#dvds hell even bring vhs back

[rigginsstreet]

Maybe it’s because I never gave a shit about the scoops troop plotline so it doesn’t have an affect on me but why does stranger things marketing still use that years later like it was such a minor set in the show and it’s completely irrelevant in my mind like I don’t care about your ice cream

[countmothra]

More misc. Abbey operation thoughts because I’m insane.

• There is an Infirmary of sorts within the abbey that will deal with the populations more minor to moderate health problems. But for anything severe like broken bones and serious and chronic illnesses they go to the nearest hospital for licensed medical attention.

• The abbey also has a Nursery/Daycare area because there are obviously kids living in the abbey because some siblings of sin come into the church already with kids or choose to have kids.

•Speaking of which, and going off an old headcannon of mine. Children in the abbey are raised communally, sure they know who their parent(s) are but everyone pitches in regardless of if it’s their kid or not. Only exception is Emeritus kids, they are raised ONLY by their immediate family (parent/s, siblings, grandparents) to make sure they have as much exposure to their future role as possible.

• Some of the siblings plan activity nights. Be it making crafts, watching a movie or playing board games, it’s all meticulously planned with sign up sheets and a suggestion box.

•Every six months there is 100% a day where EVERYONE in the abbey is tasked with deep cleaning. Nobody is safe from cleaning day. Ghouls, siblings, papas, higher clergy member, everyone is put to work scrubbing every last stone in that abbey until it shines. The chapel of ritual stinks like dead human sacrifice and Sister Imperator is tired of it.

• Old lady knitting club. Just a bunch of the oldest sisters of sin knitting and talking shit. Imperator goes on Fridays to decompress and gossip.

•there are secret passages in the abbey that some of the teenage inhabitants of the abbey hide in to do the typical rebellious teenage things like smoke weed and drink the wine they stole off the altar.

•BIG! LIBRARY! Books, lots of ‘em! All over! Just a whole bunch of physical media meticulously stored in a library for anyone to use for any purpose. Books? Hell yeah! Vinyl records? Of course! Cassette tapes? You bet! CD’s? Whole section of them! Film reels? They may not be pristine but they got those too! VHS tapes, DVD’s, they have it all archived.

•jobs for each and every sibling and ghoul are posted on a bulletin board outside of imperators office, just in case anyone forgets.

•piggybacking off my last batch of headcannons, they definitely sell some of their excess produce when the Papas aren’t actively touring. Money is still coming in from albums and whatnot, sure, but it’s nice for the ministry to have that little extra cash.

•The papas teach some of the religion classes and it’s a gamble on who they teach because their class could be made up of adults just entering into the fold or literal toddlers who can’t even spell “cat” yet.

Which brings me to silly scenarios that have 100% happened because I said so.

• Primo had to teach toddlers once. They did not care about the simplified version of how Lucifer fell, all they cared about was the sick new monster truck in the toy chest. Primo did have to admit that this monster truck was pretty cool as it was one of the cars where you pull it back enough and it goes forward on its own. (You know what I’m talking about)

• The old ladies in the knitting club are old enough to remember when each of the Emeritus boys were born. So whenever a rumor spreads about one of those boys, they are the first ones to discuss it. “Did you hear that Nihils youngest boy got drunk and started doing the most bizarre things to the furniture?” “Terzo?” “No! The younger one! Copia I think his name is… oh I remember when he was just a tot…” these devolve into wandering down memory lane.

• When Imperator goes, it’s mostly to gossip and drink wine. She’ll maybe knit a scarf…maybe…

• Terzo taught a class of teens once, and never again. Two teen girls pointed out how damaged his skin was and that he did a shit job covering his grays with box dye. He never wants to do that again.

• During those big cleaning days twice a year, it’s never the chapel that’s the filthiest, it’s the ghouls quarters. It’s always the ghouls quarters.

[safety-pin-punk]

Steps To Take Before You Donate:

A guide from someone who works at a thrift store and has seen some things. This is generalized and not specific to the store I work at.

The first step for ALL of these sections is to look at what you have. Is it something you would give to a friend or relative? No? Then don’t donate it. (Examples of things not to donate: moldy clothes, a soiled pair of pants, sticky dishes, broken mirror)

Clothes and Linens (aka soft lines)

Look to see if your clothes are wet, moldy, or have bodily fluids on them. These types of items will end up at the landfill if you donate them. Just save employees the horror and throw away your own garbage

Don’t donate used underwear or socks, but bras are fine

If the clothes are dirty, wash them (please)

If you want to be super helpful to processors, separate halloween costumes and shoes into different bags or boxes. These items all get processed separately in stores

Donate it even if its ‘poor quality’. Clothing not sold in stores gets sent to textile recyclers

All of this applies to linens (such as blankets and sheets) as well

Electronics

If you have any large items, call the store ahead of time to make sure they are willing to take it. Not all stores have big warehouses for large items. If not, try a different store or chain

Check for any chewed on, or exposed wire. Thrift stores can’t sell these items for safety purposes

If you don’t have a wire or charger for the electronic, ensure that it will stay with the item (tape or rubber bands will work well for this) if an item can’t be tested in store to see if it works, it will not be sold in a typical retail store. It will likely be sent straight to an outlet store

If you are planning on donating a TV (small or big) call the store first, some are able to take them and some are not. Check with them first so they don’t have to turn you away after you get there

If the computer doesn’t work completely, donate it anyway, most thrift stores send them to get refurbished and their memory wiped

Books/Media

Do your books have mold on them or are the pages damp? Don’t donate them

Are the disks so scratched up that they don’t play? Don’t donate them

Stores do accept VHS tapes and cassettes!

If you are donating a bunch of loose disks without cases, keep them together in a bag or a box

If you only have a case for a game (NOT DVD), donate it! People actually buy those

Separate your books and media from other items you are donating, as these get processed separately

Shoes (usually sorted into hard lines but may vary depending on the chain)

If your shoes have bodily fluids on them, or even just some left over dog poop, either clean them or don’t donate them. No one wants to touch that

Even if your shoes have been worn to hell and back (and are not gross), donate them! Just like clothes, if they aren’t sold, most stores will recycle them

Do your best to keep pairs together! Either in a box, tie the laces together, or use a rubber band!

(We do actually love getting shoes donated in their boxes - it makes it a lot easier to sort than a giant garbage bag full of loose shoes)

If you aren’t sure what category shoes fall into at the store you are donating to, just ask! We would much rather that than find shoes in unexpected places!

Furniture

Does it require repairs? Don’t donate it, try a local yard sale site instead

Is it big? Call ahead and make sure the store has space for it

Not every store accepts mattresses/beds/bed frames. Call ahead and ask

If you have a rug, has an animal gone to the bathroom on it? Yeah? Don’t donate that

Side note: if you just bought a big piece of furniture from a thrift store, bring some buddies to help you pick it up. And a big enough vehicle. Our donation door workers are still people and can only do so much to move a giant glass table and fit it into your kia soul when you decide to pick it up 30 minutes before we close

Other Items (aka hard lines)

If a baby is meant to sit or lay in the item, we can’t sell that for safety reasons, even if its brand new

Some stores will sell helmets if they are in good condition, but not all stores. Double check before you drop them off

If you are donating dish ware or china, make sure it is washed and clean. No one wants to touch sticky mixing bowls with a mysterious substance inside

Wrap your dishes or any fragile items and place them in boxes, it helps make sure they dont break before they get processed

If its broken, don’t donate it. Think: is this something I would give a friend?

Put your jewelry together and separate from other items. That way we dont only find one earing

No already lit or used candles that are more than halfway gone, find ways to up cycle them, or see if a friend would like them instead!

No one wants your used bedroom toys. Please no. Im begging you just throw them away if you dont want them

If there are nails sticking out of it, or someone could get hurt on it, wrap it and write a note. Same goes for knives. I can’t even begin to express how many times I’ve almost cut off a finger while reaching into a box of donations

Other Tips

If its sticky, wipe it down

If its fragile, put it in a box not a bag

If its sharp, wrap it

If its multiple pieces, tape it or find a way to keep it all together before you donate it

If you aren’t sure if a store will take it, just call and ask!

[picsinhead-blog]

Tim’s Favorite Movie Project: Willow

Willow (1987)

Directed by Ron Howard

Starring Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, and Warwick Davis

Released May 20, 1987

Plot: When farmer and wannabe sorcerer Willow (Warwick Davis) finds a mysterious baby tucked in a makeshift raft in a river near his home, it sets him on a quest to return the baby to whoever it belongs to. Little does he know the child is Elora Danan, prophesied as some sort of savior of the world, and he is her chosen guardian. As he navigates the outside world, Willow attracts a ragtag group of fellow adventurers, including swordsman Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and Princess Sorsha (Joanne Whalley). Together, they must overcome an evil sorceress and her armies, hell bent on world domination and the destruction of Elora Danan.

One of my favorites because: The pitch for Willow may as well be “Lord of the Rings” meets Star Wars, and it more than lives up to the high bar set by those epics – especially by the standard of 1988, a mere five years after Return of the Jedi and more than a decade before The Phantom Menace or Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The characters begin as archetypes, but through smart writing and great performances, they quickly become distinct and unforgettable heroes and villains. The production is richly designed, from the sets and costumes to the visual effects. The action is big and exciting, but also brutal and dirty – it’s an epic adventure that exists in a world smeared with mud and splashed with blood. And it’s the hard edge of the film that makes it especially important as a gateway movie for older kids and pre-teens. It never feels as though the film is pulling any punches, as characters die, sometimes shockingly, and the villains threats to kill an infant feel very real. Like Lucasfilm’s own Indiana Jones series or Amblin’s Gremlins, Willow lets younger viewers dip their toes in more mature, scarier material without leaving behind the safety net of the fantasy and humor they’re more used to. I also can’t write about Willow without mentioning James Horner’s fantastic score, which immediately brings tears to my eyes.

My relationship to this movie: Willow was released on VHS on November 22, 1988, so it was probably in late 1989 or sometime in 1990 that I first saw it. I don't know where or why they bought it, but the VHS was one of a small handful of movies mom and dad owned (or bought for us). I watched it over, and over, and over again. The death of the nurse maid at the beginning of the movie so thoroughly disturbed me that I would leave the room during that part and listen for when it was safe to come back. We would play Willow outside - it was awesome to find a stick that looked just right to be Cherlindrea's wand! - and I collected the "action figures." (The Willow toy line sucked, in hindsight. It consisted of unarticulated, plastic molded statues fastened to die cast bases. There were deluxe figures that were on horseback - all the horses were the same, just different colors. The scale was all off - Willow was as tall as Madmartigan, and the death dog was almost as big as the horses. It was like playing with chess pieces.)  When Willow was released on DVD in November of 2001, I bought it as soon as I could get to a Best Buy. That happened to be in Indianapolis, IN the first week in December, when I was there for a National Catholic Youth Conference. I was thrilled to finally see the film in Widescreen, to experience what I considered to be the apex of fantasy filmmaking - until The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released a couple weeks later. I don't believe that Willow could have existed without Tolkien's work, and even though the films were released 13 years apart,I'm sure its success paved the way for Peter Jackson's trilogy - even if, by comparison, the armies and sieges in Willow look a tad silly.

My favorite _________: Willow is my favorite sword and sorcery fantasy film.

List Position at Debut: Willow is the second entry in this project and starts out at number two. 

[moviecorner]

Welcome to the Movie Corner

(Originally Published in THE ALPINE TIMES - Issue 21)

RUSS GOMM – local filmmaker, photographer, writer and cinephile – shares his movie memories, knowledge and love of the cinema with you, dear reader.

Hi! Welcome to the first ever Movie Corner, I’m your host – Russ Gomm! I’ve been working in film for more years than I can remember (well, nearly thirty years!) and I’ve had a great passion of all things cinematic since I was taken to the Canon Classic Cinema in Herne Bay by my mum when I was three years old to see Return of the Jedi. She secretly hoped it wasn’t for me as she had no inclination to sit through a two-hour science fiction film, but it turned out I loved it and it started me off on my life long journey through film.

 …and yes, Jedi is still my favourite of the original trilogy.

I’m looking forward to sharing some of this journey through film with you in future issues of this wonderful publication The Alpine Times, but for now I’d like to take you back in time for a retrospective look at a film that is very dear to my heart…

BIGGLES

Biggles (1986) also known as Biggles: Adventures in Time (for the 1988 American release where audiences were unfamiliar with our British hero) is not your father’s take on the classic adventure stories by William Earl Johns - himself an English pilot during the First World War -but rather a flashy 80s action adventure crafted by veteran British filmmakers for the then upcoming MTV generation. Regardless of this I have fond memories of my own father and I together enjoying this new take on the wartime hero who was introduced to us via the wonders of the local VHS rental shop.

With the success of Back to the Future (1985) the production team for Biggles were keen to add a time-travel twist and an American sidekick, along with a fabulous soundtrack - featuring Jon Anderson (from Yes), Deep Purple and mötley crüe. A brilliant score by polish composer Stanisław Syrewicz (still a long awaited release by fans of the film) helped bring an edgy and exciting tone to the film, one that was designed to gain interest from new, younger audiences.

In the film, Jim Ferguson (Alex Hyde-White) finds himself transported from New York in the 1980s back to the Western Front in 1917 in order to assist our hero Biggles (Neil Dickson) in his mission to save the day! Much of the charm of the film comes from the humour of the obvious culture shock, the ridiculous 80s fashion and the slang terms that Ferguson brings with him on the trip – Biggles himself also gets to deliver some gleefully over the top wartime English dialogue. That’s not to say the film is a joke (as much of it is quite serious), rather the jokes make the characters (especially Ferguson) much more fun and endearing. There is plenty to keep your attention with fine locations, great action, fantastic aerial dogfight photography and very importantly our own dear Peter Cushing in wonderful form in what would be his final appearance onscreen.

Alongside Cushing there is another connection to Hammer Films as the film is directed by John Hough – a British director known for his work in the horror genre with films such as The Legend of Hell House (1973) but who also worked for Hammer Films and in particular directed Twins of Evil (1971)

As I have mentioned the film is great fun and is one I have revisited many times over the years on VHS, DVD and now even on Blu-Ray! There’s just something special about this one-of-a-kind motion picture, with so many memorable scenes and a great atmosphere of excitement and adventure which always takes me back to childhood. Sadly no other Biggles films were made. It would have been great to follow these characters on further adventures. I always wondered what it would have been like to see a war film based purely on one of the books, played straight with Dickson returning as Biggles. The closest we ever came was a scene starring Dickson as a very familiar character in all but name in the Pet Shop Boys video It Couldn’t Happen Here (1988)

The film divided audiences, some loving the somewhat cheesy playful tone and some hating it, but those who loved it remain loyal fans to this day. Chocks Away!

Since you are reading a publication with a ski theme I’d now like to welcome you to a small section I like to call SNOW-CAPPED CINEMA, in which we take a quick look at films set in the snow!

 Dumb and Dumber (1994) starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly (in their debut - four years later they would strike back with There’s Something About Mary)  has some of the goofiest snow set scenes I’ve seen. Chaos ensues during the finale of the film as our two “heroes” Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) arrive on the ski slopes of Aspen after a cross-country journey to return a missing briefcase. Who can forget the snowball fight between Harry and Mary (Lauren Holly) and of course Harry’s frozen tongue!

 I watch a LOT of films and it’s always great to uncover a HIDDEN GEM, and in this issue I’d very much like to introduce you to Come True (2020) directed by Anthony Scott Burns (also a synth musician under the name Pilotpriest) I first heard of the film through the amazing band Electric Youth, who had written some songs for the soundtrack (They had also scored his previous film Breathing (2018) but after Burns left the project it was retitled Our House and rescored – it’s also worth a watch though). I don’t want to say too much about the film – only that it is a clever and creepy sci-fi horror, with a decadent dash of synth and neon. Come True is a visually stunning and atmospheric piece, the presence of which stayed with me long after the film had finished. If this sounds like your cup of tea I highly recommend it to you. It is available on Blu-ray or currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Enjoy.

Now, it’s time for some MOVIE TRIVIA!

Did you know that Return of the Jedi was originally titled Revenge of the Jedi, but at the last minute director George Lucas decided that it wasn’t fitting for a Jedi to seek revenge! Posters had already been sent out to cinemas with this original title – some of them now being worth serious money!

Composer John Williams enlisted the help of his son Joseph Williams (lead singer for Toto during the 1980s) to help with the score of Return of the Jedi and to write lyrics for the Ewok songs!

Steven Spielberg was the original choice of George Lucas to direct Return of the Jedi but was unable to due to restrictions as a member of the Directors Guild!

 TRAILERS

We’ve got some great films coming soon to the big screen, in particular I just can’t wait for Evil Dead Rise, a new chapter in the franchise helmed by brilliant upcoming Irish director Lee Cronin - check out his previous feature The Hole in the Ground (2019). Nicolas Cage stars as Count Dracula in Renfield, Ben Affleck directs and stars in Air – the story of Michael Jordan and Nike – also starring Matt Damon. Also heading our way is a remake of Salem’s Lot, Oppenheimer (from Christopher Nolan), and lots more sequels including Fast X, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and finally Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (Part One).

 EPILOGUE

That’s all the time we have for this issue, but be sure to join me next time for a look over the career of one of the greatest British directors of all time as we spend a year with Alfred Hitchcock. There’s just time to join me with a glass (perhaps even a glass of our very own Rock Lodge Lager) to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Olympus Has Fallen, the 20th Anniversary of Kill Bill, the 30th Anniversary of Demolition Man, and of course - the 40th Anniversary of Return of the Jedi.

 Cheers, May the Force be with you!

[horansqueen]

New Angel - Chapter 14

story masterlist [x]

chapter 1  ☆ chapter 2  ☆ chapter 3  ☆ chapter 4  ☆ chapter 5  ☆ chapter 6  ☆ chapter 7  ☆ chapter 8 ☆ chapter 9 ☆ chapter 10 ☆ chapter 11 ☆ chapter 12 ☆ chapter 13

NOTES

☆ written from Niall’s pov ☆ i don’t proofread, I never do, I hate it. ☆ AU comedy/fluff/smut/romance ☆ 2.7k ☆ i accept requests and ideas for this story, so message me in my inbox!  ☆ if you want to be notified when this story is updated (or be taken off the update list) CLICK HERE

NIALL

When I pushed on the door of the library, I felt lighter and I had a smile on my face. I was even starting to wonder if maybe I should give up on a love and sex life altogether. I knew it could bring joy and happiness, but at the exact moment, all it did was confuse me and make me nervous, and honestly, I didn't need that.

I smiled when I noticed Millie sitting behind the counter, her head leaned against her hand and looking down, probably deeply lost in a book. I stared at her a few seconds and saw her look up at someone who came to ask a question. She got up and they talked so I decided to walk the aisles to find something new to read. I ended up with a book full of random thoughts and sat at a table near the counter to make sure she'd see me. It took my friend only a few seconds to notice me and her lips curled as she raised her eyebrows. I waved slightly at her and checked my watch. I still had about ten minutes to wait and I just opened the book to start reading. It's only when I felt someone sit next to me that I got out of my thoughts a bit but I still had to blink a few times to get back completely to reality, turning around and smiling to Millie who leaned her elbow on the table and placed her chin on her palm, staring at me.

"I'm glad you came." she whispered, making me raise my eyebrows.

"I said I would, did you doubt it?"

She shrugged a shoulder and looked away. "When Louis said he'd come, it was a 50/50 bet to take."

"Perfect. That's the first thing you'll write down on your list."

She raised her eyebrows a bit surprised and I just got up and walked back to the desk where one of her co-workers was now sitting. I sent the girl a big smile and bent down slightly, asking her for paper and pen. She smiled back and started playing with a lock of her hair before nodding and giving me a few sheets and two pen. I walked back to Millie with a winner smile and she rolled her eyes, chuckling as I sat back down.

"T'was easy."

"With those eyes and that smile you can clearly get anything you want." she pointed out, rolling her eyes again.

"You almost sound jealous."

I gave her a sheet and a pen as she sighed, taking the pen in her hand and scribbling at the top to make sure the pen was working.

"I am." she confessed in a whisper. "It must be amazing to be you."

"Can I remind you that the girl I thought I'd spent my life with has broken my heart?"

"And then came back. I don't think you realize how lucky you are. Not about Grace coming back, but about everyone falling in love with you super easily." she explained, staring down at her sheet.

I looked at what she was writing and smiled sadly. 'All The Things I Hate About Lou'.

"How many times did you have your heart broken, Niall?" she continued, drawing hearts next to Louis' name.

"What do you mean?"

"How many girls did you fall for that didn't love you back? How many girls did you date and loved actually left you? How many of them made you cry?" she elaborated, making me frown slightly. "And I'm not even asking about the girls you just wanted to shag. I'm pretty sure not many refused."

"I've been through unrequited love, too, you know." I shook my head. "I know how it feels."

"You probably broke more hearts than the number of times yours has been broken." she added slowly with an other shrug and a sigh. "I'm not saying you didn't hurt or that your pain is not real or important I just mean..." she paused and shook her head, her eyes finally meeting mine. "I just mean that it must amazing to be you."

"Maybe it's time you see that it's also amazing to be you, Mill." I pointed out. "And the fact that Louis broke your heart doesn't mean you're not incredible, okay?"

I grabbed my pen and started writing X's on all the hearts she had drawn and finally added the number '1'.

"Okay..."

"Now write down how unreliable he is."

Millie looked up at me and her lips curled a bit before she chuckled. I waited until she was done and grabbed my sheet too, making a long vertical line in the middle before writing 'Grace' on the left and 'Summer' on the right. I separated both their cases in two too, writing 'pros' on both sides and then 'cons'.

I stared at the sheet for a minute or two and finally sighed. I had no idea what to write. Not because they didn't have qualities and flaws, but because I knew it would bring me closer to a decision I was clearly not ready to make.

"You don't have to write anything right now." I heard, feeling Millie's hand on my shoulder.

I kept my eyes on the sheets and licked my lips, nodding slowly and finally, I folded the sheet and put it in my back pocket. Millie got up and I did the same, forcing myself to put a smile back on my face and I walked past her. She followed me outside and when we were out, I stopped and turned to her, raising my eyebrows. I decided to put anything that had to do with love away for now, burring it deep in my brain for a while, focusing only on doing fun things.

"Okay, so what's your routine after work?"

She looked a bit surprised but finally turned around, pointing at a small restaurant not too far. "I go there first."

"Alright, let's go there, then."

I followed her inside and she ordered three pieces of pizza and three water bottles. The person behind the counter smiled and prepared the food, putting every slices of pizza in a different box. I watched Millie pay and grab the bag the guy was handing her before sending him a smile.

"Thanks Jon, I'll see you tomorrow."

We walked out and I raised my eyebrows, looking at her with an amused smile. "You literally know his name?"

"We all work around each other so we sort of see each other often. Not just with Jon but with other people too." she clarified, handing me a box. I grabbed it and she looked again in the bag for a water bottle, giving it to me too.

"Please, tell me the other pizza is not for Louis."

She looked up in my eyes and her lips curled. "No!" she chuckled as she started walking quicker. I followed her in an alley but frowned as I pushed my hands in my pockets. I was not sure why we were there but I didn't even have time to ask. I saw my friend bend down near a man who was sleeping and whisper something to him. He jumped slightly and she laughed, handing him a box and a water bottle. He sat up and grabbed both a small smile on his lips.

"What is it today, Millie?"

"Pizza." she pointed out. "How are you today, Ernie?"

I watched her interact with a homeless man just standing there and wondering who the hell was this girl I thought I knew, and why didn't I try to find out more about her before,

"Is your friend mute or just dumb?" the man asked, making my friend laugh.

"I'd have to pick the latter."

I frowned at her and took a step closer. "Hey! That's rude!"

"Ernie, this is my friend Niall. Niall, this is my friend Ernie."

I sent him a small smile and a head nod before Millie sighed and got back up, telling him she was leaving but that she'd be back the next day. She walked past me and I was about to follow her but finally took the few steps separating me from Ernie and handed him my box.

"Thanks, kid."

I nodded again and turned on my heels, jogging slightly to reach Millie who just looked at me with her lips curled on the left. I raised my eyebrows and shrugged, pushing my hands back in my pockets. "What?"

"Nothing."

I could hear in her voice that she was thinking about something but I couldn't decipher the way she was looking at me. I smiled back at her and finally cleared my throat. "Okay, what's next?"

She took her slice of pizza out of the box and took a bite before handing it to me. "Once a week, I go to the movies and the other days, I just go in the old dvd and vhs shop where they sell old movies for a buck or two."

"And what's today?" I replied, my mouth full of pizza. "The shop. Cinema is on thursday because it's pay day."

"Makes sense."

We walked inside a small shop and the bell placed on top of the door rang gently. She waved at the employee and he waved back before she chose an aisle and tilted her head on the side to read the titles. It took her about five minutes before her lips curled and she grabbed one. It was a tape and I started wondering if she even had a VCR to watch it.

"This. Did you ever see it?"

She handed me a box and I raised my nose up when I noticed Leonardo Dicaprio on the cover. I turned the tape around and noticed the incredible landscapes pictured. The images would probably look even better on DVD or in 4K but I didn't mention it and just nodded. It was her routine, not mine, and I was extremely curious to find out more about her.

"Nop, never."

"It's a good movie, with a few French actors."

I followed her to pay and the guy behind the counter smiled and nodded. "Ah, nice one."

"I know right? I think I'm gonna keep this one."

"A movie where Leonardo Dicaprio goes nuts? Good idea to keep it." he added, making her chuckle.

"And the girl is nice to look at, too." Millie added, making the guy nod frenetically.

I looked around the place, quite surprised at how many choices they had. How many nice places like this was I missing on? And why didn't I ever hear about them?

"What did you mean when you said you'd keep this one?" I asked when we walked out.

"Oh, when I bring back three movies, I can trade it for one. I do that sometimes."

I turned to look at her and she did the same just to send me a smile before turning her head back in front of her. We kept walking but I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I thought I knew Millie but I had just realized that there were so many things about her that she didn't share and that I didn't take the time to ask, I knew that even if our friendship was not recent, our bond and how close we were was pretty new but at the same time, I felt like there were things I should know about her.

I should have checked where I was going because once again, I ended up running into a trash can on the sidewalk. Millie started laughing and I groaned, taking my hands out of my pockets before getting around it and walking quickly to her.

"Shut up." I mumbled, making her laugh even more.

"You don't seem like the clumsy kind of guy, I'm just surprised every time you run into something, and it seems to happen a lot!"

"Yea yea, how about you stop laughing and we just go back home to watch that movie?"

We had to watch the movie in her room for the simple reason that the videotape recorder was there and it seemed like way too much trouble to plug it in the living room. I made popcorn but Millie opened a few drawers and placed candies on her bed and it made me smile.

"Why don't you buy 6 or 7 movies at the same time? That way you don't have to go back there every day." I proposed, throwing some popcorn in my mouth and leaning against the wall with her.

"I can't know which mood i'll be in. It's a spur of the moment thing." she explained as the movie started. "Plus, I love going there."

"And what do we do after watching the movie?"

"It's dinner. Then shower, a few episodes of a netflix show, and bed time."

We watched the movie for a while and I had to admit the plotline was good, even if a bit fucked up. Millie was also right about the girl : she was very nice to look at and somehow, it made me glance at her.

"That girl is hot as fuck." I admitted, making Millie burst into laughter as she pushed an other candy in her mouth.

"I know right! And she's your type, too! I knew you'd like her!"

I blinked a few times and once again turned to my friend, leaning my head on the wall. I hated when she said that. I knew she didn't mean anything by it but I didn't want to admit that I would use some sort of base or mold to pick a girl. I hated thinking that I was shallow to the point where other girls who were not 'my type' wouldn't catch my eyes or stand a chance with me. And most of all, I hated that Millie saw me like that. I was about to start a discussion about it when Millie talked again, her eyes still glued on the tv.

"What about you?" she glanced at me. "What's your routine?"

I crossed my arms on my chest and shrugged a shoulder as my nose raised up in a grimace. "I don't have a routine anymore. My routine used to be with Grace and when she left, it became netflix from when the sun rises until it would set."

The fact that it was just being clear to me made something twist in my stomach. Who the fuck was I? Could I remember who I was before Grace? And now, with Summer, was I really myself?

I took the sheet out of my back pocket and unfolded it just as Millie handed me a pen and a book to write on. I looked up at her and sent her a small smile before writing under the cons in Grace's column. 'She decides everything'

"You know, I think that's part of why you annoyed me so much." Millie admitted. I looked up from the sheet and sent her a frown. Her traits softened and she sent me a sorry smile. "She would just tell you what she wanted and what to do and you'd never argue. She was bossy and controlling."

I couldn't pretend she was not right and I nodded with a sigh. "You know the worst? Summer is exactly the opposite. She's super compliant and it can get quite annoying."

Millie raised her eyebrows at me. "Well I guess you found something to write in the cons for Summer."

I sighed again but louder this time before looking down at my sheet again. I wrote down what I had just said and shook my head a bit. It was pathetic that the first things I thought about writing were flaws and I closed my eyes, letting my head fall against the wall in a loud noise after closing my eyes. "This is ridiculous, I can't choose."

"Hey, relax, it's just day one."

I felt my friend move on the bed and forced myself to open my eyes, noticing Millie was now facing me with a small smile. "We have 6 more days to fill that sheet." she slapped gently my thigh with the back of her hand and licked her lips as they curled more. "Trust me."

[doctorguilty]

Holy shit I had a negative childhood memory somehow resurface that I reppressed for years ....

I have a horrible struggle with sharing my interests with anyone to the point of like,,, in the past I would sob or even self harm in regret of infodumping or showing someone something i liked even if they didnt have a bad reaction I was convinced they did. I've built up a lot of walls where no matter how much someone close to me wants to watch one of my favorite movies with me, I refuse because I'm too scared and insist on watching something they like instead....

A LOT plays into this I know, I was very much neglected and ignored as a child by all my caretakers but i suddenly had such a significant memory resurface i KNOW haunted me so badly for the rest of my childhood I am surprised it ever got buried....

I remember my guardian would watch his favorite movies with me sometimes. One of the things he showed me was inspector gadget. I LOVED the movie I would rewatch it a lot (which I cant remember a lick of now..). When I was little, they made an inspector gadget 2. I think i must have saw it in theaters or on tv myself first? I thought it was so good. I probably would have been like 10? Anyway I was like SOOOOO excited to show it to my guardian because we bonded over the first one

I remember bringing a DVD (or VHS? Maybe? Whatever was more relevant at the time) over and sitting down to watch it smiling the whole time. And I remember at some point in the movie, midway or less, my guardian angrily said "this is stupid. I dont know why they have to ruin things like this" an he got up and left. Didnt come back to watch the rest.

I remember staring at the screen having paused it... breaking down into tears... of course objectively I dont fuckin know if the movie did suck, but I was a kid and I thought it was fantastic. I thought it was so special that he could watch it FIRST with ME

I think that really changed me. Like, my interests were always being shot down sure, but something about that specific event.. was a real hard nail in the coffin I guess. I remember starting to make the connection with my caretakers that .. they probably hated when i played my favorite songs or read them my favorite books as they were doing dishes. And they did, I know they did very much as an adult, it just dawned on me very unfortunately as a kid that everything I liked was stupid and I what I like ruins things . And that dumb movie was probably the first time I realised all of that.

I have no clue in hell what caused that to resurface. I just ... woke up today and was grabbing my towels to shower and suddenly it happened. Maybe I had a dream? I dont know

But ... oof

[rpf-bat]

When You Wanna Be A Movie Star

Pairing: Ray Toro x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Written for Gothtober 2020, Day 13. Prompt: “Stigmata.” 

You’re a struggling actress, living in Los Angeles. When an audition doesn’t go the way you hoped, your friend Ray, tries to cheer you up, with a movie night. You tell him he can pick the film - and he immediately chooses Stigmata (1999). 

You jumped up when the phone rang. The caller ID, told you it was the producer of the television series that you’d auditioned for last week.

“H-Hello?” you said hopefully, trying not to sound like you were out of breath, from running across the room. 

“Hi, Y/N,” the Hollywood producer said jovially. “I just wanted to give you a courtesy call today, to let you know that we’ve selected another actress for the part.”

“.....Oh.” Your face fell. 

“Thanks so much for answering our casting call, though,” the man said politely. “We’ll be sure to give you a call, next time we’re seeking new talent.” 

“....Thanks,” you replied, tears welling up in your eyes, as you disconnected the call. You resisted the urge, to throw the phone across the room. 

I didn’t get the part, you thought miserably. I worked so hard to get my audition monologue just right, and it still wasn’t enough. 

You knew that if you stayed home tonight, you’d do nothing but cry about it. It was better to go out, and try and take your mind off it. Feeling in need of emotional support, you called your best friend, Ray. 

You two had known each other, since your second year of film school. But, rather than graduate alongside you, Ray had dropped out, in order to go on the road with his band. His gamble had more than paid off - The Black Parade had recently been certified platinum.

Despite his newfound fame, Ray still always managed to make time for those that knew him before he got ‘big’. He picked up on the second ring. 

“Hey, Y/N,” he said warmly. “How are you doing today?”

“Not so good, Toro,” you confessed. “Would it be alright with you, if I came over, and hung out tonight?”

“Sure, I didn’t have any plans,” Ray replied. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well, it’s almost Halloween,” you pointed out. “How about a horror movie night? You can pick whichever movie you want, I don’t care.”

“In that case,” Ray suggested, “how about Stigmata?”

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

You showed up on his doorstep, later that night, a few bags of microwave popcorn in hand. 

“Hi, Y/N,” Ray smiled, opening his door for you. “Thanks for bringing the snacks! Come on in.” 

You walked into his spacious living room. His television was twice the size of yours. You couldn’t wait to see Patricia Arquette’s hands bleed in super-high-definition. 

“Out of all the horror films you have on tape,” you asked, raising an eyebrow, “you really want to watch Stigmata?”

Compared to other titles in Ray’s vast collection, like Friday The 13th or Dawn Of The Dead, you thought that Stigmata was kind of obscure. It had done decently well at the box office, when it first came out, but critics had panned it. 

“Well, I’ll always have a soft spot for Stigmata,” Ray confessed, “because you were in it.”

“I was barely in it,” you recalled. “I was just an extra, in the background. I didn’t even have any dialogue.”

“Still, it was your first role ever,” Ray remembered fondly. “You were so proud of yourself, when it first came out, you made everybody from school, go to the theater, and see it.” 

“Yeah,” you laughed. You’d thought, at the time, that it would be the beginning of your success story. Instead, over half a decade later, you were still struggling to get gigs. You’d had no choice, but to supplement your income, with a stereotypical barista job. 

It was Ray, who had actually become someone important. 

He sat down on the couch, patting the seat beside him. 

“Are you ready to get spooked?” he grinned. “I’ll go pop the popcorn, if you get the VCR started.” 

“Sure,” you nodded, taking the VHS tape, from his outstretched hand. You were surprised that he still had a VCR. Over the last few years, DVD had quickly become the primary format for new film releases. Then again, Ray was an old-fashioned guy - most of the films he liked were classics.

You popped the tape into the VCR slot, and sat back down on the couch. He sat down beside you, a bowl of freshly popped corn in his hand. You dug your hand into the bowl, and dumped a handful of salty, buttery comfort food in your mouth, as Ray pressed play. 

The film opened with Gabriel Bryne’s character, watching a statue of the Virgin Mary, cry tears of blood. 

“Did you know he won a Razzie Award, for Worst Supporting Actor, for this film?” you scoffed. 

“Aw, did he really?” Ray laughed. “Poor dude. He tried.” 

“He was actually a decent guy,” you recalled. “He wasn’t too snooty, to talk to all the extras, who were filming this scene with him.” 

“Oh, look, there you are!” Ray said excitedly. He hit the pause button, freezing the frame. Bryne’s character, Father Andrew, was walking through a bustling Brazilian marketplace. The you of six years ago, stood behind him, playing the role of a nameless shopper. You were looking down, scrutinizing a piece of fruit that was for sale. 

“Yeah, blink, and you’ll miss me,” you said, rolling your eyes. “I was in this movie, for a whole thirty seconds.” 

“Every time I watch this movie with the guys,” Ray confessed, “I point those thirty seconds out.”

“Do you really?” you blinked.

“Yeah,” Ray chuckled. “I’m like, look, there’s my friend! Isn’t she cool?”

“I’m not cool,” you frowned. “Ray, I’m not even cool enough, to get a part, on some stupid daytime soap opera.”

“Is that what you were upset about, when you called me earlier?” Ray realized, frowning. 

“Yeah,” you sighed. “I thought I did really good, at my audition. But, I guess I blew it.” 

“It’s okay,” Ray assured you, giving you a supportive pat on the shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll knock your next audition, out of the park.” 

“No, I won’t!” you said glumly. “Ray, I’ve been trying to get famous for years now, and I’m no closer to my goal, than I was the day I started.” 

“Fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, okay?” Ray grumbled. “Last week, I was super sick. Like, coughing up a lung….” 

“Oh, no,” you interrupted, “are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine now,” Ray assured you. “My point was - I was feeling like absolute crap, and I just wanted to get some NyQuil, take it, and go to sleep. So, I’m standing in the cold and flu aisle, at the drugstore, and of course, this girl in a My Chemical Romance shirt comes up to me.” 

“Yikes,” you groaned. “She wanted an autograph?”

“Yeah!” Ray nodded. “I was like - really? Right now?!” 

“Did you tell her no?” you wondered. 

“Nah, I signed her thing,” Ray confessed. “But, honestly, I hate getting recognized in public like that, when I’m just trying to go about my business.” 

“You could have paid somebody to go to the store, and get the NyQuil for you,” you pointed out. 

“I mean, I could afford to,” Ray admitted. “But, I really don’t want to do that. I just want to be….a normal guy. Like I used to be, when we lived in New Jersey together.” 

“You’re not that guy anymore,” you frowned. “You’re the guitarist of one of the most popular bands on the planet.” 

“I don’t care about popularity,” Ray shrugged. “I just like making music.” 

“It’s not fair!” you snapped. “You have all this notoriety, and you don’t even want it! Meanwhile, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a Hollywood star - a household name. But, my biggest claim to fame, so far, is some shitty Pizza Hut commercial!” 

“I...I actually really liked that commercial,” Ray said softly. “Every time I saw it on TV, it put a smile on my face.”

“Really?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. “My line in it, wasn’t even that funny.”

“I didn’t like it because of the script,” Ray confessed. “I liked it, because seeing your face, made me happy.” 

“What’s so special about my face?” you asked.

“Well…..it’s a very pretty face,” Ray mumbled, blushing. 

“Wh-What?” you stammered, your ears turning red. “You think that I’m pretty?” 

“I’ve always thought that, Y/N,” Ray whispered, his brown eyes, staring softly into yours. “I don’t love Stigmata, because of the script, or the cinematography, either. I don’t even care, that Billy Corgan did the soundtrack for it. I loved it, just because….I love you.” 

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. Could Ray actually return, the feelings you’d been keeping secret?

“You mean, you love me….like you love all your friends?” you guessed, trying not to get your hopes up. 

“No,” Ray shook his head, looking away from you, shyly. “Y/N… I mean, I love you, like a man loves a woman. I want you. Like...how Frankie wanted Father Andrew, in the second act of the movie.”

“Doesn’t he reject her advances, because he’s a priest?” you asked, recalling the film’s plot. 

“.....Are you gonna reject mine, too?” Ray breathed, eyes downcast.

“No,” you shook your head. “I sure as hell didn’t take any vow of celibacy, Toro. I want you right back.” 

You leaned over on the couch, and kissed him. He tasted salty, like popcorn. But, his touch, as he gently pulled you closer, was oh so sweet. 

“....I’ve wanted you all along,” Ray confessed, gently kissing you a second time. “I just didn’t know how to ask you, to be mine.” 

“Well, if you’re asking me now,” you smiled, pushing him backwards, into the couch cushions, “then I’m yours.” 

[bazzybelle]

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat! AKA Bat-Baz II: Electric Bazaloo

Note: I feel I should explain for those new to the beauty and wonder that is Bat-Baz. It started with THIS piece of art by the talented @parijpg (give them 100000% credit for starting the whole Bat-Baz craze). I was so inspired to write that THIS happened (Original Bat-Baz Fic). 

If you scroll through the reblogs of that fic, you’ll find some QUALITY ART by the lovely @subpar-selkie !

I was going to end it there, but THIS (adorable BAT) and THIS (more quality content from @subpar-selkie ) were posted this week… So, I caved and wrote ANOTHER BAT-BAZ fic!

It’s the (not very highly) anticipated sequel to Love is Blind (As A Bat). Definitely not as good as The Godfather: Part II, but hopefully better than the straight-to-VHS/DVD/Blu-Ray Disney sequels. 

Thank you to @carryonsimoncarryonbaz for the beta-reading, @giishu , and @f-ing-ruthless-baz for yelling at encouraging me to post this story, and @fight-surrender for bothering me this week and cheering me up and making sure I don’t feel too alone this week. 

Enjoy… and I’m so sorry.

PS: Also, posting this on AO3. If you want, you can read it HERE. 

__________

SIMON

“How many times do I have to tell you!? Rowling’s spells are dodgy at best!”

Baz is yelling on the phone to his half-sister Mordelia. He looks absolutely exhausted, and I can’t say I blame him for taking it out on his little sister. He just spent the better part of the evening as a small black bat, and must be beyond mortified. Anyone who knows Baz Pitch, knows that he usually deals with his embarrassment with snark and (on occasion) misdirected anger. In this case, the anger is very well-directed. It seems Mordelia was responsible for turning him into a bat in the first place. 

“I don’t care what spell you were trying to accomplish! Her spells are as problematic and  preposterous as she is! She’s barely a magician herself, if we’re being honest.”

I feel like I need to calm Baz down as he’s quickly heading towards one of his famous tirades. I start to run my fingers through his hair and plant a small kiss on his shoulder. Baz’s grey eyes meet my eyes and he sighs heavily. He grabs onto my hand and gives it a small squeeze.

“I know it wasn’t done on purpose, Mordelia, but you need to be careful! You’re starting Watford in the autumn and I highly doubt your classmates will appreciate you turning them into winged mammals.”

I choke back a snort as I think about the hijinks Baz’s sister will get into once she begins her Watford education. Images of a frozen moat in January, and enchanted snowball fights (you can enchant them so they follow the intended target like a tracker – Baz had gotten me a few times that way) fill my mind. I start to lightly scratch Baz’s back and I feel his muscles beginning to relax. I just hope he ends his call soon, so I can have my boyfriend back to his calm, arrogant self. 

“I shall be coming back tomorrow to collect my… belongings. If you so much as breathe on my clothes or my mobile, I will not hesitate to turn you into a tarantula!”

Baz finally hangs up and tosses my mobile back to me. He starts rubbing his eyes and groans heavily. I continue to rub his shoulders and start to nuzzle his arm. He turns to me and offers small, tired smile. 

“I apologize for that, Simon. But I’d like to think you’d be the same way if you’d just spent the better part of your evening flying from Hampshire to London. I can barely feel my arms.”

“Would you like me to rub your shoulders for you, then?” I ask him. Baz raises an eyebrow and smiles coyly at me.  

I place myself behind him and start to knead my fingers into the space where his neck meets his shoulders. My thumbs press deep circles into his shoulder blades. I am careful to not touch his hair, nor the base of his neck (he flinches when I get too close to where he was bitten – it’s not nearly as bad as it used to be when I first massaged him, but I’d rather not risk it). 

I hear a soft sigh coming from Baz. I want to continue, but I’m noticing his head lolling forward. I stop my back rubbing and sit back down next to him. I take note of his eyelids beginning to droop. I move some hair from his face and he smiles dreamily at me. 

“Did you need to feed before going to bed?” I ask him. Baz shakes his head slowly. 

“I fed right before all this started.” Baz gestures towards his body. I lift myself from the bed and gather some pyjamas for him. I toss them to the bed and grab a pair for myself.

“Here. I’ll warm you up some blood, just to be safe, while you change.” Baz rolls his eyes at me, but I’m already out the door before he can protest any further. 

I walk into the kitchen to see that the spell books and materials have already been cleared out. I’ll have to thank Penny properly tomorrow, for her help tonight. I suppose a breakfast of her favourite pancakes (banana-blueberry) is enough to show my gratitude. I heat up some blood we keep on hand in the fridge (several butcher’s shops carry a steady supply). I also take some time to make a few sandwiches for him (and for myself… I get hungry when I worry). Before going back into the bedroom, I quickly change into my pyjamas and wash up (Baz must be beyond exhausted if he didn’t even think to freshen up in the bathroom, which means he’ll be cranky tomorrow).

When I get back into the bedroom, Baz is already settled into the bed, eyes closed, and sheets pulled up to his chin. I can feel my heart softening for him, he’s had an impossibly long day. I kneel down beside him and run my hand through his hair. His eyes open slowly. I place the sandwiches on the night stand and hand him a mug with some blood inside. 

“I’m fine, Snow” He slurs, but accepts the mug regardless. He downs it in a matter of seconds (Prat… Was probably more thirsty than he let on), and places the mug on the nightstand, next to the plate (he doesn’t touch the sandwiches, which is fine, he’ll eat when he wants to). I climb into the bed and wrap my arms around his waist. Baz settles in as well. I hold him for a little while as I feel him beginning to doze off. 

I plant a few small kisses on his shoulder as I start to fall asleep as well. 

BAZ

A rumbling in the pit of my stomach startles me awake. I clutch at my abdomen as I attempt to recall when I had last eaten. I rub my eyes,wondering what time it is. I glance at the window and see the dark skies of the night. I wonder how long I’ve been asleep for, as I glance at Simon still sleeping peacefully beside me. His lips are opened slightly (mouth-breather) and he has his arms pulled tight against his chest. I move to give him a small kiss, when my stomach rumbles again. 

Right… should probably take care of that first. I look to the night stand and remember the sandwiches that Simon made. I stare at him as I eat slowly (I’ve been practicing controlling my fangs… the only good thing to come out of America), feeling so grateful for the beautiful disaster in my life. I would never ask him to do what he did for me tonight, but Simon does it anyway, just as I would for him. I finish off a couple of sandwiches from the plate, and bring the dishes back to the kitchen. I brush my teeth in the bathroom (exhausted as I am, I still maintain proper hygiene) before heading back into bed with Simon. 

I face him and watch him for a moment as he sleeps soundly, chest slowly rising and falling. I reach over and run my fingers through his hair. I plant a small kiss on his lips (I never want to relive the experience of my boyfriend kissing me in bat-form ever again). 

An all too familiar feeling begins to arise as soon as my lips leave Simon’s. The splitting headache, the light-headed feeling, and most importantly, the blinding pain shooting up my back. I leap out of bed and I shout to alert Simon, but all that comes out of my mouth is a small, garbled chirp. 

Seven snakes! Not again!

I rush to wake him up, but my head suddenly feels so heavy… and I cannot keep my eyes open for much longer… And my stomach begins to lurch. 

I feel myself crumple onto the bedroom floor…

At least Simon will know it’s me this time. I think as I hit the floor and become shrouded in darkness…

SIMON

I don’t feel Baz in bed with me as I wake up. I rub my hand on his side of the bed and feel it empty. My eyebrows furrow as I slowly lift myself up from bed. It’s strange for Baz to be awake before I am. 

“Baz?” I call out groggily. I look over to his side of the bed once more and notice his pyjamas in a pile on the floor. 

“Fuck!” I yell out as I jump out of bed. If there was something I could be sure of, it’s that my boyfriend would NEVER leave his clothing in a messy pile on the side of the bed. Something must have happened to him… again!

Panic rises in my throat as I search through the clothing. I’m hoping with everything in me that I don’t find ash or anything else that could indicate my deepest fears. 

Everything seems to be normal, but I notice tiny claw marks within the fabric of the pyjamas. My eyes widen as I piece the clues together. 

Bloody fucking hell! Not again!

My eyes dart around the bedroom for any sign of Baz hiding. I begin to search through the darker corners of the bedroom, each spot turning up empty. With every empty spot, I start to panic a little more. Did he get out? Did he get stuck somewhere? Merlin, are there any stray cats that could have gotten inside?

“Baz!? Stop being such a wanker! Where did you get to?!” I call out. When I don’t hear an answer, I stomp through the bedroom door and into the kitchen, where I see Penny, sitting calmly, drinking some tea and eating cereal. 

“Good morning Simon.” She tries to say to me, but I ignore her as I start to desperately search the flat for any sign of Baz, or any place he could be sleeping (is he a nocturnal bat? Does it matter? Is his curse following the rules of his anatomy or that of a bat?). 

Penny tries calling out to me again, but I’m currently flipping over throw pillows and searching under the sofa. 

“Simon… What on Earth…”

“Baz is missing again! Except he’s also a bat again! And I can’t find him!”

I start to move the bookcase, rattling the books and objects placed carefully inside. The organization was Penny and Baz’s doing. They argued for weeks on how to organize the books (Penny wanted alphabetically; Baz by the Dewey Decimal system – which I’d have never even known about, but I’m in love with an impossibly intellectual tosser), but settled on a system that worked for both of them. I’m now mucking up that system, by moving and shifting things around. I’m wondering if Baz found his way behind on the of the books. Maybe his wing got caught somewhere. 

“Simon… you should maybe…” She joins me by the bookshelf, but I avoid her and head into the kitchen. I’m thinking that maybe Baz got into one of the cupboards (were they opened last night?)

“Not now Penny!” I open every cupboard in the kitchen and look inside. Nothing. No Baz. I begin to tug the curls in my head, as I think about other places he could have gotten into. 

Penny has joined me by the cupboards. I feel her grabbing my wrists. “Simon!” she shouts at me, finally forcing me to look up at her. She points to her head. Plopped calmly and looking at me like I’m impossibly thick, is Baz. Once again, he’s a bat. 

“Bloody hell, Baz! You can’t scare me like that!” I reach out my hands, and he hops into them. Bat-Baz nuzzles his face between the space between my thumb and index finger. I bring him up and plant a kiss on top of his head. Penny scratches him behind his wings. 

“I found him perched upside down on the lamp, fast asleep. Nearly gave me a heart attack. He woke up not too long ago and found his way to me. What happened? I know you were joking about trying new things with him… But… did you ask him to change back, Simon?!”

I stare at her, mouth open wide and eyes boring into her. Does she actually think I would put Baz through another round of transformations all for a little excitement? I look at Bat-Baz, and he’s giving her the exact same look. 

“For Crowley’s sake, Penny! No! I woke up and he was gone! He must have changed again during the night!” My comments are backed up by Bat-Baz’s frantic chirping and wing-flapping. I try to sush him and start rubbing the back of his wings. It worked to calm him down yesterday, and it seems to do the trick today. Bat-Baz starts licking my hand, and while I think that’s adorable and sweet, I don’t want to think about my bat-boyfriend in this way… lest it start affecting our intimate moments.

Penny starts scratching her head and frowns down at Bat-Baz. “I’m wondering if the spell last night worked at all? Is this a side-effect of that spell? Did it mix badly with the spell that made him a bat in the first place?”

“What do you suggest we do?" 

Penny stifles a small laugh, "Maybe try and figure out what bats eat? It seems we’ll be stuck here for a while.” Her comment is met with angry chirps from Bat-Baz. If I wasn’t holding onto him as tight as I was, I’m fairly sure he would be attempting to jump at Penny.

“Oh! I didn’t mean it Basil!” Penny tries to pet him, but he hisses at her. I turn my back towards her and lift Bat-Baz to my face. He is not amused at this situation, but I still frown at him.

“Baz… I know you’re pissed off, but try and calm down, yeah”. I turn to Penny, who’s stuck her tongue out at him. I shake my head at her.

“And you! Now is not the time to take the piss out of anything.” Penny looks away, ashamed and I can’t help but roll my eyes. Since when am I the responsible one out of this group? I place Bat-Baz on my shoulder and head to the kitchen. I need to make myself some breakfast before trying to tackle this mystery. 

I look at Bat-Baz, who’s started nuzzling my face, and just wanting to stay as close to me as possible. Baz hates feeling vulnerable in any way, and being changed into a tiny animal, without his strength and his magic… yeah, pretty fucking vulnerable, if you ask me. I pick him up again and look into his eyes (fuck… they’re still grey…). I feel my heart break a little as I stare at them, because they look devastated.

“Hey… don’t be like that. We’re going to figure this out.” I speak in a small soft voice to him, but Bat-Baz looks away from me. I run my thumb over his little head a few times and his eyes close. A tiny, sad chirp escapes him as he leans into my touch. He starts licking me again. I bring him closer to my face.

“I promise, Baz. If anything, this proves even further that we match… y’know… ‘cause of the wings.” I give my wings a small flap as Bat-Baz rolls his eyes.

“I know you’re laughing on the inside, Baz. Come on. I’ll try to find you something to eat.” I give him a small peck on his bat lips and leave him to perch on the edge of my wing. I start to look through the refrigerator for any fruit or blood (seriously… what do bats eat? What kind of bat is he? I mean… vampire bat makes sense, but is that a little too on the nose?). 

I don’t notice the bright purple glow surrounding Baz’s small form. I feel him swooping down from my wing and see him flying desperately towards the bedroom. I slam the refrigerator door shut and run after him. Penny tries to follow, but I shut the door before she gets too close. She begins to knock on the door. 

“Simon! What’s going on! Is he changing back?”

“Yes Penny! He’s changing back!” I breathe a sigh of relief as Baz turns back into himself (again, completely starkers… probably the only side effect of the spell I can’t be mad about). I rush to him and wrap my arms around him. He leans his head on my shoulder and breathes heavily into me. I run my fingers through his hair and start rubbing his back. He lifts his head and his eyes meet mine. 

“At least we know how to change me back.” He says. I start to laugh. 

“Fat lot that’ll do, until we know what causes the transformation to happen. D’you remember what happened before you changed?” Baz leans down and presses his hands together. He starts shaking his head. Another series of knocks pounds through the room. Penny’s voice rings out, loudly. 

“Is he back to his grumpy self, then?!”

Baz glares at the door. I sigh as I get up and fetch some clothes for him to wear. If we’re going to have a discussion about breaking his spell (or I suppose it’s more of a curse at this point), Penny should be a part of it.

“I’d like to see you maintain a cheery demeanor when spending most of your time as a tiny winged mammal, Bunce!” Baz barks, while slipping on one of his shirts. Now that he’s decent, I should go open the door. Before I do, I walk up to him and cup his face in my hands. I make sure he’s looking at me 

“We’re going to figure this out. Trust us, okay?” Baz smiles at me and nods. 

“Okay.”

I give him a small smile and softly kiss him once more. Baz reaches up and starts to caress my shoulders. I press further into him, when a pained moan escapes his lips. I quickly back, worried that I hurt him. Baz’s eyes are opened wide, and panicked. I grab his wrists and try to get him to look at me, but it won’t work. 

“Baz? What’s happening?” I try to ask him. 

“Simon! It-” His speech is cut short by a series of loud, hysterical chirping. He finally looks at me for a few moments, before collapsing onto the bed. I manage to catch him and lie him down, but I can already see the transformation happening. To my horror, he starts glowing and shrinking into his clothes.

“Fuck! Shit! Baz… Why’s this happening?”

Merlin, Morgana, and Methuselah! How many times has it been now? I notice a small lump moving around inside the sweater. I look inside to see a furious Bat-Baz. I cup him in my hands and walk sadly towards the door. I open the door to a Penny with her hands on her hips. She frowns at the bat-boyfriend in my hands. 

“Wasn’t he just changed?” 

“He was! That didn’t last very long.” I set Bat-Baz back on my wing. He calmly perches upside-down and wraps his tiny body in his wings. I think he wants to be left alone for now. I don’t blame him. 

“Well, what happened now, Simon!?”

“I don’t know Penny! All I did was tell him that we’d fix things and then he changed again!” I stomp out of the bedroom and head back to the kitchen. I whip open the refrigerator and pull out some eggs and fruit. I decide to make myself some breakfast and cut up some fruit for Baz. Maybe some food will calm us both down. 

Penny follows me into the kitchen and leans on the wall as I cook the eggs. “Is that all you did, Simon?” she asks me. I slam the spatula in my hand down on the counter and turn to her, hands raised above my head.

“Oh of course! I forgot to mention the secret demonic ritual I had Baz perform so that he can stay a bat at my whim!” I notice that my wings start flapping. I take a deep breath and calm myself down. The last thing I want to do is send Bat-Baz accidently hurtling across the room because I’m throwing a tantrum. 

Penny places a calm hand on my shoulder. “No! But did you do anything else?”

I sigh and run my hands through my hair, trying to think of anything that could have done this to him. The only thing I can think of is the kiss I gave him. But that can’t be it. It was what changed him back to his normal vampire-self. I shrug at Penny. “I don’t know… I kissed him. But I alway-”

“AHA!” Penny shouts in my ear. Her sudden exclamation causes me to jump back and violently flap my wings, which in turn sends Bat-Baz flinging off. Thankfully, he catches himself before hitting anything and flies up. He dives towards Penny, who ducks for cover. Bat-Baz starts screeching at her, before I step in between them. He lands on my head and buries himself in my curls. I turn back to Penny, who’s wearing a small apologetic look on her face.

“Well? What is it, Penny?” Penny stands up and straightens her plaid skirt. 

“The kisses Simon. We know that kisses turn him back into a human. Well what if they work both ways?” Penny grabs an apple and begins to slice it. She places a thin slice in her hand and holds it up towards my head, a small peace offering, I suppose. Bat-Baz perkes up and sniffs the apple slice in Penny’s hand. He slowly hops into her palm and starts to eat the apple slice. 

Merlin… My heart melts to watch them. I snap out of it and continue my discussion.

“Both ways?”

Penny starts to scratch Bat-Baz behind the wings. He continues to eat his apple slice. “Yes. Like how we spell your wings off until a bell rings?” I nod at her, pressing her to go on. “Well maybe this is similar. Since we connected it to a Bat-Man spell.”

“What does Bat-Man have to do with this?” I finally finish cooking my eggs and place them on a plate. Penny has placed Baz on the counter and continues to slice small apple slices for him. He starts to eat them slowly. I start shoveling the eggs in my mouth. Bat-Baz looks up at me, and I didn’t think a bat could look so disgusted… but there you go. Penny’s got the same look on her face, so maybe it’s just me.  

Penny heads towards the refrigerator. She opens it and starts to look for something inside. “Think about it Simon. Bat-Man is all about living your life within a duality. Maybe the spell was not literal enough. Instead of changing a bat into a man. It allowed for a more controlled dual life. Controlled by your kisses, it seems” She pulls out one of the containers of blood, we keep on hand for Baz. She hands it to me and motions towards the stove. I eat some more of my eggs and get started on heating some of the blood. I don’t suppose we need very much of it right now. 

Penny grabs a small saucer from the cupboard. I spoon a tiny amount of blood into the saucer and set it in front of Bat-Baz. He gives it a look and looks up at Penny and me, with drooping ears. I sigh at him. 

“Honestly, Baz. It isn’t a big deal if we see you feed. You should feed so that you feel better.” He doesn’t make a move toward the blood, instead focusing on the apple slices. I grumble to myself and grab Penny by the arm, leading her away from Bat-Baz.

“So… What, I can’t ever kiss Baz again? What sort of rubbish is that?” I hear angry chirping, signifying Baz’s agreement that our situation is in fact rubbish. 

Penny lifts her glasses from her head. She grabs a small piece of cloth from her skirt pocket and begins to clean them. “Don’t be dramatic, Simon. There is a solution to this. We just have to go to the source of the spell.” I groan, because that means we have to call Mordelia and ask her what spell she used and I do not feel like talking to her. I look over towards the kitchen counter. 

“Baz? You done in there?” A series of small chirps tells me that he’s done feeding. I go back to the kitchen. I clean up the saucer and plates, while Baz finishes up the apple slice he’s been eating. I pick him up and he starts licking my hand again (I’ve gotten used to it by now… seeing as we won’t be allowed to kiss until this spell is broken, we’ll have to find more creative ways of showing affection towards each other). Penny looks over at us and makes a face. 

“Nicks and Slick, Basil! Maybe I need to spell a small pouch to put you in so that you allow Simon the use of his hands!”. Bat-Baz looks up at her and glares. I bring him up and kiss the top of his head. 

“She isn’t serious… Right Penny?” She shrugs and walks away. I frown at her and look down at Bat-Baz who… actually has a sneer on his face. I head towards the bedroom. 

“Come on… Let’s turn you back into my Baz.”

BAZ

Simon is leaning against my arm, reading a graphic novel adaptation of Interview with a Vampire (I bought it for him recently, after he would not stop asking me about Anne Rice).It’s taking everything in my willpower to not kiss him right now. All I have to do is think about how uncomfortable it is to move about as a bat and my desires to kiss him disappear (almost disappear… or rather… momentarily disappear. I am a constant disappointment to myself, after all). I have chosen to browse through The Vampire Lestat. It is the homework that Bunce has given to us. She has settled herself on the kitchen table, reading the atrocious Twilight books, while furiously writing down notes. I look down at my own neatly written notes, and the few sentences that Simon’s managed to scribble down (with my gentle coaxing). 

We had been going at this all day. After our unconventional breakfast, Simon took me into the bedroom and privately changed me back into my nearly human form. We then (well, mostly me, Simon was pacing about the flat the entire time, while Bunce took extensive notes) called my irksome little sister to ask her what spell she was trying to cast.

Apparently she thought it absolutely brilliant to try and cast Expecto Patronum. According to Mordelia, she was hoping to know what her patronus was, and I just happened to show up at the wrong time. She insisted that “it would have worked had you not shown up, Basil!”. After berating her for nearly an hour on how impossible the very notion of a patronus was (the closest thing could be a familiar, but even that is rare), I once again threatened to turn her into an abhorrent arachnid before hanging up the phone.

We came to the conclusion that I was turned into a bat because, well, if patronuses did exist, it was very possible that mine would be a bat (at least that was the explanation Bunce offered, I personally think it’s bollocks). 

Which brings us to our homework session. Bunce believes that in order to turn me back into my full-self, we needed to create a spell that brings forth my true nature (hence the diverse selection of vampire-related literature). 

For now, I am scanning the pages of my book, while Simon lazily lies against my shoulder. I look over at him, to see him smiling up at me. I smirk back at him. Simon reaches over and gently tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. I lean towards him and touch my nose to his. He begins to caress my face and I lean into his soft touch. 

I realize too late that his lips have made their way to mine. 

I pull back in fear. Simon is wearing a look of shock… which soon changes into one of instant regret.

“Fuck! Bollocks! I forgot!” He yells, which gets Bunce’s attention. She runs towards the sofa, but I can already feel the transformation taking over. I give Simon an angry sneer. 

“I swear to Crowley, Snow. I-” my hand clamps over my mouth as a loud chirp escapes it. My head once again feels dizzy and I feel sweat beads on my brow. I lean over and put my head down to steady the all-too-familiar sensation of sickness and lightheadedness. I can hear Simon next to me apologizing profusely. I reach for his hand and hold it tightly. I don’t have much time before I am a bat again, and although I am cross with him, I don’t wish for him to beat himself up over this. 

I give a small lop-sided grin to Simon and collapse onto his shoulder as the transformation takes over (hopefully for a final time).

SIMON

And so we’re here again. Bat-Baz nestled in my curls (I think he’s having a nap, the transformations take a lot of energy out of him), Penny making tasteless bat-related jokes and puns, and me trying to keep my head on straight. It’s becoming more and more difficult to do so. 

Baz hasn’t wanted to change back into a human and has been feeling extra mopey. I’ve cut up some more fruit for him, but he hasn’t been in the mood to eat anything. I’ve tried petting his head, his wings, his tiny back… no response from him. 

I now reach up to my head and hope that Bat-Baz decides to climb onto my hand. I sprinkled some sugared water on my hand as a way to coax him (with that sweet-tooth he’s got). A smile spreads across my lips as I feel his tiny body clamber into my palm. I bring him down to eye-level and he begins to excitedly lick the sugar off of my hand. I start laughing and give him a kiss on one of his wings. Bat-Baz stops licking and a small blush creeps over his cheeks. 

“Glad you’re feeling a little better. Can you eat something for me?” I offer him a small piece of strawberry. Bat-Baz thankfully accepts it. As he’s eating his strawberry, Penny enters the kitchen. She’s holding a notepad and a triumphant smile on her face.

“What is it, Penny?”

“I think I’ve got the spell to change Baz back.” 

“Okay. What is it?”

Penny shows me the notepad. Bat-Baz looks down at it and starts to angrily chirp at Penny. I read the spell, but I’m not familiar with the quote written down. 

“Where is this from, Penny? And why if Baz obviously objecting to it?” Penny’s lips curl into a sneaky smile. Whatever it is, it’s making her far too excited.

“Twilight.”

I shake my head violently and walk away from her. Absolutely not! Baz hates that entire series. He claims they are terrible books, and the very notion of dazzling in the sunlight is offensive to him as a vampire. 

“You’ve got to be joking Penny! Of all books to choose, you chose Twilight? Baz will never forgive you.” I look down to see Bat-Baz giving Penny the most judgmental look I have ever seen (well for a bat, that is).

“The quote is technically from the movie, but it should still work! The entire franchise is wildly popular! I still see Normals walking around with Team Edward shirts!” 

Bat-Baz covers his head in his wings. It’s going to take some convincing for him to be on board with this, but so far, it’s the best shot we’ve got (even though it’s a rather piss-poor shot).

“Alright. Let’s try it.” I sigh and follow Penny into the living room.

Penny smiles and holds out her hand. I place Bat-Baz in one of my hands and cradle him carefully. He grips onto my thumb and curls into a small ball (I think he’s begun to lose hope at this point… also, bloody Twilight? As if he wasn’t mortified enough). I give Penny my other hand. She lifts the notepad to my eye level and I read off the first line of quote.

“I know what you are” I say to my tiny bat-boyfriend. Penny places her hand gently over Bat-Baz’s head, making sure the ring finger touches him directly. She squeezes my hand tightly and looks into my eyes. 

“Say it. Out loud… SIMON SNOW say it!” She yells. I can feel her magic in the air, stong, comforting, with the distinct smell of sage in the air. I feel it wash over me and vibrate over Bat-Baz’s tiny body. He beginning to chirp wildly and I begin to worry that we’re hurting him. I want to get this spell done with. I speak in a loud clear voice:

“Baz Pitch… Vampire-Mage”

A bright, white light explodes from Penny’s ring and causes us to fall backwards. In the commotion that occurs, I let go of Bat-Baz and he slips from my grasp. The white light envelopes him completely and I need to shield my eyes. A strong force pushes Penny and me back a little more. I try to look for where Baz landed, but all I can see if the piercing white light. I have to hope that he’s somewhere in there, turning back into himself. Eventually, the white light starts to dim and the pulsing magical force starts to die down.

Merlin please let this be it. Please let Baz be himself again. I don’t think he can handle another series of intense changes.

I hear Penny screaming before my eyes get the chance to adjust to the scene in front of me. But, there he is, on the ground and fully human again. And… naked. And unconscious! Fuck!

I yell at Penny to get me some water for him. I grab a nearby blanket and scramble to him. I drape the blanket over his body and gently lift his head from the floor. 

My anxious mind winds down as I hear his slow steady breaths. He’s alive, but probably completely drained. I lift him a little more and position my legs beneath him, so that I can better support him. Penny comes back with a glass of water and a small wet towel. She bends down and places her hand on his arm. 

“Is he alright?” She asks, concern washing over her brown eyes.

I nod at her. Penny sighs with relief and places the glass on the floor, beside me. I ask her to go find some clothes for him, for when he wakes up. I grab the towel from her and start to dab his brow and his face. As I work, I hear a soft groan coming from his lips. His eyelids start squinting and he stirs a little. I give him a small delicate shake.  

“Baz? It’s okay. I’m here. You’re okay.”

He starts to mumble something, but it’s hard for me to understand him. I lean in closer to him. “What was that?”

“That was wholly unpleasant.” He opens his eyes and smiles at me. “Hello, Snow.” he drawls.

“Hi.” I laugh at him. I help him sit up and offer the glass of water to him. He smiles as he takes a sip.

Baz’s little smile quickly turns into a slight frown. He looks down at the blanket covering him and his eyes bulge. 

“Snow… am I, naked?” 

“Um… y-yes?”

“Crowleyyyyy! Just set me on fire now!” Baz smacks his hand over his eyes in complete humiliation. I wrap one of my arms over his shoulders and gently hold him close. Baz buries his face into my shoulder and wraps one of his arms around my neck. I kiss the side of his head and rub small circles on his back. Penny creeps back into the room and quietly places some clothes beside me. I turn to her and mouth a “thank you”. Penny smiles and squeezes my wing. She heads to her room and closes the door, allowing us some much-needed privacy.

I give Baz a small shake and he lifts his head from my shoulder. I grab the clothes and hand them to him. He accepts them and starts putting them on. I get up from the floor and give him a few moments to collect himself and regain his dignity.

I’m putting some water to boil for tea when I feel a set of strong cool arms wrapping around me. Baz leans his head on my shoulder and gives me a small kiss on my cheek. 

“Thank you. For everything today.” He whispers to me.

I smile in return. He doesn’t need to thank me. For him, I’d do it all.

“D’you think it worked this time?” 

Baz sighs, “There’s only one way to find out.”

I turn to face him and study his deep-grey eyes. They’re tired, mostly. He draws a shaky breath, worried that the spell didn’t work.

“It had to have worked. I know it did.” I whisper to him. Baz closes his eyes and lowers his head.

I comb his hair back with my fingers and trail my hand down his face. We both take a deep breath and lean into a tiny, almost-chaste kiss. I see Baz squeezing his eyes shut, anticipating the transformation to begin.

But… nothing happens. 

I shake Baz happily. “Baz! It worked! You’re you again!”

Baz begins to laugh and touches his forehead to mine. He grips my face in his hands and pulls me into a deep kiss. I lean into him and respond with a small happy sigh. 

Baz pulls away and cocks an eyebrow at me. “I think I’m going to take a break from visiting my parents. I’ve had enough excitement to last me quite a while.”

I roll my eyes and him and flick his chin. “Baz… I don’t want to hear about your family right after you’ve snogged me.”

Baz laughs and pulls away again. He grabs my hand and leads me slowly into the bedroom. Once we’re inside, and with a coy smile, he grabs his wand from the nightstand and closes the door. 

[howbrewed]

OKAY wow it has been     a g e s     since i was logged on to my     REAL LIFE     blog but hey ! !

it has been a whirlwind . i have been suffering from crippling depression and nonstop anxiety . lost numerous people that were close to me in my life . 

so     y e a h     life has been fun lately .

i also no longer do commissions for custom portraits anymore because i lost my wacom tablet ages ago and that computer went caput but hey , i am still here , it is my favorite time of the year , and i am going to do something that brings me happiness which is talk about     H O R R O R     M O V I E S     &     S H O W S     ! ! !     so here it goes ! ! !

     m y     a l l     t i m e     f a v o r i t e     h o r r o r     f l i c k s    pt 1 / ? ? ? 

     (     in absolutely no sort of order ! ! !     )

THE LOST BOYS ( 1987 ) // 

it is a well known fact if you have written with me before that this is by far one of my favorite movies ever . i have adored the lost boys since i was a child and it honestly was one of the few things that stemmed my love of vampires !

f u n     f a c t     / /     i have a growing lost boys collection ! it includes almost every cast member’s autograph , posters , dvds , vhs , records , artwork , pins , movie memorabilia from the 80′s , and even a tattoo on my upper inner left arm that has vampire fangs surrounded by four bats that says BITE ME . the bats are named david , paul , marko , and dwayne ( of course ! ) .

CHILD’S PLAY SERIES ( 1980′S / 90′S / 00′S )

this movie has been a part of my entire life . it was probably the first ever horror movie i watched as a kid ( or caught a glimpse of ) on a tv back in the 90′s . it      t r a u m a t i z e d     me for the LONGEST time . i am talking up into my teenage years when i really started liking horror movies !!     why , you might ask ? ? ?     all i remember is hearing chucky’s laughter on the black and white tv we had back in the 90′s when my grandfather or dad was watching it in the kitchen / dining area .     i saw that damn doll and nearly pissed myself ! !     my father and grandfather made it their life’s goal to TORMENT me with a chucky doll . every time we walked into our local mall there was a spencer’s gift store . well , chucky was a HUGE thing there and they ALWAYS had dolls hanging from the ceiling . i would stand there dragging my feet CRYING as i tried to not go into the damn store but my dad wanted to tease me .   boy that movie     SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME .     now in my older years i have fallen in love with those films . my absolute favorite is BRIDE OF CHUCKY . it could be because i love and adore jennifer tilly and her portrayal of TIFFANY or just the overall switch to a slightly more comedic horror act that i was not used to seeing . either way i love ALL of the chucky films now and am excited about the upcoming CHILD’S PLAY television series !!

DARKNESS FALLS ( 2003 )

an easily forgotten classic from when i was a teenager / kid .     this movie has an excellent jump scare tactic in it and i remmeber almost every scene from this almost cheesey movie from my childhood . it centers around a true story about this town and the town ‘ tooth fairy ‘ . never show this movie to your kids if you want them to believe in the tooth fairy because WOW it will ruin it haha ! but anyways on to a fun fact from my life again ! this movie is the ONE movie that to this day still scares me ! like , it scarred me so bad when i was a kid and made me think what the hell is lurking in the shadows and now even in adulthood i CAN’T walk down the hall without the light being on . i have to have some sort of light on in my room . and the closet door and bedroom door can NEVER be open while i sleep .  i have a panic attack when i have to walk through the pitch blackness with no light because of this damn movie and that is how you know it is a good horror flick ! ! 

[fiftytwotwenty]

Movie Monday - Dec 21st, 2020

"My Favorite of Movie of All Time"

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989):

With Zero Hesitation - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is My Number One Movie of All Time.

I absolutely devoured this film when I was younger. I watched it so much I wore out our VHS tape and my Mom had to buy me another copy. Also the only film that I purchased on all three major media platforms (VHS, DVD, and Blu Ray -- I still kick my self that I never picked up a copy on LaserDisc). I still watch it at least once a year and you can count on a big smile being plastered on my face.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has everything.

Action, Adventure, Comedy, and a Perfect Closure to a Beautiful Triology - Yes, I am one of those people that pretends the Indiana Jones Franchise ended 1989 - BUT - I am still excited (but also evenly sceptical) for the 5th installment of the Indiana Jones franchise reportedly/ supposedly/possibly coming out in 2022.

So why the Third Indy Film? Why not Raiders of the Lost Ark? Or Temple of Doom?

Well, I absolutely love Raiders and Temple of Doom as well, but I feel The Last Crusade does everything great from the first two films and gives fans so much more.

I honestly believe The Last Crusade can be seen as a stand alone Film/Adventure - No precursor knowledge needed for the uninitiated, but at the same time it beautifully expands the world of Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. - I give Kudos to George Lucas, Steven Speilberg, and Jeffery Boam for crafting a well rounded story.

We see a Young Indy, We Meet his Father, We Discover the Origins of his Fashion, Biggest Fear/Phobia and his Nickname - Hell, they even write Harrison Ford's iconic chin scar into the story, so, so, much more...

Let's break it down further.

An unwritten rule for a Triology is you have to make callbacks to the First Installment - this seems completely arbitrary but at times it can be a fun and whimsical homage for the fans, but if done incorrectly it can come off as laziness - looking at you, The Hangover Triology.

What callbacks do we have this Indy-go-around?

Well, as I said earlier we discover the Origins of Indy's quirks but most importantly is we bring back Indiana's friends Marcus Brody and Sallah (both characters getting considerably larger parts in the film with more sprigs of comical relief) and the film revisits the Villainous Nazis.

There is no bigger Villian I want to see conquered more than a Nazi - and seeing Indiana Jones teaming up with his Father and Friends and the lot of them outwits those uncultured swines - *muah*

We also gotta talk about Henry Jones Sr played by Sean Connery - Oh Man! - I love the Connery's Bond, but in My Honest Opinion Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is Sean Connery's Best Role/Film - Yes, I said it! - Better than Goldfinger, The Untouchables, The Rock - The absolute best.

Talking about how the Triology gave fans more - Sean Connery definitely gave his fans more during his portrayal of Henry Jones Sr going beyond the suave, womanizing, stone cold killer persona - Henry Jones Sr is smart, well educated, sophisticated, cunning, sweet, stern, funny, aloof, and sincere father all rolled up into one character.

A Truly Lovebale presented Character from an Amazing Actor.

It's just a bit odd knowing/thinking in my next viewings there will probably be some added tears with Sean Connery's appearance.

Rest in Peace Sir Connery.

We talked about Indiana's Dad and briefly on Marcus and Sallah... What about Indy's Onscreen Love Interest?

I won't go into much detail - spoilers - but I also enjoyed the path of Supporting Female Love Interest, Alison Doody as Elsa - she was strong and adventurous as Marion (Karen Allen - Radiers) and just as Beautiful if not more than Willie (Kate Capshaw - Temple of Doom), but I love the added dark side.

Also noteable - Elsa and Indiana's onscrern kiss has to be at least Top 10 of All Time.

And The Ending - again I won't go into any detail due to spoilers - but Oofta - Spielberg just tied the whole franchise up in a bow.

I can't say enough for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

This was my childhood "Superhero" Movie - My Brother had Superman and I had Indiana Jones.

My Brother would tie his blanket around his neck and jump from couch to couch pretending he could fly just like Superman while I would borrow my Mom's purse and do last second dives, slides, and rolls under a closing garage door - bonus points if my baseball cap came off during the stunt and I had reach back and snatch it just before the door closed on my cap and hand.

The movie will always hold a special place in my heart.

If you haven't seen it - well in my opinion you've been living under a rock...

If you haven't do yourself a major favor and watch it.

Truly One of the Best Films of All Time.

So Great...

That's right, a Preservation Museum of the Film and Arts.

[nightlovechild]

Heart Warming - Moxiety

Warnings: Teasing, Mention of Multiple shipping (RomanxDeceit, RomanxLogan) in the background, Self doubt, First time experiences, Hand jobs, Blow jobs, Cock warming, dubious consent, sleeping, wet dreams.

Summary: During a cinematic date night in, the romantic action moves from the tv into Patton's bed when desires come to the surface. Virgil shows Patton a new world of pleasure with his hands and his skilled mouth. 

"Ready for our first dynamic duo movie night to begin?" Patton asks as he playfully punches at the air as Virgil comes down the hallway. 

"Yeah, It will be nice just the two of us and not have the others around telling us to get a room. When all we do is cuddle anyways. I did bring some movies from my room though." Virgil held the DVDs up as he leaned in for a kiss. 

Patton made a happy noise at the sweet contact. Wrapping his arms around Virgil’s waist his hands touching bare skin under Virgil’s hoodie.

"Get a room!" Roman called as he went from Logan's bedroom to Dimitri's. Only a bed sheet wrapped around his waist, his hair a tousled mess.

"You are literally bed hopping right now! You are no measuring stick of decency." Virgil bit back. 

"No, but I am the Ruler!" Roman smirked, closing the door as Virgil flipped him off. 

"Hey, none of that!" Patton grabbed Virgil's finger and lead him into his restyled bedroom that features a new home entertainment center. 

"Sorry, I just hate being judged." Virgil kissed the back of Pat's hand that had a hold of his.

"How about you make it up to me, little bat, by getting on the bed and getting comfy?" 

"Sure. Oh, here's my movies.." Virgil said as he finally took in the room's changes. Hundreds of movies filled Patton's new shelves. Virgil's inner voices berate him. He should have known that Patton would have a better film selection than he could ever have imagined. Worry crept in forcing Virgil to hide his movies under his hoodie. "But if you already have something picked out or...ummm, Nevermind. Mine were dumb anyhow." 

Patton quickly connected two and two together. His little bat could get overwhelmed so easily. Maybe Patton had gone overboard with the selection. A solution came to him as he read the title of a film, he walked over and twisted the bedknob on his bed frame. Winking at his love as Virgil’s eyes went wide. The collections of VHS, DVDs and movie reels rose into the air and paraded themselves into Patton's memory closet. The doors slammed and locked shut in a final way. 

"Well, Darn. Looks like I forgot to get my movies out like I had planned. And since yours aren't good enough. We will just have to lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling…"

"Slowly slipping into madness?" Virgil finished the movie quote as the moral side pulled him into a big hug, only to start kissing his whole face. As Virgil turned into a wiggling blushing mess, Patton grabbed for the movies. Making a beeline to the TV so he couldn't be stopped. Virgil quickly rearranged the front of his tightening jeans when Patton wasn't looking.

"How about pjs, popcorn and a ghostly Halloween movie?" Patton asked over his shoulder. Clicking his fingers to materialize the treat and clothing after he heard Virgil agree. 

~☆~

"Have you ever wondered what making love with a ghost would feel like? The touch creeping over you but leaving no trace." Patton piped up as the credits rolled by.

"Cold like the night. Terrifyingly weightless. Outstanding." Virgil was still marveling over the creepy scene where the hero had been seduced by the ghost.

"All the contact without any of the responsibilities or sticky clean up." Patton mumbled into his pillow pet. 

Virgil turned over onto his side at Patton's down shift in his tone. Taking in how his boyfriend was sitting cross-legged at the head of the bed, hugging the hell out of the stuffed animal. The unease that Virgil was trying to push down for the past hour, flared again. The anxious energy wasn't his own that he was feeling. It was the emotions that Patton was trying to keep under wraps. Focusing in though Virgil could really feel it now. 

"Pat, you know can share anything you want. Even if you think it's bad or not happy. I'm your partner. It'll be okay." Virgil crawled up the bed to sit in front of the moral side. Hiding his shaky hands by pulling down his hoodie paws. 

Patton's mouth opened and closed like a fish while his thoughts tried to line up. 

"I'll love you no matter what you have to say." Virgil prepared his heart for the worst.

"There is want inside of me to take our connection to the next level but I don't want to rush into sex. It can get messy, physically and emotionally. I don't want to jeopardize us. You are too important for me to lose. Yet, still every fiber of my being wants to be more connected to you. It's actually consuming my dreams every night. Is that weird to want something and to not want it at the same time? It's weird, huh?" Patton said nervously. 

"Not at all." Virgil blushed, swallowing the growing worry that Patton was freely giving off now. Virgil was searching for the right words.

"Sexual contact can... happen in different or smaller steps… it can take a lot of forms actually…" 

"Like how?"

"Massages, erotic touching, and cock-warming to name a few. Plus we could make any act non orgasm focused so it's not so messy and it's more about the experience, not the destination." Virgil allowed the conversation to go quiet as indecisiveness played on the heart’s face. 

"Can we explore some of that? Never had a cock warming before. Can you show me what that feels like?" Patton asked, blushing so bad even the tips of his ears were pink. Patton's hand holding onto Virgil's hoodie sleeve. 

"Of course. It's probably going to be your favorite. But let's get you relaxed first, okay?" Virgil said as he squeezed Patton's hand reassuringly. 

~☆~

Patton modestly covered his naked body, more frankly his exposed cock, with a pillow as Virgil grab the erotic massage lotion from the bedside drawer. His heart racing at the whole situation. Being fully naked for the first time with the love of his life. It was exciting as much as it was intimidating. 

With Virgil's special gift of reading anxious energy. He started them off with sharing sweet kisses with soft caresses. Once, Patton started rutting and grinding against the pillow Virgil removed that last barrier. 

"Lay back, spread your legs for me." Virgil ordered as he warmed the lotion between his hands. 

"Thank you." Patton said. Placing one leg on each side of Virgil's body. Hugging his boyfriend with his legs to make him smile. 

"You're welcome but we haven't even really started yet."

"Yeah, but you listened to me without judging. It means a lot since it's something I can't always give myself." Patton hooked his finger under Virgil's chin as he brought his face closer for another kiss. Their lips slotting together so perfectly. Warm and welcoming. Opening his mouth a bit, Virgil let his tongue caress against his. 

Virgil placed a lotion covered hand on each shoulder as they kissed. Working out any tension Patton had. Letting the moral side naturally relax back into the pillows as Virgil’s hands worked down his arms, down his chest and across Pat’s plush sides. Shifting his attention to applying expert touches to Patton's abs then his legs. Waiting until the muscles were lax unlike Patton's cock that was rock hard.

Oh god, Virgil wants to touch, to jerk Patton off until he was begging for more, pleading for more pleasure that only the dark side could provide. But this isn't about the end, it's about the journey. He should enjoy that he has express permission to take his time. It's what Patton asked him for. 

"Turn over onto your stomach, love." Virgil asks in a husky voice. Unable to hide his lust in his words. 

"No, Virge. Want you, Need you to touch me here next." Patton asked as he stroked his own cock, letting his hands travel down to his balls and back up to his shaft. Only stopping when Virgil's hands were close enough to take over.

His heart skipped a beat as all Patton's anxious energy faded as he laid back, opening his legs more, placing his hands over his head. Opening himself up completely, showing off all his love and want.

Running the back of his fingers up Patton's hard shaft while his other hand is encircling his balls, pulling down so slightly while fondling them. The gentle massage continues down to Patton's ass cheeks and around to the outside of his thighs. Massaging into the crux of his legs where Patton’s body heat is the strongest. Virgil could feel the fire and passion flowing in Patton’s veins as he handled his throbbing cock for the first time. Squeezing more at the base than at the tip, wanting Patton to feel him, but not in a rough way. Approving groans came from Patton after each strong touch. 

Virgil wants to stay here forever, never needing anything but his lover that is so hard from his touch but soft with him emotionally in times of need. Virgil felt his chest swell when he thought about how much he loved Patton. Focusing back on the beautiful cock before him, leaning down kissing the tip by slipping his tongue out a bit. Then stopping to check in. Pressing his face to Patton's thigh.

"How are we doing?" Virgil spoke with his lips next to Patton's shaft. 

"More. This is wonderful. It's everything I was craving and more. Please keep going." Patton requested. And Virgil complied. 

His hands and lips going back to work. Slowly adding in more kisses and licks to Patton's cock. Once Patton's fingers threaded into his purple locks, and kept urging him on, Virgil took all that he could of Patton into his mouth. Tenderly sucking Patton's cock in rhythm with each one of the tugs of his hair. Changing the angle of his mouth, Virgil's tongue went about massaging every inch of thick cock in his mouth. Keeping all the movements slow and calculating was not to overwhelm or cross any of Patton’s comfort boundaries. 

The languid pace of the pleasure was lulling Patton into a deeply relaxed state, almost even to sleep. He wanted to fight it, but knowing Virgil was watching over him, touching him, loving on him was physical security. Each long touch or tongue stroke sliding against his skin made it easier to give into the softness. 

Sitting up to a more comfortable position, Virgil switched his movements to hand over hand stroking so the moral side's cock in an endless tunnel of pleasure. The shaft going soft as Patton started to snore.

"Silly, pop-star. Now what am I supposed to do with you?" Virgil asked, apparently only to himself. 

Moving away felt...how should he put it.. disjointed. He didn't want to stop or leave. Virgil wanted his place to be right here. In between Patton's legs still giving him love. Virgil licked his lips and wondered.

With a nod of his head, Virgil set to grabbing his pillow from the head of the bed and a spare blanket. Taking off Patton's glasses, placing them on the bedside stand. Laying back down, between his lover's legs, on his side. Virgil placed his pillow under his side, aiding to prop himself up at a better angle, covering up with the blanket. He then grabbed the main blanket used it to cover Patton's upper half and down his legs. The material made an upside down U shape with Patton's core still exposed.

Cuddling up close, making sure he could sleep comfortably, Virgil kissed and kissed Patton's soft cock, down to his balls and back up again. Getting to the tip, Virgil took Patton's limp cock into his mouth. Since Patton was a grower not a shower, Virgil was able to comfortably breathe while suckling his lover's cock. 

Finding the perfect place for all his limbs, Virgil laid his head down, his mouth as full of love as his heart felt like it was. Nuzzling his face against the other. Patton's balls against his chin, short curly happy trail touching his nose. Breathing Patton’s scent deep while the rhythmic sucking put Virgil out like a light. 

Hot tight mouths, erotic moaning, wet warm holes, his palms stinging from spanking every ass in front of him, sunshine warmed bodies making love in the flower field, a hand wrapping around his wrist and pulling him down, panting hard as he is filled and stretched out around a nice big cock while fucking his cock deep into the lover under him; Patton's dreams had a bondage like grip on him. Jerking awake, sweaty and vision blurred, a steady pressure at his core. Moaning out loud at the soft tug tug tug on his painfully hard cock continued even with him being fully awake. With desperate hands, Patton felt around for his glasses, getting them on, he pulled the blanket away to find his dark soft lover joyfully, slowly sucking him off still.

"Oh, oh Virge, y-you spoil m-me." Patton moaned as he pushed the anxious side's bangs out of his eyes. Making Virgil's head roll back, eyes closed and his chest rising and falling at a steady pace. Patton finally understand what was happening, with them wrapped up in all the blankets and pillows. The sheer thought and sight of his boyfriend, his lover, his little bat pleasuring him even in his sleep pushed Patton even closer to the edge. 

The shifting of Patton's body only made Virgil latch on more like cock-sucking was in his very DNA. The high pitched happy moans that Virgil gave off made Patton's balls pull up tight. 

"Virgil. Virgil, sweetheart you have to wake up. Can you wake up for me?" Patton patted his lover's face out of his rising need. 

Breathing a sigh of relief when Virgil blinked up at him and smiled around the cock in his mouth, his eyes still sleepy. 

Goodness gracious, he was hot. 

"Virgil sweety, I need you to wake up and swallow for me." Patton's hips jerking as he tried to hold off, but Virgil understood the moment the taste in his mouth changed. 

Like flipping a switch, the dark side started sucking hard and bobbing his head. Making Patton see stars as he filled his mouth. Legs coming together against Virgil's body with the intensity of his drawn out orgasm. Moaning Virgil's name and how much he loved him over and over until Virgil swallowed all he could and pulled off. Wiping at his mouth as he sat up, looking a little regretful with how forceful his was.

"I have a thing for cock warming. I hope it was okay that I kept going?" Virgil asked, voice deep and raspy from sleep and being so used. 

Patton busted out laughing and seized his little bat from the end of the bed, wrapping him up in a patented Patton-hug, kissing him deep while giggling still. Enjoying his own taste on Virgil's tongue. 

"You are outstandingly perfect and perfectly made for me, little bat. I love you." 

"I love you too. But come on, Pat you're embarrassing me." Virgil faked trying to get away but soon stopped when Patton's hand rubbed over his pajama pants, fingers sliding into the opening in the front. Easily flicking the button closure open and letting his fingers slip over the precome covered head.

"Why don't you snuggle against me while we go for that double feature, yeah?" Patton growled into their kiss.

[starwitch3000]

What’s Your Story? - 4

Pairing: Peter Quill x Reader

Summary: Reader goes on a cleaning spree that takes a turn. Help is needed.

Warning: language, drinking, bit angsty I guess, bookshelf abuse? 

masterlist - ff.net

chapter three

You couldn’t put it off any longer. It had been over three weeks since the breakup. Today was the day you started deep cleaning your apartment and you started my trashing a bunch of stuff you ex had bought as long as you had no essential use for something. To begin you changed into so comfy clothes and turned on some music.

What started as some easy cleaning, like getting rid of old clothes and emptying your apartment of all the junk he left behind, turned into making your apartment look like it had been hit by a natural disaster. Never mind cluttering your dining room table with all of your work that was a normal mess you were used to.

There were piles of books, magazines, cds, movie in both the dvd and old vhs variety, and don’t forget books because shit did you have a lot of books scattered all around your place as you removed them from their home. An old beautiful bookshelf that your ex has bought for your birthday last year. It’s old dark wood had ornate designs carved on its sides and it was large enough to shelf all your books and still had space for other items and trinkets. You loved this bookshelf very dearly ever since  you got it except today while cleaning today you realized just how much you actually hated it.

This was a gift from some ass hole who clearly never cared about you, but you spent so much of your time and effort on him and all this bookshelf did was remind you of him and your time wasted. It made you sick just looking at it. So you decided to get rid of it. Except that was proving to be difficult seeing as it was a very large and heavy bookshelf that, even with everything taken off of it, was extremely difficult for you to move on your own.

You really didn’t want to to let this bookshelf win but you could feel a panic attack rising, so frustrated to the point of tears you texted Natasha a 911. Desperately needing help getting rid of this thing.

Just moments after the text sent your phone immediately began ringing as Natasha called you.

“What’s wrong? What’s going on? Are you okay?” A panicked Natasha rang through your phone as soon as you answered.

“This thing won’t get out of my apartment,” you sobbed into the phone.

“What? Honey what are you talking about?” Natasha voice was calm but you could hear how worried she was.

“This disgusting ass useless bookshelf,” you explained through your tears, “I barely got that thing moved away from the wall and now it’s just sitting there mocking me!”

Natasha sighed through the phone, “of course you can’t move that thing by yourself it like a million pounds.”

“I can’t look at this thing anymore,” you tilted your head back to blink back more of your already streaming tears, “god I can’t even believe I’m freaking out over this stupid thing.”

“That’s the one dickhead got you right? You have a perfectly valid reason for freaking out over this what he did was terrible and it’s perfectly understandable that you’re still feeling this way,” she reassures you and that helps a little, “but listen honey, I’m tied up at work at the moment. We had a big case come in, so I would come over and help you get rid of the bookshelf but I can’t. Really sorry, but I’ll send Bucky over okay? He should be able to help.”

“I’m sorry for freaking out,” you sniffled.

“Do not apologize about this,” she quickly assured you, “I’m sorry I can’t make it over.”

“It’s okay,” you sniffle.

“But I was serious, I’m sending over Bucky okay? I don’t want you to be alone right now. He’s on his way.”

You nod and immediately feel stupid, “Okay thank you.”

Hanging up with Natasha you took some deep breaths to try and put this meltdown at bay before Bucky can show up. You throw your phone in your purse and wipe the tears off your face taking a quick survey of the room. Oh boy, it is a disaster a lot of the stuff you took off the bookshelf was haphazardly thrown about the room so you busy yourself with making neat stacks of your books and things at least to give your living room more walking space.

It doesn’t take long for Bucky to get there and you buzz him in.

“Wow,” He says once you open your door and let him in, “This is not what I was expecting…”

“I tried straightening up a bit before you got here but there’s just too much shit,” you sighed closing the door behind him.

“I was actually thinking it was going to be way worse if I’m being honest,” He shrugs, “Nat gave me the rundown and said you needed help getting rid of a bookshelf.”

“Yeah,” You walk up to the large bookshelf that towered over the both of you, “It’s got to go.”  

Bucky let out a low whistle as he gave the bookshelf a look over. You were barely able to move it from its spot against the wall next to your tv stand, “Jesus this thing is huge how did you guys even get it in here.”

Rubbing your forehead you thought about it, “I think asshole hired some guys to move it up here. I’m not sure it was here when I got home from work one day and we never had a reason to move it since.”

Bucky nods and makes an attempt at moving the bookshelf. He’s able to get it maybe a foot further than you did before he has to stop.

“Holy shit okay think you can give me some help?”

This time you nod and get on the other side of the shelf. It barely budges with you both putting in all of your effort.

That overwhelming feeling in the pit of your stomach grows, “I’m never going to be rid of this stupid thing,” you kick the side of the bookshelf and sit on your coffee table covering your face as you feel yourself start to cry again.

Bucky clears his throat uncomfortably as he doesn’t know how to handle a crying friend very well, “Uh, you got a drill or something? Maybe we can take it apart. Might be easier to move if we can get the shelves out of it.”

“No I don’t,” you miserably say into your hands shaking your head.

“Okay that’s fine,” He says walking over to you kneeling down in front of you putting a comforting hand on your shoulder, “Tell you what how about I bring over some of my tools in the morning and we’ll get this thing out of here then.”

You nod keeping your face covered as a sob you were desperately trying to stop erupts from you.

“Hey now,” he says softly, “It’s alright let it out.”

“I hate feeling like this,” you mumble.

“I know but you’ll get through this. I know you will,” his voice is kind as he tries to make you feel better, “this was a bad breakup you just need some time. And you know, sometimes you’re going to feel great and like all of this is behind you, but sometimes shit like this is going to happen. That’s why you’ve got Nat and I. We’re here when you need us.”

You sigh dropping your hands from your face and give Bucky a miserable smile, “Thanks.”

“Want to go get drunk?”

“I would like that a lot actually.”

“Alright,” He stands up offering you a hand that you take to stand up as well, “Let’s get out of here. That thing wins the apartment for the night.”

You both grab your jackets, you made sure to grab your keys and purse as well, and you left the apartment. Walking outside the first thing that shocked you was how dark it was outside.

“Wait, what the fuck, how late is it?” you ask digging through your purse for your phone as you both walk.

“Nearly ten I think,” Bucky answers checking his watch, “Why?”

“Nothing I just didn’t realize how late it got. I’ve just been cleaning all day never occurred to me to look at the time,” you say giving up your search and let your bag fall to your side. The two of you head to the Milano where upon entering your greeted with the beginning of Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac playing loudly throughout the nearly empty bar. Peter was nowhere to be seen but Mantis and one of the guys you remember seeing the other night, the bald one with his arms covered in red tattoos, were on either end of the bar that they had cleared off so they could play coaster hockey.

Mantis notices you and Bucky when you walk in and she reaches and turns down the music.

“Hey (Y/N)!” Mantis says cheerfully and you give her a smile.

“Who touched the music?!” Peter’s voice shouted from a door that was behind the bar, “I told you guys not to touch it!”

“Oh shut up jackass there are actual humans here!” Mantis shouts back, “Ignore him, he’s doing inventory. Oh no what happened to you?”

She had taken in your red eyes and puffy cheeks and got worried.

“Oh you know, just the run of the mill Tuesday night meltdown,” you shrug and grab a stool from the bar to sit in.

“I got you,” Mantis nods and then hops up onto the bar and reaches over to grab some shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey, “so shots?”

“Mantis get off of the bar come on dude,” Peter sighs flabbergasted as he appears through the door carrying some boxes behind the bar.

“Well you said I wasn’t allowed behind the bar after last time so what did you want me to do?” She innocently asks.

“Stay out of shit,” he answers easily, “Hey (Y/N) and James? I think? I’m not entirely sure.”

“I’ve just been calling him the cat smuggler,” Mantis snorts lining up the shot glasses and filling them.

“It’s Bucky actually,” Bucky confirms taking a seat at the bar as well.

“I’m Peter this asshole is Mantis and that other asshole is Drax he likes to pretend he’s invisible,” Peter nods to Drax who was behind the bar with Peter moving the boxes Peter brought with him.

“You’re just jealous Quill,” Drax says, his voice is gruff and you find him slightly more intimidating than you did before, “It’s nice to meet both of you.”

“Grab some beers would ya,” Mantis says to Peter, “They’re too far away for me to reach.”

“What the hell are you doing?” He questions noticing Mantis’ set up of shots.

“Drinking with friends,” she says like it painfully obvious, “(Y/N) had a meltdown so it’s my sworn womanly duty to help her get super drunk so she forgets her problems.”

You nod in appreciation to Mantis and raise the shot glass she hands you to hers. The two of you clink and then down their shots. Hissing as the whiskey goes down you set down your shot glass for Mantis to refill.

“Well when you put it like that it makes perfect sense,” Peter says sarcastically but gets the beers that Mantis demanded anyways, and everyone passes around drinks until they each have one for themselves.

“Alright so what’s the story tonight?” Peter asks leaning against the counter.

You took a deep breath and shared a look with Bucky, “Well I started getting rid of shit in my apartment today, spent all day doing that actually, but then I realized that I had this dumb ass bookshelf just sitting in my living room that just had to go but it’s like impossible to move so I may have had several freak outs over it.”

“Reinforcements were called but that sucker just won’t move without having to take it apart,” Bucky confirms nursing a beer.

“What’s so wrong with this bookshelf?” Mantis asks.

“Her ex bought it as a birthday gift,” Bucky answers.

“It was a nice gift at the time really, but now it’s just this big gross chunk of unmovable furniture and I hate it. Looking at it just makes me sick I want it gone,” you spat at no one in particular taking a swig of beer to chill out.

“Well I mean we can probably go and help you get rid of this thing,” Mantis offers and your heart pangs from her compassion, “Five people is bound to be more help than just two.”

“We were just going to grab some tools from Bucky and Nat’s place because I don’t really have any anymore and get rid of it in the morning,” you shrug not really wanting to burden other people with this issue.

“Nonsense Drax has enough muscle to scare that shelf right out of your apartment,” Peter says.

“But your bar-”

“I would be leaving with my only two customers,” Peter cuts you off and moves to shut off his music, “It’s fine this place was dead tonight anyways.”

Mantis jumps off the bar and grabs a jacket she had laying on a table, “Grab some beers Peter were still going to need those.”

“Looks like we’re leaving,” You say to Bucky who looks far too amused to object to the situation.

“Looks like it,” He grins.

Peter grabs the beers as requested and they all move to leave the bar until Drax speaks up.

“Wait. Hold on,” Drax says and then disappears through the door behind the bar. The four of you exchange questioning looks but wait in silence for Drax to return. He does moments later. With two sledgehammers in hand.

“Uh… whoa there, what are you doing Drax?” Mantis questions.

“If we are going to remove this cursed shelves then we must do it properly,” He explains gesturing to the sledgehammers he’s holding.

“You can’t be serious…” You say stunned.

“Unfortunately he’s always serious,” Peter says and you look over to him wide eyed. He gives you a wink, “You get used to it.”

“(Y/N) I don’t want to alarm you but you might be making friends with some criminals,” Bucky comments jokingly.

“You know what,” you say shaking off the situation, “Life is already weird enough this might as well happen.”

So you all leave the bar after Peter locks up and head back to your apartment. You were a little shocked that you guys weren’t stopped along the way because of how sketchy your little group looked. Either way you all made it and you let everyone into your building, including the hammer wielding Drax.

“Alright fair warning I might have been cleaning all day but this place is a mess,” You warn unlocking your door walking in ahead of everyone to get the lights. They all follow you in and you hear Mantis gasp.

“Holy shit that dumb ass had some taste,” She immediately went over to the bookshelf to get a better look at the intricate carving along the side, “Are you sure you don’t want to sell it? Because I will totally buy this off of you right now.”

“No,” Drax answered for you, “It must be destroyed.”

Mantis pouts looking at the defenseless bookshelf before moving away from it.

“Alright let’s move some of this stuff so it doesn’t get ruined,” Peter says setting the two six packs he brought on you coffee table and rolls up his sleeves. You all take a moment to clear out your living room, moving most of the stuff into the adjoining dining room and kitchen just so you all have enough space.

“I feel like we’re prepping to murder somebody,” Mantis comments, “Should we lay down some tarps or something?”

“Nah I’ll just vacuum later were just killing an inanimate object so there’s no blood.”

She laughs, “You have a point.”

The two of you back away as the three boys move the bookshelf a little more away from the wall so there’s no accidental property damage. You and Mantis grab one of the six packs and crack yourselves open a beer each.

“You think your landlord is going to make new rules about not letting strange people with sledgehammers into the building?” She laughs.

“Honestly this kind of feels like his fault for not having that rule to begin with,” you say with a shrug.

“Alright this will do,” Drax declares then picks up one of the sledgehammers he had left leaning against you living room wall and makes a gesture for you to take it, “You should have the honor of the first swing ma’am.”

“Oh…” you gulp taking a drink of your beer before handing it off to Mantis. You walk over to Drax and the bookshelf ignoring Bucky and Peter dramatically taking cover as you take the sledgehammer. It’s very heavy and you’re shocked you didn’t immediately drop it. “Alright let’s do this.”

Drax steps away to give you some room and you step a little closer to the bookshelf.

Is this really happening right now? You’re seriously about to destroy this bookshelf with a sledgehammer? This feels insane. But also, you feel all the things you were feeling earlier. All the heartbreak that your ex had put you through. You loved him. Loved him. You thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with him. Then he just goes and dumps you for some job opportunity without even talking about it. It was clear that you meant nothing to him but during your relationship he was everything to you.

That anger wells up inside of you and you grip the hammer tight in your hands taking a deep breath before taking a swing sending the head of the hammer straight through the middle shelf breaking it with a satisfying crack.

You let out a shaky laugh setting the sledgehammer down carefully in front of you while Mantis cheers, “That felt really good.”

Drax claps a hand on your shoulder like a proud parent, “Let’s finish the job.”

You spend the rest of the night taking turns at breaking the bookshelf all while drinking, laughing and getting to know each other a little better. By the time the bookshelf is reduced to nothing but slabs of wood and splinters on your living room floor you definitely feel like a weight has been lifted off of you. Things feel better.

chapter five

[dcarevu]

Batman TAS: Mad as a Hatter

“Why don’t you go do something useful like… Oh, go jump in the river.”

Episode: 27 Robin: No Writer: Paul Dini Director: Frank Paur Animator: Akom Airdate: October 12, 1992 Grade: B

I was in high school when Tim Burton’s version of Alice in Wonderland showed up in theaters, and like almost everyone I knew, I could not have been more excited. I really loved the Disney version, and considering that the man involved with Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, and more would be giving us his take on it right as I was starting to move toward my emo-scene phase, it was a dream come true. Even now, on paper, this seems like the perfect recipe, doesn’t it? But I think most of us can agree that it just didn’t meet expectations. The first time I watched it, I wouldn’t admit to myself that I wasn’t a fan. It was dark, and strange, and Tim Burton + Alice in Wonderland. Everything I wanted! As a developing emo kid, I was supposed to like it! The reason I bring this up is because Batman the Animated Series being fused with Alice in Wonderland seems like another fantasy-combination that would have no way to turn out subpar. Mad as a Hatter is an episode that, for the most part, actually gets a lot of praise. Alas (or, for the sake of the pun, Alice), maybe the idea seemed a little bit too easy, making it easier to over-shoot, missing the mark. This is another episode featuring a crazy set-piece at the end, but it is also another episode that was handed to Akom. Christ, why. Of all the episodes. All the episodes. Why is it some of the ones with the highest reliance on visuals? This episode involved not just complicated, creative visuals, but incredibly weird ones as well that needed to be animated just right to not look like subjects from one’s fever dreams. You wanna know how that turned out? Well, I heard an, “Oh my god!” from Char as the walrus and the carpenter made their appearances. While that did make me laugh quite hard, and Akom definitely got the weirdness down, it should have looked like intentional weirdness. Beyond the animation, the story is actually decent. It is Paul Dini, so what can you really expect. But even here, I would not call it A-level material. Some strange dialogue/delivery choices, and other leaps of logic/strains on the suspension of disbelief take away from it and leave me feeling extremely neutral.

Okay, so after that paragraph above was written, I went and took the screenshots from my DVD. I was surprised. The DVD looks so much better than the Blu Ray here. This was the case with The Clock King too, and I fear it is starting to seem like a pattern. I think it all comes down to the Blu Ray release looking too clean, and way too bright at times. Because of course, the DVD is in lower definition. Shadows are lightened so that we can see all of the imperfections of Akom’s drawings. Smudges and dirt are removed, giving the people a plastic look at times. It’s not the way the show was meant to be watched (as I said, probably VHS would be my preferred way of viewing if that were feasible). This puts me in an interesting spot, because I paid near $100 for the set, and also, some episodes look absolutely phenomenal. But is it worth it when some look like absolute crap? The great-looking shows look godly. The mediocre-looking ones look horrible. I was ready to tear into how Mad as a Hatter looked and rip it a new one, but now I do not think that would be fair. No, the animation here isn’t perfect. But it’s passable. And I think that’s worth something given the frequency at which I complain about Akom. At this point, I have watched up to Robin’s Reckoning. From here, I honestly might start using the ol’ dvd’s again. It’s unfortunate, but if I go back to specific episodes that I love later on, then I’ll use the Blu Ray. Remember, I am watching these with Char who has never seen the DCAU before. I want the series to make the best possible impression, and even with the best plot ever, a bad-looking episode can make a disappointing episode. Merely getting the episodes at a higher definition, but leaving them dirty and dark would have been my preferred solution. Anyway, back to talking about the episode itself (and yes, this does slightly affect how I see the episode. At first I was giving it a C. But I think I’ll have to bump it up to B territory).

We start with episode with some cute-ass mice, only to then be introduced to a face that a mother would have a hard time loving. Jervis Tetch, aka The Mad Hatter, is a character-design, alright. I think I know what they were going for, though. He has this kooky look that makes him stand out from every other character. He certainly looks like he could play someone from Wonderland. But the problem I think comes from Akom (ironic given that last paragraph, huh?). This design could probably work, but he has such an odd model, so I think they had a tough time animating him. Or maybe he simply does not translate to movement very well in general, and there was a problem the moment his model sheet was created. Regardless, he can be pretty tough to look at sometimes. Other times, though, he does have that level of whacky which I would hope would be in an episode based on Alice in Wonderland. But we see that Jervis is working on some mind-control technology while also being smitten for a girl that works in his office named Alice. Unfortunately, Alice has a boyfriend, and like many sociopaths in real life, Jervis is not okay with this, taking matters into his own hands. First of all, her name being Alice is kinda stupid, and Char agrees. It takes parallels a little bit too far, and Char noted that it would have been more subtle if her name were something like Alycia. Alice is one of the only people that Jervis feels is nice to him, so if we follow the most sound of incel-logic, she owes him her heart, mind, and body. Not only is she nice to him, but, again, her name is Alice. And it would not surprise me if this were a main factor of why Jervis is into her. He has an Alice in Wonderland poster in his office, he takes her to a theme park of sorts that has a section which is themed after the book, he owns a Mad Hatter costume (or perhaps he obtained this from the park), he quotes the book regularly, etc. He is clearly obsessed. When we reach the point where he mentions that it is one of his favorite stories, it’s like, “Wow! No kidding!” He is not quite wired into reality, likely developing this obsession at an early age to escape from life’s burdens. But Wonderland has burdens of its own.

Jervis ends up using these mind-control cards that he created (another Alice in Wonderland-related thing) to make people basically do his bidding. He first uses them on two thugs attempting to rob him and Alice, forcing them to climb up on top of a bridge and jump into the river. Batman catches notice of this through a police broadcast, and to my surprise, the show mentions a possible suicide in progress. How often do you hear a family cartoon like this use the word “suicide”? I think this is the only time I have ever heard it, despite references occasionally popping up in shows like Spongebob. He then uses more cards on his coworkers, Alice’s fiancé, and Alice herself, creating an army of Alice in Wonderland-themed warriors to defend him from Batman when Batman finds out what’s going on and sets after him. He wants Alice all to himself, and is willing to do whatever possible to obtain her. The final battle takes place in the theme park, the big set-piece of the episode. It’s got some great looking background paintings that 100% capture the tone of the book. It is a shame that the animation done by Akom couldn’t hold up to Radomski’s work. We have moments such as Batman balancing on top of the walls of a playing card maze that I wish stressed me out a little bit more. But because of how stilted the movement is, Batman never really seems like he is having a tough time keeping balance, even though we clearly see him struggling. The fight scenes could also be much better, with more impact felt. The odd costumes that most everyone is wearing makes for some really distorted-looking characters, and it’s clear that not a lot of time was spent making them look quite right. At the same time, though, between the subject material, the gimmicks, the overall surreal nature, and the background art, it is still a lot of fun to watch, even if it is in a more campy way. It is not an episode to be taken extremely seriously. This can be a problem with Batman. The tone can fluctuate greatly from episode to episode. At the beginning, it did not matter as much. Right away we had varying quality and seriousness. I mean, we went from On Leather Wings to Christmas With the Joker. But now we are getting gothic masterpieces like Two-Face, so episodes like Mad as a Hatter feel jarring as hell. It is an episode I enjoyed more on second watch as I gathered screenshots. I loosened up and let myself have fun with it.

The Mad Hatter fails to be a sympathetic villain like I feel they might have been going for, but I do enjoy him being so delusional and sociopathic. When Alice mentions her boyfriend, he gets this scary scowl, and you know at that moment that this is no character you want to root for. When Alice’s boyfriend temporarily breaks up with her, rather than attempting to comfort her and being upset over her sorrow, he jumps for joy because he has a chance to finally swoop in (the epitome of an Internet “nice guy”). When she gets back together with her boyfriend, turned fiancé, he squeezes a bouquet of roses in frustration so hard that he bleeds. I think they were able to get away with this portion because maybe the blood could have passed off as liquid from the flowers? Which doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but for the sake of the blood being included, um, sure. It was definitely rose-goo, guys. Not blood at all… And he also blames Batman for why things ended up the way they did, even though Batman had virtually nothing to do with anything until the very end. He decided to mind-control everyone because he was being a spoiled little piss-baby who could not let the girl he supposedly loves be happy. Char did not care for the character, and jokingly mentioned that he was appropriating the Mad Hatter, doing things that he would never do. Like some batshit crazy super-fan who feels sooo connected with a character, but actually doesn’t understand them at all.

Not a perfect episode, but a grower.

See? Cute-ass mice!

Wow, I didn’t realize that we were watching Attack on Titan. (Joke inspired by Char).

The poster on the wall matches the title card/an actual illustration from the book. It’s actually a pretty dope poster.

A variety of shots showing Jervis’ face. See how inconsistent it is? It is a little similar to the Pokémon Drilbur, where it only works 2D. Adding an element of 3D illusion (such as movement) causes it to fall apart.

Oh, sure, go and rob them right after you see Batman drive by. That’s always smart.

“Please, Mr. Hat. Go easy on us.” The delivery here was wicked funny. It was so monotone, and sounded like he was faking.

I quite like this facial expression. His smile reminds me of the Cheshire Cat.

Batman + Taco Bell

I love the panic in Batman’s voice as he tries to stop them from jumping off of the bridge. It shows how concerned he is with keeping them safe.

They were able to animate this shimmer pretty damn well. Then again, how hard could it be?

A very subtle recreation of the illustration/title card.

I don’t think the background here quite comes together, the composition is off. Still neat to look at.

A close-up of the illustration.

Now this is an ugly facial expression. Gross! And it’s not like this was a quick frame. It was there long enough to notice.

This shot has a lovely glow to it. It looks quite nice. 

One of the only times they were able to get away with blood. Um. Oops. I meant flower-goo! It’s flower-goo, guys! The blood drips right onto Billy’s face. As if a hit were put on him. Awesome detail.

“Oh, do be quiet!”

Bruce whispers “Congratulations.” in such a goobery way. I love it. 

The shadow of the plants shifted in some wonky-looking ways. Also, when the Mad Hatter and Batman both arrive on the scene, she says, “This is getting too weird.” But she says it so nonchalantly. Not the best delivery.

Very sloppy-looking drawings of their faces. These costumes, though. 

Cool impact here. He just decimates that wood. I’m not sure if Storybook Land has the safest costumes. 

This is some enjoyable stuff right here. I had a lot of fun with this portion.

“Off with his head!” I should have counted how many times this line was said.

Perfect example if how cool the painted visuals are paired with some mediocre animation. Hell, I’m pretty sure Batman’s run was recycled for two of these stills.

Gee, I wonder which cards are going to move. Great Mad Hatter, pose, though. This is what I wish he looked like all the time!

The looming Jabberwock ends up falling on him, ending the adventure through Wonderland. 

There’s no reversing the damage, Jervis. You’ll never talk with her again. Was it worth it? Also, his hair totally changed color at one point. Um... Maybe he dyed it?

Char’s grade: D Next time: Dreams in Darkness

Full episode list here!

[dweemeister]

Toy Story 4 (2019)

2019 marks the completion of the John Lasseter era at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios with Toy Story 4 (credited as story writer; uncredited as producer) and Frozen 2 (as producer). Lasseter’s disgraceful end as the creative head at both studios was marked by scandal, in which the Walt Disney Company cut ties as quietly as possible. At one point untouchable because of Pixar’s creative output – not a single dud from Toy Story (1995) to Toy Story 3 (2010) – Lasseter’s recent years had reeked of complacency, dependence on sequels, and having played a part in erasing the final vestiges of hand-drawn animation at the famed Walt Disney Animation Studios. Pixar’s impeccable record is no more; the groundbreaking studio is fallible after all. With Lasseter now at Skydance Animation (to the dismay of many), his final involvement with a Pixar film continues the legacy of arguably the most consistent animated film series ever.

Directed by Josh Cooley and with a screenplay by Stephany Folsom (her cinematic debut) and Andrew Stanton (1998′s A Bug’s Life, 2008′s WALL-E), Toy Story 4 had languished in development hell for years. An army of writers have doctored the story since 2014, so it is difficult to understand who contributed what. For those who were children when Toy Story and Toy Story 2 (1999) were released to theaters, Toy Story 3 appeared to be the fitting farewell to Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and their friends. Pixar, which has claimed that it does not pursue sequels unless there is artistic and narrative sense to that sequel – they have some explaining to do about the Cars sequels – has charged forward with this newest entry in the Toy Story mythos.

Now with Bonnie, the cast of toys must contend with the fact she is about to attend Kindergarten. Worried that Bonnie will have a difficult day of Kindergarten orientation and the fact that – though he would never openly admit it – Bonnie has not given him much attention recently, Woody hops into Bonnie’s backpack and has a hand in the creation of Forky. Forky, believing himself to be trash, makes numerous attempts to toss himself into the wastebasket, much to Woody’s dismay. As Bonnie’s family embarks on a vacation, Woody and the gang must prevent Forky (whose scenes are frequent and comedically overcooked) from disposing himself. While at a mountainous town, numerous situations will introduce the likes of other toys including Gabby Gabby (a ‘60s-era doll who longs to be loved by a child); the miniscule Giggle McDimples; prize toys Ducky and Bunny; motorcycling daredevil Duke Caboom; and Woody’s old flame, Bo Peep.

Without detailing the film’s conclusion and, as someone who rewatched my VHS of Toy Story and DVD of Toy Story 2 ad nauseam as a child, Toy Story 4 does not feel as strong a conclusion as its immediate predecessor. Yet Toy Story 4 deepens the series’ existential themes and characterization of Woody – its moral center after extinguishing his homicidal feelings towards Buzz in the original – at the unfortunate expense of almost the entirety of the cast of toys. Nevertheless, Woody’s character growth has been tremendous to behold. His steadfast loyalty – so often a source of adoration from moviegoers – is called into question here. His unwritten sheriff’s code to be of service, embodied by Jimmy Stewarts or Gary Coopers in decades’ past, clashes with the “lost toys” without children to call their own. The misadventures and toy-sized heists characteristic of Toy Story are derailed by unfortunate timing and increasing stakes. No wonder the frustration towards Woody – among the characters and the audience – is so palpable.

The fragmentation of the plot and physical separation of its characters creates a handful of storylines that, with the film’s sharp editing, are comprehensible. Toy Story 4, when analyzed through its editing (and even when excluding flashbacks and fantasies) and writing structure, is the least linear of the Toy Story films. Characters are not so much reacting to a singular event as they are personifying or espousing the film’s themes. One’s ability to tolerate this structure will be tested, but screenwriters Folsom and Stanton are content to not devolve into lengthy expositions or soliloquies that too explicitly outline their intended subtext. Gabby Gabby’s apparent and ultimate fates will elicit instant, strong reactions that might just be universal. Woody’s final decisions in the film’s closing minutes will be viewed through the prism of life experience. Many of the questions Toy Story 4 presents once Forky has been introduced have been central to the series, with variations with each passing installment. What does it mean to realize one’s obsolescence? How does one come to terms – if at all – with that realization? When does a lifelong dream transform into obsession? Folsom and Stanton are not interested in whether there is a “correct” way for a toy to exist – note that every toy in this film defines their existence in bringing joy to a child, even those toys have been lucky enough to do so.

After years of late Lasseter-era twist villains and films with so little nuance in trumpeting their vaguely liberal inclusive messages, this is a refreshing change of pace. Whatever answers viewers find will not arrive easily and will change with time. The most worthwhile art tends to be as such.

Toy Story 4′s characters are stand-ins for human relationships with a coat of comedic paint to make the most difficult moments bearable for everyone. To ask so bluntly the nature of meaningful existence might be dismissed in a live-action film as maudlin, manipulative (film is always manipulative; the effectiveness and appropriateness of such manipulation is not beyond criticism). Inside Out (2015) and Coco (2017) are the best recent examples of this from Pixar’s filmography of how animation lowers these barriers to posing such ideas. The studio’s success is not because they created imaginative worlds filled with talking toys, rodents that can cook, or a post-apocalyptic humanity too dependent on technology. Nor is it the storytelling the studio justly prides itself upon. It is because of the raw ideas found within their films, when the excesses of plots are discarded.

The production design by Bob Pauley (1993′s The Nightmare Before Christmas, all three previous Toy Story films) – in addition to the ever-increasing photorealism of Pixar’s backgrounds and character animation – is superb. Pauley juxtaposes the dusty, earthy antiques store that the film spends much of its runtime with the neon-lit carnival beaming its lights into the night sky. More than the previous Toy Story films, this edition allows the use of colors to help guide the dominant moods in respective scenes. The darker, subdued antiques store scenes lend a feeling that something or some secret lurks around the next cobwebbed corner – evoking claustrophobic spaces, ideological and personal entrapment (the placement of “Midnight, the Stars and You”, which is most famous for its use in 1980′s The Shining, plays a key contribution). The carnival/fair has occasionally been a source of macabre elements or thematic irony in Western cinema; it is a tradition that at least goes as far back to 1920′s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (more recently, and though not a film, the third season of Stranger Things contributes to that tradition). The summer carnival of Toy Story 4 is more liberating than most, leaning into whatever escapist nostalgia the audience holds – of which Toy Story could be a part of. The fourth installment of this series is the most atmospheric; one wishes that the filmmakers could have slowed down a tad to allow a fuller appreciation of the various settings.

Pickier than most film score composers, Randy Newman (1984′s The Natural, 2009′s The Princess and the Frog) nevertheless has become a staple with Pixar and has created, single-handedly, Toy Story’s musical identity. Recorded, in typical Randy Newman, with an enormous orchestra of Los Angeles-area musicians at the 20th Century Fox studio named to honor his uncles (Emil, Lionel, and especially Alfred were gifted composers contracted to Fox), Newman’s ability to integrate musical ideas he has not revisited for twenty or more years with newer motifs is most apparent in the film’s busiest scene. The cue that plays there is “Operation Pull Toy”, which utilizes character- and plot-driven motifs drawn and rearranged beautifully for this newest film. But standing above the rest is “Parting Gifts & New Horizons”, which plays during a fateful moment and a series of fond farewells. The Americana that Randy Newman incorporated through the series and was especially acclaimed for before working on the original Toy Story appears, without restraints, brass instruments backing, and high strings leading. Though not as distinguished as previous Toy Story scores, Newman knows when to pull the emotional strings with his sweeping melodies.

To digress slightly: in isolated parts of Newman’s score (the brief theme beginning at 4:04 of “Parting Gifts & New Horizons” included), I yearn for Newman scoring for an American Western film.

In the recording studio, Tom Hanks (as Woody) and Tim Allen (as Buzz Lightyear) admitted that neither could record their lines without being overwhelmed by emotion. Hanks claimed that he could not even face the crew as he neared his final moments of dialogue. Another member of the cast, Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), passed away in April 2017 – well before any voice actors began work on the film. Rickles’ family urged Pixar to see if a performance could be pieced together through archival recordings. Poring over almost a quarter-century of voice work from outtakes and recordings for promotional materials, Disney parks, and video games, a brief, but serviceable performance was spliced together by Pixar. Rickles is credited as Mr. Potato Head in the film and he, along with animator Adam Burke, is one of the film’s two dedicatees.

As a disappointing decade in mainstream American animation closes with sequels and the ignominious departure of a figure central to the industry, Pixar’s artistic future is uncertain. Pixar’s new chief creative officer is Pete Docter (2001′s Monsters, Inc. and Inside Out). Docter, who has been with Pixar since 1990, is not likely to fundamentally transform the studio’s mission – as outlined by Lasseter – or artistic direction. He is noted, however, for imbuing his films with his deep sense of morality. Combined with the fact that Pixar intends to move away from sequels in the immediate future, will the studio regain its form after an inconsistent decade? Toy Story 4 is, by way of its structure and overuse of Forky, the weakest in Pixar’s most venerable series. That standard, however, is comparing greatness with excellence.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here.

[chloe-gayzer]

27 for strongson? :3

sorry it took so long!!!

[Read it on AO3]

27.) A taunt, with one eyebrow raised and a grin bubbling at your lips.

Joey Hudson never expected to be in this situation.

But then, she’s just surprised she’s lived this long.

She’s in the middle of Hope County, no way to not be in Hope County, with words carved into her that haven’t even healed all the way and somehow… not everything is horrible.

Or at the very least, things could be much worse.

She’s got support: Grace Armstrong. One hell of a woman and a strong friend.

Well, Hudson would have to admit they’re a bit… more than friends, this far in.

So, yeah, things could be much worse. She has a… a more-than-friend. They haven’t mentioned labels. And her partner is, amazingly, still alive after all this. Adora is the one who’d introduced her to Grace after pulling her from that damn hole she’d been kept in.

And Grace… god, Grace is a godsend.

She’s been through a lot but she doesn’t let it affect how she treats people. She’s… fucking adorable, with how respectful she is.

When they’d first met, Grace had been a sweet sort of distant, even with her flirting. But that had been what Hudson needed. She’d needed that distance that she could cross in her own time.

Now… there’s not a distance. Not one that isn’t very easily crossed.

They aren’t terribly open with their affection in public. Not in Hope County. But when they’re alone, Hudson lets her guard down. And miracle of miracles, it’s not absolutely terrifying. And Grace, Grace holds her when she needs it. They share a bed some nights and those nights are easiest for Hudson. Those nights, John rarely haunts her dreams. And if he does, Grace gets her mind off of it, croons her name in a low voice, plays with her hair, whatever she needs to do.

So maybe they haven’t put labels on it, but… maybe at this point, it’s obvious. Maybe they don’t have to actually say out loud what they are, but it’s certainly more than friends. Lovers or girlfriends or whatever.

Hudson doesn’t care.

She has Grace. And Grace has her.

Adora-- or Daisy, as Hudson calls her sometimes, her middle name-- doesn’t make fun of her, not exactly. But she’s oh so smug when she sees them together as if she doesn’t go doe-eyed every time she looks at one miss Jessica Black. And Adora is much more of a romantic than Hudson could ever be.

No, but Adora signs cheesy crap at her when Grace isn’t looking, and sometimes when she is.

Grace takes it in a good-natured manner. Hell, sometimes she’ll respond by pulling Hudson close and practically showing off their closeness. Those times are rare, only ever happening when a select few are in the room. But Hudson covets that feeling.

There’s something about Grace murmuring her name under her breath, a soft “Joey”, before nuzzling against her neck, or kissing her, or literally any sort of quiet affection that Hudson realizes she’s been starved of. It’s exhilarating. It fills her with this overwhelming warmth that she only sort of understands. It’s been years since she’s felt it this strong.

She knows what it is, but it’s not really something she wants to think about. But it’s almost unavoidable, what with Grace in bed beside her.

They’re in a bunker out in the woods. It’s an abandoned prepper hole Adora has claimed, but she’s shared its location with them, as well as Jess of course. She jokes about it being a “lesbian stronghold”.

The first time she'd been brought here, she almost couldn't go in. A bunker is where he had kept her. A much larger one, but still.

It had taken time. She'd sat outside, Adora on one side, Grace on the other. Jess, restless, had patrolled to ensure no one snuck up on them. Eventually, with the support of both her partner and her partner, she'd descended into the so-called “lesbian stronghold”.

In all honesty, it was so utterly different from John's bunker, her fears of being there vanished. Adora had so clearly put time and effort into making this one “homey”. There's an old television and a pile of VHS tapes and dvds right beside it. She, somehow, has procured a lesbian pride flag, which is stretched across one wall. Whichever prepper abandoned this place-- or died before they could use it-- had left it stocked with many years worth of food.

It's the perfect hideout for people on the run from Eden's Gate. Because Joseph, he wants Hudson back and he wants to make Adora submit. It's probable he wouldn't mind getting his hands on Grace or Jess either. He can't do that if he can't find them.

Hudson feels the body beside her move; Grace's arm over her waist gets a bit heavier, pulls her the slightest bit closer, and she takes a deep breath. Only a moment later, Grace presses a kiss to her cheek.

“Mornin, Joey,” she murmurs in her sleep rough voice.

And fuck if Hudson isn't some sort of weak at just that.

“Hey… Took you long enough.”

Grace hums. “Gotta get enough sleep. Even if it means sleeping in sometimes.”

Hudson rolls towards her, bringing them face to face. Grace keeps her arm hooked on her.

“Might help if you didn't keep me up,” comes the soft joke.

Hudson smirks. “As if you don't enjoy that. Besides, we should take advantage of our privacy while we have it. We don't get any in Fall's End, and it's only when Adora and Jess aren't here that we have it here.”

Grace seems to agree to that with a dip of her head. She's brought her hand up to play with Hudson's hair. Hudson is a sucker for that sort of attention, but eventually, she pulls away. She stands.

“I'm starving.” She stretches, arms over her head, before picking up her clothes off the floor. Before she can put any on, she feels hands on her back. Grace's hands, strong hands that have ended lives but jumpstarted Hudson's…

Grace strokes over every bit of unmarred flesh before focusing on the freshly healed scars. Some still have time before they're counted among that number, but her firm touch does nothing to aggravate any injuries.

Hudson still isn't used to all the attention. She's used to being the one that doles out attention, not the one who receives it. Hell, her last girlfriend probably couldn't even spell “reciprocate” let alone define it.

But fuck, Grace does so much more than that.

And Hudson, she's usually the butch in her relationships. She sure as hell isn't a femme. But Grace out-butches her by far, if only in her stoic attitude, in her calm confidence, or the way she treats women.

But you know what they say. Chivalry isn't dead, she's a butch.

Hudson reciprocates whenever she can. The calm moments between them where they can just fucking exist, where they don't have to think about their situation, are rare and Hudson needs them. Needs that reassurance that not everything is horrible.

Grace's hands end up on her hips and Hudson can feel her breath hot on the back of her neck. She's not a bottom but the way Grace can make her knees weak seems to dispute that.

Rather than start anything, Grace just presses a kiss to the back of her neck before stepping away to pull on a shirt. “What do you want for breakfast?” she asks.

Hudson shrugs as she tugs her pants back on. “Don't care. I think there's still venison in the fridge.”

“One order of venison bacon coming up.”

Grace, Hudson has learned, is a damn good cook. Which is great, because Hudson's specialties aren't exactly applicable when their main diet is fish or deer. Turkey, if they're lucky.

Hudson pulls down the little table that folds up into the wall and works on some warm drinks. She doesn't do caffeine, but she makes Grace a mug of crappy instant coffee, which is better than nothing. She has to make do with some equally crappy black tea which, again, is better than nothing, but she'd kill for a cup of hibiscus white tea with honey.

They chat as they work. Both have plenty of stories the other hasn't heard yet.

Grace had served for a while under DADT. She’s in the middle of a story she’s got about it when the bunker hatch opens.

Both Grace and Hudson have a gun in their hands in seconds, attention on the doorway. But then Adora drops in, followed by Jess. Both look exhausted.

Jess gives a short “hey” and Adora signs a greeting. Besides that, they’re silent. Adora collapses onto her and Jess’s bed on the opposite side of the room from Hudson and Grace’s. Jess heads for the room in the back that has the shower.

Hudson hums, looking back at Adora. There’s a new cut on her partner’s cheek with a fresh bruise turning the edges purple. She’d be worried, but she knows Jess has probably already helped Adora out there.

Adora looks up and meets her eyes.

“Need anything?” Hudson signs.

She just shakes her head and closes her eyes. “Tired. Gonna sleep,” she signs back.

Grace sets a plate of food in front of Hudson and sits across from her. Their previous conversation derailed, they eat in the quiet.

“We should head out soon,” Grace says. “Let them sleep in peace.”

“Back to Fall’s End?”

“Yeah. I gotta check in with Mary May. She said she had something she wanted me to do.”

“You’ve got my help if you want it.”

Grace gives her a soft look. “It’ll be fine.”

Hudson frowns, but she doesn’t argue. She knows Grace doesn’t like her near the fighting. She’d be angry but… she’s afraid of what her actual anger might do. Her anger at the cult, at the Seeds, and at the world as a whole. She’d nearly stabbed Adora when Adora had come for her in the bunker. Who knows what would happen if she lost control again?

Grace seems to realize her thoughts are in a bad place. She taps a finger on the table, capturing her attention. “I’m gonna visit the Ryes too if you wanna go. Adora keeps talking about their little girl. I think it’s time I met her myself.”

Babies. Hudson has never been great with them. Especially newborns. A couple of her high school friends have spawned already and it’d been so strange meeting their babies. But there are far worse things to do. Especially when it’s something to keep her busy and something to do with Grace.

“Sure. Adora is gaga for that kid. Did she mention the Ryes made her godmother?”

Grace grins. “Only a million times. Last time she and I headed out, she bartered with this lady for some toys for what seemed like a half an hour. Stuffed animals and crap. Some baby blankets.”

“That certainly sounds like her.”

“And I had to translate, mind you. She didn’t have her hearing aids in and there’s only a handful of people in the valley that know sign.”

Hudson chuckles. “That had to be fun.”

“Was what it was. I’ll have to ask the Ryes if they enjoyed what she brought them.”

Once they’re finished, Hudson takes their plates over to the sink. She hears the door to the bathroom open and glances back to see Jess emerge. She’s in a different hoodie and the dirt and blood she’d worn before is gone. She looks as tired as hell.

“Hey, Jess,” Grace greets. “Want any food?”

“No thanks,” comes a grunt in response. She’s already climbing into bed beside Adora.

“What work has you two so tired?”

“Spent the night clearing the radar station. Started headin’ back this way, but sidetracked to take out those trucks with the guns John sent out before he kicked it. Fuckers were drivin’ around the mountains.”

“Good work. We’re gonna head out soon. We’ll see you when we see you?”

Jess just makes a sound of agreement as she curls up beside Adora. It doesn’t take long before she’s asleep as well.

Hudson and Grace are quiet as they gather up their few things and leave the bunker.

Outside, the sun is nearing its peak in the sky. There’s plenty of time to get back to Fall’s End before nightfall.

“So,” Hudson starts. “That story you were telling?”

“Huh?”

“That story-- before Daisy and her girl came back. You know. Your commanding officer and that DADT bullshit?”

That jogs Grace’s memory. “Ah! Right. Where’d I leave off?”

“Him seeing you kiss that woman.”

“Well, because I didn’t want to be kicked out so early in my career, I lied. Told him it was normal for girls to kiss their friends like that-- and I, well, I had a guy friend as a “fiance”. He was really just my roommate.” She grins and shakes her head. “He and I-- my roommate and I, that is, convinced my commanding officer that it really was completely normal to do that. And not just that, but to cuddle and things like that. And my roommate went as far to give this damn monologue about how hot he found it when I kissed women. I should add that this man was a dyed in the wool homosexual. Absolutely despised the thought of sleeping with a woman. But he was convincing enough that my commanding officer just thought he let me kiss girls for a kink.” She chuckles but rolls her eyes. “So, when DADT got repealed a few years back-- or overturned or however you’d say it-- I broke off my fake engagement and started being more open about going out with women.”

Hudson is following behind as she listens. And maybe getting a bit distracted just looking at Grace, but she’s still listening.

“That officer apparently had fallen hard for my lie, because he was absolutely flabbergasted when he ran into me with the girl I was dating at the time. Blathered on for a bit, trying to make sense of it, before freezing and going “That explains everything!” “ Grace holds back a branch so Hudson can pass by. “Apparently this poor man had tried to convince his wife it was completely normal for her to make out with a friend. And she, turns out, was also a lesbian trying to play at being a straight woman and fake it til she made it sort of thing. Maybe she didn’t even know she was. But she had started kissing women when he had passed on what I had told him.”

Grace pauses, both in her story and in walking. Hudson turns to face her, curious.

“So seeing me with a woman had apparently made everything that happened to him before that click. See, she’d divorced him and went off to live with a “friend” only that friend was her new partner. Lovely woman I introduced her to.” She snorts, shaking her head. “So I had inadvertently helped his, now ex, wife realize she wasn’t interested in men, caused him to get a divorce, and kept myself from getting discharged from this lie.”

They start walking again.

“It all came together for him right in front of me. That he’d passed on lesbian information to his wife and that her new “friend” was definitely more than that. Yeah, he didn’t like me much from then on.”

Hudson chuckles. “Did he retaliate at all?”

“Nope. He couldn’t, with where I was at when he found out. And with DADT done away with, I could be with whatever gender I wanted-- And I wanted girls.”

“Oh? Girls plural, huh?”

“I mean I've dabbled in that too.”

“Have you now? One woman isn't enough for you?”

They're joking, they're laughing, and looking at Grace, Hudson can almost forget they're being hunted by peggies.

“I mean, if she's the right woman.”

“Oh, I'm flattered.” Hudson nudges Grace's arm a bit. She can't stop the grin on her face.

Grace grins back. “Who said I was talking about you? What exactly makes you the right woman?”

Hudson might be hurt if it weren't for how fucking head over heels she is for this sniper she's found. So she uses that. “What makes me the right woman? I love you.” She says it like it's an insult but she does say it. She's grinning and she feels good and absolutely no one can take away how she feels about Grace. “You're not gonna get that from just any woman.”

Grace stops again. She looks startled, the levity that had been on her face moments before now replace by shock.

Hudson fears, for a moment, it might've been too much.

But then Grace breaks out into the biggest smile Hudson has seen her have yet. “You mean that?”

Hudson purses her lips. “Of course I mean it.” She grins again. “I said it, didn't I?”

“I love you too, Joey.” Her words are quick and followed by a brief but breathtaking kiss.

“Good to know.” Hudson takes a deep breath. At least something has gone right for her in the last few months. Grace is the bit of good that balances out the whole rest of the shit show she's faced.

They stand there, in the middle of the woods, and just stare at each other for a few long seconds.

And then Grace clears her throat. “We, uh… we should keep moving.”

“Lead the way.” Hudson will follow wherever Grace leads.