#it was so neat !! me and my friends have been so excited about this movie for months it was so cool that they came to our theater 😭

[justmehernthemoon]

GLEN POWELL AND DAISY EDGAR-JONES CAME TO MY SCREENING OF TWISTERS!!!!!

[justallmyfantasies]

she’s just like candy

she’s so sweet.

contains: dad!alex, smut (unprotected piv, fingering) that’s about it sorry lolll

word count: 4.8k

you’d been with him for a while, met his family, even his daughter. she was lovely, a spitting image of her him. her brown eyes, brown hair and smile. it was the cutest thing you’d ever seen. you didn’t think you’d be that fond of children but here you were, playing dolls with her in his house and going through halloween costumes with her.

alex watched from the doorframe, you didn’t know he was there. he snuck up to you, making you scream into laughter, the little girl joining in.

“jesus christ, did you have to sneak up on me like that?” you scolded but your voice soft. the little girl giggled once more, her hair bouncing as she jumped up and down.

olivia looked up at alex, her smile beaming at him. “daddy, look! we picked this costume!” her voice was sweet. she stood up and posed, showing off her outfit. she twirled around and smiled.

alex kneeled down to her level, pulling her into a big hug. “you look great, poppet.” he ruffled her hair, making her squirm in his arms, protesting for him to stop messing her hair up. he giggled in response. you looked at them both, a big smile growing on your face.

as olivia continued to squirm and protest, alex only seemed to laugh more, clearly enjoying the playful banter between them. watching them together reminded you of how lucky you were to have found someone who was not only a great partner but also an amazing father.

olivia finally managed to wriggle out of his grip, her hair a messy tangle after his ruffling. she pouted up at him, but there was a twinkle in her eye that showed she was secretly amused. she ran over to you. “can you fix my hair please. daddy messed it up.” she looked at alex and pouted which made him laugh.

you smiled at her and beckoned her over. “of course, sweetheart.” you sat down and gestured for her to sit down in front of you. olivia sat down on the floor in front of you and you started to brush through her hair, trying to tame the messy tangles.

as you combed through her hair, olivia started to chatter away, telling you about school and her friends and all the things she was excited about for halloween. you listened patiently, smiling at her stories and making small talk in between.

alex stood nearby, leaning against the wall with a soft smile on his face as he watched the two of you interact. he could see the bond growing between you and his daughter, and it made his heart swell with happiness.

you finished sorting out her hair and gave it a final brush, making sure it was perfectly neat and neat again. olivia got up and ran over to the mirror to check her reflection, a look of absolute joy on her face.

"thanks!" she exclaimed and ran over to you to give you a big hug.

you hugged her back, feeling a lump form in your throat. being around olivia made you feel like a part of something bigger, something more meaningful. you looked up and saw alex still smiling, a proud look in his eyes.

olivia skipped back over to alex, tugging at his sleeve. "daddy, can we watch a movie?" she asked with pleading eyes. alex chuckled and picked her up, hoisting her up onto his hip.

“i thought you wanted to go trick or treating?" he asked, bouncing her up and down playfully.

olivia's eyes widened with excitement, suddenly remembering the reason why you guys were looking at costumes. "oh yeah!" she exclaimed, her legs kicking as she squirmed in his arms. "can we go? please, please, please!"

alex looked over at you, a grin on his face. “what do you think? up for a night of trick or treating?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

you shrugged, not knowing if you should or shouldn’t. you didn’t want to ruin their time as dad and daughter but you also wanted to join in. “do you want me to come?” you asked.

alex’s expression softened at your answer. “of course we want you to come, love.” he said, his voice gentle. olivia nodded enthusiastically, her eyes wide.

you couldn’t help but smile at their excitement. “alright, then. count me in.” you said, getting up from the couch and joining them.

“yes!” olivia exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. alex chuckled and put her down. “go get your shoes on, poppet.” he said, giving her hair one last messy ruffle before she dashed out of the room.

as olivia rushed off to get ready, alex turned to you, a soft smile on his face. he reached out and took your hand, giving it a light squeeze. “thank you for this.”

you returned his smile, feeling a warmth spread through you at his words. “no need to thank me. i’m happy to spend time with you both.” your eyes met, and in that moment, you felt an undeniable connection between the three of you, one that was growing stronger with each passing day.

olivia came back into the room, her shoes on and her excitement levels off the charts. “i’m ready!” she exclaimed, jumping up and down again. alex laughed and ruffled her hair once more, clearly loving how energetic she was.

you chuckled, loving her enthusiasm. "okay, i think we're all set then." you said, grabbing your jacket from the coat rack.

as you all headed out the door, olivia skipped ahead, her costume rustling softly as she moved. she looked back over her shoulder at the two of you, her smile lighting up her face. alex put his hand on your lower back, guiding you outside.

the three of you spent half of the evening knocking on doors, screaming trick or treat and enjoying each others company. before you knew it, olivia’s pace was starting to slow down meaning she was tired and past her bedtime.

after a few more houses, you all decided to go back to the house. opening the door and being greeted by the coldness of the house. goosebumps hitting your skin. alex spent five minutes trying to convince olivia to go to sleep, after she while she gave up her fight and let alex take her to bed.

you stayed in the living room, waiting for alex to come back downstairs. you sat on the couch, the evening's events swirling around in your head. you were lost in thought, when you heard alex's footsteps echoing down the stairs.

he walked into the room, looking a little exhausted. he sat down next to you with a sigh. "she's finally asleep." he said, running a hand through his hair. "always a struggle getting her to fall asleep."

you chuckled, feeling a pang of sympathy for him. you knew all too well how stubborn kids could be when it came to bedtime. "well, she has a lot of energy. it's no wonder it takes her a while to settle down."

alex nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "you're telling me. i love her to bits, but sometimes i just wish she wasn’t so hyper.”

you laughed, imagining how chaotic it must be trying to get her to focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time. "i can only imagine. i don’t know how you handle it on a daily basis."

alex rolled his eyes playfully. "i have no idea how i do it either, but it’s all worth it when i see her smile." he leaned back into the couch, stretching is arms above his head.

you smiled at his words. hearing him talk about his daughter always melted your heart. "you're a great dad, you know that?" you said, nudging his shoulder with yours.

alex looked at you, a soft smile on his face. "thanks, love. i try my best. she’s everything to me." he paused for a moment, his expression turning contemplative. "you’re good with her too, you know. she really looks up to you."

you blushed slightly at his words, not used to being praised for your interactions with olivia. "you really think so?" you asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

alex nodded emphatically. “i know so. she always asks about the next time she’ll get to see you. she practically lights up when she knows you’re coming over. it’s adorable.”

your heart swelled at his words. it was one thing to have a good relationship with alex, but it was something else entirely to know that his daughter also liked having you around. “i can’t believe she enjoys my presence that much.” you mused.

alex chuckled, shaking his head. “why is it so hard to believe? i enjoy your presence too, you know.” he reached out and took your hand in his, intertwining his fingers with yours.

you felt a familiar flutter in your chest as he held your hand. no matter how many times he touched you, it always sent a shiver down your spine. "i know you do." you said, your voice soft. "but it's still weird to think that she likes me as much as you do."

"well, you’d better believe it." alex replied, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. "olivia has a good eye for people, and she can tell when someone is genuine. and you, my love, are nothing but genuine."

you felt a blush creeping up your cheeks again, feeling a little overwhelmed by his compliment. "you really have a way with words, you know that?" you teased, trying to lighten the mood.

alex grinned, enjoying the effect he had on you. "what can i say? i know how to flatter the ladies." he leaned in a little closer, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "or at least, i know how to flatter you."

you couldn’t help but laugh, feeling both flustered and happy at the same time. "careful, alex. too many compliments and you’ll start inflating my ego."

"i wouldn't mind if your ego went up a bit." alex replied, his tone playful. "you deserve to feel good about yourself." he reached up with his free hand, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

you felt your heart skip a beat as his fingers grazed against your skin. alex was always so gentle with you, like you were something fragile and precious. "you’re being sweet again." you accused, a small smile playing on your lips.

alex chuckled, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "you bring out the sweetness in me." he replied, his fingers now tracing a path down the side of your neck.

you shivered slightly at his touch, feeling a heat spread throughout your body. it was like every time he touched you, it sent a current of electricity through your veins. "you're making it hard to focus on anything but you." you said, your voice a little hoarse.

alex’s grin widened, knowing full well the effect he had on you. "oh really?" he leaned in closer, his eyes locking onto yours.

"really." you breathed, your pulse quickening. alex was so close you could feel the heat radiating from his skin. it was as if he had a gravitational pull that lured you in, making it impossible to resist him.

"i see." alex’s voice was low and sultry, his breath warm against your ear, his hand now resting on your thigh. “you’re pretty, you know that?”

you felt a shiver run down your spine as his hand rested on your leg. “you’ve mentioned that before.” you replied, managing to keep your voice steady. alex’s proximity was making it hard to think straight.

"well, i’ll keep reminding you until you believe it." alex said, his fingers tracing lazy circles on your skin. he chuckled softly, his breath tickling your ear. "i don’t think you realize how beautiful you are."

you couldn’t help but blush at his words, feeling both embarrassed and pleased by his compliments. “i think you’re exaggerating a bit.” you mumbled, looking down at your lap.

alex gently grasped your chin, tilting your head up to meet his gaze. "i’m not exaggerating," he said, his tone firm but gentle. "i mean every word.” he paused for a moment, his eyes searching your face. "i should really stop before you get a big head."

you let out another small laugh, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside you. "don't worry, my ego is still in check." you replied jokingly, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy despite the butterflies in your stomach.

"good." alex said, his thumb tracing the line of your jaw. he leaned in even closer, his lips now hovering just inches from yours. "I wouldn’t want you getting too full of yourself."

you couldn't help but hold your breath as his lips got closer to yours, your heart fluttering in your chest. "i think i can manage." you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper.

"i’ll hold you to that." alex murmured, his gaze dropping to your lips. his thumb traced the contour of your bottom lips, sending a jolt of electricity down your spine.

you were about to say something witty in response, when alex closed the distance between you, his lips claiming yours in a deep, passionate kiss. all rational thought left your mind as he kissed you, your body melting against his.

alex wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer to him as he continued to kiss you. his tongue darting out to meet yours, his grip soft. his scent was intoxicating, a mix of musk and cologne that sent your senses into overdrive.

you let yourself get lost in the moment, your hands burying themselves in his hair as you returned his kiss with equal fervor. the world around you faded away, leaving only the two of you in this intimate bubble.

alex pulled away from the kiss, but only to trail his lips down your neck, leaving a trail of fiery kisses in their wake. he gently nipped at the sensitive skin, making you gasp and cling onto him tighter.

"alex..." you whispered, your voice thick with desire. his stubble grazed your skin, sending shivers down your spine. he chuckled softly against your neck, leaving a trail of love bites along your skin.

alex's hands were roaming freely over your body, his touch leaving a trail of fire in their path. he pulled you onto his lap, his hands coming to rest on your hips, holding you tightly against him.

you straddled his hips, your body fitting perfectly against his as you looked down at him. his eyes were darkened with desire, his mouth slightly parted as he gazed up at you. "you drive me crazy, you know that?" he whispered, his hands tightening their grip on your waist.

you smiled down at him, feeling a rush of power at the effect you had on him. "i could say the same for you." you replied, leaning down and tracing a path along his jawline with your lips.

alex let out a soft groan, his head tilting back to give you better access to his neck. your fingers found their way under his shirt, tracing the muscles of his chest and stomach. his skin was hot against your touch, his body responding to you in a way that made your head spin.

your lips continued their journey down his neck, feeling his pulse quicken under your touch. you could feel him growing harder beneath you, his body responding to your every move. your hands roamed over his chest, tracing patterns over his skin as you nibbled on his earlobe.

"god, you're killing me." alex breathed, his hands gripping your hips with a near-bruising force. he pulled your face back up to his, his lips crashing into yours in a sloppy, desperate kiss.

you matched the intensity of his kiss, your tongue tangling with his as your body pressed flush against his. you could feel the heat radiating from him, the desperate need in his touch as his hands ran over your back.

alex suddenly shifted, picking you up and carrying you up the stairs to his bedroom. shutting the door behind him with his foot, careful to not wake the child sleeping in the room opposite.

he laid you down on the bed, his body following soon after. he propped himself up on his forearms, hovering above you. his breath hitched as he looked down at you, a mixture of desire and awe in his eyes.

"i want you." he said, his voice hoarse with need. he leaned down and captured your lips in another kiss, his hands already working on removing your shirt.

you arched your back, aiding him in his quest to undress you. your heart was pounding in your chest as his hands roamed over your bare skin, leaving a trail of fire in their path.

alex pulled back, admiring your exposed body for a moment before he began to slowly remove his own shirt. you watched with bated breath as each inch of his torso was revealed, the sight making your mouth go dry.

he tossed the shirt aside before leaning back over you, his body pressing against yours. you could feel his hardness against your thigh and it made you shiver with anticipation. he captured your lips in another deep kiss, his tongue delving into your mouth as his hands continued their exploration of your body.

you wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him closer. your fingers dug into his back, feeling the muscles flexing beneath your touch. alex groaned into the kiss, his hips grinding against yours, his need for you growing more urgent.

he broke the kiss, his mouth trailing down your neck once more. his teeth nipped at the sensitive skin, making you gasp and arch your back. his hands were everywhere, touching and squeezing all the right spots, leaving you feeling like a bundle of nerves on fire.

alex made his way down your body, his lips and tongue worshiping every inch of your skin. his hands continued to roam, caressing and massaging your body. you were a trembling mess, your mind clouded with pleasure, your body surrendering completely to his touch.

he reached the hem of your pants, his fingers toying with the waistband. he looked up at you, his eyes dark and questioning, asking for permission. you nodded, unable to form words, feeling a rush of anticipation.

alex wasted no time, his fingers quickly unbuttoning your pants and sliding them down your legs, discarding them on the floor. he ran his hands back up your legs, his touch soft as he caressed your thighs.

he settled between your legs, his fingers tracing the edge of your panties, the thin fabric separating his touch from your most intimate parts. you whimpered, your hips arching towards him, trying to find some relief from the growing tension inside you.

alex chuckled, his breath warm against your skin. "so impatient." he murmured, his fingers now delving beneath the fabric, slowly exploring the sensitive flesh underneath. you sucked in a breath, your hand coming up to muffle the moan that escaped your lips.

alex continued his torturous teasing, his fingers dancing along the edges of where you desperately wanted him. his lips returned to your neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses as he slowly unraveled you.

you were a writhing mess under his touch, your body begging for something. you could feel the pleasure building, a coiled tension gathering in your core. you clung onto him, your nails digging into his back as you tried to muffle you moans.

alex finally took mercy on you, his fingers finally moving your panties to the side and attaching his fingers to where you needed them most. you gasped, your body arching off the bed as his touch ignited a fire inside you. his mouth found yours, capturing your moans greedily.

his fingers started moving, his touch bringing you closer and closer to the edge. you were a trembling mess, your body responding to his every touch. his tongue tangled with yours, your moans getting lost in his mouth.

alex changed the angle of his hand slightly, his fingers hitting a spot that made you see stars. you gasped, your body tensing as the pleasure shot through you like electricity. you broke away from the kiss, your head falling back onto the pillow as you gasped for air.

"alex, i-" you started to say, but the words were cut off by another moan as he curled his fingers in just the right way. your thoughts were scattered, your mind reeling as the pleasure built and built, growing stronger and stronger.

"shh, i know." alex murmured, his fingers continuing their relentless pace. "let go." he commanded, his mouth now trailing kisses down your neck once more.

his words pushed you over the edge, and you let go, your body shuddering as the waves of pleasure crashed over you. you cried out, your hands grasping at the sheets, your mind filled with nothing but white-hot ecstasy.

alex slowed his movements, helping you ride out the aftershocks of your climax. he kissed your neck, your shoulders, mumbling soft words of praise into your skin.

you laid there, panting and trembling, your body slowly coming back down to earth. alex's hands continued to move over your skin, caressing and soothing your hypersensitive body.

he moved back up, hovering above you once more. he was a mess himself, his hair tousled and his eyes dark and intense. he lowered his forehead to yours, his breath mingling with yours as he tried to regain his own composure.

you were still catching your breath when you felt him pressing against you, signaling his need. you looked up at him, his eyes searching yours, asking a silent question. you nodded, your body already responding to his touch.

alex groaned, his eyes closing briefly as he felt your response. he reached between you, fumbling with his own pants for a moment before he was finally free. he looked down at you, his eyes filled with need.

he captured your lips in a deep, passionate kiss as he settled between your thighs. you felt him pressing against your entrance, the feeling making you gasp into the kiss. he slowly pushed inside you, drawing out an unrestrained moan from you.

he let out a low growl, his body shuddering as he slowly filled you. you wrapped your legs around his waist, trying to pull him closer, deeper. your hands dug into his back, your nails leaving imprints on his skin.

alex pulled back a bit, needing a moment to collect himself. he looked down at you, his eyes burning with desire. he reached out and pushed a strand of hair away from your face, his touch surprisingly gentle given the intensity of the moment.

"you okay?" he asked, his voice rough. you nodded, feeling the last remnants of trepidation draining from you, leaving only a deep, primal need. you wanted him, all of him.

"good." alex said, his voice a low rumble. he began to move then, slowly at first, his hips rolling against yours. you threw your head back, a gasp escaping you as he filled you in a way that made you feel complete.

he set a slow, steady pace, each movement calculated and precise. his mouth found your neck, his teeth scraping against your skin, his lips leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses in their path.

you moved with him, your body instinctively matching his rhythm. your fingers dug into his hair and shoulders, needing something to hold onto as the pleasure coiled deep within you once again.

alex's movements grew more urgent, his thrusts getting harder and faster. he was losing his control, his body taking over. he let out a soft string of curses, his mouth now nipping at your earlobe.

you were close again, the building pleasure threatening to overwhelm you. you tightened your legs around his waist, trying to pull him deeper, wanting him to fill you completely. alex groaned at the change in angle, his breath ragged and uneven.

"i'm not gonna last much longer." he confessed, his voice hoarse. "i need you to-" he started to say, but was cut off by a low moan as he hit that spot inside you that made you see stars.

"alex-" you managed to gasp out, your voice trembling. "i'm close. so close." you weren't even sure if your words were coherent, but he seemed to understand, as his hand slid down between your bodies and found that sensitive bundle of nerves. his thumb started making small circles on you, the added stimulation almost too much. you shuddered, your body coiling tight as you neared the edge.

"let go for me." alex breathed, his words a broken gasp as he continued to move inside you. "let go, i got you."

his words broke the dam, and you came undone, your body shuddering against his as the pleasure tore through you. you cried out, your nails digging into his skin, your mind wiped clean of any thought save for the overwhelming ecstasy coursing through you.

alex followed after you, his thrusts becoming erratic and uneven as he found his own release. he let out a guttural moan, burying his face in the crook of your neck as he came. his body pressed against you, his weight pinning you to the bed as you both rode out the after shudders of pleasure. both of you were panting, your bodies slick with sweat. alex slowly lifted his head, his eyes hazy and satisfied as he looked down at you.

a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, his expression tender. he reached up and pushed some damp hair away from your forehead, his touch gentle and affectionate. "you're amazing." he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. "absolutely amazing.

you smiled up at him, feeling a wave of affection wash over you. you reached out and traced your fingers along his jawline, feeling the stubble scratching softly against your skin. "you're not so bad yourself." you teased, your voice still breathless.

alex chuckled, the sound sending a ripple of happiness through you. he rolled off of you, collapsing onto the bed beside you. he pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around you and holding you tightly against his chest.

you snuggled closer, relishing in the feeling of being cocooned in his arms. you could hear the steady beat of his heart, the soft rise and fall of his chest. you placed your hand over his heart, feeling the steady rhythm against your palm.

alex pressed a kiss to the top of your head, his hand drawing lazy circles on your back. you both laid there, silently basking in each other's presence. the room was filled with a comfortable silence, the only sound the soft breathing of the other.

after a few moments, alex spoke, breaking the silence. "i could get used to this," he said, his voice still rough from exertion. "having you in my bed, in my arms."

you felt a flutter in your chest at his words, a warmth spreading through you. you looked up at him, seeing the soft smile on his face. "i could get used to it too," you confessed, your voice a whisper.

alex's smile grew, his eyes crinkling at the corners. he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch tender. "move in with me." he said, his voice softer than you had ever heard it before.

your heart skipped a beat, his words taking you completely by surprise. you pulled back slightly, looking up at him with wide eyes. "what?" you asked, your voice trembling slightly.

"move in with me," alex repeated, his eyes searching yours. "i want to wake up every morning with you in my bed. i want to come home from work and find you waiting for me. i want you to be the one to keep olivia company when im not here."

your mind was spinning, your thoughts a jumbled mess. move in with him? it was a big step, a huge commitment. but the thought of waking up beside him every day, sharing your life with him, it was incredibly tempting.

"alex, i-" you started to say, not sure how to form your thoughts into words.

but alex cut you off, his hand coming up to cup your cheek. "you don't have to decide right now," he said, his eyes filled with understanding. "take your time. just...think about it, okay? promise me you'll think about it."

you looked at him, his expression earnest, his eyes pleading. you could see the vulnerability behind his tough exterior. he was laying his heart on the line, asking you to consider a future together. how could you say no to that?

a/n: hi, happy halloween. sorry i haven’t posted in a while, i haven’t been in a writing mood and life’s been so crazy. hopefully i’ll be back into a regular routine of posting soon. love u all 🖤

[5xlwriter]

Feedist Kinktober: Magic Mirror

Intended to be part of a series of one-shots in response to @fatguarddog’s Feedist Kinktober 2024 prompts, but I loved the prompt and it became a much bigger story than I expected. The prompt was Magic Mirror.

I had mixed feelings about Theo moving in with me. We’d met several years ago through a friend of a friend, and he and his boyfriend Luca were invited to a lot of the same parties as me. I never really clicked with Luca… He was incredibly good looking and obsessively sculpted his body at the gym, giving him the look of an Adonis. But he knew he was gorgeous and used it as an excuse to treat people poorly.

Theo was different. He was smart, funny and exceptionally kind. For the most part, I was super excited for the memories we’d make together, and it would be great to save some money by splitting rent. But on the other hand, Theo was… kind of needy. He had criminally low self-esteem, and needed constant reassurance from his friends — especially now that Luca had dumped him. That was the reason he was now living in my spare room.

He’d moved in several weeks ago, and it was largely going well. I loved our daily movie nights and it was nice to share meals with someone. Theo was just as much of a neat freak as me, so it really didn’t feel like a burden having him around. If anything, the apartment was cleaner than ever… But his constant self-doubt was really driving me insane.

“Are you sure the food tastes OK?”, he’d ask after cooking our dinner. “We can turn this movie off if you’re not enjoying it,” he’d apologise just ten minutes into a film. Worst of all was the daily routine of having to reassure him that he looked good before he left the house. “Does my hair look weird?” he’d ask, fretting in the mirror as he adjusted his perfectly coiffed dark hair. “Is this zit noticeable?” he’d press, drawing my attention to a perfectly clear patch of skin. And most infuriating of all: “Do these pants make me look fat?”

Theo was thin as a rail. He was just one of those guys who were blessed with a superhuman metabolism as well as the self-discipline to be really careful about what he ate. Here he was, pushing 30, with not an ounce of fat on his frame. I envied him - I was fit myself, but I had to work really hard in the gym for it. My work as a personal trainer helped with that.

I was being harsh. Theo was a great roommate and an even better friend. I just wished he liked what he saw when he looked in the mirror.

And that’s exactly what I told the old lady behind the counter at Miss Mabel’s Curios & Antiques, a dusty little store downtown that I’d passed by a billion times. I wasn’t sure why I was here - I’d been ranting to a friend about my predicament with Theo, and she’d said that Miss Mabel would know what to do. At my whit’s end, I trusted her recommendation.

“Oh, that’s easy my boy,” she said in a creaky little voice as she jumped down from her stool. She was a small lady, wearing what looked like at least ten cardigans and her messy grey hair tied in a bun atop her head. She had a warm and eccentric charm about her; not quite like a grandma, but moreso like a distant elderly aunt who you saw at the occasional family function.

She tottered off down one of the store’s aisles, before looking back over her shoulder expectantly. “Well, come on then!” she beckoned, and I quickly followed her. We soon stopped in front of a large rectangular object, as tall as I was and concealed under a dust sheet which Miss Mabel promptly whipped off.

It was a mirror - and an old one at that. The glass was in reasonably good condition but the frame - decorated with intricate carvings of daffodils - was in a sorry state, with chunks of wood missing and deep scars across the surface. What on earth did Miss Mabel think I could achieve with this?

“Don’t be so dense, dearie,” she teased, tapping me on the forehead. “This is a magic mirror. Give it to your friend, it’ll sort him right out.”

I had more than a few reservations, most of them related to the small fact that I didn’t believe in magic mirrors - or any kind of magic, actually. And yet, Miss Mabel seemed very certain and there was no hint of trickery in her kind eyes. Plus, when I noticed the £10 price tag on the mirror, it dissolved any concerns I had that this could be a con. That was an absolute steal, even if the mirror had seen better days. I paid her the money and headed for the door, before Miss Mabel called after me.

“Just a wee warning, dearie,” she said hesitantly. “Magic, especially old magic like that, can be unpredictable. Keep an eye on your friend, hm?”

I nodded, and made my way home.

Theo was delighted with the mirror, which I thought was an odd response to something that looked like I’d rescued it from a dump. He might have been unsure at first, raising an eyebrow when I revealed its new location hung in our hallway, but as soon as he looked into it I watched his face change. There was a light in his eyes as they lingered longer than normal on his reflection, and I saw his mouth curl into a smile. That never happened. Maybe the mirror really was magic… In any case, it seemed to do the trick, and I went to bed that evening quietly confident that Theo was going to be a little softer on himself.

When I woke up the following morning, it was to the smell of bacon. Weird, I thought. We usually just had toast for breakfast, or maybe a smoothie. But I certainly wasn’t going to complain! God, Theo was the best roommate I’d ever had…

As I walked out into the hallway, Theo was looking at himself in the mirror and flexing his non-existent muscles. I raised an eyebrow but said nothing, heading through to the kitchen. The bacon was looking very dark in the pan, much crispier than I liked it, and none of the bread for our sandwiches had been buttered.

“Theo, this bacon is looking very done,” I called out to him. He didn’t answer. “Theo?” I called again.

“Ugh, what?” he snapped back in a tone I’d never heard him use before, though he quickly seemed to catch his rude behaviour. “Oh, um, I’m sorry,” he said, scrambling for words but not taking his eyes off his reflection. “Would you mind finishing off breakfast for me?” He asked. “I’m kinda busy.”

He was acting strange, but I tried my best not to overthink it and did as I was asked, slathering some butter on the four slices of bread and transferring the bacon into two sandwiches.

“It’s ready,” I said, and headed to the fridge. That’s weird, I thought. There was no milk left to make our coffees, even though I’d bought some yesterday. And why had Theo put the empty carton back in the fridge? I poured us two glasses of orange juice instead.

At that moment, Theo walked into the kitchen without saying a word, and then left again with the bacon sandwiches. Both of them. And when I gave chase to confront him about it, expecting to find him sat in the living room, I was stopped dead in my tracks. He was stood in the hallway, stuffing the sandwiches into his mouth with eyes fixed on the mirror, like he was watching TV.

I heard Miss Mabel’s warning in my head. Keep an eye on your friend… Something was wrong.

Later that day, I’d rushed over to Miss Mabel’s shop to get her advice - but when I arrived, the lights were off and the door was locked. That’s when I noticed the sign, handwritten in spidery penmanship: “ON VACATION! SIX WEEKS IN EGYPT! SEE YOU SOON DEARIES. MMx”. There was a little drawing of some pyramids in the bottom corner. Fuck.

I didn’t want to mess with the mirror, since I figured if it really was magic then I had no clue how it might affect Theo. Just a glance had changed his behaviour dramatically, who knew what else it could do? And so I reasoned that the best thing to do would be to wait for Miss Mabel to return, and in the meantime to follow her advice and keep an eye on him. After all, he wasn’t exactly a danger or in any pain - he was just acting… different. Little did I know, he’d soon be looking different too…

***

It had started after a few days. The novelty of the mirror seemed to have worn off for Theo, and he no longer spent all day in front of it like he did that first day. But he was still acting differently, and I’d still catch him checking himself out in it multiple times a day. This particular evening, we were sat in front of the TV while Theo ate dinner. Since buying the mirror, Theo only prepared food for himself, but I’d planned to heat up my leftovers from yesterday so that we could eat together. I was feeling distant from him and thought it would be a good chance to chat. Except, when I opened the fridge, I found they were gone, no doubt eaten by my strange new roommate. So I reluctantly ordered a pizza, and sat with Theo as I waited for it to arrive.

Theo didn’t appear to be in the mood for a chat, his eyes glued to the TV while he shovelled heaping forkfuls of creamy pasta into his mouth, chewing loudly. It was like someone else had taken over his body. Most weird of all was his choice of programming - usually, we might watch a documentary together, or catch up on one of our regular dramas. And he’d always ask what I wanted to watch. But today we were watching a home shopping network, with a musclebound (and very attractive) jock demonstrating some workout equipment.

“Oh come on Theo,” I teased, trying to make conversation. “He’s hot, sure, but surely there’s something else we can watch?”

Theo looked at me with a look of utter incomprehension, even pausing his feeding frenzy to process what I’d just said. I felt like I’d offended him. He shoved another fork in his mouth and finally spoke as he chewed.

“That man ain’t hot,” he said, spraying me with flecks of cream before swallowing. “He’s got nothing on me. And look at all the exercise he’s gotta do just to have those puny muscles. Mine are twice as big and are all natural.”

Now it was my turn to look confused. Surely Theo was joking? He had no muscle whatsoever… He was practically a skeleton. Except… Now that I looked at him, I mean really looked at him, that wasn’t quite true…

He was… Not “bigger”, per se… he certainly didn’t look like he’d gained any muscle. But he was… softer, somehow. It was almost imperceptible, a thin coating over his whole body, a slight puffiness… But now that I’d noticed it, there was no denying it. For a moment, I reasoned that it was natural for someone so thin to put on a couple of pounds, considering how much Theo had been stuffing his face these last few days. But then, as he finished his huge bowl of pasta and made his way over to the mirror for his routine post-meal quality time with his reflection, curiosity got the better of me and I peeked into the hallway to watch.

He stood tall and proud, flexing non-existent muscles as though he were a world-champion body builder. And then, most alarmingly of all, I saw him grow.

It happened so slowly I couldn’t even be sure it was really happening, but as I fixed my eyes on his form there was no denying it. His arms were thickening and filling out his sleeves a little more, while the slight softness at his waist began to press against his shirt. Within a few minutes he looked to be about 5lbs heavier - not a big deal for most people, but certainly noticeable on Theo’s lithe frame. My mouth was wide open in shock. This just wasn’t possible. It had to be my eyes playing tricks on me, my imagination getting the better of me… I was just stressed out by Theo’s personality transplant… I…

The doorbell rang, and Theo ignored it, too preoccupied with his reflection. “That’ll be my pizza,” I said, getting to my feet. No sooner had I said it, Theo eagerly answered the door and brought in the pizza, setting it down in before me on the coffee table. I felt an odd sense of relief - this was the kind of attentive behaviour I was used to from Theo. Maybe the magic was wearing off… Maybe my old roommate wasn’t gone after all.

I went to the kitchen to get some drinks (water for me, a glass of milk for Theo) and returned to the living room, where I found Theo already halfway through devouring my pizza.

***

It had been a week since I brought home the mirror, and I was pretty adjusted now to Theo’s newfound greed and selfishness. I found it difficult to get angry with him when I discovered the fridge cleared out or a stack of dirty dishes in the sink - I was the one who had brought the mirror into our home; I was the one who’d meddled because I couldn’t deal with Theo needing a little extra encouragement.

When I got home from work each day, I would typically find Theo in one of two places: sat on the couch stuffing his face, or flexing and pouting in the dreaded mirror. This time, it was the latter.

God, he’d really blown up now. It was all happening so quickly and every time I saw him he looked to be bigger than the time before. I had accepted the impossible fact that the mirror was piling the pounds onto my friend; even now, as I watched him admiring himself, I watched in real time as Theo’s new soft underbelly slowly inched out the bottom of his shirt. He’d always dressed in oversized clothing, but now everything he owned was starting to get very snug on his oversized body.

“My god, I’m gorgeous,” he said aloud. “Luca doesn’t know what he’s missing.” he said, kissing his own soft bicep. “I haven’t been to the gym all week and my guns are looking better than ever!”

I smiled politely, but I was worried. Miss Mabel was still out of town for another five weeks, and I guessed that Theo must have already stacked on about 50lbs. You didn’t need to be a maths genius to figure out that he risked ending up over 400lbs by the time she was able to help us break the spell. If she was able to help us. Theo still stood a chance of working this off now, but if things got that far… he’d be changed forever.

“Theo, can we talk?” I asked. He huffed a little, clearly annoyed to be pulled away from the mirror, but reluctantly followed me into the living room.

***

It had been two weeks since my conversation with Theo, and things were still intensely frosty between us. I’d asked him if he was OK, and he’d insisted he was never better. I’d asked him if he’d noticed any changes in his behaviour, and he’d said he’d just realised that he needed to put himself first. I’d asked him if he’d noticed any changes in his body, and he agreed that yes, he’d been growing lately - that his muscles were inexplicably growing. He couldn’t explain it, he said, but he was happy with the results.

I gently tried to explain that it didn’t look that way to me, that I thought he might have been bulking with how much he’d been eating, but with the right cut he’d be looking awesome in no time… That sent him into a rage. We had a huge argument. He’d screamed at me - was I fucking blind? Did I not see how perfect his body was? I was just jealous - and then he stormed out, softer ass bouncing behind him in too-tight shorts. Since then, we hadn’t really spoken, and things were getting so much worse…

He was really big now. Like, he was a certified fat guy, a fully fledged 300 pounder - or maybe more? It was difficult to tell. Every time I saw him, I had to do a double take: firstly, because my brain wasn’t quite catching up with his skyrocketing weight and was failing to register this figure as my roommate. And secondly, because he’d outgrown all his clothes and taken to wandering the apartment in just a pair of boxer briefs. They were so tight on him that the elastic waistbands had all developed wide holes.

His choice of dress meant that all his fresh fat was on full display, a constant reminder of what I’d brought upon him by bringing home the mirror. His face was round and bloated, making his eyes look beady and piggish above two puffed-out cheeks. Beneath it was a thick ring of fat, a double chin that was exaggerated when he looked down at his phone. His shoulders had become strikingly broad, though not with the muscle he was still convinced he possessed; they rounded out and sloped like big hills, bunching up behind his neck in another wedge of fat that gave him the look of a hunchbacked office worker. Further down, two plump tits hung from his chest, pooling under his armpits and gathering in thick rolls on his back. They were so distracting; jiggling wildly with every slight movement he made, it was impossible to look away. And beneath them sat the main event: a big, soft belly that had started to hang down over his crotch like a flabby apron. Whilst not as jiggly as his tits (perhaps because it was always full of food), it still looked soft and plush, wobbling as he waddled around the apartment. He’d even started to walk like a fat guy, I noticed, swinging his fat arms side to side to offset his sudden weight gain.

I felt terrible. And as I watched him posing yet again in the mirror, having just demolished a family-sized tray of pasta as a snack between meals, I felt even more terrible. The mirror would be working its sinister magic on him and turning all that food into fat. Sure enough, as if to prove a point, I heard a ripping sound and noticed one of the holes in his underwear growing beneath his widening hips. I had to do something.

***

I resolved to get rid of the mirror. I’d known all along it was the right thing to do, but I was scared of Theo’s reaction. He was so volatile. Part of me was also scared of how it might affect him - had he and the mirror formed some kind of magic bond? What would happen if that was severed? But as my friend’s weight inched closer to 400lbs with each day, I knew I had to do something. But the issue was now pressing, as I was due to leave on a trip I’d booked myself months ago. I was going to be gone for two weeks, and while I certainly wasn’t in the mood to go now, I’d already paid a lot of money and it wasn’t exactly like I could wave a wand and stop all this. What good could I possibly do here? In fact, Theo seemed to resent me the more I tried to help. But I could still hear Miss Mabel’s warning that I ought to keep an eye on him, ringing around my head. I reasoned that if I could get the mirror out of the way and then disappear myself for a couple of weeks, maybe that would at least slow whatever was happening to my friend.

And so, when Theo was out getting food, I made my move, carefully taking the mirror off the wall and making my way to the door. Before I could reach it, it opened of its own accord… and there in the doorway was Theo. Fuck. He was so big now that it was impossible not to be intimidated by him, even if he did look ridiculous squeezed into clothes that he was 150lbs too big for. He was visibly uncomfortable, all the fabric digging into his fat, which burst unflatteringly out of every opening. His belly was barely covered by the material, making it look like he was wearing a crop top, and several inches of his ass crack were visible, not able to be contained by the sweatpants that were painted onto his thick, gelatinous thighs. I couldn’t believe he’d left the house like this, but I suppose it was better that than parading around in his underwear. Anyone who saw him must have thought he was totally unaware of his weight, or that he had suddenly ballooned overnight. They would have had no idea how close to the truth they were…

“What the fuck are you doing with that?” he snarled, snatching the mirror off me with one meaty, fat-fingered hand while the other shoved the remaining half of a burger into his mouth. He seemed to swallow it in one gulp. A thick blob of ketchup dripped onto his stretched and strained t-shirt.

I was still frozen, unable to say or do anything. He barged past me, making his way to his bedroom. He re-emerged a few seconds later, no longer carrying the mirror. It would seem he would be keeping it in there from now on. “Don’t touch my shit,” he warned in a terrifyingly severe tone and then tipped a container of fries into his mouth, dropping the empty packet on the floor. I nodded emphatically.

Without hesitation, he tried to peel off his t-shirt but found himself met with great difficulty. He squirmed and writhed his fat body, trying to manoeuvre himself out of the fabric, but it was simply too tight. I had no idea how he’d even got it on… perhaps he’d grown in the time since? Without warning, he let out a yell of frustration and then tore the entire thing off him in one furious motion. “And another thing,” he spat, turning his broad back to me and making his way back into his room. “Stop washing my clothes, I’m sick of you fucking shrinking everything.”

***

The two weeks away had been a complete waste. I was barely able to relax or take in any of the culture, constantly worried about my friend back home. In truth, I wanted to disconnect from Theo. I’d tried to help him change course and he was treating me so terribly… It was hard to care about him. But I couldn’t shake the guilt - it was me that had caused this, and I owed it to Theo to make it right. Besides, this wasn’t really Theo who was acting this way. It had to be something or someone else… Perhaps he was possessed, or hypnotised, or… It couldn’t have changed him, could it? And certainly not so dramatically? But then I remembered the giant, flabby ass that he was no doubt sat on back home, stuffing his fat face, and I knew that it could… I just hoped there was some kind of counter-magic that Miss Mabel could use to undo all this, to make it like it never happened. It was magic after all, right? I’d learned that anything was possible…

After pausing a while outside the apartment door, unsure of the reception I’d receive from my roommate upon my return, I finally pushed it open. One thing I was sure of was the condition I’d find Theo in. I had no doubt in my mind that he would be weighing in another 100lbs heavier than when I’d left, and I’d braced myself for the sight of him. I assumed he’d be sat in the living room, shovelling food into his growing gut - and this suspicion was supported by the volume of fast food wrappers strewn through the hallway. It was disgusting, looking and smelling like a back alley in the city. I couldn’t believe this was my home. But when I peered into the living room, I found nothing there other than more mess. The TV was off and Theo was nowhere to be seen. Hmm… strange… I glanced to where the mirror used to hang, and then to his bedroom. Perhaps he was holed up in there, checking himself out?

Morbid curiosity got the better of me, and I cautiously approached the door, knocking gingerly and calling out his name. “Theo?”

He didn’t respond, but I could hear strange noises coming from within. It sounded like laboured, heavy breathing. Was Theo fucking someone? Or getting himself off? I listened closer - no, it wasn’t that, the breathing was so erratic, gasping for air… He sounded like he was in trouble. I became alarmed. “Theo, are you OK?”

I flung the door open and my world ground to a halt. Theo was not OK.

Theo’s room was a complete pig sty, piled high with empty pizza boxes and food containers. It stank of sweat and grease and god knows what else, the stench so thick in the air I had to cover my nose. He’d propped up the mirror at the end of his bed, presumably so he could lay in it and admire himself… And the consequences of that decision were enormous.

Literally enormous. Theo was totally unrecognisable, his pale pink flesh filling the entire double bed. He was the fattest man I’d ever seen - perhaps the fattest man that had ever been? His facial features were buried under fat; just two beady eyes and a pair of puckered, sauce-stained lips. If I wasn’t aware of all that had passed in the last few weeks, I would never be able to identify this person as Theo. He was completely transformed. His whole body was splattered with various sauces that he had clearly dribbled on mid-feast… which made sense. He was clearly too big to move and showering would have been impossible.

The blob of a man that lay gasping for air in Theo’s bed was almost as wide as he was tall. It’s difficult to describe any part of him in detail, as all his body parts sort of squished together and melded into one another, fat jostling for space. His tits were each bigger than my head, and there were bits of food wedged in his deep cleavage. His arms were so pumped full of fat that I think they were bigger than my waist. I couldn’t see much of his legs as they were covered by his gargantuan belly, rolling and rocking like jelly with each pained breath, but even his feet were swollen with fat, threatening to be swallowed up into his legs. Fuck, I thought to myself. How could someone have fat toes?

I wanted to say something but my brain was completely fried. What the fuck do you say to a whale who was thin as a beanpole little more than a month ago? Theo looked like a fucking sideshow attraction. Fortunately, he spoke first.

“Dude, thank god — you’re here—“ he wheezed. What? Was he actually happy to see me? Maybe the magic had worn off! My hopes were short lived... “Nobody— wants— to deliver— my food,” he confessed. “Bunch of— fucking— assholes…”

I could see why minimum wage delivery drivers would want to avoid this cesspit. Something told me the new Theo was not a generous tipper. But this was my fault after all, and I couldn’t let him starve. Reluctantly I agreed to go pick him something up - if nothing else it would give me time to think over what to do next. I watched him with pity as he placed the pickup order on his phone, his fat sausage fingers mashing things he didn’t mean to press. He didn’t seem to be removing any of those items from his basket, though…

Soon enough I was back at the apartment with ten paper bags full to the brim with junk. They were as fit to burst as he was, and after handing them over I sat on the edge of the bed (squeezing myself onto the only unoccupied corner I could find) and buried my head in my hands. What was I going to do?

He made short work of the meal and half an hour later he was burping, rubbing his giant gut, and admiring himself in the mirror. “Fuck— I’m so— sexy,” he moaned. “Why— did I ever— settle— for Luca? I’m so— out— of his— league… Gotta find— me someone— as hot— I am…”

I snapped. “Theo, how the fuck are you gonna do that?! You’re as big as a fucking house! You can’t even get out of bed!” I wanted to smack him out of his delusional daydream. But it wasn’t fair to take my frustration out on him, and I tried to calm myself. This wasn’t his fault.

“Yes I— fucking— can,” he gasped. “I’m just— resting— so my— muscles— can grow…”

There was silence between us for a moment. I had no idea what to say, and Theo was too distracted by caressing his own lard in the mirror for a conversation. But as he groped himself, his moaning got louder and more… sensual… I was no longer certain that it was just a symptom of discomfort from his overindulgence. He seemed to be enjoying himself…

“Please— man—“ he begged, looking at me with pleading eyes. “Help— me— out— here… I— know— you— can’t— resist— me…”

Fortunately, I didn’t have time to take him up on his perverted offer. There was an almighty crash, and the room seemed to lift up into the air as I felt myself fall downwards. It took me a few seconds to realise what had happened: the cursed mirror had fattened Theo up so big that the bed could no longer support him, and now he and I sat on the floor, surrounded by its broken pieces. His whole body was wobbling from the impact and he looked like a giant, melted marshmallow. I was surprised he didn’t fall straight through the floor and into the apartment below.

I spotted something shiny by my hand, and on closer examination I saw it was a shard of glass. The mirror. I noticed it had fallen over face-down, and when I nervously lifted its side to inspect the damage I saw that the whole thing was shattered. Oh god, I worried to myself. How was Theo going to react?

“What— just— happened—,” Theo grunted to himself as I got to my feet and stood the mirror up. He seemed lost and confused, a softness in his voice that I recognised from before all this mess began. His eyes seemed to adjust to the room, taking in his surroundings as though he’d just woken up from a dream. “What’s— going— on—,” he gasped, shaking his head in confusion (though the fat in his neck limited his movement). Still, his cheeks jiggled as he did so. “Am— I— sick..? I— can’t— breathe…” I barely registered what he was saying, too worried about his response to finding out the mirror was broken.

“Theo,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “I’m really sorry… I’ll buy you a new one right away, but… Ugh. I don’t know how to say this, but…” I gulped. “Your mirror is broken.”

I turned the mirror around to face him, so he could see the damage for himself. For a moment he didn’t really react at all, furrowing his brow in confusion. He didn’t seem at all sure why he should care about a broken mirror, despite the fact he’d done little else for the past five weeks than stare in it and feed himself. But as he looked harder, as he really focussed his eyes on the mountain of flesh looking back at him, something seemed to click in his mind… A moment of world-shattering realisation...

He recognised himself, and his eyes went wide in horror. He screamed.

[dalamjisung]

Matching Set Masterlist

college!AU

popular!jeongin x introvert!reader

summary: Y/N and Jeongin had been together since birth. Seriously since birth– their mothers were best friends and while hanging out to complain about their never ending pregnancy, bam. Rumor has it that Y/N took a little while to cry, blinking around for a couple of minutes until the gentlest of screams came out of her tiny body. Only later, when the parents got together to congratulate each other, did the mothers found out that Jeongin had been born five minutes before Y/N, and it seemed that her quietness had been her own early way to wait for who would later be her best friend. And as if sharing a birthday wasn’t enough, these two had to share everything else; from their lunch at school to the bed they slept on. Thankfully, as next door neighbors, the trip was minimal.

It continued like this for decades to come, through middle school, high school, and finally, college. Their applications were sent together and their letters came in the same day. Miraculously, they chose different degrees, and for an entire night, Y/N cried to her mom about losing her best friend. Maybe this will be a good experience for you two, she laughed, petting her daughter’s head. But Y/N just couldn’t see a positive side to being without her Innie. Later, they would make a pact– one that vowed to always be there for each other. And he looked so earnest and honest that Y/N just couldn’t understand where that nagging doubt tugging on her heart was coming from…

What happens when these two experience freedom like nothing they’ve ever seen? And what will be of the matching set when they are put apart? Can the lifelong friendship survive the ultimate test of time– college?

update schedule: Every Sunday :D

——————————————————————————————

🌚 chapter one: hyung I’m suing you

🌝 chapter two: fellow clowns

🌚 chapter three: what bothers you, my little freeloader?

🌝 chapter four: forgiven but not forgotten

🌚 chapter five: she doesn’t need me anymore

🌝 chapter six: Mandatory Movie Marathon™️

🌚 chapter seven: delayed reactions

🌝 chapter eight: no turning back

🌚 chapter nine: things are about to change

🌝 chapter ten: another case of innie being innie

🌚 chapter eleven: see you then

🌝 chapter twelve: it’s a date

🌚 chapter thirteen: we need to talk about yesterday

🌝 chapter fourteen

🌚 chapter fifteen 

🌝 chapter sixteen

——————————————————————————————

hi lovelies! I know I have been a bit gone from the fake text scene, but I’ve been working on this for a bit now, and I am really, really excited to share this new story with you all! Han’s story will be going into HIATUS as I’m trying to sort the overall plot and details and will be reworking it after I get my muse back fro Rhythm & Rhyme. Also: there are timeline plot-holes and for that I apologize! Because it’s been a while since I wrote these, there was a mixup with the timeline of all the following stories, so truly, I am sorry-- I’ll do my best to keep everything together neat and tight! Thank you for your love and constant support!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET TAGGED FOR THE RELEASE OF MATCHING SET PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I’LL START A TAGLIST!

[theinstagrahame]

It's a bad day, and I've been dragging my heels on this. But, I got a bunch of neat new TTRPG stuff in October, so here's what landed in my mailbox.

Break!! - A few years ago, I stumbled on some art on Twitter. It was fun, it was vibrant, and it felt inviting. I wanted to know more, looked into the artist, and discovered it was spot art for an upcoming RPG called Break!! So, I kept an eye on it. The book is beautiful, well laid-out, and really cool, so maybe one good thing came from Twitter*.

The Electric State - Tales from the Loop and Things from the Flood have been pretty high on my "To Play" lists for years. A follow-up, set in a similar (or the same?) world was kind of an instant pickup. Not as interested in the movie, but the game seems pretty rad.

The Geologist's Primer - I picked up the Herbalist's Primer when it came out, and was really impressed with the quality and care that went into it, so when I saw "That but for rocks" was in the works, I was definitely already in. Also excited for the follow up "Mushrooms next time".

Starkhollow Hall - I accidentally fell into a Gothic Fiction kick over Spooky Month, so the timing of this was perfect. I don't know a ton about the GUMSHOE system, but I do feel like what I know about it makes it a perfect fit for the genre. Gothic heroines (and I guess heroes) are at their best when they know there's a dangerous mystery at the heart of what's happening around them, and go looking for it anyway.

Forsaken - Kyle Tam is, honestly, a designer to watch. I picked this up because it was part of an Afterthought Committee project, which is a team I've also really enjoyed work from (my game Water Landing is built off of their game Cast Away). Does a better job of establishing a sort of grimdark/Soulsbourne vibe than some stuff that explicitly tries to.

Iron Edda Reforged - The pitch for this caught me immediately: Cyberpunk Norse Mythology. Tracy Barnett is another Designer to Watch, and I really like all of their stuff--haven't played the original Iron Edda, but have heard it on Party of One and really dug it. Was really hyped to see this come into being.

Electrum Archive v2 - I went through a Weird Sci-Fi phase this year, and the original Electrum Archive was an early pick for it. I really loved the world, the way each class worked differently, and the magic/currency/MacGuffin that it used. Obviously I wanted more, because the second book is here.

Alice is Missing - Silent Falls - My friends and I have been talking about the prospect of another Alice is Missing game since playing the first one about two years ago. It was a really memorable experience, partly due to the game's really compelling design, and to some of the in-moment decisions we made (I played the facilitator character, who starts the game having returned after a long absence, and another player immediately got pissed at them for sorta abandoning the group. it created an interesting play dynamic for the whole session)

Kill Him Faster - I picked up a previous Kovidae Games book as a lark: a collection of exercise-based RPGs. I nearly ignored their other stuff, but this had a pretty compelling pitch: What if time-travel was invented mostly so people could speedrun murdering Hitler. Since Eat the Reich came out, I've thought a bit about Hitler Revenge Fantasy as a genre, and honestly, I'm kinda into it. He was a loser, and deserves to be reduced to a video game villain and killed over and over again; so, yeah. Let's kill him faster next time.

Splat (issue 5) - I'm not usually one for essays and interviews, but this is a zine featuring and by some folks I really like and respect, and this one is packed with thoughts about the state of the indie TTRPG scene and industry from a diverse and immensely talented group. It's honestly a must-read.

(Already getting a few things for the next edition, but also feeling too garbage after the Clusterfuck Election to think about doing anything else today...)

---

footnote: * Technically, two good things came from Twitter. I also once expressed sorrow that I'd missed out on a limited T-shirt from a web comic artist that said "Sorry, Glenn, the only Beck I listen to has two turntables and a microphone", and the creator saw it and had an extra in my size.

[beeblybub]

Phantom of the opera Arcane AU ideas

This has been eating away at my brain for weeks dear god I need it out

Big shout out to @thehistoriangirl for getting my brain started on this!

So this would be post act 2 when Viktor is Machine hearld (Idea from @thehistoriangirl ty again!)

The reader is either an aspiring singer and dreams to one day sing for all of piltover

But for now they’re just a choir member

Not 100% sure if it’d be set in an opera house or like a music branch of the academy

Zaun is kinda like under ground, similar to the Paris catacombs so I thought it would be neat if there was a route that was close to emberflit alley that perhaps viktor would go to listen to the muffled sounds of music and singing from above.

One day he hears the reader practicing alone and falls in love with there voice

He despised flesh and valued machine much more. Humans are weak and should rebuild themselves into a new era of glorious evolution (or idk he’d say something like that)

Except there was something about the reader….. something so ethereal about there voice.

A voice that would echo from underground and soothe his long stagnant heart

One day he hears them praying for an audition for a solo to go well (Angel of music moment woahhhhh)

“Please angel give me your guidance and luck and allow me to succeed in this audition.”

Something in Viktor takes over and he responds

“Truly there is no need for guidance or luck with such a voice like yours.” (Idfk Viktor would say something fancy im bad at writing)

“Angel?! Is that you?! Have you come to guide me?!”

The reader asks excitement clear in their voice

Viktor didn’t want to disappoint them or creep them out so he just went with it

“Uh…. Y-yes! I am your guardian Angel of music hear to watch over you and protect you from harm.”

And of course over time they bond and become friends

The rest hasn’t really come to me

BUT

I can see Jayce being Raoul in this AU ! It would create a great clash between former friends.

Jayce has the same kind of loyal and almost arrogant nature as Raoul

Like in both the play and the movie Raoul tells Christine that he’s gonna take her out to dinner but she says no multiple times but he doesn’t listen

Jayce is probably like that

I also think it would be interesting if instead of having a dead parent be the person who ‘sends’ the ‘Angel of music’ aka Viktor it could be the reader believing Sky sent the Angel of music

Idk maybe they could be childhood besties or something 🤷

Also make for good angst moment bc Viktor accidentally killed sky

Anywho that’s really all my thoughts! I would love to hear y’all ideas!

To any of you who write fanfiction plz feel free to take these ideas and run with them but please PLEASE tag me I need something to fuel my hyperfixations

[flanaganfilm]

Hi Mike! Just wondering about the wonderful Katie Parker. Since she’s been a part of the Flanaverse for a pretty long time, I was wondering how she joined Absentia and which of her roles in your work is YOUR favourite? Personally I can’t get over how good she was as Poppy.

Also just want to quickly say I’m so excited to see T’Nia again in Usher. Thank you and have a lovely day!!

I first met Katie back in - I want to say 2008? Somewhere in there. She was friends with my girlfriend at the time and soon we were friends too. She was an actor struggling to find footing in LA and used to come over for movie nights and crash on our couch, and as time went by I started to think of her as a sister. I was working full-time as an editor on reality TV shows and trying to get something started. I wrote Absentia as a project for my friends to star in, so Katie's role was custom tailored just for her. Same with Courtney, Dave, Morgan and Justin. We were all living in LA and had similar dreams, but were all struggling to pay the rent and this was a chance to make something together that might get noticed.

(Above: The first table read of ABSENTIA, sometime in 2010)

We had a blast making that little movie, and it actually did what we all hoped it would do - it kicked open some doors, and led to Oculus being picked up by Trevor Macy at Intrepid Pictures (who has produced everything I've made since).

Katie had a small cameo in Oculus, playing the phone store clerk who sells Brenton Thwaites his first cell phone after being released from a lifetime in a mental institution. The scene was sweet and Katie was great, but it wasn't in the final cut of the film. I think it may be available on the blu-ray but I'm not sure to be honest. Katie remained a great friend, but there weren't really roles in the following movies that were a perfect fit. When I got my first shot at making TV, though, I really wanted her to be in The Haunting of Hill House. She auditioned to play Joey, the recovering addict who befriends Luke. The studio wanted to go another way with the part, and so I decided to write the new character of Poppy Hill for Katie instead, and she absolutely crushed it. It was meant to be.

(Katie as Poppy Hill on the set of The Haunting of Hill House)

After that, she was kind enough to take a smaller role in a much bigger film, portraying Silent Sarey in Doctor Sleep.

(Katie signs autographs at the premiere of Doctor Sleep)

When it came time to make The Haunting of Bly Manor, I had a fun idea for Katie and my wife Kate to play the doomed sisters in one of our coolest episodes. It was exciting for Hill House fans to see them together, but it was really terrific for me to have so much trust in two actors who could make such a huge impact in one episode.

After Bly, Katie joined us for The Midnight Club, and has a wonderful role (and does some of her absolute best work) in the upcoming The Fall of the House of Usher. Just before those, though, she joined us at the Saturn Awards in LA, where we had an impromptu Absentia reunion with my sibling Jamie Flanagan and my dear friend Doug Jones, both of whom acted in that little movie all those years ago. It was really neat to see everyone in the same place again, and think back about how far we've come since those days filming in that pee-covered tunnel.

Katie is a phenomenal actor, and I was lucky enough to work with her at the very beginning of my career, and now five more time since. She's unique among the family of actors that I've accumulated over the years, in that she was there from the very beginning. We sat in a tiny apartment in Glendale dreaming of making movies, worrying about paying our rent, and trying to figure out how the hell to get where we wanted to go. I'm proud to know her, proud to collaborate her, and proud to call her family. I expect you'll see her in many, many more Intrepid productions for years to come.

[fonulyn]

how are things? and I was wondering if you've got a favorite fic that you wrote or if its just too hard to choose?

i've been down with a cold so things are kinda annoying but it seems to be getting better at least so maybe things are looking up :'D thanks for asking!

oh damn. it is hard to choose. and it also depends on my mood, and like... some are faves because they were fun to write, some because i like how the end result turned out, some bc friends liked them, and so forth. it depends on what kind of a favorite we're looking for :3

i scrolled through my RE fics and tried to pick only the top faves and still ended up with thirty fics :'D (and sorta sad bc so many of them were not crowd pleasers lmao)

but! shameless self-recs under the cut! (it got long lol sorry)

we didn't know how to fly so high (burned down before we reached the sky) (Chris/Leon) - this one's special because it's the first RE fic I wrote and it's what ended a three year dry spell of me not writing a single thing. it's also special because back then i could go "OH ONE NOTE!" and post the second chapter lol.

haunting in my head (tempting me, inviting me to fall asleep in its arms) (Piers/Leon) - since I picked the first one, I'm also gonna pick the latest one. this was the kind of an idea that plagued me until I got it written and i'm super pleased with how it worked out!

and it's kind of obligatory for me to mention the self-indulgent series, because for so long it was what kept me going and what kept me writing when nothing else worked. it might not be the best thing i've written but it's for sure what i've poured most love in.

tear me open (and make me whole again) (Piers/Leon, past Krauser/Leon) - from my whumptober fics this one i was the most excited about. i know it's got quite a bit of violence in it but like. i thought it hit all the right notes emotionally too, and i honestly wished it would've done better. i think it's worth it! am still happy with how it turned out.

(honorable mention to haunt you like it's part of you, another Piers/Leon and past Krauser/Leon, which is something i am really really into but apparently it's just me :'D but I really like the way the pairings clearly contrast each other tbh, i just think it's neat)

in the end it's you and I (Piers/Leon) - this is another whumptober fic I was super excited for! i'm beyond pleased with how it turned out and at least I feel all the right emotions while reading it.

all the things you are (Jake/Piers) - honestly I could've picked pretty much any of the Piers/Jake fic I've written because they were all really fun to write and their dynamic is super fun :'D I love the little bits in re6 where they interact bc they get on each other's nerves in all the right ways!

when it comes to metaltango, they're pretty much all close to my heart lol but can't help but follow in spite of going insane is something i regularly think back to and am still happy with how it turned out. same with the Krauser's back series, and question all my doubts, especially.

never too much to ask for (Piers/Leon) - this one is so very very important to me because LEON LEARNS TO BE LOVED. he learns to not only accept comfort but actually ASK FOR IT and it makes me emotional just to think about it 🥺

gonna show you tonight (Piers/Leon) - this one just makes me very happy.

and then there are the Piers/Leon ones where I've inserted Piers into a game/movie he isn't in, and honestly, those are ALL something I've had fun with and love the results! there's re2 with Piers, re4 with Piers, Damnation with Piers, and a combo of re4/Vendetta/og stuff with Piers! also the other re2 with Piers but that one only has one chapter for now so :'D

heal the scars and change the stars (Piers/Leon) - this one was based on a dream I had and I can still remember the exact vibe of the dream, and the way it haunted me afterwards, and I'm honestly really happy with the fic too. I have a thing for breaking up and getting back together it seems :'D

you're a dream (Piers/Leon) - this is something I've always always wanted to write, because soulmate aus are interesting but I've always gravitated towards imperfect soulmate systems, where it takes real effort to find them, and it's not so clear cut. and I honestly love how this turned out.

at the shore of the unknown (Piers/Leon) - another thing i always wanted to do was a soft apocalypse. this was supposed to be the first fic of a series, and the series is probably not happening, but i'm still content with the mood of this fic as is :3 i love these... slow empty worlds.

before I even knew your name (Piers/Leon) - THIS! this was SO MUCH FUN i don't know if I've ever had as much fun writing a fic :'D idk it was such a joy.

i crave therefore i am (Piers/Leon) - this fic however fought me every single step of the way, i wrote it like three times, and hated half of the process lmao, but i do love how it turned out. and the first scene is one of my all time favorite scenes i've ever written in my life.

to feel again (fwb!Chris/Leon at first, Piers/Leon eventually) - this was supposed to be a quick little oneshot but in the end it spiraled into something longer, and I do love it. like. the whole point of the Chris/Leon bit was that neither of them is the bad guy or wrong but they just weren't right for each other at that point in time, and then I enjoyed letting Leon build trust and a new relationship with Piers slowly at his own pace. 10/10 would write again :'D

last chance garage (ot3) - this one was very emotional to write and also got SO out of hand bc it was supposed to be like 1k max and in the end I wrote 8k lol. but it's my favorite ot3 fic.

winter lovin' (there's snow one like you) (Piers/Leon) - this one is super special to me because it happens in Finland :D they're vacationing on my home turf lol. but also because they're so in love, and they get to have fun and be together and. idk. the whole fic makes me all "🥺💖" like i literally turn into a physical embodiment of those two emojis. i love the fic.

stay until the end of life (Piers/Leon) - this one was also very emotional to write and I wanted to put them through a lot, and show how they really are in it for better and for worse. i wanted to show the struggles too, like... they love each other. they wanna be there for each other. but it's not always that easy. and I do think it worked out great.

three words to last forever (Piers/Leon) - I'm gonna end this way too long list with this because it's the first (and so far only) time I wrote a "choose your own ending" story and it was so much fun! I wish I could do a bigger story where you get to make multiple choices, but that would require some serious brainstorming lol. anyhow, I'm happy I got to do this! and happy with it turned out! especially the saddest ending :'D

now I'll shut up with my deepest apologies lmao.

[selenedistress]

I'm not a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fan. Which is to say, I never bothered with it and never cared for it one way or the other.

But half of my friend group are horse show fans and I have absorbed so much about the show through osmosis, fanfic readings and select watch-togethers, that I have this weird, warped, allegory-of-the-cave-esque view of the show that I honestly really vibe with.

The Pinkie Pie I know has been reflected through so many mirrors and passed through so many filters that she has transformed into something completely new, yet recognisably Pinkie.

I know not what Applejack struggles with in the day-to-day, because none of the scarce material I have consumed, canon and not, talk of her inner world.

Rainbow Dash's voice is both the excitable, bold and throaty voice of her show voice actor, and the equally excitable but simple-minded affectation of her Rainbow Dash Presents version.

I love Rarity with all my heart, but is she the real Rarity? Or simply her idea? An equine Dulcinea? Nevertheless, I've been trying to train my Rarity impression. It's like posh, but also fun?

I don't have much to say about Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy, but I am certain I will as time goes by. I will consume fragments of many different Twilights Sparkle and Flutters Shy until I have a complete image of them in my head. Not unlike that scene in The Truman Show (1998) where Truman collects magazines to create a collage of the portrait of the woman who changed his life.

So am I a fan of the horse show after all? I can't in good conscience claim that. That would be stealing valour from the people who care beyond the superficial aspects and engaged deeply with the material. But I'm happy to cheer along, like the kid being brought to a football match by their parents. Except I care a vast amount less about football than I care about MLP. I could get through the MLP movie (it has neat songs). I could never get through a football match. Alas.

I do unironically love Vylet Pony though, like, oh my god have you listened to Carousel? that shit is fucking tight. It slaps, it slaps me wholly and utterly. I've been listening and relistening to it for three days now. The album is a journey, you HAVE to listen to it.

[whitepeachrum]

Busy Mornings and Bunny Ears

Fandom: Hetalia (personified) Pairing: Arthur x Kat (EngUkr/UkrEng) Content Length: Short (~1100 words) (This snippet focuses primarily on Arthur as a dad.)

“Daddy?”

“Yes, my lovely?”

“Can you do my hair?”

“You’d like me to do your hair today?” Arthur looks down at his daughter, surprised at her last minute request.

“Yeah!”

”Alright, but we’ll have to make it quick. I’m running a bit late today.”

Arthur lifts his little girl up and sits her on the bathroom counter in front of the mirror. He grabs a brush and goes to brush her hair and she pipes up.

“Daddy no! I want curly!!”

“We can do curly when there’s more time, but today we have to be neat. You have to look proper for school.”

“I want-! I want your hair.”

“My hair?” He chuckles at her naivety. “You don’t want my hair. It’s messy. I can’t even brush it sometimes. See?” He tries to brush his hair and pretends the comb gets stuck in there. Thanks to the gel, it did actually get stuck. He pulls it out and wipes the residue off with a towel.

“But you…” She takes a breath, fumbling over words she wanted to say, but did not have the speed for, “Why do you go to work with bad hair?”

“Oh, I don’t need to make friends at work, I already have them. But for school you have to. You want to make a good impression, right?”

“Yeah..”

“So, you have to look presentable.”

“Okay..” She seems bummed by the idea that she couldn’t look like her dad today. She totally would’ve loved to have fun hair like him.

“So, what kind of style would you like to do today?” He takes the comb and gently brushes her hair, making sure to get the knots out with ease and then looks at his pouty girl in the mirror.

“I want curly..”

“Tell you what. Since we can’t do curly right now, I’ll give you a couple of options. We can do some braids, we can do some ponytails, and we can do just clips.”

“I want ponytails. And clips.”

“We can do that. Two ponytails?”

She nods.

“Up here or in the back?” Arthur gives her an idea of what she might want.

“On top.” She points to the top of her head and he gives her a kiss on the top of her head.

“Alright. Why don’t you pick out which hair ties you want and then we can add some clips.”

“Daddy, can I wear all the clips?”

“You want all of them?”

“Yeah!”

“I can only promise a couple because we have to be quick today. Tomorrow, we can do whatever style you’d like, okay?”

“Okay!”

Arthur evenly divides up her hair down the middle and brushes out each side. It's a good thing their daughter ended up with Kat’s easy-to-work-with hair. If they had to work with his messy hair in this short amount of time, mornings like these probably would’ve started and ended with meltdowns. Luckily, they have both been patient with him and, because of that, he was more than happy to help where he could.

“Are you excited for school today?”

“Yeah..” She says with almost no enthusiasm.

“Yeah? What are you excited for?”

“Recess time when I get to play with my friends.”

“Oh, recess time is a fun time. What do you play with your friends?”

“We play dragons and princesses. And hopscotch. And sometimes, when it’s raining, we watch a movie inside. I hope it rains again today.” The younger sat and said whatever came to mind first as she focused on picking out her favorite clips from the box.

“Is that so? No wonder you like school so much. What about classes? Anything fun?”

“Daddy!!” She whines as she witnesses his work in the reflection.

“What? What??” Arthur pulls his hands away from her, thinking he accidentally hurt her.

“You made them different!” She pouts at him.

“Didn’t you want them on top?”

“Yeah, but not like that..”

“Did you want them to be like bunny ears?”

“Yeah..”

“Ohh, I’m sorry, my love. I’ll fix that for you.” He sighs to himself. He should’ve woken up earlier when his first alarm rang.

She watches him fix his mistake then goes back to picking out the clips. “I want these!”

“Alright. Hold onto them and I’ll put them on for you.”

“Daddy, I like..” She took another breath, wiping a stray hair out of her mouth. “I like bunnies.”

“Bunnies are nice. I like bunnies too. Especially this one right here.”

She giggles and corrects him. “I’m not a bunny! I’m a girl!”

“I thought you were a bunny with these cute little floppy ears.” He shakes her pigtails in alternating directions and she laughs at it again, then turns to him to correct him.

“No, THESE are my ears,” she points to them.

“Let me see,” Arthur leans down and tries to wiggle them back and forth. “By jove! You’re right! You’re not a bunny at all. How could I make such a careless mistake? Silly me.” He boops her nose and she cutely scrunches it the way a bunny’s nose does. “Ready for the clips?”

“Yeah!”

“Alright. Let me see what you picked out.”

“I want these!”

“Oh, look at this variety.” She loves animals, so it was no surprise she wanted to wear the clips with the animals on them. Lately, she’s been loving the cute and cuddly animals like bunnies and bears. The fuzzier, the better. Arthur figured she’s soon going to transition into liking llamas or sheep, since she was more interested in curly textures lately.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Is Uncle Al going to come to my dance?”

“Do you want him to come?”

“Yeah!”

“Sure, we can have him come. But you will have to ask him yourself if he can come. Hopefully, he’s not busy then.” He carefully inspects the symmetry of the clips on both sides of her head and readjusts a couple that seem wonky to him.

“Okay! I wanna ask him now.”

“You can ask him after school when he comes to pick you up, alright? So, what do you think?” The little girl looks at her hair, moving her head left and right as her pigtails follow her. “You like it?”

“Yeah,” she smiles. He nods, his masterpiece complete. “Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re very welcome, love.” Arthur looks at his watch, noting that even though he managed to do her hair in record time, he is still running late. “Alright, let’s get going. Mommy said she’s driving us today, so we’re going to have to lock the door before we leave, okay?”

He lifts her off the bathroom counter and onto the floor. “Go ahead and put your shoes on. I’m right behind you.”

“Yay!” She sprints over to put her shoes on, excited for another morning where she gets to go to school with a cute hairstyle, fun clips, and all her favorite people.

[dufferpuffer]

Do you have any general HCs about Lupin? (Love your posts btw!)

I DO have Hcs about The Woof Woof boy-! I actually forgot I typed up a LONG Music HC about Remus in February. It's been sitting in my drafts. Oopsy. Thanks for reminding me to post it :9

First ones are links to other posts - but with unique ones written under the 'Read More'... just to keep things looking neat and tidy :)

He likes Muggle music. It has been his companion his entire life. (1700 words)

He has a toxic (ha) relationship with drugs like alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. He uses them like self-medication for his Lycanthropy… and is smug about how he doesn't get addicted… not realizing he is addicted to feeling in control. aka Having an eating disorder. (short)

He isn't great with money. -He grew up with parents who were VERY good with money - and could always budget a little for nice things… but they didn't want him to worry about how little money they had, so they never included him in those talks. - Then when he was a teenager he had rich friends buy him things freely.So: when he grew up, he was used to having nice things around… and had to learn how to budget the hard way. (500 words)

Despite knowing he would love Hagrid - he has a fear of him. (short)

He is an honorary Weasley. They keep a picture of him up on the family wall, always. (short)

I love his diagonal face scars from the movies. They are one of the very few scars that are not self inflicted. They can't be. Look at where they are: Crossing over his brow, nose, cheeks… He couldn't do that to himself when he has a wolf face. They must have been done to his human face. But every time he would face a werewolf - he would ALSO be a werewolf… SO: They were done before he was a werewolf. They are the scars Frenrir Greyback gave him as he bit him.

Pottermore (or whatever its called) said that Greyback broke into Remus' bedroom when he was 5 and bit him. Where is the bite…? While Greyback is more controlled and aware as a werewolf, being well practiced at it - I doubt he is 'delicate' with his approach. A 5 year old boy laying on his back is a difficult target to chomp. (Of course - he could have woken him up… but I feel like if Remus had that experience, of fighting for his life against a beast towering over his bed… I mean, fucking yeesh, right? I doubt he would be calm around any creature anymore.) I propose this: Remus was laying on his side, back away from the window - his shoulder exposed and a perfect target for a good chomp. Greybacks claws dragged up Remus' face as he held him down, leaving the diagonal scars. Then he skedaddled back out the window as Remus panicked and screamed in pain - taken by surprise, not even seeing the monster. Maybe Remus didn't even know what a werewolf looked like until his dad gave in and showed him pictures in a book… maybe he didn't want to know.

Likes tea. Usually has some teabags on his person somewhere - but his true indulgence is in making his ~own blends~ of loose-leaf herbs and spices. He just can't carry a bunch of herbs around with him. While he was teaching at Hogwarts, he had the space and the money to buy far too many herbs - and would get ANYONE entering his office to try a new blend. And could be pushy. "No thanks, Professor - I'm not thirsty..." "Thirsty?! You don't need to be thirsty for a cup of brew! Please?"

Sweet tooth. This can ruin his tea blends: they aren't always that nice - he doesn't understand why 'try it with three or four sugarcubes!' doesn't appeal. It's a good thing he can't carry much around much Sugar around with him, other than the packets he takes from Muggle cafe's. - His father would always budget to bring sweets home, as Remus didn't have much to be excited for in his young life. - When he was weary and exhausted after a Full Moon, his parents would dote on him and cheer him up with sweets. Lollies, chocolate, biscuits, cakes... things he made with his mother the day before, give him something to look forward to. - The Hogwarts train with his friends? They were rich - they'd buy the entire trolley. …He is not beyond crunching plain sugar when depressed.

He wants to come across as an 'intellectual', but... isn't. I don't mean he is dumb or something. A third of each month he feels like garbage. Fatigue, brain fog, pain etc. The other two thirds he is being active, working anything he can... the whole month he is homeless, anxious and depressed. He is chronically ill, and when he has the time and the 'spoons' to enjoy things - he is so worn down he just wants to feel happy. Simple narratives. Sugary drinks. Happy poppy music. He wants to come across as the sort of guy that reads philosophy in his spare time, working on 3 different research papers at once, sitting in his office with a sharp glass of whiskey - while being delightfully pleasant company. You know, like Dumbledore. ...But he can't live that life. So he just pretends to, a little. Dresses the part, acts the part - when a kid comes into his Office he is reading a big book... but only because he could hear their footsteps approaching the door, so he picked it up really quickly.

Related to ^ - he is jealous that Severus is literally that. Apart from 'delightfully pleasant company' - but I think if you approached the wild Snape calmly and asked about his Potions research, he would be more palatable.

He likes the back of his head/neck rubbed. Is it a werewolf thing? Is it a man thing? Who knows, who cares. The short hair on the back of his head, behind his ears and the top of his neck... its comforting having someones hand there, playing with it. Petting it. Whether he is stressed or just wants to relax. One of his favourite places is laying on someones lap while they gently play with his hair. It's nice.

[scramblecat]

For the fandom ask game! 17 for Stanley, 22 and 24 for Stanley and Narrator :33

17. What's a book, movie, or show you think Stanley would like?

Honestly? I think he’d be entertained by action movies, or movies with a lot of action in them. He doesn’t seem to me like the type to care much about how good the plot is, just that he gets some action. (Narrator on the other hand needs An Extremely Well Done Plot and would probably hate Stanley’s choice of movies HEHAHA)

22. Give us a headcanon for the Narrator!

Ouu… okay I agree with what you said on your answer (he’s autism) and I also raise you: he’s adhd as well

This guy seems like adhd personified sometimes. Stanley is initially the one to derail things, but there’s a point after the initial derailing where the Narrator completely loses the plot and diverts to go somewhere completely different. A good example of this is the confusion ending, where he does make an effort to get things back on track, but eventually completely gives up and gets distracted with adventure. He forgets where they are and verbally admits to completely forgetting what they were supposed to be doing as well.

Another good example is the games ending— despite the Stanley Parable being a released game, there’s a gigantic chunk of the map that he simply procrastinated completing. Then the course of action goes from adding new features —> rating the game —> oh yeah! I just remembered I was also working on another game, come test it out :] —> ok obviously you hate my games. let’s go somewhere else —> immediately gets distracted by the contents of firewatch (in UD at least, in the O.G. he builds a house in minecraft) —> and stays distracted until he realizes it’s open world —> freaks out and brings stanley to a different game —> gets distracted by rocket league (in UD) —> gets distracted by having fun with Sportsball —> remembers that he’s supposed to be mad at stanley

Like, there’s so many little areas where as soon as he’s derailed from his script, he gets sidetracked by other things. he forgets so many things. the amount of aggressive paper-shuffling he does when the sound effects show up implies that he does not have any of that in order and can’t find what he needs to. he lacks volume control, especially when he’s excited. he Needs Stimulation and Has to be doing something at all times. friend pointed out that if this guy has low dopamine then no wonder he craves approval.

I just think he’s neat. the auDHD ever

24. What's your favourite thing about the Narrator?

Oh god you can’t do this to me … /silly

Alright. Being completely and fully honest, I think it’s his complexity.

there are SO MANY DIFFERENT FACETS to him. There’s so many different angles and interpretations you could take. There’s so many subtle little details and quirks about him and they make his character. The fact that despite the extremely heavy implications that he’s not human, he acts so PAINFULLY so. he has flaws, desires, fears, things that make him happy, and so many tiny little details that are portrayed via dialogue alone. he’s selfish, he can be absolutely cruel, but he’s still loveable as a character. despite the fact that he’s so selfish and so unsympathetic in many scenarios, there has been a perfect balance struck with the way that he’s portrayed. The fact that much of that is purposeful but also some is out of ignorance, the way it majorly interferes with how he copes with things. the way it’s balanced out by the fact that despite that, he’s a delightfully passionate character who genuinely cares so much about what he does, who gets so excited and enthusiastic about simple little things. The ways that his flaws turn into strengths and his strengths turn into flaws, the way his major flaws have dire consequences in multiple scenarios. he has so, SO many ways that he’s presented, he’s put through so many scenarios that reveal more about him and how he reacts to things going wrong and also to things going right. He’s not presented in any one way, and so it’s impossible to assign him just one blanket Mode— he’s not annoyed all the time, nor is he happy-go-lucky all the time— he’s presented as so complicated, he’s both of these at once and at the same time he’s so so much more than that OIUHHHHGHHH I LOVE HIM SO FUCKIG MUCH MANNN.

Thank you for the ask!! :D i’m very regular as you can tell /silly

—————

Fandom ask game! Send me a number (and a character, if applicable) and I’ll answer the corresponding question :]

[w1tchcr4ftt]

Inside out 2: A ramble of me trying to explain my feelings about it

(under cut due to possible spoilers!!! You have been warned)

In short, this movie went beyond my expectations! I expected good and got better! Inside out is one of my favorite movies and as a person who hates sequels, this one hit the spot! I was so excited for everything and I loved it so much!

Now for a longer ramble of pros and cons and stuff cus I cant organize my thoughts and ideas like a normal person

Pros!

Everything about the movie was good! The animation, the VA (I love anxiety's voice so much so silly), the storyline, and the pacing were all very well done

I adore the new emotions so much! I evidently favor anxiety... (shes relatable and I want to throw her at a wall) the designs are so very silly and they fit very well

I still love that the emotions can also show emotions and stuff! I think its interesting to see sadness be happy, joy be upset, anxiety be relaxed (the last bit with her massage chair), etc! I just think its neat!

Accuracy. Good God that panic attack scene has a death grip on me, Ive never seen a movie describe a panic attack in a way Ive felt connected to like this. Even so the rest of the emotions like embarrassment and envy's scenes around the firehawks, just trying to fit in is so painfully accurate.

Riley felt like more of a person in this movie! In inside out (1) she felt more like a puppet/vessel for the emotions to pilot, but having Riley actually be a person, even having thoughts of going against the emotions control (When anxiety wanted her to go look at the notebook but she didn't want to) That and the sense of self (which anxiety managed to rebuild in a day, that part gets me that it took them 13 years only for her to remake Riley in a day) felt like it made Riley a person and not a puppet

I love that the movie doesn't make Anxiety a villain, just an antagonist! Shes not trying to ruin Riley, just make sure shes happy, and that means a lot! In a world where villainization of mental disorders and neurodivergency is super prevalent, its so refreshing to see that even something as tough to live with as anxiety isn't put in a horrible light! She has good intentions, but lacks execution. It makes me happy to see something like this, where anxiety isnt stereotyped to hell ane also isnt villainized, but rather just trying and failing to help

Bloofy and Lance. That is all.

Cons!

Everythint was very fast paced, I wish it was a little bit longer but the message got across just as well

I wish they used Ennui more! I love the concept so much but she felt underused in my mind

On the topic of emotions, I wish they gave Envy more time to be, well, envious. I thought the scene where she wanted Val's hair was silly but we didn't get as much of that like I hoped

I wish we got to see more of the islands and how they har changed especially friendship island! I know that wasnt the point of this movie its just an interesting topic! Wouldve also loved to see some other parts of Riley's mind since it obviously changed since last time!

Again, Bloofy. Lack of Bloofy and Lance content. Was severely disappointed.

All in all, I adored this movie! While there were a few cons I feel like they were made up for! I, again, adore Anxiety so so so much and again I love how the movie made it clear that no, anxiety isn't a villain or a monster or something evil and wront, but rather something to learn to work with! Everything about this movie lived up to its predecessor and im so happy I got to see it!

Out of the semi-serious context, I love the silly characters so much and Anxiety lives in my heart and will not leave me alone. I love the stupid orange muppet and her silly friends who help her deal with all her issues. I can promise you this will be my hyperfixation for a long time coming

[inke-ri]

So I had a different post up about the miraculous movie and how it wasn't perfect but - as someone who liked the series back when it was just Ladybug and Chat Noir against the world, and sorta naturally dropped it when the show started to introduce more heroes just bc it wasn't my thing - it felt nice and it gave me closure.

I was just gonna rewrite it in a way I liked better, but Jesus, whatever minor desire to pick the show back up again was very quickly snuffed out by how negative the a browse through the fandom tags felt. It's like people who like the movie are rubbing it in with a sort of arrogance, and the people who don't are almost gatekeepy with how "it's not the show" and how inferior it is bc of that. And I feel like wanting to talk about that instead.

Like. There are actual criticisms and praise going around but it gets lost in a sea of salt. It's kinda scary.

Personally, I liked it. It had some very cheesy lines, a couple scene transitions could have been better, What Have They Done To My Son, Plagg, and Adrienette's dynamic would have benefitted from a couple extra scenes (just a few tweaks showing him a little embarrassed or staring a little longer than usual in the Baddie Of The Day Montage(tm) would fix it, since I think they do a decent job of setting Marinette as special to Adrien given she's the only person we see him open up to about his mom, when we know he and Nino are friends and Nino already stated to always be there for him), to make the turning the ball invitation down + reveal hit harder, but overall it was fun. It was different.

What I truly cannot understand how this isn't Miraculous or how it doesn't really have a story. Sure, it's not The Series but in movie format, including the characterizations (they ARE different characters), but?? I feel like the core of who they are, or who they were back when the show began, still remains. Marinette still struggles with self confidence (which is in line with her season 1 self), and I particularly love how you can see how she HAS that spice bubbling underneath the surface, she just needed a push to embrace it and grow more confident (very Origins of her). Adrien is still closed off and quiet, and I love the implication that it was each other that gave them the push they needed to open up and be stronger and more social. I love how it was still Adrien's kindness that made Marinette fall for him, and Ladybug's bravery and selflessness that caught Chat Noir's eye.

Marinette is still clumsy and a little over excited, which we see in the first music, it just has a sense of WONDER to it instead of a frazzled energy like in the show, lol, poor baby. Adrien is still flirty and punny, he's still closed off, except show Adrien is trying to put up a brave face about it and trying to move on, and movie Adrien has lived with grief for longer and developed different coping mechanisms in regards to it. They're both very interesting in their own right, and I think the timing of Emilie's loss really explains the changes in him- movie Adrien is just past the meek attempts to be happy that show Adrien is still trying to do. He lost his mom and lived with an absent father for much longer than his show counterpart and it SHOWS. It's a different flavor of Adrien, but I think it's a neat choice, to have LB be the reason why he chose to open up. Show Adrien was interesting bc he chose to stand up to his dad in order to go to school, but he still felt alienated from his peers. The movie just makes that separation clearer but lets Adrien grow and hang out with his friends* and create actual bonds with them thanks to having first created a bond with Ladybug. It's a cool take on it.

I also really like what they did with Hawkmoth, though I don't think I can compare it to the show bc back when I watched it Gabriel was more or less just the absent father, mustache twirling villain that he was. This is where that * is inserted, I think the biggest change is that show Gabriel was more controlling of his son's life, and more demanding. Movie Gabriel straight up "lets" Adrien go missing for a whole night and only tries to talk to him the day after. He doesn't seem to mind Adrien spending time with his friends. He doesn't micromanage his son, though we still see hints of that control in how he talks about his designs, so its there, just a little hidden, that pride and arrogance. Again, it's a different flavor of Gabriel, but it works within the characterization of the movie and what they wanted for his character. Reminds me a bit of the Gabriel that wasn't willing to hurt Adrien (which apparently is an early series thing only, rip lmao) but was willing to go all out on Ladybug and Chat Noir.

So... yea. Maybe I'm just out of touch with the fandom and the show. Maybe it's because the characters have grown in ways I simply don't know bc I lost interest, and the modern MLB fandom understandably attaches those changes to the characters and wants to see it represented, which is valid. But tbh? I still love early MLB - not bc the "writing was better" or bc of Astruc v Zag shenanigans (are those still going? oh the war flashbacks) - just bc I vibed with the concept more. I love the show versions of these characters. And I think the movie is a different spin on them, but I think it does them justice. It has flaws, but the show also did, and I loved it anyway.

Speaking of just what I watched back then... I still think nothing in the movie tops the Umbrella Scene(tm), but I love that Ladynoir got a cute equivalent in the sparring one. I love the banter in both. I love the Adrienette moments in the show and I love how the movie expands on the inconditional trust between Chat and Ladybug, on how they're partners and always there for each other. I love Tikki in both. Show Plagg is my baby. I love what they did with Hawkmoth in both (movie and s1/some of s2). Master Fu as a cooky old man is hilarious. The cringe somehow got cringier in the movie. I think it's funny that movie Adrien gets to have his own "oh my god the second hand embarrassment, I want to cry" to balance out show Marinette lol. I love Chat still simping for LB and I love the cute little romance scenes, shipping fodder moments were always one of the strengths of the show, and we have it here in spades, so good for me.

It's just... as I said, it's different, but to me it's a love letter to the MLB that captivated me for years. It does its own thing, but I think I'm just gonna make a few tweaks in my head, mash Origins with the first half of the movie, then watch season 1 and a few select season 2 episodes, then go back to the movie to finish it up. I actually think that they complement each other quite well, even with the characterization changes, because, for example, the early seasons compensate for the movie's lack of Adrienette, while the show expands on the ladynoir side. If you use both, then the movie manages to effectively reverse the love square, allow Mari to grow past her awkward self, deal with the bits of insecurity in her that we still see sprinkled across the series, allow Adrien to stand up to and face his father, and give me a satisfying conclusion to the Hawkmoth plot and a cute little reveal.

I could go on over more talked about topics like the music (its fine. Christina inserts a certain breathlesness to Marinette that you feel Lou is trying to capture but she just can't. I got used to it tho, and Lou's voice is lovely) or the animation (gorgeous), like I did in the original version of this post, but to me what mattered most was the... For lack of a better word, the vibe of the movie. To me, it felt like a little time capsule bc it really embodies everything the fandom liked about the show during season 1 and its hiatus. I can't give it an objective score bc I think my 8.5/10 feels very biased, but I loved the nostalgia trip. I loved getting that closure. I'm still gonna go off and enjoy parts of both the show and the movie, because something something stronger together might just apply to them as well :)

[ai-luni]

No word of a lie, I'm smiling so hard right now (and thinking of reasons to tell my husband that isn't "im Hesh Whore #2, yes. The character from the game we first played together. Yes thats what my sign off is) because that screenshot made me so warm and fuzzy inside.

And bizzare headcanons because bringing joy to others makes me happy (and I want to help bring more content to our loveable dude).

So, could you imagine Hesh dating someone who's scared of dogs (well after they've started dating and things have gotten pretty serious). Because he's a package duo with Logan and Riley (his brother and his furry son).

Like, over the months of dating this doof you somehow never met/realized that Riley belongs to him (the dog food bowls, kennel that's rarely used, dog beds, toys, dog food and treats weren't a dead giveaway that your man owns a dog). You knew of the German Shepard, and from a distance thought he was rad. Just a neat little dude that your boyfriends brother owned (because in this world Logan let's Riley sleep over quite often).

But you've also seen/heard of what military K9s can do. You've heard the Ghosts brag about Riley's achievements (they're all proud of their goodest boy). So to say you're scared of the day when you have to meet this dog is an understatement. Due to an unfortunate run in as a child (or something) that left you as a cat person.

You're not expecting to visit and be greeted by a dog. Hesh isn't expecting for you to scream and back right up from his dog just about in tears when you come visit.

As much as he loves Riley, he feels his heart sink right to his toes thinking you got hurt. Considering the fact that Riley is a military trained dog, and hasn't met you yet. Hesh does end up feeling bad after because when he realized you were fine and just spooked by the dog he did chuckle a bit and pet the good boy while telling you his name (he found it endearing - not realizing quite how scared you actually were).

Of course when he realized you weren't playing and you were shaking in your boots with tears in your eyes he brought Riley into the backyard and hugged you tighter than ever whispering about how sorry he was into your hair. Holding you until you stopped shaking and were ready to talk.

To say he feels like a bag of dicks when he realizes he never warned you (or really talked pets) with you before this is an understatement. This man is shattered. But also thinking of ideas to suggest to help you co-habit the space with its other owner (Riley). Offering to have Logan pick the dog up tonight if you're uncomfortable with him around right now (but that the dog is a huge part of his life just like you and he isn't willing to give up the animal that's been in his life since he was 17).

When you decide you're ready to meet his best friend, he goes to the ends of the world to make sure you're comfortable. Telling you that at any point you can back out and he won't be mad (but is super proud and happy you're trying for him). The first time he doesn't even make you interact. He's cuddling with you on the couch watching a movie while Riley and Logan sit across the room. See, he's not going to pounce. He's not like that, and we wouldn't let him anyway

The next time you put out a shaky hand for Riley to sniff (while squeezing Hesh's hand so hard he could've swore you almost broke something - even though Logan had a handle on Rileys vest the entire time).

A bigger, surprising was when you walked up to the dog without either of the Walker brothers holding him, or having him on leash and patted the top of his head on your own accord. Nobody can agree who was more excited that day. You, Hesh, Logan or Riley (spoiler: Riley was the most excited because you're realizing he's a good boy :D)

After that you slowly started warming up to the idea of this dog. Joining on his walks (sometimes asking to hold the leash and being surprised at how gentle he is when you're walking him), petting him if you're in arms length, giving small commands when Hesh or Logan is around (Riley gets very excited with "give paw" because its like he's making important buisness deals), or giving him treats from your hands.

The most memorable step (that made Hesh tear up and the picture remains as his lock screen), was the night he got called to base after supper for a couple hours. Riley was home, you were visiting and he wasn't able to bring the dog along. So he put Riley in the kennel (with a promise that he'd let him out as soon as he was home - because you were still unsure about the dog out in the house without either brother around).

The fear that struck in Hesh's chest when he got back and noticed the kennel was empty almost caused him to drop to the floor. His goodest boy wouldn't break out, you were still spooked of the dog, what happened???

But that fear was quickly replaced by love and warmth when he got to the bedroom and saw the two of you cuddling asleep. He must have made an audible "awww" after taking a quick picture because you woke up, one arm still around Riley.

"He looked sad and lonely, the bed was cold and we both missed you" you tiredly explained, guesturing for Hesh to come join the cuddle puddle.

It was safe to say that after that night Riley was an exception to the "im not a dog person" rule. (And he was totally the flower dog at the wedding)

Hesh Whore #2 (who loves dogs, and cats and guinea pigs. And has 2 of each listed animal)

AWWWW STOP IT, WHY AM I ACTUALLY TEARING UP

First of all, I think you’re missing the big picture. Your husband can become Hesh whore #4 and then all will be well.

Second of all, I’m a massive dog person (allergic to cats unfortunately) and this may have reduced me to tears. Every little scene genuinely makes me wanna crawl out of a hole and draw again. Like if there are any cod artists out there that need comic ideas, I mean come on!

Third of all, you should so be writing fics! I think we all agree.

And lastly, falling asleep with Riley will always be my little daydream. I don’t know how your knew -.- suspicious.

[sporco-filth]

media with slob stuff

there are lots of tv shows and so on that have slob-related stuff and sometimes you see them once and can never find them again

anyway this is a list of a few i remember:

Joe's Apartment: a movie about a guy who moves to New york and he's (to quote one of the characters) "the dirtiest freakin' slob on the planet". His apartment is infested with talking cockroaches and developers want to tear down the apartment block so the cockroaches (who love him bc he's a slob) help him save his apartment. the cockroaches also sing. it is all-around pretty gross and i'm here for that

Him & Her: a series about a couple who are slobs and kinda gross in a domestic-cute sort of way. i don't think you can find many eps of it online and the very first ep which had some scenes i really liked i haven't seen anywhere. i only really watched ep 1 all the way through tho so i can't really vouch for the rest of the show

Portlandia: one episode has the gay brother of a character (and his boyfriend) coming to stay and she and her husband are disappointed that they're not the stereotypically neat and stylish gays. the gay guys make a mess of the house. there's not much more than that but it was hot to me when i first saw it

Pigsty: an old sitcom that didn't last very long centred around a bunch of guys sharing an apartment. ive never watched a full episode but the opening sequence is slob-related enough for me to include it

Buzzfeed stuff: 'Weird things guys do when they're alone', 'Lazy things all guys have done' and 'You at home alone vs. with people': all of these involve a range of gross habits and behaviours.

The Simpsons: there's a lot in the simpsons because homer is a fat lazy slob to a t, but special attention must be paid to Bart after dark for its trash angels scene and Bart's dental hygiene. Also the opening of Bart gets an elephant. there are too many episodes that have aspects of slob in them so i'll stop here

Parks and Rec: Andy and April's house. To quote Andy "it's a mess!" Sadly Ben cleans it up (boo...)

The Office: I never got this far but at some point Jim moves in with Darryl and then they have an odd couple dynamic going on. nothing really exciting but i remembered it so eh why not add it

Futurama: Fry is a total slob and i love him for it. sorry if this is too much information but the first time i ever came i was thinking about him being a slob. like the Simpsons there are too many good moments but a stand out is 'How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back' where an inspector has an affair with Fry because she has a fetish for slobs. what can i say, she has good taste in men

The Heron's Cry: a book, it has one character who is a slob, but he only appears in one scene which i'll quote excerpts of because it's short (there's more i didn't quote but this is the best bit):

...there was a kitchen littered with pizza boxes and foil containers from takeaway restaurants. Empty beer cans. A smell that would set alarms ringing with environmental health. [Steve] expert was wearing a filthy fleece dressing gown. Nothing else as far as Ross could tell. He stood, blinking. "Fuck, man, what do you want? This feels like the middle of the night." "It's mid-morning…"

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and its sequel The Growing pains of Adrian Mole: Adrian helps an elderly man called Bert who is a total slob. They clean out his house and it is an endeavour. Favourite part of this scene though is this line: "Bert has been sitting in a deckchair criticising and complaining. He can’t see what’s wrong with living in a dirty house. What is wrong with living in a dirty house?" Nothing, in my opinion. There are other scenes too. Adrian's mother is a slob and there's even a bit where she chides him on being so fussy and not messy like a 'normal' teenager. I know there's more but my memory fails me right now

Friends: there's two main ones that come to mind: the one with the dirty girl (obvious reasons) and the one where ross and rachel you know (which to me is known as the one where joey and chandler get recliners).

Kotaro Lives Alone: Karino is a lazy manga artist whose apartment is a mess. The part that got me was when he wondered if he should take a shower and then he goes 'nah, i'm good'. He gets more on top of things after he meets Kotaro, but he's still pretty lazy after ep 1

Very random thing, but this ad for JBS underwear. It's a woman dressed in male underwear behaving like a stereotypical man and it covers a lot of categories for me

Stardew Valley: Shane. that's all i really have to say but in particular his spouse room and his comments about his weight

Spiritfarer: a video game. one of the spirits you can get on your boat is Jackie and he starts out with a messy, trash-filled room. he also dislikes healthy food. he ends up cleaning up his act though.