#he deserves some fun and whimsy

[wuucchoo]

i love this veil eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[cyberneticnightmares]

had someone told me 9-ish years ago that i'd be plotting making not one but two fnaf cosplays in the year of our lord 2024, i would have busted their kneecaps.

and yet here i am.

[foone]

whats your favourite narnia book if you have one

Since I grew up as an autistic christian, I have many Narnia Opinions!

So, my favorite book for it's own reasons is probably The Magician's Nephew. I'm always a slut for worldbuilding and backstory and that novel is basically just only that. Some guy we know from another book goes on an adventure and in the process gets to be involved with the creation of one world and the destruction of another? kick-ass.

Best book to adapt? The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. 1988 BBC version, 1979 Cartoon version, 2005 theatrical? All good, in their own ways. The BBC version is just perfectly 80s and the costumes are amazing (because they are costumes! they did all the monsters by sticking a guy in a big costume and I love it), the cartoon version captures the fucking whimsy of a story where SANTA SHOWS UP AND GIVES EVERYONE PRESENTS and the first person to offer any serious lore about the situation is named MR BEAVER. And the 2005 film has the big battles and CGI and Tilda Swinton as the White Witch which is... so much. I love them all.

But the best book adaptation is the 1990 BBC The Silver Chair. Hands down. It's got Tom Baker's Puddleglum, Warwick Davis playing an owl, 0£ BBC budget greenscreened giants (MULTIPLE TIMES), a group of people discovering IT'S A COOKBOOK and one of them being offended by the cookbook saying they don't taste very good, the bad guy turning into a giant rubber snake. a witch trying to gaslight some humans into believing the sun is a myth, and the ultimate salvation of Eustace Scrubb: a boy who almost deserved being named that.

And since I can't not list basically everything Narnia ever made, BBC's 1989 Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is pretty good too. It's a fun "road movie", in that it's an odyssey into a fictional Mysterious Ocean of Here There Be Dragons.

Lotta hits in that one. It's also got a "collect the macguffins!" plot where they're trying to collect the Seven Lost Lords.

But yeah, it's like... the first Island gets them a lord and they get to end slavery. Next up, Dragon TF island (The dragon is Greed... but it's also just a literal fucking dragon). Next, Gold TF island. Gold, it turns out, makes you go insane in your lust for wealth, even if you're already a Prince of a whole country. The gold is Greed, but it will also just fucking kill you because you'll be turned into gold.

Then it's the island of the ugly invisible one-foot guys and it turns out they cast a spell to turn invisible so no one could see how they're ugly but they're not ugly, they just think they are? and then it goes "HEY LUCY COMPARE YOURSELF TO YOUR OLDER SISTER" and she's like "I'm ugly.... unlike her. Maybe I should use magic to STEAL HER BEAUTY?!" and it's like, wow. Is there maybe a theme here about self-esteem in your appearance? and Clive Officemax Lewis is over there going I'LL NEVER TELL.

Anyway it's got the good line about how the Wizard in charge of the ugly invisible one-footed pogo-idiots is that how he eagerly awaits the day that they can be ruled by wisdom, instead of magic. It's a fun approach to magic: it's something that is a shortcut, a crutch, and it's a poor replacement for Wisdom, even when used by "the good guys". Tell me, Mr. FedexKinkos-Lewis, do you have any opinions on the complicated relationship between Christianity and magic? oh, you do? I never would have guessed!

They also find The Island Where Dreams Come True. They don't land there, they just fish a screaming man out of the ocean who is trying to escape it. The sailors hear it's The Island Where Dreams Come True and are like "wow, I could have my own ship!" and he yells no, you fools, not dreams like your wishes and imaginations, your actual dreams come true on this island.

and everyone agrees: Get us the fuck away from this island and lets never return.

Anyway I'm not gonna talk about THE ENTIRE MOVIE/BOOK but it's got a great weirdness at the end where they reach the end of the world (which is flat. It's okay, this is Narnia, a completely different world with different physical rules than Earth), and it's a waterfall, but a waterfall going up?

It turns out Heaven is on the other side of it. They turn around, but the anthropomorphic mouse is like "ehh, I'll take that journey" and becomes the Elijah of Aslan's Country, their equivalent of heaven.

Narnia, won't you?

[meo-eiru]

I kinda like the small yet big detail in the game, like I'm sure myself and some other people were expecting a wholesome dating sim that would also get quite spicy (FROM HOW WE KNOW MERU)

And we all just kinda got kicked in the butt, like Starling being too hot to be true yet so terrifying at the same time, but not the terrifying kind that we know, like Micah or Silas etc

More like the type that makes you forget that he still is more a siren than a merman, like he successfully managed to lure in the whole community with his hot ass😭😭and then we get backstabbed by him munching our fingers off as if they're some carrots, like as a simple lunch snack-💀💀

Or in the other ending where it's basically simply Mae dying and getting turned into a possession and probably just another body to fill up with tongues

From my interpretation, Starling doesn't really have that kind of romantic interest in Mae, but she kinda thought it could go into that direction, but then got stabbed in the back like that😭😭(probs everyone who played it, thought like Mae there too kinda💀so we all got the betrayal🙁)

And you guys did a really good job in simply catching us all off guard in most scenes, it's it's beautifully written and drawn, I love that game so much!!!

Spoilers for the game

Honestly maybe Sel would give a different answer but I do think Starling likes Maelyn. Due to his past and what he has now become his way of showing it is probably different, but for Starling I don't think Maelyn is just another body for storing tongues. If that was the case he wouldn't have went out of his way to clean her body up, find a wedding dress and "marry" her in his own makeshift way.

He probably didn't even view it as a betrayal. Because until the very end Starling was making sure the no longer breathing Maelyn could be comfortable in her pearl necklace.

For the writing style, probably Sel writing the story played a big part in this.

Sel and I have very similar tastes in a lot of things, on levels I myself can't believe sometimes. But we do have a different style at how we depict similar concepts.

I love presenting dark stories on a silver platter. Prettied up with the most delicious icings and shiniest sprinkles. I like my stories and characters to look beautiful. Enjoy them while thinking you're just having whimsy adventures only to realize you're done for once you truly look. Like Silas. It's easy to make fun of him, forget the things he is capable of doing as you're too busy enjoying his silliness. He feels safe, a gentle giant who loves and takes care of you.

But he's still a man who has forced himself on you not only physically but also mentally. Trapped and limited you beyond belief. No electricity, no internet, no contact with anyone other than him. Only talking to him, only feeling him, only knowing him, only consuming him. A beautiful and sweet man no human mind can handle for more than a few weeks.

But Sel, from what I've seen, is a bit different. She doesn't shy away from showing the darkness and scariness of the stories she makes. Before you even know it you'll be facing concepts you didn't think could be possible.

And not only that, she hides so much under every word she uses. Often times the things she places in front of you are not even the scariest parts. The more you read and the more you decipher they get deeper.

I'm frankly a big fan of the things she writes. They often leave me flabbergasted (and mortified, she knows what I mean) but they are also so so fun. So scary yet beautifully poetic.

I know she doesn't like being under the spotlight that much. But ever since I met her and saw her stories I wanted more people to get the chance to see and appreciate them the way they deserved. I think they are truly special, and they make me want to do my best to illustrate them in the perfect way possible.

Honestly I'm not sure if I'm good enough at it, but if it helps the stories reach more people I'm happy with it.

I don't know if she'll read this post so that's why I'm being sappy like this but I genuinely hope you guys like her stories like I do. And I hope both you and I can see more and more of it.

[rebo-chan]

Okay so I make a lot of canon-adjacent posts. *gestures at my food post* very canon very important very informative. But my heart is full of whimsy and magic and sugar and spice and everything nice.

Today I wanted to talk about some of my hcs that I have regarding Tsuna and Reborn. Shit I just completely made up ^v^ I'll do five each to not make this a long post again rkehns.

Tsuna:

Grows up to really like coffee like his mentor, but could never really stand straight espresso. From my food post research, I saw that he is a snack food fiend. So, I think he's the type to enjoy lattes, frappuccinos, and mocha. What I'm saying is that he walks into Vongola meetings with a iced coffee and he stress-drinks it for the sugar rush.

Good with kids! I don't think he wants kids of his own, because he has enough of those, but he's the perfect balance of playful and strict. I do think though, if he did become a parent by some accident, he'd be the stricter one of the two. Mom is gonna be the fun one and Dad is the one that brings crazy things around you, but tries to put you to bed at 8pm.

Still a bit of a dumbass as a mafia boss. The moment he found out he has to give salaries to people and try to tax that shit and file it with their IRS but also do the calculations himself, since technically he shouldn't show that information to Gokudera or anyone else that will know how to Math. He lives each paycheck day in fear that he will wake up the next morning and get arrested for fraud.

Actually bars anyone from bringing in pets to Vongola HQ. Believes they have their hands full with their box animals. "No, Yamamoto please we can't keep the box of stray puppies lets take that to a shelter -" "Gokudera, I see that you have a kitten in your pocket where.. where did you get it.." "Hibari.. Carry on, ignore me :)"

Has developed noise-cancelling ears. Doesn't hear the screams anymore. An ally family will comment on the noise at Vongola HQ and Tsuna will be like "..wdym? :o do you hear something?" Look around and will completely ignore Fuuta and I-Pin strapping Lambo to a medical desk as they are threatened by Bianchi, who is putting on sterile gloves and getting the scalpel. The silence though? The silence scares him. (WHAT A SOMBER LINE TO LEAVE OFF ON)

Reborn:

Super good with the ladies. I know this is something said in the story, but I mean the type that has the whole casual flirting with no weight to it thing down. But, also a little bit standoffish, like you'll never really get to know him this way. It's very strategic, but he does it for fun!!

Tries to teach Tsuna how to hide a body on multiple occasions, in case he ever needs it, but mostly to torment Tsuna. "You can't incinerate all your enemies to ash everytime, it'll get really obvious after awhile. You have to spice it up. Now, put on these gloves. I have someone for us to use" "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE SOMEONE?"

I've said this one before, but it deserves saying again! I've always believed that pre-curse, his cosplay skills had real use! It was something he would use to sneak into buildings into or seduce who he needed to, before he brings the gun to their head. Very comfortable in skirts, dresses, wigs, makeup, etc. Wears his new identities like a second skin.

He snickers and sneers and smirks his way throughout the series (or does a lil maniacal evil laugh), but I bet his real laugh, uncursed, is deep and low. Something he keeps just in his throat, not loud at all. A softened version of his smirk on his face, pleased and relaxed. If you weren't paying attention, you'd miss it as he flips back into his regular demeanor.

LOVES judging things. Always the referee in their games (Snowfight!). Taste-testing (Mochi chapter!). Anything. He's judgmental and you WILL hear his opinion. I fully believe in the three criminal brothers episode, where Nana gets him coffee beans from a shop, he gets straight home afterwards and stands on the counter with his hands on his hips as it brews. He was prepared. Tsuna buys new snacks so Reborn opens all of them to take a bite and decide which one he likes best before taking it, leaving Tsuna with a bunch of opened bags. Ranks the guardians on obscure shit just to get them riled up "Most likely to win at a dance competition in a chicken suit" and he'll put Yamamoto above Gokudera just to watch him fume. A villain. I love him.

OKAY EVERYONE, THAT'S ALL I'LL DO FOR TODAY. Thank you for reading this far I hope you enjoyed reading it. PLEASE give me your hcs, I'd love to hear them. I need a lil pick me up c: It can be any character. Someday, I might do hcs for the other charas too. I think.. a lot about these guys. OKAY THANKS BYE !!!

[yuri-is-online]

Hello a TDB fan here

I have been playing the game for a week and Rui is soo fine. If it's fine with you can you write something about MC and him kissing through sheer cloth. I had seen this scene in one of the chapters of freaking romance (webtoon) and that's all I can think about after knowing Rui's curse.

notes: they/them used for MC, extremely angsty and pining, heavily inspired by his Ephemeral Bouquet card (because you can't give a man who can't touch a skill called Envisioned Future and not expect me to play with it) More Tokyo Debunker content can be found on my masterlist here (x)

I altered the request slightly? As I was thinking about the specifics of Rui's curse and his bride card a bit too much and the concept of him longing to get married sort of took over, apologies (シ_ _)シ

There are small porous holes in tulle. It's meant to make the fabric breathable. See through. Ideal for a bridal veil, which is not what you are wearing but the thought has wormed it's way into his brain now. Rui can't unsee it.

The low light shines in the sages ring, a blonde hair falls out of place and your hand moves towards your own temple. You smile; he remembers what it feels like to touch someone. He thinks there was a weight to it, a shift. Was there warmth? There wasn't a taste, or has it been so long that he's forgotten?

"You may now seal this union with a kiss." His bare skin moves through the tulle, eyes closed as his smile grows with eagerness to feel- nothing. There was a person in his arms, but his eyes open to shimmering dust. All that is left of you in his grasp is sand, but the damned veil remains. He knows what he did to deserve this, but still-

"Rui?" The glass Rui's holding slips from his fingers as he laughs, sheepishly he tells himself. Just a little of his boyish whimsy and not aching relief at seeing you still alive. "Are you sure you don't need any help?" You don't move too close, just to the opposite side of the bar. Your costume has gloves too, white would be such a nice color on you but Romi put you in grey. The same color as his hair.

"Whoops, sorry 'bout that (name)!" He snatches up the broom before you can go for it and sweeps up the shards of glass. "I didn't scare you or anything did I?"

"No I'm ok." You draw yourself up a little taller. The veil makes it a bit hard to see him, but you think there's something just a bit off with Rui. More so than usual. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help? Professor Moby-"

"Nope~ I've got this on lock promise!" He sure does, the task is practically already complete but it's not really what you were asking about. "Sides you can't just let that guy push off all his work onto you! You're still a student just like everyone else there's got to be something you want to do at the fair." Rui's back to smiles and laughter. If you hadn't been paying attention you never would have noticed there was a slight dip in his mood.

Hook. "Maybe." You noticed though. Line. "I haven't gotten much of a chance to look around it just yet."

Sinker. "Well that just won't do!" Rui always seems so... happy at the thought of spending time with you. It makes your heart ache. "Just give me a second to lock up the bar and I'll take you around! We can make it a date!"

~~~~

"Wow what a unique choice for prizes!" Rui says cheerfully as you politely examine the masks this Hotarubi student has displayed at her booth. He had been talking himself up just a second ago about how he could win you a nice stuffed animal but finding a booth with only a few people around it had proved difficult. "Did you make these yourself?"

"Thank you." The girl bows respectfully and gestures towards the targets behind her with a set of darts. "Care to test your skill?" Rui winks at you.

"Can we have two sets?" Might as well have some fun and help the poor girl's numbers out.

"Of course." She sets the darts down on the counter and settles back into her chair.

"Aww don't you have faith in me?" Rui smoulders just the bit, but you think he's having fun. "I'll have you know I'm pretty good at this."

"You'd better be Mr. Bar Tender." You wink and his facade breaks just the bit. "But I'm not that bad myself."

Rui barely hears the rest of what you say, something about a bet. Something about how if you win then he has to do anything you say. He probably shouldn't agree so quickly, but he wants to be normal. Wants to pretend that this is a normal date, that you would have noticed him if he had flirted with you. That he still would have had enough confidence not to wiff every shot. Not that he feels shame for losing to you, the sting comes from not being able to-

"Do you see a mask you like?" Your smug voice is so cute, he wishes the prizes were too.

"Ahaha not really?" Now that he's staring them down, it feels like he's being mocked. Doesnt he wear enough of these already? "You're the winner here! Shouldn't you pick out which one you think suits me best?"

"Then I wouldn't pick any of them." You snort, but pick one anyway. You twirl it around in your hands and hold it up against your face. "How about this one? Sort of looks like me don't you think?" He doesn't. The mask has none of your features, it is lifeless and hollow. You lift the mask up to his face and gently tap his lips. He closes his eyes to play into it because that's what this is right? A joke?

So why is there a face behind the mask?

Nakedness would be less intimate than this, there would be room for him to lie and bluster if he didn't have his clothes. You taste like clay, he can feel the push and pull of your lips against the barrier. Rui gasps against it, opens his mouth and presses himself closer. His hands grip the lapels of his jacket, you are so so warm and alive. Your gasp for air is muffled and Rui pauses out of instinct against the mask.

"Please." He doesn't know what he's asking for. He doesn't want you to stay, this was such a risky move he's almost angry at you for it. He wishes, he wants for something he cannot have. You feel Rui smile, his kiss is gentle against the mask and finally you think you get him to say something just closing in on being real. "I hope you live forever."

The polite cough of the girl running the stand interrupts whatever you had wanted to say in response.

[scarapanna]

scara, think of Shadow Milk's redemption like Discord's. he'll still be chaotic and whimsy but he wont try and destroy the world ig lmao

Jwfjsbdb fair fair, he should be an extra unhinged and neutral one imo though hehe/silly

I'd be down for the wimsy staying though I'm still crazy conflicted about redemption because RAUGHHH HE IS SO SICK AND ILL I LOVE THAT OF HIM KEEP STAYING SICK AND ROTTEN CLOWN PLEASEEE

That part of him just adds to his charm for me, some of it should 100% stay. Still praying he's not redeemed, at least not in a complete 180 way I hate those they strip away the whole fun aspect of a villain

I want his ass to attempt betraying PV, steal his souljam, crumbling the guy....it'd be soooo funnnnn aughh, not quite redeemed would be much more fun

His unhingedness deserves to stay I adore that part it's my favourite, if it stays then I shall be content <--- projecting all these ideas on Wavering Lies as I speak (I loooove conflict <333)/silly

[rubykgrant]

RVB Chosen Ones!

Carolina and Doc take this responsibility very seriously. Donut takes it seriously, but with some whimsy in there... O'Malley is SERIOUSLY going to have some FUN! By being EVIL!

Sarge, Caboose, and Flowers are going to have a good time! It might not be a good time for everybody else, though...

Depending on what she's actually chosen FOR, Kai will either have fun or not care. Tex and Sharkface just shrug; yeah, sure, whatever, let's get this over with

Locus doesn't really WANT to do this. He will if he has to, and will probably succeed, but he has to have a whole guilt-trip over how he doesn't "deserve" to be chosen first

Church is in denial. He only wants to be special when it is convenient to complain about it. Unfortunately, he is VERY special, every version of him. It sucks

Grif and Lopez do NOT want this hot potato. Wash doesn't either, but he will sigh, and do it anyway

Tucker has been the chosen one 20 times already

[choicesficwriterscreations]

August MC of the Month: Dayin Axel Torres

Please welcome August 2024's MC of the Month: @oh-so-youre-a-nerd's Dayin Axel Torres

Each month, we highlight one MC or OC on our Meet My MC / OC List. They are selected randomly on the Wheel of Names, and eligibility requirements can be found here. We accept MC / OC profiles on an ongoing basis. Please feel free to send yours in!

Learn more about Dayin below

1- In your own words, tell us what you like most about your MC / OC.

I love their sense of humour, he doesn’t take much seriously, but he says his jokes with such a straight face. He’s fun but not bubbly, I think I described him earlier as “a warm sunny afternoon.” I also love how competent he is.

2- Do you feel your MC / OC is like you at all? How are you alike or different?

Honestly, not much. The only thing we share is a bit of whimsy, some similar music preferences, and a love of nerds. They’re more like the type of person I'd have a crush on haha He’s very calm, grounded, and quite smart and curious about things he enjoys. He’s a Wood Att, I'm pretty sure I'd be an Air Att, which is like opposite lol

3- What is most important to your MC / OC? What is their motivation in life?

Some things that are most important to him are not being vulnerable, and not being helpless lol. He hates showing anything other than positivity. His foster parents weren’t overtly shitty, but they never got him therapy (which, basically any adopted person deserves to have access to). His motivation in life is to not have any regrets. Regret makes him sick, it eats him up and feels like torture, he’s prefer physical pain to regret.

4- What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes?

Tight schedules, pop music, bacon, when people don’t close the door when they leave his room, people who tease others for crying (he will rant at you for 30 minutes about why that’s fucked up), getting up early (unless it’s SPECIFICALLY to watch the sun rise)

5- If your MC / OC could change one thing - anything - what would it be?

Free higher education

6- What is your MC / OC’s favorite quote or song?

Song: Dark Chest of Wonders by Nightwish

Quote: “Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.”

― Maya Angelou

7- Is there anything else you’d like to share about your MC / OC? 

Almost drowned at the beach during a field trip in 5th grade, and is absolutely terrified of the water and drowning/suffocating. That diamond scene where you learn Hydrobreath from Atlas was INCREDIBLY terrifying, and he still has nightmares about it. He was never able to do it, he just couldn’t relax enough. He still feels so much weaker than Atlas, since HE almost drowned too but he was able to teach himself in that life-or-death situation. 

[bunnakit]

ok im going to try to articulate my thoughts on why i'm, personally, not bothered with the writing and what we've seen of the backstory in The Sign.

would i like to see more of their past? absolutely, however, with the limitations of episode count, the budget for special effects, etc. i totally understand the limited view we're getting and personally i do think they give us everything we need to know.

based on the amount of parallels we're seeing between this life and their first life we can pretty safely use current day phaya and tharn as a cipher to unlock their backstory to their previous life.

we see wansarut bold and unapologetic in the face of sakuna? is that his name in the book? remains unclear to me but sure. garuda!phaya. we see garuda!phaya push her boundaries and push to get closer to her despite her protests. this is a direct correlation to present day tharn and phaya and the dance they've done with their relationship. with this in mind we can pretty much assume their relationship formed similarly, through a back and forth, clash of personalities, meeting on common ground, and finally wansarut's walls coming down to let sakuna in where he then simply adores her in the same manner phaya adores tharn.

again, i would love to see that journey, but i'm okay not seeing it when i use the context clues given by the rest of the narrative to fill in those gaps. i personally find it fun to imagine what may have been different, what may have been the same, etc. i think it gives fanfic authors and creative types the opportunity to play with the characters and connect to them in their own ways. i don't always think we need to know every tiny detail of the characters we love as this allows us to see more of ourselves in them.

as for the way modern day phaya and tharn's relationship has been written i also haven't been upset with that either. there's a certain magnetism we've seen between them that draws them together in the way tharn instinctively leans into phaya immediately in episode 1, the way he wants so very badly to kiss phaya in episode 2, etc. i think it's been a beautiful waltz between them, a careful give and take, you step back and i step forward until our steps reduce and we meet in the middle.

there is a point to be made for how quickly things progressed after the kiss but these are two people whose instincts and bodies have been calling to each other on a soul deep level and i don't think it's entirely out of the realm of possibility to say that perhaps in that moment they became wansarut and sakuna again, they had the opportunity to greet each other again and say 'i've missed you.'

i think you can gain a lot from The Sign by looking at it through a romantic lens rather than something purely analytical, but that could just be me and my romantic whimsy.

as for everything about their karma, i'm simply not educated on that aspect of things enough and i'm not really worrying about it. i'm just kind of viewing it as some kind of misfortune on both of them for the perceived slight against chalothorn and rolling with it.

all this to say everyone's thoughts are completely valid. i've really enjoyed seeing the differing thoughts and gaining a different perspective from my own. i think the one thing we can all agree on is that these two deserve to be happy and be at peace and i hope we get to see that.

[rolandtowen]

oh - my - god - keep - me from going lunatic: chapter ten

In which the author is not immune to the Avengers Tower movie night trope. And also gives the readers the Pepper & Helen friendship we all deserved. Pure fluff.

Read on Ao3 or under the cut!

Pepper Potts knows far too much about Bucky Barnes for not having met the man face-to-face. As CEO of Stark Industries, she's been flexing her bureaucratic muscles to get him the care - and legal help - he desperately needs. She knows him down to how many carbohydrates he needs in a day, thanks to Mandi's emails. Knows him down to holes in his brain, thanks to Jason's. And while Rebecca has been keeping whatever they discuss in session under wraps, Pepper knows it's not great. 

Tony hadn't let her get anywhere close to the Winter Soldier files. It isn't like him anymore to hide things from her. Then again, she knows more about Bucky than any reasonable person should - she'll let the the soldier keep at least some secrets. 

The legal front is...tricky, to say the least. The US Army has damn near created its own task force to assess their options. At least they're committed to cleaning up their own messes, Pepper thinks. Even if no US charges stick against Bucky, they can't say the same for all of the other countries that have been wronged by the Winter Soldier. There's a high probability that if Bucky ever leaves the States, he'll be arrested. 

The Army has assured Pepper that extradition is out of the question though, and that calms her nerves a little. Someone powerful is looking out for Bucky. He's as safe as he can be in New York, in the legal sense anyway. 

Pepper's also pretty certain that Bucky hasn't left his apartment for anything other than his stint in the medical wing and that fateful team meeting. She's going to have to change that. There's only enough room for one shut-in insomniac under her care, and Tony claimed it first. 

She's delighted when Steve informs her that Bucky has accepted her invitation to movie night. She hasn't been able to plan anything fun in ages. Normally when she's calling a meeting, she's trying to keep the world from ending. Now her only imperative is to not retraumatize a hundred year-old super soldier. And maybe make sure he smiles, just a little bit. 

Surely this could not be harder than covering Tony's ass. 

Easy decision: a movie. Not too long, no war or violence or death or brainwashing. Alright. A kid's movie. 

Lion King . Absolutely not. Mufasa falling to his death is going to make not one but two super soldiers cry. 

WALL-E. Maybe. The whole robot thing might be toeing too close to the programming line, but it's not off the list yet. 

Up. No chance. It'll make her cry. 

Spirit. Amazing but hits every single red flag. Another time. 

Ratatouille. It takes Pepper an ungodly amount of time, but this feels like the one. No peril, lots of whimsy, and delicious looking animated food to top it all off. She picks WALL-E as a backup, just in case Bucky's terrified of rats for some horrible reason. 

Keeping with the French theme, she places an order from one of Tony's favorite date night spots. Salmon grillé for her, cabillaud au champagne for Helen, two orders of beef bourguignon for Steve, and after much consideration, potato and leek soup for Bucky. Everything would be pureed, and Pepper is almost certain the change of flavor would be most welcome after three weeks of nutrition shakes, oatmeal, and the occasional buttered toast. Mandi has just cleared Bucky to start eating cooked vegetables, so this'll be a good trial run. At any rate, it'll also be an easy enough recipe to make on his own if he likes it. 

At 6pm on the dot, Pepper begins preparing the Common Room. This early in the spring, the sun still sets quickly, but she still has JARVIS draw the shades anyway. It feels cozier, more secure once the lights of the city have been blacked out. She pulls a plethora of blankets and pillows out from their hiding places, throwing them haphazardly on and around the couch in what she hopes is an inviting scene. The food arrives and it makes her mouth water instantly as she hurriedly sets out paper plates alongside plastic utensils, reserving a ceramic bowl for the soup. Tony would be able to find a joke in here, fine French dining on disposable plates. Her heart clenches, and she hopes he's okay. 

The team had decided on radio silence, at least until they arrived at the Siberian base. That way it'd be harder for HYDRA to track their movements, anticipate where they were headed. Pepper knows it's for the best, but still. Can't blame her for worrying, not with Tony's track record. Still, if nothing’s exploding, that must mean everything is going alright. 

The elevator chimes softly and Helen steps into the Common Room. She's traded her lab wear for jeans and an oversized sweater, and her hair brushes her shoulders. "Oh, Pepper, this is lovely!" The younger woman looks delighted at the spread of food, her eyes lingering on the cod dish she’d picked out over text. She reaches out and swipes her finger through the butter and wine sauce, and Pepper playfully bats her hand away. “We have to wait for our guest of honor!” She scolds, no heat in her words. 

Pepper and Helen have developed a bit of a friendship, born out of living in the Tower, surrounded by testosterone and super soldiers and secrecy. Pepper treasures the soft, quiet moments she gets to have with Helen, when she gets to feel a little bit like a normal woman eating brunch with her friend instead of the CEO of a former-weapons manufacturer dating one of most visible, most stupid superheroes – 

She’s getting sidetracked. Point is, she’s really freaking grateful to have Helen in the Tower, in her life. She hopes that Helen finds the same solace in their friendship, being so far from home. Tony had seen the promise of Helen’s technology, the Regeneration Cradle and everything that went along with it. He’d practically begged her to come to New York, to use his resources to advance her research – Pepper wonders if some part of him is still trying to make up for his past, investing so heavily in innovations that create and give life, rather than destroy and take life. It’s not a bad thing to support such endeavors, but – Pepper hopes he’s not doing it out of some sense of self-loathing or guilt.

The elevator chimes again, and Steve steps out, trailed by a nervous looking Bucky. 

"Thanks again for putting this together, Pepper. Bucky, this is Pepper Potts, she's the CEO of Tony's company, and also Tony's girlfriend." 

Bucky sticks his right hand out, robotic, like he'd been coached how to do so properly, but his shy smile is genuine. "Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." 

Pepper takes his large hand in hers and returns his smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Bucky. Please, call me Pepper." She can feel his hand relax in hers minutely before she draws away. She gestures to the set table. "Shall we?"

***

Bucky sits at the table with the others, the food spread out before him is – beautiful. That’s the word. Steve portions himself a large helping of some kind of stew, that smells – God , how it smells. It makes Bucky’s mouth water involuntarily, and he thinks – it's beef , he can't, can't remember the last time he'd had beef – 

Steve catches him staring, because of course he does. “I don't think Mandi's cleared you for meat yet, but –” he grabs a slice of baguette, soaking it in the stew. “Do you want to try?” 

Bucky does, and it – there aren't words for it. Fat and salt linger heavy but welcome on his tongue, and something – garlic – lights up his taste buds. He eats the whole slice, chasing the droplets of flavor that escape onto the pads of his fingers. He hears Steve chuckle. “That good, huh?” He nods vigorously. He glances up at the rest of the table, and Pepper is placing a nutrition shake and a bowl in front of him. Is – is that for him?

“I wasn't sure what you'd like,” she admits. “But this shouldn't upset your stomach. It's potato and leek soup.” Bucky's hand shakes around the edge of the bowl, warmth bleeding into his skin. “Th-thank you,” he says hesitantly. An indulgence like this at HYDRA, it would cost…so much. Service. Maybe, maybe a reward for an important mission well done. 

“You don't have to eat it all,” Steve says next to him, recognizing the hesitation, mistaking it for anxiety about his body's reaction to the new food. “You can try a few spoonfuls and wait a couple of minutes, if that helps.” 

The head knows, it knows that they wouldn't take the food away, just because he hesitates. But the body does not know, and Bucky's heart thumps wildly in his chest at the mere suggestion that he won't eat the whole bowl. If it tastes as good as it smells – and it smells, just as good if not better than Steve's beef stew – then Bucky, Bucky wants – to finish it all. Still, he nods at Steve's suggestion. It's a good suggestion. Steve's smart like that. 

Bucky tentatively tries the first spoonful of soup, and – 

“Girls, get in here and help me with these potatoes!” 

“Coming mama!” 

“James, honey, can you cut these onions up for me? The small cuts, how I showed you – yes, that's wonderful, baby.” A woman with brown curly hair brushes his hair out of his eyes. “Getting kinda long, maybe we'll cut it this weekend, huh?” 

“But, mama,” he protests. “I like it long. I can still cut things with it long, I ain't any less helpful,” he says petulantly. 

The woman – mama – tuts at him. “Sure, James, but what'll the neighbors think?”

“I ain't messy with it. I slick back, nice and proper,” he argues, not taking his eyes off of his onion. The – mama sighs. “I know, sweet boy. It ain't the mess I'm worried about. It's just –”

–uck. Bucky, you okay? You hear me?” 

“Sure, Stevie, I hear ya,” Bucky says almost automatically, the phrase foreign and yet familiar on his tongue. He looks from his bowl of soup to Pepper, and then to Steve, who looks like he might cry. “S-sorry. I'm sorry.” 

“No, no, you – you didn't do anything wrong, Buck. It's just – did you have another memory?” 

“I think…I think I just remembered my…my mother,” he says, like a confession. “She had brown hair, curls?” He grips his hand tight around his spoon, ready to be lectured about how weapons don't have families, that he's just malfunctioning again, needs the Chair again, and –

“Sounds like her,” Steve affirms, and Bucky tries to let go of the anxiety pounding in his chest. It doesn't make sense, he'd been told so many times that he doesn't have a family, and yet – he remembers calling a woman ‘mama'. What's even more confusing is that Steve knows who he's talking about, in a memory from however many decades ago. Steve ain't a kid but he's definitely not that old. Maybe he's seen photos of her somewhere. “Her name was Winnifred. I –” Steve cuts himself off before stealing a glance at Pepper and Helen. He tries again. “I'm really glad you got that memory back, Buck. You alright to keep eating?” 

Bucky is. He finishes the whole bowl, plus his regular nutrition shake and a few more slices of buttered baguette. By the time they move to the couch, Bucky feels like his whole being is warm, satiated, and safe. Pepper briefly explains the advancements in movie animation over the years, but Bucky can't bring himself to absorb any of it. The movie starts, and despite the utterly ridiculous plot, Bucky is at peace, his senses occupied by the music, colors, and the press of a soft blanket against his left side and Steve's solid warmth on his right. 

Halfway through the film, Helen pulls out a ball of yarn and a wooden hook, working a series of complicated knots in a spiral pattern. Crochet, Steve had called it. Bucky, briefly hypnotized by the repetitive movements of the needle and yarn, wonders if Helen would ever consider teaching him, but before he can open his mouth to ask the question, sleep sweeps him away. 

***

“Is he…?” Pepper trails off, smiling at Bucky. Steve looks to his left and grins. Bucky’s curled over the arm of the couch, his breathing deep and even, left arm curled into a blanket, cushioning his head. 

“Oh my God,” Steve breathes, not daring to raise his voice above a whisper.

“Awh, he’s like a cat,” Helen murmurs, putting down her crochet. “Should we…?” She gestures to the screen, where Remy the rat is busy fixing Linguini’s soup. 

“Nah, let him sleep,” Steve says. He knows from too many nights watching the surveillance from Bucky’s apartment that deep sleep is far too rare for the soldier. Even super soldiers need at least a consistent five hours every night – and while Bucky’s been sleeping, he’s always restless, always tossing and turning, even without nightmares. So to see Bucky slumbering on the couch, content and damn near purring, makes Steve’s heart soar a little bit. It means even more to realize that Bucky feels safe here, not just with Steve, but with Helen and Pepper too. Safe enough to let his guard down, enough to sleep. “I’ll show him the ending another time. Lord knows he needs it.”

Pepper nods in agreement. Movie night had been an even greater success than she could have hoped. Not only had she gotten Bucky out of his apartment, she’d gotten a little smile from him, gotten a hot meal – a real meal – into him. And to top it all off, it looks like he’s going to get some rest too. Real rest. When the movie ends, Pepper sighs, already reaching a gentle hand out to wake Bucky, but Steve stills her. “I can get him.”

“You sure?” Helen asks, rising from her chair. 

“Yep,” Steve sweeps one arm around Bucky’s back and another under his knees, effortlessly picking up the super soldier. “He ain’t that heavy. All I gotta do is hold him.”

[frystsnow]

jack goes through three primary stages in his immortal life where his personality shifts. at his core, he's always had a good and giving heart, an imaginative mind that looks at the world with wonder, and encompassing all the whimsy and joy he had been chosen for, all traits that had made him so humanly, uniquely jack frost. but it's difficult to say he had always been kind, that he's good-natured and caring. morally, his heart is in the right place, but considering what he goes through, jack is a bit more difficult than that.

perhaps the most amicable point of his lifetime is when he had just been born as jack frost. it's a point for a lot of confusion, not having memories of his past life that he didn't even know he had, a former mortal boy trying to grasp the magnitude of his devastatingly extraordinary magic to bring about winter itself. it's a lot of pressure to get himself under control, to find answers, but at this juncture? he's wielding magic. the wild things 'speak' to him in languages he can somehow understand. this is still just the former human boy who loved to bring fun to others and he likely believed his magic could be used exactly for that. it's easier to believe at first that there will be an explanation for this in time. but he has no mentor to guide him! he's in a volatile state where even just the slightest change of mood can alter the weather drastically. time continues to pass. people revere him as a deity that brings about a ferocious winter and it's his fault because he couldn't get himself under control. still no answers from the moon, from anyone. spirits choose to be secluded. was he damned to exist?

he's a few centuries older now and with a better grasp of what he's capable of. he's seen the world, and still, he's finding nooks and crannies of it - both ordinary and magical - to explore. man continues to change, but he remains stagnant. it's difficult to start believing that there is a reason he exists other than some sin, a crime he must have committed. or maybe his existence itself is an insult to somebody for him to be outcasted like this. i don't think jack could ever become cruel. he continues to bring about joy even if its through a window, came up with snow days to make others happy with the weather, and occasionally little pranks for his own mischief. he's found ways to keep himself busy and he's innovating with ways to get others to notice him. but he does become more reckless, bitter like frostbite. caught between wanting company but not quite knowing how to interact with the countable few he meets each century and ends up shunning others away. he knows now there is no reward that comes with simply being. the world is growing more cynical and ancient spirits begin to die out, forgotten. but jack frost? how can you forget someone who's not even there? he never says it out loud, but maybe he does deserve to be alone.

oathed guardian jack is not a reward, it is a calling that he was ( and still is ) skeptical of taking. but it is a culmination of him remaining good and bright-eyed and full of love that he does not know how to give. the way he treated the guardians, although valid, would lead to some evaluation (either as self-introspection, or through conversations with the guardians and maybe even other spirits) that he had been so quick to brush off what he had yearned for: company. guardian jack has everything he's yearned for after so many centuries, and it's... odd, unreal, to be experiencing these. it's difficult to not make an ill-mannered quip and remark every now and then, but when he realizes that his actions do matter and that there will be more occurrences where jack is a tangible person and not just some expression, he tries to... reel himself back? apologizing, saying he's not used to attention, but never elaborating more than that. he's secretive, and his walls are at the highest he's ever built them. what is the catch of what he has received? does he finally deserve to exist? he believes this kindness he extends feels like a facade when he's actually just forgotten that he's always had good intentions. it feels like he's been reborn all over again and maybe he has! and that's a terrifying position to be: has he been unmade and rewound together? he could've sworn he was still the same person yesterday.

and of course, there's the secret fourth ingredient that is jackson overland (although i am still going to look into an icelandic name to match my revised backstory for him eheh oops). this--human he sees in his memories is familiar. he recognizes the mannerisms he has, the tricks he plays, they both think alike. even if his memories haven't all returned to him (and they will in time), jack knows that this boy used to be him. but he's--not? jack frost and jackson overland are such intrinsically different people that jack looks at him like... another person. another life. he will let it stay that way because jackson overland did not deserve what had happened to him, but maybe jack frost did.

anyone who knows me has already heard me yap so many times about jack being made of love. and he is, despite him believing otherwise! because even if he has changed over time, and even if he rejects it, jack has never let bitterness take over him because he cares! but he can never see that. winter has always been whites and blues and pristine. they hide the dead buried beneath. he's never been winter, he's always been the grave snow hides away.

[prodigal-sunlight]

YOU SHOULD SEE WONKA!

- Look I’m as sick of the constant adaptations and reboots and sequels as everyone else. It’s exhausting.

- BUT

- Wonka is legitimately a good movie! I assumed it was going to be painfully mid but I had SO much fun

- The music is genuinely really fun and charming. If you’re a fan of musical theatre, there’s lots to love

- There’s a lot of love put into the visuals. They really capture the whimsy and magic of it. In fact, this version of Willy Wonka grew up loving stage magic, so they tie that into his performances and its SUPER cool to watch. There aren’t as many HUGE set pieces since this is before the chocolate factory is built, but no matter how big or small you can tell a lot of creative work was put into it

- The writing is pretty solid! Nothing groundbreaking, but its likeable, funny, and charming. You won’t be shocked or challenged, but you will have a good time!

- GREAT found family vibes. And they don’t shoehorn in an unnecessary love interest, the central relationship of the story is platonic!! Love to see it

- They strike a good balance between honoring the original movie and telling their own story.

- I love the movie original deuteragonist. Noodle is SO sweet and clever and she deserves the world :)

- I was definitely wary of a story where Willy Wonka is the main character, seeing as in the original story he was specifically meant to be a strange, almost cryptid-like powerful figure. But I think the angle they took was really charming and likeable!

- Willy would be a himbo if he had any bulk, but he has the build of a tumblr sexyman twink. But like. This guy is SO stupid and SO sweet

- Like seriously I can’t emphasize enough how much I was charmed by his character. Someone who is blindly optimistic, trusting and positive—but when he realizes the world can be cruel, he doesn’t became jaded, and instead decides the world needs to change.

- Its a really fun watch! I think a lot of people are going to give this movie a pass because it looks like one of a million lazy brand retellings, but I really think its worth giving a shot. Its a solid watch, and Im quite fond of it already! Definitely going to relisten to the soundtrack, might even draw some fanart. I’d recommend it 👍

[transmutationisms]

omg uve been watching buffy.. any thoughts to share !

i actually saw the first few seasons as a teenager and i'm rewatching now with pals... i might be nearing the breaking point again though where the character writing is getting too bad for me to care. like i can deal with character decisions that make no sense in a show format that truly resets every episode but if they want me to be invested in multi-episode story arcs then i get annoyed when characters are just doing whatever random bullshit the writers needed like they're moving chess pieces. this is about faith randomly going evil lapdog mode but also oz's dogshit hair dye and cordelia getting sidelined >:( i do like some of the creature prosthetics and i think the one-off episodes are often fun. but the writing has a persistent problem where the moral weight of actions is very inconsistent like for example. you can't really enjoy spike as a character unless you apply cartoon logic where him killing people doesn't matter. but that's not a standard applied elsewhere in the show so it's jarring when for instance faith killing that one guy is apparently so bad we're all supposed to think she deserves the redemptive power of the prison system. or like. joyce kicking buffy out and then attempting to literally burn her at the stake in her satanic panic arc are only serious in the episodes in which they occur, then they don't matter anymore. but angel killing people when he was possessed by a demon, and therefore according to the show's own logic not a moral agent, is a defining crime he can never come back from. like whatever it's just. pick one or the other in my opinion the bouncing between goofy whimsy moral logic (amy is a rat) and dark angst (jonathan attempted suicide school shooter psa episode) is sloppy. it feels like amateur ad hoc writing decisions made by people who are trying to profitably fill airtime #television

[paracosmic-sims]

My top 24(?) screenies from 2024!

Tagged by the lovely @changingplumbob, thank you Kirsty <3

I literally don't know if I even have taken 24 screenshots this year. Let's see...

1, 2 and 3: Some screencaps from a photoshoot I did with my revamped simself. I have MANY variations - check it out, none of those are the one on my current profile picture, or with...

4: Oh Kinha, that's cheating! That is an edit, not a sceenshot! Shhh! I literally don't think I have enough screenies to make this post. Anyways, once I can figure out how to do my tags and navigation posts, expect to see this one in my pinned <3

5: An outfit I made for Sienna that I needed to save for other kiddos too! It's so cute!

6: Vlad. What are you DOING walking around Evergreen Harbor? Not even on my lot, since Journey Delight - the founder of my personal Whimsy Legacy challenge - doesn't even have a house at this point. Just... passing by. It was like... the second night? Anyways, appreciate how marvelous this woman is (and how wacky the sims can be sometimes)

7: Speaking of personal legacy challenges, here's Hendrix Baccinus, the Mint of my NSB save. (The light makes him look blue-ish, but I swear it's mint.)

Look at him. Hot. Handsome. The male quota of this post. He is a baby and a pathetic wet cat of a man. This mfer tried to kill himself! (No joke, he autonomouslt went swimming when his energy was low on Sulani, because he was burnt out. Dude, sims used to be able to juggle a job and an Uni degree!)

I still love him <3

8, 9 and 10: Obligatory Arielly Vespertinai appreciation. Look at her. Gorgeous. My baby. Watcher's favorite (little chew toy nomnomnomnom) <3

Have you seen her? yes? Well, go look again. Until you're mesmerized enough to forfeit your entire mortal posessions to this siren of a woman. Nobody understands the amount of adoration I hold specifically for this little bean. She could kill me and I would still thank her. She consumes my thoughts almost daily even though I have an entire cast to think about so I can support your story babygirl unleash my brain!!!

Also, obligatory gloating that this woman was elected Bronze Medal in @simblorbo-bracket's 2024 SIMBLR SEXYMAN TOURNAMENT. Yes, you heard it right. She's a Sexyman. And is the Sexiest™ of the human competitors.

11: Speaking of Vespertinai's, a draft of Arielly's mom, Elysiann! Still unsure if I want them biologically related or adoptive (makes some sense with part of the lore, screws some other part. UGH.)

don't be fooled, this woman has SUCH a resting bitch face outside of CAS.

12: And on that resting bitch face note, Scione Vespertinai! Ari's younger sister, of whom I have shared custody with @momoception <3 (because someone in her game needed to simp over Lucius Holt, and given I'm his #1 fan in the real world...)

Could you tell my game's eyelashes were still broken on those last 2 pics?

13, 14 and 15: Enough of sim pics for a while, appreciate Elio Alvoretter's (aka, Ari's bestfriend, partner, and overall soulmate) (no, literally.) room. I'm insanely proud of it even if it drove me majorly crazy at some points.

(We do NOT talk about the small desk under the desk. It was fixed after.)

16: On the topic of building, a little bar decoration I made using TOOL. It took me longer than you'd expect.

17: Okay, back to sims because it's all I have at this point. I forgot this cutie's name, but she never really left CAS despite this picture. She was for a BC that never really happened, so I'm saving her for another opportunity. Maybe a spouse for one of my families. Maybe a founder for another legacy? She's kinda packed with CC, so I don't think I'll ever set her for dl.

18 and 19: Some of my girlies for other simmers! Moxie and Apolline were some of the ones I had the most fun doing, and I think that the unused photos deserve a place to shine too.

===================

Unfortunately, the most I could is still short by 5. But then again, 2024 was THE year for me, in terms of personal growth, so TS4 kinda fell behind (a LOT. Some of those pics have literal months of gaps between them)

I am not sure who has been tagged already or not, but if you're seeing this and you want to participate (even again), you're tagged!

[multi-fandom-lunatic]

my very unsolicited and nonetheless important review of kotlc unravelled

ive tagged spoilers yall and im warning you NOW.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was SO GOOD. And that is one hell of a compliment from me (hi. Been highly critical of this book for two years. two very long years). Why:

It was fun. I was reading it and thinking "Ah, there's that childhood whimsy that comes with reading an awesome book". It feels so very KotLC, in its style and the fact it's Keefe, and everything they said, the way the characters talk, the things they did, the jokes... very middle-grade. In the best way.

At least for the first bit, we didn't get those long drawn out conversation that KotLC is otherwise riddled with. I am SICK of Forkle telling Sophie she needs patience. And that was the benefit of Keefe being alone for the first bit. No more of those long convos that have me asleep at the end.

Very headcanon-y. It felt light. The book felt like a breath of fresh air. Shannon wasn't too fixated on tying up or unravelling some loose end (for the first bit) so it didn't feel... blotchy.

THE TAYLOR SWIFT REFERENCE. FINALLY. MY "It's me. Hi. I'm the problem it's me." MOMENT. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. KEEFE AS A MIDNIGHTS TRUTHER?? CANON. Now all we need is to introduce him to folklore and TTPD.

And yes, we are ignoring timelines here. Because vibes.

In depth Lord Cassius. Like yes. He has had depth before. But Unravelled had really good PARALLELS. And there aren't many things I love more than good parallels.

ALVAR. I have never had any sort of opinion on Alvar EVER. BUT THIS BOOK... has changed me. Yes I'm still weary that he tortured a bunch of kids. And yes I'm going to click my heels and snap my fingers yelling "YASS" when he deserves. I am a person of nuance.

Alvar. Sprawled on a sofa. In silk pjs. Wearing a sheet mask. Telling Keefe to try one. Can we immortalise this?

Also I take this as Raviolli foreshadowing thank you very much.

QUEER PEOPLE!!! I gasped out the fuck loud when I saw this. Again. sets up Raviolli.

(And yes. I'm aware it was two offhand mentions and two side characters. Very Disney. And has faults. BUT I will not deny this is a LEAP for Shannon. Check her Insta comments if you think otherise)

And hey maybe if the heat dies down Raviolli will happen.

THE WRIGHTS?? THE GIRL?? Did not expect it. Fully expected a oneshot book with Keefe trying different foods.

THE RITZ CRACKER JOKES. SHANNON IS ON TUMBLR. HI SHANNON. HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING YOUR STAY.

I wish they visited more places. Like I'm Aussie and all but I need them to visit. More. Places. GO SOMEHWERE IN ASIA. AFRICA. EXPLORE I BEG. But I digress.

Keefe coulda been more gay but I guess thats not happening so I will shut up about it.

LOVED THE BOOK WANT MORE OF IT THATS THE END BYE