#but i doubt we’d see a lot of that in one movie

[hatonwriting]

I hope they explore the digi 02 kids’ interactions and dynamics on the upcoming movie please. I just wanna see how much their friendship has grown. Let us see those rare dynamics that were barely highlighted back in the Digimon Adventures 02 series.

[smileysuh]

ghostie

🌙 staring. Johnny x afab!Reader

🔮 preview. As one am rolls around, you start to realize that maybe tonight you won’t get a call. He is a frat boy, and this is Halloween weekend.  You’re disappointed as you get into bed, frowning as you scroll on your phone, hoping that if you wait another five minutes, maybe he’ll catch you. Five minutes turns into ten, turns into fifteen, and you find your eyes beginning to shut. You’re starting to understand how much you truly have come to depend on Ghostie as part of your nightly ritual. It hurts not to get a call from your favourite voice-modulated anonymous frat boy.

tw/cw. yandere/stalker subthemes, unknown caller, weed use, multiple reader orgasms, big dick!Johnny, oral, pussy eating, blowjob, deep throating, spit as lube, fingering, hand riding, dacryphilia, praise, dirty talk, cum/fullness kink, unprotected sex, heavy grinding, dick bulge, creampie, rough groping, slight restraint, size kink, submissive reader, subspace, dumbification, hair pulling, finger sucking, etc… I pet names: (hers) Tiny, good girl, pretty girl. (his) Ghostie.

👹 rating. 18+ explicit I wc. 15k

🍭 aus. uni/frat au, yandere subthemes, Halloween, etc…

☀️ mlist + an. this might just be the best John fic I've ever written, or maybe I just need therapy

Sunday 

You pause your movie when your phone rings and you look down at the screen. The number is unknown, and you briefly consider not even answering it. However, you’ve had two job interviews in the past week, and you don’t want to miss any opportunities, so with a sigh, you bring your phone to your ear.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Tiny, how’s your night going?”

Definitely not a prospective employer. Your sorority gave you the name Tiny during first year, something to do with the ‘tiny’ shots you always want to take, and only those within the Greek system use it on you. On top of the Greek-specific term of endearment, the man on the other end of the line is using a voice modulator of some sort, and it makes it impossible for you to identify him.

Your curiosity is sparked. 

“Who is this?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

You sigh, leaning back against your bed and setting your laptop to the side. “I get that Scream is having a comeback, but this whole ‘calling a girl and being mysterious’ thing won’t get you laid anytime soon.”

“Are you sure about that?” You can hear a hint of laughter in the man’s voice.

“If you’re not going to tell me who you are, I’ll hang up.”

“We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” There’s a pause then, “Let’s just say, a mutual friend gave me your number. They thought we’d hit it off.”

“Whoever this ungendered mutual friend is, I doubt they expected you to call me with a voice modulator and act out a Ghost Face fantasy. I get that Halloween is a week away, but come on… you can’t be serious about this.” 

“I am serious. Come on Tiny, live a little.” 

“You’re awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you, Mister Ghost Face.” 

“I’ve got good reason to be, trust me on that.”

You let out a deep sigh, going through your roster of men who might think this sort of thing would be funny. “Yunho? Is this you getting high again?” 

“Wrong frat, but good guess. I didn’t know Alpha Tappa Zeta’s star quarterback was a stoner, thanks for the info, Tiny.” 

“Shit,” you mutter to yourself. You hadn’t meant to throw Yunho under the bus like that.

“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone about his… habits. That would be hypocritical of me.”

You search your mind for the stoners you know. Ones who would have the balls to call you like this. 

“Do you want to take another guess? I’ll give you three chances. You have two more.”

Aside from ATZ, you spend a lot of time with Sigma Veta Tau. Soonyoung is a well-known blunt roller in the fraternity system, but he wouldn’t do a charade like this. He’s very open about hitting on you any time you’re at one of his parties. 

“Jeonghan?” you ask.

“Last guess, Tiny.” 

He doesn’t confirm or deny if you’ve gotten the frat right, but you can’t really see any other SVT members who would fit this mysterious man’s profile. 

Your mind wanders to Nu Chi Theta. They’ve got quite a few weed lovers there, and you’ve been invited into many closed-room smoke sessions with the dirty NCT boys. 

There’s Yuta, and he’d definitely have the gall to entertain a flirtation like this. However, you don’t know of any mutual friends who would ever set you up with him. With another sigh of irritation, you throw out the last name on your shortlist of stoner acquaintances. 

“Hyuck? Please tell me this isn’t you.”

“Close but no cigar.” 

“I don’t like this game.”

“You’re not supposed to like it, but it is entertaining, don’t you think?”

“What’s your angle with all of this?” you question. “If you’re not going to tell me who you are, then what’s the point of calling?”

The line is silent for a few moments. “I guess… I just wanted to talk to you a little, is that so bad?”

Your heart softens, if only momentarily. “Then grow some balls and ask me out like a real man.”

“Where would be the fun in that?” The mystery man lets out a short chuckle, and your irritation only grows. 

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re really annoying?”

“A few times actually.”

“Well, you’re the most annoying person I’ve ever met and I haven’t even met you.”

“Yes, you have.”

“God, I’m tired of this. Goodnight.” 

You don’t even wait for an answer, you simply hang up.

Despite trying to get back to your movie, you can’t get the mystery man out of your head. When you go to bed you can’t even sleep, your mind completely full of all the possibilities of who your caller could have been. 

You’ll have to do some digging tomorrow. You can’t not figure out who this guy is- and you know just the fratboy to give you all the details you could need.

Monday

Mark Lee is always fifteen minutes early, even when it comes to an 8am class. You feel like shit after tossing and turning all night, so when you slide into the seat next to him in the back of the class, he gives you a once over and his lips part in shock.

“Are you okay?”

“No, Mark, I’m not okay,” you snap, regretting it a moment later- after all, Mark’s not the one doing this to you. “Someone called me from an unknown number last night. A frat guy, I’m not sure who. He was using this voice modulator-”

“That sounds hella sketchy.”

“Super sketchy,” you agree. 

“I know it’s October and everything, but that’s a weird way to hit on a girl.”

“That’s what I said!” Mark always understands you. “He said a mutual friend gave him my number, thought we’d be cute together or something- whoever it was, I need to strangle them.”

“Is this friend a girl or a guy?”

“Mystery man wouldn’t tell me,” you groan.

“So… this dude could be literally anyone.”

“Not Yunho from Alpha Tappa Zeta, Jeonghan from Sigma Veta Tau, and not your roommate Hyuck. The guy gave me three guesses,” you explain, “the hint is that he’s a stoner.”  

“Lots of frat guys are stoners.”

“Exactly,” you sigh, leaning back in your seat. 

“What are you going to do if he calls you again?” Mark asks. “This kind of feels like stalker behavior.”

“It does,” you admit. “But at the same time, he calls me Tiny, and he says we’ve met before- when I asked what he even got out of the phonecall he said he just wanted to ‘talk to me a little,’ which, I don’t know, for some reason I feel like he’s not a stalker.” 

Mark gives you a look that says ‘You’re crazy,’ and after listening to everything that just spewed out of your own mouth, maybe you kind of agree with him.

 “So if he calls you again…” Mark reasks his earlier question, one you’d chosen to ignore.

But you can’t ignore it now, and you let out a deep breath.

“If he calls again… We’ll see what happens.”

“Tiny-”

“Mark,” you counter, knowing he’s about to chastise you. But you don’t want to hear it. If even he doesn’t have any idea of who your mystery caller could be, you simply can’t give up. If you never find out who this ‘Ghost Face’ dude is, you’ll feel unsolved for the rest of your life and you know it.

“Look, I’ll ask around a little,” Mark concedes.

You let out a squeal of delight, throwing your arms around your closet fratboy friend. He lets out a chuckle, gently squeezing you back. 

Mark’s a good guy. 

If only you were into good guys and not sleazy stoners calling you while getting a hard-on for being Ghost Face.

Monday pt 2

It’s nine o'clock and you’re starting to get tired while you study. You’re in need of a distraction, so when your phone rings with an unknown number, your heart practically jumps into your throat.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Tiny.”

“Wow, Mister Ghost Face,” you laugh, twirling in your spinny chair, “two nights in a row. You must really like me, huh?”

The laugh he lets out sounds genuine, even though his voice is obscured still. For some reason, the noise makes you grin, and you can’t believe you’re actually kind of having fun with this.

“I do like you,” the mystery man confirms. “Tell me about your day.”

“Tell you about my day?” You’re in shock.

“Uh huh.”

“No teasing or nothing? No three guesses about your identity?” 

“I’ll tell you what,” he lets out a sigh, “like you said, Halloween is in a week. If you keep letting me call you until then, I’ll reveal myself when you come to the party.”

“The party?” you repeat. “You make it sound like there’s only one frat party on Halloween.”

“Only one worth going to.”

“Is that so?” He’s so cocky- why does that turn you on? 

“Yup. In fact, I know you agree with me on this, because the past two Halloweens, you’ve come to my frat.” 

Your body freezes. He’s just given you a massive hint-

“So you’re an NCT boy?”

“Wouldn’t call myself a boy, and neither would you if you saw what's in my pants.” 

You swallow the lump in your throat, not sure how to even respond to the suggestive comment he’s just made. 

The man on the other end of the line lets out a chuckle. “Sorry, I’m two blunts deep. I should watch what I say to you, that's why I asked about your day.”

“You don’t have to- watch what you say, I mean.”

“Yeah?” You can almost picture him leaning back in a chair, a large half-chub growing in his pants- “Are you getting horny from a mystery man on your phone? Dirty girl.”

“Dirty guy,” you counter, “trying to entice me by saying your dick is big.”

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?”

“I’m intrigued,” you admit, “but not only because of your cock.”

“It’s a nice cock.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you about my day,” you sidestep. “Had an early class with Mark Lee, you must know Mark.”

“Of course.”

“Well, he has no clue who you could be.”

“You talked about me.” 

You can hear him smiling. 

“I bet you couldn’t even sleep last night. Too busy trying to figure out who I am.”

Okay, maybe he is a bit of a stalker. Or maybe he just knows you well… who the fuck is this guy?

“Stop being so cocky,” you insist.

“Tell me I’m wrong.” 

“Mark told me you’re probably a stalker, said I should maybe block your number.”

“I don’t have a number, if I did, that would be too easy for you. I’m an unknown caller… can you even block unknown callers?” 

“I guess we’ll find out when I block you.”

“Won’t happen though. What did you do after your class with Mark?”

“Are you really that interested in my day?” 

“I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t interested.”

He’s a cocky softy, who would have imagined. 

You wonder what you ever did to make this guy so sweet on you- you’ve dated men who don’t even care to ask you how your day went, and this guy is out here doing it practically for free.

“Classes were okay, my sorority had a little fundraiser at lunch, we baked cupcakes.”

“They were good cupcakes.” 

“Wait…” your stomach churns a little. “You stopped by?”

“I’m a sucker for cupcakes, and how cute your butt looks in blue jeans.”

You search your memory, counting how many NCT boys came through around lunch. You realize that there were far too many for it to do any good in deciphering which one is the man you’re currently talking to.

“Did we talk?”

“You talked to everyone who bought something. I’m not special.”

Except… he kind of is special, in a way you can’t truly explain… not yet anyways.

“Maybe you are a stalker,” you decide.

“I can promise you I’m not, but I bet you’d be kind of into it if I was.”

This guy makes you feel such conflicting emotions, you’re not sure how to even handle him.

“Look, I was studying when you called-”

“Right, you should get back to that.”

“I should.”

“Sleep tight, Tiny. It’s been nice talking to you.”

Part of you wants to return the sentiment, it feels second nature, but the words stop on your tongue. In all fairness, it hasn’t been particularly nice talking to the mystery Ghost Face guy. 

Instead of saying anything else, you simply hit him with a “Bye,” and you hang up the phone.

However, you don’t get back to studying, you immediately call Mark.

He sounds groggy as he says “Hello?”

“Did I wake you?”

“No.”

“I just got a call from that guy again. He’s definitely one of your frat brothers, and he’s high right now.”

“That doesn’t narrow it down,” Mark sighs. “We sort of uh… all got high at the fire after dinner.”

“Mark Lee!” you screech.

“Sorry, sorry!” Mark groans. “I’ll uh… ask around some more. We’ll figure out who this dude is.”

“And if we don’t… he said he’d tell me who he is at your frat Halloween bash at the end of the week.” 

It’s Monday now, and the party is on Saturday. That means you’ll only have to wait a few days… you can hold out for a few days… can’t you?

Tuesday

You read over the email a third time, but it doesn’t make anything better. The words ‘We regret to inform you that you have not been chosen for the position’ make your eyes begin to well with tears.

Quickly exiting your phone, you grab your things. You refuse to cry in the middle of the library-

The bathroom will have to do the trick, and you hurry to get there, holding back the choked sob that longs to slip out of you.

You’d thought for sure this interview would land you a job on campus. The interview had gone well, or so you’d thought.

You don’t even know why you’re getting so upset about this. 

There’s just something so devastating about rejection. 

You get to the bathroom quickly, shutting yourself into a stall before you allow the tears to fall again. You cradle your face in your hands, allowing the sadness to overwhelm you.

It’s important to have a good cry every now and again, and you definitely need this.

Your cries, however, are interrupted by your phone ringing in your pocket. Wiping at your face, you reach for the device, lifting it to your ear.

“Hello?”

“Are you okay?” 

“I really don’t have time for this right now, Ghost-” you groan, closing your eyes at the familiar voice-modulated sound.

“You do have time,” he insists. “Tell me what happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just saw you running through the library. Looked like you were crying.”

“I wasn’t crying!” you nearly yell. 

“Liar. Come on, Tiny, let Ghostie make you feel better.”

The affectionate-sounding nickname prompts you to wipe your eyes. “Are you sure you’re not a stalker?”

“I was in the library, don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Was?”

“I’m gone now, can’t have you figuring out who I am before Halloween.”

“Would it really be so bad if I did?” you question. “It would make me feel better.”

“Look at you, using your bad experience to try to swindle me,” you hear him laugh, and there are more sounds now, as if he’s walking across campus. “Seriously, Tiny, tell me what’s going on.”

“Do you always walk around campus with a voice modulator?”

“It’s an app on my phone babe, now answer my question.” 

“You didn’t ask a question, you commanded me to tell you what happened, and I’m not taking commands right now.”

He sighs. “Will you please tell me what’s making you cry?”

Your lower lip trembles. “It’s stupid.”

“Nothing that hurts you is stupid.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“It looked like you needed a friend.”

“You’re not my friend. You’re some guy who got my number and gets hard by pretending to be Ghost Face from Scream.”

“I could be your friend. Could be more than your friend. And I’m not hard right now. Not after seeing you cry.” 

You take a breath. “I applied for a job and I uh… they didn’t hire me.”

“Then they’re stupid.”

“Maybe I’m stupid.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I’m a girl who’s spent three days talking to a guy who keeps his identity a secret, and for some crazy reason, you’re actually making me feel better. That definitely makes me stupid.”

“No, it makes you soft. It’s one of the things I like about you.”

“Yeah?” you sniffle. “What else? And don’t say my ass in blue jeans.”

The man chuckles. “You’re soft, and kind. But you’re a fighter too. You’ve got a spark. Don’t even get me started on how smart you are-”

“And how would you know how smart I am?”

“For starters, you’re in the top-scoring sorority on campus,” he points out. “Whenever you come to trivia night, you wipe the floor with all of us. Mark talks constantly about how much you help him with his classes, which brings me to my next point, you care about charity. That’s a great sign of your character.” 

“You do know a lot about me, don’t you, Ghostie?” His words have stopped your tears, and you cradle your phone close to your ear. 

“Still not a stalker though.”

Now he even has you laughing. “Jury’s still out on that one.”

“You sound better already,” he muses. “Mark has a free block right now, I’m sure if you call him he’d take you for ice cream or something to distract you.”

“That’s a good idea,” you admit.

“I’m full of good ideas.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, Tiny.”

Tuesday pt 2

“This guy sounds like a full-on stalker,” Mark says for the sixth time as you grab ice cream and sit inside while a storm passes, rain splattering the windows.

“I mean, if he knew your schedule, I’m guessing he’s someone close to you.”

“He’s stalking us both, I don’t like it.”

“But he’s nice.”

“He’s stalking you, Tiny!” 

“He’s not!” you insist. “A lot of people were at the library today… honestly, I think… I think Ghostie is kind of sweet.”

“Ghostie?!” Mark stares at you in shock. “You’re calling him Ghostie now?”

“It’s cute, right?”

“It’s crazy is what it is!” Mark leans back in his seat, frowning. “This is giving me the creeps.”

“Well, it’s spooky season.”

“If I’m being honest, I don’t think any of my frat brothers would pull crazy shit like this. They’re mostly pretty chill dudes.”

“So you think he’s lying about being in NCT?” you ask, cocking your head to the side.

“I think he’s definitely lying,” Mark confirms.

“Well, agree to disagree.”

Mark studies you for a moment. “Look, the only guy who’s a freak like this is Yuta and he swore up and down to me yesterday that he’s not calling you with a fucking voice modulator.” 

“I don’t think this is Yuta.”

“Because you’re a Ghostie expert now, huh?” He scoffs loudly.

“Yuta’s not really a stoner,” you point out. “And besides, I can’t explain why I know it’s not him, I just have a feeling.”

“Yeah, is that feeling in your pussy by any chance?” 

“Mark Lee!” you gasp, scandalized by his choice of words. 

“Be real with me!” he insists. “You wouldn’t be entertaining this if it wasn’t… I don’t know, turning you on? Are you turned on by stalkers? Is this why you like Halloween so much?”

“Okay, maybe I am turned on, but that doesn’t make me a bad person.”

“It just makes you crazy,” Mark groans, running a hand through his hair. “I swear to God, when the dude reveals himself at the frat party, it better be one of my frat brothers and not a serial killer. And also, I’m going to fight him.”

“Something tells me he’d beat you,” you giggle.

“Now you’re trying to make me feel bad.”

“Says the guy who just called me crazy.” You grin, knowing that you’ve won.

“This whole thing is crazy.”

He has a point about that.

Wednesday

You’ve been waiting all day for a call from Ghostie, and it comes right before you’re about to head to bed. You practically launch yourself at your phone, putting it on speaker and saying “Hello?” as if you don’t know who’s on the other end of the line.

“Hey you, feeling better today?”

“You tell me, mister stalker.”

“I haven’t actually seen you today, it was a bit of a shame if I’m being honest.”

“Yeah?” God, this man has way too much power over you. “And why’s that, Ghostie?”

“Because I’ve been looking at your Instagram, but you’re cuter in person.”

“Do you follow me?” 

“We’re mutuals.” 

You’re mutuals with pretty much the entire NCT frat, it would have been more helpful if he’d said he’s not a follower, although, now that you think of it, that had always been unlikely. 

“Still trying to figure out who I am, aren’t you, Tiny?”

“Of course.”

“Remember when I was listing your good qualities? Patience wasn’t one of them.” 

“That’s so rude of you,” you say, although, you’re grinning at your phone.

“Here, I’ll make it better. I have an idea for you.”

“Let’s hear it then.” You get comfortable on your bed, wondering what he’s about to say.

“If you want a job, there’s this bar on campus, Skeets. Have you heard of it?”

“Who hasn’t heard of Skeets?” You roll your eyes. 

“They let just about anyone work there. A few of the NCT guys are bartenders, I’m sure they’d put a good word in for you with the hiring manager, he’s also a member of the frat.” 

You haven’t been to Skeets in ages, and you try to remember who you know amongst the staff. “Wait, you’re right- doesn’t Hyuck work there?”

“He does… This is the second time you’ve mentioned him, got something of a crush, Tiny?”

“Would that make you jealous?” you tease.

“I’m not the jealous type,” he states. “But yeah… it would.”

“Don’t get your Ghost Face mask in a knot, I don’t have a crush on Hyuck. In fact, if you turn out to be Hyuck and I find out you lied to me about your identity, I’m going to be really mad.” 

“I’m not Hyuck.”

“Good.” You consider his proposition for a moment. “Do you really think they’d hire me?”

“It doesn’t hurt to try.”

“You know, on Sunday, if someone had told me you’d be helping me find a job not three days later, I would have said they were crazy.”

“Guess I like to keep you on your toes.”

“I think you just have a major soft spot for me. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“I can’t. I promised not to lie to you.” 

God, he makes you so giddy it’s insane. 

“Are you going to come stalk me at Skeets if they give me a job?”

“Goodnight, Tiny.” He’s avoiding the question, and you can hear him grinning through the phone.

“Night, Ghostie.”

It’s the first time he’s the one to hang up on you, and it leaves you wanting more.

Thursday

Ghostie had assured you that Skeets hires just about anyone, but that doesn’t help the anxiety building inside of you as you prepare to take your resume into the bar. 

You even do a Wonderwoman pose outside while waiting for Skeets to open, breathing deeply to psych yourself up while you go over possible interview questions just in case the hiring manager wants a chit-chat today.

“I love working in a team environment,” you say quietly to yourself, closing your eyes and running through responses. “The most important thing is that the guests feel welcome.”

The sound of something dragging across the cement ground has you practically jumping, lids flashing open as your head whips toward the noise.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt your mantra,” the tall fratboy laughs, setting up the wooden sign with the daily drink menu just in front of the door to the bar.

“It’s fine,” you assure him, swallowing thickly. 

The man in front of you is Johnny Suh. He’s two years older than you, and you know him through Mark. When guys join a frat, they’re assigned a ‘Big,’ an elder frat brother to guide them through the process. Johnny is Mark’s big, and he’s always been nice to you whenever you’ve crossed paths.

You would call Johnny an acquaintance, not a friend, but he’s still a friendlier face than you may have expected to see upon your first moments interacting with Skeets staff. 

“You coming inside, Tiny?” Johnny asks.

“Yeah, sorry John, one sec, I just need another deep breath.” You wave your hand at him, turning your back and gulping down air while you hold your bag tight to your front, the resume within practically burning a hole in the leather.

The hot fratboy heads back inside and you finish calming yourself down. 

You can do this. You can get this job.

As you enter the bar that’s just open, you realize there are only a few staff members kicking around so far. Kim Jungwoo is rearranging chairs, and Lee Donghyuck is sitting on a table looking at his phone. Johnny Suh is behind the bar, and you decide you should probably talk to him, so you try to act confident as you walk through the small establishment.

Johnny’s brown eyes raise as you approach, and he offers you a small smile. “Tough day?”

“What?” You blink at him, settling against the bartop.

“You looked kind of off outside, and most people don’t come in to day-drink this early.”

“Oh, uh… I’m not here to day-drink.” You let out a tiny laugh. “Actually, I came to see if you guys were looking to hire new staff members, I brought my resume.”

You reach into your bag to pull out the papers, and you hand them over to Johnny.

His eyes scan the first sheet. “Wow, a cover letter, I’ve actually never seen one of these.”

People don’t apply with cover letters? The idea is kind of shocking to you.

Johnny hardly looks at your resume, setting it down in front of him to address you instead. “What makes you want to work at Skeets?”

“In all honesty, I need a job. I’m dependable, and I’ve got a decent schedule to work in the food service industry. I like working as part of a team, and I’m already friends with a lot of the staff here, so I thought it might be a good fit.”

Johnny nods, assessing you. “Have you bartended before?”

“I’ve got my qualifications to serve alcohol, but I’ve mostly had waitressing jobs,” you admit.

“At Skeets, we all do a bit of everything. Would you be open to learning how to mix drinks?”

“I’d be very open to it,” you nod. 

“Then let’s give it a shot,” Johnny smiles warmly at you. “You’ve got good timing, we actually just had to let go of someone for excessive drinking on the job. I was going to put a wanted ad up today, but looks like that won’t be necessary.”

“Are you…” you swallow thickly, “are you serious? I’m hired?”

“Yeah, why not?” 

You can’t help the squeal of delight that rushes through you, and a massive grin makes its way onto your face. You even jump a little, and Johnny seems to enjoy your excitement, smiling from ear to ear while you celebrate. 

“When can you start?” he asks next.

“I can start tomorrow! I mean, if you need me that soon.”

“Tomorrow is a big night here at Skeets, the Friday before Halloween. We could use the hands, but it will be a busy one, do you think you can handle that?”

You’re quick to nod. “Of course. But I uh… I should let you know, I can’t work Halloween, I promised a friend I’d meet them at your frat for the party.”

“Don’t worry about Saturday,” Johnny assures you. “Sigma Veta Tau has their frat party tonight, so it’s all us NCT guys working, and tomorrow we’ll switch. As much as Seungcheol is a good comanager, I don’t trust him to teach you how to mix drinks on Halloween.”

“So… you’re going to be the main person training me then?” you ask.

“If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself,” he confirms. 

You can’t help but beam up at the tall frat boy, overjoyed at this turn of events. As cute as Johnny is though, part of you is excited to tell Ghostie about this when he inevitably calls you tonight. 

Your life is definitely a little crazy.

“So, how about you come in tomorrow at seven?” Johnny suggests. “The bar will be open past midnight, but I figure I can show you a few things before it gets busy around ten, and then I can let you go early.”

“I’ll be here at seven.”

“And when it comes to what you’re wearing, we’ll give you a Skeets t-shirt,” he pulls at the black fabric stretched tight across his broad chest. “Other than that, you can wear any color of jeans and some sneakers.”

“Perfect.”

“You’ll be paid for the training shift, I’ll tip you out in cash, and if it goes well, we’ll get your banking details at your next shift after that,” Johnny explains. “I’ve got your number here on your resume, so I’ll be in contact with you on Sunday, how’s that sound?”

“Sounds like a dream.” You literally can’t stop smiling.

“Tiny’s going to learn to mix,” Johnny says fondly, “Mark’s going to love this.”

You already feel close to Mark’s big, and the opportunity to work with him is a good one. Johnny is one of the more well-known nice guys at the frat. Sure, he’s got a little bit of a dangerous edge to him, just based on his massive stature alone, but he’s generally a big softy bear. 

“Thanks again for this, Johnny,” you beam. “I won’t let you down.”

Thursday pt 2

“Hyuck said our favorite Tiny sorority princess got herself a job today.” 

“Hello to you too, Ghostie.”

“I wanted to cut to the chase and congratulate you.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten the job without you,” you admit. “So… thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” your mystery man says, and you can hear that classic grin of his. “I’m sure you got it on your own merit.”

“Apparently no one’s ever brought a cover letter with their resume before.”

“They must have been impressed.” 

“Hired me on the spot.”

“That’s my girl.” 

Your insides flutter. You like the way it sounds when he calls you his girl. “How about your day, Ghostie? Stalk any new girls?”

He laughs. “Only one girl worth stalking, which, I don’t do, by the way.”

“Sure you don’t.”

“My day was long,” he says finally.

“Yeah, it’s nearly midnight, I was thinking about going to sleep but…”

“But you wanted me to call,” Ghostie finishes your sentence for you.

“When you say it like that it sounds kind of depressing.”

“It’s not depressing, Tiny, it’s cute.”

“Cute?” 

“I like that you’re getting used to me.”

“You know… if you decided not to show up to the Halloween party- if you never called again, I think… I’d wonder who you are the rest of my life.” It’s a moment of vulnerability, and your heart races in your chest while you wait for his response. 

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Tiny,” Ghostie promises. “I’ll find you on Saturday, and not in a stalker way.”

“What costume are you going to be wearing?” 

“If I tell you, you’ll just show up and scour the whole place looking for me.”

“You know me too well, don’t you, Ghostie?”

“What are you going to wear, pretty girl?”

You literally kick your feet at the term of endearment, body buzzing. It takes a moment to collect yourself. “Honestly? I’ve got a Ghost Face mask hanging around somewhere.”

“And here I was being told I’m the one who gets hard pretending to be Ghost Face.” 

“Well… even though I don’t know you, not really, I think I got that one pretty accurate, didn’t I?”

“Maybe a little.”

“I thought you said you were big,” you tease.

“Okay, maybe a lot.”

You bite at your lip. After the great day you’ve had, it’s difficult not to feel flirty. “Are you hard right now, big guy?”

He groans, and even under the voice modulator, something tells you the sounds he makes are sexy as fuck. You can feel your panties getting wet. It’s dirty, but in the best possible way.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” you grin.

“You’re being bad, Tiny.”

“Says the guy who’s literally hard right now.”

The other end of the line is silent for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“What if… when we meet, you’re not interested in me?”

Well, this has just taken a turn. How did you go from horny thoughts to insecurity? 

It’s a valid question though, one you should have asked yourself by now, but for some reason you haven’t. You think about it for a few seconds. 

“I feel like… I know it’s been less than a week of talking but, you’re not like any other guy I’ve ever met. And not just because you’re calling with a voice modulator.” You let out a laugh. “You ask how my day is, and you care to hear my answer. You even helped me get a job, which is crazy to think about. For some weird reason, I think when I meet you, the emotional connection is already kind of there, so no matter what you look like, you’ll be more attractive to me.”

“You really think so?” 

“I mean, NCT is known for having hot guys, so I’m not sure who you could be that would turn me off. There are only a few NCT guys I’d say a hard no to at the moment.”

“Yeah? Who?” 

“Well, Doyoung and I have never gotten along, but I know you’re not him because he doesn’t touch weed. I dated Jeno for about a week, and I know enough about him to know I don’t want to do anything with him ever again, and also, that you’re not Jeno because he’d never ask me how my day was going-”

“What an asshole.”

You laugh. “All things considered, Ghostie, I think you’ll do just fine.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Is this why you’ve been doing the whole voice modulator thing? You’re worried I won’t be interested in you?”

“It’s one of the reasons,” Ghostie admits. “I also worried that if I did hit on you, you might think I was only trying to get you into my bed, which, yeah, it would be nice, but… as perfect as your body is, it’s not the most interesting thing about you.”

What a scrumptious take; A guy calling you up and using anonymity to prove to you that this connection isn’t only about sex. 

Your heart softens.

“Ghostie, you might be one of the sweetest guys I know,” you admit.

“More than your best friend Mark Lee?”

You laugh. “Maybe not, Mark would never do something like this. You’re a bit of a paradox that way, aren’t you?”

“If you say so, Tiny. As much as I’ve liked this talk, I think I should let you sleep. Halloween is two days away and I’m sure we’ve both got a lot to do before then.”

“What if I don’t want you to go just yet?”

“Then I’d remind you that patience is a virtue.”

“You’re such a tease.”

“Good thing we have an emotional connection so you’ll forgive me for it. Night, Tiny.”

“Night, Ghostie.” 

Friday 

Your first shift consists of shadowing Johnny. He’s a fabulous teacher. He’s calm, patient, and very encouraging. The first few hours are a breeze, but the bar gets increasingly packed as the night goes on.

It’s a little overwhelming, but Johnny helps keep you steady. He gives you the easy drink orders, things like beer and simple cocktails. While you’re filling a cup from the beer tap, he’s busy mixing five to ten different things into one glass for items on the Halloween special menu.

There’s something sexy about a diligent worker, and his beefy arms are all bulgy and hot in his tight Skeets shirt. You can tell that a lot of girls come up to the bar specifically to order from him. There are two other bartenders, but Johnny’s line is notably the longest.

You’ve had your own share of interested men pop over to say hi. There are very few frat boys here tonight, as there’s a party in full swing in the Greek village, so most of the guys coming up to grab a beer from you are people you don’t know.

Many of them are dressed up in costumes, and it’s interesting to try to guess some of the more obscure clothing choices.

Anytime you see a man in a ghost costume, your mind shifts to your mystery caller. You wonder if he’ll pop by tonight- but other than the men already working with you, no NCT boys walk through the front door. 

No Ghostie.

There’s not one second of reprieve, but staff need breaks, and finally, just before midnight, Johnny pulls you both for a breather. 

“Are you sure the others can keep up while we’re gone?” you ask, looking back at the swamped bartenders.

“They can manage,” he assures you, guiding you through the back staffroom to a door that leads to an alleyway behind the bar. “I know I’ve kept you on longer than I thought, but it’s just been so busy. How are you holding up?”

The cool night air is a drastic difference from the heat and humidity inside, and you take a deep breath, closing your eyes and enjoying it. “I’m doing alright,” you tell him. “You’re the one making the difficult drinks.”

“I’ve been mixing cocktails for years,” he brushes it off, reaching into his back pocket. 

“Well, it shows.” You watch to see him pull out a rolled joint, and next comes a lighter.

“Want some?” he asks, lifting the joint to slot between his perfect lips. 

“Are we allowed to smoke on the job?” 

“Hyuck was prescribed Vyvanse last year, so he’s practically on coke all shift,” Johnny grins, lighting the end of the joint and taking a puff. “Besides,” he lets out a deep breath of smoke, “in the service industry, sometimes you need a little buffer.”

Skeets really is a chill place if the hiring manager smokes weed on breaks with subordinates. 

“I didn’t realize you were a stoner,” you muse.

“Most of us frat boys are,” Johnny admits, pulling the joint from between his lips. It’s placed casually between two fingers, and his other hand ruffles through his pretty hair. “It’s a nice night.”

“It is,” you nod, looking up at the sky. Stars are twinkling in the dark

“I’m glad you joined the team, not sure we would have been doing so well without your extra set of hands.”

“I’m really grateful to have been given a trial shift,” you smile softly.

“Well, just so you know, it’s more than a trial shift. You’re hired.” He nudges your shoulder gently, and your grin only grows.

“Thank you.”

Johnny takes another drag from his joint. “Sure you don’t want a puff?”

“I really shouldn’t-”

“I’m going to let you go home pretty soon after this,” Johnny tells you. “So it won’t affect your performance that much.”

You wonder if this is a test, but… at the same time, you don’t think Johnny’s the type of guy to test you this way. 

You give in, accepting the joint and bringing it to your lips. It’s been a while since you smoked one of these, and your first tiny hit leaves you coughing, passing the joint back to Johnny while you try to catch your breath.

He grins while watching you, and you get the sneaking suspicion that Johnny thinks you’re cute. 

“Thank you,” you say, coughing again.

“You’ve got good manners, don’t ya, Tiny?”

You nod, wiping at the tears that have formed in your eyes from the smoke. 

“Who... who do you usually smoke with?” you ask.

“Why? You a cop?” Johnny jokes.

“No, it’s just uh… God, I could tell you the whole story but you wouldn’t even believe me if I did,” you find yourself laughing. “Just… I didn’t know you smoked, so, I’m wondering if maybe there are a few other guys in your circle who do too.”

Johnny looks you up and down. “Like I said earlier, Tiny, almost all us frat boys partake in mari-ju-ana.”

It’s clear he’s not going to give you any information that could help you figure out who your Ghostie is. You suppose you really will just have to be patient.

In less than twenty-four hours, you’ll be finding out who your mystery caller is, and the suspense is absolutely killing you.

Friday pt 2

It’s twelve thirty when you finally get home, and you’re very tired. But at the same time, you’re awake. You take your time getting ready for bed, ignoring the loud party sounds outside and around the frat village while you wait for a call from Ghostie.

As one am rolls around, you start to realize that maybe tonight you won’t get a call.

He is a frat boy, and this is Halloween weekend. 

You’re disappointed as you get into bed, frowning as you scroll on your phone, hoping that if you wait another five minutes, maybe he’ll catch you. 

Five minutes turn into ten, turn into fifteen, and you find your eyes beginning to shut.

You’re starting to understand how much you truly have come to depend on Ghostie as part of your nightly ritual. It hurts not to get a call from your favourite voice-modulated anonymous frat boy.

You try to self-soothe by assuring yourself you’ll meet him tomorrow, but it doesn’t really help. 

Tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable, you fall into a blissless sleep.

Saturday 

You’re groggy when you open your eyes, but you still go to check your phone. There’s a missed call notification from an unknown number at three am, and suddenly you’re wide awake, bolting up in bed.

“Hey, Tiny, it’s me.”

As if it could be anyone else.

“Sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you last night. I was pretty swamped with Halloween stuff. But if it makes you feel any better, you were definitely on my mind.”

Here you are kicking your feet again.

“Probably won’t get a chance to talk to you until the party, I really do hope you come… in uh… more ways than one.”

God, he makes you wet.

“I get it if you’re a little mad at me for not calling earlier, and I promise to make it up to you when I see you, if you’ll let me.”

He’s so oddly respectful.

“But I get it if you don’t want to do anything at the party. I’ve enjoyed talking with you this week, and if that’s all it’s going to be then I won’t hold it against you. Anyways, goodnight, see you soon.”

Saturday pt 2

You feel cute tonight. You’d taken your Ghost Face mask off almost as soon as entering the frat, but the little black dress you’re wearing is enough to capture a lot of attention. 

Every frat boy that comes up to you makes your heart race, but none of them reveal themselves as your Ghostie. 

You’re actually beginning to get a little frustrated, and after two hours of floating around hoping to find your mystery man, you head with Mark to his room for a break.

Mark’s roommate, Hyuck, is sitting on his bed, bong already out and resting on one thigh while scrolls through his phone. He looks up when you enter, smirking. “Finally, smoking buddies.”

“You texted me like two minutes ago to come up here,” Mark rolls his eyes. “Have some patience.”

“Not in my nature,” Hyuck insists, setting his phone down and reaching for his lighter. “First hit is mine.”

As if you expected anything less. 

You watch him inhale the thick cloud of smoke, holding it for a moment in his lungs before he lets out a deep exhale. “Fucking hell, he groans, that was a good hit.” 

Mark takes the bong and Hyuck falls flat against the bed, closing his eyes and smiling.

“So have you found your stalker yet, Tiny?” Hyuck asks.

Your gaze flashes to Mark. “You told him?”

“He was curious why I was asking for a stoner list,” Mark defends himself. 

“Whoever the dude is, he’s got balls,” Hyuck says wistfully. 

There’s a knock on the door, and Jaehyun pokes his head inside. “Heard we’re smoking?”

“Yeah, come in!” Hyuck waves his hand, still collapsed on his bed.

The door is pushed open wider, and you catch sight of Johnny standing behind Jaehyun. Your new hiring manager flashes you a wink as they enter, and the door is shut firmly behind them. Jaehyun goes to sit with Hyuck, but Johnny approaches you, taking the seat next to you on Mark’s bed. 

“How’s your night going?” Johnny asks.

“She’s waiting for her stalker to come kidnap her and fuck her brains out,” Hyuck says loudly.

“Your stalker?” Johnny laughs.

“Some guy has been calling her all week,” Mark tries to explain.

“It sounds worse than it is,” you insist, feeling the need to defend Ghostie. “He’s only a little perverted.” 

“And you’re into that sort of thing?” Jaehyun questions, cocking his head while Mark takes a puff from the bong and hands it over.

“Not usually,” you admit. “But… this guy is different.”

“You don’t even know what he looks like,” Mark groans, collapsing in his desk chair and running an anxious hand through his hair.

“That doesn’t matter,” you insist. 

“Fucking girls, dude,” Hyuck laughs, sitting up and watching Jaehyun smoke from the bong. “You know what we need?”

“More weed?” Mark suggests.

“Yes, but also, shots.” Hyuck’s eyes shift to Johnny. “Not the shit from downstairs. The good stuff.”

Johnny lets out a chuckle. “You want something from my secret stash?”

“The tequila you brought back from Mexico,” Hyuck nods.

Jaehyun lets out a puff of smoke, holding the bong out for Johnny, who shakes his head. 

“You’re not taking a hit?” Jaehyun asks, staring at Johnny in hazy shock.

“Not tonight,” Johnny responds. Then he turns to you. “If neither of us are taking a crack at the bong, how about you come help me grab the tequila?”

“Careful, John,” Hyuck teases, “She’s not interested in you, she only has eyes for this Ghostie dude.”

Mark shoves Hyuck’s knee and Johnny simply grins. “Come on Tiny, you don’t want to get secondhand high on a night like this.”

He’s right about that, and you stand with him, heading to the door. Johnny’s so tall and broad, and you try not to stare at his shoulders, but it’s extremely difficult not to appreciate his large form. 

“What’s your costume?” you ask. 

“Oh, this?” He pulls casually at his black tshirt. “I’m a serial killer, they look like everyone else.”

“Very original,” you laugh, falling into step with the tall fratboy as you make your way down the crowded hall. 

“My room is on the top floor,” he tells you, heading to the stairwell and holding the door open for you. “I like your dress, by the way.”

“Thanks, it goes with this.” You hold up the Ghost Face mask to show it to him, and his grin widens while you climb the stairs.

“You’re gonna have to let me try that on.”

“I’m uh… I’m actually saving it for Ghostie to try,” you admit, feeling a little silly with how loyal you’re being to your mystery caller.

“He’s a lucky guy,” Johnny muses.

“Here’s to hoping it goes well,” you sigh.

Johnny doesn’t respond to your comment, and as you reach the top floor he guides you three rooms down, using a key to unlock the door before he holds it open for you. “After you, Tiny.”

The space is the same size as Hyuck and Mark’s, but it only has one bed. “I didn’t realize they had single rooms here,” you say, looking around. 

“There’s only a few, and I’ve got seniority,” Johnny explains. He closes the door behind him, walking over to the large closet. 

You take in the decorations. It’s unmistakably a frat boy's room, but much cleaner than you’re used to. There’s a gaming station, and a mini fridge that you’d guess is full of beer. A clothing rack shows off some of Johnny’s more sophisticated tastes. 

You’re curious about what else he has in his stash, so you join him by the closet, peeking inside. “We’re looking for tequila right?”

God, he has a whole shelf full of expensive bottles of booze. 

“Uh huh,” Johnny nods. “Should be in the back here somewhere.”

“Isn’t this tequila?” you ask, pointing to a bottle he’s brushed past.

“Close,” Johnny flashes a grin at you before continuing to rummage, “but no cigar.” 

You freeze. 

It’s been nearly a week since your first interaction with Ghostie, but you remember that interesting turn of phrase like it was yesterday. 

But- it can’t be. 

Johnny can’t be your mystery caller-

Can he?

“Found it,” Johnny announces, pulling an immaculate bottle of tequila out. His gaze lands on you. “You alright, Tiny? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I mean… have I?” 

He cocks his head. “What do you mean?”

“You’re…” You swallow thickly. “Are you my Ghostie?”

Johnny meets your gaze with a steady look. “Does it upset you?”

It’s not a clear confirmation, but it’s a confirmation nonetheless. 

You stare at him in absolute shock for a moment. He looks insanely gorgeous tonight, all broad, with his pretty lips- without even knowing what you’re doing, you find yourself throwing your arms around him and burying your face against his chest.

Johnny freezes, obviously startled by the sudden contact, but then he’s wrapping you in a tight embrace. One of his hands finds the back of your head, and he cradles you close.

Neither of you say anything, you simply hold each other while you come to terms with everything. 

He’s so stupid for ever thinking you wouldn’t want him-

You do want him. You want him so bad-

Pulling away from his chest, you tilt your chip up, reaching for his face. You cup his cheek while you move on your tiptoes to press your lips against his.

He appears just as shocked at this movement as when you’d hugged him, but he eases into it all the same, kissing you back gently.

But you don’t want gentle, you want him.

You’re pent up from a week of teasing, and you shift in his embrace, wrapping both arms around the back of his neck while you glide your tongue against his lip. 

Johnny lets out a groan, his mouth opening for you while his hands slip down to tug your waist closer.

The kiss deepens and now it’s your turn to release a moan, pressing your tits closer to his chest. He feels like heaven against you, and his lips are absolutely magic. His tongue glides gently against your own. You can taste beer, but it’s not unpleasant, in fact, it turns you on even more.

You thread your fingers through his hair, dragging your nails against his scalp-

“Fuck,” Johnny mutters against your mouth.

Then he’s bending down, hands grabbing at your ass and prompting you to jump. You wrap your legs around his hips and he carries you effortlessly, closing the distance to his bed.

Instead of tossing you down, he sits on the mattress and suddenly your knees are digging into his charcoal duvet. You’re on top, fingers in his hair, your tongue licking at his lip, and you’ve never felt so powerful.

It gives you the confidence to wiggle your hips a little, and you’re pleased to find he’s already growing hard in his jeans. God, he feels big- and your pussy throbs at the idea of what you’re going to do to him tonight.

You’re in a dress, and your panty-clad core feels delightful against bulging denim. Johnny’s grabbing at your bare thigh, kneading your flesh, and it makes you moan desperately. Not only is he skilled with his tongue, but his hands seem to know what they’re doing too.

Suddenly he’s grabbing at your hair, tugging you so you arch your head back, giving him access to your throat. His mouth feels amazing as he begins to lick and suck on your neck, finding your sweet spot way too easily-

“Who-” You swallow thickly. “Who gave you my number?”

Johnny laughs against your skin, pulling away to look up at you with dark eyes. “Mark did.”

“Mark?!” You’re in absolute shock now. 

“Gave it to me during finals last year,” Johnny explains. “But… we both had busy summers and…” one of his hands sneaks down to guide your hips, helping you grind against him, “I guess I wasn’t sure how you felt about me.” 

“You’re crazy!” 

“Maybe a little,” he admits. “I’m also Mark’s big, and it’s not like you and I have ever been close.”

“But you’ve liked me for a while, haven’t you, Ghostie?” 

He groans at the nickname, looking up at you with eyes full of wonder. “Longer than you know.”

You wish you could say you’ve felt the same- but in all honesty, you have always seen him as Mark’s big. As an older fratboy dad type-

The way he’s acted with you this week has inklings of that protective daddy personality you know and enjoy, but… he’s not been particularly dad-like. He’s shown you a new side of himself, and you’re so fucking happy he did.

“You know, when Mark finds out you’re my stalker he’s going to flip.”

“I wasn’t stalking you,” Johnny insists, grinning up at you as he applies more pressure to your hips, making you grind against him harder. 

“God, you even hired me for a job-”

He laughs. “It wasn’t favoritism, you had a cover letter, the bar owner was even impressed.”

“You’re so bad- this whole time you’ve been mind fucking me. I would have never guessed my Ghostie worked at Skeets.”

“Well, I do have a minor in psychology,” he admits. “Figured the best place to hide is in plain sight.”

“You even smoked a joint in front of me and I never guessed-”

“Yeah, I was playing with fire with that one,” Johnny laughs. 

“It’s funny. I was so busy thinking about being loyal to Ghostie that I was trying not to check you out last night.” 

“And I’m so lucky to have you. You wouldn’t even let me put on your Ghost Face mask, so busy saving it for Ghostie.”

“Saving myself too,” you note, grinning down at him.

“Yeah?” 

“We’ve talked every night since Sunday- I haven’t cum in over a week.” 

“Fuck, Tiny,” Johnny groans. “I guess I better help you out then.”

“Really? How are you going to do that?”

“I’ll let you stay on top for a while, let you grind against me until you’re begging for me to tear your dress off.” He pulls at the strap on your shoulder. “Then, I’ll flip you over, get on my knees, and eat you out like the good girl you are, stretching you open with my fingers.”

“And then?”

“When you’re shaking and delirious from cumming, I’ll fuck you right. Bet you’ve never really been fucked right before.”

God, you definitely haven’t. At least- you know you’ve never been fucked the way Johnny is about to fuck you.

“What if I already want you to tear my dress off?” you ask, grinding down against his cock.

Johnny lets out a low groan, grinning at you. “Tiny, you’re nowhere near begging yet.”

“I’m not?” You lean forward, pressing a kiss to his throat before your teeth drag against his earlobe. “Please, Ghostie, I’m already so fucking wet, you wouldn’t believe it-”

He laughs, hand finding your hair again. He tugs you away from his neck, pressing his lips to your own and kissing you hard.

He takes your breath away. His tongue is perfect, licking and tasting- making you moan loudly while you work your hips, swiveling on his denim-covered cock.

“Fuck, Ghostie, you’re so fucking big-”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he promises, grabbing a fistful of your ass and squeezing so hard it almost hurts. But the pain is wonderful, and you cry out in ecstasy, working yourself harder against him.

If it wasn’t for his enticing cock, you think you could make out with him like this forever. 

You just want to be naked, so you grab at your dress, intent on lifting it off-

Johnny stops you. “I’ve told you patience is a virtue, haven’t I, Tiny?”

You groan in annoyance. “John, please-”

“Ghostie,” he corrects you.

You don’t even care- you simply grab his hand, guiding it between your legs. His fingertips brush over your soaked panties, and you gasp at the feeling of him, immediately grinding down, looking for relief.

“Fuck-” you moan, closing your eyes and throwing your head back.

He begins to circle your clit through your thong and you’re forced to grab at his shoulder to steady yourself, whimpering loudly. 

“Shit, Tiny, you’re so fucking pretty,” he whispers.

“I need you,” you gasp, feeling an orgasm already bubbling in the pit of your stomach. “Please, move my panties to the side-”

Johnny doesn’t question you this time. He pulls your thong away, easily burying two large fingers into your wet, needy core.

Now you’re really gasping. You lean forward, wrapping both arms around his strong shoulders and burying your face against his throat. “Oh my God, Ghostie- don’t stop-”

“You’re going to cum from this, aren’t you, pretty girl?”

You nod desperately, swiveling your hips so your clit can rub against the palm of his hand while his fingers work you open. 

“So good,” you whimper. “So fucking good-”

Johnny groans, curving his fingers and stroking your gspot.

You squeal in his lap, thigh muscles clenching while your pussy begins to throb around the foreign intrusions. You’re so close to the edge you can almost taste it.

“Want you to cum for me. Wanna hear your sounds while you drip down my hand.” 

Fuck, he’s way too sexy, voice all low and seductive. He’s breathing hard, and you can tell you’re turning him on just from riding his fingers-

“Come on, Tiny, who’s my good girl?”

“I am-” you gasp, digging your nails into his shoulders as your orgasm hits you straight on. 

You moan loudly, burying your face against Johnny’s neck. You’re panting against his skin, wiggling your hips while his fingers continue inside of you, driving you absolutely insane. Waves of pleasure are overtaking your form, and your mind is completely blank, overwhelmed by the feeling of ecstasy that Johnny provides for you.

“That’s it,” Johnny encourages you. “So fucking good for me.”

You’re shaking on his lap by the time your high is over, and you press wet kisses to his throat, earning groans from your Ghostie. 

You reach down for your dress, lifting it up and off your body. Johnny pulls back, watching you with dark eyes. He takes his fingers out of your wet pussy, bringing them to his lips to clean. But he’s not done there, as you toss the fabric to the floor, Johnny offers you his digits next. 

You lock eyes with him for a moment before leaning forward and accepting, taking his wet fingers into your mouth and helping suck them clean. You groa at the taste of yourself. Johnny watches the motion, his free hand finding your hip and forcing you to grind down against his cock. 

“You’re so hot, Tiny,” he says, removing his fingers from your lips.

“Wait till you see me naked,” you grin, reaching behind yourself to undo your bra. 

It falls away easily, and Johnny’s large hands cup your breasts almost immediately. His head dips, eyes taking in your newly exposed skin. “Fuck, how does a girl get this perfect?”

“How does a guy get a massive cock like yours?” you counter, rubbing yourself against the front of his jeans. 

“Touche,” he chuckles, leaning down to lick your nipple. 

You thread your fingers through his hair, guiding him to show more affection to your chest, which he’s more than happy to do. His large hand cups your right breast while he worships your other with his mouth, suckling on your nipple. His teeth drag gently against the sensitive bud and you moan loudly, rocking your hips all the while.

“As much as I’d love to keep sucking on your tits,” Johnny sighs, lips moving up your throat again, “I’d rather be between your legs.”

“Ghostie, do whatever you want to me,” you instruct, feeling delightfully submissive.

“You got it, Tiny.” 

In one easy motion, he flips you so your back is on the bed. Johnny pulls away from you, sinking to his knees at the edge of the mattress before grabbing you and tugging you closer. He tears his own shirt off, giving you a great view of muscles that make you even wetter. Then he grabs your panties, sliding them down your legs so you’re completely bare for him now.

Johnny doesn’t say anything, he simply licks his lips and dives into you. His tongue parts your folds, dipping inside to taste your walls while your legs shake around his head. “Fuck, Ghostie-”

You reach down to grab his hair, applying enough pressure to his head to let him know you’re enjoying what he’s doing… if he can’t already tell from your desperately needy moans. 

His lips move to suction on your clit and a squeal escapes you, your back arching slightly at the sensation. 

You’re sensitive from having cum already, sensitive from having not cum all week only to be getting this much attention now. But you’re also probably sensitive because this is Johnny, because there’s been a build-up that’s left you ready to pop, and he seems intent on making you pop multiple times for him.

“Oh my God,” you whimper, eyes closed, abdominal muscles tensing with effort as his skilled tongue works you up again. 

Johnny groans against your pussy and it’s one of the sexiest things that’s ever happened to you. Your grip on his hair tightens, your core throbbing with pleasure already.

When he adds two fingers into your dripping hole, you know you’re not going to last, but you don’t think he wants you to.

In fact, you’d bet that Johnny himself is just about ready to explode. You can’t believe he doesn’t have his cock out yet- can’t believe he’s so intent on making you cum twice before getting any satisfaction for himself.

“Fuck, Ghostie-” You want to tell him how close you are to cumming, but you can hardly get the words out between your moans. “I’m- holy shit-”

Johnny finger fucks you even harder, his mouth focusing on your clit, and you’re pretty sure he’s understood your garbled attempt to warn him, pretty sure he wants you to cum.

You allow yourself to find your release, your back arching again as you tug on Johnny’s hair, keeping his face between your legs. You grind down slightly, your body chasing your orgasm as it surges through you like fire in your veins.

Johnny lets out a low groan again, and your entire body twitches at the extra stimulation. You’re gasping now. Nothing has ever felt this good-

To his credit, Johnny tries to help you through your entire orgasm, but he pulls away before you’re truly finished. You can feel him panting against your pussy, and when you open your eyes to look down at him, you find Johnny staring at you with the horniest expression you’ve ever seen on a man.

“Ghostie-” you whimper, shifting against his duvet. 

“Condoms,” he says, pulling his fingers out of your core and standing up.

“I’m on birth control,” you tell him quickly, making him freeze. “And if we’re both clean-”

Johnny practically moans at the idea, looking down at your body. “Does my Tiny want to be filled up all nice and good?”

Now it’s your turn to groan, and you nod, licking your lips. You sit up next, feeling your skin heat at the words you want to say, “I also… I wanna suck you off first.”

Johnny approaches the bed again, towering over you. It’s hard to focus on his eyes when his abs and strong biceps and veiny forearms are drawing your attention, but when he cups your jaw it makes things easier. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“You pretty much stalked me for a week,” you tease, grinning.

Your Ghostie lets out a laugh. He doesn’t bother to check you on the word ‘stalking’ this time, even though he’s always been adamant that’s not what he was up to. It’s nice to have this little win, and as a reward for him biting his tongue, you reach out to undo his belt.

As the buckle unclasps and you move to his zipper, there’s a loud banging on the door.

Johnny looks over his shoulder and you can hear Hyuck screaming “Tequila!” 

The frat boy in front of you lifts his finger to his lips, a shushing motion, and then he reaches into his back pocket for his phone. You bet he’s going to text Hyuck some lie about not being in the room, but you’re too horny to slow down.

You get his jeans undone and you bundle your hands up in all the fabric, roughly tugging them down.

Johnny lets out a groan when his large cock slaps up against his abdomen, and he moves his phone to the side to give himself a better view, holding it with one hand while raising a brow at you.

You’re on your knees at the foot of the bed now while Johnny stands there, and you steady yourself, grabbing the base of his cock. With one last wink at Ghostie, you lean forward, kitten licking his length from balls to tip.

The man above you quickly types in the text, then tosses his phone to the side, his large hand coming down to cup your cheek. You take this as a sign to accept him into your mouth, so you do exactly that.

He’s so large and thick- you haven’t sucked cock in a while, and you’ve never sucked a cock as big as his. You know you can take your time, Johnny’s always been patient with you. 

You start by paying attention to the head, swirling your tongue around him and getting used to his size. Your eyes close, mind focused completely on your task. You’re already drooling from this, and you can feel your saliva dripping down his shaft. You smooth your thumb along the new trail of spit, helping lube your hand so you can begin to pump his cock.

“Fuck,” Johnny groans, tightening his grip in your hair.

You try to sink your mouth further onto his cock, but it’s difficult. He’s just so huge-

Your pussy throbs knowing that soon, this monster dick is going to be inside of you-

Without any lube that you’ve seen so far, you want to make him as slicked up as possible, and it helps that you’re drooling from how sexy all of this is.

His cock hits the back of your throat and you gag slightly, powering through the uncomfortable feeling as you glide your tongue along his shaft. You’re not a quitter.

“Holy fuck, Tiny-” Johnny praises you. “You don’t have to try to take more than you can handle-”

But you want to. You want to pleasure him the way he’s pleasured you, and his words only prompt you to suck harder, earning more groans from the man above you.

“You’re so good at this,” he continues his words of encouragement, and they do help you take him deeper. His voice is smooth, sexy, and thankfully not modulated in any way. 

You’ve never realized how nice John’s voice really is. 

You apply more pressure with your hand, pumping him faster-

“Okay, okay-” Johnny tugs gently on your hair, prompting you to pull off of his cock and blink up at him in confusion. “I have to fuck you now. I’m done waiting.” 

You let out a tiny mewl, nodding. 

Johnny kicks off his jeans completely, pressing a knee onto the bed. He leans down to kiss you, and then he’s grabbing your body. In one easy motion, he tosses you a few feet up the mattress, so your head can land against the pillows.

God, he makes you feel truly Tiny- it’s one of the sexiest things ever.

He takes his place between your legs next, lips finding yours. One of his hands cups your cheek, and the kiss deepens, his tongue invading your mouth while your arms wrap around his strong shoulders.

You can feel his cock sliding between your pussy lips, and it’s almost embarrassing how wet you are, how much drool you’ve left on him. 

“Please-” you whimper. You can’t wait another moment either, you have to know what he feels like. You reach your hand between your bodies, grabbing his cock so you can line him up with you properly. “Ghostie, I can’t-”

He kisses you, cutting you off. Something tells you Johnny understands, and the moment you have him properly situated, he begins to push into you.

You gasp against his lips, letting go of his cock so you can grab his shoulders. He’d worked you open with his fingers two times over, but nothing compares to this. You can feel your walls stretching to accommodate his impressive girth, and it leaves you practically brain-dead.

“Let me know if it’s too much,” Johnny tells you, lips moving to your throat so he can suck on your sweet spot while he continues to burry into your hot, wet core.

You wrap your legs tightly around his hips, closing your eyes while the feeling of him overtakes you. You’ve never moaned like this before, never felt anything like Johnny-

He groans loudly against your skin, gently thrusting, coating his cock in your juices to make things easier-

The moment his hips hit flush to yours, his full cock buried inside of you, you both gasp. Johnny grabs at your hands, interlocking your fingers and pinning them to the pillows on either side of your head.

“Fuck, you’re so big, you’re so-” You can’t even think, especially not when he takes another test thrust.

His cock drags against your inner walls and you cry out, body tingling. 

“You take me so well, Tiny,” he praises you, mouth still hot on your throat. “The perfect fit.” 

You can’t speak, not now, but you can squeeze his hands and tilt your head to the side, kissing his cheek. Johnny takes the cue to bring his lips back to yours, and you’re immediately lost in yet another breathtaking makeout session.

He’s moving slow, fucking into you at a gentle pace, allowing your body to get used to his massive size. 

But you’re feeling particularly desperate, and greedy. “More.” 

“More?” He laughs. “You sure about that?”

You nod, eager to be decimated by him. “Please, ruin me-”

Johnny groans, letting go of one of your hands so he can press his palm flat to the bed, giving himself more leverage. He begins to fuck you faster, and each meeting of his cock to your core has you whimpering like a whore in heat.

“You make the cutest fucking sounds,” Johnny breathes.

Only he - with his cock making you feral - would call your noises of pleasure cute.

He’s so stupidly endearing.

“Fuck, Tiny, you’re dripping- making this too fucking easy for me.” 

It’s absolutely embarrassing how wet you are. He’s gliding into you with no issues now, and each movement is like heaven. The head of his cock hits a spot deep in your stomach- you can’t help but reach down, pressing your palm to your abdomen-

You can feel him rearranging your guts, and you both groan when you apply a bit of pressure.

“Deep, huh?” Johnny lets out a moaned chuckle. 

“So deep-” you agree, words slightly garbled. 

“I’ve just started with you and you can hardly speak,” Johnny muses. “Wonder what’s gonna happen when I make you cum again.”

You cry out desperately, removing your hand from your stomach so you can claw at his hair, bringing his lips back to your own.

You’re tired of thinking- all you want to do is experience this, experience him, at your fullest- and boy, are you fucking full.

Johnny lets go of your other hand, reaching for your thigh. He adjusts it higher on his hip and suddenly he’s driving into you even deeper.

Your eyes roll into the back of your head and you gasp loudly against his lips. Johnny traces his tongue along your teeth, and you can feel him smirking.

You love that he’s enjoying this- enjoying watching you come completely undone for him.

“You know,” he says, “if you keep squeezing me like that, I’m not going to last long.”

You don’t even care. You know this isn’t the only time you’ll be fucking this man- and after cumming twice already, your body is near its limit of pleasure, if that’s even possible. In fact, there’s something very sexy about making a man cum quicker than he’s used to, and your pussy clenches at the thought. 

“Fuck,” Johnny groans again. “Can I flip you over?”

At this point, you’ll agree to any request, and you nod quickly, biting at your lip.

With one last kiss, Johnny pulls away from you. His cock slips out of your core and you whine at  the loss, only for his two large hands to grab your waist and manually turn you onto your stomach. Then he adjusts your hips, pulling you up into doggy position.

“If you need to scream, use the pillows,” Johnny warns you, lining up with your pussy again.

The first thrust has you doing exactly that. You bury your face into the pillow, letting out a loud cry as his cock hits deeper than before. 

This position might just kill you, but you don’t care.

His hands feel so good- so large and warm and steady on your hips as he finds an even rougher pace.

You can hear your ass smacking loudly against his front with each thrust and it only adds to your arousal. 

Bunching your hands up in his duvet, you do your best not to be so loud that the whole frat will hear you. But it’s so difficult not to just melt under him- 

You can feel your eyes welling with pleasure-fueled tears, and it drives you crazy.

“Fuck, you like this position, don’t you, pretty girl?”

“Yes, Ghostie!” you gasp, nodding while his cock continues to make you feel like absolute heaven.

“You look fucking perfect like this,” he tells you. “Face down, ass up. Pretty soon you’ll be begging for me to fill you up even more.”

His words flip a switch inside of you. “God, yes, please-” you cry out. “I want it so bad-”

“Want what?”

“Want your cum,” you whimper. “Wanna be so full-”

Johnny groans, grabbing rough fistfuls of your ass while he fucks you even harder. 

“I need it, Ghostie, I need it-” You’re crying now, and Johnny notices.

He bends over your back, bracing an arm across your chest so he can lift you onto your knees. He cups your jaw, thumb stroking through a tear track. “Holy shit, Tiny,” he moans, mouth hot against your shoulder. 

“Please, Ghostie, please-” you whimper, lower lip trembling-

You’re so close-

Johnny lets go of your jaw, and his hand slips down your front. You jolt when his fingers make contact with your clit, wriggling in his grasp.

“I’m almost there, Tiny,” he admits. “Watching you cum will tip me over the edge- you’ll be good and cum for me, right?”

All you can do is nod. Words are gone. Your mind is blank except for the pleasure that’s coursing through you.

Your noises are getting pitchier, and Johnny works you all the way to your peak. You gasp loudly as you topple over the edge, core clamping down hard on his cock.

Your legs feel like jelly, and Johnny releases you, allowing you to fall to the bed while your orgasm ravages your form. You’re clawing at the sheets, burying your face in his bed to muffle your screams-

His hands are bruising on your hips, and you hear him let out a loud groan. You can feel him filling you up, his motions faltering ever so slightly. His breath is hot against your shoulders and it’s added stimulus that makes you twitch, so completely overwhelmed that it almost feels like you’re about to black out.

But you don’t want to miss a second of this. His groans of pleasure keep you in the moment even as your mind is in a sex daze. 

Johnny rides you through your high, thrusts slowing until he comes to a stop behind you. 

You’re both breathing heavily now, and Johnny stays still for a moment, enjoying the last of your orgasm aftershocks. Then he flattens his chest to your back, hand falling to the bed next to  your own. 

“Holy shit,” he breathes. 

You can’t help but let out a small laugh, and it makes Johnny groan as your core clenches again.

He kisses your shoulder, lips oddly tender in comparison to the way he just blew your back out. 

“Ghostie-” you whimper, wanting to collapse on his bed from exhaustion. 

“Stay still, I’ll get something to clean you up,” he assures you, pressing one last kiss to your skin before straightening from your back. 

You miss his warmth as soon as he’s gone, and you especially miss his cock when it slides out of you. 

You feel him get off the bed, and a moment later, something begins to drip down your inner thighs. He really filled you up, and it makes you twitch. You reach a hand between your legs, cupping your core and rolling onto your back on his bed, trying to breathe properly.

Johnny is back a second later, and you can feel his gaze on you.

“Spread these thighs for me, Tiny,” he says gently, touching your knee. 

You open your eyes, and then you open your legs. 

Johnny moves your hand out of the way, letting out a groan. “You have no idea how fucking hot this is-” he tells you, wiping your core clean of his cum. 

You still don’t have it within yourself to speak, you can only watch him toss the tissue in the garbage before you’re making grabby hands at him.

Johnny laughs. He sits on the bed next to you, leaning against the headboard before scooping you into his lap. He’s so fucking big, and he makes you feel safe cuddled in his arms, your cheek pressed to his chest.

His heart is still racing, and it makes you feel better to know you’re not the only one who’s so affected by this.

Johnny’s fingers begin to thread through your hair, and he simply holds you while you come out of subspace. 

The party is still in full swing outside, and it’s an interesting feeling to have such a private moment with Johnny in the middle of a frat on Halloween. 

“Do you think anyone heard us?” you ask finally.

Johnny laughs. “Don’t worry about it,” he says soothingly. 

You pull away from his chest, looking up at him. His hand moves to cup your face and you press your lips to his. It’s a much gentler kiss than he’d given you mid-fuck, and it eases your racing heart. 

“Ghostie?”

“Yeah, Tiny?” 

“I like you a lot.”

He lets out another chuckle. “I like you too.”

“We’ll do this again sometime, right?”

“Of course, Tiny.” His hand smooths up and down your back. “I’d also like to take you on dates, if you’ll let me.”

“I’d like that,” you nod, relaxing against his chest again. “And… and when you call me, no more voice modulator.”

“No?”

“I like your voice, your real voice.” God, you’re feeling so soft and mushy for him.

“I like your voice too.” For a second, it’s a sweet moment, and then Johnny continues, “Liked listening to your whimpers.”

He’s such a frat boy, but you kind of love him for it. “Did you like my tears too?”

“Only if they’re for a good reason,” Johnny says. “If anyone else ever makes you cry, I’ll have to fuck them up.”

“My protective Ghostie,” you grin, leaning up to kiss the underside of his jaw.

“As much as I’d love to stay cuddling you forever, I should probably bring the boys some tequila,” Johnny sighs.

“The boys,” you echo. “I feel like I’ve just fucked Mark and Hyuck’s dad.”

“Do you have a daddy kink, Tiny?”

“For you, I have any kink you want,” you laugh. 

“I like the sound of that.”

“Just… kiss me again?” you ask. “We can bring tequila after.”

“Are you sure you want to come with? You can stay here and I’ll come back-”

“We should…” you lick your lips, “we should be social.”

“I just fucked your brains out and you want to go be social?” Johnny grins. “Maybe I didn’t work you over well enough.”

“You worked me over perfect,” you laugh, grabbing at his jaw so you can press your lips to his.

Johnny melts into the kiss, and there’s something in it that feels like coming home. You’ve never felt this safe with a guy before, and it’s kind of starting to scare you.

If you were to stay here- you think you might even fall in love with Johnny… that is, if you haven’t already.

You pull away from your Ghostie, letting out a sigh. 

Getting out of his lap isn’t fun, and your legs are wobbly as you stand next to the bed, but Johnny’s hands go to your hips to steady you.

When he stands, he towers over you, and you’re overcome by your thirst for him all over again. You wrap your arms around the back of his neck, bringing him in for another kiss. 

It’s so easy to get lost in making out with Johnny, but you have to tear yourself away, nodding, “Tequila.”

“Tequila,” he echoes. “Can you stand by yourself?”

“I’m okay,” you assure him, but it still hurts when he lets you go. 

Johnny pulls on some sweatpants while you find your dress-

“You’re not putting that back on,” Johnny tells you, moving to his closet. “Let me give you some clothes.”

“Are you trying to announce to Mark and Hyuck that we’ve fucked?” you laugh, accepting the large t-shirt he throws your way.

“Trust me, Tiny, they’ll know.”

“Yeah? How’s that?”

“After this, I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself, and something tells me you won’t be able to either.” Johnny pulls on a hoodie, grabbing the tequila and turning to you. “I know you, remember?” 

You grin, pulling on the pair of black boxer shorts he’d also sent your way. “Maybe a little too well.” 

“Or not well enough,” Johnny suggests, approaching you again.

“You’re such a sweet talker.”

“Only for you,” he smirks, leaning down to kiss you again. “You look cute in my clothes.”

“Do I look like I just got fucked senseless?”

“Definitely.” 

“Mark’s going to hate you,” you laugh.

“He’ll get over it,” Johnny brushes it off, reaching for your hand. “Ready to go?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” 

“You can still stay here if you want.”

“No, let’s face this now.” You need to be firm, need to get out of this love den before you find yourself even more loved up.

The two of you head to his door and Johnny holds it open for you. 

In the time you’ve been fucking, it looks like a lot of people have dispersed from the party, so walking through the hallway isn’t exactly a walk of shame. However, when you get down the stairs to Mark’s floor, you realize you still have to pull up your big girl panties to face him.

“I’m going to run to the bathroom,” you tell Johnny, “I’ll meet you in Mark’s.”

“You don’t want me to come with you?”

“To the bathroom?” you laugh. “I think I’m good.”

With one last kiss, you make your way to the frat bathroom at the end of the hall. It’s important to go pee after sex, for UTI reasons, your sorority big sister has drilled that into you since first year. When you’re done, you head to the sink, daring a look at yourself in the dirty mirror.

You look fucked, but you also look happy. 

In fact, you can’t stop smiling. 

After washing your hands, you dab some water on your throat, hoping it will calm you down. Once you feel good and ready, you exit the bathroom.

Mark’s door is open when you get to his room, and you poke your head inside. 

Jaehyun and Hyuck are on one bed, Mark and Johnny on the other, and they’re all lifting shots to their mouths. As you step inside, Mark’s gaze shifts to you. He takes in your new outfit and his eyes widen, then he spits out his shot, coughing loudly. 

Johnny’s hand finds Mark’s back while he practically coughs up a lung, and then Mark is leaping to his feet. “What-” His eyes dart between you and Johnny, and you can see the realization there. 

“Jesus, Mark, learn how to handle a shot,” Hyuck scoffs.

Mark doesn’t even entertain Hyuck, he simply turns to his big, pointing an accusatory finger at Johnny’s chest. “You’re Ghostie!?”

Johnny stands up. “You’re the one who gave me her number last year.”

“I what?!” Mark’s eyes are practically bulging out of his head now.

Hyuck and Jaehyun exchange a look, and Hyuck reaches for the tequila to pour another shot.

“Mark, it could be worse-” you say, trying to de-escalate the situation while stepping further into the room.

“How could it be worse!?” Mark bellows. “My Big is a stalker!”

“He’s not a stalker,” you defend Johnny, coming to join your tall new lover, your hand reaching for his.

“You’re her new boss!” Mark insists.

“Hyuck fucked our last bar manager,” Johnny points out.

“Guilty,” Hyuck smirks over the rim of his new shot.

Mark’s still not having any of this situation. “This is fucked up.”

“Mark, I’ve told you a million times, it’s spooky season.” You can’t help but giggle. This has been such a turn of events, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.

“You better not hurt her,” Mark says next, trying to meet Johnny’s gaze even while substantially shorter. 

“I won’t,” Johnny promises. 

“This is just-” Mark shakes his head. “Fuck this, I need to sleep.”

“We can move the party to my room,” Jaehyun says, already grabbing the bottle of tequila while Hyuck reaches for his bong.

It’s clear Mark’s done talking, and he collapses onto his bed face first like a tantruming toddler. You’ll discuss this with him another day, but you know now is probably not the time to push him to accept that his Big has a whole different side to him that Mark’s never seen. 

As you leave the room with Hyuck, Johnny and Jaehyun, Hyuck elbows you in the side. “I always knew you’d end up with one of us.”

“Yeah?” you laugh, gaze shifting to Johnny and Jaehyun who walk a few feet ahead of you.

“Once an NCT girl, always an NCT girl,” Hyuck nods. “And between us…” he leans closer, “Johnny is a good one.”

Your Ghostie looks over his shoulder at you, and you meet his gaze with a smile. “He is,” you agree. “Hey, John?”

“Yes, Tiny?” He stops at the door to the stairwell, holding it open and allowing you to catch up.

“I changed my mind, I think I am done with the party tonight.”

“Yeah?” Johnny smirks. “Gonna come back to my room?”

“If you invite me.”

“Tiny, my room has an open-door policy for you now.”

“Is that so?” you wrap your arms around his neck, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips.

“Uh huh,” Johnny grins. “And free cuddles, anytime you want them.”

“I like the sound of that,” you confess. 

“Just get married already!” Hyuck shouts back at the two of you as he climbs the stairs with Jaehyun. 

You and Johnny can only laugh at Hyuck. Your willpower is completely gone, and you allow your Ghostie to take you back to his room. 

He cuddles you close as the party dies down outside, and you find yourself slipping into the best sleep of your life on Halloween night with your Ghostie by your side.

☀️ mlist + an. thank you for reading! Halloween is my favourite Holiday, and there's something about Johnny and horror genre that makes me go feral

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🔮 preview. There’s no way he should be this fucking sexy. You’re outside in the cold, parkas on, a Santa hat on his head, a joint between his lips,  both your jeans down to your knees, his hand over your mouth to stifle your moans, and he’s about to fuck you against a wall with his massive cock- you’ve decided that Johnny as a whole is simply illegal.

cw/ tw. Unprotected sex, exhibitionism in an alley, weed use, slight temperature play, big dick Johnny, quickie, cum kink/filling panties with cum while at work, praise, dirty talk, size kink, hand over mouth silencing, choking, etc… I pet names: (hers) Tiny, pretty girl, good girl. (his) Ghostie.

👹 rating. 18+ explicit I wc. 2.5k I teaser wc. 275

🌙 staring. Johnny x afab!reader

bonus

You’ve been dating Johnny for a month and a half and you still can’t get enough of him. Whenever you pop over to the frat, it’s not long before one of you is dragging the other to his room. There’s never been sexual chemistry like there is for you and your Ghostie.

You’d never thought your biggest hurdle in the workplace would be refraining from jumping your bar manager, but here you are, every shift, practically drooling over him. Each brush of his hands across your body as he moves behind you to grab something makes you want to tear his clothes off, and your patience is at an all-time low. 

With Christmas fast approaching, the bar scene has substantially dwindled, and it’s making you even more needy. When Skeets only has a handful of customers, you fill drink orders while thinking about sucking on Johnny’s cock. 

It doesn’t help that he’s started wearing a Santa hat- why does it make him even sexier?

As Johnny smiles and makes casual conversation with a pair of girls sitting at the bar, you do your best to calm yourself. At the end of the night, you’ll be the one in Johnny’s bed, you just have to get to closing.

You notice in the periphery of your vision that the girls are finishing up with their drinks. Johnny excuses himself to grab the card reader, and as he slips past your ass, you feel his hard cock in his jeans. It’s difficult to stifle a moan, and you do so by biting on your lip. 

He loves teasing you, especially while you’re at work, and it drives you absolutely mental.

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[httpvomitello]

This is for turt of choice, how would they react to being asked by their S.O "do you think we're together in every universe?"

OMGGGG YEEEEES! That's sooo cute, and i hope you like it! ♡♡♡♡

Across Every Universe *⁠.⁠✧

It had been an oddly peaceful night at the lair, one of those rare moments when everything felt quiet and calm. The city was distant, the usual chaos of crime and Foot soldiers on hold, and all of you had a little time to breathe.

You sat next to Raph on the couch, leaning into him as you both shared a bag of chips, watching some random movie on the screen. It was one of those silly action flicks, full of explosions and cheesy one-liners. Neither of you were really paying attention to the movie; it was just background noise.

After a few minutes, you found your thoughts wandering, as they often did when you were with him. Lately, you’d been thinking a lot about the “what-ifs.” The alternate realities, the multiverse theories, and the idea of everything that could happen across different universes. You and Raph had been through so much together, and the thought of what could happen to you both, in other timelines or other versions of yourselves, made your heart ache in a way that was hard to explain.

You broke the silence first. "Hey, Raph... do you think we're together in every universe?"

Raph stop mid-bite, chips in hand, as he looked at you with an expression of pure confusion. His brow furrowed slightly as he processed your words, his mind trying to wrap around the odd question. You could see the gears turning in his head, trying to figure out what you meant.

“Wait, what?” Raph’s voice was deep and a little gruff, but there was curiosity there. “You mean like... in every alternate universe?”

You nodded slowly, shifting a little closer to him. “Yeah. Like... every version of us. Do you think that no matter where or when we are, we’d always find each other? Like, no matter what happens, we’d end up together?”

Raph set the chips down on the table, his full attention now on you. He let out a deep breath, looking down at his hands for a moment before glancing back at you.

“Well, that’s one hell of a question,” he muttered, his voice low and thoughtful. He seemed to be grappling with the idea.

You waited patiently, not wanting to rush him. It was rare to see Raph this reflective, and you didn’t want to interrupt the quiet storm of his thoughts.

Finally, Raph spoke again, his voice quieter now, almost uncertain. “You’re talkin’ about fate, right? Like, that no matter what the universe throws at us, we’d always end up together... no matter what kinda version of ourselves we are?”

You nodded again, your heart racing a little. You weren’t sure why the thought had come to you, but the idea of always being with him—no matter the circumstances—felt like something you had to know, something you had to understand.

“Well...” Raph started, his eyes flicking up to meet yours. There was a seriousness in them that was so rare for him, his usual confident smirk replaced by something deeper. “I think... if I’m bein’ honest, I think we would be.”

You blinked, surprised at his response. “You really think that?”

He gave a small, uncertain shrug. “Yeah. I do.” His voice was rough, but there was something tender behind it. “I mean, maybe it sounds crazy, but... I think if we’re meant to be, we’ll find each other. No matter how many universes there are. Whether we’re turtles or humans, heroes or not, you and me—we’re always gonna find our way back to each other.”

The sincerity in his words made your chest tighten. You didn’t know why, but hearing Raph say that felt like an anchor, something solid in the chaotic storm of life. Maybe it was his voice, low and steady, or the way he said it as if he truly believed it—no hesitation, no doubt.

“You really believe that?” you whispered, your voice barely audible as you scooted closer, your heart beating faster than it probably should.

Raph’s gaze softened, and he gave a slight, almost shy smile—something that was rare for him, especially in moments like these. “Yeah, I do. I mean, fuck, I’ve always been the kinda guy who’s ready for a fight, but... with you? With you, it’s different.” He shifted a little, his hand finding yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I don’t think I could ever let go of what we got. Not now, not ever.”

The weight of his words settled in your chest, and you squeezed his hand back, feeling an overwhelming sense of warmth spread through you. You had always known Raph was a guy of few words, especially when it came to matters of the heart, but in that moment, he was saying everything you needed to hear.

“You know, you’re not that bad when you’re serious, Raph,” you teased gently, your heart swelling with affection.

He chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest that made you smile. “Don’t get used to it, babe. It’s rare for me to get all mushy.”

You smiled softly, resting your head against his shoulder, your eyes closing as you let the moment linger. “I don’t need you to be mushy. Just... always be here with me.”

Raph’s arm wrapped around you, pulling you a little closer. “You got it. I’m not goin’ anywhere, no matter what universe we end up in. We’re stuck with each other, alright?”

You laughed quietly, feeling a warmth flood through you. “Guess I can’t ask for anything more.”

He kissed the top of your head, his grip around you tightening just slightly, as if to prove the point. “You better not.”

[abooklover]

Lines/things in the red white and royal blue movie that make me scream and laugh hysterically (bear with me cause there’s a lot):

‘an urge I currently share’ (Ellen)

‘Making it was one of the most depressing moments of my career and I once saw Mitch McConnell eating a banana’ (Zahra)

‘You can hate prince Henry all you want but the minute you see a camera you better act like the sun shines out of his ass and you have a vitamin d deficiency’ (made even funnier cause of how literally this turned out) - bonus ‘what if I set myself on fire’ (Alex), ‘we’d ship the ashes to Heathrow’ (Zahra)

‘That’s perfect, you can kill me and I won’t have to go’ (Henry)

‘That’s what makes you so charming. That and your eyelashes.’ (So fucking glad they included at least a reference to this. Taylor’s lashes were working fucking overtime in this movie.)

Henry’s text with the attachment and ‘but we were ever so careful, dear’ (One of my favourite texts in the book and I’m so glad it made it into the movie)

‘Can you think of anything more wasteful’ (Alex), ‘Perhaps this conversation’ (Henry)

Henry’s weird little attempt at dancing while chugging out of a champagne bottle with on fist pumping weakly into the air (he is so me it hurts)

‘He grabbed my hair in a way that made me understand the difference between rugby and football’ (Alex)

‘Princes aren’t allowed to be gay, you should know that’ (Nora)

Alex trying to look cool for when Henry walks into the red room (we love an awkward boy)

Alex and Henry jumping apart to do the most unnatural things (Alex inspecting flowers like it’s his job and Henry perusing the bookshelf) like the idiots they are when Amy walks in on them making out

‘Are you still…’ (Alex) ‘Like Stonehenge’ (Henry), ‘or Big Ben’ (Alex)

‘Henry and I are much happier against walls’ (Alex)

‘Are they known for their homosexual tendencies’ (Alex)

‘And I thought Alex Gabriel Claremont Diaz was a mouthful’ (Alex), ‘He is’ (Henry) - and the fucking looks that followed it (kill me now)

‘I went to an English boarding school dear, trust me you’re in good hands’ (Henry)

‘Once, unsuccessfully’ (Henry)

‘Oh gee kid I’m sorry to interrupt your process of becoming but you’re the one who decided to put your dick into the heir to the British throne’ (Zahra), ‘Technically I’m the spare’ (Henry), ‘Not talking to you sir’ (Zahra)

‘Every time I see you it takes another year off of my life’ (Zahra)

Alex’s ‘Noooo..’ and the little laugh he does

‘If I’d had more warning I could’ve made you a PowerPoint presentation’ (Ellen) - another incredible callback to the book

Oscar Diaz’s affectionate ‘you little shit’

‘I’ve been thinking’ (Alex), ‘I seriously doubt that’ (Henry) and Alex’s mimick of it (absolute gold)

‘Or find herself at the top of the staircase with Phillip around’ (Bea, you literally had no right)

Zahra’s face when Alex starts mooning over Henry after his speech, then Zahra saying ‘oh my god, I just have to do everything round here’ and do not get me started on her whole speech to Shaan (greatest thing ever)

‘You might be lousy at keeping secrets kiddo, but I’m not’ (Zahra), ‘Zahra, I could kiss you’ (Alex), ‘Touch me and die’ (Zahra)

‘They can’t keep you locked away forever’ (Alex), ‘We really need to get you a book on English history’ (Henry)

The way Stephen Fry says ‘homosexual’

‘You still haven’t noticed my tie’ and Henry’s little smile afterward (oh how far we’ve come)

BONUS: ‘Do you think anyone noticed?’ and Henry’s exasperated sigh afterward

[imdefinitelyfloating]

A Perfect Chaos (spencer reid x reader)

Pairing: Spencer x fem! Reader

Word Count: 1.4k

This will switch between Spencer’s POV and Reader’s POV – the first paragraph is Reader, and from there it alternates. I hope it isn’t too difficult to follow along!

The universe can be funny sometimes. It puts us in places we never expect to be, and sets into motion the new chapter of our lives. And I believe that is exactly what happened when I walked into the BAU bullpen on my first day at my new job, 3 years ago. The only empty desk sat across from a man, with his curly golden locks, his sharp jawline, and the softest eyes; I was sure, this was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. I don’t know if I believe in love at first sight, but that’s the only way I can describe what I felt at that very fateful moment.

My whole life, I’ve been trying to narrow down all the things around me to an exact science. But when she walked in that day, I felt something I had never experienced before. I was… speechless. The way her hair flowed, the way her eyes sparkled, the way her skin shone despite the harsh lighting of the BAU bullpen; I’m sure, this was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes upon. There’s an old Buddhist saying that, when you meet your soulmate, remember that the act to bring you together was 500 years in the making. So always appreciate and be kind to each other. I don’t know if I believe in soulmates, but that’s the only way I can describe what she would become to me.

Spencer and I became fast friends after I joined the BAU. I don’t know if it was intentional or just a simple coincidence, but Hotch always paired us together on cases, we sat opposite each other every day, and even rode all the same trains on the Metro. It’s safe to say we were quickly becoming the best of friends; we’d have Doctor Who marathons at his place, and have sleepovers at mine. Platonic, of course. There is no doubt in my mind that this is who I love, and this is who want to spend the rest of my life with. But I know he’ll never feel the same way, not for me.

Y/n became a place of comfort for me after tough cases, and she’d always be the one to pull me out and lift me up. She was my best friend, and I loved her, in more ways than she could even understand. I still remember the first time we sat together on the jet. It was a long case, and everyone was worn out. I felt the warmth radiating from her as she rested her head on my shoulder. I’m not the best with touch, but with her I didn’t mind. With her, I wish I could stay like that for all eternity. But I know she’ll never feel the same way, not for me.

Sitting opposite the man everyday, I quickly realised how much Spence loved his coffee (or in his case, sugar with a hint of coffee!) It soon became a tradition for us to bring coffee for each other every morning, and to go down to the little coffee shop a few blocks away on our shared breaks. As we’d walk, he would ramble on about Star Trek, and I’d counter back with my love of Star Wars! If there’s anyone who was going to challenge one of my favourite movie series, I’m glad it was him.

Valentine’s Day was always tough for me. To be honest, I was never really bothered by it until I met Y/n. Seeing her almost every day, but not being able to hold her, not being able to tell her how I really felt, it killed me inside. Every year, I thought this time I’m going to tell her. But when I would open my mouth to speak, it was like I’d forget how to talk, how to breathe. Now, three years later, I’m still just as speechless as I was when I had first met her.

February 14th – a day of love. It was meant to be a beautiful day, but for me it was just another day gone by when I hadn’t confessed my feelings to the man I so desperately wanted to hold, and to love. Still, me and Spence both went for our daily coffee break, both pretending to ignore the clearly obvious tension between us. We both had a lot of paperwork to get through, so we ordered our drinks to go. February in DC is unpredictable to say the least; the sun was finally shining through as we stepped into the small café, but as we stepped out, I felt the rain brush upon my face as I looked up to see clouds looming above us once again. And of course, just my luck, I don’t have my umbrella!

I must have forgotten my umbrella at my desk. The rain is really coming down now, so Y/n and I decide to take a shortcut through the park. We’re practically running now, and well, I’m not the most athletic of individuals. I stop at a bench, with Y/n coming back to hopelessly get me back up. She quickly gives in, sitting down on the small, wooden bench with me. The two of us sit in silence as I struggle to catch my breath in the cold Virginia air. But just as I felt my breath coming down to a more normal pace, I heard Y/n ask me the question I had been hoping she would never ask.

“So, Reid, who’s your Valentine’s?”

It had become something she’d ask me each year, always pestering me to go on dates or trying to set me up with one of her friends. But all I wanted to say was “I wish it was you.” It amazed me, a profiler, and she is still oblivious to how I really feel about her. Instead, I just brush her question off and ask her one instead.

“Who’s yours, Y/n?”

It’s now or never. If I don’t tell him now, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. He has to know.

“I wish you were my Valentine.”

Is this real? Did she really just say that? No, she must be joking. She could never love someone like me. I’ll just laugh it off. Why isn’t she saying anything? And that’s when I saw it. I looked in her eyes. She’s serious? This is happening? Oh, this is happening. It’s now or never, she has to know. And with that, I pressed my lips to hers, and we stayed like that. The rain was pouring, the wind was howling. People were shouting “Get a room!” But we didn’t care. You always hear it in children’s fairytales, that when you truly love someone nothing else matters, the whole world stops except for you. I had never believed it until now, but Y/n is my fairytale come true.

As our lips parted from one another, we rested our foreheads together. Magic really does exist, because Spencer Reid is my magic.

Eventually, Y/n and I made it back to work. We were so ready for a trademark Hotch glare, coming back so long after our break had finished. But all we heard was Rossi, “Finally, thank God they admitted it!” I was about to speak, but Y/n read my mind and beat me to it:

“How did you- HOW?!”

Everyone erupted into a fit of laughter, Emily and JJ making pointing fingers and teasing as Garcia literally suffocated me in a classic Penelope hug. And then there’s Morgan patting Spencer a little too enthusiastically on the back, “Pretty Boy, my man!” Even Hotch gave a rare smile as he and Rossi observed the scene. It was a perfect chaos, and in the middle of it all stood Spencer and I, my soulmate and I.

Thank you for reading! 🥰💗

[meteor752]

What I would have done

If you have been keeping up with my posts for the last week, you may have noticed that I fucking despise the new Descendants movie

There’s a lot of reasons behind this. One, nostalgia, I love the original ones (Harry Hook is one of my all time favorite characters lol I think he’s fun). Two, I expected more of the franchise, because it’s fucking Disney, and while I know Kenny Ortega wasn’t the director this time, there would at least be people who worked on the original movies involved in the process, so I thought they at least knew what they were doing. Three, nothing in the movie makes any fucking sense, and I’m not usually a person who gets hung up on nitpicks, like if you entertain me then do whatever you want, but my god it’s impossible to ignore.

But most of all, the story they were trying to tell just isn’t interesting.

Like, if I would tell someone what the best part of Descendants is, it’s not the songs, or the cast, or the costumes, or even really the characters. Don’t get me wrong I love all of those parts, and I doubt the movies would be even close to as good as they are if you removed one of these things. But the best and most interesting part to me, and to a lot of people in the fandom as well, is the concept of The Isle Of The Lost.

The concept of taking all of these classic Disney Villains with wildly different aesthetics, motives, ideologies, and overall moralities and placing them all on an island and make them build up a society, that shit’s fascinating, but the core movies do next to nothing with it cause they spend all their time on Auradon. The second one focuses the most on it, and guess what, that one’s the best one!

(I know the books exist, I read them, but they just weren’t that good, like it felt like I was reading bad fan fiction)

So what would I do for Descendants four?

Well, I’d set in on the fucking Isle.

Actually, I think this would genuinely work better as a series. Not that long of a series tho, maybe like eight episodes, each episode like 40 minutes long.

Each episode would focus on a different VK, set a few years before the first movie, and have a short composed story about their general life.

I don’t know which VKs exactly, but I think Harriet Hook could be interesting, her episode being like four or five years before the first movie so we can see preteen C3, I think that would be cute, also a young CJ.

Possibly the Gaston twins, though Lefou Deux could work too. Whichever it would be, the other would feature.

Jade, Jay’s cousin, could be a lot of fun, maybe have like a rivalry between the two.

Freddie and Celia, I think it’s insane that they never mention Freddie in D3, but like I wanna know what their relationship is like.

And of course, Red! Queen of Hearts is a villain, she should be on the Isle. And if any of you dare tell me that she’s from wonderland and they couldn’t like, capture her or whatever, they got fucking Hades on the Isle, they resurrected some guys to place them there, Queen of Hearts is not a problem.

(Also like, Morgie could be there, but this time as a real VK)

But yeah, lot of options lol.

Every episode would show just the grim reality of what these kids would have to live through their whole lives, the complicated relationships they would have with their parents, and really emphasize that fact. D1 was the only one that really focused on how the Isle kids were kids who were all victims of insane abuse their whole lives. I mean, in D3 they all like happily run to meet them once the barrier is down, which is crazy.

Also, the show would be rated PG-13. Like, I’m not asking for graphic scenes of abuse, but I do want it to be kinda gritty and grim, with some more psychological and mental abuse taking place. Also, we’re told multiple times about gang wars, but we aren’t really shown any. Maybe one episode could focus on that, like idk Clay Clayton (insane name btw) and his gang.

But most importantly, we’d have all the Disney villains in cool new leather outfits, which is what I think everyone wants tbh. I have gotten that one part of ‘Life Is Sweeter’ where the villain comes up more than any part of the movie, like people like the villains more than anything. And yeah I know they wouldn’t be young and hot anymore, but like we can have some extreme Milf and Dilf looks, it will even out.

Descendants is one of, if not the most popular franchise Disney Channel has made, it deserves a better continuation than Rise of Red.

Also, if the show is popular then we could have a season two/sister series, about the kids of Auradon, that could be interesting too, and also have some dark shit in it, idk. The way that Queen Leah spoke to Audrey in D3 had some dark undertones, so I think her episode could be interesting. Could also feature the political implications of The Isle, potential protests and propaganda, idk.

Also, Chloe can get an episode, so boom we got them both!

So what I’m trying to say here is this:

Disney hire me

[thislovintime]

1968.

“‘Actually, I wanted to leave the group over two years ago when the first season ended, but the guys convinced me not to. I didn’t care about all the things that were happening, all the acclaim. I hated the work! It was tough, and I didn’t like it. I just wanted to record for all my life. Also, the pressure was awful. We were working in an incredibly new environment. Half of the crew on the show was young and had very little experience at that level of work. Many of them were getting their first big break. Actually, after the TV show was canceled it was easier for me to leave. Doing the TV show was the worst. Then came the movie, and I couldn’t forego the movie, so I did it. You know, there were moments here and there — lots of good, funny stuff happening throughout — but the only time that I was really happy was when we were recording the ‘Headquarters’ album. The concerts were fun, but during the concert tours you are removed from your friends except for the guys. And even when we did take a few friends along it was only a mild relief. This last tour of Australia and Japan wasn’t fun because I felt hideously under-rehearsed. I was constantly pushing for rehearsals, and they were constantly saying well, like later. We couldn’t get together. Also, we didn’t play any new music this last concert tour. It was all old tunes, nothing from our newer albums, and it was a bore. But I think they suspected I was leaving anyway. For me, a lot of the pressure was off. When I felt a part of the group every time someone said something that jarred my sensibilities, I’d raise a huge ruckus and everybody thought I was out of my mind. While we were making the TV Special, knowing I was not going to be there any longer, I just thought to myself — I don’t have to worry about this thing — and I just let everything slide off my back. They must have though something was screwy. Then I finally told them, ‘Gentlemen I’m in negotiations to resign from the group.’ And they said, ‘Okay, well, there’s not much time, we’d better get to work on this Special.’ So we taped the thing and that’s the last I saw of them. The last day of the taping they gave me this little testimonial memorial watch.’ From his pocket Peter drew out a silver, antique-looking timepiece with the back side engraved, ‘To Peter Tork, from the guys down at work.’ ‘I’m free, I don’t know what I’ll be doing. I’m actually a little apprehensive, because there’s no doubt that there are three other incredibly talented fellows out there. They’re very talented guys. Mike is one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. Micky is even funnier and Davy is just cute as a button. Who could ask for anything more? Davy dances so great, did you see him dance in the film? I’ve not seen dancing like that on the screen except from Fred Astaire. The only other thing is that I’m both really relieved and really, really apprehensive. I’m terribly glad and also terribly sad.’” - NME, January 25, 1969

“Peter and I were the bulk of the playing ability because we were musicians. But when Peter left it rather unnerved Davy and Micky — and I changed my mind [about leaving]. After all, the personal appearances were pretty well satisfying, the music was fun, and the whole thing was fairly lucrative. And Davy and Micky left alone would have been in real trouble.” - Michael Nesmith, Disc and Music Echo, September 19, 1970

"In a telephone interview this week, Tork explained why he left the group in 1968, three years after it was formed. ‘Musicians were being auditioned in an effort to create the Monkees, and the purpose was to reap money,’ he said. ‘But for our first two albums, studio musicians were hired to do the instrumentals and we just did the lead singing. I didn’t want that.’ Tork convinced the other three members, Davy Jones, [Micky] Dolenz and Mike Nesmith, to do the third album themselves. ‘But I couldn’t get the guys to go for that again, so the fourth album was half and half,’ he said. Critics had frowned on the Monkees for this. ‘Every single malcontent felt he had the right to tell me what was wrong with the situation. I took the critics to heart,’ Tork said. ‘When I talked to the guys about it, they told me if I want more I should get my own act.’ Tork describes his current relationship with Jones, Dolenz and Nesmith as ‘cordial.’ ‘I learned to put all my bitterness behind me,’ he said. ‘I hear about them through the grapevine, but we have no real call to talk to each other, although, I had a brief lunch with Davy Jones in Japan recently.’ When Tork joined the Monkees in October 1965, he was 23 years old and inexperienced in handling fame and fortune. ‘There’s a lot of things involved with money and recognition, and the price was much higher than I expected,’ he said. ‘There’s an isolating pressure that goes along with success. I couldn’t handle it.’" - article by Lisa Stenza, Connecticut Daily Campus, February 26, 1982 (read more in an older post)

[babybluebanshee]

so a dead mall near me is being torn down in October and while I’m glad the space will hopefully be used for something better, the little freak part of me is sad to lose such an interesting, cursed space. I love dead malls. I find them fascinating. So I shall recount to you my personal experience inside this particular dead mall, which I shall call C Mall.

so a little context - shae and I were there because I got a v-stock (vintage resale shop that mostly specializes in movies, video games, and other nerd swag; I buy a lot of movies from them) gift card for Christmas one year and that was the closest one to where we’d been shopping that day. I had never been to C Mall, the entire time it was open. I didn’t even know it was still open at the time. We drove out and, kids, you’ve never seen a parking lot that big that deserted. Only about a third of it had any cars in it, and that’s because those were the spots closest to the movie theater and Cheesecake Factory that were somehow chugging along inside. Even then, that third was barely a quarter full. I knew right away I was gonna love this place.

the v-stock was on the populated side of the mall, so if you just stayed in there, you probably wouldn’t have ever known it was in a dead mall. It was fairly bustling, there was even a line at the register. But there were signs all around if you paid attention - water stained ceilings, a musty smell despite the clerks’ best efforts, and, creepiest of all, on the lower level where the movies were, a huge window that offered you a look into the darkened food court. The chairs all put up on tables to clean the floor, but never put down again. Most of the food stands shuttered and bare, but some still wide open with signage. The only light the sunlight pouring in from skylights a story up. I have no doubt, at night, that food court was black as pitch.

so I get my movies (spending waaaaay more than my $25 gift card, but that’s life), when shae and I both realize we have to use the bathroom. The v-stock only has employee bathrooms. The closest open ones are in the Macy’s. Clear on the other end of the building. And our bladders were juuuuust full enough to make the trek, rather than find a gas station nearby or something. Honestly, we probably were just at the point where we didn’t even remember there was a world outside this dying symbol of capitalism. There was only Mall. There had always only been Mall.

so we set off, leaving the brightly lit, populated v-stock for parts unknown. And even though it probably only took us about ten minutes to get to the Macy’s, it felt like years. Most of the stores were shuttered. A few were clearly falling apart - broken ceiling tiles, cracked glass, a light dangling by a single frayed wire. Some had been converted to storage for what did remain. What appeared to have been a store for fancy home decor had become a tangled mess of mannequin limbs. Fortunately, no heads that we could see. Just arms and legs, reaching for a god who’d long since abandoned them.

the only other humans we encountered were some older ladies on the lower level. In a last ditch effort to attract customers, any customers, the mall had turned the southern food court into a pickleball court. These ladies were maybe a few feet from the crypt of a food court on the north side. As shae and I watched them, we wondered if they were as uncomfortable with that knowledge as we were.

the only store we saw before the Macy’s that was open was an arcade/party space. “Open” is actually a pretty generous description tbh. The gate wasn’t down, and the arcade machines were on, but it was completely dark aside from those arcade cabinets, and we didn’t see anyone at the counter or at the games. There was a sign advertising party packages. To me it felt like a honey trap, like someone or something was waiting in the dark for some unsuspecting child to walk in.

finally, we reached the Macy’s. Now, malls are typically considered dead once either their profit margins drop below a certain point or their flagship store (usually a large department store like macys or dillards) closes up shop and nothing replaces it. Macys was still chugging along, but clearly in hospice. They were just waiting for the old girl to die peacefully. Sparse shelves, about two employees for the entire store, so quiet you could hear every word of the music playing over the speakers. It was haunting. And, like all department stores, labyrinthine. Felt like Will Navidson trying to find the bathroom, but we eventually did. Two of the four toilets were out of order and the hand dryer only ran for a second or two before shutting off. It was surreal.

I don’t remember walking back to the car, which remember, was on the other side of the mall by the v-stock. I just remember we eventually stepped out into the sun, and were absolutely slammed with traffic noise and human voices. It was like coming out a dark, soundproof room. It was one of the most cursed experiences of my life.

I found out that C Mall is getting demolished from an article that included pictures of the huge, empty space. I could feel the unease, the wrongness of a place that should be full of people and noise being silent and derelict. It was almost sad that this place was going out with such a whimper. I feel this picture says it all:

We did this to it. And it knows that. And it wants to know why it has to die because of us.

[lucky-ladybugs-lovelies]

Another Sephiroth Survey

More asks taken as survey, found here: https://www.tumblr.com/kohakuhime/774217912638652416?source=share

Why do you like or dislike this character? Ever since I started uncovering what he’s like when sane and how kind and good he is, I’ve adored him. I adore him even more now that Square is really putting out all kinds of lovely things to show how wonderful he is.

Favorite canon thing about this character? That he’s the kind of person who will try with all his might to save everyone, no matter what.

Least favorite canon thing about this character? That he lost his mind and we don’t yet have a canon redemption for him in any timeline. (Please, please do this in part 3 of Remake, Square! After they’ve really been pulling out all the stops to lead up to it, it will just be the hugest gyp if they don’t do it!)

If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in? I wish there were canon books about him and Zack on missions that are as good as the fanfictions people have been writing for years. It would be amazing to have something like that on my bookshelf!

What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them? One-Winged Angel

What's something you have in common with this character? Wishing loved ones would stay.

What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like? They tend to love celebrating Seph’s gorgeousness and every sweet thing showing what a good person he was when sane, like everyone getting excited now over there being a petting animation! I would love to see someone have him pet an Eevee!

What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise? It’s popular in Kingdom Hearts fandom to say that KH Seph harmed or killed Zack after Birth By Sleep, which I absolutely detest.

Could you be roommates with this character? Probably, if he was sane. I would not trust the insane one to be anywhere near me, lol.

Could you be best friends with this character? I like to think I could, although I don’t know if we’d have much in common. But I’d try to introduce him to fun things, like Zack does in fanon, and always be there for him.

Would you date this character? Yes.

What's a headcanon you have for this character? He develops yet another version of his Safer form where he keeps both arms and his legs, and this time all the wings are on his back to assist with greater flight. This time the wings are usually all white except for the black one, although I love the purple and blue tips and may adjust my headcanon to include those. He tends to wear a black kilt in this form, although I have earlier concepts drawn where he . . . doesn’t wear anything and some of the wings are covering him. I feel like Sephiroth would definitely be more modest than that, especially considering that even when insane, he does properly cover himself in Dissidia NT.

What's an emoji, an emoticon and/or any symbol that reminds you of this character or you think the character would use a lot? If there’s a wing emoji, that would remind me of him. I doubt he uses any emojis and probably thinks they’re silly and pointless, lol.

Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character. Fans used to like depicting him with reading glasses, and even if it’s not likely he would ever need them, he looks so good.

What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.) Sephiroth & Cloud. I love them platonic/queerplatonic and romantic, just as long as Cloud wants to be with him and fully agrees. I don’t like any fics or art where he’s being forced against his will. There are just so many complex layers to them and it’s so fascinating exploring all the different ways positive interaction between them could go.

What's your least favorite ship for this character? I’m not terribly fond of Sephiroth/Elfe, but mainly because I’m very “Eh” about Elfe. I can see why people would think it could be interesting.

What's a ship for this character you don't hate but it's not your favorite that you're fine with? Sephiroth/Zack, like specifically the romantic flavor. I prefer them having a familial relationship rather than romantic, but I’ve seen some adorable shippy fics and pics that I squee over. :)

How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire? That would be Zack again. It’s very sweet and sad that it looks like Sephiroth wants to be friends with Zack. The creators even said that Sephiroth considers Zack one of his friends. And at least during the sunset scenes at Junon, Zack acts like he’s reciprocating to some extent. But I have a lot of mixed and frustrated feelings with how canon handled them in other scenes, including Nibelheim. By fleshing out Zack in Crisis Core, they just showed how OOC it was that Zack didn’t fight harder for Seph. Zack never gave up on Angeal. Why did he give up on Seph? It doesn’t fit his character and it drives me nuts! As a writer, I bump up against that problem any time Nibelheim is discussed, and there’s never a good answer.

How about a relationship they have in canon that you don't like? I’m not fully sold on Sephiroth & Glenn. On the one hand, I am fine with Glenn teaching Seph about compassion when Seph is 12. It makes complete sense that he would need someone to teach him that when he certainly didn’t get any from the scientists. But I don’t really like the apparent idea that Glenn has to come back and teach Seph again when he’s an adult before it really starts sinking in. Maybe that isn’t what we’re meant to think from the framing story in First Soldier Episode 1, but that was what it looked like to me, and I prefer the idea that Seph continued to show compassion from 12 years old on and did not need someone to teach him again as an adult. That would mean he really didn’t have many years showing it before he cracked up.

Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter? If Zack is written IC and never gives up on Seph, he is the ideal best friend. He shows Seph happiness and joy and fun times like Seph never had before, and he’s a loyal friend who never stops fighting to save him from himself (and Jenova).

If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like? I love to show his kindness and his protectiveness. I am frustrated with some of the ways I wrote him in my older fics where he was much sterner or jerky even when sane, especially in my original KH timeline.

If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don't like? I love to see Sephiroth showing kindness and concern for others and being perfectly protective. I dislike when I see fics with KH Seph where he harmed or killed Zack after Birth By Sleep. (Ugh, why???)

Favorite picture of this character? How can I pick just one?

What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them? Seph is pretty unique. Can’t think of anyone who reminds me of him except other Sephs. Lol.

What was your first impression of this character? How about now? First impression was when watching Advent Children for the first time: “… This is the guy everyone was worried about? He’s here for like, six minutes! Why?!” Current impression: “The Rebirth Ultimania describes him as having a gentleness and being the perfect boss when sane! Squeeee he’s adorable!”

What's something the character has done you can't get over? Be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever? Trying so hard to save a cadet who falls in the water at Nibelheim. His expression when he is unable to save him is heartbreaking and he proceeds to keep looking for two hours trying desperately to find him. This scene is from the Remake timeline, but for me it absolutely defines sane Sephiroth and I insist on thinking this happened in the OG verse too, retconning where he feels they can’t search for the kid.

FREEBIE QUESTION!! Hm. Favorite piece of Seph merch? That would be the Play Arts Kai AC Seph with wing. Gorgeous figure, gorgeous wing, and I just have an extreme soft spot for him since he came on my birthday and really brightened it.

[hyohaehyuk]

fangirlish - ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Roundtable Interviews: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid & Bailey Bass Talk Dark Gifts & Immortality

Ahead of the release of AMC’s Interview with the Vampire, we participated in the series’ virtual roundtable interview with Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, and Bailey Bass. Before even getting into the insights the actors gave us into their experiences in playing these characters, let’s just be perfectly clear on a couple of things.

First off, these actors have done their research. And it shows.

And, for as great as the 1993 film was, the main research — especially for Reid — didn’t really come from there. As he told us, creator Rolin Jones’ “adaptation really spans the whole Vampire Chronicles book series.” That’s not to say that he doesn’t “love that film” (he does). But the series just doesn’t really reference it.

For Bass, who “wasn’t as familiar with the novel and the movie” during the audition process, though, “watching the movie was the fastest way [she] could be familiar” with the material. And, as she told us, “seeing Kirsten Dunst’s performance, and seeing how loud and unapologetic Claudia was, made me even more excited to be able to play her.” 

Next, let’s talk about actors and perfect casting.

Anderson and Reid, who participated side-by-side from a single location, simply are Louis and Lestat. Not even just in the series. The energy between them — if watching the series itself wasn’t already clear enough proof — is Exhibit A for why they were clearly the only two people who could’ve played these characters.

So, of course, no one’s saying anybody here is actually a vampire, or actually part of this love story in real life…

But there is just something very there in the two actors that screams, “we were meant to be Anne Rice’s Brat Prince and his beloved sufferer.”

One of the places where this dynamic was most obvious, actually, was when we asked specifically about Louis’ use of certain Gifts in Interview with the Vampire.

Canonically, “I never revealed to him half my powers, and with reason, because he shrank in guilt and self-loathing from using even half of his own” (The Vampire Lestat, 2010 Ballentine Mass Market Edition, p. 498).

And yet, in AMC’s Interview with the Vampire…we see, perhaps, a slightly different Louis. We don’t doubt there’s still that old “guilt and self-loathing” somewhere, but he certainly accesses some interesting powers.

We asked if we might learn about that change, or if it maybe has to do with Louis’ future companions, or something else. And well. Let’s just say the shared, loaded looks and the way the actors finished each other’s sentences…was a lot.

Anderson started off the answer to this one, saying he knew what we were doing with this question, and Reid took over from there. “I’d just say, as somebody who…is a bit of a geek on these laws…And it is coming straight out of Anne Rice, when you drink from the vampire who turns you, you absorb their powers. Depending on how much you take, [it] also increases or decreases their powers.”

Here, Anderson picked the conversation back up in an attempt to keep everyone out of trouble. “I think, actually, we need to leave this question,” he told us. At that point, Reid interjected to agree, “yeah, just going to leave that there.” Anderson said we’d have to keep the question “a little bit more open” but confirmed we’re “on a track.”

And then, Reid promised we could “feel free to speculate.” Then again, as we were putting the subject to rest, and after Anderson thought they’d already said too much, Reid did push back in true Brat Prince fashion. He insisted, “it’s rule that exists in the universe, though.”

Also on the subject of powers Louis and Lestat have in Interview with the Vampire:

One of the questions that came up during the roundtable interview was which of the powers each actor would like to have. Reid answered first, saying “instinctively, you want to say flying. But the way he [Lestat] talks about flying is so terrifying…it’s obviously a horrible experience. So, I’m not going to go with flying.”

But Lestat’s other powers aren’t so attractive to wish for either: “And equally, mind reading would be extraordinary. But then again, quite painful to hear what people really think of you.” Eventually, Reid settled on Lestat’s “ability to hypnotize. His ability to get somebody to listen to him on an instant would be…not something that I necessarily want, but it would be a nice little power that you could have in your back pocket.”

At this point, the particular type of laughter from Reid was…pure Lestat. Not sure how else to describe it, so here we are. Another thing that’s pure Lestat? From there, Reid took the question and answer in his own direction.

“I think, you know, while vampires — and while I love them and do love Anne Rice and have for a long time — do seem, like, incredibly intoxicating, I think that a lot of…It’s actually quite a painful existence. And a lot of their gifts, and a lot of their power, come from a difficult place. And they challenge, and they work with them all the time.” He continued to say he thinks “Lestat wants Louis to love him without his powers.”

He also pointed toward plenty of times in Interview with the Vampire where Lestat could use his full powers to get out of virtually any situation — and doesn’t.

“But it’s because, all the time, he is trying to be loved for himself. He’s trying to be accepted for himself.” Even “when he’s violent, he often is violent just with his hands. He doesn’t actually use his…real power. So, you know, again, I guess that goes to show that there is a lot of guilt and a lot of struggle within being such a powerful being. So, I don’t know if I really want that. But it’s very, very fun to play.”

Anderson said he’d “take the Fire Gift,” which prompted a whole discussion from Reid about whether or not Lestat even has that Gift at this point in time. Yes, he also mentioned getting more Blood from the Mother — Akasha. Though he didn’t use her name, he didn’t need to — too.

On immortality…

Getting into the guilt and struggle that Reid mentioned when discussing powers fits perfectly with the concept of how much of a true struggle immortality can be. And, for those of us who’ve read The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice’s vampires definitely struggle. Yes, even Lestat.

So, what are the actors‘ thoughts on immortality?

For Anderson, it’s “a process of endurance and acceptance” that’s “different for the individual.” Later, he’d add that it gives you “all the time” to “find any kind of acceptance of self.” But to have that time, “you have to keep going. You have to wake up — every night — and decide to…to be there. Which I guess…is a decision that we make every day as humans. But it has different implications, of course, with immortality.”

Reid said this is “one of the main, dynamic questions of the show and of Anne Rice’s work.” In the universe of Interview with the Vampire, “you either embrace that — you take it on, head on, and you just…dive down the hall of being this creature. Or you fight it…And they all, every vampire in Anne Rice’s world, at some point, struggles with it.” Therefore, to him, “immortality would be amazing. But, you also lose all the people you love. But then, also, you might turn all the people you love into a vampire. And then, you realize they didn’t like you in the first place anyway.”

And what about Bailey Bass? In her own words, “I would walk into the sun.” For her, “life is precious because we don’t get to live forever, you know? There’s such a limited amount of time, and that’s why it’s so wonderful.” She’s also worried she’d “want to turn someone to have a spouse,” only to wind up stuck with someone who actually doesn’t like her. “That’s just miserable.”  

…and extremes.

One place where immortality plays a large role is in how Anne Rice’s vampires are, as Anderson put it, “everything at the same time.” And one of the things about Louis and Lestat “that’s so special is that they do live in this incredibly complex, like…It’s like a cosmic scale.” And, sure, some of their extreme behavior “happens in the horror genre quite a lot” with “certain archetypes that you have to kind of — that you have to…check off. (Not Chekhov, check off! [Insert laughter with Reid and a comment on Chekhov plays here.]). However, it’s all “rooted in humanity, and it’s rooted in things, sometimes, that we don’t want to reveal about ourselves.”

Ever the scholar on all things Vampire Chronicles, Reid really tied this all back to living forever. For him, we all know vampires live forever. And Rice “really hammers that home, and Rolin’s really beautifully picked up on it.” Because of this, “endurance is a huge part of being a vampire. It’s not only just endurance to survive, to not walk into the sun because you’ve had enough and you can’t go on; it’s endurance to make life interesting. It’s endurance to make every day that you wake up — or every night that you wake up — not the same, monotonous merry-go-round of existence. And so, they do make things extreme. They are dramatic; they are Extra; they are a a lot, you know?”

Part of this extreme and Extra behavior goes back to the fundamental struggle of being a Rice vampire. “They’re aware that they are bad; they’re aware that they kill to survive. And there’s that constant push and pull between, you know, ‘do I embrace it, do I enjoy it? Or do I fight it, and do I hate myself?’ And then, that really just comes in, over and over again, throughout the books, you know? Particularly when you start looking at the Catholicism and the older…kind of Children of Satan…and all these kind of elements…there’s that push and pull between what they should be doing as demons and then, what they could be doing as conscious, emotional beings.”

Yes, he mentioned the Children of Satan. And yes, we were like “omg.”

Anyway. Continuing with what Reid had to say…

“So, yeah. It’s very extreme stuff. But it’s super fun — all you, sort of, dream of doing as an actor. So, to be given the license to do it is…very fun.”

Bass agreed, saying that dynamic was “freeing” for her as an actor. And, “like Sam was saying, every day has to — every night — has to be exciting and wanting to create something new.” For Claudia, specifically, she feels like ” because all her feelings are even more intense, being trapped in a 14-year-old body and her brain never fully developing, she’s always going off her first instinct. That’s really exciting as an actor because I felt like I could never do anything wrong on set. Which is always fun.”

A walk through history

But, one thing that immortality allows for — that vampire stories, and especially Rice’s vast world, promise — is getting to see a lot of history. So, we asked the cast of Interview with the Vampire what about the series’ chosen time period worked for them.

For Anderson, “there’s something really fitting about the period that Rolin chose to set this interpretation in. I think 1910, the 1910s, in New Orleans is like this sort of secret period in New Orleans’ history. And, Storyville was kind of — it was — like a Red Light district, ultimately, where taboos were made legal for this period of time.”

Eventually, though, “Storyville became like this gentrified thing. And it became like a pariah in, in sort of decent ‘Caucasian society.’ In quotations. That’s [important] — I’m putting some big quotations there,” he said while doing actual air quotes.

So, to tie this back into the supernatural element of Interview with the Vampire, Anderson noted, “I think that really speaks to something about how vampires are seen. This is a period of time where it kind of — it almost feels like it wouldn’t be that shameful to be a vampire.”

At this point, Reid hummed in agreement. And we’re pretty sure we were nodding along, actually. Anyway.

Anderson continued, telling us, “that’s something that is attractive to Lestat…Like, it makes so much sense. And it also feeds into Louis’ shame.”

He also noted that the time period is “very difficult to research. It was very hard to find archival material, particularly [about] Free People of Color and Creole people.” But that struggle to find good research materials is actually an advantage. “It feels like you can put fantasy in that period, and it feels…It almost grounds it even more.” 

Here, Reid noted that “the music, as well, from that period of time is…just amazing.” Which, of course, is…again, fitting for an actor playing the Brat Prince to say. As we all know, Lestat does love his music…

For Bass, the costumes were particularly important. “I think it was perfect that, when Claudia starts to question who she is and why she is, is right in the ‘20s. And that’s when women started wearing less clothing.” So, “because of that, she actually steals someone’s dress. Because she’s, like, ‘that’s great. That’s going to make me feel like I’m older. That’s going to make me step into a woman and not a little girl anymore.'”

This brought up more questions and discussions about the costumes from other journalists on the Zoom call.

How costumes contribute to the feel of Interview with the Vampire

For Anderson, trying on the costumes for the first time, he just “felt like Louis.” What came with that feeling? Well, if you’ve either read or seen Interview with the Vampire, you know that means tons of contradictions.

“He wants to stand out — he doesn’t want to blend into the background. And there’s, like, an irony and like a push and pull about that, that he also doesn’t want to be looked at. And he’s…And he’s carrying a lot of fear about himself and about being found out in lots of different ways.”

But, despite him not wanting to be looked at, “some of the purpose of Louis’ costuming is that he kind of glows. That he stands out. His color is gold.” When Anderson called it “peacocking, a lot of the time,” Reid laughed. (There’s that Louis/Lestat interplay again.)

But it’s really true! And for Anderson, that feeling of the costumes maybe being an extra element “that kind of draws [Lestat] in. Not that that’s Louis’ intention,” that was just one more thing to help the actor figure out how to carry himself.

Reid mentioned how out of place Lestat is when we first meet him in Interview with the Vampire‘s premiere. “He’s kind of still carrying the remnants of the century where he’s come from before because he’s come from a big journey. And then, he has to sort of…get a makeover — an update.”

(Here, Anderson snickers. Sorry. There’s no other word for it.)

Reid called the makeover “a bit clashy” because Lestat “doesn’t fit in these clothes.” But, from there, costume designer Carol Cutshall “found this way of incorporating just very subtle elements of bondage into the costumes. So, the waists would be much smaller. The boots would be made of patent leather…You know, he’d try, like, a silly boater hat on because he knew it was sort of, like, ridiculous and funny.” He also noted they were “always looking for the keys that come back to the character, even if he’s in a time that’s not necessarily ‘his’ time.”

Bass had similar praise for Cutshall. In that vein, she noted that “the costumes were so intentional. And that’s why putting them on made us really feel like our characters. There’s a story through the costumes as our characters evolve.” Additionally, she pointed out that “we pick our clothes in the morning. So, that’s something that we do intentionally. And Carol was aware of that. So, wherever the characters were in the story, she made sure that the clothing aligned.”

Another fun tidbit? Everyone had fangs and lenses. And, while others only had two, Claudia had four. “That’s so Claudia. Of course she has four and not two, you know?”

And just to end on a fun note…

Anderson, Reid, and Bass all have other vampire stories they’ve loved — outside of Interview with the Vampire and the rest of Rice’s Chronicles.

Reid “was obsessed with Bram Stoker’s Dracula as a kid. And Gary Oldman playing Dracula,” while Bass is “absolutely obsessed” with Twilight. As a huge David Bowie fan, Anderson thinks “The Hunger is amazing and kind of…It bears something quite Riceian about it.”

Which, for the record, “Riceian” is our new favorite word.

Continuing with Anderson, he says of The Hunger, “it’s very existential and questions — lots of questions about aging, more specifically, and loneliness. And that kind of…the desperate grab for, ‘I don’t want to be alone, but do I want to be the opposite of alone with this person?’”

Riceian indeed.

So, if you wanted more vampire content, there you go.

[swagcoolcat]

Be More Chill Movie Predictions:

* The movie isn’t happening

* Because there’s been zero news about the movie for so long, and demand for it seems pretty low, I have my doubts that this movie will ever see the light of day

* It hasn’t been officially cancelled, but I feel it’s likely been set aside indefinitely, and it seems unlikely that they’ll bring it back anytime soon

* The rest of these predictions will be with the assumption that it is happening, but I wanted to make it clear that I don’t think it is.

* Also worth noting if it did happen, it would almost certainly be live action.

* I think the movie would be really cool if it was animated, especially 2D animated, but there’s no fucking way it would be 2D animated, and I doubt they’d make it animated at all, especially since it’d probably be PG-13

* I hope to fucking GOD it would not be PG, like I’m sorry, but I like the fact that the musical has swears and sex jokes and stuff in it, tyvm

* The jokes and script would be sanitized

* Let’s be real here, if Disney is the one making the movie, they’re going to want to appeal to a wider audience, which means turning a lot of the jokes down a notch (or a couple notches)

* The lines that I think would be targeted the most are ones pertaining to suicide and sex, for obvious reasons. Possibly drug usage based lines too.

* I would not be surprised if they took out Michael being a stoner entirely. That seems entirely in the ballpark of something Disney would do.

* I’d hope they’d still handle the lines and jokes about suicide in a way that still portrays the students as struggling, as that’s part of the point of the musical, but I have my doubts that they’d do it well.

* Cutting, Replacing, and Shortening a bunch of songs

* Songs that I think could be shortened:

* More Than Survive (I love this song but it’s 8 minutes long- I don’t think they’d have a song that long. They’d probably cut a verse or something.)

* The SQUIP song (I think they’d use the broadway version, which I’d still consider shortened)

* Sync Up (I feel a lot of this song may just be spoken and they’d just have the “all in all a not to heinous day” part of the song)

* The Smartphone Hour (I feel they’d probably keep this sequence, but I also feel they’d cut all of the parts shorter)

* The Play (Again, this song is long as fuck- I think they’d change this sequence a lot because I don’t know how well it’d translate from stage to screen)

* Songs I think could be cut or replaced

* I Love Play Rehearsal (This hurts me but I feel they could easily cut this song in favor of a spoken scene. I think they could just as easily keep it, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if they cut it. I do think if they cut it, the song would be replaced because it feels like Christine should have a song here (to me) )

* More Than Survive Reprise (This is the Broadway version, so the “once again there’s been a takedown” part. It could totally stay, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they cut the song entirely because it’s so short.)

* Two Player Game (GOD I don’t want them to get rid of this song, I just feel they’d make it into a spoken scene. Possible they’d just shorten it, but I fear they’d ditch the song entirely. I do think they could keep it, but I don’t know, something about the song makes me feel it would get cut)

* Do You Wanna Ride (Same as TPG, except I don’t think they’d shorten it. I do think if they made it into a spoken scene they’d use the instrumental for the scene.)

* Either Upgrade or Loser Geek Whatever (I’m leaning more toward Upgrade being cut and/or shortened, but if they keep all of Upgrade, I feel we’d get the Two River version of the “I already know what it’s like to be a loser” thing after we see Michael.)

* Halloween (Like DYWR I think if they entirely cut the song, they’d keep the instrumental in the background for a lot of the party scenes. I also think generally the things people shout in the song (“crank the bass, it’s Halloween” etc) could be in the background of the party sometimes.)

* Do You Wanna Hang (I think this entire scene would change a TON, and that includes cutting the song here. I think it’s possible they’d shorten it a ton instead and/or replace it, but I also think it’s possible they’d cut the song and change the scene. I’ll talk more about this later.)

* AGTIKBI Reprise (I feel because the song is so short there’s a chance they’d cut it)

* The Pants Song (I’m kinda either/or on this one. I do think there would be a change here. I think it’s possible they’d include the instrumental in a spoken scene. I think it’s possible they’d replace the song. I think it’s possible they’d shorten the song. I just don’t think they’d keep it exactly the same.)

* Celebrity Casting that doesn’t take the songs and/or characters into account

* This isn’t a dig at Disney specifically, but multiple movie musical adaptations of stage musicals have fallen into this trap, and I worry BMC would be one of them

* I don’t know if Disney specifically has a history of doing this, so maybe because it’s Disney we would be in the clear, but I think it’s worth bringing up

* I do also think (and this is a positive!!) that at least one character that’s played by a white actor in the stage version will be played by an actor of color in the movie. (If I had to guess it’d be either Brooke or Chloe) (This is assuming that the SQUIP, Jenna, and Jake are played by actors of color like they are on Broadway btw)

* Whoever the actor is that plays Jeremy’s SQUIP, that’s who Jeremy says it looks like (OR alternatively, if that actor has a famous family member, Jeremy could say it looks like that family member instead)

* I personally would hope that they have the SQUIP visualized as a ghost in the movie (so just the live action actor but translucent) but I’ve seen people suggest CGI. I personally don’t like the CGI option, as I feel it would make the SQUIP seem too cartoony and not as threatening. It could work cool, but I’m more into the live action thing.

* There likely wouldn’t be any cast members from the stage musical reprising their roles unless for adult characters. They would hire actual teenagers or actors in their early 20s.

* I do think actors from the stage musical could make cameos, and Joe himself could make a cameo, but like, we’re not gonna get George Salazar as Michael in the movie, it’s not happening.

* Costumes would be high quality, but different

* Specifically because of Disney’s stage musicals, I think their costumes would be bangers. They’re really good at adapting costumes onto stage and into live action films, which works to their advantage.

* I think there would be some big changes. I’m not even sure of what they’d be, but I think some of the aesthetic changes would be a lot, and I think it’d make some fans upset.

* I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they ditched Michael’s hoodie for example. I love it, and I know a lot of fans do too, and it’s seen as iconic, but I would not be surprised if they changed it.

* The costumes would not be as colorful as they are on Broadway, there’s no fucking way

* Added Background Characters

* This includes giving actors to Dustin and Madeline, bringing in characters from the book, and having the characters from the smartphone hour (and possibly the mall) walking around school and such

* At least one of these characters will be LGBTQ+ and we’ll only see that character once and they’ll just mention offhand that they have to go text their boyfriend instead of girlfriend or something nonchalant like that. If Michael’s moms and Rich’s sexuality are cut, Disney will make this side character a huge deal and everybody will be not surprised but nonetheless disappointed at the lack of screen time this character has.

* Family members will also make an appearance (aside from Jer’s dad obviously)

* Taking out the confirmed queer characters in the stage musical

* I worry so much they would try to quietly get rid of Rich coming out as bi. If they changed the line but made him realize his bisexuality in an open way, I’d be okay with that, but I worry it’d be cut completely. This would, of course, cause outrage in the fandom

* “Omg my mothers would be thrilled” could just as easily be kept in or thrown out. Again, if it’s thrown out, the fandom would be pissed.

* If Disney is super fucking cool though, I wouldn’t be surprised either if they made Michael canonically gay (based off of Ryan Evans being canonically gay in the HSM series). Considering the climate of Disney right now, I think they could go either way.

* I do also think it’s possible they could replace Rich being canon bi with Michael being gay and just quietly hint at Rich having feelings instead of it being heavy handed. It’s also possible they’d go even heavier handed and have them fucking kiss or some shit. I don’t know, man.

* Because it’s a thing in some productions of BMC, Jenna being nonbinary is a solid 50/50 for me. If Jenna isn’t nonbinary though, I think the fandom would be pretty chill (aha) about it, since that’s not a part of the official script of the stage musical.

* Ships being explicitly canon

* Stagedorks would stay canon, of course

* There’d be at least one more pairing between two main cast members, very possibly Rich and Michael, but I think at least one other character would also end up paired off with someone (most likely a side character, possibly not even named, for example an epilogue where Brooke is like “oop, my boyfriend is texting me” or something like that)

* I don’t think it’d be anything crazy, I just think it’d be a small thing at the end with hand holding or a kiss or something, depending on the ship, but less characters would be single and/or ambiguous on their relationship status at the end.

* There would be more ambiguous shit too. I don’t think there’d be a ton of “this character is most likely single” going on.

* Plot Changes

* I don’t know what they’d change about it, but I feel Jeremy’s parent situation would change, or at least how they go about portraying the situation would change.

* Less focus on Christine and more focus on the whole “I hate feeling like a loser” thing.

* The Chloe/Jake/Jeremy/Christine/Brooke relationship situation would change, I don’t know how they’d go about it, but it would change for sure

* I know for sure they’d change how they went about Jeremy seemingly cheating on Brooke with Chloe

* I actually think it’d be fun if instead of cheating with Chloe, Jeremy gives Christine a kiss at the party after she’s broken up with Jake and Brooke catches him. I like this because:

* It makes Jeremy cheating on Brooke actually his fault.

* It acknowledges the fact that Jeremy used Brooke in a way that’s more direct (it’s directly acknowledged in the stage musical, yes, but Jeremy didn’t use Brooke to get to Chloe. It’s more direct to me if she sees him using her to get with Christine since that’s who he wants)

* It’d be an easy change from how the original scene where Jeremy asks Christine out goes, having him read the situation wrong and kiss her instead of having him ask her out. She would still not be interested and she would still leave the party.

* I’m hesitant on if Jake and Christine would go out. Perhaps they’d cut Jake and Chloe out of this dynamic all together and give them a separate arc.

* The timeline would change

* At the very least they’d go about the time skip much differently. A random two month time jump works fine for a stage musical with an intermission taking place between the jump, but in movie form, I think they’d have short scenes to build up to the Halloween party instead. These scenes would include:

* Jeremy slowly becoming more popular and more accepted

* Jeremy and Brooke becoming more of a couple, perhaps going on dates

* Jeremy doing things with the SQUIP such as more shopping, working out, or studying with it’s help

* Play rehearsals

* Michael researching the SQUIP

* Michael hanging out alone

* Rich going a bit nuts

* Some other main and side character shenanigans

* I feel they’d add one or two days to both “acts” and spread some stuff out more between them

* Like perhaps MTS could be a Friday thing and then the mall situation could be a next day situation (Michael: “tell you what, we can go check it out tomorrow, okay?” Followed by a sleepover) Sunday could be a prep day that does a bit of foreshadowing of optic nerve blocking and perusing a relationship with Brooke, then Monday is sync up and on.

* Act 2 could have a day before Halloween where people are talking about the party (that way it doesn’t come out of nowhere) (this could come up in the montage as well) then all of Halloween night would stay the same, I think smartphone hour -> pitiful children could also stay the same, but then the actual play could be the next day to give a bit more preparation and stuff, meaning we could include some Christine avoiding Jeremy and such, and voices might be a day after the play

* I just feel like spreading things out would work better for the movie format specifically, especially considering there is a large time skip they have to account for

* Ideally all of the characters (like the main 8 teenagers) would be a bit more fleshed out and have solid arcs within the story

* I think they’d handle the end of the musical (basically everything after the SQUIP is gone) differently. I do think they’d have Jeremy asking out Christine, but I also think there’d be an epilogue and/or final shot of “where are they now” type shit with the characters

* Standard changes from stage to movie screen

* Less dance sequences

* More realistic sets

* New Songs

* I just feel this is kinda standard for a movie musical. A lot of the time, the movie version has at least one new song in it. If Joe Iconis writes the song (or songs) it’ll be amazing. If not, solid C tier. Regardless, Disney will use the new song in a lot of advertising so everyone knows the words before the movie is even out.

* Overall, the movie would be okay

* The existing fandom is gonna have a lot of mixed feelings about the movie. It’s not fully gonna feel like Be More Chill, and there are gonna be changes and/or additions that aren’t very welcomed.

* There’s gonna be a lot of new fans that come to the musical because of the movie that are going to be shocked at what the stage version is like. We’d see a lot of new people joining the fandom and laughing for the first time at jokes a lot of us have heard a million times now.

* I guarantee they will not start the movie with Jeremy “waiting for his porno to load” so that’s gonna be a big thing when movie fans are discovering the musical.

* No matter what they do, there’s gonna be at least some people that are unhappy with the result. It could be the best case scenario and there would still be people that complain that it’s not how they wanted the movie to be.

[twistedtummies2]

Year of the Bat - Number 10

Welcome to Year of the Bat! In honor of Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Richard Moll, I’ve been counting down my Top 31 Favorite Episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series” throughout this January. Today, we’ve officially reached the Top 10! TODAY’S EPISODE QUOTE: “Change is everything.” Number 10 is…Two-Face.

How fitting is it we’re covering this villain’s origins on the 22nd? XD Anyway, I had a hard time choosing between this and “Feat of Clay.” Both are actually extremely similar in a lot of ways: both are two-part story arcs, both feature the origins of great villains in Batman’s Rogues Gallery – great villains whose appearances were teased in earlier stories, no less – and both feature great animation and an exceptionally dark, at times almost horror-movie-esque, tone. Not only that, but even the plots of these episodes bear some noticeable similarities! With that said, the animated series definitely provided the best take on Harvey Dent we’ve ever gotten, at least outside of comics themselves. In previous episodes – specifically the series pilot, “On Leather Wings,” and Poison Ivy’s debut, “Pretty Poison” – we’d already met Harvey Dent and gotten to know him a bit. We knew he was Gotham’s rather well-liked district attorney, we knew he and Batman had a sort of rivalry going on, and we also knew that he and Bruce Wayne were best friends. All these facts made the events of this two-parter all the more disturbing, because we had gotten to know Harvey pretty well. In this two-parter, it’s revealed that Harvey secretly suffers from some mental issues, and has a second personality inside him, referred to as “Big Bad Harv.” This second personality is all of Harvey’s repressed anger and bitterness, refined into one diabolical, snarly, cruel beast. When the DA gets too close to the schemes of crime boss Rupert Thorne, Thorne’s minions capture Harvey, and in the chaos that ensues, the DA’s face and body are horrifically disfigured. This causes Harvey to snap and become the supervillain Two-Face: a deranged gangster who vows to get revenge on Thorne, and make Gotham his own stomping ground in the process. Harvey/Two-Face was voiced by the late Richard Moll, who – like many actors in later years – would reprise the role many times in other takes on the character. Like Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, Moll cemented the character and became the definitive interpretation. He is so wonderful as the vulnerable, tragic Harvey Dent, while his gravelly, gruff, snarly voice for Two-Face has become the gold standard which all other versions (at least in animation) seem to try and live by. Two-Face, himself, has always been one of Batman’s most tragic and personal enemies, and the Animated Series didn’t hold back on that front. Not only do the events of this story scar Harvey for life – both physically and mentally – but they also take a heavy toll on Bruce himself. This two-parter is magnificent not only because of how well it handles a great villain, but because of Batman’s role in the story, as well. In a lot of the villain introductions of the show, Batman is sort of a secondary player, in a way: the focus is either just on him trying to stop the villain in question, or on the villain’s descent into darkness. This episode not only gives us both those elements, but it also gives us great character moments for Batman himself, as he has to struggle with the guilt and sorrow that comes with seeing one of his best friends become one of his most formidable opponents. We got bits and pieces of this kind of thing in other stories, of course, but “Two-Face” – perhaps because it has more time to manage things – really goes all out. This isn’t just a great episode for Two-Face himself, but a great episode for Batman as well. It’s for this reason, I think that I decided to rank this higher than “Feat of Clay.” There’s no doubt in my mind that it belongs in my Top 10.

Tomorrow we move on with Number 9! Hint: “So, it wasn’t all for nothing.”

[artemis1214]

La Petite Sirène : Chapter Two

( A/N: Let me explain, this is a mini story of Alastor and Esme's lives together in the modern world. This is basically an ongoing fic but lives in my AU as it's part of multiple different AUs that I have for them.) 

You can read more of my one-shots and AUs here!

La Petite Sirène : Modern AU (Chapter Two)

══•●•══

Esme began to drive away back to her Airbnb, a small house nuzzled in the French Quarter. It had Victorian-style archways and cream-colored shutters. She found this place on her phone, and it was not cheap by any means, but she had the money and would often go for the most luxurious spaces when traveling.

Growing up, her parents often gave the two of them the best things money could buy, but Esme still had a need to explore the world. She could easily afford anything she could get her hands on, and she loved the fast pace of Manhattan, but there was only so much she could experience from her penthouse. She enjoyed how the streets of the French Quarter came alive with magic and joy.

Sure, most people were on their fourth hurricane by 3 pm, but hey in New York you’ve seen it all.

She pulls up to her Airbnb and puts her car in park on the sidewalk, turning off the engine and stepping out in her wet clothes. She sighs and walks to the front door, opening it with her key and stepping inside. Once alone, she quickly begins to strip out of her clothes, putting them in the washer and closing the machine door.

She made her way to the bathroom and began to run a deep warm bath in her tub, going through her phone contacts and facetiming her best friend.

Velvette, who also happened to be her social media assistant, always guiding her through the best ways to promote herself on her platforms.

Esme steps into the bubble bath, laughing at Velvette snapping onto the screen, ranting about how slow tourists walked on the sidewalk. “I mean, these fuckers just won’t get outta the way.” She huffs, “I hate the city.”

“Oh, come on Vel, you don’t mean that. After all, Manhattan is the best place for you, with the fashion industry and all.”

“Oh, please, where I really should be in Paris.”

“Why, so you could just travel back for the Met?”

Velvette continues to ramble on as Esme listens with half an ear allowing the warm water to climb up to her collarbones before stopping the running stream. She thinks back to her encounter with Alastor in the park, and how she wishes she wasn’t so nasty on impulse.

“Plus, the F isn’t running AGAIN, so I have to walk to Soho a-”

“I met a guy.”

There’s a silence,

“A guy? Within the first 24 hours of your trip? What the fuck?!” Velvette grumbles and rolls her eyes, “You pull them everywhere, don’t you?” She groans.

“I was a complete bitch.” Esme begins, “He scared me and I dropped my camera, oh yeah that happened, so you won’t get any content from me unless it’s from my phone…”

“Shit….that was a new one too….”

“I know, and I was a complete ass. I’m pretty sure I came off as a spoiled Fifth Avenue princess.” Esme huffs, leaning further into the water, it now reaching her neck, “He was cute…in a mysterious southern hospitality way…”

“What he look like?”

“Tall, really tall. Like, I only reach his chest tall.” Esme laughs, “Curly brown hair, kinda looked like one of those dudes we’d catch in Barnes and Noble in the mystery section. Ya know, dark academia vibe.”

Velvette watches Esme closely as she speaks, stepping off to the side and sipping on her macchiato. She notes how Esme’s eyes glaze over as she speaks of him, staring in front of her as if she’s remembering a scene from a movie, “He’s a radio host, which is weird given that interview I have, but I doubt it’s the same one. But, I think I’ve heard his voice somewhere.”

“Could be a podcaster…”

“Maybe…I do listen to a lot.” She flips through her apps and opens Spotify, looking at her different saved shows, “But I don’t see his name on any of them.” Her eyes catch the clock at the corner of her screen, “FUCK! I’M GONNA BE LATE!” She hurries out of the bath and Velvette is careful to hide her phone from onlookers as she does so, “Talk to you later, love you!”

They hang up.

An hour and a half later, Esme puts her car in park in front of a tall radio building. She sighs and steps out, dusting off her new attire, a small blue Valentino dress with diamonds encrusted on the neck with a small bow. She adjusts her headband and locks her car before heading inside.

She enters the main lobby area. In the center, there was a reception desk, and to the left and right, there were long corridors leading to more areas.

The staff at the front desk, an older looking man, glanced up at Esme and smiled.

“Hi, ma’am. Can I help you?”

"Hi there!" She smiles, "I have an interview today on WOZ. Esme Rose.”

The gentleman's eyes light up upon hearing that name.

“Ah! Miss Rose! Of course.”

He then stands up and walks over to her.

“Mr. Alastor is waiting in his studio, he’s been looking forward to your arrival. I’ll take you there now, right this way, ma’am.”

Her eyes widened, "Alastor?”

“Oh yes, have you heard of him? He’s the host of that particular station, and the manager of the department.”

He gestures for her to follow him to the elevator.

“But please, follow me. Mr. Alastor is waiting.”

She shakes her head, "I....I did not know that..." She follows him slowly and unsurely.

They take it up.

The older man guides her down the hallway to one of the studio rooms. They approach a specific door with a gold plate on the exterior that reads ‘Hartfelt’, he looks over at her.

“I should mention… he has quite the interesting personality, so don’t let him get to you…” He said jokingly, then knocked on the door.

She chuckles, "Don't worry, I think I'll be fine."

The door opens and Alastor stands on the other side, grinning widely,

“Ah, right on time, perfect!” He exclaims, standing aside the door to let her in, “Come in, come in!”

Esme raises an eyebrow and walks inside, he closes the door behind her, "You didn't tell me you were my interviewer.”

“Oh, did I forget to mention that little detail?” He teased, stepping further into the room, “My bad~”

She sighs and rolls her eyes, "I should've guessed…”

Alastor stops in his tracks, feigning offense, “What’s that supposed to mean? You don’t think I could be a good enough host for you?” He says in a mocking tone, crossing his arms and letting out an exaggerated huff.

"No no! I didn't mean it like that!"

He continues to put on a mock upset expression for a few seconds more before bursting into laughter.

“Oh relax! I was only teasing you, sweetheart~” He said in a cheerful tone, then gestured to a nearby chair. “Please, have a seat, make yourself comfortable.”

She pauses for a moment before smiling and sitting down, her eyes skimming across the equipment.

“Quite the set up, isn’t it? That’s the best technology you’ll find in this city, probably even the state. The other station hosts are envious I’m sure, but there’s only one station that’s the best!”

"It's up to date." She smiles, "Nice."

Alastor grins and then takes his own seat at the table, facing her.

“Now, how about we just get some business out of the way, hmm?” He reaches below the soundboard and grabs two bottles of water from a small mini cooler that he had sitting there.

“I'm assuming you're thirsty after your walk in the sun.” He tosses her one and she quickly catches it.

She twists the cap off and sips, "I came in my car, but thank you." She puts on the headset. She looks around, "No camera?”

He shakes his head.

She smirks, "I take it you don't include your face anywhere? Not even YouTube? For promotional purposes?”

Alastor smirks back at her and shakes his head with an amused chuckle.

“No, cher, this face was made for the radio after all. I’m quite private about my personal life.”

He takes another drink of water, and sits up in his chair, taking a minute to snap his neck and shoulders.

“Now, are you all settled in? It’s about time to start the interview, I assume you’re ready?”

She nods, "Ready, Freddy.”

Alastor lets out a laugh, then looks over some notes on a piece of paper in front of him. “Excellent. Well, just follow my lead and we’ll have this interview done in no time.” He says with a smile, then moves forward and presses the ‘On Air’ button.

A small light on the soundboard turns red, signaling that they were live.

“And we’re on!” He says in his chipper radio host voice. “Hello, New Orleans! It’s that time again for my weekly interview with a star! Joining me today we have an amazing young singer, a beautiful up and coming talent in the music business! Please welcome, Esme Rose, to the show~”

She chuckles, "Hello, happy to be here~”

“And I’m happy to have you here. It’s a pleasure, truly. So, Esme,” He looks over some more notes on his piece of paper, and gives her a little glance.

“I’m sure most of my listeners know you as a singer, but how about we start off with a few personal details, hmm?”

“Sure, so I'm from New York, I'm 25 an-”

Alastor interrupts by letting out a dramatic gasp and placing a hand on his chest.

“Oh my, you’re still such a baby, aren’t you?” He laughs.

“I'm not that younger than you.”

“Oh ho… and how old would you assume I am?”

Esme takes a sharp inhale through her teeth and grimaces, "Yikes, this could go bad." She jokes

“Hmmm… take a wild guess. Go on, I’m all ears. I won’t be offended, I promise.”

"30?”

He pouts his lips in mock disappointment and slowly shakes his head, then raises an eyebrow, clearly amused.

“Nope, keep guessing~”

She tilts her head, “Higher?” He smirks and makes an upwards motion with his hand. "Thirty.........one?" She smiles innocently.

He bursts out in laughter at her guess, finding it amusing that she picked a number just one digit higher. He shakes his head and grins with a chuckle.

“Come on, you’re closer. Just go a bit higher~”

"Alastor I don't want to offend you!" She laughs.

“Oh come now darling, you won’t offend me, I assure you!”

"33!”

“Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Well done~”

"See?! That's only..." She counts her fingers, "8 years older!” He laughs in response, “ONLY eight years? The way you were acting before made it seem like you thought I was, like, 40. Hahaha~”

"Hahaha nooooo!”

“Ah-ha, so you have a thing for older guys. I can see now~” The radio host teases with a wink.

"Oh my god, no!" She covers her mouth laughing while shaking her head.

Alastor grins smugly with a chuckle and raises an eyebrow, enjoying this back and forth banter they have going on.

“Oh, come now. You can be honest with me~” He says in a taunting tone, “I’m your type, aren’t I? Older, classy gentlemen?”

She narrows her eyes and breaks into a mischievous smirk, leaning over the soundboard.

"Why don't you take me out later and find out~" She whispers sultry, forgetting she's on the air. When she sees the red light shining in front of her, she gasps and covers her mouth, her cheeks turning red.

“What was that? Care to repeat that? One more time into the mic?”

"So anywayyyyy my new song is called Siren~”

The conversation quickly changes course and Alastor guides her through some different questions.

“Siren… interesting title. Mind giving a brief summary on what the song is about?”

“Yeah!” Esme smiles, "So, sirens are mythical creatures similar to mermaids who are said to lure sailors to their deaths with their voices." She clears her throat for a moment, "I've always found them to be cool, so the track is just a jazz overlay with simple vocalizations to the notes."

Alastor nods in approval, “Ah, jazz, I see. You have no idea how refreshing it is nowadays to hear a song with just the simple basics. So many modern songs are too over exaggerated and complex, they drown out any real talent a singer might have under loads of extra noises and distractions. Bravo, dear, I’m thoroughly impressed.”

She chuckles, "Thank you, I appreciate that."

He studies her face for a moment, just for a split second.

Interesting.

“Just out of curiosity, what inspired you to write the song ‘Siren’? It’s oddly specific.”

She takes a long inhale and sighs, "Well, I'm getting pretty tired of how women are seen as objects for the male gaze. So I wrote a song to play on their own disgusting nature. Thought it would be a nice thought for a woman to lure them to their death. Sorry, to all the guys listening, but I'm picking the bear."

Alastor lets out a genuine laugh and raises a hand; he doesn't understand her reference, but knows that men in fact are disgusting.

“Ahahaha! Don’t worry darling, I get it!”

He takes a brief moment to compose himself, then clears his throat.

“Anyway… I must say, you have a very strong, admirable mindset and message in regards to feminism, that’s for sure.”

"Of course. There's so much going on in our country with women's rights continuing to get squashed and I just wanted to play with the irony of it all."

Alastor’s smile widens and he rests his chin in his hand.

“Your strong sense of empowerment and willingness to speak out about women’s rights is very admirable. You are a very unique individual, that’s for sure. I’m getting a bit off track but can I ask you a few slightly unrelated questions?”

She tilts her head, "Oh?"

“Well, for one… I’m assuming your previous songs have similar themes, yes? I haven’t heard them all, unfortunately, but I’m sure you have a habit of writing songs that are based around your feminist views?”

"Actually, this is my first."

“Your first?” He asks with a subtle hint of shock in his tone. “You’ve never based a single song of yours around a feminist topic till now?”

"I've never had any original song."

“I'm sorry, what?”

"I've spent years doing covers online, eventually my father had connections and I got picked up."

“What type of godly connections made you skyrocket so quickly?”

She sighs, "I'm a nepo baby I guess..."

Alastor’s expression remains shocked and in disbelief, but slowly he relaxes into his chair, seemingly accepting what she's saying.

“A nepo baby….so you only got your success because of your parents?”

"I think that it was much easier for me to take off with my career because of my parents, compared to those who may come from different backgrounds."

He takes a moment.

She's….strangely real for someone of such a background.

Most celebrities, rich people in general, are assholes.

But she is acknowledging her privilege and using it for a good cause.

Hmm.

“I suppose I could agree on that statement. Your background, whether it was poor, average, or privileged, certainly has an impact on the start of your career. However, the way you are acting now during this interview, the way you speak and behave… doesn’t seem at all like a typical ‘spoiled rich girl’ type.”

"Hmmm...I was earlier though." She says softly for him to hear, referring to their time at the park, "I met a man earlier at the park this morning and I was....bitchy....I hope if he's listening I just wanted to say I was sorry...." She clears her throat.

Alastor’s eyes widen slightly at the mention of their interaction from earlier at the park, his heart skipping a beat as he listens to her apology. He clears his throat, trying to maintain a natural, calm look on his face to not give away that he was the one she met prior to the interview.

She motions him to keep talking, sensing he's lost in thought.

“Ah…yes…well…”

The two finish the interview and Esme takes off her headset, "Thank you.”

Alastor smiles and nods his head in reply.

“Thank you, cher. It was a pleasure to have you here.”

He stands up from his chair and offers his hand for her to shake. "Pleasure was all mine.." She places her hand on his.

Her hand is much smaller than his.

He looks down at her hand as he shakes it, then up into her eyes, unable to look away. Her beauty was so captivating - her eyes, her hair, her face… if sirens did exist my God she would be the poster child.

He had to be careful not to get lost in her features and quickly let go of her hand before it could linger for too long.

She smiles sheepishly and looks down, picking up her purse, "I enjoyed your company during the show, that was very fun." She looks down at her phone, "I'm probably going to head out.”

“Ah, heading out so soon? Well, I suppose we did finish the interview after all, there isn’t really much of a reason for you to stick around.”

"Well, it's almost dinner time. I'm getting hungry, I'm probably going to find something to eat."

Alastor’s ears perked up slightly, an idea suddenly coming to mind.

“Dinner? Well… I couldn’t possibly let you go and hunt for food on your own, now could I? Not at this time of day… there’s lots of… uncertain things that could happen to a pretty girl like you, all alone.”

Her eyes widen and she laughs, "I'm from New York, I think I'll be fine." She smiles, "Think a woman can't handle herself, hmm?" She teases.

“Oh, no no, I’m not doubting your abilities, I know you can hold your own. I’m simply saying it’s dangerous in general for anyone to walk alone in this city, especially a young woman like yourself, who’s got… certain things that might attract the wrong kind of attention.”

Her eyes widen, "My designer?"

Alastor’s expression morphs into a sly smirk and he chuckles, letting his eyes briefly drift over her dress.

‘Yes, let’s go with that…’ He thinks before actually speaking,

“After all, designer outfits are so expensive and fashionable, you wouldn’t want someone to attempt and rob you of them, now would you? Who knows what people would do to get their hands on such quality, expensive clothing.”

"Well, this is Valentino." She grumbles, "I guess, but do you have a place in mind?" She blinks.

“Just the one.” 

══•●•══

🖤Words: 3052🖤

~ Artemis🦌💗

[synthmusic91]

my full review of past lives (2023) dir. celine song

this movie really wanted me to believe i watched a better movie.

the characters are flat as hell, and the only reason this is as widely acclaimed as it is is because it looks like a movie that would win a bunch of awards. it’s an attempt to reverse causality by appropriating the indicators of something that would be a tear-jerker without actually having any depth whatsoever. other people have mentioned this already, though, so I won’t rehash it here.

what i’m wondering is like, what did celine song even want to accomplish here? there’s the transcendent romance angle, which is thoroughly undercut by 1. nora not even remembering hae sung’s name and 2. her insisting from the beginning that they have no chance together AND 3. NORA BEING A CALLOUS PERSON. did anyone else get that vibe? throughout the movie, we’re given zero indication that she cares about hae sung’s general wellbeing. he’s always just following her around like a lost puppy. it’s been 24 years, man. this is childish.

then there’s the pragmatism angle, which i think fits better…but still doesn’t fit well. because in order for the pragmatism to work, we’d need to see a lot more of nora’s mundane life. she wouldn’t still be chasing after white people’s silly awards. more importantly, PRAGMATISM INVOLVES GRIEF. pragmatism is letting go of dreams and ideals to maintain the current moment. it’s loss of childhood innocence, of freedom, of home, etc. but is this grief present throughout the movie? no. “but she cries at the end!” no. this is again an attempt to reverse causality. as if this single event recontextualizes her 24 years of glibness. IT DOESN’T!!! she does NOT feel grief here!!! song’s refusal to engage with such a fundamental aspect of pragmatism means this theme falls flat as well.

the theming is so muddled. it seems like the only constant here is that nora refuses to even entertain the idea of a life with hae sung. she callously leaves him again and again and again. amidst all of this poor characterization and nebulous writing, one thing is for certain: nora and hae sung never had a chance. the west (and only the west, because her passionless marriage certainly isn't tugging on anyone's heartstrings) was nora’s only choice.

but nora isn’t some savant. she’s “just some girl from Korea”. she’s actually rather plain. why the insistence, then, that “Korea was too small for her”? was there really no room for doubt, for hope that Korea could offer her similar opportunities?

apparently this movie is semi-autobiographical which…makes a lot of sense. as an east asian american woman, i’ve noticed that there’s a subgenre of east asian american woman that 1. loves navel gazing and 2. pathologically denies the possibility that they’ve ever made the wrong choices in life. past lives feels like a product of these two decidedly art-ruining drives. despite the outward insistence that hae sung and nora could’ve been something, their story only exists so nora can knock it back down. past lives feels dogmatic—not like a story in its own right, but like a platitude, someone’s attempt to justify the choices they’ve made for themselves.

[cagednoob]

Aight I never mentioned this- but I did finish Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and overall… 👍 it was pretty good?

More under the cut that are obviously spoilers.

Now it being a story made up by the turtles is a pretty good idea tbh?? It kind of took me by surprise, but I can appreciate it a lot. And also it was relatable to see Leo sitting in bed drawing the comic (was there so much as a kid).

And this reason is why I can excuse some clunkiness of some of the plot moments.

My one complaint about it is it feels like the boys kept their brothers too in character? If that makes sense LMAO. Idk anytime I wrote about my brother as a kid no doubt I bastardized his personality.

But to be fair… they did grow up only knowing eachother for their entire lives until this point. Which probably did help them keep them in character. The others (such as Ray, Wingwave, Leatherhead, Stunkbug) I can just wave off since we don’t really see them a lot in the movie already.

Now the one thing that did throw me off… Where is Bebop and Rocksteady?? And Mondo?? The duo seem to be implied to have left or gone rogue in someway since Donnie (?) asked if they were on a rampage. But idk! Just a weird thing I noticed and couldn’t get outta my head.

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The animation is stellar, and the designs of the new guys were fun for me. A couple of times I rewinded it just to watch a scene again and the East River Three probably had my favorite designs that were introduced (Mustang Sally and Lee my beloveds) and the Anemenies were also super cool since I don’t think we’d seen coral mutants so far in any iteration?

Pigeon Pete is ok, I think he gets his point of being the new comic relief tbh. I had fun watching his scenes (until the detective scene). I think having him talk made him worse for me somehow lol. And Metalhead (rip little guy) was very cute which surprised me as I’m typically not the biggest fan of robots.

I have no idea if these characters are real btw. Pigeon Pete I’m leaning towards…. Maybe? Just because he is seen in both the Arcs.

But it presumably had to happen since Splinter learned how to talk after mutation. So eh. But also him speaking Vermin (or whatever it’s called) is funny to me.

Also the human designs look… a lot better in 2D LMAO. Which is understandable, but it was one of the FIRST things I noticed when the humans appeared.

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Now stories, they’re ok. I thought it was clunky at some spots, but it’s teenagers making it up. So it gets a pass from me.

Now I think the first Arc (told by Leo) is better than the second Arc (told by Raph). HOWEVER… I enjoyed the characters introduced in Arc Two way more. They were just more enjoyable for me to watch, Sally and Lee especially and both their designs are sick af.

It could be that the first arc was advertised more maybe? Or it was simply I preferred the first arcs story more. I did however dig that each arc was a different turtle telling the story and if there is a season two I can only hope that Donnie and Mikey can tell a story.

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Now for things I disliked (couldn’t find a redeeming thing) is….

The Purple Dragons, Rat King aaaand the random animal violence?????

So the Purple Dragons isn’t a big thing but I just didn’t care too much for how it was done. Teens telling stories aside, it just felt… not right for me. It felt weird making Angel the aggressive one and Hun the more docile one. Which I did grow to like these characters I just couldn’t put that out of my mind.

Idk might just be me

Now the Rat King reveal with it being Splinter (and sewer rats worshipping him). Nothing really, I just don’t like it LMAO. Idk as a kid I could get behind it, but now that I fully know the two as separate characters it doesn’t work.

Aaand finally the random animal violence-

This is a weird one for me and I started to notice it after Ralph’s episode in Arc 1. There is just?? Random bad things that happen to animals? Such as the zoo scene specifically (kind of), the chickens that get ran over in an attempt of a joke, cat hit by flood of water, another cat that Genghis kept almost eating, and probably more I can’t remember.

The last one especially was when it got to bothering me. Cause it was trying to make all of that kind of humorous and it just… wasn’t sitting with me. I’ve never been a fan of that humor, I never will be and it’s just weird how much of it was in twelve episodes. Which again I can maybe say “teen boy humor” but even then?? I don’t think I can here tbh gang. It’s just…. Yeah that doesn’t land well for me.

There’s probably more I can add later, but these are my thoughts at the current moment about it. It’s a good show, animation is great and the story can be clunky at times, but it’s got a reason for it. Designs are fun as well.

[missnight0wl]

If you hate hphm so much, then why are you keep playing it? I don't mean it in a disrespectful way, if you don't like the game, you don't have to keep playing it

I don’t hate HPHM. There are things I hate about it, but I don’t hate it per se. I don’t think I’d spend so much time writing paragraphs about something I hate. Honestly, I rarely interact with things or people I hate in general. Not to mention that there are not many things I’d say I hate, to begin with.

See, the problem is that I really love the story of HPHM. My issue is with JC who’s wasting its potential. But even that wasn’t that big deal for a long time – because I believed that we could eventually get where the original team wanted us to go. And frankly, while JC is making many mistakes for years now, there were still things I truly enjoyed. Hell, let’s take Peregrine. To be clear, I absolutely hate the way his character was introduced to the story and executed later on. But… I don’t hate Peregrine as a concept. In fact, I quite like the idea of that total douchebag who left his family because he has a god complex and whatnot. Obviously, we’d have to change a lot for it to really work in HPHM, but still.

Things started changing drastically when JC came up with their brilliant idea about Merula’s Unbreakable Vow, I think. I feel like more or less from that point, the writers stopped even trying to pretend they know what they’re doing. I can’t think on the spot of the last chapter that didn’t introduce some massive contradictions to the plot. And sure, there were some contradictions in the story every now and then, especially since Y6. However, JC’s biggest crime was always ignoring/not remembering plotlines. The thing is that it didn’t conflict that much when you tried to connect known elements. But currently? I seriously don’t know what JC might think the story is. I honestly doubt they know it. Like, let’s take Olivia. Did she know about R while at school or did she not? Because I feel like JC claimed both, and we got no conclusion whatsoever.

Still, even that, it’s not hatred – it’s frustration.

Also, criticising bad media can be both enjoyable and useful – because it teaches you what things don’t work when you want to tell a story and what might be frustrating for your audience. I mean, why do you think commentary channels on YouTube reviewing bad movies are so popular? I understand that not everyone will enjoy this type of content, but hey, you don’t have to visit my blog – and I don’t mean it in a disrespectful way either.

Anyway, I can tell you that once HPHM stops bringing me any enjoyment, I will probably leave it – just like I left the Quidditch storyline, for example, or how I stopped playing every single side quest. I mentioned a while ago that I’d likely quit the game after Y7 if not for Callum McClintock. And well, they really got me with this lad. Is keeping playing the game for just one character that will probably get ruined by JC anyway a big sacrifice? Maybe. But on the other hand, playing HPHM nowadays means dedicating to it like… a couple of evenings a month. So, I think it’s not that bad. And who knows how things might change, considering this release pace.