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cerebraldischarge · 1 year ago

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“Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” - Terry Pratchett

My right ear is still a little wonky from the loop-de-loop I did around the Catholic bits of the Second World - the doubly traumatized bits, if you will. But I don’t wanna talk about trauma again, lest I risk sounding thoroughly bromidic. But how about blue milk?

I know, it’s a Star Wars gimmick. But in the center of Warsaw, behind a towering hotel that’s so expensive it made me turn my tail and run, there’s a little place that’s simply called “the place to drink beer and vodka”, according to what Google told me about the blue neon sign above the door. (Straight and to the point, I guess.) It gave refuge to me when I was forlorn, my phone was dying and I was thirstier than a 50-year-old virgin looking at OnlyFans pages. Here, blue milk consists of: milk (obviously), white rum, and curacao liqueur, and it’s absolutely ambrosial.

Oh, that bit about being desperate. Yeah… I wandered out of my comfort zone a little too much this weekend. I’ve been to foreign places before, but written Dutch is easily decipherable if you have some idea of English, German, and how they are related to one another, so at least I could read the signs there; and even in the beach town in Croatia I could rely on finding someone who spoke at least rudimentary English when I got confused. I even liked to strike up some conversation with the Bolt drivers I hailed for succor. One of them - a handsome bald lad - told me that his best friend hung himself due to financial difficulties and that’s why he’s studying finance at university now. Another - an older gentleman - urged me to start going to church again and confess my sins. He just assumed I was raised Catholic by default - which I sort of was, but it’s not as much of a given for me as it would be down there. It was a charming interaction, albeit a little awkward - as it always is when religion comes up. My tattooist was also an older gentleman there, in Zadar’s medieval old town center, and we chatted throughout the 20-minute procedure, mostly about his interesting and very ocean-connected life. I also talked a bit with the cashier at a sex shop. (For some reason, I always end up going to these to ask for directions. Not even kidding, it happened in Munich and Berlin.)

All of that, and I mean all of it, went out of the window in Poland. Two people - the guy who made me blue milk and the hostel receptionist - understood me. The rest of them inexplicably assumed that if they talk louder in Polish, I’ll get it eventually. In the Vietnamese restaurant, I could rely on the good old “point at your order” method; in the grocery store I did not say a word, just like at home - by the way, some of their dried meat products are freaking phenomenal. As far as getting around goes, I glued my eyes to the little blue dot that was representing me, and relied on automatic functions as much as possible. Truth be told, I couldn’t read a damn thing on the streets, nor could I make heads or tails out of what was said to me, and this was utterly disorienting. It’s not like I let it stop me, but holy mackerel, it did put some things into perspective. So this is what my father experienced when he overheard me on a Zoom call (with the additional weirdness of his own offspring slowly becoming a foreigner to him, no doubt). So this is what all monolingual people go through when they get out of their little cultural bubble - or nonverbal autistic people every day, for that matter. This is the scary part I’ve been hearing about!

This gets us back to where we started - or rather, why I started: why I opened Skyscanner, completely sober this time, and clicked some buttons in the first place. Because I was bored. Because I had enough of my room and my antisemitic ancient aliens conspiracy theorist landlord and my corrupt leaders and my own little environment, and wanted something new. Well, I got it. This morning, I couldn’t wait to get back to the bitch cave. I had enough of being confused, hearing unrecognizable words, feeling alone, and all that. I did get some seriously cool cemetery photos out of it, and I met some cats, and I got closer to a bunch of squirrels than I ever dared to surmise, and I shot some guns again (http://pmshooter.pl if any of you happens to show up the area; being Easterners, don’t expect the staff to be overly friendly, but they are definitely professional and you can actually get some limited full-auto time in, unlike in my corner of the woods) - I even got a fancy bracelet made of the bottoms of .357 Magnum rounds, so I wouldn’t say I didn’t enjoy it or it wasn’t worth it, but by the gods, I was bone-weary by the time it was over.

Oh, and the beach part? I wish I could have stayed longer (I tried to ask for 3 nights but they only had vacancy for 2), but perhaps I got precisely what I went for. Namely, a moment of what felt like absolute clarity - something my skeptical, prying, curious, contrarian mind rarely allows to happen. Swimming in the ocean at sunset, I felt something enigmatic and numinous. First of all, I was no longer uncomfortable in my body. The ever-present itches, aches, stickiness, clumsiness dissolved in the water, and I was just frolicking around like a child. (Perhaps this is why I loved swimming so much as an actual child: it freed me from being a sensitive-skinned, gravity-bound klutz.) Then the waves started throwing me around like a wine cork. A thought occurred to me: This is the real world, the stuff that exists independently of humanity - and by dying, I’m not leaving it behind, I’m becoming a part of it. With this came a neoteric lightness, a beatific state devoid of wonted anxieties. I was having the time of my life bobbing up and down, half willingly, half out of control - and I accidentally drank a sip of the salty water. Another thought occurred to me: Sodium nitrite is going to taste something like this, I’ve been told. So I shouldn’t be scared of it. Yeah, it’s not my original favorite, but… At that moment, I felt like I could completely trust it and shouldn’t be afraid of failure. What’s more, this happened on Thursday evening - that is, the 17th, which is my lucky number and the start of the last month countdown to the first anniversary of my father’s death (and likely my final day, unless something else happens - I dare not to make promises anymore, for as my dear father used to say: “Man plans, and god…dammit, there’s always something in the way”). I’m not one for magical thinking, but this coincidence pleases me greatly. If I was into the pervasive mysticism of our age, I’d take it as a sign - as the universe trying to reassure me that I’m on the right track. As it is, I take everything with a grain of salt. But this experience definitely put me more at ease with my circumstances, including the one that has been a thorn in my side for as long as I can recall: the conspiracy between my ineptitude regarding illicit activities and the bureaucratic paranoia of all the governments I’ve seen so far, which results in the vexatious fact that I still don’t possess a firearm and in all likelihood never will. Before you ask - yes, I did ask around for leftovers from the 1990s while I was in Croatia, but all I got was apologetic smiles and something along the lines of “I don’t know about that” every single time. Whether that answer was honest or not, I couldn’t discern. Perhaps someone with more time, better people skills, and more knowledge of the local language could conduct a more fruitful expedition.

My budget suffered greatly, but I grew as a person. The end becomes clearer and clearer, and I’m present for the grand finale.

#vacation #learning experience #visiting the neighbors #language barrier #self discovery

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eponymous-rose · 4 years ago

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Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E127 (March 2, 2021)

Tonight’s guests are, of course, Ashley Johnson and Marisha Ray!

Marisha, on her thought process behind the date: “It was a fascinating study on designing something with another player in trying to navigating how to do that in a way that makes sense and wouldn’t be too metagamey or overly scripted or anything like that. I had a bunch of ideas thought out, then I just typed it out and sent it over to him, and then he interpreted it as such.” Liam had ideas, but Marisha wanted him to keep the details a surprise. The theme of “let’s start over” was the leading motif for the design. Three acts: pre-game cocktails at the Nestled Nook, picnic in a field of Xhorhasian wildflowers, and then close it with after-dinner drinks and hot tub at the Steam’s Respite. And the very last thing was “and all the cats were dogs”. Brian: “What was his response to that?” Marisha: “He texted me and was like, ‘Are you serious or is this dog thing a joke?’”

Ashley is asked what it was like to know it was coming but not know the specifics. “For both of us, I don’t think we thought it was going to be right then. I think because it’s been so long in the relationship between Beau and Yasha and it felt like such a natural progression for the two of them, and they’re both awkward together. I think there was something to just being thrown into it.” She spent time thinking about what things Yasha would talk to Beau about on a date. “We got to maybe one of them. It was just so fun! Exploring romance in D&D can be super weird, especially when you’re streaming. But it felt like that’s where our characters were going. There was that excitement of trying something that is out of my comfort zone, and I think so much of Marisha was part of that, as being the initiator as Beau, where I was like, okay, this is where it’s going it. Let’s do it, let’s see what happens!” She mentions how “fun and freeing” it is to trust your improv partner in something like this.

Marisha: “I just wanted Beau to be a fuckboi!” But she highlights that it’s hard to deny the deeper connections that come up in D&D scenarios. “They’ve been with each other through so much that it’s difficult to deny when those bonds start to happen.” She texted Liam in a panic before the game. “What do I wear? And he said, ‘In the game or in real life?’ Both!”

Marisha was expecting a Sam curveball at some point. “My/Beau’s reaction of ‘I love you!’ was pretty accurate. She does care! She’s not just a troll trying to ruin our shit.”

Marisha on Yasha liking dogs: “I clocked that shit when you bought a dog figurine.” She keeps notes about all the members of the party when they reveal things like that.

Ashley has started taking more detailed notes, partly to play catch-up for events she may have missed earlier. “Turns out, notes are very helpful and can help you in your RPing!”

Favorite parts? Marisha: “The fade-to-black moment at the very end, and I think it’s because Ashley’s eyes--maybe this is going to get weird--we had this moment where we were in the hot tub at the end, and I looked over and was like, ‘hey’, and you looked over and were like, ‘hey’, and I was just dead. I will never forget the look on Ashley’s face. There was just a pure moment.�� Ashley: “That’s so funny, because I was going to talk about this one moment with Marisha. It’s just clicking into the scene and clicking into the moment.” Marisha talks about how the moments associated with the game have real, tangible emotional connections. Brian highlights that the emotional side of things is what you remember the most after the campaign is done.

Character thoughts on Kima? Marisha: “I was like, step on me! Please! Both of you! We’d be friends.” Ashley: “It’s also that nostalgia that feels so good at the table. These characters we know and love are still living and breathing and happy together and just kicking ass. For Yasha it was an amazing example of a relationship that works in this world, and something beautiful that these people who are different but are connecting. It was a lot of-- it was cool. I think Yasha’s a very big fan of Kima and Allura. When she gave over the sword, Travis texted me and was like, it’s the Holy Avenger. Looking it up and talking about it, it was like, holy mackerel, this sword is insane. But there’s going to have to be some conversations had to attune with the sword. But I like that Matt presented that challenge, that this isn’t necessarily in your class, but let’s do some RP and see what happens.”

Where’s Yasha at with the Stormlord right now? “I’m curious to explore that more, but knowing that the Stormlord was the first person to bring her back to her own will, of pulling her out of whatever was happening with Oban and the Laughing Hand for however long. It’s also weird to see the relationship that the clerics have, and I think Yasha’s still figuring out how to be her own person, but also... not serving somebody, but still trying to figure out that relationship with her god. But again, he saved her from a very, very dark place, and I think that’s something she values and holds on to.”

Cosplay of the Week: An amazing Essek! (Blushingvioletcosplay on Instagram)

How is Beau handling the Eyes? “All the theories! It’s hard for it to not feel like a ticking time bomb. I always have to try and separate my theories from Beau’s theories. That’s acting and shit. I, Marisha, am very interested if I can somehow utilize this to our advantage. Beau, also interested but simultaneously terrified that it might be a bad idea and I might just get further initiated. When it comes to Matt, you know there’s always something more lurking underneath all of this. As players it’s kind of our job to navigate that.”

How about Yasha? “I think it’s one of the things that didn’t really come up in the date, which is funny, because it’s something I was thinking about. Me as a player, that’s something I’m extremely stressed about. We don’t know what’s going to happen. We kind of got into it, but I think the fact that Lucien was listening, and the Eyes, I think it made me as a player as Yasha very nervous about interacting with Beau, because I don’t know what they’re picking up on. There’s so much we don’t know, and Lucien is so confusing, and the Eyes, and with Matt... we don’t know! It’s a point of extreme concern for Yasha, especially someone that she has feelings for and cares about, it’s an extra level of I don’t know what this means and I can’t lose this person, but I need to protect at all costs.”

What was it like for Beau to discover that Dairon and the Soul not only listened but took action? “That moment was so deeply powerful. Honestly, I was just as taken aback as Beau was. I never in both mine or Beau’s thought process did I think Matt would take action in that way, or that would ever be handled. And I think that’s what makes it so emotional. You condition yourself to think these things just happen, so much so that they permeate your D&D game. So rarely do abusers get held accountable for their actions. What was powerful about it was that he was, and other people cared. That alone was so emotionally impactful, and I was completely thrown by it. I feel like I had to walk away from that situation kind of unpacking those things. What does that say, what does that mean? Same thing for Beau, where the cycle of abuse has happened repeatedly to her with no repercussions to anyone who’s causing it. It’s why she’s always had a weird tenuous relationship with the Soul. It throws you into these layers of reconciliation and thought. I didn’t think this was going to be addressed. What does that say about society? So many different layers to peel back. It all speaks to so many real-life experiences that happen every damn day to so many people. There’s not many examples in media of abusers getting handled, and especially not in a way that’s not some sort of device to motivate somebody.” She highlights how rare it is that the abuser was handled without pulling the victim into the mess. I’m definitely not doing what she’s saying justice with my speed-typing.

How is Yasha feeling about solidifying her identity as a protector? “Putting together this character and starting to play as her, there was a part of me that wanted-- when I work on characters, you go through the list of questions you have as an actor, what’s your motivation and all that stuff. But I very much wanted to see if I could have a character that doesn’t necessarily know what their purpose is, because I feel like a lot of people feel that way. I think when we see movies or TV shows, there’s always a character who says, I know what my purpose is. I wanted to explore what it meant to not know what that is. I left that open with Yasha, and I didn’t want to set that for her, because I thought that was an interesting thing. I still like that idea, but in the conversation with Beau and knowing the date was coming up, there were a lot of internal conversations I was having of how is Yasha feeling in this moment. At the end of the day, I feel that’s a very solid purpose for Yasha in this moment, of all I can really provide is protection - and of course she can provide more than that. But now I’m just, yeah, I think protection for her is the best way she knows how to describe her purpose.” Brian: “And once we arrive there, the goal is to find a greater purpose, to be of service.” Ashley has tied in Yasha’s protectiveness with her grappling with loss.

Fan art of the week: A second amazing Essek! (by Saturday_sky)

Thoughts on the amulets: set-up or bad luck? Ashley: “I thought they were a set-up!” Marisha: “I think [Astrid’s] an opportunist. But I think it’d be much more convenient if anyone other than her killed Trent. To what end, I don’t know.” Ashley: “Me, personally, how I interpreted her crying in that alleyway, I felt like she was crying because of a betrayal. But I don’t know! I think she definitely cares for Caleb.” Marisha: “I also got betrayal tears. That felt like guilt-crying to me.” Brian: “I don’t like any of this.”

What prompted Beau going full assassin? “If they were to get in and out and I could have jumped over that tower without killing that guy, I would have.” She didn’t have a lot of options as a monk and not a rogue assassin, but needed a quick and quiet way to get him out of the way. “I went through so many ideas in my head. I thought of an idea to dump all of the ball bearings under him, then light fireworks” to try to get him to fall off the edge.

Is Yasha’s hope for Molly still alive? “Yes. I think that because Yasha has been on the other end of doing terrible things under someone else’s influence, she has a lot of forgiveness for people. At this point, of course, it’s hope that he’ll come back or have some type of recognition of his life as Molly. There’s a lot of questions. I don’t think she’ll ever give up on him.” The only moment of hesitation was when Lucien was cool with Gelidon leaving with Beau.

How are they feeling about their odds? Ashley: “I feel really great about the ideas that the group has to get out of tricky situations. This one I’m nervous about.” Marisha: “I agree. We have our little side player thread, minus Matt, and I don’t see how we’re getting out of this without some sort of compromise that’s not necessarily in our favor. I think we’re going to get out of it, but I don’t think we’re going to get out of it completely.”

Ashley didn’t tell Brian about the date after the episode ended, but wound up blurting it out right before he was about to watch the episode for Talks.

#long text post #critical role #critical role spoilers #talks machina #talks machina spoilers

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chiroptaro · 3 years ago

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(@creaticare )

on the recommendation of this amazing batman/mha crossover by @savoirfairesuperhero!!

IM SITTING HERE GASPING AND CLUTCHUNG MY PEARLS AT THIS FIC HOLY MACKEREL???????

iam thinking so hard about the bajillion soldier/drill sergeant connections that are suddenly exploding into my head.

the personalities of the robs fits the boys SO WELL IM LIKE... SHOCKED HOLY SHIT. KIRI AND DICK BEING THE FIRST REAL POSITIVE FIGURES IN THEIR CLOSED OFF AGGRESSUVE PARTNERS(BAT/BAKU) LIVES IS INSANE.?? JASON AND BAKUGOU, GOING TOO FAR IN THEIR BATTLES AND HAVING THE SUPERIORITY/INFERIORITY COMPLEX PAIR!!! TIM AND DEKU, WORKING TOO HARD, INSANE ANALITICAL SKILLS, ALWAYS BEING UNDERESTIMATED AND THEN BLOWING PEOPLE OUTTA THE WATER!!! TODOROKI AND DAMIAN, BOTH RAISED TO BE BASICALLY SOLDIERS FROM THE AGE OF LITERALLY TODDLERS, FEELING LIKE EMOTION MAKES THEM WEAKER, NOT REALLY KNOWING HOW TO INTERACT WITH NORMAL PEOPLE....AND BRUCE AND ZAWA, COLLECTING CHILDREN & THEN SENDING THEM INTO LIFE OR DEATH SITUATIONS LEFT AND RIGHT OH MY GODS!!!!

the relationship between bakujason and midotim is SPOT FREAKIN ON. aggressive, violent encounters being a huge part of their relationship, with the more docile one still trying to get close- and then the other finally opening up and the two of them work together like MAGIC!!! MMMM

i gotta say i was HORNSWOGGLED when the lil yellow symbol was the R(tm)... i rlly expected it to be the bat, but then wouldnt zawa have one too?- and then BOOM IN MY FACE ITS THE ROBIN!!! HAD ME SLAPPIN MY HAND OVER MY MOUTH N SHIT

im YELLING over zawabruce being so whipped about these damn kids. "That's my boy." HOLY COW BRO...THEY!!

THE LITTLE STEPH/MINA BIT THERE AAAA !!!! AND I LITERALLY SQUEAKED "OH MY GODS" WHEN I READ THE BIT ABOUT DENKI AND *LIGHTNING* IM GJSKFJALAL IT FITS SO WELL...AND THE LITTLE BILL FINGER CAMEO YESSS

the way all of them use the joint memories between bats and heroes to grow and get closer to each other while solving issues between both of their personalities is absolutely scrumptious. all of them taking the chance to actually TALK because of this horrid situation that basically tripled their trauma is so satisfying to read and it was written SO well

#percy's brainrot #batman #batman crossover #mha #bnha #mha crossover #bnha crossover #bruce wayne #aizawa #dick grayson #kirishima #jason todd #bakugou #tim drake #deku #damian wayne #shoto todoroki #xixi rants

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wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse · 4 years ago

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Volunteer Part 2 (Pre-Serum Steve x Fem!Reader)

PART 1 MASTERLIST

Word count: 3075 (yes it is much longer than the first part but idc)

Warnings: Alcohol consumption, fluff

Summary: Read part 1 if you haven't, now it is time for that date he promised hehe

I checked the clock. Damn, already 7:00.

"Dr. Erskine," I called, "I have finished all my work for the night. Am I good to go?"

He looked up distractedly, running through some calculations. "Yes, dear, have fun with that Rogers boy," he said in his thick accent.

I grabbed my coat and bag, yelling back, "He's not a boy, he is a man."

I heard him chuckling as the door swung shut. I walked down many hallways and once I reached the front I nodded to the secretary, and she handed me the keys to the locker room.

"Here ya go sweet, have fun on that hot date! The Lord knows you need to get out sometime," She said jokingly. I laughed, feeling surprisingly nervous about this. Nervous, but excited.

I unlocked the locker door and threw my bag on the floor. I was going to be late if I did not hurry. I pulled out my dress and quickly took off my skirt and blouse. I stepped into it, pulling it up all the way to my shoulders, it was a bit of a splurge but it was worth it, I could tell. It was a halter-style neckline, with periwinkle gauze wrapping around the neck, and it came down just past my knees. It complimented my skin very nicely and was perfect for dancing.

I ran back out to the lobby, and Darlene, the secretary gasped in surprise. "Holy mackerel, don't you look ready to cut a rug!" I turned around and she helped me zip up the dress. "Make sure to show me the final look, I might stick around a bit longer just to see it!"

I smiled back, "Oh you might just faint when you see what I have put together!"

I ran back into the locker room, pulling my makeup out of my bag. I rarely used it, but it was a rare occasion. I did not need to do my hair, just taking out a couple of pins to let it loose, rolling down to my shoulders. Then I grabbed my powder from out of my bag. I did not like to use the foundation there was available, and besides, it was far too expensive, especially during this time. I brushed the slightest hint of brown over my eyelid, pressing it down with my finger. Now onto the eyebrows. I screwed the top off of my vaseline, and with a small brush, combed it out to make it neater. I plucked a couple of hairs, just to make it smooth. I put a bit of mascara on, running all the clumps out with a brush. Then some of my favorite rouge that I wore quite often, brushing it on to the apples of my cheeks. Lastly, my red lipstick. I swiped it on, smudging it out just a little bit. I looked in the mirror, making sure everything looked fine. Lastly, I grabbed my clutch. I had already packed it with everything I needed, and I shoved my bag in my locker. I could pick it up tomorrow.

I walked out into the lobby at 7:55, dressed to the nines and ready to dance. Darlene was still at her desk, but this time she was on the phone.

"Yes dear, you can go out, but don't get mixed up with a doll dizzy or a swigger, be a good girl, okay bye," She hung up the phone, looking at me. "Sorry dear, that's just the daughter. Now, don't you look killer diller! That boy that's taking you better grandstand you around!"

I smiled nervously. "Man, actually. And thank you, Darlene, I appreciate it. Now tell me, how do you calm the jitters, because I am shaking like a leaf!"

Darlene laughed. "Oh dear, well there never is any surefire way is there. I don't think you have any reason to be nervous, you look like a doll, and that man will be dumbstruck. Just enjoy yourself while you're still this young."

I grinned, and then the clock struck 8:00. "Well, I better go, thank you for the help, Darlene!"

As I opened the door, she called back, "Of course dear, now have a nice night!"

It was a bit cold outside, especially for a spring night. But it felt nice. And then turning around a corner, was Steve, along with one of his friends who had brought a girl along. They were linked, arm in arm and Steve was standing awkwardly next to them as if he was unsure of what to do. I waved over at them and his face lit up. I began to walk towards them, and the introductions began.

"Hello," I politely greeted the other two, "I'm y/n."

"So I've heard," the other soldier said, giving a not so sly wink at Steve. He seemed very confident. "I'm James, but call me Bucky, and this is Betty here." The girl wrapped in his arms smiled and waved. "So you're a fan of the 51 club huh?" Bucky asked.

"Oh yes," I replied, "I went there once with a group of girls, it was quite fun."

"Well, let's get out of this cold and head to it!" Bucky said loudly. Yep, definitely a cocky soldier. Bucky and Betty started walking ahead of us, leaving Steve and me alone. His cheeks were quite red, and I figured he had never been on a date before.

He cleared his throat. "You look very nice," He said nervously.

"Why thank you, Steve," I replied, and deciding to be a bit confident, linked my arm with his. "Now tell me about yourself." And so he did. The walk was only about 15 minutes, but I could tell he was much calmer once we reached it. He told me stories of his childhood, how close he and Bucky were, why he wanted to join the military. His eyes lit up when he talked about it, making me happy to see him this way. It was very different from the pale, shaking, small man in the clinic.

The sign was lit up, and the windows lights were glowing, showcasing the happy people dancing inside. What a place this was. The bubbling of the crowd swelling and waning. Many of the men were in their uniforms. This was a hotspot of activity, and it was sure to be a good time. Steve began to shrink a bit from my side at the crowd, but I pulled him back.

"Didn't you promise me a dance?" I said jokingly, closing the gap between us. He gulped, looking nervous, but with a hint of a smile on his face. He carefully placed his hand on my waist, and another in my hand. I let him lead me to the dance floor, but he stopped short a bit.

"Would this be the worst time to tell you that I'm not the best dancer?" Steve said, fully smiling this time.

I scoffed. "Well, there's always a time for something new!" So I took the lead, showing him through a couple of easier steps. Luckily he got the hang of it fairly quick, only stepping on my feet a couple of times. The music got livelier, and the dancing got faster. We were spinning around the dance floor, everything else was a blur but him and me. He was glowing, looking the healthiest I had ever seen him, and it suited him well. The song ended, and we were laughing, actually laughing.

"Well Mr. Rogers, I'd say you did very good." I congratulated him, surprised at how quickly he was learning.

He looked down bashfully. "Well, I had a good teacher." He looked back up at me with a surprising intensity in his eyes. "Would you like to get a drink?"

I nodded, and he grabbed my hand, heading towards the bar. We got some drinks, danced some more, and had a good time. After a couple of dances, my feet grew tired, especially since I had a long day at work. Steve could tell.

"How about we sit down for a bit," he suggested. I agreed quickly and we found a table in the back corner, farther away from the crowd. I could start to feel some of the drinks kicking in.

"So we've talked about me, now what about you? How long have you lived here?" This took me a bit aback, most of my few dates always talked about themselves and their accomplishments, and never mine.

"Oh, I grew up in this sort of area, and I went to school to become a doctor. My parents helped me a lot of the way through it, so I would not even be here tonight on this lovely date with you if it weren't for them. They moved away once I had gotten this job with Dr. Erskine, so now I live alone. But it is still fun, Dr. Erskine is a great mentor." I babbled on and on, about what it was like to work there, what my hobbies were, who my favorite sports teams were. And he just sat there, eagerly listening. He wanted to hear what I was talking about, and he was genuinely interested. We had fierce debates and deep conversations. I didn't realize how late it was getting until Bucky walked over to us.

"C'mon lovebirds, it's time to go. It's already almost midnight." He strolled back to his date, but turned back to us and lifted his hat. Steve and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Is he always like that?" I said, clutching my sides.

Steve had a twinkle in his eye. "Oh, like the whole I am a soldier woopity-doo." He imitated his voice very well, and then deepening it said, "Well m'lady, we should probably get out of here." He bowed and offered a hand, making me giggle. He escorted me out just as they began dimming the lights. There was barely anyone left.

"Wait," I said to Steve, pulling him back to the dance floor. "One last dance? I know that this is your last night here." He smiled and nodded. A slow song came on and he pulled me close, closer than before. (A/N for this moment let's just make Steve taller even though he is short, just pretend) I rested my head on his chest as we swayed back and forth to the music. We just let the music play, in each other's arms. It felt like heaven. All too soon the music ended, making us stop.

"How did you know this was my last day," He whispered, leading me outside.

I smiled. "It was on your files you goof. Remember, I was there when you got recruited."

Steve flushed a bit but stayed quiet. "May I walk you home?" he asked politely.

I nodded, suddenly a bit shy. The wind kicked up again, brushing softly against our legs. I shivered, from the cold, I could not tell.

"Steve, where do you live?" I blurted out, not really thinking about how that sounded.

He looked at me with a mixture of shock and amusement. "I'm sorry?" he said.

"Oh, oh that did not sound the way I meant. I mean, how far is your place from mine? I would hate for you to walk far and catch a cold in this wind." I stuttered, a bit embarrassed.

He scratched the back of his head, smiling at me. "Well, y/n, I live at 569 Leaman Place, in Brooklyn."

I stopped, turning to look at him. "Steven Grant Rogers, you did not tell me that you live so far away. It will take you a while to get home!"

He looked amused at my outburst. "First off, how did you know my full name, and also, I will be fine, I always turn out okay."

I huffed. "Okay, fine. We'll do it this way. First off, the FILES, remember. And second off, no, you won't be fine. This is your last day here and I will not let you get a cold."

By now, we had already reached my apartment, but still, our bickering continued.

"Well then what would you propose?" Steve said exasperatedly, feigning annoyance.

"Well," I said. "I have an idea. You won't think it proper, but I don't care. Come inside, let's get warm."

I unlocked my door and motioned for him to come in. He looked slightly dumbstruck, probably not expecting me to invite him in. It was nice and toasty, and I already felt much better than I did out in the wind. I could tell Steve did too, he had more color in his face, and his breathing was not as labored.

"Here's what I'm thinking. You spend the night here and leave early in the morning so that you don't miss the timing. How does that sound?" I questioned. I know it seemed wrong to let him stay here, especially since we had only been on one date. But I trusted him.

"Hmm, I don't know. Buck might be worried if I don't show up at home. And I would never want to impose. This is a kind offer, but it is too much." I started to protest, but he said, "This is very sweet of you y/n. But I don't think I will."

He started to grab his coat, but I stopped him. "Steve," I said softly, "Please stay. I don't want to seem so forward, but please stay with me." He looked astonished, clearly not expecting this from me. He pulled me into a hug, the softest, warmest hug, and groaned.

"Ugh, fine I'll stay," he spoke in a joking manner, making me giggle. But then he looked me in the eyes with that same intensity I saw earlier. My heart started racing, and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. Yeah, I could definitely feel the drinks. He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine, slowly, softly. And then he pulled back suddenly, his eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, please forgive me, I've never done that before, I'm sorry," he kept on repeating. I rolled my eyes, pulling him back into a kiss to get him to stop talking. This one lasted a bit longer, and he melted into the kiss. His hands hesitantly touched the nape of my neck, the other one reaching the small of my back. He pulled me a bit closer in the embrace and slightly deepened the kiss. I giggled, and he pulled back again, but this time with a dazed look. I brought my hand to his cheek, and he leaned into it, still with cloudy eyes. He blinked, looking back at me.

"Woah," He said, "Is it always like this?"

I laughed louder this time, still wrapped in his arms. "Well, I wouldn't know. But no, I don't think it is." He took my hand off of his cheek and put it against his lips, pressing a light kiss to it. I reluctantly pulled out of his arms, going to get some blankets for him to use. When I returned to the living room, he was still standing in the same spot.

"C'mon Steve, make yourself at home." He moved to sit down on the couch, looking at me intently. The damn butterflies returned. "You know what, I don't care anymore. That sofa is horrible, you wouldn't get a wink of sleep on that thing. And God knows you need sleep."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, possibly guessing where this was going. I began walking out of the room. "Follow me if you want a good night's rest," I called back, hearing soft footsteps walking towards me.

I opened the door to my clean bedroom. I am glad I have a queen, that will make things easier. I turned to Steve, whose mouth was slightly agape. "Uh, y/n, do you expect me to sleep in there..? With you...?" He cleared his throat nervously, his face flushing.

I also looked down, but screw it, he needed sleep. "Yes, I do. If you are to be in the military you must expect to be sharing a room, or even a bed with your comrades. This will be good training. And also, I don't want you to be chilly in the front room, besides, the couch is terribly uncomfortable, and you need a good night's rest. Now, if it makes you feel better, I will sleep on the couch."

He protested, "No, I would not want you to be uncomfortable either. I do not mind. It is your apartment after all. I will sleep on the couch."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Steve's arms, pulling him onto the bed next to me. I planted a soft kiss on his cheek, and then his lips. "Stop being so formal," I mumbled against his lips. "I will be taking a shower. You can use it after me, and then I can try to find some pants that might fit you." I walked out of the room before he could protest again.

The shower warmed up quickly, but nothing compared to the warmth of being in Steve's embrace. I giggled at myself, already so serious for him, even though I had only known him for 2 days. But it felt like I had known him all my life. And it was amazing. I toweled off and changed into the modest pajamas I owned.

I walked back into the bedroom to find Steve in the bed already, fast asleep. I chuckled to myself. I kept him up probably much longer than he was used to. I slid under the covers on the other side of the bed, as quietly so as not to wake him. He rustled a bit, but then fell back into a deep slumber. I scooted a bit closer to him, resting my body on the back of his. (A/N, Yes you're the big spoon, Steve will almost always be little spoon bcs he's steve) I close my eyes, letting the soft breath of his lull me to sleep.

A/N, Part 3 is in the works, and now that I look at this, there are most likely going to be three more parts depending on how my brain wants it to go. So let me know if you want me to tag you in the next part to make things easier! Thank you for reading!

#steve x reader #preserum steve #preserumsteve x reader #steve rogers x reader #marvel #marvel oneshots #marvel fanfic #marvel writing

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celestialflamesme · 4 years ago

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| MER-MAID FOR EACH OTHER | A Stashi One-shot Mermaid AU | Fairy Tail Next Generation |

Ships: Nashi Dragneel x Storm Fullbuster (Magma mermaid x Sharkboy)

Dedicated to @primaverafrog @luna-chan00 @biorckstudios18 @cxndy-stxrs and that random fact I read about sharks thriving in volcanoes.

If there was anything Nashi's dad taught her, it was this.

It was her mom that had sat her down and told her about how she couldn't play with the other mermaids and the do's and don'ts and safe spaces and creeks that reeked of danger and bad merfolk. Nashi nodded half-heartedly, too upset to barely talk back like she usually did.

But Nashi's dad, bless his soul, beckoned her to him one fine day and said, "No matter what you are and what you can do, don't hide a single part of you. Fight for what you want and what you deserve no matter how ridiculous it looks in the grand scheme of things. We'll always be here," he poked at her chest, "supporting you. Always."

Of course, turns out it was regarding a 'big, juicy mackerel' he lost to a 'dumb, fucking orca of all fish', but she liked to think it applied to other aspects of her life too.

The mer peered at the children giggling and trying to outswim each other across the reef and sighed.

As amazing as living in a volcano was, it sure was lonely sometimes.

Magma merfolk had several restrictions because of the seething temperatures their bodies possessed. Basically, if she touched a mer, they'd get burnt (super bad). It wasn't like there was a chance of that happening anyway, considering how scared merfolk were of them.

Pearl (a curious whitefish she'd come across on one of her hunts) swam in circles around her, obviously in a playful mood. She slightly smiled and brought a finger to her lips.

The children screeched as they spotted her swimming rapidly towards them and scattered away. The pinkette chortled at them.

"You'd think they'd have learnt by now, eh, Pearl?"

Pearl made a noise of delight, wading amongst the reeds. She huffed. "I knew you were hungry, you silly little fishy. Which reminds me, I have a date with destiny!"

Her best friend clicked. (Sorry hun, a mermaid has needs. Sweet, sweet protein; sign her up please!) She squinted, scanning the waters for her next meal. Her eyes registered a faint figure.

Tapping her tail thrice to get Pearl's attention, she swam ahead at a careful pace, ducking behind giant kelp to get a closer look. The figure continued its path, paying her no notice. Which was when she realised what it was headed straight for.

Pearl.

Her heart beating violently, she let out a war-cry and flexed her tail harder. Her vision saw red as she rammed into-

"WHAT THE FLIPPING HECK?!"

Both the bodies crashed into a boulder and Nashi let out a small groan, her sight blurry. Blinking back into consciousness, she tilted her head up.

She wasn't going to lie, the first thing she saw was his jaw filled with sharp canines. Her blood ran cold as she slowly, carefully, looked up only to gaze at perfect cerulean blue eyes.

She blinked. He blinked. Then the screaming ensued.

"WHAT'S A SHARK DOING IN MAGMA REEF?! AM I GOING TO DIE?! HOLY FLIPPING MAVIS-"

"WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU TACKLE ME LIKE THAT?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH, YOU CRAZY MER?!"

6 minutes later, Pearl floated by, unimpressed by their shrieking. The shark-guy (shark-man, shark-douche, whatever) reached out to grab her and Pearl and Nashi collectively squeaked, the latter smacking him at the back of his head. He snarled.

"I'm trying TO CATCH MY NEXT MEAL! DO YOU MIND?!" He yelled.

"YES, I MIND! PEARL IS MY FRIEND, NOT FOOD!"

"Oh dear Triton, she's one of the vegan loons...." He muttered under his breath. She clicked her tongue.

"Even if I am, that doesn't explain the fact that YOU'RE ON MY TURF!!" She retorted, and he flinched at her tone.

"I DON'T SEE A SIGN ANYWHERE!!"

Nashi growled at him, "You have 7 seconds to run before I burn you to ashes!" Which is when she noticed that she was still on top of him.

"Wait, you aren't- what?" She furrowed her eyebrows and inspected him. "You're- wha- how?"

"What is it?!" He frowned. "It's considered rude to sta- HEY!"

She frantically patted and touched his chest and arms for something, anything and let out a breath of bewilderment. "You're- You don't feel anything?"

"Well, you are a little warmer than the others," he admitted. The shark raised an eyebrow curiously, "Uh- why?"

Nashi blinked out of her stupor, then pointed at herself, "Magma mermaid."

"Oh." He blinked back. "You're not as scary as they make you out to be. Unless," he held her shoulders and scanned her (Uhhhhhhhh....) "You're a baby!"

"WHAT! NO, YOU DUMBASS!"

"So you're saying that you're old?" He teased.

"I'm the appropriate age!" She huffed back.

"Appropriate age for?"

"Uh, stuff?"

"Yeah huh."

"YEAH HUH!"

He bit his lip, fighting back a smile. "Now, what am I going to do about lunch?"

Nashi's eyes widened. "Kelpsicles, I have to hunt too!" Both met each other's gazes before he shrugged. "Truce?"

"It's Nashi, actually," she smirked.

"Cool, I'm Storm."

............

An hour later, Storm managed to piss her off again.

"What do you mean you don't like burnt fish?! It's flipping amazing!"

Storm sighed (The audacity!) "Have you even tried raw fish?"

She spluttered, "Of course I have-" At the disbelieving look he shot her, she mumbled, "Not."

"Open up then."

"Excuse me?!" She shrieked indignantly. "I barely know you! You could poison me for all-" she choked as he shoved a piece in her mouth mid-sentence.

"I don't wanna hear it," he interrupted her before she could yell at him, "So? How's it taste?"

"I still like burnt fish." She mumbled, flustered.

"D'aww, is the iddle widdle mermaid embarrassed?" He cooed. "How ador-" Now it was his turn to choke as she shoved the entire fish down his throat.

She snorted, "Now that's peak humour." He shot her the middle flipper.

.............

"Damn, the humans are at it again."

"What's new?" Storm grumbled.

Nashi's grin widened, "Wanna check it out?"

"I don't know Nash, this bunch looks- Nash?" He groaned at her figure wading upwards, "Woman, get back here!"

Nashi was too busy taking in the sun's warmth to pay him any attention the first time. The second time however, she swivelled around only to register his panicked look. The third time, she found her tail stuck. In a net.

"STORM!! FLIPPING- HELP!!" She screeched, pushing, propelling herself out, trying anything, everything. She was getting dizzier by the second.

A giant thud resonated from behind her, and the net shook back and forth but she waddled undeterred until Rip! She was free!

"Oh thank Triton!" She gasped, trying to catch her breath. The humans were yelling but she didn't want to stick around and find out.

A pair of arms wrapped around her making her flinch. Storm had a dark look on his face as he pulled her against him and swam forth, not uttering a word.

He'd rocked the boat. He'd- he'd saved her from-

"Don't ever leave my side again." He murmured against her hair.

.................

"Nash, stoppppp," Storm whined, "It's only 15 minutes awayyyyy."

"You said that 15 minutes ago! And what's the big deal anyway?" She snickered, reaching out for his fin again, only to be swatted again, "Ticklish?"

"Very much so." He raised an eyebrow, daring her to try again. "You can't stay one minute without trying to feel me up, can you?"

She spluttered and even Pearl (dumb fish!) joined Storm as he chortled at the indignant face she made.

"We're here!" He cheered, only to be tackled by a bunch of sharks. Nashi felt her breath quicken.

"Storm?" She blinked. The group turned to stare at her in awe.

"STORM BROUGHT A GIRL HOME!"

"SHE'S PRETTY!"

"ARE YOU TWO MARRIED YET?!"

"Uhhh..." What was happening again?

Storm laughed at her confusion. "I figured you'd be lonely up there so I thought you'd like to stay with my family for a change. Don't mind Kai and Gale," he shot them a look. "They're dumbasses."

"If you won't date her, I might," Kai smirked at her. She nervously smiled at him, confused.

Storm growled, "Back off, she's mine!"

Nashi choked. Even Pearl cheered as they proceeded to carry her into their coven? Cliff? Ridge maybe....

"Since when am I yours?" She inquired, bewildered.

"We'll work on the specifics later. For now," he wrapped an arm around her torso and grinned at her, "Yeah, you're mine."

.................

Bonus: (that no one asked for)

"Sing it with me, River! BABY SHARK DO DO DO DO DO DO! BABY SHARK DO DO DO DO DO DO! BABY SHARK DO DO DO DO DO DO! BABY SHARK!"

Storm grumbled, "If his first word is baby, it'll be your fault."

Nashi shrugged, "As long as it's not Daddy, I don't mind at all. Say mommy, sweetie! Mo-mmy! See!"

The tiny shark ("He loves raw fish! He's a natural predator!" Storm cheered, making funny faces at his giggling son) paid no heed to his parents, distracted by Pearl swimming in circles around him.

"Pearl, you're going to make him take his first paddle before he says Momma at this rate," Nashi warned.

"You mean Dadda."

"Momma!"

"Dadda!"

"Momma!"

"Dadda!"

"Ma- da," River giggled, clapping his hands. Both of them blinked at him.

"Well that solves that," Storm smiled.

"Yeah...." Nashi sighed. "Who's a good little sharkie? Yes, you are!" She cooed, carrying him in her arms. "I love you!" She poked at him.

"What about me?" Storm pouted. She rolled her eyes and pecked him on the lips. "I love you too, Snarky."

He flicked her on the nose.

.....................

#fairy tail #nalu #gruvia #storm fullbuster #nashi dragneel #nasha x greige #nashi x storm #mermaid #magma mermaid x sharkboy au

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barrysjumpsuit · 5 years ago

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more than anything (jj x oc)

fandom: outer banks

jj x oc

word count: ~2.2k

I have been in SUCH writing rut due to academia and this started to pull me out of it. Not sure how much more I’ll write to post, but if people like this, hopefully there will be more!! Two short sections introducing my OC and her relationship with JJ. If I do post any more fics, they’ll (probably) be this pairing :) primarily fluff/angst

triggers: cannabis use, drinking, mentions of abuse

Short blurb: Life can’t get much better for Rebecca than spending a day on the water with her best friends, smoking and drinking the way away. That night, the day’s events lead to exhausted confessions from JJ.

I woke up and knew it would be a good day.

I sat on the end of the dock. I felt good for once, and wasn’t worried about anything or anyone. A cooler sat beside me, full of snacks, beers, and a couple joints.

The sun was slowly rising in front of me. The breeze was cool and damp; I knew it would warm up nicely. I dipped my toes in the water while I waited for the boys.

Soon enough, I hear the familiar sound of the HMS Pogue. I peeked over my sunglasses at the boys and grinned. John B was posing proudly as captain, and JJ was standing on the bow, his shirt unbuttoned and fluttering in the wind. It was an old tan fishing shirt he had found washed up on the beach and insisted on keeping. “Land ho!” he called, extending a hand towards me and winking.

“Did you just call me a hoe?” I asked, picking up the cooler with one hand and grabbing JJ’s with my other. He helped me onto the boat and scoffed.

“Rebecca Anne Casey, I would never.” He acted appalled, then sneakily tried wiggling a hand inside the cooler for a smoke.

“Hey, wake and bake and you’ll be out the rest of the day,” I reminded him, slapping his hand away.

“Yes, mom,” he grumbled dramatically, pouting at me. I just squeezed his cheeks, stowed the cooler, and started making my way to the back of the boat.

“Good morning, JB,” I said, kissing him on the cheek.

“Morning, Becks,” he said, grinning at something. I assumed it was JJ’s dismay, that John B got a kiss and he didn’t.

We then picked up Kiara and Pope. JJ eventually made his way to the back of the boat where I had settled down. He sat beside me and I leaned up against him as he put an arm around me and gently began massaging my scalp, after opening two beers using the butt of his lighter. We tapped them together as a cheers.

“Do you have anything you need to get done today?” he asked, swirling the beer around in the glass bottle. The taste of the cheap lager mingled in my mouth.

I shook my head. “Not a damn thing.”

JJ grinned, his teeth pressed against the top of his Corona bottle. “Good. You’re all mine, then.”

He quickly pressed his lips against my temple, pushing me over so I was laying on the worn cushion. I grabbed his shirt, pulling him onto me. I kissed his lips, tasting the beer on his breath, before pushing him back up.

JJ was smirking while he helped me up to sit beside him again. “What’s that look?” I asked, but his smirk turned into a devilish grin.

We were distracted as John B cut the motor. Our favorite fishing spot was in the marshes – drum were good there in particular. We could sell them for a good price at the market.

Easy beer money.

We used shrimp as part of our bait. JJ threw one at Pope, who immediately threw it right back at him. I rolled my eyes and cast my line, catching the spinner before it flew too far into the marsh.

John B got the first bite. He pulled in a decent enough sized drum and tossed it in the livewell. Pope soon followed, hauling in a tiny mackerel.

“Holy mackerel,” JJ commented dryly. “Pope, you’ve got the catch of the day, my friend!” This earned the mackerel being thrown at him; it bounced off him and splashed back into the sea.

It was a decent day’s worth of fishing. We were trolling along through the marsh. At about noon, I lit up a joint, having to shield my lighter’s flame from the crisp breeze. The sun was directly overhead and I was a bit too warm; I took my t-shirt and shorts off, much to JJ’s delight.

I felt like I was exposing myself in my ill-fitting swimsuit. I had recently gained weight – not a lot, but some - and my best-fitting bikini was still slightly too small, pressing into my skin in ways I didn’t like. I immediately sat down in the back of the boat, pulling my knees up to my chest, trying to hide my stomach.

Nobody noticed but JJ. He bit his lip before taking a drag off the joint. Stepping delicately off the side of the boat and towards me, he crouched down in front of me. “You okay?”

I nodded silently.

“Liar. Talk to me.”

“My bathing suit doesn’t fit,” I muttered. “I don’t want to accidentally give anyone a show they don’t want.”

JJ set his jaw. He knew the second part of my statement was an excuse – we had all seen each other naked plenty of times before, and none of us were particularly fashionable besides Kie.

“Becks,” JJ started. I pulled the joint from his hand and took another drag while he prepared his words. “Own this shit. Babe, you’ve always been smokin’ hot.” I blew smoke in his face, and he scowled. “Smartass. The only part of you anyone should look at is here,” he continued, putting a hand on either side of my face. “I hope that when people look at your face, they see what I see. They see a friend, a badass surfer chick, and someone whose line is about to get pulled to sea.”

It took a moment for his words to click. “Shit,” I grunted, and we rushed over to where my pole was mounted on the side of the boat. I started reeling, and the fish fought hard. JJ held onto me, encouraging me, while John B leaned over the side of the boat with the net as the fish was brought in close enough for him to grab it.

“She’s heavy!” John B exclaimed. JJ grabbed the fish by its mouth and pulled it from the net.

The black drum bellowed, making us all laugh. “That’s photo worthy,” Kiara had said, and suddenly the fish was in my lap with JJ and John B on either side of me, smiling for Kiara’s camera.

“That fish is enough for a gram or two,” JJ said, pinching the joint between his fingers while John B put the fish into the livewell. I smiled. He was wearing an old, backwards cap and his faded green swim trunks with that raggedy fishing shirt. A mess, but my favorite mess, and he managed to pull the look off in a way that only JJ could. It might have been due to the weed, but I felt myself melting into my seat, watching everyone, a smile tugging on the corners of my mouth.

JJ danced around the boat, taking turns giving everyone hell. At one point, Kiara started distributing lunch to everyone, and sat down beside me. She had managed to swipe a to-go order from the Wreck that hadn’t been picked up the previous day.

Kiara leaned her neck on my shoulder after we finished eating, and I laid my head on hers. We sat like that for a while. I was riding a nice, mellow high. Eventually, the boys called it a day and we slowly started back to the fish market, where John B and JJ would sell our fish.

For now though, JJ nestled himself beside me and Kiara. He laid his head in my lap, kicking his feet up on the side of the boat, and I ran my fingers through his hair, despite the sweat and sea spray that made it damp.

I knew how JJ was when we smoked on these fishing trips. He soon fell asleep; Kiara and I braided his hair, John B watching with a sly grin while Pope laid on the front of the boat.

They called the Outer Banks “paradise on Earth”. It was something I laughed at for the longest time, but now, I could see where they got it from.

I was content, sun-kissed, and a little stoned. Life couldn’t get much better than this.

That evening, I kept the ball rolling. I sustained my high, nursing beers throughout the afternoon so that by midnight there was a slight crossfade accompanied by the beginnings of a hangover. My trip had turned into a bad one, so I had curled up on one end of the couch in the Chateau, withdrawn from the conversations around me.

“Are you tired?” JJ whispered, sitting down on the arm of the couch next to me. His eyes were soft, but I could tell he was drunk himself. I nodded, and he slid off the arm to help me up. “Come on, let’s go.”

“You hittin the hay?” John B asked, and I nodded sleepily.

“Goodnight!” Kie said, kissing my cheek, and Pope echoed her words.

JJ walked me to our bedroom in the Chateau with his arm around my shoulders. “Do you wanna get changed?” he asked, and I begrudgingly changed from the t-shirt and shorts I had been wearing all day to a clean shirt and comfy shorts.

My body ached, and I was exhausted. I rolled onto my side to face him, curling up and closing my eyes.

“Do you want a blanket?” he asked quietly, despite the summer heat and humidity that percolated the Chateau.

I knew, though, that I would get cold throughout the night. I always did. JJ knew, too. I nodded, and he lightly tucked a light throw around me.

“Thanks, Jay,” I murmured, nestling up in it.

“Anything for you,” he replied.

It took me by surprise. I opened my eyes to find myself looking into his. He gave me soft smile, but I could tell something was wrong. He’s an open book, especially when he drinks and smokes.

“JJ…” I whispered. I reached out from under the blanket and cupped the exposed side of his face with my hand. He closed his eyes at my touch. “Baby, talk to me.”

It wasn’t often that I used pet names. Baby. Where did that come from? JJ inhaled before opening his eyes and sighing. “I just worry about losing you. That’s all.”

I knew that wasn’t all. I knew he was worried about me, for whatever reason, but he was worried about himself. He was worried something would happen – with his dad, with himself – that would render him unable to care for me. Or that I would somehow leave, and he would have to face his demons himself. He needed me as much as I needed him.

I had been close with JJ for as long as I could remember. We met, along with John B, in the third grade, and had been thick as thieves ever since. I was there for the whole deevoloution of JJ’s father and home life. He had shared that with me – and John B to an extent, but he didn’t share everything with him. John B was cool, suave, popular, and close with his father. JJ didn’t want to give him insight to that part of his life. He didn’t want to feel any more vulnerable than he felt every second of the day.

He shared that with me. My family was distant as well. Maybe it helped that I was a girl. Throughout out childhood and into our adolescence, we were each other’s number one caretakers. We would tap on each other’s windows at night when things got bad. By the time our group grew to include Kiara and Pope, we had grown to rely on our sense of family. Our family, our little circle, was the most important thing.

Thus, no Pogue-on-Pogue macking.

I think that we had always loved each other, but never realized it until a few years ago. As we aged, we began to express our feelings for each other in other ways. Intimacy, touching, kisses. When we became “official”, no one said anything or brought up the rules.

At one point, I remember John B pulling me aside. He held my hands, facing me. “You know you’re his lifeline, right? You’re the most important thing in his world.”

At the time, I had just nodded. It was after JJ arrived at the Chateau, bleeding and delirious. He didn’t let anyone touch him and was completely shut down. I eventually got through to him, spending the next few hours cleaning his wounds, washing the blood from his body, and coaxing him into bed.

That was the worst I had ever seen him. I promised him that it would never happen again.

Every time JJ cried, I was reminded of that night. Now, several silent tears rolled down his cheeks. One hit my hand. “I’m not going anywhere if I can help it, and I doubt I’d be able to get rid of you that easily. Come here.”

Then, JJ was burying his face in my chest, arms wrapped around me and pulling me close.

“I love you, JJ.”

Neither of us were very affectionate with our words, and used the love word sparingly, mostly because we had both been lied to many times.

He nodded against me. “I love you more than anything, Rebecca.”

#obx #obx imagine #obx fanfiction #jj maybank #jj maybank imagine #jj imagine #jj maybank x oc #outer banks #outer banks imagine

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almaasi · 5 years ago

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reaction post typed whiles watching SPN 15x10 “The Heroes’ Journey”

Dean fantasises about tap dancing with a lamp that has a halo shape....... HMM,,

04:44pm

i saw the preview last week and still couldn’t tell ya what this episode’s about. but i get the impression it’ll be lighthearted with a whoops-relevant-to-the-plot arc vibe. LET’S FIND OUT

04:51

me: obviously rooting for the woman of colour over the white dude

me: VICTORIOUS

but worried something bad is gonna happen

okay......... title card..... might be safe for now

04:52pm

we open on a place called “berens’ kwik tr*p”

* in the place of some vowel but while i imagine it means “trip” since that’s what’s on the window, it could just as easily be “trap”

plus there’s the fact that i read “kwik trip” as “kink top” for some unknown reason

beer symbolism people: margiekugel’s lager, tagline “she goes”, apparently

followed by shultz (?) beer inside

SAM FOR FUCK’S SAKE HAVE YOU HEARD OF oVEN mIttS

SAM YOU’RE STRESSING ME OUT SO BADLY OH MY GOD HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN IN A KITCHEN BEFORE

............probably not now that i think about it. dean was always the caregiver

04:59

i paused on the basket that the shop dude teddy removed from dean, expecting to see porn, except DEAN WAS BUYING A PIE MAGAZINE

05:03

garth’s kid is like :/

the expression of both these babies is priceless

05:04

garth to dean: “you smell so good~”

10/10 this is the quality content i’m here for

THE OTHER KID IS DEFINITELY NOT NAMED DEAN AND DEAN IS GONNA BE UPSET

CASTIEL HOLY SHIT

did garth ever even meet cas

I’M SJKGJDF

but also like. sam+cas=bros

garth should give dean the pep talk about settling down with cas

05:11

dean’s never been to a dentist and his teeth look like THAT ??? damn

he’s so high maintenance though

this entire thing is both amusing and nightmarish

so dean’s high and hallucinates himself dancing with a guy OKAY

dean started tap dancing and i started cooing completely involuntarily

UM???? DEAN STARTED DANCING WITH A LAMP??? AND THE LAMP HAS A HALO SHAPE???????????

edit: but also like. garth was there (a man, so we discover his partner’s preferred gender). and then POOF GARTH’S GONE and dean’s alone but he still wants a partner so he picks a lamp. a b oy lamp ????

dean’s entire existence was so damn queer in this episode can we talk about that

k the shot at the end where he bows his head and touches his hat is probably among my favourite shots of dean of all time, immediately

oh my god garth’s describing 50 shades of grey isn’t he

05:21

bess claws brad to get him to talk and i love her

if they haven’t used some weapon in 4 years maybe they haven’t oiled it or whatever. oh no

05:31

sam: “so could we ever actually pick locks or was it chuck this whole time????”

SAM ASKING THE REAL QUESTIONS

05:36

i think dean’s kinda into garth being So Strong tbh

garth better not die

DEAN’S HOLDING BABY CAS AND SAYS “THIS CAS KEEPS LOOKIN AT ME WEIRD�� OH MY GOD I DON’T KNOW HOW TO REACT

“so kinda like the real cas”

HOOOOOOOLY SHIT WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT OH MY GOD

sam knows eeeeeverything

05:43

now i’m wondering what cas is doing in heaven, and if he’s Normal too. he’s already clumsy and unlucky, what would even happen. bad hair day probably

DEAN TELLING GARTH HE SMELLS NICE TOO

THIS BOY IS SO BI HOLY MACKEREL

05:46

i’m pretty sure they’re going to alaska because that’s the last state on the map that the winchesters haven’t been to in 15 seasons and the writers wanna cross off every state, totally understandably

05:47

THAT WAS A FUN EPISODE

dean....... deanie boy......... face it already, you wanna dance with boys who smell nice, honeybun. and also get married to an angel, as it happens

sam’s line about how cas looks at dean funny....... mmmmmmmmm YES DRAW PEOPLE’S ATTENTION TO IT

i feel like i should have further thoughts but i don’t, my head is all fluffy

10/10 bc i had fun and i’m smiling

also congrats to dj qualls for coming out~

edit a while later: WAIT. it just clicked..... garth’s kids were jensen’s kids, right??? i haven’t checked but i only JUST remembered that jensen had twins and then i realised why the girl looked so familiar.

#spn spoilers #the heroes' journey #season 15 #Elmie watches things #post of postiness #spn #15x10

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sinclaire-made-me-sin · 6 years ago

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I-

This is-

Wow wow wo-

Yeah, I'm speechless.

The lovely @choicesarehard did this amazing edit of (An)Tony and (Por)Tia from the 1920s AU @boneandfur and I are writing, The Roses of Elysium. I am so in love with this edit and this version of them. Thank you so much E!

Credit: @choicesarehard

#holy mackerels but this is too damn good #like this feels too real #more real than... my own existence?#tony and tia #my new otp

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artemisia--hq · 5 years ago

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Haikyuu!! Chapter 360: Lesson (2/2)

SPOILERS!!!

Part 1 is here.

Let's continue, shall we?

Yes, Asahi! Show 'em! That's his new' thing' now, making the ball suck through the gap between the blockers and the net. It's called a 'waterfall ball' I think (?)

But wait....

'Btch, you thought' <<<< Hirugami, probably

Damn, he basically limbo-rocked to get that.

It would be pretty scary if that actually happens.

GODDAMMIT! Hirugami is waaay too OP right now. That feint-dump-turned-into-one-hand-toss would be too fast to keep up irl. I mean, Hirugami had a lot to consider:

Kags is in the front so it's legal to do a dump

Kags can do a one-hand toss and set it either to Hinata or Tanaka (he'd done this before), but most likely he'll set it to Hinata

Where Hinata will 'popped out.' Behind Kags? His sides?

It was literally a split-second decision. And I think he just did a combination of read and guess block. He 'reads' that Kags will do a one-hand toss insteaf of a block, then just 'guessed' where Hinata will spike it. But damn, he's sharp as a knife. I think he's got to be the best blocker in the series so far.

Look at that salty blockers in a row tho. Kuroo looks so pissed. Tendou looks disgusted. Which is my mood at this point tbh.

But, what do we say to the god of (volleyball) death?

NOT TODAY! YAAAAAAAAS! DADCHI GOT OUR BACKS!!

Saeko-neesan is me.

HOLY CHEESEBALLS AND MACKERELS THIS CHAPTER WAS INSANE. I WAS LITERALLY HOLDING MY BREATH THE ENTIRE TIME.

Waiting for the next chapter is agony, I tell ya.

My reddit: u/keijjang

#haikyuu!!#haikyuu manga #haikyuu manga spoilers #haikyuu spoilers #haikyuu 360 #haikyuu chapter 360 #karasuno vs kamomedai #hinata shouyou #kageyama tobio #hirugami sachirou #sawamura daichi #azumane asahi #tanaka saeko

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teruthecreator · 5 years ago

Note

💘 for macknerva!!

anon, you are a genius. you’ve basically just sent the magical question that has now unlocked for the world: macknerva origin story (bc honestly i realized i just start posting abt it without rlly explaining it??? and someone people are loving it??? so thank yall for being my ultimate favs but u deserve this origin)

also this is several days late (thank u Depression) and also super long (thank u Dumb Brain) so i hope you can forgive me for both of these things

💘: who developed a crush on the other first?

it’s time we take it back....Back To The Start.

so since this is my magical world of My Own Personal Canon (since i stole griffin mcelroys rights), minerva ends up in Kepler in a completely unnamed and not talked abt manner (bc im too tired to explain my general alternate theory hgkgldlgbfhke but busically she just got on a ship to earth to avoid dying) and is staying with duck until further notice. she doesn’t mind laying low at duck’s apartment until they’re able to figure out Everything and get her set up w a place of her own (spoiler alert: that never happens, but duck won’t admit he just misses having a roommate so they let it slide).

after about a month (which feels like eons in minerva’s mind), she starts to get antsy. she’s already been introduced to the pine guard and amnesty lodge, by this point, so she’s constantly trying to hang out with someone so she isn’t stuck in duck’s apartment all hours of the day.

which is how minerva ends up in the cryptonomica the day kirby has to run into his job at the theatre for a good portion of the day. it’s pretty empty in the shop--i mean museum, so it’s not like ned minds (plus him and mack have already struck up an agreement, which i explained in a previous post abt ned and macks friendship) especially when minerva’s around to willingly pick up the slack.

but this second job has minerva curious:

minerva: I assumed your assistant, Kirby, had only the singular position at your museum? ned, from behind the counter: Oh, for a while he did, but then the theatre opened up and his services were needed elsewhere. And who am I, Ned “Theatrical” Chicane, to deny such a marvelous establishment of the skills and technical prowess Kirby possesses?” minerva: Oh? A theatre, you say?

here comes some random personal hc: on her homeworld, minerva was involved in her planet’s form of theatre (which i’ve always pictured to be very greek-esque, thus explaining her naturally booming voice) and absolutely adored it as a hobby. she, obviously, understands there will be a difference between Earthen theatre and the theatre she once performed; but there is no denying that that thought barely crossed her mind as she proceeded to pester ned about the theatre until he suggested she get a part-time job there.

(ned knows mack’s struggles with keeping hires at the theatre, which is why he is quick to suggest minerva get a job there. that, and ned knows enough abt mack at this point to pretty accurately guess her Type. so let’s just say ned was doing this for both macks gain, but also for his gain to be able to harass her abt her hot new employee that he totally inflicted on her on purpose)

ned probably brings it up later that night, or the next day. just really casually drops that he has someone interested in a position at the theatre:

mack: Holy fuck--yes, Ned! Tell them they’re hired!!! What can they do? ned: Hmmmmm, well she’s quite fit, and has no qualms with getting her hands dirty. mack: Oh, perfect! I need some more set builders! Thanks a whole lot, Ned. I knew you’d always have my back. ned, knowing full well what he’s just wrought: Oh, of course, dear Mackerel. Anything for a friend!

cue the next day: mack is just going about the theatre, business as usual, staying sort of close to the house doors so she can be Right There when ned comes in with the new hire. she’s faced away from the doors, checking something on her phone (probably her texts with ned, to see if he’s arrived yet) when she hears the doors open and shut. mack turns around to witness the Hottest Woman She Has Ever Seen In Her Goddamn Life.

she’s tall--holy shit is she tall--with beautiful dark skin painted with these almost glowing blue tattoos that travel all the way across powerful arms and a prominent collarbone. but the tattoos don’t stop there, of course they don’t. they go all the way up to this woman’s bald head, perfectly framing her beautiful face. high cheekbones, strong chin, a wonderful nose (mack doesn’t have much of a preference for noses but this one is perfect she just knows it), masterfully-carved eyebrows that look like they were chiseled out of stone, and those enchanting, bright, beautiful bright blue eyes.

mack’s brain basically short-circuits once minerva smiles at her (with those pearly white teeth and a grin so inviting it feels like her whole heart is melting), so she’s barely able to process the smug ned beside minerva.

@goforduck drew this scene for me a while back and imma show it to u all bc i love him, his art, and the hot takes he gives my special lil ship:

needless to say, mack Is Attracted, but i wouldn’t necessarily consider it a crush. meanwhile, minerva’s pov, she’s so damn excited for this job that she’s practically vibrating on the way in. and then, like romantic poetic would have it, all of that energy halts as time stands still and minerva locks eyes with....mack.

mack definitely looks a little disheveled, but it’s like every fly-away hair crowns her head like a halo as those gemstones-for-eyes lock w minerva. she’s never seen someone she has felt so immediately attracted to in her life. but, that being said, she still does not Have A Crush.

so after all the awkward blustering (AKA mack tripping over every eighth word as minerva turns on the Charm to keep that blush on mack’s freckled face) mack starts to get minerva accustomed to the work environment and the tasks she’d need to do. eventually, she hands minnie off to kirby bc shes got work to do, and the rest of the day goes by uneventfully.

now minerva works at the theatre, and she’s Delighted w it. the job is easy but entertaining, she’s making friends, her knowledge of the world is expanding, and she now has a target for some very playful flirting and obvious showing-off of her muscles. because, listen....she has Eyes. she Knows mack always blusters whenever she’s around. and she knows herself, too. mack is cute and minerva likes making her blush. but there hasn’t been that moment where things are taken seriously.

until about a month in, when minerva walks into something she maybe shouldn’t have but also definitely should have.

you see, mack has a very important ritual in the morning. she arrives at the theatre at the absolute ass crack of dawn so she can get her yoga/stretching/vocal warmups in (since she is still a performer at heart and this has been her routine since college) and then sit by herself on the stage just sorta soaking it all in before kirby comes in with her coffee (which she needs in order to get up from her seated position on the stage bc she is that much of a coffee addict). just about every employee on staff knows not to even bother coming in this early bc 1. this ritual is very Private and Sacred to mack and 2. ur not even gonna be able to speak to her unless ur kirby w her coffee.

“just about” encompasses every employee except for minerva, who decides to show up before kirby to bring mack her coffee (that she memorized after cornering kirby for the specifics one day)

so she comes in the back entrance and is sort of at a loss as to where mack may be bc she doesn’t know mack’s routine. and she’s just kinda wandering aimlessly through all the shops and little rooms until she reaches the wings, where she hears the gentle strumming of a guitar.

she approaches, with all the caution of a woman who has spent years mastering the art of stealth along w her combat studies, and comes upon the following scene:

mack is seated in the exact center of the stage, eyes shut peacefully as her body sways to the tempo of the song she’s strumming on the guitar she’s playing (which minerva recognizes as the guitar that some idiot pit member left here about two weeks ago). she’s singing (the song is Dream A Little Dream of Me), and her voice is so soft yet so resonate that minerva feels as if she could stand right next to her or be 1000 feet away and hear the exact same thing. and she sounds so good, so completely in the song she’s performing and in her contentedness that it eases some subconscious unease minerva was holding. in the time minerva’s known mack, it’s the most natural she’s ever heard or seen her, just playing for an invisible audience in the dim lights of a theatre not yet awakened.

minerva doesn’t realize she’s drifting closer to mack until she steps on an uneven plank, and the noise snaps mack out of her little world as she turns to the noise. needless to say, she’s a little surprised that minerva’s here this early, but then minerva wordlessly hands her her coffee and so mack could care less. she accepts the drink w a smile and then decides to go to her office to get started on some business emails.

it isn’t until mack has already left the stage, and minerva is still stuck in the same position she was when she handed mack her coffee--heart racing a million miles a minute, face hot, and stomach feeling as if an entire colony of butterflies suddenly took refuge there--that minerva realizes that she is Endlessly, Hopelessly Fucked In Love.

So yeah, TLDR; Minerva was first.

#ignorance cloud on #mack attack tag #macknerva #fellow keplerians #long post #so uh yeah consider this my coming back from my hiatus lmao!!#i decided its easier to be active and sad on here than to be inactive and sad irl #my posting will probably be a little erratic still but uhhhhh whatever #sorry this took so long anon some shit went down

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chiseler · 5 years ago

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Little Devils: 50 Years of Killer Kid Movies

Face it, children are just plain creepy—especially the really cute ones.

Historically—and I’m talking about going back thousands of years—we’ve always been scared to death of the children we’ve spawned. Before they’re born we worry they might be physically deformed or just a little off in the head somehow. And after they’re born and as they start to grow and think and talk, hoo boy, that’s when things really start getting scary, as you start to glean a little something about what’s going on behind those cold, staring eyes. I’m not a parent myself, but having been a kid once I fully understand the panic and fear that can grip parents as they come to better understand their kids. What if they’re no good at sports? What if they start hanging out with a bad crowd and using drugs? What if they get bullied by the other kids and take revenge by shooting up the school? Worse still, what if they decide to bludgeon us to death with a crowbar in our sleep one night? What if they turn out to be the bona fide offspring of Satan himself? What the hell do we do then? Sure, we all pretend to be shocked and dismayed when we hear news stories about some eight-year-old in Kansas or Oregon stabbing the little neighbor girl twenty times for no apparent reason, but let’s be honest—we all know what these pint-sized miscreants are capable of doing, and have simply come to expect it.

As with a few of those other fundamental adult fears, like asteroids, nuclear war, clowns and deadly plagues, over the years our fear of children has led to its own unheralded cinematic subgenre of Killer Kid movies.

While countless slasher films from Halloween onwards feature tykes with butcher knives who grow up to become adults with butcher knives, I’m focusing here on those films in which the snot-nosed killers remain snot-nosed throughout. While I could have included those rambunctious hobo youths from William Wellman’s Wild Boys of the Road (1933), those little back-to-nature wastrels from Lord of the Flies (1963) and the matricidal zombie girl with the trowel from George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968), I, um, didn’t. So sue me.

Here’s a quick chronological list of a double handful of notable features about murderous children. It’s interesting to note that as the years pass, the films themselves seem to grow less clever, endearing, original and interesting. Just like kids!

The Bad Seed (1956)

I’ve long been a big fan of that Mervyn LeRoy. As a director, he always understood the darker side of human nature, and had a sly sense of humor about it. In 1931 he directed my two favorite (and two of the bleakest) Edward G. Robinson pictures, Five-Star Final and Two Seconds. Then eight years later he directed The Wizard of Oz. I always like to think (though I’m undoubtedly wrong about this) he intended his 1956 creeper The Bad Seed as a kind of bonk on the head to those audience members who hadn’t recognized the darkness that lay at the heart of The Wizard of Oz.

Okay, Nancy Kelly plays Christine, the nightmare-plagued mother of the world’s most perfect little girl. Not only is blonde, pigtailed and always immaculately dressed Rhoda (Patty McCormack) perfect, the ten-year old knows she’s perfect. As a perfect child, she also knows what she deserves out of life and those around her, and lord help anyone who doesn’t cough it up. As time goes on, Christine begins to suspect Rhoda may somehow be responsible for the tragic drowning of a classmate who’d recently won an award Rhoda felt she rightly deserved. And if she was responsible for that, maybe she was responsible for all those other weird deaths that have been happening all over town, too. And what the hell’s the deal with that recurring nightmare, anyway?

Although based on a stage play that was itself based on a novel, it was LeRoy’s film that would become the standard reference point and template for so many of the Killer Kid movies down the line, though few would come close to matching it.

Village of the Damned 1960

John Wyndham was a reasonably popular pulp writer in the 1930s. While his crime stories gained him the most attention at the time, these days he’s best remembered for his occasional forays into sci-fi and horror. Day of the Triffids, his end-of-the-world masterpiece about killer plants (a personal phobia) was a major hit when adapted for the big screen, but his cautionary evil kid tale Village of the Damned had a much longer reach after director Wolf Rilla got ahold of it.

Yes, we all know the story: one day everyone living in a small English village falls asleep at the same time for some unknown reason. When they awaken several hours later, all the women of child-bearing age (even the virgins!) find they’re pregnant. Weirder still, they all go into labor at exactly the same time.

Ten years later, all the kids born that day have turned out to be extremely intelligent, blond, beautiful, and emotionless. Snappy dressers though they may be, they’re also arrogant little snots who have no time for adults or other kids, and only hang out with one another all the time. They also seem to share a psychic connection, and there are hints they have some larger purpose in mind. Anyone who tries to interfere with them gets the creepy glowing eyes treatment shortly before unexpectedly committing suicide. George Sanders at the top of his game plays a rational sort who tries to get to the Bottom of what all the hell,

It remains a starkly eerie and atmospheric picture that to this day can still make you want to punch blond British pre-teens right in the face.

The film went on to spawn one lesser sequel (1964’s Children of the Damned), one superior sort-of sequel (Joseph Losey’s 1962 These Are the Damned), a 1995 remake directed by Jon Carpenter, and a Simpsons parody. My favorite bit of cultural impact, however, is that some of your more out-there paranoids have worked Village of the Damned into the Montauk Project conspiracy, claiming beautiful, blond alien/human hybrids were created in the secret government labs in the caves beneath Montauk, Long Island. These Montauk Children, as they’re called, were set out into the world as sleeper agents (though most settled in Denver for some reason), and to this day are awaiting their secret orders from above.

The Twilight Zone: “It’s a Good Life” (1961)

It was included as one of the segments in Twilight Zone: The Movie, but good as that was, there’s just no topping the original. And there’s no topping the original because back in the early Sixties Billy Mumy was the creepiest kid on the planet. Rod Serling clearly recognized this, which is why he kept casting him.

Little Anthony Freemont (Mumy) lives in a pleasant small town where everyone knows him and everyone’s really nice to him. I mean really, really, REALLY nice to him,. And they’re really nice because over time they’ve come to realize that even if he doesn’t opt to simply blink them out of existence if they don’t do what he says, he has the power to make incredibly awful things happen to them. Even thinking bad things about Anthony isn’t such a hot idea. Things aren’t any better in the Freemont household, where his terrified parents (John Larch and Cloris Leachman) have to walk on eggshells out of fear he might do something else to his siblings, or them. )“It’s a…very GOOD thing that you did that…”)

It remains one of the most delightfully wicked and true portraits of just how terrified adults are of kids, and just how sinister kids can be.

Interestingly, Mumy apparently also had this power in real life, later going on to have a big hit with the novelty song, “Fish Heads.”

The Other (1972)

Kids alone are creepy enough, but you get twins to boot, you know you’re in for some bad news. And you get twin boys in a rural town in the 1930s? Holy mackerel, you might as well just pack it in right there and go home. Nothing good is going to come of it.

I don’t know how many times I watched Robert Mulligan’s film (based on the Thomas Tryon novel) on TV in the early Seventies, but it was a lot. Enough that to this day I still remember every shot and every line of dialog., but it still gets under my skin as one of the most effective of the lot.

Real twins Martin and Chris Udvarnoky play Holland and Niles Perry. As with most twins, one is mostly nice and sweet and innocent, while the other, Holland in this case, is the dominant, wickedly mischievous one.. Also like most twins, Niles and Holland share a weird psychic link. But in their case, and under the guidance of their Russian grandmother Eda (Uta Hagen), they can use a special ring to take things one step further. They call it The Game. As in Being John Malkovich, they can actually enter the consciousness of anyone they choose, from a magician in a traveling carnival, to a passing crow, to a corpse.

It’s a Northern Gothic tale complete with dark family secrets, farm accidents, dead babies, emotionally shattered mothers and real freaks. And an evil twin. It unfolds very slowly and quietly, and even though we get the Big Revelation at the halfway point, it doesn’t matter because the story rolls on with a few more twists and surprises left. It’s not shocking or terribly bloody, but extremely unnerving. Featuring an early turn by John Ritter and a Jerry Goldsmith score.

Don’t Look Now (1973)

Nicholas Roeg’s brilliantly shattered, hallucinatory narrative with the shock ending might be a loose fit here, but it had such an influence on other sort of Killer Kid movies (like David Cronenberg’s The Brood) it deserves mention.

The great Donald Sutherland was rarely better than he was here as John, an architect whose young daughter recently drowned near the family home in England. He takes a job in Venice, thinking a few months away from home might be just the thing to help him and his wife cope. Shortly after they arrive, however, they encounter a blind psychic in a restaurant who tells them their daughter’s spirit is around, and seems happy. Being the slide Rule sort, John is less willing than his wife to accept this at face value. At least until he starts having recurring visions of what seems to be his daughter all over Venice. Dresses like her, anyway. He becomes a little obsessed with that little girl in the red cloak who may or may not be his daughter. Who cares if she might have something to do with that whole nasty string of brutal stabbings around the city?

The less said about it at this point, the better (and easier, to be honest). Almost 45 years on now, it still works, that ending still gets me, and there’s nothing else like it.

It’s Alive! (1974)

People might cite Rosemary’s Baby as the be-all and end-all of films about pre-natal anxiety, but think about it. Sure, she gave birth to the Antichrist, but she has a good support network right there in the building, and if she treats him right, she’s set for life. No, for my money Larry Cohen’s breakthrough monstrous infant hint trumps them all, beginning with one of the most unsettling ad campaigns of the Seventies.

Funny thing is, though it’s remembered as a film about a baby with fangs and claws who slaughters all the doctors in the delivery room before escaping to go on a killing spree around town, if you go look at it again now you realize that’s only a minor subplot. It’s also a conspiracy film about government scientists using unwitting citizens as guinea pigs. Above all else, though, it’s an indictment of the mass media, which has the power to destroy the lives and reputations of innocent people on a whim, in this case the Davis family. And damn but that John P. Ryan is great as the horrified and disbelieving father who finds himself and his wife being publicly blamed (as is So often the case) for giving birth to a kid who isn’t quite right.

Much smarter and more subtle than most would give it credit for, It’s Alive ! Is loaded with Frankenstein references, and went on to spawn two equally good (and very different) sequels. To this day I will not put my face or fingers anywhere near a baby’s mouth.

Devil Times Five (1974)

The early to mid Seventies were mighty good years for Leif Garret. Not only was his picture plastered all over every teeny-bopper magazine in the country month after month, he was also scoring supporting roles in huge drive-in hits like Macon County Line and Walking Tall. Let’s just say considering his squeaky-clean image, Devil Times Five (aka Peopletoys) was a departure.

Garret plays one of five kids traveling on a bus which crashes in the mountains during a snowstorm. With the driver dead and not knowing what else to do, the five youngsters take refuge in a nearby resort.

It eventually comes out the bus was actually delivering the kids to an institution for the criminally insane, as they’re all kookoo bananas and extremely violent. There were hints of this beforehand, as per the standard asylum movie cliche, each nutty kid has a telltale tic—this one thinks she’s a nun, the black kid thinks he’s in the military. etc. But it’s all just mild comic relief until they pick up the knives.

Well, before you can say “Mr. Green Jeans,” they begin slaughtering everyone at the resort in a variety of hilarious ways, and occasionally in slow motion.

Unlike other Killer Kid movies which try to explain away antisocial behavior by blaming it on assorted external forces (government scientists, radiation, aliens, Satan, or an eclipse), these kids are just plain old evil by nature, and that’s all there is to it.

It wasn’t a big hit, it didn’t do much to propel Garret into leading roles, but today it’s earned itself solid cult status as a pre-slasher grind house number. And what’s not to love about the ol’ “piranhas in the bathtub” gag?

The Omen (1976)

In the Seventies and Eighties, a number of once-huge stars—Ray Milland, Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Rory Calhoun, Ida Lupino, George C. Scott and, in this case Gregory Peck—found themselves making genre pictures simply because that was all that was available to them. Granted, The Omen was a few cuts above The Devil’s Rain and Tentacles, but still.

Okay, regardless what the producers and screenwriter David Seltzer may claim about the franchise’s origins, the original trilogy of Omen films was lifted wholesale from “The Devil’s Platform” episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker.

Be that as it may, when you get a cast like this, a smart director like Richard Donner, a simply astonishing score by Jerry Goldsmith, some diabolical camera trickery and editing, wonderful practical effects (Lee Remick’s fall from the balcony kept me going for years), and a story about a smiling, (mostly cheerful 3-year-old Son of Satan wandering around England leaving a trail of beheadings, impaled priests, seriously pissed off baboons and hanged nannies in his wake, how can you go wrong? Even if the script itself is absurdly silly.

In an interesting postscript, like so many other child actors deeply associated with high-profile horror films of the era—think Danny Lloyd from The Shining—Harvey Stephens (who as Damien spoke, what, five words onscreen?) would not appear in another film for the next four decades. And even then he hasn’t been in much, though he did have a cameo as a reporter in the remake of, yes, The Omen a few years back.

Alice Sweet Alice (1976)

I dare you to show me one worthwhile horror film about Presbyterians. No, as far as religious sects go, Catholics have it all over everyone when it comes to horror. You got your robes, your chanting, your weird rituals, your transmutation, your Inquisition, your fetishism, your magic relics, your ghostly visions, oh, it just goes on and on. The Catholic Church is just one big horror show, top to bottom. As a result, Catholicism lay at the heart of countless horror films, and Alice, Sweet Alice is among the best.

The tagline read, “If you survive this night, nothing will ever scare you again,” which may or may not have been a reference to the fact this was Brooke Shields’ film debut. Shields plays 10-year—old Karen, the cute, quiet, polite and well-dressed younger sister of that moody, smart-mouthed and generally ornery Alice (Paula Sheppard), who likes to pull nasty pranks and doesn’t dress nearly as well as her sister. Everyone from the neighbors to their own parents to the local priest adores Karen and showers her with gifts, while they just wish Alice would go away. She clearly needs to see a shrink or something. So when Karen is brutally stabbed to death outside the church on the morning of her first communion and Alice is found with Karen’s veil in her pocket, well, there you go. And then when a whole bunch of other people around town somehow connected with Alice end up all stabbed to death as well, well, there you go again. I mean, she just looks like someone who could do something like that, right?

Alice, Sweet Alice is an American Giallo, so the less said about the story the better. For having such a tiny budget, the visuals are rich and gorgeous, filled with Catholic imagery and ritual throughout, featuring a cast of wholly unlikable characters you honestly don’t mind seeing stabbed to death (especially that Little Miss Perfect Karen). The one standout is Alphonso DeNoble as the crass, sleazy, filthy and morbidly obese landlord Mr. Alphonso. DeNoble has a terrifying charisma, which may have come from being a bouncer at a gay nightclub in Jersey in real life.

Yes, the film owes quite a bit, and blatantly so, to Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, but aimed at a more lowbrow mainstream audience. It’s a bloody, nasty little shocker still held dear by thousands of disaffected girls who survived Catholic school.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)

1976 was not only a busy year for Killer Kid films, it was also the busiest year of Jodie Foster’s career, during which she appeared in half a dozen films ranging from Taxi Driver to, well, this, a film she and other cast and crew members would bad mouth down the line. In retrospect, it’s not really as bad as all that.

A 13-year-old Foster plays 13-year-old Rynn Jacobs, a precocious girl who may or may not be living alone in a rented house in a secluded section of a small, affluent seaside town. Her rich, nosy and suspicious landlady keeps barging in uninvited to ask too many questions, the landlady’s perv of a son (Martin Sheen) keeps putting the moves on her, a local cop is endlessly curious but nice enough, and a gimpy teenage magician from the area knows the score. But Rynn is self-sufficient and smart beyond her years. Enough so anyway to dispatch with all those nosy yokels who’d try and pry into her business.

It’s less a horror film than an atmospheric mystery that ties up all the loose ends by the three-quarters mark. Based on a 1974 novel, the claustrophobic stagebound film is mostly forgotten today, but back in ’76 the poster creeped the hell out of me. Certainly more than the film did.

The Children (1980)

Although “creepy bloodthirsty children” seems to be a simple, straightforward notion just bursting with possible storylines, 1980 marked the point at which screenwriters and filmmakers everywhere seemed to run out of ideas, so simply began rehashing those earlier, better films. Case in point is this slight variation on Village of the Damned.

This time around, instead of mysterious alien impregnation, a school bus full of perfectly normal kids drives through a cloud of yellow radioactive fog released from a nearby nuclear power plant. The radiation, it seems, turns all the tykes into shambling, emotionless and murderous zombies. Instead of glowing eyes, the infected kids have black fingernails (which was easier on the fx budget), and instead of psychically driving adults to kill themselves, the mere touch of these evil zombie children can fry any adult to a crisp. With little else to do, the radioactive zombie kids lay siege to their small town as the adults try to figure out just how to handle this. I mean, it was already hard enough trying to get them to go to bed on time.

Oh, derivative as it is, the film does have it’s moments. In fact it includes one scene I must admit I’ve never seen repeated in any other Killer Kid film, in which a group of well-armed adults barricaded inside a house open fire on the army of evil radioactive curtain climbers massing in the front yard. And when the adults finally do figure out how to dispatch the little monsters, well, let’s just say it was unexpectedly gruesome.

The Godsend (1980)

Given the year had already provided a Village of the Damned knockoff, it was apparently time for a Bad Seed knockoff, and an obvious one at that.

A pleasant and kindly British couple, the Marlowes (Malcolm Stoddard and Cyd Hayman) decide to take in a young unmarried pregnant woman even though they already have six kids of their own, telling her she can stay with them until she has the baby. What nice people those Marlowes are! But wouldn’t you know it? As soon as the ungrateful wench spits out the baby she vanishes without a word, leaving them with a seventh mouth to feed.

Being pleasant people they don’t complain too much, and over time the child grows into a polite and lovely little girl named Bonnie (Wilhelmina Green).

Well, sure enough before you know it all the other Marlowe kids start dropping like flies, and the parents take their own sweet time connecting the dots. I mean, come now people! We all know what happens to the youngest kid in a large family.

Itself based on a less-than-original novel, director Gabrielle Beaumont’s low-budget film plays like a TV movie, and lacks pretty much everything that made The Bad Seed so effective.

Bloody Birthday (1981)

On June 9th, 1970, three women in a small California town give birth during a total solar eclipse (uh-oh!). The resulting three kids—Debbie (Elizabeth Hoy), Curtis (Billy Jacoby) and Steven (Andy Freeman)—understandably share a tight bond, and as their tenth birthday approaches in 1980, plans are underway for a big bash pretty much everyone in town is expected to attend.

In the week before the party, maybe just to trim that guest list down a bit, the trio of little scamps undertakes a killing spree. They bludgeon and strangle a couple of stereotypical slasher film teens making out in a graveyard, beat Debbie’s dad (the local sheriff) to death with a baseball bat, shoot a teacher, and attempt to lock a classmate in a refrigerator in a junkyard. No one suspects them, of course, because they’re freaking nine years old. Nowadays we know better. While you’d expect the big party to be the film’s climactic scene, it just comes and goes without much happening, and those darn kids keep killing.

Around the halfway point, a teenaged amateur astrologer offers up the closest thing we get to an explanation for such naughty behavior. During that eclipse, see, both the sun and moon were blocking Saturn. Since Saturn controls the emotions, these kids were born with no conscience. Okay, so you come to accept a lot on faith in these things. Ultimately, though there are hits of both Village of the Damned and Bad Seed here, the picture owes much more to Devil Times Five.

Director Ed Hunt had made a handful of genre cheapies prior to this, but today Bloody Birthday remains his most memorable film. The dialogue is often painful, the soundtrack is comprised of library music from TV movies, and it’s not nearly as gory as would become standard for slasher films, but his three little killers all exude a believable David Berkowitz vibe, and the film contains enough boobs to earn an R rating. In an irrelevant sidenote, it remains one of the very few entries here in which the kids use guns, and, I think, the only one in which they use a bow and arrow.

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Writer/director Robert Hiltzik’s weirdie is a delightfully oddball number not only within the Killer Kid subgenre, but also among slasher films, which is doubly surprising considering when it was released.

Although the film at the outset has all the standard earmarks of a cookie-cutter post-friday the 13th slasher film (a bunch of youngsters at summer camp, and endless supply of sharp implements, a fast-rising body count), careful viewers will note a few unsettling details. First, apart from the counselors, most of the campers (and victims) are pre-adolescent, and all the males, young and old alike, wear shorts that are just a little too short and a little too snug. Hmm.

Anyway, Angela (Felissa Rose), has been sent to summer camp against her will with her older brother. She’s pretty and nice and shy, but has clearly been damaged in some way. She adamantly refuses to go swimming or play games ore shower wit the other kids, despite repeated (and usually understanding) pleas from the counselors. She prefers to be alone, and isn’t much interested in making new friends. I know the feeling. I was sent to summer camp once, and after a lummox named Trent got to go home because he got a fish hook in the eye, I considered bribing those kids with the fishing poles to do the same to me.

Anyway, if you haven’t seen it, the less said the better. Let’s just say it fits the category, but with a notorious twist, and remains near the top of the lists of many slasher film fanatics I know. I do wonder, though, given the age we’re living in, how this one would go over today. It also leaves me wondering what the deal is with that Robert Hiltzik.

Children of the Corn (1984)

Yes, it’s a stinker, but remains a memorable touchstone within the then exploding subgenre of Stephen King stinkers. I always find it funny that King continues to bitch about Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining, but never has a word to say about this, or The Mangler, or Silver Bullet, or Maximum Overdrive or…

But that’s beside the point. Given the subject at hand, both the original short story and Fritz Kiersch’s film adaptation are interesting in that they represent a genre-blending crossover between Killer Kid movies and Religious Zealot horror.

AS much as there is to chuckle at here—my goodness what an awful bit of filmmaking, from the script to the performances to the camera set-ups and fx—dammit I keep going back to it. I do enjoy that flashback in the diner, as well as the fact the initial slaughter of the adults is never clearly explained. Not really, anyway. And I do dig the amateurish overacting on the part of John Franklin as the crazy young preacher Isaac and Courtney Gains as his True Believer henchman Malachai. And I’ll watch that R.G. Armstrong in anything. Mostly, though, I think I keep going back time and again just to hear the line “He wants you, too…Malachai!,” which has been a catchphrase of mine for years now.

Firestarter (1984)

Amid the mid-‘80s flood of Stephen King quickies, at least director Mark L. Lester had a few more chops than most. He also had a much larger budget, which allowed him to sign a cast that included George C. Scott, Art Carney, Louise Fletcher, Martin Sheen and Heather Locklear (!).

So a young couple who met in college while volunteering as research guinea pigs in a secret government drug test later get married and have a daughter. As these things happen (see Blue Sunshine or Jacob’s Ladder), those secret government drug tests have a way of hanging around awhile, with some mighty unexpected side effects. In this case, their new daughter Charlie (Drew Barrymore, who was in a few King adaptations) was born with pyrokinetic powers, meaning she can set anyone or anything she doesn’t like ablaze, the lucky brat.

Well, a few years later when the secret government agency that ran the secret government drug test catches wind of what little Charlie can do, they decide they’d like to have a little chat with her, and maybe her dad too (the briefly popular David Keith), who himself might have psychic powers. Or maybe they’d like to have something more than a chat.

Less a horror movie than conspiracy thriller and chase picture, Firestarter remains an oddity here, as it’s one of the few Killer Kid films in which we’re asked to root for the Killer Kid, actually hoping the wee pyro in question, even though she’s cute and blond, will set a few of those icky, mean adults on fire.

It’s hardly on a par with The Shining, Carrie, or The Dead Zone, but at least it’s better than Night Shift, Sometimes They Come Back, Children of the Corn IV, Cat’s Eye, Maximum Overdrive…

The Omen IV: The Awakening (1991)

As would become standard for plenty of other franchises that had seemingly run their course, some bright TV executives thought there was still some money to be made with that whole Omen thing. A decade after the last and supposedly final entry came out, why not give it the TV movie treatment? And while we’re at it, why not give it a fresh twist by doing a little gender switcheroo, right? So this time around, why not make Damien a girl? That’d throw viewers for a loop, wouldn’t it?

(An Omen IV novel had actually been released shortly after The Final Conflict came out, but it had nothing to do with this.)

The events of the previous three films have long been forgotten by the time we get underway here, I mean, don’t we see the Second Coming of Christ at the end of Final Conflict? Okay, so I guess Jesus had gone on vacation or something by the time two young smug and wealthy lawyers (Michael Woods and Faye Grant) adopt a new daughter without asking too many questions.

Their daughter Delia (Asia Vieira) grows into a pretty, dark-haired young girl who is extremely unpleasant. Oooon, but she’s a bratty little smartass who could use a spanking. I always thought the Antichrist was supposed to be charming and charismatic, but I’ll let it slide. In any case her New Age hippie nanny starts to suspect something far more sinister than smug parents might be at the heart of Delia’s bad attitude. When all her magic crystals turn black in the little girl’s presence, she starts making frantic calls to her other New Agey friends.

I’m going to stop there. Hilariously awful film, save for one scene, And that one scene alone is reason enough to forgive the film’s countless other unforgivable flaws.

The nanny drags Delia to a New Age fair in a park in hopes of getting a snapshot of her aura, and let’s just say things don’t go well for much of anyone. In simple slapstick terms, it’s on a par with Final Conflict’s montage of baby murders.

The Good Son (1993)

As he transitioned from the “dorky, buggy-eyed but still weirdly cute” kid in the Home Alone pictures into a “dorky, buggy-eyed and much less cute” adolescent, Macaulay Culkin decided to prove his range as an actor by playing against type in still another take on The Bad Seed.

Instead of telling the story through the mother’s eyes, in Joseph Ruben’s film we see things through the eyes of a nice, wholesome kid named Mark (a young Elijah Wood). After his mother dies, he’s sent to live with an aunt and uncle and two cousins. Not yet knowing he should avoid anyone named “Henry,” Mark and his cousin Henry (Culkin) become good friends. But after Henry is clearly delighted when one of his silly boyhood pranks triggers a deadly multi-car pileup, and after he shows off his homemade gun to Mark, and furthermore hints he once tried to kill his own brother, Mark starts to get the idea Henry might well be a psychopath with bigger diabolical schemes in mind.

Ruben’s picture is a slight cut above the likes of, say, The Godsend thanks to that change in perspective. Although Culkin makes for a believable psycho kid, it didn’t really do much to revamp his career and set him on that road to an Oscar. Thinking about it, though, Henry’s use of improvised and homemade weaponry wasn’t that big a step away from his Home Alone character, but with more fatalities and fewer cartoon sound effects..

Home Movie (2008)

The found footage/hand held video/POV horror film was pretty well dead and buried as a style by 2008, but that sure didn’t stop anyone. It was a cheap way to make a movie, after all. In this case, though, the story would have worked much better as a straight narrative, as the POV gimmick just gets in the way, leaving viewers (or maybe just me) repeatedly asking, “Why would anyone be filming this?”

Why, for instance, would an alcoholic Lutheran minister (Adrian Pasdar) choose to film an intimate argument with his psychiatrist wife (Cady McClain)? And why would a psychiatrist use the family video camera to record private patient notes, leaving them mixed in there with the Christmas and Easter home movies? Maybe writer/director Christopher Denham was trying to make a point about people so obsessed with living through screens that they can easily ignore the obvious and increasing threat posed by their clearly disturbed twin children, who mostly just lurk in the background as the parents focus on themselves. I doubt it though.

The creepy ten-year-olds Jack (Austin Williams) and Emily (Amber Joy Williams) were born on Halloween. While their parents try to desperately prove just how fun and cool and hip they are by setting up haunted houses in the basement and teaching their kids how to pick locks, Jack and Emily spend the first half of the film staring sullenly at the floor. Soon enough though, they begin killing goldfish, crushing toads in vices, crucifying the family cat, and attacking schoolmates, working their way up the evolutionary chain toward You Know Who.

Oh, I’m not giving a goddamn thing away here—the goddamn tagline gave it away! And even without the tagline if you couldn’t see exactly where this was headed with the first scene, maybe you need a nap or something.

To it’s credit, like Devil Times Five, Home Movie offers no explanation for why the kids are funny in the head. If you wanted to push it you could make something out of that Halloween birthday or the fact the family name is “Poe.” Myself, I just tend to accept that any kid unlucky enough to have a preacher or a shrink as a parent is fucked from the start.

Case 39 (2009)

Renee Zelwegger stars as a young sincere and overworked case worker at Children and Family Services. After the seemingly unbalanced parents of a shy, sweet and neglected girl on her case list try to cram the pre-adolescent into the oven (repeatedly!) one night, the parents are institutionalized and the social worker adopts the girl.

Okay, same as with Home Movie, if you can’t see where this one was headed ten minutes in, theres something wrong with you. Funny twist is, while I initially took it to be simply yet another Bad Seed knockoff (which it is) before deciding it was simply another Omen knockoff (which it is), by the half way point it finally became clear: what I was watching was in fact a knockoff of Omen IV: The Awakening. And that’s pretty bad. To make it all even sadder and more pointless, Case 39 is capped by a climax that makes absolutely no sense, if you think about it even for a little bit. Even the Omen IV had a better ending, and that’s saying something.

Considering all the above, the ultimate lesson to take away here is that, talk as we might about The Terrible Twos, it’s when the little monsters turn ten that you really need to watch out.

by Jim Knipfel

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oosteven-universe · 6 years ago

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Twiztid Haunted High-Ons Darkness Rising #2

Twiztid Haunted High-Ons Darkness Rising #2 Source Point Press 2019 Story Created by Twiztid & Dirk Manning Written by Dirk Manning Illustrated by Marianna Pescosta Coloured & Lettered by Alessandro De Fornasari Upon learning the scope and power of "The Darkness" from Dr. Fallenlegna, unlikely heroes Madrox, Monoxide and Felicia find themselves at odds with each other about how to proceed. Should they follow the Doctor's orders, or is there a greater evil manipulating them all from the shadows? I will be honest if it weren’t for Dirk I wouldn’t have thought about even finding out who Twiztid were. Now I look forward to seeing these two do-fuss’ more than I ever thought I could. So leave it to Dirk to throw me for a massive curveball that I had no idea was approaching. The opening here is a direct lead in from the end of last issue and it doesn’t any more sense to me regardless of how many times I read it. I will say that it does exactly what an opening is supposed to do and that’s grab the readers’ attention, their imagination and immediately draws them in. Dirk does an amazing job with the way that this book is structured. The man has a way with words as well and if you’ve ever heard him talk or had a conversation with him you’d understand just how freakin talented he truly is using words. Now from the moment he appeared Dr. Fallenlegna has been one shady character and Felicia is the only who can see that, aside from us that is. His words and the way he talks to the boys makes it abundantly clear what he actually thinks of them. Their own dialogue and conversation away from the ahem good doctor makes it clear he isn’t that far off from the truth. The characterisation here is beyond fantastic. The dynamic between the boys and Felicia is wonderfully done. She is one side of the argument while Paul on the opposite side with Jamie caught in the middle and while he sees both sides of the argument he isn’t strong enough to go up against Paul and that’s a crying shame because at the moment he is the only level headed one among them and that’s with a big old spliff in his hands. It is too big to be a joint but ya never know. Bedsides Paul is angry and I don’t know why but the man-child seems to have a hair trigger at the moment. This is how damn good all this characterisation is. The interiors here keep impressing me. I really do like the way we see the linework being utilised through the varying weights to create some nice attention to detail. There is also a part of this at least in how I am seeing it that reminds me of the ScoobyNatural episode and that effin rocks! The only thing I would like to change here is to add more backgrounds into the panels. Otherwise what we see here has this nice strong, sure hand bringing all this to life. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a really good eye for storytelling. The colour work is phenomenal. Felicia’s ghost state is delightful, and that choice of wallpaper in the backgrounds holy mackerel is that stunning. The story & plot development here with the pacing and the character development, see characterisation, is why I love Dirk’s writing. That the boys stick together through thick and thin or dumb and dumber as the case may be is showcased extremely well. Add in all the sadness that comes from how things were left with Felicia and I couldn’t think of having a much better time reading than the potential within these pages. The whole concept from the ground up is incredibly well thought out and executed. This is why I think Source Point Press is quietly putting out some strong books that folks are finally starting to notice.

#comic books #comics reviews #source point press #dirk manning

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fluffandlove · 7 years ago

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Stupid Affection

Author’s note: THANK YOU for existing and sending me this ilu. Haven’t written MakoHaru in a while and after watching the new episodes I died aND WAS LIKE HOLY SHIT I HAVE ALL THESE FEELS and this is the result <3

Summary: Haru’s being dramatic and Makoto wants to make him feel better by using his weak spots against him. With love of course.

Word count: 2k

One of Haru’s typical traits was his quietness, which was one of the things Makoto was used to, but he was exceptionally quiet today. Like, they’d been hanging out for almost two hours or so and the only reason Haru had opened his mouth was to ask Makoto if he wanted a cup of tea. Usually they would be talking about their day, their classes, any news from the others, even the weather when Makoto ran out of things to say but Haru had barely responded to any of that.

Even the way they were sitting was weird. The TV was on at a low volume, playing some random thriller and, call him sentimental, but Makoto was pretty sure that Haru was sitting too far away from him. The bed wasn’t that big to begin with, but it turned out that Haru preferred the opposite side instead of his go-to, which was nestled up against Makoto.

This was weird, not to mention awkward. Makoto pressed his lips together and looked at him, not really knowing what to do. They’d only been dating for a year but had been friends for as long as he could remember, which was the very reason he knew that there was something wrong. It couldn’t be something major, otherwise Haru would’ve cancelled their meetup, so it was something small but pressing.

Maybe he had a bad day at practice? Or maybe Rin had managed to prove that he was a better driver after all. Whatever it was, it was causing them to sit in one of the most awkward silences ever, depriving them of touch and damn, Makoto was gonna burst any second.

Haru’s eyes were fixed on the corner of the TV screen, making Makoto unable to read them. He was holding his phone in an absent grip and his posture was somewhat tense; an indicator that he had to be approached carefully, otherwise they wouldn’t get very far. Apparently Makoto’s presence was not unwanted, which gave him a little boost to scoot over and place a tentative hand on Haru’s clothed leg.

“Haru.”

“Hn.” A quiet response but it was there.

“… Did something happen?”

The scene on the TV changed and dramatic music started playing, making the atmosphere even tenser than it had to be. Makoto’s eyes landed on the remote on the floor and back to Haru’s face to silently ask for permission. The response was a small nod, so he reached for the remote and turned the TV off, using it as an excuse to nudge him with his elbow.

Their eyes met and Makoto dared to move even closer so their noses nearly touched. Haru’s eyes were soft, mirroring a distant sadness. He wasn’t sure whether to place a small kiss on his lips, even though he really wanted to.

“We didn’t have mackerel for dinner.”

Oh.

The answer was so obvious yet totally not at the same time. It was true that Makoto had brought some food from the convenience store because he was tired and didn’t feel like cooking, so he honestly thought he was doing both of them a favor. Apparently Haru hadn’t said anything for the sake of being polite or something, and they’d finished their dinner in silence.

“I’m sorry?” Makoto tried and pressed their foreheads together with a careful smile, grateful that Haru sort of leaned into his touch and placed his phone on the nightstand.

“S’okay.”

Makoto let out a low chuckle and wrapped his other arm around Haru’s shoulders, his hand ending up on the back of his neck, fingers brushing against his hairline and jaw.

“Let me make it up to you.”

Makoto was often very shy when it came to touch, but now that Haru was feeling down (about something rather silly, he secretly thought), he decided to go for it.

The hand that was resting on his leg slid under his shirt and cupped his waist, the other hand joining it swiftly, lifting him up and dragging their bodies closer together so that Haru ended up in his lap.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Makoto thought Haru wasn’t sad at all, or at least, exaggerating a little, and just in some need of psychical attention, so he laid his chin on Haru’s shoulder, holding him in a somewhat loose hug. Haru’s hands slid around his shoulders, holding onto him and letting out another small sigh.

“We’ll have mackerel for breakfast tomorrow, okay?” Makoto said in an earnest voice, glad that Haru couldn’t see the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He got a small hum in response, which was probably the equivalent of “Yeah, okay,” and Makoto squeezed him a little tighter.

They sat like that for a solid minute, listening to each other’s breathing and feeling each other’s heartbeat. Makoto was absently stroking his lower back with his thumbs and felt Haru’s body slowly but surely relaxing in his arms, tension leaving his shoulders and practically melting into him, which was exactly what he’d hoped for. Haru wasn’t that hard to please, especially since he was indifferent about most things, but it was still a small victory in his eyes.

Makoto turned his face so that his nose brushed against Haru’s jawline, feeling the shiver he caused by doing so. He kept nudging him gently until their eyes locked again.

He got another small nod in response and took that as the consent he needed to bring their lips together. Of course kisses couldn’t solve everything, but it was no secret that Haru really liked kissing, especially when he was feeling down. He’d accidentally let this slip that one time he couldn’t sleep and rolled over to Makoto, who was staying over for the umpteenth time, burying his face in his neck and quietly whispering he wanted to kiss.

And sometimes Haru would actually lean in to initiate one. Makoto honestly thought it was one of the most adorable things ever and never hesitated to cup his jaw and let the other’s lips move against his. Other times Makoto would daringly run his thumb over his hip, caress his lower back or squeeze his leg, and Haru would always respond with a small grunt, pulling him even closer.

Haru kept kissing him softly, holding onto his shoulders and sighing contently through his nose like always. It was more than enough encouragement for Makoto to gently move their bodies and push Haru down until he was lying on his back. Makoto never broke the kiss, too lost in the way Haru was now suckling on his lower lip, his breath and heartbeat quickened. Warm hands were holding his cheeks in a soft grip, which he found absolutely endearing and almost felt bad when he pulled back a little so he could start kissing his jaw and neck.

As expected, he got a disgruntled noise as soon as their lips separated, but Haru grew quiet and breathy once Makoto kissed right above his collarbone. The hands that were holding his face loosened their grip and slipped down, trembling lightly.

His shirt had moved up due to their movements and Makoto pushed it farther up to expose his boyfriend’s stomach even more. Haru’s breathing got a little more intense as Makoto started kissing his lower abdomen, lips lingering above the skin after every touch.

A sudden, sharp gasp broke the dreamy atmosphere and Makoto looked up, startled, to see that Haru had squeezed his eyes shut and was gripping the sheets tightly with one hand. His face was already flushed from their kissing, but Makoto was pretty sure it had gotten even redder.

His lips parted, about to ask what he could have possibly done wrong, but then it hit him. He sort of pretended it didn’t happen and continued to place feather-light kisses around Haru’s navel, feeling the skin tremble beneath his throbbing lips.

“Gpppfff.” It sounded like a failed raspberry and Makoto could hear the grunt that followed. “Makoto…”

“Hm?” was the lazy answer. His forefinger traced his hip, earning another shudder.

“You’re tickling me, stop that.”

His own lips curled into an unusual Rin-like grin against the baby hairs. “But it’s fun.”

Haru tried to move away, but Makoto had a firm grip on his hips, not letting him go. “Ugh, you’re such an idiot.”

The pretentious insult was accusatory but affectionate at the same time, so Makoto didn’t hesitate to reach up and press their lips together while also tickling his ribs gently. A small puff of air brushed over his lips and Haru started squirming, hands half-heartedly pressing against his chest. Makoto simply let his fingers roam over his torso, adding a little squeeze or flutter every now and then, which was making the laughter that was coming out of Haru’s mouth louder and louder until they were forced to break apart.

“Mak— Gah! St—” Haru got cut off by his own laughter, curling in on himself and pressing his arms against his sides.

Both of Makoto’s hands were now under his shirt, tickling him in earnest. Melodious laughter filled up the apartment, instantly getting rid of any lingering negativity, and Makoto decided to be extra mean because he loved his boyfriend’s laugh more than anything. Haru opened his mouth to protest, or at least that was what it looked like, but yelped instead.

“Sorry.”

Makoto had brushed over one of his hipbones and let out a quiet chuckle upon seeing the quick glare Haru had shot him. “You’re not sorry.”

“… Yeah.”

Squeeze. Haru’s torso shot up as far as it could, lips pressed together so a mere concealed laugh managed to come out, but Makoto was persistent and continued to tweak at his hips until another bark of laughter escaped. Uncoordinated blows were aimed at his arms, half-pushing at them but his body was trying so hard to get away that it just ended up doing exactly nothing to help Haru escape from those quick but effective touches.

As far as he knew, Haru didn’t exactly loathe being tickled, it was more like he had accepted that Makoto loved to make him laugh and usually ended up tickling him to the point where he was completely red in the face and breathless.

His legs were kicking the air uselessly, barely able to do anything. It did cause Makoto to lose his balance for a split second, though, but he regained it and leaned down even closer so they were panting against each other’s lips. He, too, was slightly breathless and could see Haru’s cheeks darkening because of their proximity.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Another kiss that was so very satisfying and distracting that Haru barely registered the hands cupping his jaw, thumbs caressing his cheeks tenderly until they sneaked down to his neck, fluttering playfully. The first bubble of laughter was again disrupted by the other’s lips before Makoto pulled back and blew a raspberry below his jaw.

This time Haru guffawed and threw his head back against the pillow, unintentionally giving Makoto more access to nip, kiss and blow against his neck until loud snorts and high-pitched noises joined his laughter. He tried to move his head away, but with Makoto still straddling him like that, he couldn’t get very far.

“Mako— Pff! Quit it already!”

And Makoto finally did. His hands had been under his shirt, squeezing his waist continuously but were now completely still. He pulled back and Haru watched him through his wet eyelashes, blowing his bangs out of his face with a small puff of air.

“Idiot,” he grunted again.

Makoto climbed off him and went to lay down next to him, slinging an arm over his torso. “I’m sorry, Haru-chan (another grunt). Just wanted to make you feel better,” he muttered in his neck and the soft tone seemed to have the desired effect: Haru huffed and looked away, appearing to be speechless.

“It’s fine. Just get some mackerel tomorrow morning so I don’t have to do it.”

Smiling, Makoto pulled him closer. “Got it.”

#free!#makoharu #tickling #tickle fic #makoto tachinaba #haruka nanase #my fic #it's basically just boys kissing and cuddling #the usual kind of content I produce tbh #--> pure and utter trash lmao #aLSO SORRY I DIDN'T WANNA MAKE HARU CRY #IT BROKE MY HEART AJSLFKASDFSD #so you got tummy kisses and tickles instead asldjfkasfsdak #100

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