#greatest movie of all time incoming

[shesnake]

I'm Ria Khan. I am going to be a stuntwoman. My sister Lena is the only person who believes in me, but lately she's been seeing this guy who I think is a bit of a smarmy wanker. Now, I'm not being dramatic, but these people are evil.

Polite Society (2023) dir. Nida Manzoor

[wisteria-lodge]

So my problem with most ‘get to know your character’ questioneers is that they’re full of questions that just aren’t that important (what color eyes do they have) too hard to answer right away (what is their greatest fear) or are just impossible to answer (what is their favorite movie.)  Like no one has one single favorite movie. And even if they do the answer changes.

If I’m doing this exercise, I want 7-10 questions to get the character feeling real in my head. So I thought I’d share the ones that get me (and my students) good results: 

What is the character’s go-to drink order? (this one gets into how do they like to be publicly perceived, because there is always some level of theatricality to ordering drinks at a bar/resturant)

What is their grooming routine? (how do they treat themselves in private)

What was their most expensive purchase/where does their disposable income go? (Gets you thinking about socio-economic class, values, and how they spend their leisure time)

Do they have any scars or tattoos? (good way to get into literal backstory) 

What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? (Good way to get some *emotional* backstory in.) 

Are they an oldest, middle, youngest or only child? (This one might be a me thing, because I LOVE writing/reading about family dynamics, but knowing what kinds of things were ‘normal’ for them growing up is important.)

Describe the shoes they’re wearing. (This is a big catch all, gets into money, taste, practicality, level of wear, level of repair, literally what kind of shoes they require to live their life.)

Describe the place where they sleep. (ie what does their safe space look like. How much (or how little) care / decoration / personal touch goes into it.)

What is their favorite holiday? (How do they relate to their culture/outside world. Also fun is least favorite holiday.) 

What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.) 

[eldritch-thrumming]

galaxy brain shit incoming

robin has to move when her mom marries wayne munson. it’s not that bad, her new stepbrother, eddie, is pretty cool and has decent taste in music. they actually have a lot in common. but the new school doesn’t have a gymnastics team like her old school did, so now she has no choice but to join the cheerleading squad if she doesn’t want to lose her mind here in a sea of endless blondes with their dad’s credit cards.

she thinks the cheer team’s captain is gonna be the worst of them all. she’s only been here two days and already she’s heard the rumors about ‘stevie’ and who she’s fucked and who she hasn’t and what parties she threw over the summer. robin’s rolling her eyes all the way to the gym for tryouts.

so imagine her surprise when stevie actually turns out to be steve, who’s honestly not so bad. he asks her to do a full routine and when she does it without breaking a sweat, steve smiles at the pretty blonde sitting next to him behind the folding table before saying “welcome to the team.” the blonde sitting next to him is also smiling, totally ignoring the other two teammates sitting behind the table who are clearly upset with steve’s choice. but all it takes for them to shut the hell up is steve holding up his palm, effectively silencing them. they cross their arms and say nothing else.

steve and the blonde—chrissy—seem to be working as a team… co-captains, even. they run their practices like boot camp and honestly? it’s a lot more serious and demanding than robin could have thought. they practice together constantly, watch training videos, and even start having sleepovers. robin doesn’t miss the weird stuff happening between steve and her idiot step brother, who can’t help but show off every time he sees that steve is over. but robins a little preoccupied with trying to figure out if chrissy likes girls or not.

until steve comes to robins doorstep, crying, talking about his college girlfriend, nancy, who dumped him because he wasn’t “serious” or “studious” enough. and robin’s not the greatest with feelings or comfort or words so all she can do is wrap steve in a blanket and cuddle him on the couch. she gets up to fix them a snack and when she comes back, eddie’s snuck into the living room and taken her place on the couch and steve is laughing for the first time all night. she gives them half an hour, camping out in the kitchen, before she walks in on them and interrupts their first kiss. eddie’s got a shit eating grin on his face and steve’s blushing so red robin thinks if she got a little closer she’d be able to feel the heat radiating from his cheeks.

the three of them spend friday night and all day saturday watching movies together. they’ve just ordered pizza when steve turns to robin and asks her if she’s ever gonna make a move on chrissy cause chrissy hasn’t stopped talking about robin since tryouts at the beginning of the year. robin grins and goes to invite chrissy over for their second movie night in a row.

then they go to nationals or whatever and win their competition and robin and chrissy get to kiss for real with the trophy in their hands. when they head back to the locker room with steve, they run into eddie with a bunch of tulips—steve’s favorite flowers—in his hands… and robin rolls her eyes at the gooey look in steve’s eyes. robin and chrissy, holding hands, leave the two boys to do whatever it is two boys do after a cheer competition.

[amazon160]

THE SPOT X READER

FLUFF SNIPPETS (PT 1)

When I say I want some Jonathon Ohnn/Spot x Reader fics, I’m not talking about the smut headcanons. No…

I’m talking about-

-You walked out of Alchemax after a long shift, and to your dread, it was pouring outside.

You shuffled in your jeans and fitted polo shirt, lab coat stuffed safely into your bag. You felt a tap on your shoulder. “Do you need a ride home?” Dr. Ohnn approached you from behind. You gave him a modest “no”, but after he insisted even further, you couldn’t decline any further. You sat in the passengers seat of a rather empty van, the only items being paperwork and other research stuffed onto the back seat with a briefcase looking thing keeping them all down. Jonathon laid his arm back behind your seats, resting behind your head, and you tried to hide the incoming blush on your cheeks.

-You and Spot walked down the busy streets of New York on a bright, sunny day. You wore a t-shirt with some sort of pun on it (your choice lol) and jean shorts. Spot was next to you with, well, clothes. For a change, not because he needed a disguise, but because he was feeling more accustomed to himself. It was your greatest achievement by far, making him feel more at home with himself. He had a pair of cargo shorts and a goofy Science pun t-shirt and a zip up sweater. He stuck one hand into the pocket while the other swished back and forth to dramatize his rant about Quantum Physics. You took the closest hand to you, which was in his pocket, and intertwined his fingers with yours.

-You sat in the passenger seat of Jonathon’s van watching a movie on the big projector’s screen. You both thought it’d be cute to go to one of those drive in movies they had down the street. They showed “Meet The Robinson’s”. Every time Lewis showed up on screen with his inventions in the beginning, you giggled. One time, you dared to look over at Jonathon, who was starting to grin from hearing your laugh over and over again. “What?” He asked. “He reminds me of you.” You pointed at the screen when Lewis was back on screen. “The small blonde kid? How?” Jonathon was taken back by your comment and started to laugh along with you, even. “You’re both nerds.” You giggled again at the disappointed face Jon made. You leaned over to the side until your head rested on Jon’s shoulder. He let his head slide over to rest on top of yours, guiding his hand to yours to rest as well. “I wouldn’t get too salty over it,” you reassured him. You rotated your head a bit to face Jon. He was giving you an amused look. “Your nerdy-ness is what makes you so CUTE.” You gave a quick kiss on the lips and settled back into your position resting on Jon’s shoulder, where you’d eventually end up falling asleep half way through the movie.

[meteormind]

Respect Her Journey

I want to talk about this piece of art that Horikoshi drew that probably has bkdks hissing and screeching at the sight of, and izuochas fist-pumping and going yeaaah! my ship is endgame!

Nono, don't be afraid, look at it! It'll be okay I promise.

It's beautiful, I hate it, you might say, as a bkdk.

Anyway, this was the tweet I lifted this art from.

Oh yes, pay attention to them falling! Some people might take this to mean falling in love, or whatever. I cannot comment on what Horikoshi meant by this statement, because he has proven to be a cryptic little nuisance of a troll. I will however, examine his inspiration for this piece and tell you why this is not him saying that Izuocha is endgame.

Um, incoming spoilers for Spirited Away if that wasn't obvious. If you've not watched it, I implore you to do so yesterday. It's a one of the greatest movies of all time.

Spirited Away: a story about Chihiro, a timid girl who ventures into the spirit world for the sake of her parents. (Wait? What? Sound familiar?) There's more.

In order to redeem her parents, she starts working in an environment that showcases all the worst parts of capitalist society

She befriends a boy named Haku, who she goes on adventures with

She meets No Face, a child-like spirit who lacks love and eats people while taking on their characteristics

She gives Haku back his name and breaks his curse with the power of love

She saves her parents and returns to the normal world having grown from her adventure and faces the future with confidence

Can we please appreciate the parallels between these two stories?

Bathhouse -> Hero Society: The overseer takes Chihiro's name, who becomes Sen. Just like Ochaco becomes Uravity. The public no longer sees her as a child. She is now a hero and they are free to expect things from her, like to fight in a war on their behalf. Urakaka is now fighting against her own bathhouse.

Haku -> Deku: Chihiro gives Haku his name back, just like Ochaco gives Deku a new meaning to his name, breaking the curse that Deku means "useless". Ochaco draws strength from at first, but she has since come to realize he is not invincible and that he himself needs saving.

No-Face -> Toga Himiko: Chihiro fascinates No-Face. Just like Toga Himiko the unloved girl, is fascinated with Ochaco for her goodness and being everything that she longs to be. Urakaka's character arc is tied up with Himiko and her struggle to save her smile.

There's probably more to unpack here, but these are the few that stood out to me right away. I'm lazy.

Now that we've established that Ochaco is Chihiro and Deku is Haku, remember that this falling scene in the movie is the climax. This is where Chihiro recognizes Haku for who he is and gives him back his identity. It is both a hello and a goodbye.

OOoooh! But Haku and Chihiro are in love! a certain braindead subset might retort--just no. I shouldn't have to mention how problematic it is to ship a ten year old with anybody, or that Chihiro is based on a real ten year old girl that Miyazaki knew--there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Haku is Chihiro's dead older brother, but I won't get into that. Look it up if it interests you. In short, it's platonic. PLATONIC.

Anyway, though Chihiro and Haku have benefitted from their friendship, ultimately they are headed in different directions.

Just like Ochaco and Deku are headed in different directions.

So please, please, don't hate this art. It's beautiful. Just like Ochaco is a beautiful character who has worked hard to be who she is. Stop trying to pigeonhole her as the love interest. It's insulting and she's fought that role kicking and screaming.

I also leave this with you. It is an excerpt from an interview with Miyazaki on his movie Spirited Away:

I felt this country only offered such things as crushes and romance to 10-year-old girls, though, and looking at my young friends, I felt this was not what they held dear in their hearts, not what they wanted. And so I wondered if I could make a movie in which they could be heroines...

I'm not saying that Horikoshi is absolutely taking Miyazaki's intentions as his own, but it's something.

[hail-brod]

Hint

Midoriya Izuku x Reader

Masterlist

U.A. ball.

Every hero student in U.A. looked forward to it. After three years of training as heroes, they were given the chance to celebrate their breakthroughs and improvements on their incoming career as Pro Heroes. It was exciting indeed.

And Midoriya Izuku was delighted. Not just because he finally felt stronger than before and became much more confident, but because you were there.

You were stunning that evening.

The music played with so much life as the other students made a beeline for the dance floor, showcasing their mirth for being there. Illuminated by the disco lights above, shining green eyes became a shooting star as it landed on your seated form.

You. [Last Name] [Name]. His ever-loving childhood friend. He basked in your gentle demeanor, smiling so calmly as you watched the others dance.

You made no move to sit up nor ask other students to dance with you. You only sat there. Not with a looming gloom but with a contented expression. You were a proud loner that seeks nothing but solitude and Izuku admires that about you. In his eyes, you were amazing. He saw your own ways when it comes to interaction with other people and you were unfaltering. Always so composed albeit sometimes in a humorous way.

So you sat there with a gorgeous smile as you listened to your classmates beside you. You were a good listener so people tend to be rambling to you whenever. That leaves him quite jealous at times but who is he to think like that? He’s at least relieved that you were enjoying your time in such a crowded event. That’s all that would matter to him. Your comfort.

In addition to that, you were his comfort.

For as many times he could decide, you deserve so much more. He wants you to see that he can also be your greatest comfort, someone you’d want by your side no matter what happens. Izuku could only imagine things when it comes to relationships, and his heart swells at the thought of it.

The music suddenly shifted. From the constant beats of rhythm to a mellow swirl of instruments, the dance floor toned down to a slow dance.

At that moment, he took note how you shifted on your seat for a mere second before sighing joyously at the change.

He knew how much you enjoyed your own company but he couldn’t help but stare longer at you.

The way you would just giggle and laugh at jokes from others and give your small comments here and there was respecting enough. Your satisfied body rhythms as you bob your head to the song was cute in many ways. The smiles that you give to your classmates when they greet you was mesmerizing at its best.

Izuku could only tweak a small smile as he laid his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his palm.

Isn’t it a cliché dynamic in movies? The childhood friend falling in love with the main character.

Well, Midoriya Izuku is that childhood friend.

Evidently, a blush came up to his cheeks. It was too late to be going back into seeing you as just a friend. You were special to him and that won’t change sometime in the future. He wouldn’t say he regrets falling because just being close to you is enough to send him into a craze of joy. You were there at his lowest and even if you were no match to Katsuki back then, you still stood up for him. You have a kind heart, in return, that heart is what makes Izuku’s own beat faster.

“Stop that.”

“Huh?” Izuku let out. Turning his head beside him, he met a pair of glaring crimson eyes.

“I can clearly make out the look you’re giving her and it’s irritatingly idiotic.” Bakugou Katsuki continued. With a gritted teeth, he gave his green haired friend an irritated look.

Green eyes could only widen at his remark as shades of blush started to fade in on his cheeks. “K-Kacchan…. I’m not-“

“Shut it. You have googly eyes.”

Still blushing, the green haired man tried to conceal his vulnerability as much as possible. “W- What the hell does that mean?” Stuttering was not part of it as he only blew it by nervously looking away. Googly eyes? Was he really that obvious?

Clicking his tongue, Katsuki replied nonchalantly. “I’m not stupid and I’m sure as hell not unaware of your silly little crush on her. Almost everybody in class knows your ‘secret’ because you we’re too damn obvious, dumbass.”

Well, there it goes.

Izuku paled at information so much that he almost shouted his next words but thankfully, he refrained so because of the romantic atmosphere. “Y-You’re kidding.”

“The hell I am.” Katsuki grunted. Standing up, he placed his hands in his pockets. “Too bad, too late. I bet she also knows now too.” He then proceeded to leave the dumbfounded green haired man.

Izuku could only stare at nothing as he processed what he just heard.

“I’m so done. So, so, so done.”

How could he ever let this happen? He thought he was playing it cool and stuffs but he was actually playing it too cool for it to be awkward. No, he was very much obvious. Sure, Katsuki would’ve been lying to him to get him all worked up but he isn’t the type of guy to mess around with this stuff. He’d rather battle to death with him than scare him with absurd jokes.

Though, the crush part wasn’t actually absurd. It’s true.

Midoriya Izuku is crushing on his childhood friend. Repeating that thought again and again in his head seems to pull him out of reality. His cheeks won’t stop heating up especially now knowing that you might be aware of his hidden feelings.

How would you act now? Would you think of him less? You’ve been both in good terms so maybe you’re not all that bothered? No. Or maybe you could’ve been trying to brush it off to save your friendship?

Aaaaahhhh. He doesn’t know anymore.

But one thing does come in his mind. You weren’t that kind of person. You we’re too kind for that and surely, you wouldn’t just let it slide off. You would do your best to talk and confront because you will seek assurance.

You once told him that you knew too much how it feels like to be left out. Even when you like to bask in the comfort of your own world, there were times on your past that made you feel insignificant. But that eventually changed.

His emerald eyes then landed on your seated form, chatting with his other classmates. Of course, you didn’t talk much but you did try to go for small talks. You giggled and smiled at their words. Izuku wouldn’t stop thinking of it. He wouldn’t stop thinking how sweet you were and how you make him sigh dreamily. He looked at you with so much fondness that his heart would somewhat explode to bloom something more in him. Something that made his stomach flip.

Gosh, since when did he became so lovesick?

The thought made him frown, though, he was still flushing. Eyes never wavering at the sight of your existence.

It almost wavered though. You were now also looking at him.

Both of you stared at each other for a few good seconds as you stared back in a dumbfounded manner. Izuku was, well, shocked. It didn’t take long for you to wave at him with a smile that Izuku thought was cuter than before.

Quite taken aback from your action, he managed to wave back nervously. He almost scolded himself for being a nervous wreck when both of you are long-time friends. He just hopes you wouldn’t catch up on his little speck of shyness.

Thinking back to what Katsuki said, he felt like he should be doing something now. Since he said that everyone in their class are pretty much aware of his interest in you, he should be taking his risks now. Whether you know it already or not, you need to hear it from him and not from them.

For now, it’s him you should be listening to.

As decided, he stood up and walked towards you only to stop when he was close enough to face you. You gave him a questioning look as he stood there quite timidly.

You smiled up to him. “Hmm? What’s up, Izuku?”

Izuku almost twitched a wide smile for seeing you close, but he refrained.

“Uh…hey. So….I was gonna- Well, sorry if this is just sudden but…you know, I wanted to- to- “

Great. He’s stuttering. He just blundered his own front for being not too obvious in front of you that he could only hope you were dense enough to go past it.

Unfortunately or fortunately, that isn’t going to be the case.

You could only stare at him for a few moments, widening your eyes. You knew those gestures and those frantic eyes. Those stutters that were accompanied by his cute blushes. Sure, it might be something different as man to woman but it can be different when it’s entirely on a deeper sentiment.

Oh, hush, you. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions. You…really shouldn’t.

“You…want to dance with me?” You almost muttered.

The green haired man tensed. It’s now or never.

“How- um,…. Yeah….” He bit his lip for a few second. Frantic eyes searched for your own as he was caught in a moment of trance. Ah, you were doing it again, making his heart swell a lot. He then showed his palm to you.

“Will you dance with me, [Name]?”

Izuku could never miss the way your eyes shine with elation as you replied.

“I would love to.” Chuckling, you took his hand. Basking in on his rough palms that was somehow so soft in many ways. Taking his hand like this felt different as it ignited a fluttering joy in you. You flushed.

Leading you on the dance floor, hands where they needed to be, you both swayed to the song. You rested your hands on his shoulder as he rested his on your hips. You felt the growing shyness in you take over but you rattled it with a quick breath. Looking up to him, you locked eyes with emerald ones. You saw how his lips twitch up in a smile at your attention as you finally saw it close up.

His cheeks were red as he only smiled at you. A smile that seemed so different to the other ones he gave you because it was much more clear and precise this time. His eyes shine so brightly, brighter than the dancing lights across the venue.

That only made you clutch his shoulder a bit as your insides felt a thousand flutter of wings.

You weren’t keen on human socialization and having a significant other was almost crossed out on your list. You didn’t know whether you would be qualified to be one because of your likeness to be in solitude and not a mind speaker. You would only rely a lot on your sight to observe and thoughts to decide on.

But when it comes to Izuku, you were much more open. You always feel at the best of your ability and comfort because he was he. The most adorable and kindest man you’ve ever known. You could say there’s a mix of bias in there but you know your feelings are genuine.

Too genuine perhaps.

Although, you would definitely admit that, Midoriya Izuku is — no doubt — your type of man.

You only decided he is because he’s the only one you would adore and look up to. Growing up with him does things, and it makes your heart beat pound.

You scanned his face. His cute little freckles stayed true on its spot since childhood, now colored with a tint of blush. He was incredibly handsome, your heart swelled. His stares had seemingly turned into a much more genuine contrast as his fondness was flowing in every corner of his gaze. Once again, that shyness crept up to you as you blushed furthermore.

“I’ve been wanting to ask.” Izuku broke the moment first. You hummed in reply. “A-Are you interested in someone lately?”

Your heart skipped a beat.

“Oh….you mean like- romance and stuff?” That caught you off guard so now that shyness took over you in a matter of seconds. Nonetheless, you already decided. “I guess…maybe, yeah…”

“Oh…”

Silence.

“Will you tell me who? If- If its fine with you.” He should really work on his vocabulary in front of you more now. Not long did he received a hearty laugh from you. His gaze stayed on you as you flushed on his question.

Izuku smiled at that.

“If you’re interested in someone, Izuku, would you tell me too?”

Almost with a quick breeze of panic, he tried to maintain his nervousness. “Ah- Yeah, duh. Ahahaha…” He sweatdropped.

So you didn’t know. Izuku thought so. That honestly made him relief knowing that at least you would be able to hear it from him. Right now — if he can.

But you beat him to it.

“You’re cute, Izuku.”

Dumbfounded, Izuku stared. “Pardon?”

You giggled and replied. “Nothing.”

It sank in his mind as panic rose. “You did not just- just- brush that off.” His blush before had deepened its shade of red. Feeling much more conscious from your eyes even though he knows that you were just as embarrassed. “What you on about?” Looking away, he retorted with the same blush.

Fortunately, it doesn’t end there.

“I hope you got my hint.”

“Huh, hint?” Izuku darted his eyes back on you, only for him to bask on the sincerity of your words. You then smiled at him as your eyes-

Izuku relished in your fond gaze as your cheeks flushed — and your eyes only stayed on him, searching for something. As if you were expecting something from him and it hit him.

“Oh, shit.”

Your pretty little eyes widened for a brief second as you eventually laughed at his reaction. “You swearing always gets me.”

“How can I not? You… do you really mean it or you’re just messing around with me?” He frowned and pouted almost so childishly at you. He blushed furiously.

You looked at him with much more sincere, not wanting him to take it the other way. Tilting your head, you bit your lips before replying. “I meant it.”

“Like- meant it that way…if you know..”

At that very moment, a prolonged silence ensued. You already avoided his gaze as the man processed his thoughts. He felt the signal. You were right there, and both of you were expecting something.

 “You’re really attractive.” He finally blurts it out.

.

.

.

.

“[Name], I like you a lot.”

It didn’t take too long for both of your hearts to erupt in a fluttering swirls of string that tug you towards each other. Cheeks mutually heating up from the growing tension. You looked up to him once again, recovering from your quick shock — you released your smile that took all of your shyness to spring it up.

Izuku finally said it and he could only tensed even more when you leaned forward, resting your head on his shoulder.

His heart was filled with warmth at the action as he smiled for the umpteenth time. And it only got wider when you said it.

“I like you too, Izuku…”

[danmainacc]

MY REASON | THREE

pairing: leonardo hamato x black! fem! reader

word count: 1.5k

warnings: angst, character death, fluff, tooth-rotting love, depression, trauma, limes, profanity, i’ll add more if i remember

a/n: so this is a rottmnt movie fic, with heavy emphasis on the time during the apocalypse. and i spell Kraang like this. i just feel like it makes sense. oh, and Leo gets sent into the portal along with Casey. this is so self-insert omg

( 6 months later )

...

The sound of explosions and lasers roared echoed through the air as you and Casey supported Leo, the gash in his side making it hard for him to run.

The amount of smoke in the air was making hard to see at this height, so you turned your sights to the sky.

“Axis! I need some aerial cover!” You called to your star pupil, who was soaring overhead.

“On it!” She nodded, turning to the incoming Kraang bot and taking a deep breath. “CAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!”

Her sonic caw made the entire area shake, the Kraang bots within its range shattering. 

“Atta girl!” You smiled up at her, Axis shooting you a wink before flying off to help the others.

Leo began stumbling a bit, but Casey readjusted his grip, offering the turtle more support. “I got you, Sensei. Stay with me,” he assured, slightly muffled by his mask.

“You’re a life-saver, Casey Jones,” Leon smiled, thankful.

Out the corner of your eye, you saw a pack of Kraang hounds coming your way, so you pointed your fist at them, shooting a beam of blazing, orange fire.

The Kraang had laid siege to the Base and decimated everything. April stayed back to buy you some time, but who knows what had happened to her.

There was nothing but chaos everywhere, the last bit of our forces just fighting to keep themselves alive.

Hell, you did even know where the younglings were, which was why you were heading to First Cave right now.

“Come on, we’re almost there,” Casey lifted his mask with a smile as we ran up this hill, the head of Lady Liberty resting at the top.

Overhead, a Kraang Mech pointed its glowing eye at us, firing up its laser.

“Gimme a sec!” You exclaimed, quickly moving from under Leo’s arm and flying up to the robot.

“Mom!” Casey worriedly shouted.

You ignited yourself into flame and dove straight through the thing’s metal armor, its eye becoming dull as you flew out the other side, turning off your flames and getting right back up under Leo.

“Sorry for the wait,” you panted with a smile.

The turtle turned to you with a love-struck smile and placed a quick kiss on your cheek. 

“Watch out!” Casey exclaimed, Kraang hounds about to attack us from behind.

You let out a startled scream and Leo tackled you and Casey to the ground, shielding the both of you with himself. 

“Bad doggies!” a familiar voice exclaimed, blasting the dogs away.

‘Oh, thank God.’

“Impeccable timing, little brother. Very dramatic,” Leo smirked as we turned around, Mikey in all his mystic glory floating in front of us.

His eyes glowed as he sat criss-cross in mid-air, swirling his arms around to create his infinity chain.

You and Casey propped Leo up on a pile of rocks, Mikey hovering over to you three.

“Help him, guys. He’s hurt bad,” Casey asked, frantically looking between you and Mikey.

You sighed and gave Leo an apologetic look, him taking your hand in his as he gave you a firm nod.

“This is going to hurt,” you sighed, igniting a small fire in your hand, pressing it into his gash.

He let out a hoarse yell of pain and you winced, taking your hand away after a few more seconds.

“Tha...Thanks, (n/n),” he panted, lifting his gaze from his cauterized wound, to the fighting ensuing below the hill.

“That’s it. The resistance failed. The Kraang won.”

You looked behind you, the opening of First Cave right there, but no children in sight.

“The kids....they’re not here,” you said shakily, tearing your stare from the cave as quick as you could.

This entire situation of gone from bad to nightmarish.

“But it isn’t over. We’ve still got a ninja’s greatest weapon...hope,” Leon smiled, slowly turning to his brother.

“That and a badass mystic warrior.”

You suddenly realized what he meant and you smiled, your last sliver of hope returning.

‘This is it.’

“Mikey, we need a time gateway,” Leo asked, giving him a serious look. 

Mikey’s brow bones furrowed, “It’ll take everything I have.”

“I know, but this is our last chance. It’s our only chance,” Leo sighed, clutching his side.

Mikey gave him a firm nod before floating off to the side, rolling up his cape.

“Wait, what’s going on? Where is he going?” Casey asked frantically, confused.

“Casey, listen,” Leo ordered, the boy quickly turned his attention to his teacher. “The Kraang first came to our planet through a mystic doorway.”

Leo took out a group picture of all six of you, the boys, April, and you, and flipped it over, drawing  picture of the Kraang key

“The key that opened the doorway looked like this,” he continued, handing the photo to Casey.

“Why are you telling me this?” Casey asked, still very much confused.

You sighed, “Because Mikey is about to sen you back in time to the day that the key was stolen.”

His eyes went wide in shock. “Wait! He’s gonna WHAT?!”

“The people that stole the key opened the doorway for the Kraang. You have to find it before that happens. Find the key, stop the Kraang,” Leo continued, his tone firm.

“But, Sensei--.” “Say it!” Leo ordered, grabbing Casey’s shoulder.

“Find the key, stop the Kraang,” Case repeated, a slight tinge of fear in his eye.

He looked down sadly, before looking back up at the two of you.

“I don’t wanna lose you guys.”

You and Leo gave him a warm smile, one of your hands resting on each of his shoulders.

“Casey, it’s not about us--.” Suddenly, a bright red light shone on you, another Kraang Mech preparing for attack.

“They found us!” Casey exclaimed, whirring up his chainsaw-hockey stick.

You and Leo jumped up to fight as well, only for more light to shine on you from behind.

Another Kraang Mech. 

“Mikey!” Leo called to his brother, the portal still not ready. 

The orange clad turtle was beginning to flake away, and he gave himself a somber look before increasing the power, pulling the portal wider with painful yells.

“Master Michelangelo, no! You’re gonna--!” Mikey turned around, shooting Casey a quick wink before he gave it a final pull, the portal ready, and the mystic warrior gone.

Leo looked away sadly and you placed an assuring hand on your husband’s shoulder. 

That’s when you noticed the Kraang Mech from behind the portal, its sights set on Leo.

‘NO!’

In one motion, you moved in front of your husband, the laser going through you instead.

You gasped at the sudden volcano of pain, Leo looking at you completely destroyed as your blood splattered over his plastron.

Your eyes traveled down your body to see that, luckily, you hadn’t been completely eviscerated, but a golf ball sized hole was now in the center of your chest.

“MOM!” Casey screamed as you flopped into Leo’s arms, your breathing incredibly shallow.

Leo looked down at you in disbelief, tears streaming down his cheeks as he stared down at the hole. 

“No, no, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening,” he muttered to himself, clutching your body close to him.

“P...ortal......now,” you said hoarsely, reminding your husband of what needed to be done.

He drew a shaky breathe, nodding, and lifted his gaze to look dead at Casey. “You gotta get in that portal,” he ordered, the sound of a whirring laser from behind getting louder and louder.

“What?! No! I’m not leaving you!” Casey cried, the tears pouring down his cheeks at the sight of his mother.

“Casey, I don’t have a lot of time. I love you more than anything in the world, and right now, I need you to go. I will always be there for you, Case,” you quickly said, using up most of your energy.

He shook his head, not wanting to believe this was happening. Leo grunted, grabbed him by the shoulder, flinging him into the portal.

“See you on the other side, kid,” he smiled through tears, his son disappearing through the gate.

“Le...o. Sta...nd me up,” you asked, your head laying limply on his chest.

He quickly complied, cupping your cheek in his hand as you looked up at him.

“Guess we were right. We will be together ‘til the end,” he smiled, bitter-sweetly, the laser almost ready to fire. 

You guiltily sighed, mustering up the rest of your energy.

“I’m sorry, Leon. But I gotta break our promise.”

You gave him a quick, hot kiss on the lips before breaking away, shoving him into the portal, hard.

“(N/N)!” he screamed, holding his hand out to reach you.

You smiled, falling to your knees as the darkness began creeping into your vision.

You stuck your tongue out and threw down a peace sign before the giant beam struck you, turning your body into nothing but dust.

And there went your best friend, your family, your husband, your everything.

At long last, the Kraang had won.

...

[yowyowyaoi]

The Akatsuki’s Favorite Halloween Movies

Deidara, Hidan and Tobi: Halloween (1978) and Halloween II (1981)

The iconic theme song. The silent killer stalking his victims in the chill of the night. The way he never says any words, never gives any warning sign of his presence until it’s too late. There are a thousand different reasons why these two movies are the favorite of this particular trio. They like to camp out in the living room and watch them back to back. Sometimes they’ll eat snacks, sometimes they’ll style each others hair, a couple of times they’ve carved pumpkins like the characters in the movie. Deidara and Tobi love the first Halloween the most, and neither felt like such a perfection in storytelling really needed a sequel. Tobi especially likes to argue on how Michael Myers is scary not because of the mask (while touching his own) but because you as the viewer don’t know the motivations behind why he targets this particular group of people. Hidan got them into Halloween II and insists that it’s still scary even knowing (some) of Myer’s thought processes. And Deidara has to admit the lab explosion scene at the end is “an artistic masterpiece, hm!”

Konan: Hocus Pocus (1993)

Konan doesn’t really like scary movies, exactly. She likes things that are light and childlike, and films that evoke a sense of nostalgia. No Halloween movie gives her that sense of fulfillment quite like Hocus Pocus. The story of the boy who was turned into a cat trying to save his sister  resonates with Konan, as she would have done anything to save her “family” (Yahiko and Nagato). The sweet teen love story between Max and Allison really moves her, and she has a soft spot for Max’s quirky little sister Dani. And speaking of sisters, The Sanderson Sisters holds a place on Konan’s heart as some of the greatest “villains” of all time. She’s made Deidara and Itachi sing “I Put A Spell On You “ with her more times than they care to admit, with her as the lead witch of Winnie. They’ve even dressed up as the sisters one Halloween, with Konan as Winnie, Deidara as Sarah, and Itachi as Mary. They looked fabulous but of course Hidan never lets Deidara or Itachi forget that they “dressed up like chicks”.

Nagato and Kisame: Halloweentown (1998)

Another nostalgic movie that isn’t really scary so much as it’s fun. For both of them, the notion of an entire town where “freaks” aren’t only welcome but are the norm, is very appealing to them. Kisame knows his shark-like appearance would fit right in to this mythical place, and Nagato imagines that he and his Pein bodies could really find their niche there. Kisame in general is a big fan of classic movies, and has long since been a fan of the work of Debbie Reynolds. When he found out that she played the lovable witch grandmother to Marnie in this movie, well, he was hooked. The two like to eat a lot of candy while watching this movie (it’s the only time of year that either of them truly indulges in sweets) and discuss ways they could improve the government of this fabled town.

Kakuzu: Beetlejuice 1988

Kakuzu admires the character of Beetlejuice. The man is long dead yet he’s managed to use his talent of being repulsive as a means to earn income by scaring living people out of ghosts’ former homes. Kakuzu’s always says that “Hell runs on money”, and this movie gives credibility to the idea that he’s right. He hopes that if and when he finally dies, he will be able to use his talents of bounty hunting in the afterlife to keep on earning money. Maybe wrangling up wayward spirits that don’t accept that they’ve passed on? Or souls that don’t follow whatever the rules of the afterlife are? Kakuzu sees the possibilities as being endless. Kakuzu has also always had an eye for architecture and especially buildings or structures that are way outside of the norm. He’s fascinated by the remodeling that Delia Deetz does to Maitland’s house, and secretly would love such a bizarrely constructed house to live in himself one day. 

Itachi: A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

Itachi despises Freddy Krueger. In his mind, the man being burned alive was too light a punishment for the atrocious acts he committed against children. BUT the Uchiha was understandably drawn in by the concept of being able to control and manipulate someone through their dreams. Very similar to gengetsu, and some of the nightmares that Freddy gives to people have become inspiration for visions that Itachi’s given to his enemies. Konan likes to watch this movie with him, as she likes the character of Nancy Thompson; but she gets so scared during the movie that she has to hold on to Itachi’s arm for support the whole time. Itachi often comes away with deep fingerprints imbedded into his skin the next day.

Zetsu: Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)

It should be no big surprise that a movie about a sentient plant with a rapidly developing lust for human flesh would be Zetsu’s favorite Halloween film. He loves how manipulative the plant Audrey II is with Seymour, and how easily he’s able to convince him to “feed” him. Zetsu also loves how campy this movie is, with the overzealous acting and the constant musical numbers. He’s tried to convince the entire Akatsuki to put this on as a play, and invite people from neighboring villages to come and watch. When Nagato questioned what they would do after the viewers realized they were all Akatsuki members, Zetsu’s solution was to invite them backstage to “meet” Audrey II … and never emerge again. Of course his idea was shot down, but he still loves the movie and watches it at least 10 times every October.

Sasori and Orochimaru: Child’s Play (1988)

This one almost seems too obvious, but Sasori really, REALLY loves the character of Charles Lee Ray, aka Chucky. Finding a way to beat death by transferring his soul into a body that could never be hurt, or age, or die? Sasori was sold from the first time his grandmother let him watch this film as a little boy. Of course Chucky’s body isn’t without flaws; in fact carefully studying Chucky’s design is what’s driven Sasori to make so many improvements on his own body. When Orochimaru was still in the Akatsuki these two would watch Child’s Play and it’s sequels, and argue on whether Chucky had found the best path to immortality. One thing that Sasori can’t relate to, however, is Chucky’s desire to transfer his soul back out of a doll and into another human body. Sasori prefers to stay in his doll body for eternity. Orochimaru, however, was very, very intrigued at the idea of putting one’s essence into different bodies, and this movie opened up his mind to hours of research (and eventually trial and error) on the subject.

[agentnico]

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) review

Someone should call child services, as Kong uses a baby monkey as a weapon and flails him around like a whip, using the poor little fella to bash against incoming enemies. Granted the little chap is durable, but like….. I’m sorry, this movie is ridiculous. Like I can’t even!

Plot: Godzilla and the almighty Kong face a colossal threat hidden deep within the planet, challenging their very existence and the survival of the human race.

2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong holds a special place in my heart in that during COVID-19 it was one of the first and only films to come out during lockdown. I recall sitting in my living room suffering from high depression (I mean, who wasn’t at that time, am I right??) and I stuck on the Godzilla vs Kong film with low expectations……and I had the greatest time ever. By no means was it a masterpiece. It’s even far away from being a good film, but at that time when I was cinema-deprived and life was in a constant state of limbo, a big trashy Hollywood blockbuster with two massive CGI monsters beating the living crap of each other was exactly the entertainment I needed.

In cometh Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Naturally we’re no longer in a pandemic so the WOW factor is gone, and also Godzilla Minus One only recently came out reminding us that Godzilla can be sophisticated when need be. That being said, am I opposed to seeing some ridiculously over-the-top kaiju brawls for absolutely no other reason other than Hollywood wanting to throw money against the wall and seeing what happens? Yes. Look, from the set-up the whole thing doesn’t make sense in the first place. I get it is fantasy and suspension of disbelief is required, but it’s a giant walking nuclear power plant that holds the title of king of the monsters against a bloody monkeh. I don’t care how cool or likeable Kong is, if we’re being realistic he’d get smushed just by touching Godzilla. Like, ain’t that lizard boi radioactive?? Last time I checked radioactivity is pretty fatal. Kong should have developed multiple forms of cancer since the 2021 film, I’m just saying. But again, that’s if we’re thinking logically, however as we’ve learned from these MonsterVerse movies, logic isn’t a word that exists. So let’s enjoy the lizard and monkeh for what they are - bring it on!!

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is exactly what you expect it to be… in the last 30 minutes. The first hour and a half is actually a casual sequel to Kong: Skull Island, with Godzilla a fleeting cameo just getting up to random shenanigans, with every appearance lasting no longer than 5 seconds. I’m serious, Godzilla to this movie is like Scrat is to the Ice Age movies. If you recall the little saber-toothed squirrel hardly ever connects to the main plot-line of those films, and instead is only obsessed with getting his stupid acorn. Same with Godzilla, he fights random kaijus just cause. He takes naps in the Colosseum just cause. He eats nuclear plants for breakfast just cause. He turns Barbie-level pink just cause. His entire role in this movie is just cause. Otherwise this is through and through a King Kong movie. Not that I’m complaining, if you want to make a somewhat engaging and emotionally resonant narrative (as if this movie has a plot!), it’s easier to focus on Kong as he has the baggage of being lonely and wanting to find a home and more of his kind, so there’s something there to work with. So we spend most of the movie wit Kong as he explores Hollow Earth that’s discovered from the previous film, and I quite enjoyed all that. Does the movie need to be 2 hours long? Nope, as the whole Hollow Earth story-line is dragged out so much when in fact all that happens could have easily been told in the size of a short film. Essentially nothing much happens is what I’m saying. Like the whole thing is a set-up for the inevitable and highly anticipated final showdown that we’ve all paid for.

About the final showdown - it’s so dumb. I mean the whole movie is dumb, but the final battle breaks any last remaining realm of reason and turns into this crazy bonkers monsters v monsters smashy-bashy bonkers beat ‘em up, and it was absolutely fantastic! Again, I fully admit the stupidity of it all, but watching this movie’s finale in a crowded theatre with everyone cheering, laughing, clapping and howling alongside all the CGI madness that is thrown at our faces - it was awesome! I’d give the final 30 minutes a 10/10 score easily, as it is exactly what we want from a Godzilla and Kong movie. Godzilla spears Kong through a pyramid and then immediately follows that up with a suplex. That right there is cinematic genius!! The rest of the movie is fine and has its moments, but is just a meandering set-up for that ending.

This being a MonsterVerse movie naturally there are also some human characters that we are forced to care about. Like I give a f***, gimme me more lizard and monkeh!!! I want them here, and I want them now! To be fair the producers must have listened to the audience feedback as there is much less human stuff in this movie. There’s a useless sub-plot with Rebecca Hall and her adopted daughter that was so boring and generic and was the dullest part of the movie. Brian Tyree Henry and Dan Stevens are a delight though, providing some enjoyable comedic tongue in cheek, with Stevens especially excelling at the one-liner quips. Nice also to see Stevens teaming back up with director Adam Wingard, the two having previously worked on the wonderful indie thriller The Guest. Honestly if you have not seen The Guest you’re missing out big time - a delightful slice of action horror with a fantastic atmosphere that sucks you in with a dash of dry black comedy edge.

Speaking of Adam Wingard, he’s evidently a good match with these goofy Fast & Furious-level silly monster flicks. He directs the movie using a fun colourful visual palette, with some fantastic sci-fi set pieces, and Hollow Earth is reminiscent very much of a Jules Verne-type adventure locale, very much in the vain of a Journey to the Centre of the Earth, or a Mysterious Island. There’s also a strong 80’s retro vibe to the movie with the techno-synth music score from Junkie XL that had strong Thor: Ragnarok feels to it. I must say through all its stupidity, visually the film is really cinematic and looks awesome on the big screen.

I had a solid time with Godzilla x Kong, especially with those last 30 minutes. Satisfyingly entertaining blockbuster fast-food. It does get a while to get there, and also the movie is fit with so many plot holes and inconsistencies, and also it really did feel like the writers were making things up as they were going along, but I don’t care. This was never intended to be high calibre award worthy filmmaking. It’s only a monkeh, standing in front of a radioactive lizard, asking him to fight together. Really entertaining and super fun. Best part was when it was revealed that Kong could talk and screamed “it’s KONGIN TIME!!’

Overall score: 6/10

[nephilimeq]

Scott Was Never the Hero

Incoming Rant: Re-watching the first season of TW I have realised why I never felt that Scott was The Hero of the story even if the writers did not stop hammering the idea that he was pure and perfect and always right. He never sacrifices himself. This is a classic of fiction, the hero will always be the one who makes the greatest sacrifices for the common good and for those they love, renouncing happiness, normality and even their own life.

But Scott never does that. Even in the first season this is very clear. The first few episodes emphasise that playing lacrosse and dating Allison are things he wants, but are dangerous to himself and those around him. The narratively logical thing would be that, after a period of selfish refusal, he would realise that the right thing to do is to give up what he loves until he has better control of himself and his new powers, sacrificing his temporary happiness for the good of others.

Instead, the narrative rewards Scott with control gained through Deux Ex Machina and not hard work, he gets to date Allison and becomes a Lacrosse star without sacrifices and therefore doesn't grow or evolve at all. This keeps up for all 6 seasons. Meanwhile, everyone else around him is constantly sacrificing their safety, sanity and even life for the common good.

And ten years later in the movie nothing has changed. Scott’s still not the one performing the sacrifice, he's still not the hero yet. He gives nothing, but the narrative rewards him with true love. Meanwhile Derek gives his own life to save those he loves he is The Hero.

My reply to all of this?

Pretty much everyone else in Teen Wolf has been a hero in the show, and it has never been Scott.

We have so many other characters sacrifice and give up so much of themselves to Scott’s crusade, and to his illusion of power as a proverbial “True Alpha” (I throw up in the back of my throat just writing it), and we never see any of it acknowledged by anybody, let alone Scott.

As I have rewatched the series, it is glaringly obvious that Stiles is the true main character of the show. He is the one who pushes the narrative the most, he is the one who digs for the information when no one else will. He drove the entire narrative of finding out the truth about Derek’s past, about Malia’s past, about Kira’s past, and even about Theo (god, I hate his character, too).

Scott's actions throughout the years are completely performative and nearly always in his own self-interest. He coerces, guilts, and emotionally manipulates his "friends" throughout the show all in some perverse power play.

Derek, on the other hand, risks his life over and over again for not only his pack, but for Scott, too. Derek was willing to die for his pack, whereas Scott couldn’t even be inconvenienced by them getting kidnapped, assuming that they were already dead and not even wanting to go after them. Derek not only put his life on the line for his pack time and time again, but he also chose each one of them and gave them the option to say no to the bite. He made it appealing, yes...but he still gave them a choice. Scott never did.

Scott has never been the hero.

Ever.

[themuse-if]

20 (or so) Questions with Eve Thompson

Let's get to know this incoming freshman class' jack of all trades! Hopefully we'll find out if those rumors are really true or if they're actually the master of none.

Interviewer: Hey Everly/Everette, thanks for coming in for a more in depth conversation. Let's start simple. What's your birthday?

Eve: June 5th. Summer vibes, you know?

Interviewer: Absolutely. Any nicknames you go by?

Eve: Just Everly/Everette. Keeps it straightforward, and I think it suits me. I definitely don't think I need a stage name.

Interviewer: Good to know. What are some of your good traits?

Eve: Versatility is a key trait – singing, dancing, and acting I want to be seen as an overall performer who can do it all. I'm adaptable, always ready to tackle different roles, and I relentlessly pursue excellence in everything I do.

Interviewer: Impressive qualities. How about challenging traits?

Eve: I can get quite competitive, especially in the performing arts world. It's tough out there, and standing out becomes a necessity.

Interviewer: Understandable. Hobbies outside of the performing arts?

Eve: I know this is completely coming out of left field, but I actually really enjoy knitting. I learned from my Grandma. I would go visit her a lot on the weekends, and we would watch whatever was on the turner classics channel, and she would teach me to knit. It sounds really corny, but I really cherish those memories.

Interviewer: That is just about the sweetest thing I've heard all day. What’s your greatest strength?

Eve: Adaptability. Whether it's seamlessly switching between roles on stage or navigating a new environment like New York, I thrive in ever-changing landscapes.

Interviewer: Admirable. And your biggest weakness?

Eve: Maybe the pressure to stand out. In a city filled with extraordinary talent, it's a constant challenge to distinguish oneself and leave a lasting impact.

Interviewer: It's a competitive world indeed. Describe yourself in one word.

Eve: Ambitious.

Interviewer: And how do you think others see you in one word?

Eve: Talented.

Interviewer: Let's explore fears a bit. What’s your greatest fear?

Eve: Fading into the background, becoming just another face in the crowd. I aim for impact and recognition.

Interviewer: Understandable. Top priorities at this point in your life?

Eve: Navigating the competitive world of performing arts in New York, honing my skills, and making friends as well as connections throughout my time in university.

Interviewer: Big dreams indeed. Tell me about your family.

Eve: Pretty ordinary – supportive parents, two younger siblings, the twins Aiden and Amber. They've always encouraged my passion for the arts, and their support means the world to me.

Interviewer: Admirable. Future goals – what's on your agenda?

Eve: The EGOT I mean an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony that really is the pinnacle. Beyond that, I want to continue evolving as a performer. Leaving a lasting impact on the world of entertainment is the ultimate goal.

Interviewer: Ambitious and inspiring. How would you spend a rainy day?

Eve: Exploring cozy cafes, maybe catching up on theater shows or films.

Interviewer: Favorite book?

Eve: "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig. I'm honestly not sure if it's my favorite book but I did really enjoy it. It has a really unique concept that I've never encountered before, and I find that really refreshing.

Interviewer: Great choice. And your favorite movie?

Eve: Hmm just one movie, I can't play favorites when it comes to movies. I'll just pick a random one that I like, so "Chicago." It's one of the best from Broadway to film adaptions! You have a super talented all-star cast and an already amazing score to work with and it's just perfection.

Interviewer: Lovely. Any dark secrets?

Eve: No dark secrets here. I mean not really...I have been feeling kind of off lately maybe a bit insecure. Who wouldn't though?! I was a big fish in a small pond, but the pond has turned into an ocean, so I don't feel that big anymore. *nervous laugh*

Interviewer: I completely understand, and I'm sure you'll adapt. Ok, lets switch gears, What's your best physical feature?

Eve: Mmm, I thing I have really good bone structure. My face is just pretty symmetrical.

Interviewer: Indeed it is. What about your least favorite?

Eve: My ears I feel like they stick out to much. Which is why my hair is always at least long enough to cover them.

Interviewer: I see. Lastly, how would you describe being in love?

Eve: I don't know. I think that, well I hope that it's like just finding a new best friend. Someone who I can let see all my little quirks. Someone who gets my silly sense of humor. I think that I really struggle with being 100% my authentic self. When I find someone who lets me be completely me, then I'll know that it's love.

Interviewer: *gets starry eyed* Beautifully expressed, Everly/Everette. Thanks for sharing with me. Excited to witness your journey at NYU and beyond!

[celluloidstyle]

pump up the volume (1990)

director: allan moyle

costume designer: michael abbot

production design: robb wilson king

set dec: tina treglia (peterson)

cinematographer: walt lloyd

BEING WEIRD ISN'T ENOUGH not sure why i like this pin, but i like it.

this film takes place on the cusp between the 80s and the 90s, but i loved that these kids drove these 60s/70s(?) cars, i think to signify that they were low income and couldn't afford modern cars? but i love the atmosphere in this shot.

not the greatest screencap, but i adored everything janie (lala sloatman) wore. the cat-eye glasses, the oversized pink pearl earrings, the ponytail scarf. even though i related to nora's artsy side, i wanted to be janie.

mark (christian slater) is like two different people. at home, he wears cool retro bowling shirts embroidered with the name "dick" and sasses his parents, but at school he wears bland clothing (like he wants to blend into the background) and acts all shy.

i also just really loved mimi kennedy as mark's mom, marla, using a teacup to ash her cigarette into, i just thought it was so posh!

again, loving janie's dangly statement earrings, and the colour combo with her floral bolero (?) and sweet pink dress. i didn't love nora's (samantha mathis) outfit as much, but i was intrigued by the piece she wears over her dress. it ties at the back of her neck, and i think again on her lower back, so it's like a... halter vest? the turtle necklace is pretty dope, and though you can't see it in this shot, she is also wearing purple and white striped tights.

paige's (cheryl pollak) bedroom is a dream! the floral wallpaper and the white bed are so lovely, but the seafoam green radio really makes the colour scheme pop.

man i wish i had a teacher this cool! ellen greene as jan emerson (do they call her miss emerson in the movie? i can't remember), wears the coolest outfits, and she is introduced in this amazing mustard suit accessorized with a turquoise bolo tie! the look is amazing, but it also alerts us that this film takes place in arizona.

paige, doing her WASP thing in an oversized sweater over a blouse, with a string of pearls. it's the necklace that does it for me.

i mostly just wanted to see how many celebrities i could identify in this shot: keanu reeves, johnny depp, george michael, kirk cameron, corey haim, richard grieco... (stole this image from imdb as it was much clearer than my screenshot)

i forgot that plaid wallpaper was a thing and i think it's due for a comeback. particularly loving the plaid (shirt) on plaid (wallpaper) in this scene, so cozy, like a cabin!

so many things to love in this scene: number one, the heart curtains; number two, the kitten sweatshirt (the kittens look like they might be puffy and i can feel it in my mind); number three the "homework causes brain damage" sign on the wall--classic! number four, the clear lamp filled with gumballs? and the cow hanging from it! number five and six, the blue radio and the clear phone! i want one!

did you notice that the tissue box in the highschool staff room is the same as the tissue box in the depressed student's room? do you think it was the same box?

nora's room reminded me of my own room in highschool-- walls plastered with images, and plenty of candles. i think nora might have been one of the prototypes for the manic pixie dreamgirl.

Believe It Or Not I Care

mazz's (billy morrisette) denim and leather look is good.

an example of one of mark's drab shirts, but also nora's completely adorable velvet blouse with a peter pan collar! also, i'm learning that the next time i wear a collared shirt, i need to add a long statement necklace.

so this scene is near the end of the film, and i loved mark's shirt here. i also realized that it's more of a cooler, bolder look than he has previously worn to school, so i think it's supposed to symbolize mark coming out of his shell and revealing more of his true self at school/in public. look at me, i get things.

finally, loving this floral blouse and braided leather suspender on miss emerson. i would probably wear this.

BONUS here's a picture of drew barrymore at "an event" for pump up the volume (according to imdb), i'm assuming it's the premiere, just looking cool and badass. i need that jacket.

another bonus: this adorable promo photo of christian & samantha <3

anyways, most of these pics are my own screenshots, but you should check out higher resolution images on imdb. i couldn't find any articles about the wardrobe in this film, but i did find this 30th anniversary article that was interesting.

[theiris-storyvault]

Captivated

Jimin X Reader

Genre: (Deadly) Fluff

Warnings: None!

a/n: Jimin has been a bias wrecker to me lately. He makes me feel so warm inside

🥺

The way he's got you effortlessly wrapped around his finger is mind-boggling to you. With one kiss, you're falling in love with him again. Jimin had such power over you that you didn't mind. So when your son was born, it was no surprise that he'd also have this certain charm.

Jinan was essentially Jimin reborn. From his supple cheeks to his captivating eye smile down to his huggable figure, he was a tiny duplicate. Other than his features, Jinan embodied Jimin's attitudes. He loved to dance whenever there was music playing. He enjoyed eating and was passionate about it too. He loved to laugh as much as he loved to love you. The same way Jimin does. His clinginess skyrockets and would cry whenever you had to drop him off at school. He was like carrying Jimin in your pocket.

Which made it more bearable when your husband had to be away on tour. The 6-year-old was overly empathic. He would make sure to give you a kiss before you sleep, and as soon as he woke up just like his dad would. He was perfect, and you forever are grateful to be sharing the love with your family.

"Hey, baby?" You hear Jimin say as he comes out of his workspace. "Hmm?" You hum as a response, turning to look at him. His face instantly lights up at the sight of you. He soon as he reaches you, he snakes his arms around your waist, pulling you in closer. "Nothing, I missed you" He whispers into your hair before planting a kiss. You giggle as you pull away from his tightening hug making him pout. Adorable. "Baby, I literally just came out here to get us some popcorn 5 minutes ago." He whines. "That's 5 minutes without you though" He states, as you playfully roll your eyes.

"Let's go," You simply say as you leave him trailing behind you. It was a Friday night, which, meant it was movie night for you three. Ever since Jinan Turned 2, you both made sure to make time for him, hence the birth of your weekly movie nights. "Jinan, sweetheart!" You shout as you place the popcorn on the table, and take the remote control to turn on the television. Jimin quickly plops onto the couch, pulling the big duvet up to his torso, before pulling you down to sit beside him. "Jinan!" Jimin calls again, hoping to get his attention. "Coming!" You hear his small response, followed by small footsteps. As soon as he emerges from the hallway, Jinan runs toward the couch screaming "Incoming!" before jumping in between the two of you. You all laugh, pulling each other into a group hug.

"What movie will we be watching today?" You ask, handing the remote control to your husband. You watch as your son's eyes sparkle in excitement trying to choose what you were to watch today. "Avengers!" He says, and immediately Jimin obliges. "Avengers it is." You watch your 6-year-old son's eyes sparkle as he watched the superheroes appear on the screen. Jinan had always been a big Marvel fan, he loved Hawkeye in particular though. Other than he loved being unique and having unique interests. He found Hawkeye the most captivating. He loved that when he wasn't an Avenger, he was a dad. He often compared him to Jimin. That when Jimin wasn't singing on stage, he was his dad, his best friend. And you loved how he viewed his father that way. It was endearing and heartwarming to know how much he appreciated his dad the way you did.

Jimin looks at you and sees you looking at Jinan. He smiles to himself, thinking about how lucky he was to have a wife like you. More than you know, he was as captivated by you and Jinan as you were with them. The moment you would look away, he'd stare at you, with love in his eyes. He often finds himself daydreaming about you and patting himself on the back for finding his way to you, for falling in love with you as though it was his greatest accomplishment because it was.

"Avengers! Assemble!" Jinan screams, along with Captain America, bouncing off of the couch and onto the living room floor. This makes you laugh. The number of times he has watched this was beyond your mind so you weren't surprised when he knew all the words to it. Jimin soon pulls you to him, your head on his chest, and him placing a soft kiss on top of it. "I love you, you know that right?" He whispers. Goosebumps run down your spine, feeling your cheeks heat up. "Of course babe, I do know that. And I love you too" Your response makes him giggle, his hold tightening around you. You both stay silent for a moment, forgetting the movie was ever playing and watching Jinan recite and recreate the fight moves instead. "I want another one", You tell him. He hums. "We can make as many babies as you want, love," He tells you. You laugh, letting your head fall on his lap. Your eyes were not locked with each other, his hand softly resting on your leg, and the other lost in your hair. "And I'm sure every single one of them would captivate me as much as you and Jinan do."

[sparksinger]

rise of the beasts ficcage incoming

i finally finished my little oneshot based on 'rise of the beasts'. as usual it's angst, comfort and a whole load of fluff featuring optimus prime and elena. :3

give it a read if you fancy!

title: remember who you are

trigger warnings: implied/referenced homophobia, mention of the death of a parent

rating: mature

word count: 6.1k

summary: Rise Of The Beasts one-shot fic. Optimus Prime and Elena have a movie night which evokes powerful emotions in both of them. Catharsis and heartfelt conversations follow. (Nothing to do with my 'Love Just Is' series.)

beware of minor spoilers if you haven't seen the movie yet? it's not really spoilerific but there are some minor ones in there.

here it is on ao3

and here it is on ff.net

or you can read it below the cut if you can't be bothered to go to different sites. :3

Three years.

Three years to the day.  The passage of time had not made the emotional or metaphorical scars any easier for Elena to bear.  It was like the first time when she saw the back of a large man, a man, who with his easy-going and confident swagger, could have been her father.

For every time she inhaled the smell of freshly brewed coffee or the smell of a freshly printed New York Times. 

Every time a cab zipped past her in the busy metropolis.

Time, she decided, did not heal all wounds.  In fact, it did not heal wounds period. 

It seemed to Elena that pain and time worked in seamless symbiosis, creating a sick plethora of ­healing, heartache, regret and a whole other load of complicated emotions that she knew she wasn’t in the slightest bit ready to attempt to unravel or understand.

Her mother had become increasingly distant since the death of her father, not even phoning Elena to congratulate her on the recognition of her discovery in Peru.  Ever since Elena had bolstered the courage to tell her parents the painful truth that she had been hiding for so many years, Elena’s mother had made her disapproval of Elena’s orientation clear without ever needing to utter a single word.

Benjamin Wallace’s reaction however, had been one of an entirely different calibre.

He had unfolded himself from his favourite armchair, discarding his crossword puzzle in the Times without a second thought.

Elena remembered watching with anxious trepidation, her breath bated as she watched her father uncurl himself to his full 6’3” height.  She remembered how the cold, uneasy trepidation had fallen away as he opened his arms to her, his ochre-brown eyes softening as he drank in her appearance, as if he was a blind man seeing her for the first time.

She remembered the feel of her hand in his, the way he had reached out to bridge the gap between them, encompassing her hand in his bigger one, wrapping her in the safety and security of his unconditional and eternal love.

“Baby girl, I just want you to be happy.  That is all I have ever wanted for you.  There is nothing you could do that would make me not love you.  You are my single greatest accomplishment in this life, and I am honoured to call myself your father.” 

Elena closed her eyes against the memory, inhaling it greedily, immersing herself in every sensory aspect of it.

The feeling of her father’s strong arms at her back.

The coffee scent that seemed to cling to his very skin.

The overwhelming sense of safety and love that permeated everything that he touched.

The feeling of her father’s strong arms at her back.

Elena shook her head, attempting to dislodge the memories and push them back to somewhere that would be significantly less painful.  She did not need to be dealing with errant thoughts and emotions when she had plenty of menial things to keep her occupied for the time being.

She placed her hands on her hips and observed the space before her.

The abandoned warehouse-turned-Autobot-base hadn’t changed much in the three and a half months since she had Noah had met the Autobots. 

In the back-left corner of the expansive open space was a crude ‘R&R’ station.  Elena smiled to herself when she remembered asking Mirage what ‘R&R’ stood for.  The incredulous look he had given her would have been offensive if he wasn’t so damned endearing with it at the same time.

“What do you think it stands for, Chica?  ‘Rest and repairs’!”  He’d said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the entire universe.

The berth that had been assembled by Arcee and Optimus was an impressive size.  It was thirty feet in length and a good fifteen feet from the ground.  A little big for the other Autobots, but necessary if Optimus was ever knocked out of commission.

Elena’s thoughts turned to the task at hand as the image of the Autobot leader came across her mind’s eye.

She knew she had about an hour before he got back from his patrol. 

An hour was all she needed.

Over the past few days, Noah had helped her to bring all the necessary equipment to the abandoned warehouse, storing it under a discreet pile of black tarpaulin and strategically placed spare parts. 

The largest piece of equipment that she needed had been placed on the overhead catwalk for her by a helpful Bumblebee only the day before.

“’Talk to me…oh, what’s going on?’”  Elena had laughed as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On sounded from Bumblebee’s speakers.

“A surprise Bee!  You’ll be able to see it once Optimus has.”

The friendly yellow Autobot scout had helped her to secure and mount the equipment to the catwalk platform, chirping curiously and playing various sound bites through his radio throughout the duration of the installation process.

Elena took her backpack off and retrieved the film reel within it.  She affixed it carefully to the projector, making sure that the machine was calibrated properly and making sure that the angle would line up correctly with the screen.

Once she was satisfied with the set-up of the film projector, she replaced the cover and made her way over to the ladder that would grant her access to the catwalk platform. 

She left her backpack on the floor and made sure to grip the ladder firmly with both hands before placing one of her Doc Marten clad feet on the lowermost rung.

Elena had never been the biggest fan of heights, and her recent experience with giant extra-terrestrial robots had not exactly warmed her to the concept.

Pushing the annoying thoughts to the back of her mind, she determinedly ascended the ladder, laughing at herself in a dark corner of her mind.  She had survived a battle for her planet’s survival and yet she was scared of climbing a ladder that was roughly twelve feet high?

Pathetic. ­­

It did not feel so pathetic however, when she heard a low groaning sound, a sound like the creak of fatigued metal giving way under her weight.

She scrambled quickly up the rest of the ladder and tucked her legs over the edge of the catwalk platform just as the offending object clattered to the ground with an earth-resounding crash.  The noise was temporarily deafening and for a split second, she was back on the bridge in Peru, listening to the deafening clash of metal against metal as titan fought titan.

“Elena, shut it down!”  Optimus Prime’s command as he charged to jump the gap between the key console and the bridge. 

She remembered how his heavy footfalls had reverberated in her chest, making her very ribs feel like they were vibrating.

She sighed, leaning over the edge of the catwalk to see if the ladder situation was at all salvageable.

It was not.

The ladder had fallen completely flat onto the concrete floor below and there was no way on earth that she could reach it without actually leaving the catwalk platform itself, which in turn defeated the object of her needing the ladder in the first place.

She shrugged to herself and made her way over to the mounts holding the projector screen in place.  She undid one side first and then the other, untwisting the mounts that were secured like screw nails.  The projector screen unravelled with a satisfying sound, not dissimilar to the sound a boat’s sail made when it was released.

She was pleased with the overall size of the screen.  It covered a good part of the catwalk railing that it was suspended from, and its generously large size ensured that it would be seen by large and small individuals alike.  All in all, she was satisfied with the set-up of the space that was available to her.  There weren’t many options available in the abandoned warehouse, but she felt that she had utilised the space available to her to the best of her ability. 

All she had to do now was wait for Optimus to get back from his patrol.

She sat down on the edge of the catwalk, allowing her legs to dangle over the side while she wrapped her arms around the lowermost railing.

The corrugated iron floor of the catwalk still retained some of the day’s heat, a heat that she felt on the backs of her thighs as she lowered herself to the floor.  The weather lady that very morning on WABC-TV had declared the late heatwave an ‘Indian’ summer. 

Before she had left her apartment that morning, Elena had elected for a plain white camisole paired with a battered, pinafore-style faded blue denim romper suit.  Her father had bought it for her four birthdays ago and it was nearing the end of its public life.  Sooner rather than later it would be no good except when she cleaned her apartment, but the thought of parting with it made her heart accelerated to a panicked and frantic rhythm.

A strategically tied bandana adorned her head, keeping her natural curls close to her scalp in an attempt to combat the year’s late, oppressive heat. 

The temperature had hovered around the low eighties and, a fact not helped by the minimal amount of rainfall that New York City had had so far for the month of September.

Elena swung her legs slowly to and fro, her dark brown eyes tracking the movement of her Doc Marten boots.  Doc Marten boots that were scuffed, paint-damaged and at least eight years old.

A nostalgic smile kissed her lips as a sudden memory played in the forefront of her mind, like her own personal picture show.

“Elena, when are you gonna polish those god-damned boots?!  I ain’t havin’ nobody thinkin’ your father and I raised you in some poorhouse girl!” 

Her mother’s shrill insistence that everything had to look and be perfect all the time.

“Easy Gloria!  The girl ain’t gonna lose out on anything in life if she’s got some scuffed boots!” 

The gentle cadence of her father’s calm and deep voice. 

Equally as powerful, she remembered her mother’s disappointment and anger when she learnt of her daughter’s chosen career path.  She had been most horrified at the fact that her daughter was not aspiring to become the devoted and loving wife of a high-flying, Manhattan based defence attorney. 

Elena pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, not wanting to deal with them right at that particular moment.  She was prone to ruminating and then spiralling into a deep, introspective pit of her own making.  It was seldom a happy place to be, and she already devoted enough of her mental energy spending time there.

Energy that she was determined on claiming back for herself.

Elena was pulled from her self-imposed reverie by the low growl of a Freightliner’s engine. 

She lifted her head in time just to see Optimus roll to a complete stop, his airbrakes hissing lightly with the motion.  She watched with ill-disguised awe and amazement as the vehicle parts shifted and reconfigured themselves until they had arranged into the body of the Autobot leader.

He ducked as he came in through the large doorway, his heavy footfalls reverberating in Elena’s chest.  His blue optics widened when he saw her, clearly not expecting anybody to be at the warehouse when he returned from his patrol. 

In her hurry to stand, she smashed her head against the top bar of the railing on the catwalk.  Pain shot through her cranium and into her forehead, making her see stars for a few seconds.

She heard, rather than saw Optimus hurrying towards her, his blue lower legs filling the majority of her field of vision.  Hydraulics hissed as he raised a hesitant servo. 

“Elena!  Are you alright?  Are you at all injured?”  His deep baritone was laced with concern. 

“Argh god-dammit!” she muttered, more to herself than to him.   She lifted her eyes to meet his earnest blue gaze.  Hilariously, he was slightly bending his knees so as to bring himself more to her level.  It was kind of endearing to see the massive, twenty-foot tall Autobot leader trying to get to her perspective.

“Elena, are you injured?”  his tone was a little more pressing this time, his optics worriedly fixed on her. 

“No, just my pride.”  She groaned, rubbing a tentative hand over the top of her head.

Ouch.

There was definitely going to be a lump there in the morning.

Optimus straightened, visibly satisfied with her answer. 

“Why did you do that?  If you are going to strike things with your head, would it not be pertinent to don protective headwear first?  It is my understanding that human bones, and therefore human craniums are very fragile.” 

“I didn’t do it on purpose!”  she uttered, a little defensively. 

He held both hands up defensively.  “Duly noted.  I will not make such an assumption again.”  He eyed her thoughtfully before speaking again.  “You are stressed.  Your cortisol levels are currently elevated to eighteen micrograms per decilitre; a significant amount higher than the average of ten micrograms per decilitre for your species.” 

Elena worked hard to smooth her face into some semblance of what she hoped was a polite smile.  “Did you just scan me?”

A brisk nod was her answer.

She sighed.  “Optimus, we’ve spoken about this before.  You can’t just go around scanning people.  It’s personal information.” 

The Autobot leader remained undeterred.  “I see no adverse consequences if the information revealed to me in my scan helps me to alleviate some pain, physical or otherwise.” 

That stopped her in her tracks.  She stared blankly at him for a few seconds.  His face was an inscrutable mask of polite interest, his ‘brows’ sitting in two perfectly neutral lines above his cerulean optics. 

In the end, she opted for a diversion tactic. 

“What do you think of the set-up?” she asked, nodding towards the screen. 

Optimus took the bait, casting his gaze downwards. 

His ‘eyebrows’ (could she even call them that?) rose and disappeared slightly behind his helm as he examined the screen.  He reached out a gentle hand and poked it lightly with one finger, seemingly surprised by how easily it gave way underneath his touch.

“What is it?” he rumbled, lifting his optics back up so that they rested on Elena once more. 

Elena took a deep breath.

“I thought that you and I could have a movie night, if you want?  I know Arcee and Wheeljack are busy in South America with Primal looking on how to harvest that raw energon and Mirage and Bumblebee are holed up outside Noah’s apartment.  They are having a gaming tournament on Kris’ Sega Drive.” 

Optimus did not speak for a moment, seemingly struck speechless. 

“You wish to…have a movie night with me?”  he spoke quietly, his voice almost vulnerable. 

Elena laughed.  “You don’t have to sound so scared!  I just thought it might be nice for you to have some downtime.  Don’t think about work for a while.  Lose yourself in a world of make-believe, even if it’s just for one hour.” 

Optimus smiled gently at her.  Even though it was only small, it transformed his entire face.  The metallic mosaic that made up his facial plating shifted and allowed her a glimpse of someone who had not yet been touched by the horrific burdens and responsibilities that came with trying to co-ordinate a war from an alien planet.

“You should do that more often.”  She watched in amusement as his eyebrows shot upwards into his helm again.

“I am afraid I am not following your meaning, Elena.  What should I do more often?”

“Smile!  You have a nice smile.”  Once again it appeared that she had rendered the Autobot leader totally and utterly speechless. 

This time, it was he who opted for the diversion tactic. 

“Why are you on the catwalk?  You will need to set up the movie, I am not familiar with how to operate human technology, and I fear my hands are too large to work such technology without causing irreparable damage.” 

Elena smiled warmly at him.  “I can help you with that last part, but you might need to help me get down from here.  The ladder fell as I was climbing up it.” 

His optics widened in alarm.  “Were you injured?”  His voice resumed the earlier tones of his concern. 

“Nah.  I got up here in time.  I’ve just been stuck up here for the last hour or so.  No big deal.” 

“It is a ‘big deal’ Elena.  You could have been harmed.  Where is this ladder now?” 

He followed her point to where the ladder had fallen earlier. 

Walking over, he bent from the waist and picked the ladder up easily in both of his large hands, turning it over and examining it.  Blue rays of light shot out from his optics as he continued his thorough inspection.

“What are you doing?”  Elena asked, making her way over to the edge of the platform where the ladder had previously been mounted. 

“Determining where the structural weakness is.”  Optimus replied, focusing on the top of the ladder.  He gave it a light tap with the index and middle fingers of his left hand.  A deafening clang resounded throughout the room, made all the more impressive by the warehouse’s acoustics.  The ladder had broken clean in half, one piece clasped in Optimus’ right hand and the other laying in a cloud of dust on the concrete floor.

“Hmm.  This is not salvageable.”  He retrieved the other piece from the floor and walked over to the wide doors of the warehouse, the ones he had entered through earlier and easily lobbed the pieces of the ladder outside as if they weighed nothing at all. 

He made his way back over to Elena then, the fingers of his left hand gently uncurling as he held it out in front of her. 

“May I?”  He offered her another gentle smile, his optics softening by a tiny degree.

Elena hesitated.  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but he was so huge.

Humming The Sign under her breath, Elena walked towards Optimus’ outstretched hand.  She watched in awe as his fingers gently wrapped themselves easily around her midsection, lifting her with alarming ease. 

Involuntarily, her knees came up and she grabbed onto Optimus’ thumb so tightly she felt like her knuckles might tear through her skin.  She scrunched her eyes tightly shut as the sensation of leaving her stomach behind on the catwalk overtook her senses. 

A low chuckle rumbled somewhere from above her.  “Easy Elena.  I’ve got you.  I promise I won’t drop you.”  Optimus’ voice was a gentle, sonorous baritone that curled around her, caressing her senses like the forgotten embrace of a dear friend.

She didn’t respond but kept her koala-like grip tight on Optimus’ thumb, not trusting her reaction if she opened her eyes and saw how high she was suspended in midair. 

Another amused chuckle echoed deep in her chest.  “Elena, you can put your feet down.  You will find solid ground.” 

Cautiously, Elena lowered one leg, toeing the open air with her Doc Marten boot.  She was surprised to find the ground a lot sooner than she had anticipated.  Not quite trusting that, she very slowly creaked one eye open and saw that Optimus was right.  She looked up at him sheepishly and almost burst out laughing at the position he was in. 

He was crouched right down, almost on his haunches.  His right hand was splayed palm-down on the concrete floor, a counter-balance for his immense weight.  The fingers of his left hand were still wrapped firmly but gently around  her middle, patiently waiting for her to regain a steady, vertical base before he withdrew. 

She placed both feet firmly on the ground, simultaneously loosening her grip on Optimus’ thumb before letting go of it completely.  She offered him a sheepish smile, her fingers interlocking themselves together in her embarrassment.  “Thanks Optimus, ‘preciate it.” 

He inclined his helm graciously at her, pulling his hand back and resting it atop one of his bent knees.  “You are most welcome.  I am pleased to have been of assistance.  I will see about getting that ladder replaced as soon as possible.” 

He remained in the crouched position, his optics carefully trained on Elena.  “And in answer to your earlier query…I would be honoured to join you for a…movie night.  May I ask what move we are going to be watching?” 

Elena grinned up at him, all her earlier trepidation forgotten.  “Well, it’s technically a new one.  It isn’t out on VHS yet, but I don’t think there’s a drive-in theatre in the city that would accommodate your vehicle mode.  So Noah got a copy of the movie from his friend Reek.” 

Optimus raised an incredulous brow.  “Is this the gentleman who pirates cable television?” 

Elena stared at him dumbfounded.  “How on earth do you know that?!” 

Optimus had the grace to offer her a wry smile.  “Mirage is not the best at keeping certain information confidential.  However, in the grand scheme of things…I do not think a pirated movie is going to turn you into a hardened criminal Elena.”  He winked playfully at her before drawing his index finger across his lip plates in a ‘zipping’ motion. 

Elena was momentarily lost for words.

Since their return from South America and near death, Optimus’ stoic and stern demeanour had softened a lot.  He was more talkative and seemed to take genuine interest and enjoyment from interacting with both Noah and Elena. 

He would inquire after Kris’ health from Noah, asking if his little brother had had any bad flare ups recently or if at long last, he had managed to defeat the Bowser level on his ‘handheld video game device.’ 

He would spend long hours talking with Elena about her work and where her interest in ancient artifacts had started.  He had been one of the first to warmly congratulate her on the recognition of her discovery in Peru and her initiative in decoding the code to the panel that would have allowed them to deactivate the Transwarp key. 

She decided she liked this friendly, slightly goofy side of Optimus Prime.

She shook her head, realising a few seconds had passed and Optimus was still patiently waiting for an answer.

“It’s a film called The Lion King.  It is a kid’s film, but it has one of my dad’s favourite actors in it.  He’s doing one of the voices.  I know my dad would have wanted to see it.” 

Optimus’ optics softened at the mention of her father. 

“Then I would be honoured to watch The Lion King with you Elena.” 

“Awesome!  Take a seat then, it’ll take be two seconds to get the projector running.” 

His joints creaked and his hydraulics hissed as he rose to his full height, casting a long shadow over Elena.  He moved to sit against the wall directly opposite the screen, in the same position he had assumed when he had been a passenger in Stratosphere’s alt-mode; one leg stretched out in front of him with the other brought up to his chest, one arm resting easily on top of his bent knee.

She hurried over to the projector, double checking that everything was calibrated correctly and in the correct place before she set it to run.  Satisfied that everything was as it should be, she started the film reel and half-ran to where Optimus was sitting.

It suddenly dawned on her that he was sitting on the floor. 

“Aww man!”  She exclaimed, feeling foolish at the fact that she had overlooked such a massive detail. 

Optimus’ hydraulics hissed slightly as he turned his head to gaze down at her.  “What it is the matter?” 

“You’re sitting on the floor!  I should’ve thought of something for you to sit on.” 

He surprised her by uttering a barking laugh.  “Worry not Elena.  Any flat surface is more than suitable for me to recline on.  I do not require comfort in the same way that you humans do.”  He eyed the surrounding area, looking first to his left and then his right.  “However, where are you going to sit?” 

Elena laughed at her own forgetfulness.  “It’s okay Optimus.  I don’t mind sitting on the floor.  It’s no biggie.” 

Both of their attention was momentarily commandeered by the screen turning black as the film projector rolled. 

“If you would not be averse to it, would you like to sit on my shoulder?  It would be marginally more comfortable than the floor and I will be able to keep you warm.  The temperature drops quite quickly once the evening closes in.” 

Elena surprised herself when she agreed to his proposition with no hesitation at all.

His large hand descended towards her once more, fingers open and waiting for her to bridge the gap between them. 

She stepped forward into his grasp and was lifted gently and tenderly to his massive right shoulder.  His hand hovered behind her until she had lowered herself into a seated position, her legs dangling over the edge of his chest. 

“Umm, thank you Optimus.  Is this okay?”  She gestured to her legs, trying hard not to swing them to and fro as was her habit. 

He nodded the affirmative, his expression unreadable. 

“Cool.”  She settled back, leaning against the corrugated metal wall of the warehouse.  A sudden thought made her jerk upright again.  “Wait a minute, you’re not ticklish or anything, are you?” 

Optimus chuckled lightly.  “No Elena, I am not ticklish.  Assume whatever posture in which you are comfortable.” 

Satisfied, Elena assumed her earlier position, bringing one leg up to almost mirror Optimus. 

A comfortable silence fell between them as the opening notes of a dramatic voice sounded over the speakers Noah had hardwired into the warehouse within days of their return from Peru.

Elena watched, enraptured as beautiful scenes of the African plains rolled across the screen.  She was spell-bound by the colours and the emotion that the accompanying music stirred within her, piquing a curiosity for what was yet to come. 

She sneaked a sideways glance at Optimus, whose optics where trained on the screen.  He seemed to be as every part drawn in by the movie as she was. 

She felt the fine, baby-like hairs on the back of her neck rise along with the reflexive goosebumps across her arms and legs when she heard the deep, resonant tones of James Earl Jones’ voice coming from the character Mufasa.

She noticed, with interest, Optimus’ visible bristling when the main antagonist, Scar, was introduced into the cast.  He ground his lip plates subtly together, tightening the fingers of his left hand into a clenched fist at the same time. 

She watched, her throat thick with emotion as Mufasa gently reprimanded Simba after his reckless actions in the Elephant Graveyard, her eyes filming up with nostalgic tears as she watched them play rough and tumble. 

She could not however, stop the sharp intake of breath as she watched Scar cruelly throw Mufasa to his death, her own expression mirroring the one of hurt and horror on little Simba’s face. 

Tears fell freely and silently down her face, painting the pain and loss that had ached for so long to be released from her broken heart.  She worked hard to control her breathing, not wanting Optimus to see the vulnerability that was plastered across her face.

Optimus, ever tactful, shifted his helm slightly so that it was inclined towards her.  She leaned gratefully against it, silently accepting the comfort and support that he so freely offered.

She did not stop weeping for the rest of the movie but did find it within herself to laugh when Timon and Pumba attempted to distract the villainous hyenas with their ‘drag in hula’ skit.  Fresh tears assaulted her eyes as she watched Simba ascend Pride Rock for the first time since his acceptance of his role as king. 

She let herself feel the gentle flutter of her own heartbeat when Simba and Nala proudly introduced their newborn cub to the other residents of the plain, the circle of life completing once more. 

As the credits rolled across the black backdrop of the screen, Optimus turned fully to regard her.  His round optics were kind and gentle, appraising her with an unspoken sense of concern. 

“Are you alright Elena?” 

That one simple question seemed to unlock the floodgates within her. 

Her tears fell without pause now, creating a constant stream of moving liquid down her face.  Optimus’ large visage went watery in her vision, obscured as it was by the relentless tears falling from her eyes. 

With a gentleness that belied his enormous size, Optimus gently wrapped his fingers around Elena’s mid-section once more and lifted her, carefully setting her down on his right forearm.  He kept the arm she was on tucked close to his chest and leaned down closer to her, keeping his left hand cupped securely around her back.

Without even really thinking about what she was doing, Elena raised her arms and wrapped them as much as she could around the Autobot leader’s neck.  She felt him stiffen lightly in surprise before relaxing and leaning down into her embrace. 

She felt his hand tighten slightly around her back and shoulders, his metallic thumb brushing against her arm in a comforting gesture.  She buried her face into the space between his neck and chin, aching to feel the close affection of a parent.

An embrace that she had not felt for three years. 

Elena felt the smooth rocking sensation as Optimus gently moved first forwards and then backwards.  His thumb continued stroking her arm gently while his arms held her together as she fell apart.

“Shh.  It’s okay Elena.  You can let go.  I’ve got you.”  His gentle, affectionate cadence was all that she needed to be pushed off the edge and into emotional free-fall. 

Her sobs came slowly at first, creeping up upon her as the incoming tide creeps up on the beach.  They exited out of her slowly and quietly, a slow bleed of pain that she had denied herself from feeling since her father’s death three years previously. 

Then something inside her kicked up a gear. 

Anger and resentment.

Anger that her mother would not accept her for who she was.

Resentment for the fact that her mother had driven her first love away without remorse.

Anger that her father would never get to see her achievements.

The ever reaching, devastating power of the sadness that seeped from every pore in her body at the realisation that she would never again see her father, hear his voice or smell the coffee-stained newspapers in his cab. 

She cried like a wounded animal, the intensity of her pain drawing cruel lacerations up one side of her heart and down the other.  Her breaths came in short, sharp cries, like she had just taken part in a triathlon. 

She screamed out, rageful cries of someone who had taken all the pain they could bear. 

In a moment of pure vulnerability, the sound of Elena’s pain ripped up through her throat.  Her pain was echoed in her screams, reverberating with a fierce and desperate longing.  With each cry, her sobs became a little less intense as she came down from her abrupt adrenaline rush.  Each shaky exhalation was a cathartic purge of the sorrow and grief that had haunted her for years. 

Hydraulics hissed as Optimus gently withdrew from their embrace, looking at Elena with a profound sense of sadness present in his astute optics. 

“Elena, are you alright?”  He repeated his earlier question, holding her in the intensity of his soul-reaching gaze.  

She lowered her eyes from his, dropping her chin to her chest as a sudden feeling of overwhelming mortification creeped up her neck and into her face. 

Servos whirred as a gentle finger was placed under her chin, lifting her face to meet his optics once more. 

“Elena?” 

“I am…okay.  I’m really sorry about that Optimus.  I shouldn’t have allowed that to happen.”  She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, all too aware of their red and swollen appearance.  

“Do not ever be sorry for your feelings Elena.”  Optimus said, brushing a last few stray tears from her face with his thumb.  “I am profoundly sorry for your loss, and though I never had the pleasure of meeting your father, I believe he would be immeasurably proud of the woman that you are today.” 

Elena regarded him with a raised brow. 

“I say this because although I have only known you for a short amount of time, you have always conducted yourself with honour and dignity.  Even when my own behaviour was…less than courteous to you and your kind. 

“You had no reason to help us, yet you did, asking nothing in return.  In short, we could not have found the Transwarp key without your assistance.  And I wish to say, ‘thank you.’  Your valiant effort for my kind and I, as well as our planet, means more to me than I can articulate.  I am in your debt Elena.”

Elena, who had never been comfortable with receiving praise, squirmed awkwardly in Optimus’ grasp. 

“Noah did most of the hard work.  He took on Scourge and those weird spider-bot things.  He came to get the key for you from the museum.  I just stowed away really.” 

Optimus gave her a knowing look.  “Who worked out that the other half of the key was in Peru?  Who worked out the access code to the panel on the bridge?  Who,” he spoke more softly, his sonorous voice barely above a whisper, “who opposed vehemently to the destruction of the remaining half of the key once it was located?” 

Elena felt her blood run cold in her veins.  “You…you knew about that?”  Her own voice was barely audible to her ears.

Optimus surprised her by uttering a low chuckle.  “We Autobots possess extremely sensitive hearing Elena.  I do not blame Noah for his original intentions.  However, your…passionate opposition of destroying the remaining half of the key resounded deeply with me.  I could not understand why a mere human” he offered her an apologetic wink, “would want to help our kind.  I am beyond grateful that you did however.”

Elena half-smiled, refastening her bandana where it had become a little loose.  “We ain’t all bad y’know.  Sure, there are some evil bastards out there, more than there should be, but there are good ones too.  You just have to find ‘em.” 

Optimus hummed thoughtfully, seeming to agree with her. 

“Like Charlie.  Bee told me about her, when he first landed on Earth?” 

Optimus nodded.  “Indeed.  He speaks most highly of her.  I know he misses her terribly.” 

“You know, my dad always used to say, ‘if you keep your eyes and your ears open, life will show you everything you need to know.’” 

“A wise and accurate sentiment.  Your father sounded like a very wise and intelligent man.”  Optimus mused, bathing Elena in a pool of gentle blue light from his optics. 

“He was, he really was.”  Elena’s voice carried a sad tone of nostalgia, one that was tinged with the happiness of memories passed but burdened with the weight of absent love. 

Optimus seemed to hesitate before he spoke again.  “On my world, we believe that the ones who have passed on are in the AllSpark, reunited with our fallen brethren and wise mentors from the Golden Age.  In this, we are safe in the knowledge that we are never truly alone. 

“What I am trying to say Elena, is this; you are your father’s daughter.  Part of him, if you will excuse my borrowing of the sentiment from the movie we have just watched, lives on in you.  You are his legacy; you are his hope.  Remember that, and you cannot go far wrong.  Remember who you are, and I know his memory and spirit will walk proudly in step beside you.”

Elena hugged Optimus again, feeling the soft vibrations of his systems against her soft skin. 

“Thank you, Optimus.  Till all are one, right?”  She asked, holding out a closed fist to him. 

A gentle, warm smile transformed his face as he raised his massive left fist to lightly touch against hers.

“Indeed Elena.  Till all are one.”

[iamasaddie]

hiiiii i hope you had a great day today! <3 29, 51 & 88?

hello, my honeypot 💛 my day has just become better now that i talk to you 🥹 thank you for asking me these questions!

29. best way to bond with you?

watch movies together, listen and talk about music… share memes and ask questions you really want to know the answer to. facetime or share silly selfies telling me about your day and asking about mine 😄

these things make me very connected to the person because they are all the stuff that feeds my soul

51. current stresses?

yesterday i woke up in the middle of the night from a panic attack because i’m 26 and have zero savings, my income is not high enough to save for time when i won’t be able to work, and my future is depressingly unstable and unclear. i realized why poor people who say “think about when you’re old and can’t take care of yourself” have children and that was sad.

88. your greatest wish?

kiss Pedro Pascal on the lips and make him fall in love with me duh 🙄

but jokes aside, my greatest wish is safety, love and stability with my person somewhere near the ocean.

ask me stuff <3

[freneticfloetry]

hello courtney, incoming with a hyper-specific and random ask: do you have a signature scent/favourite perfume? if so, what is it <3 if alternatively/in addition, what is your favourite candle/home fragrance scent?

Lola my love, you could not possibly have known this about me, but this is one of my favorite topics ever.

I’ve been wearing the fine perfume oils of @blackphoenixalchemylab since 2004 (hilariously enough, the same year I started writing!). My stash is ridiculously huge, like hundreds of bottles, and indeed, I do have ones that are almost twenty years old — one of the fantastic things about oils is that they age, and change, and get better with time, like fine wine. Sometimes I think my oil chest is the thing I’d grab from a fire, second only to my cat.

The best thing about BPAL, though, is that it’s so dependent on skin chemistry. The exact same blend can smell wildly different on everyone. It does mean that I have death notes — honey, for instance, however lovely it may smell in the bottle, smells exactly like cat pee on me. There’s exactly one blend with a honey note that I can actually wear, Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, and even then, there’s a solid ten minutes of drydown time when I smell like a walking litter box. But nothing demonstrates the power of skin chemistry better than this review of Jingo-Kogo v6. (Don’t drink anything while you read.)

I have a whole list of Holy Grail blends, but my biggest one is probably an old April Fools’ Day blend called Monster Bait: Underpants. It’s a slightly sweet gourmand with whiffs of saffron and a sandalwood base, and it smells delicious but not like food. It’s kind of a special occasion wear, though, since it was literally only available for one day and I only have so much. My everyday blend at the moment wavers between one of this year’s Yules, Lavender Earl Grey Cookies, one of the old Amanda Palmer collabs, Cupcake Splatter Pattern Analysis, and a long lost Pickman Gallery blend, Undine Comes Into the House of the Fishermen.

I highly recommend BPAL to pretty much any and everyone I meet (poor @hoko-onchi-writes can testify to this). Their catalog is massive. They partner with awesome people for awesome collabs inspired by their work, Mark Waid and Peter S. Beagle and probably most notably Neil Gaiman — there’s a licensed perfume line for all his greatest hits. There’s a healthy helping of nostalgia — childhood tales, the aforementioned Beagle line for “The Last Unicorn,” even a line for The Fraggles. And all of it is absolutely magical. Beth's ability to capture imagery and concepts and feelings in a bottle is simply mind-boggling and must be smelled to be believed. I mean, they were commissioned to do a blend for the Smurf movie premiere, and I swear the best way to describe Smurf Essence is that it smells blue. They also support worthy causes far and wide (and loudly and proudly), so be sure to check out their full and fabulous line of activism perfume.

Wow, that was a lot. Sorry. 🤣

(My candle answer is much shorter! In general, I love love love cashmere blends, but my favorite candle ever is Archipelago Botanicals’ Black Forest. Especially this time of year.)