#intermission is so bloody good my god

[rottentricks]

These two has been rotating in the depths of my mind, So I must :> 💜💛

[scratchybongvt]

$1,000,000 Pole Vaults Challenge! (Sidemascots 1.5)

Vinicius: We invited 30 of the best mascots to compete for pole vaulting glory!

Sumi: The last person to fail a Pole Vault wins $1,000,000!

Haddaf: Correction: $1,000,000,000!

Everyone: $1,000,000,000?!

Haddaf: Thanks to today’s sponsor: The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund!*

*not literally sponsored, we’re a non-profit, except for Sumi.

Everyone: The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund?!

Vinicius: Forget the previous episodes! This is the most controversial episode we’ve ever made!

Haddaf: The Saudi PIF: get out of here if you don’t like money! #ad

THE SIDEMASCOTS!

Vinicius: Season 1! The most controversial series on tumblr!

Sumi: Most controversial? After a few episodes?

Vinicius: yeah, and?

Sumi: …

ROUND 1

30 mascots remain!

Sumi: Good luck Vini!

Vinicius: Thanks Sumi!

(Vini attempts but his pole breaks)

Sumi: oh.

Fail.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Good luck Sumi! Bring me the cash prize so that I can pay my hospital bills!

Sumi: You do know winter mascots are bad at summer sports?

Vinicius: Woah-oh.

(Sumi attempts but obviously failed)

Fail.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Default Olympic masco- I mean Miraitowa.

Miraitowa: Default Olympic mascot? I quit.

Sumi: Fail. It’s all your fault.

(Transition)

Sumi: Wenlock!

Wenlock: The Ironwork from the Thames!

(Wenlock attempts but got pulled by Giorgio Chellini)

What did I do?

Vinicius: Fail! Potato potato.

(Transition)

Sumi: Honohon!

Honohon: Take off, WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! THIS IS HIGHER THAN I EXPECTED!

Vinicius: Who in the right mind use jet packs

(Honohon explodes)

Sumi: Fail.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Soohora-

Sumi: Fail.

Soohorang: Why?

Sumi: Winter mascots fail anyway.

Soohorang: Potato potato!

(Transition)

Vinicius: Burke!

Burke: For the braves, or falcons, or United. Whatever!

(Burke attempts but fail)

Vinicius: Fail!

Sumi: Well that explains every Atlanta franchise.

Burke: (the disrespect.)

(Transition)

Sumi: Borobi!

(Borobi phone rings)

Borobi: Guys, I have a date with Tazzy mate. Maybe next time…

Vinicius: Fail.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Olympic Phryge!

Sumi: She’s still in therapy.

Vinicius: Oh I forgot about that. Fail.

Sumi: Rest in peace Paralympic Phryge.

Coal: Don’t worry, mascots-

Vinicius and Sumi: SHE DESERVED TO DIE ANYWAY!

(Transition)

Sumi: Cobi!

(Cobi attempts but fail)

Vinicius: Vini, Vinicius, he drinks Brahma, Vini, Vinicius, he eats Fejioada!

Sumi: Fail.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Vivi.

Vivi: You do know the Expo isn’t a sporting event?

Sumi: shit.

Vivi: #webegyoupleasevisitthemitsubishipavillionatnestyearsexpowehavefeastableshonest #ad

(Transition)

Sumi: Italia-Chan- WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

(Wenlock pulls Italia-chan on her back)

Wenlock: Revenge for the Euro 2020 final!

Cobi: Les Grandes Equipes! THE CHAMPIONS! (That was referring to Spain’s Euro 2024 win against England and nothing to do with me having PTSD of Real Madrid winning the UCL!)

Vinicius: Fail.

(Transition)

[Generously illustrated by @verarussin8. If you want to illustrate at least one part of any episode of the Sidemascots, DM me!]

Vinicius: *sighs* Myaku-myaku…

Sumi: What’s the problem?

Vinicius: Are you running out of ideas?

Sumi: No?

Vinicius: Fail.

Myaku-myaku: Thanks for the otherwise wonderful time guys…

(Transition)

Sumi: Clyde the Thistle!

Wenlock: Hey Clyde, pass and we’ll allow Scottish Independence!

Clyde: Scottish Independence? Grow up you bloody fluke!

Vinicius: Fail!

Wenlock: LONG TO REIGN OVER US… GOD SAVE THE KING!!!

(Transition)

Vinicius: Petr-

Sumi: Fail! Don’t try to bite the pole Petra…

(Intermission)

Sumi: Intermission, hit like to win $1,000,000*!

*definitely a scam but still, please like, we beg you.

Intermission over!

(Transition)

Vinicius: La’eeb!

(La’eeb opens a portal and goes through the bar)

Sumi: You can’t cheat!

OC IV: well technically he did pass the bar, PASS!

La’eeb: LONG LIVE QATAR!

(Transition)

Sumi: Chenchen!

Chenchen: 这是什么狗屁挑战？我退出！

Vinicius: Fail. Chinese people.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Someity!

Sumi: Someity, stop meditating!

Someity: …

Vinicius: STOP MEDITATING!

Someity: …

Sumi: Fail.

(Transition)

Sumi: Mighty Red!

(Mighty Red obviously failed the pole vault)

Vinicius: That sums up Liverpool this season. Fail.

(Transition)

Sumi: Sanic!

Vinicius: You mean Sonic?

Sumi: No, Sanic!

(Gotta go fast, gotta go fast)

Vinicius: We can’t allow people who don’t know how to pole vault. Fail.

(Transition)

Sumi: Schuss-

Vinicius: fail. What a waste of everyone’s time.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Herbie the hammer!

Announcer: Substitution: Herbie off, Hammerhead on!

Wenlock: shit Wenlock, baby! You’re just a shit Wenlock, baby! Oh, unless you want to talk about West Ham United, COME ON YOU HAMMERS!

Sumi: Fail.

(Transition)

Sumi: Moongcho!

(Moongcho fell limp.)

Vinicius: for god sake.

Soohorang: DOES ANYONE FROM ANY REGION IN SOUTH KOREA HAVE A STOMACH PUMP?

(Transition)

Vinicius: @crackheadfromsainsburys!

Crackhead: I’m not here to do challenges…

Sumi: Then what is it?

Crackhead: I’m here to promote my new series: Battle for Olympus!

Vinicius: Fail! And good luck with your new series, you’re gonna need it.

Crackhead: Ha- what?

Vinicius and Sumi: THE SIDEMASCOTS SEASON 1!

Crackhead: Oh.

(Transition)

Sumi: Orry the Oryx!

(Orry gets bribed by the Saudis, Olly takes it anyway)

Vinicius: Fail!

(Transition)

Vinicius: A Bull?

(Perry puts his hat on)

Vinicius and Sumi: Perry the Bull?!

(Perry attempts but fail)

Sumi: Ha, his name doesn’t work. Fail.

(Transition)

Sumi: Copper!

Vinicius: I thought he was electrocuted!

Copper: I barely survived that one!

Sumi: Oh great. Roll on.

(Copper attempts but gets electrocuted again)

Vinicius: Well Copper is a very good conductor of electricity.

Sumi: Fail!

(Transition)

Vinicius: Hello kitty!

Sumi: From Pakistan!

Hello Kitty: I am a little boy :)

Vinicius: Disqualified for making cringe! Not even Kuromi do that!

(Transition)

Sumi: The Asian Unicorn!

(Someone brought in a Frenchman)

Sao La: Philippe Troussier? No chance!

Vinicius: Fail! Just like Vietnam in their World Cup qualifying campaign.

(Transition)

Vinicius: Last but not least…

Sumi: Mukmuk!

Mukmuk: (I’m going to kill you for not apologizing to Miga for the past episodes!)

Sumi: Woah oh… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

(Sumi was being chased by Mukmuk)

Vinicius: Fail. Potato potato.

ROUND 2

1 mascot remain!

Vinicius: Sigh, La’eeb wins the $1,000,000,000 pole vault challenge!

La’eeb: LONG LIVE QATAR!

Miraitowa: This challenge is as corrupt as this year’s Asian Cup! Good luck doing the same in the World Cup qualifiers!

La’eeb: Thanks- what?

Haddaf: Congratulations! Here’s your prize in the container right here!

La’eeb: Yay! (Opens and gets in the container) Wait, why there’s nothing in there?

Vinicius: Woah oh…

(The container is being closed and gets carried by a helicopter piloted by Haddaf)

Haddaf: SAUDI PRO LEAGUE!

Sumi: Great, who’s gonna pay for our hospital bills now?

Vinicius: Holy, you look so screwed up!

Coal: Don’t worry, mascots-

Vinicius and Sumi: SHUT UP COAL!

Vinicius: Ow, my back!

THE SIDEMASCOTS!

Vinicius: Season 1!

Sumi: Just a heads up that we do not endorse the Saudi PIF in any way! That wasn’t in the script!

Vinicius: But the cameo of Haddaf is!

Sumi: We need 50k likes so that we pay our hospital bills!

Vinicius: Next time, mascots play FC25!

Sumi: Remember, set the follow button to cook…

Vinicius and Sumi: OR YOU’RE IN THE HOOK!

Tom: HA, BOTH OF YOU INJURED, KNEW IT!

Coal: Don’t worry, mas-

[gilmores-glorious-blog]

okay okay okay so i just watched the pbs great performances hamlet and it was. SO GOOD. oh my god. here are my many, many thoughts:

- the singing starting the show is fucking amazing

- the opening funeral scene and then the transition to the wedding goes so hard

- ophelia’s song having lines from hamlet’s letters to her .. …

- this polonius casting is GOD TIER like yeah. that’s what he looks like. that’s correct.

- i don’t like that they cut the opening ghost scene :/

- omg this horatio <33 i love him sm

- horatio’s black nail polish is everything to me

- ophelia is so hot oh my god

- i love a production that plays up the sibling dynamic between ophelia and laertes

- on that note, ophelia and laertes making fun of polonious is always so fun

- the modern aspects with masks and stuff are so interesting

- the ghost possessing hamlet???? oh my god i’m obsessed why have i never seen that done before

- the actor rolling his eyes back so that you only see the whites of his eyes while he’s possessed is so fucking cool

- i love productions that have hamlet cut his hand on his sword idk why i just do

- also horatio not even hesitating to cut his own hand? i’m insane

- ah fuck,,,, hamlet and horatio grasping each others bloody hands… horatio clasping hamlet’s hand with both his hands,, i’m unwell 😭

- gertrude and claudius being super horny for each other always makes me so uncomfortable

- these ros and guil costumes are great

- big fan of productions that make claudius be super charismatic it’s always such an interesting choice

- god this polonious is so good, he’s so fucking funny

- i love hamlet’s rings <3

- hamlet taking a selfie with the stacie abrams poster is crazy

- hamlet’s personalized handshakes with ros and guil are so cute

- it’s interesting that it’s fully set in america and that all the lines referencing denmark were cut out/changed

- i’m trying to figure out what hamlet was reading but i can’t and it’s driving me crazy 😩

- hamlet smacking polonious on the ass was crazy

- god i love a production that leans into the comedic aspects of this play,, it may be shakespeare’s most famous tragedy but it’s also funny as fuck sometimes

- the incorporation of singing/rapping throughout the show is so good

- also polonious as the one white guy in the room being like. ‘erm actually i don’t like the rapping 🤓☝️’ ,,, stfu man

- i need to know who wrote the lyrics for these songs bc they’re so good and they incorporate the original text so well

- fucking hell man,, his to be or not to be was amazing

- the “where’s your father” moment was so good

- oh my god horatio’s costume change,, the pink suit,,, i love him :’)

- i wish productions didn’t cut down the passions slave speech as much as they tend to do :/

- god ophelia’s dress is GORGEOUS

- polonious being the only one wearing a mask was wild but also so real (as someone who has often been the only person masked in a room)

- god this claudius is really good i appreciate the depth he brings to the role

- hmm interesting place for an intermission idk how i feel about this

- polonious in comfy clothing,, rest in peace peepaw 😭🫡

- polonious’ body lying on the bed during the entire closet scene is so fucked

- sometimes i wish i didn’t know this play so well so i could watch adaptions without noticing every single line they leave out,,,

- jfc,, hamlet wiping the blood off his knife onto the bedsheets,,,

- gertrude not hugging claudius back 👀

- claudius punching hamlet >:(

- idk how i feel about the decision to make ros and guil know about hamlet being sent to his death

- let’s be honest i’m mostly here for solea pfeiffer’s portrayal of ophelia’s madness

- the running makeup and the messy hair. YES.

- i hate that i have a certain melody to ophelia’s songs in my head so when i hear other versions with different melodies i’m like. hmm. incorrect.

- holy fuck she’s so incredible… the ophelia ever oh my god

- YESSSS INCLUSION OF THE HORATIO LETTER SCENE FUCK YEAH (i hate when adaptations don’t include this scene)

- horatio is reading the letter like omg pirates my boyfriend is so cool

- it’s always so funny to me that claudius and laertes make a plan, a backup plan, and a backup backup plan for killing hamlet and it still backfires and kills them both (i mean it does also work to kill hamlet. but still.)

- the portrait of king hamlet watching the entire show goes so hard

- this gravedigger is so amazing i’m obsessed

- ugh 😭 the singers singing the same song at ophelia’s funeral as at the king’s 😩

- oh FUCK ophelia coming out at her funeral.. the watery lighting… i’m going insane

- horatio holding hamlet and comforting him :(

- laertes apparently being able to see the ghost of ophelia makes him as a narrative foil to hamlet all the more juicy

- the eat a crocodile line is always so random lmao

- aw fuck…. laertes singing really got me… :(

- oh my GOD this osric is so fucking funny

- lmao osric beefing with horatio

- horatio in the background of the fencing match cheering on hamlet <3

- claudius standing and rubbing gertrude’s shoulders knowing she’s about to die :( this isn’t fair i’m not allowed to be emo about them

- hamlet offering laertes the sword and then laertes stabbing him with it,,,

- gertrude’s realization of what happened right before she dies was so good

- claudius cutting his own hand on the sword was a powerful choice

- it’s always funny to me when productions completely cut out the fortinbras plotline

- horatio catching hamlet as he falls :(

- horatio singing to hamlet after he dies… i am so incredibly unwell 😭😭

- THE GHOST WAS VOICED BY SAMUEL L. JACKSON?!?? crazy.

overall, amazing production. i loved the musical elements. definitely my favorite ophelia and polonius i’ve seen, possibly my favorite laertes and claudius as well. the hamlet/horatio relationship wasn’t quite as prominent as i would’ve liked it to be, but it was still really great, and i enjoyed analyzing all the little moments they did have.

[hiddentrails7]

This took me longer than it should've tbh

I simply just. Like associating characters with songs and this is very Nero coded (with a bit of Weiss and a smidgen of Tsviets in general)

Hope you enjoy my ramblings of why I associate Nero (and somewhat Weiss) w/ Tiny Gods by Shayfer James

My crooked back

was built for teeth and claws

The bloody wrath

of Tiny Gods

Tear at me, tear at me

Until I'm tame

This is what I was manufactured for

The dirt, the dark, the art of war

Punish me, punish me, until I'm saved

Nero's “wings”, literally edged with blades?? Those “wings”, that were implanted into him via scientists, who DEFINITELY play God in Deepground.

UH?? THIS IS THE MOST NERO-CODED SET OF LYRICS I'VE EVER FUCKING READ

And of course, this applies to Weiss and the other Tsviets: though the first few not as literally. They're made to be weapons.

Then you have the last four lines, which could clearly go with the fact that Nero was experimented on. There are various restraints on his body to keep him tame.

[Chorus]

The night is mine, mine, mine

And I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

The night is mine, mine, mine

And I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

“The night is mine” could ofc refer to his darkness, but I'M more interested in “I will worship as I please”. Nero does this: he doesn't worship those scientists, he willingly worships Weiss (say that five times fast).

Then there's Weiss; who doesn't worship shit. He is the one being worshiped by the others of Deepground.

Guide me from this hell of hope

and bind me with your holy rope

Look at me, look at me

I'm nearly there

Cut me with your vicious tongue

Make me taste what I've become

The violence, the violence

The perfect prayer

While kinds looser in comparison to others, I think of their hunts. Nero and Weiss, as well as the other Tsviets, being set loose to do something… be it an incredibly violent activity, it's something they're used to. It's enriching, and better than being contained.

[The Chorus repeats twice, slowly becoming louder]

The repetitive, strengthening chorus is just ugh <3. The world is falling apart. I think of Nero in DoC, just doing everything he can to help Weiss. Nero has nothing else! If Weiss is struggling or unresponsive, Nero is likely freaking the fuck out– the world might as well be ending.

[And then the outcome is much softer in comparison]

The night is mine, mine, mine

And I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

Fuck the ending of Weiss and Nero in DoC pulled at my heart tbh. DoC is a fucking mess and I hope they handle it a little differently in a DoC remake or even in the future two main games but it's good to see Weiss and Nero in INTERmission. They've been shown really well so far and I am in love with them.

[dolokhoded]

also theres like. a million other little things about the show that made it so great. one was that before the show, they had a little raffle bin where you put money it to get a ticket. during intermission, they did the raffle & whoever got the winning ticket got half the money. the actors & crew got the other half. i assume they do this at all their shows, but thats really cool to me.

okay other things show wise: during the overture, they played various news clips which really set the tone for the show. i cannot remember exactly what they were of though. king herods suit was rainbow. there were several times when the actors came into the audience and interacted with us. during gethsemane, they projected an image of the rosa parks statue on the background, so jesus was praying to her. instead of peter pulling a sword on the guards, she pulled out a gun.

(for context the actual theatre had two different entrances/exits into the lobby) when jesus got arrested, they walked her out one of the exits & when she came back in she was in a prison uniform. instead of being flogged, jesus is hit with a police baton. during this, mary puts makeup on jesus to make her appear bruised/bloody. the cross was made out of several wooden boxes, which the actor stuck her arms through.

instead of ending with the burial of jesus, she stays on the cross. there are two sets of stairs, one leading to heaven and one leading to hell. judas begins to walk up the ones to hell, but angel guided her to the ones to heaven. it broke my heart!

god i'm genuinely so obsessed with this, btw i DID stalk their instagram to find the jcs posts and holy SHIT you're right jesus can fucking SING. there's also a picture of peter holding up a defund the police sign, just overall good stuff. they all look amazing and MARY. HELLOO . JESUS PRAYING TO ROSA PARKS ??????

the angel taking judas to heaven. shut the fuck up everyone shut up. i would be violently sobbing.

[gaias-space]

The maid and the god

(Loki x Fem!Reader),(Enemies to lovers),(18+)

Chapter One

(Link to chapter two: ⬇️)

Summary: After working for Odin for months as their personal maid, you are shocked to discover your job has been assigned to who else but the one who hates you the most- God of mischief himself?

“Y/n darling, please come here”. Frigga calls out. You had just finished putting away the last set of sheets as you heard her voice. “Yes my queen. How can I help you” you bow. “Oh darling you don’t have to do that. It’s just us two here.” She whispered. You always found Frigga so warm and gentle. A mother hen. She wasn’t as proper as Odin was, he was strict and unkind. Ever since your mothers passing you’ve felt a real connection to her. “I have something I would like to discuss with you”. She sits on a red cushioned stool and taps beside her. “Sit” you sit beside the beautiful queen before you. Anxiety stricken you play with your fingers. “D-did I do something wrong? Oh no! Did I forget to put sheets away? Did I turn Thors clothing pink? I” -

“Hush now little one.” Friggas finger presses against your lips. “You have so much anxiety in this tiny body of yours. It can’t be any good for you my dear child. Nothing is wrong in fact everything is quite right.” She stands before you and slowly paced around you. “You see we have had a little …intermission. Loki. He is back from earth, and he plans to stay here for quite some time, moving back in shall I say?” Oh no anything but that. “And I would like to assign your job to him. Odin and I no longer need your assistance, and would much rather you make yourself useful to his quarters. He is quite clean I’ll admit but some house keeping will be good for him and…to be fair. He needs a friend”. You and loki have known each-other since you were children. Your mother was a single pregnant maid working for Odin and they let her have a home within the kingdom. Your mother was eternally grateful for having a home within the castle and worked every day as their maid and on occasion their cook. You were born and raised in this kingdom. And when your mother had her unexpected passing three years ago you were given the same fate. To live in the kingdom as long as you work for them. It wasn’t a bad deal either. You were treated quite well except for the few women who would snicker as you walked past. Slurs and unkind comments about your place in the kingdom. But that would never get to you. You were fed, clothed, respected by most, you had a home. Growing up with loki was a different story. As kids he would always cast a spell on you. He would disappear and reappear, disguise himself as your mother then scare you when he had reappeared. He also had never once treated you kindly. And you knew why. You were human. Your mother was a human and had made love to a god herself, nobody knows who he was except Odin and Frigga. Your mother had quite the life, but she was never expecting to be betrayed and carry a child alone. Now here you were. Powerless, useless, a pathetic little human. Loki always laughed and made comments about your style, or the way you had no power like he did. You were scum in his eyes. And he always bullied you. Although, you always had a giggle to yourself when Frigga or Odin punished him for how he treated you. At least they cared for you. You would think when Loki became an adolescent he would have matured more. But instead his bark was just as bad as his bite. His words hurt more and his anger and violence was worse. He would never lay a hand on you but it never stopped him from pulling stunts to scare you. You don’t know what happened but something happened with a group called the avengers and you remember the day he came home all bloody and injured. It frightened you. You knew him so well yet, you feared him. So why on earth Did Frigga push you all these years to be his friend? Especially now. He wouldn’t need your company, he never did. “Uh…Y-yeah you know what that’s okay. I can do that. Not a problem!” You rush. Frigga gently taps your shoulder. “My child, you underestimate him. He returned at sunrise today so if you’d like to attend to his room now, I’m sure the two of you will get along just fine”. She smiles confidently. You watch as she turns on her heel and walks away. You find yourself stumbling to your room in a hurry panic filling your body. Why of all people did it have to be loki? He was a royal asshole. Being a maid in Asgard wasn’t like most maid jobs. You were a servant but the term came off too harshly to everyone. So a “maid” was your title. You had to cook with the rest of the cooks, you had to clean anything and everything to the person who you were assigned to. And any extra duties needed you had to accept. Thankfully Odin and Frigga were nice with you. You cooked three times a month, mostly handled their clothing and personal items, and other small jobs. Being a human you got more tired and functioned different to the rest. And thankfully they let you have less duties than the rest. You didn’t want this. You couldn’t possibly do it. “What am I going to do now?” You cry.

You weren’t ready for the insults, the fighting, the constant turmoil that would arise. Spending day and night with someone who absolutely hates you would ruin your mental health. You could handle some nasty words, but not lokis. He’d always remind you that you were nothing special, just a servant, with no purpose, and he will always be something. He was a god for heavens sake and you were nothing. You would never allow it to show. You would snark back at him and leave when you could. But how can you leave now when you’ll be within reach all day and night? You notice you had been crying and you wipe the few tears that trickled down your cheek. “You can do this. Maybe it isn’t as bad as you think maybe he’s grown up a little”. You say. You had to prepare before seeing him. You wanted to feel like you were in a coat of armour before even stepping inside his chambers. You take a hot shower and change into a fresh asgardian maid uniform. You brushed your hair and let it hang over your shoulders, and covered your blemishes with light makeup. This was your armour and he would not see the broken girl he would create. You suck in a deep breath and make your way to lokis chambers. It had been a long time since you seen him or his room. You wonder if anything had changed. You weren’t sure what to expect, fear trembling deep within. Would he play nice? Was he hiding in the shadows ready to attack you? Or would he start throwing heartbreaking comments about your dead mother the moment you walked in? No Y/N you can do this. Don’t let him stop you. You thought to yourself. What we’re you going to do? Ignore him. Pretend he didn’t exist, get your duties done and pray whatever stupid and pathetic tasks he asks of you, it would be over quickly. Oh mother, I wish you were here. This is so hard without you here. Down the many halls and corridors you find yourself at the large familiar golden doors. Here goes nothing. You take another deep breath preparing for anything. Ready to see the angry look on his face, or the disgusted face he makes every time. Perhaps his evil glare would help you convince Frigga that this isn’t the job for you. Maybe she could be sympathetic. You knock on the door and to your surprise it is already ajar. The large Golden door creeks open and you step inside. Maybe he wasn’t home like his mother had thought? You feel a small sense of relief at the idea. Your eyes dart around the room. Golden Arches we’re the body of the building, holding everything together and glistening in the sunlight.

You walked through on the marble floors and noticed everything itself was already perfectly clean. Was his bedroom just as clean? You were tempted to turn back around, everything seemed to be in order and there was really no need to pry. But something aches inside you. You had to investigate. You couldn’t understand why, but something just kept eating at you. You tiptoe through the room and stop at the end of lokis bed. You gently tap the mattress with your finger trip curious to how his bed feels. You wondered what sleeping in a gods bed would be like, you imagined it was the not comfortable thing in the plane if your existence. His bed was perfectly made, with satin green sheets and the fresh scent of cinnamon and musk. His pillows were fluffed, his sheets were neat, his curtains were open to flood the warm light in. It’s as if someone had already done your job. Nothing had changed since the last time you had seen his room, except a couple small details. You couldn’t understand why but a small ping of disappointment surrounded you. What we’re you expecting to find? We’re you hoping to find something to hold on him? You didn’t know What had loki been doing all these years? What we’re you to expect when you seen him? Older? Lost an arm? No eye? Could he look almost like Odin now? From the things you heard from whisperers around he sounded more evil than he had ever been. Could he have red eyes? Would he try to kill you the second he sees you? Would he be covered in scars? No that’s too far. Why we’re you thinking like this? You shake your head and look around the room. No sign of loki. Now was the perfect time to explore. He was gone and his room was all yours now. You tiptoe around to a set of golden drawers and trace your fingers over the handles. What could possibly be inside here? Your heart began racing, we’re you really going to snoop on his things? But what things would someone like himself keep in such drawers? It was too big for just some clothes. Right?

Suddenly a warm breath is against your neck and you feel a solid body behind you. You freeze complete knowing exactly who it was. “Well well what do we have here?” You turn around and gasp. “Loki! I -shit uhh… I was just making sure everything was clean…your mother she-“

“Yes yes I am aware she informed me on everything…not that I think you’ll be much useful if you are going to waste your time snooping around”. He lifts his chin and eyes you painfully. You were caught red handed. “N-no it’s not what it looks like I swear. I was just-“

He stalks towards you and you feel your back hit the drawers behind you. His face close to yours, arm against the wall calling you in. Why must he be so intimidating? Yet, He didn’t look anything like you imagined. He was …loki. Tall, dark hair, youthful, hardly any scars from battle. his eyes sparkling blue. He looked handsome? “Never the matter pet. The reality is-“ he chuckles deeply and his eyes darken. “You work for me now and you will do exactly as I say”.

[reallyhardy]

regent’s open air theatre LSOH (2018) breakdown

act one. herein, two years later, i try to remember as much as i can about this production with the help of gifs i took from the trailer and shutterstock images. let’s go!

THE BEGINNING. i went to see a matinee so it was daytime, but the stage set was all black-and-white very newspaper aesthetic. my sister and i were very close to the front, five rows back:

and here we are, excited for everything to begin. (note my giant tooth earrings. was really hoping they’d catch matt willis’ eye.) soon enough crystal, ronette and chiffon took the stage for the prologue, belted their faces off and got me hype from the first moment. their costumes were kind of punky, street style (my favourite look was on the girl with the green jacket and shiny leggings:)

skid row was great. the grey set really highlighted the colourful costumes, and for this first number the set stayed black-and-white so the only colour were the main characters and urchins, and the ensemble wore black-and-white costumes.

and i remember being so thrilled by the costumes - in this photo seymour is wearing yellow socks but by the time i went to see it they were pink (to match audrey’s hair!) and audrey is wearing fluffy slide slippers in the promo photos but when i saw it she wore a pair of blue open-toe kitten heels.

once the song ended we got to see some character personality: marc antolin as seymour was adorable. he was (for most of the first act at least) very goofy and beamed a lot, he had a very cute smile. his voice was quite high and nasal and silly and i honestly had a really big crush on him. jemima rooper as audrey was equally sweet and adorable - she had a cotton candy pink wig and started off in kind of a sexy-ish outfit, with a sheer off-shoulder top over a bra. her eye makeup was light blue (and the bruise bright purple) and she was really short compared to seymour. mushnik was super tiny and greasy looking.

every interaction seymour and audrey had was just! so cute. at the start where audrey and mushnik discuss orin (the ‘you don’t meet nice boys on skid row’ conversation,) seymour is stood behind them kind of goofing around and he flips his shirt collar up pretending to be orin and acting macho but at the end of the scene audrey goes quiet and carefully fixed his collar back down before she left and it was!!! emotions.

da doo i can’t remember anything about how things looked :( during grow for me it really highlighted how…cute seymour was. he beamed the whole time, and the plant puppet in its baby form was fantastic, (the pod head at the top opened up and had little human teeth lmao) and they used like… household objects painted green for plants. the roses were red toilet brushes:

with red ink on them so when seymour touched the bristles there was visible blood on his finger which was fun. lots of attention to detail in this production.

seymour on the radio i think happened off-stage? so we just hear him being interviewed while we watch mushnik and the urchins listen to the radio together. the choreography during you never know was really fun too, with seymour and the urchins dancing together, seymour did a lot of hip wiggles and kept trying to stop audrey ii from trying to bite at the urchins as he danced. one of the green ping-pong balls fell off the puppet but nobody slipped on it so it was fine. also GOD the voices of the urchins were just so good in this one.

somewhere that’s green is a song that makes me cry most of the times i listen to it or watch any versions of LSOH, but this is the first time i’d seen a version where audrey was also crying. during this number the actress climbed up onto the top of the mushnik’s store prop and she still had the bright purple black-eye makeup on as well as the cast on her arm so she looked so beat down and sad and it was just toward the end of the song at ‘i’m his december bride’ where her singing started to break down and she started crying, and covered her face by the time she got to ‘far from skid row’ with her voice breaking oh my god the tears were flowing VERY much from my eyes.

and as a note the actress did not have this beautiful wig on when i saw it, she wore one with much less volume - it could have been the same wig just styled differently, (tucked under/trimmed to be just sort of...round?) but it was just... so much less cute lmao, you can just about see it here in this cast mirror selfie:

anyway. then it was time for closed for renovation! this one was fun, audrey and seymour i think were just...arranging plants and other things? the ‘mushniks’ shop prop might have expanded a bit? they turned it around?

there were some cute little dancey bits with the three of them together:

then audrey & seymour talk a bit. audrey gives seymour the kind of advice that she also needs to be taking herself -- seymour asks audrey if she’d go shopping with him, and then orin arrives on the scene.

dentist was amazing. i’ve seen a lot of bootlegs of kind of lackluster orin scrivellos but… well, me and my sister decided we were absolutely going to see this production when we found out matt willis was playing the dentist. (we were big busted fans lol) he wore this insane painted leather jacket with this tooth-themed biker gang design (he and his backup dancers all had hell’s teeth on the backs of their jackets) and his dentist coat underneath had the sleeves ripped off to show his tattoos… they gave him white foundation to make him look i guess more ill/joker like? it totally worked. he honestly kinda stole the show and he totally exceeded my expectations (which is saying something because my expectations were that he’d be perfect for the role and that i’d enjoy his performance thoroughly!!!)

then he comes into the shop, comments on the plant, poses around, treats audrey terribly. and not only does he abuse audrey in front of seymour who iirc was watching horrified (as you would) but also poor seymour gets his junk grabbed twice by villains in this production too lmao, orin grabs and squeezes seymour’s junk while he’s yelling at audrey. it’s a theme i guess???

(hell of a promotion image, that one.) then orin and audrey leave and it’s time for mushnik and son. they did a lot of the usual ‘awkward-tango’ choreo and it was just excellent really. there’s nothing i didn’t enjoy about the number, plus mush was quite a short guy but had a real big voice.

you get a good view of all the fun things they used to represent plants here too: cleaning brushes, feather dusters, hairbrushes, a small fishing net, a bubble wand...

so feed me was great because it starts off of course with the plant puppet prop:

but then by the second verse (when it comes to ‘does this look inanimate to you’) they opened up the puppet’s leaves like a mouth and audrey ii in drag queen form emerged (to thunderous applause). [i found a short clip someone got on instagram a while back, you can watch it here!] she was holding a microphone in her hands so when it came to seymour’s responses she held out the mic to his mouth and it was :’) really funny. and seymour gets his junk grabbed again:

because he can’t catch a break. staging wise i think i remember this was very bisexual - it’s important to note that the first wig audrey ii wears strongly resembles the wig that OG audrey wears - and at times during this number audrey ii acts quite flirtatious with seymour and he seems receptive to it and has to visibly shake himself out of it.

audrey comes back for her sweater (iirc it was a VERY jazzy 1990s looking one in aqua green and pink) and seymour and audrey ii make up their minds about what to do with orin.

so seymour heads out - the dentists chair was just a beat-up shopping trolley with various things stuck on (see there’s what looks like a plunger, wrist restraints too lmao) and orin had a bunch of bloodied weapons such as a power drill instead of a dentist drill:

anyway i usually don’t enjoy now(it’s just the gas) as a number when i’ve seen it in bootlegs but again matt willis had tremendous feral energy and he pulled it off. plus the gear was quite retro-futuristic very cool looking:

it was also especially funny just after ‘now’ because after seymour runs off with orin’s body in the trolley he comes back in with it all chopped up and he was pushing dismembered limbs (the arm was even painted with matt willis’ tattoos and nail polish which was a GREAT detail) into the windows of the prop mushnik’s building that audrey ii was inside of, and he even threw up into the audience which was :’) gross but funny. it was yellow. i didn’t see if it splashed anyone.

then... intermission. will continue this in [part 2, which is here!]

[cullxtheherd]

@joannabethharvelle​ continued from [🆇]

ghfjhgjfgfl don’t even apologize cause here i come late as fuck akjnbsjfdg i forgot it was my turn and like 3 days ago it hit me like a toN OF FUCKS KJFDABSHFKSHdfgv i am beyond sorry but lkike skjdfkdjfd life’s rough when ur an idiot kjdhbfndj so sorry i am an idiot and i love uyoiuuu [🆇]

A hand reaches blindly, nails digging into the skin just shy of his hip and Jacob sucks his lower lip up into his mouth, biting hard to stem a hissing response. The sharp tang of iron ensnares his taste buds, teeth breaking the surface of skin. He doesn’t mind nor does he bother to do anything about it.

Jo responds in ways he has spent many sleepless nights hoping for, tucked up in his two-sizes-too-small bed with himself and the shadows for company. He’d certainly imagined her as reciprocal but, this is? More than. Much more than anything he’d anticipated.

He lets out a reserved breath in two segmented, stuttering bursts, lungs heaving their whimpering intermission as she ruts against him. What she dispenses next has him grinning, bloodied lower lip audibly popping free of his teeth - this is more like the woman he has come to know; the soldier in the field. The length of him aches, throbbing and his head falls back, lips forming a silent ‘o’ shape.

Finally able to suck a breath in, thigh and calf muscles rigid and twitching he manages a rough, pebbly, “Yes Ma’am.” It is spoken partially to the ceiling tiles, head lolling back to maintain his view. The way she rattles against him, hips high, his grip slips, loosening and granting her just enough space to rear back.

Jacob shifts his grip, trading belt for belly, “Yes you can,” Their movements become erratic with this change in position and he has to adjust, fingers alternating pinching and rubbing. “Good girl-” She cuts him off, ready to give in it seems, “Nuh-uh, no you don’t.” Pinching roughly he drags his fingers instead of gliding- openly punishing instead of cruising the line of reward, “You do not get to give up.”

She seems to angle away at that just slightly towards the mattress and he chuckles, “Where you think you’re goin’, hm?” It’s certainly a phrase he has uttered to her before under much more menacing circumstances and? The thought delivers a sharp jolt of guilt, roiling under the surface.

“Shh-shh,” He barrels through, avoiding as usual, voice an octave lower- soothing, “You are my best girl.” This isn’t what he’d meant to say, not at all, but? He isn’t swallowing it back up, either.

“Come on, darlin’.” Regaining a hold he pulls her up against him, fingers digging in against her breastbone and midriff. Jacob moves his hips in a slow, circular pattern, open mouth and teeth coming down on the inside of her shoulder, “That’s it.” His words are cut off by his lips but he can’t shut up on the best of days, “Very good.”

Sucking in a hissing lungful through his teeth he is more than pleased to hear her affirmations for him. “Yes,” The way she stiffens against him has his expression pinching and he echoes her sentiments, “H-h,” His lungs surge with wheezing and premature huffs of air, “Fuck!”

Unable to maintain himself or any semblance of self control any longer he moves, hips smacking roughly and quickly against her. Jo releases a chorus of shaking pleasantries and he devotes his efforts to keeping her close, both literally and proverbially. “You are,” A hand fixes at her breastbone, hips punctuating, “So good for me.” The other grips the forgotten belt, pulling her in effectively.

Digits dig in a little tighter, body much more eager as the moments build and pass. “I-nnm,” For the time being he is speechless and moaning. Toes curl against the peeling laminate and unable to hold the pace he has set he grinds his molars in frustration, breathless.

“Joanna,” The way he produces it is unlike any name he has vocalized before; soft and pleading- gentle and broken. Wholly innocent and without motive. Jacob whispers, lips icy cold with huffing breath, a useless repetition, “Joanna.”

There is something within him that always feels ashamed- like he should apologize for reaching sexual fulfillment with a partner. He isn’t certain if it has to do with his upbringing or deep rooted religious leftovers from another time, but the corners of his eyes water and he is glad they aren’t face to face any longer.

Jacob sucks in a breath, “I-ss-nn!” Already stained teeth dig into the curve of her neck as he comes, hands a bruising force against her. It takes him time to catch his breath, grip loosening to a tight embrace and lips soft against the marks that he’s left. Though he is fully spent and tired to boot he keeps his hold on her, chest heaving against her back.

For once he doesn’t have anything smart or remarkable to say. A part of him wants to thank her for even letting a monster- an absolute God damn bastard like him get this close, but it seems inappropriate. He remains silent, angling to catch her eyes. Softly, sweetly he presses his mouth to her own.

[delicatebluebirdruins]

Shadow and Bone

This will contain spoilers (duh) some names being forgotten and its going to get long and some context less chaos

I hope i got the image ids right

Episode one (23rd April)

- ahh so the Fold= Dark Island form VoDT but with less summoning of monsters?

ID: Ben Barnes holding onto the wheel of a boat

- Many smol beans

Brief interlude with Nausicaa Valley of the Wind

Episode 1 cont. up to midway episode 7 (24th)

- magical brown trouser time my good sir

- buddies!!

- they’re not going to leave Alina alone to her existential crisis are they?

That tent looks like a circus tent to me and I have no idea why

- hmm hello completely innocent fallen branch

me: turns to sis and asks if we can we take brief intermission for this headbanger (which we did)

Turns out our brief intermission for the song was useless because after pressing play again it started buffering

we were talking about it and Dad misheard it as shaggy bone

Imagine the darkling but in pastels and black lace

- how the flipping heck can you fake bleeding light

- do you want to get lost Alina?

On Ben Barnes beard: 50% hot damn and 50% fight me (the way he tilts his head in this makes us want to hit him in the jugular)

Episode 3

- ooh look at the stag

- i love the bathroom

- damn Nina

- I wish Alina had time to get some magic tips but oh well

- replays Ben Barnes saying Moya Tsarieta twice

- how?! (Look I told you there was going to be bits where the context is tricky to pin point)

- i love the goat

- oh Jesper

- blue and gold is a great colour combination

- about the dinner scene: if this were me it would be the very rare time I stand up for myself

+ I want to add a small thing about the food taster... one is dream job/ i like him/ and imagine a taster eating something and it goes down the wrong way

- yes Jesper hug the goat- and

ID: a man with his thumb up gif from The Hunger Games; with him saying “nice shooting sweetheart” but I couldn’t find a gif of him saying it

- true north? I am never going to be free of bellarke am I?

- oh that hurts

Episode 4

- “our saint has arrived to late” 🤧

- ohh the stag is so pretty

- horses!!!

- time for a heist- i love this goat

- aww wishing fountain bonding

- the darking is growing on me

- i love Mikhail and Dubrov

- I love what we get to see of Nadia and Marie and Kaz and Inej and Jesper and basically everyone

- i love a heist (this isnwhat the hobbit should of been but you know with more dragons

- Mal is baby

- poor Nina

- ah ha a vicious cycle against the Grisha and Fjerdan

- I thought Arkens reaction was a bit odd

- oh Alina sweet heart- flashback time

- the map room is a aesthetic- using Aleksanders own words against him

That shot of the two of them is great

- poor Alina

- yas queen

- oh the stag!

- oh the machine gun; Mal poor buddy and of course flashback time

- i knew she was going to get the scar removed

Episode 5

- poor Mal

- Nadia is me

- Genya is amazing

- hi David and great minds think alike Alina (i had the same expression on my face when they were flirting)

- oh the creepy masks had a purpose

- “you’re not Ivan” you don’t say

- aand height difference... this first kiss is kind of weird to me

- oh Jesper you flirt

- I’m sorry firey people you’re going to be outshined

- Inej is so beautiful

- Dima?!?!

ID: two people from a scene in the Anastasia Musical the song My Petersburg

- what is the librarians dudes problem?

- Genya you badass... poor Marie (does Alina learn about this?? It would probably be forgotten just like her causing the death of her fellow mapmakers)

- I love the costumes

- Tofin (Idk his name) we don’t know you sorry you’re dead

- oh the kissing

ID: a gif showing two people kissing

- and him giving her the flowers is kind of cute but where did they come from?

- *pinched nose* I hate cryptic messages Baghra... holy shit... i mean I kinda knew he was immortal but still holy shit

- oh Kaz... Inej! Collect your bloody knives

- *snorting* The crows being sent to kidnap Alina and Jesper just watching her climb into the getaway carriage will always be hysterical (i personally would be laughing and thats why anything involving stealth is off the cards for me)

Episode 6

- rest in pieces Arken

- Alina broke Inej

- I love Ivan (remember the thing i said about forgetting names/ getting them mixed up? This is it.. I love Feydor a lot more than Ivan but they are both so cute together)

- my heart will go on starts playing?

- i like that horse statue in the background

- i love the beach... look at those waves... the wet look is great

- you done mess up Alina but also cool

- Mal is burly squid

- “burly squid” wheezing nosies

- now hug

- Kaz I love the cane

- “I see you now” aww

- I knew they were going to snuggle... those cute laughs

- the alarm clock though... i knew Inej should have taken the knife... i love Jesper... poor Inej... clever boy Kaz

- does it hurt? Mal? Does it hurt?

I have a habit at picking at things that hurt and well fictional characters aren’t safe from me wanting to poke something painful

- ride OR die bitches

- aand more height differences... getting very close there guys... Matthias please don’t let her fall.... they are kind of cute

- David through a book... 😂 they carriage jacked the Darkling

- David raising his hand is me... but damn it

- Alina is amazing... please remember you’re wearing the ring... Mal is best boy

- “adorable” snorting noises

Episode 7

- horsey!!!

- ahh the return of the VoDT hair (see first gif)

- Luda is familiar...

- yikes

- poor Aleksander being turned into a pincushion is not a great time

- poor Luda

- holy shit

- rock and hard place

- fuck off Baghra

- he wanted to help 😔

- ah so its like the hollow from Charmed

Image ID: gif from the og Charmed with text saying “ohhh she’s a demon!”

- this shot is beautiful... ah so I guess this could have been what happened if Caspian resurrected the White Witch... i guess

- hi stag.... oh okay 😔 poor Stag poor Mal

Flashbacks to Cinderella and Snow White (the one with Krisien Sterwart) natually it follows along with Snow White

- *squishie noises* poor Jesper... we love you Jesper but please stop talking to Inej just in case she sews her finger to the wound

- i love the crows and i love the chat about the crows

Buffers

The next day (25th) episode continued

- David looks so sad

- personally I would downsize the fold just as reminder of it

- that looks like that hurt

- I love Milo and Jesper 💖

- don’t look at it Alina... Genya is right that colour is horrible... tell her off Alina... poor Genya

- I think Jesper had fun playing a guard

- I knew the Darkling read the letters

Sister: why does he look like Tom Ellis right now?

- oh Mal

- blow dart... lol Kaz

- Milo!?! Oh the bullet you clever boy Mal

- i like the tent... he’s not wrong... we want to play with that dangly bit... oh the angst

- I thought you looked older (idk context)

- I love the outfit but couldn’t the necklace be anywhere else?

- “no mourners no funerals”

- I love the music

Episode 8

- I don’t trust that opening

- me too Crows, me to... how could you not know who Milo is

- I love Nina and Matthias so much... they are so pretty... I am not a fan of taxidermy... oh his name is Feydor sorry we kept getting you mixed up

- God damnit Kirigan.. a not so sneaky Mal... the honorary Crow... pick a side already darkling... Sun Queen?... did anybody notice her being tied down?... Good Mal and good Inej

- Jesper is amazing... so much death... bad bitch Zoya... I love Inej kissing the knife and nailing the Darkling with it... head shot... hello buddy??... this music though... badass Alina... fucking Ivan... holy shit and of course music is amazing

+ brave Kaz

- Inej and Alina bonding time... hugs? No hugs ☹️

- he offered her his hand 😞... Inej wants to hug... finally some hugs... Zoya has grown on me... i love Kanej (is that the ship name)

- Matthias oh no buddy... hill house flashbacks

- i love Jesper so much... Nina going “someone say heartrender??”

Image ID: someone turning around and raising eyebrows at camera

- Kaz saying “she’s a saint” made my heart happy

- I doubt the Darkling is dead...... i was right

- well shit/ coolness of making shadow monsters follow you (please let there be a flashback for this)

Bonus

+ imagine of Matthias and Nina decide to sleep rather than get food and were caught cuddling by the Grisha... I thought of this as I was getting into bed that night and i got up ran to my sister told her my thought she found the idea funny then went back to bed

+ people who own trains are evil?? Looks at snowpiercer

Bonus: the soundtrack is on spotify and itunes

Image id: someone bobbing along with headphones on

[ice-cream-nekogirl]

if I can't love her (Tokoyami Fumikage X Reader)

Dudes... Josh Groban has a HELLA lovely voice... so deep... so powerful... for some reason this is how I imagine Tokoyami would sound if he got some vocal training~. 

This takes place shortly after ‘Lights Will Guide You Home Part 2′ I didn’t really plan on THIS little excerpt but I heard this song and I just couldn’t resist...

PART 1: https://ice-cream-kitsunegirl.tumblr.com/post/189811426209/lights-will-guide-you-home-tokoyami-fumikage-x

PART 2: https://ice-cream-kitsunegirl.tumblr.com/post/189819603459/lights-will-guide-you-home-tokoyami-fumikage-x

Summary: You were the only person Tokoyami ever loved and fell for, but he believes that he killed you. 

Tokoyami Fumikage was not a man of romance or love. Of course that was despite being a romantic at heart, but who would love someone like him?

Nobody that’s who.

He knew it and he was content with that. At least, that’s what he always convinced himself and told himself that he needs to be content with. Yet, fates were cruel to him because they brought you into his life, and now they had taken you away from him.

A MONTH AGO:

“C’mon Tokoyami~! It’s gonna be awesome!!” You were lulling him by the arm, a tad bit forcefully as you gave him a ticket to this Beauty and The Beast musical that you had been wanting to see for weeks. It was literally going to start in 2 hours and you JUST gave him the ticket. Tokoyami wasn’t one for spontaneous things.

He sighed when he realized he had no choice, “Very well then.” He tried to not sound annoyed, even though it was a musical so maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He appreciated music, actors and how they could set up such a work of art.

“Hooray!!” You cheered as he felt himself being partially dragged along the ride as he often was. For a shy little thing, you were pretty chatty when it came to your friends and him for some reason.

Tokoyami would have been lying though if he said he wasn’t happy about that though. He was glad that he was one of the friends you felt you could be yourself around.

The musical was miraculous and he could see the awe and marvel in your eyes the entire time, and Tokoyami couldn’t help but admire how lovely you looked so happy. Although he was so fascinated by you that he didn’t even hear the music come to a stop as there was a brief intermission. And he started to blush quite heavily under his feathers as soon as you turned to face him with that smile and blush on your cheeks. 

You opened your mouth to say something since you felt that now this would be a good time, “Tokoyami...”

“Y-Yes?” He hated himself for stuttering, but he almost had hope for a minute there but you looked just as nervous as he did. “We’re friends right...?” Dammit, that’s all you could bring yourself to ask even though you really wanted to ask something else.

Unbeknownst to you, your question both relieved and mildly disappointed Tokoyami. However, he would be more relieved because he wasn’t certain how he would react to a confession. Then again, there’s no way anyone would confess to him so he told himself to not get ahead of himself...

“Yes, I would say we are. We work together well and get along better than most of our classmates. I can even consider you a friend I have a few things in common with.” He stated with mostly formal honesty which made you smile, that was just Tokoyami for you. Always serious, always polite, but that’s why you liked him. Sure you weren’t the most serious person in the world, but you both enjoyed the same kind of gloomy aesthetic, tastes in music and you were always a fan of the gothic fashion and subculture that you knew Tokoyami was a part of. 

“Aww...” And you couldn’t help but feel touched by this even though you were... too nervous to really add on to your question. “Cool... I just wanted to make sure since... I really only take my friends to cool things like this.” That was your ultimate excuse and your ultimate lie that Tokoyami would believe.

He hummed at your response, “I’m glad that you invited me (L/N).” Tokoyami then expressed his gratitude. He truly was thankful that he at least got to spend time with you. Being with you was a time of bliss and a time where he could actually relax and enjoy because it was nice to have someone to talk to about his interests and someone who was just good company

Secretly though, in this deepest abyss of his dark heart, he wished he could be someone you could like maybe more than a friend, but he would never tell you that.

No, Tokoyami wasn’t as brave as you were when it came to that kind of thing. Those were simply words he would never say.

RIGHT NOW:

Tokoyami used to enjoy the night-time, such a mysterious time that brought the beauty of darkness, sweet revelry in the dark. 

Yet now it just felt painful, and only the luminous glow provided by the moon was the only thing bringing him any sense of comfort as he tried to ignore this dull ache in his heart. He wanted to blame fates for bringing you into his life, only to take you away, but in the end he knew that he had no one to blame but himself.

After all, he’s the one who last saw you before you disappeared, he’s the one who murdered you with his quirk that he couldn’t control because he was pathetic and weak. It’s only been two days, even after he watched All-Might fight off All For One, the thought of you was haunting him and now he couldn’t even bring himself to sleep.

No... it’s been two sleepless nights because he couldn’t sleep knowing that your blood was on his hands and that you weren’t going to smile at him again. Because those two nights ago was the same night that he killed you.  

Everything that happened to you, it was all his fault. Now he had nothing, nobody to console him about this because he put himself in this kind of emotionally suffocating torture. He didn’t dare tell his classmates or his family though, and he was honestly glad that they weren’t home tonight because of pro-hero work.

He wanted to suffer alone in silence like he had been for the past couple of years. 

He deserved this pain though, he deserved to feel this misery swallowing his soul as he could only think about the lovely memories he shared with you. Every smile you smiled, every laugh you laughed, every movie you watched with him, every song you sang and listened with him.

It brought pain upon his hollow being and he deserved every bit of it.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6BiSTFRJlw)

“And in my twisted face There's not the slightest trace  Of anything that even hints of kindness” Without even thinking, the lonely raven started to sing the song he remembered from that musical you and he went to. It was one of the saddest, most tortured and heartbreaking songs he had ever heard in his life, and now he understood it more than anything in the world.

Tokoyami didn’t feel anything. Nothing but misery and bitterness he lost you, someone he liked... and dare he say loved. “And from my tortured shape No comfort, no escape I see, but deep within is utter blindness” You were the one who could comfort him, even though you didn’t know it. You brought Tokoyami comfort without even knowing it. Just by smiling at him and being kind to him brought light to his world and he missed it.

There was no longer light in his world though, not without you... “Hopeless As my dream dies As the time flies Love a lost illusion Helpless Unforgiven Cold and driven To this sad conclusion” He’d always wanted to be a hero, even when he was isolated once upon a time for his ‘scary’ quirk and less than human looking features. Tokoyami wanted to be a hero and prove that there was no need to fear the dark.

Then like many a teenage boy, he found himself a new fantasy upon spending more time with you. He almost believed that perhaps you could be with him always and be at his side in his crusade of heroism.

Yet any dream he had, it all died, now he had nothing to love because you were the one he felt love for. He damned the notion that perhaps it was just his emotions doing the thinking for him.

He loved you... “No beauty could move me No goodness improve me No power on earth, if I can't love her No passion could reach me No lesson could teach me How I could have loved her and make her love me too If I can't love her, then who?” Clenching his fists as his eyes started to well with tears he could almost see you now smiling at him from the full moon brightening up the dimmed sky. He knew you were gone though as he shook his head slowly.

Tokoyami loved you, he wanted you here so he could love you. Maybe be less of a bloody coward and tell you that he loved you so maybe, just maybe you could love me too.

But you weren’t here, and now he couldn’t even do that. Still, he felt that he deserved it.  “Long ago I should have seen All the things I could have been Careless and unthinking, I moved onward” It was his fault, he lost control of his quirk, he was terrible, he was a terrible person with a terrible power. Terrible people don’t love good people, they couldn’t love good people. Tokoyami should have known better.

He should have known that he couldn’t love someone because of his dark heart and dark powers. You were light and he was darkness, so that means he couldn’t love you.

Tokoyami couldn’t love you because it wasn’t meant to be, the fact that he destroyed the light in his life meant that he couldn’t love you and would never be able to. But he was the fool who believed that someone as bright as you could love a dark creature such as himself. “No pain could be deeper No life could be cheaper No point anymore, if I can't love her No spirit could win me No hope left within me Hope I could have loved her and that she'd set me free” He raised a closed fist and brought it to the wall as the tears finally escaped and ran down his feathered cheeks and dripped to the floor. God he could feel his soul dying the more he thought about his foolish attempts at being your friend, and believing that he had a chance at loving someone like you.

You believed in him, he knew that because you were kind to him, smiled at him, and you hugged him. You didn’t turn away from him, you actually hugged him and warmed his heart. Those moments that others would dismiss as minimal decency to Tokoyami made him believe that he could be loved, that he deserved to actually be loved. 

There was no more of that though, no hope, Tokoyami lost any hope of feeling love and being loved because he couldn’t love the person he did love. No, he was doomed. Doomed to be lost to this darkness forever without any sort of love and happiness because losing you meant that fates just didn’t have it planned for him.

Tokoyami wasn’t meant to be loved, he wasn’t meant to love. He knew it, he’s always known it.

Yet he couldn’t stop missing you, he would never stop missing you. Even as he resigned himself back into the darkness, his withering heart still ached for you. Tokoyami still loved you even as he stared upwards at the moonlight being shrouded by the blackened clouds.

Just like his soul, the light was gone and now there was nothing but the darkness to engulf everything else. As Tokoyami brought himself to lie on his bed, he saw your visage flash through his misty eyes one last time before he allowed them to close and could only pray for an ending for him. 

“But it's not to be If I can't love her Let the world be done with me...”

[survivorparr]

the sun and her moon, pt 2/8 (Don’t Lose Ur Head)

In Which Choreography is Rehearsed and Cathy Comes Back from Vacation

(aka Yes, those are Definitely the tEchNicaL names for that choreography, No, I do Not take constructive criticism)

•

“Alright, ladies! Brilliant show this afternoon, just a few things I want to clean up,” Grace announced.

“Brilliant show yourself - truly, Grace, you’ve been nothing short of incredible,” Aragon commended her.

“Yeah, mate, the crowd was going bonkers after I Don’t Need your Love, did you hear?” Anna added.

Grace turned red and smiled bashfully. “Thanks, you lot, that’s really kind! And thanks so much for being so great these past few weeks,” she replied.

“Aww, round of applause for Gracie!” The girls whooped, cheered, and clapped for their friend, eventually gathering her into a group hug.

“Alright, alright, I feel very loved, but now, there’s choreography that needs touching up!” Grace scanned the faces around her. “Let’s start with the second half of Don’t Need Your Love seeing as Cath hasn’t made it back just yet, and I can mark her track for now. Can we go from ‘you might think it’s tough’?”

Jane noticed that poor Anne looked lost in thought, just positively elsewhere, but she quickly snapped out of her fog when she noticed the others staring. “What? Sorry, yeah, sounds good”.

“If nobody objects, I’m just gonna speak the lyrics in rhythm instead of singing, yeah? My voice is a little shot from that last set of riffs,” Grace admitted. The queens took their places, Grace smiling at Anne from Cathy’s place at the other end of the stage. C’mon Anne, get your heart in it. She exhaled deeply.

“Five, six, ‘And you might think it’s tough...’”

Jump cross out, jump cross out

Jump cross out, jump cross out

Slooow circle, back it up, jump

“I don’t need your-”

Hop and kick and step and shake and

Leg, throw, rock-cross-out and

Body roll, hips,

Arms, arms, shuffle left, shuffle right

“Hmm... could we do it again from the roll? There’s something a bit wonky happening with the shuffley bit at the very end, and the arms just before are getting a tad lazy. Remember, you’re supposed to look regal! I’m gonna watch this time, so just... pretend Cathy’s here or something, I don’t know”.

(Anne tried to ignore the way her breath caught in her chest)

“Y’know what, just back all the way up to ‘tough’ so I can see the whole thing”. The girls obliged and reset their formation.

“Alright here we go... Five, six, ‘And you mi-’”

“‘-ight think it’s tough, but I’ve got to let your love run cold, we’re taking back control, darling you should know-”

As she walked backwards to her next spot, Anne searched the mirror in front of her for the source of the melodious voice that had suddenly taken over Grace’s marking. A flash of electric blue moving towards the front of the room caught her eye. Cath.

“I don’t need your love, no, no-”

Anne felt an exhilarating surge of energy course through her body. Suddenly, every jump and bounce felt electrified. “Can’t let it get the better of us, no, no”.

The segment of choreo that Grace has asked to see had ended, but that wasn’t stopping anyone. Cathy was moving to take her spot center stage for the riff chorus, and the others (most by now having joined in singing the backups) were encroaching in on her.

Anne swayed her hips back and forth as she sang, bouncing up and down along with Aragon and pausing for a moment to lean her head on Jane’s shoulder. All the while though, she kept half an eye on Cathy - Cathy sinking to the ground as her voice rose upwards in a scoop, Cathy coolly staring down an imaginary audience as she confidently strutted forward, Cathy’s eyes closed and her head thrown just slightly back as she released a chillingly powerful riff.

The girls punched their fists in the air, having reached the end of the number. Within moments, they were a pile of limbs and hair, each grabbing at any visible pieces of Cathy.

“Welcome back, darling!!”

“-missed you so-“

“-look right tan-“

“-good to see you!”

“God, I’ve missed you guys so much! I never thought I’d say this, but it felt weird having that much alone time,” Cathy laughed.

“We want to hear all about your trip,” Kat pressed.

“I’ll tell you all about it, but I’ve got a feeling this one isn’t done with us yet,” said Cathy, squeezing Grace around the shoulders and playfully tousling her hair. Anne involuntarily raised an eyebrow. “How’d you hold up then, Amazing Grace?”

“I felt pretty good about it, honestly!”

“Pretty good? She was bloody brilliant,” Anne interjected. Cathy tilted her head up to meet Anne’s eyes (had they always been so green?). While she’d been away, she’d noticed that on more than one occasion, Anne’s jarring Northern accent had popped into her head uninvited with a running commentary of sorts. Cathy wasn’t unpleased so much as surprised - she was fond of Anne, but she tended to spend more time around Aragon and Jane.

Cathy finally smiled. “I’ll bet she was. Did you get her to buy into your Cotton Eyed Joe idea?”

Anne cackled wickedly. “HAH - as if”.

“Your what now?” Jane inquired.

“It’s nothing, it’s stu-“

“Every night during intermission, Anne walks right up to me while I’m meditating and begs me to do the Cotton Eyed Joe with her when we dance together during Kitty’s part of the Megasix. Refuses to leave well enough alone, too - I swear, she just sits there making puppy dog eyes at me. Eventually, I realized I could get her to stop by plugging my ears and singing the Green Giant commercial jingle at her really really loudly and very off-key.”

Anne grinned, snickering at the memory. “Hey now, don’t expect me to help next time you can’t reach the top shelf”.

She took notice of Cathy’s barely-rumpled cropped cerulean hoodie and white lace-up joggers. Two immaculate Dutch braids ran down from the tip of her forehead and hung over her shoulders, edges perfectly set. Jeez, how does she still look like that after a day of airport travel? She suddenly felt self-conscious about her cut-up tiger t-shirt, sweatpants, and unruly top knot.

“Alright queens, back to it - we want to get out of here at a reasonable hour, don’t we? That last shuffle step looked much sharper to me, so let’s move on to No Way. Let me see the formation in the first chorus where you do the hands on shoulders bit”. The girls moved into their diamond with Aragon in the front, Anne and Cathy standing just off her shoulders.

“Can we hold and check the spacing on this?” Grace called. Everyone put their hands in position.

It must’ve been at least 6 full seconds before Anne realized her fingertips were brushing against Cathy’s where their hands met behind Aragon’s back. Inhaling sharply, she jerked her hand away and looked hastily to her left. Cathy shot her a quizzical look. “Sorry,” Anne mouthed at her, repositioning her hand slightly. “You’re fine,” Cathy mouthed back.

“Spacing looks better, let me see the diamond thingy in motion. Five, six, seven, eight, one-”

“If you thought for a moment-’”

Cath felt the beat pulsing through her as she bounced. She’d missed Aragon’s brassy, confident vocals. Slide, slide, twirl... it had been weeks, but she found she slipped back into the choreography with ease. Cross stage right in front of Anne, then fall in line behind Jane. She caught Anne’s eye as they passed each other and smiled at her. Anne reciprocated with one of her unfathomably odd (yet endearing) facial expressions as the two took their places in line. The girls giggled wildly as they body rolled opposite each other before stepping into their final poses of the chorus.

“YES, could everyone turn and watch Anne and Cathy do that last roll? If each one of you would put that much sauce into it, I could die a happy dance captain. Let’s see it again, you two: one, two, three, four-”

There was no time for Anne to panic or to process the heat of all the eyes watching her. All she could do was stare unwaveringly at Cathy as the two of them moved in unison (This was probably for the better, seeing as off to the side, Kat was tugging excitedly at Jane’s sleeve, and behind Anne and Cathy, Cleves was demonstrating her approval with some very suggestive dance moves).

It suddenly felt incredibly warm in the room. Head swimming, Anne could barely register anything else that was happening until Jane walked over, holding her green water bottle out to her. She reached out to touch Anne’s forehead.

“You alright there, darling? You feel a little warm. Anything bothering you?”

“I’m alright, just a little tired”.

“Really? So you’re definitely... not hot, or bothered? Not even in the slightest?”

“I told you, I’m fine, Jane, promise. You’re the one being massively weird, ya kook!”

“Alright, then. Just as long as you know that if something were going on, you could tell me, or any of us”.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re such a mom?”

“Yeah, I might’ve heard that once or twice.” Jane rubbed Anne’s back affectionately before leaving her to her thoughts.

Anne looked around to see where Cathy had gone to so she could apologize for her awkward staring, and then for her awkward fingers (again), but Cathy was across the room with Grace reviewing the most recent set of choreo changes to Kat’s number. For a moment, Anne stood transfixed by the duo’s equally fluid movements, but she was then pulled back to reality by a sudden twinge in her gut. Man, pull it together. I swear, Boleyn, whatever’s got you so jumpy, I sure hope it lets up soon.

[jetsandbennie]

I was wondering if maybe you could do a really really smutty bit where Brian uses toys and is being degrading but is very sweet during the aftercare? I also absolutely love your page!!!

wow i’m a whore for this concept. thank you love! alos like i know obviously these types of vibrators didn’t exist way back when but it’s fiction so we can all pretend. 

“Can’t believe how you acted tonight.” 

Brian’s voice was a hiss in your ear, his knee between your thighs. You were desperately attempting to grind your aching core against him, needing some sort of friction, but bloody fuck, his grip on your hips was too tight for you to do anything.

“Running off to the bathroom like a damn whore, getting yourself off.” he leaned in and nipped your earlobe, smirking at your whine. “I could see it in your fucking face when you got back to the table.”

“Not my fault you were teasing me all night. A bloody vibrator, really. I’m sure they could see in my fa - fuck, Brian!” you hissed as he grabbed the front of your dress, ripping it to reveal your bare chest. “Fuck!”

He pulled the rest of your dress of your shoulders, exposing your breasts to him, and his eyes met yours in a glare. “No bra? I’m sure Rog was salivating.”

Brian brought one hand up and groped your left boob, squeezing almost to the point of pain, and you whimpered out desperately. You leaned in and rested your forehead against his shoulder, breathing heavily. He continued, working on bringing the rest of your dress until it pooled around your ankles. “Was gonna reward you if you could contain yourself but - well.”

The vibrator he’d fixed on you earlier had been dropped to the ground. Getting the small toy off your clit had been like a breath of fresh air, one that had been snatched away as soon as Brian turned back on you.

“Sorry, daddy,” you murmured, continuing to attempt to ride his knee, and he tutted gently. “Couldn’t - couldn’t help myself.

“I bloody know you couldn’t.” his hand on your chest relaxed, and you breathed out heavily. “Disappointing. Thought you were better than that, but -” he ran his hands down your back to your thighs, and he tapped them twice. An unspoken invitation for you to jump, and you did, wrapping your legs around his waist. You were nude except for your panties, dress discarded on the ground, and Brian’s hands trailed up to your ass as he supported you. “I have a few punishments to think of for you. You know that?”

Brian kicked the dress before turning and making his way down the hall to the kitchen. You wrapped your arms around his neck and tightened your legs around his waist, lips against his warm neck.

“What are you gonna do, daddy?”

“Reckon 8 spanks or 10? What’s best for a little slut like you?”

You dropped your head to his neck, whining softly. “Is none a good answer?”

“10 it is.”

Brian planted you on your feet before turning you around, pressing down on your back and bending you right over the table. You squeaked out - you felt utterly exposed even with your panties on, but you knew they’d be gone soon.

Sooner than expected, really, as your normally-loving boyfriend dropped to his knees behind you, hooking his fingers in the waistband of your knickers and slowly bringing them down. The crotch area - damp with your arousal - stuck slightly to your pussy but with enough pressure they dropped, and like your dress they pooled at your feet. Brian lifted one foot at a time and pulled them off of your legs, reaching an arm up to rest them next to you on the table.

He brought his lips to the backs of your thighs, kisses soft and wet against your skin, and you moaned quietly. His lips trailed up to the globes of your ass, and he used one hand to knead the soft skin before moving his head again, this time to your cunt. He brought his mouth in and dragged his tongue along your folds. You couldn’t see his smirk as you cried out, gripping the table as he stuck his tongue out, inserting it into your core, thriving off of your reactions.

“Fuck, Brian -”

“What?”

“Daddy.”

He pulled his mouth off of you and your knees nearly buckled at the loss, dropping your head onto the table underneath you. Brian stood and then stepped away from your back, and you could hear shuffling behind you. Just as you turned to look Brian was back, holding something you couldn’t see, and you felt wetness rush to your core at the mystery of it all.

Brian pressed the foreign object to your ass, and you could immediately recognize the texture - the amount of time you’d spent in the kitchen, using that exact wooden spoon to make dinner or bake a cake. You’d never consider it being used like this. You didn’t reckon you’d ever be able to use it again.

Your boyfriend brought the spoon into the air and then back down on your backside, and you jumped, crying out. The pain was red hot and aching, and you found that your breath was already more laboured than before.

“What’s the safe word?” Brian lowered his lips to your ear, breath hot against your skin. His hair tickled the sides of your face and your neck, and you tilted your head slightly to meet his lips - he moved away before you could.

“R-red.”

“Good. Keep count for me, now.”

In quick succession he brought the spoon down three more times, and in the small intermission between each spank you cried out a number.

“2!”

“3!”

“4!”

“Fuck, baby.” Brian rested the hand holding the spoon against your back, bringing his hips forward so you could feel the obvious bulge in his jeans. You knew he wouldn’t be able to last long without burying himself inside of you, but the question was how long? Long enough to finish your punishment? “So fucking hot here like this, you know that? I’d love to be fucking you right now, not spanking you against the table. Too bad you had to be a whore.”

Another whack.

“D-Daddy - fuck - 5.” your moan was low and your ass was already aching yet you were just halfway through. You were practically dripping, juices coating your inner thighs and you felt like you would combust if he wasn’t fucking you soon. “So wet, daddy.”

Another.

“That’s 6, love,” Brian murmured before you could, and then he hit another and you squeaked out 7. “Could’ve been over after this one, you know.” He brought the spoon down two more times, once on each of your cheeks, and you moaned out, muscles quivering. “Fuck. Fuck, so hard for you, angel, you know that?” And he ground his boner against you more, using one hand to grasp at your hips, pulling you ever so slightly back against him.

“God, fuck!” he hit you with the spoon one more time and you screamed out the 10 and then Brian threw the utensil to the ground, moving both hands to your waist and turning you around, his lips on yours before you could process it. Your hands flew to his hair, hooking a leg around his waist, and when he pushed you back so you were sitting at the table you noticeably winced at the pain in your ass.

“Gonna fuck you so bloody hard you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.” your hands went to Brian’s zipper, and his joined yours, tugging his throbbing cock free of its confines. He didn’t give you any sort of warning before sliding inside of you, your slickness providing the perfect lubricant for him. “E-Everyone’s gonna know who did this to you, huh? Everyone.”

You nodded, burying your face into his neck as he pulled himself out before ramming into you again, his thrusts intense yet without any sort of rhythm. Both of you were so desperate for each other that you knew you’d cum within minutes and it seemed like Brian wasn’t too far off already.

“Oh god, daddy, fucking me so good. Shit, oh my - “ Brian moved his head to your breasts and took one of your nipples in his mouth but with the incessantly fast paced thrusts, he accidentally let his teeth scrape against your nipple and your back arched into his lips. Your hands, still in his hair, tugged violently, and he groaned out.

“God, angel, so bloody tight around me.” his voice was low, desperate, and you could feel your orgasm building up already. “You gonna cum for me, baby?” He replaced his lips on your nipples with his fingers, the other trailing down to your clit, and his mouth worked on sucking a dark purple hickey into the side of your neck, right where anyone could see. “Cum around my cock, baby. Cum for me.”

It only took a few small circles on your clit for you to erupt. You writhed beneath him, sobbing out, as you came violently, legs spasming and cunt clenching around his length. He reached up and grabbed your wrist as your fingers in his locks tightened to the point of pain, and you knew he was close by the way his pace started to stutter. You reaching your climax almost always pushed him over the edge.

Your hands dropped from his hair, nails digging into his back as he cried out, hips pulling away from yours as he knew he was about to cum. His hand worked over his cock and it only took a few pumps before he spurted over your stomach, the white liquid warm against your skin. Your breasts heaved as you looked down, watching him paint an abstract painting with his cum, and you swallowed thickly as he collapsed over you.

The two of you were silent for a moment, stuck in your post-coital haze where nothing else mattered. Then Brian murmured, “Are you alright?”

You nodded, bringing two fingers up to his head to play with a strand of his hair. “Worn out.”

“I’m - I’m gonna run us a bath, darling. How does that sound?”

You looked up at him, a smile adorning your features, and then you leaned up to kiss him lightly. “Sounds perfect.” A beat. “Daddy.”

[cerastes]

Brief Summary of Luna’s God Damn Mess [spoilers of course, though it’s all in an event that probably won’t be rerun for a while, and that’s never been run in Global or Asia servers]:

There’s this place in the Eureka continent, on which our main story HAS NOT taken place yet, called Wintenberg. It’s famous for dragonslayers and for its war against dragons who live in the valleys.

One day, a dude named Straze (higher scope villain of E7) waltzed in with his Asshole Army and started causing trouble for both Wintenberg AND the dragons in the valleys.

Queen Francesca said Oh Fuck Dude and the dragons say Oh Fuck Dude so they join forces against this common enemy and thus PEACE is signed between humans and dragons, with the Queen allowing the dragons into the kingdom, and allowing half-dragons (such as Luna, born from a human father, a dragon mother, and a lot lubricant) to become knights.

But not all dragons liked this idea, especially the ones under the leadership of Ragnar, who hates hates hates humans. So those were not allowed in and the war continued against those, resulting in a 3-way war.

ENTER LUNA, who became inseparable with Cecilia, the Queen’s daughter. Luna fervently believed that if they could get rid of dragons that opposed this peace, humans and dragons would finally be able to live in peace :)! So she trained and trained alongside her bestie Cecilia in order to become a knight and realize this dream.

However, this is Epic Seven, so we can’t have things such as ‘joy’ in this house.

One day, Straze and Francesca had a 1v1 and it lasted forever, it was some Gilgamesh vs Enkidu shitfest, like three days swinging at each other. They couldn’t clinch it and decided to back off and try again another day. However, the fight was so intense that all of Francesca’s equipment broke. The same happened with most of the army’s weapons. 

Luna and Cecilia are like “Your Majesty/Mom, shit’s fucked”, but Francesca is like “do not worry, my lily white daughters, for I have a plan”, and this greatly reassures Luna! She’s so glad to hear this that she goes into the valleys to hunt for Ragnar just in case they want to launch an opportunistic attack on Wintenberg after this melee.

Luna fights with Ragnar, who tells Luna she’s really gonna regret helping the humans. She kindly asks him to shut up and perhaps die. Luna beats him but he retreats. Oh well, next time! However, when Luna returns home, she finds her panicked sister, Yufine, freaking out because she can’t find their mother or any other dragons.

(Clarifying Intermission: Luna and Yufine are half-sisters. Luna was born to a human father and a dragon mother, making her a half-dragon, whereas Yufine was born to the same mother but with a dragon father, making her full dragon).

Queen Francesca tells Luna “oh yeah all the dragons just pussied out and ran back to the valleys”, which Luna found hard to believe, as she didn’t buy that her mother would betray the humans like that, given she also had fervent wishes to live in harmony with the humans of Wintenberg and mama was no bitch!

COME NEXT MORNING, Yufine is missing.

Ohfuck.mp4

Luna goes back to the valleys and finds her!

:)!

Cradling their mother’s bloodied, brutalized corpse.

:(.

Ragnar is also there, and explains that it was none other than Queen Francesca that did it.

:(.

And then he explains that the land that is now Wintenberg used to belong to the dragons long, long ago, and that some humans came and begged the dragons to let them use the land, offering part of their livestock as payment. The dragons were super chill and kinda thrilled to make contact with another intelligent species so they said sure thing bro and so they settled.

And so the humans multiplied and no one dared fuck with Wintenberg because, you know, dragons. All was well! 

Except this is Epic Seven and things can’t be well.

Humans eventually got greedy and poisoned the livestock that they gave to the dragons, weakening them and then killing them in cold blood.

Then, they took their scales, claws, and eyes to forge armor, weapons and magic items.

:(.

Then humans used Propaganda and painted the dragons as evil.

So basically, Queen Francesca’s plan was to murder the dragons to take their scales, claws, and eyes to replenish the armor, weapons and magic items they lost in the war with Straze.

Starting with Luna’s mom.

:(((((((((((((((((((((((.

Luna decides “well I guess I am going to murder the fuck out of my personal hero and my best friend’s mom now”, and so she returns and acts as if nothing had happened, all the while preparing to strike.

And the chance presents itself not long after. Queen Francesca, still feeling the effects of the fight with Straze, is ambushed by the Luna drunk on hatred, and Luna defeats and kills her, tearing her body apart as she did with her people’s.

Luna rolls a nat 20 and is not found out.

Luna’s not had enough, however. All related to her must pay.

Luna, Cecilia, Rose (a dragonslayer) and Nemunas (a dragonslayer-in-training) are hunting down one of Ragnar’s lackeys one day, Lucius, and Luna says “OK GANG LET’S SPLIT UP,  I’ll go with Cecilia over to that conspicuous cliff, Rose and Nemunas will cover that patch of grass over yonder really far away from us, and Scooby and Shaggy will lure the monster into our trap”.

Everyone agrees because Luna is nice.

Big Mistake.

When they are near the edge of the cliff, Luna goes full Heihachi Mishima and Electric Wind Godfists her off the cliff.

I want to remind you that Luna and Cecilia are the bestest of friends and are explicitly described as “inseparable since childhood”. Luna just drops her. Luna has submerged this hard into despair and hatred.

Yufine knew something about her sister was off, so she tailed them and tried to stop Luna from doing Cecilia in, but is too late.

Rose and Nemunas however weren’t too far and rush in to confront Luna for this.

Luna Mishima uses the Electric Wind Godfist (623B) to knock both of them down the fucking cliff too.

Yufine tries to stop Luna’s Super Smash Brothers Power Hour and fights her.

During the fight, she missteps and also falls of the god damn cliff.

Well.

And the direct results of this are:

We have no idea where Luna is and what she is doing currently, but it can’t be anything good, going by her voice lines, which are dripping in hatred and a lust for further revenge.

The ones thrown off the cliff ended up hitting a Chaos Gate which sent them to another continent, Ritania, where the main plot takes place so far.

We have no idea where Nemunas is.

Rose ended up meeting Tenebria, an Acolyte of the Archdemon, and pledged her loyalty to her strength. This directly leads to her appearance in Chapter 10, where she fights against Ras (the protagonist), juices herself up on magic steroids, loses, and possibly actually fucking dies (and permadeaths ARE VERY MUCH A THING in Epic Seven).

Yufine is amnesiac and lost in Ritania.

Cecilia is alive but lost as all hell for a while, and mostly takes to adventuring on Ritania, becoming something of a folk hero.

Rose might be super dead, though.

So yeah, Luna.

[evangeline-perry]

Dead Poets Society: Neil x OC: part 6

masterlist

complete series

That evening I hear a quiet creek as my door opens. It reveals Neil who’s come to get me to go to the cave. He reaches his hand out to me and I take it as we quietly and quickly run down the hall to where the boys are waiting for us. The shadows of our hooded figures can be seen moving throughout the darkened halls. Suddenly we hear a dog barking that I remember to be Nolans.

I can see the boys take out dog cookies to bribe the dog, but I simply crouch down and pet him before he simply lays back down. ‘Wow’, the boys mumble impressed. All the while Neil hadn’t let go of my hand yet, not that I minded.

All of us quietly leave the building and set off running across the fields towards the woods.

We search about the trees trying to find the cave, Neil kept my hand in his so I didn’t slip on the unpredictable footing of the wood. I silently thanked the dark for hiding the fierce blush that had come to dust my cheeks. From the corner of my eyes I see Meeks searching around when Charlie leaps up behind Meeks in the dark shining the flashlight up at his own face and grabs Meeks by the shoulder. ‘Arrr, I'm a dead poet.’ he yells.

‘Aww, Charlie’, Meeks whines.

‘Guys, over here’, Charlie laughs.

‘You're funny. You're real funny’, Meeks states sarcastically.

When we get in the cave the boys are trying to start a fire, but the cave is quickly filling up with smoke.

‘It's too wet’, Meeks says, referring to the wood.

‘God, are you trying to smoke us out of here?’ Charlie complains, causing me to laugh quietly. This earns me a glance from Neil who winks at me.

‘No, no, the smoke's going right up this opening’, Meeks points.

Pitts tries to stand up and slams his head into the low rock ceiling. He lets out a yell while the others laugh.

‘You okay?’ I ask, touching his arm. He smiles and tells me he’s fine, though he mumbles something about: ‘Oh God. Clowns.’ referring to the boys.

‘All right, all right, forget the fire. Let's go gentlemen, and lady.’ Neil finally opts, before standing up before the others with the book in hand, and takes a drag on a cigarette before passing it on to Charlie.

‘I hereby reconvene the Dead Poets Society’, he states, causing the boys and me to cheer. Charlie tries to skip me to pass the cirgatette to Pitts who sits next to me. But I snatch it out of his hand and take a drag, causing all the boys to look at me surprised. I breath the smoke back out without coughing, this wasn’t the first time I’d smoked after all.

I pass the cigarette to Pitts who takes it looking at me astonished before I turn back to Neil with an innocent expression in my eyes.

‘Welton chapter’, he says after gawping at me for another second, ‘The meetings will be conducted by myself and the other new initiates now present. Todd Anderson, because he prefers not to read, will keep minutes of the meetings. I'll now read the traditional opening message by society member Henry David Thoreau. "I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life."’

‘I'll second that’, Charlie interrupts.

‘"To put to rout all that was not life, and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived.’

Several boys whistle softly in reaction to the poem, I just smile.

‘And Keating's marked a bunch of other pages’, Neil mumbles as he begins flipping through the book as he sits back down next to me and sliding his arm around me for warmth.

‘All right, intermission. Dig deep right here. Right here, lay it down’, Charlie orders.

‘On the mud? We're gonna put our food on the mud?’ Cameron objects.

‘Meeks, put your coat down. Picnic blanket’, Charlie states.

‘Yes sir, use Meeks' coat’, the boy in question mumbles to himself.

‘Don't keep anything back either. You guys are always bumming my smokes’, Charlie demands again. Meeks lays his coat down and everyone dumps their food on it. Amongst the pile are chocolate chip cookies, a box of raisins, a few apples, an orange, and half a roll.

‘Raisins?’ Neil states judgily, making me laugh.

‘Yuck.’

‘Wait a minute, who gave us half a roll?’

‘I'm eating the other half.’

‘Come on.’

‘You want me to put it back?’

Neil grabs the box of cookies and offers me one. Though when I try to reach for it, he keeps it just out of my grasp. I pout and he laughs, before handing the cookie to me.

Neil, lit up by a flashlight, begins to tell everyone a story.

‘It was a dark and rainy night, and this old lady, who had a passion for jigsaw puzzles, sat by herself in her house at her table to complete a new jigsaw puzzle. But as she pieced the puzzle together, she realized, to her astonishment, that the image that was formed was her very own room. And the figure in the center of the puzzle, as she completed it, was herself. And with trembling hands, she placed the last four pieces and stared in horror at the face of a demented madman at the window. The last thing that this old lady ever heard was the sound of breaking glass.’

‘Ohhh… no…’

‘This is true, this is true.’ as Neil says this, he pinches my side, causing me to squeel.

The boys and he laugh as I punch his arm, ‘damn it Neil!’

As everyone's voices begin to calm down, Pitts begins reading from the book.

"In a mean abode in the shanking road, lived a man named William Bloat. Now, he had a wife, the plague of his life, who continually got his goat. And one day at dawn, with her nightshift on, he slit her bloody throat." The boys laugh as I cringe as a shiver goes up my spine. Neil seems to have noticed, because his arm went securely around me again, I scoot a little closer and snuggle closer to him for warmth.

‘Oh, and it gets worse’, Pitts notes about the story.

‘Alright, who’s next?’ someone asks.

‘E.C. “It is so easy

for me to love you

that it frightens me.

I’ve never been good

at anything.

But I’ve never wanted

anything so much as

I want to hold you

every waking minute.

And every night while I sleep.

The question had ceased to be

‘How do I love you?’

and has become

‘How would I ever stop?’”

The emotion in his voice gave me goosebumps, I looked at him with a look of what must have been pure admiration before I feel a tug on my sleeve, it’s Knox. ‘He’s got it for you real bad’, he whispers, causing me to blush and him to snicker.

He sits back down and glances at me. As I realize I just got caught staring, I quickly look away.

‘Lady’, a voice snaps me out of my thoughts and Charlie stands above me holding his hand out. I give him a questioning look and he just nods towards his hand. I grab it and he helps me up and spins me around as soon as I am on my feet.

‘We’ll be back’, he says to the boys as he escorted me out the cave. I keep my eyes locked with Neil, whose jaw was clenched.

‘What do we need to talk about, Charlie?’ I ask as we step out of the cave. He nonchalantly shrugs as we step a little further away. He sits down on a large rock and then pats the spot next to him. As we sat and both look off into the distance.

‘Don’t hurt him’, he says after a while. I turn and look at him.

‘What?’ I ask, obviously confused.

‘Neil really likes you and that boy has never gotten anything he wanted. He has only done what his dad has wanted. And right now he feels on top of the world. He’s doing this club and thinking for himself. He gets involved with you and if you break his heart… well, he won’t feel so on top of the world.’ He might still have this club and us boys, but I don’t think I’ve seen him want anything more than to be with you. And you breaking him would crush him. Neil is the greatest guy, I know’, he says and I shake my head chuckling.

‘We’ve only known each other for like a week’, I say and he smiles at me: ‘But he’s spent almost every second with you, hasn’t he? Neil isn’t one to obsess over girls, but there is something about you that he’s drawn to, so that makes you pretty special. I know you like him too so why don’t you get it over with and start dating already’, he says and I blush.

The clock tolls two as the boys and I silently run back to their dorm. Neil walks with me as I make my way to my dorm. I open my door before turning to Neil. I put my hand on his arm as I lean up and kiss his cheek.

‘This was fun’, I tell him, causing him to blush.

<- PREVIOUS / NEXT ->

[brownskinsugarplum76]

One Shot: A Little TLC

This story started out simply: an idea that caught my attention from a great list of romantic activities that @callmethehunter recently compiled, but then my brain went somewhere kind of intense with it... Call it a domestic fantasy come to life, call it me needing a smut outlet after writing a good deal of PG-13-ish words, but whatever it is, this is NSFW. It's a riff on Robert playing soccer in the Speedo; be warned that the timeline was intentionally fudged a bit. Happy early Valentine's Day, I guess? 😁💘❤️❤️❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You are closing the refrigerator door, with a cold 7-Up bottle in hand for Robert, when he strikes. Literally. He has crept up behind you quietly and has snapped your butt with the towel he was wearing after his shower.

“Dammit, Robert!” you exclaim, almost dropping the bottle. “You scared me!”

“Sorry, love.” He throws the towel over his shoulders. “Let me take that from you,” he says, his hand dwarfing the glass bottle. He dislodges the cap with a lighter on the marble counter and drinks half the bottle at once.

“Feeling better after your shower?” you ask, thoroughly entertained by the sight of your naked beau polishing off a bottle of soda. He has just returned from a soccer game with Rod Stewart and others. The match wasn't all fun, though. You learned that the game (during which Robert and a few other proud souls stripped down to Speedos or the tiniest of shorts) was closely monitored and documented by a zealous photojournalist, and then Robert sustained a minor injury.

“I feel a little better,” he admits. “And, thankfully, it won't require another extended stay in a wheelchair. But someone promised me a massage, I believe?” He throws the empty bottle in the trash and backs you against the refrigerator, resting his hands on your shoulders and kissing you. The chill of his tongue from the rapidly consumed soda is enticing, as is the feel of your thighs, exposed in your short, pink terrycloth romper, against the cool refrigerator. For Robert, it seems, the pain will have to wait while there is pleasure to be had.

“I did make that promise,” you murmur, placing your hands on his chest.

“Good! I'm here for my appointment. Shall I take you to your studio, then?” He scoops you up into his arms and heads to the bedroom, although his gait is a little more labored than usual.

***

Robert is on top of the royal blue bedsheets, face down. The curtains, in a similar blue, are out of the way, the balcony door is open, and afternoon sunlight floods the bedroom, along with a gentle breeze. The ocean's rolling whisper is audible beyond. The room is dazzling from the sun and the cheerful pastel yellow walls, a golden pleasure room for a golden god.

“It feels a little better, but think I twisted something when I was turning to confront the bloody paparazzo,” he explains.

“Where does it hurt?”

“You can't see it right now, but it's positively aching for your touch… I'm a bit blue about the situation, to be honest.”

“Robert! I'm serious.”

“You can't blame me for trying, eh? You've successfully cured my… distress… many, many times.” He sighs. “Very well, today's soccer injury is back here.” He motions to the hamstring area of one of his legs.

“Poor baby,” you say in a soothing voice, kissing the sore area.

Robert purrs as he arches into your kiss. “That sure helps a little more…”

You grab the bottle of baby oil off the nightstand and warm a generous amount in your hands. The two of you have indulged in its sexy, shiny slickness in happier times, but it will have to do for impromptu therapeutic purposes.

Deciding on a full body massage with a hamstring focus, you glide your hands down the backs of his thighs, gently at first, but then with more pressure.

Once his legs are thoroughly coated, you zero in on the sore area, grinding into it with your thumb and then the heel of your hand.

He groans, tenses his leg, and then relaxes it several times while you work on the area.

“How's that now?” you ask moments later.

“So much better. Thank you, love.”

You switch your attention to the rest of Robert's body, massaging the other leg, then his calves and feet. You tend to his ass next, and then add more oil to your hands to tackle his neck, shoulders, and back. His constant moans, sighs, and squirming on the bed are communicating his satisfaction clearly.

After a while, you straddle him and kiss the side of his neck. “Time to turn over, Prince Charming,” you whisper in his ear before giving him space to move.

He rolls over slowly, and his blissful, sleepy expression explains why it's taking him so long.

“Mmmmm, I can't wait to have you and those delightful hands with me on our next tour.” His eyes dance with gratitude. The two of you met while he was healing from his car accident, and you are looking forward to traveling with him and seeing him perform live soon.

You straddle him again and skate a finger down his nose. “Just my massage hands?” you reply with a smile.

“You're right. You'll have plenty of other uses: rolling joints, detangling my hair, waiting for me during the intermissions…” You can tell he's teasing you by his tone.

You huff playfully. “I think this massage is over,” you say, faking a departure from his thighs.

But he grips your hips before you can get far. “No, it wouldn't only be for your hands, or any caregiving you'd like to bless me with. I need your smile, your merciless teasing, your fascinating trains of thought and conversations, your fun spirit. You. All of you. And her,” he adds. His hand was crawling up your thigh, inside of your shorts, while he was talking, and now he has engaged your warm center with a finger.

“I'm flattered.” You give him a kiss. “But how about we get through this massage first, cowboy?” You rise to your knees and slap his thighs.

“Yes, ma'am,” he drawled in an exaggerated American accent.

“OK. Close your eyes.”

He complies, and you snake your fingers into his damp hair, massaging his scalp with the pads of your fingers. Any signs of tension in his face have melted away. A tiny smile lingers on his lips, and his chest moves up and down gracefully with his breath.

You move on to massaging his temples, and your action sustains his relaxed state of enjoyment.

After oiling your hands, you rub away the knots in his neck and shoulders.

“Mmmmm, I could stay here forever,” he says softly, as if close to sleep.

“I like the sound of that,” you whisper in his ear, before kissing him passionately. You are ready to move on to the next phase of soothing his body.

You stand to remove your clothes, and Robert keeps his eyes shut. Back on the bed, you lay on top of him, skin to skin.

“I like where this is going,” he says, gazing into your eyes and caressing your hair and your shoulders. He kisses you this time, a slow, soulful kiss that almost makes you forget that you have taken on the responsibility of his pleasure this afternoon.

Robert's taut, tanned body becomes a playground for your hands and mouth. The sight of his ripples and ridges and his more rounded areas turn you on to distraction.

But the glee you feel from giving your all with the massage morphs to flaming desire now that you are ready to tackle his manhood with a different kind of attention. Illuminated by the steady stream of sun, his cock, which is dewy at the tip and exquisitely hard, looks more enticing than usual.

You start by slowly licking his full length, then his balls. It is another way to give him the TLC that he needs, and you are enjoying your efforts and his reaction. Then you drag your tongue around his sensitive head until both of you are dizzy with lust.

When neither of you can stand it anymore, you devour a substantial portion of his cock, tasting it, teasing it, thrusting your mouth up and down on it, while your hands twist and tighten gradually.

“Fuck, love,” he says through clenched teeth as he undulates against your face. You keep going, and he holds your head in place as his hips buck more strongly.

“Your hands… Your mouth… I…” Instead of finishing his thought, a ragged wail escapes from his lips. He is taking hungry breaths through his open mouth.

“I need her. Now.” Robert's jawline is tense as he growls his command. He rolls you onto your back and his tongue swims in your sex, which is already soaked through from your enjoyment of pleasuring him.

The throbbing sensations that permeated your body earlier are almost beyond tolerable now that Robert has taken over. He assaults your sensitive bud with velvety licks that make you lose control. The release that comes is not a moment too soon.

He stands and asks you to get up. He lifts you, and you wrap your arms around his shoulders and your legs around his waist. “You've cured me of one aliment, and now,” he says, entering you once he has you pressed to a wall, with his hands firmly supporting your ass, “how about another?”

The feeling of him hungrily buried inside of you while he protectively cradles your body against gravity is sublime, as is the roar of his hot breath in your ear. Your vantage point has the sun almost in your eyes, and when you shut them, you can easily imagine it's Apollo himself goading your essence toward abandon, and beyond, until the two of you are simply passion, light, energy, heat, an existence bigger and more vibrant than your bodies could ever contain. Your life's will at the moment is to remain in this pleasurable, celestial void, primally connected to the man with whom you've been sharing a bed for the past few months. When you open your eyes and see Robert's are closed, with a stern look of deep concentration on his face, you know that he must feel the same.

You stare some more at his face and its classic masculine structure. As if he feels your stare, he opens his eyes and you encounter the softer part of his allure, his wide-eyed, feline gaze. These things are at unexpected, yet attractive odds, along with his abundant, glowing locks and his strong body. He is a work of art. He is your work of art. And that knowledge entices you to press on, to quench your need for him with wanton sensual gluttony.

“Shit, what's gotten into you, baby?” Your intensified thrusting has not gone unnoticed, and Robert leans further into you and the wall, in a feverish attempt to extract more pleasure from your body as well.

The sensations are overwhelming, almost unbearable for both of you. You don't think you've ever moaned so loudly in your life. Robert's perfect face has gone ruddy from his exertion as incoherent noises escape his lips. It feels like the two of you could go on forever, feeding lustily off of each other's energy with no cares to time or place, but your bodies have other plans, exploding into euphoric shocks and tremors moments later.

Robert backs away from the wall, and his iron grip becomes a delicate embrace that provides a soft landing for the turbulent, high-flying passion that preceded this moment. He walks back to the bed, gently places you on it, and sidles up next to you contentedly, a giddy lion cub who has been sated by your nurturing provision. You kiss and stare wordlessly into each other's eyes until he falls asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of my stories are here, or search for the hashtag #brownskinsugarplumlibrary. All stories are eventually posted on AO3 to my account, brownskinsugarplum76.

[ncfan-1]

ncfan listens to The Magnus Archives: S1 EP017 (’The Bone-Turner’s Tale) and S1 EP018 (’The Man Upstairs’)

Body horror and another episode that reminds me of Ito Junji’s work. Not a good pair of episodes for people with weak stomachs.

No spoilers past Season 1, please!

EP 017: ‘The Bone-Turner’s Tale’

- Sebastian’s gushing about the power of books is kinda sweet, though the power we see displayed in this episode is anything but. (And I happen to have in my possession a few books—not first editions, of course—that have outlived the societies that produced them, so I get the wonder on that account.)

- And Michael Crew (mentioned in ‘Page Turner’) has snuck another Evil Book into an innocent Chiswick library. What the hell, man?

- And we get static when Jonathan reads out the title of the book—‘The Bone-Turner’s Tale.’

- Jared Hopworth sounds like a piece of work, though the fact that he still seems so fixated on a guy who was his friend and now he seems to want to believe he hates is a little… sad. I doubt Sebastian felt much, if any, sympathy for him, but I suppose that as a listener, I can feel sorry for him. Or, at least, I feel sorry for him now. All sympathy dies soon.

(And I’ve since learned that I was mishearing the name ‘Gerard Keay’ as ‘Jared Key.’ Personally, in Sims’s voice the names ‘Jared’ and ‘Gerard’ sound frankly identical, but okay. I’ll call him ‘Gerard’ from now on to avoid confusion.)

- And we have an intermission and our first proper introduction to Elias, where he proceeds to tell us just how badly Jonathan’s first attempt to interact with a statement giver went. And that the creepy, creepy Lukas family is one of the Institute’s patrons. I’m sure that’s not a bad sign at all.

- “I’ll… be more lovely.” No, you won’t.

- Yes, I’m just sure Martin’s off sick. Normal sickness, being shut into your apartment by a living hive of flesh-eating worms.

- Sebastian, I understand not wanting to create unnecessary drama, but it might be better to tell your coworkers if someone’s harassing you if you think there’s any chance he might drag them into it as well.

- It’s odd that Jared would walk off with the book even if he seems a bit frightened by it. Some sort of compulsion, perhaps? Or maybe he’s run into Michael Crew before and recognized a book that had once been in his possession.

- The thing with the poor rat is the reason why I will not be revisiting this episode, not unless I just do a big re-listen of the series in general. It’s also the thing that completely evaporated my sympathy for Jared (Even before we saw what he did to his mother). That was his pet, an animal without any significant ability to hurt him in its own defense the way a cat or a dog could. It probably trusted him unhesitatingly, didn’t even consider Jared might hurt it until he did. And I know a lot of people don’t like rats, but tame rates make for really cute, cuddly, affectionate pets. I do mean affectionate—they have the same capacity for empathy and bonding with owners that cats and dogs possess. And Jared did that to it. I will not go out of my way to listen to this episode again for the very simple reason that animal cruelty, especially cruelty towards your pets, turns me right off.

(I probably would have scooped the rat up and taken it to the vet once I realized it was a tame rat. Of course, given the state it was in, probably the only thing the vet would have been able to do was euthanize it so it wouldn’t suffer any more than it already was. But I can understand Sebastian not wanting to pick up a strange animal.)

- I can understand Jared’s mother taking her anger out on Sebastian. It’s probably a lot safer being angry at him than at Jared, considering the new skill Jared’s picked up. I note we never see her again after she presumably steals the book to take it back to the library. I doubt that bodes good things for her fate.

- We get static again when Jon reads out the title of the book.

(I listened to the first episode again today, and there was static when Jon read out the “Can I have a cigarette?” spoken by the entity of the episode, too.)

- I was curious as to whether pseudo-Chaucerian tales were a thing, and sure enough, it turns out that during the Medieval era it was for a time the fashion to write pseudo-Chaucerian tales in an effort to “finish” The Canterbury Tales. Some people decided to add on to the Cook’s Tale, which Chaucer died before he could complete, or to write new ones whole-cloth. One is called The Plowman’s Tale, another is called The Tale of Beryn.

- It’s a pity the thing with the rat affected me the way that it did, because the rest of the story is quite engrossing.

- And ‘The Bone-Turner’s Tale’ is so evil it makes other books bleed. That’s… definitely something.

- And we get static when Sebastian describes the books bleeding.

- Sebastian pointing out how ambiguous it is as to whether the bone-turner is traveling with the other pilgrims or if he’s just following (stalking) them feels… right, for this kind of series. Horror thrives on ambiguity, on puzzles where there’s just enough empty space or there’s a couple of pieces missing, so we don’t know what the whole picture is supposed to look like.

- The fact that the technical quality of the prose is mediocre is oddly hilarious. Because, you know: evil book that gives people the ability to manipulate bones.

- More static when Sebastian quotes the book.

- Why am I not surprised it’s a Jurgen Leitner book? From now on, I’m just going to assume that any weird book that shows up in this series is a Leitner book.

- The description of Jared’s “modifications” is excellent. Especially the extra limbs and the ribcage modified to be a mouth. Pushing the boundaries on what counts as human, aren’t we?

- I wonder how Jared was running. Was he scuttling along like a giant spider, or something?

- I do wonder what the cops (and the library staff, for that matter) thought about the bloody books. How do you look at something like that without having some kind of comment?

- And Jonathan is predictably rather ill with the thought of another surviving Leitner tome having slipped through the cracks.

- Yeah, Jared attacked and mangled Sebastian so severely that he died, and had a closed-casket funeral. I really doubt Mrs. Hopworth is still with us.

EP 018: ‘The Man Upstairs’

- Here’s another one that reminds me of Ito Junji’s work.

- I understand that in the U.K., the floor numbers in buildings go top-bottom, instead of bottom-top. At least, that’s the impression I’ve gotten. So the fact that Toby Carlisle is said to live on the first floor I take to mean that he lived in what in the U.S. would be called the second floor.

- The smell Christof associates with Toby in the beginning—a combination of pavement after rain on a hot day and spoiled chicken—makes me wonder when exactly Toby started nailing up the meat. Did he start small at first, so that you’d only notice if you got a whiff of it through an open window or door? Or was it his association with the entity in question that made him smell like that—did he just carry the odor of decay with him wherever he went?

- It’s interesting that Toby did the hammering meat onto the walls once every two weeks, on the dot. Did he have a schedule he had to keep to?

- The description of the carpet in front of Toby’s door… ick.

- Interestingly enough, I think we got a little bit of static when Toby said “What do you want?” Do the distortions extend to human agents of the entities we’ve seen in the series?

- Oh, God, I’ve finally figured out what the viscous, off-white liquid seen in the episode is. It’s liquefied fat, isn’t it?

- The plumber’s visit… You know, my senior year working towards my anthropology degree, the washing machine in the dorm above the one my roommates and I lived in broke down and flooded the upstairs dorm—and ours, too, eventually. I can’t begin to describe how fortunate I feel right now that the only thing that came pouring out of the light fixtures in the kitchen was soapy water.

- The interior of Toby Carlisle’s flat, this is what reminded me of Ito Junji’s work. Can’t you just imagine him drawing something like this? I’m pretty sure he has drawn something at least vaguely similar to this before; I’d go and check, but that would require me to look at it again, so no, thank you. (I think it was in a oneshot manga called ‘Greased.’ Only vaguely similar, but way too similar for me to want to look at it.)

- The description of the flat is actually quite good. Probably the only reason I can deal with it is because I don’t have to look at or smell it.

- Was… Toby trying to summon some kind of meat entity with this nailing up meat all over his flat? Was that why the meat thing with all the eyes was in the kitchen? And I suppose it just sort of winked out of existence when it realized it had been spotted.

- “It opened its eyes. It opened all its eyes.” I’ll… just leave this here.

- It’s interesting that the cops, the fire department, and the hospital all give such different accounts. I would have liked to see what the inconsistencies entailed. I feel like that could be very telling.

- I’m glad Christof got some counseling.

- I think the stinger in this episode is the best one up so far. Where was Toby getting all the meat?