#mermaid motel series

[btscontentenjoyer]

BTS Halloween Fic Recs

In honour of spooky season, here are some fanfic recommendations that I think fit the mood or theme of the season! What that means to me really is just some supernatural fics that I've enjoyed a lot. Hope you enjoy some of these fics as well, and if you do, don't forget to let the author know by leaving feedback! Most of these stories contain smut or other mature themes so MINORS DNI!

kim namjoon

hungry (for your love) by @minisugakoobies (two-shot, 4k) slight fluff/slight smut

[namjoon x vampire reader, strangers to lovers]

summary: After a century of slumber, you wake ravenous for your next meal. The first human you stumble across, Namjoon, is a fine choice. You just weren’t expecting him to be so cute.

wish granted by @jjungkookislife (4.6k) smut

[genie namjoon x reader, strangers to lovers]

summary: Finding a genie in a bottle wasn’t what you were expecting the night before Halloween. Being granted three wishes sounded like fun at first, but after wasting one, and stumped on the second, you’re not too sure how your night will pan out. And the genie is of no help… he is insanely attractive though!

kim seokjin

useless magic by @raplinesmoon (2.3k) fantasy/fluff

[baker seokjin x witch reader]

summary: As owner of the hot new bakery in town, you should be more than ashamed to admit that your baking sucks. You know this fact. The only reason why people keep coming back to your bakery is that your desserts are enchanted: chocolate chip cookies that provide warmth and comfort, blueberry muffins that give a burst of energy to start the day, chocolate-covered strawberries spiked with love potions. One day, your fellow rival and bakeshop owner Kim Seokjin stumbles upon you in the midst of casting a spell. And chaos ensues.

in the dead of night by @ot7always (14.5k) smut/fluff

[vampire seokjin x reader, friends to lovers]

summary: You didn’t exactly expect Kim Seokjin to show up at your door at 3 am requesting a bite.

min yoongi

mine by @sailoryooons (14.8k) smut/horror/thriller

[yoongi x succubus reader]

summary: Yoongi lives a quiet life. His days are organized neatly, and every week he can expect the same results. Then he meets you. Hypnotizing. Otherworldly. Strange. And his life never goes back to the way it was before.

the dark by @bratkook (18k) smut

[demon yoongi x reader]

summary: your small town thrives on the occult, luring tourists in with endless themed festivities, but the only place you’re determined to see is the mysterious club that comes to life the week before Halloween. what makes The Dark so exclusive, and what secrets are they hiding behind closed doors?

jung hoseok

not today, satan by @gimmethatagustd (3.7k) humor/a lil bit of smut

[demon hoseok x reader]

summary:  If you had known the demon tasked with reaping your soul would be a total #daddy you would have gone to Hell sooner!

what happened in neverland by @kithtaehyung (4.3k) angst/smut/pwp

[mermaid hoseok x pirate reader, enemies to lovers]

summary: you hate him. he’s your enemy. that’s just how it’s always been. so how the hell did you end up here?

the wood by @sailoryooons (16.7k) psychological thriller/smut

[witch hoseok x reader]

summary:  From the moment you step foot in Kill Devil, you know something about the town is off. Determined to find out exactly how your sister went missing in such a small town, you receive unlikely help from the man staying in the motel room next to yours. But there is so much more than what meets the eye with Hoseok and the citizens of Kill Devil.

park jimin

cloud nine by @suga-kookiemonster (5.4k) smut/horror

summary: “he’s here again” viv whispers. “you know who. the hot guy who’s totally into you.” and he is hot – devastatingly hot enough that you know he can’t actually be into you, because the universe simply doesn’t work that way. that still doesn’t stop your heart from pounding when he smiles at you from across the room. 

nectar by @gimmethatagustd (series, 35k) smut/angst/fluff

[human jimin x vampire reader, roommates to lovers, college au]

summary: Humans have this annoying habit of being drawn to danger, and you’re having a hard time stopping yourself from sinking your teeth into your new roommate. You’re not sure what’s more tantalizing: his impossibly good looks or his seemingly innocent way of flirting with the darkest part of you.

the prince’s cinderella syndrome by @jimilter (39.4k) angst/smut/fluff

[cursed jimin x reader, strangers to lovers]

summary:  He shows up at Halloween, every year, dressed the same, and leaves at midnight like some Cinderella. You would think he was a prankster if his eyes didn’t look like they contained all the sadness in the world. You don’t know him - no one on campus does. You don’t know why he appears only once a year. You don’t know why he never smiles. But you can’t help falling in love with him. Even if he breaks your heart when he abandons you at midnight, again.

lovely demons by @kpopfanfictrash (41.7k) fantasy/angst/smut

[prince of hell jimin x witch reader, enemies to lovers]

summary: As penance for a crime committed long, long ago, the Witch Council banished you to the feared Tholoss forest. Your sentence was one hundred thousand days of solitude – or death, whichever came first. Your only hope of salvation comes from the demon names routinely sent your way; creatures who escape the inner circles of Helland pose a threat to the mortal realms. For each demon you kill, days are removed from your sentence. For years you’ve existed, biding your time, until one morning you receive a name which throws your entire world into chaos: the name of Park Jimin, High Prince of Hell himself.

kim taehyung

moonstruck by @jungkxook (7.4k) smut/fluff

[werewolf taehyung x reader, arranged marriage au]

summary: in hindsight, being friends with a pack of werewolves and, thus, suddenly being thrown into a world of supernatural furries and other inhuman beings isn’t something you would recommend but it was too late to back out now, especially when you consider the fact that apparently you’re now being “hunted” and the only way to save you is to be mated with taehyung. whatever that means.

et sic incipit by @lavienjin (12.5k) smut/pwp

[incubus taehyung x virgin reader]

summary: For Taehyung, born of old and before the dawn of man, tempting mortals is nothing more than a pass-time to quench his boredom. Everything changes when he met you, literally too good to be true, but no human has ever resisted his pull. And he’s sure that you’re no different.

love you for infinity by @gimmethatagustd (24k) smut/angst/fluff

[ghost taehyung x human reader, long-lost lovers, soulmates (kinda)]

summary: Kim Taehyung and his fiancée met their untimely deaths when they were young and heartbroken. When he’s doomed to roam the earth as a ghost with unfinished business, Taehyung is convinced that finding the soul of his true love and righting his wrongs will set him free. However, you have no intention of being haunted by a ghost for the rest of your life.

jeon jungkook

corrupt by @bratkook (5k) smut/pwp

[vampire jungkook x human reader]

summary: You’d be crying out in pain begging me to play my games. I could corrupt you, it would be ugly.

knot today by @kinktae (5.8k) smut/pwp

[alpha jungkook x virgin omega reader, friends to lovers]

summary: When your first heat approaches and you are left desperate and partnerless, who better to turn to than your alpha roommate that you’ve spent the better half of your life hiding your feelings for?

only when you’re lonely by @jjkeverlast (7.5k) humor/smut/angst

[human jungkook x succubus reader, fake dating, college au]

summary: jungkook has never dated anyone, because of you and you're soft touches that bring him to orbit. it's all it's ever been, just sex between you. although, it brings an unexpected turn when jungkook accidentally blurts you out as his girlfriend to his college friends which results in them expecting you to an upcoming party. what jungkook doesn't know is that you're much more than just someone he meets when he's lonely.

wicked by @noteguk (9.1k) smut

[incubus jungkook x inexperienced reader]

summary; in which incubus!jungkook likes to ruin pretty innocent things, and you might just be the perfect target.

darkroom by @yoon-kooks (10.2k) smut/fluff

[vampire jungkook x reader, college au]

summary:  When you somehow end up in an advanced photography class that you definitely shouldn’t be in, you seek the help of shy nerdy boy Jeon Jungkook to preserve your 4.15 GPA. It isn’t until after you stumble upon him in the darkroom that you realize your cute little nerd is actually a super hot vampire with an icy cold stare and beautiful burgundy eyes.

hotter than hell by @chateautae (series, 136k) angst/fluff/smut

[fallen lucifer jungkook x human reader, enemies to lovers, road trip au]

summary: jungkook, lucifer and king of hell, has been cast out of the crimson underworld for a reason he’s unsure of. embarking on his journey for the answer should’ve been easy, if it weren’t for you, the human that nurses his wounded body in her home, and accidentally witnesses the truth of his identity. kickstarting a hellish adventure with the devil himself, you discover lucifer is the most infuriating company ever; and jungkook finds out that maybe his answer to returning home lies within his annoying human confidant.

multiple members

ravished by two by @yoonia (5k) smut

[alpha namjoon x werewolf reader x alpha seokjin, fated mates]

summary: Two dominant Alphas, one defining goal. But how far can you catch up with two prime, tenacious males overcome with desire?

compromise by @here2bbtstrash (10k) crack/smut

[vampire taehyung x human reader x werewolf jungkook, twilight au]

summary: you’re torn between the two loves of your life - but maybe you don’t have to choose.

the (hell) house by @whatifyoulivelikethat (two-shot, 25k+) crack/fluff/smut

[ot7 x fwb reader, all kinds of monster sex lol]

summary: Welcome to the Hell House. Some call it resident evil. Some call it a haunted house. Some call it a waste of space (rude). Enter if you dare – the Doctor will ensure that you never come out the same. What’s that? Why are you going with your seven fuckbuddies? You wouldn’t… fuck in there, right? (Yes, you would.)

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out this list! And thank you to these amazing authors for sharing their work with us!! I honestly wanted to read more this month but I ended up not having time and yet I still wanted to put together a little list for the spooky season (thank you to the anon who asked for halloween recs for giving me a little push!) If anyone has more recommendations, I'd love to hear them, so don't be afraid to put them in the comments or send me an ask <3

[ronearoundblindly]

Steve Rogers Series List

[Main Masterlist; Light Masterlist]

[Steve Rogers One-Shot List]

Fools Rush In (Masterlist) 🍀

Ao3 Series: Steve x lab tech!Reader

It Had to Be You (Masterlist) ✅

Ao3 Series: CEO!Steve x assistant!Reader 

Autumn Is Healing (Masterlist)

Steve x super soldier!Reader as you recover from Hydra’s brainwashing

Sun, Salt, and Shield (Masterlist) ✅

Steve x deep sea mermaid!Reader

Threadbare (Masterlist) ✅

Steve x fashion designer!Reader

Time & Tines (Masterlist)

Steve x villain!Reader

Item 107 (Masterlist)

skinny!demigod!Steve x bewitched!Reader

Hideout (Masterlist)

touch-starved!Nomad Steve x motel employee!Reader

Safety Captain (Masterlist)

lifeguard!Steve x vacationer!Reader

[Main Masterlist; Light Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

[marvelobsessed134]

Masterlist #1

This is my first masterlist. Second masterlist is on the pinned post in my profile

How to request, guidelines etc.

Marvel Women

Kate Bishop

Rizz You Up

Kinktober day two: Ghostface!Kate

Kinktober day eight: overstimulation

Natasha Romanoff

Caught

Little skirt

Package delivered

Watching you

Young, and dumb

Need help

GP!Beefy!Nat wakes up to you riding her abs (Drabble)

Captivity (My pretty little mermaid)

Dirty thoughts

Sundresses and breeding kinks

Wanda Maximoff

Control

Best friends sister

Julia Cornwall

In her web

Marvel Men

Bucky Barnes

Honeymoon Suite

Meet Cute

“Want me to suck your cock while driving?”

The one with the slutty maid and the sexually frustrated super soldier

Love me tender series

Steve Rogers

Sam Wilson

Peter Parker

Tony Stark

Mötley Crüe

Nikki Sixx

I’m only me when I’m with you

Don’t be shy, honey

Streamer!Reader headcannons

Behind closed doors

Good girl

Small town romance

Who do you belong to?

You shouldn’t be doing that…

Sneaking around

Kinktober day eleven: public sex

BDSM head cannons

Somebody’s watching me

Better? Better.

Save a horse, ride a cowboy

Tommy Lee

Midnight Comfort

Teenagers In Love

Runaway bride

Can we keep him!?

Friends help each other

Go team

Maroon

Little drummer girl

Sparks Fly series

Pretty When You Sleep

Plus One

Kinktober day nine: manhandling/tights ripping

Halloween party shenanigans

Attention you deserve

Surprise

Delicate flower series

First time

BDSM head cannons

It’s gonna be okay

Vince Neil

Thunderstorms

Sweet dreams

Please

It’s the little moments

Shades Of Cool

Our honeymoon (part one) part two

Kinktober day one: daddy kink

Plaything

She’s a riot grrrl

Mick Mars

Mermaid Motel

Streamer!reader headcannons

You know you want it

Kinktober day four: pet play

Multi-members

Two is better than one

Halloween/fall headcannons

Groupie Love (Gang Bang)

Cinderella (only writing for Tom and Eric)

Tom Keifer

Did you do that to her?

Up behind her with a pool stick

BDSM headcannons

“What is it, honey?”

Tom finding out you’re pregnant

Eric Brittingham

A pleasant surprise

Kiss (only writing for Paul, Tommy, and Gene)

Paul Stanley

I can see you

Underneath the surface

I fall to pieces when I’m with you

Prank call gone wrong

Teach you how

Tommy Thayer

You’re enough

One bed?!

Gene Simmons

Kinktober day 6: possessiveness

Guns N Roses

Izzy Stradlin

Kinktober day 5: handcuffs

Kinktober day 7: crying kink

Slash

Kinktober day 10: vouyerism

Barbie The Movie

Barbie

Starting to really like the real world

You can be the boss (STRLTRW part two, series masterlist coming soon)

CEO!Barbie AU masterlist

Marvel Cast/other celebrities

Sebastian Stan

Put me in a movie

W.A.S.P. (Only writing for Blackie)

Kinktober day 3: humiliation

Stranger Things

Steve Harrington

Domesticated

Daisy Jones and The Six

Daisy Jones

Her good slut

G!P Daisy x Stripper!Reader

LA Guns (Only Kelly atm)

Mistaken

Cindy Crawford

Picnics

Joan Jett

Our secret moments

[zmediaoutlet]

Happy Wincest Wednesday Z!! In the post-chuck era when they don’t have an apocalypse every year and monsters are fewer and more old-school (that they can hand off to the new generation of hunters) do you think get nostalgic for crappy, oddly-themed motel rooms (which are also disappearing)?

hallo, happy wincest wednesday!

Interesting q -- I mean, my instinct is to say no, but I think that's not quite right. But I think my instinctive response is because it's not the motel rooms they're nostalgic for, just like whatever nostalgia you might have for shitty ice cream in a park buzzing with mosquitos is probably not nostalgia for the shitty ice cream but instead nostalgia for -- when things were easier, and you were young, and you didn't have all that shit you have to deal with now, and the biggest concern was making sure the ice cream didn't melt down your arm.

The motel rooms aren't interesting because they're motel rooms. They're semi-anonymous liminal islands in the ever-chaotic sea of the Winchesters' lives. Not that, really, the boys ever had it 'easy' or 'simple,' but certainly their s1 life (or pre-series) was simpler than it became as the various apocalypses ramped up, or how it was when they met literal god, etc. There was a while in 2005-06 where, even though things were scary and bleak and they were struggling hard, they'd find an ugly motel room and settle in for the night and it was -- 'good' maybe isn't the word but 'fine' will do, and the beds were more or less familiar and the polyester comforters were what they expected and they could get the movie channel and order pizza and it was just. All right.

I really think they love the bunker and they love having a home and they also like, even if it is complicated, being actual adults who've been through shit and come out the other side with a full dedication to what it means to be together, to be in the life they've chosen, to know how it could be otherwise and nevertheless choose -- this, the life in the bunker, working together, staying together. Always. As they continue to go on road trips they probably do look for those motels sometimes, out of habit, and maybe there is a little sadness as they see that one mermaid themed one has been boarded up, as the disco palace gets sold and leveled and turned into a car wash. But so what. They can stay in a Red Roof Inn where the water heater actually works, and Dean will complain that he can't wait to get home to his memory foam, and Sam will complain that he can't get on the corporate wifi, and maybe they'll talk about the 'good' old days where they were in one of those old shitholes but -- I don't think they'd ever really want to go back. So it's as useful as nostalgia ever is. :)

[foundinfantasy]

the survey

Can't keep myself from wishcasting. With many more years of Sims 4 ahead, I want every pack they suggested and more (and refreshes!). Here are my expectations, wants, and ramblings for each idea.

Rank: 6, 1, 8, 4, 7, 5, 9, 3, 2

[Also: so weird and surprising that they didn't bring up hotels, fairies, bands, or specific hobbies which might be my last big asks. My most generous assumption is that these are already in the works and my most delusional is that they'll be game packs (if we ever see those again)]

I picked this one as one of my favs.

Surfing (third chance's the charm?) for toddler+

Swimming update - teach infants and toddlers

Fish bowl/home aquarium update

Volleyball (hobby & sport for HSY and DU)

Turtle pets

Sailing (and being lost at sea)

Yachting (for the rich)

Pirating (because I love pirates)

Underwater lot (for mermaids) and gameplay ( I imagine once you dive [and you're not a mermaid] it'll start a timed event where you have to leave and get air before the end or die? OR have extra scuba tanks in inventory to extend the timer)

Fix the bug preventing waterfront apartments

Crosspack update to mermaids (at this point bring it to base game if need be to update them, mermaids are not the selling feature of IL. Give them the skill tree they deserve!)

Aquarium lot interactions and gameplay for all ages

It's coming off as Jungle Adventure and Strangerville but instead of tombs, sims will "discover" towns/islands and trading goods might help with attracting animals to your aquarium (as PG as possible)

Sea monsters (and integration with Loch Ness from Get Together)

Idk about the submarine, it'd probably end up being a rabbithole and a moodlet (maybe even a chance of death:)

I'm skeptical... and slightly bored.

Is this how they give us cars? Please no. This is honestly the weakest of all the ideas imo (on the principle that I feel like it's baiting car fans) and not just because I like my idea better.

Would the "van" be like the "fixer-upper car"? (that you buy in various conditions [broke, working, pristine] to act like a tent and you'd customize it by adding a bathroom, a kitchenette, etc using the mechanic skill in this case or buying the upgrade outright if already in better condition) - I fear this could be the whole pack, no other "car" included. It won't move but it'll be draggable. That's a terrible EP idea, barely a SP.

How does "life on the road" play out on a map? In the most literal, a series of road neighborhoods with lots on it? Instead of 3 neighborhoods, it's 6 streets? [HOWEVER this could be a way to update the world overview to an official sim nation overview AND/OR introduce a editor of some kind, scrolling to click a world is going to get old]

Would the heft of the pack come in with the road destinations stops and events?

What would make this pack different from being "off the grid" - the build/buy? Another try at tiny living furniture? mechanic bb?

What would make it van life? Possibility of bears? Bigfoot or other cryptids? Journaling sights/experiences? Documentary Filming? Homeschooling kids?

How would the mechanics career tie in? Traveling mechanic and his elder townies? Traveling elder mechanic? A mechanic retiring? Would the world just be Granite Falls/Moonwood Mills duplicate? or an Oasis Springs/Strangerville duplicate?

If not already a future pack, hotels/motels would fluff this pack out if you really lean into the land travel idea and less van life and/or cruises, if you really just want to add Elder gameplay and the boat could be its own map.

Side: does this mean we're not getting anything elder related with Life and Death? Or maybe the upcoming content is for pre-death elders and this would be for post-retirement elders?

Would be a great chance to add canes (if not already in L&D), dentures, bingo, crossword/sudoku books, water aerobics?

Even putting this idea out there to flirt with the fans who want cars makes cars even less likely to happen.

Real or not, give toddlers those tiny cars and me, motorcycles!

so Batuu but official? or maybe I'm leaning too much on the 'otherworldly' aspect and this is just apocalypse/dystopia/survivor gameplay (*squint*)

This is actually the weakest idea. Van Life at least had some replay value depending on what they add for Elders but this, not so much. Too vague. The world would be cool though.

Will this still be a vacation world? Will the world change (like Eco Lifestyle) into something solarpunk or ecopunk? Will it also be like Jungle Adventure?

Snakes, as pets.

I like the expanded fishing and exotic pets though it could be included with idea#1. EPs should fit in Sim Nation and expand my entire game; and expanding fish isn't enough. It's just too GP and niche.

What could be added? An update on woodworking and painting (crafting and gathering). More harvestables or flowers? Archery/Marksmanship. Pottery. Blacksmithing. The Watcher and Cults [imagine being a cult leader]. Playable daycare, oddly enough.

I don't think they'd add raid mechanics to TS4 but Zombies as spawn npcs [and a Zombie mini-game where you'd have to escape the zombie chasing you and if you lose you get bitten]

Zombie occult with a skill tree. Plantsims with a skill tree.... though I know they can't do EP Occults right to save their lives. They could go the alien route and give us the desperately needed alien update.

Also what happens if the "resource" is managed poorly? Game over? Mysterious crate shipment? Do I fight for someone's shelter and resources? Oregon Trail? Cannibalism?

So Jungle Adventure but Australia?

I want useful museums and bigger items so I'm not mad at this. This could have gameplay across ages and re-playable regardless of being the visitor or the owner.

With the other idea mentioning aquariums, this could go along the lines of fossils for museums / wildlife for conservation parks (new lot type) [integrate with items from IL and JA]

Museums could work on a reputation scale and hire front desk workers, tour guides, janitors, maybe rent out "rooms" from the Gallery as exhibits or allow the creation of exhibits with interactive plaques, apply for research grants, hold fundraising events, introduce new wealthy donor townies, have events that force that useless national leader to swing by. Museums could be so much better.

Conservation Parks work along a similar line but hiring knowledgeable caregivers. I'm not even going to dream of EA giving us animations for seven+ kind of animals to watch/play on the same lot. Lucky if we get one or two, but maybe required shells to give the idea of it that we have to buy?

Would we get larger lots? Imagine a 100 x 100 Conservation Park.

Taxidermy (just because)

Maybe for the education part: new post-grad school and degree (which yes would be DLC for DLC but if we're stuck with TS4 I'll need more than just 2 colleges: post-grad, community, medical, clown, and more degrees) OR create a base game community college / trade school and add post grad for both that and DU degrees.

^^ side rant: my biggest critique of DU is that it could've done more with frats/sororities [and parties]- treated it just like the secret society and have legacies [to be a legacy player playing a legacy was right there] and charity events and having a "rush" task/event

New jungle gyms for kids. Seesaw. Balance beam. Park items. Getting scuff marks and stains or roughhousing amongst kids should loosen a tooth.

If world is based around Australia I either need items that reference giant spiders or ... giant spiders (and a new fear.)

Again we're getting niche and the only thing saving this is that vibrant futuristic cities already exists alongside uncontacted tribes IRL so this doesn't need to be a world that exists in a vacuum like Batuu...... so I'm excited for the world more than anything. More cities please!

Even so, EPs usually introduce a new system/UI usually and I'm just not seeing it with one. Unless they're going full cyberpunk and we'll get a body map/tech tree to replace with customizable pieces. [but that's really niche, where would it hide?! or is it something only accessible via a workstation [that makes the most sense]?

Tattoo Career? Brainchips? Mad scientist? Data miners?

How will this pack mix with Discover Uni Servos or Batuu Droids? And differentiate from them?

Robot fighting? > Betting? > Gambling? > Casinos? Are we back?

Will we see the return of the Food Synthesizer? Intro to Hoverboard? Maybe even as things we have to make ourselves? I'm down for more tech and science*.

Prosthetics base game update?

Expanded Hacking.

Cinematography and Glassblowing - random, but I can see it.

Update boxing to a hobby/sport or introduce a martial arts.

*Update on Science - small microscope, science lab for HSY, ways to do science as a teen. Ant farm return? Train set return? Large interactive zero gravity tube? Flight simulator? Hypothesizing and experimentation process in a journal or on a white/chalk board?

Motorcycles! How do we still not have this?

I wouldn't mind seeing Errands or Side Quests specific to townies, but what's the end game here? How will this change my Sim Nation? This is all for experience gamers, what makes a family gamer buy it [or rather entices them]?

CAS and BB requests - neon vs brutalism, tech wear, insane masks and eyewear.

This was my favorite!

I want all the consequences!

Pool/Billiards and the counterfeit machine.

Being a Mafia Boss, making sims sleep with the fishes in game, shaking down sims, having goons, running multiple operations, evading the law, and keeping it in the "family" this could be so funny.

*bullhorn* A LONG TIME COMING update on the spy, criminal, and detective careers where they effect each other!.

Make jail mean something!

This could create banks/banking and again add purpose to museums (for possible art, fossil, plant, collectable, heirloom theft) - I want to assemble a crew or risk it solo and for it be semi active for planning, giving orders, and hacking.

Introduce Simish illicit materials (similar to Riverdale with its jingle-jangle and fizzle rocks) and shady townies.

Cross-pack play with 4R!

Being a vigilante? So would autonomous crime be a thing? Autonomous pickpocketing during a timed event? Stealing from vendors (a loaf of bread)? And the sim has to find out who did it and different outcomes for right or wrong, fighting and/or peaceful? Would the vig-sim get arrested instead?

Con artist? A side hustle to make phone calls, emails, and grift?

Are they introducing crooked cops to base game? To play both sides?

Would you get like errands or PI cases-odd jobs for the stakeouts (and use the photography skill)?

Graffiti update?

Casino possibility again? Motorcycles! Marksmanship?

Burglar return? Alarm system? Lock boxes in banks?

I'll never say no to more things for the kid, but this is possible in game already? Move kid from household with "counselor" into "camp" lot in Granite Falls/Willow Creek and/or do scouting/fishing, look for frogs, etc. for a few days. Move Back. Done. This way the game would just prompt you first? Gonna need a whole lot of gameplay to buy this.

What saves this: different types of (horse, science, space, music, art, spy, correctional, tumbling, etc) camp to introduce and the sheer amount of activities they could jam into this even if they stick with traditional camp: river-rafting, kayaking, canoeing, fishing from the boat, VOLLEYBALL, marco-polo, ARCHERY, scavenger hunts, tug of war, various new paper crafts and recipes, making tie-dye shirts, sending letters home, talent shows, relays, food fights, etc. and the more kinds of "camps" they do the longer the list gets.

^^ so could this become a create-a-camp pack? With similar UI to restaurants/retail?

Also would this be before or after EP idea#4, is adventure camp a given with this pack?

Update scouts to include a cookie drive.

Diving - hobby/sport

Pottery & wood carving

For Teens + active career? semi-active? Would work similar to daycare?

Slasher townies?

Large forest jungle gym. Bungie jump? Zipline?

Preteens and crushes!

Also could this not just be boarding school? It doesn't specify "summer" so when would you send them away? What happens to their grades while away? And if it's boarding school - return of schmoozing to get my kid in.

Also bringing up Granite Falls, plz free this world from its lonely purgatory when/if we get hotels.

Multi-functional lots, but I fear this will break RRs [more than it's already broken] <- [side rant: sometimes sims enter my apartment to disappear in my basement and even after setting up all the rentals I can still see inside someone other sim's apartment].

Everything about this is perfect. I'm not thinking it'll be a "past" pack but rather the world will feel stuck in time [similar to a futuristic pack] Truly a time where no one minded their own business because they didn't have pocket distractions.

This would fix everyone walking around with phones.

Make buying the phone a thing as the last "feature": New phone skins & new earbud skins and put them in the inventory as they should be.

BB requests: boombox, old box computer, a sega, landlines, coupon books.

Getting letters in mail, writing letters as communication.

A regular arcade machine and new games [shooting, dance-dance, claw, sky ball, racing!

Comic book collecting and writing! So writing, painting update and/or new sketching skill with a simple sketchbook.

Cinematography skill, videos and, hopefully we'll have bands already, music videos.

Would mall cop be a playable job?

Record shops and vinyl collecting!

All the DND clutter! New action figures. The lava lamp.

New side hustle for kids (done two ways: walking and on bike), parttime for teens+. - the newspaper but also maybe even magazines. Active babysitting (possible hauntings happening)

Model career, just because.

That charlatan sim!

Skateboarding.

Strollers.

Break-dancing.

Return of the hacky-sack.

Graffiti update once again.

Despite my ranking, I'm not against this pack. It's going for high society and finer things but even as a modern monarchy I don't see how it fits [within SimNation]

Queen Cordelia lore unlock though.

So do you create Kings/Queens in CAS? Does it start with a quest for the crown? Will the game assign roles if you're not playing with monarchy or will you be able to toggle it in settings? How do heirs work? Will my sim need to get rid of their sibling? Do they fight for the thrown? Are there multiplle ways to claim the throne, a trial or puzzle, a pie eating contest? Is heir determined by the ruling monarch, can that be challenged? Can it be written that the 7th son becomes king?

Are there warring kingdoms? Rivalries? Alliances? Militia?

Secrets and scandals in the palace! Palace/Estate lot trait/type? Galas? TS4 introduces class consciousness? Also you've given us polyamory so are we getting a harem next?

Can my sim behead someone? Do I go around claiming citizens and collecting taxes or is each world now its own kingdom? Can I, ruler of Oasis Springs take over Tartosa? What about the Leader from the Politician career? Do they just go missing? *wink*

How else does my sim earn money? Or does it just appear?

Will there be class gameplay?

Is this active days of fundraising and philanthropy or rabbit holes?

If ever a pack for the sewing machine to return, this is it.

Model career, just because

Blacksmithing again / Glassblowing .

Would BB just be really expensive items?

Carriage rides (with horses) and wheelbarrow plow (attached to horses for quick harvesting)

Birds in cages, seems fitting.

Will it start with Emperor/ess or King/Queen? Can there be multiple kingdoms in one save? Can I arrange the princess to be the Queen of Willow Creek through marriage?

Would my sim make laws? Would this not conflict with NAPs? Can I outlaw magic and be cursed for it?

Can another sim plot to overthrow the ruler? Can I be overthrown by my citizens and beheaded? Will there be a new kind of reputation UI for the kingdom? How will all these systems communicate/work together? Are kings/queens automatically famous?

I just have so many questions and honestly it just feels like another shallow attempt at appeasing players who've been begging for some kind of royalty pack. The cross-pack play would go insane though. Imagine a famous vampire King meets a medium mermaid in Strangerville. HA!

IDEAS I WISHED THEY WOULD'VE BROUGHT UP:

(outside of actual Cars, Hotels, Hobbies, Fairies, and Bands)

Circus/Clown

Sports/More Fitness equipment/Simlympics

Martial Arts/Dancing

Alien Deep Space

Rollercoasters/Water-rides/Extreme parks

Reality/More Competitions

a brand new Occult

[speaking of hotels -> not only does this pack need to cover running and experiencing, but also tourist attractions, cultural awareness, have likes/dislikes automatically interact with it, integrate with lifestyles, and come with a photography update and maybe introduce official blogging/writing update]

[darkdoelette]

Pink Axolotl motel

[lotzzoforangezoutside]

THE LIST IV

Original Series:

The Colors  |  In the Kitchen  |  The Straightest Road in Texas  |  The Refrigerator  |  The Road Not Traveled  |  A Matinee  |  Scully’s Sunflower Seeds  |  Kitten Sleep Sessions  |  The Worries of an Insomniac  |  Buzz  |  One Two Three Four  |  Routine  |  The Catalog  |  The Kelly Green Cummerbund  |  Thirty-Fourth  |  Doppler Effect  |  How the Rain Fell in Seattle  |  The Abnormally Large Sunflower Seeds  |  Mrs. Green Giant  |  Italian Butter Cookies  |  Clueless  |  Taffy  |  Collide  |  Things We Say When We’re Not (Exactly) Ourselves  |  A Quarantine  |  Simplicity  |  To No End  |  American Tourists  |  Ten-Thousand Years  |  A Dilemma  |  Memento  |  The Beginning  |  Mother Tongue  |  Idiosyncrasies  |  Impromptu  |  Push-and-Go  |  Get to Me  |  Celebrations  |  A Single Life  |  Encryption  |  Perfect Oxymoron  |  The Grammar Police  |  The Desert of Colorado  |  White Lies  |  Hypothesis  |  Pop the Magic Dragon  |  The Serenade of the Green Island  |  King’s Version  |  Stonehenge Souvenir  |  The Sun  |  Anywhere  |  Griffins  |  Away O Where  |  The Ferris Wheel  |  A Secret  |  An Exchange  |  The Green-Hair Mermaid and the Pink Pooh Bear  |  Thursday at 5:33p.m.  |  Superman  |  Arnold Palmer  |  Creature of Habit  |  The Roach Motel in Miller’s Grove, Massachusetts  |  Midnight Sky Pie  |  Thumping  |  Boyfriend Material  |  The Best Advertisement  |  At the Le Dampino  |  Spell  |  The New Pathologist  |  Superpower  |  Friday Night Lights  |  Lord of the Flies   |  Epis Taxis  |  Bumper Cars  |  Hell and High Water  |  Sixth and Sixteen  |  A Big Rock  |  Loudly Like This  |  The 67th Hour  |  A Mother’s Love  |  Witch  |  Chance  |  Clowning 101  | 

Emily AU:

Valentine’s Chocolate  |  Snow Day  |  Noodles for Pools  |  A Sticky Situation  |  Neon Letters and Stars  |  A Tip  |  Happily Ever After  | 

Cricket Universe:

Flower  |  The Hug at Breakfast  |  A Valentine’s Baby  |  Possessive Gene  |  One Thousand and One Nights  |  Feeling Like Celebrating  |  The Birds and the Bees  |  The Chimeras  |  What He’s Been Missing  |  The Trainers  |  The Post-Modern Frankenstein  |  Guilty Pleasure  

Just William stories: Big Daddy  |  Additional Pieces  |  Home Alone Too  |  Eighteen Summers  |  Changeling  |  

Jacksons AU: Same Same

Divergence series:

Mayberry  |  Lanyu  | The Metrodome | Hokkaido | the Apartment | New Mexico | Martha’s Vineyard  | The Train |

Conversation in the Very Very Late at Night…fifteen  |  sixteen  |  seventeen

3x ...... twelve

Short shorts & snapshots

drabbles….omega  |  pilot  |  deep throat  | 

[twopoppies]

Hello :) I was wondering if you could possibly rec me some lighthouse/ B&B fics? Maybe similar to TTS? Like with the whole isolation, strangers to lovers kinda thing ? Or even any eroda themed ones. I can't seem to find very many and was hoping you'd know a few.

Hi sugar. I’ve got a few. I hope these are new to you.

Jump Before We Fall by green_feelings / @greenfeelings (E, 114K) I loved the way the location of this fic became part of the story and I quickly found myself rooting for these boys to figure their shit out. Louis (and Zayn) run a hotel by the sea. Harry is just there for the summer.

the moon made me think of you by anabsolution (E, 16K) This is one I read years ago, but there’s moments in it that still stick with me. Set in the ‘90’s, Harry works at a motel. Louis checks in.

To the Ends of the Earth by stylinsoncity (M, 68K) I read this one years ago, so I don’t have great notes, but this author has written some of my favorite fics. What I do recall is that it was beautifully written, painful but ultimately so lovely, and of course...sexy. Louis visits Harry at his cabin in Idaho.

all my love was down in a frozen ground by navigator (E, 16K) This is an old one that I didn’t have bookmarked for some reason. But it’s a favorite and I love everything this author wrote. This is one of those quiet, soft fics with a bit of angst and a lot of internal monologue and gentle conversations. I don’t know, there’s something so touching about it. Louis goes into the woods to hide for a bit. Harry finds him there.

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep by @helloamhere (4 part series, mixed ratings, 128K) Amazing world building, complex characters, beautiful writing. Louis finds himself drawn to the woods.

Soul of the Sea by vurdoc (E, 33K) A gothic romance set in a small Scottish village. Mysterious, melancholy, tender, and such a pleasure to read. Harry owns a B&B near the coast. Louis was just passing through.

wake the morn and greet the dawn (with hearts entwined and free) by mixedfandomfics (T, 21K)I cried the first third of the way through this because this author painted such a beautiful picture of Harry’s emotions, his found family, and the setting. I love how they slowly unraveled Louis’ story and the tender, sweet way they ended up together. And Niall!! The best friend/brother you could ask for. Harry lives in a remote Scottish village. Louis moves into town.

Little Technicolor Things by scary_crow (M, 72K) This is truly one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read and it is an absolutely travesty that it’s not being talked about every day. This fic is gorgeous and poetic and romantic and heartbreaking and an explosion of metaphoric images and everything I never knew I needed but now that I have it I want to read it over and over and over. Harry is an artist, holed up in a big house. Louis is a depressed poet who finds him there.

Until You Remember by Throwthemflowers / @hazzabeeforlou (E, 21K) Louis finds himself mysteriously drawn to a seaside town. It’s just a beautifully written story and made me cry. I really need to read it again, actually!

Take Care Down By The Water by shyserious (M, 37K) Again, not quite mermaids, but oh my goodness I loved this fic. Magical realism, mythical creatures, dreamy/moody atmosphere, beautiful writing. The fic has been deleted, but the link is to a download.

And the one you mentioned:

Tired, Tired Sea by mediawhore / @mediawhorefics (M, 113K) Always a favorite author, this one is beautifully descriptive and moody and charming. I loved the way Harry’s character unfolded and let Louis in, the way Louis made space for him in his life (and heart), and the way Harry’s character struggled with and eventually found a way to live and be happy with his fame. Louis runs a lighthouse and B&B in Scotland.

[deartouya]

— wips

here is my list of works in progress! this is to keep me organized and so you can see what i have in the works! i make no promises on when or if these will all get completed, but i plan on working on all of them.

LONG FICS (over 2k words)

the horror and the wild [ touya todoroki ]

summary: for my mermaid au series; dabi continues getting himself captured by your crew and you’re running out of excuses for why he’s suddenly escaped. he does, begrudgingly, come in handy. estimated wc: 3k

out of the rolling ocean [ shouto todoroki ]

summary: for my mermaid au series; llittle mermaid au, after you’re ship sinks returning home, you’re saved by a mysterious person. one you’re determined to find and marry them. the problem is figuring out who they are. estimated wc: 15k

what the water gave me [ katsuki bakugou ]

summary: for my mermaid au series; you're a surfer and finds an injured mermaid, taking it upon yourself to nurture them back to health. estimated wc: 8k

crawl home to me [ touya todoroki ]

summary: corpse bride au; after the death of your fiance your parents arrange for you to marry his brother. but after fleeing from the rehearsal, you're reunited with him just... wrong. estimated wc: 4k

into the light [ keigo takami ]

summary: tangled au; while fleeing authorities, famed rouge hawks stumbles across you and, while against his will, helps you escape your tower. estimated wc: 5k

circumstance demands it [ shouto todoroki ]

summary: royalty + fake dating au; facing his fathers and countries demands for wed, shouto finds a solution in you- a nobleman’s daughter and friend who can help him fend off the social season. estimated wc: 6k

the golden feather [ izuku midoriya ]

summary: based on a episode of 'the storyteller'; your father, unapproving of your relationship with izuku, sends him on a perilous adventure to earn your hand in marriage. he succeeds. estimated wc: 3k

the unwanted animal [ katsuki bakugou ]

summary: for my fairytales retold series, beauty and the beast au estimated wc: 10k

untitled [ katsuki bakugou ]

summary: how to train your dragon au estimated wc: 7k

untitled [ katsuki bakugou ]

summary: pride and the prejudice au estimated wc: 8k

untitled [ izuku midoriya ]

for my fairytales retold series, hercules au

SHORTER FICS/DRABBLES (under 2k words)

mighty paw [ izuku midoriya ]

zookeeper au; a little meetcute between you, a primary teacher, and izuku, the zookeeper you interact with on your classes field trip. your students notice how much izuku seems to like you and makes it their mission for the day to get you together.

rainy days [ keigo takami ]

hawks hates the rain, it's uncomfortable and annoying, but he still always uses his wing as a makeshift umbrella when you're out. fluffy little domestic preening fic.

untitled [keigo takami ]

coffee shop meet cute; for my love in the everday collab.

(planned) hit and run [ tetsurou kuroo ]

a meet cute; you see a cute guy exiting the campus cafe and decide the best way to start a conversation is to run into him.

love in the clouds [ keigo takami ]

fluffy flight date with your pro-hero boyfriend

my body's a zombie for you [ touya todoroki ]

clingy villain boyfriend is clingy. refuses to accept work as a valid excuse and shows up on your fire escape so you can hold him.

untitled [ katsuki bakugou ]

zookeeper au; you're a biology student looking to study animals in a contained environment and katsuki is the keeper assigned to accompany you.

tender love [ katsuki bakugou ]

a sick fic; you get sick before date night and katsuki spends the night looking after you.

cold cold man [ touya todoroki ]

for kai's the only truth is music collab; song fic based on cold cold man by the saint motel.

susie save your love (and take mine from me) [ yaoyorozu momo ]

for kai's the only truth is music collab; song fic based on susie save your love by allie x

[unmitigatedsuperiority]

rj’s fic masterlist

AO3 | taglist | request guidelines

all x reader fics are written with a gender neutral reader, unless otherwise specified.

fics are in reverse chronological order

spencer x reader

series

boundless (fluff, angst, 33k) There’s a mermaid that lives at the edge of the beach. The first time you told Tara this, she laughed. Mermaids aren’t real. But you know what you saw, and something has you going back to that same spot, again and again. A connection as beautiful as the sunrise and as deep as the sea. And after several months of getting to know each other, one thing is certain—nothing could be more real than what you have with a certain mermaid named Spencer Reid.

one shots

The Contagious Optimism of Midnight on New Year's (fluff, 2.1k) You and Spencer have never had a New Year's kiss before. So, what if you just kissed each other? As friends?

Arms Unfolding (angst, 3.0k) You and Spencer were great together...until you weren't. But this Christmas, you're determined to give it another shot.

greenness is a kind of grief (hurt/comfort, 2.6k) It was no secret that Spencer was struggling after Gideon's death. But you're the one he called tonight.

blurbs

Bananas (fluff, 0.9k) Hotch calls Spencer into his office with a simple question: "You did what with the banana?"

No Reason (fluff, 0.6k) Spencer baked you your favorite kind of muffin. You suspect ulterior motives.

Safe in Your Arms (angst, hurt/comfort, 0.9k) No one is safe, not even you, and Spencer can't do anything until he finds you.

Ash and Burning (angst, hurt/comfort, 1.4k) When the team infiltrates the Separatarian Sect, things don't go according to plan. After seeing the explosion, you decide you can't follow orders. Not when Spencer is still in there.

penemily

one shots

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts (fluff, 2.6k) One particularly cold night, Penelope gets locked out of her motel room. Luckily, Emily is there to keep her warm.

Happily (fluff, hurt/comfort, 3.8k) Penelope would walk through a hurricane if it would make Emily Prentiss happy. So, when Emily had come into work that day looking worse for wear and requesting an impromptu girls’ night, how could Penelope say no?

Godsend (hurt/comfort, 1.9k) Emily suffers from chronic pain. She knows what to do on bad pain days; she's had to take care of herself for years. Penelope shows her that she doesn't have to anymore.

blurbs

Kiss Me (fluff, 0.7k) Emily is finally back from London, for good this time. Penelope is waiting at the airport, eager to see her girlfriend. Cue the cheesy, romantic reunion.

Christmas (fluff, 0.1k) Penelope helps Emily learn to love Christmas again.

ralvez

one shots

drinks in the dark at the end of my road (angst, hurt/comfort, 2.0k) Spencer Reid has always been defined by his mind. So, what is he supposed to do when he finds that he can’t always trust it?

A Not-So Claustrophobic Christmas (hurt/comfort, fluff, 7.1k) What happens when two FBI agents get stuck in Quantico on Christmas day? Deep conversations, new Christmas traditions, and perhaps an appreciation for the faulty mechanics of elevators.

Coffee Break (fluff, 3.0k) Luke can’t figure out how to work the BAU coffee maker. Good thing Spencer is an expert. Featuring: two idiots who like each other but don’t realize their feelings are reciprocated.

Family (hurt/comfort, fluff, 1.2k) Family is everything to Luke. Family is complicated to Spencer. So, when Luke asks him to meet his parents, Spencer may need some reassurance.

penelope x reader

blurbs

Not-So Secret Secret (fluff, 1.6k) Penelope Garcia hated change, and things would certainly change if the team found out you were dating. And so, the two of you were keeping it a secret. It was just a lot harder than you both thought.

emily x reader

blurbs

Let Me Hold You (male!reader, hurt/comfort, 0.8k) You're a new agent that made a mistake in the field and another agent got injured. But Emily Prentiss is there to help reassure you that you did nothing wrong.

temily

blurbs

Two Sugars (fluff, 0.4k) A simple, innocuous question shouldn't affect Emily this much. But no one has ever bothered to care like this.

jemily

one shots

Words Ain't Enough (angst, hurt/comfort, 3.0k) After a particularly rough case, JJ seeks out some comfort from an old friend. Emily wishes things were different.

gen!fic

blurbs

Hope (penelope & spencer, hurt/comfort, 1.0k) “Why are you looking at me like that?” “I just can’t see it.” “See what?” Penelope asked, peering over her sparkly red glasses and into contemplative brown eyes. Spencer cleared his throat. “You being anyone else.”

[watermelonlipstick]

Dreams, Chapter 3

If you haven’t read this series before, you might want to start on Chapter 1, or check out the Dreams Masterlist! Here’s the series description:

When Dean dies for good leaving Sam and his girlfriend (the reader) behind, they must figure out how to carry on without him. Alone, reeling, and unsure what to do next, trying to honor Dean’s memory and follow their hearts gets even more complicated when their nightmares become dreams that feel a little too real.

Title: Dreams, Chapter 3

Pairing: (past) Dean Winchester x Reader, (eventual) Sam Winchester x Reader

Word Count: 2344

Summary: It’s Christmas in Wisconsin for Sam and the reader.

Warnings: angst (sensing a theme here), alcohol, slow burn

           Christmas Eve was a Thursday, which meant you were working. You’d predicted it would be slow, but there were big chunks of time where no one was in the bar at all. Christmas carols on the radio helped pass the time, and you drank a little more of the almost-coquito you’d thrown together in the back at the beginning of the shift than you needed to. It reminded you of your aunt and the way she’d smell of coconut through Boxing Day every year when you were growing up; welcome nostalgia you could tolerate like pressing a thumb into a bruise and distracted you from the evisceration of thinking of Dean. The day shift had left the bar understocked, so Sam spent a good amount of time going up and down the stairs refilling refrigerators and cutting fruit for drinks. Around 10 or 11 the people who didn’t want to wrap up the night when their in-laws went home straggled in, a handful of regulars that you generally liked but had a tendency to get a little rowdy when left alone together. It didn’t help that they showed up a few drinks in.

           The merriment was infectious, and it was sweet to hear grown men proud of the gifts they’d gotten their loved ones. One even brought a few bottles of homemade maple syrup to give to the others, sliding one sheepishly across the bar to you. You were pouring out a round of coquito when Sam came up from the basement with a towel tossed over his shoulder.

           “Everything should be good,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He hadn’t cut it in months and the ends fell gracefully around his shoulders. A piece fell oddly across his forehead and you reflexively fixed it for him.

           “What did you two get each other?” a regular, Steve, asked with a relaxed finger pointing between you and Sam. His cheeks were ruddy with whiskey and winter air.

           “Oh. I—uh, we don’t really do gifts,” Sam offered placatingly.

           “Man, where did you find this girl? Listens to classic rock, drives a stick shift, and doesn’t ‘do gifts’?” another, Joe, added.

           “You better be buying her some presents or someone else will.” Jake, a customer you’d always felt safe around since he tossed out a rude guy for you a month back, chimed in.

           You and Sam had never explicitly said that you were together. People just assumed, and it was easier to go along with it than explain the truth, especially because you didn’t look similar enough to be siblings and you still couldn’t shake your need to cling to him from time to time. It was almost never an issue aside from periodic mild teasing. This Christmas talk was a departure from the non-explanations you and Sam usually gave and you found yourself waiting for a cue on where to go. Sam seemed to be having the same thought, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

           You spoke before the moment had a chance to become too pregnant. “You know how hard it is to buy presents for a guy who doesn’t like having stuff? If he buys me something, I’ll have to get him something too!” You hoped it sounded smooth, your lying out of practice in the months since you’d had a cover on a hunt. Sam smirked gratefully at you.  

           Joe shook his head wistfully. “Seriously, where did you find her?”

           “She’s pretty great, isn’t she?” Sam’s voice sounded sort of soft around the edges, almost like he was tired but not quite. When you looked up at him, that pebble of self-consciousness you’d felt at the hardware flipped in your stomach again and you glanced away in favor of a one-armed hug you intended to look affectionate. Sam did the same, encompassing your entire shoulder with his hand.

           When you drove home that night, warm and full of coquito, Sam played Christmas carols.

           “I think we should do gifts.”

           It was the first thing you thought when you woke up, and you said it into Sam’s chest as you laid there before you opened your eyes. You could tell from the rhythm of his breathing that he wasn’t all the way asleep.

           “Hmm?”

           “I think we should do gifts. We should really do Christmas if we’re going to do it, and that means presents. What do you think?”

           You felt as much as you saw out of the corner of your drowsy eyes that Sam raised his unpinned arm to rub the sleep out of his. “Mmm, okay? I mean if that’s what you want.”

           “Thank you,” you said as you nestled deeper into him.

           “‘S already Christmas though.” Sleep pulled Sam’s words together like taffy.

           “It can be goofy stuff; I just think we should open presents under a tree and everything. Seems like the kind of thing we should do, you know? Like trying to be normal.” You couldn’t bear saying out loud what you meant, that Dean would’ve wanted presents and stockings and eggnog and Santa hats and a big roast if he could’ve, to fall asleep after watching the stars glitter off of falling snow.

           Sam heard anyway.

           “You’re right,” Sam murmured. He rubbed your upper arm absentmindedly.

           “I’ll wake you back up when the bathroom’s free,” you offered, carefully rolling over him to get out of the bed. He nodded with closed eyes and flopped over onto his stomach.

           About an hour later, a wet haired Sam slid into the Impala’s driver side and rubbed his hands together to warm them up. You could tell from the puffiness around his eyes and his overcompensating casual tone that he’d been crying. He set his phone to pipe Your Inner Fish through the stereo and backed down the driveway over snow tamped down over the last week.

           It had been years since you’d gone Christmas shopping, as much as this could be considered Christmas shopping. The town you’d settled in had exactly 7 businesses on a tiny main street, including 1 small inn, a grocery store, the hardware store, a coffee shop (the most reliable internet in town, much faster than your place) and 3 different places to get a burger. You met Sam in the grocery store after grabbing what you wanted from next door in hardware, catching him just as he came out carrying a bag with a long pipe of wrapping paper stretching far past the top. When you left, there were only two other cars in the parking lot grabbing their own last-minute things.

           You wrapped your presents on the bed. It wasn’t like riding a bike as you’d hoped it would be, and your sloppy corners started you down a mental spiral. What a completely asinine thing, wrapping hardware store presents to put under a stolen tree. This wasn’t the Rockwell painting you wanted to present as sacrifice to Dean’s memory. It was cheap and stupid, a sloppy high school production when Dean deserved Broadway. He always had. As much as the three of you had never really done Christmas, Dean knew how to make something special while maintaining the air of not caring. You remembered waking up on his made-up anniversaries: six months from the first time you kissed, three years since he realized he loved you (three years minus 53 days before he said anything), 14 months since you’d figured out how to put a gun back together in the dark. Even in the most podunk little towns he’d find gorgeous bouquets and put together great meals in tiny kitchenettes; drive miles away to pick up a cake for Sam’s birthday or pepper motel rooms with festive streamers and silly string. Two quick, hard breaths through your nose to collect yourself and you finished the wrapping. That would have to be good enough.

           Sam was crouched in front of the fireplace with a bellows, a plucky little fire kicking into gear with his help. “All yours,” you called out, grateful your voice didn’t crack.

           “Thanks. It’ll only be a second.”

           He was right, and came back to you on the couch in only a few minutes with two wrapped bundles. You shyly handed him what you’d wrapped and took his.

           “Uh, Merry Christmas I guess,” Sam said. You noticed the edge of discomfort in his voice and were sickly grateful not to be alone in your tentativeness as you popped open the scotch tape holding the paper on the rectangular package. Before you’d uncovered it, Sam had his first gift unwrapped.

           “Nice! They had these at the hardware store?” he asked, snapping open the clamshell package on the cheap purple noise-cancelling earbuds you’d picked up.

           “I’m sure they’ll sound like they were made underwater, but I figured you could hide them pretty easily if you wanted to wear them at work, listen to your podcasts while you restock or whatever.”

           “That’s a really good idea.” He looked down at the headphones considerately for a beat.

           You pulled the paper off your present to reveal a notebook and two ballpoint pens. It had a leatherette flexible plastic cover that felt smooth under your fingertips and was about the size of a standard hardcover novel. You opened it to see inside, and a few photos dropped out.

           “I just—you didn’t have any—I can take them back if you want,” Sam stammered, but you heard him as if through those checkout-aisle headphones while your eyes blurred. These were pictures you hadn’t seen for years. The one on top of the loose stack in your lap was outside Bobby’s house. It felt like a lifetime ago, leaning over the railing of the small porch to kiss Dean as he stood on the ground in a sweaty t-shirt covered in engine grease. Under that was one you remembered used to be the background of an old phone, where you, Sam, and Dean huddled together in a booth at some bar you’d forgotten the name of in Montana that had girls dressed up as mermaids swim around in big tanks, part of the same theme that explained the blue fishbowl drink partly out of frame in Dean’s hands. There was one you didn’t recall with you and Dean stretched out on a nondescript motel couch, his arm protectively covering you as you coiled up into his side, both clearly asleep from the closed eyes and slightly parted lips. The last was a picture you hadn’t seen since the last time you went to Jody’s house; it had touched you then to see it hanging up on the wall, you carrying Dean piggyback while Sam clutched his knees laughing. It was the same day Claire had turned 16 and you had no idea why you’d needed to convince Dean you could carry him, but the whole thing had ended up with everyone rolling on the ground, grabbing at laugh-opened rib pains for what felt like blissful hours.

           You weren’t surprised at the silent tears that were pouring gently down your face, but wiped at them harshly with your sleeve so they wouldn’t drip. “Sam��” you croaked. “I don’t…I didn’t—thank you. How did you find these?”

           “They had an instant photo printer at the grocery store. I’ve had a flash drive with some stuff on it for a while.”

           You passed through each picture again, studying them like the gospel. It was almost hard to match the photos to the memories, memories having been replayed and multiplied and color-saturated in your mind over and over again, too big to fit into these little pieces of cardstock. But Dean was so beautiful, and you all looked so happy.

           “It’s supposed to help to write about how you’re feeling, so I thought…” Sam trailed off.

           “It’s perfect. I—thank you, Sam.” You met his eyes, stormy blue-green and taking on an amber reflection off of the fire. He looked nervous and almost guilty, like he had miscalculated and hurt you. Carefully slipping the photos back into the notebook, you set it on the table like it was made of crystal and threw your arms around Sam to tuck into him, knowing you were crying through his shirt but unable to stop. You realized you were murmuring thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou into the crook of his neck at the same time you felt the wetness of his tears onto your shoulder. Pulling him in tighter, you slunk back into the arm of the couch behind you. Sam slotted into the curve of your body, wrapping around your torso with powerful, gentle arms. His hair was silken when you began to stroke it, feeling his wracking sobs against your chest. It was impossible to gauge the amount of time it took for both of you to stop crying, skin slick and hot against each other on the old couch as your bodies hardened together like a mold. You felt dried out and sore and wouldn’t have pulled away from Sam if you’d had a gun to your head.

           “Man, and we were doing so well,” you hummed into Sam’s hair.

           “Were we?” Sam asked, and it was all you could do to laugh. Sam laughed too, the emotional and physical fatigue of it blending between you in the air. He adjusted his arm and you could feel the span of his hand across your lower back. The two of you sat there for a few more moments before you gathered up enough courage to let go of him.

           “Want to open the other one?”

           Sam nodded against your chest and slowly extricated himself, running a hand through his messed-up hair and rubbing his neck as he reached for the other present you’d gotten him. He tore through the paper unceremoniously and smiled down at the shoe repair glue and new boot laces. “You saw they split, didn’t you?”

           You smiled back at him. “Would’ve just gotten you a new pair of boots but, you know, late notice. Maybe this’ll buy you some time.”

           He handed you his second gift from the coffee table. Inside the foil-adorned wrapping paper were three bags of gummy worms.

-

Continue to Dreams, Chapter 4

Thanks again for reading! If you liked it, check out my Masterlist or send me a request!

Tags: @sams-sass , @anxiousbarnes , @deanwinchesterswitch , @akshi8278 , @itsjensenanddean , @flannellover67 , @weepingwillowphoenix , @tj-drinks-tea​ , @whatareyousearchingfordean , @winchestergirl2 , @winchest09​ , @samwisethegr8​ , @fawnxng​ , @nurse-sarahrn​ , @lovers-in-japan-reign-of-love​ , @deanwanddamons​ , @stressedoutkitten​ , @winchestershiresauce​ , @tatted-trina6​ , @percico-heronstairs​ , @downanddirtydean​ , @mamitoqueens , @queenoftheunderdark​ , @lyarr24​ , @waywardwifey​ , @thinkinghardhardlythinking​ , @wonder-cole​ , @sergeantsea​

And as always, if you want to be on my taglist, were on the taglist and changed your handle, or I lost track of it, please let me know!

[typinggently]

your fem sam musings kill me, do you plan on writing it? i love your spn fic!

Sweetheart, thank you!! I’m glad you’re having fun 🌹🌹

I’m not sure if you’re referring to a specific fem!Sam thought or concept but I’m currently working on finishing the fem!Sam/fem!Dean fic that’s an expansion of this drabble (i hoped I’d get it done by Monday but there are some knots to work out, so it’ll probably be up the Monday after that..)

After that, I have another wip that I’m interested in finishing after discovering it in my notes. It’s fem!Sam with regular Dean and here’s a little snippet (or rather the post I made after discovering it…) Like the runaway fic, it’s a pre-series bit, but it’s (despite some efforts on my part) just going to be T rated at most...

I have a habit of taking inspiration from songs, and I’ve collected some half-drabbles/notes on the atmosphere over time. So those could be counted as possible future fic sources or finished drabbles, too: Woman (no real post, I might go into detail soon but I mentioned it here), Crush on You (drabble), Venus as a Boy, Mermaid Motel Demo Version, Pick U Up (semi-drabble)

(apart from that I wrote a little drabble at some point ♥️)

-> to make it short: Fem!Sam is super fascinating to me and I’m in the process of putting that into action 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[amandaklwrites]

Top 20 Books I read in 2020

Hey there! I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and continues to have some good days in this new year. 

I thought I would do a quick reflection back on all the books I have read, so I put together my top 20 books that I absolutely loved reading in 2020. Of course, there are even more books that I really enjoyed, but I wanted to compile these ones as the ones that I totally loved and I keep thinking about all the time. 

So here are my top 20! They are in no particular order or ranking, just a compilation! 

1. Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer 

I loved the world, the mythology and the characters in this one. I have a lot of Irish ancestry and I love the mythology in the world, so I loved the darkness of this story! Plus-- WITCHES! 

2. The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black

The ending of a trilogy that I loved. Jude and Cardan as are so fascinating and wild. I was so excited about this book and it blew me away. 

3. A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir 

Another ending to a series that I absolutely love. Magical and brutal, and just breathtaking in storytelling. 

4. Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare

I love all of Cassandra Clare’s books. But a series about Will and Tessa’s kids (and everyone else’s)??? SIGN ME UP! 

5. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw 

A wonderful, atmospheric story. I felt so immersed in the world. Dark and filled with ghosts, and of course, my love for the sea. 

6. Fable (Fable #1) by Adrienne Young

Adrienne Young is just one of my favorite authors ever. I love everything about her that I learn too. But this story was so heartwarming and mystical. I loved the main character, the world, and the sea lore. 

7. The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson 

This book was so dark and luscious. I found the commentary on cults and religion so fascinating. Twisted and wonderful, I couldn’t put it down! 

8. The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden 

I loved this whole trilogy, but the first one was my favorite. It felt like I was stepping into this world of magic and winter, and I loved the mythology, the mystical feeling of the writing, and the complex characters. 

9. The King of Crows (The Diviners #4) by Libba Bray 

A long-waited ending to another series I love. Dark and fun and so mysterious. I love this series, and anything Libba Bray writes. 

10. Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke 

This book is so brutal and bloody. But I loved the action and the characters! The world was inspired by Beowulf, which I totally enjoyed, too. 

11. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig 

I love retellings, naturally, but this book was insane and so dark and twisted. I felt so mystified but it also scared me out of my wits. So good! 

12. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Definitely one of my favorite authors of all time. Though I’m not a fan of horror, I'll always read her books. The best thriller/horror writer I've read. She does ghosts and creepy like no other. 

13. Unbirthday (Twisted Tales) by Liz Braswell 

I loved this retelling! Alice in Wonderland is a favorite of mine, so I loved seeing this new perspective. I enjoyed it so much! 

14. All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1) by Adalyn Grace 

A fun new, magical series. Pirates and mermaids. What is there more to love? 

15. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab 

One of my favorite books of all time. I couldn’t stop reading it. I can’t explain why I love it so much, but so much about the book kindled my own flame. 

16. House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas

I’m trash for Sarah J. Maas, let’s just be honest. So, another book that I loved from her. 

17. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Oh man, this book was so twisted and creepy. I love gothic stories, and Silvia did it in such a brilliant way. I loved the atmosphere and the wickedness she focused on in the world. 

18. Well Met (Well Met #1) by Jen DeLuca 

One of the very, very few romance books I liked. I loved the humor, the characters, the love story. But most importantly, RENAISSANCE FAIRES! 

19. Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust 

Oh man, this book was so cool. I love learning about Persian mythology, and this tale was so new and twisted. So, of course I loved it! Such a fascinating story and legend. 

20. Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas #1) by Zoraida Córdova 

This whole series was just great, but I loved the first one the most. The world, the culture, the characters were all so fascinating and wonderful. I loved learning more and more, while seeing what epic adventures the characters went on. 

So those are my top 20 books that I absolutely loved this year! They’re even ones I may consider rereading sometime in the future. 

Please check them all out! 

What books did you love in 2020? 

[idiotpack]

canon characters

aang (avatar: the last airbender)

alisha daniels (misfits)

allison argent (teen wolf)

asami sato (the legend of korra/avatar verse)

azula (avatar: the last airbender)

babydoll (sucker punch)

buffy summers (buffy the vampire slayer)

claire beauchamp randall fraser (outlander)

cobb vanth (star wars)

daphne bridgerton (bridgerton series)

dean winchester (supernatural)

dick grayson (dc comics)

din djarin (star wars)

dinah lance (dc comics)

dracula (female countess dracula)

eliot waugh (the magicians)

the homelander (the boys)

james hook (peter pan)

jennifer check (jennifer’s body)

jessica hamby (true blood)

john mclane (die hard series)

kate bishop (marvel comics)

kendall roy (succession)

korben dallas (the fifth element)

letitia lewis (lovecraft country)

norma bates (the bates motel/psycho)

number five (the umbrella academy)

philip jennings (the americans)

prudence night/blackwood (chilling adventures of sabrina)

raylan givens (justified)

renfri (the witcher)

rio/christopher (good girls)

steve harrington (stranger things)

theo crain (the haunting of hill house)

thomas shelby (peaky blinders)

thor odinson (marvel comics)

villanelle (killing eve)

wanda maximoff (marvel comics)

yelena belova (marvel comics)

historical figures

charles vane

doc holliday (also verse with doc from wynona earp)

elizabeth bathory (modern au)

lucrezia borgia

mythological figures/personifications

gaia

horus

medusa

na’amah

sloth

summer

original characters

adolpha friedrich (werewolf)

aoife bryne (fairy (leannán sídhe))

dynamene krishna (mermaid)

maggie clarke (ghost)

zoe hall (witch)

names in italics will be ready at the start of the blog. others will be under construction. ish.

[crowdvscritic]

round up // MARCH + APRIL 21

March and April were a whirlwind of vaccines and awards shows! A full year after we starting staying at home, the end of this weird chapter in recent history seems like it might finally be coming to a close, and this pop culture awards season—typically a time full of fun and glamour—captured our moment weirdly well. (Emphasis on the weird.) This month’s recommendations is filled with more Critic Picks than usual, so without further delay, let’s dive right in...

March + April Crowd-Pleasers

Double Feature — 2018 Action Thrillers: Bad Times at the El Royale + Den of Thieves

In Bad Times at the El Royale (Crowd: 9/10, // Critic: 8/10), Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, and Dakota Johnson are staying at a motel on the California-Nevada state line full of money, murder, and mystery. In Den of Thieves (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 6.5/10), Gerard Butler takes on some of the best bank robbers in the world. Whether you like your action with a dose of mystery or the thrills of plot twists, these will fit the bill.

Double Feature — ‘80s Comedies: Caddyshack (1980) + Splash (1984)

In the mood for pure silliness? Take your pick between a mermaid and a gopher! Five years before The Little Mermaid, Tom Hanks fell for Daryl Hannah’s blonde hair and scaly tail, and John Candy was his goofy brother in Splash (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10). And four years before Ghostbusters, Bill Murray was the goof on a golf course full of funny people like Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, and Ted Knight in Caddyshack (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10).

Double Feature — 1980s Coming-of-Age Films Starring Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, and Challenging Brother Relationships That Influenced Stranger Things: Stand by Me (1986) + The Lost Boys (1987)

Believe it or not, I had no idea these two ‘80s classics had so much in common when I chose to watch them back-to-back. In Rob Reiner’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Stand by Me (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 9/10), four kids (Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, River Phoenix, and Wil Wheaton) are following train tracks to find a missing body. In The Lost Boys (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10), Corey Haim and Jason Patric move to a small California town and discover it’s full of ‘80s movie star cameos and…vampires? One is a thoughtful coming-of-age story and one is just bonkers, but both are a great time.

Spaceman by Nick Jonas (2021)

My love for the Jonas Brothers is well-documented, so instead of going down the rabbit hole I started digging at 15, I’ll talk about how Nick Jonas’s latest solo album will likely appeal to a wider audience than just the fans of the brothers’ bombastic pop records. It’s full of catchy tunes you’ll play on repeat and an R&B-influenced album experience about the loneliness we’ve experienced in the last year and how we try to make long-term relationships work.

Ted Lasso (2020- )

I love stories about nice people crushing cruelty and cynicism with relentless kindness, and Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is the warmest, most dedicated leader this side of Leslie Knope. Be sure to catch up on these witty and sweet 10 episodes before season 2 drops later this summer.

Double Feature — Tony Scott Action Flicks: Enemy of the State (1998) + The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

Tony Scott’s movies have got explosions and excitement in spades. I love a good man-on-the-run movie, and in Enemy of the State (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10), Will Smith is running through the streets of D.C. after getting evidence of a politician’s (Jon Voight) part in a murder. I also love a tense story set in a confined space, which is what Denzel Washington is dealing with in The Taking of Pelham 123 (Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 7/10) after a hammy John Travolta takes a New York subway train hostage.

Double Feature — Baseball Movies: The Natural (1984) + Trouble With the Curve (2012)

Sue me—I love baseball movies. Robert Redford plays a fictional all-time great in the early days of the MLB in The Natural (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10), and Clint Eastwood plays a fictional all-time great scout in his late career in Trouble With the Curve (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 7.5/10). If you love baseball or actors like Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, and Justin Timberlake, these movies are just right here waiting for you.

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American (2021)

Sue me—I enjoy Netflix standup comedy specials that are safe enough to watch with your whole family. That’s exactly the crowd I laughed with over Easter weekend, and while the trailer captures Bargatze’s relaxed vibe, it doesn’t capture how funny he really is.

The Mighty Ducks (1992)

I thought somewhere in my childhood I’d seen at least one of The Mighty Ducks movies, but after watching all three, I think my memories must’ve come from previews on the VHS tapes for other Disney movies I watched over and over again. The original still holds up as an grown-ups, which is why even my parents got sucked in to this family movie while just passing through the living room. Bonus for ‘80s movies lovers: Emilio Estevez is basically continuing Andrew Clark’s story from The Breakfast Club as an adult. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

Double Feature — New, Dumb Action on Streaming: Godzilla vs. Kong + Thunder Force (2021)

If you want something intelligent, go ahead and skip to the next recommendation, but if you’re looking for something stupid fun, these are ready for you on HBO Max and Netflix. Thunder Force (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6/10) follows Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as they train to become superheroes who take on superhuman sociopaths wreaking havoc on Chicago, and alongside Jason Bateman, they do it with a lot of laughs. Godzilla vs. Kong (Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 5/10) is, um, exactly what it sounds like, so I’ll skip a plot summary and just say it’s exactly what you want from this kind of movie. #TeamKong

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

All you need to know is Russell Crowe is an outlaw, and Christian Bale is the guy who’s got to get him on the train to prison. I also watched the 1957 version, which is also a solid watch if you love classic Westerns. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10

Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

Marvel’s newest series isn’t nearly as inventive as WandaVision, and it may not land every beat, but it’s worth a watch for the fun new gadgets, Sebastian Stan’s dry joke delivery, and its exploration into themes of what makes a hero and what governments owe their citizens. It’s a pretty satisfying entry in the MCU canon, but I’d also recommend re-watching Captain America: Winter Soldier and Civil War—the canon is getting expansive, and it’s getting trickier every year to keep up with all the backstory.

March + April Critic Picks

Best of 2020 Picks

As per usual, the months leading up to the Oscars becomes a binge period for potential Oscar nominees. In March and April, I watched many of the films that made my Top 20 of 2020, including Boys State, The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Let Them All Talk, Minari, Nomadland, On the Rocks, One Night in Miami…, Promising Young Woman, Soul, and Sound of Metal. You can read how I ranked them on my list for ZekeFilm, plus reviews of The Father, Minari, Promising Young Woman, and Soul.

Bonus: If you loved On the Rocks, don’t miss this feature and beautiful photography starring Sofia Coppola, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, and Rashida Jones for W Magazine. 

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

What would you do if you started hearing a voice who narrated your every thought and move? If you’re Will Ferrell, you’ll seek out a literary professor (Dustin Hoffman), fall in love (with Maggie Gyllenhaal), and track down the voice (Emma Thompson) who’s making ominous predictions about your future. Stranger Than Fiction is funny thought-provoking, and an unusual but welcome role for Ferrell. Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

All the Royal Family News

Speaking of stranger than fiction, it’s been a busy few months for the Royal Family. We’ve celebrated 95th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the 3rd birthday of Prince Louis, and the 10th anniversary of Will and Kate’s marriage. We also lost Prince Philip, and we watched the drama of Harry and Meaghan’s interview with Oprah. No matter what happens to their Crown, I don’t think we’ll ever get over our fascination with the Windsor family. A few pieces worth reading from the last few months:

“In Meghan and Harry’s Interview, Two TV Worlds Collided,” Vulture.com

“The Queen’s Man: Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Dies,” TIME.com

“Obituary: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” BBC.com

Goodfellas (1990)

One of my film opinions that makes me feel like a phony is that Martin Scorsese just isn’t my cup of tea. He’s brilliant, but his films tend to be long and dark, two qualities that are never my first choice…and somehow Goodfellas still worked for me? Maybe it was the TV edit graciously toning down the violence or maybe it was that Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci were firing on all cylinders, but for some reason this ‘90s classic didn’t suck the joy out of my evening like Scorsese often does. (Bonus: For a Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro I don’t really recommend, head to the last section of this Round Up.)

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021)

Her voice has only matured, so Taylor Swift revisiting her old albums is like upgrading a blast to the past. Plus, the six new tracks make me feel like 15 crushing on that boy in Spanish class again, and her Grammys performance (just before her third Album of the Year win) was magical and folklore-tastic.

Double Feature — ‘60s Action Classics: The Guns of Navarone (1961) + Planet of the Apes (1968)

The Guns of Navarone (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10) follows Gregory Peck and David Niven as they destroy Nazi weapons in the Mediterranean. Planet of the Apes (Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10) follows Charlton Heston as he attempts to escape from, well, a planet full of apes. The pacing of ‘60s films doesn’t always hold up, but that’s not the case with this pair. Both are still full of suspense, and you can’t go wrong hanging with casts like these.

Let Him Go (2020)

Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play a farming couple who unexpectedly help raise a boy who lost his biological father—sound familiar? But instead of a superhero origin story, they’re part of a thrilling Western with performances nuanced (Costner and Lane) and showy (Lesley Manville). If I’d watched this before completing my Best of 2020 piece, it likely would’ve been on my list. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

The Oscars

I’m a ride-or-die fan of the Academy Awards, but I’ll admit even I found this year’s ceremony odd. Instead of focusing on what wasn’t so hot, I’ll recommend a few moments you don’t want to miss:

Emerald Fennell giving a shout-out to Saved by the Bell

Daniel Kaluuya acknowledging his parents’ sex life during his acceptance speech (??)

Yuh-Jung Yoon flirting with Brad Pitt and acknowledging she’s just “luckier” than her fellow nominees

Glenn Close dancing to…”Da Butt”?

You can also read about the historic wins and nominations from this year’s Oscar class and why the Golden Globes were an even stranger production weeks earlier.

Trailer-palooza!

Movies are on their way back, y’all! I’m counting down the days until I can get back to a theatre, and even if some of these movies are duds, I’m planning to see all of them on a big screen if possible:

Those Who Wish Me Dead (May 14)

Cruella (May 28)

In the Heights (June 11)

Space Jam 2 (July 16)

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3)

West Side Story (December 10)

Also in March + April…

To add to the Oscars love, you can listen to a conversation about what we learn about family, community, and society in some of the year’s biggest nominees on the Uncommon Voices podcast. I join regular hosts Michael and Kenneth in this episode, and I recommend all of their thoughtful discussions on their “What’s Streaming” episodes.

I’ve previously recommended the Do You Like Apples weekly newsletter, so I’m proud to share I contributed twice in March! I wrote about Love and Basketball, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and one of my all-time favorite Julia Roberts rom-coms, Notting Hill. (I also tied to win their Oscars pool, but I suppose that’s less exciting for you than me.)

It was a busy couple of months on SO IT’S A SHOW! New logo, new email list, new Instagram, and a host of new episodes about a flop of a Madonna flick, a Swedish children’s TV show, an urban legend turned into a horror movie, one of the best films about journalism ever, and a Martin Scorsese movie about a real boxer.

Most of what I wrote for ZekeFilm in March and April was mentioned in Best of 2020 recommendations…except for The Nest, a film that couldn’t figure out what genre it wanted to be.

Photo credits: Nick Jonas, Royal Family. All others IMDb.com.

[galindaelphaba]

tag 9 people to learn more about their interests!

tagged by @juliansbaker and @brockedavis. Thanks for tagging me 💖💖💖

MUSIC

fave genre? i love pop music and all of its subgenres. i also love indie music.

fave artist? britney of course

fave song? i have too many, but i will go with oops i did it again

most listened song recently? i love you but i love me more by marina

song currently stuck in your head? this is me from camp rock (i watched it today so that’s why)

5 fave lyrics? Ok here are some totally random picks

Guess I can't see no harm / In working and being a mama / And with a kid on my arm I'm still an exceptional earner - Piece of Me by Britney Spears

You got a white picket fence and your dad's got a gun / And when you see the police there's no reason to run / You got a job, and a car, and a good dental plan / You got health insurance, pocket money ... Damn - New America by Marina

I'm a dynasty / The pain in my vein is hereditary - Dynasty by Rina Sawayama

You are the hole in my head / You are the space in my bed / You are the silence in between what I thought and what I said - No Light, No Light by Florence + the Machine

This dream isn't feeling sweet / We're reeling through the midnight streets / And I've never felt more alone / It feels so scary getting old - Ribs by Lorde

radio or your own playlist | solo artists or bands | pop or indie | loud or silent volume I slow or fast songs | music video or lyrics video | speakers or headset | riding a bus in silence or while listening to music | driving in silence or with radio on

BOOKS

fav book genre? young adult fiction and classics. cookbooks too lmao

fav writer? harper lee, truman capote, f. scott fitzgerald

fav book? to kill a mockingbird

fav book series? the mortal instruments (💀)

comfort book? I don’t really read enough anymore to have one tbh

perfect book to read on a rainy day? 

fave characters? alec lightwood, izzy lightwood, magnus bane, jem carstairs, atticus finch (one of these is not like the others help)

5 quotes from your fave book that you know by heart? 

i don’t know any book quotes by heart

hardcover or paperback | buy or rent | standalone novels or book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or during the day | reading at home or in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

TV AND MOVIES

fave tv/movie genre? i love teen dramas, disney stuff and horror movies

fave movie? heathers and any of the comfort movies listed below

comfort movie? mermaids, death becomes her, first wives club, legally blonde, beauty and the beast, mulan and scream

movie you watch every year? i don’t know tbh

fave tv show? veronica mars, hart of dixie, one tree hill, bates motel

comfort tv show? hart of dixie and oth

most rewatched tv show? probably oth tbh

5 fave characters? veronica mars, lemon breeland, gina porter, norma bates and faith lehane

tv shows or movie | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or full seasons (22 episodes or more) | one episode a week or binging | one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes | subtitles on or off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

tagging (no pressure of course): @anthonyhopkinz @paulwalkerr @sallysimpsons @charismascarpenter @etherealkies @fionagallaqher @magnusedom @andremichaux @natanscott and anyone else who wants to do it