#out of all the things ive missed out on in 2021 and 22

[melosjournal]

catching up on some SLands stuff I want before DF and its all just making me horribly sad. I remember talking to my friend about all the new locations and scenery and the RP potential, even sitting around and admiring new furniture model, imagining how much fun I could have there. I barely remember 2021 and 2022 from how far removed I was from myself. I know I was roleplaying in 2021, but I can barely recall it. It feels like 2 years of opportunities to play and roleplay with my friends just slipped between my fingers and mentally, I’m still stuck in Ardenweald. I haven’t moved past it at all, it’s going to be 2023 soon and I’m still going to be stuck in January of 2021, finding some shred of hope and comfort in Ardenweald. Maybe one day I can create some stories or host a small campaign in Bastion and Ardenweald to appreciate these zones that I did love so deeply

[lampmeeting]

IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME, Y'ALL!! 👀

What is Kloktober?: An incredibly zazzy event taking place in October where we celebrate all things Metalocalypse. There’s a prompt for every day of the month to interpret as you see fit! Draw, write, paint, cosplay, make memes - all forms of participation are welcome!

How do I participate?: Make your totally brutal creation inspired by the day’s prompt and post it using the tag #kloktober2023 - it’s just that simple! Post it here, post it to Instagram, post it to AO3, post it to Twitter, wherever, go nuts!

Am I allowed to–YUP, ANYTHING GOES! There are no wrong answers during Kloktober! :D Your interpretation of a prompt is VALID. If you only want to do a few days, that’s VALID. Don’t burn yourself out, this is for fun! (Even I won’t be doing all of them, so don’t stress!)

What if I haven't seen the movie yet? No worries! If there's a prompt that doesn't suit you, please feel free to reach back in time and choose a prompt from a previous year's Kloktober (2022, 2021, or 2020). And as always, if you have any questions about anything, hit me up!

(plain-text list of prompts below the cut)

1. favorite character or OTP

2. favorite AOTD scene

3. Mordhaus Costume Ball

4. your fave headcanon

5. Abigail Appreciation Day

6. comedy or tragedy

7. missing AOTD scene?

8. mermaids or monsters

9. inspired by Dethalbum IV

10. came back Different

11. horror movie crossover

12. your favorite villain

13. nightmares or visions

14. use a fall food or drink

15. Dethklok on vacation

16. In Memorium: honor the fallen

17. give someone a brand new look

18. inspired by a metal song

19. inspired by an UN-metal song

20. original character or self-insert

21. Dethstaff gets a day off

22. sea horror or cosmic horror

23. use a character new to you

24. novel or video game crossover

25. campfire or left in the cold

26. pick a tarot card for inspiration

27. old fears or new understandings

28. use Brendon Small in some way

29. so what happens after AOTD?

30. HALLOWEEN!!!

31. YOUR choice!

[secrets-of-everwich]

02-1 A Link?

[Click]

{Callie}

Hello, this is Callie Hewitt and is it okay to say it’s spooky season yet? (Even though it started in July). This is the 1st October 2021, and I am excited for Halloween. Though, that isn’t relevant. At all. Oh well!

The Secret of Everwich I’m going to talk about today happened in the 60s, with two people called Adam Ives, and Jill Harris. I think there were more in the group, but the names are left without surnames. By this point, Manor Road would have been in construction. Oh – Manor Road is the road that leads up to Everwich Manor. It was built due to a lack of residential houses, and the owners of Everwich Manor not having enough money to keep the epic driveway depicted in photos from the 1800s. So, a lot of the land for the gardens of the Manor had been sold, and, to kill 2 birds with one stone, Manor Road sprung up!

It's still one of the more expensive roads in Everwich, but that’s probably more because of the Manor. The street isn’t as nice. Anyway, this all takes place on the other side of Everwich, on the other side of the High Street, near Lilacs Lane. That’s a road on the outskirts of Everwich, closer to the city. Quite a few medium sized houses, where nowadays a lot of older couples live. It’s a nice place to have a walk, I sometimes go there myself, and- I’m getting offtopic.

What I was wanting to talk about today is the interesting newspaper report from then, written by Michael Grenn in 1962. Please note, that this is not the Everwich Post, but a newspaper from the 60s which seems to report a lot of what nowadays we may call conspiracy theories. But, if you weren’t happy with those, I don’t think you’d be listening to this.

    ‘Latest Disappearance Close Call Suggests Serial Killer?’

    ‘For the past month, there has been a string of mysterious disappearances that have been sowing fear into the citizens of Everwich. Starting with Christopher Newell, a bus driver, who was known to be friendly and beloved by most of the community, this batch of disappearances may be linked.

    ‘Jill Harris, 22, was found bleeding in Lilacs Lane last night at 11pm. Sources suggest she was coming back from a meeting when attacked. Her friend, Adam Ives, who lives nearby, explained how he saw Jill lying on the floor, semi-conscious:

    ‘I had heard a commotion close to my house. I knew things weren’t right in this town, so went out to investigate. When I saw my friend lying there, I knew something was wrong. I thought I saw a pale child run away, but I didn’t recognise him.’

Well, I’m glad Adam was walking nearby. The article continues to explain that there’s a serial killer, and suggests a family as the source, but I don’t buy that theory. I’m sure this was the Everwich Ghost. Come on, a pale child running away from a dead body? What other creepy pale children do we know live in Everwich who nobody seems to know. It may seem like a stretch to you, but almost every sighting of the Everwich Ghost are accompanied by deaths, disappearances, or injuries. I think Jill Harris was about to become the next victim.

What I am interested in, however, is the quote: ‘I knew things weren’t right in this town’. Now, there’s not much else about Adam or Jill that makes me think they’re the sort to believe in conspiracy theories from publicity – Adam became a CEO of a fancy company, and so did his son, while Jill left Everwich to pursue acting. Both are retired now. So that quote is interesting. I’ll have to do some digging. One of my brother’s friends is Adam’s granddaughter, so perhaps I can ask her to get me in touch with him!

Anyway, Adam was right. Things aren’t right in this town. There’s a lot of people like Christopher Newell, mentioned in the paper, who have disappeared. I’m missing a piece, I’m sure of it, but I know it’s the Everwich Ghost. It’s just, I don’t know how a ghost could travel the entire length of the town, when my best theory suggests the Everwich Ghost’s primary base should be this manor. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there’s been a lot of sightings in the Manor, but most of the deaths occurred outside. People got to know that the Manor was haunted, so stopped going in.

[Pause]

I want to know if there was a pattern. A pattern between all the disappearances. Did they know something? Were they just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Is the Everwich Ghost targeting descendants of those who ridiculed them in life? There’s definitely a link between the Florences’ deaths and the near-death of Jill Harris. I just need to find it.

Until then, this has been Callie. Thanks for listening!

[Click]

[ss-trashboat]

I posted 1,502 times in 2022

That's 1,171 more posts than 2021!

412 posts created (27%)

1,090 posts reblogged (73%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@chrissybxo

@ss-trashboat

@sybilius

@zumo-san

I tagged 1,449 of my posts in 2022

Only 4% of my posts had no tags

#wrasslin - 743 posts

#queue - 610 posts

#my beloved - 387 posts

#trashy yells - 180 posts

#my art - 105 posts

#wrasslin yells - 86 posts

#traditional art - 72 posts

#fan art - 72 posts

#trashy watches tag league - 66 posts

#wrestling fan art - 54 posts

Longest Tag: 124 characters

#ive known salty for close to 12 years now cause i started talking to her cause i loved her art back then and she was so nice

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

and here we draw hands and shirts for adam cole bay bay ~

29 notes - Posted February 17, 2022

#4

Wrestleblr Secret Santa

welcome! this is just a fun little thing to spread some serotonin this holiday season. not necessarily holiday related, but something to pick up our spirits this holiday season ~

here is the form to fill out (i hope it works i haven't made one before lol). there's something for everyone here: writers, gif makers, editors, all artists welcome!!

i will be accepting applications for a week so they will close at midnight est on december 4th. then i will start assigning people! will be done through tumblr messenger so if you're not cool with that let me know please.

pieces are due to your partner by the end of the year, december 31st, but you absolutely can post sooner! if something comes up and you're unable to complete, let me know! we will have an option to be a back up artist, and i will also be a back up artist for anyone that's unable to complete on time.

most important, have fun! this is a super casual thing (i've never thrown one of these before so it's a learning process lol) so enjoying yourself is the most important thing. let me know if you have any questions, and share to tell your friends!!

43 notes - Posted November 27, 2022

#3

happy death before dishonor day, part two. beloved boi yoots, cause ofc i had to get all those emotions out of my system oof

45 notes - Posted July 23, 2022

#2

hey guys

so i wanna put together a fund of sorts to get night back to the states for a con in february. not much has been fleshed out as they're just announcing people, but there's a sentimental one for night and i just really want this to happen. cause who knows when we'll get to do this again. and i just. really miss my best friend

i know this is a long shot, especially before the holidays, but any little bit helps. i'm linking my ko-fi here that has the goal. i have some tiers set up as well as commission options. i'll also add the art i have for sale over time too.

share and tell your friends. let's start 2023 off great for night <33

55 notes - Posted October 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

babe made me a sheet to make things easier to share, but im taking sketch commissions! these will be on smaller paper, around 5x7 and 7x9, and can be shipped to you! only one person per page tho as they're smaller. will also do non-wrestling. these are for trip funds so please share and tell your friends!!

68 notes - Posted June 22, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[magnichant]

I posted 1,274 times in 2022

That's 1,268 more posts than 2021!

89 posts created (7%)

1,185 posts reblogged (93%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@solid-no-on-that-one

@theobot

@queen-evanlyn

@dracomysthical

@elias-the-alien

I tagged 237 of my posts in 2022

#homestuck - 38 posts

#magnichart - 35 posts

#davekat - 22 posts

#theobot - 17 posts

#dave strider - 13 posts

#karkat vantas - 10 posts

#davekatweek - 7 posts

#dirk strider - 7 posts

#davekatweek2022 - 7 posts

#cherp - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 134 characters

#i think the most obscure thing i ever looked up for a fanwork was specific information regarding anesthesia used on horses for surgery

I sent 1 gift in 2022

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

GT: Did you want to be next mr strider?

spooky jake autumn

im still trying to figure out what this man looks like and i dont color much anymore but hey you know here we go

why do i always post these in the middle of the night lol

81 notes - Posted October 2, 2022

#4

what is this outfitok @theobot i made his sleeves wider but please enjoy this strider flirting with karkat from The Worst Goddamn Movies Ever Made 

if yall havent read it yet you really should it’s some of the best davekat writing ive ever laid eyes on

strider is a wretched bastard and i love him more than life itself

91 notes - Posted April 24, 2022

#3

😏😜🤐😍😎

this is normal unaffiliated homestuck fanart

edit: just kidding i tricked you all it was The Worst Goddamn Movies Ever Fucking Made spoilers

100 notes - Posted August 24, 2022

#2

hey dude

sorry i havent been by i guess i just uh

well anyway i hope you dont mind i borrowed your uh

how is

fuck

this is such shit

we all knew the immortality thing was a real kick in the teeth but it just 

i feel like you should have had it too

at least then we would have been stuck here together right

karkat

i hope that wherever you are

youre not missing me like i miss you

@davekatweek

day 3: sadstuck

122 notes - Posted September 1, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I made an attempt, at least

131 notes - Posted April 3, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ahundredtimesover]

January 2021 Reads

Happy 2021 to us! I wrote my first fic this month so all the more love to these lovely authors bc damn this shit is hard (reblog & comment on their works!) But anyway, again, note the angst, fluff, and smut descriptions and much love to our blond lil bun jk 🐰

1. Second chances by @parkhabits (a, f, s) - exes au, husband au, CEO jk (read if you want a really satisfying fic about pain, longing, & a love that never dies ALSO incredible smut and hothothot ceo jk)

2. Babesitter by @randombtsprincessa (s) - childhood friends au (read if you want not-so-innocent and cheeky little shit jk and great sexual tension and smut)

3. Arrow to the heart by @kidguk (f, s) - f2l, gang au, neighbors au (read if you want gang drama but something actually really soft and cute)

4. Photographs by @honeyedhoseok (a, f) - lovers au (read if you want something sad and a lil heartbreaking with the right fluff to wrap it up)

5. Holidating by @yeojaa (f, s) - bf2l, childhood friends au (read if you want a romcom type fic, really fun characters and depiction of relationships, and something warm and fuzzy)

6. Friday nights and take out series by me (my first fic pls let me know what you think) (a, f, s) - f2l, idol jk (read if you want good friend jk and a mix of angst and fluff and things in between)

7. Simmer down and pucker up + The aces up your sleeve by @outroshooky (a, s) - bf2l, friends with benefits (read if you want something sooo painful and poetic and vivid and just an angst train but with a satisfying end)

8. Rattled series by @gukslut (a, f, s) - s2l, neighbors au, dad jk (read if you want a classic and a fully formed, well-thought out, and beautifully written story that will break and heal you)

9. Exclamation mark by @whatifyoulivelikethat (s) - tattoo artist au (read if you want something self-indulgent and incredibly hot with shy and smitten but secretly filthy jk)

10. Arm candy by @bisougi (s) - ceo jk (read if you want a quick read of ceo jk being so turned on bc he’s hot and this is hot)

11. Countless promises by @sungvin97 (f) - s2l (read if you want a love at first sight and wholesome flirting type of fic)

12. Hurts good by @mercurygguk (a, f, s) - boyfriend au (read if you want some good make up sex)

13. On call pt1 + pt2 by @yoonjinkooked (f, s) - s2l, doctor jk (read if you want something cute and fun and hot bc trauma surgeon jk is your dream boyfriend)

14. I miss you by @yoonjinkooked (a, f) - bf2l (read if you want the right amount of angst with a fun and cute fluffy ending)

15. Stay gold by @yeojaa (s) - boyfriend au (read if you want a quick read of blond jk being playful and a cute and a fun depiction of a relationship)

16. Knot today by @kinktae (s) - bf2l, werewolf au, roommates au, college au (read if you want a/b/o context and goooood smut)

17: Busted in busan by @hansolmates (f) - s2l (read if you want a romcom and serendipitous type fic that’s cute and warm and soft)

18. Contentment by @btsqualityy (f, s) - werewolf au, boyfriend au, alpha jk (read if you want wildly horny and smitten and soft and hot boyfriend jk)

19. Room 109 by @lavishedinjimin (s) - werewolf au, college au, roommates au, alpha jk (read if you want cocky but sweet alpha jk and good smut)

20. Rough edges pt1, pt2, pt3, pt4, pt5, pt6, pt6.5, pt7 + scenario & drabble1 & drabble2 (ongoing) by @kjhmyg (f, s) - boyfriend au, college au, bad boy jk (read if you want tension with super sweet and smitten bad boy jk and super cute OC and something fun and stressful but really good stuff and really good smut)

21. Temptation series by @aiimaginesbts (a, s) - werewolf au, workmates au (read if you want incredible and beautiful and hot smut and werewolf angst it hurt but shit this is sooo good)

22. Crescent bound by @parkhabits (f, s) - bf2l, werewolf au (read if you want a YA werewolf-type of fic with the right amount of fluff, smut, and humor)

23. Hot boy bummer by @jungkxook (f, s) - bf2l, friends with benefits, fuckboy jk (read if you want cocky blond fuckboy jk with fun banter and good smut)

24. Life eternal by @jungkookiebus (a, f, s) - fantasy au, fae au (read if you want pain and beauty of a fae jk fic that’s well-written)

25. Remote learning + Distance learning by @hansolmates (f, s) - f2l, neighbors au (read if you want a well-balanced fic of cute, fun, sweet, smut, and humor with lovable characters and a really fun relationship dynamic)

26. Chasing butterflies by @ddaenggtan (s) - s2l, college au, weeb jk, nerd jk (read if you want really relatable OC for how much she thirsts for jk and really cute nerd jk & all-around good fic with really good smut)

27. Ruin the friendship + Over the edge by @kpopfanfictrash (a, f, s) - bf2l, college au, jock jk (read if you want a really good bf2l fic that’s soft and a tiny bit angsty that becomes funny bc of ot7 but with reallyyyyy good smut)

28. An exercise in restraint by @ttttaehyungie (s) - boyfriend au (read if you want beautifully written and really good sensual smut and subby jk)

29. A date with destiny by @imjustfanfictrash (s) - idol au (read if you want something fun and really humorous with good sexual tension and really good smut)

30. Starboy by @sugaxjpg (s) - college au, frat boy jk (read if you want reallyyyy good smut)

31. Calculated IV by @whatifyoulivelikethat (s) - college au, boyfriend au (read if you want really good smut and such a hot and fun couple)

32. Catharsis + drabble by @junghelioseok (s) - college au, friends with benefits au (read if you want really hot smut with threesome ft. Jimin, with beast in bed but really shy and adorable jk)

33. After hours by @ggukcangetit (s) - workmates au, school au, teacher jk (read if you want something short and fun with adorably hot and shy and cheeky jk and some good smut)

34. I missed you by @lesgetittkookie (f, s) - college au, boyfriend au, jock jk (read if you want a feel good fic of sweet and sexy couple lovemaking)

35. Young alpha + Falling into you by @aroseforyoongi (a, f, s) - bf2l, werewolf au, soulmates au (read if you want a good werewolf/soulmates premise and some good smut)

(monthly reads masterpost)

[bathofmercury]

I posted 45 times in 2021

15 posts created (33%)

30 posts reblogged (67%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 2.0 posts.

I added 212 tags in 2021

#warlock - 36 posts

#dnd - 35 posts

#pact ideas - 25 posts

#eldritch - 23 posts

#5e - 22 posts

#dungeons and dragons - 19 posts

#pact - 17 posts

#dnd 5e - 16 posts

#player character - 10 posts

#fifth edition - 9 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#speaking of mistakes if ive said anything mean or offensive by accident please message me and ill take this down im not trying to be shitty

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

your patron isn’t give you magic because of a deal you made but rather an implicit understanding that if you didn’t have some kind of leg up you’d never make it to the end of the month without getting yourself hurt somehow

84 notes • Posted 2021-12-01 00:02:06 GMT

#4

Your patron is a succubus/incubus and all they powers they give you are to be used between the sheets and they get really mad when you use them in the streets 

104 notes • Posted 2021-11-13 09:16:56 GMT

#3

You find the woman who never lies in a tavern, on a night with no moon you ask her for help.

“Of course I will. You are my chosen.” She says with such conviction that you believe her without hesitation. You were always her chosen.

That night you find a vagrant curled up in a ball outside the tavern, all the mead in the world couldn’t numb the pain in his chest. You try to help, whisper words of encouragement.

“It’s ok. You’re strong. You can beat this.”

The vagrant stands on shaky feet, maybe the pain in his chest wasn’t as bad as you thought you place him arm over your shoulder and walk him to safety but on your way home you stumble into a group of ruffians and you get the sense that by helping the vagrant you have taken away their fun for this evening, for a moment things seem tense.

“This isn’t you, go back to your families.”

Two of the three men nod. You aren’t lying, they realise that they are good men and they stumble away to the families that they have always had. But the third man is confused, its not that you are lying but it seems that there’s something that keeping him from accepting the truth, you look him over and see the blood on his knuckles and you hear a child’s voice groan in pain from the alleyway the man emerged from. You have a realisation.

“You should be more careful friend. You’re on fire.”

You’re not lying, you never lie.

143 notes • Posted 2021-04-11 09:31:17 GMT

#2

Ways your characters can transition between genders within the mechanics of dnd

this is not at all what this blog is usually about but I recently watched Identity: a trans coming out story by philosophy tube and like a true nerd I saw a moving and breath-taking piece of art and immediately attempted to apply it to Dungeons and dragons.

1. The Witches brew

The viscous green liquid within the cauldron bubbled as a wizened hand stirred with a gnarled wooden spoon “Sip once a day, every day for a year” croaked the witch “but never during the full moon”

A potion or blessing provided by the local wise woman/witches coven/hag that will slowly but surely transform the subject. This idea is maybe less steeped in the mechanics of dnd but this idea seems so classically witchy i had to include it plus this would likely be the only method of transition available for the common folks in your average dnd setting, for DM’s a fun level 1 adventure for your hero's could maybe include a character wishes to brew a potion of transitioning but is missing a vital ingredient and the party must set off on a quest to find it or it could be more of a long term thing, maybe one of the PCs is using such a potion and must occasionally either return to the witches hut to stock up or gather the ingredients themselves, lots of possibilities.

I thought that a slower transformation was appropriate since witches are fairly low level in the grand scheme of things however hags are known for making deals so maybe your character has bargained for a faster transition but then the question is what did they offer in exchange?

2. By Divine Favour

You kneel and whisper a prayer as you had done a thousand times before but this time something was different, from the sky, a beam of golden light falls down upon you and you feel power deep within your bones.

The gods are the most powerful creatures in the lore of dnd but with that comes a degree of separation, the gods are not likely to grant your wishes just because you asked so your best bet is to go to a cleric or become one yourself, spell wise however there is little they can do for you unless the dm has a very generous interpretation of the term ‘restoration’ luckily clerics have the divine intervention feat where they roll a d100 and if the number they roll is below their cleric level they can call on their deity for aid with a specific task, this task can be anything from drying out the laundry with some sun beams or alleviating dysphoria with a godly transfiguration. clerics get this ability at level 10 which means that there's a one in ten chance of success from the beginning and they can perform it once per long rest so just hang out with them for a fortnight and wait for luck to turn your way.

3. A Pact From Beyond

You hang in space as if swimming in an ocean and flying through the clouds all at once. You feel a mind older that time and vast enough to swallow a city whole asks you “what is it you desire?”

Here we are at my bread and butter. Eldritch pacts have been made for much less than a definitive change of identity so you could also throw in that your friends and family will only remember you as your new identity or you could just have anyone who ever deadnames you sucked into the nine hells.

There are other option if you don’t want to base your entire pact on transitioning. At second level you gain access to eldritch invocations one of which could be mask of many faces which allows you to cast disguise self at will without using a spell slot, what this means is that you can decide how your character looks 100% of the time. disguise self only lasts an hour but you can just cast it again and again. obviously this is a low level ability so it does have limits, the main draw back is that the spell is only an illusion. you can make your character look a certain way but you can’t change their body, at least until 7th level when you can get the sculptor of flesh invocation that allows you to cast polymorph but sadly you do have to use a spell lot for this invocation so even though you will have a proper transformation it will at most last an hour.

but hey the situation isn't hopeless I’ve heard that unfathomable eldritch beings are very reasonable creatures as long as you are willing to negotiate.

4. Find a wizard

“The ritual lasts an hour and requires you to be completely submerged” Said the kindly old man as he excitedly hopped around his arcane laboratory showing off his research which is complete gibberish to you “the magic of the clay will sustain you but if you are uncomfortable with the sensation of not breathing I have some improvised wooden reeds which you could use to breath through however a foreign body within the ritual may require me to take a little extra time to...” 

You silence him with a wave of your hand “Don't worry about it.” You lie back on the table “Lets begin,” 

Wizards have access to a larger amount of spells that other classes but only a few of those spells are fit for our purposes, Wizards have access to disguise self which we discussed in the previous section as well as alter self which would be perfect for our needs if it wasn't for the hour long time limit, if you can find a way to keep the alter self spell up indefinitely through either a magic item or a round the clock team of spell casters who take turns casting every hour, you would have a better time but even then it is an ongoing magical effect so it can be cancelled either by a dispel magic spell or an antimagic field but fear not dear reader! for wizards have the ultimate trans spell... Widowgast’s Transmogrification.

Now technically this spell isn’t part of official dnd material however the world the spell exists in is an official dnd world so I consider it cannon by proxy. Widowgast’s transmogrification is a spell that permanently transforms a willing humanoids body into another type of humanoid body this means you can change the race and/or gender of the subject. So you essentially get to look exactly how you want to with no magical baggage. There are some drawbacks of course this is a 6th level spell so you need to be at least an 11th level wizard to be able to cast it or you need to find a trustworthy wizard which is a challenge in of itself plus the spell components are costly but in my opinion the pros of the unique spell outweigh the cons.

181 notes • Posted 2021-02-17 04:31:07 GMT

#1

You were going to be a paladin but you ticked the wrong box on your contract and now you're a celestial warlock who is slightly pissed off by their lack of melee options

238 notes • Posted 2021-09-28 19:13:56 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[daily-coloring]

Best of 2021 - Songs

The year when nothing turned out the way I had hoped. The most anticipated records turned to be the most disappointing but nevermind. Maybe next time. Full playlist here.

01. MARINA - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land

02. O Future - And You’re Mine

03. Will o’ the Wisp + Rick Astley - Burning

04. Orla Gartland - You’re Not Special, Babe

05. Nilufer Yanya - Stabilise

06. VLURE - Shattered Faith

07. Korelless - Joy Squad

08. Joywave - Pray For the Reboot

09. Joy Crookes - 19th Floor

10. Saint Etienne - Music Again

11. JMSN - What Did I Get Myself Into

“ What did I get myself into?  I got a whole long list of stupid things that I shouldn't ever choose to do  Second guessin' every second why I do what I do  Yeah 'cause I ain't got a clue (clue), yeah  And I got 50 million silly little eloquent excuses I could choose to use, to use “

12. Erika de Casier - Drama

13. Emika + Paul Frick - In Parallel II

14. Duran Duran - Invisible

15. Bo Burnham - Problematic

16. Bawrut + Cosmo - Eurocasbah

17. Alan Fitzpatrick + Kele - W.A.I.S.T.D.

18. MARINA - Highly Emotional People

19. u-Ziq - Sketty

20. Charlotte Adigery + Boris Pupul - Thank You

21. Daniel Avery - Yesterday Faded

22. Duran Duran + Tove Lo - Give It All Up

23. Eomac - What Does Your Heart Tell You?

24. For Those I Love - You Stayed/To Live

25. Garbage - Godhead

26. Japanese Breakfast - Be Sweet

27. Joywave - The Inversion

28. MARINA - Flowers

29. O Future - Plastic Fruit

30. Purity Ring - soshy

31. Shygirl - Cleo

32. The The - Sentimental Journey

33. Will o’ the wisp + Rick Astley - Blood on my Tie

34. Yard Act - Fixer Upper

“ Anyway, this letter, I'll just post it back 'return to sender'  Unless you know him, I think...  I think he's called Mr. J Konopinski...?  Oh no wait, that's not an M that's a D  Dr J. Konopinski, do you know him?  Sounds a bit Russian to me... Oh! Polish, I see “

35. Yebba - Boomerang

36. Maxwell Sterling - Turn of Phrase

37. Martina Topley-Bird - Weasel

38. MARINA - Venus Fly Trap

39. Lady Parts - Ain’t No One Gonna Honour Kill My Sister But Me

40. Korelless - Shellshock

41. Wolf Alice - Play The Greatest Hits

42. u-Ziq + Mrs Jynx - Unheard Melodies

43. When Saints Go Machine - Emotional

44. Sophia Kennedy - Orange Tic Tac

45. Ross From Friends - Life In A Mind

46. Nitin Sawhney + Ayanna Witter-Johnson - Movement - Variation II

47. Methyl Ethel - Matters

48. Magdalena Bay - Chaeri

49. Lady Parts - Bashir with the Good Beard

50. Joywave - Every Window is a Mirror

51. Jessie Ware - Hot N Heavy

52. Jake Bugg - Rabbit Hole

53. Technimatic + Charlotte Haining - Still Miss You

54. Tori Amos - Speaking with Trees

55. Violet Chachki + Allie X - Mistress Violet

“ Yes, you're correct in assuming that I  Prefer provocative extremes  When I attend to my businessmen  I like to show them all the seams  Most men know if they misbehave  They're gonna pay while I collect  And that's why they all come to me  So I can teach them some respect “

56. W.H. Lung - Gd Tym

57. John Tejada - Abbot of Burton

58. William Doyle - The Unanswered Why

59. Emika + Liela Moss - Angel Come

60. Duran Duran + CHAI - More Joy!

61. DJ Food - Skylark

62. Confidence Man - Holiday

63. The Chemical Brothers - The Darkness That You Fear

64. Cagedbaby + Dorothys Fortress - Attention 

65. Brodka - Game Change

66. Arca - Rakata

67. Alexis Taylor - Dying in Heaven

68. Agoria - Swipe

69. Erika de Casier - Polite

70. Fatima Al Qadiri - Medieval Femme

71. Fred again.. - Sabrina (I Am A Party)

72. Garbage - Wolves

73. Hector Oaks + COCO-PALOMA - No Hay Manana

74. Huerco S. - Plonk IV

75. The Horrors - Against The Blade

76. MARINA - I Love You But I Love Me More

77. Yebba - Stand

“ I want you  But I don't want your reasons why  You can't even look me in my eye  I told you  So don't you make me say it one more time  When you went away  Moonlight took the day  Stars and darkness all collided  In the loneliest of space  Will you stand?”

78. Walt Disco - Selfish Lover

79. UNKLE - If We Don’t Make It

80. Sturle Dagsland - Kusanagi

81. Tirzah - Send Me

82. Sorry - Cigarette Packet

83. Self Esteem - How Can I Help You

84. Rennie Pilgrem - So Long

85. Q - Alone

86. Mr. Mitch - Did we Say Goodbye

87. Men I Trust - Serenade of Water

88. Alanis Morissette - Predator

89. Bawrut + Liberato - Je ‘O Tteng E T’O Ddong

90. Bodi Bill - Be Sure

91. Alessandro Cortini - Lo Specchino

92. Boys Noize + Kelsey Lu - Love & Validation

93. Brodka - Hey Man

“Hey, tender stranger  Hey, lovely angel  I'll make you scream 'til you get to know the real danger  You'll never forget tonight  A bitter delish, oh man, what a dish “

94. Elliot Adamson - The Fight

95. Gesloten Cirkel - Shadow of the Rat

96. Hayden Thorpe - Rational Heartache

97. Josef Salvat - I’m Sorry

98. Katy B - Under My Skin

99. Sneaker Pimps - Fighter

100. Squid - Pamphlets

[biotic-boshtet]

I posted 9,958 times in 2021

58 posts created (1%)

9900 posts reblogged (99%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 170.7 posts.

I added 617 tags in 2021

#mass effect - 174 posts

#shenko - 90 posts

#fic rec - 72 posts

#mass effect fic - 57 posts

#norah jean shepard - 53 posts

#oh my god - 44 posts

#mshenko - 41 posts

#fshenko - 41 posts

#mandi writes - 23 posts

#kaidan alenko - 22 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#this is my near miss shakarian chapter dedicated to how many times ive gone through the reach and flexibility convo to almost romance garrus

gotta toss in a friendly page break bc my top 5 posts are all fic and i dont want a do you love the color of the sky length post to scroll through

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

“We’ve been by each other’s sides for years, you think I’m gonna leave now?” for Norah and Kaidan

thank you SO much!!!!! my first thought was the cutscene in the final push, where Shepard sends Kaidan away and I almost went for All The Angst. but then my second thought bust through that like the kool-aid man, and here we are, with All The Fluff

Norah Jean sighs when she hears the knock on the bedroom door. She knows exactly who’s on the other side of it. She can feel him. Not listening to one of her few requests on their wedding day. She smooths down the white satin, grabs her crutches and makes her way over to the door.

“Kaidan, I am not asking anymore. Go away.”

“We’ve been by each other’s sides for years, you think I’m gonna leave now?”

“Yes.” Norah Jean sighed and patted the door.

“Sugar, that’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve said all day.” She could hear him thunk his head against the offending piece of wood between them.

“I’m not being ridiculous, Kaidan, its bad luck.”

“C’mon Norah Jean, we got married four years ago, if I see you in the dress now, I really don’t think it’ll have any impact on the rest of our lives. Its an old superstition, that’s all. I just wanna come in for a minute, please?”

“Honey.”

“Don’t you “Honey” me, Norah Jean, just a little peek. And maybe a kiss, and then I’ll go, I promise.”

“Nope.” She pops the ‘p’ and thinks the conversation is done, stepping away from the door.

“I miss you.” Kaidan’s voice isn’t as insistent now. “You left before I got up, and I just-“ She hears him puff out a sigh. “I don’t know. I don’t have cold feet, but I’m a little nervous.”

“It was a lot easier when it was you, me, and an Asari Elvis, huh?”

“Nothing fancy, just us in sweatpants and tank tops, middle of the night, wondering if it out be out last chance at happiness. One night alone, one night with our friends, and then right back into the thick of it. It was a good call, tying the knot like that.”

“Oh, but our parents were so thrilled. I loved Elvis, but not waiting to do it “right” is what got us in this mess in the first place.” She made useless air quotes around the word ‘right’, even though Kaidan couldn’t see them.

“Its not a mess, and you’re having fun.”

“No, it is a mess, its overwhelming and exhausting, I may enjoy it right now, but quote me on this, I never want to plan another wedding again.”

“So…... Let me in?” The smile on his face is plain in his voice.

Norah Jean pauses, thinking. Then she unlocks the door. “Okay. One kiss, but you have to keep your eyes closed.”

“Okay, okay, eyes are closed.”

“Tightly?” She could feel his field zinging with excitement.

“Tightly.”

“Good.” She tugs open the door, creaking on its old hinges. Looking Kaidan up and down she’s a little breathless. “Damn, Kaidan, you look good, and you’re not even fully dressed.”

“Hey, no fair, if you can look, I should be able to!”

She puts a hand over his eyes before he can open them. “Ah, ah, ah, no rule about seeing the groom.” Norah Jean tugs Kaidan over the threshold and pushes the door shut with her free hand.

“You’re a hard woman to please, you know that Sugar?”

“Oh hush, and c’mere.” She slowly took her hand away, making sure his eyes were still closed, and grabbed his shirt, gently tugging him down to her level. “One kiss, Kaidan, then you have to finish getting dressed.”

“I think I can live with that. Maybe.”

She tugs him a smidge closer and plants a firm kiss on his lips. And that one kiss turns to two, which turns to three. Before they realize it, Norah Jean’s backed Kaidan to the edge of the bed, his hands on the zipper of her dress and her hands in his hair. She hears his soft gasp as he sits and opens her eyes to catch the look on his face. Love, plain and simple, in his eyes and the grin on his face and in the little breathless laugh that leaves him.

“God, you’re beautiful. I’m a lucky man, Norah Jean.” He sniffs, resting his forehead against hers.

“No, no, no, don’t start that, you’ll make me cry too, and it’ll ruin my makeup.”

“We can’t have that.” He sniffs again. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Kaidan, to the ends of the galaxy.” She brushes a tear from his cheek and kisses his nose.

He lets out another breathless laugh. “Look at us, saviors of the galaxy, sappy crying on our wedding day.”

“C’mon, Hon, lets get you dressed. We might have to fix your hair too.”

33 notes • Posted 2021-08-12 16:38:42 GMT

#4

1, 6, and/or 11 for the prompts?

ok i have 1, but 6 and 11 will maybe come eventually so keep an eye out and tysm for the prompts

Aftermath

“I’d ask if you were ok, but the answer seems a little obvious.”

“Yeah, nope, nope, no. Doing bad.” No blood. No screams. Just the wind over the sand and a dead thresher maw. She clenches her fists in the sand and works on getting her breathing under control.

“Don’t worry, Alenko’s on his way over with his kit. Sent me with a full canteen though.”

“Thanks, Garrus.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Shepard rolls off her knees to sit in the sand, taking the canteen from him. Sticking it between her knees, she lifts her shaking hands to disengage the seals on her helmet, taking it off and letting it fall to the sand. She took a deep breath, trying to block out the scent of acid and blood. Only half of those smells were real. The stench of thresher maw acid almost makes her gag as she takes a sip of lukewarm water.

“Hey, I brought backup.” Kaidan’s knelt down in the sand next to her, rifling through his kit till he finds what he’s looking for. A juice pouch and a granola bar.

“I’ll see if I can’t get the Mako up and running, if you two have everything under control here?”

“Yeah, Garrus, we’re good.” Kaidan gives him a thumbs up, and Garrus makes his way back to the Mako.

She takes the offerings with a mumbled thanks, downing the juice in about 5 seconds, hands still shaking. “Sorry you had to see that.” She kept her eyes trained on her hands as she tore open the granola bar.

“Don’t be. You may have put on a more, uh, spectacular display than I’m used to seeing, but I have seen it before. And I know how to work with the aftermath.”

“Not your first 2.5? How lucky.”

“Yeah, we had two of them on the Shanghai, the most I’ve ever worked with other biotics. They uh, butted heads enough to set each other off, so we had to keep them separate or distracted on ground missions. Didn’t wanna risk wrecking more equipment. Kimball ended up getting reassigned to the Fuji a year or two back, but Benton’s still there, I think.” Kaidan was sitting next to her in the sand now. “One time they got into this argument, I don’t even remember what it was about, but Benton was pissed. Next thing we knew, Kimball and I were tossing up a barrier to cover the rest of the squad, because everything unfortunate enough to not be bolted down was flying through the air. Ripped a door right off the Mako, thankfully he didn’t have the juice to pull the whole thing. That one was fun to explain to the captain.”

That gets a laugh from Shepard. “I can only imagine going to Anderson and telling him we need a new door for the Mako, or worse a new Mako.” She crumples up the granola bar wrapper, shoving it in a suit pocket. “God, it feels like I was fighting off that meltdown all day.” She lets her knee fall against his, plating clacking together.

“You good?”

“Be better once we’re off this fucking rock.”  This place was a dead ringer for Akuze.

“Well, I’m glad you don’t have to ask the captain for a new Mako, at least.” He grabs her helmet and gets up, shaking sand out of the joints of his suit, and offers his hand to help her up. “C’mon, let’s go see if Garrus has made any progress yet.”

Prompt List

Read on AO3

23 notes • Posted 2021-04-20 08:19:00 GMT

#3

“I don’t know if I want to yell at you or kiss you.” for Norah Jean and Kaidan

cogratatualtions you get an argument! and Garrus being awkward bc he enabled Norah Jean's recklessness!

“I know what you’re thinking, and no. You’re not doing it.”

“Kaidan, you have no clue what I’m thinking.”

“Bullshit, Sugar, you’re thinking of charging over and digging me out of this corner before that Brute notices me.”

“Huh, no, I actually was thinking about how much this hole in my arm fucking hurts. But now that you mention it, that is a great idea.” Norah Jean isn’t so sure the sarcasm comes across through her grit teeth.

“Don’t you dare. I can get myself out of this and you are going to sit tight and stay down till I can get there to help you.”

She gets quiet as she listens to the gunfire, watching her HUD as enemy signatures slowly close in on Kaidan’s position. Her biotics respond involuntarily to her rising stress levels, flaring up and settling down with the breathing she’s forcing steady. The hardsuit’s medical suite’s already done all it could without medigel, which really isn’t all that much. Applied pressure and tried to dose her with painkillers. Immobilized the entire arm. An error message flashes on her screen, “AUTOMATIC INJECTION SYSTEM ERROR”. She got half a dose. Maybe. Great good all of it does her when the medic is pinned down across the field.

“Norah Jean, I can see you glowing from up here, you’re not planning something stupid, are you? I did hear Kaidan to tell you to stay put, and correct me if I’m wrong, but he does outrank you now, right?” Garrus’s voice crackles over their private channel.

“Y’know, I wasn’t planning anything, but Kaidan gave me a lovely idea, though now my window is gone. Not sure how long my suit can keep me from bleeding. Painkillers are kicking in, kind of. I think the biotics are kicking into meltdown mode.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking of something really stupid.” She watches a handful of husks fall to Garrus’s rifle, then focuses on Kaidan’s hiding spot and the cluster of mutants around it. Her shields were nearly recharged. Kaidan fells a husk and ducks back into cover. The Brute swings its head towards the sound of Kaidan’s pistol and takes a single step.

“If you tell me, I might be able to help, I promise I won’t tell on you. You know, unless it’ll definitely kill you. Then I’ll tell Kaidan.”

“I might, uh, I think I’m gonna charge the Brute. If it gets Kaidan I’m as good as gone, its still too hot for Steve to get in here. But if I distract it before it charges at him? Maybe even catch it off guard and get a few good hits in? You can cover my back while I deal with it.”

“That’s a terrible idea.” Norah Jean can imagine perfectly the face he’s making, mandibles slightly flared, eyes squinted, doing mental math. Ruthless calculus. “It might just work.”

“He’s almost out of ammo, and he’s exhausted. After he’s out he won’t be able to keep up the biotics for long. Kaidan’s a sitting duck. I’m doing it.” The brute scratches a foot on the dirt, snorting. She overrides the medical stabilization lock on her right arm joints.

She flicks over the squad channel.

“Bombs away, boys.”

Norah Jean charges before Kaidan can ask what she means.

Time slows down. A husk in her path falls before she can touch it. The Brute gallops towards her and her heart pounds in her ears. Her arm throbs. She isn’t even fully out of the charge before she’s overloading her barrier as she’s slamming into the creature. Her helmet goes dark in an effort to protect her eyes from the resulting flash, and her shield generator is screaming warnings at her. But her shotgun is in her hands and the Brute is still on the ground. The kickback is worse than usual, but she usually doesn’t get shot either. The Brute doesn’t get back up.

She charges one more time, slamming herself into the Marauder that made its way behind Kaidan’s cover. It goes down with a well-aimed shotgun blast before Kaidan can even blink.

“Norah Jean, I don’t know if I want to yell at you or kiss you.”

She opens her mouth to respond, then sways on her feet. The shotgun hits the dust. Kaidan reacts.

Norah Jean blinks and she’s sitting with her back against the rocky outcropping, Kaidan tinkering with a panel on her suit. His kit is open on the ground beside them. She hears a snick and within seconds she has of a full dose of pain meds. She could cry with relief.

“Heyyy, Honey.” Her voice cracks as she leans her head back against the rock looking at Kaidan.

Kaidan glances up at her, then back down at the portion of plating he’s working to remove. “What the hell, were you thinking, Norah Jean? I had it covered.” He gets the plate off. “Steve’s on the way, ETA is about 5 minutes.”

“Couldn’t let you get killed.”

“Right, so you nearly kill yourself instead, thanks.” The medigel is cool and tingly when Kaidan applies it. “Do you even know how hard you hit that thing?”

“Wasn’t really thinking about it.”

“Yeah, I could tell. Your suit clocked the impact at almost 1000 newtons. Then a third of your systems did a hard reset, and a handful of others just fried when you burned your barrier. Shields barely held through the blast, then failed the second you hit the Marauder. You’re lucky you already had your gun out, or we’d also be dealing with a point-blank gunshot wound.”

Norah Jean didn’t even try to defend herself; he was right. The stunt she’d pulled was stupid and reckless on a normal day, but she’d do it again, countless times, for Kaidan.

“And I’ve taken away your joint lock override privileges until further notice.”

“That’s fair.”

Garrus finally joins them, sauntering over as he collapses his rifle and slings it onto his back.

“Did you know she was going to do that, Garrus?”

“I didn’t not know that she wasn’t not going to do it?” His mandibles twitch nervously.

Kaidan stares at him.

“I plead the fifth.” The turian looks around Kaidan to Norah Jean, stage whispering, “Did I use that one right?”

She winks and gives him a shaky thumbs up.

“Unbelievable.”

16 notes • Posted 2021-08-15 22:50:45 GMT

#2

Aftermath - Chapter 3

hellooooo friends, lets continue my trend of updating at godawful hours of the morning

Read on AO3

Start from the beginning

Waking up, Shepard wonders for a second if she dreamt it all, but then she feels Kaidan’s field against her own, gently fizzling. One of his legs is caught between her own. He’s somehow wrapped up in the entire comforter. She relishes in the feeling of just existing next to him for a moment, then he shifts and rolls over, scooching close so he’s pressed against her back, wiggling of the covers to just enough to drape an arm over her waist as he presses a kiss to her shoulder.

“Mmm, good morning.” Norah Jean feels his voice rumbling through him almost more than she hears it. Only one hearing aid is on and it’s pressed into the pillow.

“G’morning,” She readjusts so she’s laying on her back, Kaidan resting his head on her shoulder now. She tugs at the blanket he’s still burrowed into. “You stole the entire comforter overnight.”

“You weren’t using it.”

“So?”

“So, I put it to good use, its cold as hell in here.” He settles down deeper into the bedding.

“It is nice in here.”

“Right. I was getting flashbacks of Noveria while I was trying to fall asleep.”

“Oh please, it’s not that bad.”

The comm system crackles and they both glance up at the speaker on the ceiling.

“Up and at em, Norah Jean! We’re 10 minutes out from the Mu relay. Might wanna head up here.”

The channel clicks closed before she can respond. Norah Jean hides her face against Kaidan’s hair for just a moment, before sighing and rolling out of bed.

“So, do I get to call you Norah Jean now?” Kaidan sits up in bed, rubbing his arms, content to watch her in the dim light for now.

“If you want, preferably not around the rest of the crew, not if we’re gonna keep this quiet.” She gestures to the general space between them as she pulls on a t-shirt. Almost immediately, she pulls it back off, throwing it at Kaidan. “That one’s yours.”

“Joker calls you Norah Jean, always wondered about that.” He finally gets out of bed, shuffling around looking for the clothes they’d left scattered around the room.

“Close friends and family. He’s both.” Norah Jean tosses another piece of his uniform at him, this time hitting him square in the face, making herself giggle. She’s standing in front of the mirror, fingers staring to comb through her hair, then swiftly braiding down its length. Pins sticking out of her mouth, she carefully winds the braid into a flat bun, pinning as she goes until its completely secure.

“Y’know, that is mesmerizing to watch. Almost as fun as finding all the pins to take it down again.” He’s sitting on the desk, tugging on his boots.

“Maybe you can put it up next time, see if you can get the bun within regulation.” Finishing the last button on her uniform shirt, she tucks her it in and fastens her belt.

“I think I’ll leave that one up to you, you’re the expert.” Boots tied, he made his way across the room to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She stood still for a moment, cleaning up her eyeliner. He rested his head on hers, eyeing her reflection. “God, you’re beautiful.” He paused a moment, grinning. “Norah Jean. Yeah, that’s good. I like that.” Hearing her name from his mouth sounded so right.

She turned around in his arms, standing on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. “We should go.”

“Mhmm, maybe just one more.” His hands cup her cheeks, and he kisses her slowly, savoring every second he gets.

Then the two of them walk out the door and pretend to be nothing more than friends while they try to save the galaxy.

-

She’s alive. She’s alive and everything hurts. She shifts and immediately freezes; white hot pain blocks every coherent thought. Alarms wail in the distance, she focuses on their sound, breathing through the pain. Most of the debris missed her on the way down. She’s not pinned under anything; she just hurts like hell. She shifts slowly, black spots dancing in her vision, working her way to a sitting position. She moves her left leg, and the pain comes again, this time she can think enough to pinpoint the source. Her knee is wrecked, probably. But it sure hurts like a bitch.

One more try. Gotta be worth one more try. She grips the low wall of a garden bed behind her as she tries to get to her good foot.

Tries.

The more she moves the more she hurts. Can’t even fucking breathe right around the shooting pain in her ribs. Swearing, she let herself sink back down to the floor. Somebody’ll find her. Eventually. Probably.

-

After two weeks of debriefings and medical paperwork and an official Alliance investigation, she was finally free. She’d been put on a week of mandatory shore leave, along with the rest of the Normandy’s Alliance crew. Looking around the courtyard, she spots Kaidan, just where he said he’d wait, and she’s making her way over to him. He looks up from his omnitool with a smile as their fields intersect.

“Hey, Norah Jean.” He gets halfway off the bench when she grabs his shirt and kisses him senseless, crutches falling to the ground. He reacts almost immediately, one hand sliding around her waist and kissing her back, oh so slowly, calming her frantic pace. When they pull away for air, his free hand cradles her face, thumb gently brushing over her cheek. He presses a kiss to her nose. “Hey, hey, we’ve got time.”

“Let’s get away, Kaidan, just the two of us.” She’s still breathless, all she wants is to kiss him again, but she settles for resting her forehead against his chest.

“You got a place in mind?”

“My grandparent’s old house, in Anchorage. Couple hours away, at least. Quiet and pretty unlikely to be occupied this time of year.”

“Then let’s get out of here.” He grabs her crutches and hands them to her, before grabbing his own bag off the bench.

-

Six hours and a trip to the grocery store later, they’re climbing out of a skycar in front of a modest looking house, twenty minutes outside the city limits of Anchorage, Alaska. Standing on the porch, Norah Jean leans her crutches against the siding to dig into a rarely used pocket of her duffel bag. She retrieves an old set of keys, unlocking the doorknob, then leaning all her weight against the door to unlock the deadbolt. The door creaks as she swings it open.

“After you.” She waves Kaidan and his armful of grocery bags into the dark house, grabbing her crutches and following him in, locking the door behind them. She flips the lights on, illuminating the living room and kitchen.

“Nice place. You spend a lot of time here?” Kaidan sets their groceries down on the counter, separating out the perishables. Norah Jean leans on the bar, smiling at him as he opens a bottle of beer and passes it to her.

“Not anymore, used to visit all the time as a kid though. Pretty sure my bedroom hasn’t changed in 20 years.” She clinks her bottle against his and takes a swig.

“Let me guess, you’ve got model ships all over your room.”

“Close. Old space stations and satellites. Plus, a scale model of the solar system, minus the sun.”

“Impressive.”

“I like to think so.”

“Can’t wait to see it.”

“You’ll see when groceries are put away.”

“And you’re not gonna help me?”

“Kaidan, if you want me in that tiny kitchen with my crutches, I’ll gladly grab one thing at a time and put it away, but I prefer to stay out of the way. This is a two-butt kitchen, max, and these crutches may as well be an extra butt.”

Kaidan laughs. “Fine, fine, but if you want another beer, you’re grabbing it yourself.”

“I can live with that.”

He puts the last few things in the cupboards, then wanders back around to the bar, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “C’mon, Norah Jean, give me the grand tour.”

“I’m afraid it’s not all that grand, but I’ll indulge you.”

She leads him around the first floor, showing him the fireplace in the living room that’s older than half the house itself. Down the hall is a bathroom and the office that sometimes doubles as a guest room, where Kaidan spends at least 10 minutes asking questions about the artifacts and antiques in display cases along the wall. Between the two is the back door.

Upstairs was another bathroom, the master bedroom, and the other two bedrooms.

“I’d show you Jamie’s room, but I’m pretty sure it’s locked, and also I don’t care, but here’s my old bedroom in all its glory.” Norah Jean swings open the door, flicking on the light, revealing blue-black walls and ceiling, spattered with thousands of white speckles. A handful of constellations are carefully mapped out across the walls.

“Wow.” Kaidan idly traces along the lines of Orion with a finger, gazing around at the sky on her walls. “Did you paint all this?”

Norah Jean snorts, “Hell no, my grandpa did most of it, I helped. Well, I helped as much as a fidgety 5-year-old can muster when she’d rather be outside. Pretty sure there’s a few sets of handprints scattered around from me and Jamie.”

“It looks really good, it’s easy to see how you ended up in space after spending enough nights surrounded by walls like these. You’ve even got Arcturus up here. Didn’t you say you grew up there? On Arcturus station?”

“Yeah, Dad ran the garrison for a while, gave us a break from moving every other year. He didn’t get reassigned till I graduated high school, and by then I’d enlisted.” She drops her duffel bag on the floor, walking across the room to sit on the bed. “How’d you work your way back to the Alliance? After Jump Zero, I mean.”

“Time, mostly. Dad tried not to talk about it, didn’t want to push me further away.” He drops his own bag next to hers and sits on the bed beside her. “Aunt Irene, though, she wouldn’t let it go. She was always trying to talk me into the Marines, long as I can remember. It got a little better as I got older, but then after BAaT, she mostly quit talking about it, just the odd comment once or twice a year. Then a few months before my 22nd birthday, she talked me into staying a week with her and her wife in Rhode Island, to get away from Vancouver and breathe for a bit, y’know, see the Atlantic Ocean, Niagara Falls, few other places. The whole week she didn’t bring up the Alliance even one time. I got so curious that I finally cracked and asked her about it my last day there. She told me I was more than old enough to make my own choice, that she’d talked it up all she could and especially after the disaster with BAaT, all she could do now was support whatever choice I came to. I enlisted 6 months later.”

“Sounds like she really had an impact on you.”

“Yeah. She was having a blast drilling recruits out on Jump Zero when I finally decided. I think she’s still there. She’s made a hell of a reputation breaking in cadets, earned the nickname “Mad Major Mabbit”, she thinks it’s the greatest thing.”

Norah Jean stares at him, mouth hanging open. “No.”

“Yeah.”

“No, Kaidan, she took a year on Arcturus my first year of training, I swear to God she was the reason I almost dropped out. We were butting heads all year. And she’s your aunt?”

“Really? She’s the reason you nearly washed out? I wonder what she’d have to say about you now?”

“Probably not much good, I mean, we did steal the Normandy.”

Before he can say anything in response Norah Jean shivers, then, a long, low rumble of thunder rattles the house. Her face lights up and she shoots off the bed, hopping on her good leg before snatching up her crutches and racing to the window.

“It’s thundering! Let’s go downstairs and watch the storm!” She grabs her N7 hoodie from her bag, tossing it on.

Kaidan gives her a look. “You want to go sit in the rain, just because its thundering?”

“No, I want to sit under the back porch, enjoy the smell of the rain, and watch the lightning, all while staying perfectly dry.”

“Alright, I think I can get behind that.” He gets up off the bed, searching in his own bag for a jacket, pulling it on as Norah Jean works her way down the hall.

He joins her at the top of the stairs, not sure if she stopped to wait or if she doesn’t know how to get down them. Her laser focused stare down the steps says the latter.

“Do you trust me?”

She looks up at him, chewing her lip. “Why?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Yes?”

“Good, I’ll carry you down the stairs.”

Norah Jean makes an undignified squeak as he sweeps her off her feet, careful not to jostle her knee. One arm is almost uncomfortably tight around his neck, and the other grips her crutches as he walks down the stairs. He carries her to the couch, gently setting her down to let her sort herself out.

“You know, I’ve got to learn how to get down the stairs sometime this week.” She grumbles as she gets to her foot, making for the bar and their half-forgotten beers.

“Here, I’ll grab those, and some new ones. And don’t worry, I’ll let you work out the next time yourself.”

He follows her out the back door, to an old bench just out of the way of the water splashing over the edge of the gutters.

“You sure we’ll stay dry?” He passes her one of the open beers.

“Probably. Unless the wind blows this way, we’ll be fine.”

He looks out at the back yard. Lightning flashes, he counts on instinct. Thunder crashes overhead.

“Ten seconds.” She swings her good leg as she sips her beer. “Do you get a fun tingly feeling from thunderstorms? Or is it just 2.5s and 3s?”

“Sometimes. Don’t usually associate it with fun though, it’s just kinda weird feeling to me. I don’t think 2s are as sensitive to it.”

“Huh. I’ve always loved thunderstorms, partly for the feeling. Just one of those things that reminds me I’m still here. Still kicking.”

“Yeah.” He reaches for her hand and she laces her fingers with his.

13 notes • Posted 2021-05-19 06:45:10 GMT

#1

Aftermath - Chapter 2

Read on AO3

Chapter 1

Sugar?

Kaidan steps through the door into the medbay, greeted by the smell of antiseptics and the doctor’s warm smile. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, I’m having a bit of a problem with our dear Commander, she’s locked herself in her quarters with a migraine, and normally I wouldn’t fuss, but she’s been in there since yesterday, and when I stopped by to check up on her this afternoon, she wouldn’t open the door. As far as I can tell she hasn’t so much has poked her head out that door since she shut it. I did consider calling Jeff down to check on her, but I’d hate to bring him all the way here and have Shepard turn him away. You’re the one best equipped to handle the situation at hand.”

“And you said she’s been in there for 24 hours?” Kaidan knew the stress of the 2 weeks since Virmire was taking its toll on the Commander, and that she’s been working through a migraine, but he’d never seen her down for more than a few hours.

“A little longer than that, really, she stopped by yesterday around noon to tell me she was locking herself in there until the worst of it passed. I believe her exact words were ‘Once my brain stops trying to implode and ooze out of my amp jack’.” Dr. Chakwas grimaced at the description as she repeated it. “I offered her a dose of painkillers, but she waved it off and went on her way.”

“Yeah, ouch, I’ll see if I can’t convince her to at least eat something.”

“Thank you, and good luck.”

-

Thermos of coffee, water bottle, and hot leftovers in hand, Kaidan leans against the wall beside the door as he sends off a message to Shepard. Hopefully, she was awake. Knocking wouldn’t work, the chances of her hearing aids being on were slim. He’d noticed she had the habit of turning them off when things started to overwhelm her. Feels like they’ve been off more than on lately. He breathes a sigh of relief when the indicator light flashes from red to green, and the door hisses open. As the door shuts behind him, it’s clear that she’s turned off every light she possibly could. The emergency lighting along the floor is still on, though he’s sure she considered cracking into the electrical panel to deal with them.

Walking further into the dark room, he almost believes she isn’t there. Almost. He spots her curled up with a pillow over her head as he pulls a chair up to the side of the bed. Her field feels different without her amp in, softer around the edges, but it still vibrant enough to pop and fizzle against his own. As he sits down and sets the food and drinks on the end table, Shepard moves her pillow to squint at him. He tries not to let his eyes linger on her bare arms or the near meter of hair spread across the mattress.

“Doc told me it was a nasty one.” Kaidan signs, “So I came with coffee. Pretty sure it’s strong enough to give a Krogan heart palpitations, so it should help.”

She pulls herself up to sit against the headboard. She looked like hell. “Sugar?”

“Plenty, don’t worry.” He uncaps the thermos and passes it into her waiting hands. As she takes a sip, her eyes slide closed and Kaidan swears he’s never seen such a blissful look on her face. He lets her enjoy the coffee for a moment before catching her attention again. “If you’re feeling up to it, I’ve got some leftovers too. If you don’t eat soon, I think Chakwas might break down your door and sit on you until you do. Or worse, drag you to the medbay.”

Shepard almost reluctantly sets the coffee down, reaching for the container as Kaidan snaps open the lid and sticks a fork in the steaming spaghetti. The second she takes a bite it’s like a switch flips and the second and third bites follow soon after. Half the container is gone before she pauses to take another drink of coffee and glances up at Kaidan. “I know this is just leftovers, but fuck, it tastes so good I could kiss you.”

Kaidan laughs as his cheeks redden, and he brings up his omnitool to check some emails while she finishes her food. He needs to distract himself from the fact that he wants her to kiss him. He makes sure to send one off to Chakwas, reassuring her that he’s gotten Shepard eating and at least caffeinated. He moves the bottle of water closer to the coffee, waving his hand next to it catch her attention and let her know its there.

“So. Ears are on now, by the way, don’t worry about signing. I had an idea, to boost morale. I can’t be the only person on this ship cracking under the stress, so I’m gonna see if I can’t work out some kind of sparring match in the cargo bay. Prizes and stuff, plus something extra for the first crewmate who can get me down on the mat.”

“Yeah? You sure anybody’ll go for it?” He spoke softly, the way she kept her eyes half closed told him the pain was still very much there.

“Oh, you know, I’ve overheard a conversation or two, some of the other marines are totally sure they can take me, just, without the biotics. Remember, some of these jarheads have never actually seen me in the field.”

“Yeah, or they’d never dream of going toe-to-toe with you. What’s your grand prize?”

“Probably some credits and a few pistol mods? I don’t know for sure yet.”

“I think it’s a great idea, help everybody loosen up a bit.” He checks the time; he drew the short straw for the watch in the CIC. “Alright, I’ve got my watch coming up soon, so I’ll get out of your hair. Go check in with Chakwas if you can brave the lights out there.”

“I’ll try.”

Kaidan makes it halfway to the door before he remembers the chocolate bar in his pocket. The good chocolate. Not impossible to get ahold of in space, but also not high on any Alliance requisition lists. He walks back to the bed, partially melted chocolate in hand.

“I forgot about this. A good bar of chocolate almost always helps a migraine.”

She looks reverently at the chocolate, hand outstretched, but not grabbing it. “Are you sure? This is definitely not on any of our supply lists.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got a few more stashed away, don’t worry about it.” He presses the bar into her hand, closing her fingers around it. He’s halfway out the door when she speaks again.

“Kaidan? Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

-

Kaidan watches what has to be at least 2/3 of the crew milling around the cargo bay, navy and marines, humans and aliens, all chatting and joking around. He’d picked a good spot, back near a wall, next to Joker. Near the center of the bay, he hears a thud as the Commander puts another marine on the mat. She offered up a prize of 300 credits and a few choice pistol mods to the first person who could get her on the mat, no biotics, no tech, just good old fashioned hand-to-hand. At least Shepard’s got the decency to help them up off the mat after she kicks their asses. Still, even after half a dozen crewmates beat, there’s still plenty looking to try their luck at beating Commander Shepard. She doesn’t even look like she’s broken a sweat.

Kaidan fiddles with his omnitool, pretending he isn’t interested in the match. Another marine hits the mat, and his eyes flick up watch Shepard help Fredricks up onto his feet, and this time she looks right at him, a mischievous glint in intense brown eyes.

“You up for a challenge, Alenko?” Her voice carries clearly over the chatter and general noise of the cargo bay.

Kaidan knows he’s got the look of a deer caught in headlights but recovers gracefully enough. “Oh, no, Commander, I’m content just watching you take out every other marine on board.”

“What, are you scared you’ll beat your CO? Don’t worry, you won’t.”

Joker leans over, with a hand up to his mouth for an especially dramatic stage whisper. “You know if you walk away the crew will never let you live it down. Neither will Norah Jean. She’ll be bringing it up for at least the next 10 years. Believe me.”

Kaidan looks between Joker and Shepard, who’s still standing on the mat, hands on her hips and already looking like she’s won. Then he sighs and wades through the onlookers. Once in the ring he looks down at her. “You know, you’re a real pain in the ass, right?”

“I try.”

Kaidan makes his way to the table set up a few feet from the edge of the mat and makes a show of taking off his uniform shirt, then unplugging his amp, setting both on the table beside hers. Slowly they begin to circle each other.

“Think you can beat me?”

“Shepard, I have no illusions of how this is going to end. I watched you bring Fredricks down in 6 moves. He’s twice your size. My chances aren’t looking good here.” He throws a jab at her left side, testing her reflexes, and she blocks it easily.

They trade blows, trying to whittle each other down, and Adams is clearly about to call it in a draw when Kaidan lunges forward. Then the cargo bay blurs and his back slams onto the mat, knocking the wind right out of his lungs. Shepard is beaming above him. She offers a hand to help him haul himself up, and he moves for his discarded shirt and amp.

“Uh, yeah, Shepard, remind me not to get in your way.”

She pats his shoulder and gives him a thumbs up as she drinks her water.

12 notes • Posted 2021-04-30 08:19:34 GMT

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[aion-rsa]

Hulu New Releases: September 2021

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September usually means the beginning of the traditional fall TV season. As such, Hulu’s list of new releases for September 2021 contains some impressive TV swings.

For starters, all of ABC and Fox’s (both now united under the Disney banner alongside Hulu) fall season offerings will be made available to stream on Hulu the next day. More impressively, however, two FX on Hulu originals make their way to the streaming world this month.

The first is the long-awaited adaptation of the classic comic Y: The Last Man. The story of a virus that destroys every mammal with a Y-chromosome (save for one escape artist and his monkey) is set to premiere on September 13. Shortly after that, the B.J. Novak-produced anthology series The Premise arrives on September 16. Even those who are fatigued from timely anthology concepts will want to check this one out.

Read more

TV

How Y: The Last Man Updates Its Story for the Modern Era

By Alec Bojalad

TV

Nine Perfect Strangers Review: Hulu Series Achieves Wellness

By Erin Qualey

There aren’t any original movies of note coming to Hulu in September but that’s alright as the library titles are uncommonly compelling. Edward Scissorhands, Gattaca, The Interview, Office Space, and Raising Arizona are just some of the library films this month.

Here is everything else coming to Hulu this month.

Hulu New Releases – September 2021

September 1 50/50 (2011) A Fish Called Wanda (1988) Anaconda (1997) Angel Unchained (1970) The Apparition (2012) At the Earth’s Core (1976) Blue City (1986) Bull Durham (1988) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Cannon For Cordoba (1970) Cellar Dweller (1988) Cold Creek Manor (2003) Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) Crazy Heart (2009) The Dunwich Horror (1970) Edward Scissorhands (1990) El Dorado (1967) Election (1999) Exterminator 2 (1984) Free Willy (1993) Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995) Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997) Free Willy: Escape From Pirate’s Cove (2010) Friday the 13th – Part III (1982) Friday the 13th – Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984) Fright Night (1985) Gattaca (1997) Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) The Glass House (2001) Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) Hoosiers (1986) I Spit On Your Grave (2010) I Spit On Your Grave 2 (2013) I Spit On Your Grave 3 (2015) Internal Affairs (1990) The Interview (2014) Jacob’s Ladder (1990) Just Between Friends (1986) The Killer Elite (1975) Kiss the Girls (1997) The Last Castle (2001) Magic Mike (2012) The Manchurian Candidate (2004) The Mexican (2001) McLintock! (Producer’s Cut) (1963) Miss You Already (2015) Mommy (2015) Mosquito Squadron (1970) Mr. North (1988) Much Ado About Nothing (2013) New Year’s Eve (2011) Nixon (1995) Office Space (1999) The Omen (1976) The Patsy (1964) Phase IV (1974) The Possession (2012) Priest (2011) Raising Arizona (1987) The Ring (2002) Road to Perdition (2002) Salvador (1986) Secret Admirer (1985) Shaun The Sheep Movie (2015) Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Solace (2016) Stephen King’s It (1990) Sucker Punch (2011) Tears Of The Sun (2003) The Tenant (1976) Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (2005) Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys (2008) Under Fire (1983) Vantage Point (2008) Volcano (1997) The Wedding Plan (2016) The Wrestler (2008) The X-Files (1998)

September 2 Trolls: TrollsTopia: Complete Season 4 (Hulu Original) Death in Texas (2021) The Unthinkable (2021)

September 3 The D’Amelio Show: Complete Season 1 (Hulu Original) What We Do in the Shadows: Season 3 Premiere (FX) Bolden (2019) Undine (2021)

September 4 Flower (2017)

September 8       Wu-Tang: An American Saga: Season 2 Premiere (Hulu Original) La La Land (2016)

September 10      The Killing of Two Lovers (2020) Transporter 3 (2008)

September 11       High Ground (2021)

September 13       Y: The Last Man: Three-Episode Series Premiere (FX on Hulu) Colette (2018)

September 15      Dark Side of the Ring: Season 3A (Vice) Joseph: King Of Dreams (2000) Love, Simon (2018) Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)

September 16       The Premise: Series Premiere (FX on Hulu) Stalker (2021) On Chesil Beach (2018) Riders of Justice (2021)

September 18       Dark Side of Football: Complete Season 1 (Vice)

September 20       Grown Ups (2010)

September 21 9-1-1: Season 5 Premiere (FOX) The Big Leap: Series Premiere (FOX) Dancing with the Stars: Season 20 Premiere (ABC) Ordinary Joe: Series Premiere (NBC) The Voice: Season 21 Premiere (NBC)

September 22 New Amsterdam: Season 4 Premiere (NBC) Our Kind of People: Series Premiere (FOX) The Resident: Season 5 Premiere (FOX)

September 23 A Million Little Things: Season 4 Premiere (ABC) Alter Ego: Series Premiere (FOX) Chicago Fire: Season 10 Premiere (NBC) Chicago Med: Season 7 Premiere (NBC) Chicago P.D.: Season 9 Premiere (NBC) The Conners: Season 4 Premiere (ABC) The Goldbergs: Season 9 Premiere (ABC) Home Economics: Season 2 Premiere (ABC) The Masked Singer: Season 6 Premiere (FOX) The Wonder Years: Series Premiere (ABC) The Eric Andre Show: Complete Season 5 (Turner Networks) Funhouse (2021)

September 24 Law & Order: Organized Crime: Season 2 Premiere (NBC) Law & Order: SVU: Season 23 Premiere (NBC) An American Haunting (2006)

September 25 Gemini (2018)

September 27 Bob’s Burgers: Season 12 Premiere (FOX) Celebrity Wheel of Fortune: Season 2 Premiere (ABC) Family Guy: Season 20 Premiere (FOX) The Great North: Season 2 Premiere (FOX) The Rookie: Season 4 Premiere (ABC) The Simpsons: Season 33 Premiere (FOX) Supermarket Sweep: Season 2 Premiere (ABC)

September 28 The Good Doctor: Season 4 Premiere (ABC) Felix and the Hidden Treasure (2021) Home Run (2013)

September 29 La Brea: Series Premiere (NBC) Minor Premise (2021)

September 30 New Order (2021)

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Leaving Hulu – September 2021

September 1 The Iron Lady (2011) Our Family Wedding (2009) Young Adult (2011)

September 2 Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (2016)

September 23 An American Haunting (2006)

September 29 Destination Wedding (2018) Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2006) Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) One For The Money (2012)

September 30 2012 (2009) 50/50 (2011) A Fish Called Wanda (1988) A Hard Day (2014) A Perfect Day (2006) The Adventures of Tintin (2011) Anaconda (1997) Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008) Anacondas: Trail Of Blood (2009) Angel Unchained (1970) The Assassin (2015) At the Earth’s Core (1976) Australia (2008) Bad Teacher (2011) Beasts Clawing At Straws (2020) Better Living Through Chemistry (2014) Big Fish (2003) Black And White (2000) BOY (2010) Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) Breakdown (1997) Bruno (2009) Bull Durham (1988) Burning (2018) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Caddyshack (1980) Caddyshack II (1988) Cannon For Cordoba (1970) Cellar Dweller (1988) Charles and Diana: 1983 (2020) Charlotte’s Web (1973) The Chumscrubber (2005) The Condemned (2007) Contagion (2011) Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) Coyote Ugly (2000) Dangerous Minds (1995) Daredevil (2003) Desperate Measures (1998) Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018) Don’t Think Twice (2016) Dumb & Dumber (1994) Dumb And Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003) The Dunwich Horror (1970) Eliminators (2016) Exterminator 2 (1984) Fired Up! (2009) Foxfire (1996) Fred Claus (2007) Fright Night (1985) From Paris with Love (2010) Galaxy Quest (1999) Grandma (2015) Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) The Grudge (2004) Gundala (2019) Hard Romanticker (2011) Hideaway (1995) Himalaya (1991) House of the Dead (2003) House of the Dead 2 (2006) Housesitter (1992) I Do…Until I Don’t (2017) I Wish I Knew (2010) Ice Age (2002) In The Cut (2003) Indignation (2016) Intolerable Cruelty (2003) It’s Kind Of A Funny Story (2010) Jacob’s Ladder (1990) Johnny English (2003) Just Between Friends (1986) The Killer Elite (1975) Knowing (2009) Lady Vengeance (2005) Long Day’s Journey Into Night (2018) Lost in Hong Kong (2015) Machines (2016) The Man From Nowhere (2010) Maximum Risk (1996) Mercury Rising (1998) Mosquito Squadron (1970) Mountains May Depart (2015) Mr. North (1988) The Nightingale (2013) Nixon (1995) Old Stone (2016) The Omen (1976) Once Upon a Time in the West (1969) Open Water (2004) Open Water 2: Adrift (2006) Places In The Heart (1984) The Polar Express (2004) Pop Aye (2017) R.L. Stine: Mostly Ghostly (2008) R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: The Cabinet Of Souls (2015) R.L. Stine’s Mostly Ghostly: Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? (2014) R.L. Stine’s Mostly Ghostly: One Night In Doom House (2016) R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It (2007) Raising Arizona (1987) Reno 911!: Miami: The Movie (2007) The Ring (2002) Rookie of the Year (1993) Salvador (1986) Scent of Green Papayas (1993) Secret Admirer (1985) Sk8 Dawg (2018) Sleeping With The Enemy (1991) Sleepwalkers (1992) The Soloist (2009) Somewhere (2010) Sorority Row (2009) Space Jam (1996) The Stepfather (2009) Sunshine (2005) Super Troopers (2002) Sweet Bean (2015) Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) Take Shelter (2011) Taken (2009) This Means War (2010) Thunderheart (1992) Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (2005) Tokyo Rising (2020) Tooth Fairy (2008) Train to Busan (2016) Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys (2008) Under Fire (1983) Universal Soldier (1992) Virtuosity (1995) The Wailing (2016) Whip It (2009) Wilde (1998) Wings Of Courage (1995) The Woman Who Left (2016) Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

The post Hulu New Releases: September 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[tylerwritez]

Tuesday, june 22 2021

I've noticed I'm getting "the shiverys" or "the twitchy" a lot today. Like every time I FEEL something I take a moment to violently tic.... every time I think about certain things I tic.... good things, bad things, things from an hour ago and things from years ago. Tic, tic, tic.

Also, I have... some stuff to explain. Its really no big deal, but you know me: I'll freak out about it anyway. Basically I dissed my friend (rightfully so) around the time that we had just met cos they did something that threw me off.

He saw it in my phone... NOW. it's not RELEVANT anymore and I've since redacted that criticism...and now I gotta explain it to him anwyays. Oh well. I'm good at this stuff. I can get myself outta any situation. I dont even know why I'm talking like this tho... it's not a "Situation" it's just smthn I gotta explain rq.

Oh, today's song recommendation is Spirit Crusher by Death. I'm a huge Death fan...

Also! I gotta study... for my replacement exam. How stressful. Its about photosynthesis, but like, it's not simple. We went DEEP inside those fucking leaves.

One sec, lemme hook up my IV tube

Not an ACTUAL IV tube... just my headphones. But since I'm so #emo, it might as well be a fucking IV tube with the way that I cant live without it.

Its 3:08 and I'm walking home now. I was upset last night but me and Star have made up now lol... it was thAt easy. I'm so defective, making shit hard when it doesnt need to be.

It's so hot out damn. Idk. I had school today, so I had Bio class... I ACTUALLY PAID ATTENTION for once. I had lunch with Star and her friend group, and I honestly kinda feel like they're MY friends now too, even just a little bit.

Actually, I used to rant about feeling lonely like all the time but now I have so many friends it's crazy they all keep inviting me places and it's like people WANT ME AROUND... idk. It makes me happy.

Today I gotta ask if tommroow after school I can go to Bee's house to watch Supernatural (famous homoerotic ghost show)

I should also add songs to Erin's spotify playlist for our picnic saturday which I still need permission to go to.

I gotta ask for Wednesday after school to watch Insidious with Jay  which is apparently really good

Also hes the friend that I gotta explain stuff to... the DrAmA... the ThEaTrE....

Update my dad said yes to hanging out with Bee but first I'm gonna miss school to fix my broken brackets on my braces

Also turns out the house I THOUGHT we were moving into has substantial damage from shifting so... we aRENT moving there.

In case you didn't know, shifting is when like the house that's been built literally SHIFTS like it moves around.

Anwyays Jay just texted me... I'm gonna change into shorts since it's hot, set up my study area,.... and respond to him.

The time is 3:22 p.m.

Wish me. Luck.

Luck is plentiful! As it so often is in my risky, risky life.

I play my cards right. It's a learnt skill.

But also there wasnt much to explain since it passed already and was tiny anywyas.

XD so I've made up with the whole goddamn world by now.

Its 6:31, we saw 1 house. Only one. Its kinda hot out but I'm gonna bike now since we just had supper. I finally finished my homework... I just have to finish one mixed media piece as my final project for art!

Friday is my replacement. On photosynthesis and cell resp. We know this. But what I didn't mention, or I dont THINK I did, is that if I finish my art project before then I have the second block FREE!!! Me, Star, and her friend

A are planning to leave for second block and maybe get mint chocolate chip ice cream!

Also I might eat her out XD

Anyways idk. I hope I can bike tonight to call Jay.

I keep accidentally using people's real names here then having to correct it... I dont know how much i care about MY identity being discovered... but to have my friends doxxed would suck.

Man I feel bad abt saying fuck star last night cos we made up....

Wait we r looking at another house? Idk I'm in the car still waiting to go home

Oh wait no now we r goin home

Its 6:39... I hope I still have time.

I went biking, called Jay. Went home. Idk, friendly conversation... we talked more tonight and I also talked to my other friend A. Jay is... I LOVE HIM?? SO MUCH??? I feel so happy. Talking to him thinking about him seeing his STUPID FUCKING FACE JESUS. his eyes alone... I could stare at his face all day probably. I want to kiss him... hOLD HIS HAND... omg... huG HIM!!! Eofjwpxjwie he's so sweet like I can't even... and I'm proabably not good enough for him like. Wtf. Hes easily a 10. And I dont rate things outta 10. How tf do I end up with HIM? Doing stuff, as friends. Like wHAT. I guess I got lucky XD. He says he loves my personality and I'm hot XD ofc I dont see it myself. But like. JESUS CHRIST he could proabably easily pull whOever. XD me?

Whatever though. As long as we r together and stuff. I LOVE HIM A LOT. he said he loved me. Every time he says that it makes me so overly happy.

Maybe I'm just sappy and stuff.... whatever. I think it would be nice to be hugged by him.

Yeah I'm cheesy.

I'm sorta tired now so maybe I'm not writing the best.

I just keep thinkinf about love. Love is a muscle of evil suggestion. But how evil can it really be? I am just a human being and that is all. Everything else is applied. I am just a human being with soemthing in my heart that pulls me all over the place. Love is this strange thing because I'm fucked up and to be able to love without that fucked up part of me, without the damage... is this complicated, hard thing to do and I can NEVER tell if I'm doing it right but I know I'm DOING IT. I know I FEEL LOVE. And soemtimes it's such an intense thing like when you go to surf on a wave at the beach with ur belly but u hit it wrong and it's so big and overwhelming it washes over you and PULLS you down to the bottom and smushes your face into the sand and YOU CANT BREATHE jesus Christ it's like that.

Or maybe I just want to experience love as it should be felt.

Obviously all of my problems surrounding this Damage could be easily fixed if I went to therapy but. there are reasons I can't.

I LOVE a lot. Too much for my own good. Enough to hurt me, get me into trouble, etc etc but also... enough to liberate me. I LOVE. I love Jay. So much. LIKE. MY BRAIN ORBITS AROUND HIM CONSTANTLY THINKING OF HIM AND PRAISING HIM AND MWUAH HE IS SO LOVELY I BOW BEFORE HIM...

I think as much as I love, a lot of the times I tend to focus even more on BEING loved.

If I am told I am loved, and shOwN I am loved... it is one of the most powerful things. Especially since I was literally emotionally neglected in childhood... yeah. I feel like I'm always trying to fill that hole.

Not EVERY feeling I have is for that reaosn but sometimes, if you tell me you love me, show me you love me, hug me,... I'll like start crying,,, that's the childhood emotional neglect kicking in. If you call me #smol and #cute and say I look young and fragile which happens more often than you'd think XD, I know I'm not supposed to like that shit, so I act like I dont....but I do. Which is PROBABLY ALSO THE CEN 🤪  like whatever lol

Anwyays I'm fucked up

You see how quickly things become complicated in my mind?

Convoluted? Is that the word?

Whatever. I OVERCOMPLICATE THINGS COS I OVERTHINK THEM BECAUSE I'm LITERALLY MENTALLY ILL IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. I'm not joking. I obviously have unresolved undiagnosed "issues"

I do Suspect things, though.

I can make a list

Maybe I shouldn't.

Maybe I will.

I shouldnt.

Whatever.

I used to hate when people brought up my self harm. I would actually panic. I still self harm but now? Now I'm fine with anyone  talking about it as long as it's not an adult who can get me into trouble/force me into therapy over it. Because really? I kinda like having it mentioned. It's kinda validating and it's like hey... people can see that I'm sick.

I dont do it so people talk to me about it though. Dont get me wrong. If I did, I'd go vertically on the arms, not for suicide but so it healed and people would ask XD.

My scars are actually VERY hidden... cos I never intended for ANYONE to see. But for those who DO see them,,,, it's nice soemtimes to have people express concern.

I dont wanna be PITIED or anything, but idk I just think to myself "wow, they're CONCERNED... about ME... they arent angry or mean... they didnt yell at me or threaten me... they respect my autonomy and privacy...

And they CARE ABOUT ME..." and it makes me cry.

That's also the CEN.

I dont know. I just like when people express genuine concern. Even if they see and then just ask if I'm okay. That's all it takes cos then I go wow.

Its validating and irs lovely because finally people care... FINALLY PEOPLE CARE. FINALLY I GET SOME EMPATHY OR SYMPATHY AND NO ANGER.

Even just having them brought up tells me its noticeable enough

My brain does this thing where it thinks nothing bad that's ever happened to me was Bad Enough for me to be upset about.

And I dont know... its nice sometimes to be told shit like "omg that looks so bad" or to see that people who do see my cuts are somewhat shocked or revolted... it's nice because I go... "hey, it was bad enough for them..."

Or to have people comment on them with concern. Just ANYTHINT WHERE PEOPLE NOTICE IT AND ARENT ASSHOLES ABOUT IT IS VALIDATING.

Because I'm not used to that...

Because CEN

I'm. The worst perosn on the fucking planet.

I should kill myself.

I suddenly actually feel so self hating I do want to kill myself... oh god.

I ruin everything. Everything. Everything. Everything. What have I done. Like. Why. Oh god.

I'm just remembering when Star said my kindness seemed like an act. And how I've been called out for seeming fake like 2 other times.

DO I SEEM FAKE???? I DONT EVER PUT ON ACTS OF KINDESS.... CONCIOUSLY? but the very idea that I could be perceived that way...

Should I like not try to be nice or some shit?

Jesus christ she hurts my feelings even now when it was a long time ago.

But I cant blame her. I can't blame anyone for how i feel except my parents because they left me with fucking. Heart nerve damage or some shit.

I'm tired and now I'm sad too. Goodnight guys.

[hecksee]

1,2,5,3,7,9,11,15,19,23,22,28,29,32,31,37,47,41,49,50,55,58,62,63,67,70,79,82,86,89,91,94,99,100

1. Red or Black licorice

Neither

2. List 3 random facts about yourself

I just woke up

Im going fishing today

I dont know what im eating for breakfast

3. Name 3 things you like about yourself

Ummmmmmm can i say nothing

My hair

My size

My autism

5. Whats your zodiac sign

Gemini, do you think I fit it? IDK

6. Do you believe in conspiracy theories

....no?

7. How long have you been on Tumblr

This ones complicated 😅

Ive had this account since March of 2018 but really only became active in about Febuary of this year

9. What are three things that make you happy

My friends (especially you, @kielemarie, @peanut-the-goalie, and @potter-redheads)

O'Knutzy

My Significant Other

11. Do you have any siblings

Oh god, yes I do. I have 3 younger siblings. My brother is 11 and my sisters are 8 and 5 respectively.

15. Favorite ship?

Umm it changes, right now definitely O'Knutzy

What's currently my lock screen?

My snek

22. Melanistic or Albino animals?

It depends. If I had to choose one for all my pets, probably melanistic just to improve their quality of life. I prefer albino corn snakes, but otherwise melanistic animals. They both have their merits and are unique in their own way.

23. Favorite animal?

Snakes and cats. Im not choosing one, sorry.

28. Do you read the tags on people's posts

Yes. Always.

29. Do you have a tumblr crush

Nope, sorry, everyone is a friend :)

31. Which characters do you relate to most?

Honestly probably Logan Tremblay or Luna Lovegood

32. Last text you sent?

Um a text to my significant other

"Good morning [redacted pet name], i miss you thats all. Love you ❤❤❤❤❤"

37. Ideal or favorite weather

Ideal - like 3 ft of snow that sticks together and it being cold but not so cold you cant go outside. Like maybe 28° F?

Favorite - sunny with blue sky and white puff clouds, no humidity, and just cold enough you wont get hot

41. What are some fandoms youre in?

😅😅theres a lot. Can i just say look behind my profile at my banner? Plus sweater weather.

47. Dark theme or nah?

Whatever the app comes on, i keep it that way. So pinterest is in dark mode and nothing else is

49. Have you had your first kiss yet?

😭no because we got together after covid. If kissing her on the cheek counts then yes? It doesn't

50. Neat freak or nah?

NOPE

55. What's your sexuality?

Asexal, Demiromantic, WTFromantic, Lesbian

58. Red or black roses?

Ummm, i don't really care? Red?

62. High-fives or Fist Bumps

If its someone im close too, hugs. But mostly snapped fingers into finger guns

63. Childhood pets name?

We had a cat named Abby when I was born, but my first pet was a betta fish named Sharky

67. Favorite drink

Georgia Sweet Tea

70. Favorite meme?

Depends on the context. From ones ive created probably these three (click to see better) but i censored the friend group ones for names and just added friend 1 and such

79. What's your full name?

Hannah Margaret [REDACTED FOR PRIVACY]

82. Favorite Song?

Umm idk Meant to be yours from heathers?

86. Dresses or suits

Depends on how much of a girl I am that day

89. What are your pronouns

I really dont care, just not He/Him

91. Long Nails or Short

Um short for practical reasons, and i bite my nails 😅

94. Ugliest color in your opinion

Chartreuse and Hot Pink

99. Have you ever been out of the country?

No I have not, the USA is big. I was supposed to go to the Galapagos Islands in june but covid. Im supposed to go in 2021 tho sooo

100. Last time you cried

This morning

Thank you for the asks love

[secrets-of-everwich]

02-1 A Link? - Plaintext version

[Click]

{Callie}

Hello, this is Callie Hewitt and is it okay to say it’s spooky season yet? (Even though it started in July). This is the 1st October 2021, and I am excited for Halloween. Though, that isn’t relevant. At all. Oh well!

The Secret of Everwich I’m going to talk about today happened in the 60s, with two people called Adam Ives, and Jill Harris. I think there were more in the group, but the names are left without surnames. By this point, Manor Road would have been in construction. Oh – Manor Road is the road that leads up to Everwich Manor. It was built due to a lack of residential houses, and the owners of Everwich Manor not having enough money to keep the epic driveway depicted in photos from the 1800s. So, a lot of the land for the gardens of the Manor had been sold, and, to kill 2 birds with one stone, Manor Road sprung up!

It's still one of the more expensive roads in Everwich, but that’s probably more because of the Manor. The street isn’t as nice. Anyway, this all takes place on the other side of Everwich, on the other side of the High Street, near Lilacs Lane. That’s a road on the outskirts of Everwich, closer to the city. Quite a few medium sized houses, where nowadays a lot of older couples live. It’s a nice place to have a walk, I sometimes go there myself, and- I’m getting offtopic.

What I was wanting to talk about today is the interesting newspaper report from then, written by Michael Grenn in 1962. Please note, that this is not the Everwich Post, but a newspaper from the 60s which seems to report a lot of what nowadays we may call conspiracy theories. But, if you weren’t happy with those, I don’t think you’d be listening to this.

        ‘Latest Disappearance Close Call Suggests Serial Killer?’

        ‘For the past month, there has been a string of mysterious disappearances that have been sowing fear into the citizens of Everwich. Starting with Christopher Newell, a bus driver, who was known to be friendly and beloved by most of the community, this batch of disappearances may be linked.

        ‘Jill Harris, 22, was found bleeding in Lilacs Lane last night at 11pm. Sources suggest she was coming back from a meeting when attacked. Her friend, Adam Ives, who lives nearby, explained how he saw Jill lying on the floor, semi-conscious:

        ‘I had heard a commotion close to my house. I knew things weren’t right in this town, so went out to investigate. When I saw my friend lying there, I knew something was wrong. I thought I saw a pale child run away, but I didn’t recognise him.’

Well, I’m glad Adam was walking nearby. The article continues to explain that there’s a serial killer, and suggests a family as the source, but I don’t buy that theory. I’m sure this was the Everwich Ghost. Come on, a pale child running away from a dead body? What other creepy pale children do we know live in Everwich who nobody seems to know. It may seem like a stretch to you, but almost every sighting of the Everwich Ghost are accompanied by deaths, disappearances, or injuries. I think Jill Harris was about to become the next victim.

What I am interested in, however, is the quote: ‘I knew things weren’t right in this town’. Now, there’s not much else about Adam or Jill that makes me think they’re the sort to believe in conspiracy theories from publicity – Adam became a CEO of a fancy company, and so did his son, while Jill left Everwich to pursue acting. Both are retired now. So that quote is interesting. I’ll have to do some digging. One of my brother’s friends is Adam’s granddaughter, so perhaps I can ask her to get me in touch with him!

Anyway, Adam was right. Things aren’t right in this town. There’s a lot of people like Christopher Newell, mentioned in the paper, who have disappeared. I’m missing a piece, I’m sure of it, but I know it’s the Everwich Ghost. It’s just, I don’t know how a ghost could travel the entire length of the town, when my best theory suggests the Everwich Ghost’s primary base should be this manor. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there’s been a lot of sightings in the Manor, but most of the deaths occurred outside. People got to know that the Manor was haunted, so stopped going in.

[Pause]

I want to know if there was a pattern. A pattern between all the disappearances. Did they know something? Were they just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Is the Everwich Ghost targeting descendants of those who ridiculed them in life? There’s definitely a link between the Florences’ deaths and the near-death of Jill Harris. I just need to find it.

Until then, this has been Callie. Thanks for listening!

[Click]

[love-ice]

no.4 friday january 22, 2021

time for another long ass paragraph lol. ive been good. i started working out more not daily but i started. it have been working on myself a lot more lately. maybe its because i stopped smoking weed but i dont think so. i think i just genuinely found the motivation to better myself. it feels good. like i can accomplish anything. i started doing stuff i love again. one of those things being painting and doing my makeup. i havent done either of those things in maybe a year. i dont know if this is a phase and it will pass but i will enjoy it for now. 

i also got accepted into some colleges. i honestly dont know what i want to do anymore. my mom wants me to go straight to nursing school but i kind of want that college experience even though im only going to a cal state. its still college and i want to have fun hopefully we will all be able to. this covid shit is so annoying i miss so many people and just being around people. i just hope us high school seniors get something big at the end of the school year. we didnt get anything it sucks like it feels like no effort has been put into the class of 2021 to make it feel like senior year. last years seniors got their asses kisses by everyone because they didnt get to end their year. guess we just got the short stick. i can only hope for the best. back to college lol. i dont know where i want to go and if i want to dorm or even rent an apartment. i kind of want to get away from my family. i really want to move out, i love my room at my parents house but to live on my own. i would have the power to do whatever i want. i want that freedom. we will see where this year will take me. its only the beginning. i just want to be free

love, 

ice

[writeanapocalae]

Breaking Down Hell Part 27

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26

The book was made completely out of gold, the pages thin enough gold leaf that they would crumble under the wrong touch. Maxia stared at the page that it was on, trying to read through all of the names. It was, thankfully, in order of date, so that made it easy to find the most recent souls that had been brought to Hell. Every name was written in almost incomprehensibly small letters, made of thin red ink. Maxia could read them, if he got close enough, but even then he had to squint.

Ralucad’s hands were softer than Maxia’s, more experienced at handling delicate things. He had a good many books in his shop and glass and eggshells that had been hollowed out and turned into art. He was able to touch the gold pages without issue, wiping his hands on a white patch of his shirt to remove any oils that may have been on them before touching.

He went right to the end of the book, where names were being added, bleeding into existence right there on the page. It was quick though unsurprisingly so, one every second then a little burst and then nothing for a moment before going back to one or two a second. Timely had been gone a few hours, it would take a while to find them.

When Ralucad had backtracked enough to find them it was with a quick “Aha!” He pointed the name out and Maxia came closer, looking around his side as he was too short to look over his shoulder.

Timely 15:46 PST June 19th, 2021 V

At first it was elation that Maxia felt, looking at the little bit of information that they had but then there was a V and Maxia whispered a curse under his breath.

“What’s the problem?” Ralucad asked, noticing immediately.

“The fifth circle of Hell is Anger. It is the home of The River Styx, it is a constant war zone. If Timely is there they may not remember us enough to come with us, may not remember anything, and if they do they may be too possessed by rage to do anything about it.”

“Does it affect the living as much as the dead?”

Maxia had to think on that. As far as he knew only a few living souls had ever made it into Hell and most of them never left again. While there were tales of their journies there were very few facts to follow them.

“I don’t know. I would assume so, however.” He wanted to go, to get down to the fifth ring of Hell quickly, find Timely and see for himself what the outcome of their time in Hell had done to them.

Ralucad wasn’t moving though, even though he only had a specific window of time in which he could be in Hell. He was still flipping through the book, going backwards through it.

“What are you looking for now?”

“Illidan went missing twenty years ago,” Ralucad explained. “Effa told us that the sword was possessed with a woman’s soul. This would be the best chance to get an idea where it is.”

That was a good point, after all, and Maxia moved close to him once more, taking a look down at the book. Ralucad was flipping through the pages at a high speed, almost skipping the need to be careful with them. But then he stopped, a few milligrams of rough edged pages from the end. His eyes were quick and a bit too red as he looked them over, running down the lines of information in far too small a font.

He pointed at the name when he found it and Maxia did his best to ignore the slight tremor in his hand.

Illidan Fastrass 9:27 CT August 15th, 1991 IV

“Greed.” Maxia breathed out, “What would she be doing there?”

“She is a sword,” Ralucad pointed out, “So I doubt it has much to do with her choice in the matter.” He closed the book, set it back in its place. “Either way, how do we get to the fourth level of Hell? Not to mention the fifth?”

Maxia looked back to the door. He knew the way. He knew how to do this. But that was all just theory. He hadn’t actually been in Hell before. He hadn’t seen any of the routes that his father had told him about. He wasn’t really looking for them either. Now though, he had no idea how to find them.

“Perhaps our guide can tell us how?”

Ralucad shook his head, some of his red hair falling out of the twist. “I don’t like that thing.”

“Understandable. I think it hates you.”

“It’s allowed to hate me. It has no reason not to.”

@writinginslowmotion​ @mirror-of-too-many-books

[bbcworldnewstoday]

Can Russell Westbrook, Lakers bounce back together?

  Russell Westbrook said he’s ready to “do whatever is asked of me” after a disappointing season for him and the Lakers. EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – After an uncertain offseason, Russell Westbrook arrived at the Lakers’ practice facility Monday sounding pragmatic. “Whether they want me here or not, it doesn’t really matter,” Westbrook said. “My job is to be a professional and show up to work as I’ve always done.” After a turbulent 2021-22 season coexisting with Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis and playing under coach Frank Vogel, Westbrook was honest about what his second season in a Lakers uniform might look like with a new head coach (Darvin Ham) and more court time with James and Davis. “I don’t have that answer right now,” Westbrook said. “But I know it’s about competing. If we compete, the rest of it will take care of itself.” And after sitting in crunch time occasionally last season, Westbrook sounded more accepting of the possibility of a lesser role both to start and end games in the 2022-23 campaign. “I’ll do what’s best for the team,” Westbrook said, “and do whatever is asked of me.” What will the Lakers ask of Westbrook? Ham revealed he has “several options” on who to start in the backcourt, including Westbrook, Dennis Schröder, Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and Austin Reaves. “The guys that are going to get the minutes are the guys that are going out there to get stops,” Ham said. “He’s told me personally he’s going to commit to that side of the ball.” The Lakers have tempered expectations for this season after finishing 11th in the Western Conference last season at 33-49. They saw players miss a combined 246 games due to injuries or illnesses, most notably James (26 games) and Davis (42). Westbrook also shot poorly from deep (29.8%), was lax with his ball protection (3.8 turnovers per game) and finished 386th out of 605 players in individual defensive rating. After Westbrook exercised his $47 million player option, the Lakers reportedly gauged the market for him in various trade packages. “For any player on your team, you always have to be evaluating the roster,” said Rob Pelinka, L.A.’s VP of basketball operations. “If we have to continue to upgrade our roster throughout the season, we will.” LeBron James reflects on his NBA journey and discusses his mindset heading into his 20th season. But the Lakers also believe the former Kia NBA MVP and all-time leader in triple-doubles will have a bounce-back season. Westbrook showed flashes of his past excellence last season with his durability (78 games), triple-doubles (10) and team-leading numbers in rebounds (7.4) and assists (7.1) per game. It also helps that the Lakers will have James and Davis fully healthy for the start of training camp. “We look forward to being a part of the journey with him this year,” James said. “It will be a great year for him, and we’re going to be right there with him.” The Lakers believe that Westbrook, James and Davis will have more than 21 games together this season. The team retained none of its veteran free agents in favor of signing a handful of young players (Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson). The Lakers also bolstered their backcourt by bringing Schröder back and acquiring a defensive menace in Beverley. “We got to sit down and talk about what works and what doesn’t work,” Davis said. “Hopefully all the things that didn’t work, we can figure it out.” Lastly, the Lakers hired a head coach they believe can make Westbrook feel more empowered and accountable. Ham has gained respect in NBA circles for the qualities he has shown during a nine-year  playing career as well as three assistant coaching gigs, including Milwaukee’s recent championship run. “Russell Westbrook is a great part of our team,” Pelinka said. “He’s a person of high character, work ethic and one of the greatest ever to play the game. I think Coach Ham will bring another level out of him.” * * * Mark Medina is a senior writer/analyst for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. Read the full article