterns??? It all just screams “Chi” to me! Thank you Miitopia for creating this outfit. Flawless. 10/10

(also another weapon mention, her using the ketchup bottle in the finale?? as someone who is obsessed with S1 of this series, Daniel, ty sm for including that.)

C!Failboat

the catsuit is very boring, but it is also very iconic. I like it. I’d give it a solid 7/10. But I don’t wanna talk about that one. I wanna talk about his outfit when using the Power of the Scythe.

oh my lord. this outfit. this is not me dunking on Daniel or Wafferscotch at all, I genuinely love their art and content!! but like. you’re telling me this man saved the universe in tracksuit sweatpants and an open button up shirt WITH HIS OWN MERCH ON??? He killed god in the Bee Movie shoes?? The Piss Adidas??? It just. doesn’t really fit the Miitopia vibes to me, and I think this could’ve been better as an outfit for ACNH. It could’ve looked much worse, but still. I think it’s a 3/10

Bo

perfect. love the callback to Rose (and I mean, they’re very similar characters, so it makes sense!) She also looks cool af in a suit. her new look can be strange at first but you 100% get used to it with time. And her multiclass was just chefs kiss. Absolute goddess, let’s go lesbians. 10/10

Chat

very good. very iconic. so glad this series came out before the Kirby Era cuz i think the lips would’ve ruined it. 10/10

Big Bill

It looks really comfortable!! I want this robe irl, I like the patterns! I surprisingly really like the pink for Bill! It stands out compared the rest of his appearance and I think that’s really cool!! the dark blue also fits him really well!! Half point bonus for matching with Shrimp. 9.5/10

Void

GOD TIER!! PEAK DESIGN!!! We all love Void in this household. 20/10

[hotinthehallowoods]

Round One has finished!

Here are the results:

Barb vs. Mx. Morell

The odds were not in Barb's favor today, the demon of the Resting Place played a good game but Mx. Morell had the upper hand. The proprietor of the Museum of Broken Promises might have a new exhibit on display soon, but for now they move on to the next round.

Olivier vs. Tiff

Dreamer, it seems that Tiff tried to use some real firepower for this match but Olivier called up a storm of support that really snuffed out those flames. With Round One under her belt, Olivier is starting off with a perfect record.

The Countess vs. Xyzikxyz

Despite going up against the source of her power, The Countess did not hold back; it seems her claims of nobody being able to resist her were true. Xyz put up a good fight though, and hopefully they’ll spill the cosmic tea about the details.

Dimes vs. Brooklyn

The Diamond Rider dazzled us all in their battle against this former assistant, although Brooklyn did put up a good fight. It would seem that being good at scheduling only goes so far when your opponent has a dog that sparkles as much as they do. The interdimensional powers help too.

Riot vs. Hector

Hector might have had a bunch of weapons and two dogs, but all his knowledge was no match against a girl with a sword and a leather vest. This assistant groundskeeper continues to prove her skills and proceeds to Round Two.

Lolgmalolg vs. Bern

Fighting off hordes of froglins must have given Bern all the experience she needed to take on Lolgmalolg today. She Who Lurks Beneath might have plenty of followers, but they weren't enough to give her the win. Another victory for this Scoutpost survivor.

Nikignik vs. Huntington Waites

One hundred eyes in the dark and all of them saw Nikignik's defeat of Huntington Waites. The Indescribable might not have a physical body, but he didn't need one in order to beat this undead hunter. We predict many people will have interesting dreams tonight.

Diggory vs. Ricou

Unfortunately Ricou cannot take home the title of Hallowoods Sexiest Being to add to his collection of shiny things, it's Diggory who's moving on to the next round. This dead goth towered above the competition and clawed their way to victory.

Polly vs. Violet

Violet has learned the hard way that a raincoat and boots are nice, but an umbrella works even better. Polly was on fire today, he dressed to impress and certainly knew how to win the crowd's favor, and while Violet tried her hardest it turns out you can't negotiate your way to the next round.

Danielle vs. The Omen

With claws and beaks and sharp words The Omen snagged a win against Danielle. Having the ability to control dreams is very useful, but what happens when your opponent doesn't sleep? It's another feather in The Omen's figurative cap today.

Jonah vs. Moth

Dreamers, Moth has scored another victory, this time against a fisherman who keeps coming back from the dead. Maybe Jonah can take the time to kick up his feet and see if he can catch anything, but moth has proved mothself's style is worthy of continuing on to Round Two.

Lady Ethel Mallory vs. Zelda

Despite her impressive marketing skills, Lady Ethel Mallory has learned the hard way that you can't get everything that you want. Sometimes you lose a sexiness competition to an old woman who likes making watercress sandwiches. It happens.

Yaretzi vs. Winona

It seems like victory was not in the cards today, but perhaps Winona saw these results coming anyway. After all, Yaretzi is a servant of Tolshotol who eats the hearts of demons for breakfast. She deserves a gold medal to go with her jewelry.

Milo and Venus vs. Valerie

Dreamers, we can't beleaf this. Valerie continued to wow the crowd today and took home another win, Milo and Venus had some people really rooting for them, but it was not enough to sprout success against this former rock star.

Ray vs. Percy

Who has four wheels and is going on to Round Two? This classy automobile of course. Sparks flew today in this ghostly match, and while Percy played on our heartstrings, Ray revved his way to victory in this match.

Walt vs. Nolan

Despite being invisible, Nolan put up a good fight in his match against Walt. This groundskeeper can't rest yet, not when he's moving on to the next round. Still, these matches are good for filling pages in his almanac.

[sleepyowlwrites]

FTWT CCCLXIX

breezy said to do the tag so I am. @zmwrites @blind-the-winds

smooth (dragon, snake, worm, 2012)

Smooth over rough A silent shadow weaves through the rocky maze of dead leaves and dust Light glints off black scales Tongue. Complete silence Shadow shifts as body rears Swifter than sight, strike! Black scales slither onward Treasure is clutched in greedy fangs Snake returning home

grim (youth story d0 - this is hella non-canon)

Nyks was stuck to the ceiling with a face of grim determination.

Daniel gazed up at him adoringly, which was honestly how he always looked at Nyks, even when the latter was leeching off his body heat and had an arm down one of his coat sleeves. “Are you afraid to get down?”

“It’s not that.” Nyks bit his lip, his skin blinking red for a second, and see-through, so that it looked like a Nyks-shaped part of the ceiling was red.

Mark had given up on craning his neck backward and was just crouching beside Daniel’s ankles, drawing in the dust of the stockroom floor. “How did he even get up there?” His voice was louder in the empty space.

“I climbed up the wall, obviously.” Nyks’ voice sounded a little closer to an echo this time. His hands appeared to be part of ceiling rather than resting on them.

“Honey, if you’re not stuck, what are you doing?” Daniel was very patient and he absolutely would wait until Nyks felt like giving a proper explanation, but there was no guarantee that Mark wouldn’t just abandon both of them the minute he knew he wasn’t needed.

scowl (youth story d0)

“You won’t pet my head?” Nyks pouted, which frankly was unfair.

“I’ll pet your head,” R mumbled, shaking his own tiredly. “You’re the worst.”

“No, that’s me.”

Daniel didn’t even correct Mark this time, too elated that he was joking with his friends, especially Nyks. Mark noticed and immediately scowled.

warm (you, of dusk, and I, of dust, 2020)

so it happened, and yet, I think the air is warm where my face can’t feel it. perhaps I’m smiling. or I might be on the table with my limbs all askew. I’d like to ask you. but a dead cricket cannot tell me if in this old air I am no longer breathing.

eager (youth story d0)

Savannah huffed and turned to the side, fiddling with her backpack. “I am not mooning over anyone. I am a concerned friend.”

“You’re certainly a nosy friend,” R said mildly, too eager to continue this track of conversation even though he definitely knew he would only lead to an angry Savannah. “Since you can just read his feelings, why don’t you do that?”

“Clearly, that would be impolite.” She blew her pink bangs out of her face.

ennui why

exotic

eternally i mean i only have two scriv docs open but oh well

electric (lights, 2013) also I started singing the schoolhouse rock song for electricity

First, fingertips. His were callused, and I knew every print and groove while I traced my own down to rest gently between his. Palms met.

And then, light. Not like sunlight. Not like starlight. Not false light from electricity. Pure, untainted light, pouring out from my soul, racing down my arm and overflowing onto our clasped hands. His eyes left mine to gaze on this marvel - our hands glowing with warm, colorful light, pulsing softly with our matching heartbeats. I watched his mouth smile, and the light reflect in his eyes, and his hand hold mine.

And release it. Slowly, hesitantly, he pulled his hand away, fingers untangling from my own. My heart beat slowed; his sped up. We were not one anymore. The light flickered, failed and faded, receding back into my soul. I dared to lift my eyes to his face which focused in his knees. Then he was rising, gangly legs trembling ever so slightly as he stood. He licked his lips - no words. I opened my mouth - no words. He turned away.

bent, brave, bored, back. BONUS: body, bludgeon. @writing-moth @the-orangeauthor @oh-no-another-idea @faelanvance @dogmomwrites OR ANYBODY

[lacrimosathedark]

Who'd like some good old fashioned name analysis?

Okay, so, I been doing so much research for Resident Evil stuff and learning shit about fairy tales and timelines and genome editing and searching for impossible Romanian poetry I got overwhelmed and went, fuck it. Why not just look at their names? Maybe I'll learn something there.

So, here I have done it. Name meanings for characters of the Mold Saga so far aka 7 and 8 aka Biohazard and Village.

(Sorry I'm on mobile I'll put a cut here when I can)

Ethan: Firm, enduring, strong, impetuous, long-lived. An incredibly consistently common and popular name. E name just like Eveline, so could be a successor of sorts to the mold.

Mia: Derivative of numerous other names of many possibilities. Mia as a word means “mine” in Italian and Spanish. Mamma Mia is a well known Italian phrase, particularly due to the ABBA song and musical of the same name, and it being the catchphrase of the Nintendo character Mario. The phrase means “my mom”.

Winters: First and last season of the year where everything becomes dormant and cold and either dies or sleeps.

Eveline: Contains “Eve”, as in both the biblical first woman. Also means a night before an event, and the game takes place in the span of one night. The name Eve means “ life”, “living one”, “mother of life”, or “giver of life”. Another possible name origin is as a variant of Aveline, which is a diminutive of Ava, which is the same pronunciation as the name Eva as pronounced in Village.

Baker: Occupational surname. In older times consider an upper-middle class job, much like the family. Also adds the emphasis of the “food” and also how they essentially make more molded.

Jack: God is gracious, supplanter. A nickname for John and other related names, but also a name in itself. It is also a word with a couple meanings, including a heavy lifting tool, to steal something, to take control of something, or an everyman.

Margueritte: Pearl. French name for ox-eyed daisy. Derived from Margaret. Sounds like maggot.

Lucas: Light. Derived from Lucius which means “the bright one” or “the one born at dawn”. Luke is also an Apostle of Jesus and was a physician.

Zoe: Life. Came from the name Eve. Fitting as Zoe was practically pushed out of the family after Eveline’s arrival, replaced as the daughter of the family.

Joe: He will add. Was added as DLC. Short for Joseph. Joseph is the name of multiple biblical figures. One is a child of Jacob and Rachel and Jacob’s favorite son in Genesis (note: Jack is a nickname for Jacob) who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, but rose to become vizier, the most powerful position nest to the Pharoah, and forgave his family and brought them to Egypt. One is the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who loved and raised a child he knew was not his against social norms. Another is a disciple known as Joseph of Arimathea who notably took Jesus down from the cross for his burial and testified when he revived and was gone. 

Rosemary: Dew of the sea. Combination of Rose and Mary or the plant rosemary. Roses as a plant vary in meaning depending on color. Mary and its variations have many differing meanings, among them being, “beloved”, “love”, “bitter”, “rebellious”, “wished-for child”, and “drop of the sea”. There are also the allusions to Mary, mother of Jesus as she is sometimes worshipped with roses, and you say Hail Marys on your rosary which is only two letters from her name. In regards to the plant, it is relatively resistant to drought and cold, though some breeds are susceptible to frost and they don’t like too much water. They have fibrous roots, so they spread and fan out like we see with the mold. They thrive in more alkaline soils and seem to have been named by a taxonomist named Carl  Linnaeus. In stories, folklore, and tradition, the plants or flowers are often used for remembrance, specifically for the dead. It’s also been used as a spice and in medicine.

Miranda: Worthy of admiration. Latin in origin. Character in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and whether she is a strong female character or not is highly debated, as she frequently defies men like her father, but often when they expect and/or want her to. She is otherwise compassionate and naive. The titular character of a Polish novel in which everyone is a mage and Miranda is a medium connected to another character, Damayanti, who is portrayed as the ideal woman and has a romance with the male protagonist, yet sacrifices her body so her spirit can experience a higher state of consciousness. Miranda can contact her soul, and disappears when she dies. Miranda in the US refers to the required practice by police of reading suspects their rights before interrogation.

Eva: Latin form of “Eve” and meaning “life”, “mother of life”, or “giver of life”.

Duke: A ruler of a duchy. A title bestowed by royalty or passed through family, often given to royalty or nobility, but can be given to anyone. In France,  the peerage system was abolished in 1789 (vive la révolution), brought back in 1814, and finally perma-abolished in 1848. 

(Note: While the wife of a duke becomes a duchess, the husband of a duchess does not become a duke. At least, from what I gather. This shit is confusing.)

Alcina: Strong-willed. Greek origin. There are two operas using the same story about a sorceress named Alcina who lives on an island with her sister Morgana and seduces every knight who comes to the island, but turns them into plants, animals, or stones when she bores of them. When the source of her power is destroyed, she, her sister, and their palace crumble to dust. The Hungarian name for Alțâna, a commune in Sibiu County, Romania in the historical region of Transylvania.

Bela: Bela Lugosi was an actor who famously portrayed Dracula. His name is Hungarian and meant to be spelled Béla meaning “heart”, “insides”, or “intestines”, roughly translating to “having heart” or “having guts” in modern terminology, as in being brave. However it is considered a male name and as Bela is female there is also the possibility of the influence of the name Bella short an l, Bella an Italian name meaning “beautiful”.

Cassandra: The one who shines and excels over men. Name of a Trojan princess and priestess in Greek mythology. She was given her gift of prophecy by the god Apollo but, in most versions of the tale, he asks for sexual favors in return, and she initially agrees but then rejects him once she’s gotten her gift. In anger he cursed her to always tell true prophecies that no one would believe and was thus thought a madwoman. She served a temple of Athena, goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare. When Cassandra was assaulted and possibly raped in Athena’s temple and dragged out while desperately clinging to Athena’s statue, Athena was so enraged by the damage done to her temple and/or her priestess that she enlisted the help of both Zeus and Poseiden to exact revenge on the Greeks for failing to punish the man who attacked Cassandra and caused the resulting damage. Zeus gave her one of his own bolts of lightning and she struck them down at sea. While Cassandra was never believed, she was always right.

Daniela: God is my judge. Feminine form of Daniel. Daniela is also a genus of moth with only one species in the genus, Daniela viridis. It is also another name for the Italian wine grape Prè blanc.

Dimitrescu: Child of Dimitri. -escu suffixes in Romanian are like -son suffixes in English, it derives from parentage (ex. Jackson is Jack’s son, Dimitrescu is Dimitri’s child). Dimitri means “devoted to Demeter”. Demeter is the Greek goddess of the harvest, agriculture, sacred law (i.e. cycle of life and death), fertility, and the earth. Like many Greek myths, she is repeatedly wronged, and rather severely, by multiple male figures. Demeter in particular is a mother who has her daughter Kore, later known as Persephone, stolen away from her and goes on a rampage searching for her and those responsible.

(Note: Considering the founders had these names it’s a bit dumb seeing as this trend of parentage -escu names supposedly came about mid 19th century (1800s for those who find that confusing cuz I do), long after the Village was founded)

Donna: Lady or lady of the home. Italian name and a title of respect. Derives from the Latin term Dominus. The Romanian form of the word (not the name) is Doamnã. The Atropa belladonna aka deadly nightshade have berries and foliage that contain tropane alkaloids including atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine which are extremely toxic and can cause hallucinations and delirium, but are also used in pharmaceutical anticholinergics. Throughout history people cluelessly used the berry juice as eye drops to cosmetically dilate their pupils, giving them a seductive doll-eyed appearance. Symptoms of belladonna poisoning are dilated pupils, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, tachycardia, loss of balance, staggering, headache, rash, flushing, severely dry mouth and throat, slurred speech, urinary retention, constipation, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, and convulsions. The plant's deadly symptoms are in atropine’s ability to disrupt the parasympathetic nervous system’s involuntary regulation like sweating, breathing, and heartbeat.

Angie: Diminutive of many names containing “angel”. Angels are messengers and warriors of Heaven, a realm souls go after death. Angel statues are also common grave markers. Children are also often told they have guardian angels, a being watching over them to protect them.

Claudia: No sure meaning has been found, but some think it comes from claudus, meaning “lame”, “limping”, or “crippled”, or clausus, which means “shut” or “closed”.

Beneviento: Good wind. Neapolitan spelling of Benevento, the name of both a province and its capital city, located in the Campania region of Italy.

Salvatore: Savior. Italian name. In the movie version (I specify as I have not read the book and the movie synopsis has more on the characters) of The Name of the Rose, the character Salvatore is hunch-backed and twisted, and has a history of not-really-acceptable religious beliefs. He was also tortured and falsely accused of witchcraft. He dies when a library is set on fire.

Moreau: Moorish, dark-skinned. French surname. Titular doctor in The Island of Doctor Moreau, in which said doctor performs disturbing and torturous experiments on people and animals, especially through vivisection, to make beastial humanoid creatures.

Karl: Free man, strong man, manly. Werner Karl Heisenberg was a German theoretical physicist who made notably important contributions to hydrodynamics, ferromagnetism, cosmic rays, and subatomic particles. Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, and socialist revolutionary who believed societies develop through class conflict, and in a capitalist society this is the “ruling” class (the bosses) having power over the working class. He believed people should have equal footing and should and would inevitably fight for it. Karl Jaspers was a German existentialist philosopher and psychiatrist. His humanist ideals had him dissatisfied with the medical community’s approach to mental health and worked to improve it, and philosophizing on it after.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Since I’ve seen accusations of the RE character and his influences being so, I feel I must state it here. Karl Heisenberg is NOT a Nazi. Both Heisenberg and Jaspers lived through World War II and neither were Nazis. Jaspers was blackwalled because of his Jewish wife. Heisenberg was forcibly drafted into the Army Weapons Bureau, but pre-war he had been repeatedly slandered as a “white Jew” and his career held back, and post-war became more political, worked against traditional primacy in the education system, and actively protested the government considering equipping the army with American nuclear weapons. Capcom reps have also stated that Karl Heisenberg has nothing to do with Nazis.)

Heisenberg: Calling mountain (could not find a specific definition, “heisen” means “to call” and “berg” means “mountain or hill”). Reference to Werner Karl Heisenberg, (explained above). Likely unrelated, but another well-known (in the US at least) name thief of Heisenberg comes from the popular TV show Breaking Bad as the alias/street name for the main character Walter White who takes the name and starts selling drugs when he is unable to afford medical care for his in-need child, but grows more twisted throughout the series. Also place name.

Berengario: Italian form of Berengar, which is derived from Germanic root words meaning “bear” and “spear”.

Cesare: Italian form of the Latin word Caesar, which is an imperial title like an emperor or empress. The word Caesar itself may come from caesaries meaning “hairy”. 

Guglielmo: Italian form of the Germanic William, meaning “vehement protector” or “desired helmet”

Nichola: Anglicized form of the Greek Nikolaos meaning “victory of the people”. Also a variant of Nicholas (Considered a female variant but fuck gender roles and the description says he.). This character is also referred to as Father like a priest I looked into saints and while I found no notable Saint Nichola (meaning on Wikipedia) there are multiple Saint Nicholases, most notably Saint Nicholas of Myra, also known as the Wonderworker and the model of Santa Claus. Stories of him include gifting gold coins through a window of a home for three nights to prevent three girls from being forced into prostitution, calming a storm at sea, saving three soldiers from execution, and chopping down a possessed tree. More connected to where his treasure is found, there is also a tale of him resurrecting three children who had been murdered by a butcher who had had intended to sell their meat as “pork” during the famine.

*BONUS TIME*

By that I mean these are less important so I did slightly less research and/or didn’t  feel like typing all the research so there’s less info, but it’s still relevant, so here you go!

Chris: A rare name in its own right, often a shortened version of names like Christopher, meaning “Christ-bearer”, and Christian, as in the religion.

Redfield: Literally red field. Fitting for the trail of blood in his wake because have mercy on any of his enemies, but regrettably including many of his friends and allies (rip in peace Piers Nivans). 

Elena: Shining light. Greek origin.

Leonardo: Strong as a lion. Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese version of Leonard.

Lupu: Wolf. Romanian surname. Fitting as the surname of the man we saw become a lycan before our eyes. 

Luiza: Renowned warrior. Polish, Portuguese, and Romanian name.

Iulian: Romanian name from the Greek iulius meaning “youthful” or “juvenile”, or ioulos meaning “downy-bearded”.

Vasile: Romanian name from the Greek basileus meaning ”king”. Vasile Voiculescu wrote a poem called Schimnicul, The Recluse in English, about varcolacul.

(Note: For those who don’t recall or didn’t notice his name in Ethan’s diary, this is Luiza’s husband.)

Rolando: Famous throughout the land. Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese variant of Roland.

Elba: Spanish form of Alba, which can mean “dawn”, “white”, or “elf”, depending on origin.

Dion: Shorter form of Greek Dionysios meaning “of Zeus”.

Wilson: Lineage surname, “Will’s son”. Very common surname in English.

Charlie: A name in itself but often a nickname for names like Charles meaning “man” or “warrior”

Graham: Gravelly homestead. Habitational surname, apparently derived from Grantham in Lincolnshire, England.

John: God is gracious. The most common name ever with the most variations.

Perlman: Ashkenazi Jewish surname. Also literal, “perl” possibly meaning “pearl” thus being an occupational name, or Perl being a woman’s name making it mean “husband of Perl”.

Emily: Rival. Latin name. 

Berkoff: Could be Jewish, Dutch, or German surname. Definition not quite certain, but likely related to birch trees.

Josef: German, Czech, and Scandinavian version of Joseph.  

Simon: He has heard. From Hebrew Shim’on.

Roxana: Bright, dawn. Latin form of Greek Rhoxane and Persian Roshanak.

Anton: Priceless, praiseworthy, flower.

Sebastian: From the Latin name Sebastianus which meant “from Sebaste”. Sebaste is a town in Asia Minor and comes from the Greek word sebastos meaning “venerable”.

Eugen: Well-born.Romanian form of Eugene. From the Greek name Eugenios. 

(Note: This is the man who lived in the house with the red chimney.)

Ernest: Serious. Germanic name.

(Note: This man is noted to be missing in a letter to Luiza and his diary is found with the Cannibal’s Plunder in Otto’s Mill.)

[incorporealbagelbeing]

Hello From the Hallowoods characters based on their Vine knowledge and Energy:

Nikignik: thousand eyes? He knows what Vines are. He probably knows them all word for word and cried a little when it died and did an in-depth monologue about humanity, humor, art and love as a requiem. Doesn't trust TikTok. 100/10

Lady Ethel: Watched one that Brooklyn showed her and immediately started marketing the idea. -10/10, part of Vine's downfall, still doesn't get the references. Also makes bad marketing TikToks

Diggory: 6/10, they've seen a few! Percy showed them some at the scoutpost, and they have a group chat with the mendies where they send memes and vine compilations.

Percy: 8/10. Watches Vine compilations all the time. Knows them by heart, but tends to be more reserved and serious and doesn't quote them a lot. The only reason people know he watches them is because Riot referenced "Jared, 19" and got jumpscared by Percy laughing behind her while invisible, cementing her trust.

Riot: 12/10. Riot "I see Walt is busy. Im going to go bother him" quotes Vine enough to rival Doug Eiffel of Wolf 359. She had all that time in the bunker to learn Vines and decided to make that everyone's problem. Queen shit. Bonds with Percy and Diggory over Vine, and has mixed emotions on TikTok

Clara: 7/10 nows Vine a bit less than Percy. She knows more due to Riot and Friday. Can and will recite many Vines by heart but doesn't watch compilations.

Violet: 4/10 knows a few Vines? Kind of understands the humor? More than anything, she has a knitting TikTok that's super soothing, so points for that.

Bern: 3/10 understands the nihilistic humor but hasn't really ever sat and watched a Vine comp. She does appear in the backgrounds of Violet's TikToks sometimes with large weapons, and she has a small fan base because of it.

Walt: 7/10 knows Vines because 1. He thought some of them were a bit funny and 2. Riot loves Vines and he looked deeper into it. They make jokes back and forth about Vines, trade references, and make each other laugh. However, he has NEVER gotten the phrasing right for "Road Work Ahead?" Has a TikTok for info on various Hallowoods creatures and places.

Olivier: 6.5/10. My score here is less on Vine knowledge (they'd get a 3 based on their friendship with Friday) and more based on the fact that they exhibit the exact energy of Vine. Im giving them honorary points for having the exhausted manic energy. You'd do numbers on TikTok, king

Friday: 9.5/10. She watches Vines, even if you wouldn't expect it. Im adding an extra half point for Clara and her bonding over it. I feel like she's the reason Olivier knows of Vine, and that the two watch Vines sometimes (or Olivier studies while she watches them to chill out during study breaks). She and Clara quote them at each other to confuse other people in the library.

Big Mikey: 6.5 I think he colloquially knows a few! And I also think that Riot and at least one other scoutpost person have showed him the child safe Vine comps. Also I love him.

Polly: controversial take: the posse all have low scores. He gets a 4/10 because he's been loosening up, and I think he'd vibe with it. I also think that he posts on TikTok for aesthetic posts and for the one he has with Yaretzi in wolf for. Oh Mort also appears in the backgrounds sometimes, picking flowers or befriending animals and has answered questions much to the delight of his fans.

Mort: 4/10 appears in Polly's TikToks, and he gets points for being beloved by everyone. However he neither knows nor gets Vines and Polly doesn't know how to explain.

Yaretzi: 4/10: not super well-versed in Vines, but she's learning with Polly. She also has a fanbase from Polly's TikTok background appearances.

Hector: 5/10 knows Vines but never uses them. He smiles at them but its nothing much. He has a TikTok for the dogs which is insanely popular.

Jonah: 5.5/10. Was a huge fan of Vine Back In The Day, and quotes them sometimes. Also has a TikTok, doesn't post much. This is counteracted by the fact that Zelda hopped on his channel, earning him an extra point.

Zelda: 7/10. Knows and quotes the most well known Vines because Jonah was such a big fan and she cares about him. Also, that one lady on TikTok who has the recipe channel where she's like. The funniest person, but its also stuff like meatballs and cookies? Thats Zelda. Shes also decently TikTok famous, and responds to everyone who asks if she can be their mom.

Solomon: fuck you. Crusty bitch. Even if he knew what vine was he wouldn't get it. >:/

Barb: 10/10 made Polly and Yaretzi watch Vines. Makes Vine references. Legend has it, he has a Fre Shava Cado sign somewhere in the Resting Place.

Countess: 2/10 knows little about Vine because she thinks its below her. However, she is the sexy vampire lady that appears in the background of Barb's videos, sooooooo

Brooklyn: 6/10 she's a tech/ social media person i feel like. Showed LEM a Vine and Regretted It. Still thinks about them and mentions them to Marco sometimes. Repeats some under her breath but also doesn't know many at all.

Marco: 4/10: knows less than Brooklyn but still has some Vine knowledge I guess? Sheltered by BotCo

Danielle: 3/10: even more sheltered by BotCo. However, she also met Nikignik

Ray: 8/10: hear me out: this automobile knows Vines. He wants to connect with passengers. He gets them wrong a lot of the time but its the thought that counts. Also? Ray has tremendous meme energy.

Moth 11/10: knows and quotes Vines and has cryptid energy. Currently running a TikTok with Ray which has vine energy and is wildly popular. People do assume that Ray is just camera shy and not an automobile tho.

[mandoalorian]

what would each pedro pascal character do when reader confesses that they are a virgin

How Pedro’s characters would react to you being a virgin:

Headcanon Masterlist

Warnings: allusions and descriptions to sex

Rating: 18+ only.

—-—-—-—

Din Djarin

He is too! (or is he?) I remember the ‘is Din a virgin?’ discourse after season one aired. For arguments sake, let's say Din has experience. First he'll want to make sure that sex is something you really want. He's not very good at talking about it these things — a nervous blush crossing his cheeks under that beskar helmet — but it's important to him that you're both on the same page. He'll go easy on you and he'll spend the entire night just making sure that you're enjoying yourself. The lights are out, you're wearing the silk blindfold, and he'll take his helmet off and go down on you because he knows that you'll enjoy it. And you do. He gives and gives and gives, and doesn't expect anything in return. He's a very selfless lover.

Frankie Morales

He gets a little flustered, bless him. He feels warm and fuzzy knowing that you trust him enough to take your virginity, but nevertheless, he'll take your hands and look into your eyes and ensure that this something you want. When you reassure him that you do in fact want this, he smiles and carries you to his bedroom. He drops you down onto the bed and slowly undresses you, kissing you all over your body. It's a very sweet experience.

Maxwell Lord

It's a revelation he wasn't expecting to hear and quite frankly, he's flabbergasted that you want to spend your first time with him. It almost makes him nervous and puts a pressure on him because he really wants to do a good job and make it enjoyable for you. He'll praise you a lot, touch you, whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Even though it's your first time, he'll probably come out of the experience learning a lot about his own sexuality as well. Whilst he's normally a selfish lover who takes and takes and takes, he uses this opportunity to ensure you're having a good time, and that makes him realise how pleasurable giving can be too.

Ezra

He is very vocal and he'll talk about it with you before any sex actually happens. He'll guide you through the process of sex step by step, tell you everything he likes. He's a pro at dirty talk so the way he describes different positions and movements only turns you on even more. He sorta likes playing teacher. But, he'll spend most of the time on you, learning your body and figuring out different things you like the best.

Javier Peña

Panic. He's never had a partner admit to him that they're a virgin before. He doesn't judge you at all. He's just pretty sure he's never been with a virgin (and if he has, they've never told him), so his protective instincts kick in. He wants to prove to you how phenomenonal of a lover he is. You don't have a doubt in your mind that he's great, as you're aware of his reputation, but you're completely mind blown after the sex. He's intimate and there's a lot of touching and dirty talk.

Oberyn Martell

Oberyn is expecting the sex to be, let's say, a group activity, until you confess to the prince that you're a virgin. He raises a quizzical eyebrow. He swears that you're the most beautiful creature in the whole of the land, and he's truly shocked no man has ever pursued you before. But his shock soon turns into delight and he realises he's the lucky one who gets to take your virginity. He wishes to discuss it with you first, and you tell him your fear of how a threesome or a foursome might be a little overwhelming for your first time, and he understands completely. So he takes it to his chambers, even asking Ellaria to leave, and makes it as romantic as possible. He's also very selfless and he certainly knows how to make you feel amazing.

Marcus Pike

Oh, he's a real sweetheart. It's something you discuss one night and you're feeling a little embarrassed. He takes your hands and tells you there's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. So that night, you actually plan for your first time. He'll light candles, play romantic music, dim the lights. The bedroom will smell like cinnamon and nutmeg. And there'll be rose petals spread out on the bed in the shape of a heart, as well as a bottle of red wine and a box of chocolates.

Max Phillips

Again, pre-sex discussion is key, especially in this instance. When Max finds out you're a virgin, he wants to talk about it before he gets into anything. He asks plenty of questions, he asks if you've masturbated before and tries to gauge how much you know already about pleasuring your own body. He wants to learn all the different things that turn you on so he can use them to his advantage and make the sex a positive experience for you both. Just talking about it is enough to get you both going.

Dave York

Like Maxwell, Dave is slightly shocked you want him to take your virginity. Sex with Dave will normally be rough and fast paced but during your first time, he'll take extra care and go easy on you. That's not to say it won't be intense, because it will be. He'll want to get at least three orgasms out of you before he lets himself cum. It'll be memorable, that's for sure.

Jack Daniels

He wants your first time to be memorable and enjoyable— and he'll certainly make sure of that. There's a lot of foreplay, he'll even bring out toys but there's a discussion before hand where he expresses that you want him to tell you if he gets overbearing. It's just because he likes you so much and he wants to give you the time of your life.

Pero Tovar

I think in those days it was common for two people to save themselves til marriage. Although I can't imagine Pero following this rule. When he finds out you're a virgin, he truly doesn't let it alter his perception of you. It's just one of those things. In fact, he kinda likes the idea that he'll be your first and hopefully your last.

Taglist - let me know if you wish to be added!

Permanent: @supernaturalgirl @phoenixhalliwell @ah-callie @luvzoria @stardust-galaxies @wickedfrsgrl @goth-topic @nerdypinupcrystal @wonderfulfluffer @kiwi-the-first @pedroepascal @castiel-barnes @honeymandos @rocketqueen @ladycumberbatchofcamelot @dybalalover10 @girl-obsessed-with-things @elena-myth @moth-guillotine @pedro-pascal-love @hayley-the-comet @pinkninja190 @maxiarapamaya @autumnleaves1991-blog @artsymaddie

[emmikmil]

wiaww Day 25

Pairing: Agent Whiskey/Jack Daniels x F!Reader

Prompts: Candy Cane / Homesick / Color

Warnings: Longing, I would say unrequited love  but it’s not that sad lol

Word Count: 366

A/N: if you celebrate today, then Merry Christmas to you!!! Credit for the prompts goes to @cyantomatos

You're busy reading reports and going over paperwork when you hear the cowboy boots on the wooden floor. You've worked as a secretary long enough to know who exactly is waltzing up to your desk and your stomach flips as the footsteps come closer.

A tan hand comes into view, plucking a candy cane from your candy bowl. The unwrapping of the candy is as loud as you heartbeat as you lift your head and use your poised practiced smile. Agent Whiskey stands before you, warm eyes taking you in as he sucks on the candy.

Jack gives you butterflies every time he comes into your view, even if he's doing the most menial task around his office. You're drawn to him like a moth to a flame and you begin to wonder if he knows. 

The routine between you is always the same. Good mornings are exchanged with a run down of his tasks for the day. You get his lunch order. He gives you a compliment. At the end of the day, he asks you to dinner. 

"Wanna head out with me sugar? I'll treat you to a mighty fine dinner."

"Not tonight Whiskey. I'll see you in the morning."

It was predictable, down right pleasant to go through the motions with him. You had to tempt fate with the candy dish. He stops by your desk more often now, engages you in more conversation. You get to hear his dreamy southern drawl and watch his lips turn more pink from the dye in the candy.

Being with Whiskey was nothing more than a fantasy. As gorgeous as he is with those deep brown eyes and perfectly trimmed mustache the man was off limits. You two are coworkers, he's even technically your superior. Plus, personally? You knew his story. He talks a big game but he's never let anyone close again. You've heard him ask Ginger to dinner plenty of times before, you don't take his flirting personally.

Instead you calm your racing heart, nod along with whatever he says and try not to be jealous that the minty sweetness resting on his lips aren't your own.

**I have not set up any sort of taglist just yet but if you would like to be tagged in this month’s challenge/ other writings please shoot me a message!

[cornholio4]

A Date With Prince Ali

Author’s note: I admit I was using this story as an excuse to gush about Knives Out; an enjoyable movie even if you're like me and your biggest exposure to mystery stories are Scooby Doo episodes and movies.Over a year of Ladybug salt and LIla Salt; different types of stories and using pairings with Felix and Damian Wayne (not a fan of either of those pairings to be honest). Then I realised why not try one that is Marinette X Ali as surprisingly enough there are no stories of that yet.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng just sighed when class was just finishing and Lila began spinning off her latest tale about some celebrities that she had supposedly met, really it was quite frustrating how all suckered in they were. Nino told everyone about how his parents were taking his little brother Chris to an appointment so they could have their own party there with him as a DJ.

Lila of course said she would love to come over when she has time and has another story she has been waiting for the right moment to tell them. This made Marinette groaned and Marinette almost missed it when Nino asked if she can expect to find her there.

"Oh no sorry Nino, I already have plans..." Marinette told him and then saw disappointed glances from most of the classmates as this was another occasion she had missed out with Lila involved. "Look sorry but I already have plans; I'm going to go see Knives Out tonight." Marinette explained and everyone looked at her incredulously as everything they knew about the movie didn't seem like it would be one Marinette would see.

Then of course Lila was putting up a facade of how disappointed she was that Marinette would not be coming. "Really girl, if you don't want to come because Lila is coming then you can at least be honest and tell us... No need to make up a story on the spot..." Alya chided her and Marinette sighed at her words along with the disapproval that came from Adrien.

It wasn't an excuse and she really did plan to go see the movie that afternoon, she had been looking forward to it for some time.

What her classmates didn't know was that she was actually a big fan of mystery stories, from her childhood of watching mystery movies with her parents (she watched a lot of the TV show about Hercule Poirot), watching Scooby Doo as well as reading the Agatha Christie books. She actually loved watching the mysteries build up with all the clues and red herrings built up and put together in the ending.

In fact when she was accused of stealing by Chloe she was putting her deductive skills to rest and she also got to use them when she began to suspect that Adrien's father was Hawk Moth. She rarely got to use the skills she developed from all the mysteries stories she had seen and read.

True the deductive skills failed to convince her classmates that Lila was lying but that was neither here nor there.

Later she got home and noticed a parcel for her and she opened it to see a necklace looking like it came from the kingdom of Achu and guessed it must have come from her secret admirer again. She had been getting presents and letters in the mail for a small while from a secret admirer saying they had only just gotten the courage to send these tokens of their feelings towards her.

She began wondering who it could be with her first hope being that it was from Adrien but soon her feelings began dying out. It had to do with his words about Lila's lying not hurting anyone.

What instantly could get her out of a Lila related sour mood was wondering who could be her secret admirer; she had yet to tell Alya about it. Mostly because she was pretty much dreading whatever scheme Alya could cook up to find out who it could be.

Some of the presents were mostly jewellery and she figured it must be someone well off, one of her first candidates was Luka but looking at the expensive jewellery it may not be there. Unless the Couffaines were secretly wealthy and were being humble about it to the point of living in their small houseboat. Currently her best candidate would be Kagami.

Her parents were gushing about her latest gift from her admirer and were encouraging her to wear it for the movie today. She thought it would be a little much but she decided to do so. She had changed into a detective outfit she had designed and Tikki was asking about where it came from.

She had explained that during the last summer at a birthday party for one of her cousins; it was a murder mystery role play party that she was so excited for and designed everyone's outfit. Her role was as the lead detective's deputy.

She had gotten to the door but then saw someone enter through the door and it was someone in a hooded jacket along with some sort of chaperone bodyguard. The person took his hood down and saw it was Prince Ali of Achu.

"Prince Ali, what a surprise..." Marinette blurted out remembering when she had last saw him as Ladybug. Rose had told everyone about how excited she was to have ice cream with him and some time ago she had been disappointed to tell them that Prince Ali admitted to her in his last message that he liked someone else and was sending her letters before he can finally confess in person.

She felt sorry for Rose and tried to console her along with the other classmates, Lila made a half hearted story that she was asked by Prince Ali himself to keep it secret that she liked some other princess. Of course they had eaten it up.

Rose had said that Prince Ali really spoke fondly of her and said he hadn't had a chance to see her along but she was kind, clumsy and adorable with a passion for fashion.

Marinette knew that Prince Ali was in France related to a charity he was doing and how it would be a busy one, Lila made up a claim that she would try and see if they can get time to get them to see him again. Lucky Lila counted on the fact that it was reported that he would only be in France for 3 days and how unlikely it would be that he would be in Paris to see them.

A part of her thought about directly asking him about Lila but she decided she didn't want to use him like this to settle a grudge against a bully.

"Marinette, hasn't had time to see you directly..." Prince Ali admitted to her with a blush with Marinette feeling like she should be questioning why he was there. "I managed to make enough time in my schedule to come here and see the girl I liked." Prince Ali told her sheepishly and Marinette froze having put the clues together:

The presents having come at the same time when Rose talked to Prince Ali with his message about sending presents to his crush and the description of this crush.

Uh oh...

"I am... flattered your majesty but... Rose likes you and I am sure a girl code or a sis code exists..." Marinette trying to come up with the best excuse she could do. Her parents were no help as they were gushing about it and how Marinette was always a princess to them.

"Rose is a good friend but I can't help it when I saw a pretty girl and what Rose told me about you; how helpful and kind you are. I noticed your designs on your website and I was amazed by your talents. Plus the achievements you have made." Prince Ali told her and Marinette's cheeks began going red. "Are you doing anything tonight?" He asked hopefully and she shook her head.

"Sorry but I already made plans, I want to see this movie at the cinema called Knives Out..." Marinette told him and Prince Ali put out his hand offering to treat her to a movie. Her brain shut down and it only rebooted again when she noticed she was led to his limo.

She smiled awkwardly at Prince Ali as she sat next to him, she then began wondering if she even liked him like that. He was handsome alright but that was not enough for her to fall for someone; she knew Adrien was handsome but didn't care for him when she thought he was a bully friend of Chloe. She only started to fall for him at the umbrella incident.

Maybe she could give Prince Ali a try as he was a nice boy starting charities and being nothing but kind to Rose.

They reached the cinema and Prince Ali helped Marinette out as they entered with his chaperone and his hood disguise back up, they got in line and paid for their tickets. They got to the screening room and Marinette noticed Aurore and Mireille there who recognised Marinette but not her apparent date. They were going as Chris Evans fans and were wierded out when Marinette revealed she was a mystery fan.

They sat down and the ads and trailers played and followed by a message from the movie's director Rian Johnson asking the audience not to spoil the ending to their friends as it was a whodunit mystery. Marinette with a serious look on her face zipped her mouth shut at that which Prince Ali laughed at and she just looked sheepish.

They watched the movie and during the first act Marinette saw how intentionally horrible most of the characters were. while because she hated being scared was the main reason why she hated horror movies another one was because it was hard to like any of the characters in those movies and want to see them survive.

They laughed at scenes in it (especially at Daniel Craig's hilarious accent) while Marinette was analysing any potential clues and feeling tense as it went on. The movie ended and Marinette left with Prince Ali gushing with the others about how good it was but Marinette made a move of asking they be silent about spoilers when they got out of the cinema room.

Marinette took mystery stories very seriously.

They got out of the cinema and Marinette gave him a kiss on the cheek as they went began smiling awkwardly at each other. Then somebody shouted that it was Prince Ali and they just noticed his hood fell down. They quickly got back into the limo and it drove off.

The paparazzi followed them back to the bakery and Prince Ali helped Marinette out and got her into her home as they had taken pictures of them.

At Nino's party, Nino had told her big story and was going on about how twenty minutes ago Prince Ali phoned her about some paperwork he had just finished at the moment to open an orphanage in her name.

Then Rose screamed out looking at her phone saying Prince Ali was in Paris right now and was seen exiting their local cinema with a date! She was gushing about Prince Ali finding love with her crush but then the classmates began looking at Lila asking about what she had just said despite her attempts to change the subject.

Curse the horrid timing.

Rose's eyes were bulging and told everyone to come and see who it was and everyone was speechless when they saw the photos. Lila looked herself and let her frustration get the better of her and ranted about Marinette on the spot.

[mistyshine]

My Books

The Adventure Bible (The letters B. I. B. L. E. likely stand for Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth and includes Genesis tells how God created us. Next comes Exodus & Leviticus. Numbers & Deuteronomy tell great stories of wandering Israel. Joshua has stories of war & victory. Judges tells of problems in Jewish history. Next comes Ruth; you'll find in this book; the story of Boaz & the wife he took. Samuel contains books 1 & 2. Kings & Chronicles also do. In Ezra & Nehemiah the Jews come home. Esther's the story of a rise to the throne! Job's a story of hope & sadness, the Psalms are songs of praise & gladness, Proverbs gives us wise things to do, Ecclesiastes gives us much good advice too. Song of Songs/Solomon - a poem of love & devotion - is expressed in words of strong emotion, Isaiah & Jeremiah are books of prophecy, Lamentations laments a sad time in history, Ezekiel & Daniel take place in captivity. Hosea, Joel & Amos are the next three, Obadiah's a short little book, Jonah's a great story; why don't you take a look, Micah, Nahum & Habakkuk prophesy, then come Zephaniah & Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi are at the end, then a long time of silence God did send... Matthew & Mark along with Luke & John tell of the teachings of God's son. Acts reports on the apostles' work with the people of the early church. If you take a look at Romans; you'll find within how faith in Jesus can cover sin. next comes 1st & 2nd Corinthians followed by Galatians, Ephesians & Philippians. Colossians explains what faith can do. Thessalonians & Timothy have books 1 & 2. Titus tells us to carry on. The next in line's Philemon. Hebrews is a mystery book? We don't know who wrote it but take a good look. James tells what a Christian should do, followed by Peter books 1 & 2, then come John's letters 1, 2 & 3. Jude's next & as brief as can be. The Revelation of John is at the end & tells of a Savior who's coming again!)

Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute Yearbook1

Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute Yearbook2

Lo Ellen Park Secondary School Yearbook

Student’s Oxford Canadian Dictionary Second Edition

The Book of Historically Significant Architecture of Millbrook

The Kingfisher Young People’s Atlas of the World

Pokémon Deluxe Essential Handbook

Armchair Reader; The Book of Incredible Information

The Book of Weird & Unusual Trivia

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada; A Commemorative Guide

Butterflies & Moths

The R.O.M. Field Guide to Butterflies of Ontario

The Cat Encyclopedia1

The Cat Encyclopedia2

Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Really Did That?

Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Cat

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What?

Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can't Believe My Cat Did That!

The Cat Lover's Compendium

The Cat in the Window & Other Stories of the Cats We Love

Cats: A portrait in pictures & words

Cats: An anthology of stories & poems

A Cat’s Life

The World of Cats

The Elegance of the Cat

Kiki of Kingfisher Cove

The Cat That God Sent

Dewey the Library Cat

The Nine Lives of Christmas

Shy Charlene & Sharyl

Newt’s Emerald: Magic, Maids & Masquerades

The BFG

The Hobbit (Prequel to The Lord of the Rings)

The Lord of the Rings1 The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings2 The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings3 The Return of the King

Anton & Cecil1 Anton & Cecil: Cats at Sea

ANTON & CECIL2 ANTON & CECIL: CATS ON TRACK

ANTON & CECIL3 ANTON & CECIL: CATS ALOFT!

Carmen Sandiego1 Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Carmen Sandiego2 Clue by Clue

CARMEN SANDIEGO3 THE STCKY RICE CAPER

CARMEN SANDIEGO4 THE FISHY TREASURE CAPER

CARMEN SANDIEGO5 ENDANGERED OPERATION

Carmen Sandiego6 Jetpack Attack

CARMEN SANDIEGO7 SECRETS OF THE SILVER LION

CARMEN SANDIEGO8 CHASING PAPER CAPER

Harry Potter1 Harry Potter & the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter2 Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter3 Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter4 Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter5 Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter6 Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter7 Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter Extras1 Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

Harry Potter Extras2 The Tales of Beedle the Bard

HARRY POTTER EXTRAS3 QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES

The Inheritance Cycle1 Eragon

The Inheritance Cycle2 Eldest

The Inheritance Cycle3 Brisingr

The Inheritance Cycle4 Inheritance

ERAGON'S GUIDE TO ALAGAESIA

The Hunger Games1 The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games2 Catching Fire

The Hunger Games3 Mockingjay

Divergent1 Divergent

Divergent2 Insurgent

Divergent3 Allegiant

Divergent4 Four: A Divergent Collection

The Borrowers1 The Borrowers

The Borrowers2 The Borrowers Afield

The Borrowers3 The Borrowers Afloat

The Borrowers4 The Borrowers Aloft

The Borrowers5 The Borrowers Avenged

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt1 The Maze of Bones

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt2 One False Note

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt3 The Sword Thief

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt4 Beyond the Grave

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt5 The Black Circle

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt6 In Too Deep

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt7 The Viper's Nest

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt8 The Emperor's Code

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt9 Storm Warning

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt10 Into the Gauntlet

The 39 Clues; The Clue Hunt11 Vespers Rising

The 39 Clues; Cahills Vs. Vespers1 The Medusa Plot

The 39 Clues; Cahills Vs. Vespers2 A King's Ransom

The 39 Clues; Cahills Vs. Vespers3 The Dead of Night

The 39 Clues; Cahills Vs. Vespers4 Shatterproof

The 39 Clues; Cahills Vs. Vespers5 Trust No One

The 39 Clues; Cahills Vs. Vespers6 Day of Doom

The 39 Clues; Unstoppable1 Nowhere to Run

The 39 Clues; Unstoppable2 Break-away

The 39 Clues; Unstoppable3 Count-down

THE 39 CLUES; UNSTOPPABLE4 FLASH-POINT

THE 39 CLUES; DOUBLE-CROSS1 MISSION TITANIC

THE 39 CLUES; DOUBLE-CROSS2 MISSION HINDENBURG

THE 39 CLUES; DOUBLE-CROSS3 MISSION HURRICANE

THE 39 CLUES; DOUBLE-CROSS4 MISSION ATOMIC

THE 39 CLUES; SUPER-SPECIAL OUT-BREAK

The 39 Clues; The Black Book of Buried Secrets

The Boy Sherlock Holmes (his 1st Case) Eye of the Crow

The Boy Sherlock Holmes (his 2nd Case) Death in the Air

The Boy Sherlock Holmes (his 3rd Case) Vanishing Girl

The Boy Sherlock Holmes (his 4th Case) The Secret Fiend

The Boy Sherlock Holmes (his 5th Case) The Dragon Turn

The Boy Sherlock Holmes (his 6th & Final Case) Becoming Holmes

Nancy Drew1 The Secret of the Old Clock

Nancy Drew2 The Hidden Staircase

Nancy Drew3 The Bungalow Mystery

Nancy Drew4 The Mystery at Lilac Inn

Nancy Drew5 The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Nancy Drew6 The Secret of Red Gate Farm

Nancy Drew7 The Clue in The Diary

Nancy Drew8 Nancy’s Mysterious Letter

Nancy Drew9 The Sign of The Twisted Candles

Nancy Drew10 The Password to Larkspur Lane

Nancy Drew11 The Clue of the Broken Locket

Nancy Drew12 The Message in the Hollow Oak

Nancy Drew13 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm

Nancy Drew14 The Whispering Statue

Nancy Drew15 The Haunted Bridge

Nancy Drew16 The Clue of the Tapping Heels

NANCY DREW17 THE MYSTERY OF THE BRASS-BOUND TRUNK

Nancy Drew18 The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion

Nancy Drew19 The Quest of the Missing Map

Nancy Drew20 The Clue in the Jewel Box

Nancy Drew21 The Secret in the Old Attic

Nancy Drew22 The Clue in the Crumbling Wall

NANCY DREW23 THE MYSTERY OF THE TOLLING BELL

Nancy Drew24 The Clue in the Old Album

Nancy Drew25 The Ghost of Blackwood Hall

Nancy Drew26 The Clue of the Leaning Chimney

Nancy Drew27 The Secret of The Wooden Lady

Nancy Drew28 The Clue of the Black Keys

Nancy Drew29 The Mystery at the Ski Jump

Nancy Drew30 The Clue of the Velvet Mask

Nancy Drew31 The Ring-master’s Secret

NANCY DREW32 THE SCARLET SLIPPER MYSTERY

NANCY DREW33 THE WITCH TREE SYMBOL

Nancy Drew34 The Hidden Window Mystery

NANCY DREW35 THE HAUNTED SHOWBOAT

NANCY DREW36 THE SECRET OF THE GOLDEN PAVILION

Nancy Drew37 The Clue in the Old Stagecoach

NANCY DREW38 THE MYSTERY OF THE FIRE DRAGON

Nancy Drew39 The Clue of the Dancing Puppet

Nancy DREW40 THE MOONSTONE CASTLE MYSTERY

Nancy Drew41 The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes

Nancy Drew42 The Phantom of Pine Hill

Nancy Drew43 The Mystery of the 99 Steps

NANCY DREW44 THE CLUE IN THE CROSSWORD CIPHER

Nancy Drew45 The Spider Sapphire Mystery

Nancy Drew46 The Invisible Intruder

Nancy Drew47 The Mysterious Mannequin

NANCY DREW48 THE CROOKED BANNISTER

Nancy Drew49 The Secret of Mirror Bay

NANCY DREW50 THE DOUBLE JINX MYSTERY

Nancy Drew51 The Mystery of the Glowing Eye

Nancy Drew52 The Secret of the Forgotten City

Nancy Drew53 The Sky Phantom

NANCY DREW54 THE STRANGE MESSAGE IN THE PARCHMENT

NANCY DREW55 THE MYSTERY OF CROCODILE ISLAND

NANCY DREW56 THE THIRTEENTH PEARL

Silver-wing1 Silver-wing

SILVER-WING2 SUN-WING

SILVER-WING3 FIRE-WING

SILVER-WING4 DARK-WING

Wings of Fire Arc1 The Dragonet Prophecy1 The Dragonet Prophecy

Wings of Fire Arc1 The Dragonet Prophecy2 The Lost Heir

Wings of Fire Arc1 The Dragonet Prophecy3 The Hidden Kingdom

Wings of Fire Arc1 The Dragonet Prophecy4 The Dark Secret

Wings of Fire Arc1 The Dragonet Prophecy5 The Brightest Night

Wings of Fire Arc2 The Jade Mountain Prophecy1 Moon Rising

Wings of Fire Arc2 The Jade Mountain Prophecy2 Winter Turning

Wings of Fire Arc2 The Jade Mountain Prophecy3 Escaping Peril

Wings of Fire Arc2 The Jade Mountain Prophecy4 Talons of Power

Wings of Fire Arc2 The Jade Mountain Prophecy5 Darkness of Dragons

WINGS OF FIRE ARC3 THE LOST CONTINENT PROPHECY1 THE LOST CONTINENT

WINGS OF FIRE ARC3 THE LOST CONTINENT PROPHECY2 THE HIVE QUEEN

WINGS OF FIRE ARC3 THE LOST CONTINENT PROPHECY3 THE POISON JUNGLE

Warriors: Supers1; Fire-star's Quest

Warriors: Supers2; Blue-star's Prophecy

Warriors: Supers3; Sky-Clan's Destiny

Warriors: Supers4; Crooked-star's Promise

Warriors: Supers5; Yellow-fang's Secret

Warriors: Supers6; Tall-star's Revenge

Warriors: Supers7; Bramble-star's Storm

Warriors: Supers8; Moth Flight's Vision

Warriors: Supers9; Hawk-wing's Journey

Warriors: Supers10; Tiger-heart's Shadow

Warriors: Supers11; Crow-feather's Trial

Warriors: Supers12; Squirrel-flight's Hope

Warriors: Supers13: Gray-stripe’s Vow

Warriors Field Guides1; Secrets of the Clans

Warriors Field Guides2; Cats of the Clans

Warriors Field Guides3; Code of the Clans

Warriors Field Guides4; Battles of the Clans

Warriors Field Guides5; Warriors: The Ultimate Guide

Warriors Grey-stripe's Adventure1; The Lost Warrior, Warriors Grey-stripe's Adventure2; Warrior's Refuge & Warriors Grey-stripe's Adventure3; Warrior's Return

Warriors Raven-paw's Path 1; Shattered Peace, Warriors Raven-paw's Path2; A Clan in Need & Warriors Raven-paw's Path3; The Heart of a Warrior

WARRIORS TIGER-STAR & SASHA1; INTO THE WOODS, WARRIORS TIGER-STAR & SASHA2; ESCAPE FROM THE FOREST & WARRIORS TIGER-STAR & SASHA3; RETURN TO THE CLANS

WARRIORS SKY-CLAN & THE STRANGER1; THE RESCUE, WARRIORS SKY-CLAN & THE STRANGER2; BEYOND THE CODE & WARRIORS SKY-CLAN & THE STRANGER3; AFTER THE FLOOD

WARRIORS SOLOS1; THE RISE OF SCOURGE

WARRIORS SOLOS2; A SHADOW IN RIVER-CLAN

Warriors: The Untold Stories1; Holly-leaf's Story, Warriors: The Untold Stories2; Misty-star's Omen & Warriors: The Untold Stories3; Cloud-star's Journey

Warriors: Tales from the Clans1; Tiger-claw's Fury, Warriors: Tales from the Clans2; Leaf-pool's Wish & Warriors: Tales from the Clans3; Dove-wing's Silence

Warriors: Shadows of the Clans1; Maple-shade's Vengeance, Warriors: Shadows of the Clans2; Goose-feather's Curse & Warriors: Shadows of the Clans3; Raven-paw's Farewell

Warriors: Legends of the Clans1; Spotted-leaf's Heart, Warriors: Legends of the Clans2 Pine-star's Choice & Warriors: Legends of the Clans3; Thunder-star's Echo

Warriors: Path of a Warrior1; Red-tail's Debt, Warriors: Path of a Warrior2; Tawny-pelt's Clan & Warriors: Path of a Warrior3; Shadow-star's Life

Warriors: A Warrior's Spirit1; Pebble-shine's Kits, Warriors: A Warrior's Spirit2; Tree's Roots & Warriors: A Warrior's Spirit3; Moth-wing's Secret

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin1; Into the Wild

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin2; Fire & Ice

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin3; Forest of Secrets

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin4; Rising Storm

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin5; A Dangerous Path

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin6; The Darkest Hour

Warriors: The New Prophecy1; Midnight

Warriors: The New Prophecy2; Moon-rise

Warriors: The New Prophecy3; Dawn

Warriors: The New Prophecy4; Star-light

Warriors: The New Prophecy5; Twilight

Warriors: The New Prophecy6; Sunset

Warriors: Power of Three1; The Sight

Warriors: Power of Three2; Dark River

Warriors: Power of Three3; Outcast

Warriors: Power of Three4; Eclipse

Warriors: Power of Three5; Long Shadows

Warriors: Power of Three6; Sunrise

Warriors: Omen of the Stars1; The Fourth Apprentice

Warriors: Omen of the Stars2; Fading Echoes

Warriors: Omen of the Stars3; Night Whispers

Warriors: Omen of the Stars4; Sign of the Moon

Warriors: Omen of the Stars5; The Forgotten Warrior

Warriors: Omen of the Stars6; The Last Hope

Warriors: Dawn of the Clans1; The Sun Trail

Warriors: Dawn of the Clans2; Thunder Rising

Warriors: Dawn of the Clans3; The First Battle

Warriors: Dawn of the Clans4; The Blazing Star

Warriors: Dawn of the Clans5; A Forest Divided

Warriors: Dawn of the Clans6; Path of Stars

Warriors: A Vision of Shadows1; The Apprentice's Quest

Warriors: A Vision of Shadows2; Thunder & Shadow

Warriors: A Vision of Shadows3; Shattered Sky

Warriors: A Vision of Shadows4; Darkest Night

Warriors: A Vision of Shadows5; River of Fire

Warriors: A Vision of Shadows6; The Raging Storm

Warriors: The Broken Code1; Lost Stars

Warriors: The Broken Code2; The Silent Thaw

WARRIORS: THE BROKEN CODE3; VEIL OF SHADOWS

If CAPITALIZED I don’t have it!

[stahlop]

Once Upon a Time 2x02 “We Are Both” Review

Reviews 1x01 1x02 1x03 1x04 1x05 1x06 1x07 1x08 1x09 1x10 1x11 1x12 1x13 1x14 1x15 1x16 1x17 1x18 1x19 1x20 1x21 1x22 2x01

Lots of new information and growth happening in this episode. The inhabitants of Storybrooke can’t leave without losing their real memories. Young Regina banished Cora to Wonderland. David became the prince everyone knew he could be. Regina finally realized that magic was not the answer to her problems.

Summary: In the Enchanted Forest young Regina contacts Rumplestiltskin to help her with Cora. In Storybrooke the town is looking to David to help them move past the curse and the dwarfs discover that no one can cross the town line without losing their true memories.

Opening: Enchanted Branches

Character Observations:

Young Regina/Regina: It is two days before young Regina is to wed Leopold and she is trying to escape. Why doesn’t she just go to Leopold and tell him she doesn’t want to marry him? Or have her father tell him? Is she that afraid of Cora? She’s certainly not afraid enough to try and run away. She just about makes it when enchanted branches pull her off her horse. Cora created a barrier spell so couldn’t leave the kingdom without Leopold. Young Regina goes off again about how she doesn’t want this life and Cora says she’s just afraid of the power. Young Regina is adamant that she does not want power and just wants to be free. Cora tells her power is freedom. Young Regina is with Snow putting a flower crown into her hair and acting like the wonderful stepmother she should be. Snow discovers Daniel’s ring and young Regina has a daydream of telling Snow that it was from Daniel and that he’s now dead because Snow couldn’t keep a secret and strangles her with the ring. Whoa! Young Regina actually does look distraught at this when she’s awakened from this by Snow asking where she got the ring on a chain. Young Regina says she doesn’t remember. Young Regina is crying to Henry, Sr. about how Cora is trying to turn her into her. She wants to leave. Henry, Sr. says it’s just cold feet, but young Regina is upset because she doesn’t want to marry the king. She is angry all the time and Cora is making her crazy. She just wants her own life, not Cora’s. She asks her father how Cora got like this. Henry, Sr, says it was a man who wasn’t quite a man, that brought magic to Cora and gave her a book of spells. Which then prompts young Regina to steal the book from under a sleeping Cora’s pillow. Young Regina summons Rumplestiltskin (while hilariously mispronouncing his name), and he arrives being all uber creepy telling her he’s been waiting for them to be together for a long time. He knows who she is and young Regina figures it’s because he knew Cora. She says she’s been told she looks like her mother when she was younger and seems pretty proud of this (despite how much she says she doesn’t want to be like her mother), but Rumplestiltskin says he doesn’t see it, which disappoints her. He knew her as a baby and wants to know what she wants. He guesses power, death of enemies, and death of friends. Young Regina claims she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. Rumplestiltskin senses much power in her and that she could do so much if she let herself. I’ll give young Regina credit, she is not at all creeped out by this gold, sparkly creature, who may not be entirely human touching her. Maybe it’s because he sees her for who she is, or maybe she knows it’s the only way to get Cora out of her life, but kudos to her for not shivering when he touched her face like I wanted to. Rumplestiltskin gives young Regina a gift and offers to teach her magic. Regina refuses, that’s what Cora does. Rumplestiltskin says the beauty of his gift is that it does the magic for her. It’s a portal and young Regina just needs to give Cora a little push. Young Regina isn’t sure if she can do it. It is now the wedding day and Regina is looking lovely in her wedding gown (and her hair looks much better than it did during her dress fitting in The Stable Boy). Cora sees the gift that Rumplestiltskin left and what’s to know what it is. Young Regina says she doesn’t know. Cora unwraps it and sees it’s a looking glass and comments to young Regina that it’s very impersonal and wonders if the people actually love her. Young Regina is offended at this comment and tells Cora she is doing her best. Cora does apologize, then brings her over to the looking glass. She tells her that the king isn’t strong. She needs to raise the tributes, form a person queen’s guard, and let everyone know where the new power lies. Young Regina will hold the hearts of her people in her hand (well, she’s not wrong). Young Regina asks Cora if that’s what she would do. Cora says yes and young Regina says she doesn’t want to be Cora. She turns around to push Cora but Cora stops her with magic. Cora is rambling on about how she’ll be stuck with her forever when young Regina sees Rumplestiltskin appear in the looking glass and he prompts her to push her. Young Regina rebels against the magic and pushes Cora through the looking glass. Once through, the glass shatters. Young Regina looks at her hands wondering what she’s done. Young Regina is leaving the kingdom again (did she tell anyone she was leaving this time?) but Rumplestiltskin stops her. She gives him back the book. He wants to know how she felt using the magic. She starts to tell him she loved her mother, but that isn’t what she asked. Young Regina says she’ll never use magic again because she loved using it. She looks like someone who has tried drugs for the first time and loved the feeling of it, but knows it’s bad and doesn’t want to use it again. But Rumplestiltskin is a pusher if we’ve ever seen one. He says he’ll teach her magic. Young Regina wants to know what he gets out of it. He says someday she’ll do something for him. Young Regina doesn’t want to become Cora. Rumplestiltskin says that’s entirely up to her.

And as we have learned, Regina did become exactly like her mother. We see exactly what extent she will go to, to keep Henry in her life. David goes to see Regina to learn about the hat. Regina thinks he’s pretty brave after their last encounter, but David thinks her magic was an anomaly and that if it was really back, the town would be charcoal. He tells her the only thing keeping her alive right now is Henry. Regina is all bluster and fury until David mentions Henry, then her soft side comes out. And then it immediately goes right back to anger when David asks about the hat. She lies to him about not remembering where she got the hat and then turns on David asking him why he’s not taking care of Henry. David gets snarky about how she took such great care of him and Regina says she can’t listen to someone who shipped their daughter to Maine (Regina, that was your fault!). David takes the high road and refuses to keep the snarkfest going and asks how he can get to his family. Regina reminds him that they were sent to nothing and that if she does get her magic to work to help him, everyone would be charcoal as he said. David calls her out on being frustrated and that she earned every bit of this. Go David! She says right now she doesn’t have magic and she doesn’t have her son but when she gets one she’ll get the other. David says if she needs magic to keep Henry then she doesn’t really have him. That resonates deeply within Regina. God, the look on her face! It’s so subtle. It’s barely and eye and lip twitch that shows just how much that statement hurts her, but, god it’s brilliant! Regina tries to work her magic but the candle she’s trying to light will not stay lit. She goes to leave her house, heeding David’s warning to be careful. She encounters Archie on the way to her car. He wants to talk to find out who she truly is but she knows who she is. Regina goes to Gold’s shop to find her mother’s book. Gold tells her this isn’t a library. He knows what book she’s looking for and taunts her with needing her mommy’s help. Regina needs the books to get Henry back. He tells her that maybe if she relaxed it would just happen. Regina doesn’t have time. She’s like a strung out addict right here. She wants the shortcut instead of waiting around for her magic to return. Gold asks her to leave, please, but now that the curse is broken, his pleases don’t work anymore. And Regina is thrilled about that. He tells her giving her the book isn’t in his best interest and she says it’s not in his best interests for everyone else to know the EF still exists! WHAT! So she knowingly sent the wraith to the EF knowing it still exists! Damn, Regina, you cold. She knows he’s up to something and fingers the suitcase he has laid out.  Gold stops her from opening it and produces the book out of thin air. She follows it with her eyes, a moth to a flame. Gold warns her that the book can be a shock to her system. Regina doesn’t care. She heads out the door and Gold tells her that she looks like Cora. She is not happy about that remark. Regina is holding the book by her apple tree. The apples are all black, just like in the dream she had in An Apple Red as Blood. She blows the spell off the page and inhales it to get the magic (very drug-like visual here). Her eyes flash purple and the apples become their vibrant red color again. The townspeople are gathered at the town hall for David’s speech, but he is not there. Regina is though. She walks in all sassy. Archie and Leroy attempt to stop her, but she flings them away with magic as if they weren’t anything. Granny sends an arrow at her, but Regina catches it, sets it on fire and sends it back towards the crowd before it sets the seal behind her on fire. The bitch is back! Ruby is the only person brave enough to ask Regina what she wants, but Henry already knows that it’s him. He agrees to go with her if she’ll leave everyone else alone. And once again, her facial expressions are just amazing. She has this wistful, yet prideful look on her face when Henry says he’ll come home with her, and then it immediately changes to an ‘I won’ face as she walks out with Henry, along with a snide look at Granny for trying to shoot her with an arrow. And then we see delusional Regina. She’s so happy that Henry came home with her and starts prattling on about how things won’t be going back to the way they used to be. I hope not, she previously made him think he was crazy. Henry immediately starts trying to escape and Regina stops him by enchanting the branches to catch him. Like mother, like daughter. Regina says she’s keeping him a prisoner because she loves him. Henry tells it like it is. Thank goodness he doesn’t have a filter. She’s ruined lives, she sent Emma and Mary Margaret away. Regina makes sure he knows that was an accident (was it?). Henry says the way she treated him wasn’t an accident, that he made her feel crazy. Regina is trying to justify everything. It will be different now. She can teach him magic. Invite his friends over and show them his book. Henry says no one will come over here because they’re all afraid of her. This gives Regina slight pause and then she says he can make them not be afraid and love him. Henry says he doesn’t want to be like Regina. Her happiness falters. Regina is finally beginning to realize that karma is a bitch. David comes (with a sword) to see Henry. Regina decides that Henry can go home with David. She doesn’t know how to love very well and that if you hold onto someone too hard it doesn’t make them love you. She apologizes to Henry. She wants him to be there because he wants to be there. She wants to redeem herself. She’s showing real growth and emotion here. David wants her to prove it. Does the EF still exist. She tells him the truth, it does, but she doesn’t know how to get there. She asks David to please take care of Henry while he’s figuring out how to get to the EF. David and Henry leave and Regina is left alone. Regina goes to throw the book into the fire, but decides to keep it instead, locking it in her safe.

David: Well, David is learning that he is not the leader that the people need him to be. He comments that Snow was the one who made speeches and he was basically the muscle. The town is in shambles and everyone is looking to David, as their prince, for what to do. David is at Regina’s trying to find out about the hat. She’s angry so she doesn’t tell him much. They snark at each other and she tells him she will get her magic back and then she’ll get Henry back. David tells her that she doesn’t really have Henry if she has to use magic to keep him. David goes to the middle of town to look for Mother Superior. Everyone is asking him questions (Whale is hilarious asking if the nuns are still nuns or if they can date). He asks Mother Superior if there is another magic tree on this side that could get him to the EF.  She has no fairy dust so she has no way of knowing. Leroy comes in yelling ‘terrible news’ (does he ever yell about good news?). If you cross the town line you become your cursed identity with no memory of your EF self. David is completely overwhelmed. Everyone is talking at once and expecting him to fix things. He tells everyone to meet at the town hall in two hours and he’ll tell them his plan. David is just buying time to think of a plan. Maybe you should have asked them to come the next day if you didn’t have a plan, David. He is practicing his speech in front of the mirror but it’s not going well. He pulls out the hat and Henry looks it up in the book. Figures out it belongs to the Mad Hatter. Henry thinks David knew him in the EF but he says cursed David read “Alice in Wonderland”. David leaves to go find him, leaving Henry home alone. He goes to Gold to get some sort of spell to find someone. Gold wants to know who he’s looking for and what the object is but David’s playing the same game Gold was previously and won’t tell him. Gold gives him a locator potion in exchange for non-interference from David, more specifically, from Charming. David wants the same guarantee. David pours the potion on the hat and at first he thinks it didn’t work. His phone starts buzzing and he’s just about to answer it when the hat starts flying. It leads him to an overturned car and Jefferson just happens to be stuck inside. David asks Jefferson if he can get the portal to work. Jefferson says no. He’s a portal jumper and there is no more portal. David is getting desperate. He threatens to lock up Jefferson until he figures out a way. Jefferson says they’ll be waiting forever. He does say that the EF is still there, which gives David some hope. Jefferson waxes poetic about living two lives and David thinks about this and Jefferson upends the table and runs. David goes after him but is stopped by Ruby. She lets him know that Regina has Henry. At first David doesn’t seem to care. He just wants to go after Jefferson and find Emma and Mary Margaret. He finally realizes what Ruby is saying to him; that Regina has her magic back and she took Henry. She also tells him that the townspeople are planning on leaving town and losing their memories on purpose. Somehow, David manages to get ahead of the line of cars heading to the town border. He gives a great speech about losing themselves if they leave and they are now both and they need to be both to continue. They are the strengths and weaknesses of their real and cursed identities and they need to embrace it. He also says he’ll protect them from Regina. Everyone is happy with this. David goes to Regina’s with a sword (because a sword will protect him from magic?) and demands to see Henry. She tells Henry he’ll be going home with David. She sends Henry upstairs to get his stuff after saying she wants to redeem herself, and David wants her to prove it. He asks if the EF still exists and she tells him the truth. She also says she doesn’t know how to get there and to please take care of Henry while he figures it out. David takes Henry to Granny’s and he tells Henry the EF still exists and he can just feel that Emma and Mary Margaret survived.

Rumplestiltskin/Gold: Rumplestiltskin is a real creeper in this episode. He comes to young Regina after she summons him. He tells her he’s been waiting for them to be together for awhile. Eww. He wants to know who he can hurt or kill for her. Young Regina doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He finds it hard to believe she’s from the same family as Cora. He does have an almost orgasmic look when he senses her power. So creepy! He offers to teach her magic and tells her magic can set her free. Young Regina doesn’t want to use magic. The gift he gives her will do the magic for her. She just needs to give Cora a little push. Rumplestiltskin appears in the looking glass when young Regina is arguing with Cora. He prompts her to push Cora in. He disappears when young Regina breaks from Cora’s magic and manages to do just that. He stops Regina when she tries to leave. She gives him Cora’s book as a gift but he says you can’t gift something that was his to start with. He asks young Regina how she felt using it. She deflects the questions but then admits, quite heartily, that she enjoyed the magic. He wants to teach her magic because she could do so much more. Young Regina wants to know what he gets out of it. Someday she’ll do something for him. Young Regina doesn’t want to become like Cora. Rumplestiltskin says that’s entirely up to her.

Gold is trying to leave Storybrooke and not having an easy time of it. First Regina comes in looking for Cora’s book. He makes her feel inferior for needing her mommy’s help. He says that maybe she just needs to relax and it will happen. I got some real sexual predator vibes when he said this. Yuck. He tries to get her to leave by saying please, but the curse is broken so the please clause doesn’t work anymore. He’s getting annoyed. Gold tells Regina that helping her get her magic back isn’t in his best interests. She threatens to tell people that he knows the EF still exists (wouldn’t that incriminate herself too?), so he conjures up the book. He tells her she finally looks like Cora. David comes by the shop. Gold attempts to make small talk and ask what the commotion was outside. David says there was a stir at the border, a problem crossing the line. Gold wants to know what that is but David wants some magic. Gold gets to see how frustrating it is when he won’t offer info to others when David does a dead on impression of Gold when getting the potion he needs to track down Jefferson. His payment is non-interference. They both stay out of each other’s way. As David leave, Gold asks what is the problem with the border. David tells him they’re stuck in Storybrooke, because if they leave they lose their EF identity. Gold is pissed and smashes some of his display cases with his cane. It ends with Gold at the border looking pissed off. We know he is wanting to look for his son, and now he’s trapped. I’m sure Regina will be the one paying for this.

Emma and Mary Margaret: They are prisoners of Mulan and Aurora. They are tied to Mulan’s horse and walking behind it. They are taken to the safe haven. Mary Margaret takes an opportunity to knee Aurora in the gut and she and Emma take off running. Mulan throws a boleadora (yes, I had to look that up) and knocks Snow out. They are taken to the pit. And wow! It is so convenient that Snow is knocked out, because who else happens to be down there with them but Cora. 

Questions:

Why would Marco put up a poster of Pinocchio as a boy? Surely he realizes that Pinocchio would be grown up now since he left before the curse.

Does Cora’s magic not work beyond the borders of the kingdom? Why does she think she’ll be free once out of the kingdom?

Why did Regina close the library? When was it ever open?

How long was Jefferson stuck in his car? The wraith came at night and it’s at least mid-afternoon the next day.

Wasn’t Jefferson’s curse that he didn’t have a cursed persona? He knew everything and just had to watch from his mansion above? Why is he going on about two lives?

Isn’t one of the rules of magic that you can’t make someone love you? 

It’s been, what, a month maybe since Daniel died? Why would the people love young Regina yet? Has Cora been campaigning on her behalf? Do the people of the kingdom know anything about her besides the fact that she’s marrying the king?

Was Cora planning on offing Leopold at some point? The advice she gives young Regina makes it sound like the king wouldn’t be around for long.

Why does Regina ask Cora if the advice she gives her would be what Cora would do? Why else would Cora suggest it if it’s not something she would do herself?

Why did Cora feel the need to stop Regina with magic when she turned around? What was she expecting Regina to do? Did she realize the looking glass was a portal, or did she think Regina was going to do something else?

Why did everyone walk back to town after David’s speech instead of getting back in their cars which are now blocking the road out of town?

Where did David get a sword from?

Where did Pinocchio go?

Are the members of the safe haven in shock because Mulan is back? Because Aurora is with her? Because they recognize Snow White? Because Mulan has prisoners with her?

Does Cora not have magic anymore? How was she captured?

Observations:

I find it hard to believe that Cora did not lock that book of spells in a magic safe.

Jefferson had a stuffed bunny and a tea set in his car.

Henry keeps a sheet rope under his bed.

Cora is the queen of underhanded compliments.

Henry tells Marco where Pinocchio is, but he’s gone by the time Marco gets there.

Well, things seem to be calming down in Storybrooke now that David has found his voice. Regina is learning that being her mother feels just as bad as when she was under her mother’s thumb. Gold can’t get out of town to find his son and is pissed off. We finally learned what happened between Regina and Cora, but now she’s in the safe haven and imprisoned, so what’s happening there?

Please leave comments and reblog! Let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future reviews.

@searchingwardrobes​​​ @thisonesatellite​​​ @justbecauseyoubelievesomething​​​ @laschatzi​​​ @profdanglaisstuff​​​ @mariakov81​

[arinhanson-yousay]

Another Movie Night AU drabble

Arina and Danny have a classic movie night. Arina doesn’t intend on watching the movie haha

Arina looks at herself in the mirror in her pjs. Not her normal pjs though. She usually would crawl into any large shirt and sweats but she was in a tank top and little booty shorts, fueled by determination. And lust! She was trying to quietly and quickly curl her lashes and put on lipgloss and she was pretty sure the effort paid off. "Oh yeah, I'd fuck me." She mumbles to herself as she pushes up her boobs a bit then tucks her hair behind her ear as she thinks to herself of what she'll say. She shakes her head out then takes a deep breath. "Don't overthink! Just go!" She opens the bathroom door and walks back out into the bedroom where Danny is still laying, watching an old movie. He doesn't even look when Arina walks out, just pats the spot next to him. 

"Great timing. They're about to do that creepy bubble scene with all the masks." He says, smiling and waiting for her so come sit back next to him. He didn't mind that she had left for an extended amount of time during their movie night, sometimes a girl just had to be in the bathroom for a while. It really do be like that. Arina looked at him for a moment, laying all comfy and cozy-looking in an ancient, moth-eaten shirt and worn-in pajama pants that were at least one size too big on him, being sexy as hell! She gets a little closer and waits to see if he'll naturally look, but he doesn't. That fucking fool! She clears her throat and when he looks she comes up with something to say as she looks away.

"Did I miss the troll with all the shit piled on her back? I love that one."

"Is it a troll? Everything kinda looks like a troll in this movie." Danny chuckles. He sounds as casual as ever, but when Arina looks back at him she can see his eyes were trailing over her, just like she wanted them too. 

"You okay?" He asks when he looks back to her face, seeing the color it took on. Damn it! Even though she planned it and dressed for it, him checking her out still made her flustered. 

"Yeah I'm fine!" She says smiling as the blush only deepened. She chuckles a little nervously and he holds an arm out to her, welcoming her to his side on the bed. With a sweet little sound she is crawling into the bed with him, laying against his side, head in the crook of his shoulder, his arm around her. She melts into this for a while, finding it such a nice place to be. However, she can not let herself become too satisfied here! She had bigger plans. 

She starts small. Her hand moves up and rests on his chest and her head nuzzles up a bit more so she's tucked into the crook of his neck. His hand rests on her shoulder and gives a little squeeze. She slowly takes a deep breath and hypes herself up as she moves her legs in. Just one at first, laying it over his, and he doesn't resist. Nice! She works up so she is basically koala style snuggling him from the side. So close, but this next step was the big one. 

She turns her head and nuzzles her face right into his neck, pressing a soft little kiss right below his ear. When she looks up at him carefully she car see he's softly smiling and feels her heart pick up as she lands another kiss on him. 

Danny still watches the movie, but as she starts to actually get involved with his neck he starts to make soft sounds, sighs and tiny tiny groans sometimes. His hand moves down from her arm to her back and then to her butt, getting a casual handful and pulling her closer in. Arina makes a small sound and is smiling against his skin. "Its working." She doesn't realise she says out loud at first but they both realise it together and look at each other. 

"What's working?" Danny asks with confusion but a smiling playing at the corners of his lips.

"Nothing!" She says quickly, pink lighting up her face and her eyes wide. A doe in the headlights, she tries to scamper back but he keeps that hold on her butt, wrangling her with it and pulling her back into his side with a chuckle. 

"Were you trying to seduce me, again?" He asks reaching his other hand over now to go under her chin and pull her face to face with him again. "You got all dressed like that and wet those pretty lips so I'd sleep with you, huh?" He asks and sees how the pink turns to red and her eyes fall away from his.

"Um…. Hmmm. Ya see!.... yeah." She admits and pulls her chin from his hand to fully look away and tucks her hair behind her ears again. "Why? Are you upset about it?" She asks and steals a look at him through her lashes. There is a brief moment of silence, then the room is filled with Danny's billowing laughter. "What? What, don't laugh just answer, Daniel!" She insists and sits up over his lap as Danny is literally crying in laughter. 

"You're my girlfriend, Arina! You could with no warning sit on my face and would thank you for it!" Danny manages to get this out but starts to laugh more. Arina tries to be pouty a bit longer but she finds herself to be giggling too. 

"Stop laughing! Stop!" She snorts and leans down to steal his lips into kisses, making it easier for him to stop when he was now worried about his tongue finding hers and the accessibility to her ass that both hands now had and he was taking advantage of. 

"Why do you put yourself through all this all the time when you could just look at me the right way and I get rock fucking hard?" Danny asks when they come up for air, somehow having her bra off of her without her realizing the straps have even been pulled off her arms. He was a talented man. 

"I just want to make sure you're still into me. That I keep it exciting?" She shrugs and pouts at him a bit. Kinda wishing her effort was more appreciated. 

"Still into you? Exciting? What are we? 43? You're my sexy babe of a girlfriend and if you want to be dicked down then God damn! I'm honored to give that to you!" They both laugh more but Arina, make no mistake, could not be more turned on.

[nicolemagolan]

Two Cities, One Galaxy: How Star Wars Connects And Divides Us

Early in 2019, I wrote a personal essay about Star Wars. It centered around SWCC (Star Wars Celebration Chicago) and my experience of watching the live stream in my living room at 4am, when the episode IX teaser and title was unveiled. 

It’s about fandom, the internet, and isolation. It’s about how Star Wars impacted my life, and about my relationship with my brother.

It also, eerily, foreshadows the disappointment I would eventually feel about The Rise of Skywalker. So here it is, under the cut. Please give it a read, and let me know your thoughts!

***

My phone blinks 3:30am, April 13th, 2019. In Chicago it’s 10:30am, yesterday. I should be asleep. I should stay present in Auckland, where no one else is awake except the moths gathering on the kitchen window.

My brother is slumped beside me, eyes closed, lost somewhere between sleep and boredom. We sit in the darkness of our living room, outlined by the grey glaze of the television. I’m wearing pyjama pants and yesterday’s T-shirt. An empty bag of chips is screwed up on the carpet, a half-drunk can of Lift Plus sits on the mantelpiece.

I stare at the TV. Waiting. My knee bobs up and down. I glance at my phone, and refresh Twitter. The tweets are coming in a blur: people yelling in caps lock, streaming without punctuation, some of it indecipherable, some of it from me. It’s happening kids / MERRY IXMAS, EVERYONE / I'm trying to remember it's called Star Wars Celebration not Star Wars oh my god I'm so stressed-ebration / I AM READY TO BE EPISODE IXed. The world around me is asleep, but the world under my thumb has never been more alive.

I take another sip of Lift Plus and feel its energy tingle through my bloodstream. Or maybe that sensation is the force.

When I was in class earlier in the day, wearing a Star Wars tee, writing in a Star Wars notebook and drinking from a Star Wars bottle, I was already stewing in anticipation. My mind was in another galaxy; speculation ran through me like shooting stars. My dedication to the Star Wars universe is fuelled not by the incessant marketing or the cheap merchandise, but by the passion I have for stories, space wizards, and the cute-yet-creepy alien bird race known as the Porgs.

 Star Wars Celebration Chicago is set to begin livestreaming on YouTube in just a few minutes. A countdown slowly ticks on screen. This will be the first big panel of Celebration, and the one I am most eager to see. The panel is for Star Wars: Episode IX, consisting of a Q&A session with cast members. Our first real, palpable look at the film, at beloved returning characters, and the new additions, to hear from returning Director J.J. Abrams what his vision for IX is.

But the real reason anyone is staying up all night to watch the livestream isn’t to see Abrams dodge spoilery questions. It’s to be amongst the first to witness the Episode IX trailer. The very first teaser trailer. Imagine a choir singing angelic sounds behind that one word and maybe you’ll begin to understand. What I really want is to catch a glimpse of the upcoming film, to learn the title—oh my goodness, the title—along with thousands of far, far away fans; some watching live in the dead of night or crack of dawn. The lucky few are crowded into the panel room itself. I swipe through pixelated and blurry selfies posted with #SWCC. It’s a big auditorium, packed with media, families, and cosplayers, and many are swinging lightsabers above the crowd’s heads. Purple, blue, green, and red beams of light. The stage itself is lit up with a bright blue backdrop.

 When I told my parents I was going to camp out in the living room to watch the livestream of Star Wars Celebration, they rolled their eyes. When I asked my brother if he wanted to join me, he cried, ‘Whyyy,’ before revealing his true colours when he showed up on the couch at 2am.

He was all too keen to eat my snacks, but now as time crawls forward, he seems to have come to the conclusion that it is ridiculous to stay up for something you can watch on your phone, from your bed, when you wake up. I have come to the conclusion that he is lying to himself. On the path to the dark side, perhaps.

He’s always joined me on my silly adventures, making fun of me along the way. But the fact that he’s willing to be there is enough, as he is now. Star Wars has been a part of his life as much as mine; we grew up roaring Chewbacca impressions and fighting with cardboard lightsabers; He’d be Darth Maul and I’d be Obi-Wan (so I got to chop him in half every time). Kids would tell me I was a weirdo for liking Star Wars, for playing with Barbies and Darth Vader figurines, blurring the lines between allocated girls’ or boys’ toys. But my brother and I knew: Star Wars is a fun space adventure for whoever wants to enjoy it.

We got older and the movies lost a touch of their magic: the internet revealed the intense hatred shovelled at the prequel trilogy. Little-me had loved the ridiculous Jar Jar Binks, but the middle-aged fans who grew up with the original trilogy saw him as an offence to their childhood obsession. (JUSTICE FOR JAR JAR is the hill I will die on.)

Then Disney bought Lucasfilm and ushered in a new era. I have a series of selfies from midnight premieres—me grinning from ear to ear, my brother with eyes closed and discontented frown (his go-to photo pose)—in the blurry light of the Imax screen on Queen Street. But one glance at his smiling face during the film and you know he loves this galaxy as much as the next fan.

Sometimes that’s the problem: our love for this story is so great and so ingrained, that it can bubble over into endless online debates. Debates become heated, become personal, become hateful. In this era of social media, everyone has a voice, but the ones who spit poison are the loudest. We struggle to find common ground sometimes. But it’s always there, beneath out feet and on our TV screens. We love Star Wars. We love to watch it, re-enact it, dissect it, wear it, read it, and write about it. Whether the common ground we stand on looks like the sands of Tatooine or the lake country of Naboo, it’s all the same galaxy. Even though the galaxy-shattering film The Last Jedi threatened to destroy us, we can find a way to stand together. Because when the fans unite, at movie premieres, or conventions, the fandom can become something worth celebrating.

Like today, right now, 3:59am in my living room.

I look up from my phone. The countdown reaches zero. I hold my breath. A soft echo of music trickles through the speakers, and John Williams’ familiar score wraps around me like a blanket. Goose bumps pop up on my skin.

The Star Wars logo vanishes and the screen cuts to black. I snap up and nudge my sleeping brother’s arm with my toe. He jolts awake, looks at the black screen and scowls.

‘Nothing’s hap—’

He’s cut off by a roaring applause as the blue-lit panel stage lights up the screen. The room around me fades. I’m in Auckland with my brain fuzzy, and I’m transported to Chicago with heart thumping.

My brother jumps up and stands in front of the screen. ‘I’m going to the bathroom.’

I babble, ‘butthepanelisabouttostart,’ craning my neck around his legs.

‘Oh well,’ he says. He walks off.

Stephen Colbert is pacing around the stage, babbling on about Dagobah and S-foils, trying to work the crowd up—unnecessary, since we are all waiting for the cast and crew.

I’m leaning forward, straining my eyes, and wondering if anyone actually finds his ‘jokes’ funny. Twitter tells me, yes, they do. The excitement level is high, making everything fresh and exciting, even if it’s a Star Wars pun heard years ago. I almost feel like I could twist my neck and hear people whispering behind me, instead of tweeting alongside me.

 The closest thing to this feeling in my own city is Armageddon Expo, the annual convention at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane. Nerds I’ve never met become my best friends. We jam the halls like squashed-up skittles. I don’t know their names but I know who they are. When I’m dressed in Rey’s dusty scavenger outfit, with staff in hand and hair bunched in three bobbles, young girls point and giggle. I wave at them, their eyes wide with wonder, and my heart is full.

The internet fandom space is a mix of tweet-before-thinking garbage and fun bite-sized meta. The real-world fandom spaces, such as Armageddon, are a big geeky party; no one hiding behind an anonymous wall, and no one left out.

This livestream is somewhere in between. I am connected online from where I sit in Auckland. Reading tweets and writing tweets and liking gifs. Yet I am in Chicago, oblivious to the sleeping city around me.

Stephen Colbert brings out Director J.J. Abrams and head of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy, and the content we’re all waiting for finally begins. I take in every detail, every non-answer. I enjoy it. I loathe it. Stephen Colbert asks unanswerable questions, like the fate of Daisy Ridley’s character, or how the relationships develop. No word is uttered more than ‘spoilers’.

The cast members are introduced onto the stage; first is Anthony Daniels who plays C-3PO—one of the remaining few original cast members from 1977. He waves hello to the crowd before looking for the cameras. In his charming British accent, he says, ‘On tweets today people were, all over the world, saying “wish I could be here”. And I know we’re on camera, so I don’t know where the camera is, but whoever is in Australia or…’ He pauses for a flicker of a second, ‘…all the other countries around the planet; I wanna give you a big wave, and you are here in spirit. Okay?’

I grin a little wider. Of course he would mention our neighbour, Australia. So close, and yet so far.

 In New Zealand, despite the growing connections through social media, I feel isolated. Even in the vast Auckland city, where I easily get lost in the busy roads and busy people. New Zealand is separate. And that’s part of what makes it special.

But the isolation is also part of what makes being part the Star Wars fandom special.

It’s a larger world. Out there in space; out there in the world wide web. Legendary or anonymous, you can be a part of something. You can tell your story; you can make one up. After movie premieres, there is a sense of privilege and power in that none of my fellow fans in America have yet seen the movie. The Last Jedi came here a few days early, and I knew all the things before anyone else. We were isolated again. And it felt so good.

Did I go and post spoilers? No, because I’m not an asshole (you know who you are). But I told people they’re gonna love it. I told them the film is exciting and unexpected and dabbles deliciously in subtext in a way that’s fresh for Star Wars. I sign off with eagerness for the upcoming dissection and discussion of the film.

 The next day I’m shocked to learn that many many many people felt it was a ‘betrayal’ of Star Wars. A disaster of a movie. A cluttered mess of a story, an anti-climactic sequel that instead of building on what came before, tore the past to shreds. My brother is one of them.

And the fandom split in two.

But not today. Not tonight. I refuse, and so does everyone on my Twitter feed, because we’re tired of defending Rey, who is not a Mary Sue; and Vice Admiral Holdo, whose purple hair does not make her a lesser fighter; and Rose Tico, who fell victim to dude-bros saying she’s the worst character ever, she ruined their childhood, and Asians don’t belong in Star Wars; until eventually the actress, Kelly Marie Tran, deleted all her social media.

When Kelly walks onto the panel stage, she gets a standing ovation. There are tears in her eyes, and there are tears in mine.

 They introduce the new cast members, and display behind the scenes photos, and babble on about the brilliant practical effects. There’s a touching tribute to Carrie Fisher, an awkward bit about Adam Driver’s chest, and the introduction of new droid D-O. When the duck-inspired droid rolls onto the stage, you can hear cash registers ring.

My brother comes back in the room as the panel is winding up. He flops into the chair and sighs. ‘So, did I miss anything?’

‘You missed everything.’

‘So I didn’t miss anything then,’ he smirks.

Stephen Colbert asks J.J. Abrams if there’s anything he wants to leave with the fans. I lean forward. ‘This is it,’ I screech.

This is it. It boils down to this simple, repeated moment in time: the day, or night, or very-early-morning that a Star Wars trailer is about to debut. I am alone, and yet so very not alone, united in a nerdy passion that doesn’t call for such depth of devotion. But here we all are. Here I am. And here’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (omg).

 I switch off the TV. The darkness eats my eyeballs.

‘How am I supposed to sleep after that!?’ I yell. ‘Palpatine. Freaking Pal-pa-tine! NO! YES! Why?!’

Silence.

My brother is asleep.

I throw a pillow at him. ‘DUDE! Palpatine is back!’

He mumbles, ‘Haha, lame.’ His eyes don’t open.

I slide down the couch until I hit the hard floor. The Rise of Skywalker. Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. I sit there in the lonely living room, and let my thoughts trail off into the dark.