#Media similar to Stranger Things recs

[theresattrpgforthat]

The computer game Pacific Drive has the player driving a supernatural station wagon and delving ever deeper into an abandoned exclusion zone in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, dodging anomalies, scavenging for resources, exploring, and seeking answers to what events caused the creation of the zone. The game takes heavy inspiration from the art of Simon Stålenhag, which has its on TTRPG in "Tales from the Loop", but can you recommend any other games that would recreate the experience of Pacific Drive?

THEME: Pacific Drive

Hello friend, so I looked up Pacific Drive and one thing that I found out about it was that it was inspired by media such as Annihilation and Roadside Picnic, so first I’m going to send you to my Fucked Up Settings Rec post, especially to the games titled Trespasser and The Zone.

What I’m getting from Pacific Drive is that it’s focused on travel, exploration, an interesting story, the ability to improve the one thing that you survive with, and experiencing a world that fundamentally doesn’t care about you. So let’s see if we have anything that hits any of those tangents.

The Last Caravan, by Ted Bushman.

In this cozy, melancholy post-apocalypse, the aliens came less than a year ago. The war lasted two months, but nobody won. Now, with an alien army rising from the ashes of war, you will have to make a dangerous journey across a shattered North America in search of a new home.

You are normal people finding heroism in extraordinary circumstances. You will explore transformed landscapes, search abandoned towns, discover otherworldly technology, negotiate with newly-formed factions, outrun alien pursuers, and — and all you’ve got is a car, your fellow travelers, and the road.

The Last Caravan combines the survival-horror genre with the fiction-first ethos of Blades in the Dark and No Dice No Masters. Each character has a list of prompts called triggers that reward you with a narrative resource that can open up abilities as you tell your story. The alien apocalypse has come, but the story isn’t over, as a some kind of threat shows signs of growing as you travel across a cold, frozen highway. If you’re interested in The Last Caravan, but missed the Kickstarter, you can check out the Quickstart while you wait for the final release.

24XX-D: Aftertime, by xiombarg.

As a volunteer for the  private paramilitary group Project Aftertime, your health was altered and your brain preserved so you could be revived after society collapsed. 

You awoke in an unfamiliar base filled with unfamiliar technology, with even stranger ultratech outside. 

The Event the wastelanders describe makes no sense. "The gods left us."

I feel like I’m missing something when I look through my folders because the 24XX system feels perfect for these kinds of ‘exclusion zone” games but Aftertime feels the closest to it, and it’s definitely not perfect. There’s too many people milling about, and there seems to be too much pointing towards some kind of answer about the alien event. However, I think in general, 24XX is a great system to root around in if you want to make something for yourself. A lot of these kinds of games have great roll-tables for events, locations, and missions, and inventory (which seems really important in Pacific Drive) is simple to track but absolutely necessary.

Aftertime is different from other 24XX games in that it uses a pool of resources rather than dice rolls to determine what you can or cannot do. You could stick with that, or mash this game together with some other 24XX games like PREDATORS to incorporate dice rolls, and vehicles. What I like about Aftertime is that it includes a base that you can upgrade over time, similar to how your car in Pacific Drive gets better as you find upgrades for it.

Crush Depth Apparition, by amandalee.

February 1902, somewhere on the North Atlantic. Mountainous waves blot out the horizon, and the wind and thunder roar too loud to tell one from the other. But 200 ft down there’s only still cold darkness and the submarine.  

No one has ever dived this deep before, so far from shore and safety. Maybe no one was ever meant to try. The submarine is 170 feet of dripping pipes and fogged up dials, levers rusting stuck in the damp. It was two weeks into the voyage when things started going wrong.  Little accidents, inexplicable mistakes. Someone heard a noise, like tapping, soft against the hull last night. Bright paint flakes off a torpedo and underneath there is a story scratched into the metal. The Captain turns down a hallway that can’t be there,  into pipes and steel and miles of ocean.

The one thing keeping you safe down here has turned into a labyrinth. 

Crush Depth Apparition is an eerie survival horror stand alone adventure zine for 3-5 players and a GM by Amanda Lee Franck. It  includes rules for running and repairing a state of the art (of 120 years ago) experimental submarine, a map of the ocean, an unnatural labyrinth,  ghostly encounters,  hundreds of things that can go wrong, and a crew that depends on you.

Because you are depending on your submarine for survival, much of the focus of this adventure is going to be on keeping it running. You’ll need to manage your fuel levels, the submarine’s battery, and how deep you go, all while trying to find a way home. The setting is very different from Pacific Drive, and I think the horror amps up a little bit because there are more personal details that will likely worm themselves into this game. You’re also less likely to survive the entirety of this game; but the weirdness that happens the further that you adventure may mirror some of the strangeness of Pacific Drive.

ZONE, by Iron Cutler.

ZONE is a genre-agnostic TTRPG , heavily inspired by Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy, though adaptable to a wide variety of settings. It is about trespassing in a bizarre and dangerous area—the Zone—and becoming changed by what you find inside.

ZONE is a GM-less ttrpg that uses collaborative worldbuilding to design and deepen the strangeness of the world around you. Each session will contain an expedition of Trespassers, people who enter the Zone without permission, and thus destined to be permanently changed. Your Trespassers will not usually survive from one expedition to the next; this place will change them, and that is why ZONE is described as “un-winnable” by its designer.

Unlike many of the other games on this list, ZONE is very abstract because it doesn’t expect you to succeed. Your characters are destined to fail once they incur too much shock, so managing resources is not really something worth doing in this game. Character creation is also rather simple, and I think that is because the main focus of this game is on the place you are exploring, rather than the character themself. If you want a game about the horror of being changed by something alien and ultimately uncaring about you, I’d recommend ZONE.

RAD, by ¡Hipólita!

We don't know who broke the world, but we know what weapon they used.

In the year 1990, the United States of America fired a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, immediately killing millions and poisoning the land, air and water for years.

The scarce few survivors were forced into hiding. About 50,000 people fled to the relative safety of the Moscow Metro, with smaller numbers following suit in cities like Novosibirsk, Volgograd, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Samara and others.

RAD is a game full of radiation-induced body-horror and all about survival. You have four core stats, and the rest of your character sheet is all about resources and inventory, including three resources called Bedroll, Rations and Battery. The game mechanics are inspired by systems like Mausritter, which means that player creativity and smart item use will take you far. It’s all about a delicate balance of resources, so if that’s what you liked about Pacific Drive, you might want to check out RAD - as well as an adventure for it titled The Technicolor Forest.

Other Games I've Recommended Before

Nibiru, by Araukana Media.

Apocalypse Roadtrip, by Mynar Lenahan.

Roadspire, by Glempy.

[wannabegwenstacy]

Eden's Favorite BTS Fics: Twitter

Updated: 3/29/2023

A/N: I tend to read member x member on both A03 & Twitter so if thats what you are looking for then precede. If you are looking for reader insert I suggest checking out my tumblr fic recs since I tend to read those on tumblr.

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Forbidden Relationship Taegi (M) by @taegishrine on Twitter

Pairing: Rich son Taehyung x Rich son Yoongi

Tags: secret lovers, forbidden relationship, mentions and depictions of parental abuse later, enemies with benefits at the beginning

Summary: they both come from similar backgrounds: wealthy and powerful. and while their families fight each other to control the country, yoongi and taehyung can’t stay apart for too long.

it feels way better when it’s forbidden, doesn’t it?

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⎡Sope AU⎦ ~ ⎡Social Media Au⎦ by @uhgoodaddy on Twitter

Pairing: Hoseok x Yoongi

Authors Notes: ☀︎ Namjoon & Yoongi are friends ☀︎ Hoseok, Jungkook, Seokjin are friends ☀︎ Taehyung & Jimin are not friends with any of them (yet)

Tags: ☀︎ Angst ☀︎ Fluff ☀︎ Mature language and sexual jokes ☀︎ Humor if i decide to be funny ☀︎ Mentions of cheating ☀︎ Mentions of panic attacks

Summary: There’s three things Yoongi learns when he starts working with Hoseok 

1. Hoseok is everything he’s not; full of life, sweet and the literal embodiment of the sun 

2. They don’t really get along 

3. They have the same boyfriend

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Long Distance Relationship Taegi (M) by @taegishrine on Twitter

Pairing: LA Taehyung x Seoul Yoongi

Authors Notes: ldr dynamics | sad sad very sAD idk what happened to me | this story is my baby | it gets spicy | bottom yg, top th

Tags: insecurities, breakups, mental health issues

Summary: yoongi is skyping hoseok, who lives in LA, when a guy walks into his dorm room, wearing only a bath robe and a snapback 

“hey hobi, tell him to take his robe off, i’m tryna see sumn" 

the guy turns and deadpans: "i speak perfect korean, whatcha tryna see?”

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Mountain camping yoonkook au by @taehyikes on Twitter

Pairing: Writer Yoongi x General Store Owner Jungkook

Authors Notes: it will be silly! and wintery! light on the angst and heavy on the goofs! let’s begin!! first things first, they’re all writers, jimin writes travel literature, yoongi writes satire, and namjoon writes historical fiction! yoonmin are best frenemies and minjoon r dating. hoseok is a park ranger, jin cabin owner, tae owns general store with jungkook. taejin are dating.

Tags: wholesome & healing, in the soop vibes but with love, would make a good movie

Summary: where yoongi decides to rent a cabin in the mountains to work on his next novel, and jungkook runs the general store in a nearby village

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Basketball Captain Taehyung AU (M) by @taegishrine on Twitter

Pairing: Uni Basketball Captain Taehyung x Post Grad Yoongi

Authors Notes: there’s no cheating in this story; the relationship between th and the OC is fundamentally physical

Tags: self discovery, internalized homophobia, denial, a lot of sex and feelings

Summary: taehyung has a reputation that precedes him: he’s an excellent student, captain of the basketball team, and a ladies man, but after a steamy encounter with another guy, everything -even himself- starts to crumble down

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Telepathy (M) by @ladyelocin on Twitter

Pairing: CEO Min Yoongi x office worker Park Jimin

Tags: soulmates in this au share abilities/senses that manifest in different ways • ym can read each other’s thoughts • fluff • sexual tension, flirting • explicit sexual content • aftercare ♡ • side: taekook, namjin • little angst? hmm…

Summary: Having a one-night stand in a foreign country with a handsome stranger seems like the best way to end Jimin’s vacation before accepting his new job offer. Unexpectedly, Jimin meets him again and learns that the man happens to be his boss and… soulmate?

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Adjunct Professor Yoonkook (M) by  @taegishrine on Twitter

Pairing: Art Student Jungkook x Photographer/Adjunct Professor Yoongi

Authors Notes: age gap (8 years) | thread fic; no social media | NSFW

Tags: secret lovers, forbidden relationship, mentions and depictions of parental abuse later, enemies with benefits at the beginning

Summary: yoongi will never admit that the best sex of his life was with a hookup 7 years younger than him & he never thought he’d bump into jungkook again – much less on his first day as a substitute teacher but there he was, in the front row, with a devilish smile on his lips

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Winterbane (M) by  @ladyelocin on Twitter

Pairing: Lord Min Yoongi x Lord Park Jimin

Authors Notes: Okay before we start, I want us to be on the same page. This story is set somewhere between 200-500 AD so there may be practices, customs, and beliefs that are considered outdated or derogatory at present. However, there will be NO non-con and incest in this story.  There will be mpreg and depictions of pregnancy so if you are uncomfortable with the aforementioned trope, please do not proceed and prioritize yourself first.

Tags: Historical setting: 200-500 AD ‣ ABO/Omegaverse ‣ Alpha Yoongi, Omega Jimin ‣ Arranged marriage, domestic life ‣ Cultural differences, prejudice ‣ Hurt/comfort, jealousy, mutual pining ‣ Action, fight scenes, violence ‣ There are no Betas in this AU ‣ Explicit sexual content ‣ Top!YG, Bottom!JM ‣ Scenting, nesting, knotting, mating ‣ Rut/heat cycles ‣ Mpreg ‣ Side ships: Taekook, Namseok

Summary: Lord Omega Jimin of House Park agrees to marry Lord Alpha Yoongi of House Min to end the centuries-long war between the two territories. Contrary to the Northerners’ custom, Jimin, as a Southborn, is not the typical omega they expect him to be.

[awesomehoggirl]

Hi uhm I noticed youre like really cool and youre like. Idk youre just cool I dont know how else to phrase it. And I was wondering what are like. Some things that youd recomend someone to do at least once in their life? Like what are some experinces that you really enjoyed yourself/think youd enjoy a lot that youd recomend to other people ? Idk man Im on break soon, all my friends are busy and Im looking for things to do and you just seemed like a chill person who would give good recs 👍

i gotta say im really not as cool as you think i might be social media distorts stuff i spend most of my time doing boring shit 😭 like scrolling mindlessly watching family guy soap cutting tiktoks or washing up or doing uni work. anyway onto the ideas... if youre near any rivers or lakes or the ocean i would recommend doing something on the water i really like rowing and it is something you can do alone in a day which is so peaceful and rewarding and fun. go to your nearest city and cafe-hop with a book youve been meaning to read! GO TO AN ART GALLERY it is one of my fav things ever to do you will never regret going to an art gallery!!! go to a big one or to local exhibitions... go to art fairs and craft markets and support the local artists there, go see student plays! i once did a pottery making class which was fucking hilarious it was so fun and you can find so many similar things locally, you can make soap or do life drawing or learn to weave. and in doing these things you end up meeting so many people of so many different ages and walks and life AND you can learn so many new skills and find new passions and hear new stories and become involved in your community. GO TO PUNK GIGS! check out your local music scene! last week i got two tickets to a random feminist punk show and put 'hey anyone want this other ticket' on my instagram story and went with a complete stranger and ended the night hugging her at the barrier with loads of new friends. see if there are any flea markets/car boot sales in your area and go and find the weirdest objects and haggle with sellers! one thing i think would be really great to do if youre trying to have fun solo (and if youre the right age and have the financial means) is to book a hotel room/inn/b&b in another town or city or hell another country if youre able and stay there for a night or as long as you like. obvs make sure people know where you are and that you are safe (this one actually might be better to do with one other person) but like... be independent for a night it can be really fun and an amazing learning experience i was able to go abroad independently with a friend this year and as a newly turned adult i felt that throwing myself into a random place id never been to helped me to just kinda. mature in a way. anyway yeah just... go to new places and do new things and learn new skills, indulge your senses always, make a joke out of everything, but get out there and be a little spontaneous because even if youre afraid at first soon enough you wont be. if youre not able to do any of these things then READ. read as much as physically possible. read a different book by a different author in a different genre from a different culture every day. read wikipedia pages and go down rabbit holes. watch 5 different movies and read an essay on each one when youve finished. just like youll never regret going to a show or an art gallery you will never regret any time you spend reading. i have no idea if this was the answer you were looking for but i hope it was at least in the right ballpark or a conveniently adjacent one. if you have any followups or whatever my inbox is always open and i am having a very cool and fun night taking notes on a digital lecture about washington irving i was meant to do last week

[oldtowrs]

BLOG RULES

a re-iteration of my rules for interacting with me, my blog and my work, as some of you seem to have forgotten as of late

GENERAL—

this is an inclusive, hate-free space. i do not tolerate transphobia, homophobia, biphobia, racism, misogyny, anti-semitism, xenophobia, elitism, or BIGOTRY of ANY KIND ! if i catch you commenting, interacting with my mutuals, interacting with me, etc. in a hateful manner you will be blocked and reported.

this world is hard enough already, and my space on the internet is meant for everyone - except for bigots.

most of my content should be friendly to minors, but because i interact with nsfw content on this blog, i suggest that minors do not interact. this includes and especially applies to my fanfiction - that is blurbs, one-shots, series, and all else that could qualify as my work. if you are a minor, and i catch you, you will also be blocked and reported for my safety and for your mental health. MEDIA CONSUMPTION IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND IF YOU CANNOT REGULATE YOURSELF, I WILL DO IT FOR YOU.

other than that, please respect each other and me and enjoy my little slice of this hellsite and this world. thanks.

CURRENTLY WRITING FOR—

star wars—obi-wan kenobi, kylo ren, ben solo, armitage hux, din djarin, boba fett

harry potter—remus lupin, severus snape, ron weasley, sirius black, harry potter, draco malfoy, hermione granger, theodore nott

doctor who—nine, ten, eleven, twelve

arcane—viktor

stranger things—steve harrington, eddie munson, robin buckley

a song of ice and fire—sandor clegane, tywin lannister, jon snow, jorah mormont, otto hightower, alicent hightower, aemond targaryen, aegon targaryen, gwayne hightower

the last of us—joel miller

REQUESTING—

what to request—fluff, angst, hurt/comfort, smut are all fair game. i will link some prompts below.

i will write some mental health stuff, as i myself struggle with mental health. i will tag fics accordingly, and thus it is your job to read the tags and assess the content warnings before consuming my content !

LGBTQ+ reader fics are possible, but you must clarify this otherwise i will default to f!reader. please note however, that i will not write for a trans!reader. this is not because i am transphobic, but because i am not trans. i do not wish to take up space in the fandom that should be filled with the voices of those individuals. i do not wish to misrepresent a group that is already misrepresented in society enough.

what NOT to request—aeting disorders, suicide, rape/non-con, pregnancy, miscarriage, racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, islamaphobia, or any other bigotry or similar themes.

i will not write sexual violence or domestic abuse or anything that could be interpreted as such

i will not write for a reader from our world coming to a fandom's universe or a character coming into ours. i fucking hate that trope.

i will not write for anything similar to "hey, can i have a reader insert fic wherehe calls me this specific name, and the reader has (insert specfic description here), and they've (insert personal experience here)" sort of things. if you want a fic where the reader is specific to you, that is a commission, not a request.

HOW to INTERACT—

what to do—please! if you like a fic, ask more about them in my inbox, message me, like comment & reblog, tag it in your fic recs! show that you enjoyed my work! interaction matters! i promise you will not bother me!

what not to do—DO NOT REPOST my fics to any other platform, or pass them off as your own on your own blog. do not copy the events or ideas i post here and do not expand upon my work without explicit and clear consent from me

i post my works here under the user oldtowrs, on wattpad as _kenobi, and on ao3 as writingsofa_hobbit. if you see my writing anywhere else, under any other name LET. ME. KNOW.

DISCLAIMERS— please keep in mind, i have every right to not write your ideas, and it is not that i don't like you, or your ideas, but sometimes they're too specfic, or i am just not comfortable with writing them. i am a college student—a biochemistry major with a biomedical engineering minor at a rigorous stem school so please realize that, yeah you may have requested a little while ago, but chances are i'm still in the process or writing it. i typically have 18-24 credits a semester of shit that i am not always good at and which require my time and my prioritization. if you wish to know about the status of your request, message me! send me an ask! tumblr also likes to eat my asks, so please! send me messages!

thank you for your patience and please enjoy my blog!

©𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐑𝐒 2023- do not steal, copy, repost or expand upon my works without my explicit permission

updated—january. 10. 2023

[mrs-evadne-cake]

“You shouldn't like things because people tell you you're supposed to.” -Books

Since we’re about to hit the Stranger Things Doldrums where it’s been a while since S3 and S4 has just started filming and if you’re anything like me you’re gonna start jonesing bad- I thought I’d make a So You Need A Hit survival kit for myself of some Stranger Things-esque media to read/watch/play during the wait and that maybe you guys might be interested too. Not all of them are gonna set the world on fire- but hopefully there’s some stuff that people haven’t seen before  Expect a lot of Small Town Nostalgia, a bunch of monsters, and more plucky, dangerously unsupervised kids than you can shake a stick at. 

A Boy’s Life By Robert R McCammon : “Zephyr, Alabama, is an idyllic hometown for eleven-year-old Cory Mackenson -- a place where monsters swim the river deep and friends are forever. Then, one cold spring morning, Cory and his father witness a car plunge into a lake -- and a desperate rescue attempt brings his father face-to-face with a terrible, haunting vision of death. As Cory struggles to understand his father's pain, his eyes are slowly opened to the forces of good and evil that surround him. From an ancient mystic who can hear the dead and bewitch the living, to a violent clan of moonshiners, Cory must confront the secrets that hide in the shadows of his hometown -- for his father's sanity and his own life hang in the balance. ”- Goodreads

My Best Friend’s Exorcism By Grady Hendrix : “Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act…different. And as the strange coincidences and bizarre behavior start to pile up, Abby realizes there’s only one possible explanation: Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not about to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend. With help from some unlikely allies, Abby embarks on a quest to save Gretchen. But is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?” - Goodreads

Something Wicked This Way Comes By Ray Bradbury : “The show is about to begin....The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. A calliope’s shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. Two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes…and the stuff of nightmares.” - Goodreads

The Halloween Tree By Ray Bradbury : "A fast-moving, eerie...tale set on Halloween night. Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween.” - Goodreads

Paper Girls By Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang :  “Early on the morning of All Saint's Day 1988,  12 year old Erin Tieng goes on her normal newspaper delivery route in a Cleveland suburb only to be menaced — and then rescued — from some teenage boys with dubious intentions by a trio of other paper girls who have banded together for mutual protection from any lingering Halloween craziness. That's when things start to get strange.” -TVTropes

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero : “1990. The teen detectives once known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club  are all grown up and haven't seen each other since their fateful, final case in 1977....The time has come to uncover the source of their nightmares and return to where it all began. This time, it better not be a man in a mask. The real monsters are waiting” -- Goodreads

The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson : “Growing up in 1980s Niagara Falls--a seedy but magical, slightly haunted place--Jake Baker spends most of his time with his uncle Calvin, a kind but eccentric enthusiast of occult artifacts and conspiracy theories. The summer Jake turns twelve, he befriends a pair of siblings new to town, and so Calvin decides to initiate them all into the "Saturday Night Ghost Club." But as the summer goes on, what begins as a seemingly lighthearted project may ultimately uncover more than any of its members had imagined.” - Goodreads

Summer of Night by Dan Simmons : “It's the summer of 1960 in Elm Haven, Illinois, and five 12-year old boys are forming the bonds that a lifetime of changes will never erase. But then a dark cloud threatens the bright promise of summer vacation: on the last day of school, their classmate Tubby Cooke vanishes. Soon, the group discovers stories of other children who once disappeared from Elm Haven. And there are other strange things happening in town... The friends realize that there is a terrible evil lurking in Elm Haven...and they must be the ones to stop it.” -- Goodreads

December Park by Ronald Malfi : “In the fall of 1993, the quite suburb of Harting Farms is shocked when children begin to vanish, and one is found dead near December Park--a great, sweeping expanse that is sunken below the streets and surrounded on three sides by vast woodlands--a place children believe is haunted...Angelo Mazzone and his friends discover a link to the dead girl and take up the search for the killer, vowing to stop the Piper's reign of terror. Their teenage pledge becomes a journey of self-discovery and an odyssey into the darkness of their own hometown.” - Goodreads

[duskamethyst]

make it right.

a/n: i was on a writing high. i initially hated this so much but ended up with 12 pages long.

word count: 5.1k

genre: mature, smut, nsfw, angst to fluff

warnings: mentions of abortion, pregnancy

pairing: hawks x f!reader

𝅘𝅥𝅮  music rec: the reason by hoobastank  𝅘𝅥𝅮

summary: you told keigo that you’re carrying his child but he didn’t take it well. five years later he shows up in front of your door after being invited by his son and says he wants to fix everything.

you lean down towards the counter as you concentrate on creating pretty swirls of cream on the cake you baked with a piping bag. the dining table is full of food, a feast almost too huge for only two people, but you have a good excuse. it is a special day. your son’s fifth birthday to be exact. 

kids these days can be ruthless and your son doesn’t get along very well with the other kids from his kindergarten. they like picking on others that seem too fragile, too quiet – criteria that fits him well and it doesn’t help with the fact that they know he’s growing up without a father. your child never opened up to you about the constant mocking he faced until one day you overheard him sobbing through his pillow in his own room. it was dark, though the door was still open by an inch to allow a small amount of light to penetrate into the room whenever he slept. he said he wanted to sleep earlier because he was tired but the muffling sounds he tried to conceal betrayed his efforts when you passed by later that night.

it made you angry and disappointed in yourself. you really tried your best to juggle between being a mom and a dad at the same time, keeping an eye on your child and working your ass off to make a living for the two of you. you’d always put up a tough front, never broke down in front of him when you were dead tired from being overworked and the thought of him trying to not make you worry, shattered your heart into pieces. you know that all he deserves is a good life and you constantly blame yourself for not being good enough, mostly angry at your past self for not even knowing how to make good decisions and think things through. 

if only you could turn back time, you would tell yourself to never get involved with a pro hero – to never get involved with someone who feels so responsible for other strangers’ lives but not their own child’s. 

were you being selfish? for not understanding that his work always comes first? he can’t possibly have a family when he has villains out there that need to be put in their right place for their crimes. were you expecting too much from him?

“can’t you… get rid of it?” he muttered. his cold words felt like a sharp blade that just stabbed you in the heart. never once you thought that he would say that. how easy was it for him to ask you to throw out another life like it meant nothing? 

“keigo, you can’t be serious.” you shook your head, your legs were already wobbling and you felt sick to your stomach. this news should be happy for the both of you but unfortunately, you two weren’t on the same page. 

was it your fault? keigo never spoke about having a child together but he always said he’d love to build a family with you someday – he loved you, he would always protect you and be there for you. sure, it was a slip up this time. you always made sure to take proper measures to avoid pregnancy from happening but you were also more than glad to bear this child and you were convinced that keigo would be happy about it as much as you were. he loved you so much, after all. 

“i don’t think…” he stammered, trying to find the right words. “give me some time.”

your lips pursed into a thin line, hands clenching hard and knuckles turning white. think? the uncertainty in his voice was already giving you the obvious answer. he couldn’t even look you in the eyes. he never wanted this.

“save the trouble, keigo.” you spat. “how about i’ll just leave so you don’t even have to think at all?”

keigo finally lifted up his head to look at you with wavering eyes, but he still couldn’t find the words to say, to comfort you. “what are you saying?”

“i’m still going to have this child. even if it means i have to do it alone.” with a sharp breath, you turned around towards the door.

you heard a frustrating sigh coming from your back, “you know i can’t. you know damn well that i have my job as a hero and i can’t look after… after a child!”

“but it’s your child keigo!” you turned around to scream and look at him again, tears already welling in your eyes, threatening to pour out.

“and what difference does that make?!” he yelled back. “in fact, that’s even worse!”

the room was quiet as the both of you just stood there. keigo slowly realizing what just came out of his mouth in the heat of the moment while you just stared at him in disbelief. both were standing stunned and speechless from what he clearly said. that was it, you thought. 

“fuck you.” you cursed under your breath and immediately left his place, not even sparing a look back. 

if he was sorry, he would chase after you. if he didn’t mean it, he would look everywhere for you.

but none of that happened.

you ended up going back to your hometown after that. it was shameful, to finally see your parents again but just to cry on their feet as soon as you saw their faces and telling them that you were carrying an illegitimate child. it was devastating for them initially but thankfully they easily accepted it, welcoming you to stay over at their place with open arms so they could help you throughout your pregnancy until the baby was born and grown. above all, you were still their daughter. living far away, your parents had never met keigo and they were shocked to know that you were having the no.2 pro hero’s baby but also disappointed at how he reacted when you told him the news.

however, what was done is done and you can only manage to move forward by raising the child with your utmost capability. you promised yourself that you’ll protect and raise this child with as much love and care a mother can offer. whatever it takes, even if you’ll have to do it by yourself. 

you ended up living with your parents until your son turned four and decided to live independently, not wanting to burden them any longer. they didn’t want to let you go, the presence of the child brought so much joy in their daily lives. he was a bundle of sunshine and they loved him so much. 

and kyō is just beautiful. 

keigo’s genes manage to overpower your son compared to yours. fluffy but shorter blonde hair, dark and sharp on the inner corner of the eyes and not to forget the red wings on his back. it isn’t as big as keigo’s yet but it still stands out. although he takes on your personality more, every part of him reminds you of keigo and sometimes it feels like a jab to your chest. it hurts to be reminded of the man that hurt you and told you to get rid of the child you were bearing so ruthlessly.

throughout the years, you tried to make peace with the past. at first, it was hard to look at the news and see his face. he was almost everywhere, a lot of stores also sold his merchandise and his face even covered the magazines-- you realized you couldn’t escape him, your past. although he’s in the limelight, the media was still unaware about his private life and you were glad alas the similar features of kyō to the pro hero made some passersby and mothers at the park question you. fortunately, you already came up with a bullshit excuse like “he is such a big fan of hawks and he cosplays him every day… and oh, the wings are fake too.”

of course, strangers weren’t the only ones who inquired about it. even the little child himself could smartly notice his resemblance with the pro hero.

as soon as he first saw hawks on tv, he went on and on about how they looked so much alike. he was beyond fascinated, he could barely understand what the news was talking about at the time but being on the screen was more than enough to make him understand that hawks was an amazing guy. his eyes would twinkle in wonder when the news caught footage of him flying in the air with his red wings spreading graciously. if anything at all, kyō just couldn’t wait to flap his own smaller wings soon. 

then one thing led to another. a question that any curious child would ask their parents about. 

oftentimes kyō would ask you about his dad. why didn’t he have one like the other children he played with at the park and oftentimes you would try to avoid the topic and shrugged it off with a lame joke saying how you were also his dad and how you were powerful to have two bodies in one unlike other people. 

he ended up growing tired of it one day, crying to you and asked if the reason why he didn’t have one was because he didn’t love him – something he heard one of the kids said. it broke you and you were lost for words. you called your parents for support and after much discussion, your mother thought he deserved to at least know the truth and you did just that. 

luckily, he took it surprisingly well. even his little brain can comprehend the job of a top hero, he understood that it was a lot of work and keigo was often busy and far away. it was less to his liking when you made him promise you to not tell anyone about it and he should keep it as a secret because bad guys would chase after him if another single soul would know and his dad did it to protect him. it was a bad lie, but still, you had to do it.

later, kyō realized that his birthday was coming soon. he knew what he had always wanted. he didn’t know if he could have it but maybe… maybe if he tried and wished hard enough, it would come true. 

he sneakily took your phone to look up “hawks'' on your phone, though at first he was only shown results and pictures of the literal bird before smartly adding “pro hero” at the back. with limited comprehension, he eventually managed to find the agency’s website before scrolling further to find the address to the agency and scribbled it down on a piece of paper. 

-

“daddy?!” the bell has been ringing for a few times but you were too concentrated on decorating the birthday cake to even hear it but your son’s small wings flutter in excitement as he runs across the hallway to open the door.

your heart stops for a second. was that the reason why your son was pacing around the living room? you’re not expecting any guests for tonight’s dinner at all, especially the father of your child. 

“hey! i got your letter!” the familiar excited tone of his voice bursts from the door as he speaks. he kneels down eye-level as his son and gives him a big hug. “happy birthday.”

“what letter?” you break into the conversation, arms folded in front of your chest as you lean against the wall with an unamused expression written across your face. 

“i wrote daddy a letter!” your son says proudly, but you can already imagine the horrible squiggly lines on the handwritten letter. 

“and you gave me a picture too. you look exactly like me, am so happy!” keigo chuckles, ruffling the hair of his boy, eliciting little giggles from the other. it’s a beautiful sight and it makes your heart ache a little at the image of what it could’ve been. if only he was fully ready to accept the fact that he was gonna bear a child. if only he knew how to balance between his career and personal life. you could’ve had the most beautiful family you’ve ever dreamed of. 

“honey, can you go to your room for a bit? your daddy and i have to talk.” you say softly, hoping that he won’t take it any other way.

“am i.. in trouble?” kyō turns to you with a frown and puppy eyes – which he knows well that it would always work on you and it’s almost adorable how it’s exactly what keigo would do whenever he makes you annoyed with his antics. it’s just one of his ways to apologize to you. 

you sigh and shake your head, “no. we’re gonna talk about…” you glance elsewhere as you think of an excuse. “your surprise present!” 

“it’s not a surprise anymore if you say it like that, mommy!” the child laughs and scurries to his room as told and the both of you watch him with a smile tugged on your lips. 

you turn back to keigo with a dour expression as soon as your son closes the door to his room, causing him to fidget a bit from his spot. he hasn’t seen it for years, after all. he’s about to pull you into a hug but instead, you quickly turn your heels around towards the kitchen.

“i still have things to do. either you help me with it or leave.”

he quickly takes off his shoes and follows you, taking in the view around the house before he enters the kitchen. the atmosphere is stuffy and tense while you sit on the stool to continue decorating the cake. 

“you can help by setting up the plates. top cabinet.” you break the awkward silence and keigo obliges, he reaches the cabinet to take out the available plates and put them nicely around the table. 

“you made it yourself?” he tries to make a conversation as he glances at you working on the cake. 

“yeah.” you simply reply without taking your eyes off from your work. 

“it’s nice. chocolate?”

“obviously.”

keigo sighs from the underwhelming response, “i know you don’t want me here but –”

“no shit.” you almost slam the table but quickly recompose yourself by taking a deep breath. for the sake of your son, you know you shouldn’t get into an argument right now, at least not today. 

“look, i’ll leave as soon as this is over if that’s what you want.”

you glare at him, “it’s more than what i want right now,” then it’s your turn to sigh. “but i doubt that’s what kyō would want.” 

keigo already knows his name from the letter but his lips etch into a warm smile at the sound of the name you’ve given to the-- his child and a small part of him wishes that he was there in the process of choosing a name for the boy together with you. 

“okay, just for tonight. we’ll pretend like we’re a happy family.” you stand up from the stool after putting the last candle and set the cake in the middle of the table. 

“...and what if we don’t have to?” he blurts out after a brief and quiet moment, immediately catching your attention. he notices the puzzled look on your face and continues, “what if we really start being a happy family from now and onwards?”

you blink once, twice. for a second, you feel a heavy pang in your chest as your brain processes the words that just came out from his mouth. it’s like déjà vu, only this time keigo has certainty in his voice.

the room falls dead silent again as you stare at each other. you’re finding words and about to open your mouth to say something but kyō suddenly interrupts from the corner of the kitchen and both of your attentions quickly turn to him.

“mommy..? i’m hungry.” 

“oh, sweetheart. you’re just in time!” you walk up to kyō to carry him in your arms before bringing him to the dining table. his eyes sparkle at the variety of food spread across the table and his wings flutter in excitement. 

“can you help light up the candles? the lighter is in the drawer.” you usher to keigo as you show your son his favorite food you made earlier while keigo quickly rummages through the drawer. he lights up each candle as you put down kyō on one of the chairs before he stands on his knees to reach close enough to blow the candles. the both of you excitedly sing happy birthday and clap your hands as he blows off the candles after a brief moment for a wish. 

“what did you wish for?” keigo asks, affectionately patting kyō on the head.

“i wish to be a hero like daddy!” he exclaims, arms and wings spread in enthusiasm. a bittersweet feeling engulfs him-- a part of him is disappointed and ashamed of himself while another part of him is elated and relieved that he’s still looked up upon by his own child. in the corner of his heart, keigo thinks he doesn’t deserve it. kyō is a splitting image of himself (minus the color of his eyes that he takes after you) and it easily brings back visions of him from the past. he wanted to be a hero too, but his father wasn’t someone he could look up to. hence, making endeavor the only man he idolized. 

he realizes he is lucky enough to be the person his son looks up to. he knows that this was what his own younger self would want. a father he can be proud of, a hero at that. keigo wants to make it right with whatever it’ll take.

the night proceeds smoothly, all three of you have fun together like any normal family would and bonding over lost times. keigo is thoughtful (though his choice seems a little bit conceited) enough to give kyō a present; an action figure of himself. unknowingly, the walls that you built around you by the time keigo arrived earlier slowly crumbles and you grow less wary around him as time ticks by. when it’s bedtime for the boy, keigo insists on putting him to bed so he can spend more time with him which you gladly consented to so you can also continue cleaning up the kitchen.

a set of footsteps coming down the stairs can be heard as you’re seated on one of the stools while sipping tea. 

“want some tea?” you offer without turning around to look at the male.

“sure.” he says as he walks up to you. 

you can feel his tall and lean build ghosting you from the back as you pour a cup for him but his hands suddenly reach your shoulders and give them light squeezes. 

“what are you doing?” you ask quizzically, glancing at the hand on your shoulder.

“giving you a massage.” he smiles innocently as he continues pressing on the knot in your stiff shoulders, making you sigh in reflex.

“trying to get on my good side?” you say in a mocking tone.

“hmm, just showing my appreciation to you.” his hands move lower to your spine, your back arches a little as he presses down your aching muscles. 

“you’re five years too late, keigo.” you sneer but welcome his service as you close your eyes and hum in content. it’s not that bad, you assure yourself in your head. 

keigo diligently continues to massage your back as the kitchen now fills with your quiet sighs and whimpers whenever he rubs on the sore spot. without you realizing, he slyly pulls the collar of your baggy shirt down and plants soft kisses on your bare shoulder.

“k-keigo?” you immediately open your eyes and flinch at the sudden touch.

he remains quiet while his hands work up and down your arms gently and his lips move further up to your earlobe, sending tingling sensations down to your core and you can already feel your nipples harden underneath your shirt. 

“relax.” his hot breath fans over your ear as he whispers. your cheeks are already burning red and you’re out of sarcastic remarks as you can only find yourself to indulge into his touches. 

you gasp in surprise when keigo’s hands sneakily move under your shirt and quickly unsnaps your bra. he massages your breasts and kneads them gently before teasing your erect nipple between his fingers. your hands firmly clenches the edge of the island to hold yourself as he nips on the crook of your neck, just gently to carefully not leave a mark. 

“you want more, babybird?” he coos as he realizes that your thighs are pressing against each other. as much as you hate to admit it, the nostalgic pet name tugs on your heartstrings and you find yourself melting after hearing it after years again. 

feeling embarrassed, you quietly nod your head. 

“i can’t hear you.” a teasing tone lingers in his voice. he knows what he’s doing and you hate him for it.

“more, keigo...” you whine. it sounds so innocent and adorable but it absolutely makes his cock twitch. noticing that you’ve been avoiding looking at him the whole time, he uses one of his hands to make you look at him and grins when he catches the red tint spread across your face before he presses his lips onto yours. 

the traces of your ego make you hesitate at first but you’re quick to lose it as he deepens it, as if to send you a silent message of how much he misses you while his tongue intertwines with yours. 

one of his hands remains to massage your mound while the other travels down south to easily part your legs and cups your heated sex. keigo rubs the clit against the fabric of your pants, eliciting breathy moans from your lips between kisses. you pull away and lean back to his body as he slides his hand under your pants, feeling the wet patch that is already staining your underwear. 

“already wet from all of that?” he says playfully, taking out his hand to look at the damp juices as he rubs it between his fingers. 

“says the man that was grinding his cock on my back.” you roll your eyes halfheartedly, missing the faint blush that becomes apparent on his cheeks.

keigo then reaches for the cups in front of you and pushes them aside before lifting you up on the kitchen island, making you turn towards him. he swiftly pulls down your pants along with your underwear, your cunt bare and glistening under the lights for him to see.

his golden irises lock with yours as he kicks the stool to the side and crouches down to spread your thighs apart. he starts to lap off your juices, tongue alternating between your throbbing clit and hole. your elbows help to prop you up as your head hangs back and your eyes close in pure bliss. 

keigo smacks and clenches your thighs to draw your attention to him, “baby, look at me.”

you submissively lift your head to look at him, eyes locking with each other again as he watches you squirm on the tongue flicking your clit and eats you out like a starved man having his first meal after a long day. 

you grab a lock of his blonde hair in one hand, pushing him closer as your legs tremble around his head, feeling the bubbling sensation of your orgasm building up. 

“mmh – gonna cum!” you cry out in ecstasy, instantly forgetting the people next door and your son that’s sound asleep on the upper floor as you chase after your high.

keigo smoothly slides two fingers inside your pussy and your hips begin to grind desperately onto them. he knows you’re close when he feels the walls clenching around him and with another suck on the clit, he quickly gets to tip you over the edge. 

“so good for me.” he coos as he pulls away, licking his fingers clean before carrying your panting body in his arms and walks over to sprawl your body on the couch. he hovers on top of you and kisses you again while his hands work on unzipping and taking off his lower garments to free his throbbing cock. 

he smears the precum by pumping his cock as he watches you down, adoring the look of absolute bliss on your face and half lidded eyes that he longed for over the years. 

“my songbird,” he purrs as he leans down to you and lines his cock with your wet cunt, “you’re so beautiful.”

if you’re already red, the endearing pet name makes you even redder. your gaze avoids his to hide your embarrassment but he only draws it back gently by your chin with his thumb and finger. 

“don’t you miss me?” his brows furrowed as he searches your face. you can only stare back into his eyes – bright irises filled with nothing but genuine curiosity and desolation. 

your lips pull into a thin line as you ponder for a moment, promptly unable to vocalize like earlier. it’s as if you let even one word escape your mouth, it would make you burst into tears instead. of course you missed him. your mind often wondered if he even thought of you at least once. even when you did make peace with the past, you still couldn’t bring yourself to be the one to make the first step. ego is an ugly thing and you were certain that keigo should be the one to look for you even if it was hard for him since you just disappeared out of his life.

noticing the reluctance to give him an answer, he shushes you. “it’s okay.” he kisses you sweetly on your nose. “but let me show how much i’ve missed you.”

he trails open mouthed kisses down your jaw, neck and collarbone as your hands run through his hair and down to his back. a soft whine manages to escape from your mouth when he nibbles on the soft flesh of your neck, instantly marking it red this time. 

his mouth then latches onto your nipple through your shirt, making you squirm beneath him. your hands clenches to the fabric of his shirt when you feel his fingers teasingly dancing between your wet folds and his thumb ghosting over your clit. 

keigo gives you a kiss on the lips again before pulling away, the cushion dips as he props himself on the knees, rubbing his hard cock against your wet slits and smearing it with your juices.

a low hiss slips from his lips as he slowly prods in the tip of his cock and your expression twists into discomfort as you feel him stretch you out more – a familiar mixture of pain and pleasure that you haven’t felt for a while.

keigo waits for you to adjust and as soon as you give him the greenlight, he continues to completely balls deep inside you. 

“babybird, you feel so good.” he grunts as he bucks his hips and slowly starts to move. 

you bite your lower lip hard, enough to draw blood as you try to stifle your moans. keigo leans down to kiss you while your arms find themselves wrapping around his neck. he thrusts harder and faster and your whimpers and whines finally find themselves shamelessly slipping past from your mouth.

“fucking– hah– perfect.” he pants as he pulls away to look at your flustered face, eyes half closed and mouth agape with pleasure. 

you quickly bury your face on the crook of his neck and hold onto him tighter while your legs wrap securely around his waist. keigo moves his thumb on your clit, pressing down and rubbing circles all to entice nothing but tightening the coil down in your core more. 

“keigo, keigo –” you cry as your nails dig the fabric on his back and your toes curl to the intense sensation.

“baby wants to cum?” he growls as he feels your walls clamping around his cock, making him buck his hips even wilder. 

“yesyesyes – oh god, keigo!” your mind turns putty and unable to form any more coherent words, making only his name being the only thing you remember as your eyes close shut while you’re nearing your high. 

“that’s it – baby. cum on my cock.” he encourages and you do just that. your pussy flutters as you finally reach your orgasm but his sporadic thrusts doesn’t stop until it starts to falter and his wings tremble.

“fuck. i’m gonna fill you up.” he grits through his teeth and his cock twitches before his wings spread wider as he releases his warm cum inside you. 

the both of your bodies stay against each other, chests heaving for air before he briefly pulls out his cock and lays on top of your chest. 

“yes.” your voice suddenly croaks, breaking the almost silent air in the room if not for the sound of yours and his breathing.

keigo lifts up his head to look at you confusingly before a lopsided smile curls on his lips when he hears you utter the next few words.

“yes. i missed you and i don’t want to pretend anymore.” you suddenly feel overwhelmed and tears start to well in your eyes. a flash of panic crosses his face and he pulls you closer into his embrace, hoping to calm you down as you sniffle on his chest. 

“shh, baby. i’m sorry. i know it’s too late and i was so fucking stupid but i’ll – ”

“i want to live as a happy family with you, keigo.” you cut him off, sobbing through his shirt. he pulls away at once to look at you, unable to believe what he just heard through the choking sob but it still makes even him want to cry. 

“babybird, i – ” he’s completely tongue-tied. at this point he can only manage to lean down to be close to you again. he peppers kisses all over your face, saying how thankful and happy he is.

“i love you, my little bird. i won’t fuck up this time, i promise.” he whispers, finally regaining his composure.

that night, keigo could barely sleep a wink. so many thoughts are running through his head. he glances at you sleeping peacefully next to him on the bed and he already pictures how it is to be waking up to see your face every morning. he also hopes that kyō doesn’t know how to fly yet so he could teach him how to use his wings. oh, he’ll also get to find an excuse to buy more buckets of chickens once you three will start living together. 

he can already imagine how the headlines will be bombarded about him having a family and he sighs at the thought, but he hopes that his publicist is ready for a hell lot of work.

duskamethyst © 2020 • do not modify, translate or repost anywhere.

[ash-rabbit]

Reading Recs for Each Entity

When Magnus ended, I thought back on different media that I've enjoyed, some of them fit very neatly into the dread powers, unsettlingly so in some cases, others not so much. If you enjoyed the show for it's horror, and want more of that, then I've got a list for you.

Assume everything here is rated M and has some gore, death, and general dark themes.

Beneath the cut, because there's 15 of these fears. Feel free to add on if you like. By the way, I'm citing writers, not directors when there's a movie.

Beholding

1984 - by George Orwell: Classic surveillance society. Very boring to start off with classical lit, but it was and still is a relevant commentary on society.

Psycho-Pass - by Gen Urobuchi: Has anyone read Hobbes' 'Leviathan'? It's like if that met psychological horror. This anime engages in what it means to live in a world where crimes can be stopped before their ever committed due to the Psycho-Pass system. This system allows authorities to monitor ones emotional state and likelihood of turning violent. I think there's a brief mention of sexual violence, but it's been a hot minute since I've watched.

Panopticon Theory - by Michel Foucault: Yes, political theory. I've read it multiple times (not by choice) and it offers some interesting insights into the world of the Magnus Archives. It's greatly influenced how I regard the dread powers, that being that Smirke's 14 is incredibly limiting.

Buried

Nutty Putty Caving Incident - A real life news story. The only time I can say I've felt properly horrified and deeply unsettled. If 'Lost John's Cave' was the statement that gave you nightmares, avoid this. It's true and it's tragic.

Corruption

Fate/Zero - by Gen Urobuchi: Another anime by the Urobutcher. If you thought Jane Prentiss was excellent this is the show for you. It's excellent for all sorts of reasons, and engages with other avenues of horror but when I heard the Prentiss statement, I was brought back here. Living hives, magical evil wasp larvae writhing beneath someone's skin, it happens. Your warning is that anything bad that can happen to a child, will happen to children here. I mean it.

The Picture of Dorian Gray - by Oscar Wilde: Moral decay, and it's just a damn good read. It's not conventional Corruption material, but the corruption of one's soul in the pursuit of beauty and pleasure is somewhat fitting I should think. I like it, so it's here. Also Jonah Magnus vibes.

Dark

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - by a bunch of people: it's a movie. Not an orthodox choice but I feel the dark deals better in ignorance then the literal. Err, no spoilers, but nothing particularly bad happens, it just sort of tugs.

The Flowers - Alice Walker: A short story about innocence and ignorance. Not particularly spooky, but it hits you at the end.

Allegory of the Cave - Plato: Just a good preliminary reading that provides an alternate lens. It's not spooky, I just like it.

Desolation

All is Quiet on the Western Front - by Erich Maria Remarque: The effects of war on the youth, child soldiers, and the death of innocence. It's bleak, and miserable, but it's honest and Remarque and his family were persecuted by Nazi-Germany because the book carried 'anti-german' (anti-war) sentiments. There's a movie as well.

Pan's Labyrinth - by Guillermo del Toro: Also anti-war, with bad things happening to good people and children. A bit heavy handed with it's symbolism, but hey it's a two hour movie. Also be prepared to read subtitles. It's very good, and if you haven't seen it, I don't want to say too much.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - by Ken Kesey: There's a more popular movie version as well. Corrupt systems, cutting people down until they fit into a socially appropriate mold. It's fairly dark, and has lobotomies since that was what, the 60s? I watched this in my catholic high schools film studies class, so I don't think there's anything overly egregious. But an interesting lens for the Desolation.

The Count of Monte Cristo - by Alexandre Dumas: For a fun revenge romp. The titular count gets his revenge after everything he's ever loved has been stolen from him and looks to do the same to his betrayers. Err sexual violence happens here as well. A bit of background that might inform the reader: Dumas' father was half black and affected by the 1802 discrimination laws, causing him- a high ranking military officer to be dismissed. The precursor to Monte Cristo, 'Georges' deals more heavily in themes of colonialism and racial discrimination.

End

Masque of the Red Death - by Edgar Allen Poe: You know why this is here. Warning for plague allegories and people not properly social distancing.

Nothing in the Dark - (Twilight Zone): No words needed, it's the Twilight Zone.

Death Parade - by Yuzuru Tachikawa: This is your fun suggestion. It's light for the most part, but there are scenes and moments that will absolutely hit you.

Extinction

Godzilla - A whole bunch of people: Atomic bomb fear during a time of censorship. Everything is an allegory.

Flesh

Tokyo Ghoul - by Sui Ishida: It's the most Magnus-y out of all my suggestions and I desperately want to see a crossover between them. The manga is better as the anime tends to brutalise plot points and water down the horror. Deals with becoming a cannibal, the nature of humanity, and other things. Warning for mentions of child abuse. Kaneki has a sort of - if Martin was the Archivist vibes. Not 1-1 of course, but if I had to make a comparison, that's the one.

Lamb to the Slaughter - by Roald Dahl: Arguably more slaughter, but hey I'm not giving you any warnings. I read this short story for ninth grade english, so I'm sure you can survive this one.

Hunt

Se7en - by Andrew Kevin Walker: A movie about a detective hunting serial killer. It's excellent, there's gruesome murder scenes. It's from the 90s go watch it.

Frankenstein - by Mary Shelley: From the perspective of Mr. Frankenstein it's the terror of being hunted, from the monster's perspective it's the horror of being alone. It's good, a pillar of sci-fi written by a teenager, don't snub this because it's classical lit.

The Bone Collector - by Jeremy Iacone: Another detective hunting a murderer. Also from the 90s and also excellent. Look, the 90s don't pull their punches, it's got blood and lots of it. A favourite film of mine.

Lonely

The Metamorphosis - by Franz Kafka: Turning into a big bug does not a corruption/flesh story make.

Passengers (2016)- by Jon Spaihts: I hate this movie, it's clearly a horror, but they try to pass it as a romance. Anyway, for psychological lonely horror and manipulation, this is a movie for you.

Slaughter

Go watch a classic slasher film. I don't care for senseless violence, so I don't like most of this sort of media.

Read up on a war or a riot. Learn how your nation's government discriminates and persecutes minorities historically and today.

Sweeney Todd - by Hugh Wheeler: The musical is the better known version. Some flesh horror here as well. It's not really senseless, as I think the Slaughter should be, but hey, we need substance here.

Spiral

The Giver - by Lois Lowry: A utopia that is not quite right. Read for school when I was nine, I'm sure you can all live without a warning list.

The Matrix - by the Wachowskis: Reality is an illusion, and the Universe is a hologram.

Truman Show - by Andrew Niccol: You know why this is here.

Stranger

Coraline - by Neil Gaiman: The scariest children's book. Other!Mother and all that jazz are so very Strange.

The Landlady - by Roald Dahl: Taxidermy.

Vast

Lovecraft: I'm sorry, I can only think of him. No one else is so ignorant as to be able to capture the horror of things beyond their ken.

Web

Medea - by Euripides: The God's suck, it's a Greek tragedy, bad things happen to everyone without discrimination. Children are harmed, Medea is dosed by Aphrodite, Jason is literally the worst.

Animal Farm - by George Orwell: It's anti-authoritarian and deals with the mutability of laws and how uneducated masses are sheep. . . literally. You will feel horrified, it's a short read.

There's also some children's story about a spider/snake(?) and gluttony that I've been looking for, for the past year. It's pretty similar to Mr. Spider, but the villain consumes so many victims that he becomes too large to leave his den and is blockaded in by those he terrorized, and it's heavily implied that he starves to death. For the life of me I can't remember a title, but then, it's been 15 or so years.

[irondadfics]

I’m looking for fanfics where Peter is Tony’s biological child and he goes missing/gets kidnapped as a young child. He is raised by someone else and doesn’t know he’s Tony’s son. I’ve already read Lost Boy and Things I Almost Remember on archive of our own and I wanted to find stories with a similar plot.

WHEW! It’s kind of a long list, but we did our best finding several fics that feature both BioDad!Tony and Peter being kidnapped at a very young age. ENJOY!!

PETER IS TONY’S SON BUT THEY WERE SEPARATED WHEN PETER WAS A CHILD REC LIST

Lost Boy by winterda

Isaac Stark disappeared from a crowded park a few months shy of his third birthday. There were never any signs of him, and no arrest were ever made in connection to the case. It was as if the toddler had simply vanished off the face of the earth. Twelve years later, Peter Parker has a really bad day, which only get worse when his prints are put through the system.

Things I Almost Remember by IcedAquarius @icedaquarius31​

Peter's past is not as it appears. It all starts one day with a genetics project and slowly spirals into something Peter never could have imagined.

hydra's not a home by tempestaurora @tempestaurora​

At 6 years old, the son of Tony and Pepper Stark, Peter, is kidnapped, never to be seen again. Or, so they thought. Ten years later, while raiding a HYDRA base, the Avengers come across a new, enhanced individual, working for the enemy: in black spandex, with a tendency to stick to walls and shoot webs from his wrists, the Black Spider is a pain in the ass in more ways than one.

If They Knew All About You by MsHermia

Tony Stark had lost his son when he was only 2 years old, stolen away in broad daylight with nobody the wiser of what exactly happened. Years later, Tony has just made it through the disaster with Ultron. He is trying to keep himself and the team together but relationships are strained and tempers are running high. Then a random turn of events leads to his path crossing with that of a particular vigilante. They are strangers to each other, or so they think.

Peter Parker is on top of the world. After a few shitty years, losing his parents and then losing his Uncle, things are finally looking up. Sure he lives in a crappy little apartment with his Aunt but he might have just found his mission in life.

------

This is an AU story obvious by some of the tags. I'm starting out a few weeks after Age of Ultron took place. Civil War will be a thing. Other than that I'm not too concerned about sticking to every canon detail and storyline.

Finding Their Way Home by ElliahRose

Peter Benjamin-Edward Stark went missing on a Tuesday. For months the entirety of the New York police department, as well as anyone else the Starks could convince to join, searched for the tot. He was only three when he was taken and for four months, two weeks, and four days, Tony Stark and Pepper Stark (nee Potts) worried and fretted over their beloved child.

Peter Benjamin-Edward Stark was murdered on a Friday. A ransom call gone wrong spelt the end of the child’s life. The world grieved as the kidnappers gleefully told the devastated parents they’d find his body in the morning.

They never did.

Twelve years passed and the family was still grieving, and Tony Stark worked tirelessly to find his only child’s killer and gain justice for his son.

Meanwhile Peter Parker was having literally the worst day ever. He just wanted to help make the world a better place, but instead he got stabbed. That's just his luck, isn't it?

missing, presumed dead by hailingstars @hailing-stars

They hadn’t had a funeral for Peter.

There hadn’t been a casket or a service inside a church.

There had been, before Tony decided in his heart that Peter was gone, candlelight vigils and pleas on the media for whoever had taken him to bring him home. Neither of those did any good. Neither of those brought Peter home.

OR

Tony Stark's son gets kidnapped when he's two. Twelve years later he comes back.

I told you to be better (and you became the best) by HaruK

Tony was blessed with a healthy baby boy, and for once in his life, was actually happy. Until everything derailed and he had to send his son away to keep him safe, because those related to the Stark family, one of the worlds biggest and most targeted families in the black market, always end up hurt. With a new name and identity that Tony himself doesn't know, the young baby was wiped off the map, his existence erased, never to be heard of again. . Years later, Anti-hero Iron Man meets a local superhero vigilante and Tony becomes surprisingly close with young Peter Parker.

The Curly-Haired Boy In The Paper by Svn_f1ower @svn-f1ower​

When Tony sees the blurry, grey scale photograph of someone he thought he had lost years ago, he follows the trail to a newspaper company, to a hospital, to an adoption agency, to the police station and finally to May Parker's house.

hold him tight & don’t let go by jessicagoddamnjones @farremoved

Peter Stark went missing when he was four years old.

Eleven years later, he’s found.

Only now he’s Peter Parker by day, Spider-Man by night, and he doesn’t like the idea that his entire life is a lie.

Rise from the Ashes; Just to See You Again by Mintstream @iwritedumbshit​

Tony Stark didn't expect Mary Fitzpatrick, or the news she delivered. He didn't expect that he would become a father, or that he would actually enjoy it. He didn't expect Penny to love him just as fiercely as he did her.

He didn't expect to lose her so soon.

In the wake of the loss of his daughter he tried--tried to do right by her. He became Iron Man, he was an Avenger, he protected his world because he couldn't protect his daughter, but through it all, he hoped to be reunited with his daughter.

He didn't expect to be alive when he was.

AKA the biological daughter kidnapping AU no one asked for. Hope you read, and hope you enjoy.

Updates on Saturdays.

Coming Home by inkinmyheartandonthepage

AU – Peter Stark was kidnapped when he was just three years old. Tony and Pepper never stopped looking for their boy. Years later, Peter finds his way back home.

A Change In What We Knew by Imissyoutoo @imissyoutoo

Tony scoured the floor behind Steve as though his one-year-old son had somehow crawled to him, before finally, he looked up. The realisation dawned on him like an eclipse; the decaying darkness hiding the sun. Hiding his son. Because his boy wasn't there.

”Where is he? Steve? Where's my son Rogers?!” At only a year old, Tony Stark’s son is taken, leaving him shattered. Little does he know, his journey to find what is lost only begins twelve years later. In the most unlikely of places, and all because of two words.

”Hey kid.”

I Found You by honestchick

Tony had a son; he raised him for two years until someone kidnapped him. Tony was devastated and heartbroken. And who would have thought in Starks Expo, he’d be able to see his son once again?

move back home forever by chasingflower @evahmohns

The results say he’s not actually Peter Parker.

They say he’s Peter Stark. You know, the one who’s been missing for 10 years.

Yeah. He knows.

Soon You'll Get Better by lostinmorewaysthan1

Peter Stark was kidnapped. That was all anyone knew. He vanished into thin air, no traces left behind, when he was eight years old.

Six years later, on one of the final raids on the HYDRA bases, they find an enhanced assassin, with super strength and the ability to climb walls. No one imagined that it would be Peter. Least of all Tony.

With no memory and brainwashed by HYDRA, Peter Stark goes home and tries to recover.

Let This Road Be Mine by CommunicationFlail

Ten years ago, five year old Peter Stark disappeared. When the trail went cold, the case was closed. Now new evidence has been brought to light and Tony will stop at nothing to get his son back. No matter how many fakes he has to meet. His son is out there, and he will find him.

Return to me, the one I love so endlessly by SuperHeroTiger @superherotiger

James Edwin Stark was born on the 10th of August 2001, and for the first time in his life, Tony Stark cried tears of joy.

All the fears, all the dread that had once consumed his soul washed away with a single look at the baby’s gentle features, so familiar and yet so distinctly unique at the same time. Tony made many promises that day. Promises to love his son, to protect him, to always be there for him.

On the 10th of August 2002, James Edwin Stark was stolen in the middle of the night, and his father’s world came crashing down. Shattered and alone, Tony whispered the same promise he’d made to his son the day that he was born.

‘…My love for you is endless…’

Fourteen years later, hidden away from the world in a forest of pine, Peter Beck would dream of a day he might get to see the towering city of New York. And when a wounded stranger stumbles onto their property a week out from his birthday claiming to be a famous billionaire from New York, his dream might just come true.

Once Lost Now Found by FreckledAvenger11

Peter Parker was just trying to get used to life without his uncle. He wasn't expecting to find a familiar face in an article about Tony Stark's missing son. Follow Peter on his journey to discover just who he is. Is he Peter Parker? Is he Spider-Man? Or is he someone else entirely? Just who is he and what secrets died along with his parents in that plane crash?

So He Walks The World Alone by Miola014

This is a story 'bout a broken boy With his headphones in just to block out the noise Of everyone around him telling him the way to go So he walks the world alone Wondering if it gets better Or if he's always gonna feel empty forever So he gets lost tryna find another way back home As he walks the world alone

Or

The Kidnapped Peter Stark AU that I promised y'all!

[charcubed]

i was wondering if you could share some of your favourite wlw/sapphic ships? i really enjoy your queer content in general and so id love to hear some of your takes on sapphic subtext etc :)) hope you’re doing well!

Hello anon! It’s 2AM and I should be asleep but instead I’m going to answer this ask. Partially because I tend to be perpetually behind on messages / asks (shout out to everyone I have yet to answer, I am so sorry), both because I’m often busy and incapable of brevity. I do not want that to happen to you, so here I go!

Thank you for the kind words 🥺 I appreciate you wanting to know my thoughts and enjoying my content!

Here are some wlw/sapphic ships I love!!

• Carol/Maria from Captain Marvel. As far as I am concerned, they are canonically wives. It’s not subtle! I wrote a meta thread about how the themes of the movie are enhanced if you read it as a story about Carol as a gay woman. Also, every time I remember that “Kiss Me Deadly” is the song they sing together in karaoke, I freak the fuck out. I firmly feel like Stevebucky and Carolmaria are the 2 greatest love stories of the MCU movies and it’s astonishing how similar they are, too. I’ll never forgive the Marvel fandom for sidelining Maria in favorite of shipping Carol/Valkyrie because of insidious colorism. I wrote a mini fic about Maria feeling insecure when Carol meets Valkyrie to work out my frustrations about that too!

• Nomi / Amanita from Sense8. (In all ways but physical, Amanita is MY wife, actually.) I feel like they’re one of the coolest, healthiest, and most badass relationships on screen :’) They make me so fucking happy and I will never get over how ride or die they are for each other.

• Andy / Quynh from The Old Guard. I am crossing ALL of my fingers that they expand on them in the sequel, because I felt there was very strong subtext (that was barely subtext) there, and as far as I know they were together in the comics. Big shout out to Andy wearing Quynh’s necklace, for example. (I’d need to rewatch the movie to get lost back in the sauce and discuss them more because it’s been awhile)

• I have ships from Black Sails that I enjoy discussing in depth, but those are spoilers! (I tend to only talk Black Sails spoilers on @freedom-in-the-dark or my side twitter gaypiracy)

• This is fairly new, but I am eyeballing Katy / Xialing from Shang-Chi. There was subtext there too, I feel. Katy definitely seemed to have a crush on Xialing, and there was tension in the moment when Xialing saved her. I’m hoping they expand on that dynamic in future movies!

• I never finished this show (even though I meant to), but Cosima / Delphine in Orphan Black were near and dear to my heart a long time ago, so I can’t not mention them. It’s been a very long time since I’ve thought about them but they were a big deal.

• In the “fuck the CW” category: YEARS ago, back when I watched Arrow, Nyssa/Sara was extremely important to me. I adored them, and then of course they killed Sara (and later forced Nyssa to fake marry Oliver). I was also into Lexa/Clarke from The 100 during that era—because who wasn’t, though I didn’t love them as a ship as strongly as many people did—and we all know where that went.

That’s it for main ones, I think. Sorry if that disappoints! I’m especially sorry that I don’t have much meta to offer, unfortunately, simply because most of what I’m mentioning is either explicit canon so it didn’t involve subtext hunting or I watched it before I got super involved in media analysis. I’m planning on watching Killing Eve when it’s complete as long as it sticks the landing, and I know that show is going to eat my brain hahaha. Some of my friends are super into it and have sent me a couple clips here and there and I’ve unintentionally written meta off the cuff and they lose their shit. I’m looking forward to devouring it eventually.

As for ones I’m just sort of casually into... I never finished Legend of Korra (not yet anyway), but I loved and appreciated Korrasami because again, who doesn’t. Similarly, I could get behind Kate Bishop / America Chavez in my Young Avengers days, and Peggy / Angie from Agent Carter. From very far away, I salute the Supergirl fandom, because I know Kara/Lena would make me foam at the mouth if I was at all into watching it and I’m rooting for those crazy kids.

My last humble offerings...

Movie recs:

Portrait of a Lady On Fire (which I know most people have seen by now), though warning that it’s very bittersweet or sad. Please, PLEASE watch Colette if you have not; that movie is very important to me, and it is both sapphic and gender. Likewise, please watch Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, which is based on a true story and involves an m/f/f polyamorous relationship.

Niche fic recs because people deserve to read these:

Sharon/Natasha fic that is vastly underrated and I love it, and Eleven/Max fic from Stranger Things that lives rent free in my brain. (I think Will/Mike is endgame in that show and the parallels between Will and Eleven do make me wonder if they’ll make her gay too.) These are literally the only fics for either of these ships I have ever read. And of course, this genderbent f/f 1950s Johnlock case fic which will kick your ass. You’re welcome in advance.

Thank you again for asking! 💜

[calamity-bean]

Reddie Fic Recs: Richie Does Stand-Up (and Similar)

This is such a specific niche, but there were getting to be quite a few of these in my other Reddie rec lists, and I feel like they’re distinct enough in form and focus to merit their own subgenre, y’know? So: the following list consists of fics that (1) focus on Richie’s work and/or public persona and (2) are primarily told in some sort of format other than a traditional, descriptive linear narrative — e.g., news articles, social media threads, transcripts of a stand-up routine, etc. As such, I haven’t included fics that are primarily driven by a surrounding narrative of in-scene storytelling, even if supplemented by articles or the like; stories like that can be found on my other lists.

All of these are at least implicitly Reddie but, by the nature of the genre, tend to focus much more on Richie than on Eddie. More will possibly be added at any time I feel like it. Enjoy!

And Please Welcome... Richie Tozier by dramaticagain

"So yeah, I had my Eminem moment as I too was ‘Cleanin' Out My Closet’ – with less mommy-issues and more identity issues.

“Now, I don’t know how many of you studied English Lit. But, there’s this thing called subtext. Can I get a cheer for English Lit?.

"I won’t bore you though. There’s other devices such as symbolism and allusion and whatever else – I can’t remember. Anyway, there’s a reason why I’ve decided to address the wardrobe problem – or the closet crisis as my boyfriend likes to call it”

Richie and Eddie’s relationship told through the whirlwind of Richie's 2019 press tour.

breaking free (soaring, flying) by QueenWithABeeThrone

 If you’re wondering how I, a comedian, got together with that, I’ve got no idea either. I guess [Jeff Goldblum Voice:] love, uh, finds a way.

or: vignettes from Richie's career, after coming out, as told through transcripts of his YouTube videos.

don't call it a comeback (seriously, don't, that sets expectations way too high) by lamphouse

Subtitles and audio description of a semi-professional recording made by Richie Tozier's manager of his first set after personal leave. Made unbeknownst to the performer, for promotional private purposes (i.e. to shop around at Netflix, etc.).

Or, I see your fics about Richie doing stand-up post-movie, and I raise you 13k of the in-universe transcript of a half-baked hour long routine.

Re tweet. by plinys

Everyone does social media au's where they are kids, which valid, but consider all of them as adults with Verified Accounts and Richie still just shit posting. That spawned this fic, which I wrote after taking cold medicine, so it might actually only be funny to me.

Enjoy?

richie tozier in conversation with beverley marsh: the internet's favourite funnyman interviewed by fashion's best comeback queen by 17826

Richie Tozier is the Emmy winning comedian and writer taking comedy by the throat after his return from rehab. Beverley Marsh is the world's new favourite designer who got her mojo back by revamping her life and her label. To mark the release of Richie's hotly anticipated new comedy special Motherl*ver, they talk fashion, love and childhood trauma.

RICHIE TOZIER IS...THE COMEBACK CLOWN by owlinaminor, tinypersonhotel

Griffin: You’re like, Richie, you’re like on a weird career roller coaster only you switched the ride up halfway through. Like, before it was a shitty wooden roller coaster that you think is gonna collapse right as you get to the top of the big hill, but now it’s, like, sleek and has real seatbelts, and you can go upside down, and you’ll throw up after—

Richie: You’ll Throw Up After. Title of my Netflix special.

In which Richie Tozier comes back and comes out. Featuring Who? Weekly, the McElroys, Billy Eichner, Tan France, et al.   

richie tozier: not an asthmatic by walmartofficial

“I’m getting word that I’m not allowed to tell this joke,” he tells the audience, “but it was gonna be about eating ass, if that wasn’t clear.”

Richie Tozier Settles Down by sleepcycle

As Richie Tozier prepares to launch his first national tour, a reporter from the New Yorker sits down with him to talk comedy, coming out, and life with his new husband.

Richie Tozier: The Manchild Tour by hellotailor

The Manchild Grows Up: An interview with comedian Richie Tozier, November 2019.

“Everyone in this industry either has a pill habit, or they can’t hold a relationship together for more than two months," Tozier explains. "Or they spend 16 hours a day arguing with people on Twitter. Best case scenario is you find a way to be reasonably well-adjusted about your desperate need for strangers to laugh at you.”

[screechingkingdomhottub]

hey guys angry white boy here to talk about racism, what could go wrong? I saw a post the other day that I won’t tag or anything cause I think it’s for a safe space for black people and that’s not my place? Anyway the post was essentially pointing out that people defend Billy from stranger things and glorify him even though he was very very racist. It got me thinking about how obvious racism needs to be for people to be like “oh that was racist”. Cause so many people are denying Billy was racist, he singled out the black kid and hated him, I think he called him “like that” or “that kind” at one point whICH like how can’t you tell??? But we live in times where people can say that stuff irl and worse and everyone goes “oh it was just a joke”, “oh it wasnt about race”. and that sucks. So I became hyper aware of racist shit I’ve been doing (yeah apparently you can still do that stuff once people have forgotten about black lives matter, shocking I know) and I’m gonna address them.  - Avoiding watching media starring black people. I swear I never did this intentionally but when I look at the shows I’ve watched it’s like modern family, the middle, parks and rec, the office, boy meets world and brooklyn 99. While all these shows have some representation, some better than others, you can very easily make the argument that the main character and thus the person the audience is set up to empathise with most is white. And whilst characters like Captain Holt are main characters, I’d say Jake Peralta would be the main character of the show. I grew up watching fresh prince, thats so raven, true jackson vp so it’s not like I had a primarily anti-black childhood either. I genuinely think this is just because I subconsciously think I’d relate more to “white shows” which is stupid and anti black. I say anti black and not racist here cause I’ve recently been watching shows starring latin casts and as I’m typing this I’m realising I don’t know about a lot of asian shows that aren’t anime. What brought this to light is the new show Killing It which looks great, has one of the best actors around in it imo but I genuinely hesitated before watching it and I’m relatively sure it’s cause the main character is black. And that isn’t right but if I don’t admit it then it will continue.  -Being hyperaware of my friends that are poc. This one I hate that I do, I’m really trying to see people as people while appreciating their cultures and where they came from but I’m so desperate to ensure that that isn’t always the focal point of our conversations that it does more damage than good. I think this will get better once I hang out with some of my poc friends (genuinely a mix of all different races here hence why im not naming the races but i get that it can sound like i mean the 2 black people i work with or something stupid like that) more and get more comfortable, right now non-white people seem new to me and I think that’s where this is an issue. 

Those are things I currently do that I’ve realised are a problem and I’m fixing them. Things I used to do included: assuming people were white unless proven otherwise, spoke over poc especially black people, avoided reading about racial issues, got butthurt over really dumb stuff, assumed poc weren’t neurodiverse or queer (representation matters so much).  Oh also just as an ending thing, a lot of this Ukraine support is rooted in racism - let me explain. Supporting Ukraine is important, supporting anybody suffering is important, that’s what being a human is about. However some of you acting like this is the first war and suddenly wanting to support refugees better start applying that same energy to Palestine and Syria and Iraq (yeah damage remains after a war, just cause they aint at war anymore doesnt mean theyre suddenly back to normal). “But if you look at who our enemies usually are...” 1) Racist af. 2) The enemy in the Ukraine situation is Russia and idk bout you but to me they look pretty similar. 

There are so many videos on the internet of different animals coming together to take care of the young of a different animal. Because in nature, we’re programmed to look after children. If there’s a kid in need of money, I’ll give them some. If there’s a kid needing to know good adults exist and rescued, I’ll help them. I’d do absolutely anything to help a kid idk, most people are supposed to be that way like tigers and lions and wolves and dogs and any animal you can think of. But some of you won’t help a kid in a warzone because the media you like and the daily mail taught you to be scared of different melanin levels. This was a really long rant but sometimes I think this stuff is necessary, and I think sometimes a guy like me needs to say it cause you dont trust the guys that look different to me.

[sagaciousfchuzzle]

Do ALL of the Space asks!!!!

dOhhh noooooooooo, whoever could this beeeeeeeeeComet- What are you currently frustrated about?

Hahaha oh boy. Mostly how fucking stupid I was not doing internships when I had more of the chance and instead chose to go back home every summer. I really, really appreciated it at the time, but whenever I look for wildlife jobs now I just feel so underqualified and completely unprepared. I was stupid and some friends who will see this will never let me forget it.

Black Hole- What are you most afraid of? 

At this moment what I’m most afraid of is not being able to get a job in my field and not being able to make some kind of meaningful contribution to conservation and stuff.

Galaxy- Do you have any nicknames? What are they? 

Uhhhhhh, Plum/PlumPlum, Mr. Sneeze, Coah; I think that’s about it?

Star- What song(s) do you feel describes you?

Fffffffuuuuuuuuck, um. Okay so I wasted like 3 hours trying to find good ones so let’s just go with these:

Natalia Lafourcade’s Mi Tierra Veracruzana (specifically this live version)

Nujabes’ Spiritual State.

Wind of Departure/~Setting Off Wind~ from Monster Hunter 4.

Baths’ Yeoman, a wonderfully queer musician.

Pogo’s J’Adore Juin, though it breaks my heart that Pogo is an MRA idiot.

Moon- Are you currently reading any books? If so, what book(s)?

Oh god, sadly not. I still have some Discworld books to read but I don’t want to be done-done with the series as a whole. ;_;

Planets- If you could go anywhere, where would you go? 

New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, probably.

Mercury- Describe your aesthetic. 

Earth tones, rustic looks, organized messes, wildflowers and pine trees, hearty food and warm blankets on a cold and cozy day. 

Venus- What’s your favorite tv show? 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm honestly maybe Parks & Rec? Or Steven Universe. 

Earth- If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you want to be?

On one hand I could be Chris Evans for a day but on the other hand I’d also want to be someone STUPIDLY RICH so I could give tons of money to me and my loved ones, and I wouldn’t want to do that to Chris Evans. Probably the latter, just someone super rich whom I don’t care about.

Mars- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change? 

Haha um. Maybe my penchant for sweet things. Or, y’know,my metabolism/weight.

Jupiter- If you had to pick one color to use for an entire week, what color would you choose? 

This is a joke right? ‘Cause anyone who knows anything about me will know the answer is Green.

Saturn- How far would you go for those you care about? 

Very far.

Uranus- What would you say is your greatest achievement? 

Fuck me man, I don’t know. I think being considered someone my friends can trust to talk about shit with.

Neptune- Describe yourself in one sentence. 

Hi I fiercely believe in there being a right and wrong and tend to not suffer those who choose the latter; that being said, I am a goof who loves puns and even though I can be snarky as hell I secretly prefer it when people are even more snarky back to me and put me in my place, because it’s fun to laugh, even at yourself. 

Pluto- If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would you meet? 

Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld series (and many more books besides!).

Constellations- If you could have one talent, what would you want it to be? (can be magical or not)

>Magical or notOh man. Okay so if I want to be broken I’d say absolute control over time, so absolute that even fi I create paradoxes it isn’t an issue. Alternatively, something I’ve always thought would eb cool was to either:Be able to teleport as far as your eye can seeorAny time you’re going down a street or sitting in a place or whatever, and for some vague reason it reminds you of some other place you’ve been to (so you drive past a street called Railroad Avenue, but you know of another Railroad Avenue in another town, or you’re sitting in a park and smells like your grandparents’ backyard), those two places become ‘linked’ and you can freely teleport between the two vaguely similar locations. You can’t like… consciously force the linking though.

Asteroid- When you die, what do you want to be done with your body?

Cremated, spread over some nice wilderness, maybe with a tree.

Aquarius- What’s a topic you enjoy learning about? 

B I O L O G Y   &   E C O L O G Y

Aquila- Do you prefer to read books or watch movies?

I feel like these are apples & oranges? Like books are more of a solitude thing to enjoy by yourself, but movies are great to share with people.

Aries- What is something you enjoy doing?

Telling myself I’m going to get back into drawing, and then not. c:Alternatively, coming up with tabletop rpg plots and never using them.

Auriga- If you had to pick one villain from any media, who would you rather have to face and why?

The Nightmare Knight from Cucumber’s Quest, because spoiler reasons. 

Bootes- If you could have any animal, wild or not, fake or not, which would you want?

G R I Z Z L Y   B E A R .Or maybe a feathered serpent like Quetzalcoatl.

Cancer- How do you want to be remembered? 

Someone who, despite his extraordinarily sharp wit, was kind and cozy.

Canis Major- How many friends do you have? 

Lots man. 

Capricornus- What’s a song lyric that you relate to? 

Honestly I’m having a hard time with this one. I guess from Hey Rosetta! we’ve got two:From their song Kintsukuroi:Oh see inside of me lay the heels of your hands upon me and let your fingers fall bless these broken bonesmake it whole, make it better than it was before make it better than it was before! 

and their song Dream:couldn’t we make, couldn’t we make, couldn’t we make itjust like we wanted, just like we need itwhy can’t we, just like a dream?

who says we can’t. who says we can’t, who says we shouldn’twho says we couldn’t, make it just like we love itwhy can’t we, just like a dream?

Cassiopeia- What’s your favorite quote? 

I guess, “The blood of the covenant of friendship is thicker than the water shared by the womb” ‘cause that’s the first one that came to mind.

Cygnus- If you could go back to any time period for a couple days, when/where would you want to go?

I think to November a couple years back, or to some time last winter. There’s some stuff I could at least try to fix.

Gemini- Do you have any siblings? How many?

Just one older brother.

Leo- If you could change the way any movie was made, which movie would you change?

Honestly probably Kubo & the Two Strings because it had so much potential but the second half of the film seems so…………………. so boring compared to what they could have done with it.

Libra- If you could talk to your past self, what would you tell yourself?

Bitch stay in Alaska and do an internship.

Lyra- Would you rather be feared or loved?

Feared by strangers, loved by friends & family.

Orion- What’s your favorite type of weather?

Brightly sunny with some scattered clouds, but none-the-less it’s cold & crisp. Or it’s night time with moderate rain and wet streets.

Pegasus- What’s your favorite music genre? 

Fuck man there can’t be just one. Jazz, Classical, pseudo….electronic-ish stuff???, soundtracks, etc.

Perseus- What’s your favorite movie genre?

Action/Adventure or Comedy.

Pisces- Describe someone you love without saying their name.

She’s Saint Francis incarnate, and not just for the animals. Even when people hurt her she will always take the higher path, and I know she has a better moral compass than I do. She’s wise and snarky and loves working the earth with her own hands (Hint: it’s an aunt of mine).

Sagittarius- What do you do when you don’t feel well? What do you eat/drink?

If you’re talking about a cold or something what I tend to do is fill a kettle to the brim and heat up a ton of water, then basically chug tea all day. Specifically chamomile or maybe a lemon tea, but both with some honey. That tends to help me recuperate faster.

Scorpius- If you had to pick someone to betray you, who would you pick?

Probs my friend Owen, ‘cause he’d be the easiest to ignore. 😂

Taurus- What makes you feel comfortable?

Eating food with friends, telling stories and jokes, good music on drives long & short, telling truths and sharing feelings, going to sleep exhausted because I actually did stuff during the day.

Ursa Major- If you had to pick any job to have, what job would you want? 

Savior of all Ursus-kind. Or like raising abandoned bear cubs which would be super sad but also super heartwarming.

Virgo- What do you value the most- artistic ability/creativity, musical ability, athletic ability, intellect, or work ethic?

I think I respect work ethic the most - you may not be the most capable, but you’re being honest & earnest, and like a teacher of mine said in the past, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Neutron- Are you more of a leader or a follower?

Honestly I’m happy to be a follower unless there’s no leader or the leader is incompetent.

Supernova- How do you feel about yourself?

Kind of unhappy, for the reasons mentioned in Comet. Kind of annoyed at how it feels like I’m procrastinating on starting my own life, whether that’s intentional or not. 

Supergiant- What’s something you like about yourself? 

People have told me they feel comfortable talking to me about issues and stuff and I really, really like that I can be that kind of person for my friends.

Red Giant- Would you get into a debate/argument with someone if you heard them saying something you disagree with or know to be wrong, or would you stay silent?

It depends. If they’re just talking with their own group and I’m not going to be stuck near them for hours, then I can just put headphones in, but if they’re making someone uncomfortable or something, I’d step in. I’d also step in if it was an honest mistake.

Red Dwarf- What’s your favorite smell? What smell makes you feel most comfortable? 

Pine trees I think. I loooooooooooooooove the smell of pine.

Protostar- Give a random fact about yourself.  

I finally beat Dragon’s Dogma the other day and I was scared I was going to be disappointed because I already kind of knew about the existential take it…. takes, but it was a blast and wonderful and amazing and I think everyone who likes rpg’s should play this game and Grigori is a huge…. sweetheart, of sorts.

[katajainen]

Undress Me: Bella (4311 words) by Bead Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield Additional Tags: Female Bilbo, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Female Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Rule 63 Series: Part 3 of To Kiss A Stranger

Summary:

Along last Friday, AO3 User Maybege mentioned that the same filmmaker who made "First Kiss" had also made a film called "Undress Me," as a promotional film for Showtime's series "The Masters of Sex."

Welp. Here we are. Similar story; two strangers. New twist: undressing each other.

Many thanks to Maybege, and my beta/cheerleading squad: tygermama, bubbysbub, and everbright-mourning. They are as awesome as they are silly, and have me half-talked into a story where Dwalin is a kindergarten teacher.

Ooh, here's the video, btw.

I think I may do a Bilbo version of this, too.

A spin-off to the "To Kiss a Stranger" fics I recced a while back (rec 1 and rec 2), and one of my go-to in-case-of-sads and guaranteed-to-bring-a-smile-to-your-face reads.

First off, the chemistry between those two here is just stupendous - intense without being creepy (considering that this is a first meeting), and sweet without turning into saccharine love-at-first-sight mush. Basically, this is the one case in a million where "you could cut the atmosphere with a knife" is not a cliché.

And the dialogue is the bring-a-smile-guarantee part: it's witty and funny and just the right amount of tender... and pray excuse me while I melt. Just. Go read the thing. Give yourself a happy moment.

[mrs-evadne-cake]

“You shouldn't like things because people tell you you're supposed to.”- Movies And TV

Since we’re about to hit the Stranger Things Doldrums where it’s been a while since S3 and S4 has just started filming and if you’re anything like me you’re gonna start jonesing bad- I thought I’d make a So You Need A Hit survival kit for myself of some Stranger Things-esque media to read/watch/play during the wait and that maybe you guys might be interested too. Not all of them are gonna set the world on fire- but hopefully there’s some stuff that people haven’t seen before Expect a lot of Small Town Nostalgia, a bunch of monsters, and more plucky, dangerously unsupervised kids than you can shake a stick at.

(STRANGER THINGS-ESQUE RECS CON’T) 

It (2019 and 1990): “Set in 1989 (and 1959, respectively) in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, the story begins when a young boy named George "Georgie" Denbrough disappears after the sudden arrival of a mysterious clown named Pennywise. Georgie's older brother, Bill, is left distraught by his disappearance, and after an encounter with Pennywise, looks for the help of six other outcasts who have had similar encounters with the clown and its other forms. The seven work together to examine the behavior of this shapeshifting creature — which they dub "IT" — and see if they can rescue Bill's missing brother at the same time.” -TVTropes (Obviously)

Super 8   “A group of middle schoolers in a small Ohio town in 1979 are dedicated to making a zombie movie to enroll in an upcoming film festival... While filming a scene late at night, they happen upon a freak train crash and barely escape before the authorities show up. Shaken up by the experience, they find that they accidentally filmed something on their Super 8-mm film camera in the aftermath of the crash, and soon they're caught up in strange happenings  with a monster on the lose and a secret military operation.”- TVTropes

(You don’t get closer to ST than Super 8. If this doesn’t fill the Teenagers, Monsters and CIA shaped hole in your life nothing will.)

Monster Squad -  “The film follows the exploits of a group of genre-savvy kids who seek to stop Dracula — and a host of other infamous movie monsters — from finding a mystical amulet and bringing about The End of the World as We Know It.” -TVTropes

Midnight Special “Alton Meyer, an 8-year-old boy with supernatural abilities, has been reported missing. In reality, his father Roy, along with Roy's lifelong friend Lucas, have taken the boy from the religious compound where he previously lived and gone on the run. Meanwhile, they are being pursued by members of the religious sect and agents of the FBI and NSA, both of whom are pursuing Alton for their own ends.”-TVTropes

Beyond the Gates Two estranged brothers reunite at their missing father's video store and find a cursed VCR board game dubbed 'Beyond The Gates' that holds a connection to their father's disappearance.” -IMDB

The Hole (Joe Dante 2009) “17-year-old Dane Thompson, his 10-year-old brother Lucas, and their mother, Susan, move from Brooklyn to the quiet town of Bensenville where Dane and Lucas befriend their next door neighbor, Julie. While exploring their new home, Dane and Lucas discover a trapdoor with several locks along each side in the basement. Opening the trapdoor reveals a hole which appears to be bottomless and  leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares.” -IMDB

The Babysitter “Tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Cole Johnson  who is constantly bullied, but is very good friends with his babysitter Bee. One night, while his parents are away in a hotel, Cole stays up to see what Bee does after his bedtime...and things take a turn for the worse.”- TVTropes

The Lost Boys “A recently divorced mother and her two sons move to Santa Carla, CA. The older one, Michael, falls in with a gang of biker vampires; the younger, Sam, befriends a couple of seemingly insane comic store assistants. When Michael begins turning into a vampire it’s up to Sam, with the help of the Frog brothers, to save him.”- TVTropes 

(For the Billy fans out there since Jason Patric and Dacre Montgomery got the same look going.)

Twin Peaks “The plot kicks off with the discovery of a teen cadaver,  one Laura Palmer. Eccentric FBI agent Dale Cooper responds to the matter in Twin Peaks, Washington, where he's teamed with the trusty-if-skeptical Sheriff Harry S. Truman. With the arrival of the Feds, further scandals start to bubble to the surface along with this supposedly unprecedented crime. Cooper, meanwhile, finds himself visited by enigmatic visions and dreams pointing to the real culprit.” -TVTropes

Marianne : “Emma, a famous and successful French horror writer, is forced to return to her hometown after the woman who haunted her dreams fifteen years ago begins to re-appear. The work she writes is apparently a work of fiction, but how much is fact? Joined by her childhood friends she finds herself battling a creature that takes the form of her own creation.” Wiki

(This series is one of the most legitimately frightening things I’ve seen in ages and feels more like a Stephen King adaption than most ACTUAL Stephen King adaptions. Like IT it bounces back and forth between a bunch of childhood friends as kids and adults as they fight a monster- originally French but the English dub is excellent for those who don’t like subs.) No-Creature Features:

Summer of ‘84 - “In the Summer of 1984, in the sleepy suburb of Ipswitch, Oregon, teenager Davey Armstrong is a conspiracy theorist who begins to suspect that a neighbouring police officer is a serial killer. With help from three friends, Davey launches a daring investigation that soon turns dangerous.” -IMDB

The Sandlot   “Follows the summer adventures and misadventures of a group of boys and their ragtag baseball team playing on "The Sandlot," their makeshift baseball field in Los Angeles, during the summer of 1962.” -IMDB

(You’re KILLIN’ me Smalls.)

Stand By Me: Twelve-year-old Gordie  and his friends Chris Chambers ,Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio  journey into the woods near their home to look for the body of a boy named Ray Brower, who was struck by a train while picking berries. Through the boys' misadventures and conversations, the viewer learns about each character and their friendships.- Wiki

The Goonies: “A small group of kids living on the "Goon Docks" of Astoria, Oregon are in dire straits: the owners of a local country club have threatened their families' homes with foreclosure so they can finish building a new addition to said country club. On one of their last days in the neighborhood, one of the "Goonies", Mikey discovers a Treasure Map in his attic. The map supposedly reveals where to find the treasure of infamous pirate One-Eyed Willie —but to get it, they must outwit a trio of mobsters and survive numerous death traps designed to keep One-Eyed Willie's treasure safe from outsiders.” -TVTropes

[paper-ink-and-coffee-rings]

Fractured - I survived © paper-ink-and-coffee-rings 2018

‘What am I afraid of? You kill me Doc, you really do. You ever think that maybe you chose the wrong profession?’ Alex Carlton lay slouched comfortably in Jerry, the red tattered beanbag she named and claimed.

 A stress release ball was thrown into the air and caught repeatedly, receiving a squeeze on alternate throws. Alex focused a little too much attention on it for her therapist’s liking, but if it kept Alex calm then so be it.

 Dr Mona Lavazza, a young woman with the scalding glare of an English Schoolmistress smiled and clicked her pen, noting that Alex avoided the question. It was the 3rd time now.

 ‘No. I quite enjoy what I do’ Mona, she insisted on her patients calling her that, adjusted herself. Alex deemed the stress ball no longer amusing and placed it next to the potted aloe vera on the stand by the window.

  A glance at the clock told her that there was 5 minutes left. Despite Alex’s funk and avoidance of questions, some progress was made. Alex was considering going out with friends soon without family supervision.

 The responses to questions about the incident were less hostile and she’d shown remarkable progress with the anxiety it gave her. It was only recently that Alex had been left alone at home without fear for the first time in a year.

 Now she was taking runs past the beach and even stopping to photograph it. ‘And why do you need to photograph the beach Alex?’ Mona had asked. Alex replied simply that the more she looked at it the more it made her want to go down to it.

 ‘Is it a rewarding career? Do you think I have what it takes?’ Alex stopped slouching and sat as straight as she could in the beanbag. The office Alex was sat in was styled more like a Youth Club rec room.

 Sometimes it was more comfortable than the 4 walls of 13 Ocean Drive Terrace.

 ‘I think you do. You’ve been through a lot Alex. You’ve struggled and lost, you’ve overcome and here you are, on the road to a better you. It takes real courage to even step outside after what you went through’.

 A dark look fell across Alex’s face like a shadow. She got up and stretched until she felt her neck crack. It was oddly satisfying. ‘Don’t praise me for being human and getting on with life’.

 ‘Alex, I’m here to help you. Please sit back down, there’s still time left’ Mona gestured for Alex to have a seat and tapped her notes with her pen.

‘Alex we have made a lot of progress and we’re almost there, we just need to-’.

 ‘Remember. I know’. Alex sat down on the sofa this time, curling her legs underneath herself while she tangled her fingers into knotted dark curls. ‘Well, the thing with Amnesia is Doc, as I am sure an educated lady like you knows, means that you can’t’

 Alex took her frustration out on her hair, the short blonde mop that made a disappointing ponytail when yanked back. ‘You don’t think that I’ve tried? I’ve spent 2 years a prisoner to myself. 2 years of knowing that I know but not knowing what I know’.

 Mona noted carefully what Alex was saying, noting more the body language on display. Alex as now leaning forward, hunched over herself almost, right leg bouncing as she pulled on the small pony.

 ‘Alex I’m worried that you’re expecting too much’ Mona removed her glasses and ditched her notes. ‘You have been walking this road for 2 years now and by no means is the end in sight, stop expecting so much all at once’.

‘From who?’ Alex helped herself to an orange from the bowl beside her elbow.

 ‘From yourself. Alex you do this each time. You start off great and the moment we make a little progress, you clam up and go back inside and then get really angry at yourself for doing it’.

 ‘You want to know what scares me?’ Alex watched as Mona nodded encouragingly, reminding Alex that she was in a safe space.

 ‘Do you want to know what I want Doc? I want to know who did this to me’ Alex tapped her head with two finger in a hard gesture.

 ‘I’m scared of my mind because it’s hiding the truth from me’ Alex felt her shoulder itch. ‘I’m scared that the reason I can’t remember is because I don’t want to remember. But I can’t think of a single reason why I don’t want to remember’.

 Mona leaned forward and coughed softly into her fist. ‘That’s good Alex. You’re being open. You are addressing your fears and you’ve just vocalised them. That was a major step. And we will find out, it will take more time. But we will find out what’s stopping you’.

 ‘What if I’m a horrible person? Deep down inside I’m so horrible that the only way for me to be reborn was to have my skull bashed on that beach. To wipe the slate and most of my mind clean. What if that’s the reason? What if I know that and that’s my brain self deleted?’.

 The orange was peeled in silence to allow for reflection upon Alex’s statement. The recorder lay on the small formica table picked up only breathing until Mona stood and called time. Her feet echoed as she moved past the sofa and opened a closet.

  ‘Alex I have something for you’. Alex cocked a brow and eyed her therapist. ‘I know it’s unconventional but I want you to try it. I think it would be good for you to get back online. If it makes you feel in control of something other than college and work then great'.

 ‘No way’ Alex’s voice rose. ‘Mona I can’t do that. Are you insane? I can’t do it. The last time I went on there I was faced with the Spanish Inquisition about it. The media, followers, strangers. Vultures’.

 ‘Alex it is okay for you to talk about it. It was not your fault and it is not shameful. You have done nothing wrong and you’re not a victim. Take that power back’. Mona handed Alex a small hand held camcorder. ‘Take it back with this’.

 Alex glanced at Mona’s outstretched hands. If Alex was a cartoon character waves of uncertainty would radiate off her in squiggly little lines.

 ‘I want you to document you story. Your recovery and all of the obstacles you face and fear. If you get into old habits it gives you that control you don’t feel like you have. Go back to your followers, be in control of what you do and what you don’t want people to know’.

 Alex didn’t accept it immediately. She just stared at it. ‘I don’t want to’ she looked up at Mona. ‘I don’t need to record it. I don’t want to look back’ Alex cradled the peeled orange as if Mona would take it of her.

 ‘Just try it. Okay? Name him’ Mona thrust the camera on Alex. ‘Make him your friend. Tell him things. He’s a great listener and he can’t tell anybody if you don’t let him. Talk to him. Be the Alex of before, keep or delete. Choice is yours. It will be great for managing anxiety’.

  ‘You don’t know the Alex of before. You just know the Alex of today. The Alex that can’t remember, places, people or stupid little things that have no business in your head but there they are’ Alex juggled the camera and the orange, a frown carved into her face.

 Mona opened the door. ‘Show me. I know that she is still there. Use your camera and talk to it. It’s your homework. I’ll see you next week. Have a good week and stay safe’.

 Outside waiting was Calum, Alex’s older and only brother. ‘Ah, she comes bearing gifts’ Calum’s enthusiasm was ignored. ‘She also comes with a face that’s trying to curdle milk. What’s wrong?’

 Alex looked at Calum for a moment then got into the car without a word. Calum eased himself off the bench outside with a groan.

 ‘I didn’t warm up enough before training Gloria Cardle, I hope your session went better’. Calum shut the door and waited for Alex to belt up.

 ‘It was alright’ Alex split her orange and handed him half when he reached for the camera. He knew better than ask if anything had come back to her. It had been 2 years and parts of Alex’s life was still lost in biological cyber space

 ‘Isn’t there a clause against personal trainers talking about clients outside of work?’ Alex munched on the orange and kept the camera in her lap. ‘We have a charger for one of these don’t we? She never gave me one’ Alex finished the orange.

 Calum cracked his knuckles and combed a mop of hair like Alex’s while she settled herself. The two were strikingly similar in appearance save for a difference in build and height. ‘Yeah I think so, it’s probably in the attic. If we put any more shit up there it’s going to collapse’.

 Both of the Carlton siblings, like their mother Lorna had heads of dark blonde curls. They were also green eyed with rather sharp looking noses and thin lips

 ‘That’s the first I’ve heard of such a clause. And I won’t be talking about it again because nobody wants to know about a menopausal lady working out’ he checked his appearance with a little too much energy.

 ‘My God you’re so vain’ Alex looked over in mild disgust. ‘I bet you use half of

Beatrice’s make-up bag you self loving fuck’ she brought her seatbelt across her

chest until it clicked into place.

 Calum’s car was a used Nissan Primera and made far too many noises for it to be running.

 ‘How is this car still on the road? She farts more than Dad after Taco Tuesday’ Alex was waiting for the first noise the minute Calum’s keys were in the ignition. Alex didn’t have to wait long.

 ‘I will not have you talk shit about Stella, she’s like my wife I’ll have you know’ Calum

had defended Stella against Alex’s remarks on more than one occasion. She had no

choice but to jump in. Alex was no longer allowed to drive since her brain injury.

 ‘Also I am not vain. If you looked this good you’d want to look at yourself. You hungry Al? I’m starved and I really can’t be bothered to cook. Holly’s? he suggested as he checked the path was clear for exit.

 ‘Pick me up something from Holly’s, but drop me home first. I have homework’ Alex held up the camera. ‘Please don’t ever threaten me like that again’.

 Calum hit the brakes and jolted Alex off her seatbelt. ‘Excuse me?’ his eyes darkened.

 ‘Don’t ever mention your cooking to me again. Starving people wouldn’t even what you make’ Alex’s face didn’t hold. She cracked a smile then half heartedly. It was met with Calum’s middle finger as he drove them towards home.

 ‘I take it your camera is the homework. It will be good for you. A distraction’ Calum side eyed the camera then turned back to the road.

 ‘Mom and Dad left for Washington about an hour ago. They’ll be home Wednesday night and would like a phone call when you’re free’ he tapped his fingers off the wheel to a beat Alex couldn’t hear.

 Alex merely nodded and played with the camera. ‘Just you and me then’ she turned the camera on herself and flipped the panel so that she could see what she was looking at. Her face stared back at her with burning curiosity.

 Calum drove the rest of the way in silence leaving Alex to stew in her thoughts. When they arrived home he slowed to a crawl near the front door step, the gravel crunching loudly under each tyre.

 ‘I want a slice of Holly’s Blueberry Crumble’ Alex said as she stepped out of the car and fished deeply in denim pockets for her keys. Calum nodded in approval at her choice of desert.

 ‘I’ll be back in about half an hour okay? I want you to lock that door. I’ll open it when I’m back. The 4th girl in 2 weeks has vanished. All of them look like you and all of them have been from neighbouring towns. I mean it Alex. Lock. That. Door’.

 ‘Are you serious? What kind of sick-’ Alex was cut off by her phone buzzing. ‘I’ll be upstairs when you’re back. I’ll lock up, I promise’.

 Calum drove off as Alex locked the door and made sure the back door was locked too. ‘Hey puss’ Alex scratched a fat tabby cat and went upstairs to her room.

Sitting on her bed Alex held the camera up again and switched it on, staring right into the camera she cleared her throat and took a moment to gather what she’d say to it.

 ‘My name is Alex Carlton and I survived’.

[cryptodictation]

Snowpiercer and 12 other streaming tips

The shaft is currently one of the most watched films on Netflix. Here at Moviepilot I've already written a subtly enthusiastic article about why the shaft is such a worth seeing thriller.

But what to do when Goreng's dark adventure has been overcome? What to do if you don't have all the ingredients for a revolutionary portion of panna cotta? Then it probably means: search for similar films. So that you are not alone in this, you will find some films in this article that are comparable to Der Schacht.

The prerequisite is that they are easily accessible via stream. Also included: Snowpiercer, Cube and your home are mine, but also some that you may not have had on your screen yet.

Stream Snowpiercer and Co.: Films with a crisp concept like Der Schacht

A simple concept, but lots of secrets and rules. That is part of the charm of the Spanish science fiction thriller The Shaft. You can find comparable tips here.

Sci-Fi dystopia with class struggle in Snowpiercer

Before his Oscar win with Parasite, South Korean Bong Joon-ho shot Snowpiercer with a cast around Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton and Octavia Spencer. In it, the world is covered with ice after a man-made ecological disaster. Few survivors race across the globe in one go. The poorest are at the back, the rich at the front. But at the end of the train the spark of the revolution ignites.

© MFA

Snowpiercer

The shaft is often described as a snow piercer in jail and that's apt. There are wagons instead of levels, and the two films are similar in terms of symbols and social criticism. If you watch a movie after The Shaft, it's Snowpiercer.

Cube – A group of strangers in a death trap

Before the horror hit Saw there was the Canadian science fiction film Cube by Vincenzo Natali. Like Goreng from Der Schacht, the six strangers in the independent film wake up in a strange environment, without knowing the rules. In the structure consisting of several cubic rooms, complex traps await the group. Working together could save lives, but personal motives and differences turn out to be an additional danger.

© Constantin Film

Cube

Since its release in 1997, Cube has become a cult film that develops thrilling thrills with the help of treacherous traps and the human psyche. Exactly the right thing if you like the twists and figure types in The Shaft.

You can currently use Cube Sky ticket and Sky Go streaming. Class struggle in a confined space: More tips for streaming After The Shaft: Your home belongs to me and other Spanish thrillers

Spanish cinema experienced a genre film renaissance in the 2000s that produced numerous thrillers, science fiction and horror films. Here you will find current tips and older pearls.

Home Invasion with a difference: Your home belongs to me from Netflix

For everyone who is currently living in self-isolation Your home is mine maybe a little too realistic. Netflix cleverly programmed the Spanish thriller for the launch of The Shaft. In it, an advertising specialist loses his job and his beautiful apartment.

© Netflix

Your home is mine

Since he still has the keys, he begins to terrorize the new tenants. Directed by the Spaniards

David Pastor and Àlex Pastor who thanks Carriers and The Last Days already have plenty of genre experience.

Twists from Spain: The time travel thriller Timecimes

Timecrimes – murder is only a matter of time might please Der Schacht fans with its cleverly constructed time travel story, humor and surprising twists.

© Koch Media

Timescrimes

The film by Nacho Vigalondo works with a tiny ensemble and a few locations to really knot the viewer's brain. However, the less said about the action, the better.

Other Spanish film highlights: parallel worlds and more in the stream The invisible guest – the Moviepilot community gives the Spanish thriller 7.7 points, in which a businessman wakes up next to a woman's body. You can stream the invisible guest on Netflix.

Parallel Worlds – House of Money Professor Álvaro Morte plays in the thriller about a woman (Adriana Ugarte) who saves a child's life by traveling through time, but thereby completely messes up her own. Parallel worlds is currently in the stream at Netflix.

Automata – International co-production with Antonio Banderas, who experiences his own I, Robot on an earth burned by the sun. Automata is included in the Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Julia's Eyes – Belén Rueda (The Orphanage) investigates the mysterious death of her blind film sister and loses her eyesight. The Horror movie can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video become.

(REC) – Spanish found footage classic that shares the limitation to one location with Der Schacht. A television team is there live when a homicidal virus spreads in a house. (REC) 1-4 are available for streaming at Maxdome ready.

We Are the Flesh – If you like hard horror, this disturbing strip is the right place, in which two siblings find shelter with a stranger in the post-apocalypse who demands a high price for protection. We Are The Flesh can be streamed with a net cinema subscription at Amazon Prime Video and Maxdome become.

Is the hype about Der Schacht justified? The answer in our colleagues' podcast

In view of the great hype surrounding the Netflix shocker Der Schacht (and in the absence of new films), our colleagues from FILMSTARTS reveal in their Screen love podcast whether the socially critical horror thriller really deserves all the attention.

With Disney +, a new streaming service has recently been launched, which in addition to well-known titles from the popular studio also offers some new films that are produced exclusively for the platform. You can find out in the second part of the latest episode of screen love whether the Susi and Strolch remake, Stargirl and Co. are good for you.

Do you have any other tips for films that resemble The Shaft?

The post Snowpiercer and 12 other streaming tips appeared first on Cryptodictation.

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