#Members of the jury- I am insane. Thank you

[sword-symphonia]

non persona post?? My word she's gone mad (SPIRITFARER REVIEW WAOW!!!!) (Very long, I'm sorry) (But not really)

This review discusses themes of death, loss and terminal illness, as well as containing language. I swear a fair bit. Sorry, I typed everything as I thought of it, bad words 'n all.

Good afternoon,(it is 9PM in Ireland) fellas! Welcome to: SPIRITFARER- REVIEWED BY A TEENAGE GIRL WHO IS VERY NORMAL ABOUT HER INTERESTS!! Move over, IGN- it's the weird little guy in the corner (me)'s time to shine! I simply word-vomited this so unfortunately this review is very unprofessionally worded- however, I have faith it will be a fun read. I hope. Also, it's mostly spoiler free! ...I hope! I'm sorry!

So! Hi. I'm Luca. I have crippling thanatophobia. What's that? A phobia of death. And what's Spiritfarer about? Oh, baby. You aren't gonna fuckin' believe this! And, would you believe it, this game... actually helped me with that fear!

Currently, I'm only nine hours in, but. Well basically the damage is irreparable and I fear I shall never be the same again. Now, luckily, I have not cried. Yet. But I will! Oh, BABY I will!!! I have gotten five spirits so far (I'm coming for you, Gustav/threat) and have already had my first trip through the Everdoor. I wasn't ready. Come back, my dear. Please.

Spiritfarer is a game I've wanted to play for quite a long time, so to have been able to buy it about a month ago was one of the most exciting parts of my year so far. No, really! I was HYPED! HELL YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN ON MY WISHLIST FOR AGES! That kind of feeling. And then I started playing, and... hooooly shit. Guys. Dudes. Bros. What the hell. The VISUALS. WOW. W-O-W WOW!!! HOLY BALLS!!!

Look at this. Witness it with your eyes.

Bloody breathtakin'. I'm in tears. The game is absolutely chock-full of colourful (and not so colourful) locations, characters, landscapes... god, I'm so unwell about the visuals. And the ANIMATION!! AUGH! Every character has unique animations that just... oh they illustrate their characters so well. Augh...

Atul is nearly always happy, bouncy and smiley in his animations- a reflection of who he is!! One of his happiness perks is playing joyful music! He is literally just a guy! And Alice! Alice is a kindly old lady, and this is reflected in her design and personality- one of her animations involves dusting herself off, and I just think it gives the perfect image of a sweet elderly woman simply making herself more presentable. Also, she calls you dearie. What if I started bawling? What if I threw myself on the ground roaring and wailing?

Another favourite of mine is Astrid. She's also a kindly old lady- but with sass. Alice is an absolute sweetheart, but Astrid? Astrid won't say no to a cheeky bit of gossip now and then...but shh don't tell anyone gossip is bad shhh HEY WANNA KNOW ASTRID'S NICKNAME FOR STELLA??? Munchkin. What the hell. I love that nickname. Wish I had an adoptive granny that would call me Munchkin. Astrid, my most dearest darling, how I adore you. AND she's pro worker's rights- damn, what a woman. Also, her eating animation is funny. Absolutely DECIMATES a sandwich, so she does.

Tragically I will shut my yap about the characters now as there are quite a few of them and unfortunately I cannot put anyone through that (but know that Gustav and Daria also make me insane), so let's move on, eh? Who fancies a bitta tunes? I sure as hell know I do! LISTEN TO THAT! RAAAAAGHHH!!!! The music isn't a massive part of the game, per se- but it doesn't have to be! The music, of course, adds a pleasant ambience as you play- but it's not in your face! It's a nice, calm, beautifully composed soundtrack, with a special, unique little tune for every minigame. While I have no musical bone in my body personally, I am something of a- how do you say eloquently- whore for a good soundtrack. I love music, I love creativity!! Hooray!!

I actually don't have much to say on the music, but know that I do love it! But, I really really really want to talk about the themes of Spiritfarer... like, really bad.

Okay, so... I'm actually going to get into personal territory here, and it's going to get a bit heavy. If you'd prefer to skip over that, then please, by all means, feel free to skip down until you see red text.

So, there's another reason this game is so dear to me. And that reason is the fact that Spiritfarer actually helps me to process my own grief. While it didn't come out until four years after the loss of my older brother... it helps. And if nine-year-old me had had Spiritfarer at that age, I feel like she would have been able to cope better. I was unlucky- my brother passed away at 1AM, while I was asleep. To this day, I regret not being able to say goodbye... but Spiritfarer illustrates this in a poignant way- sometimes, we won't be able to say goodbye, wether due to extraordinary circumstances or simply... not realising how little time you really have left with someone. This brings me to the spirit I actually look forward to the least- not for any fault of his character, but simply what he symbolises to me.

I find myself dreading meeting Stanley later on in the game. Stanley, the youngest spirit you can meet within the game, is a lovely little boy of eight, taking on the appearance of a little mushroom creature. Nothing is wrong with Stanley, but... it's important to remember that every spirit is... well, a spirit. Someone who's died. And given Stanley is only a small child, it hits that bit closer to home. He is younger than my brother was upon his death, but he was still a child. While it isn't specified what illness it was that Stanley died from, I still see a lot of my brother in him. Spiritfarer does help me and bring me comfort, but at the same time, I'm not sure I'm ready to meet a character so close to my own experiences. The fact Stanley always seems so chipper and smiley despite his difficulties... does not help. Bit too similar, you know?

My relationship with Stanley is an odd one. I don't dislike him- absolutely not, far from it- I dislike the fact his character, a little boy, has to exist. I dislike that children like him exist in real life, and the fact I've met so many of them. It's a hard truth to swallow, and not one I'm fully prepared to deal with.

OVERALL:

I think this game can be enjoyed by everyone, even if you've never experienced grief. It's a beautiful story, and its gorgeous visual charm and cozy mechanics have something for everyone. You can fish, mine, cook, craft, and basically everything in between! Also, there is a hug button. You can hug people. Game of the decade. I love hugs! It's so... god. I just... really like the hug button, man. Oh, and did I mention you can play co-op?! If you have a friend you'd like to play with, they can join the fun as Daffodil, Stella's beloved pet cat! Look at him, isn't he gorgeous!!

So, would I reccomend Spiritfarer? Short answer:

Yes.

Long answer: Yes, absolutely. It's an absolutely wonderful cozy game, with tons to do. There's no voice acting, but I don't think this game needs it- it tells an absolutely wonderful tale without it. Each character has a distinct personality and quirks- Summer is vegan and will adjust her diet as such, while Atul will quite literally eat anything you throw at him. Giovanni is brash, confident, and enjoys the finer things in life, whereas Astrid likes things plain and simple. And Daria? Daria just really likes fruit.

If you have an interest in Spiritfarer, I highly encourage you to check it out. It's available on a number of platforms (Playstation, Steam, even on mobile- although that's through Netflix, and also not very good. In my opinion, anyway.) I highly, highly, highly reccomend it to all cosy gams enjoyers, or even just people who like games in general. There's even little bits of platforming here and there, if you're into that! Do you yearn for the mines? How about becoming a woodcutter? Or maybe you just really like smelting. Well, excellent news- you can do all those things in Spiritfarer! The gameplay, music, visuals and most importantly of all, the story, make this game a highly worthwhile purchase in the long run. Chances are, if you like Stardew Valley, you'll like Spiritfarer.

Thunder Lotus Games has shattered my soul in ways I may never recover from- however, I am not upset about it. God, I bloody love Spiritfarer. This review took two and a half hours to type, I shit you not. God bless.

[mari-lair]

İ recently have seen your little analysis and chapter 107 and the clock keeper's boundary and noticed that i have known clock keepers have some stuff to do with justice/court, so i did a little digging

İ am not sure if you have seen this extra before but i am assuming this was the reason i sorta 'knew' beforehand (i really don't know how to address it otherwise, im sorry)

İts so nice to see old extras/pages that stuck in my brain for whatever reason finally get some more context, i love it!

İ can't wait to see Kako with his hammer judging Tsukasa and Nene!

Ooooooh I had forgotten about this extra! Thanks for reminding me :D

There was a moment in the main manga where Kako was a judge too (in chapter 61), and that was the only moment I remembered with a court theme.

I took it as that being Kako's role, as the (seemingly) oldest supernatural in school, instead of foreshadowing for the No.1 role.

Mostly because of the way he never mentioned his seat position, Akane wasn't even part of the meeting, and Mirai was not near him like in the extra. Mirai was depicted as any other court member instead of part of the jury.

so I didn't think much about it, my insanity was not activated.

But now that we know is such a fundamental part of their role I am excited to see Kako judge Tsukasa and Nene! I wonder if Mirai's and Kako's judgment methods are different, or if there are different tricks to defeat them/gain their approval.

[harryspet]

caged bird | s.rogers, p.parker & b.barnes

[Warnings] dark!steve rogers x reader, dark!peter parker x reader, dark!bucky barnes x reader, polyamory, prison au, noncon/dubcon sex, this plot scenario is very unrealistic but oh well,  reader makes a deal so she can survive, hella manipulation, dominants/submissive, oral sex (male recieving), hella angst, shower sex, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

A/N: this is like a really f’d up situation so enjoy :):):) i also wrote this over the span of two weeks so i’m sorry if the pacing is weird and (also x2) this is nowhere near canon

In which you have to make a deal with three devils in order to survive in The Cage.

word count: 4.8k

main masterlist

Your eyelids were heavy though the bright light outside the bus was forcing you awake. Your limbs shackled to the seat, it reminded you that you had lost your freedom so quickly and that you’d probably never have a good night of sleep ever again, “How long?” Your mouth was dry, the heat from the wasteland you were driving through crept through the window. 

“Twenty minutes, princess,” Officer Rumlow looked you over for the millionth time like you were fresh meat ready for the slaughter. His perceptions weren’t far off and that’s what scared you the most. You weren’t cut out for a place like the Cage. 

A week ago you thought this place was fictional, a nightmare tale that was used to scare the new employees. It was still a nightmare but you were now living in it. You thought your heart might explode out of your chest as the facility finally came into view. Five stories of complete concrete surrounded by two, hundred-foot fences and surrounded by a barren wasteland. 

You were the only one on the bus. The Cage rarely received new inmates due to the nature of crimes that the prison was built for. Vigilantes and government traitors. Many used to consider them heroes but they were unregulated and dangerous. That's how they ended up here and, your boss, Alexander Pierce had sold you out to save himself.

“When … W-When am I going to get my phone call?” You asked as the bus entered the gates of the prison, finally stopping at the processing center. 

Rumlow chuckled, walking over to unchain your shackles from the floor of the bus, “Who are you going to call, princess? Mommy and Daddy?” He grabbed you roughly by your upper arm, pulling you out of your seat and dragging you down the steps of the bus. 

You refused to accept that you had been erased. Your parents probably thought you were only missing, not that you had been wrongly accused of betraying the government and had been thrown into the most dangerous prison in the country. 

“They can’t do this,” You winced as your arm stung, “No trial. No jury. T-This is illegal!”

Rumlow ignored you, and you had to pick up your pace in order to not fall down. Your eyes wandered around, the sun nearly blinding you and stinging your skin at the same time. You noticed in the distance a group of male inmates standing behind a wired fence, wearing the same navy jumpsuit as you, and even from far away, you could see cold and hungry glances. 

You thought you were lucky for a minute since you were a woman but then you remembered what kind of women probably lived here. As you were brought inside, past several guards, through metal detectors and pat-downs. 

When you got to the body cavity search, you expected to part way with Rumlow. Standing in a small, cold room, Rumlow stood in the doorway with his hands casually in the pockets of his pants, “Undress, inmate,” Your eyes widened and you quickly crossed your arms, “Slowly, if you don’t mind.”

“I-I do mind,” You said quickly, “I’m supposed to have a female officer-”

“You don’t get those kinds of privileges in the Cage. We don’t separate inmates by gender,” You shook your head as your eyebrows began to furrow. 

“That’s insane-”

“Undress, inmate,” He said more sternly this time, “Or would you like me to do it for you? You’re lucky I don’t make you put on a show for the rest of the guards.”

You shook your head again, tears starting to form in your tired eyes, “Please don’t-” You tried to plead with him but, as you did, you watched him reach for his baton, “Okay, okay!”

Rumlow smiled a wicked smile, “Good. Bend over and cough, inmate. Let me see that cute, little ass of yours.”

+

When you finally got to see a female officer, she was escorting you to your cell. In your hands, you held the rest of your life which included one more set of clothes, bedding, and a toothbrush. You had to eat what the prison provided and you could only earn extra commissary from working. Hela tried to explain everything to you but you were only latching onto every other world. 

You walked along a slim passageway which had cells to the right and a metal railing to the left. There were three floors of cells and they seemed to go all the way around in a circle. Passed the railing and in the middle of the dome was where it seemed most of the inmates were gathered. 

The shouting, laughing, and fighting echoed through the dome and you couldn’t help but think those calls were for you. You could barely carry your bag of things and walk straight without stumbling. If they couldn’t send your weakness from your appearance then they’d surely sniff it out soon. 

“This can’t be allowed,” You whispered to Officer Hela, though her dark hair mixed with the look of death in her eyes didn’t scream “empathy” to you, “There has to be some sort of rule-”

She stopped in front of an empty, six by eight-foot cell which told you that this would be your new home, “You can sit in solitary if you like,” She spoke coldly, “Your meals get brought to you and you don’t have to deal with the animals in here but there’s no time outside. It’s easy to lose track of the days and forget which voices are real and which ones are inside your head. If you prefer to go insane before you die then I’d recommend that route.”

There wasn’t much of a choice to make and you found your feet moving before your brain could register. You stepped inside the cell, setting down your things on the bottom bunk, “A girl like you is going to need to latch onto a group, pledge your allegiance, and do not let them question your loyalty. They live by a different code here and following it is life or death, do you understand?”

You slowly nodded as you listened and part of you was grateful that she wasn’t completely cold, “T-Thank you-”

She scoffed, “Such a precious little thing … I give you a week,” With that, she turned on her heel and you felt hopeless once again, “I’ll escort you to dinner-”

You shook your head, “I’m not hungry.” You were actually starving but you could not yet face the beast. 

She only shrugged and pulled the door closed. The light above you flickered and you stared back down at your bunk. You were holding back your tears as you tried to make up your bed. Staring at the flimsy mattress material only made you more depressed so you decided just to lay down. Facing the wall, your tired eyes roamed over what was scribbled on the walls. 

S.H.I.E.L.D. is evil. 

S.H.I.E.L.D. is corrupt. 

You hated that the words initially sent a wave of anger through you. You hated that you still felt loyal to that group of monsters. You were a low level worker with good standing and they had just sent you to die?

With your face tucked into your arm, you cried yourself to sleep. 

+

The next day you had no choice but to face your fears. You couldn’t go any longer without food and, in a place like this, you needed to keep your energy up. Before the sun was even out, you heard the mechanical click of the cell door. Your favorite officer, Rumlow, made sure to stop by your cell during roll call. 

“So you decided on general population,” He popped the gum he was chewing, looking you over, “I’m sad to hear it, I was gonna visit you every day in solitary but I guess we’ll get some alone time soon enough.”

You scowled at him and a shiver went through you as he continued pass your cell. You were now grateful that you had chosen general population. 

That feeling didn’t last as inmates started moving from their cells down to breakfast. You stayed back, waiting to slip out of your cell when the crowd had passed. You lingered in the back of the line but no one seemed to notice you until you were in the kitchen line. The first reaction was a quiet murmur that went through the group of (mostly) men at the sight of you. 

You didn’t quite match anyone's stature, not even the women. At least they looked like they could take care of themselves. You were sure that your face probably had dark circles and sunken in features. You looked down when you felt someone's eyes on you and you cringed at every word whispered about you. 

“If I could just get my hands on her …”

“I wonder what a little girl like that could’ve done to get in here.”

“I’d be real gentle with her …” “I wouldn’t … I’d make her scream …”

“Move along,” Hela barked at the inmates in the line. You tried to tune them out as a staff member handed you your tray of food. A stale piece of toast, plastic-looking eggs, peaches, and what looked like could be oatmeal. 

It was when you turned away that you felt a pinch on your bottom. You turned around quickly only to find yourself staring at a chest rather than a face. As you looked up, a man with long, dark black hair stared down at you, “Aren’t you adorable?”

“I said move along, inmates,” You looked towards Hela for some sort of help but didn’t receive any. 

When you looked back again, the man had disappeared. You shook it off, figuring that was the least of what you were about to experience today. As you stepped out into the middle of the dome, you remembered the advice that Hela had managed to give you. 

There were cliques formed at each circular, metal table and you looked each one over as you walked past them. Again, people stared and said vile things but you spotted a table where two women were sitting. They were much older than you but the look you got from them was not maternal in the least. 

“Can I… sit here?” You knew the answer based on their thin-lipped scowls. 

You weren’t like any of them … you were fragile. Besides that, you used to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the organization was responsible for locking half of these people away. You kept walking, eventually finding an empty table to sit at. 

All you could think about now was eating. You picked at your tray with your plastic fork, and with each bite of the food you cringed. The toast was also completely rock hard, “It helps if you dip it in water,” Your head snapped up as you felt a shadow over you before someone took a seat beside you. 

You weren’t expecting someone so young and you certainly weren’t expecting a friendly smile. You stared at the handsome man with your mouth agape. You hadn’t realized what he meant until you looked back down at the bread in your hands, “Oh … I doubt anything would make this edible-”

He ran his hand through his light brown hair, before reaching into the pocket of his jumpsuit. On the table in front of you, he placed a twinkie. The entire room seemed to go quiet for a moment and you realized that everyone was watching the two of you. 

“I can’t accept this …”

“Of course you can, it’s no big deal,” His brown eyes pierced into yours as he shrugged, “I’m Peter.”

The sugary, process food was calling your name but you still weren’t sure what his deal was, “T-Thank you,” Not wanting to come off rude, you accepted it, unknowingly beginning to seal your fate, “I’m … I’m-”

“Y/N Y/LN,” He finished for you which left your eyes wide with shock, “You’re already famous. The guards like to gossip and it’s rare we get new inmates so people get curious.”

“Oh,” You shifted uncomfortably in your seat. 

“Don’t worry, some people in here care about your charges, how you got here, but not me,” He tried to reassure you, a smile tugging at his lips, “S.H.I.E.L.D. screwed us all and I don’t think there’s a point in playing who’s the better bad guy.”

You looked around. Now that you knew that people knew your charges and your history, you were starting to feel unsettled. The only thing keeping you grounded was him reassuring you that he didn’t care, “How long-” Your voice came out in a whisper, “How long have you been here?”

Peter took a breath as he thought for a moment, “Few years. Now I kinda forget that I was a normal teenager when this all started.”

Years. And he was a teenager when they brought him here? Did they have no limits to their cruelty?

“God,” You breathed out, overwhelmed, “I don’t think I can … do this-”

Peter reached out, placing a calm hand on your arm, “Hey, hey, you have to survive here. Whether you were meant to be here or not, you have to live like this is your reality. Looking like you’re about to vomit is not a good look to everyone else. I saw Loki over there … he’s an asshole touching you like that  but it’s because he’s already sniffed you out.”

You nodded, trying to stay calm, “But I don’t know how to look … to look less weak.”

“For one, you’re going to have to start eating more and building some muscle,” You could tell by his grip on your arm that he was quite strong, “And the next time someone disrespects you, you have to stand up for yourself. You also can’t just bark like a little chihuahua. Maybe you could pick someone out, someone that you could win in a fight against.”

As Peter started to scan the room, you immediately started shaking your hand, “I can’t just attack someone,” You whisper-shouted, your eyes wide with worry. 

Peter chuckled, “Not with that attitude. Maybe you could go for Heather over there,” He eyed a woman who was practically elderly, “She has a cane so even you could probably overpower though I’ve seen here use the thing as a weapon a few times-”

“Peter,” You spoke sharply, “There has to be another way.”

Peter looked into your eyes and you lost hope for a moment until he seemed to perk up, “I have some friends, we kind of run together in this place, looking out for each other,” Peter explained and you listened intently, hoping for a means of survival that didn’t require attacking an old lady, “I could probably convince them to start looking out for you too. But it won’t be easy, we take loyalty very seriously here, and it wouldn’t be without a cost to you.”

“What sort of cost?”

Peter shrugged, “Could be lots of things. They serve plums on Friday and Bucky loves those so maybe you’d show your support to the group by giving him yours. Something like that,” You followed Peter’s finger as he pointed two men out, one with dark hair and the other with light. Both were built like bodybuilders, “Steve’s a respected leader here and maybe you could help run messages for him.” 

You nodded, “T-That sounds fair,” You paused for a moment as the men eyed you, “And for the twinkie? What do you want?”

“Now you’re starting to get it,” Peter grinned, “Eat it and that means you accept our claim. You’re one of us.”

“Can’t I have time to think about it?” 

Peter seemed to hesitate for the first time, “I’m sure you won’t get a better offer,” Your face fell, “But sure. I’d be quick about it though. Those big, doe eyes aren’t going to work on everybody.”

+

The dark-haired one was following you. Loki, Peter called him, hadn’t taken his eyes off you ever since you parted ways with Peter yesterday. He and his greek god, blonde friend were now walking behind you as you made your way through the halls. They were pushing mop buckets, evidently taking a break from their cleaning duty. 

You had gotten lost trying to find the hospital wing and now you were paying the consequences. 

“Little bird … caged and unprotected,” He taunted you and your heartbeat quickened as you tried to keep from looking back,  “Not even the guards want to save her. Poor thing.”

“It seems she’s in need of protecting, brother.”

“Protecting? If I got my hands on her, the last thing I’d think of is being gentle-”

You turned into the first room you passed, expecting to find somewhere to hide but you only seemed to encounter more people. It was the TV room, a staticy old television airing a baseball game was hanging in the corner of the room, and a bunch of men were sitting at different tables. 

They all turned their heads to you as you interrupted and you immediately recognized the two men from Peter’s loyal “group”. Bucky and Steve. Your heart was out of your chest at the point and you found yourself whispering a “sorry” before turning back towards the door. Loki and his brother, however, were waiting patiently. 

Loki leaned in the doorway, eyeing you like you were fresh meat. 

“Is this jackass bothering you, hon?” Your eyes wide with fear, you quickly realized that it wasn’t Loki taunting you. The dark-haired man’s, you remembered Peter calling him Bucky, voice boomed through the room.

You froze.

“Don’t you have toilets to scrub, Laufeyson?” The light hair man with a thick beard spoke, and by the look on his face you could tell he was a man of power. Not so much power-hungry but someone that demanded respect and often received it. 

Loki scoffed, looking over you again, “As far as I know, this one is free territory.”

“Well, this room is my territory and guess where she happens to be standing,” Loki’s jaw clenched at Steve’s words. 

“C’mere, hon,” Bucky spoke to you, signaling to cross the room. She hesitated but only for a moment as you realized your choices were Peter’s friends or letting Loki, have you. You crossed the room cautiously towards them, everyone now looking at you. You paused awkwardly in front of the table but a small yelp left your lip as Bucky grabbed you by the arm, spinning you into his lap. 

“See,” Steve said as you uncomfortably tried your best not to squirm, “Don’t touch things that aren’t yours, Laufeyson.”

You felt a hand clench your thigh and cringed.

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

As soon as Loki stormed away, you stood up, brushing whatever wrinkles had formed in your jumpsuit. Amused, Bucky smiled at you, “You could at least thank us,” Bucky leaned forward and you tried not to scowl. 

“Thank you,” You whispered. 

“Good girl,” Bucky smirked. 

“Lang, get Y/N a chair,” Steve ordered another man in the room. He was quick to obey the command and, even though you were in a new place, you felt you’d been transported into an entirely new planet. 

“You don’t have to-”

“Sit,” Steve said as the chair was placed beside you, “You can leave when you give us an answer to the offer Peter mentioned yesterday.”

You had thought long and hard about Peter’s offer and decided last night that you wanted to reject it. It wasn’t until now that you realized your decision was a mistake. There was no telling when you’d be getting out of this place, Peter had been here for years, and it seemed you were already a target. 

You’d even heard a rumor that the guards placed bets on how long you’d survive in here. 

“Yes …” You nodded your head, “That’s my answer.”

Steve's lips pulled into a small grin as he eyed his friend across the table, “Good choice, doll.”

+

A week later and you were still alive and relatively untouched. Bucky was quite handsy but Peter reminded you that it was just protocol. Everyone had to know that you were a part of their group and that, if you were harmed, they’d have to deal with Steve and his minions. 

Like Peter said, there were quite a few sacrifices you had to make. Your new job in the kitchen allowed you to provide the group with all the food they wanted and when you weren’t working, you were running errands for Steve. You got an idea of all the inmate leaders and how they functioned as a society. 

Steve seemed to be at the very top and you realized the possible consequences of crossing someone like him. Still, you felt more pampered than like you were a part of some elaborate prison gang. Most of your wishes were theirs to grant. 

They let you watch whatever you wanted in the TV room. Bucky always called you pet names that you were starting to grow fond of. Steve had some pull with the guards so Rumlow was never around to bother you anymore. Peter even found you a set of paints to occupy your time in your cell. As long as you followed them around like their cute little puppy, they were quite nice to you. 

“C’mon, run a lap with me. You gotta build your strength,” Peter asked you, his face sweaty and shining under the baking sun. He was shirtless, the shirtsleeves of his uniform wrapped around his waist, and his magnificent physique was on display just like Steve and Bucky’s. During rec time in the courtyard, you’d become accustomed to standing by the fence and watching them lift weights. 

“I’m good, thanks,” You smiled awkwardly, “I get tired just from watching you guys.”

“Peter’s right,” Steve let out a breath as he dropped his hundred-pound dumbbell.

“I just …” Your voice trailed off as Steve eyed you with his strong gaze. You knew that what he said goes but you were growing nervous, “I don’t want to get sweaty.”

“You’re serious?” Bucky chimed in, a curious look on his face. 

“Is that like a girl thing I don’t know about?” Peter flashed you an amused look and your cheeks began to heat with embarrassment. 

“Y/N?” Steve could see that you were hiding something.

You crossed your arms, sighing, “I just don’t want to have to shower, okay?”

“You haven’t showered since you’ve been here?” Peter asked incredulously. 

“I have!” You quickly defended yourself, “I mean, I’ve just been using the sink in my cell.”

“I see what this is about,” Bucky had a knowing look on his face, “Dollface is scared of the communal showers.”

Peter’s mouth formed the shape of an “o” as he realized what was going on. You still felt so embarrassed. It was yet another thing that made you seem totally defenseless. 

“Is that true?” Steve asked and you were beginning to feel overwhelmed by their concerned gazes, “Why didn’t you tell us? Next time, one of us will keep watch for you. No one’s gonna bother you.”

Maybe it was the isolation or the fact that your life would never be the same again. Maybe it was the fact that you’d never see your family again or that you cried yourself to sleep every night. That might be the reason you felt that they genuinely cared for you and why you wanted to fully embrace the comfort that they were providing. 

Maybe that was why you wanted to belong to them. 

+

For the first time, you were reminded of your old life. You weren’t sure how long you’d lost yourself under the water, letting time get away from you, as the warm water cascaded along your skin. The showers had a sorry excuse for water pressure and, despite the creepiness of the beige tiles and flickering light above, when you closed your eyes you were in paradise. 

“All clean, beautiful?” Bucky’s voice brought you out of your trance. Suddenly you were back in the square room with showerheads lining each wall. You wiped the water from your eyes before turning off the water. 

“Y-Yes, I’m almost done!” You shouted back, grabbing your towel from off the hook. You pressed it to your face, drying your skin. You were quite grateful that they’d taken the extra steps to make you feel protected, “Bucky-”

As you turned around, that feeling of gratitude quickly turned to something resembling fear. He was supposed to wait for you outside the bathroom and yet, there he was, only three feet away from you. 

“What are you-”

He looked over you hungrily and you pressed your towel closer to your body, “You have no idea how long it's been since I’ve been with a beautiful woman like you … Steve too. And Peter, he’s just learning the ropes.”

You took a step back, towards the wall, and as you did you caught a glimpse behind Bucky’s towering figure. Both Steve and Peter were here, stalking closer. 

“You said you’d protect me…” Your voice cracked, your hands beginning to shake. 

“We will,” Steve spoke, determined, “No one else but us will touch you.”

“Nothing in here is without a cost, Y/N,” Peter seemed a bit solemn like his current life was not what he wanted it to be but he was just as hungry, if not more, as Bucky. 

Bucky grabbed you then, his eyes impatient, and you wrestled for your towel for only a moment before he easily snatched it away from you. A helpless squeal left your mouth as he grabbed you by the arm with one hand and placed his other hand between your legs. He grabbed your thigh tightly and as his hand moved further up, you found yourself paralyzed. 

“Good girl. You’re going to take all of us,” Bucky spoke quietly, shushing you, his grip growing tighter and tighter. Before you knew it, all three of them were surrounding you, their curious hands wandering over your wet skin. Grabbing your breast, your thighs, turning your face to bite at your neck. 

“Get on your knees,” Steve grunted against your ear, growing impatient like his friend. 

When you didn’t move, Peter was the one to push you down onto the cold floor. You hiccuped, trying not to hyperventilate as they overwhelmed you from each side. As they all started to pull down their clothes, you made one final attempt at trying to crawl away. 

Steve grabbed you by your throat, making your efforts futile, pushing your face towards his crotch. You felt it, hard and throbbing against your cheek, “Open up, don’t make this hard, doll,” Through the corner of your eye, you saw Bucky stroking his own length, waiting patiently for his turn. 

Steve grabbed you by your hair next, pressing your closed lips against his tip. He forced himself in your mouth, “There you go,” Steve grunted, pushing himself deeper, “Move that tongue around.”

Steve Rogers could make your life a living hell in the Cage. Was this really the price you had to pay in order to survive here? You couldn’t imagine it being any worse than this but Steve could make that possible. That’s why you started to swirl your tongue like he said, deciding that their orgasms would end your pain. 

Bucky was much rougher than Steve, pinching your nose closed and enjoying watching your eyes widen and water. He practically touched the back of your throat and still commanded you to stroke Peter and Steve’s cocks with your hands while you took him in your mouth. Somehow, you managed. 

Peter was much more gentle and you were grateful for that. His hands rested softly on the back of your head, guiding your mouth slowly up and down his length, “God, this is awesome,” He cursed, his head tilting back as he enjoyed the stimulation. When he finally finished, his warmth filled your mouth and before you could spit or catch your breath, Bucky grabbed you again. 

He came so far down your throat that you were forced to swallow it but, unlike him, Steve took his time, “This little mouth. Is ours. Every single hole. Is ours. No one else, do you understand?” With each sentence, he thrust hard until he filled your mouth. You leaned over, coughing as you felt the stinging of your sore throat. 

You were about to collapse onto the dirty cold floor when gentle arms lifted you up into a broad chest. You found yourself not fighting, only pressing your face into Bucky’s chest as you began to sob. 

Steve didn’t have to say anything more. You understand your new position and there wasn’t anyone else there to save you from that fate. 

That night you learned there was a change to your cell assignment. You’d sleep in Steve’s arms, a little bird that was safe and protected in it’s cage. 

+

hope you enjoyed!! i’m posting this instead of sleeping because I have class in this morning :) 

[someartistsammy]

Hi here’s a masterpost of Lillian in the og MCD.

This includes when she appears, what episodes, what she says, etc.

Apologies if any of this seems like rambling/ if it’s slightly messy. Looking at the date on the notepad document this was all originally kept in, the date is that of 7/8/19, so a little over a year ago.

First Appearance:

Episode 90 of S1, "Mask in the Trees"

Time Stamp: 12:40

Lillian is hidden in the trees near where Kiki's baby shower is taking place, she's noticed by Garroth who leaves his stance to quickly follow her. He rushes after her through the trees and out the gates of Phoenix drop, She's fast and loses Garroth quickly- but not before they both run towards the forest and into it, Garroth rounds some trees before finding Aphmau and Laurance kissing, to which he turns back around and runs away, after Garroth has left, it's shown that this is not Aphmau and Laurance, but rather an illusion or shape-shifting illusion that Lillian has created, (It's more likely to have been a shape-shifting illusion as this is shown to be what Lillian is good at- altering her appearance). She laughs after morphing back, before the screen fades to black. Aphmau is left to wonder where Garroth disappeared to.

---

Second Appearance/ not a physical appearance:

Episode 91 of S1, "Respect for Irene"

Time Stamp: 1:15

After the murder of Jeffory, Zane is standing at his window before his communication amulet starts going off, we can only hear whispers coming from it, but it's heavily implied that it's Lillian. We can hear Zane say "She's there with her? Katelyn mentioned nothing of this.. hm.." before more whispers come through the amulet. Zane quickly replies with "No, leave it be. This is much better" some more whispers before Zane picks up with "He would be perfect to fill the new role that just opened up." as the scene ends off with Zane laughing.

In this scene it's pretty implied that Lillian was well using her abilities as a spy to look around Phoenix drop- and in this case, realized that Katelyn was staying there with Aphmau, and docked there, without having told Zane. It can also be assumed that the next whispers are asking if Lillian should do anything about it, before Zane's replying to leave it be- and it being better. It can also be inferred that Lillian is next talking about Garroth and how he ran away- probably feeling betrayed- and that is confirmed as we learn in later episodes. Probably asking if she should do something about it- or maybe bring him back to O'Khasis, with this we hear Zane reply about how he would be perfect to fill the new role that had opened up- in this case becoming the ninth Jury of Nine member after he had killed Jeffory not moments before- which had dropped the Jury down to eight members.

---

Third Appearance

Episode 92 of S1, "Gate of Phoenix Drop"

Time Stamp: 22:15

Lillian is waiting on the inside of the gate, she is in her civilian appearance, she seems to be chatting with Cadenza as Aphmau approaches Brian and talks to him while trying to figure out who Lillian is. Brian lets her inside the gate after he questions her multiple times and checks her travel items. He says that she's a very sweet gal and that she's introduced herself as a fortune teller. Text time babey

Lillian: "Oh! A good day to you! I'm sorry I didn't notice you before, Ms. Cadenza here had been talking the world to me, hehe. Um, my name is Lillian. May I ask your name? Aphmau: "Good day Lillian, my name is Aphmau"

Lillian: "Aphmau, what a lovely--- Aphmau!? You mean the LORD of the village!?"

Aphmau: "How do you know that?"

Lillian: "Cadenza here has been talking so much about you! I'm honored to be in the presence of a woman such as yourself... your endeavors have reached the ears of many villages near and far. //She bows to Aphmau//

Aphmau/Jess rambling a bit: "If you're talking about the thing in Brightport, yeah that was a while ago and I guess I have helped other villages too but, Brian tells me your a fortune teller?

Lillian: "Fortune Teller...? Gah! That sounds so... merchant-y, no, no... I am not a "fortune teller" I am a recognized prophet. I've had visions come to me multiple times of which have come true. You can ask many a Lord, I have predicted famines, drought, love... you name it."

Aphmau: "Wow- I-is that a magicks?"

Lillian: "A kind yes, though it's also not in a way... it's a little difficult to explain. I still don't quite understand it myself but here I am! I'm just traveling the world right now, so... if you don't mind Lord Aphmau, may I please request sanctuary in your village? I'm just passing through and I won't be any trouble at all I swear! In fact I plan to help while I'm here, Cadenza is telling me of someone named Garroth and how he's sick, I happen to be a herb specialist as well- I can help make something to nurse him back to health. So, would you have me...?

Aphmau: "//whispering// after all that's happened here.... //audibly// yes, just try to stay out of trouble Lillian, please."

Lillian: "Yes mam'! I sure will! Thank you, thank you so much!"

//Aphmau then turns to look at Cadenza.//

Cadenza: "Aphmau! I was out picking some herbs to try to make a potion I was reading in a book that might make Garroth better when i saw Brian talking to this lovely woman with this BEAUTIFUL outfit. I just had to come say "Hi" to her and she's such a sweetheart! I've asked her to help with Garroth so hopefully we'll have Garroth back by tomorrow! Thank you so much for allowing her to stay here! I'm so worried about Garroth."

The episode ends off with Cadenza leading Lillian into the guard station, followed by Cookie.

---

Fourth & Fifth Appearance

Episode 93 of S1, "At Our Doors"

Time Stamp: 0:00

The episode starts off with Garroth walking/ sneaking out of his ??"room??" in the guard station (maybe bunk is a better word) to grab some breakfast left outside his door before Lillian comes up the ladder and asks "Garroth?"

Garroth: "Uhh.. who are you?"

Lillian: "My name is Lillian and I'm new in town and I'm a medicine specialist, I'm so sorry for intruding on you like this, but Cadenza isn't here and the herb medicine I made for you is ready. Your friends wanted me to help you get better."

Garroth: "I see.. if you're a friend of Cadenza, you are welcomed, but I really just want to be alone."

Lillian: "So what exactly is wrong with you?"

Garroth: "It's really nothing, I'm not actually sick."

Lillian: "So.. you're pretending?"

Garroth: "No I really don't feel well.. well."

Lillian: "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Garroth: "I'm sorry but.. a broken heart isn't something anyone can help me with.."

Lillian: "Sometimes.. talking about it helps."

//there's a large jump in time to the end of the episode//

Time Stamp: 22:22

We see Lillian leave the guard station before going around to the back of it and pulling out the communication amulet before altering her appearance into her masked appearance.

---

Sixth Appearance

Episode 94 of S1, "The Stranger"

Time Stamp: 16:20

Aphmau has just walked into her house, followed by Laurance, the camera then switches to Garroth and Lillian out on the patio of the guard station, the training dummy behind them. Garroth slowly lowers his head followed by Lillian who looks to him lightly before stepping closer to him. Garroth then turns around to look at her and they share a glance but then Garroth turns around and walks into the guard station.

---

Seventh Appearance

Episode 95 of S1, "Call to Arms"

Time Stamp: 16:20

Aphmau is startled awake by Aaron who is at her bedside, he's snuck into her house and woken her up to have her look outside.

Aphmau: "wh.. what are you doing here."

Aaron: "Shh, not a word... I need you to get out of bed and look out the window. Now."

Aphmau stumbles out of her bed confused but looks out to see Lillian walking down the path to Katelyn's boat, looking around to see if anyone has spotted her.

Aphmau: "Wh.. what? That looks like Lillian.."

Aaron: "She's been avoiding the guards all night and acting suspicious... we should follow her."

Aphmau: "Okay.. we can do that. Let's go."

Aphmau and Aaron are in the next scene sneaking down the hill by the docks and hiding in the trees. We're greeted to a cut scene of Katelyn and Lillian staring each other down.

Aphmau: "I don't understand.. why is she?"

//it cuts to the others//

Lillian: "So... tell me Katelyn... what exactly have you been doing here this whole time?"

Katelyn: "I've been standing my guard just like I was commanded to do."

Lillian: "Hm, you're a woman of great power..."

Katelyn: "My thanks, as to you as well Lillian."

Lillian: "Only difference is... I'm a woman of greater power."

//Lillian then grabs out her scythe and holds it up to Katelyn, part of it resting barely inches from her chest while the actual scythe bit rests almost gently against Katelyn's shoulder//

//Aphmau quietly gasps//

Lillian: "Katelyn... Zane mentioned you failed to report that Nicole was here in Phoenix Drop... tell me why is that...?"

Katelyn: "I did not see her. My job was to check up on the Lord of Phoenix Drop. Nicole would have been a good way to win Zane's favor, so if I knew she was here... why would I pass an opportunity like that up?"

Lillian: "Unflinching as ever Katelyn... you members of the Jury of Nine never fail to impress me."

Katelyn: "We don't need to impress a woman like you."

Lillian: "Fine. ...I'll make sure Zane knows you've been wasting time here. Until then Phoenix Drop is under your patrol, my job here is done."

//there's what sounds like a gunshot/ thunder/ the firing of a canon, etc.//

Katelyn: "Lillian"

//It then cuts to a first person pov of Katelyn staring down Lillian and her scythe before Katelyn moves at an insane speed through Lillian as another sound crackles in the distance//

//part of the stairs and the ground where Katelyn has moved to on the hillside has been completely destroyed//

//The next scene is Katelyn standing with her gauntlents out, back to back with Lillian. Lillian has her Scythe resting in front of her while Katelyn has a leg posed back, almost resting it on Lillian.//

//Lillian looks stunned as her arms are lightly spread and she's looking up, as where Katelyn is slightly looking down.//

//Aphmau gasps, again//

Katelyn: "Next time you threaten me. I won't miss."

Lillian: "Heh, heh, heh... duly noted."

//Lillian then runs up what's left of the stairs while Katelyn runs back to her boat//

//Aphmau is panting//

Aphmau: "I don't think.. we should be letting her.. get.. what do you think?"

Aaron: "We need to apprehend Lillian... let's move!"

Aphmau: "Agreed! Let's go!"

//it fades to black and then back as Aphmau and Aaron sprint the direction that Lillian went, they then split directions to search for her. Aphmau heads to the plaza but you can see the camera shaking as it follows Aphmau's movements as she draws her sword, camera movements similar to a figure catching their breath if it was first person pov.//

//The camera then reveals that it's Lillian watching Aphmau, Lillian is hiding in the part of the Plaza that has the most trees and is blending in with the darkness. She then takes her chance after Aphmau wanders away to book it out of there//

---

Eighth Appearance Episode 100 of S1, "The Amulet's Secret" Time Stamp: 18:48

The scene begins with Garroth handing the amulet over to Zane as Aphmau rushes into the clearing in the trees. Lillian is resting slightly behind Zane as Aphmau panics over Garroth handing it over as Zane begins to chuckle.

Zane: "You're too late, Lord Aphmau. Garroth is now a member of the Jury of Nine, he faithfully serves me."

Aphmau: "WHAT!?"

Laurance: "You obviously have him under some spell! Let him go! Now!"

//Laurance and Garroth clash swords//

Garroth: "Zane does not control my actions, he guides me down the right path, my loyalties lie with him now."

Laurance: "Garroth? You have to be kidding me... what happened to you?"

//Zane laughs//

Zane: "Can't you tell, little Laurance? Garroth has become a faithful member of the Jury of Nine, my devoted guard."

Aphmau: "N- NO! YOU'RE LYING."

Zane: "It was so easy to corrupt my poor poor big brother here, after all, the one thing he cared for in his life was suddenly ripped from him, by someone he considered to be his loyal friend. The one person he loved, and the one person he trusted, having a relationship, right behind his back. How pathetic, big brother, I can't believe you ever loved such a back-stabbing woman in the first place, now Lillian here? She's a woman of great loyalty to me, I'm glad she was there to talk to you when you needed someone Garroth, of course, I sent her to check on my beloved brother."

Garroth: "Lillian was able to talk me out of being foolish and trusting Lord Aphmau with my heart, I know better now."

Zane: "Then show them exactly what you are."

//Garroth morphs into his Jury form before taking down Laurance//

//Aphmau is close to sobbing at this point//

Aphmau: "Garroth, Why?"

Zane: "This is the form members of the Jury of Nine take when they unleash their full potential. Can't you feel the darkness radiating from his heart?"

//Katelyn then morphs into her Jury form as well//

Zane: "Look what we have here, another traitor, Garroth, relinquish her of her Jury title, now."

//Garroth then proceeds to do such,, u know,, how u do//

Zane: "You don't deserve this power. I know you, like Jeffory, are not truly loyal to me."

Laurance: "You won't get away with this you coward! Come here and fight me yourself!"

Zane: "I would love to, I truly would, however, with this amulet in my hands, I don't need to waste my time with the likes of you."

//Cut to Zane warping them all into the Irene Dimension as thunder cracks in the background with u know,, the irene dimension music yeehaw//

//cue everyone freaking out for a fair portion of time which was.. understandable//

Time Stamp: 24:52

Zane: "Finally.. it's mine.. Irene's relic.. with this added to my strength I will-"

//The relic vanishes from in front of Zane only to reappear in front of Aphmau and be absorbed into her.//

Aphmau: "Wh- What the!?"

Zane: "Wh- this- this is impossible! You can't be her! No no no no no! I've worked too hard and killed too many useless pawns for this to happen to me now! That relic will be mine even if I have to rip you appart to get it's power!"

//Zane morphs into his Jury form before laughing//

Zane: "Ripping you apart is something I've wanted to do for for so long! It's a shame you have to die, really. We could've been something special together."

Aphmau: "You know that would never happen."

//Lillian and Garroth then rush down from their spots at the top of the stairs next to Zane, with Garroth charging Laurance and Lillian charging Katelyn. both duos clash weapons//

//Zane jumps down from the top in the middle before continuing//

Zane: "What a shame!"

//He then proceeds to charge Aphmau only to clash swords with Aaron//

Zane: "You.."

Aaron: "You won't get out of here this time."

Zane: "Hahaha.. funny, I was about to say that to you as well."

//Cut to Garroth and Laurance//

Laurance: "Garroth! Why are you doing this!?"

Garroth: "Zane is the only who cares for me like a true brother!"

Laurance: "Are you even listening to yourself right now!? He tried to hurt the people you are sworn to protect!"

Garroth: "How can I protect when my heart gets ripped to shreds by the woman I loved, and the so-called brother I trusted!"

Laurance: "Garroth snap out of it! If this is about Aphmau and love, then why!?"

Garroth: "What do you mean why!? You know DAMN well why!"

Laurance: "Garroth, I understand that you love Aphmau, however, you have to be willing to accept the fact she might not return those feelings, can't you see how corrupt this has made you become?"

//Garroth tsks//

Laurance: "Look at me! You are not defined by the person you love, you are Garroth, protector of the innocent, sworn to love and care for those in need. When did the Garroth I know allow himself to be consumed by one person's love, you cannot be jealous of every man she meets forever. You'll just drive her away from you. You have to let go before you can truly be Garroth, a Garroth worthy to protect others!"

//Garroth removes his helmet as Zane strikes Aaron to the ground//

Zane: "hahahaha what a pathetic fool.. I should've killed you along with your entire village the day the amulet cursed you. Now for you.."

Aphmau: "Ugh.. when I get my hands on you Zane.."

Zane: "Don't worry, I'm losing my fiance remember? You promised your hand to me at the wall. This will hurt you more than it hurts me."

//Zane goes to strike down Aphmau before Garroth interrupts, this scene proceeds how we been knew//

//Zoey appears with the portal as Katelyn whirls around, leaving Lillian's dead body on the floor, closing this entire thing and GOD SHE DID NOT GET ENOUGH STORYLINE AND SCREENTIME WHAT THE HELL//

[rennyforpresident]

Renny’s BBSim: Second Chances Week 12: The Beginning of the End

Welcome back to Biiiiiiiiiig Brother!

@brentrobinson @flopbb-22 @flungevictee @kaysarswhore @maxdoesbb @music-obsessednerd @pawn2393 @paymeincashnottears @rennyforpresident @wheremy--demons--hide

Jury: @theminionjcfucked @fucklauryn @phylisisley @iantxrry @swampassthing @cirie-sandra-michaela

Previously, the house was shook to it’s core when @kaysarswhore flipped on her alliance and nominated @cirie-sandra-michaela as the replacement nominee, sealing his fate and sending him to the jury house. 

Now? This might be a little more accurate than it was last week. With @kaysarswhore‘s betrayal, she might have put herself in danger. But as outgoing HOH, she can’t compete this week. Who will snatch the key from her?

And for the final 5 HOH competition, what better comp than a crapshoot! The first to shoot is @flopbb-22. You scored an 8! You’re currently in the lead.

Next up is @pawn2393. You have scored a 15! You’re in the lead, and have knocked @pawn2393 out of the running.

Next is @maxdoesbb. You have scored a 3. Sorry, but that means you will not be the HOH this week. 

Last up, is @paymeincashnottears. Will this be her time to shine?

Her ball rolls past the 3, meaning

The ball then rolls past the 8, which means

Where will her ball stop... her ball goes into ...

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the 13! Which means

@pawn2393! You have secured a spot in the final 4 and earned the right to nominate two of your fellow houseguests for eviction.

Will @kaysarswhore‘s betrayal come back to bite her in the ass? Or will @pawn2393 try to repair the relationship, so he at least has one ally left?

The nominees are...

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@pawn2393: “I have decided to nominate you @flopbb-22 and you @paymeincashnottears. @flopbb-22, you openly admitted that I’m on your radar last week, and that’s not shit that I’m willing to let slide. @paymeincashnottears, at this point, it wouldn’t BB Second Chances if you weren’t nominated. Good luck in the veto, I guess.”

@flopbb-22: “Of all the people on my side of the house, @pawn2393 is the one I trusted the least. I should have known he would nominate me, but I honestly don’t care at this point. If there was ever a time for me to win a comp, it’s now.”

@paymeincashnottears: “I have no more emotions left for going on the block. Every goddamn week I’m up here, and every goddamn week I stay, so why should this one be any different? I’ll find a way to stay, know that.”

This week, only five houseguests will participate in the veto. Less competition doesn’t always mean an easier win, though

(yes I intentionally used the image without Fr*nkie lmao)

Who will host this competition? From around the wall in the backyard, in walks...

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BB Legend Kathy!

Kathy: “Hey y’all! Let’s get this veto started!

Question 1: There are ten beer cans stacked here. How many beer cans are on the larger display?”

The only two players to stay are @maxdoesbb and @paymeincashnottears. 

Kathy: “The correct answer is 112 cans! Which means @paymeincashnottearswins one point, and @maxdoesbb, you are eliminated.

“Next! There are 5 beach balls here. How many beach balls are in the large container?”

This time, three people stay in: @paymeincashnottears, @flopbb-22, and @kaysarswhore. 

“The correct answer is 89 balls! Which means @kaysarswhore, you have earned one point! Unfortunately, @flopbb-22, with the furthest answer, you have been eliminated.”

And then there were three.

Kathy: “Next! There are three ounces of honey (asdkfjaslkdf) here. How many ounces of honey are there in the big container?”

This time, all three competitors stay in.

Kathy: “The correct answer is 520 ounces! Which means @paymeincashnottears, you have earned another point! Unfortunately, @pawn2393, you have been eliminated.”

It all comes down to this. Will @paymeincashnottears save herself from the block by winning her first competition? Or will @kaysarswhore swoop in a crush her dreams before they can begin?

Kathy: “Last round! There are five ice cream cones here. How many ice cream cones are in the big display?”

@paymeincashnottears answers 105. @kaysarswhore answers 120. Both stay.

Kathy: “The correct answer is...

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110 ice cream cones! Which means”

@paymeincashnottears, you have won your FIRST POV!

Obviously, @paymeincashnottears will use it to save herself. Who will @pawn2393 nominate in her place? Will @maxdoesbb‘s rat game finally catch up to him? Or will @kaysarswhore‘s betrayal from last week come back to bite her in the ass?

At the veto ceremony

To no one’s surprise, @paymeincashnottears secures a spot in the final 4. @flopbb-22, now really nervous, is scared for who he has to face in this eviction.

@paymeincashnottears: “ @pawn2393, because I have vetoed one of your nominations, you must now name a replacement nominee.”

@pawn2393: “This is not ideal, in any way. I love both of you dearly, and I don’t want either of you to go. But at the end of the day, I have to nominate...

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“ @maxdoesbb. You haven’t hit the block yet, and I hope this is just a filler position. No hard feelings, and I hope you’ll be staying around after this Thursday.”

@maxdoesbb in the DR: “I was REALLY hoping to make it to the end without ever being nominated, but this is fine. I feel like I have worked hard enough in my social game to secure my spot, and @flopbb-22 is a dead man walking.”

@flopbb-22 knows this, and knows it well. So he decides to play dirty.

Trying to take away a vote from @maxdoesbb to stay, and at the very least send it to a tie, @flopbb-22 sets his sights on @paymeincashnottears.

@flopbb-22: “Girl! That veto win was legendary! You know, I’m the last person in this house who hasn’t won anything. Literally no one on that jury is gonna vote for a comp flop like me.”

@paymeincashnottears: “But you have your social game! You’re definitely friends with those people. You can’t deny that.”

@flopbb-22: “But have you SEEN @maxdoesbb‘s social game? Unclockable. Unbeatable, if we’re being honest.”

@paymeincashnottears in the DR: “You know, @flopbb-22 might have a point. I’m not friends with some of those jury members. If I wanna win, I can’t be sitting next to someone like @maxdoesbb, who hugged literally everyone on the way out the door. Many thoughts......”

With such a limited number of people in the house, that’s all that went down before the live show on Thursday. Now, it’s time to evict!

Julie: “Hello again houseguests! There’s only a few more times that you’ll get to see me again before we crown our winner!

@paymeincashnottears, your first comp win! How does it feel?”

@paymeincashnottears: “It feels amazing! I knew I needed it to be safe this week, and I’m SO happy I made it to final 4!”

Julie: “That’s wonderful! @maxdoesbb, speaking of firsts, how is your first time on the block treating you?”

@maxdoesbb​: “I gotta say, I’m not enjoying it! It’s a little stressful, but I’d definitely rather be on one of the other couches tonight *house laughter*”

Julie: “Well, we’ll find out if you have what it takes to make it one of those couches! Let’s get to the speeches”

@flopbb-22​: “My argument is that I live up to my name; I flopped this season. I haven’t won a single thing, I haven’t made friends on the jury, and if you keep me, you can beat me. I want to stay and play this game and hopefully win something before the end, but if not, I do hold grudges and will bring them with me to the jury house. That’s all!”

@maxdoesbb​: “It has been an INSANE and AMAZING summer with all of you! Getting to know you, getting to be friends with all of you, has been the summer of a lifetime for me. I hope you all keep me here just a little bit longer, and I hope I can finish out this season with you all in stride! Love you all!”

Julie: “Now, it’s time to vote.”

@kaysarswhore​ is going to be loyal to her secret f2 deal with @maxdoesbb​, because she’s confident he would do the same. @flopbb-22​ probably wouldn’t take her to the end at f3 anyway.

The last vote belongs to @paymeincashnottears​. Was @flopbb-22​ convincing enough this week?

.

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Unfortunately, he was not. @paymeincashnottears​ is going to be loyal to the person who saved her from the block and who has had her back the entire game. She refuses to flip.

Julie: “When I reveal the name of the evicted houseguest, they will have one minute to gather their belongings, say their goodbyes, and exit the Big Brother house.”

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Julie: “ @flopbb-22​, come on out!”

Julie: “Final 5 is not bad! @flopbb-22​, how did you manage to make it so far without ever winning anything?”

@flopbb-22​: “I had really strong bonds with the dominant side of the house! Towards the end there, we just couldn’t win vetoes, and unfortunately, my bonds weren’t strong enough, and I was the bottom of the totem pole.”

Julie: “Are there any hard feelings towards your alliance? Did you mean what you said about holding a grudge?”

@flopbb-22​: “I’m gonna let them believe that I meant it, but I probably don’t. Probably. *audience laughter*. I won’t let that cloud my judgement when I vote for the winner of this game, is all I’ll say.”

Julie: “I can’t wait to find out who you vote for, and we will find out on finale night, when we’ll see you back here. Thank you so much for playing again.

We’re down to the wire! Final 4! Which of our houseguests will make it to final 3? Find out next time. For now, from outside the Big Brother house, I’m Julie Chen. Goodnight.”

I am so STRESSED to find out who’s gonna win because it could truly be ANY of you!!!! All of you are ICONS for the games your playing.

[chumchunom]

NWT BBSIM WEEK 6

@bb-8teen @bigbrotheristerribleandihateit @bitterjurorssavetheday @carry-on-wayward-starkid @cirie @jessica-milagros @juliechensponytail @julieeexcheeen @kaysarswhore @kelleekim @legendareme @marcdjr00 @peterbrownismydaddy @rennyforpresident​ @whats-bb22

It’s been a month since of the battle for the $500K begun, there have been insane evictions, crazy blindsides and an unexpected backdoor sending 5 people out of the game.

This week, with the power back up for grabs, who will become the new Head of Household and who will be the first Jury member of the season? Find out next on NWT Big Brother!

. . .

It’s the day after the Eviction and everyone is preparing for the Head of Household competition.

As the houseguests enter the backyard they see a big bathtub and some buckets.

“Oh no... I don’t like where this is going....” @/whats-bb22 says as they get closer to the bathtub.

“Houseguests! I hope everyone is ready for a nice and refreshing time in the tub!” @/kelleekim says as he will host the competition.

“.....” everyone is just silent.

“Ok lemme explain the rules!” @/kelleekim says and once he’s done everyone gets even more scared.

“Thank god I’m sitting this one out.” @/kelleekim laughs.

“Alright everyone please get into the bathtub so we can start the competition.” @/kelleekim orders.

Reluctantly, everyone gets into the bathtub and competition begins.

(um so this comp is actually super boring to write, on the show they literally turned this into a whole recap episode because the hgs were just sitting around talking SAHJSAH, so im gonna skip this one chief) 

. . .

. . .

“Uhhhh I’m gonna need a new skin because that water is foul...” @/julieeexcheeen shivers, stepping out of the bathtub.

“But at least ya girl is staying in the HOH room tonight!!” @/julieeexcheeen DR.

It’s Nominations day, everyone is in the kitchen.

“As the Head of Household, I have the power to nominate 2 houseguests for elimination, the the ones that I’ve decided to nominate are...” @/julieeexcheeen twists the keys revealing...

“I’ve made my decisions based strictly on game, I consider you two to be great players and I don’t want to miss my chance at getting one of you out.” @/julieeexcheeen explains.

The 2 nominees are unphased by this.

“Hmmm someone decided to starting playing I see...” @/legendareme blankly stares at the camera in his DR.

“I am not too worried about this because this is part of the plan hehe.” @/whats-bb22 smiles in his DR.

“Yeah.... I didn’t nominate @/whats-bb22 because I want him out, I did it because I know between him and @/legendareme, if everyone has to pick someone to save it’s definitely gonna be @/whats-bb22 sooo I struck a deal with him and he promised to be a pawn for me.” @/julieeexcheen reveals her true plan in her DR.

“The Nominations ceremony is over.”

It’s time to select Veto players, the houseguests are waiting in the living room.

@/peterbrownismydaddy, me and @/kaysarswhore will join the HOH and the nominees in the Veto competition tomorrow.

It is tomorrow and everyone is out in the backyard for the competition.

“Omg ewww.” @/juliechensponytail cringes when she sees the hanging gnomes, “I really don’t like gnomes, they creep me out...” she says.

“Hello houseguests! Who’s ready for the competition??” @/jessica-milagros, the host, asks.

“We’re ready!” Yeah!!” “Let’s gnome!! Haha get it? Gnome?...” everyone responds.

“Alright, here’s how it goes...” @/jessica-milagros starts explaining the rules and once everyone gets it the competition begins.

(despite the simple concept, this competition is actually very complicated for me to write so ummm hehe! you can look up the competition to watch for yourself, its season 3 ep 21 i think and i recommend using SOAP2DAY it has literally everything on it, but basically all the questions are personal questions about the hgs so its just tew much for my brain to recreate so im sorry hhh)

(its really funny how the different the hoh and the veto competition are sjhsahjsajsa. me watching the comps for writing materials: well.... thats unfortunate) 

. . .

“Yayyy!!” @/kaysarswhore claps as the final gnome falls.

“ Congrats @/kaysarswhore you have won the Power of Veto!” @/jessica-milagros announces and puts the Veto necklace on @/kaysarswhore.

“I’m back bitches!” @/kaysarswhore confidently smiles in her DR.

It’s time for the Veto meeting.

@/legendareme and @/whats-bb22 will have a chance to convince the Veto holder to save them.

“@/kaysarswhore congrats on winning! I hope that you can use the Veto on me but it’s a-okay if you don’t, just do what’s best for you!” @/legendareme says.

“Hiii, of course I want to be saved and I do hope that you will use the Veto for me but honestly I’m fine with whatever you decide!” @/whats-bb22 says even though he doesn’t want the nominations to change. 

“Ok I’ve made decision and I am going to... use the Veto on @/whats-bb22!” @/kaysarswhore announces.

Both @/julieeexcheeen and @/whats-bb22 are shocked by this and for a quick second glance at each other in confusion.

“Uhhh.. thank you!...” @/whats-bb22 says , standing up to hug @/kaysarswhore.

“And since I’ve Vetoed one of your nominees, @/julieeexcheeen please name a replacement nomination.” @/kaysarswhore continues.

Still stunned by what just just happened, @/julieeexcheeen doesn’t know what to do...

@/julieeexcheeen stands up and looks around the room of people and when her eyes land on @/jessica-milagros she says “@/jessica-milagros this is nothing personal so please take a seat...”

Now it is @/jessica-milagros turn to be shocked and confused but he manages to nod and join @/legendareme in the Nominations chair.

“I..... that was not supposed to happen... but @/legendareme is still my target so the plan is not over yet.” @/julieeexcheeen shakes her head in the DR.

It’s final, @/legendareme and @/jessica-milagros are up for eviction.

The houseguests are going through it this week god bless!

“This week @/julieeexcheeen rose to power, she decided to make a move and targeted @/legendareme! But at the Veto ceremony @/julieeexcheeen lost her pawn so she had to nominate another one on the spot, even though her target is still on the block, the game pressure got to her. Can she successfully send @/legendareme home or will it be @/jessica-milagros that catch the bullet instead? I’m Julie Chen [REDACTED] and welcome back to NWT Big Brother!” Julie says.

“Let’s get with the houseguests!”

“Hello houseguests!” Julie greets.

“Hello Julie!” “Hey girl heyyy.” “What’s uppp.” everyone responds.

“In a few moments, everyone will vote to evict either @/legendareme or @/jessica-milagros but before that they will have a chance to sway the votes to their favor. @/legendareme you go first!”

@/legendareme stands up and begins.

“Hello, I hope that you guys can keep me for a little bit longer because I love this game and I love playing it with everyone so please!”

“@/jessica-milagros it’s your turn.”

“Hi, I respect everyone and no matter what you guys choose I’ll be fine with it...” @/jessica-milagros says.

“Alright then, it is time to vote! And as a reminder, @/julieeexcheeen as the HOH you can not vote but in the event of a tie you will be the deciding vote. Ok @/carry-on-wayward-starkid you first.”

“That’s 4 votes for @/jessica-milagros and if one more person vote to evict him, he will be leaving the house.”

“And it’s official, with 5 votes to evict it is enough for @/jessica-milagros to leave. But let’s see how the rest will vote.”

“Ok, let’s break the news for the houseguests!”

“Everyone! I have the votes! By a 6 to 2 votes........”

“@/legendareme you are... safe.”

Julie shocked everyone with this.

Hearing the news, @/jessica-milagros stands up and gives everyone a hug and exits the house.

Julie then says goodbye to the houseguests as she’s about to interview our first Jury member @/jessica-milagros.

“Hello @/jessica-milagros how are you?!” Julie asks.

“Omg Julie... I actually feel pretty ok!” @/jessica-milagros answers truthfully.

“I guess that you did expect this outcome?” Julie asks again.

“Yeah... I did in some... sense? I don’t know Julie but something told me that my time in the house is up so.” @/jessica-milagros says.

“Well I’m glad that you are taking this well!” Julie says “And even though you’re out of the house, you are still in the game as you will be one of the deciding votes in the Finale so I hope you will enjoy your time in the Jury house!” she continues.

“Thanks Julie.” @/jessica-milagros smiles.

Julie then turns to the camera and says goodbye to the viewers ending the episode.

That’s it for WEEK 6, I’ll be back tomorrow for WEEK 7.

[survivingthejungle]

soft; jerome x reader

ive never written anything this fluffy in my god damn life... hopefully its not a complete flop? idk

You hadn’t committed a crime.

Regardless of whatever conclusion the jury had come to, you would always maintain that you hadn’t committed a crime. Because, what crime is there in justice?

One of the men who had tried to assault you had just been a little too lazy with his knife, and in a moment of instinctual self-defence, you had pushed it back in on himself.

Unfortunately for you, the other man—the one who hadn’t been stabbed—had managed to pay off the jury to convict you of first degree murder, and the only way you would avoid going to straight-up prison would be taking the insanity plea.

You fought it—oh, how you fought it, tooth-and-nail— but in the end, you and your family didn’t have the resources, and the corrupt rich of Gotham once again won the day. The playout of your hearing had caused outrage throughout the city, and no one believed that you deserved to go to an asylum, but the public backlash surrounding your conviction still was not enough to get the decision overturned.

Some of the staff at Arkham were sympathetic to your case and did all they could to treat you like the normal girl you were, not like one of the truly mentally-ill patients who were there for good reason. Of course, not every staff member was this accommodating— Dr. Strange had been wanting to use you as an guinea pig for a while now. The only thing keeping him from doing so was your family’s constant visits and the fact that he couldn’t be sure that the nurses and guards who knew you and your story wouldn’t rebel against him.

About a month into your incarceration— one down, two to go— there was a change in atmosphere. An unusual burst of activity came about one morning; while you were in your cell, brushing your teeth and washing your face, a handful of guards all stormed past, seemingly guiding someone along with them. You peeked out of the small window on your door, but couldn’t see much aside from the guards and a quick flash of a tuft of bright red hair.

-

To ensure that your safety was never compromised and that all of the staff knew you were no real threat, it had been decided within the Asylum that you were not to wear the same black-and-white striped garments as all of the other inmates. Instead, you had been given a handful of simple, white cotton slips, and you had been allowed to bring some of your own sweaters, shoes, and socks from home. You had been allowed your own pajamas from home, so you decided to bring two pairs of basketball shots, two t-shirts, and a big sweatshirt to sleep in. In addition, yo also brought a handful of your favorite scrunchies and hair clips, and a notebook and pen to keep track of your thoughts and write letters while you were away. To say you stood out like a sore thumb would be an understatement; you didn’t look exactly like an inmate, you certainly didn’t look like staff, and you didn’t look like a normal teenage girl either. You just looked different, and you were okay with that. You were content just keeping to yourself, minding your own business, writing and reading when you had the opportunity, and getting the hell out of this asylum.

Until recently. A new inmate had recently been admitted; around your age, tall, vivid red hair, an unnerving laugh, and arrested on a count of matricide. When they brought him in, he was strapped up in a straight jacket and being wheeled around. He caught sight of you in the rec room and winked, and you, being caught in a trance-like daze, had simply lifted your hand and waved with a straight face. It didn’t help that he was an objectively attractive guy; if you had seen him anywhere outside of an asylum, you probably would’ve heart-eyed him with your friends. But you were in an asylum, the both of you, so you decided to maintain your earlier resolve of keeping to yourself and not interacting with anyone else.

-

The next day, you saw him come into the rec room. You were sitting in an old, worn-out bean bag reading one of the old hand-me-down books from a shelf in the corner. It was Madame Bovary, a title you’d heard repeated many times but never really looked into until now. You were halfway through and so engrossed with the tragic story that you didn’t notice a presence seat itself beside you until you heard a voice speaking.

“Hi gorgeous, I’m Jerome.” It was the redhead from yesterday, grinning at you.

“Hi. That’s not my name,” you responded, pulling your eyes away from him and back to your book.

“Well then, by all means, spill! What can I call you?” His voice was deep but had a childlike lilt, like everything he said was purposefully over-theatrical. He placed his chin on his fist, staring intently at you.

“My name is (Y/N). I don’t really wanna talk to anyone right now, so can you just leave me alone?”

“Jeez, just trying to be polite… Y’know, a girl could really use some friends in a place like this.”

“No, not really. I’m fine how I am. Thanks, though.”

He paused and looked at you quizzically as though he had just noticed something that he hadn’t before. “Hey, how come you don’t wear stripes like the rest of us, huh?”

“Because I’m not like the rest of you. I’m not supposed to be in here.”

“Ugh, believe me, babe, I tried that line too. Didn’t work. C’mon, what’d you do to get in here? Now I’m curious,” he prodded.

You were silent for a moment. Some people had no problem admitting that they had done something like that; in fact, some reveled in it. But you were not the kind of girl who could just openly declare that I killed a man. “...It was self defense.”

“Oh yeah,” he lightly scoffed, “Then how’d you end up here, and not scot-free out there?”

“This is Gotham,” you shot back, “There’s no justice in this city. If a rich man wants a girl locked up, she gets locked up. End of story.”

“Ain’t that the truth, sister.” He let out a sigh and leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. “Tell me something, though,” he started, staring at you. “Are you being serious?”

“You tell me… I’m already in an asylum. If I was really guilty, I would’ve admitted it by now, right?”

“Huh.” He shook his head, looking away from you. “Huh. You got me there. Well… that sucks for you, doesn’t it?”

“You’re telling me; I’m the one wrongly incarcerated.”

“Hey! That’s perfect! So you really do need a friend in this place, otherwise all the rest of these crazies are gonna eat you up…” he got closer to you before continuing. “Y’know, it’s really not safe for you here if you’re the only sane person. I think we should be friends.”

“If it gets you off my case, then sure, I guess.” A grin lit up his face and he leaned back out of your personal space; he did not, however, show any signs of leaving you alone anytime soon. “Will you leave me alone now, please?” you asked.

“What kind of a friend would I be, leaving you alone out here to fend for yourself? Nah, see, these other guys in here, they’ll do bad things to a pretty girl if she’s all alone. I’m just looking out for you.”

You considered his words for a moment. Although no one had truly tried to harm you yet, you hadn’t been here long. And some of the creepier inmates had been staring you down recently, now that you thought about it… “I’m not gonna, like… talk to you, a lot. I just read a lot. And write. And draw, sometimes. But I’m not a big conversationalist. So if that’s what you wanted from me, you got the wrong girl.”

“Hey, that’s fine by me,” he responded. “You just sit there and look pretty till you get to go home. I’ll be your silent protector.”

Not very silent, you thought. “Why… why do you even wanna be my friend, then? If you’re not looking for someone to talk to… You just wanna ‘help me out’? You’re a wannabe serial killer, you don’t really seem like the kind of guy who tries to help a girl out of the goodness of his heart.”

“What can I say?” he asked you. “I can be unpredictable. And you seemed kinda… Sad. Lonely. I dunno. But a pretty, innocent girl locked up in here shouldn’t have to fend for herself. I may be bad, alright, but I’m not completely souless!” He snickered to himself. “Heh, get it? ‘Cause I’m a ginger.” You let out a soft, breathy laugh at that; one you couldn’t contain. “Hey,” he reached out and nudged your cheek, “There’s that smile. Go on, I’m sorry, read your book. I’ll just chill here… Hangin’ out.”

-

The asylum was particularly chilly today, so you slipped an oversized, washed-out pastel sweater over your dress, as well as a pair of mismatched thick socks. You slid into a pair of plain brown ankle boots with loose laces and clipped two red barrettes into your hair, a yellow scrunchie on your wrist. According to the little red antique clock in your cell, it was nearly eight A.M.— breakfast, which Jerome would always walk down to with you. He always delayed the guards as much as possible before passing your cell, so that you could be escorted down with him.

It had been about two weeks since your first encounter, and while you were initially wary of the prospect of being chummy with a convicted murderer, there was something about him that drew you in. Maybe it was how charming he could be, or how protective he acted of you or how he definitely wasn’t the most unattractive person you’d ever seen, but you weren’t as opposed as you used to be towards being his friend. You heard the sound of struggling increase as it got closer and closer to your door, and you knew it was Jerome come to “pick you up” for the day. You waited at your door, looking out the barred slot as the guards got closer and closer.

“Excuse me? Could I be taken down to breakfast as well?” you asked them, and one with a key ring unlocked your door and let you step outside into the hall.

“Mornin’, (Y/N).” It was Anthony, a guard that you felt you had a good standing with. He was always respectful to you because he had been keeping up with your trial while it was in the news, and he firmly believed that you had done nothing to end up in this place.

“Good morning. How are you?”

“I’m just well, thanks! Did you sleep alright?”

“Yeah, I did! Do you know what variation of gruel they’re feeding us today?” Jerome snorted at this. “Hey, Jerome. What’s up?”

“Oh, y’know, not much.”

“Sounds fun.”

-

Breakfast was, in fact, another variation of gruel. You had been given a choice between cinnamon and apple oatmeal, lazily slopped onto a tray before being shoved into your arms with a spoon.

You took a seat at an unoccupied table and began to eat and read— you were rereading Gatsby, now—until Jerome joined you.

“Hey, J,” you greeted him, not looking up from your book.

“Hey there, girlie,” he greets, nudging you when he sits down beside you.  “What’s the plan today?”

“They have me in group today. Something about having to ‘act like we’re making progress’,” you slightly mocked.

Jerome gasped. “Well, hey! Whadaya know? I’m in group today, too!” The possibility that you were not in the same group was slim to none; your proximity in age and the fact that both of your cells were on the same floor meant that in any group setting, you were bound to end up together.

“Have they put you in it before?” you wondered.

“Oh, yeah, once or twice,” he told you, taking another spoonful of oatmeal before continuing. “Don’t be nervous about it. All they do is sit you in a circle and give you pens and paper and have you talk about your feelings and why you killed people.” That was still a touchy subject. You’d never verbally say that you ‘killed’ a person; there was a difference between murder and self-defense, and there was absolutely no way in hell you’d ever be convinced they were the same. Jerome noticed a shift in your attitude. “Well, I mean, you never killed anyone. So I guess you won’t have to participate too much.”

“Yeah, I guess,” you agreed. A burly looking man the approached Jerome, eyeing you all the while.

“Jerome.” He looked up and rolled his eyes at the man.

“Can I help you with something, Greenwood?”

“Yeah. Just wondering when you’re gonna share your little lady friend with the rest of us.” He sat down opposite both of you. “She looks tasty.”

In shock, you couldn’t properly formulate a response to the man’s lewd comments, so while you sat there, eyes fixated on your oatmeal, Jerome took the liberty of speaking up on your behalf. “She’s off limits, pal. Don’t touch her,” he told him, grinning all the while. “Or I’ll flay you and feed you to the rats.”

“Oh, little J’s got himself a girlfriend now, huh? What, you gonna chop her up just like you chopped up your mommy?” Greenwood inched closer and closer to Jerome while taunting him, and your friend was getting visibly aggravated.

His fist clenched and he slammed it on the table. You put your hand over his forearm to draw his attention over to you instead. “Jerome. Stop,” you requested.

“What?” he asked you. “Why me? What about him?”

“Because I know you can be rational,” you told him, maintaining eye contact. “It’s not worth it. Don’t give him the reaction he wants.”

He let out a short breath and turned his attention back to Greenwood. “You know what? She’s right. You’re not worth my foot. Go back to playing with your little dolls, Greenwood,” he taunted, gesturing with his free hand. Greenwood snarled, but got up and walked away anyways. Jerome looked back to you. “Y’know, you’re starting to rub off on me. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be a goody two-shoes just like you!” he joked, snickering. You just rolled your eyes, the ghost of a soft smile on your face.

“Hey,” you warned, “Don’t start getting soft. That’s my thing,” you shot back.

“Yeah, I know,” he smirked at you, catching your hand—the one that was on his forearm—in his. “Jeez, (Y/N), why are you so cold?” he asked you. His hands were exponentially warmer than yours, and you appreciated the heat warming up your own.

“It’s the middle of January and I have terrible circulation. Plus, no one in this place cares enough to turn the heat up.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” he laughed. Then he was putting his head on top of yours, so you leaned your head onto his shoulder.

“What time is it?” You yawned. He told you that it was roughly eight-thirty. “Gross.” Jerome chuckled and gave a murmur of assent. He took his hand out of yours and put his arm around your shoulders instead.

“I’ll wake you up when they make us leave,” he assured you as you closed your eyes, thanking him. Then you were off to sleep again, catching up on all of the hours you had missed since you had been incarcerated. He grabbed your book off of the table and began reading it for himself. He kept one hand lightly trailing through your hand while the other was used to flip the pages until, at 9:20, the nurses came to inform the both of you that it was time for therapy.

-

If someone would’ve asked you what had been discussed in that session, you wouldn’t’ve had a clue. You sat next to your only friend in the place, of course, latching onto the only person you’d truly felt comfortable with since you’d been brought in. The two of you had passed notes back and forth the whole time, decorated with goofy little doodles and cartoons to entertain one another. When Jerome had cracked a joke to you following one of the other inmates’ comments, you could barely suppress your giggle, and you both had ended up making a bit of a scene.

“Jerome. (Y/N). Cut it out,” the therapist had reprimanded you. Jerome just gave her a nod, but you had verbally apologized and promised that it wouldn’t happen again.

A few seconds later, another note was passed onto your lap. SORRY FOR BEING A BAD INFLUENCE, it had read. You flipped it over to respond on the other side.

we balance each other out

like a negative and a positive

-

Two months later, and you were finally free to return to the rest of the world. You were overjoyed; you couldn’t wait to get back to your friends and family. You couldn’t wait to get back to school, something you never thought you’d say to yourself. You were also surprised at how well Jerome had responded when you’d told him that you were finally going home.

“You’ll write to me, right?” he asked you.

“Of course,” you verified.

“And visit?”

“I’ll try my damndest,” you promised.

He had seemed like he was making so much progress when you were around. At least, that’s what the nurses and therapists had all noted. For his own sake, they all secretly wished that you would keep coming back to help him out.

-

After another month, the whole city was erupted into chaos.

There had been some sort of gas leak at Arkham, followed by a breakout; your friend among the escapees. The next time you saw him had been on the T.V. in the midst of attempting to blow up a school bus full of cheerleaders from Gotham High.

You felt your heart break in your chest as you sat on your bed that morning watching the news. You’d really, truly let yourself believe that he wasn’t as bad of a person as the media had portrayed him, especially during his trial. You knew him firsthand! He was such a good friend to you, and was always watching your back. It was hard for you to believe that the boy who passed you notes in therapy and made you laugh all day was the same boy who had just kidnapped and murdered seven dock workers and attempted to blow up a bus full of cheerleaders the same age as him.

But, sadly, this was the reality that you lived in. I guess he really fooled me, huh, you thought to yourself.

Around noon that same day, while watching some documentary on Netflix and sending texts back and forth with one of your best friends, you heard a loud knocking outside of your window. “Holy shit!” you exclaimed, heart nearly leaping out of your chest. When your adrenaline rush finally slowed, you looked to see what had caused the noise, and—

“Holy shit!” Lo and behold; it was none other than Jerome Valeska. He grinned at you, waving emphatically.

“Open up, wouldya?” He spoke through the window. “Let’s catch up!”

You walked over to your windowsill but didn’t open the window, instead choosing to lock it. “Why should I let you into my house, Jerome? I’d be harboring a fugitive. That’s a crime. Just like kidnapping, murder, and arson,” you glared at him. “Why would you do that, J?” you asked, hurt evident in your eyes, even through the glass separating you.

“Let me in, (Y/N), I really wanna talk. You know I’d never hurt you.” You immediately believed him, having to consciously remind yourself that you might’ve been being led into a trap. That was, until he held up a fist and extended his pinky. “I pinky swear.” Damn, the boy knows I love me a good pinky swear. You gave up your resolve and cracked the window just enough to reach your own hand through, locking your fingers together before opening it the rest of the way.

“Okay. Talk,” you told him as he climbed through and stepped into your room. You took a seat on the edge of your bed, and he followed suit.

“This guy, Theo… he’s the one who broke us all out,” Jerome began to explain. “Kinda boring dude. But also kinda cool. He’s like the weird, rich uncle I never had,” he joked, making you crack a small smile. He smiled himself at that, nudging you playfully. “Anyways, he gives this whole speech about how we all have ‘vision’ and ‘talent’ and yada yada yada… So I know he gets me.

“Says he wants us to just go crazy, right? ‘Paint the town red’, other junk like that,” he continued. “The last guy who tried to leave, Sionis… He had him stabbed to death. Right in front of us all.” Your eyes shot up to his, shocked. “I can’t very well follow in his footsteps,” he told you.

“Oh, Jerome… That’s awful. I’m sorry.” You wrapped an arm around his side, implying that you’d mostly forgiven him for what he’d been doing recently. It’s not his fault, you reasoned, he’s scared for his life. “What if I call the cops so they can keep you safe from him? You don’t have to keep hurting people,” you offered.

“No, (Y/N), please don’t,” he begged. “They’ll just send me straight back to Arkham, I don’t wanna go back there, I hate that place—”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I understand. I won’t call anyone. Be safe, though? I mean… try as much as you can to not hurt anyone if you can help it.”

“I will. You were right, y’know. About balancing each other out. I think we make a good pair,” he told you, a smile that looked genuine on his face.

“Best friends,” you offered back. Then you gave him a solid hug, burying your face in his chest.

And you’d never have seen it, but that genuine smile suddenly became cunning and devious once more.  Gotcha...

[youllallriseintheink]

Infinity: chapter 3- A way out.

Time to start the “where did this character end up?” game.

---

To Allison Pendle, immortality has been a blessing, but also a curse. In the past century since her transformation, she’d seen the downfall of Joey Drew Studios, joined a gang in which she worked under Lacie Benton and Shawn Flynn, gone through rehab, seen a multitude a countries, been a singer, an actress, a missionary, a mother, and a drug dealer, rubbed shoulders with Wally as a performing circus freak, gone to rehab, been rich, been homeless, tried almost every hobby imaginable, read more books, met more people, done more drugs, and had generally lived life to the fullest. The past little bit, though, she was bored with it. She’d begun to envy older people, who were able to slow down with age, and eventually die. And so, she eventually returned to Brightdale.

Brightdale as Allison remembered it, was a small and mostly unnotable little town, but it was a very significant place to Allison. It was where, in her time randomly traveling the country in her early twenties, she’d first discovered that witchcraft was real.

In present, the place had been deserted entirely. As Allison walked the empty streets lined with overgrowth, a delightfully haunted feeling came over her. She’d have to explore these dusty houses when she was finished with her mission. It was on the edge of town that she found the house of the witch she had stayed with and stolen from. Its windows and doors were thoroughly grown over with vines roots at this point. Thankfully, Allison had half-way expected the place would be patroled by some sort of guardian creature and had thus come prepared with a shotgun and a machete. There was nothing special about the foliage and it gave way fairly easily, allowing Allison in.

Within it, Allison found the place nearly untouched- nicely lit, no dust, nothing. Was the witch still here? Allison raised her gun and listened as creaking wooden steps gave away the old woman's presence. "I have a reversal shield on me. Don't try anything," Allison asserted. It was a lie, but not one to be taken lightly- casting a spell, especially an offensive one, on a reversal shield could very easily prove deadly.

"Allison?" the witch growled. "Very well, you fucking thief. What do want from me?"

"Ingredient number 30."

The old woman went to her spice cabinet, took out the ingredient, and threw it at Allison. "Anything else?"

"Well, there is something I'd like to ask you. You don't actually look like that, do you?"

The witch smiled wryly. "No... I actually look quite a bit like you. But you see, if I looked like you, then boys would be following me home all the time, getting to learn my secrets because they're after the one between my legs. It's protective to look like this."

Allison nodded. "That's what I thought. So," she pulled a recipe of sorts out of her pocket, "do you think this could kill you?"

The witch stared on in fear.

"Not that I want to kill you. I just think we should have the option."

---

It was the middle of the day when Henry received that very important letter (not the first Very Important Letter he'd received from someone in that bygone studio!). He had been in his office at the official headquarters of Disney, and the letter had been brought to him by his wife, Elaine. It read:

Dear Henry Stein,

This is  one of the immortals. I have found a potion that can cure our immortality. If you'd like it, or just like to see the rest of us again, me in Brightdale, Ohio at seven at night exactly one week from today.

See you soon (oops, that sounds ominous),

-Allison Pendle

"What is it, honey?" Elaine asked. Elaine knew that Henry was immortal, along with with pretty much everything else about him. They'd been married for fifteen years now, from her late twenties to her early forties, and had fostered many children together. Henry loved her, and certainly didn't think of her as some mayfly pet. But he wouldn't have wanted to talk about this with anyone.

"Nothing," Henry responded, perfectly calm.

"Okay," Elaine said, leaving with a look on her face that suggested that she suspected things maybe weren't.

Henry immediately tossed the letter in the trash and attempted to focus on the paperwork on his desk- fourums on the theme park he was planning on building with the help of Bertrum Piedmont. Finding he couldn't, Henry turned over the sheet and turned to his oldest coping mechanism- drawing. He was good now- all that time loop stuff was forgotten. But he was never in a million, billion, trillion years going to risk seeing Joey Drew's face again. Infinity didn't scare him much nowadays, and it scared him infinitely less than that.

---

The next house that the letter found its way to was a big, but run-down. Not many knew it, but it was where a pair of extremely well-established drug lords operated. As of right now, there were several people passed out on the crack-dusted leather couches, one of them being Lacie Benton, who was hungover from having used more substances than she could name the night before. "Hey Lacie. Letter from your old lover is here," Shawn called.

"Which one?" Lacie returned.

"The Raven."

Lacie rolled her eyes. "It was one kiss. She wanted to try it. Are you going to tease me about that until the very ends of time?"

"Probably," Shawn replied, gathering up some crack from the end table and snorting it. He couldn't wait until their next shipment would arrive, later in the afternoon.

Groggy, she got up and took the letter from Shawn's hands.

"Oh my God."

"What? Is she coming back to us?"

"No, it's better than that. She wants to give us a suicide drug!"

Shawn shared her excitement. At this point, they were both due for life-sentences, and for them, that would mean jail for centuries or millennia. Not anymore. Not with these. They were going to that meeting.

---

"So, Samuel Lawrence, explain to us why we should allow you, a man currently on parole and with many, many felonies in your past however distant, become a priest."

Sammy took a deep breath. In a similar courtroom to the one he now stood in, he'd answered the same question five years ago when he'd argued why he should be allowed in a seminary. now he had to argue it again in order to be licensed. At very least, the church where he'd done his practicum had agreed to hire him if he got through this, so he wouldn't have to make this same speech a third time.

"Your honour. I do not deny my crimes. However, as you said, they took place now nearly a century ago. I led unofficial church groups in prison which turned many people to better behaviour. I has released from my sentence- 7 charges of attempted murder at eight years each and seven charges of first degree murder at twenty years each- literal centuries early for my good behaviour, an absolutely unprecedented decision. And as one of my letters of recommendation will tell you, I stayed in prison an extra year to support the people I'd met there. What's more, and I know this is old news to you, I am immortal. The amount of life experience I could gain is immense, and I want to climb my way up through the catholic church system so that I can pass it on. Even now, I am 133 years old. Through prison and in my music career before it, I heard the stories of more people than I can count. I have experience in dealing with the worst sinners, and as we all know, a church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. There are few people with as much life experience as me and fewer whose minds are still sharp. In short, I have made a positive impact on people's lives, and I want to get myself in a position where I'll be able to do that for as many people as possible. Thank you."

Sammy was breathing heavily from emotion as he finished his speech and sat back down. The judge said some words that Sammy barely registered about letting the jury decide. Sammy's stomach knotted up and he felt like either screaming or disappearing.

Half an hour later, he emerged from the courthouse elated, as a licensed priest. The letter was in his mailbox once he got home. Sammy laughed, then ripped it up. Today was the first step on the path to his destiny. Why would he in a million years want to die?

---

A copy of the letter came to Bickmore Insane asylum. The receptionist opened it and saw that it was addressed to one of the patients, Joseph "Joey" Drew. The receptionist did not feel badly for reading the patient's mail. For one thing, Joseph couldn't have read it anyhow. For another, Joseph honestly deserved it.

Rumour had it that decades ago- and it was decades, since Joseph was one of the immortals- Joseph had been given l a sentence spanning centuries for seven charges of attempted murder, twenty-something charges of murder, and innumerable charges of unlawful imprisonment. One of his victims had been the murder of a seventeen-year-old boy, and as a result, prison was not at all kind to Joseph. The other prisoners would beat the life out of him regularly, doing things to him that would kill most people, including giving him severe brain damage and forcing him to stumble around for hours on end as his brain repaired itself. As a result, Joseph was quickly moved to protective custody, and then to solitary confinement.

After the trauma of his treatment by the other prisoners and the solitary confinement had left him far too anxious and aggressive to be kept with the others, he was sent to Bickmore, where he at first seemed to make a quick recovery. There was, after all, a physical component to trauma, and Joseph's brain was just as resilient as the rest of him. But every time he seemed nearly ready to be transferred back to prison, he would cause a scene with panic visible in his eyes. He would begin to scream nonsense about beetles in his veins, throw objects, and attack faculty members and fellow patients. It didn't matter how many times it was explained to Joseph that he would be transferred right back to protective custody this time and the other prisoners would not be able to hurt him. Joseph did not want to go back to prison, and would do anything to buy himself more time.

As time went on, Joseph's apparent breaks from reality became more and more realistic. He would question faculty members about whether he was going back to prison, and attack them out of suspicion. The final straw, however, was when, on the first day he'd been allowed near other patients unsupervised since his last outburst, stabbed a 60-year-old schizophrenia patient with a butter knife and then a fork because he was convinced she was a spy for "the prison system." Joseph was pulled off of her, put into permanent solitary confinement, and sedated. Even now, he was in solitary, treated with the extreme care one would use for a dangerous beast, and kept heavily sedated.

Of course, the secretary didn't know any of that. Unless one had access to his files, that was all rumour- myth. She passed the letter onto her superior, who called Allison to ask that she send the drug. It was about time that someone put Joseph Drew out of his misery.

---

Thomas Connor had been making pancakes for his family when Boris brought him the mail in his mouth. Thomas smiled and took it with no word but a pat on Boris' head. The mail that day consisted of two letters and a newspaper. The first letter was just a bill, but the second one was from Allison Pendle.

What could that crazy bitch want from him? Thomas didn't know. A while ago he would have been mad, but now it had been so long that he honestly didn't feel anything. At least he had Alice to talk to if it was romantic. "Boris, could you take over for me?" he asked, moving over to the kitchen table to open the letter. Once he'd read it over, he crumpled it up, then uncrumpled it and found a fresh sheet of paper on which to write a reply.

Dear Allison

Thomas paused. He supposed he ought to keep this formal, at least at first, and wrote down her last name before continuing.

What are you up to? I don’t think I’ve seen you in person since that one time with the New York City Police.

Me, I’m still an engineer. Not for GENT- they went out of business a while after I left them. I’d worked for a few different places, but most recently (ha- “recently.” It was decades ago!) I’ve been  hired by an elite team of researchers who were looking into the ink machine. We eventually figured out how to save the people within these ink shells. You see, some of them have a human soul and a toon presence, and some get a third, demonic presence mixed in. We just had to separate them and give them separate bodies. Or cubes, in the case of the demons and toons. Don’t want them running away on us, do we? Anyhow, the humans took first priority. I saved that Buddy kid that we met and kept him at my house for a few years so that he could finish his schooling. After we were done with the people though, some bleeding heart thought we should give proper bodies to the cartoons because they “had over two decades of life experience, could feel pain and emotion,” you see where this is going. I thought it was stupid, but I was being paid to be an engineer, and if this was to be my project, so be it.

Thomas stopped and looked up. An Edgar (yes, an. Thomas had two) was playing Snakes and Ladders with Bendy and Alice on the floor. Dog, who was one one of his three Borises and the only one who walked on four legs like, well, a dog, was currently getting confronted by two sets of Charleys and Barleys for making his other Edgar cry. The Boris lowered himself to the ground in a doglike show of submission and apology, which the butcher gang members seemed to accept.

I guess they were right. Bringing them all back was a gradual process, and we could adopt some of them out. You’d be surprised how few people want to adopt a bunch of living cartoons with a truckload of trauma and no knowledge of the real world, though. I ended up with eleven of them. And it was supposed to be temporary, but now there’s a whole bunch of em’ I don’t want to separate (butcher gang trios especially) and, well, I guess I’m stuck with them. Not that I don’t like them, but I kind of wish I weren’t so tied down. I feel like I could do great things as an engineer, and while I love my kids, I kind of don’t want them to be my eternity, you know?

So that’s all to say, no. I can’t die. Can’t abandon my kids. But I’d love to see you again. Maybe I could come into town and meet up?

-Your fellow immortal, Thomas Connor

[aceandsparrow]

Survivor 39: Episodes 8 & 9

[A] I just got a parental warning for these episodes. Has that always been there or just for this set?

[S] This episode is titled "we made it to the merge." Wonder if there is a merge. 

[S] LOL Noura can't keep a secret. Kellee, how did you not see Noura spilling the beans?

[S] "You never try to play an underground game with Noura." Exactly! [A] TRUTH.

[A] Glad Kellee found the idol because she sure will need it.

[S] Wow Dan, that toast was cringeworthy. 

[A] I'm hoping that it's editing, but it sure seems like these guys didn't even take a few seconds to just enjoy the merge feast. Just straight to business.

[A] "Lumuwaku." Gesundheit.

[S] Yeah, Dan was being super inappropriate since day 1. I thought for sure they were gonna vote him out. [A] I'm sorry, back up. Are they playing up Dan's inappropriate touching to get him voted off? Fuck. Everything. About. This.

[S] This immunity challenge would make a physical therapist cry.

[S] They are all going to get so sunburned. Sunburnt? Whatever to correct word is.

[A] Bets on Noura dropping first.

[A] I type that and Noura dropped her first ball.

[A] There goes her second ball. 

[A] And she's out. Shocked.

[S] Glad Jamal is okay. Also glad Aaron ran over when he realized Jamal had collapsed. I imagine insane cramps, which are brutal.

[A] All the focus and talk from Kellee leads me to believe she's going home. Likely with the idol in her pocket.

[A] I realize that there could be a sense of "why give the (supposed) perpetrator air time," but I am annoyed that not once has Dan been given air time to talk about these allegations.

[S] FUCKING SNAKES! (The animals, but I guess everyone in this game too)

[A] Did she really just find another idol? Damn. Now she'll go home with two idols in her pocket. [S] So fucking sick of immunity idols. 

[A] Shouldn't the jury members be only those that got voted out after the merge? Why is Jack on the jury?

[S] Hoping to see Dan gone but I have doubts.

[S] Dan talking about spelling while misspelling Kellee's name.

[S] We went to commercial as Jeff goes to tally the votes? Something is about to go down. 

[A] WITH TWO IDOLS IN HER POCKET. She's the new James. [S] Ah, the rare going home with two idols club.

 ---------------------------------

[A] Oh, NOW we get Dan airtime, but only in the context of Janet drama and now the other girls are playing it up and FUCK THEM. [S] I feel extremely bad for Janet here. [A] I'm not only mad at this whole situation, I'm also mad that they are throwing Janet under the bus when she 100% did nothing wrong.

[A] Janet, preach. This is too powerful to play with. The defensiveness of these girls is disgusting.

[S] YAY! Janet found an idol!

[S] LOL Jamal got owned. [A] That is the best troll I have ever seen. I wish Karishima had been the one to grab it. [S] I would have laughed if, when Jamal opened the second parchment, it was like, "YOU LOSE YOUR NEXT VOTE TOO!"

[S] I would have just thrown the parchment away. Too tough to sell. Either that or show it to others and tell them it's you getting an extra vote. [A] Ooo that would have been smart.

[A] Jeff was a little too gleeful in describing his power at the immunity challenge. Glad to know he's still having fun after all these years.

[A] I hate when they do gendered immunity idols.

[S] Lauren, they are all on the same bar. If yours is moving, everyone's is.

[S] So wait...they are completely ignoring Janet, and are considering voting Janet out, because she was concerned about the other girls' safety? I hope Janet blows shit up at tribal! 

[S] This tribal is going to be super awkward.

[S] Jeff just opens up tribal with Noura cause he knows she'll speak her mind. 

[A] I cannot rage more at this. You did not just say that Janet is playing a victim role.

[A] Thank you, Jamal.

[A] Oh and now Aaron is backtracking and throwing out the "I have a sister/I know females" card.

[A] I just can't with this tribal.

[S] Yes Janet, you should stay. You have done nothing but be absolutely amazing. [A] If any woman wins this game outside of Janet, fuck them.

[A] Bye Jamal. [S] Guess Jamal is going home. Rooting for Janet for the rest of the season.

[borisbubbles]

ESC2019 Preshow #04

04. PORTUGAL Conan Osíris - “Telemóveis” SemiFinal 1, #15

 🎼 NONG / NANG 🎵/ NONG 🎶

Thus clangeth the dulcet sitar tones which introduced us our Lord and Savour, Pharaoh Conan VIII of House Osiris. Harnessing the powers of Saudade, contemporary dance and tons and tons of goldleaf, He has come to deliver a message most grave. 

ENTRY ANALYSIS

Let us dive in immediately with the clarion of praise Cona deserves, for “Telemóveis” is nothing but a stunning piece of art. It’s really isn’t as much as a song, as it is an experience and although the fado/oriental punk fusion was an acquired taste for me at first, I was #AllAboard once I saw this: 

I think you can tell how *much* I loved “Telemóveis”  by the fact that I bothered DL’ing the vids (plural!) and making gifs, yes? I mean, why shouldn’t I? “Telemóveis” is a brilliant dirge mourning the loss of saudade to acute iPhoneitis; Saudade which longs for a return to the halcyon days where people went to café’s to have conversations over a cup of coffee and some brigadeiros, instead of resulting to incessant hunchbacked texting. In other words, IS THERE A MORE QUINTESSENTIALLY PORTUGUESE SONG IN EXISTENCE THAN THIS ONE? I don’t fucking think so. 

Of course our Lord and Saviour blessed us not only with song but with an epic act to go with it. I think the best way to put it into words it by saying that “Telemóveis” is clever... in its cleverness. The act is drenched with symbolism that matches the lyrics but also triggers my inner history nerd (the egyptian beardmask is an amazing touch). The exploding rose backdrop is show-stopping and man, so is that death drop

(and Conan somehow improved on that by showing up in the finale with like... spoon fingers which clicked together into a wee gilded crossbow <3 <3 <3)

It may seem weird cutting Conan now, as opposed to later, (especially since I don’t have any fancy gifs of my top three), but of the four remaining entries, His the act I’m actually the least invested in lol. Don’t get me wrong. I never stopped loving Conan and memefying the shit out of Him, but He’s not as consistently good as the top three are. Largely because I still cannot figure out what “Telemóveis” is. Is it a masterpiece and a hallmark of free artistry, or is it just, you know, random insanity that spawned from a marihuana-addled brain. Probably both? Whichever the case, ConanGOD’s reprise after winning FdC is probably the best thing i ever seen in my life. I’m saving my bandwith for the NF Corner though, so these gifs will have to do instead: 

Yes he actually got *THE ENTIRE LINE-UP FOR FDC*, including the crew members *AND* presenters who were also on the stage (one of them being the phenomenal Filomena Cautela), to death-drop en masse. �� If the world of Our Lord be a fair one, this is what precisely will happen in Tel Aviv in four weeks’ time. 

NF CORNER

Here’s another sentence I never expected to write down in a post ever:

Festival da Cançao was fucking awesome this yea

r. It might’ve been the best NF of the entire year? It’s definitely top three with EMA and Vidbir, in some order.

Holy shit though. So MANY amazing indie songs owning shit left and right (Except for "Perfeito”, which is a walking cauchemar, but that one was murdered by the national juries before it could become a threat. 🤗)

Anyway; I *AM* going to spend 4 vids on this because any less would be a disgrace to this wonderful NF.

Conan’s biggest competition was NBC who was pretty awesome in his own right:

This feels like the sort of song that would do well in San Remo? (It fits the charming aged indie rocker ballad vid I get from some of its participants), except NBC is also a HILARIOUS OVERREACTIONS DEITY 😍 (exhibit A: see gifs above) and thank fuck he was because it meant he could finish a ~long~ distance behind Conan (in second because lol ofc He was a blowout winner)

Probably the weirdest performance of the entire season (and perhaps, in life) belonged to SURMA

Lol this just straight-up performance art and not a song, but I’m happy she was there anyway. “Pugna” makes “Telemóveis” appear normal and well-adjusted by comparison and that’s an impressive feat 😍

Fave #3 was this beautiful, moody, ambient powerballad by Ana Claudia: 

"Inercia” a poor man’s ZalaGasper song, but I really looooooooove ZalaGasper, so I obviously love this one as well. Sadly she had to perform directly after Conan and it neutered her beyond repair, but when even your last place delivers, you know you have a great NF!

I think I’ll close with another wonderful Fado fusion, in this case with bluegrass country pop: Meet Madrepaz

YESSSSSSS the facepaint is about 70.3% of their appeal 😍 😍 😍 but the song slaps as well.  What a beautiful, desolate ambient sound. Am I deluded to think this could qualify in a Eurovision semifinal? (well some of them, anyway)

All in all an amazing selection, and definitely in contention for The Best NF of 2019 (I’ll decide once I’ve posted Slovenia’s entry, I guess)

Qualification Odds: Borderline (-)

Ugh, this BREAKS my dark chocolate heart, but Conan isn’t at all safe. Conan’s main problems rise from the fact that he tries to be artistic and humorous at the same time, and the two cancel each other out somewhat. 

It’s same problem Gabbani had really, except this is Portugal, not Italy, so the stakes are much higher here. There’s a very high chance “Telemóveis” highbrow message will  fly over the heads of the audience and there’s an equally high chance it will backfire on Conan when it does. Portugal faces severe competition from the other acts. They compete with Slovenia for the “This Is High Quality” value-seeking vote, with Iceland and Australia for the novely vote and with Czech Republic and Greece for the “yeah this is actually really fucking clever” highbrow vote. He even competes with Serhat somehwat, both being OTT acts that are on later in the semi. It could very well mean death by a thousand cuts for Portugal.

The draw, which is usually brought up as the main justification for an NQ, doesn’t bother me though. Coming on before Queen Katerine, the Elegant and Supreme, isn’t a gift if she finds her voice, but she’s hardly consistent and coming after Estonia, which has the same flavour and texture asa wad of chewed gum will make any song after it a fucking revelation by comparison. Overall, I think BL- is the correct call. There are several high odds Conan needs to overcome, the biggest of which probably is Conan fans breaking their Telele’s before actually voting for him! WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE SEMIFINAL, people. Our Lord and Saviour NEEDS your support. 

Projected Placement: 6th-15th in the SemiFinal. If he qualifies, 12th-23rd in the Grand Final. 

Link to the masterpost

[izumitate]

don’t linger

So, I was trying to write something sad, but jury’s out on whether it worked, haha. This one is for my favorite angst queen @audriel89 !

Content warnings: this one’s about ghosts, so there’s referenced character death.

“Hey, Kuroo. Nice hat,” Sawamura says, wearing the same beautifully wry smile as he did when he was still alive.

“Thanks, it was a gift,” Kuroo replies numbly, reaching up to grip the brim of his hideous tiger stripe cap. Yamamoto had given it to him as a present a couple of years ago, and now he wears it when he ducks out of the apartment on rainy days for a short errand and doesn’t want to carry an umbrella. It protects his head well enough, but he can still feel the light patter of rain on his shoulders. The sound of droplets rustling against the plastic bag in his hand reminds him that he only stepped out to grab a bottled milk tea and box lunch for tomorrow, because he knows he won’t have the time to stop by during his rush for the train. There weren’t supposed to be any ghosts included in this little excursion.

“It keeps your hair in check, in any case,” Sawamura says. He gestures with one pale, translucent hand at Kuroo’s forehead. It’s dark all along this road, but for the beaming lights of the konbini storefront and Sawamura, glowing like moonlight. Still as young and handsome as Kuroo remembered, just a bit more ethereal now. A bit less grounded.

“Yeah, but it makes the cowlicks worse when I take it off.” Kuroo’s voice is steady, to his surprise.

“I didn’t think that was possible.”

“A limitation of your imagination, Sa’amura-san.”

“I suppose so.”

“So,” Kuroo says, dragging out the word. “This is new! Taking a little postmortem stroll around Japan? Where have you been so far? See anything good?”

Maybe if he acts like this is normal, things will make sense again and his brain won’t shatter. Or he’ll just go insane that much faster.

Sawamura shakes his head, amused by Kuroo’s valiant attempt at nonchalance. He floats a little closer; Kuroo wants to reach out and touch him. “Not really. You were my first stop; I thought it might be fun to visit you.”

Kuroo blinks. “At two in the morning?”

“Sorry, is this an inconvenient time for you? Should we reschedule this haunting for a little later?”

Kuroo laughs at the unimpressed look Sawamura sends his way. Still so sassy, even as a ghost.

God, what are they doing here? Is this even real? Or did Kuroo trip on his way down the stairs and fall into a coma without knowing it? Is there any explanation more logical than the conclusions he’s jumping to?

“Is that what’s happening? You’re haunting me? That’s a bit unfair. What’d I ever do to you, Sawamura?”

Sawamura grins back, floating all the way over to hover by Kuroo’s side as he begins walking back to his apartment. If they’re going to have a conversation, might as well do it somewhere warm and comfortable. Kuroo doesn’t explain where they’re headed, but Sawamura doesn’t ask, content to just go along with it. Even in the past it had always felt natural to fall into step with one another. No need to waste words when they somehow knew how to read each other’s body language fluently enough to translate without thinking.

“What didn’t you do to me, is the real question. I have a whole list of complaints, Kuroo. It’s why I came so early in the morning; it’s gonna take me until at least breakfast to get through all of them.”

“I hope you’re not expecting me to cook for you, too. I only have one egg.”

“And you’re not offering it to your guest? I didn’t take you for the stingy type.”

“Take pity on me,” Kuroo whines. “I’ve got tests to grade and and club activities tomorrow. I need the energy. Which reminds me, I’m also hoping you don’t expect me to stay up all night. I have to wake up in a few hours.”

“You’re so high-maintenance,” Sawamura jokes as they ascend the stairs to Kuroo’s place. “I should’ve chosen an easier target. But seriously, you can sleep first if you want. I’ll still be here in the morning.”

Kuroo gets to putting his purchases away once he lets himself inside, while Sawamura peeks curiously around his not-very-interesting apartment. Sawamura seems preoccupied with the photographs on Kuroo’s wall, so Kuroo leaves him be for a moment to go change back into his pajamas.

“Are you saying you’re going to watch me sleep?” Kuroo asks while Sawamura scans his bookshelf. Sawamura turns to see Kuroo vigorously brushing his teeth, and shakes his head.

“Not unless you want me to,” he says with a laugh, and then floats over to the window. “Go to sleep, Kuroo. I’ll be back tomorrow; we’ll talk then.” His form grows thin as he passes through the glass and then Kuroo is left standing alone in his apartment with toothpaste froth on his mouth, wondering if he just had a really weird fever dream. Because, what? Just happened?

Kuroo shuffles blankly back to bed and slides under the covers. There are too many words forming into too many half-woven questions; they tumble around his brain without direction. For some time he just lies there, staring at the ceiling and the dark, until an uneasy sleep overtakes him.

--

True to his word, Sawamura is back five hours later when Kuroo is packing up his bag for the day.

“You came back,” Kuroo says as he watches Sawamura fall back into place beside him, like it’s natural to belong there. It doesn’t feel as wrong as it should. Kuroo may have grown too accepting in recent years.

“Of course I did; what kind of ghost haunts someone for just twenty minutes?”

“I did think it was kind of a letdown, but it felt rude to mention it.”

“And everyone knows that you’re never rude, right?” Sawamura teases as they walk to the train. Kuroo has headphones in – the kind that also function as a microphone, so that he at least looks like he could be talking to someone on the phone. The train is crowded this morning, so Sawamura floats up to sit atop the baggage rack, to avoid phasing through anyone. Kuroo stands facing up toward him, gripping a hand strap and pretending to look at the screen announcing the next stop, but their eyes keep catching on one another’s, and they exchange sheepish smiles.

When most of the morning crowd clears out, they move over to an empty corner so Sawamura can stop perching like a cat about to strike.

“So, are you back on unfinished business?” Kuroo asks, like they’re discussing weekend plans. He’s seated, looking up toward Sawamura, who shifts out of people’s way as if he still has solid mass. He still smiles at children and the elderly like they can see him. But sometimes Kuroo catches him watching people with a certain intensity that feels unfamiliar. Maybe being dead makes the world look a little different.

Sawamura returns his attention to Kuroo. His hand is resting against the wall as if to brace himself and Kuroo has to wonder absently about how the laws of physics apply to spirits. “Mm, I wouldn’t quite put it that way. I’m just here to hang out for the day.”

“Did- um. Did you want to see something in particular? I have work today, but we could go somewhere afterwards.”

“No, I didn’t come expecting you to provide entertainment. I just thought I’d drop in and see what you get up to these days. If that’s okay?” He looks momentarily lost, and Kuroo quickly shakes his head.

“Yeah, you know I’m always up for fun. I gotta tell you, it’ll probably be kinda boring for you, but if you don’t mind chilling out and making fun of my students, then let’s do it.”

“Let’s do it,” Sawamura echoes, with the same brightness in his eyes Kuroo remembers from across the court. Phoenix fire and marble.

Behind and through him, the world blurs green and powder blue outside the train window. It’s a beautiful day.

--

Kuroo’s homeroom class is rowdy and clever and terribly annoying this morning. It takes a while to get them settled, and by the time he leaves them for his first class, Sawamura already knows them too well.

“You knew what you were signing up for when you became a teacher, right? Was corralling your team not enough for you?” Sawamura asks during his free period. Kuroo just spent the last hour going over last week’s test and listening to a whole lot of groaning. He’s marking more exams now as he sips his milk tea; Sawamura leans against his desk and looks around at the other teachers too busy to pay mind to Kuroo basically talking to himself.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about; Nekoma was team of pure, good-hearted angels. Now, if I’d been in your shoes, then I probably wouldn’t have wound up here.”

“Oh, you would’ve gotten a handle on them eventually. Just like you’ve got these ones under your wing. I have to say, you’re a lot better at this than I expected.”

“Thank you a million times over for your faith in me,” Kuroo says dryly. “What do you think Amagi wrote here? An eight? An ugly five?”

“Looks like a five to me,” Sawamura says. “Give her the full points.”

“You’re too soft,” Kuroo tsks, and they finish grading in this same manner for the rest of the period.

Kuroo doesn’t wonder at the fact that no one else in the school can see Sawamura. He assumes it’s because Sawamura has no ties to anyone else here, or that it’s because of some other ghost business that Kuroo doesn’t understand. Sawamura does accidentally float through another teacher at one point, and she sneezes right afterward.

They spend lunch outside, watching students milling around in little clusters. Somehow it feels easy to be together like this, despite all the oddities of the situation. Sawamura asks after all the old group, and Kuroo tells him everything he knows, though he has to apologize for not keeping up as much with all the ex-Karasuno members. Sawamura just laughs, telling him that knowing anything at all is more than he really expected.

“Do you have any good tricks?” They’re watching a crowd of kids exchanging flirtatious banter, and it makes Kuroo want to play a prank on them.

“What am I, a dog?”

“I’m just saying, ghosts usually have some fun powers. Like telekinesis.”

“Nope, I’ve got nothing.”

“Boring,” Kuroo says with a pout, and Sawamura rolls his eyes, floating backwards until he’s hanging upside next to Kuroo’s head.

“Yeah. I went to the afterlife and all I got was this lousy intangibility,” he says, and Kuroo feels suddenly guilty. Sawamura is literally dead and here Kuroo is, making a stupid joke about it.

“Shit, that was insensitive. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’ve gotten pretty used to being dead. Don’t feel too bad. C’mon, tell me which of your kids is the most likely to embarrass themself in the next five minutes.”

Kuroo gladly latches on to the change in subject. “Oh, definitely Sakurai. Watch, when he goes over to Kanda…”

The day is uneventful as far as school days go, but Sawamura never seems bored, even when he keeps relearning the same math lesson over and over. By club time he seems even livelier, floating around in amusement as Kuroo oversees the Exercise Club. The small group of students are doing stretches and jumping rope in the yard.

“Before you ask, yes, we do play volleyball sometimes. I put up a net outside when the weather is good.”

“Do you ever play?”

“Yeah, but not for long because they start complaining about uneven teams,” Kuroo says, keeping an eye on a girl chasing her friend around with her jump rope.

“Play six on two. That would even things out.”

“Too much, maybe. I’m not that fit anymore.”

“You still look pretty good to me,” Sawamura says with straight-forward honesty. Kuroo’s heart skips a beat until he follows it up with, “I mean, your face is what it is, can’t do anything about that, but the rest isn’t bad.” He gestures broadly at Kuroo’s body.

“I see you haven’t gotten any more charming since I last saw you,” Kuroo snarks back, and Sawamura laughs. He looks like he wants to bump his shoulder against Kuroo’s, but they both know it’ll just be a reminder that this can’t last.

“It’s hard enough for people to change as it is; us dead guys are totally stuck in our ways.”

--

After club wraps up, Kuroo returns to his desk to send out a few emails before calling it a day. They’re standing at the train station again, waiting to return home when Kuroo thinks to ask, “Are you sure you don’t want to go do something? Normally I just go home and crash on my couch after dinner, but it’s Friday evening, and you’re in town.”

“Are you saying you wanna go out?”

“I mean, it seems like a waste for you to come all this way just to watch dumb reality tv with me while we eat takeout. Uh- while I eat takeout.”

Sawamura shrugs. “To be honest, that plan sounds just fine to me. But maybe you’re right. I only have twenty-four hours. I should probably make them count.”

Twenty-four hours? Kuroo wasn’t aware of this.

“Is that when you have to go back? To the, uh,” he makes a sweeping motion with his arm and probably makes everyone in the vicinity want to avoid him, “the great beyond?”

“Yeah, I could only afford a one day pass,” Sawamura says like he’s joking, but Kuroo’s chest seizes painfully anyway. If he had known, he wouldn’t have kept Sawamura here, hanging around aimlessly instead of using his time for better things. Before he can get all tangled up in guilt, Sawamura puts his hands in his pockets and asks, “So what should we go do?”

Kuroo had found it a not-unwelcome change to return to the countryside once he graduated from college. The slower pace of life, the abundance of nature everywhere, the wide open spaces and quaint houses tucked among the foliage. He kept his house closer to the town center, preferring to commute over to his school, and it’s worked out well enough for him so far. The downside is most places of interest are at least a few train stops away. He thinks for a moment about where they could go on such short notice, where Sawamura might actually enjoy himself.

“We’re close to the water,” Kuroo finally offers. “It’s a little cold this time of year, but the shore is pretty nice.”

Sawamura doesn’t take more than a second to think about it. “The beach? Sure, why not. Take me to the beach.”

They have to ride into the main station before changing lines, and by the time they make it to the ocean, it’s early evening and the sun is starting its descent. There are few people around; the April weather is pleasant but growing rapidly cool now that the day is coming to a close. It leaves Kuroo space to openly talk to Sawamura without looking too strange – insofar as a man alone at a beach is ever strange.

“Do you swim?” Sawamura asks as they walk along the shoreline. His not-quite-there feet swish through the water that crashes gently against the white sand. The foam tickles at Kuroo’s bare feet, and he hops a step further from the water. It’s a touch too cool for his skin.

“Yeah, though it’s been a while. I used to go on beach trips with Kenma’s family all the time when we were kids. We’d have matching floaties,” he says with a laugh as he remembers the time Kenma got a sunburn on his shoulders and was cranky for weeks.

“I can see that. You used to splash him while he was huddling on the beach, I bet.”

“You know it. Were you a swimmer?”

“Not really, but now that I can’t do it, I feel like I miss it? That’s how it goes, I guess.”

“Well, I’ll swim twice as hard next time; you can live vicariously through me.”

Sawamura shakes his head with a smile. “Sure, you do that.”

After walking to the cliffside, Kuroo jogs back the way they came, trying to beat Sawamura back to his shoes, but ghosts can fly surprisingly fast. He collapses into the sand afterward, wheezing as Sawamura laughs at him. Since neither of them are equipped to go swimming today, Kuroo settles for making a damp, slouchy sandcastle as they talk about the current Nekoma team under Coach Naoi’s instruction.

The sun is near the horizon now, a deep molten core streaking the indigo waves with gold. Sawamura sits across from Kuroo so that the sunset shines through him, and Kuroo’s words stick in his throat for a moment when he notices.

He’d never gone to the beach with Sawamura while he was alive. There was never time, just like there was never time for any of the other thousand things Kuroo regrets not taking a chance on. Taking that art class in university. Going skydiving with Bokuto. Asking Sawamura out for a drink.

It isn’t like Kuroo had burned for Sawamura. Or tore up flowers and sheet music and journal pages trying to capture some fraction of the feelings he felt for him. Nothing ever so far-reaching or soul-wrenching.

But he had always thought that perhaps there was a greater than zero chance they might someday find their way to each other. Two lines not quite parallel, that might meet somewhere down the road, once they’d stretched far enough in the same direction. Sawamura had occupied a place in Kuroo’s life that no one else could fill – some cross of friend, rival, and if-only.

It was fondness folded into a summer daydream: wispy and weightless, with no expectations, but a whole quiet world of possibilities. And then all those possibilities came to an abrupt halt, and that was that.

Sawamura had never been his to lose. But Kuroo had hurt, nonetheless.

“Kuroo, help me dig up that little thing right there,” Sawamura says, interrupting Kuroo’s spiraling thoughts. His translucent hands comb against a shining patch of sand.

“Here?” Kuroo crouches down and scrapes his fingers through the spot Sawamura was just touching. He unearths a chunk of green sea glass the size of a stamp, and rubs it clean of sand. “Oh, nice find!”

It’s a lovely mossy color, frosted and worn soft to the touch. Sawamura runs a pale fingertip over the surface and then withdraws, floating a few feet into the air.

“Sorry, I can’t buy you anything, so that’ll have to do for a souvenir of our trip.”

“That’s more than good enough for me,” Kuroo says, finding himself stricken by the expression on Sawamura’s face.

He looks like he’s at peace, smiling at Kuroo with the same fondness he’s seen directed at Hinata or Suga or Tsukki. The sea glimmers dark like gold-embroidered velvet through him, but he looks and sounds so heartbreakingly familiar in this moment that Kuroo thinks he could forget about the last five years if he were to close his eyes.

Forget the way his heart stopped cold when he first heard the news. Forget how serious and still Sawamura’s face had looked in his memorial portrait. Forget how he had ached, sitting there with Kenma as they watched Hinata on the international court, knowing that there was someone who would never get to feel that pride when looking down at the court.

It’s past six p.m. now. Kuroo only has Sawamura again for today. This short, unsatisfactory slice of time. Eight hours left, and Kuroo doesn’t know how he’s going to say goodbye at the end of it.

--

It’s a quiet ride home, and then Kuroo brings them to a hole-in-the-wall yakitori place where he likes to grab a bite to eat after long days at work. They get a tiny booth to themselves, and Sawamura watches with patient amusement as Kuroo eats.

“What food do you miss most?” Kuroo asks, because he always loses track of his tact when he’s tipsy, and because Sawamura has proven to be awfully nonchalant about no longer existing.

“Actually, I think it might be yakiniku. Part of it probably has to do with the atmosphere; y’know, sitting around a table with your friends, fighting over the last piece of beef.”

Kuroo can see it, especially after that last day of training camp. God, they’d been so young then. Even now, he can imagine how it would be: Sawamura, crowded in his seat up between Azumane and Suga, arguing with Bokuto over the next piece of meat, making sure the pork is cooked just the way Kuroo likes it.

Kuroo waves his skewer in the air like an addled conductor. “Next time…the next time we do yakiniku, I’ll put a plate aside for you. I’ll even buy you a drink,” he promises drunkenly. “Come back and join us.”

“Well, I can’t say no if you’re going to be so generous.” Sawamura rests his chin in his hand, watching Kuroo with undivided attention. With the smoke in the air and the lights gleaming dimly against the wooden walls, the space feels suddenly intimate, and Kuroo takes another deep swig from his beer.

What if he had asked, one of those dozens of times he wanted to? Would they be sitting in a restaurant together on a night much like this one, laughing at each other’s jokes and flirting lightly as they wait for the check? Would Kuroo finally know more of Sawamura’s touch, beside those fleeting handshakes and hugs shared over the years?

Could Kuroo have changed the path of Sawamura’s life? Or do all roads lead to the same destination – with Kuroo mourning Sawamura as a lover instead of a friend?

There are no answers at the bottom of his bottle, but he drinks as if there are. Sawamura doesn’t comment, but he does pull the conversation back toward easier matters: Kenma’s promotion, Kai’s wedding, Yaku’s visit last month. Kuroo focuses on telling the best stories he can, because he thinks that if his mouth stops moving he’ll fixate on how Sawamura’s hand always rests close enough to touch, but never close enough to feel.

It’s approaching midnight when they leave the restaurant, and Kuroo takes Sawamura on the meandering path home. There’s a small park near his apartment block, and Sawamura insists that he take a seat on the bench for a moment to find his balance when he almost trips on the sidewalk.

“C’mon, I thought you could hold your liquor better than that.”

“ ‘m not even drunk anymore,” Kuroo grumbles. He slumps down, legs outstretched, and lets his head loll back. “I just get a little clumsy when I’m tired these days.”

“I don’t believe it,” Sawamura says brightly. “Not with those reflexes of yours.”

“Hey, lay off, I’m getting old!”

“You’re still in your twenties; don’t act like such a geezer.”

Kuroo pulls a face. “Not for long, I’m not. I’ll be using a cane soon. You’ll see.”

“Don’t be in such a rush to grow old. You’ll get there eventually.” Sawamura, seated on the bench beside him, floats up a few inches so he can reach out as if to brush Kuroo’s fringe out of his eyes. Of course, he only passes through Kuroo’s face like a winter breeze, but Kuroo gives him a watery smile back anyway. This is a tenderness neither of them is used to, but it feels like it’s been overdue. If only for tonight.

“Yeah, I’ll sit outside my house and yell at my grandkids’ friends when they come around.”

“At least offer them some snacks, you jerk.”

Above, the stars are brighter than they ever were in Tokyo, and Kuroo wonders if this is the sky that Sawamura used to see, looking out his window as they reached for the same dream. It’s easy to waste another hour just talking to Sawamura like this, because this is the relationship they always had, in those scant moments they shared together over the course of their friendship. Sawamura wasn’t lying when he said he just wanted to visit: it’s like he’s been dropped back into Kuroo’s life after a long trip abroad. If Kuroo were a little more idealistic, he would hope for another day like this, another chance to catch up a few years down the line.

But something in the core of his heart tells him this isn’t an ordinary occasion.

It’s a quarter to two when they finally reach the main street that leads back to his apartment. They pass by the konbini silently, and then the criss-crossing little residential streets until they’re standing only meters away from Kuroo’s building. Kuroo’s never been an expert on the supernatural, but he can feel the space around Sawamura growing blurred, like it wants to pull him back across the veil. He’s about to make an ill-timed joke about it when Sawamura stops them in their tracks and turns to look Kuroo in the eyes.

“Thanks for spending the day with me, Kuroo. I had a lot of fun.”

There’s a heavy finality in his voice. It fills Kuroo’s lungs with lead.

The alcohol is wearing off, but enough of that liquid bravery, like magma in Kuroo’s stomach, remains that he wants to say something stupid in response.

I mourned you.

I grieved for something I wasn’t even sure I understood. A lingering promise, a missed chance. A dream that faded before I could wake.

...I think I could have loved you.

But there are only a few fleeting minutes until Sawamura has to depart, so Kuroo will be civil. Kuroo will be kind, to both Sawamura and himself.

He intends to just accept Sawamura’s gratitude, but one question sticks in his mind so persistently that he’s asking before he can find the self-restraint to stop.

“Sawamura. Why did you- why come and see me? I know there are so many people who would’ve given- who would be delighted to see you one last time. So why choose me?”

Sawamura pauses, his mouth slightly parted as if to speak, before his expression shifts.

Years ago, lifetimes ago, there had been a morning in Tokyo, misty and gray, when Sawamura had stumbled into Kuroo’s corner of town and they spent a handful of hours together before he was expected at the airport. They’d done nothing exciting, but Kuroo will never forget it, if only because of the expression that Sawamura wore while they were waiting for the bus as the fog lay thick around them, blocking out the rest of the world.

Kuroo had long gotten used to being admired, or glared at, or sized up as an opponent. He’d seen all three cross Sawamura’s face in the past, though usually he met Kuroo with either amusement or teasing exasperation. In that moment, however, it had been something wholly new. Something Kuroo wasn’t sure he was reading correctly.

Sawamura was watching Kuroo like he wasn’t sure he was real, those dark eyes wide and wondrous. As if Kuroo was something special to behold, something not quite within reach. It only lasted a second, before Sawamura shook himself out of it and gave Kuroo that sly grin that he knew so well. But Kuroo could never get that sight out his head, letting it haunt him in sleepless hours.

It’s how Sawamura looks at him now.

“I just wanted to see you, I guess,” Sawamura says, eyes soft. After a second, he laughs quietly and ducks his head, in a gesture that feels painfully true to life. When he looks up again, his gaze is clear and focused, the way it always was on court. The way Kuroo remembers him best. “I wanted to catch up with an old friend. So, thank you. Maybe we can do this again sometime.”

They both know that they can’t.

Kuroo swallows, and it hurts his dry throat. “Y-yeah, of course. Just, uh, drop by or whatever. You know where to find me.”

“I do,” Sawamura says, laughing once more. Kuroo’s heart aches.

He wants to say something to prolong the moment, but if there’s anything he’s learned over the last day, it’s that any chance they had has long since been lost. Regret lies heavy in his bloodstream and his breath comes short when he inhales. Kuroo is pushing thirty now, settled in his life and happy about where he’s headed, and Sawamura?

Sawamura will never look a day past twenty-four.

Kuroo clenches his right hand, trying to remember how Sawamura’s palm felt against his, calloused and strong and searing. But nothing remains except the faintest sense memory.

He extends his hand regardless, knowing it can’t be the same.

“Goodnight, Sawamura.”

When Sawamura’s fingers brush against Kuroo’s palm, a chill runs through his skin and he tries to close his hand around the flesh that isn’t there. He gets a rueful look in return as the other man withdraws.

“This is where I tell you I won’t lose again, isn’t it?”

“And where I tell you we’d be happy to take you on again any time,” Kuroo agrees quietly.

“I think that rematch will have to wait.” And Kuroo can see his outline going threadbare.

Sawamura lifts his hand back into a wave, slipping backwards toward the light of the street lamp. The honey glow of the lamp intersects briefly with Sawamura’s own light, painting him angelic gold for a second, and for just this moment, with the veil of reality pulled thin, Kuroo can see the yearning clear as daybreak written in Sawamura’s eyes. Like a perfect mirror image to Kuroo’s own.

It’s instinct to step forward, reaching out toward Sawamura to try and touch him, to catch him before Kuroo can lose him, yet again, but already the distance is too wide. Sawamura smiles, even as he fades.

“Goodbye, Kuroo.”

And he’s gone.

Kuroo stares for a minute longer, willing the streetlight to shimmer and reveal Sawamura’s ghostly form again, but there’s nobody here on this road except Kuroo and a few sedate cars passing through. The whole world is quiet, giving him a moment of silence to find his breath, steady his heart.

The spring air embraces Kuroo with cold familiarity as he begins slowly walking up the stairs home, alone again. Above as below, the world spins on, once more without Sawamura. Kuroo unlocks his door, but stands there in the threshold for a long moment, just looking in. Finally, he takes a deep breath and steps inside.

It’s late. He should go to sleep, and wake early to greet the new day. Maybe tomorrow he’ll go for a swim.

[smilingformoney]

America’s Most Eligible 2 Diamond Scene: Northern Lights with the Jury

You: This is too good an opportunity to pass up. Thanks, Jen! Jen: Have fun! As she slips out of the room, you call over to the others. You: Hey guys, why don’t we check out the northern lights? I’d be a good chance for all of us to catch up… Yvette: The instructor of my Baby and Me yoga class swears by moonbathing. Count me in. Ronan: What an inspired idea. Bianca: Good call, Jamie. I’ve been dying to check out the view since we got here. You: Then follow me!

You climb the stairs to the roof, the air growing colder until you push open the heavy, metal door and are met with an icy wind. You: Brr! It’s a little colder than I expected… Heath/Eden: It’s Iceland. Obviously, it’s gonna be cold. Yvette: Heath/Eden, that’s enough, kiddo. We’re here to have fun!

-If you eliminated Ivy

Ivy: You actually think this’ll be fun? Ivy: Aw, bless your heart.

-If you eliminated Slater

Slater: Yeah, right. Jamie wouldn’t know fun if it bit her.

You: Don’t worry, you guys. We’ll stoke the fire a little, and it’ll be toasty in no time. Ronan: Allow me. I’m something of an expert on tending a burning blaze. Ronan: When I was in Guyana trekking through the Amazon, I fended off a jaguar with nothing but a lit torch and… While Ronan rambles on, Bianca lowers her voice and whispers to you.

-If you don’t have a strong relationship with the Jury

Bianca: Uh, Jamie? I hope you’re not expecting us to gather ‘round the campfire and sing ‘Kumbaya.’ Bianca: What else do you have planned?

-If you have a strong relationship with the Jury

Bianca: Babes, you know I’m Team Jamie, but I’ve done my cryotherapy for the week. Bianca: You’ve gotta liven this party up… Fast.

You: Oh, uh… Let’s… -Make hot chocolate!

You: Some melty marshmallows will get this party started. Yvette grabs the supplies from the kitchen, and whips up a batch. Yvette: You’re in for a treat! As Den Mother for my son’s troop, I’ve perfected this recipe.

-Chug some cocoa!

-Break out the champagne!

You: The AME All-Stars are taking over Iceland. We should celebrate. Bianca grabs a bottle from the kitchen, and starts pouring. Bianca: Par-tay!

-Sip some bubbly!

You: Whoa, you guys. Look at that! All at once, the Jury Houses members fall silent as they notice the northern lights floating through the night, and everyone chooses a place on the roof to watch.

Who do you talk to? -Ronan and Yvette

You spot Ronan and Yvette sharing a blanket on the lounge chairs and head over. You: You two look cozy. Ronan: We’ve become fast friends, she and I. Yvette: It turns out, we’ve both got some stories to tell.

You: Let me guess. You bonded over… -The good old days of AME? Ronan +2, Yvette +2

You: Minimal rules and a cast of gorgeous strangers in the golden age of reality TV? The mansion has to be insane! Ronan: To a degree which you could never fathom, young one. Ronan: As it stands, I remain the only cast member to do a perfect swan dive into the pool from the roof. Yvette: Things had calmed down by my season, but that was the year production banned parkour from the mansion… Ronan: But those are, of course, the preoccupations of our younger selves…

-Your real world adventures? Yvette +2, Ronan +2

You: You took different routes, but you’ve both led pretty fulfilling lives. Yvette: I’ll say. Being in the older AME crew, we’ve had some life changing experiences. Yvette: Between managing soccer practices, baby ballet and my dental practice, the years between my seasons have just flown by, but… Yvette: I wouldn’t change a thing. Ronan: I’ve sailed seven days to the remote island of Tristan da Cunha and farmed gingili with the indigenous people of Motuo. Even still…

He turns to face Yvette. Ronan: I quite prefer this moment. Yvette blushes, and you take this as your cue to leave…

-Eliminated Villain and Heath/Eden

You head over to the railing to talk to Eliminated Villain and Heath/Eden. As you approach, they stop speaking and turn to look at you. You: Do I even want to know what you two are talking about? Heath/Eden: Just our master plan for your general downfall. No biggie.

You: Seriously? -At least you’re consistent.

You: You were fierce competitors in the mansion, so it only makes sense you’d be a strong presence in the Jury House. You: May the best player win.

-Can’t we call a truce?

You: We’re three thousand miles from home watching one of seven natural wonders of the world… You: Just for tonight, can’t we enjoy each other’s company?

You extend your hand… and both Heath/Eden and Eliminated Villain shake it in return! Eliminated Villain +2 Eliminated Villain: That’s… surprisingly civil of you, Jamie. Heath/Eden +2 Heath/Eden: Yeah… Heath/Eden: But this doesn’t change anything. We’re still coming for you. You: Then I guess it’s game on. You turn and leave them stunned as you survey the other Jury members…

-Bianca Bianca +2

You head over to sit next to Bianca at the fire pit as she warms her hands. You: It’s beautiful out here. All the mountains, and lights, and snow…

You: I’ll bet you’re itching to… -Get back to the beach.

You: This isn’t exactly a balmy night in Salinas. Bianca: I may be a NorCal girl at heart, but I’ve always been obsessed with snow. In another life, I’d be a snowboarder. You: Gotta admit, I wasn’t expecting that. You: How did you end up in front of a camera instead of heading down the slopes? Bianca: I have my senior prom date to thank for that. Bianca: If he hadn’t ditched me at the last minute, I’d have never traded in my ball gown for a bikini to show him what he was missing. Bianca: I got kicked out of prom, but the video went viral, and I was signed to an agency by graduation. You: His loss is the world’s gain. Bianca: Exactly.

-Stage a photoshoot.

You: This would be perfect for your portfolio. Bianca: ‘Bianca Sandoval, international swimsuit model’ does have a ring to it… Bianca: And the extra exposure would be the perfect way to finally launch my fashion blog! You: You kill it on AME, grace the cover of every magazine, and now you’re coming for the web too? What can’t you do? Bianca: If I’m being honest, there’s not much. Bianca: Everyone thinks I’m just some airhead model, but you wouldn’t believe the plans I’ve got for the fashion industry. You: Well, I can’t wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeve.

Bianca: Thanks for inviting us out here, Jamie. It’s nice to know we still have friends in the mansion. You: Always. You pat her on the back, and stand to look out at the beautiful view…

As the night winds down, you lift your drink in the air. You: I’d like to propose a toast.

You: To… -Iceland! Ronan +2, Yvette +2, Heath/Eden +2, Eliminated Villain +2, Bianca +2

You: Here’s to new countries and all the adventures that come with! Ronan: If adventure is food for the soul, then I wish to die a portly man. Yvette: Amanda and the girls in the PTA aren’t going to believe this. Heath/Eden: I guess this is kinda cool… Eliminated Villain: I’ll give credit where it’s due… This was a good idea. Bianca: Nice one, Jamie.

-Building bridges and tearing down walls. Eliminated Villain +2, Heath +2, Ronan +2 Bianca +2, Yvette +2

You: I won’t pretend this night fixes a season of competitiveness, but I have hope that it’s the starts of new friendships. Eliminated Villain: Only time will tell… Heath: Always the optimist, Jamie. Ronan: Friendship is the most universal currency. Bianca: Cheesy, but… I guess it’s kinda cute. Yvette: Competition breeds excellence… but friendship is nice too.

-America’s Most Eligible. Bianca +2, Eliminated Villain +2, Heath/Eden +2, Yvette +2, Ronan +2

You: Here’s to this crazy show that brought us all together. May it always see another season. Bianca: And may its contestants always be as hot as us! Eliminated Villain: Let’s face it, any season without me is going to pale in comparison. Heath: Next time I’m in the mansion, I’m going all the way. Yvette: Oh, you guys keep me young. Ronan: What good is a life lived, if it leaves no legacy?

You all clink your glasses together and sip quietly as you take in the sights and sounds of your beautiful host country.

[the-beautiful-1]

3 Chains O’ Gold

Released August 16, 1994

If you haven’t seen 3 Chains O Gold, I’m going to need you to seek it out immediately because it is one of Prince’s most glorious accomplishments. Released in 1994, it expands on the Love Symbol album and attempts to give us Mayte’s back story, I guess? Either way it’s a real treat, so lets get right to my attempt to break down what’s going in this beautiful mess.

Opening Credits First of all, I wanted to make this not too terribly long and include only events relevant to the plot, but it’s worth noting that the “Warner Reprise Video” is arguably the MOST DATED LOGO IN HISTORY. If this doesn’t scream 1994 at you, I guess you weren’t alive then. If anyone from the future is like “what were the 90s like?” just show them this 10 second clip.

We open with the credits over several clips of what I’m confident is a show on the Paisley Park soundstage, with Prince in a glorious halter top backless jumpsuit, but that’s not important right now - we cut to Princess Mayte in Egypt doing her thing, which I guess is skinny dipping with four nameless women who call her Mai Tai? Either way, full nudity right out of the gate, interspersed with clips of who we find out is her father being stabbed. She holds him as he dies of one stab wound, which I guess you would if no doctor was called. Oh well, dead forever, so she grabs her title 3 Chains O Gold from a vault and we go from Cairo, Egypt, to Minneapolis, Minnesota! Unclear where Mayte is now staying, but it appears to be a small barren room with only candles and a small tv, which is playing Kirstie Alley reporting on a riot in the same alley where conveniently half of Graffiti Bridge takes place.

My Name is Prince The chain hat is here! As is an extended rap from Tony M, while Prince dances atop several cars in an inexplicably damp alley. He’s so stompy! Mayte has apparently seen this on the news and made her way through the crowd to hand him a bedazzled VHS case containing what is revealed to be the actual tape of her performance on That’s Incredible AS AN 8 YEAR OLD. This is problematic at best, but he’s interrupted by Tony M’s insistence that they have a car party to attend to.

Sexy MF The car party turns out to be the members of the NPG playing cards in the smoke filled garage of Paisley Park, and their involvement is that Prince shows up, demands 3 women leave with himself, Tony M and Kirky J, and then ridicules the rest of his band for a little bit. Kind of an asshole, but also… have you seen him in this?? Looking like a real snack. Forgiven. Moving on. My favorite thing about all Prince stories is that it’s like, Prince wants the girl, Prince gets the girl, and this is no different. Prince and his gold gun microphone want Troy Beyer in her pearl cage dress (can you call that a dress?) as they make out in various hotel hallways.  They go to the movies and make out for a bit and engage in some heavy petting, but Troy knows something is up and that there’s someone else (spoiler alert, it’s Mayte), and he responds with a very intent Purple Rain-esque moody stare.

Love 2 the 9s Mayte gets a card slipped under her hotel room door with audition times for the NPG, so I guess Love 2 the 9s is her audition?? But wait, some of the NPG guys are in jail slash Prince’s office at Paisley. This is like… the Hard Times, if the Hard Times had a budget? Anyway it would appear that the audition is a photoshoot, with Prince in the highest of high waisted red pants and an open lace bolero top. Again, he looks DECADENT. I digress. Tony M proceeds to interview Mayte with some inane questions, until she is is finally permitted to make the booty boom. Thank god. Sidebar: her makeup!!!!! So perfectly 90s, complete with a brown lip and thin eyebrows. Perfection.

Morning Papers Cut to the zoo! Why?? I DON’T KNOW. Here’s P and Mayte walking through the zoo hand in hand, being real sweet paired with a song that makes the whole thing problematic, but again, choosing to overlook the whole “why is age more than a number” with a shot of Mayte riding on a carousel. YIKES. Cut to Paisley Park where P is dressed in white pants, white heels, a floor length white trench coat, and a SLEEVELESS PLAID FLANNEL SHIRT unbuttoned all the way down to his waist. This is a GOOD. LOOK. Someone has been working out, and he is eager to show it off. Ugh back to the carousel for some kind of trippy sequence involving Mayte whispering into a mirror in a Blossom hat.

The Max Dramatic cut to footage of what I’m pretty sure is one of the 1993 Radio City Music Hall shows from the Love Symbol tour mixed with some backstage footage and whatever was shot at Paisley. Prince’s ability to create euphamisms and use them like literally anyone else in the world would ever even bother never fails to amuse me. He’d like to “shuffle the cards in that stack!” …. okay. Before or after you drive me/us/Mayte to Tennessee? Anyway I guess this is to show she did indeed get the job? Here’s a picture from one of the Radio City shows because one I can’t get a good screen cap, and two it’s important for.... reasons.

Blue Light I’m not sure whose bedroom we are in, but Prince is sitting there I guess waiting for Kirstie Alley to call so he can hang up on her. You can tell this video was shot later than most of the other footage as his typhoon is really out of control here and reached peak mushroom, but it’s fine since it’s mostly face close ups of him and Mayte as they roll around on a bed while she rejects his advances. Girl. Get your shit together. Also he’s wearing light pink silk pajamas. Or it could just be a regular suit he wears on stage, jury still out, either way it looks comfy af and I’d like one.

I Wanna Melt With U Aw man. Mayte falls asleep, while Prince packs a suitcase with all his essentials for a tour (chains, a chain hat, and one shirt) and sneaks out. This is my favorite thing, omg. So Mayte has fallen into a fitful sleep and is currently having a sexual nightmare about her flirtatious encounter with P that involves a lot of naked ladies distorted in funhouse mirrors and Prince wearing maybe boxer shorts?? Umbros??, a black and white vertical striped robe, and ROLLER SKATES. Not only roller skates, but knee pads as well because even when you are haunting someones dreams in a sexual way, safety first. Oh also flashbacks to dad. There is SO MUCH GOING ON HERE, my god. I would pay good money to be haunted by Prince on roller skates and safety pads in my dreams, I tell you what.

Sweet Baby Mayte wakes up from her nightmare to realize P has left her with a note that says only “Sweet baby don’t cry.” Wait I thought she was in the band, but he went on tour without her? From Minneapolis, to Japan, by train? Unclear. Anyway she packs her bags and stands despondent, weeping on some train tracks for the duration of the song until she hops on a plane back to Egypt to be a princess again.

The Continental Prince arrives by train in Tokyo, where he is visibly distraught and his band starts talking shit about him as they have a pre-show gambling sesh? The Ghost of Mayte shows up to haunt him during soundcheck where he is again very Purple Rain levels of pensive and moody, but NOT IN THE SHOW! The Continental is 3 Chain’s O Gold’s Darling Nikki - overtly sexual, many thrusts incorporated into the dancing, lots of face touching with finger flutters, proving he doesn’t require his main love interests attention, he can get it from anyone anywhere, and they’ll thank him for it. Ok so here we have two seemingly concurrent events happening I think? One is Mayte dancing in Egypt, while Prince gets some in his chain hat. This is legit a porn at this point, wait why does he have a sword??? Anyway so again with the making out and the heavy petting, but right as it gets started, Mayte has been overcome with… I don’t know, but she collapses, and Prince is simultaneously unable to perform sexually. I think to show they are spiritually connected??? Do I GET Prince’s visions now?????? I am so proud.

Damn U Back in Egypt, an old man tells Mayte she looks like a girl he used to bang. Okay. Prince has returned to Paisley Park where he is performing a one man show for a dinner party in the sound stage, I think. Again, a real treat. Black jumpsuit with a white collared shirt & white tie, yes this is a good look. Oh Tommy Barbarella must have gone on a cruise to the Bahamas on the way back, he has some hair wraps and braids now. Ugh that baritone. Damn U, damn me, this song is so good. Here’s a screen shot that could double as his Bar Mitvah photo.

Mayte has received a letter!! It’s the lyrics to Damn U. Her reaction is to go to her dress maker to get a fancy coin dress, and then hop on the next flight to LA, where they will be shooting the 7 music video, but not before there is a 5 minute segment with members of the NPG talking shit about Mayte. No, really. First up is Tony M and his date, who is Mayte? Where did she come from, what did she do? The rest of the NPG is in the gym, also talking shit about her??!! WHY IS THIS INCLUDED. I guess to show he loves her in spite of his entire band hating her? Michael Bland wants to know “What is her purpose, what does she do?” Honestly. What is this doing here. And it goes on for SO LONG!!!

7 Maybe my favorite Prince music video??? So we see past versions of Prince trapped in a time traveling cryogenic tube… The Continental yellow suit is here, the chain hat, the Morning Papers Sleeveless Grunge Shirt, some insane bolero top with a cowboy hat that unfortunately is not seen in its full glory.. each of them is electrocuted to show that he has no past, he has sown all his oats and he is ready to be faithful to Mayte and maybe now she will reciprocate his sexual advances. Also there are seven pairs of TINY CHILDREN PRINCE AND MAYTES WIELDING SWORDS AND COIN DRESSES IT IS VERY ADORABLE!!!! God he’s so intense. Oh and the “one day all 7 will die” is in reference to the 7 men that killed her father, whom he has casually assassinated by his bodyguards as he and Mayte waltz off into the sunset/another smoke filled room at Paisley Park.

End Credits Mayte calls Kirstie Alley to finally grant her long sought after interview with him, which was clearly written by him. Most of her responses are “oh.” I think this is the letter he wrote as her as his press release for why he changed his name? Again, UNCLEAR. Anyway, we’re left with shots of Prince making some kind of business deal in a smoky conference room, and then he ends up signing a contract written in Japanese with the Love Symbol. Dramatic cut to a cemetery, where we see a shallow grave containing the chain hat and the 3 chains o gold.

THAT’S IT! That’s all! Really! Any questions? I HAVE SEVERAL.

[blitzdrake]

Paranatural Things

Ok so like twice a week I like to come up with a weird crossover AU idea.  and I already snagged a BNHA/Voltron AU this week so for number two...warning STRANGER THINGS 1 and 2 spoilers may come up in this...Paranatural characters in Stranger Things AU!

(Big thanks to @iamwhelmed who is often a partner in crime and helped come up with a ton of this in back and forth)

So lets start with the older kids...we need a misguided but redeemable(spoilers end of Season 1 and all of Season 2) Bully character.....Johnny has to be Steve.  Just imagine Johnny applying Farrah Fawcett hairspray, giving bad dating advice to kids, screaming in the back of a car, and all the stranger things 2 Babysitter Steve/Johnny adventures.)

Only one person can be both the smart girl and the kick ass girl at once, so Nance, I ace my classes, run the school, booby trap a house, and also find time to charge a monster when the boys are frozen and scared, has to be Isabel. [This means early power couple Johnny/Isabel which some of you may hate...depending on your preferences for them...but bear with me...cause Nance-Isabel means...]

The shy, quiet, artistic photographer Jonathan, who is also a little weird, gets nerdy game things, and can stand up to Steve and actually get Steve in bully mode to back down, and idolizes Nance?   Ed.  That’s right....switch out a paintbrush for a camera and you got yourself an Ed. (And depending on how you like your couples in Stranger things 1/2 you either have endgame edsabel, or edsabelohnny IS there a name for that...has that ever been posited as a ship, if not I just rule Whatevered that.]

Now get your tissues ready, cause here comes the crying.  Nance’s bookwormish, nerdy friend who disappears in Stranger things 1 as a victim of the monster.....Barb, whom we all love and adore for her devotion to Nance and cry over her untimely fate.  Who....do we adore for loving Isabel who suffered an untimely fate and would be bookwormish (or perhaps...bookspiderish....) Yup...Eightfold in human form is Barb.  CRY for me, my kiddies...CRY!

So the kid, kids.....There was a brief time where I debated like Zoe and PJ...but I ran out of kids...so I figured easier to drop some of the Pnat cast down an age level....we need an established group of friends with weird hobbies and no fear of spying, breaking and entering, or jury rigging some electronics if needed.  Move over AV club for Journalism-AV club.  Collin, Suzy, and Dmitri...and for our fourth, their most unwilling member most of the time....MAX!  The only rough fit is maybe tone down Suzy’s lawlessness to more like Dustin levels.  (well Dustin season 2 might fit Suzy better anyway.)  I particularly like Max as Mike Wheeler cause Isabel would be a great older sister he can be sarcastic too...and they have a canon younger sister, Holly Wheeler, so Zoe doesn’t have poof into nothing in this AU!

For Eleven there’s a slew of options.  Personally it should come as no surprise I lean Isaac. (everyone knows most of what I have written for the paranatural verse ends up being Imaax.)  He already has inherent tool-less powers and that means the monster can be a cloud lion type monster for fun. Also this removes the potential for Isaac/Isabel conflict and I love them both too much to put them in a place where the fandom can make me cry or choose betwixt them in an AU I thought up.  However if you need Isaac and Isabel to disagree Isaac can be her younger foster sibling, a member of journalism/DandD/AV club and Max can be Eleven (levitation though magnetics rather than telekinesis) or switch in a new fourth for AV club and Eleven could also be selected from the background cast (Violet could kick some ass for example) though right now Paranatural hasn’t defined the other kids as well as the ones I’ve selected above.  Still if you wanna take this idea and run with it you can make it whomever, in my head I see wind summoning Isaac/eleven, but I am always willing to encourage people to take my weird thoughts and expand in new fun directions!)

So lastly, the ADULTS who matter...There’s Ed(Jonathan) and Collin(Will)’s soon to go insane mom.  Which I totally vote foster dad-mom Mr. Garcia.  He looks like he could go off the deep end and just sn-----aaaaaap into decorating his living room with X-mas tree lights.  

From here I go a little left field......I think Mash AV club teacher who helpfully gives them useful...ish...advice on the Upside Down when he’s not being confusing AND Stranger things 2 BOB who can be clever and helpful and smart and into Jonathan’s mom(Mr. Garcia) into ONE dude, call him AV/Journalism club teacher, Mr. Spender, and up his season one presence/involvement and build some Garcia-Spender stuff up.  And to maintain our much needed female character presence after dadding out the will’s mom role, I totally need Dr. Zarei as the Sherriff.  she can be WAY GRUFFER than Spender anyway.

So yeah...that’s my 2 cents...anyone who likes paranatural and Stranger things can take this and do what they will with it! ^_^  

There are alternatives of course REALLY mesh Season 2 into Season 1, and bring in new girl/kid skateboarder Max, as...well...Max. :-p which means find a new fourth for EV or a new eleven, and unleash theship, Dmitri/Max which is such a rarepair someone might know of it.  But Personally....I’d love to see Violet as MadMax with Dmitri and Suzy both crushing hard as .  Anywho that’s my two cents...take whatever bits and pieces you liked of this and feel free to run with it!  Just let me know if you ever do something with it with a friendly tag so I can come GUSH and praise your fun takes on it! ^_^  Muah.

[survivor-kalymnos]

Ep. 11 - “Rain rat. Rain big rat. Ra(t)in.- Franco

Michele

sasha may have one drag race but NOT this! crazy happy but gotta focus on my new main target- F R A N C O

Dusty

AH THOSE LIL TROLLS!! Well my super idol is flushed but thank god that I had it. I really thought this was gonna be an easy round huh. Well my plan to take out one of sasha or frank came true, although maybe a bit early...I voted for Michele in the revote because she has been acting shady!!! She’s barely talked to me the last 2 rounds and every time I do I get non-answers from her. Franco told me that Michele knew about his idol and she didn’t tell me and she was the vote for frank. It’s too soon to know what’s going on

Rain

So. Much. Lying. I’m lying to FRANCO about voting for FRANK I’m lying to DUSTY about voting for DUSTY The only one who knows the truth about both is WORM. Lenny is still... chefs kiss, but I just can’t tell her things anymore. I want to go to the end with her, I think we both have incredibly winning qualities. Also, still no word from Michele about SAVING HER ASS or frank. Not even a confrontation. You better be this silent when you’re on the jury.

Frank

Franco keeps asking me if we can hash things out and work together. Like no, how many times do I have to say no. They’re the biggest threat here and they need to go now otherwise they won’t ever. I’m starting to get pissed off because they just don’t understand me saying no. Like they’ve wanted me out and I want them out and my “alliance” members want them out. All of them can’t be trusted so womp because there was some shit with that vote count but at least I can trust them more than Franco. Like we can be nice to each other and talk I’m all here for that but as far as game talk, big no, and take the hint that isn’t even a hint, it’s literally me saying no like 15 times now. 

Michele

Lenny and worm are my dream top 3 partners! We just need to make it through together. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be francos target next round but as far as I’m aware it would just be him and rain voting me out now that sasha is gone. Whenever you think you’re comfortable though this tribe has a way of turning that all upside down!! Nobody is safe not even worm! 

Michele

Posting now to laugh at how much it changes. My dream order is 7th- franco, 6th- dusty, 5th- rain, 4th- frank, 3rd/2nd-worm/eliza, winner- michele

Worm

As a Cancer rising, I'm very emotional. So it's no wonder that I have mentally changed how I feel about Franco numerous times in this game. Even after going to rocks, which fucking sucked, and being really annoyed that he always has to make every tiny thing into some huge event, I still want to work with him. Part of it because I generally like him as a person. On the other hand he is a loose cannon that I'm not sure with how he's going to play each round. But after Sasha leaving and him basically ostracizing Michele I believe that he is forced to play closely with me. he also informed me that Dusty has an idol so I know he trusts me with information like that. I also love how I put my game plan down last round of what i wanted to happened and it took a complete 180. I think I need to become Franco's Trish and help smooth out some of the damage he has done. Right now I really want to target Dusty. I feel like he is still a threat without hie super idol and with the info of him having another idol means that he is a huge threat moving forward for the next few rounds. I've learned that when an odd number of people left are the best time to make blindsides because you need less people. So all I really need is Franco, myself, rain, and Michele. But all that will depend on how willing the other two are. All I hope is that Dusty doesn't win immunity, but if he does I think I can fall back on the scapegoat of Frank and use the reasoning that because he has survived so many times the jury may look at that as he is playing a good but dangerous game but is able to survive every round. In my head I have come up with a reason for why basically anyone should be voted out and all i need to do is decide on who I want in that finale with me and how I'm gonna persuade everyone to get my targets out. Now that we are getting close to the end I need a move that I can claim as my own, but it still may be dangerous with 3 tribal after this one to do it now. I just need to do what I've been doing and adjusting my game every round to put myself in the optimal position.

Michele

POOR LENNY! Also time to vote out franco. I also forgot if I said this but Lenny and I are rataTWOille now

lenny

Here I am back on the bottom during the challenges! Still feeling fabulous though for some reason but also terrified we'll go to rocks again. Talking to everyone and making sure everyone is okay... except for frank. I find frank very difficult to hold a conversation with. :/ Anyways, praying that I don't get sent home. Also, I was so excited for worm for winning immunity. I genuinely care about everyone in the game rn (except frank not bcuz I don't like him, but he just doesn't interact with me). I am rooting for all of my tribemates!!! We're a good group of people. Unfortunately, that makes voting people out really really heartbreaking. 

Michele

Pretty sure I’m leaving at this tribal council. If I do it’ll be sad but I will be excited for jury chat except sasha! 

Franco

Day 5 of missing Eliza Day 2 of missing Sasha okay so, last tribal didn't go EXACTLY as planned, but considering how intricate the plan actually was, that many things going right is pretty impressive. I'm gonna mark it as a success! I really really wanted Sasha to stay, but, I at least live to fight another day. I'm not great at flash games. I'm kinda just okay at them. SO it was no surprise I just got 3rd in the challenge. Worm winning was great for me. He's a close ally and now we have a full range of targets to choose from on the other side. More options means more chances for me to stay. RAIN, the new love of my life, FOUND THE SECOND REHIDDEN IDOL. which is SO insane. like we really are just pulling idols out of our asses. THIS TIME we're not gonna get as messy. we're going to be smart with it. I'm still public enemy #1, and I trust Rain would use the idol on me if they thought I was the target. Now we just gotta make sure we know what's going on so we can use it correctly. We can NOT afford another tribal going awry for us. Dusty HAS to go. He has the best chance of winning and I want him OUT. He has another idol, good for 3 more votes. We just have to figure out when he's using it and when hes not so we can play around it. I want him gone this round. IN ORDER MY TARGET LIST IS AS FOLLOWS Dusty (snake, habitual liar) > Michele (rat, and i kinda pissed her off) > Frank (aggressive and refuses to even talk to me. Deadass just says no whenever I propose a deal) > Lenny (why is she... still here). I'm kinda worried about taking Worm to the end with me, but I trust him. And now I think that's more important than anything else. But damn is he playing a really good game rn.

Michele

Skskskskks it’s top 7 HOW ARE WE STILL NOT VOTING FRANCO OUT Y’ALL!!! At this point might as well hand him the crown

Franco

okay so tribal is getting messy again Dusty is throwing Michele's name out, but i don't know if he's serious. I still want him gone, but one less vote for me is not something to take lightly Michele told me straight up she might vote me. Frank is definitely voting me. Lenny is definitely voting me. That's 3 votes for sure!! and with idols and stuff we don't know whats going to actually happen. Rain found an idol. I'm so proud of them, but they just told me they're not going to play it on me??? HUH???? Like.... if your biggest ally is at risk of going home, it just seems like the right move to save them with ur idol! i understand they want it for themself but I don't wanna GO

Rain

Motherfucker my confession got eaten Anyway I told Franco I wouldn’t play my idol on him and he goes “if I go your game is ruined” Quite frankly... fuck you man that’s so rude?? Honestly I’d probably be better off without Franco; I could have worm AND Lenny AND Michele! I could be the new Franco! But less OTT! But for now I’m going to sit in the shadows waiting to be voted out. I’m going to play toward dusty and toward Michele to see if I can’t... flirt with the other side, I suppose. I’ve got my idol. That’s what counts. 

lenny

here is the sitch! so, I am currently in a group with michele and worm. I am hoping michele and I stick together. Dusty wants me in a group with them and frank. I like dusty but if they are close with frank, they would both pick each other over me.

Frank

These people really out here trying to get an OTT edit this round. Let it just be a 4-3 vote between Franco and Michele, boom simple done. Let it be and we can move forward. I know Michele, Worm, and Lenny also have an alliance but Worm said they’re voting Michele so this is spicy. I’m fine with Michele going next but Franco has to go now. Although I also want Rain gone next. Truly I’m just trying to stay safe and want to keep a low profile this round to not be in a tie for a third round in a row. 

Dusty

Things are sounding pretty crazy this round. Franco is panicking because his neck is on the chopping block. Which just means everyone’s creating drama and throwing each other under the bus. Besides all of that I still think I’ll be a simple vote. Lenny, Michele, Frank, and I will be voting for Franco while I think Franco, Worm, and Rain will be voting for Michele. Or as Worm called her, “Ratchele” 👀 Worm did also tell me about the alliance between them, Lenny, and Michele but now that Worm is flipping hopefully that bond is broken. I’m not using my idol because I don’t really think I have to worry about being voted off this tribal. Could be a mistake but it’s worth the advantage of having an idol next round.  

lenny

WOW SO MUCH DRAMA and I don't even really get what it is about. Someone is trying to stir the pot. Everything was really low-key before 1pm. So, I am going to return to that mindset. 

Franco

OKAY SO MORE HAS HAPPENED Rain rat. Rain big rat. Ra(t)in. Rain ratted out Worm and I to Dusty while we were trying to gather votes onto him. THEN tried to pin it on Michele. But we talked to Dusty and Michele and we got it confirmed that Michele didn't rat!! for once!! it was rain!! SO NOW WORM AND I ARE BRAINSTORMING. The easiest thing to do is stick with Dusty and Rain and vote out Michele, but where does that leave us next round????? IF we can flip Michele, we can vote out Dusty OR Rain as well. I really thought I could trust Rain. But they are pulling some SHADY shit this round. I'm so nervous. I just HAVE to make sure we know where the votes are going and know we have enough. If we vote wrong, my ass is gone. Rain won't idol me.

[chumchunom]

NWT BBSIM WEEK 6

@bb-8teen @bigbrotheristerribleandihateit @bitterjurorssavetheday @carry-on-wayward-starkid @cirie @jessica-milagros @juliechensponytail @julieeexcheeen @kaysarswhore @kelleekim @legendareme @marcdjr00 @peterbrownismydaddy @rennyforpresident​ @whats-bb22

It’s been a month since of the battle for the $500K begun, there have been insane evictions, crazy blindsides and an unexpected backdoor sending 5 people out of the game.

This week, with the power back up for grabs, who will become the new Head of Household and who will be the first Jury member of the season? Find out next on NWT Big Brother!

. . .

It’s the day after the Eviction and everyone is preparing for the Head of Household competition.

As the houseguests enter the backyard they see a big bathtub and some buckets.

“Oh no... I don’t like where this is going....” @/whats-bb22 says as they get closer to the bathtub.

“Houseguests! I hope everyone is ready for a nice and refreshing time in the tub!” @/kelleekim says as he will host the competition.

“.....” everyone is just silent.

“Ok lemme explain the rules!” @/kelleekim says and once he’s done everyone gets even more scared.

“Thank god I’m sitting this one out.” @/kelleekim laughs.

“Alright everyone please get into the bathtub so we can start the competition.” @/kelleekim orders.

Reluctantly, everyone gets into the bathtub and competition begins.

(um so this comp is actually super boring to write, on the show they literally turned this into a whole recap episode because the hgs were just sitting around talking SAHJSAH, so im gonna skip this one chief) 

. . .

. . .

“Uhhhh I’m gonna need a new skin because that water is foul...” @/julieeexcheeen shivers, stepping out of the bathtub.

“But at least ya girl is staying in the HOH room tonight!!” @/julieeexcheeen DR.

It’s Nominations day, everyone is in the kitchen.

“As the Head of Household, I have the power to nominate 2 houseguests for elimination, the the ones that I’ve decided to nominate are...” @/julieeexcheeen twists the keys revealing...

“I’ve made my decisions based strictly on game, I consider you two to be great players and I don’t want to miss my chance at getting one of you out.” @/julieeexcheeen explains.

The 2 nominees are unphased by this.

“Hmmm someone decided to starting playing I see...” @/legendareme blankly stares at the camera in his DR.

“I am not too worried about this because this is part of the plan hehe.” @/whats-bb22 smiles in his DR.

“Yeah.... I didn’t nominate @/whats-bb22 because I want him out, I did it because I know between him and @/legendareme, if everyone has to pick someone to save it’s definitely gonna be @/whats-bb22 sooo I struck a deal with him and he promised to be a pawn for me.” @/julieeexcheen reveals her true plan in her DR.

“The Nominations ceremony is over.”

It’s time to select Veto players, the houseguests are waiting in the living room.

@/peterbrownismydaddy, me and @/kaysarswhore will join the HOH and the nominees in the Veto competition tomorrow.

It is tomorrow and everyone is out in the backyard for the competition.

“Omg ewww.” @/juliechensponytail cringes when she sees the hanging gnomes, “I really don’t like gnomes, they creep me out...” she says.

“Hello houseguests! Who’s ready for the competition??” @/jessica-milagros, the host, asks.

“We’re ready!” Yeah!!” “Let’s gnome!! Haha get it? Gnome?...” everyone responds.

“Alright, here’s how it goes...” @/jessica-milagros starts explaining the rules and once everyone gets it the competition begins.

(despite the simple concept, this competition is actually very complicated for me to write so ummm hehe! you can look up the competition to watch for yourself, its season 3 ep 21 i think and i recommend using SOAP2DAY it has literally everything on it, but basically all the questions are personal questions about the hgs so its just tew much for my brain to recreate so im sorry hhh)

(its really funny how the different the hoh and the veto competition are sjhsahjsajsa. me watching the comps for writing materials: well.... thats unfortunate) 

. . .

“Yayyy!!” @/kaysarswhore claps as the final gnome falls.

“ Congrats @/kaysarswhore you have won the Power of Veto!” @/jessica-milagros announces and puts the Veto necklace on @/kaysarswhore.

“I’m back bitches!” @/kaysarswhore confidently smiles in her DR.

It’s time for the Veto meeting.

@/legendareme and @/whats-bb22 will have a chance to convince the Veto holder to save them.

“@/kaysarswhore congrats on winning! I hope that you can use the Veto on me but it’s a-okay if you don’t, just do what’s best for you!” @/legendareme says.

“Hiii, of course I want to be saved and I do hope that you will use the Veto for me but honestly I’m fine with whatever you decide!” @/whats-bb22 says even though he doesn’t want the nominations to change. 

“Ok I’ve made decision and I am going to... use the Veto on @/whats-bb22!” @/kaysarswhore announces.

Both @/julieeexcheeen and @/whats-bb22 are shocked by this and for a quick second glance at each other in confusion.

“Uhhh.. thank you!...” @/whats-bb22 says , standing up to hug @/kaysarswhore.

“And since I’ve Vetoed one of your nominees, @/julieeexcheeen please name a replacement nomination.” @/kaysarswhore continues.

Still stunned by what just just happened, @/julieeexcheeen doesn’t know what to do...

@/julieeexcheeen stands up and looks around the room of people and when her eyes land on @/jessica-milagros she says “@/jessica-milagros this is nothing personal so please take a seat...”

Now it is @/jessica-milagros turn to be shocked and confused but he manages to nod and join @/legendareme in the Nominations chair.

“I..... that was not supposed to happen... but @/legendareme is still my target so the plan is not over yet.” @/julieeexcheeen shakes her head in the DR.

It’s final, @/legendareme and @/jessica-milagros are up for eviction.

The houseguests are going through it this week god bless!

“This week @/julieeexcheeen rose to power, she decided to make a move and targeted @/legendareme! But at the Veto ceremony @/julieeexcheeen lost her pawn so she had to nominate another one on the spot, even though her target is still on the block, the game pressure got to her. Can she successfully send @/legendareme home or will it be @/jessica-milagros that catch the bullet instead? I’m Julie Chen [REDACTED] and welcome back to NWT Big Brother!” Julie says.

“Let’s get with the houseguests!”

“Hello houseguests!” Julie greets.

“Hello Julie!” “Hey girl heyyy.” “What’s uppp.” everyone responds.

“In a few moments, everyone will vote to evict either @/legendareme or @/jessica-milagros but before that they will have a chance to sway the votes to their favor. @/legendareme you go first!”

@/legendareme stands up and begins.

“Hello, I hope that you guys can keep me for a little bit longer because I love this game and I love playing it with everyone so please!”

“@/jessica-milagros it’s your turn.”

“Hi, I respect everyone and no matter what you guys choose I’ll be fine with it...” @/jessica-milagros says.

“Alright then, it is time to vote! And as a reminder, @/julieeexcheeen as the HOH you can not vote but in the event of a tie you will be the deciding vote. Ok @/carry-on-wayward-starkid you first.”

“That’s 4 votes for @/jessica-milagros and if one more person vote to evict him, he will be leaving the house.”

“And it’s official, with 5 votes to evict it is enough for @/jessica-milagros to leave. But let’s see how the rest will vote.”

“Ok, let’s break the news for the houseguests!”

“Everyone! I have the votes! By a 6 to 2 votes........”

“@/legendareme you are... safe.”

Julie shocked everyone with this.

Hearing the news, @/jessica-milagros stands up and gives everyone a hug and exits the house.

Julie then says goodbye to the houseguests as she’s about to interview our first Jury member @/jessica-milagros.

“Hello @/jessica-milagros how are you?!” Julie asks.

“Omg Julie... I actually feel pretty ok!” @/jessica-milagros answers truthfully.

“I guess that you did expect this outcome?” Julie asks again.

“Yeah... I did in some... sense? I don’t know Julie but something told me that my time in the house is up so.” @/jessica-milagros says.

“Well I’m glad that you are taking this well!” Julie says “And even though you’re out of the house, you are still in the game as you will be one of the deciding votes in the Finale so I hope you will enjoy your time in the Jury house!” she continues.

“Thanks Julie.” @/jessica-milagros smiles.

Julie then turns to the camera and says goodbye to the viewers ending the episode.

That’s it for WEEK 6, I’ll be back tomorrow for WEEK 7.