#but also the alternatives are fucking dyer

[eruden-writes]

Scent Match - Part 9 (Augustine & Amber)

lycan x human celebrity x non-celebrity

Summary: When Amber Dyer decided to attend a Creator Con, she never expected to run into Of Wolf and Blood lycan heartthrob, Augustine Prime.

But, there he was, stooping over her table, asking to buy the unflattering drawing of his character. Valuing integrity over taking money from a celebrity and running (though she was sorely tempted,) Amber finishes the sketch and delivers it to Augustine.

However, he continues to doggedly pursue her and entwine their lives.

All because of her scent.

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Given Augustine’s consent, Amber hummed and closed her eyes to focus on her task. For a time, she focused on him. It was easier to focus on pleasuring him than to combat the simmering embarrassment at the edges of her thoughts. As her mouth worked up and down his length, her fingers toyed with his knot with light touches. The heat emanating from him, the graze of his fur against her, the way his breath caught when her tongue traversed over a particularly good spot.

Yeah, this was simpler than her own deep-brewing emotions. It also distracted her from the memories with prior partners, their mean laughter or-

Amber shoved the recollections from her head. No. She was focusing on this, focusing on Augustine. All other thoughts dissipated as her focus zeroed in on him.

Unaware of the emotional minutiae plaguing Amber’s thoughts, Augustine relished in the circumstance. The hot, soft feel of her paired with her steady pace agonized and thrilled him. He wanted more. His fingers flexed briefly, tempted to grab her by the head, but he dug his claws into the sheets. Keeping his hips from bucking into her warm mouth was harder, but he managed.

The last thing he wanted to do was risk startling her or scaring her off. He didn’t want to see her disappointed or affronted expression if he reciprocated. This was entirely about her getting comfortable with him.

Besides, Amber’s mouth and hands were plenty enough to focus on without him touching her.

But, gods, he wanted to touch her.

Augustine bit down on the desire, sinking back onto the bed to just feel Amber’s mouth work or her hands caress him. Warmth and wetness and the little, absentminded sounds she made while on his cock razed through him.

She hadn’t taken him fully into her mouth again. While her head bobbed, one of her hands stroked his neglected length as her other hand stroked his knot. As soon as her pace increased, as soon as she took a little more of him with every pass, heat tightened in his center. In small ways, Augustine tried to shift for fuller friction, more sensation, as he pressed his head back and panted, deep rumbles echoing in his chest.

It was only after a particular squeeze of her hand and a dip of her head that Augustine realized the pressure building in him was cresting. A sudden throb through his cock, drawing a grunt from him, made him all the more aware of his oncoming orgasm. “A-Amber, I’m gonna come if you don’t st– Fuck.”

Augustine jerked forward, off the bed, as she took him fully in her mouth again, both hands squeezing at his knot. He curled over Amber’s head with his hands crooked and twitching. He just barely kept from grabbing her, from pushing her further down as his hips finished her job. His chest heaved as she stared at her, lips pressed to his knot and expression one of calm.

“Mhm?” She hummed, staring up at Augustine innocently as her fingers alternated in squeezing touches.

Amber couldn’t hide the slight curl of her lips as Augustine stared down at her. He looked quite the sight. Fur mussed and golden eyes wide, ears pricked forward. The movement of his hands hadn’t been missed, either. He was close to just grabbing her, but was holding back. Part of her appreciated that.

“I’m gonna come in your mouth if you don’t stop,” he explained, tone tinged with desperation and concern. Augustine could feel Amber’s amusement as her smile twitched around him. He had to swallow down his nerves before he managed to press further, “Are you okay with that?”

She gave a positive hum, but when his concern didn’t soften, she gave him a nod. Well, as good of a nod as she could give with her mouth being full of him.

Still, Augustine didn’t jump on her consent. He wasn’t sure how well his restraint would hold out and, given the moment’s pause, he had to ask, “Can I thrust and touch you?”

Amber lazily bobbed her head up and down his cock, feeling how his member twitched against her tongue as she thought. On the second pass, she pulled off him, swiping the back of her palm against her mouth to wipe away any stray spittle. “Don’t choke me or force me down, alright?”

A bright expression lit up his face as he nodded excitedly. His reaction made something in Amber twist, delighted and a little uncertain. Augustine’s hand landing softly on her head dissipated any potential concerns. At his gentle guidance, Amber neared his dick again, taking him in her mouth in a languid fashion.

With one hand braced on the bed, the other holding the back of her head, Augustine half-stood from the bed. The return of her hot, moist mouth ignited heat down his spine. He thanked his stars for the foresight in asking for more control. If he hadn’t, he wasn’t sure how well he would have held out.

His pace began slowly, feeling Amber’s reactions out until he dared to pump his hips faster, a little harder. Augustine was still cognizant of her reactions, her body language. He adjusted his pace, the power of his thrusts, based on Amber’s sounds and the way she tensed or relaxed. Soon, he found a satisfactory pace, though with every whimper or gasp from her, he had to fight the urge to bare down harder.

Not in charge of the pace any longer, Amber closed her eyes and let her hands drift up and down his tense thighs, feeling the muscles strain beneath his fur. Despite not being in full charge, she still rocked on her knees to meet his thrusts, pushing him further down her throat that he would have otherwise gone.

He was being careful, she knew. Complicated feelings swirled inside her, though mostly carnal heat pounded at her center. She forced those complicated feelings further from thought by focusing on the situation. The way Augustine’s hips jerked, his fur dragging across her cheeks, his claws curving a little further against her scalp as his hips moved, his breaths escaping as panting half-groans.

As his pace increased, Amber rocked faster and harder against him. His pulse throbbed against her tongue, cock twitching with every thrust. Led by instinct, her hands drifted back to his knot and squeezed tight with his every thrust. By the third squeeze, his cock bounced wildly just before thick heat exploded in her mouth. Augustine snarled - the sound scraping deliciously down Amber’s spine - and jerked forward, curling over her.

His body wracked with trembles, Amber once again took over. Pulling back enough so she could milk his length, she swallowed down mouthfuls of his slight salty-sweetness while Augustine continued to groan and twitch.

Only when she was sure he was done did Amber lean back, again wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand as she stared up at him. He wasn’t entirely terrible to get naughty with, she decided. Of course, a blowjob didn’t say much, but at least she enjoyed his taste, his sounds, the way he tensed and moved.

Above all else, Augustine had been attentive and accommodating.

Her stare hadn’t been lost on Augustine. As much as he relished in her attention, he couldn’t help but feel there had to be more. Maybe she expected more. He waited for her to say something, sensing the pensive nature of her thoughts, before he decided to break the silence. “Do you want me to return the favor?”

“What do you mean?” Amber cocked her head to the side, his question interrupting her own thoughts on their encounter.

“I could eat you out.” His orgasm must have burned his own caution to a crisp, Augustine realized as Amber’s eyes widened. He couldn’t tear his intent gaze from Amber as his nose twitched. Sweet lust still stained the air, tugging at his instincts. “I know you’re wet and aroused. I can smell it on you.”

Amber’s eyes dropped to his maw. A thrill sliced down her spine as Augustine licked his chops, flashing one of those wolfish smiles at her. Unable to meet his gaze with the flush burning her cheeks, she focused on a patch of Augustine’s thigh.

Just when he thought she was going to reject his offer, Amber mumbled, “Yeah, sure.”

In no time, Augustine had her tossed to the bed, back to the mattress. He’d managed to haul her up farther on the bed so he could kneel between her legs. The sensation of his warm hands, rough pads grazing her thighs, made Amber yelp and half-raise up on her elbows.

His actions froze, gold eyes darting to her. Amber’s heart skipped in her chest, feeling equal parts shameful and disconcerted. “I-I don’t want to get fully naked.”

A gentle smile crossed Augustine’s lips as he tilted his head to the side a little. “I have to take your panties off at least.”

Under his soft look, Amber clamped her mouth shut as heat burned hotly across her cheeks. He was going to find out. She was commando under her dress and sopping wet with excitement. Amber couldn’t bring herself to tell him verbally, though.

Augustine soon found the reason for her sudden silence. As his hands edged further up, nudging the hem of her dress higher and higher, there was no further fabric separating him from Amber. He stared down at her bared pussy, eyes roving as his nose twitched. Between the sight and her unhindered heady scent, his mouth watered obscenely. She must have felt his hungry eyes on her naked form, since she fell back and covered her face with her arms. Her self-conscious little whine only stoked lurid feelings within Augustine.

He wanted her to know how wonderful, how beautiful she was to him.

Amber swallowed a whimper as she sensed his mouth close in on her, feeling his breaths puff along her naked flesh. Anticipation and arousal coiled through her nerves, refusing any self-conscious inclination to pull away. The sensation of his tongue - hot and broad and wet - tentatively tracing her slit made Amber’s whole body jerk. Delight blossomed out along her nerves, replacing uncertainty with need.

Her reaction stoked excitement in Augustine as her scent, fuller and heady between her thighs, dizzied him. Or maybe it was her taste on his tongue, so sweet it pulled a moan from him. Before he had even let his mouth touch her, she was wet and glistening and so, so beautiful. He needed to hear more, feel her tense and shudder, come undone under his mouth. Moving faster, more intent, his tongue swirled around Amber's clit, feeling her curve off the bed with a keening whimper.

It was embarrassing to Amber how quickly she devolved into a trembling mess under his eager licking. She wasn't even sure when she lifted her hips to meet his hot wet maw or when her hand had migrated to the back of his head, fingers buried in his fur. Her other hand fisted into the sheets, bunching fabric under crooked digits. A creeping sense of heat crawled over Amber's body as her open-mouthed gasps tangled with her moans.

Augustine's growl and the way he bore down harder, his tongue delving into her and curving to nudge against her little erogenous spot, made a thrill twang through Amber. Even the graze of his teeth made her nerves burn with excitement. She wanted more, wanted to really feel everything Augustine had to offer, take it all.

Again her body jerked, her knees rising to squeeze against Augustine's head.

She wasn’t sure how long his eager lapping went on, how long she was a writhing and moaning mess under his tongue. Pleasure seared through her body and rebounded to simmer through her as a fresh wave crashed over her. Maddening and delirious. The carnal joy almost hurt as her body tightly clenched and tensed, twisting under preparation.

When the pressure crested and slammed through her, Amber lurched forward. “Augustine!”

Her thighs clamped tight to the sides of his face, pressing him closer to her center. Not that he needed goading. Her cry coupled with her orgasm sent a possessive pulse through him and he continued to tongue her.

Amber’s head lolled back, breathy moans escaping her even as Augustine happily licked up her taste. A few languorous moments passed as he licked her clean, before he finally pulled away.

A delightful singe crept over her body even as he pulled away. The shift of his fur against her bare thighs tickled, making her arch and sigh. Then Augustine’s words crashed through her afterglow, “Made you scream my name.”

Amber’s eyes snapped open, renewed heat staining her cheeks as her head jerked to glare at him. “You–!”

She was about ready to push him away, thinking this had all gone according to some convoluted plan of his, before Augustine’s soft chuckle stopped her. “I prefer this to what I meant earlier.”

Unable to ignore her curiosity, Amber narrowed her eyes. “What did you mean earlier?”

His face fell, his eyes rolling toward the ceiling as a dour expression creased his features. Heaving a heavy sigh, he mimicked the put-out bemoan he’d heard many a-time before, “Augustine.”

Oh, that’s what he meant. Easing from her paranoia, she combed her fingers through his fur. There was a thread of pain beneath Augustine’s reenactment, something Amber didn’t quite know how to address.

“Well, you are exasperating,” she mused, teasing as gently as her touches felt.

“Yeah, I know,” he sighed as he closed his eyes, resigned to the thought. Between Amber’s touch and the cushion of her thigh, Augustine could have happily fallen asleep. Well, he could if his turgid erection wasn’t digging into the bed.

“I mean, you’ve asked me to marry you barely knowing me,” Amber went on, rolling her eyes. Part of her still needled for that more realistic outcome. Something where he’d laugh and pull away, say it was all a joke. On the other hand, part of her sympathized with the more sensible people in Augustine’s life. “I can’t imagine your manager or anyone else on your team is thrilled with that.”

Augustine’s head shifted as his eyes opened. “Speaking of that, do you think we’re compatible?”

“Stop that,” Amber hissed, fighting down the burst of adrenaline his glowing gold eyes and wolfish smile had on her heart. She also had to fight off a shameful delight as his arms slid under her thighs and his hands absentmindedly stroked her.

“I’m not doing anything,” he protested, his canine maw somehow curling into a pout as his eyes widened innocently.

Warmth clawed hotly over her cheeks as she glared down at him. “You were grinning at me.”

Her reaction only broke his pout apart into a broad grin. “So?”

“You’re embarrassing me.” Unable to get him to stop looking at her, Amber pressed her hands to her face to gain some reprieve. It only served to remind her how warm her blush burned.

"That's something you'll have to get used to,” Augustine laughed, pushing himself to his hands and knees before leaning over her. Instinct burned at his core to touch Amber more, to get closer, to get as close as he could. He knew he couldn’t exactly do what his instincts wanted, but that didn’t keep Augustine from wanting more contact. A hug, a cuddle, a touch. He’d take what he could get if Amber offered it.

He hadn’t realized just how close the move would place them or that his raging boner would brush against Amber’s still cocked leg until she jolted. Regardless of his momentary lapse in judgment, he poised his features into innocence as she stared up at him. She hadn’t jerked her leg away, so that had to be a good sign. Right?

Amber’s knee angled toward Augustine’s erection, the heat and firmness a beacon against her skin. Incredulity mingled with amusement as she laughed, “Are you hard again?”

“Yeah.” His head dipped and his ears drooped in a half-apologetic movement, before his eyes locked to hers. Even his ears rebounded, pricking forward with intent. “Want to do more?”

Amber knew he meant fucking, but a different kind of heat blossomed in the scant air between them. Her eyes flickered to his, trailed over his snout-esque features. How would it feel to kiss a lycan, she wondered? How could they match up a flat human mouth to that somewhat elongated maw?

Those curious thoughts crept through her head and, before she knew it, she was moving. One leg raised, hooking around his hip and drawing him closer.

Augustine held his breath, following Amber’s lead as he lowered himself slowly at her beckoning. Her other leg eased between his, knee propped up to rub her thigh against his hard-on. Involuntarily, his hips thrust into the friction, a deep moan vibrating through his chest.

It was her hands reaching up, softly grasping onto the sides of his head, that surprised Augustine. His eyes widened, ears pricking forward as Amber guided his face closer to hers. It was when her eyes fluttered shut, her lips puckered, his own heart stalled in his chest.

A flare of uncharacteristic self-consciousness made Augustine feel large and bumbling, even as he eagerly leaned in, his own eyes closing and lips parting for a sloppy - awkward - kiss.

Contact never game as a jarring sound blared through the air. Augustine’s eyes widened as he jerked from Amber’s grip, head swiveling to the source of the sound. It was a ringtone he had been taught to never ignore. “Shit, I need to take that."

He bounded from the bed, from Amber, before she registered the change in atmosphere. She blinked after him, watching as his tail disappeared through the bedroom door.

[autisticarachnid]

Introduction to me and my MCs

Hello and welcome to my blog ! I go by the names Salem and Spider- feel free to use either. I am an autistic 22 year old lesbian from Florida, and I use they/them pronouns. I’m also chronically ill, I have ARFID & I am an ambulatory wheelchair user. :)

Basic Blog Info:

- My main interest here is Hogwarts Mystery.

- Some of my secondary interests you might see include Phasmophobia, Venom, Stardew Valley, Criminal Minds, TOH, ATLA/TLOK, Fnaf and horror, among smaller things.

- I’m also a metalhead and a goth. If you like Babymetal, Delilah Bon, Bloodywood, The Bridge City Sinners, Nickelback, Lesbian Bed Death, Vision Video, Korn or Artio, be my friend please 🙏🙏

- I have a taleblr specific blog, @allabouttaleblr

- I have adhd and autism. I will talk and ramble a lot, so be warned

- Due to my ADHD and Autism, I have significant trouble with social cues, sarcasm, joking and being teased (please, only tease me if we are very close friends, and even so, I have boundaries about that). I also may say or do things without realizing, so if I ever say or do anything that makes you uncomfy, PLEASE lemme know 🙏🙏🙏🙏

- I’m always open to new friends so please dm me ! I’ll respond

- I do occasionally post/rb nsfw content. i will always tag it (call me out if i don’t) but if that will make u way too uncomfy, you’re free to leave ^^ /lh /gen

- I generally classify myself as an anti but I’m not going to argue over it. If you’re proship or argumentative, I’m just gonna block you. I’m here to vibe and have fun.

- I will also happily block anyone who tries to bring drama or ableism onto my page, or disrespects any boundaries ❤️

My lil DNI, just in case:

- Racists, bigots, transphobes, homophobes, trump supporters, TERFS, etc. spn fans (no hate against y’all /gen but I have trauma from the show and fandom). M*rk P*ll*grino fans/supporters (that man got me fucked up). pro-shippers. jordan/isaac frye supporters. JKR SUPPORTERS. ppl who go out of their way to cause and start drama. ppl who make mocking jokes about florida or the south.

As for my fellow HPHM fans, the following is an introduction to my MCs and the characters in my friends and I’s HPHM AU. Some of the MCs below are not my own but belong to my friends, and I will distinguish them as such. If you would like to make your MC a friend to any of my MCs, feel free to send me an ask !

Salem Jordan: My first and main MC, Salem Jordan is a lesbian, agender metamorphmagus from Galway, Ireland. They moved to Dublin, Ireland at age 9. They were sorted into Hufflepuff, and they’re the half brother of our AU’s Jacob, Jacob Dyer. Salem ends up with Merula Snyde, and becomes a magizoologist at first, before eventually switching to become the new COMC professor after Hagrid’s retirement in 2011. They and Merula settle in Dublin and have three children together. 

- Personality: Salem is an INFP-T, with a 2w1/4w5 enneagram. They’re a virgo sorted into Hufflepuff. Salem is kind, thoughtful, intelligent, creative, open-minded, stubborn, loyal, friendly, supportive, talkative and analytical. Salem is an autistic introvert, which may come as a surprise considering Salem is very talkative and excitable once they feel close to someone. Salem has autism and ADHD and uses they/them/xe pronouns, and they are always happy to make a new friend. Salem is a planner through and through, loving to plan fun activities and days out for their friends. When not in class,  Salem spends most of their time hanging out with friends, listening to music or tending to the animals in the creature reserve. They identify with the punk/alternative/goth scene, usually dressing in very alternative/punk/gothic clothing. Salem especially loves befriending those who are into creatures, alternative/punk fashion or rock/metal/punk/goth music, and also have ADHD and/or autism. They get along best with those who also like talking about their interests and are unashamedly weird. 

- Likes: Salem likes creatures, winter, cold weather, snow, punk music, alternative music, metal music, rock music, goth music, emo music, the color black, cats, reptiles, art, sculptures, sweet things, soda, history, rollercoasters and horror movies. Best classes are COMC, Charms and History of Magic, Closest friends are Rowan, Tonks, Badeea, Chiara and Barnaby.

- Dislikes: Salem dislikes hot weather, bullies, Snape, judgemental people, being judged, most food, steak, seafood, being touched suddenly or without permission, most sitcoms, being late and strobing lights. Worst class is Potions (but they don’t necessarily hate the subject itself, their dislike stems from Snape). They don’t usually get along well with overly loud/obnoxious people, or those who don’t respect personal/physical boundaries. 

- Misc: Salem has Autism, ADHD, Clinical Depression, Social Anxiety Disorder, ARFID, anxiety and later on, PTSD. They are an insanely picky eater (it’s way easier for them to list off what they won’t eat than what they will eat), mainly due to sensory issues from their autism. They’re an atheist, but they don’t really care what religion someone is, as long as it’s not being used to harm others. Salem has a Horse animagus & patronus. Being a metamorphmagus, they always have their hair some bright color- but it’s also always incredibly short. Their hair never goes more than two inches below their chin. They’re a legilimens, but not a super powerful one. They have a number of physical tics, such as rolling their eyes a lot, twirling while walking and pausing randomly while talking. Salem is usually pretty anti-authority and leans towards being very individualistic. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/703506663794245632/salem-in-october-1989-with-their-second-ball?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/669310537788719104/finally-drew-up-a-proper-ref-sheet-for-salem?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/711622813002383360/salem-merula-just-before-one-of-merulas-band?source=share

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Thalia Dyer: Thalia Dyer is the main MC of the AU, and the full sister of Jacob Dyer. Thalia is a bisexual half-blood witch and an eighth veela, with her mother being from the famous pureblood Carraro family and the granddaughter of the famed and esteemed Lucia Carraro. Thalia is from Porthcawl, Wales, has three (full) siblings total (older brother Jacob, older sister Cassandra, little sister Rhian), and eventually becomes a famous quidditch player for the Wigtown Wanderers. Thalia ends up with Talbott Winger, settling with him in Edinburgh, Scotland along with their three children. She uses she/they pronouns.

- Personality: Thalia is an ENFP-T, with a 3w2 Enneagram with strong influences from types 7 and 8. She’s a Scorpio sorted into Gryffindor. Thalia is an extrovert with a very strong ‘hero’ personality. She is brave, daring, passionate, courageous and energetic, always feverently standing up for what she believes is right. This can lead to somewhat reckless and impulsive behavior, but Thalia puts others safety and justice above all, pursuing the just, moral path to the ends of the earth. They’re outgoing and very friendly, and love to make new friends. She’s energetic and active, preferring physical activities such as playing quidditch or exploring. She’s a go go go type of person, rarely sitting still or staying in one place. If she’s not doing something, she’ll find something. They’re steadfast and eternally loyal to their friends and their beliefs, and isn’t afraid to fight anyone. She has a cheerful air to her, and is often happy or good at making others laugh. They tend to get along best with other outgoing, energetic people. She loves befriending those also into quidditch, duelling and other exciting things, but they must have a strong moral compass as well. 

- Likes: Thalia likes quidditch, fast paced things, action/horror movies, duelling, flying, birds, rock music, alternative music, the color red, leather or jean jackets, warm weather, cold weather, the season Fall, exciting things, cats, dogs, italian food, greek food, savory foods and rollercoasters. Best classes are DADA, Charms and Flying. Closest friends are Bill, Skye, Murphy, Charlie, Talbott and Tonks. 

- Dislikes: Thalia dislikes bullies, potions class, Snape, immoral people, people who take advantage of others, freezing cold weather, boring things, super spicy foods, foods with a leathery or gooey texture, bland food and injustice. Worst classes are Potions and History of Magic. She does not get along well with selfish or obnoxious people, or those who insert themselves into others business. She can befriend people who are much slower paced and prefer staying indoors and reading/knitting/studying, but doesn’t usually. 

- Misc: Thalia is an eighth veela, meaning she’s insanely attractive. She has Autism, ADHD, Anxiety and Clinical Depression, and develops PTSD after the fifth year vault. They identify as a demigirl in terms of gender, but most often just uses the term nonbinary. They also thoroughly enjoy putting their hair up and experimenting with hairstyles. They’re a considerably powerful legilimens. They become quidditch captain of the Gryffindor team from fifth year to seventh year, and has remained one of the better captains in the 20th century.

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/719806216667348992/judgy-thalia-her-brothers-shirt?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/714346812621881344/thalia-dyer-circa-1994?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/699179902296014848/today-is-the-birthday-of-my-beloved-mc-thalia?source=share

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Loki Colosa: My friend Rudy’s MC, Loki is a trans, bisexual polyamorous Welsh-Mexican werewolf with no relation to Jacob Dyer. Loki was born in Cardiff, Wales to a Mexican family, and came out as a trans woman shortly before her Hogwarts years. Loki is short with green hair and numerous scars, including on her face. She initially pursues a career as a dragonologist, before forming a punk-rock/metal band with Ismelda Murk and Merula Snyde in 1999. Loki ends up with both Jae Kim and Chiara Lobosca in a polyamorous relationship, and the three settle down in Cardiff, Wales with four children. 

- Personality: Loki is an ENFP-A, with a 7w8 Enneagram. She’s a Pisces sorted into Slytherin. She’s quite a wild card in her personality, and is known to get into full on fist-fights without a second thought. She’s fiercely loyal and very protective, and is actually so fearsome that very few people, if any, will willingly fight her. However, Loki is also incredibly intelligent, extroverted, energetic, confident and street smart. She’s good with animals and is a great friend, eager to protect those she cares about. She likes to play insult or bicker with people, but simultaneously knows to not push someone’s boundaries (ex. she will play insult a friend unless they’re genuinely upset, at which point she will become much gentler). She’s chaotic and friendly and wild, but overall a very good friend and an incredibly strong, determined ally. She gets along great with other outgoing people, and those also into quidditch, dragons, punk music and punk fashion. She most often befriends those with a good sense of humor, a chaotic nature and ability to hold long conversations. 

- Likes: Loki likes punk music, rock music, the color green, alternative music, punk fashion, stars, animals, raining, cooking, listening to birds, bird watching, hair dye, makeup, making fun of Ben Copper, DADA, quidditch, COMC, dragons, dangerous creatures and metal music. Best classes are DADA and COMC. Closest friends are Jae, Chiara, Tonks, Tulip and Bill. 

- Dislikes: Loki dislikes hiking, long car rides, sand, crowds, chickens, ice, history, fishing, air planes, bowling, Ben Copper, history of magic class, boring things, stuck-up people and bigots. Worst classes are History of Magic and Astronomy. She does not get along with people who are in any way bigoted, stuck up, purposefully ignorant or blatantly hypocritical (and she will absolutely deck them in the face, too). 

- Misc: Loki is a werewolf, and was bitten as a child. However, she doesn’t outright fear the moon; she somewhat embraces her werewolf identity, though she is afraid of hurting people unintentionally. She has the mindset of ‘I’m already a werewolf, I ought not to hate myself for something out of my control’. She has four younger half siblings- three muggles, and one a wizard. She plays the drums in her band. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/724599764196442112/shes-angry?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/723514529329315840/drew-the-best-girl-ever-again?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/701394776046616576/finally-drew-one-of-my-favorite-girls-again?source=share

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YdUvZiF6VBYpA4nuDVYP2?si=GUrpElL1SV2DJIILPyKvZw&nd=1

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Samara Graham: Samara is my main slytherin MC and the paternal cousin of Jacob Dyer and Thalia Dyer. Samara was born in Aberdeen, Scotland to a neglectful, workaholic Scottish muggle father and doting, history-obsessed Welsh half-blood mother. When Samara was 7, her little brother Arran was born. Samara is genderfluid and uses they/she/he pronouns. Samara tends to keep to themself, usually helping out the curse squad in terms of research rather than going into the vaults. Samara is incredibly intelligent, being the top Slytherin student in his year, and frequently being one of the top performing students in the school overall. Samara ends up with Rowan (fem) and briefly works as an archivist before becoming the Transfigurations professor after McGonagall becomes headmistress. Samara has three children with Rowan and the two live in Hogsmeade. 

- Personality: Samara is an INTJ-T, with a 5w6 Enneagram. They’re a Taurus sorted into Slytherin. Samara has a very naturally reserved, calm and collected personality. While Samara is shy, he doesn’t really dislike people; she just prefers to be on their own. Samara will happily hold a conversation with someone on any topic that interests them. Samara is also incredibly bookish, with a never-ending thirst for knowledge. Samara is almost always either studying or reading a book. They have a deep-seated interest in figuring out spells, and even ends up inventing a few of their own. While Samara is notably friendly and fair, she can be a tad overcritical- though, this criticism is almost always directed at himself and not others. Samara is always looking for new things to learn and new problems to solve, and rarely ever loses her cool or gets angry. Samara gets along best with those who are also intelligently-minded and like reading, music, nature and/or studying. He also often befriends those who understand his need for isolation sometimes and immediately respect it.

- Likes: Samara likes instrumental music, books, reading, libraries, rainy days, quiet, piano music, playing the piano, playing the violin, violin music, history, historical places, dark/muted colors, winter, gardens, cold weather, nature, storms, keeping busy, studying, academia fashion, solving things, sweaters, loose clothing, brown clothes and wandering. Best classes are History of Magic, Transfigurations and Charms. Closest friends are Rowan, Badeea, Chiara and Ismelda.  

- Dislikes: Samara dislikes loud noises, hot weather, falling, overly sunny days, being bored, not being able to learn, obnoxious people, overly bright colors, blatant rudeness and flying. Worst class is Flying. They don’t usually get along well with loud and super lively people, but they can. He doesn’t get along at all with purposefully ignorant people, workaholics or those who cast others out without reason. 

- Misc: Samara is generally emotionally distant, and can have a hard time expressing or admitting her emotions. They grew up with a neglectful, workaholic father who was never there and left their life permanently when Samara wasn’t even 15, and a mother who was genuinely caring, but often also away at work. Samara spent the first seven years of his life very alone, and so they learned to adapt to solitude. While Samara can definitely be emotional at times, they almost always have a careful, stoic façade up. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/717221031334543360/today-is-the-birthday-of-one-of-my-most-beloved?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/712189300427587584/samara-graham-circa-1988-reading?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/703506166554279936/a-portrait-of-my-lovely-mc-samara-graham?source=share

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Isla Lyall: Isla (Eye-luh) Lyall is one of Jacob and Thalia Dyer’s maternal cousins. Born to a pureblood, 1/4 veela mother and muggleborn father in Glasgow, Scotland, Isla is the younger of twin girls. Isla uses she/they pronouns and has curly, bright red hair and a personality to match. She’s one of the more involved figured in the vaults, and dreams of becoming a cursebreaker. She ends up with my friend’s MC Oliver Adams, and works as a cursebreaker for years before retiring early to work at Oliver’s bakery instead. She and Oliver end up with four children- triplet girls and a son- and continue to live happily in Dublin. 

- Personality: Isla is an ESFP-A with a 7w6 enneagram. She’s a Gemini sorted into Ravenclaw. Isla has a very creative, driven and playful personality. She’s naturally quite intelligent, sharp, quick witted and resourceful, but she’s also outgoing, talkative and enthusiastic. They’re light on their feet and talented at quidditch, but she also is very talented at painting and sewing. They’re quite inventive too, often painting their own clothing and even making their own outfits at times. She’s adventurous, curious and energetic, and is always doing something. They’re a genuinely fun loving person with a good sense of humor and a slight mischievous streak- though not as much as their twin, Vera. Isla best gets along with those who are also talkative, adventurous, creative and/or good-humored. They tend to befriend those who are just as fun-loving as them, or just as into creating things. 

- Likes: Isla likes stars, space, dogs, quidditch, astronomy, astrology, adventuring, exploring, duelling, gelato, playing quidditch, sweets, sewing, painting, art, diy-ing clothing, sweaters, being outdoors, sunny days, rainy days and baking. Best classes are Astronomy and Charms. Closest friends are Andre, Tulip, Tonks, Badeea and Murphy. 

- Dislikes: Isla dislikes boring things, being bored, overly spicy food, bitter food, loud thunderstorms, obnoxious people, people who brag, judgmental people, people who don’t appreciate art, overly hot days and freezing weather. Worst class is Potions. They do not get along well with people who are slower-paced, don’t appreciate art or judge others. 

- Misc: Isla is an eighth veela like her cousins, and is incredibly attractive as a result. She has ADHD and doesn’t use sexuality labels, but she is definitely not straight. She doesn’t appreciate being told what to do. She’s a seer along with her twin sister, but neither are very powerful. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/718849944045420544/today-is-the-birthday-of-none-other-than-the-lyall?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/686403090412339200/and-for-day-7-we-have-the-lovely-isla-lyall-with?source=share

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Vera Lyall: Vera Lyall is the older twin sister of Isla Lyall, and a maternal cousin of Thalia and Jacob Dyer. She was born to a pureblood, 1/4 veela mother and a muggleborn father in Glasgow, Scotland. She later gains a younger brother, Athan, and a younger sister, Evanthia. Vera mainly uses she/her pronouns, but likes to be occasionally referred to with they/them pronouns. She’s just as involved in the vaults as her twin, and while she initially wanted to become an auror, they ended up becoming a cursebreaker instead. She marries Badeea Ali and the two settle in Glasgow with their three children. 

- Personality: Vera is an ESFP-A like her twin, but with a 3w2 enneagram. She’s a Gemini sorted into Gryffindor. Similar to her twin sister, Vera is considerably intelligent, sharp, quick-witted, outgoing, resourceful, energetic, adventurous and good-humored. She’s also skilled with her hands like Isla, often painting her clothes and making an outfit or two from scratch. She’s just as active, inventive and resourceful as well. However, the main difference is Vera is surprisingly sarcastic- she loves teasing her friends and pulling pranks. She’s the most sarcastic around Oliver, whom she’s best friends with and loves teasing and poking fun at. Vera gives off an air of classiness with her well styled fashion sense, white-blond hair and makeup, but she can also be quite brash and does not at all mind getting her hands (and clothes) dirty. She gets along best with others who are outgoing, active, adventurous and fun-loving. She also, of course, gets along great with those who share a love of mischief and pranks and can handle a bantering friendship with lots of joking and teasing.

- Likes: Vera likes the moon, dogs, quidditch, playing quidditch, being outdoors, exploring, moon clothing and decorations, keeping busy, duelling, sunny days, swimming, painting, sewing, diy-ing clothing, stylish clothes, small dogs, divination, greek food, gelato, pulling pranks and teasing Oliver. Best classes are Flying, Divination, DADA and Astronomy. Closest friends are Tulip, Tonks, Jae and Penny. 

- Dislikes: Vera dislikes boring things, bullies, people who don’t appreciate art, having nothing to do, showy/braggy people, judgmental people, bitter food, freezing weather and overly hot days. Worst classes are Potions and History of Magic. She doesn’t get along well with slower-paced people, people who judge based on appearance and those who take things too seriously. 

- Misc: Vera is an eighth veela, and is insanely attractive as a result. She identifies as a lesbian and has ADHD. She, like her twin, is a seer, but not a very powerful one. She is a big fan of teasing/bantering with friends, but only with certain ones who don’t mind or actually like such things. She has a very strong-headed, demanding side who won’t allow anyone to tell her what to do. She’s overall a person with a big presence. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/718849944045420544/today-is-the-birthday-of-none-other-than-the-lyall?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/679613888641351680/the-gfs?source=share

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Fallon Byrne: Fallon Byrne is a muggleborn witch and the second youngest of seven children born to a French mother and Northern Irish father. She was born in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland on a property with a large yard that even connected to a small stream, and Fallon spent much of her childhood outside, always running around and playing with her siblings, even though most of her older siblings were several years older than her. She’s actually cishet and uses she/her pronouns. Her older siblings are Shane (13 years older and also a wizard), Lorraine (12 years older, but disowned her family),  Élodie (9 years older), Aisling (7 years older), Juliet (4 years older) and Matthieu (2 years younger). She wanted to become an auror, but she actually quit just two years into the job once she realized how corrupt the justice system could be. She went on to work as a cursebreaker, and she married Diego Caplan, having three children with him. 

- Personality: Fallon is an ENTP-A with a 7w8 Enneagram. She’s a Sagittarius sorted into Ravenclaw. Fallon is intelligent, sharp, quick witted, outgoing, talkative, friendly, stubborn, clever, confident, courageous, daring, adventurous, curious and bold. One of the more surprising aspects of her personality is that she’s insanely individualistic. She constantly challenges people and things around her: the rules, authority, traditions. She challenges the rules and norms a lot because she wants to get a better understanding of them and form her own opinion. She always seeks to be knowledgeable on several topics and such, and she absolutely will not let anyone tell her what to do or believe. She hates the idea of blindly following anything or blindly listening to anyone; she’s firmly of the belief that people should form their own opinions rather than listening to the authority telling them what to think. Her strong sense of individuality also ties in with her adventurous side- she likes to explore things, experience them for herself. She was actually friends with Tulip and Merula during their alliance, and that’s how she got into the cursed vaults in the first place. She, along with Tulip, ended up cutting ties with Merula when things went south, because Fallon does have a strong sense of morality- she defies the norms and expectations because she doesn’t believe they’re always right. She gets along best with those who are also highly individualistic, outspoken, outgoing, friendly, rebellious or adventurous. She most often befriends those with a similar love of either adventure or rulebreaking, and is drawn to those who also have ADHD. 

- Likes: Fallon likes flying, being outdoors, skateboarding, roller skating, ice skating, striped shirts, adventuring, learning, DADA, quidditch, Enya, ABBA, upbeat music, dogs, duelling, irish music and french music. Best classes are DADA and Flying. Closest friends are Tulip, Diego, Tonks and Andre. 

- Dislikes: Fallon dislikes overly hot or cold weather, the English (/hj), most classical music, overly spicy foods, bullies, judgmental people, authority figures, blind conformity, super bright clothing, stormy days and ignorant people. Worst classes are Potions and Astronomy. She doesn’t get along well with those who are narrow-minded, purposefully ignorant or judgemental. She also doesn’t usually get along well with those who are overly conforming or blindly follow the rules. 

- Misc: Fallon is half Irish and half French. She’s also religiously and ethnically Jewish, and is very proud in her identity. She is somewhat of a nerd; while she reads a lot to become as knowledgeable as she can, she also hyperfixates on certain topics like music and skating. Whenever she’s not studying, reading or in class, she’s out with friends, skateboarding/rollerskating, or just looking for an adventure. she is not one to sit still, ever. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/720444260962484224/the-girl-again?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/716076882883444737/two-dorks-spotted-on-hogwarts-grounds?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/704077541064966144/today-is-the-birthday-of-my-lovely-oc-fallon?source=share

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Codi Nozawa: Codi Nozawa is a pureblood Japanese-Irish trans witch born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Her father is William Nozawa, a Japanese man born and raised in Ireland, while her mother is Masaki Keneko, a Japanese witch born and raised in Japan. Codi has twin younger siblings: Keiji and Kenna, born in August 1977. Codi is a big fan of herbology and plants, and ends up becoming a herbologist and marries fellow MC, Amaryllis Ferrara. The two end up with a daughter and a son. 

- Personality: Codi is an INFJ-T with a 5w6 enneagram. She’s a cancer sorted into Gryffindor. Codi is courageous, quiet, bookish, intelligent, observant, dutiful, polite, patient, practical, chivalrous and clever. She’s a bookish sort of person with a strong work ethic, and a strong moral code that pushes her to help others out whenever possible. She tends to keep to herself, but she’s by no means unfriendly; she loves talking about herbology and will go on about it for hours. She’s happy to be alone in a corner and to be surrounded by people all talking about herbs. She gets along best with those who are also introverted, autistic and/or share a love of herbology. 

- Likes: Codi likes books, herbs, herbology, plants, reading, studying, gardening, cool weather, warm weather, rainy days, flowers, savory food, sweets, gyoza, curry rice, her parents cooking, libraries, quiet days, muted colors and sweaters. Best classes are Herbology and Charms. Closest friends are Liz and Badeea.  

- Dislikes: Codi dislikes loud noises, crowded spaces, cramped/small spaces, hot weather, overly sunny days, divination class, super bright colors, neon colors, burnt food and rude people. She doesn’t get along well with overly boisterous people or those who boss people around. 

- Misc: Codi is a trans asexual gray-romantic lesbian. She’s a really good cook and often cooks in her downtime; her favorite dishes are gyoza, curry rice, okonomoyaki, sukiyaki, katsudon, tonkatsu and taiyaki. She’s not related to any of the other MCs in any way. She becomes one of the Gryffindor prefects, and ends up becoming head girl as well. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/721381214795218944/today-is-the-birthday-of-the-one-and-only-codi?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/688318588980019200/my-girl-codi-for-day-28-and-her-birthday?source=share

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Amaryllis Ferrara: Amaryllis is a half-blood south asian witch and an only child to a single father. She was originally made by a friend, who has since transferred ownership to me. She was born in the small town of Lizard in the Cornwall region of England, at its southernmost point. Her father, Chadwick Ferrara, is a half blood wizard who has dedicated himself to Amaryllis and giving her the best life possible. She’s fond of potionmaking and ends up becoming a potioneer and marries fellow MC Codi Nozawa. 

- Personality: Amaryllis is an ISFJ-T with a 9w1 enneagram. She’s a Pisces sorted into Gryffindor. Amaryllis is chivalrous, observant, friendly, helpful, pleasant, enthusiastic, idealistic, brave, cheerful, optimistic, hardworking, calm and open minded. Amaryllis is a generally cheerful and friendly person who likes talking to others and helping people out. They enjoy being around people despite their introverted nature, but she also just as much enjoys being in an empty room with a book in her hands. She often busies herself with a small project and is good with their hands. They get along best with those who are friendly but not boisterous, have a good sense of morality and are happy to both go out and do something and stay in for a movie. 

- Likes: Amaryllis likes potions, reading, divinations, savory foods, nihari, meat dishes, rainy days, swimming, the ocean, quiet days, relaxing, sweaters, the color red, winter, spring and spending time with her father. Best classes are Potions and Divinations. Closest friends are Penny and Ben. 

- Dislikes: Amaryllis dislikes hot weather, Snape, intolerant people, spice-less food, muggy/humid days, humidity, horror movies, her mother, judgmental people, being judged, being bored and having nothing to do. They don’t get along with people who are crass, snippy or judgemental. 

- Misc: Amaryllis is South Asian- specifically Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi. She was largely raised by her Pakistani father and therefore is mostly in tune with that side of her heritage. She’s physically disabled and walks with a cane. She’s a gifted seer. They have the unique patronus of a Demiguise. They identify as a demigirl and a lesbian, and use she/they pronouns. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/710356217014435840/today-february-26th-is-the-birthday-of-the-one?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/680168649050439680/an-amaryllis-piece-for-my-friend-rijus-birthday?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/674416206974959616/the-gal?source=share

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Blair Clark: Blair is a trans witch born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. She has a younger sister, Maisie, and they’re both the half sisters to Jacob Dyer and therefore Thalia and Salem as well. Blair is fond of writing, and ends up becoming a journalist. She marries Tulip Karasu and the two settle in Edinburgh and have two sons. She was originally created by a friend but now belongs to me.

- Personality: Blair is an ESTJ-T with a 6w7 enneagram. She’s an aquarius sorted into Hufflepuff. Blair is kind, stubborn, loyal, clever, sarcastic, intelligent, enthusiastic, friendly, optimistic, caring, curious, sharp, cheerful and level headed. She has a bit of a sarcastic, teasing side with close friends. She’s generally a pretty honest and reliable person who’s happy to help others out. She’s extroverted but not overly outgoing; she’s happy to both spend one-on-one time with someone or be surrounded by people. She gets along best with those who are also generally friendly and chill-going, and especially gets along well with those who like writing and/or will banter along with her. 

-Likes: Blair likes watching quidditch, writing, charms, muggle music, magical creatures, jokes, teasing friends, flying class, the color yellow, sweaters, cold days, winter, fall, coffee with milk, milkshakes, strawberry deserts, roasting marshmallows, baked goods, rainy days and sitting by the fireplace. Best classes are Charms and COMC. Closest friends are Tulip, Andre and Penny. 

- Dislikes: Blair dislikes Snape, tea, making mistakes, most of her family, Filch, stuck up people, extreme weather, hot weather, muggy/humid days, humidity, super loud music, bright neon colors, strobing lights, gore, loud noises and people touching her without permission. Worst classes are Potions and History of Magic. She doesn’t get along well with people who are super boisterous, constantly draw attention to themselves or belittle others. 

- Misc: Blair is a trans demi-lesbian. She can be quite naive and bottles up her emotions a lot. She has ODC, ADHD, anxiety and clinical depression. Blair cut contact with all of her grandparents (excluding her donor’s side) due to them all being very transphobic. She has a good relationship with her mom, but has a slightly more tense relationship with her father; he struggles a lot but does try, and their relationship improves quite a bit as Blair becomes older. She has a few tics caused by her ADHD. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/674752607479316480/today-is-the-birthday-of-this-gal-happy?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/725231003621376000/i-havent-drawn-this-lovely-girl-in-wayyyy-too?source=share

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Danae Adhikari: Danae Adhikari is a half blood, Indian witch born and raised in England. At the age of 8, she was orphaned after her parents were attacked and killed while sleeping in their house. Danae had been staying with her aunt at the time, and was subsequently raised by her cousin. She is bisexual but generally uninterested in romance, and remains single her whole life. She ends up as an archivist in the Ministry. 

- Personality: Danae is an ISTJ-T, with a 5w6 enneagram. She’s a virgo sorted into Slytherin. Danae is quiet, clever, stoic, intelligent, calm, level-headed, apathetic, reserved, independent, analytical, hard-working and responsible. Danae is autistic and struggles heavily with emotions- mainly, she hardly ever feels anything very strongly, or in-depth. This can make her come off as emotionless and uncaring, but she does genuinely like to help people and make an occasional friend. She is understandably, however, very socially inept and tends to stay by herself, as socializing doesn’t often end well for her. She gets along best with other autistic people most, but also tends to get along with other reserved and very introverted people. 

- Likes: Danae likes long sleeves, cool weather, winter, snow, rainy days, stormy days, forests, quiet, libraries, dim/low-light places, loose clothes, tea, warm drinks, hot chocolate, sitting quietly with other people, reading, wandering, spicy food, dal tadka, samosas, spicy foods, savory food, cooking, neutral tones and coffee. Best classes are Charms and Transfigurations. Closest friend is Badeea. 

- Dislikes: Danae dislikes hot weather, summer, sunny days, bright lights, loud noises, loud people, boisterous/obnoxious people, stale food, overly loud music, being disturbed, socializing, parties, slimy things, bright neon colors, strobe lights, being forced to do anything, being forced to socialize, divination and fighting. Worst classes are Divinations and DADA. She doesn’t get along well wiith super extroverted, loud, energetic or boisterous people. 

- Misc: Danae has autism, depression and PTSD. As stated before, they struggle heavily with emotions and rarely feel much of anything. Because of this, Danae is not very emotionally intelligent, and bad at reading the room and recognizing emotions in others. This can make her come off as rude, uncaring or harsh, but she’s truly not; Danae does care for others and likes to help, she’s just naturally very reserved and tends to avoid socializing, due to her poor social skills. Danae is also naturally independent and used to doing things either by herself, or in a very small group, so she does not do well in crowds or with a lot of people. 

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/695740381914136577/today-is-the-birthday-of-the-one-the-only-danae?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/autisticarachnid/682347084833308672/i-just-couldnt-stop-myself-so-i-made-a-new-mc?source=share

[starspangledsprocket]

Drowning myself in yet another strangely good show that Jensen Ackles just so happens to be in to forget the fact that my country is falling apart :)

[filmista]

Stranger Things (Season 1)

“If anyone asks where I am, I’ve left the country.”

As a  lot of you know I usually review films and not tv series. ‘Big Little Lies’ has been the big exception, although that’s a mini-series and thus an easier to cover than a series with more than one season.

But I wanted to make another exception and cover another series that I’ve discovered lately, really gotten into and thoroughly enjoyed: it’s the hype of 2016 ‘Stranger Things’.

Now you can’t be a regular Netflix or Tumblr user and not have heard of ‘Stranger Things’. The hype definitely got to the cave I live in, I’ve had people ask me if I’d seen it and recommend it to me. As always I eventually caved. Because you do start to wonder if it’s acceptable to venture out in public and not have seen it... 

But as is usually the case, I’m always late to a hype and don’t get into it until much later. I thought it wouldn’t be for me because I thought it would mostly be an homage to 80’s cliches that I’m not too big a fan of.

Also, I have to admit that I’ve never been that big of a fan of the government is doing, secret, fucked up shit in some top secret lab… it has a tendency to go really big and stray too much from subtlety for my liking.

 Although one day I was home sick from school and had an entire day of couch sitting ahead of me, and the film I picked was ‘Super 8’ which judging from its storyline, should by no means have been something I’d enjoy. But I ended up quite liking that film, because of it’ focus on friendship. And a large chunk of the morning past with it.

Much the same happened with ‘Stranger Things’, I had heard of it but I never thought it’d be something for me, yes admittedly basically because of preconceived notions about it.

Eventually, curiosity did get the better of me and I decided to read up on it a little bit, and all the mostly positive reviews convinced me that there must be something to it.

“Joyce, this is Hawkins, okay? You wanna know the worst thing that’s ever happened here in the four years I’ve been working here? Do you wanna know the worst thing? It was when an owl attacked Eleanor Gillespie’s head because it thought that her hair was a nest.”

So skip forward and there I was on the sofa watching ‘Stranger Things’, that same afternoon I watched the first two episodes, in less than a week I was done with it. And even though I didn’t love the first two episodes, I liked the atmosphere enough and there was enough tension at the end of the episodes to keep me watching.

I had conflicted feelings about the show at first, on the one hand, I actually thoroughly enjoyed the episodes and I wanted to watch the next one, but I also was always left a bit underwhelmed. It didn’t feel like nothing I hadn’t watched before to me.

‘Stranger Things’ is definitely a beautiful show, with all kinds of aesthetic wonderfulness, but its quality goes deeper than just the surface. While it does borrow heavily from 80’s films, there’s also a lot of nods to one of my favorite horror writers: Mr. Stephen King, I can’t be the only one that got ‘Carrie’ ( I love Carrie) vibes from Eleven.

It’s more than just about paying homage, to some of the sci-fi and horror from the 80’s, though it starts as a murder mystery and eventually goes full-fledged sci-fi,  it does without getting too overbearing kudos to that!

The creators of the show The Duffer Brothers clearly know the era they were working with and know their stuff, but the most important thing is that their love for the era and it's films, even it’s music shines through.

We all love some music, books, and films from the 80’s, though it is safe to say that not that many of us would like to live in it now being conscious of how hideous the fashion was, it really was…

So the Duffer Brothers took the 80’s and weren’t afraid to create something build upon existing elements of that time. But as I said ‘Stranger Things’ is much, much more than just a pretty show.

It’s well written, well acted, and man does it have fantastic music! (the soundtrack is my new to go to put on in the background while I’m working for class).

It’s acting is above the level of a lot of tv series, all of the actors, the child actors too give very strong and nuanced performances, they build their characters into so much more than just their 80’s archetypes.

Also how cool is it that 80’s and 90’s icon Winona Ryder is in this?! It builds around elements from known 80’s movies and it pays the era a loving, nostalgic glance.

“Yeah, that’s right! You better run! She’s our friend and she’s crazy!”

Stranger Things is set in the 80's in a small town in Indiana, Hawkins. A typical  “we all know each other town”, where really nothing ever happens. Until a boy, Will disappears without a trace one day. 

His three best friends are determined to find him. However, during their search, they do not find Will, but a mysterious girl. Without name but with supernatural powers. Meanwhile, Will’s mother is also convinced that Will still lives, despite the fact that every indication seems to prove the opposite- 

And believe me, there are still a lot more strange things happening in Hawkins. Like in many films and shows from the time, adults and children, coexist but it is seemingly in opposing planes, a lot of the parents are unaware of their children’s internal world.

This is especially so with some of the teens and their parents, the show illustrates that time when teens and adults begin to grow a little apart, beautifully. 

But in this show, a supernatural mix is also thrown into the equation, super secret shit of the government went wrong (when does it not?) and now there’s a dark, alternate version of the town within the town, inhabited by a monster (The Demogorgon)  that smells blood from miles away and feeds onto the inhabitants.

The people in the town that went missing get into this alternate version of the town called the upside down. Now the group of children figures this out sooner thanks to their mysterious new friend Eleven, Eleven true to the cliche was experimented on because of her supernatural powers, by the government in their evil, top-secret lab.

The younger people of the town are onto the truth much faster than some of the oblivious adults, and some adults also are sooner than others, some just stay oblivious to what goes on around them, like boring “enjoying your chicken Ted” the only one in the show, to never shed the skin of his stereotype and mutated into a more interesting one. 

Ryder’s character is one of the first adults that experiences that something supernatural is going on in the town, she doesn’t give up on her son, and comes to believe that he makes contact with her through the Christmas lights, and is thus still there.

Though of course in accordance to the cliche, she questions her own sanity first, but still, holds on to that beacon of hope no matter how ridiculous. And while some say Winona Ryder pulled some serious overacting here, that may be so but how would someone react if they lost their child?

She has others around her question her sanity, but the character that eventually comes to believe her and one of my favorite characters in the show overall: Chief Hopper.

It’s implied that Chief Hopper and Joyce somewhat have feelings for one another. And hopper himself lost his daughter, so he feels a lot of empathy and sympathy for Joyce, and is in the end always there to support her.

Now what I loved about chief Hopper, is that he’s not an overly macho policeman, he’s a very kind and sympathetic man, with a somewhat nervous disposition because of his past. 

He’s also an alcoholic of who we perfectly understand why he became one, but underneath all of that, there is still the same kind, loving man. And as a coffee lover, I love anyone that would say “Mornings are for Coffee and contemplation.”

There’s the group of kids, all perfectly played by the child actors.They illustrate perfectly that childhood friendships are some of the strongest we have in our life, but they also face disagreements. Though the star of all the kids is arguably, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven.

She delivers an insanely nuanced and emotional performance for her age, she never falters in the role and stays strong throughout,  I can predict now (and I’m probably not the only one) that’s she’s going to be big one day.

Then there’s the teens and the adults. The show is in this regard mostly focused on two families, The Wheelers and The Byers. All of the adults in the Wheeler household are blissfully ignorant of the events happening in the town, except eventually teenage daughter Nancy (who’s my favorite character but I’ll get to her).

And the Byers household. Now Joyce’s son Jonathan, who’s the brooding, quiet kid, that’s discovered photography (another cliche) at first doesn’t believe his mother and thinks that she has lost her mind.

“Maybe I am a mess. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I’m out of my mind! But, God help me, I will keep these lights up until the day I die if I think there’s a chance that Will’s still out there!”

Until he too is confronted with the events. And later teams up with his crush Nancy to fight the Demogorgon. Now Nancy (played with brilliant subtlety by Natalia Dyer) who’s hideous layering style, I find secretly wonderful.

Nancy at the beginning of the show doesn’t really start out as a character that we love. She comes across, as the very shallow, somewhat bitchy older sister, that’s just found popularity, she’s dating in true 80’s fashion, an enormous douchebag.

She drags her best friend, the shyer Barbara to a party she really didn’t want to go to, chugs beer, ignores all of her friend's advice, and further ignores her to give into her hormones, and lose her virginity to the douchebag her friend warned her about.

But the really interesting thing about Nancy is that she grows, and eventually evolves from that storyline. Like in classic horror movie she would have died after this, only this show doesn’t do that her and gives her another chance- 

She realizes she made a mistake with her friend and sets out to repair the damage she made. In the meantime, she also befriends the kid, who’s not popular.

And she just becomes one of the biggest badasses in the show, being the first to willingly go into the upside down, and the first to devise a plan to kill the monster. Guys I just love Nancy. 

“I don’t think my parents ever loved each other. They must’ve married for some reason. My mom was young. My dad was older, but he had a cushy job, money, came from a good family. So they bought a nice house at the end of the cul-de-sac… and started their nuclear family. Screw that.“

Which leads to the very cool moment of her training with a baseball bat a scene I love, she and Jonathan stocking up on stuff to face the monster with, and eventually fighting it. 

And she also moves away from her grumpy older sister image and restores her relationship with her younger brother. 

Perhaps the only decision she makes that some people would be bothered by, is her choosing Steve over Jonathan (at least in this season) but she still didn’t change her personality that much, she stayed true to who she is.

And Steve arguably was redeemed a bit in the end, as he tries to make up for his mistakes, and ditches his utterly awful friends.

Overall Stranger Things is a show with a great binge-ability factor, a clear love of and an ode to the 80’s, but that goes deeper than just becoming a copy of classic 80′s sci-fi and horror. 

But anyway what makes it great, is that as deep as it can be after you’ve had a deeper look at it (it took me a while to really warm up to it) you can also just enjoy it as you spent an entire afternoon watching. 

‘Stranger Things’ is probably one of the best-crafted shows on Netflix though, truly one of those shows, that transcends the quality, of what’s usually expected of it and becomes a true phenomenon. It was the most popular Netflix in 2016 in America, and with this outdid ‘Orange Is The New Black’ now that is a feat. 

It’s in quality just as good as any film. It builds up its atmosphere brilliantly, not only is at pretty and pleasant to look at (there are some great special effects and just beautiful use of colors and lighting) but it’s also all believable and makes sense.

Its atmosphere is dark throughout, it’s almost like an inverted fairy tale, it’s not every day that Christmas lights become something so dark and sad. But it also knows when to be lighter and let the audience breathe, so we get some very intense, sometimes slightly frightening scenes (this depends on how easily you scare I think though). Alternated with moments that are funny, or heartwarming.

It’s got a love of all things nerdy as well, the most important characters in it are huge nerds, and where these people would usually be the victims, here they’re the heroes and they get to stand up to their bullies. 

It has acting, that’s at the level of some films, no overdramatic, soap-like acting, everyone delivers strong and confident performances. And then there’s as I said that wonderful soundtrack, a true 80’s synth soundtrack.

In conclusion, I’d say ‘Stranger things’ is indeed worth the watch, though I like some people had some difficulty with the first two episodes. But once past those two, it consolidated itself into something with a high nostalgia factor, while still managing to become unique.

I for one, like I think many other people am all set to enjoy season 2 when it arrives on October 27th. Whereas for all the influences; there’s a great deal of them, Spielberg’s films being one of them, but all of those you can find plenty on the internet.