#bellas thirsty thoughts

[bellsandwistfulness]

god i think i'm in love

[your-mind-is-a-stream-of-colors]

I thirst for this “not like other girl’s” girl

You’ll have to pry this dork (affectionate) from my cold, dead hands Edward. 

Tell me your stupid Wuthering Heights opinions and I’ll wear whatever khakis you want loca

[universesweetheart]

Bad Dream (Dazai x Reader)

Art credits to haru9033 on Twitter (X or whatever the new name is)

Look at my cinnamon bun, my sweet baby. He's safe in my bed y'all! This is 100% self-indulgent because my therapy is until the 18th so I needed a distraction after reading chapter 109.

In which we have a nightmare (chapter 109 is the fucking nightmare) and Dazai comforts us to the best of his abilities. He's trying ok!

Should I write comfort for Sigma? When I get my hands on that rat!

Bye now - Mars ♡

Your eyes shot open, big and filled to the brim with tears. You felt your heart beating out of your chest, the muscle pumping larger amounts of blood under the silly impression that you’re dying. You were dying. It felt so, at least.

This unbearable tight feeling in your chest, like someone had your heart in their hands and was continuously wringing. Tighter and tighter. Your throat, stiff and dry, made your body feel worse. You could barely get a word out.

Dreams have a funny way of feeling too real and your silly little brain confuses reality with them. But it felt so real.

An overwhelmingly dreadful feeling engulfs your chest.

Breathe. Breathe.

The man beside you sleeping peacefully, or so it looked. Your legs intertwined with each other, and his head rested up against your breast without fully being on top of you. You try to calm yourself down, not wanting to wake your lover. It’s rare he gets any sleep. His own mind a steady home for ugly thoughts.

Gently you push him away from your body and get up, making your way to the kitchen. You poured yourself a glass of cold water and chug it down.

“Bella…” Dazai calls from the doorway, his face filled with sleep and his hair messy yet he still managed to look beautiful. He’s always beautiful.

“Oh… Osamu” you said weakly with a smile. “Just got a bit thirsty” you lie. You’ve figured out a while ago that it’s impossible to lie to him. The man was simply too smart.

Dazai smiled and approached you, his hands finding homage on your waist. “Bad dream?” he asked and leaned down holding you close. He rubbed his cheek against yours.

You nod, “I can’t hide anything from you huh?” his grip on your waist tightens ever so slightly. “No.”

He hums and leads you back to your bedroom. “Come, sit” he sits down on the bed leaning against the headboard and pulls you down onto his lap, “Tell me about it” His voice low and gentle. He radiates a certain comfort, or maybe it was because you’ve grown to love him so dearly that you naturally seek comfort from him.

Dazai places a kiss on your forehead, his hand rubbing your back trying to soothe you.

“Osamu…I…” You take a deep breath, “you… you died” your voice breaks and the tears roll down your cheeks. He brings his other hand up to your cheek, wiping away your tears. “I know it’s just a dream, but it felt too real and-and” you bury your face into the crook of his neck. His scent working as a grounding method, you breathe him in deeply. He smells like home.

Your home.

“I just don’t want to lose you” the tears kept flowing and your voice trembles as you speak.

“Bella I’m here” Dazai pulls you closer to his body as if to prove his point. “Right here my love” he leans down and kisses you. The kiss is slow, long, sloppy and each passing second, he presses himself closer into you. “I’m not going anywhere” he whispers against your lips.

He knows he’s contradicting himself. He knows. He knows he sounds like a hypocrite because he’s always mentioning suicide and asking you to die alongside him but right now. Right now, seeing you like this, crying and trembling he feels his heart breaks to pieces. And crying because of a stupid dream of him dying makes it even worse.

He knows it’s selfish but how he’s happy. Because he feels so loved right now. You’re crying over him, even if it’s just his dream self, you’re still crying for him. His heart does a little flutter. Still his main priority is comforting you, he’s no stranger to nightmares and you’re always there to comfort him when he’s bothered by his own ugly thoughts and dreams.

But Dazai felt so helpless, and he uttered out the most cliché words, but he couldn’t help it. Not when his love is trembling in fear right in his arms. 

“Samu you” you exhales, trying to find your composure but every time you think you’ve stopped crying the minute you look into his eyes the tears start coming again. It was horrible, the image of your nightmare just replaying in your head.

Wrapping your hands around him you hug him tightly, you’re afraid he may not be able to breathe so you release it a bit. “Don’t fucking die” you threaten and Dazai can’t help but smile. This woman.

“Bella sshh” he seeks out your lips, kissing you again. “M’here, right here, yeah?” he pulls back and hold your face with both hands and rests his forehead against yours.

You’ve calmed down a bit, forehead resting against his. “Osamu, just” you found it hard to speak. Your body slightly trembling, seeking your lover’s touch.  “Don’t move, just hold me…please”

He wraps his arms tighter around your form, you snuggle into him and close your eyes.

Dazai found himself humming softly and patting your back in a comforting manner. He kept doing so until he felt your light snore and the slower heartbeat. The steady thump thump thump comforting him.

“I love you very much and I won’t leave” he whispered and placed a kiss on the crown of your head.

.

That night Dazai Osamu stayed awake and kept his lover tightly secured in his arms, looking over and comforting them.

[panlight]

One thing I always think about when the vegetarian vampire debate comes up: We’re told that animal blood tastes bad. As a picky eater who was often forced by my parents to eat food I didn’t like when I was a kid, I know how bad of an experience eating actually is when you’re forced to eat food you don’t like. So now imagine you’re suddenly living a life where your only choices are hunt and kill your own food which is a species you used to be and is able to communicate with you and beg for their life, or never enjoy the taste of your food ever again. And on top of that, unless you kill these beings, you have a perpetual burning sore throat!

This is another major reason Breaking Dawn didn't work for me. I had read all of SM's 'personal correspondence' on the Lexicon before I read BD, so I had it in my head that being a vegetarian was like, just The Worst. It was a huge sacrifice. It was strep throat and food you hated forever. It was noble suffering. And I vibed with that! I love that stuff! It's the exact same reason newborn!Carlisle trying to kill himself gets to me. Someone sacrificing themselves or suffering to spare others suffering is just *chef's kiss*. I love it.

As you said, animal blood is supposed to be a poor substitute. It all tastes pretty bad, but some of it (bears for Emmett, mountain lions for Edward) is marginally better depending on personal taste. But it's still the low-sodium sugar-free reduced-fat version of your favorite food at best. And that's not getting into the physical and psychological stuff! Here's how SM talked about vampire thirst in conversation with the Twilight Lexicon:

In the Twilight world [. . .] Thirsty vampires are in acute physical pain. It is comparable to the feel of a third degree burn inside your throat. It can make a vampire literally crazy for relief—beyond thought. If your hand was on fire and there was a bucket of ice water beside you, would you resist that relief? Of course not. You would have no reason to. Back to the average vampire’s viewpoint, neither does a vampire have a reason to resist. There is a fire, he or she quenches it. Problem, solution. It is not about pleasure as much as relief of pain for the thirsty vampire. There is pleasure in the act, but it does not influence the motivation before the act as much as the pain does. The well-fed vampire has more decision making ability left to him or her. (Except in the rare case when a human’s blood is so potent to a particular vampire that it sets his or her throat on fire like they haven’t drunk in months. There is more pleasure in the act in this situation, too, just as there is more pain in the motivation.) Blood drinking is an imperative. Even for a vampire who keeps his or her system full of animal blood, the lack of human blood is constant pain. I think the only human state that is even close to comparable is anorexia. Anorexia is too hard on a human body—in the end, if not given up, it kills a human. Vampires can’t be killed by starvation, so they manage. But it’s harder than you’re giving them credit for. My philosophy is this: I can’t judge vampires, because I’ve never done anything as physically difficult—nothing even close!—as giving up human blood is to them.

Maybe it's just me, but I got NONE of that from Bella's narration in Breaking Dawn. It's not a thing. She's supper happy all the time. Her thirst is barely mentioned. And I was like, what?! Where is the burning pain? Where is the unending ache? Where is the gnawing hunger for something you are denying yourself because to indulge would mean someone else's death?

I suppose you can handwave it as Bella being good at blocking things she doesn't want to think about, but this is usually in regard to like, fishing trips with Charlie, and not a supernatural constant pain in her throat. She complained plenty about things like the rain but is unbothered by vampiric thirst pain apparently.

Again, I was here primarily for the vampires (and werewolves shifters) but in Breaking Dawn it's like SM gave up any pretense she was actually interested in the vampire stuff. Edward angsts and suffers and denies himself and it's noble and romantic but the instant Bella's a vampire those themes are gone. She has one slightly tense meeting with Charlie on literally day two and after that thirst is just whatever. She's a sparkly superhero instead.

[fanfictiongirlie]

Twilight: Some Soulmate - Chapter Seven

Click here for masterlist

Parings: Paul Lahote x Reader

Description: Y/N a member of the Cullen family is imprinted on by one of the wolves, she is shocked, he is shocked. She is struggling with drinking animal blood over human, and he is disgusted by a vampire for a soulmate… But maybe it could work..?

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: None

Words: 1,349

It was a few hours before the fight, and we were all standing in the clearing, well besides Edward who was with Bella. The wolves would be here soon. I was struggling, I could smell Bella's blood, it was making me thirsty. Jasper knew too, he was close to me, ready to hold me back from making another mistake. 

I was ready though, ready to kill some newborns, plus I'd be able to see Paul. As a wolf, I miss his face, and his eyes and his smile. Wow, I sounded like a love sick teenager. Brilliant. I'd come to the realisation, that our time apart had made me realise I was so in love with him. I hated to admit it, since I had never felt it. 

When the fight began I stopped caring about all that and focused on killing. It felt good actually, I liked punching something until it broke. Fighting the new borns was difficult though, I was struggling a little, I think they noticed I was the weakest. Due to my slip up a few months ago, I was still weak from drinking the animal blood. 

The wolves were here now, and new borns was shocked, they had never seen them before. It was great to see them fight. 

Soon there were only a few left, we were punching our way through the last when suddenly, one of the new borns knocked me, hard into a huge bolder. I was knocked to the floor, and everything hurt. I felt my skin crack along my limbs. I cried out in agony. 

The pain was so intense I had never felt my skin crack before, I had seen it happen to other vampires of course, but never felt it myself. Rosalie was by my side in seconds. 

"It's okay Y/N, it'll heal you'll be okay" She whispered stroking my hair. I noticed there was a wolf next to me too, I looked up and smiled, it was Paul. I reached over and he nuzzled into my hair. It made me feel calm. 

"The wolves need to leave" Carlisle suddenly yelled. Rosalie helped me up, and I hobbled towards my family. And one young vampire. 

"The Volturi are coming" Alice told me, I nodded, falling to the ground again, leaning my head against Esme. I lifted my top to see the damage, it was healing but there were obvious cracks starting from my hips going up to my shoulders. 

Jane, Alec, Felix and Demetri walk from the forest into the clearing. I smile at them, I also got along with them besides Jane. That little vamp was annoying. 

Carlisle was speaking to them, they were impressed we killed all of the new borns, of course they don't know of our alliance. Jane was surprised we did kill them, also she was annoying Bella was still human. 

Bella announced the date had been set which I didn't know. And then Jane noticed the young vampire. 

"She didn't know what she was doing" Esme yelled. I slowly felt my strength coming back. I could feel Alec feeling worried if I was okay. I smiled at him and nodded. 

Felix stepped forward to kill the little vampire. I could tell Esme was upset. I held her hand as I was still leaning against his leg. And the volturi left. 

"Y/N come with me" Carlisle spoke, holding his hand out to me.

"Where are we going?" I asked. 

"To Jacob Black's house, he was hurt. But Paul will be there" He smiled. 

"Think he wants to see me?" I asked. 

Edward piped in at that moment 

"He does, he was really scared when you were hurt"

I nodded and followed Carlisle, we sped to Jacob's house and he went into to treat Jacob. I noticed Paul standing with the others, there were so many more wolves now. 

He didn't smile at me, but he held his hand out, I smiled and took his hand. The warmth feeling so familiar. Before I knew it, his arms were around me, and I was resting my head on his shoulder.

"I thought I lost you for a moment" He whispered. I held on tighter, not too tight because I could probably hurt him. 

We pulled away from each other, and our eyes met. I missed him so much.

"I missed you too" He whispered. Did I say that out loud?

"I'm sorry, I was so spooked when I saw your red eyes, I won't lie this won't work if you hurt people" He said. I nodded completely understanding. 

"I'm so sorry I did hurt someone, I never want to feel without you again Paul, I won't hurt anyone" I say, smiling when I felt his hand tighten around mine. 

He smiled at me, and moved forward, I smiled back and closed the gap in between our lips.

Now this felt like magic.

_________

"A wedding?" I repeated, Alice giggled bouncing up and down. 

"Yes a wedding!" She squealed and then bounced away. 

I had to admit I was excited, I had been to Carlisle and Esme's wedding, Jasper and Alice's and Rosalie and Emmett's. And now I get to go to Edward's and Bella's. I was excited and looking forward to it, I was also looking forward to not wanting to kill Bella all the time. 

I would be able to ask Paul if he would attend too! Once my eyes had gone back to normal, I had been using contacts while the red faded, it was fun, because I could use different colour contacts. Which Edward said was silly, but I liked having green and blue or brown eyes for a short while before I went back to amber. 

Paul was a bit hesitant around me at the moment, I don't think he quite understands how difficult it was for me to be around blood, crave it with every fibre of my being. I wish I could stop for him. Become human for him. I knew eventually it would become a problem, Esme suggested adopting one day so we could have a family. But the only way it would work, would be to have a child who becomes a vampire, other wise Paul and I would watch them die. And I knew Paul could only just about handle me being a vampire, let alone anyone else he cared for. 

I felt so sorry for him. And for me in a way. We couldn't have a normal life together. I still don't quite understand how I'm his imprint if I was born 100 odd years before he was born. Fate is weird. 

Suddenly. I was pulled from my thoughts, to see Bella smiling up at me. 

"Hey, Paul is outside" She smiled. I nodded, and stood up. Quickly, I put in my contact lenses. Blue this time, and rushed outside to see him, standing there. Handsome as ever in his scruffy shorts and sweat shirt.

"Hey" I smiled, leaning forward to kiss him cheek. He chuckled, and took my hand.

"Let's go for a walk love" I gripped his hand lightly, and let him take the lead. 

"Bella and Edward are engaged" I said, stepping over a small log. He nodded. 

"I know, Jacob told us. He isn't very happy" 

I frowned, of course Jacob wasn't happy. He was probably feeling heart broken. Poor kid. 

"Would you go with me? I mean, as my date, obviously" I giggled nervously. Paul smirked, but then frowned. 

"I don't know Y/N, there will probably be tons of blood suc- vampires there, right?" He asked, I frowned a bit at his almost comment. 

"A few yes, probably our cousins. there is only four five of them" I smiled, swinging our arms together. He nodded. 

"Will I get to see you in a fancy dress?" He asked, I smiled and nodded. "Maybe underneath it if you're lucky" 

If I could blush I would, I was being ballsy.

Paul however, did blush. Result. 

"I might make an appearance" 

I smiled, and did a little jump for joy. 

I can't wait... 

Previous Part - Next Part

[cosplayproblemsposts]

Stefan reaction to finding out his Mate is a male human Pt2

Bella did not appreciate your sarcasm "say something to him" Bella leaned against the piano with crossed arms. Leah was stubborn to leave the room. Seth persuades her to give you two alone time to address the situation.

"Bella, he doesn't want anything to do with me" Bella shook her head and points at you. "You have to make the first move, don't have to say anything fancy" you groan and rub your temple.

"What would you do if you were in my shoes" Bella doesn't say anything, instead she slowly closes the distance. "He is scared and so are you. Do something or else you'll regret it" you wished Esme was here and not Bella.

At least Esme makes you feel confident to say or do something instead Bella makes you feel uncertain. She was never good at hiding her expression.

"I don't care if he is upset or delighted. It is not my job to keep him from tearing someone's head off". Bella couldn't take your defensive behavior or your disagreement any longer. "Say something to him or whatever. He is your mate not mine" she leaves without a second glance.

You pace back and forth worried, he wants nothing to do with you. The pull of a rope tightens every time you deny each other closure. What were you expecting, Bella chose to become a Vampire to spend her eternity with Edward.

"You must be aggravated too" his voice, familiar and yet it feels as if a stranger speaks every time he opens his mouth. "Not as aggravated as you" Stefan watches you come to a halt.

"You are worse compared to my former partners" Stefan doesn't take your word well. "Former partners? were they women or men?" was he being serious.

"What do you think tick?" You don't know why you decided to insult him. Maybe because he addressed you as the Cullens "Pet" or "Plaything". "I thought you don't like playing with your food" Stefan falls silent.

"I heard you address me as the Cullens pet, food, snack and plaything. You're not so discreet" Stefan twitches. Stefan had grown impatient and irritated.

Stefan grew more frustrated by the minute the wolf named Leah Clearwater laughs and leans into. How you laugh and smile in the presence of the Denali coven.

Never acknowledging or sparing him a glance, you ignore him as if the mate bond meant nothing to you. As if he is a burden, as if he is nothing but a blood thirsty vampire who sees you as nothing but a meal.

Stefan sped walks in your direction, a desperate attempt to get a point across. What's the point he has inhuman speed so why speed walk in your general direction. His action makes you back away from him, creating distance between you and a fuming Stefan.

He slows down to a slow pace but nonetheless keeps walking in your direction. You keep backing away from him "say it, say this means nothing".

"What the hell is wrong with you" you spoke in an attempt to make him come to a halt. "Say you are not mine and I am not yours. This is torture and you know it" you silently scream hoping someone will save you.

"What you are doing to me is cruel and mean. The more you laugh in the presence of those vegetarians frustrates me to no extent". Stefan, watch as your back meets the piano "you have issues".

Stefan stood in front of you a foot from you, he looked up at you "say it, say you loathe me as much I loathe you". You remain silent in hopes he'll leave you alone.

"I am not leaving until you answer me" you look around for anything to help you. "I... You are what you are. I don't want anything from you" Stefan shook his head and finally closes the gap between you and him.

"That is not what I asked. Do you loathe me Swan" Stefan watch you shook your head. "No" you spoke lowly but loud enough for him to hear. Stefan eyes takes in your features, red lips, sharp jaw line, strong cheek bones.

Stefan gloved cold hands cups your face, pulls you in to close the tempting gap. Cold lips met yours, Stefan is much shorter than you but there is no way he would be caught tipping toeing to reach your rosy lips.

The kiss was rough, almost as if Stefan didn't want this to go this far. But what would Vladimir say if he missed this chance to have you to himself? Would Vladimir laugh or call him a fool? It didn't matter anymore, what did matter is you.

Stefan smirks against your lips, you gripped his leather coat. Stefan seemed to forget humans need to breathe so when you pulled away from him, he was not happy.

"What? I'm not finished" you shook your head at him. Removing Stefan cold hands from your beet red face. "I'm human I need to breath" straighten yourself to prevent him from pulling you back down again.

Stefan doesn't waste a minute for you to catch your breath, once again he pulls you down. Impatient, rough and cruel to your once perfect lips.

You force yourself away from him "jeez man, I'm not in university yet" Stefan cocks an eyebrow. "Graduate high school, yes?" you nod, you shouldn't have nod "good enough for me".

Bella grew frustrated "Edward he is swapping spit with MY brother" Edward sets a hand on her shoulder. "At least they are not ignoring each other now" Vladimir skims through a magazine.

"Stefan wouldn't stop talking about him, I grew annoyed so I threaten if he doesn't say anything I'll chain him to a pole". Bella and Edward looks at the albino Vampire with an unreadable expression.

"What? were you not thinking the same thing" Bella shook her head making Vladimir shrug. "It doesn't matter anymore" Vladimir returns to the magazine.

[nephilimcursed]

Bella's Route: Haunted Dark Bridal (G-Edition) - Prologue Part One

The game loads strangely, with slight distortion to your screen. You are no longer... playing as Yui. How strange, instead there is a dark haired girl with peircing, warm gold eyes in the corner of the screen. The background is a dark forest at night, black goo seeps over the leaves.

Bella: "Huh, well that was rougher than most of my fights..."

Bella: (It's been a while since a demon has given me that good of a fight. Maybe it's because I haven't eaten in a while...)

Your character gives her angel blade a spin before putting it back inside the sheath.

Bella: (I should consider stopping by a gas station or something. The Clave only give me a limited amount of money, so I'll only be able to afford Ramen again... but it's better than nothing. Plus it's been 5 days since my last meal.)

Bella: (I'm so thirsty... I don't have enough pecunia to buy a drink though. I suppose water from a river can do.)

Bella: (Ahh- My shoulder was wounded. It's deep, if it had gone through even an inch more, it would have been fully through my flesh and bone. Ouch... It's stinging by the moment.)

Bella: (If only I still had my stele, all I'd have to do is draw a rune on myself to heal. I should have never lost it to those Moloch demons back in New York.)

Bella: (Since I can't go to a Shadowhunter Institue unless ordered, I suppose I'll have to wait to get another. Which means no more runes for a while. I have to heal the human way.)

Bella: (I saw the gas station up the road, I can walk there, wrap up my shoulder, and get food. Then... back to being ordnance.)

Your character trudges up the road to a gas station, and the background changes to that of a interior of a gas station.

Bella: (Finally, that was a longer walk than I thought.)

Bella: "Mphm, ramen..."

Bella: (I'm kinda sick of this, this has been all I've had for a few months now. But at least it keeps my body running in a way. I should probably try to find a place to get some sleep sometime too.)

Bella: (Now that I have this though, I should get bandages and disinfectant. Without my stele, I could get infected.)

Your character walks to the tiny section of mini supplies for the medical supplies.

Bella: (Good, this will cost me all my money for the week. But at least it'll be enough to heal me and gain some of my strength back.)

Bella: (Why does it feel like... someone is looking at me?)

Your character turns, to spot our first familiar face, Ayato Sakamaki. He is simply staring at her as if to admire her figure.

Bella: (Ew... what a fucking creep. He has nothing better to do, huh? Argh, men...)

Bella: (Whoa, that bone structure though... and those eyes. They're like pure emeralds.)

We see another familiar face appear in the scene, Yui. It's strange, seeing her not in the corner, but on the same scale as Ayato. She looks quite worried. There is a Japanese audio, but it seems your character cannot understand the language.

Bella: (That boy... He's familiar... That doesn't matter- he's acting with a lot of disrespect toward the poor girl...)

Bella: (Should I butt in?)

CHOOSE:

Intervene <<<<♡

Don't Intervene

You chose Intervene.

Bella: "Hey, I don't think that's a very nice way to talk to a girl."

Ayato: "Hm? What did you say...?"

Bella: "I said, fuck off. I couldn't understand what the fuck you were saying, but I know you addressed her in a hostile way."

Ayato: "What makes you think you can tell ore-sama what to say to chichinashi, melons?"

Bella: "Don't call me melons, Christmas."

Ayato: "Christmas??"

Bella: "Yeah, you have red hair and green eyes, idiot. If you wanna pick a fight with me, be aware I'll snap back."

Ayato: "..."

Ayato: "Chichinashi! Hurry and come back to the car."

Ayato exits. Yui goes to follow.

Bella: "Wait one second."

Yui:"Hm?"

Bella: "Are you okay...? If he's not treating you right, I can help."

Yui: "Oh... That's very kind of you, but when Ayato-kun gets like this... Best thing to do is do what he says..."

Bella: (I can't help her if she doesn't let me...)

Bella: "Alright, but hey, take my number. If you want, call me. If I'm still in town, I'll get you away."

Your character hands Yui a slip of paper with your number on it.

Yui: "Oh... How nice of you. Thank you so much..."

Bella: "Yeah, what's your name, kid?"

Yui: "My name is Yui Komori... Who are you?"

Bella: "Bella Wayland, nice to meet you, Ms Komori."

Yui: "Nice to meet you too... Thank you."

Ayato: "CHICHINASHI!!!"

Yui: "Kya...! I better go..."

Bella: "Keep my number, be safe."

Yui: "Thank you again... goodbye..."

Bella: "Arrivederci."

Yui leaves, leaving Bella to pay for her food and leave.

[pumpkinpot]

May I request #18 with Edward from Twilight? Please and thank you!

Absolutely, Okay so this is an x reader...Maybe Vamphunter!reader? So Bella isn't here. Either pre canon or AU. Up to you! Also, I took some liberties on the prompt lol.

Prompt 18: Lost in the woods, you're tired, thirsty and desperate when you stumble across a strange cabin.

CW: Observing?

Some time ago all the trees began to look the same. Some had orange and green leaves and others had green and orange leaves.

The knots had begun to look like eyes, watching you wander endlessly in circles. If they could speak would they laugh?

It was just like the forest to do something like that. When you listen closely you could almost hear it. A twinging laughter for the one that is always lost.

Except. you could hear it. Or hear... something.

You stumbled forward following the tinkling sound. Your steps soften to better listen, but the crunch of leaves beneath your boots echos around the forest.

A moment the breeze stops and you lose the sound but soon it is found again. The melody brings you to a windchime made of old spoons. the rain gutter from which it hangs from sags off the side of a dilapidated cabin.

Excitement exhausts the last of your hydration. Hours earlies your lips had taken on a sticky feeling but even that has left you. There was a single gulp of water left in your bottle and it was reserved for deaths door.

And here it was. The door was weathered wood, potentially built from something grown here in this forest. It looked like it might have been painted once but the hue of it decayed with the rest of the structure.

Dirt caked on the windows making inside impossible to decipher.

Your gloved hand knocks, twinging your tired muscles.

There was a shuffle, a few seconds of silence then slowly the door began to open.

It only cracks as far as to see half the face of its occupant. He looks at you wearily. "Can I help you?"

The air in your mouth sticks the word to your cheeks. Oh to be found.

"Do you have water?" you ask.

His brow knits. "No, sorry."

You look around tiredly. "Okay, do you have a phone I can borrow?"

He peers up at the burning sky. Light was a commodity minutes to diminishing. Soon the sky would wash itself of the day and night would prepare the hours.

He looks around. "Are you alone?"

Your lips pinch shut while you look for a safe thing to say. "uh-"

"Come in out of the dark." The words were not inherently welcoming. More annoyed than anything.

The exterior was generous with its interior perimeter. Somehow the lack of furniture made it feel smaller. Like a box made for animals.

Nothing but a singular chair, writing table, and a plethora of books kept the walls company.

Nothing of note. Mostly fiction and all of a similar sorrowful genre.

There was no food, no water, no electricity. Candles lining the two windows keeping the shadows from swallowing us whole.

"Cozy," you say.

He offers you the singular chair lowering himself onto the floor. "I don't often have guests."

You can't help but nod. "So what are you doing out here, in the middle of nowhere?"

He was gangly. Limbs folding over one another like sticks angling in odd directions. Despite this he was beautiful. The kind that would have sent sailors overboard, but in the most inhumane way it could be said. Or thought.

There was an imperfection that kissed humans. we were etched with trials and victories but mostly folly.

His skin was wiped of everything that could be traced with an intimate finger or fussed over. He was ethereal.

He regard of you was delt with a sense of healthy suspicion, but he saw no threat in you. It was true that your lack of direction brought you to him, but the question still remained.

Who found who?

"we're hardly in the middle of nowhere," He says, "The town in two miles east."

You slowly blink at him. "Thant can't be true."

He nods. "Just outside of Honeyville. Why are you here in the "Middle of nowhere?""

There was no answer that you could give that wouldn't warrant a good, thorough teasing. You sift though excuses in your mind.

Hiking trip gone mostly wrong, cryptid hunting, mushroom foraging-

He stares at you, smile growing and fading with each passing second.

Almost as if her can read-

"Got lost on a stroll."

He hums. "A stroll? Not cryptid hunting?"

Your brow lifts and you tilt your head. "Why, know of any in need or hunting? I'm more of an observing type myself."

He leaned forward his fingers lacing together in his lap like tree branches "Are you observing me?"

You straightened your spine. "Maybe I am."

"And what have you discovered?"

There were as many paths before you as there were trees just outside the front door. Lies, truths, half-truths, white lies, distraction, misdirect-

"you've lost your way," you say finally, "Found yourself separated from the pack. If I had to guess, I'd say, self-punishment?"

His eyes are focused souly on you when you look up. There was a glint of amusement, but more than that, there was unadulterated curiosity. "You are observant."

The tips of your lips turn up as you take the full water bottle from your pack. "So I've been told."

He leans back in his chair imitating a sigh. "So, do I get to know who sent you?"

The water stings coating your throat all the way down your chest. Getting lost really was the bane of your existence. "Does it matter?"

He shrugs. "I suppose not, though I am interested in how you found me."

"There was no need. It's a skill of mine. Get lost, something will get found."

"So what now?" He stands stepping closer until your knees knock against his calves. "Do we fight to the death?"

You sigh a heavy thing. "Didn't you hear me? I'm not really a fighter, besides I'm exhausted and-" you take three button mushrooms from your pack. "I'm starving."

[cheerycherrycandy-resurrected]

Ghoulette Appreciation Week 6

Week 6: Murder Ghoulettes and self-care

Aurora wakes up thirsty. Cumulus taking Aurora out on her first hunt, followed by a tiny bit of self-care with Cirrus afterwards.

Rating: M Content: murder ghoulettes, kinda vampire au, blood/violence/murder Words: 1270

In my mind Aurora is a huge Twilight-girlie, so you can't tell me she doesn't try and recreate Bella's first hunt to cope with learning what her topside diet includes...

Read below or on AO3! where this almost got named "good soup"

Aurora wakes up thirsty. She’s been topside for a few months by now, and while she’s mostly on top of this strangely fragile Vessel’s needs, she’s never felt a thirst quite like this. Her mouth feels drier than it does after a band rehearsal without water, like her throat is burning.

She delicately untangles herself from the arms of the ghoulettes around her and makes her way to the kitchen to get a drink. Grabbing the largest glass she can find, she fills it and gulps it down, immediately refilling it. Nothing. In fact her thirst seems to be worse than ever. Too cold some instinct screams at her. She puts the glass in the microwave, and takes another sip of the gently steaming liquid. Wrong. Aurora lets out a small growl which reverberates around the darkened kitchen, mocking her in her frustration. The lights flicker to life as Cirrus joins her in the kitchen, yawning widely.

“What’cha doing, Rory? ‘S too early to be up yet.”

Aurora turns to her with frantic eyes, gesturing to the half full glass of warm water, “I’m so thirsty Cir, but water just makes it worse!”

Cirrus seemed to wake up fully at that, blinking sleep from her quickly darkening eyes. “Ah. I thought you were overdue a feed. Lus is going on a trip soon, she’ll take you later.”

A feed? What sort of trip? Aurora rakes her fingers through her hair in frustration at Cirrus’s cryptic behaviour. With a tilt of her head at Aurora's confusion, Cirrus turns abruptly to head back to the dorms.

“Come on, you'll want to be sitting down for this.”

Aurora took the news well. Almost too well. Instead of the abject horror most ghouls displayed at having to hunt in their weak humanoid forms to survive topside, she seemed almost excited at the prospect.

"So we're like vampires up here?” There was a disconcerting gleam to her eyes. "That's so cool!”

Cirrus and Cumulus shared a glance. Oh dear. They recalled Aurora's current obsession with 2000s chick-flicks. She watched Twilight last week. Cumulus nodded sheepishly; at least this reaction was better than the hysterics from Sunny.

“Sure thing Starburst, just like Vampires.” Cumulus didn't specify that she meant the non-glittery-variety. “Go get changed, we'll head out this morning before the boys decide to join us. Rain always makes such a mess.”

Aurora practically skipped across the hall to her room.

"Good luck with that.” Cirrus remarked to Cumulus, “I'll have a hot bath ready when you get back.”

“Thanks love.” Cumulus rolled her eyes good-naturedly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I'll bring the little bloodsucker back in once piece.”

“I'm ready!” chirps Aurora from the doorway. She's met with stunned silence for a second.

"Sweetie,” Cirrus starts hesitantly, “What are you wearing?”

A short while later, once Aurora has been convinced that while yes, she definitely can wear that tiny silk dress, she really does have to put proper shoes on, Cumulus leads the way to the edge of the forest surrounding the Abbey. As she does, she makes a mental note of other movies to blacklist.

The pair trek through miles and miles of forest, well beyond the invisible perimeter wards of the Abbey. There is an agreement with the Clergy that although ghouls definitely need to feed, they should do so as far from the Abbey as possible, and not in the same region too often. After her initial excitement, Aurora now feels her mouth getting drier and drier with each step.

After what feels like hours, Cumulus stops, sniffing the air around them and smiling.

“Alright Rory, you're good to go.”

"What do I do?” Aurora asks uncertainly. The air here felt thick, and held the same allure as the waft of Mountain's freshly baked bread did.

“Oh you'll see,” Cumulus smirks, "just follow your nose.”

Aurora took a deep sniff before instinctually dropping into a hunting crouch. The scent was stronger down here, sticking to the leaves underfoot. She slinks through the trees, tracking the captivating smell until the air around them is rich with it. A gust of wind blows it even stronger in their direction, and she takes off running in the direction of the mouthwatering aroma. The branches around her tear at the flimsy satin of her dress and Cumulus has to laugh internally at the destruction: what did she expect?

The deer hunter Aurora has tracked never stood a chance. Before he could even link the sounds of branches snapping with danger, the small ghoulette is on top of him, his gun still raised in the direction of a spooked deer that is now bolting away.

She rips and tears at his flesh with vicious fangs and claws, carving through bone and sinew, and devouring blood, viscera, organs. The rush of warmth on her tongue and the sweet, metallic tang finally satiates her unholy thirst. As Aurora begins to return to herself from the red haze of the hunt, Cumulus looks on proudly, with feral eyes of her own. There is blood smeared around Aurora's mouth, her entirely ridiculous dress is hanging onto her by threads, more rip than fabric, and Cumulus can't help but marvel at her terrifying beauty.

She helps Aurora maneuverer the remains of the hunter's lifeless body deeper into the trees. By the time he is found, likely months later, his ghoulish mutilations will be indistinguishable from those caused by a wild animal. Possibly the ghouls will see talk of a bear attack in the newspapers the Siblings of the Abbey read.

Aurora’s thirst may be satisfied but Cumulus’s is only baited, so the pair move on. It isn’t done to share one’s prey with another ghoul if they are not mated, so Cumulus will find another victim, she always does. Sometimes they even come willingly, hypnotised by her unfathomable beauty in the depths of the unforgiving forest.

Eventually returning to the Abbey, Aurora find that the less feral she feels, the more she realises how deeply uncomfortable she is; cold and sticky, covered in mud, blood, and Satan only knows what else. Cumulus tempts her to keep moving quickly, despite the tiredness that is setting back into her bones, by telling her how Cirrus won't be able to resist her after a hunt. She’ll run them a warm bath, meticulously clean her claws for her, and take care of her in every way she knows. Cumulus tells Aurora how she's in for it now, as she looks every inch the terrifying hellbeast that she is.

They enter the ghoul wing with their hair everywhere, wild nests full of twigs and leaves. They are careful to avoid the common areas of the Abbey looking like this. All the ghouls, no matter how reckless they are when hunting, know better that to give any indication to the Siblings of Sin that this side of them exists.

“How'd the little vampire do?” Cirrus asks Cumulus when they tumble into her room, jumping up to begin picking detritus out of her Mate's hair and usher them both towards the cloud of sweet-smelling steam emanating from the bathroom.

Aurora is doing great: she’s preening just inside the door, feigning nonchalance as she picks blood out from under her claws. The dress maybe didn’t survive as well as she expected, the liquid silk slip hanging off her small frame in tatters. She shoots out a delicate tongue to lap up a spot of blood on her arm, her high-pitched purr reverberating around the room with self-satisfaction.

Cumulus smirks, “Oh, she’s gonna be just fine up here Riri.”

[bellsandwistfulness]

and so what if i want to kiss his stupid lips and stare into his eyes in front of everyone until i can't breath and the bottom of my stomach is somewhere around my feet. so what if i completely lose my breath every time he opens his mouth. so what if i want him to fuck me until i cry and then hold me until i fall asleep. so what

[mrsbsmooth]

So we know you love Lewie 💗💗 Any thoughts on the other islanders, the season so far, the twin twist? And what steamy fics can we expect from you 🔥🔥My request is for a threesome with Ozzy and Marshall 🥵👯‍♂️ Wait, am I Kat?! 🤣

tbf a LOT of the islanders are fire this season, so I’ll take them all! Ok, FB has turned me into thirsty Kat.

I MEANNNNNNNNNN

Honestly, thoughts are all over the place. But thank you so much for asking!!! Here they are as of today:

The Game:

The first 3 chapters - 8/10 I was going to give it a 7.5, because of the repeating dialogue and a few spelling mistakes, but so far, I think it's better written than Seasons 4 and 5- maybe on par with S3 which is a season I really enjoyed. I'm really liking how Amelia seems to be responding to how you treat her, especially if you look at the scripts. Whether or not that will affect her actions remains to be seen.

The MC - 8/10 I gotta say... she's pretty cute. It does take some fiddling to get her the way you want her, and some of her facial expressions make it look like she's had botched lip job, but overall, she's definitely prettier than S4 and S5. (Except your S5 MC ^^ wtf she's so pretty???)

The LIs - 9/10 So far, I'm really liking what I'm seeing. Yeah, some of their dialogue is the same. But I think they're different enough in personality and where it matters that it's not as noticeable as it was in say, Season 4, where James and Bruno shared a whole heap of the same dialogue, but it was clearly written with Bruno in mind, so it just seemed OOC for James. We've got a cocky dancer with a hopeless romantic streak; a golden retriever boyfriend with a soft spot for his Nan; a funny, cheeky skateboarder with a 'why-don't-you-make-me' level of flirt; and also Ryan is there. The personalities are distinct, the character designs are great, I'm really looking forward to finding out more about them

Overall design and concept- 7/10 I gotta say, I'm optimistic. It's starting out really strong for a new season. I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea, as it's a little 'gimmicky', but that's the road Fusebox are going down with the past few seasons. They're not just doing an 'open play' like S1, 2 and 3 where you come in as an OG and play all the way through. 4,5, and 6 are all 'themed', and I think having a twin in the villa is a cool concept that'll be worth exploring. It's been easy in previous seasons to just play for yourself, and say 'fuck these hoes' and just take whatever LI you want. But when it's your own sister, I think it'll make it harder to go after what you want - a moral dilemma with a family flavour. I kinda love it. Plus, if you have an identical twin that's as hot as you are, I doubt this is the first time you've had men confused about which one of you to pick💀

The Islanders:

Bella - hot. flawlessly hot. incredible rack. Her character design is absolutely gorgeous, and she is gonna be a fan favourite for sure. She just seems so fun, similar to Cora from S4, but more mature and ready for a romantic relationship. Can't wait to watch her bloom.

Grace - FB I will never forgive you for not making her a LI. I want her, those curves just *chefs kiss*. But honestly, if anyone's gonna be my bestie, I'm feeling it ith Grace. Yeah, she seems to like Ozzy, but she doesn't seem like the type to get her claws in and latch on for dear life a la Kat or Hope. Let's just hope and pray and beg that they're not making a brown girl villain again.

Ivy - I told y'all from the moment I saw her that I didn't trust this bitch. She looks too much like my cousin and my cousin is a backstabbing skank. I'm loving the concept of her though, this super type-A girl who (I almost guarantee) is either going to a) get kicked out early for being too picky, or b) have the most beautiful redemption arc where she ends up with a guy who ticks exactly zero of her boxes but she falls for him anyway. However, given Fusebox's history, I'm gonna predict she's the villain for about 2 days, then gets booted, same as Lexi from S4.

Jamal - Boys with J names 🚩... but honestly he seems nice. He's my backup LI at the moment. I'll see how things go with my #1 and might start again with Jamal instead. I think you're gonna get some wonderfully steamy scenes with this one. He's giving Bobby x Arjun, and that is something that deeply appeals to me. Cheeky, cheeky, cheeky. He's a saucy little minx and he's gonna be trouble, I just know it. Love his design, love his character so far, really happy.

Lewie - I thought he was a little baby-faced to start with, but honestly, I look at him and my brain screams husband. I'm getting Bruno x Gary x Ciaran from this one, and oh dear me, if that's not a combo that makes me swoon IDK what is. Love him so far, he's such a sweetheart but I love a footy lad.

Ozzy - I'm suspicious. I know he's already captured a few peoples' attention, but I was a little dismissive with him and he seemed a bit... red flag-y. Just a little too arrogant, you know? A little too flirtatious for someone who's very aware of how into him Grace is. I did like that he'd never had a one night stand though, although not sure how that meshes with the celebrity he apparently hooked up with in the dance studio? Because in the challenge he said he'd never dated a celebrity, but he also said he's never had a one night stand, so did he have a celebrity FWB????? The stories just aren't adding up to me. I don't trust him. Also his jaw's too sharp. And his flirty face looks like Rocco from S2. This one:

🥴

Ryan - Literally who? I keep forgetting he exists. Take your Timothee Chalamet ass away. IDK why but I'm getting Nicolas vibes from this one. 0/10 do not trust. It's something about the face.

Fics:

You want steamy fics? The @litgwritersroom asks are open, just sayinnnn

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

"Yee-Haw, partner"

Now, my dear Bella (@ivquatro 's Farmer OC), today is your turn 🛞 🤠🐮

The sun was scorching today. All living things fled to the cool shade. The atmosphere at Blue Moon Vineyard was peaceful and tranquil. But that would soon change.

On the Bella's wristwatch, noon would soon strike in a minute.

"Well, well, well... I see you've come after all, hero. I thought you'd run, like a little chicken, ha-ha-ha! But you're here now... And this is where you'll meet your death!", Julian had to admit that trying to look and sound menacing with the false mustache tickling his nose was a bit of a challenge. But, dressed in a cowboy villain costume, he did quite well in his role.

"You will not hurt these poor people of this town again, for I have become their sheriff", Bella, with the golden sheriff's star on her chest, adjusted her cowboy hat and stood in front of Julian, waiting for the clock to strike twelve.

"Sheriff? Oh-ho-ho! How funny... Don't worry, sheriffs don't stay here long!"

A dramatic pause, the sound of the wind, the scorching heat, and the ticking of the watch.

Tick, tick, tick....

Ding-dong!

With the first sound, Bella and Julian pulled out their (toy) guns and shot each other. Two pops were heard in the air, followed a moment later by Julian's shrieking and panting.

"Augh! Damn you, hero...", Imitating the sounds of approaching death, Julian dramatically fell to the ground and stuck out his tongue to make it clear that he had died in the duel.

Bella smirked."I never miss a shot". She stood in a cool pose, her curls fluttering in the wind.

"And cut!" From behind the bushes Scarlett raised her voice.

Hearing the coveted word, Julian - oh, what a miracle! - rose from the dead and approached the bush from which Scarlett and Sophia had emerged. Bella also joined the group of friends, for she was getting a little tired of being in the sun for too long.

"That was great! You guys were good job!" Sophia couldn't contain her excitement. "I will edit the video and we will show you the results soon! I'm sure we will definitely win the competition".

"Let's go to my house, I've prepared cold lemonade and delicious snacks".

Before going in, Bella handed Julian some wet wipes to wipe the dirt off his face.

"You did very well. Told ya you'd make a good villain", She said.

"Do you really think so?", Julian didn't consider himself a theater major, so Bella's words were very pleasing to him.

"I can see talent from afar". The red-haired girl smiled broadly. "Come on, I'm a little thirsty".

[panlight]

I am on my yearly reread of the twilight books, and the older I get the more ridiculous it is for me that the cullens are in high school. Like, they all hate it, they do not do anything to fit in, they pretend to be adopted siblings who all date eachother (super weird) and honestly the fact that Jasper,a former warlord, has to do high school over and over again while being super thirsty and dangerous to the students all the time... so dumb!!! I always wonder what Maria would think about it lol

It really is one of the most bizarre choices SM made other than imprinting on babies.

I've said before it feels like something she decided and then worked backward trying to justify. That is, I feel like she thought, "I want my normal human girl and beautiful vampire boy to meet in school" and then made up reasons why they would bother to go to high school ("to blend in" "if we start out younger the longer we can stay") and came up with a cover story ("Edward, Emmett and Alice are adopted by the late 20s/early 30s Dr. and Mrs Cullen; Jasper and Rosalie are Mrs. Cullen's orphaned nephew and niece") and then had to explain the sun problem ("parents pull them out to go camping and hiking on sunny days") and then just . . . didn't care that they were dating their foster siblings/legal cousins because "they're not actually related."

The other way one might approach this is like, okay, I have my cast of characters: 5 vampires aged 17-20, and two vampires in their 20s who play a parental sort of role, one of whom is a doctor. 6 of the 7 are coupled off. How do I think they would spend their time and what would be the most convincing story to tell the humans?

And I think if she stated from that, she probably wouldn't have come up with the high school students dating their foster siblings adopted by very young parents thing.

Options that I think would make more sense:

ONLY Edward and maybe Alice go to school. Maybe IDK Alice foresees they have to be in school to meet Edward's soulmate or ~whatever.

Jasper, Rosalie and Carlisle are all tall and blond. Boom, say they're related. Can be half-siblings if Rose and Carlisle want to keep their respective surnames. Edward and Esme both have brownish hair with some red in it. Esme and Carlisle are married. Alice and Emmett are dating members of this family.

Forget the family thing and say they all have some rare disease and Dr. Cullen has it too and is a leading expert and he and his wife run a home for kids suffering from whatever this is to help them learn to manage their symptoms. They get pulled out of school all the time for medical appointments not "to go camping." They are all pale with weird eyes but don't share similar features, so that lends itself to having the same condition.

Or none of them go to school! Why would you spend eternity that way! Edward can meet Bella at a library or a bookstore!

Or college. College would work. Can get a different degree each time rather than repeating high school curriculum uselessly.

[wastheheart]

Vampiric Starters

@an3sthesia asked: "i haven't fed for a while." (hello & thank you!)

Everything is tense, but what wasn't these days? Esme can't remember a year going without a hitch since arriving back in Forks. As much as she loves Bella, the girl's addition to their coven didn't come without its problems, and major ones at that.

Alec finding himself at their doorstep was yet another hurdle to vault. Jasper was ready for battle along with Emmett. Edward stayed lingering as he concentrated on thoughts and Alice on whatever future decisions played out in the moment. Once it was established that Alec was alone and not an immediate threat, their hackles relaxed, but only slightly. Muscles remained coiled under clothing and ever since, really.

Esme gingerly convinced her coven to accept Alec amongst them, and amongst them he had been for a tender few weeks.

"We can go together?" she replies, fading gold eyes reading his response before he can verbally give one. "I know this diet isn't exactly satisfying, but the more you do it the easier it gets." Her lips flicker to offer the smallest of smiles. "No-one would want you to be thirsty."

[mineofilms]

Review of: "Poor Things"

Poor Things (2023) Writers: Tony McNamara, Alasdair Gray Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos Stars: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef IMDB Rating: 8.3/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 79% Runtime: 2 hours, 21 minutes

Spoilers Ahead, You Have Been Warned... Plot:

A young woman brought back to life (Emma Stone) by a scientist named Godwin Baxter, who goes by just [God,] (Willem Dafoe). Under his care she is thirsty for knowledge and adventure. She runs off with a slick and debauched lawyer (Mark Ruffalo), on a mind-bending adventure across Europe. Free from the prejudices of her time, she grows resolute in her purpose to stand for sexual freedom, equality, and liberation. A quasi-retelling of “the Bride of Frankenstein” of sorts, with a few twists and interesting characterization. As all great movies have… Great characters… At the end of the day, movies are made for people by people about people. I think that is why many movies fail these days and why the super-hero genre business is as bad as most see them as far as quality of the story being told goes. $200 million to make a movie that is largely done in and by a computer. “Poor Things” had a budget of 35 million and at the time of this writing, made on its U.S. run 32.9 million.

The movie itself is fairly artsy in its aesthetic. Wide-angle approaches to shots, fish-eye type angles. Part of the movie is in black and white and the other part is of vibrant coloring. The dialog is pretty well crafted with lingo being of the times but closer to 1900 industrialism and some steampunk elements. The tone is childish at times playing on the feelings of Bella Baxter (Stone) as a woman trapped in the mind of a growing child but at an accelerated rate. The story takes a twist when Bella discovers sex and sexual curiosity. She realizes how little of life she has actually lived up to this point. God, has not allowed her off of his property and Bella craves to examine the world with her unique perspective, often literally portrayed through shots resembling the view through a front door peephole.

The film explores the boundaries of life, death, and societal norms. “Poor Things” is not easy to categorize, described by viewers as absurd, ridiculous, and strange. However, it captivates us with its exploration of these dated societal norms and intricacies of the time period it is trying to represent. The plot takes an unexpected turn revealing that Bella carries the brain of her unborn child. The film follows Bella's journey of discovery, from basic life skills to understanding societal norms and sexual liberation. Emma Stone delivers a standout performance, portraying Bella with unparalleled unpredictability. Mark Ruffalo adds a layer of humor to the narrative and is a scene stealer that will make most laugh. The film's R-rating is notable in an era where graphic content like this has been often toned down to get a lessor rating so that it can be seen in theaters by a larger audience. It fearlessly embraces its vision, presenting a violent and thought-provoking storytelling experience that is highly sexualized. This film, unapologetically committed to its vision, invites viewers to delve into its complexity, making it a journey that may not be for everyone, but certainly promises a unique and thought-provoking experience. “Poor Things” is based on Alasdair Gray's book of the same name. However, adapting a complex narrative like “Poor Things” is always a challenge, and I appreciate that the film stands on its own merits, even without having read the original book. Director Yorgos Lanthimos, known for his visually eccentric style, doesn't disappoint. The film transforms famous cities into absurd, otherworldly versions while capturing their essence.

The performances, particularly by Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Emma Stone, are exceptional. Stone's portrayal of Bella is as risky as it gets; yet a compelling performance, adding depth to a character discovering the world from scratch. The film offers a more human touch through Bella’s character growth and exploration. It's a dense, hilarious, disturbing, and heartfelt experience. “Poor Things” feels like a breath of fresh air, deserving multiple viewings. One of the film's standout features is its undeniable beauty. Shot on 35mm film, and uses more practical sets and visual effects, although there is CGI there. It is not as heavily used to create these fantastic visuals, but to enhance or fill up what they shot using practical effects on set. It creates a lush and rich atmosphere, combining classic historicism with vividness. The set design, portraying fantastical Victorian settings, is both outrageous and classical. The range in costume design adds another layer of postmodern flair, creating a visually stunning realm once the scenes in color start to show up later in the film.

“Poor Things” is more than just entertainment; it's a thinking film that encourages the audience to consider its underpinning politics of how women are seen during this time period, even though it is not a true period piece. The film is filled with literary references and symbolism, from “Frankenstein” to ‘Eve’ in “the Garden of Eden,” providing a multidimensional experience. Emma Stone's portrayal of Bella is exceptional, capturing the character's complexities. However, I acknowledge that the film diverges from the book in its characterization. While Bella in the film may display a more intense and unrepentant nature, it doesn't necessarily undermine the film's overall message. The differences in characterization provide a darker, more cynical perspective on human nature, contrasting with the optimism found in the original novel. Despite these changes, “Poor Things” remains a thought-provoking exploration of societal norms and the human condition. Its stunning visuals, coupled with strong performances. The sex scenes, while graphic, are still done tastefully and even comical in the brutal honesty of sexual gratification from an adult body with the maturity of a young child. Bella discovers sexuality and wants to share the bliss with everyone and doesn’t understand that sex is a complicated social barrier for most, especially in Victorian times. The film is cute like this all the way around and I am sure I will watch this again.

One of the oddities within the plot and characters is the backstory of who Bella really is. Why her body was chosen for resurrection and who Godwin Baxter really is? There is some dialog in the film and as I said I had not read the book but Godwin to me is Frankenstein’s Monster. Years later, the Doctor himself, has passed away. Has left everything to Godwin. God refers to the Doctor as his father and that he was heavily abused growing up. I infer this as the Doctor built Godwin. Was constantly attempting to make him better through very painful medical experiments. Only later in life did the Doctor treat Godwin as a human and then later a son. The one point that is shown down the board is the minds of the resurrected seem to have an aptitude for knowledge and experience. They want to learn and once they learn, well, how to learn, they tend to learn quickly and intently. By the halfway point of the film Bella has surpassed Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) in intelligence. This drives him slightly mad and full of jealously. By the end Duncan believes Bella to be a crazed manipulator that has bewitched him to ruin his life. It should be noted that Duncan manipulated Bella, due to her lack of knowledge of the world and being an attractive adult female to whisk her away to travel, make love and Duncan get drunk and gamble. When Duncan loses power over her, he cannot bounce back and it is quite satisfying to watch him descend into madness.

The movie does not linger on these backstories of Godwin, his father and the creation of Bella. They are mentioned to give some contextual meaning but I thought these were some of the more interesting pieces of the plot. All and all this is a beautiful film and a real whacky way to tell a story of growth, adventure and love from a growing woman’s perspective. Sort of coming-of-age story, but not in the same sense or tone as the coming-of-age films from the past. However, here, told in a really abstract, artsy and strange way.

Dr. Godwin Baxter: “My father once told me, "Always carve with compassion." He was a fucking idiot, but it's not bad advice.” Swiney: “We must work. We must make money. But more than that Bella, we must experience everything. Not just the good, but degradation, horror, sadness. This makes us whole Bella, makes us people of substance. Not flighty, untouched children. Then we can know the world. And when we know the world, the world is ours.” Bella Baxter: “I want that.” Swiney: “Now go and fuck someone and bring me ten francs.”

Review of: “Poor Things” by David-Angelo Mineo 3/2/2024 1,481 Words

[zoeisabelladaily]

Am I a Witch!

Dear Diary,

“You are a witch.” These are the words of Headmistress Mrs. Morgana Ravenscraft. Am I really? I don’t know.

Just Professor Xorki handed me a bag similar to the one I saw Mrs. Norse give to Ms. Tailholme. I’m not ready to open it yet; too many unanswered questions linger, and I need to write down the old ones before diving into new mysteries.

Last night, around 2 am, I woke up thirsty and went to the kitchen. Suddenly, I heard unusual noises and looked out through my window. I saw my parents on their knees with their hands tied in front of someone. The giant wings of a bird’s shadow loomed over them, and they went inside. Due to the midnight darkness and numerous bushes, I couldn’t see where they went, but I’m sure I saw them. The question now is, if they are here, why did Mr. Black say they would come after a week? Who were they apologizing to, and why?

It was a disturbing sight that kept me awake. Reading through everything I’ve written in you over the past couple of days, I’ve concluded that I’m not just imagining things. I feel like I’m part of something abnormal, something I don’t understand. That’s when I decided to go with the flow and not react to anything without fully grasping the situation.

In the morning, I packed my things and got ready to go to school with Mr. Arthur Black. He took me to Ms. Tailholme’s house in Ebonhaven Village. The village was cold and snowy, giving off a frozen vibe, like secrets buried in the snow. Ms. Tailholme welcomed us warmly, offering delicious blood berry chocolates.

After a while, they asked me to wait as they left. I sat outside her house, taking in the snowy environment, looking at the trees without leaves, telling tales of the village’s age. Silently spoken winds carried untold stories. Out of nowhere, an old, poor-looking lady with white hair and yellowish robes approached me. Her bent body and suspicious eyes reminded me of the eyes I saw on the roadside in Ebonvale when I first arrived.

She handed me a wand and said, “Majesty Bella, your trust.” I was shocked, claiming it wasn’t mine. She insisted that she had been waiting for me for centuries and requested me to take it, freeing her from this world. Confused and curious, I questioned how she knew my name, as only my maa had ever called me that. I told her there must be a misunderstanding, as I never gave her any wand. She insisted it was mine and walked away. I placed the wand in my bag, still trying to comprehend the strange encounter.

I was lost in thoughts about the old lady when Ms. Tailholme came, urging me to come inside her house to head to school. I inquired about my luggage, and she assured me it would be delivered. As Mr. Black was nowhere to be seen, Ms. Tailholme explained that he would come when needed. In my decision to go with the flow, I refrained from asking more questions.

The route to the school was different this time. Instead of a chariot, Ms. Tailholme led me into a dark room with a massive diamond shield. Placing her hand at the center, she instructed me not to look back. After reciting something and tightly holding my hand, she looked back, and we were in Mrs. Ravenscroft’s office. Lilith was there, and Mrs. Ravenscroft welcomed me, introducing Lilith Morvain as the leader of the chamber “Pyrocrest Sanctum.”

Lilith left with a book containing a sketched key. Mrs. Ravenscraft continued, declaring that I am a witch. It was hard for me to process. How could I be a witch? I know myself; witches can’t love, or can they? I was bewildered.

Mrs. Ravenscroft revealed that they had been sending invitations for my admission for years, but my grandma never allowed me to come here. She affirmed that I was meant to be here, not there. To my surprise, she disclosed that my grandma and parents were also witches.

The next step was choosing my chamber. They took me to the ceremonial yard with a huge circular fireplace connected to symbols representing each chamber, known as the “Foresight Fire.” To find my chamber, I had to make a cut in my palm, collect the blood in a silver grail, and pour it into the fire. After some time, the fire turned green, and through which one of the piller turns into green, and it represents that the chamber I had chosen — Terravale Hall.

Showing gratitude, we returned to the headmistress’s office. She instructed me to wait outside for Mr. Servius. As I walked down, I found myself in front of the same hut where I previously saw Mrs. Norse and Ms. Tailholme. Curiosity led me closer, and suddenly, someone’s hands were on my shoulder. Startled, I turned to see Professor Xorki, handing me a small bag. His behavior suggested he didn’t remember me, or perhaps he was pretending. He walked towards the headmistress’s office, leaving me on the pebbles, waiting for Mr. Servius.

Sitting in this different world, my mind wandered to Adam. I wondered, if he knew I am a witch — Would he have loved me ever? I doubted it.

Yours, Zoe