#Messy comic before hitting the hay

[screwpinecaprice]

Intrusive thought fights back intrusive thought.

[agoddamn]

I was hugely into Westerns for a while, so the whole "shoot gun out of bad guy's hand" trope has always stuck out to me.

It's, you know, objectively hilarious when you watch a show that has guys iconically linked with their guns to the point of being synonymous, and in spite of magdumping those guns every episode somehow don't manage to kill anyone.

But in particular, the "shoot gun out of hand" trope is extremely cowboy. Hell, it's a hallmark of the Lone Ranger. "Shoot improbable thing" (trick shooting) in general is a specific cowboy trope in the first place (see: Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Wild Bill, etc). Cowboys absolutely have first claim on this. Annie Oakley in the 1880s:

Oakley never failed to delight her audiences, and her feats of marksmanship were truly incredible. At 30 paces she could split a playing card held edge-on, she hit dimes tossed into the air, she shot cigarettes from her husband's lips, and, a playing card being thrown into the air, she riddled it before it touched the ground.

Westerns were extremely popular in the 40s and 50s, in part because the "historical setting" let them bend around the "no revenge" rule in the Hays Code. The "shoot-gun-from-hand" trope allowed filmmakers to have all the tension of a life-or-death quick-draw duel without the messy "but the children!" bleating after.

I'd argue that this was also part of why Westerns were so popular with kids; Westerns got to indulge in more action and violence than many other programs at the time. This vintage article reports over 125 million dollars worth of cowboy toys sold in 1959. The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, or the vast, vast arrays of pulp Western comics (Kid Cowboy, Rawhide Kid, Kid Colt, Two-Gun Kid, Ringo Kid--are you noticing a pattern?)--it was big.

As a handy way to nonlethally end a gunfight, of course it spread to action movies and any other genre that wanted to splash in gunplay while avoiding the ethics of murder. But it's a cowboy thing first and foremost, so it always makes me chuckle when I see, say, Japanese anime making use of it (Gunsmith Cats is actually a rare example where shooting the gun from someone's hand is not clean and painless; surviving targets suffer mutilated hands or missing fingers).

[perpetuallylocked]

Tag Yourself: Nancy Drew Game Aesthetics Edition

SCK: opening a new book for the first time, the nostalgia of VHS tapes, coca cola in a glass, remembering your locker combo, letterman jackets, watching true crime documentaries, empty high school hallways, 1950s diners, cramming before an exam

STFD: boxes of chocolates, tape recorders, the click-clack of typewriter keys, catching a taxi, shadows on the wall, stained coffee cups, sitting down to rewatch a tv show, perfume bottles, 1990s fashions

MHM: the sight of dust mixing with light, sightreading old sheet music, crystal chandeliers, old floral teacups, crystal balls, old rotary phones, grand staircases, intricate wooden floors, never-ending house projects

TRT: the glitter of diamonds, worn chessboards, snow-covered gardens, ink-covered hands, butterfly collections, cold tile floors, dull suits of armor, dusty history tomes, footsteps muffled by carpets

FIN: plush red velvet, the scent of popcorn, drawing art deco designs in the margins, worn carpets, old playing cards, the feeling there is still magic everywhere, meeting a childhood idol, movie posters on the wall, catching up with a childhood friend

SSH: jade carvings, steep stone steps, chocolate bars, being the only person in a museum gallery, clean lab coats, amazing sights through a microscope, visiting the hospital, remembering facts you've only heard once, checking the mail for your package

DOG: log cabins, the flapping of bird wings, the distant howling of dogs, the odd sensation when you can see the moon during the day, the scent of pine trees, old glass bottles, strolls along the lake shore, admiring 1920s fashion, long walks in the woods

CAR: antique roller coasters, old postcards, the golden light at dusk, loud band organ music, sounds of a carnival at night, ice cream sundaes for dessert, the delight of riding the carousel for the first time, paint-stained clothes, winning a prize from a carnival game

DDI: a steaming mug of tea on a foggy day, sea caves, light from a lighthouse piercing the fog, messages in bottles, approaching deep water, the sound of seagulls, vintage blue bicycles, spotting a whale on the horizon, crumb-topped blueberry muffins

SHA: worn plaid shirts, sunsets on the horizon, the clip-clopping of hooves, antique blanket chests, forbidden romance, mason jars of flowers, brown and blue eggs, playing piano by ear, faded rugs

CUR: leather-bound books, small potted succulents, curving staircases, old portraits, family secrets, four-poster beds, hearing strange sounds at night, food cravings, spending all day on your laptop

CLK: the ticking of an old clock, pearl and cameo jewelry, the scent of a pie baking, the whir of a sewing machine, reading in a window seat, flouncy dresses, bridges over creeks, driving around a small town, reading Shakespeare for your own enjoyment

TRN: ballet slippers, snow mixed with smoke, faded pastel embroidery, the far-off sound of train whistles, old parchment and wax seals, unwrapping a piece of salt water taffy, quirky local museums, organizing your collections and belongings, light shining through tiffany lamps

DAN: light streaming through stained glass windows, bold red lipstick, freshly baked cookies, tales from your grandparents' youth, long-lost love, twirling in a tulle skirt, the overwhelming desire to visit paris, planning out your outfit for the next day, park benches

CRE: wind in the palm trees, footprints in the sand, rustling in the jungle, small seashells, rope bridges, fruity shave ice, waves tickling your toes, the tangy taste of pineapple, watching surfers from the beach

ICE: frozen lakes, sitting by a crackling fire, snow-covered piles of logs, worn leather ice skates, paw prints, staying in bed after you've woken up, seeing your breath in the cold air, unexpected snowball fights, leather-bound journals

CRY: shadows emphasized by candlelight, dirt-caked fingernails, exploring a cemetery at night, wrought iron fences, the smell after it rains, shelves lined with tchotchkes, going back for second helpings at dinner, moonlight streaming through the window, a grandfather clock at the end of the hall

VEN: gelato cones, orange and brown buildings, soft italian songs, gold lockets, buying flowers for yourself, cobblestone courtyards, leaning over the balcony rail, the overwhelming desire to reinvent yourself, dancing like no one is watching

HAU: ocean waves hitting cliffs, hanging herb bundles, old stone fortresses, white lace and promises, wilting flower bouquets, whistling to keep yourself company, distant celtic music, simple diamond rings, sitting in a peaceful garden

RAN: old gold coins, wading in the cold ocean, a slow-moving hourglass, seeing where the sky meets the sea, old pirate legends, sand between your toes, looking down through clear water, buying yourself new clothes for vacation, eating fruit salad for breakfast

WAC: exploring a college campus, old trophies, distant cello music, milk and cookies, cardigan sweaters, texting your friends, bare tree branches, anthologies of stories, school supply shopping

TOT: wind rustling through wheat fields, creaking wooden staircases, white curtains on the window, golden hay bales, old fences lining the road, watching a storm from the porch, buying a new camera, hanging out in your favorite professor's office, sitting on a tire swing

SAW: the faint scent of cherry blossoms, origami cranes, taking a bath, hearing a new language for the first time, shards of glass, seeing your reflection in the water, buying a new stuffed animal, trying a new food on vacation, listening to your grandmother's stories

CAP: rereading favorite fairy tales, blood-red garnets, red hair in braids, mist in the forest, local legends, playing board games on rainy days, remembering your make-believe games of childhood, puffy-sleeved blouses, watching glassblowers make magic

ASH: blue roadsters, rapidly melting ice cream cones, white picket fences, pastel shop awnings, hand-lettered signs in front of shops, the act of simply being with your friends, revisiting your childhood bedroom, spending all day in an antique shop, visiting your friend's house for the first time

TMB: wind-blown sand, straw sun hats, the warmth of the afternoon, chipped statues, well-used research books, having an egypt phase as a kid, planning your next adventure, drinking cold water on a hot day, pushing your hair out of your face

DED: pencil-covered hands, well-oiled gears, the crackling of electricity, eating your favorite flavor of gummy bears, group projects, keeping to yourself at work, unironically wearing ugly sweaters, publishing your research, organizing your messy desk

GTH: peeling paint on a once-grand house, angel statues, sheet-covered furniture, porch swings, lit matches, lace masquerade masks, grand ball gowns, drinking a hot cup of tea and lemon, looking for treasures in the basement

SPY: old leather suitcases, distant memories, the lingering touch of your true love, piano keys, adrenaline rushes, popped trench coat collars, hugging your mom after not seeing her for ages, looking out the window on a train ride, hearing movie soundtracks in your head

MED: the view from the top of a mountain, the rushing sound of waterfalls, freshly dyed hair, shooting stars, wandering off the trail, vintage comic books, philosophical thoughts, binge-watching reality tv, feeling the sense of deja vu

LIE: hands coated with clay and paint, laurel wreaths, pomegranate juice, books of Greek myths, gold sandals, memorizing a monologue, flowing white gowns, spending all day in a museum gallery, exploring ancient ruins

SEA: the twinkling sound of old music boxes, a night shining with stars, cozy knit sweaters, curling up with your dog, model ships, old barrels, learning your town's history, watching gently falling snow, the beauty of the aurora borealis

MID: the dark colors of herbs, edison bulbs, copper kettles, slowly changing leaves, road trips with friends, carving a jack-o'-lantern, exploring cemeteries at night, small shops surrounding a courtyard, thinking you saw a ghost out of the corner of your eye

[scorpio-skies]

OC as a Companion Meme!

NAME: Nora Hart

FOUND: Near Sunshine Tidings Co-Op, fighting raiders at the church. 

COMPANION PERK: The Bear Necessities - Acquire Honey the yao guai as an extra companion.  

ROMANCEABLE:  Yes 

(I was tagged for this a very long time ago, but always wanted to do it! Tagging: @eluvisen​ @mrninjapineapple​ @ariejul​ @sociallyacceptablemadness​ @lothrilzul​ @slothssassin​ @mars-colony​ @lookbluesoup​ @tarberrymentats​ @leporidaefluff​ @charomiami​ @beckiboos​ and anybody who’d like to do it! If you’ve done it before feel free to rb your original unless you wanna make another for a diff OC >:3c but no pressure at all!)

 WEAPON OF CHOICE: 

Lucky (.357 magnum revolver from FNV ;p)

Combat rifle

 I THINK WE SHOULD TRAVEL TOGETHER:

“Then let’s hit the road!” 

“Time for another adventure? Count me in!”

“You can count on me, boss!” 

“Let’s get going, then!”

“The road’s a-calling.” 

“Sounds like fun!” 

(Romanced) “Good! I was hoping for some quality time with you.”

(Romanced) “I’d follow you anywhere, love. Lead on.”

 USE MELEE:

“This is too close for comfort!” 

“Let’s hit ‘em hard and fast!” 

“Just go down already!” 

“It’s about to get messy!”

 USE RANGED:

“I’ve got your back!” 

“They won’t get past me.” 

“Nothing like a long-distance relationship!” 

“Got it!”

 OPEN INVENTORY:

“That’ll be twenty-caps. Just kidding!” 

“What do you need?” 

“Here’s what I’ve got!” 

“Sure thing -- just don’t mess up my pack.”

(Romanced) “Oh? Did you get me something nice?”

 IF OVERENCUMBERED:

“See, this is why caravans have carts and brahmin.” 

“Shame Honey isn’t here to carry that for us… / Why don’t you see if Honey’ll carry it for ya?” 

“I mean, I love junk as much as the next gal but... don’t you think you’re overdoing it?” 

“Let me carry some of that for you.” 

“You’re gonna hurt your back like that!” 

“Your pack’s gonna pop…”

 STAY CLOSE:

“I’m with you.” 

“Right beside you.” 

“I’m here.”

 KEEP DISTANCE:

“Gotcha.” 

“You got it.”

"Sure."

STEALTH:

"The sneaky way, huh?" 

"Like shadows." 

"Alright, let's go quietly." 

"They won't know what hit em." 

 BACKUP:

“Oh! Sorry."

"I'll give you some space." 

“Sorry -- don’t mean to be stepping on your toes!”

BE PASSIVE:

“Always worth negotiating!” 

“I definitely prefer talking to violence.” 

“Sounds good to me, boss. I’d prefer not to shoot if I don’t have to.” 

“Turn on the charm!” 

“You’re quite the people person.” 

“You’re a real charmer, ain’t ya?” 

(Romanced) “That’s my hero!”

 BE AGGRESSIVE:

“Just say the word, boss.” 

“I’m ready.” 

“Guess it’s too late to ask them nicely?” 

“Alright. Let’s bring the mayhem.”

“Well, if we can’t talk them down…”

 USE STIMPAK:

“Ow… thanks, boss.” 

“Ugh, needles… remind me not to get shot again.” 

“Phew that’s better.” 

“Thanks -- I’m good.”

“Back to it!”

WAIT HERE:

“Don’t go too far, okay?” 

“Alright. Hurry back before I get too bored though, yeah?” 

“Okay, I’ll be here.”

FOLLOW ME:

“Welcome back, boss!” 

“Alright, let’s get back to it!” 

“Lead on, boss. I’m with you.” 

“Glad to have you back.”

LOVER’S EMBRACE: 

“That was a good roll in the hay…” 

“Jackpot!” 

“Now that’s what I call a rodeo...”

“Morning beautiful/handsome!” 

“Could stay all day in bed with you…” 

“I love you. I want you to know that.” 

 DISMISSED:

“Well, you know where I’ll be.” 

“Alright then. Take care of yourself, boss. You know where to find me.” 

“Okay then. I’ll tell Kammie and Honey you said hi.” 

“Alright -- you be careful, though. You hear me?” 

“Time to head home then -- come and see us soon, yeah?” 

(Romanced) “If that’s what you want, just… come home safe to me, alright? I’ll be waiting for you.”

 ENEMIES (LONG RANGE)

“Today is not your lucky day!”

“You’re gonna regret this!” 

“Shouldn’t pick fights ya can’t finish!”

“Hope you’ve made your peace!”

(Raiders) “You’re not gotta loot us!”

(Raiders) “You’re not hurting anybody else!” 

(Raiders) “Time to answer for your crimes!” 

(Gunners) “Let’s teach these thugs how to shoot!” 

(Gunners) “I ain’t losing to the likes of you!” 

(Gunners) “Hope those caps were worth your life!”

(Insects) “Ugh. These things creep me out!”

(Insects) “Buzz off!” 

(Synths/Robots) “I’m gonna sell you for scrap!”

(Synths/Robots) “Time to shut you down permanently!”

(Super mutants) “Why are they always so big and angry?”

(Super mutants) “We’re not on the menu!” 

(Super mutants) “I’m not going in some meat bag!”

(Behemoth/Mirelurk Queen) “Holy shit!” 

(Behemoth/Mirelurk Queen) “The bigger they are, the harder they’ll fall!”

(Feral ghouls) “These things creep me out.”

(Feral ghouls) “Boss! Ferals!” 

(Deathclaw) “Deathclaw! Run!” 

(Deathclaw) “Deathclaw! Look out!” 

(Yao Guai) “Don’t tell Honey!” 

(Yao Guai) “I’m sorry bear!” 

(Dogs/Radstags/Brahmiluff) “God I hate having to do that.” 

(Dogs/Radstags/Brahmiluff/mole rats) “I’m sorry -- you left me no choice.”

(Critical Kill) “WOO! Nice shot!”

(Critical Kill) “Lucky hit!”

ENEMIES (CLOSE RANGE)

“Bring it!” 

“Let’s dance!” 

“Look out!” 

“They’re on us!”

(Insects) “Ugh -- I hate these things!”

(Insects) “Disgusting!” 

(Insects) “You’re really starting to bug me!”

(Synths/Robots) “Where’s the off switch?”

(Children of Atom) “Hope you said your prayers!”

(Super mutants) “Wow, you’re a big fella.” 

(Super mutants) “What do these guys eat? No -- don’t answer that.”

(Super mutants) “I am not a snack!”

(Feral ghouls) “Get away from me!” 

(Feral ghouls) “Shit!”

(Feral ghouls) “Way too close!”

(Mirelurks) “These guys sure are crabby!”

 WHEN ENTERING:

GOODNEIGHBOR

“Well, this looks like a good place to get mugged.” 

“Ah, Goodneighbor. Crime capital of the Commonwealth -- watch your back here, boss.” 

“Yeah, Goodneighbor has walls but it’s got plenty of cut-throats within them. We’ll need to watch our backs. Also our caps.” 

“Oh, boss. You always take me to the ‘nicest’ places.” 

“Is everyone’s staring at us, or is that just me?”

 DIAMOND CITY

“So, this is the great green jewel of the Commonwealth… I’ll have to get Kammie a souvenir.”

“Hey -- mind if we stop by the market? I wanna see if I can wrangle us some deals.”

“Noodles? Served by a robot? Kammie is not gonna believe this...”

“Do you think these people ever get tired of looking at the walls?” 

“So this is the infamous Dugout… You hear a lot about this place in the caravans. Home of Bobrov’s Best! Fancy getting a bottle?”

 BUNKER HILL

“These guys are miserly, even by trader standards. If you need anything, let me do the haggling, yeah?” 

“Bunker Hill’s a popular stop for caravans. Me and Kammie were planning on stopping here, but I’m not sure they’d let Honey through the gate…”

“I’ve been here before, you know. But it was a long time ago.”

 BOSTON AIRPORT

“Do you really think those wrecks could fly? I can’t even imagine what that’d be like…” 

“If we could still fly like that… think of all of the places we could see.”

(After Reveille has triggered) “Wow… Just look at that airship!”

(After Reveille has triggered) “Looks like the Brotherhood mean business. Maybe we should move on?”

(After Reveille has triggered) “I don’t really wanna tangle with the Brotherhood, boss. They’re bad for business.”

 THE PRYDWEN

“Wow -- just look at that view!”

“This ship is amazing -- and look at all the power armour!”

“Hey, do you think they’ll sell me a suit if I ask nicely?”

 THE CASTLE

“The Castle must have been a sight to see when the Minutemen were in charge. Shame about the current tenants...”

(After Castle is restored) “It’s great to see the Castle back in Minutemen hands!”

(After Castle is restored) “The Minutemen have done a great job fixing the Castle up again!.”

(After Castle is restored) “I bet the sunrise is something to see from those walls...” 

(After Castle is restored) “Me and Kammie were talking about whether we should join the Minutemen or not… do you think they accept bears?”

 QUINCY

(Before clearing Quincy) “I heard about what the Gunners did to Quincy… nothing but a bunch of murderers.” 

(Before clearing Quincy) “Look at what they did here… The Gunners are no better than raiders.”

(After clearing Quincy) “I really hope Quincy can rebuild and recover someday.” 

 THE GLOWING SEA

“So… which of us will turn ghoul first?” 

“Is there a way to turn the Geiger counter off? It keeps reminding me we’re dying and I don’t like it.” 

“This place… it’s like we’re in a nightmare.” 

“I keep seeing things moving in the fog…” 

“Do you think they really knew what they were doing when they dropped the bombs?”

“We’ll have to drink a few pints of radaway after this…”

 CONCORD

“That vertibird makes an interesting installation...”

 LEXINGTON

“I heard Lexington is overrun with ferals… are you sure we can’t go around?” 

“I feel like there’s something around every corner...”

“Why can’t the ferals just eat the raiders?”

 SALEM

“This place belongs in a horror comic.”

(Devil’s Due) “I don’t like the sound of that...” 

(Return egg to the deathclaw) “I’m proud of you, boss. Those deathclaws deserved better… now, let’s back away nice and slow and leave them to it, yeah?”

 LYNN WOODS

“Those claw marks on the rock… Deathclaw territory. Stay alert.”

“Try not to make too much noise. If a deathclaw comes after us, I don’t know if we can stop it.”

 NAHANT

“Keep an eye out. There’s a floating raider fortress nearby.”

“Caravans have disappeared around here, and the survivor stories...? They’re not good.” 

“I don’t think we’ll find anything other than crabs and scrap around here.”

“I hope there’s no big mirelurks around…” 

“What kind of maniac wants to live out by the sea, anyway? You don’t know what’s out there!”

 CAMBRIDGE

“That police station’s well fortified -- here’s hoping they’re friendly.” 

“Why is this place so quiet…? I don’t like it.” 

“I thought raiders had taken over the place… not that I’m complaining.” 

“Oh. Ghouls. God I wish it was raiders.”

 SANCTUARY

“So this is your old home, huh?” 

“We should set up a supply line between here and Sunshine! We can help each other out.” 

“This is quite a nice place!” 

 SUNSHINE TIDING’S CO-OP 

“Home sweet home!” 

“You think we can stop by for some of Kamal’s lasagne?” 

“I’ll check in on the animals while we’re here.” 

(when greeted by Honey) “Hey there, Honey bear! How’re you today?” 

“I’m gonna go check on Kammie.”

“Home is where you keep your bear!”

 AGGRESSION: not aggressive/aggressive/very aggressive/frenzied

CONFIDENCE: cowardly/cautious/average/brave/foolhardy

ASSISTANCE: helps nobody/helps allies/helps friends and allies

 LOSE AS COMPANION PERMANENTLY:

Too many dislikes

Siding with the Institute 

Choosing Institute option in personal quest 

Destroying the Railroad

Selling Billy to slavers in Kid in a Fridge

Killing Kent Connolly in The Silver Shroud

Siding with Covenant

Destroying Acadia 

Destroying Far Harbor 

Siding with the Nuka-World raiders

Raiding the Commonwealth for Nuka-World 

Bringing X6-88 near (will turn Nora, Honey and Kamal hostile) 

Attacking Honey or Kamal 

Killing Phyllis Daily 

Killing Paladin Danse in Blind Betrayal

Killing Jules in the random synth encounter

 PERSONAL MISSION: Override 

Nora can be found fighting raiders at the church near Sunshine Tidings Co-op with Kamal and Honey. After the player helps them dispatch the raiders, they introduce themselves as traders seeking a safe place to set up their business. If the player has unlocked Sunshine as a settlement, they can send them there. This unlocks Nora as a companion, and Kamal as a trader. Honey operates as a guard-bear. 

After the player unlocks the Institute for the first time, they return to Sunshine to find the settlement under attack by coursers. 

Once the coursers are dispatched, Nora and Kamal have a panicked discussion where Nora worries that the Institute is on to her. Nora and Kamal lead the player to a quiet area of Sunshine and Nora tells Kamal that she trusts the player. 

She then confesses that she’s an escaped synth, and that the coursers were after her. She doesn’t know much about her past other than her time with the caravans, but over the years has been the victim of attempted reclamation by coursers. She and Kamal returned to the Commonwealth to try and learn how to stop it. 

If the player has not taken Nora to the Railroad or discovered them, Nora and Kamal mention that they’ve heard of the Railroad and were hoping they could help them. The player can then offer to find out more. 

If the player has taken Nora to the Railroad before, she will ask the player if they can convince the Railroad to help her. 

If the player goes to the Railroad, Tinker Tom provides a holotape. If the player uses it in the Synth Retention Bureau, it wipes Nora’s record from the system as well as some other escaped synths. 

After the player wipes Nora from the Institute’s records they can assure her that she’s safe and doesn’t have to run anymore. Nora and Kamal are overjoyed that they don’t have to keep running, and they agree that they want to set up a ranch at Sunshine. 

Nora will mention that Honey’s overjoyed too and has taken a liking to the player. The player has then unlocked Nora’s perk, The Bear Necessities, and Honey shall accompany Nora when the player character recruits her. 

Honey can be ordered much the same as Dogmeat, but she has a greater carry capacity, health and damage. She can be told to stay at Sunshine. 

The player can, however, choose to instead inform Ayo of Nora’s location. 

When the player next returns to Sunshine, they’ll find Kamal waiting for them with Honey. He’s injured and frantic, informing the player that coursers took Nora. If the player admits they handed Nora over, both Kamal and Honey will turn hostile.

 If the player feigns innocence, Kamal will insist he knows something’s not right. 

If the player tries to convince Kamal Nora’s gone forever, he’ll swear to keep looking for her no matter what it takes. 

When the player returns to the Institute, Nora can be found but renamed with her synth designation, C9-42. She reacts to the player character with the same deference as other synths, but knows them only as Father’s parent. Although she has the same bland smile as other synths when talking to the player, outside of conversation she will have a sad expression.

[gaypasta]

new beginnings aren't all that new

a Hozier fic (yes i call richie/mike hozier because.... when the opportunity knocks) for @everheardofastaphinfection

Mike wasn’t sure how or when it happened. All he knew was that it might not have happened slowly, but before he knew it - everything had changed. It was like the change of seasons, you don’t notice it day-by-day. Then suddenly it’s Spring, and there are lambs and calves being born and the colour is back on the fields and the sky, suddenly you wake up and don’t feel the need to done a dressing gown and the cold doesn't pierce through the floorboards quite as harshly.

Spring has a way of lightening people up, making people smile when they had been frowning all Winter. Maybe it was the start of a new year, maybe it was the baby animals or the snow and ice melting away as if it had never graced Derry at all. Maybe it was the long days, riding bikes until sundown or playing baseball until someone hit the ball too hard into the forest. It was usually Stan, he had a killer hit. Spring brought many sleepovers, usually at Bill’s or Stan’s - but Mike had convinced his Mother to let them hike out in the barn several nights, much to Eddie and Stan’s initial repulsion.

Mike wonders if it happened that first night in the barn, when everyone stayed up long past their bedtime, with no adults to tell them off. It was possible, that it had happened when everyone was laughing at one of Richie’s jokes (moreso Stan’s retort), Bill’s cheeks were streaming with tears. He remembers Richie laughing, slapping his knee and rolling back into a bed of hay - not giving a thought to the types of insects or rodents which very likely could have made it their home. His face was flush with joy and his teeth were spread wide on his face with a smile, and Mike found himself smiling too.

Maybe it was the morning after when Richie bumped into Mike feeding the animals, a cigarette loitering in between his lips. The distinctive sound of a voice which had just been woken up had greeted Mike, a lazy but genuine smile had almost let the cigarette drop. Richie rubbed his eyes and took off his glasses, leaning against Mike’s almost-clean work shirt. Mike had ruffled Richie’s ridiculously messy hair and let him nuzzle into him for a moment. Maybe Richie was mimicking the newborn lambs nuzzling against their mothers for heat. Within minutes Richie had moved off, to go back to sleep no doubt.

Of course, Mike had realized, several weeks after playful flirting and baking Richie cookies and pastries thrice a week, that it hadn’t happened fast at all. It happened slowly. Slower than the movement of time, slower than a child growing into their school blazer, slower than the sun moved across the sky. No, it had happened so slowly, over the course of years, over milkshakes and board games and sleepovers and movie marathons. It had happened through the bloodshed and morbidity of the summer of ‘89, through the hushed laughter of their last sleepover before Christmas, through Eddie’s last pill, through Stan’s scars fading to just shines of pink, through Bill’s grieving, through Ben’s forlorn love-letters to Bev and through Richie’s night terrors. It had crept up on the both of them, during the nights where Mike - who slept so lightly that a feather would have woken him - would rub circles on Richie’s shoulder and sit with him in the cold body of nighttime while Richie smoked a cigarette out on the back porch or the nights where Richie would make him laugh so hard, cola came squirting out his nose.

Yes, it happened slowly. Mike didn’t know he was falling in love with Richie Tozier until it had been so obvious that it hurt.

Mike relished in Richie’s jokes and voices. They were tacky, and most often not particularly good - but on the days and nights where everyone had the ghost of that summer on their faces, on the days where Stan would scratch at his face almost violently with a blank face, on the days where even Bill would be too exhausted to stop him - Richie’s Irish Cop voice or terrible gags may not have made them laugh, but it made their shoulders sag a little less. Richie may not have noticed, but Mike did.

Mike noticed Richie an awful lot. And Mike noticed Richie noticing him too.

It had been slow, their mutual flirting. With a wink here, a suggestive comment there, even a baked good or twelve. Their mutual pining wasn’t obvious to anyone (besides maybe Ben, who had known it all too well himself), despite the fact that it had been drawn out over a year. A full year had passed with Richie and Mike, who were definitely and undoubtedly in love, flirting and skirting around any heavy words or tender kisses. They danced around the subjects like experts, just narrowly dodging kisses and fleeting touches. Mike had almost kissed Richie once, they were alone by the quarry and Richie had made a joke that wasn’t funny in the slightest, but it made Mike’s heart soar and Mike had to force himself to take a step back and compose himself - Richie had noticed, and Mike knew that.

It was Spring, when they kissed. Early morning, after the first sleepover in May, surrounded by daffodils and lavender and the sounds of lambs bleating in the background. There had been no words, just a quick flick of the eyes around their other sleeping friends and then their lips met, at the door of Mike’s barn. It was soft, almost comically slow and careful, but it wasn’t unsure. Neither of them were unsure. Richie tasted like smoke and morning breath, and Mike couldn’t imagine it as anything else. It wasn’t like tasting cinnamon or vanilla or whatever any of Ben’s favourite romantic movies had suggested, it just tasted like Richie.

It may not have been the romantic idealization that Mike had been told it would be like, it was human, it was Richie.

It took the pair almost 3 more months to become official boyfriends. They spoke it under the stars in Mike’s pick-up, it hadn’t been a question - it was said as if Mike was reading from a book, announcing the next chapter and Richie had hummed into his shoulder, as if he was listening to a story that Mike had already told. And perhaps he was, perhaps they were boyfriends for the past year and three months without the branded identity, perhaps it had happened that time cola squirted out of Mike’s nose. Nonetheless, eventually they got to where they needed to be, which was in fact, where they had been the entire time - it just took the both of them a while to figure that out.  

[kentucky-cannon-blog]

1.  What does their bedroom look like?

At Xavier’s: Sam shares a room with Bobby Drake, and therefore has half a bedroom. He has a bed (sometimes messy), a desk (usually messy), and a wardrobe (always messy). He has a poster for The Iron Giant on his wall.

At Guthrie Home: Sam shares a room with his brothers Jay and Jebediah, and therefore has a third of a bedroom. He fits his clothes in the crammed closet with his brothers, using color coded hangers. His twin sized bed barely fits him, and is usually a mess of blankets, clothes, and trinkets. Above his bed are some corner shelves, filled with photos and niknaks.

2.  Do they have any daily rituals?

Sam is a born and raised farmboy, with an early morning schedule that he sticks to like the bible. He wakes up at around 5:30am, takes a shower, gets dressed, eats breakfast, then immediately goes outside for a morning walk before school. He enjoys the early morning air.

3. Do they exercise, and if so, what do they do? How often?

Sam gets his exercise through his training runs at the institute, which is usually once every other day.

4. What would they do if they needed to make dinner but the kitchen was busy?

Sam’s used to a crowded kitchen. He’d wait patiently and politely until he could get what he wanted.

5.  Cleanliness habits (personal, workspace, etc.)

His Room/Workspace: Sam calls it a ‘disorganized chaos’. Anyone else usually just calls it ‘a mess’.

Himself: Sam’s very routine about bathing, and usually smells fresh and clean.

6.  Eating habits and sample daily menu

Sam eats whatever’s put in front of him, which is usually healthy and nutritious. He avoids dairy, because of his intolerance.

Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk, orange juice, and an apple.

Lunch: School lunch, usually a sandwich and a can of soda.

Dinner: Beef stew and toasted sourdough bread. 7.  Favorite way to waste time and feelings surrounding wasting time

Sam likes to just sit, relax, and take in nature. He loves watching the clouds, counting the stars, and taking in the sounds.

He feels that if you have time to waste, and you feel like wasting it, waste away.

8.  Favorite indulgence and feelings surrounding indulging

If he's gotten something done that day, Sam will feel just fine with picking up a new issue of his favorite comics, or getting himself some extra loot boxes in Overwatch. He’s perfectly fine with indulging, if you’ve earned it! 9.  Makeup?

Nope. 10.  Neuroses? Do they recognize them as such?

Sam suffered from grief-induced depression after his father’s death, and was temporarily medicated. After recovering from this, Sam has been just fine, and is a neurotypical teenager.

11. Intellectual pursuits?

Sam can barely handle his schoolwork as it is!!! 12. Favorite book genre?

Sam likes to read scifi young adult novels. 13. Sexual Orientation? And, regardless of own orientation, thoughts on sexual orientation in general?

Sam is currently questioning his orientation. He’s comfortable with saying he doesn’t know.

Sam is generally very accepting of anyone else’s orientation. It doesn’t matter to him, and he feels that everyone should have equal rights, regardless of orientation.

14a. Physical abnormalities?  (Both visible and not, including injuries/disabilities, long-term illnesses, food-intolerances, etc

Sam gets hay fever nearly every summer season, and ends up a snot-filled mess. He also has lactose intolerance.

14b. Body modifications? (Piercings, tattoos, artistic scars, etc etc)

None, yet, but he does want to get his ears pierced someday.

15. Biggest and smallest short term goal?

Biggest: Ace his math test.

Smallest: Don’t forget to take the laundry out of the dryer. 16. Biggest and smallest long term goal?

Biggest: Graduate high school.

Smallest: Convince Xavier to let him have a pet hamster. 17. Preferred mode of dress and rituals surrounding dress

Sam wears a lot of denim jeans, denim vests, denim jackets, denim whatever-he-can. He’d wear denim socks, if the world made them. 18. Favorite beverage?

Ale8 19. What do they think about before falling asleep at night?

Sam is so tired when he gets into bed that he often doesn’t think before he’s asleep. 20.  Childhood illnesses? Any interesting stories behind them?

Just your run of the mill chicken pox, stomach flu, and other common viruses. 21.  Turn-ons? Turn-offs?

Turn Ons: Long hair, dark-colored eyes, energetic, playful, easy-going

Turn Offs: Stubbornness, rudeness (especially to elders), negative attitudes 22. Given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen?

Poems, song lyrics, little doodles of flowers and trees. 23.  How organized are they? How does this organization/disorganization manifest in their everyday life?

He likes to think he’s organized, but more often than not, he’s stuck digging through piles of his stuff to try and find whatever it is he needs. He honestly doesn’t put much importance on organization, but strictly tries to encourage it in his siblings. 24.  Is there one subject of study that they excel at? Or do they even care about intellectual pursuits at all?

Geography, History, and Earth Science. Though he doesn’t focus very much on doing more than he has to. He usually finds himself awkwardly having to balance his training, his school, his family, and his personal time all together, so he’d rather not stress about anything more than that. 25.How do they see themselves 5 years from today?

At home in Kentucky, taking care of his siblings with his mother. 26.  Do they have any plans for the future? Any contingency plans if things don’t workout?

None what-so-ever. He’s been so focused on everyone else, he hasn’t planned for anything to take care of himself. He trusts his mother with that. 27. What is their biggest regret?

Not having been able to save his father like he saved his uncle. 28.  Who do they see as their best friend? Their worst enemy?

At the present, Sam is closest with Bobby Drake, his roommate.

He likes to think he doesn’t have any personal enemies. 29. Reaction to sudden extrapersonal disaster (eg The house is on fire! What do they do?)

Try to stay calm and wait for the teachers to give instructions. 30.  Reaction to sudden intrapersonal disaster (eg close family member suddenly dies)

He likes to make emotional Molotov cocktails by bottling up his emotions. 31. Most prized possession?

A photo of his entire blood-related family together. It’s the only time all of them were together for a picture. 32. Thoughts on material possessions in general?

If it’s important, keep it. If it isn’t, don’t try to hold onto it. 33. Concept of home and family?

Home and family make up the backbone of his entire purpose in life. He strives to take care of them and provide a decent example. He wants nothing more than for them to be safe, happy, and proud of him. 34.  Thoughts on privacy? (Are they a private person, or are they prone to ‘TMI’?)

Sam is an open book, but he never expects anyone else to be. 35.  What activities do they enjoy, but consider to be a waste of time?

Other than enjoying nature, Sam loves to binge watch tv shows like Kitchen Nightmares, Mystery Diners, and Cutthroat Kitchen. 36.  What makes them feel guilty?

Any time he’s not able to be there for a family member or loved one. 37.  Are they more analytical or more emotional in their decision-making?

Very emotional, but his heart is usually in the right place. He just needs a little strategy. 38.  Would they consider themselves a Type A or Type B personality?

Type B. 39.  What recharges them when they’re feeling drained?

Time with friends and/or family, or a very good meal. 40.  Would you say that they have a superiority-complex? Inferiority-complex? Neither?

Neither. Sam always feels like he can improve, but doesn’t dislike himself or others for it. 41.  How misanthropic are they?

Sam doesn’t have a misanthropic bone in his body. He’s almost naive in how much he likes to see good in the world. 42.  Hobbies?

Botany, basketball, dirt biking, and “gettin’ stuck” (Mudding: a practice where you intentionally get your truck stuck in mud to test how well it can get out.) 43.  How far did they get in formal education? What are their views on formal education vs self-education?

He’s still going to school, and is currently a junior in high school. Sam likes to have a balance of academic education and practical education. There’s nothing quite like discovering something entirely on your own. 44.  Religion?

Sam is non-denominational Christian. 45.  Superstitions or views on the occult?

Sam believes is warnings from above and below. That’s about as far as he takes it. 46.  Do they express their thoughts through words or deeds?

Sam is far more a man of action than a man of words, but his words aren’t all that bad.

47. If they were to fall in love, who (or what) is their ideal?

Someone accepting, family-loving, animal-loving, and willing to settle down. 48. How do they express love?

It’s a mystery, as Sam has never actually been in love. He’s had plenty of crushes, though. 49. If this person were to get into a fist fight, what is their fighting style like?

Swing and hope you hit something.

50. Is this person afraid of dying? Why or why not?

Partly, no, because he knows God loves him, and would take him to a better place. Mainly, yes, because he doesn’t want to abandon his family. They’ve already lost their father. Plus, he’s homesick enough, he’d rather not be homesick in Heaven.

[tigerprimal-blog]

The Final Star

There were only five hundred stars left. No one knew why they were disappearing, but it was a firm assumption to everyone under that night sky that once they were all gone, something terrible would happen.

Meticulous was hardly a word used to describe Jamie in any manner but farm work. She was a hard worker from the moment she could toddle, helping carry pails of milk and toting eggs from the coop to the house where they would be put in a carton and stored away. As she grew older, her responsibilities became more numerous. It was a simplistic but pleasant upbringing. She had truly no complaints. Jamie had just celebrated her twenty-second birthday a month previous to that particular night. The town’s bells began to chime far off. Though it usually took a crowbar to keep Jamie from her word, she dropped the pail she’d been holding at once and began running for the barn house. Her thick muscles tensed beneath her long-sleeved plaid top, her thigh muscles doing the very same beneath her dusty old jeans. She finally slowed to a stop. Where was her friend? They’d taken over the farm together as soon as Jamie had hit eighteen. Her parents had become too sick to continue on the work and had gone off to retire at the nursing home up on a hill just within the town’s reaches. Everyone’s parents did it, so she’d seen no harm in letting them do the same. “Paul!” She called into the house, banging a fist heavily against the creaking old door that nearly swung it off its own two hinges. “You’re not out here! You need to be out here!”

“Dangit, Jamie, I know, I know,” came a tell-tale twang from within the house. The door was slowly pushed open by a shorter male in his mid to late twenties. His scruffy blonde hair was huffed out of his right blue eye as he peered upwards at the woman who stood three inches above him. “Think we’re losin’ any tonight?” His tone was quiet and nervous. “Shoot, Paul,” Jamie huffed out in her usual crass manner before her tone softened considerably. “I don’t rightfully know.” She plopped down onto the porch and rested her elbows upon those dirty denims. They were held together with all sorts of make-shift patches in the hues of grass and sky alike. There was an occasional red-orange one, though she likened it to needing something the color of her awkwardly bright hair. She wiped at her freckle-dotted nose. It only did good to smear dirt further over her face.

The bells in the town resounded again. Clang, clang, clang. “Almost time, Jamie,” Paul spoke with wavering attempt at stoicism just as he did every night. “Don’t gotta remind me, Paul. You get us both all worked up over this every night. The stars ain’t going quick or nothin’,” Jamie scolded. “But what if they do?” came his questioned response. It was something she often asked herself but dare never speak it. “We’ll keep going. Ain’t much of another option,” she huffed as she picked a few stray pieces of hay off of that brightly colored blue button-up with the even lighter-blue plaid pattern. “Right, Jamie, but what if--” the shaggy-haired man began. “Paul, if you don’t stop, I’m gonna shove a broom right up yer--” Jamie was cut off by the distant bell again. Clang, clang, clang, clang. She let out a deep sigh and began to readjust her messy mop of curly red hair. “It’s almost frightenin’ how accurate the time is to when the stars go away.” “It’s been known for years that they’ve been goin’, I reckon,” Paul mused glumly.

A pregnant silence overtook the two. It was laden with unspoken words between the string-bean guy and the muscular gal. The silence seemed never-ending, a disgusting wait for what seemed to be a slow count down to a death sentence. “Bet it’s two tonight. Two whole stars,” Jamie hushed out with a frown, knowing they were mere moments away from the stars simply disappearing from the sky. “It’s usually just one if any, but I got a real sinkin’ feeling tonight, Paul.” “Don’t jinx it, Jamie,” he responded in a nervous tone that seemed to almost be his usual one.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang. The two stared expectantly to the night sky before looking to one another. “All five hundred’re still there, seems,” Jamie said in a tone of satisfaction as she got up and dusted herself off. She began back towards the house, boots scuffing against the old wooden porch. “Jamie?” came a voice so sick with worry, so meek and quiet, that Jamie would’ve never believed it was Paul’s if she hadn’t known he was right behind her. “What now, Paul? We’re safe for another night,” the farmer woman scowled as she turned to look at him. Though the look on his face prompted concern in her. His face had all but drained of color to make a near comical contrast to her own sun-kissed flesh. “Paul?” Her approach was so slow that she wasn’t sure she’d ever make it to peer out from under the porch to the night sky. “Jamie, what’s gonna happen now?” the young male finally questioned in a raspy and fear-stricken tone. “Shoot, Paul,” Jamie’s response came as slow as molasses. “I don’t rightfully know.”

The pair stood dumbfounded as their gazes were turned up to the sky. There were only four hundred and fifty stars left.