#ozu castle

[livesunique]

Jizōgatake Castle, Ōzu, Ehime Prefecture, Japan

[redsamuraiii]

CDawgVA : I Rented Japan’s $20 Million Castle for a Day | Ft. ‪@AbroadinJapan‬

They experienced the Ozu Castle Stay, as they get to dress as Samurai where the staffs act as retainers to welcome them as Lords.

[heeeyooon]

March

Bye bye March! Here's what I was up to last month:

Movies:

I loved seeing some parallels in the movies I saw this month. I put them side by side for fun. In the order I saw them, oldest to newest

Gyeongju - Zhang Lu Microhabitat (♥) - Jeon Go-Woon The Favourite - Yorgos Lanthimos Sibyl - Justine Triet Priscilla - Sofia Coppola Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan Wonka - Paul King Before We Vanish - Kiyoshi Kurosawa Tampopo (♥) - Juzo Itami Castle in the Sky (♥) - Kayao Miyazaki Sexy Beast - Jonathan Glazer Perfect Days (♥) - Wim Wenders Good Morning (♥) - Yasujiro Ozu (watched this twice this month!!) Brokeback Mountain (♥) - Ang Lee Where Is the Friend's House (♥) - Abbas Kiarostami Dune: Part Two (♥) - Denis Villeneuve Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy - Ryusuke Hamaguchi Sleeping Man - Kohei Oguri Yi Yi (♥) - Edward Yang Hana and Alice - Shunji Iwai The Delinquent Season - Mark O'Rowe True Mothers - Naomi Kawase The Table - Kim Jong-Kawn Little Fish - Chad Hartigan Dreams (♥) - Akira Kurosawa It Comes at Night - Trey Edward Shults Opening Night (♥) - John Cassavetes Influenza - Bong Joon Ho The Iron Claw (♥) - Sean Durkin The Fall - Jonathan Glazer Creepy - Kiyoshi Kurosawa My Brilliant Career (♥) - Gillian Armstrong

Knitting:

I took a break from knitting sweaters and made some other fun things instead. I knit two pairs of socks and a chicken! Surprisingly, these patterns were harder and more tedious than making a sweater.

Music:

I heard this on song on WXPN and loved it so much. I know there's many versions of this song but I think Joao Gilberto did it the best.

Other news:

Buzz and I made another music video with our friend Mike (Hour). It was extremely fun to make this video. Hope you'll give it a watch. The new Hour album comes out April 12th, 2024!

<3 Heeyoon

[fablecore]

read your JJK/OC fic and OUGH THE TONE IS SO GOOD... i don't even particularly care about the cast (haven't even finished s1 of JJK) but the way you write is so appealing?? it reminds me a bit of Ghibli, but more- violent? if that makes sense

i GOTTA ask, is there anything that inspired this tone? it's so good i want to slurp it straight outta the words, extremely appealing and good for the brain. sorry if that makes no sense, i am just Really liking your funky words

ghibli is a big inspiration 🤍 also yasujiro ozu films, matias bergara, rako shirako, ran and the grey world & ultramarine schooldays by irie aki, anne carson, bassho, italo calvino, the j-indie band hitsujibungaku, various books like piranesi, a gentleman in moscow, i capture the castle, etc etc

[cinenthusiast]

films watched in september 2023

had another really incredible month of viewings

186. the truman show (1998, weir) (no idea what viewing) (dcp, brattle theater, "barbie's roots" series) 187. josie and the pussycats (2001, kaplan & elfont) (not sure what viewing) (35mm, brattle theatre, "barbie's roots" series) 188. johnny o'clock (1947, rossen) (1st viewing) (16mm, harvard film archive, 'any number can win' all night gambling marathon) 189. any number can win (1963, verneuil) (1st viewing) (dcp, harvard film archive, 'any number can win' all night gambling marathon) 190. pale flower (1964, shinoda) (35mm, harvard film archive, 'any number can win' all night gambling marathon) 191. bay of angels (1963, demy) (1st viewing) (dcp, harvard film archive, 'any number can win' all night gambling marathon) 192. croupier (1998, hodges) (1st viewing) (35mm, harvard film archive, 'any number can win' all night gambling marathon) 193. california split (1974, altman) (1st viewing) (dcp, harvard film archive, 'any number can win' all night gambling marathon) 194. air mail (1932, ford) (1st viewing) 195. living skeleton (1968, matsuno) (1st viewing) 196. house of usher (1960, corman) (1st viewing) 197. the picture of dorian gray (1945, lewin) (1st viewing) 198. wishmaster (1997, kurtzman) (1st viewing) 199. house of the dead (2003, boll) (1st viewing) 200. flesheater (1988, kurtzman) (1st viewing) 201. laughter (1930, d'arrast) (2nd viewing) 202. clearcut (1991, bugajski) (1st viewing) 203. eyes of fire (1983, crounse) (1st viewing) 204. celia (1989, turner) (1st viewing) 205. il demonio (1963, rondi) (1st viewing) 206. tokyo twilight (1957, ozu) (1st viewing) 207. berlin express (1948, tourneur) (1st viewing) 208. house of bamboo (1955, fuller) (1st viewing) 209. the eighth happiness (1988, to) (1st viewing) 210. the agfa horror trailer show (2020) (1st viewing) 211. no hard feelings (2023, stupnitsky) (1st viewing) 212. cobweb (2023, bodin) (1st viewing) 213. day of the dead (1985, romero) (5th viewing) 214. land of the dead (2005, romero) (1st viewing) 215. the shiver of the vampires (1971, rollin) (1st viewing) 216. fascination (1979, rollin) (1st viewing) 217. jagged edge (1985, marquand) (1st viewing) 218. barbie (2023, gerwig) (IMAX) (3rd viewing) 219. stop making sense (1984, demme) (10th-ish viewing) 220. castle of blood (1964, margheriti) (1st viewing) 221. lisa and the devil (1973, bava) (2nd viewing) 222. the psychic (1977, fulci) (2nd viewing) 223. phenomena (1985, argento) (2nd viewing) 224. show people (1928, vidor) (1st viewing) (35mm, somerville theatre) 225. pilgrimage (1933, ford) (1st viewing) 226. hackers (1995, softley) (3rd viewing) 227. pennies from heaven (1981, ross) (1st viewing) (35mm, brattle theatre, christopher walken in the 1980s series) 228. stop making sense (1984, demme) (IMAX) (11ish viewing) 229. the signal tower (1924, brown) (1st viewing) 230. psycho iii (1986, perkins) (1st viewing) 231. edge of sanity (1989, kikoine) (1st viewing) 232. ivy (1947, wood) (1st viewing) 233. floating weeds (1959, ozu) (2nd viewing)

[vital-information]

I told Miyazaki I love the "gratuitous motion" in his films; instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or they will sigh, or look in a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are.

"We have a word for that in Japanese," he said. "It's called ma. Emptiness. It's there intentionally."

Is that like the "pillow words" that separate phrases in Japanese poetry?

"I don't think it's like the pillow word." He clapped his hands three or four times. "The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness, But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension. If you just have constant tension at 80 degrees all the time you just get numb."

Which helps explain why Miyazaki's films are more absorbing and involving than the frantic cheerful action in a lot of American animation. I asked him to explain that a little more.

"The people who make the movies are scared of silence, so they want to paper and plaster it over," he said. "They're worried that the audience will get bored. They might go up and get some popcorn.

But just because it's 80 percent intense all the time doesn't mean the kids are going to bless you with their concentration. What really matters is the underlying emotions--that you never let go of those.

— Roger Ebert in conversation with Hayao Miyazaki

[soracities]

hold on to me...

Ivan’s Childhood (1962), dir. Andrei Tarkovsky

Franz Kafka, The Castle

Untitled, ph. Leon Levinstein, 1950

Jean Anouilh, Antigone

Kaze no naka no mendori (1948), dir. Yasujiro Ozu

Dylan Thomas, “The Map of Love”

illustration by Andy Virgil

Tim Buckley, “Song of the Siren”

[authenticnewshindi]

Japan's first-ever hotel in a wooden castle breathes new life into fading rural town

Japan’s first-ever hotel in a wooden castle breathes new life into fading rural town

[ad_1]

(CNN) — A new Japanese hotel is offering travelers a first-of-its-kind experience — to live like a medieval lord in a real castle keep.

Ozu Castle in Ehime prefecture’s Ozu town is the first and only castle keep in Japan to allow travelers to stay overnight. With a history dating from 1617, it’s also one of only a handful of timber castles left in Japan.

But though transforming Ozu…

[livesunique]

Jizōgatake Castle, Ōzu, Ehime Prefecture, Japan,  

Photo: Shoko Takayasu© 2019

[redsamuraiii]

CDawgVA : I Rented Japan’s $20 Million Castle for a Day | Ft. ‪@AbroadinJapan‬

[itsmarjudgelove]

Warlord and Daimyo Wakisaka Yasuharu Died on This Day, September 26, 1626

Born in Omi, modern day Shiga Prefecture, Wakisaka Yasuharu is typical of the daimyo of the late Sengoku period having served under a number of lords, originally being in the service of Akechi Mitsuhide under Oda Nobunaga.

Upon the death of Nobunaga and the subsequent killing of his assassin, Mitsuhide, Yasuharu joined the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, achieving fame in becoming one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. As one of Hideyoshi’s most trusted generals, and as commander of Hideyoshi’s maritime forces, he was awarded the fief of Awaji Island in the Japan Inland Sea.

He participated in Hideyoshi’s campaign to quell Kyushu, the Siege of Odawara, and both invasions of Korea, during which he annihilated the Korean Navy under Won Gyun in July 1597.

Although initially expressing interest in being alongside Ieyasu in 1600, he and his 1,000 samurai sided with the West at the outset. Together with Kobayakawa Hideaki, Ogawa Suketada, Akaza Naoyasu, and Kutsuki Mototsuna, they would betray the west, and side with the Tokugawa. their actions would turn the tide of the great battle at the last minute.

For his actions at Sekigahara, Ieyasu awarded him Ozu Castle, a fief in Iyo Province (Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku) worth 50,000 koku, and from there to Iida in Shinano Province (Nagano Prefecture). He died aged 72 on September 26, 1626.

[urkuri]

Thanku for tagging me @alecscudderrr and @still-roaming-the-greenwood

1. Maurice 😔 hate to play the parrot friends but this is the ttruth.. this is the number 1 comfort film there is

2. Sense and sensibility

3. The man without a past (comfort isn’t probably the exact right word.. but its a must see masterpiece of finnish cinema!! its utterly sad and laconic in its romance and it warms my heart!)

4. Good morning by Ozu ! Tru comfort film this one

5. Python’s life of brian(childhood nostalgia!!)

6. Castle in the sky(childhood nostalgia!!)

7. Happy together(obviously!!)

These have stuck with me the most though i feel like i missed something essential ..hmhm i absolutely love qweer cinema

Dont mind me taggin you @mauricescudder @perfectvirtual @strangetownsayit @cianishere @evening-primroses @manufacturedheaven @red-roseleaflips

[oldmogg]

1861 Georges Méliès 1875 D.W. Griffith 1879 Victor Sjöström 1880 Tod Browning 1881 Cecil B. DeMille 1884 Robert Flaherty 1885 Allan Dwan / Sacha Guitry / G.W. Pabst / Erich von Stroheim 1886 Michael Curtiz / Henry King / John Cromwell 1887 Raoul Walsh 1888 F.W. Murnau 1889 Charles Chaplin / Jean Cocteau / Carl Theodor Dreyer / Victor Fleming / Abel Gance / James Whale 1890 Clarence Brown / Fritz Lang 1892 Ernst Lubitsch 1893 William Dieterle 1894 Frank Borzage / John Ford / Jean Renoir / King Vidor / Josef von Sternberg 1895 Buster Keaton 1896 Julien Duvivier / Howard Hawks / Leo McCarey / Dziga Vertov / William Wellman 1897 Frank Capra / Douglas Sirk 1898 René Clair / Sergei Eisenstein / Henry Hathaway / Mitchell Leisen / Kenji Mizoguchi / Preston Sturges 1899 George Cukor / Alfred Hitchcock 1900 Luis Buñuel / Mervyn LeRoy / Robert Siodmak 1901 Robert Bresson / Vittorio De Sica 1902 Emeric Pressburger / Max Ophüls / William Wyler 1903 Vincente Minnelli / Yasujiro Ozu 1904 Delmer Daves / Terence Fisher / George Stevens / Jacques Tourneur / Edgar G. Ulmer 1905 Mikio Naruse / Michael Powell / Otto Preminger / Jean Vigo 1906 Jacques Becker / Marcel Carné / John Huston / Anthony Mann / Carol Reed / Roberto Rossellini / Luchino Visconti / Billy Wilder 1907 Henri-Georges Clouzot / Joseph H. Lewis / Jacques Tati / Fred Zinnemann 1908 Tex Avery / Edward Dmytryk / Phil Karlson / David Lean / Manoel de Oliveira 1909 Elia Kazan / Joseph Losey / Joseph L. Mankiewicz 1910 John Sturges / Akira Kurosawa 1911 Jules Dassin / Nicholas Ray 1912 Michelangelo Antonioni / Samuel Fuller / Gene Kelly / Alexander Mackendrick / Don Siegel 1913 André de Toth / Mark Robson / Frank Tashlin 1914 Mario Bava / William Castle / Robert Wise 1915 Orson Welles 1916 Budd Boetticher / Richard Fleischer / George Sidney 1917 Maya Deren / Jean-Pierre Melville 1918 Robert Aldrich / Ingmar Bergman 1920 Federico Fellini / Eric Rohmer 1921 Luis García Berlanga / Miklós Jancsó / Chris Marker / Satyajit Ray 1922 Blake Edwards / Jonas Mekas / Pier Paolo Pasolini / Arthur Penn / Alain Resnais 1923 Ousmane Sembene / Seijun Suzuki 1924 Stanley Donen / Sidney Lumet 1925 Robert Altman / Claude Lanzmann / Sam Peckinpah / Maurice Pialat 1926 Roger Corman / Shohei Imamura / Jerry Lewis / Andrzej Wajda 1927 Kenneth Anger / Ken Russell 1928 Stanley Kubrick / Jacques Rivette / Nicolas Roeg / Agnès Varda / Andy Warhol 1929 Hal Ashby / John Cassavetes / Alejandro Jodorowsky / Sergio Leone 1930 Claude Chabrol / Clint Eastwood / John Frankenheimer / Kinji Fukasaku / Jean-Luc Godard / Frederick Wiseman 1931 Jacques Demy / Mike Nichols / Ermanno Olmi 1932 Milos Forman / Monte Hellman / Louis Malle / Nagisa Oshima / Carlos Saura / Andrei Tarkovsky / François Truffaut 1933 John Boorman / Stan Brakhage / Roman Polanski / Bob Rafelson / Jean-Marie Straub 1934 Sydney Pollack 1935 Woody Allen / Theo Angelopoulos 1936 Hollis Frampton / Danièle Huillet / Ken Loach 1937 Ridley Scott 1938 Paul Verhoeven 1939 Peter Bogdanovich / Francis Ford Coppola / William Friedkin / Glauber Rocha 1940 Dario Argento / Brian De Palma / Victor Erice / Terry Gilliam / Abbas Kiarostami / George A. Romero 1941 Bernardo Bertolucci / Stephen Frears / Patricio Guzmán / Krzysztof Kieslowski / Hayao Miyazaki / Raúl Ruiz / Bertrand Tavernier 1942 Peter Greenaway / Michael Haneke / Werner Herzog / Walter Hill / Martin Scorsese 1943 Roy Andersson / David Cronenberg / Mike Leigh / Terrence Malick / Michael Mann / Alan Rudolph 1944 Charles Burnett / Jonathan Demme / George Lucas / Peter Weir 1945 Terence Davies / Rainer Werner Fassbinder / George Miller / Wim Wenders 1946 Joe Dante / Claire Denis / David Lynch / Paul Schrader / Oliver Stone / John Woo 1947 Hou Hsiao-hsien / Takeshi Kitano / Rob Reiner / Steven Spielberg / Edward Yang 1948 John Carpenter / Philippe Garrel / Errol Morris 1949 Pedro Almodóvar 1950 Chantal Akerman / John Landis / John Sayles 1951 Kathryn Bigelow / Jean-Pierre Dardenne / Abel Ferrara / Aleksandr Sokurov / Robert Zemeckis / Zhang Yimou 1952 Jacques Audiard / Gus Van Sant 1953 Jim Jarmusch 1954 James Cameron / Jane Campion / Joel Coen / Luc Dardenne / Ang Lee / Michael Moore 1955 Olivier Assayas / Béla Tarr / Johnnie To 1956 Danny Boyle / Guy Maddin / Lars von Trier / Wong Kar-wai 1957 Ethan Coen / Aki Kaurismäki / Spike Lee / Mohsen Makhmalbaf / Tsai Ming-liang 1958 Tim Burton 1959 Nuri Bilge Ceylan / Pedro Costa / Sam Raimi 1960 Leos Carax / Atom Egoyan / Hong Sang-soo / Richard Linklater / Takashi Miike / Jafar Panahi 1961 Alfonso Cuarón / Todd Haynes / Peter Jackson / Alexander Payne / Abderrahmane Sissako / Michael Winterbottom 1962 David Fincher / Hirokazu Koreeda / Kenneth Lonergan 1963 Michel Gondry / Alejandro González Iñárritu / Park Chan-wook / Steven Soderbergh / Quentin Tarantino 1964 Guillermo del Toro / Kelly Reichardt / Andrey Zvyagintsev 1965 Jonathan Glazer 1966 Lucrecia Martel 1967 Denis Villeneuve 1969 Wes Anderson / Darren Aronofsky / Noah Baumbach / Bong Joon-ho / James Gray / Spike Jonze / Steve McQueen / Lynne Ramsay 1970 Paul Thomas Anderson / Jia Zhangke / Christopher Nolan / Apichatpong Weerasethakul 1971 Sofia Coppola / Carlos Reygadas Directors listed by key production country (Country of birth, if it differs, is listed in brackets) Argentina Lucrecia Martel Australia Jane Campion (New Zealand) / George Miller Austria Michael Haneke (Germany) Belgium Chantal Akerman / Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne Brazil Glauber Rocha Canada David Cronenberg / Atom Egoyan (Egypt) / Guy Maddin / Denis Villeneuve China Jia Zhangke / Zhang Yimou Denmark Carl Theodor Dreyer / Lars von Trier Finland Aki Kaurismäki France Olivier Assayas / Jacques Audiard / Jacques Becker / Robert Bresson / Leos Carax / Marcel Carné / Claude Chabrol / René Clair / Henri-Georges Clouzot / Jean Cocteau / Jacques Demy / Claire Denis / Julien Duvivier / Abel Gance / Philippe Garrel / Jean-Luc Godard / Sacha Guitry (Russia) / Patricio Guzmán (Chile) / Claude Lanzmann / Louis Malle / Chris Marker / Georges Méliès / Jean-Pierre Melville / Max Ophüls (Germany) / Maurice Pialat / Roman Polanski / Jean Renoir / Alain Resnais / Jacques Rivette / Eric Rohmer / Raúl Ruiz (Chile) / Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet / Jacques Tati / Bertrand Tavernier / François Truffaut / Agnès Varda (Belgium) / Jean Vigo Germany / West Germany Rainer Werner Fassbinder / Werner Herzog / F.W. Murnau / G.W. Pabst (Austria-Hungary) / Wim Wenders Greece Theo Angelopoulos Hong Kong Wong Kar-wai (China) / Johnnie To / John Woo (China) Hungary Miklós Jancsó / Béla Tarr India Satyajit Ray Iran Abbas Kiarostami / Mohsen Makhmalbaf / Jafar Panahi Italy Michelangelo Antonioni / Dario Argento / Mario Bava / Bernardo Bertolucci / Vittorio De Sica / Federico Fellini / Sergio Leone / Ermanno Olmi / Pier Paolo Pasolini / Roberto Rossellini / Luchino Visconti Japan Kinji Fukasaku / Shohei Imamura / Takeshi Kitano / Hirokazu Koreeda / Akira Kurosawa / Takashi Miike / Hayao Miyazaki / Kenji Mizoguchi / Mikio Naruse / Nagisa Oshima / Yasujiro Ozu / Seijun Suzuki Mauritania Abderrahmane Sissako Mexico Luis Buñuel (Spain) / Alejandro Jodorowsky (Chile) / Carlos Reygadas New Zealand Peter Jackson Poland Krzysztof Kieslowski / Andrzej Wajda Portugal Pedro Costa / Manoel de Oliveira Russia / USSR Sergei Eisenstein (Latvia) / Aleksandr Sokurov / Andrei Tarkovsky / Dziga Vertov (Poland) / Andrey Zvyagintsev Senegal Ousmane Sembene South Korea Bong Joon-ho / Hong Sang-soo / Park Chan-wook Spain Pedro Almodóvar / Victor Erice / Luis García Berlanga / Carlos Saura Sweden Roy Andersson / Ingmar Bergman / Victor Sjöström Taiwan Hou Hsiao-hsien (China) / Tsai Ming-liang (Malaysia) / Edward Yang (China) Thailand Apichatpong Weerasethakul Turkey Nuri Bilge Ceylan UK John Boorman / Danny Boyle / Terence Davies / Terence Fisher / Stephen Frears / Jonathan Glazer / Peter Greenaway / David Lean / Mike Leigh / Ken Loach / Joseph Losey (USA) / Alexander Mackendrick (USA) / Steve McQueen / Michael Powell / Michael Powell (UK) & Emeric Pressburger (Hungary) / Lynne Ramsay / Carol Reed / Nicolas Roeg / Ken Russell / Michael Winterbottom USA (A-B) Robert Aldrich / Woody Allen / Robert Altman / Paul Thomas Anderson / Wes Anderson / Kenneth Anger / Darren Aronofsky / Hal Ashby / Tex Avery / Noah Baumbach / Kathryn Bigelow / Budd Boetticher / Peter Bogdanovich / Frank Borzage / Stan Brakhage / Clarence Brown / Tod Browning / Charles Burnett / Tim Burton USA (C-D) James Cameron (Canada) / Frank Capra (Italy) / John Carpenter / John Cassavetes / William Castle / Charles Chaplin (UK) / Joel Coen & Ethan Coen / Francis Ford Coppola / Sofia Coppola / Roger Corman / John Cromwell / Alfonso Cuarón (Mexico) / George Cukor / Michael Curtiz (Hungary) / Joe Dante / Jules Dassin / Delmer Daves / Brian De Palma / André de Toth (Hungary) / Guillermo del Toro (Mexico) / Cecil B. DeMille / Jonathan Demme / Maya Deren (Ukraine) / William Dieterle (Germany) / Edward Dmytryk (Canada) / Stanley Donen / Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly / Allan Dwan (Canada) USA (E-G) Clint Eastwood / Blake Edwards / Abel Ferrara / David Fincher / Robert Flaherty / Richard Fleischer / Victor Fleming / John Ford / Milos Forman (Czechoslovakia) / Hollis Frampton / John Frankenheimer / William Friedkin / Samuel Fuller / Terry Gilliam / Michel Gondry (France) / Alejandro González Iñárritu (Mexico) / D.W. Griffith / James Gray USA (H-L) Henry Hathaway / Howard Hawks / Todd Haynes / Monte Hellman / Walter Hill / Alfred Hitchcock (UK) / John Huston / Jim Jarmusch / Spike Jonze / Phil Karlson / Elia Kazan (Turkey) / Buster Keaton / Henry King / Stanley Kubrick / John Landis / Fritz Lang (Austria) / Ang Lee (Taiwan) / Spike Lee / Mitchell Leisen / Mervyn LeRoy / Jerry Lewis / Joseph H. Lewis / Richard Linklater / Kenneth Lonergan / Ernst Lubitsch (Germany) / George Lucas / Sidney Lumet / David Lynch USA (M-R) Terrence Malick / Joseph L. Mankiewicz / Anthony Mann / Michael Mann / Leo McCarey / Jonas Mekas (Lithuania) / Vincente Minnelli / Michael Moore / Errol Morris / Mike Nichols (Germany) / Christopher Nolan (UK) / Alexander Payne / Sam Peckinpah / Arthur Penn / Sydney Pollack / Otto Preminger (Austria-Hungary) / Sam Raimi / Bob Rafelson / Nicholas Ray / Kelly Reichardt / Rob Reiner / Mark Robson (Canada) / George A. Romero / Alan Rudolph USA (S-U) John Sayles / Paul Schrader / Martin Scorsese / Ridley Scott (UK) / George Sidney / Don Siegel / Robert Siodmak (Germany) / Douglas Sirk (Germany) / Steven Soderbergh / Steven Spielberg / George Stevens / Oliver Stone / John Sturges / Preston Sturges / Quentin Tarantino / Frank Tashlin / Jacques Tourneur (France) / Edgar G. Ulmer (Austria-Hungary) USA (V-Z) Gus Van Sant / Paul Verhoeven (Netherlands) / King Vidor / Josef von Sternberg (Austria) / Erich von Stroheim (Austria) / Raoul Walsh / Andy Warhol / Peter Weir (Australia) / Orson Welles / William Wellman / James Whale (UK) / Billy Wilder (Austria-Hungary) / Robert Wise / Frederick Wiseman / William Wyler (Germany) / Robert Zemeckis / Fred Zinnemann (Austria-HungaryJonas Mekas)

[digi-bitgirl]

Miyazaki: The Art of Ma

A Video Essay about Hayao Miyazaki’s use of silence

https://vimeo.com/203971127

[nofacedpoet]

AWWT | Chapter 6: The Party

Eren dropped the last box of wine onto the piano. He hyperventilated as he leaned over. “Echo!” Jean said as he listened to his voice spread throughout the abandoned castle that was once the scouts HQ. 

“You’re so weird,” Ava gave him a peculiar expression. 

“You guys could’ve lent a hand,” Eren said. 

“I’m not assisting you with your stolen goods,” Armin crossed his arms. 

“And he wouldn’t let me help you with your stolen goods,” Valentine said as she pressed a key down on the piano. 

“I didn’t steal it! I borrowed it from the officers pantry,” Eren said. 

“How did you manage to get all of this?” Jean asked. 

“I picked the lock.” 

“Just like old times,” Valentine said. “Nice.” She grabbed a bottle of wine. 

“No. Not nice. There’s need for him to do this anymore. You’re just going to get yourself in trouble,” Armin gave him a worried expression. 

“Old times?” Jean asked. 

“Back in Ozu, the district we were forced to seek refuge in after the fall of Shiganshina, we never had much to eat. So when we found where they locked the food, I learned to pick the lock and steal,” Eren said proudly. 

“Ah, good times,” Valentine smiled. 

“Jeez. Then you guys must really think you’re living the high life now in the scout regiment, huh?” Jean smirked. 

“Shut up,” Ava lightly nudged him. 

“Ouch!” Jean shrieked dramatically. Ava rolled her eyes. 

“So how many people are coming to this party?” Valentine asked as she studied the label on the bottle. 

“Mmm couldn’t say,” Eren shrugged. 

“What?! You said you only invited the usuals from training,” Ava said. 

“Yeah. Reiner, Bertholdt, Sasha, Connie, Annie. And they invited their friends. And their friends invited their friends,” Eren said. They all sighed. “We have a lot to celebrate before going into our first expedition,” Eren put his arm around Armin. 

“Eren,” Armin grunted. 

“Ah, c’mon. You can tell them now!”

“Stop it,” Armin’s face turned pink. 

“What is it?” Ava asked. 

“Armin here got promoted,” Eren glanced at him with a cheesy smile. 

“What!” they all said with wide eyes. 

“To what?” Valentine asked. 

“Assistant to expedition strategic planning,” Armin said.

“Oh my gosh! Congratulations Armin!” Ava said as she clapped. 

“That’s a big deal! You should brag about that,” Valentine lightly shoved him. 

“That’s what I told him!” Eren said. 

“Don’t let it get to your head though,” Jean crossed his arms. 

“Now that we’re on the topic, there is something I need to mention to all of you,” Armin gulped. They all glanced at him and he leaned in closer. “What I’m about to say is strictly confidential information so it can’t leave from this group,” he said in almost a whisper as if someone was listening. 

“Uh. Are you sure you should be telling us then?” Eren asked. 

“I shouldn’t but…It’s better if you know before the expedition,” Armin held his hands tightly together. They glanced at one another. 

“Okay, what is it?” Jean asked. 

“I sat in on a meeting with Commander Erwin and a few others…Something strange is happening with the titans,” Armin said. 

“I don’t remember titans ever not being strange,” Jean said. 

“What do you mean?” Eren asked. 

“Well…this is going to sound weird but…” Armin sighed. “They think that the titans might be…evolving.” 

“Evolving?!” Ava shrieked. 

“Keep it down,” Armin glanced around paranoid. 

“How so?” Valentine asked. 

“They’re gaining an intelligence—” 

“Bull shit!” Jean said. “Cut it out, Armin,” he said with nervousness. 

“I’m being serious!” Armin looked around again. “On the last expedition, they came across a unique titan that they’ve placed in a new special class. It could—” Armin covered his mouth like he was about to vomit. 

“It could what, Armin?!” Jean asked impatiently. 

“Recognize human patterns and behavior…it was able to adapt to what it seen before…and kill around that knowledge,” Armin’s eyes filled with fear. 

“Be more specific!” Jean yelled. 

“I don’t know, that’s all they mentioned!” 

“Don’t yell at him! He’s giving us what he can!” Eren said. 

“Giving us a bunch of nothing!” Jean walked off. 

“I know this isn’t easy to hear but don’t take it out on Armin,” Valentine said. 

“Why the hell would they hide this from us?” Ava asked. 

“Probably because they didn’t want to scare off the new recruits. I assume they’ll have to mention it before we go out there though,” Armin said. 

“The expedition is in two days,” Eren said. “What if they decide not to bring it up?” They glanced at one another. “We have to warn the other new recruits! We can’t just let them go out there blindly!” Eren screamed angrily as he tightened his fists. 

“Eren, calm down,” Valentine held her hand to him. 

“You guys are freaking me out,” Ava said as she held her arms together. 

“That thing took out half the scout regiment. It killed Captain Levi’s entire squad,” Armin said. 

“His entire squad was erased by that one titan?” Ava asked. 

“Mhm,” Armin nodded with watery eyes. 

“I don’t want to die!” Jean screamed with his hands on his head. 

“None of us are going to die!” Valentine said. 

“How do you know that? How can you be so sure?!” Jean shrieked. 

“Because I’m not going to let that happen! I’d risk my own life to save yours!” Valentine said. They all glanced at her. “You’re my…my only fam—” there was a loud bang on the door and they all jumped. 

“Shit,” Eren said with his hand on his chest. “They must be arriving now,” he walked toward the door. 

Jean walked up to the piano and snatched a bottle of wine. “I’m getting the drunkest I’ve ever been tonight and no one is stopping me.” 

Ava glanced up at him with a sad expression. “Me too,” she said in a soft voice. 

“We minus well have one last night where we live a normal life before…there’s no turning back after that expedition,” Jean said in a serious tone. 

Ava walked up and hugged him. “Let’s just enjoy this night,” she laid her head on him. 

“Yeah,” he said. Scouts started to pour into the castle and Eren made his way back over. 

“Oh, there’s one last thing I should probably mention to you, Valentine,” Armin said. She glanced at him. “I just think that you should be aware of this but…Captain Levi has requested a release of background information on you.” 

“What?!” Valentine screamed. “That son of a bitch!” She slammed her fist into the piano and it hit a few keys. 

Armin’s eyes widened as he lifted his hands toward her. “Please! You can’t let him know that I told you!” 

“The only reason he’d be doing this is to find any dirt on me and use it as blackmail. Little shit has a grudge out for me. Probably because what happened in Shiganshina,” Valentine clenched her jaw. 

“I don’t think it’s like that at all,” Armin slowly lowered his hands. “The guy just genuinely seems interested in you. He probably just wants to know where your strength comes from.” 

“I think he just has a crush on you,” Eren said as he grabbed a bottle from Ava and took a large gulp. 

“He’s definitely infatuated,” Jean added as he sipped on his bottle of wine. 

“That’s actually so romantic,” Ava said with her hands on her heart. 

Jean glanced at her with a peculiar expression. “Your perspective on romance is a little screwy in the head.”

“I have to get my hands on that file before he does,” Valentine angrily snatched a bottle of wine off the piano. 

“He requested it today so they’ll probably deliver it to his office by tomorrow,” Armin said. 

“Eren, do you think you can help me break into his office?” Valentine asked. 

“Woah, woah, woah!” Armin said with his hands up. “You guys can’t actually do that.” 

“Yeah it shouldn’t be a problem,” Eren said. 

“Eren!” Armin said. Armin glanced at Ava for backup. 

“We both know we can’t stop either of them from doing what they want,” Ava shrugged as she gulped down some wine. Armin glanced at Jean who was on his second bottle. 

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me. I don’t care,” Jean said. 

“Agh,” Armin grunted. “Give me that,” he snatched Jean’s bottle. 

“Hey losers,” Reiner said as he approached them. 

“Last time I checked, we were the top five and you were the loser,” Jean said. 

“Yeah-yeah,” Reiner punched him in the arm. Jean’s eyes widened as he grunted. Reiner put his arm over Valentine’s shoulder. “Man, I’ve missed you,” he sniffed her. “And you smell so good. What are you wearing?” 

“I showered. You should try it sometime,” she said. 

“Still a grumpy little shit, I see,” Reiner smiled. 

“You still smell like ass, I see,” Valentine smiled sarcastically. 

“You’ll have to move on from her, she’s taken,” Jean said. 

“By who?” Reiner asked. 

“Captain Levi,” Ava smirked. 

“What? That little shrimp over me?” Reiner asked. 

“He showers,” Valentine shrugged. 

“You owe me fifty,” Bertholdt said as he walked up. 

“What?!” Valentine said as her cheeks went pink. “You bet money on me and the Captain?!” 

“C’mon seriously? You guys are two peas in a pod,” Annie said. “You also owe me,” she glanced at Reiner. 

“Wait, you guys are dating?!” Sasha screamed. 

“Who’s dating?!” Connie asked. 

“No one is dating!” Valentine yelled. 

“Yet,” Ava winked. 

“Shut up!” Valentine said. 

“I heard you’re second to Captain Levi,” Reiner said as he winked at Valentine. “Must be why he can’t help himself,” he leaned in to sniff her again. 

“Ugh,” Valentine pushed his face away. 

“Congrats on the new promotion. Both you and Armin,” Bertholdt smiled. Armin glared at Eren. 

“News travels fast,” Eren shrugged. 

“Look,” Ava pointed. “Sara came.” Jean quickly glanced up. 

“You mean the giant giraffe blonde?” Reiner asked. 

“Hey, you just back off!” Jean said. 

“Damn. The ass on that one,” Reiner said. 

“You’re so gross it’s no wonder you’ll never have a girlfriend,” Valentine rolled her eyes. 

“Just ask her out already,” Eren said as he took a big gulp. 

“You don’t get it,” Jean said. “She’s from my hometown. We basically grew up together. I can’t just walk up and ask her out.” 

“Oh yeah, that is weird,” Ava said. Armin glanced at her. 

“Hey! Sara!” Reiner yelled as he waved. 

“Reiner, what the hell!” Jean ducked down.

“What? Just talk to her,” Reiner smirked. “Hey come here!” he yelled. 

Valentine covered her face. “I forgot how embarrassing you were Reiner.” 

“We have to deal with this all day,” Annie placed her hand on her waist and glared at him. 

“She’s coming over,” Reiner said. 

“Is she really?” Jean tried to hide in the center of the group. 

“Stop being so weird,” Eren shoved him away. 

“Is he normally like this?” Connie asked. 

“Hey,” Sara approached the group. 

“Oh! Hey there Sara, didn’t see ya,” Jean scratched his head and his face turned bright red. Valentine and Ava glanced at one another and started giggling. 

“Here,” Eren handed Sara a bottle of wine. “You two should catch up,” he shoved both of them away. 

“Oh, okay—” Sara said. 

“Have fun,” Eren waved at them like a proud father. 

“I’m surprised you helped him out. I thought you guys hated each other,” Connie said. 

“We do.” 

“You guys want to play a drinking game? See who can get hammered the most?” Reiner asked. 

“We both know I’d smoke you,” Bertholdt said. 

“Prove it then.”

“So what do we play?” Armin asked. 

“How about truth or drink?” Sasha asked. 

“I’d like that,” Connie nodded. 

“Sure,” Ava said. 

“Okay let’s play,” Reiner grabbed a bottle. 

“Alright then, Connie,” Reiner began. 

“Huh? Why do I have to go first?” Connie asked. 

“Do you have a crush on Sasha?”

“Ew, what the hell,” Connie said. 

“Yuck!” Sasha made a gross expression. 

“Dude no. She’s like my sister!” Connie said. Everyone laughed. “Okay. Armin, truth or drink…Do you have a crush on anyone in this castle right now?” Connie asked as he raised his brows. 

“Oooh that’s a good one!” Sasha grinned. 

“Armin having a crush? Please,” Annie said. Armin took a huge gulp from his wine. 

“He drank!” Bertholdt pointed. 

“What?” Eren glanced at him. “How could I have not known?” He sounded heart-broken at the secret. Armin shrugged. 

“Hmm. I wonder,” Sasha glanced around. 

“Must be someone special if they got Armin’s attention,” Annie said. 

“Ava, truth or drink…Do you have a crush on anyone in this group?” Armin asked. Ava gasped as she jerked her head up. 

“Oh shit,” Sasha said. 

“Hit a soft spot,” Connie said. 

“What-no! I mean—” Ava struggled to speak. Reiner bursted out laughing. 

“I didn’t even know that,” Valentine said. “Not for sure, anyway.”

“What do you mean for sure?!” Ava asked as her face went red. 

“Who is it?” Bertholdt asked. 

“What! I’m not going to say!” Ava said. 

“Ha, so she does have a crush on someone here!” Sasha said. Armin and Eren glanced at one another. 

“Agh, screw you guys!” Ava chugged her wine. They all laughed. “Okay, Valentine! Truth or drink…Do you have even a little ounce of a crush on the Captain?” Ava asked. 

“I thought they were already dating,” Sasha said. 

“They are,” Connie said. 

“We’re not!” Valentine said. “And you know what. Just to keep all of you weirdos guessing—” she took a big gulp of her wine. 

“You totally do!” Ava said. 

“You’ll never know,” Valentine shrugged as she wiped her mouth. 

“Bertholdt, truth or drink…Do you like Annie?” Valentine asked. 

His eyes widened. Reiner and Eren bursted out laughing. 

“Damn. Just straight to the point,” Connie said. 

“I-uh—” Bertholdt said as he glanced at Annie. 

“Your answer better be no!” Annie said. 

“I—” Bertholdt blushed. Reiner pointed and laughed even harder. 

“Cut it out,” Bertholdt said. He lifted his bottle and took a few gulps. 

“Ohh!” Everyone said. Annie’s cheeks blushed. She crossed her arms and looked away. 

“Reiner. Truth or drink…Do you actually think you could win in a fight against Valentine?” Bertholdt asked. 

“Pfft,” Valentine rolled her eyes. 

“Of course I would win!” Reiner said. 

“Oh shit,” Eren glanced at Valentine. 

“Shouldn’t have said that,” Ava mumbled. 

“Want to put it to a test?” Valentine glared. 

“Fight! Fight!” Sasha and Connie screamed. 

Reiner smirked at Valentine. “I’ll try to take it easy on—” 

Valentine round house kicked him and he went flying and broke into a wall. “Yay!” Sasha cheered. 

“Oh shit,” Connie stepped back. 

“Told him he shouldn’t have said that,” Ava said. 

“Deserved!” Annie said. 

“Expected,” Eren said. 

“It was kind of hot,” Reiner grunted as he tried to get up. Valentine rolled her eyes. He limped his way back and they laughed. “I let her do that,” he said. 

“Yeah, sure,” Valentine rolled her eyes. 

“Alright. Annie, truth or—” 

“I’m not playing” Annie said. 

“Ah c’mon, don’t be scared,” Reiner said. 

“No,” Annie took a sip. 

“Okay then. Eren,” Reiner said. Eren glanced up. “Truth or drink…Do you really think you’re the second strongest after Valentine?” 

“What kind of question is that!?” Eren asked. 

“You got him started,” Armin rolled his eyes. 

“I graduated second in our class! Who else would be the second strongest?” Eren asked. 

“Me,” a voice said from behind him. Eren turned around to see Jean glaring at him. 

“You cannot be serious!” Eren said. 

“I am serious! You want to go?!” Jean yelled. 

“Oh this is going to be good,” Reiner smirked. 

“Will it?” Bertholdt asked. Armin moved out of the way. 

“I guess you leave me no choice!” Eren said. 

“My money is on Eren,” Annie said. 

“Mines on Jean,” Reiner pointed to him. 

“Eren for me,” Sasha said. 

“Definitely Jean,” Connie said. 

“Eren,” Ava said as she glanced at Valentine. “Who do you think?”

“Uh,” Valentine hesitated. 

“You better say me! We’re childhood friends!” Eren screamed. 

“I was going to!” Valentine yelled angrily. 

Eren turned his attention to Jean. “There’s only one way to do this.”

“Oh, I know. Bring it!” Jean slammed his elbow down on the piano. 

“You bring it!” Eren slammed his elbow down across from Jean’s. They grabbed hands. 

“Uh,” Annie looked confused. “What the hell are they doing?”

“Arm wrestle,” Ava shook her head. 

“What?!” Reiner laughed. 

“Go!” Eren screamed. Both of their arms trembled as they attempted to push the other down. 

“Go, Eren, go!” Ava cheered. 

“You got this, Jean!” Sasha said. 

“I thought you were team Eren?” Connie asked. 

“Oh-uh-I mean Eren!” Sasha said. 

“Or am I team Eren?” Connie asked. Jean’s hand slightly dropped. 

“It’s going to be Eren!” Bertholdt yelled. 

“No way!” Reiner said. “Jean, there’s money on the line! Get it together!” 

“What do you think I’m trying to do here idiot?!” Jean yelled as he pushed Eren’s hand downwards. 

“Oh! Oh!” Sasha yelled as she and Connie banged on the piano. 

“Fuck no!” Eren screamed as he pushed back and Jean’s hand began to fall. “Ha!” 

“We’re going to be here all day,” Armin mumbled. 

“No, you just wait!” Eren said. 

After twenty minutes, they were still going and the group was already more drunk as they gargled down more bottles. Most of them even forgot about the match and were playing truth or drink or dare a few feet away. “Forget it! Both of you are strong okay? Just drop it already,” Reiner sighed. 

“No way!” Eren said. 

“Just quit already!” Jean said. 

“No, you quit!” 

“Ugh someone just drop already,” Sasha slurred. 

“No!” Jean and Eren said at the same time. 

“Okay last one,” Connie said. “Truth or drink or dare, Valentine?” 

“Dare-dare!” Valentine slurred as she waved her bottle around. 

“I dare you to ask the most special person in this castle to dance,” Connie smirked. 

“Hmm,” Valentine said. 

“You’ve never danced with anyone before,” Ava said. “This will be your first.” 

“It has to be someone really special then,” Connie said. 

“I know exactly who,” Valentine said. “Armeen!” she pointed right at Armin’s nose. Ava and Connie glanced at one another in shock. 

“What?” Armin asked. 

“I choose you!” Valentine said with a big smile. 

“Are-are you sure you want to waste your first dance with me?” he asked with a worried expression. 

“I think you meant to choose me,” Reiner said. 

“No, I definitely meant to choose Arlert!” Valentine said. 

Armin laughed nervously. “You’re just drunk,” his cheeks blushed. She shoved her bottle into his mouth and some of the alcohol spilt alongside his mouth. 

“I choose you because you’re golden, Armin,” Valentine slurred. 

Armin dropped the bottle from his mouth and gulped. “Hm?” 

“It means you’re a special and rare thing. Of course I would want to have a bookmark moment like a first dance with you!” she said. Armin glanced at her with wide eyes. 

“Hmph,” Reiner crossed his arms. 

“Golden-boy!” She smiled as she dug her finger into his cheek. “Let’s go!” she dragged him into the crowd. 

“I don’t even really know how to-ya-know,” Armin said nervously. 

“I don’t either.”

Armin smiled. “So what do we do then?” he asked. 

“Whatever we want, I guess,” Valentine placed both of her hands in his. His hands were so sweaty from nerves. He glanced up at her embarrassed but she didn’t care. “Just don’t let go,” she said. 

“I won’t,” he squeezed her hands. They began to spin in a circle as they laughed. 

“Should we go faster?” Valentine yelled. 

“Let’s do it!” Armin said. They spun faster and faster until they couldn’t see anyone else around them. “I’m going to be sick!” Armin laughed. 

“Me too!” Valentine said. 

“Hey!” They heard Eren say. “I want in!” 

“Hmm, should we let him in our secret force field?” Valentine slurred. 

Armin laughed. “I don’t think we should.” 

“Guys. C’mon,” Eren whined. 

“Alright. Fine,” Armin said. They slowed down until they came to a stop. They stumbled side to side with dizziness. 

“Don’t let me catch you guys having fun without me again,” Eren slurred as he broke their hands away and put his arm around Armin. Armin’s face blushed. 

“The jealous type,” Valentine said. 

“Yeah. maybe I am,” Eren slurred with red cheeks. 

“Dangerous,” Valentine said. Armin laughed nervously. 

“I want to experience the force field,” Ava slurred as she leaned her head on Valentine’s shoulder. 

“Make some room,” Reiner said as he and the others made their way over. They formed a huge circle by combining hands and began to sway back and forth. 

“No, idiot, we’re going that way!” Jean said. 

“No, we’re going the other way!” Connie said. 

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Armin yelled. 

“Okay, guys. This way!” Sasha said as she nodded her head. 

“Okay, okay!” Connie said. They all began to move in the same direction. They picked up momentum and were eventually spinning in a large circle as they pulled each other around. They laughed as they went faster and faster. Valentine smiled as she closed her eyes and just enjoyed this moment. For a moment, titans didn’t exist. And for a moment, they were just happy.

Valentine opened her eyes and noticed Ava upside down with her hands over her head. “Oh no!” Ava said. “The door. It’s gone!”

“Why are you upside down?” Valentine slurred as she reached her hand for Ava. 

Reiner walked up and grabbed Ava’s head. He turned it the other direction. “That’s the door.”

“Oh!” Ava smiled. “I thought we were stuck here forever.” 

“What do you think I should do?” Jean asked. 

“Huh?” Valentine glanced up and noticed Jean sitting next to her. He held his hands over his head. She was laying upside down on the staircase. “What the hell. What are you talking about? And how did we get here?” Valentine slurred as she tried to sit up. 

“You weren’t listening?!” Jean asked. 

“Sorry,” she sat up next to him. 

“I just confessed my feelings for Sara. I’ve liked her for awhile but I’ve just never told her.” 

“What?!” Valentine slurred. 

“Again?”

“No-no. I just mean that’s crazy.”

“What do I do?”

“Uh,” Valentine tried to concentrate. 

“I trust your judgement more than anyone else.”

“Really? Why?” Valentine asked as if she was insulted by his compliment. 

Jean sighed. “Well…you’re like…” his face blushed. “You’re kind of smart, in some ways, not all! And you’re like…ya know…kind of like…a sis…sist—” 

Valentine put her hand over his mouth. “Don’t get all sappy and shit.” 

“Huh?!” Jean yanked her hand off. “I’m not, weirdo!” he crossed his arms. 

“Well if you must have some of my great wisdom,” Valentine placed her her finger tips on her head. 

“Don’t let it get to your head.” 

“Just tell her how you feel.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah. We’re scouts. So that means we already have a shortened life more than anyone else. Minus well just tell her,” Valentine burped. Jean smiled from the corner of his mouth. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Valentine struggled to stand. “I’m going to go vomit.” 

“Blah,” Jean said. She wobbled down the stairs as she clung to the rail. 

“Where’s the door!?” Valentine screamed. 

“I’ve been looking for it too!” Ava said. 

“That way, weirdos,” Reiner said as he pointed. 

Ava helped Valentine out to the side of the building. She held Valentine’s hair back as she projectile vomited. “You’re going to feel a lot better after it gets out. Don’t worry,” Ava patted Valentine’s head. Valentine grunted. Eren and Armin made their way over to them. 

“Hey guys—” Armin stopped himself as he stared down at Valentin’s puke. “Oh no. I think I’m going to—” he bent over and vomited. Valentine let out a laugh as she vomited again. 

“It’s alright buddyyy, let it outtt,” Eren slurred as he rubbed Armin’s back. 

“Shit. We stayed out all night!” Jean walked up and glanced at the dark blue sky. “Sunrise will be soon. We should sneak back into the dorms hall while we can.”

“Look at these losers. Can’t hold their alcohol for shit,” Reiner laughed from a few feet away. 

“Probably because they’re not alcoholics like you,” Bertholdt said. 

“Huh?!” Reiner said. Valentine stood up and wiped her mouth. 

“Let’s go,” Armin moaned as he held his stomach. 

“See ya later, weirdos,” Jean waved to the others. 

“Try not to die as the new special-ops!” Reiner yelled back. Jean flipped him off. “You too!” Reiner said. 

After what felt like miles of walking and multiple vomit stops, they finally made it to the entrance door of the dorms hall. “Don’t m-make a peep okayyy?” Ava slurred. Valentine had to close her eyes because Ava’s wavy face was making her more dizzy. She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. 

“Okay, let’s g-go guys!” Eren slurred as he banged the door wide open. 

“Shhh!” Armin said as he put his hand over Eren’s face. 

“Sorry!” Eren whispered loudly. 

They trudged their way in sloppily as they leaned on one another. Ava gasped and they all glanced at her. “I hear foot prints!” she whispered. 

“You mean foot steps?” Jean asked. 

“Shh!” Armin said. The steps were moving closer. 

“Quick, scatter!” Eren said and they took off in different directions. 

“What?” Valentine watched them disappear. She turned around to walk down the long hall. She glanced up and noticed someone turn the corner ahead and begin to walk in her direction. Uh-oh, she thought. She tried to walk as straight as possible. Don’t make eye contact, she stared at the ground. The steps got closer and closer until they finally came to a stop. “Huh?” she glanced up. 

Levi stood directly across from her. She hesitated to move or speak as she stared back at him. 

“What are you doing up so late?” he asked. 

“Uh,” she hesitated. 

“And why are you on the mens side of the dorms?” She looked behind her and all around. He gave her a peculiar expression. She squinted as she tried to concentrate. It seemed like his body swayed side to side and she slowly began to sway. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked. 

“Hm?” she let out a giant burp. He took a step closer and studied her. “Stop that,” she waved her hand towards him. 

“Tsk. You’re drunk.”

“What-no—”

“You reek of alcohol and you weren’t even walking straight. That and the spilled wine down your neck gave it away.” She gasped as she felt her sticky neck. “Tch. Just can’t stay out of trouble.” 

She looked to the side embarrassed. He untied his cravat and extended it to her. She glanced down at it with confusion. “Uh-it’s going to get stained,” she slurred as she glanced up at him. 

“No shit,” he said. She slowly reached for it and took it from his hand. “Get to bed. That’s an order,” he walked passed her. 

“When I first met you,” she said softly. Levi paused in his step as his back still faced her. “I didn’t think you were real to be honest,” she smiled as she glanced down at his cravat. “I thought, how could someone like that…really exist in a world like this?” She gently stroked her fingers across the cravat. “It was such an electrifying breath of fresh air that took me out of the reality of this beaten and ruined world…Then just like that,” the smile faded from her face. “It vanished and you blended in with the background noise…and I was quickly reminded…well, you really are just like everyone else. Just some arrogant cold asshole.” She squeezed the cravat in her hand. “And I won’t let you kill us like your last squad.” There was a long silence as she stared down at the cravat. She turned around and glanced down the long hallway. Levi was gone.