#local leads

[unpretty]

So am i imagining this? or is your Bruce reluctant to sleep with the women he loves? like in Christmas in Kansas he barely kisses Diana even tho he knows how much she wants him, and in his interactions with Selina he doesn't encourage sex, and in the bathtub Selina has to say "please" - it's like Bruce compartmentalizes sex and love in different boxes, or am i reading too much here?

you are not imagining things

[quietwingsinthesky]

once again. i am thinking about an alternate end of time ending where the master joins up with the doctor on the tardis, but now specifically, an au where the doctor still ends up regenerating and crashlanding in amy's backyard. au where the doctor doesn't show up 12 years late because two timelords piloting a tardis is (marginally) better than one, and now amelia pond is going on adventures in time and space in the care of the two least qualified being in the history of the universe to take care of a seven year old.

[officialspec]

Kabru thinks he's top shit for growing up in Melbourne? Is that anything?

THIS is real i 100% see him as moving to brisbane from melbourne. an idea ive been toying with for kabru is him originally being from real world nepal, and utaya being destroyed by tourism/reputation rather than monsters? everest is kind of like a dungeon if u think about it

[chamomileteainabuttercup]

happy for the people enjoying punk Steve lately and genuinely not criticising them, only expressing a different thought in parallel (I hate how saying "genuinely not criticising" can make it sound even more passive-aggressive but I'm genuinely genuinely not criticising! I'm not suggesting other people are liking my favourite character wrong that would be so douchey)

I just always like the idea that Steve isn't, like, repressing a secret desire to be unconventional and join some kind of counterculture and one day start showing his true, wilder self in his fashion and grooming choices

that the way he looks is literally just what he's like

you could give him total freedom of choice and tell him to go hog wild and he'd still be chumping around in polos and light-wash jeans

they're comfortable and he likes how he looks

he likes sports and cars and his favourite Star Wars movie remains the one with the teddy bears

any "unconventional" stuff he does is very subtle and minor like he was indeed wearing a touch of strawberry lip gloss in the summer of 1985 because he needed a little cheer-me-up and he felt like the blue uniform washed him out, he's a warm autumn for god's sake he shouldn't be wearing blue

he would get, like, one ear pierced and wear a small plain gold stud and he'd feel very special about it

Eddie: gradually filling up his whole skin with increasingly elaborate tattoos

Steve: got a little heart with "E+S" in it on his inside forearm where it's not conspicuous but he can take a look at it and smile to himself any time he wants

he's not holding back this is just what he needs (and he thinks Eddie's tattoos and hair and jewellery and et cetera et cetera are badass and beautiful)

[sombraluna]

some of my fellow leftists need to understand that your opinions on how the government should be overturned mean nothing if you dont set up community and mutual aid and that the easiest way to do this, at least in appalachia, is through the church. churches feed the poor and preach to them. its real fuckin hard to hate trans people or POC or minorities and preach hate against them if they volunteer to help your community

[kedreeva]

On one side of me is an elderly couple I never see, and to the other side down the road is a little 4-spot apartment complex we call The 4plex. It's very small- I've only been in one of them, but it was basically a 1-bedroom apartment. I have only met a couple of the tenants, ever, since I mind my own business and they mind theirs. A long while back, there was a couple there that used to have screaming matches in the middle of the night (11pm-1am usually). They disappeared shortly after I stormed the castle at 4am because someone was blasting her horn trying to get the tenant to come fight her. at 4am on a workday.

I have also never met the person who actually owns the 4plex. Today I heard a bunch of commotion over there, construction sounds or at least lots of sawing, and big machinery, so I took Bug out to go see what we could see. We found a bunch of trucks trimming and cutting down trees. Not bad, the pines over there cause me problems if a bird gets out. So I turn and go to get the mail before heading back in.

I'm about halfway across my property when I hear someone calling me. not by name, so I turn to see Some Guy bolting across my orchard to catch up to me. I stop, and he comes up slower and introduces himself as the owner of the 4plex, and explains that he's cleaning up the property, the trees and removing the old sheds no one uses, and getting ready to sell it. I introduced myself, and as if we are in a grocery store checkout line, he begins to tell me a bunch of information while I nod along, and when I notice Bug is under his feet, I ask him to hold still, and point her out. He had not noticed her at all.

I scooped her up and introduced her, and let him hold her. He took a few pictures and I said, she's a baby peacock. That's when something clicked and he went from kind of tired and polite to excited and happy. He took more pictures. I offered to let him come see the other birds, so he came back and pet Stan, and fed Indie some peanuts out of his hand. I gave him the peafowl eggs I found in the pens we visited, and a dozen quail eggs from the quail, and sent him on his way, assuming I would likely never see him again.

just now I was out in Indie's pen, lying in the grass with Bug, watching the puffy white clouds inch across the clear blue sky, and listening to a little finch sing his heart out on a mulberry branch above me. Indie was preening nearby. Absolute peace.

Someone starts shouting my name from my driveway. It's Some Guy 4plex owner. He has returned. I call that I'm out in the pens, without getting up at all. He comes out and he's got a bag with him and he tells me I had got him an eggcellent breakfast, and really made his day (his week, his month), so he'd brought me a steak for dinner, and some corn. He sets down the bag and crouches to say hello to Bug again, and then tells me he showed his pictures to his sister in Texas and she didn't know what baby peafowl look like, either. Then said he's off to pay the tree removal folks, and disappeared again.

This is like the third interaction with neighbors I've had this month, after not talking to them for 10 years. I don't know what is going on.

[lunar-years]

there used to be a fairly popular ot3 trope in the s2 hiatus (I think, or maybe it was literally just one fic I really liked so I'm misremembering, lol) where Jamie would get sick/injured and end up in hospital but he still had Keeley down as her emergency contact, so her (with an angry Roy in tow) would show up at the hospital and become his (on Roy's part, reluctant) caregivers until they all fell in love. I think the idea sort of went by the wayside because it relied on roy/keeley already being together and Jamie eventually joining their relationship, which is no longer the standard route to ot3. But! I think we should consider bringing it back.

[averlym]

some very very quick costume shorthands!

[javisbutt]

tails doing taxes for knuckles

[azuremliam]

Mentioned before that Liam's eyes glow in the dark even more when they get older- well, they also intensify a lot in their glowing when riled up! Also, Scarab's so clearly seen because that's Liam vision (they're looking right at him debating if they should call him over) vs Scarab vision in the dark heh Another fact about Liam, is that they can sort of sense when a Beast is nearby- not accurately, but just enough to know that's something is VERY dangerous in the the area they're in. And a vague sense of the size of the Beast.

It is like a magnet though, the closer they get to one, the more intense the feeling of anxiousness they get. Until they're right next to it and the anxiousness changes into something else. (Depending on the size of the Beast- it's usually pure fear when its the massive ones) What Liam slayed was a very young Beast that was trying to hunt them down; but they turned the tables on it. A tidbit of story underneath the readmore this time! :) (Heads up it does go into detail of how Liam hunts and slays the Beast)

The moment they all started setting up camp for the night is when Liam felt it.

An intense sense of unease.

That familiar cold shiver up their spine. The way the hair on the back of their neck stood on end. And that irritating, strange, nonstop tickle in the back of their head.

...

Just like that time when that Beast took Chiron and Vale away from them.

Liam clenched their eyes shut and bit at the inside of their cheek. 'This isn't the time to be thinking about that.'

Besides, the feeling was bad- but it wasn't as anxiety inducing as the energy that colossus had them feel. Even that bird Beast that snapped up Scarab couldn't compare. This one was even less than that foul feathered fiend. Which meant-

It was a small one.

They stopped fixing up their sleeping bag and stood up straight and tense, scanning their surroundings and watching for any sudden movement in the dense clovers.

All they saw were their brothers and Scarab leaning against the roots branching off the flower they were sheltering under.

Finn and Jake were completely unware of the odd energy they felt in the air. Much to Liam's relief. Their little brothers were already settled in for sleep. Finn tucked away in his sleeping bag, snoring the night away. Jake was nestled right beside him, ever the faithful guardian to his little brother.

The two wouldn't notice them slipping away into the dark- they wouldn't- couldn't follow them on this lil trek they were planning.

That just left Scarab.

Liam gnawed at the inside of their cheek again when they turned to look at him.

The God Auditor was staring right at them, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

His usual pose for analyzing a situation, or person, they've come to recognize.

He had already noticed how they tensed up, how they gazed wirily at the foliage surrounding them. As if anything could jump out at any moment. For a moment, Liam wondered if he could sense the foreboding energy as well. He was a Cosmic Being after all.

Them glancing at him spurred his questioning. "Is something the matter? You look nervous."

Excuse! They needed to think up an excuse! "I just-" Liam's eyes darted back to the cloves. "I-" Their face heated up as they thought of a decent excuse. It was embarrassing, but it was one Scarab would probably believe. Them almost always being flustered under his gaze helped too, much to their dismay.

"I was looking for a spot where it wouldn't be in your eyesight for me to use the restroom."

They weren't looking at him, but they heard him make a rapid clicking noise and the sound of shuffling. He had turned around they realized.

"Go on then." Scarab waved his hand at them, as if shooing them away, "I'll keep an eye on your brothers."

Liam felt bad for lying, and just knew they'd get an earful for it later. But they feared he might not let them hunt it down if he knew.

They've done this before, before he was even journeying with them. They'd be fine.

"Thanks, I'll try to make it quick."

-

They, in fact, did not make it quick.

Liam frowned. 'By now Scarab must be suspicious.' From what they'd learned of him from their recent travels together, was that he'd be on their trail without a doubt by now.

He stuck by them like pine resin to an unfortunate burrower.

It'd still take him a while though, with the pace they were going.

Liam had swiftly wandered far from their makeshift camp, following the sensation of growing anxiety grating at their brain.

When it was nearly overpowering they slowed their pace.

It was close.

The sense of unease slowly ebbed away, like a calm settling in before the storm.

They crept cautiously amongst the undergrowth in the moonless night. Mindful of any breeze, any sound, any movement that felt off. Their mom and Gramps had taught them how to hunt, and how it felt to be hunted.

Caution, vigilance, how to wait for the right moment to strike and defend. So when Liam heard leaves crunching underneath the weight of something, they froze.

And listened.

The heavy steps were coming just a little ways to the left of them, walking away from where they were.

Heading towards the camp they realized.

Liam held back an angry hiss, instead focusing on kneeling down and practically crawled their way towards the noise.

It didn't take them long to spot it.

Its four golden eyes glowed in the dark, tongue flicking out and tasting the air in the direction of where their brothers and Scarab were. The lizard Beast was indeed small, slightly smaller than them- but still large enough to cause serious damage to a resting group.

Liam unsheathed not their sword, but their hunting knife, quietly, as practiced hundreds of times before when training with Gramps.

The Beast wasn't paying attention to its surroundings.

'Too focused on the hunt,' Liam thought to themself as they crept closer and closer, hilt of the blade between their teeth. 'Too fixated on the other's scent to realize I'm here.'

Their feeling of unease was replaced with something akin to hunger.

A sign they could take this Beast on. A sign they'd win.

They didn't know why their body reacted like this when in the presence of a Beast, but it was useful sometimes. Especially now. Liam was close enough that they could reach out and touch its tail now if they wanted to.

But they waited.

...

The Beast had paused in its march to the camp, taking another moment to smell the air.

It turned its head left, one flick of the tongue. Right, two flicks. Left again, three flicks.

Its eyes all blinked together as it raised its front up in the air, just barely noticing an extra scent.

They carefully positioned their knife in their hand- watching- holding their breath-

It flicked its tongue one last time, refocusing in the direction of the camp. The same scent was coming from there. Confused, but not disturbed, the Beast lazily lowered itself back to the ground.

...

And that's when Liam pounced. (It's very brief but skip past this part till you get to the other - marks if reading of details of stabbing makes you feel uneasy)

- - - - - -

The screech it let loose when they landed on its back made their ears ring. But they paid no mind to the discomfort- they had to do this fast!

Their legs and arm not holding the blade wrapped tightly around Beast's neck-

It screeched again bucking its horned head back- Liam hissing as some horns grazed across their cheek and hand. Its eyes were frantically looking in every direction, tail thrashing against the ground and limbs tensing to rear back up-

Liam bit down at the back of the screeching Beast's head and drove their hunting knife into the hide of its neck.

Another garbled screech and loud snap of teeth on nothing but air. Like how Vera taught them- they twisted the knife and pulled it out before plunging it back in- once, twice more!

...

It twitched and then stilled, but Liam still hung on tightly as it began to slump over. Their breathing was heavy, their eyes wide and their body shook from the brief but intense hunt.

They removed their blade one last time, and flicked the golden blood off the knife.

- - - - - -

Liam released their hold finally, ignoring the metallic taste in their mouth as they hefted themself up and away from the fallen Beast.

They didn't feel that foreboding feeling anymore.

'Good.' They thought, 'That means this was the only one.' Had there been more...Liam shook their head.

Best not to think about that either.

Taking a deep breath, recomposing themself, they looked down at the creature before them.

…It was a waste to leave good meat behind. The Beast would be good trade material too, for the next Hive they were going to visit.

It'd take them a while, but they'd drag this back to camp and properly prepare it. Without further ado, Liam wrapped their arms around its neck again, and with a grunt began to drag it back.

-

Finally nearing the vicinity of their small camp, Liam wasn't surprised when they saw a familiar flash of red in the dark.

Scarab had been certainly looking for them.

They bit the inside of their cheek again, nervous now for a different reason. He was just a little ways from where they stood past the bushes, and Liam heard him calling out their name.

For a moment they debated just sneaking by him, but in the long run that'd make him more upset. Liam winced, time to face the music. "Over here."

Scarab turned to them instantly, "What are you doing out so la-" He was interrupted by his own surprise at the sight of them. And what they were hauling with them.

Before he could question them further, Liam was quick to answer, hefting the creature's head up, "There was a Beast nearby." They dragged it over to him, "I've hunted small ones like this a lot already- before you were with our group- so I knew I could handle myself."

Liam was staring down at the beast in their arms, speaking quickly, and not noticing how Scarab was looking them over. "It was heading to the camp- I had to deal with it- small ones like this can be more tenacious than the big ones when it comes to hunting- so I-"

Their ramble was cut short when his hand grabbed their face and made them look right at him. His red eyes were trained on the cut on their cheek, "You lied about your reason for leaving."

Right to the point. Liam swallowed dryly.

"I thought you would stop me if you knew... Sorry."

"I would've." His thumb wiped off the dribble of blood on their cheek. Liam blinked- a bit stunned. This wasn't the reaction they were expecting from him at all.

They had expected shouting like how he screeched at and threatened the mantid brothers when the two almost stole their supplies. He was clearly upset still, they could tell that much.

"You can be very reckless. It makes more work for me," Scarab grumbled and his eyes narrowing back to slits, "and sometimes its very tiring to work with you." Liam was about to retort when he released his hold on them, and surprised them by snatching the Beast from their grasp.

"So next time you hunt one down-" He slung the Beast over his shoulder and turned back towards the camp, "I'm going with you."

[wellhalesbells]

Best of 2024 - Q1(ish)

✨✨ I forgot I told myself I was going to start doing this this year. A few people I follow do kind of a 'best of' thing and since I forget everything that happens almost immediately I thought: hey, that's a good idea for you, you should do that. So here I am with it sorta on time-ish \o/ ✨✨

Books

The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden. I tend to go into books with very little to no idea of what they're about (on purpose) so absolutely everything here was a surprise in the very best way. If I could've directed it, I would've directed it in exactly this way!

Voyage of the Damned, Frances White. This was such a lovely surprise?? I'm really enjoying these cross-genre books and this has to be the one that absolutely nailed both the best. It's a fantasy murder mystery and both are very involved - the world-building is excellent and the murder mystery is fun and terrifying in the best way!

Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt. I love books that like people, that prize connection, and that want to build community. Basically books that remind me that people are generally good and willing to try and that's this! Plus: octopus!

Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff. Empire of the Vampire was one of my favorite reads in 2022 (when I read it) and the sequel definitely lived up to its predecessor. The story is so compelling and the characters are so impossible not to fall in love with. Happily, this did not suffer from middle book syndrome: so much happened and so much moved forward.

Dinner on Monster Island, Tania de Rozario. I took this out at the library on a whim - it was available and it had a cool cover so I was in. I learned so much. I knew next to nothing about Singapore so everything to do with that blew my mind and Tania de Rozario's voice is wonderful, not to mention she connects so much of her life and surroundings to horror movies and that is a touchstone that I have in spades.

I should also special mention Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, which I adored.... though it did completely ruin the movie for me (which I had also never seen and watched a few days later), haha. Sophie is the catalyst for absolutely every single thing that happens in the book and Howl is useless and dramatic without her and to see her be so very ineffectual in the film (and have things that happened because of her be taken away from her) while Howl was so powerful was like.... wha??? It was beautiful animation but... yeah. And Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which was so enjoyable! It has that irreverent, this-might-as-well happen humor that I love in fantasies.

Comics/Mangas/Manhwas/Etc.

On of Off, Vols. 1-3, by A1. Um. Can I just say that I love when one of the characters in a queer couple is a big huge dude? I don't know, a few years ago a switch got flipped in my head and size difference is now VERY MUCH A THING for me. I don't really want a small dude, I just want a big huge dude and a normal-sized man. (Or a big huge woman and a normal-sized woman - see Cosmoknights, which.... I'm realizing now probably had something to do with the switch and its aforementioned flippiness) Voila! I also like when the big huge dude is like: I'm not really that into it and then falls hardcore in love and has a dramatic: "What in the actual fuck just happened?" moment. This and The Dangerous Convenience Store have that exact dynamic and I cannot stress enough I could read it 100,000 more times and not get tired of it.

Saga, Volume 11, by Brian K. Vaughan. Just bring back Marko. Like, just do it. Every time it teases me with it, I want it more. Bring him back, gimme, I want. I remain in love with this series but, crap, does it just want to rip my heart out every chance it gets.

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter, Volume 4, Kazuki Irodori. This is my shit. It's a fantasy world that a completely ordinary corporate worker is sucked into and he ends up entirely reorganizing the structure of their accounting department so it a) actually functions and b) is accountable (ha). However, he has no resistance to "magicules" and the best way to acclimate him to all the magic that constantly surrounds him is for him to have sex with a very attractive soldier. Like, that's just brilliant writing is what that is, no notes. I love it, it wins all the things. (It's based on a novel that they only just began releasing in English and the comic is the superior version for me at this moment in time.)

Cherry Magic!, Vols. 9-10, by Yuu Toyota. I cannot believe I'm still so invested despite the fact that the original hook for this manga has disappeared and it's essentially just a very domestic, slice of life story now but it's just so nice to see them both happy and married and together?? So the original plot of this was there's essentially some old wives' tale that if you're a virgin at thirty you get magic powers. Cue Adachi turning thirty and he can suddenly read people's minds when he touches them and finds out through this power that his coworker, Kurosawa, is in love with him. It's a really cute, fun series and I am happy for it to go on forever. (Also, they made an anime out of it this year and it's stupid cute. There is also a live action series that I haven't watched yet.)

Therapy Game Restart, Vols. 1-3, by Meguru Hinohara. So, Minato is pile of endless insecurities in a trenchcoat and Shizuma is his confused but calm partner and it turns out I am really into that? Consistently surprised by how much I am into that but I am, in fact, into that.

Special mention to The Third Ending by Chobom - I really hope this is getting an official printing at some point because I am in love with it and I will buy the fuck out it (the fact that it's behind a digital paywall right now is the only reason this isn't number one). It is so exactly, specifically to my tastes it's ridiculous. So the idea here is Joon confesses his feelings to Yoonseul in high school, when he doesn't know him too well but likes what he sees, and Yoonseul turns him down a little harshly (he was mad at someone else and was a little less careful with his words than he would've been otherwise). Yoonseul starts having bad days on nights when he dreams of that memory and the two meet again and start hanging out so Yoonseul can assuage his conscience. They become really close friends and they end up drunkenly kissing, Yoonseul knows it's a mistake and Joon overhears him talking about it to a friend and how much he regrets it. Joon confesses his feelings again and Yoonseul, again, turns him down because he can't imagine anything physical happening between them. That should be the end of it. Except, very slowly, Yoonseul realizes he is completely in love with Joon and he's fucked this thing up to high heaven. Cue my absolute FAVORITEST dynamic - the chasee becoming the chaser.

TV

Fisk (s1-2), Netflix. This is an Australian comedy about probate lawyers and if you're on the fence about it watch the episode with the Popovitches (season 1, episode 3). I very nearly peed my pants.

Only Murders in the Building (s3), Hulu. Okay, I'm a big fan of musicals and it's not a love I indulge very often so when I do watch them, I tend to get way too into them. (Yes, I bought this album immediately.) I adored this season and I adored Howard - making him a series regular was ingenious.

The Righteous Gemstones (s3), Max. This season was so good. This show in general is so freaking good but I really loved this season. This family is so genuinely fucked up but to get to the last episode and have them rise to the occasion and figure out their brand of love was so satisfying. And I do adore that they tried to copy other functional families they saw before realizing that was just never going to work for them.

Mr. Villain's Day Off (s1), Crunchyroll. Okay, I love this manga and the show is so exactly this manga. Like, I've reblogged a ton of shot for shot comparisons so when I say 'same,' I mean 'same.' The entire idea is this monstrous alien bent on destroying the world enshrines his days off with reverence and diligence - he's just a normal guy, obsessed with pandas, who's only evil at work, thank you very much. It's just so silly and weirdly heart-warming?

Girls5Eva (s3), Netflix. There's something about Renee Elise Goldsberry for me that is magnetic. I love everything about her, I love getting to watch her do comedy, I love hearing her sing, I love her character. Also, the singing? I've mentioned how I am weak for the singing, yes?? (Yes, I have these albums too.)

Minx (Starz) was also really, really good but I wish it hadn't been canceled prematurely! It definitely wasn't finished, y'know, and it was so unfortunate to end it with Doug on the wrong side of things - I want to see the resolution, dammit!

Movies

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022). I haven't laughed at a movie like this in a long time. I've watched it twice so far this year; I went home two weeks ago and made my dad watch it with me and tears were streaming down our faces by the end. Pedro Pascal should never not be doing comedy because he was made for it.

Bottoms (2023). This is so exactly my sense of humor? The ridiculousness of this was just *chef's kiss* Also more Ayo Edibiri in everything.

Talk to Me (2022). I had been waiting for this movie to get onto some streaming platform so I could watch it and I think the best compliment I could give it is that I wanted to watch it again the next day. Great horror, great resolution!

John Wick 4. I expected this to feel so long and bloated and yet it didn't at all. I was invested the whole time and I think it helps that I watch action films, like, once every three years so these feel like fun little treats more than anything.

Nate Bargatze: The Tennessee Kid. There's a joke in here that I relate to so hard it's almost embarrassing. Talking about ordering coffee, he goes: "If you could just do whatever you think it is and if it's wrong, I won't even tell you, how about that, I will walk out of here as if that's exactly what I ordered. I will go outside, I will throw it away, and go try again at a different Starbucks." That is exactly how I would handle that and this entire special is filled with that. I giggled so hard.

Also, special mention to Taylor Tomlinson's specials Look at You and Have It All. I love how honest she is on stage and how open she is with her audience. It's rare to have that and I think it feels so special because it is.

See you all again in Q2 (ish, probably, lbr) *salutes*

[rosyfingereddawnn]

in my groupie era currently <33

[quaranmine]

quara i'm excited to see what april prank you have this year for mcyt cats. mcyt-cars would be funny but it's hard to beat mcytdogs

i too am excited to see what prank i have this year for mcyt-cats

[theinfinitedivides]

ok so. genuine confession to make but yk how everyone's like Kun Faya Kun THEE masterpiece on earth (correct) and that the best part is the 'sajra savera...' verse. now i am about to be crucified for this but i don't???? i don't entirely see it????? when the whole 'o mujhpe karam sarkar tera' to 'sach tu hi hai khudaya' section exists????? are we sure?????

[ladyswillmart]

Sad extinct mourning dove visited my Bird Buddy yesterday 😢 Can't believe they went extinct in 2020 and they are all gone now and not actually congregating on the stump under the bird feeder pecking around and going woo woo woo from the trees

[no-light-left-on]

why is the outsider so much more twinky in the dh2 trailer