#tapes from the darkside

[xenogemini]

Monster Mash!

[askthedarksidersfam]

The work benefits for the Horsemen probably suuuuuuuck

[ladykailitha]

Around the World Part 3

Hey guys!! Thank you to all who have liked, commented, and reblogged this fun story!

We're in Utah for a little while longer as both Eddie and Steve fun fan encounters.

Part 1 Part 2

~

It took them a couple of tries at a few stores to get them everything they needed to dress up. But when they got everything, they all piled into Robin and Chrissy’s hotel room to get changed.

Chrissy bit her lip as she looked at Steve. “I mean it’s what he looks like, but it could be anyone, you know?”

Robin nodded. “If we had like green makeup or something that we could put on his fingers and neck, then we could make it look like he’s about to transform.”

“Oh I know!” Chrissy said, snapping her fingers. “There’s this green concealer stuff that when you put it on bruises and shit it hides it really well, but on normal skin it’s very green.”

Steve pursed his lips together and silent walked to his overnight bag that had all his toiletries in it. He rummaged around in it for a moment and then tossed something at Chrissy, who caught it deftly in her hands.

She looked at the object. It was the concealer she was talking about, she opened it to find it half used. She looked up at Steve who was a deep shade of red and Eddie who looked like a kicked puppy.

“Why do you have this, Steve?” she asked slowly, turning the bottle between her forefinger and thumb.

Steve coughed and turned away, absentmindedly scratching his cheek. “So you know how on tour we had to make sure that people didn’t think Eddie and me were a couple?”

“Yeah?” Chrissy said, tilting her head to the side.

“Oooh, gross!” Robin cried. “No, no, no.” When Chrissy didn’t catch on, she huffed, “it’s for hickeys. Hickeys from his boyfriend!”

Chrissy’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. “Are you seriously telling me that you have been covering up hickeys from Eddie for almost a year?!”

Steve straightened and said quite proudly, “My boyfriend is very bitey. I think it’s cute.” Then it was Eddie’s turn to go bright red. He shoved his hair in front of his mouth to hide the blush.

“I like biting,” Eddie quoted with a shy smile, “it’s like kissing bu there’s a winner.”

Steve kissed his cheek. “So let’s get all the mocking and teasing out of the way now, but because once we exit this hotel room, it is no longer a valid thing to tease Eddie with.”

“Or Steve!” Eddie added, glaring at a Robin with a mischievous grin.

“You’re no fun!” she huffed, but folded when Chrissy put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Fine, I won’t tease you two about needing fucking concealer because you two are hornier than dogs in heat.”

Eddie deflated. “I just get carried away sometimes. Especially when I haven’t seen him in awhile because we’re supposed to be ‘keeping our distance’ or whatever.” He used air quotes around the phrase.

Chrissy crumpled too. She was all ready to tease them too, but looking at them now, both of them looking so crestfallen, she just couldn’t do it. Because of who Eddie was and who Steve sometimes was, they had to hide their relationship.

“Come on,” she said gently, “let’s get this put on you so we call all go to this convention.”

Steve nodded and followed her into the bathroom to get made up.

~

Eddie, Steve, Robin, and Chrissy all paid for their day badges and slipped into the convention center. Steve was immediately overwhelmed. He had played to sold out stadiums, but that couldn’t hold a candle to sheer amount of people milling about. Mostly because there was a barrier between him and the people.

They could see all sorts of cosplayers wandering around the halls. Some in crappy little homemade stuff with cardboard and duck tape. Others in minimal effort costumes like they were. Then there were the people in cosplays that must have taken weeks, if not months to make. Warhammer space marines, a Krogan, and War from Darksiders, Hela from Marvel, a nine tailed fox, complete with hand dyed kimono.

They saw a couple of people dressed as angels from that one long running TV show. Then they passed a booth that proudly displayed that they were the Salt Lake City chapter of the Ghostbusters. Complete with their own Echo 1.

What really cinched it though was passing the main stairs and seeing all Scooby-Doo gang people taking group pictures on them.

“Um,” Chrissy said, walking backwards looking at all the Daphnes, all the Freds and Scaggys, all the Velmas and a handful of Scooby-doos. “You don’t suppose that the cars we saw at the McCune mansion were cosplayers, do you?

Robin and Steve shared a glance.

“Maybe,” Eddie said, “but I don’t think I’m willing to take that bet, how about you?”

Chrissy shook her head and whirled around to start walking forward. Maybe it was only cosplayers taking photos, but maybe it wasn’t and like Eddie said not a bet she was willing to make.

Everyone liked their costumes, especially Steve’s.

Eddie was more than a little pleased that he was getting attention as himself and not as Abbadon.

Steve’s highlight was seeing four friends dress up as The Fallen.

“Guys!” he said excitedly, pointing at the four people walking toward them. “The Fallen! I didn’t know people cosplayed as them.”

The guy playing Astraeus stopped. “Are you a fan of The Fallen, too?”

Robin and Chrissy grinned behind his back as he blushed.

“Yeah, you can say that,” Steve said shyly. “I’m really digging the Abbadon costume, though.” He chewed on his lip for a moment. “Can I give you a tip about the crop top, though?”

They all looked around at each other. Faux Abbadon shrugged. “I guess. Thanks for asking first, though.”

Steve smiled broadly. “Yay!” He turned to Chrissy. “Do have safety pins in your purse?”

She blinked at him in confusion. “Why would I have safety pins in my purse?”

“You have safety pins in your purse, right?” he said turning to Robin.

She already had two of them out and held them up. “Of course I do, I’m not a savage!”

“See?” Steve said waving at Robin. “I just assumed that all lesbians kept safety pins in their purse.” He turned back the Faux Abbadon. “Ignore them. I usually do.”

The cosplayers chuckled as the girls squawked in indignation.

He walked up to the Faux Abbadon. “Can I touch your jacket?” The cosplayer nodded. Steve opened it on the one side. “I think the jacket is my favorite part by the way, the construction is really spot on.”

“Thank you,” Faux Abbadon said, “it took me almost a year to make it.”

“All right,” he said, taking the safety pin, “the trick is to pin the sides of the crop top the inside of the jacket.” He pinned both sides. “And of course remembering it’s pinned so you don’t rip the crop top.” He straightened the jacket so it fell naturally.

The dude looked down in shock. “That’s how you get the look! Holy shit. I couldn’t figure out how it seemed slope on the sides, but I could tell it wasn’t cut that way.”

“There you go!” Steve said brightly. He turned to the Faux Astraeus who had stopped in the first place. “To brag a little, I was an EMT on their last tour, I could tell you the kind of paint and shade he uses.”

They guy brought his hands to his mouth as he gasped. “There’s no way!”

Steve told him about it. He even talked to the other two about their costumes and gave them suggestions about making it better.

The four Faux Fallen walked away happily chatting about what outfits they were going to try making next time.

“That was sweet of you,” Robin said, “but aren’t you worried that with their insider information that’ll use it to pretend to be the band?”

Steve tilted his head to the side and then looked back at the direction the cosplayers went. “Those guys?” he asked with a chuckle. “No. They’re just good fans. We have trackers in our phones and if someone posts that they’re us, Vickie will shut it down so fast they’ll heads will spin.”

Chrissy and Robin exchanged concerned glances, as managers, they knew that it wasn’t that simple. But they didn’t want to take away his joy, so they wisely kept their mouths shut.

They looked around and realized that they were down one Eddie Munson.

“Shit,” Chrissy muttered. “I should’ve been keeping a better eye on him.”

Steve pulled out his phone to call him when Robin spotted him at a nearby artist’s booth, happily chatting with the artist and as they got closer they could see why. It was covered in Corroded Coffin fan art. Like really good fan art. Like hire her to do the next album cover, good.

As they got close they could hear what they were talking about.

“I’ll take two of the 11x18 of the whole band, please,” he said with a grin.

As she handed them to him in clear plastic liners, she said, “I swear I’ve heard your voice before, have we met?”

Eddie shook his head and pulled out one of the pictures. “Have you got a Sharpie?”

She rummaged around and found one to hand to him. He signed it right next to her signature and then handed it back to her with an even bigger grin. He lowered his sunglasses and whispered, “I just have one request, post the pic and the selfie after you get back to the hotel.”

“What selfie?” she asked before her brain caught up with who this was.

He grabbed her phone and turned on the camera. He switched to selfie mode and took off his cap to smile broadly for the camera. He snapped a couple of good shots and then handed it back to her.

She looked at the phone for a moment and then signed picture. She glanced up to see he was back incognito. And then it clicked. She started flapping her hands excitedly and squealing on a register that would probably make dogs run for under the sofa.

“None of my friends are going to believe me,” she leaned forward and whispered. “Even with photographic proof.”

Eddie cackled. “I’ll be sure to like it, so be sure and tag me, okay?”

She nodded holding the picture to her chest. She immediately put in a sleeve and then put her purse on top of it. “I think I would rather have my purse stolen than that picture if I’m honest.”

Eddie just winked at her and came lopping back over to his friends. “We need to hurry because any second now she’s going to realize that I paid her for a signed picture and not the other way round.”

They started walking away quickly and just before the blended into the crowd they heard the artist squawk loudly.

“Move faster,” Eddie quoted, “must move faster.”

Laughingly, they made their escape. They continued their day, Eddie making out of the con before he was papped by someone on the street as they got into their Uber. So by the time word got out, Eddie was long gone. Chrissy was very happy to report to the con heads that catastrophe averted.

Then that night as Eddie and Steve were curled up together on their hotel room bed, Eddie liked the artist’s tweet and Instagram posts and confirmed he was there. She admonished him for paying to sign her artwork, but only in good fun. Steve posted his own con experience. #lookwhoimet #thefallen #notreally #justsomereallyawesomecosplayers. Within moments all his bandmates liked and retweeted the post.

Robin in all her chaotic glory retweeted it from The Fallen’s official account. Steve almost felt sorry for them. But not quite.

~

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

Tag List: CLOSED

1- @mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence

3- @goodolefashionedloverboi @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @irregular-child @blondie1006

4- @yikes-a-bee @bookworm0690 @anne-bennett-cosplayer @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten

5- @genderless-spoon @y4r3luv @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt

6- @disrespectedgoatman @dawners @thespaceantwhowrites @tinyplanet95 @garden-of-gay

7- @iamthehybrid @croatoan-like-its-hot @papergrenade @cryptid-system @counting-dollars-counting-stars

8- @ravenfrog @w1ll0wtr33 @child-of-cthulhu @kultiras @dreamercec

9- @machete-inventory-manager @useless-nb-bisexual @stripey82 @dotdot-wierdlife @kal-ology

10- @sadisticaltarts @urkadop @chameleonhair @clockworkballerina

[voidwritesstuff]

Camcorder Stories.

Cw: War being self deprecating. (No surprise there)

Summary: The Four happen to be travelling with a human survivor who is a devoted learner of all things cinema. They're learning about human culture one way or another, even if they dont like it.

>A/n: Inspired by the lovely @darkdemeter and her amazing Darksiders writings. As A film student, I felt like I needed to share all this knowledge that has changed the way I watch films and other multimedia content. To share the hard work involved and the appreciation I have for it :DDD.

The horsemen had no concept of what Film was. Not even Strife,who was the most acquainted with humanity even before the end times.

But now the riders found themselves with a young human who had dedicated a good portion of their years to studying cinema. And much to their chagrin or excitement...

This human carried an old camcorder with them. And with tapes to spare.

Death:

Not even theatre was of particular concern or interest to the pale rider. He was never one for the arts,other than the art of necromancy, so at first he pays the human no mind when they begin talking about film.

"Oh hold on,I need to film this. Stand there at the edge of that cliff...I just need to fiddle with the ISO. So bright..."

Death was just looking at the Valley below,the sickly sun of the kingdom of the dead shone on his cold skin. The warmth was sticky and awful. But hes never been one to complain.

The tall bone towers stood on the far distance on each side of him, a perfect frame of Demise between the reaper himself.

His human companion fiddled with buttons and he could see the lense of the strange device the mortal held. He saw how it opened and closed like a predator's Gaze.

"Okay! There we go. Finally. Please stand there,Im going to do a traveling, then a zoom in And finish on a medium close up...you just stay there like in a reverse shot. " the human made a pause,as if thinking about their words "stay still,look Cool. Back to the camera and look forwards to either of those towers"

Death doesnt know why he indulges in these outbursts of cinematic inspiration. He thinks it helps his companion Keep their sanity..and it keeps them tame and less prone to trouble.

He can hear the mortal slowly walk to him. His ears catch the sound of their footsteps from his right. He can guess theyre putting most of their weight on their heels so they can turn upwards and close in on him to somewhat eye level.

The sound comes from his right to then begin walking a Straight line behind him. Thats the travelling.

This "useless" knowledge of film has been drilled into his mind against his Will. He knew a travelling meant this human would slowly move towards him from either of his sides.

After comes that close up. Those always put his hairs on edge. Like theyre sneaking behind him. He absolutely hates it. Even if theyre not even a threat.

Finally,the medium close up meant the camera would only film from his shoulders up.

He can hear the whirring of the camcorder as it takes in his form.

It cuts when the camera is right on his left shoulder.

"Satiated?" He asked,a gruff in his voice. The annoyance bellows from the base of his throat.

"Very..." he turns to see the human look at their recording"I know you hate doing second takes...I know you think this is silly but...I'd like one more take. Please? . Its not often that outside light behaves,usually its better to do all this in a studio-gives you more controll over the lights and shadows.. but this is almost a golden opportunity.."

He asks himself again why he indulges the mortal on these things. But he looks at how their eyes glimmer at the prospect of connecting with something so tied to them and their people that went on a horrible decline by the hands of things older and more powerfull than them.

And he cant squander their happiness.

Perhaps hes grown soft, perhaps hes intrigued by such arts.

"One last 'take'. Make it count,human"

The smile they give him could melt any Ice. And if the Creator willed it,maybe the one that wrapped his dead heart.

"Okay! Ill do my travelling from the left, then a zoom and finish on your right shoulder. I know theres not much difference but the sun is coming from the left...I think its going to be more dramatic that way!"

Death couldnt help but let out a low,low chuckle"One of these days,I'll make you show me all these things youre...filming"

"Death,after this take I'll show all of them to you. I promise" the human's voice sounds the happiest hes ever heard since meeting them "I think all this Will make a smashing docu-series. Ill give you credits of course, though putting "Special thanks to the literal horseman of the pale horse" sounds a little weird"

Another chuckle left the old reaper "With everything your people has been through,thats your concern?"

The human laughed,a sound so heavenly"Alright,alright,fair. C'mon. Stand there again and We'll wrap this up faster than you can say 'action!'"

Fury

Her opinions could make even the saltiest of film critics cry. And shes not ashamed on telling his human companion how pointless and useless their outbursts were.

But then she saw how cool she looked,and it fed her ego so much she changed her tune.

"Youre going to kill me because of this,Fury. But move to that lightsource there" the human Pointed at one forwards down the Hall of arcane lights they were in.

"Whats wrong with this one, mortal? " the she-horseman asked with her hands on her hips and a little annoyed glare in her white eyes.

"I can tell from how it looks here in the camera that this is an incomplete spectrum lightsource "

"English,human "

The mortal sighed,putting down the camera "Incomplete Spectrum Lights dont do well with colors that are a mix of two others. Your hair is magenta, the middle between blue and red. Depending on where you stand, its taking the color of your hair from bluer to redder. Not a nice look,and not the one im looking for "

She relented and Walked further down the Hall. She raised her hands in annoyance and said "Well? "

"Perfect!! Do something cool with your whip! -Oh I need to change the obturation velocity. "

"...human" Fury scowled.

"How quickly the lenses Open and close to register the image. The quicker it opens and closes the clearer the image of your whip moving Will be"

Fury saw them click a few buttons on their camcorder. The tech was foreign to them,only her watcher seemed to be aware of how they worked. So,when the human wasnt listening, the shadow being explained to her mistress what a camera was and how it functioned.

"There! Ready. Im not sure on what shot to use.."

She did say she didnt care for film knowledge. Shes heard it enough times against her Will but...

"Medium length shot. Didn't you humans call it an 'American Shot'  too?" she asked,grabbing the Hilt of Scorn.

The human smiles,the glimmering of their eyes like theyre finally being acknowledged

"Or 'cowboy shot' yeah. You...you remembered! "

"Just because you said it a thousand times. "

By now,her mortal companion had grown used to her dismissal. "Uh-Huh sure. Ahem, alright. 'Fury being awesome ' take one! And...action!"

Just a few takes later,The human approached the horsewoman and showed her the display screen of the camera. Within it she sees the last take they did, which seemed to be the best one yet.

There truly is an art and a skill to it. How they move about to catch each angle, evading any lightsource that May betray their shadow and ruin the film.

Fury catches the warmth and pride in the human's eyes. This is the first time shes seen them so content. Mortals needed little to be happy.

It made her heart squeeze. She almost felt...guilty for being so critical and mean about this,admitedly, unique art form.

"Not bad. Perhaps you'll even make this into something worth watching" she ruffles their hair to add her usual emotional distance, but the human is inmune to It.

"When I do,you and your siblings are invited to the red carpet premiere. You Better dress your best"

"I never dissapoint,human".

Strife:

The horseman of the white horse loved any and all things human related. Was this his way of making up after his failing at protecting humanity from corruption? Maybe.

Or maybe he just really likes the culture.

Not like he'd tell his human companion about why he seemed so interested in their filming.

"Okay heres a fun bit of info for you. Did you know we had an art form called stop motion?"

"I Didnt know, how does it work?"

He listened attentively as the mortal told him about the millions of variations of puppet models,the replacement, the neat little tricks to make things move and seem Real.

To him,stop motion animation sounded like a real labor of love.

"I had to make one for a class once. It was painful but fun"

"Do you still have the recording?"

"I...dont sadly. We made it on a digital camera and god knows what happened to it after this shit show"

"Oh...".

"But if you give me a few hours we can make one together"

Strife knows himself enough to be aware of his lack of patience. But he accepts the deal if only for the experience.

He sees his human companion,his Friend, work away at making a few tiny little puppets that they can pose. They use pine cones,Grass,rubble, anything that they can get their hands on.

The mortal sets the camera on a rock,making sure it cant be moved. Then, they spent the Next few hourstaking pictures and making the puppets move and do silly little things.

Strife defenetly didnt have the patience for this, but it was all worth it when he saw the animation they made together. How the doll moved about in its little scenario,how the arms hoist up some pebble.

" Ive never done anything like this" he had admitted as he cleaned his guns. This was his way of unwinding. "It was fun, but painful. You sure its not some human torture method?"

His friend laughed,shaking their head as they press record on their camera and begin to move it delicately to drink in all the details of the horseman's hands cleaning the gun

The campfire beside them gave the shot a dramatic light that flickered and danced in a way that made the metal glint. And with a low ISO (aka the camera's sensitivity to light) there was no oversaturation to ruin the recording.

"Watcha doing'?" The gunslinger asked, not stopping the cleaning of his weapons.

"A detail shot. Usually its for props. In this case, the props are your guns." They explained "I personally love detail shots. They showcase the love put into the props by the art department"

"Theres an art department?"

"Ya. Theres also a lights department, writers,directors, producers, special effects- like a fake wound-, a costume/clothes department.-"

"So Many people for one movie?"

"Mhm! I can tell you all about it "

"Sweetheart,we've got nuthin' but time. 'M all ears"

War:

Creator help the human that the red rider travels with. He knows little of things like theatre and magic and tech are a mystery to him in so Many ways. Had it not been for the watcher, the behemoth in crimson would have no clue and think its an elaborate human prank.

"Okay so in a movie,you'd have four stages. Pre- production,where the story and list of resources needed for the film get made. Production,which is getting everything on the list plus actors and catering and a bunch of other things. Filming,the fun part. And post-production, where everything comes together"

War raised his brows in surprise, his expression would have been hidden if it wasnt for the slight widening of his shining white eyes and his voice as he says "I...was not aware of how much was needed for such a  seemingly simple thing"

The human was unaware of the expression he was making,seeing as their back was to his chest. Ruin trode lazily over the broken pavement.

"Yeah! You need a lot. Think about this,you need a scene in a home.." they begin,opening Their camcorder to put a tape within It "you can either make it within a studio- which means making everything from the ground up- or get a house with the furniture inside it "

He listens attentively "Im sure its more complicated than that...You'd need...lights? You have said that. And you told me natural light can be...tricky"

"Yeah!! " they sound so happy at his remembrance "For a home you manage to "borrow" you need to block out the Windows- unless theyre shown in the shot- and replace the light with artificial ones. But you'd also need people and services to haul the equipment to that home. "

They made a brief pause "a big guy like you would be useful. You May have a spot on the industry after all!"

"I dont see myself-"

"It was a joke,War"

"Right"

"Thats joke 1000 and counting" they breathed out,before turning on their camcorder. "Hey...I want a birds eye view of Ruin's head. Can get on your shoulders?"

He sighed "very well. Be careful"

The human climbs on him with ease. His armor provided foot holds and places to grasp. And its not the first time this happened...

War barely registers their weight on him. He looks up past his hood to see them record the sunset,turning side to side slowly in a panning motion.

"Natural light can be finnicky...but things like these can be breath taking...Wonderful shot"

At this,something comes to the rider's mind. "Why do you...record all these things? Arent they painful reminders? Do you do it to inmortalize yourself?"

The mortal looked down and smiled,shaking their head"in film,we tell stories. I want to tell this story...our story" the camera bends down to record him. And he huffs,all afluster.

"The nephilim are not worthy of remembrance".

"But you horsemen are. Your stories are worth sharing. And im making sure they happen. Your voice deserve to be heard"

"What makes you so certain?"

"I...Im not sure. Its just a feeling.."

He saw the way the human's brows knit together. They chew the inside of their cheek and turn the camera to take the view of Ruin's firey mane.

"Wonderful films have been made out of less. Sure,your stories are amazing and interesting- but thats not quite It. We have all seen stories of guts and glory,of massacres...but you horsemen are different. Unique."

"We're the accursed union of Angel and Demon. We're unique because we shouldnt exist "

He feels them kick him with the heel of their foot. "Dont say that about yourself. Good god" they sigh,looking at the sunset "theres nobody in this world like you four, youre unique in a wonderful way. You are a union of angel and demon but youre nothing like them. Youre uniquely independent, in a League all of your own. I seek to understand it I guess-  I want to tell your stories because..."

The words are on the tip of their tongue. So annoying...

And War sounds almost...meek in asking. He hopes of acknowledgement, of being seen, as deep down as that feeling is.

"Because theres simply nothing like you,and I think everyone deserves to know how noble,how kind and how strong you are. Maybe we can even learn something from you for. Your courage and disposition are unmatched. As scarred as you May be,as hurt even...I just think you deserve to be shown and appreciated for your uniqueness"

The rider was unsure on what to say. They are perhaps the only being in existence that appreciates the four in this way. And...he quite likes it.

"No doubt you'll make it far in your carreer" he complimented after a long silence."few beings in existence have the heart that you do..."

He heard them chuckle, their shadow moving as they hook their feet under his armor to stand up and bring their camera further up,showing the low brush and lushness that begins to overtake the landscape. The blue hour fully setting in.

"Will you come watch what I make?"

It was so obvious there was a slight hint of humor. He could tell the human wasnt at all convinced he actually cared for their art.

Too bad he means to show them he does

"To see the fruits of your hard labor? Of course. "

He hears the slight sniffing,he feels the slight trembling..."Ill- ill get you the best- best seats at the theatre. I promise"

War raised his normal hand to wrap around their calf, as a comfort but as a steadying force. "Ive no doubt you'll uphold your word"

[fandom-fantasy-fuel]

Darth Vader head-canon dump below:

I don't know anyone else who has this take on Darth Vader but first of all, to me he has always looked and sounded like James Earl Jones when he's without the armour. The man was such a crucial part of making that character that I can't picture him otherwise.

I hate the take that his real voice is almost non-existent and the one we hear is completely synthesised from a breathy wheeze? I've noticed a lot of people seem determined to remove everything cool and sexy about Vader and looove obsessing over him actually being super weak mentally and physically, held together by duct-tape, constantly suffering from every kind of botched medical experiment and suicidally depressed.

I don't get why you'd do him a disservice like that, yes he went through some hellish physical trauma but I see him as a character who overcome most of that with sheer determination and is extremely resilient and strong, deriving his power from rage and fanaticism, not sadness.

He would not think of himself as a monster in a "I hate myself, I'm an abomination, I want to die" way, he'd think it's sick as hell and enjoy being monstrous in the sense that he is the ultimate embodiment of the darkside and is set apart from other people by being absurdly overpowered and mysterious. He'd love to play up that intimidation factor and leans into being considered inhuman by pretending he doesn't eat or sleep, for instance. He'd take it like a complement when people think "there's no way he could be human he's too unnatural and powerful" but Vader would never think less of himself or think he's more machine than man for having technology integrated with biology, it's just an extension of himself and he's always had an affinity with technology and would feel those parts of himself through the force just the same.

I think it's a bad take when people go 'he was constantly at odds with his prosthetics and mods which were badly made, also he'd be completely fucked if the wrong button was pressed or anything broke because he's that dependent and impotent without them and his 50 prescription drugs.' Nah man, that Absolute Unit can handle anything thrown at him and made a literally miraculous recovery through the force!

I get that he would have some physical challenges but I feel like some Vader fans have a kind of munchaussen-by-proxy thing going on tbh (I don't think that's the right term but I can't think of what to call it), the way they fetishise his disabilities and hyper-focus on details like colostomy bags and how much care he would require. (Don't come at me for being ableist I'm literally writing this from my hospital bed with an IV hooked up)

[brokehorrorfan]

Knightriders’ original motion picture soundtrack is available on vinyl for hte first time for $40 via Scare Flair Records. Composed by Donald Rubinstein (Martin, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie), the score has been remastered for vinyl from the original master tapes.

The double-LP album is available in two color variants: “Fighting the Dragon” 180-gram red/black and orange/yellow colored vinyl and “Brother Blue” 150-gram transparent blue colored vinyl (limited to 50). It’s housed in a gatefold jacket featuring classic art by Boris Vallejo, new art by Gary Pullin, an 11x11 program of events insert, and liner notes by Rubinstein.

[rzombie]

Some shit

[chrisone]

Some online purchases

[deniigi]

Title: eleven stars

Summary:

Dooku joined the darkside because he thought it would take him away from a life tied up in red tape and, finding that what was awaiting for him on the other side of the Force was just more goddamn red tape, he moves out to the country to an old cottage and demands that his grandkids come help him set up a pig pen. 

Snippet:

--

Obi-Wan, notorious animal lover, so much like his late master, is more petrified of the pig than he is of an entire droid battalion. He climbs into the trailer, and as soon as Tulip notices him, flings himself out of it. Feemor convinces him to sit on his shoulders and talk to her. Just talk.

This rapidly devolves into six jedi trying to mindtrick a swine. Yan hangs back and observes. Xanatos tells Feemor to shut up, he’s not putting enough effort into this, and shoves him back to draw upon the dark side. To mindtrick the pig. As is the only appropriate use of the darkside, truly.

It doesn’t work.

Anakin decides that what they’ve got to do is to coax all the babies into the pen first. Surely the mother will follow the babies.

This has a success rate of 100% for the piglets and a 0% success rate for Tulip.

And that is when Ahsoka remembers that she didn’t get to hunt the elk yesterday. Her pupils dilate. Tulip rounds on her. A trigger goes off in the child’s skull and she begins to sink low. She lays her hands on the trailer’s latch with tenderness that Tulip reads as a threat.

“Soka,” Anakin says. “Let’s not get mauled, yeah?”

Ahsoka lets loose a quiet, but audible rumble from her chest and throat.

Tulip begins to back away.

“Here, piggy, piggy,” Ahsoka murmurs through the shudder of her voice.

----

link to the full piece on Ao3 here.

[darling-i-read-it]

Whatever It Takes

Fate Part 2

Series Masterlist

Leon Kennedy x fem!reader

Word Count: 3.9k

Warnings: violence, re2 spoilers, guns, blood, ‘death’,

Author’s Note: Literally, as much as I love resident evil 2 I am so excited for resident evil 4 lmao. Just a reminder that I know Leon’s in darkside chronicles but I haven’t played that quite yet so when I do, I will go back and do a part 2.5 if I have to! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this part as much as I did!

Summary: You follow Ada Wong and eventually make it out of Raccoon City with Leon.

I don’t own these characters. They belong to author/director/creator

I use some dialogue directly from the game so it may sound familiar

(not my gif)

Ada listened to the tape intently. You and Leon shared a glance as she did so, unsure if you should actually be giving her the information. But it didn’t seem like much to you. Ada hadn’t failed you so far.

“Is that the intel you needed?” you asked.

“Unfortunately no. Ben didn’t come through,” she explained, annoyed.

“Well what exactly are you looking for?” Leon questioned.

“More info on the people responsible for this mess,” she said evenly. You admired her. She seemed to have it together, even here in the middle of this mess. You could probably watch her fight people for hours and not get bored. The heels were a fashion choice but it didn’t look to be bothering her in the slightest.

“What about you two? Trying to save the world with love?” You scoffed and Leon scratched the back of his neck.

“We’re trying to bring help to the police station,” you said. “And we aren’t in love.”

“Could’ve fooled me. I think it adds a bit of pizazz to the situation,” she said, kneeling in front of a door to one of the shops. She worked at the lock of the gun shop.

“I’m gonna look for ammo,” you said, stepping inside. Leon nodded.

“I’ll scout the way.” He jogged forward toward the door out. Ada lingered, waiting for him to do the job she didn’t want to do. She turned to you.

“Known each other long?”

“We just met today actually,” you admitted, surveying the shelves. There were a couple lone bullets that you pocketed. You offered some to her but she shook her head. “Have you been able to find Annette?”

“Still looking,” she admitted.

“If I run into her, I’ll point her your way. What did she do?” She scoffed.

“What didn’t she do?”

“Don’t move!” You and Ada heard the sound of a man that wasn’t Leon and both of you took out your gun. You walked around the corner and saw a man pointing a shotgun at Leon.

“I’m just passing through. I’m gonna ask you to lower your weapon.” Police talk. If you weren’t all in danger of the man with the gun then you would have smiled. He would have been a good officer.

“Like hell you are! You’re gonna turn around and come back the way you came!” You took the safety off on your gun.

“I think your daughter needs help sir,” Leon said. You turned the corner and lifted it to him. Ada watched you curiously. You clearly weren’t trained with a gun. She figured you would stay back and let her go forward to help Leon but you jumped forward before she was able to.

Ah emotions, Ada thought. They always fail us. How predictable.

“Drop your gun,” you said, trying to make your voice sound hard. Ada came out from behind you and pointed her gun at the little girl but the man jumped in front of Ada’s gun.

“No!”

“We have to terminate her before she turns,” Ada said.

“Terminate? That’s my fucking daughter!” he said. You looked at the little girl behind him. She looked like she was already a zombie. Leon lowered his gun.

“Ada...just let them be,” he said. You looked to him. But you understood. Why not just kill the little girl, put her out of her misery? Leon gave you a look and you lowered your gun slowly. Ada didn't listen that quickly. She finally lowered her gun and the man nodded, turning back to his daughter.

“I told you to stay inside,” he whispered as he shut the door behind him and her.

“You know, it’s one thing to keep the truth from us but why him?” Leon asked. He had an anger in his voice you hadn’t heard from him yet. “I want to find out whatever’s happening here. And stop whoever’s behind it,” he said. “Helping people like them - that’s why I joined the force.” Ada looked hard at Leon.

“My mission is to take down Umbrella's entire operation. We may not make it out,” she explained.

“Whatever it takes to save this city - count me in,” Leon said. He looked to you. “Listen, I understand if you just want to find Claire and leave. When we see her next, the two of you can go and leave this damn city. If I see Chris I can send him your way.” You looked over at Ada. She had that neutral look on her face. You couldn’t get over how brave she was. How brave Leon was. You were scared shitless. You didn’t want to be here anymore, you wanted out of Racoon City and out of this whole mess.

But you looked into Leon’s eyes and knew what you had to do.

“Leon, I'm not leaving you. Someone has to be here to save you,” you said lightly. He had put up a good front but both you and Ada could see the sigh of relief he released when you said that.

“Alright you two. Let’s move,” Ada said. She was happy to have you there. You could do the things she didn’t want to. “Have you heard of the Umbrella Corporation?”

====

You, Leon and Ada had been walking for what seemed like ages. You had run into reptiles and more zombies on your search for Annette which was starting to make you regret your decision to come along with them. You wondered where Claire was. You hoped she was fairing better than you.

Ada had explained it all to you, at least most of the things she knew. Umbrella, how they sold the virus that made bioweapons. All this, happening right under everyone's nose. It made you sick.

Leon opened the next door in front of both of you, acting like you couldn’t handle yourselves. On the other side was finally another person. Blonde, wearing a lab coat. You guessed this was Annette.

“Identify yourself!” Leon said. Police officer Kennedy.

“Annette Birkin,” Ada said. You were all pointing your guns at her.

“She’s who we’re looking for?” Leon asked.

“Looks like the description Ada gave,” you said.

“Not much time,” Annette muttered. “Need to dispose of it.”

“We’re here for the G-Virus,” Ada said.

“That’s not going to happen,” Annette promised.

“I’m warning you doctor!” Ada said.

“Oh yeah?” You didn’t like the sound of that. Annette took something out of her pocket and tossed it on the dead body she had been kneeling beside. It lit on fire.

“Stop!” Ada yelled, running after her. Gunshots rang out and you quickly hid behind the wall as Leon jumped forward, blocking Ada with himself. They both fell over. “Wasn’t expecting that from a scientist,” she muttered as Leon got off her. Leon groaned and you looked down at him.

“Go, don’t let her get away,” he whispered. Your eyes went wide as they landed on his blood soaked shoulder. You rushed over to him, falling to the floor beside him just as he passed out. You put your hand on his shoulder.

“We need to get it wrapped up,” Ada said.

“Damn vest. Never where I need it to be,” you muttered. “Is he gonna be okay?” you asked, turning to her. She looked over at him. She took off her sunglasses, letting you see her eyes for the first time. You had no doubt she was beautiful without the glasses but it still hit you like a sack of bricks.

“Yes.” You had your hand pressed firmly against Leon’s shoulder, your other hand holding his head above ground. You grabbed one of the bandages you had found in the station and carefully wrapped it around his shoulder. You weren’t great at it but it kept the pressure. Ada took off her trench coat, revealing a red dress underneath.

“You have somewhere to be after this?” you asked, laughing.

“I never go anywhere looking less than amazing,” she said and she sounded genuine. You decided not to push. She handed you the jacket, gesturing to Leon. You put it over him like a blanket.

“I have to go and find Annette, there’s no time to wait.” You nodded.

“Do you want me to come?” She sensed you wanting to stay with him instantly. Despite having met Ada a mere two hours after you had met Leon, you had still met him first. You felt you had a responsibility to keep him safe. You wanted to keep him safe.

“Stay with him till he wakes up. Then come find me,” she said. “Keep him safe.” You nodded.

“Ada?” you said before she walked off. “You be safe.”

It had been a fat minute since someone wanted Ada to be safe. She knew she was lying to you. Once everything was said and done, she would take the sample if you got it before her. But you and Leon trusted her and wanted her to be safe. She gave you a small smile, a genuine smile and nodded.

“I’ll see you both soon.”

She walked down the hall, leaving you alone with Leon. You turned to him, his face at peace as he slept. You put your hand on his.

“Wake up soon. We got work to do Kennedy.” You noticed your necklace on his vest and smiled gently. You tucked it inside his shirt and rested beside him.

Now to figure out how to clean this gun.

====

You had almost fallen asleep when you felt Leon stir beside you. You jerked yourself awake and turned to him. His eyes fluttered open and he put his hand on his bandage. It was holding up pretty well. You met his eyes.

“Y/N,” he breathed. He looked around. “Where’s Ada?”

“She went to get Annette. Told me to stay here with you until you woke up,” you explained.

“I’m awake.”

“Hey, are you feeling alright? You kind of got shot.”

“Yeah,” he said. He put his hand on his arm gingerly. “I got shot,” he muttered. “That’s something I’ve never been able to say before.” You nodded, laughing gently.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“I’ll live. Come on, what if Ada needs us?” You nodded. You stood up and offered him your hand which he took. You hoisted him up. “Why would she tell you to stay? You’d be more useful to her out there.”

“Probably thought I would get in her way. Or maybe she sensed that I didn’t want to leave you alone when you’re out cold,” you said. He smiled.

“Thank you for watching over me.”

“Anytime Kennedy. But it seems we have another puzzle to solve if we want to get to Ada so we should probably focus.”

===

After more time than either of you cared to admit, you were able to get down to where Ada was. She looked injured as she sat down on the ground. You both rushed down to her. As you slowed next to her you noticed something coming out of her leg.

“I was getting worried there for a sec,” she muttered. “I can’t get it out.”

“I don’t know if I should-” Leon started. Ada looked at you.

“Do it. I can’t walk like this.” You nodded curtly and put your hands on the jagged piece of debris. You pulled it out and she winched. Leon was already ready with the bandages. “I can do that myself,” she said but Leon still did it anyway.

“What do we do now?” he asked.

“Get yourselves out of here, while you still can,” Ada said. You scoffed.

“We aren’t just going to leave you here,” you told her.

“You don’t understand, this situation is worse than I thought,” she said. You shrugged.

“Then we’ll figure it out together. We’re already knee deep in this.”

“You protected us,” Leon said. “Now it’s our turn.” Ada smiled.

“Didn’t realize we were keeping score,” she muttered. You snuck a smile. You stood up and she grabbed your hand as you hoisted her up.

“Grab onto my shoulder,” Leon said.

“Don’t push it rookie,” Ada muttered. You smiled, sharing a glance with Leon. You both liked her. It was probably going to be the wrong thing to do, you could feel it but you liked her anyway. Leon on the other hand didn’t seem to feel any apprehension toward her. “We need to get to the NEST. It’s below us, that’s where all the virus samples are,” Ada explained. “You guys up for that?”

“I think I can fit it into my schedule,” Leon said. “Y/N?” You nodded, holding up your gun.

“I think my aims getting better but I still gotta practice.”

“Come on, we got work to do,” Ada said.

“Yes ma’am.”

====

Ada concluded that, as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t keep going with her leg like the way it was. She handed you a wristband and made you and Leon promise to get the sample. She made you understand that once that sample was there, she would be back working with the FBI. You didn’t exactly trust that but you couldn’t bring her along.

You and Leon had gotten into a nice working partnership. You walked together, upgrading the wristbands and finding the parts you needed to create the sample.

“I was meant to have a partner when I joined the force,” Leon said, out of nowhere. You had just got done explaining everything you had done to each other back, just to make sure you were doing things right.

“Do you know who it would have been?” you asked. He shook his head.

“No, they hadn’t assigned anyone to me yet.” He looked over at you. “They wouldn’t have been as good as you thought,” he concluded. You scoffed.

“Leon, I learned to use this gun a whole five hours ago.”

“Has it really only been five hours?” “Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t bring a watch. But regardless, you would have had someone fully equipped to deal with all this.” You gestured around you.

“No, no I think it works,” he said. “If there was someone equipped for all this I wouldn’t have as much fun.”

“You think this is fun?”

“Well I think it would be miserable if you weren’t here.”

“Well we can thank Claire for that one,” you said. You put your hand on his arm and he met your eyes. They were wonderful to look into. “Leon if we don’t make it out of this-”

“We’re gonna make it out of this,” he promised. “You, me, Claire, Ada and Chris.” You smiled.

“Leon, you're genuinely the best person I know,” you said, laughing. “And if I don’t make it out of this, I want you to know that.”

Your eyes lingered, locked on each other for just a moment too long. A zombie broke your thoughts. You turned around and shot it once in the head.

“Hey, your aim’s gotten really good!”

“I’ve had a good teacher.”

“Ada Wong?”

“Oh shut up Kennedy.”

====

You had the G-Virus sample in your hand, Annette Birkin behind you, Leon Kennedy to your side and Ada Wong pointing a gun at you.

24 hours ago, that sentence would have made no sense at all to you.

“Leon hand over the sample or she dies and I really don’t wanna kill her,” Ada said. You didn’t even have your gun out. If you moved you were scared she would just shoot you.

“I really liked you Ada,” you said.

“And I really like you,” she said.

“We were just pawns to you?” you asked.

“I’m just doing my job,” she said. Leon stepped between you and the gun.

“And I’m doing mine,” he said. “Drop the damn gun! I’m taking you in.” Officer Leon. You fought back the small smile, the fear creeping over you.

“Hand over the sample Leon. I don’t want to hurt either of you.” Leon lowered his gun. Your eyes went wide.

“Then shoot me but I don’t think you can.”

“Leon-” you started but he raised his hand, causing you to be quiet. Ada straightened her back but he was right. She couldn’t shoot him. She lowered her gun.

But she was shot anyway. It surprised all three of you. You turned, seeing Annette with the gun in her hand. The sample slipped out of Leon’s hand and down into the abyss. You slipped, grabbing onto the edge, holding on by only your finger. You looked over and noticed Ada was in the same position as you. Leon tried to extend his arms to get both of you but he had no leverage.

Ada met his eyes.

“Save her,” she demanded. Leon closed his eyes for just a moment, pretending this wasn’t happening and Ada’s grip loosened. Leon cursed under his breath and grabbed your arm, pulling you up. You shook your head, reaching over to grab her but she was already gone. Leon couldn’t bring himself to look.

He wrapped his arms around you and the two of you ran through what was left of the bridge.

“Nine minutes till detonation,” the building said. You grabbed your gun and started to run through the building.

“Who is that?” Leon asked. You turned to what he was looking up at. There was a screen and someone furiously typing. Your eyes went wide.

“Claire! She’s alive!” You felt a rush of relief like you had never felt before and leaned over the edge. “Claire!” “Y/N? Leon?! You’re down here too?”

“Yeah but the whole place is coming down,” Leon said. “Listen, you need to get out. Fast!”

“Yeah, there’s a way out,” Claire said. “We can make it! Where are you now?”

“Don’t worry about us,” you said.

“Y/N? Hey, you’re breaking up.”

“Forget about us! Get out of here!” you said. Leon grabbed your arm.

“We have to go, come on.” You nodded and followed him away from the screen.

====

After a fight with one of the damn monsters that hadn’t stopped pestering you, you and Leon finally landed on a train car that was moving quickly out of the city. You looked at the dead bioweapon as it disappeared behind you.

You hit your head against the train wall and let out a soft sigh. Leon turned to you and hugged you tightly to him. You wrapped your arms around him, breathing him in, memorizing his scent.

“Is it too forward if I say you make me feel really fucking safe?” you asked. He put his lips on the top of your head and you closed your eyes.

“I’m a police officer. It’s what I’m supposed to make you feel.” You laughed dryly and tightened your grip.

“Alright Officer Kennedy,” you said against his chest. “How do I make you feel?” He closed his eyes gently and you could feel him smiling against your hair.

“Secure,” he whispered. “Warm,” he said quicker, like he was changing his mind.

“I think that’s cause it’s hot in here.” You both laughed and you pulled away. Your eyes lingered on his and you put your hand on his cheek.

“Can..can I..” he stuttered but you kissed him before he could finally spit it out. He melted against your kiss, molding into you perfectly. He put his hand gently on your cheek. You would have kissed forever had there not been a clash in the other room.

You met his eyes and he pulled out his gun, stepping in front of you. He opened the door.

Claire stood there with a little girl. Your face lit up.

“Claire! Oh my God Claire!” You threw your arms around her and she hugged you tightly.

“You guys made it!” she said. You nodded, pulling away from her. There was a bang the way you came. Claire let out an annoyed sigh. “You guys wait here. I got this one.”

====

You, Leon, Claire and the little girl Sherry, all walked the road out of Racoon City. Claire was holding Sherry’s hand and you were holding Leon’s.

“So are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend?” Sherry asked you. You scoffed.

“I think it’s a little early for-”

“Yeah,” Leon said. You met his eyes. “If that’s okay!”

“It’s perfectly okay,” you said. Claire wiggled her eyebrows.

“What did I miss?” You scoffed.

“You left me and I had to find my own way around,” you said. She shrugged.

“I seem to remember it was a mutual leaving.” You rubbed Leon’s hand and brushed the bracelet he was still wearing. It was Ada’s, the wristband she had given the two of you. Leon seemed to notice it right when you did. You both felt a pant of guilt. She had helped you and now she was gone. But she had also betrayed you.

You had conflicting feelings.

He let your hand go and took it off.

“I only wear one woman’s jewelry,” he said and tossed it down on the ground, walking past it. You rolled your eyes.

“You still have it?” He took the necklace out from around his neck. You laughed.

“I thought you would’ve lost it when we were falling off that bridge,” you said. He shook his head.

“I guess I can give it back to you now,” he said, semi solemnly. You shook your head.

“Keep it. It’ll remind you of me.”

“You guys are adorable!” Claire said. You rolled your eyes.

“Look!” Sherry said. She pointed to an upcoming truck. “Maybe they can give us a ride?” she suggested.

“What if it’s not just the city?” Claire asked.

“She could be right.”

“Get Sherry out of here,” Leon said. He pointed to you. “Go with them.”

“No,” you said, taking out your gun. He laughed gently. He had no intention of arguing with you. The truck drove up and the driver flipped you all off through the window. You scoffed.

“He was friendly,” Leon said.

“So...is it over?” Claire asked.

“I don’t know,” Leon said. He slipped his hand back into yours. “But if it isn’t we’ll stop it.” You nodded, looking back toward Claire and Sherry then at Leon again before speaking.

“Whatever it takes.”

Part 3

Series Tag List: @ceruleanrainblues, @scarletrosesposts, @stardancerluv

[loudlyunladylike]

"You say everyone has a good side Quackity and you're right, you're right everyone has a good side but that good side is only there to help themselves. If you want to really help people you're going to need power, Quackity. You can- you can make a movement, you can make a resistance alright, you can go out and you can come back and they'll give you a ticker tape parade, they'll cheer for you in the streets but you will change nothing. If you have a revolution everyone will hate you, you will sacrifice everything and you will lose everything you ever had but you'll come back and everything will be changed. And Quackity if you want to change things you're going to need power, that's what you want really isn't it, look at me. And power isn't gained from diplomacy and bureaucracy and giant court houses suspended in the sky, blah blah blah. It's gained from swords Quackity, it's gained from blades, it's gained from steel, iron. Even if everyone has this good side that you're talking about then anyone who wants to prove it has to show their darkside first. You're going to have to kill, you're going to have to torture, you're going to have to maim. When I look at you, as a fellow outsider, you're not ready for that. I'm leaving."

- President Wilbur Soot

[platypanthewriter]

Third Time's The Charm (Mindflayer: Take three)

Day Two of Harringrove AUgust, prompt:  Darkside AU

Billy’s eyelids felt as dry and crisp as potato chips as he tried to force them open. He could hear the shuffle of shoes against the linoleum, and the beeps and whirs of the hospital equipment, and then something brushed his face. Cool fingers.

“Open your eyes, William,” said Steve Harrington’s calm voice, and Billy jerked back in the bed, blinking at the dark shape hovering over him. His bandages tugged, and he flinched at the deep ache in his chest.

“Harrington,” he tried to say, but it came out more of a hoarse wheeze.

“I pushed you too hard before,” Harrington said, “—with no reward, but I think I know how you work, now. You want this boy, don’t you?”

“What,” Billy breathed, staring.

“You want him to pat you with his fleshy paws,” said the thing that was not Harrington, and Billy laughed sharply as Harrington’s hand stroked up his bare arm, and ran a thumb up his jaw. The thing smiled. “You want to taste his saliva.”

“Gross,” Billy choked out, shaking, but the thing leaned in, and Harrington’s lips were warm on his own.

“You will help me,” said the Mindflayer, pulling back, “—and you will have what you want.”

“Let him go,” Billy whispered, with no actual hope that it would. “What—what do you want?”

“You know what I want,” it said, and Billy’s stomach churned, remembering. “And if I don’t have it, I will—”

“Wait, I—I’ll do it,” Billy breathed.

It wasn’t hard to pick a victim—Billy’s dad may have been completely reasonable in hating his faggot son, but he was shitty to Max too, and Susan, and Billy’s mom—and there weren’t a lot of people he figured would listen to Billy Hargrove.

Problem was, Billy’s dad didn’t want to be lured out. Billy stared at the phone in the phone booth, thinking, and then tried saying he was injured at the abandoned drive-in theater on the edge of town—his car had broken down—and his dad just suggested he learn to not drink and drive.

As Billy tried to think of something more convincing to say, the Mindflayer grabbed the phone, and said “This is Steve Harrington, sir. We could really use your help. Bring the sheriff.”

There was a pause, and Billy knew his dad was repeating the name Harrington, like he always did talking about the richest family in town, the ones with the life he wanted, the people he wanted his family to match up to.

“See you soon,” said the Mindflayer, but it was frowning with Steve Harrington’s face, and Billy wondered whether Steve was the one who’d grabbed the phone.

 Billy’s dad didn’t take long, pulling up to the phone booth in the parking lot of the abandoned drive-through theater, and slamming the door of his car. He hadn’t brought the sheriff. Harrington grabbed his arm as he reached for Billy—and Billy didn’t have to watch, now, what the Mindflayer did with its victims.

He sat gripping one of the dilapidated benches, curled over to puke at the sounds, until he heard shoes scuff towards him again, and looked up to see a smile on Steve Harrington’s face. The Mindflayer knew which muscles to contract for a smile, Billy reflected distantly, but it didn’t look quite like a person, more like a doll, a ventriloquist’s dummy’s wide-stretched grin.

“Get up,” the thing said, and Billy staggered to his feet as his father—not his father, anymore, he reminded himself, another thing—drove away. The Mindflayer yanked him up when he didn’t move fast enough, nearly yanking his arm out of its socket as it slammed him against the bottom edge of the old projection screen. “Time for your reward. Take what you want,” it said. “Do you want to put things in his holes?”

“No!” Billy wheezed, wincing as it clenched Steve’s hand on his shoulder to hold him in place. He screamed as his collarbone broke under the force of its grip. It fixed Harrington’s mouth over his, hot and clumsy, and Billy tried to just let it happen, his brain a jumble of pain, lust, and terror as Harrington’s grip closed around his neck, and teeth clonked into his—until Harrington’s voice sounded different, suddenly, low and urgent.

“Let me,” he said. “Let me, let me, you’re killing him—you can’t—if you kill him, he can’t help you—”

“Harrington,” Billy gasped, choking for air, and then Harrington was really kissing him, one hand steadying Billy’s jaw, the other against Billy’s side, holding him steady as he staggered.

It was so good, Billy thought, his stomach twisting with revulsion, the pain of his broken collarbone making him pant as his eyes filled with tears.

“You taste like puke,” Harrington said, making a face, but he leaned in again, his brown eyes open as his lips met Billy’s and opened against them.

Billy moaned, a little—he couldn’t help it, not with Steve Harrington’s actual hands on him, and Steve’s tongue against his. Even possessed by a monster, Harrington looked kinda smug, and Billy hated him still, a little, for barely knowing Billy existed, and all the things Billy’d done by himself to survive, because he didn’t have anyone he could call.

Harrington had friends, Billy reminded himself. Billy didn’t need to think too hard about kissing Harrington, because Harrington’s friends would come, and they’d stop the Mindflayer, and help him, and Harrington wouldn’t come to himself a bloody mess at the mall, barely able to keep from murdering a child.

Somebody’d probably put a bullet in Billy’s brain, he thought, hissing in pain as Harrington shifted closer, and the broken edges of Billy’s collarbone scraped together. His brain filled with the white noise of pain, and he shuddered as he felt the new scraping agony of his collarbone, and the old, dull ache of his wound at the mall.

Harrington’s hands were careful, tipping Billy’s head to kiss him deeper.

His friends would kill the Mindflayer for good, Billy thought, humming a little hysterically against Harrington’s lips. They’d make sure Billy’s body didn’t get used again, either to transport a monster, or as leverage. All Billy had to do was keep the Mindflayer distracted, until then. Until they saved Harrington, and put Billy down.

“Enough,” came the still, calm voice from Harrington’s mouth, and the smile, as he stepped back.

“Who else do you want me to lure out here,” Billy asked, his hands flat against the wall of screen behind him to keep himself upright. The Mindflayer’s face twitched, and Billy wondered, his whole left shoulder and side pounding with pain, whether Harrington wished Billy’d let him die.

 The Mindflayer suggested Steve’s girlfriend, Wheeler. “We need him to stop fighting,” it said, smiling as it staggered and nearly fell. Billy walked away, breathing through the pain as he tried to get far enough away to call without the Mindflayer hearing.

He stepped into the phone booth and ruffled through the pages until he found Henderson—the kid he’d seen Steve with, the one whose name he was fairly sure of, because he hung around Max. “The Mindflayer has Harrington,” he said, flatly. “You gotta...trap him, or something. Better than you did me.”

“What in the hell,” the kid started, and Billy sighed.

“We’re at the drive-through theater,” he said. “He’s gonna be suspicious if I try to lure him anywhere.”

“Max has been looking for you,” Henderson said, and Billy bet she had.

“Hurry up and do something,” he said, watching the Mindflayer, in Steve Harrington’s body. It waved. “It’s gonna kill me,” he said, feeling a weird calm distance at the words, “—and I’m pretty sure he’s not gonna stop it, this time.”

“Shit,” Henderson said.  "We'll need some time to get ready."

“Oh, also,” Billy said, nearly high with pain, adrenaline, despair, and the taste of Harrington’s kisses. “I gave it my dad. That’s important, right?” he asked. “You probably need to know that too.”

“Holy shit, you fed it a person?! Your dad?!” Henderson yelled, and Billy nodded, running his tongue over his teeth as he sighed.

“Yeah, I’m a monster.” He snorted a laugh and hung up, wandered out to sit on the bench next to the Mindflayer, and watch the sunset. After a couple of hours of staring at the sky, he reached over and squeezed the Mindflayer’s wrist.

“You’ll let him go if I do everything you want?” he asked, and the Mindflayer smiled again.

Billy’d thought he’d be reassuring Harrington by asking—even if he didn’t believe for a second that the Mindflayer would just politely leave—but then he remembered that Harrington could probably tell the same thing, and that he, Billy, was a moron.

 When the sirens started, Billy winced. “I called the sheriff,” he said. “Told him I wanted to turn myself in. Told him I...took you.”

“The sheriff,” repeated the Mindflayer, focusing its unblinking stare down the road.

When the sheriff arrived, it wasn’t in his usual vehicle—it was a huge old Jeep, and he scrambled down with a groan, stretching until his back popped, and wiping sweat from his face. “Get in, boys,” he said, sighing, and jerking his thumb at the Jeep. When Billy was slow getting up—any motion of his arms flexed his collarbone, and his legs felt shaky on their own—the sheriff grabbed him by the shoulder.

Billy swallowed back a high noise in the back of his throat, realizing wildly that there was no reason to believe the Mindflayer had Harrington, no reason to believe him, only a waste of space they’d all seen possessed before, now making threatening phone calls. He closed his eyes, grimacing, and waited for the gasoline to soak him, or the muzzle of the gun to be pressed to his head, but the sheriff just watched Harrington walk towards the Jeep.

Harrington—the Mindflayer, Billy reminded himself—yelled, and he opened his eyes to see him lying on the ground, while the deputies, Hopper, and some other people held him down with their feet. Billy stared, watching the thing try and pretend they were wrong, laughing and pointing at Billy. They were wrapping his whole body in what looked like duct tape, wrapping his arms to his body and his legs together as he thrashed and swore.

It was probably assuming it would kill them while they drove, he realized, and opened his mouth, but they just tossed it into the Jeep and closed the doors, just watching it, like the Jeep was gonna take the Mindflayer back to the future, or start driving itself, or something.

Harrington started screaming. His feet banged against the inside of the tailgate, and the sheriff wandered back over to Billy.

“They trained us in those Jeeps for the National Guard, and for ‘Nam,” he said, with satisfaction. “The heaters can melt the snow two meters around, in January.”

“What,” Billy asked, completely lost. The sheriff put his hands on his belt, and Billy held his arms out, wrists together, expecting the cuffs, this time, but the man just shook his head, his lips thin.

“Go siddown, kid,” he said. “We’ll get you back to the hospital.”

 Billy awoke again to the beeping of hospital machines. His arm was in a sling, and he remembered his broken collarbone, wresting his eyes open on the ceiling, and a dark shape. He flinched, hissing with pain, and Harrington’s voice came again.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I just—I feel like—”

“Fuck,” Billy breathed, shutting his eyes again.

“It seems wrong to thank you for...that,” Harrington muttered. “But you—your dad—you’re why I’m alive, so. Uh. Thanks.”

“Whatever,” Billy sighed, wondering if he sold everything—his car, his records—if he could afford a plane flight back to California, and out of this conversation where the straight boy he’d masturbated over—who’d gotten possessed, who Billy’d groped and kissed while he was possessed—thanked Billy for helping him murder Billy’s dad.

“...so. Yeah,” Harrington said awkwardly, and Billy snorted a laugh.

“Fuck off, Harrington,” he whispered, his throat raw.

“You did all that to save me,” Harrington said, blankly. “All it had to do was take me, and you helped.”

“I got a history with that thing,” Billy reminded him, rolling his eyes.

“You’re a really horny bastard,” Steve said, still vaguely, like he was figuring it out, and Billy started laughing so hard he hurt. “Y’know who else pulls pigtails,” Harrington said, darkly. “Kids, that’s who. Children. Fucking...kindergartners.”

It wasn’t even that funny, but knowing Harrington knew, and wasn’t pissed off, was such a relief Billy couldn’t stop giggling. His eyes blurred with tears.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Harrington said, belatedly, and Billy breathed out a sigh he didn’t even know he’d been holding.

“...d’you know what they’re gonna do with me?” he asked, hoarsely.

“What?” Harrington asked.

“I wasn’t possessed,” Billy whispered, laughing, a sharp painful bark. “Why am I—am I going to jail, or—?”

“No,” Steve said, blinking at him. “No, you saved me. We’ll figure it out.”

“Can’t believe you wanna be in the same room as me,” Billy laughed again, shutting his eyes and cringing through the pain.

“...oh,” Harrington said, and Billy winced. “I don’t...I don’t mind if you’re in love with me,” he said, and in the cold blue light from the hallway, Billy could see a smirk on Harrington’s stupid face. “I know you’d do anything for me now, right,” he said, grinning.

I don’t love you, I just wanna fuck you, Billy thought of saying, or I’m a fucking faggot, I’d do anyone, or I thought I was gonna die anyway, moron, something to shock Harrington out of looking illogically happy to find out Billy was willing to commit murder if Steve Harrington was a hostage. “...fuck,” Billy whispered.

“Oh! I know...your um, your...dad,” Harrington said incomprehensibly, grimacing. “But uh, Max and Susan are okay,” he said, squeezing Billy’s hand, like that was a thing now, and Billy stared at him, remembering squeezing Harrington’s wrist, when he thought they’d both die. “Thanks for saving me, Hargrove,” he said again, his hand tight over Billy’s, and Billy swallowed, watching his face. “Now go the fuck to sleep.”

Harrington sat beside him the whole night, his warm thumb stroking Billy’s wrist after Billy’s eyes drifted closed.

[ladykailitha]

Metal band sequel

WIP Wednesday! Make me write!

Other asks here, here, here, here,. here.

Snippet

Eddie, Steve, Robin, and Chrissy all paid for their day badges and slipped into the convention center. Steve was immediately overwhelmed. He had played to sold out stadiums, but that couldn’t hold a candle to sheer amount of people milling about. Mostly because there was a barrier between him and the people.

They could see all sorts of cosplayers wandering around the halls. Some in crappy little homemade stuff with cardboard and duck tape. Others in minimal effort costumes like they were. Then there were the people in cosplays that must have taken weeks, if not months to make. Warhammer space marines, a Krogon, and War from Darksiders, Hela from Marvel, a nine tailed fox, complete with hand dyed kimono.

They saw a couple of people dressed as angels from that one long running TV show. Then they passed a booth that proudly displayed that they were the Salt Lake City chapter of the Ghostbusters. Complete with their own Echo 1.

What really cinched it though was passing the main stairs and seeing all Scooby-Doo gang people taking group pictures on them.

[marsmarvel02]

More TBLT BotBots Stuff

So, I had planned to be productive on my vacation, and spend all the time sitting in the car drawing TBLT characters as BotBots. That plan didn’t exactly work out, but I do still have ideas for TBLT characters as BotBots.

Parts Shop Appliances: Rumors swirl in the Mall about a group of appliance ‘bots that live in the Dark Side of the Mall and are fond of doing rather... unpleasant things to any unlucky travelers they stumble across. In actuality, the B-Movie Bozos might look scary, and love to spook any ‘Bot they might find, but they would never deliberately harm anyone. Their pastime is to head over to the abandoned video store that’s directly across the hallway from their parts shop home and watch one of its many MST3K tapes.

Cutting-Edge Appliances: Born in a store that’s not as run-down as the rest of the Dark Side, they were top-of-the-line back when the store was open... yeah, not so much anymore seeing as that was the late 80s. They still believe themselves to be advanced, and will be in for a rude shock if they ever encounter the Techie Team. They call themselves the “Tip-Top Technologies”, but the other Darksiders have nicknamed them the “’More More More’ Morons”.

[smokeybrandreviews]

Variety Pack

I’m a guy who loves a good horror movie. They are the last bastion of pure creativity in a Hollywood obsessed with profit and afraid of risk. Some of the greatest films i have ever seen, have been horror flicks. Hereditary. The VVitch. Midsommar. The Thing. It Follows. Alien. The Fly. Absolutely outstanding cinema. Studios rarely take these things seriously so they never get a budget and that breeds creative thinking in terms of production. I love that spirit of ingenuity and when it’s executed with focus, great things happen. Low budget masterpieces like Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre have reshaped cinema as we know it. That’s rare but, at the same time, we often get great ideas. The anthology film lends itself to horror as a proof of concept, so to speak. Creepshow, Trick or Treat, and Tales from the Darkside, are outstanding but one of my absolute favorites is V/H/S. I love this film. I love these shorts. They are all excellent and i wanted to just kind of gush about them a little bit.

Tape 56

Every good anthology needs a framing device and Tape 56 is the one for V/H/S. It’s kind of f*cking ridiculous but, at the same time, extremely insidious. This one gets into you, slowly, almost like an infection, ultimately delivering on the promise of sheer horror. This one is decent but not the best.

Amateur Night

This one, the first one, is easily the best of the lot. I loved this short so much and, apparently, so did everyone else because it got a legit film out of it. I don’t want to get into spoilers but it is an awesome outing and deserves all of the accolades people heap on it.

Second Honeymoon

This one didn’t hit the way it should have. I mean, it’s good, don’t get me wrong, but it’s probably the weakest of the lot. I’d say skip it, you know, it’s short so you don’t have to.

Tuesday the 17th

This one was wild as f*ck. Straight up Eighties slasher vibes with a twitch, one i thought was kind of brilliant. Think Halloween meets The Predator. You can tell the budget for this short was next to nothing but they worked miracles to deliver something that looks way better than they could afford.

The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger

This one was f*cked up. It is presented in a series of video chats, clever way to get around budget restrictions, but it’s an unnerving ass narrative. Amateur Night got the feature but i would love to see this narrative expanded because, f*ck, it hits all of my fear checkpoints.

10/31/98

You want your anthology to go out on a strong note and 10/31/98 is definitely that. This one looks like it had the most loot to make their portion because a lot of the effects make this sh*t pop. It’s wild to see the events of this narrative unfold on screen and it definitely gives Amateur Night a run for it’s money as my favorite short in the pack.

[rzombie]

House