#and yet i'm chill watching the thing from the 80s

[varietysky]

aa someone who can handle The Thing but not that first episode of Doom Patrol, I honestly have no idea how I'll do with the body horror in The Substance.... but I hear it's a great movie

[dumplingsfordays]

modern au - roommate hcs !

ft. Kazuha, Scara, Xiao, Zhongli, Diluc, Albedo

I'm backk~

I haven't wrote in a little bit so I'm sorry 😭

Anyways this is a random idea I had, idk how well my thoughts are gonna translate into words but we'll see ig

Also idk if you need a warning for this but Diluc's has a mention of man titties so... do what you want with that ig

Reader's gender not specified, and this is not proofread!! Apologies for any mistakes, feel free to message me and I'll fix them :)

Image credit!

But as always, thank you for reading <3

++++

kazuha

- omg this man 😭😭 he is (imo) the best roommate you could ever have.

- he'd probably be super nice when you two first meet and stay that way!!

- he wakes up at a fairly good time too, and if he knows that you're sleeping, he'll try to be as quiet as possible.

- he does his share (and often a little more, if he has time) of the chores consistently.

- kazuha even follows a schedule on when to do certain stuff - he writes it down in a calendar in the kitchen

- he does like to cook when he has some free time, and they don't always turn out amazing but the smell will have your mouth watering.

- his room is super neat!! It's very aesthetic and a little minimalistic, but not overwhelmingly so.

- and it's always clean!!!!!

- he mostly hangs around either in his room or the living room on a couch. Sometimes he'll come into your room, but he always knocks!

- he respects your privacy too 😍 this man is a treasure, treat him well

- he doesn't mind hanging out with you!! If you're into makeup, he actually likes to go makeup shopping with you and just chill while you pick out some stuff :)

- everyone thinks you're partners when you guys hang out, but kazuha doesn't seem to mind 🤭

scara (sorry it's a bit short, never rlly written anything abt him before 😭😭)

- he's a little turd but you still like him, and he gets confused because why haven't you moved out yet????

- he probably spends like 80% of his time away from the house (apartment? wherever you guys live basically), but he still manages to do his chores on time

- HIS EYELINER SKILLS. IK THIS IS A LITTLE IRRELEVANT BUT THEYRE SO GOOD OMFG

- anyways, he really likes watching movies super late at night, so when you join him 20 minutes in with popcorn, it's sort of a bonding time for you two

- he doesn't cook, so he orders takeout a lot... and what really surprised you is that after a week or so of living together, he started to order for both of you because "you were whiny that I didn't get you anything"

- (he actually does it bc he's trying to say thanks for putting up with him :))

- he goes to bed super late and wakes up super late. You have to deal with this by not making ANY noise when you do stuff in the morning or he will be very grumpy for like 2 days (you learned this the hard way 😭)

- on days when he's friendlier, he'll bring you stuff like plushies when he gets back. He'll say that Yae or Yoimiya asked him to give these to you, but you doubt that those two gave you twelve stuffed animals in the span of a month.

xiao (another short one 😭 just like his height)

- I mean... He's okay?? He just sits in his room a lot and I headcanon that he's kinda sorta a gamer so

- he doesn't mind doing chores for you if you can't, but he'll do them a little late because he's like that

- this man SIMPS for Chinese food, like I'm not joking. He doesn't know how to make it, but before moving in w you he searched up Chinese restaurants and that's one of the reasons he moved in lmao

- you guys don't really see much of each other a lot... but you always, always go on grocery trips together. Why? Because he seems to consistently forget the shopping list that you wrote down for him at home, on the kitchen counter, and if you go shopping for him, he complains that you didnt get the things he asked for (but he doesn't write you lists 👀)

- he does have his sweet moments too. If you play videogames, he'll play with you if it's multiplayer. If it's not - no worries, you'll both play it, sitting side-by-side.

- if you're not into videogames though, he does like learning stuff, especially from you. He thinks that you're a good teacher, and even if it's you teaching him how to make coffee (because he doesn't know and wants to learn), he'll keep persevering through it just for you.

- oh boy. Room time.

- his room isn't that bad, if you can look past the giant pile of Monster cans in a trashcan below his desk. It's often dark, with the blinds down, and if you're walking down the hallway, there's a 90% chance that you'll see green led lights shining through the gap beneath his door.

- speaking of his door, it's covered in those signs that say stuff like 'warning! no stupid people beyond this point' or 'dont touch me until I've had my morning Monster'. If you couldn't tell yet, he's obsessed with Monster.

- he streams on twitch, and he's pretty popular, so you'll hear screams of disappointment coming from his room quite often.

- but one sight that you'll never forget is when you went to bring him apple slices (did I mention that he likes apples??), you opened the door to him standing in front of his monitor in a maid dress 😭. According to him, this was a dare that his viewers had him do, and that you better not mention this to anyone!!

- he was so red when he was explaining it though 🤭🤭 you, being the kind soul that you are, swore on your heart to keep it a secret :)

zhongli

- omfg you KNOW this man likes having meals with you. That's such a random thought but hear me out.

- when you eat, he eats with you at the table. Even if you made something only for yourself, he'll whip something up for him and eat with you.

- ANYways he likes to save money so much that his room only consists of a mattress on the floor, a coffee table for a desk, a beanbag in the corner, and a bookshelf that is practically overflowing with books. You take pity on him, of course, and buy him another bookshelf, which he now treasures :)

- probably has a lot of plants around the house/apartment, and he takes care of them as if they were his children. There isn't a day when there isn't a bouquet of flowers sitting on the dinner table.

- if you're allergic to pollen, though, he'll make sure to buy plants, not flowers, like China Dolls or aloe vera or cactuses, whichever you like best 🤭

- he LOVES reading!! Whenever you come downstairs, you'll see him reading, and if you're interested, he'll recommend it or books like it. He does wear reading glasses and he looks really hot in them but don't tell him I said that

- he probably takes forty-minute showers, and the shower is chock-full of hair products. 2-in-1 shampoo?? Zhongli's never heard of it. He may be (nearly) broke, but he takes care of his hair.

- tbh I think he likes to bake bread. Idk if COVID is a thing in the modern au, but if it is, then he was probably one of the people that searched up 'how to make banana/sourdough bread' and fell in love with making it...

- I like to think that he has a nice and neat schedule for each day, and his sleep schedule specifically is so freakin amazing. He goes to sleep at around 9-10, and wakes up at 6am sharp 😭

diluc

- he also likes tea before bed (and any other time of day really). He loves the different scents of the tea and it calms him a lot, so be prepared for a ton of afternoon tea parties with him :D

- ok so we know that Diluc is super rich and stuff but let's just pretend that he roomed w you to save money-

- he works out. A lot. Usually in the morning and around 8pm, and he always goes to this super fancy private gym or whatever.

- and he KNOWS that you go 'ooga booga man titties' mode whenever you see his chest so that bastard is almost always shirtless

- "Diluc why are u shirtless??" "It's hot in here" "...it's like 65 degrees. How tf are you hot"

- no but he's nice though, don't get me wrong. He'll help you do stuff around the house that you can't and he always seems to be there to help. Can't reach something? Diluc's there. Can't open something because it's too heavy? Diluc's got you.

- he'll do chores, just not very well. Can't do the dishes manually at ALL, and if you do have a dishwasher (which he buys on the third day if you don't), he will fall to his knees and thank the gods.

- he has a 10-step skincare routine. His skin is flawless and you are a little jealous, but if you really want to use some of his products, he won't mind :)

- he can cook (but not desserts/pastries lmao). He's super good with the grill, if you want grilled meat or fish or veggies or anything, really. But if you don't want it grilled, he's just as happy to make it using another method!!

- super good at board games, he's especially amazing at monopoly. Nobody can beat him, and he's proud of it >:)

- you've never been in his room for some reason, but you expect that it's very modern and monochrome, with hints of red (obvi).

- he usually has kinda red eyes in the morning, though, and when you asked about it he said that he likes going for night drives, but you were a little suspicious

- you stayed awake one night and you could hear him exit, but no car noises 🤔 you still wonder on what's he's doing so late almost every single night...

- also speaking about cars, the neighbors are always shocked that there's a lamborghini parked outside of your residence (house, apt building, what have you) lmao

- they're always like "do you have a rich bf?? Who is he??" and you're like "nah he's just my roommate :D"

albedo

- this man!!! He's so big brain!!!

- he'll definitely help you with studying for literally anything. Computer science? He got you covered. Bio? Sign him up. Hell, even art? He's super good at it so he won't mind teaching you!

- but when I tell you that he consumes a lot of coffee, it's a LOT. Like 4-5 cups a day. You wonder how, and even if, he sleeps.

- he makes really good coffee too! He bought one of those super cool ones and the coffee he makes is legendary. No wonder he drinks it so often!!

- he barely eats simply because he has so much work, and you essentially have to force him to come downstairs. You make him eat lunch and dinner, and occasionally breakfast if he can. He's super grateful for it, because he sometimes doesn't realize his hunger until he sits down at the table and his stomach growls like a bear-

- he loves classical music, especially Debussy, and it's always playing in his room. You started warming up to it, actually, and now whenever you hear Debussy, you think of Albedo.

- speaking of his room, it's... kinda messy, actually. Think paper and pencils and eraser shavings everywhere. He does clean it up like two times a month, but the papers always reappear within a couple days.

- he really likes art, and he'll hang some of his faves around the house/apartment :) it honestly makes the whole space feel cozier

- does his chores VERY last-minute, but he feels bad about it. You always tell him that it's nothing to worry about, that he still does them, but he insists on trying his best to do them earlier, which you appreciate :D

- he actually uses you as an art reference sometimes, only if you're free for an hour though. He doesn't like paying for models to come in and pose so he saves money by asking you... or at least that's what he says 👀

- your main bonding time is when you go in his room (or vice-versa) and just chill. He likes your company more than he'd like to admit, and you sometimes catch him staring at you from across the room when you're laying on his barely-used bed.

++++

note : sorry if some characters are a little ooc 😭😭 I'm not too good at writing Diluc n Scara so... OH ALSO I would've included Ayato too but I feel like hes not really the type of person to room w someone (well bc he would def flaunt his wealth by buying a private mansion or smth)

[lifeofpriya]

Air Conditioning - Léon Marchand

[gif credit goes to @samgirard]

a/n: as you can see, i'm crap with coming up with the titles of fics LOL. once again, this was inspired by yet another chat that @2manytabsopen and i have almost daily and i teased to her about me potentially writing/posting a Léon fic and here we are! i hope y'all enjoy this fic :)

summary: a silly squabble about air conditioning leads to much more...

Léon shivered as he entered your apartment, his teeth chattering slightly. "Mon dieu, it's like a fridge in here!" he exclaimed, rubbing his arms vigorously. You smirked, knowing full well the air conditioning was on full blast. It was a sweltering 105 degrees outside, and you had grown quite accustomed to the comforting embrace of cool air.

You watched as he surveyed the room, his eyes squinting as if the coldness was a personal affront. "You know, I've heard that this kind of thing can make you sick," he said, his French accent thick with concern. "Back in Toulouse, we never had this… this… air conditioner!" He waved his hand dramatically at the device that was the source of his discomfort.

"Oh, come on, you're just not used to it," you chuckled, walking over to the thermostat. "I'll turn it down a bit, but don't tell me you miss the heat waves back home?"

Léon followed you, his expression a mix of skepticism and relief. "Well, I don't miss them exactly," he admitted, "but I've always found that a bit of fresh air does the trick. And when it's too hot, a cold shower or a swim in the river was enough for me." He shrugged, his toned shoulders rising and falling with the memory.

You rolled your eyes playfully and adjusted the thermostat to a more moderate temperature. "Okay, Goldilocks," you teased, "not too hot, not too cold, just right."

Léon's cheeks flushed slightly at the nickname, but he grinned. "Much better," he said, his teeth finally unclenched. He took a deep breath and let it out in a contented sigh, his body visibly relaxing.

As you both settled into the living room, the cooler air enveloping you like a gentle breeze, the squabble over the thermostat quickly forgotten. You offered him a glass of ice water, which he accepted gratefully, the condensation on the glass leaving wet circles on his fingertips. He took a sip, the chill of the liquid a stark contrast to the warmth of his body.

The conversation flowed easily, touching on the upcoming swim meets and his training regimen. You were intrigued by his discipline and dedication, the way his eyes lit up when he spoke of the water. It was clear that swimming was more than just a sport to him; it was a part of his identity, a sanctuary from the world.

As the evening progressed, the heat outside began to seep through the windows, and you could see beads of sweat forming on León's forehead. He was trying to be stoic, but the discomfort was palpable. "Are you sure you don't want the air conditioning to come back on?" you asked, noticing his squirms.

"Non, non," he replied, waving you off with a smile. "I'll be fine. It's just a bit of heat." But the beads of sweat on his forehead grew more insistent, and his smile began to falter.

The room was now a balmy 80 degrees, a stark contrast to the arctic chill from earlier. The sweat trickled down the side of his face, and his shirt began to stick to his chest. You could almost feel the warmth radiating from his body.

"I think you might be underestimating this heat," you said, noticing his struggle. "You're practically glowing, León."

He chuckled, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "It's not so bad," he insisted, though his voice was tinged with a hint of doubt. "But maybe, just a little bit?"

You couldn't resist the appeal in his eyes, so you nodded and walked back to the thermostat. "Alright, I'll give it a nudge," you said, turning the dial slightly. The air conditioning kicked back on, humming to life. León let out a relieved sigh as the cool air began to circulate once more, bringing with it a gentle reprieve from the oppressive heat.

The coolness grew, and you watched as his body language shifted. The tension in his shoulders eased, and his smile grew more genuine. He took another sip of water, the ice cubes clinking against the glass. "Merci," he murmured, his eyes never leaving yours.

As the evening continued, the heat outside only grew more intense, but inside the apartment, the air remained at a comfortable temperature. The air conditioner's hum became a soothing background noise, punctuated by the occasional sound of water droplets falling from the vents.

León's eyes grew heavier as he sat on the couch, the soft fabric sticking slightly to his damp skin. You suggested a break from the conversation, and he nodded, leaning his head back against the cushion with a grateful sigh. The TV flickered in the background, playing a muted re-run of a French sitcom you had both seen a hundred times.

The coolness of the room began to seep into his bones, and he closed his eyes, allowing the gentle hum of the air conditioner to lull him into a doze. You took this opportunity to study him, noticing how his eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks and his chest's soft rise and fall as he breathed. His tanned skin looked almost pale in the stark light of the television, and his wet hair had started to dry into unruly waves.

You leaned over to grab the remote, accidentally brushing against his arm. He jumped slightly at the touch, his eyes snapping open. "Sorry," you mumbled, "I didn't mean to startle you."

Léon yawned and stretched, his muscles rippling beneath his shirt. "No, it's okay," he said, a sleepy smile playing on his lips. "I was just… resting my eyes."

You felt a strange mix of amusement and concern. "Are you sure you're okay?" you asked, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. His skin was warm, almost feverish despite the air conditioning.

"Oui," he murmured, his voice thick with fatigue. "Just a little… jet lag, I think."

You nodded sympathetically, remembering his long flight from France. "Why don't you take a proper nap?" you suggested, standing up to grab a light blanket from the closet.

Léon considered your offer for a moment and then nodded. "That might be a good idea," he said, his words slurred with exhaustion. He lay down on the couch, his long legs hanging over the edge. You covered him with the blanket, tucking it around his shoulders. His eyes closed again, and his breathing grew deep and even.

You sat back down in the chair opposite the couch, watching him sleep. The TV played on, but you had lost interest in the show. Instead, you found yourself lost in thought about the strange turn of events. The Olympic gold medalist, a man who had conquered the world's most challenging waters, was brought to his knees by your apartment's air conditioning. It was almost comical.

The room grew quiet, save for the occasional snore from León and the rhythmic hum of the AC. You reach for your phone, scrolling through social media to pass the time. A notification popped up, reminding you of an email you needed to send before bed. You sighed, deciding to get it over with.

As you stepped into the kitchen to grab your laptop, the coolness of the floor sent a shiver down your spine. The stark contrast between the living room and the rest of the apartment was bizarre. You chuckled to yourself, picturing León's reaction when he woke up. You quickly typed out the email, hitting send with a sense of accomplishment.

When you returned to the living room, you found León sitting up, his eyes wide and his face flushed. He was clutching the blanket tightly around his chest, looking utterly bewildered. "What happened?" he mumbled, his eyes searching the room.

"You fell asleep," you said gently, setting your laptop on the coffee table. "You looked pretty tired."

Léon rubbed his eyes, looking around the room with a start. "Ah, yes," he said, his voice still thick with sleep. "I suppose the jet lag got the better of me." He managed a sheepish grin.

You sat down on the couch beside him, the cushion dipping slightly under your weight. "It's no wonder," you said. "Traveling across the world and adjusting to the time difference can be tough."

Léon nodded, the sleepiness still lingering in his gaze. "You're not wrong," he murmured, his eyes drifting back to the TV. The laugh track echoed through the room, the only sound breaking the silence.

"Would you like me to turn it off?" you asked, nodding towards the TV.

"No, no," he said quickly, his eyes snapping back to you. "I'm okay."

You gave him a knowing smile and grabbed the remote, clicking off the TV. The sudden quiet was filled only by the persistent hum of the air conditioner. The darkness outside the windows seemed to press against the glass, a stark reminder of the sweltering world beyond the cocoon of your apartment.

León leaned back into the couch, his eyes drifting closed once more. You couldn't help but feel a twinge of protectiveness for him. Despite his tough exterior and incredible achievements, he was still a young man, far from home and dealing with an unfamiliar environment.

You grabbed a pillow from the chair and placed it gently under his head. His eyes fluttered open again, and he offered a soft "merci" before letting them drift shut once more. His breathing grew steady and deep as he slipped back into a light slumber.

The room was now bathed in the soft glow of the streetlamp outside, casting long shadows across the floor. The only other light source was the dim screen of your phone, the blue light flickering off your face as you continued to scroll through the day's news.

Léon's breathing grew more rhythmic, his chest rising and falling with each inhale and exhale. The air conditioning hummed a lullaby, a steady beat that seemed to sync with the quiet sounds of the night. You couldn't help but feel a gentle tug of tiredness yourself, the lull of the cool air and the comfort of the quiet evening working together to soothe your own weary mind.

The digital clock on the microwave read 11:30 PM, and you knew you should probably get some rest as well. You set your phone aside and leaned back into the chair, the cushion enveloping you with a comforting embrace. You watched him sleep for a few moments longer, his peaceful expression bringing a small smile to your lips.

Deciding to join him, you stood up and grabbed a blanket from the chair. You spread it out over yourself, settling into the plush armchair. The coolness of the leather sent a shiver down your spine, but you didn't mind. The temperature was now perfect, a balmy embrace that didn't steal your breath away.

León stirred, his eyes blinking open again. He looked around, his gaze landing on you with a hint of confusion. "You're not going to bed?" he asked, his voice still sleep-laden.

"I was just keeping you company," you said, smiling. "Besides, it's not every day I get to see my boyfriend. I want to make sure you're comfortable."

León's eyes widened at the mention of the word 'boyfriend'. It had slipped out so casually, but its weight hung in the air like a drop of water in zero gravity. He sat up, the blanket pooling around his waist. "Is that what this is?" he asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and hope.

You blinked, realizing what you had said. "Well, I mean, unless you don't want it to be," you stumbled, suddenly self-conscious. The room felt a degree cooler as you awaited his response.

Léon's expression softened into a smile, and he reached out to take your hand. "That's what I was hoping," he murmured, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of your hand. His eyes searched yours, a question lingering in the depths.

You felt your own heart race as you squeezed his hand in return. "Really?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. The words hung in the air, unspoken feelings thickening the coolness of the room.

León nodded, his smile growing. "Oui," he said softly. "I've missed you."

You felt a warmth spread through you, chasing away the last of the chill from the air conditioning. "I've missed you too," you whispered, leaning closer to him. His hand found its way to the back of your neck, pulling you into a gentle kiss. The kiss grew deeper, more urgent, as if the weeks apart had compressed into a single moment of longing.

As your lips parted, you could feel the warmth of his breath against your skin, a stark contrast to the coolness of the room. You pulled back slightly, smiling at the absurdity of the situation. "What if we get sick?" you joked, your voice light.

Léon chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Then we'll just have to blame it on the air conditioning," he said, his accent thick and playful.

You couldn't help but laugh, the tension in the room dissipating like the last of the heat. "Fair enough," you murmured, leaning in for another kiss. His arms wrapped around you, pulling you closer as you settled onto the couch beside him. The fabric of the blanket was cool against your skin, a gentle reminder of the outside world that no longer mattered.

As you lay there, the air conditioning's hum became a comforting white noise, a steady heartbeat that lulled you into a sense of security. The couch was far from the most comfortable place you've ever slept, but with León beside you, it felt like the most luxurious bed in the world. His breathing grew deep and even, his chest rising and falling with the rhythm of sleep.

You couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment, the kind that settles into your bones like a warm bath. Here you were, with the man you had been dreaming of for weeks, in the safety of your own home. The chill in the air starkly contrasted his body's warmth, which was now pressed against yours. You pulled the blanket tighter, feeling his warmth seep into you, melding with the coolness in a delicious blend of comfort.

[steddieunderdogfics]

Idk what the rules are for nominating a work You were part of for the themed Mondays, but for the last two summers, I (SSLeif) have been working with Rambling_Company and Elle-dubs on a Steddie piece called Lake Kane, which has been completed.

Lake Kane is an AU of the summer of '85 where Steve, Robin, and Eddie all work as fire lookouts in a national forest, while strange (Russian) things start to happen.

I am only tempted to nominate it for the tech theme because it was made for Podtogether, so has a podfic, and radios are DEEPLY important to the piece- radio is the primary way the three communicate with each other all summer (plus it incorporates a bunch of the Actual Canon season 3 emphasis on radio as well with Dustin and his cerebro, and in geneneral we just had to think through tech availability at that time and in that environment super hard as we were working on it- from the ability for Eddie to record music he was working on, to whether his guitars were going to work, to how they were playing music when they were by themselves, to how the actual like tools and tech that a fire watch uses are different contemporarily than they were in the '80s, and of course the whole thing is based on a video game, sort of), to the point where the text of the fic is actually mostly in script format, with all the action and narration etc being things like ambient sound, sound effects, and conversation being had between the towers through their radios. It's kind of almost epistolary in that way.

No worries if it's not chill to rec a fic you were part of, but it seemed to super fit the theme and because of the format, it's unlikely to ever get a huge reception, which is fine. However, I'm very proud of the work we did, so here it is, if you would like it/this is acceptable.

https://archiveofourown.org/series/4303225

Lake Kane by Elle_dubs (avril_o), Rambling_Company, ssleif

@do-what-the-knight-tells-you @omg-elledubs-things

Rating: Teens and Up

25,160 words, 2/2 chapters

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Tags: Dustin also makes a cameo, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, alternate season 3, Podfic & Podficced Works, Screenplay/Script Format, Alternate Universe - Fusion, no graphic violence yet, not that we see, but there is implied violence and evidence of animal death in part 2, multivoice podfic, Embedded Images, Embedded Audio, Radio Play Format, Underage Drinking, Marijuana, Podfic Length: 2.5-3 Hours, references to animal death, Getting Together, Coming Out, The Party makes a cameo, Murray makes a cameo, Podfic, Natural Disasters, But just a little one, References to Canon-Typical Violence

Summary:

It’s the summer of 1985, and construction of the New Mall expected in Hawkins has been delayed. Steve Harrington, newly graduated, newly cut-off, needs a summer job. Hargrove is still in town, so Steve’s absolutely not going to lifeguard this year. Eddie Munson gets caught that one-too-many’th-a-time, and Hopper makes it clear he needs to find some gainful employment, ideally elsewhere, and Hop does not want to see Too Much of him this summer, Or Else. Robin Buckley needs a summer job, ideally something that lets her do college prep work at the same time… And the forest service is having trouble retaining fire lookouts in this one… mysterious… stretch of woods. . A Stranger Things/Firewatch AU

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Challenge Monday. The challenge this week was Fics that focus on technology.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[phantasmiafxndom]

Out of all the animes you’ve watch what ones are your favorites

...you know what, you get the serious answer. I used to track my anime watching, so out of the 450+ completed ones on my list, here are some of my top recommendations! (In terms of quality, more so than what I've spent the most time dwelling on.)

. . .

One Piece — I haven't technically watched all of this one, but after falling back into the fandom after an 8-ish year break, I really can't understate the quality. One Piece's story is amazing, and I'm consistently impressed by the author's characters/worldbuilding.

Dominion Tank Police (1988) — I have FEELINGS about the villain in this one... Overall, 80s sci-fi vibes mix with themes of ethical responsibility and societal peacekeeping, and the "don't you just want to go apeshit? :)" protagonist (who's also extremely aromantic-coded) is a hilarious, yet wonderfully earnest little menace!

Kyousougiga — I've been rewatching this one recently, and the sheer detail in every scene is STUNNING. I keep having to pause to mentally scream about the symbolism, and tbh, knowing the plot from my original watch is only improving the experience.

Tekkon Kinkreet — This one's a movie, not a series, but SKLJKHS IT HAUNTS ME. Absolutely chilling, by the time the big plot twists roll around... Beyond that, the overall aesthetic/vibe is impeccable, and the exaggerated, messy art style only adds to that.

Kemonozume — Monster/human forbidden romance with stunning art and a great soundtrack. The plot started out a bit confusing, but all of the scattered story elements came together nicely in the end!

The Tatami Galaxy — The "get your shit together and start enjoying your life" anime. It's plenty good as just a story, but I got some excellent life lessons out of it too. Solid mix of comedy, drama, and charismatic-yet-extremely-bizarre characters interacting.

Monster — Excellent slow-paced, psychological horror packed with ethical dilemmas, traumatic backstories, and so many Extremely Depressed Men. In other words, there's a very good reason why Johan Liebert used to end up on so many "best anime villains" lists.

Paranoia Agent — I have nothing but praise for Satoshi Kon's work, in general, and Paranoia Agent has been my favorite of the ones I've seen so far. Compared to his movies, it really benefits from the extra space for plot development, and the big emotional twist hits hard.

Revolutionary Girl Utena — A true classic. <3 There are enough tumblr essays about this tragic yuri masterpiece that I won't go into detail myself, but yes, it's every bit as good as you've heard.

Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail — The entire Black Lagoon series is excellent, but Roberta is my special girl. Unfortunately, the OAV adaption compresses the manga's version of her arc pretty heavily (and the altered ending is kind of dumb), but I still have to recommend it. Babygirl's breakdown is a REAL mess kjshghs

Claymore — Excellent pseudo-medieval fantasy with badass female characters, lots of body horror, and top-tier monster design. The manga is MUCH better than the anime after a certain point, however.

Kuuchuu Buranko — An episodic series about an eccentric psychiatrist interacting with his troubled patients. The mixed-media animation style and bizarre characters are what sold it for me, along with the exploration of mental health through storytelling tropes.

Cannon Fodder — An artistic short movie that's twenty minutes of aesthetic experience and fascinating worldbuilding implications. I love the vibe, and the "one, long horizontal frame" style is neat.

Flowers of Evil — The art style. The VIBES. The whole thing is incredibly eerie and off-putting, with a plot that's pretty much: "congrats! two shitty teenagers are tearing each other's lives apart!".

[innocent-cat]

Instead of Cassandra being taken by the Briarwoods from the acid chamber, reader tosses her back out with Vax and instead they both get hypnotized. Percy fighting his (not yet confessed to) love interest. Or he could fight her and Cassandra but that may be a bit much.

OH! Sylas makes Cassandra and reader try to kill each other in front of Percy.

i would LOVE to.

Percival de Rolo X Reader

Warnings - Cursing, violence, implied murder, control, kidnapping

"Please excuse my pathetic act of a rabbit.", Percy x Reader

.·:*¨༺༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺༻

(A/N - Reader is not a doe. I just don't know how to address them.. doe basically means "A beautiful, delicate, sweet person.")

You walk distanced from Percy, sensing now likely wasn't the time to be excitable around him. The silence between Vox Machina was unbearable, and the air was thick.

He walked behind a women with one hand, who you had watched in shock, being held at gunpoint just moments ago. Percy achieving closure on who wronged him in childhood was something you saw as a positive, but you were on edge from the way he acted so quickly on it.

Yeah, sure, you had killed, and you've seen him kill before too, but it was different. Of course, the literal demon possessing him when he found someone who wrong him, such as Anna Ripley, was really the only time you froze when you watched him hold a gun to someone's head.

God that weird crow thing scared the fuck out of you.

All you could feel was anxiety swallowing you whole, a dark pit developing in your stomach. The team opting to not talk on the walk under the castle only ate at you more.

Of course, there was bickering between the group, but you tuned it out. Your arms encircled your body, as you tried to focus back on what was going on between the group.

You had all grouped into a strange room, that looked like it was used for what used to be a pool.

There's a box of white substance, sand like. Scanlan runs to it, threading his fingers through the potently smelling clump.

"We just hit the Jackpot! Does anyone have a pipe?-"

He lets out a groan when he's met with a slap in the back of the head from Percy.

"I'm fairly certain that would be a unpleasant trip. This is residuum. The pipes must carry acid for it's refinement process."

"It looks like they're making a lot of it." Vex pipes up to Percy's response, quick to conversation.

You subconsciously followed Cassandra, hoping she wouldn't be as awkward as her brother in the situation at hand. You walk up the stairs with her, and turn to see your group of friends with their backs to the two of you.

Percy was looking at his gun, seemingly shocked when you looked at him.

"Cassandra, do you know what this room is for?" You turned to her, expecting an answer. Instead, you make a 80 degree turn to the sound of Percy's shout, a sharp feeling of whiplash in your neck from your quick turn.

"Cassandra!"

She turns to you, the color in her eyes gleamed. Her arm stretched to a small button within the large, open wall. "It's a Vat of acid." She places her free hand on your shoulder, and scoots you backwards, into the hall that led forward from the room. You stumbled backward, grabbing onto air in an attempt to stop your fall.

Falling onto your ass, you begin to stand up, watching as she presses the plate. The doors slide close, dramatically slow.

"Cass! What are you doing?" Percy exclaimed, hands against the wall, his eyes flickering from you and back to his sister.

Chills run down your spine as you feel a hand on your shoulder. Percy feels his voice emptying when he sees the man behind you. Sylas Briarwood.

"Excellent work, dear."

Percy scowls at the voice, but remains still, knowing he can't do anything.

You quickly turn, and sharply elbow Sylas. Before you can do so, you feel your body reanimate. You no longer control yourself, and you go limp.

"Bit of a slow learner." Sylas laughed in your face.

You, or more like something, turns your body, to face Cassandra and Percy.

"Why are you doing this?" Percy cried out to his sister, still praying for her to turn back on her heels and tell him she would never do such a thing to him.

"You did this to yourself, Percy. The day you left me lying in the snow, choking on my blood like a hunted animal." Cassandra's voice strains, sounding like she's on the verge of tears.

You feel your posture straighten. Your hands fall to your sides, and you blankly stare towards them. You can't tell what you're looking at, but you know you can at the same time.

"My brother abandoned me." Cassandra squeezes her eyes shut, and turns with a scoff, storming towards you and the Briarwoods.

Percy stares back at his sister, mouth agape, and his eyebrows knitted together in sorrow, as she remained unflinching when their childhood torturers walked closer to her and you.

You continue watching Percy. Your eyes do not follow Cassandra, and that seems to be the only thing you maintain the right to. Your own eyes.

You watch him with sorrow in your eyes. You see him fall to his knees, hand to the glass, letting out a groan. He was defeated. Bested by his own emotions, he let out a cry. His tears fell, your stomach dropped.

Oh, how you wished you could run through the glass, hug him, and tell him it was all gonna be okay. Hold him to your chest, softly stroking his hair, whispering in his ear. But you couldn't. You weren't allowed to.

The Brairwoods rest a hand on Cassandra's shoulder, pushing the two of you together like they were standing for the 'world's most monotone family photo'. Sylas's hand on your shoulder, and Delilah's rested on Cassandra's.

"But they.. they welcomed me. They would never do what you did, brother."

The Briarwoods turned with Cassandra and walked away. Your feet stood, glued to the ground, undirected. You continued to look at Percy, begging the Everlight, to allow him to look into your eyes.

Your pleads were met. He looked up to you. You stared back at him, hoping he could read your emotion with just your eyes. His hands applied more pressure to the glass, but did not lift.

"Come on, little doe. We have a very important purpose for you today."

And with that, you forcibly turned on your heels. You walked naturally, as if it was to your own will that you followed these monsters.

Without Percy in your view point, you lost the strength to fight your animation. You slowly but surely began to lose focus, and just let the possession guide you to your demise.

//

(A/N This is Percy's little story without you(✯◡✯))

They stared at him, and he stared back. Their eyes were scattered, and they were scared. A last resort call for help, unable to use their own body. They turned on their heels, and walked with the Briarwoods.

Have I not lost enough, Lady Moirai? (A/N - plural goddess of fate)

The pipes begin clicking, and rats scatter from their homes within it. He continues watching them walk away. Waiting for them to turn back on their heels and tell him they would never do such a thing to him. That's all he asked for.

"Uh.. guys?" Keyleth panicked, watching a rat fall apart by her feet.

"There has to be a way out of this. Does anyone have a plan?"

"..Vex?"

"Why are you looking at me? I don't have a plan either!" Vex scoffed, panicking.

"Percy? A little help here?"

He remained unmoving, oblivious to his surroundings. All he could think about was how he let the both of them slip out of his fingers all over again.

"Right." Vex sighs. "Well.. stop the acid!" Vex desperately points to the pipes.

When twisting it with vines doesn't work, everyone panics as the acid rises higher. Scanlan brings his magic hand out, and everyone piles on.

Grog yanks Percy onto the the hand, as the acid rapidly rises.

//

(A/N back to you because I LOVE reader and 100% not because I don't want to write word by word)

You climb the thousands of stairs to the top of the ziggurat, your legs feeling like they would give out at any moment. But, you didn't stop. You couldn't.

"Little doe." Your head shot up towards the name, eyeing Delilah Briarwood.

"Step closer to me. I need you within the center of this circle. You are our sacrifice."

You walked towards her without exchanging words, stretching your arms out forward to her, wrist side up.

She took out her knife, and watched her clock move. She slowly and deeply cut into you.

The pain seared. You wanted to yank away, cry, scream, and kick like a toddler resisting their bedtime, but you couldn't, in fact, you didn't even feel your tear ducts swell. You remained resistant to the pain.

You showed no emotion towards the continued cutting. You hated it. It was deep, long, and would surely bleed you out like a lamb.

Delilah's head whipped to the left of her, eyeing the rapid footsteps climbing upon the stairs.

"God damn it. Those pests were supposed to be dealt with. You said they would be gone, Sylas."

"Don't worry about them dear, I'll take care of them. In fact, why don't we have little doe beloved and little sister beloved go in to take care of the last standing de Rolo?"

Delilah lets out a laugh, and brushes her hand upwards, pointing towards Percy.

You turn to him, waiting and watching as Sylas corners him. You jump down from the overview of him, between the two, prepared to body block a hit for Sylas.

Instead, you feel your body drag itself to Cassandra.

//

(A/N - Percy pov i need angst lol)

I pull out my pepperbox, aiming it upwards to the Vampiric monster dead ahead of me.

I'm met with his hand grabbing me, and tossing me to Cassandra and our reanimated cleric. They were butting heads. Their hands tightly locked into each other's, force differing as they pushed, kicked, pulled, and head butt.

"No! Stop this at once!" I fought against Sylas, pushing and pulling to no avail. His hands tightly gripped my arms together behind my pack, and he pushed me to his chest as he held my head with his free hand towards the most important people I held dear to me.

I'm a horrible person for not doing anything. If either of them spoke to me after this, I will have been dreaming.

I abandoned my sister again, and I couldn't protect the one I need by my side to cherish and adore.

They were fighting and bleeding in front of me, and I was useless to them.

They bled from head to toe. Their knuckles covered in both their own blood, and their opponent's blood.

Cassandra hacked up blood as the opposer punched her in the gut, releasing air, spit, and blood all over the fighter.

Cassandra gagged, like she was gonna vomit. She breathed and stared back at 'little doe'

She tackled them, bringing them to the floor, tagging multiple punches into them. Their face swelled and bled, while their mouth seeped blood.

Yet I couldn't do anything but beg pathetically for them to stop. For someone to make them stop.

"Please, either of you, now is not the time for this! Snap out of it!" I pleaded, struggling against Sylas.

Then, Sylas dropped me. The beloved and the Endeared stopped fighting, Endeared falling to her knees, and my beloved falling on their ass.

Both of them coughing and heavily breathing, they were suddenly conscious. Wide-eyed and shocked that they had lived to see the moment where they were freed.

Then, they looked to what Sylas was headed toward. Fucking Keyleth casting the sun inside of a cave.

The beloved lets out a cough as they laugh, hacking up more blood.

"Do you have enough energy to heal yourself, cleric?" I quickly begin fixing up Cassandra and they begin using their magic on both of them.

Breathing heavily, the cleric looks at me. Tears swelling in their eyes, they wrap their arms around my neck and let out a sob. Their whole body shook as they shifted their weight onto me.

"It's all going to be alright now. We'll be out of here free of sacrifice in just a few seconds."

The light emanates, casting upon Sylas as he burned away fighting Grog.

Cassandra stands up on her own, running after who could only be Delilah.

I pick up the wounded divine healer bridal style, holding them close as they hiccup and sob into my neck, scared to death.

I'll kill her.

Smoke wafts from my body, seeping to the ground. The scent of iron and gunpowder wafting anyone and everyone's nose.

"Per-Percy. No. Stop. Plplease." They pleaded to me, begging me to stay outside of the ritual room Delilah just entered.

I look down at them, my thoughts floating away. I sit beside the door, sliding against the wall, still holding them close.

My arms wrap around their body, holding them in a protective stance. Never allowing harm to come their way ever again.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen to you." I quiver, remorse and regret evident in my voice.

"I love you." They respond, suddenly. It wasn't at all what I expected, and I paused for a moment.

Rubbing a circle into their back, I softly whisper back.

"And I you."

[iheartchv]

Hi Sweet🖤

could I request a romantic COD match up?? n/sfw is both cool to be included.

• I'm Indian South African

• 5'2 - 26 years (80)

• I'm curvy, long black hair, medium tan skin

• I'm a lawyer , I think I'm pretty chill till I'm not.

• Introverted and antisocial with an extremely small circle by choice.

• I enjoy observing before I do anything, psychology and patterns are fun. So by virtue I prefer to listen and analyze.

• gothic but my styles range (aka I'm a fashion girlie).

• nerdy asf honestly, I'm in every Fandom know to man I think.

• I love to read, paint and build legos, star gaze. I love.

• I'm a polyglot, I speak 5 languages including South African Sign Language

• As per the polyglot, I like learning about other languages and cultures. I watch/listen to any genre of media in any language.

• I love kids entirely, even the ones that can't be considered that but are.

• I'm a pcos girl so shark week and every day after is rough.

• Never tell me to go big or go home, I will always choose home.

• I'm demisexual as heck, looks? no issue, connection? NECESSITY.

• I'm an adult but not one that will math - ever.

Please feel free to match me with whomever you deem fit. My apologies for this being extensive?

Wishing you all the support and love on all your works for the future Love 🥀

🤔 I match you with...

Simon "Ghost" Riley 💀

I feel like Ghost would end up falling for you

It all started with one of his missions

He was to be your bodygaurd

When he found you coming home from work, he wanted to know about one of your clients, see if you knew anything about them

Apparently they were involved with Makarov

And now him and his terrorist group were after you

"Oh, God..."

Terror and fear filled you

He told you he was to be your bodyguard

"You won't see me... neither will they" he assured

Ghost kept you with him at all times, watching over you

Through out the months that went by, you couldn't help but feel more comfortable around him, despite him being intimidating and stoic

He too got to know you, watching you indulge in your hobbies

...Watching you sleep

He didn't leave until he knew you would be safe

Time skip to the future...

He had thought about you, and even thought of stopping by to visit you...

Which took a bit of pushing himself to do

To your suprise, you were happy to see him

You had thoughts and dreams about him

Of his own accord he was making sure you were alright

💞

Ghost's love gift is to recieve physical touch and give acts of service

You can count on him to get you what you need to help you through shark week

A warm bath, gently washing you till you didn't feel icky

He'd carry you to bed and make you so comfy

He knows he's grown soft staying around you but he didn't care

Being with you is one thing Ghost didn't think could happen

Yet here you were, wrapped in his strong arms with your head on his chest

He felt at peace when he was with you

All he ever wanted or needed was you

[theuntitledblog]

Batman Begins (2005) - REVIEW

There are some cinematic experiences that expand and influence your cinematic horizons and stay with you for years to come and for me Batman Begins was one of those experiences. Having been raised in the late 80's and 90's, my only exposure to Batman was through the Tim Burton movies and the subsequent Joel Schumacher sequels that killed off the series at that time.

So my expectations of Batman and what the character could be was heavily influenced by those movies. So when Batman Begins arrived in 2005, it was an eye opening experience in every way possible. Yes it had darkness but gone was the gothic and cartoonish visuals of those previous movies and instead a gritty, realistic world where it felt that Batman could actually exist was presented to us. But the most surprising and welcoming thing to me was that Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne actually felt like he was the centre of his own movie and not overshadowed by the villain(s). You never get the sense that Christopher Nolan was in a rush to get Batman on screen or move from one action set piece to another. Instead he took care to depict not the just the Wayne tragedy and its immediate impact but also the lifelong pain that would almost push him to commit murder before moving onwards to become a superhero. In any other director's hand, the 1 hour wait for Batman to finally turn up would feel like a detriment, but here it's masterfully judged and the moment packs a powerful punch when it does happen.

Nolan's Batman is grounded in a sense of realism not seen before not just when it comes to Batman himself but also Gotham City. The storytelling is elegant with the flashback sequences as they explore Wayne's origin while at the same time reveals more of Gotham that he grew up in, escaped from and later vows to confront. The Gotham we see here is a far cry from the gothic monolith we saw in the Burton films but the scale of corruption is laid bare. From the assassination of Joe Chill, the corrupt cop Arnold Flass to the confrontation with Carmine Falconi, this is a world filled with many challenges and enemies for Bruce Wayne to overcome and for us the journey for Bruce to becoming Batman feels both dangerous and essential.

Much like the character work, Nolan takes just as much care to construct this version of Batman with the suit and various gadgets made to look practical as much as it does intimidating. From the moment Bale snarls "I'm Batman" to Tom Wilkinson's Falconi, the film switches into another gear as Wayne finally launches his war against organised crime in Gotham and its definitely is a feel good moment. When it comes the villains, one of my biggest takeaways from the Burton/Schumacher movies was that the villain(s) seemed to overshadow the hero ... but not here. Batman Begins (like the subsequent sequels) utilises several villains including two who I had never heard of before in Scarecrow and Ra's al Ghul. Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow and Liam Neeson's Ra's al Ghul were hardly scene stealers in the way that Jack Nicholson or Jim Carrey were but they succeeded in supporting the story being told here but with Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman remaining the star of the show.

If there is one thing that hasn't aged quite as impressively over time is the shooting of the action sequences. For me they're too close up, too shaky and hard to see at times although the extended chase sequence with the Tumbler is definitely a highlight with Hans Zimmer's thunderous score elevating things further. Does it significantly hurt the film? Absolutely not because the action sequences do achieve what's required even if they're not as refined as sequences from other films of the genre. Yet Batman Begins is a blockbuster that never feels defined by its action sequences but rather by its characters, themes and story.

In 2005 I sat in bewilderment watching a film about Bruce Wayne and empathising with his pain, moved by the close relationship he forged with Michael Caine's Alfred, respected the integrity of Gary Oldman's Jim Gordon while enjoying the Bond/Q like relationship with Morgan Freeman's Lucius Fox. I walked out of the cinema in 2005 completely blown away by Batman Begins as it swept away whatever expectation I had of what I thought a Batman movie was or could be. It was so much more; thematically complex, intelligent and satisfying than anything I was expecting. The tagline for the 1978 Superman movie was "You'll Believe a Man Can Fly", with Batman Begins you will believe a man can become and be Batman.

VERDICT

Batman Begins is and remains what I consider to be the standard for what all great Batman movies can be.

5/5

[angiefsutton]

Quantum Leap (1989) Re-watch - S1, E7

As previously mentioned, I'm doing a re-watch of Quantum Leap (1989) now that I've fallen back into writing slash for it. And as I watched, decided to write up my off-the-cuff/stream of consciousness thoughts as I watch them. (I'm also doing this on my Dreamwidth.)

Season 1, Episode 7: "The Color of Truth" Date of Leap: August 8, 1955 Written by: Deborah Pratt

Ah, yes. One of the episodes I wanted to talk about when people in the QL Facebook group I was in started bitching about the reboot being 'woke' for having a nonbinary character in it. FIRST SEASON they tackled social issues.

Sam's recap implies there were no 'missing' leaps between episodes. Huh.

No 'oh boy' still.

Sam's 'improv' skills seem to be getting better!

Ah, yes. 'Homage' to "Driving Miss Daisy".

And more awful ADR.

"It's hard, losing someone you love." Aw, Sam.

The look on Sam's face when Miz Melny says the word 'negro'. Well done, Scott!

Sam seems so happy that he's black!

"I've seen things that will curl your hair." OH - SELMA background from Al.

"Ziggy's 86.7% certain that you're here to save Scarlett O'Hara there from getting … squished by a choo-choo." Love your language choice, Al.

"Went on the marches, got arrested - beaten. Powerful day." - Dean is so good here.

And then Sam's reaction when Clayton uses the OTHER 'n' word. God, Clayton is lucky Sam doesn't know the flying noodle kick yet! ;-)

Also - didn't realize/remember you could say that in primetime in '89.

Also also: I was in a community theatre production of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' many MANY years ago, and I was one of the townspeople. I had to say the 'n' word, and I wanted to wash my mouth out with soap. It actually felt WRONG to say it.

The look on Sam's face when he hears that he has to cook that night. Adds to the fanon that Sam can't cook worth a damn. And that Al CAN cook.

Yay - first 'yummola'!

"Don't worry, pal: I've got a KILLER recipe for chitlins." Sam wants to kill Al SO. BAD.

oh my God: HORRIBLE ADR - they didn't even TRY to line it up with what Al is saying.

Ooh - SCOTT had to say the n word.

Al in that red vest and black / white tie: talk about yummola!

"Al: you're gettin' a little paranoid." / "Sam: how do you think I lived this long?" Oh, Al. {gives him a hug}

"I've got a bad feeling about this one." / "You always have a bad feeling." (ADR'd) Glad to know Al's superstitions came in early canon.

Al panicking is sort of cute in a weird way.

The first time someone 'sees' Al. Sort of.

Oooh - the yellow suit. I just put him in that in the Traditions story I'm doing.

"Just think of the possibilities. I mean, if I could reach Mz. Melny, then maybe … just maybe … I can reach OTHER women. … YOUNGER women." Have I mentioned lately how much I love Al Calavicci? I know if this was real, I'd be pissed at him - but Dean does SUCH a good job of making him loveable.

"Is sex all you ever think about?" / "Well, except when I'm pulling YOU out of the fire, YES." - oh, Al - we all know you think about sex when you're pulling Sam out of the fire, TOO. ;-)

Al singing "We Shall Overcome". I love you, Dean Stockwell - but you can't carry a tune in a bucket.

The end musical version of "We Shall Overcome" actually gave me chills.

We get an 'Oh boy' in the teaser leap in!

Final thoughts: For the time it was written in, this still holds up fairly well. Is it technically blackface if it's Sam leaping into a black man? Pratt is one of my favorite writers, and this is one of the many reasons why. (It's also why I was willing to give the reboot a chance: I saw she was going to be connected to it.) Despite it just being 'QL Driving Miss Daisy', Pratt manages to get the moral across without being TOO preachy, as well as keeping it personal. The big moral is basically that change happens individually and in small increments. Having grown up in a sundown town, I know what it was STILL like in the '80s for black people. (Not that I can relate, if that makes sense. I just know I never saw my first 'live' black person until I went to college.) We get some of Al's background as well. The acting is excellent, as expected. Good episode. Didn't it win some sort of award for how it dealt with race?

[castlebyersafterdark]

you've mentioned you love upbeat pop and 80s tunes... can you speak a little more on what you'd like for musicality in the final season, soundtrack and score?

i personally think that pop culture is missing the sincerity of 90s/2000s film scores like john williams and swelling violins, and if any show could bring back unabashed sincerity (today known as cheesiness because we are still allergic to being genuine instead of ironic somehow) - its ST! the overall themes and story, the 80s ET-esque influences, and they already went there with an orchestral version of eleven's theme in s4. i really want to feel hopeful and uplifted by this story in a way that makes me feel like a kid again, even though edgier endings are seen as cooler. the score has some beautiful classics like the Eulogy motif that played when bob died, when el searched for her mother, and when mike and el broke up lmao

as for soundtrack, people seem to discuss that a lot and im up for almost anything. i think cyndi lauper will return. we know the clash will return too, and seeing as we centre around will i think more alternative and rock might be the way they go instead of mainly the new wave pop classics.

One of the things that made me fall in love with Stranger Things was that it had such a unique, distinctive score. The synths and specific motifs. Super engaging, really different than what a lot of shows were doing. It's always given the show more of a cinematic quality. I'm hoping for more super cool moments like in season 4 - the Journey revamp, Separate Ways?? So good. And listen, as cheesy as it is, I still get chills when I watch the sequence that mixes Running Up that Hill with the Main Theme, like are you kidding?? I was transfixed, hands white knuckling the couch during that whole sequence. The music just took you there, you know?? And that was just the penultimate season, can you imagine what these fucking insane composers are cooking up for the series finale? Whewwww. Because that moment felt like a series ender based on music usage and YET we get 8 more episodes. I'm so excited for the score choices almost as much for the answers to the mysteries and the shipping payoffs. I really really love movie/tv scores. ST has one of the very best. And the influence! You know how many remixes and covers of common songs have been done with synth stuff over the last decade and they're referred to as "Song Name: Stranger Things Mix" despite not having anything to do with the TV show? Her influence. Respect.

One thing that I disagree with the majority on is a reprisal of Heroes - sure, it can return! But I'd really prefer a score track than a song played whenever Byler gets together. More emotional that way. I don't know where it would fit, and I know everyone loves the lyrical connotation of Heroes, but I think this moment deserves something unique. Pinnacle of all the relationships in the show and no I am not exaggerating. Truly.

I have a playlist of potential season 5 song choices! I'll just list some highlights:

Edge of Seventeen - for the Party! When it skips to 1987. Especially for Will. These lyrics are so Will coded they make me insane.

The Breakup Song - This would be so on the nose cheesy fun, but it's a good song, it sets a mood. Mike and El break up and then some danger strike and boom, needle drop.

We need some Judas Priest for Will, since it's 80s, it's rock, and the lead singer is gay!! I never see this mentioned. He came out in the 90s but that would be so cool for future Will to learn that having known this band from his childhood. There's a lot of relevant songs of theirs to use in s5 but even some of the more obvious ones would be cool.

Love is a Battlefield was briefly in s2 but it would be perfect to get a feature in s5.

I honestly love a Billy Idol White Wedding badass moment for Nancy. It just fits her, I think.

I Ran So Far Away for something with Mike, I think this song is very necessary for him.

Only You by Yazoo for the Lucas/Max reunion!! It's so cute and so them.

A friend posted about this before so I'm not the one who came up with this idea, but they predict that Video Killed the Radio Star is going to be featured in promo, using the Radio Station hideout whenever we get the first teaser trailer and I think that's a very possible route. I see the vision so clearly, kinda can't get that out of my head. I think it also ties the 50s/Creel vibes to the present day characters with the radio vs. video imagery for both promotional stuff and the actual show itself.

Listen to Your Heart, Roxette. Again, for Mike. Introspective moments. Figuring out some heavy truths. Facing feelings.

The Man Who Sold the World for Will in some conjunction with his Henry issues. It's evocative, it's dark, it's Bowie, baby! Maybe remixed and slowed and made very creepy.

I don't think Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division has been in the show yet? But, it should.

Self Control - Laura Branigan

Wake Up the Neighborhood - Holland

No One Lives Forever - Oingo Boingo

Running With the Devil - Van Halen

Beds are Burning - Midnight Oil (can be used for a scene to demonstrate the absurdity of going about life, going to school, under military lockdown, end of the world vibes etc.)

Shout - Tears for Fears

Break on Through to the Other Side - The Doors (WillEl moment or something, I've heard some great remixes of this song!)

I'm mad they already used Thriller in the trailer for s2 because I've heard some fantastic synth remixes and the lyrics are soooo perfect for a scene where monsters are running rampant in Hawkins or something. It would be so 80s and I eat that shit up.

Eye in the Sky - Henry inside the minds of the town, tormenting our leads. Make it creepy. Make everything with him fucked up and dark.

If we don't get a really poignant needle drop with the core four Mike Will Dustin Lucas gearing up for battle to Kids in America, what has all this been for???????

PLEASE. Will in a pivotal moment very late in the season with Should I Stay or Should I Go! Seems obvious but worth listing. Some big scene is going down. Then quiet. No score. Then those first few notes cut the silence. Willlllllll. This to me is in the same vein as the lead up to the scene in Endgame when Cap lifts the hammer?? Sorry, haha you can take the boy outta Marvel but...🤣

[the-lark-ascending69]

prompt where robins mom finds out about her and nancy dating and she doesent take it well

Tbh I think Robin's mom would be more concerned that her daughter is dating someone who owns guns that the fact she's dating a girl. I haven't read much of the book yet, but Robin's parents are these "domesticated hippies" as she calls them, and they seem pretty fun and nice. Her mom is introduced dancing to fleetwood mac while stoned. She tells Robin they conceived her in the back of a van. They have all these photographs (in some or which her mother is topless) showing her parents with their friends and multiple lovers because they were also polyamorous and believed in "free love". Robin also mentions they have zero tolerance for any kind of hateful talk. I have read fics in which her parents are horrible and kick her out over being a lesbian and ngl I love that kind of angst, it's very cathartic. But after reading the book I don't think I myself can write that. Richard and Melissa just seem too chill to care about those things. Mayne later in the book I see some red flags here and there but so far I think Robin's mom would be mostly accepting.

There are, however, a few things we could work on:

Robin's mom is okay with Robin being a lesbian, she just doesn't like Nancy specifically. Like I said, maybe she knows Nancy owns guns, maybe Nancy has brought guns to their house for protection and Melissa thinks that is very disrespectful. I think she'd be mostly nice to Nancy, but as soon as she leaves she will tell Robin she doesn't like her, and that she feels dissappointed Robin would chose someone who "loves violence"

She has political disagreements with Nancy's family. Idk much about USamerican politics in the 80s but my spidey sense tells me Reagan and hippies wouldn't have gotten along. Maybe Melissa is a bit confused as to why her daughter is dating someone whose parents had a vote for Reagan sign on their lawn.

She is scared for Robin. When Robin says they're "domesticated hippies", she seems to imply they left a lot of their hippie ways behind to get married and start a nuclear family. She mentions she doesn't know if they still believe in "free love". Maybe in her youth, Robin's mother wouldn't have had a problem with it, but nowadays she sees her daughter with a girl and instead of thinking "love is love!" she thinks "the world is cruel and my baby girl is going to suffer so much". I think this option is my favorite one. It could have "mother broke her daughter's legs in two, said 'it's too dangerous to walk out there, so I had to save you'" vibes. She's a middle aged adult now, she's grown and she knows the freedom she enjoyed in her youth is not an option for her Robin. She tells her to think things through. Robin is confused. About Nancy, her mother explains. I just don't want you to get hurt. Robin still doesn't understand. But mom, I'm already hurt, she says. Melissa wants her to go slower, to not make such a big decision so fast. What will people say? What will they think? What will they do to her? Actually, she's too young to decide this. She's too young to be so obsessed with sexuality. People will be disgusted. She fills Robin's heart with fear and shame and it makes her not want to hold Nancy's hand in public even they they know no one is watching. Not under the table, not in a dark cinema. She's suddenly very shy and will often avert her gaze from her lest someone sees her looking at a girl. Her mother would hate to say it, but she'd be much more comfortable if her daughter were straight.

[thessalian]

Thess vs a Reprieve

So, yesterday, three doctors came in and yeeted a little over 80 bits of typing into the queue. Cue five fucking hours of overtime to get it to about 180, with the knowledge that I was going to have to do more, and terrified that someone would come in today and put yet more bullshit into the queue.

Logged in at about 2:30pm and...

Wait.

No one came in today?

At all?

The queue is right where I left it?

I can actually make a dent in this bullshit properly?

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

So I did three hours and got it down to about 140. Mostly because it was the medium-length-ish stuff left and some of it was ... well, sometimes the doctors are stupid. Or just rushed and working with bad equipment so the mistakes they end up making are a little ridiculous. Like, the three emails I had to send today were:

Hi; you left a whole set of measurements and a block key out of this one, on two separate pots.

Hi; you're not stepping on the foot pedal that lets you record hard enough and lost just one measurement.

Hi; you kind of stopped dictating mid-report. Not even mid-sentence. So I think your foot pedal went to hell.

And then of course I had to tell them all to refer their additions to Scruffman or Temp because I don't work Mondays. Especially not after I have pulled a grand total of seventeen and a half hours of overtime over the course of the week, including giving up most of my weekend.

Also if Temp or New Girl have a problem with me leaving the long-ass monstrosities from Friday for them to handle tomorrow ... well, that's the shit they pull on me four days a week, and I gave up the majority of my weekend because they dawdle so they can fucking cope.

Now I can just ... you know, chill. Have a hot bath, soak out the aches, maybe eat a thing. I'm strongly considering a takeaway. I know I'll have to watch the map and hobble down the stairs because the intercom thing that lets me buzz people in still doesn't work, but the concept of boiling potatoes and roasting a chicken leg just has zero appeal to me right now. Besides, I should probably draw up a sewer map. Just in case my D&D group gets to that today. Though that's unlikely, particularly given that my bestie's having Life Issues and is going to be doing needful shit so can't make it. And of course next session is New Year's Eve, so we're missing at least two people - but at least I have a good excuse for one of them being gone, so that's something.

If anyone wonders why this one campaign has lasted for several years, this is why - so many stalling sessions as people end up missing sessions. Plus their absolute love of really experiencing the setting. Which is nice because I did work hard on it.

[acacia-may]

Ooo may I ask for 7, 24, and 30 for Vanessa and maybe your OC Altan please 🥰?

Aww thank you Lyra! I adore Vanessa and will gladly take any and all opportunities to ramble about her, and I'm flattered that you'd like to know more about Altan. I'd be delighted to answer these for you!

Questions for this Character Ask Game

(Warnings: some mentions of Vanessa's childhood trauma, the Forest of Witches arc, and related nightmares. Some mentions of the House Vaude drama, related trauma, and strained relationship between Finral and Langris)

Vanessa Enoteca

7. A quote of them that you remember

This is a hard one because Vanessa has so many amazing moments, but I think I'll go with the two that came to mind immediately. (1) I love the moment where she tells the Queen of Witches, "You and I have no bonds." Recognizing that the Black Bulls are the family she always wanted and that she doesn't need Her Majesty's "love" to be happy is such a pivotal moment in her character development, and it honestly still gives me chills every time I watch or read it. (2) An anime addition, but I love that encouraging little speech she gives Finral before he faces Langris in the Royal Knight's Exam (I won't type out the whole thing but it ends with something like "You're not going to lose to him so easily anymore. Go show him how awesome you are--and I don't just mean the hair!"). Vanessa just has such a gift in building up her friends and encouraging them, and she believes in them even when they don't believe in themselves. I love that scene because it is a real reflection of that.

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

In general, I think a lot of what happened to her in her childhood is a big secret for Vanessa. Vanessa is the type of person who really tries to bury her pain and focus on the positive and/or on other people's problems even when she, herself, is hurting. She had told very few of her friends about her childhood in the Forest of Witches, prior to the arc that took place there, and even then, I think she only told them bits and pieces of the story.

Since she doesn't want her squad family to worry about her, she's never told them that her past still comes back to haunt her, mainly in her nightmares and fears of enclosed, crammed spaces. Though they had gotten less frequent, she does have still nightmares about her childhood and also about the events in the Forest of Witches arc/losing her friends, and when they get particularly bad, she will sleep by candlelight because she is afraid of waking up back in that cage and her tower.

30. The funniest scene they had?

Vanessa has such a great sense of humor, and I loved any time she affectionately teased her friends. There are some great moments between her, Noelle, and Asta on their first outing to the castle town of Kikka for instance, and her friendship with Magna especially has always made me laugh from their first appearance where they're poking fun at each other's vices. The scene that came to mind immediately read this prompt is also from Episode 80 in the Royal Knight's Exam (can you tell that's my one of my favorite episodes?) though. There's a moment where Magna asks if she'll do his hair too, and Vanessa teases him that there's no way. It's all in good fun, and Luck gets some great lines where he chimes in and teases Magna too. It's cute and makes me laugh every time.

Altan Vaude (OC)

[A/N: Altan loves his auntie very much so he would be so happy to know he has been included as part of the same ask as her 💖]

7. A quote of them that you remember

Poor Altan. I've barely written about him, so he hasn't gotten to say much yet. He has appeared in some of my wips though, and there's an exchange between him and his Papa that I really like so I'll share that here:

Langris had to admit, he was happy for the temporarily distraction from poor Finesse and her failing health. His palms started to sweat again at the thought, and he began to wring his hands before Altan’s tiny fingers curled around one of them.

“Is Mama alright?” he asked.

“She’s just not feeling well,” Langris explained—trying to shake the worst-case-scenarios out of his own head.

“Should we go pick some flowers for her?” he asked with a kindness that brought a smile to Langris’ face. No words could describe how relieved he was that his son took after his gentle, kindhearted mother rather than a disagreeable misanthrope like him. The hard-lines in Langris’ face softened, and he even managed a slight smile.

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

Altan is shy, but he's not particularly secretive on purpose. If asked about himself, he will share and actually answer instead of deflecting questions and playing 3D chess, smoke and mirrors mind-games like his dad used to do. It just isn't easy for him to freely offer such information without being asked about himself since he doesn't particularly like the spotlight. He tends to be pretty open with his family and closest friends though so he doesn't have too many secrets from them.

He does have one big secret, however which is that, by the time he's in his teens, Altan actually knows a lot about what went on between his father and uncle and how strained their relationship was in the past. Finral and Langris had long ago agreed to let bygones be bygones and decided not to tell their children about how much bad blood used to exist between them. Altan, however, kind of put a lot of pieces together and knows that his father made a lot of mistakes when he was younger, especially in regards to his relationship with his brother. He doesn't ever really bring it up, however, because he knows that his father has a lot of fear that learning all of that would change the way his son saw him, and he doesn't want to open those old wounds for his dad. However, the realization doesn't change much for Altan--he has forgiven his father and thinks what is important is that his dad learned from his mistakes and tried to better going forward, and in fact, he thinks that is a very admirable thing. Someday when Altan is a grown man, his father sits him down to tell him the truth, and it is such a moving moment for Langris when Altan just smiles at him and says he has known for a long time and it doesn't change anything.

30. The funniest scene they had?

Altan gets roped into all kinds of shenanigans thanks to his much more rambunctious cousins and friends, but he himself doesn't usually cause too much trouble or chaos on his own. However, he did participate in a prank of his dad once. When Altan wanted to get his hair cut by his aunt, the extended family decided to pull a bit of a prank on him and sent Altan home wearing a wig of a ridiculously awful haircut. Langris was so relieved when it was revealed just to be a wig, and they actually got him to laugh which made Altan very happy.

[shinkickerandbloodsucker]

ok uh. how do I explain this

hi!! this is. Sort Of an rp account? but not really? for 2 ocs from a purely self-indulgent little story I've been rotating for a few months

their plot is basically. uni student (Mattea) has a professor she hates (Irina), until she finds out said professor is a vampire and starts being a freak about it. I have random bits of lore thought out but nothing more coherent to share yet. again, this is just me indulging my silly little thoughts. this is technically post-canon, when they've already had their happy ending (idk if I'll give them a happy ending fr but I do like to imagine them just chillin)

ALSO I will be rbing some nsfw posts, but they'll be tagged with #nsfw so just avoid that tag if you don't want to see that. everything that needs a cw will have it but if there's anything you'd like tagged please dm me as I'm not exactly the best with those things

anyways, onto the girlies

Mattea

she/her

25

doing a master's degree in forensics (not my degree so forensics people forgive me if I get something wrong)

monogamy? what is that?

will fight a bigot, and have a great time with it (has nearly been expelled multiple times for getting into fights)

chill until you mess with her friends type beat

clingiest, cuddliest mf to ever walk this earth istg

bit of a freak (mostly about Irina)

heavy kin-ish feelings about rabbits, but analysing them would mean acknowledging parts of herself she doesn't want to acknowledge, so she acts oblivious. "I just really like bunnies"

Irina calls her bunny sometimes and she has really fucking complicated feelings about it

heavy on the masochism this one. and not just sexually

anything from her will be tagged as #matty🐇⭐

Irina

she/they by the end of the story, she/her throughout most of it tho

internalised homo/queerphobia, but only for herself, everyone else can do whatever they want

supposedly in her 40s, born in 1655

she was turned way before her 40s actually, they're just not doing all too well

their memories of being turned are a blur. she doesn't even remember how old she was when it happened. they were fishing at a river and next thing they know she's a vampire and she's just killed her family

turns into a bat either at will or when nervous/stressed (I did warn you this would be very self-indulgent)

vampire with wolfgirl swag

idk what she teaches yet but I want them to be dissecting shit so. you do still dissect stuff in master's right?

everyone (except Matty at first) finds her hot and they're so tired of it

tired in general

also really scared of Matty getting close to her until they realise they can't really do anything about it

became a doctor the moment she could, and helped a lot in making medicine careers accessible for women

hasn't worn a colour that wasn't black, white or grey in at least 80 years

tries to act all serious and stuck up, but they secretly enjoy watching others have fun far too much to actually, say, give her students shit for disrupting her class

matches Matty's freak perfectly

anything theirs will be tagged as #Irina🦇

anyways that's. it? I think? chances are I will be editing this in the future so until then ig.

[sl33py-g4m3r]

yet another youtube premium vent cause I really don't want to pay for it anymore but aren't used to the ads it's been so long.

why am I like this?

me: pay for youtube premium (thats roughly almost $20 on ios), not use most of the features like video downloads or screen off or picture in picture mode, tries to cancel premium because of this and gets so annoyed with ads with in a day i resubscribe

also me: watches a couple hours worth of old television ads from the 80s, 90's and 00's

I hope to god that I can make it stick one of these days (like I did with vegetarianism, lol) so I'm not wasting money simply to get rid of ads on youtube...

I go through cycles of where I pay for it, and then cancel it, get annoyed with the ads and resubscribe....

I need to get comfortable with the ads again~~~ heck some of them could be for a game that's coming out or some other awesome thing.

chill and get used to the ads dang it. some might even give you enough time to make tea or have a bathroom break without missing video and having to go back.

but how annoying are ads on long form videos like in my vaporwave or ambiance playlists?

guess I'll find out the 10th (or 11th) idk when it actually begins showing you ads again. could be the 11th.

[avelera]

My SO is listening to Hadestown in the next room (while I quietly meltdown here from emotion and try to be chill about it) but I think the thing that always gets me about this musical is that it's like... objectively 80% perfect. There's like 20% of it I want to fix, I want to clean up the plotlines, I want to focus the narrative, I want to make Eurydice undeniably the main character because I think it makes all the weird stray storyline bits fall into clearer place...

...But all of that said, there are very few properties that make me feel a sense of indescribable, primeval magic in my bones. When I sat in a darkened theater and watched Orpheus lead Eurydice from Hades, I felt chills all over my body, like I was glimpsing an echo of the Orphic Mysteries of the Bronze Age, like it's a story we can't let go of because it means something, something true and real and deeply undefinable and very, very religious.

The descent into the underworld is pithily referred to in literature, but with the combination of its Greek chorus, the Fates, the actor of Orpheus wearing the same red scarf that we see in ancient mosaics of Orpheus leading his wife, hopelessly, over and over from the Underworld because no hero has ever succeeded not Orpheus, not Gilgamesh, not Theseus or Hercules, but we can't help but strive we can't help but try and even those with divine blood are not powerful enough to overcome death's door, and yet we try again when the story loops in our headphones, in this modern age of technology... it is an absolutely chilling sense of continuity with the past, with something truly, universally human that is so old that it's not even certain how we still remember it, and yet we recreate it, in grand style, on Broadway over 3,000 years after the first version of the myth, perhaps thousands of years more than that and for all its modern storytelling flaws, I can forgive anything that makes me feel, in my bones, that I'm once again an audience in an ancient mystery of life and death and one of thousands of years of humans to speak the name Orpheus and cry over the moment he turns around and sees his wife and loses her.