#just heard Another round is getting a remake

[sweetpondduckling]

kinda getting annoyed at Hollywood remaking great Scandinavian movies

[pin-k-ink]

OMG AJABAJANAUABAJA I WANNA KNOW HOSHINA'S REACTION IF HE GOT U PREGNANT AND U GUYS ARE NOT READY FOR THE BABY YET!!! 🤭🤭🤭 (idk how u can add sum smut in it but pls do)

the sidelines // hoshina soshiro

tw ⇢ hoshina being extremely overprotective, mentions of marriage, unplanned pregnancy, hoshina is absolutely down bad, dry humping, grinding, making out, cunnilingus, cum-eating, unprotected sex, multiple rounds, dirty talk, daddy kink, manhandling

wc ⇢ 7.8k

a/n: did i do it right?? 😭

"I'm tellin' ya Captain, she called me a kumquat-headed skid mark!" Hoshina groaned, raking a hand through his already disheveled bob. "My own girl hittin' me with bizarre insults before I've even had my morning coffee."

Ashiro leveled him with a long-suffering look over the rim of her mug. "Is that so? And what prompted such...creative name-calling from your girlfriend this morning, pray tell?"

Hoshina opened his mouth to respond, but then his expression did an abrupt 180 as his mind seemed to drift elsewhere entirely. A slow, dopey grin spread across his face as his eyes went slightly unfocused in a way Ashiro recognized all too well.

"Actually, funny you should mention promptin'..." he began in a tone thick with suggestion. "Because just last night, [Y/N] was feelin' pretty prompt herself when I—"

"Nope!" Ashiro swiftly cut him off with a raised palm, having heard enough. "I'm going to stop you right there before you start oversharing details that will scar me for life again, Hoshina."

Hoshina blinked, the hazy reverie evaporating as he registered her irritation. He had the decency to look slightly abashed, the tips of his ears pinking.

"Err...right. My bad, Captain." Clearing his throat gruffly, he forcibly dragged his mind back on topic. "Anyway, like I was sayin' - for some reason [Y/N] was in a totally foul mood this morning. Snappin' at me, stormin' around, almost took my head off with a shoe when I asked if she was okay..."

Trailing off with a perplexed frown, Hoshina searched Ashiro's impassive features. "Ya don't think...I mean, she can't be, y'know..."

He made a vague gesture towards his midsection accompanied by an exaggerated widening of his eyes.

Ashiro's brows hiked upwards as she processed his insinuation. "You're wondering if she's expecting?"

She watched realization slowly bloom across Hoshina’s features, only for him to instantly dismiss it with an indignant shake of his head.

"What? No way, there's no chance of that!" he scoffed, a touch too emphatic to be completely convincing. "We're always super careful, if ya know what I mean."

Here he waggled his eyebrows in a ridiculous attempt at subtlety that made Ashiro want to down the rest of her coffee in one burning gulp.

"Trust me, Captain, she’s not pregnant. At least not yet..." Hoshina added with a wolfish grin. "But a guy can dream, am I right?"

Smothering the urge to drop her head into her hands, Ashiro simply gave a longsuffering sigh. "Then if not an incoming arrival, what does the esteemed Vice Captain believe is causing his girlfriend's...let's call it, mercurial morning temperament?"

Hoshina’s bravado dimmed slightly as he actually stopped to ponder the question, fingers drumming idly on the tabletop.

"Well, could be she's still pissed about me forgettin' to fill up her snack stash again," he mused, brow furrowed. "You know how [Y/N] gets when she runs low on munchies..."

Trailing off, a lightbulb seemed to blink on behind his eyes as the truth dawned on him.

"Oh damn, it's 'cause I turned the TV off durin' that romantic movie marathon last night!" Hoshina burst out with a groan, smacking his palm to his forehead dramatically. "She always gets bent out of shape when I ruin her 'stories' like that. Shoulda just stuck it out through the last five Mr. Darcy remakes instead of suggestin' we fu—"

"Not another word!" Ashiro hastily cut him off again, fighting off the burning creep of a blush. "I think I have enough of an idea what triggered your girlfriend's...mood without the graphic play-by-play, thank you."

Snatching up her emptied mug, she fixed Hoshina with a flat look over one shoulder. "My advice? Buy her some fresh snacks, rent a few cheesy romance movies, and do not try to distract or debate her until this blows over. Consider it an order from your commanding officer."

With that, she pivoted on her heel and strode off, leaving a mildly cowed Hoshina sipping his coffee in begrudging silence. Buying peace with treats and chick flicks it was then...at least until your mercurial spell passed for whatever incomprehensible reason.

Hoshiro wandered the halls of the Defense Force headquarters feeling vaguely unsettled after his chat with Ashiro over breakfast. Sure, he had joked and waved off her suggestion that your recent moodiness could be due to pregnancy. But a nagging little voice persisted in the back of his mind, whispering 'what if?'

Shaking his head firmly, he tried to dislodge the notion. No, there was absolutely no way you could be...in that condition without him realizing, right? He knew your body's cycles and patterns like the back of his hand after all this time together. If you were unexpectedly harboring a bun in the oven, Hoshina was confident he would have sensed it.

With a self-assured nod, he rounded the corner towards the usual sectors where he expected to find you catching up on training sims or combat prep. Except after poking his head into the third empty rec room, realization dawned that you must have already deployed for a mission while he was grabbing food.

"Dummy," Hoshina chided himself, spinning on his heel to trace his steps back towards the central operations hub. "Shoulda checked the boards first before wanderin' around aimlessly."

Sure enough, as soon as he entered the massive tech-walled nerve center, the main display showed a seemingly routine reconnaissance op already underway. There you were, rendered in a slightly grainy live feed from your combat suit's visual input - deftly scouting the rubbled outskirts of a kaiju-ravaged sector.

Despite himself, Hoshiro felt his lips quirking up in a fond smile as he watched your focused movements, the slight furrow in your brow as you signaled for your platoon to hold position. Even just the tiny visual was enough to settled him, the lingering worries from Ashiro's suggestion fading like bad static.

You looked alert, capable, radiating that intense air of quiet fortitude he had come to love and admire over the years. Ashiro had been way off base with her misguided theory - there was clearly nothing out of the ordinary with his girl as far as Hoshina could tell.

His attention drifted from the main visual feed to the peripheral unit showing the hard data and biometrics streaming in from each combat suit. It was there that Hoshina frowned, perplexed by the readout displayed next to your name. Unless he was misreading things, which seemed unlikely given his extensive field experience, the sensors appeared to be detecting...two separate life signatures?

A second heartbeat synced up alongside the expected readouts from your suit's internal monitoring array.

"Okonogi-chan, ya seein' this too?" he called out, tone laced with confusion as he angled towards the operations leader overseeing the various data streams. "These readings from [Y/N]'s suit can't be right..."

The girl frowned, fingers already flying across her haptic interface as she pored over the same readouts. There was a strange tension lingering around her brown eyes that immediately set off warning flares in the back of Hoshina’s mind.

"No, Vice Captain, I'm afraid the data isn't glitching or throwing false positives," she said at last, voice carefully measured in a way that did nothing to settle his growing disquiet. "Those two biorhythmic signatures are genuine."

She glanced back up, finding Hoshina's gaze laser-locked on her with sudden, undivided intensity boring straight through. For a long moment, the only sound was the filtered ambient noise of your voice calling out terse status updates over the open channel.

Then Okonogi cleared her throat slightly, realizing she would have to be the one to voice the breathtaking implication they were both rapidly arriving at despite his earlier dismissals.

"It seems Platoon Leader [Y/N] is...well, she's currently tracking with metabolic readings consistent with...with an active pregnancy."

Hoshina could only gape at Okonogi, her words rebounding inside his skull in a maddening loop as the undertones gradually sank in. An active pregnancy...metabolic readings...biorhythmic signatures...

For a suspended moment, every shred of the Vice Captain's renowned unflappability and combat poise deserted him entirely. He simply stared, dumbstruck, as the revelation washed over his consciousness in a cascading torrent.

His [Y/N] was…

Pregnant. With child. His child. Harboring new life within that deceptively sturdy frame he had mapped with fevered lips and calloused palms more times than he could count over their years together.

The very idea should have sparked euphoria, giddy elation, any number of transcendent emotional responses from the man who secretly harbored dreams about one day starting a family with you. And yet, as the implications filtered through Hoshiro's whirlwind thoughts, all he could latch onto was a single, fervent litany pounding through his psyche:

Danger.

You were in danger, even if the current mission objective read as relatively low-stakes recon. Hell, you, his beautiful, strong-willed warrior was unknowingly putting yourself in harm's way just by waking up and drawing breath each morning in that condition. Every cell in Hoshina’s body combusted with the compulsive drive to neutralize that threat immediately.

The realization of your undetected pregnancy catalyzed an instantaneous shift within Hoshina’s demeanor, as if someone had thrown an switch converting him to maximum combat-readiness in a nanosecond. Gone was the usual sly, irreverent banter - his features settled into an immutable mask of grim determination.

"Okonogi-chan, abort [Y/N]'s mission immediately and recall her back to base," he barked out in a tone broking zero disagreement. "Platoon Leader [L/N] is officially relieved of all active duty obligations until further notice."

The young operations leader started at his clipped order, eyes widening slightly before darting back towards the readouts in evident uncertainty. "Vice-Captain, this is merely a recon run through the city’s outskirts," she began carefully. "All environmental scans have confirmed no kaijus remaining in that area. [Y/N]'s platoon is at virtually zero risk carrying out their objective."

Hoshina’s jaw tightened fractionally, terse patience already fraying in the wake of her mild pushback. "Your data interpretation is duly noted, Okonogi-chan," he ground out through gritted teeth. "But I ain’t takin' any chances, no matter how small, where [Y/N]'s wellbein' is concerned right now. Not with..."

He trailed off, subtly inclining his head towards the secondary monitor displaying those two synced biorhythmic signatures. Okonogi's expression flickered with understanding, but she still looked torn about defying protocols over something so seemingly innocuous.

"Okonogi," Hoshiro growled out her name in low warning as the tense beat stretched. He took a single step forwards, unconsciously widening his stance in an unmistakable tell of escalating aggression. "I said abort the operation and recall [Y/N]. That's a direct order I expect ya to carry out immediately, do I make myself clear?"

The sudden spike in intensity made the younger woman flinch back reflexively, mahogany eyes going wide. For several charged seconds, she could only stare back at Hoshina’s stonefaced scowl, tension radiating off him in palpable waves. Then, seeming to wilt beneath the weight of his authority, Okonogi gave a tight nod of acquiescence.

Swallowing hard, she began executing a series of inputs on the holographic interface, opening a priority channel to feed directly into your active earpiece. Hoshina followed her motions peripherally, arms crossed over his chest and jaw still locked in a rictus line.

"Platoon Leader [L/N], this is Okonogi from the Operation Room," Okonogi spoke steadily into the comm pickups, keeping her tone officially neutral. "Your reconnaissance mission has been cancelled due to unspecified priority reassignment. Please confirm."

For a long stretch, there was only silence broken by faint audible static. Hoshina felt his heartrate kick up another notch as the delay stretched on, every instinct screaming at him to intervene and force your compliance through sheer verbal dominance if need be. Then your voice crackled back over the speakers, clear surprise and defiance laced through each clipped syllable.

"Say again? I must have had some interference, because I could have sworn you just recalled my team from a routine operation without explanation."

Okonogi darted a nervous glance towards Hoshiro, but received only a hard, expectant look in return. She wet her lips before repeating, "Affirmative, Platoon Leader. All Third Division assets currently in Sector Delta are to immediately abort their mission profile and return to—"

"The hell?!!" Your sharp retort crackled with enough force to make the operator flinch. "We're barely three klicks from the primary recon area and holding steady positions. I demand justification for this inexplicable overruling."

Your obstinance was to be expected, of course - Hoshina felt his lip twitch fondly even despite the urgency of the situation. But this was hardly the time to coddle your predictable prickliness. Not when such vast, unknowable dangers now surrounded your unwitting circumstances. Stepping up to the console, he brusquely took over the broadcast with a hand wave dismissing Okonogi.

"Sounds like ya didn't get the full meanin' the first time, Platoon Leader," he growled out in a tone dripping with iron authority. "So allow me to make this order explicitly clear - you and yer team are to disengage from yer current objective and report back to Tachikawa Base for immediate stand-down and reassignment under my direct supervision."

He paused a beat to allow the weight of his words to settle before continuing in an octave that brokered zero argument.

"Non-compliance will result in official charges of willful insubordination towards yer Vice Captain with all resulting disciplinary actions and demerits. Is that understood?"

There was another protracted silence over the open channel. Hoshina could vividly envision you practically sputtering with indignant rage at the brush-off, practically able to see the way your eyes would narrow to thin slits of mutiny while your jawline grew taut and unyielding. But behind it all lurked a deeper current of defiance fueled by something beyond mere wounded pride - the foundational belief in your own fortitude and unwavering capability. The self-same strengths he had always loved, even as they set you frustratingly at odds when he tried to implement protective measures.

When your response finally filtered through, it was clipped and frosty with clearly audible displeasure. "Orders received and understood, Vice Captain. We're heading back now."

But Hoshina already knew that wouldn't be the end of this particular confrontation...

The armored transport rumbled into the hangar bay, and Hoshina was right there waiting - arms folded and combat boots planted wide in an unmistakable stance of stern authority. The moment you stepped out, he could see the spark of defiance blazing in your eyes, lips already parted to let him have it.

Before you could unleash your tirade, Hoshina closed the gap in two long strides. He grabbed you by the shoulders and crushed his mouth against yours in a forceful, searing kiss that instantly doused the righteous flames licking at your tongue.

You went rigid initially, taken by surprise at his bold move to shut you up. But within moments, Hoshina felt the fight bleed out of your lithe frame as you melted against his solid bulk with a muffled whimper. Just as he knew you would.

Hoshina drank down the needy little noises spilling from your lips greedily, delving his tongue past the plush seam to explore the warm cavern of your mouth with slow, thorough sweeps. His large hands roamed down to palm the sloping curves of your waist and hips, pulling your lower body flush against the insistent bulge rapidly straining at the front of his fatigues.

Only once he had mapped every lush inch and left you a trembling, breathless mess did Hoshina finally tear his mouth away with a final nip at your swollen lower lip. He didn't even try to hide the smug satisfaction curling his lips as he took in your dazed, lust-blown expression.

"Save the bitching for later, baby girl," he rumbled in that low, gruff timbre that never failed to make your thighs clench. "We've got way more important things to discuss first..."

Without waiting for your inevitable objection, Hoshina snagged your wrist in one calloused hand and tugged you along behind him, leading you down the nearest unoccupied corridor. As soon as you rounded the corner into the vacant passage, he spun and pinned you against the wall with his solid weight, caging you in with tree-trunk forearms braced on either side of your head.

"Let's start with ya tellin' me why the fuck my girl thought it was okay to suit up for combat while keeping a pretty big secret from me," Hoshina ground out, eyes blazing with an intensity that made your breath catch in your throat.

You blinked up at him, utterly bewildered by the sudden accusation and possessive fervor radiating off him in palpable waves.

"Wh-what secret?" you managed after a moment, mind racing to figure out what had him so riled up. "Soshiro, I have no idea what you're talking abou—"

He cut you off with a low, rumbling growl that seemed to vibrate straight through your bones. Abruptly, his entire demeanor shifted from simmering anger into tightly leashed intensity. Hoshina leaned back just enough to allow his piercing stare to rake over your body in a heavy, lingering caress.

You squirmed self-consciously under the smoldering weight of his scrutiny until his gaze finally settled on your midsection with undisguised focus. One of his large, calloused hands drifted down to splay over the soft plane of your abdomen, fingers flexing almost...possessively against the material of your suit.

"You're pregnant, [Y/N]," he stated in a low rasp choked with barely restrained emotion. "Carrying my brat whether ya realized it or not."

The blunt words hung in the hushed air for a suspended beat, seeming to leech all oxygen from the cramped corridor. You could only gape up at him, speechless and reeling as the enormity of his revelation ricocheted through your consciousness.

Pregnant? You were pregnant? With...with Hoshina’s child?

A thousand different thoughts and responses clamored for attention in your mind as the reality slowly sank its razor-tipped hooks past the layers of shock. But before you could sort through the jumbled tangle of emotions, Hoshina pressed on in that same low, gravelly murmur.

"The readings from yer latest mission tripped the recognition protocols," he explained, hand still molding to the subtle swell of your abdomen with soul-searing tenderness. "Showed two distinct heartbeats synchronized together - yours..." He paused, swallowing hard as his throat worked convulsively. "And our baby's."

On the last two words, Hoshina’s voice cracked audibly with a hairline fracture of vulnerability he rarely allowed to breach his tough exterior. You saw his jaw ticking as he visibly struggled to regain his composure, thick lashes lowering to veil the maelstrom swirling in those indigo depths.

For several thumping heartbeats, the only sound was the hollow pounding of blood roaring in your ears as your mind attempted to catch up. Then you felt Hoshina shift fractionally, the first stirrings of tension re-entering the iron-carved lines of his shoulders and neck.

"The real question is..." he rumbled out after clearing his throat gruffly. "Did ya already know about this, and just neglected to tell me? Or are ya as oblivious as I was until a few goddamn minutes ago?"

The spark of anger reigniting in the graveled rasp made you flinch instinctively. You quickly shook your head in a frantic negative, still too overwhelmed to vocalize any response beyond the raw, visceral turmoil of emotions roiling in your gut.

For a fleeting moment, Hoshina’s expression wavered in what you could've sworn was disappointment before the fierce scowl slammed back into place. That split-second flicker was all the confirmation you needed to understand his meaning.

Just like that, your voice found itself again on a trembling exhalation edged with the first fissures of hurt and confusion cracking through the layered shock.

"You thought...you thought I would deliberately keep something like this from you?" you rasped out in a bare whisper. "That I would risk not just my own safety, but our...our child's life by..."

You broke off, throat constricting as a swell of tears blurred your vision unexpectedly. Swiping at them angrily, you leveled Hoshina with a wounded glare as a protective arm curled around your midsection.

"How could you even consider that I would—"

Before you could finish that accusatory question, Hoshina surged forward and silenced you with another fierce, claiming kiss. This time there was no initial surprise or hesitation on your part - you melted against him instantly with a low keen muffled between your joined mouths.

Hoshina wasted no time deepening the liplock, his questing tongue sweeping past your pliant defenses to map every velvet inch with ardent dedication. One hand cradled the back of your skull, thick fingers threading through your hair as he angled your faces for even deeper penetration. The other roamed down your side to palm your hip and grind your lower bodies flush together, ensuring you felt every rigid inch of his erection.

You arched helplessly against him with a whimpering exhalation, suddenly unbearably aware of Hoshina’s sheer size and virile strength engulfing you so completely. Tiny sparks of pleasure lanced straight to your core each time his hips rolled in a possessive grind, rekindling the deepest cravings he always stoked so easily within you.

Just as your lungs began burning with the need for air, Hoshina finally relented enough to tear his mouth from yours with a harsh inhalation. You panted harshly against each other's slick, swollen lips, gazes locked in a heated battle of wills as the world slowly reoriented around you.

"Ya know why I considered it, baby girl," he growled out at last, voice rendered even more gravel-rough from your passionate exchange. Hoshina shifted his stance infinitesimally, using his superior bulk to crowd you more thoroughly against the bulkhead. "Because ya have a nasty habit of puttin' everyone else's safety before yer own without hesitation. And I'll be damned if I stand by and let that selfless bullshit continue now that you've got precious cargo on board."

As if to punctuate his point, Hoshina dragged his palm from the flare of your hip down to cup your abdomen again in a shockingly tender caress completely at odds with his gruff demeanor. You felt your breath hitch in your throat as he stroked your skin reverently, eyelashes fluttering.

"This changes everything, [Y/N]," he murmured in a tone caught between wonder and quiet ferocity. "Our priorities, the risks we can’t allow, the future we need to start considering beyond just the next mission... Yer gonna be a mother to my child, ready or not. And I'll rip this entire base apart before I let ya jeopardize that role over some misguided sense of duty."

There was an edge of steel underscoring every word, daring you to defy the irrefutable truth he laid out. You could feel tension re-accumulating between your joined frames once more as the severity of the situation reasserted itself in the wake of Hoshiro's brief emotional lapse.

Drawing yourself up as much as his looming stance would allow, you opened your mouth to offer a retort - only to be silenced again as Hoshina’s palm flattened against the wall beside your head with a muted thump of emphasis.

"Don't even try arguin'," he cut you off with a low, impatient growl as your lips pursed mutinously. "I know you, [Y/N]. I know that stubborn defiance yer gearin' up to unleash because ya can't stand being sidelined or coddled for any reason. Well this time there's no goddamn debate - yer grounded."

You sucked in an outraged breath, fully prepared to vehemently protest such a unilateral decision curtailing your duties. But before you could unleash the torrent of objections burning in your larynx, Hoshina leaned in until his forehead was nearly touching yours and his next words emerged in a resonant, thrumming murmur.

"I don't give a fuck how indignant ya are, baby. You can rage and scream at me all ya want once we get back to my quarters. But while my child resides beneath yer heart..." Here he paused to splay his palm over the slight swell of your abdomen again with clear reverence. "Ya belong hidden away from any harm, understood? This isn't open for discussion."

The charged silence hung between you like a taut highwire after Hoshina’s implacable declaration. You could feel the sparks of defiance sizzling beneath your skin, that infamous stubborn streak demanding you not acquiesce so easily to being sidelined. And yet...when you parted your lips to unleash your objections, all that emerged was a soft, begrudging huff.

Some deep-rooted part of you instinctively understood the simple truth driving Hoshina’s hardline stance. He wasn't trying to control you out of some misplaced alpha male bluster. In that moment, with his palm reverently cupped over the slight swell harboring your shared offspring, Hoshina embodied the pure essence of an ancient protector archetype. His sole priority was safeguarding the new life taking root, no matter how it constrained either of your usual roles.

And truly, what objection could you muster against that? What retort could possibly overcome the blazing intensity of love and ferocious devotion burning in his eyes as they bored into yours?

So instead of spitting denials, you held Hoshina’s smoldering stare and gave a terse nod of reluctant acceptance. You wouldn't fight him on this, not now...not when the two of you were now defending much more than just your own lives.

The minuscule surrender had an instantaneous effect on Hoshina’s granite countenance. You saw the bands of tension framing his eyes and jaw loosen infinitesimally as the rigid line of his shoulders lost some of its coiled potential energy. Silently confirming he had emerged victorious in this pivotal round, if only for the moment.

Before you could ponder the implications of where this new dynamic shift might lead your relationship, Hoshina was ducking his head to capture your lips again. But where the previous kisses were fueled by scorching desire and unrelenting dominance, this one was almost...soft. Tender, even, as he took his time mapping the seam of your mouth with tender, coaxing sweeps of his tongue.

You melted against him with a shuddering exhalation, palms flattening against the solid contours of his chest as you instinctively pressed closer. Hoshina angled his head to deepen the intoxicating exchange, one hand cupping the back of your skull to hold you in place as he thoroughly ravaged your senses.

Just as you were teetering into a hazy, lust-drunk delirium, Hoshina abruptly broke away with a sharp inhalation. You blinked up at him, bemused by his sudden retreat, only to suck in a shaky gasp at the blazing heat now smoldering in those indigo depths.

Hoshina’s pupils were blown wide with naked hunger, his lips already reddened and slick from your passionate communion. You watched, utterly transfixed, as his tongue swept out to capture the lingering taste of you glossing his lower lip. The unconscious gesture punched straight through the core of your increasingly liqefied determination with devastating impact.

Then his gaze dropped to rake over your body in a molten caress, sweeping down from your flushed cheeks to linger on the swells of your breasts straining against your combat suit. Lower still, mapping the flare of your hips and the taut vee accentuated between your thighs from his muscular bulk pressing you into the unforgiving bulkhead.

"Shit, baby girl..." Hoshina ground out in a gravel-rough timbre laced with undisguised sin. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were tryna rile me up over here. Get me all worked up so I'd forget the little reminder waitin' at home for us..."

He punctuated the words by rocking his hips against you in a wicked grind, allowing you to feel every hardened inch of his cock outlined against your abdomen. A breathy whine slipped unbidden from your parted lips, nerves alight and sparking wildly at the delicious friction.

Shamelessly, Hoshina rutted against you again with a low, appreciative rumble stoked straight from the depths of his chest. His head dipped to nuzzle against the sloped column of your throat, lips skating across your thundering pulse point in a scorching brush of contact.

"That's it, pretty girl..." he growled against your oversensitized skin. "Let Daddy see how much his touch still affects ya, even with my spawn takin' root inside..."

The words were pure molten sin caressed over your psyche in Hoshina’s distinctive timbre. You felt your core liquidize in a heady rush, thighs reflexively parting to accommodate the insistent bulk pinning you against the unyielding steel at your back. Somewhere beneath the haze of awakening lust, you were dimly aware of the cloying reminder you shouldn't be indulging these rampant cravings while being in such a…delicate condition.

Yet every rational synapse in your consciousness whited out as Hoshina sealed his lips over the thundering pulse at the hollow of your throat. The glide of his tongue bathing your scorching skin in unhurried, sumptuous strokes obliterated any last vestiges of higher thought still clinging on.

"That's my good girl..." he purred against your straining tendons in graveled approval. "Soon as we get behind closed doors, Daddy's going to remind ya exactly who ya belong to while worshippin' every inch of this pretty little body..."

Hoshina didn't give you a chance to formulate any response before he was already moving. With a low, feral growl reverberating from his depths, he hitched you up against his powerful frame, calloused hands cupping beneath your thighs to anchor you in place.

You gasped out a breathy sound of surprise that morphed into a throaty whimper as he ground his clothed cock against your core with wicked intent. Hoshina rumbled an approving noise against the thundering pulse at your throat, lips blazing a scorching path along the vulnerable column bared to his questing mouth.

"That's it, pretty girl...let me hear how much ya need this," he rasped out between openmouthed kisses and teasing nips. "Need me to take ya home and make it official before this brat gets any bigger."

You shuddered hard at the blatant suggestion laced into his rough timbre, feeling a fresh gush of slick heat flood your core at the thought of being well and truly claimed by this wrecking ball of a man. There would be no more delaying or skirting around the inevitable anymore - not with ironclad proof of your union now taking root.

Ankles locking behind the sinewy V of Hoshina’s back, you arched shamelessly against the rigid bulge grinding against your clothed pussy. Chasing that delicious friction, that smoldering promise of being staked and bound to him permanently in the most primal way imaginable.

"Please..." you heard yourself whining out, beyond caring how desperate and needy you sounded. "Soshiro, I need...need you to—"

"Hush now, mama," he cut you off with a rasping growl, already stalking down the vacant corridor with you cradled snugly in his embrace. "Save it for when I've got ya laid out and beggin' properly."

The words punched straight through you with merciless impact, robbing you of breath. You could only cling to Hoshina with trembling limbs, knuckles whitening from your death grip on his shoulders as the world seemed to blur around you. All that existed was the scorching heat of his body surrounding yours, the rasp of his graveled tone thrumming through your very marrow, and the dizzying spiral of want hazed in your very bones.

Hoshina didn't bother with niceties or propriety as he carried you through the installation's winding passageways. He moved with liquid speed and purpose, not breaking stride or sparing a single glance to anyone you passed. At some point, you were vaguely aware of one young officer actually leaping out of his path with wide, panicked eyes - clearly recognizing the danger of crossing the Vice Captain in this state.

Nobody else dared hinder Hoshina’s determined strides as he bore you rapidly through the maze of corridors and security checkpoints towards the restricted command quarters. You felt your pulse kick up as the armored bulkhead to his private room finally loomed into view.

Then you were through the portal and ensconced in Hoshina’s familiar sanctum, alone at last. The instant the door cycled shut behind you, cutting off the outside world entirely, his mouth crashed back over yours in a searing, demanding kiss.

This time, there was no preamble or softness - only raw, unrestrained need fueled by emotion too volatile to contain any longer. Hoshina devoured you with lashing sweeps of his tongue and teasing nips from blunted teeth, robbing you of breath entirely with his merciless onslaught.

You hardly even registered the scorching path he carried you along, or when your back met the broad expanse of his bed. All that existed was the searing brand of Hoshina’s calloused palms skating over every available inch of bare skin as he started peeling away layers with frantic urgency.

Only once he had you stripped to just your underwear did he finally tear his lips from yours, leaving you gasping and squirming against the rumpled sheets. Hoshina reared up onto his knees, straddling your thighs as he drank in the sight of you splayed out before him - hair tousled, cheeks flushed, lips already rubied from his voracious attention.

More importantly, his gaze raked lower to linger on the subtle swell of your abdomen, pupils blowing even wider. His large hand drift down to map the gentle curve with soul-searing reverence.

"Perfect...fuckin' perfect," Hoshina ground out in a sandpaper rasp choked with too many conflicting emotions to parse. "And soon as this next round is over, I'm locking ya down for good as my wife. No more puttin' it off or dancin' around what ya are to me."

With that growled vow, he dipped his head to seal his mouth over your inner ankle, already working his way up your calf with a meandering path of scorching, openmouthed kisses and teasing sweeps of his tongue.

"Mine..." he purred against the quivering skin of your inner thigh between each sinuous lap of that wicked appendage. "My woman...my wife... gonna lock ya away and keep ya naked and dripping for me at all hours,"

You arched off the mattress with a keening cry as Hoshina reached the crease where thigh met groin, his hot breath ghosting across the thin lace separating him from his destination. Then he was latching his lips onto your swollen clit, suckling through the barrier with a low groan of satisfaction.

"Mmm, yeah, just like this..." Hoshina hummed his approval against your soaked core, drawing another helpless moan from your lips. "Keep ya ready and waiting on Daddy's cock so I can breed this tight little cunt whenever I want. That sound good, baby girl?"

A ragged whine was the only coherent response you could muster as Hoshina continued teasing you with languid laps of his tongue. You were already reduced to a writhing, trembling mess, the last shreds of your self-control fraying by the moment under his masterful attentions.

When he finally dragged your panties down your legs with a few quick tugs, you were already panting harshly and clutching the sheets in a white-knuckled death grip. But before you could beg him to hurry, to stop torturing you with his wicked ministrations, Hoshina was diving back between your thighs and sealing his lips around your clit again.

This time there was no lace barrier separating you - only the slick heat of his tongue lashing across your pulsing bundle of nerves and two thick fingers pumping into your dripping core.

"S-shiro, I-I'm..."

You couldn't even finish the plea, your words dissolving into a shattered moan as a fresh flood of wetness coated Hoshina's knuckles. He growled against your pussy in clear approval, the reverberations thrumming through your nerve endings.

"That's it, pretty girl, cream all over Daddy's fingers..."

He punctuated the order with a particularly sharp curl and twist of his digits, raking over that spongy patch of flesh just beyond the second knuckle. You saw stars and bucked against his face, riding the wave of ecstasy cresting through your senses.

Hoshina continued his assault, wringing you dry until you collapsed back onto the sheets, panting and shaking. Even then, he didn't relinquish his hold, still lazily sucking and lapping at your hypersensitive clit until you were twitching with overstimulation.

When he finally tore himself away from his favorite pastime, your mind was still so hazed with lust and pleasure you hardly noticed him stripping his fatigues. You didn't fully register the moment he crawled over you, his massive bulk caging you in with familiar warmth. Not until he was nudging your legs apart to nestle the broad crown of his cock against your drooling entrance.

Then his mouth crashed over yours, swallowing the needy keen as he surged forward in one forceful thrust. You felt the breath punch from your lungs as Hoshina immediately set a bruising pace, his hips pistoning back and forth with unrestrained fervor.

"Ah, f-fuck..." Hoshina hissed between gritted teeth as his entire body bowed above you, muscles straining and tendons popping out against his skin. ""Knew...knew you'd look so fuckin' gorgeous like this, breeding ya up nice an' deep..."

His hips snapped forward with each word, burying his cock to the hilt in your dripping channel. The filthy promises he was rasping against your ear only made the sensations more acute, spiraling your need higher.

"Mine...fuck, yer all mine now, sweet girl. My beautiful baby mama..."

Hoshina growled against the column of your throat as his hips continued pounding away between your thighs, every thrust driving him impossibly deeper. Your nails raked across his shoulders, his nape, his biceps - everywhere you could reach, anchoring yourself against the onslaught of pleasure threatening to consume you whole.

You were barely aware of the sounds pouring from your throat, the pleading, breathless moans and keens spilling from your parted lips. Then Hoshina angled his thrusts to grind against that spongy spot within, and your back arched off the mattress with a piercing wail of delight.

"Go 'head an' moan f'me, mama. Let the whole base hear who owns this pretty cunt..."

He punctuated the words with an especially forceful thrust, slamming his hips against yours and grinding his pubic bone against your swollen clit. Your thighs locked around his waist instinctively, clinging to him with every last scrap of strength in your trembling frame.

"Fuck, baby, don't get greedy now. Daddy's close, an' he needs to see ya cream all over his cock first. You can do that f'me, can't you?" He punctuated the request by rolling his hips in a filthy grind, raking the flared head over your g-spot with deliberate precision. "Don't hold back, gotta let it all out when I'm fuckin' ya deep. Need to hear my gorgeous mama squeal for Daddy's cum..."

His hands shifted to cradle the curve of your ass, angling your hips upward and tilting your pelvis just enough for him to grind even deeper. Your eyes rolled back and your jaw dropped, a breathy exhalation catching on a keening moan as he continued pummeling your pussy into the mattress.

"Shiro, please, I-I can't, I need..."

Your words trailed off into a whimpering keen as his thrusts became impossibly faster, rougher. Hoshina's entire frame was taut as a bowstring above you, every muscle flexing and straining with the effort of his punishing pace.

"So slick and swollen for me...fuck, yer pussy was made to grip Daddy's fat cock like this..." he snarled against your lips, his breath coming in harsh pants. "Now cum, baby, I need ya to milk me fuckin' dry..."

On cue, his hand slid between your writhing bodies, fingers circling and teasing your throbbing clit. It was the final shove over the edge.

You screamed his name, vision whiting out as a surge of rapture crashed over you. Waves of sensation wracked your entire body, leaving you shaking and shuddering as your walls clenched down around his pounding cock.

"Fuck, yes..." Hoshina groaned hoarsely as you came apart beneath him, his own rhythm becoming choppy and erratic. "Say my name, mama. Let me hear ya scream for yer husband's cum."

It was too much, the combination of his cock pistoning away between your thighs and his rough, possessive rasp filling your senses. You cried out incoherently as your release spiraled even higher, feeling the delicious burn of his girth stretching you to your limit.

"Soshiro! Yes, please, Daddy, cum in me...please!"

The words were little more than a keening sob, but they had the desired effect. With a feral snarl, Hoshina buried himself to the hilt and went rigid, his entire body bowing beneath the weight of his release. You felt him pulsing within your depths, coating your quivering walls with molten heat.

"Fuuuuck, baby girl...yeah, take it, take Daddy's cum...that's my good little wife, milkin' my cock dry with her sweet cunt." His hips were still rocking back and forth, though much more shallowly now. You moaned and squirmed beneath him, hypersensitive from the force of your shared orgasm.

Finally, he seemed to run dry, and collapsed forward onto his forearms, panting harshly against the sweat-slicked column of your throat. For a few moments, the only sound was the ragged rasp of your joined breaths.

Then Hoshina shifted his weight, hissing softly as he slowly withdrew from your still-fluttering depths. You shivered at the sensation, the sudden feeling of emptiness left behind by his absence.

He settled back on his haunches and nudged your thighs further apart, gaze lingering with palpable heat on the pearly mixture oozing from your entrance. With a low rumble of approval, Hoshina's thick fingers delved into the mess, pushing the cum-slickened digits back into your core.

You whimpered and tried to squirm away, oversensitive and sore from his thorough use. But he merely shot you a stern look and held you firmly in place, continuing to toy with your dripping entrance.

"Hold still," he ordered gruffly. "Need to get my mouth on that pretty pussy, baby. Let Daddy clean up his pregnant wife..."

Before you could offer any objection or protest, he was already ducking down to lap the mixture of both your fluids from your swollen folds. You moaned and arched against the bed, fingers twisting in his sweat-dampened locks.

Hoshina hummed his approval as his tongue dipped and swirled, collecting every drop from your quivering flesh. Each time his mouth latched onto your clit, you couldn't suppress a needy keen, still too sensitive from the force of your shared release.

When he finally reared back onto his knees again, the smug grin tugging at the corner of his lips was thoroughly satisfied. Hoshina swiped the back of his hand across his mouth, still eyeing the apex of your thighs as if contemplating diving right back in.

"There we go, baby girl. Nice and clean," he rumbled out after a beat. "But just 'cause I took care of the mess doesn't mean yer done getting fucked."

With that, Hoshina was already scooping you into his arms and shifting your positions so he was the one sprawled against the mattress, with you straddling his hips. You blinked down at him in wide-eyed shock, still too dazed and overwhelmed to formulate any words.

Not that you got the chance. Within seconds, he had already lifted you effortlessly and lowered you back onto his throbbing cock. You moaned, spine arching as he stretched you open again, feeling the thick length pulse within your depths.

Hoshina didn't wait for you to adjust before he was already guiding you into a smooth, rolling rhythm. His hands were clamped on your hips, lifting and dropping you on his cock in time with his own upward thrusts.

"Go ahead, wifey, ride Daddy's cock just like that..." he purred, pupils blown wide as he watched you bounce atop him with an expression caught somewhere between rapture and ferocity. "Gonna keep this pussy nice and wet and full, until my seed's drippin' down yer thighs again."

You didn't even try fighting the tide of ecstasy washing over you, letting Hoshina steer the tempo of your lovemaking. His hips bucked up off the bed to meet your downward plunge, burying himself as deep as possible in your quivering depths.

"So fuckin' gorgeous," he grunted, palms gliding up your sides to palm your breasts. "Look at these pretty tits, all swollen an' ready for when our brat arrives. Can't wait to see 'em all nice and full, baby..."

You keened in response, not trusting yourself to speak while lost in the sensations of him filling you over and over. Your hands splayed across his rippling abdomen, using the solid muscles for leverage as you rode him.

"That's it, mama, bounce on Daddy's fat cock like you were born for it. Such a perfect little cock-sleeve..." Hoshina punctuated the words with a sharp, upward thrust, his hips rising off the mattress. You gasped and rocked back against him, grinding down with needy intent.

"Fuck, yeah, just like that, sweet girl," he growled approvingly. "Take what ya need, go 'head an' use me to get yerself off."

Your eyelashes fluttered and a fresh surge of wetness flooded your core, leaving you gasping and trembling as his words hit you straight in the gut. He gave a rumbling laugh, the sound pure sex laced through his graveled voice.

"Shit, that does it for ya, baby? My greedy little mama, always so needy for her husband's cock..."

Hoshina surged upright suddenly, his mouth crashing over yours in a ravenous kiss. You melted into the embrace with a whimper, fingers tangling in his sweat-dampened locks. When his tongue thrust past your lips, you could taste the heady mixture of your combined flavors, and something within you sparked to life.

With a breathless groan, you ground down harder against him, chasing that elusive friction that would push you over the edge. Hoshina responded by wrapping his arm around your waist, crushing you against his chest as he helped guide the motion of your hips.

The two of you continued rocking and grinding, tongues tangling and breaths mingling. The heady combination was intoxicating, robbing you of all higher thought until nothing remained but the pleasure and need spiraling through your veins.

Hoshina was the first to succumb, his rhythm growing increasingly choppy and desperate. Finally, he broke away from your lips with a strangled curse and a shudder. Then he was hilting himself in your depths, cock pulsing and spilling deep within.

You followed suit instantly, keening out his name as your release slammed into you, a white-hot surge of ecstasy. Your head tipped back and your hips bucked against his, riding the crest of pleasure until you were spent and sagging bonelessly in his embrace.

Hoshina cradled you close, peppering kisses across the sweat-slicked column of your throat, his breath still coming in harsh pants. Neither of you moved for a long time, simply reveling in the afterglow and each other's presence.

At some point, Hoshina carefully shifted you to his side, rolling onto his back and taking you with him. You curled into his broad chest, sighing contentedly as he nuzzled against the crown of your head.

"Rest now, sweet girl," he murmured against your hair. "Daddy's got ya. We've got plenty of time before I'm ready to take ya again."

[hopelessdazai]

Hiii! I love your writing, please ignore this if your requests are closed I’m on mobile and sometimes it’s weird with showing symbols and stuff TT could I request fem reader head-canons with dazai,Chuuya and atsushi, basically they haven’t seen eachother in a long time (mission or whatever) and they’re being intimate again but the boys are like way more sensitive since it’s been ages please. Sorry if this doesn’t make sense or some things are wrong English isn’t my first language.

of course anon! I'll do my best . this might be a big one !! I didn't write any scenario sections because the post was already so so long, maybe another day !!

"Missing you" nsfw headcanons

contents ; nsfw, dazai x reader, atsushi x reader, chuuya x reader, reader is fembodied, switch!reader, biting, crying from pleasure, needy needy boys, breeding kink if you squint, biting, oral ( both recieving )

Dazai Osamu -

god he is so touchy with you the exact second you're home. immediately his hands are on you and making you shudder the moment you're through the door. he was so patient waiting, he needs you now so so bad :((

he'd tried to pleasure himself while you were gone but it just didn't do the job like he would've hoped. it was so difficult without you and for sure everyone was hearing about it. (u can slap him it's okay)

he's praising you more then normal, before you went away he'd told himself that he'd do just fine without you but it's really made him realise how much he treasures and needs you. he just loves being close to you!!

you'll hear this multiple times on the list but god he's so loud. as soon as he's inside you he's making sounds you'd barely even heard from him before, whimpers and whines like an animal in heat.

there's definately multiple rounds. good luck trying to get back to work tomorrow, if you're 'lucky' enough he'll coax you into another one in the morning.

he misses so much about you :((. the sounds you make, the way your walls are so warm and inviting, your taste, how soft your skin is. everything like that!! he just loves you so much.

he probably won't be letting you go on another mission for a while. he couldn't handle all that time apart again!!

he cums pretty quickly the first round. he almost forgot how good you feel, so when he's bottomed out inside of you it's almost like reality sets back in.

tears up a little too. he's very very sensitive!! the time away from you was so stressful and having you so close again and like this is too much for him.

Chuuya Nakahara -

he doesn't wanna pressure you back into it and be begging as soon as you get back like dazai does. he gives you time to relax again and cooks dinner before anything. he wants it, so bad, but he's scared to overstep immediately.

he's so lovesick, as soon as you give him the allowance to his hands are on you and his fingers are in you. he wants you to feel good, and hopefully if you feel good enough, you won't leave him again!!

say goodbye to the usual loving pace, you feel so good around him that he can barely control himself. sure, it's passionate, but he's rougher with you then he normally is. he's pent up!!

switching positions so often, he wants to make up for the time lost. one moment you're sat over his face and the next you're face down ass up as he hits deep inside of you.

again as I said, he's louder then usual. he tears up a lot quicker then dazai does, because it just feels so so good to be back inside you again.

he holds you so tight, in this time his favourite sort of positions are generally ones where you can be as close to each other as possible. he for sure would love to half hug you while he fucks you.

your markings he left previous probably wore off in this time, so he's remaking you during the session. he doesn't want to let you free from the constant reminder you're his!!

he doesn't go as many rounds as he usually would, he orgasms a lot quicker due to the time away so he's just trying his best to pleasure you enough to then hold you all night long. fully satisfied and stuffed with his cum :)

so many kisses. be it sloppy or tender, throughout the entire act his lips are on yours. he misses the taste of your tongue, and eating you out can only go so far.

Atsushi Nakajima -

you thought the other boys were loud? rethink after you've heard atsushis volume. he's whining like a wet animal and you better just pray your neighbors aren't hearing it.

if you've ever wanted to peg him this is your chance. he's missed you so badly he'll literally let you do anything with any kink as long as you give him a night.

hes so loving with you !! if you ignore his nails digging into you as he clutches onto you for dear life, he's so soft and tender as he readjusts to the feeling of being in you again.

hes a biter. like very much. much like chuuya, the usual small markings he left are probably faded by now, but he's missed the taste of your skin so much that he can't sinking his teeth into you when near orgasm.

he doesn't cry like the others unless you peg him, and if you do so you'll barely even manage to get a sentence out of him. he is just so sensitive :((

he'll take you anywhere in this time. be it up against a wall, on the couch, over the kitchen countertop or in the usual side of the bed you always do. as long as its with you, he doesn't care !!

he wants to taste you again for sure. you'll have at least a couple rounds where he makes you cum on his tongue, he's so eager with it too.

it's all giving the day you're back. usually he's shyly asking for a blowjob at the end of it, but today it's all you!! ( no denying if you offer though. )

he didn't try to pleasure himself the entire time you were gone. poor baby, it never felt as good as you did, so he decided to keep himself until the day you returned.

I hope you enjoyed!! thank you for all the likes on previous posts. - zai

[bunnylove1]

.*•Wished You On A Star•*.

.*•Wished You On A Star•*.

  ~.•Alastor x reader!

~.•Warnings! Not really any just a good time with people 

~.•Enjoy darlings!<3

  You always wish for an old timey relationship ones were you danced in the kitchen to classic music on Christmas Eve night ones were it was nice sunny strolls with cute little picnics in a garden, being a hopeless romantic didn’t help your mind to stop thinking of a relationship like that, you were in hell all these sinners you’ve seen want sex and murder not classic love and romance, maybe you were to outdated but you wished on one of the hell stars that a lover like that would come, stepping back away from the balcony you got ready to sleep and wait to see what the next day brings. 

The next morning wasn’t eventful you got ready putting a dark red polka dot dress on that rested right above your knees and just a regular pair of chunky black heels, grabbing your bag from off the counter you stepped outside to hells pride ring walking down the street you make it to cannibal town, walking by you stop into Rosie’s store 

“Name!” Rosie shouted and came rushing over to give you a hug like she hasn’t seen you in years “hey Rosie” smiling the woman had asked “what are you doing here darling, I know your not here for any clothes” she chuckled coving her mouth with her hand “oh! I wanted to see if you would like to get tea with me” Rosie smiled “well darlin’ I would love to, but we might have to bring a gentleman along” Rosie said instantly you perked up hearing this “oh~ new boyfriend Rosie you cheeky lady” saying giggling a little while I make a Teasing remake 

“Oh please you knew if I had a new boyfriend I would have scared him away already” she said slapping your back “he’s a good friend of mine, name meet alastor he’s a real gentleman” she said bringing the tall red coded fellow over two the two of us, he was cute, definitely looked like a real gentleman “nice to meet you my dear” he picked up my hand and kissing the top of my hand, I couldn’t help but smile “such a gentleman, it’s nice to meet you alastor” giving a warm smile to the man “you’ll be joining us for tea?” Turing your head to the side

“Yes my dear you lady’s lead the way” he kept his big smile on the whole walk  to your garden where all your tea parties with Rosie had taken place “take a seat anywhere!” The round table sat a total of three people, sitting the tea pot down next to the trays of sweet treats I started pouring the steeping water in everyone’s tea cup, Rosie lifted her tea bag up and down getting all the wonderful flowers taste out, “sugar?” I held the sugar bowl and handed it to Rosie who gestured to give her some, “al? Would you like some sugar” I held a cube of sugar with the utensil, for his tea “no thank you darling it’s just fine how it is” he said taking a sip of his tea

The tea party was going wonderful Rosie and me giggling about what was going on in cannibal town, while Alastor, Rosie and I bitched about Susan, “oh Alastor I heard your working at a hotel? Is it true it’s supposed to redeem hells sinners?” Letting the question fall from my mouth before taking another sip of my tea he chuckled “you could say that dear, I think it’s just as ridiculous as you think too” I set my cup down and looked at him “I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all, I think it’s kinda….sweet” 

my words paused for a minute like a mom pausing the tv when it’s interrupted, a low chuckle could be heard from the smiling man “looks like I should get going it was nice to meet you deer” he gave a short bow as I stood up from my seat “please if your so interested in the hotel why don’t you stop on by sometime” he lowered his eyes kissing my hand once again, I simply blushed at his flirt look “w-well uh look at the time don’t want to keep your staff waiting right” I said looking at my imaginary clock while pushing him out of the garden to the streets of hell “thank you Alastor for the lovely time today” 

“it was my pleasure darling goodnight sweet name and goodnight to you to Rosie” he said before I shut the garden gate 

Slumping down the door of the fence falling onto the garden floor “looks like someone’s in love~” Rosie teased looking at my state….

~.•YES we did it darlings we finally made a alastor fan fic!

[make-friends-with-the-rats]

Newsies Interview with Christian Bale for Seventeen Magazine, 1992

(transcript under the cut)

---

Cristian Bale lumbers into a conference room on a rainy Saturday morning. He plops down in a chair, yawns, and wipes sleep from his eyes. Dressed in black jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers, he apologizes for being late. "I'm just getting over the flu and I'm still jet-lagged," he explains, "so I'm moving a little slowly."

But the six-foot-two British-born actor, best known for his film debut as a young schoolboy in Steven Spielberg's epic Empire of the Sun and more recently for Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, need not apologize. For the past few weeks, he's been flying round and round from L.A. to London to Prague and back again.

"I've been doing reshoots for Newsies here, doing preproduction work on a new film, Swing Kids, in Prague, and visiting my mom, sister, and girlfriend in England. And I don't even like to fly!" he says with a slight shudder. "Before I came here, I flew on a plane that sounded like it had a window open the whole time."

When Bale heard about Newsies, a live-action musical recounting the tale of the New York newsboys' strike of 1899, he claims he had no interest in auditioning for the project. "I'd never sung or danced, and I didn't think I could do a musical," he says. "I read for the film in England, and then Disney flew me to Los Angeles for a screen test. But before I signed the contract, I meet with the director [Kenny Ortega] and told him I wasn't comfortable with the dancing and singing and I didn't want to be a bloody Artful Dodger in a remake of Oliver!, jumping down the street with a big smile on my face. But he told me it wouldn't be like that, and then he lied to me about all of these different actors who had done musicals, like Al Pacino."

After he was cast as Jack Kelly, the head Newsie, Bale joined the rest of the films actors and dancers in two months of "Newsies school." He studied singing, dancing, speaking with a Brooklyn accent (circa 1899), gymnastics, and karate. "We had a kung fu master," he recalls with a laugh. "Thirty of us would be standing in a room doing something like t'ai chi to this humming music. It's very relaxing, but when you see yourself in a mirror, it's really funny.

"Filming Newsies was a blast," he says. "By the time the cameras started rolling, we were so prepared we were ready for anything. The blend of technically great dancers and actors with great characterizations made it all work perfectly." And what about his Oliver! fear? "Sure, we're singing and dancing in the streets," he says, "but we don't always have smiles on our faces."

Immediately upon finishing Newsies, Bale flew up to Prague to begin Swing Kids, which costars Robert Sean Leonard and Frank Whaley. "It's set in 1930s Hamburg, Germany," the eighteen-year-old explains. "There was quite a big culture then among teenagers who liked to dress in zoot suits and go to swing clubs. The story is about three friends from different backgrounds who love swing music. I play the bad seed."

In between movies, Bale tries to squeeze in time with his family and girlfriend. "I've been going with the same girl for three years," he says shyly. "But she's going to a university in England and I'm relocating to Los Angeles, where my father lives. If I had nothing to do with the film industry, I'd stay in England, but Bournemouth [the city where he's lived for the past five years] isn't exactly the film capital of the world."

If he never made another movie, however, Bale says he wouldn't mind a noncelebrity life. "I love making movies," he concludes, "but I also love my privacy. If it all ended tomorrow, I'd just live by the sea and be perfectly happy."

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Blind Offer 6

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon, manipulation, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: After a leak causes you to evacuate your apartment, your landlord offers a vacant unit that’s too good to be true. (short!plus!reader)

Character: Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Lloyd Hansen, and August Walker

Note: Another rough one. Also, here's the wish that inspired this one: "i wish STEVE/BUCKY/LLOYD/AUGUST(any of them) would stalk and harass and manhandle and manipulate reader into their little housewife"

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

Love you like I love turning intended one shots into series. Take care. 💖

Your appetite is nonexistent. You poke at the dinner but can’t stomach it. You watch Steve as he heartily devours your hard work. How can he just act like this? As if you’re not trapped in this place. As if he’s not your warden.

“Mm, delicious,” he says, “maybe a little less garlic next time, sweetheart.”

You bristle. Less garlic? That’s all he has to say? After all this, he can’t even give you a real compliment. Why do you care? You don’t care if he likes the food, you want out.

“Steve,” you clear your throat, setting your fork down carefully, “please, you can’t–”

“First of all, ‘sir’; you call me sir,” he points at you with the silver tines, “second, you don’t tell me what to do.”

You blink. His tone is unlike you’ve ever heard. Steely and demanding. His gaze is almost a glare, as if you’ve committed some unforgivable offense.

“Let me out of here–”

“I just told you. You don’t make the rules–”

“What the fuck,” you hiss, “Steve, this is insane. You’re insane–”

He sighs and drops his fork. He cranes around, searching for something unseen. You realise he’s looking at the camera. Why?

You heard the chime of the echo and glance over. Three red Xs flash. What the hell?

“No swearing,” he stands slowly. You stay as you are, stunned in your seat. “Three strikes.”

“What does that– Steve, what are you doing?” You whine as he rounds the table and you swat at his hands. He grabs you and hauls you off the chair, “Steve.”

You swipe at him and your nails scrape across his neck. You feel the slice of his skin, enough to break it. He growls and latches onto your wrist. He spins you and bends your arm behind your back, pushing you down until your chest is on the table, your plate right in front of your nose.

“Steve–”

“Sir,” he snarls, squeezing your wrist until you whimper. “You misbehave and you get punished.”

“What– no–”

“That’s another strike. You don’t say ‘no’, sweetheart.”

You’re dizzy, completely thrown by the suddenness of his shift. Why is he doing this? How did this happen? A day ago, you were working your dead-eyed shift at the box store and now, you’re trapped in this deranged remake of I Love Lucy.

“Please–”

“Stop while you're ahead,” he warns, keeping your arm twisted as his other hand crawls over your lower back and spreads across your ass. You squeak as your feet slip dangerously in the heels. “You’re lucky it’s me.”

“What does that me–”

He lifts his hand and swings it down. The impact of his hand across your ass permeates through the layers of your dress and panties. You cry out and pull your head up. He puts more weight on your elbow and you squeal. He spanks you again, harder. You let out another pathetic babble.

“Please…” you gulp, partly stunned, partly agonized,

“Shhh,” he hushes you and strikes you again, “you earned this.”

You wriggle, unable to escape his grasp. What is he doing? You kick out, the shoes falling off your feet in your struggle. He keeps on, your voice rising as your ass stings hotly with each smack. He pauses and digs his fingers into you, kneading before he pulls back again. You shriek as his next slap radiates through your thighs and spine.

You hear a chuckle, sinister and rumbling like thunder. You drop your head as that same voice sounds from the ceiling. That faceless man who taunted you earlier.

“Louder, baby,” he teases.

Your eyes wet and you hold your breath. The table jerks each time Steve’s hand descends, your legs dangle, toes barely on the floor as you let your body go slack. The plates move around you, a glass rolling onto its side, cutlery clattering to the floor. You surrender, helpless. He doesn’t stop until you're trembling and weak.

He lets you go and you slip slowly off the table. Your legs crumple and you hit the floor with a squeal. You hold yourself up on one arm, your ass aching as it rests on the tile. You refuse to look up at Steve as he towers over you. You can’t.

“Look at me,” Steve barks.

You flinch and swallow, closing your eyes as you will away the sheen of tears. You take a deep breath and raise your chin, flick back your lashes as you peer up at him. He scowls down his nose.

“Clean up,” he kicks a fork towards you. “That’s your job. To keep this place in order.” He raises a foot and toes your shoulder, making you sit back, “to serve your man.” He pulls his foot back and bends over you, “keep him happy.”

You search his stony face. This isn’t Steve. This isn’t the helpful landlord, the friendly man who rambled a bit too much. This is a monster you could never imagine. In your hesitation, he stands straight and his right hand balls. You feel a thrum in your backside.

“Y-yes…” you croak out, struggling to get to your knees, “yes, sir.”

You grab the fork and a butter knife. You gather up the errant napkin and you focus on setting your feet. You stand shakily as Steve crosses his arms, looming menacingly, unmoving. You place the silverware on your plate and carry it to the counter. You come back for his as he remains, like a statue, only watching.

That shakes you more than anything. That placid calm. Only moments ago he accosted you, assaulted you, and now he’s just there, stoic and unreadable. You limp back and forth between the table and counter. All you can do is let the task distract you from the reality of your existence.

🏠

The kitchen is spotless. You’re exhausted but there is no clock to check the time. Not on the Echo, not on the stove. You never noticed before. You look around, aimless, as Steve remains as he’s been for almost forty minutes.

“Dinner is over,” he says tersely, “so…”

You look at him and shrug helplessly. You don’t know what comes next. You turn your hands out in a gesture that says as much.

He huffs and bends down, retrieving your heels and marching towards you. You cower as he holds them out. You take them reluctantly and bend to set them straight, stepping into them with a wobble.

“Now, I unwind. I’ve had a very long day,” he says.

You stare at him blankly. That’s great of him to check in but that gives you zero hint as to what you do next. You rub your lips together and gather your voice.

“What do I do, sir?”

You nearly choke on that last word. You’re afraid, you’re stupid, you’re weak. Your ass throbs in a reminder to just do and say what he wants. For now, until you can figure a way out of this place. There has to be a way out.

“I like to take a hot bath and relax,” he smiles, an eerie expression that sends a shiver through you.

You nod, “so… I’ll run you a bath?”

“That would be wonderful, sweetheart.”

He reaches for you and you recoil. He catches the back of your head and pulls you close, bending to kiss your forehead. You let him as you clutch your hands around the sides of your skirt.

“I knew you could be good for me,” he draws back, his tone silky as his hand brushes over the front of his pants before returning to his side, “I’ve been dreaming of it.”

You have no response. You put your head down and cautiously take a step, then another, and another. You leave the kitchen and follow the banister to the front of the staircase. You glance around it before you ascend but don’t see Steve.

You go to the primary bathroom and pull back the curtain around the large tub. You bend over and turn the faucets on. You test the water with your hand and push the stopper down. As you stand, you give a start as a new voice floats in thin air. You can sense the speaker must be mounted somewhere along the ceiling.

“When running a bath for your beloved, make sure the temperature is just right. Steamy but not scalding,” the put-upon cadence makes you cringe. It sounds like the same woman from the videos. “You must have everything ready. The bath desk is kept in the linen closet, and don’t forget a fresh towel, his book, and a nice drink. You don’t want to make your man–” the track skips, and her voice returns, shaky in a sob, “angry… I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please–”

The audio cuts and you’re left in silence. This is a fucking game. Some mind game. It’s like Saw on acid. Not quite deadly but mentally torturous.

You enter the hall and open the slender door of the linen closet. You take out a fluffy white towel and find the bath desk. You bring those into the bathroom and as you approach the doorway again, Steve appears, blocking you in. You step back and let him enter.

He steps inside and you turn to watch him. He stands staring at the tub as it fills. You don’t know what to do. He’s just there like a drone.

“Undress me,” he orders, his voice rippling in the tension.

You twiddle your fingers. Oh god. You brace yourself as you come forward. Your body feels detached from your mind. You can’t think right now, you just have to get through.

You near him and circle to stand in front of him. You stare at his chest. You reach out shakily and touch his shirt. You pull the tail free of his pants and unbutton it bottom to top. You feel him flex, feel how he almost vibrates. He lets you push it off his shoulders and down his arms, exhaling loudly, like a growl.

You ignore it and set the shirt aside. He sits promptly on the toilet seat and puts a foot out. You hide your discomfort as you follow to untie his leather shoes. You tug at the laces and wiggle each off, placing them neatly on the tile. You roll down his socks quickly and ball them up with his shoes.

You stand and he pinches the ribbed fabric of his undershirt. You peel that off of him as he lifts his arm. This is weird. This is very fucking weird but you can’t dwell on that right now.

He rises and you lean on your heel hard, bending your ankle. You stifle a yelp at the way it twinges in your achilles and keep going. You unbuckle his belt. You tremor as you see the twitch under the fabric. He’s a freak!

You want to scream but you hold it in. The panic and horror burns in your chest and swirls in your skull. You undo his fly and push his pants down. Your eyes wander to the vee of his stomach just above his briefs, the hard muscle that leads beneath the taut cotton. His thighs corded just as thickly. He steps out of his pants and you fold them once, laying them on the corner of the counter.

You look at him, in a stalemate. Only his underwear left. You don’t know if you can do that. The bulge under the pure white cotton is more than obvious.

He clears his throat. Right. Just do it.

You grab the elastic and strip down the briefs, nearly catching on his unrestrained arousal. You shudder as you guide them down his legs and he untangles his feet. You step away and drop his underwear on his pants.

He turns and you catch a thoughtless glimpse of his ass before he steps into the tub. You never really considered how Steve looked… sans everything but you never expected this. You feel rotten for even acknowledging that he looks damn good.

He lowers himself into the water and it rises around him. You swiftly near the tub and bend to turn off the faucet before it can get too high. He sighs as he reclines against the back.

“I like to read…” he dangles the curt reminder.

“Sir,” you whisper and pull back.

You grab the bath desk and place it over the tub to rest against the sides. You retreat and go to the door, pausing. You don’t want to look at him again.

“Book is on the bedside table. I’ll have a beer too.”

You frown. Huh? You limp down the hall and peer into the open door of the bedroom you’ve been occupying. Sure enough, there’s a book on the square table. Fuck, how– Don’t. Doesn’t matter.

You grab it and return to the bathroom, handing it over with your eyes on the wall. You retreat again, no thank you, nothing as he opens the pages. 

You go downstairs and find a six pack of Guinness that wasn’t there before. Right there on the counter. You tamp down the thoughts fighting to flow over and grab one. Before you can leave the kitchen, the television clicks. You turn as the screen lights up.

It’s that woman. Her eye is swollen shut but she smiles till.

“Don’t forget a glass,” she raises a tall pint glass, “and be sure to get that perfect pour. You want to keep the head from foaming but you don’t want too much.”

She precisely angles the cup and slowly moves it with the pour of the dark beer. You frown and take a deep breath. You put the can down and go to the cupboard. You take out the curved glass and glance at the screen again. Her technique replays, over and over without sound.

You do your best to follow before rinsing out the can and dropping it in the blue bin. You take the beer and set off back to the second floor. You enter the bathroom and set the bear on the bath desk as Steve reads quietly. As you back up, he reaches for the glass, examining it.

“Not bad, little too much head,” he remarks.

“Sir,” you utter as you still, peeking over your shoulder at the door.

“Stay,” he says as he tastes the beer, “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to wash.”

[world0fmadness]

˖◛⁺⑅do you have any favorite songs? (metal or non-metal, both are cool!!)

also, i love your account. your writing, even when you're just answering asks, is so good!! 🫠

is writing something you study, or is it more like a hobby for you? i always get inspired whenever i read your stuff tbh.

seriously tho, your whole vibe is so sweet (｡･･｡) just wanted to say i really appreciate what you do here! 💖

୨୧ oh goshhh… i have so so so many favourite songs! you have unleashed a demon through this question lolol! hopefully you don’t mind that i am about to put quite a damn few hehe

despair by trembling void ( just a genuinely gorgeous black metal song, the drums and guitar really do something for me, not to mention the vocals! but to be honest, the whole album is very very very good and i would recommend you check it out )

sorcières by darvulia ( another black metal song where the instruments are just… so good! along with the vocals, of course! very amazing song, love their band logo too )

where restless souls wander by sarastus ( the first time i heard this song, i was absolutely gobsmacked at how much my brain loved it! i think i’m very easy to please but everything about this one just hits right for me, the drums especially )

odin killer of nazis by nuclear hammer ( the horn blowing and drum banging in this one just wowww, my brain loves it for some reason! vocals are of course very good too )

pines and mist by old tower ( arghhh, i just love some good atmospheric music! another one where you should definitely check out the whole album )

xtal by aphex twin ( who the hell does not love some aphex twin? just got this album on cd a couple days ago, love it )

siccmade by brotha lynch hung ( you just cannot go wrong with some lynch! the friday the 13th “ ch ch ch ah ah ah ” in the background of this song is just… chefs kiss! i find myself saying “ oh what a bloody mess ” every time i get my period because of this song )

unshaken by d’angelo from the red dead redemption II soundtrack ( just such a beautiful song, damn near makes me cry every time i hear it! his live performances of it are always just amazing too! his voice is just jaw dropping to me )

snake eater by cynthia harrell from the metal gear solid V soundtrack ( another just absolutely beautiful song with an even more gorgeous voice… her live performance of this in tokyo was absolutely fucking incredible! just one of those “ must listen to at least once in your life ” songs )

promise by akira yamaoka from the silent hill 2 soundtrack ( this song, to me, belongs to mary… whenever i think of this song, i just think of mary and the end of the game! the remake version of this song is just so so so good too, it played during the credits and did i cry? yep, like a fucking baby! the guitar work touches my soul so deeply )

okay, those are all of the reasons i’m going to give but here are some of my other favourites! just to keep this post at least a little short lolol! i could keep this list going for so long…

isolation by jute gyte - exhibition by corentin brasart from the decarnation soundtrack - involuntary disturbance by avith ortega - all or none by pearl jam

i am the black wizards by emperor - straighten up and fly right by the andrews sisters - frankensteina strataemontanus by carach angren

a world of madness by akira yamaoka from the silent hill 2 soundtrack - blood on my swordblade by godkiller

contempt by entombed - you’re not here by akira yamaoka from the silent hill 3 soundtrack - flesh ripper by hellripper - thunder of darkness by immortal

she’s my witch by kip tyler - to hell and back by venom - no care by daughter - blood spattered banner by carcass

we’ll meet again by vera lynn - my dark subconscious by morbid - day of suffering by morbid angel

you spin me round by dead or alive - every day is exactly the same by nine inch nails - necromancer by mortuary drape - goatcraft torment by urgehal

thank you so much! i’m super glad you love my blog… still find it hard to believe, even months down the line of creating it! awh, thank you again! sometimes i worry about my writing not being the greatest but then you guys come in and just shower me in so much love, more than i could ever feel worthy of…

writing is just a hobby for me, at least at the minute! i’m not studying anything right now, just kind of getting my life back on track after years of mental health issues and so on… learning how to live normally again, slowly! maybe later down the line i’ll go to college or something but we shall see… i would like to go into writing professionally if it was an option, my mother thinks i would make a good game or tech reviewer lolol! ever the supportive mother, though it’s kind of my whole family at this point… i think my dream career paths would be a game reviewer, music journalist or photographer! having one of those jobs would certainly make me happy

i’m so glad to hear that you feel inspired when reading my writing, you don’t know how happy that makes me! if you want to get into writing yourself, i could not encourage you more to try it out… i only started writing fanfiction early this year! i had never ever wrote fanfiction before then but i just kind of threw myself into it… and now here we are! really just let yourself try it out, let yourself sink into it and see how it goes :)

thank you once again for this ask and message, honey! you’re flattering me all too much here! you guys have always been nothing but beyond sweet to me, i would hate to treat all of you any different… you deserve nothing less than to be treated with love and respect! you appreciate what i do and i love doing what i do, more than i could ever ask for <3

[princess-of-thebes-1995]

A remake of this scene

You didn't really believe you were accepted to the Sully family. Sullies stick together. But you felt like an outsider and a freak...

You bonded with Kiri. Tuk was too energetic. She was too young for you to be friends with. You treated her like a daughter. Jake and Neytiri were busy planning war attacks against Quaritch.

They treated you as if they were your parents but they were too occupied. Neteyam was weird... he avoided you. Like you were an unwanted guest. Oh, well.

He would stare then look away yet never talk to you. How peculiar he was.

Loak was sweet since he became a new father at a young age. He would help you with the twins when he had free time.

Now, you and kiri went to the beach. You sadly didn't know how to swim. So you just sst on the sand with your little twins. Your cute baby Navi boys. They looked exactly as if they had no human mother. They looked like Loak. Sadly, nothing like you. You wondered if they were your babies.

Anyway, you and Kiri talked and walked around. The. Kiri began to swim in the sea but then she got tired and started staring at the sand. You wondered what was going in her head.

You placed your twins on your chest and almost went to sleep and then you heard them. The son of the chief. He was 19 like Loak and his group of friends.

You knew they were up to no good. You quickly stood up.

"Kiri, I think we should leave." You called your sister from the distance but she was still staring at the sand and didn't hear you. You decided to walk to her. But the chief son and his friends reached her first.

You felt sick with worry.

They called her a freak and followed her as kiri tried to leave. One of them had the nerve to touch her fingers.

"don't touch her!"

"shut up, slut! Why don't you spread your legs to another man and get pregnant with ugly babies?"

Ouch. The other Navis hated you for being human. You used to work for the RDA. But yes it love for Loak changed you. You gave them info to stop the rda. Yet most still hated you. You wouldn't tell Loak your problems. He was already stressed. Before getting pregnant. He would talk to you. You would know more about him. How he is jealous and overshadowed by neteyam.

And how he is always getting blamed by his father.

You didn't want to burden him.

The Navi men were too tall and strong. You felt they might beat you. And your babies. You heard snickers of other Navis. Devils in disguise. Demons.

Fake Navis. Imposters.

"Back off, fish lips!" You saw Loak running.

"Aww, another four fingered freak!"

Loak looked over to you. He told you to leave. You obediently began to walk away.

Your twins began to cry again. They just be hungry. In your room, you let one of your sons suckle you.

Soon, your husband came. You gasped. So much cuts and bruises. Your babies stopped crying. You left them in their crib.

You caressed your husbands cheek. Loak said nothing as you patched him up.

"I heard what they called you " Loak broke the silence.

"how long have you been standing there?"

Loak shrugged. "Long enough "

You rubbed Loak's long neck and he stared at you. He leaned in and then.... neteyam came.

You blushed and moved away from Loak

Neteyam came and announced that father Jake wanted to see Loak.

...

Loak had to apologize against the bullies. You were disappointed that you didn't have the chance to be alone with your husband... again.

You tried to stay awake for him but you gave in to sleep. Loak came late due to more training and exercises. He was invited to swim with Aounung. He knew you couldn't swim. But he hoped he will get something nice for you from the sea.

He crawled next to you in bed. He missed the old days. He loved his twins. But he never had time to be intimate with you. When you were his prisoner in the forest, he would pleasure himself and you almost everyday with many rounds. It almost been two weeks since he last touched you. Then one of his babies would interrupt.

Not to mention, neteyam had been distant with him. As if he was avoiding him. That hurt Loak's feelings.

[layce2015]

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

The Benders

Masterlist

"I know you’re just doing your job, but the police have been here all week already. I don’t see why we have to go through this again. The more he tells the story, the more he believes it’s true." Mrs McKay said to us as Sam, Dean and I were now posing as state policemen. We came here cause a man had gone missing under suspicious circumstances and that Mrs McKay's son had seen what happened.

"Mrs. McKay, we know you spoke with the local authorities." I said as we take off of our hats. "But, uh, this seems like a matter for the state police, so…." Dean said, shrugging. "Don’t worry about how crazy it sounds, Evan. You just tell us what you saw." Sam said to the young boy.

"I was up late, watching TV. When I heard this weird noise." Evan explained. "What did it sound like?" I asked him. "It sounded like….a monster." He replied and the boys and I exchange a look. "Tell the officers what you were watching on TV." Mrs McKay said to him. "Um...Godzilla Vs. Mothra." Evan said and Dean smiles.

"That’s my favorite Godzilla movie. It’s so much better than the original, huh?" Dean said to Evan, excitedly. "Totally." Evan said, smiling. "Yeah." Dean said then he nods towards Sam. "He likes the remake." Dean said. "Yuck!" Evan said, disgusted, while I shake my head and Sam glares at Dean and clears his throat at him.

"Evan, did you see what this thing was?" I asked him. "No. But I saw it grab Mr. Jenkins. It pulled him underneath the car." Evan said. "Then what?" Sam asked him. "It took him away. I heard the monster leaving. It made this really scary sound." Evan said.

"What did it sound like, Evan?" I asked him. "Like this…whining growl." He replied and Sam, Dean and I exchange another look. "Thanks for your time." Sam said to them and we walk out.

That night at Kugel’s Keg, Sam and I were having a beer at a table, doing  some research while Dean was throwing darts. "So, local police have now ruled out foul play. Apparently, there were signs of a struggle." Sam said. "Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping. Maybe this isn’t our kind of gig." Dean said, shrugging. "Yeah, maybe not. Except for this—Dad marked the area, Dean." Sam said and Dean comes to the table and looks at their father’s journal. 

"Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker." Sam said. "Why would he even do that?" Dean asked. "Well, he found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night. Grabs people, then vanishes. He found this too—this county has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state." I said. "That is weird." Dean mutters. "Yeah." Sam and I said.

"Don’t phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds? Jenkins was taken from a parking lot." Dean said. "Well, there are all kinds. You know, Spring Heeled Jacks, phantom gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime. Look, guys, I don’t know if this is our kind of gig either." Sam said. "Yeah, you’re right, we should ask around more tomorrow." I said and Sam nods. "Right." He said as he takes out his wallet.

"I saw a motel about five miles back." He said and Dean holds a hand out. "Whoa, whoa, easy. Let’s have another round." He said to Sam. "We should get an early start." Sam said. "Ah, c'mon, Sammy." I pleaded. "Yeah, you really know how to have fun, don’t you, Grandma?" Dean asked and Sam smiles. 

"Alright, I’ll meet you guys outside, I gotta take a leak." Dean said and he grabs his coat and heads to the bathroom. Sam and I gather up his research then I turn to Sam. "I'm gonna use the bathroom too. Meet you outside." I said and Sam nods as I hand him his stuff and I head to the bathroom.

Minutes later, I walk out of the bar and see Dean by the car looking around, confused. "Dean?" I said as I walk up to him. "What's wrong?" I asked him. "Sam's not here. He left his stuff on the hood." Dean said. "He's not in the car?" I asked him and he shakes his head and begins to walk around the parking lot and I join him.

Then a group of people, who seem really drunk, come out of the bar and we walk up to them. "Hey, you guys been outside, around here in the last hour or so?" Dean asked them and they shake their heads and walk away.

"Sam!" I shout as we look around frantically. "Sammy!" Dean shouts as I turn around and notice a surveillance camera on top of a streetlight. Then Dean and I walk into the middle of the deserted road and look around as we said, with fear. "Sam." 

"So, what can we do for you and your partner, Officer Washington?" Deputy Kathleen asked us after she looked at our fake IDs. We thought maybe the local police could help us with Sam as we couldn't find him at all last night. We introduced ourselves as Officer Greg Washington and Officer Joan Miller.

"We're working a missing persons." Dean replied. "I didn’t know the Jenkins case was being covered by the state police." Kathleen said to us. "Oh, no. No, there’s someone else." I said.

"Actually, it’s my cousin. We were havin’ a few last night at this bar down by the highway. And we haven’t seen him since." Dean said. "Does your cousin have a drinking problem?" She asked us. "Sam? Two beers and he’s doin’ karaoke." I said, jokingly, and she smiles. "No, he wasn’t drunk. He was taken." I said. Kathleen nods and sits down at her computer. Dean and I follow her and sit across from her.

"Alright. What’s his name?" She asked. "Winchester. Sam Winchester." Dean replied and she looks up at us. "Like the rifle?" She asked. "Like the rifle." We said in unison. She types Sam’s name in the computer and brings up his police record.

She observes the page, then clicks on something and reads whatever popped on her computer. "Samuel Winchester. So, you two know that his brother, Dean Winchester, died in St. Louis. And, uh, was suspected of murder." She said as she looks up at us. I glance over at Dean as he tries to look nonchalant.

"Yeah, Dean. Kind of the black sheep of the family. Handsome, though." Dean said and I rolled my eyes. "Debatable." I said and Dean narrows his eyes at me and I give a smirk then stuck my tongue out at him as Kathleen types something else on the computer. "Well, he’s not showing up in any current field reports." She said. "Oh, we already have a lead. Joan, here, saw a surveillance camera by the highway." Dean said as he gestures to me.

"Uh-huh. The county traffic cam?" She asked. "Right. Yeah. We were thinking the camera picked up whatever took him. Or, whoever." I said. "Well, I have access to the traffic cam footage down at the county works department, but—well, anyhow, let’s do this the right way." Kathleen said and she stands up and gets some paperwork from a filing cabinet.

 "Why don’t you fill out a missing persons report and sit tight over here?" She said as she hands Dean a clipboard.

"Officer, look, uh, he’s family. I kind of—I kind of look out for the kid. You gotta let us go with you." Dean pleads. "I’m sorry, I can’t do that." She said and she starts to turn away. "Well, tell me something." I said and she turns to me. "Your county has its fair share of missing persons. Any of ‘em come back?" I asked her and she gives me a sad look.

"Sam’s our responsibility. And he’s comin’ back. We're bringin’ him back." Dean said and she stares at us.

Later, we were sitting on a bench outside as Dean's leg bounced a bit. "Hey..." I said to him as I placed a hand on his shoulder. He looks over at me and I could tell he had a worried look on his face. "We'll find him." I assured him and he nods just as Kathleen comes up, holding some printouts.

"Greg. Joan." She calls out and we stands up. "I think we’ve got something." She said and she hands us the printouts and we look through them. "These traffic cams take an image every three seconds, as part of the Amber Alert program. These images were all taken around the time that your cousin, Sam, disappeared." She said as we see just a bunch of pictures of either empty roads or some passing cars

"This really isn’t what we're looking for." Dean said as he flips through the pictures and I look over at the. "Just wait, wait—next one." Kathleen said and Dean turns the page and we see an image of a rusty truck driving. "This one was taken right after Sam left the bar. Look at the back end of that thing." She said and we do and see the license plates. 

"Now, look at the plates." She said and he turns another page and we see a close-up image of the truck’s license plates. "Oh, the plates look new. It’s probably stolen." I said and Kathleen nods. "So, whoever’s driving that rust bucket must be involved." She said just as we hear a whining noise.

Dean and I turned around and see a beat-up van driving by. "Hear that engine?" Dean asked. "Yeah." Kathleen said as I nod and watch the old van. "Kind of a whining growl, isn’t it?" I asked. "Sure." She said as Dean and I stare at the van as it drives away. "I’ll be damned." I hear Dean mutter then he and I exchange a look.

"Okay, the next traffic cam is fifty miles from here, and the pickup didn’t pass that one, so…." Kathleen said as she drives her cop car and Dean sits in the front seat and I sit in the back. "So, it must’ve pulled off somewhere. I didn’t see any other roads here." I said and Dean nods. "Yeah, neither did I." He said. "Well, a lot of these backwoods properties have their own private roads." She said and Dean sighs at this. "Great." I said, annoyed, as I stare out the window. 

We sat there in silence for a few moments until Kathleen speaks up. "So, guys." She said and Dean and I turn to look at her. "Yeah?" We said. "I ran both of your badge numbers. It’s routine when we’re working a case with state police. For accounting purposes and what have you." She said and I started to bite my lips.

"Mmhmm." Dean hums. "And, uh, they just got back to me." She said and she pulls the car over to the side of the road. "It says here both of your badges were stolen." She said and we look at her surprised.

"And there’s a picture of you." She said as she turns the computer to Dean, where we see a picture of a heavy African-American man.

"And there's a picture of you too." She said and she shows me a picture of an old woman with grey hair. "I lost some weight. And I got that Michael Jackson skin disease." Dean chuckles. "And I dyed my hair and use lots of make-up." I explain as she takes off her seatbelt.

"Okay, would you two step out of the car, please?" She asked us. "Look, look, look." Dean and I said and she stops. "If you wanna arrest us, that’s fine. We’ll cooperate, I swear. But, first, please—let us find Sam." Dean pleads to her. "I don’t even know who you two are. Or if this Sam person is missing." She said. "Look into our eyes and tell us if we're lying about this." I said and she scoffs as she looks between us 

"Identity theft? Both of you are impersonating a couple of officers." She exclaims. "Look, here’s the thing. When we were young, I pretty much pulled him from a fire. And ever since then, I’ve felt responsible for him. Like it’s my job to keep him safe. And she's been helping me in anyway she can. I’m just afraid if we don’t find him fast—" Dean said as his voice breaks. "Please....He’s our family." I plead to her.

"I’m sorry. You two have given me no choice. I have to take both of you in." She said then she glances at her visor. I look at it and see a photo of her and another man, smiling. She looks at it then sighs.

"After we find Sam Winchester." She said as she fastens her seatbelt. Dean looks at her, confused, then to me and I shrug at him as we begin to drive off.

[thewickedbohemian]

Dream Animated Movie Musical Tournament Seed Round Group G

For information on this tournament as well as the seed poll for group A go here

Why I think these musicals should be animated movies (in my opinion)

Legally Blonde: (although it might still need some updating) it's aged slightly better than the original movie, has a similar sort of cartoon-y feel and Disney-Princess-y heroine to Hairspray and there's also things that could work better in an animated movie than a live-action movie-of-the-musical-of-the-movie (like you could suspend your disbelief better about the Greek chorus etc.) to avoid this facing Mean Girls's problem

Carrie: the story's been told on film so many dang times that a fresh take like what a movie of the musical could be could be a breath of fresh air especially if it were animated to further distance itself from the more famous movies (and just imagine how hard the visuals could go)

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: (even though I heard some rumors of a movie years back, since nothing's happened since then it's still on here) although I don't know how to get around the audience participation to make any sort of movie of this show succeed doing it animated with kid characters looking like kids but still voiced by adults would be basically the only way for a movie of this show to give something major you couldn't get out of a proshot of it

Seussical: because animation is the only way a Seussical movie could be done (ideally if I had my druthers with an autistic unknown voicing JoJo as the coding's there) thank you shitty Mike Myers Cat In The Hat movie and overzealous Seuss estate

Annie: since it's been almost a decade since the last Annie movie (that being the controversial modernized one with a black Annie and Cameron Diaz playing foster-mom-from-hell!Hannigan) I feel like the time might be starting to come for when a remake could be justifiable especially because every time there's an Annie movie or something similar (like Annie Live) people always complain it leaves out some songs from the Broadway version so I want to fix that and animation (ideally in some style that homages the original comics without looking dated) would be a way for an Annie remake to do something different

Sweeney Todd: think of this hypothetical animated remake (ideally done by, like, Laika or something) as an opportunity to fix what Tim Burton broke

Fun Home: (another one on here I've heard rumors of a movie of but then bupkis about) it should be at least partially if not fully animated given its structure and the fact that it's about a freaking cartoonist

[social-link-showdown]

ROUND FIVE PART TWO

A Lone Prayer (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona) VS Throw Away Your Mask (Persona 5 Royal)

A Lone Prayer

Throw Away Your Mask

A Lone Prayer

Legitimately makes me emotional listening to it. Probably helps that the OP for the PSP remake is so good.

Throw Away Your Mask

It's the emotional explanation of the motivations and genuine goodwill possessed by the best Persona villain, who is ultimately just another person trying to make a better world just as you are.

I don't know how to describe why it makes me feel the way I do, it's one of those things that just feels like it should be self-evident. If you've heard this, you get it. If you haven't, please do that now.

[runesandramblings]

"To The Ends of The Earth"

Word Count: TBD / ongoing

Content Warnings: none, follows the events from The Hobbit so there will be the expected violence from the movies

Pairings: KilixOC

Themes: crossover Marvel x Tolkien, romance, fanfic, canon-ish events

Summary:

In the wake of The Blip, the multi-verse has expanded knowledge of the universe in ways no one thought possible. For the first time, journeying between realms and realities is a tangible possibility.

Ex-SHIELD agent and Avenger, Lilith Lenore, is hiding from her past, shunning the life she once led. But when an offer from a wizard of another world is extended, she cannot refuse.

Chapter 8: The Journey Begins

I was surprised how quickly I was able to fall asleep in such a strange place. I scarcely remembered laying down in the hobbit’s tiny guest room the night before, much less actually falling asleep. I stayed up with the dwarves for a while after Bilbo went to bed learning as much as I could about the trip. Aside from the key Gandalf had that would allow us entry into the mountain, it seemed there wasn’t really a solid plan. Not that it bothered me, I was used to working on the fly back home. I’d gotten used to my life of stability, and after a year of peace and quiet I didn’t expect to settle into Middle Earth so easily. But Bilbo’s home was warm and welcoming, and I’d fallen asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. I knew it was the last good night of rest I’d likely get for a while. 

The faint glimmer of sunlight peeking through the curtains woke me. I instinctively reached out for my phone to check the time before remembering where I was. It would certainly take some getting used to.

I crossed the room to the window and peered out. The sun was just beginning to crest over one of the numerous hobbit-holed hills, and I could see a few tiny bodies roaming up and down the paths already. I wasn’t familiar with telling time off of the sun, but I guessed it was around six or seven in the morning. Thorin had announced the night before he wanted to be off shortly after dawn, and judging by the light outside that would likely be soon.

I quickly slipped back into my clothes and braided my hair back out of my face before straightening up the tiny guest room and remaking the bed. The dwarves had insisted I take the one spare room, while they piled onto the living room floor. Given that it was the last time I’d likely sleep in a bed or on my own for a while, I’d not objected. 

Despite mine and Gandalf’s best attempts the evening before to persuade Bilbo to join us, he had declined. It seemed the prospect of danger outweighed the gold or the adventure for him. It was a shame; I’d very much enjoyed the company of the hobbit already. He was far from a warrior, but there was a cunning and kindness about him I thought would have rounded out the group. Plus, a little disorder in his life might have done him well. 

As I emerged from the bedroom and made my way down the hall I heard a few of the dwarves rummaging through Bilbo’s pillaged pantry. I was still trying to commit names to memory, but I believed them to be Bofur, Ori, and Oin. 

“Good morning, Lady Lilith.” The one I thought to be Bofur greeted me. 

I nodded to them in greeting as maybe-Ori shyly handed me an apple. 

“Breakfast.” He offered. “There isn’t much left.”

“I believe it.” I teased, smiling kindly at the younger dwarf before stepping outside. 

The rest of the party were already outside, saddling and packing up a group of horses. Gandalf and Thorin were conversing as the remaining dwarves strapped supplies and bedrolls to the backs of the horses.

Not horses, though. As I looked closer I realized they were more ponies, similar but slightly smaller than an average horse. I’d almost forgotten about the height deficiency of the group, though I was hardly one to talk.

I made my way over to where Gandalf and Thorin stood, and as I approached Thorin we briefly made eye contact. His gaze was notably kinder than the evening before. He nodded to me wordlessly before excusing himself and stepping over to assist who I did remember to be Dwalin as he saddled one of the ponies. 

Gandalf smiled kindly down at me.

“Good morning, Lilith. How did you sleep?” 

“Surprisingly well. Probably for the last time in a while I’d guess.” I joked.

He smirked, nodding his head as if to confirm my statement. 

“At least you are prepared. You made quite the impression last night.” He said, giving me a knowing look. “I wasn’t quite expecting that. But it is good to know what Master Nick has told me about you is true.”

I paused mid-bite into my apple; so much more had transpired over the rest of the evening that I’d almost forgotten that had happened.

“I’m just glad Thorin didn’t kick me out.” I mumbled. 

Gandalf chuckled and shook his head. 

“On the contrary, my lady. It is difficult to earn Thorin Oakenshield’s respect, but you have it.”

As I finished the last of my apple and tossed the core into the field we stood beside, Gandalf pulled a bundle from the back of the pony he stood beside. 

“Here. You might find these useful.” 

The bundle itself was a cloak, a deep shade of emerald green with a brass clasp at the collar. It was wrapped around a leather water pouch, a spare set of clothes that exactly matched the ones I wore, and a small pouch filled with an assortment of coins.

“Thank you-“ I started. 

“Gandalf.” 

Dwalin was gesturing for the wizard to join himself and Thorin a few yards away from me. 

Gandalf nodded to the dwarf and patted me on the arm. 

“Excuse me, my lady.”

As he excused himself I suddenly felt awkward, and immediately began looking around for somewhere to be of help. 

“Lilith.” 

I turned to find the source of the voice and my eyes landed on Kili, standing a few yards away next to a white and brown pony. He was securing a bedroll to its back as he gestured for me to come join him with his free hand. 

“This is Rosie.” He said as I approached, patting the pony’s nose. “She’s yours.”

I stroked her as well, admiring the feeling of her soft hair beneath my hand.

“She’s beautiful.” 

As I kept my eyes focused on the pony I could feel Kili’s gaze linger on my face before he turned his attention to Rosie as well.

“That she is.” He said softly, and I couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t speaking entirely about the pony.

I felt the heat rising in my cheeks at his attention. I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed his company, but I was still hesitant to allow myself to get too comfortable. I was, after all, here for a purpose. 

“Did you all sleep well on the floor?” I asked in an attempt to divert the subject. 

He smiled, seeming to notice the change of topic but going along with it.

“I did. It was quite cozy. And safe.” He said.

“Safe?” 

“Oh yes. I hear there’s a crazy maiden on this journey that likes to throw knives at people.” His cheeky smirk widened, and I couldn’t help but grin in return. The damn dwarf was charming to a fault.

Before I could respond we were interrupted as Thorin came to stand at the front of the company. I realized the others had joined us from inside. 

“Alright, let's be off then.” He said gruffly.

The dwarves began mounting their ponies and I stood staring at mine, still holding the reins in my hand. I walked around to the side uncertainly. I understood the concept of riding, but I had never actually been on a horse before. Getting on wasn’t the issue, but I had no idea how to control the animal once I had. Kili seemed to notice my hesitation and came back to my side immediately. 

“Are you alright?” 

“I just realized I’ve never done this before.” I said, staring blankly between him and the pony.

“Do horses not exist where you are from??” He asked, laughing.

“They do, they’re just…not for transportation anymore.” 

He looked confused.

“How do you get anywhere?” 

I opened my mouth to explain as Thorin approached us on his pony. I realized the rest of the dwarves were mounted as well, and Kili and I were the only two left standing in the grass. 

“Kili. Lilith. Let's move.” He said sternly. 

Kili immediately extended his hand to me and I took it gratefully, using it as leverage to boost myself onto the back of the horse. She shifted underneath me and I grasped the reins tightly, looking to Kili for further instruction. He gave a cheeky smile in return as he slapped the horse on her rear and sent her trotting forward after the others. 

“I’ll explain as we go.” I heard him call from behind me. 

**

I’d never stopped to consider how difficult it was to keep track of time without a phone or a watch. I looked up at the sun again in an attempt to get my bearings. Though I couldn’t be entirely sure what it meant, the sun was directly overhead. Logically I assumed it was around midday. 

Kili and Fili rode on either side of me, instructing me on how to control and steer the pony. It was much easier than I’d anticipated, and my nervousness quickly faded. I still found myself a little unsteady on her as the terrain shifted, and I could see the amused expressions the brothers traded when they assumed I was not paying attention. I was sure after my show the night before they enjoyed having an advantage in something I did not. Kili in particular seemed to take pride in being able to teach me something new. 

“So you say these cars…” Kili began. “They move on their own?”

After my comment about never having been on a horse, their interest had been piqued in how transportation worked in my realm. I’d been trying my best to explain the concept of cars as simply as possible. It wasn’t easy. 

“Not exactly. They’re powered by something called a motor. Think of how coal powers the machines in your mines.” 

They both nodded along. I wasn’t entirely sure I’d explained anything well enough for it to make sense, but I appreciate their sincere interest regardless.

“Your world sounds very different.” Fili said. “It must be strange coming here.” 

I shook my head. 

“It’s not so far off honestly. In some ways, yeah. But it’s not as strange as I thought it would be.” I caught Kili’s gaze and we shared a smile. 

“Have you done anything like this before?” He questioned. 

“Travel to another world? Or just a journey like this in particular?” 

“Either one.” 

I shook my head again.

“I’ve never left my home, no. But I’ve been on a long trip like this before. Well, sort of.” 

“Sort of?” Fili prodded.

“I was…running.” 

Both perked up, curiosity piqued.

“I might have broken the law.” I said sheepishly. 

“A rebel.” Kili’s grin widened. “What did you do?”

“That group I was a part of, the Avengers.” I paused and they nodded, recognizing my reference from the night before. “We were told we couldn’t go on any more missions, or help anybody, without permission from this…overseeing group. Half listened, but the other half didn’t.”

“I’m assuming you were in the half that didn’t?” 

I nodded.

“You assume correctly.” 

“So what happened?” Fili urged. 

“Well, we got into a fight. And then the half of us that rebelled went to prison-” 

“You were imprisoned?” Kili interrupted. “For how long?”

“Only a few weeks-”

“A few weeks??” Several voices cried out in unison.

I looked around, stunned at the noise, and realized several of the other dwarves had dropped back to ride beside us as well. Evidently my story had captured their attention. 

“I don’t think they intended to let us go that soon, fortunately we had a friend on the outside who was able to break us out. But we couldn’t go home, because they were looking for us. So we ran. And we couldn’t stay in one place for long, so we ended up jumping from country to country for a while.”

“How long did you run for?” Bofur asked. He leaned forward eagerly. 

“Almost a year.” 

“And how did it end?” Nori questioned. 

I grinned. 

“They realized they couldn’t survive without us.” 

“WAIT!”

The company halted as a voice suddenly echoed from the trees behind us. I yanked my pony to a stop and whirled around to see Bilbo running toward us, contract in hand. 

“Wait.” He called again, breathless. He came to a stop at the front of the company beside Balin. “I signed it.” 

I turned to Kili and Fili, both watching Bilbo with an incredulous look on their faces. I extended my hand to them and smiled smugly. 

“Pay up.”

Entire story so far here!

[bismuthupmy]

Nothing Hurts | Leon x Luis RE4

Chapter 4 | 5.2k

The story of tragic righteousness where nobody is hurt and everything is perfect. Except nothing is perfect in hell.

A re-imagining of the events of the Resident Evil 4 remake where Luis and Leon get the ending they deserved.

——————————————————————————————————

Wow this ones a big boy compared to the others- I got carried away and accidentally wrote too much but I didn’t want to halve it so here it is! :)

Ch.1

——————————————————————————————————

Leon came to with a jolt as the sun was dipping below the trees on the hills. His head pulsed and his body ached where he had landed. He muttered curses as pulled himself back up and onto the seat grabbing at his arms before realising where he was. The taste of blood lingered in his mouth as he just sat there for a minute. The boat was slowly filling up with water which had soaked his left side. Pulling on the motor string, Leon forces it to work again and speeds off towards the boathouse hopefully before the boat sinks and he becomes fully soaked. 

He made it just in time, the boat gurgling as it sunk into the lake. The boathouse was dark because of the lack of light making it into the valley, meaning he must’ve been out for a good few hours. Leon mentally slapped himself for wasting so much time. He patched through to Hunnigan. She was probably worried he fucking died.

“Condor One to roost,” he called in. “Do you read me?”

Hunnigan immediately picked up, as was her job, but she was frantic.

“Condor One!? You’ve been radio silent for three hours. Are you alright?”

Three hours. Shit. 

“Yeah…  I’m fine. Won't let it happen again.”

Hunnigan sighed, “And the church?”

“Still looking for whatever ‘key’ I need.”

“Copy that,” a pause. “I’m glad you’re ok. Roost out.”

Leaving the boathouse Leon was met with a near pitch black forest, having to pull out his flashlight. Night exploration was a pain because you couldn’t see anything and the torchlight was a beacon for enemies. There was no one immediately in the vicinity but as Leon approached a bottleneck in the road, chanting could be heard. Crouching down through a rocky crevice, Leon quietly stalked up to the voices. He could see shadows of two people against the stone cliff beside him, cast from a fire or candles around the corner he couldn’t see. As he got closer the chanting got more frantic. One of the villagers yelled and its shadow convulsed, its head exploding with something erupting from it. Leon cringed as he saw some of the blood spatter from around the corner and long fleshy tentacles whipping around. What the fuck?  He moved forward slowly again, stepping on a large stick, however, which snapped loudly. The villagers up ahead were alerted and stumbled his way. The first villager that emerged from around the corner was the one with the weird fleshy mound for a head, tendrils lashing out towards his direction.

Leon stood up to take aim and shot a few rounds into the guy's head. It didn’t die though which concerned him. The second villager came around the corner and Leon decided to take him out first. Within the same amount of shots it was dead but immediately started convulsing on the floor. Leon couldn’t get to it to knife it dead dead either because he was blocked in by the… twisty guy. 

The villager on the floor’s head exploded then and another fleshy head replaced it, the same as the other guy. Leon groaned.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Deciding to just save his ammo and not bother with fighting these guys, Leon pulled out a flash grenade to stun them and run past. He covered his eyes and prepared for the flash as the grenade went off. Except the flash pierced his eyes through the cracks left by his arm, causing his head to sear in pain as he dropped to one knee, ears ringing. He shook his head to get rid of the fuzziness, looking up to see the two villagers lying dead on the floor, the fleshy heads having disintegrated and left a soggy puddle on the ground. 

“What the fuck?” Leon huffed, standing up straight again. “Twisty sons of bitches.”

Jogging past the dead bodies, Leon continued along the path. He had a key to look for and Ashley wasn’t getting any safer in that church if she hadn’t been taken away by now already. The path led into a cave which then opened out into a small room off to the side. In the room was an altar between two large hand statues. 

“Some kind of shrine?” Leon muttered as he got closer. On the wall between the statues was a symbol. “Same mark from the church.”

Yep this was the church key. It was held together by mini stone hands which Leon assumed that the larger statues had something to do with it. On the far wall was a map with two locations marked on it. He may have said finding information was easy but applying the information was not.

Finding the first stone key was fairly straight forward. Leon followed the cave system through a loop and used another convenient boat around the corner, taking out villagers as he went. As soon as he got up to the caged up head, Leon inspected the stone tablet with several buttons and realised he needed to be looking out for symbols. So back he went, scanning the walls of the cave for hastily scrawled symbols on the walls and made it back to the key. He imputed the symbols and the gate opened loudly. Leon was faced with a weird demon looking statue with a suspicious line running around its neck and figured he just had to lift the head off its perch. 

The head, once disconnected, spurted blood coloured liquid which leaked all over his hand. Leon grimaced with disgust, shaking as much of the liquid off as he could, not really wanting to find out what it was and especially not  being stuck with it on his pants.

He returned to the room with the church key and placed the stone head onto one of the hands. Half of the mini hands holding the church key twisted and released the key. Now he just needed to make it back across the lake.

Before heading off, Leon leaned down over the edge of the dock and dipped his hand in the river, washing off the blood. He looked around the cavern, spying the other end of the merchant’s workshop. The church key could wait for a moment, he was running low on supplies. 

He steered the boat to the lower platform and climbed up to meet the merchant. The same scruffy British voice greeted him. 

“Hello there, stranger. Care to run an errand for me? Or two ha ha.” Leon leaned on the desk nearby, picking out supplies he needed.

“What errands?” “Need an egg. A gold one. I’ll pay you handsomely for one of them buggers. That or I need three snakes.

Leon scoffed, “I’m not going out searching for snakes in the wilderness.” “You’d be surprised how many of them end up in bloody crates, ha. Chicken egg it is.” Leon restocked up on ammo and invested in some more first aid spray while he was there. It was the exact same stuff the American government had packed him with except the text was all in Spanish of course.

“So,” Leon reloaded his weapons absently. “What’s so special about the gold ones? Can you even find them?”

“You have yet to witness the power of a gold chicken egg, eh? Nothing much. It's gold.” “Seriously?” Leon looked at him incredulously. Was he really about to go out of his way to find just a funky looking egg.

“No. But I can't have you running off with my egg if I tell you what they can really do, am I right?” Leon shook his head and started back for his boat, the merchant calling back to him, “Thanks, mate!”

─•~❉᯽❉~•──•~❉᯽❉~•──•~❉᯽❉~•──•~❉᯽❉~•─

Leon took the boat out to the other side of the lake, speeding through another cave before coming to a stop at a tower looking construct. There weren’t any people lurking around which put Leon somewhat at ease. He didn't bother to check if the door down the bottom was open or not and began another climb and search of strange painted symbols on various surfaces. Leon absently wondered how the hell someone managed to paint up on stalactites but there wasn’t any time to worry about it because he made it to the key code to the door. Three more symbols were imputed and the gate opened. Leon grabbed the head, careful of the splash of blood that came with it and descended down the tower to check out the lower room. Maybe there was some treasure he could collect. Damn that merchant and turning Leon into a treasure freak.

On his way back across the lake, Leon spotted another light to his left. There was another flat area beneath the hills that was fenced off. He decided to check it out and upon closer inspection the land was a chicken coop. Might as well go search for that chicken egg the merchant wanted. He wasn't planning on doing it in the first place but he was here now and  he wouldn’t pass up the chance to gather some dinner.

Leon searched around the coop, walking laps in circles, startling chickens left and right, picking up a few normal eggs for later as well. Just as he was going to give up and move on, he spotted a flash of gold out the corner of his eye. There lying on the ground, nestled between hay and mud, was a golden chicken egg. Leon chuckled in disbelief, rubbing a hand down his face. A fucking gold chicken egg. Leon picked it up and headed back to the cave that held the key for the church and the reward he was going to get for this egg.

The second stone head was placed on the other hand statue, fully unlocking the circular key. Leon tucked the key away safely and headed back to the merchant’s safe house. The first thing Leon did was place the golden chicken egg on the merchant's table, startling the man awake from a nap. 

“I didn’t expect you to actually do it,” the merchant smirked, taking the egg and hiding it away somewhere. 

“Yeah, well, it  was on the way,” was all Leon said, not wanting to clue the merchant in that he was somewhat now addicted to finding treasures. 

“Thanks for the help, stranger. Your payment.” A few purple crystals were placed into Leon’s hand. He looked at them and then at the merchant perplexed. 

“Spinels. Special currency. Some things money just can't buy. Take a look.” The merchant slid over to another section of his little store, pointing out “special” stock. Leon pocketed the spinels, deciding to spend them on something that would actually be useful for later instead of a few jewels or gunpowder he could find elsewhere. He could never tell what expression the merchant had but he vaguely thought he caught disappointment on the other man’s face when he left. 

“See ya later, then.” Leon waved over his shoulder, making sure that the church key was secure in one of his pouches preparing for the jog back to the church. He wanted to get to Ashley as soon as possible. Having the church key himself reassured him that she must still be there but that didn't mean she was safe.

The night brought rain, the clearing Leon passed through empty of any crows that he found everywhere else during the previous day. The gate where Leon entered was mysteriously locked up with no clear way of opening it which would be a real hindrance to his mission if he couldn't find a way back. Leon grumbled and returned back to the clearing, deciding to go back and ask the merchant about it when a ground rumbling roar came from the other side of the area. Another gate dropped, blocking the way back to the merchant, something big battering against the solid gate beside it. He was locked in an arena. He looked up to see a figure cloaked in red distorted by the rain.

The big creature bashed through, revealing a massive ugly troll looking monster. Maybe he had been too cocky when he’d mentioned the massive weapon earlier and he hoped the creature wasn't smart enough to go find it. 

The giant’s arms sweeped for him, Leon ducking under it and scrambling to get behind and to the other side of the arena. He pulled out his rifle and aimed for its head. The giant seemed to feel pain as it howled and angrily charged towards Leon, however he was going to take a lot of effort. Leon spent most of this time running for clear ground and getting shots in where he could. 

The giant roared again, paying Leon no mind as he shot at him, making a beeline for one of the sheds that lined the edges of the arena. Leon lowered his weapon. 

“Surely not.” Surely yes. The giant ripped the house out of the ground and launched it in Leon's direction. He barely managed to jump out of the way of its path, stumbling in the mud. The giant made wide sweeping motions with its arms again, Leon diving out of the way as quickly as possible. The rain made the earth slippery, his hair sticking to his face and in his eyes making things all the more difficult.

Leon could vaguely hear howling in the distance over the pouring rain, sighing to himself. He wasnt going to deal with rabid wolves in addition to a fucking troll. Behind him he heard snarling and barking. He whipped around and up on the higher ledges of the hills around the arena was the wolf he had saved earlier.

“Hey, it’s that dog.”

The wolf jumped down, running circles around the troll, distracting it. While it was a welcome relief from the stress for Leon, the troll was chasing the wolf with its eyes round and round in circles so he couldn't get a good shot in. The wolf darted out of the way of a swooping grasp and dove back in, teeth latching onto the giant’s heel causing it to howl. Out of it’s back, emerged a slimy worm looking thing, not unlike the twisty fuckers he’d seen earlier. 

“You got worms too?” He pulled out his rifle and trained it on the worm, hitting it a couple of times, bringing the giant to its knees. He rushed up to it, knife in hand, and scaled the giant to slash at the exposed weak spot. He got a few slashes in before he was bucked off and the giant regained its strength. Now that he knew how to defeat this thing the game was on.

The dog circled the giant again which angered it more. The giant reared back its leg before striking the dog, kicking it back several feet. Leon’s heart dropped for a second but the dog got back up. The giant ignored the barking and the shower of bullets into its back that Leon was hoping would draw out the worm again. It grabbed onto a second house bracing to lift it. Leon swiftly shot at the giant’s hand which caused it to drop the house it was holding onto its feet. Apparently splitters were enough for the worm to emerge again so Leon continued to attack the weak spot. The giant eventually tumbled again and Leon slashed at the worm. Soon enough the giant howled and threw Leon off it which sent him sprawling into the mud. 

The giant hollered and crumbled to the ground one last time. Leon dropped his shoulders in relief, covered in mud with the rain quickly washing it off. The gates around the arena opened again letting him out. 

“God damn,” Leon breathed shakily, looking down at the dead troll in relief. “I was almost a pancake. I simply must tell god about this one.”

He was about to leave for the church when the barking of the wolf caught his attention. Glancing back up to the ledges, the wolf was laying out panting. He looked up at it with a small smile.

“Thanks bud.” He journeyed back to the old church.

─•~❉᯽❉~•──•~❉᯽❉~•──•~❉᯽❉~•──•~❉᯽❉~•─

The church was still quiet when he made it back, no villagers around for now luckily for him. Leon placed the church key in the gate and like hands on a clock it spun, triggering the poles to drop. The door behind the gate was open and he was finally inside. 

“Ashley Graham? I’m here to help!”

The main room was doused in colourful light from the moonlight outside shining through the stained glass window above the altar. Ashley wasn't anywhere on the first floor after exploring but there was a locked gate to the side of the main chapel area. 

Inspecting the altar he found a puzzle which required an extra piece which was easily found in the church. The stained glass had to be rearranged in a certain orientation which was really not that difficult to figure out. Seems like they had exhausted all their time in hiding the main key to bother with any more meaningful security measures. The gate clicked to the side and Leon went through, climbing to the second floor. There was a long corridor which wrapped all the way around the church but it wasnt a loop so he wouldn’t be able to miss her.

“Ashley, you in there?”

Leon came up to a door on the left. He opened it up cautiously waiting for something to jump out at him. Sure enough a high pitched grunt and a candlestick came crashing towards him. He quickly dodged the candlestick, finally finding the young girl holding it. 

“Just let me go,” Ashley pleaded. Leon had to admire the girl’s strength because they candlestick certainly looked a little worse for wear. Ashley swung gthe candlestick at him again to which he easy caught it.

“Hey, easy with that!” He tossed the candlestick away which in hindsight might have been too aggressive as the girl looked absolutely terrified. He didn't approach her, instead taking a step back to appear less menacing. “My name's Leon. I’m here on the president’s orders to-”

Ashley ran at the opportunity as Leon stepped backwards leaving a gap for her to dash out of the room. Leon sighed. Yep, definitely a bit too aggressive. 

“That went well,” he muttered to himself, following after Ashley. She hadn’t run towards the exit so he hadn’t lost her yet. He quickly walked to the front of the church on the second level, seeing Ashley looking out the floor to ceiling window. 

“Hey. It’s dangerous outside,” Ashley ignored him and continued to stare out the window. They needed to leave now and Leon was starting to get a little more urgent. “You need to listen to me-” “What is that? Over there?” she interrupted him, pointing out to a hoard of villagers approaching the church. A sharp ringing pierced Leon's ears as he and Ashley grimaced.

Pursue them. The lost lambs are escaping. Deliver unto them… Salvation.

The piercing pain let up and Leon turned to Ashley earnestly.

“Your father trusts me,” He looked her directly in the eyes. “And I need  you to trust me too, and do exactly as I say. I’m gonna get you home safe.”

Tears began to well up in Ashley’s eyes but she held them back with a brave face and a nod.

“Ok…Ok, Leon.”

Leon turned just as the villagers entered the church's lower floor. He crouched down to avoid being seen, gesturing to Ashley to do the same. “Alright. Let’s get the hell  out of here,” Leon muttered to which Ashley eagerly  agreed. Leon signalled to her to follow him and they made their way around to another ladder which led to the top floor. Leon stayed crouched on the ground and waved over to Ashley.

“I’ll boost you up. Get the ladder.” Ashley nodded hesitantly and climbed onto his shoulders as he hoisted her up to the next platform. Ashley pulled herself up, turning around to drop the ladder down for Leon to climb up behind her. Leon took the lead again, searching the attic for any way out. He came across a window which overlooked a lower ledge below easy enough to get down to. Leon climbed up onto the window sill, Ashley gasping from behind him. Leon dropped down and Ashley rushed to the window to see if he was alright. Leon looked back up at her, completely fine, waving her down.

“No way-”

“It’s ok. I’ve got you.” Ashley began to protest before thinking better of it. Leon surely knew what he was doing. She jumped up to sit on the edge of the windowsill before jumping over, arms crossed over her chest and eyes shut tightly. She landed with a small yelp in Leon’s arms, heart hammering from the free fall.

“You alright?” Leon let her down and helped steady her until she nodded slowly. Leon jumped off the ledge up ahead, glancing back at Ashley as she climbed down the ladder like a sane person, calling Hunnigan to report in.

“Roost, I’ve secured Baby Eagle.”

“Copy that,” came Hunnigan’s pleased reply. “Is she ok?”

“Affirmative.” “Good job, Condor One. I’ll dispatch a chopper ASAP”

Hunnigan quickly typed into her computer, the clicking of the keys audible through the comms, “I’m  sending you the coordinates for the extraction point. Make your way there. And don't let anything happen to Baby Eagle.”

“Copy that.”

“Hurry, the weather is getting worse. Roost out.”

Leon led Ashley around the side of the church, signalling her to crouch down as they snuck past villagers in the courtyard. Leon halted them behind a large rock watching stray villagers wander into the church. They managed to slip out through the gates and into the graveyard but were met with another hoard of villagers. 

“Stay close to me!” Leon tried weaving the two of them through the graveyard, avoiding the most threatening group of oncomers. “What is wrong with these people!” Ashley cried, keeping low to avoid the grabbing hands of the villagers. They ran through a tunnel, heading back towards the village centre through the town hall. The extraction point was nearby but they couldn’t get anywhere with a hoard on their trail. Leon was hoping they could lose them somewhere deeper in the village. 

More angry villagers blocked their path in the centre, Leon hastily pulling out his shotgun to thin out the crowd enough for them to run, “Spread out!” Ashley ducked behind a nearby house as Leon took out a few of the villagers, calling out to her again to follow him as they ran by the outskirts of the square. They ran through the farm again, jumping over the paddock fence to loop around the oncomers. They made it to the bridge, villagers hot on their tail when Leon noticed the gate to the house up ahead was open. He remembered it was locked shut. The door burst open and Luis waved them over urgently.

“Hey! Over here!” His voice was drowned out by the rain but  Leon got the idea and led Ashley into the villa, closing the gate behind him. Ashley heaved beside him, trying to catch her breath. He put a hand on her shoulder in reassurance before turning back to Luis. 

“You,” Leon stalked towards Luis, the other seeing the anger in his gait and quickly put his hands up in surrender.

“Hey, listen. About earlier, I-”

“Yeah about that,” Leon grabbed Luis by the shirt and shoved him into the wall. Luis’ face contorted in pain for a moment before he glanced to the side. Leon followed his gaze.

“Heyyy. I see you found your missing señorita.”

Ashley seemed to have regained her breath and joined them over at the wall,  a scowl over her face.

“The señorita has a name, and it's Ashley,” she sassed, not taking any shit from a random guy. “And you are?”

Luis smiled, “Name’s Luis. Encantado.”

“Great. We all have names. Now then-” Leon shoved Luis harder into the wall to draw his attention back. “Who are you?  And what’re you doing here?”

Luis chuckled, “Very good questions, unfortunately…”

He tipped his head towards the gate Leon had shut where the villagers had broken in. Leon let go of Luis to get a closer look before turning back to Ashley, “Hide. Now!”

Ashley frantically looked around the villa for somewhere to hide, all previous confidence gone, until Luis spoke up, kneeling beside an overturned wardrobe.

“In that case, here, help me.”

Leon  joined him in the wardrobe and helped Luis lift it up just enough for Ashley to crawl outside. He nodded to the hole in the wall for her to go but noticed her hesitance.

“Go,” he urged, watching Ashley finally crawl under the wardrobe before dropping it back down. With Ashley safe he could now focus on the villagers searching for them. Leon peeked out through the window at the hoard, sizing it up. Luis joined him on the other side, gun raised.

“Ok. It’s game time.”

Leon ran around the room, picking up any loot or ammo that he could find, pocketing it and a few grenades. Luis kept talking, however, and Leon couldn't tell if he just wasn't taking this seriously or if he was just a nervous rambler.

“Hordes of them against two of us,” he flitted around the room dramatically. “Oh, and let's not forget — this mob is made up of monsters.”

The villagers had made it to the windows now and had smashed them in, claiming through. 

“You done warming up? Hope you stretched!”

Leon shot a few of them as they attempted to get inside, knocking them back outside and into the mud. Luis was lagging slightly, boarding up one of the windows to the side. More and more piled up at the windows. Leon quickly grabbed a bookcase and slid it across, simultaneously smashing a villagers skull as well as narrowing down the entry points. The bookcase didn't hold up for long and soon enough a few villagers made it inside. Leon shuffled up the staircase for a vantage point on the villagers before deciding to check out the top floor. He found a few more boards upstairs he could use so he dropped back down to the bottom floor.

“Cover me!” Leon called to Luis, who grunted in acknowledgement, while he boarded up the last two windows. The last few villagers were taken out when they heard knocking up on the top floor.

Running up, the thing that concerned Leon was that they had gotten a hold of  ladders and lent them up against the house. If they couldn't get in through the bottom floor why not  try the top right? Leon kicked down the ladders, taking the villager climbing up with it when he heard yet another crashing sound followed by an unwelcome roar.

Looking to the lower floor, Leon saw the bull headed man run to the staircase, having broken through the window and letting in a whole bunch more of the villagers. Groaning in frustration Leon readied one of his grenades and chucked it to the base of  the stairs killing the villagers on impact but leaving the bull man. At least it had thinned the crowd.

More ladders were propped up against the second floor windows but Leon found himself busy holding off the bull man. He looked to Luis to try to signal to him to knock them back down for him but he too was caught up in a swarm. Leon narrowly dodged the big hammer swung right for his head but in the process was grabbed from behind by another villager. He struggled against the arms  but the bull man was quicker, raising its hammer again. A shot to the head from behind stunned the bull man and a second shot to the villager restraining Leon allowed him to quickly duck away with an appreciative nod in Luis’s direction.

They were caged in, the ladder and the staircase to the lower level not an option anymore with villagers closing in. Another bang.

“Leon! This way, hurry!”

Ashley stood in another doorway having pushed open the door. Leon wasted no time running through the hoarde, Luis in front of him, finally escaping the house. They ran across the bridge, villagers right behind them until they got past a gate. Looking around Leon spotted the wheel mechanism holding the gate up and shot it, causing it to drop and block the path. 

The three of them leaned against the walls of the portcullis, breathing deeply. Ashley’s coughing and choking caught Leon’s attention.

“Ashley-”

She was shaking and still coughing wetly as she held out her hand in front of her. It was covered in blood.

“Whats- What’s happening to me?”

Leon wasn’t sure what to do in a situation like this. He wasn’t a doctor but he knew coughing up blood was bad. He paid no attention when he did it but f Ashley was hurt-

“Ashley,” Luis gently held onto  her bloody hand, his expression grim but it looked like he knew something they didn't. “Is this the first time you’ve coughed up blood like this?”

Right, Luis worked for Umbrella. Surely he’d know what was going on. Ashley nodded at the question.

“You wanna start explaining?” Leon demanded.

Luis took a few steps backwards, “the cry, the blood — it’s caused by something called a… ‘plaga’.”

Leon frowned. That was definitely a lot more intense than he was expecting. Not quite fully understanding, Leon and Ashley just looked at Luis.

“Ok,” luis walked back over to the gate, vaguely gesturing to behind it. “You saw those ‘people’, right? Well, you have the same thing inside you. The same thing that made them like that.”

Leon looked down in thought. Sure he’d survived zombie apocalypses but he’d never had to deal with being infected. This added a whole new layer of complexity to the mission now.

“This,” Luis continued. “What you’re experiencing, these symptoms… They’re only the beginning.”

Ashley began to panic, her voice shaking, “I don't want to become like them.”

“You are, well, lucky,” Luis reassured her. ‘You see, at this early stage the parasite — the plaga. It is possible to remove it with a surgical procedure.”

Parasite. Not even a virus. Leon supposed that made things easier, though he hated to think what the American government would do to him and Ashley if they got hands on the parasite. Luis was being slow on the information and Leon needed him to just get straight to the point.

“And all you need is some know-how. And, oh yeah — the right equipment.”

Luis spun around, pulling away the neckline of his shirt revealing a long jagged scar across his chest. Leon shook his head in frustration and confusion.

“Wait. You too?”

“No worries. See. I have a plan. But you’re going to have to trust me.”

Luis spread his arms out cockily. The bastard knew that they had no choice but to trust him and he was toying with them. Leon sighed and nodded at him. Luis beamed with a clap of victory.

“Great! I guess you wouldn’t mind extra company then?”

——————————————————————————————————

I really didnt know how to really describe the… worm heads of the guadañas soooo fleshy mound 👍 I used that phrase once i think and i also think never again.

<- Previous | Next ->

[leerofthevinegaroons]

'Don't you ever wonder?' The grey-one was crouched next to his bedroll. He had been on a hunt, camped deep in the woods and far away from any help. Next to him the boy was still sleeping, rolled on his side and somehow unaware of the misty shapeless intruder. Somehow the featureless face gave the impression of smiling.

'I know of people who do...the do so much wondering. And dreaming... you know it's my duty to give them what they ask for, don't you?' One smoke-like hand reached for his face and covered his eyes. 'Don't worry. I'll do this properly, I can't simply throw you into the middle of your life, that won't be fair.'

When the grey one removed the hand the woods were gone, the sleeping boy beside him was gone. The grey one hovered at his right shoulder and even that formless thing was fast vanishing as everything began to solidify around him and a face loomed into view.

"Remember -" Markathew Farthem's voice came from behind and a pair of heavy hands settled over his slim shoulders to hold him in place. He was in the scourging chambers, a young man getting his reward from Lord Heraldy after months of preparation for this moment...

"And unfortunately it will hurt." Master Farthen was continuing, "The magic works because it breaks down what's already there before it can remake your eyes. We can do a lot with modern magic and knowledge put preventing it from hurting when your eyes are destroyed and remade isn't one of them. It'll be over soon enough."

The sleep had been deep, the sounds of the forest and the comforting presence of his young son lulling his tired mind and body to rest. He didn't hear the spectral being as it told him his fate, and gave its reassurances. Nor did he see the scene around him change until he heard his old master's voice.

Baribus blinked, squinting up at the bleary shape of his master's face while something a hard, flat surface pressed against the back of his head.

Furrowing his brow, he blinked again and looked around at the dimly lit room. It was a large, round room that smelled of clay and sand and oiled wood. The emblem of a great black sun stretched across the domed ceiling, filled with rings and squares of runes all circled around a large pointed crystal. The Scourging Stone. Around the sun, more rings radiated, sleek black bands glittering with golden runes, with rings of beach wood spaced between them.

He recognized this room... The Scourging room. A room he remembered from long ago...

He shifted his head and looked up again. Markathew stood at his head, his hands pressed against his shoulders as the thick almost leathery fabric of his robes glinted in the stone and candle light. Ceremonial robes, proofed against effects of magic and chemical- identical to the ones worn by the other ceremonial Videre.

He turned his head and he saw a point of a star or perhaps a thorn jutting from a circle resting just beneath his head. The Focal Point... The place every Videre rests their head when receiving their scourging.

'But I've already received my scourging,' he thought, looking up again to his old master. 'This isn't right! I've already received my scourging!'

But as he opened his mouth to tell Markathew as much, the voices of the other began rise in their chant and the great stone in the middle of the black sun came to life. Brilliant white light filled the room, casting a beam squarely on the head of the videre apprentice. It was bright... it was beautiful... and he couldn't look away. Soon the light began to blur and the edges of his vision began to darken. Spots began to appear in his vision, obscuring the ceiling and symbols, and worse, his eyes were itching as well as stinging!

"My eyes itch," Baribus managed, "I want to rub them..."

"No, don't do that," Markathew said quietly as a set of hands gently but firmly pressed against his wrists. He let out another soft whine

'No. No, this isn't right! No, I've already had my… scourging…' but even as he thought it, the thoughts began to slip away. The young man could feel the numbing effect of the crystal's light on him, like a tickling tingling on the front part of his brain. His eyes stung as he gazed into the light, but even as his nerves begging him to blink, Baribus found he could not.

Baribus remembered this process. He remembered how the light bored into his eyes, changing them, reconstructing them from the inside out. Bright light had become a blur and shrank to become shadows. Then the dark had begun to encroach, spreading spot by spot as his sight was slowly taken way to be given back anew.

But this was different. The numbing didn't stop. It was followed by something. A piercing sensation, like a wedge being pressed into his brain forcing him open like a nut or oyster.

"Hnnnn," he managed, his voice barely a whine as a single tear disgraced him.

"There now, it will all be over soon," the old videre encouraged softly and squeezed the young man's shoulder. But the reassurances were muted and the humming chants of the videre became clearer, more pronounced, as if each man had become their own Scourging Stone. He could hear them-feel them in his mind, their intent focused on him.

'Stop,' he thought, letting out a strangled groan as he clenched his fists. 'Stop! this is wrong!'

But the wedge continued pushing open the door of his mind. Thoughts and feelings began to pour in like water through an open dam. He wasn't prepared for this. He wasn't prepared for this!

'It's alright Baribus,' came the the cool, calming voice of his mentor. 'It's alright.'

Baribus' focus latched onto that calm like a cool rag to a feverish forehead. 'Master Farthen-help me...'

'It's alright,' Markathew repeated. 'It's almost over. You're alright.'

As Baribus held to the comfort of his master's voice as he found himself engulfed by impenetrable darkness and blinked his eyes, desperate to find the light. "I-I can't see," he stammered at last, turning his head slightly. "My-my eyes hurt. Sir-"

"It's alright Baribus. It's going to be dark for a time while your eyes heal and adjust," Markathew said, helping the young man sit up. He felt a hand gently pass over his eyes before a soft blindfold was tied about his head. "There we are. now, don't try to use your eyes while your blindfold is on. Sight will show itself when it is ready. In the meantime, explore with your other abilities. Sound, sight, and now, with the awareness of a Trueman. Feel those around you Baribus. Sense them and their thoughts. Then you will be able to navigate the world and all who live within it with or without your blindfold."

[phoenixwatchesmovies]

What I'm Watching: October 2024

Keeping my thoughts simple this time around. Again, three sentences or less, as that seemed to work pretty well last time. Under the cut, I've got the House On Haunted Hill remake, the Beetlejuice animated series, Hellraiser 1 and 2, the original Suspiria, and the entire Terrifier franchise. Let's go.

Terrifier (2016)

A maniac named Art the Clown terrorizes two friends on Halloween and everyone who gets in his way.

Honestly not as outrageous as I'd been led to believe. Less gory overall than, say, the Saw franchise, so I don't get the controversy. I'm more impressed at how much the makers accomplished on their budget, and now that I've seen David Howard Thornton's performance, I understand how Art got to be so iconic.

House On Haunted Hill (1999)

An amusement park mogul offers a group of diverse people $1,000,000 to spend the night in a haunted house with a horrifying past.

Figured I might as well watch this one again having finally seen the original. It's still not scary and almost takes itself too seriously, but it's at least having fun with itself (none more so than Geoffrey Rush). It's cozy in a way only schlock can be.

Beetlejuice (1989-1991)

Adventures of the ghostly con-artist and his 12-year-old pal, Lydia.

I have only the haziest of memories of watching this on Cartoon Network as a kid, and since Tubi added it recently, etc etc. It's fun, and the humor leans heavy on punny visual gags, so I obviously find it hilarious. And I love Lydia's spider web poncho. ❤️

Terrifier 2 (2022)

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to the timid town of Miles County where he targets a teenage girl and her younger brother on Halloween night.

Ok, a little bit more gnarly, but also a step up from the original overall. Lauren Lavera as Sienna owns my heart and immediately made it onto my list of favorite Final Girls. And regarding DHT in this go round, as I said to my sister, "You know you shouldn't be laughing, but you can't help it because the bit he's doing alongside the awful shit is genuinely funny."

Hellraiser (1987)

A woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld.

I'm telling you, if you took the Cenobites out of this, you'd have a Lifetime movie...a cozy, gory Lifetime movie. I've said before that Frank's resurrection scene is one of the coolest nasty things I've seen in a movie, and the Cenobites are awesome in an equally gnarly way, but my favorite part of this is Ashley Laurence as Kirsty Cotton. 😍🥰

Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1988)

Kirsty is brought to an institution after the horrible events of Hellraiser, where the occult-obsessive head doctor resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites and their demonic underworld.

Resurrected!Julia can get it. I'm still in love with Kirsty, but dayum, I wish we lived in the alternate timeline where Julia was the antagonist of the franchise. Can't decide if I prefer the expanded world building and epic feel of this one to the cozy if perverse melodrama of the OG, but I treat them as a double feature anyway so it doesn't matter.

Suspiria (1977)

An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.

I've heard so much about this over the years that I was really excited to finally watch it...and then I watched it. Not that it was bad, just that I was underwhelmed. It's gorgeous to look at, don't get me wrong, but it might be one of those that needs another watch before I get what the big deal is.

Terrifier 3 (2024)

Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Made it all the way through this franchise without getting terrified once (hahahahahahaha) but I admit this one had me sweating in a few key scenes. Even more of a step up from 2 and not just in terms of gore. Not writing an essay on it, but anyone saying the gore is all this franchise has to offer is selling themselves short.

Woo hoo! I did it! See you in a month!

[godtier]

Xbox showcase thoughts summary thingy, several hours later:

COD BOPS 6: one day I'll play these games (i've heard from multiple ppl that the storylines in black ops specifically are rly good) but no opinion rn tbqh

doom: the dark ages: very weird pivot??? kinda curious about it. of all the settings they could have chosen to toss the doomguy in, medieval fantasy wasn't the one I was expecting...! art direction looked good, but still kinda gave me "this is the Christmas episode" vibes, like jazz the jackrabbit having a holiday reskin... except instead of a holiday reskin, it's medieval times... hopefully that makes sense lmao

state of decay 3: not very familiar with this series so meh... looked like any other generic zambie shooter to me, but inb4 ppl holler at me about the games bein rly good

dragon age: the veilguard: no real opinion. i played the original dragon age for like, an hour when it was newish, never finished it lol

starfield DLC: that's nice ig

fallout 76 expac/updates: that's nice ig

clair obscur: expedition 33: looks interesting? but idk if this would be a game i'd be into. it appears to be a turn-based RPG and it's based off of la belle époque era of french art/architecture, so the art design looks baller? and the monster designs look interesting. i'll have to keep an eye out.

south of midnight: now this? this one looks hella interesting. the art style is kinda weird; the cutscenes seemed to be at a lower FPS so it almost looks like stop-motion? but i couldn't tell if that was uh... purposefully or not LMAO. but other than that, the setting is really weird and interesting! almost like bayou horror combined with fantasy nonsense monsters and stuff... and i liked the dynamic of the lead character and the monster guy who was ferrying her around. gameplay looks okay, but hopefully it handles well. i might very well get this one when it comes out.

WOW: the war within: no interest in this tbh

metal gear solid: snake eater remake: looks fine? never rly got into MGS myself, but it looks nice

sea of thieves expac: that's nice ig

flintlock: the siege of dawn: simultaneously looks interesting and generic so idk how they managed that. i like the idea of the little companion thing expanding your moveset options, but i feel like this isn't doing anything new per se. meh

age of mythology retold: was not expecting this asspull tbh LMAO. for those who aren't aware, this was a game microsoft developed and released in 2002, so it's basically a remaster. but idk who was asking for it... not that it's a bad game, but it was released in a sea of other similar games at the time. maybe that's why? i feel like there's a bit of a dearth of these games for console/PC, maybe? tho tbh i feel like this style of game is way more prolific on mobile devices... at least it's not a mobile port!

perfect dark: this one was really weird... like, microsoft owns rare, but crystal dynamics is developing this? idk if this is a soft reboot or a sequel to the last game, but it looked fine? i was never into perfect dark (either on n64 or xbox) but it looks like a solid stealth action game... just not one i have much interest in atm

diablo IV: vessel of hatred: okay, so real talk: i haven't played diablo since i was a kid on a windows 95 machine lmao so i'm so far removed from Current Day diablo. but that being said, the opening trailer was pretty dope. it was nasty, uncanny body horror and it certainly held my attention. this is an expac to a game i've never played, and iirc diablo IV is online-only crap, which blows. but the art direction in this trailer was probs my favorite, just removed from the fact it's for a video game expac lmao

fable: sure looks like a fable game. i never rly got into them (this is a running theme can you tell lmao) but the trailer was charming enough, i guess.

fragpunk: now this is ANOTHER team-based FPS (or "hero shooter"), but the gimmick looked intriguing. changing the game's rules at the start of each round definitely sounds like it would keep things interesting, but i wonder how it would suss out with multiple people using abilities at once? idk, the art direct looked nice, gameplay footage looked As Expected. we'll see

winter burrow: mouse game

mixtape: ???? i have no idea what this game is LMAO it appears to be set in the 80s, and they touted how the game's soundtrack would have a bunch of music from bands n shit from the era... but one of the bands they listed was the smashing pumpkins...??? huh??? like idk what they were smoking, but they're off by a decade there LMAO. but other than that, it just looked like nothing. a life sim?? idk what the story is? idk anything other than "music from the 80s is good, also look at this choppy animation because it's aesthetic ig" and that's all i got from it

microsoft flight simulator 2024: looks fun! the ability to explore the areas you're flying by after landing sounds like it could be fun and cozy. this series is ancient and i never rly got into it, but this entry might tempt me just bc it looks fun

elder scrolls online: this was an ad LMAO

life is strange: double exposure: okay, again, never had any real interest in this series but i might check this one out. i like murder mysteries and the flipping back and forth between the realities looks fun

indiana jones and the great circle: it exists

mechabreak: saw this at the SGF, it's a mecha game

wuchang: fallen feathers: i was starting to check out by this point, but rewatching the trailer, it's yet another game that has nice art direction and that's all i can really say about it

avowed: same as above: nice art direction and character designs, but not much else to say right now

atomfall: british fallout

asscreed: shadows: asscreed

s.t.a.l.k.e.r. 2: heart of chornobyl: was not expecting to see another entry in this series, but it looks intriguing. i like these types of settings, so i may check it out

gears of war: e-day: it's a gears game. i tried gears of war ages ago, it didn't really grab me so i never went back to it

so all in all? there wasn't a lot of hype for me personally because a lot of these series are either ones i've tried and didn't get into, ones i haven't played since i was a kid, or ones that i never even bothered to try. in all honesty, the newer titles were more interesting to me than most of the established franchise stuff they showed off.

however, i think there's a lot for people to get excited about if they already like some of these franchises. lots of updates to stuff, so i'm sure that there's excitement to be had for that.

the titles that ended up catching my attention/interest the most ended up being doom: the dark ages, south of midnight, s.t.a.l.k.e.r. 2, microsoft flight simulator 2024, fragpunk (morbid curiosity more than anything else tbh) and maaaaybe clair obscur.

not a total waste of time, but nothing too hype-inducing for me.