#top ten movies of 2016

[ierofrnkk]

can we talk about Lion (2016) please? I’ve been dying to talk about Lion (2016) with you guys all day

[the-bus-called-graveyard-8]

can you show your entire madagascar collection?? sorry if you already showed it 😭

Sorry to sit on this ask for so long anon!! But I've finally sat down and photographed everything I've got! Turns out, there was a lot. So without further ado:

Long, picture-heavy post ahead. Image descriptions in the post body. Click for better image quality.

DVDs & DVD extras

Madagascar 1-3 + Penguins of Madagascar

Merry Madagascar, Party with the Penguins, and Madly Madagascar

The Penguins of Madagascar, Operation: DVD Premiere, New to the Zoo, Happy King Julien Day, Operation: Get Ducky, Operation: Blowhole, and Operation: Special Delivery

Operation: Video Fun (cereal box prize! It has two episodes on it, off the top of my head I want to say they were "What Goes Around" and "Snakehead!") and Operation: Search and Rescue (redbox ebay buy, I think it has six or eight season two episodes)

Marty's Rainbow Wig (Mada3 bonus)

2 Poppin' Penguins wind up toys (PoM Blu-ray bonus)

Video Games

Mada1 for GameCube, Mada2, Mada3, PoM and Madagascar Kartz for Wii, TPoM, TPoM: Dr. Blowhole Returns Again and Madagascar Kartz for NintendoDS, and Operation: Penguin for GameBoy Advance

Literature

Mada 1-3 + PoM movie novelizations

Madagascar: It's A Zoo In Here!, Madagascar Little Golden Book, Meet the Penguins!, Fish Happens: Words of Wisdom from the Penguins

Mada2, Mada3, PoM Concept Art books

Two Feet High and Rising, Skipper's Log, Elite Strike Force, King Julien's Guide to Ruling the Zoo, Banana-palooza

Learn to Draw Madagascar, two Penguins of Madagascar sticker and activity books

Mada2, Mada3, and four TPoM coloring books

DreamWorks My Busy Book (also features Shrek and Kung Fu Panda

Comic Books

Operation: Wonder from Down Under parts 1 &2, Operation: Weakest Link, TPoM Comics issues 1&2

DreamWorks Madagascar issues 1-4 + Madagascar 3: Long Live the King

Five Penguins of Madagascar comics + 1 book compilation When in Rome...

Misc. Paper Stuffs

Penguins birthday card

Three issues of Nick Mag featuring Madagascar, a few cut-outs from other issues, and a one-page ad for DirecTV featuring Mada3

Mada3 2013 calendar, Madagascar Magic Pen book, two paper Skipper figurines

three boxes of Valentines (two Mada3, one PoM)

two boxes of Mada themed cereal and two boxes of Mada themed fruit snacks

PoM puffy 3D stickers, Madagascar The Musical button set (featuring Alex, Marty, the Penguins and King Julien)

Toys and Collectibles

Skipper Happy Feet plush, King Julien Tsum Tsum plush, mini Skipper plush w/mini Meet the Penguin book (I also have a King Julien plush that is packed away somewhere I didn't feel like digging out)

TPoM Return to the Habitat board game, TPoM Clementoni Impossible Puzzle, TPoM Kidz Cards (I got shorted buying this; it was supposed to have Go Fish as well but I only got Crazy 8s), TPoM Uno

Five Madagascar figurines of Alex, Marty, King Julien, Gloria and Melman

Ten various Mada McDonald's toys

Cake toppers and rings that the baker at the local grocery store gave to me

My birthday cake from 2016, PoM themed of course (I still have the toppers, the cake is obviously gone lol)

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private Funko Pops

Super Spy Penguins Hallmark Keepsake ornament

Apparel

Disguise Master baby Penguins shirt (Zazzle.com, no longer available), I Like to Move It Move It King Julien shirt (ebay), caroling Penguins shirt (Zazzle.com, I think this one is still available)

two TPoM kids backpacks, King Julien Loungfly bag

Miscellaneous

Penguins kids drink cup, TPoM Activity Coloring Roll

PoM ice cube molds

Skipper shaped flash drive, PoM keychain

TPoM inflatable punching bag

TPoM kite (I think I still have the actual kite, if my mom didn't get rid of it without telling me, but it's unfortunately broken)

TPoM decal sticker I made in Web Design class in high school and never stuck to anything

TPoM Hot Wheels car

PoM movie poster (torn and wrinkled and stained from mounting putty because I never put it in a frame lol)

And I think that's everything! I'd love to someday have enough space to actually put all this stuff out on display. We're moving next year so maybe 👀

Things I'd like to get someday

the last three TPoM DVDs I'm missing

Mada soundtrack CDs

Mada1 on VHS tape (just for funsies)

the comic books I'm missing (several)

Madagascar Sorry! board game

an autograph from Tom McGrath

[allwaswell16]

A One Direction fic rec of fics that involve football (soccer) as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

—Louis/Harry—

⚽ Learning to Breathe by youcomecrash

(E, 110k, uni) He’s playing football at one of the top universities in England and he should love everything about his life right now, but instead he’s moving backwards

⚽ Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by @1diamondinthesun

(NR, 84k, high school) the American high school AU loosely inspired by She's All That.

⚽ Bring Your Body Baby (I Could Bring You Fame) by @theboyfriendstagram

(E, 84k, famous/not famous) A self-indulgent AU that takes place over the summer of 2015. 18 year old Harry hates pining after people he can't have, and 23 year old footballer Louis loves flirting with people even though it never means anything.

⚽ Way in the World by flowsque / @mortediunfiore

(M, 74k, both players) the one where Harry has a knee injury and an embarrassing crush on Manchester United's pretty number ten.

⚽ Caught In Your Gravity by @lululawrence

(NR, 62k, Ted Lasso au) an AU inspired by a 30 second trailer of Ted Lasso that doesn't actually have much in common with the show at all.

⚽ so grab your passport and my hand by @infinitelymint

(M, 32k, strangers to lovers) The one in which Louis plays football and Harry sings a lot, and somehow that means they're meant to be. They'll figure it out soon enough.

⚽ Higher, Further, Faster by hazzahtomlinson / @itsnotreal

(E, 31k, uni) the one where Harry decides to go to college regardless of what his team warns him about and has to face the consequences, some of which aren’t so terrible after all.

⚽ Dive (series) by @allwaswell16

(E, 21k, famous/famous) Newly retired football star, Louis Tomlinson has left Manchester for Malibu. Along the way, he finds music, friendship, and love in the form of his pop star neighbour and the very fit movie star hiding out next door.

⚽ Hold My Breath by @zarah5

(M, 19k, injury) It's possible — possible — that his three-week ban from the football pitch makes Louis just a tad antsy. Surely it's not so bad that it warrants punishment in the form of his friends signing him up for a yoga class?

⚽ time slows down whenever you're around by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze

(E, 14k, flower shop) Louis plays "soccer" and falls for the wrong boy and Harry works in a flower shop and falls for Louis — again.

⚽ burn this flame by rainbowninja167 / @rainbowtitania

(E, 13k, famous/famous) When Harry gets invited to play in a celebrity charity match with Louis Tomlinson, Manchester United's star player, he's determined to impress him with brilliant football skills. The only flaw in Harry's otherwise foolproof plan? He has absolutely no football skills, brilliant or otherwise.

⚽ Come In and Change My Life by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic

(E, 12k, neighbors) Harry and Louis become friends when Harry looks after Louis' cat during away games, until one night at a party changes everything between them. It's just a shame Louis' going to be away for the FIFA World Cup for three months.

⚽ Want you more than a melody by @softfonds

(E, 12k, mpreg) It's 2016, and Harry's life couldn't be better. His band is about to release their third studio album, he's dating the hottest football star on the planet, and tour is going to start the following year.

⚽ Just One Touch by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom

(E, 11k, Dr Harry) When footballer Louis Tomlinson needs to get match fit in a hurry, team doctor and best mate Niall Horan prescribes an unusual form of treatment.

⚽ Down the Field by @creamcoffeelou

(M, 9k, coach Louis) Louis, a pro football player of Chelsea, is forced to retire after a severe injury to his foot.

⚽ every day and tomorrow night by @justanothershadeofblue

(E, 8k, high school) Harry stares. The new boy is beautiful, there’s no other word for him. 

⚽ Eat Your Vegetables by @bananaheathen

(M, 8k, famous/not famous) In which Louis is a celebrity footballer and Harry is the new team nutritionist.

⚽ Glass Heart by @musketrois

(G, 7k, coming out) “26-year-old West Ham footballer Louis Tomlinson was seen getting acquainted with 24-year-old pop sensation Harry Styles and others. Although it is not unordinary for these two professions to be social, we can’t wait to see what this budding relationship will bring to London’s social scene.” -Celebrity Blurb 25 March, 2017

⚽ Down To Be a Distraction by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(E, 6k, famous/famous) The English national team is on the brink of winning the UEFA final and it all hinges on a penalty kick from team captain and national hero Louis Tomlinson, who was forcibly outed in the press right before the tournament. 

⚽ Game Changer by @neondiamond

(E, 6k, mpreg) A couple months before playing in his first long-awaited World Cup, Louis finds out he’s pregnant. Harry’s there for the ride.

⚽ The Air From My Lungs by Kikiberoski16 / @larrysballetslippers

(E, 5k, uni) Harry doesn't like to take showers in public for reasons he isn't willing to share, until Louis, the hot football captain, rocks his whole world.

⚽ the stars are coming home by lsforever / @kingonafiftymetreroad

(G, 5k, established relationship) After three years together and nearly a full year of marriage, Harry has finally been permitted to sit in for one of the team’s practices. 

⚽ every night with us (is like a dream) by moon_rose25 / @darkinfinity

(T, 2k, established relationship) A look into the life of a professional football player dating a physical therapist.

⚽ 2,870 Miles by @sadaveniren

(G, 1k, mpreg) Harry hated the BT Sports commentators, but considering he couldn’t fly to Baku while eight months pregnant this was all he had if he wanted to watch his husband in the Europa League final.

—Rare Pairs—

⚽ love and kickin'!verse by camiii

(E, 140k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the fic where Nick has no interest in football but is dragged to a football match, Louis is the Arsenal player that catches his attention, and maybe there are some redeeming qualities to the game after all.

⚽ Devoted by @nouies

(E, 5k, Louis/Alisson Becker) A collection of drabbles about Louis’ life as the housewife of a professional football player.

[twelvroses]

cw: death.

INOUE MIO (generally stylised as MiO) was born in Hongo, Tokyo, Japan, on May 10th, 2001. Both of Mio's parents were regular, white collar workers, who lived paycheck to paycheck and worked hard to make ends meet. This meant that they weren't often home, and from a young age, Mio had grown used to taking care of herself. Socially awkward and unpopular among her classmates, the living room television became Mio's greatest source of company. It didn't really matter if it was anime or music shows, award-winning movies or trash TV; Mio consumed and studied it all, and from a very young age she developed her first dream - to be on television.

In late 2013, at 12 years old, Mio achieved her life's goal on the first episode of HOMETOWN IDOL, a reality singing competition show, open to 12-19 year olds across Japan without professional entertainment experience. Mio was the youngest on the show, and became a popular contestant for being initially underestimated by the others due to her shy and nervous demeanor, only to unveil a powerful and emotional singing voice. After six weeks, Mio won the show in a landslide public vote. Alongside a hefty cash prize deposited straight into her parents' bank account, she was awarded a contract with Pantheon Entertainment’s Japanese subsidiary, EPONA.

In 2016, Mio released her debut album, MELT♡, alongside it's title track WORLD iS MiNE. The track shot to number one on the Oricon chart, and the album's following singles all ranked within the top ten. Mio would tour the album around Asia. Although in the two years between the show and her debut Mio had taken supporting or smaller roles in children's shows or pre-teen dramas, which had helped maintain her popularity to a degree, MELT♡ would launch her to new heights, making her a household name across Japan. EPONA were quick to capitalize on Mio's new brand recognition, signing her up for every CF and variety show that came their way.

The trajectory of Mio's success would continue upwards; as the years passed she would continue to release more music, embark on more tours, and diligently pop up on television screens again and again, promoting anything from sneakers to soft drinks to life insurance. Initially popular amongst younger audiences, she would officially break into the Japanese mainstream with her second full length album MiOLOGY, which had a more serious and personal tone, with far more emotional depth than Mio's previous work. The album marked her first collaboration with producer Kobayashi Kentaro, who would act as executive producer for the remainder of her releases. Kentaro was close in age to Mio, only a year older, and encouraged her to become involved in the writing and production of her music. By her request, he was made a member of EPONA's in-house production team.

In 2022, Mio scored her first starring role in a movie, which had been a box office success and received rave reviews. She was set to begin work on her fourth studio album, for which anticipation was high. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the studio for a recording session with Kentaro, Mio stumbled upon him dead at the soundboard. As she was the one to report his death, she was interrogated by the police, though was very quickly cleared of any suspicion as security cameras confirmed her discovery of the body. The cause of death was later ruled as cardiac arrest, suffered in the early hours of the morning. Speaking of Kentaro before his death, Mio often referred to him as her best friend and the closest thing she has to family.

Mio announced an indefinite hiatus following Kentaro's death, ceasing all schedules and social media activity. Her final, unwilling, public appearance saw her mobbed by cameras at Kentaro's memorial service, and then, she was gone.

It would later be revealed that EPONA had quietly let Mio out of her contract in 2023. As far as anybody knows, there's no reason to believe she has anything to do with Valentine Records ...

NAME : Inoue Mio.

BIRTHDAY : May 10 2001.

ZODIAC : Taurus.

NATIONALITY : Japanese.

HOMETOWN : Hongo, Tokyo, Japan.

FOCUS OF TRAINING : Vocal, Dance.

FC : Kondou Chisa.

[euniexenoblade]

It's that time of the year again! The happiest, the jolliest time of the year! Fall! October! Halloween! So, as normal, here's Mordred's Annual October Watchlist for 2024!!

Halloween Rewatch Marathon: back in 2016, or something like that, I watched every Halloween movie. But it was before I had a letterboxd account and there are newer ones I've only seen once in theaters. It seems perfectly thematic for me to make the big thing I do this Halloween season be the titular series.

Higurashi: Last year I set my sites on a lot of things, included with that was trying to watch all of Higurashi. I somewhat failed, I didn't get through the final season until it was too late. I hope to finish it this season and post my reviews from last year and this one together!

Suicide Club: Since realizing I'm a huge fan of Sion Sono's work, I've been slowly going through all his movies. Having watched Noriko's Dinner Table, I want to rewatch Suicide Club and see if my opinion changes.

The Forest of Love: Another Sion Sono movie, this one about a horrific killer. Should be pretty fucked up.

Tokyo Vampire Hotel: A TV series Sion Sono did with Amazon apparently. Has a lot of bad reviews but that kinda makes me more curious about it.

Another: Anime series. One of my favorite horrors. I rewatch it every year.

Shiki: Anime series. One of my favorite horrors. I rewatch it every year.

Perfect Blue: Famous anime horror movie. I intend to show it to my husband this year :)

Nightmare Before Christmas: Sometimes shit is just fun. I wanna have fun. Let's have fun.

Reread Another, the original novel by Yukito Ayatsuji. One of my all time favorite horror novels, in my top ten favorite books of all time. If there's enough time and I dont adhd out, I'll finally try to read that new sequel.

Reread Goth by Otsuichi. My favorite horror novel and one of my top five favorite books.

Replay Malcatras' Maiden, which if you don't know is a free horror adjacent trans puppy maid visual novel. If you don't know about it, google it and play it. :)

Ambitious as always, but this is my list for things I want to watch this Halloween season! I know I'm starting my "October Watchlist" in September, but hey, it's never too early to be spooky 💖

[slasheru]

Slasher U 1-Year State of the Union / Unholy Census!

Holy fucking shit we're coming along towards the 1-year anniversary of the release of the Slasher U Act 1 alpha!! We've come SO FUCKING FAR. Sawyer wasn't even a romanceable option back in the day! As of April 27th, it'll be Slasher U's first ever anniversary!

Mostly, I am SO FUCKING GRATEFUL that you all came along on the adventure to make my weird horny dating RPG a smash fucking hit!! Taking narrative seriously in dating/adult games was kind of my entire M.O (is?? mods??) and I am SO GRATEFUL Y'ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO HERE lmao

THE BIG NUMBERS

As of 11:21 AM EST on 3/23/24, Slasher U: Act 1 has sold 6,100 copies across Steam & itch.io (Not including the copies sold as part of Games for Gaza that weren't redeemed/downloaded, so this only counts people who actually downloaded or bought the game!). This is obviously BEYOND MY WILDEST FUCKING DREAMS AND I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH HOLY SHIT. I didn't even realize it until I added it all together. (On top of this, we sold several fucking tens of thousands of games for Games for Gaza!! Hell yeah!)

For my fellow solo devs out there, this comes to Slasher U making a total of about $6,000 + $2,000 net USD through sales (the former) and crowdfunding (the latter, for Slasher U: Act 2) over the last 11ish months!! The game started off being free for the first 6ish months, then went to $6.69 for the Beta (with dong! whoa!!), and now at its full size, stands at a good ol' $14.99 for 15 hours of primo datin' sim!

This is objectively the most money I've ever made off of anything I've developed in my entire life, and paid my whole ass rent for the entire year, so THANK YOU HOLY SHIT. According to Steam, most indie games barely break $1k in total, so I am AGOG. FUCKING AGOG. THANK YOU FOR LIKING MY GAME AND LETTING ME MAKE MORE VIA NOT DYING FROM CAPITALISM

The average review score, across 89 reviews on itch.io, remains 4.9 out of 5 stars, and we're rocking a 93% Positive on Steam!!

THE UNHOLY CENSUS

The best part of Slasher U is, as I always say, THE STUDENT DISEMBODY!! Slasher U will always be a place where everything is gay and trans as fuck (although I'm also proud of writing my cishet storylines too :V /lh)! I knew y'all were gay (hello fellow gays) but I did not realize the QUEER FUCKING FORCE THE STUDENT DISEMBODY IS

Here's the demographics of Slasher U players as taken from Tumblr polls (that's a skewed sample size of about 280, so grain of salt here for the homo website for queers):

92.6% of you ID as queer (see below for the breakdown!) | 7.4% of you ID as straight

This fictional horror movie campus is: 48.5% bi/pan, 16.2% gay/mlm, 10.3% lesbian/wlw, 10.3% ace (oo tie!), 7.4% queer but not defined as above, and 7.4% straight!

61.9% of you ID as trans/not cis | 23.8% of you ID as cis | 14.3% of you ID as neither trans nor cis

46.8% of you are between 22-26 | 32.3% of you are between 18-21 | 16.1% of you are between 27-32 | 4.8% of you are between 32-45 | 0% of you are older than 45 (sample size I am guessing lol)

For 14.6% of you, Slasher U was the very first dating sim you've ever played (!). For 3.8% of you, Slasher U was the first indie game you've ever played (holy fucking shit!!! this is an actual absolute honor)

76.7% of you instinctively Road Runner away from Melyssa at the fountain in Act 1 | 23.3% let the Melyssa tsunami arrive at you

--

A FINAL WORD (FOR NOW) ON MAKIN' VIDJEE GAEMS

You should totally do it.

No, okay, but for real, I started working in games professionally in 2009 (yeah yeah i'm old. i am 32 and i am dying and they're coming for me in the corpse wagon etc) and I burned out in 2016 and came back two years ago with THIS THING and I can tell you RIGHT FUCKIN' NOW that, if you have ever wanted to make a game and the big guys aren't gonna do it, grab yourself and/or some friends and fuckin' make a video game. I have worked for a bunch of AA and mobile companies and I can tell you right the fuck now that this is the most fulfilling experience I have ever had writing a video game. I taught myself programming logic to make this thing! And sound design! I fucking learned to animate sprite sheets!! YOU CAN ALSO DO IT given the time and energy (pace yourself don't die)! And there won't be any execs around to tell you your weird niche game won't sell!! BECAUSE IT FUCKING WILL

Anyway, my entire career as a game designer, nobody let me write shit for them. You don't need permission to make stuff or write stuff. If you write it, they will fuckin' come, Field of Dreams style (also don't forget to tell everyone you made stuff and share it around. super key here. lmao). Turns out writing is all about sharing yourself with people, and who knows, you might just find that a fuckton of people ACTUALLY relate to you. (And that you're a pretty good writer. Which you knew. Yes, you. I am mixing metaphors and pointing to myself AND you now.)

xoxoxoxooxoxox,

Professor Plutonium

[ac3may]

“Stop beating around the bush!” ~ Rachel Daly x Reader

Was in a Daly mood and wrote a little something, requests are sparking lots of ideas so keep them coming!💙

Prompt: "Stop beating around the bush!"

Words: 2.1k

Masterlist

Getting your first England senior team call up you had never been more excited! You thought that it was a feeling that would fade, but the pride you feel to be one of the lucky ones selected only ever increases, even after eight years. 

Arrival day at camp had to be one of your favourite moments, the anticipation of seeing everyone again. Hanging out like kids at summer camp never got old especially when your two best friends were scheduled to join you! 

After your contract ran out the previous summer, your show-stopping performance in the Euros had clubs across the globe, but specifically in Europe, fighting for you. Eventually, Barcelona won out and you relocated to Spanish soil for the foreseeable future. What you hadn’t accounted for was one of your closest friends making her return from the USA the same month you moved.

You, Millie, and Rachel had been a trio for as long as many people remember. Ever since you made your respective debuts in 2016 you’ve all been attached at the hip. Just the best of friends right?

Wrong. They were your best friends and you wouldn’t trade them for the world.

But you have been in love with Rachel since the moment you walked into your hotel room on your first camp to find her belting Céline Dion at the top of her lungs. You hadn’t ever admitted your more-than-platonic feelings to the girl herself, but your Chelsea counterpart was certainly aware. Millie had been the person to hold you tight after a couple too many drinks had you sobbing on the bathroom floor, wailing about why Rachel didn’t love you.

No matter how much you pretended that night didn’t happen Millie has never let go of what she heard. Sly looks, subtle nudges and occasional desperate begging all a part of her attempts to get you to admit your feelings. 

Despite Covid having taken away your tradition of rooming with Rachel each England camp one that continued strong was the movie night the two of you exclusively shared every first night. 

A knock at the door indicates your best friend's arrival. Shaking your head from your Daly-consuming thoughts you compose yourself with a breath before opening it wide. The way Rachel saunters in so casually you could assume she lived there too. Greeting you with a smile, “sorry! I would’ve been here sooner but I couldn’t get Tooney to stop nattering!” She announces kicking off her sliders before gracefully belly-flopping onto the king-sized bed. 

“I bet!” You say chuckling at the thought, perching on the edge of the mattress, “I was looking through Netflix and I couldn’t find anything good, I was thinking maybe Disney?”

Nodding in absent-minded agreement, still lying belly down, Rachel turns to you over her shoulder, “what are you doing all the way over there?” She asks sulkily, a grin breaking out on your face as she reaches out to you. Wrapping her fingers around your wrist she pulls you forcefully face-down into the duvet, the abrupt movement shocking you briefly before you’re both rolling about in fits of laughter. 

“Stop it! Stop it!” Rachel’s squeals are accompanied by her hands pushing at yours as she fights to stop you from tickling her. With a final giggle, you finally ease your movements watching enamoured as Rachel’s body relaxes and she drops onto your pillows less than elegantly, panting out breaths. 

Relaxing against the headboard, shoulder to shoulder with the Aston Villa player you huff with frustration. “Come on Rach! Pick something already!” You insist, eyes trained on the page of movies she’d been scrolling through for the past ten minutes. 

With an exasperated sigh, she throws her hands in the air dramatically, “I can’t decide!” She declares, “you choose!” Despite rolling your eyes at the antics you’re quick to snatch your laptop back from her, immediately scrolling to the animated movie section. 

“Let’s do a classic,” you decide, cursor moving across the thumbnails of the Walt Disney animated movies. “Okay…” you hum gently as your eyes settle, “Beauty and the Beast? Tarzan? Orrrrrr, Tangled?” 

Turning your head to look at Rachel she chooses the same moment to move her gaze from the screen to you. You freeze. Your faces are so close you can feel the light tickles of her breath against your skin, you can’t bring yourself to pull away as you analyse her bright blue irises, somehow missing the way her eyes flicker across your face and land on your lips.

Clearing your throat harshly you manage to break the moment, ignoring it entirely as you raise your eyebrows to question her film choice. Shaking her head, the blonde directs her attention solely to the screen between you two, “Tangled,” she mutters with a decisive nod of her head. Nodding yours in return, confused by her unusual cold attitude, you press play.

Shifting your body again you try and find a comfortable position, a task which is becoming increasingly difficult as Rachel is very intentionally avoiding all physical contact. Usually, she’s begging to cuddle up for film nights and is always dragging you to squash together on the sofa or share a beanbag. You can help but wonder what you had done to cause the sudden shift, had you been too obvious?

“Can you stop squirming?” The mutter lacks the playful infliction you’re used to and you freeze immediately, unsure of how to tackle your next move. 

You eventually huff out, “sorry," with a roll of your eyes, giving up on watching the princess and criminal duo, rolling onto your back and picking up your phone instead. After five or so minutes of tension-filled silence, Rachel finally resolves to flick her eyes from where they’d been locked on the screen to glance at you. The disappointment which floods her at your clear lack of interest in the tradition is indescribable.  

Unable to manage the fear, confusion and upset whirling within her Rachel channels them all into annoyance, snapping at you abruptly, “you chose this film you know!” She reminds.

“Like you even care!” With a side-eye glance at her you can’t help the impulsive response that escapes you, finally fed up with her sudden mood change. 

“What does that mean?” Rachel is hesitant but with her hothead winning out she can’t help but get defensive, sitting up from her lounging position to confront you properly.

“You’ve been in a mood with me since the minute I touched the laptop! You’re the one who told me to pick a film! I thought Tangled was your favourite?!” All your frustrations release at that moment as you slam your phone into the bedsheets and push into a sitting position, turning to face her too. 

Seemingly taken back the blonde can’t even hold eye contact with you as she mutters, “it- it is!” She’s surprised and flattered you’d remembered such a mundane thing. Seeing the way she’d obviously made you question yourself guilt consumed her. She’d been so distracted trying to protect herself she had lacked any and all consideration for you. 

“Come on Rach!” Unimpressed at the minimal response and more desperate than ever to find out the cause of your best friend's troubles, you yell. “Stop beating around the bush! Just tell me what’s going on already!”

Watching the way her fingers pick at the skin around her nails nervously your eyes immediately soften. Reaching out you gently entwine her digits with yours, adding a whispered, “please,” to the end of your outburst.

Finally allowing herself to meet your eyes for the first time since the movie began you’re given an exclusive look at the fear swimming in them. You desperately want to bundle the woman into your arms and protect her from everything. But determined to avoid anything which will close her off again you simply squeeze her hand with an encouraging nod. “It’s- I, I don’t want to make it weird.” Her words are barely a whisper, a harsh contrast to the loud voices you’d been exchanging previously. 

You smile at her gently, “Rach we’re besties remember? It’s been eight years! If you haven’t scared me off yet I doubt this will.” You can’t help the nervous chuckle that escapes at the words, despite wanting to ease her mind you’re concerned with what would possibly be serious enough for this much hesitancy. 

Rachel nods to herself in some form of self-support before dropping eye contact and whispering a sentence which is completely inaudible to you. Squinting as if it would help you hear you ask, “what?” She speaks a little louder the second time but it’s still too much of a mumble to be understood. “I can’t hear you, Rach,” you stroke your thumb lightly across the back of her hand, still in yours. 

 With a roll of eyes and obvious frustration, the abrupt blurting of words shocks you as she repeats herself a third time.

“I LOVE YOU!”

It's like you’re brain malfunctions at the words, your tongue tripping as you stumble over any possible response until finally, you manage to compose yourself enough for a single word. “What?” 

Your eyes are wide and you practically forget Rachel is in the room, you drop her hands and instead move to pinch your own arm, convinced this is some kind of fantasy. “I told you it would make things weird!” 

Immediately you’re snapped back to reality, the distress in Rachel’s voice feeling too much for you to bare but when you meet her eyes again and see the tears brimming your heart truly breaks and you’re aching to reassure her. “No, no, no Rach! Not at all!” You grab at her hand, holding tightly, “I love you too!” You declare joyfully, the words bursting from you, “I have for years.”  Your final admittance is vulnerable and has Rachel meeting your eyes again. 

“Huh?” Her confusion is evident, “you didn’t say anything!” She accuses, there’s disbelief but no anger in her words. You can’t help the broad grin which has been permanently on your face since her announcement. 

“You didn’t either!” Laughter joins your words.

“I didn’t know!” She declares, pointing a heavy finger into your chest accusatorially causing you to wince with a chuckle. “That’s why I was late, it wasn’t Ella, I told Millie that over Christmas I admitted to myself I liked you and she was trying to convince me to tell you.”

“Of course, she was,” you roll your eyes, “explains why she wasn’t begging to join movie night for once though!” You laugh, Rachel joins you in laughter as you register the rest of her words.

Breaking the melodic sounds abruptly, “Hey! You better more than like me Daly! I haven’t pined after you for years to just be a mindless crush!” The obvious teasing in your tone has Rachel reciprocating your energy as she rolls her eyes. 

“I can’t believe you thought you could accuse me of not saying when you’ve been hiding it so much longer! I didn’t realise how lovable I was!” She teases, fanning herself with her hand in feign-flattery. 

Swatting her lightly, ever the competitive pair, your response is immediate, “well at least we know who makes the better actress! You were falling all over yourself the moment were within inches of each other!” Rachel simply shakes her head at you, an adoring smile settling on her face. With the reality of the situation finally hitting you you’re able to analyse exactly why Rachel had been acting the way she had all night, it was her defences rising due to the fear of being hurt. 

“How close were we?” Rachel asks, acting innocent but you could sense the ulterior motive. 

Choosing to play her game you hum lightly in response, leaving an obvious gap between you. “I don’t remember, how about you show me?”

Watching her smile morph into a smirk you feel as though your heart physically grows within your chest, all the positive emotions swirling inside desperate to burst. Shifting her weight Rachel kneels on the bed, leaning closer to you, nerves evident in her heavy breaths. “About her-”

Lacking the patience for her slow movements the blonde never finishes her sentence as you crash your lips together. Hers warm and soft. After all these years the moment was everything you had dreamed it to be and more. 

Pulling back mere centimetres was too much, soft breath tickling beneath your nose as you admired each other. Your hands settle on her hips, and pulling her closer she decides to place a knee on either side of your body, straddling you.

You gasp as she settles on your lap, eyes falling closed briefly. You hear the defender’s giggle and then her lips are enclosing over yours again. Sparks ignited in the both of you the kiss becoming heavier as you grew in confidence. A hand reaches up to tangle in your hair, one of yours reaching to cup her face tentatively. 

So absorbed in each other neither of you notice when the heavy wood of the hotel door opens, it's only when the loud northern voice of your best friend makes itself know that your bubble bursts, “Finally! I was beginning to think I’d be stuck in the middle of your pining forever!”

[twig-tea]

Get To Know Me Tag

Tagged by @telomeke @lurkingshan @my-rose-tinted-glasses @he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle and @hyeoni-comb thank you all! 💕

Do you make your bed?

I like a messy bed, it feels more welcoming to me somehow. The only time I make my bed is when I'm without heat and it's winter, then you gotta do it to keep in any residual warmth! But normally I'd rather keep everything loose.

What’s your favorite number?

I....don't think I have one? Is this a thing people have, how do you choose?

What is your job?

I manage a team of Product Owners in the Operations division of a multinational company. In other words, I go to a lot of meetings.

If you could go back to school, would you?

Absolutely not. Beyond the fact that I was formerly a substantive editor of university textbooks, which included both editing the textbook content and sometimes writing their ancillaries (tests, powerpoint slides, etc.) so it feels like I took first-year Sociology at least ten times, I just don't love formalized education. I love learning but on my own terms and at my own pace.

Can you parallel park?

I can't drive at all! Technically I learned how, took lessons and everything, but never got my license.

A job you had that would surprise people?

Hmm. I was a call center person for half a day, it was terrible and I left without getting paid for the work I did because I was so eager to get out of there I didn't want to fight them for my pay (even though I needed the money which is why I was there in the first place). I hate phone calls, I can't hear well on the phone, and it was clear the call center script was designed to be exploitative. It was one of the worst jobs for me I could have taken lol

Do you think aliens are real?

I think it's extremely likely!

Can you drive a manual car?

Nope, even when I learned, it was only on an automatic.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I'm not guilty about it but I can decimate an entire family size mac and cheese when I'm feeling down.

Tattoos?

I have 3 tattoos; one on each foot and one on the back of my neck. They form a rainbow.

Favorite color?

Blue-green! The shade of preference for any given moment varies, but anything in the region from mint to aqua to teal to turquoise will do; I love them all.

Favorite type of music?

My music taste varies widely but the common denominators are 1) fast tempo or upbeat, 2) solid harmonies, and 3) if there's a tempo or key change I am doubly sold.

Do you like puzzles?

Love puzzles of all kinds. I have a collection of jigsaw puzzles I do regularly, and word puzzles, logic puzzles, sudoku type stuff is all very fun. I don't make a lot of time for them but I do them occasionally and always enjoy it.

Any phobias?

I am afraid of falling. Not heights, but falling. The difference is: I can lean over the railing at the top of a 20-storey building or walk on a glass floor over a big drop and just feel a minor thrill, but am terrified to the point of maybe crying if I have to balance on a single step of a ladder or walk across a patch of ice. I had several brushes with death related to falling when I was a kid, and a few bad falls that caused injury as an adult, so it makes sense. Luckily I am pretty tall so I rarely have to do any kind of ladder-ing!

Favorite childhood sport?

American-style tackle football. We used to play at lunch on the pavement because the soccer kids got the field; we played in all seasons including snow, and we did it for love of the sport. I loved it a lot.

Do you talk to yourself?

Occasionally I'll provide a little commentary on what's happening aloud to myself; but I don't really have fully conversations.

What movies do you adore?

I have loved a lot of movies in my time! A few random ones that come to mind right now because I've been thinking about them for whatever reason are Saving Face (2004), Monster (2023), Practical Magic (1998), Moonlight (2016), and Clue (1985).

Coffee or tea?

Despite my username being a type of tea, in this as in all things I am a perfect Kinsey 3. Love both equally and drink a ton of both (coffee more regularly, tea in greater volume).

First thing you wanted to be growing up?

Lifeguard, I think! And then when I was in elementary school I wanted to edit textbooks (I was that kid who got annoyed whenever there were mistakes), so I did actually get to do my childhood dream job.

No pressure tags just going with vibes based on who I've interacted with recently (if you've done this already tag me in the comments!): @rocketturtle4 @visualtaehyun @sollucets @troubled-mind @jimmysea @ginnymoonbeam

[naturepointstheway]

My Top 10 Most Kudos'd Fics Ever on AO3 to date of this post

Out of curiosity, I decided to rank all my works on AO3 (posted stuff on there since 2015, starting with Prince of Egypt) by number of kudoses, and here are the top ten, from most to least:

Out of Trouble Again - published 2015- Prince of Egypt - 536 kudoses (nothing else has reached anywhere near that, and probably never will. It's the Jupiter-sized one of them when it comes to kudoses.) Summary: What if Rameses' son had not walked in and interrupted right when Moses and Rameses were talking during the ninth plague in "Prince of Egypt"?

Dynasty Extinguished - published 2015 - Prince of Egypt - 160 kudoses Summary: God never said that only the first-born children will perish in the final plague on Egypt. A slight AU of the events of the tenth plague in the film.

Old Enough to Understand - published 2016 - Tarzan (1999) - 122 kudoses Summary: He is not a baby, but four years old, when he sees his parents killed by Sabor, the leopard. Early the following morning, he watches as a female gorilla wanders inside, bereft only hours ago of her own offspring. When the leopard attacks from the shadows of the roof, the boy and gorilla act together to escape the predator and make it back to where safety awaits in the jungle.

Refusal to Harm - published 2015 - Prince of Egypt - 117 kudoses Summary: No matter how much Hotep and Huy try to persuade him, Rameses will never harm his brother whether that be direct or indirect. Even as Moses brings down plague after plague on Egypt, Rameses will not hurt Moses, the man he had once called brother. (Rated T for mentions of torture, execration (magical cursing), and discussion of execution.)

Wilted Rose, Torn Portrait, Forgotten Name - published 2015 - Beauty and the Beast (1991) - 116 kudoses Summary: Two reminders of the Curse remain after the restoration of the castle and the Prince's human form: the wilted enchanted rose, and the portrait ravaged ten years before by a Beast's claws. The Prince has spent so long as a Beast, he has forgotten his own name, and, with the help of Belle, he remembers it once again.

Wedding Night in Midian - published 2015 - Prince of Egypt - 101 kudoses (why. WHY. I cringe when I read this attempt at "smut" (M rated, so not smut smut) XD HOW. How in the name of...) Summary: The wedding night of Moses and Tzipporah. Strong sexual themes and content. Moses is hesitant at first, but soon allows himself to love Tzipporah as he had never done before.

The Mute and the Maine - published 2022 - Cats the Musical - 99 kudoses (wait...WHAT. How. How. I keep thinking it's in the 30s kudoses wise but here we are, one shy of the triple digits at posting. (Also, is very likely to have another chapter added to it soon-ish because muses be Like That. Also interesting to note that it reached that in two years, where others had to take half a decade at least to boop the triple digit realm for the first time. Compared to my other stuff, this got the freakin' zoomies. Just like a cat!)) Summary (I wanna change it a bit when I post the next chapter for this fic): Troubled by Demeter's words about Mistoffelees, a mute cat mostly outcast by the tribe, Tugger takes it onto himself to have a talk with Misto, and let him know he is not alone. [Originally posted on Tumblr] [Based on Lindsay Chambers' Mistoffelees from the very late '80s/very early '90s in a Zurich production.]

30 Days of Beauty and the Beast: One Line, Different Character - published 2017 - Beauty and the Beast (2017) - 96 kudoses Summary: As the title suggests, thirty one-shots for thirty days where I take a single line from the movie spoken by one character, and give it to someone else, however likely or unlikely. Characters and other tags will be added as each one shot is added day by day. One-shots' lengths vary from tiny drabbles to long ones, and I'll aim to be mostly fluffy/non-angsty. Take note, I said "mostly".

House and Home and Security - published 2021 - Life is Strange 2 - 95 kudoses Summary: Hours after leaving prison behind forever, Sean finds himself at Daniel's new home, a house he can never feel is his, no matter how much Daniel insists it's his home too whenever he needs it. And there is a strange, forgotten feeling both alien and familiar, one he has nearly forgotten over the last fifteen years he had spent in a prison cell. And how is it that Daniel is already so grown up, a young man of twenty-five years?

The Pain of Your Absence - published 2021 - Outer Wilds - 82 kudoses Summary: The pain of the travelers' absence is too much at the Eye at the end of the universe.

[celestial-sapphicss]

omg top ten bollywood movies? (answer when you are free!!!!)

how DARE YOU ANON ok im gonna make a list in chronological order of release with no explanation or else it will be kilometre long post

Anand (1971)

Sadma (1983)

Paheli (2005)

Udaan (2010)

7 Khoon Maaf (2011)

English Vinglish (2012)

The Lunchbox (2012)

Kai Po Che (2013)

Go Goa Gone (2013)

Hasee Toh Phasee (2014)

Haider (2014)

Dil Dhadakne Do (2015)

Dum Lagake Haisha (2015)

Aligarh (2015)

Masaan (2015)

NH10 (2015)

Udta Punjab (2016)

Kapoor & Sons (2016)

Dear Zindagi (2016)

A Death in Gunj (2016)

Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017)

Meri Pyaari Bindu (2017)

Phillauri (2017)

Badhaai Ho (2018)

Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (2018)

ofcourse i went over the limit lmao. also obviously these aren't all of my favourite films, these aren't even probably the most but only those i remember on top of my head because ive seen so many movies its hard to keep track of all 😭

[witheredoffherwitch]

Top Ten Favorite Movies

Thanks for the tag @zae5, @fatherforgivethem and @lynnbeth5172 💕

In no particular order:

Oldboy (2003 version)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Confessions (2010)

Parasite (2019)

Haider (2014)

Border (2018)

Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

The Shape of Water (2017)

The Handmaiden (2016)

The Favorite (2018)

Special mention to: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), Tag (2015), Suicide Club (2001), Lady Bird (2017), Okja (2017), Audition (1999), Drishyam (2013), Stephord Wives (1975), The Witch (2015), The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), 3 idiots (2009) and Kamasutra (1996)

I'm tagging (no pressure): @lullaebies, @richardsthirdnipple, @aebi12, @sapphicrhaegon, @boundlessfantasy, @barbiesanji, @ice-dragon, @starstrucksnowing, @arcielee, @thattargboy, @emilybrontrs, @dcookechild and anyone who is willing to join 💞

[rhaenyra-the-gracious]

I was tagged by @atlantidea! Thank you, darling! 💛

GET TO KNOW ME TAG: top 5-10 favorite movies

ten random movies I love:

The Crow (1994)

The Piano (1993)

Arrival (2016)

Interstellar (2014)

Another Earth (2011)

The Batman (2022)

Gravity (2013)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Snowpiercer (2013)

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

tagging: @carrionsflower, @lyngunn, @killianglyndon, @bymine, @redthreadoffate, @binatalia, @yenneferschaos, @aryasnow, @bloodbuzz-ohio , @nynazenik, @margaritalaux-antille, @oaksunlight

[mediamixs]

Top 10 Korean Horror Movies

Korean cinema has gained international acclaim for its unique and chilling horror films. Here are ten standout titles that showcase the diversity and depth of the genre:

Train to Busan (2016) Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, this film is a high-octane zombie thriller that follows a father and his daughter on a train from Seoul to Busan during a sudden zombie outbreak. The film is acclaimed for its intense action, emotional depth, and social commentary on human behavior in crisis situations. It has become one of the most recognized Korean films globally.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) This psychological horror film, directed by Kim Jee-woon, is based on a Korean folktale. It tells the story of two sisters who return home from a mental institution only to confront their abusive stepmother and the ghost of their deceased mother. The film is known for its intricate plot, haunting atmosphere, and stunning cinematography.

The Wailing (2016) Directed by Na Hong-jin, this supernatural horror film revolves around a small village plagued by mysterious deaths and illness following the arrival of a stranger. The film masterfully blends elements of folklore, suspense, and psychological horror, culminating in a gripping climax that leaves audiences questioning reality.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) This found-footage horror film follows a group of YouTubers who explore an abandoned psychiatric hospital rumored to be haunted. The film effectively uses its eerie setting to create moments of genuine terror, making it one of the scariest entries in recent Korean horror cinema.

The Host (2006) Directed by Bong Joon-ho, this monster movie combines horror with social commentary as it follows a family's struggle against a creature that emerges from the Han River. The film's blend of humor, drama, and thrilling action has made it a classic in the genre.

Thirst (2009) This unique vampire film directed by Park Chan-wook tells the story of a priest who becomes a vampire after participating in a medical experiment gone wrong. The film explores themes of desire and morality while delivering intense horror sequences.

The Closet (2020) In this supernatural thriller, a father searches for his missing daughter who has vanished into a closet that leads to another realm. The film blends emotional storytelling with chilling moments as it explores themes of loss and parental love.

Monstrum (2018) Set in Korea's historical past, this creature feature follows a group trying to survive against a mysterious monster that terrorizes their village. The film combines action with horror elements, showcasing traditional Korean folklore.

The Medium (2021) A mockumentary-style horror film that explores possession through the lens of shamanism in Thailand. The film offers a slow build-up with shocking twists, making it a compelling watch for fans of psychological horror.

Whispering Corridors (1998) This classic horror film set in an all-girls school addresses themes such as bullying and suicide through ghostly encounters. Its success spawned several sequels and solidified its place in Korean horror history.

These films not only entertain but also delve into deeper societal issues, making them significant contributions to both the horror genre and Korean cinema as a whole.

[howlingmoonrise]

Tag game! What are you top 10 fandoms of all time? Name them and then tag ten more people. Feel free to write as much or as little about why you like them! I'll start.

in some particular order, though not consistently:

1 - Danny Phantom! my first and constant love, my introduction to the world of fic, and what got me actually make strides in first learning english way back when! the fandom has long since shifted to more gen-centric fields than in my days (and with a lot less interaction with the character i imprinted on for the entirety of my preteens and teens, hi sam) and so i find it harder to stick with it for long, but every once in a while i'll poke my head in there to reread old faves or see what's up. still going strong with the dissection fic genre? fucking superb, you funky little phandom. keep going, i love you.

2 - Hyouka, my beloved. it's one of those cozy little animes i keep coming back to, and there's quite a few jewels on the archive too! hits that perfect sense of nostalgia with a bright outlook and more than a dash of character growth, i especially love rewatching the final arc because the characters are so much more at ease with themselves and you really can tell.

3 - Petshop of Horrors, to the surprise of absolutely no-one 😂 no, i will not elaborate, i already do enough of that on my entire blog!

4 - Howl's Moving Castle, which is only one of my top 3 books of all time (and i do mean books!!! miss me with the ghibli movie other than howl's blond design!!!). believe it or not, i only got into hmc after i started going by howl, which was, uh. interesting. when i tried joining a server for it.

5 - Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun! i'm fairly bummed that the fandom nearly disappeared over the years, because it just keeps getting better. one of those mangas that legitimately make you laugh out loud and it's not an exaggeration, i've made some worrying noises while reading it.

6 - Tomb Raider. okay, time to admit it. i'm half a poser here. i was a huge fan of the original top cow comic run as a teen, and loved the 2013 game to death (everything else that derived from it - vikander's movie, the sequels, and comics - not so much 😬; the animation released this year wasn't bad though, but suffered in coming after the sequels i think), and have played a variety of more recent-ish stuff, but i'm woefully lacking in having played the og games despite og lara being my fave. i got a remaster of the first three for myself to play this christmas so i'm working on fixing it though!

7 - W.I.T.C.H. comics. don't look at me. i'm still forever bitter that child me didn't buy all possible merch available before it stopped being a thing! what do you mean i wasn't financially independent. also do not speak to me of the animation either, i hate that it's the first thing people think about when i mention w.i.t.c.h. despite having hugely different plots and characterizations 😭

8 - Codename: Kids Next Door. i'm no longer... really a part of it? especially since i can't bring myself to read fic for that fandom anymore, but i'm still hopelessly squishy about it and i was SO excited about the G:KND announcement before our hopes got blown to smithereens rip

9 - Barbie Animated Movies. no i can't just pick one!!!! though the 2001-2009 and 2015-2016 eras are the best. and i do have to specify it's only the animated ones, terribly sorry but i highly disliked the Robbie/Gretwig one in all matters but aesthetic.

10 - Alien and/or Alien vs Predator. took me forever to decide on a last fandom so just here. take it. ignore the guilty tears as i pretend not to see my other fandoms looking at me resentfully as they're excluded from the list.

Tagged by the fantastic @nemainofthewater, thank you so much!! i hope you don't mind that i did it under this blog instead since i have an organizational tag for those here!

tagging! @junemermaid @arkhangelske @produdfctititty @sunriseverse @snorlaxlovesme

@a-memory-a-distant-echo @where-the-water-flows @dying-suffering-french-stalkers @booksfoodmusic-minion @awishturnedwell and whoever else wants to do this!

[9haharharley1]

Having a dilemma because I would love to know 001 for Blackice but also 002 for Jack and Pitch individually 💦

Where do I even begin with this!!! Hold on to your hats!

001 | Blackice

When I started shipping it if I did:

Story time! So, back when I originally watched the movie in 2015 or 2016, I didn't think much of it. I thought it was cute, but I was battling heavy depression and dissociation, and so I didn't really think anything of it past that. Themes and characters meant nothing to me. Even the voices didn't stick, which is weird because I've been in love with Jude Law since I was wee. Fast forward to September 2022, I'm reading Apprentice89's entire pompep catalog, and, desperate for anything similar they might have written, I stumbled upon their only Blackice fic. Even though I remembered nothing from the movie, the summary was just interesting enough, and I love their writing so much that I had to read it. I read it, fell in love, had to go watch the movie again, and promptly watched it about ten more times that same day, and I've been obsessed ever since!

My thoughts:

They make me insane. I've always been a sucker for dark/light ship dynamics, Yami/Yugi (puzzleshipping) was my very first ship when I figured out what shipping was, so you can only imagine how I lost my mind when I found out Jack used to be a creature of light in the books! Black/White, Light/Dark, Black/Blue, two sides of the same coin, beings who complete each other if only they would let it happen! This stuff makes me feral. I was never gonna be normal about them when I finally figured it out, and I hate that I'm late to the party, but better late than never!

What makes me happy about them:

Where do I even begin with anything on this list?! They're just... ugh! They're perfect! They're comedy and tragedy and hope and despair and love all wrapped up in a messy box of internalized pain topped with a neat little bow of healing magic! They understand each other in a way that no one ever will! They have felt and experienced love and loss, have faced a lifetime, and then some of loneliness and heartache, only to have finally found each other when it all became too much, this other being who understands, who feels some semblance of the same bitter ache the other feels! Here is someone they can talk to; they can touch, they can exist together, and maybe, finally, be able to begin to heal together.

What makes me sad about them:

They're lonely. They are both so lonely, even Jack with his newfound place with the Guardians and among his believers- he will never be completely unalone among them. The Guardians will never understand the kind of ache and bitter loneliness he and Pitch have felt, Jack will never be able to explain that kind of torment to them. And now he has to worry about spreading belief in him when it seems only a handful of kids from the movie even know he exists. And Pitch has been alone for even longer. He's had nothing but shadows and the whispers of failures long past for centuries before Jack is even born. He'll forever be haunted by the things he's done, the lives he's ruined, and know that belief in him will only continue to fade with time. But when they're together, they're not alone. They understand each other in a way that the Guardians will never be able to. They can help one another, they can connect and heal, and maybe even tie themselves together enough that they can spread a shared belief in each other.

( I have no idea if any of this is even making sense, I've gone incoherent)

things done in fanfic that annoys me:

Pitch always seems to be too nice. He's too nice and too thoughtful, and Jack is sometimes too timid or even just too angry and aggressive. Jack being a little too confident can also be grating. I also don't like it when they're over-sharing their thoughts and feelings, and every little action needs to be picked apart and talked about, oh hey, here's what a healthy romantic relationship between these two should look like! It gets annoying to me.

things I look for in fanfic:

I read fics based on interesting enough summaries and worry about the tags later. I love it when there's a bit of conflict and drama, I love it when Pitch is possessive and needy of Jack's affection, I love when Jack doesn't realize how desperate he is for Pitch's attention and doesn't know how to reconcile his love when faced with the Guardians when they find out! I love when Pitch is not necessarily redeemed, but certainly not Good, and only willing to heel for Jack.

Who I'd be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

I love a good platonic relationship with Sandy for both of them. A begrudging friendship between Pitch and North makes me laugh. Gilly, you made that wonderful little doodle of them sharing a drink that just melts my heart! Jack and Katherine in the books also have a cute friendship, and that can stay platonic for me as well. I do like a little bit of JackRabbit, but I also prefer it as a cliche trope to make Pitch jealous cuz I crave a possessive Pitch. Basically, no, I don't ship them with anyone else.

My happily ever after for them:

Their happily ever after includes continuing to learn and grow together. Since they're immortal to some extent, they get to spend their days learning about each other, falling in love over and over again at some new quirk they never notice the other has, they get to heal as time goes on, they get to bicker and argue and kiss and makeup over and over while falling more and more in love until the heat death of the universe. Basically, they get to live their best married life forever.

who is the big spoon/little spoon:

Pitch is the big spoon usually. He tends to run hot, and Jack is just the perfect little ice pack to keep him cool in the dark of his caverns. Jack tends to sleep curled up - he's used to sleeping on tree branches or awnings, small tight places high up enough he won't be bothered, but also has had to learn to make himself small for so he won't fall. Pitch loves it, and since my Pitch doesn't sleep, he tends to use this time to me be creepy; touching and groping at Jack until his lover is squirming uncomfortably in his sleep.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Honestly, they just like spending time together. They've both been alone for so long that idle conversation is enough for them as long as they're together, be it down in Pitch's cave or up in the world as Jack spreads winter. They're constantly touching - feet in laps, holding hands, hands brushing skin. They play games, they spar, and Jack often drags Pitch to the movies or a play or even the occasional concert. As long as they're together, they're happy.

002 | Jack

How I feel about this character:

I'm normal about him. I swear. Completely normal. No, his centuries of loneliness and isolation doesn't make my heart weep. What do you mean I'm crying over the resentment he so clearly harbors over the ignorance from his creator and the Guardians alike? No, I'm not sobbing over how he can relate to no one except the one person he's not supposed to feel kinship with! How dare you insinuate I'm tearing my hair out over his choosing to be kind in a world that has shunned him and being a good and decent person despite his pain and isolation when he would perhaps be justified if he had taken the devil's hand and unleashed a a second ice age upon the world!

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Pitch. Obviously. Also Kozmotis. Obviously.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

He and Sandy can be bros. As a treat. And I guess Katherine is a cute platonic friendship. I forget Twiner exists because I go off the movie mostly, so him to, I guess.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Oh boy. So this kind of goes with what I said under the ship bit above, but I don't like it when he's too timid. Jack is not a timid person. He's insecure. Insecurity does not necessarily mean he's scared, but he's been alone for 300 years. He's interacted with very few people as far as we know (unless you go by the books, which I don't usually, but even then). He talks to himself, he talks to the Moon, he talks to Sandy , who doesn't talk back, and he's talked to Bunny, which has been historically antagonistic. His social skills come from studying the people around them, gauging what is right and wrong thru observation alone, but he's not entirely confident in himself. Which brings me to: I can't stand when he's overconfident. Once again, he's insecure. He's unsure of himself, of his place in the world, of his role with the Guardians. He's known no true loving friendship in 300 years, and suddenly regaining his memories is not gonna fix that kind of trauma. Can you imagine the mental break he'll suffer when he realizes his sister had to watch him die, knowing there was nothing she could do to help? That she had to go on with her life, thinking it was her fault her big brother drowned? I don't like when he's super happy-go-lucky, either, but also when he's this weird avenging spirit of hurting children, too? I've seen that, and it bothered me.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

What blackice fan doesn't wish for him to have reached out to Pitch at the end of the movie? I would have loved for him to be the one to chase after Pitch at the end, to have reached out his hand to the Boogieman the same way Pitch had in Antarctica, to offer him a place among friends. Maybe not as a Guardian because I firmly believe Pitch would hate that, but as equals and friends.

my OTP:

Blackice, of course

my cross over ship:

None that I take seriously, but I did use to really enjoy Hijack, and I still find it cute on occasion

a headcanon fact:

I know it's unpopular HC, but my own HC for Jack is that he's a virgin. As a human, he fooled around with a local friend, discovering together what these weird teenage hormones are all about, but they never got that far past frotting in the woods after dark. When he became a spirit, his internal and external temperatures were too cold for anyone short of winter fae to handle past embracing for a brief period of time, and Jack learned early on not to entirely trust the fae court, so he steered clear of them foe the most part. He figured if he didn't have the urges too much as a spirit anyway, then it wasn't a big deal. His body didn't miss it, why should he? Then Pitch came along, and suddenly, his sex drive is working overtime.

002 | Pitch

How I feel about this character:

I am SO normal about him. Please ignore my twitching eye. Tall, goth, creepy, handsome men with spooky shadow powers haven't all been my weakness since I was wee lass, stop looking at me like that. I'm not thinking at all about the broken legacy this man left behind, about how he was once a great hero, renowned and loved by all, how he loved his daughter above all things, only to lose her and what little he had in an endless war and become a shell of that great hero, how he lost himself to despair, became corrupted by the very shadows he vowed to destroy, proceeded to lay waste to his people, destroyed entire Constellations, and became the monster in the dark children fear. I'm not thinking at all about how this man became nothing more than a shadow himself, forced to prey on the fears of children who no longer believe in him in an ever changing world. I'm not frothing at the mouth that this same man found the only other person in existence who has felt even an inkling of his same loneliness, had pinned all his hopes for companionship on that being, only to be turned away, forced back into his dark and lonely hole, into the dark and away from a light he can never touch. What do you mean I'm clawing at the walls? I have no idea what you're talking about.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Jack Frost, and a bit of Nightlight thrown in for some flavor.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Sandy, of course. The idea that Pitch is the only one who can community clearly and fluently with Sandy makes me laugh every time and is one of my favorite HCs to come out of this fandom.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Once again, it all comes back to characterization. Authors tend to make him too nice or too thoughtful. He's too neutral or too tame. I like my bad guys to be Bad Guys. Don't neuter him just so you can have a fluffy redemption thru sex. This man has had nothing to claim as his own for millenia. He's gonna be possessive and all kinds of red flags about it.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

I wish we got to see more of Pitch's power in the movie. I would have loved to see the spooky, shadowy shapeshifter from the concept art. I would have loved to see him be an actual nightmarish threat, with shadows and fearlings, sailing the skies on his Nightmare Galleon. I wish we could have gotten a hint of the terrifying Nightmare King we glimpse in the books and the fear his very presence strikes in those around him. It would have been an entirely different movie.

my OTP:

Blackice, duh

my cross over ship:

None

a headcanon fact:

Pitch spied on Jack over the course of the boy's 300 years. He sensed his fear when he died. He wanted to be there when he rose out of the lake, but the Moon's light prevented him from reaching out to Jack. Instead, he settled for being a stalker creep, feeding on Jack's fears when both of them were in Burgess. He never met Jack personally, but he watched him. He thought it a kindness to leave Jack out of the fight with the Guardians, but since Jack was playing favorites, Pitch decided he was fair game to try swaying to his side, especially since they had so much in common.

[appalachianapologies]

top ten (is not rated in order nor is there ten) vocal stims and or echolalia moments

crime hole (crime hole!) (Bob's Burgers Movie (2022))

8/10, solid feeling. genuinely impossible for me to do a single crime hole without saying an extra crime hole under my breath

i'm here and i'm queer and i'm fuckin' gay- whoo! (SunnySplosion, via SunnySplosion video, circa 2016, since deleted)

7/10, reminds me of simpler times

[clicking the back of my throat]

2/10, euphoric for about five seconds and then it gets really uncomfortable but then i can't stop unless i put ice cubes in the back of my mouth

"...and the 100-meter dashhh" (MacGyver (2016) 1x07: Can Opener cold open)

8+1/10, there's something about the way lucas till says it that makes me just echo it immediately. bonus points because of special interest

punch-kick! (Rhythm Heaven DS, JPN Version, Karate Man 1 and Karate Man 2)

9+1/10, there is something so magical about it. if it were accepted in society i would go around saying "punch-kick!" every second of every day. bonus points because of special interest

kick kick kick kick high-kick go! kick kick kick kick kick (Rhythm Heaven DS, JPN Version, Space Soccer)

8+1/10, apparently it's actually "high-toe-go!" but it literally does not sound like that. i like space soccer noises. bonus points because of special interest

"Well... a double rainbow is a phenomenon of optics displayed by the spectrum of light due to the sun shining on droplets of moisture in the atmosphere!" (Lux voice line from League of Legends)

4/10, used to be one of my favorite things to say, got ruined by a terrible ex boyfriend who made fun of me. i still completely remember it though lmao

[popping noises by pushing my lips out together]

9.5/10. so good. cats love the noise for some reason (not complaining). sounds great in the shower. could literally do this forever except i need time to breathe and it probably bothers other people lmao

"Nom nom nom!" (Noise sims make in the Sims 4 when they are about to eat a food that is in their favorites category)

7/10, first heard it in a CallMeKevin video in one of the many episodes where Jim is killing people with his pufferfish restaurant. there is something so chef's kiss about the way the sims say it. nom nom nom!

honorable mention:

[putting my front teeth on my bottom lip and blowing air out]