#story outtake

[aheathen-conceivably]

“When I was young, I would spend hours and hours alone in my room, watching this figurine in a music box my aunt gave me. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was the hunger, but if I watched her long enough, I could swear she’d come to life…”

[thebramblewood]

Watch out, Grim. There's about to be a new reaper in town.

[ghost-bxrd]

Jason opens his mouth to retort when his phone starts ringing.

And not any kind of ringing, no. It’s the fucking Spooky-Scary-Skeletons song.

This is a goddamn nightmare. He should have stayed in bed.

He has exactly two options.

One, not pick up.

Which would be a good option, the best option, if it were anybody else. Because Jason knows the fucker isn’t above trying to ring up the manor itself if he feels slighted.

Two, pick up. And suffer the most awkward birthday congratulations since… well, last year.

Jason glares at each and every curious Bat watching him from the sofa as he excuses himself and heads into the hall, pressing the green button with a long suffering sigh.

“What?”

“It has come to my attention that you have not yet contacted my daughter for your name day well wishes.“

Jason thunks his head against the wall.

“I’m busy.”

“I am aware,” Ra’s says smoothly, and Jason just knows the bastard is stirring his sinfully expensive blend of tea with some golden spoon, “And yet this has not stopped you before.”

“Is there a point to this call?”

“Yes. Do make sure to call my daughter soon. She is being quite insufferable.”

Righteous indignation rises inside Jason like hot coals.

“She isn’t—“

“She has disposed of three potential tutors since this morning,” Ra’s cuts him off, and Jason’s mouth snaps shut, “Yes, I do consider this to be insufferable. And your brother has brought it to my attention that the likely cause of her irritability is your lack of communication.”

“I’m busy.” Jason repeats, but it sounds petulant even to his own ears, “Look, I’ll call her as soon as I get out of here, ok?”

“Make sure that you do. Finding instructors is a difficult enough task without my daughter culling half their numbers before they even stepped across the threshold.”

“Maybe mom wouldn’t have to dispose of them if they were skilled enough to evade her.”

“Oh, some of them were,” Ra’s says drily, “But it proved to be for naught when she decided the your brother’s pets hadn’t had enough sustenance for the day.”

…so, maybe Jason should have called.

— silly little outtake of chpt X of What You’re Longing For (you claim to abhor)

[ladyxgaga]

New outtakes: Lady Gaga as The Countess on American Horror Story: Hotel (2015)

[panicsimss]

Old friend

[next]

[wh2m]

Fun fact about Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game, Roger Sharpe actually played the Pinball scenes in Mike's stead—except, the winning shot of the film. Mike Faist pulled the plunger and got it on the first take (and then never again afterwards). That take was the one they used for the film.

[lynzishell]

🧡 my lil bookworm 🧡

[snakebites-and-ink]

Whumper-Turned-Caretaker CYOA 27

CW for the series | Masterlist

You chose to take Whumpee on an outing.

“Whumpee,” you start, “I’d like to take you outside. And not just to the backyard. I was thinking a walk around the neighborhood. Can I trust you not to…get me in trouble?” They acted trustworthy before, when they kept quiet with your friend over, so you believe you can trust them again. But this is a new level of freedom and opportunity, so you’d like to make sure.

They nod. “Yes,” they say, voice soft but not weak.

“And are you ready for that?”

“Yes,” they say again. “I would really like that.”

“Okay. Let’s go, shall we?”

You bring them outside—out the front this time, where there’s sidewalk leading away from the house and no tall fence enclosure to keep the two of you hidden.

Whumpee gawks a little. It’s understandable; they haven’t seen a space this open in a long time.

You let them pick a direction, and start walking down the block, side by side. Whumpee enjoys the fresh air, the sunlight, and the birds that occasionally fly by or sing from the trees. You enjoy seeing their renewed wonder at a world that you’ve taken for granted but that they’ve spent too long cooped up away from.

They don’t shout or make a break for it. It seems you’ve succeeded in building up a trust that goes both ways. You make it back home without any incidents.

Whumpee looks a little regretful that it’s over. You promise them they’ll have the chance to stroll the streets again before too long, which cheers them up and earns you one of those smiles you’ve learned to value from them.

What you don’t tell them is that you’re not sure whether that chance will be with you again.

It’s time to make a choice. Whumpee has come a long way. As far as you’re able to tell, they’ve gotten through the biggest parts of the recovery you decided to help them with when you first brought them out of the basement. Whumpee is about ready to go back to whatever life they had before. Still, you can't help but wonder if…maybe they didn't have much to go back to. No one came looking for them in all the time you’ve had them, after all.

Taglist:

@kabie-whump, @whumpanthems, @whumpsoda, @3-2-whump, @generic-whumperz, 

@taterswhump, @alivenova, @whumped-by-glitter, @expressionless-fr, @whumpycries, 

@whumpsday, @moons-cozy-corner, @echo-goes-aaa, @whumplr-reader, @starfields08000, 

@whump-blog, @ivymyers, @currentlyinthesprial, @lumpofsand, @coffin-hopping, 

@ragin-cajun-fangirl, @catnykit, @indigoviolet311, @dragongodryss, @kira-the-whump-enthusiast,

@risk606, @natthebatt, @decaffeinatedtimetraveler94, @whatwhump, @venusski

@hermitcrabs-1,  @croixph, @mj-or-say10, @kawaii-cakes, @gevwer,

@fourwingedwriter, @turtlesnap1

[eljeebee]

Women of the Selvadoradan Temples

They are among the few members of the Selvadorada Temple Order – the Order that preserves the Omiscan religion. They take care of the Omiscan temples and their ruins and oversee religious events and holidays in Selvadorada. The women of the Order worships the true Watcher. A woman, just like them. A Goddess.

[enbeemagical]

Idk if this is a good time for it but I've been working on a queer fantasy story for over a year now. Sapphic romance. Brown trans enby lead. Resistance against a fascist empire. Y'know. Standard stuff.

Haven't got all the kinks worked out, need to smooth some things out in this round of edits and get back to making progress but like. Yeah. This is coming, eventually.

a handful of quotes below the cut

Thus the Empire of Light began. It was an era known for peace, its birth marked by blood and slaughter. Peace reigned as the Emperor demanded it, his word made law through fear and bloodshed when his propaganda was insufficient. It was not to last.

A thrill raced through my body at her touch, the whisper of her breath on my palm. “Yes,” I promised. “I’ll see you then.” On impulse, I pulled away, dropped to the ground to find the fallen rose. There, it wasn't even squished. I offered it to her with my best attempt at a charming look, extending my arm like a storybook prince. “Til then, take this.

“She’s scared,” Fionnuala said frankly. “Her heart’s been broken before and she’s scared to let it happen again.”

“Hope you don’t mind,” Vida mumbled in my ear, sounding more than half asleep. I snuggled into her and fell asleep with a smile on my lips.

Another sigh, sounding almost as if she were bracing for something. “Love, look. Feelings, the deep ones, they’re hard for me. I don’t know that I’ve ever had anything more lasting than a passing fancy, and you–” Her voice cracked. “You deserve better.” “You already said you want to be friends, you don’t need to explain that twice.” “No– love, listen.” Vida’s hand caught my chin as she leaned over me. “What I’m trying to say is, I’d like to try, if you still want to.”

“How can you laugh?” Fiachra teased. “Da’s got no idea what to do with another boy around! He’ll be so lost.”

Wasn't I… well, traitorous was the only word I could think of. I'd practiced magic without a license, and whether I was a girl in love with a girl, or a boy who'd been born a girl… or, maybe, neither… what I wasn't was the good daughter I was supposed to be. Maybe I was a shadow too.

Ceri’s dark eyes reminded me of an inquisitive beetle I’d found on the edge of the water bucket when I was a girl. It hadn’t meant to be any trouble, it had just been there. I’d watched it, entranced by its shining black carapace, until my mother came to see what was taking me so long. She’d screamed and slammed the bucket to the ground upside down, killing the beetle and causing me to burst into tears. Later, she’d said she was only scared.

“That’s entirely fair. Are you ready?” A bubble of laughter squeezed its way up. “No. Do it.”

“That’s politics, Shadow. One aspect of it, anyways. Changing the world, little by little.”

“Wasn’t there another way?” Ciaran was silent for a few seconds before he admitted, “Perhaps. Perhaps there was. But I still feel the world is no worse off for the loss of him, and I cannot find it in me to regret it.”

“Don’t you ever want to do something you’re not supposed to? Love the wrong way, be the wrong person, want the wrong things?”

**bonus mention to two scenes friends specifically liked that were a bit longer than I wanted for this, the "Would you love me if I were a worm?" "Yes but also please don't be a worm. ew" conversation, and the "hot" meeting scene where one character puts her finger on another's lips and says "I want you knowing you're in your right mind for this [kiss]"**

[aheathen-conceivably]

I don't need no player I already know the game I need more loving in my life To chase away the pain You might be good to me And I might be good to you But tell me do, do, do I need you? 🎶

[moonwoodhollow]

Just a woman on her bike

[gaiahypothesims]

OUTTAKES 6

So, the party ended because all of sudden we had TWO werewolves in the building and everyone got scared and ran out of the party. Then THIS... THIS!!!!! Why are you all standing around staring at Jake when everyone else has run home?

You peed your pants?!!?!? JAKE!!! I thought you were better than that!!!

Jake- I drank a lot when I was bartending....

You're an asshole. So I made them all go home, and then look who's sauntering out of the bathroom happy as a pig in rut. Got your face back on did you? Are you happy? ARE YOU?

Jonah- <snickering> Jake can fucking suck it, little piss pant Fran.

THIS is why we can't have nice things.

[kimmiessimmies]

Happy 21st Birthday Sadie!

It's a dorm surprise party for our girl! 🥳

(more under the cut!)

Sadie deserved a celebration for her 21st birthday in May, but since I did not have a lot of story to tell here, I decided to go for mostly free gameplay and threw a party for everyone in "Student Residence A" (I still haven't changed the name of this dorm, LOL) and a few attached extras. Below is a collection of random pictures I shot while leaving this lot to their own devices—well, for the most part.

"It immediately made me think of you..."

(Is there ever a moment when he doesn't? 😉)

"Rach? I thought Sadie and Finn were a couple?"

(You're right, Malte, they are. But let's say it's complicated...)

Trouble in paradise for Georgia and Dan?

Do you see him? I see him. She doesn't...

Georgia isn't making friends at this party...

Maybe it's time to lay off the juice, Sade...

Guess not.

As people were either drunk or leaving, or both, James ended the night with a guitar solo. And the love triangle is still very much a thing...

-------------------------------------------------

This party wasn't as much ***PARTY!!!*** as I had hoped, but that's this game for you. It has ideas of its own. 😊

I'll leave you with two bonus shots:

This is what Malte does at a party...

...and this is what Rachel does!

A match made in heaven, I tell you! More on Rachel and Malte in the upcoming chapter!

[wh2m]

“There's no question a comedic side. Like, people should be sending more comedies his way. He's clearly got the chops, he's clearly got a physicality to him that's just undeniable.” — Austin Bragg on working with Mike Faist on Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game

[lynzishell]

They are everything to me