#but if he somehow makes me enjoy mr fantastic

[shelterdogswag]

recreation of me watching the fantastic four trailer just now

(pedro pascal walks in as the man i hate)

me: oh no they've hit the pentagon !!!

(the thing walks in)

me: oh hell yeah that's my boy :)

(the thing speaks with the voice of cousin my beloved from the bear)

me: (tearing up) oh hell yeah that’s my boy :,)

[heian-era-housewife]

This fic is part of the @nanamiscocksleeve Secret Santa Ficmas event.

Happy Holidays to @mysteria157 who wanted some holiday fluff with Nanami!

A/N: Thanks to both of you for your patience and sincerest apologies for the delay. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic New Year to come! Enjoy!

Nanami Kento is perfect.

That's why you fell for him, isn't it? Perfect manners, perfect work ethic, perfect timing, perfect...hair.

So when he invited you over for your first holiday dinner together, it only made sense that you'd want to match that sky-high bar he had set.

Of course he insisted on making dinner, but you just wouldn't have it. Afterall, if you were going to prove your worth, you wanted to pull your weight.

And so, here you were, on hands and knees on your kitchen floor, picking up the broken pieces of the serving platter you'd just dropped- what would've been your main meal now splattered about the tile- cursing yourself for thinking you could ever match up to perfect Nanami Kento.

Kento♡ - Hello Darling, can't wait to see you.

He texted, thirty minutes before your would-be dinner.

The feeling is mutual. Heading out shortly!

You lied, preheating your oven while frantically scouring your fridge and pantry for spare...well...everything.

Kento♡ - Wonderful. See you soon.

See you soon ♡

The words make you cringe as you stare down at the floor. Your meticulously-made dinner still strewn about in slippery patches you dodge as you dart around aimlessly.

The minutes pass like frenzied heartbeats, and still you've nothing to show. You should have been at Kento's twenty minutes ago, now the growing feeling of failure has settled in.

Kento♡ - Everything okay?

Just a little setback... I'll be there soon.

You lie once more, desperate for a way out of the mess you've created.

Kento♡ - Take your time, my dear. I'm sure everything will be perfect.

And there it is. That dreaded word you've come to hate. The reason you're in this mess in the first place. Who were you kidding, thinking you could impress Mr. Flawless incarnate? Who were you, next to the consummate, Nanami Kento?

You sink to the floor, heart heavy from the shame of unmet expectation. Oven empty. Counters a mess. Tears falling hard and fast with with the weight of fear and failure.

If only he could see you now, you think bitterly.

Moments later there's a gentle knock at the door. You jolt to your senses, all time and meaning washed flat in that wave of sudden sorrow.

Getting up, you nearly trip, floor still slick with the meal you'd promised.

Panic stricken, you grab at papertowels in a frantic attempt to wipe up the mess, too tizzied to notice the door slowly opening, or the sound of steady, leatherbound footsteps.

A soft voice causes you to jump.

"Need a hand?"

Perfect timing.

Your voice catches. His face says it all. Not mad. Not disappointed. Just concerned. And somehow, that feels worse. Wiping at your tear-stained cheeks you continue to clean the floor in silence.

"Hey," Kento's voice is barely above a whisper as he crouches next to you, taking up your hand in his. "You could've told me, you know."

"I didn't want to let you down," you mumble out.

"Let me down?" Bringing your hand to his lips, still cold from the chilly outside air, he waits until you meet his tender gaze. "You could never."

The moments pass in silence, the two of you working to clean up the kitchen. Before long, the floor is free of food, much like the dinner table.

"Ken, I don't have the ingredients, other wise I'd try to-"

"You know," he gently interrupts, eyes gleaming over a runaway roll he plucks from under a cabinet. "I've never really been a big dinner guy anyway." He laughs, tossing you the roll. "Always fill up on the bread. Got any flour?"

With a puzzled look you grab an unopened bag of all purpose flour from the cabinet as he suggests an easy recipe for dinner rolls his grandmother once taught him. A "guilty pleasure", he admits. Taking the bag he pulls at the corners, perfect confidence as he swoops in to save the night. And then-

*POOF*

The bag explodes. From top to bottom, he's torn it clean open, flour blanketing the countertops in a mess of powedery white. And Kento? He's covered.

You stare in silent shock as the man removes his signature glasses. Two hazel eyes blinking humorously through the chalky mess. And just as suddenly, laughter spills from your chest, echoing off the walls and around the once again soiled kitchen. Kento's laughing too. And for the first time tonight the weight of perfection is lifted from your shoulders. With what you can salvage, the two of you follow his grandmother's recipe, kneading dough, stealing kisses, and basking in the joy of togetherness.

"How long?" You ask as you slide the tray into the oven.

"Hmm..." he considers, a look of almost mischeif on his still-powdered face. "I'd say...long enough for a quick shower..." he says with a boyish grin. You know just what he's implying, taking his hand and heading toward the bathroom.

Clean and warm, you sit down at long last to your improvised holiday dinner. The rolls only slightly overdone.

But to you, they were perfect ♡

[justwinginglife]

When You Know

Dedicated to my new follower @onna-musha-mari, more Howl fics to come, thanks so much for the support!

Your partner was an atrocious dancer.

But he was rich beyond belief, a nobleman, in line for some throne in some country, and a potential marriage prospect. You figured the least you could do was pretend to enjoy the dance; you owed his money that much.

As you glided along, using the sweetest of sweet smiles to mask your winces when he’d step on your toes or to hide your embarrassment when he’d miss his mark again, you remarked to yourself that apparently money couldn’t buy skill. No amount of money could erase the shame of having such a dance partner. No amount of jewels could erase the memory of his feet stumbling over yours, or undo the bruises he’d imposed upon your delicate toes.

Howl had been watching the whole disastrous affair and it pained him endlessly. When the song ended, he immediately flew to your rescue. You were a stranger to him, someone he’d never see again after tonight, but he felt the need to save you from this awful fate. He couldn’t bear to watch you struggle any longer. You were too beautiful, too elegant, to be resigned to such a sad, pathetic man.

“Mind if I have this dance?” Howl holds his hand out to you.

You meet the gaze of your savior and quickly - though not too quickly, so as to appear somewhat hesitant to be separated from your current partner- take his hand, letting him lead you further onto the dance floor.

“Well hello stranger.”

Howl bows to you, “Hello, my dear.”

He slips one hand around your waist and takes your hand with the other as he begins waltzing with you.

“Thanks for saving me.”

He grins. “Anytime.”

You dance another minute or two in silence, your bodies in perfect sync with each other. The ballroom is crowded, the music is loud, but somehow you feel like it’s just the two of you, alone in this room, lost in your own world. Lost in the rhythm of the dance, lost in the deep blue of his eyes.

Finally, you remark, “You’re not too bad at this, I suppose my toes can rest easy.”

He chuckles. “Oh, love, you’ll find I’m not bad at anything.” He winks, then he continues, “And might I add, you’re looking absolutely stunning tonight.”

You laugh. “Oh, is that right? What a smooth talker you are, Mr…?”

“Pendragon. Howl Pendragon. At your service.”

“Well thank you for your service, Mr. Pendragon. Once again, I appreciate the rescue.”

He pulls you closer as you continue to dance, then he murmurs against your ear, “It’s Howl, actually. You can call me Howl.”

The feeling of his breath on your skin makes you shiver and, sensing the sudden motion, he pulls you even tighter against him, trying to steady you. You’re suddenly very aware of how warm the room is, of how warm your skin is, of how warm his hands are.

“So, Howl… what’s a guy like you doing alone at a party like this?” You try to keep the interest out of your voice, but it’s there all the same.

“Maybe I’m just looking for someone like you. Someone devastatingly gorgeous who happens to be a fantastic dancer.” He watches you intently, waiting for your reaction to his compliments.

You smirk. “You better be careful saying things like that, or you might never get rid of me.” You tease.

He grins, then rests his forehead against yours. “I just can’t help myself. You’re simply too beautiful. You might not be able to get rid of me.”

“I bet you say that to all the women.”

“Only the beautiful ones.”

“Ah, so I’m not special. A shame.”

The song ends, but he’s still swaying with you in his arms, his blue eyes searching yours as though trying to read your mind. He’s dangerously close to you, so close you can almost taste him. Close enough that you’ve started to imagine the way he tastes, against your will. You know he’s probably just a huge flirt, but you can’t help being enticed by him anyway.

“Howl…” You whisper.

He sighs at the sound of his name on your lips. “Yes, love?”

“The… the song’s over.”

He shakes his head, gripping you firmly. “Have another dance with me,” He insists.

You laugh, amused. “Well, alright, if you insist. I suppose one more couldn’t hurt.”

So you indulge yourself in this fantasy a little more, playing at fake lovers as the music resumes and he twirls you around. You wonder if it’s the dance or the dancer that’s suddenly making you dizzy in the most intoxicating way possible.

Howl seems to notice the way you cling to him, the way your eyes never leave his. For a moment, he’s quiet. He’s just focused on the sound of your breathing, the feeling of your hand in his, the motion of your body mimicking his movements as he guides you across the dance floor. Then he breaks the silence with the first thing he can think of, “Don’t dance with anyone else tonight. You know as well as I do that no one else is going to be a better partner for you than me.”

You’re surprised at his bluntness. “Well, now that’s an interesting request. You’re right, I don’t think I’ve ever met a better dancer, and I’m not sure I’ll ever meet anyone again that’s as good as you are. But I have… certain obligations.”

He sighs, the disappointment obvious in his voice. Before he can protest, the song ends. He’s just about to request another dance from you when your former partner walks up to you, requesting your company. Howl stills. You watch his reaction carefully, looking back and forth between him and your suitor, but then you make your decision. You reluctantly take the nobleman’s arm, saying to Howl with as encouraging a smile as you can muster that there are no shortage of pretty women here tonight and he has no shortage of pretty lines, you’re sure he can find someone else to entertain him. Then you let the man lead you away, only turning back to look at Howl once more, before disappearing into the crowd.

For a moment, Howl is frozen. He’s still clinging to the feeling of you in his arms, still wondering if the short time you’d spent with him meant anything to either of you. Was it just playful banter? Or was it a spark of something more? Before his thoughts can collect themselves, his feet have already begun to move in the direction you went in; he’s unsure why they’re pulling him towards you, you’re just a stranger he’ll never see again, and you’re right that he has no shortage of women to choose from, but on the off chance there could be something between the two of you, he allows his feet to guide his path.

When he finally stumbles around long enough to find you, it appears you’re leaving the party. He thinks to himself that you must’ve gotten tired of playing the trophy because you’re feigning sick and you excuse yourself from the party. He’s shocked that your poor excuse for a suitor hasn’t noticed you’re not really sick and he’s even more shocked when the man waves you off, telling you he’ll fetch you in the morning. Howl scowls at the word “fetch” as if you’re some sort of pet. He wants to wring the man by the neck, but then you make your way out the front door and he follows close behind.

You wave down a carriage, talk to the driver a moment, and then are helped inside.

He thinks he might’ve just lost his chance with you, but then you poke your head out the window and call to him, “Are you coming or not?”

His eyes widen as you gesture to the seat next to you, but he quickly recovers from his surprise and he slips into the carriage, closing the door behind him. His thigh brushes up against yours as he takes up position beside you.

“I’ve asked the driver to take the scenic route home, I hope you don’t mind.” You try to keep your voice calm and level as you attempt to ignore the warmth of his leg seeping into yours.

“And why is that?” He peers down at you, curiously.

“More time to get to know you.” You shrug simply, but you know your intentions are anything but subtle.

He laughs softly. “I’d like that.”

As the carriage rumbles on through the night, you exchange stories and easy banter, only pausing occasionally to admire the scenic view out the window with him. You find it pleasantly surprising how comfortable you are next to him, how easy it is to sink into his touch when he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, how soothing his voice sounds when he tells you about his life. You were strangers mere moments ago, but now, now you felt like kindred spirits.

He admits to you that he’s into the practice of magic, and he braces himself for your reaction. You’re unsure if he expected you to burn him at the stake for witchcraft, dive from the carriage screaming, or whimper on the floor, begging him not to eat your heart. But you do none of those things. Instead, you smirk at him, and say, “Magic? So, something like this?” And you hold your hand up for him, a purple ball of fire manifesting itself in your palm.

He blinks. “You… you practice magic? You’re… a witch?”

“And you’re a wizard. So we’re two of a kind, I guess.”

He scratches his head and chuckles. “I guess we are. I was not expecting that, I’ll be honest. Pretty girl like you; now I know you can burn my hair right off my head if I’m not careful.”

You laugh. “Exactly, you better be careful I don’t turn you into a frog.” You tease, nudging his shoulder.

He scoffs, feigning offense, but he seems to be more relaxed with every discovered commonality the two of you share.

The two of you spend the next few moments showing each other your tricks, trying to outdo each other with the more impressive spell. He pulls a bouquet of flowers out of thin air for you, then you turn his flowers into chocolates and pop one in his mouth. When he licks his lips, you almost want to lick them for him.

At one point, you comment that you like one of his rings and he immediately takes it off and slides it on your pointer finger, telling you to keep it, telling you it’ll lead you to him if you ever so desire. He secretly hopes you’ll use the ring so much it breaks.

Then the carriage jostles as it rounds a corner and you find yourself in his arms again. You think he might kiss you. You think you might kiss him. But then the carriage pulls to a stop in front of your house, and you internally curse the ride for not being long enough. You think to yourself that you should’ve instructed the driver to go a couple more laps around your house before stopping, but it’s too late now. The dream has ended and reality has started to seep in.

“Well… this is my stop. I’ve instructed the driver to take you anywhere you’d like after I’m gone. It was… it was nice to meet you, Howl.” You pull yourself from his lap and disappear into the night, leaving him alone with nothing but his thoughts for company.

The next morning, your suitor does indeed fetch you. He takes you for a tour of the town, buying you anything your heart so desires. He doesn’t notice that no matter what he buys you, the ring on your pointer finger will always be your most prized possession.

Howl is having breakfast at a restaurant across the street and when you step out of a boutique in your newly purchased gown, he almost chokes on his tea. He’s not had more than a second to soak in the sight of you when your suitor steps out from behind you. Howl grips his cup tightly, knuckles turning white from the exertion. Then he notices your date kissing your hand before parting ways with you. He wants to burn the man’s lips off for daring to press them to your skin, but he thinks you’ll be long gone before he can speak to you again, so he makes the decision to quickly pay for his food and take off down the street after you.

You slip into an abandoned alley and he wonders where you could be going.

He hopes it’s somewhere safe, he’s nervous about the location. When he pokes his head around the corner, you’re leaning against a wall, waiting for him.

He sheepishly approaches you. “I gather you noticed me then?”

You raise an eyebrow at him. “A tall man with bright blonde hair in a bright pink coat? Yeah. It was hard to miss you.”

He laughs. “Yeah, I suppose it would be.”

“I have to say, I’m surprised to see you again so soon after last night. I didn’t think I‘d ever see you again.”

Howl stills. The disappointment in his face is clear. If you hadn’t planned on seeing him ever again, then what was the point of all that chemistry? “And… and what if I wanted to see you more? What would you say to that?” He asks hesitantly.

“I’d say… that I’m supposed to be getting engaged soon and it might not be a good idea.” You say slowly.

He scoffs. “Oh, it’s not a good idea and that’s why you’re waiting for me, alone in an alley? You weren’t acting that way last night. What changed?”

You sigh. “Howl, you’ve a bit of a reputation, do you know that? All the noblewomen were fawning over you this morning at breakfast.”

He rolls his eyes. “And why do they matter when I’ve got you?”

“You’ve not got me, Howl. I’m not yours. I’m… supposed to be getting engaged.” You repeat, knowing you sound like a broken record.

Suddenly he pushes you up against the brick wall. “Don’t say that. Don’t say you’re not mine. Not until you’ve properly given me a chance.” His gaze is firm yet pleading.

You pull away from him. “Howl, last night was fun, but-”

He cuts you off, pulling you back by the wrist. “Last night was just fun? Last night was the best night I’ve had in my entire life and don’t tell me you didn’t feel the same. Don’t tell me you didn’t think about kissing me when you fell into my arms, because I thought about kissing you. Hell, I thought about kissing you the rest of the night after you left.”

You bite your lip. “So… why didn’t you?”

He scowls at you. “Because you’re ‘soon to be engaged’ or so you say. Which is complete bullshit by the way.”

“Howl…” You start again, unsure of what to say. “I’m the eldest daughter, I’m supposed to marry someone respectable.”

“So marry me. I’ll be respectable. I’ll be anything you want me to be, just let me be yours.”

You almost melt at his words. Almost. “Howl, we barely know each other, you can’t say you want to marry me.”

He rolls his eyes. “So? I know you enough to know I want you. Do you know the guy you were with?”

You look down. “He’s… a friend of a friend… of a friend.”

“So you barely know him too. So why can’t it be me? Why not marry me?”

“Because if I love you I might never stop loving you,” You snap. “And I’ve got a household to run, I can’t afford to be so careless, not when you could be running into some other woman’s arms behind my back.”

He pulls you closer to him. “So don’t stop loving me. I swear, I’ll never leave you. I’ll be useful to you. I’ll never even look at another woman. You use magic, you can just set my eyes on fire if I try to look at someone else.”

You laugh against his chest. “Oh, Howl. I’m not going to light your eyes on fire.”

He relaxes when he hears your laugh. “I know, I’m just offering. I’d offer anything to get you to stay. To get you to be mine.”

You sigh. “No other women right? Just me?”

He nods emphatically.

“And you’re going to spoil me rotten? So much that I forget I dumped my rich boyfriend?” You ask, half teasing.

He nods again. “I’ll give you the entire world on a silver platter, gold if you want it.”

“Well then, make it gold, and you can kiss me.”

“Done.” He whispers against your forehead. Then he trails kisses down your forehead to your nose. When he finally claims your lips, the kisses are passionate but gentle, like he doesn’t want to smother you with his love, but he also wants to reassure you his feelings are genuine.

When he’s finally done pressing the evidence of his affection for you against your lips, he pulls away to declare to you, “I know it’s only been a day that we’ve known each other, but I don’t want to go another day without you.”

And then your heart melts.

“Alright, love, alright. I’m yours. I’m all yours. But if you break my heart, remember I said I’d turn you into a frog.”

“I can live with that.”

And when he slides the ring off your pointer finger and nestles it around your ring finger, you swear you’re in love with him too.

——————————————————————————-

Author’s Note: yes, I’m aware it is super cheesy to do a whole “love at first sight, they’ve only known each other for a day thing” but hush, we ignore that for the sake of plot okay? We love Howl, anyone sane would fall for that man at first sight. And yall know I’m not into long fics, this was running way over and that was only from two days worth of content, can you imagine if I wrote their relationship over months? The ADHD in me cannot take the slow burn. We need the fast burn and we need it now. That is all.

[bakerstreethound]

To Another Year

Relationship: Sherlock x lestrade!sibling reader

Warnings: mentions of fireworks, alcohol, Molly makes the briefest appearance, slight hints of jealousy, and Sherlock is a little grumpy

Summary: When the party for the new year begins at 221B, you reflect upon your year and the many blessings it's given you - that one of a new family, both blood and chosen.

All writings belong to me @bakerstreethound​ (Do NOT copy, repost, claim, or translate my works to other sites. I only publish here and on A03 under the same username) 

Word Count: 1.09k+

A/N: Happy 2024 everyone! Let's hope it's a good one. University has had me in a whirlwind this past semester and up to this winter course I'm on the tail end of. I hope to continue writing and posting more stories about our beloved detective. I know this is a few days, almost a week short of the new year, but it is Sherlock's birthday, so this works as a two-for-one gift. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. As always comments & reblogs are greatly appreciated. Huge shoutout to @strangelockd for beta reading and helping with the title! Graphic by @firefly-graphics

Mrs. Hudson rushed into the room, a bottle of champagne in one hand, the other holding a tray of sweets balanced precariously on the platter. You smiled, making your way over to help before John shoved you aside, taking the platter from her in stride. 

“Let me get that for you, Mrs. Hudson, ah yes these look swell!” John grinned, and you rolled your eyes, joining him as he popped a brownie in his mouth. 

You chuckled, biting into one as well, letting the warmth coat your tongue and suddenly you felt like a child again. “Oh, Mrs. Hudson you’ve outdone yourself truly. These are fantastic!” 

She chuckled while pulling out the glasses, clearing the table in the kitchen from the remnants of Sherlock’s experiments you’d cleared away, but somehow mysteriously popped up again.

You groaned in exasperation. You couldn’t remember the last time the kitchen, or the table for that matter had been clear of experiments or Sherlock’s current fixations. 

“Say, where is Sherlock?” John asked, taking another brownie from the tray. 

You shrugged, taking a sip from the champagne Mrs. Hudson handed you. “I haven’t the faintest idea. If he had any plans he didn't tell me.”

“Since when does he ever have plans other than dragging us along on cases?” John nudged you playfully and you sighed. 

“Sherlock always likes to go off and run around without regard to us,” Mrs. Hudson pipped in, taking a sip from her glass.” But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun without him. Surely he’s bound to show up.” 

“Oh, I’m sure he will, he’s been on a few holiday cases up in Cardiff, from what Greg has told me,” you smiled. Speaking of the devil your phone buzzed and you moved with John and Mrs. Hudson to the living room where you promptly seated yourself in Sherlock’s chair, John following suit in his own while Mrs. Hudson sat on the couch you’d pulled closer to the chairs. 

You pulled open the text from your brother, your smile widening. Greg’s message was a selfie of him hauling a grocery bag, likely offerings for the party accompanied by an “on my way!” and a profuse apology for being late as Scotland Yard refused to close at a decent hour.

Well, a decent hour for Greg would be five, so he could sleep earlier and be to work at an even earlier time. Between the both of you, you’re more the night owl.

You take another sip of your drink, watching as John set up festive music on the telly, and opening the curtains where you were met with a rich dark sky littered with stars, the moon glowing softly. You admire the sight and you can’t imagine anything better than this or anywhere you’d rather be. 

Your phone buzzed again, met with another text from Greg. Make sure to keep Sherlock in line. 

Thanks, Greg, you think. If you had any idea where he was you would be sure to do so as he was your significant other. Yet communication on large cases tended to hinder his whereabouts. 

Pretty sure John will do a fine job once we find out where the hell Sherlock went, you shot back. 

“What’s this Grantham wants?” Sherlock burst through the door in all his glory, his beautiful Belstaff billowing around him as he fiddled with his phone. Joh chuckled, rolling his eyes at the absurdity and you huffed in amusement. 

“Wonderful to see you too my dear. Welcome home!” You rise to greet Sherlock but he’s over next to you in an instant pulling you in for a hug.

You fall into him, sure that Mrs. Hudson is giggling in a corner sending a meaningful look to John. You don’t care in the slightest, not anymore. Sherlock was always yours and you are his, despite the doubts you had from time to time through the years. 

“Oi, come on you two lovebirds is this a party or what?” Greg beamed, patting John on the shoulder, raising a glass to Mrs. Hudson. It didn’t take him long to find the drinks, you chuckled to yourself, pecking Sherlock’s cheek. “Also, my brother's name is not Grantham. You should know this by now.”

“Smart girl that one is,” Greg said, “yet she gets herself involved with the likes of Sherlock. I’ll never understand it. The Lestrades like danger over stability it seems.” 

“Oh knock it off you all,” Mrs. Hudson admonished. “At least take a few more drinks and at least eat. I bet you all haven’t eaten since lunch, and likely skipped breakfast as well.” 

You cast her a look, for she knew you all too well. “Of course, Mrs. Hudson,” you pulled yourself from Sherlock’s embrace even though it was agony to do so, your mind screaming for you to pull yourself up against him and drown in his kisses and warmth.

You quickly give your brother a hug and Greg grinned good-naturedly as you squeezed him tight. It’d been weeks since you’d seen him given the business of the holidays.

It was nice to finally settle down without the impeding stress of work and other responsibilities, relinquishing yourself to the relaxation amongst friends and family. It was why you cherished moments such as these and when you hugged Sherlock again, ruffling his curls, as he grumped, but you knew deep down he enjoyed it. 

******

Soon enough you’re all full of champagne, a filling meal, and in generally good spirits. Molly made a chance to stop by, too, and you pulled her into a warm embrace. She blushed in the dim light, not expecting it from you. You couldn’t blame her for having a crush on Sherlock all those years, but your mutual jealousy between you had faded with time and you’d come to enjoy her company.

You hand her a glass, eyes shining in mirth and at that moment you know you’ll be alright. With your found family and kin in the room, all felt right. 

Perhaps the year would be a good one after all. 

You found Sherlock in his chair observing the quieter atmosphere as everyone settled, talking quietly. You noted the way his fingers tapped on the chair impatiently and you carefully situated yourself in his lap, setting your half-empty glass on the side table.

From the window, fireworks light the sky in all their glory and soft cheers ring through 221B. You brush your lips against Sherlock’s, and he welcomes you into the dawn of what hopefully will be one of the best years in your memory.

******

[umbrellasareforever]

Empire of Death

Alright I'm so fresh off watching it and normally I want to give myself time to think before I say anything but also to think I need to get it out somehow so ya'll are getting my thoughts as I process them and then maybe I'll make a more intelligent post later.

Let's start with things I enjoyed!

Mel was fantastic, as always. Bonnie Langford is a treat and honestly, watching her this episode made me almost wish she could be the series companion again.

The Memory TARDIS! A genuinely unexpected surprise and while it made not have made 100% sense, it was a fun reference and a unique way to get around the fact that the TARDIS wasn't available to them.

I enjoyed the scene with the Doctor and the woman in that ramshackle hut. It was a sweet, somewhat slow moment that let you feel the universe a bit. Honestly, I wish the episode had started with that, it would've been a great hook.

As much as I adore my Paradox Baby™️ theory, I do think that having Ruby discover that her mother is, in fact, just a person was quite sweet. It was nice to see a RTD companion actually have a happy ending for once (although we know she's coming back, but hey, it's still a sweet moment).

Okay uhhhhh let's get into my problems...

If Ruby's mother was really just a person why the hell did it snow every time her mom was mentioned? I get the whole "the more significance you give something, the more important it becomes", and I know that the universe is now more supernatural than it was before, but was that the supernatural bleeding in? And while we're on Ruby's mother, why did she point so dramatically to the sign? No one was looking, no one would've known that's what she named her daughter. Is it just a total coincidence that she ended up with that name? Am I crazy?

The moment Rose died so unceremoniously I knew that it was going to end up being one of those "no consequences" episodes and I felt incredibly deflated. I get that Russell needs to make the stakes feel high but I really don't think this is the way. You can't have every season end with a universe shattering event and then just as quickly put everything back to the way it was and expect me to still feel like there's a threat.

Piggybacking off that, whyyyyyyyyyyy the HELL did Mrs. Flood have to say the whole "end in abject terror" thing? I'm so sick of it. I'm so sick of every season ending with or being advertised with "OHHHHHH this next one is gonna be the biggest threat the Doctor has ever faced! Nothing will ever be the same!!" STOP!!! STOP IT!!!!!! YOU ARE KILLING ME JUST STOP IT ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of Mrs. Flood, as curious as I am about her and whatever the hell she is (Iris, Romana, Susan, the Trickster, something else entirely), I also think that the lack of any answers about her and the constant cutting back to her really pulled me away from the story as a whole. Whether it was because I'm more interested in her or because seeing her so much made me think her story was going to be more important in the episode, it just took away from the already limited time we had.

Which kind of brings me to my biggest problem; time. All season every episode has felt like we were rushing through, as if we didn't have nearly enough time to actually tell a story, and it sucks. It leaves stories feeling like first drafts and unsatisfying and meh. I know pacing is hard, but there's gotta be a way to make this stuff work.

On another note, the whistle was... uh... yeah. I'll accept the Doctor having Intelligent Gloves™️ and Intelligent Rope™️ and Psychic Earrings™️, but when a whistle falls out of a cupboard and he puts it on with 0 explanation and then uses what we can only assume is a normal whistle to control the TARDIS to *checks notes* shoot a cannon out of the console and fly it over to him and Ruby... Yeah I just... that's a bit much for me.

Also Sutekh's been on the TARDIS for how long??? Since Pyramids of Mars??? What happened to him in Flatline? What happened to him when the Master turned it into a Paradox Machine? Or when it was blowing up constantly in Series 5? Or when House took it over in The Doctor's Wife? He was just straight chilling?? Honestly this is less of a genuine complaint and more of a "Wow, Doctor Who is wild!"

Now this is VERY much a nitpick and I need to get over it, I know, but God I need 15 to wear more Doctor-esque clothes. Seeing him walk around this whole time in blue jeans and a t-shirt or combat cargo pants and a t-shirt just felt so off. Seriously, when he had that leather trench coat outfit back on at the very end I felt a moment of relief.

And while I'm nitpicking, I know they didn't even really play a part in the episode but I want to, once again, voice my frustration with how much UNIT is a part of RTD2 so far and how it feels like there's not even a hint of military critique about it.

Yeah okay, those are my thoughts for now. If you really read all this, I appreciate and applaud you, and I very much hope you enjoyed the episode. I wish I did.

Here's to the Christmas special, I suppose!

[tact-and-impulse]

Narumayo Week 2024 Day 6

This one's for the haters lol. @narumayoweek2024, enjoy! Second part is forthcoming.

Prompt: AU

If Mia hadn’t left her lunch on the kitchen counter, they probably wouldn’t have met that day.

Maya unfortunately noticed the mishap, long after her sister joined the morning traffic jam. So, she slung the tote’s long strap over her shoulder and set out on her bike. She made surprisingly good time, taking the free spot on the bike rack under the building’s sign.

Armando, Fey, and Wright Law Offices.

She’d visited once, to surprise Mia and her boyfriend Diego with takeout, for their hard work overtime because the other lawyer was out sick. She hoped Mia would be delighted, and in excitement, she hurtled past the elevator doors. Right into someone else.

Hands clasped her shoulders, and a deep voice sent vibrations right to the middle of her chest. “Whoa, there. You okay?”

She looked up, heat climbing up her face. Broad shoulders, a sharp jawline, kind eyes meeting hers. Her fingers were pressed against a waistcoat, the edges of darker blue lapels. She gasped. “Y-yes. Sorry! Um, hi.”

He smiled, and her stomach flipped. “Hi. Where are you headed to in such a rush?”

“I’m looking for Mia Fey’s desk. Are you an attorney too?” The sunflower badge hadn’t escaped her attention.

“I am. Do you have a case for Ms. Fey? She’s fantastic to work with.”

Handsome, nice, and complimentary of her sister? Maya was absolutely gone. “Actually-”

“Maya?” The other elevator opened, and her sister strode out, heels clicking on the linoleum. Her surprised expression flitted from Maya to the stranger, and in an instant, they both remembered to let go of each other. “I see you’ve met Wright. Er, Mr. Wright.”

He flinched, rubbing the back of his neck. His left hand was completely bare. “Just call me Phoenix. Otherwise, it makes me sound like an old man.”

“Well, you’re four years older than me.” Mia countered, while Maya tried not to blush. Oh, so he was fourteen years older than Maya. She suspected he was older; still, it didn’t diminish her impression of him. “Wright, this is my sister, Maya. And oh, my goodness. It must have slipped my mind. Thank you for bringing my lunch bag, but you didn’t have to come all this way.”

“I wanted to!” And she was incredibly happy she did, she thought, sneaking a glance at Phoenix.

“This is the second time you’re here to bring food, we should pay you back somehow.”

“Second?” Phoenix pointed out.

“The first was when you were out sick.”

“Shame I keep missing out then.”

“I can make you something!” Maya blurted.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to imply.” He hastily said.

“I’m not doing much other than spiritual training. Any special requests?”

The aroma of black coffee accompanied the interruption. “This guy? He’ll swallow anything.” Maya turned to see Diego, who grinned at her and then greeted Mia with a kiss on the cheek.

Phoenix rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that was a long time ago. Anyway, I’m not picky. And I’ll have a surprise in return, Maya.” And if saying her name wasn’t enough, he had to wink.

That scene replayed over and over, as she raced back to the apartment. Her whole body was on fire, courtesy of Phoenix Wright. She had to give this her best shot.

Little did she know, she’d meet him again in far more precarious circumstances.

***

Maya pressed her hand against the glass, watching as Mia’s lifted to do the same. It felt cold, no trace of her sister’s warmth. “Sis…”

“It’ll be okay, Maya.” The brave smile wavered. “I’m no stranger to court, after all.”

“But you’re the defendant! And I know you’re not guilty.” She refused to believe it. Her strong and benevolent big sister, murdering Mr. Grossberg? Never. Even if Mia was the last person to visit him, that couldn’t be the full story.

Mia took a breath. “Thank you, Maya. How’s Diego?”

“Really upset. He broke three cups, when he got the letter that he can’t defend you.”

“Conflict of interest, because Grossberg knew we were dating. So, that’s why I’m asking you, Wright.” She turned to the chair next to Maya’s.

He looked very grave. “Of course, I’ll represent you. I’m investigating as soon as I leave here.”

Maya then asked. “Can I come with you?”

Phoenix hesitated, but Mia nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. I believe in both of you.”

With that, Phoenix caved, and he held the door open for Maya as they walked out. “Let’s start at Grossberg’s office.”

They followed the trail to a statue of the Thinker, which Phoenix sighed at, and a wiretap to the Gatewater Hotel. In the cold lobby, he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her. Maya had to close her mouth, and she felt irrationally jealous of the secretary obviously flirting with him. She wasn’t sure if she was that helpful, but Phoenix insisted she was.

“You have a good eye for things out of place, and you’re certainly faster than I am. I could use some of your energy.” He snapped his wooden chopsticks, stirring his bowl.

She thought of a few ways to transfer that energy to him, but instead, she casually said. “Miso ramen is the biggest energy boost. And I could have paid for my share.”

“Nope, I can’t let you, when I have my name up on a sign.” He dryly said and she laughed. His smile deepened. “Diego would probably throw his coffee at me, not to mention Mia’s wrath.”

“Mia doesn’t get angry that often, even if I deserved it. I definitely gave her trouble.” Now that she was twenty-one, she cringed at her early years.

“Oh, really? You could have fooled me.”

“Once, I broke a precious family heirloom and she took the blame.”

Their conversation turned to small talk, about the village where she and Mia came from, and how he studied art before a late switch to law. Almost like a date. Her heart fluttered at the thought. Interacting more only served to deepen her fondness of him. He was funny and sarcastic, but mature and patient too. He was older, but he didn’t lord it over her. He treated her like an equal, like a partner. She liked that about him.

And then, the court date arrived. Maya had never seen a trial before, and despite the nerves and stress, she soon understood why Mia loved her job. The evidence was brought out, analyzed with the witness testimony, and contradictions were found. It was also exciting to watch Phoenix at work, as he slammed his hands on the desk and confidently proclaimed objections. It was like he was dueling the prosecutor, whose initial composure was cracking. She studied Phoenix’s frown, his tilted smirk, his thoughtful look as he cupped his chin. In the crowd of spectators, she caught Diego’s raised eyebrow and attempted to curb her frequent stares.

After hours of proceedings, the man from Bluecorp finally confessed. Grossberg could no longer withstand the years of shame and planned to incriminate the CEO for blackmailing him; it was a fatal mistake to reveal it, but justice would be delivered. The judge’s gavel swung and Mia Fey was declared not guilty.

Confetti rained down, and Maya cried out, her voice breaking. “We did it!”

Phoenix echoed her. “We did it!” He hugged her, lifting her off the ground. And as he set her on her feet, his eyes crinkling in joy, she knew.

She was in love.

[siflshonen]

Hey there hope you are doing fine it is occurred to me that you are a huge lov Stan if it is not too much to ask could you give me a retrospective on your view of the lov and your opinion on them as they have grown and evolved and then your current opinion on where deku vs shiggy is headed thx.

I'm honored to be considered an LOV stan. Anyway, from the top:

Magne - Actually? Really enjoyed her for the time she was there. I think it would have been neat if her story tied into Aizawa, Hawks, or Nagant's somehow (meaning that they'd pursued her at one time or had been doing research on her specifically for a job - nothing super deep) to give her a little more focus and make the MHA cast seem more related and compact. I would have even liked her to live a little longer so she could do more LOV hijinks and show us more of that "big sis" title. I know some people don't like Magne or found it to be in bad taste that she died, but I don't feel it was a choice made in spite and I didn't have a problem with it, personally.

Kurogiri - Dark secret time: I actually do not really care about Kurogiri as Shigaraki's "caretaker" without the infusion of ambiguous Shirakumo energy and heart. I'm not a big "found family" person and I was never super into the takes of the major LOV fandom regarding this topic. Anyway, Kurogiri may or may not ever be exactly as he was as Shirakumo, but the more Shirakumo's presence is felt (even if he fights it and is like, "nooo I am loyal to Shigaraki! I don't care about these Shota Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada people!" because even then, it's still kinda the Shirakumo-heart-of-a-hero-loyal-to-his-friends OS running the show), the more I like him. I'm super stoked with the straightforward trope choices HK made for this character.

Shuichi Iguchi/Spinner - Spinner is so cute. I think Spinner is so, so cute and pathetic and sweet and wanting. God, he'll follow anything if he thinks it might make a difference. He is ready to lay down everything for Shigaraki even though he does not really understand him. He is so desperate to be a part of something, his heart is honestly in the right place when it comes to the individual members of the LOV, but every choice he makes or moment of self-doubt he has makes things worse. His heart is pure and every choice he makes takes him farther and farther from what he really wants. Please save Spinner. Someone, please save Spinner. Please love Spinner and help him do and want things independently of others and by his own direction and efforts. It can start small like getting him to grow and care for his own vegetables before he figures out what it is he'd really like to do or be.

Atsuhiro Sako/Mr. Compress - He kinda left it all on the floor when his moment came, so I don't have much to say besides I like him and of course he stole my heart when he asked me, the reader, to listen to his backstory before he bled out from ripping a hole in his own ass. In some ways, I like this a lot given that BNHA is a story-within-a-story, but in other ways I feel like this could have been more elegantly handled. I'm glad he lived and I'm excited to see him do more things outside of prison. He doesn't need to be in prison. That's just my opinion, though.

Jin Bubaigawara/Twice - Fantastic. Twice was always cute in that pesky-annoying way of any Deadpool Expy, but I think he's even cuter and softer of heart than Wade Wilson. I love how straightforwardly his backstory is told once we're allowed to see it, and I love - and hate - that his last thoughts were that Hawks had no right to pity/judge him as lucky or unlucky. His final "curse" to Hawks is powerful to me, particularly since it shows that, despite everything, Jin had people who actually knew him for who he was and liked him for it. At least, he had Toga. There's really a lot I could say about the Jin-and-Hawks situation, including how Jin's rejection of Hawks' conditions to let him live were also a rejection of Hawks and his choices, but I think those are the highlights. I really like that he got less goofy as we got to know him, but was never NOT goofy.

Himiko Toga - Dabi is a close second, but I think Toga is my favorite of the LOV. Hers is a classic female villain trope - crazy, jealous, horny, pansexual vampire blood-witch - but the story takes her completely seriously and asks what the FUCK is wrong with the situation of the world in order for her story to turn out like this. She's a classic, but better and with a human heart. So like, the thing about Toga is that she and her behavior doesn't really change - it's only the context that does as more is revealed about her. Also, her cutesy-yandere antics combined with Twice manages to actually make a funny pair rather than an annoying one. I mean, yeah, they're annoying, but it's in a charming way. If Ochako breaks her heart I'll fucking enter that manga myself and kill her. But Ochako won't do that because Ochako understands what she is doing.

Toya/Dabi - I am a big!!! Fan!!! Of Toya's dramatic ass! Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic! Any time I think I'm throwing a tantrum and being a spoiled brat, I think of Dabi and realize I've not yet hit rock bottom. From basically his intro, it was obvious he was a Todoroki and even more delicious that nobody in-story (not Aizawa, not Shoto, not Enji, not Hawks, not nobody) could figure it out even when he was soooooo desperate for them to figure it out and then got to reveal it! On TV! Oh, the drama! The spectacle! (Miss me with the "oooooooh it's not confiiiiiiirmed Dabi is a Todoroki" stuff, 'cause, c'mon you guys: this is the over-the-top-dramatic-irony manga.) That said, the tantrum is warranted - the thing he honestly needs is attention and acknowledgement as well as continued support. Dabi is my favorite Daddy Issues character. Cannot wait to see what his life looks like after his tantrum's over - which I think will happen. He's still alive in the manga and the Todorokis still have a long way to go even if he does kick the bucket by the end (he won't, though his lifespan might be reduced or something. There's gotta be blowback for becoming a charcoal briquette twice.)

Tenko Shimura/Tomura Shigaraki - I actually didn't give two hoots about him until we got the confirmed insight that he's a little boy in a 23-year-old body. I actually find Shigaraki to be the most boring of the LOV, but a lot of interesting things happen to him and he does a lot of interesting internal repression and exploration even with his limited understanding and context for his situation. I enjoy that his "enlightenment" is an artificial one that encourages destruction but opposes not only the status quo but any future creation. He's change and chaos, but only until the moment he succeeds, because then his destruction will be the stagnant status quo. Right now, he's got the otherworldly white hair like a Japanese demon or half-divine being and unlike Toya (who is totally a vengeful spirit and fire demon straight from hell) he's kinda suggesting a western angel, too. Must be cool to be the most significant and "perfect" white-haired anime boy in a series, huh. That's a lot of power, Sephiroth.

He's a great dragon-and-damsel rolled into one, and Izuku is going to save him with some help. It's as straightforward as that. After that, Tenko will probably want to become the definition of a true hero - not a Hero (as in the in-universe job), but someone proud of the legacy his grandmother and Toshinori tried to uphold while still desiring improvements. His destruction may be channeled into a real weapon of justice meant to meaningfully destroy the corrupt but with the goal to then make right what had been wronged. I wouldn't be totally surprised if he undergoes another quirk evolution and is able to create stuff a la Fullmetal Alchemist using the stuff he destroys/using the same stuff he would have otherwise destroyed. If so, it might be more apt to call his quirk something like "Flourish"/"Growth" or even "Improve"/"Surpass" rather than "Decay". The one thing I think Shigaraki can never really accept (though he will bide his time if needed) is stasis. Eventually, I think he'll become another intended successor of All Might, though frankly anyone in the series can and should earn that title at this point.

[sillysaurusrex]

jayden's blog introduction pg. i | title: blog index and intro | may be subject to change | last updated: 07.08.24

i. about the blog owner - starter information about your friendly neighbourhood cryptid ★ hi there, friend !! i'm jayden, just a silly little critter on the internet. ★ i'm transmasc, and would appreciate if you could address me using he/him pronouns mostly, but he/they is okay too if you'd rather ! ★ i mostly post art, boards, silly text posts and generalized silliness. ★ i'm nonhuman, queer, and a minor so this is a purely sfw space ★ this is my nonhuman side-blog, find me over at @road-kibblez ! ★ all my love and wishes to the lovely critters of this beautiful earth !

ii. about my identity / self - here's some little information snippets about myself and the stuff about me ★ most predominant kintypes ⭒ canine cladokin / canidae family ⭒ antelope jackrabbit / lepus alleni ⭒ church grim / canis torva ecclesia ⭒ bonnie bunny / five nights at freddy's franchise ★ other kintypes ⭒ full list can be found in my kintype masterpost - ★★★

iii. about my interests - the silly things i like, if you like them to feel free to ramble in my asks

★ current hyperfixations and special interests ⭒ mascot horror games, especially five nights at freddy's ⭒ warrior cats and wings of fire ⭒ dinosaurs and palaeontology, especially the jurassic period ⭒ cryptozoology and beings of supernatural nature ⭒ vulture culture like bones, skulls, taxidermy and decomposition ⭒ the tales from moominvalley franchise ⭒ sweet tooth, umbrella academy and dungeon meshi ★ stuff i enjoy listening to ⭒ indie alternative like cavetown, chloe moriondo and rabbitology ⭒ indie rock like good kid, noahfinnce, mcafferty and arctic monkeys ⭒ dance electric like femtanyl, living tombstone and lemon demon ⭒ vocaloid like ghost and pals, hatsune miku and coffeebug ⭒ podcasts like welcome to nightvale and transmission folklore

★ my personal media recommendations ⭒ indie games like cult of the lamb and hollow knight ⭒ the ramshackle show and web comic ⭒ the fantastic mr fox and isle of dogs movies

iv. about my hobbies - random things i enjoy doing in my spare time, also open for ask-box discussion ★ collecting jellycat plushies and animal skulls ★ skateboarding and painting skateboard decks ★ making art ! i'm going into the 2nd year of my art degree this year ★ photography especially in nature and little aesthetic things

v. the silly little critters in my phone - my friends and mutuals who you should totally follow ★ sillies who have my permission to come live in my walls ⭒ @catchthattherian - actually my favourite creature on here and the best gato an ouppy like myself could ask for !! love you ssm man >:O ⭒ @hibiscuspearswithopaljuice - silly silly goober rah /pos ★ @sl3epy-c0rvid - really cool guy who i am somehow mutuals with ? ! >:O i'm scared of them because they are so awesome /hj, lh

" i'm not a violent dog . . . i don't know why i bite . "

[harringtonstilinski]

Always The Babysitter - Chapter Thirty: The Nina Project

Author: @harringtonstilinski​ Characters: Steve Harrington x Olivia Henderson(OC) Word Count: 2,717 Warnings: fluff, angst, olivia being olivia, mentions of spiders, Smut: no | yes; 18+ MINORS DNI: A/N: Hi, friends! I'm using the gif below again 'cause it's one of my favorite moment of Steve's! If you like this chapter, please do not hesitate to reblog and give some feedback, whether it be in the reblogs, comments, or my inbox. As always, read at your own risk and enjoy 😊

prev | current chapter | next

season masterlist

series masterlist

series playlist 

We had all decided that we would keep watch on Max overnight just to make sure that what happened at the cemetery didn’t happen again. Dustin was on watch last, so I curled up very uncomfortably with Steve on the chair.

I heard Dustin’s radio go off, but I didn’t think anything of it, temporarily forgetting where I was until it went off again, Eddie’s voice coming through saying Dustin’s name. Not wanting to be the one getting up, I tried to make myself more comfortable on Steve, which I failed to do.

I had just fallen back asleep with Steve’s arm somewhat around my middle when I felt someone run into my feet. I quietly groaned, hearing Steve do the same as I tried to get up. “I’ll be right back,” I whispered, sighing. “I’ll bring you some coffee.”

I had just reached the kitchen when I heard Mrs. Wheeler say, “You know you’re welcome here anytime.” “Totally,” Dustin whispered. “You’re like family.”

“Good morning, Liv,” Mrs. Wheeler said.

“Good morning, Mrs. Wheeler,” I said, spotting the coffee pot. I put my hands on her shoulders, looking her dead in the eyes. “You’re a lifesaver with that fantastic smelling coffee.”

Making my way over to the cabinet with the coffee mugs, I heard Mr. Wheeler say, “No, you can’t have any.”

“Ya’know, Mr. Wheeler,” I said, pouring coffee into one of the two mugs I grabbed. “Maybe you should have something stronger than coffee since you’re always a grouch in the morning. Oh, hey, Mrs. Wheeler, where’s the sugar–thank you.”

I made mine and Steve’s cups, taking his cup down to him in the basement, going right back up the stairs when I saw that the couch was empty, sighing with relief at seeing Max sitting at the kitchen table with Holly, Nancy and Dustin.

“He’s this super burned-up dude with razors for fingers,” Dustin said. “And he kills you in your dreams.”

“Dustin!” I exclaimed, taking a sip of coffee.

“Sorry, it’s a movie, it’s not real,” Dustin said to Holly before looking back at Max and saying, “Just… think about it. What if you somehow unlocked a backdoor into Vecna’s world? Like, maybe the answer we’re looking for is somewhere in this incredibly vague drawing. God, we need Will.”

I turned back around to descend the steps to the basement, sitting back on Steve after he took a sip from his cup before taking a few sips from my own cup before Nancy came running down the steps saying, “Put the cups down. Hey! Wake up! We’re taking a little field trip.”

~~~

All of us somehow piled into Nancy’s car, said girl driving over to the Creel house. I groaned after Steve helped me out of the back of the car, looking up at the house.

“What?” he asked.

Gesturing towards the house, I said, “Last place I got busted at for attempting a B&E.”

“Jesus, Liv,” he sighed.

We walked up a set of concrete steps before all of our steps stopped, Steve saying, “Yeah, that’s not creepy.”

“Come on,” I sighed, taking the steps up to the house, stopping once I got to the front porch, leaning against a post.

Steve and Nancy went to the door, my boyfriend taking the split side of the hammer he’d gotten from the car to a nail, taking it out of the wood that was embedded in the post. 

“What exactly are we supposed to be looking for in this shithole?” Steve asked.

“We’re not sure,” Nancy said.

“Well, that's convenient,” I said, pushing off the post.

“We just know this house is important to Vecna.” “Wait, didn’t you say this Victor guy had kids?”

Nancy turned to me to answer, but Robin beat me to it since I was looking at her. “Yeah, two. Why?”

I scrunched my lips to the side, eyes narrowed as I thought. “Just ballparking it there, but because Nance said the house is important to this asshole, what if it was one of the kids? Ya’know, a kid like El.”

With a confused look on her face, Robin asked, “What?”

“Just a theory, but what if one of the kids, say the son, was like El. She’s kind of a spell caster.” At Robin’s expression, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Like I said… just a theory.” After walking back to the post, I leaned against it again, my eyes downcast.

“And how to stop him before he comes back for Max,” Dustin said, bringing my back to the topic at hand.

“We don’t think he’s in here, do we?” Lucas said.  

“Guess we’ll find out,” Max and I said.

I moved forward, taking the hammer from Nancy’s hand and pulling the last nail, dropping the piece of plywood onto the ground before Steve was even ready for it to drop. I moved my head side to side, cracking my neck with my eyes closed.

Steve tried to open the door, unsuccessfully. “It’s locked. Should I knock, see if anybody’s home?”

I took my jacket off, wrapping it around my left hand, creating a barrier for my hand not to get smashed with glass. “Nope, I got it.” I pulled my fist back before ramming it into the glass on the door, reaching inside with my right hand to open the door.

Walking in, the smallest surge of energy went through me as I lightly bounced on my toes. Was I happy to finally be breaking into this house? Yes. I also knew I had to control myself from trying to steal anything in here.

Fingers sliding between mine had me squeezing them as I was brought to Steve’s chest, my thoughts coming out in his words. “Please don’t steal anything.”

“I won’t,” I lightly chuckled. “Or… at least I’ll try.”

Steve pulled me off to the side, letting everyone else file in. Lucas went to a lamp that was near the door, trying to turn it on. I had to take a deep breath to not run over to take it.

“Looks like someone forgot to pay their electric bill,” Lucas said.

Dustin raised his flashlight as I reached into his backpack to grab one he always kept for me in there, both of us turning them on at the same. I looked up at Steve, a smile spreading across my face.

“Where’d everyone get those?” he asked.

Looking from Dustin back to Steve, I sighed and closed my eyes as Dustin said, “Do you need to be told everything? You’re not a child.”

“Thank you.”

I grabbed the extra flashlight from the back pocket of Dustin’s backpack, handing it to Steve, who leaned down and whispered, “Thank you,” before pressing his lips to mine.

Dustin took his backpack off and set it down at our feet, breaking our kiss. I released a deep breath, stepping over the pack to follow my brother down the small entryway.

“Hey, guys,” Max said, her voice causing all of us to move near her. “You all see that, right?”

“Yeah,” Dustin, Steve and I said.

“Is this what you saw?” Nancy asked. “In your visions?”

Max nodded her head as Robin stepped forward a little.

“I mean it’s… just a clock,” Robin said. “Right?” She moved forward, wiping the dust off the face of the Grandfather Clock we were all looking at. “Like a normal old clock.”

“Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks?” Steve asked. “Maybe he’s, like, a clockmaker or something?”

Incredulously, I looked at him, Dustin’s voice meeting mine as we said in unison, “I think you cracked the case, Steve.”

He looked down at me, not happy with my choice of words. I smiled softly at him, wrapping my arm around his back, his own going around my shoulders before pressing a sweet kiss to my hairline.

“All I know is the answers are here,” Nancy said. “Somewhere.”

“Well, that’s helpful,” I sighed.

“Okay, everyone stay in groups of two. Robin, upstairs.”

“One group is going to be a group of three since there’s seven of us.” Robin and Nancy went upstairs, Lucas and Max went into the front room, while Steve, Dustin and myself stayed put for a moment. 

Reaching down to place his fingers between mine, Steve sighed heavily, pulling me around to the staircase, raising our hands to let me go up the flight of stairs first.

“Was that a sigh?” Dustin asked. 

“No, I did not sigh,” Steve answered.

“He totally sighed,” I said.

“Why’d he sigh?” Dustin asked, both him and Steve following me up the stairs.

“I didn’t sigh,” Steve said. “Just come on, dude.”

“I heard you.”

“W-we’re just always partners, okay?”

I stopped for a moment, turning to look down at Steve as I asked, “Got a problem with that, Harrington?”

“It’d just be nice to, I don’t know, mix it up a bit,” he said.

I rolled my eyes and turned back around, finishing my ascent up the stairs. “Are we Henderson’s boring you?”

“No, babe, it’s the opposite.”

Once I reached the landing, I went to the first room I found, walking into it. Shining the flashlight around so that I could see somewhat properly, shuddering as I spotted a spiderweb on the wall across from the door.

“Hey, uh, Henderson’s,” Steve said. 

“Yeah?” Dustin answered.

“Could you maybe, uh, clarify what sort of clues we’re supposed to be looking for here?”

In my best British accent, I said, “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” At the silence I received, I turned around to face Steve and Dustin, the latter smiling big at me. 

His smile died at Steve’s look of confusion before he said, “Sherlock Holmes.” He scoffed and walked away while I shook my head.

“That’s great,” Steve said.

“Remind me why I’m with him again,” I said to Dustin.

“Because you love me?” Steve asked.

Turning to him with a smile, I said, “That I do. That I do.”

I went to follow Dustin into another room when Steve’s voice got my attention as he said, “Babe, come here.” Turning back to him, I saw that he was crouched down, a jar in his hand.

“What the fuck?” I said, leaning down to place my hand on his shoulder, seeing a motherfucking spider in the jar. “Oh, my god, put that shit down.”

Feeling something crawling on my hand, I screamed while shaking my hand, backing up into the hallway with webs all over my back and the back of my hair.

Fun fact about me; I have arachnophobia pretty bad. 

I didn’t register that Steve had followed me after dropping the jar. “Babe, babe, babe, Olivia, calm down! It’s gone!”

“Don’t tell me to calm down! There was a fucking black widow on me! I could’ve died!” I had tears falling down my cheeks. “You know how badly I’m scared of those vile eight legged freaks!”

The door I just backed out of closed, Steve coming back into my vision. “Don’t go back in there.”

“I heard screaming, what happened?” Nancy’s voice came through.

“There-there was a spider on me,” I stuttered. “A-a black widow.”

“Oh,” she said, causing panic to rise in me again.

“What? Nancy Wheeler, you better explain what’s happening? Did it lay eggs?” I panicked.

“No, you have webs in your hair,” she said, picking some. 

“If there’s a spider nesting in there–” Robin said.

“There is, Buckley.”

“You’re never gonna find it until it lays eggs and all the babies spill out.”

“What?!” I looked at Steve, straight fear in my eyes. I started crying a little harder than I was, the tears coming out in streams.

“What’s wrong with you?” Steve asked as she chuckled. “She has severe arachnophobia.” Robin walked by us, dancing her fingers up my arm. “Seriously, Robin?” He sighed. “She’s got problems.”

“Tell me about it,” Nancy said.

“It’s cool you two are friends now,” Steve said, standing in front of me, slotting all ten of his fingers between mine. He was staring into my eyes, still talking to Nancy as she picked all the webs out of my hair. “Maybe after we find Vecna, kill him–”

“Rid the world of all the spiders,” I interrupted.

“Save the world and stuff,” he continued. “Maybe we could all go out or something. Ya’know, me, Liv, you, Robin, Jonathan, when he’s back.”

“I can feel you smiling, Wheeler,” I said.

I was lost in a trance that is Steve Harrington as he went on about something, Robin’s voice bringing me back as she said, “Platonic with a capital P.”

“Yep,” Steve said. “Thank you.”

It was quiet for a moment before Nancy said, “Okay. All better.”

“No, comb your fingers through to make sure it’s not crawling in my hair,” I said. “I can literally feel it.”

She chuckled, doing exactly as I asked her for a few seconds before she put her hands on my shoulders. “All good.”

“Thank you, Nancy,” I said, turning to face her a little bit, a smile on my face. When I turned back to face Steve, I smiled at him, squeezing his hands in mine.

He smiled back as Nancy’s footsteps sounded by us before he leaned his head down, eyes starting to close. I leaned up, my own eyes closing before our lips met in a sweet kiss. He cupped my cheeks, my hands going to his elbows. 

Before the kiss got too heated, he pulled back, resting his forehead on mine as I groaned, “You can’t do thaaaaaaaaaaat.”

He chuckled. “Baby, we need to get back to the investigation.” He paused for a moment before he said. “The obvious things are not what people observe.”

I laughed. “What?”

His eyes danced between mine before he whispered, “Sherlock Holmes.”

Lightly chuckling, I said, “That’s not at all how it goes. But I’ll give you an A for effort.”

“Thanks, babe.”

~~~

A little while later, all of us were standing in a semicircle, watching as a chandelier pulsed with electricity.

“Olivia, it’s like the Christmas lights,” Nancy said.

“Oh my god,” I whispered.

“Christmas lights?” Robin asked.

“When Will was in the Upside Down, the lights… they came to life,” I said.

“Vecna’s here,” Lucas said. “In this house.” The lights pulsed a little brighter and stronger before Lucas added, “Just on the other side.”

We were met with darkness again as the light went out before Robin said, “I think he just left the room.”

“Did he hear us?” Max asked.

“Can he see us?” Steve asked.

“Max, headphones,” I said, Lucas joining me on the last word.

She put her headphones on before Nancy said, “Wait, wait. Everyone, turn off your flashlights and spread out.”

I did as everyone else did; turning off my flashlight and walking away as Steve said, “We’re not gonna be able to see if we turn off our flash… lights.”

Of course, I waited for Steve, his hand never leaving mine as we walked around the house, Robin’s voice coming through the house a little while later saying, “I got him! Got him!”

She had her flashlight shining up… before it dimmed. “I-I had him.”

Steve’s was next, my hand on his arm as he said, “Oh, whoa.” He moved his arm out, following his light. “Oh, I think he’s moving. He’s moving, he’s moving.” We all followed him up the staircase before his light gave out at the landing. “Shit. I lost him.”

I looked to the side, saying, “Nope,” before moving to the door I saw, opening it. “You didn’t, babe.” Another staircase with lights flickering. Not waiting for the others, I started to slowly ascend the steps, Robin’s voice saying it’s an attic.

Seeing a lightbulb flickering in its place in the ceiling had me a little excited. I was excited because we finally knew where this Vecna creep hides. Of course, I didn’t show it. 

“Flashlights,” Dustin said.

We all looked at them, seeing the lights shining bright as we stood in a circle, pointing our flashlights up and around the lightbulb. 

“Okay, what’s happening?” Steve asked.

No one answered him as we stood there for a moment before our bulbs started to burst in our hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

prev | current chapter | next

season masterlist

series masterlist

series playlist 

~~~

A/N 2:  hi, friends! pls be kind and reblog! it really helps us content creators out <3

Additional Note:

~~~

Forever / Everything Taglist: @stiles-o-dylan24​​ @stixnstripesworld​ @fandom-princess-forevermore​​​ @quanticobae​​​ @mischiefandi​​​ @kellyashcroft @lauren-novak​​​​

Steve Harrington Taglist: @madaboutjoe

If you’re tagged and didn’t want to be, please let me know.

~~~

*Please don’t post my writing anywhere else without my consent. The author of this work will always and forever be @harringtonstilinski​.

All characters, story lines, and plot aside from y/n and her storyline & plot, are all of the work of The Duffer Brothers.

*These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

No part of these works may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

Posted on May 22, 2024

[bigredsweetiepie]

Thoughts about a certain someone🦷pt.1

Unfortunately for Mr. Glenn Jacobs, I think about Isaac Yankem frequently. Like, he is definitely one of my hyper fixations. 😅

I consider myself a scholar of this character and I honestly enjoy the design of Yankem. Due to the way that 90s wrestling and specifically the WWF was doing in '95, its really no surprise that the character tanked in a year. It's sad that he wasn't around for long, but it just wasn't reasonable for him to stick around too much longer after the Jerry Lawler -Brett Hart rivalry. He was a fun addition during that time, and it was camp!

Poor Glenn himself has said it was camp (not in a good way- and I don't blame him). If I was trying to support my family with my passion, and I had to portray a dentist with horrible teeth in the mid 90s, I would be understandably upset as well. I can't help but feel that the WWF was "playing in his face" because why would they put such a horrible gimmick to such a talented BIG man?

However, since his career took off afterwards eventually with Kane, I don't feel like a complete and total jerk liking IY. ( I think it would be a different story if his career died after portraying Yankem, but thankfully Jacobs is hard-working, resilient, and passionate to the point where he gracefully managed the hand he was dealt and succeeded!)

Now, let's talk character design and what I like about him.

Bc I'm a young adult on a Kane-posting tumblr you could imagine that my tastes are not......standard issue. I like deranged characters! Kane is a great, vanilla (ish) version of that. I also can't help but like the crazed doctor trope, something about it is always chef's kiss.

So years ago when I first found Kane and professional wrestling, I was absolutely giddy when I discovered that the man who portrayed him also played a deranged dentist?! Please lord. It was like a two for one special (but I also enjoyed Doomsday, Unabom , and Diesel II so it was like a coupon book).

His entrance music leaves less to be desired, I do enjoy that Jim Johnston included calming elevator music with the drill, but ya know, it is what it is.

Speaking of his entrance, oh my god ? The Yankem grillz on the screen? I think about those frequently . I really can't imagine that in the year '95 that it was edited on, so I imagine that it was a real pair of grillz that WWF made for Jacobs. I can't find anything on them, but they crack me up every time I see them.

Also when IY walks out to the ring he'll say some phrases that are in character. There are two I can make out with my very poor lip reading skills and close listening.

It's time for an extraction.

(Care for your teeth ) you only get one set.

God that is perfect.

Continuing with the entrance themes, when he takes off his dentist smock? help?! He does it so aggressively.😅

I love his attire anyways, especially how he has those long boots under his baggy pants, which were special because most wrestlers had tights on, so the fact he had baggier pants that hid long ass boots underneath is a great surprise ( see when he was tied up by Bret Hart on the turnbuckle). I somehow always expect smaller shoes, but the boots keep going up.🤣I somehow always see them as patent leather dress shoes.

(I kinda want to make an entire post based on his attire bc I love it, so more on that later)

The way he moves in the ring is fantastic. I personally can't tell what Glenn was talking about when he said his matches were horrible. To a non-professional it looks fine. Maybe he was referring to this in a technical manner? I really have no idea. However, one thing I think he excelled whether on purpose or accident was how he moved in the ring. He moved stiff and rushed and rather chaotic, which I think fit a wrestling dentist (No offense Britt Baker!!). In theory if you were a crazed dentist, you wouldn't be graceful, fluid, or pleasing to look at while you were dissecting your patient opponent.

Anyways, I will probably make a part 2 bc that is a lot of dumping....

[autisticempathydaemon]

For the matchups /np <3

What song are you fixated on at the moment? What lyric or verse, and why?

At the moment it’s Vienna by Billy Joel, ‘she’s always a woman’ is one of my favourites ever and Vienna just hits right as I feel like I’m behind a lot of the friends that I grew up with atm. (My fave parts are ‘you’re so ahead of yourself that you’ve forgot what you need’ and ‘ you can’t be everything you wanna be before your time’.

What is your Enneagram type?

I don’t know my enneagram sorry but I know my personality type is ENFP if that’s any help :)

Tell me about your childhood imaginary friend.

Funnily enough he was a dog, like I used to just imagine I had a dog and he’d follow me around, sometimes he’d talk and sometimes he wouldn’t and he was named after ‘Balto’ from the animated movie.

What is your go to way to fall asleep?

I don’t really have one, I usually end up waking up not remembering falling asleep in the first place. I basically just wait until I’m tired enough for it just happen.

If you had to change your name, what would it be, and why? (In tandem, if you have changed your name, why did you pick that one?)

Although I wouldn’t like to change my first name, as I think it suits me, I did change my last name to my Grandma’s maiden name after she’d told me she was sad that she couldn’t keep it when she married my grandad.

What Redacted boy holds no appeal to you, and why? Like, not the one you hate but the one who you don’t get the hype for. (I won’t judge, I promise.)

I feel awful about this one, but Guy. I don’t dislike him or anything but I’m also not necessarily excited when he gets an upload. I’m also not sure why, he just doesn’t hit the same for me as he seems to do for a lot of other people.

Tell me about that one book/movie/tv show you know all the words to.

Fantastic Mr Fox. I love it, I love the framing and the colours and the characters. They’re all very ‘human’ in different ways and the moment between Foxy and Felicity near the waterfall is so relatable I want to eat it.

Which Redacted boy are you platonically attracted to? Like- forget dating, which dude do you want to be your best friend?

SO MANY. Like the entire D.A.M.N squad. I love all the characters and I don’t mind anger but if Damien directed it at me I’d get defensive and that wouldn’t make for a good couple. Gavin, I wouldn’t really like my partner flirting with other people, Huxley I enjoy hiking but simply can’t picture myself dating him because he’s with Damien etc etc

Do you have a go-to thing you ramble about when you’re tired, and if so, what is it? (For example, my boyfriend knows I’m ready to sleep when I start talking about space.)

The signal for me being tired is actually that I go very quiet/ not talkative. But if I was to ramble about something it would probably just be about things that had happened irl, old funny story’s and stuff (or whatever fandoms I’m in at the time depending on who I’m with).

Tell me your go-to gas station and drink combo.

Red Bull. Always Red Bull. 🧎🏻

Extra’s: My favourite colour is green. I love movies, reading/writing and animals. I’m a Libra. My love languages are acts of service and physical touch but again, depending on the person.

Thank you!

As always, I love it when I am given so much information to work with! You seem so lovely and agreeable, it’s hard to think with whom you wouldn’t work well. Somehow, the “loving animals” bit convinced me, because what’s better for an animal lover than our beloved beta boy who can turn into a wolf on a whim?

Asher strikes me as the type of guy who works best with someone like himself. He works well with everyone, by his nature, but you and he would have so many similarities that being together would be wonderfully easy. It’s the big things like your extroverted natures and your compatible love languages. Yet it’s also the little things like your shared love of hiking and caffeinated battery acid (I say affectionately as a Strawberry Apricot Red Bull fiend).

You’d be the sort of couple who operate like well-oiled cogs of a machine, like one of you was a telepath, that’s how naturally you communicate and maneuver around each other. It’s a wonderfully comfortable, joyful life that the two of you have. There’s lots of alternating days of him showing you Halo and you showing him new, interesting movies, countless lectures from David about y’all having to drink something not poisoned with taurine, and so, so much love.

Song:

I confess, I messed up/ Dropping "I'm sorry" like you're still around/ And I know you're dressed up/ Hey kid you'll never live this down/ You're just the girl all the boys want to dance with/ And I'm just the boy who's had too many chances

I’ve just got to give the boy a FOB song, you must understand; I also think it’s a really fun choice for y’all. I love the movie references, the fun, boppy tempo, the dramatic, theatrical way Asher would fall to his knees on the kitchen floor as he belts it out at you in true, emo kid fashion. It’s infectious, and you would be helpless to either sing or headbang along.

Runner-ups:

This was hard. Again, I feel like you could pair well with just so many people; narrowing it down to two was an ordeal. In the end, I like Anton for you because you two contrast in a lot of the ways you and Asher compare. Also, I chose Sam as a runner-up for you because you two hiking together would be really cute. Also, You/Sam is giving kind of David/Asher but in another font, and I love Dasher /lh

note: thank you so much for waiting 💕

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[sapphire-weapon]

i just finished Infinite Darkness and have a lot of Thoughts™️. please indulge me if you'd like.

spoiler + long post warning

i went into it with pretty low expectations because everyone kept on calling it a shitshow. it's not bad per se, but it wasn't good either. it was.. meh. 2.5/5.

afaik ID takes place in 2006, and RE4 in '04. so why tf does Leon look like he's at least 40??

that honestly fucked it up timeline-wise for me. was the show purposely designed not to fit into the timeline in any way whatsoever a la "welcome to raccoon city"?

if that's the case, Leon and Claire still somehow are able to remember the events of Raccoon City in this timeline.

my brain can't come to a logical conclusion over the timeline, so i'll leave it at that.

i wish they gave Claire more screen time. they did her so dirty imo.

what were they trying to set up with Claire and Leon's interactions? a loveteam? if this was so, what even was their last conversation in ep 4?

the Claire on top of Leon scene. tf? what the hell were they trying to set up? were they going to fuck and continue the redfield bloodline right then and there? kiss? hug? maybe punch each other's lights out?? i'm seriously so fucking confused.

Shen Mei and Leon too. Leon asks her out and she declines. what was the point of that conversation? i'm just going to assume it's to show the locket with Jun See's picture in it.

(were they trying to show how bitchless Leon is at least in this series?)

why the hell did Jason kill Shen Mei? what was the point? why didn't Leon give a shit when she died? it was like he just forgot about her.

i love how President Graham believes anything as long as Leon is involved. in ep 1 when Leon's late: "it's fine bc you saved my daughter." in the last ep when Patrick tells him that Wilson was behind everything and cites Leon as source, Mr. POTUS decides to wing his speech ON THE SPOT just because of that fact. what if Patrick was making it up? that really would have fucked up international relations and all that. i don't know. Graham really loves Leon i guess.

going off of that, i wish we got to see more of Patrick. i would have loved to see him interact more with Leon.

what is gonna happen to that chip!?

i have no idea if a Season 2 would be able to salvage/explain the plot, but honestly i don't think the series deserves a Season 2. it might be a waste of time and money plus an even bigger disappointment to fans.

alright, onto performances.

Nick Apostolides to me sounds like someone who's breaking in a new pair of shoes. it sounds like he's still getting used to walking in them and therefore tries different things (which i find ironic since he'd already voiced baby faced rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy atp, but also understandable as Leon sounded young in that game). he's all over the place imo. he sounded like RE2R Leon, RE4R Leon, and someone else entirely throughout the four episodes. but as you said in another ask, he really made up for it in RE4R. solid voice acting all around imo.

Ray Chase. before i saw him here i knew him as Neuvillette (aka "according to the judgment of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale") in Genshin Impact. his line delivery is stellar. i hope that's also him voicing mutated/infected Jason because he sounds fantastic there. but there's a line that he says there that sounds so awkward because the delivery is so sped up that the emotion is gone.

Stephanie Panisello also voices Claire in RE2R, but i haven't seen too much of her there to compare it to her performance here. i will say, however, that i honestly enjoyed her performance here, but there are times when she sounds like she's holding back a bit. it would have been perfect if she let go a little bit more.

Jona Xiao as Shen Mei was also great, but i think she also suffers the sams problem as Stephanje in that she sounds like she'a holding back.

Doug Stone as Wilson was perhaps the most enjoyable for me, as well as Billy Kametz who voiced Patrick.

this (https://youtu.be/HN2OkCu6FbE?si=jl7K8tILCYoheGCX) was pretty badass tho

https://youtu.be/7lnFgfhVW-E?si=RZ-EF-WN2vVDY8PS holy shit.

the unfortunate thing is

most of my responses to your reactions boil down to "welcome to the RE CGI-verse." like:

why tf does Leon look like he's at least 40??

i wish they gave Claire more screen time

why the hell did Jason kill Shen Mei? what was the point? why didn't Leon give a shit when she died?

all fall under that category LMAO

now, in terms of things i can respond to:

was the show purposely designed not to fit into the timeline in any way whatsoever a la "welcome to raccoon city"?

no. just because leon's character model looks bad doesn't mean that the story exists out of universe. it takes place in 06 and is part of the regular OG canon timeline. period.

what were they trying to set up with Claire and Leon's interactions?

nothing.

the CGI-verse is the reason why a few true cleon diehards still hold onto hope that cleon will still somehow be endgame, but the fact of the matter is that leon and claire just have That Kind of Friendship. it goes nowhere; it's just how they are.

Shen Mei and Leon too. Leon asks her out and she declines. what was the point of that conversation? i'm just going to assume it's to show the locket with Jun See's picture in it. (were they trying to show how bitchless Leon is at least in this series?)

both explanations are correct. ID adds a new dimension to the running "OG Leon is a Fucking Slut Who Can't Actually Score" gag by making him an actual homewrecker this time around. but ultimately yes it was to show the locket.

what is gonna happen to that chip!?

nothing and you know it lmao

this (https://youtu.be/HN2OkCu6FbE?si=jl7K8tILCYoheGCX) was pretty badass tho

this is the best moment that OG leon has in the entire series and i'm not joking. it's not the best in the sense of "this is when he, as a person, is at his best." it's the best in the sense of "this is the only moment in the entire series where we get to see leon do his Actual Job and know what he Actually Does outside of outbreak incidents, and it serves to add more context and perspective to so many other facets of his character." i could write an entire fucking essay about this scene/moment. god.

goD

[missyourflight]

some stuff i read and watched in november:

taskmaster (s16): what a delight!! what a fucking charming bunch of weirdos, sam campbell somehow everything to me now?? if you think susan wokoma is hot you should watch bbc CHEATERS etc

black swan: first rewatch for ages and it still goes so hard, Love the score, natalie as ever at her best when you can see the gears going in her head, she was perfect!!

the girl with the dragon tattoo: it's been fincher season on blank check, rewatched this for i think the first time since i saw it at the pictures and liked it much more, especially the mara/craig chemistry and all the snow and knitwear etc. it's great when she's like put your hand back in my shirt and he does it

anatomy of a fall: more snow - really liked this - between this and saint omer it's the year of french legal dramas etc. her lawyer with the hair and the chemistry and that other lawyer from 120 bpm!

saltburn: UGH. i'd heard such mixed things and i was actually having fun up until the Turn (although if they're freshers in 2006 they're not the class of 2006 are they emerald) but the ending is So stupid that it made me hate the whole thing lol. imo it's fine to criticise posh people for making shit art!! some of them make interesting art but not emerald fennell!!

the eternal daughter: meanwhile joanna hogg said posh filmmaker rights actually! i loved this, so quiet and haunting and the costumes and the hotel of it all. you can't know your parents really ever!! when i'm old nobody's going to be around to take care of me!! and so like aching as an extension of the souvenir project plus back to the evergreen joanna hogg theme of rich people having an awful time on holiday etc

napoleon: had way too much fun with this, was not prepared for it to be so funny and so full of Guys - paul rhys! tom godwin! sam troughton as robespierre??? mr segundus himself aka edward hogg!!! great year of looking at vanessa kirby's feline face between this and mission impossible. aren't we all just trying to enjoy a succulent breakfast etc

may december: my favourite thing i've seen this year maybe?? natalie and julianne having so much fun with like the monstrous performance mirrors meanwhile charles melton's performance is entirely heartbreaking?? so deeply deeply sad and moving?? goddamn todd haynes

yentl: every talks about how hot young mandy patinkin is in yentl and yet i was Entirely unprepared my god

miami vice: loved this!!! like yes it's mumble city and who knows what's going on but colin farrell and gong li going to havana in a go fast boat to drink mojitos and dance salsa and fall in love??? it's digital cinema and it's very tender!!! brb listening to numb/encore again etc

robert macfarlane, underland: a deep time journey: macfarlane is like my favourite writer on like nature and our environment and this was just so cool, caves and catacombs and nuclear waste under the ice

victoria gosling, bliss and blunder: look, some of us were deeply into and forever changed by the merlin fandom, and that's okay! this was a sort of fun modern take on arthurian legend - parts of it worked much better for me than others (morgan, wayne/gawain) but like where was merlin??? could have done with a bit more allusion to like The Past and The Myth and The Cycle but eh

anne enright, the gathering: can't think of like a better marriage of audiobook and narrator than fiona shaw's performance of this tbh - just pitch perfectly sharp and wounded. families!

michael mann & meg gardiner, heat 2: lol i had a blast with this. like the michael mann bro equivalent of an extremely purple romance novel i guess? audiobook again and the narrator does a fantastic pacino

just a note that i'm taking a bit of a step back from social media stuff for the time being due to continued bad brain/feelings about fandom/writing/self etc and also in a concerted effort to spend a lot less time staring directly into the portal. love you pals 💕

[supermarine-silvally]

Favorite 5 one piece characters and 5 you feel meh about

oooh it's so hard to choose! (especially for my faves heheh) but I've gotta go with...

Favourites:

note: not including Luffy because he's the main character

#5 Roronoa Zoro

I mean... he's Zoro. I don't know if it's possible not to like Zoro. For me, what elevated him beyond "he's extremely cool" to his current status in my top 5 faves was the "nothing happened" moment at the end of Thriller Bark. It really solidified his loyalty towards Luffy and the lengths of which he's willing to go to protect his captain and friends.

#4 Mr. 2 Bon Clay

Oh Bon-chan <3 When I started One Piece I never would've imagined to come across an explicitly queer character written in such a sympathetic way; who goes from being a minor villain to a beloved ally whom Luffy loves and respects. I love Bon-chan a lot and the ending of Impel Down is one of my favourite character moments in the entire show. Also the "queers never die" moment? Iconic.

#3 Yamato

As a transmasc person myself, there's no way I couldn't vibe hard with Yamato. I love everything about him, from his personality to his design to his insanely cool Devil Fruit abilities. I REALLY want to see him become a Straw Hat at some point in the future.

#2 Nico Robin

I LOVE Robin. My favourite Straw Hat hands-down. She's so beautiful and smart and has such cool abilities and plays such an invaluable role in the story. Her backstory is so heartbreaking and I truly believe that it's no exaggeration to call Enies Lobby peak One Piece. The "I want to live" moment is my favourite in the entire series. Watching Robin struggle with whether she deserves to be saved and her realising her friends are willing to go to war with the world to save her is just asdkjhsdf I love it and I love her pls marry me Ms Nico Robin

aaaaaaand to nobody's surprise, the number one spot goes to.......

#1 Portgas D. Ace

I love love love love LOVE Ace. From the moment he was first introduced in Drum Island to the childhood flashbacks of the postwar arc that laid out his story in full, I fell in love with everything about him and his character. He's insanely cool and silly and gorgeous and tragic and I have no idea how Oda managed to pack it all into one character but somehow he did. I tend to also be a sucker for older sibling characters since I myself am the oldest sibling in my family so I relate hard to that, too. I could write entire essays about how much I love Ace and why he is such a fantastic character but I think I'll leave it there for now lol also I own so much Ace merch it's ridiculous

The "Meh" Characters (I'm taking this to mean characters I am moreso indifferent to rather than ones I outright hate, which is a different list lol):

#5 Buggy

Controversial take, I know lol but let me preface this by saying I don't dislike Buggy-- I actually enjoy him in a lot of scenes, especially in Impel Down. But overall, I think he's overrated and I just don't vibe with his blowhard personality. And there were definitely moments in Marineford that I just found myself getting really annoyed with him (yeah yeah I know he was supposed to lighten the mood and all that but every time the scene cut back to him I was just like ugh gimme the Whitebeard Pirates back).

#4 Gecko Moria

Kind of a lacklustre villain for me, especially in comparison with the other Warlords. He feels like he really shouldn't have earned that title. All around just kind of whiny and annoying. (I love Thriller Bark, I just don't like Moria very much-- or at least don't think he reached his full potential as a villain in the way Crocodile and Doflamingo do).

#3 Foxy

Long Ring Long Land is my least favourite arc and while I did enjoy his fight with Luffy, I just found Foxy super irritating. Not enough to hate, but enough to make me go "oh thank god" when the arc was finally over.

#2 Sengoku

This fucking guy. He's not as outright fascistic as some of the other Marines like Akainu, but doesn't have the depth of Garp and or the ambiguity of Aokiji/Kuzan. There are some moments where the narrative tries to make him more sympathetic in ways that I don't think he deserves at all, considering his position within the Marines and his dedication to perpetuating the brutal oppression of the World Government and I will NEVER forgive him for basically ritually humiliating Ace atop the execution platform in a way that was, frankly, really cruel. He's just not interesting or developed enough for me to enjoy his presence in the story as an antagonist.

and my number one "I couldn't care less about this character" is......

#1 Enel

Okay. I like Skypeia as an arc. It has some great moments, like the ringing of the bell and the resolution of the story of Montblanc Noland and Calgera, but I just found Enel a really boring villain, especially in comparison to the major villain before him, Crocodile. I find him unappealing to look at (his face is just so punchable) and every time he was on screen I just wanted him to go away. He's not an interesting character to me and I don't understand how he has any fans whatsoever.

[theoddcatlady]

A Bachelor to Die For, Week Five

Week Four

It was hard to focus on being charming to Mr. Right when all I could think about was escape.

The other dead zones were a broom closet and an unused bedroom, I managed to get to both Tara and Diana and tell them there was a chance we were getting out. Diana hugged me so tight I heard my ribs pop and Tara asked me twice more to repeat myself to make sure she heard me correctly.

But we still had to act normal. If we tipped our hand, we’d end up the same as the other girls.

Tara took a bit of her personal time to buddy up with Joshua. Act like she was just having a rough time, needed someone to talk to that wasn’t a contestant. It was, of course, an act so the two of them could plot the way out. My job and Diana’s job was to keep the attention off of them.

So yeah, I had to make myself be charming.

“So, what are you reading?”

I ‘bumped into’ Donovan at the library, he was just enjoying some quiet reading. His face immediately lit up when he saw me. “Hey.” He put the book down and gestured to the spot next to him on the couch. “Nothing, really, I’ve been stuck on the same page for the last fifteen minutes..”

I took my seat, snuggling right up. The library was chilly, especially next to the frost flecked window. “Unable to concentrate?” I asked.

“Maybe there’s someone on my mind,” He winked.

I laughed and rested my head on his shoulder as I watched snowflakes drift past the glass. “It’s snowing. You think enough will come down for us to make a snowman?” I asked.

“I haven’t made one of those since I was… probably ten.” Somehow I didn’t flinch when Donovan’s fingers combed through my hair. I hated how easy it was to just relax right next to a killer. “But if enough comes down, I wouldn’t mind making one with you, if that’s what you want.”

I nodded. “I doubt enough will come down though. It’ll melt before any sticks. So, what’s on the agenda for this week?” I turned my head. “Another surprise date?”

“Actually…” Donovan took a deep breath before his eyes flicked up to a dark corner, where I imagine one of the cameras was. “I think it’s time you meet my parents.”

I nearly choked. “Your mom and stepdad?” I asked.

He nodded. “They’re a part of my life, so I’d want them to meet any women I’m interested in. I’d like you to meet them first, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Oh boy. I took a deep breath before I nodded. “That sounds fantastic. Do you think they’ll like me?” I asked.

“Cecil, without a doubt. He’s the kind of man to get along with just about anyone. My mother… well, it could go either way.” Donovan sighed. “You’ll understand when you meet her. Just don’t take any of her insults to heart. I’m her only child, so she’s a little protective.”

“How’d she let you on a dating show?” I asked.

Donovan rolled his eyes. “It was all her idea. She likes the spotlight, and this way she could have a chance to approve of any girl I like… not like she has a say in my choices, but I let her believe she does. It makes things easier.”

Ugh, this was gonna suck. But I powered on through with more smiles and a kiss on his cheek. “I’m sure we’ll get along just fine,” I said.

Monday was my ‘meet the parents’ day. Cecil was a beanstalk, all height, no weight, with a quiet voice and glasses with circular lenses. Meanwhile, Tilly was short, plump, talked loud and looked almost nothing like her son. They had the same color of hair, but that was about it.

Her ring covered fingers reached up to turn my face both left and right as she examined me. “Well, she could lose a little weight, but she’s got nice eyes. Quite pretty,” She said with a tut of her tongue.

I could already see a piece of Donovan’s soul die as he buried his face in his palms. Cecil just smiled weakly as he poured the tea. “Come on, dear, let’s enjoy a cup and get to know this girl,” He said.

“Oh very well!” Tilly bounced over to the seat next to her husband and I took the one next to Donovan, already feeling the urge to just get the fuck up and run like hell. But Donovan’s fingers interlaced with mine and somehow his touch was grounding enough to keep me still.

“It’s great to meet you two, Donovan’s told me about how much you care about him,” I said.

Tilly bobbed her head up and down. “Of course, he’s just my baby boy!”

“Mother, I’m almost thirty,” Donovan said.

“And I’d already made a dozen mistakes with men by the time I was that age, I wish my parents cared as much as I care about you,” Tilly reached across the table and patted Donovan’s arm before turning her predatory look on me. “So, you’re the one who swore during the first date, right? A lady should know better than using crude language.”

Oh boy, I did not like this woman. But Donovan squeezed my hand tighter and I managed to stay pleasant. “Yeah, well, this isn’t your… typical dating show, I guess. I was still thrown from last Friday’s elimination. And I prefer to say what’s on my mind rather than let the elephant stay in the room. I’ve never met a guy with a scorpion tail, that’s for sure.”

Tilly gazed upon her son with nothing but pride. “My son is special. You’ll never meet a better man, that’s for sure. And well, you’re certainly better than some of the other girls. I dare say, you might be my favorite.”

“I’d figure you’d prefer Diana,” I sipped my tea, “She’s better mannered.”

“Well,” Tilly tutted her tongue again, “She’s also-”

“If the next thing out of your mouth is racist, dinner is over and you’re not going to meet either Tara or Diana,” Donovan interrupted, his glare borderline murderous.

“It’s not like I don’t like Mexicans, I just think you can do better!”

I cleared my throat, trying to ignore that urge to claw out this woman’s eyes. “She’s Puerto Rican, actually,” I said.

Cecil turned away to hide a smile and Donovan chuckled as his mother’s face turned red. “Anyway, let’s change the subject!” She finally chirped. “So, how do you feel about children?”

Oh good lord, this woman would bring a whole new meaning to the term ‘monster in law’. Donovan looked ready to sink into the floor at the mention of children, but thankfully I had a feeling I was going to get such a question. “I love them. I think when I get married, I’ll wait a few years to start having kids but when I do… I hope to have two or three?”

Right answer, judging by Tilly’s smile. “That’s great to hear. I would’ve loved to have more, but I don’t think I would love another child as much as I love Donovan, since they wouldn’t have the same father.”

Poor Cecil. He just seemed heavily focused on his tea cup as I clutched onto Donovan’s hand. I took a deep breath before just going for it. “Can I ask… who is Donovan’s father? How did you meet?”

Tilly was the one taken off guard, and I decided to take another risk by adding, “You don’t have to tell me, if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I’m not uncomfortable! I just don’t think about him often nowadays.” Tilly’s eyes clouded over as her mind went back through the years. “His name is Rivinare. I met him outside of my parent’s estate in Washington. It was a party, I was tired, the room was just unbearably stuffy… and there he was, sitting on a tree branch. Watching the party with the most envious and beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. He’d never been to a party before. So I ended up sneaking him some appetizers and a glass of white. In return, we had an affair that lasted the entirety of the summer, and when it was over he gave me Donovan.”

She sighed as she ran her finger over the rim of her tea cup. “I’ve gone back searching for him, but he’s never shown up again. I’d almost chalk it up to a girl’s daydreams if I didn’t have my boy. Looks almost just like him, you know.” Seemingly coming back to the present, Tilly’s smile seemed almost genuine now. “I hope you can find love like I did with my Donovan.”

Now I blushed, but inwardly I was cheering. I’d gotten approval from Donovan’s mother. One of the hardest hurdles to cross. After the date, Cecil stopped me and patted my arm. “You’re a good woman,” He said before he took his leave. The one sentence he’d really said to me the whole time and I was floating on air the whole way back to my room.

I remembered our plan the moment I was back in said room and I nearly puked when the wave of guilt hit me. I got cozy with Donovan’s family while Taylor was six feet under in an unmarked grave.

I told myself I did what I had to do in order to keep Donovan and the crew from getting suspicious. I didn’t have a choice, if I didn’t act like I wanted to win this, then they might figure out our plan. The guilt still made me stay in bed for the rest of the day.

The plan was to get out Wednesday night. Joshua would come to each of our rooms once he set the cameras on a loop of empty hallways. Meanwhile all three of us had to come up with our own makeshift weapons without tipping off Bruce or Monica. I must have spent hours sharpening a butter knife I snuck away from dinner one night. I tried to get a steak knife but the moment I was going to go for it Monica walked into the room and I lost my chance.

That night, the minutes dragged on to midnight. I tried to think of a million ways this could go wrong and how I’d have to react.

What if Donovan was up and about?

Then either me or Diana would have to distract him. Diana was the favorite this week but I knew I was coming in second. It might mean one of us would be left behind, but it’d be worth it to get the others out.

What if the door to the garage was locked and Joshua couldn’t find the key?

Then we’d have to go out the front and make it on foot.

What if someone tried to stop us?

I just gripped my shank tighter and reminded myself that whatever it took, I was leaving this goddamn house the moment I got the signal.

But midnight came and went and Joshua didn’t make his appearance. I stayed up until three AM before I finally accepted that something had gone wrong that I didn’t consider-

someone caught Joshua tampering with the cameras.

Thursday morning and we came into the dining room to see Joshua’s body dangling from the chandelier, chest ripped open, face twisted in an expression of horror.

Nothing needed to be said. I did notice Bruce has a wicked shiner on his right eye and that Donovan had a mild limp but in the end, Joshua’s body was enough of a statement. We weren’t getting out. Not unless we were in a wedding gown or in a coffin.

Obviously, since I’m still here, I didn’t get eliminated. And neither did Diana. For this last week, we’ll be sharing a room. We’re head to head.

It was Tara who was eliminated this morning. Monica just seemed so smug as she read out her name. To her credit, Tara didn’t break like Monica obviously wanted her to. She just took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and smiled at the two of us.

“Shit, I guess you can’t win them all, right? … Maybe next time.”

With her head held high and not a single tear shed, she walked out the archway where Donovan was waiting. She didn’t so much as flinch as his tail shot forward, although she did gasp as it burrowed into her chest. Tara dropped to her knees and with an uncomfortably familiar wet tear, out came her heart.

I’ve spent my afternoon crying. I don’t know what to say to Diana. Good luck? If she gets good luck, I’m the one who’s dead meat next week. May the best woman win? Neither of us is better than the other. It’s just down to Donovan’s personal preference.

But, since I know how this will likely end… good bye, everyone.

I never thought that second place would still feel like a loss.

The Grand Finale

[skitskatdacat63]

catie!! your talented mr ripley spam got me curious abt the movie and i watched it!! it’s SUCH a good movie like jfjfjf what a wild ride it was.. yeahh so thank you<3

Aaaaaaah I'm so glad!!!!!! Isn't it????? I thought it was fantastic, I wanna watch it again already 🥺🥺 but I'm so so happy you seemed to enjoy it just as much :D it was such a beautiful movie with such great characters and such an interesting plot

//spoilers

But god, it really was a wild ride, you're so right! After he kills Dickie, it was soooooo incredibly stressful. I didn't want him to get caught bcs I found him as a character to be so sympathetic(that's my little guy, my little boy, he got his feelings hurt okay??? A little bit of murder never hurt anyone 🤧) And he just kept complicating and making it worse for himself, and then somehow miraculously gets away with it. But it sucks because before the boat to Greece, you're celebrating because he got away with it all as well as getting everything he ever wanted!(a lover who sees and accepts him for the real him, a lot of money and opportunities, etc) But then all that happens with Peter 😭😭😭😭

That's what makes the ending so painful, that you can't even feel joyful anymore about him getting away with it all, even though you wanted him to, because now he's completely isolated himself again 😭😭(but hey there's some pretty great fix-it fics that I read to sooth my broken heart.) I hate when "bad" characters get caught at the end of the movie, because I always can't help but want them to succeed. And they did it so great with this movie, like yeah he succeeded but it came at a horrible, horrible cost :/