#because spooky season isn't over until I say it is

[morningstargirl666]

CHAPTER UPDATE

Chapter 21 Sneak Peak:

Caroline shuffled closer, placing a hand on Tyler’s cheek and turning his face towards her. “But it doesn’t matter how many times I dance with Klaus because I-” 

Come on, Forbes. They were only three little words. And you told Elena you’d try, didn’t you? 

Just three little words.

Caroline swallowed.

“Because I love you.”

And then she kissed him.

He kissed her back, just as tenderly, a hand rising to rest on her waist, and for a beautiful moment, Caroline finally believed they were on the same page. That she had finally done something right. But when they broke away, Caroline smiled, waiting for him to say those three little words back.

He didn’t.

“There’s probably some punch left. And I never did learn the charleston.” He said with a smile of his own, jerking his head towards the punch tables on the other side of the gym hall.

He didn’t say he loved her, like the night of her birthday. In fact, she realised he hadn’t said those words since then, not even when they’d reunited in the woods. He’d just said he missed her.

Caroline’s face fell.

“Yeah.” She said, a horrid ball in her throat. She forced on her best Miss Mystic smile before he could notice. “That sounds great.”

Tyler stood, already turning to make his way down. A pit in her stomach, Caroline let the facade crack, only for a moment, while she inhaled a shaky breath. 

They were only three little words. It didn’t matter, not really.

Or that’s what she told herself.

Read on AO3 here.

[cherryc1nnam0n]

It's feeling scared not horny | Scare actor!Eddie Munson x Afab!Reader

Spooky season isn't over for me, have this treat I based off this TikTok I found, enjoy <3

Summary: You go to Horror Nights with your friends but didn't expect to get hot and bothered by a certain character

Cw: Eddie being flirty, kind of Kas!Eddie, strangers to lovers kinda, unprotected sex, public sex, voyeurism, fingering, mask kink, horror kink(?, big dick Eddie, breeding kink, degrading, primal kink, Dom!Eddie, AFAB reader pronouns not mentioned

The night had been going great with your friends, lots of scares, cool attractions and lots of screaming and running around

You were laughing with your group when you suddenly saw him

Wearing ripped black jeans, chains dangling from his side and his neck, leather jacket, vampire wings on his back, a mask with teeth that covered half his face and those penetrating eyes with black liner

He was just, stunning...

You locked eyes with him and he walked towards you, taking your breath away instantly

His curly hair made him look like an 80's rockstar, which had you hot and bothered in seconds, he tilted his head at you and then slid towards you making sparks come out of the pavement

You shrieked as he approached you, looking into your soul with his big doe eyes, you bit your lip not to moan at how hot he was

He crawled to you, still looking into your eyes

"You look shocked, did I scare you pretty thing?"

You just stood there looking at him, from his position on the floor he rose up to his full height, making you have to look up, you swallowed heavily

"Oh wow" was all you could say

He tilted his head again, noticing how you squeezed your thighs, he chuckled darkly

"I see something I like..." He said grabbing your hair placing it behind your ear then he whispered into it "Wanna come with me and have some fun?"

You just nodded dumbly following where he led you, he could want to kill you and you wouldn't care

He took you to a dark alleyway, some people could be seen walking by but none really looked the way you guys were

"You're a pretty thing aren't ya?" He said in that sultry voice that was hypnotizing you

You were just dumbfounded looking at him

"What's up? Cat got your tongue?"

You gulped "N-no I'm just... Really horny..."

He laughed "Bold are you? Well, I can definitely help with that"

Soon you had his fingers deep in your pussy, his mask pressed against your neck as he inhaled your scent, his grunts were primal and animalistic, really playing into the role of a bat

"You like that baby? Yeah? Like how I'm fingering you? Yeah?"

You nodded along with him, your tongue lolled out and gasps leaving your mouth

"Want me to fuck you baby? Yeah? Want my fat cock deep inside you?"

"Yes please, please fuck me"

"Fuck baby yes come here"

His arms held your thighs up, holding you against the wall as he maneuvered to get his cock out of his pants

"Fuck baby, gonna fuck you so hard, fucking breed this pussy"

He lowered you down onto his cock, splitting you open to the brim with his big fat cock, your head fell back, eyes rolling back and mouth falling open to moan

"Oh fuck!" You shut your eyes

He started pistoning his hips into you, the sounds of skin slapping against each other was loud in the alley you were in, you couldn't stop moaning, his grunts were primal again, groans rumbled in his chest

"So fucking tight baby, fuck- making me go out of breath, you're so nasty, letting me fuck you even when you don't know my name or what I look like- shit, but you don't care do you? You only wanna fuck me because of the mask don't you?"

You nodded, bitting your lip as you moaned

He pulled you away from the wall, moving you up and down his cock

"Gonna fucking breed you baby, gonna make you pregnant for me, and you'll never know who the father is, fuck!"

"Yes fuck yes! Ah!"

You were so close to your orgasm, feeling your legs tremble in his hold until you heard a familiar voice

"What the-" it was one of your friends, frozen as she watched what was happening

"Oh well, look what we got here, we got some audience, well, might as well give them a show" he said going back to fucking you

That was a long night...

[doctorprofessorsong]

More Destiel Fic Recs

Feast of the Assumptions by Amazonia_8 (Explicit, 19k)

I haven't laughed as hard at a fic since A Room of One's Own. When Dean agrees to host Thanksgiving despite his culinary skills beginning and ending at grilling a burger, he turns to the experts: a help hotline hosted by one of the turkey companies.

But he gets more than he bargained for when its Cas that takes his call. Before you can say butterball, Dean finds himself craving the enticing voice on the other end. But when have family holidays ever gone smoothly?

As I said, this fic is absolutely hilarious. I consumed it in a night, laughing hard enough to wake up my kid.

The Elevator Game by bexgowen, xfancyfranart @motherofdragonflies (Explicit, 88k)

A choose-your-own-adventure case fic must I even go on?? I will though. The fic is a thoroughly intense romp based on am urban legend. Your choices can lead you down any number of paths. Can you get everyone out alive and safe?

The fun of this fic is in part to read it over and over to see the subtle changes Your decisions make, but it's also a fun case standing alone. The other world is delightfully atmospheric and setting it in the divorce arc adds an extra layer of tense angst. It's a good time (for the reader, the guys go through it)

Salt and Rosemary by tiamatv (Explicit, 31k)

An ancient curse is coming for Dean - the result of a deal his mother made to save his father. On his 24th birthday, the curse will take his breath away. But Dean isn't going to take that lying down, especially because Sam will be faced with the same curse in a few years. So instead, Dean binds the curse, Castiel to him. But maybe the curse is exactly what Dean needed after all.

First of all, Curstiel is a delight so jot that down. He's dramatic and petulant and adorable. When you combine that with Stanford era Dean feels, the two of them make an unbeatable combination.

Despite some dark themes, this fic is so sweet and soft. It's an unconventional love story, but Dean and Cas are just deeply adorable in this fic. I found myself grinning at how cute they were.

The Crawling Dark by SylvanFreckles @sylvanfreckles (Teen, 16k)

Spooky season may be over, but now we are in family gathering and work event season which is the true horror. So if you find a need for a thriller as a break, this one has you. 

A simple case fic, Dean and Cas investigate some missing hikers and uncover a new and terrifying creature.

This fic delivers a pulse pounding atmosphere with the claustrophobia of caves and the knowledge that something brutal is lurking in the dark.

To counteract that is a softness in Dean and Cas who are together but haven't yet had sex, and who are extremely attuned and affectionate. 

Ungod by AmberXBoone, rezal @corrupt-touch (Explicit, 58k)

Some delicious blasphemy to keep you warm on those cold winter nights. Dean hates his job as an attorney (relatable) and especially hates his current case representing corrupt priests who have been stealing from parishioners.

That is until he realizes the one night stand he can't stop thinking about is one of the priests. Now he finds himself recklessly crossing ethical lines he can't bring himself to care about. 

But how far will the corrupt priests go to protect themselves? 

This one is a little bit thriller/mystery, but also a lot of horny, soft and sweet fun. Dean and Cas have a great dynamic (a profound bond even) and it's impossible not to root for them.

This Tainted Love You've Given by LazarusRose @lazarus-rose (Explicit, 17k)

This Stabfest fic has the most delightfully unhinged concept. Dean, a serial killer, meets a cute guy, hooks up with him, and then murders him. A regular night out.

Until his one night stand shows up at his door. Turns out Cas is an immortal witch now convinced he and Dean are meant to be. And, well, a serial killer and an immortal who can be killed just might be a pretty epic match. 

These two are so delightfully unhinged and weird. It's a great concept done well. 

This Blade for Hire by FriendofCarlotta @friendofcarlotta (Explicit, 20k)

Come for the really delightful adjacent take on the lore, stay for some delicious rare pair femslash. This stabfest fic gives the gays (me) everything they want.

Dean, Sam and Ava are a team. They hunt demons for a bounty from the angels with the help of Sam and Ava's special powers. Sure the angels are dicks, but the money's good and fuck demons.

Well, Dean made an exception for one angel, Cas. His lover and contact with Heaven. But Cas has disappeared without a word. So maybe he's a dick too.

But when Dean and Ava get tasked with hunting down Meg Masters, things get…complicated 

The Man in the Rock by FriendofCarlotta @friendofcarlotta (Explicit, 7k)

Another stabfest and another FriendofCarlotta (overachiever xoxo), this little fic packs a hell of a punch. It's beautiful and devastating and soft.

Ever since he lost his partner, Cas, five years ago, Dean has struggled to figure out what shape his life should take. But he's finally decided it's time to remove the monument to his grief - a giant statue of Cas that sits in his garden. But when he makes one last desperate wish, will that same monument give him the very thing he's been dreaming of?

[amomentsescape]

Slashers Spend Halloween with Reader

A/N: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I'm honestly pretty bummed that Halloween season is officially over after tonight, but I hope you all had a great time! Thank you all for your requests and support on my writings this month. Stay spooky, everyone!

Freddy Krueger

Bar Hopping!

Are we surprised?

Freddy loves to have a good time, especially if it involves drinking and dancing with his hot partner

LOVES if your costume is a bit showy

Loves it even more if you both are matching

If he doesn't like the music that's playing, he changes it with the flick of a finger

If there's someone that's getting a little too close to you, he'll make them disappear for the night (and deals with them later)

And what's even better is that all of your food and drinks are free when Freddy is around

With the quirk of his brow, people are at his command, and no one will treat you any less differently either

Is constantly complimented on his costume because of how "real" it looks

But the moment your social battery runs out, he'll whisk you away into dreamland and cozy up next to you

But if you're ready to be out all night like he is, you can expect one killer hangover the next morning

Michael Myers

Horror Movie Binge!

Michael is clearly not one to go out

As much as he likes Halloween, a bunch of screaming kids or equally drunk adults isn't his forte

But he does like horror and gore

So just say the word, cook the popcorn, and grab a blanket because Michael won't refuse

He even lets you cuddle into him if you want since it's a "special" night

Will share some snacks with you

Probably won't use the blanket, but he's fine if you put it on him

Literally doesn't even blink during the scariest parts of the films

Just don't expect him to binge movies with you all night

Michael can get stir crazy easily

And since it's Halloween night, you can expect him to want to go kill even more

There are too many lives that need to be disposed of in his eyes

But he does secretly cherish that time with you beforehand

He promises to watch more films with you later if you're still awake

Just another reason to come home to you

Jason Voorhees

Walking Through the Woods!

Jason knows you still want to celebrate Halloween, even if it's not with a party or some public event

So what's better than a stroll through the woods?

You have to wait until it's dark, of course, and the moon is bright in the sky

He insists on taking his machete too, just incase

But he happily takes your hand and lets you lead wherever your heart wants

Loves to hear you ramble on about any current interests or hyper fixations

Especially loves when you bump into him or give his hand an extra squeeze

Will stop every once in a while to hold you close, trying to keep you warm from the cold night air

Also likes to watch you pick up random items you see on the ground or around the trees as you walk

Your constant curiosity for things makes Jason incredibly happy

If you guys manage to find a stump, he'll have you rest on it while he sits on the ground beside you

As you lean yourself against him, you share stories of what you did for Halloween as a child

Jason just listens in, content

Thomas Hewitt

Game Night!

It's actually his idea to find some spooky games to play for Halloween night!

It's up to you whether you play together or with his family

He kinda likes those traditional board games that change their theme just for Halloween

But he's also happy to try something new with you!

Will snack on random candies and chips you brought along for the night

Also likes to hear you talk about whatever comes to mind

He's honestly pretty good at the games and is able to beat you from time to time

Will play a scary movie in the background

You both don't really pay attention to it, but the sound is nice to have

If you lose, he always reaches over and squeezes your hand as an apology

But as long as you're having fun, that's all he cares about!

If you win, he claps happily and relishes in your laughs

You end the night playing a simple card game, giving you a chance to talk more and share what you love about Halloween

Bubba Sawyer

Carving Pumpkins!

Well, this only makes sense

Bubba and his family have all the perfect tools for carving pumpkins

And he finds the idea of jack-o'-lanterns keeping away spirits interesting

You have a bowl of candy and a couple drinks besides you both as you get to work

He definitely confuses the candy bowl with the pumpkin guts bowl a few different times

But he's honestly super quick with carving

It's all the practice with sharp instruments

He opted for more of a silly face while yours is a little more creepy

You decide to save the seeds later to bake for a snack as well!

Bubba turns on some fun Halloween cartoons while you both work

He even leans over to show you better ways to hold the knives and how to cut more evenly

Helps you light the candles to go inside the pumpkins once you're done carving

They both end up on the patio, lighting up the area with a fun glow

Brahms Heelshire

Reading Scary Stories!

His parents weren't big on such fantasy tales when he was younger, so he never got to read much fiction

But when you showed him some scary story books you still have from being a kid, he was intrigued

He doesn't really like reading, but he loves when you read to him

You both make a whole night out of it

You get some popcorn ready, turn out the lights, and even make a little fort in the living room out of chairs

You managed to find a flashlight to use when reading as well

He lays with his head in your lap, listening to you read the stories

You even managed to jump and grab him a couple of times, causing him to yelp

He actually ends up getting a little paranoid later into the night, making you read some lighthearted stories instead

Once he feels more relaxed, he ends up falling asleep to your reading

You smile as you get up to grab some blankets and pillows, deciding to sleep in the fort for the night

Norman Bates

Spooky Baking!

Norman has always been quite talented in the kitchen

You'd be happy only eating his cooking for the rest of your life if you had to

And since there wasn't much else to do in the middle of nowhere, you were happy to help Norman with his ideas

You start the night off with making some simple cookies

He made the dough and baked them while you got to decorate

You ended up creating little "spider" chocolate chips with a toothpick!

He then wanted your help making cupcakes

These took a bit longer, but neither of you minded

Norman had a record playing in the background, and it was easy to just converse back and forth with one another

While the cakes were in the oven, he took you by the hand and danced around the kitchen with you

Also plants plenty of kisses on your forehead throughout the night

You both took turns icing the cupcakes once they were cooled

Each treat ended up turning out a little different since you both wanted to create unique patterns and colors

And the best part of the night? Eating your creations together while watching an old Halloween film!

Billy Loomis

Halloween Party!

You thought it would be a horror movie binge, didn't you?

Well, lucky for you, Billy was down to try something different this year

Especially since the whole month comprised of watching every scary film known to man

He is obsessed with your costume, unable to keep his hands off of you

He isn't HUGE on parties to be honest, but if he gets to show you off looking like this, then he's happy to come along

He shares a few drinks with you once you're there

He doesn't like getting drunk, especially since he wants to keep an eye on you

But he enjoys holding onto the red solo cup with his arm around your waist

Occasionally whispers dirty things in your ears and plants warm kisses along your neck

He enjoys seeing how much he can push your buttons out in public like this

Will dance with you if you beg

But it's hard for him to say no to you either way

The night is cut short when he gets into a fist fight with a random guy for flirting with you

Don't worry; he plans on paying the man a visit later

Stu Macher

Trick or Treating!

You think you're too old for trick or treating? Think again

Stu finds you both costumes that make you unrecognizable

You don't think this is going to work out though since Stu is so freaking tall

But somehow, the adults don't question it too much

It's easier to not ask questions, it seems

He grabs your hand and drags you from house to house, laughing with you about random things

And once you both have your fair share of candy, he convinces you to play ding-dong-ditch with him

He may have stolen a pumpkin from someone's yard as well for being "cool-looking"

Asks to trade some of his candy for yours

Occasionally pulls you into people's backyards and makes out with you in the dark

And once most of the kids are back at home, he takes you to his place so you can binge on the candy

The night ends with a horror film too, of course!

Eric Draven

People Watching!

Although this may sound boring at first, anything with Eric somehow turns out to be fun

He sets up a little fort on the roof of one of the tallest buildings in the city, the view being in the dead center of everything

He makes sure you're bundled up in plenty of blankets

The candy bowl is full, and he even has some snacks and drinks to share

You both look over the edge and just watch all the people walk by

You take turns pointing out random people and try to come up with stories on who they are, what their costume is, where they're going, etc.

Always ends in shared smiles and laughs

He strums a couple of tunes on his guitar based on your request

Plenty of cuddles and cold kisses as well

You end up staying out a good majority of the night, only going back home when the streets become empty

Your safety will always be his number one priority

So although you didn't do anything super exciting for Halloween, Eric still made the night very enjoyable for you

And at least this way, he knew he could protect you

[ordinaryschmuck]

Bob's Burgers Halloween specials ranked

(Because screw it, why not?)

11. Tina and the Real Ghost--This one's more awkward than funny. I honestly feel bad for Tina for falling in love with an empty box...and grow to hate Tammy for being so petty to steal the box away from her. Even the B-Plot of ghost hunters in the restaurant isn't all that funny. Honestly, the funniest bit is when Bob's unexpectedly swarmed with bugs after a brief moment of cockiness. Other than that, pretty weak episode.

10. The Wolf of Wharf Street--PROBABLY the most irresponsible Linda's been with the kids and Bob believing Teddy's a werewolf was a bit of a stretch. Still, some spooky atmosphere carries this one a bit, so I can't hate it THAT much.

9. Apple Gore-chard! (But Not Gory)--There need to be more episodes with Louise and Jessica. Their friendship is easy and cute in a lot of moments. Anyways, as for the episode, it's pretty standard. Some REAL Halloween stuff doesn't happen until half way through and the jokes aren't all that funny. There's barely any attention on the lesson, making it feel more like a waste of time if anything else. It's just Louise and Jessica's friendship that carries things if anything else (Seriously, MORE of that)

8. Pig Trouble in Little Tina--A great episode about peer pressure and with a fun subplot about Bob's gross ear wax. It's just that none of it screams HALLOWEEN to me. There's some spooky imagery, but a lot of this episode feels like something that could happen in ANY episode, especially Bob's subplot. Great episode, but not so great of a Halloween special.

7. Heartbreak Hotel-oween--This one's cute. That's all I can say.

6. Teen-a Witch--Tina trying to be a witch is more cute than it should be, even if the jokes aren't strong with this one. Thankfully the subplot of Bob obsessing over who's stealing his jack-o-lanterns is funny enough to carry it.

5. The Pumpkinening--Weird title, but it's an episode with Gayle. They're naturally weird, and this one's no exception as Linda and Gayle hunting down who knows that they smashed pumpkins from a contest. Add that with a warm ending and a great subplot of Bob dealing with the stress of being a house with GOOD candy, and you got something fun.

4. Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street--The kids hunting down a candy kidnapper is fun and Bob and Teddy trying to show up an impressive handyman has some good laughs to it. Solid special.

3. Full Bars--It's always fun seeing the Belcher kids use their brand of chaos to do something good. The only thing that drags it down is the guinea pig murder mystery. Some good jokes are there, but I can't help but cringe as Teddy ruins his own party and the payoff isn't all that funny. That credit scene where Bob danced in the fat suit for Linda was cute as shit, though.

2. Fort Night--The introduction to Millie, and a great one at that as she tortures the kids who are in a situation that's...way more dangerous than you think in hindsight. They really were that close to death, huh? Still, a pretty empathetic episode as we all know there's no worse fate for a kid than missing Halloween and you REALLY want them to get out. And I'm sure some parents can relate to Bob and Linda's plight to make a costume for their kids and the payoff for this one is pretty good.

1. The Hauntening--A genuinely creepy and intense special for this show, where the jokes don't take away from the scares but add to them. This really feels like how these characters would react to a horrifying situation, making you fear for their lives even more. And even the big twist in the end doesn't ruin the episode, but adds to it, showing how much this family cares for each other and how much they'll do to make one of them happy. They might have gone a LITTLE far, but it's in that gray area where you can accept it. Being sweet and spooky is no other combination you can get from any other show except for this one, and I love it.

And that's all. Well, for now. Season 14 hasn't had its Halloween special yet. It's probably pulling a Simpsons and waiting until November for some reason. And I'm not waiting until then. This is the Halloween Special on MY blog, so there. Happy Halloween.

[foamy-germs]

Intro + Masterlist 💞

Preferably do read through all of this! I’d appreciate it!

- ⭐️ -

Intro (Masterlist under the cut)

Heyo! I’m Alex, I joined tumblr a good while ago, but never really had the courage to post much. Until now!

My pronouns are He/Him, and my account is absolutely a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks!

For safety, I won’t share my age. Regardless, I’ll block any weird dms.

On the topic of DMs, any messages or asks simply saying “hi” might not be answered 😭 they make me anxious.

- ⭐️ -

Masterlist

I’ll currently only do SFW requests. Suggestive ones are okay, but I won’t do straight up smut at this time.

Requests: Open! (Currently very inactive as of May 2024, however working to get back into it now that I've graduated.)

Spiderverse trilogy

Peter B. Parker

Miguel O’Hara

Spider Noir

The Spot/Johnathon Ohnn (Pre- and post-collider)

Web Slinger

Hobie Brown (Strictly non-sexual)

Mob Psycho 100

Reigen Arataka

Serizawa Katsuya

Mr. Osomatsu (No ships)

Osomatsu

Karamatsu

Choromatsu

Ichimatsu

Jyushimatsu

Todomatsu

Totoko

Team Fortress 2 (No ships)

Spy

Scout

Heavy

Medic

Engineer

Demoman

Pyro

Sniper

Soldier

Call of Duty

Task Force 141 (MW2 2009 & 2019)

Lupin III franchise

Arséne Lupin III

Daisuke Jigen

Goemon Ishikawa

Fujiko Mine

Inspector Zenigata

Hunter x Hunter

Leorio

Kurapika

Illumi

Wing

Chrollo

Feitan

Shalnark

My Hero Academia

Shouta Aizawa/Eraserhead

Hizashi Yamada/Present Mic

Toshinori Yagi/All Might (both forms)

Taishiro Toyomitsu/FatGum

Keigo Takami/Hawks

Nemuri Kayama/Midnight

Jin Bubaigawara/Twice

Dabi

Tomura Shigaraki (please specify which season/version)

Spooky Month

Bob Velseb

Frank

Lila

Jaune

Aaron

Skiddad / Simon

Rick

Carmen

Streber

Kevin

Villainous

Dr. Flug

Cecelia/Miss Heed

Can do:

Fluff

Scenarios/Imagines

Oneshots

Ships

x reader

Headcanons

[some] Angst

Suggestive requests (this does have a limit! and I will reject requests I’m uncomfortable with.)

Can’t/Will NOT do:

Smut

Proship

Anything political

(I will add to this as time passes.)

Disclaimers:

If I find a request uncomfortable to fulfill, I will reject it.

If some things have certain disclaimers (such as TF2 with ‘no ships’), it is because I’m not comfortable exploring writing with that specific topic for the fandom.

For characters, like Hobie, I may refuse various topics for them for various reasons. For Hobie specifically, his age is unconfirmed and constantly debated.

Do keep in mind that I’m a student with a job and family, and some requests may take a while. I tend to revise my stories multiple times over 😭.

Update on this section: I've graduated! Currently job searching like crazy and also prepping for college, however tryna get back into the swing of things now that I have some free time.

Of course, if something isn't listed here, feel free to ask! There's a multitude of fandoms I find myself interested in.

However, feel free to ask if I can write something! I’ll almost always say yes.

[boozles]

Boozle's 2023 Top Ten Dramas

I've been really enjoying reading everyone's top lists of the year, and I've actually been thinking about my own for a few weeks now, because I knew how hard it would be for me to put my lists together! Basically, in terms of Asian drama series, I watched a lot this year. According to my MDL, I have completed 99 dramas for the whole year. (Disclaimer: not all of these were BL, and a handful were short films. Regardless, I still think that's a ridiculous amount and I understand why people think I have no life x_x) So, I think you all can understand why these lists are going to be a little difficult for me!

Note: Everything I say here is my own personal thoughts and opinions. I'm not trying to attack anyone for liking something I don't, or disliking something I loved. We're all pals here, okay? <3

Top Ten Dramas (Note: not all dramas were released in 2023.)

(i) He's Coming to Me (2019) After watching Something in my Room last year, I swore to never watch another 'ghost boyfriend' series because gosh, even if ghosts are my favourite spooky thing, my heart cannot handle the pain of a sad ending. However, Ohm and Singto sucked me in, and this was just lovely and even gave me a happier ending than I'd expected. I'm a little sad that I was so late to this series, but it has definitely found it's place in my heart.

(ii) My School President (2022/23) I still can't believe that I originally thought this was gonna suck and only started it because I wanted to see what everyone was fussing over. I became so invested in these lads and gosh, I fell in love with the cast (minus Prom, who still irks me). Fourth, Gemini and Mark were absolute standouts in this, and I honestly cannot wait for My Love Mix-Up! because they will be fantastic.

(iii) Moonlight Chicken (2023) This is a surprise to no one, because it seems like it's on everyone's favourites list. Again, though, this was a surprising hit for me; I originally only planned on watching for First and Khaotung because I didn't really know Earth and Mix very well (I only started watching BL at the tail end of 2022, so I feel like I was still a little bit of a newbie at the time) and I just fell in love with EarthMix. They have chemistry that is just so mesmerising and belongs to them. The writing of this series was also just perfect, and the cast was wonderful. It deserves all the accolades it's been getting, and I honestly think this will always be a favourite of mine.

(iv) Choco Milk Shake (2022) In all honesty, I expected this to be weird because it's literally about a guy's pets coming back as humans and his dog falls in love with him and his cat falls in love with his uncle. It sounds like it should be creepy, but it really isn't. I sobbed like an absolute baby during this, and whilst I found the ending a little confusing, I loved it. I really hope we get that rumoured second season.

(v) The Gifted (2018) & The Gifted: Graduation (2020) Okay, I'm including both seasons of The Gifted because I loved them both for their own reasons. However, one of the main things I loved about this series was that it made me appreciate actors I'd never cared much for before. I didn't get all the fuss about Gun Attaphan until I watched this (and yes, I'd already seen Not Me), but I thought he was spectacular in this. Chimon and Nanon were fantastic, and I really loved Mek and Victor, even if they weren't as porminent and I'd have liked.

(vi) A Boss and Babe (2023) Ah, my first experience of ForceBook. I would die for these men. This was a bloody brilliant series, and if you want my honest opinion, it really showed how fantastic Book is at acting, because Cher is nothing like any other character he has portrayed. I loved the backstories and the little nuances, and the supporting cast was fantastic, too. This series deserves more credit and respect (but can we pretend the Our Skyy 2 episodes never happened? Because they were so weird.)

(vii) Beyond Evil (2021) This is probably the best Kdrama I watched all year. It had everything I need - murder, mystery, tortured men with tragic backstories, plus twists and turns in every damn episodes. The acting and writing was superb and I'm honestly depressed there isn't going to be a season 2 (as far as I know?).

(viii) Only Friends (2023) Okay, I know we all have our complaints about things that went wrong with OF, but you know what? I still loved it. Yes, I still think the creators made mistakes with allowing fan opinions to influence the editing and I'm bitted about the treatment of Boston in the end, but I loved these characters and their stories. The cast put their heart and soul into their performances (especially Khaotung and Force) and I really hope we get to see them in future series' together again, as they all work so well together.

(ix) I Feel You Linger in the Air (2023) This was another series I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did, yet I was there with the rest of you, bawling my eyes out when it ended. Despite the fact my dream career is a historian, I often don't enjoy historical dramas, so I put this off for the first few weeks of it airing until all the gif sets finally forced me to check it out. The cast was fantastic, and the writing was brilliant. I will be broken hearted if they don't get a second season, because they deserve it.

(x) I told Sunset About You (2020) & I Promised You the Moon (2021) I'm including both series as one since technically it's just season 1 and season 2. I loved these shows. They were the most realistic portrayals of young teenage queer love that I have seen in so long. I know a lot of people get angry with Teh in IPYTM but by gosh, my heart just hurt for that confused boy; Billkin's crying is so tragically realistic and as much as I too hated that he was hurting Oh-Aew, I also could understand the confusing feelings that come with growing up. Oh-Aew was just...perfect. PP Krit really just cut my chest open, crawled inside and made a little home for himself with this performance. My only issue is that these two haven't been in anything else together since, and I really hope 2024 fixes that, because as much as I support their music careers, I need them on my screen again.

Honorary Mentions: (i) Kiseki: Dear to Me (2023) (ii) The Warp Effect (2022) (iii) Home School (2023) (iv) Our Dating Sim (2023) (v) La Pluie (2023)

[stayarmytinyzenmoa-l]

NCT Spooky Season [Day 17]

Bone App The Teeth

TW: Man-Eating Monsters, Language, Semi-Mature Themes(?) Genre: Romance, Comedy Pairing: Huang Guanheng x Reader YN Pronouns: Not specified Word Count: 0.6K Prompt: “Take them they’re tastier! … I would know!”

[NCT Masterlist] | [NCT Spooky Season Masterlist] | [Yesterday] | [Tomorrow] [Ao3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]

Notes: I LOVE WHEN THE PROMPTS LINE UP WITH THE MEMBER LMFAOOOO Disclaimer: Please remember that this is an AU and a work of fiction, obviously the idols mentioned/written about in this story would never partake in these actions. The idols mentioned in this work are meant to be seen more as face claims rather than the actual idols themselves.

Feedback is greatly appreciated!! Thank you for reading!

Well!

You know what they always say!

The odds of getting eaten by a man-eating monster are low but, in fact, never zero.

"Oh my god!" Your shout seemed to echo across the forest while you and Hendery bolted through the dense wood. "Why did we come here again?!"

"To make out in a secluded area, duh!" Hendery matches pace with you, looking over his shoulder every now and then to see how far the monster was.

"This is what we get for being horny, huh?"

"C'est la vie!"

"I don't think you're using that right," you both turn a corner and continue running. Of course, the one time you needed it to work, Hendery's car decided to stall and die, leading you and him to make this run on foot while the monster, very menacingly, walked toward you both. "Did we lose it?" The not-so-distant howl answered your question. "Oh, we are fucked!"

"We'll be fine!" You and Hendery skid to a stop in front of a dead end. "Nevermind, you're right, we're fucked."

"Christ, Hendery, of all the ways to die, right?" You groaned into your hands. The monster's heavy footsteps become apparent and you both turn over to look at it.

"Who knows, maybe it can be reasoned with?"

"Sure, you try talking to the monster who looks ready for dinner."

"Yeah... uh..." Hendery looks around, as if trying to find some sort of inspiration. "Hey, Mr. Monster," the beast snorts and Hendery swallows down a nervous sound, "look, look, I'm not tasty. I mean, I'm all sweaty from running, my skin's tough from all these gains, and also I'm too gorgeous to be eaten, am I right?" He nudges you.

"What about me?"

"Take them, they're tastier!" Hendery makes a move to run and your jaw drops. "Trust me, I would know!" He bolts and you take off after him.

"Hendery you little-" you run faster and he does too, now escaping your wrath as much as the monster's hunger. "When I get my hands on you Hendery-"

"Save it for when we're out of the forest, baby!"

"That monster is going to be the least of your worries, I swear to god!" You were gaining on him and he ran faster, muttering silent prayers as he did so because only the lord would know that you were right.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Hendery keeps cursing to himself as he hops over rocks and twigs, and soon a beacon of hope appeared before him. "Over there! We're almost out of the woods!" And, for a moment, you forgot your own anger and you followed him out and back into society. "We made it!"

"We're alive!" You both hold each other tight and with relaxing muscles, then you push him off. "You're such a dick for that!"

"What? Was I wrong?" He shrugs.

"You are so embarrassing, you told a whole stranger about our sex lives!"

"Hey, whoa, you're the one making assumptions! You know I bite when I get overly-excited!"

"That's true, you do," you nodded, "but still! If I wasn't so pissed I would've- oh my god, if I wasn't so pissed we'd be dead right now."

"Bingo."

"Oh you sly little man!"

"Gotta think outside the box, (Y/N), that's how you survive horror movies."

"I'll give that one to you!" You and Hendery stand still with small smiles. Until you hear the snort of the beast behind you. "It's behind me, isn't it?"

"Yup."

"Fuck."

"Fuck."

General Tag List: @stopeatread @bat-shark-repellant @raeincitizen @umbralhelwolf @yangsrose @kazooms @sadcoffeecritic 

NCT Tag List: @cherrylovr @minjiville 

If you want to be added to either tag list or removed just send me a reply to this post, and ask, or a DM and I’ll add you as soon as possible!

[aheckinmess]

(One-Shot series 3/3. Toshinori fanart used in title card was created by @yokkisu! You should go follow! There's great stuff over there!)

Read on AO3.

Tags: Toshinori Yagi, All Might, Toshinori x OC, All Might x OC, Smol Might, Spooky Season, Decorating for Halloween

Word Count: 1,304 words

Summary: As Halloween creeps closer, Ichijiku decides it’s time to decorate! However, after the confrontation with Catfish, Toshinori brings up a scary possibility due to his continued worry for her wellbeing.

Author's Note: This prompt didn't go how I expected to, but what can I say? My characters like to keep me on my toes, so I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Spooky Conversations

Ichijiku (Tigress)

It's nearly impossible to keep Toshinori away from me after the Catfish incident, and I can't say I blame him. The weeks pass with anxiety and hypervigilance as my constant companions. I find it hard to sleep out of fear that every bump and thump from my cat is actually a trespasser in my house.

A month passes after my brush with death before I have a different reason to be afraid; it's the season of spooks and screams. Weeks leading up to Halloween, I've started sleeping better and feeling less paranoid, but Toshinori still tracks my every move while he's around.

We're meeting up to shop for Halloween decorations when he saves me from a petty criminal trying to rob me. We get the cops to take care of it and continue our shopping trip afterwards. I'm rattled, but with Toshinori close by, I find myself quickly calming down. We shop for a few hours and I think he's also getting back into the swing of things.

Turns out, he isn't.

We get home and I leave him to take out a few of my purchases at the counter. Instead, l find him standing guard outside the bathroom when I walk out.

"Toshinori," I chuckle as I open the door. "You don't have to stand watch. Everything's okay."

"That's what I thought before and you were stolen from me." His jaw clenches and he glances down the hall before taking my hand. Abruptly, he pulls me against his chest like I'm his last chance at breath.

"Toshinori, what's going on?" I soothe, pulling back to cup his face in my hands. For a moment, his hands hold mine there and tears wet my thumbs. "Do you need some tea, love? Some couch cuddles?"

"No, no." He responds shakily. "We need to talk, Ichan."

Immediately, my mind blanks and my heart sinks. Childhood trauma feeds the anxiety sinking into my skin and the cold fear gnawing at me. Worry mingles with doubt as I wonder if he thinks I've been a poor girlfriend, or too much trouble. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm.

"Am I in trouble?" I ask.

"No, love, you're not in trouble." He assures with a smile. It doesn't reach his eyes. "But, what I have to say isn't pleasant."

I wait and fidget until he speaks again.

"I think it's too dangerous for us to be together, Ichijiku."

Everything stops. Even the never-ending activity in my mind comes to a standstill.

"Are you breaking up with me?" I choke out.

"Ichan..." Toshinori whimpers.

"No." I snarl through gritted teeth. "No. If your only reason is to protect me, then no."

"Ichan, what happens when another villain comes after you? And not just a petty thief like today? Now that it's public knowledge that we're dating, you are a target. Even petty criminals hold you in their sights like today. And when Catfish took you..." He trails off, knuckles turning white as he clenches his fists.

I step up, leaving no space between us as I grip his chin.

"Toshinori Yagi, look at me." I demand, and only continue when he listens. "Do you think I'm not worth the trouble of protecting?"

"What? No! You know that's not–"

"Then why let them dictate your life?" I cut in. "Why let a villain scare you like that? Do you sell all your possessions because you're afraid of being robbed?"

"No, but–"

"Do you stay at home all day because you're scared of being hit by a car?"

He sighs as his expression relaxes.

"No."

"Do you walk outside naked because you're scared you'll overheat?"

"Do you want me to?" He winks, lightening the mood.

I smack his chest with a laugh and a smile.

"No. I want that sexy body all to myself. But that's not the point! Do you give up every fight you're in because you're scared you'll die?"

"No, Ichan. I understand the point you're making. But it's a lot different when your life is the one at stake." He takes my hand and plants a kiss on it, allowing me a moment to get lost in his eyes.

"I know you're afraid of losing me, Toshi-kun. I fear losing you, too, and not just from hero work." I twirl a lock of his hair and gently stroke over his injured side. "But I'm more afraid of living my life without you beside me. Because I'd rather live happily with you even if only for a short time, than live my whole life afraid without you there with me." I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek before turning towards the dining room to go unbag my Halloween decorations. "So...will you stay with me, too?"

There's a long pause as I pull out an orange and black wreath, a few bags of candy, and several boxes of spooky lights. Take a deep breath. Respect whatever his decision is.

"Yes I will." He answers, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Maybe it's selfish of me, but I don't want to leave you either."

"That mean you think I'm selfish?" I giggle.

"Of course not! Though I often think you're a little crazy since you have to put up with me." He laughs, laying his head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ichan, for scaring you like that."

"I forgive you. Although, I mean, it is Halloween, I guess."

Together we spread out a smorgasbord of Halloween fright from my purchases. It's not until I look at my table that I remember I have a ghost table runner up in the attic. I think there's a few other things too.

"Toshi-kun, can you go grab the ladder to the attic?" I ask as I start grouping items.

"Sure thing. You got some more decorations?"

"Not many, but I know I have a few things up there if I can find them." I chuckle, making the trek up the ladder once it's in place.

Toshinori follows and it takes a little scavenging. There's no air flow and sweat clings to my skin. We both groan as we search various boxes with no luck. I squeal when Toshinori swats at my butt playfully when I bump into him.

"I don't think it's up here."

"I know I put it up here," I pout, looking around again. "But I guess it's hidden somewhere that I thought I'd remember. Silly ADHD brain."

Toshinori heads down first and I give one final, stubborn look. That's when a familiar black and white pops out at me on top of the Christmas box way in the back.

"Aha!" I dart over and grab the table runner, smiling in victory as I return to the ladder. "Found it! Past Ichijiku figured I wouldn't be able to find it...so it was on top of the only other decorations box up here...Christmas! Good job, me!" I pat myself on the back with a giggle before heading down the ladder, where Toshinori shakes his head at the bottom with a laugh.

Halfway down, my foot misses a rung on the ladder and I fall straight into his arms.

"This I can get used to." He kisses my lips. "You fell straight into my arms. You know, if you'd wanted my attention, you didn't need to go through such extremes."

"Oh, hush."

I wrap my arms around Toshinori's neck. Warmth sizzles among our mouths and travels to the pit of my stomach. A familiar need blossoms that seems to be mutual as Toshinori backs me against a wall, his body pressed against mine.

"You come here often?" I tease when I pull back.

"Of course. What say you and I find a room?" He presses his forehead to mine.

"There's one down the hall."

[theburiedlad]

Alright so! I just watched the Kickstarter Launch Livestream VOD and here all literally all the notes I have on it (this is a collection of funny quotes, thoughts I had, and information I thought was worth noting):

The title of TMA 2 is officially The Magnus Protocol

Not a minute after they announced this, someone said "Scrotocol" and as a result "Magnus Scrotocol" became a running joke throughout the stream

Protagonists in TMP work for the British Civil Service as Civil Servants

There might be more world building? Maybe we'll learn how Avatarship works?

Alex described writing the spin off as being a DM in a D&D campaign without the major lore dump at the beginning of the game

Returning characters - possibly Peter Lukas?

"Agency-related occurrences"? What does this mean Jonathan???

Sam the spooky viola man

Jonathan doesn't imagine faces to the characters until they have a voice actor, and then he imagines them as the VA

Alex on the other hand celebrity-casts characters in the early stages of projects but the characters tend to devolve into just faceless mannequins of accessories and mannerisms

Alex says the Boneturner (Jared Hopsworth) is the hottest character in TMA.

"I want to climb him like a mountain. A bony, bony mountain." "Put that in a mankini." -Both lovely quotes from Alex kdjdjejs

Helen thinks Elias is the hottest character, which Alex vehemently disagreed with ("Can [Elias] crush a car with his thighs??")

There isn't going to be just one MC in TMP, but there will be 2 protagonists

The merchandise they've released is purposefully horrendous /pos

Helen says she thinks Hozier (like the singer) is an Avatar of the Buried

If the Kickstarter goes way past its goal, Jon and Alex will start a ghosthunting show

Alasdair went off on his theory/headcanon as to what actually happened to Peter Lukas after the Archivist "killed" him

He says that after the Archivist launched him into the sun, he realized halfway up that it's really hard to kill him and just teleported to one of his homes, in Loch Ness or someplace near there. After getting out of that, he decided to Ultimate Divorce Jonah and got a gigantic umbrella with a huge middle finger on the top so Jonah would see it if he tried to look at Peter.

"Martin, the sky is looking back and it looks really pissed and I don't know why!" -Alex's approximation as to Jon's reaction to Jonah's reaction to this

"This will blow over eventually, that asshole [Jonah] will overextend himself cuz he already fucking has." -Peter's thoughts during the Eyepocalypse

Peter has woken up to the words "U up?" written in the sky to him

"Booty call from Jonah Magnus." -Helen

"[Peter's] my terrible, terrible Lonely bastard man." -Alasdair

The DaVinci Code is canonically in Leitner's Library (not really though)

House of Leaves, Haunting of Hill House, Lanark: A Life in Four Books, and White is For Witching are all in the Library as well

Alex thinks Leitner had a soft spot for Terry Pratchett novels and had a lot of them in his personal library

Alex thinks that with powers, Writer!Jon would win in a fight against Archivist!Jon, but without powers "Early Archivist is very soft, he would keep saying 'It's not worth it' whilst losing.", but later season Archivist is "very scrappy" and would fair a lot better against Writer!Jon

Alasdair thinks that the real winner in a fight between those two would actually be Narrator!Jon from Slay the Princess

There were headcanons for the Admiral!

Alasdair and Helen think he is a very large ginger car

Alex thinks that the Admiral is the most vile-looking cat imaginable purely because he thinks it makes the scenes with people talking to him even funnier

Stretch goals for the Kickstarter:

Spin-off in-universe content

Alex says it would "break the series" if he dropped that content now (lots of lore possibly?)

Certain episodes will be double the length of normal episodes

Alex says he isn't opposed to "special" (holiday) episodes

Alasdair suggested a LonelyEyes spin-off series and Alex is actually considering it???

"Drip feed" of content before the actual series drops

Alex said he has no intentions of revealing what the K in "Martin K Blackwood" stands for

Alasdair said he thinks it's Knievel, someone in the stream said "Martin Kayak Blackwood", and someone in chat said it's Krotocol

Alex said Leitner used a magic book that consumes fecal matter as a toilet while he was in the tunnels, while Alasdair suggested he used one of the rivers he imagines runs through the tunnels as a bathroom

Jon and Alex are looking at both "broadening the number of format options" and guest writers for the show

Subtitle ideas for TMP

Helen suggested "The Magnus Protocol: Snogs Galore"

Alasdair had a list: Halbert's(?) Legacy; Requisition This, Health and Safety Can't Save You Now, and There Are No Sick Days In Hell

Alex couldn't give an opinion because the subtitles (taglines) could majorly spoil stuff and taglines tend to be one of the last things thought of in these sorts of projects

Alex says the "stakes" are "not equivalent" to those in TMA but that they wouldn't even try to top the stakes from TMA in TMP anyways

"It would be a mistake to equate stakes to material, physical threats"

And now here's the gaming portion for the last like hour of the Livestream so this is all mainly stuff I thought was funny:

"Pegging? In this economy?"

Alex asked who "Zen-die-a" was

Helen booed at the JKR question because she has taste and common sense 🥰

"Do you spell wildebeests with 2 E's? I thought it was 'wild beasts'!" -Alex (but mood honestly)

"What is tuatara?!" -Helen; "It's what Twitter used to be called." -Martyn

"The Magnus Protocol: Let's All Kill Alex!"

"No coordination, only skewer"

Someone called the uvula a mouth swing

Hannah's luck is unparalleled apparently

Helen is a Spamton fan!

(After learning that more dice to a person means there's a greater chance of them losing) "Oh, I was trying to help!" -Alex

(See also: Martin in just about every season kfjdjdjs)

Alex squirming in glee after screwing Hannah over made me laugh

"Cockney misogyny birds"

[hot-take-tournament]

ok original submitter of the christmas halloween take here! i’ve seen this point being brought up that i’d like to speak on and that’s the following: ‘well there’s christmas stuff being sold like well before christmas so it’s not exclusive to the christmas season! therefore that point is invalidated’

here’s the thing; halloween stuff is also being sold before halloween season, and again it’s socially acceptable to have that kinda stuff around year round as it’s generally just spooky aesthetics. meanwhile having christmas stuff all year round is silly because it’s intrinsically tied to december. you can’t have christmas decor in your house and other relayed stuff in summer that’s just silly! (unless you’re doing a hhgregg joke) (and also you’re free to do whatever forever i just think it’s a bit silly :-P)

‘but it may be sold that time’ think about it; would you rather buy christmas stuff in advance and save it for the season, or buy it all in december during the Rush to buy christmas stuff? plus stuff is less likely to be sold out earlier you buy it

btw while some christmas stuff is general winter stuff, such as snowflakes, a lot of it (christmas songs, stockings, reindeers) is specific to christmas, and there is a distinction between general cozy winter aesthetics and christmas aesthetics so even then you can’t do christmas stuff in february.

ok, i know this isn't entirely the same point, but it is one that i feel really strongly about and i've been holding in this rant for a long time now without even realising it

i think pretty much every argument about why halloween is better than christmas is valid - but the one argument that i see a lot and 100% disagree with is when people say that halloween 'stays in october', while christmas 'spreads throughout the year'

i can understand why most people feel that way - it's true that the lead up to christmas usually starts the second october ends, but... for me, at least, halloween is worse

i've worked retail for a long time, and in my experience at least even though they're both sold super early halloween stuff stays on the shelves a lot longer than christmas stuff does - actually, halloween stuff never goes away.

(this is a grocery store, so we're talking about food specifically)

christmas products do get sold really early, but they don't stick around that long after christmas is over, either because they either sell out or just go out of date.

and we're never overstocked with branded christmas stuff. it's always more expensive, higher quality, and takes up more shelf space - things like shortbread tins, fancy chocolate reindeer, stuff like that - so we don't get sent as much, and we don't build up a surplus of stock - by new year's it usually gone

but our halloween stock consists of mountains of cheap shit candy - more than we could ever sell - that's filled with so many chemical preservatives it takes 12 months or more until it hits its sell-by, and since there's always a chance someone will buy it, we just leave it up there until it's replaced by more of the same halloween candy next year

at least christmas decorations go away eventually - we have a dedicated, decorated halloween section all year long.

i already have really bad memories associated with halloween, and i'm reminded of those memories every day because for me, halloween never fucking ends.

i know that people when people make this point they actually mean christmas adverts and songs and stuff playing too early... but i'm so done with halloween, i can't take it anymore

i'm trapped in a never-ending halloween hell and if listening to mariah carey in october is the price i'd have to pay for freedom then i'd pay it in a heartbeat

i'm so tired

just let me be free

[always-thirsty-pocket]

I had a pretty crappy Halloween but an overall pretty good-ish october... i'm not ready for it to end.

Ever since I reached my twenties and my friends and I decided we were all too old to trick or treat, October was such a sad time of the year for me because I use to love it so much. It started feeling like it was just any other day, except my brother put out dumb cheap ass decorations, despite us never getting trick-or-treaters, living in poor neighborhoods all our lives. The season just felt like having a birthday that nobody remembered ( a feeling I know well enough ), I would still get into costume, but that essentially equaled me sitting in a room alone playing video games in cosplay and nothing else.

Three years ago I decided I was going to reclaim the season for myself. I originally planned to watch classic horror movies every day of the month. I got a late start, because I didn't decide this until I made an impulse buy of some Universal Classic Monsters DVDs mid way through the month. So I ended up watching well into December.

Two years ago I changed it up to include 80's slasher movies, while still trying to get to all the Universal Monster films And that year I was still watching those movies well into November at least.

Last year was a very hard time for me, the threat of eviction was looming over my head. I was actually hoping to buy a bunch of Halloween decorations for my bedroom, which was pretty huge at the time. I got my decor, but didn't get the chance to use it... I did get to watch movies though. And my tradition kept mostly the same, but I decided not to do every single Universal Monster movie, and added a few movies from Hammer films and other sources, and even some more contemporary movies, and a few TV shows like Tales from the Crypt and the Munsters. A friend of mine even sent a fairly large box full of candy, and extra decorations. It made that horrible time easier to cope through. But not long after Halloween, we were suddenly rushed out the door. And in the new house, I was still in the mood for spooks, I felt a bit robbed, and continued watching into Nobember.

This year, I am in a much better place, and so I got to start my tradition on time, and decorate up my room, I got special lighting. Instead of strictly watching movies, I downloaded a shit ton of TV shows and cherrypicked the Halloween specials, and added even more to my backlog of movies to watch. My friend sent me another Halloween candy box. I've been playing spooky themed games ( with interruptions from Mario and Sonic, how dare they release new games in October ), It's generally been a very good time, despite today actually not being a very good Halloween... I am once again, not ready for it to end. I hate saying goodbye to the October month, even though it has historically been very sad for me in my adult life. I reclaimed the shit out of this Holiday. I love it now.

I guess that's the point of this post, if anyone out there is still reading.

If you have a time of the year that isn't the greatest for you, especially if it was something you loved in the past, I think it would be a good use of your time to reclaim it, make it self indulgent and special, even if the only one to enjoy it is you.

I'm doing the same thing for christmas. My extended family doesn't care about us and my immediate family is kind of a mess so it's not a great time for me either, but the decorations, the TV and movies, the seasonal foods, and yes even the music, they make me happy. So I'm going to indulge in those too. If my room were large enough, I'd have my own pint sized tree to decorate with whatever I want.

[mary-is-writing]

End of the Year Recap – 2022

This has certainly been a year, hasn't it?

In the spirit of this being the last month of the year, I thought about doing a small recap of what this year has been for me in here and my writing. I have famously bad memory (thanks adhd) so I'm probably gonna miss some things here and there, but I'll try my best to remember as much as I can. So, let's go on a trip down memory lane!!

In the beginning - Starting 2022

I had a good start of the year, followed by the breath of fresh air that 2021 was for me. We we're still in quarantine but around March/April we went back to in-person interactions, so there was a lot of moving during those months. Around that time is where the first very important thing of the year happened: I finished draft 2 of The Monsters Only We See, my standalone wip, as well as starting to look for more beta readers. I have to admit, I haven't followed o the whole beta-ing of the wip as I should, but I want to continue it, specially with me continuing the English translation.

I also started said translation roughly after finishing draft 2, and like I said, I haven't been the best at keeping up with it. But I still have time while I look up how to get the money to register it and where/how to share it, mainly digitally but also maybe physically.

A very special month - June 2022

This year's main highlight for sure: on June 9th I finished the first draft of Book 1 of Where Camellias Blossom, my fantasy trilogy. Man I was so happy. This was my second time experiencing finishing a draft (the first one being TMOWS) and there really is something so special to watch a project's phase be complete. It's a mix of the ecstasy of "holy crap I did it!!", a nostalgia for the journey walked and the comfort of a path in the back for finishing it. I think the experience of writing the first draft is unique, it doesn't compare to doing the 2nd or the 3rd.

I started the first draft for Book 2 and I already have notes for changes to draft 2 of Book 1 in order to keep the continuity 😅 so I'm looking forward to both continuing the draft of Book 2 and coming back to work on Book 1.

Guys I think we're getting burnout - July to October 2022

Y'know, in retrospective think I might have wasted all of my energy on finishing the first draft of WCB Book 1. There isn't a lot to say about this months because I didn't do a lot. Most of what I did here was continuing the work with the wips I had, throw there are two important things that happened on October:

1) I finished the 3rd draft of TMOWS. It was easier and I'm very happy with this as the last version. Maybe I'll do some tweaks here and there if I get to have a few more beta readers, but I like the structure and the plot the way they are now.

2) I started Little Shadows, my horror podcast!! I had the idea for it since months ago and decided to do it just in time for spooky season, with it premiering on Halloween. I've been wanting to do something with YouTube for the longest time, and free realizing video essays would take a lot of work that I wasn't willing to put into them, I decided something like this, short format and focused on writing, would be the best option. I'm very happy that I'm doing it and I wanna keep it up, since I have ideas for where the overarching story will go later.

Hoo boi - November 2022

I was very excited for Nanowrimo this year since I wanted to use it to write the 1st draft of Book 2 of WCB, but in the end I barely wrote +4K words. Guys, I was not feeling it at all. It was like all the stress and work for the semester in college suddenly hit me and wouldn't stop hitting me until the month was over, a few days ago. Sadly, Nano was a miss, but not everything was lost:

I finished the first volume of my comic, The Demon in My House. At 129 pages, this little hobby of mine is now long enough to fill a complete volume if I ever printed it, and that makes me so, so proud. I've tried making comics before, short and long format, and this is the first one I feel I can really commit to. I've never done so much for one, and I'm only getting started. The story I have planned for this is really long, so we'll see how many volumes I end up filling, haha. But it also makes me happy and proud cause it shows I can do what I set my mind into, and I hope I get to finish it one day and reread it from begining to end to see the story completed. For now, it's all baby steps towards the next plot point.

And now, at the end - December 2022

If I'm honest, I don't think I'll write a lot this month either. I'll continue drawing for TDIMH, sure, but as for advancing my writing wips... yeah, not happening. This semester was weird and we're gonna finish it on January next year instead of this month, which means I'm gonna have homework for vacations 😩 Plus, I wanna rest. I just. I really wanna rest. And this being the last month of the year is the perfect excuse for it.

Overall, this has been a good year for my writing. A lot of highs and lows, but very much productive. I also wanna appreciate all of you who remained with me this year or that came here for the first time and have decided to walk alongside me. Thank you!! Your interactions and interest have been helping me a lot in not giving up midway with my writing.

Happy holidays, happy soon-to-be new year and happy writing!!

[phoenixwatchesmovies]

What I'm Watching: March 2024

New look, same round up. I made the mistake of watching too many things I have things to say about. Time to ramble about Wolf Creek, Penguin Town, The Woman In Black, In Our Own Time, Sinister, Alone, Repo! The Genetic Opera, and Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door...

Wolf Creek (2016-2017)

An anthology series which centers on different characters being targeted by crazed serial killer Mick Taylor in the Australian outback.

Just started season two, and I gotta say, I'm impressed. I wasn't sure how they could get an entire series out of such a basic premise, and to be fair, they didn't. They just expanded on the original concept. I've talked before about how consistent things are across the franchise in terms of production quality, and that's still true. If absolutely everything else about this show sucked balls, it's still gorgeous to look at. Well, minus a few moments of torture and violence and whatnot. It's toned way waaayyy down from the movies, but it is still Wolf Creek. I've adopted Eve Thoroughgood, and there's nothing you can do about it. As far as season one is concerned, secondary characters have a tendency to come full circle while also feeling like ships in the night compared to the main story, and I really like that. A lot. It's cool. Season two felt like a half step down for about five minutes, but the conclusion of episode two made me put down my crocheting and gawk, so take that as you will. Though, full disclosure, everything that felt super quiet in the first episode was spent on getting to know the new season's cast and that moment in the second wouldn't have had the same impact if I hadn't already spent time with these people, so it's calculated...kinda like the first act of the original movie. See what I mean about consistency? And after thinking about it, everything that feels repetitive or recycled in the series only feels that way because I've seen the movies, so again, calculated. You can come into the former without knowing anything about the latter and not miss a beat. If you are coming on from the movies, tho, it's probably for Mick, so let's discuss. He gets just enough backstory for certain moments to have more weight, but other than that? He's Mick. On the surface, an amiable, likeable guy with a sometimes iffy sense of humor who also happens to be a sick, perverted, depraved individual. And it's not like your first impression is wrong, either, which is the freaky part. He's climbing the ranks of my favorite villains due in large part to how grounded he is. He's someone you could meet any day of the week, or *gulp* when you're stuck on the side of the road and need a helping hand. Scary as hell, but also so much fun to watch.

Penguin Town (2021)

In a picturesque South African town, an eclectic group of endangered penguins flock together to find mates, raise families and mix with the locals.

K, so this isn't actually from the series I'm talking about, but those are indeed jackass penguins, so close enough. What do you want me to say about this? It's a nature documentary about penguins. It's free serotonin!

The Woman In Black (2012)

A young solicitor travels to a remote village where he discovers that the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Someday, I'll read the book and watch the og movie. Until then, why are all of my favorite horror movies about dead kids? No, seriously! Second, this is the third time I've watched this one, and my hands were still shaking by the end of it. Strike that. The cold sweat started about 45 seconds in as soon as those girls in the attic abandoned their toys, walked to the windows, and jumped. Then between the dark as hell subject matter and spooky as hell atmosphere established by the visuals and the sound design, it didn't really stop until the movie was over. I try not to watch this one too often so it stays effective in the creep factor department, but it might call for further study as far as photography goes, because this movie is very pleasing to look at. The village, the marsh, Eel Manor House itself, are all good on their own but also filmed well. The house and grounds in particular are *chef kiss* Shadows everywhere, framed in such a way you're sure there is something in them, and yet nothing is ever so dark you can't see it. Remember when movies used to do that? The whole look is everything you imagine when you hear the phrase "Victorian Gothic" and again, *chef kiss* I realize I've been slacking when it comes to keeping up with Daniel Radcliffe flicks, so remind me to do something about that. Dude sells the exhausted, grieving widower for sure, but also the resolve to see through whatever task is set before him. Not that he has much choice, because the stakes are high no matter what he does and every available course of action has immediate and dire consequences. Additionally, this reminded me I've also been slacking on J horror, because the vibes are very similar (at least, in my very limited experience with the genre). It's less about the spirit doing the haunting and more about the haunting itself. Nothing will sate Jennett's need for vengeance, not even being reunited with her lost son. The whispering throughout the house after Arthur and Sam leave it for the last time isn't just a threat, it's a curse. The only scene that matches the first for me is the last. It's eerie and tragic and bittersweet and horrifying, and I still look away from the final shot. *shudder*

Bee Gees: In Our Own Time (2010)

"In Our Own Time" is a new film on the long and illustrious career of the legendary Bee Gees, from their modest beginnings to unrivaled worldwide success in the "70's to the tragedy of losing their brothers Maurice and Andy. The story is told "in their own words" by Barry and Robin from extensive new interviews, and the film also includes archive interview footage of Maurice, videos, TV appearances and live performances.

I'm not even a documentary person, and I've seen this twice. Not too much to say about it other than that. If you're a Bee Gees fan and haven't seen it already, what's wrong with you? If you just like music/documentaries/etc, it's a good watch. With awesome tunes.

Sinister (2012)

A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.

Going into this aware of its reputation and now having seen it for myself, I've got to hand it to this crew. Getting the audience in survival mode right off the bat, then keeping them there throughout, then making shit jump out at them is a hell of a way to make an anxious movie. My fight or flight responses kicked in every time Ellison watched a new reel, so by the time the jump scares started, I actually jumped. Bad stuff first: I didn't really care for the delivery of the supernatural elements. Specifically, the possessed kids showing up and looking so literal threw off my equilibrium after everything leading up to them was so atmospheric. That goes double for the Bughuul jump scares. They feel cheap and unearned compared to, say, the lawnmower. And this isn't a criticism, but GOD, this movie was depressing as shit. Hard not to be, given the thematic content and the ending (barring the aforementioned literalness of the supernatural), and that's probably the main reason why I won't revisit this much. Because the good stuff, is Good Stuff. The script is concise, the performances are engaging, the look and sound is fucking creepy. The soundscapes sound like nightmare fuel, and the few times the camera cuts away from a snuff film to focus on Ellison's reaction underlines how horrific it is. "It feels like something you shouldn't be watching," etc etc. See above where I talked about Woman In Black being lit where you can only see what you need to and everything else is left dark. And obviously, gotta discuss Ellison himself. I recently saw him included in a bracket of worst horror husbands, and I would agree. All I'm saying is, none of this would have happened if he hadn't moved his family into a crime scene to further his career. To his credit, he did eventually recognize he was in over his head, and it's not his fault he didn't know trying to pull the plug was going to make things so much worse, but still. Smooth move, pun intended. From another standpoint, Ethan Hawke sells it. The guy is just trying to provide for his family while also doing what he loves, and there is just enough time spent showing how much this family loves each other, even if they don't always like each other. Makes the ending that much more tragic. Particular details I want to grind up and snort: the look on Ellison's face when he realizes what he's watching, the shot of the reflection of the burning car in his glasses, and everything about Deputy So and So.

Alone (2020)

A recently widowed traveler is kidnapped by a cold blooded killer, only to escape into the wilderness where she is forced to battle against the elements as her pursuer closes in on her.

...yeah, this was basically Wolf Creek and Hush, but with a weaker script, less compelling characters, and a lot more rain. Not that it's not good, just that it's so similar I can't help but draw comparisons and ultimately prefer the other two. It's way less brutal than the other two, though, so there's at least that, and Jules Wilcox makes a great final girl. Still, she's no Maddie Young, and serial killer guy whose name I already forgot is no Mick Taylor. I'm not going to dwell too much on this one, as I don't have much else to say about it. It looks great, like if Wolf Creek was set in the woods, and the climax was exciting, like if Hush was set even more in the woods. It had positive reception, or so I've read.

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

A worldwide epidemic encourages a biotech company to launch an organ-financing program similar in nature to a standard car loan. The repossession clause is a killer, however.

Let me give you my best friend's sales pitch for this: "Do you wanna watch Rupert Giles, Paris Hilton, the girl from Spy Kids, and actual honest to god OG Christine Daae go on a musical journey through a cyberpunk dystopia?" This movie is... hmmm... Well, here's the thing. It looks cheap but also so extra. The music sounds like it was written by angsty middle schoolers but also goes so hard. The premise is grisly but the delivery is completely batshit. And I loved every. Damn. Minute. I was on the fence for the first thirty minutes and asked myself several times, why the fuck am I watching this? It's taking itself so seriously and it's so over the top, and then it hit me, DUH. It's an OPERA. Once I connected those dots, I was fully invested and having a ball. If I'd been stuck on this when I was younger instead of, say, Phantom of the Opera, I 1000% would have turned out very differently. Which is an extra funny observation, because Sarah Brightman factors in either way, and I love her so much. "Things You See In A Graveyard" is my favorite number here purely because of her wailing ominously in the background. And I say it takes itself so seriously, but it also knows exactly what it's doing. Everything we see only happens because some goth dude starts yelling in a cemetery. Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, and...other sibling whose actor's name I forgot have an entire number about their rivalry while at least two thirds of them are literally getting new faces. Survival is gatekept by the wealthy to the point where poor people are murdered by a system that forces them into debt in the first place. Oh wait, there's tonal dissonance between all of those things, you say? Don't worry, you've got an hour and a half to get used to it.

Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door (2001)

A terrorist explosion releases a deadly virus on the masses, and it's up to the bounty-hunting Bebop crew to catch the cold-blooded culprit.

Despite knowing the series, this is the first time I've ever actually watched the movie, and of course I loved it. It feels like an extra long episode, which means they did it exactly right. As far as I can tell, I've only got two gripes: one, there is some ambiguous/implied/questionable shit that goes down between Faye and the Big Bad that feels way waaayyy out of place, considering there is no precedent for anything like it in the series and I'm wondering why the addition was necessary. Two, I waited all movie to hear "Tank!" (the exclamation point is important) and it was all in vain. 😔 Other than that, it's all business as usual on the Bebop, and that's all I could ask for.

###

Whew! See you next month!

[noctomania]

Racist words vs stolen words

So this is something I'm not sure if anyone else differentiates and idk how to look up this topic to see what others say.

Some people i know have been trying to eradicate every word from their vocab that has ever had any racist connotations (or otherwise bigoted). Where as I obviously will do that for words that are born and raised in the context but not words that are stolen.

The example from tonight was the word "spooky" since it's Halloween season coming up. Now for those unaware spooky isn't the issue word, "spook" is. However even "spook" has various definitions. The origin of spook comes from Dutch from 19th century and "spook" wasn't used as a racist slur until mid 20th century. Even before then it was used to mean an undercover cop.

To me it does not make sense to throw the entire word away bc some racists touched it for a time much less than that which the word has been around. Why do I bother? Because that is how they win.

If we give up everything they steal then what are we doing? Rolling over for racists? Are you going to develop a whole new language or just stop talking? Are you going to let them take it all or are you going to take shit back?

Use some sense in this. A word that primarily has been used as a slur obviously does not need reclaiming, but a word that was touched but not originated there is silly to delete from your lexicon imo. It's important of course to be aware but that's different from changing your life.

Thoughts?

Edit: an example from current times could be "snowflake" being used to refer to anti-racist groups. Are we going to throw that word out because it's been touched by racists?

[wroteonedad]

I kind of really like Wednesday (review)

*psa - this article contains spoilers to the show so read at your own risk*

I checked my Netflix last weekend after the critics reviews all came flooding in, middle ground reviews on the performance of Ortega and the directing by Tim Burton made me become enticed. I'd seen the trailer drop on my Twitter before Halloween, I couldn't wait for the show to come out. I checked my Netflix to find I had to wait until Wednesday. Fitting. With a spinoff called Wednesday, what else was I expecting really? What isn't so fitting though, is why on earth this show dropped on Netflix a measly 32 days before Christmas. It's part of the evolving series of The Addams Family, so why didn't it come out just before Halloween? Maybe I'm just not seeing the bigger picture enough. I'm starting to think that it was released later in the year for the fellow people out there who celebrate spooky season all year round.

Rating: 3.5/5

Wednesday is the gen z dream. She's living in a modern day world, and when I say that I mean Enid loves TikTok and looks a little bit like 2016 Jojo Siwa threw up on her. There's ~ neutral ~ comments about sexuality and gender and if I could take a shot for every time social media was mentioned in the show, I may be on the way to the hospital by the end of episode 2. But Wednesday is troubled too, between her physic visions and the borderline terrorism between her and Thing, there is a lot to unpack with her character. It seems she is just a girl, in the modern world writing up her novel on a typewriter and trying to figure out the myths and mysteries of her family. Within that, the show is also mixed in with this sickening layer of old school, but stereotypical supernatural movie and TV show ideals. CGI enthused magic, bizarre monsters, spell books, the old Victorian school in the thunderstorm, some of it is visually Harry Potter core. This is something that made it hard for me to get into to begin with because I was never into the Harry Potter franchise. I don't think I've managed to watch a single movie all the way through and I definitely haven't touched any of the books. However, you put gen z and magic together and it creates Wednesday.

I'll be honest, I found the show slow burning and difficult to begin with. I'm still not sure how fond I am of the story, it feels quite dull and not particularly challenging, despite it being a Tim Burton work. The more I watched, the more I got into it, though I think it's the characters themselves that I am drawn to. It is so interesting to me to see a universe where Wednesday is living in the modern day, she is a technophobe and she's trying to figure out how to use a MacBook for the first time just so she can escape the Harry Potter world style fantasy that she is trapped in. However, truthfully I think Thing is the character who carries the show, despite not saying a word. The movements and emotions the little hand displayed were unmatched. It's very classical, not much has changed about Thing since the original Addams Family, other than the small amount of profanity displayed. This makes sense with the show being a Netflix original of course.

It's a shame with this show because I think there was potential for the creators to take it so far and have so many different stories within the series that flowed well, but there are storyline and arcs that keep getting wiped underneath the carpet and the way stories are revisited can come across as choppy and disorderly. There is character development in the way Wednesday begins to look out for people and ensure that they don't get hurt, but when there is a major storyline behind the main character and the writers brush over something so big so fast, it is a little bit suspicious. Ironically, I think some of this makes sense especially considering the downfall of the work released by Tim Burton, especially after some of his original spooky classics such as, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice. I think movies by Burton hit their peak in the 90s and then progressively got worse. Though I'll allow his remake of Charlie And the Chocolate Factory to slide because I used to watch that movie over and over again as a child, despite the controversy of how every person I know HATES it. I am a firm believer that Tim Burton has done well to come back and create something that can genuinely be enjoyed.

Its benefits? The insane music that is used within the show. From the likes of Beach House to 'elegant instrumentals' of Metallica, there is a piece of music in the show for everybody to enjoy. Another small benefit is in Episode 4 where the doctor comes into the morgue with sheriff and I took one look at him and knew exactly who he was. The one, the only Nitin Ganatra, most well known for his role of Masod Ahmed in EastEnders, definitely a fun fact to tell your parents if they don't want to watch the show. Another little detail of the show that I really liked was Netflix and its use of stage direction. For example [wet squelch] has to be one of my favourites used through the entire season. It would seem that Netflix has picked up the comedy in a stage direction through the way in which they were written in Stranger Things. I think it's because watching a show with subtitles on has become more popular over time.

Both Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman have been perfectly cast to portray Morticia and Gomez in a modern light. The characters have barely been adapted from the original movies and this stays respectful to the original. There really is nothing worse than when you're watching a reboot or remake of an already existing piece to find the characters have changed so much that it makes the storyline worse.

My biggest pet peeves in the show? That one episode where they're in the dark room developing pictures of the monster and they put it in the development tray and the image comes out in full 4k quality within seconds. It's unrealistic and it makes me angry. There should be a suspense and we as an audience should wait for the image to develop in real time. Why did it take 4 episodes before Wednesday mentioned her fathers criminal record again? I don't believe that she was too hung up on other things to remember it because you don't just forget something as big as your dad supposedly killing someone right. In my brain, there are some plots in this show that aren't just bad, they contain lazy writing. It also amazes me how the entire arc of Gomez being written in as a killer is resolved within the one episode after it was forgotten about for half the season. Had the show been given more episodes for the season, it would have been really interesting to watch the arc spin out for a good section of the series, I like to hope if the show is renewed for a second series then it will also contain a larger amount of episodes.

The romance subplots through the show feel flat and undeveloped, like how it could easily be removed from the show and it would make no difference to the overall finished project. It seems the shows writers are trying to attract as many forms of watchers as possible, but it doesn't feel necessary for Wednesday to be part of a complicated love triangle. A Hannah Montana he could be the one moment. Don't get me wrong, I really like both Tyler and Xavier, it's nice to have a show where the characters used as love interests have a bit of a personality and life that doesn't always revolve around impressing the girl. But I am still adamant that none of the romance needed to happen and that the show still would have gone smoothly if the writers had just focused on allowing Wednesday to develop platonic relationships with people.

Who was this show made for exactly? I think its main audience was for gen-z. Through the use of modern day apps such as TikTok I think that it has brought down the attention span for longer shows and slow burning episodes of shows. I think that the show has been created for the person who scrolls through their endless short TikTok feed where they can get any form of content fast. This is used through the forgotten characters arcs which are brought back within a few episodes and the 'forgetfulness' of the characters in the show. It's not the same as shows like Breaking Bad and Twin Peaks which are slow burning to create a long formed story and character arc. I think creators alike have lost their touch for creating long form content, not just people who write shows, but even with things such as the music you listen to. Those are now designed to have one or two different catchy parts to the song because it is created for you to consume on short formed medias such as TikTok (and subsequently now YouTube Shorts and Reels??? Why are there so many of them now?).

I really grew to love this show, despite some of the dullness and errors, I think this show has an incredible cast line up even with some of their very forced gen-z jokes. There are characters I hated when I first begun to watch the show, but as its gone on I've learned to love them. I would love to see a second series of the show to see where the show would take them, though this is also something I may regret saying later on. I mean, remember Russian Doll and how strong that first season was, because I couldn't even get past the first episode for the second season. I would like to see the second season of Wednesday stretched out as a longer season too, I would like to see a slower development as well as fun snappy stories. There is so much the creators can do with this show, the world is your oyster. And I stand by it, Thing IS the best character in the show. Last time I felt this much emotion towards a non human character was during my last rewatch of Wall-e.

Wednesday is streaming on Netflix now.