#initially darkness devil from chainsaw man

[iridescentscarecrow]

hi i'm the op of that post (stackslip) PLEASE elaborate on chainsaw man's metanarrative

hi! um. you've given me free reign, i hope you know what you're doing. anyway: fair warning in advance that this is based entirely on how i like to interpret and think of the csm story and doesn't necessarily hold true, partly because of the level of abstraction that i'm operating at here. i'm normal and i like metanarratives a normal amount. this might be a little long. but.

um. thinking about how protagonism in CSM is inflicted on denji by the author insert that is makima. i've brought up the Icon of chainsaw man before in my part 2 analyses but basically:

the Chainsaw Man is the role that denji occupies in the story, right? it's the title of the manga. it's what the public Sees him as. it's what makima quite literally produces. the relationship between denji and the chainsaw man in both aspiration and idealisation forms a major stem of both part 1 and part 2's narrative.

this production occurs on two levels: (1) what Chainsaw Man is, and should be, and (2) how denji is developed as a protagonist by makima.

"you don't get him at all." chainsaw man is her blorbie (i think i'm funny). the point is that the Presentation of chainsaw man, the one that the audience is initially set up to expect, is almost entirely synonymous with makima's version of the CSM that we get later. i think a lot about how part one borrows from, amplifies, and later subverts shounen tropes. the CSM as an idea persists in how it's discordant from denji's normality in part 2 but part 1's direction in how denji voluntarily inhabits the chainsaw is what i'm pointing at here. (there's a lot to be said about how denji's idealisation as tied to the icon of the CSM is intertwined with his wants but that's not relevant in this meta except in the minutiae of his adherence / resistance to this role.)

the thing is that makima is instrumental in pushing this role onto denji. she sees chainsaw man, he is chainsaw man. it's (and i sound insane here but please hold on, i beg) like writing.

i think her addressing him in the last battle scene, the "i'll kill you personally" is indicative of her finally divorcing denji from the chainsaw; forming The Chainsaw Man in full, while still obviously curating the denji that would support this formation throughout the story.

a small side here but: "but she never even saw me once, even from the start." // fujimoto's writing actively utilises characters towards the end goal of shaping the protagonist. this struggle here is one between a character and an author.

now continuing; the way that makima provides for and then systematically removes these initial connections simulates traditional story structures with its setup, its confrontation and resolution. her excellence as an antagonist rests upon her identity as a narrative device which develops the protagonist and pushes him through this structure. the conflicts and the loss that a protagonist usually naturally (at least in-world) goes through in a story are instead all artificially created by makima.

"how could i make you so hurt that you'd no longer be capable of living a normal life?" // her molding of denji isn't just passive emotional manipulation, it's active writing. she herself is aware of the tropes and the character relationships that are being built up, that are being subverted. she herself embodies, espouses and resolves the themes of multiple arcs (thinking of the end of the bomb devil and the darkness devil arc here / thinking of how she draws the shutters on ignorance and on wanting).

there's a lot i try to extrapolate from her commentary on movies during her date with denji especially in context with the story simulation that she herself is doing throughout the manga. i find it interesting how the ending to the movie date or the "good" movie founds itself on shared feeling: denji sees makima cry at the same movie as he does.

"the drinks yesterday were delicious." // you talked about her goals already in your post but makima's search for real intimacy (and equality in a relationship) coincides with denji's one. to me, it comes off as a writer trying to find a mirror of understanding in their own creation. the way she visualises the CSM (as "chaos" to her order) reveals a relationship quite like the flawed connection that one has with characters one makes: and this relationship is what denji (the 'stage' of this process) responds to so emphatically: "she wasn't looking at me this whoole time."

so, yeah; CSM to me operates at two levels: the one with the deeply human character relationships that construct the story and another layer where fiction and ideation mesh. it's important to note that this is something fjmt quite likes doing in his other work: using characters to specifically engage with the telling of his stories or exploring his characters' nuanced reactions to fiction and its weight.

thinking of makima as the 'Author' is misleading, though, and it ignores the fact that makima is both a device deployed by the actual author and in-world by the structure that are the higher ups. she is the control devil; she controls the scaffoldings of the story but she in herself is an agent of the author, of the narrative, of the aforementioned higher ups.

i don't know. is an artist ever truly original in their art? do they not operate within a greater structure, borrowing from and being regulated by it and its interpretation of their work? are makima's plans not ultimately upset by her creation?

denji materialises as a character from multiple active sources instead of the unitary source that makima believes herself to be. he's a passive character and yet he refuses to be a stable creation (psst. it's that universal tussle between the living art and the artist -- something fjmt's already tackled in his oneshots).

i don't know (2). this interpretation's been simmering in my head for a while, but i wasn't very Sure about it. but hm. this writeup primarily bases itself off part one (since it's well. complete) but image and image production specifically coming into fruition as a theme in part two makes me feel increasingly confident in this interpretation. it's strange how it somehow all ties back into storytelling.

[fairy-writes]

“I WILL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT YOU.”

Reblogs and Comments are greatly appreciated!!

__________________________________________________________________________

Request: @delvalentine

Fandom(s): Chainsaw Man

Pairing(s): Hayakawa Aki x Gender Neutral!Reader

Prompt: “You don’t understand. I will do anything to protect you.” (Dialogue #19)

Notes: This is a pretty heavy AU where stuff in the manga doesn’t necessarily happen to Aki.

Also, I’m pretty sure the Darkness Devil already exists, but we’re rolling with my version of it.

Also, also, not my best work, but we’re posting it anyway.

This is for my 900 followers event! Check my pinned post for more info if you want to join! It’s going on between May 1st and May 15th!

__________________________________________________________________________

Aki was blind.

Not literally.

Well… sort of.

He couldn’t see anything, but any doctor he went to said his eyes should be functioning fine.

And it was all because of the damned devil.

It should have been an easy mission. It was a low-level devil in an abandoned warehouse. He was confident he could be home by dark. 

But everything went wrong the moment he stepped into the warehouse. The second his foot crossed the threshold, his vision went dark.

Was this the darkness devil?

Hadn’t the initial report said it was the canine devil? 

At that moment, something sharp dug into his left thigh, and he was dragged to the ground. So there was a canine devil.

The air was rancid with the scent of a wet dog and so thick on his tongue with blood that he could have cut it with his sword. The teeth ripped and tore at the meat of his leg and started dragging him in some unknown direction. He fumbled for the gun in his belt and pointed it forward.

The bang was deafening, and his ears rang for minutes after that. But there was a whining noise on the edge of his hearing that proved he had hit his mark. He wasn’t one to usually use a gun, but you had pushed him to bring it anyway.

Guess your intuition saved his life.

Speaking of you.

He heard your cry of anger, and then the scream of the darkness devil as you most likely shoved your katana into its body. The darkness devil was killed by you and the other devil hunters present with him. The wail of an ambulance was the first thing he heard when his hearing fully returned.

But his sight still hadn’t returned.

Odd.

The doctors put him under for emergency surgery the moment he got to the hospital. When he awoke, his vision was still gone, but he felt something soft and warm in his hand.

He recognized this hold. He recognized the lavender shampoo.

It was you.

He said your name, first it was quiet. But when you didn’t respond, he said it louder and pressed lightly where he thought your head was. Your hair ruffled softly beneath his fingers, and you jumped. There was a yawn and then a noise of surprise.

“Aki!” You whispered, and he felt your soft hands cradling his cheeks. Your hands were calloused from all the hard training and work you put yourself through. 

But it was as soft as feathers to him.

“Are you okay?” He asked and heard your quiet laughter. It was as clear as bells and music to his ears. He loved your laugh.

“Worry about yourself for once, love. You got pretty banged up.” You said tenderly, and he shook his head, fumbling for the remote to raise his bed so he was sitting.

“I’m fine. I just—” You cut him off.

“You aren’t fine! Twenty-seven stitches! They aren’t sure if you’ll walk without a limp or cane!” You exclaimed suddenly, and Aki quieted.

You were upset, and that fact alone made his heart twist in his chest.

He just wished he could see your face.

“But are you okay?” He tried once again. He had to make sure you weren’t hurt. Had to make sure he at least tried to protect you.

“‘m fine. Just a sprained arm and a couple of superficial scratches.” You said, and Aki tilted his head as if looking at his lap.

Except he still couldn’t see anything.

Aki had failed. 

When you first started dating, he promised your family that he would protect you. He told you as much and felt your hand slip into his.

“Aki, I’m fine. I promise. It’s nothing a few days of rest won't fix.” You reply, and he bites the inside of his cheek.

“But you don’t understand. I will do anything to protect you. I’m supposed to protect you!” He says.

Why aren’t you berating him? He had failed in his goal. He had—

Your lips on his cheek stall his brain, and his thoughts quiet.

“Aki, I love you, but sometimes you are really dense.” You tease, and he blinks. 

What?

“A relationship takes two people putting their all into it. So you protect me, and I protect you. It’s a mutual decision because I love you, and I sure hope you love me.” You say and admittedly, he panicked.

“Of course I love you!” He exclaimed, and you laughed.

“I know, love. I know.” You say and press your lips to his. He accepts the affection greedily. He wasn’t worthy of your love, but he couldn’t help but soak it up whenever you showered him with it. 

“We’ll find a way to get your eyesight back. I swear it.” You whisper against him and he smiles. 

You loved him, and that’s all he could ask for.

[animeking114]

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Reveals The Trailer

Highlights: - Chainsaw Man -- The Movie: Reze Arc is the next in the anime. - Movie reveals the all new devil. Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Teaser Trailer, Key Visuals, Staff Members, And More Inform Revealed At Jump Festa 2025On Sunday, December 22, 2024, the teaser trailer of Chainsaw Man --The Movie: Reze Arc was unveiled at Super Stage Red Jump Festa 2025. The one-minute thirty-second-long teaser trailer featured Denji, Reze, Makima, Aki, and other Public Safety Devil Hunters. This announcement was part of the Super Stage Red of Jump Festa 2025 Day 2.

(Credits: Denji from Chainsaw Man -- The Movie: Reze Arc) Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is promised to be released in 2025 and will be the anime adaptation of the Bomb Girl Arc of Tatsuki Fujimoto's magnum opus. An interview with the creator of the series, Tatsuki Fujimoto, took place on the live stream. Further, fans get a glimpse of the first page of Chainsaw Man's upcoming chapter. These announcements were conducted by the Voice Actors of Chainsaw Man anime, including Kikunosuke Toya As Denji, Tomori Kusunoki as Makima, Fairouz Ai as Power, Reagan Murdock as Aki, and Maaya Uchida as Angel Devil. Thankfully, we know the release date but not the exact date, title, staff members, and other initial details. However, fans can expect to hear back incredible voices, such as Kikunosuke Toya As Denji, Tomori Kusunoki as Makima, Fairouz Ai as Power, Reagan Murdock as Aki, and Maaya Uchida as Angel Devil. Chainsaw Man is a highly acclaimed dark fantasy anime produced by MAPPA Studio, available for streaming on Netflix. After the conclusion of its first season in 2022, a sequel movie was announced in 2023. Written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto, based on the manga series of the same name, Chainsaw Man is one of the best dark fantasy anime and perhaps the most celebrated of this generation. Check the Animeking website for the latest updates of anime and manga. Also Read: Jump Festa: Hell’s Paradise Season 2 Got A Majestic Release Date

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Teaser Trailer, Key Visuals, Staff Members, And More Inform Revealed At Jump Festa 2025

On Sunday, December 22, 2024, the official teaser trailer for "Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc" was unveiled at Super Stage Red. This announcement was part of the ongoing Jump Festa 2025 Day 2 event, where the anime also revealed its nationwide release scheduled for 2025. However, no specific release date for the new movie was mentioned during the live streaming. The stage was conducted by the beloved voice actors of the series, as aforementioned. The voice actors who participated in the event are Kikunosuke Toya As Denji, Tomori Kusunoki as Makima, Fairouz Ai as Power, Reagan Murdock as Aki, and Maaya Uchida as Angel Devil. They revealed the two contrasting visuals of the Chainsaw Man -- The Move: Reze Arc. One shows Denji in his Chainsaw Man form, while the other highlights the protagonist and titular character talking in the cafe. https://twitter.com/CHAINSAWMAN_PR/status/1870672295427276923 A special interview was conducted with the mangaka and the author of Chainsaw Man, Tatsuki Fujimoto, where he answered some fun questions. The interview turned into a quiz on the Chainsaw Man. The voice actors of the franchise conducted the stage dressed like the characters in Chainsaw Man. They kicked off the Super Stage Red with voice-acting panels from the manga, where Denji and Power are seen arguing with Aki in the hospital. Later, the panel shifted to Aki fighting alongside Angel Devil. The voice actors introduced fans to the movie's new characters: Reze, Angel Devil, and Beam. The panel also reveals the first page of Chainsaw Man Chapter 189, Octopus, War, and Chainsaw. The first page featured a leg coming out of Denji's mouth. However, no additional information was provided about the context of this scene or what the chapter may hold for fans. The Super Stage Red ends with the author's message for the fans. The voice actors did an amazing job presenting the stage and catchphrases their characters. The only information revealed during the Jump Festa 2025 was the key visuals and the Chainsaw Man -- The Movie: Reze Arc official trailers. Also Read: Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 Reveals Teaser Visual in Jump Festa 2025

Chainsaw Man Season 1: Plot & Summary

As said earlier, Chainsaw Man is one of the best dark fantasy anime and perhaps the most celebrated anime of recent times. The anime introduced fans to dark humour, fierce fights, majestic character development, and an idiotic main character. These few things made the anime a fan-favourite and one of the most celebrated. Produced by MAPPA Studio, Season 1 of the anime is regarded as one of the most successful in history. Therefore, after the movie's announcement in 2023, fans are desperately waiting for its release. Chainsaw Man revolves around Denji, an orphan kid with only Pochita (Chainsaw Devil) in his life. The two best friends work together to make a living. However, Denji gets betrayed by the Yakuza for the contract of Zombie Devil and sends him unconscious with brutal attacks. On the verge of getting killed by the Zombie Devil, Pochita makes a contract with him, exchanging his heart in place of seeing his friend dream. Later, he joined Public Safety Devil Hunter, a government organization, only to live his dream. As the story progresses, Denji works with Aki and Power to find Gun Devil and defeat it for humanity's benefit. However, on the way, Denji killed many devils and obtained many rewards as well.

Animeking: Summary

In conclusion, Chainsaw Man-- The Movie: Reze Arc is the next in the anime and continues Denji's adventure to live his dream. The anime fans can expect to see the introduction of new characters, including the Angel Devil, Bream, and Reze. The upcoming film is based on the manga's Reze Arc/Bomb Devil Arc, where fans can expect the fierce battle between the Chainsaw Man and the Bomb Devil. Bomb Devil is one of the most talked-about characters in the series, and this arc makes her a fan favourite. Fans who haven't watched Chainsaw Man Season 1 can stream on Netflix. Do check the Animeking website for the latest updates and further information of manga and anime. Read the full article

[auryborealis]

[ edit 04/2024: Some information here may have since been retconned ]

notes: blood warning. a LOT of blood warning. and reference to self-injury. Also I've only seen the live-action version of the show and my knowledge of the anime & manga is limited to very minimal skimmed research on the wiki and random clips on Youtube 😅

So I've been having a major major One Piece brainrot these past few weeks after watching the Netflix live action show and because I fell in love with Sanji, I had to make an OC to pair with him.

Name: Amarylla "Ruby Shark" Yuna

Age: 20 (pre-timeskip); 22 (post-timeskip)

Height: 169 cm (pre-timeskip); 171 (post-timeskip)

Birthday & Zodiac: October 26 (Scorpio)

Hair Color: Dark Purple

Eye Color: Pale pink (turns red during combat mode, annoyed, or angered; turns completely black in "bloodthirsty" mode)

Hobbies: Reading, journaling & sketching, mingling with the crew, meditating

Personality: Initially guarded (and maybe a little rude and blunt) but becomes undoubtedly devoted and caring to her friends (to the point of being recklessly self-sacrificial). Reserved, quiet, and a little shy overall but becomes a lot more expressive and confident in post-timeskip. Is surprisingly vulgar when annoyed or during combat.

Powers & Skills:

Blood Manipulation:

Can transform her blood into weapons. Learns how to form shields and a full-body armor in post-timeskip.

The armor enhances her offensive and defensive skills, augmenting her strength and speed, and is impervious to bullets. Is also able to swim - even in seawater - with the armor on, as long as it is equipped in time and she is not already in a weakened state.

Can manipulate properties of her blood to change into water, poison, or healing salve that remedies cuts, infections, and bruises.

Some "flight" capability by literally lifting herself up using her blood inside her.

+ Regenerative healing factor. Accelerated with blood consumption.

+ Can sense other's movements and positions by hearing their heartbeats and blood flow.

+ Favors long-ranged attacks (like spears) but becomes accustomed to close-ranged attacks in post-timeskip.

Weaknesses:

Use of her abilities is extremely draining and requires an ample amount of rest to recuperate. Her endurance and stamina however significantly improve during the timeskip from extensive training (though she may still require a few-hour nap after a particularly long battle).

Too much damage to her amor or overexertion can eventually make it crack and shatter.

Must feed on blood at least once on a weekly basis otherwise she'll go into her "bloodthirsty" mode.

Strong negative emotions - particularly rage - can trigger her "bloodthirsty" mode, causing her to go feral with an overconsuming need to kill indiscriminately.

Sensitive to loud noises.

The usual Devil Fruit weakness to seawater (unless she is protected by her amor).

Trivia:

Yuna's name comes from the name Ayuna which means "blood; red." Yuna by itself means "superiority, gentleness; kindness."

Her surname Amarylla comes from the flower amaryllis, which comes from the Greek word "amarysso" meaning "to sparkle," referring to Yuna's eyes which are described to sparkle like stars. The flower symbolizes determination, beauty, love, and success.

Her post-timeskip outfit design is inspired by Yor's assassin dress in Spy x Family and A2 from NiER: Automata. Her ribbon look is inspired by Bayonetta.

Her armor design is inspired by the Berserker armor in Berserk, Garchomp, Iron Man, Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Man suit, and Dracula's armor in the 1992 Gary Oldman film.

Her character is inspired by Kaine (NiER), Marina (Fear & Hunger 2), Asa & War Devil (Chainsaw Man), Tifa (Final Fantasy VII), Haruhi (Ouran Highschool Host Club), Makoto Niijima (Persona 5), Raven (Teen Titans), and Female Robin (Fire Emblem: Awakening)

More info such as her history and relationships will come later!! I've already got more art I've drawn for her (& Sanji) and might even write a fic on their first meeting.

[marveldc-imagines-hub]

Subtitles: Episode 3, Now in Color

Subtitles Masterlist

Summary: Things are going well between [Y/N] and their new partners but what shenanigans will ensue as the Maximoff baby’s arrival quickly approaches and they’re pulled into the throughs of building a nursery and… child delivery?

Word count: 10,640

Warnings: Cotton candy fluff, chaos, baby. So the usual, plus babies.

Tag list: @madamevirgo​ @ravennight41​ @multifandomgirl16 (It won’t tage you for some reason, I’m sorry ;-; ) @cyanide-mustard​ @badasspolygenderfriend​

~~~

    You huffed and sat back on your heels, slipping a sore finger into your mouth. “Stupid bird.”

    The bird in question, a pink flamingo made of plastic and wire, seemed to sneer at you from its position sticking a few inches farther out of the grass than it should be. Because of this, you could still see the main stake sticking out of the bottom of the bird’s standing foot, which, much to your distaste, made the pink plastic-feathered creature look like it was trapped on a piece of wood impaled in its foot rather than lounging on one foot in the lush green grass of your yard. 

    You had spent a good portion of today working on your yard and garden and waiting for a member of the household across the street to step outside and beckon you over. Dressed in overalls stained by grass and dirt, a brightly colored T-shirt, a sun hat, and working shoes, you forced yourself to keep busy by planting new flora and putting down new garden fences and decor while Vision and Wanda were tucked away indoors, preparing for a baby. You were the only one so far to know about the Maximoff bun in the oven outside of the parents and although it seemed like just last week that Wanda had gotten pregnant, the baby had finally big enough that the couple had to involve a doctor to make sure all was going well.

    It also felt like not long ago that the couple had asked you out for the first time. Both of them. At the same time. It was news to you that they had felt even remotely felt the same way about you as you had about them but the rest of that conversation had gone swimmingly with you being too nervous and dumbstruck to do much more than blubber questions. The first date and then the second went a similar way, with you not being completely sure that you were on a three-person date or even awake. Luckily, your new partners were just as unnerved as you were and the three of you agreed to simply play it by ear and communicate a lot. 

Some time and a few sporadic dates later and things were going smoothly. Almost every bit of free time was spent at either their place or yours; if it wasn’t free time, you were giving Vision rides to work and leaving cute messages in the files you left at his desk—you always hoped they were cute, anyway, and not annoying, only to be reassured when you got a smiley back or your favorite treat from the breakroom left with the file when it was returned—or trying to help Wanda clean or cook or take a break despite her stubborn fussing against it. Vision was the first to give you a pet name, Wanda was the first to hold you in place when you attempted to pull away from a normally quick handhold or hug, and you were the first to press kisses to both their cheeks after walking them home from dinner. Wanda fell asleep on your couch first, you on theirs second, and Vision went ahead and turned cheek pecks into lip kisses. You weren’t quite ready to initiate them yourself yet but you hadn’t been complaining when Vision caught you on your porch steps and kissed you on the mouth; the rain that had just started had either been just a bonus or his initial inspiration.

    As nice as everything has been, though, you were still worried about overstepping boundaries with the married couple so when Vision invited you over to be a part of the doctor visit, you politely declined. Instead, after the doctor left, you were to head over and bring your tools to help set up the nursery; it was also your joint job with Vision, who was now a baby book reading master but also increasingly bugged out about Wanda and the baby’s health, to try and convince said woman to relax for once in her life—a task difficult enough to be on the list of Hercules’ Twelve Labors, you were convinced at this point.

    For now, though, you were sitting with your feet beginning to cramp and your knees getting damp and most likely more grass-stained, glaring at the devil in pink whose foot-stake had left your finger with a prick from a splinter and whose one visible dark eye stared at you with sadistic mirth.

    “Oh, you wanna go, Bernard?” you scoffed at the bird-shaped plastic, dropping your hand from your mouth and pushing yourself up into a squat. “I’ll call you out. Let’s go!” You raised your hands in a fighting stance and bounced on the balls of your feet as you prepared to strike.

    The sound of a chainsaw starting up caught you off guard mid-bounce and you lost your balance but what caught your eye when you twisted around while rubbing your now-bruised tailbone was Vision walking outside his front door with an older gentleman, presumably the doctor. However, you paid very little attention to said other man as you laid in the middle of your yard, twisted into what was probably a partial yoga pose, resting your chin on your arm and making lovey-dovey eyes at the former.

    Not that it was surprising at all, Vision looked very nice today. He was wearing dark blue pants and a similarly colored sweater over a collared shirt and tie, with a honey-brown jacket topping everything off; you couldn’t imagine wearing a shirt plus two outerwear items in the heat of the day but you certainly didn’t mind seeing him all dressed up. His hair was somewhere between jaw and shoulder length and wavy as ever and while you weren’t a fan of the popular 70s cut, he not only pulled it off but made it look incredibly attractive. He greeted his next-door neighbor Herb, who started up the chainsaw, then spoke animatedly, as he always did, to the doctor. Talking about keeping the baby news to themselves, no doubt.

    Vision watched as the doctor walked off down the sidewalk and as he happened to pass in your direction, Vision’s gaze refocused to settle on you instead. The expression on his face changed from purely friendly to something deeper and you felt the familiar flutter of butterflies in your stomach as he waved over to you.

    “Hello, perfectly platonic neighbor!” he hollered, to which you responded in kind after snorting and then disentangling yourself from your strange position.

    No response from Herb about the odd greeting. The cul-de-sac, and in Westview in general, people didn’t seem concerned with your trio’s out-of-place shenanigans as long as it didn’t directly affect them, you had noticed over time. You could have probably walked over and planted a brazen smooch on Vision’s perfect mouth while out in the open, with other neighbors milling about, and no one would bat an eye.

    But that’s exactly what we’re not going to do, you thought stubbornly as you stood and brushed yourself off. Not yet, anyway. I want to make sure they’re both comfortable with it first. 

    Vision seemed to grasp what your plan was because he waited for you as you gave Bernard the flamingo a fight postpone notice and then a light kick before walking across your yard and heading across the street. If you had been more rational, you would have grabbed your tools so you could have just come inside when you reached the Maximoff house but your brain, muddled with the pink mist of freshly requited affections, could only think of getting closer to the man, maybe even holding hands or nuzzling noses. 

    A sound that was equal parts loud and awful caught both your and Vision’s attention as you reached the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Looking over, you both saw Herb cutting away with his chainsaw, only now he wasn’t cutting through bushes but the stone wall separating his and Wanda and Vision’s homes. The stone blocks of the wall weren’t super heavy-duty, you supposed, but the sound made you cringe, and the sight was a little jarring. Herb didn’t seem to realize was he was doing despite the lack of hedges in his path.

    “Hey Herb,” Vision yelled over the noise, “think you might’ve taken the hedge trimming a little too far there, old chum!” As he spoke, he glanced over at you and, seeing you nearby, instinctively shifted in your direction; you moved to meet him halfway and you each gave the other’s hand a quick affectionate squeeze, though both pairs of eyes were trained on Herb.

    Herb, who looked up, smiled, and responded, “So I have! Thanks, buddy.” Despite saying this, he continued to cut through the bordering wall and stare glassily ahead as if none the wiser. 

    The expression gave you an unnerving sense of familiarity but you couldn’t quite put a name to the vague memory of a person you’d seen wearing it. Acquiring a migraine medication and forcing yourself to not look too hard into every strange thing that happened in this town helped but your headaches appeared to never quite go away. This was proven by the muted throb across one side of your head that came with looking at the bizarre scene.

    “Yeah,” Vision said a little quieter, “don’t mention it.”

    The action only happened briefly but when you caught him chewing his lower lip, you felt your innards tie themselves in knots and had a particularly hard time tearing your gaze away. Now that you were closer, you also noticed that the blue and brown ensemble he wore perfectly matched his hair and eyes. That hair that you always desperately wanted to brush your fingers through.

Fingers carefully slipping around your hand, like if they held you any tighter your own would break, managed to catch your attention as Vision turned to lead you inside.

    “Oh,” you chirped, tugging your hand back to point a thumb over your shoulder, “I forgot my tools. Meet you in a minute?”

    Vision seemed persistent to bring you inside, even going so far as to catch both your arms and doing a playful series of shimmies and sways to dance the two of you closer to the front door. Now that you were out of Herb’s frozen line of sight, the two of your found yourselves standing so close together that there wasn’t a single pocket of space between your bodies. When you inhaled, you smell cologne that wasn’t too light or too heavy and a scent that you could only describe as the heat of a warm, sunny day. Thinking as he would only smell sweat and dirt and grass if he did the same, you blushed and made a note to change before you came back over.

    Whatever Vision thought about how you smelled or the clothes you wore, he didn’t seem to care enough, if at all. He took advantage of being out of sight to move his hands from your hours to your waist—a much more convincing position indeed—and nuzzled his nose to your hairline, now exposed as your hat rested farther back on your head.

    “You know very well that you can use ours,” he said.

    You felt his warm breath on your forehead. If you weren’t standing up and didn’t have the nagging feeling that you were getting dirt on his nice sweater, you would have been perfectly comfortable simply hugging him and dozing off in the cozy embrace right there.

    Vision continued in a lilting voice and with an added shimmy that brought the two of you directly to the front door. “They’d love to see you, you know.”

    They? Your brows furrowed a bit, then rolled your eyes. Oh, Wanda plus baby.

    Still, you steeled your resolve and leaned away from him. He looked at you like he was a puppy that had been kicked, to which you responded with a faux scowl. “Mr. Vision Maximoff, I said I was going bring my tools, and [Y/N] is no flake. Besides,” you paused as your scowl melted into a smile, “I don’t want to get dirt and grime all over the new room. It’ll only take a minute; you act like we can’t see each other through our living room windows if we wanted to.”

    Making his last attempt, Vision leaned into your arms, which were now around his own, and pressed his cheek against your temple. Still pouting, he muttered, “It only took Wanda and I going around a few times before we moved in together.”

    The idea of you living under the same roof as your couple and their new baby made you giddy as much as it made you feel like you wanted to throw yourself into a lit fire pit to save yourself from embarrassment. 

    “Ah, yes, a spectacle to behold,” you said as you leaned away again, “A new baby and a new roommate!” You saw Vision open his mouth to speak, no doubt to respond with a quip, and quickly continued, disentangling yourself from him as you did, “Gotta skitty, I’ll be back momentarily!”

    “Well,” Vision replied, dragging out the last consonant as if you were going to change your mind if he did so long enough; when you didn’t, he huffed a bit. “Alright then. Hurry back!”

    You gave him a smile and two-fingered salute then bounded down the steps and back across the street. You only stopped once on the quick trip back home and that was to give Bernard another swift kick, which somehow lodged the bird the rest of the way into the ground, and a “Fuck you, Bernard!” You heard sputtering laughter from across the street that made you grin as you marched inside to change and grab your toolkit. 

    The tools were the easy part; they had been sitting out on the table in your dining area since last night when you’d originally suggested the idea so you were sure to not forget them. It took a bit longer to struggle your way out of your clothes, especially while simultaneously trotting to the bathroom to wash your hands and splash water on your face. It took longer still to jog back to your bedroom without slamming yourself into an end table or plant along the way and then also go through every piece of clothes you owned; when bright colors and eccentric outfits came into style, you were, for once, ahead of the fashion game with your regular closet, and your wardrobe only continued to grow as the rest of the country’s interest in the style did. You were particularly interested in peacock fashion and it showed in your array of ruffled, brightly colored, and loudly patterned shirts and blouses. 

Of these blouses, you threw on one in a burnt orange and yellow paisley pattern, choosing one without ruffles in fear of ripping them while working. You paired the shirt with matching yellow walk-shorts that ended just above your knees and a pair of honey-brown clog sandals whose color made you think of Vision’s outfit. Thinking about this further, you decided to accent your ensemble with a touch of blue, wrapping your hair that was still damp with sweat back with a satin scarf that was a vibrant blue and some handmade jewelry pieces in the same color to match. Finally, you added a woven belt and, after looking in the mirror for a moment, decided to tie your blouse off an inch above the waist of your shorts instead of tucking it in before booking it back across the street.

    Standing at the door of your couple’s house, you took a final glance at yourself in the reflection of one of their windows before knocking. You let yourself in after Wanda invited you with a holler through the door and you were greeted with the interesting sight of Wanda, in all her stunning, colorful, mother-to-be glory standing by the long dark-wood dining table; Vision, half-hidden behind her belly that seemed significantly larger than the last time you saw her, was taking an awkward knee while holding up a variety of fruits.

    “I’m never not uniquely surprised when I walk into this house,” you said mostly to yourself and you made your way over. Reaching Wanda, you sat your bag of tools on the floor by her feet and gave her a gentle hug. “Hey, sunshine, you’re looking foxy.”

    You certainly had gotten a lot more comfortable with them recently. 

    Wanda visibly blushed, giving you one of her signature fake irritated looks—a tilted head with tight-knit brows and tight lips that broke into a smile less than a second later—and lightly swatted your arm before carefully returning the hug. “Hey sunshine yourself. Look at you, you’re glowing! And those threads, you’re a regular Casanova.”

    She made a point of eyeing your partially exposed midriff and you almost blushed—but not quite.

    “Glowing,” you repeated, playfully patting your face, “I’m not even the pregnant one! Thank you, though. Some of the colors were inspired.” You took your turn eyeing her, particularly the bright red of her striped dress that was a common color in her palette, then you caught Vision’s bright blue gaze as he stood and placed a couple of fruits back in their rightful place in the basket on the table. You moved to Wanda’s other side to help him. “Why the fruit?”

    “Oh, well, the doctor said it helps the mothers keep track of the baby’s progress.” Vision explained. He added another fruit to the basket’s tower, although he was giving the last one in his hand an odd look.

    “What he actually said was,” Wanda added, grasping your shoulder and tugging you over two put an arm around your waist and give you mildly strained look, “it helps make things ‘simple’ for us ‘little ladies.’”

    You recognized the glint in her eye and nodded understandingly. “Well that’s mildly condescending, must’ve been just groovy.”

    “Out of sight,” Wanda agreed in the same tone. She then looked in Vision’s direction with raised brows; you followed her gaze and saw the man toying with the large green fruit in his hand. “Hey, honey? What’cha doin’?”

    Vision met both of your equally puzzled gazes with barely contained glee. Voice tight from holding back a giggle, he raised the fruit and pointed at it. “I can’t wait… to be… a proud… papa-ya.”

    Wanda looked amused at the future father’s pun and Vision grinned, clearly happy with the reaction. You actually laughed before quickly throwing up a hand to cover the titter.

    “Well, that just proves it,” you said after composing yourself even though your company seemed perfectly pleased with your reaction to the joke, “you’re going to be a wonderful one. Look at you, turning into a proper one already.”

    Vision went from smiling to flusteredly chewing at his lip quite quickly; he would always get easily flustered but never enough to blush. Instead, he’d twist his head a certain way and rub his neck and shoulder, maybe even avoid eye contact if he was embarrassed enough. He’d always tug his bottom lip between his teeth too, something you couldn’t help finding just a touch more endearing than the other mannerisms; at least it gave you a much more rational reason to stare at his lips for longer than generally accepted.

    “You really think so?” he asked.

    You scoffed as you moved to pick up your tools again. “Of course, you and Wanda will make absolutely stellar parents. The two of you are more prepared now than I’ve seen some people after they’ve already had the kids. Now,” you paused as you stood up straight and looked at your couple with a cheerful smile, “shall we head to the nursery?”

    You were partially convinced that you had been invited solely to help Vision wrangle his wife. You certainly hadn’t been invited to help decorate; even pregnant, Wanda made faster work of your tools than you did. You were huffing while maneuvering a rocking chair in the room and by the time you got it settled in the corner, Wanda had already pieced together the changing stand that was to sit next to it. You turned to grab a tool to open the cans of paint only to turn back around and see all of them opened and Wanda with a brush in hand, painting away. You managed to get the crib up before she could get her hands on it but when you looked around for the yellow mattress and bumper cushions, you looked up to find Wanda already putting on the finishing touches.

    Now, you were kneeling on the ground by the crib and painting a delicately rendered stork while Vision was getting to his feet after reading all the reasons Wanda should be resting instead of doing what she was doing, which was pulling a mobile of colorful plastic butterflies out of a box and shifting ever so closer to a stool so she could hang it.

    “Darling,” Vision tried, shifting ever so closer to her, “you should probably sit down.”

    “You really should,” you offered your help, almost half-heartedly because you already knew the outcome before she said it.

    “Don’t be silly,” Wanda assured him, “all I feel is excitement, happiness, and— huhnf! Oh!”

    You were on your feet and spun around to give her a wide-eyed stare before her gasp even finished, but instead of pain or worry, Wanda’s face was lit up with wonder as the hand not grasping a plate fluttered around her stomach. Vision also moved quickly, to step forward and pressed his hand on her stomach.

    He breathed, “Kicking already?” and they shared an excited stare.

    You stared awkwardly from the side with a paintbrush in hand, feeling more out of place you’ve ever had in your life.

    Until Wanda, without missing a single beat, turned her head in your direction and grinned. “[Y/N], you have to feel this!” Then she spoke to Vision, “Oh, it’s such a strange sensation, it’s kinda fluttery!”

    She was breathtaking. Then her nose scrunched up and she giggled in a way that could also be described as fluttery, and you were wondering in which states polygamy was legal and where was the best jeweler to get a ring.

    Still, you were trying to refrain from overstepping boundaries.

    “Oh, I don’t know…” you mumbled, shifting your weight from foot to foot and glancing around the room. You noticed the mobile she had been retrieving the last time you’d looked at her was already hung up above the crib; of course, it was.

    Wanda scoffed and made a gesture at Vision, then he was walking over and coaxing you to her side with an encouraging nuzzle to your temple.

    “I just don’t want—” you started.

    “To overstep, we know,” Wanda finished, the giddy look on her face replaced with a scowl. “Trust me, this is probably the one and only time I’ll ask for someone to feel my stomach while everyone else in the town just does it willy-nilly and besides, you are a part of— Oh!” 

    Her gasp and glance over your shoulder, combined with the sound of movement behind you was enough to make you turn your head, only for Vision to catch your attention in the opposite direction.

    “Another kick!” he exclaimed, just a little too loud. You thought you caught his gaze flitting over in the same direction as Wanda’s but then he was grasping your wrist and placing your hand against Wanda’s stomach. At the same time, his arm that was hovering politely around your back pressed against the naked small of your back as he pulled you closer into the little triangle of space you, Wanda, and he made; the sudden heat there made your blood boil in the best way and when his hand accidentally caught on the hem of your shorts and dipped a little lower over the fabric, you choked while sucking in a breath.

    Vision’s hands flew up to the sky and he scrambled away, apologizing profusely. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see his hands fluttering around, could imagine his eyes doing the same, and you were vaguely aware of Wanda moving at your other side, the fabric of her sleeve brushing against yours as she waved her arm. You also heard a sound that you chalked up to being a breeze coming from the open window and rustling the drawn curtains. You, usually the final piece of the chaotic puzzle, were instead staring down and softly gasping as the sudden tap against your palm. 

    “I felt it,” you whispered and the chaos that was happening around you seemed to still in the same moment as Wanda and Vision settled back around you to feel themselves. You repeated the phrase, brushing your thumb across the patch of clothed skin, and the baby responded with another kick a moment later. You couldn’t help looking up at Wanda a face frozen in almost childish wonder, and state the obvious, “You’re gonna have a baby.”

    Wanda nodded at you with shining eyes and a wet smile. She wrapped her free arm around her midsection and looked back down on her belly. The expression on her face radiated an intense, loving tenderness and you felt a billion non-plastic butterflies make a comfortable home in your chest.

    You followed her gaze and felt your face break into a grin so wide that your cheeks started to hurt almost immediately. Your hand, along with Wanda’s own and Vision’s, created a loose but ever so protective triangular shield over the place where you had felt your first baby kick, promising to move the universe for them should it ever be required. Despite the overlapping mess of fingers, you noticed how Vision’s hand was the perfect size to envelop your own and that even with a ring on one of them, Wanda’s fingers fit perfectly in the spaces between yours.

    The nervousness and insecurities that seemed to bounce around your head whenever you observed your couple, in their perfect world with their perfect dynamics, melted away in the comfortable warmth that came from your trio’s cozy huddle. This wasn’t a story about you or them separately but the three of you together and it was a wonderful one in the making.

    Then, “Oh.”

    Wanda looked up at her husband and echoed, “Oh.”

    You looked up second, adding your own questioning “Oh?” before your gaze settled on the butterfly lightly perched on the tip of Vision’s nose. “Oh!” Watching the monarch’s delicate wings fluttering, you were surprised he hadn’t already sneezed. 

    “Hello, little fella,” Vision softly said. He was the first to separate your group, stepping away and leaning down a bit for your and Wanda’s better viewing. His smile was blinding for the brief moment you caught it, before tilting your head away to snicker at the way his eyes were crossing to view his insect passenger.

    Wanda gently coaxed the butterfly onto her fingertip and walked over to the window to release it. That’s when you noticed a group of the bug type coalesced around the same area; the sudden visit from Mother Nature must have been what she had seen earlier.

    “Oh, my,” you said, “that’s something you don’t see every day.”

    The smile on Wanda’s face tightened for just a moment as her gaze jumped around the baby room, then relaxed as she maneuvered the various colorful butterflies outside. “Bringing good vibes, hopefully. They must have been enticed by the mobile; why, they even tried to free their plastic friends!”

    You looked towards the crib curiously and saw that the mobile hanging above it was only a series of transparent hanging strings. Walking over, you found the butterflies that had once been attached to it scattered around the mattress. You picked a couple of them up and carefully pinched the thin material between your fingers. “Hm, strong butterflies.”

    “Clearly,” Vision agreed. He walked over to the rocking chair he had been sitting and reading baby books earlier and picked up his most recent read.

    Meanwhile, you began gathering up the scattered butterflies, then climbed up the nearby stool to retrieve the rest of the mobile. “You wouldn’t happen to have a good adhesive laying around, would you? I can have this fixed up and rehung lickity-split.”

    “Not laying around but I’m sure there’s one in the cabinet under the sink.” Vision seemed to find the page he was looking for. He glanced over the words, tensed up immediately after, and paced over to Wanda’s side as she shut the window. “If that was first kick, that puts you at about six months! Why I can’t keep up!”

    Has it been that long already? You silently wondered as you made your way over to the exit, careful not to crush any of the delicate pieces you were holding. While Vision was thinking in terms of babies, you were surprised that you had already been dating him and his wife for almost half of a year.

    In a signature dad-to-be fashion, Vision waggled his head down to give Wanda and the baby a kiss. Then he said in an equally identifiable dad’s voice, “Please don’t misinterpret. I can’t wait you meet you, little Billy!”

    You leaned against the doorframe as you offered Wanda an amused look; you had been previously graced with the conversation of baby names and Billy wasn’t exactly on her roster.

    “Billy?” she questioned, to which Vision gave a smile and an affirming noise. Wanda continued, “Well I was thinking Tommy. Just a nice, classic American name.”

    Vision gave an exaggerated, head tilting nod that suggested a mild disagreement. Then the higher-pitched tone he took when he replied confirmed it. “Hm, Tommy! Hm, mm… then there’s Billy, isn’t there? Named after William Shakespeare, all the world’s a stage, all the men and women many players!”

    Wanda went to speak but you beat her to it. “You’re sure it’s a boy, then?”

    Your partner seemed mildly embarrassed as she turned her attention to you. “Strong intuition?”

    You offered casually, not thinking about your lack of say in the matter, “What about Victor? Vin? Little Vinny’s certainly a cute nickname.” Almost immediately after you finished, it was your turn to be the embarrassed one. You stumbled over your words a bit as you started to apologize, only to falter when you saw both Vision and Wanda’s gleeful stares.

    “Well, those are wonderful names too,” Wanda assured you, clearly pleased you had chimed in, “but I’m not hoping for quadruplets. I guess we’ll need the next best thing— A girl.”

    Your shoulders relaxed from their hunched places that you hadn’t noticed they took. You chuckled and strolled out the door, throwing a couple more ideas over your shoulder, “Vivian! Virginia! Nadia!”

    Vision’s voice floated after you as you walked to the kitchen. “Ooh, Vivian’s quite good…”

    When you returned to the bedroom with good-as-new mobile in hand, only final touches needed to be added to the nursery, and Wanda and Vision’s excitement over the baby’s coming was suddenly amped up to eleven. The two were pacing around and frantically listing off the all things that they had left to do or buy. It was a very drastic change from the casual playfulness that you had experienced between them earlier, as the new parents were keeping themselves—and you—busy with a thousand new tasks. Eventually, Vision had a list about as long as he was tall of every bottle, diaper, blanky, binky, children’s book, and stuffed animal that they had yet to get.

    Deciding you were now the more sane member of the group, you decided to take the list and go shopping for them; if you didn’t, Vision may have been swept up in the baby section of a clothing store and never return. That’s how you ended up where you were now, at the front of an ever-growing line of department store customers, waiting anxiously as the workers tried to get the lights back on and the cash register back in working order.

    You rapped your fingernails on the countertop—not intentionally, just out of worry about how your parents-to-be were managing at home—and glanced from your bloated shopping cart to the cashier, who was talking quietly with a manager then back several times. You were antsy about being stuck in a store when you were much useful elsewhere and being concerned about whether you were making the cashier uncomfortable with your mannerisms, for they were probably three times as unsettled as you were, wasn’t doing anything but adding on to the stress.

    Finally, the cashier turned back to you and the rest of the shoppers and announced, “Good news, everybody! The register is still down but it’s a quick switch to manual; we’ll have each and every one of you checked out and on your ways home soon!”

    A cheer erupted around you but you were too frazzled to join in.

    “Unfortunately,” the cashier continued as the noise died down, “we’re not the only store experiencing this. It’s the whole town.”

    While the crowd’s disappointed “Aww” only appeared mildly disgruntled, you went rigid and your mind began racing, all thoughts revolving around a particular household.

    One random thought of wondering What if Wanda went into labor right now? had the hair on your arms sticking straight up.

    You slammed your hand down on the counter, spooking both the cashier and yourself.

    “Ma’am,” you started, then paused to quickly apologize for your rudeness before continuing, “I need you to check me out as fast as humanly possible; I think my—” Wife seemed way out of line but girlfriend felt too out of place. “—pah-art-ner’s having a baby.”

    You were struggling to your car with a small mountain of baby items in the arms in a matter of minutes, mentally kicking yourself for being bad at talking the entire way there. You threw your bags in the back, scrambled into the driver’s seat, and were getting ready to pull away from the curb when a ringing from your mobile phone sounded.

    “Goddammit,” you huffed. One hand was pulling up an antenna and pressing the technological brick to your ear while the other gripped your steering wheel so hard that your knuckles turned three skin tones lighter. “Yeah, hello?”

    “[Y/N]?” Agnes’s voice was a welcome surprise but her worried tone wasn’t.

    “No, it’s your husband, I’m on my way home now, dear,” you snarked, then mentally kicked yourself again. “Sorry, that was rude, I’m in a rush. What’s crackin’? Besides the town going into blackout, that is.”

    “The neighborhood’s flooded,” Agnes said simply.

    You blanched. “I’m sorry?”

    “The cul-de-sac? Something’s happened and all the pipes have burst. Mine, Herb’s, Dotty’s, everyone’s!”

    How on earth the day’s mood has changed so quickly, you had no idea. What you did know is that you desperately had to get back to Wanda’s side, your house be damned.

    “Thanks, ‘Nes, good to know,” you hissed through clenched teeth. You rested your phone between your ear and shoulder as you put both hands on the wheel and started driving.

    “Do you want me to do anything?” Agnes asked; her voice sounded as frazzled as you and the rest of Westview looked. “Go over to your place, grab anything important?”

    You huffed out a sigh as your car flew around a corner. “Agnes, you know I adore you, but I really, really have to go.” 

    “[Y/N]—”

    You hung up and tossed the shoe-sized device in the passenger’s seat.

    Vision met you on the curb as you were parking your car and he had the doctor from earlier that day in tow, now dressed in vacationing attire and very seeming very underprepared. Within a few words and as if you had accidentally wished it into existence back at the department store, you were informed that Wanda was in fact about to have little Billy or Tommy or who-have-you. Of course, this messy day would come to a peak in such a way.

    The taller man was half-escorting, half-hauling both you and the doctor to the door, and the bags in the backseat of your car were completely forgotten as concern chewed away at your insides. Loud, strained sounds coming from inside only added onto it.

    As the three of you reached the front door, Vision flung it open and pressed the doctor inside. Then he grabbed your wrist and began tugging you in after himself.

    You couldn’t help your feet freezing to the concrete. “Vis, are you sure?”

    The distress on his face softened just slightly and he pressed the back of your hand to his lips. “Of course we are.” Then he wrapped an arm around you and properly, albeit quickly, brought you into his and Wanda’s home—

    —where Wanda was laying on the floor, panting and shimmering with sweat and holding a baby wrapped in a blue and white dishtowel while Geraldine perched awkwardly over her.

    You and Vision shared a bug-eyed look before Vision’s turned into one of sadness. You wanted so badly to hug him and tell him it was alright but he was already releasing you and slowly walking over; you trailed a couple of steps after him.

    “Oh no,” he murmured, “I missed it?” However, when he took a look at Wanda’s softly smiling face and their happily cooing baby, whatever brief grief he was experiencing was replaced by a proud smile and new fatherly glow.

    “Hey, doc,” Geraldine spoke suddenly, “why don’t you help me out in the kitchen there?” She nodded in your direction as well.

    You wondered why she was there, in Wanda’s home or Westview, at all. The idea made your stomach flip but you just couldn’t place why.

    The only response the doctor gave was blubbering about speeding as she took his arm and led him away. You began to follow when Vision stopped you with a gentle tug on your arm.

    “No, [Y/N],” he said, “it’s alright. Stay and come see.”

    You didn’t even think as you smiled and took his hand. You took a glance towards the kitchen to make sure the other company was occupied, then kissed the back of his hand as he had done only a moment earlier. Squeezing it and letting it drop, you responded, “Go say hello to your baby. I’ll always be here.”

    Given the current situation, Vision wasn’t up for arguing much. He gave you a quick peck on the temple before gingerly making his way over to where Wanda rested happily on the living room floor.

    You made your way to the kitchen, where you slumped against the kitchen counter as exhaustion overtook you. You were close enough to both parties to hear Geraldine’s blatant attempts at distracting the doctor to your left and Vision and Wanda’s cozy rumblings to your right, but too out of sorts to make out anything tangible. You didn’t realize until now how badly your feet ached from the combination of gardening, decorating, and running around and how your outfit had lost its cute playfulness in place of wrinkles and feeling slightly damp from sweat. You were sure you were looking more worse for wear than Wanda, despite Wanda having had a baby, but when you thought about it for more than a second or two, you felt like you wouldn’t trade the day for any other in the world. 

    Especially when thinking about that cutie patootie, you thought with a tired smile. He’s gonna have such good parents. Such a good life.

    Suddenly, your train of thought was stopped by the sound of Wanda yelling and your whole body jerked in her direction, energetic as ever.

    Wanda was going into labor a second time, you could see easily see. Something somehow more surprising was going on in the living area, though, and that something was Vision’s skin. While he still wore his regular clothes, that was the only normal thing about him. Instead of light skin, his flesh was a deep red and you weren’t even sure it could be called skin; it looked more… mechanical than that, with symmetrical lines etched into some places and silver plating covering others. Instead of a full head of wavy hair, he had none, and his ears and parts of his bald skull were also covered in silver. Silver came to a peak at the top of his forehead and at the end of it was a golden gem.

    Vision was holding his baby and yelling along with Wanda as she began pushing a second time. He happened to glance up and catch your bewildered eye and then he started yelling because of you.

    You stood frozen in place, not sure what to do until you heard a commotion behind you.

    “Well, what’s going on now?” Geraldine started.

    Your brain kicked back into full gear and thinking quickly and somewhat stupidly, you yelled and pointed in the opposite direction, “Jeepers creepers, is that a stork?” You couldn’t imagine why your poor attempt at a distraction worked but you considered it a success as Geraldine and the still-disoriented doctor’s attention settled elsewhere. Not missing a beat, you grabbed another cloth from the kitchen and raced to Wanda and Vision’s aid, skidding to a halt on your knees.

    “[Y/N],” Vision said, though nothing else followed. He stared at you in pure shock, mouth flapping and the bright blue irises of his eyes twisting and shifting like a camera lens as he looked at you. Still, his body worked despite his befuddled mind as he took the cloth you handed him and offered you a newborn baby to hold instead. 

    “[Y/N],” Wanda gasped through her current endeavor. When you dragged your head to look at her, she was staring at you with a clenched jaw and equally wide eyes, which were filled with a mixture of surprise, horror, and… relief? Then she was screaming and pushing again, eyes squeezed shut, and her hand flew to your own.

    You grabbed it and held on tight, even when her fingernails dug in enough to leave marks for days. While a red and silver-skinned Vision handled the delivery like a champ—a bugged out, stammering, robotic champ who couldn’t figure out whether he should be looking at you, his wife, or the baby he was helping into the world but a champ nonetheless—you switched between offering encouraging words to the tiring new mother and cooing calmly at the newborn swaddled and resting cozily in the crook of your arm. Soon enough, Wanda was slumping back into the pillow behind her head and Vision was sitting back on his haunches with another quiet baby snuggled against his chest; your taut muscles sagged and the exhaustion you hit in the kitchen came rushing back. 

    You made sure Wanda was lucid enough to take her baby back and carefully transferred from your arms to hers. It was only after he was safely in his mother’s grasp that you were able to fully relax, tossing an arm around Vision’s shoulders and leaning heavily against him while you shook out your other hand, which was red and covered in deep, crescent moon-shaped marks.

    “So,” you puffed, “Billy and Tommy?”

    Wanda’s tired face lit up as she nodded her head towards her baby. “Tommy.”

    Vision, who was leaning on you as much as you were on him—something in the back of your head noted that the two of you held each other very well and that something sent a little pang of affection straight to your pounding heart—used his turn to nuzzle the forehead of the baby he held and grumble in a half British, half baby-talk accent, “Billy.”

    You hummed while stretching a hand down to give Billy a very ginger boop on the nose; he didn’t seem to mind. Then you said, “Vinny and Vivian will just have to be next time.”

    Your group shuddered with a mess of tired, soft laughter. Then you began to relax further but as the excitement of childbirth began to wear off, you a new variation of tension settling into your couple. The new parents were sharing increasingly worried looks and if they were communicating telepathically, and it was then that you remembered that the man sitting next to you was for less human than you’d previously made him out to be.

    The realization seemed to hit him at almost the same time because his head swung to look at you just as you had turned to observe his new appearance. On his robotic face—was robotic even the word; was he a robot?—was an expression of outright fear but also something that looked like he was mentally being torn in two different directions. He went to speak several times—his mouth and teeth looked the same, perfect and familiar—only to verbally scramble and backtrack, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders since his hands were too occupied to scratch his neck. Finally, he appeared to get himself in order and he started, “[Y/N], I can— we can explain—”

    You ran your hand over his scalp and down to rest at the base of his neck; the silver plating felt like metal, while the thick red epidermis was warm and softer to the touch. Not only warm but damp from exertion, and pulsing softly to some form of a heartbeat where you ran a finger over a common pulse point. 

    While your mental energy was rapidly declining, you still managed to quip at the man, “As much as loved the idea of running my fingers through your hair, I think I prefer this over that awful cut that’s in style right now.”

    That left Vision dumbfounded and silent, his mouth flopping open and closed like a fish out of water. On your other side, who had been otherwise quiet and already snoozing as far as you were concerned, broke into a burst of loud laughter that was music to your ears.

    You grinned in response but your muscles were too tired to make it reach your eyes. You shifted over slightly to be closer to Wanda now and brushed your thumb over little Tommy’s cheek before resting doing a similar action to his mother’s. Wanda relaxed her head against your palm and the way she looked up at you from under her lashes made you do mental gymnastics about the ethics of blurting out the L-word then and there.

    Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last much longer because then Geraldine’s voice floated over from the kitchen, getting louder as she and the doctor made their way back from the wild stork chase you sent them on. You quickly looked to Vision, only to see him looking as human as the day you first met him, and noted the sad little string you got from seeing simple blue irises instead of the intricately shifting blue ones that swirled mechanically as he focused on something. It only lasted a moment, though, before you and your trio were busy readjusting yourselves into what you considered normal poses but in reality, probably made the three of you look much more awkward than you previously had.

    You’d just finished settling as Geraldine and her companion walked into the living room and, thinking tiredly and definitely stupidly, you blurted, “Jeepers creepers, another baby!”

    “Twenty fingers and twenty toes, you’ve got two healthy baby boys on your hands.”

    “Thank you, doctor,” Wanda responded as the man handed Billy back to her. Vision stood watchfully next to her, holding Tommy.

    You poked your head up from behind the second crib you were finishing assembling and as the doctor turned to thank Geraldine for her delivery help, you said to the Maximoff couple, “And a second crib all ready to go. If they’re not fans of sleeping separately, let me know and we can exchange the ones you have for one big one.”

    Wanda held out her hand to you as you stood and you walked over to hold it only briefly as she thanked you before leaning over and crooning at Billy and Tommy in turn. You were in the company of others, after all, and there had been enough excitement for one day without revealing your polyamorous relationship to a neighbor and a random doctor.

    It was weird how different the energy felt standing with them now than it had earlier just that day alone. Things still felt new and strange but you no longer felt like a separate unit from the household you were standing in or the people standing and smiling oh so sweetly at you. Then again, maybe that’s just what being involved in the arrival of an unexpected set of twins and making a superhuman discovery about one of your partners did to all blossoming romantic triads in the seventies. 

    Speaking of the doctor, as he began to finish up chatting with Geraldine, Vision beckoned you closer, and after getting an okay to do so, he carefully laid the baby he held in your arms. He gave Tommy a nuzzle and a light tap on the nose, then straightened up and headed towards the door.

    He said to the other man, “Allow me to walk you out, doctor.”

    “Oh, alright,” the doctor responded with an odd quiver in his voice. Said quiver was confirmed to be restlessness, which you had no doubt was attached to some sort of superhuman business Vision had involved him in when picking him up, when he continued, “As long as we actually walk this time?”

    You would definitely have to delve into the mystery of Vision’s sometimes inhuman appearance at a later date but at that moment you were remembering how the entire neighborhood’s pipes had burst. The neighborhood of which your house was a part of and an event you were sure you hadn’t been lucky enough to avoid.

    “Oh, shi—oot,” you stammered, “I should probably get back to my own pad and save what I can from getting water damage. I haven’t even been home to see how bad everything is.” You provided Tommy with a very important explanation in very serious baby babble terms before placing him in his crib. “I’ll just leave my car on this side of the street and bring the other stuff in sometime later this evening if that’s alright with you, Wanda?”

    When you looked at her, she was giving you a confused head tilt. She blinked, then her eyes shot wide open. “Oh, the pipes!” She paused and turned her gaze to the far wall of the living room as if she could see your house through it, then looked back at you with a smile. “Your house should be fine. In fact, I think the entire neighborhood is back intact!”

    Something about the way she looked at you assured you that she was right. You wondered whether Vision wasn’t the only one with a unique secret under this roof and if all the strange happenings that had gone on today couldn’t be traced back to Wanda herself.

    Not that any of that really mattered in the grand scheme of things.

    “I should still go,” you insisted, “You should really rest for a while, and I am a mess for the second time today. Maybe I can pop back over in a little bit?”

    Wanda pursed her lips in a subtle doubt before giving in. She nodded and after taking a glance around to make sure the company was occupied, she grasped your hand and leaned in closer. “Come over for dinner tonight. Stay and help us get the babies settled in? We can talk about today.”

    “Wanda, you need rest—”

    The woman interrupted, a teasing look making her eyes glitter. “Which is why either you or Vision will be doing the cooking! And you know how much I love the man but there’s a reason the only thing he handles in the kitchen is water from the faucet.”

    You had to nod in somber agreement at that statement, then sighed and gave Wanda a pout of your own. “Fine. Now, is anyone looking?”

    Wanda was smiling triumphantly. She took another quick look around, then shook her head; her silky hair fanned out slightly from its position perfectly framing her head as she did.

    You shuffled a little closer and slipped an arm around her waist in an intimate hug. Leaning in, you gave her one quick smooch on the cheek and another on the forehead then mumbled against her skin, “You did amazing.” Another kiss. “And you’re going to be a wonderful mother. Please, though, promise me that you’ll rest, at least for a little bit. The world will not crumble around you if you take one break.”

    Wanda, who had immediately leaned into your embrace and giggled as you kissed her, scoffed slightly. She gave you a tight squeeze and murmured back, “I suppose you’re right. Fine, but only because you promised to cook.”

    “Well, technically,” you said as you broke away from her, “I only said I’d come over. I can’t wait for Vision to make us burnt water and boiled bacon!”

    Wanda stared after you, frozen in a mock gasp. “[Y/N]!”

    You grinned and waved before spinning on your heels and trotting over to where Vision was perched, holding the door. “Bye!”

    When you got to the door, Vision’s hand played lightly down your back as he followed you outside after the doctor. 

    “Well, Dr. Nielson,” Vision said, “I hope you’re still able to make your trip.”

    The doctor, apparently Dr. Nielson, slowed as he stepped off the porch and onto the sidewalk. He turned towards Vision with a glassy look in his eye that he hadn’t had before but you’ve been seeing more and more often in Westview residents these days. When he talked, his speech became slower as well. 

    “Ah, yes, about my trip,” he drawled, “I don’t think we’ll get away after all. Small towns, you know. So hard to… escape.” 

    You frowned, suddenly uneasy. Glancing at Vision, the man just looked confused.

    Dr. Nielson’s glassy gaze shifted from Vision to you. He spoke deliberately to you, “Don’t you think, [Y/N]?” Then he blinked, turned, and walked off down the sidewalk.

    You weren’t sure exactly why, but you flinched and reeled back. You would have tripped and fallen up the porch if it weren’t for Vision catching you. Then the two of you stood gripping each other and staring as the doctor disappeared around the corner. 

    You didn’t even realize that your ears had started ringing until the sound began to fade. You started, “Well, that was…”

    “Yeah,” Vision said with a slow nod. “Very. Are you alright?”

    “Fine, I think.”

    “No migraines?”

    “No migraines.”

    The two of you stood holding each other for a moment longer before you forced your fingers to loosen their death grip on Vision’s jacket. As the two of you relaxed slightly and readjusted yourselves, several questions rushed through your head, like why was that so unnerving and why did the doctor speak directly to you.

    How had he known your name?

    A particularly sharp pain made your vision swim temporarily but it was gone as soon as it came. Before you think any further on the subject, other voices floated into your range of hearing.

    “What is she doing in there?”

    “I don’t know.”

    You followed the voices with your eyes and found Agnes and Herb talking quietly by the wall Herb had been cutting into earlier; actually, Herb looked like he’d barely moved an inch, still standing in the gap between his wall of shrubs. At least he appeared more lucid, but now he and Agnes were huddled together like they were having a secret meeting. Neither of them noticed you yet.

    Vision decided to change that by throwing up a hand and hollering, “Howdy neighbors!”

    Agnes spun around so quickly you were wonder if she’d given herself whiplash, but the strained greetings and even more strained expressions that both she and Herb gave were what really piqued your interest.

    Well, not so much piqued your interest than their actions gave you a second dose of uneasiness that made your head spin and filled you with a sense of somewhat morbid curiosity.

    Then they stuck their heads back together and continued muttering.

    “Did you see her go inside?” Agnes questioned.

    Herb responded, “She went right in.”

    Vision leaned his head closer to yours; he didn’t seem to catch what they were saying. “Do they seem… a little off to you?”

    “Just a tad.”

    You silently deliberated with each other before casually strolling over.

    “Remarkable day we’re having, no?” Vision tried again.

    Agnes and Herb looked up again, also trying to look casual but there was something definitely worrisome about their equally strained smiles.

    Vision continued, “Did you lose power too?”

    You snapped your fingers, joining in. “That’s right! Agnes, you called me about the pipes bursting. I hope nothing got too damaged?”

    “Oh, sure did,” Agnes said to Vision, “but Ralph looks better in the dark, so I’m not complaining. And you’re right, I did, [Y/N]! Luckily, everything’s just fine.”

    There was an awkward pause and even though you were out in open air, you felt like you were struggling to breathe in a sauna.

    Vision said, “Hi, Herb.”

    Herb responded, “Heya, buddy.”

    More awkward silence. 

    “Well,” Vision said slowly, lightly clapping his hands together, “I’ll get back to Wanda. [Y/N], you’re heading home?”

    “Right,” you affirmed, a little too quickly.

    What is going on?

    Vision placing his hand on your back brought back some sense of normalcy as he began escorting you to the curb.

    “Vision,” Agnes abruptly said halting your exit. You and your partner turned back to her and Herb and she continued after a long-winded pause and adjusting her awkward stance leaning against the low wall, “Is Geraldine inside with Wanda?”

    “Yes. Why?”

    Herb piped up, “She’s new to town. Brand new.”

    Wait, that’s not right. Your brows furrowed and you felt the sting of your own bite as you chewed your bottom lip. You felt pressure in your skull as you tried to recall where you’d previously met the woman, because you knew you had, but trying to do so had a similar feeling to trying to grip water as it rushed through your fingers.

    Agnes went on, “There’s no family. No husband.”

    You would have scowled, said something in defense of your circumstances of moving to Westview without a family or marriage, but you were too busy trying to clear away the fog that quickly encroaching your headspace. Vision, on the other hand, was able to say something, “Well there’s nothing wrong with that.”

    Agnes hummed, gave a half-hearted nod, then steadily met his gaze. “No home.”

    Come to think of it, you knew very little about Geraldine. While you were positive that you’d met her before today, you couldn’t for the life of you place what she did for work, when she first appeared in Westview, what house in the cul-de-sac she lived in—

    You could list off the names of everyone who lived in your neighborhood. Geraldine wasn’t one of them.

    Your brain felt like it could expand and explode from the intense pressure at any moment but the dread pooling in the pit of your stomach from the idea of not being able to retrieve memories bothered you far more. You couldn’t bring yourself to push the thoughts away and instead mentally leaned into the pain. The harder you pushed, the more pressure pushed back, as if you were fighting against an invisible barrier that was barring you from your own memories. 

    At the same time, you attempted to keep yourself grounded by staying tuned into the conversation at hand. Vision asked Agnes what she meant by Geraldine having no home and Herb kept stumbling over the same beginning of a sentence—She came here because… She came here because… She came here because we’re all…—like he was a record on a broken player that just wouldn’t let him get out what he wanted to say. 

    Vision tried to urge him on. “She came here because what? What are trying to tell me?”

    With Agnes and Herb bickering briefly about whether or not to tell Vision whatever it was they had been speaking about, Vision completely tuned into them, and you fighting to remember things without succumbing to your migraines, you had an underlying feeling of being out of place. You’ve felt out of place before, of course, but this was something different and weird and wrong. Your entire perfect—but not so much, you were gradually learning—little town suddenly seemed like it was out of place in its state, its country, its world, its reality. Out of nowhere, Westview felt like it was trapped in a claustrophobic little bubble that wouldn’t let anyone escape and the longer anyone was here, the warped things would become—

    A memory came rushing back of a black and white talent show and a smashed mirror and an arm oozing blood and color and Geraldine was there but she was an eerie Geraldine, out of place and time and reality and asking if you knew who she was or who you were and you didn’t know the answer and then Wanda and Vision appeared and everything was okay again, and now the name Monica throbbed against the base of your neck and the air around you radiated electricity and it was itchy and no one around you was noticing anything and instead of darkness, a weird bright light was tinging the edges of your vision white and—

    There was a crash coming from the house and none of the people standing next to you were any the wiser but even though you felt like you were swimming through honey while doing it, you turned just in time to see a portion of a nearby wall explode as something shot out from inside and continued flying until it disappeared into the distance. Then there was a sound similar to a sonic boom that followed and a wave of nausea crashed over you as the electric air rippled and distorted right before your eyes, and then you could see the dome of TV static-looking energy that encapsulated your town and the dome seemed to peak directly above the Maximoff house.

    Your ears rang. Your mouth flapped open closed but you couldn’t force a single word out. You looked around and everyone else in your group seemed trapped in a strained conversation that they couldn’t escape from if they wanted to.

    You didn’t so much walk as you floated over to the gaping hole in the side of your couple’s house, or at least, that’s what it felt like as the ground grew soft and wobbly under your feet and you swayed as you moved. You reached the hole and peered through it, then waved aimlessly when you saw Wanda staring wide-eyed at you from a couple of demolished rooms away. She said or mouthed something—she’s sorry? Why?—but you couldn’t tell which it was over the thrumming of your own pulse in your ears. You cocked your head, more out of curiosity than confusion, then blinked and stared glassy-eyed as the hole in the house reversed itself.

    “Huh,” you said dumbly as the last brick fell back into place. “Cool.”

    Then your body felt as if it were slammed back onto very hard, solid ground and that’s because it was. You weren’t sure if you whined or groaned or screamed as you collapsed to the ground, succumbing to your worst migraine yet. 

[maroonghoul]

Terror Time 2022. Days 4 thru 9

Hi again. Here’s an update of the films I’ve watched since my last post.

Haunt (2019): I have a bit more to say about this that I hope to write about later. But for now, I went in expecting a premise where if Pennywise was running a haunted house attraction (because it’s full of your worst fears), but it was ended up closer to Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I’m actually not angry of disappointed about the premise we actually got, but I did thought it could’ve gotten more creative with the kills. Taken more advantage of the setting and costumes, I mean. As for my initial expectations, maybe I confused it with another movie. Otherwise, this was Okay.

Host (2020): Yeah, it took me two years to catch up with the pandemic found footage horror film as it were. I will say, I’m impressed, effects wise, with what they were able to film under heavy lockdown. This might be the shortest thing I ever watched that technically counts as a movie, but; limitations. So I can’t complain on that front. Though that bit with the elbows at the end made me sad, in a "even if they survive this, they’re still in a nightmare” kind of way.

The Head Hunter (2019): Another short one. The first half is more dark fantasy, then the second half goes in a direction that reminded me of Evil Dead, though less goofy. This is a story where the moral is; when on a revenge quest, don’t get sloppy.

The Others (2001): Unfortunately, I was spoiled on the ending years ago. But it’s a solid execution on this version of a haunted house story. Whether you know the twist or not, it’s worth watching just for the atmosphere. Just try to ignore who’s listed under “Executive Producer”...

The Mortuary Collection (2019): The other anthology movie I’m watching this year. First thing, if they ever want to continue the Phantasm franchise, I can see Clancy Brown taking over as the Tall Man. Also, solid reveal for why our other main character is so unlikable, even if I had mixed feelings on where she ended up. As for the stories, first one’s cute, although I don’t know how Montgomery would know about this. Second one is pretty funny in a gross out way, although I’m unclear on the how. Third one gave me anxiety, in a good way. And the last one’s a messed up twist on an old setup.

Thirst (2009): Another South Korean horror film here to destroy a bit of my soul, like all the ones I watched before this (The Host, The Wailing, I Saw the Devil, Train to Busan, Tale of Two Sisters). Though for a vampire movie, it had scenes that were funny to me that probably shouldn’t have been. (Him sipping blood through a tube while lying down, the sudden acts of violence, casually lifting objects with super strength, the whole final scene). Maybe I’m just jaded. It’s a movie that certainly sees the sexual appeal of vampires, but also seems to find them ridiculous to some degree. And that the potential or gain of power can reveal how awful the most unexpected people can be deep down.

Sinister (2012): This almost feels like a movie that could’ve been shot during the pandemic, given that 90% of it took place in one house. And yet, this movie is ten years old! That’s just wild to me. It reminded me of The Shining in a few ways (bad father putting his job ahead of his family, son being wide-eyed and scared, family murder with an axe, etc.) It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to go outside and away from a screen for a while...like I did. 

The Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001): Despite what the title might have you think, this isn’t a werewolf movie. I’m not sure that counts as a full horror movie, so much as a film with horror elements. This is, however, one of those films that’s decided to be ALL of the genres. A bit of Kung Fu, Period Romance, Conspiracy Thriller, and yes, Monster Movie, with a bonus inclusion of Evil Cult movie. You like any of these, or any movie with the gusto to try to combine that many genres in one, it’s worth a look.

And that’s it so far. If you want to know about a horror movie I might’ve watched before in previous years, I’ll try to respond with either how I felt about the experience or confirm I haven’t watched it. I’m just happy I had more to say this week.

[aion-rsa]

HBO Max New Releases:. July 2021

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

LeBron James might be out of the NBA playoffs, but he’s still angling to be a big part of the summer entertainment season. That’s because HBO Max’s list of new releases for July 2021 is highlighted by a very special sequel.

Space Jam: A New Legacy premieres on July 16. will find LeBron teaming up with the Looney Tunes in a Warner Bros. IP-extravaganza. Can ‘Bron and the Looney Tunes beat the Goon Squad before Warner Bros.’ server steals LeBron “Bronny” Jr.’s soul (or something)? Let’s hope so. The two other major WB releases this month, No Sudden Move and Tom and Jerry in New York, both come to HBO Max on July 1.

HBO Max is also bringing some fun TV shows to its stream this month. The long-awaited Gossip Girl revival premieres on July 8. That will be followed by Mike White’s satirical limited series The White Lotus on July 11. Ronan Farrow’s excellent book Catch and Kill gets a docuseries adaptation on July 12.

July 1 will see the arrival of library titles like Planet of the Apes, Reservoir Dogs, and Scream. Recent hit Judas and the Black Messiah comes to HBO Max on that date as well. It’s a good month for geek TV with the Doctor Who 2020 Christmas Special (July 1), Nancy Drew season 2 (July 3), and Batwoman season 2 (July 27) all coming home to their streaming residence.

HBO Max New Releases – July 2021

TBA FBOY Island, Max Original Season 1 Premiere Romeo Santos: King of Bachata, 2021 (HBO) Romeo Santos Utopia Live from MetLife Stadium, 2021 (HBO)

July 1 ¡Come! (aka Eat!), 2020 8 Mile, 2002 (HBO) All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, 1996 (HBO) All Dogs Go to Heaven, 1989 (HBO) Behind Enemy Lines, 1997 (HBO) Beneath the Planet of the Apes, 1970 (HBO) Bio-Dome, 1996 (HBO) Black Panthers, 1968 Blackhat, 2015 (HBO) Brubaker, 1980 (HBO) Cantinflas (HBO) Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, 1972 (Extended Version) (HBO) Cousins, 1989 (HBO) Dark Water, 2005 (HBO) Darkness Falls, 2003 (HBO) Demolition Man, 1993 Dirty Work, 1998 (HBO) Disturbia, 2007 (HBO) Doctor Who Holiday 2020 Special: Revolution of the Daleks, 2020 Duplex, 2003 (HBO) Escape from the Planet of the Apes, 1971 (HBO) Eve’s Bayou, 1997 Firestarter, 1984 (HBO) First, 2012 For Colored Girls, 2010 (HBO) For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada, 2012 (HBO) Full Bloom, Max Original Season 2 Finale Ghost in the Machine, 1993 (HBO) The Good Lie, 2014 (HBO) Gun Crazy, 1950 House on Haunted Hill, 1999 Identity Thief, 2013 (Extended Version) (HBO) Ira & Abby, 2007 (HBO) Joe Versus the Volcano, 1990 Judas and the Black Messiah, 2021 (HBO) Laws Of Attraction, 2004 (HBO) Lucky, 2017 (HBO) Maid in Manhattan, 2002 Married to the Mob, 1988 (HBO) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, 1997 Mississippi Burning, 1988 (HBO) Monster-In-Law, 2005 Mousehunt, 1997 (HBO) My Brother Luca (HBO) No Sudden Move Pleasantville, 1998 The Prince of Tides, 1991 Project X, 1987 (HBO) The Punisher, 2017 (HBO) Punisher: War Zone, 2008 (HBO) Rambo, 2008 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Reds, 1981 (HBO) Reservoir Dogs, 1992 (HBO) The Return of the Living Dead, 1985 (HBO) Return of the Living Dead III, 1993 (Extended Version) (HBO) Rounders, 1998 (HBO) Saturday Night Fever, 1977 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Scream, 1996 Scream 2, 1997 Scream 3, 2000 Semi-Tough, 1977 (HBO) The Sessions, 2012 (HBO) Set Up, 2012 (HBO) Snake Eyes, 1998 (HBO) Staying Alive, 1983 (HBO) Stuart Little, 1999 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2003 Tom and Jerry in New York, Max Original Series Premiere Trick ‘R Treat, 2009 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, 2007 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman, 2005 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself, 2009 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail, 2009 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family, 2011 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion, 2006 (HBO) Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too, 2010 (HBO) The Watcher, 2016 (HBO) The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, 2007 (HBO) Westworld (Movie), 1973 White Chicks (Unrated & Uncut Version), 2004 The White Stadium, 1928 Won’t Back Down, 2012 (HBO) Zero Days, 2016 (HBO)

July 2 Lo Que Siento por Ti (aka What I Feel for You) (HBO)

July 3 Let Him Go, 2020 (HBO) Nancy Drew, Season 2

July 7 Dr. STONE, Seasons 1 and 2 (Subtitled) (Crunchyroll Collection) Shiva Baby, 2021 (HBO)

July 8 The Dog House: UK, Max Original Season 2 Premiere Gossip Girl, Max Original Series Premiere Human Capital, 2020 (HBO) The Hunt, 2020 (HBO) Looney Tunes Cartoons, Max Original Season 2 Premiere

July 9 Frankie Quinones: Superhomies (HBO)

July 11 The White Lotus, Limited Series Premiere (HBO)

July 12 Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes, Documentary Series Premiere (HBO)

July 15 Tom & Jerry, 2021 (HBO)

July 16 Betty, Season 2 Finale (HBO) Space Jam: A New Legacy, Warner Bros. Film Premiere, 2021  Un Disfraz Para Nicolas (aka A Costume for Nicolas) (HBO)

July 17 The Empty Man, 2020 (HBO)

July 18 100 Foot Wave, Documentary Series Premiere (HBO)

July 22 Through Our Eyes, Max Original Documentary Series Premiere

July 23 Corazon De Mezquite (aka Mezquite’s Heart) (HBO)

July 24 Freaky, 2020 (HBO)

July 26 Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes, Documentary Series Finale (HBO)

July 27 Batwoman, Season 2 Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO)

July 30 Uno Para Todos (aka One for All) (HBO)

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Leaving HBO Max – July 2021  

July 3 The ABC’s Of Covid-19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents Part 2, 2020

July 4 Annabelle, 2014 Annabelle Comes Home, 2019 (HBO) The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, 2021 The Curse of La Llorona, 2019 The Nun, 2018

July 5 Lost And Delirious, 2001

July 8 Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015

July 10 It: Chapter 2, 2019 (HBO)

July 11 An Elephant’s Journey, 2018 In the Heights, 2021 Thanks for Sharing, 2013

July 15 Burlesque, 2010

July 17 The Notebook, 2004

July 26 The King’s Speech, 2010

July 31 17 Again, 2009 A Clockwork Orange, 1971 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, 1985 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, 1988 A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, 1989 A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street, 2010 Adam’s Rib, 1949 America’s Sweethearts, 2001 Anaconda, 1997 The Apparition, 2012 (HBO) Are We There Yet?, 2005 Argo, 2012 (Alternate Version) (HBO) AVP: Alien vs. Predator, 2004 (Alternate Version) (HBO) Badlands, 1973 Beau Brummel, 1954 The Benchwarmers, 2006 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, 2011 (HBO) Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta!, 2012 (HBO) Billy Madison, 1995 (HBO) The Book Of Eli, 2010 (HBO) Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1992 Bringing Up Baby, 1938 The City of Lost Children, 1995 The Color Purple, 1985 The Comebacks, 2007 (Alternate Version) (HBO) The Conjuring 2, 2016 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, 2002 (HBO) Don’t Let Go, 2019 (HBO) Downton Abbey, 2019 (HBO) El Angel (aka The Angel), 2018 (HBO) Eyes Wide Shut, 1999 Fool’s Gold, 2008 Fort Tilden, 2015 (HBO) The Four Feathers, 2002 (HBO) The Gay Divorcee, 1934 Get A Job, 2016 (HBO) The Goonies, 1985 Grand Canyon, 1991 (HBO) Hairspray, 1988 Happy Gilmore, 1996 (HBO) Hellboy Animated Collection, 2006, 2007 The Hurricane, 1999 (HBO) I Know What You Did Last Summer, 1997 Iniciales SG (aka Initials S.G.), 2019 (HBO) J. Edgar, 2011 Jackie Chan’s First Strike, 1997 Jacob’s Ladder, 1990 (HBO) Jeremiah Johnson, 1972 Keeper Of The Flame, 1943 Kill Bill: Vol. 1, 2003 (HBO) Kill Bill: Vol. 2, 2004 (HBO) Kung Fu Hustle, 2005 The Lego Ninjago Movie, 2014 Less Than Zero, 1987 (HBO) Life Stinks, 1991 (HBO) Lincoln, 2012 (HBO) Little Children, 2006 (HBO) Little Man Tate, 1991 (HBO) Lovely & Amazing, 2002 The Lucky One, 2012(HBO) The Madness of King George, 1994 (HBO) Marisol, 2019 (HBO) Me 3.769, 2019 (HBO) Michael Clayton, 2007 Mickey Blue Eyes, 1999 Monster-In-Law, 2005 Mulholland Dr., 2001 Muralla (aka Muralla, The Goalkeeper), 2018 (HBO) Murder on the Orient Express, 1974 (HBO) Music and Lyrics, 2007 My Dream Is Yours, 1949 My Girl 2, 1994 My Girl, 1991 My Sister’s Keeper, 2009 Now, Voyager, 1942 Old Dogs, 2009 (HBO) The Opposite Sex, 1956 The Pledge, 2001 (HBO) Precious, 2009 (HBO) The Producers, 1968 The Prophecy, 1995 (HBO) The Prophecy II, 1998 (HBO) The Prophecy III: The Ascent, 2000 (HBO) Prophecy IV: The Uprising, 2005 (HBO) Prophecy V: The Forsaken, 2005 (HBO) Pulp Fiction, 1994 Rachel and The Stranger, 1948 Radio Days, 1987 (HBO) The Reluctant Debutante, 1958 Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, 1987 (HBO) Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love, 2005 (HBO) Revenge of the Nerds, 1984 (HBO) Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, 1991 Roger & Me, 1989 Rollerball, 2002 (HBO) Romance on the High Seas, 1948 Rumble in the Bronx, 1996 Safe House, 2012 (HBO) Salvador, 1986 (HBO) Shall We Dance?, 2004 Shallow Hal, 2001 (HBO) Shocker, 1989 (HBO) Sinbad of the Seven Seas, 1989 (HBO) Sprung, 1997 (HBO) Stop-Loss, 2008 (HBO) Sunshine Cleaning, 2009 (HBO) Swing Time, 1936 Tea for Two, 1950 Thief, 1981 (HBO) This Is Spinal Tap, 1984 (HBO) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 2011 (HBO) Top Hat, 1935 Trapped in Paradise, 1994 (HBO) Troll 2, 1990 (HBO) Troll, 1986 (HBO) Two Minutes of Fame, 2020 (HBO) Underdog, 2007 (HBO) Untamed Heart, 1993 (HBO) Up in the Air, 2009 (HBO) The Visitor, 2008 Waiting for Guffman, 1997 The Wedding Singer, 1998 Wendy, 2020 (HBO) Wildcats, 1986 (HBO) The Wings of Eagles, 1957 Without Love, 1945 Woman of the Year, 1942 Worth Winning, 1989 (HBO) Young Man with a Horn, 1949

The post HBO Max New Releases:. July 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3jwDnnp

[hammerlocke-gym]

list of assorted discourse/topics that will probably be brought up once chainsaw man has the anime it’s inevitably gonna get:

makima discourse. from all over the spectrum. on one hand, she’s a powerful, female (do you think makima effectively utilized girl power by triggering the massacre of thousands of people abroad for her own goals), villainous character, but on the other hand, she’s incredibly manipulative and kills off a lot of fan-favorites.

denji discourse as well. considering a lot of popular shounen these days have had very Nice Boy protags, denji reading as a sex-obsessed uncaring brat is going to bring in the “uwu denji’s my sweet little cinnamon roll” discourse and “denji is gross because he reduces all the female characters to tits” discourse

general quanxi (+harem) discourse about how csm depicts lgbt characters

that One Scene with reze and denji going to see the fireworks will become the new anime g*rn thing to replace the years’ worth of recycled manga screencaps from tg. i’m just saying it will get gif’d and edited to hell and back. (which is kind of already happening, but,)

people either reading way too much or way too little into that scene with power and denji after they defeat the darkness demon

himeno discourse. you know why.

people giving tolka way more attention than the manga ever bothered to give him

ship wars are admittedly hard to predict (because you don’t know what the anime will devote attention to), but i see a denji/reze vs denji/power one on the horizon

i tried long and hard to think if anyone would start aki discourse, but i can see people uwu-ifying him once his initial introduction episodes are over. also people reducing him to his relationship with the angel devil

sharkmans is gonna get “shark boi best boi”’d in like milliseconds after his introduction mark my words

"aw kobeni and the violence devil are so cute! i can’t wait to see more of them :)”

speaking of kobeni, i can easily see people trashing on her for what she does in her introduction chapter. after the dust on that has settled and we’re in the international assassins arc, people will start declaring her best girl at the speed of light

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

WOLF CREEK: A New Horror Icon Was Born Twelve Years Ago This Christmas

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/12986-2/

WOLF CREEK: A New Horror Icon Was Born Twelve Years Ago This Christmas

Aussie Horror Wolf Creek was released on December 25th, 2005. The film follows two stranded motorists (Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath), who fall prey to a murderous bushman (John Jarratt).

The advertising heavily touted the film as being based on true events. Similar to how The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is known to be inspired by infamous serial killer Ed Gein, the “true story” aspect of Wolf Creek is that the film has elements that are similar to those of two separate murderers, Ivan Millat and Bradley Murdoch, who each killed backpacking tourists in the Australian outback between the years of 1989 and 2001. The similarities to the real-life events seem to end there. The story isn’t about Millat or Murdoch. Instead, we are introduced to fictional killer Mick Taylor for the first time.

Personally, I think the advertising team’s claim that Wolf Creek is based on a true events is quite a stretch. Like Texas Chainsaw, the film is inspired by real-life murders. The “based on true events” statement comes across as a now-standard marketing gimmick, to an otherwise dark, tense, and successful film.

Wolf Creek was directed by Greg McCLeen and stars John Jarratt (Boar), Nathan Phillips (Chernobyl Diaries), Cassandra Macgrath (TV’s Scare Campaign), and Kesti Morassi (Darkness Falls). McCleen and David Lightfoot wrote the screenplay and served as producers. Wolf Creek played at the Sundance and Cannes film festivals before its international release in the fall of 2005 and finally saw a wide release by Dimension Films in US theaters on December 25, 2005. Like many horror films, Wolf Creek received mixed reviews from critics upon its debut. The film currently has a 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite receiving widely mixed reviews from critics, Wolf Creek had some powerful names backing it when it was released to movie goers. Quentin Tarantino (Hateful Eight and Death Proof) praised the performance of John Jarratt:

John Jarratt delivers a performance that’s destined to go down as one of the great horror film heavies of the last 25 years.

And frequent Tarantino collaborator, Robert Rodriquez (From Dusk Till Dawn and Planet Terror) said that Wolf Creek

…is as real as horror gets.

Wolf Creek was produced on a budget of 1.38 million and went on to make 27.8 million at the box office, which made it a success for Dimension, who released the film. For decades it has seemed like for every hit horror film that comes out there is a stream of imitators that soon follow, and Wolf Creek was no exception. No doubt due in part to the financial and fan success of Wolf Creek, a string of Australian-set horror movies followed. Rogue (2007), Storm Warning (2007), Black Water (2007), Lake Mungo (2008), and Nature’s Grave aka the Long Weekend remake (2008) are some of the more notable titles and, in my opinion, are all worth checking out.

After Wolf Creek, McCleen wrote and directed the killer crocodile flick Rogue (2007) that proudly displayed “from the director of Wolf Creek” on its marketing. Rogue was praised by critics but failed to be a commercial success like Wolf Creek. McClean then took a break from directing until 2013. No doubt due to its success and large fan following that had only increased as time passed, Wolf Creek was finally followed by a sequel in 2014. The simply titled Wolf Creek 2 was also directed by Greg McLean and stars Ryan Corr (Where the Wild Things Are and Hacksaw Ridge), Phillipe Klaus (Devil’s Dust), Shannon Ashlyn (also of Devil’s Dust), and John Jarret, who reprised his role as Mick Taylor.

Synopsis:

A young man (Ryan Corr) matches wits with a sadistic killer (John Jarratt) who lives in an underground, booby-trapped lair in the Australian outback.

Wolf Creek 2 was distributed by Roadshow Film Distributors in 2014, and, like it’s predecessor, the film was a financial success. McLean went on to direct such horror titles as The Darkness (2016), The Belko Experiment (2017), and Jungle (2017). but he wasn’t done with Wolf Creek and killer Mick Taylor just yet. So it should come as no surprise that the series would live on. In 2016 the franchise saw another return of Mick Taylor, this time instead of a feature film, it was a six part Australian television series. Greg McLean returned to the franchise as showrunner and director, along with Tony Tilse. And, once again, John Jarratt stepped back into the role of Mick Taylor.

Synopsis:

An American family’s Australian vacation takes a tragic turn when sadistic serial killer Mick Taylor targets the tourists. College student Eve is the lone survivor after Taylor attacks the family in the Outback. Determined to avenge the deaths of her parents and younger brother, Eve sets out to hunt down their killer. She vows to bring the perpetrator to justice or die trying. As she goes along on her journey, Eve evolves into an adult and transforms from prey to predator, looking to triumph over her evil adversary. The six-part miniseries is inspired by the 2005 film of the same name.

The second season of Wolf Creek is set to premiere on Australia’s Stan Network this December. Wolf Creek Season One is available on DVD, Bluray, and streaming services. You can check out our coverage of the series here.

It has been twelve years since the initial release of Wolf Creek, and it appears that killer Mick Taylor is a long way from being done. After two successful films and a hit spin-off series, it is obvious that he has staying power. In my opinion, Mick Taylor deserves a spot among the horror franchise heavyweights like Freddy, Jason, and Michael. Similar to the plethora of merchandise that has been inspired by those three, there have even been limited edition action figures and bobbleheads made of Mick Taylor. It is time to add John Jarrett to the list of horror acting icons alongside such recognizable names as Robert Englund, Tobin Bell, Tony Todd, and Kane Hodder.

I can vouch for both Wolf Creek films. If you haven’t seen them, they are well worth checking out. They are dark and gritty rural horror. However, I’m not the biggest TV watcher so I haven’t seen the spin-off show yet. Have you? If so, what did you think? Let us know in the comments below.

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

WOLF CREEK: A New Horror Icon Was Born Twelve Years Ago This Christmas

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/12986-2/

WOLF CREEK: A New Horror Icon Was Born Twelve Years Ago This Christmas

Aussie Horror Wolf Creek was released on December 25th, 2005. The film follows two stranded motorists (Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath), who fall prey to a murderous bushman (John Jarratt).

The advertising heavily touted the film as being based on true events. Similar to how The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is known to be inspired by infamous serial killer Ed Gein, the “true story” aspect of Wolf Creek is that the film has elements that are similar to those of two separate murderers, Ivan Millat and Bradley Murdoch, who each killed backpacking tourists in the Australian outback between the years of 1989 and 2001. The similarities to the real-life events seem to end there. The story isn’t about Millat or Murdoch. Instead, we are introduced to fictional killer Mick Taylor for the first time.

Personally, I think the advertising team’s claim that Wolf Creek is based on a true events is quite a stretch. Like Texas Chainsaw, the film is inspired by real-life murders. The “based on true events” statement comes across as a now-standard marketing gimmick, to an otherwise dark, tense, and successful film.

Wolf Creek was directed by Greg McCLeen and stars John Jarratt (Boar), Nathan Phillips (Chernobyl Diaries), Cassandra Macgrath (TV’s Scare Campaign), and Kesti Morassi (Darkness Falls). McCleen and David Lightfoot wrote the screenplay and served as producers. Wolf Creek played at the Sundance and Cannes film festivals before its international release in the fall of 2005 and finally saw a wide release by Dimension Films in US theaters on December 25, 2005. Like many horror films, Wolf Creek received mixed reviews from critics upon its debut. The film currently has a 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite receiving widely mixed reviews from critics, Wolf Creek had some powerful names backing it when it was released to movie goers. Quentin Tarantino (Hateful Eight and Death Proof) praised the performance of John Jarratt:

John Jarratt delivers a performance that’s destined to go down as one of the great horror film heavies of the last 25 years.

And frequent Tarantino collaborator, Robert Rodriquez (From Dusk Till Dawn and Planet Terror) said that Wolf Creek

…is as real as horror gets.

Wolf Creek was produced on a budget of 1.38 million and went on to make 27.8 million at the box office, which made it a success for Dimension, who released the film. For decades it has seemed like for every hit horror film that comes out there is a stream of imitators that soon follow, and Wolf Creek was no exception. No doubt due in part to the financial and fan success of Wolf Creek, a string of Australian-set horror movies followed. Rogue (2007), Storm Warning (2007), Black Water (2007), Lake Mungo (2008), and Nature’s Grave aka the Long Weekend remake (2008) are some of the more notable titles and, in my opinion, are all worth checking out.

After Wolf Creek, McCleen wrote and directed the killer crocodile flick Rogue (2007) that proudly displayed “from the director of Wolf Creek” on its marketing. Rogue was praised by critics but failed to be a commercial success like Wolf Creek. McClean then took a break from directing until 2013. No doubt due to its success and large fan following that had only increased as time passed, Wolf Creek was finally followed by a sequel in 2014. The simply titled Wolf Creek 2 was also directed by Greg McLean and stars Ryan Corr (Where the Wild Things Are and Hacksaw Ridge), Phillipe Klaus (Devil’s Dust), Shannon Ashlyn (also of Devil’s Dust), and John Jarret, who reprised his role as Mick Taylor.

Synopsis:

A young man (Ryan Corr) matches wits with a sadistic killer (John Jarratt) who lives in an underground, booby-trapped lair in the Australian outback.

Wolf Creek 2 was distributed by Roadshow Film Distributors in 2014, and, like it’s predecessor, the film was a financial success. McLean went on to direct such horror titles as The Darkness (2016), The Belko Experiment (2017), and Jungle (2017). but he wasn’t done with Wolf Creek and killer Mick Taylor just yet. So it should come as no surprise that the series would live on. In 2016 the franchise saw another return of Mick Taylor, this time instead of a feature film, it was a six part Australian television series. Greg McLean returned to the franchise as showrunner and director, along with Tony Tilse. And, once again, John Jarratt stepped back into the role of Mick Taylor.

Synopsis:

An American family’s Australian vacation takes a tragic turn when sadistic serial killer Mick Taylor targets the tourists. College student Eve is the lone survivor after Taylor attacks the family in the Outback. Determined to avenge the deaths of her parents and younger brother, Eve sets out to hunt down their killer. She vows to bring the perpetrator to justice or die trying. As she goes along on her journey, Eve evolves into an adult and transforms from prey to predator, looking to triumph over her evil adversary. The six-part miniseries is inspired by the 2005 film of the same name.

The second season of Wolf Creek is set to premiere on Australia’s Stan Network this December. Wolf Creek Season One is available on DVD, Bluray, and streaming services. You can check out our coverage of the series here.

It has been twelve years since the initial release of Wolf Creek, and it appears that killer Mick Taylor is a long way from being done. After two successful films and a hit spin-off series, it is obvious that he has staying power. In my opinion, Mick Taylor deserves a spot among the horror franchise heavyweights like Freddy, Jason, and Michael. Similar to the plethora of merchandise that has been inspired by those three, there have even been limited edition action figures and bobbleheads made of Mick Taylor. It is time to add John Jarrett to the list of horror acting icons alongside such recognizable names as Robert Englund, Tobin Bell, Tony Todd, and Kane Hodder.

I can vouch for both Wolf Creek films. If you haven’t seen them, they are well worth checking out. They are dark and gritty rural horror. However, I’m not the biggest TV watcher so I haven’t seen the spin-off show yet. Have you? If so, what did you think? Let us know in the comments below.