#There are similarities! They're all still cake in their heart and souls!!!

[revenantghost]

It's always so funny when someone asks what order to watch/read the Triguns in, or where they should pick up in the manga where the show left off, or which one is the best, or anything like that because. How do you even answer that. There are no answers. Welcome to Trigun hell.

[anikasheep]

The sheep we adore so much is change, but we still love them

I love imagine how the brothers pampered MC SO MUCH

i love imagine how the royals, the angels, and our fucking teacher ALL PAMPERED MC.

They said demon would corrupt human's soul.

Remember that Thirteen said that Solomon's soul is different but still shining?

MC is the similar case.

Their soul is the shining pink sheep shape, but their their ribbons which has a bell on it, is the wool white one with the black radiant.

I believe that the ribbon was the wool white color, so why the color changes?

They're corrupted by the demons.

They're pampered by the angels.

They're spoiled by Solomon and Thirteen.

The demons, well, they all encourage MC to express what they want, what they desire, what they wish for.

Lucifer rewards MC for their hard work, he enjoys the petting when only he and MC alone. But what he did the most was let MC throw a small tantrum to them.

The eldest brother believes that if MC never throws a tantrum at him or the other brothers, it means they are treating them still wrong. He gives MC the PRIVILEGE to show anger with him. Still, he seldom sees MC angry and kind of disappointed with the failure.

The Avatar of Pride doesn't know that MC cares the trust of him the most in their relationship.

MC values themselves as the one who Lucifer trust enough to take care his brothers and share his burdens. They realize how busy Lucifer is so in the most situations, MC would forgive Lucifer if he lose his temper or being too harsh when he's too busy to take a break.

And that's the reason why MC gave NB!Lucifer silent treatment when they found that Luciferr use the apple to test them.

Sort of, what Lucifer want to see in original timeline, NB! Lucifer got and he finally could use Barbatos's cake to apologize to MC.

Apologize for those misunderstandings when they were the human exchange student. Apologize for failing to protect them. Apologize for that his pride couldn't allow him to open his heart to them fully. Apologize for that he would love them even though they're not related to Lilith, but the selfish part pushes him to decide that HE CAN'T LET YOU GO.

Mammon showers his love on MC in three ways: gifts, fortune, and his time.

Earrings, necklace, watch, and bags, even his treat to have dinner in Hell's Kitchen or Ristorante Six, as long as MC wants, Mammon would try to fulfill their wish.

I believe that the more Mammon loves MC, the more fortunate MC is. OUR ADORABLE SHEEP would use their fortune to treat the brothers and their other friends. But if they only use the fortune to treat Mammon, they'd get more.

Mammon is a clingy demon, that's right MC. Mammon wouldn't admit that, but all his crow familiars would watch over you in three realms. The crows recognize you as Mammon's most precious. This means all crows have the obligation to protect you and chase the thieves away.

Remember those rumors you heard from the other students? Some demons were attacked by a flock of crows? If you ask who are the victims, you might feel strange. Cause the crows attacked those demons who made you upset before.

And do you still remember those demons' names who confessed to you? Have you noticed they would followed by a few crows after that even though you rejected them? If not, let me ask you a simple question, MC. Did you ever meet any of your suitors again?

Lucifer scolded Mammon for that event, but the Avatar of Greed just shrugged. The two oldest brothers kept this secret only between themselves, and Lucifer didn't punish Mammon for this event.

He loves teasing, especially to those newbies. He had spun you so many stories to cover the true intentions that he needs your money.

He knows you are rarely mad at him, but NB! Mammon doesn't know that you adopted Luke as your litter brother or son technically. As a result, you're furious when you know he spins a tale to Luke that you're a bad demon who loves eating children.

Let's say that NB! Mammon is frozen when he hears you gritted his name like when Lucifer is angry.

"Maaaaammmmmon....!"

The brothers are terrified and admire your angry sheep form, they watch in awe and ekk when you use the "STAY! BAD DOG!" AT LEAST THREE TIMES on Mammon, Mammon has to lie on the ground for an hour.

Since that day, the whole Devildom knows that the sweet attendant of the 7 rulers of the Underworld is ONE OF THE MOST CAN'T BE BOTHERED.

I always thought that MC would warm up to Solomon slowly, they love Solomon, but the feeling of the distance can't get rid of somehow.

Until MC was dragged to the NB timeline and Solomon is the one who came through the time for them. Solomon might not see that but I believe that MC is SOOOOO TOUCHED by this.

A man came to you even though he has to jump through the time? How romantic (*/ω＼*)

Living together means a lot to humans, Solomon finally got his key to be closer to MC. They share the domestic chores, greeting at least twice and MC would nap on the sofa while Solomon reading.

Solomon knows that the brothers and the royals spoiled MC with high-quality gifts. Clothes, make-up products... you name it.

But Solomon also knows that MC has a sweet tooth that they can't refuse a dessert. That's why he loves to queue up for popular desserts. The time of getting in a long line is worth it if that means he would see MC's eyes light up and their adorable smile.

Solomon may be the mischievous and mysterious sorcerer he is, and he could be a strict teacher involved in magic. But he actually is soft and makes MC feel safe.

The unspoken feelings of being related as a human and the living proof that MC belongs to the original timeline build a bridge, which leads MC to show more emotions around Solomon. That's why MC would use cold words when they were teleported by the bubbles or angry with Solomon for being too late to start their movie night. And the ways the fantastic three roasted Solomon is funny hehe.

MC feels equal to Solomon, though they can't be sure whether it's because of how Solomon is or it's the result of Solomon always wanting to make humans equal to the other two realms.

But MC can tell him what's on their mind. They know that Solomon would hear it and find a way to get the best of both worlds.

MC cuddles with Solomon before they bid good night. And sometimes they'd just fall asleep.

Solomon never woke them up, he used his coat to cover them so that they wouldn't catch a cold.

After Solomon finished his papers or study, he would teleport himself and MC to his room and snuggle with them before leaving a forehead kiss.

[silverselfshippingchaos]

happy bday ash! i hope u enjoy ur cake ^_^/ 🍰

how does maxi celebriate ur bd? i know leixia and the kids would probably plan something special for u <3 (@goldenshrine)

thank you!!!

Hehe I'm always so excited to talk about my special guy! Maxi just really wants to make her feel special (he always does such a great job at that) and spend some quality time with her. After the events leading up to sc5, time is the one thing they haven't really had together.

Maxi would like to get her a good meal, take her out for a nice day out in town, or maybe take her out stargazing at night. After all, their first kiss more than 20 years before sc5 was under the stars. Ash handles most of the cooking for the kids, so I think that Leixia and the gang would try to make her food! Xiba eats like half of it while they're prepping, Natsu is ready to nap, and Leixia is determined! Maxi is very serious about making sure his partner has a good day.

Also, if possible, he'd like to get some time away from the kiddos for a bit too. Just some time to chill with his girlfriend. Ash has changed a lot by SC5 and I think what they both want is just some time to enjoy each other's company.

(Maxi also enjoys the thought of a romantic walk at night because he gets to drape his jacket over her shoulders. One of his favorite sights ever. Ash always playfully scolds him about never wearing a shirt, but he just shrugs.

"I mean, hey, it's not like you don't enjoy the view."

Ash can't deny that she does.)

Overall he just wants her to take a break from the road and the world and just love her for a bit. He also teases a little about how she's getting old. It's funny, since although Maxi is older than she is, guess whose aging slows down by SC5- Ash still very much looks like a woman in her 40s.

It's a fun day and Ash absolutely loves it! She couldn't stand the kids at first, but over time she's really grown to care for them. She's their Cool Aunt figure LMAO. And to be able to spend her birthday with the love of her life? She doesn't have the words to describe how it makes her feel.

One thing to note about SC5 era Ash is just how different she is than her previous appearances. It makes sense since she's nearly 20 years older than she was in SC4, but she's almost more bitter in terms of personality? Her temper is shorter, and she's just... tired. Tired of the cards she's been dealt. She was bleeding out and watching during Maxi's SC4 ending (Maxi touches the scar on her back from Astaroth a lot), her friends are off doing their own thing, and now she's stuck playing auntie to these dumbass teenagers trying to save the world after losing her lover for a decade?! Seriously?!

And so a big part of her character is just her becoming a bit more happy and cheery again, more similar to what we know Ash's character to be. She's quite smiley on her birthday. She just can't help it!

To be able to set down her sword for a while and spend the day with the people that she loves makes her so happy.

(But also, even after all these years, being with Maxi and holding his hand, hearing his laugh, kissing his cheek, kissing his lips... Everything. It all makes her heart flutter so much. They were both so different now, her having gone through everything and Maxi having the whole Soul Edge situation, but their love and understanding for each other hasn't changed.)

[chubbyferaligatr]

I saw a post that @foximator-blog made showing their fire Imaginators and thought maybe I would show the Imaginators I've made :3... I hope this doesn't make you feel like I'm stealing your idea, just thought it would be a fun thing to try

This imaginator is based off myself

Name: Natalie

Catchphrase: the wind feeds the fire!

Gender: female

Element: fire

Battle Class: bowslinger

Species: human

Senseis: Wolfgang, Buckshot

Personality/Story: Natalie has autism which makes it a little hard for her to understand some things but she is strong and brave with a caring heart of gold and has managed to make some villains see the error of their ways just with her kind and gentle words, Her bow is powered by a real dragons fire breath. Sometimes she gets scared from the loud noises and fighting but her Senseis and friends are there to help when needed

Likes: playing piano, drawing, hanging out with Dr Krankcase and watching him work on inventions, translucent colourful things, sleeping, making people laugh

Dislikes: when people tell lies, bullies, (she thinks they are annoying idiots) tacos, (they make her feel sick) people yelling, (it scares her sometimes)

This one is based off my actual guardian angel

Name: Dingo Allens

Catchphrase: the winters from above!

Gender: male

Element: water

Battle Class: knight

Species: angel

Senseis: Wildstorm, Ambush

Personality/Story: Dingo is very understanding and protective but can also be a jokester at times and enjoys a good laugh. he is also Natalie's guardian angel so he's always there to keep the bad sprits away when she sleeps. Despite being listed as a water element Dingo actually has ice powers and used his ice breath to create his sword, he was also born in heaven

Likes: singing, making things and changing outfits with his ice power, flying around the academy with Sonic Boom and Whirlwind, annoying villains, (he finds it funny when they get angry and try to charge at him but he flies out of reach)

Dislikes: people pulling at his wings, (sometimes kids will grab ahold of his feathers and pull on them which really hurts him, good thing he can make his wings disappear and reappear whenever) spicy food

Name: Eugene Clamentine

Catchphrase: are you willing to make a trade?

Gender: male

Element: magic

Battle Class: sentinel

Species: velociraptor

Senseis: Ember, Hood Sickle

Personality/Story: Eugene can be rude and controlling at times but he has a soft side for his friends, he is also a tradesmen and has many things in his possession, he is willing to give you what you need for something in return of course but sometimes he can be particularly nasty and trick people into getting him hard to find artifacts only to use his magic to teleport them to who knows where. Eugene may be a mean man but he can be very nice and gentlemanly... When he wants to be

Likes: jewels and other priceless things, playing pranks with Flare Wolf, his friends, (especially because they care even if he is rude) fighting, scaring trolls with his power so they will pull his trade cart for him

Dislikes: being betrayed by the people he's trading, (some find a way to trick him back) pie, mabu, (he thinks they're stupid creatures) villains,

Name: Sparky

Catchphrase: i got your back!

Gender: male

Element: tech

Battle Class: smasher

Species: crocodile

Senseis: Chopscotch, Pain-Yatta

Personality/Story: Sparky is always calm and collected and a quick thinker, he's also a blacksmith and makes weapons, armour and occasionally limbs for those who lost theirs. Sparky lost his arms in battle and had his friend Eugene help build his robo arms with his magic, he is also brave and fearful of losing his friends and is willing to protect them with his life. He's also good friends with Sprocket and thought he would make his weapon similar to hers

Likes: training with his Senseis, making weapons, relaxing in the academy lounge, hanging out with Eugene, (sometimes he bonks him on the head if he is being really nasty)

Dislikes: Wolfgang, (he tries to annoy Sparky by grabbing his tail or messing with his mechanical arms but ends up getting hit with a giant wrench) chompies, water, (he hates the fact that he can't swim anymore)

Name: Zora

Catchphrase: life's a gift!

Gender: female

Element: light

Battle Class: sorcerer

Species: robot dragon

Senseis: Golden Queen, Mysticat

Personality/Story: Zora is wise and gentle and can sometimes see the future in her dreams, she is a robot similar to Gearshift but has the soul of a green feather dragon fused within which brought her back to life. She loves to meditate and decorate her room with colourful fairy lights, before Zora was a robot/dragon hybrid she was a loud and destructive green feather dragon. She loved playing around with other dragons and was quite careless with her actions, But one day her carelessness got her caught in the crossfire of a dragon battle and sadly passed before anyone could save her. Some dragons brought her to Master Eon and he helped their friend by transferring her soul into a spare robot Dr Krankcase had in his workshop, Zora was brought back to life but now with a quiet, none destructive and more careful personality

Likes: eating, meditation, Dr Krankcase and Eon, (for bringing her back to life) visiting her dragon friends, lava, ( her body is lava proof so she loves playing with it)

Dislikes: battles, (her friends try to help her with her fear of battle by fighting along side her) her room being messy, being distracted

Name: Leodora

Catchphrase: hear me roar!

Gender: female

Element: dark

Battle Class: brawler

Species: faun

Senseis: Crash Bandicoot, King Pen

Personality/Story: fauns are usually born to be of the life or earth element but when Leodora was born the other fauns were shocked to find out she was a dark element and some thought it was a sign of evil while others thought it was a miracle. When fauns become teenagers they get to choose an animal spirit to gain their power, some animal spirits are good and some are bad, as expected the teen fauns chose a good spirit like a bird, Fox etc although Leodora was usually sort of friendly and kind she liked to misbehave at times and wandered off to the bad sprits area. For some reason she was drawn to the lion spirit which is one of the evilest spirits and also hard to control. A elder faun saw her walking towards it and reached out to stop her but it was to late and she was already being surrounded with its power. The elder faun stared at her in amazement as she looked at him now with glowing red eyes and had managed to control the spirit, now she is a Skylander and is still learning new abilities but her favourite is her all mighty lion roar.

Likes: scaring and defeating villains with her load roar, running really fast, learning, winning roaring competitions with wildstorm,

Dislikes: Zora, (Zora and Leodora are like rivals and manage to turn anything into a fight or competition) when people are too bossy, fruit cake

[miracvlovs]

✗✗✗   you see [ kaleb yıldırım ] around lately? yeah i heard that the [ cis male ] is up to no good. [ he / him ] has been here for [ five years ] now but they’re still pretty [ abrasive ] which is fine because they’re also [ debonair ] so it balances out. the [ twenty-eight ] year old [ hitman for hire ] actually looks like a lot like [ alperen duymaz ], don’t you think? it’s best to watch out, though, because it’s been said that they’re really into [ strong cigarettes & even stronger whiskey ].

hey, hello, hi, bonjour! s’up buttercups? ‘tis i, your friendly neighbourhood loser chrissie ( a.k.a an irish doofus who is utter plot trash and the actual WORST at keeping track with discord messages, oops ) and i’m super duper excited to be here among you fab human beings! anywho, this is my first kiddo kaleb and he is … how do you say … morally grey. basically his morals are very questionable in every aspect. but! on the plus side, he’s very talented and good at his job even if he is ruthless and callous, oop. he is … the worst and also lowkey messed up inside tbh so pls excuse his blunt and sarcastic nature. plot-wise i’m open to literally anything and everything so come at me with any ideas ya got! i’m always diggity down to spit ball ideas and form some dope connections so pls feel free to invade my ims or hmu on le cord ( chrissie.#9606 ) and we can brainstorm until our heart’s content! if ya wanna, go ahead and light that lil grey heart up red and i’ll shimmy my butt your way for all of the good stuff. anywho, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?

fundamentals.

KALEB EMER YILDIRIM     —     twenty-eight, hitman for hire,   +   one snarky son of a gun   /   troubled dude with daddy issues   /   all issues tbh ! 

aesthetics   ➤   dried blood caked into the grooves of cut knuckles, the lingering scent of smoke and gasoline, silver slivers of past scarring, five o’clock shadow peppering a blunt jawline, discolourations of blue and purple decorating battered hands, a subtle smirk etched upon a devious countenance, calloused fingertips riddled with small paper cuts, dark circles under almost-black eyes, the noise of screeching tires in the middle of the night, a tall stature adorned in all-black attire, ghosts of bruises staining calloused skin green, a scuffed zippo lighter in a pack of marlboros containing only one cigarette, white shirts with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, a sly grin under stormy dark eyes, a sniper on the roof of a deserted building, the roar of a car engine, & clenched, white-knuckled fists.

nicknames. kal.

date of birth. november third.

gender. cis male.

pronouns. he + him.

birthplace. manhattan, nyc.

orientation. bisexual + aromantic.

education. bachelor of music degree obtained from manhattan school of music.

spoken languages. can speak fluent english, turkish, spanish, & french.

negative traits. haughty, abrasive, enigmatic, cynical, temperamental, calculating, hedonistic, distant, sarcastic, & volatile.

positive traits. adept, diligent, charming, resilient, candid, adept, charming, audacious, determined, & resourceful.

strengths. efficient, energetic, self-confident, strong-willed, strategic thinker, charismatic, & inspiring.

weaknesses. stubborn, dominant, intolerant, impatient, arrogant, poor handling of emotions, cold, & ruthless.

talents. piano, retaining information, memory recall, lock-picking, carjacking, hand-to-hand combat, automobile knowledge, tracking people down, & excellent problem-solving abilities. 

physiology. dark brown eyes. dark brown hair. six feet, one inch tall. of a lean, broad stature with a straight posture and evident height. has a few silvery scars littered across his skin. has a few tattoos in a few less visible places. is ambidextrous.

psychology. scorpio zodiac. water element. slytherin house. entj-a. chaotic neutral. type eight enneagram. choleric temperament. interpersonal intelligence type. addicted to alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, cocaine, and cannabis. suffers from addiction and insomnia. his vices are lust, wrath and pride. his virtues are ... honestly, probably just diligence tbh.

background.

possible triggers   :   infidelity, divorce, alcoholism, drug abuse, cancer, death, car crash, funeral, blood, murder, suicide mention, gun mention, & various references to death and murder. 

a synopsis.   ah, here he is—my tol, troubled, grouchy son : ' ) don't u just adore ur resident trashy, snarky, but precious and sad fuckboi muse? bc i know I DO! anyways, before i digress, i'll cut to the chase. so, waaay before he blessed the universe with his presence, his mother ( who was originally from turkey ) moved to the states where she met one alexander hale. you can probably guess the rest: the pair married, they had children, everything seemed to be going swimmingly, yada yada. here’s a lil background: the hale family—a line of manhattan-born businessmen / lawyers / diplomats etc. they're dripping in wealth, not always as squeaky clean as they portray themselves as to be. kaleb’s dad was a douche, expected both of his sons to follow in his shadow and become lawyers, ran around behind his wife's back: the whole shoot and shebang of a classic a-hole. he always kind of ignored kaleb in favour of his eldest son joshua so kaleb kinda became hard-hearted and resentful due to the lack of his father's attention. skip a few years and he spied his dad cheating on his mother with his secretary though he refused to tell another soul for fear of any potential backlash. soon enough, his mother found this out for herself, their argument ruined his thirteenth birthday party then they divorced soon after. his mother fell off the wagon, became terminally ill—all while his father was remarrying and expecting a daughter with his secretary. it was a hella rough two years for kaleb. it got even worse. eventually, his mother passed away and his step-mother divorced his father to breeze off into the sunset with her new lover; leaving her daughter with her piss-poor excuse of a dad. at this point, kaleb was lonely and angry but adopted the role of his step-sister's protector, shielding her from their father's increasing substance abuse induced violence. just before his seventeenth birthday, his father died in a car crash. of course, he didn't entirely mourn the loss. almost immediately, he and his younger sister moved in with their elder brother who helped kaleb get into university. with dear ole dad out of the picture, he could finally pursue his interest and flair for music. after he graduated, he moved to santa ysabel with his brother and brother's family. in the beginning, things were going fine. yeah, sure, he was struggling for work and felt bad that his brother had to keep him afloat. normal stuff. then, one day, things quickly turned sour in his world. [ TRIGGER FOR GORE, BLOOD, SUICIDE MENTION, GUN MENTION, MURDER, DEATH ] he’d came home to find the locks on the doors busted, advancing into the house carefully only to find his brother’s lifeless corpse crumbled on the kitchen tiles: his throat and wrists slashed, posed as a suicide. of course, kaleb knew better. he knew his brother; knew he would never leave him or his family. upon further inspection of the house, he’d discovered the body of his wife upstairs: a bullet hole between her eyes. [ TRIGGER OVER ] the whole ordeal was enough to turn his stomach but once the sickness had subsided, all kaleb felt was a strong thirst for blood. sure, it was pretty damn stupid to try and seek revenge or whatnot ... but kaleb had always been one to let his heart guide his brain. anyways, time skip now to the moment he’d uncovered his brother’s entanglement with some dodgy loan shark, drug dealing criminals who were responsible for his murder. in the end, he’d hunted them down and eradicated them one by one, over a span of weeks. at first, he hated himself and what his desire for vengeance had turned him into but he kept going until he’d got them all: until he’d grown numb. truthfully, how he wound up taking lives for a living is beyond him. he woke up one day, found himself hired by some big-wig businessman who wanted rid of his business partner and et voilà, he was tangled up in the dark side of existence. i mean, was he blackmailed into doing his first paid hit? yes. but who can blame him? especially when they claimed to have intel regarding the sudden demise of a prominent figure in the criminal underbelly of the city, a.k.a his brother’s killer. it was a risk kaleb simply couldn’t take. he prefers to keep himself anonymous, hidden behind shadows, unsuspecting. death has become a job. nothing more. nothing less. it’s simply the algorithm of his existence: receive a dossier, take care of the target, get paid a hefty lump sum. and all just for enacting a stranger’s revenge in the blood of another. he moves like a deadly phantom, his footsteps light as a feather, whipping through the night like a bullet through a target’s skull. sartre claims that hell is other people. and if you were to stare into kaleb’s eyes—eyes eerily similar to having been cut from coal—you might just see hell and everyone in it staring right back at you. as nietzsche wrote: “ he who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. and if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee. ”

random extras.

he has a lot of small scars over his body, most of which he can’t account for or has forgotten about.

owns and drives a black 1969 boss 429 mustang which he loves arguably more than he loves himself.

speaking of, he actually is full of self-hatred so don’t let the haughtiness fool you.

trusts nobody but himself and is loyal to nobody but himself.

has a lot of anger issues so often ends up taking part in underground fights.

he rates around a solid three on the kinsey scale.

is a distant person; closed-off emotionally and prefers to keep himself to himself.

when it comes to whether or not he is morally decent or an extremely bad person, he is somewhere in the middle of that spectrum.

he isn’t heartless but he isn’t exactly compassionate either.

kind of shady but knows how to pass himself as charming. 

has been thru sum shit n seen sum shit so he’s v messed up inside.

though he does have a soft spot for animals and children.

his marksmanship is impeccable.

he’s naturally gifted with firearms and his shot is always on point.

dark eyes and bruised knuckles are his ultimate aesthetic tbh.

actually really appreciates classical music, though he’ll never tell. blame it on his piano lessons from childhood.

speaking of piano, he’s low key gifted at playing although he rarely does these days.

has a very short fuse and can lose his temper quite easily.

he has a good heart and good intentions when it comes to those he actually cares about although he’ll never let this show.

favourite coping mechanism? isolation.

a bit of a lone wolf. he keeps people at arm’s length but acts in a way where people are under the illusion he’s their friend.

basically the tall, dark and handsome trope: ( most of the tall, dark and handsome men display aloof, cold and distant personality but they do have a gentle and caring side. )

is a little snarky and grumpy but if you manage to break this exterior, you’ll find he’s quite witty and easy going.

he got into fighting at a young age. it was the only way to try and learn how to defend himself against his father.

sleep?? he doesn’t know her.

tends to repress his emotions until he explodes.

healthy coping mechanisms?? he doesn’t know them either.

is prone to pushing the self destruct button.

you can find a pinterest board for him by clicking anywhere here.

[all-brown-everything]

My favourite Indian films of 2018

Sorry for the wait this year. 2018 in the movies mirrored my own life a lot; the films on the list are films to love, make you feel something human, and they force you to take their characters and hold them close to your chest as if they were your own. While the most interesting mainstream movies from South Asia over previous years on this blog have excelled when they chose to experiment with the language of cinema itself, the 10 I’ve written about here have, similar to great literature, embraced pain, longing, love and everything else that comes with being alive.

10. Theevandi

I’ve seen this film being described as an “anti-smoking movie.” I couldn’t disagree more. It’s a story about the nature of habit (rather than the disease of ‘addiction’), of locating the source of your personality, your soul, and trying to change it against the will of nature. During my time in India this year, nothing brought more joy than an ice burst and cutting tea at the side of the road, perching on the side of the pavement and watching life carry on around you. And while this is a film with a main character who wants to quit smoking, it isn’t about cancer. It isn’t about that horrible sooty smell at the end of your fingers, or yellowing teeth or a decreased sperm count. It’s about how something as innocuous as a tube of rolled up tobacco hanging out of your mouth can act as a fragile crutch for the entire weight of the world.

9. Laila Majnu

Like many of my favourites this year (and every year), this re-telling of one of South Asia’s most important romances wants to know what love is. Here, we see love not as a generous, giving emotion, but as pure greed. With one of Bollywood’s most gorgeous soundtracks, that bleeds furiously out of every frame, and a constant sparkling gleam of glamour over these gorgeous young actors and the Kashmiri hills they prance around in, I enjoyed this enough just based on the commercial tropes it toys with for fun. But its real beauty lies in its brave and painful final declaration; that the most divine love may connect you to God and remove your soul from your body, but it will destroy you and your connections to the Earth, as the cruelest form of asceticism.

8. Cake

I’m including a Pakistani movie (again) because our film industries were birthed under one national identity, and I don’t see the studios of Karachi as any more culturally distant from Mumbai’s Film City than Kodambakkam. Moving to Cake, this stunning portrait of a dysfunctional family surprised me against all my instincts that it was a Western-facing production clearly aimed at piercing its way into festivals and a patronising ‘World Cinema’ bracket. It is in fact, a study of shifting societal politics in an increasingly extreme and polarised World, of figuring out where your values stand in the midst of religion, feudalism and globalisation, and accepting that when these heavy, abstract concepts weigh down on your shoulders, it is the human beings around you who will feel the strain first.

7. Golak, Bugni, Bank Te Batua

I really love Punjabi cinema. Seeing it come into its own and reclaim its cultural narratives and aesthetics from bastardizing Bollywood (where now even a film set in rural Gujarat will feature a Punjabi language song) has brought a lot of joy. Now here comes a  happy little film not set on preaching the glory of Sikkhi or telling an epic tale of brave warriors or earnest farmers, but on bringing us into the lives of a middle class Hindu Punjabi family in a small mohalla of a tier 2 city. And these aren’t the Hindu “Punjabis” of a Bollywood movie set in Chandni Chowk, who might throw in a “tussi” or “tuadi” here and there at the most. These are real people with a real culture, as intertwined with Punjab and their Sikh neighbours as they are separate. The film doesn’t patronise them by drawing humour from their novel identity; the situational character-based slapstick and witty back-and-forth theatrical dialogues exist in a warm parallel with the “World” of the movie. And then the lives of these people change in one instant as demonetisation hits, and we are hilariously reminded that whether you’re Hindu or Sikh, Northern or Southern, you are (unfortunately) still in India.

6. C/o Kancharapalem

I won't say this film stood out as a "Telugu movie", as such slight, subtle films are an anomaly no matter what language they're made in or how brash those other films produced in the same mother tongue may be. These small and quiet tales, with their shy characters who live at the fringes of society, whether that mean they are Muslim prostitutes or simple middle class teachers carving out a living in a small village, are special because they manage to transmit such humanity without stirring from the dark alleyways or shaded courtyards where they take place. Not every film needs to stand tall like an intimdsting Tolstoy tome; some can be as unassuming as an RK Narayan novella and still make us feel like they're an epic.

5. Pyaar Prema Kaadhal

Let's be honest. Casting two leads from a reality show, putting heart shaped balloons in your posters and deciding on the title "Love, Love, Love" pretty much screams "trash" doesn't it? But here was a humbling reminder that Indian popular culture can surprise you in the most pleasant of ways. These two good-looking young wannabe-stars and their social media followings represent so much about the "new India", a steadfastly singular culture (or cultures) whizzing through the fiery hoops of globalisation at breakneck speed, coming to terms with a mixed up value system, raging sexual frustration and an ever widening class gap, all of which have left a generation feeling more connected yet more alienated than ever before. This is 'Pyaar, Prema, Kaadhal', a flawed and horny love story, sweating with tension and all the repulsive angst of human emotion, yet with the glamorous musical heart of Indian cinema still beating loudly underneath.

4. Manmarziyaan

There was as much to love about 'Manmarziyaan' as there was to hate. The age-old filmi love triangle rears its head again, only this time with characters who are more manipulative and frustrating than any you've seen in a "mainstream" movie before. But while the film never forces you to judge (at times leaving you confused about whether you're actually supposed to like any of these people) it demands that you engage. It's encouraged some of the finest writing on cinema I've seen in recent years, and such an unashamedly "Bollywood" film inspiring this thrilling thought and analysis from our finest critics (whether their judgement is kind or not) warrants its inclusion on this list alone. Then there's the way its incredible soundtrack weaves in and out of scenes like the characters own breaths, the way life changing moments are obscured from the script by deafening silences and acutely observed minutiae, and of course THAT lead performance. I'm not sure if I "liked" it or not, but I sure as hell can't wait to watch it again.

3. Pari

The better the film, the harder it is to write about. 'Pari' is rich with metaphor. While being a ghost story (and a damn good one) merely on the surface, it has plenty to say about the way our society treats women, poses the question of if we can truly be born evil, and even critiques our savage treatment of "the other" in a global society where more of us are on the run than settled in our homes. But I think its biggest strength is that while it challenges you to reach into the very centre of your being and take a look at yourself and the World around you, its craft and screenwriting is so good that not at any moment does it give you a second to realise that's what you're doing.

2. Rangasthalam

'Rangasthalam' is so great. Like really really great. Once an innocuous muscle man, Ram Charan has channelled his inner Dhanush and located his physicality, writhing and slanging his way into the mind and body of the quintessential South Indian rural hero, hoisting his lungi and flicking his beedi into one of the most visceral and truly cinematic masala movies in living memory. The thumping pace and kinetic choreography (both of the rousing song sequences and the busy, lived-in frames of the rest of the movie) evoke a dusty, violent world with the same panache of Ameer in 'Paruthiveeran' or Sasikumar in 'Subramaniyapuram', while the moustache twirling dialogues and meticulous emotional beats offer as much pure fun as a "Dabangg" or a "Khakee" or any classic Hindi masala movie. I've read pieces linking the cinema of 'Rangasthalam' to film noir traditions, but to me it simply proved that the masala genre still has as much excitement to offer as any other.

1. Mukkabaaz

I'll remember 2018 as the year that Anurag Kashyap, previously India's frontrunner in the realm of "interesting" (but more often headscatching) cinema, stopped thinking with his very big brain and instead used his even bigger heart. His most straightforward film is undoubtedly his best, Hollywood-esque in its writing but firmly Indian in its sentiment. The scale is small - empty boxing arenas, bleak winding village paths and a cast plucked from the TV screen - but its emotions are pure opera. This is a timeless film, and though it laughs at the ridiculousness of modern India, poking a nasty smug finger at caste oppression, petty politics and the bureaucratic nightmare of simply trying to stay alive, it defies analysis. Much like the song at the centre of the story, the violently stunning 'Paintra', it only asks that you feel. And what more could we want from cinema?

I've had so much fun at the movies this year. From dancing to Dilbar in the cheap seats of G7 in Bandra to reciting Dhanush's Maari 2 dialogues at the bus stop outside Ilford Cineworld, Indian movies have continued to punctuate my life and bring me more joy than they have any right to. I can't wait to do this all again this year. What were the films that stirred you over the last 12 months? Let me know. Xx

[pacifistofpatience]

If you're doing that types of kisses thing, prehaps 7,4,3, or 2?

Went hogwild and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. Except sleep, i need sleep now lol

Unbreakable Kiss- The type of kiss that really shouldn’t be happening, it’s a mistake, butyou just can’t find yourself able to pull away.

(Oh jesues fuck I got distracted half way through and mayhave fucked this one up a little bit but I have had this idea in my head for sogosh darn long now and the words just spewed(Also Mars Got a mind of his ownand just started going and I Didn’t know how to stop him!))

When you had filled out the paperwork for the “Monster Rehabilitationand Reconnection Program” (MRRP, as they called themselves) you knew you would beaccepted. You had spent years volunteering as a foster parent, and with a stablejob and home, you were the perfect fit to aid in the slow inauguration ofMonster kind after the rumored horrors they had survived in the Underground.

(Sometimes it was hard to believe that a whole race had beentrapped under Ebott for hundreds of years. Left to be forgotten with time and thento nearly starve to death. It made you sick, but it also made you want to help.)

And you were right, only a month later were you given theseal of approval and your first two charges- A Sans and Papyrus Serif. Two lovelySkeleton brothers that- despite their substantial size- seemed absolutely terrified of you. Youthought that maybe you were scaring them. That maybe just you- being human- madethem naturally inclined to assume the worst.

Not one to let this go, you gently gathered the two (Notover dinner, you refused to tarnish meal time with the anxiety that maybe they wouldend up trapped in another “talk”) and explained that if they felt unsafe with you,you would be happy to adjust your living style to make them feel comfortable.If there was anyway you could- you know- help them feel safer…

Sans, who had been quiet for most of their stay, laughed. Atfirst it was nervous, maybe even shy. Then, as it finally connected as to whyhe was laughing, he began to do so harder.

Eventually, the laughter died down, and they both confessedthat they weren’t scared of you but for you. They were sure you had simplyopened your home to them for the…what was it called?… Tax benefits? And that notonly did they assume you were terrified of them, but there was always thechance they could–

None the less, it led to a very long, very deep discussionabout how- no matter what- you were here to help them. That you cared for them in your own way.

~*~

That had been a year ago, and the brothers slowly but surelywarmed up to you.

And you, well, you had warmed up to them too. You beganto learn about them, about their little habits and the ways they ticked eachother off but loved all the same. You learned how much you could grow to careabout them…and in one instance lov—

No, no no no. Bad idea. You were here to help them heal. Notto let your silly little heart get in the way of all that. You brushed off the feelings.You pretended like when you spent time with one of them your heart would burstwith so much adoration.

Still, every time you came home and smelled the telltale scentof Pasta sauce wafting through the kitchen you found yourself melting.

~*~

For what it was worth you weren’t the one to start it.

You were exhausted, stumbling into the house and almosttripping over one of Sans many loose socks as you made you way into the kitchen.The relief that washed over you every time you entered the kitchen knowing youwould have both a full meal and others to share it with was never not euphoric.And on top of that getting to see the two place sett—

Wait? Two?

You blinked, eyebrow raised in confusion, “Pappy?” youcalled out, knowing exactly who was making that racket in the kitchen, “WhereSans?”

And there he stood, back strait and looking leagues betterthen when you had first met him, hovering over the pot of boiling water with a boxof angel hair pasta in his hands. He grinned, outshining even the sun, andsaid, “Oh! Sans Said Something About Wanting To Give Us ‘Alone Time’ WhateverThat Meant!” he used air quotes right, for once, “And How He Was Tired Of Us ‘DancingAround Each other Like A Bunch Of Lovestruck Baby Bones’ Or Something.”

You choked on air.

“Exactly What I Said! Can You Believe Him? I Do Not Believe EitherOf Us Have Ever Been To One Dancing Class, Let Alone Together!” He turned backto the pasta, stirring it, “And He Didn’t Even Give Me Enough Time To Prepare! DoYou Know You Have Absolutely No Candles In The House Suited For Dates! All IFound Was That Weird Battery Powered Thing You Stuck In The Pumpkin For HallowsEve! And…”

When you finally gathered yourself enough amidst Papyrusramblings you glanced up at him, you noticed that the entire back of his skull(and the rest of his face) was alight with a deep blue blush. For a moment youwondered if you should leave. Isn’t this something that could ruin everythingyou had helped build them up to? That maybe giving into something like this wasn’tthe right step at-

“And I Know What You’re Thinking.” Papyrus said, “Sans- He…MayHave Mentioned A Few Things To Me…”

That sneakily little bastard. You knew there was a reason hewas trying to weasel a confession out of you all those days ago…You had just hopedhe would have given you a longer grace period before jumping into things.

“I Know You…That You Were Weary About Potently Starting A…RelationshipWith Me But…”

Papyrus trailed off, and for a moment you thought he wassecond guessing things until he turned on his heel. Puffing out his chest as hestrode over to you with something that could only be described as a pensiveconfidence.

He took your hands into his.

“You…You Have Done So Much For My Brother And I…You HaveWelcomed Us Into Your Home- Your Life- Without Asking Anything In Return And InThe Year I Have Gotten The Stars Blessed Chance To Know You I Have Seen What AGoo- No! Great Soul You Are! And I Have Started To Develop Feelings For You InA Way Only That Can Only Be Described As Lo-Love, Absolut Unbridled Love! For You!And For Everything You Do! And I Wanted You To Know That While I Am PerfectlyContent To Stay As Friends! If Both Of Us Harbor Feeling As Such For One AndOther Then—Then Why Deny That Fact!” He leaned closer to you, if you wanted toyou could just as easily stand on your toes to–

“I—” you stutteredout, “I—am I allowed to—to kiss you?”

Papyrus let out a relived sigh, his shoulders slumped, “OhThank The Stars. Of Course, You Are.”

And finally, you closed the gap, lips brushing against histeeth. Both of you refused to break apart.

In The Moment Kiss -Maybe it’s in the middle of an argument or you just looked to damn beautifulnot to kiss, but their lips were hot against yours and it felt too good tostop. 

Laughter came easy for you.

You had always been so loud and joyful that it was no surprisethat your laugh was the same. Bursting with so much happiness that any room youwere in lit up at the sound of it (As well as the next few rooms over).  Your laughter was unashamed, like the warmth ofthe sun on the first day of spring, like flowers in bloom.

And Sans…well Sans was enamored.

Much to Papyrus’ dismay; puns became more frequent with youaround. Sans was always a moment away from spitting out a witty one liner, oreven pulling another prank that he knew would have you on the ground laughing(Even when you were the recipient—Stars, a human after his own soul!)

And with your body folded over like that-Perfect kissinglevel- your lips parted into another wide grin… Sans couldn’t help himself. Themoment was perfect- You were perfect.

Before either of you knew what was happening Sans had sprungup. His teeth clacked rather painfully against your still opened mouth as youlet out anther shocked noise and—oh? was this how kisses were supposed to go?He was pretty sure they weren’t, considering it ended with an impromptu dental appointment.

Early Morning Kiss -A kiss that’s a wake up call, its barely even lips touching, more likethey're kissing your chin because they’re so tired in the earlymorning haze. 

Rus sauntered out of your kitchen and into the living room. Youtilted your head towards him, still keeping you attention to the TV as you filteredthrough channels in a vain attempt to find something good. When you noticed hisempty arms you asked, “Thought you were gonna get us snacks?”

Ruse shrugged, brushing something that looked very similarto the crumbs from your left-over cake off his hoodie, “did.”

You gave him a soft smile, unable to be mad at the guy whenhe looked exactly like some kid sneaking the last cookie from the jar.

Rus settled on the opposite end of the couch, and you wentback to channel surfing.

Click.

You looked out of the corner of your eyes to see Rus messingwith a loose thread in the couch.

Click.

He inched closer.

Click.

His knee bumped yours.

Click.

“Alrightly.” You placed the remote down and opened your armsto him, “Come here Sugerskull. Think it’s about time you—UFF!”

The moment he was given the OK Rus scrambled into your arms.He pressed his body firmly against yours, hands snaking around your waist insomething akin to a death grip as he clung to you from all angles before goinglimp.

Rus teeth brushed against your jaw, and then lowered to yourneck where they lagged with no exact destination. He pressed his teeth against youonce more then finally settled into a nuzzle. Eventually he drifted off tosleep.

Hesitant Kiss -The type of kiss where their lips brush against each other’s a few times,breath fanning across each other’s faces as one waits for the other to make amove.

“doll, ya awake?”

You were, in a sense, but definitely not enough to acknowledgethe skeleton poking at your cheek. You loved Sans more than anything, but you dayhad been long, and you were exhausted. A twenty-minute nap could be prioritizedover you bonefriend this one time.

You grumbled a little but made no indication that you weregoing to wake up, instead cocooning deeper into your blankets. You heard Sans chuckle,but the poking had relented. Instead he rested a hand on your head.

And, after a moments pause, he began to stroke your hair.

Sans…he wasn’t…It wasn’t to say Sans was not a touchy monster. Of course, he wrapped his arm around your waist on occasion, or hadhands on you almost all the time but there was never not a reason for them. Mostof the time he did so was when you two were in public, and he had always doneso with a tense atmosphere. It was always a warning to those around you—you werehis and if anyone dared to lay a fuckin finger on you there would be hell topay.

This was different. There was no one to preform for in your apartment.No lurking dangers in the shadows. It was just you and him, safely enjoying anight in. And in your home, he had found the peace to finally touch you likethis.

You tried your best to stay still, but the knowledge thatSans was there- Stroking your hair like that had left you wide awake. You two stayedlike that for a long time, to the point where you had thought he had fallenasleep as well.

But then you felt his warm breath closed to your face.Hovering right there as his stroking paused.

You two had shared enough skeleton kisses that you knew whatit felt like when his teeth grazed your lips. And then when it happened again,but he seemed to make no attempt to kiss you- like he was hesitant to finally doso. Instead you opened your eyes (Noticing that his were still fixed on yourlips) and leaned forward just enough to mercifully close that gap.