#then we can have even more confusion when talking about jons cause having 5 comfort characters named jo(h)n isnt enough

[thebeholdingsfavorite-mrbitchard]

So going from TMA and jumping head first into Malevolent feels like the Michael thing all over again. Oh Jo(h)n? I love him! Weird little eye boy with magic dark powers that has a weird connection with a book. He's such a funky guy. He has some problems though, but he deserves it after all the Horrors he's been through. Oh you were talking about the other weird little eye boy with magic dark powers and a weird little connection to a book... my bad. I also love that very troubled character.

[lycanlovingvampyre]

MAG 196 Relisten

Activity on my first listen: Slow Tuesday at work.

ANNABELLE: "Perhaps… that’s because you didn’t seem to like what I had to say." MARTIN: "No, it’s because you weren’t really saying anything, were you? It was all just ominous foreshadowing again." Lol, poor Martin, always surrounded by ominous people XD

MARTIN: "Hey, this is your magic bubble. You’re the one making it so that we’re, like, actually walking, walking all the way to Oxford. So sorry I’ve got to sit down occasionally, like a human." Isn't Oxford a bit far from London to simply walk there? You know what, let's find out! Okay, Google maps, starting at the Chelsea College of Art and Design and our destination is 105 Hill Top Road in Oxford... 90 km, 19 hours. That's actually not that bad, they'll reach that in two days. I hope Martin has his camper backpack with him.

ANNABELLE: "And the book breaks?" MARTIN: "It’s not like you’re entertaining company." ANNABELLE: "And it’s nothing to do with the fact that any lost souls in our area also get a break from their torment? Hmmm?" First, I imagine Martin has a camping chair and a little parasol with him and every now and then he unpacks them, gets comfortable and starts reading. Second, OMG aren’t the victims of the domains they come across super confused?? One moment they facing their worst nightmares and suddenly there's sunshine and all their bones ache and they are tired, oh actually, they all probably fell asleep immediately... Otherwise, I'd be asking where are they. Why didn’t they spot the obvious tourists and walk with them in a little parade, all following the camera. (Don't mind me rambling here, I'm just having fun with silly little scenarios.)

MARTIN: "… So what if it does? Is that a problem?" ANNABELLE: "Actually, I find it very reassuring." Cause she wants him to want to save everybody.

ANNABELLE: "No. I did it in his sleep. He’d always been accommodating, so… I wanted to honour his wishes." Was there a superior motive? In the end, if she stole the camera and left him alive and well at Upton House, he'd just be integrated in the fear ecosystem, become either a watcher or watched. And either way, he wouldn't be able to leave his domain to try to stop anything. Hm... can watchers call out to Jon? So if Salesa ended up to be a watcher and could call out to Jon, he could have warned them about Annabelle at best. And only on short notice cause he wouldn't be able to reach Jon when they were in the tunnels, it would have had to be while they were inside the Panopticon. So somehow I think it wouldn’t have mattered if Salesa lived or died, not for our story.

MARTIN: "That’s a shame." ANNABELLE: "Is it?" MARTIN: "I mean… he seemed nice. To us at least." ANNABELLE: "And what of his victims? The people whose lives he destroyed?" Hehe, thinking about Martin wanting Fairchild dead because he threatened him to throw him off a rollercoaster and was a bit of a menace to talk to XD But tbf, Fairchild actively tormented people and wanted to torment them. Salesa was more of an accomplice. Selling all those cursed items (to the rich and arrogant,.. aaaand I’m thinking about MAG 155 again here) instead of sealing them away somehow or even destroying them.

MARTIN: [Sighs] "Is it much further?" Haha, this is the third time now that we hear him asking how much further it is XD

MARTIN: "Hey, is that – ? You told me not to bring a tape recorder." ANNABELLE: "No. I said we wouldn’t need one. We have plenty of tapes." Yeaaaah, already said it in MAG 161, the change of the logo for season 5 gave away the whole "the tapes are web" thing. I mean, it looks really cool and if you listen on a podcatcher it's all the same to you, it's the web tape logo right from the start, so I think it's better and not such a dead giveaway. I listened on YT the first time so I also saw the change in the logo and based my conclusion on the change.

ANNABELLE: "Do take a seat." [MARTIN PUTS DOWN BAG, TAKES A SEAT] Is it finally a comfortable seat?

ANNABELLE: "I’ve written you a statement. I would like for you to read it." Actually I was thinking, why does Martin read it. Why not Annabelle? Is there a canon-reason for that or was it something behind the scenes?

Okay, what about the "Stop no"s, just cross it out and start again, Annabelle, it's not that hard! xD

"immolated by the Chosen of the Ravening Burn." Oh, Ravening Burn, I like that title! Totally forgot about that.

"It was not wide enough to allow true passage, not yet, save for the odd accident." MAG 114.

ANNABELLE: "Oh, it’s so much more than a crack now. It’s an aching hole, a gaping wound in the very fabric of our world." I can't believe this line made it into the podcast... xD

ANNABELLE: [Wistful] "It’s a real shame, you know. I was so looking forward to filling you with spiders." I love that the initial plot of Web!Martin still made it somehow into the podcast. The self-awareness!

Also, Annabelle telling Martin of her plan is the moment Martin realizes this little stunt of him was extremely dangerous. Before that he was always annoyed and snappy, not really grasping the severity of the situation. For him, I mean. Not just for the sake of saving Jon.

ANNABELLE: "Because you always managed to get what you wanted through smiles and shrugs and stammerings that weren’t nearly as awkward as they seemed." [SMALL SOUND OF MARTIN’S CONCESSION TO THE POINT] MARTIN: "Point taken." I’m, sure y'all know what traditional narcissism is, but have you ever heard of nontraditional narcissism? Narcissism is probably more fueled by insecurity than an inflated ego and self-centeredness. While a traditional narcissist will push others down to get validation and keep their insecurity in check, nontraditional narcissists will put others on a pedestal. They’ll put themselves down in front of others, quietly manipulating them into giving them validation ("Oh wow, the XY you made looks so amazing, I will never be as good as you" - "Nooo, your stuff is amazing too!"). Not out-rightly saying Martin is a nontraditinal narcissist, but there definitely are tendencies in these kind of manipulation... I have them as well, after this line of Annabelle I did recognize this in myself and then with the knowledge of nontraditional narcissism I try to stop it when I catch myself doing it.

MARTIN: "Okay, let’s try a different question. What was your plan?" ANNABELLE: "I was going to snatch you away. Lure you both into this web, and then take you. Drive him to despair, so that when you returned to him, bulging, and talking in a thousand tiny voices, it would drive him to a final push." Since JonMartin wasn't planned to be canon at first and Web!Martin in return actually was, this would still have been a cool revelation and a wonderful surprised Pikachu betrayal, but not quite such a knife to the heart (heh, foreshadowing...) if they were together. God, JonMartin being a thing and Web!Martin happening would have been so unbelievably cruel... proper broken heart syndrome material... I like the way it eventually came together. Web!Martin still is valid and great, but from what I know about it I think I do prefer what ended up to be canon.

MARTIN: "And now?" ANNABELLE: [Sighs] "Your bond is too complicated. I couldn’t drive that kind of rift between you now. I’ve considered every angle, examined every cause and effect, and have finally come to the conclusion that I… [sighs] I need to tell you the truth, to explain things." Ha, JonMartin is stronger than the Web! (Well, stronger than that one plan at least.) Also, lol, sounds like Annabelle wrote a meta about their ship...

[WIND CONTINUES AS THUNDEROUS RUMBLES AND BUZZING INSECTS INTRUDE AUDITORILY] Sounds of a thousand gigantic spiders!!! I never understood, why this buzz sound is used for spiders, isn't that from a cricket or cicada or something? (The one here in TMA is not that stereotypical we hear in movies, but still.) (Also, of course spiders are not insects, they're arachnids.)

ARCHIVIST ON TAPE "So just listen –" [CLICK] [CLICK] "Listen, Martin, you should know –" [CLICK] [CLICK] "Now, listen to me, Martin, li-listen –" [CLICK] MAG 160, MAG 129 and MAG 159. Elias, the mass-ritual, which was crucial to the Web’s plan and Jon’s only purpose in all of this. And then talking to Martin twice. MAG 129 being the anchor episode. And MAG 159 of course when Jon went after Martin to get him out of the Lonely.

MARTIN: "What? All this time, through all of this, it, it was just you spying on us?" ANNABELLE: "Oh Martin. You have no idea who’s listening, do you?" Forth wall break?

@a-mag-a-day

[kaypeace21]

The ‘parentification’ of Jonathan Byers (psych analysis)

“Parentification is defined as the phenomenon where children take caregiving responsibilities (acting as a parent)  for their parents, siblings or other family members, at the expense of their own developmental needs.”

When can parentification occur?

1) After a “Divorce”   

“If there is more than one child in the family, usually the eldest, is “chosen” to be parentified .When a father-figure is missing, it may be the eldest son who is forced to take on his father's responsibilities.”

2) When there’s a “parent with a mental illness “

3)“Parental alcoholism or drug addiction.” (lonnie’s place covered in beer cans could allude to this).

4) “siblings with a mental illness’

5) “Death of a sibling or parent” (  This point is kind of cheating - but the fact Jon as a 15 y old had to plan a funeral, for his little brother instead of either one of his parents just illustrates how he always was forced to do adult duties much too young.)

6) “mothers of low socio-economic status, are frequently associated with parentification of their children. “

“given the fact that there are many single parent families, it falls upon children from some of these homes to carry adult responsibilities while their parent is out working. Often, in these situations, the parent is asking or expecting the child to take on adult responsibilities in their absence. They become the parent of the household in the interim between coming home from school and when the parent returns to the household.”

***TO MAKE THINGS VERY CLEAR: we are NOT hating on Joyce, here! “The harm of parentification is usually done not out of malicious intent. However, when a child who is supposed to go through their natural cycles of development and self- evolution,  is forced to grow up too quickly, there is a cost.” But, Joyce did what she had to do being a poor single mother - she had to work! Even when Lonnie was around- he had debts. And Joyce apologized to Jon for not being around when they were growing up (working since he was 5)- and she even mentioned working Hollidays . But at the end of s1, we see her celebrating Christmas eve with them (showing she’s trying to have a better work life balance for her kids and prioritize them more).  I think Will’s disappearance gave Joyce a wake-up call of sorts about what she values most-her kids.She loves her kids more than anything- and  would never intentionally do any harm. She has to work for all of them to survive and stay together. But it did force Jon to be parent to Will in her absence (especially cause Lonnie even when around wasn’t much help).

And in s3 it’s hinted Joyce plans to be there for her kids on Thanksgiving and Christmas- so she is trying to rectify past behaviors. Ok with that out of the way,  now we can continue...

 Types of Parentification 

“Parentification can either be emotional or instrumental, or both.”

“EMOTIONAL PARENTIFICATION : is when the child becomes a source of constant emotional support to their parent or sibling.Emotional parentification often involves a child or adolescent taking on the role and responsibilities of confidant, secret keeper, or emotional healer for family members.”

“ Parentification can also be the the process of role reversal where a child is obliged to act as parent to their own parent. Examples being: Listening to a parent talk about their problems.Serving as a confidante for their parent or providing emotional comfort and support to a parent.”

  “In cases of INSTRUMENTAL PARENTIFICATION: children take on practical responsibilities such as:Taking care of siblings or other relatives because a parent is unable to. Assuming housekeeping duties, such as cleaning, cooking,  grocery shopping. And Paying bills and attending to other household tasks .”

“ It’s good for kids to have responsibilities such as chores around the house or babysitting for a younger sibling. Responsibilities should increase when a child becomes a teenager to prepare them for being on their own eventually. However, when a young child is responsible for , paying the electricity bill, or raising a younger sibling, that is when problems arise.”

“Imagine a child who is bombarded every day with the responsibilities to tuck in sisters or brothers, or read them bedtime stories; organize drinks or food, wash up dishes, pay bills, or a myriad of housework. When burdened with that many responsibilities, self-care tends to go out the window. If the child continues to attend school, they may be withdrawn, unkempt, and visibly exhausted.”

“The effects are worsened and more destructive for the development of the child, the more the care-giving efforts of the child become a normalized expectation.“

 We see this in Joyce berating Jon for not parenting Will, properly (although her being upset was somewhat reasonable). But ,we also see this in how Joyce  says Jonathan has “always been good at taking care of himself.” Assuming Jon is ok, when he’s actually not. While Lonnie simply insults Will saying “he was never good at taking care of himself.”  The difference being Joyce criticizes Jon for not relying on her more. While Lonnie critiques Will for simply acting like a child and not being self-reliant, like Jonathan. Pretty heavily hinting, Lonnie even when around did very little parenting and expected the kids to take care of themselves. And since Will didn’t ‘take care of himself’ - it probably put the load on Jonathan to parent Will (when Joyce wasn’t around, even when Lonnie was physically there).

Consequences of Parentification

“ It is expected that complicated relationship patterns will develop between siblings.  The parentified sibling can often develop a symbiotic, codependent relationship with their siblings.”

“These people are very likely to find themselves in similar relational patterns in adulthood. They believe they must serve, help and rescue everyone in need. As adults, they may find that they have a confused sense of self-identity beyond the helper role. The only way they learned to relate, was through being of service and providing caregiving- so it is extremely possible that they have to be the primary caregivers for their own romantic partners . Since they never learned anything different. “

“ The ‘helper role’ might have dominated their entire being. Their sense of self did not get fully developed before they were needed to care for others, so as a result, they don’t know who they are except when they are doing things for others. “

“Parentified children can become very angry people. Sometimes this adult child may not know why they are angry . They can have explosive anger or passive anger, especially when someone triggers their parental wounds of emotional exploitation.”

“Parentified children inevitably develop a distorted image of what love is supposed to be like, thereby growing up to be quite distrustful of interpersonal relationships overall.Complicated attachment patterns emerge as a result. An avoidant attachment style is not unlikely. In the absence of a nurturing provider of safety and care, the parentified child may have learned to utterly depend on themselves alone- thereby avoiding close bonds and intimacy in adult life.intimacy is both craved for and avoided, both a longing and a great threat. Underneath this facade, they are quite lonely.”

This is similar to Jonathan not having friends, ‘not liking most people’, having ‘trust issues’ caused by Lonnie (that caused distrust of Bob, a father-figure) and simply being afraid to talk to people in general. Or joyce calling out Jonathan saying “you act like you’re all alone in this world. But your not.”

‘They also tend to blame themselves for everything that goes wrong, and constantly try to fix things that cannot be fixed.’

“The child may appear highly capable to tend for themselves and others, very mature for their age, resilient and even wise beyond their years- but they lack the safe haven of a secure attachment figure that is vital for the development of emotional regulation.”

A parentified teenager or younger child may exhibit the following symptoms:

-”Anxiety”

Like... this hurt my soul!  His face dropped the second Nancy left the room.He probably has anxiety but looks up to Joyce for trying to still be a good mom and keep it together. Why he said “WE’LL be okay” cause his mom is  “tough”.  He tries to lead by her example. But unlike Joyce, Jon probably always had to keep it together- even if struggling with similar anxiety issues as Joyce. Because he knew they both couldn’t act that way and “shut down” (for Will’s sake). He always had to put on a fake ‘grown-up’ front and keep the family together and help support Joyce and Will emotionally and finacially . And someone (unintentionally) saying the reason he’s like his mom is not because of her positive traits but because of her mental illness- must have HURT! Especially cause he’s probably already struggling with anxiety-  and maybe even fears acknowledging it. Because he’s supposed to have it ‘all together.’ “The identity of parentified children actually depends on their ability to suppress their needs. Since it is likely that their family already had too many problems to cope with, and so they learned to be quiet, voiceless and without demands. In order to be a ‘proper helper’ .“

And it probably doesn’t help he’s afraid it could escalate into something worse. Because in s1 they mentioned Joyce’s aunt having hallucinations. And jonathan even says to hopper “she used to have anxiety problems. I’m worried it could be ... I don’t know.” So yeah , Nancy saying him and Joyce have the same anxiety problems probably terrified him.

-”Depression”

-”Inability to trust others (we covered that) and or social isolation.”

-”Compulsively overworking in order to fulfill responsibilities at school and at home.”

-”Feelings of guilt and shame.”

“Fortunately, there are many healing processes and routes to wholeness and recovery for a young adult or adult who has been parentified as a child.Acknowledgment of your past is the first step to healing and recovery (via therapy or other means). You have to accept the truth of your story. Because, if you continue to live in denial, your mental energy will be spent in suppressing the pain that was there, rather than healing what needs to be healed. Being highly self-reliant was your only option in your household , but it may be a strategy that no longer works for you. It keeps you in isolation and unable to connect with others. Therefore, challenging yourself to connect with others authentically would also be considered one of the most potent ways to heal. The thoughts, feelings, impressions, and emotions buried within are waiting to be heard, once and for all.  “

Alright, thanks for listening I hope you enjoyed.  I really wanted to do a psych analysis strictly based on what the show presents. Rather than inclusion of the s4 movies. I did mention how those movies did allude to Jonathan’s parentification, here (if interested though). I also didn’t go into the hints in the narrative of Lonnie possibly being s****lly abusive to Jonathan cause it’s a bit more speculative ( I did talk about it in my DID psych analyses pt 1 & pt 2 though). Only mentioning it here, at the end, since one of the causes of parentification is also a parent s****lly ab*sing their kids (quite literally stripping their kids of their entire childhood in every way imaginable- and frankly the worst way possible). Regardless,I think most people neglect Jonathan as a character- and the s4 movies hint we’ll finally get more focus on him in the upcoming seasons. So I wanted to dedicate a post to some of Jonathan’s issues that may get more attention in later seasons.

[literatehiss]

Try Again - A series of firsts

Read from the start on tumblr here or on AO3 here Chapter: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 First Dinner Elias had been busy the first day, setting things up and probably bribing some people into making the adoption process go by much faster. Jon had heard a knock at his new bedroom door and a bowl of pasta had been pushed into his hands while Elias continued to talk on the phone.  The second day Elias had rushed off for a “very important meeting” just before dinner had ordered delivery for Jon just before he left.  It was on the third day since Elias had taken Jon away, three days since his grandmother had died, that the two of them finally sat down for a meal.

It had been delivery again, apparently, while Elias could and would cook occasionally, he generally didn’t bother especially since he was so very busy. It was Thai and Jon had never had it before, his grandmother must not have been fond of it. He thought it was going to be another meal spent alone and was surprised by the amount of food that came to the door. He was sat down at dinner table, crunching on a sort of battered dough sticks that were sweet and salty and peanut-ty type dish that he was working steadily towards completely demolishing when a suited arm reached over his shoulder and plucked a few of the battered sticks out of the plastic tub. “Slow down Jonathan, I would like to get some of them thank you.” Elias sat down opposite him and started portioning out the various containers. They ate in mostly silence and Jon was sipping gingerly at a citrusy sour soup when Elias finally spoke. “I am sorry that I have not been paying enough attention to you Jon. It has been a hectic few days. I hope you have not been too bored.” Jon shook his head, Elias had a large enough bookcase in his living room that, despite them perhaps not being for his age range, he had plenty to read. “Well I have to go back to the Institute tomorrow,” seeing Jon’s perplexed looked he explained, “The Magnus Institute, it is where I work. Anyway, you will be coming with me and while I suggest you find something to do to fill your time there, I will have some things I want you to specifically read and do while we are there.” And with no more explanation despite Jon’s insistent questions, Elias went back to picking at his food and somehow leaving Jon feeling like he was being watched while seemingly looking in a completely different direction.

First Day at the Institute The air was cold and Jon wrapped his coat around him as they walked to the Institute. Elias had given his ratty coat a derisive look and had muttered something about shopping but Jon hated the thought of having to go around shops to buy clothes and decided to leave the man to it. It was very early in the morning, half-past five and Jon wasn’t all too happy about being up this early. Elias pulled a set of keys from his own jacket and unlocked the front doors of the Institute. Jon looked down at his feet, at the shiny marble floors and waved his hand to watch his reflection. Jon’s trainers thudded against the floor as he ran to catch up with Elias who had walked away, his posh dress shoes clicking against the stone and then eventually wooden floors. He gazed at the large, ancient wooden desk that sat in the middle of Elias’s office before the man waved him over to a couch. “Get some more sleep Jon, we can have our first lesson once you wake up at a more reasonable time.”

First Lesson

“What are you scared of Jonathan?”

Elias had woken Jon up about an hour ago. There was a take-out mug of coffee and some kind of pastry in front of the older man, a mug of sweet tea and a breakfast sandwich in front of the seat Jon sat at. Elias watched in amused confusion as Jon picked the sandwich apart before eating all the layers individually.

“Spiders.”

“But why are you scared of spiders?” The man’s stare was off putting and Jon flushed, embarrassed by his own fear. The thought of the book made him feel a little sick and it almost put him off his breakfast.

“The book. Mr Spider hurt that other boy he was going to… he was going to eat me and I couldn’t do anything about it.” Elias nodded along.

“Right. So what you fear, was not the spider in particular, but that it could control what you did. That it could hurt you without you being able to resist in any way.”

“I-I-I g-guess so?” Jon hadn’t thought of it that way, but he couldn’t disagree with Elias’s words. The thought of being controlled certainly did make him feel scared.

“I want you to consider things that people are scared of, heights, the dark, spiders, for example and then I want you to think about the deeper reasons someone might be afraid of those things”

“I still don’t understand what this has to do with archiving, that’s what you want me for right?” Jon tried not to sound too confused, too desperate to do well.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older. I want you to work on that until mid-day. After you have had lunch you can have the rest of the day to yourself. I ask that you don’t wander too far, I recommend the library.” Elias looked away and left Jon staring at the piece of paper that lay in front of him.

First Argument

“No” “Jonathan-” “No!” “You are being unreasonable” “I don’t want to!!”

Elias leaned against Jon’s bedroom door with a heavy thud and sighed. “It is only a few hours, then we can leave. You can have as much of the buffet as you like, I won’t even scold you for eating too many sweets.”

The door creaked open to the face of the upset child Elias was trying to convince to come to the Institute fundraiser. So far he had failed to even get Jon into the suit laid out on his bed.

“Don’t wanna talk to a bunch of boring adults and that,” he gestured to the suit, “feels weird, I don’t like it” He had put on the white button-up but the trousers were just too much apparently. He was still wearing his pyjama bottoms.

“You don’t even need to talk to most of them, I just need to make sure certain people know you exist. Will you wear the suit if you can wear something else instead of those trousers?”

“Whatever I like?”

“As long as it is black, yes.”

“Is Ms Robinson going to be there?”

“No-”

The door slammed closed in his face and Elias spent a quick minute gentling his own rage and the rudeness. He raised his fist to knock on the door again.

Jon came out wearing the full suit, the only change being a long, plain black skirt. He held out a length of fabric in his hands, wordlessly asking Elias to tie it for him. Elias shrugged and accepted it, the outfit didn’t look too bad all things considered.

First Time Jon Went to Elias for Comfort

The fundraiser had gone better than Elias could have hoped for. Jon hadn’t caused a fuss and had spent most of his time trying everything on the large buffet. He had even tried a sip of Elias’s Champagne before scrunching his face up in disgust. He had met the other avatars gracefully and hadn’t said anything to insult any of them which was Elias’s biggest fear of this whole experience.

The night was coming to a close and Jon was acting oddly. He hadn’t been a chatterbox throughout the night, though Simon had gotten him into a conversation about different roller-coasters around the world, but he had become uncomfortable and sullen in the past few minutes. He finished his conversation with the Institute patron he was talking to and pulled Jon a little bit away.

“Jon, Jon what is wrong? You have been doing so well for me all night.”

He looked into Jon’s face to see tears building in his eyes.

“Jonathan?!” Jon flinched a little and put his hands over his ears and suddenly Elias knew exactly what was happening. You couldn’t be married to Peter for as long as he had without recognising the signs of someone getting overstimulated. He stood up from his crouch and hurriedly found Rosie, mentioning that he was heading out, pulling Jon with him. He didn’t bother waiting until they got home, dragging Jon to his office and pushing him onto the sofa. He left Jon for a moment to grab the young boy a glass of water. Normally with Peter, he would get him a glass of scotch and just leave him be, but Peter was a grown man, Jon was just a child.

Jon choked down the water with shaking hands. The shuddering eventually calmed down and Jon looked up at him with a hesitant look in his eyes. He seemed to stare at him for a moment before flinging himself into Elias’s arms, crying a little into his suit.

Elias was not an affectionate man, not like this. He was more used to pats on the shoulder, but something about Jon coming to him for comfort made his cold heart grow warm. He shifted and sat down onto the floor, letting his charge cry.

Jon might one day be a terrifying force of nature, but for now he was just a scared child and Elias had no problem making sure that he would associate Elias with comfort. It could only serve him well in the future and could never backfire, it wasn’t like he would grow fond of the child after all.

[mcwriting]

one kiss is all it takes

I had this cute idea pop into my brain one night when I was tryna sleep and just couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

It’s wayyyyy overly descriptive but this whole thing was basically me imagining every little detail possible and putting it on the page. I’m not one for ambiguity in my writing if you haven’t noticed lol. 

Anyways I’m still working on starstruck so here’s this for your troubles 

Fandom: Thomas Stanley Holland (plus mention of spidey)

Ship: Tom Holland x Reader (ik the beginning has Peter but it’s explained under the cut ;) lol)

Setting: good ol’ Atlanta, GA (aka a place I wanna visit so bad) 

Word Count: 4943 (omg I almost had a stroke reading that number this is my longest story to date)

Warnings: teeny bad word, some SeXuAl themes and kissing, as the title implies

Rating: T but it ain’t that extreme 

sorry it’s so long lol rip 

+

“Look, Peter, you may have been gone that 5 years, but I lost almost everything during them, and then, it all somehow got worse,” you explained through gritted teeth, standing from the end of your king sized bed to face him.

“My mom, my only source of comfort, was snapped, blipped, gone, sucked into a stupid rock for five years and me? I was stuck up here in this dumb apartment with an asshole father,” tears streamed down your face, confusing you, as you continued ferociously.

“You know what happened after maybe six months? He brought home his idiot secretary and flaunted her in front of me for over four YEARS! And guess what happened after the whole shebang was over and everyone came back?”

Your voice finally cracked and you stared at Peter for a moment before continuing.

“He pretended that he was faithful the entire time, all the while ignoring me and ruining every false hope I had that he was a decent human being. So you know what, spider boy? You may have been gone those five years, but I lost every good relationship in my life, so don’t come here pretending like you’re the only one with problems in this city,” you whispered.

He stood, reaching out to say something, but you held up a hand to stop him in his tracks. 

“You know what? Just get out,” you commanded.

���Wait I-”

“Out. Now.”

He stood for a brief second before stepping to your open window. Before he could put the mask on and go, a loud voice cut through the silence over a speaker.

“Cut!” Exclaimed Jon, causing both you and Tom to relax and smile.

You wiped the unintentional tears from your face. This had been your third take and for some reason, you had finally worked up a cry for the scene. It felt right, and Tom came over to compliment you on it. 

You were filming for another Spider-Man film and your character was a fresh take on Gwen Stacy, who had a new name similarly to Zendaya’s MJ. 

The character was a rich, somewhat bratty New Yorker who had been eleven during Thanos’s snap and grown into a sixteen year old Midtown student by the time everyone was revived. 

She hadn’t been on the European trip displayed in Far From Home, the excuse being that she was a model working events and doing photoshoots all summer. She also had become one of the most popular people in the school due to her internet fame, incredible academics, and wealth.

You had been shocked to receive the role but honored to become a member of the MCU. Over the couple of months spent in Atlanta by now, you had become integrated with the rest of the cast, getting especially close with your celebrity (and now real) crush Tom Holland. 

Weekends were often spent at the house Marvel provided him, where he lived with Harry and Harrison, who was once again able to tag along as Tom’s “assistant.” You lived only minutes down the road in your own small place and would go to Tom’s to swim or just hang out.

You and Tom were currently talking, you joking that you wished the scene was done so you wouldn’t have to bring out tears again. 

Almost prophetically, the Jason Bourne theme began playing over the speakers, Jon’s way of indicating that the scene was finished and needed no further work until post-production.

You looked to Tom and both of you sighed and held out arms for a hug and congratulations, ready to wrap the day as it was a late Friday night and you wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed all weekend.

You two began walking off of set to go to the trailers when Jon jogged after, calling out,

“Hold on guys, I need to talk to you about next week!”

He was holding two manila envelopes, each printed with yours and Tom’s names. Jon gripped them tightly.

“So I thought I’d give you these tentative scripts for the kissing scene so you two could prepare for Monday. As always, you can do some improv or try to make it better but I thought I’d give this as a heads up,” the director explained.

You were stunned, and surely looked it too. A quick glance at Tom showed he was more collected but definitely confused too.

“I’m sorry, Jon, but kiss? You never said there would be one between us I mean, he and MJ are still together, right?” You asked tentatively.

“Yeah I’m gonna have to agree with y/n, man. You said we might have a ‘moment’ but never mentioned a kiss. The fans’ll hate us,” Tom concurred, “but I haven’t read it yet so I’m sure it makes sense.”

“Wait did I not warn you guys? I’m so sorry. I mean we can change the scene if it makes you guys uncomf-”

“NO!” you exclaimed way too quickly, face heating up. “No, no, I mean, I’ll do it, if Tom’s in. I just, uh, didn’t realize we’d have to do an actual, real kiss is all.”

You had never kissed anyone before, and the prospect of Tom Holland being your first was unbelievably tempting. Tom had nodded along and agreed to move forward with it as well. With that and the scripts now in hand, you began walking to your trailers again, Tom alongside you.

After a few moments of silence under the artificial lights outside, Tom spoke up.

“Hey, would you maybe want to practice this scene at my place tomorrow? I know it was all kind of just thrown on us and I’d definitely feel better with some rehearsing.”

You smiled at the gesture, but again blushed at the thought of kissing Tom Holland, the guy you had been crushing on since Homecoming. You were glad that there was a shadow hiding your pink cheeks.

“Honestly, that’s perfect. I can come over at like 11 and after we can all have lunch and hang by the pool?” You asked, nervously hoping he would accept as you stepped in front of the steps to your trailer.

“That’s perfect, darling,” he replied, voice smooth and clear. You couldn’t help but look back at him walking away as you climbed the steps and went through the door, butterflies making themselves present in your stomach.

+

You slung your bag containing a swimsuit, sunscreen, towel, and snacks over the back of a chair and tossed your keys on the end table in Tom’s living room. You, Harry, and Haz sat on the kitchen counters while waiting for Tom to come out from a shower, joking around and sipping on beverages.

Soon enough, Tom came out and led you into the office, a small room with a couch, desk, and bookshelves that connected to the backyard with a sliding glass door. It was pretty private and well lit, giving you both a comfortable environment to work.

You started off by just reading over the lines and doing some basic marking, always stopping before the kiss. The scene would tie into Friday’s take, where Peter would return to your room to apologize, and you would kiss him out of nowhere in your distress. Then, you would promptly kick him out again upon realizing the ramifications the kiss could have on Peter and MJ’s relationship.

Finally, Tom suggested you work on the kiss by itself, 

“Before we do, can I make a confession?,” you questioned, chest beating heavily.

“Of course,” he said, full attention on you, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“Look, Tom, I’ve never kissed anyone, in real life or acting. Can we please take this slow?”

“Absolutely y/n. I had no idea,” he looked around, “and since it’s your first time, I think a lesson is at hand.”

You cocked an eyebrow, then nodded, trying not to seem too excited. He led you over to the large, sturdy oak desk, gesturing for you to hop up.

“I know you’re in control of this during the actual scene, but if it’s okay I thought maybe I could lead it for right now? I get it if you don’t want to but-”

“No, no. That’s a great idea,” you pushed onto the desk and sat on the edge, legs dangling, “tell me what I’ve gotta do.”

He smiled and stepped forward.

“Okay, um. Well. Is it okay if I get between your legs, or put one knee in and,” you burst out in laughter at his wording, “Oh my God that sounded awful didn’t it I’m so sorry I just don’t want to push you further than you’re ready to go.”

“Tom,” you put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer, your knees now around his hips, “you’re doing great. And you know me, I’m not afraid to tell you what’s up if I’m not feeling it.”

He looked down at you sheepishly, then placed his hands on the desk on either side of you. Your position caused you to be only a few inches shorter than him, so as he leaned forward his face came even closer. 

The proximity made your heart race, and you tried to figure out where to put your own hands, settling on your lap for now. 

He grabbed your wrists and placed your palms on his back, then put his own on your shoulders. 

“Okay so is it alright if I put my hands on your neck and chin? Or do you want to do something different?”

“Dude, just do what feels right. You’re the one with experience. If it goes bad, then it’s bad and we figure out what to do, right?”

“Maybe you should be the one doing this then,” he chuckled, causing you to wrinkle your nose and shake your head. 

His fingers traced up your shoulders and neck, him placing the left on the nape of your neck, underneath your mess of hair, and the right just below your chin. He tipped your face up gently and you were now millimeters apart, so close that you could feel his hot breath.

“May I?” he whispered, making you gulp and give a slight nod. You could feel your eyes glazing over.

He took this as a yes and leaned in further, finally closing the gap. You closed your eyes completely to melt into his warm lips. The feeling of his fingers gripping your hair was like heaven, and after a seeming eternity, finally you separated to get some air.

Your eyes were still closed when you felt Tom brush his thumb over your lips. Upon opening your eyes and glancing up, Tom was looking at you with a soft grin mimicking yours. His left hand remained in your hair but he slid the right one down to the space between your shoulder blades.

“Was that alright for your first time, darling?” He questioned sweetly, words dripping like thick honey in the still air. 

It was like fireworks were going off around you in your head.

“I, um. It, yeah. Absolutely. I’m just... wow.” you stammered, unable to compose yourself properly. 

He breathed out a laugh and threw his head back, then went back to looking into your eyes. You studied the crinkles by his eyes and his lopsided grin closely, trying to burn the memory into your brain forever.

“Shall we try again?” he asked cheekily, and you responded with fervor once more.

He continued to move his right hand further down, palm spreading over the small of your back. Your nerves tingled at the touch and instinctively you arched your back. Your own hands found themselves on his shoulders and your legs wrapped all the way around his hips loosely.

The second time was longer, hungrier, more passionate. 

Am I dreaming? You promptly imagined, wondering how life had brought you to this moment.

After separating this time, you could see a ravenous flame in Tom’s eyes, and you decided to try something different. 

You told him to wait as you climbed further onto the desk, sitting on your knees and now towering a few inches above Tom. He looked a you with an interested glint in his eyes as you scooted closer.

Your hands found his again and this time you guided them to the lowest part of your back, hoping he would take the hint. 

With that, you were now in control, grabbing each side of his face between your palms and pulling him forward and up into another kiss, his hands instinctively traveling below your hips and onto your glutes, just as you had wanted.

Suddenly you broke the kiss, afraid you were coming on too strong. 

“This is all for research purposes, right?”

“Sure, we’ll call it that,” he quipped before pulling you back down.

Eventually you found yourself standing on the ground, once again shorter than Tom but happy nonetheless. The make out session continued, both of you trying to convince yourselves that with each new hand position or lean you were purely trying it all for the measly scene on Monday. 

Finally, you found yourselves on the couch. You had started by just sitting next to each other, similar to how the scene described your positions, but now somehow you were sitting straddled over his lap, knees digging into the sofa and his hands once again resting on your backside.

Nothing could ruin this moment you thought as your fingers ran through his curls.

Oh how wrong you were. 

You thought you were just imagining the sound of the door creaking open, but suddenly realized that you hadn’t when a new male voice spoke up.

“Woah, hey there you two,” Harry joked, causing you to whip your head around and stare at him like a deer in the headlights.

“Harry! It’s not what it looks like, I swear!” You immediately exclaimed.

Nice one, y/n. Like you aren’t just straight up making out with his brother??

“Righttttt. So anyways I just came to let you know that lunch is ready and also you guys have been in here for like an hour but feel free to finish up whatever... this is,” he trailed gesturing vaguely at you two before turning around and shutting the door behind himself.

You turned back to Tom, whose face was red as a tomato (and yours probably was too), then in record time separated yourself from his lap, heart pounding like never before.

“Sooo... lunch?” He asked awkwardly.

“Definitely. Definitely lunch.”

+

You were lounging on a chaise near the pool, sunglasses covering your closed eyes as you soaked in the sun. The boys were messing around in the pool and you couldn’t help but think about what happened before lunch every time Tom spoke.

“Hey y/n!” he called.

“Hmm?” you hummed, not bothering to look up. 

“Why don’t you join us? We want to do a chicken fight and I need a partner.”

“Depends. How warm is the water?” you ask, still unmoving. 

“Like 30 degrees! It’s so nice.”

“That’s below freezing in Fahrenheit. Not very appealing to me.”

“Alright that’s like, what, 85 f? It feels reeaaaally good, babe.”

You couldn’t help but smile when he called you babe. It wasn’t the first time he had, and he actually did it to a lot of people, but it still felt nice.

“Alright fine,” you sighed dramatically as you stood up, removed your sunglasses, and dove in.

+

An hour or so later, more members of the cast had come over and you decided to join Zendaya under the porch, both of you watching the new team of Jacob and Tom chicken fighting Harry and Harrison while Tony, Remy, and Angourie looked on from nearby.

“So I heard that Harry saw something going on earlier. Anything you wanna tell me?” Z mentioned slyly, lowering her sunglasses to eye you.

You groaned and placed your head in your hands.

“Is he really gonna tell everyone?” You managed to ask, wanting to crawl in a hole and hide forever. 

Zendaya had been the first person to confront you about your crush on Tom about two weeks after filming began. She had told you that most of the people on set had a suspicion but were afraid to ask, so ever since then you often confided in her for advice or just to spill tea.

Finally, you sat up and quietly told her what happened, her trying to hype you up occasionally while you instead tried to shush her as not to draw the boys’ attention.

That night, after pizza and drinks with everyone, you prepared to go home, grabbing your bag, keys, and script. You called out a goodbye to everyone still there and waved, heading to the door.

Tom jumped up and followed you.

“Hey, y/n!” you turned around at his voice and could see everyone elbowing each other and whispering in the beackground. He led you out the door and shut it behind him.

“I just wanted to make sure you were alright after today and say I’m sorry if I ever took things too far,” he confessed. Your heart swelled at how sweet and considerate he was.

“Honestly Tom, I could say the same. I’m was afraid you think I’m crazy or something,” you joked, causing a chuckle from both of you and him to shake his head. 

“I could never. You already know how crazy I am, and I think I’ve already seen some of your wild side too,” he shot back.

You both said your goodbyes and went in for a hug. It lasted a few seconds longer than normal, and when you pulled away, he looked down at his feet. Even then, he still waited on the porch for you to get in your car and waved as you pulled away, making sure you got out safe.

+

It was 5 am Monday morning and you weren’t ready to head to set. 

Your Sunday had been pretty standard, reading over lines in the morning and hanging out with some of your cast mates that afternoon. Once night fell, though, you found it difficult to sleep in fear of the kiss scene. 

Yours and Tom’s Saturday afternoon kept replaying in your head like a Twitter gif until you finally succumbed to exhaustion, dreaming still about a certain celebrity, so you weren’t exactly well rested upon waking.

Once arriving to your trailer at Pinewood Atlanta, you dropped off your things and headed straight to hair and makeup. The scene would be set at night as your character prepared to go to bed, so only a light coating of natural foundation and clear mascara adorned your face and your hair was tied back in two french braids.

You were glad that your makeup was so quick today, but you also didn’t want to leave as dread filled your stomach about the scene.

It was one thing to make out with Tom Holland in the privacy of his own home, but another to plant one on him in front of the cast, crew, and cameras.

You headed to wardrobe, where you got dressed into comfortable black leggings and an oversized midtown sweatshirt. 

You were walking out when Jon, looking down at his phone in hand, almost ran into you, stopping you in your tracks.

“Oh, hey, y/n! Just the person I was looking for. I just wanted to see how you were feeling about this whole kissing scene. Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” you laughed, “but really, Tom and I worked through it Saturday so I think it’ll be alright.”

“Right, yeah I heard about that. Harry said you guys were pretty... thorough about the scene. Well anyways, we’ll call you and Tom to set in a little bit. He’s getting in the suit right now. See you later!” Jon walked off, going back to his business on his phone.

You, on the other hand, were frozen in place, mortified. Why did Harry have the need to tell everyone that he caught you locking lips with his brother? It was just research, after all, nothing serious, you tried to convince yourself again.

You of course shouldn’t have been surprised. Leave it to a Holland brother to keep his mouth shut...

+

You walked onto the bedroom set, where Tom was already present with his back to you, getting some last minute translucent powder over his t-zone. 

His ass and thighs looked exceptionally good in the suit today, the tight material hugging his muscular body nicely. 

You felt a little bad that your costume was literally pajamas and Tom’s was spandex, but hey, you weren’t necessarily complaining. 

You took a deep breath, trying to shake off any “intrusive” thoughts, considering the high you were still riding from Saturday and your nervousness for the shoot. 

When Tom turned around and his eyes met yours, his face lit up.

“Hey, darling. Good morning. How are you? Are you ready?” he immediately began, his chipper voice surprising you considering how early it still was. You both went in for a hug.

“Good morning to you, too. And I think so, considering how well we prepared the other day,” you joked quietly into his shoulder. 

You both pulled away and he had his eyebrows raised in response to your smirk. 

He was about to rebut when Jon made his way over, putting one hand on each of your shoulders. 

“Alright you two. I know you worked things out over the weekend, but you guys are gonna have to hold back a little bit, this may be an intense scene, but not that kind,” he chastised, a hint of mischief in his voice. 

Jon was eyeing both of you, and you and Tom both looked to find each other blushing like mad.

With that as confirmation, Jon clapped his hands together and yelled out for the production team to get in their positions so you could camera test and eventually shoot the scene. 

With everything planned out, you both got into character and found yourself in place to begin. 

The AC held a clap board in front of the camera, waiting for the all clear to begin your take.

“Alright, action,” Jon called over the microphone. 

You walked across the room, stopping in your footsteps. 

“Peter...” you trailed in surprise. 

He pulled off the mask and shook his head, motioning for you to wait and allow him to speak.

He began apologizing, trying to convince your character to give him a second chance and even try to be friends.

Then he started talking about his parents and uncle Ben, causing your face to fall over time as realization that both characters had experienced extreme loss in different ways, his much worse than yours. 

Both of you eventually sat on the side of the bed closely and looked at each other, a sad expression glazing your features. You looked down in thought.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked tentatively.

An overwhelming urge took you over and your lips crashed into his. You had squeezed your eyes shut and put a hand on his shoulder. Peter stiffened like a board, but then kissed back.

Suddenly, you pulled back, eyes wide open. 

“Oh my God. You’re with MJ. I just kissed a taken man. Peter, you just kissed me back!” 

Panic overcame your voice. 

“You have to leave, now!” you exclaimed in your alarmed state.

“Wait, we can talk about this, it wasn’t what you think!”

“Peter, I can’t do this to your girlfriend. She doesn’t deserve this. You need to go, and you should probably give her a heads up about what happened. But please,” your voice was desperate now, “make sure she knows it’s my fault. Make her hate me, not you.”

Parallel to the last scene, Peter went back to your open window, ready to mask up and swing out.

“Cut!” Jon called out again, then asked you to stay in your positions while he came down.

“Guys that was great!” he began upon getting closer. He then gave you both a few notes, explaining that you would need to do the shot a few more times at least to get it really solid. 

After every take, both you (and hopefully Tom) became more comfortable kissing in front of the crew. It took another twenty or so takes with different motivations and movements and angles before Jon called it done.

Both of you suspected that he and everyone else really just wanted you to kiss more, but no one would mention it out loud.

With the scene finished, everyone prepared to film other parts of the movie where Peter would have his mask off and you got to have a few breaks, watching from afar with Harry, Harrison, and some of the other assistants.

Harry leaned over at some point during the afternoon.

“You two really tamed it down, huh?” he whispered. You gave him a backhanded hit to the bicep.

“Oh shut up. We were acting, that’s all.” 

He raised a suspicious eyebrow and leaned in again.

“Tell that to the video Harrison got of you two in the study. He may or may not have set up a camera in the bookcase,” he suggested, glancing over to Tom’s oblivious best friend.

You gasped and straightened up.

“I’ll kill him,” you too looked to Haz, then Harry again, “but after he shows me the footage.”

+

A long filming day had once again commenced, and you were packing up your bag to head home when a knock was heard on the door of your trailer. 

The distinct rapping pattern alerted you that it was Tom and you opened it up to see him looking down at his phone. 

“Hey, y/n. Ready to walk to the parking lot?” he asked holding out his hand to help you down the steps. 

For a while now, Tom or one of his “assistants” would usually walk with you to your car for safety purposes, especially if it was dark out. 

As you both strolled through the darkness, you couldn’t help but notice the slower pace you both took on, trailing quite a few yards behind Harry and Haz, both of whom laughing at who knew what while going to Tom’s vehicle.

“So I think today went well,” you brought up, not sure where it would go.

“Yeah it was fun. I do have to say, however, that Saturday was a bit more enjoyable than this morning,” he implied, eyeing you.

“Oh yeah? I’d agree, but I hear that your best friend happened to catch it all on video.” 

He huffed and rolled his eyes.

“That voyeur, always ruining the moment. Maybe we oughta try it again sometime, without the threat of others watching,” Tom suggested, surprising you. 

You decided to get bold.

“You’re not even gonna take me out first? The nerve of some people,” you jokingly scoffed, gazing away from Tom at the cars highlighted in moonlight.

“Okay,” he replied, mimicking the way you had looked away when you turned back to face him. There was a faint smile on his lips. 

“What?”

“I said okay. Let’s go on a date.”

You stopped in your tracks and fully turned towards him and he followed suit. 

“You don’t mean that do you? Like, you actually would take me on a date?”

“If it meant that I could kiss you one more time I would take you on a million dates,” he replied sincerely. 

You couldn’t help the way your jaw dropped in surprise. Both of you stood silently staring at one another, unsure of what to say.

Suddenly, you burst into giggles and he did too.

“That was so cheesy!” you exclaimed between laughs, both of you doubled over, and he nodded in agreement.

After calming down you gave him a toothy grin. 

“The answer is yes, by the way.”

“Really?” he asked incredulously. 

You began walking again, your car just in sight. 

“Of course. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve had a huge crush on you since before we even met,” you confessed. You stopped again, just behind your car bumper.

“Coulda fooled me. I thought I was the one being obvious. I have been attracted to you since the first time we met, and my feelings have only grown since knowing you.”

 You couldn’t help the butterflies erupting in your stomach and your widening smile as you looked up into his eyes.

“You know, I think I could make one exception right now, as long as you’re willing to make it up later?” you proposed, your eyes looking to the moon and stars now as you awaited his reply.

“I think that’s a debt I can handle,” he responded, snaking a hand around your waist and the other up under your chin again. 

He closed the gap between you both and you smiled against his lips, eyes closing in euphoria. 

You could’ve probably stayed there forever, but the hoots and hollers of the other two British boys just across the aisle made you both pull away. 

You looked towards the voices to find Harry and Harrison sticking out of the sunroof of Tom’s Audi A8, where they were still cheering and Harrison was holding up his phone to film. 

Both you and Tom couldn’t help but laugh at the once again unfortunate circumstance as he threw an arm over your shoulder to pull you close and you put one hand on his chest next to where you rested your head. 

Maybe you two were destined to be seen every time you smooched, but hey, at least you were the one kissing Tom Holland. 

+

A/N: yo this took way too long to write. Mostly bc I’m still in the process of writing starstruck and I always get stuck deciding on which piece to work on every night but alas! It is done! I’m proud of this one. I know it’s long, but I think it’s worth it ya know? Hope you all enjoyed! XO love y’all :)

[peachywise]

nullify part 5

an umbrella academy fanfiction // klaus hargreeves x reader

- part v: the disrupting, devilish, and demanding deal || part i ⋆ part ii ⋆ part iii ⋆ part iv ⋆ part vi ⋆ more parts to be released

- synopsis: Finally, the truth of the Hargreeves story comes out. It's a little hard to believe, but what's even worse is what exactly they need your help for. Vanya, you're happy to deal with, but Klaus? Looks like you two are going to be spending a great deal of time together as well.

- notes: hello oh gosh okay i am sorry this hiatus was so long but i am 100% done all my exams so i am officially back at it and writing actively. expect next chapter out soon and it will be a good ol funny fluff klaus heavy chapter okay i love you all i'm sorry, adios

link on ao3 

____________________________

“Do you want to put your pants back on?”

“No,” Klaus smiled, flopping down next to you on the couch and wrapping his arm tightly around your shoulders.

“Then off you go,” you smiled politely back. He gave you a sort of quirked, curious look, but you quickly shoved him off on to the floor before he could figure out your intentions. “I came here to get answers, not to get diseased.”

Klaus mock gasped, while Luther tried to suppress his half-snort laugh from behind his rather large hand. Klaus just crawled halfway across the floor to where he had dropped his pants and slipped them back on— struggling a bit because wow was that leather tight— mumbling incoherently under his breath.

“So, who’s going to be the one to tell me why exactly I’m here?” You questioned, pulling your legs up and crossing them under you, looking from Klaus, to Luther, and then at Five. All three looked at each other as if they hadn’t exactly thought this far ahead. Lovely.  Five sighed as he sat on the chair across from you and leaned slightly forward, clasping his hands together as a serious look befell his face.

“I guess I’ll start at the beginning. Just hold off on any questions until the end, it might be a bit hard for you to believe.”

You couldn’t hold back your laugh as you leaned back comfortably. “We were all born to mothers who hadn’t really been pregnant and have powers because of it. You’re afraid your story will be too much for my mind to comprehend? Have a little faith in me.”

Five raised an eyebrow, and Klaus moved back to sit beside you once his pants were properly back on. “Oh, you say that now.” Klaus smiled, giddy in his fidgety excitement, “but personally, I can’t wait to see your reaction.”

“Klaus,” Luther grumbled in an almost warning gesture. Klaus ignored him.

Jesus, you didn’t have time for this.

“For fuck’s sakes, will one of you just spit it out already!”

A moment of silence followed your outcry, but then rather unceremoniously, Five stated point-blank, “we’re from the future and traveled back in time to stop the apocalypse from happening.”

And then, like the clever little slice you are, you allowed yourself a moment of silence as well. You couldn’t even hear your breath, a pin drop, a mouse scurrying across the house, yadda yadda and all those fun clichés.

“You in there?” Klaus asked. He even knocked you on the head lightly, murmuring, “I think you broke the poor thing.”

You swatted his hand away, and he reared it back into his chest, cradling it with the look of a hurt puppy. “I’m not broken,” you grumbled, sitting up a bit as you turned your attention back to Five. “I’m just wondering what you guys take me for. I’m not gullible. Yeah, maybe I believed at one-point Santa existed and was my fourth-grade teacher in disguise, but this? That sounds like a bad plot to a shitty TV show.”

Klaus moved to sit next to Five, covering the kid's ears as he did. “Shh, he was never around long enough for us to tell him the truth about Santa.” You just rolled your eyes as Five simultaneously jerked away so fast, throwing a fast punch to Klaus’s gut that had him doubled over groaning in a second flat. His attention turned back to you just as fast.

“This isn’t a joke. When I disappeared all those years ago, I found a way to travel through time but I got stuck there. What I found was nothing— no civilization, no us, no you. Everything was in ruins. It took me many years, but I found my way back to stop the apocalypse from happening.” At that, he exchanged an odd look with both Klaus and Luther. Klaus looked more sympathetic at that, his expression turning more serious in those moments. Luther meanwhile just looked uncomfortable and a little shutoff, his arms crossed so tightly against his chest that you wondered if those jacket sleeves would rip.

“And this apocalypse, when is it supposed to happen exactly?” you asked, deciding to play into whatever they were pulling. You should have known they were all insane. You’d expected it of Klaus, but man, were all of them this disillusioned? “Let me guess. Big meteors are supposed to rain down and destroy us like they did the dinosaurs? Oh! Better yet, all these fossilized dinosaurs are going to come back to life and eat us all!”

“Someone has an active imagination,” Klaus commented, a gleeful look crossing his face, but Five’s own cynical impatience cut both of you down. “No,” he sneered, standing up in what you assumed was his way of seeming more intimidating or serious. It was just hard to take it that way when he didn’t even reach five feet. “But if you stop talking long enough for me to tell you the story, maybe you would simultaneously stop proving your idiocy and get the answers you want.”

Well, then.

“Carry on.”

“So, you’re telling me all of you traveled back to the past— my present—three months ago after your sister almost ended the world?”

“Technically she did, we just popped right on out before we all rather disastrously perished,” Klaus interjected, speaking for the first time since Five finished relaying his tall tale of all that had happened. Luther simply groaned, tightening his crossed arms even more.

Five ignored them both completely. “In layman’s terms, yes, that’s what happened.”

Now, you were no doubt impressed by his ability to tell stories. It was convincing, you’d give him that, but you just weren’t positive it was true. If you sat there and told him you believed him, for one, you’d look like an utter idiot if they turned out they were lying. It would have had to have been an intricate joke on their part, but you’d be damned if it was going to be played on you. No. You needed to make sure that what he said was real. And there was only one plausible way to do it.

“I have questions. If you even pause in answering them, I’ll kick your ass for lying to me. Got it?”

Five nodded. Klaus just looked amused and leaned forward like he was ready to watch an entertaining game.

“If they aren’t going to be convinced, why are we even bothering telling them? This is a waste of time and energy.” Diego’s voice sounded behind you, causing you to jump a bit and exclaim softly, “Jesus Christ.” When the fuck did he get there? You hadn’t even heard him.

Twisting around and resting your arms on the back of the too-plush, white leather couch, you questioned, “are you sure all you can do is throw knives? Maybe you’re a cat shifter or something, you’re so sneaky. Here, let me test to see if you have nine lives— pass me one of your knives,” you smirked snidely, an impish imitation of the scowl he offered you back. Diego clearly wasn’t amused. “Listen to me, you—”

“Both of you, shut up,” Five snapped, his patience clearly wearing thinner by the second. It looked like the Fisher-Price poster boy might explode. A pity, but hey, you could live with it. “Why must you ruin the fun? I wanted to see the show,” Klaus sighed, resting his hand on the side of his face. You threw a pillow at him, and he caught it with a wink in your direction.

Standing up from your seat, noting with jealously how your butt hadn’t fallen asleep like it did on your thrift store found shit couch, you crossed your arms and stared down at the boy. Back to business.

“Whose apartment is this?”

“Allison’s. It’s a second one she barely uses, so it’s likely we’ll go relatively undetected,” Luther replied.

Made sense. “What year did you guys come from?”  

“2019,” Five replied in a bored manner.

Now that had you squinting your eyes a bit. It was 2015 now, so allegedly you could ask anything about the future.

“Did Jon Snow really die in the season five finale of Game of Thrones?”

Five tilted his head slightly in confusion, and Diego just looked annoyed as he threw his hands up and begun pacing. Klaus snorted. But surprisingly, Luther was the one to answer the question, shifting uncomfortably as his eyes darted to the ceiling, “uhm, no. He’s alive.”

His siblings gave him a questioning look, but you didn’t care which one of them actually knew. You were just thinking thank fuck he was alive. Well. Thank fuck if the Hargreeves were telling the truth and were from the future. Now you were really hoping they were.

“Who won the presidential election?”

Diego was the one to reply this time, a deeper bitterness attached to his tone than the one directed at you earlier. “Donald Trump,”  

Never mind. You hoped they were filthy, humorless liars.

Your face must have displayed your severe disappointment and revolt, as Klaus speedily added, “I would offer words of comfort, but even I can’t find the silver lining in it,” giving a small shudder as he said it.

“Well if you’re done with twenty questions, can I finally get to the part to where you come in, or would you rather waste my time for a while longer?”

You felt a twitch at the corner of your eye at Five’s abrasiveness, but you offered a sweet smile over it. “As a matter of fact, I would rather waste your time longer. Thanks.”

Was he getting red in the face? Ooo, delightful.

Diego apparently didn’t see the joy in it. He stomped over to you in his little combat boots and all, getting directly in your face. “You can nullify powers, and we have a sister who’s having trouble controlling hers, and no longer wants to try. Either you help, or get out and forget about all this."

You held your breath for a moment, eyeing him down in what you were sure was some unspoken fight for dominance. At least he was blunt about something both Klaus and Five had been leading up to. You could respect that. However, the situation on the other hand? It was a little confusing. If Vanya did actually have powers— and after having read her book, you were surprised in the least to hear of them— and was the cause for the end of the world, what could be done to really control them? You could stop it from happening maybe, granted you had no idea how much pressure your force field could take in stopping her from using them, but wasn’t that just a momentary fix?

“She nearly put an end to the whole world, or rather, she did, but you all just escaped it. What exactly do you need me for? You expect her to do it again or something? Where even is she?”

Luther suddenly pulled Diego back, taking his place in front of you as a voice for the collective of them. “She’s in one of the rooms with Allison now, but all you need to understand is we’ve been here for three months. For the first month, Vanya couldn’t even look at us. She wouldn’t speak. She was in a catatonic state. In the second month, we tried to understand the extent of her powers to figure out how to prevent another apocalypse from happening, but every time she tried to use them, she couldn’t control them. Now she won’t even try, but they’re still there. She’s a ticking time bomb.”

A small unsettled flare lit in your stomach. “She’s also your sister. Don’t talk about her like she’s just a problem to fix. From the story Five told, you guys locking her up and essentially ignoring her for her whole life was the catalyst for this whole thing. Yeah, I get it. She almost ended the world, and what she did to Allison was fucked up. I’m not condoning that. But if you’re actually going to help her now, then do it for her. Actually, be there for her. Don’t pin me— a stranger— on her to take the problem off your fucking hands.”

You had been in enough foster and group homes to understand the loneliness that often came with them. But it was one thing to be ignored, and another to be acknowledged as simply not good enough. Vanya’s book had been very telling, about all their lives and not just hers. Each Hargreeves sibling had been fucked over by their mad father, and undoubtedly you felt empathy and sympathy for each of their situations and not just hers. Though your life had its own tragedies at the hand of your powers and other’s opinion of them, you had still spent most of the time you could avoiding every being detected by Reginald at all, fearing being included in his little makeshift family. You had known the love of a father before. They clearly hadn’t. Growing up, the Academy thing left a sour taste in your mouth. It wasn’t until you had read Vanya’s book that you finally understood why.

Luther blinked at you in surprise, and you noted a bob in his throat as he swallowed a little nervously. He looked a bit cross like he might actually dare to argue back, but Klaus cut him off before he could, moving to stand beside him.

His wide eyes seemed to reflect a serious outlook, his face a little pale. “We all made mistakes, we know that,” he started off with, and you were once again shocked by the sincerity he seemed to be able to display. Your breathing was a bit ragged after getting so aggravated in your little monologue, and Klaus grabbed your hands and led you back to the couch as if calming an upset child. Ass face. Sitting across from you on to ottoman, he continued, “we all sat there pinning blame on one another when really, it was dear old dad who ruined us all. I want to help. We all want to help.” he squeezed your hands, before finally releasing them. “But we need you as well. Vanya needs to feel like she’s in a controlled environment. If she practices around you and things get out of hand, hopefully, you can turn it off before things go boom again.”

Leaning back, you sank down into the cushions and covered your face with your hand, the light not helping your now growing headache. You took a deep breath in and then out. “Okay. Okay, I’ll help,” you relented, dropping your hand to peer at Klaus’s hopeful little smile. You quickly shifted your gaze back to Five, who had been silent during the entire exchange, simply watching with a contemplative eye. “So, what’s the plan then? I just come over sometimes and stand guard or something while she does her thing?”

Five picked up a coffee mug of the table and took a sip, putting it back down as he muttered, “you ask a lot of questions. But no. We want to be as safe as possible, so the plan would be for you to move in here in case anything was to happen.”

You were quiet for a moment. Maybe a little too quiet, since Five looked a little surprised by your lack of response, which was odd, since you weren’t sure what he was expecting your reaction to be.

“You should stick to brooding. Humour is not your strong suit. Seriously, what’s the plan?”

“I’m not joking. That is the plan.”

Hmm.

Getting up from the couch, you picked up your tote bag, and then the broken clock which had still been sitting on the floor. You slipped it into the bag. Pulling down your sunglasses, you turned towards the group and gave a lazy salute, stating, “Well, it’s been real guys. I’ll be sure to send you a Christmas card.”

Klaus shot up so suddenly you almost got whiplash, and ran to the door to pin himself in front of it like a scraggly leather clad barrier. “Whoa, whoa, hold on a second,” he pleading with a frantic little laugh, “be reasonable.”

“Reasonable?” You huffed at the shithead, no trace of such amusement in your voice. “You want me to just drop my whole life to live with a bunch of batshit insane grown up super babies and be at your every beck and call? Hell no. I have two jobs. I have an apartment I need to pay for!”

Klaus muttered back awkwardly, “technically you’re also a batshit insane grown up super baby,” but before you could reach back into your bag for the clock to chuck at his head, Five’s hand gripped your wrist in a tight grasp.

“Will you calm down? If you don’t want to move in here, then Vanya can move into your apartment with you,” Five snapped, releasing his grasp as Klaus started to move back towards you like an inquisitive animal unsure if the being in front of it was a predator or not.

You scrunched your brows together. “Seriously? I told you guys she needs her family. Having her live with me isn’t going to do much good. Look, I am fine coming over once and a while to help out, I really am, but I can’t just drop my whole life. You guys aren’t going to be here forever, and what happens when you guys leave? I have to go back to something.”

Five took a step back, contemplating this as you spoke. Diego took the quiet opportunity to intervene with his own point of view, adding, “they’re right. This whole plan was bound to fail anyway. We can think of something else.”

You were about to agree with him, but before you could, Klaus interjected with a very loud, “wait, I have an idea!”

Luther stated, “well that’s a first,” and you decided your clock’s next target was going to be his big rude head instead.

“Vanya will live with you, but all of us can still visit you and stay with her when you’re at work or what not.” Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea, you thought. But still, she should be around them more so than around you. Part of fixing this whole situation was fixing their family relationship too. Klaus seemed to almost read your mind, albeit, a little misconstrued, as he added, “better yet, I’ll move in too! It’ll be fun, we can all paint each other’s nails and braid each other’s hair—

“Fuck no.”

Klaus frowned, grabbing your shoulders and giving your tense self a little shake. “Oh, come on. I thought we were getting along?”

You deadpanned, “I’m a terrific actor.”

Granted, his plan did have some merit, but you loved having your own space. Your apartment wasn’t even that big anyway. You had your room, a pull-out bed in your crappy makeshift spare room, and then that uncomfortable couch. You wouldn’t subject anyone to that no matter what.

“We’ll pay you if you agree,” Five interrupted your thoughts, and suddenly, you wondered why you had ever thought it had been a bad idea at all.

“Well in that case, hello roomie,” you smiled at Klaus, as his mouth popped open in slight shock. Ignoring him, you dropped your bag on the floor and turned back to the rest of the family.

“Well, let me meet Vanya. We should probably check to see if my force field can even keep her powers at bay in the first place. Or if she’s even comfortable moving in with me.” Lowering your sunglasses back down, you looked them all in the eyes and said, “I, of course, will be paid for my services no matter the outcome.”  

Klaus uttered a small, but very audible, awe of, “they’re magnificent, aren’t they?”

[ladyamber]

Sirenade:Chapter Four

Hello and welcome back for Chapter 4 for Sirenade. Thank you all for the support of this series so far I really appreciate it. I’m glad so many of you enjoy it. There is still much more to come as always enjoy this week’s chapter and Stay Tuned! Thank you so much to vayrim for the artwork if want to check her out on Instagram the information is below. For next week’s chapter until then see ya :)

Again sorry for the late update ;-;

The wonderful artist that makes me cry T^T: Vayrim.jpg

Start: Prologue

Previous: Chapter 3

Next: Chapter 5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 4

Jon sat in his living room, fingers nervously fidgeting around as he patiently waited for Luke to return. Well if he returned.

Was it something I said…

He grew more and more worried as the minutes turned to an hour of waiting for him. Jon’s levels of panic began to rise as the time continued to pass with no signs of Luke.

Maybe something happened to him. Maybe he left without saying anything. Maybe-

The rapid knocks on the door pulled him out of his mind. Jon quickly walked over to the door, unlocking it as there stood Luke. Before Jon could greet him once again Luke waltzed right in. Jon barely caught the unexplainable expression that he wore as he walked past him.

“Luke is everything-“

“How long have you known?”

Jon made eye contact with Luke. He only looked at Luke with confusion. “What’re you talking about?”

“How long have you known about what Ryan and Evan really are?”

Delirious’s heart skipped a beat. Tension suffocated the room, Jon knew he needed to know for sure what Luke was specifically referring to without breaking his promise.

“I’m not sure-e what’re talking about. I-I don’t know nothing.” He mentally kicked himself for letting his stutter slip out.

“Delirious. Don’t make me say it.”

“Luke I don’t- I can’t tell you.”

Jon stares at the floor listening to Cartoonz’s staggered movements on his hardwood floor. Patiently waiting for him to confess his discover regarding Evan and Ryan.

“Did you know that Ryan and Evan were…sirens?”

At first, Delirious said nothing, wondering how he should respond to Cartoonz’s question. Finally, he nodded returning his gaze to him. Slowly he walked back to his couch, patting the soft cushion signaling Luke to sit as he held out the long forgotten coffee cup. Luke silently sat down taking the mug.

“How did you find out?”

“I might have seen Ohm turn in front of me.”

Jon couldn’t help but laugh at this. He found it absolutely hilarious that Ryan would be the one to let this happen. Delirious was half expecting one of the others to slipped up, not Ryan.

“Why you laughing?”

“I thought you were going to say Evan or Smitty cause they’re not careful when it comes to this sort of stuff.”

“There’s more?”

Delirious had to stop and count how many there actually were. Not counting the native pod that migrated every summer to the Antarctica.

“Six. Well if you count a pod of them that stay here during the winter then twenty-six.”

Jon carefully studied Luke’s reaction to the situation. Surprisingly he took a lot better than Jon had expected. Though the onslaught of questions was something he expected. “How long have you known? How did you find out? Why didn’t you tell me? Have they tried to eat you or drown you?”

Maybe Delirious should have started out with an explanation first. “H-hold on too many questions. Just let me explain.”

Luke shifted on the sofa to make himself comfortable almost knowing this was going to take a while.

“It was around the time I moved here actually, maybe two months. And t-there was a storm that day, I was collecting stuff about how much trash comes on the beach when I saw something. At first, I thought it was...you know dead, but whens I got closer h-he was alive. Barely, but he was breathing. When I first saw him I thought I was dreaming cause it was the shape of a fish, but umm… I wasn’t he really was a merman. He was hurt, so I-I carried him to my house and took care of him. It was about three days later that finally he woke up. He was afraid of me but when I told him I saved him and I know what he was, he didn’t look so scared anymore. I’m not really sure why he trusted me so easily, but he told me his name was...Evan and he’s been my friend since. About a month passed when Ryan showed up and I don’t know what they talked about, but ever since then, they’ve stayed here with the others. Yeah at first I tried to tell the others but I made a promise and I wasn’t going to break it so I stopped telling.”

“Is that why you like him?”

“W-What?” As stubborn as Jon was he couldn’t deny that maybe there were some hidden feelings towards him that he never had the courage to actually tell him. “Like you’re any better you barely meet Ohm and you got all lovey-dovey on him.”

“S-Shut up.” Luke attempted to hide his flustered face from him, but Delirious know what he said was true. He remembered in their youth that Cartoonz had some romance trouble in his high school years not just because of their mother, but he never had luck with finding the right one. Jon, however, wasn’t really interested in dating in high school. Maybe that’s why he took such an interest in the tan merman.

“Wait, so they didn’t try and lure you into the ocean?”

“Myth. Not all merfolk or “sirens” are able to do it. I think Mini is the only one out of the six that can do it.”

For the rest of the evening, Jonathan took the time to explain to his curious brother about his discovery of merfolk, the history Evan had shared with him and the personality of each one he had become friends with over the years.

“Why you asking so many questions why don’t you just ask Ryan?”

“I’ma...going on a date with him tomorrow.”

Jon was left speechless. In fact, dumbfounded that Ryan the siren hardly ever seen as selfish had said yes to a date? Jon recalled the countless time's tourists had encountered the male and wanted to get to know him better with either a date or a simple get together only to be turned down. Yet here he was hearing that when Luke had asked, Ryan had hesitated but ended up saying yes to him.

“Wow...hey it’s getting late why don’t we get some sleep and I can tell you more tomorrow? You can sleep on my couch for tonight.” Jon slowly got up and walked towards his bedroom door before turning back to his brother.

Cartoonz only nodded (probably because he was trying to process all the information Delirious had given him) before he laid spread out on the sofa. “Goodnight Delirious.”

“Night Cartoonz.” And with that Jon turned off the lights in his home before closing his door leaving Luke to ponder as he drifted off to sleep.

~*~

The sun peeked through the night sky as it shone through the underwater cavern. As light flooded into the shelter Brock stirred awake. His favorite part of the day, a routine he had created for himself ever since he came to this town. As he poked his head out of the water, reassuring that the coast was clear. He shifted his fins for a pair of legs slowly emerging from the water before making his way into town.

Brock knew that the others never bothered to wake up this early, but he adored the brisk morning and the cool air that came through on the trail. Eventually the others would wake up and get on with their day, still, this was his personal time and he’d learned to enjoy the peace every morning. As the town came into view he quickened his pace as the trail transitioned into asphalt. Scanning the establishments before his eyes fell on one he had grown to love for different reasons.

Hanby Man Repair Shop

Brock knew that the owner would be there considering he practically lived right above the shop. As he opened the door the small bell that rested by the door chimed notifying the owner he had a customer or in Brock’s case a visitor.

“That you Moo!?”

“Yeah, where are you?”

“In the back!”

Brock walked past the inventory of oils, paints, and tools before pushing the slightly open door revealing the Irishmen sitting behind his desk littered with papers, projects, and tools.

“Morning.”

“If ya call it that. It’s barely 7 am. Why ye always here so early don’t ye have... I don’t know better things to do?”

“I like coming to see you in the morning. After all early bird gets the worm.”

Brian’s laugh scattered the air filling the empty shop with warmth. “Was that a penis joke?”

Brock realizing his mistake quickly attempted to correct his statement, of course, his bashful nature shone right through.

“T-That’s not w-what I meant!”

“Brock it's fine. I’m just pulling ye leg Brock. I like the mornings ya come and visit me.” Brian’s smile made Brock’s heart flutter, his hands started sweating from how he felt. Brian was one of the only people who could make him feel this way, but he never felt afraid around the younger male. He could be seen as a normal human around him compared to some of the other humans that know about him.

The rest of the morning went as quickly as he and Brian had stayed in the back room making jokes, talking about yesterday’s incident involving Tyler and Craig, and even teasing about their close friendship.

“I still think they’re fockin' behind our backs.”

“Tyler’s too shy even though he won’t admit it.” Which was true, but he knew they both thought of each other more than friends putting aside their years of friendship. The only thing stopping them was Craig’s fear of losing Tyler (not just because of their impossible existence as sirens).

“Hey, do ya maybe-” The store’s bell rang throughout the shop causing Brian to get up from his seat opening the door. “Be right with ya! Maybe we can talk later when I lock up if ye want?”

“Sure. See you later then?” Brian simply nodded before retreating back into the room leaving Brock to escorted himself from the back room before coming face to face with one of the elderly women that resided in the town’s nearby apartments. Her smile was kind and sweet towards Brock as he pulled the shop door open exposing his skin to the bright sunshine. Leaving behind Brian to study his scattered papers before picking up a certain one that brought a pleasant smile to the Irishmen’s face.

[anonwriter27]

Chapter 5

“No!” “It’s really not that bad…”

It was Tommen’s first visit to the North and Myrcella hadn’t been entirely honest about her living conditions during their phone calls.

“Dear God no!”

He had walked the perimeter of her apartment and repeatedly said ‘no’ to everything he saw. Myrcella wished she hadn’t invited him to see her place. He was going to head back South with more worries than he arrived with.

“Okay! Well I need to drop some stuff off at work, wanna come?” “Anything to get out of here.” He said and made his way to the front door. “Actually… maybe we should take the fire escape.”

Tommen looked at her pleadingly with his eyes, she simply shot back a look that said ‘please don’t ask.’

They walked to Winterfell Estate, trudging through the snow that went past there ankles. It was a Sunday and she hoped the Starks didn’t mind her dropping off some books for Robb.

As she entered the house Tommen relaxed, “Now I’d be quite happy if you lived here.” He said, and he had a point. Winterfell was beautiful; old oak furniture, bay windows, warmly lit chandeliers, it was the ideal house. Her home in Kings Landing had been updated every summer to keep up with the latest interior design trends; it would probably be unrecognisable to Myrcella now.

She walked across the hall to drop the books off on the side table with a little note saying ‘for Robb.’ As she turned to leave she saw the man himself in the doorway, leaning on his walking stick.

“Myrcella?” “Hi! Sorry! I was just dropping off some more books for you.” “And on your day off, thank you” he smiled at her. “Oh it was no problem.” She said and the two held each others gaze for longer than either of them noticed.

Tommen, however, did notice and cleared his throat in an attempt to break his sister out of whatever trance she had been put under.

“Oh! This is my brother Tommen, Tommen this is Robb my…. Um, well…” “Myrcella helps me out around here.” he said and shook Tommen’s hand. Tommen looked at Myrcella the same way Jon had looked at Robb, both men seemingly aware of something their relatives had yet to figure out.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Myrcella has told me a lot about you.” Tommen pointed out, enjoying his fairly level headed sister squirm and blush.

“Has she really?” Robb asked, intrigue and hope etched on his face. “I haven’t told him ‘a lot’ about you… I mean I see you a lot and you’re a big part of my life… I mean because I see you a lot, so really it would be weird if I didn’t tell my own brother about you right?” She finally finished her rambling.

The two men looked equally confused, however Tommen also looked amused.

“Well we better get going” she’d had enough of Tommen’s mocking. “Well it was nice to meet you Tommen, I’ll see you tomorrow Myrcella.” Robb began to walk into the study leaving the siblings alone. “Yes, tomorrow… I’ll see you…then.”

Tommen looked between Myrcella and the space where Robb use to be. A grin spreading wide across his face.

“Let’s go.” And so the Baratheon siblings left Winterfell, both happy but for different reasons.

Tommen left Monday morning before Myrcella went to work. She loved having her brother here and watching him leave had her brushing away a few stray tears. When she came in to work Robb new instantly something was wrong. Her clothes weren’t melancholy exactly, but they were plain, no animals or peculiar detailing; it was simple, something rarely seen on Myrcella Baratheon.

“Let’s go outside today.” He suggested. “Outside? It’s snowing.” “And?” She thought about it, “okay.”  

They walked a decent way away from the house and the snow was getting heavier the further they went.

“Favourite colour?” “You want me to pick one colour out of the entire spectrum? That’s just cruel.” She answered with a teasing lilt. “Okay, favourite gift?”

Myrcella became all giddy, “When I was little I was obsessed with Harry Potter.” “You don’t say.” He chuckled referring to the movie collection she had insisted they watch.

“You laugh but I was one of the many children waiting by the door for my Hogwarts acceptance letter. Anyway, one day Joffrey was in one of his foul moods and said I belonged in Slytherin. Looking back now it was a ridiculous thing to cry over, but at the time I took it to heart and locked myself in my room for days. One day my uncle Tyrion came to visit, he came in my room, handed me a box and said ‘if I was the sorting hat you’d be a Gryffindor,’ and he left.  Inside the box was a Gryffindor scarf and I felt like the most important little girl in the world.” She smiled blissfully at the memory.

“So what happened to this wonderful scarf?” He asked, curiously getting the better of him. “My mother confiscated it. She said I had to grow up and focus on my studies, not fantasise about being a witch.”

They walked on further in comfortable silence, but Robb noticed the shadow never left Myrcella’s face.

“So I’m guessing Tommen has gone back home?” “Yeah, he left this morning.” She confirmed and buried her face in her scarf to keep him from seeing her sad face. He noticed though.

“Maybe he can come up and visit again soon, me and Jon were saying we should all have a meal together. You know you, me, Jon, Ygritte, Bran, and Tommen if you like?” She smiled that beaming smile at him, the one that made him feel special for causing it. “I would love that! Thank you.”

They decided to head back to the house, the snow was coming down really heavy now and Myrcella was scared for Robb walking in thick snow. Then she realised something, he had walked this entire time without her assistance, just his walking stick.

“Hey!” “What?” “Your walking on your own!” “Well I’m using my stick…” He said, but she could see him smiling. “This is great!” She said and she hugged him.

It was the first time she had ever hugged him, when she realised she jumped back and apologised.

“It’s okay.” Was all he said, he smiled at her and they walked back to the house.

When they got in they were greeted by an open fire and a boiled kettle. Myrcella turned to see snowflakes melting in Robb’s hair.

“I’ll go get a towel.” She said laughing and Robb couldn’t help but join her.

She began to towel dry his hair as gently as she could. His hair was drying even curlier than usual and Myrcella was trying to untangle each strand.

It was then she noticed how close they were; her face inches from his. She couldn’t stop her mind from going into overdrive. Is this okay? Does he mind that I’m here? Should I step back? As she went to put her last thought into action she felt Robb’s hands on her waist. She stopped moving the towel and looked into his eyes. She didn’t know what the look they shared meant, but it was intense and it drew her closer to him.

They were so close now, seconds away from changing what they were into something so much more. However they were interrupted, embarrassingly, by Robb’s mother.

“Ah there you two are! I was beginning to…”

The two broke apart as quick as they could but it wasn’t quick enough to escape Mrs Starks knowing gaze.

“Your both soaking! Myrcella go upstairs, third door on the right, you can borrow some of Arya’s clothes.” She offered kindly.

Myrcella thanked her and quickly went upstairs, leaving Robb with his mother.

“Nothing happened.” “I see.” Was all she said but he could tell she was thinking much more.

“Well I better get back to work. I’ll email you the partnership documents tomorrow, you deserve a night off.” And she left, Robb shook his head at her antics.

When Myrcella came back she was wearing an oversized jumper and leggings, and to Robb she looked adorable.

“I better head back home.” She said, though the snow hadn’t stopped and she was a little nervous about going outside.

“To Wolfs Wood? You’ll freeze, you can stay here tonight.” He offered. “I couldn’t do that, I don’t want to be an inconvenience.” “Well your in my wing of the house, and you do all the cooking  and cleaning, so your not really an  inconvenience to anyone.”

She thought about it for a while, “You’re sure?” “Positive.”

They’d just finished watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when they decided to switch off the Tv and just talk.

“My mother tells me that my little sister has a crush on Gendry.” “What?” “She’s been visiting the building site where he works more often than usual, they’ve been having lunch together during his break.” “I wonder why he didn’t tell me” she contemplated, it was unlike Gendry to keep secrets. “Probably the same reason Arya didn’t tell us, the merciless teasing.” They laughed together and she knew he had a point.

Myrcella thought back to the day Robb got to know her and realised she had not shown him the same courtesy. Would that be okay though? They’d comes a long way in their relationship and she didn’t want to overstep any boundaries that would cause him to shut her out again.

“So what’s your story?” She asked, once she’d finally plucked up enough courage. “My story is depressing, far less riveting then yours.” “Mine was not riveting. Besides you got to know me, can’t I know you?”

He appraised her, wondering if his story would push her further away.

“ I joined the army when I was twenty two, I was put in the front line against the Walkers. Me, Jon and our friends Sam and Theon all joined together. Heroes of Westeros, that’s what we thought we were; but we weren’t prepared for the Walkers. How do you win a war against people who don’t care whether they live or die, that have no rational train of thought?”

Myrcella was hooked on every word. Uncle Jaime never spoke of the war and she had always wanted to know what happened but never dared to ask.

“Jon and Sam were relocated to The Wall, they were watchers trying to decipher the enemy’s next move. Me and Theon were left on the front line. We saw things you couldn’t imagine, suffered things you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.” He shook his head, as if trying to shake away the memories of what he’d seen.

“I got hit pretty bad, my right shoulder got the worst of it and I couldn’t breathe. They took me to the wall to recover and I was put on bed rest. The wall was where all our letters were sent to. While I was there I heard that my father had passed. I knew he was ill before I left but I didn’t expect it, I wasn’t prepared. My grief consumed me and I refused to get better. Jon and Sam eventually snapped me out of it but my recovery had been delayed, which is why I’m in the sorry state I’m in now.” He said lightly but Myrcella could see the pain in his eyes and the anger he felt towards himself.

“When the war ended I came home and everyone was the same, and I resented them for it. I wanted to be the same, but I wasn’t, not after what I’d seen. So I pushed them all away and handled the family business on my own. I think Sansa and Rickon are still pretty pissed with me about that, but Jon, Bran and Arya, they wouldn’t stop pushing me. Eventually I caved and let them visit and over time I let Jon help with my recovery.”

Myrcella wanted to assure him that his siblings would understand what he’d been through, but she’d never met Sansa or Rickon, and it wasn’t her place to assume.

“I was getting better, until I heard what had happened to Theon.” “What happened to him?” Myrcella found herself asking. “That’s the thing, I don’t know exactly, he went missing and no one has heard anything since. Perhaps if I’d been there with him…” “You were hurt, your not to blame Robb.” “I’m sorry, I’ve rambled on about the most depressing things.” “Don’t apologise. I’m glad that you shared this with me.”

There was no need to say any more or push for details. Myrcella knew more about the man in front of her, and her admiration for him only grew.

They fell asleep next to each other on the sofa, and it was the best night sleep Robb had had in a long time. Jon and Mrs. Stark found them the next morning, before they quietly left the estate deciding to let the pair sleep in.

[monstrousthingsrp]

Time Period Quick Reference:

Courtesy the lovely Erin (@incre-et-painture) we now have a handy-dandy little reference to help us all “flow with the times” without having to struggle between either spending precious time researching or winging it and hoping for the best! She actually lived in England during the period in which our game is set, so if you have additional questions about the setting she’ll be happy to help you out--

Although keep in mind that this is an alternate universe. As such, specific individual facts and historical events may be different. So don’t worry about getting bogged-down in the details; after all, this is a world in which The Cold War was replaced by The Worldwide Witchunt Wars. There probably was no Cuban Missile Crisis; there may not have even been a Space Race! We’ve left particular historical details vague enough that we can tailor them to suit whatever plot-points we all decide to develop.

So just as with the timeline, view the following as a reference guideline, not a checklist to obey!

Technology:

This is probably the most important one for us, as unlike most Potterverse games we’re actually playing in a world where your character very well might have access to the sort of technology that we take for granted in our current lives -- albeit several generations older than what we’ve got on hand now!

Most computers operate using ethernet cords to connect to the internet, laptops weigh an extremely portable 52 pounds, basically, and camera phones are cutting edge technology. The pictures taken with them are notoriously grainy at this stage and definitely not the crystal clear video we’re used to.

Most mobile phones operate on a “top up” method where you pay for minutes. They’re called track phones in the U.K. Also, most people are paying per text message sent, but it’s still a popular method of communication. You can top up your minutes in most convenience stores and by calling into your provider’s number. There aren’t any smartphones, apps, and other things like that. Public payphones still exist, although they are fading out by this point.

Travel is done by taxi, bus, and tube. Lyft and Uber do not exist. Londoners love the Tube and definitely travel that way frequently. For frequent travelers, Oyster cards are refillable cards that are similar to the Metro cards we use in the US. In fact, 2004 was the first year that Oyster cards existed. They can also be used on the bus and train, but not on taxis.

Please also remember that trains are a popular method of travel for Europeans. They’re also very reliable and a great way to get around. (As for whether people would be comfortable sharing a carriage with someone who’s got stars by their eyes, well...)

Pop Culture: Sport

As much as it breaks my heart, Manchester United won the FA cup in 2004. (Mod Note: her Erin, maybe in this messed-up world West Ham isn’t a total lost cause? I mean, sport doesn’t have to have happened the same as it did in reality, and we’ve got so many crazy things going on here already -- wealthy Weasleys, werewolf-friendly Blacks, a living Regulus...stranger things could happen, right?)

For those of you interested in talking football, here are the league tables for that season. Please keep in mind that different teams are in different leagues so, if your character follows a team, make sure you know who they play. :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004%E2%80%9305_Football_League

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004%E2%80%9305_FA_Premier_League

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004%E2%80%9305_Football_League_Championship

Pop Culture: Telly

The Television lineup in Britain in real 2004-2005 contained the shows:

Little Britain

Spooks

Eastenders

Still Game

Dr. Who (the new series had just started, but the reruns were still extremely popular and well-loved by a majority of British people)

Casualty

The Doctors

Holby City

River City

Blue Peter

Strictly Come Dancing

And news is broadcast on the BBC News

For a comprehensive list, please see this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_programmes_broadcast_by_the_BBC

Please pay attention to the years listed for each program to make sure that it’s applicable...and feel free to make up shows of your own that might exist in this reality! Just keep in mind that TV in England was a much smaller, lower-budget, more contained entity than the overwhelming glut of channels going on in America.

Pop Culture: Music

This will be a painful trip for some of us. After all, I think we’d probably all rather forget that Kelis ever proclaimed that her milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. However, it’s a sad fact that she did, and this is the time when it happened!

Now again, we are living in an alternate reality here, so feel free to make up other songs and singers and groups -- both mundane and magical; maybe the Weird Sisters and Celestina Warbeck don’t exist here (and maybe they do) but there are surely still some magical musicians (maybe some taking advantage of the “dangerous” aura their magic grants them, while others might try and downplay it) so please, let your imaginations run wild! Maybe this Brittany Spears never sang Toxic but rather Cursed...maybe this Goldie Lookin Chain wrote Wands Don’t Kill People, Rappers Do. Who knows, have fun! The following list is for reference so that you know what kind of music and what kind of bands (probably) exist in this world and this time. And, maybe, to give you all a trip -- pleasant or otherwise -- down nostalgia lane. Enjoy!

Here are the Top 100 Songs of 2004 in the UK:

01 Eamon ~ F**k It (I Don't Want You Back)

02 Eric Prydz ~ Call On Me

03 Anastacia ~ Left Outside Alone

04 DJ Casper ~ Cha Cha Slide

05 Usher featuring Lil' Jon & Ludacris ~ Yeah!

06 Frankee ~ FURB (F U Right Back)

07 Kelis ~ Milkshake

08 Mario Winans featuring Enya & P Diddy ~ I Don't Wanna Know

09 3 Of A Kind ~ Baby Cakes

10 Michelle McManus ~ All This Time

11 Britney Spears ~ Everytime

12 Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules ~ Mad World

13 Destiny's Child ~ Lose My Breath

14 The Shapeshifters ~ Lola's Theme

15 Outkast ~ Hey Ya!

16 LMC vs U2 ~ Take Me To The Clouds Above

17 O-Zone ~ Dragostea Din Tei

18 The Streets ~ Dry Your Eyes

19 Busted ~ Thunderbirds / 3AM

20 Usher ~ Burn

21 Britney Spears ~ Toxic

22 Natasha Bedingfield ~ These Words

23 Ozzy & Kelly Osbourne ~ Changes

24 Boogie Pimps ~ Somebody To Love

25 Kelis ~ Trick Me

26 The Rasmus ~ In The Shadows

27 Band Aid 20 ~ Do They Know It's Christmas?

28 Nelly ~ My Place / Flap Your Wings

29 D12 ~ My Band

30 McFly ~ 5 Colours In Her Hair

31 Girls Aloud ~ I'll Stand By You

32 Cassidy featuring R Kelly ~ Hotel

33 Jamelia ~ Thank You

34 Peter Andre ~ Mysterious Girl

35 Maroon 5 ~ This Love

36 Eminem ~ Just Lose It

37 Rachel Stevens ~ Some Girls

38 Khia ~ My Neck My Back (Lick It)

39 Christina Milian ~ Dip It Low

40 McFly ~ Obviously

41 JoJo ~ Leave (Get Out)

42 Deep Dish ~ Flashdance

43 Lemar ~ If There's Any Justice

44 J-Kwon ~ Tipsy

45 Will Young ~ Leave Right Now

46 Sean Paul featuring Sasha ~ I'm Still In Love With You

47 Brian McFadden ~ Real To Me

48 Girls Aloud ~ Love Machine

49 Katie Melua ~ The Closest Thing To Crazy

50 2Play featuring Raghav & Jucxi ~ So Confused

51 Twista ~ Sunshine

52 Sam & Mark ~ With A Little Help From My Friends / Measure Of A Man

53 Robbie Williams ~ Radio

54 Blue ~ Breathe Easy

55 The Black Eyed Peas ~ Shut Up

56 Twista ~ Slow Jamz

57 Busted ~ Who's David

58 Ice Cube featuring Mack 10 & Ms Toi ~ You Can Do It

59 U2 ~ Vertigo

60 Girls Aloud ~ The Show

61 N*E*R*D ~ She Wants To Move

62 Christina Aguilera featuring Missy Elliott ~ Car Wash

63 Nina Sky ~ Move Ya Body

64 Anastacia ~ Sick And Tired

65 Maroon 5 ~ She Will Be Loved

66 Ja Rule featuring R Kelly & Ashanti ~ Wonderful

67 Goldie Lookin Chain ~ Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do

68 The 411 ~ Dumb

69 Usher ~ Confessions Part II / My Boo

70 Special D ~ Come With Me

71 Kelis featuring Andre 3000 ~ Millionaire

72 Keane ~ Somewhere Only We Know

73 Duncan James & Keedie ~ I Believe My Heart

74 Jamelia ~ See It In A Boy's Eyes

75 Natasha Bedingfield ~ Single

76 The 411 featuring Ghostface Killah ~ On My Knees

77 Franz Ferdinand ~ Take Me Out

78 Gwen Stefani ~ What You Waiting For?

79 Basement Jaxx featuring Lisa Kekaula ~ Good Luck

80 George Michael ~ Amazing

81 D12 ~ How Come

82 Kylie Minogue ~ I Believe In You

83 4-4-2 ~ Come On England

84 Jay Sean featuring The Rishi Rich Project ~ Eyes On You

85 Avril Lavigne ~ My Happy Ending

86 Rachel Stevens ~ More More More

87 Enrique featuring Kelis ~ Not In Love

88 Ultrabeat ~ Feelin' Fine

89 Jennifer Lopez ~ Baby I Love U

90 Green Day ~ American Idiot

91 The Streets ~ Fit But You Know It

92 Sugababes ~ Too Lost In You

93 Victoria Beckham ~ This Groove / Let Your Head Go

94 Ronan Keating ~ She Believes (In Me)

95 Shaznay Lewis ~ Never Felt Like This Before

96 Britney Spears ~ My Prerogative

97 Ashlee Simpson ~ Pieces Of Me

98 Busted ~ Air Hostess

99 Outkast featuring Sleepy Brown ~ The Way You Move

100 The Black Eyed Peas ~ Hey Mama

For the rest of 2004 in music in the real world, please go to this wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_in_British_music_charts

Random Stuff:

Since the standard closing time for a pub is 11 PM, that’s when “Needles” closes. There are after-hours nightclubs, and people probably go to them, but Needles does its last call at 10:45.

Prostitution is not illegal in Britain, but running a brothel is. Basically, a person can sell themselves, but you can’t sell other people. (I just feel like this is useful information.)

Gun Control Laws had banned both automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Rifles were still allowed for those with hunting permits.

Courtesy Millie @theinvisibleboi: 2004 is also the year Facebook launched (although at that point it would have still been restricted to school e-mail accounts) and the Olympics were held in Athens, in case anyone wanted to feel old! (Probably wix would not be allowed to compete...but if anyone wants to create some kind of controversial Olympics history or event for this world, or otherwise alter history to conform to to AU, please feel free!)

Again, please use this wonderful collection of data that Erin has so helpfully provided us with for as general reference, not uncompromising and stone-set facts that you must know, utilize, and memorize! None of us are expert historians and unless you do something really obvious like reference an iPhone or One Direction, we aren’t going to call you out on it -- especially when an “error” might just be a difference between this world and our own. This is just to help you get in the “vibe” of the time period, not information that you’ll be tested on later. So don’t panic, stay loose, and feel free to get creative!

Thanks once more to Erin for putting this together for all of us, and remember that if you have questions about anything else regarding England in 2005, please feel free to message her and she’ll help out as best she can!

[one-of-us-blog]

Bringing Up Baby (TGG, Season 3, Episode 3)

Today Eli is forced to watch and recap Bringing Up Baby, Episode 3 of the third season of The Golden Girls.  Will this episode make him squeal with delight, or leave him sadly longing for a different show?  Keep reading to find out…

First, a quick public service announcement: Did you know that every episode of The Golden Girls is now available to stream on Hulu?  No?  Well, get on that!  It makes watching and following along with this blog much easier!  Please note: One of Us! is sadly in no way sponsored by Hulu.

Next, I need to tell Jon that he did a great job with his Turn Left recap!  I have mixed feelings on the issue of previous companions moving in on Donna’s space.  It took me a while to warm up to Donna, but I really love her now, and agree that she is fully deserving of her own character arc.  I actually think she does get an arc that distinguishes itself quite a bit from any other companion in the show’s history.  But it is nice to see the return of an old friend from time to time and, unfortunately for Donna, this was still in the era of the show in which companions were generally limited to starring for a single season/series (with the exception of Rose, who got two), so it was kind of inevitable that those friendly faces would steal some of Donna’s time in the sun.  I agree it has probably happened a bit too much this season.  But that being said, I still feel this is a very strong season of the show, and I’m excited to see you finish it off!

Now, it’s time to recap an episode of The Golden Girls in which the gals are also joined by an unexpected companion, so let’s head to Miami!

Episode written by Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan, directed by Terry Hughes

As the episode opens, Dorothy answers the front door to discover her mother returning home, uncertain of her location.  This is probably due to the fact that she has lost her glasses, which were supposedly broken at the mall (but may in reality have been broken in a street fight, or lost in a high stakes wager).  Sophia had a very hard time getting back to the house, and all of her attempts to use a pay phone just resorted in purchasing condoms.  Blanche is also present, concerned about which necklace compliments her dress to produce the “easy” effect for which she’s aiming.  Lastly, Rose enters the scene, returning home with some odd news.  Her uncle back in Minnesota has passed away, and in his will he left her custody of his baby.  His BABY?  The girls are a bit perplexed as to how to address the situation.  Blanche shows some concern for Rose, but mostly just ends up complimenting herself and manages to prompt a rare triple-take from Dorothy that would meet even the high standards of Sir Patrick Stewart.  Dorothy admits that she always wished for another chance with a child, and soon everyone (with the exception of Sophia) has caught a severe case of hypothetical-baby fever.  Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose take their enthusiasm to a different room, leaving the nearly blind Sophia to head to her bedroom; or, more accurately, to wander into traffic.

The next morning in the kitchen, Sophia wanders in and prepares to defecate on a chair right in the midst of her friends.  The girls alert her that she is not actually in the bathroom and she exits, blaming her new semi-blindness for the blunder.  Personally, I think she was just making a power play, as her sense of in-home geography would have to be pretty sketchy to believe she was actually entering a different room.  For that matter, her venture into traffic in the previous scene was likely also a part of this sick game.  Rose has been looking at old pictures, and Blanche has been worrying about the fact that the baby won’t have a male role model in its life.  The gals tell her not to be concerned, especially Rose, who confuses Dr. Spock with Mr. Spock and informs her that on Vulcan babies are born in pods, so what does he know about child-rearing anyway?  At last, a man arrives at the door introducing himself as the deceased uncle’s legal representative, and he’s here with “the baby.”  Only, as it turns out, “the baby” is actually Baby, a beautiful prized pig.  Surprise!  The pig was apparently the pride and joy of Rose’s uncle, and her farm nostalgia starts firing on all cylinders.  She is thrilled to have the pig with them, but the other girls are less than enthusiastic.  That is, until the man at the door informs them that Baby comes with an incentive of $100,000 in pigbucks, providing the gals can look after him until his dying day; and as it turns out, our new piggy friend is currently 29 years into a projected 25 year lifespan, and Rose is willing to split the money.  Welcome home, Baby!

We jump ahead in time a bit, to a scene in which Sophia is lounging on the lanai, still without her spectacles.  Baby wanders over to eat some of her food that was left at ground level, as Dorothy finally delivers a new pair of glasses with the wrong frames to her.  She looks like Buddy Holly might have if the music hadn’t died, but at least she can see!  We learn that, much to Dorothy’s dismay, Rose has been giving the pig free reign of the house.  She just loves having a pig around, but Dorothy is a bit more curious about when the oinker will shuffle off this mortal coil and head to the big slop pile in the sky.  Blanche is also fuming mad, as Baby tore up her nightgown and has shown a tendency to watch her shower.  Rose decides to call her family to see if someone else can take Baby off her hands, but Dorothy recalls that this would cost them the attached $100,000.  She and Blanche hastily change Rose’s mind to allow the pig to stay, and the two conspirators are forced to cut Sophia in on the deal along the way.  Once again we see Sophia’s incredibly subtle manipulation of events in play, as seconds after she is promised a $25,000 share, a suddenly sickly Baby collapses off screen.

Again, we cut ahead to the kitchen.  Rose is very sad about Baby’s current medical condition, and the girls attempt to comfort her; well, except for Sophia, who prefers to make sadistic ham jokes, and earns herself a wonderfully cold stare from Rose.  After Rose leaves, the other girls begin talking about their favorite subject again: the money.

Another jump forward, and Blanche, Dorothy, and Sophia have returned home from a shopping spree, on which they’ve spent some major pigbucks that they haven’t yet earned.  Rose reveals them that a veterinarian has come to see Baby, and the vet informs them all that the real issue is that Baby has a mental problem.  Simply put, he’s homesick.  Rose immediately plans to send Baby back to the farm but the gals jump in to convince her otherwise, complimenting her as a pig-keeper and overstating their own swine-related affection.  Rose eventually gives in and even thanks the girls for being the best friends ever.  This causes the girls to experience guilt, prompting another shopping spree to cheer them up a bit.

Next, we find Dorothy choked up in the kitchen, struggling with her feelings of guilt regarding the money and Baby’s welfare.  Blanche and Sophia have no such qualms, and have returned home with a new Mercedes.  Dorothy has resolved to tell Rose the truth about what they are doing and give back the money, but Blanche promises anything if she will contain herself, even offering up one of her sons.  Nevertheless, Dorothy makes her way to Rose’s bedroom.  Baby (or something vaguely pig-shaped) is lying in bed with Rose and still very sickly.  Dorothy comes clean, and when Blanche is convinced that Baby really is homesick and depressed, even her heart is melted.  They both feel awful and beg Rose’s forgiveness.  She is pretty upset on Baby’s behalf, and tells them that a kiss on the nose would be a good apologetic gesture.  They both proceed to kiss her on the nose, and this cheers her back up.  She could never stay mad at them!  The trio has all unanimously decided to send Baby back home where he’ll be happy, forfeiting the money.  Sophia, however, is not pleased about this turn of events, but once again was not consulted in the matter.

In the (almost) final scene, the gals are in the kitchen where Sophia finally has a new pair of glasses with the correct old lady frames.  She’s still moping quite a bit, and Dorothy tells her to get over it, even if she’s having her own problems coping with the loss of excess cash.  A letter arrives from Rose’s cousin, informing her that Baby was very happy to be back on the farm, and that this was a great time for him to spend his final hours…Baby has actually died, along with any hope the girls had of claiming the associated $100,000 (though honestly, that cousin is kind of a jerk for not offering up any of the cash given that Baby was back home for all of 36 hours).  The gals are all now really depressed, and even their new Mercedes is being taken.  Dorothy never even got to ride in it.  To cheer themselves up a bit, we get one more mini-scene in which the gals manage to take a ride in the new car, even if this occurs while it is being pulled away by a tow truck.

The End.

I enjoyed this episode, though not as much as the previous one, and definitely not as much as the perfect season opener.  Sophia managed to land some pretty good pig-related jokes and I loved seeing Rose’s enthusiasm for the new companion, but the missing glasses gag only really worked a couple of times and I couldn’t quite buy the way the $100,000 pig-stipend was administered and awarded only upon Baby’s demise.  This one is good for some chuckles, but it probably won’t be an episode I revisit very often once I’ve wrapped up the entire series.  I give Bringing Up Baby a score of 3.5 poofy hairdos out of 5.

Be sure to stop back in tomorrow as Jon nears the end of the fourth series of Doctor Who and treats us to a recap of The Stolen Earth, and I’ll report back in on Friday with my take on The Housekeeper, the next episode of The Golden Girls.  Until then, as always, thank you for being a friend, and for being One of Us!

[kaypeace21]

DID theory part 3: St novels/comics/spotify list analyses

*read part 2  of DID theory-first! You’ll be lost otherwise, seriously XD. First, I’ll say -I find the ST comics/ books as canon as the st movie inspirations . I don’t consider the books/comics ‘literal canon’ (cause they contradict the show ( like Max and billy meeting a year before s2  in runaway max - but meeting as little kids in s3,  or El’s age being wrong in suspicious minds, in the d&D comic Will’s friends instead of him /Jonathan building castle byers, etc) . 

So I think we shouldn’t take it  literally - but more like the st movie lists - filled with foreshadowing/symbolism and other eastereggs (That the Duffers may have told them to add). So here’s some more (possible) alter / DID hints...

‘Suspicious minds’ novel

- Brenner  equates k*lling rabbits to h*rting kids. And he’ll hurt (kid) Kali (the bunny in the analogy) if Terry tries running away from him . I wonder if Lonnie used a similar threat against jonathan? Jon could be giving only a partial truth to why he cried for a week (about the bunny story)?

-Kali “hops” like a bunny then talks about tigers obsessively (linking her to rabbits/tigers similar to the other alters/Will/Lonnie). Terry also imagines tigers and kali says to Alice they can all be tigers together.

- one of the only male psychic experiments (who can see the future) is gay

- Terry is into lord of the rings, like Will. Has her and her boyfriend dress as sam & frodo (m/m ship). Terry calls her and her friends “the fellowship”.

-when Terry/Alice were injected with d**gs -they hallucinated rainbows.yikes.

- Alice (like Lonnie) is a car mechanic. She can see the future like Will the wise and says “monsters of course my mind has them as long as they stayed in there, everything would be alright? Wouldn’t it?” (in her visions she saw the demogorgan).

 (completed) graphic ST novels (by Jody Hozer) so far  (+ other st comics).

*Jody Hozer writes all the graphic novels (every novel is 4 chapters each) - the will byers comic, number 6 comic , into the fire comic, and at the moment she’s writing the d&d series and the summer camp series (which isn’t done yet). Then there’s the occasional 1 chapter st comics not written by her.

- Number 6 has (the ability to foresee the future like Will the wise/Alice) and has an ab*sive dad. 

When having a nightmare of the demogorgan ...she says as she wakes up “screw you dad” (another hint the demogrgan -aka in d&d means ‘deep father’ ...is Lonnie).

- when number 6 and others run they say they’re’ “rabbiting”(which yes technically makes sense but I found such an uncommon phrase odd.)

- The (summer camp and d&d graphic novels aren’t completed yet) but they establish d&d creatures are based off  real life people the boys don’t like in real life. Or that d&d is used as an outlet to explain true events from their pasts -but they just give the true stories a d&d fantasy slant.

- Which brings me to the halloween oneshot(not by Hozer),taking place before s1. Will tells a scary story told to him by Jonathan, and originally told to him by Lonnie. Says the boys have to keep it a secret cause it was something he was never supposed to tell to anyone. Mike says he has to finish the story he started. It’s about a “ch*lld-eater” monster first attacking a boy near the quarry (like where Will was found) and  attacking kids in a library (where Will was also found in s1).When the child sees the sheriff she bangs on the library door begging for help-he ignores her , walks away, and tells the other cops to never speak of what they saw as she screams for help. Because the previous sheriff was in kahoots with the monster. It def had some ... uh questionable imagery too 0_0

The vine in the mouth is also like the one in Will’s mouth (when Joyce found him in the library).And of course Dustin asks whether or not something like that could be covered up.

- In the “bully  comic” (about troy) also not by Jody. We focus on Troy and his ab*sive dad (who encourages him to fight/ditch his best friend). The dad has a drinking problem (gets fired), calls Troy a “mess” , pushes him, and constantly encourages Troy to be vi*lent/macho. He pretty much tries sabotaging the relationship Troy has with his friend (which I could see Lonnie doing in the future with byler).The dad/troy is framed similarly to when Billy gives Max a ride home-  after both ab*sers give bad advice saying not to hang out with their friend (after witnessing them fight in the school parking lot). Dad also laughs about almost k*lling a squirrel (a trait we see troy mimic)- and we see El feel guilty about k*lling a squirrel in s2. At the end of the comic- Troy (like Will) after making up with his bff james- moves leaving his best friend behind.

-  (into the fire) Twins: (one was normal with no powers living in the real world and the twin with fire powers is trapped in a dark sunless “cold” world styled like a psych facility/medieval fantasy) . pics in link.She hated her reflection cause it reminded her of being betrayed by her normal non powered twin who left her behind in the ‘cold’ place. She’d call herself a ‘hunter’ who would defend herself and attack others to never be hurt again. Her powers being unleashed were described like opening “a door.” And she loves her twin deep down and just wants friends . And fire twin goes to the “other side” to reunite with her reflection and find happiness in the real world. *also there’s sunflower/bunny symbols which she lights on fire-which can relate back to Will/Terry/Lonnie etc. The twins = Will & Will the wise (mf)

Mirrors also connect to Will and Will the wise via the canon spotify playlists too.

Will playlist (song: mirror in the bathroom)-Mirror in the bathroom Please talk free.The door is locked -Just you and me.Mirror in the bathroom recompense for all my crimes of self defense.Cures you whisper make no sense!Drift gently into Mental illness.

Demogorgan playlist ( from perspective of Will the wise aka the mf) (song: are you dead yet? )-”polluted soul through a mirror I behold.Throw a punch, shards bleed on the floor. tearing me apart. but I don't care anymore.Should I regret or ask myself are you dead yet?Wake up, don't cry. Regenerate to deny the truth. The fiction you live in blindfolds your eyes. Disclosure, self loathing, this time you've gone too far.Or could it be, my nemesis, that you are me?

(*st ‘into the fire’ comic. the fire powered twin’s thoughts echo the song)

*I think this foreshadows the later plot points of mf (will the wise ) and Will interacting via mirrors. The fire-wielding twin and the non powered twin had a lot of mirror imagery. Including the fire powered twin (Who denies reality/and imagines herself in a fantasy world) punching her reflection because it reminds her of her non-powered twin. Here’s some cover art from the novels showing how much they emphasize mirrors.

*And in s4 movies Black swan - “the black and white swan twins (two halves of the same person-Nina)” had creepy mirror imagery. In long kiss goodnight the women with DID talks to her “ (supposed)dark 1/2″  via a mirror (in a dream).  in ‘the visit’ the teen girl who’s dad abandoned her when young-  refuses to look in the mirror (and it’s never explained why she hates her reflection). So yes I think we’ll see this in s4 or 5. We already see the mf take on the appearance of Billy when talking to him.

- Will in “zombie boy” comic is afraid he’s a monster.

also lets appreciate the lil byler moment of Mike and Will being the only zombies and mike comforting him. honestly , though, the characters were pretty out of character for most of this 1 ch comic (until the end) tbh.

- in the “d&d comic” mf is  (possibly) described as a “protector” (aka like how i said the mf is probably a perpetrator alter- which are misguided protectors).

*update now that it’s finished... hinting Will created everything subconsciously.

‘Runaway Max’ novel (before s3)

(I didn’t get time to read this book unlike ‘suspicious minds’ -so can’t show screen shots of everything others talked about. May read it eventually)

-Max compares Billy  to ‘her monster’ and a ‘shadow’ that will attack anyone that comes close (mf parallel).

- Dart k*lled a cat,  El’s papa tried to force her to k*ll a cat. And Billy when seeing a d*ad cat lights it on fire for a “viking funeral”. A connection to WW (who has fire powers) and El & dart.

-Max and Billy both are into cars and bond over fixing them (similar to Lonnie’s interest in fixing up cars). And since Lonnie tried to brag to Jonathan about fixing a car up and Will is into tech it wouldn’t be a stretch that Lonnie and Will were into fixing cars together (like Max/billy who would hang out at a autoshop in Cali) .  Similar to Will ,max says hanging with Billy wasn’t always so bad- which made things more confusing to her.

- Max compares Billy being beat up by Neil: to ‘punching a pocket of a baseball glove’. This is interesting since this book was pre-s3 which was when they established the connection of billy and his dad to baseball (similar to s1 saying  Lonnie taught Will baseball).

-Billy’s friend is a nice ‘music snob’ . He tries distracting Max with music while Billy is burning the cat. Which reminds me of Jonathan trying to distract Will from their parents fighting in the next room-with music

- Max’s bio dad is a criminal who takes her to shady bars, and Max fears he’d ‘get bored of her’. Max also ran away from her mom to her dad’s 2x.Which reminds me of Jonathan thinking Will ran to Lonnie’s in s1.

-Max mentions how Billy misses his friends after moving out of Cali. And he starts acting even worse-after the move. Which will probably be the case for Will (at least a bit) when moving to California.

-Billy tells Max Neil isn’t his ‘real dad’ either because Neil can’t be a father to anyone.

-Billy also tells Max who (at the time ) is 12 years old not to act “easy” and breaks her best friend’s (Nate’s) arm over  someone joking he was Max’s boyfriend and also cause Nate tried to get in between Billy bullying Max. Eventually all her Cali friends ditch her cause they’re afraid of Billy.And Ugh- why could I see Lonnie doing something like this in the future with Will/his new friends. 

- Creepily Max says Billy doesn’t fool around with her like other girls not because of her age or being family. But cause she wasn’t ‘attractive’. This whole excerpt gave me the heeby jeebies,on so many levels, honestly.  Almost like he’s jealous- and controlling her cause he doesn’t want Max to have any love interests. Maybe i’m just missing the context? But ugh... excerpt:

Will byers secret Files

-Hopper gets scared by a pumpkin-scarecrow. And in Will’s canon journal when talking about the mindflayer and his nightmares draws the same scare-crow , Hopper saw. There’s also a lot of s4-5 foreshadowing in the book... but that’s a post for another day.

Darkness on the edge of town (Hopper novel)

*didn’t get time to read this (except the preview)

 I think it’s more foreshadowing for future seasons though- cult/supposed ritual k*llings, people being wrongly blamed for those crimes-like the hellfire club , most likely.  (similar to the guy number 3 in the number 6 comic)  saint john in the novel also has the same brain control powers as 3- similar to the mf. .” When a blackout plunges the boroughs into chaos, Hopper must escape the the mobs in the streets to make sure his family is safe and stop Saint John from fulfilling his prophecy.” I already talked about here- how the next few seasons would start having more religious symbolism/a future apocalypse (based on what we’ve seen in the show/s4 movies). Although, i think there’s quite a few differences between (the novel’s) saint john and Will the wise. Hopper is also a star wars nerd like the boys (alter hint)

Canon spotify songs (posted after s2/before s3) hinting at DID/ alter /lonnie stuff-

Will  and Will the wise (aka the mf) being an alter

*Used Will and the demogorgan playlist (which i think has perspectives of Will the wise aka the mf, demogorgan, and Lonnie).

Besides the mirror songs previously mentioned...

Will (cold inside)-Doctor the problem's in my chest.My heart feels cold as ice but it's anybody's guess?Doctor can you help me cause I don't feel right?Better make it fast before I change my mind. Doctor can you help me cause I don't feel right?Better make it fast before I change my mindWell it's cold, cold, cold, cold inside. Darker in the day than the dead of night Cold, cold, cold, cold inside...Counselor give me some advice Tell me how hard will I fall if I live a double life?

El (ghost)-your ghost, the ghost of you.It keeps me awake.My friends had you figured out.Yeah they saw what's inside of you. You tried hiding another you.But your evil was coming through... living in the shade Your cold heart makes my spirit shake.

El (monster Lead me home)-I don't know what, what I was afraid of, I was afraid oooof...Monster take me somewhere...We walk in shadow.Monster lead me home.Where there is no place to hide.Stranger on the other side We walk in shadow.Monster lead me home.

 The’ innerworld’/  other hints Max, El, Hopper, and Billy are alters of Will’s

Max (Logical song)-I know it sounds absurd. Please tell me who I am, who I am, who I am, who I am?

EL(Buzzcut season)-I remember when your head caught flame It kissed your scalp and caressed your brain ...nothing's wrong when nothing's true. I live in a hologram with you Where all the things that we do for fun . Play along (make-believe it's hyper real) But I live in a hologram with you.

Billy (broken bones)-Broken bones.Stay alone. If I see only what I believe -reality's bound by what I conceive

Max (Why can’t i touch it)-Well, it seems so real.I can see it.And it seems so real-I can feel it.And it seems so real-I can taste it.And it seems so real-I can hear it.So why can't I touch it?

Hopper (breakers)-Just to keep me from losing my mind .It's so easy to drown in the dream.Oh, and everything is not what it seems This life is but a dream.Shatter illusions that hold your spirit down ...From the inside, so it seems.Oh, I'm telling you it's all a dream It's all a dream It's all a dream It's all a dream It's all a It's all a dream.”

Max (comfortably numb)-When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse out of the corner of my eye.I turned to look but it was gone.I cannot put my finger on it now.The child is grown.The dream is gone.I have become comfortably numb.

Max (Kids aren’t alright)-Still it's hard Hard to see Fragile lives, shattered dreams...What the hell is going on? The cruelest dream, reality.

El(team)-Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams. And you know we're on each other's team

Hopper (denial twist) ( just change ‘she’ to ‘he’)-Just because she makes you feel wrong she don't mean to be mean or hurt you on purpose, boy!Take a tip and do yourself a little service...by playing a different role Ya, by playing a different role, oh.The boat ya you know she's rockin' it.And the truth well ya know there's no stoppin' it.So what, somebody left you in a rut and wants to be the one who's in control.But the feeling that you're under can really make you wonder.How the hell she can be so cold?So now you're mad, denying the truth.And it's getting in the wisdom in the back of your tooth

El (the story)-You see the smile that's on my mouth.It's hiding the words that don't come out.And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed.They don't know my head is a mess.No they don't know who I really am.And they don't know what I've been through

El (hero) ( pretty much alludes to El being a construct of Will’s mind similar to his juju zombies in the d&d story he wrote )-Who knows what you'll find when you look inside (billy’s mind)?Haunted beach (billy flashback), roll the dice.The zombies in the corner aren't amused (d&d ref).Play the part of the blushing bride...Out of view, cloaked by night...My spirit dims, but I feel the force"No longer in my hands,"  (loses powers) .I say to you .I could've been a hero, I could've been a zero.Could've been all these thingsI could've been nothing, I could've had something.Could've been all these things.And if I am unable, tell him that I'll try but underneath the table will spin the wheel and hope for gold. Oh, and where it stops, nobody knows.

Max (it’s real)-I don't know who's behind the wheel.Sometimes I feel like I don't know The deal.But when I tell you how I feel-Believe me when I say It's real.I skated on a frozen Sea.It's real as far as I Can see?

Max (Halloween)-Because your role is planned for you there's nothing you can do.

El (White rabbit... alice and wonderland/lonnie ref)-And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall...When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead.

demogrogan(Dimensions of horror)-Gaze upon the ancient face you dread (lonnie)... Passing through the doors, into Dimensions Of Horror. Haunting visions from the past, rise once more.Realms of darkness, terror, death and gore.Scream in fear, your sanity is lost

demogorgan (SCHORCHED)-Terrorizing madness. Vivid dreams. internal. Hallucinating the unknown. Abstract entities prey.Through superhuman abilities.Fragments of memory erased.

demogrogan (Calling from a dream)-the shadow king...seven spirits (7 ref) Swarming around his head.Close your eyes.Listen to my call. Our bond will bring us together again.I will wait for you. For our hearts still beat as one.Listen to my calling from a dream. (integration?)

 Maybe a coincidence or a hint at Will having both male &female alters?Billy (dude looks like a lady)- What a funky lady...Oh, he was a lady.Dude looks like a lady. Hopper (turn the page)-All the same old cliches,"Is that a woman or a man?" Max ( rebel rebel) (this was on her her pre s3 spotify list + post s3 “wrapped list”)- you got your mother in a whirl, doesn’t know if you’re a boy or girl? 

 SHIT DAD/ AB*SIVE FAMILY

*trigger w*rning ahead for dark themes like s**ual ab*se

demogorgan (my children)My children I never loved them.Why feel that way when their existence is my business?My children...feral vessals of my selfinterest...So don't lean on me man 'Cause I ain't got nothing to give.Don't lean on me man 'Cause I ain't got nothing to give.My children they're right behind you My children they're gonna beat you.My children if you let them Oh, oh, my children.

demogorgan (black dahlia-window):  I’m not quoting the lyrics you can just look it up.  it’s messed up.Based on the 1st person pov of Gilles de Rais -k**ler and p*d*rest who also kidnapped a cleric.

Will (creature comfort)-Some boys hate themselves.Spend their lives resenting their fathers... hate their bodies .Stand in the mirror (another mirror ref) and wait for the feedback.Some boys get too much, too much love, too much touch.

Jonathan’s Playlist- We’re happy family: “Eating refried beans (poverty). Gulpin’ down Thorazines (pills for a mood disorder). We ain’t got no friends (s2 ref). Our troubles never end. Daddy likes men. Daddy’s telling LIES.”

Jonathan’s playlist-Enter sandman: “Don’t forget my son. Sleep with one eye open. Gripping your pillow tight, Exit light, Enter night. Take my hand, we’re off to never-never land. Something’s wrong, shut the light, heavy thoughts tonight. Dreams of LIARS and of things that will bite, yeah. Hush little baby don’t say a word, and never mind that noise you heard. It’s just the beasts under your bed, in your closet in your head.”

Jonathan (The killing moon-guy sings this)-So soon you'll take me up in your arms. Too late to beg you or cancel it. Against your will!He will wait until you give yourself to him...In starlit nights I saw you.So cruelly you kissed me... unwillingly mine.

jonathan (haunted)-You and I both know that the house is haunted And you and I both know that the ghost is me. You used to catch me in your bed-sheets just a-rattling your chains.Well back then , it didn't seem so strange...In the midnight hour..I was busy trying to charm that snake. When the sun came up we had no place to hide...You and I both know that the house is haunted  yeah you and I both know that the ghost is YOU! You used to walk around screaming, all slamming all 'dem doors Well I'm all grown up now and I don't scare easy no more But you and I both know.

Hopper (Confession)-Now I'm on the low Confession, to a virgin ghost Admission, force you know.

hopper (Tomorrow ) Yeah, and back when s*x and amph*tamines were the staples of our childhood physique.

Max (Last caress)-I got something to say.I k**led your baby today.And it doesn't matter much to me.As long as it's de*d.Well I got something to say.I r*ped your mother today.And it doesn't matter much to me.As long as she spread. (Lonnie pov? Neil?messed up song to be on Max’s list)

hopper House of the rising sun- And my father was a gamblin' man Way down in New Orleans... And the only time he's satisfied Is when he's on a drunk

Max Poor relations-An attitude, no patience, he's paper thin.Talking over everything you have to say...Don't correct the things he said, what's the use?Can't handle violence.Can't handle violence.Learning to love the abuse you can't live without.Your familiar oppression, your daily injustice...That loser man that belongs to you, he's ruling you.

el (sweet dreams are made of this)- Some of them want to use you ...Some of them want to ab*se you.Sweet dreams are made of this...Hold your head up.Keep your head up, movin' on.

Max (Alternative ulster)-They say they're a part of you.And that's not true, you know.They say they've got control of you.And that's a lie, you know.They say you will never Be free, free, free

max In bloom-”Sometimes at night I let it get to me.And last night it had me down and feeling NUMB...And thinking back upon those days Way way back when I was young.I was such a little shit.Cos I was always on the run.Well you know just what they say-Just like father then like son.Don't delude me with your sympathy.Cos I can do this on my own.And this will be the last time-That I break down and wanna crawl to bed. “(since Billy has a playlist I found this song choice being on hers instead of his interesting- in fact almost all of Max’s songs are from the 1st person perspective of a boy unlike the other gals.)

Max (comfortably numb)-The child is grown.The dream is gone.I have become comfortably NUMB.

hopper (numb)-Honey, here I go again Down that crooked road of sin.My momma locked me out again And hung me high to rust under the rain I am NUMB( 8x)....Little bluebird at my window Sing a pretty song for me Don't you know that you can fly, fly, fly away Don't you know that you can leave I am numb.

other psych songs

Hopper (life of sin)-Every morning when I rise I look in the mirror (another mirror ref) and despise the sight of everything and all that I've become. The level of my medicating some might find intimidating But that's alright cause' it don't bother me none.

 Max (Moon over marin)- “Dive in my scalding wooden tub (connects to mf/el)...There, wasn't that a nice visit?Don't forget, a psychiatrist is on duty twenty-four hours a day in the blue room...Drink plenty of water when you take these.Now you can relax.” ( I wonder if stranger writers saying to “drink plenty of water” is secretly a line said by a psych person in s4?)

Max (Feeling ok)-My doctor says that I should take it -At least I won't have to keep faking.I know, someday I'll find it-Where I, I least expect it.Today I know I feel ok.

Max ( Going gets tough)-.No home since the fire.Me and the ash can't settle down...So I sink another round-Placebo for pain.And there's no one for to blame . I refuse to accept-That my work is all in vain...Still always remembering .When the going gets tough .That the labor of our love-Will reward us soon enough.

 Max (Comfortably numb)-Hello? (Hello? Hello? Hello?)Is there anybody in there?Just nod if you can hear me.Is there anyone home?Come on now-I hear you're feeling down.Well I can ease your pain .Get you on your feet again.Relax // Now I've got that feeling once again.I can't explain . you would not understand.This is not how I am. I have become comfortably numb.I have become comfortably numb //Okay (okay, okay, okay)Just a little pinprick.There'll be no more, ah .But you may feel a little sick.Can you stand up?I do believe it's working, good.That'll keep you going through the show.Come on it's time to go// Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.

Explanations of Why the mf  (WIll the wise)behaves the way he does

demogorgan (ww) (Cowards starved)- friends think of me as a priest.I had to show them that the weakest hands Can still make impressive fires. (aka MF = will the wise)

demogorgan (ww) (Unmerciful):I will be reborn...Tranquil demeanor.Now devoured.Surfacing malice...I can't reconcile the torment others bring unto me.I will not take any reproach.Turning the other cheek.Relentless hatred consumes.Control released.Absolved of all compassion.I am free .Look into my hate filled eyes and tell me What do you see?Surging aura of my rage Paralyzing you in fear.

Demogorgan (ww) (bodies-Beaten why for (why for)?Can't take much more.(Here we go, here we go, here we go).One, nothing wrong with me,Two, nothing wrong with me.Three, nothing wrong with me.Four, nothing wrong with me.One, something's got to give.Two, something's got to give.Three, something's got to give now...You're all by yourself but you're not alone...Driven by hate consumed by fear.

demogrgan (ww)-Orbs used as transmitters carry electromagnetic beams from above (affecting magnetic fields in the show).Silence, manipulated, tortured ...How immune is your system of suffering?Its in the blood of suffering (familial ref).Its in the blood.

 Demogrgan (Monster)-I shoot the lights out..Whoa, just another lonely night...None of who you get it, ain't nobody cold as this.A zombie (will ref) with no conscience .Everybody knows I'm a motherfucking monster. Everybody wanna know what my Achilles' heel is? Love I don't get enough of it.

[nous-mag-blog]

Mental Illness in Films

5 films to tune you in for NOUS 8 - The Play Issue. Curated and written by Courtney Button Edited by George Odysseos www.whiskeyinhand.com

Mental health is still one of the most under represented and misunderstood aspects of human wellbeing. The film industry has rarely been one to give even handed representations of mental illness, which has often acted as a shorthand for murderous psychopath. However, sometimes the movies get it right and, with the stigma of mental illness slowly being eradicated, there is now a plethora of films that tackle the subject with sensitivity and realism. Art is uniquely positioned in its ability to effectively convey the feelings and effects of mental ill health to people who wouldn’t otherwise have had that experience. Likewise, the medium of film acts as an effective distributor of this empathic thinking through its presence in mass media and access to large audiences. It is through art and film that the stigma of mental ill health can be broken down and the fog and fear around mental illness demystified. Here are five films that look at mental health from refreshing viewpoints.

Frank (2014)

Based very loosely on the life of Timperley legend Chris Sievey, known to most as Frank Sidebottom, Frank is a very funny but touching film that addresses some of the little talked about truths of mental illness. Jon, a wanna-be musician, ends up becoming the keyboard player for the band The Soronprfbs, whose lead singer and songwriter, Frank, constantly wears a giant papier-mâché head. Frank is a unique individual who see things in a different way to other people. He has a positive outlook on life and makes up songs about things like a pulled thread on a blanket. He is happy with who he is, and creates what some might call a rather esoteric brand of music, but it is music that he likes. Jon, meanwhile, uses the internet to gain popularity for the Soronprfbs. The pressure from Jon and expectant fans pushes Frank out of his comfort zone and out of control. The film shows the effects that pressure and expectation can have on the mental well-being of people. It also, despite Frank’s over the top head, takes a very real look at mental health and mental illness. When Jon finds Frank at his home and meets his parents Jon expects stories of an unstable childhood, of abuse or trauma, something to explain Frank’s behaviour. He doesn’t find it. Frank had a perfectly happy and healthy childhood. As Frank’s father reveals, ‘Nothing happened to him. He’s got a mental illness.’ Frank’s mental health isn’t the results of something that’s happened to him. It’s just who he is. It makes him highly creative and unique from other people.

I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Ok (2006) Korean director Park Chan-wook is best known for his work on the excellent revenge thriller Oldboy. I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Ok is a completely different work. Cha Young-goon, a young woman working in a factory, is taken to a mental institution after she plugs herself into a power socket. She wasn’t an attempt at suicide, but rather trying to recharge her batteries as she believes she is a cyborg. There she meets Park Il-sun, a young man who is a kleptomaniac and who is often seen wearing a cardboard mask and scuttling like a crab. I’m a Cyborg is an offbeat romcom, kind of like When Harry Met Sally if Sally wore her grandmother’s false teeth and talked to strip lights and Harry had an itchy bum cheek whenever he played ping pong. The film has a heightened sense of reality, sometimes moving into fantasy, much like Amelie. More importantly, the film shows two people coming together and trying to help and make each other happy, not by trying to fix each other’s mental health, but by helping them cope with how they are. They find each other in this unusual situation and, rather than being scared or put off by mental illness, they are brought together by it. They want the other person to be happy and are willing to become part of their world to do so. Though there are of course doctors present in the institution there is never any talk of curing the patients of their mental illness, they are being helped in their efforts to live with their illness.

Harvey (1950)

Elwood P. Dowd is friendly, kind, caring, handsome and charming. He has time and kind words for everybody and a sunny outlook on life. He also happens to have an invisible friend who is a six foot three inch (we must be precise about these things) white rabbit named Harvey. This one fact causes him to be an embarrassment to his family and a pariah to the well-to-do members of the community.  They find his hallucination, if it is indeed such a thing, to be frightening and a cause for alarm despite the fact that Elwood wouldn’t even think of ever harming anyone. Harvey confronts the viewer not with the negativity of mental illness, but the reactionary behaviour of those who experience it from the outside. Elwood’s family only see the damage that it does to their standing in society and their prospects for marriage and friends. They even attempt to commit Elwood to an insane asylum. This ends up showing the deficiencies of the mental health system of the time (the film was made in the 1950’s) as Elwood’s sister is institutionalised as her upset at her brother’s condition is misdiagnosed as her own mental illness. Watching Harvey you never feel scared of Elwood or what he might do; rather, you worry what might happen to him as people attempt to tackle his mental health. The film asks you to confront your own perceptions of mental illness. This perfectly lovely man’s only crime is that he sees a giant invisible rabbit. Is that so wrong?

Inside Out (2015)

Pixar have always been at the head of the pack when it comes to animated movies with a wealth of intelligent, entertaining and funny films produced from their studio. Inside Out is one of their very best. Situated mainly inside the mind of a young girl called Riley, the characters of the film are the five core emotions that control Riley’s mind. Riley is hit with a life-changing experience when her family moves to a different city and she is faced with having to start a life in a place she doesn’t know far away from her friends. This causes a significant change in her character and becomes a formative experience. Pixar have always undertaken a lot of research when creating their films and if you’ve seen their Toy Story series you will know that they can handle emotional change better than anyone else. This time they spent months talking to psychologists and scientists to break down the mental changes that happen to children as they hit puberty. Inside Out looks at emotions and a person’s mental makeup in an intelligent way while making complete sense of a very complicated process. It is also tremendous fun, managing to include high brow quips about abstract thought and a recurring joke about an ear worm toothpaste ad jingle. The film has multiple layers and includes some interesting hidden easter eggs that you won’t see first time, such as references to Riley’s father’s anger problem and hints at Riley’s own sexuality.

It’s Such Beautiful Day (2012)

The Second animation on this list is from Don Hertzfeldt, the creator of the weird animation short Rejected. Bill, the main character, struggles with his fracturing psyche and failing mental health. The film takes us through Bill’s experiences with his life being narrated by Hertzfeldt. Hertzfeldt’s hand drawn animations and 2-D stick-figure characters offer a style that is almost the polar opposite of the rich computer animation used by Pixar, but Hertzfeldt makes it no less compelling or interesting. his animations are surreal but this adds to the fractured and confused nature of Bill’s mind. Hertzfeldt plays around with the frame of the film to illustrate what it is like for Bill in his world. Bill’s world mostly exists in a small circle which is surrounded by black. When Bill’s mental state fractures, such as when he is given new medication, the border to Bill’s world becomes animated, burning with fire or shattered by rapidly moving lines as Bill’s small circle shifts around the screen. Hertzfeldt really brings you in to Bill’s mental experience, also bringing in sound to reflect what it going on in Bill’s head. During one sequence the narrative voice splits into multiple layers that soon become unintelligible as you are bombarded by thoughts and noise. The title of the film is very relevant as Hertzfeldt manages to find beautiful moments in the mundanity of everyday life and through the chaos that is Bill’s mental illness. He also manages to find a lot of humour. It’s Such a Beautiful Day is a little seen, but wonderful film that is funny, touching and heartbreaking. For a 2-D hand drawn animation it contains a lot of humanity and heart. It addresses mental health much better than most live action films.