#Meri☆Chri

[callmevenus]

🔔☆ ₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹☆🎅🎁🎄 ₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹☆ 🎅🎁🎄₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹🔔

メリ☆クリ 〜 ＨＯＬＹ ＮＩＧＨＴ ＭＡＧＩＣ（๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑）

🔔☆ ₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹☆🎅🎁🎄 ₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹☆ 🎅🎁🎄₊˚⊹☆ ₊˚⊹🔔

[doink-boink]

🎄Tis' the Season! 🎄

[amibiamibiamibiamibiamibiamibiam]

its chrisum guys

[aronaax]

hi :)

So the silent hill 2 remake came out recently and from what I’ve seen, I think it’s pretty cool! (I barely play any horror/scary games so my opinion on it doesn’t weigh much really) but everytime I think about silent hill 2 I am reminded of this au I made, basically, clef as James, meri as Laura, lily of course as Maria and Mary, idk who would be Angela and Eddie but it’s just so interesting to think about

Characters like Ethan winters or James Sunderland fit so much with clefs story! Putting clefs into Ethan’s story, clef can go looking for lily in the bright family house, and in RE8/village it can be clef looking for Meri in the village (also Kondraki would definitely be Chris Redfield in this au-)

Anyways, bye!

hiii i am so sorry this has been rotting in my ask inbox for so long ive never played either of these games before but i drew your aus they seem so cool

// cw for 4231

[chrisoncrack]

i got a new sketchbook

i ddrew some td *yaaay!!*

and of course, obligatory chris page

meri chrispmas guys!!

[dexterswifey]

Mysterious Fangs - Chris Sturniolo Part 4

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Part 7 Part 8

Relationship:vampireoc!Meris Hawthorne x human!Chris Sturniolo

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝙰 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 ��𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎—𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝚂𝚒𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗-𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛-𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜 𝙷𝚊𝚠𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝. 𝚃𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚟𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚘, 𝚜𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚗𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜’𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝚃𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝 𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎, 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚜 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜’𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚞𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗.

⚠️𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚜⚠️: 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙼𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍, 𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗, 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚜𝚝, 𝙵𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏, 𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚞𝚝??

The morning sun streamed through Meris’s window, its brightness muted by the heavy blackout curtains she kept drawn. She stirred, her body slow to rise despite the hours she’d spent awake in the dark. Being a vampire meant she didn’t need much sleep, but pretending to be human required routines, and this was one of them.

Sliding out of bed, Meris padded over to her closet. She pulled on a pair of dark jeans and a soft gray sweater, glancing at herself in the mirror. No reflection. Not like she expected one anway.

By the time she made it downstairs, her mom had already left for work, and the house was quiet. Meris grabbed her backpack and headed out the door, blending into the cool morning like any other high school student.

When she arrived at school, Meris couldn’t help but scan the parking lot for Chris. Her heightened senses picked up on a hundred tiny details—the sound of engines rumbling, the chatter of students—but she zeroed in on the familiar warmth of his voice before she even saw him.

He was standing by his car, laughing with a group of friends. His easy smile and relaxed posture made him seem so… normal. It was a sharp contrast to the way Meris felt, constantly on edge, constantly hiding.

“Earth to Meris,” Marliene’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Meris turned to see her best friend grinning at her, a knowing look in her eyes. “Were you just staring at Chris again?”

“No,” Meris said quickly, though her cheeks felt like they might burn if they could.

“Uh-huh,” Marliene said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

Meris groaned. “Can we not make this a thing?”

“Fine, fine,” Marliene said, smirking. “But you’re gonna have to talk to him again sooner or later.”

Meris didn’t respond, but as they walked toward the building, she couldn’t help but glance back at Chris.

Chemistry class came faster than Meris expected, and she found herself seated just two rows from Chris, her notebook open but her mind elsewhere. She tried to focus on the lesson, but every so often, she caught Chris glancing in her direction.

When the bell rang, she gathered her things quickly, but before she could slip out of the room, Chris caught up with her.

“Hey, Meris,” he said, his voice warm and easy.

She turned, her heart racing despite herself. “Oh, hey. What’s up?”

“Not much. Just wanted to say thanks again for yesterday. It was nice, working with you,” he said, his hands tucked into his pockets.

Meris smiled faintly. “Yeah, it was nice. You’re pretty good at explaining things.”

“Well, if you ever need a study partner again, let me know,” Chris said, his grin soft but sincere.

“Maybe I will,” Meris said, the corners of her mouth twitching upward.

Before either of them could say more, the hallway grew crowded, and Marliene appeared at Meris’s side, giving Chris a friendly nod.

“Hey, Chris,” Marliene said smoothly. “Mind if I steal Meris for a sec? Girl talk.”

“Not at all,” Chris said with a chuckle. “See you around, Meris.”

As Chris walked away, Marliene turned to Meris with raised eyebrows. “Girl, you’ve got him hooked.”

Meris groaned, tugging Marliene down the hallway. “Can you not?”

“Can I not tell the truth? Absolutely not,” Marliene said, grinning. “So, when are you gonna make a move?”

Meris hesitated, biting her lip. “I don’t know. He’s… I like him, but it’s so complicated, Mar. I can’t just jump into this.”

Marliene rolled her eyes. “Look, I get that you’re scared, but he clearly likes you too. Just take it slow. You don’t have to tell him everything right away. Just let yourself feel this out, okay?”

Meris nodded reluctantly, knowing Marliene was right. But even as she tried to focus on the rest of her classes, her thoughts kept drifting back to Chris.

By the time the final bell rang, she felt like her carefully constructed walls were already starting to crack—and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

[cat-angel-936]

Lobos salvajes (en Wattpad) https://www.wattpad.com/story/384824274-wild-wolves?utm_source=web&utm_medium=tumblr&utm_content=share_myworks&wp_uname=Cat_angel936

 Aclaración: esta historia se trata de un self insert de una Boluda (osea yo) de 22 a 23 años, probablemente con incoherencias en la trama y una protagonista mery Sue (aunque trate de que no lo sea tanto 😓) así que tiene toda mi autorización para burlarse si quieren, esta información estará tanto en la descripción como en el primer capítulo. Y gracias por su atención saludos ^^ 👋 

Chris despierta en una cabaña pequeña y alejada. Jamás imagino ver la que hay se encontró y mucho menos conocer a una nueva amiga salvaje y mucho menos enamorarse esa misma tarde

Al fin publique este fanfic !!! :D

[npdkondraki]

holds out mic. if the house md guys knew about scps which ones do you think theyd like

hi kutner sorry for taking an entire fucking week to answer your ask . looks away. Anyways. UM this is going under the cut its. SO LONG. listen i had A Moment ok.

house would enjoy 343 i think. but only bc itd either be INCREDIBLY pissed off about god being some laid back dude* (*it seems like the type of girl to be like "if you created me then why did you make me like this (derogatory)" sorta). not exactly related but if she knew about 500 she would call it fucking stupid and a cop-out for "actual doctors" but also like its usage. shes soo upset that they wont fucking share it even if they have "good" reasons for it imo. also she would be indifferent about 999 but HATEEEE the fact it works on her. also cuddy would use that to her advantage and force house to spend time with it like she just puts it in its office or something idfk man this paragraph is getting away from me i think. anyway she'd like 2029 by virtue of it fucking with her. itd appreciate the backhandedness i think. just the utter gall it has.

cameron... maybe 166. she'd feel sooo so so so fucking bad for her. they can be pen pals for like a couple months but i dont think the foundation would let her stay in contact for long bc cameron would ABSOLUTELY start trying to break her out so she can see the world. rip!!!! also 999. self explanatory i just think she'd like the funny slime who makes people happy. also 408 & josie .:-)

chase has a deep seated fear of 343 but is also Deeply obsessed with him. her catholic trauma swag is immense and fearful. i think she'd like cain though they can be friends .:-). wait actually branching off that she would feel SO bad for abel but also HATE HERRRRRR she does NOT!!! approve of the murder no matter how bad she feels for her situation. anyway maybe she'd enjoy 963? no real reasoning for that i just think she'd see a pretty amulet and become entranced by it

wait ok i forget the exact name but there is one hyperspecific fanon scp thats like . just the ENTIRE premise is that once you become aware of it you start to think you ARE it. i think its called like . chris . or some shit. just some REALLY boring white man name. foreman would like that one i think she would be SOOO fascinated by it. AND THEN SHE'D GET FUCKING GOT BY IT SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY STYLE!!!! OH and also 6368 id say .:-). she'd like 202 also perhaps.... i dont really know Exactly what type of scps foreman would like but . she'd enjoy the mind altering ones maybe ?

wilson. 113. thats all i have to say about that. also 500 would DDDDDESTROY HER she'd be INSANE about it do NOT LET HER ASS NEAR IT she is GOING to steal it she is BANNED from going near it UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. 4999 would comfort her so much you dont even understand she loves that guy. i think she'd just appreciate someone being there so her patients arent alone when they die. <- she'd enjoy 999 for similar reasons too id say, esp w/ child patients. she would appreciate the comfort and joy they both bring. smiles .:-)

cuddy would like josie and would also be clinically fucking insane about meri, 053, and 239. any child scp really. she is so fucked up about all of them in ways you cannot imagine. also i dont trust her around 500. not for any real reason she'd just be really fucking sad about it i think. oh also she'd ALSO enjoy 113. Take A Guess Why!

THIRTEEN #1 847 ENJOYER!!!!!!!! also 4999 would fuck her up So Bad. also she, too, is insane about 500 for like. obvious reasons LOL LMFAO EVEN. And Also 113.

amber would like 049 by virtue of them both being cunty bitches. also another 2029 hater-lover. again by virtue of it clapping back at her. basically take everything from houses list and that can also go on hers. theyre the same person anyways. BUT!!!!!!!!!!! shed like 4999 too. wonder why that is . MOVING ON

kutner. josie. i dont need to explain this one. also uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 113. 049 would fascinate her. shed like 343 just by virtue of how chill he is. honestly i think it'd get a kick out of 294. also she would think 7143-j is stupid and be obsessed with it for that. totally not projecting on that last one <- LIAR

i have no fucking clue what taub would like. maybe 847 or something. i genuinely dont even fucking know like i GUESS maybe hed like . 079. i guess ?????????????????

[jtsblock]

⊹ KNIGHTS OF WALPURGIS DR: episode 4 .𖥔 ݁ ˖ episode theme- THE VULTURES by PLVTINUM & Chris Grey ╰┈➤ the original knights

THOMAS “TOM” RIDDLE II, the original dark lord, the embodiment of pride, son of Marry Johnson and Thomas Riddle, 6’4”, Ivory skin, Black hair, brown eyes, long lashes, sharp cheekbones, polyglot, neat freak, psychopath, eidetic memory, never raises his voice, plays piano, gets sick easily. He also enjoys reading.

ABRAXAS MALFOY, the devil’s advocate, the embodiment of greed, son of Calvius and Deianira malfoy, 6’1”, Hazelnut skin, black hair, light grey eyes, plump lips, very symmetrical face, chiseled face, speaks Tutnese + English, Designer clothes, Gaudy heirloom jewelry, gentlemen, blunt.

TIBERIUS NOTT, the scholar, the embodiment of envy, son of Reagan Nott and Taven Cordus, 6’2”, Dark brown hair, Dark Blue eyes, Deep set, serious features, Speaks Italian, English + Greek, Mad Scientist, Deep soothing voice, Quiet, Solitary, long thin fingers, plays Violin, isn’t found of others.

LYSANDER AVERY, the bloodhound, the embodiment of wrath, son of Sagan Avery and Sibella Amil, 6’2”, Olive skin, Light brown hair, Light brown eyes, Sharp, white teeth, scar on bottom lip, Defined Jawline, speaks English + Italian, temperamental, sweet tooth, snarky, pyromaniac

CYGNUS BLACK III, the enforcer, the embodiment of Sloth, son of Cygnus Black ii and Violetta Bulstrode, 6’3” chestnut skin, hazel eyes, full lips, chiseled cheekbones, speaks Tutnese, English + French, perfect smile, raspy alluring voice, lean but muscular, incredible charming, skilled artist, great singer, charismatic, flirtatious, good liar.

VALERIUS ZABINI, The Incubus, the embodiment of Lust, son of Ceto Zabini and Kyren Ivory, 6’5”, Sepia skin, black hair, dark brown eyes, wide jaw, thick brows, speaks Tutnese, Italian + English, Quite, rarely speaks, intimidating, slow but deadly, unexpectedly strong.

SEVERIN PARKINSON, the puppeteer, the embodiment of gluttony, son of maverick parkinson and acacia meris, 6’1”, sable skin, brown hair, hazel eyes, sculpted face,Tutnese + English, manipulative, Sly, very good at poker, has a great eye for detail, smooth talker, witty.

[callmevenus]

﹢ ˖ ✦¸* . ﹢ ˖ ✦☆⌒(ゝ。∂)☆⋆｡ .今年のイブには 君には今以上 しあわせになって欲しいよ☆⌒(ゝ。∂)☆⋆｡ .¸* . ﹢ ✦

[azspicegirlstimeline]

1/14/97 - by chris heath. written during the face magazine photoshoot.

[swagmaxxer]

mery chris

marry chromebook

[justice-in-the-throes]

mery crisis

just like me fr

. mer. chris.

is that how you do it

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Movies show us a different perspective and give us deeper meanings or new ways of looking at things we thought we already knew. They can be powerful or emotional or funny — and can help us connect to one other with empathy and understanding. One thing we love seeing is how films portray the incredibly complex moments of parenting. From inspiring conversations to heartbreaking choices to beautiful examples of true love between a parent and a child, there have been many wonderful portrayals of moms and dads nominated for Academy Awards throughout history. Many of these parenting moments have won their stars Best Actor or Best Actress Oscars; all have influenced culture and the way we talk and think about parenting through divorce, homelessness, good times and bad. Parents are flawed, yes, but the trials they go through while still putting their kids first? It’s truly inspirational. Of course, some of these parents we wouldn’t want to be, but they do make us feel seen if we’ve had less-than-stellar parents in our own lives — and, therefore, are still powerful representations. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite, most moving, and highly influential Oscar-nominated portrayals of parenting throughout history. These representations were truly remarkable for one reason or another, and we are still thinking about them today. Michelle Williams in ‘The Fabelmans’ Image Credit: Merie Weismiller Wallace / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection Michelle Williams’ portrayal of Mitzi in The Fabelmans (2022) was so good, that it inspired her own parenting. The bohemian housewife was written after Stephen Spielberg’s mom Leah Adler in the autobiographical film, and she plays a mom who supports her son’s passion for filmmaking, until she one day decides to deal with her own unfulfilled dreams. “When I first read the script, I turned to my husband [Hamilton director Thomas Kail] and said, ‘It’s a feast,’ ” Williams told USA Today about the role. “They really let this woman live and dance and explore and express across each and every page. And they don’t judge her for that – they see her as a full human. She’s allowed to embody her womanhood, which includes her motherhood.” Williams, who shares a daughter named Matilda with the late Heath Ledger and two kids with Kail, added, “I miss living inside this unstoppable force of nature that was [Spielberg’s] mother. That spirit is so inspiring to me as I continue to grow my own family and think about how to create childhoods for them. And think about how to create the ability for all of us to live in our fullest expression.” Will Smith in ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ Image Credit: ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) turned a common stereotype on its head with Chris Gardner (Will Smith), a struggling single dad who cared for his son (played by Smith’s real son Jaden) above all else, even while homeless in San Francisco. Smith’s powerful and emotional portrayal of a caring Black dad, based on Chris Gardner’s memoir, won him the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Robin Williams & Sally Field in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Image Credit: ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved./Courtesy Everett Collection Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) isn’t a perfect film (why can’t dads just step up instead of trying to get us to accept their silly and immature behavior?!), but neither is divorce. And on the subject of splitting apart and trying to figure out a co-parenting routine, Mrs. Doubtfire nails it! The film, starring the late Robin Williams as the title character and Sally Field as his ex Miranda, is a realistic portrayal of this sensitive subject and how complicated it can be.  One of the kid stars in the film, Lisa Jakub, told E! News in 2018, “I think that what I’m most proud of is the fact that we really dealt honestly with the issue of divorce.” She continued, “We were talking about something that not many people were talking about at that time. The movie was very much about acceptance, and sometimes things don’t really work out the way that we expect, but it doesn’t mean that it’s bad. There are all kinds of ways of being a family.” “People still come up to me,” Jakub continued. “Here we are, 25 years later, and people still come up to me — and they will hug me, and they will cry, and they will talk about their parents’ divorce and how much the movie helped them.” The film won an Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.   Mahershala Ali in ‘Moonlight’ Image Credit: Everett Collection / Everett Collection What is a parent, if not someone who cares for a child? In Moonlight (2016), Chiron (Alex R. Hibbert plays a young Chiron) is a misunderstood, neglected young boy growing up with a crack addict mother in 1980s Miami. But he finds companionship and guidance from a local drug dealer named Juan (Mahershala Ali). “The way they connect and the way he guides him is in the manner in which a father does,” Ali told NPR. “He’s able to impart a certain degree of knowledge or at least try to unlock Chiron in some of the things that he’s dealing with.” But it’s complicated. After all, Juan is still a drug dealer — and one of his addicted customers is Chiron’s own mother. This complicated, emotional, and complex film won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Ali, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Julia Roberts in ‘Erin Brockovich’ Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection How do you balance saving lives with taking care of your own children? Julia Roberts’ Oscar-winning performance of Erin Brockovich in the 2000 film of the same title attempts to show how one real-life woman did both. As a single mom, Erin is just trying to stay afloat when she ends up getting a job for her lawyer and investigating the illegal behavior of a California energy company. The further in she gets in this case, the more her kids start to complain about their mom not being there for them. It’s the work-life balance movie that is still inspiring today.    Gregory Peck in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Perhaps one of the most iconic examples of fatherhood in Oscar’s history (and all of cinematic history, to be fair) is Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), played by Gregory Peck. To refresh your memory, Atticus is a widowed lawyer Alabama during the Jim Crow era, who defends a Black man against a false rape charge. While preparing and defending the case, Finch takes the time to teach his kids Scout and Jem the importance of equality, compassion, and courage. One of the most famous quotes from the film, based on the 1960 book by Harper Lee, is still relevant to today: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Peck won Best Actor for this role, and the film also won Best Writing and Best Art Direction. Brie Larson in ‘Room’ Image Credit: George Kraychyk/©A24/courtesy Everett Collection Even in the worst moments of her life, Joy Newsome “Ma” (Brie Larson) was only thinking about making life better for her son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) in Room (2015), based on the book by Emma Donoghue. They play, tell stories, and have a loving life together while trapped inside a tiny 10-by-10-foot room. The strength and resilience Larson shows as Ma — both inside and outside the room — is truly remarkable to behold. While filming, Larson channeled her own mother, which ended up being an emotional experience for her. “There were many times over the course of the movie where I felt humbled to the point of being on my knees, crying, calling my mother, saying, ‘I am so sorry, I am so sorry I didn’t understand, I am so sorry I talked back to you as a teenager because you said no to me, I am so sorry for not knowing,’” she told Vulture at the time. “I felt like there are some real magical, mysterious ways of being a mother that even I cannot express — I was able to touch upon it in this movie, but since I’m not a mother, I cannot expect it to be a perfect representation.” She also shared how powerful this movie shows a relationship between a mother and a child. “That’s a lot of what I think this movie is: to see the different ways we can be human beings in relation to one another, and the unbelievable amount of work and expectation that’s required of a mother to explain what the world is, and to do it the right way at the right time, and to know what’s right for your child at every second of the day — it’s impossible,” Larson said. She added, “But I am blown away that my mom even tried, and she did a pretty damn good job. It’s unbelievable. After doing the movie I’m like, I’ve got to give props to her every day of her life. Just to say, like, yeah, I’m going to have a kid and try — that’s a lot.” Taraji P. Henson in ‘Hidden Figures’ Image Credit: Hopper Stone/ TM & copyright © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. / Courtesy Everett Collection Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures (2016) is about three Black mathematicians and moms — Katherine Goble (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — who work at NASA. Katherine is a single mom to three daughters who must juggle her work performing calculations for historic space missions while facing discrimination, then go home and parent her daughters. (The other women have husbands, but that doesn’t necessarily make their home or work lives any easier.) In a 2017 interview with The Cut, Henson opened up about her own experience as a single, working mother to son Marcell, 20, with the late William LaMarr Johnson, who died in 2003. “It wasn’t easy being a single mother in Hollywood, but I guess the one thing it did do to me is it kept me focused,” she said. “I heard a lot about people going out to network. ‘Oh, you gotta go network!’ Well, network where? ‘Well, they’re having this party etc.’ To me, no business is getting done with people drinking. I just knew that. I just thought, that sounds like a party, I’ll wait. Being a single mother, I was broke, I couldn’t afford a babysitter, so I couldn’t do that kind of networking. But what I could do is audition. I could go in and I could make those words pop off the page. That was the way I networked.” Her hard work paid off, and she made it in Hollywood much like Johnson made it in NASA. “If I give up on my dreams,” Henson told The Guardian in 2017, “what am I teaching [my son]?” We are so thankful for Henson, Johnson, and all the other amazing moms in history who didn’t give up on themselves while raising kids! Shirley MacLaine in ‘Terms of Endearment’ Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Mothers and daughters don’t always get along, and Shirley MacLaine famously highlighted this in Terms of Endearment (1983). Aurora Greenway (played by MacLaine) and her adult daughter Emma Horton (Debra Winger) are in almost constant disagreement about their lives and the people in them in this emotional and gutting film. Art imitates real life in this one, as the actresses famously didn’t get along (read more about their feud in this Vanity Fair article). This realistic and often heartbreaking portrayal of a demanding mother can feel deeply personal for those of us who’ve experienced the same; yet, its underlying themes of love and the unique bond between moms and their kids reassures us at the same time. This complex part won MacLaine an Oscar for Best Actress, and the movie also won Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Jack Nicholson, and Best Director and Best Writing for James L. Brooks. Adam Driver & Scarlett Johansson in ‘Marriage Story’ Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection The way that Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) show how complicated, emotional, and exhausting co-parenting is in the midst of a divorce will make you cry in Marriage Story (2019). “I’ve felt in the past — there’s such a loneliness to being a single parent,” Johansson, who was navigating her own divorce with Romain Dauriac, with whom she shares daughter Rose, now 10, told USA Today at the time. “Obviously, it’s a lot of many different things at once, but there can be a loneliness and this constant feeling of doubt, that you don’t know what the hell you’re doing and you don’t have anyone else to bounce it off of.” “You’re also spending a lot of time alone with a child, without the company of another adult, which is hard for long periods of time,” she continued. “You maybe have doubts about your life: How did I get here? It’s not all the time … but those moments creep in, and they creep in at weird times.” For Johansson, she was able to channel her personal life into her acting. She told the outlet she was “in a much more settled place … I wasn’t in it, which was a better place to be professionally,” when she filmed Marriage Story. “I’d processed my feelings about it so I could use them instead of being in a cloud about the whole thing.” The performance scored both Johansson and Driver Oscar noms, and the film won Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Laura Dern, who played a divorce lawyer. Source link

[norajworld]

Movies show us a different perspective and give us deeper meanings or new ways of looking at things we thought we already knew. They can be powerful or emotional or funny — and can help us connect to one other with empathy and understanding. One thing we love seeing is how films portray the incredibly complex moments of parenting. From inspiring conversations to heartbreaking choices to beautiful examples of true love between a parent and a child, there have been many wonderful portrayals of moms and dads nominated for Academy Awards throughout history. Many of these parenting moments have won their stars Best Actor or Best Actress Oscars; all have influenced culture and the way we talk and think about parenting through divorce, homelessness, good times and bad. Parents are flawed, yes, but the trials they go through while still putting their kids first? It’s truly inspirational. Of course, some of these parents we wouldn’t want to be, but they do make us feel seen if we’ve had less-than-stellar parents in our own lives — and, therefore, are still powerful representations. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite, most moving, and highly influential Oscar-nominated portrayals of parenting throughout history. These representations were truly remarkable for one reason or another, and we are still thinking about them today. Michelle Williams in ‘The Fabelmans’ Image Credit: Merie Weismiller Wallace / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection Michelle Williams’ portrayal of Mitzi in The Fabelmans (2022) was so good, that it inspired her own parenting. The bohemian housewife was written after Stephen Spielberg’s mom Leah Adler in the autobiographical film, and she plays a mom who supports her son’s passion for filmmaking, until she one day decides to deal with her own unfulfilled dreams. “When I first read the script, I turned to my husband [Hamilton director Thomas Kail] and said, ‘It’s a feast,’ ” Williams told USA Today about the role. “They really let this woman live and dance and explore and express across each and every page. And they don’t judge her for that – they see her as a full human. She’s allowed to embody her womanhood, which includes her motherhood.” Williams, who shares a daughter named Matilda with the late Heath Ledger and two kids with Kail, added, “I miss living inside this unstoppable force of nature that was [Spielberg’s] mother. That spirit is so inspiring to me as I continue to grow my own family and think about how to create childhoods for them. And think about how to create the ability for all of us to live in our fullest expression.” Will Smith in ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ Image Credit: ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) turned a common stereotype on its head with Chris Gardner (Will Smith), a struggling single dad who cared for his son (played by Smith’s real son Jaden) above all else, even while homeless in San Francisco. Smith’s powerful and emotional portrayal of a caring Black dad, based on Chris Gardner’s memoir, won him the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Robin Williams & Sally Field in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Image Credit: ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved./Courtesy Everett Collection Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) isn’t a perfect film (why can’t dads just step up instead of trying to get us to accept their silly and immature behavior?!), but neither is divorce. And on the subject of splitting apart and trying to figure out a co-parenting routine, Mrs. Doubtfire nails it! The film, starring the late Robin Williams as the title character and Sally Field as his ex Miranda, is a realistic portrayal of this sensitive subject and how complicated it can be.  One of the kid stars in the film, Lisa Jakub, told E! News in 2018, “I think that what I’m most proud of is the fact that we really dealt honestly with the issue of divorce.” She continued, “We were talking about something that not many people were talking about at that time. The movie was very much about acceptance, and sometimes things don’t really work out the way that we expect, but it doesn’t mean that it’s bad. There are all kinds of ways of being a family.” “People still come up to me,” Jakub continued. “Here we are, 25 years later, and people still come up to me — and they will hug me, and they will cry, and they will talk about their parents’ divorce and how much the movie helped them.” The film won an Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.   Mahershala Ali in ‘Moonlight’ Image Credit: Everett Collection / Everett Collection What is a parent, if not someone who cares for a child? In Moonlight (2016), Chiron (Alex R. Hibbert plays a young Chiron) is a misunderstood, neglected young boy growing up with a crack addict mother in 1980s Miami. But he finds companionship and guidance from a local drug dealer named Juan (Mahershala Ali). “The way they connect and the way he guides him is in the manner in which a father does,” Ali told NPR. “He’s able to impart a certain degree of knowledge or at least try to unlock Chiron in some of the things that he’s dealing with.” But it’s complicated. After all, Juan is still a drug dealer — and one of his addicted customers is Chiron’s own mother. This complicated, emotional, and complex film won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Ali, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Julia Roberts in ‘Erin Brockovich’ Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection How do you balance saving lives with taking care of your own children? Julia Roberts’ Oscar-winning performance of Erin Brockovich in the 2000 film of the same title attempts to show how one real-life woman did both. As a single mom, Erin is just trying to stay afloat when she ends up getting a job for her lawyer and investigating the illegal behavior of a California energy company. The further in she gets in this case, the more her kids start to complain about their mom not being there for them. It’s the work-life balance movie that is still inspiring today.    Gregory Peck in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Perhaps one of the most iconic examples of fatherhood in Oscar’s history (and all of cinematic history, to be fair) is Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), played by Gregory Peck. To refresh your memory, Atticus is a widowed lawyer Alabama during the Jim Crow era, who defends a Black man against a false rape charge. While preparing and defending the case, Finch takes the time to teach his kids Scout and Jem the importance of equality, compassion, and courage. One of the most famous quotes from the film, based on the 1960 book by Harper Lee, is still relevant to today: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Peck won Best Actor for this role, and the film also won Best Writing and Best Art Direction. Brie Larson in ‘Room’ Image Credit: George Kraychyk/©A24/courtesy Everett Collection Even in the worst moments of her life, Joy Newsome “Ma” (Brie Larson) was only thinking about making life better for her son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) in Room (2015), based on the book by Emma Donoghue. They play, tell stories, and have a loving life together while trapped inside a tiny 10-by-10-foot room. The strength and resilience Larson shows as Ma — both inside and outside the room — is truly remarkable to behold. While filming, Larson channeled her own mother, which ended up being an emotional experience for her. “There were many times over the course of the movie where I felt humbled to the point of being on my knees, crying, calling my mother, saying, ‘I am so sorry, I am so sorry I didn’t understand, I am so sorry I talked back to you as a teenager because you said no to me, I am so sorry for not knowing,’” she told Vulture at the time. “I felt like there are some real magical, mysterious ways of being a mother that even I cannot express — I was able to touch upon it in this movie, but since I’m not a mother, I cannot expect it to be a perfect representation.” She also shared how powerful this movie shows a relationship between a mother and a child. “That’s a lot of what I think this movie is: to see the different ways we can be human beings in relation to one another, and the unbelievable amount of work and expectation that’s required of a mother to explain what the world is, and to do it the right way at the right time, and to know what’s right for your child at every second of the day — it’s impossible,” Larson said. She added, “But I am blown away that my mom even tried, and she did a pretty damn good job. It’s unbelievable. After doing the movie I’m like, I’ve got to give props to her every day of her life. Just to say, like, yeah, I’m going to have a kid and try — that’s a lot.” Taraji P. Henson in ‘Hidden Figures’ Image Credit: Hopper Stone/ TM & copyright © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. / Courtesy Everett Collection Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures (2016) is about three Black mathematicians and moms — Katherine Goble (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — who work at NASA. Katherine is a single mom to three daughters who must juggle her work performing calculations for historic space missions while facing discrimination, then go home and parent her daughters. (The other women have husbands, but that doesn’t necessarily make their home or work lives any easier.) In a 2017 interview with The Cut, Henson opened up about her own experience as a single, working mother to son Marcell, 20, with the late William LaMarr Johnson, who died in 2003. “It wasn’t easy being a single mother in Hollywood, but I guess the one thing it did do to me is it kept me focused,” she said. “I heard a lot about people going out to network. ‘Oh, you gotta go network!’ Well, network where? ‘Well, they’re having this party etc.’ To me, no business is getting done with people drinking. I just knew that. I just thought, that sounds like a party, I’ll wait. Being a single mother, I was broke, I couldn’t afford a babysitter, so I couldn’t do that kind of networking. But what I could do is audition. I could go in and I could make those words pop off the page. That was the way I networked.” Her hard work paid off, and she made it in Hollywood much like Johnson made it in NASA. “If I give up on my dreams,” Henson told The Guardian in 2017, “what am I teaching [my son]?” We are so thankful for Henson, Johnson, and all the other amazing moms in history who didn’t give up on themselves while raising kids! Shirley MacLaine in ‘Terms of Endearment’ Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Mothers and daughters don’t always get along, and Shirley MacLaine famously highlighted this in Terms of Endearment (1983). Aurora Greenway (played by MacLaine) and her adult daughter Emma Horton (Debra Winger) are in almost constant disagreement about their lives and the people in them in this emotional and gutting film. Art imitates real life in this one, as the actresses famously didn’t get along (read more about their feud in this Vanity Fair article). This realistic and often heartbreaking portrayal of a demanding mother can feel deeply personal for those of us who’ve experienced the same; yet, its underlying themes of love and the unique bond between moms and their kids reassures us at the same time. This complex part won MacLaine an Oscar for Best Actress, and the movie also won Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Jack Nicholson, and Best Director and Best Writing for James L. Brooks. Adam Driver & Scarlett Johansson in ‘Marriage Story’ Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection The way that Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) show how complicated, emotional, and exhausting co-parenting is in the midst of a divorce will make you cry in Marriage Story (2019). “I’ve felt in the past — there’s such a loneliness to being a single parent,” Johansson, who was navigating her own divorce with Romain Dauriac, with whom she shares daughter Rose, now 10, told USA Today at the time. “Obviously, it’s a lot of many different things at once, but there can be a loneliness and this constant feeling of doubt, that you don’t know what the hell you’re doing and you don’t have anyone else to bounce it off of.” “You’re also spending a lot of time alone with a child, without the company of another adult, which is hard for long periods of time,” she continued. “You maybe have doubts about your life: How did I get here? It’s not all the time … but those moments creep in, and they creep in at weird times.” For Johansson, she was able to channel her personal life into her acting. She told the outlet she was “in a much more settled place … I wasn’t in it, which was a better place to be professionally,” when she filmed Marriage Story. “I’d processed my feelings about it so I could use them instead of being in a cloud about the whole thing.” The performance scored both Johansson and Driver Oscar noms, and the film won Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Laura Dern, who played a divorce lawyer. Source link

[dexterswifey]

Mysterious Fangs - Chris Sturniolo Part 6

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Part 7 Part 8

Relationship:vampireoc!Meris Hawthorne x human!Chris Sturniolo

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝙰 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎—𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝚂𝚒𝚡𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗-𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛-𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜 𝙷𝚊𝚠𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝. 𝚃𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚟𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚘, 𝚜𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚗𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜’𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝚃𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝 𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎, 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚜 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜’𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚞𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗.

⚠️𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚜⚠️: 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙼𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍, 𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗, 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚜𝚝, 𝙵𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏, 𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚞𝚝??

Meris arrived at Marliene’s house just before six, the sinking sun casting long shadows over the quiet street. She could already hear faint music thumping from inside as she walked up the driveway.

Before she even knocked, the door flew open, and Marliene stood there with a wide grin on her face.

“You’re early!” Marliene said, dragging Meris inside. “Thank God. Trip’s useless, and I need someone with actual taste to help me set this place up.”

Meris laughed, letting herself be pulled in. Marliene’s house always felt warm and alive, filled with mismatched furniture and walls decorated with family photos. Tonight, though, the living room was already halfway transformed. String lights were hung haphazardly along the ceiling, and a few tables were piled with snacks, soda bottles, and, of course, a suspicious-looking cooler that Meris guessed was Trip’s contribution.

“Where is Trip, anyway?” Meris asked, setting her bag down.

“Probably pretending to be busy while actually playing video games in his room,” Marliene said with a roll of her eyes. “Come on, help me figure out the snack table. He just dumped bags of chips everywhere like an animal.”

The two girls got to work, arranging everything to Marliene’s exacting standards. Meris found herself relaxing as they chatted, the nervous energy from earlier fading into the background.

“So, did you invite him?” Marliene asked casually as they set up a stack of plastic cups.

“Who?” Meris asked, feigning innocence.

“Don’t play dumb,” Marliene said, nudging her. “Chris. Did you text him?”

Meris sighed. “Yes, I did. He said he’ll come.”

Marliene clapped her hands together, grinning. “See? Easy. Now we just have to make sure you look amazing when he gets here.”

“Marliene, it’s just a party,” Meris protested, but Marliene was already pulling her upstairs.

In Marliene’s room, Meris sat on the edge of the bed while Marliene rummaged through her closet, tossing outfits over her shoulder as she muttered to herself.

“Okay, this is cute,” Marliene said, holding up a black cropped sweater and a pair of high-waisted jeans. “It’s casual but flattering. Very ‘effortless cool.’”

“I don’t know if that’s my vibe,” Meris said, eyeing the outfit skeptically.

“It is tonight,” Marliene said firmly, shoving the clothes into her hands. “Go try it on.”

Meris gave in, retreating to the bathroom to change. When she came back out, Marliene let out an approving whistle.

“Perfect,” Marliene said, circling her like a stylist assessing their work. “Chris is gonna lose it.”

Meris rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Okay, fine. I’ll wear it. Can we go finish setting up now?”

By the time eight o’clock rolled around, the house was buzzing with activity. Trip had finally emerged, wearing a backwards cap and playing the role of laid-back host, while Marliene flitted around, making sure everything was in place.

The first wave of guests arrived right on time, filling the living room with laughter and music. Meris stuck close to Marliene at first, feeling slightly out of place in the growing crowd.

“You’re doing great,” Marliene said, squeezing her arm. “Just relax. Have fun.”

Meris nodded, but her senses were on high alert, the noise and energy of the party amplifying everything around her. She scanned the room, half-hoping and half-dreading the moment Chris would arrive.

And then she saw him.

Chris stepped through the door, his hands tucked into the pockets of a dark jacket, his easygoing smile lighting up the already buzzing atmosphere. His hair was slightly tousled from the chilly night air, and he paused at the entrance, taking in the scene.

Meris felt her pulse quicken, even though her heart didn’t beat in the traditional sense anymore. She wasn’t sure if it was the lights, the music, or simply the way Chris seemed to command the room without even trying, but the air around her seemed to shift the moment he walked in.

Marliene caught the change in Meris’s expression and followed her gaze. A knowing smile spread across her face.

“Well, look who’s here,” Marliene teased, nudging Meris. “You better go say hi before someone else grabs his attention.”

Meris hesitated, suddenly hyper-aware of everything—how she looked, how she stood, how many people were between her and Chris.

“Go!” Marliene said, giving her a little shove.

Meris shot her a look but started making her way through the crowd. Chris spotted her before she could reach him, his face lighting up as their eyes met.

“Hey, Meris,” he said, stepping toward her. “This is quite the party. Didn’t realize it was going to be this big.”

“Yeah, Marliene’s brother doesn’t do anything halfway,” Meris said, glancing around at the growing crowd. “I wasn’t even sure you’d come.”

Chris tilted his head, a playful glint in his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I? You invited me.”

Meris felt a small smile tug at her lips. “Fair point.”

“Have you been here long?” Chris asked, leaning in slightly so she could hear him over the music.

“Since earlier,” Meris said. “I helped set up. Marliene takes this kind of thing very seriously.”

Chris chuckled. “Seems like it paid off. You guys did a great job.”

“Thanks,” Meris said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

For a moment, they just stood there, the sounds of the party fading into the background. Chris’s gaze was steady, warm, and Meris felt her nerves beginning to settle.

“You want to grab something to drink?” Chris asked, gesturing toward the kitchen.

“Sure,” Meris said, grateful for an excuse to step away from the crowded living room.

They weaved through the throng of people, Chris occasionally glancing back to make sure she was following. When they reached the kitchen, it was quieter, with only a few people hanging around the snack table.

“So,” Chris said, grabbing two sodas from the counter and handing one to Meris, “are parties like this your thing, or did Marliene drag you into it?”

Meris laughed softly. “Definitely Marliene. She’s the social one. I usually try to avoid big crowds like this.”

“Same here,” Chris admitted, leaning against the counter. “I mean, I don’t mind hanging out with people, but this many? It’s a little overwhelming.”

Meris nodded, feeling a surprising sense of relief. “Yeah, exactly. Marliene says I need to get out more, though.”

“Well, I’m glad you did,” Chris said, his voice sincere. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

Meris glanced at him, her stomach doing that odd fluttery thing again. “You’re not just saying that, are you?”

Chris grinned. “Not at all.”

Before Meris could respond, Marliene appeared in the doorway, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Mer! Chris! Why are you hiding in here?” she asked, throwing an arm around Meris’s shoulders. “You’re missing all the fun!”

“We’re just… taking a breather,” Meris said, glancing at Chris.

“Well, you can breathe later,” Marliene said, pulling Meris away. “Come on, you have to meet some people.”

Chris followed, his expression amused as Marliene dragged Meris back into the chaos of the living room. The crowd seemed even larger now, the music louder, and Marliene wasted no time weaving through the throng of people like a pro.

“Meris, you’re going to love this,” Marliene said over her shoulder, tugging her toward a small circle of students clustered by the couch. “Trip invited some of the seniors. They’re hilarious—you have to meet them.”

Meris glanced back at Chris, who trailed behind with a faint smile, as if perfectly content to follow wherever this whirlwind took them.

“Guys, this is Meris,” Marliene announced to the group, her voice cutting through the chatter. “And this is Chris. They’re both cooler than anyone here, so be nice.”

The circle laughed, and a tall boy with a messy mop of hair extended his hand. “I’m Ash,” he said with an easy grin. Meris smiled back, shaking his hand.

“And this is Roxxane, Ivy, and Felix,” Marliene added, gesturing to the others.

The introductions were quick but friendly, and soon the conversation shifted to everything from the best places to hang out in town to exaggerated stories of Trip’s questionable party-hosting skills.

Meris found herself relaxing, even enjoying the warmth of the group’s easy banter. Chris slid into the conversation seamlessly, his humor and charm drawing smiles and laughter. Every so often, Meris caught him glancing her way, as if to make sure she was still comfortable.

“Okay,” Marliene said suddenly, clapping her hands together. “Who’s ready for a game?”

“A game?” Meris asked, her eyebrows raising in suspicion.

“Nothing too crazy,” Marliene promised, her grin mischievous. “Just a little icebreaker. Something fun.”

The group seemed game, moving to the center of the room where a coffee table had been cleared. Someone suggested a modified version of truth or dare, and before Meris knew it, the circle had formed, with Chris sitting just across from her.

The game started light—questions about embarrassing school moments, dares to sing or dance poorly, and plenty of laughter.

When it was Chris’s turn, Ash smirked and leaned forward. “Truth or dare, new guy?”

Chris considered for a moment, then said, “Truth.”

“Alright,” Ash said, his grin widening. “What’s the boldest thing you’ve done in the past month?”

Chris chuckled, leaning back on his hands. “Boldest thing, huh? Moving to a new town probably tops the list. But…” He glanced at Meris briefly, his expression unreadable. “Coming to this party without knowing anyone? That might be up there too.”

The group laughed and nodded, though Meris caught the slight flicker of vulnerability in his tone.

When it was Meris’s turn, Roxxane grinned. “Truth or dare, Meris?”

“Truth,” Meris said quickly, earning a chorus of mock groans from the group.

“Okay, fine,” Roxxane said, resting her chin in her hand. “What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened to you recently?”

Meris froze for a split second, the truth bubbling to the surface—meeting Chris, feeling like a normal girl for once, balancing the secret of her vampire nature with the fragile beginnings of a connection she couldn’t explain.

“I guess… meeting someone new,” she said finally, her voice steady. “It’s been a while since I let someone in.”

Her words hung in the air, and she dared to glance at Chris, who was watching her intently.

The game continued, the energy light and carefree again, but Meris couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant had passed between them.

As the night wore on and the crowd began to thin, Chris caught her as she stepped into the quieter kitchen to grab another drink.

“Hey,” he said softly, leaning against the counter beside her. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Meris said, smiling up at him. “It’s been… fun. I wasn’t sure about tonight, but I’m glad I came.”

“Me too,” Chris said, his voice low. “I’m glad you invited me.”

For a moment, the noise of the party seemed to fade into the background, leaving just the two of them in the soft glow of the kitchen lights.

Meris’s chest tightened, a strange mix of exhilaration and fear filling her. She wanted to let him in, to keep this feeling alive—but she knew how fragile it was, how much she was still hiding.

Before she could say anything, Marliene appeared in the doorway, her grin as wide as ever.

“There you two are!” she said. “Hiding out again? Come on, we’re playing another round of games, and I need my dream team.”

Chris laughed, his gaze lingering on Meris. “Guess we can’t say no, huh?”

“Definitely not,” Marliene said, grabbing them both by the arm.

As they were pulled back into the chaos, Meris couldn’t help but wonder how long she could keep balancing her two worlds—and how much longer she could keep Chris from discovering the truth.

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