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raidbossmadi · 4 years ago

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People Like Us: What’s in your Head

If we were to step into your characters' psyche, what would it look like?

Sloane

When you enter Sloane’s psyche you step into a vast forest, trees so large you cannot see their tops and canopies so thick you cannot see the sky between them. However this forest is neither dark or uninviting. Bird songs punctate the background noise and you can hear a stream somewhere in the distance. Walk for long enough and you’ll eventually stumble on the old cabin Sloane called home on Eden-4. You can find the present version of herself there tending to her daily business, Persephone curled up in the corner of the room watching Sloane work.

Just outside the cabin is an impossibly large painting sitting on an easel, on it the world turns into childish scribbles. If you approach it you’ll find that not only can you step into it but when you do you also turn into a childish scribble version of yourself. Sloane’s childhood lives inside this easel, the innocent young girl who never knew she was going to become a Siren. You’ll find that this part of her psyche operates a lot like a children's picture book,Child Sloane doesn’t think in words she thinks pictures, concepts, colors. Mommy and Daddy are green and calm one moment but can turn red and angry. Things grow and shrink here with little regard for actual proportion. If you encounter Child Sloane she’s very trusting, she assumes you're a friend. You are a friend? Aren’t you?

Or perhaps you see the stone bricked path leading to the right of the cabin, as you walk down it the sound of the forest disappears and a thick fog covers the sides of the path. The only way to go is forward. If you look out into the fog you might be able to make out the shape of something you aren’t sure what and it never gets any clearer. All you know is it is massive, it is ancient, and it is sleeping. You stay on the path and soon enough you’ll be in the dream of Vanagard, an old abandoned temple with a fountain in the middle that runs despite all logic saying it should have stopped years ago. Leda and Steele can be found here sitting on the edge of the fountain or walking around the temple proper. You get the feeling that this is something you could never fully comprehend, but you feel at peace here. Steele will not talk to you, you are not Sloane, She is here for Sloane. Leda is more chatty, you get motherly vibes from the moment you start talking to her, she wants to know what your relation to Sloane is, oh you’re friends? Make sure she’s not working too hard, she’s doing her best.

Maybe the sounds from just beyond the forest call to you and walk abruptly into the Pandoran desert. There are so many people here, a crowd that stretches on forever and they are loud. They turn to you, their eyes are flowers and vines spill out of their mouths yet still they talk, still they beg for absolution. You press on through the never ending crowd until you meet a wall, the Cathedral of the Twin Gods towers over you and towering over it are two silhouettes the only defining features on both red and blue siren markings.

“What’s the Password?” Shadow Tyreen asks her mouth full of razor sharp teeth, you stumble and guess things you know are important to Sloane, Flowers,Vines, Persephone. Shadow Troy laughs gilded fangs ever present. “There is no password shitweasel, but good try.” His mechanical arm lifts you up by the scruff of your shirt and puts you over the wall. You realize now the wall has no gate, the only way in was to be brought over by the shadow twins, they are protecting the temple only they decide who goes in or out. Inside the temple things are much more welcoming, the people have faces and you recognize them. They wear the outfits of temple priests but their all Sloane’s friends, you see yourself among the priests and get a feel for what Sloane’s idealized version of you is like, it's all your best qualities. You walk into the throne room, it’s bathed in pink light and upon the dais sit idealized versions of Tyreen and Troy. It’s a little off putting to be fair, these are manifestations of what Sloane loves about each twin, they are far far friendlier than either twin would ever be in real life. Tyreen says things like “Dear brother, would you mind fetching Sloane, she’s running late for our date.” batting her eyelashes and talking in a too sweet tone. Troy is much the same, there's no tension here no anger or sadness. Everything in this temple is the best of Sloane’s life since joining the CoV and it’s welcoming enough you almost don’t want to leave.

But when you do and find yourself back at the cabin, it’s probably for the best that you don’t investigate the gated garden, as you step towards it the sky darkens and a chill runs through you. This gate creaks open and if you ignore your better judgement and enter anyway you’ll find that the garden is overgrown, weeds and giant thorny vines have taken over what was once clearly a vegetable garden. Continue on and you’ll watch as the vines destroy and overtake anything in their path. You come across a young Sloane covered in cuts and scrapes.

“I don’t wanna go! Don’t let them take me!” she cries but as you reach to protect her the vines spring from behind wrapping around her legs and midsection pulling her kicking and screaming back into their mass. Continue forward and you find bodies of scientists wrapped in the tangle, syringe or scalpel still in hand. “This is for your own good.” you hear them say as you walk past along with Sloane’s protests. You will continue to encounter the young Sloane desperate for you to save her but the vines will always win.

Eventually you come to a throne of thorns towering over the landscape,built on the bodies of all the people she’s ever killed, and on the throne, literally one with it, her legs lost in the tangle of vines sits the queen of thorns; Sloane but her markings replaced with thorny vines that cut into skin and bleed constantly. This seems of little consequence to the queen of thorns who merely laughs and fills her chalice with the spilling blood. Her smile shows gilded fangs and when you look her in the eyes, you know that all she wants is to see the world burn. To see humanity laid low for its treatment of her. But she cannot leave the throne, it is her prison and you feel safer knowing that this creature, this aspect of Sloane will never see the light of day.

Tyreen

Entering Tyreen’s psyche is entering a place that you cannot easily make sense of. It is a vast Eridian ruin with hallways that curve upwards and stairs out of Escher painting.

In the center you find Tyreen sitting idly on a sofa that looks entirely out of place. She’s picking her fingernails or her nose, being casual really. What’s really off putting is the fact that every so often an image of Nyriad flashes into existence around the room. She doesn’t say anything but she’s there just long enough to unnerve you.

If you follow a hallway long enough it’ll lead you somewhere, like Nekrotafeyo. Hostile and cold, the mantas are three times larger than they should be but when they get near you they turn to dust. Young Tyreen sits outside the ramshackle shack her parents built poking bugs with a stick. If you go inside the world turns grey and you feel a tangible sadness wash over you. Leda and Typhon sit vigil at the sides of a bed and in the bed, a sickly young Troy. He’s so small, and he’s getting smaller and smaller.

You go back outside Tyreen’s a teenager now and Troy’s there too despite having just been in the house. He’s chained to her at the wrist she looks at it and promises she’ll find a way to get it off, that they’ll be free one day.

Again if you look closely enough around the edges, Nyriad steps in and out of existence.

Or perhaps you see the neon city of Promethea stretching upwards higher and higher. Do the buildings ever stop? People walk past, they walk through you, you don’t exist to them. Tyreen sits on the street corner begging for food, shelter, for help. No one notices her.

Again Nyriad flickers into being.

The way to the great stone temple of Vanagard is shattered. You can still walk the steps but they are shaky and uneven. The fog is thick here and in it you can hear the pained noises of a creature beyond. The temple is shattered in two when you get there, literally half of it flowing into oblivion.

“Not your fault... Shouldn’t be like this...We aren’t a monster…” The words of Nyriad fade in and out. She’s more solid here than anywhere else but you can tell she can’t stay in one place. Her image flickers and vanishes when you try to get close to it.

Beyond the sofa that Tyreen sits on in the middle of her mind scape is a door and when you open it the darkness of the ruins is bathed in golden sunlight. You walk in and find a room made of gold. Women nude save for their faces which are covered by the solid white masks of the handmaidens. They lounge on daybeds and chaise lounges holding grapes and offering them to you. There is however one person with a visible face, Sloane, who sits demurely on a throne dressed in a lavish gown. Everytime to you try to reach her though the throne gets slightly farther away. It’s not until she laughs at your attempts to reach her and approaches herself that you get any closer to her. Like she willingly has to choose to want to be close to you for that to be allowed to happen at all.

The atmosphere changes when Sloane steps off the throne though, all the other women disappear, the gilded chamber turning to a comfortable house instead.

You thought you were heading back to the main chamber but instead you find yourself in a black empty void.

“T-Ty….help me.” You hear Troy call from all directions. His pain is palpable in the air. You aren’t even sure what direction you're going in but the cries for help get louder.

“You lied to me! You lied, again Tyreen!”

“No! That should have worked! Why didn’t it work? This was a mistake we never should have left…” you think that the space might be shrinking. You feel walls you can’t see closing in around you. Just before you can be compressed into a cube the blackness explodes.

Towering above you is a massive vault entrance. An eye peers out of the vault inhuman and angry, the destroyer. Tyreen stands at the base of the vault so small in comparison.

“I understand. We could be gods. That would save Troy. Thank you.” She whispers to no one in particular. Nyriad stands behind her shaking her head frantically, her vision misinterpreted; she tries to touch Tyreen to get her to turn around but fades from existence before she can.

You stumble out of the void you found yourself in and follow instead an iced over path walking down it you end up in a statue garden in winter. You look at the statues, they're all Tyreen’s friends and family. She sits in the middle of them all crying, she never wanted this to happen. She reaches for the one of Leda, but it cracks and crumbles as she touches it.

“Can you ever forgive me, mother.”

Troy

When entering Troy’s psyche you find yourself in an editing room with only one computer turned on. Troy sits at it working away cursing under his breath. Something about nothing ever turning out quite the way he wants it to. If you try and approach he’ll put up a hand and push you away. Can’t you see he’s working?

A screen lights up despite being off a second before you walk towards it and fall into the screen. You’re on Nekrotafeyo, at least you think you are? Chunks of it open up in gaping holes in the sky and ground visual representations of the holes in his memory. They leak sweat and blood, it’s getting hotter out here. You have no choice but to run for the shack at the edge of it all.

Inside you are very small. An ant, while everyone else is so much taller, Typhon, Leda, a young Tyreen perched on the bed. All the giants speak in soft whispers.

“He’s getting sicker you know.”

“He’ll be alright.” Leda promises.

The temperature in the house is rising again. You climb the tree sized bed post to get to the top. You see Leda cradling her young son in her arms offering him her siren energy. The house begins to cool again things seem calm and serene almost. You’re no longer ant sized, you can make it out of the house again. The computer is waiting for you.

Falling back through the screen you notice things have changed, You’re on the bridge of the Centurion now. Troy stands next to his sister desperately trying to break free from the chain that binds them left wrist to left wrist it’s blue on her end and red on his.

“I don’t want to do this Tyreen! You lied to me! You lied to me then held this” he thrusts the chain at her. “Over my head. What kind of loving sister does that. Oh you’ll die if you don’t come with me, what the actual fuck Ty?”

“I… I didn’t mean it to hurt you. You don’t understand now but you will Troy, you will. This is for both of us.” Tyreen begs as she talks the chain morphs into a two headed snake sinking its fangs into both of them but neither seem to notice this.

The stone stairway is missing every other step and you have to take care not to fall into the fog. It seems hostile like it knows it should be here. The other half of the Vanagard temple is here but it’s a collapsed heap on stone and rubble, the fog covering most of what remains. The broken half of the Eridian rune that sat above the door flickers with red light every so often but it is swallowed by the fog. Take care as you leave, you wouldn’t want to fall.

The cathedral is a medieval castle, with everyone in time period appropriate clothing. Peasants begging for an audience with their king, the broken and forlorn being allowed in to speak with him. You note that half the castle staff are all disabled in some way but this does not seem to hamper them, they are valued here. You walk into the king’s chamber Troy sitting on a regal throne, a gilded crown on his head and a matching golden prosthetic replacing his oversized one.

“I’ll send what help I can.” He tells the serfs before sending them away. Tyreen is seated next to him though she’s snoozing away letting her brother deal with the diplomacy.

“Troy!” A high pitched voice comes from the window and in flutters a pixie Sloane who lands on his shoulder. “You’ve been working so hard all day, you should come out to the garden and relax.” She says in a singsong voice poking him on the nose.

He laughs and agrees with her, shaking Tyreen awake and then all heading out to the garden.

You try and follow after but find yourself instead in a junkyard. Hundreds of broken toys and robots all piled up on each other.

“Broken.” The wind whispers. “You’re broken. You will never be anything but a broken little man.”

Troy sits in the middle of it all, but only the left side of him. The right is a void that he claws at desperately. The void pulls in anything to close to it including you as you try and get away but it takes you anyway.

You find yourself back in the editing room but now Sloane is there, perched on his desk. Sunlight shines from behind her as she smiles and asks what he’s working on. He answers and she laughs at the light spreading across the room enveloping him. Flowers start blooming in the cracks in the tile.

You get the feeling everything will be ok in the end.

#borderlands 3 #Troy Calypso #Tyreen Calypso #Sloane the Siren #People Like Us #My Writing #My Hcs #The Queen of Thorns #My Art

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crusherthedoctor · 4 years ago

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The beach trope: another one that often comes early in Sonic's quests, and this one's no different, though expectations are very mildly subverted by making it the third zone instead of the very first. (Careful Crusher, you had the audience on the edge of their seats there.)

More importantly though, it's possibly one of the most famous and celebrated level tropes in the series. Emerald Coast is undeniably iconic, Seaside Hill is just as iconic while also merging with the Green Hill setup, and Wave Ocean... is a poor man's Emerald Coast, but it's probably better than most levels in '06 by comparison, so it too is iconic, from a certain point of view. We can't forget Jungle Joyride either, even if that's mostly because we got to see the frame rate die before our very eyes.

So how do you make your interpretation stand out? How do you prevent having a Wave Ocean 2: Wave Oceaner on your hands? Well, it's actually very simple...

Creating Zone 3: Coastline Resort

3-1: Shining Shore

Remember when I said that sometimes all it takes to make an environment feel different is the time of day, or a change in weather? This is one of the first major examples of putting that philosophy into action, as compared to previous beach levels, which were usually content with taking place in the bright sunny daytime, this one takes place under a pleasant purple sunset.

This of course contrasting heavily with not only the blue sea, but also the sands, which although given a mild touch of purple courtesy of the sunset, cannot fully hide their natural shade of white.

And of course, waterfalls.

We can’t forget the waterfalls.

Despite being a true blue beach level first and foremost, there are also a few hints of plaza, further setting it apart from the Emerald Coasts and Not-Emerald Coasts of old times past. This aesthetic in particular is based heavily on the seaside town of Whitby.

No doubt Sonic would admire this place, at least when he's not forced to go deep underwater. Maybe when the adventure is over, he can come back here and have a relaxing moment with... someone. Dunno who though. I doubt Eggman would be interested, and not just because he's actually in-character. Oh well, plenty more horses in the sea.

Speaking of, what about the underwater sections? Shining Shore does have them after all, in full 3D, as opposed to making them bottomless pits in disguise. Unsurprisingly, everything's a lot more blue than purple down there, gorgeously so, but the coral reef provides its own variety of colour.

The local fishies don't seem to mind you being in their line of sight... nor do the Badniks, but probably for a different reason.

Since we're three zones in, you might have noticed by now that each zone, regardless of their overall colour scheme, has one element in at least one act that goes all rainbow with the colours than everything else. You had the flower patches in Gleaming Meadows, you had the wood barriers in Tricky Tropics with their rusting paint jobs, and now we have the coral reef in Coastline Resort... any reason for this?

Alas, the answer is a mundane one: it's just a little way of tying all the zones in Viridonia together. As this quest revolves around the mystery of the elusive Ethereal Zone, this seemingly inconsequential aspect is a way of ensuring that it will always remain at the back of your mind. It may be relatively more subtle and easy to miss than, say, a giant moon glaring down angrily at you no matter where you go on the map as it literally comes closer and closer to killing everyone, but the intention is effectively the same: the central meat of the setting and story is always present in some form, however indirect, even if the characters aren't currently discussing it.

Also, shout out to the lighthouse that helped our heroes by inadvertently blinding the pursuing mechanized orca.

You really put a dent in Heavy Gunner's strategy.

First Section (calm): Lagoony Tunes (Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced) Peach Field (Mario Hoops 3-on-3)

Second Section (adrenaline): Lost Palace (Team Sonic Racing) Hang Eight (Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back)

3-2: Crazy Rapids

Being a whimsical water park, made even more whimsical to fit the video game format, this one explains itself in a lot of areas. But let's go over the finer details anyway, shall we?

As mentioned in the fic, the park has been made to fit in seamlessly with the ruins present in the area, thus creating a Good Future-esque wonderland of nature and technology in harmony. For an idea of how the ruins aesthetic would work, imagine something akin to the Sunset Beach Resort in Jamaica, particularly the long bridge and archways you can see in both of these shots:

Kind of has an Aquatic Ruin vibe, doesn’t it?

Even then, that only applies to half of the architecture, as the other half breaks up the yellow with some white, reminiscent of a certain OTHER watery location in Sonic's past...

We also have the giant fountains sprinkled around the place. There are two types of fountains to be exact, both of which may seem familiar to the attentive eye...

The difference? They're larger. MUCH larger. As in, you can actually platform your way on and around them.

As for what’s inside? It's exactly how you'd imagine it to be, albeit exaggerated even further to befit a Sonic level.

And in-tune with the beachside mood, the Chao Garden found nearby would take a page from the one in Station Square...

...with a little extra flavor of this...

...complete with miniature water slides and the like for the adorable inhabitants... the inhabitants that Eggman currently has an unexplained interest in. How do the Chao factor into his latest plan?

Heh heh, only I and those I've discussed it with in PMs know that for now.

First Section (outside): Windy and Ripply (Sonic Adventure) Ocean Palace (Sonic Heroes)

Second Section (inside): Data Select (Tee Lopes) Wii Shop Channel - Mii Channel (Super Smash Bros. Wii U)

3-3: Aquarium Gallery

Disappointed that Crazy Rapids lacked that smooth red-on-blue contrast that Aquarium Park from Sonic Colours had? Well we can’t all be in the same league as Eggman sadly, but fear not, for the similarly named Aquarium Gallery gets right in on the action, combining red walls and an overall upper class aesthetic...

...with the expected quantities of shimmering blue that comes with the aquarium setting. And with glass tanks of great size, comes great fishies to go along with them.

The black and white checkered floor would also be a must. It's a Sonic game, we gotta have a checkered pattern somewhere. It just works. /ToddCrusher

Don't worry about the living conditions for the fish here, by the way. Eggman mechanizing them aside, the people who work at the park - and those who visit it - make sure to treat all the marine life with the utmost respect and kindness. Just a shame that they're apparently not so willing to lend that same understanding to Trudy... but it does provide an early hint that despite the few genuine bad apples who are outright antagonistic towards Trudy, most of the folks ignorant to her condition are exactly that at worst: ignorant. Meaning, despite first impressions, most of them are not bad people at heart, and with a little help and persistence, it's not entirely impossible that they can eventually learn to understand and sympathise with Trudy's situation.

In other words, they have more dimension than the background characters in Sonic Boom, where they're all mostly a bunch of one-note arseholes with little redeeming qualities and don’t deserve to be saved by Sonic in the slightest.

Anyhow, eventually, after a trip through one of those sweet underwater tunnels...

...we find ourselves in the cavern area, where red is exchanged for turquoise, and there are reflected ripples galore. Since the Marble Caves in Chile already look halfway to being a Sonic level due to its unique formations, that's the best comparison I can make here.

Too blue, you might say? Well, the sunset from earlier would be poking through the holes in the wall, adding some warm to the cool once more... the giant seashells everywhere help spice it up too.

Like these, but bigger than Ken Penders’ ego.

If that’s even possible...

First Section (aquarium): Rooftop Run - Night (Sonic Unleashed) Coconut Mall (Mario Kart Wii)

Second Section (caves): Sea Shell Shenanigans (Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex) Dire, Dire Docks (Super Mario 64)

3-4: Hydro Plant

The outside structure for this place is shaped like a giant wall, which predictably brings the Hoover Dam to mind:

And that applies inside as well, at least initially. The similarities indoors come mostly from the generators, as well as the sheer size of the place.

Since it's considerably rustier however, we have darker lighting in place, with the sunset outside preventing it from being too dark inside. There’s also a copious amount of daring graffiti caused by hoodlums... or maybe Eggman, since he'd probably be the type to do that to any property that isn't his. Some of this graffiti would look very impressive...

While others would... uh...

Look, they tried, okay?

With all this graffiti, that means there’s opportunity for a generous helping of cheeky references to previous installments if you’re able to find them... and if you can understand them. To this day, the typo in “make belif reborn” has not been corrected. Absolutely disgusting.

But as the fic dictates, the further you go on, the tidier and more high tech it becomes. Simply put, this section would remind one of Aquatic Base from '06, mainly because I've always liked the idea despite its characteristically terrible level design, so why not salvage the concept and give it a second chance?

With some added flavor to make it less monotone, mind you. Like actual water sections, some green lights to break up all the blue, giant crab robot threatening to kill you... the works.

Sonic may be glad that this zone is behind him, but little does he know, it's not the only zone with intense water action around these parts. Luckily for him, that won't be for a while, so he can breathe a sigh of relief for now. Still, we know Eggman has other ways of keeping the gang on their toes...

First Section (rusty): Wily Stage 2 (Mega Man 7) Pokey Pipes (Donkey Kong Country 3)

Second Section (high tech): Ocean Base Act 1 (Sonic Advance 3) H2 Oh No (Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex)

#Creating Viridonia #Sonic the Hedgehog #Fanfiction

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nclkafilms · 5 years ago

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The brutality and desperation of war

Throughout history of cinema, war has been one of the most common topics and one of the most used backdrops to tell stories. So when a new war film comes along and it feels like something you have never seen before, it will certainly get a lot of attention. ‘1917’ by Sam Mendes is that film! Not only does it take place during the first world war (a commonly overseen war in more recent cinematic history), but it also takes the daring cinematic choice to film and edit the film as if it is one single take. That alone makes it interesting, but it is the sheer quality of the filmmaking, the acting, the score and the cinematography that turns this little story in to an exceptional film that simply demands to be seen in the cinema!

The story IS small and extremely simple. Two young british soldiers are given a task of extreme importance and with deadly possibilities, when they are asked to cross the - apparently deserted - German frontline and the dangerous no-man’s land to reach another British battalion to give them an important order from the general. An imminent attack must be stopped to prevent the involved troops (including the older brother of one of our protagonists) from falling into a German ambush. They have until dawn. In its core the story is simple and with the film’s one-take vision, this simplicity becomes one of its main assets. Here we do not have a lot of extra side stories to give the (extreme amount of) British acting super stars’ supporting roles more screen time. We do not have long montages showing the consequences of the war. No the supporting roles are reduced to mere cameos as these people would be in the soldiers’ mission, and the consequences of war are shown as a natural and organic part of the surroundings as our two main characters make their way through the different war zones. And the camera never loses these two soldiers out of sight - we are with them through it all.

These two soldiers who truly are the only fully fleshed characters of our story are portrayed with impressive amount of nuance and details by young duo Dean-Charles Chapman (of ‘Game of Thrones’), 22, and George McKay (of ‘Captain Fantastic’), 27. I remember when I first read of the film and it was described as “Sam Mendes WWI film starring Colin Firth, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch”. While these three huge British actors are still here, they are in no way carrying this film - their cameos are strong, make no mistake, and the same can be said about a brilliant Andrew Scott (delivering a few, rare laughs) and a touching Richard Madden - but this film belongs to Chapman and McKay.

Chapman sends off some young Di Caprio vibes here in both looks and acting ability as he infuses his young Lance Corporal Blake with a vulnerable mix of naive empathy and goal-oriented focus. Opposite him, McKay is the main star of the film as the slightly older and more haunted, Lance Corporal Schofield, who is mostly drawn into this mission by coincidence. It is simply awe-inspiring to witness the character development McKay manages to portray without the camera ever letting him out of sight or cutting away (the film has only one (!) visible cut). You feel his desperation, his isolation, his traumas that are still evolving and his forceful devotion to the life that is now the only he can truly be in. In one specifically touching scene, he opens up about the true feelings of going home from the war on leave. McKay delivers this scene with such a presence and delicate delivery that your view on his character is changed instantly. A very strong performance that sadly seem to be ignored in any awards context in an exceptionally crowded year for male leads.

Another reason for this lack of acknowledgement of Chapman and McKay in awards season might also be the fact that ‘1917’ more than anything has left people stunned by its crafts. And it has to be said, that - while regrettable - this is very understandable. The meticulous planning that Sam Mendes and cinematography mastermind, Roger Deakins, have had to put into every single shot is astounding. Not only does it demand extreme precision to shoot a film as ‘one-take’ but to do it while creating hauntingly beautiful and yet naturalistic imagery is simply cinematic beauty of the highest order. The film is in no way focused on making as many aesthetically beautiful shots as possible (although an early crossing of a no-man’s land water hole, a flare illuminated city of ruins and a final shot of relief are absolutely stunning), but every shot is filled with details that I cannot wait to discover even more of on my next viewing. Roger Deakins is a cinematography legend and he seems destined to win every single cinematography award of the season after which he - obviously - can send a much deserved ‘thank you’ to editor Lee Smith for putting it all seamlessly together.

It is, however, not only visually that the film simply demands to be seen in the cinema. The sound mixing and editing is brilliant too and follows suit with the naturalistic visuals. Every gunshot, every explosion and every scene of absolute silence feel real; here are now over-the-top, enhanced sound effects. Another brick in the construction of an extremely intense and nerve-racking experience that is rounded off by a brilliant and fittingly subtle score by Thomas Newman. Admittedly, it does have a few classic, suspenseful orchestrations (especially towards the end), but its true strength is that it also allows itself to be subtle and quiet when it needs to be. People who have seen the first full length trailer, will be happy to find that its beautiful rendition of the song ‘Wayfaring Stranger’ is also found in the film in a very fine scene.

With ‘1917’ Sam Mendes has made an original film that, despite the fact that it probably features every single war film cliché out there (but hey, war in itself is pretty cliché, right?), manages to grab you from the very first second before tying you to your chair for two hours before the credits allow you to finally breath again and take your first handful of popcorn. It shows the brutality and desperation of war, while it ironically manages to show vast nuances of warfare through its simplicity. Every soldier (and every dead body) that the camera slowly and objectively pans over have their own stories to tell, and that is thought-provoking to dwell on once you have left the cinema having witnessed just two of these stories. The film feels almost nihilistic at times with its disregard of every empathetic move or gesture until a spark of hope and life is given by the warm light of a fire just when the story seems as bleak as possible.

As such the film of course is a tightly planned construction and it does require a certain suspension of disbelief, but isn’t that part of what film can do? If you just suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours you can be told stories, given experiences and presented to ideas deeply founded in reality. I, for one, think so and as such this film is a surprising masterpiece for me. With its intense simplicity, groundbreaking use of “one-take” techniques and gorgeous visuals, nerve-racking sound design, beautifully composed score and profoundly moving acting, ‘1917’ is Sam Mendes showing us every single reason why films should still be enjoyed in the cinema. He does that while telling a gripping story of a reality that will forever be embedded in our history all the while it sadly still is the reality for far too many people across the globe. A cinematic triumph!

5/5

#Academy Awards 2020 #Oscars 2020 #Film Review #Movie Review #1917 #Sam Mendes #George McKay #Dean-Charles Chapman #Colin Firth #benedict cumberbatch #Mark Strong #Andrew Scott #Richard Madden #Roger Deakins

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the-sweetest-dragon · 4 years ago

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Things Can Only Get Better - Chapter Two

Fandom: Teen Wolf

Pairing: Stiles Stilinksi x OC (Evangeline Monroe)

Word Count: 12k (I went buckwild)

Warnings: kidnapping, allusions to abuse, allusions to trauma, anxiety, Stiles being an idiot, blood, wounds, injuries

AN: I am still on my bullshit with this fandom and I don’t know when it will end. This is based on the last few episodes of season one with my own little spin on it

Tags: @nerdsarebetter @audder17 (READ MY STUFF YOU COWARD)

chapter one

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“If you live among wolves you have to act like a wolf.” - Nikita Khrushchev

The months after the party went by quickly. Not much happened. Well, a lot happened but just not to me. Everything had been quickly going downhill; Lydia, Stiles, Allison, Jackson, and Scott had gotten trapped in the school one night while the alpha roamed around and killed the janitor. Which had been one of many murders that had happened since we had been turned. A bus driver had been found, not quite dead but then later passed in the hospital. I did my best to stay out of it. Derek never approached me, thankfully. They eventually figured out that the alpha was Peter Hale, Derek’s uncle who had been horrifically burned in the fire six years ago. Which was terrifying to hear, but made since in the overarching scheme of things.

A few things went down in our social group as well. Allison and Scott broke up mid-semester for reasons unknown to me. I still sit with Scott and Stiles at lunch most days, mostly just to stay in the loop about what was going on. Jackson had (somehow) figured out what Scott and I were, but he wasn’t aware I was one too, thankfully. I could feel the tension between the two boys and ultimately decided it was best if I stayed out of it.

However, it was when I finally heard all the details of the breakup, that I decided to stop sitting with them at lunch and instead moved to sitting with just Allison. We were quickly joined by an apologetic Lydia who missed her friends. I ignored Scott as much as I could, which also meant ignoring Stiles. That hurt my heart a little, a small crush blossoming in the weeks we had spent together investigating the murders.

Stiles still texted me updates when he could and we talked in the halls. We no longer pretend to be dating, or whatever people thought we were doing. A week after Thanksgiving break, Isaac Lahey asked me to go to the winter formal with him and I, of course, said yes. No one else was going to ask me and Issac was cute, with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. He was also on the lacrosse team, though Lydia didn’t recognize the name. I had said yes before thinking about Stiles, but if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t think he really cared if I went at all. Which broke my heart a little, but I did my best to ignore it. He still had a huge crush on Lydia and I didn’t really want to mess around with that.

I tried to focus on Lydia more. She and Jackson had broken up not too long after Allison and Scott had split. Lydia seemed… heartbroken. Her sadness clung to her like a second skin and nearly made it impossible to sit near her. No one else seemed to notice, besides me and maybe Stiles, for obvious reasons. She had really loved Jackson, for whatever reason. I still don’t like the guy, especially after the shit he pulled trying to get the bite. He was reckless and didn’t listen to reason, two of my least favorite qualities.

One day, after a few weeks of refusing to speak to him, Scott stopped me in the hallway. The stench of desperation surrounded me, making me want to gag. I glared at him and he held his hands up in surrender.

“I just want to talk,” he said, his brown eyes pleading with me. At that moment I spotted Isaac’s blonde head over the crowd of people and I hurried towards it, Scott meeting me stride for stride. “I need you to get Allison’s necklace for me. We think it may have to do with the murders.” I stop in my tracks and turn a glare onto him.

“So you want me to steal from one of my best friends?” I practically growl at him. His eyes go wide, and I try to calm down. Scott was one of the few people who managed to really get under my skin, and I knew in that moment that my eyes had gone yellow. I collected myself, pushing the anger and panic down. “I am not stealing from her. If you want it, why don’t you ask for it? I won’t be your go between.” He stops following me and I quickly get to Issac’s side.

“Hey, whats up?” he asks quietly. I shake my head. Isaac is shockingly good at reading my emotions, and knowing when I don’t want to talk. He just nods, and wraps an arm around my shoulders. We walked to class in relative silence, only catching a few looks in the process.

Isaac wasn’t the most popular choice in friends, but he was kind. He had a rather bad home life, so in the few weeks we had been friends, he had been over at my house nearly every night. Partially to work on homework, but also to just get away. Mom instantly liked him, and Dad seemed to like him, as much as Dad liked any of my guy friends. I wasn’t sure if Isaac liked me in a romantic way but nothing with him was ever boring, and it felt… normal.

A week before the formal, Lydia took Allison and I shopping for dresses. It was her way of apologizing for everything. Not to mention that Allison is acting weird. We had figured out her family’s secret, that they were hunters. Allison didn’t seem to be clued in on that fact, but I had decided that being her friend was more important. She wouldn’t hurt me.

We walk into Macy’s, heading towards the escalator. We had been talking about formal plans, but I tuned them out fairly quickly. I tune back in when Allison turns towards Lydia with a triumphant smile.

“I’m going with Jackson,” Allison states. I blink a few times, confused as to why anyone would willingly spend time with that snake. Lydia’s face twists with shock and I feel a little bad for thinking such things. “He asked, and I said yes.” I shrug, not wanting to dig too deep into whatever was happening between them. Lydia looked almost mad, her face going red with anger. It was almost comical.

“Is this payback for making out with Scott?” she asks quietly. Allison just smiles and shakes her head, infuriating her more. “And who am I supposed to go with?” Once her question is asked, a familiar scent hits my nose. I groan internally.

“Him,” Allison says, pointing towards the scent I had smelled. Stiles. He leans to sniff something at the perfume counter and inevitably does something klutzy. I laugh softly, covering my mouth with my hand to keep the sound to myself. I turn to see Lydia’s eyes narrow and then turn to me. She raises an eyebrow in question and I just shrug, knowing that I had no claim on him. I push down the small, insecure part of me that is screaming to tell her no, it’s not okay. That pang of jealousy would have to be explored at a later point.

After Allison points him out, Stiles follows Lydia around like a lost puppy, holding her mountain of dresses for her and shooting off sarcastic comments that make me laugh. His eyes meet mine a few times, as if asking if this was going to be okay. I nod, refusing to let that feeling overtake me. We’re friends, I can handle this weird little crush that has been lingering.

We walk around for what feels like hours, Allison disappearing to take care of her car an hour into shopping. Lydia decides on a silver dress with a black ribbon around her waist and Allison decides on a ruffled silver number that really compliments her coloring. They both leaned very heavily on the ‘winter’ part of winter formal with those colors. I still couldn’t find a dress I liked that fit me well, until Stiles waves me over to a rack a few feet from where I am.

“Evie, come here! I think I found something,” he says, a big smile on his face. I hurry over to him, excited to see what he had found. He pulls out a deep green dress with an iridescent overlay on the skirt and bodice. It laces up in the back instead of having a zipper and has some boning in the front, to keep it stiff. I run my fingers over the fabric, a smile creeping its way onto my face. “Well, what do you think?” he asks, a nervous lilt in his voice.

“I love it.” He smiles, relieved and I quickly find my size and head towards the changing rooms. As soon as I slip the dress on, I know it’s the one. I struggle slightly with tying the ribbons in the back, but mange to get it tight enough that it won’t slip off me. Stepping in front of the mirror, I admire how it looks on me. The green makes my hair look more red, and compliments my dark eyes. I twirl, watching the skirt spin with me. It gives me fairy vibes and I’m absolutely in love with it.

I step out into the main area where everyone is waiting. Lydia insists on seeing all the dresses, to help us pick I guess. I hear a soft gasp when I walk out, and my eyes immediately go to Lydia, who has a grin on her face and a look of approval shining through. Allison is smiling, her dimples really coming through from the strength of it. Stiles’ eyes went wide when he sees me, an odd look coming onto his face.

“Wow! You look great!” he says. “Not that you don’t always look great! This is just… wow.” I laugh, a blush heating up my face. I ignore the butterflies in my stomach, trying to squish them before there’s a whole horde of them in there.

“Well, you picked it out. You have a good eye, for a guy,” I say with a grin. “So, this is a yes, right? Please let it be a yes, I don’t think I can handle anymore dress-trying-on.” Lydia laughs, the first I had heard in a long time.

“Yeah, that’s a definite yes. Isaac won’t know what hit him.” At the mention of Isaac, Stiles’ light eyes go dark with what I assume is jealousy, which makes my heart do flips. Maybe he does like me the way I like him. He hurries away, mostly to help Lydia put all the no’s on the return rack, but I can hear his heart beating faster than usual. Stiles avoids me the rest of the night, and I try not to worry about it, though his actions make me nervous.

We go out for a quick bite after we buy our dresses, Lydia insisting to buy both Allison and I’s. I argue slightly, until I see the price tag and know without a doubt that I don’t have that much money in my bank account. Us girls discuss hair and makeup ideas, while Stiles does his very best to not look bored. For his part, Lydia had made sure that he had a tux that would go well with her dress. I made a mental note to ask Isaac about his tux, though I wasn’t too concerned with matching. As long as it was black and white, it would look fine.

Lydia dropped Allison and I off, Stiles going home on his own. I hurry up to my room to put my dress in the closet. I had tried my best to decorate my room in a nice way. We had painted the walls a nice ivory color, nothing too bright. One wall was covered in false ivy and had an oversized chair in the corner, next to my bookshelves. Another wall held my bed, it’s warmth especially inviting after these past few hours of tedious shopping. The weather had started to turn chilly, though not nearly as cold as it had been in Kansas, which I was grateful for. My desk was pushed up to the window, so I could see out while doing homework. Books littered my desk, some for school and others for my own downtime.

I do my nightly routine, making sure to remove all makeup before heading to bed. There had been a night about a month ago where I had forgotten and woke up to a perfect imprint of my face on my white pillow. Needless to say, Mom was not very happy with me for that one. I slide into my warm bed, a feeling of comfort seeping into my bones.

I often have dreams, or rather, nightmares. My brain seems to think that I don’t worry enough while I’m awake, so it creates scenes in my brain to have me react to and become anxious upon waking. Lately, I have been having the same dream over and over again. I was in the woods, a gauzy white gown covering my otherwise nude body, as I ran between the trees. I wasn’t being chased, but I could feel someone following me. We were laughing in the dream, and at some point it felt like I had been tackled to the ground by this person but nothing hurt. I could feel them leave soft kisses on my exposed shoulders and I felt so completely comfortable. It didn’t make sense, and I had no clue who the person was but I found myself searching for them upon waking. The urge to find them was so strong it was almost painful.

Tonight is no different. As I fall asleep, the scent of the woods hits my nose immediately. The same dress covered my body, and I could almost see the person behind me before we started sprinting through the woods, my speed surprising me. I turn back to see the person, but they’re far behind me. I slow down so they can catch up and their scent hits me. Sweat, but something else, something… manly. Before I could place the smell, I was being tackled to the ground. This time though, I was facing the person and I felt a slight pain in my back, making me close my eyes in discomfort. A hand gently cups my face and his thumb gently caresses my cheek. I lean into the touch, savoring it before the dream melts away into darkness.

I wake slowly, wanting to stay in my dream as long as possible to gather any more clues about the person. The sun hasn’t even rose, and yet here I am, awake. I sigh, deciding that if I have to be awake, I might as well use the time efficiently. I take a long, hot shower, trying to get the scent of the man out of my nose. Everything about him felt so familiar and yet I couldn’t place it. Closing my eyes, I try to mentally put it in a folder to look at later; focusing on it now would do me no good. I take a few deep breaths and turn off the water, stepping out into the cool bathroom. Wrapping a towel around myself, I head back to my room. I flip on the light and pad to my closet when I hear a soft sound.

I turn slowly, spotting a man sitting in my desk chair. I freeze, much like a deer caught in headlights as the man stands.

“Hello, Evangeline.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I rub my eyes, yawning as I pull on my jersey. I hadn’t slept well last night, partially because of this recurring dream that left me feeling exhausted and partially because I didn’t fall asleep until very early in the morning. My phone buzzes relentlessly in my pocket, the buzzing catching the attention of both Scott and Coach, which is unfortunate for me.

“Stilinski! If you can’t shut that thing up, I’ll shut it up for you!” he yelled from across the locker room. I wince and fumble for it, nearly dropping it onto the hard concrete floor.

“Yes Coach,” I say back, ignoring the call. I sigh, putting the phone into my gym locker, not bothering to look at who had been calling me. Scott gives me a funny look before turning back to whatever Coach had been lecturing us about before I had rudely interrupted. I tuned him out most of the time, and this time was no different.

It was way too early to be having practice; the sun was barely up, but here we are, cold and running laps. Practice itself wouldn’t take that long, but it had gotten so cold this past week that no one really wanted to be out on the field. Everyone was sluggish, even Scott, who still looked like a kicked puppy about Allison going to the formal with Jackson. I still hadn’t figured out how Allison had talked Lydia into being my date but to say I was excited would have been an understatement. This was my one chance to show her how great a boyfriend I can be, and I’m not about to give that up.

Practice goes by quickly, the cold settling into our bones within a few minutes. After showering and dressing, I grab my phone from my locker, noticing that I had four missed calls. I scroll through the call log, realizing they were all from Evie and she only left one voicemail. I open it, my foot tapping against the floor, the only sign of my nervousness.

“Stiles, he found me…” a loud bang in the background and a yelp from Evie nearly sets me running. Her voice is low, barely there. “I… I don’t know where I am. It’s so dark… Stiles…” The voicemail is cut off there and I bring the phone in front of me in shock. Scott comes up beside me, his jaw set in anger. He lays a hand on my shoulder and looks at me dead in the eye.

“We’ll find her.” I nod, the situation still not quite making sense. He who? There were several contenders at this point. It could be Peter, or Derek, or Argent… There were too many people involved for anything to be clear. I take a deep, calming breath. “Do you have anything of hers that I can get a scent off of? Or do we need to raid her house?” I pause for a moment, trying to remember if she had ever left anything in the Jeep. I shake my head, coming up empty.

“No, but I think we may be able to get something from her locker.” Scott gives me a funny look and I explain quickly. “She never locks it, says that the combination takes too much time.” He nods and we head towards the hallway. I nearly walk past it and have to double back after I spot it. I open it, the pictures inside fluttering at the movement. Scott takes over from there, grabbing a sweater Evie had left in there. I refuse to focus too long on her smiling face, knowing that something very easily could have ruined that smiling face forever.

After taking the sweater out, we rush towards the Jeep, nearly crashing into Allison and Lydia in our hurry. Scott slides to a stop but I keep going, tumbling to the ground. I hiss at the pain in my knees and Scott helps pick me back up.

“Woah! Where are you going?” Allison yells after us. Neither Scott nor I stop to explain, too busy hurrying towards the Jeep to realize they were going to follow us. The two exchange a look and rush after us, their heels clicking against the floor. “Wait up!”

We made it to the Jeep in record time, me nearly running into the side window, because I was unable to slow down enough to not. The girls reach us as Scott hops into the car, leaving me to explain our rush to them.

“We got a call from Evie,” I say quietly. “She’s being held somewhere, we don’t know where.” Lydia’s eyes go huge, reminding me of an owl. Allison sets her jaw, and I can see her decision in her eyes. She reaches for the door and climbs silently into the car. I turn to Lydia, awkwardly wrapping an arm around her while quiet tears fall down her face. “We’re going to find her, okay? Everything will be ok.” I move her so we’re looking each other in the eyes, hers shining with anger now instead of tears.

“I want to go with you,” she says.

“Lydia, you need to-” she cuts me short with a curt laugh.

“She is my cousin! I will not stand by and let anything happen to her!” I wince at how loud her voice had gone, but the anger in her face makes me sigh. I reluctantly open the door for her and watch her climb into the back, a satisfied look on her face. Scott glares at me; I just shrug and get into the car. Lydia’s eyes narrow, catching sight of the sweater in Scott’s hands. “Why do you have her sweater?”

Scott and I exchange a look, as nervousness floods my body. I hadn’t thought about having to explain how we were going to find her. Scott tries to come up with a reason, but I know that it’ll never curb Lydia’s curiosity. The girl’s mind was a steel trap; she’d remember anything we told her and use it against us if anything happened out of the ordinary.

“Evie left it in the front seat one day after school,” I say quickly. That answer must have made enough sense to her, since she dropped it. I let out a breath of relief and started to drive. Scott rolls down his window under the disguise that it’s easier to see with it down. We drive for a long time, when Scott goes stiff. “What? What is it?”

“I… I think I see her.” I hit the brakes quickly, causing the girls to shout in surprise. I mumble a sorry but turn my attention to where Scott is looking. A small, pale figure is moving towards us quickly. She’s stumbling through the woods, the light making a halo around her head. “It’s definitely her.”

At that, we all hurry out of the car and I run towards her. There’s blood on her forehead, the cut already closing. Blood slips down her bare body from twin cuts along her ribs, a matching set visible on her thighs as well. She stumbles a few times when she spots us, trying to hurry while also looking over her shoulder. Lydia rushes forward, and I avert my eyes, trying not to stare at her nakedness.

Scott hands Allison the sweater and I dig a pair of athletic shorts out of my gym bag. Lydia does her best to clean off the blood with an extra shirt she found in the back of the Jeep. I make a mental note to replace these clothes and get better detergent to get the blood out. Evie is silent the entire time, only making soft sounds of pain if Lydia pushes too hard on her cuts. Her entire back is scratched up, a few deep cuts littered here and there. The sight of her blood makes me nauseous but I do my best to curb the urge to vomit or pass out. Allison and Lydia help her dress, making Scott and I turn around.

“We should take her to the hospital,” I say quietly to Scott. “Her wounds aren’t healing. They must have put wolfbane on the knives.” Scott shakes his head.

“Those are definitely from Peter. A wound from an alpha takes longer to heal,” he says. I make a face, unsure as to why he assumes that it was Peter. “He had to have done this, his scent is coating her like a second skin and the Argents don’t even know she exists.” I sigh, a headache beginning to form. I look over to the group of girls, watching as they hug, careful of Evie’s cuts and bruises. Relief washes over me and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. She’s okay, she’s here and she’s not dead. That’s all I could have asked for.

Evie meets my gaze and gives me a small smile. I grin back at her, the situation lightening momentarily. We had found her, she was okay, and we had an idea of who took her. Then it hit me; we would have to explain this to her parents at some point. That would not be a fun conversation. She gestured us over, the smile lingering on her face. Evie pulls Scott into a hug, making him smile. He ruffles her hair slightly, getting her to laugh softly. Then, she turns to me.

“Thank you,” she says, her voice hoarse. I swallow, worry and relief warring inside me. She pulls me into a hug, her arms nearly crushing my ribs but I hug back just as fiercely.

“Don’t ever get kidnapped again.” She laughs, this time a real, full laugh. I smile, glad to know that this experience hadn’t ruined her spirit completely. Evie pats my chest after letting me out of her bone crushing hug and steps back into the safety of her friends.

“I’ll do my best not to get kidnapped again,” she says.

“So, do we need to go to the hospital or would you rather go home?” I ask. Her brown eyes go wide at the mention of a hospital and I mentally kick myself. Of course a hospital would be a bad idea. Her cuts would be healed in a matter of hours, making any stitches she got useless.

“Of course we’re going to the hospital! We just found her in the woods, naked and bleeding!” Lydia snaps, making me wince. Evie faces her cousin, a deep frown on her face. She points to the fully closed cut on her forehead, where it had been bleeding not two minutes ago.

“There’s no need for a hospital,” she says softly, taking a step towards Lydia and Allison. Allison, for her part, didn’t back away from Evie, though fear sparked in her eyes. Scott and I exchange a look, knowing that everything that Allison had been suspecting was now revealed to her. There were no more secrets left to tell, except maybe Evie’s.

“I don’t understand,” Allison starts. “You were bleeding, you had really deep cuts… and now they're just gone?” Making a so-so gesture with her hands, Evie nods, a look of compassion taking over her face. Her dark eyes have lost their usual shine and a weight has been placed on her shoulders. “What does that mean? What are you?” Evie glances at Scott, visibly tiring before our eyes. Scott nods, taking over explaining for Evie.

“Remember when you said that your family was hiding something from you?” A nod from Allison. “Well, we’re what they’re hiding from you. Evie and I are werewolves.” Lydia blinks a few times, then turns her attention to Evie.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks quietly. Evie rubs her face, smearing blood and dirt across her cheek. A part of me itches to wipe it off her face, knowing that she would hate looking so filthy.

“I didn’t want you to worry about me, after everything I’ve put this family through the last thing I wanted to do was give you another reason to worry.” In that moment my heart breaks for Evie. I don’t know all the details, but I knew that whatever happened before she left Kansas had to have been bad if she didn’t even trust Lydia with her secrets. Lydia hugs Evie tight, tears streaming down her pale face.

“You don’t get to decide what will make me worry and what won’t. If anything happens to you, I should be the first to know,” she says, making Evie laugh as they broke from their hug. Allison holds up a hand.

“Hold on. Everyone is just okay with this? No one is concerned that there are supernatural beings in this town?” Everyone looks around, and I shrug.

“Honestly? I’ve been freaking out for the past three months. Werewolves are fucking scary man.” Scott glares at me and Evie raises an eyebrow. “Current company excluded of course,” I say. “I’m more worried about the other two, the ones that want Scott, and now Evie, to join their pack.” Evie nods, a bit of light returning to her eyes. “Derek isn’t so bad but Peter is absolutely insane.”

“I’m sorry, who?” Lydia asks.

“Derek and Peter Hale are also werewolves. Peter is the crazy alpha who has been killing people and attacking us since September. They want Scott and Evie to join their pack because “we’re stronger together”, but Scott said no and they didn’t know Evie existed until now. Not sure how they figured out where she was but now we have to be on guard all the time so no one gets kidnapped.” I let out a breath, winded from so much talking.

Lydia shakes her head, her strawberry blonde curls bouncing with the movement. Another thought pops into my mind but before I can voice it, Scott is ushering Evie into the Jeep, Lydia and Allison right behind her. I look over my shoulder quickly, seeing a dark mass quickly approaching from the woods and get into the Jeep as well, hoping it starts on the first try. I rev the engine, once, twice, three times before it finally kicks over and we’re barreling down the road towards Evie’s house.

“He knows where I live!” she reminds me from the backseat.

“Well, where the hell am I supposed to go?!” I bark back, immediately regretting it when I see her eyes go yellow in the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry!” They’re quickly gone, but I know I’ve hurt her feelings. Scott looks over at me, a confused look on his face.

“Head towards the vet clinic,” he says calmly. Why is he so calm? Wish I could be calm with a lunatic wolfman following us. I nod, turning the car sharply onto the correct road.

We’re at the vet clinic in record time, though I’m pretty sure that I broke several traffic laws in doing so. The dark figure is quickly gaining on us. Scott and I usher the girls inside before entering ourselves, locking the door behind us.

“Anyone want to tell me why we’re in a vet clinic?” Lydia whispers.

“The whole building is made of mountain ash,” says a voice from behind us, making both Evie and I jump.

“You can’t just sneak up on us like that!” I whisper yell. Deaton, Scott’s boss, stands behind the counter, a serious look on his face. He pushes us behind the counter and into an examination room before locking that door as well.

We all hide in various spots as we listen to Peter talk to Deaton, or rather threaten him. Evie, somehow, has ended up pressed into my side, her warmth chasing away any chill that was left over from being outside. Scott eyes us from the other side of the room, a small frown on his face. Allison is pressed against the examination table, Lydia squished in next to her. We hear the front door slam and we all let out a collective breath. Evie scoots away from me, and I almost immediately miss her warmth. It’s freezing in here; Deaton must not have switched over his air conditioning yet.

“You can all come out now,” Deaton calls out. I hear the lock turn and pop up, everyone else slowly getting to their feet. We all make our way out into the main lobby, where Deaton is waiting. He scans Evie, as if he can see the cuts and bruises her clothing is covering. “You need some medical attention. May I see?” he asks. Evie nods and they step back into the examination room, Lydia joining them after a few moments.

Scott, Allison, and I wait outside. I pace around while they have a quiet conversation about whatever it is that they usually talk about, my brain not catching onto any words they’re saying. After what felt like hours, the trio emerges from the examination room. Evie looks freshly showered and I briefly entertain that idea of Deaton washing her like a dog in one of the sinks. She’s small, she’d be able to fit.

Scott and Allison stand, the latter rushing to help Evie back to the car. Any energy Evie had before was completely sapped by the time she made it back to the Jeep. Scott lifts her into the back seat, settling her between Lydia and Allison while I race to the drivers side. I take her back to her house, leaving Lydia with her. Allison, Scott, and I all go back to school, the day weighing heavily on our minds. Allison and Lydia know now, and there was no going back from that.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I slept for what felt like days, dreamless and deeply. A warm body is pressed against me the entire time I’m asleep and I can hear soft music coming from somewhere. I curl into the warmth, still freezing from my jaunt in the woods and being naked in the old Hale house. I feel fingers rake gently through my hair, detangling it and removing any leftover sticks that my dip into the sink didn’t catch. I sigh, awake now but not wanting to open my eyes.

“Stiles…” I say softly. The hand stops and I open an eye to see Lydia sitting beside me, definitely not Stiles. Refusing to feel embarrassed, I meet her stare. She rolls her eyes and smiles.

“I knew you had a thing for him. You should see the way you look at him,” she says with a smirk. I huff, pulling myself up with a soft groan of pain. The bruises would last for a few hours, but everything else had basically healed. I was beyond grateful for Deaton’s help, but I didn’t appreciate being bathed like a dog in the sink. I mentally put that on my list of top ten most embarrassing moments.

“I don’t have a thing for him.” Lydia just smiles, making me sigh. “Okay, maybe I have a small crush on him. You can’t say anything to him,” I plead, hands clasped. She taps her chin, making my anxiety levels rise quickly, before smiling.

“I won’t say anything.” I let out a breath, not realizing that I had been holding one. “But, you’ll have to tell him eventually.” I shake my head.

“No, by the time he even has an inkling of it I’ll be over it. I don’t need a boyfriend.” Lydia stares at me, searching my face. Her eyes narrow, a suspicious gleam in the green depths of them. Suddenly they go wide with a realization.

“You’re afraid,” she says, breathless at the realization. I hang my head, refusing to make eye contact with her.

“He deserves better.” Lydia shakes her head but I continue. “What happens if I have another anxiety attack like I did last winter? What if he finds out why I was in the hospital? I don’t think I can take the look on his face if he were to find out, Lydia.” She sighs, a soft sound that nearly sets me crying. I had put my family through so much, I couldn’t do that to another person I cared about. No one deserved that kind of pain.

“What happened wasn’t your fault Evie. Bad things happen to good people, and we have to decide how to react. I admit that several of us reacted badly in the moment,” she shot a glare towards where I assume my parents may be. They did not react that well, I will admit, but I hadn’t realized everyone else knew that as well. “But that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the quality of our character.” She studies my face, gently wiping away a tear that had fallen without me noticing. “You deserve to be happy, Evie. Especially after everything you’ve been through.”

I curl into her, using the blanket to wipe the remaining tears from my face. We stay like that for some time, not talking but enjoying each other’s company. Lydia reads quietly while I doze off, until a loud knock resonates through the house. I hear Mom saying something, but I chose to not focus too hard on it. Lydia, however, straightens up, causing my head to fall to the bed. We watch the door, and I cringe at the sound of multiple pairs of feet coming up the stairs.

Stiles is the first to burst into my room, out of breath and flannel flying out behind him like a cape. Scott and Allison are close behind him, though they enter much quieter. Lydia raises an eyebrow and stands up, stretching slightly. I turn my focus to Stiles, noticing that he had a rather large bouquet of flowers in his hands. I feel my cheeks start to burn and I glare at Lydia when I realize that the flowers are daisies, which are my absolute favorites. She just smiles at me and graciously takes them from Stiles before he can crush them anymore than he already has.

“Hi, we brought you your homework, well Allison did. I didn’t realize you were in a modern literature class, when did that become a thing and why didn’t anyone tell me? You guys are literally reading comic books.” I blink a few times, trying to keep up with his stream of speech. He spoke too quickly for my brain to handle. He smiles widely and gestures as he talks, going on about some comic book he had read a few weeks back. I tune him out and turn my attention to Scott.

“What’s going on?” I croak, my voice still not a hundred percent after screaming for so long. Peter did not have an easy time getting me to come with him, which prompted him to give me the wound on my forehead, effectively knocking me out. Scott and Allison exchange a look and Stiles finally goes quiet.

“Derek wants to talk to us. Both of us,” Scott says, his voice loud in the silent room. I narrow my eyes, considering his words.

“I don’t think he is in a position to demand anything from me. He did not help me today, and any respect or interest I had in this pack Peter is trying to create disappeared the moment he thought he could kidnap me and push me to submit to him.” I’m so angry I can feel my body shaking. Pain shoots up in my gums, signalling that I had changed. Scott raises his hands in surrender, knowing better than to fight me on this. Stiles comes closer, laying a single hand on my shoulder. Relief spreads through my body at his touch, making the fangs disappear within seconds. I don’t miss the look Scott gives me, but chose to ignore the question behind it.

“I agree with her. This Peter guy sounds like bad news and, frankly, I don’t like him at all,” Allison states. I crack a smile at that, happy she agrees with me despite not being included for so long. Lydia nods in agreement.

“The moment he took my cousin was the moment he was put on my shit list,” Lydia says. I laugh, a slightly broken sound. I clear my throat as Stiles gently squeezes my shoulder. I give him an appreciative smile, which he returns, before letting go of my shoulder. I miss it immediately but I refuse to let Lydia know how deep this crush goes by looking sad.

“You know where I stand on this Scott. And it seems like everyone kinda agrees with me,” he says. He leans towards us. “Thanks for that, by the way.” Scott just shakes his head, not seeming to upset with our verdict. I smile, glad that he agrees with us.

Everyone crowds onto my bed, Stiles dramatically flopping himself down next to me. Allison and Scott sit awkwardly on the foot of my bed while Lydia claims the small spot between Stiles and I.

“So, uh, not that I don’t love having you guys here, but is there a particular reason you’re all on my bed?” I ask, a frown making its way onto my face. I love my friends but Scott and Stiles smell like four day old gym shorts, and I really don’t want my sheets smelling like that.

“This is what is called group bonding,” Stiles points out, a grin plastered on his face. I raise an eyebrow, confused. “Well, I guess more like pack bonding, since neither you nor Scott want a piece of Peter’s fucked up one.” I laugh at that, shaking my head slightly.

“In all seriousness, we do need some sort of plan,” Allison states. “My family is still keeping things from me and I still haven’t heard the entire story of how all of this happened.”

Scott and I exchange a look, mentally trying to decide who’s better equipped to tell her the whole story. I point at Scott and he sighs, knowing that he knows more about the situation than I do. He starts at the beginning, describing the night we were both bit and what transpired after that. I input where I think there needs to be more detail, much to Stiles amusement.

“So, basically a psycho murderer is trying to get you guys to be in his pack while my family actually hunts you?” We nod our heads. “And no one thought it was important for us to know this?” I shrug, knowing that I had wanted to tell both her and Lydia immediately but was shut down by Scott. He didn’t want to freak her out, but that ship has sailed. To her credit, she seemed to be handling it very well. I reach over and grab her hand, giving it a soft squeeze.

“I know this is a lot, but I’m glad you’re here.” We share a smile, Scott looking confused as usual. I pat his knee, a slight smile still on my face. Scott may be cute but his head is totally empty. No thoughts.

We hang out for a while, just enjoying each other’s company after a very crazy semester. Lydia and Allison exchange plans for the dance, Scott complains about not being able to go, Stiles continues on his rant about comic books, and I try to keep up. We order a pizza and watch a movie, really just being normal for one night. One by one my friends start to leave, starting with Lydia. Allison is next to go and then Scott, leaving me and Stiles alone in my room. He stretches out on my bed, one arm under his head and looking completely at ease. I give him a confused look, earning me a laugh and the shake of his head.

“We agreed that until Peter is taken care of, we won’t leave you on your own.” I snort, waving a dismissive hand at him. “Hey, I can hold my own!” I outright laugh; the thought of Stiles protecting me from Peter is actually hilarious. A plan starts forming in the back of my head; I can prove that he can’t beat Peter rather easily. I stop laughing and put on a serious face. “What are you doing?” he asks rather loudly. I tilt my head at the question.

“I’m not doing anything,” I say innocently. I stand, going to my dresser to get different clothes, since I had been in the same sweater and gym shorts since arriving home. I hear Stiles get up to get his homework and that’s when I strike, moving quicker than he could process to pin him to the wall. My hands barely circle around his wrists but I keep him securely against the wall by using my newly acquired strength, my body pressed against his. I watch him swallow, a nervous look on his face and he won’t make eye contact with me. Odd. I raise an eyebrow.

“Pinned ya.” He laughs, some tension leaving his body. “Honestly though, I don’t think you’d hold up long against Peter. You can barely hold your own against me, and I’m much smaller.” I give him a triumphant smile, totally aware of my win. He takes a deep breath and I’m suddenly aware of how close we are to each other.

Against my better judgement, I lean in slightly, taking in a lungful of his scent. He smelled like the woods and gasoline and old books. His heart beats quickly, almost too quickly for what little activity we had done. I allow myself to just look at him, my eyes tracing his face and I let myself be amazed by the pattern of moles that litter his face. I rarely let myself focus too long on his face, afraid of what I may find in his eyes. Going on my tiptoes, I let go of one wrist to cup his cheek, brushing my thumb against his cheekbone. Stiles’ eyes close, a sigh emitting from deep in his chest. He wraps one arm around me, a half hug that forces me to lower my hand. I allow him to escape completely from my hold so he can wrap the other arm around me.

“Evie,” he whispers. I shake my head, knowing that whatever he’s about to say can wait. For right now, I just want to be held. As I lay my head on his chest, the music that had been playing for most of the day switching to something slow. Stiles starts to sway, in that awkward way boys do when you’re supposed to slow dance. His chin rests on the top of my head and we stay like that for a long time. Eventually, the music changes and we pull away, his eyes opening when my hand cups his cheek again.

I search his expression, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he feels even a kernel of what I feel. Desperately, I search but come up with nothing. Stiles’ face gives no inclination that what just happened was meaningful in any way, shape or form. I pull myself farther away, the beginnings of tears in my eyes. He reaches for me, but I slip out of his grasp. Gathering my courage, I put on a happy face when I turn to him.

“I appreciate the thought, but I think I can take care of myself.” Stiles frowns, not understanding my change in emotion.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel unsafe.” I wave my hand, dismissing his worry with a smile on my face. On the inside, I’m screaming at him to leave and to never come near me again. But I can’t do that. Even though it’s torture, I would much rather have him close to me than to be separated.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry,” I say with a bright smile. He nods, packing up his stuff before finally leaving. I fall onto my bed, desperately trying to keep the tears in. No boy is worth crying over, I harshly remind myself. But, a few tears slip from my eyes and once those are free, the rest come rushing out. Soon, I’m a blubbering, disgusting mess. The stress from today hits me all at once, dissolving me into more tears until I have no tears left.

I wipe at my eyes, curling into myself. I calm myself down enough to call Isaac, my hands shaking as I hit the call button next to his name. He answers on the fourth ring, sleep coating his voice.

“Hey what’s up?” I sigh, and he must hear something sad about it since he snaps immediately into action. “I can be at your house in fifteen, there’s definitely some place still open for a milkshake. Be ready.” I laugh softly, already feeling better.

“See you in fifteen,” I say before hanging up.

When Isaac says fifteen, he means it. By the time I had put on heavier clothes and shoes, he was waiting patiently outside, his dad’s car still running. I hurry outside, not bothering to tell my parents where I was headed. They trust Isaac, for whatever reason. He opens his arms and I rush into them, inhaling the smell of freshly mowed grass and the citrus scent of his cologne. Issac holds me close and I feel the last of the tension in my body be released, everything melting away. We head towards the car, a small smile on his face.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing, you just look like shit,” he says with a smirk. I give him the bird, making him laugh. We both get into the car and I scrunch my nose up at the smell of it. His dad’s scent is everywhere and it kind of makes me want to vomit. It reeks of chlorine and dried blood. Isaac looks over at me, a grimace on his face. “I know it smells bad but I didn’t really wanna ride my bike all the way here.” At that I laugh, the smell forgotten.

The drive to the nearest diner doesn’t take long and we talk the entire time, the chatter keeping me together. Once inside, Isaac orders us milkshakes (mine chocolate and his strawberry because he’s an odd man) and we sit in our regular booth, three from the front door. While we wait, we talk about school and our plans for the dance. Everything with Isaac is so easy and simple. We never run out of things to talk about and he doesn’t seem to mind that I don’t tell all of every story. He does the same, so it’s hard to be a hypocrite with that sort of thing.

Seeking comfort, I reach across the table and grab his hand. Without thinking, he immediately starts gently rubbing circles on my hand with his thumb, a familiar action between us. And to think, a few months ago I was worried about making friends. I sigh, balancing my head on my other hand. Something has to be done about my crush on Stiles, but what? He’s obviously not into me the way I’m into him. Then, I remember how he reacted when Lydia brought up Isaac yesterday in the mall. His face held an intense amount of jealousy, something I had never seen him wear around Lydia and Jackson. A plan starts to form in my head, something I’m not sure will work but I’m willing to try. Things couldn’t get worse.

“I have a question for you,” I say as the waitress sets our milkshakes down in front of us.

“Shoot,” he says, letting go of my hand to put a straw in his shake. I gather my courage, deciding that if he says no, it won’t be that big of a deal. I watch him tear the wrapper off the straw, taking a deep drink of his pink monstrosity, and take a deep breath, deciding it’s now or never.

“Do you have feelings for me?” I blurt out. Isaac chokes on his shake, coughing slightly. I furrow my eyebrows and hand him a few napkins to clean himself up with. His shirt is covered in ice cream, which would usually set me laughing but I held it in, just to save him embarrassment. I’m such a good friend.

“I’m sorry what?” he asks once his coughing is under control. I play with a piece of my hair, suddenly worried about this very, very stupid plan of mine.

“Do you have feelings for me? Like, in a romantic sense?” Isaac narrows his eyes at me, a befuddled look on his face. If this wasn’t so serious, I may have laughed. “I’m being serious, Isaac. Do you have any sort of romantic feelings towards me? Yes or no?”

“Uh, no?” he says. I nod, somewhat pleased with his answer. I kind of figured he didn’t like me in that way, but it would definitely make the next part of my plan a little easier on the both of us.

“So, I have recently discovered that I have a…” I pause, searching for the right word to describe how I felt about Stiles. “Infatuation? Crush? I’m not sure.” Issac holds up a hand.

“It’s not on me is it? Because I see you as more of a sister…” I laugh, shaking my head. He sighs, relieved that I’m not into him in that way either.

“No, definitely not on you. I have a mild crush on Stiles.” He makes a face at me. “Yes, I know he loves Lydia but I have a plan.” I tell him all about our shopping trip and how when Lydia mentioned him, Stiles seemed to get jealous. I describe what happened before I called him and my plan of how to get Stiles to be interested in me.

“Hold on. You want to use me to make Stiles jealous?” he asks. I nod, confused as to what part of my plan he was confused about. “Stiles is jealous of me?” I nod slower this time. Isaac smiles, a proud look on his face. “Stiles is jealous of me.” I roll my eyes; boys.

“Yeah, don’t go getting a big head about it.” He laughs and I crack a smile. Isaac agrees to my ridiculous plan, after very little convincing may I add, and even adds his own take on things. I am impressed with his dedication to my half thought out plan and I know that anything Issac does will drive Stiles insane. We finish our shakes and head out, the smell of chlorine nearly suffocating me in the car once again. The drive home is filled with me bouncing in my seat and Issac singing along with the radio.

Once back at my house, Isaac walks me up to my front door and bids me good night. At this point it’s basically midnight and I’m exhausted. Just going up the stairs to my room takes a lot out of me, exhaustion hitting at the top of the stairs. I collapse onto my bed, still wearing the clothes I had borrowed from Stiles. My sleep is dreamless and deep, and I’m thankful for it.

The next morning, Isaac is there to pick me up, yet again with his dad’s car. I made sure to dress warm, in a black turtleneck and jeans, because the heater in the car did not work. Which is unfortunate for everyone involved, because the chlorine smell did not get pushed around and Isaac refused to put any of the windows down. I rush outside, hair still half wet from my shower and instantly regret not blow drying it. It wasn’t cold per say but the chilly wind definitely did not feel good blowing through my hair.

“Ready to make Stilinski jealous?” he says smiling. I nod, a grin settling on my face. Confidence settles into my bones and sets my face into a permanent smirk. Isaac has a matching one plastered onto his face and I know that this will work.

School goes fairly normally. Isaac and I get a few stares, most focusing on our linked hands and his arm slung casually around my waist. Things are going smoothly, almost too smoothly. We sit on our own at lunch, heads bent over our math homework, Isaac trying to help me figure out a few difficult equations. He sneaks a kiss on my cheek and I allow myself to blush, knowing he did it to sell it to my friends, who are gawking at us from across the lunch room. I look up from my book and meet Stiles stare, a smile on my face. He quickly looks away, embarrassment leaking from him. I turn towards Isaac, leaning into him a little.

“Do you think he’s buying it?” I whisper. Isaac nods, laughing quietly and dipping his head to look back down at his notebook. We eat quickly and start moving towards our next class when Lydia approaches us.

“Evie, I didn’t know you had it in you,” she says, a smirk on her face. Isaac pauses, making me stop as well.

“Have what in me?” I ask innocently. There’s a proud gleam in her eye as she leans towards me.

“You’re going to have him wrapped around your little finger before the month is over.” I laugh, blushing slightly. “Seriously. He can’t stop talking about how much he doesn’t like Isaac.” She turns towards the man in question. “You should probably watch your back though. I’ve heard lots of upset people today. Evie had more admirers than anyone thought.” With that, she flips her hair and walks off, leaving a confused Isaac in her wake.

“That answers my question then,” I say with a laugh. He just shakes his head and grabs my hand, ready to face more stares.

The rest of our day goes by quickly and Lydia insists that I attend lacrosse practice. The temp has dropped by then but I still feel comfortable in just my sweater. I had purchased a pair of glasses without a prescription to maintain my image, even though my eyesight had perfected itself after becoming a werewolf. My glasses had clouded up on several occasions while waiting for the boys to appear from the gym. Lydia wraps a blanket around herself, not used to the cool weather. I tease her relentlessly for it, but she maintains that it’s a necessary thing.

“Why are we here again? You aren’t dating Jackson anymore, doesn’t that let you off the hook for these things?” I ask, still confused as to why we’re here. She sighs, a puff of white air coming from her mouth.

“You should be here, as Isaac’s girlfriend. I’m just here to reinforce that idea and because I enjoy spending time with my cousin.” She turns her bright smile onto me. I sigh, knowing that she’s right. “Besides, these guys don’t really have a lot of support right now, especially since it’s so cold out. No one wants to come and watch when they could be at home.”

“You’re not wrong.” I turn fully towards her. I pause for a second before asking what’s been eating at me since lunch. “So, what has Stiles been saying?” She laughs, shaking her head and making me smile. Having a crush is kind of nice when you can share it with your friends.

“He doesn’t understand how Issac managed to land a girlfriend before him,” she says. I make a face, knowing that if he pulled his head out of his ass for a few minutes he’d be able to see that I was right in front of him. Lydia just nods, as if not understanding him either. “He’s so wrapped up in Isaac having a girlfriend that he hasn’t fully processed that you’re the girlfriend.” Lydia turns to me, a sly look on her face. “So, what happened last night? Stiles refuses to tell us why he left your house but something must have happened between you two for you to go to Issac for help.”

I sigh, deciding to tell her the full story. With every word she becomes more and more outraged at Stiles reaction. By the time I’m done, her face has gone completely red with anger. I have to hide my laugh behind my hand.

“HE’s an absolute idiot! Those were clear signs and he just ignored them!” she exclaims, gaining the attention of Coach, who turns to look at us. We just wave and he goes back to ordering the boys to do sprints. I sigh, upset again at what had transpired.

“He’s too in love with you to notice anyone else, unfortunately,” I say, sadness lacing my voice. Lydia narrows her eyes, clearly not aware of how Stiles looks at her. I huff; of course she doesn’t see it, she barely knew who he was before all of this. “He just doesn’t see me in that way.”

“Yet,” she says. “This plan of yours is going perfectly so far and I think that the winter formal is the perfect time to put the last nail in his coffin.” I tilt my head, confused by what she’s implying. “We are going to make you so hot that no boy will be able to resist you.” I laugh; should have seen that one coming. “Come on, let’s ditch this popsicle stand. I think it’s time for a bit of makeover.” She stands, pulling me with her. I wave at Isaac, blowing a kiss in his direction to really seal the deal. He waves back and I watch Stiles glare at him. Interesting.

Come to find out, ‘a bit of a makeover’ actually meant a complete makeover. She found the perfect dye to give my strawberry blonde hair a bit more punch to it, making it a more vibrant red shade. We went to a salon to have my eyebrows waxed and reshaped, as well as to get haircuts, Lydia deciding to do a bit of refreshing herself. Lydia led me around a few stores, picking out a few new outfits that I could wear this spring, or as she liked to call them ‘man catching clothes’. She insisted that they would drive Stiles crazy and who was I to deny her? Hell, we even got our nails done.

We dyed my hair in my bathroom, trying our best to not make a mess, which was a total fail. I’ll have red dye on my floor until I’m eighty. Lydia steals a bottle of wine from my parents liquor cabinet and we get a little wine drunk. At one point Lydia calls Allison and we all end up sprawled out on my floor, Dirty Dancing playing in the background.

“So, what’s Scott like in bed?” Lydia asks suddenly. I hit her with a pillow, directly in the face. “Hey!”

“Too soon Lyds!” I exclaim, while Allison laughs.

“No, no I can answer,” she says. We gossip like that for hours, sharing stories and just having fun with each other. No boys, no craziness, nothing to ruin our perfect day. Both decide to stay over, since it was Friday and I’m happy for the company. Keeps me from being sad about how my life has decided to go. We watch movies and just relax for once.

The next day is the winter formal and Lydia insists on helping Allison and I get ready. She curls my hair, pinning in places where I’ll forget there are pins and helping Allison apply a rather dramatic eyeshadow look. We all get dressed together, taking pictures as we go, making sure to document this happy time, especially since we don’t know when we’ll have a chance to feel normal again. The flash from the camera triggers my eyesight, making them glow in every picture but neither girl seems to notice or care.

The boys all pick us up at my house, where we make them wait in my living room while each one of us makes an entrance, at Lydia’s request. Allison goes first, with no reaction from Jackson, unsurprisingly. He’s such a piece of work. I bet I could take him in a fight. Break his fragile jaw in a single punch. The confidence those thoughts give me does not last. I go next, nervously smoothing out the fabric of my skirt and barely able to breathe thanks to Lydia pulling the corset strings exceedingly tight.

I make it down the stairs without tripping, thankfully. I hear an intake of breath and I look up from the stairs to see Stiles staring at me, open mouthed. Isaac glares at him, before turning a smile to me. I do my best to focus only on Isaac, smiling and spinning a little to show off the back. Hearing a soft gulp, I turn towards Stiles again, a smirk on my face, the confidence coming back almost immediately at his face.

“You’re drooling Stilinski,” Jackson states, making me laugh. The only time he will ever say something humorous. Stiles immediately snaps his mouth shut and steals glances at me everyone once in a while. Lydia descends rather quickly but he keeps looking at me. I do my best to ignore him, instead focusing on fixing Isaac’s tie.

After fixing his tie, I go on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek, leaving a near perfect impression of my lips there in the dark red lipstick Lydia had applied. I can feel Stiles’ stare on my back and can hear his heartbeat quicken. My parents snap a few pictures of all of us, everyone complaining about it.

We leave quickly after that, Stiles following us in his Jeep. The dance itself goes off without a hitch. Isaac and I dance, trying to ignore the fact that Stiles eventually gets Lydia to dance with him and the jealousy that comes with seeing her pressed so closely to him. I know she doesn’t like him, but it still hurts. Scott sneaks in at some point, dances with Danny, and then proclaims his love for Allison before they both disappear, presumably to go make out somewhere. Jackson also disappears mid-way through and doesn’t reappear. Not long after that, Lydia leaves to go find him with Stiles trailing after her like a lost puppy. I push aside my irritation at him to focus on helping my cousin find her awful ex.

“Hey, maybe we should go help Lydia find Jackson,” I yell over the music. Isaac nods, a grim look on his face, which does nothing to curb my approaching anxiety.

We make our way out of the school when a blood curdling scream comes from the practice field. Panic crawls up my spine; that was distinctly Lydia. Without a look towards Isaac, I start sprinting towards it, following the scent of fear and Chanel perfume that laces the air. I get there right as Stiles starts to leave with Peter, Lydia’s body bleeding profusely from multiple wounds. I stop, partially not wanting Peter to see me, but also out of pure terror.

It takes them a few moments to leave completely, and I feel Isaac come up beside me, breathing heavily. Once they are completely out of sight and I can no longer hear Stiles’ heartbeat, I dart onto the field, Isaac close behind me. I kneel down next to my cousin and check her pulse, fighting back the terror I feel in my stomach. Peter did a real number on her; her dress is torn and blood is leaking steadily from a bite on her shoulder. There’s blood everywhere, streaked across her face and other shoulder. I have to listen very closely, but I can hear her heart beating. I let out a soft sob of relief at the noise.

I hear Jackson run up behind us; Stiles must have called him to come get her. Paying the boys no attention, I manage to lift Lydia off the ground, carrying her towards the school. A deadly calm settles over me, replacing the usual panic.

“Isaac, call my mom. Jackson, call 911.” Both nod at my directions, heading in opposite directions to make their calls. After he’s done, Jackson heads towards where I’m standing with Lydia and tries to take her from my arms. “I’ve got it handled,” I growl at him, flashing my eyes. He takes several steps back, a look of terror on his face.

Isaac pays no attention to us, having a very heated discussion with my mom that I do my best to tune out. I turn towards the school, walking slowly so as to not cause any more harm to Lydia’s already broken body.

It takes the ambulance ten minutes to reach the school and take my cousin from my arms. I ride in the back with her, since I was the only relative present at the time. I hold her hand the entire ride to the hospital, managing to keep my tears in check by listening to the rise and fall of her heartbeat. As they hurry her inside, I finally let myself fall apart, that calm disappearing entirely. The tears came quick and hot, ruining whatever makeup was still left on my face. A nurse led me to an empty waiting room, got me a bottle of water and a chocolate bar, and just sat with me until my tears stopped.

“Lydia is a strong girl, I know she’ll be okay,” she said. I nod, wondering how she knows Lydia. She must see the confusion on my face because she adds, “I’m Melissa McCall, Scott’s mom. You’re Evie right? He talks about you all the time. You and Stiles are the main reasons he’s not failing more classes.” I feel my face go hot; Scott was the last person I expected to actually enjoy my company. She smiles and hands me a tissue from her scrubs pocket. “Here.” I take it, loudly blowing my nose and wiping my eyes, feeling much less panicked about the whole ordeal.

“Thank you,” I say quietly. She wraps an arm around me, pulling me into an awkward sitting hug. Melissa lets me go after a few moments, clearing her throat.

“I have some extra clothes if you want to change out of your dress.” I look down and nearly vomit at the sight of my ruined dress. Lydia’s blood had dried in the fabric, the bodice was covered in it. How I hadn’t noticed before now was astounding. I nod and Melissa takes me to a locker room in the basement of the hospital. She digs out a pair of clean scrubs and hands them to me. “There’s a shower around the corner if you’d like to freshen up. I have a feeling it might be awhile before anyone is allowed to see her.”

“What about my dress?” I ask, picking at the material of the skirt. I would be sad if we had to discard it; it really had been the perfect dress. Melissa taps her chin a few times, thinking.

“Let me see what I can do,” she says with a smile. I nod and head towards the shower, peeling the blood soaked dress off and laying it gingerly on a nearby bench for Melissa to collect while I washed myself off.

I struggle with the faucet for a few moments, not understanding which way to turn it to get the hot water flowing. Once I got it figured out, I spent several minutes just standing under it, letting the hot water relax my tense muscles. I do my best to not let the events of the evening replay, to just focus on right now. I scrub off the dried blood that leaked through my dress and try to forget about how it got there and who it belonged to. My mind wanders as I gently wash my face free of any traces of makeup and turn off the water to see that Melissa had taken my dress and replaced it with a clean towel. I gratefully dry myself off and dress in the scrubs she had given me.

I emerge from the locker room more tired than I had been when I went in. I take the elevator up to where the waiting room is, barefooted and holding my heels in my hand. Leaning against the back wall of the elevator, I watch the numbers rise as it passes each floor, the soft bell noise calming my frayed nerves. When the doors open, I pull myself away from the wall and exit. Turning the corner into the waiting room, the yelling match happening finally hits my ears, making me wince, immediately recognizing the voices as my aunt and uncle. Lydia’s mom and dad argue all the time, and, despite their daughter being in the hospital, this is no different. They scream about who’s fault it is, who’s going to pay the hospital bills, where she’s going to go after she’s let out, everything that didn’t matter right now.

I sigh and collapse into a chair as far away from them as I could. They had divorced a few years back, to no one’s surprise. Lydia’s mom, my aunt, is kind and loves Lydia with her whole heart, but marriage had never sat well with her. She wasn’t domestic and Lydia’s dad hated that. They fought all the time, to the point that even Lydia could see the cracks in their relationship before their separation was even announced. I don’t think she ever processed it thoroughly.

Eventually they quieted down and I heard her dad leave, slamming the door as he went. My aunt collapsed down next to me and I turned my tired eyes towards her. She looks a lot like my mom, though Mom has fewer worry lines around her emerald eyes. Natalie had aged well but she looked tired, it was evident in her eyes.

“Thank you for…” she pauses, swallowing. Her eyes go glossy with tears. “For everything. I don’t know what I would have done if she had… if she had died.” I nod, lacing my fingers with her own and squeezing. She squeezes back and wipes her eyes with her other hand.

“She’s going to be okay,” I whisper. She nods, though neither of us are sure of anything anymore. Natalie nods again, relaxing further into the chair and closing her eyes. I do the same, hoping that maybe sleep will find us and grant us an escape from the mess we are in.

#teen wolf #stiles stilinski #dylan o'brien #new oc #werewolf #things can only get better #teen wolf season one #this took so long #and it kinda sucks but whatever

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yesloverboy · 6 years ago

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Something in the Way She Moves (Axl Rose x Reader)

Requested: Anon

“Could you do a story about Axl rose where the reader is a singer ( i was thinking like sadie from across the universe type singer) and he sees her play live for the first time and falls for her? And they end up getting together and performing together all the time and it's all gushy and hot bc their voices go together so well? Thank u!”

Note: My first Axl request is finally here! Sorry for the wait, but I’m finally back at university so hopefully I can start an upload schedule soon to help keep my ass accountable. However, I’m really proud of how this request turned out so lmk what you think! Love y’all

word count: 2,032

[Warnings: swearing, alcohol, and disgusting romance]

permanent tags: @colsonbakersnoseringmain, @lululovesgwtw, @kingbouji3

No matter how many times you walk out on that stage, you find your heart thudding in your chest as if it were the first time all over again. You love everything about performing; the bright lights, smoky clubs, and smiling faces of all the lovely people in the crowd. Each of them came to have a good time and, as always, you’re just happy to play a part in it. Unlike most aspiring artists, you don’t need an adoring crowd to get your blood pumping. All you need is the thud of the bass in your feet and a song to sing.

The crowd is usually a secondary element to your performance, instead you prefer the company of your band and the energy their music brings. This particular night, however, something feels different. There’s an electricity in the air that you don’t recognize and, as you go up to sing, you catch your eyes wandering through the crowd for the first time.

It takes a while to adjust to the smoky haze that drifts through the beaming stage lights, but eventually you can make out some faces. As usual, the patrons of the club look happy and carefree. Each of them a total stranger, and yet so hauntingly familiar at the same time.

You allow the music to overtake you once again as you sway across the stage. The long, flowing sleeves of your shirt drift through the air as you vibe and shift along with the rhythm. Hair falling in your face, you allow the blues to move through you and push out your voice from somewhere deep within.

As the song hurtles toward a spellbinding guitar solo, you feel the urge to look out into the crowd once again. While people came to the club to hear music and have a good time, you were always just background noise. Somehow, someway, it finally feels like someone is watching you– and you’re determined to find out who it could possibly be. You frown to yourself as you scan the crowd, realizing that the glare from the lights is far too bright to see anywhere beyond a few rows back.

Little do you know, there is a man seated at the end of the bar that couldn’t take his eyes off of you if he tried.

He had been passing by the club with a band of his very own when your voice captured his attention. You had just wailed out the song’s first note, and all he could think was that he’d never heard anything like it. The man insisted on stopping to listen just a little bit longer, ignoring the gripes and groans from his scruffy bandmates. As he pushed his way inside, he hadn’t even noticed that his band left him to find something better to do. All he cared about seeing was you.

Now, as you’re floating effortlessly across the stage, the man is awestruck to find that you’re even more beautiful than you sound. As a singer himself, he’s completely blown away by how effortlessly you allow the moment to overtake you. Engaging with an audience full of fans is an experience he thrives off of, and yet here you are dancing and swaying like an adolescent girl alone in her bedroom. You don’t have a single care in the world.

When your set finally comes to a close, you give each of your bandmates an affectionate squeeze and scamper off to the bar. It’s a personal tradition to reward yourself with a cocktail every night after a show. Long ago you realized that drinking before or during a set only made you emotional and self-conscious, making you ultimately decide that drinking would be a gift to yourself– not a necessity.

Before you’re able to beckon over to the bartender, a sudden presence at your side makes you turn your head in vague curiosity. You feel the air leave your lungs as you lock eyes with the stranger next to you, wondering how in the holy hell you didn’t notice him from your place on stage. He’s a little taller than you, with eyes the color of soft denim and poker-straight hair that hangs loosely on the middle of his chest.

“Hey,” he breathes, flashing you a smile warmer than summertime. The leather of his jacket crinkles against the bar’s glossy finish as he leans comfortably against it.

“Hey, yourself,” you reply coyly, peering up at the incredibly handsome stranger from beneath your eyelashes. The man in front of you doesn’t look like the club’s usual patrons, he chooses the confinement of leather and acid wash over silk and corduroy. He’s different and you like it.

He clears his throat, and although his posture radiates confidence, he bites his lip with a nervous uncertainty. “You were amazing up there, you know. Never heard anything like it.”

“How much did you see?” your voice is barely a whisper in the hum of the bar, and you feel yourself leaning in closer just to be heard.

“All of it,” he grins, instantly soliciting a blush from your already rosie cheeks.

Your eyes fall to your feet, and you catch yourself chewing on your lip as you kick your moccasins absentmindedly against the linoleum floor. “I’m guessing you must like music a lot, then.”

The man laughs, eliciting a rasp from the back of his throat that carries a musical quality. “Well, sweetheart, I suppose you aren’t wrong about that– can I get you a drink?”

“I don’t even know your name, music man,” you giggle, feeling reduced to nothing more than a giddy schoolgirl. You don’t mind though, because for once it finally seems as though you actually feel at ease with someone who isn’t one of your bandmates.

“Axl. Axl Rose,” he replies, holding out a ring encrusted hand for you to shake.

His calloused hand is rough against your skin, but the touch he offers is so gentle that your rapidly beating heart stutters in surprise. The feeling is so tender and comforting that you find yourself unable to let go. Axl seems to share the same sentiment and slides his soft grip to the tips of your fingers, holding you in place as a gentle thumb swipes delicately across your knuckles.

“With a name like that, you oughta be some kind of rockstar,” you quip, making a big show of raking your eyes from the top of his strawberry blonde hair to the tips of his motorcycle boots.

“That’s the idea, honey,” Axl gives you a sly wink and moves in a little bit closer, your chiffon sleeve lightly brushing against his leather one, “but, if you asked me, I’d say there’s only one rockstar in this whole club.”

“Oh yeah? And who would that be?”

“Y/N,” he purrs, reciting the name arranged on the old marquee he saw coming into the club, “You may not know it yet, but she’s gonna be the raddest act in town.”

“I don’t know who told you that, but remind me to thank them later,” you chuckle, peering up at Axl through the thick of your eyelashes.

“Just a feeling,” he smirks, “but if you have the time– I could tell you more about it. What do you say, sugar?”

“Lucky for you, music man– I’ve got all night.”

...

After that serendipitous evening, you and Axl become nearly inseparable. Your music man comes to every show possible, using whatever minutes he could spare between his own sets on the strip to catch a glimpse of you singing. The only thing Axl seems to love more than watching you sway effortlessly on stage, is the way you float onto the floor of his very own performances with the same ease.

You are as carefree of a lover as a musician, and observing the chaos of the world bending to your will makes Axl feel as though he might be able to contain whatever part of that chaos dwells within him. Although a poet at heart, Axl’s temper has a red hot edge that only you seem to extinguish. You’ve become his perfect match– not because you are opposite him, but because you compliment him. If you’re a daisy chain, he’s the bruised knuckles tying you together.

Despite how different yours and Axl’s music tastes are, you find yourself growing fond of Guns ‘n Roses; although you’re still not sure what firearms and flowers actually have to do with each other. Much to your surprise, the rest of his ragtag bandmates seem to like you too– even if you stick out at their shows just as sorely as Stevie Nicks in a cemetery.

It takes weeks of late night escapades and dizzying weekend benders, before one lazy Sunday morning brings you and Axl together in a way that seems so impossible and yet so obvious.

Singing.

It’s a morning like so many others, with you flipping pancakes in one of Axl’s cropped shirts while he remains tangled haphazardly in the sheets. You hum along as Across the Universe buzzes through the crackle of the kitchen radio, becoming so in the moment that you eventually start singing softly to yourself. It’s no stage, but something about swaying in the morning light feels delightfully intimate.

Sounds of laughter, shades of life are ringing through my open ears, inciting and inviting me–

Axl eventually stirs himself out of a dead slumber, feeling exceptionally hungover and absolutely starving. Dragging his shirtless form into the bright kitchen light, he’s immediately captivated by the smell of frying batter and the soft rasp of your voice. Captivated, all he can do is stand and stare. You’re floating again, bouncing lightly on your toes as the music moves you.

Limitless undying love, which shines around me like a million suns–

Absentmindedly, Axl allows a soft hum to grow in the back of his throat. The melody is familiar to him, comfortable, and before he knows it, his feet are carrying his tired body over to you. The sound of bare feet padding behind you makes you turn, the sight of Axl bringing a blinding smile to your face. There’s something gentle sparkling in your music man’s eyes and, even if the two of you haven’t said it yet, you can feel the love swimming behind those irises.

It calls me on and on, across the universe–

Without a second thought, you reach for his hand and begin to sing to him. Much to your delight, he invites the touch and pulls you gently to his chest with a boyish smile. What most people don’t know about Axl– your Axl –is that he has a soft side hiding beneath his rough exterior and over the top antics. Moments like these make all the petty struggles feel insignificant, and for a fleeting second, you don’t think it can get any better. That is, until Axl starts singing with you.

Nothing’s gonna change my world, Nothing’s gonna change my world–

In your brief time as a professional singer, you had never been able to find someone to match your voice. It’s not that you’re too good for anyone, you’ve just always been told that your voice was far too unusual to have anyone singing beside you. Now, as your arms entangle with your sunset-haired love, it becomes clear that your voice is meant to exist alongside his.

Nothing’s gonna change my world, Nothing’s gonna change my world–

The rasp of yours and Axl’s voices compliment each other in the same way your personalities do– if Axl wants to fly above the music with the harmonies, you’re willing to be the melody tethering him back to Earth. Ever since the night you’d met, being with Axl has felt as easy as breathing and as natural spinning around wrapped in silk.

The two of you may have found each other in the dark, but there’s no doubt that you are both falling hard and fast under the morning light. With a tattooed man in your arms and the smell of scorched pancakes in the air, you find yourself feeling at home for the first time– and nothing can ever change that.

Masterlist

#again #sorry i'm a slow writer #it's because i love y'all and don't wanna put out anything shitty #writing #requests #axl rose #guns n roses #gnr #izzy stradlin #duff mckagan #slash #steven adler #axl rose imagine #axl rose oneshot #motley crue #classic rock #80s #80s rock

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etirabys · 2 years ago

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I finished a fantasy trilogy (Holly Black's Elfhame trilogy) in one gulp in the past two days and had feelings about writing. The ultimate conclusion has nothing to do with the novels but this is a recipe blog so

I found these books extremely readable, with delightful betraying-your-closest-companion flavored twists. And I could never have plotted them, largely because I'm bad at plotting but also because I would have written off some of these ideas as leaning on "too much idiot ball passing" and "unrealistic worldbuilding". (The most magically powerful characters spend a lot of time fighting over macguffins forged by less powerful itemcrafter side characters, and then deriving much of their power from those macguffins – it makes no sense.)

As a writer I would never even have explored these subtrees, but as a reader I'm happy to look past the inconsistencies as long as the writer does a good job of smoothing the carpet over the lumps – and she's very good at it! She also pumps out waves of delicious vibes to build lump-ignoring goodwill: the book features a triggerhappy stressed woman (who is tortured often for plot reasons!) rising to power while serially betraying and being betrayed by her love interest she keeps politically tying herself to, despite herself

After finishing the books I was swimming in the afterglow of fiction and in anger at my limitations. And I thought that this was one of the areas of life where I'm being most irrational. There are simple mechanical ways to stop being stupid if only I can put in the work. There's nothing mystical about writing as a skill; I can identify my weaknesses and brute force my way out of them.

If I'm bad at plotting, I can e.g. challenge myself to write one plot a day and not care about quality. I have just been given strong evidence that a story can be compelling while having a lot of undercarpet plot lumps.

If I'm bad at scene setting, I can do writing exercises about those, too – have a new prompt every day, do 20m of research, write a few paragraphs, bam. Built the habit of reading a bit and then filling out the rest with bullshit, don't get stuck into hopeless deep dives

(As a college student who knew very little about drugs in the US, I once spent precious brain energy reading a 50 page annual DEA report about ratios of fentanyl/etc that heroin is cut with these days. It did not help me with figuring out how my character was being brainwashed, or the social dynamics between his drug dealer captors)

I'm bad at writing many kinds of dialogue, so just read a bunch of the type I want (and have particularly vivid examples bookmarked and ready to review), turn it over, repeatedly feed it to my brain and ask it to regurgitate its like

"identify your weaknesses and work on them specifically" is so obvious. It's outrageous that I'm stuck in this cycle of periodically remembering this, making a weak attempt to fix it, and then falling back into despair and forgetting that there's a concrete! way! out!

like damn, if writing a novel is important to me, I should act like I Really Care, which in other areas of my life means having a strategy doc and a (realistic) schedule and an accountability system.

I think there's a LessWrong saying that goes something like "it may be that you are currently merely acting the role of someone who is trying to solve a problem. Ask yourself what you would do if you really wanted to solve the problem – it may be that you discover a quite different course of action"

(I thought about this a lot when I burned out of tech – for the last N months I'd already given up, but I was afraid to visibly give up and was hiding this from myself, and playing the role of someone who was trying to keep their job)

I should either discover/decide that telling long stories isn't important to me, or act like it is

not sure my life will have been worth it if I haven't written a novel or two by the time I die

#rambl #(some emotional context: i was extremely prolific in 2011 and then lost it for some reason; i don't know what happened; I spent a lot of #effort trying to consciously recreate something that had Just Happened without my trying; it drove me nuts #and I'm pretty bad at thinking straightforwardly about What's Wrong With The Story and What's Wrong With Me)#infinite monkey

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daresplaining · 7 years ago

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Luke Cage Countdown: 7 Days

Trailer #2 Analysis

One week to go! Netflix dropped an intense, antagonist-heavy trailer the other day, which was absolutely awesome. Here are our initial reactions.

Mariah is front and center in this trailer, and we could not be happier. For us, she was the strongest antagonist in Season 1, thanks to the sheer complexity of her narrative journey. One minute you were worried and rooting for her, the next you hated her, and that back-and-forth made her arc compelling, surprising, and ultimately unique among these shows. There’s a humanity and inspiring quality to Mariah that both augments and complicates her villainous behavior, and in this season, that is clearly being taken to a new level. We see her ruling over Harlem’s Paradise, having taken her cousin’s place and reached a new level of power within Harlem. But the fact that this unlawful flavor of power isn’t what she wanted will presumably come into play within her arc this season.

And in spite of (or possibly thanks to) her renewed criminal connections, it appears she will be gaining back her status among Harlem’s legitimate elite as well. We may see the progression of her political career, after she lost control of it last season.

We finally have our first look at Tilda Johnson, better known (in the comics, anyway) as Deadly Nightshade! Tilda is a really compelling character in the source material-- a young engineering super-genius who turned to crime in response to being underestimated and ignored. The character description tied to her casting in the Netflix show referred to her as a “holistic doctor”, which is just one hint that she may be a different character in this universe. We have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, these shows have all done great jobs of adding layers of complexity to their antagonists, even if this sometimes requires taking them in new and different directions. On the other hand, comics Tilda had an army of giant robots and turned people into werewolves one time, so we’ll be pretty disappointed if we don't get at least one of those things in the show.

Possibly the trailer’s biggest revelation is that Tilda is Mariah’s daughter! We did not see that one coming, and can’t wait to see this dynamic explored. Their interactions in the trailer suggest that Tilda is uncomfortable with her mother’s criminal behavior. Since Mariah initially wasn’t comfortable with it either, this has interesting implications for her own character arc.

Bushmaster remains visually awesome. We love his vibe in all of these trailers. In this one he is clearly connected to a fire theme, and we’re not sure yet what the significance of that might be. We know he is hellbent on taking down Mariah, and the showrunner has mentioned that the show will delve into Bushmaster’s Jamaican roots, tying that history into Harlem’s cultural context.

Season 1 embodied a lot of Western tropes, particularly in its fight scenes, and here we see another one: what looks like a “this town ain’t big enough for the both of us”-style showdown between Luke and Bushmaster. You can practically hear the banjos in this shot.

We’ve already mentioned Mariah’s self-confidence in this trailer, but again, we’re really excited about this season’s exploration of her goals and identity now that she’s established herself within Harlem’s criminal underworld.

She is also clearly still in a relationship with Shades, which is fun. Shades was another great Season 1 character, and we’re eager to see more of him, and to find out how he’ll fit into the new status quo.

This is a parallel with the scene in Season 1 in which Diamondback murdered the heads of the other criminal organizations. Who is being killed here?

Obviously, this is a stunt double, but... it’s Misty! We can already tell this is going to be a great fight.

And this is an obvious (but still neat) callback to Cottonmouth’s death scene in Season 1.

This trailer also suggests that Luke and Mariah may form a kind of alliance of convenience to combat Bushmaster. Though their goals may align, we’re not expecting actual camaraderie. But it will be fun to see how their dynamic evolves in the face of this larger, mutual threat.

This is a great shot. Whoa.

And here’s our first look at Rosalie Carbone, yet another mobster entering the picture this season. We love the cinematography here.

And finally... it looks as if Mariah might (finally!) end up on trial this season. Of course, our automatic reaction to this is to wonder about cameos by our favorite lawyers, but we’re keeping our hopes low. Regardless, if it really is Mariah who’s being tried here, we’re intrigued. Maybe this means Misty will finally get to make that arrest she was robbed of last season.

#Luke Cage spoilers #Netflix Luke Cage #Mariah Dillard #Bushmaster #Deadly Nightshade #Shades Alvarez #Commentary #LC Countdown

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inazuma-art · 7 years ago

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Fairy lights

Here’s the promised Drabble! I’m working on a story in this setting so I wanna stay in the vibe with writing this. I wrote like half of this Drabble until Tumblr decided to be a bitch and delete it, but I tried my best to rewrite it as good as I could manage. I recommend you listen to the soundtrack: Be True or Closer Than Sisters by Abel Korzeniowksi as you read!

Victorian London AU, the characters have been aged up to 16-18

Word Count: 2114

Pairing: slight Kidou x Gouenji

Today was just like any other day. Really, there was nothing different. Yet Shuuya felt as if there was something going to happen. It was no feeling of danger nor was it excitement. It was just a hunch that something was off. A gut feeling, like he could smell it in the air.

When he entered the living room he saw that his father had already left. He was never home anymore. Ever since his mother had died of tuberculosis his father had become obsessed with helping the poor. Gouenji knew it was a noble cause and something to be proud of, but his father having poor clients meant that there would be less money to spend on food and other necessities. They had already moved to a smaller apartment, he himself often went to sleep on an empty stomach and so on. But he knew there were countless families in the city that had it way worse than they did, so he never dared to complain aloud.

He walked towards the wooden dining table and grabbed his worn out coat from a chair. Dark eyes traveled down to see just a few coins on the table, was that all they got to spend on food for the week? The teenager sighed shortly but knew he couldn’t complain, he should be thankful that his family could even afford food. Shuuya knew he would never be able to sleep soundly if he knew that his sister felt hungry at the end of the day. In silence he walked to a small window above the counter in the living room, all the cooking had to be done on the small counter as there was no room for such matters elsewhere. Upon opening the window he recoiled slightly, it was awfully chilly and from what could see it had snowed that night. Well, he knew that winter was close but he had always feared the cold. Gouenji feared it might get too cold one day, too cold for her.

“Yuuka.” He called out to his little sister. The boy didn’t look at the door of the bedroom he and his family shared, but he could hear her little feet tapping against the wooden floor.

The ten year old girl yawned. “Yes?”

Gouenji turned towards her and gave her a gentle smile. “It snowed tonight.” Upon hearing those words, the girl broke out into a grin.

“Really?” She questioned. Shuuya nodded at her.

“We’re going out to buy food, you’ll see for yourself.”

“Okay!” She cheered. Right after she said that the girl ran back to the bedroom and came back with her socks on and a knitted sweater, Gouenji noticed she had pulled another long skirt over the one she already wore. He smiled at her innocent childishness. Shuuya wished she could stay oblivious to the harsh reality of the world outside forever.

“Come, sit down.” He said and walked towards the table as Yuuka took a seat on one of the wooden chairs. “Your hair looks messy, I’ll fix it for you.”

The little girl stayed silent. Gouenji went to stand behind her and parted her hair with his fingers, he knew she missed her mother since she used to do this for her. He wore a slight frown on his normally peaceful visage as he braided Yuuka her hair, the boy noticed how his hands were shaky. Though he chose to ignore it, maybe it was because of the change in temperature. Gouenji finished tying her braids with the ribbons she always had in her hair and forced himself to smile for her. “There, all done.”

“Thank you, brother!” He just patted the top of her head in response. Swiping the coins off the table he looked around for another wool coat and quickly found it hanging on another chair.

“Don’t forget your coat, it’s cold outside.” Yuuka sprang off the chair and took the item from her older brother. Her big dark eyes looked up at him and saw that he retrieved something else from behind his back. “Your hat.” Gouenji smiled again, closing his eyes.

Without words he put the dark brown barrette over her head, making sure that the fabric covered her ears because he knew they always ached in cold weather.

Even at the earlier hours it was busy in the streets of London. Shuuya made sure to hold Yuuka her hand at all times to make sure she didn’t wander off, or worse. There was only so much he could take home from the little money his father had left them so he had to be smart and buy goods that would last for the entire week. The teenager had thought of chestnuts, they were cheap and nutritious but they had been eating chestnuts very often the past weeks. Cheap potatoes weren’t hard to find, but the quality would be bad if that were the case. Maybe if he tried hard enough to find them, he could get both and even find a leftover loaf of bread on his way. But only if he was lucky.

Yuuka tugged at his hand and he looked down at her to see her pointing in the direction of a stand. “Look brother! Can we get meat this week?” As his eyes followed the way her finger pointed in he saw a stand with all kinds of meat from sheep to cows and pigs and other sorts he couldn’t recognize.

“We can’t.” Gouenji sighed as he squatted down to her level and faced her dejected expression. “I’m sorry, Yuuka.” He smiled and patted her head over her hat. If only she knew he thought she deserved the world.

She pouted. “Okay...”

Shuuya didn’t want to stay out for too long, this was the only day that he didn’t do chores on the street and worked here and there to make some extra money for the family so he had to buy all the food today. The snow crunched under his boots, he could feel Yuuka’s cold fingers in his grasp. Though she never mentioned being cold, he didn’t want her to be out in this weather for too long.

He walked past some strangers who were just as busy to try and get the best food for themselves as they were. The teenager could see a familiar stand where he often bought cheap chestnuts of fine quality and pulled his sister along. The older man greeted him as he always did, Gouenji was pretty sure he was a regular at the stand. Just as he was exchanging the money and food with the said man there was something that caught Yuukas eye, but Gouenji noticed too late that she left his side.

“The fairy lights!” The tiny brunette squealed and took off. At the sound of her voice Shuuya’s eyes widened and he snapped his head to her direction only to see her running away.

“Yuuka!” He yelled, but she did not turn around. Trying to be as quick as possible he tossed the salesman a coin too much and grabbed the paper bag full of chestnuts.

Gouenji ran after her, seeing her exit the busy street and take a turn to the haven. He had always known Yuuka fancied the times where the lanterns on the streets were to be lit during the day, she called them fairy lights; saying the little flames in the lanterns looked just like dancing fairies. But all that didn’t matter now, he had to make sure he found her before someone else with possible bad intentions did. The wind roared in his ears as he ran as fast as he could. He tried his hardest not to slip now that the roads were slippery with snow and ice. Gouenji’s eyes watered, but he did not know if that was because of the ice cold air blowing in his face or the fear of losing his sister.

As he turned the corner he saw his sister, much to his relief, but she was not alone. She was speaking to a man that anyone could recognize as a member of the upper class. What was a man like him doing here?

“Yuuka!” Shuuya said loudly as he briskly walked her way. She turned around looking quite surprised at her brother’s harsh tone. The man she spoke with looked up at him as well and Gouenji gulped when their eyes met.

The stranger couldn’t have been much more than a year older than himself, that much could the teenager tell. He wore his long hair under his top hat in a weird manner he hadn’t seen before. Well, the boy had seen that kind of hairstyle before but only with the poor who never washed themselves or cut their hair. With this man it looked clean and proper, and it suited him above all. But his most striking feature were his eyes. A gorgeous deep crimson color that Gouenji had never before witnessed in his entire life. He thought he was dreaming. Those enchanting eyes looked straight at him like they knew all of Shuuya’s secrets with just a single glance. It fell together perfectly with his serious demeanor, with his expensive looking suit and long coat. The faint voice of Yuuka uttering something along the lines of his name snapped him out of his dazzled state.

“I-I’m so incredibly sorry. Has my little sister caused you any trouble, Sir?” Gouenji stammered as he put a hand on Yuuka’s head and looked at the stranger in front of him with an apologetic look adorning his features. He tried his best to speak formal in front of this person.

“Not at all. In fact, I asked of her if she had lost her way as she was walking alone.” Even his voice sounded like expensive silk. The stranger was everything that one of the upper class was supposed to be, but the only thing in which he differed is that he was talking to people like them right now. Normally rich creatures would look down on them as mere lowlives that didn’t matter, but the tone this man had against Gouenji was one of mutual respect. The one of an equal.

“Ah, I’m glad. Thank you, Sir. You see, Yuuka here runs off sometimes when I’m not looking.” Shuuya smiled and looked down at his sister. “Listen Yuuka, you can’t do that anymore okay? What if someone else had found you and not this kind man? Now I’ve lost some money we needed for the food.”

Yuuka’s eyes watered but she held back her tears. “I’m sorry, brother. I won’t do it anymore.”

“It’s okay, now you know for the next time.” Gouenji smiled and looked up at the captivating man in front of him once more.

“Thank you, again. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to find her. Is there any way I could make this inconvenience up to you?” The stranger smiled at him and closed his eyes. A shame, Shuuya thought, they were beautiful.

“It was not a problem at all. But... maybe there is one thing you can do for me,” the young man said and held out his palm, when Gouenji looked down at it he saw coins in his hand worth more than they could spend on food in a month. “the fisherman at the right side of the haven has just returned and is about to sell what he has caught. Buy some for you and your family so that you can stay warm during these cold times. That way you can make this ‘inconvenience’ up to me.”

“I-I can’t possibly accept this much money, Sir-” Gouenji didn’t get to finish his sentence as the stranger grabbed his hand and put the coins in it.

“You can, and you will.” He seriously said and looked him straight in the eyes with those crimson gems of his. Shuuya could only nod at him as the man slowly released his hand from his firm grip.

“Can I ask for your name?” Gouenji said after a short silence.

“You may, I’m Kidou Yuuto.”

“Gouenji Shuuya.”

Kidou nodded and seemed to go over his name in his mind. “Right, good to know. I’m afraid I have business to attend so I’ll be on my way. It was a pleasure meeting you both, Yuuka, Gouenji.” He smiled down at Yuuka and she grinned back, Gouenji could only nod at him as he turned around and started to walk off.

“Enjoy the fairy lights!” Yuuka yelled after him. Shuuya was about to scold her before Kidou replied and shouted back.

“I always do!”

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thesoundplug · 8 years ago

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The Q&A Interview With Palmtree Paradise.

Durban has become more and more familiar with the group 'Palm Tree Paradise' as well as the rest of the country. Though for those who don't know - who's 'Palm Tree Paradise' as well as it's members ? Palm Tree Paradise is a Durban based group, consisting of 6 memebers all born and raised in Durban. With various ages and backgrounds, the members are Captain Hook, June Blackheart, Papa Axsion, Pdogg Amazing, Row Shotgun & Sydrow. What's the meaning behind the name of the group and was it the first name that came up or there were previous ones before the one that you guys are using now ? When we were trying to find a name for the group, we came to an agreement that the name should be one which simultaneously describes themselves as well as their beautiful home city Durban. We then narrowed it down on an A4 page with about 50 different names. And two stoodout, those two names were: #Palmtrees (due to their presence on the Durban coastline and the group's preferred choice of hairstyle) & #Paradise (well, because Durban is Paradise). It was almost impossible to choose between the two and that's when Row came with the idea of fusing them together. The rest is history. You guys gained a lot more popularity late in 2016 with your biggest song 'UNBELIEVABLE', which happens to be a summer time anthem. How did the song come together ? In the first recording session together Row Shotgun played us a beat which he held close to his heart. He must've understood it's immense potential because he told us that we shouldn't lace any vocals until we were 150% sure that they did the beat justice. For about 3 days we played around with ideas which could work for the track (while recording 5 of the tracks on #TropicalReign) but none of them met Row’s high standards. We then decided to change our approach and focus on things which made them feel as good as the beat did. This is where the various elements in the hook came about. Once they had come to an agreement P-dogg Amazing played around with some melodies and laced the hook which we know and love today. The message we wanted to communicate was that we should embrace the beautiful and unbelievable things in life, cause these are the things we all like! The video for 'UNBELIEVABLE' shot at North Beach, Durban by Sky Star Films, has enjoyed a fair share of success airing on TV. Why did you guys pick that particular concept for the video ? The mantra that we chose from the moment we started the group was to expose the world to our beautiful corner of Mzansi through our musical concepts & videos. We came to the early realisation that nobody was really taking advantage of the beautiful natural scenery Durban is blessed with. So when it came to shooting the video, using the beach front area and our world famous marine promenade was a no brainer. The video director, Aewon Wolf as well as Skystar Films shared our vision so with those key ingredients coupled with the creativity and hard work of the shooting team and the contributions from all the clothing brands, our management, the video girls as well as our family & friends the video practically shot itself. At the end of the video, you guys show affiliation to the Wolf Pack, what's your relationship with Aewon and the Wolf Pack ? At the time we were promoting the single and Aewon Wolf went out of his way to show his belief in us and our song. He let us know that if we needed any help we shouldn't hesitate to call him up. At the time we had no idea how we would be able to raise the budget for the quality of video that the song needed. So we called up Aewon for some advice and just like that he offered to shoot the video for us. Aewon is an incredibly gifted D.O.P. (Director Of Photography) and the Wolfpack X credit was his stamp on the video. We are not members of the WolfPack though. On the same breath of affiliations, I saw that BACEgang along with Aewon made a cameo appearance on your latest video for 'AbaRight'. Should we expect any collaborations between the two groups ? Definitely! We consider these artists our brothers. Durban music is on the rise …Watch this space! I understand that the group consists of about 6 members. So with that being said, who's responsible for what ? Captain Hook - His role is self-explanatory. He's a living breathing Hook God. He's the guy who hosts the gents at his crib for our recording sessions and after parties. Row - He's the man behind the sound. The self-proclaimed Super Producer. He's in charge of quality control and no wack verses make it past his keen ear. Sydrow - He's one of the most gifted lyricists in the group. His mere presence raises the standard of rap in the crew and he's a marvel on stage. June Blackheart - Is the youngest and most naturally inquisitive member of the group. He's got an unmatched hunger for musical knowledge which helps rid everyone else of complacency and as a result keeps our music sounding fresh. Pdogg Amazing - Is the oldest in the group and his role in studio is to dish out catchy melodies and harmonies. He's very eloquent and for that reason has been appointed as the spokesperson for PalmTree Paradise. Papa Axsion - He's the 5th dimension to our 4D sound. He's behind most of the conceptualisation in our music and prides himself in his Afrocentric sound and his ability to add a soulful texture to the PTP (Palmtree Paradise) sound. Axsion also handles most of our social media pages. You guys have been doing shows and events more in the city and around the country, how does being given a platform to showcase your craft feel as well as how does it feel to actually have your art pay off ? It feels like that first ballot in '94. It feels like Apollo 13. It feels like Penny Haines in '96. It feels like Sepp Blatter opening that famous envelope. It feels like 22 December 2012... Basically, it's a feeling of validation... liberation... euphoria... it's the most addictive drug on Earth...You can't get enough of it. Your debut project 'Tropical Reign EP' was released early this year, which has 'UNBELIEVABLE' and 'AbaRight' on it. Also some notable features such as Reason and WTF. Do you guys feel like you managed to convey yourselves in the best way possible to say, "this is Palm Tree Paradise and this is what we're about". YES, without a shadow of a doubt. Not a single negative review thus far and people are discovering new favourites and new quotables day by the day on the project. From a quality perspective Finesse Beats S.A. (The guys behind the mixing and mastering) made sure our sound was clean and could compete with the best. And we are preparing to take it much further with our next body of work (Eden) which is 50% complete. What would you guys say sets your sound apart from the rest ? Our ability to create a radio friendly sound which stimulates the heart, mind and spirit. We create a local sound which can compete internationally. Our music brings people together. Who are your musical influences and where do you guys grab inspiration ? Realistically speaking, it’s hard to name anyone because of the diversity of the music that we all listen to. But there is some common ground and that includes artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Post Malone, Black Hippy, Acoustically and many, many more. Our biggest inspiration is our daily lives in the city of Durban. The vibes in this city are second to none and they serve as a foundation for all the musical journeys we embark on. Describe your sound in one word PARADISE !! How will 2017 be in positive contrast to 2016 for Palmtree Paradise ? 2016 was about growth and #Unbelievable. 2017 will be about establishing ourselves as consistent hitmakers, we will continue to release good music and more music videos. 2017 is the year that we break into the mainstream and shake things up a bit in the game, they mustn’t get too comfortable. PalmTree Paradise is on the way! It's so impossible to ignore what's going in South Africa with artists and their record labels. What's your take on this and as independent artists do you feel like remaining independent is the best decision in order to maintain things like creative freedom ? Being self-funded and independent can be likened to working in a mine, you have 5km of dirt, rocks and rubble to dig through before you get to the gold. At the same time record labels give you the advantage of a lift down to the gold but you can’t really touch it even though it is rightfully yours. For us being independent allows us flexibility and creative control of our music and with the ever changing state of the music industry, staying independent is the best thing one can ask for. However, it's not easy at all! It’s a lot of hardwork, empty stomachs and sleepless nights. It’s slow to deliver rewards, but with patience and perseverance, one can survive and excel. If an artist from the city or anywhere else in the country wants to cook up something with you guys, how do they get a hold of you ? We are accessible and are always keen on working with new artists, as long as the vibes match, the music is good and they can survive in Paradise. They can reach out to us on social media or email us at [email protected] Questions & interview was compiled and edited by Jordan Soul. Follow the blog on Twitter: @theSound_Plug on Facebook: theSound Plug

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toshler · 8 years ago

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nsfw: camboys (how josh and tyler truly met)

(((( a.u. where ty and josh are professional fuck buddies - which turns into something more. i almost didn’t post this one because i don’t know all the details of camming, but to hell with it. enjoy ))))

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josh was randomly searching craigslist for couches and out of curiosity veered into the ‘adult’ section. he came across this ad:

28, looking for male regular for my live sex cam. send pics to [email protected]

usually josh would see these and move on, but noticed there was a picture of the ad poster. in the low res quality, josh could tell that he was very cute. josh was bored and horny, so decided he may as well give it a try. the guy didn’t look like an ax murderer or anything and maybe he had an old couch he needed to get rid of.

it didn’t take long for the guy to email back. apparently his name was tyler, and he said josh looked to be the perfect fit. tyler said to come over to his apartment by 9 pm and expect to start working right away. he said to be warned, that he had a very demanding audience, but the job paid well and he’d receive a good portion. in the meanwhile, tyler spent his time taking a shower and freaking out over the hot guy that was about to come over.

when josh first arrived at tyler’s apartment, he noted that it was much nicer than his and in a better part of town. when tyler opened the door, the whole ‘sketchy’ vibe of meeting someone from craigslist for sex work dwindled. tyler was very open and friendly, offering josh to take a seat and asked if he’d like anything to drink. josh sat on tyler’s ‘new’ couch and asked if he could have coffee.

tyler came back with the coffee and his own glass of wine. he explained that he mainly worked solo and just decided to venture into partnering with someone. he also said he was glad josh applied, because having another person might help with tips. josh admitted the reason he applied wasn’t so much to make money, but because he was bored/lonely and down for a good fuck. tyler said he wouldn’t regret his decision. he appreciated josh’s bluntness, but was a little insecure that josh may have been hotter than him. josh was secretly insecure tyler was the hotter one. once they finished their drinks, tyler invited josh to his ‘office’ to which josh happily accepted.

the room was soundproofed with a large bed, a mirror, webcams, and a laptop on a desk across from the bed. it was a clean and plain looking room with white walls and hardly anything in it. all the bedding was dark blue, and there was a small dresser next to the bed, plus an average sized closet. tyler said it was basically the easiest, funnest job ever if you knew how to work people.

“the only rule is no free shows. we may need to do stuff off camera though” tyler explained with a little smirk. this was all so new to josh, but it seemed like tyler knew what he was doing. the suggestion in tyler’s tone already had his blood flowing.

tyler opened the laptop and turned the camera on so that they showed up within the frame. josh found it a little odd seeing himself, especially knowing that they were about to do sexual things for strangers to watch and pay. but the thought also turned him on.

“ok ready?” tyler said as he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. as soon as josh got on the bed, tyler crawled into his lap. he grinned at josh’s surprised reaction.

“fuck ty-” josh muttered, until he was cut off by tyler crashing his lips to his. josh moaned into tyler’s mouth as he kissed him aggressively and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, pulling him down on top of him as they fell back. the kiss was needy, but turned soft and affectionate with time. tyler’s hands traveled down josh’s body, exploring carefully and undoing his jeans.

josh didn’t realize what he was doing until tyler broke away to pull josh’s jeans halfway down his thighs. he pressed soft, slow kisses down josh’s happy trail and nuzzled his cheek against josh’s hardening cock, massaging him through his briefs while sucking marks into his hip. josh let out a low moan, head turning to the side and fingers running through tyler’s fluffy dark hair. tyler pulled away and sat back up to stare at a disheveled looking josh, cheeks flushed and eyes glossy. josh wanted nothing more than to see tyler writhing in pleasure underneath him.

“okay, we’ll become familiar with each other, th-then we can kiss and edge each other on camera. but with our clothes on. clothes stay on ‘til tips.” tyler explained as professionally as possible. josh could tell he was horny as fuck but trying to maintain a business mindset, which made josh want to die of cuteness overload. josh sat back against the pillows as tyler zoomed the camera in a little and prepared to set up the live stream. josh was nervous, but also excited where it could lead. mostly, he was just horny and needed to be surrounded by tyler’s warmth and scent all over again.

tyler finished logging in. all he needed to do was press the record button and they would be on instantly. instead, he turned around and took his briefs off before climbing back in bed, giving josh a private show first. josh bit his lip, relishing at his first glance at tyler’s pretty cock. josh moaned again, shoving his hand in his briefs to stroke himself completely hard.

“don’t tease me, josh, show me” josh lifted his hips to slide them down, watching tyler’s face as his cock sprang back towards his stomach. the noise of approval tyler made was enough to cause warmth to spread throughout his groin. tyler laid next to him, hooking his leg over josh’s and running a hand up josh’s shirt as he kissed him again. he moved down his jawline and attached to his neck, shamelessly moaning and whimpering while sliding his cock against josh’s hip. josh moaned as tyler pinched his nipples under his shirt, then grazed his nails down his stomach, causing sparks of electricity. he stopped just short of josh’s cock. if josh wasn’t painfully hard a moment ago, he was now.

“i thought you said no teasing” josh whimpered. tyler didn’t say anything right away, just gave a small laugh as he moved his hand lower and gripped josh’s cock and pulling it up from his stomach.

“that only applies to you, not me. i’m the one in charge here” tyler teased while running his thumb over josh’s wet tip. josh reached down and gave tyler’s ass a squeeze, causing tyler’s hips to jerk and cock to nudge harder against his hip.

“you’re just begging to be fucked, aren’t you” josh growled, making tyler’s eyes widen. tyler moaned an affirmative and straddled him. josh’s hands were all over him instantly, greedily running up and down his back under his shirt, over his ass, hips, thighs, then up his stomach and chest. tyler allowed this while rolling his hips, finding josh’s cock with his own and sliding against it.

“maybe we should start the show now?” tyler muttered, breathless and feeling himself getting worked up too quick.

“okay, baby.” josh agreed, regaining his composure. tyler blushed at the pet name and stood up to put his briefs back on. josh tucked himself back into his briefs and kicked his jeans off as tyler went to his laptop to press record. right away people entered the room, new as well as regulars. the chat started filling up right away, which to josh was both nerve-wracking and exciting.

oh you have someone with you is that your boyfriend? he’s hot let him eat you out cute couple what’s his name? sit on his face

tyler ignored it for a minute to set up the tip prices. he answered some of the questions about josh really quick, then explained that the show would get really good once tips started coming in. he stood up so that his tented briefs were in the frame to show that he was hard, then got into bed with josh.

tyler pulled the cover over their laps, then told josh he would jerk him under the covers to tease them. josh nodded, and tyler licked his hand before sliding his hand into josh’s briefs. josh moaned, tilting his head back in pleasure. he gazed at the camera, biting his lip with bedroom eyes while he was obviously being jerked by tyler under the blanket. tips started rolling in, along with requests.

mmm get naked let’s see those hard cocks now plsss show kiss both so hot fuck who’s bigger? KISSSSS

josh leaned forward to read them and couldn’t help but laugh at their incessant begging. he figured if he were in their situation, he’d be doing the same, but he was the lucky one who got to have tyler all to himself.

“you’re a natural at this, josh. alright, time to take our clothes off.” tyler praised quietly so speakers wouldn’t pick up.

josh sat at the edge of the bed and pulled his shirt off, taking his time and making a show of it. he seen more comments quickly coming in, but didn’t read it. he knew his body was wank material. tyler leaned in to kiss down his neck and chest while moaning softly. josh knew he was showing off, but it was turning him on tenfold anyway. he could feel pre-cum sticking him to his briefs, which was getting quite uncomfortable. tyler stopped right before his soft lips made their way to josh’s sensitive nipple, reading more comments. josh had to stifle a whine.

your friend looks ready to take you already bet he's rough how long you been together? yeah you want that dick slut wish that was me tbh how much for rimming?

tyler answered the questions, then stood up to take his briefs off in front of the camera while doing a little dance. josh couldn’t help but admire tyler’s perfectly round ass, imagining what he’d do to it for teasing him like that. josh pulled his briefs off as well to match tyler’s nakedness. tyler turned around to shake his ass playfully at the camera, then sat back down next to josh to caress him in different spots while staring at the camera. tyler knew too well where josh’s sensitive spots were, spending an agonizingly long time on his chest and nipples. josh stopped him to tilt his face up by his chin and kiss his lips softly at first, then deepened it. tyler sighed, bringing his hand up to josh’s cheek and letting josh dominate him. more tips and requests rolled in, and tyler broke away to check it.

“alright show my hole, then suck you. ready, stud?” tyler asked casually. josh’s cock jerked at that and he made a soft grunting sound which tyler took as a ‘yes’. he smirked at josh’s animalistic state, thinking he looked so sexy like that.

“wait, show me first” josh said, feeling more possessive than usual. tyler raised his brows at it but obliged, turning his back towards him. josh spread him open and leaned down to touch his tongue to tyler’s entrance. tyler keened high and needy, moving forward slightly, but josh held his hips firmly. he give him a few hard licks before pulling away and slapping his right ass cheek.

“that’s just a little taste of what’s to come. alright, go ahead” josh said authoritatively. tyler just gawked at him for a moment, delighted by his dominant side. he said no free shows, but figured most of that was blocked from the frame anyway and left most to the imagination. tyler turned his back to the camera, spreading himself open to show his hole. he bent over and held it for a bit, making sure they got their money’s worth. josh talked dirty to him and held his cock the whole time. he gave tyler bursts of short, quick strokes as rewards to his responses.

j - “you like exposing yourself to strangers on the internet, baby boy?” t - “mmmm yes daddy” j - “but you’re mine. to them you’re just a little slut” t - “I know. i’m all yours” j - “good boy. spank yourself for me and count to 3” t - “1...oww” j - “harder” t - “2 uunnf....ahh...3!” j - “good boy. you like that” t - “yes, thank you daddy” j - “i’m gonna fuck you so hard baby boy”

tyler moved his red, abused ass away from the camera to replace with his flushed, pretty face. he had kind of a half-tortured, half-lust expression as he read the comments.

i’d lick that all day already wet, u slut i’m so hard ride his big daddy cock i want to fuck you while you suck him damnnnn you like it hard don’t you josh’s voice is so hot i love the dirty talk

tyler grinned at the last comment and zoomed the camera in a bit. he knelt on the floor and held josh’s cock in his hand while bringing his tongue out to taste the tip, then swirled his tongue around the head for a bit and kissed it, all while maintaining eye contact with the camera. josh couldn’t take anymore so he pushed tyler’s head down. tyler allowed more of his cock in, stretching his lips around him and sucking his cheeks in. he listened to josh falling apart above him and more tips rolled in, but was too busy sucking and jerking his own cock. tyler’s throat swallowed around josh’s cock and eyes squeezed shut as he held down for as long as possible, then pulled back up for breath. he blinked a few times, trying to read the comments as he languidly pumped josh in his hand. more drool leaked back out onto josh’s cock, adding to the wet slick sounds.

you’re so good at that baby can your tight hole take it as well mmmmmmmmmm come on, ride his cock don’t neglect his balls

tyler smirked at the last comment and sucked both josh’s balls into his mouth, paying them some attention before zooming the camera back out and getting up. josh already looked wrecked, and tyler felt kind of bad knowing he wanted to cum so bad, but they were just getting started. huge load meant huge tip.

“it’ll be so worth it when you wait” tyler said empathetically.

“i’ve edged before, but it’s a lot harder with someone else” josh confessed, laughing once he realized the pun, then shivering as tyler ran his thumb over his slit again. tyler’s heart fell when he realized he was falling in love with josh in front of hundreds of strangers online. he checked the chat and noticed the person that inquired about rimming had paid for it.

“time to eat me, josh. what is more comfortable for you?” tyler asked.

“you sitting on my face” josh answered, grinning excitedly. josh prided himself on his rimming abilities and exceptionally strong tongue. he laid his head towards the edge and tyler adjusted the camera before getting into position on his knees, ass towards the camera. josh spread him open and tyler lowered until he felt josh’s tongue glide along his hole, sending a spark of pleasure right through him. josh moaned and tongued him open while rhythmically massaging his cheeks. tyler resisted the urge to touch himself because he wouldn’t last much longer if he did, especially when josh kept making these insane growling noises which were sending vibrations right through him. when josh started fondling tyler’s balls, tyler lightly tapped josh’s arm and leaned forward.

“okay it’s...i almost came” tyler said, laughing embarrassed. josh was secretly flattered and desired to make tyler cum hard but didn’t want to blow the money shot. he didn’t care about the tips as much, but wanted to remain tyler’s “business partner” for a very long time. instead, they made out in front of the camera while playfully smiling and whispering things to each other in between kisses. if you hadn’t known any better, you would think they were together for years they had such good chemistry.

are you gonna fuck that hot bottom? you guys are sooo cute together mmm hot kissing tongue action cum cum cum rub each other’s nipples both sexy bodies

tyler read some of the comments, thanking them and saying they’d fuck and cum once they met their goal. it was set high, but they considering demand it was worth waiting for that tip. they did little things to keep it sexy, like caressing each other’s bodies and flashing every once in a while. both were so hard it was almost painful, and josh was verging on blue balls. finally, someone tipped for josh to fuck tyler’s ass and cum on his back.

“there’s lube in that top drawer over there” tyler informed josh, who quickly retrieved it.

josh was practically giddy with excitement to fuck tyler for the first time and cum. it was somehow even more rewarding that someone paid to see it, like he’d earned the privilege. he smiled and thanked the tippers immensely, blowing kisses at the camera. tyler could just sense that he was in for it, so he submitted by getting on all fours and presenting his ass to josh. he leaned on his forearms and arched his back beautifully for josh, who dipped into bed behind him and roughly grabbed his hips, teasing his hole with his cock. josh spread a generous amount of lube in his hand and spread it all over his cock before sliding it through tyler’s ass cheeks, teasing him more. finally, tyler’s breath hitched as he felt the first inch or so slide inside him. josh and tyler both moaned loudly when josh fully bottomed out, then he started rocking his hips back and forth, jack-hammering into tyler. tyler cried out with every slap of josh’s hips against his ass, and his cock leaked out onto the sheets.

meanwhile the comments were going crazy. tyler and josh had completely abandoned the fact that they had over hundreds of strangers watching them fuck, and tipping. josh held onto tyler’s hips, alternating speeds, pressures, and angles until he got just the right one that made tyler shake, cry out, and clench around josh’s cock. josh was already close, but this extra reaction from tyler almost pushed him over the edge. josh sped up his thrusts for half a minute, before pulling out and jerking off fast and furious over tyler’s ass and lower back. in the frantic moment his aim was off by a hair and his cum shot up between tyler’s shoulder blades and some got into his hair. he allowed the waves of intense pleasure course through him, totally unaware of anything else at the moment. he didn’t realize until tyler shifted underneath him a bit that it was all over tyler’s back, drying on his skin and in his hair.

“tyler, i’m so sorry!” josh apologized. tyler found it funny and cute.

“it’s alright, you’re new. there’s some wipes in the second drawer” tyler assured him while laying flat on his stomach. josh retrieved those and began wiping down his mess. tyler checked the comments, laughing at some of the reactions.

“yes, i will cum too! but where should i do it?” tyler asked out loud to the camera. someone tipped and requested that josh sucked him off then kissed tyler with the load still in his mouth. tyler had never tried that, but the more he thought about it, the hotter it sounded. tyler proposed the idea to josh, and josh was pretty enthusiastic about it. in fact, he was just enthusiastic about having his tongue, mouth, or cock anywhere on tyler’s body or bodily fluids.

josh laid tyler on his back, and even though tyler was still hard and didn’t require any foreplay, josh still wanted to. he started by sensually french kissing him while teasing his nipples. tyler moaned into it, body hyper sensitive to every touch in anticipation of cumming and josh’s mouth. josh moved down to tyler’s neck, and tyler tilted his head back to give him more access. josh loved sucking hickies into his skin there, and grazing his tongue over his bobbing adam’s apple. he continued down, pausing to tongue and suck over his nipples and down his stomach, pausing at his belly button. he was taking his time, but their viewers were appreciating every bit of it. josh spent very little time on tyler’s inner thighs and hips, both getting impatient. once josh did get to his cock though, he took him all the way, making tyler buck his hips and moan involuntarily. it was the hottest thing ever, how violently tyler’s body responded to the onslaught of sensation. tyler felt like he was at a hundred percent arousal as josh was teasing him, but it spiked from fifty to a hundred in the moment josh went full throttle on his cock with his mouth. josh held tyler’s hips down, working his magic and causing tyler’s hands to fly to josh’s head, mumbling incoherent praises.

“oh god, i’m gonna cum, JOSH” tyler yelled when suddenly he was filling josh’s mouth with his cum, convulsing and grabbing the sheets. josh accidentally swallowed some from the sheer force it shot to the back of his throat, but managed to hold some in his mouth. when tyler settled down, dazed and absently caressing josh’s shoulder, josh let tyler’s cock slip from his mouth and showed the cum to their viewers. he wrapped a hand around tyler’s throat and hovered his lips over tyler’s, who instinctively opened his mouth and allowed josh’s tongue to slip in along with the salty mouthful of liquid. tyler’s eyes rolled back at the visceral, sexual feeling he got from tasting himself in josh’s mouth, who was eagerly sliding his tongue around his and sucking. only one thought was going through tyler’s mind, and it was this guy is a keeper, i can’t let him go.

“hey josh, want to maybe um, hang out spend the night? you can just sleep in my bed. if you want of course.” tyler asked josh after the show when they were putting their clothes back on. josh smiled and nodded with no hesitation whatsoever, thinking tyler was silly for even fearing rejection. if tyler didn’t ask, he would’ve been worried.

the next morning, josh woke up to tyler on his lap and the smell of pancakes and bacon. josh stretched and yawned, a laugh being forced out by how tyler was smiling down at him.

“we make such a good team” tyler said.

“yeah we do” josh responded, without hesitation, pulling tyler down for more kissing.

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