#now that they've found their true match they want to try all sorts of weird stuff

[mischievous-thunder]

[astrxlfinale]

He finds the way she responds to it interesting. How those shades give her a look into what merely was a truth that wasn't rolling into any obtuse form. Right now, this didn't feel like the grounds for him to deliver input. In this moment, seeing her actively explore all of this, as if there's a starting branch of acceptance being lent to him was all he could've hoped for.

In a way it felt weird if he tried to actively extend and try to dissect the smallest details about her. To hold not a form of leverage, rather, things he could come to predict if the time ever called for it. This is what prompts the approach that holds pristine before her very eyes, two souls before the moon as she's given the grounds to pour her heart out. "Simply a means of using me?" Lighter parrots, and a giveaway detail of his thoughts was the way he tastes the words.

Truth be told? His imagination wasn't finding any grounds of success in that.

What Zarina presented as a possibility is a broader truth to look out for. Something that, at least to their bond, would just feel alien. Ever since the day they've found resolution to friendship in that bar, to continue as survivors, an active decision was made to never let that faith become misplaced.

His lips briefly thin, tensed before he turns to meet that disposition beyond The Beauty. Right now that very look entrenched in a pristine, practiced nature truly felt no different like a sharp blade. It felt cool and momentarily drawn to the pulse of his throat. It was radically different from that belly deep laughter shared within her home. For an instant, New Eridu, old Eridu, everything was washed away as they remained as two souls.

Existing upon that couch, and holding a natural solace that almost felt alien due to their lines of life.

"Zarina.." It'd be from her very name alone that a decision of sorts could be gleaned. That's the thing, amidst this dusted bench and before her challenges, Lighter wasn't proposing anything made to amuse this possibility.

Truthfully? It just hurts.

Was this pain similar to what she ran across? That fleeting part of her history, to even mention the Old Capital feels like a dangerous tell. That in a way, so much of her still haven't left those very grounds that molded her. Molded her means of protection and also what left her worse off. Surviving.

Didn't the core of this pain always have the means of playing off What ifs? Right now, the very soul determined to look towards nothing but the future willingly opened a door to her past, and right now they were peeking into it.

"I'd be the person that believes in what we've made." Not the fool, not the fallen, but the person before that touch of finality would rend anything apart. In this moment, a sense of determination began to simmer underneath his gaze as they met each other, eye to eye. "Something like that, I shouldn't be guessing on."

"And it shouldn't be something for me to figure out this way." To daringly dance into such a thorny maze, to assume, to even trying to match the weight of what she could find this precious felt damning. Instead, he'd come to reach into his pocket, setting his shades aside for a moment in order to bring out a familiar slip. This time a pen found itself joining the parchment as he began to actively write something down.

'Additionally, I will remain true to my Wishmaker title bestowed by you. You can ask for anything, write it down, and give it to me so I can make it come true.'

It doesn't take too long at all. By the time he's finished, it's a note that's made only for the moon above and Zarina's eyes as he hands it over to her.

I wish for you to tell me your story one day, more of your experiences in the way you truly believe it.

That's the truth I want to follow through with.

"You've asked what I wanted you to see earlier through those glasses." Lighter adds up, tasting the words once more before following through with conviction. "And it was simply that. A part of my life, the fact I need a hazy shade since the intensity of colors can be too much. Just something we can share outright."

Despite how she offered him the world virtually in her efforts, despite the countless possibilities that could've been woven into being. Oddly, it took Lighter a lot longer than one would imagine to find something important enough to request of her on such a scale, even if he could've made it simple.

Lighter simply did not have that in him. Right now, this felt important enough to call upon his Wishmaker for.

Considerate? 

The word causes her melancholic expression to turn sour, a frown crossing her feminine features as she presses her lips together. It’s too different compared to what others see and what she prefers others seeing. Let them see her as calculative,as intelligent, as cruel, as strong. Considerate? It makes her bark out a laugh then, something sharp and rough, not anything like laughter they’ve shared together. It sounds ridiculous. He sounds ridiculous to her. (It hurts, the laughter tastes bitter on the tongue.)

The only reason she began all of this was because she didn’t care enough to hide, exhausted and tired and wanting to have some damn free time from the repetitive ambitions. Lighter was fun, he was warm, and he was alive. He possessed reminders of what kind of people she wished were there before when the world took away everything and kicked her while she was lying down. Lighter was a look at what she believes could’ve been if the world around her was better, just a bit. 

If only there was someone back then who reached their hand out to her. 

But it was too late. She already built herself an empire from scratch and no one can take that away from her. 

His next actions make her look at him, golden eyes sharper than ever with distance put between them for a second. Not physical, but in how she looks at him: guarded, unreachable, and ready to strike if anything is amiss. As if he will strike her in the moment of vulnerability, but it quickly dissipates when she sees the way he looks at her and offers his prized possession to her. His sunglasses. Her body relaxes as she looks at his accessory with a narrowed gaze before reaching out to take it wordlessly. 

As she puts them on, the light of the Moon no longer has that bright ethereal shine. The hazy and greyish filter covers what she sees. The world feels different, but she doesn’t know how it makes her feel. It feels similar to how she sees the world, but it’s still different. She doesn’t dream of unreachable ideals but her dreams, from her perspective, are simply impossible. At this stage.

Initially, Sokolova is silent as she looks around in his sunglasses, heaviness never leaving before she begins. “You don’t need to ask to see the good parts. It’s what everyone prefers. The good attracts more attention and makes others feel better, more malleable and willing to cooperate.” Her voice comes out dry, lacking any emotion or wish to show him a better view of herself. “People are naturally attracted to the better parts of others and are less likely to approach those who showcase so-called negative aspects of oneself.”

No one cared to listen to her side of the story. She was strong, wasn’t she? She was supposed to bear the weight with her head held high and walk it off, push forward and not allow anything to push her off her pedestal. Countless people she met wanted the brightness, the beauty. The good sides that gave them something. Because ‘heroes’ and ‘leaders’ are supposed to shine the brightest. Smile for the camera, be a pretty eye candy, and use all of that to your advantage. Remain elegant and strong, immovable and lead without facing away from responsibility. 

“I don’t know how you see the world, Lighter. What I see remains… as how the world is,” she sighs, taking off his glasses carefully and offering them back. “I don’t… understand what you want me to see.” Because I can’t afford to look at it differently.

There is gravity in her words, the heaviness of too much experience that doesn’t let go yet is pushing her forward. Zarina still doesn’t look at him, instead looking to the side while speaking her mind. Isolation is something she’s used to, being alone is something she grew accustomed to… until their meeting that was supposed to be just a one-off and then she was supposed to get that deal with Pompey and add another chess piece to her board of planning. Section 6 is already doing enough as it is.

“It would’ve been so much easier if you just called me a witch like the rest of them instead of telling me what I wish someone told me before,” she says, bringing her hand to massage the bridge of her nose. It would’ve been easier if he just left… Or so she believes. It’s what she’s used to, instead of someone choosing to stay. “You call me considerate. But what if I’m doing all of this to make you more comfortable with me so I can use you for my benefit in the future?” 

Then, she looks at him and gives him a smile. It’s a charming and sweet smile, but it lacks that mirth and playfulness usually seen. Instead, her gaze lacks any familiar ‘considerate’ trait and any warmth. If anything, it is analytical and testing; almost judging every move and action that’ll happen after. 

“Because that’s how they did it in Eridu where I was raised. To use everything to my advantage because anything and anyone will try to do that to me.” Do you remember what I told you about filling my days by using others to my delight? A one night delight, drowning in hedonistic ecstasy simply to fill the void inside. “My appearance, my behavior, even my tone of voice. What if everything is a nicely created image to make you lower your guard?” 

However, she knows that Lighter’s not just that body to use for her pleasure. He’s been someone who she allowed in because she wanted to try one last time to believe in something better after spending more time with him. The last attempt to hope before she could erase it all, one last attempt to believe in humanity’s warmth. He’s perceptive and observant, there’s been too many times where it didn’t benefit her to put him and Sons of Calydon ahead of her. 

But then, her charming smile falls to give him the same plain and calm look. Her respect for him doesn't allow her to truly push this narrative. 

“Wish I could mean that this time, but I cannot. You and the Sons of Calydon… You remind me too much of what I wish I could have had.” Their beginning did set up the respect and honesty, and she continues to abide by it. At the very end. "What do you think my unreachable dream is, Lighter?"

[gaybarbiegirl]

00s Barbie Rewatch - The Nutcracker (2001)

Starting off with a banger here

The soundtrack of this movie is so pretty

Am I the only one who finds those baby fairies weird? I don't know, they give me unconfortable vibes

I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I LOVE the storyteller Barbie sequences, and I think it's a shame they didn't keep them up for all of the movies

Seriously, why did they shift to that weird "Barbie is an actress" thing when this felt so much sweeter and more personal, and worked so much better?

Aunt Drosselmeyer's and Clara's relationship >>>>>>

Clara really saw a rat in full body armor sitting on her couch and her reaction was "shoo, shoo"

Oof defeated by a shoe

Ok but what's the story behind that owl? Was she also a human transformed by the Rat King, but instead of trying to turn back she just chills as a clock all day?

HOW does the owl know this much? I need a prequel movie about her, please

The snow fairies' dance sequence looks so gorgeous, just take the baby fairy out of there and it's gonna be perfect

Also, why doesn't the baby fairy have blue skin and hair like the others? And why is she just as tall and twice as wide as the adult fairies?

I'm gonna complain about these baby fairies for the whole movie, I'm sorry

I think flowers should grow out of my footsteps when I walk too. I think I deserve it

Ah yes, the mandatory annoying children arrive

Captain Candy defending Eric and asking about what happened to him 🥺

I love how Clara is smart and realizes the Nutcracker is Eric right away

Also love how the movie realizes that the audience isn't dumb and probably picked this up by now, so instead of making the main twist about Eric they make it about Clara

Mentally I'm here

Oh no, another baby fairy

At least her color scheme sort of matches the adult fairies, but her proportions are even worse than the last one's

THE FLOWER FAIRIES HAVE A CRUSH ON CLARA, I REPEAT, THE FLOWER FAIRIES HAVE A CRUSH ON CLARA

I wanna dance with flower fairies...

This whole movie is just me wishing I was Clara

Clara really gives great pep talks

The Rat king doesn't do much other than mumbling vague threats to himself in his throne room, does he?

Captain Candy defending Eric again without even knowing it 🥺

THAT BABY FAIRY IS GIGANTIC, I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH, IT'S MAKING ME SO UNCONFORTABLE

Why did these rat guards trust a random human girl they've never seen before?

Look at Clara being smart again, good for her

I like how Clara is the one who gives the prince the true love's kiss that saves him, not the other way around

That being said, I liked Eric better as a nutcracker. Seeing him as a human now just feels weird

Clara's transformation, on the other hand, is a 10/10

Captain Candy telling the crowd to cheer for Eric 🥺

YESSS THE DANCES

I'M DYING IS THIS OLD GUY OK?

Wait, wait, wait, this movie actually has a kiss!! Like, on screen!!

How did Eric travel across worlds so fast without the scepter?

Ok but how does this story correlate to learning new dance steps? Like, Clara fought against evil rats in a magical world and found out she was a princess, so I should rehearse my coreography more? What?

Final thoughts:

Mattel REALLY came through with this first movie, and showed they weren't gonna be messing around with this whole 'Barbie movie' thing. I think this movie pretty much embodies some of the best qualities of the Barbie movies: we have a beautiful soundtrack, an enchanting magical world that you genuinely want to explore, a whimsical feel to the whole adventure, a brave, clever, and kind protagonist who takes the lead and saves herself, and a really nice message for the kids watching.

There were some things I didn't like about the movie, of course, like the annoying and unnecessary kids, some adventure sequences that felt like filler and didn't really add a lot to the story, and the baby fairies from hell. But overall, I think this movie was a great way to start the Barbie movie franchise, and I really enjoyed rewatching it.