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freevoidman · 6 months

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The Pros and Cons of Silent Hill: Ascension

Hey there! Are you planning on sitting through Silent Hill Ascension, either because you're excited, want to build up hype/support for further Silent Hill projects, or maybe you're curious about what new shit show Konami's cooked up? Well, I've sat through the first two days, and let this post be a quick run-through on the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly about Silent Hill: Ascension!

Pros:

There's honestly very little, but I'll run through them nonetheless.

Voice Acting is, right now, okay. Some actors are clearly better than others. I have to give special shout-outs to Rachel Hernandez and Xavier Candless. They're both doing really well with their characters so far and I'm excited to hear how they'll act in more emotive scenes. Of course, we're only two days in so we'll see how that changes.

Silent Hill Ascension features minigames which average around "okay." I'll talk about it more in the 'Bad' section, but the good ones are fun little brain teasers that I find satisfying enough to solve. This is not across the board, but it's enough of a positive that I felt it okay to list.

The site is functional enough that the catch-up videos seemed to work without any hiccups (edit: so long as there isn't a livestream occurring at the same time. If you want to play catch-up 30 minutes before the new stuff is released, odds are the livestream will cut in and mess up your video). Plus, the grace period for decision making is very generous so far, ranging from a full 24 hours to multiple days, so they do give you enough time if you can't watch live.

Credit where credit is due: the monster/creature designs are genuinely well-made. You can clearly see where the budget went, and it was towards making these things look cool and be animated well enough to translate that creepy factor. While nothing is abundantly original right now (we've yet to see the flaming box head guy) I won't short-change the monster designers and animators here, they put effort into this.

There was a bit of misinformation spread around that you'd have to pay to participate. Thankfully, that's not true, you can "play" Ascension without paying a cent and I, personally, wouldn't call this a "pay-to-win" type of game with its set-up. In other words: DO NOT PAY, it's absolutely not worth it here.

Bad:

Animation quality shifts from middling to horrible. The main criticism I have for this "experimental idea" is that everything Ascension tries, the 2000s nailed long before. If you've ever seen one of those 3D straight-to-TV movies that airs on cartoon networks during the holidays, congrats, their animation is likely better and has more charm than Ascension. Characters in Ascension move stiffly, either emote too much or not enough, and lip syncing seems off no matter which language you pick. Animation in SH1 is easily better than this, so don't expect a visual spectacle.

As an addendum to this: Ascension is dark--no, not the content, it is literally hard to see. Going into a Silent Hill-adjacent media, you expect visibility to be impacted by fog. Ascension, on the other hand, skips the fog entirely and just makes everything dark. It is incredibly difficult to see anything that's happening (this includes QTEs which, hoo boy! look at the next segment for that). I don't want to be cynical, but I truly do believe that part of the reason why is to cover up the stiff animation. Until Dawn and other Dark Anthology games had some moments of animation weirdness, but Silent Hill Ascension is easily worse than that on a pure technical level.

App and website responsivity is baaad. Minigames are designed for both platforms with zero differences, but this means some minigames are better on desktop than on mobile and vice versa. Two minigames stand out as particularly mixed/bad: a find-the-object game and a guitar minigame. The find-the-object game was better on desktop because your hovering cursor could find clickable areas more easily than on mobile. The guitar minigame was just bad--it wasn't a rhythm game, it was a game where you had to click finger positions for chords on the guitar strings and, my god, it played horribly no matter which platform I picked (though mobile was noticeably worse) and actually hurt my ears.

As an addendum to that, the live QTE events (yes that's a thing) ALSO suffer from this lack of responsivity, with more destructive results. Live participants were abruptly thrust into QTEs with no warning, no tutorials, and no preparation. There were 4 types of QTEs: a quick button press, a hold-release button, a rapid-tap, and a quick swipe. Of these, only the hold-release and rapid-tap worked regularly. The quick press barely responded, and the swipe indicator is practically hidden due to it being borderline invisible.* While you can try the minigames over and over as much as you want, the QTEs are limited to the live showings and cannot be "replayed." In addition, they have been heavily implied to be a major determining factor as to whether or not characters survive, so if every character's fate is based on successful QTEs, every character is going to die in this show, no matter what you do. This is why I said it's not pay-to-win, you can't pay your way through live QTEs, and this set-up feeds into the unsatisfactory system the entire "game" perpetuates. Even if YOU do well, decisions are based on the community, so if they fail, tough nugs.

The story isn't shaping up to be anything remarkable. There's no major hook in the opening scene and even less of a hook for the three scenes that followed. I'm not intrigued by the "horror" being shown, the way this is being shot and told is more confusing than anything else and, while there are some 'good' actors in this, a majority of them are bad and lack any hutzpah to sell the continued experience. I'm going to hold out for the end of the week, when the first "episode" is done airing, but if nothing hooks me I'm not going to continue.

Ugly:

The "Battlepass." Oh dear god the Battlepass. By paying $20, you can get more "influence points," which you can use to determine actions in this game. You also get exclusive little emote stickers for the live chat (oof) that are, at best, a cringey nightmare and, at worst, absolutely stupid and useless. You also get accessories for your avatar (did I mention there's an avatar? it's so pointless I don't even know WHERE to put that tidbit). Why is this even here? You already have freemium options where you can buy influence points, what does a battlepass add?

The "live chat" just shouldn't be there. I'm sorry, it shouldn't. You can already see the community casting votes and helping with QTEs, having a live chat that is barely moderated with hundreds of thousands of people signing on at 9 to watch the stupidity unfold is a bad idea. It also contributes to the stupidity of the Battlepass system--I don't want emotes, I don't want a 3D avatar that can appear in the show if I give enough points--so nix the whole thing. EDIT 11/1/2023: I kinda got my wish! After the amazing lack of moderation on launch, they've either temporarily OR permanently disabled the live chat! Unfortunately, the video's dimensions to compensate FOR live chat have not been altered, so there's a big gap of black negative space where it should be. People can only reply with the dumb stickers the devs have shoved into this, BUT if you have the battlepass, you can apparently type messages! Ironically, this retroactively gives the battle pass an actual fucking purpose since it gives you a privilege, and the stickers serve a purpose since they're the only way for non-battlepassers to communicate in live chat. Fucking brilliant, they've stumbled backwards into an unintentional solution. EDIT 11/4/2023: Genvid's CEO, Jacob Navok, has made various claims on twitter that of course they tested they tested their AI moderation for basic slurs, it's just that the system got overwhelmed by day 1 traffic. Well, I absolutely DON'T believe that (the testing, not the overwhelmed thing, connection and stability were terrible day 1) seeing as people are getting around not being able to TYPE swearing and horrific racial slurs into chat by simply making their usernames swears and slurs without any letter substitution (a la leetspeak). Here is a link to a video of someone who was streaming Ascension and had the chat open, only to see have someone with the user name "Fuck_[n-word]s" in chat (I'm not typing the actual slur fuck that). When he goes to try and flag the user, he is given no ability to report the username. So, yeah, even if you see some incredibly racist/bigoted shit, you can't flag the user and report them to, y'know, assist with the absolutely real robot-powered moderation that totally exists! If there was the most BASIC moderation in the world to catch english swears and slurs, that username would not have been permitted under any circumstances, so I fully do not believe this fucker.

The decisions themselves shouldn't have labels. What I mean by that is that, so far, every option has three possible options. These options are labelled under three categories: redemption, suffering, and damnation. In other words, the watcher can literally see the paths leading towards the "good, neutral, and bad" endings for Ascension. This shouldn't be a thing, period, because it immediately introduces biases into your choices. Every option so far has been massively skewed towards the "redemption" path because people aren't blind, they can see the "good" ending on the horizon, and they want to go for it. The worst part is, the options on their on aren't explicitly good or bad, so if they got rid of that labeling it'd still work. idk, it just feels stupid. (NOTE: day 2 introduced ONE choice that doesn't have this same labeling system. No clue if that's a bug or if there are going to be decisions that don't have a label. Even then, it seems like a small decision in the overall scheme of things, so... :shrug:)

Yes, the decisions are permanent, thus denying you the ability to see 2/3s of whatever Genvids has worked on. I just think that's dumb and, though many in the community have criticized this already, it feels even dumber when watching the show play out live. There's no way that the money Ascension could possibly make would subsidize the effort put into this if you're effectively nixing 2/3s of anything you can see (and it does seem like major alterations to the characters and their routes so far, nothing minor, so... yeah, you're missing out on a LOT). This also means that because of the audience effectively being enticed to pick the clearly labelled "good path," if you put any effort into a different choice, odds are you wasted your time with minigames for the day. This means Ascension is set up to be as unsatisfying as possible for individuals, and only satiates half of the community engaging with it. There is no way this is going to last the entire scheduled 6 months this is intended to run for if this is the system they're operating under.

In conclusion: give this one a pass. If you're really curious, you can watch now and get a good idea of its future quality. This isn't remarkable at all and looks more like a time sink than anything "fun."

I still don't understand why this isn't a video game, other than Konami hoping some suckers will pay for the influence packs and get them more money than a $60 one-time-purchase. Quantic Dreams and Supermassive "Dark Anthology" games are really fun and well-liked because of the CYA angle they take. This could've made a decent amount of money if it were just, y'know, a normal game.

*MINOR EDIT: tested the QTEs on desktop instead of mobile and they were better overall: prompts respond easily to mouse clicks and aren't nearly as invisible on my phone screen compared to my desktop. If you are REALLY interested in trying it live and getting a feel of the "authentic, live experience", I'd recommend accessing the site on desktop over downloading a mobile app.

EDIT 11/2/2023

Yeah I know I keep editing this honestly BUT I do have a big-ass critique I just noticed relating, again, to the minigames.

Here is a screenshot of the rewards you can receive for your performance with the minigames. You are rated on a scale of 1-3 stars, with a failure being 0 stars. In return for your performance, you gain "Interactive Points" and EXP. Tell me, after looking at this screenshot, what the problem with these rewards might be:

Do you see it? Well, if you don't, let me point it out to you.

THE AMOUNT OF INTERACTIVE POINTS YOU RECEIVE, THE CURRENCY YOU USE TO ACTUALLY MAKE DECISIONS AND PROPERLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE STORY, GOES DOWN IF YOU DO WELL AT THE MINIGAMES. THE GAME ACTIVELY PUNISHES YOU FOR PLAYING WELL.***

100 interactive points, by the way, is not enough to vote on a decision! You need 200 minimum. You also cannot repeatedly play the minigames to farm IP or EXP so, once you get two stars, you can't get the rewards for three or vice versa. And remember, if you're not a battlepasser, you only get two of these minigames per day.

Why on earth is it scaled this way? The difference between two stars and three stars is the exact same, why does it not increase when you do the minigames well? 100 for one star, 200 for two, 300 for three, it's so god damn easy AND you can still keep the scummy interactive point packages they sell!

But, I here you asking, what does the EXP do? Well, ignoring that a 10 EXP difference is exceeding minimal, EXP gives you... nothing!

Yeah, not even kidding with this one. There does seem to be a leveling system attached to your profile, but I cannot see a single thing connecting it to rewards (which are across the board useless), giving you a power boost with your voting, or just giving you perks. As far as I'm aware, EXP doesn't grant you a god damn thing, and that's the only increased reward from doing well.

***CORRECTION (because nothing in my life can ever be simple): the minigames DO reward you better than the screenshot above. Just did today's minigames and I got 330 IP from a 2 star ranking. However, if that's the case, I GENUINELY do not understand why this is labelled incorrectly? This doesn't even add up correctly (the 1 star + 2 star ranking should equal 300, NOT 330).

So, at best, the site is poor at labelling things (which wouldn't surprise me, the UI is a mess most days on this) OR my view of the site/rewards are bugged! Who fuckin' knows at this point. Sorry for the long rant y'all but honestly? Considering I only noticed the labelling earlier today and couldn't test this until the reset happened, I could only go off the labelled point system above.

I WILL say that tonight was the first night the community succeeded at the endurance scenes! I'd be happier about that if the game itself gave a shit, because apparently, what we do does not matter (as this game seems rapt with telling us)

Yes folks, despite the community succeeding two (2!) of these long ass, repetitive QTE events, for some fucking reason, Karl's hope went down further! This is, again, despite the fact that the community AT LARGE succeeded for the first time since the premiere date, but we still lost! Fucking how.

#silent hill #silent hill ascension #went in with low expectations #ended up tripping over the bar on the floor #edited as of 11/2/2023 to include more stuff #because man they are continuing to absolutely fail at this

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anhed-nia · 2 years

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BLOGTOBER 10/8/2022: HELLRAISER (2022)

I think this movie is shining a light on the difference between how horror fans judge modern movies versus older ones, and perhaps especially versus the films of their childhood. I feel like I'm seeing a lot of responses from viewers who were immediately hung up on the glibly-deployed elements of addiction and recovery in HELLRAISER 2022, and so found themselves unable to engage with anything else in the movie. Personally…I just didn't take it so personally, and it occurred to me that I've never heard anyone complain about the ludicrous portrayal of mental illness and autism in HELLRAISER II, or the specter of incest that haunts HELLRAISER '87, and I could easily branch out into other much-adored movies that are not too socially-just, but that remain cozily swaddled in nostalgia, loved and forgiven. Maybe there's a feeling that newer movies should know better, coming as they do from an enlightened era of being fully informed about the suffering of others via the educational power of the internet, and therefore taking everything as seriously as possible. Maybe that makes modern viewers feel like it's too late to correlate the scourge of addiction with the quest for experience sought through the lament configuration. I mean, everybody has a right to their reactions and I think it's culturally healthy for even a really great work of art to take a few slings and arrows, to keep us all off autopilot. But I think that holding the human grist in HELLRAISER to the standards of neorealist drama is sort of missing the point of a movie like this—which is, of course, the cenobites.

And the cenobites are great! Director David Bruckner gives good monster yet again, having delivered a fabulous beast in 2017's THE RITUAL, and true to the spirit of 2020's THE NIGHT HOUSE, he shows a refined understanding of infernal geometry. David S. Goyer joins the screenwriters of the latter movie, Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, to set up a plot about a rich pervert (Goran Visnjic) who has a typically disappointing transaction with the cenobites, and so he manipulates a group of young dirtbags into helping him negotiate a new deal. I guess there are never enough survivors of cenobite commerce for word to get around that they only offer a monkey's paw type of thing, but I don't really care if the characters make a lot of dumb decisions so long as the tradeoff is always that I get to see cenobites.

The story centers on recovering addict Riley (Odessa A'zion, who I just have to mention is one of Pamela Adlon's kids!) who discovers the lament configuration during a robbery planned by her sleazy boyfriend Trevor (Drew Starkey). Riley's lapse of judgement allows the cenobites to make off with her brother (Brandon Flynn), and so Riley and her friends pursue the secrets of the puzzle box to try to save him. While HELLRAISER '22 has been described as a remake and a reboot and a reimagining in various quarters, David Bruckner has been clear that it's, like, just another Hellraiser story. There are a lot of books and comics and movies about all the different people who fall prey to the box's enticements, and it's totally reasonable to just make another one of those based on the series' abundantly flexible premise. Actually, while my husband and I were watching the movie, we started compulsively riffing on all the different things you could do: First we felt like Riley's misadventure with her unlucky friends was just like an episode of Search Party, which made us think about how funny it would be to introduce the lament configuration in other Bad People sitcoms like Seinfeld, or Curb Your Enthusiasm, or It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and then before long we were imagining a whole season of The Rehearsal where Nathan Fielder tries to get a series of unfortunate rubes to open the box for him.

What HELLRAISER '22 offers is not grand insights into human nature, but fun experiments with the basic conceit. The lament configuration is one of the greatest designs in horror to be sure, and yet somehow nobody has ever gone into detail about why it assumes so many shapes. I normally do NOT want a bunch of anal retentive rules and dry explanations added to my horror movies; I find that the less mysterious things are, the less emotionally effective they are. In this case, the coding of each of the box's configurations as representing a different human longing both honors the original lore, and adds complimentary flavors—and speaking of flavor, I'd love it if someone would realize my idea for a breakfast cereal with freeze-dried marshmallow configurations. But anyway, the love of design and its expressive capabilities is laced through the whole movie, from its inventive architecture, to its fabulous new cenobites. A lot of love went into crafting these things, and Jamie Clayton easily earns her place in the expanded scheme of things. Viewers who are too distracted by HELLRAISER '22's tangential references to the real-life horrors have my sympathy, because if you can watch around the corners of that issue, there is much to enjoy.

#blogtober 2022 #blogtober #hellraiser #hellraiser (2022)#david bruckner #david s. goyer #Ben Collins #Luke Piotrowski #odessa a'zion #drew starkey #jamie clayton #Brandon Flynn #clive barker #horror #monster #cenobite #supernatural #occult

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andswarwrites · 8 months

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It's Friday, so it's time to slack off in the writing and make a list of favorite things. I'm currently watching the science fiction series Firefly with my daughter, and experiencing her reactions and responses is proving to be quite an experience for me. I've loved Joss Whedon's universe and the Firefly ship Serenity's crew ever since I first met them when a friend brought over the movie, and while we were dating, my future husband bought the boxed set of DVDs so I could watch the precious thirteen episodes. I do not love each episode equally, that is why I'm going to make this list. I'm going to do my best to keep spoilers to the minimum, but if you are reading this and have not seen the show and movie, stop reading and go watch them. It doesn't take long, and it's quality sci fi.

Number One: Serenity (Pilot)

As I said, I met the crew through the movie, so I had a vague idea who they were, but when I watched the pilot, I was blown away by how the characters were brought together, and how extremely well written the dialogue was. From Wash playing with his plastic dinosaurs (see, spoilers), to Jayne calculating the percentage of nothing, to Mal's discovery of River: this was not a cohesive group of individuals with a united goal, this was chaotic, conflict could be explosive, but there were moments of tenderness, there were glimpses of potential friendships and relationships. I love a good introduction, a great first chapter. I've seen many pilots, but none I could watch repeatedly as if it were a standalone movie. The pilot is a masterpiece.

Number Two: Out of Gas

Mal is an enigma, because in one way he cares for everyone on board his "boat", and he takes seriously his responsibility as their captain to keep them safe, but he tends to keep everyone at arm's length. This episode is divided into three specific stories, all mashed together: first, there's Mal, and he's all alone. He's injured, he's in danger. Next you see flashbacks of how he first met his ship and then the people who joined the crew along the way, and third, you see the story unfold of how he wound up alone on his ship, and the suspense builds as he struggles to make a desperately needed repair, all the while losing blood. It becomes clear, as you watch it, that it's Mal who brought this crew together. He made connections with everyone, and he didn't judge their background or actions. From this episode you learn how Mal thinks and operates, and if he wasn't before, he definitely becomes your Captain, too.

Number Three: Objects in Space

I love any story that focuses on River. I had difficulty choosing between Safe, Ariel and Objects in Space for the third rank, but I have to say that Objects in Space wins the place, just for that opening scene of River wandering the ship and our glimpse into her mind. The other factor that makes me feel like this episode is one of my top favorites is how unabashedly brutal, sadistic and clever Early is. Niska by comparison is a manipulative coxcomb, and up until the point where you meet Early, Niska seems like the worst villain they had the misfortune to encounter. While everyone is worrying about River, she takes matters into her own hands and plays mind games with Early. River is vulnerable, yet resilient. She is forthright, direct, yet there is much she keeps to herself. Following Early through the ship, watching him take control of matters, but then seeing him bested by River and her plan, now that is a satisfying storyline.

Number Four: Trash

Christina Hendricks is a treasure. Of course, we meet her in Our Mrs. Reynolds, but Trash is a heist episode. As will soon become abundantly clear: I love heist episodes. There are so many twists in Trash; first you think one person has outsmarted the rest, and then it turns out they themselves were outsmarted. There's a certain measure of suspense, as there should be with a heist, but Trash is mostly fun, thanks to quipping, bickering, playfulness and the like. We got to know the vixen in Our Mrs. Reynolds, but we learn so much about her indirectly in Trash. She's a thrill seeker, though somewhat pathetic. She always has to have the upper hand, and she's wily. And yet, you can't help but feel affection for her. And you have so many questions about her backstory. You may get a smidgen of answers, but you're left wanting more.

Number Five: Ariel

Firefly mixes space with small towns on backwater moons, livestock with fancy parties, guns and ammo with advanced technology, but then in Ariel you get to see the inside of a futuristic hospital in a bustling city. The color scheme is less warm, more cold colors creep in. This episode sets up a heist storyline, but then there are other elements that come to play. Two nemeses that were introduced back in The Train Job demonstrate how dangerous they truly are. An "interesting day" which was alluded to back in the pilot comes to pass. Simon finally truly shines as a doctor and a devoted brother, and a decent human being. But most of all, the story itself is compelling and suspenseful. A proper heist, with twists and turns, peril and betrayal.

Number Six: Jaynestown

One of the funniest episodes, in my opinion, this episodes also has depth, especially in its final scene, where the theme song of the entire episode quietly, subtly plays while Jayne utters "Don't make no sense." Jayne is one of the most straightforward characters. He likes money. He likes women. He looks out for number one. But even Jayne shows us that his conscience can smite him, in his own way. Jayne goes from confusion and wild-eyed stage fright to lapping up adoration to an earnest wish to make a difference to expressing heartfelt remorse and confusion at how strange people can be. And then there's Inara and how she influences a young man crushed by the personality of his father, helping him find his own. Part tender, part heartbreaking, and full of humor.

Number Seven: Safe

River looking into the soulful eyes of a cow. River dancing. River telling Simon what she knows to be true. Shepherd Book revealing that he isn't quite what he seems. "Big damn heroes" showing up "in the nick of time". And then Simon asking Mal why he came back for them and being told "You're on my crew." Simon and River are on the crew. Shepherd Book is on the crew. Mal has to prioritize one who is injured, but that does not make him abandon the others or choose and easier path. There are so many precious moments in Safe. It's like a scrapbook of Firefly's greatness. And while we heard Simon and River's story in the pilot, seeing it in Safe reveals so many details that were left unsaid.

Number Eight: War Stories

I figured out what I love best about this episode while discussing it with a friend. The best feature, for me, of this particular story, is how Wash simply shines. From that very first episode, where "He's the captain, Wash," is met with "Right, I'm just the husband," we see the underlying resentment Wash feels, under all the playful banter, behind the light-hearted quips, he feels threatened by just how close Mal and Zoe really are, how they have something he isn't part of. But in War Stories, we see Wash's epiphany, where he realizes what Mal did for Zoe: Wash has his wife thanks to who Mal is, how his survival instinct is contagious; Mal is a force of nature and Wash finally owes him in the same way Zoe does, bringing them closer together as they mount a reckless rescue operation as husband and wife. I could mention more scenes, more lines, from Kaylee getting pinned down and River coming to the rescue, to the way Book roasts Simon.

Number Nine: Heart of Gold

This one is a stand off between a band of misfits and a selfish sexist who apparently has the upper hand. It breaks my heart every time I watch it, so why isn't it lower on the list? Just like I love YoSaffBridge, I have tremendous affection for Nandi and the life she has carved out not only for herself but the family who inhabit the house with her. I love every scene with her in it, because she's a lot like Mal in feminine form. She handles crises well, she is a natural leader, she has authority as well as compassion, she knows how to protect those who rely upon her, she will take matters into her own hands and she has her own code which only she knows and follows. No wonder Mal and Nandi connect instantly.

Number Ten: The Train Job

We’re getting to the point where I'm asking myself "Why isn't this one higher up on my list?!" and then I look at all of the ones that precede them and I go "Oh, because they're all superb, so ranking them is really an impossible feat." Honestly, I would have ranked The Train Job higher if I had never learned that it was a substitute pilot. Of course, it does its job very well; it introduces the characters, it's snappy, it's fast-paced, its overall tone is good, and it introduces a minor character I adore, the sheriff of the town. All that being said, I'm so angry that the network decided to air this as the first episode instead of Serenity, which as I have stated is in itself a movie of such tremendous quality, I can't help but notice how the dialogue must carry so much exposition to make up for the fact that the audience was pitched into this story headlong. I have mixed feelings about The Train Job, but I still love it, because it introduces Niska, who is a comprehensive sadist who we love to hate, and as I said, the sheriff. As a pilot, however, it should never have been one.

Number Eleven: Our Mrs. Reynolds

Why is Trash higher up on the list than Our Mrs. Reynolds? Sometimes a story where we already know a character is more compelling than the story where that character is introduced. It's why I love GotG2 and GotG3 the most, even though when I first saw GotG, I thought it was the best movie Marvel had made so far (thank you, James Gunn, for this awesome trilogy). Honestly, my favorite character to be introduced was Vera. I still randomly say "I call her Vera" in conversation, and anyone unfamiliar with Firefly is completely lost as to my meaning. I also sometimes have Mal shouting "She was naked! And…articulate!" pop into my head making me laugh. Also Book leaning with his head at a comical angle reiterating "The special hell." It's a masterpiece. They all are.

Number Twelve: Shindig

When we meet Badger, he's a slimy, no-good half-pint crook. But in Shindig we see him interact with River, and that adds so many more layers to him, "a sad little king on a sad little hill." Like Jaynestown, Shindig is one of the episodes with a lighter tone, a lot of humor. It's also visually lush, stunning at times, and the commentary on high society and so-called refinement is deliciously scathing. Kaylee is just so sweet in this episode, Inara is graceful, Mal is "all right". Atherton Wing is a snake. And the end of Shindig sets up Safe. Shindig may be before-last in this "ranking", but as I said: they're all masterpieces.

Number Thirteen: The Message

The one thing I truly appreciate from The Message is a certain piece of music that Greg Edmonson composed. He was working on this episode when he learned that the show had been cancelled, and he put all his grief at this news into a sort of musical dirge, which moves me every time I hear it. Honestly, however, I have no tolerance for this episode's antagonist. His fate when he meets it seems so pointless to me. He was so hell bent on manipulating people who cared for him, he didn't stop to think that if he straightforwardly asked for help instead of wearing mask after mask to trick them, he would have obtained help and would have made it out of the situation. The way he can't ever bring himself to finish that sentence, and Zoe has to finish it for him: "You find someone to carry you." He had someone, two someones in fact, who would carry him, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. The tragedy physically hurts me.

And that's it! In order of my favorite to my least favorite, these are the thirteen episodes of Firefly. I'm sure every Browncoat on Earth could make this list and have a completely different order, while many might refuse to even attempt it, saying that they are all equally good. The thing about Firefly is that it was so brief it is basically a miniseries, self-contained, a story full of genius, a work of art. It is one of my all-time favorite shows. This list was fun to put together, but I might have to revisit it in ten years and see if the order changed. My appreciation of certain plots and characters develops as I do, my outlook shifts. Nothing should ever be set in stone, not while we are flesh and blood.

#andswar #firefly #science fiction

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allmyspideys · 3 years

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nothing much happens

Summary: you and bucky have to share a room, but you listen to a sleep podcast and really hope bucky doesn’t mind

A/N: idk what i’m doing with this and honestly it’s not very good, but i needed a step away from our wandavision bucky au, so this is what i wrote :) i actually do listen to sleep podcasts and this is a real concern that i have lol… If you have any requests, send them in! Enjoy!

Living at the Avengers compound is usually a dream come true; there’s a full size kitchen with updated appliances, the toilets always work, the ceiling has never caved in, you have a whole room to yourself, and to top it all off, you have some amazing roommates. When you signed on to be the Avengers coordinator and on site manager, you didn’t know that you would be getting some of the best friends that you ever had. You signed on immediately because of the good pay, benefits, and it would get you out of the dingy apartment you had been living in for a while, but the friends were a huge bonus. A dream come true.

When you met James Buchanan Barnes, part of you immediately fell in love. The way his dark hair contrasted with his bright blue eyes and the sharp cut of his jawline. How could anyone not be wildly attracted? But when you looked closer, you could see the pain and resignation in his eyes; he was inn pain and just exhausted, and it was abundantly clear to you. So that day, you set out to just do a little something for him every time you saw him. At first it was just offering a bright smile, then it moved to asking how his day was going or telling a few jokes. Before you knew it, you were seeing Bucky every day and teasing him while cooking dinner together or just sitting in silence when it was a rough day. Bucky sought you out and you were more than happy to be there; he was a fun and amazing guy that you were happy to call your friend.

While the ceiling may not have ever caved in (yet), there was a small fire that broke out in the labs (Thanks Peter…), so everyone that lived on that side of the compound had to move while they fixed it. Which is how you ended up with Bucky sharing your room for a few nights.

Originally the plan was to just have everyone sleep in one of the common spaces. There were couches and lots of blankets, so it would be like one big adult, superhero sleepover. Sounded like fun if you were being honest, but then Bucky came to you with a very valid concern.

You were in the kitchen making breakfast when he pulled you aside.

“Y/N,” Bucky’s hand lingered on your arm, distracting for a moment before you noticed the concern in his voice and evident all over his face, “I can’t sleep with everyone. They can’t all know.”

You wished you didn’t understand immediately. You wished that Bucky would just tell the team; they’d understand. But more importantly, you wished they didn’t happen at all. Without a second though you offered up your room.

“I can’t just take your room,” his forehead scrunched together, just demanding you to run your thumb across it and sooth him.

“Buck, it’s okay,” you tried to reassure him, “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch. I always liked sleepovers,” that got a little chuckle out of him, “besides, it’s only for a few days.”

It was like you could see the gears turning in Bucky’s head. You always knew when he was up to something because the thought process was just so clear on his face. It was the way his eyes looked determined and stared straight ahead, but the very slight smirk told you that it was never sinister, but the little scrunch between his eyebrows was the real key to knowing Bucky had come up with something.

“What if I just crash in your room with you,” he asked tentatively. While his face normally showed confidence, there was just uncertainty. Bucky hoped that he hadn’t overstepped. You were his best friend, his confidant, and he just wanted you to be comfortable.

“I’ll take the floor! Of course,” he quickly finished.

Honestly, you didn’t know why you hadn’t thought of it first. It’s not like Bucky hadn’t seen you in your PJs; you ate breakfast in them. You’d fallen asleep on him during movies and definitely on long trips back to the compound. You didn’t even care if you shared a bed, though you’d have to deal with whatever feelings it brought up later…

“Of course Bucky!”

And with that, Bucky Barnes was spending the night with you, which was totally fine. Until you realized it wasn’t.

It’s not that you couldn’t sleep, because you could fall asleep anywhere at any time, the problem was falling asleep when you needed to go to sleep. It was like there was pressure to fall asleep, so it just never happened. Then you found sleep podcasts and listened to them literally every night. After you told Wanda, she started using them too. You’d never felt ashamed about it, but also you hadn’t really been sleeping with anyone, so no one other than Wanda knew about it.

When it came time to go to sleep, after you convinced Bucky that it was really okay to share a bed, you realized that you probably should tell him about the podcast.

Bucky sensed the discomfort before you started saying anything. The concern in his eyes matched the concern in yours.

“I listen to a sleep podcast,” you blurted out.

It took Bucky a moment to even register what you had said, then another moment to register what you were talking about.

“It’s called Nothing Much Happens,” you continued, still looking very concerned. Bucky just looked at you amused. His little smile made your heart skip a beat, not really helping with the nervousness.

“I’ve trained myself to fall asleep to it,” you rambled, just trying to get all the words out and explain yourself, “but it really does help, like I get two sentences in and I’m out, and I think if you try it, well, it could help”.

Bucky gently cupped your face. He was always so gentle with his metal arm; he was still afraid of hurting someone with it and it was never going to be you, he promised himself. But you knew that he never could hurt you and leaned into his metal hand.

“It's okay,” he chuckled, “play whatever you want. I’ll give it a try.”

Bucky always tried what you brought him. There was trust there; it was built up from many laughs and teasing, rough days and long nights, and the sincerity of your personality and heart. You were a light in Bucky’s life, so he tried anything you asked.

As you settled into bed and pressed play, Bucky knew that it would be his first restful night in a long time, though he couldn’t be sure if it was because of you or the podcast. At some point in the night Bucky scooted closer to you. The warmth radiating off his body only pulled you in more and in sleep you fit your body in the little crook of his arm.

You’d never tell him, but Bucky did have a nightmare when he was with you. You woke up to find yourself tucked against his side and panicked a little, but when you realized it was Bucky’s groans that pulled you out of sleep, you couldn’t have cared less. You finally reached up to gently rub your fingers over the little crease between Bucky’s eyebrows, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and he fell back into a peaceful slumber. Staying with you those few days really was the best sleep Bucky had gotten in a long time. He’d tell you that the podcast really helped him fall asleep, but really it was you. The feeling from the weight of your head against his chest and the mutual warmth flowing back and forth between you was the most comforting thing he’d ever experienced. Laying in your arms while you ran your fingers through his hair made Bucky feel like he was healing. But of course, it was the podcast that made him sleep better at night.

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drabbles-mc · 3 years

Text

Hands Off

Bishop Losa x Reader

Request by @jmvalhalla1998: Hi there! I guess this would be a request but is it possible to do a Bishop x Reader where her ex comes to town with them nothing talking to each other at all he doesn’t know she is with Bish so he tries to win her back causing Bish to get protective/territorial? You can make them engaged or have the reader pregnant if it makes it more interesting.

Warnings: language

Word Count: 2.1k

A/N: This was oodles of fun to write. Who doesn’t love to see Bishop getting a little worked up and protective??

Bish Taglist: @masterlistforimagines @sincerelyasomebody @sadeyesgf @thesandbeneathmytoes @tomhardydallasstarsgirl @multiyfandomgirl40 @sillygoose6969 @queenbeered @louisianalady @gemini0410

You were looking at all the fresh produce in front of you, trying to figure out what exactly you wanted to pick up for dinner. Once Bishop got back from his run, he was going to be home all weekend and for you, that was worth celebrating. You toyed with the ring dangling at the end of your necklace chain, telling yourself that you had to get around to going to the jewelers to get it re-sized so you would actually wear it on your left hand. You tucked it back underneath the collar of your shirt as you started plucking a few things to put into your cart.

You were off to pick up the last of your dinner items when you heard an all-too-familiar voice, “Y/N?”

You spun around, your heart dropping into your stomach as you came face-to-face with your ex. You hadn’t seen or heard from him in three years, and that worked out incredibly well for you. He wasn’t missed by you. “What’re you doing here?” your tone had no sweetness to it.

He laughed, “That’s a funny way to say ‘I miss you’.”

“I don’t.”

“Oh come on, don’t be like that,” he forged onward despite the fact that you were letting him know that you wanted nothing to do with him, “I’m gonna be back in town for a few weeks because of work. Offer still stands, if you wanna get out of this town you’re more than welcome to come with me.”

You scoffed, “Absolutely not.”

You started to push your cart away when he spoke up again, “What’re you up to these days, anyway? You seeing anyone?”

You sighed, “As a matter of fact, yes, I am.”

He scanned the store, “Oh?”

You rolled your eyes, “Some people trust their partners to go places without them.”

He gave you a once-over, eyes lingering far too long, “I wouldn’t let you outta my sight.”

“Yea, you made that abundantly clear a few years ago. If you had any long-term memory at all you’d remember that that was half the reason I let you leave without me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish my grocery shopping,” you huffed and walked away, desperate to get out of the store and as far away from him as possible.

You tried your hardest to push the interaction from your mind as you worked on putting dinner together when you got home. You had gotten a text from Bishop that he was less than an hour out and it made you get your butt in gear and start cooking. If you timed it right, it would be done just after he got home. He always told you that you didn’t need to make a fuss when he came back from runs, but you couldn’t help it. And truthfully, you knew that he enjoyed it.

You were setting out plates and silverware when you heard the door open. You looked up, a smile on your face when you saw Bishop standing in the doorway. He dropped his bag to the floor and held his arms out. You couldn’t help but to laugh as you ran over and jumped into his arms, letting him sweep you off the floor and spin you around in a hug.

You hooked your legs around his waist and kissed him, “I missed you.”

He chuckled as he hooked his hands together underneath your legs, “I missed you too.”

You let him go unpack and change into a more comfortable set of clothes while you finished bringing everything to the table. You smiled as you felt his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you so that your back was pressed up against his chest. He pressed kisses along your shoulder and neck.

“I told you, you don’t have to do all this.”

You smiled, resting your hands on top of his, “I know I don’t have to. I want to, though. It gives me a reason to actually do something with myself besides miss you while you’re gone.”

He chuckled, “You’re breaking my heart, querida.”

The two of you had dinner together, and all you could think about was how nice it was to have him home again. You knew that his life was never going to allow him to be home all the time, and you accepted that, but that acceptance never made you miss him any less. You couldn’t stop staring at him as he gave you all the highlights of the run.

After dinner, the two of you were curled up in bed watching a movie. You idly toyed with the ring on the end of your necklace chain as you soaked up all of Bishop’s body heat underneath your mountain of blankets. As your fingers slid across the smooth metal band, the events that happened at the grocery store all came racing back and you instantly felt a knot forming in your stomach all over again.

Bishop felt you tense up and he looked over at you, “Everything alright, sweetheart?”

You nodded, “Yea. I just, um, there was something I forgot to mention.”

He paused the movie, “What’s going on?”

You had no idea how to start this conversation with him. Nothing really happened, but you still felt like you should tell him, “When I was at the store today, I, uh, I ran into my ex.”

His brows furrowed. He wasn’t the type to get jealous, but he also knew that your ex hadn’t treated you well and that was his real issue. “What happened? I thought that he was gone?”

You shrugged, “He’s back in town for a while for work I guess. I don’t think that he’s a real threat or anything I just, I don’t know,” you shook your head, “I felt so skeeved out after talking to him, that’s all. I’m not telling you because I want you to do anything about it, I just figured I should let you know.”

He’d never met your ex—he was long gone by the time that you and Bishop had gotten together. But the stories that you told him were enough. The protective part of him was kicking into gear as he processed what you were telling him. Even though you said that you didn’t want him to do anything about it, that was exactly what he was planning to do.

“Hey,” you gently squeezed his arm, “Obispo, I mean it. Don’t do anything stupid—he’s not worth it.”

He kissed your forehead, “I love you.”

You chuckled, shaking your head, “I love you too, but that’s not a response to what I just said.”

He pulled you closer, your face resting against his chest, “It’s my response to everything you say.”

You didn’t push it, knowing that whatever Bishop was thinking about doing wasn’t anything that you were going to be able to talk him out of. The more you thought about it, the more you hoped that the odds would be on your side and that the two of them just wouldn’t cross paths for however long your ex was in town. They didn’t run in the same circles, so maybe, just maybe, you’d luck out.

Those thoughts got pushed from your mind, though, as Bishop started peppering kisses along your neck and jaw. You laughed and melted into him, happy to forget about whatever the future was going to hold that was out of your control.

The next morning, Bishop was up bright and early. He nudged you awake, telling you he wanted to take you out to coffee and breakfast at the café in town. As much as you wanted to stay in bed and do absolutely nothing all day, it had been a while since the two of you had a breakfast date, so you agreed.

He took you on the bike, which you loved. There was something exhilarating about not just riding through town on the back of his bike, but also just walking around with your hand entwined with his. Even when he was off the clock, he was almost always in his kutte. It made him stand out a little more but you didn’t mind it, especially because some of that confidence seeped over into you. There was something special about the president of the MC doting on you, keeping you pressed up against his side as you made your way through town.

His phone rang right before you walked into the café. He looked down at the screen and then back to you, “Want to grab us a table? I’ll be right in. Less than five, I promise.”

You smiled, shaking your head, “Anything for you,” you gave him a quick peck on the lips before walking in and asking for a table for two.

You were scanning over the menu when you heard footsteps approaching your table. You assumed it was going to be Bishop, or a waiter, but instead you looked up and into the face of the man you hoped you would go the next few weeks without seeing again.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

You sighed, muttering somewhat under your breath, “You gotta be kidding me.”

Without bothering to ask, he pulled out the chair across from you and sat down, “Some might say that this is a sign.”

“A warning sign, maybe,” you said with a shake of your head, “I’m engaged. Let it go.”

“Engaged and going out to breakfast by yourself?”

“I’m not by my—”

He held his hand up to stop you, “C’mon, just grab one drink with me tonight. One drink, and if you still want nothing to do with me, I’ll leave you alone forever.”

You looked up and you saw Bishop standing behind his chair, looking larger than life. You pressed your lips together, waiting for your fiancé to say something. He cleared his throat, “Sounds like something you should be doing anyway.”

He instinctively went to push the chair back, but Bishop was blocking him in. his hand came to rest on your ex’s shoulder, and from the look of pain on the man’s face, Bishop was exercising his grip strength a little bit.

“Y/N mentioned that you were back in town.”

“Oh? She did?”

“Yea,” Bishop’s other hand gripped his free shoulder, “she also mentioned that you have a bad habit of not minding your fucking business.”

Your ex was all but trembling in his seat, and it would’ve been a lie to say that you weren’t enjoying every second of the scene unfolding in front of you. You didn’t need Bishop to look out for you, but you enjoyed that he did anyway. And, judging by the satisfied smirk that was creeping onto his face, Bishop enjoyed it too.

“Look, I’m just saying,” you could tell that your ex was scrambling to string the words together, “she seems to be on her own an awful lot. Must get lonely.”

“And you’re just here to remedy that loneliness, is that it?” Bishop’s tone was begging him to say something stupid.

“Well, someone should.”

“Hmm,” you could see his grip tightening on your ex’s shoulders, “You’ve certainly given me a lot to think about,” he leaned down so that he could speak a little quieter, “But god help me if I ever see you anywhere near my wife ever again I will break every one of your fingers, one at a time, and then make you drive yourself home. We clear?”

He nodded, fear written all over his face, “C-clear.”

“Good,” Bishop finally released his grip, “Now get the fuck out so we can have breakfast.”

He stood up, giving you one last look to see if you had anything to say. You gave him a sickly sweet smile and waved goodbye without a word, and he scampered out the door. You turned your attention back to Bishop, who was sitting down in his seat.

You smiled at him as he sat down, reaching your hands across the table so you could hold them in your own, “How good did that feel?” there was a hint of laughter in your voice.

He smiled at you, his voice quiet, “Really fucking good.”

You gave his hands a light squeeze, “Also, getting a preview of what it’s going to be like hearing you refer to me as your wife? What a rush,” you giggled.

He lifted your hands up and pressed a kiss to your knuckles, “You’ve got a whole lifetime of that ahead of you, sweetheart.”

#mayans mc #mayansmc #mayans fx #mayans mc imagine #bishop losa #bishop x reader #bishop losa x reader #bishop losa x you #obispo losa #obispo losa x reader #obispo losa imagine #my writing #fanfiction #drabblesmc #bishop losa fanfiction #bishop losa fluff

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lovenhlboys · 3 years

Text

From a Distance (E.Pettersson X Reader)

Chapter 1

Masterlist

Tag list form

A/n: hello peoples!! I’m so excited to FINALLY post the first chapter of this fic!!! I’ve been working on it for a long time, and after a few unpleasant delays, it’s finally happening 😁. While this isn’t my first fic, this is my first NHL fic, and the first fic I’m posting on Tumblr, so I’m a little nervous. This first chapter is mostly the set up to the main story, this is reader’s side of things with a flashback story. Chapter two will be mostly from Elias’s point of view. The rest of the chapters will switch back and fourth between the two.

CREDIT: Finally, before we get started I have to shout out my proofreaders. Y’all put up with me and my insanity: @siriushxney @iateyourdonuts @petey-patty @hufflepuff-girlx @cherrylita @immmbabyyygraceee @💕💕And specifically @imagines-r-s ASH!!! Babes, you have been the best and most supportive friend I could’ve asked for during this. You boosted my confidence about this fic and I have no idea what I’d do without you 😁😁

Without further ado, let’s get started shall we!! (Sorry for the long A/N, it’ll only be for this first chapter)

Paring: Elias Pettersson X Fem!Reader

Warnings: lots of cursing, friends with benefits but like...just cuddling???, references to iCarly, mentions of One Tree Hill.

Genere: enemies-ish —>friends —> lovers

Legend: (i suggest having these ready before you read)

Y/C/N/N= your cute nick name, only Markstrom calls you it (you’ll see why) this can be either a pet name you like, or a nick name you already have.

Y/N/N= your nick name, Brock, Quinn, and a few others call you this, it’s more of a playful name. Again, this can be a nickname you already have (if you don’t have one I suggest something stupid (sounds like something Stech or Brock would come up with)

Y/N= this is your first name, only Elias calls you this unless it’s a serious situation, or you’re in trouble, or Brock is being an ass. (If it wasn’t clear before...your last name is Boeser)

Word Count: 2.2k

Summary: you have a hardcore crush on your brothers best friend, who also happens to barely speak to you...it’s a slight predicament.

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(This is set in the 2021 season, however, because of my denial, Marky and Stech are still in Vancouver and were never traded... also no Covid. however the season was still delayed just to make it easier to follow.)

Present (Feb. 2021)

You’ve always been best friends with your older brother, you never had any real issues when you were younger and you were inseparable. So much so in fact, that once you graduated early a little less than two years ago (June 2019), he asked you to move to Vancouver and live with him. He was always so protective of you and you appreciated everything he has done in your life. One of the best parts about Brock being your older brother was the people he introduced to you. You aren’t very social and god knows how much of a people person your brother is. Once you had moved in, Brock quickly introduced you to the team. And with your double major in Statistics: Data Sciences and Sports Management, you were able to secure a job with the team. Quickly, you found yourself with a second family, one with many members.

Quinn Hughes is your best friend. when you met him about a year and a half ago, you hit it off immediately. With both of you being the same age and not very social, there was an obvious connection there. When Brock and The boys go out, it is you and Quinn who stay in and watch shows on the couch (your favorite being New Girl). Huggy Bear is so sweet and you tell him EVERYTHING, even things you’d never tell your brother. You are still thanking the draft lottery every day that the Canucks received the 7th overall pick that gave you your bestie.

Thatcher Demko AKA Dems AKA Thatch AKA baby goalie is the sweetest and most hilarious guy you know. He is always looking after you just like Brock, but he is also one of the most annoying guys you know. When you’d first met you had the biggest crush on him. You told Quinn as much and he gave you so much shit for it. That crush was short-lived though, once you found out how obnoxious he could be. You still love him, just as a friend. Though Quinn never forgets to remind you of the crush that once was.

Bo Horvat is like another big brother to you. Sure you have Brock, but he’s your best friend. Bo, however, is the person you go to when you needed advice. Holly is one of the only WAGs you’ve become close with. She and you consistently have wine and gossip nights, of which Quinn is sometimes in attendance. Plus, you and Quinn are an amazing babysitting team for Gunnar if you have anything to say about it.

Troy Stecher is the annoying older brother you never had. He always makes fun of you, calls you names, and bullies you in the loving way brothers do. And he never hesitates to come to you if he ever needs girl advice, which seems to happen a lot.

JT was just like Bo, except he is waaay more protective of you, maybe even a bit more than brock. He doesn’t have a sister and when you met, he made it his job to never see you get hurt. Seriously, one day a guy was bugging you at the bar, and both Brock and Bo were struggling to hold him back when he saw him slap you on the ass as you walked away.

Jacob Markstrom, AKA Marky, AKA Giraffe (pronounced like it is in one of your favorite vines), AKA your cuddle buddy for the past few seasons. Both being single, you felt lonely sometimes and Quinn wasn’t much of a hugger (despite what the nickname might have you believe). Thatcher had offered but Marky, though just as social, is much more laid back. It also helps that he is 6’6 putting him over a foot taller than you. So during movie nights, or late nights at the bar, he is the side you lean on. Of course, you made it abundantly clear to most of the boys and yourselves that you were just friends. As sweet as he was and as great of a boyfriend as he would’ve been, he wasn’t quite your type and your personalities clashed.

Then there was Elias Pettersson, the tall, skinny, Swedish guy you knew as Petey. The guy who looked at you often and barely spoke a word directed towards you. He was Brock's best friend and he came over all the time, you didn’t have an issue with him, and you couldn’t deny he was funny, and from what you’ve heard he is a very kind person. So naturally, he was exactly your type. You’ve had a massive crush on him for a while now, somehow despite the lack of conversation. And the few times he has talked to you, he’s seemed so perfect, but there are only a few times you can remember.

Right now, as you're on your way to the Canuck’s break room your brother texted you to meet him in, you try to recall those few times, specifically the one where your crush on him truly developed.

--------------------------

FLASHBACK (some time in January, 2020)

--------------------------

You, Quinn, and Jacob were laying on the L-shaped couch in ‘The Boeser apartment’, you were cuddled under the blanket with Jacob, laying on the section perpendicular to the TV, your heads at the corner. Quinn was on the other side of the couch, his head right next to yours. it was about 7 o’clock and the episode of One Tree Hill you were watching had just ended and you three had not eaten dinner yet. As the countdown for the next episode started, your stomach growled and you got a look from Quinn and a giggle from Jacob.

“You hungry Y/C/N/N?” Jacob asked.

You looked up at him and giggled, “maybe just a little bit.”

“Y/N/N, you know what sounds amazing?” Quinn asked, you could hear the smirk in his voice.

You turned to each other and you both smirked knowing you were thinking the same thing.

“Spaghetti tacos!!” You both said.

Ever since you were about 10 and you watched iCarly on TV, you had always wanted to try them. It had become an inside joke between you and Quinn for quite some time as he had the same desire as you to see how good they actually were.

“We should totally try them tonight!!” Quinn was quite excited.

“I’m so confused right now,” Jacob chimed in.

“They’re from a show! They take spaghetti and put it in taco shells,” you explained.

“Ahh, hence the name.” he nodded.

“Exactly,” Quinn said.

You jumped up from the couch excitedly and ran straight to your kitchen.

“Ok, we have spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, ground beef, taco shells, aaaand..... by chance do either of you know how to make good meatballs?”

“You’re asking the Swedish guy if he knows how to make meatballs?” Jacob replied.

“Not Swedish meatballs, Italian, stupid Giraffe,” you retorted.

“Gross,” he said with a disgusted look.

“Ooo my mom made the best Italian meatballs, let me call her to see if she can send me the recipe!” Quinn said with a big smile.

Quinn exited the kitchen and ran to your room to call his mom.

“You know, I’ve never seen him so excited about anything,” Marky said with a laugh.

“Quinn loves his food,” you replied.

“Are Brock and Thatch having dinner with us ?”

“I’ll ask.”

You started boiling the water for the pasta, and you cooked part of the ground beef for the meat sauce. Then you texted Brock:

Y/N/N: hey, you want me to make you dinner

Brock: Yeah, who all is there?

Y/N/N: the usual

Brock: Huggy and Marky?

Y/N/N: yep, so do you want some?

Brock: Yeah, and make enough for another person too

Y/N/N: ok

You figured it was Dems since that’s who he went to hang out with when he left 5 hours ago.

You continued to cook when Quinn came in and grabbed a bunch of stuff from the pantry and cabinets. “Did your mom tell you how to make them?” you questioned your frantic best friend.

“Yes she did and she sent me the recipe too.”

“Coolio,” you reply.

------------------------

You were almost done cooking, the pasta was done, Quinn had put his meatballs in the oven and there were only 5 minutes left on the timer. And the sauce had about 2 minutes to simmer.

“Oh my gosh, I forgot what to do when they're almost done, she does this thing, I have to call her,” Quinn said with a panicked look on his face. He ran back to your room.

The front door to your apartment opened quickly, both boys laughing, “ahh, shit, my brother’s calling me,” Brock said as he ran back to his room.

“Why does everyone feel the need to exit the room for phone calls?” you asked Jacob.

He shrugged with a giggle, “I don't know, maybe they don’t trust us,” he said in a sarcastically dramatic tone grasping his chest.

The door closed slowly and you glanced at the doorway where you thought you’d see the ever adorable goalie, Thatcher Demko, instead, you saw the adorable, slender, tall blonde you’d seen all the time, but never had a one on one interaction with... except the first time you met, when he told you that you looked pretty.

“Hi, Petey!” Jacob said as he slipped behind you to watch you mix the sauce, he stood over you looking at the sauce and put his hand on your waist.

“Hi,” he replied, his smile from before had faded.

“Looks so good Y/C/N/N,” Jacob said with a kiss on your cheek, a regular action.

“Thanks, Giraffe, can you grab the taco shells?”

He grabbed them easily from the top shelf (tall ass bitch -_-), and moved behind you, placing his hands on your waist yet again, to move you to the side. “I've gotta run to the bathroom, but I’ll be right back”

“Ok, you have fun with that,” you said with a wink.

Suddenly, was only you and Elias in the room, and the silence was deafening.

“So what are we eating?” he said, pulling your attention to his bright blue eyes.

“Um, spaghetti tacos, they're from a tv sho-”

“Like from iCarly?” he interrupted.

“...Uh yeah? How'd you know?” you couldnt pull your attention away from his eyes, ‘they are just so beautiful,’ you thought somehow you hadnt noticed this within the on and a half years you’d known him.

“We also get Nickelodeon, you know,” he said while throwing you a smirk that made your stomach flip.

“Oh, I didn't know that,” you replied, feeling just a little embarrassed.

“iCarly was my favorite, actually.”

“Yeah, it was mine too,” you said, smiling back, looking at the way he just lit up your kitchen with his presence.

You both stood there for a second just looking at the other, “So how long have-,” he started.

“OKAY,” Quinn unknowingly interrupted, “so she told me what to do, turns out I have to put sauce over them for the last 2 minutes, so Y/N/N can you just put a tablespoon of sauce on each ball then put them back in for two minutes?”

“Yeah of course. Elias, you were saying?” you looked back at the Swede.

“Oh it's nothing,” he looked down at his shoes.

“Ok, Y/N/N you need to call mom and tell her we’re fine and that she doesn't need to worry about us please, Paul says she’s stressing,” Brock said as he entered the room.

“When is she not stressing about us? I’ll call her after dinner, how's dad?”

“Doin’ good, nothing has changed or progressed or whatever since we were home last,” Brock moved and sat on the couch letting out a big sigh.

“That’s good,” you let out a sigh.

“Petey, come here, we’re watching Gossip Girl” Brock shouted at the Swede.

“Ooo what episode are you guys on?” you asked. Brock had mentioned how he was making him watch the show you two had watched about 5 times together.

“Just after Chuck gets Dan kidnapped at Yale.”

“Oh so you still hate Chuck?” you asked Elias.

“Ew, yeah...wait is that gonna change?” Petey said with a scoff.

“Uh....,” you stalled.

“Y/N shut up, don't spoil it,” Brock interrupted before you could make it worse.

“Ok well, dinner is ready so just start the show after and we can all watch it together.”

--------------------------

“Oh my god, these are actually amazing,” Quinn said with his mouth full.

“I know, I did not think this was gonna taste good,” Jacob added.

“Hey!” you said, offended.

“Y/C/N/N, you know I love your cooking, it was the idea of the meal that I doubted,” Jacob said leaning into your side and putting his arm around your shoulder.

“Mmmhmm, suuure,” you said, rolling your eyes.

“Hallå Marky, ni två är söta (hey Marky, you two are cute),” Petey said, confusing you, Quinn and Brock with the sudden change in language.

Jacob, being oblivious to what Petey was implying, just said, “tack broder (thanks, bro).”

Little did you know what was going on in Elias’s head.

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PRESENT

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Before that night, you never really thought of Elias in a romantic way. You'd been around him quite a lot, seeing as how, seemingly, is in your apartment more than his own. Sure, you knew he was cute and very sweet from what you'd seen, but up until that point, you'd never had a one-on-one interaction with him. That interaction, however small, was the beginning of an obsessive crush. Quinn was the first to point it out, you started listening closely any time he talked, attempting to converse with him, and thinking about him on a daily basis even when you didn't see him. And due to your stubbornness, no matter how unrequited your crush seemed, it never faltered. You had always thought he hated you, or maybe he just tolerated you because you were Brock’s sister, and you were always around.

However, that couldn't be farther from the truth.

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Tag list: @calgarycanuck @suffering-canucks-fan

#from a distance: series #pls let me know what you think!!#hockey #nhl #elias pettersson #vancover canucks #elias pettersson fic #brock boeser #elias pettersson x reader #elias pettersson imagines #elias pettersson imagine #vancouver canucks imagines #vancouver canucks fic #hockey fic #nhl fic #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagine #hockey imagines

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beautifulterriblequeen · 3 years

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B2:S - Chapter 5

Much of this series will be about the differences and additions in the novel version, and how they contribute to my understanding of story canon. But there will be character appreciation, the odd theory and headcanon, and suchlike as well.

Here be lots of Viren deets, Best Boy Soren deets, some writing/continuity stuff, worldbuilding appreciation and half of a theory, Detective Rayla, Moon Temple geeking, Claudium and dark magic, and more!

Spoilers for Book Two: Sky below.

(I know for darn sure that I wrote up a post for chapter 4, but I can't find it anywhere so I guess Tumblr ate it and I'll have to redo it at some point, but today is not that day)

Viren, my evil dude, my bad guy, coming in clutch with the worldbuilding and backstory again! If you want to know decades of information, you gotta talk to Viren. Or read his scenes, at least. Here, he seems to not sleep much when he has a big problem to analyze his way through. Solutions trump pretty much everything else in this guy's life, and he's had a really hard week with a lot of new and complicated problems. Of course he's getting sleep-deprived trying to find his way through them all.

Harrow put so much trust in Viren when he made him High Mage! He just threw himself extra hard at that Lady Justice blindfold, didn't he? Didn't really want to see what Viren was doing in his magic study, so he left Viren to his devices. And Viren has a lot of devices.

Also, this is fascinating: Viren made the secret passage to his "less official study" in Katolis Castle! And he was inspired to do so by the way his own mentor kept the Puzzle House. What else could a Puzzle House be, except a place with secret passages? Yay! secret headcanon that "the Puzzle House" is just "Katolis Castle" from Kid Viren's perspective tho

So either Viren built all of those passageways, or at least the ones to his dungeon. Which means he has to have, or know where to get, a stash of those glowing blue Moonshadow crystals. Hmmm.

I can't wait to learn more about Kpp'Ar and young Viren, btw. From this description of Viren and all his literal secret ways, it feels like another parallel between Viren and Runaan, with the whole "secretive paths, members only, insider knowledge" type stuff. Only the really cool members of this cult club get to know the secrets, and guess what, kid, you're cool now but you can never tell anyone, okay? Our secret.

Yeahhh, that'll never backfire in any way for either of them.

Kpp'Ar calling puzzles and secrets "man-made magic," though. Yes sir, knowledge is indeed power.

This chapter mentions Runaan by name, from Viren's perspective. Generally that would imply that Viren knows his name, even though assassins do not share their names, and Runaan didn't seem to give his to Viren in the first book. However, there was a scene in book one where the last paragraph switched perspective from Viren to Runaan - a technique that's very common in visual media like movies and shows and gives you that "ohoho they left the room and didn't notice this, but you do!" vibe. Using Runaan's name there in book one, where Viren couldn't see it but readers could, helps them keep track of the assassin's story arc while maintaining Viren's racism.

So in book two, in which Runaan has no onscreen scenes (alas), using his name in a scene that calls back to the events in book one helps us remember what happened in that dungeon cell. It would be a bit muddier to recall the specifics if Viren kept thinking about Runaan as "Elf." So I'm cool with the perspective nudge because it serves a narrative purpose: clarity. But I'm also enjoying the angst of considering that, somehow, Viren learned Runaan's name either during or after the coining spell. Mwa ha ha haaa. (Obligatory "Keep my pretty name outta your mouth" goes here)

Okay, back to Viren's scheming! He took the mirror because it was human-sized in a dragon lair. He knew it didn't really fit there, and that made it interesting, so he stole it. But he realized it was really powerful when Runaan wouldn't tell him squat about it - the assassin's instinct to protect Xadian secrets from human hands meant that Viren was holding a very powerful Xadian secret. And that just made him want it all the more. Ah, Runaan, if only your relationship with lying was, like, the exact opposite of what it is. Nyx could've spun Viren a believable tale in 2 minutes flat.

Also of interest: Viren considers his cursed coins to be a final fate. He expects Runaan to remain in his coin forever. With the Chekhov's coins still extant in the storyline, we can assume that they'll come up again eventually, but Viren has no current plans to do anything with his elf money except carry it around.

It's worth noting that Viren admits that he got impatient when he trapped Runaan in the coin. Runaan's first fate in Katolis was supposed to be death at Soren's hands, but Claudia "saved" him from that. His next fate was to become spell components, but Viren's frustration with his stubbornness "saved" him from that fate, too. So now he's in a coin, where no one can chop him up at all. Yay? No, boo!

We get one last line about Runaan before Viren shifts gears: he makes a point of noting for us that Runaan's shackles are still locked shut. However much of Runaan made it into that coin - body, soul, hair care products - he was magicked there, pulled right out of his restraints.

The creepy black liquid that Viren pours right into his eyes is the last of a powerful potion he got from Kpp'Ar, and its recipe is ancient! Humans used it back in the age of Elarion to see through the illusions of the world. And we get a delightfully creepy bit of description about the preparation of this serum, which makes it abundantly clear that it's a Moon magic-based concoction, harvested from eyeless vipers on a moonless night, with the threat of irrevocable madness ("madness" by whose definition, though) if it's done wrong-

Hang on. Hold up. This is a Plato's Cave reference. OH MY GOD.

No no I'm fine, this is brilliant. Sorry, sorry, I couldn't figure why there was so much description for a potion prep that Viren didn't even have to perform himself. But now I get it. I see the light. HA. I should make a separate post for this, it's amazing.

Anyway, for reference, the humans who used this serum were called the Oracles of Ophidia, and Ophidia is a taxonomy group that includes all modern snakes. Can you say "creepy ancient snake rites"? I can! Woo!

Viren activates the serum with a spell, but apparently he's never done it before. He's not sure if it's supposed to be hot and bubbly, and he worries that it's been tainted by moonlight.

Oh, I do hope so.

The magic potion hurts, a lot. Viren will do just about anything, to himself or anyone, to do what he believes is necessary. He just risked madness and blindness to find out what this mirror does! Viren. Can you just. Take a nap or something. Have a Snickers.

This chapter gives us a fun clue that I don't remember from the show: when Viren's vision clears and he can see, his reflection has white pupils and the room reflected in the mirror has inverted colors. You know where else has inverted colors?

You know who else got white pupils for a hot second?

Okay, now it makes sense! Viren and Lujanne were both seeing into the realm beyond life and death. Him with his moon magic potion, and her with her moon powers on a full moon night at the Moon Nexus. Which is Very Interesting! Is it a direct hint about Aaravos's location, or just a separate cool detail? Orrr, does it look like a direct hint because Aaravos is actually trapped in the world beyond life and death, but it's actually separate and we'll see something about white pupils again later on?

Viren really does have self-esteem issues, we all picked up on it with his rant at his reflection. He throws a fit when he catches himself wondering if he's actually worthless. In the book version of his tantrum, he shoves the mirror and hurls a candelabra instead of flipping a table. He didn't need to shove the mirror to set the fire, but it's in here. Foreshadowing that perhaps, if push comes to shove, Viren will choose himself over Aaravos? Giving Aaravos time to peek through and see that the coast is clear?

Soren, my boyyyyy. He has a rough night at the Moon Nexus because two sides of him are fighting with each other. He struggles to understand Callum's friendship with Rayla, and he also fantasizes about chopping off Rayla's head. One of these is a pretty ordinary thing to do. The other is Soren's internalization of what he needs to do to gain his father's approval. If he brought his dad a chopped off elf head every week, he'd probably feel a lot more confident because Viren would praise him a lot more.

Okay, okay, omg, is it just me, or does the "Moonshadow Madness" story, as it's told in the book, seem like Soren just doesn't know what a monsterfucker is? He thinks an elf bite puts humans under a spell. But vampires are sexy, and some people want them to do more to them than just bite them. A passionate kiss under the moonlight could look very bitey, especially if one of the participants has horns and you're already culturally trained to hate them. No yeah, I'm already headcanoning an actual human-elf kiss that got misunderstood by an observer long ago.

it's Lujanne isn't it, we all know, because what is a love spell but a sweet soft illusion, I mean how else does she get supplies for her Caldera, I ask you, and also Corvus was totally sent to investigate once and he told Soren at camp what he saw

And then back to magefam angst: Soren pretending that his sister's nose-tapping is stupid, even though he actually thinks it's cool, just because their dad thinks it's stupid. Viren, istg. Let your kids like harmless things. It's so cute that Soren taps his nose back at her, though! Like they have their own sibling code. I hope we get to see the nose tap again, especially now that they've chosen different sides. It could mean so much, that they're not too far apart yet.

Rayla knows what buttery pancakes smell like. I love this. Do Moonshadow elves have butter and pancakes, does Rayla eat a stack of eight giant pancakes in the morning? Orrrr it is just illusion food? I don't care, let Rayla have pancakes! Everyone loves pancakes. Pancakes will save the world. this message brought to you by the fact that I can't eat pancakes rn, send help

I love that Rayla is both sus of the pancakes and hungry, and that combines into a very motivated "I will get to the bottom of this" attitude. She kind of goes into Poirot Mode when she inserts herself into Soren and Ellis's conversation about Ava, explaining about the wolf's illusion leg and segueing into her claim that the pancakes taste sus. Claudia confirms she used dark magic, and Rayla is furious. It's different than the show's version in that it puts Rayla in detective mode, as the only Moonshadow elf in the scene, and boy does she take that role seriously. Also, she doesn't actually swallow the dark magic pancake bite. It ends up on the ground just like Lujanne's grubs from that earlier meal. These poor kids are so nutrient-starved. You guys gotta eat!!

Rayla's determination and prejudices and the fact that she super knows Harrow is dead all dovetail to make her try repeatedly to persuade Callum that Soren and Claudia are Not To Be Trusted. It's nice that the book keeps taking the time to point out that Rayla is Well Intentioned But Flawed, just like Callum and pretty much every other character in the show. No one is Right All The Time, no one Knows More Than Everyone Else.

Callum loving the sound of Claudia's unique voice is so wholesome. When you like someone, it only makes sense that you like all the things about them that they can't change - like the sound of Claudia's voice. Her choices with dark magic, not so much!

Claudia seems to have the same concerns Soren does about Callum's relationship with Rayla, but she comes out and asks him. The inherent possession implied in "your elf" is interesting, though. Elves are not people to Claudia. They're enemies who can be disassembled for the magic inside them. So maybe more like robots than living beings, if she knew what a robot was. Maybe she heard Soren's "Moonshadow Madness" story and realized he totally missed the kissing implications - but she didn't, and now she's genuinely worried that Rayla could kiss Callum under a full moon and enchant him to do her will. Good thing it's only a half moon, then!

Okay, Callum nervously making a puppet hand and then not knowing what to do with his hands and freaking out about itching and moving and pointy elbows is such a ND mood. The sudden stress of knowing that someone else is noticing your existence and maybe you're Not Existing Right, amirite? Ugh, poor Callum.

The Moon Temple! Omg it's so pretty in the description! Made to be beautiful and useful, full of knowledge but also allowing light and life inside (butterflies and vines). Lujanne, when can I move in, please? Also, it's all the more angsty because Lujanne is the only one who gets to see this beautiful place, but it has lots of chairs and shelves and tables, and it was meant to be used by lots of people. :(((

Claudia knows some of the runes on the walls. She isn't in a hurry to copy the rest of them down or anything, either. Her spellwriting is very precise, and she's a skilled mage. Her father would have made sure she was aware of the dangers of drawing sloppy runes, as much as he made her aware of the dangers of doing dark magic wrong. And the whole point of dark magic is that it's easier to learn than primal magic. Claudia supports her dad and their shared knowledge and life path. She's not gonna go nuts over an elf library she can't translate.

Side note: Between Claudia knowing some Moon runes and Viren building a secret passageway and a dungeon and lighting it with the same blue crystals that Lujanne and Ethari use for light--and Claudia exclaiming that she loves ruins--I wonder once more if there are really Moonshadow ruins somewhere in Katolis, which Viren has found and looted. Father-daughter relic hunting trip, maybe while Soren is away at camp? Omgsh that would be so wild!

Callum out here having a Viren moment with his "I feel powerless unless I've got magic that lets me help" vibes. God. I love their complicated mirroring. One of the hard differences between them is that Callum is very sure dark magic is bad because you have to kill stuff and take its power to cast spells, and he doesn't want to be a person who kills and takes like that. The line he walks to be nice to Claudia on their tour of the Cursed Caldera because he likes her, while telling her that he doesn't want to do her magic, like, ever, is so fine that it might as well be a shifting shadow on the ground. It's a very fitting conversation to be having during the half moon, with its tricks and little white lies.

Callum being out of the castle and his comfort zone, having to deal with the fact that the Claudia he loves is not quite the Claudia who's chasing him down across the kingdom, but of the two of them, he's the only one with a problem with this.

They say that if you really want to get to know someone, you should spend time with them outside their comfort zone - in heavy traffic, with a small baby, taking care of a new pet, trying a new skill, following unfamiliar directions, etc. While the castle is familiar territory for them both, Callum's never really found his comfort zone yet, while Claudia is pretty comfortable with her growing skill set. The creepy part starts to kick in when Callum begins to realize that Claudia's comfort zone encompasses a whole bunch of stuff that seems like it should make her uncomfortable... but it doesn't. But that'll be for a future chapter!

#book two: sky spoilers #book two: sky #b2:s #tdp spoilers #viren #harrow #rayla #runaan #callum #claudia #soren #lujanne #moonshadow elves #aaravos

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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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Ducktales: New Gods On The Block! Review or THE INCREDIBLE STORKULES: COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH!

We’re back, and i’m doing away with intros, for now, i’m trying to see if offering people a bit of the review makes them more receptive to reading it and now we’re nearing the end of this hellyear, and the trump presdency, i’m going into this one with a ton of energy, so let’s get quackin!

We open with the Scrooge and Kids on a quest to get a golden helmet he’s been after for years and has been one of his lifelong goals using a carefully crafted plan with all the kids skills needed. Okay i’ll admit that last part is unique to this show: given how interchangable the boys are outside of this continuity, I assume he’d just throw them at the monster like Pikmin as a distraction while Donald grabbed the helmet and just grow new ones in his vast venture bro style clone mine if they happen to die. Thankfully there’s no Child Death but there is Child Failure as the team comes back sad and defeated and doubting themselves.. Della having a confetti cannon ready to celebrate dosen’t help. Though it does bring me to the subject of Della being out of focus this season. It’s a mixed bag for me: On the one hand I do get it, as she was the main focus of last season, even more than Louie, and now we’ve gotten to know her, she can sit back and play more of a supporting role, especially since Donald , who himself was more of a supporting character the past two seasons, is now getting more screentime and Beakly’s getting fleshed out more. Their trying to balance a rather massive cast, so it’s natural the one whose already got a ton of focus at this point would take a back seat and all around the show’s done a far better job giving everyone screentime this season. Launchpad has been lacking of late but given a Darkwing Duck spinoff is probably in the cards, and he’s had tons of episodes at this point compared to Donald and Beakly, i’m understanding of it.

On the other.. there’s still a lot of stories to tell with her: We still haven’t had her deal with Scrooge basically erasing her for a decade at all nor Donald hiding her past from the kids.. he had reason and all, but he still made their mother a stranger to them. They had no stories, nothing to really go on for 10 years. That’s gotta have impacted both the kids and gotta hit della hard at some point that her father-uncle and brother both just kinda.. erased her to the kids. Plus we don’t know how she’s been adjusting to have a life OUTSIDE the kids especially since she’s been sitting out so many adventures, likely to let Scrooge have time with them and be a good daughter and mother and what not, but still there’s a LOT of ground to cover they simply haven’t yet. The Donald and Della plot we did get, while glorious, didn’t really add anything to either’s likely strained relationship and it’d be nice to give the two a subplot to work this out. Granted this might all be coming in the Castle McDuck Episode for all I know, but I can’t pin all my hopes and dreams on that one. And this all COULD’VE easily happened off screen.. but it’s something the audience really wants and needs. I’m not sure if we’re getting it and that worries me. But again theirs a large chunk of the season to answer this if this is the last one, and another season possible if it’s not, so i’m willing to wait for it. I’m just getting impatient is all.

That being said this episode makes up for the Della Deficet as she’s one of the main driving forces of this side of the episode. I’ll get into that more in a second but Della’s been on the rare misfire adventure and knows Scrooge’s stages of grief and that he’ll come out of it with a better plan. Unfortunately for the kids that plan dosen’t include them and Scrooge runs off to assemble a better team leaving the kids utterly devastated. One of the other main driving forces besides depressed children and the greek gods is scrooge being really bad with people, but i’ll get to that.

Point is the kids understandable emotional devastation and Della trying to mom for all of them at once because Launchpad had to get to his other job and is taking Beakly this weak to teach him and Drake how to raise a child, is interrupted by said Zeus ASSHAT RAPIST OUT OF MYTH! Along with Storkules COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH and Selene, DELLA’S FIRST TIME WITH A WOMAN OUT OF MYTH! There here because Zeus has lost his powers, as the Gods all collectively decided he was a dick and voted him out of office.. er stripped him of his powers. Sorry an asshole, narcacistic, sociopathic racist getting removed from his position of power happening a few days after the election was called.. the timing just could not have been better. But yeah Zeus is out, roll credits. Join me after them and after the cut for the rest of the review.

So yeah the Gods are fed up with him, and Selene and Storkules are there to pick a worthy inheritor to his Laurel Wreath, his lighting bolts, and his collection of playboys he keeps alphabatized in his mancave.. also his mancave will also go to the winner. Storkules however, having a one track mind, notices Donald isn’t there and goes to find him. The kids are all eager to try but Selene is there for Della, which they all agree makes sense: I mean she has the disposition and sexual appitite of a green god but without all the rampant sex crimes and murder, and given most of them have clearly copped to the times except Zeus, that’s a plus. Plus she and Selene have already been together before so the fact they can smooch into infinity along with all the fun stuff is a nice bonus. It’s not like Storkules isn’t selecting his candiate soley with his 13 inch penis, so ther’es a precident. But Della, seeing the kids clearly need this more than she does, convinces her once and future girlfriend to let them try out. I really do wish we got more of the two this episode but what we get is great, and Selene reluctantly agrees after Della makes the valid point their STILL more mature than her dad. The fact Zeus punctuates this by getting into a “No you” contest with an 11-12 year old probably helped. As for where Donald is he’s preparing for a date with Daisy! Horay. I’ve been waiting for Daisy to come back since the last time she was here, and Donald has naturally been considerate: Setting up a bunch of hearts, flowers, some punch that is likely just box wine and sprite, he has a budget and throwing all his garbage in the pool with bricks because he’s still Donald. Romantic, a good dad.. but still a disaster of a person who dosen’t know quite how to live like an adult... which naturally I immensely relate to and hope i’m lucky enough one day to have a lady or fella to hide all my garbage from. I mean i’m probably dying alone, but that’s likely my old buddy crippling depression talking. Oh you old scamp.. please fuck off an die. But enough chilling looks into my psyche, point is Storkules barges in to ruin it, and eat his carefully made grilled cheese. As though Storkules may be incredible he’s also STORKULES, GOD OF NOT REALLY READING THE ROOM. Daisy comes in, and we find out it’s their second date.. and i’m assuming their first wasn’t that time they ended up in a direct to video sequel to Die Hard that’s still far better than Die Hard 5.. then again a colonoscopy is preferable to that movie so I Dunno. But she’s nice, friendly, if put off by the big sweaty man suddenly in their date. Storkules COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH, does not help matters by, upon hearing that seeing how in love they are, and finding out it’s the second date assumes their getting married and hugs them in THE SWEATY ABS OF STORKULES. Do me next.

Back at the God Tests, god I love a job-ish thing that lets me say that, Louie is up first, and being Louie has thought up a plan that benifets him wether he wins or looses but one that has serious underlying issues he hasn’t thought of. Naturally it turns out to be a gold touch which, as with Midas, works out about as well as you’d expect.. with Dog Murder and mass murder to follow. Selene undoes it, So Louie gets nothing. And yeah this has been a major issue this season that while I talked about it back in “Let’s Get Dangerous” bares repeating: Louie feels like he learned NOTHING from the events of last season. He still likes, he still dosen’t think plans through, and he still cheats. In contrast Dewey DID grow from his season.. it’s subtle, he’s still the same loveable trainwreck and pre-teen Hank Venture he’s always been, but he no longer hides secrets or family stuff and is more of a team player. Still an egotsitical one, but it’s there. But Louie.. hasn’t changed at all. He’s still conviving, still thinks only in short term.. it’s only once or twice like with the Impossibin the events of last year really seem to have sunk in. It feels like the writer’s couldn’t figure out how to write a smarter Louie and just gave up. It’s really disheartning especially when most other character development, subtle and otherwise, sticks.

While Huey sweats over his turn and Della tries to encourage, we cut back to the date which is going okay, Daisy’s trying to roll with it but Storkules, TERRIBLE WINGMAN OUT OF MYTH really isn’t good at talking Donald up or letting them get to know one another. While things breifly get better when Daisy brings up her career and Donald talks it up like the loving soon to be boyfriend he is, Storkules FUCKUP OUT OF MYTH screws things up by saying, when she explains to him she hasn’t made any Toga’s because she works primarily in dresses that she can “work up to them eventually. “ As proof this is the best Daisy she dosen’t dump Donald immidetly despite none of this being his fault and him trying to explain he didn’t invite him, but instead just makes an angry, and understandably so , face and goes to powder her beak.. which is clearly code for “Scream Obscenities into Donald’s Mirror for the next ten minutes”. Which if it already wasn’t abundantly clear they were perfect for each other this would be the clincher. Donald wants Storkules to go and TRIES to tell him, but Storkules just assumes he wants him to make a big romantic gesture for them and goes to “let Cupid’s Arrow” strike her. Donald understandably wants conformation he doesn’t mean that literally. Spoiler alert: He does.

IT’s Huey’s turn next at playing god and he decides to be God of Intuition, gaining future sight so he can know everything and prevent tragedy. We instead get a damn funny scene where after adjusting to his powers he tries to prevent a breakup.. only to play both parts himself and cause it anyway. Just some great acting from Danny Pudi there. We get some more as Huey slowly melts down from the information, traumatizing a kid and nearly getting beat up with a guy who wants to “Beat up the freak for making everyone uncomfortable” which..

Yeah it’s not acceptable for what looks like a grown adult, or even a Teenager if that was an intent, to whale on a CHILD, let alone ANYONE for being “a Freak”. I mean yes Huey did screw up big, not mass murder bit but still.. but he’s still a fucking child. As someone who was prone to breakdowns at that age, and up to present day... I take this personally, especially since I see Huey as high functioning autsitic. So this hits home as i’ve had many people just tell me to get over it instead of trying to help. So yeah fuck this guy, take off that Gizmoduck shirt you do not deserve it. We fans do though, I hope that becomes real merch.

But yeah Huey failed and Zeus is gloating..mostly because in his already considerably warped brain, he thinks that if they all fail he dosen’t get it. Selene explains basic logic to him: If they fail to find a new god here, they’ll just keep looking. Zeus naturally has a tantrum as Scrooge enters, wondering why the kids care about god powers and Della, being a supportive mom, tries to get him to encourage them. He instead focuses on his team. Again, we’ll get to him trust me. Selene also calls her dad out on the fact he hasn’t done anything good since defeating the titans centuries ago. Naturally being THE GREATEST SHITHEAD IN ALL OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY Zeus takes the exact wrong lesson from this and calls his brother Hades to whip up a titan for him to fight because that was her point and not that your an irredemible dick tip who their desperate to replace and who was dethroned because no one liked you, not even your horrible presumibly now ex wife. I mean unlike DC Comics Zeus he’s not planning a cou but only because he has no powers. Hades however is well aware his brother has no powers, as the gods have been talking about it and laughing about it because Zeus sucks eggs. Also Hades has a great goth look and personality here as well as muscular arms to hold my bi ass at night. A-Plus character design. I may also have a thing for goths and emos I never realized I had. Just an observation.

Back at the boat Donald and Daisy are enjoying drinks, which again has to be wine.. I mean again box wine, Donald needs a lot of booze after a hard days nearly getting murdered and Costco has great deals on it, but still booze. They cuddle a bit and it’s fucking adorable.. and Storkules WHO JUST KIDDNAPED HIS COUSIN CUPID AND STOLE HIS SHIT naturally ruins this moment by first trying to fire one date rape arrow at them, then takes donald’s rampant headshaking no as a sign to fire all of the arrows... with Daisy ending up in the water and unsettling the garbage. Granted Donald COULD’VE prevented this by explaning things to her.. but i’m betting he didn’t simply because he’s.. tired of this shit. He’s tired of adventure, tired of it intruding on his life and just hoped Storkules was gone and out of sight and didn’t have a chance to prepare for that till it was too late. NOW Daisy storms off.. but unlike say Cabs Daisy, whose a living nightmare, or Comic Daisy, whose not a great person but has her moments depending on the comic, she has VALID REASON. Donald lied to her about garbage and dind’t just take it out like a normal Duck, and didn’t just outright yell at his friend to leave on their date, a friend who just attacked her and already insulted her. IT’s understandable, especailly given a line coming up she’d WANT to leave and leave Donald behind. Donald however is naturally miserable and it finally gets through Storkules thick skull he messed up and he runs off to cry while Donald miserably floats among the garbage and my heart both relates to that nad breaks seeing it. I mean .. Daisy meant a lot to him: After years of presumibly avoiding dating, or if he did not doing so for long, to focus on the boys, after a year of putting their needs ahead of his and living with his demanding uncle, of being dragged out of a normal if miserable life and into a less miersable but adventerous one he didn’t want, of being stranded in space and on an island wondering if his kids would be okay.. he finally not only has time for himself, and his sister back after years of thinking her dead and thus someone else to take care of the kids needs for a while without feeling any guilt over it or worrying about them, but found someone special. She’s talented, beautiful, charming, and understanding. And most importanlty she LISTENS to him and throughly likes Donald for who he is. And he looses that only PARTLY due to his won incomptence but mostly because someone he already barely allows in his life came in and ruined it. Once again the adventure and everything took something from him and while not nearly as big as loosing his sister, it still fucking hurts to once again have one small bit of something just for himself, one bit of normalcy, one person who loves him for who he is now through and through.. and it’s seemingly gone. It’s why I like this relationship even if this part panes me: Donald can FINALLY be happy... finally have someone who genuinely cares about him. This also boils down Storkules character and why I don’t ship the two of them: He’s a good god, he’s brave, compasionate, carring, and generally wants the best for donald and does genuinely love him.. but he also dosen’t care really what DONALD wants half the time. He’s the embodiment of Donald’s biggest gripe with his life: No one listens to or repsects him or what he wants. Storkules wants Donald the adventurer, Donald the brave, Donald the undaunted, DONALD THE IDEALIZED VERSION THAT ONLY EXISTS IN HIS HEAD. He dosen’t really get Donald isn’t the same person, and even that person wasn’t into him. Not because he’s a man, like his sister Donald could easily be bi or pan.. but because he’s just SO MUCH and Donald’s family is already SO MUCH.. and that was BEFORE the kids and the launchpad. Donald has made peace with adventuring but it’s still clearly not his faviorite thing while for Storkules adventure and experince is his life. Storkules needs someone like him and Donald needs someone down to earth, someone who can HANDLE the amount of chaos that follows him and the famly, but someone whose .. normal. And Daisy is that. If you ship then fine fine, but I just don’t because they just don’t go together and both deserve a partner they can truly be a partner with, not someone they clearly don’t understand or someone they DREAD visiting. They both deserve better than that.

Back on the god plot, it’s Webby’s turn as she becomes Goddess of Friendship. And helps the mood at the pier by spreading sunshine.. and then deals with the pier’s greatest menace and my honorary uncle, because he’s really not much worse than some of my actual uncles...

GLOMGOLD, SCOURGE OF CHILDREN’S KIDDIE RIDES. Because of course a seemingly regular habit for Glomgold is hogging a children’s ride he somehow fits into. Of course it is. It’s cheap and he’s not the best human being but I love him anyway. Webby heats it up to scare him then tries to get the kids to hug before having a breakdown at everyone not being happy. This does fit with her personality.. I didn’t think so at first but thinking back her first response in any friendship crisis is to panic and overreact. Her reaction to her best friend telling her she may have to stop sleeping over with her and her sister/webby’s giflriend because of magic danger is an implied death threat. She’s getting BETTER with people, but she still dosen’t have the life experince to fully deal with it and naturally upon seeing things get worse and worse goes on a lighting filled rampage Selene thankfully stops and likely undoes. Though Glomgold is likely on the moon now. He’ll be fine.

Dewey is last and auditions.. but forgets the god part and fails which fits him perfectly and is a great bit. The kids have all washed out and are depressed about it. While Della is hopeful when talking to Selene, Selene gently explains to her girlfriend she shares with a space alien that the kids just aren’t ready and that maybe the power of a god just isn’t the thing you give to a kid for a self esteem boost. Della MEANS well here, she just wants her kids, Webby very much included, to feel good and get their self esteem back after Scrooge swallowed it whole. But Selene is right that this is just too much power, and given it nearly drove Huey insane and nearly made Louie and Webby murderers, she has a point. It’s a good thought, but Selene needs an actual replacement for her dad. Sadly though this breaks the kids further after this and they slink off and Selene gets she messed up.. while she was right to reject them, she missed WHY Della was trying so hard. However credit where it’s do unlike her brother, while she dosen’t try to fix her issue, it’s likely out of emotional maturity: she knows just saying nice things to the kids wouldn’t help them or would wring hollow and their mom is better for that. IT’s things like this that are going to make her a good step mom.. yeah i’m shiping Della with both her girlfriends at once. Just because I gave up on her and Launchpad dosen’t mean poly’s off the table, and frankly selene is strong enough to win Penumbra’s favor and Penumbra has the kind of pepper and violence a greek goddess likes in her women. They’d be cute all together. I likes it.

Less cute is ZEUS, SCHEMING BOWL OF ELEPHANT PISS OUT OF MYTH!, who realizes his greatest gift isn’t his powers: I’ts manipulating his children.

And since he found a sad STORKULES POOR SAD BOY OUT OF MYTH. , and hears his issue, with Storkules hilarious sitting in his poppa’s lap, he spins it into getting what he wants: Saying since he and his wife, and Storkules mother in this version apparently I dunno, fell in love with battle, summoning Chronos will do just that for Donsy. Granted for most people your dad’s tale about how he met your step mom who tried killiing you a bunch and who he’s cheated on dozens of times would raise a red flag, but STORKULES IS THICK AS A BRICK.. in both senses of the word and calls forth Chronus.

Daisy meanwhile is driving her car away, but is battling with herself. On one hand she doesn’t want to play mother to a guy who can’t dispose his trash or his weird friends. On the other she admits she can really be herself around Donald. We then get the most telling line though.. “You do not need to fall for another man who needs saving!”

That.. is clearly setup for the future. It MIGHT be Gladstone but it could be anyone. Hell it could be someone entirely new. She also could have a kid like we’ve all wanted. We could get a canon version of Juinor.. not named Donald Juinor because 1) He’s not donald’s son and 2) that name’s been forever tainted and we all know which living bottle of axe body spray to blame. I.. genuinely can’t wait to find out who this is and I expect we will before the season’s up and i’ts nice to see Tress, like last time, get to dig into some emotional complexity with the character instead of just yelling at Donald or talking about bows and stuff. Here she grapples with herself as she does love Donald but the past has burnt her a lot. But as a wise pansexual once said “ But I think it's important for us to remember that sometimes, sometimes it does work out. And even though everything inside us is telling us to protect ourselves, when you've got it, don't let it go. And I am telling you, that you have got it, if you want it. “ Love is hard, love is messy, maybe that among many other things is why i’m alone. But it’s worth it when you take the time.. and upon seeing a giant monster heading for Donald’s house, Daisy realizes he is worth it.. or that frustrated with him right now or not she dosen’t want him to die. Either way she’s a coming and i’m gathering hornets in a box in ancipation of finding out who hurt her so I can mail them to him. I popped an H on there so I know it has hornets.

Back at the mansion the mood is bleak as heelllllllllll with Louie ordering pizza minus the toppings and Della’s attempt to give the kids hot choclate just getting an ow from Webby. It does make sense: Scrooge and adventuring are their lives.. if he dosen’t need them.. how would they ever do it themselves? Plus their 11 and 13 and at that age kids are very fragile so having their mentor and grandpa reject them like this really hurts, not helped by Scrooge proudly announcing his new team and trying to awkwardly bounce not getting this is his fault, though Della is staring at him with a look that just screams.

But before Della can stab her Dunkle, we cut to a depressed donald who switches from one natural state, Depression, to another, fearing for his life, as Chronus arrives and Huey rightly wonders how he’s here. The kids all defer to Scrooge while Della continues to just be the best. Seriously for the entire episode her only throught is her kids, and their emotional well being and had this crisis not popped up she probably would’ve stabbed scrooge then yelled him out for hurting her babies. She’s graduated from trying to be a mom but having issues with it due to mentally still being in her 20′s, to genuinely being GREAT at the job. Good on her. Daisy is naturally horrified to arrive to find Donald being eaten while Storkules is overjoyed. I WOULD say his stupidity’s overplayed this episode.. but he’s never displayed good judgement before why start now? It fits his character and his joy turns to distress when Chronus eats donald.. and has a cage in his tummy. with glass walls. I dunno, it’s a cool design. Daisy is understandably pissed and yells at it for eating her boyfriend, which gets an adorable oh boy oh boy from donald> Again love is rough, but one jackass screwing with you does not equate to every man or woman or person you date being a jackass. Daisy has realized this. Storkules is overjoyed, but soon finds himself and his sister fihgting Chronus and honestly both are damn impressive doing so. Seriously when the justice ducks form.. give htem a call. I mean She has moon beams and he’s a greek god.. plus Drake and Launchpad could use a third.. I mean he fits better there and Drake is already dating one manchild, and is one to a smaller extent, another won’t hurt. Just consider it shippers.. or foursies with Morgana because as this episode shows Storkules is bi as he is mighty. he’s Bighty. But the god squad fails, and gets eaten and Zeus’ time to shine predictably ends with an “I’ve failed immediately”, to no one’s suprise.

Scrooge starts working on a plan as he and Della, naturally scale the colossus. We then get the scene that’s been boiling all episode: When Scrooge wonders where the kids are, Della calls him out pointing out they’ve been plauged with doubts about him replacing them.. because he literally was replacing them, and when Scrooge is earnestly suprised by that Della points out the obvious: Their children, as I said their fragile and as Della puts it, Scrooge puts a LOT of pressure on them, something she likely knows from experince. And this is what i’ve been leading up to and putting a pin in all episode: Scrooge himself. It’s something I thought of days ago but this episode hammers in heavily: Scrooge really dosen’t have a ton of personal social skills. Sure he can work a board room pitch, lead a team of adventuerers, and run a vast empire while never forgetting the human element, for a lack of a better term, he’s not lacking in empathy or the ablility to talk to people, but when it comes to reading them it’s just surface level. He’s genuinely been show to struggle with empathy, with feeling someone elses emotions or realizing them till they’ve already been hurt. He spent a good ten years desperatley trying to bring Della back, avoding his pain and guilt instead of talking to Donald and making amends with him. His relationship with Goldie took decades to get anywhere healthy as he just put his walls up and assumed she’d never change when, as we’ve seen now, she always could she just needed a push. And when confronted by the kids he lashed out and then pushed them away instead of mending the wounds he created. Even on a much smaller level, when Lena and Violet ended up along next week he’s utterly lost when Adventure isn’t on the menu and only picks up from being baffled by two normal ish (One’s a parnaomal expert the other is the paranormal) joining him once it’s clear at least one of them fits right in with his intrests. He can deal with people on a problem by problem basis, but he’s just not good at dealing with their emotional needs or opening up. It’s why this works so well: his oblviousness fits. To him and the way his brain works, the crown is just a problem to solve and he just needs diffrent tools to fix it, not realizing replacing the kids for a mission would bother them or they’d ever think they were replaceable. Until now I hadn’t seen much similarity to Huey but both.. are just not great with PEOPLE. They put them in boxes, try to solve problems that way.. it’s just their specific issues that way are diffrent. Scrooge can anticapte the unknown and how people he’s fighting act.. but can’t anticipate personal hurt and pain well because he bottles all his up. When checking off a problem.. i’ts just something he dosen’t consider and thus his biggest blindspot, the thing he has to overcome time and time again: How his family feels and how he can deal with it. Here however he deals admirably.. now he KNOWS there’s a problem, and in a genuine show of character development over the past three seasons, he apologizes fully, saying their the best team he could ask for, better than zeus and don’t need his powers and they can get the helm together. Instead of putting up walls.. he’s letting his in and showing humility, which given Scrooge’s ego.. is a tall order. But for those kids, for his strength, it’s no small feet. Of course said speech gets Him and Della eaten, but the kids, now reinegized, ahve time to plan, with Daisy further stalling by roaring at Chronus to stop. Because she’s fucking awesome and Storkules finally gets that. The kids however take the leaves and breifly retake their powers, Dewey’s is for dance naturally, and use them together to take down Chronus, freeing everyone else, defeating the titan and throwing him back into the pits. Donald and Daisy reunite and get a RELLY sweet moment, blushing and looking lovingly at one another, getting lava on each other, before kissing. STORKULES, DOSEN’T GET THEY DON’T WANT A THIRD PARTNER OF MYTH, of course interrupts and hugs them hostage for the remaider of the episode. I’m assuming Beakly , when she got home, pried htem out and explained them not wanting a third int heir relationship to him, and it’s a weak end to the plot as Storkules learned nothing and one of the weaker parts of this episode. The rest is stronger as the kids and Scrooge plan to make another run at the helmet and Selene wonders off to “use your shower” and then order pizza.. so she basically just asked Della out. And has used her shower before.

I mean again, she can have two partners. This episode alone has earned that and they seem like they’d mesh. Penny would just have to learn some lessons about sharing and godly vagina’s is all. Nothing wrong with that. And what about Zeus.. no one asked but he gets his wreath back only to fall in the pit, with Hades naturally laughing his ass off.. and likely also taking Zeus’ laurel back. So Zeus is trapped in hell with a goth mocking him. HORAY! HAPPY END. Final Thoughts; This was a pretty good one. It does have it’s weak spots: Storkules learned nothing, the kids stories endings were easy to see coming and there wasn’t enough Dellene. But really despite that. .it’s still a solid episode mostly because it’s REALLY damn funny. The comedic timing is just pitch perfect and while like most of the plots I could see the rhythm of the donsy plot, the reasons for it were all funny and fresh and the scene with Daisy in her car was a nice bit of character building/clear setup for the future. And showing off Della’s own character developement and history with scrooge, the latter without ever having to mention it, really brought the episode up, as did the guest cast’s game voice acting and timing. This episode is far from perfect, but it’s still a fun episode that felt needed despite not being tied into the main plot: Bringing back some old friends, and having an intresting story to tell. Plus we got more Donsy so there’s that. Overall while not the BEST episode of the series, it was a funny, enjoyable half hour of television and sometimes, that’s enough. If you liked this review follow me or more, and if there’s an episode of Ducktales from seasons 1 or 2 you’d like me to cover, you can comission it for 5 bucks, 5 bucks an episode, 5 dollars off your order when you comission more than one, via my personal messages. You can also follow me on patreon at patreon.com/popculturebuffet if you want. NEXT WEEK: FLASHBACK EPISODE! BABY DONALD AND DELLA! BRADFORD ORIGIN STORY! POSSIBLE HORTENSE AFTER SO LONG! MY BODY IS READY!

#ducktales #donald duck #daisy duck #donsy #delumbra #delene #della duck #selene #storkules #scrooge mcduck #dewey duck #huey duck #louie duck #hades #chronus #chronos #new gods on the block!#new gods on the block #ducktales spoilers

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trulyinspiringmovies · 2 years

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Scream (2022)

“Scream” takes the franchise to where it all began, but feels like it’s starting to run out of film tropes to criticize.

Tara Carpenter is the first victim of the newest Ghostface killer, but actually survives her encounter. Shaken by the attack, Sam Carpenter, Tara’s estranged older sister, comes back to Woodsboro to check up on her sister. Sam fears that this new Ghostface is targeting them due to her family secret. She seeks the help of someone who’s been through this before, Dewey Riley.

The “Scream” franchise is one that has grown on me quickly. Although I’ve only watched the movies recently, I’ve known a lot about them because of how prolific they were. Still, knowing the twists and turns didn’t take away from the tremendous amounts of fun I had watching these movies. Needless to say, I was super excited to watch this new film. After watching it, I can confidently say that it delivers more of that meta-horror that we’ve all grown to love. This movie manages to finally match the violence with the comedy. That’s something that was only done well in the first movie. Just like the original movie, I found myself being shocked by the violence, but also laughing at the humor of it all. I thought that the legacy characters were used effectively in this movie. Unlike “Scream 4″, this movie acts as a proper reboot and passes the torch down to the newcomers. Speaking of the newcomers, I thought they were all great. Not a single one of them turned in a bad performance. Dylan Minnette is someone I was really looking forward to because he was good in “Goosebumps” and phenomenal in “Don’t Breathe”. Jenna Ortega’s opening scene really set the tone and quality of the film for me and really got me hyped up. Throughout the movie, I truly felt like no one was safe. The movie does a great job of setting that up. Even the references to other horror movies are used so effectively that I couldn’t trust whether or not they were hinting at a character’s fate. I don’t want to spoil anything, so all I’m going to say is that there’s this amazing scene with Dylan Minnette’s character and a reference to “Psycho” that had me on the edge of my seat. Everything seemed great in this movie, but my biggest problem was its adherence to the first film. Admittedly, there were clever ways to get the new characters to be in the situations that the old characters were in, but they were just callbacks at the end of the day. These scenes didn’t service the overall message of the movie. They were there just because reboots are supposed to take things back to the beginning. I also felt like there was a huge missed opportunity in this film. The “Scream” franchise has always been commenting on the nature of horror movies during their time period. I was worried since “Scream 4″ already talked about reboots to beloved franchises. I was wondering what they could do with this. Well, in the first scene, there was a heavy emphasis on elevated horror. Works like “Get Out”, “It Follows”, “The Babadook”, and “Hereditary” were all referenced. It got me hopeful that this movie might try to comment on arthouse horror, which is a genre I very much enjoy. Then it was made abundantly clear that this new movie wouldn’t be touching those topics because it knows it’s just a slasher and nothing more. I would’ve loved to see this franchise’s take on arthouse horror because I think there’s a lot to be said about them. The fact that this is the first time a “Scream” movie has shied away from topical commentary really felt like a bummer. All in all, I still had a great time watching this movie. I just wish it hadn’t thrown away a golden idea.

★★★★

Watched on January 14th, 2022

#Scream #January #2022 #Horror #Slasher #Thriller #Mystery #R #Matt Bettinelli-Olpin #Tyler Gillett #January 2022 #4 stars

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sunflowereyes-vol6 · 3 years

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Work Your Magic- Part 1

A/N- This is a fun little fictional Harry Styles oneshot/short story that is inspired by events that happened to me and friends while we were in Vegas for a bacherlorette party. I hope you enjoy!

I hate packing, it’s one of those daunting tasks that I love to wait until last minute to complete. I always seem to forget something, no matter how many lists I make. I was determined that wasn’t going to happen this time around. In 12 hours, I’ll be boarding a plane with my 3 closest friends; headed to sin city for 3 nights of debauchery. My best friend Savannah was about to marry the love of her life in two weeks, and being the amazing maid of honor that I am, I organized this trip to Vegas. None of us have ever been so we really have no idea what we’re getting into. I’ve heard the crazy stories, and my mother has already warned me 100 times about precautions and being safe. I can just hear her in my head now screaming at me about how I need to be more aware of my surroundings. She’s right...I do.

Savannah told me months ago that she wanted to go see “Magic Mike” while we were in Vegas. I’ve seen the movies, they are definitely entertaining, but a part of me blushed when she mentioned seeing them live. She gave me a hard time about it since I’m more “reserved,” as she likes to put it. Yeah, I’ve had boyfriends, but nothing too serious. I’m that friend who’s always the bridesmaid, never the bride...and I’ve kind of just accepted that. Savannah has made it abundantly clear that her goal is to get me a lap dance while we’re on this trip. I told her that this was her party, not mine, but she insisted. I’ve never been to anything like this, but you only live once, so I booked the tickets. Anything for Savannah because it’s her weekend after all.

I continue to rustle through my carry-on items, making sure everything follows TSA regulations before I stick the toiletry bag in my suitcase. This is another thing I hate about flying. I have too many bottles of product and not enough room. I’m high maintenance, sue me. I run down my check list one last time, making sure I haven’t forgotten anything. I had a massive light up veil made for Savannah to wear to the Magic Mike show and I can’t wait to surprise her with it. I safely tuck that away and zip up my suit case, setting it by the door so it’s ready to go. Our flight leaves bright and early at 8 AM!

“Tris! Can you believe this! We’re in freakin Vegas bitch!” Emily shouts as we gather our things and I triple check to make sure I’m not leaving anything behind. Our flight landed, and as we walk off the plane and into the airport all I see are bright flashing lights and slot machines. My eyes go wide. We aren’t even on the strip yet; I can only imagine what we are in for. Savannah’s face is lit up, she looks so happy and excited which makes me feel the same. Jade comes up behind all of us and wraps her arms around in a big group hug, “I hope you losers are ready for the best 3 days of your lives, but honestly we probably won’t remember any of it.” I can’t help but roll my eyes and laugh. “This weekend is all about Savannah! You know, one last fling before the ring! That’s what her sash says!” I get a glare from Savannah and I know that look all too well. “Yeah, I might be the one getting married, but you’re the one who's single, Tris. Don’t you think for one second I’ve forgotten about that lap dance!”

I love you S, but whatever, this is not happening.

I give my best friend the biggest grin I can muster and usher us towards baggage claim, doing my best to get the attention off of me. I can’t wait to get to the hotel. We are staying at The Flamingo, and from what I’ve heard they have one of the best pools in Vegas.

Today is the day, the day we get to see a bunch of half-naked men dance around on stage. Savannah, Emily, and Jade won’t shut up about it. The show starts at 9 pm, but until then we have a full day of pool side relaxation planned. We spent our first night in the fancy suite and it did not disappoint. I have never stayed anywhere so lavish and I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself.

The girls and I ordered breakfast delivered to the room this morning. It was a full spread of pancakes, muffins, a cheesy hashbrown casserole, eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, and of course mimosas. We were drunk before noon but hey, does time really exist when you’re on a bachelorette weekend in Vegas?

“What are y’all wearing tonight to the show?” Savannah asks anxiously as we all put our bikinis on to make our way to the pool.

“I brought 3 different outfits because I couldn’t make up my mind. I’m going to need y’all to help me pick one,” Jade quickly chimes in.

Emily looks over at me as I throw the sunscreen in my pool bag along with my beach towel. “What about you Tris? What are you wearing?”

I look around the room and everyone’s eyes are on me. Honestly, I didn’t put a lot of thought into my outfits. I never go out or to clubs, so my wardrobe is quite limited, and of course I didn’t bother to go shopping before the trip. I’m just simple. I mean, I like to think I have style but comfort is also important to me.

“Yall know me, I’m simple, and I haven’t put too much thought into it honestly.”

This answer was not good enough for Savannah. “Do I need to raid your suitcase? Or do we need to go shopping before tonight?”

“No, no, no... I brought plenty to wear. How many times do I have to tell you? This night is for you S, not me, all eyes and pelvic thrusts are going your way, not mine.”

“Oh hush, you know damn well you aren’t leaving tonight without some dick in your face...hell maybe even a phone number.”

I laughed, like a legit belly laugh. There is no way this was happening, but I’ll let Savannah hype me up all she wants if it makes her happy. I know she always has my best interest at heart, but I felt so out of my depth with all of this. Oh well. I’m telling myself I need to live it up while I’m here, even though it’s so out of character for me.

The next 2 hours were spent finding me an outfit. Our pool day was put on hold because apparently my outfit for this evening took top priority. We ended up finding a black body-con dress that I fell in love with. It had gold accents on it which really made the whole thing pop. All the girls made noise, “oohs and aahs” as I walked out of the dressing room and did a little twirl.

Jade screamed, “That’s the one! This is it bitch! You look so hot!” and well next thing I know I was swiping my credit card.

This brings us to now as the 4 of us walk through the doors of the Hard Rock Hotel. This is the residency spot for Magic Mike. I must admit we all look fucking hot, and as Savannah loves to say “you could bounce a quarter off that ass” it looks so good. I grin to myself just thinking about it. We make our way through the line and this handsome man in black dress pants, and a black vest, with nothing on underneath it, escorts us to our huge couch front and center.

The atmosphere of this place is amazing. There are couches set up all around the stage and towards the back there are intimate booths with tables. This is not what I was expecting at all, but I’m loving it. We make it to our seats and another sexy man comes to take our drink orders. We all of course order the largest and strongest thing on the menu; I need a little liquid courage right now.

In our seats there are stacks of pink money with all the dancers faces on them. Apparently at MM you don’t throw real money, this is all about the female experience. Savannah looks at me, with her huge light up veil adorning her head. “Look at this! I can’t wait to tuck one of these in the front of a G-string!” I can’t help but laugh at her, she is so bold and I love her for it.

Soon the waiter comes back with our drinks and the lights are going down. Goosebumps flitter up and down my arms as sultry music begins to play, and a gorgeous woman with stiletto heels and a pant suit walks on stage. As she welcomes everyone to the show, she goes into a spiel about how different this experience is going to be. She also warns fans that at any time someone could be picked from the audience to come up and participate. I know I turn beet red just thinking about it, as all my friend eyes turn towards me and they giggle.

Is this my bachelorette weekend? No, I don’t think so. Savannah you’re going on that stage not me!

I shake my head at them as the mood once again shifts in the room and there are men coming from every corner of the space dancing, flipping, and grinding their way onto the stage. I don’t know where to look, my senses are overloaded, and the place is so loud with excitement. Once all the guys make it on stage they get into a formation and the music changes again. They are all wearing tight jeans, showing off every muscle and curve; not to mention their ass. While rocking white tees that quickly come off and are thrown into the crowd.

As my eyes scan over each one of the men, a tall brown-haired beauty with piercing green eyes makes eye contact with me and I get a shiver down my spine. He’s legit beautiful. His hair hitting right at his neck, with sexy waves, and a curl that falls down on his forehead. I’m blushing, my face feels like it’s on fire as he walks towards the edge of the stage in my direction.

I feel like I’m in a trance and I can’t take my eyes off of him. He’s now standing in front of me, a smile on his face, as he reaches out his hand. I look around...wondering if he’s really wanting me, and he shakes his head yes. I reach up to grab his ring clad fingers, my heart rate picking up, as he pulls me forward and slowly raises my hand towards his mouth, giving it a small kiss. I’m frozen, I look down at my hand and back up to his face, our eyes meeting. The music is loud and my friends are losing their minds around me, but I can’t stop looking at him. He bends his head further down to whisper in my ear.

I try to speak but words aren’t forming. I’m a mess so I just shake my head yes and quickly sit down as he gives me a wink, and quickly finishes his routine with the other men on stage. The music fades and the room goes black.

What is happening?

The girls are quickly leaning in asking me a million questions and screaming.

“What did he say?” “Omg, T, he is so hot!” “Are you going on stage?”

I try to compose myself best I can, part of me is excited and part of me is scared out of my mind. What did I just agree to?

“He told me he wanted me on stage during his next solo performance...I have no idea what it is.”

Savannah grabs my face and places her forehead on mine, she’s gazing at me so intently as she speaks to me, “breathe T, it’s ok, this is supposed to be fun, yeah, you’re golden baby girl.”

This is not the time for my anxiety to kick in so I take some deep breaths. She’s right, I’m ok. This guy is hot...majorly so, and when am I going to ever get this experience again? I should take full advantage and live in the moment.

Why am I such a ball of awkward nerves?

Time passes and half the show has gone by. I’ve seen more abs and ass than I ever have in my life, but I’m not complaining. The show has been so fun and entertaining but that anxious side of me is wondering when I’m going to be brought up on stage.

A few minutes later I feel a tap on my shoulder and a man is asking me to come over to the stairs. He asks me my name and I give it to him.

“Hi Tris, I’m Emmanuel. Harry said he let you know at the beginning of the show that he wanted you to come on stage for his solo performance. Are you ok with that?”

I quickly give Emmanuel a nod and a “yes” before I have time to back out.

He informs me of what is about to happen and walks me into the middle of the stage. There is a large circular mat right in the center that he tells me to lay down on. My nerves are completely shot and I’m doing my best to walk in these heels. I think I will die of embarrassment if I twist an ankle up here. Every eye in this place is on me and I hear Savannah, Jade, and Emily screaming my name from their seats.

I make it to the mat and lay down not knowing was to expect; after about 15 seconds the lights go low, and the music begins to play. It’s an electric beat that sounds mysterious and sexy. Blue low lights begin to shine around the stage towards the ceiling, and as I look up, I see the man who I now know to be Harry, extended mid-air, and slowly lowering himself towards the stage. He has ropes wrapped around his feet and hands that he uses to slowly flip himself down to the floor. He’s only wearing black briefs that cling tightly to his body, and you can see every outline of what’s beneath them. My mouth drops open and I can’t move. I have no idea what is happening or what I should do, so I just lay there...mesmerized.

Harry’s gaze is on me. His eyes are so hyper focused I feel like he can see all of me. It’s almost like he’s undressing me little by little. He gets lower and his body is literally hung over mine, his face inches away, as he stares back at me. This man is ethereal looking; his jawline looks as though it was chiseled by the gods, and part of me wants to reach up and touch it. Among other things. He’s just so...attractive, and my mind races of why he chose me for this. His body is so close I can feel the heat radiating off of him and I slowly feel an ache setting into my stomach that’s moving lower.

At this moment I can’t believe I’m turned on, in a room full of over 100 people.

Harry unwraps his legs from the rope and lowers his feet to the floor, straddling me. His eyes haven’t left me once and the sight above me is so intimidating. He reaches down to grab my hands and he slowly rakes them down the front of his body, over his torso, and barely grazing the top of his briefs. I can’t help to close my eyes while my hands shake with excitement and fear of the unknown.

Harry bends down again, as he slowly lowers to his knees, straddling my stomach, but careful not to put any pressure on me. He slowly dips his head down into my neck and I feel his tongue go from the base all the way up to my ear. A soft moan tumbles from my mouth, there was no way to control it, and I quickly bite my lip. My eyes are still closed because the sheer thought of making eye contact with this man right now scares the hell out of me. I hear his deep voice in my ear and it’s like he read my mind.

“Eyes on me pretty girl, mmm...you feel amazing.”

As soon as the words left Harry’s mouth he was on his feet, ropes in his hands as he quickly starts to rotate his body around the mat. Who knew they had aerialists at Magic Mike, but that’s exactly what this was...except he was nearly nude. His body moved around me and above me, making beautiful shapes with his legs, arms, and torso. He looked like he was flying through the air; it was beautiful to watch. Just when I thought it was over Harry came back to hover over me. He grabbed my hands again and raised me up to where I was standing right in front of him.

“Do you trust me?” He whispered in my ear.

Do I trust him? I have no idea...

“Yes,” I stated, and that was all Harry needed to hear as he grabbed my waist, and as he did so the rope was pulled into the air.

Harry’s eyes were on me again. He looked like he had so much to say, but he quickly asked me to wrap my legs around him, so I did. As soon as I was secure our bodies were twirling around the stage. I wanted to scream from the euphoria that was rushing through me but Harry’s gaze was still on me.

“Are you having fun pretty girl?”

I nodded with a big smile on my face as we made our descent back to the mat. He slowly and carefully laid my body down as I took a deep breath.

Harry reached down one last time and whispered into my ear.

“You did so well, please come see me before you leave the show tonight.”

And with that the lights went off, the room was black, and Harry was gone.

If you stuck around this long, thank you! Part 2 and 3 are up, might have to scroll a little. 💛

#harrystyles #harry #oneshot #smut #shortstory #magicmike

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hutchhitched · 3 years

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Oh, Peeta Pie! I love him. Here are thoughts and musings on Chapter for @everlarkedalways THG reread.

Betrayal. Katniss takes it like a champ, except she really doesn’t. In spite of herself, she’s developed feelings—tiny glimmers of feelings that will grow from a spark into a full-fledged fire in the next book. (I did it again, didn’t I? Go me with the fire metaphors.) She spends a few paragraphs convincing herself that she didn’t really trust Peeta, that their fragile friendship is really more of them being enemies, and so on. In other words, methinks she doth protest too much.

For the bulk of the chapter, though, it’s not about Peeta at all. It’s about Katniss and who she is or isn’t. I’ll admit, I have trouble identifying with Katniss. I know myself very well. I have for a very long time. I’m very fortunate in that I had a very solid homelife with loving, supportive parents and an older sister who thinks I’m pretty great. Both sets of grandparents lived within a few miles of me (one set was my next door neighbor). I grew up in a small town, and everybody knew who I was. I enjoyed myself and had a lot of fun, but I was (and still am) introspective. I was (and am) equally comfortable in large groups and by myself reading or thinking about things. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had enough. In other words, Katniss and I come from pretty different worlds.

Katniss spent her late childhood and adolescence being an adult. I spent mine planning to be an adult but being able to be a kid. Yes, I was always thinking about the future and planning for it, but I was allowed to be a kid and teenager. Maybe that’s why it’s hard for me to understand how someone like Katniss doesn’t really know who she is, but it’s abundantly clear she doesn’t. She knows she loves her sister, but the rest of her mind is concerned with keeping her family alive. Not a whole lot of time to sit down and think philosophically.

Katniss is an enigma—brave and frightened, surly and friendly, small with a huge training score. Haymitch has no idea what to do with her. He tells her she has the charm of a “dead slug.” Katniss claims at the end of the session “she is no one at all.”

It’s true. She’s not. She’s a nobody from an outlying district. She has no power, no allies, no real reason for anyone to want to help her. And yet… If this isn’t the best underdog story, I’m not sure what is. Katniss gives people hope, both those in Panem and readers. If she can do it, any of us can. We can all be heroes if we stand up for what’s right and find compassion and love for other humans. It’s inspiring, and it’s why I still root for her, despite wishing she’d get it together a little bit. (Yes, I know. She’s a teenager. I should be more patient with her.)

Besides her frustration that she doesn’t know how to get people to like her (movie dialogue, not book dialogue), she’s irritated that she can’t be her normal surly self. She makes a comment that Thresh is short and noncommittal during his interview. No one tells him to smile and pretend, but Katniss gets that advice quite a bit and from multiple people.

Did Collins mean to make it commentary? Was her intention to poke fun at the very real problem of men telling women to smile? It’s a problem, one (again) I don’t face too often because I’m normally very smiley and friendly, but I see it all the time in the media and with my friends. For some reason (let’s be honest, we all know what those are), women are supposed to look and be pleasant and attractive. It doesn’t matter why we’re upset. Our job is to grin and bear it and to look good while we’re doing it. That’s a historical fact, not just a current irritation.

Two examples:

The WASPS were women pilots during World War II and after. Some of them were picked to train as astronauts and were called the Mercury 13. Many of them logged more hours than their mail counterparts and were physically more ready to go into space, but they were overlooked because…well, sexism in the 1950s and 1960s. What does this have to do with looking good? One of the pilots took a flight and afterward, reporters were there to interview her. As she descended, she fixed her hair, changed into heels, and reapplied her makeup. She knew she wouldn’t be considered feminine if she didn’t, so she “fixed” herself to be what she was expected to be (a woman) rather than was she was (a pilot).

Gender roles for Christian men and women have undergone a number of trials and tribulations since the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Besides larger society’s traditional gender roles, evangelical leaders during the 1970s and 1980s encouraged Christian wives to “freshen up” before husbands returned home from work. The idea was that husbands didn’t want to see a work-weary woman. This overemphasis on looks hasn’t gone away, as evidenced by the southern Missouri pastor who said in February 2021, “Now look, I’m not saying every woman can be the epic, the epic trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump,” he said. “All I can say is not everybody looks like that, amen? …But you don’t need to look like a butch either.” Yeah, he’s not preaching anymore.

Chapter 9 opens and closes with betrayal. Katniss reacts to Peeta wanting to train alone at the beginning of the chapter and finds out he’s harbored a crush on her at the end of it. All I can say is that Peeta knows how to work a crowd, and he does it well. (I’m not totally convinced he meant to announce it since he blushed beet red, but I’m sure he’d told Haymitch by that point.)

I have other thoughts, but I’ll save them for another day. Onto “The Games” tomorrow, although it seems like Peeta’s been playing them already. Sneaky, that one.

#thgagain #the hunger games #the hunger games meta

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sebastianshaw · 3 years

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Rando Munday stuff

For new followers, on Monday sometimes I just post a ton of random OOC shit in one post like this! It’s just completely random stuff about me or stuff I’m up to, that kind of thing. -In preparation for returning to the office next month, we’re all going in to work every morning this week for training. Not looking forward to that. - I’m glad I don’t grow out of things. I’m glad that I still love The Last Unicorn, a movie I saw when I was barely old enough to speak. I’m glad that I still love unicorns, and fantasy/horror creatures in general. I’m glad I still love stuffed animals and still give them hugs. I’m glad I still like cartoons and comic books and learning animal facts. I’m glad that my enjoyment doesn’t come with an expiration date, and that stuff that has always made me happy, keeps making me happy. - Not only are the chinchillas much more friendly with me now, they love my dad too! Which is great, because he adores them! When I get near him while holding them, Cashmere will start trying to go to him! She loves crawling around on his shoulders. Pashmina will too but she’s far more cautious and slow about it (she’s the more nervous of the two) and will often keep one or two paws on me while she waffles on whether to go to him. But last night BOTH of them walked from my arms on to his back. Then Pashmina ambled back to me, and, without looking, my dad could tell that Cashmere was the one still on him because he’s learned how differently they move on his back/shoulders! - I’ve had like three people make fun of me for being a lesbian cliche because I like Tori Amos, and while I think it’s funny too, I also wonder, would you kids on Tumblr even get this? Like do the gay kids today know who Tori Amos even is--- - I love Bob’s Burgers and I know that’s not unusual, but like the stuff that’s funniest to me is not what I think was supposed to be funniest? Like when the grandma at Tammy’s Bat Mitzvah says “my swim instructor’s bisexual” is the fucking #2 funniest thing to me on that show, with the #1 being Gene and Bob’s exchange about whether or not Salman Rushdie wrote The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I don’t know why but that is PEAK COMEDY to me and I go over it in my head abundantly. - I may be introverted but I can still tell a lady at the gas station she’s wearing great lashes and another that she looks gorgeous! I normally don’t tell people they look gorgeous/pretty/etc if they’re strangers and instead keep it to things like lashes, makeup, clothes, etc (general rule is that if something is a choice, like clothing or hair, it’s okay, if it’s their body or something else beyond their control, that’s creepy, even if it’s a compliment) but in this case the latter was dressed up with like a gown and full makeup and the boy she was with had on a suit, so I think they were high schoolers stopping there for snacks on the way to a dance, so I figured it was appropriate here and she seemed happy! - I got back into reading the GOAT VALLEY CAMPGROUNDS stories, which are fantastic. They’re a first-person narrative from the POV of a campground manager at a camp where strange and ancient beings inhabit the property, and her attempts to protect campers from them, as well as simply survive. Warning, this is very dark---not only the creatures and the fates of campers horrifying, the heroine herself on more than one occasion kills another human being to ensure the greater good/survival of herself or others, and not just “bad” people either---and there’s a very Lovecraftian vibe of “there are huge and powerful horrible things here you can’t control or fight, you just have to follow these rules and hope you survive” Speaking of Lovecraftian, I saw a friend on FB talking about OLD GODS OF APPALACHIA and I have not listened to it yet but it seems like it will be my cup of tea. I have driven through old mountain roads with my family many times and felt like, this is a great setting for Lovecraft-type stories---the ancient lands, the isolation, the way small families are just scattered throughout this massive area with no phone service or internet, this is like. . ..a perfect horror setup in general, as many movies have exploited, but a perfect “scary cults and elder gods” setup. So I’m looking forward to seeing what someone else has done with it. And yes, I’m aware Lovecraft himself and his writing are full of racism and xenophobia. And to be honest, I’m not a big fan of Lovecraft himself (he’s not really a good writer imo, and my fave stories of his are the ones that AREN’T part of the Cthulu Mythos, like “Pickman’s Model”) but I love seeing what modern people who presumably (hopefully) don’t have those prejudices do with his ideas and concepts, and I think my very favorite of these is RED GOAT BLACK GOAT by Nadia Bulkin. Set in West Java and written by an Indonesian-American woman, it’s got all my favorite Lovecraftian horror tropes with none of the shittiness, and I always have to recommend it when talking about modern takes on the genre. - Just had to change my shirt because Dart has already made it smell like rat piss. This is my life now. These are his shirts now.

#out of shirt #mun monday #munday

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anhed-nia · 4 years

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BLOGTOBER 10/4/2020: SOCIETY

Without having a survey to back me up, I feel comfortable asserting that as a horror fan, you go through different phases with SOCIETY. It’s a basic fact of life, and yet it morphs and mutates underneath you, shocking you anew just when you think you’ve got a grip on it. You never forget your first time, because there is simply nothing like it. Then, after you get over the initial shock of its patented brand of body horror, you start to take it for granted; it's so broad and monolithic that it becomes something like the Grand Canyon--when it’s not right there in front of you, you begin to experience it more iconically, as part of the wallpaper of existence, rather than an in-your-face confrontation with the limits of experience. Then, you revisit it every few years (or months, depending on what sort of person you are), and the prophylactic layer that your brain has wrapped around your memories of it--the one that allows you to think of SOCIETY as a fun, wacky cheap thrill--begins to crumble, and you realize all over again how iconoclastically vile it is. Wherever you happen to be at, with this inimitable genre landmark, you'd be hard pressed to deny that it earns its royal status among horror movies, just for being so uniquely fucked up.

Filmmaker Brian Yuzna is best known as the co-creator of the indispensable RE-ANIMATOR (or as the co-writer of HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS...depending on what sort of person you are, again), itself a milestone achievement in the blending of sex and gore that so characterized '80s horror production. That film clearly brought out the best in Yuzna and frequent collaborator Stuart Gordon (also of HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS fame...among other things), but it's interesting to see how they operate apart, to understand the unique ingredients that each filmmaker brought to the more perfect union of their classic Lovecraft adaptation. Gordon skewed darker and more intellectual, as evidenced by the end of his career with the shattering mob thriller KING OF THE ANTS, the disturbing true crime drama STUCK, and the Mamet-penned EDMOND. Yuzna, for his part, is almost anti-intellectual, preferring to cook up blackly comic, semi-pornographic nightmares like his two increasingly horny RE-ANIMATOR sequels, the terminal S&M fantasy RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3, and the shamelessly hokey comic book adaptation FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED. Yuzna's lack of shame is really his defining feature as an artist, and nowhere is this more obvious than in his directorial debut and signature masterpiece, SOCIETY.

Salvador Dali's "The Great Masturbator," a chief visual inspiration for SOCIETY.

Yuzna was able to leverage the success of RE-ANIMATOR to lock in two directorial opportunities, BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR, and a bizarre body horror exercise about a Beverly Hills orphan who discovers that not only are his adoptive family from a different bloodline, but they're not even from the same species. That both pictures employed the writing team of Woody Keith and Rick Fry gives you a little taste of what to expect from SOCIETY, but to be frank, the latter threatens to make the former look like a very special episode of ER; "overkill" barely begins to describe SOCIETY’s ambitious assault on the human body. In a recent interview, the philipino-american director giggles perversely, "I think my friends were a little embarrassed for me (when they saw SOCIETY)," and this sound bite reminded me that the last, most important ingredient that Yuzna contributes to any project is unabashed joy. It's a little hard to imagine stomaching SOCIETY without it.

In this unusual scene from the class struggle in Beverly Hills, Billy Warlock (son of HALLOWEEN 2's Michael Myers, Dick Warlock) plays Bill Whitney, a rich, handsome, athletic high school student with a heavy duty anxiety disorder. Although he appears to have it all, he is plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, reflecting suspicions that the family that spoils him is also out to get him. Perhaps this is all understandable, though. Bill is under a lot of pressure these days, with his parents devoting all of their attention to his sister's coming out party, and his narcissistic girlfriend pushing him to ingratiate himself to the assholes higher up the social ladder; it's enough to make any teenager feel alienated and insecure. But, do these garden variety anxieties account for his visions of his sister's body deforming itself unnaturally, or the dubious evidence he finds that her debutante ball involves incestuous orgies and human sacrifice? Is Bill simply crumbling under the strain of societal expectations, or is the friction with his shrink, his parents, and his peers all symptomatic of an elaborate plot against him by elites who are truly less than human?

I can’t believe they use this cheapo blanket trick MORE THAN ONCE in a movie that is famous for its unforgettable special effects, and I guess I kind of love it.

In case I haven't made the answer abundantly obvious, I'll add that while SOCIETY is the purest expression of Yuzna-ness on the market, it has an important co-author in Screaming Mad George. The eccentric japanese FX master, whose name is apparently an amalgamation of Mad Magazine, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and...George, has produced some of horror's most outrageous makeup and visual effects, mostly for Yuzna, many of them in SOCIETY. If you've seen even a trailer for Alex Winter's 1993 oddity FREAKED--which is itself a grossout criticism of American social standards--then you are already familiar with SMG's trademark style. He specializes in twisted perversions of the human form that would make a cenobite blush, driven by a penchant for puns, and influenced equally by THE THING's Rob Botin, and Big Daddy Roth’s Rat Fink style. Screaming Mad George is instrumental in articulating Yuzna's premise: that behind the shimmering veneer of success and sophistication, the upper class are just a bunch of degenerates, who literally degenerate into something unimaginable behind closed doors. It's impossible to imagine SOCIETY without his sinuous, slithering monstrosities, or his indescribable realization of their most important social event, "the shunt".

One of many great images from a zine I wish I owned, on SMG’s Facebook page.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by SOCIETY's visual impact, but its message is just as potent now as it was at the end of the Reagan era: Rich people are not only different from the rest of us, but in fact, they aren't even human. Writers Keith and Fry make an interesting choice of hero to help put this across. A lazier writer would have selected any archetype from the Freaks and Geeks set to create an easy Us vs Them tension, but SOCIETY is led by a promising young man who, for reasons he himself does not yet understand, is just not "the right kind of people". Bill appears to have every advantage in life, including a level of popularity that wins him presidency of the debate team despite his nerdier rival’s superior prowess--and yet, he suffers from a stigmatizing psychiatric disorder that is the natural result of feeling indefinably different from one's peers, and intuiting that, as a consequence, they don't even really like you. The shallow jock with deep-seated emotional problems is a much more interesting protagonist for this kind of social allegory than the charismatic outcasts that you get in movies like THE FACULTY and DISTURBING BEHAVIOR, for whom the idea that the elites could be aliens is just de rigueur.

It's worth noting that this complexity of character extends to Bill's love interest, sympathetic society girl Clarissa Carlyn (Playboy Playmate Devin DeVasquez). At first, she seems villainously eager to introduce Bill to the many splendors of "the shunting", but as the plot against him mounts to its horrifying conclusion, she defects. There appears to be a reason for this, although honestly, this is the most difficult part of SOCIETY for me to wrap my head around. Clarissa lives as an essentially independent adult, only burdened by her mother (Pamela Matheson), a possibly brain damaged hulk who lurks in and out of various scenes just to be disturbing, always announced by some toots on a tuba, before eventually siding with our heroes. I'm really not sure what's supposed to be going on in this part of the movie, except that this character contributes to a number of distasteful jokes. But, I hold on to the idea that by virtue of whatever disorder Mrs. Carlyn suffers from, she serves the purpose of priming Clarissa to rebel, since her very existence makes her daughter something of a societal outcast herself. That's the best I can do.

In any case, everyone working on SOCIETY commits completely, with Mrs. Carlyn being no exception. The movie's climactic orgy of the damned is an all hands on deck operation, just as reliant on Screaming Mad George's artistic abilities as it is on the actors' responsibility to make you believe that this fucked up shit is really happening. There's a visceral patina of sleaze spread over the entire film, dripping from the way that characters talk to and touch each other, flirting and flaunting their bodies in a distinctly unseemly fashion, even when it stays within the realm of mundane reality. This constant sinister, insinuating attitude on the part of the whole cast lays the foundation for what is to come, and while I appreciate everybody's hard work, my favorite performance is from an actor who only comes in at the very end: David Wiley as society king Judge Carter. Wiley's career consisted almost exclusively of the most ordinary sort of television work, which makes his outrageous turn in this alien porno flick all the more respectable. While other characters transition from suspicious pod people to full-on mutated perverts, Judge Carter has to show up just for the finale, establish his authority, rip off his clothes, and plunge straight into a sea of slime, happily fisting his way through the cast. Wiley meets this challenge with aplomb, making of himself a hybrid of Robert Englund and Gene Hackman, perfectly embodying the movie's joyful absurdity, and never betraying the slightest hint of embarrassment.

SOCIETY is very much a don't-look-down type of endeavor, a fairy that could expire at the slightest lapse in faith. There's a visual pun in the last act that's so gross, so offensive, so frankly idiotic, that I don't have the courage to describe it; my whole body tenses up when I know this scene is coming, as if it were the meat hook scene in TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE or the brutal rape in the middle of SHOWGIRLS. I don't like it, but at the same time, I respect Yuzna's unhesitating commitment to show it to me, and I think that actor Charles Lucia should get some kind of award for shouldering the burden so valiantly. SOCIETY is a daring movie in the truest sense, a film with more balls than brains, and in this it exposes the limitation of intelligence and taste, and the real need for pure transgression, in producing art of any real value. You might argue with me about whether Yuzna's masturbatory magnum opus really qualifies as art, but to respond to that, I'll quote the great transgressor Alejandro Jodorowsky: "If you are great, EL TOPO is a great picture. If you are limited, EL TOPO is limited." So stick that in your shunt and smoke it.

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PS Here, have this stuck in your head for the rest of your life.

#blogtober #2020 #society #brian yuzna #screaming mad george #woody keith #rick fry #billy warlock #Keith Walley #devin devasquez #david wiley #horror #black comedy #satire #body horror #social criticism

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wuxian-vs-wangji · 3 years

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Can you recommend me any English shows? I feel like I've seen all of them and I just want new stuff.

Ummmmm...

OK, so I’m going to recommend more obscure or less well known shows, ones that are easily missed or overlooked. Hopefully there are new things on the list--

Farscape-- An American astronaut is sucked into a wormhole and zapped to the far side of the universe. He ends up a passenger on an escaped prison ship and a fugitive from the authoritarian, militaristic Peacekeeper Regime. His only goal is to find a way back to Earth- if he can survive long enough to chart the way. Do not go into this expecting it to be great. It’s low-budget Australian-American Sci-fi from 1999-2003. It’s fantastic if you go into it with low expectations though.

-- Farscape opening credits (it gives you an idea of the show) --

Stargate SG-1-- (Not obscure, but people don’t talk about it enough). A Stargate is an alien device that uses star positions to “dial” (like a rotary phone) distant planets. The Earth gate was used by American marines to explore one such planet, where they ended up in a battle for their lives against a race of aliens whose leader once posed as the god Ra to enslave Ancient Egyptians. He was defeated, but now his kind know Earth is rising once again, and this time it’s in a position to rip apart their stranglehold on the galaxy. The only thing that stands between Earth and the Goa’uld are a series of teams that are basically worthless, and the one team that will change it all: Stargate SG-1. **There is a movie called “Stargate” that covers the battle with Ra. That is the ORIGINAL. The shows are spin-offs of the movie but you DO NOT NEED to see the movie to follow**

(and fun trivia: the last few seasons of Stargate added the 2 lead actors from “Farscape”, but as wholly new Stargate-Universe-Only characters).

-- Stargate SG-1 Trailer --

Stargate Atlantis-- (Jason Momoa was in this one!) Turns out the Earth Stargate doesn’t just connect to THIS galaxy, it is the only gate in the Milky Way capable of reaching the Pegasus Galaxy. More importantly- the mythical lost city of the Gate Builders- Atlantis. The trip will be one way, thanks to the extraordinary power requirements to make a connection. An entire new command- and entire new teams- are sent to Pegasus to make contact with the Gate Builder civilization and bring humanity millennia into the future with their knowledge and technology. Except at the other end of that one-way mission is a dead city, slowly flooding as its shields lose power to hold back the ocean that has buried it. When total failure is imminent- and death assured- the city releases from the ocean floor and rises to the surface. But the Ancient City was abandoned for a reason. And waking the city will wake a new and horrifying enemy (Jason Momoa appears in Season 2 as the Wraith-Runner Ronan Dex). **Stargate Atlantis is mostly self-contained. Later seasons get complex with crossover episodes, but for the most part you don’t have to worry about seeing SG-1 to understand SGA**

-- Stargate Atlantis Trailer --

Harper’s Island-- (Not Sci-fi this time!) 8 years ago the peaceful Northwest community of Harper’s Island was rocked by a series of horrific murders. The killer was hunted down and killed, but not before Abby Mills’ mother joined the list of John Wakefield’s victims. Abby swore she would never return- but now she’s been drawn back for the wedding of her best friend. They are determined not to let the darkness of the past haunt the present- but one by one people begin to vanish. The bodies begin to pile up. And one thing becomes abundantly clear: John Wakefield is alive, he’s been waiting for Abby to return, and an enemy may walk among them. **Even the actors in the show didn’t know if they would live or die as they filmed the show, or which one of them might be the murderer**

-- Harper’s Island Trailer: One By One --

Galavant-- (this entire series can be binged in about 2.5-3 hours, it wasn’t long) Way back in days of old there was a legend told about a hero known as Galavant. Well, that was then, this is now. Galavant did everything a hero was supposed to do- he was successful, had a hot girlfriend, and thought he was set for his Happily Ever After. Right up until the evil and jealous King Richard laid eyes on Galavant’s sweet Madalena and fell in love with her. King Richard kidnaps Madalena and is poised to force her to marry him when Galavant bursts in to save the day--- only for Madalena to tell him she’s actually cool with the whole thing. Hey, she’ll live in a castle and be rich, who wouldn’t want that?! Destroyed by his love’s betrayal, Galavant eats and drinks himself into oblivion for a year. At this point he is approached by Princess Isabelle- whose kingdom has been invaded and her family imprisoned by none other than King Richard and his Evil Queen Madalena- who’s taken a sharp turn bitch-ward since leaving Galavant. It’s time for Galavant to do some situps, sack up, and be a hero once again. **This is a comedy musical, with the songs written by Alan Menkin, the man behind the music in Disney films including Pocahontas, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

-- Galavant Opening Song --

Chernobyl-- (Not obscure but people don’t talk nearly enough about how hauntingly beautiful this mini-series was) In 1986, while the city of Pripyat slept, something horrifying happened at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. A safety test went awry, Reactor 4 exploded, and thus began the worst nuclear disaster in history- one which in many ways is still unfolding to this day. This miniseries celebrates the heroes who helped contain the tragedy at Chernobyl. The firefighters who stood at the edge of an exposed nuclear reactor to stop the fires belching irradiated ash into the atmosphere. The doctors and nurses whose hands were burned simply by touching the firefighters as their bodies began to liquify. The miners who dug cooling shafts beneath a nuclear reactor in meltdown to stop molten rock from reaching the Kiev water supply. The military and scientific leaders who worked together to contain the disaster and hold accountable those who caused such horrific devastation. Haunting is the only way to describe this mini series.

-- Chernobyl trailer --

Those are the ones that came to mind. IDK, I just thought of shows that we’ve talked about at work that people aren’t immediately familiar with. I’m probably leaving some fantastic ones off the list...

#ask #recommendation #recommendations #idk i tried to think beyond like obvious primetime shows #Anonymous

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noona-clock · 4 years

Text

The Doctor - Part 4

Genre: Doctor!AU

Pairing: Donghyuk (iKON) x You (Female!Reader)

Warnings: Medical emergency, Anxiety

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Words: 3,372

Apparently, you had convinced Donghyuk enough that you hadn’t just been “being nice” when you’d offered to take him on a tour of the town because he was now texting and calling you at least once a day.

The texting was definitely at least once a day; the calling was more like once a week. He would usually call to invite you and Claire to dinner on either Friday or Sunday evening, and by now, it seemed like you’d introduced him to just about every local restaurant that existed within the city limits.

Claire had even requested you invite him to see a movie with the two of you once, and he’d joined you for two more in the weeks after that, as well.

He spent quite a bit of time with both you and Claire, but you had so many one-on-one conversations through text messages( and when Claire left you two alone when she saw a friend out and about) that you didn’t just think of him as a family friend: he was your friend. Your friend who happened to genuinely enjoy spending time with your daughter -- and the feeling was entirely mutual.

And before anyone asks -- yes, he was just a friend.

You wouldn’t lie and say your interest in him hadn’t grown because it had. As you’d gotten to know him better, you’d seen that his pleasant and charming demeanor was actually just... who he was.

He was without a doubt the kindest, sweetest, most warmhearted person -- not just man -- you’d ever met. And he was still as handsome as he was the day you’d unofficially met him. In fact, his personality made him even more handsome in your eyes.

So, yes. Your interest was much deeper than it had been a couple of months ago... but you were perfectly content just being friends.

You were!

Honestly.

Speak of the angel: your phone was currently ringing and Donghyuk’s name was on the screen.

“Hey,” you greeted with a small grin as Claire set down her pencil on the kitchen table. “What’s up?”

“Hey!”

Hearing Donghyuk’s cheerful voice always made your heart jump up in a little into your throat.

“I know it’s a weekday --” He was correct. It was Thursday. “-- but I got to leave the office early today, and I was wondering if you and Claire wanted to go to the park? I just got a new basketball, and I’m dying to try it out.”

The grin on your lips widened a little, and you said, “Well, I would love to watch, but I’m sure Claire would love for you to teach her how to play.”

Claire stood from her chair and rushed over to you. “Teach me how to play what?” she asked, tugging on your elbow.

“Basketball,” you answered. “Do you want to go to the park with Donghyuk?”

Rather than answering immediately in the affirmative, Claire pursed her lips in thought and tilted her head.

“Basketball?” she asked.

“Yeah --”

“Tell her I would love to teach her,” Donghyuk interrupted.

“He would love to teach you,” you told her, trying to make the offer sound incredibly tempting with your tone.

Claire thought for a few more seconds and then lifted her shoulders into a shrug. “Okay, sure.”

“Go get changed,” you said, nodding up toward her room. And then you turned back to your phone. “Say when and we’ll be there.”

“Now?” Donghyuk smiled. “I’ll take you guys out for dinner afterward, my treat.”

“Donghyuk!” you said with a playful whine. “It doesn’t always have to be your treat!”

“You buy dinner, too! Sometimes!”

“Hardly ever!”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon! Bye!” And he hung up before you could protest any further.

You laughed softly to yourself, shaking your head as you slid your phone into your pocket and moved to grab a refillable water bottle from underneath the sink.

Claire hopped back downstairs just as you finished filling the bottle up. You handed it to her, slung your bag over your shoulder, and headed out to the park.

Donghyuk was already there when you arrived, dribbling his basketball and making some free throws.

Claire looked up at you with raised eyebrows, and when you nodded silently, a smile curved her lips and she ran onto the court to join him. “Donghyuk!” she cried joyfully, flinging her arms out when she got close.

You watched as Donghyuk quickly dropped the ball and bent down to welcome Claire with a rather large hug. He looked up then, searching behind her, and when his eyes caught yours, you lifted one hand in a wave.

His grin was visible even from where you were standing, and boy, did it make your heart sing.

As Donghyuk turned back to Claire and picked up his basketball, you found a nearby picnic table to sit on and watch. You had never been very athletically inclined, and basketball -- while fun to watch -- was not something you ever felt the need to actually do. You weren’t sure Claire would come out of this wanting to sign up for the local basketball league, but she would certainly have fun with Donghyuk.

After perching on the picnic table, setting your feet on the bench and one elbow on your knee so you could rest your chin in the palm of your hand, a smile formed on your lips that you knew wouldn’t go away any time soon. You couldn’t think of anything more heartwarming than watching your daughter playing and having fun with someone -- and someone as charming and friendly as Donghyuk, no less. It was so obvious that he was having just as good a time as she was.

You watched as he taught her how to dribble, setting his hand on top of hers and gently pushing the ball down to the ground over and over again. You watched as he delicately passed it to her, crouching down in front of her so they would be at the same level. You watched as he demonstrated how to shoot a basket, eventually picking her up and lifting her close to the net so she could dunk the ball. It took her a few tries since she was still a bit too far from the rim, but when she did, Donghyuk ran around the court with her still in his arms, cheering and whooping, and your smile literally never wavered the entire time.

After a little while, you decided to get your phone out so you could take some pictures and videos. Claire had just paused for a water break, so you figured it was the perfect time to dig into your bag.

Just as your fingers grasped the edges of your phone case, you heard one sound that no parent ever in the history of the world wants to hear: her child’s scream.

And not a playful scream or a laughing scream -- a hurt scream.

You immediately let go of your phone, letting it drop back into your bag as your head whipped up to face the basketball court. When you saw Claire on the ground, your heart leaped out of your chest, and even though Donghyuk was already by her side, you scrambled off the picnic table and ran over as fast as you could.

“What happened?!” you gasped once you were close enough, your chest heaving from just having run faster than you had in a long time.

Claire was currently sobbing and wailing while clutching her arm to her chest, so Donghyuk answered your question.

“She was just skipping over here after getting a drink from her water bottle, and she tripped,” he explained, sounding incredibly calmer and more collected than you felt at the moment.

Then again, he was a doctor. He dealt with things like this all the time.

Whereas you never had. So, right now, you were absolutely terrified.

You knelt down beside Claire’s head, reaching out to smooth your hand over her forehead and hair. “It’s all right, baby,” you said softly as Donghyuk gingerly inspected the arm she had fallen on.

Claire shook her head, whimpering ‘it hurts’ though her sobs.

“I know, I’m sorry,” you told her, successfully keeping the heartbreak you were feeling out of your voice. “Mommy’s here, you’re going to be okay.”

Donghyuk looked up at you then, and when your eyes met his, your heart broke even more. He made it abundantly clear that it was not good.

“I think it’s broken,” he murmured, eyebrows raised with concern. “We need to take her to the emergency room.”

You just nodded in response because if you opened your mouth to say anything, you knew you would just start crying.

Thankfully, Donghyuk had more than enough presence of mind for the both of you. He began to wedge his arms underneath Claire’s shoulders and behind her knees, preparing to pick her up and carry her -- presumably to a car.

“I’ll drive so you can sit with her in the backseat,” he said as he stood up.

You followed suit, your heart hammering nervously in her chest. “You -- we can take my car. It has her booster seat.”

Goodness knows you didn’t need to risk your daughter getting hurt even more.

Donghyuk agreed and began to carry Claire over to the parking lot quickly but carefully. You trailed right behind, and once you got close enough, you fumbled in your bag for your keys.

After unlocking the doors, you opened the back one for Donghyuk, allowing him to set Claire inside on her booster seat. You hurried around to the other side, scooting in and helping to buckle her seat belt as she continued to sob and hold her arm to her chest.

As soon as she was buckled in, Donghyuk rushed to get into the driver’s seat, turning on the car and backing out of the parking space.

Thankfully, the nearest children’s hospital was less than twenty minutes away, and even though you hadn’t included it on your Town Tour all those weeks ago, you trusted Donghyuk to know where it was. He was a doctor, after all -- you imagined one of the first things he did after accepting the job here was look up where the nearest children’s hospital was.

The whole way there, you sat in the middle seat right next to Claire, one arm around her shoulders as she leaned against you and cried. Her tears didn’t stop -- or even ebb the tiniest bit -- and you grew more anxious by the second.

It seemed like it took about fifteen years to arrive, but Donghyuk finally -- finally -- pulled into a parking space outside of the Emergency Room. Once again, he carried Claire, and as you followed behind him, you could hear him murmuring to her.

“Have you broken any bones before, sweetie?” he asked.

Claire blubbered out a ‘No.’

“It hurts, I know,” he consoled. “We’ll get it taken care of, okay? I promise.”

Claire then said something you couldn’t quite make out, but when Donghyuk responded, it nearly crushed you with sweetness.

“I won’t leave, no,” he assured her. “I’ll make sure the nurses here do a good job.”

Claire mumbled through her tears again.

And Donghyuk replied, “Your mom won’t be alone for a second.”

...It took everything in you not to stop walking and break down in tears right there in the hospital doorway.

By the time you came to your senses again, Donghyuk was already up at the receptionist’s desk.

Honestly, you couldn’t be more thankful that he was here with you. If you’d had to, you would’ve dealt with it on your own -- of course. You would’ve had no choice but to do exactly what he was doing.

But seeing Claire hurt and not being able to do anything to make it better was ripping you apart inside more than you’d thought. Of course, you’d known it wouldn’t be easy. Parenting rarely ever is.

But you hadn’t expected it to be this hard.

Most of the time -- almost 100% of the time, in fact -- you were fine being on your own. You were confident you could be a single parent for the rest of your life if you had to.

...At this moment, though, you were glad Donghyuk was here to fill in the gaps of your weaknesses.

“Come on,” Donghyuk suddenly whispered to you. “They’re taking her back now, she’ll get an X-ray soon.”

You nodded wordlessly, finding that in your thoughtful daze you had begun to chew anxiously on a small hangnail (which wasn’t so small anymore). You quickly crossed your arms over your chest and, once again, followed Donghyuk as he carried Claire -- this time back to an examination room.

The next hour or so was basically a blur.

Claire clung to you the same way she had when she’d been sick a couple of months ago; as soon as you sat down in the exam room, she plopped onto your lap and cradled her arm as she curled up as much as she possibly could.

You held her as tightly as you dared, being extra careful not to squeeze or jostle her injured arm in any way.

A nurse came in after an indeterminate amount of time (Donghyuk later told you it had been almost fifteen minutes) to take her back for a quick X-ray. Claire hesitantly slid off your lap, but she held your hand almost to the point of cutting off your circulation as the three of you followed the nurse down the hall.

You watched with a furrowed brow, wringing your hands together as the nurse took Claire into the X-ray room and explained everything she would be doing. Apparently, you looked nervous enough for Donghyuk to pry one of your anxious hands away from the other and hold it in both of his.

“She’ll be fine,” he assured you, squeezing and patting your hand.

You simply nodded, not even tearing your gaze away from the small window of the X-ray room’s door. Donghyuk started to let go of your hand, but you didn’t let him; you grasped it tightly, silently telling him you didn’t want him to go anywhere. You didn’t want him to leave or even move. You wanted him by your side until Claire was safely back at home.

And that’s exactly what he did.

After the X-ray, the doctor held up the thick, plasticky sheet against the light and pointed out the fracture in Claire’s ulna. She was taken back to get a cast, you signed the paperwork at the front desk, and Donghyuk drove you home.

“Hey, are you hungry?” he asked as he pulled into your driveway -- it was well past dark now, though it seemed like the three of you had met at the park about ten days ago. “I was going to take you guys out to dinner.”

Claire had fallen asleep on the way home, but you knew if she woke up anytime soon, she would be starving.

You were starving.

“Actually, yes,” you answered quietly.

“Here, why don’t you take her inside, and I’ll run and get some burgers.”

Donghyuk had done enough already, but the thought of making anything to eat yourself was far too exhausting, so you nodded and thanked him.

You assured him you could manage getting Claire in the house on your own even though she was basically dead weight in your arms as she slept, and -- somehow -- you did manage it. You got her inside, upstairs, and in her bed, making sure to keep her arm with the brand new green cast out and away from her so she wouldn’t sleep on it.

After tip-toeing out of her room and pulling the door just barely closed, you shuffled over to your own room.

Yes, Donghyuk would be back in just a bit with food, but... you needed to change into your pajamas now more than you ever had in your life. You were physically and emotionally and mentally exhausted, and if Donghyuk judged you for being in PJs when he returned... well, then, you didn’t really want a friend like that in your life, anyway, did you?

Absolutely not.

As soon as you’d changed into your favorite, comfiest floral pajama set, you trudged downstairs to wait for Donghyuk and the food.

Donghyuk and food.

Food and Donghyuk.

Oh, what a glorious combination!

You took the time as you waited to send a text message to your mom and dad, letting them know Claire had broken her arm, but she was all right and sleeping soundly. You would send her to school tomorrow with a doctor’s note allowing her to go the clinic for some children’s Tylenol in case she felt any pain, and everything was going to be fine and back to normal in about six weeks.

They responded with a barrage of concerned texts, but ultimately, they were glad she was okay. They also complimented you for handling things, and you decided not to include the fact that Donghyuk had been there -- you didn’t want them to get the wrong idea about the two of you. That would just make things awkward!

But then your front door opened, and you heard soft footsteps coming down the hall.

Donghyuk appeared in the kitchen doorway holding two takeout bags, a slightly worried but fully adorable smile on his lips.

And it was like everything just came crashing down on you.

All of the emotions you’d felt but not let yourself feel fully rushed through you, and tears immediately pooled in your eyes. Seeing Donghyuk again just reminded you of everything he had done tonight -- the calm way he’d reacted, how decisive he’d been, how sweetly he’d talked to Claire, how he’d comforted you outside of the X-ray room, how he’d offered to go get dinner for you even though he was surely exhausted himself.

You hadn’t cried a single tear on the way to the hospital, at the hospital, or coming home from the hospital.

So, apparently, you were going to cry them all now.

You shuffled over to Donghyuk as the tears began to spill onto your cheeks, and you wasted no time in sliding your arms around his middle and burying your face in the crook of his neck.

You felt him shift awkwardly to set the food on your kitchen table, and then his arms were around you, holding you tightly.

“Oh, Y/N,” he said softly, his voice full of the same concern he’d just been showing in his smile. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what it’s like to see your child in pain like that.”

...After all he’d done, he still had more comforting left in him?! You figured he’d probably wanted to drop off your burgers and leave after spending so much time and energy at the hospital.

But no. His embrace, his words, his everything -- it was all genuine.

“Thank you so much,” you mumbled, your fingers grasping the fabric at the back of his shirt. “I don’t think I could’ve made it through without you.”

Which was unequivocally true. You’d spent most of the time between Claire falling and putting her to bed in a mental fog -- basically on autopilot.

“Of course, you would have,” he replied without hesitation. “...But I’m glad I was there. I would’ve been too worried if you told me about it after.”

Donghyuk moved one hand to cradle the back of your head, so you burrowed more into him, letting the tears continue to fall.

“Cry as much as you need to,” he murmured. “I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re okay.”

And when he slid his other arm around you even tighter... when you became more enveloped in his scent... when you realized just how incredibly warm you felt in his embrace...

You knew.

You hadn’t told your parents about Donghyuk’s presence because you hadn’t wanted to give them the wrong idea about the two of you.

But now you were getting the wrong idea about the two of you.

Part 5

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