#i will write my own cinematic masterpiece for these two

[lesbianweems]

a sneak peak at my newest fic I’m working on for my comfort ship, the tags will give away the ship 😭

[goldengleams]

another cinderella story | l. hughes

summary: after your masquerade dance, you invite luke back to your house to watch a movie that’s right on theme. will he be your prince charming?

word count: 1.8k

author’s note: oh it’s just me being active and posting again!! so excited to be on break for the summer and finally have some free time! this was inspired by an experience i had with a friend and it was so fun to write, so please show some love by reblogginh or liking! leave some requests or messages in my inbox for fun! 🤍

———————————————————————

You pulled your coat around your shoulders as the chilly winter air nipped at your exposed skin, making the climb out of the Uber and the walk to your house that much more dreadful. Your night at your sorority formal had been a blast. This year, there was a masquerade theme and you had gotten lucky enough that your formal was on a non-hockey weekend so that you could invite your close friend, Luke Hughes.

The two of you had had a fun night with your sorority sisters and a few of his teammates who had been invited. Before you left, the drinks had been flowing at your pregame, so you had felt extra loose on the dance floor with Luke as your date.

“Thank you, have a good night,” you said to the driver. Luke quickly climbed out of the car to join you and speedwalk inside.

“I think the cold just completely sobered me up,” you grumbled.

Luke laughed from behind you. “Yeah, you did go a little hard after we finished our bottle of champagne.” You let out a soft groan at the reminder that you and Luke had been handcuffed to each other earlier in the night to complete your champagne and shackles challenge.

“I only had a one dirty shirley but I knew that stupid bottle of champagne would fuck me up,” you said, laughing as you recalled your tipsy self earlier in the night.

“I thought you handled it well, you only tripped three times walking in,” Luke teased. It wasn’t your fault that your best friend had made everyone drink the champagne in a race.

“Well, you knew I wasn’t going to lose to Luca and Bella in the drinking game!”

You and Luke reached the front door of your sorority house and you scanned in. Unsurprisingly, the house was empty, the other girls still at the formal venue or planning to stay with their dates for the night.

You shrugged off your coat and Luke hung it up on the coat rack in the closet along with his own. He had been over to your sorority house many times to study and hang out with you, so he knew where just about everything was.

“I was gonna bring some popcorn and those chocolate covered pretzels upstairs,” You called from the kitchen. Luke came in a moment later, still looking handsome in his button down and dress pants. You wouldn’t admit to it, but your eyes did linger on the contour of his muscles that was evident through his shirt. “I still can’t believe you’ve never seen Another Cinderella Story!”

“Jack and Quinn weren’t exactly interested in Disney Channel at that age, so blame them next time you see them,” Luke laughed. “How does this relate again?”

You huffed out a breath. “It’s a cultural masterpiece because Selena Gomez’s character goes to a masquerade ball where she dances with the Joey Parker, who is the celebrity in the movie,” you explained while walking up the stairs. Luke followed behind you, intently listening to your words. It was hard to ignore his eyes as he focused on you. “And since we just went to the masquerade dance, it’s a must!”

“So she’s the one playing Cinderella?”

“Yeah and she’s a really good dancer but her evil stepmother, who is played by Jane Lynch, of course, won’t let her be with him. It’s cinematic, I swear Luke.”

Luke’s eyes followed your form as you walked up the stairs. Your dress clung to you in all the right spots and your heels you had worn had made your legs look even longer than usual. He tried not to watch as your hair flowed behind you, the new style making him want to stare at you all night.

“Alright, I’ll get this masterpiece of a film set up, so get the snacks ready!”

Luke took a seat on your futon and you quickly clicked on Disney Plus to turn on the movie. You had started to feel too overdressed in your outfit, so you grabbed a pair of pajama pants and a Michigan hockey t-shirt to change into.

“Nice shirt,” Luke said when you walked back into your room. His eyes had gone straight to your shirt and seeing your choice of attire made him smile.

“Don’t be flattered, it was the first one in my drawer,” you said, shrugging your shoulders. You quickly grabbed a hair tie to put your hair up in a bun in front of your mirror. You didn’t expect Luke to be watching you as you turned back to join him where he was sitting.

“You look nice,” he said softly. You furrowed your eyebrows.

“In my pajamas?”

“You always look pretty, Y/N.”

You wanted to question what he meant but he turned away and focused back on the television. Recently, you had started feeling like yours and Luke’s relationship was bordering on the “more than just friends” line. He had made it a point to see you as much as he could, which ended up being just about every day. Your friends in your house had started teasing you more and more about how oblivious you were to Luke’s flirting.

You settled in next to Luke and shivered a little, pulling the blanket he grabbed closer to you.

“Come here,” Luke said, opening his arms for you to slide closer to him. The snacks still separated you from the hockey player. You told yourself it was just for warmth, that your sorority house had been known to be drafty in the wintertime.

“You cold?” You teased.

“No, but I know you always are. Your hands are always freezing and you wear, like three layers of clothing everyday, Y/N,” Luke joked. You couldn’t believe Luke paid attention to you like that.

Was it normal to have butterflies for your best friend during a Disney Channel Original Movie?

About an hour into the movie, lots of yelling at Jane Lynch, and one dance break later, you felt your eyelids start to droop. You sat up a little straighter, trying to stay awake to finish the movie with Luke but your night was catching up to you. You could feel him looking at you as you tried to stifle a yawn.

“We can save the rest of the movie for another day if you want,” Luke offered as he paused the movie.

You quickly shook your head. “I can’t leave you in suspense about what happens to Mary Santiago and Joey Parker, Luke. That would be a crime to DCOMs and to you.”

Luke pressed play once again, enjoying how excited you were about the movie and not wanting to miss spending any time with you. “You can rest your head on my shoulder if you want to, Y/N.”

You gave in, resting your head on Luke’s shoulder and cuddling up next to him. You weren’t sure what territory this put you into, since this seemed to be more intimate than anything you’d ever done before. You smelled Luke’s cologne as you moved closer, feeling his arm wrap around you as he welcomed your presence closer to him.

You knew you were a goner right then and there, because three minutes later, you were pressed against his shoulder letting out soft, steady breaths with your arm wrapped around Luke’s stomach. Luke didn’t notice you were asleep until a few minutes later, assuming you had just been watching the movie. He smiled at the sight of you curled up next to him and took in your facial features. After being friends for over a year, he had discovered so many things about you that made him want to be around you even more.

Luke let the movie run on, only half paying attention to what was happening. He had been excited when you asked him to be your date for the night, knowing that there were other guys, including a few of his teammates, who found you very attractive. He would have gone anywhere you had asked him, quite honestly, but the dance was fun and your post-dance plans of showing him one of your comfort movies only made his heart swell more. Even though dancing wasn’t his thing, he knew it was yours, and it made him excited just to see you happy.

Once the film was ending, he reached for the other blanket that was resting on the arm of the couch, not realizing that the remote was right there. The small black box clattered to the ground hit the side of the couch just right so that the sound went up, jerking you awake.

You were so surprised by the sound that you almost didn’t realize you had been asleep on Luke’s shoulder.

“Shit, I’m sorry!”

Luke quickly bent over to get the remote off the ground which gave you a minute to take in the song playing.

“Oh my god, did I fall asleep?” As a true DCOM fan, you knew that Selena Gomez’s song played at the end as the credits were rolling.

“Uh yeah, but not for long. You only missed her and Joey at the end,” Luke said. He placed the remote in between the two of you, since you had moved away from him in your haste to wake up.

“Gosh, I’m sorry Luke. I didn’t mean to,” you said, feeling embarrassed. You had spent the night trying to impress Luke and now you had probably drooled on his nice shirt.

“No, no don’t be. I was trying to cover you up with another blanket and I dropped it by accident.”

You both sat in an awkward silence before Luke cleared his throat.

“You’re cute when you sleep.” You rolled your eyes at his comment.

“I should’ve known my date was a stalker,” you teased.

“Thank you for inviting me, by the way. I had a really great time,” Luke said sincerely. You felt a flush on your cheeks.

“Even though I got a little too tipsy and fell asleep on you?” You questioned semi-seriously.

“Especially because you got tipsy and fell asleep on me,” Luke chuckled. “I’m glad you feel comfortable with me, Y/N.”

“Of course I feel comfortable with you, Luke. We’re friends.”

Luke quickly looked at you with a smirk on his face before huffing out a laugh and shaking his head. He wanted to say something, you knew all of his tells.

“What’s so funny?” You questioned.

“Nothing, I just wish we wouldn’t keep doing this song and dance. We’re worse than Mary and Joey, Y/N.”

Luke took your hand into his. “What do you mean Luke?”

Luke brought his hand to your cheek, the space between the two of you on the couch eliminated as he moved closer. His eyes dipped to your lips, silently asking you a question that you both already knew the answer to.

You nodded, leaning into his touch and pressing your lips against his. Cliche as it sounds, you felt like one of the girls in a Disney movie, kissing your Prince Charming.

Luke pulled away first to smile at you. “Took us long enough, huh? C’mere my Cinderella.”

You giggled and kissed him again, already planning your first anniversary and rewatching of Another Cinderella Story in your head.

———————————————————————

[ghastlyfilters]

SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE

— “WE’RE IN A WORLD, OUR VERY OWN. SHARING A LOVE THAT ONLY FEW HAVE EVER KNOWN.”

pairing; post spray jeremiah valeska x fem!reader

summary; jeremiah takes you to see the first part of one of his favourite film franchises of all time. the godfather. and when you return from seeing such a cinematic masterpiece, jeremiah decides to dance with you to one of the songs from it.

note; HII!! i can’t even explain how excited i am to be writing this. i love the godfather and gotham, so i’m glad the thought came to me. nothing wrong with appreciating my love for both jeremiah valeska and michael corleone;)

also, here’s some of the italian words used in this fic, and what they mean! (if these ain’t accurate just blame google translate)

non smetti mai di sembrare raggiante, tesoro. - you never fail to look radiant, darling.

grazie - thank you.

MASTERLIST

You and Jeremiah panted as you had ran back in the rain to the entry of his hideout. Tonight he’d took you to see one of his favourite cinema classics. The Godfather.

He’d had this planned for AGES. Years even. He knew one day he wanted to share with you the joy he felt in watching such an amazing cinematic masterpiece. And today, he had successfully got what he wanted.

There was tons of abandoned theatres scattered throughout Gotham. But Jeremiah didn’t want to take you somewhere shabby and wrecked. No.

He’d taken you to Gotham’s oldest theatre. A building that had been stood even before the very first time The Godfather came to cinemas. It was high class, and full of money people at all times. The theatre was known for showing tons of classics. So tonight was Jeremiah’s lucky night.

He’d made sure he booked out the whole screening. He didn’t want a soul interrupting any moment he was planning on enjoying with you. Only thing was that because of how high class the theatre was, it would cost a shit load to buy tickets, let alone the whole thing.

Jeremiah made sure the owner knew that money wasn’t everything. Well.. after holding a blade to his throat.

The whole thing went smoothly. And you’d never seen him so happy. He looked more like an excited child rather than a grown man thrilled to see the most loved mafia movie on the big screen.

As the heels of his shoes tapped against the flooring, you heard him softly hum the Godfather waltz. And he did so with nothing but pride.

You sat on the couch, your fingers slowly tracing circles onto the beautiful fabric. Jeremiah always had ways of making you feel so expensive.

“A glass of Chianti, darling?” He called out.

You looked back and nodded as he swiftly poured the Italian wine into a tall crystal glass for you.

Jeremiah carefully strutted over to you, two glasses in his hands. He placed one down in front of you, giving you a kiss on the hand.

“I must say,” He said, sitting down beside you, already motioning for you to move closer. “My expectations for this night with you were perfectly met, my dear.”

Jeremiah put a gloved finger on your cheek, and you practically purred at his touch. He held your waist as you moved into his lap, grinning.

“I suppose now I see why you always used to be so persistent on having that slicked back hair, Don Valeska.” You mocked. You’d known for years Jeremiah took a deep liking to Michael Corleone’s character. You couldn’t blame him, of course. Michael and Jeremiah both shared a great charm.

He rolled his eyes playfully, taking a sip of his wine. He let out a small gasp as an idea struck him. And you furrowed your brows the minute he took you off his lap.

“Miah?” You said, curiosity clear in your voice. He held a finger up, hurrying into another room. You just sighed, wondering what he was planning now.

Jeremiah soon returned, a vinyl in hand. He flashed you a smile, before darting over to the record player. He set it all up, and you started to giggle the minute the song started to play.

Speak Softly Love by Andy Williams. A song that included an instrumental theme used in The Godfather. Which had made the song a true gem to listen to.

He rushed back over to you, and you could see the amount of joy dancing around in his eyes despite the song only just starting.

“Shall we?” Jeremiah grinned, putting his hand out for you.

You accepted it, and he immediately pulled you up. Gracefully, but you could tell he was desperate to finally dance with you to this.

Speak softly, love and hold me warm against your heart..

I feel your words, the tender trembling moments start.

We're in a world, our very own..

Sharing a love that only few have ever known.

Another soft giggle escaped your lips as he directed you to sway around with him. You’d never admitted it, but Jeremiah was an incredible dancer. Always so careful with his partner.

Wine-colored days warmed by the sun..

Deep velvet nights, when we are one.

“Non smetti mai di sembrare raggiante, tesoro.” Jeremiah whispered into your ear. God you loved when he spoke Italian.

“Grazie.” You replied, planting a kiss onto his cheek. However, he redirected your lips. He tilted your chin upward, and soon you felt his own velvety smooth lips brushing against yours.

He put one hand on the back of your head, caressing your hair. He pulled away as the rest of the lyrics played on the vinyl, and the two of you went back to swaying again.

Speak softly, love so no one hears us but the sky..

The vows of love we make will live until we die.

My life is yours and all because..

You came into my world with love, so softly love.

You both waltzed around the room as the strong instrumental part of the song really kicked in. You caught a glimpse of Jeremiah’s face glistening from the moonlit sky outside throughout Gotham.

You’d truly began to admire his new features now. His ghostly white face, red ruby lips, and those icy green eyes..

Some were scared, meanwhile others like his followers found it intriguing. But you.. oh.. you found it hauntingly beautiful.

His change in attitude was also something you were secretly enjoying. Before the spray, Jeremiah had been incredibly shy with showing you affection. His overthinking always crept in, giving him the hint that perhaps you did not feel the same way towards him as he did for you.

Now, he was incredibly bold whilst showing his love for you. And he wanted every single person in the city to see that.

Wine-colored days warmed by the sun..

Deep velvet nights, when we are one.

His gloved hands made their way down your body, cupping your hips. Jeremiah loved your curves. You were so womanly. And it was another part of you he’d always admired.

“This is…” He breathed. “Rather.. exhilarating.”

Speak softly, love so no one hears us but the sky..

The vows of love we make will live until we die.

My life is yours and all because..

You came into my world with love…

“It’s definitely-“

“A night to remember.” Jeremiah cut you off. You dipped down as he hovered above you, his grip tight. He bent toward you, kissing you once again.

So softly love.

THIS WAS LITERALLY SO FUN TO WRITE. either that or it’s the concept of mixing my two favourite interests together. but man i love jeremiah more than anything.

[writeroutoftime]

the greatest thing you'll ever learn

pairing: jamie tartt x reader (requested by: anon)

summary: based on the prompt: “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” -Moulin Rouge

words: 0.6k

a/n: ahhh, I'm in my I love jamie tartt era so this was wonderful to write! though I wasn't completely sure how to incorporate this quote in the story, I hope you enjoy!

oOoOo

The whole day Jamie had you stuck in his head. On the drive to the stadium, during practice, and even now as aimlessly wondered the halls of AFC Richmond. It's not like it was completely out of the norm, you were his best friend after all. In the past, his thoughts revolved around you when he needed to ask you something or when the two of you made plans to spend time together. Nowadays, however, you were all he could think about, just wanting to be near you.

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” Jamie heard walking by the staff room, and the words stopped him in his tracks.

“Uh, whatcha say just then, Coach?” he asked, poking his head in the office, head tilted to the side.

Ted looked surprised to see Jamie, but smiled at him nonetheless. “Oh, hi, Jamie. I was just sharing a quote I like from cinematic masterpiece Moulin Rouge with our trusty Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”  he explained happily, while the other coaches in the office nodded solemnly.

Jamie's eyes widened in realization, but he tried to play it cool and mask his expression. "'Suppose that's pretty profound or what not. 'Ya know, if it applied to you." he remarked.

Roy gave Jamie a knowing look before rolling his eyes. No one else spoke a word, so Jamie nodded his head and backed out of the office with a small wave, leaving the coaches to themselves.

"Oooo, do I feel me a good ol' fashion rom-com confession coming from Jamie real soon." Ted laughed, rubbing his hands together, happy the young footballer was finally gaining some sense when it came to you.

"Come what may." Beard quipped, rewarding with a thumbs up from Ted while Roy just grunted and turned back to his computer.

oOoOo

Later that evening, you and Jamie snuggled up on your couch as you watched whatever tv show you landed on - strictly platonic, of course. But the whole night, Jamie had been rather jumpy and seemed to be lost off in space. You finally nudged him and gave him a questioning look, opening the floor for discussion.

"Did you know that, uh, loving is the greatest gift."

"What?" you giggled, unsure as to what Jamie was trying to say.

He flushed at this mistake and tried again, getting closer to what he was trying to say. "No, uh learning to love and all that. It's great innit?"

This time, you bit back your smile and turned your whole body to face Jamie, gently playing with his hands. "What is it that you are trying to say, Jamie?"

Sighing, Jamie took a deep breath and finally spoke in his own words. "I'm trying to tell you that I like you, y/n. No, more than that. I love you." he confessed, sneaking a glance at you. "And I finally realized that being with you all this time as taught me what it's like to love someone. To put someone first and want to be with them all the time." he finished, fighting the urge to pull away from you and run from his feelings.

Before he could do that though, he felt your lips press against his own in a soft, sweet kiss. It was over before it really started, but Jamie had the dopiest grin on his face as he pulled back. You bit your lip playful and leaned into him even more. "I love you too, Jamie. I can't imagine being with anyone else." you promised, intertwining your fingers and sighing in content.

---

The pieces finally came together a few days later when you came with Jamie to practice holding hands, and Ted couldn't help himself but humming 'Come What May' from Moulin Rouge. You chuckled, finally realizing what Jamie meant, and pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek. Loving Jamie really was the greatest thing.

[feyres-divorce-lawyer]

*claps and rubs hands together* alright you miscreants, behold! epic literature provided by moi

~ You Might Be King Of Half The World, But You’ll Not Own Me As Well by WickedTheRedHorse (a literal masterpiece, i’m being so serious rn. when i say i only ship fanon darklina, this is what i mean)

~ the reports associated with my existence have been significantly misconstrued by davidstennant (multi-media fics aren’t usually my jam, but this, this is good jam. exquisite jam. would gladly slather it over some challa bread and feast) [note: hasn’t been updated since may last year]

~ Liar’s Waltz (based on the poll) by @sunlightsage (first rhysta fic i ever read🤌🏾🤌🏾)

~ House of Mirrors by ae_neon (love a widow whose husband died under mysterious circumstances — @ae-neon)

~ Burial Rites in Crepuscular Hours by Existential_Teatime (badass alina rights, badass alina wrongs, when she makes the darkling question his intelligence>>>)

~ #8024 by SimplyAnotherWriter (marinette in arkham. that’s it)

~ The Journey to You by Thisishowitbegins (responsible for my resolute belief that timinette is the superior maribat ship, can’t believe this the author’s debut fic) [note: updates may be long as author grew incredibly busy]

~ Feylin Oneshots by Bookish_Gal (let’s be honest here, it’s by @bookishfeylin, need i say more. if you haven’t read it, what are you doing? alexander and adora live on my heart. also dragon tamlin, like hello???)

~ A Court of Frost and Embers by Midnight_Wishes (i made a whole, 6 minute long tiktok abt this on my first acc (that got banned because that clock app is so damn sensitive) really took my feycien obsession from brainworm to brainrot. the absolute longing and devastating angst because lucien knows feyre needs to break the curse yet falls for her anyway, but feyre doesn’t know so she just thinks lucien’s avoiding her for no reason. crushes my heart in the best way. and their calanmai scene, whew) [edit: @goforth-ladymidnight is the author’s tumblr)

~ heaven can’t help me now by disarmed (completed, perfect, there aren’t enough feycien infidelity fics out there)

~ The Girl and the Wolf by MythNinesevenine (miss janet dreams that she was as good at writing as @longsightmyth, DREAMS, i said)

~ A Court of Family Secrets and A Court of Flames and Shadows by flamesandshadows (feyre not going back to rhys after she finds out, nesta not going on that stupid hike, feycien friendship revival, eris and elain sibling relationship, elucien, azris, feyre ruling hewn city. literally all i could ask for)

~ Riddles in the Dark by flamesandshadows (feyre never gets sa’d utm. that’s it)

~ Sacrifice by flamesandshadows (rhys doesn’t get his powers back in acowar)

~ Reputation by flamesandshadows (nyx learns that his family isn’t as innocent as he grew up believing, especially his father. my favorite part, he goes absolute ape shit and deadass almost kills rhysand when he finds out what happened utm)

~ The Great Ikea Game by IcedAquarius (have you ever played hide and seek in ikea with your brothers and then you meet a girl that helps you with god-like magic because she’s bored? well that happens to damian wayne) [first work in an incomplete series but this work itself is completed]

~ Second Best by stormpill (Second Best Cinematic Universe is an actual collection with 75 works across 15 fandoms, Inspired by Second Best - stormpill is an actual tag. SB was a cultural reset. two sun summoners? genius. fjerdan barbie is the best inside joke i know. this shit was so good y’all, i’m so sad it was deleted)

~ Dragonlight by Anonymous (tgt/asoiaf crossover. alina lands in king’s landing (ha, get it) and ends up in a sacrifice by that mad king dude to bring back dragons, except due to her small science, it works. so now alya’s a dragon mama to six firebreathing cuties. alina and that rhaegar dude (that’s his name right?) marry to protect alina from his father cuz bro is called the mad king for a reason. political intrigue, yum.) [sporadic updates]

Veiled Wings and Shattered Panoramas — A Series by Dragonfly08 (@dragonfly0808 S4 REWRITE IS TOMORROW🥳🥳. best winx rewrite like ever. netflix wishes, WISHES, that they could ever be as good as writing winx as dragonfly is. btw A Withering Pretense is the best rewrite, argue with your mother)

if you don’t read at least one of these, i will cry🙂

[thehuntfortrencherlostmedia]

Hello folks.

So, I waited a while to let everything marinate in my brain before writing this. Haven is an interesting album to discuss in the grand scheme of the Trench discography. Everything feels familiar & status quo, but different, new & exciting all at once. Its production is fantastic throughout and truly allows for everything to shine. It’s also their most cinematic album to date, which is saying something given what Astoria was inspired by.

So let’s break down each track, shall we?

A Normal Life: Already gushed about this one when it came out and my thoughts haven’t changed one bit. This just might be my new favourite opener. There’s just a little sprinkling of everything from all across their discography that allows this beauty to marinate and stand on its own.

Lightning & Thunder: I’m torn. I like it still, but I do think that when you listen to it within the context of the album it loses something. It was definitely made to be a radio single. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I’m Not Getting Better: Straight to the point, catchy & fun. I really have nothing else to say on the song.

Down To You: Arguably the biggest earworm on the album. This one gets in your head and it just stays with you.

Now or Never: The By Now of the record for me. Soft & yet full of momentum all at once. This is a dream worth fighting for, indeed. Also, while both INGB & DTY show off a more R&B/Funk flow, it really sticks on this song, and now that you’ve noticed it, you’ll be hearing it a lot throughout the record.

Into The Storm: Hello, Porcelain. But also… it’s own thing. It might not be giving up, but I don’t see it as surrender either. I see it as going with the flow, facing your problems head on. This is also the first true dive into Josh’s relationship with Amanda on the album, and how he’s so happy they finally figured out how to co-exist.

Ancient History: Oh hi, Astoria. You mind if I take elements of Burning Up & Yesterday and blend them into something new? And how about the past arguments in his and Amanda’s relationship don’t matter, and how it was nice to meet back up with her. It shows how time can heal relationships. Also, SAXOPHONE. That is all.

Stand and Fight: The actual Porcelain of the record. People thought they were gonna go in a This Meets War for this song, when instead it’s a slow burn that truly stays with you.

Turn & Run: Here’s how you do a sequel song and then make it stand out from its older brother. Much like the combos of Celebrity Status/Perfect & B-Team/Toy Soldiers, both sides of the coin make me giddy inside. And holy cow… welcome to the edge indeed. That hint of Fix Me screaming… I need more of it Josh. Please? I’ll be a good girl. There’s also a lot of Masterpiece Theatre II on this one. Easily my favourite of the short songs.

Worlds Collide: I go back and forth on this one in my head. There’s parts of me that love it, there’s parts of me that feels it’s too similar to the two tracks before it…. And then we have the end. And that just… made me smile. Also, I love Josh SCREAMING “Nobody’s Safe” and the fact they left in the vocal crack. That’s how you can tell his emotions are in full display here. So yeah.

Nights Like These: The comforting palette cleanser after three songs hit you with whiplash back to back to back. It’s very reminiscent of tavern songs, sea shanty’s & is just a warm hug of a track. Also, breaking down the fact that sometimes it’s nice to have just a cozy, relaxing night with friends. Feels like the Who Do You Love of the record too.

Remember Me By: Um, Micheal? Did you just possess Josh again? This feels so 80’s R&B I can’t help but love it. Also, Ian! Nice to hear you sing, bud. We’ve heard the other three all throughout this record and now we get your voice on top of the amazing percussion. Kudos.

Haven: So, here we are. The closing track. And, it’s good. It feels like they took The Killing Kind , Masterpiece Theatre III & End of An Era Abd threw them in a blender… and the result came out great, but… it does lack something to me? And if anything, it brings out the fact this album fits into the Relationship Theory too: It is about starting anew like I said ages ago but also about how their relationship (Josh & Amanda) isn’t perfect but he loves the imperfection now that they’ve figured out how to make it work. She might’ve broke his heart once but he reconciled & became stronger because of it. And now he can show that all across these 13 tracks.

So yeah. Haven’s likely my album of the year, and I do like it. But I do think that while it has some of the highest highs the band had ever reached, I do think they didn’t fully nail the Hero’s Journey theming & that it’s not as cohesive as some of their other work. It’s a sturdy S-, easily #2 or #3 in my overall rankings, even #1 depending on the day.

[gayrootvegetable]

wip wednesday !!

thank you to @littlemisskittentoes and @hgejfmw-hgejhsf for tagging me 💖

GUESS WHO'S BACK !!!! finally, after a 6 week writing drought, i have been making progress on my tumblr au! so enjoy this lil sneak peak of alex's anonymous ask and the first part of henry's response 😎

After watching two cinematic masterpieces—Shrek 1 and Shrek 2, of course—Alex feels much better. His sister always knows how to get him out of his own head. It’s 9 PM now, AKA prime tumblr-scrolling hours. This realization prompts Alex to open the tumblr app on his phone, sending a surge of nervous energy through his body. He doesn’t worry for long, though, because right at the top of his dash is H’s response. Alex slides into bed, pulling the duvet over his head to create a blanket cocoon, before beginning to read.  

Anonymous: hi i hope it’s ok that i’m sending you this. i’ve been following you for a while and your poems mean a lot to me. i thought i was straight but now i’m not so sure because surely a straight person wouldn’t connect with queer poetry, right? so i guess my question is, how did you know you were gay? and how do i know if i’m gay? (sorry feel free to not answer this i ramble when i’m nervous haha)

Hello, Anon. Firstly, thank you for this kind message. I’m glad my writing meant a lot to you. It’s nice to know that my sad gay pining isn’t completely useless. And don’t apologize, it’s okay to be nervous. I am quite the expert when it comes to being nervous, thanks to the anxiety disorder.  As for your question, I’m honoured that you trust me with giving you advice. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to definitively determine whether you’re queer or not, but I can offer you some anecdotes from my experience, and hopefully that will be helpful in some way.

i love them, your honor 😭😭😭 OH AND the tumblr work skin i've been customizing for myself looks SO GOOD i am so excited

idk who has posted for WIP wednesday yet and who hasn't but tags under the cut as always sjdfhksj🫡

@happiness-of-the-pursuit @songliili @leojfitz @rockyroadkylers @heartitinthesilence @read-and-write- @inexplicablymine @firenati0n @tinyarmedtrex @14carrotghoul @cactusdragon517 @anincompletelist @bidoofenergy @affectionatelyrs @gay-flyboys @emmalostinwonderland @rmd-writes @myheartalivewrites @xthelastknownsurvivorx @sparklepocalypse @ssmtskw @lizzie-bennetdarcy @ninzied @anchoredarchangel @benwvatt @magicandarchery @kiwiana-writes

[verdemoun]

for once I’m not asking for angst 🤞 what kind of music would the modern au characters like? Like genres and bands :)

completely biased because i listen exclusively to musicals and late 00s teenage angst black parade is forever BUT

arthur: country music. including white girl country-pop music. can be caught doing little shuffle steps as he discreetly tries to dance along to a song stuck in his head while mumbling the lyrics under his breath. has main character moments smoking outside at night listening to need you now by lady a.

lenny: really into remixes. likes the extra pep it puts in his step, will accidentally walk to the beat and look like a dork. surprising amount of rock. but anything that's super lyrical, songs that tell a story, he will add to his playlist. duets what you own from rent with sean on karaoke nights.

sean: could not name a single band or genre he listens to because it's just anything with a high enough bpm to make his brain buzz. honorable mention to the cranberries and flogging molly but will do a fully choreographed routine to jailhouse rock without a single drink in his system.

hosea+bessie: any old timey easy listening ballads, occasional swing. hosea can't sing to save his life bless him but will still sing the really cheesy romantic lines to bessie as they slow dance in the living room after a few glasses of wine they're so in love please. anything that would be a first dance song at a wedding they have in their playlist

dutch: opera and orchestra forever. exact same music he listened to at camp will go on about kids these days and the hippity hop they dare call music. it takes him exactly 3 seconds after being introduced to cds and digital downloads to become a vinyl purist even complains about record players over gramophone.

annabelle+susan: annabelle is probably the most adapted to modern era she will listen to anything radio popular and susan is the same way inclined thanks to her job at at the local pub. but they both particularly enjoy bonnie tyler, kate bush and a sneaky bit of abba. think mamma mia is a cinematic masterpiece.

molly: mitski. boygenius. phoebe bridgers. aurora. any indie female lead who sings about broken hearts/betrayal/angry break up songs. listens to a suspicious amount of queer artists too.

kieran: the definition of 'i'll just be here listening to my tunes' only for the speakers to immediately cut to screamo. occasionally they can hear the bass through his headphones and gently remind him to turn it down to protect his hearing. despite this he will always get the mlp theme song stuck in arthur's head at the worst times.

javier: disgusted that disco was dead by the time he timewarped. just wants to boogie to that 70s funky beats. definitely has a playlist dedicated to john marston that is just any song with a reference to wolves. thinks he's hilarious. is the reason john can identity hungry like the wolf within two seconds of it starting (he walks out) (javier learned it on guitar. and both in english and spanish)

jack+isaac: mcr, panic, fallout boy. they will forever be on that angsty teenage bullshit. isaac may have designed them fabulous killjoy ocs and jack proceeded to write a 100k word self-insert fanfic about them. and they have matching mcr lyric tattoos. and mutually agree the kids from yesterday was actually written about them. play that g note and they both collapse with sorrow.

[jacenotjason]

Bob's Endings - Class of 31 AU

(theres art here I swear dont leave) Alright quick explanation: The class of 31 au doesn't have a cohesive timeline. It has multiple endings and possibilities depending on the characters choices. There are technically 6 endings (out of 12 currently, though I do plan to write more!) involving Bob:

all the characters die

they all survive

only one dies (x4)

these are all the endings where they're murdered. I drew them and gave them a little monologue to go with it like it was a Class of 09 ending. anyways enjoy!!

obvious cw for blood, death, cursing.. all that

RADFORD:

“Have you ever been cold? No, like really cold. So cold that it’s painful. So cold, your fingers turn purple. So cold, your palm gets frozen to the metal floor and you tear off your skin pulling it off. Yeah, that was fun.

Okay, listen, I thought the freezer was a good idea. I was high as hell on Xanax, and when we were all running I knew I couldn’t get far. I could hardly see my own feet, so hiding was my only option. I had two options, the freezer or the garbage chute. I shut off the freezer before I hid in it! Then, it was more like a… moist closet than an actual freezer.

When I heard Bob walk passed it, but not open the door, I thought I was so lucky. Then, the freezer made this sort of… aching sound? I heard the fan turn on and realized he knew full well I was in the freezer.

I don’t know how long it took for my body to actually shut down, I just realized that I couldn’t see my breath anymore, because I wasn’t breathing. I couldn’t move, either. Bob watched the whole thing like it was a cinematic masterpiece. The little window on the door frosted over after a while, but I knew he was still out there.

I’m the reason my friends got away. I was putting on a show for the cannibal and they all found an exit. They don’t even care, I know they don’t.”

STREBER:

“Woow, who would’ve guessed? Spending the night in a creepy mansion to play Fuck, Marry, Kill after a cannibal escaped prison was a bad idea?

..[Streber drops the bimbo accent]

I’m kidding. I don’t sound like that.

Dying wasn’t that bad, honestly. The pain of getting my arm ripped off only lasted a second, and it was a little fascinating. Once the adrenaline faded, I mean. It was such a mindfuck. I could still feel my arm attached to me, but I could see it in his hand. It’s just a psychological thing, a ghost limb I’m pretty sure, but fuck it threw me for a loop. I bled out fast, the world went dark and then I was dead.

But.. man, what a shitty way to die, right? In a slutty vampire outfit in an abandoned mansion in a shitty town after saving the lives of guys I don’t even like. Assholes owe their lives to me.

I guess this is a good time to get stuff off my chest. Last words, regrets? Hm…

I regret giving Radford bulimia back in high school. Actually, no that was Kevin’s fault, never mind.

I… regret coming to this house in the first place. No, that doesn’t count.

I regret shoving Kevin off the balcony. Yeah. I saved his life, lost mine, and I bet that apathetic mother fucker doesn’t even care. He’s probably upset that he dislocated his arm, but hey, at least you’re still alive!

…

It’s probably weird to hear me say big words, huh? Hahah...”

ETHAN:

“ ‘The ultimate possession was, in fact, the taking of the life. And then... The physical possession of the remains.’ Ted Bundy.

…I love that quote.

In a way… Murder is a little flattering. If I could speak or move... I’d thank Bob. Life was boring, my death was interesting. It was straight out of a movie.

I was running, and then the platform of my boot awkwardly folded over, causing me to collapse to the floor. My ankle wasn’t even that bad, but I acted like it was completely ruined. I even did the horror movie thing where you scoot away backward, while the killer slowly approaches you, knowing he’s got you cornered.

I was so giddy with endorphins. As much as I wanted to pretend to be scared, I couldn’t help but laugh. I wasn’t scared, I was overjoyed. Like.. like… when you reach the height of a rollercoaster and you know the big drop is coming… Like when you hang upside down on the monkey bars and feel the blood rush to your head! Singing together with all your friends, all our voices cracking in sync as we reach the hallelujah chorus! Bowser casting his big fucking ring of fire and knowing full well you're not going to beat this boss right now but you’re gonna fuckin’ try anyway! Watching my little sister graduate middle school! Halloween!!

Feeling the cold steel plunge into your abdomen.. feeling your blood drip onto the floor and knowing it's never getting out. Hearing that your body was never found, and only you and your killer know where it is…

It’s flattery. It’s empowering, it’s art… on a certain level, it’s so fucking rad…

..

I’m glad the others got away. I was the only victim... I was special.”

KEVIN:

“Watching your dad kill himself kind of fucks you up.

I don’t know what happened. I just.. Stopped running. I wasn’t tired, I wasn’t cornered, I just… stopped running from him.

When he found me, I just stared at him. His whole sadistic thing just disappeared… He stared at me, too. If I had the energy, I probably would’ve opened my arms in surrender, but instead, I just stood there with my arms to the side. He got the memo, though…

We were inches apart, and I wasn't scared. I wasn't scared of the murderer looking straight into my eyes.

What fucked me up is just how upset he looked. A murderer, a cannibalistic murderer was staring into my eyes and he looked terrified of me.

After that, he sort of…nudged me against a wall. He didn't shove me or grab me, he just sort of waved me against it and I followed. He slit my throat easily. It was a quick slash, and I was dead. It didn't feel like this was for him. He didn't kill me because he wanted to or because he wanted to eat me. Maybe that's how it started, but it felt like… a mercy kill.

He didn't do anything with my body, either. He let me slide to the floor, then left.

…

I hope there are therapists in the afterlife.. or like a 4chan message board I can rant on, because what the fuck does this mean.”

one day i will have the courage to share the ending doc ok today is not that day

[zoobus]

Alec Baldwin, huh.

(in reference to my tags on this post)

I don't agree with the sentiment, I'm just SAYING if you write media analysis like this, you're a moron:

For those of you who can't watch videos, it's the famous speech Alec Baldwin gives in the cinematic masterpiece Glengarry Glenn Ross. Baldwin's character -- whom you assume is the villain -- addresses a room full of dudes and tears them a new asshole As smarter people have pointed out, the genius of that speech is that half of the people who watch it think that the point of the scene is "Wow, what must it be like to have such an asshole boss?" and the other half think, "Fuck yes, let's go out and sell some goddamned real estate!"

Or, as the Last Psychiatrist blog put it: "If you were in that room, some of you would understand this as a work, but feed off the energy of the message anyway, 'this guy is awesome!'; while some of you would take it personally, this guy is a jerk, you have no right to talk to me like that, or -- the standard maneuver when narcissism is confronted with a greater power -- quietly seethe and fantasize about finding information that will out him as a hypocrite.

Here are some quick indicators you can disregard someone's media opinions, whether you've seen whatever they're describing or not

They tell YOU what you'll assume about a character

They tell YOU what the "correct" read of a character is

They think there's two primary reads of the story and they flatten down to "my interpretation is smart and says something good about myself, all other interpretations are superficial and evidence of a pathetic lack of self-awareness"

They talk about award-winning, complex media like a storybook for small children. This guy is actually the villain! This guy is actually the hero!

They're so so so certain that they know exactly how everyone else interpreted the movie

Take American Psycho - when I finally watched it, I *did* find takes I disagreed with, and I *did* find takes that I felt misunderstood certain characters. But very few, if any, disagreements were due to the other person's perception of characters as purely heroic or otherwise. I found takes that I didn't object to exactly, but came from viewpoints I felt too ignorant to fully grasp or comment on. I found gaps in my own understanding, gaps I don't think I'm capable of filling (I don't get music, sorry).

It wasn't 50% dudebros who wished they were/wanted to suck off Patrick Bateman and 50% wise women smartly explaining why the racist misogynist is in fact a bad person. The most annoying, shallowest takes I've found I'm most hostile to are those "you aren't patrick bateman, you don't even wash your face/teen girls with a skincare routine understand American psycho more than any dudebro could" memes. The take with actual effort that I bristled at the most was an essay that seemed oblivious to how severe homophobia was in the 80s.

I haven't watched Glen Glennie Ross, I'm just saying this guy's read of it lends me to believe he's not a reliable source.

[forthbeaming]

oh god. okay so i just finished ifylita and i have so many thoughts!! i literaly just binge watched half of the series today (home office be like) so everything is mushy and i forgot like half of the things i wanted to write about but who cares!

so. it was so GOOD! like... so so so good. im speechless. all the characters had their depth and purpose and i want to wrap them all in a soft blanket and never let go (not you robert you can rot in hell). ming?? you mean the bestest man ever? his character was just so perfect and the actor's performance was on another level. just. perfect. the friendship between ueangphueng and fongkaew was so much needed. like they could make enemies out of them and make fongkaew the evil bitch but they didn't! they made two really strong characters out of them and im here for it (also very pretty character. like i want their wardrobe. please and thank you). they also could do the same with busabong and im glad they just let her go to find her own way after the engagement fiasco. robert actually rotting in jail was unexpected. the whole scene was priceless. the drama? the spice? hell yeah. and the last episode? fuck it all. the feels!! i was not ready. the scene with all of their memories, accompanied by the sound of them fucking in the background, followed by a cut to yai crying was a cinematic masterpiece. let them enjoy their postcoital bliss for fuck sake!! the jump to the present? painful. jom and jeed's annoying siblings energy? priceless. i need more of them. (and jeed having crush on her best friend, suffering because she doesn't want to be a homewrecker). and the end. to be fair, i would have more questions before i would be exchanging saliva with a dude that looks like another dude i fell love with in the past who i know is already dead...like...at least ONE question. but i mean...whatever floats your boat jom. and then the other end. jom's outfit was the same as in the scene in the house righ? or it was just really similar? or was it a coincidence? or do he really got yeeted into another era the DAY he met yai's present self?? so many questions i could probably get an answers to if i got my hands on the novel but yeah.

anyway. im in love. im here, waiting patiently for season two!

[thegirlwhowrites642]

It's official the HBO series will happen.

What's your thoughts?

I'm so so annoyed.

But before getting into my personal feelings, I find it a very weird investment choice. In ten years? Yes, it would have made sense, but now? It's too early. The movies are still very relevant for a lot of people. That mixed with JK Rowling's current reputation is a recipe for disaster. The only way for them to not get cancelled on season 2 is to make a bloody masterpiece. It seems the only way for people to forget JK Rowling's transphobic shit.

I think the two main driving factors were JK Rowling trying to regain popularity and also I believe they want to give it a final try at a Harry Potter cinematic universe, Marvel or Star Wars style. But to do that they need some decent central material, so clearly they couldn't use those godawful movies.

It could be a masterpiece, but I don't believe it will be.

They showcase Rowling being an executive producer as a reassuring thing but frankly, that worries me even more. Do I really need to pull out all the interviews in which she shows she doesn't remember what she has written? Because I can. Every single one of my mutuals here on Tumblr knows those books better than that woman, I can bet whatever you want on that.

I thought a lot during the years about how a Harry Potter tv series should be, I have notes written down, but I have zero trust in these people.

If Steve Kloves gets anywhere near that writing room I'm going to personally set it on fire with all the people working on this project inside

I hope they are going to use the possibilities the media they are using gives and show things even when Harry is not there. And I also hope they are going to use the fact that everybody already knows the story. In season 2, show us what goes on with Ginny and the diary, we already know Ginny has the diary, and the birds in the sky already know Ginny has the diary, you don't need to make it a mystery for the viewer, just for Harry. And in general, if they are smart (and I don't think they are) they are going to show a lot of Ginny's storyline that we didn't get in the books. A story of mental health with a strong female character? They'd be fucking idiots to waste it.

In moments like the Yule Ball, show us what is going on with every character. Show us Ginny meeting Micheal, explore why Hermione likes Krum, show us George trying to not be jealous of Fred with Angelina.

Show us Ron and Hermione when Harry is not there!!! Maybe let them speak about Hermione's relationship with her parents and try to give some sense to the fact that she has children young despite the fact that she seems everything but family oriented from Harry's perspective.

Show us what happens at Hogwarts during the war, especially considering how fucking boring the Horcrux hunt is (some of the most boring writing I've ever seen).

Hermione is a character that aged really badly in terms of contemporary feminism, and it will be even worse in the later seasons if they get to do them because they'll come out in a decade. Don't change her character to adjust to new times. Make sure the narrative addresses her wrong behaviour without changing the story. For example, make Harry and Ginny have a conversation on how wrong she was at setting the canaries on Ron, but save the storyline by making Harry convince an angry Ginny to let Ron and Hermione sort their shit out on their own.

Throw away the children's filter. Show us alcoholic Sirius Black that lives with the ghost of his best friend.

Also, while I'm on that: more Harry bonding with Sirius!!!!

Give us special episodes focused on other storylines. Give us one special episode on James and Lily's story, who cares if we see Snape being friends with Lily before DH, everybody already knows the story!! Give us an episode on the story of the three Black sisters! Give us an episode on Remus and Tonks. And at the very end, give us an episode on Harry and Ginny getting back together.

Remember that you are working with a visual art. When Harry looks at Ginny dancing at the Yule Ball she should have a green dress that matches Harry's green robes, so that you can have a shot of them dressing coordinated but dancing with other people. HBP has a binary structure of juxtaposition of light and dark, fucking show it!! On this note, Ginny should always look a bit brighter if she is around Harry.

In general, use those fucking colours!! Visual art!!!!

I want to be able to see what's on the bloody screen

So many cool things could be done, but they are not gonna do them, and that's why I'm going to hate every single second of it.

I hope to be proven wrong.

[professor-abeloved]

It Loves Within (a review of goodbyes, gratitude, and gay screaming)

i read somewhere that an aspect of the horror genre is pain. and if you're a fan of the it lives anthology, pain is inevitable.

the pain of choosing who has to take jane's place, a game that (doesn't) end(s) in sacrifice, betrayal, and anguish. the pain of losing one's parents, finding family anew (in both blood and found) - only to potentially lose it all.

the pain of an impossible choice: do you end this, once and for all, to save everyone - only to never see them again when you finally return home? do you remain in this world, with gaping wounds patched by temporary bandages, for the life you've never thought you had the chance to live? or do you try try try to bridge it all together, pushing for a world full of potential, a reality still out of reach, but still worth fighting for all the same?

every ending of It Lives Within is tragic in its own way, a bittersweet balm to the trauma-filled fuckaganza of a journey of these characters we know and love.

i'm never going to stop saying thank you to everyone at the @itlivesproject team for making the choice to create and collaborate on this masterpiece. the pain of pixelberry cancelling sequels (er, trilogies) broke my heart, but this fan game is more than a dream come true.

(the rest of this is kind of a rambling review under the cut)

looking back, i'm actually glad that they cancelled it - because i wouldn't trade every second i played ILW for anything. (and my girlfriend knows i've spent numerous all-nighters just playing and/or talking about ILW <3. i tell my therapist it started with abel's first diamond scene--and okay getting side-tracked).

first off, i want to mention all the variants. the It Lives series were unique and notorious for having different branches and endings that carried through to the next book, something which isn't very common in mobile visual novels. since ILW had not one, but two books to reference... hoo boy. coding, writing, making art + sprites for, testing, editing, and hell even just thinking of the different variables and how they impact a third book is such a herculean feat and i applaud everyone on the team for all the blood, sweat, and tears poured into this endeavor.

the gameplay itself was super fun!! i think it hit the right balance of action with timed choices and puzzles (i now want my own crown paperweight), implementing that Nerve Score system that the It Lives series is known for. not only did one have to keep in mind their Nerve, but also their choices between Blood and Shadow that would seal the fate of everyone in this Pixelberry Cinematic Universe (hello, horror Julian HSSgame). it was fun as fuck, i really liked and appreciate the decision of 3 different main endings <3

because the plot was a downright banger. every twist and turn had me on the edge of my seat and frantically screenshotting everything (somehow i've gotten to 20k screenshots, but at least 98% is ILW. the other 2% are random crap and also Choices, lol). it was cool to theorize and guess correctly on some things and still be utterly shocked at the brilliant execution. i can't list every single thing that made me gasp, but the crumbs of foreshadowing are incredible. not just saying this as a tester, but the replay value is nuts. (also the different personalites of sarcastic, genuine, and aggressive are so good).

having character relationships as a core stat was also an organic, lovely choice. i adore how everyone started off at various points (joss at 0 and amalia at 75 iirc?) and could develop differently and sometimes independently of nerve (abel being easy to befriend but having tough nerve to raise because he's going through Some Shit, while jocelyn was more closed off yet had easier nerve to raise). it really colors the ways the main 4 interact with rowan, and i love how even the romance variants played a part in it. from jealousy-laden glances to the famed Union Walk Out, this game was a breath of fresh air to the usual 'i accidentally have 1 flirt point with this LI and somehow they're in love with me' vibe of current mobile VNs. (mattyass is an outlier and doesn't count <3)

speaking of characters!! holy shit they slayed and served, giving closure to our favs from the first book and then some (being pro connor green wasn't in my 2023 bingo card, but it happened! i like that funky lil dude), giving the cast of the second book vital yet natural roles, while letting the new cast shine in their own right.

the It Lives cast is vastly beloved for a reason, and the ILP Team not only nailed every single one of the canon characters, but they breathed new life into them (literally in the case of RF!noah/devon). i'm beyond words to express how amazing it was to not only have my blorbos back, but to be able to see a beautiful devonoah romance and flirt with dan pierce after years of pining and get married to andy kang?!?! the gift just keeps on giving. (i'm just biased in mentioning them because devon, noah, andy, and dan are my ILITW biasline but i'm so happy to have seen stacy, lucas, ava, lily again <3333)

i also adore the ILB crew to bits!! i had the impression they were barely gonna be featured (and valid), but the way the showed up!! the way harper was important and could kick ass while injured??? slay.

and the way everyone interacted in ch19 was some avengers assemble beautiful dream. i don't think i'll ever be that happy again in my life, fr <33

and onto the stars of the show...

it's been an honor to spend time with each and every one of the main crew. jocelyn was someone i was hyped to see, ever since her cameo in the ILB end credits scene. redemption arcs are tricky and while i admittedly felt the initial trepidation... the execution of her development blew me away. it is fantastic and realistic (getting to encourage her to be better or to leave her alone was also a cool mechanic. i love how it's in firm yet empathic encouragement that she works to better herself.). she grew into such a fierce, gruff protector with a heart of gold and fists of fury. i love her so much. her nightmare sequence facing her shadow past self is one of my favorite's. arcs of self-forgiveness vs self-flagellation hit hard, and it moves me to tears to see how far joss has come <33 her route having either a slow burn vibe or a fwb tinge was also an excellent choice !! i enjoyed fwb route (she's so sweet and considerate, putting a blanket over us with a frown lmao) and i can't want to replay for sb + to write fics with her <3

now onto lincoln, my fav mlm cowboy son. i was initially jealous because i thought my girlfriend would be into him + i thought abel and he were exes, but i came around in ch13, iirc. i connect with his arc of wanting to prove your worth to your parents very painfully, and it means a lot to see him know that others' approval will never define him. i'm also happy to see him process his pain and give others a chance - give himself a chance to apologize and let abel in again. he's also fun to torture write for in fics, and somehow he's soulmates with my most complex ILW MC, wan, despite me son-zoning him real bad, so that's just amazing characterization. excited to write more <3

amalia my beloved <33 the brains, brawn, beauty of rowan's rogue monster hunting operations. i love her and her route so much. childhood best friends to lovers always slaps (i mean, cmon thats most of the ILITW ships), and the way it was executed for amalia is chef's kiss. the angst of your best friend not being the person you thought they were was an excellent spin on the trope. but the love she has for you and the love you have for her is something all on your own?? perfection <33 also her dreams of wanting to make a difference, especially what happened with her family is a very relevant experience today, are so inspiring <3 i'm so excited to replay her route with a different mc and also to write her as well <3

AIJDBFHDFJDOK abel aifhsohifOSDHDSIGH okay that's it.

JK abel, my love, my light, my stars. professor dorklord. the reason i've changed my url after these long years. i love him and his sexy sweater vest of sin so much. my favorite scene of all time is when pretending to have a lover's spat with abel in amalia's university AISHFIOG. he's funny, sweet, and charming. i'd listen to his nerdy rambles all night long - and yes, partially an innuendo, and partially that i like nerds who ramble about things. i love how he can be too rational (yet always with a heart <3) yet also so selfless, and i love how he can choose himself and his happiness at the end instead of living with ghosts <3 i love you abel, baby, i'm coming back for youuu in every route, in every wip <3

to ro, my trans-coded, queer-coded power entity <3 i was so happy that MC had powers (not from a suit we had to spend diamonds on), and wow they executed this trope so well. rowan is so well written with 3 different personality types, it's wonderful. y'know, i used to make MCs for every choices book (until i got lazy lol) and i can't believe i have at least 4 MCs again <3 the creativity this game sparks in me i swear to the power. i'll see you soon: ronaldo, genuinely sweet and genuinely terrifying baby boy. wan, my sweet snarky selfless drag queen. amor, you tough dorky tcg-playing sweetheart. reg my flirty failgirl (gender neutral), beanie baby charmer.

shoutout to daddy mattyass for being the GOAT choices antagonist/secret LI. you know i have so much to say about him, but it's almost 2 am and also 90% of my ilw meta is about him anyways <3 love to hate him, hate to love him!! he lives rent free in my mind <33 (but fr, such a compelling character and no one else would've been as satisfying to deal with in the finale. i miss the king of delusion pathetic meow meow <3)

also loving luis, sunny, elena, jessica, milf mayor green, babygirl adrian kim, girlboss marianthe. every npc, every pixel and line of code and text and just everything, every thread that makes up the tapestry of this beautiful, priceless experience.

it lives on, it loves on.

pain is inevitable. it hurts because it's over, it hurts because i love this game with every fibre of my being... but love doesn't really die, does it? it lives on in a different form. the game will always be there. if anything, the fandom is alive with the love that's put into the project, the love that reaches us no matter where we are - even from the fictional town of Westchester to the Power dimension and beyond.

[vesper93]

For those who feel like they've lost charmie in the past few days, here's my two cents:

For me, it was never about details and relationships, that could be extrapolated if wanted in a fandom. For me, it was about two people sharing a deep emotional closeness (and clearly a flirtation AT LEAST - Videos don't lie) in order to create an incredible piece of art.

Ofc people are wont to bleed characters into real people, to imagine things, to want more, its what we do as human beings... but these days I'm satisfied by the love that was so apparent, platonic or more, that it helped free someone and actually break away from what appears to be a very toxic strangehold.

To me it's about freedom, about emotional connection, and about trust that is as plain as day in any video you watch. That created the basis for an incredible cinematic masterpiece which then spawned art of its own, through writing, fanart, and other forms of creation.

A relationship doesn't revolve around who stuck what where, as I'm pretty sure we're all on board with. Its clear that the two boys found a deep connection with each other that summer, whatever form that took. I also have zero idea whether it continued or continues in any form, but even if it doesn't, I'm happy with the legacy of art and freedom to feel and be emotional that it left us.

[akajustmerry]

Hi, love your blog so much! Just wanna say that you are one of the few who rated their fav TOWL eps almost similar to mine. Mine is 2,4,1,3,6,5. The first four episodes are cinematic masterpieces especially 2,4 and 1. I'm glad ep 3 clashed with the Emmys and not ep 4 lol.

Also not to say that episode 5 and 6 weren't good but something about those two final episodes felt like it didn't belong with the rest. The writing, the pacing etc. I was quite disappointed because I really wanted this series to be the best of the TWD universe and just coz we know how much Andy and Danai put their heart and soul into this. I do hope that this series wins huge awards next year. Ep 1 and 4 for Andy's acting and ep 4 for Danai's acting and writing ❤️ Forgive me as English is not my first language.

Thank you! And yes I totally agree. Episodes 1 and 2 are so high in my ranking because of the performances from Danai and Andrew! And because they showed why Michonne and Rick are Characters™ in their own right. Their love for one another isn't the only thing about them. Personally, I think no love story works if you don't know who the characters are as individuals. I loved so much how eps 1 and 2 were just an ode to how great these characters are and how wonderful Danai and Andrew are at playing them.

And yes, also agree with you about the first 4 episodes feeling so much stronger and cinematic. I think that's because the first 4 were so intentionally character-driven whereas the last 2 were more action-driven. Obviously, they had to be action-driven because Rick and Michonne had to fight the CRM at some point. But we're so used to that kind of action in the main show so the last 2 eps of TOWL feel like a return to regularly scheduled programming. There's nothing wrong with that, really, it's just less impressive after the uniqueness of the first 4 episodes.

At the very least, AMC should submit Danai's episode 4 script for a screenplay Emmy 💕

[bonesandthebees]

hi bones!! i have recently read what you have written so far of through a glass divine!! i have a lot of thoughts so i will talk about the two most recent chapters.

i actually adored the writing at the end of chapter 8 when tommy calls wilbur by his name. its super in character of him because imagine you've just met this guy and you ask him his name and he keeps insisting that he doesn't have one and that he really isnt a person. and i think glass!tommy sees how fucked up this is and it's shown earlier that he's a caring person. i mean in the first few chapters he freaked out when he found out wilbur had gotten hurt, even if it was just a few little scratches. glass!tommy just kind of wants to help, but in the end he's just a kid with his own issues too and he doesn't exactly know how to do that. he's seen wilbur as a person since the get go even if wilbur himself didnt. that's the reason he didn't tell the others wilbur's name because he's not some secret to be passed around or a shiny crystal ball he is a person with free will and thoughts and he wants to treat him like a person because it's the least he deserves. i think maybe glass!tommy has some experience with being seen as something rather than someone being in the "scary death cult" and branded a terrorist rather than someone with admittedly messy motives and a good heart underneath it all.

also glass!wilbur pitching in that you know what yeah the others should kill him? fantastic. i love how shocked aimsey was by the way because wilbur still doesn't view himself as a person. i love the part where niki and jack jump to his defense and he is just so freaked out by it. he's been trying to figure out why everyone is being so patient with him especially jack and niki and in the end it's again because they value him as a person and understand that he has his reasons he has feelings. while yes wilbur was being a pain in the ass it is understandable to some degree and they acknowledge that they would do the same. and they never once say attacking tommy was okay but they do understand where he's coming from. glass!wilbur has been so conditioned to not recognize his own emotions and motives and has been taught time and time again to be a vessel for someone else and to finally have someone acknowledge his agency and understand it? yeah of course that's scary and it's brilliant writing!! the part where tommy gets mad at tubbo for comparing him to a stray dog? cinematic masterpiece by the way. also having chinese satellite on the glass playlist? AMAZING CHOICE. i can't wait to see where wilbur ends up on this journey!!

-🌙

aaa hi!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the end of chapter 8! it felt super in character to me too. it's exactly what you said. tommy is a caring person, and he sees how fucked up a lot of the pythian traditions are, so he wants to help. but he's not going to go about it in the best way because, again, impulsive teenager that's part of a death cult. but he's seen wilbur as a person this whole time. him finding wilbur's name wasn't meant to disregard his personhood, which is why he doesn't tell it to the others either. he doesn't want to keep affirming the narrative of calling him by his title instead of a name, so yeah in tommy's mind it was just kind of his only option. but he's going to try and not be a dick about it. at least as best he can.

oh yeah aimsey was playing a very interesting role in the argument because while they defended tubbo, they weren't really on his side. they don't want to kill the pythia and they were horrified when he agreed with it himself. they were only defending tubbo because tommy shoved him, and they didn't want things to get physical.

niki and jack my beloveds!! yeah they've actually spent a lot of time with him alongside tommy, so they jump to his defense because they both have a better idea of what he's actually like as a person compared to most of the deathlings. they also both know they're bitchy people who would probably react the same way he did to the entire situation, so they just get it.

wilbur is terrified that he's finally being perceived as a person and not a deity. the fear of being known and all that. he's not used to that acknowledgement in the slightest and it's just scary!!

i'm so glad you're enjoying so far! the tubbo dog line I actually came up with on the spot while I was writing and i was thrilled with how the scene played out in my head

(also, love chinese satellite as a song so much. I especially think the lines "Pretending to be myself / Why would somebody do this on purpose / When they could do something else?" fits glass!wilbur so much. ty eli birdfeet for suggesting it to me)