#mattel switch ’n go

[stone-cold-groove]

Ad for Mattel’s Switch ’N Go remote control car sets - 1966.

[deanbrainrotwritings]

— mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix

SUMMARY : aka. part II of mattel. finally, in the privacy of your home, you find the willpower to make the afternoon all about dean (as you’d originally hoped) when he tries to distract you from your plans. 

PAIRING : dean winchester x fem!reader

CHARACTERS : none

WARNINGS/TAGS : explicit(18+), 0.5 mL of angst, pure filth mostly, fluffy as well tho, edging, switches all around, body appreciation as subtext lmao, fingering, overstimulation, unprotected piv (I’m scared of germs, you should be too), rough sex, biting, scratching?, oral (m. receiving), begging, squirting, idk hot and sweaty and wet sex honestly cause why the heck not?! 

WORD COUNT : 5.0k

A/N :  the title is from a muse song. this fills the biting square for my @jacklesversebingo card. Inspired by Bullet for My Valentine’s Scream Aim Fire album. Also by the reel on instagram for “riding” tips 🤣

DEAN’S POV 

When you playfully made your way into the house, he allowed his previous insecurity to grip his heart so it clenched while his stomach sank unpleasantly. 

You seemed far too happy, excited even, for him to be ruining your mood. 

But all he could think of was this morning when he was rushing you to get dressed. When he got to the wardrobe, he froze as his mind instantly scanned through the shirts he knew you both had inside, either folded nearly in stacks or hanging on the sturdy metal bar inside. 

Truth was, part of him felt guilty and his stomach sank every time he saw some old shirts of his you’d stolen years back. He typically found it hot when you wore them, but sometimes the way they fit on you made him feel self conscious about his weight. Especially when he could tell when you wore his newer clothes because of how much bigger it fit on your body. 

You’ve never made any comments about his body or his weight or the amount of food he eats or the lack of activity he engages in now. But he knows. Sam teases him about it, he laughs wryly, but Sam doesn’t seem to notice that those comments make him uncomfortable. Sure, back then it didn’t matter what Sam said about the food he ate because he didn’t notice the change in his body. He was constantly hunting or going hungry for large periods of time when they were stuck far away from society and only relied on snacks to stave off their hunger…

He decided to slip on last night’s clothes, hoping to hide his body from himself, from you, from his brother. From anyone who knew him when he was fit and toned and hard… God… he should’ve listened when those chicks told him he had a “dad-bod”.

He had no idea why he couldn’t stop spiralling now. 

When he got to the entrance of the house, he shut the door behind him and locked it, taking a deep breath as his dick began to soften due to his sour mood. He found your ankle boots next to the entrance and quickly discarded his own shoes and placed them next to yours.

His mind went back to anything that would indicate that you had noticed or even hated his body. Even though he had nothing negative to think back to, he felt awful. Suddenly, he could feel every inch of extra skin and he squirmed uncomfortably. 

He saw your discarded dress in the hallway and he found that he couldn’t help smiling.

He could spend all his life wondering why or how you still found him attractive, but that would be a shameful amount of time wasted. You were so beautiful and you were right here ready for him, loving him in more ways and more intensely than he thought he deserved. 

So he decided to just appreciate that you liked, no, loved him at all and quickly washed his hands with soap in the bathroom before entering your shared bedroom where you were laying like a model on the bed. 

Your face was turned to the window, to the drawn curtains and the sunlight that glided over your smooth skin. Your arm was raised above your head, in the pillows, and your body was covered in the red lingerie set that had caught his attention at the sex shop. To see it on your body was driving him insane. 

He noticed the shaky expansion and deflation of your ribcage with each breath you took. Your knees were bent, feet flat on the bed, thighs pressed together tightly, and then you turned to face him. Your lashes fluttered and you smiled when you saw him standing there, dumbstruck and in awe.

You spoke his name like a siren and he moved to get closer to you, the tension your sensuality began filling the room aroused him. His heart was pounding excitedly in his chest, and while some of the blood flooded up to his face the way it always did, most of it ran down south. And your voice did nothing but intensify how horny and desperate he was starting to feel all over again.

He stood at the foot of the bed and smirked down at you and you parted your thighs just to watch him curiously from between your legs with your brow raised expectantly.

He lifted only one knee onto the bed and reached for your hip to drag you all the way down. Your laughter filled him with delight, but when he slid his hand down your side to get a good look at you with your hair haloed around your head on the sheets, your seductive gaze seized him and his heart nearly stopped from how fast it was beating. You bit your lip in anticipation and reached for his shirt, quietly urging him to remove it.

“Please,” you murmured. He pulled the t-shirt over his head and threw it to the side. Hoping to be ignored, he leaned over you, his warm breath fanned over your neck and he relished the quiet gasp you released before he even pressed his lips softly to your pulse.

Your hands instantly threaded through his hair and he let you guide him off your skin, where he could feel the heavy thud of your heartbeat. You whispered his name against his lips like a prayer and he closed the distance between the two of you like a merciful god responding to your silent plea with tenderness. 

You were quick to bite his lips when he refused to give you anything more than an innocent kiss. He smirked against your mouth, inhaling sharply at your enthusiasm. Your tongue pushed past the playfully-stubborn lock of his lips and the sound you made once you tasted him made his cock twitch inside his sweat pants.

You became more impatient, he could barely catch up with you. His mind was dazed from your kiss alone, but your hands made a mess in his hair, tugging with desperation, eliciting deep moans from him. Your hips rolled upwards, your hands released their tight grip on his hair so you could dig your fingernails into his bare shoulders, needing—more than anything—to find friction. He groaned into your mouth and moved away panting, his lips swollen and tingling from your greedy mouth.

He took your hands far gentler than you’d handled him and pinned them above your head, his hand easily locked around your wrists and you bit your lip. You leered up at him when he placed himself closer between your legs.

“Is there something you need, sweetheart?” He teased, placing his hand flat on your stomach, nearly covering the entirety of the surface.

“Dean,” you whined, laughing breathily, “don’t do this.” He frowned dramatically at your refusal—playfulness guiding his actions—and tested your resolve by pressing his thumb against your clit over the wet lace of your new underwear. Your instant gasp at the softest touch thrilled him.

“Already so wet for me,” he murmured, a furious heat rushing up his face.

“Yeah, you didn’t feel that in the car?” 

He leaned over you again, nipped at your breast above the cup of your lace bra in retaliation, and slowly began to pull your underwear down your legs. He felt your hands twist in his grasp when he brought his lips around your nipple over the scratchy lace, you squirmed beneath him, impatiently attempting to kick your underwear off with his help.

“Need you so bad,” you whispered without being prompted to say anything. He smiled against your chest and threw your underwear away from your body with a snap of his wrist. 

“Oh, baby, I know,” he whispered empathetically, his eyes deeply gazing into yours as he slid his hand up the front of your body to pull down the cups of your bra so your breasts spilled out. 

He knew you saw that he wasn’t going to give you what you wanted instantly. Your knees pressed into his sides, your back arched when he breathed against your hardened nipple, and you struggled against his grip on your hands. You never asked him to stop, you only begged for more, so he wrapped his lips around your nipple and played with the other until you were moaning wantonly and begging shamelessly for him to fuck you.

“Please, tell me… you’ll let me cum,” you gasped, watching him intently as he detached his puffy lips from your now-slick and sensitive nipples. 

“Of course,” he murmured and pushed a finger inside you. You gasped, his lips touched yours, and he began curling his finger inside you, relishing in the feeling of it slipping into you without resistance.

He could feel the spread of your legs, the impatient wiggle of your hips, the pulse of your core around his fingers whenever he brushed over your g-spot. His cock ached as you panted and murmured his name in a quiet plea, your breathlessness made his stomach clench and he was enthralled by the sight of you, flushed and needy—all for him. 

He released your wrists to palm himself over his sweatpants, groaning and grateful that there was nothing underneath stopping him from feeling some pleasure as he admired you. He just couldn’t help himself with your shameless responsiveness. Your hands flew to his wrist and he looked down to watch your frantic grip near where his glistening finger was emerging from your warmth. You were something else entirely today. He closed his eyes momentarily, revelling in the image of you that remained behind his lids as he rubbed at his cock, and added a second finger inside you to scissor you open carefully when his eyes fluttered open once more.

He regarded you as you panted, your lips parted and your eyes closed. He bit his lip, parted your folds and flicked your slippery clit with his thumb watching your body arch and your hips buck. 

"That's it, you’re such a good girl," he praised, his voice husky.

His eyes flickered up to your face, but you were already watching him with your brows drawn together in concentration and your lips parted to release every tender moan that he pulled out of you. His heart lurched at your flushed state and you bit your lip hard, struggling to catch your breath. Your wide eyes swallowed him whole and then they fluttered shut for a moment; he knew what was coming.

Your walls spasmed around his fingers and your body shook when your orgasm finally vibrated through you. “Dean… fuck-fuck-fuck… fuck,” you implored, somehow becoming more wet around his fingers. Your hands moved up to his forearm, your fingertips traced the way his muscles flexed as he brushed against your g-spot repetitively, and you shuddered as you kept his unmoving fingers inside you after the most intense part of your orgasm passed.

“Fuck… so needy today,” he said with hushed astonishment. He looked between your legs with a lewd curiosity to watch your pussy flutter around his fingers. He chewed on his lip and experimentally continued to slowly rub at your clit until it became too much for you. Your pussy clamped down tightly around him and you started to guide his wrist away from you so his fingers slipped out, too.

While you caught your breath, he played with your sticky release and sucked his two fingers clean of the drying slick. Your tired eyes landed on him and you still smiled, maybe he could call your huff a laugh with the way your shoulders shook. 

“Do you want me to fuck you, too, now?” He uttered quietly, mostly to tease you. Still, as he waited for you to answer, he pulled down his grey sweats and stepped out of them swiftly. He moved back between your legs before he could miss a single second of your blissful glow and waited with a patient smile as you ogled him as shamelessly as he was doing to you.

"Please, Dean," you moaned, arms thrown up with your hair to grab the sheets hard. He smirked at you and you lifted your hips invitingly, causing his cock to twitch against your thigh. He cussed impatiently as he grabbed your hip over the red garter belt and teased your swollen clit with his cock, mostly enjoying the way your slick felt along the length of him. “Please… fuck me already. I need it, Dean,” you whimpered impatiently, pressing your ankles against the back of his thighs so he could give you what you wanted.

He considered continuing the torture, but decided against it, pleased by the desperation contorting your beautiful features the longer he played with you. 

"Okay,” he hummed and slammed his cock into you, his fingers digging into your hips on both sides now. Your gasp made his head light, his cock throbbed inside you, and he pulled out slowly to feel every inch of you before shoving himself back in with a satisfied groan. Your pussy pulsed to adjust to him, but you were still slick inside from your orgasm, and every thrust felt deliciously smooth. 

He watched you grip the sheets in tighter fists to brace yourself against the ruthless snap of his hips. His eyes trailed down, noticing the faster rise and fall of your chest as your lascivious eyes drifted lower, slowly moving down his chest and his stomach, and finally down to where his cock was ramming inside of you. His fingers pressed deeper into your hips, moulding your flesh like clay, struggling to keep his orgasm at bay.

He brought one of his hands away from your hip, reaching over to your sensitive clit, and stroked around it lazily—hoping to bring you to the edge of your second orgasm. When your body spasmed and you whimpered a plea, he knew he could get you there again. 

“Please,” you gasped, pulling hard at the sheets.

“Anything for you," he promised breathily, continuing to fuck into you as he circled your clit faster. Each snap of his hips made you moan, and you squirmed restlessly—sensitive and overstimulated from his touch, but somehow needing more. 

He leaned over you to kiss you deeply and you gripped his arms instinctively after releasing the sheets as he caged you in with his arms and swallowed your sounds with his fierce kiss. Your nails dug into the taut flesh of his arms and his stomach flipped at your desperate attempts to restrain yourself. He smirked against your mouth, his thrusts became slow and shallow. You kissed him back firmly, breathing unevenly against his lips when he parted to breathe, meeting his thrusts as best as you could, uselessly trying to gain control.

He buried his face near the crook of your neck, breathing heavily and moaning softly in your ear. He groaned your name at the instantaneous clench of your walls at his closeness. You sighed his name, hands flexing on his arm before your nails bit back down on his flesh again, sending electric pleasure through his body. Dean bit down hard on your shoulder, muffling his heated groans against your soft flesh. You moaned in surprise and your pussy squeezed around his cock again. 

"Gonna come again, sweetheart?" He teased, licking at the bite mark and began rubbing relentlessly at your clit. He heard the hitch in your breath and moved his mouth further over your shoulder to bite down on you again. 

He loved your reaction to it.

“Wait!” You begged suddenly, comically—as if you’d just remembered you left the stove on. Your hand locked around his wrist to stop him from stimulating your clit. Your legs came loose from his waist. Sudden concern possessed him to pull out of your wet heat with a whimper that made him turn scarlet red, but a warning tingle flared up his spine at the loss of your body’s heat. 

He felt deceived by the grin on your face, but you began to climb up the bed with a devious glint in your eyes that made him grin as playfully as you were. 

"Sweetheart, please, let me fuck you," he laughed breathily, crawling up the bed after you. You chuckled and threw the pillows out of the way.

"Who’s needy now?" you taunted, grabbing his shoulders to make him take your spot on the bed before he could settle between your legs again. 

He lifted a brow, unaware of your intentions, and huffed indifferently—defiant, but he still obeyed and sat against the headboard. You circled your arms around his neck after climbing into his lap to give him a kiss while his hands played thoughtlessly with the lace of the garter belt on your hips. 

You weaved your fingers through his hair, sending shivers along his body, and tugged gently at the strands in your grasp to part from his mouth. He bit his lip, watching you through heavy eyes clouded with lust. Your playful smile made him smile reflexively, and then you disappeared to mouth kisses along his jawline and neck. His eyes fluttered shut and his head leaned back—gently hitting the wall—giving you more flushed skin to kiss. He moaned quietly as you licked and kissed at the vein carrying his pulse and your hips rolled forward instinctively at the sound.

Your mouth moved lower down his chest with hot and wet kisses that made his skin tingle with fervour to feel you closer. Your weight shifting off his lap made his eyes open slowly, and was greeted with the pretence of your innocent gaze before you wrapped your hand around the base of his dick. His heart skipped a beat, his cock jerked in your grasp, waiting in anticipation before you squeezed and slowly slid your hand up from the base to the tip. Your eyes flickered down just as a drop of precum leaked out of the tip.

Your satisfied hum flustered him, but he was used to it. Used to the way you licked your kiss-swollen lips at the mere sight of his leaking dick when you got your hands on him, readying him for your mouth or your pussy. To him it felt more like you wanted him at your mercy, throbbing red and hot before you finally gave him the mercy of pleasure and release.

“Shit,” he hissed, watching you pump his cock once, twice, and a third time, using every drop of his precum to languidly slide your hand along his length. “Please.” His hips rose from the bed and your response was a gentle laugh that made heat flare up his face. The pace of your hand remained infuriatingly slow and your tight grip drew thick droplets of precum so he almost felt as wet as you were. 

You had him just like you wanted, throbbing and red from your teasing hands, brushing the pads of your fingers to massage every sensitive area you could find on his dick. After uselessly begging for you to go faster, after pleading for release, you kissed your way down his soft stomach. He held his breath, watching intently as your mouth drew nearer to his cock. 

He squirmed when you breathed against him, your lips curved to a smirk, but his mouth was open, panting heavily and waiting hopelessly for the touch of your lips against his length. 

“Hot,” you whispered against his dick, and slowly, delicately licked the leaking tip with your hand wrapped loosely at the base. He sighed breathily and grunted shortly after you swirled your tongue around the tip to swipe away precum. Before he could form the words in his mind, your whole mouth engulfed his cock. 

You moved your head down and his hands found the soft strands of your hair, gripping tightly in surprise, then to guide the speed himself. Groans tumbled from his lips and he shoved away all his embarrassment when your humming vibrated through his cock and made him whimper. You swallowed, your throat tightened around him and he hissed a curse, pushing your head down and pulling your hair up faster. 

He dared to look down at you, through the haze of lust, the sight of you in tears with your reddened cheeks, and redder lips made his cock throb in your mouth. 

“Holy fuck,” he moaned, pulling you up by your hair to let his cock fall from your mouth. A string of saliva and precum connected your mouth to the tip as you sniffled and blinked away tears. “I need you. Get up here, sweetheart,” he begged hoarsely, unravelling his fingers from your hair to guide you up with his hand on your jaw. 

You licked your lips, released your firm grip on his dick, and allowed him to wipe your tears away as you moved back up his body with your knees on either side of his waist. 

He eagerly pulled you in for a kiss, his enthusiasm seeping through the passion of his kiss. He momentarily allowed himself to get lost, to gratefully lick the taste of himself from your mouth, and let his hands wander to pull the cups of your bra back down. Your tits spilled out of the lace and he thoroughly pinched and plucked at your nipples until he felt you take hold of his cock again and stroked him a few times. 

He drew back from the kiss breathlessly, watched you line his dick up with your pussy before carefully sinking down on him completely. His eyes fluttered shut, his hands fell to your waist, and a growly sound rumbled through his chest. 

“Mmm, fuck,” you moaned against his lips, trailing your hands from his wrists to forearms. Your forehead dropped to his gingerly as you raised yourself up so just the tip remained inside you, then slid back down gradually. His grip on your waist became stronger when you broke away from him to enjoy the sensation of having him inside you. “Ah, fuck…” you murmured, grinding down on him to push his cock as far as it could go into you. 

He choked on a moan, on the breath that was cut off by the feeling of you rolling your hips down on him leisurely. He squirmed beneath you, watching you get lost in the torturous pace you found pleasure in. Your head lolled back and your hair gracefully followed the movement shortly after. Susurrations of his name bled from between your lips. Your hands were secured tightly on his arms, pulling him closer to you. 

Pleasure rippled through him. 

He leaned forward to suck marks and press open-mouthed kisses over your breasts. Your hands abandoned his arms to bury your fingers in his hair instead, arching your back to push your chest closer to his mouth. You shuddered as his breath cooled your fiery skin and tugged at his hair, undulating your hips against his. 

He moved his mouth up your chest to bite at your neck. His teeth sank gently into your tender flesh, grazing along the thudding vein, and his tongue tasted the salty tang of your sweat. Your pussy squeezed around him in delight and he moaned against your throat, exasperatedly digging his fingers into your waist. 

"Please… move," he whispered gravelly, trying to take control of the way you moved by sliding his palms down to your hips and holding on tight.

“I am,” came your breathy response. The amusement in your voice made him whine. 

“N… not like that.” His voice was rough and you bit your lip at his frustration. 

Straight away, you finally lifted yourself up his cock, unhurriedly making him feel every bit of the heat and wetness that coated him. You dropped back down at the same frustratingly slow speed. His eyes fluttered shut, his brows pinched together, and he licked his lips before biting down on it. Again, you rose from his lap and steadily sat back down. Your breath tickled his jaw, “like that?” 

Your voice made his stomach flutter.

“Faster,” he begged, his throaty voice revealing his impatience with your drawn-out riding. You nipped at his jaw and only barely picked up the pace. His eyes fluttered open when you cupped his red cheeks, staring at his contorted face. “Please,” he mumbled, pressing his fingers into your hips. 

You laughed breathlessly and dipped down to kiss him, but he knew that was you denying him. Your teeth sank into his lip and he growled at you, throbbing and achingly close to finishing. If only you’d speed up, he could finally get there. 

You sucked at his lip before pushing your tongue into his hot mouth, inhaling each other’s breaths. His head felt light again and his stomach tightened, brimming with bliss, but you ignored his sobbing pleas by silencing them with your tongue, and continued to languidly ride his cock. 

But he’d had enough. 

He flattened his feet on the bed and snapped his hips upwards before you could even process or halt what he was doing. You cried out in surprise and uselessly attempted to hold onto his shoulders as he ruthlessly shoved his dick upwards into your pussy. He slammed you down with his bruising grip on your hips, moving you down on him faster, and obscene sounds began to burst from his lips. 

You inhaled sharply, clasping onto his broad shoulders to no avail until you defeatedly collapsed on him so he could have complete control of the rhythm. He still had enough awareness outside his pleasure to grin to himself as you moaned and gasped his name into his ear. You clamped down around his dick and began to meet his thrusts as he’d been doing for you. 

"You fuckin’ tease," he panted each word between heavy breaths, whenever your hips met his. Even nestled into you as deep as he could be, he yearned to be closer to you, so he tangled his fingers in your hair and crashed your lips down with his, sure—now—that you wouldn’t change the pace he’d set. Your teeth clashed with his, but he couldn’t care less as his cock pulsed inside you, overflowing with pleasure. "I'm so fuckin’ close, baby," he gasped gruffly into your mouth.  

“Please… come, Dean,” you breathed out your plea and he released a low moan, your words making something warm bloom in his chest. Heat trickled down his body and he couldn’t stop the bubbling of his orgasm, especially not with you kissing him so intensely. 

 "Shit- oh, fuck-" he gasped against your lips. You moaned pridefully when he stilled, his entire body tense beneath you, and he held his breath for a short second before he came inside you whispering expletives and your name. You trembled above him shortly after he’d spilled himself into you and he hooked his blunt nails into your hips so harshly he imagined he might break your skin and draw blood. 

He pressed his forehead against your shoulder and loosed his grip on your hips when you finally stopped riding him after you came for a second time, but still sat on his softening dick after pulling every last drop from his throbbing cock. 

READER’S POV

“I love you,” Dean breathed against your mouth, gently brushing his thumbs over the raw flesh of your hips. 

“Mmm, I love you, too,” you promised quietly, carefully lifting your tender pussy from his dick. Dean hissed softly as your pussy fluttered over him and then he melted into the bed, slowly allowing himself to relax after you’d edged him for… well, who actually knows how long?

"What’s with you today, sweetheart?” He asked, his voice still pleasantly husky. 

You tried not to think about it as you sat by his knees, but your cunt still longed for him. “What do you mean?”

He opened his eyes and gave you a look. He looked so fucked out and it made you unreasonably arrogant. Your eyes flickered from his dishevelled hair, his red cheeks, swollen lips, and scratched torso. You blushed and shrugged after stealing a glance at his soft cock coated in your cum and his own. 

You could act nonchalant all you wanted, but your pussy clenched around nothing just at the sight of him. You could feel his release dripping out of you and you rubbed your thighs together. He was still watching you, but you didn’t care what he was able to see. 

“Please, come back here,” he mumbled lazily. 

You moved to his side and rested your cheek on his shoulder. You had a few moments of peace before his hand ghosted above your thigh and sneaked between your legs. You sat up straight and lifted a brow at him.

Dean smirked and rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, you’re telling me you don’t want more?”

You grabbed his face after staring at him with narrowed eyes and kissed him roughly to shut him up, but he turned to face you and kissed you back just as fiercely. He pushed against your body so you laid on the bed once more and his hand found your slick cunt again.

This time, three fingers pushed into you and he used his other hand to rub furiously at your clit. You whimpered against his mouth, overstimulated, and he pulled away panting. “Come on, baby, give me another one. I know you want it.”

“Fuck,” you sobbed, your body trembling in protest. 

He was right, you could still feel the faint embers of your arousal and he was reigniting them faster than you were able to make your body process. Somehow your orgasm was building up for a third time, feeling less intense but completely fulfilling.

“That’s my girl,” he murmured and before you knew what was happening, you squirted around his fingers and onto the sheets. Dean chuckled and drew out your orgasm as long as you could bear by still stroking on your clit after pulling his fingers out of you.

You could finally say you felt so much more relief, but you were half embarrassed by the gush of your orgasm. Dean was more than pleased by it. He licked his fingers clean of your release and then lowered his mouth down to your pussy with a moan to lick you thoroughly before kissing his way back up your body.

That mouth of his glistened and captivated your attention as he licked them. He pecked your lips and mumbled against your mouth, “I’m so glad I married you.”

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[apocalypse-shuffle]

JACKSON JEKYLL & HOLT HYDE (monster high) — canon divergence

☯︎ғɪʀᴇ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ɢᴀsᴏʟɪɴᴇ☯︎

(pic source: monster high - ghouls rule)

❱ In which during the events of Ghouls Rule a lot more things go wrong but they all lead to something right in the end.

Jackson lowkey blames Holt…

❝ The smile she gives him then is more wry than he thought her capable of yet, and Holt is rapidly realizing that it’s been nearly two months since him and Frankie have said more than three words to each other in passing.

And he wouldn’t bet Jackson’s had much luck with her either now that he’s thinking about it.

“That’s great! Honestly!” she says, easing off her heels and prying a hand from its death grip on her bag to gesture to him. “You guys deserve a good relationship, but I don’t think I fit into it right now. I’m barely over six months old, you know? I’ve still got my own things to figure out that aren’t just from my dad’s entering society 101 lessons.”

When she laughs it’s light. Her expression loses some of its tension. Holt’s shoulders fall.

“So…?” ❞

Jackson Jekyll & Holt Hyde and Jackson Jekyll x Frankie Stein x Holt Hyde

“PREMONITION” The calm before the storm of the impending Halloween ‘holiday’ at New Salem High. (SFW, POV switch) not here yet

❱ Series Status: coming soon

(pic source: monster high - ghouls rule)

A/N: The main ship changed in this rewrite bcs I’m no longer being a girl hater, and bcs these were my favorite characters in the first place; I was just in a mood when I first wrote this and as a result made Holt/Jackson/Heath happen as a substitute for the Frankie shaped hole in my life (not that the ship w/ Heath isn’t valid otherwise).

WARNINGS: SFW, mature themes, canon typical action, monster normie relations, xenophobia, cussing?, mixed canon (gen 1), teenage romance, romantic relationships, slow burn, polyamory, PUNS, self-cest (idk, they’re literally different people who share a body, but also two sides of the same person at the same time), identity crisis.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own any of the monster high characters, setting or story; just the original parts of my story that I’ve written around those preexisting elements owned by Mattel™️. THIS IS A WORK OF FANFICTION AND NOT AN OFFICIAL MONSTER HIGH PRODUCT.

❱ series playlist

⚠︎While this series isn’t 18+, it does have mature themes; you’ve been warned.⚠︎

— rewriting & reposting this from my ao3

[almostkoo]

pairings: jung hoseok x oc

summary:  oc notices something strange about hoseok, their friend who’s normally upbeat and cheerful suddenly things start going left quickly in the middle of using a ouija board for fun with friends things get really weird really quick

word count: 2.0k

warnings: language, mentions of wine, a switchblade is mentioned a few times, demon possession 

authors note: fifth story!! of spooktober i hope you guys don’t mind i threw in one of my favorite kpop girlies, i love her so much. this is my first time in general really trying to write something “scary”, i hope i did well i didn’t want to overdo it! i hope you guys enjoy !

link to main masterlist

You, Hoseok, Jungkook and Nayeon stood outside the door leading to the basement of you and Hoseok’s shared house. Anxiety washed over your being and clung to you like a wet blanket. You couldn’t shake the fear that something bad was going to happen. Standing in the back of everything gave you a better view of everyone. Jungkook was dressed in all black (with the exception of his pink bunny slippers on his feet), Hoseok dressed in his pajamas and Nayeon dressed comfortably in an oversized shirt and joggers.

The impromptu “seance” that was about to be performed in the basement interrupted everyone. Nayeon and Hoseok who were in the middle of doing sheet masks and you in the kitchen pouring up refills of wine for everyone while Jungkook had disappeared moments before only to return with a ouija board.

Now here you were Jungkook with the ouija board tucked under one arm and his hand on the door knob waiting for everyone’s approval to open the door.

“Jungkook, why are we doing this?” Nayeon asked.

“Why not? Y/n and Hoseok say their house is haunted. What better time to investigate than at a slumber party with their friends? Especially during spooky season? The more the merrier!” He smiled.

“Our house isn’t haunted. Ghosts don’t exist, you clown. It’s probably old water pipes or some shit making all those weird noises.” You grumbled.

“Water pipes? Okay what about all the moaning Hoseok heard? Or the last time Nayeon was here and someone wrote in her lipstick on the bathroom mirror while she was showering?” Jungkook questioned. You sighed loudly to make a point on how exhausted you were with the back and forth discourse between you and Jungkook on whether or not the house was haunted.

“I feel like you want our house to be haunted.” you said.

“No but if it is you both need to get the hell out of dodge before shit starts getting real. The lipstick on the mirror would’ve been enough to send me flying out the house.”

“Same and I normally stay out of this whole ghost discussion but.. that’s really odd Y/n you can’t even lie.” Nayeon stated. You glanced over at Hoseok who was turned away from you, picking at the hem of his shirt. You and Hoseok had been living in your current home for three months and about two weeks into your stay things started getting extremely weird. From you finding him standing out on the balcony in the pouring rain, the weird arts and crafts figurines he would make and that one time you found him ready to take a bite out of a raw steak out the fridge.

But he passed that last one off as him being drunk.

You didn’t believe in ghosts or demons or really too much supernatural stuff. But the strange behaviors that Hoseok had been portraying alarmed you. You weren’t quite sure what exactly was going on. You hadn’t seen him smile in weeks and it was worrying.

“Fuck it. If we’re doing this can we go on and do it because I really wanna get back to my wine.” you whined. Jungkook opened the door, reaching for the light switch. Only to flick it and realize the light in the basement wasn’t working.

“How much weirder could this shit get.” you heard Jungkook mumble under his breath, fumbling in his pocket for his phone. You all slowly stepped down the stairs. Taking a look around the basement it was fairly empty except a pair of skis and other miscellaneous belongings split between you both.

Jungkook cleared a spot in the middle of the floor. The only light was from the small basement windows lining the walls.

“Do you not owe any candles or a lantern?” Jungkook asked.

“Hoseok has some of those boring non scented ones in the kitchen cabinet above the stove.” You glanced over at Nayeon who quickly started shaking her head and waving her hands.

“No. Hell no. Don’t make me go up there.”

“Nayeon please.”

“What if I run up there and then the spooky ghost haunting you gets me ?”

“It won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t. But like we haven’t been harmed yet.”

She stomped her feet. “If something happens I’m haunting everyone here.” Nayeon dashed up the steps. Hearing a little bit of shuffling before she came back carrying as many candles as she could.

“You’re lucky I remembered the lighter while I was up there because that trip wasn’t happening again.” You lit all of the candles before settling and sitting down. Hoseok, blank faced had already sat down as soon as you all made it down the steps scooted closer to you all.

“Alright let’s get it.” Jungkook took the ouija board out of its box, putting the planchette on the board. You eyes the box.

“A fucking ouija from mattel is supposed to potentially tell us if this house is haunted?” You questioned.

“Where did you get this from? Target?” Nayeon asked.

Jungkook sighed, scratching at the sides of his hair.

“And if I did? Where else would I get it from? Amazon? Jeff Bezos isn’t seeing a dime of my Starbucks checks” He scoffed “look I'm sure you know how this whole ouija thing is supposed to go. Just like in the movies two fingers on the planchette. We say hello and don’t finish until we say goodbye. No moving the planchette for fun. I will have a heart attack and Jeon Jungkook will no longer exist. Alright?” Jungkook stated. You and Nayeon nodded.

Placing your two fingers on the planchette, followed by everyone else. So it began.

“Hello. Hi spirits we have questions.” Jungkook said, looking around the room. Nayeon hit his arm. Jungkook gave a quizzical look.

“Is that really how you’re gonna ask the higher powers?” she asked.

“I don’t know how the fuck else to address them. Hi spirits. Are you there?” he questioned. You looked around the room, watching your friends facial expressions. The mild drunk feeling that was over you quickly made you sober up as the air seemed to get colder around you.

The planchette slowly started moving towards the top left corner, the small glass hovering above the “yes”.

“Before we continue. Is anyone fucking with me right now?” Jungkook mumbled.

“No I swear I’m not.” Nayeon stated.

“No.” You all looked at Hoseok who was staring at the board blank, as if he wasn’t looking at anything in the first place.

“I think he’s drunk. Maybe he had too much wine. You know he’s a lightweight.” Nayeon cracked, attempting to lighten the mood.

Hoseok lacked the permanent blush he seemed to have when he did drink too much. But the glossy look to his eyes still remained. You shrugged it off but the look he had was eerily similar to the one he had on the night you found him on the balcony.

“Ask another question, Jungkook.” you said.

“Okay umh. Let’s just get to it. Are there any spirits lingering in this house?” The temperature dropped, causing a slight shiver to escape Nayeon. The planchette jerked back and circled back around to “yes”.

“I’m gonna be sick.” Nayeon whispered. “Jungkook are you fucking with us?”

“What? No! I swear to the heavens I wouldn’t fuck with you guys on something like this! I’m not moving it.” he said, both sets of eyes laid on you.

“Now y’all both know good and well I don’t even believe in this shit why would I fuck with you with this?” You said, borderline offended at them.

“Because that’s what non believers always do.” Jungkook stated.

“I’m a non believer not an asshole. Keep asking it questions.” you grumbled.

Jungkook rolled his eyes. “Is there anything you want from this house?” The planchette pushed back, before slowly moving back to yes. You started sweating and the basement getting chillier by the second didn’t help as you tried to resist the full body chill that threatened to shake through you.

“What do you want?” The words left your mouth before you could stop them. The planchette moved slow once again, going from letter to letter. You, Nayeon and Jungkook looked on.

H-O-S-E-O-K

You heard Nayeon gasp from the side of you. While your jaw just parted. Jungkook froze in his spot, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

“I don’t think I want to play this anymore.” Your eyes shot up to Hoseok, who looked at Jungkook with a wicked grin on his face.

“Uh Hobi. We can wrap up. But can you stop looking at me like that?” Jungkook said, a shake to his words.

Nayeon stared Hoseok down. “Something’s not right here.”

“What’s the matter, Nayeon? Aren’t we all playing a game?” Hoseok turned in her direction.

“Jungkook, wrap this shit up now.” You instructed, keeping your eyes on Hoseok. 

Before Jungkook could open his mouth, he suddenly flung backwards into the wall. The candles went out.

“I said I didn’t want to play anymore.” through the soft moonlight filtering through the windows you could see Hoseok stand up. You and Nayeon shuffled back against the wall. A few feet away from where Jungkook laid unconscious. Nayeon shuffled with her phone, the screen light illuminating her features. You could see the tears streaking her cheeks. The flashlight turned on shining on Hoseok; his soft brown eyes were now cold and empty, a black void.

“What the fuck are you?” Nayeon yelled, struggling to keep her cool.

“What do you think I am?” He questioned, stalking towards you.

“Stay the fuck away from us! I mean it!” You shouted. The fear you felt ran through your veins icy and cold. Making you want to curl up and wish the situation away.

Hoseok reached in his pocket, pulling out a small switchblade.

“I think it’s time to slice, I’m sorry I mean spice things up.”

You threw yourself in front of Nayeon, remaining firm despite her protests asking you to move.

“Aw isn’t this cute? You want to protect your friend.” Hoseok’s lips curved into his signature heart shaped smile. One that normally wanted your heart, filled you with even more dread than possible. That smile didn’t belong to him. It. Whatever was in your best friend.

Hoseok rolled his eyes, the smile dropping from his face as quick as it showed up. “I don’t even remember the last time I had friends.” He walked towards you and Nayeon, who’s hands gripped your shoulders. Preparing for the worst you closed your eyes.

Suddenly another voice filled the basement. You opened your eyes, there stood Jungkook your knight in shining armor. Well more like knight in plaid pajamas but attire was besides the point. You watched as Jungkook held his hands up muttering words in foreign language as Hoseok froze rigid, slowly lifting off the ground. The switchblade falling from his grip. A dark purple smoke escaped his mouth before shattering one of the glass windows. Hoseok’s body slumped to the ground and Jungkook dropped to his knees.

You got up running to Hoseok to check him out. Holding a finger up under his nose to feel soft air leave him. You draped yourself over him as he slowly stirred.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Jung Hoseok never in your life get possessed by a demon again. I’ve never been more fucking scared before.”

Hoseok looked at you confused as he sat up, rubbing at his head.

“I don’t even know what’s going on. Last thing I remember was trying to figure out where to hang my jackets in my closet.” He said. That must mean he was possessed for a while. You frowned at the thought.

Jungkook and Nayeon walked over to you. Jungkook wiping his bloody nose on the back of his sleeve.

“You mind sharing where you learned that neat little trick?” You asked.

“My grandfather is a priest. Stuff like that kinda runs in the family.” Jungkook tilted his head back pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Am I going to be fine?” Hoseok asked, fear laced in his words.

“Yeah you might just not remember the past few months. But that demon is gone. Sent back to where the foul bastard came from.” Jungkook said.

“I am literally never spending the night here ever again. Not even for a million dollars.” Nayeon said.

“That’s a lie you’ll be back.” You chuckled.

“Make it two and maybe I will.” She smiled.

[queen-erika-the-songful]

most underappreciated barbie movie in ur opinion??? or top 3 at least xx

Oh, I’ve got plenty don’t you worry.

1) Princess & the Popstar and Rock ‘n Royals -- As I’ve said time and time again, Princess and the Pauper is my favorite Barbie movie. Nothing is going to top it for me. But I am sick and tired of Popstar and Royals being given unnecessary hate because “they were just bad remakes ugh”. Well, not even Royals, it’s mostly just Popstar that gets this treatment. Was it lazy of Mattel to reuse the “role-switch”/Prince and the Pauper story twice? Sure, I can agree to that. But that doesn’t mean Popstar or Royals is a remake. All three films have very different elements to them, from how the switch happens, to the tones of the films, the stories and messages, and the characterizations of the leads. I won’t say they don’t have their own problems, because of course, they do, but nearly every criticism I see is just endless comparisons to Pauper and how superior it is. They’ve all got great things about them and I wish more people would see that. I made a really long post about it over on barbie-movie-confessions because people already started bombarding me about the upcoming Princess Adventure movie.

2) Barbie presents Thumbelina -- I know a lot of people wanted a “faithful” adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson tale, and I’ll admit that I used to want that as well, but in all honestly, the original tale does not have that much going on to make it into a full movie. I mean there’s Don Bluth’s Thumbelina from 1994, but it’s pretty average at best (though it looks beautiful). I think if Barbie had radically changed the source material like they did with past fairytales, it could’ve been good, but I think I like what we got better. It’s good to teach kids about the environment, and this is one of the only “Save the Earth” movies I can think of that doesn’t act super preachy. Plus the friendship between Thumbelina and Makenna is really the heart of the story. It’s at least a much better environmental film than Ferngully. 

3) Barbie in Princess Power -- This was one of the goofier Barbie movies at times, but it’s still solid. Kara is an amazing protagonist, she actually wants to do something good for her kingdom, but still ends up learning a lesson as well. I really like that she gets lost in the glamour of glory and has to get called out on it. Humility and the true meaning of heroism are great lessons to show kids. I think if more people got past the animation style and the “sparkle orb” powers they might see the good in this movie. 

4) Barbie: A Perfect Christmas -- While Christmas Carol is probably my favorite of the Barbie Christmas films, Perfect Christmas deserves a lot more praise because of how low-stakes it is and how well it’s written. The girls really feel like sisters, not just friends or girls who hang together. And the conflict is so simple yet honestly powerful. They just want to have their perfect holiday together, but they learn that all they need is each other. That is the PERFECT lesson to have in a sappy, heartwarming holiday film. I really love it. 

5) Barbie: Mariposa & The Fairy Princess -- I always see people talking about how underrated the first Mariposa is, and I do agree it needs more love, but Fairy Princess has even less love. I’ve seen people complain about Mariposa no longer being a miserable outcast and how that’s “not in character” but that completely dismisses the lesson of the first film: Mariposa learned that everyone is unique, and you should just be yourself instead of trying to make yourself fit in. That’s why she’s so open in the sequel because she doesn’t feel like she needs to hide anymore. Plus there’s so many other great things about it: the messages of prejudice, the fact that Catania deals with childhood trauma and triumphs over her fears, the chemistry between Mariposa and Catania, oh it’s so GOOD! The only thing I myself really dislike about it is the fact that the Gwyllion gets de-aged at the end when she gets reformed. I mean, she still looks older, but not as old as she did throughout the rest of the movie. It’s very agest and I wish they hadn’t done that. And it’s not explained why she wanted/needed a Crystallite. I have a headcanon that she was cursed and was aging much faster than she should’ve been, which is why she de-ages at the end. But that’s just headcanon, so it doesn’t really help.

[cryptoriascollectiblog]

Monster High doll collecting Questionnaire - answered

Finally had time to take photos for this thing. Hope it’s worth the wait!

1) Introduce yourself and tell us how long you’ve been collecting Monster High dolls! Hey y’all! My name’s Tori and I’ve been collecting Monster High since I think...either the end of 2014 or early 2015. Before S5 of the webisodes aired. 

2) How many MH dolls do you have?

Can I just say “a lot” and leave it at that? I kid I kid. I have like 27 Monster High dolls. That may not seem like a lot but I swear I just had 13 like four dolls ago...fingers crossed I didn’t forget to count anyone. That’s a sign of too many dolls :’D I also have two vinyl MH figures (Frankie and Draculaura) and a Rock Candy Draculaura figure.

3) Is Monster High your favorite doll line? Why or why not? Yes. Yes it is. Forever and ever. Took me a little while to realize it but as I accumulated dolls I realized most of my passion for collecting (as well as creative inspiration) revolved almost entirely around Monster High. That line is perfect for me in every way: tied to/inspired by classic Monsters, bold and edgy gothic fashion, a unique art style...I can’t tell you how much I’ve evolved as a creative individual since embracing my love of Monster High.

4) Who’s your favorite MH ghoul? 

I wish Cupid had stuck around in MH a little longer. I would’ve loved an elaborate dress (and makeup) for her!

5) Favorite Manster? My favorite Manster is actually Andy Beast from Skull Shores. Since he never reappeared in more than background shots and Mattel never produced a doll of him I’ll go with this guy:

6) Do you own any dolls of your favorite ghoul and/or manster? How many? I own one Deuce doll, his Boo York doll. He came with Cleo and I love Boo York Cleo so I had to get both. I actually hate how the writing team handled Deuce and their relationship in the movie: as far as I’m concerned it isn’t canon. (He fell so far from Ghouls Rule! Definitely the best part of that movie including his friendship with Frankie.)

I own many Frankie and Draculaura dolls. Stay tuned for pics~

7) Do you own any playsets? If so which one(s)? If not, is there a reason?

I found this at a thrift store. It didn’t have any accessories though. Still, I’m glad I own it <3 Considering I photograph Draculaura more than any of my other dolls.  I do wish I had another playset--either the catacombs or the Deadlux high school: they’d make such great backdrops for photography! Sadly I have no space.

8) Of the original main ghouls (including Ghoulia, Spectra and Abbey) which is your favorite? Got any dolls of them?

TA~DA! I’d actually also love to add Ghouls Rule Frankie to my collection but she’s not an immediate must-have.

9) Favorite character with only one doll release?

I know there were technically two but they’re essentially the same doll so it doesn’t count.

10) Character with too many dolls (in your opinion?) Uh...Toralei honestly. I don’t like her, I’ve never liked her but she pops up a lot more than I expected. Is this so there’s a matching bully in some of these sets or is she that popular and I’m the odd one out?

11) Any character you would’ve liked to see in a doll line that didn’t make it? (i.e. Lagoona in Sweet Screams or Draculaura in Power Ghouls, etc) Apart from another C.A. Cupid doll in like Dawn of the Dance or Dot Dead Gorgeous (can you imagine??) I would’ve loved to see Draculaura in Freak du Chic. I’m aware she had a Scarnival doll but that’s not the same thing. I want a doll with a similar design to her circus mini. I also think adding Lagoona to the “Scarily Ever After” line would’ve been neat (a la Little Mermaid, of course.) I know we saw her as a Mermaid in Great Scarier Reef” but I would’ve loved to see one with a fairytale twist.

Also more Sweet Screams dolls. Best line ever <3

12) Any ideas you would’ve liked to see in a doll line? An eighties glam-rock n roll band stylized after Jem and the Holograms but with a gothic edge. I’m not talking Fierce Rockers, I mean all of the core ghouls (with Ghoulia as like the manager) along with a better-designed Clawdeen. I didn’t mind what we got but she wasn’t “outrageous” enough for me. 

Also a “vintage-themed” line as an homage to the ghouls’ famous parents (including Operetta.)

13) Is there a “grail” MH doll for you? If so do you own it? I feel like my grail dolls keep changing. For a long time it was Collector Draculaura, then OG draculaura, then Dawn of the Dance Draculaura...then Ghouls Rule Frankie and the whole Sweet Screams crew. I guess I can’t make up my mind ^^; Truthfully I have most of these now so I’m pretty content with my collection. I still want a couple older dolls (CLAWDEEN and maybe OG Lagoona) as I’ve said and I must have all the Sweet Screams dolls. Beyond that I’m good. 

14) Thoughts on the cancelled Ever After High crossover? Okay so I will be forever annoyed Mattel didn’t wait to reboot everything until after the crossover. That said what I saw in the storyboards and posts floating around didn’t really impress me. There’s so much potential here and I feel like Mattel took the easiest route possible with it. If you’re going to crossover these two lines a) go ALL out with the designs and b) INVOLVE C.A. CUPID. Plus we’ll never know now if Astra Nova is the blue fairy/her daughter.

15) Thoughts on the 2016 reboot faces?

Why Mattel. Why was this necessary. 

With Vampirina and now Super Monsters you really should’ve stuck with your older audience. Or saved the “Monster Family” line exclusively for said younger audience and just scaled down the original line to remind your older crowd, collectors included, why we love this line. 

Heck, at this point I’d be happy with detailed collector-only lines released on like Amazon. A limited line is better than no Monster High at all, especially if it’s highly detailed and exceptionally spooky.

16) Thoughts on the 2016 “Monster Family” line?

So I like the idea behind this line but loathe the articulation. I held off buying Alivia and Kelpie for a long time because I hoped for better quality with later releases. Whoops. All of this said there was potential here to attract a younger crowd exclusively with a brighter and less-articulated family line. Siblings or not they could’ve avoided directly crossing over by merely mentioning the OG ghouls, instead focusing on friendships and relationships with their parents. That’s what I’d have done at least.

17) How bout the SDCC exclusives? What was your favorite? Do you own any? No and I wish I did ;-; While I wasn’t as impressed with them as the Ever After High exclusives I would’ve loved a Hexiciah doll. He’s actually my favorite “manster.” (Heck! You could’ve incorporated him into the crossover, being as he’s half fairy!) I should check ebay...

18) How about Amazon exclusives? I have two! The amazing and unique Draculaura who as far as I’m concerned is the best MH doll ever released and Zomby Gaga. The others never impressed me or lived up to the same quality promised in the first exclusive. I just couldn’t pass up a Lady Gaga monster!

19) Favorite Frankie Stein doll?

Aaah this is tough. All the Frankies I own are my favorite ^^; Sweet Screams, Freaky Fusion, her classroom doll I turned into a fearleading one, and while I don’t own her original doll (mine is the 2014 release) I love that one two. I also like Wave 2 Frankie and as I said Ghouls Rule. (Honestly though I thiiiiink Sweet Screams is number one...which is funny because I did not want her when I first started collecting. For whatever reason I thought I’d be happy with one doll of each character. Again I say: whoops)

20) Favorite Draculaura doll?

21) Favorite Clawdeen Wolf doll? Freak du Chic, her OG doll and I think Boo York. I’m so mad her outfit isn’t more stylish. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it to buy her and like one of her fashion packs...but that’s actually more expensive on Amazon than her original doll! 

22) Favorite Cleo de Nile doll?

Originally Dawn of the Dance wasn’t a favorite but now that I own the doll I realize just how much she stands out (why wasn’t purple lipstick used more often???)

23) Favorite Lagoona Blue doll? Skull Shores, her OG doll and I think Dawn of the Dance. I’m not a big fan of the mohawk but I appreciate the detail in her outfit...plus I love blue makeup.

24) Favorite Ghoulia Yelps doll?

 I also like Sweet Screams (although she’s my least favorite of the line) and Dawn of the Dance. Honestly maybe I should’ve set my sights on that whole line XD Except I’m not the biggest fan of the Clawdeen and Frankie.

25) Favorite Spectra Vondergeist doll? I’m not as familiar with Spectra’s dolls but I think either Dot Dead Goregeous or Ghouls Night Out.

26) Favorite Abbey Bombinable doll? Sweet Screams <3

27) Favorite Venus McFlytrapp doll? Zombie Shake

28) Favorite Rochelle Goyle doll? Zombie Shake

29) Favorite Operetta doll? Either or OG doll or Scaritage (the latter kind of reminds me of Lucille Ball for whatever reason)

30) Favorite Toralei Stripe doll? I’m really not a fan of her dolls (Orange is such a hard color to compliment correctly) but I do kind of like the stark design in her Fierce Rockers doll.

31) Favorite Jinafire Long doll? I’m not a big fan of her dolls either (I feel the same way about Green that I do Orange) so I’ll say her “New Scaremester” doll.

32) Favorite Skelita Calaveras doll? Scarnival! I’m still half-tempted to purchase this doll one day...provided I can find her!

33) Favorite Howleen Wolf doll? Her original doll. I wish she hadn’t switched to straight/pink hair! The orange stood out in a good way. Someday I hope I find her in a thrift store...

34) Favorite Twyla Bogeyman doll? Freak du Chic

35) What do you do with your dolls? (Display them, take photos of them, etc) I display them, sometimes change their poses and I take photos! I’m still an amateur at that but I’m learning as I go and I think I’ve improved!

36) Is Monster High the only doll line you collect? Why or why not? Sort of? It’s the only line I primarily collect now. I keep my eye on a couple others in case something catches my eye but like I said I’m low on space.  Some of my other collections include: Ever After High (complete with maybe the exception of TriCastleon Lizzie Hearts one day) Super Heroes (this also includes high quality collectibles. One day I’d like Mystique but she’s only available on ebay and out of my price range right now. Plus I’ve found the production condition of each varies...) Disney Princesses/Frozen (sometimes I tell myself I should get Mulan for varying reasons but I’ve only taken photos of my Elsa doll so what does that tell you) Vampirina + Hotel Transylvania (This includes toys as well. HT seems to have wrapped up for the time being and as I’ve stated numerous times I’m fickle with Vampirina merchandise. Nonetheless both of these are technically ongoing) Equestria Girls (Done unless Hasbro releases a new Adagio Dazzle doll. Also fashion packs or  a dAYDREAM SHIMMER DOLL COME ON--ahem-- I’m still planning to get rid of most of my older dolls.) I tried getting into Disney’s “Attractionistas” but only acquired two before they stopped selling in the parks. To be honest the quality dropped anyway and they’ve only got basic articulation. I’m not sure I’m going to keep the ones I have...we’ll see.

37) Do you still collect Monster High dolls? (i.e. scour the internet and/or secondhand stores?) Technically? I got three for Christmas and still poke my head in thrift stores now and then. For the most part though I’m essentially finished, I only say I keep going because there are a few older dolls I will definitely have someday.

38) There’s a lot of new Monster doll/toy lines out now: thoughts if any? H’okay so here’s the Earth--

jk jk I’m old XD

I make it a point to investigate new Monster lines: monsters are my life, nothing gives me greater creative fuel so it is my duty!

Right now there are technically three others out there although like I said, Hotel Transylvania seems to be out of stores. Don’t know if it’s still available on Amazon. The other two are Vampirina and Super Monsters. I’ve talked about them before--they’re largely for a much younger crowd, even younger than the MH reboot audience but there are some highlights for us older collectors if you love monsters as much as I do. I’m a big fan of world building and the spooky aesthetic: I love seeing how different franchises approach this. Character designs too: it can be a little tricky in the “family friendly monster” genre: a successful one balances spooky with well...friendly. I think Vampirina is most successful in this department. Super Monsters leans more towards the cutesy side.  That said, I actually prefer their world set up over Vampirina. As well as the approach to being a monster which isn’t surprising since Vampirina is essentially one giant whimsical metaphor. 

Super Monsters has only just joined the merchandise department which I know I’ve said before. I look forward to seeing how it evolves. Vampirina too: most of the toys, while cute, are more “toy” than doll and I’m not a big fan of gimmicks so I haven’t bought any of the singing dolls. Fingers crossed we get something a little more...elaborate? Even if it’s just a limited release (I do love the one figure/doll I have though! Best of the merchandise released so far <3)

Going back quickly to Hotel Transylvania...I maintain Jazware’s wasn’t the best choice of manufacturer. So many little things that needed a touch more thought. Although I will give them points for clothing quality and faceup!

39) And finally, what’s your favorite thing about Monster High? Can be past or present!

I think I’ve covered why I love it throughout this questionnaire: Monster High inspires me. It came into the world fresh and with a lot of creative power behind it. It turned so many heads and shook up the doll world as we know it. It brought monsters back into the light and that’s never gone away. If anything it’s blown up even more: that may not have happened without Monster High. Was the writing great? No. But the theme songs, the designs and especially the original lessons taught stood out on their own: Be yourself. Be unique. Be a monster.

Hell yeah, Monster High <3

[jezfletcher]

1000 Albums, 2020: Top Tracks #25-1

Following on from Part 1 of my Top 50 tracks, here are the very top tracks I loved this year. It's been a terrible year, of course, but there has been some truly excellent music released. Read on.

25. rook&nomie - soft atrocity (hyperpop)

me&you by rook&nomie

Once I fell in love with the music of Ada Rook earlier in the year, I sought out her other work—and being the prolific artist she is, there were several more releases that fell within the ambit of the 2020 music project. This is a beautiful bit of off-kilter pop, complete with synthpop bubblegum riffs and a combination of softly, sweetly sung lyrics and harsh screams. It’s a killer combination.

24. Will Joseph Cook - Something To Feel Good About (indie pop)

Will Joseph Cook has a kind of effortless charm in writing enjoyable pop tracks, and this is the top effort from his (very late) 2020 effort. This is a pleasantly two-gear track, with almost a soft adult-contemporary verse, that somehow ratchets up the energy in the chorus to make you want to groove. It’s a catchy, very agreeable track.

23. Courteeners - Better Man (britpop)

A beautiful piece of oldskool rock n roll, imbued with the melancholy of 90s and 00s indie rock. It makes it feel undeniably modern, despite the fact that all of its influences are at least 20 years old. Courteeners have provided some excellent music this year, but this track is the best. “I’m trying to be a better man/Whatever that is”. Aren’t we all?

22. MOBS - School’s Out (80s pastiche pop)

A really fun bit of pop from Australian outfit MOBS, who are really leaning into the 80s-ness of modern synthpop. This has exactly the synth set you might expect from a 1988 boy band, delivered with a danceable energy that almost makes you visualise the terrible, terrible video clip that would accompany it. But it’s unashamed about what it is—and the energy it brings as a result is great. My only concern with this song (the better of the two MOBS songs on my wider list here) is that unlike Big World, it doesn’t have a horn section. And really, that’s a criminal oversight.

21. Luis Pestana - Sangra (experimental electronica)

Rosa Pano by Luis Pestana

A great, evocative and unnerving piece of music, working through highly edited plainchant, fuzzy noise and a repeated motif of chiming bells. This whole album from Luis Pestana was an outstanding collection of music, but this is the piece of music which first made me realise how momentous it was.

20. Hugo Kant - High Gravity (downtempo nu-jazz)

Far From Home by Hugo Kant

Hugo Kant is an artist that really came from nowhere for me this year (well, not nowhere: I found it on Bandcamp’s weekly “releases you might like” list), but his brim-filled November album was a clear stand-out, and took out my #4 Album of the Year. This is the top song from it, a plunderphonic downtempo soundscape that matches a complex syncopated rhythm to a menacing bassline with jazz flute twiddles over the top. Who doesn’t like that?

19. The Flaming Lips - Mother I’ve Taken LSD (psychedelic rock)

The Flaming Lips’ 2020 album was the best of their music I think I’ve ever heard. This song nicely captures what was so good about it. It has an almost orchestral trajectory to it, evoking a sense of longing and disassociation perfectly for its psychedelic roots. But the overall effect is not mind-opening, but melancholy and introspective. It’s a great piece of music.

18. eleventyseven - Battlecats (synthpop punk)

I really love this track, but it’s undeniably very stupid. As an exercise, it seems to be trying to cram in as many pop culture references as it can. The cynic in me would love to write it off in the way I wrote off Ready Player One, but there’s something undeniably playful and satirical about it. Couple this with a genuine punk energy—filtered through many layers of synths—and you get a song that’s genuinely a huge, huge amount of fun. It’s certainly enough for me to forget that eleventyseven used to be a purely Christian rock band. We all develop over time, don’t we?

17. Igorrr - Lost in Introspection (baroque breakcore)

Igorrr is an absolutely ridiculous artist who in a perfect world would be shunned like a medieval circus freak. But somehow, his bizarre mix of baroque chamber music, thrashing breakcore beats and operatic vocal lines can absolutely take you on a musical journey. Never is this clearer in the jagged, unnerving Lost in Introspection, which pinballs between overdriven guitar, concert piano, tremolo-laden vocals, all with a constantly shifting meter. You can never predict where it’s going. Even as I’ve heard it about 20-30 times this year it still manages to surprise me.

16. Polly Scattergood - In This Moment (spoken word triphop)

There’s something to this track which reminds me a lot of the great Kae Tempest. Scattergood doesn’t spit truth in the same way, but there’s definitely something poetic to her softly delivered spoken word lyrics, while an almost industrial triphop gives a dark synthwave atmosphere underneath. Even better is the way it builds across the track—it gets more urgent, darker, louder, more immediate. Excellent stuff and absolutely the standout from Scattergood’s album.

15. Dent May - Hotel Stationery (indie fuzzpop)

Late Checkout by Dent May

I don’t make up these genres by the way (a lie: I make up a huge number of these genres, but I didn’t make up “fuzzpop”). What is fuzzpop? I still don’t really know, but this is quite a folkish tune, downtempo and melodic, but incorporating some of the more atmospheric ideas of dreampop and folktronica. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about the melody here, coupled with some touchingly banal lines of lyrics (it opens “I’m writing you a note/On hotel stationery/Just to let you know/You’re extraordinary”, which requires some pleasingly acrobatic scansion). It’s definitely one of the melodies of this year’s music project which I get in my head a lot. That’s certainly the kind of thing which can propel a song quite high in this list.

14. Another Sky - Fell In Love With The City (indie prog rock)

A hauntingly beautiful piece of rock, it’s atmospherically created with glissing guitar riff and lead singer Catrin Vincent’s ethereal vocals. She has a beautifully androgynous quality to her voice, jumping between upper tenor and soaring soprano, and it’s mesmerising instrument to put with this captivating piece of music. I love this piece of music and it absolutely elevated the whole album.

13. Lola Marsh - Like In The Movies (Israeli pop rock)

Not the last Lola Marsh we’ll see in this list, which gives you an indication why this album ended up my #5 album of the year. This is a beautifully put together bit of soft, dreamy rock. Underneath everything it has this gently pulsating bass that grooves back and forward, end which eventually leads to a surprisingly exultant climax, perfectly matched with a swell of strings. It’s a great bit of music.

12. Ada Rook - Reverie (JH Ligation Experiment 1) (breakbeat electropop)

There’s a shudder in this track everytime the overdriven bass thumps the first beat of each bar, it absolutely drives the music forward, but captures perfectly the anguish and anger of this song thematically. This is coupled with industrial synths, beautifully edited vocals which showcase both Rook’s vocal delicateness and her heartfelt screams (an absolute trademark of the artist). This was my favourite track from Rook’s 2,020 Knives, my #1 album of the year, and more than anything it encapsulates everything I loved about that extraordinary collection of music.

11. Trixie Mattel - Video Games (country folk cover)

My favourite Drag Race alumna Trixie Mattel had a whole album of music this year, which included the excellent Malibu. But her top track was this surprise cover of Lana Del Rey, done with a wonderfully atmospheric outlaw country vibe. Trixie’s sweetly clear vocals reverberate beautifully over her ubiquitous autoharp, midnight dark whistling, and subtle tympanies drawing out a sense of dark drama from the song. As far as I’m concerned, this is now the canonical version of this song—it has more atmosphere and more emotion than the original.

10. KES - Na let go / (when ah) Jamdong / (with d) Boss Lady (soca)

I’ve spent some amount of effort in the music project trying to find the particular brand of reggae that I like. It’s something that I feel should exist—upbeat, but still chilled, danceable with island rhythms. Dancehall gets a bit closer, but still isn’t quite in the sweet spot. It turns out, what I was looking for all this time was Trinidadian soca. This has calypso rhythms done with a punchy dancehall drive, and a Latin horn section to really exalt the mood. I realised when listening to KES’s album earlier in the year that this style of music is one of the reasons I so like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, musically often the superior of his shows (or at least certainly the more danceable and upbeat). This track is a medley of three tracks which blend really nicely into each other, and which give you a little journey that never loses its energy. It’s 7 minutes of pure fun.

9. Emerson Hart - Lucky One (heartland rock)

If we’re talking anthemic songs, this has to just about take the prize for the year. This has the kind of song you just want to chant at the top of your lungs with your arm slung around the person next to you in the crowd. Of course, 2020 doesn’t allow for opportunities like that, but I’m glad that Emerson Hart is still providing songs for this purpose anyway. The rollicking 6/8 rhythms perfectly switch between a quietly building verse that smashes into an almost octave-higher swoop at the start of the chorus. The Americana-tinged instrumentation gives it an earthiness that grounds it as well. It’s a great bit of songwriting, and one that I’ll continue singing along to exuberantly. Even if that’s just alone in my room.

8. Uncanny Valley - Beautiful the World (AI dance pop)

You’re forgiven if you’ve never heard of this band. This is in fact the Australian entry in this year’s Eurovision-style AI music competition. Melodically and lyrically, this was written by an AI, and this is absolutely and amusingly evident when you listen to it. But there’s something I absolutely love about this as a concept—how an AI parses and reinterprets music gives us fascinating insights into the patterns we find in music written by humans, and while there are moments of this song which are ridiculous, the input from the AI absolutely takes the music in places that it wouldn’t have gone. Of course, to call this a pure AI track is disingenuous, as it’s very much structured with human help, and part of the joy is the oddities nestling in what’s otherwise a very enjoyable bit of upbeat electropop. But so many of the elements just click for me—I certainly don’t think this is the last AI-augmented track that will end up on my end-of-year lists.

7. Villagers - Did You Know? (indie folk)

Villagers are a band who I hold in very high esteem with regards to the music project. They were a band I came across very early in 2016, just as we’d started the very first music project, and they made me realise just what a valuable experience listening to so much music was going to be. Annoyingly, by our official guidelines for the project (which are that it runs from December to December), this is just outside the released dates, as the EP it came from was released in the last week of November 2019, which was the week after we’d stopped last year’s project. So by the rules, it’s ineligible, but by our own actions, there was literally not a year that it fit into. Anyway, I’m including it because it’s obviously a great song, haunting in melody with a pleasant acoustic backing track that still manages to evoke an eerie atmospheric quality. It’s Villagers back in form for sure, and this is an excellent song, well deserving of a high place in this list.

6. Chemtrails - Uncanny Valley (psychedelic garage pop)

The Peculiar Smell of the Inevitable [LP] by Chemtrails

A really fun track, which owes a lot of its schtick to finding more and more outlandish rhymes for “Uncanny Valley” (“we don’t dilly-dally”, "they don't get pally", “dark trash alley”). My favourite line though is “so I fell a few rungs on the social ladder/Things are bad, but they could be badder”, which is *chef’s kiss* to me. It’s beautifully rounded out with a competently driven surf/garage rock riff or two which provide a persistent bounce and almost a pop punk energy. It’s a catchy little tune that just has those little hooks—the humour, the riffs, the rhythmic push—that absolutely elevate it to song of the year status. It constantly puts a smile on my face no matter how many times I’ve heard it this year.

5. Andy Shauf - Try Again (indie pop)

This is such a beautifully simple song. It has a storytelling element, as Shauf recounts a series of lightly amusing anecdotes in his relationship, all prefaced with “somewhere between drunkenness and chivalry/sincerity/honesty/etc…”. But there’s a beautiful light melody driving it forward, pleasantly augmented by a clarinet counterpoint, which also provides part of the iconic riff between chorus and verse (I still haven’t managed to tease out what else is part of that mix). It’s a simple, sweet bit of music which shows that tracks that capture something unique within a straightforward format can absolutely stand apart.

4. Lola Marsh - Echoes (Israeli pop rock)

Here’s the second track from Lola Marsh in this list. These two tracks (this and Like At The Movies) were always high in my mind, and I thought they were likely to drag the album very close to being my Album of the Year. In the end, they stood out individually a bit more than they did in the album as a whole, but a top 5 finish for its top song provides a nice mirroring for the position of the album. This is melodically and harmonically great, and put together with a style that captures some Lana Del Rey style folk pop and a kind of dark country in the guitars. Best is the swirling harmonies of the chorus, which seem to develop modulations into deeper and darker minor tonalities before bursting out into an exultant burst of resolving suspended chords. It gives me shivers. There’s a different version of this track on the album performed as an outro without any percussion, and both versions work so well you can see why they included both.

3. Sea Girls - Do You Really Want To Know? (indie pop rock)

Here’s possibly the best example of chunky, upbeat pop rock of the year. It follows the formula, sure, especially the split between verse and chorus. But there’s moments of truly exaltant fun—subtle steel drums in the chorus, bringing in an off-beat hihat for the chewy rich instrumental section after each chorus, the stomp-and-chant quality of the vocal line. I love it and it constantly provides a mood boost, no matter how many times I’ve heard it this year. It’s a perfectly constructed pop rock track as far as I’m concerned. I also got great joy earlier in the year watching the 4-year-old unabashedly dancing around the living room to this track. I’ll admit that that image promotes this somewhat in my mind.

2. Kishi Bashi - Never Ending Dream (indie pop)

I am a tiny bit conflicted about this track. Because it’s a stunningly awesome bit of chamber pop—it’s a sound that Kishi Bashi has absolutely made his own over the past 5-10 years, and this is honestly probably the best track Kishi Bashi has ever made. That’s saying something for an artist who has made two albums in my top-of-the-year lists in the past 5 years. The conflict comes from the fact that this was written as the theme song for a children’s CG-animated TV show on Apple TV, called Stillwater, about three kids and their friendly neighbour who is an anthropomorphic panda. Obviously, it being a TV theme is not a disqualifier; I mean one of the greatest pieces of music ever written (“Theme to Ducktales”) was a kids’ TV theme. But part of me wants to believe that there’s a purity to the music that transcends the ties to the commercial. I’m probably being naive. And, I am willing to take this song on its own merits, because it has these in abundance. The chorus is exulaltant, filled with Bashi’s trademark pizzicati and delicate falsetto, and the moments of quiet are pierced by fierce percussive moments of syncopated rhythm. Let’s hope that Kishi Bashi is raking in the sweet, sweet TV theme dollars as a result. A song like this deserves it.

1. Dyble Longdon - Obedience (chamber folk)

Between A Breath And A Breath by Dyble Longdon

So we’ve had some instances in the past where I’ve been clearly wrong about a song, or an album, in the week that I’ve heard it. But this is perhaps the most egregious we’ve seen, because this took out neither Track of the Week, nor Runner Up in the week it came out. To some extent, this was because I’d already given Dyble Longdon an album award (I said at the time “I have a feeling that Obedience is actually the best song of the week”)—but it’s still unforgivable that what is now my Song of the Year couldn’t even win its week. This is a sullen song in some parts, with a melody that comes very much from the tradition of English folk music—it evokes thoughts of Scarborough Fair, perhaps—but multi-instrumentalist David Longdon brings an ecstatic crescendo to the music, with a full orchestral swell and complex almost tribal percussion in the second half of the track. It’s a blissful, absolutely thrilling moment when that full sound roars out. In a devastating stroke of cruelty, Julie Dyble, one half of the duo (and formerly of Fairport Convention), died not long before the album was released, meaning this is the one and only collaboration we’re going to have between the two. But let’s celebrate the moment that we get. There you have it. These Top 50 tracks are available as a sorted Spotify playlist if you're so incined. Later this week, when I post the longer list of tracks and albums, I'll post an even more comprehensive playlist of my favourite tracks, including tracks from all of my top albums, and at least my full 100 top tracks. Until then, enjoy your break. Now I have a magnum of Tripel Karmeliet with my name on it waiting for me.

[mulder-isms]

Begin at the beginning - (Thorcid fanfic)

A\N: It’s a sorta late halloween treat! 🎃

Thank you @fashionclownn and anon for the prompts:

 “Look, I dressed up as you.” 

“I’m the tall dark stranger your parents warned you about.”

This fic had many inspirations, but mostly Acid’s bunny look and Thorgy with the most wanted t-shirt ever. 

As you know, you you liked let me know! Thorcid crops are dying and I could use some love.

“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland 

It was never a hard task for Shane to connect with people. People can be one of a kind, but Shane was one of many kinds. A lonely existence perhaps, that could be not so lonely when finding someone he shared many things in common.

There was no way to avoid it. Jamin felt it in the air. He began to lose him piece by piece, just slipping through his fingers. After All Stars 3 a switch was pressed. Drag Race always changes everything in one try out, if you get the chance to come back it’s a damn revolution.

Shane was the one to confess.

He got emotionally involved with Trixie and the one night they had a gig together he wasn’t able to control himself anymore. He cried and asked Jamin to forgive him, begged on his knees, that it was just a fling but it was just too much.

He had not only cheated on him, but cheated with Trixie. Fucking Trixie Mattel, the constant ghost of his life.

Jamin cut him loose.

The day of his fortieth birthday he got a card from Shane. He read it and rip it. The facade behind Acid Betty was that Jamin had the sweetest fairy tales illusions. That when he would turn 40 he would have someone to share his life with because he really believed that was possible, but instead of that he had meaningless sex with someone that wasn’t Shane for the first time. He was completely hammered, covered in sweat in the small bathroom stall, the dim light, or was it just dark in his head?  The much younger man was eager had bleached blond hair, and was grinding harder on him, the birthday hat both were wearing on the floor. He was hard and what’s his name was determined to make him very happy. But there was a wave inside of him, that kept coming back and getting bigger. He still loved that mothefucker so much.

The worst thing about their break-up it wasn’t because Jamin didn’t love him anymore. It wasn’t because there was no desire. The ultimate betrayal was the lack of sighs of the upcoming disaster.

He impatiently grabbed the younger men by the ass pushing him against the wall trying to break the ocean.

A blink of an eye and it was Christmas.

The colorful lights in New York reached a new dimension. Christmas in New York has always been the most magical experience. Time heals everything is not true. At least not in such simple terms. Times heals without you being aware of it. One day the pain paralyses and breaks you in thousand pieces, and the other day the pieces crawl back together. The other day you’re whole again, all stitched and glued. Just like that.

Thorgy and Trixie were in a mini Christmas tour together. Jamin had no idea if they were in a relationship, and he honestly didn’t care. He was involved with new projects and planning of moving out of New York. That city was stained. Brooklyn was a cursed territory.

But ghost of past Christmas was there.

He was having a drink in the bar with some friends and on the TV hanging on next to the drink shelves they were showing many RuGirls presentations. When he raised his head to see who was going to be the next, the duo of musicians were there.

Trixie was sitting on a stool with her guitar, a colorful flowered dressed with long sleeves and white boots and Thorgy was sitting next to her following the song with the violin. She was wearing a red sequin dress with a big bow she wore last Christmas tour, but with a beautiful styled blond wig.

Jamin suddenly couldn’t hear the noises around him, as if there was only the TV in front of him. Trixie was singing looking at Thorgy and the audience and  had a sweet smile. The same sweet smile Jamin saw countless times at home. When Shane was his home.

He kept looking at Thorgy’s expressions, and the image was getting closer and closer, and he could see a sort of sadness in his eyes and the picture was zooming more and more until, there was only his eyes, all grained like they were trapped in a 60’s tv show.

*

Jamin woke up with a big gasp as the air filled his lungs again.

He was laying on his couch, his glasses all crooked on his face. There were drawings all over the coffee table with sparkling stones all over it . A bunny ears head piece was half beaded on the corner of the table.

He checked the time in his cellphone, almost 2 AM. Shane was out for Alotta’s auction and he said he was staying in but Jamin had a bad taste on his mouth. His stomach was aching and when he checked himself in the mirror he was pale as a ghost and his skin positively zombie-ish.

The urge to vomit was building up and before he realized that he was feeling sick too fast he ran to his bathroom toilet and threw up all the pizza and wine he had earlier for dinner . He hugged the toilet for awful two minutes after three big sprays of vomit making he feel like Linda Blair.

He leaned on the wall sitting on the cold tile, his head spinning fast. When he closed his eyes Thorgy was fucking Trixie in a bedroom that looked like the cabin from Evil Dead and then he opened them fast, panting. What the fuck was in that pizza? He didn’t even drink the whole bottle of wine.

He dragged his body to the living room again collapsing on the couch. He was feeling cold and didn’t want to get up again to grab some water. He accepted his destiny of dying in that couch when he heard the door opening and Shane coming in, his leather bag full and a tray with cupcakes on his hands.

“Girl, the auction today was so much fun! Alotta asked why didn’t you come and called you Gollum. You need indeed to get out more...”

Jamin has been in a very creative state lately, and since he was the one making everything and their travelling schedule was busy, Thorgy in gigs, and Acid in the Werq the world tour,  he gladly welcome isolation in his studio when he was at home.

Shane was putting everything on the kitchen table and not noticing that Jamin didn’t even move from the couch. He kept babbling about the people he saw there and how some of them were treating him differently because of AS3 when he joined Jamin in the living room.

He had the tray of cupcakes on his hands and he was wearing Jamin’s new Mickey hoodie. Also he didn’t remove all the traces of makeup because he still was wearing a bit of eyeliner and his lips were still red as if someone just kissed him.

“What’s wrong?” Shane noticed putting the tray on the coffee table and sitting in front of him on his knees and pressing his palm on Jamin’s forehead. He removed his glasses to take a better look at him and he looked zoned out.

“I felt sick...threw up everything...maybe there was something on the pizza I don’t know” he replied slowy as Shane caressed his face. He was still feeling cold with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Poor baby” Shane pouted rubbing his forearms to make him feel warmer. Jamin reacted weirdly about Shane touching him. The fresh nightmare still resonating in his memory.

“Is that my sweater?” Jamin noticed also that Shane was wearing his black beaded pants. “And why are you wearing my pants?”

“Yeah!” Shane replied excited  closing the zipper and showing the Mickey print. “I dressed up as you since you’re not going out anymore. Happy Halloweeeeeen!” he giggled opening his arms in a big ta-da and then kissed the tip of Jamin’s nose. “Your friends miss you” he confessed stroking his chest in circles. “And I miss you”

When Shane leaned to kiss him it was too overwhelming. Jamin leaned his head to the side and winced pushing Shane away.

“Vomit breath” he justified. Shane’s smile faded awkwardly.

“I was just giving you a peck, relax” Shane got up a bit irritated with his rejection.

Jamin closed his eyes in regret. He had no idea why he was treating Shane like garbage lately, and maybe the dream was his own unsolved issue with Trixie and the fact that he was feeling jealous of Thorgy’s connection with her. Trixie was the constant mistake he had to deal with. Their relationship was friendly, but he would always be the bitch that came for the most  beloved doll.

And he was afraid again she was going to stain the thing he loved the most.

It all made sense now. Even though he was still feeling sick. He observed Shane checking his phone standing up and he gathered forces to sit up too. He saved him cupcakes and looked adorable with Jamin’s baggy pants and hoodie.

“Thorg, sorry, It’s just the sickness speaking... I feel like there’s an alien inside of me”

Shane left the room and came back with water and some pills. He sat on the coffee table in front of him and Jamin laid again on the couch. Shane wasn’t as cheerful anymore but seemed to be okay.

“Just drink lots of water and take these pills. Not now though” he warned and stopped Jamin from taking the pills. “You have an empty stomach. Just drink water and rest. Don’t even think about eating the cupcakes”

Shane continued checking his phone and took off the hoodie and undressed of Jamin’s pants. Jamin observed him folding them nicely and when turned to leave Jamin grabbed his leg and sat down facing him, even if it made him more drowsy.

“I had a nightmare”

Shane stopped and his expression softened a little, showing that he was at least curious. He sat on the coffee table and Jamin still had his hand on his thigh, the thumb caressing his naked knee. They were inches in front of each other. Jamin smoothed his hair trying to find the words and look less nauseated, but  Shane didn’t say anything as if he just wanted Jamin to answer why he was acting so weird the past weeks once and for all.

“You cheated on me. With Trixie.”

When Shane heard the name Trixie he immediately chuckled in disbelief.

“And we broke up, and I had moved moved on. And you two were touring together and happy as two clown musicians. And I had sex with other men....”

Shane folded his arms on his chest and shifted position with the confession. Jamin took a deep breath and tried to focus again, even though his stomach was swirling again.

“And it was...not good. Because even in dreams I seem to only love you. I guess I’ve been acting weird because I feel like after AS3 everything is going to change. Again. Drag Race brought us together and I think it’s going to tear us apart this time. And you’re friends with Trixie. And I thought I got over the whole situation with her, but you mentioning her and being with her in gigs....fucked me up. It’s stupid, and doesn’t make sense, and I should know better. But I’m a tired ass jewish man that is turning forty and still lost as fuck”

He shrugged hoping for the best. Shane seemed to be still processing everything and he almost said anything and then stopped again confused.

“I- I- I don’t even know what to say. I guess sorry that I didn’t realize how my connection would Trixie would bother you? I never thought you would care because I’m the sensitive one. But after all of this, I guess I’m the asshole…”

“No, no, no” Jamin pleased caressing both of his knees and cupping Shane’s hands. “This is stupid. I’m acting like a prick lately, it’s what I do, I tend to isolate myself when I don’t know how to deal with something”

“Jamin, my connection with Trixie is just as a sister. We sure have many things in common, but we want completely different things and living completely different moments”

“I know, I know, you don’t have to justify anything. This dream, even though it was horrible, made me sorta snap out of it”

“I thought you were just like, over me. Like what the fuck did I do proposing to this bitch? Am I really going to marry Thorgy thor?”

Jamin rolled his eyes and kissed him pulling his head with both hands but Shane kept still. He kissed him slowly, his fingers caressing his earlobes.

“You do taste like vomit” Shane replied laughing when Jamin trailed down to his jawline and he stopped and pulled back.

“Well, I warned you”

They realized the TV was on the whole time and both looked at the screen, and Plan 9 From Outer Space was on.

“I had a dream about you last week too. I don’t remember much but I was a teenager in my dream, and I was playing in the school band. And you were the new music teacher. And you played the keyboard, and had lots of tattoos and I had a huge crush on you...and my dad, he read my diary and found out that I was writing all these dirty stories with you, and he threatening me to get me out of school…

“Oh my god, that is....detailed?” he replied surprised and laughing leaning on the couch. Shane peaked on the TV again “Why you didn’t tell me sooner?”

“I don’t know, you know I’m crazy, I always have stupid dreams” he shrugged.

“You must have been cute as hell as a teenager” Jamin smiled thinking about it and opened his arms inviting Shane to cuddle in. He laid by side placing his head on his chest and they both kept glancing on the TV.

“If you think greasy hair and really bad acne is cute. Also my brows were out of control. And I used to listen to symphonic heavy metal every day. Dream dad would be very mad to see me right now. He was right to take me out of that school”

Jamin hugged him tighter and kissed the top of his head.

“And you know what’s weird? I do play the keyboard”

Shane shifted and got out of the embrace looking at him with opened mouth.

“I’m the tall dark stranger your parents warned you about” Jamin replied biting his lower lip and raising his brows.

Shane scoffed looking at his sick face with dark circles under his big blue eyes.

“A bit paler than in my dreams I must say”

They kept in silence. Jamin was feeling much better with Shane’s warmth next to him and the slumber was taking over again, they were both almost falling asleep as Bela Lugosi’s monsters talked on the screen.

*

Jamin spent the whole afternoon in his studio making the new makeup video for Halloween. It was great testing new materials and trying new editing programs. He was very happy with result checking the camera pictures, still covered in pearls and face with still some traces of makeup, until he realized what time it was.

He was late as Alice’s bunny. His flight was in three hours and he had almost nothing packed. He heard a knock on the door and it was Shane.

“What are you doing here? Isn’t the Roast in like an hour?” he asked before saying hi. He was still startled about being late.

Shane was struck with the vision of Jamin shirtless covered with pearl necklaces and wearing those baggy pants he had that traced his crotch and ass in a marvelous way.

“What is happening here?” he was opening a mischievous smile and getting up, looking around the studio. “I came to pick up the things Alotta had separated for Halloween, remember? Hey, I wanna see the pictures!”

Jamin rolled eyes and picked the camera showing him and Shane started to pass and zoom them.

“This is incredible, it’s my instant fave right now” he was amazed with what he was seeing. Jamin finally could take a look at the man in front of him. Shane was wearing a fun yellow t-shirt on, printed with all women characters from Kill Bill, social black slacks that fitted perfectly and black Toms. Hair all up and neat and smelling fresh. Jamin checked the watch again. Alice’s bunny yelling “I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!”

“What?” Shane asked clueless about his boyfriend hungry eyes.

“You look really good, I mean, these pants. They actually fit you” he voiced checking him out like he was a delicious dessert.

“I had these forever. I used to play with them in gigs, they are nice, right?” he twirled still not getting what Jamin really wanted.

So he made it clear.

Jamin hovered over Shane kissing him urgently and he almost dropped the camera when he answered his embrace.

“Are you sure you want to do this, I-I don’t think we have time...I’m gonna be….” Jamin grinded harder pushing him against the wall making him almost bump his head on the top shelves with miniture toys. “Oh shit!”

Shane tried to put some sense into his head but there was something else on it. Jamin’s erection was poking between Shane’s legs and Jamin was trying to remove the necklaces but Shane stopped him.

“Keep them on” he pleaded panting and Jamin held his hand and they went to the couch trying to not step on the mess that was on the floor. Jamin sat and Shane was in front of him and he pulled him by the waist kissing and nibbling on the flight of his pants, while his hands grabbed Shane’s ass, making him moan and giggle at the same time.

“Take them off I’m still getting out and these are black….” he asked gathering all the coordination he had taking off the yellow t-shirt and Jamin unfastened his belt quickly, pushing down his pants so he could get out of them and the shoes. Jamin took the opportunity to get out his pants too and he was stroking his cock looking at Shane undressing, and one shoe got stuck in the pants and he jumped three times to get rid of them making Jamin laugh, sorta breaking the mood.

“You looking at me, jerking off with pearls and smudged makeup on….” Shane said as he approached Jamin’s lap, straddling him slowly, his cock sliding between his butt cheeks. “It’s such a Velvet Goldmine fantasy”

Shane started to rock slowly, cupping Jamin’s face with both hands as he rubbed Shane’s back, his thumbs ran up his spine, fingers fanned out over muscles that tensed and released under pressure. Shane’s cock was hard and slick, rubbing against the pubic hair of Jamin’s tummy as the kiss was deepening. With the friction of Shane’s body rocking against Jamin’s, his little hairs of the chest kept getting stuck in Jamin’s pearls.

“Ouch” he complained after another pull,  stopping kissing and looked down his  chest that was all red. Jamin winced. The skin was quite irritated.

“I can take them out”

“No” Shane demanded pulling him with a fistfull of pearls and Jamin started licking Shane’s chest, nibbing on his nippples and pulling him closer making him moan louder in approval. As Jamin was working on his nipples and caresisng his ribs, Shane was undoing his hairdo letting some part of the dreads lose and Jamin licked the area next to his armpit  making him laugh and getting even more turned on.

Shane then grabbed one of Jamin’s hands and licked his fingers, letting a lot of saliva run down on them. Jamin’s hands were still a little bit dirty with makeup.

“Sorry” he said giggling noticing Shane’s face with the taste of his fingers. But they were slick enough so he could warm him up a bit. “I have lube in the bedroom”

“I’m not going anywhere” Shane lifted a bit and that was the sign. So Jamin inserted two fingers inside him slowly, getting in and out as Shane pushed him harder against the couch’s cushion and making Jamin grunt louder.

His hips were finding a perfect ride rhythm as Jamin kept pushing two fingers, feeling him tensing up around them, his cock covered with pre-cum rubbing under Shane’s balls.

“Fu...you need to slow down a bit…” Jamin begged holding down his hips with both hands and Shane stopped completely breathless.

“We’re late, bunny…” Shane bluntly said out of breath and raised his brows, guiding Jamin’s hand to reach for his cock, teasing his entrance.

He started penetrating him very slowly, watching Shane enjoy every inch of it arching his back. They haven’t had sex in more than three weeks so he needed to be gentle even though he wanted to fuck the shit out of him right now. He was tight and so very, very hot. He thrusted hard into him once and Shane threw his head back, losing his  breath like Jamin pushed it out of his lungs. "You want a little more?"

"I want a lot more" Shane didn’t hesitate through gritted teeth, riding him harder. It was his turn to lose his breath for a split second, then Jamin thrusted back into him , shoving and raising his hips, the hands pinning Shane’s hips.  His delicious panting as the muscles squeezed around Jamin’s cock.

Shane pulled the pearl necklaces making Jamin lean forward to kiss him and embrace him by the waist and Shane kept riding him non stop...their bodies locked, Jamin feeling  the old couch making crumbling noises.

“We’re going to ruin this couch again” Jamin said laughing and panting reaching for Shane’s cock to stroke it as his other arm kept him stabilized in an embrace but Shane seemed to be completely dazed, eyes closed and moaning like crazy.

He grabbed Jamin’s chin and looked him in the eye, “Fuck me harder and I’ll pay you a new one”

Jamin flipped him making him lay on his back on the couch and now he was on top, with Shane’s legs over his shoulders as he pounded him harder answering his challenge. Shane pulled him by the necklaces again and one of them broke splitting pearls all over him, but Jamin kept going and Shane was working on his cock when Jamin laid over him reaching for his neck. He was feeling Shane tighten around him , hearing his cry out softly with every one of his thrusts. He was buried deep, hitting his prostate, biting into his neck again, his face brushing on his dreads spread on the cushion. He'll leave a mark. They'll deal with it later.

“I’m so close, just like that, just like….oh...fuck…!” Shane whispered with eyes wide shut.

And then he felt Shane tightened around him like a vise, an electric shock, a whirl of pleasure hitting him deep in his stomach making Jamin following him seconds later. His entire body stiffened growling in pleasure, and he wondered if the sparks flying off their bodies were going to catch something on fire and how that couch didn’t break.

He collapsed on Shane’s body. The pearls all over the floor, and his long legs wrapped around him, as he was listening his heart beating like a heavy metal drum slowly finding the classical sonata pace again.  

“I was…” Shane still breathless, and Jamin’s weight on him was not helping. “Kinda triggered when those pearls broke, having a flashbacks with my lipsync with Chi Chi…”

They both laughed and Jamin got up all sweaty and removing what was left of the necklaces. He grabbed some tissues on the table and cleaned the hot liquid on his stomach and on his cock, putting his pants on.

“I still need to pack. You want shower again, right?”

Shane just nodded with a post orgasm satisfied smile, and then Jamin approached and leaned planting kisses on his stomach.

“I feel like I can’t walk yet”

“Hey, you asked for it. Let me get you a towel”

“I’m not complaining”

Then Jamin leaned to kiss him before leaving the room.

*

Half an hour later Shane was in the car with Ruby Roo and Kirk going to the roast of Sherry Vine, fixing her hair. Kirk noticed the red marks on Shane’s neck.

“You might wanna cover these...allergies” the redhead implied handing him Ruby’s foundation powder.

Ruby looked back a little suspicious.

“I swear my skin is falling apart. Drag will be the end of me” he justified and kept teasing his friend hair and finished with a bit of spray.

[hellopopculture]

The Absolute Worst Video Game Consoles of All-Time (Part 7)

Description: This list will rundown the worst home gaming & portable devices of all time. Some you may have played, many i’m sure you have not because either they were complete market failures or they folded under the weight of other much better products at the time.

35. Panasonic 3DO-The processing power of this console did nothing to sell it above it's competition and the sad part is that's what they thought would be their major selling point.

You see, while Sega & Nintendo were working on titles lead by interesting characters that gamers would fall in love with and follow through sequels and the creation of their next generation of consoles, 3DO was attempting to beat them out by offering a more graphically impressive piece of hardware. The problem with that is...what good is better graphics if you don't have a comparable library of games?

Sega had Sonic, Phantasy Star, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, Kid Chameleon etc. and Nintendo had Zelda, Metroid, Mario Bros., Donkey Kong & F-Zero; among other titles, while Panasonic thought the pinnacle of what their console could offer were these interactive movies. They were kind of like games, but not really and maybe that's why the first two models of the console only offered one controller port and if you wanted to play with a friend they had to plug their controller into yours. I guess they thought these interactive movies would be so interesting that you wouldn't even be thinking of having a multiplayer experience.

At 3DO's 700$ price point, there just isn't enough here to justify choosing IT above the three other major consoles of the 5th generation of gaming. Remember that at this point Sega had moved on to the Saturn, The Sony Playstation had come out and the N64 was released toward the end of 3DO's life span. Although the Sega Saturn was the weakest link here and a legitimate failure for Sega, it was still light years ahead of what this console had to offer. It couldn't really even hang with the consoles these companies (excluding Sony) produced the previous generation either which is hilarious because trashing those consoles was part of it's marketing.

34. Nokia N-Gage-If you're going to create a hybrid piece of technology it has to do at least one of the things you are combining to make one unit well. The Nokia N-Gage did neither thing it was meant to do, well. It was hard to use it as a phone because it was built like a handheld console and it was hard to play games on it because the screen was too small, the button configuration was terrible, and switching games in and out was a mess because you had to pretty much take it apart to do so.

33. Atari Lynx-For a handheld as big as the Lynx, Atari didn't utilize enough the surface area for screen space and even worse some of the games they ported to it weren't resized and scaled down to fit within what space was available. Overall it's not a terrible system, there are a few games I actually enjoy on it like Road Blasters & Dirty Larry: Renegade Cop but what the Lynx attempts to do or be is better served with the Sega Game Gear. The amount of skill at which Atari ported games to this handheld is pretty low and they don't have many classics of their own to promote on this device so it's hard to justify a purchase.

32. Xavix Port-I'm actually not sure why this even exists. There's mostly sports games on it and they aren't fun. The console looks like a portable DVD player with the lid closed and there's no style or flare to anything they attempted here. The console is cheap as hell, but so what? Buy a Wii with Wii Sports instead. You'll have more fun and when you DO inevitably get bored playing motion sensor-based sports games there will be way more options open to you to play other things.

31. Mattel Hyperscan-Considering this is the same company that produced the Intellivision, which was one of the most innovative and treasured consoles of it's generation, it's actually quite embarrassing that this is what they came up with five whole generations later.

Mattel tried to sell Hyperscans off of a gimmick, and I assume they thought adding collectible cards to the experience would be the way they separate their console from the pack, but the problem is that when you try to marry two different concepts to make a single product, you have to do one of those really well and that simply isn't the case here.

The first mistake was believing the collectible cards gimmick would make up for the massive amount of features it lacked in comparison to it's competition. At a time where home systems were doubling as all-in-one entertainment devices, a standard definition, card scanning console with no wi-fi or Ethernet connection wasn't going to cut it.

The second mistake is one that mostly every console on the list made. There was way too little focus on the actual quality of the games and considering the fact that I played flash games on Newgrounds and Ebaumsworld.com that are better than this back in like '03 & '04 when I was bored in class, I find it really hard to understand how we got here. Mattel had access to popular properties like X-Men & Ben 10 too, which makes this even worse, because they didn't even have to do the all work of creating their own characters or their own titles and trying to market them from scratch. They were using entities that people liked.

The third mistake was, that for a company that has been making toys as long as they have, they somehow don't have any type of skill at creating hardware that is built to last. The Hyperscan is one of the most fragile consoles ever produced. Sometimes they just stop powering on, the hinges on the console itself wear out making it hard to unfold the two halves of the console, the controller is poorly built and doesn't have a D-pad, just an analog, the button that opens disk compartment sticks, and perhaps the worst offense of all...the scanner on the device that is supposed to scan the collectible cards (you know, THE WHOLE POINT OF THE CONSOLE'S EXISTENCE!?) sometimes can't read them.

As for the final mistake, I don't think Mattel was aware of how tough getting into the collectible card market was. Pokémon, Magic the Gathering & Yugi-Oh are outliers, they aren't the standard. It's not easy to put a design on cards and think kids are going to find them cool enough to collect. There's also the part where some of these cards input data into games and they didn't all come with the console, you had to buy them individually so basically some of the most undeveloped games you ever played pretty much had it's own equivalent of DLC.

Selling a console on the basis of a gimmick isn't necessarily a bad idea, Nintendo pulled it off with the Wii and the motion sensor technology, and in fact it worked so well that Microsoft and Sony copied that concept with the Kinect and the Move, but Nintendo is also.......NINTENDO! The Wii is not only one of the best-selling consoles of all-time but Nintendo is the only video game manufacturer that has lasted in the console race through every single generation. The thing that they always had over everyone else is their 1st party games and even now it seems like Sega is the only company that ever understood that and tried to capitalize off of it. I'm not sure why so many tried to approach gaming without thinking about gameplay, it's the most important thing.

[daikenkki]

You know what? I'm going to talk about Thomas, the books and the show. I want to share my thoughts on it all. Read this if you want, or ignore it, I don't care. The Railway Series was clever. What set it out from other children's books was its age-wide appeal. When writing the stories, Wilbert Awdry did have the children's thoughts in mind, but also those of the adults, who would have to read these stories an untold number of times. So, unlike the basic sentences or "fantasy" worlds, Wilbert kept it close to reality. Think about it, if the engines and vehicles didn't have faces, you could easily take the series as being real. All accidents were based on fact, and the engines acted like engines. They didn't have hands, or bent around. They acted like real locos, but felt human. They have all human emotions - joy, sadness, anger, envy, you name it. Characters would often bicker. They didn't always get along. There was a sort of locomotive hierarchy on Sodor, with big express engines at the top, and grubby shunters at the bottom. Despite being children's books, the Railway Series was never afraid to go to more mature areas. Scrapping (death) was occasionally mentioned, along with other darker tones. And the language. How many children do you think knew words like "deputation", "indignation" or "sagacity" before reading the books? That's what made the books clever. It was a series for children, but why stop at appealing to just them? Obviously the TV series soon followed. Allowing a new generation to meet Thomas and his friends, but also letting the adults, who have known the early books, reunite with their old friends. Being older, obviously one sees that the series is made with models, but to young children, it seemed real. I hope I'm not alone here when I say I used to think Sodor was real. I remember being 4 or 5, and seeing a helicopter high overhead and thinking "It's Harold! He's going to Sodor! I wish I could go too!". Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and all the other team members clearly cared for Thomas. Seasons 1 and 2 kept to what the Awdrys have written. But they would soon run out of stories, they even commissioned Christopher Awdry to write a book so they could have stories to use. Obviously, they would soon have to make their own stories, and with Season 3, they did. It did lead to some controversy. Wilbert wasn't happy, because it strayed from his books and some of the new stories weren't the railway realistic world previously established. Episodes like "Henry's Forest" stuck out. Yes, they weren't super accurate, but still tried keeping the balanced, real world of the seasons and books prior. With Season 4 they went back to the "real" routes. "Rusty to the Rescue" was controversial, in that it ignores the Bluebell Railway routes of Stepney and having Rusty star was an odd choice, though it helped the season flow from narrow to standard gauge. A few flukes, some may say, but all in all, true to Thomas' routes. Sadly, in March 1997, Wilbert Awdry passed away. After that was the series' first major change, Season 5. Praised by some, disliked by others, but it has to be agreed. Season 5 was the first to shake the series' formula. No RWS adaptations, while not as a bad thing, it was the first of many changes for the show. Then came "Thomas and the Magic Railroad". It flopped. No longer was Sodor the realistic railway, but now supported by magic. Magic. Keeping an island of 6 (then 9) engines running aimlessly about, with a human population of 1. Engines can now drive themselves, no engine crews needed. The movie failed. Britt Allcroft soon had to sell Thomas, and in the eyes of the public, it was now just another kids show. Season 6, ignoring TATMR, tried to keep on like Season 5, but without the dark tones. It was a cosy, and friendly world now. Then, Hit Entertainment bought Thomas. Season 7 was in production, but changes clearly showed there, with the new title "Thomas & Friends", and helped teach kids that friendship matters. Don't be rude or disrespectful, but help one another, and be a team. It was now plainly shoving the morals. But it was more apparent with Season 8, Hit's first season. Engines now travel where they please, no one is assigned to one branch line, engines roll around light or with silly loads. Fish in open wagons, huge sailboats on a flatbed, balloons, streamers, all sorts of things. It had extra runtime for episodes, but it was basic now, a show just for kids. It slowly fell from season to season. Yes, it wasn't completely terrible, there was still the odd good story. But it wasn't the realistic, complex world it was. Toy sales started to drive parts of the show. Characters who appear once, have 5 different merch lines sell them, and never appear again. It had to make money. It had lost its charm. It dropped further with the CGI switch in "Hero of the Rails" and Season 13, becoming even more kid-friendly, the 3 strike plots were more frequent, morals were pushed more, and everyone would always be happy and smile. If someone was rude, they had to learn their lesson at the end. The realism went away again, with more aimless driving, the drivers apparently being driven by the engines, not the other way around. Thomas was at a new low. Of course, it didn't last. Mattel then bought Thomas, changed the formula again, by bringing in a new head writer, Andrew Brenner, who had previously worked on magazine stories, which were the basis for some Season 3 episodes. Brenner and his team brought life back to Thomas, they made it feel more real, kept to its roots, Sodor started to feel like it was a real railway again. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but miles better than what came before. In 2015, the RWS turned 70, and was a great year for the franchise. It even gained another special, "The Adventure Begins" to mark the anniversary. Thomas was getting back to what it had been, continuing with Season 20 and a little of Season 21 as well. Come 2017, and it suddenly fell down. With Mattel in full creative control, toys would be made, but they wanted to cut corners, redesign TrackMaster to be cheaper to make, redesign Take-N-Play to be cheaper to make, start forcing ridiculous scenes in specials so that big playsets can be made, because gotta make money. Then Thomas Wood happened. Why paint the full model? Saves money on painting parts. Oh, and let's get rid of TNP, rework the couplings, released as a new range called Adventures. They introduced new toys, that weren't so comparable with the older stuff, so people didn't buy as much. Mattel then thought redesigning them again would fix the problem. They got lazy. They wanted Thomas to generate stacks of cash, but it didn't, so they cut corners. Mattel started to waver, they needed more money, so they redesigned the show as "Big World! Big Adventures!" which also saw Edward and Henry scrapped from the main cast for two new female replacements named Nia and Rebecca, designed to please the extreme feminist groups who slammed the lack of women in the series. The series had been going for what, 33 years? All of that was Thomas and his friends on Sodor, with the occasional trip to the Mainland. But it failed to make enough money, so Mattel sent Thomas round the world to China, Australia and India, for a new marketing opportunity to make more money. It was said the team were stuck with keeping the stories on Sodor, but were they? BWBA fixed something which was never broken to begin with, they ignored what was established, they ignored everything, except Thomas and minority-pleasing international characters. They feel having him tour the world will make the series better, but that's not the true Thomas. First of all, the characters are a mess. Thomas loves his friends, yet he is fine with ditching them in an instant? It wasn't thought properly, just dived right in. Thomas was a world with talking trains, as real as possible. It had age-wide appeal anyone could enjoy. It wasn't a fast-paced bouncy kiddies' show. The Season 22 finale taught kids about numbers and counting, which is something those other shows do. Thomas is now just a run-of-the-mill kids' show, where being trains is a hindrance, and lost everything that made it special. They kept trying to change Thomas, even when it didn't need changing, and now Thomas has forgotten what it was, and run its course.

BeattieWell

[artificialqueens]

Show me the Stars, Chapter One (Trixya) - Kite

A/N: It’s been a long ass time since I’ve posted to AQ, but here I am with a Trixya fic. Hope you guys enjoy it! Feel free to check out my concept art over on my tumblr @youre-a-kite. And if you’re feeling the space themed lesbian au vibe, check out my fic Artemis on Ao3, which features Branjie, Trixya and Scyvie in space.

Summary: Trixie is a tour guide in a planetarium who makes up the facts as she goes along, and Katya is an astrophysicist who takes the tour with the intention of calling her out, but doesn’t.

Trixie sighs as the gaggle of elementary kids start to screech when she dims the lights, plunging them into darkness. She waits for the teachers to regain control of the room, and nods politely whilst they apologise, but she knows it’s going to be a few minutes before the kids settle.

It’s the same story every day.

But on the plus side, it usually means she can shave five minutes off the end of her presentation. Ten minutes, if one of them needs the bathroom half way through.

“Good morning kids,” Trixie says, with as much enthusiasm as her slightly hungover self will allow. “My name is Trixie Mattel and I’ll be your tour guide today. Please remember that there is no eating or drinking in the planetarium. Now, raise your hand if you’ve ever seen a star.”

-x-

The door to the break room slams shut behind her.

“I swear to god, I’m quitting tomorrow,” she groans.

Pearl scoffs. “Bitch, you say that every day.”

“I know, but this time I mean it.”

This isn’t how Trixie pictured her life would work out when she moved to LA the moment she graduated college. Like every other hopeful out there, she was going to be a star. She thought she’d at least have a recurring role on a sitcom by now. But gradually, as her savings account has drained, acting classes had been switched for shifts at the makeup counter in the mall. The agent that she’d hired became a luxury that she was no longer able to afford. She’d taken a job at the planetarium because she figured it was the closest thing to acting that she could find, but, God, she fucking hates kids.

Her colleagues are the only thing about the job that she actually enjoys. She’d gotten the job through her roommate Kim and became friendly with the other pretty quickly. She’s never been one to shy away from social situations, especially not at work.

In the break room, anything goes.

Last week, their boss, Brooke, had pulled Trixie into the office to give her a lecture on ‘why we leave our personal lives at home’ when she realised that half of the tours started late one morning because her guides had been too busy grilling Trixie about the hickey on her neck from her Tinder date to keep an eye on the time. Honestly, that talk had gone in one ear and straight out of the other. She figured that it was pretty hypocritical, coming from the woman who’s almost definitely banging the chick who works in the gift shop.

“Trix’, you’ll like this,” Pearl tells her, beckoning her over. “When Violet was working the public telescopes last night, some old couple asked her to point them towards Ursa Major.”

Violet laughs loudly, “like I know where that fucker is.”

“What did you do?” Trixie smirks.

When their job amounts to little more than following a script and flicking the lights on and off at the right time, they all know how stressful it can be when they get asked a specific question.

Violet shrugs, “I just pointed upwards. What else was I supposed to do?”

-x-

After lunch, Trixie is leading the ‘Moons of the Solar System’ tour that is open to the public. On the one hand, the ratio of children to adults on these tours is always much lower, so that’s a positive, but on the other hand, members of the public come with their own set of problems.

There’s the entitled moms, who think that their kids should get to climb up on the displays. There’s the know it all dads, who like to jump in with a ‘well, actually’ every once in a while. There’s always a group of tourists who never listen to the ‘no flash photography’ instruction at the beginning. But every once in a while, there’s someone interesting or quirky or different, that makes her shifts just about bearable.

Pearl is collecting ticket stubs at the entrance to the planetarium dome, and gives Trixie a nod when the last members of the audience have filtered in. As she leaves, she closes the doors behind her and sets the lights so that they begin to dim.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gents. I’m Trixie Mattel and I’ll be your tour guide today. Please remember that there is no eating or drinking in the auditorium. Now, raise your hand if you’ve ever seen the moon.”

She rattles through the opening section about Earth’s moons fairly quickly. It’s the most boring part of the script by far, since even young kids will already know this by now. With feigned enthusiasm, she asks her audience participation questions about solar and lunar eclipses. Once she’s finished, someone raises their hand to ask a question. She prays it’s something she knows the answer to.

“When’s the next lunar eclipse?”

Trixie shifts uncomfortably. The woman’s blue eyes are piercing, waiting for her to answer.

“Um, some time next month. You’ll have to check out our website for further details.”

The woman nods, seemingly satisfied. But she’s barely into her segment on Jupiter’s four largest moons when the woman speaks up again.

“Which space probe has travelled the furthest?”

She has to use all of her willpower to force herself not to roll her eyes. The Lord really is trying to test her today. Quickly, in her head, she rattles through all of the names of the space probes that she knows, trying to pick the one that sounds right.

“Um, Galileo,” Trixie guesses.

The woman smiles, but says nothing.

“And how far away is-“

Trixie has to cut her off.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave all questions until the end.”

The woman apologises, but it doesn’t make Trixie feel any less on edge.

The thing is, Trixie knows that he answers are wrong. She knows that she’s making up the majority of her script on the spot. And she knows that the parents here are lapping it up, planning to go home and brag to their book club friends about how their kids enjoy educational pastimes, because they’re just so damn gifted.

But this woman. Who’s teetering in skyscraper heels and watching her like a hawk. Who’s nodding along with the presentation, smirking softly to herself, like she knows something that everybody else doesn’t. Trixie is sure that this woman knows that everything she’s saying is bullshit.

Trixie sets up the projectors to play a short clip showing the names and sizes of some of the solar system’s biggest moons, then positions herself in the back corner of the room. Then, as if this woman isn’t odd enough already, she starts to look up at the dome. But she doesn’t look up like all the rest of the parents, with a semi-interested expression and frequent glances to her watch. She looks up in awe, like this is the greatest thing she’s ever seen in her life. Like nothing could bring her to look away, not even for a moment.

And it’s funny, because Trixie is as captivated by the woman as the woman is by the moons.

At the end of the presentation, Trixie is dreading the asking the audience for questions, because she knows whose hand is going to be the first in the air. So, she drags out the end of the show for as long as possible, praying that she overruns. When Pearl pokes her head through the door to give her the two minute warning for the start of Kim’s next group, she’s so relieved, she could kiss her.

“And that’s all we have time for today folks. Please exit via the gift shop on your right. Have a lovely day!”

She makes a beeline for the door, but of course, the woman follows her.

“Hold on, I didn’t get to ask my questions,” she smirks coyly.

Trixie sighs and gestures to the edge of the corridor so they can stand out of the way of the crowds.

“Look, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing but-“

The woman holds up her hands in defence. “I’m not playing any games, I just wanted to know-“

“Save it,” Trixie cuts her off, and she really hopes she’s right because if not she’s just been very, very rude to a curious audience member. But then the woman grins and she knows she isn’t wrong. Trixie sighs. “Are you going to tell my boss?”

The woman shrugs and Trixie’s eyes widen.

“Look, I’m sorry if your kid didn’t enjoy the show or whatever. I’ll get you tickets to the next-“

“Ew, gross” the woman cuts her off by shaking her head, “I don’t have a kid.”

“Oh. Then why are you at a kids planetarium show?”

The woman laughs. Her teeth are perfectly straight and perfectly white, not that Trixie cares.

“My niece watched a show here last week, but the new facts that she learned turned out to be the biggest load of garbage I’ve ever heard.”

Trixie ought to be embarrassed, but really, she’s just annoyed. Why can’t this woman just leave a bad review on trip advisor like a normal person?

“Are you some kind of space expert or something?”

The woman takes a business card out of her purse and hands it over.

Prof. Yekaterina P Zamolodchikova. Astrophysics Department - UCLA.

“Jesus,” Trixie mumbles.

“No, Katya,” the woman replies, holding out her hand for Trixie to shake.

Trixie doesn’t shake her hand.

“Please don’t tell my boss, I really need this job.”

“Maybe if you really needed it, you’d be less terrible at it.”

Trixie shrugs. “That’s fair.”

Katya’s gaze sharpens. “What you’re doing isn’t right. Kids come here to learn and you’re just making shit up as you please.”

Trixie shifts on the balls of her feet. It would be easier to just let Brooke tear her a new asshole than have to put up with this. Maybe if she tells her before Katya has the chance, she’ll get to keep her job.

Trixie looks at her watch and sighs. “Okay, if you’re going to tell her will you at least tell her tomorrow, so that I get paid for the rest of the day.”

Katya looks Trixie up and down, then grins devilishly. “I’m not going to tell her.”

“You aren’t?”

“No.”

Trixie blinks rapidly, then stares at her, unaware of what they’re supposed to do now. Then, Katya gestures to the business card in her hand.

“See the address? I want you to meet me there at eight. I’m going to teach you what you need to know.”

Trixie narrows her eyes. “You’re a college professor and you want to teach third grade physics to a terrible planetarium tour guide…”

Katya shrugs. “Or I could tell your boss that you can’t do your job properly.”

“Fine. God damn it. Whatever. I’ll be there.”

Trixie had been warned of the unsavoury side of life before she moved to LA, but had never thought she would be blackmailed into being educated.

She looks down at the card in her hand, but when she looks back up, Katya is already walking away.

“How will I know where to find you?”

“You’ll know,” she calls back over her shoulder.

“This had better not be a trap so that you can kidnap and murder me,” Trixie shouts after her, earning her a few uncomfortable glances from nearby parents.

“No promises,” Katya tells her, then leaves the building.

[artificialqueens]

Wisdom Teeth (Vatya) - Honey

A/N: This is completely inspired by Mistress’s request for a fic about someone getting their wisdom teeth out. Now, I’ve never had mine out personally so my research for this was watching lots of “Wisdom Teeth Aftermath (Funny)” videos on youtube. Comment if you liked it so I know.

“Okay, Violet, let’s get you in the car.” Katya rolled her wheelchair out to the parking lot. Violet was still very groggy. She had just had both her wisdom teeth pulled, and had woken up from the surgery totally confused. Katya had volunteered to take care of her, since he was staying with her for a few weeks while he did some shows in the New York City.

“Noooooo, I wanna stay in the parking lot Katyaaaaa,” Violet whined, her voice muffled by all the gauze in her mouth.

“Why?” Katya laughed.

“Because my friend lives here!” Violet gestured weakly to her right, to a bird that was standing several feet away. Katya doubled over, wheezing with laughter.

“It’s just a bird, sweetie.”

“No, you’re a bird!”

“Okay, Vi, I’m a bird. Now get in the car.” Katya opened the passenger side door and tried to help Violet up and out of the wheelchair, but she wouldn’t budge.

“I don’t wanna go innnn,” she whined, and Katya was starting to get tired of her unreasonable stubbornness.

“Violet, if you don’t get in the car right now, I’m not taking you to get a milkshake anymore!” He had hoped that that would motivate her to listen, but to his surprise she just stared at him in shock. Her bottom lip began to quiver, and he could see tears welling up in her little eyes.

“No milkshake?” she asked softly, and then began to sob.

“No no no no, sweetie please don’t cry!” Katya grabbed her head, putting a hand on each temple. He used his thumbs to gently wipe away some of her tears. “I’m sorry I said that! Listen, if you get in the car right now, I’ll take you to get any milkshake you want, okay?” It was like he had flipped a switch. Violet immediately stopped crying, and hoisted herself out of the wheelchair. She wobbled a bit before catching her balance, and then climbed into the passenger seat.

Katya stood there, dumbstruck. That was really all it took to shut her up? He chuckled and then closed the passenger door for her, mumbling “brat” under his breath as he walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

———————

One disastrous trip to ShakeShack later, Katya finally pulled up to Violet’s apartment. He helped her out of the car and up the steps of her building. As soon as he unlocked her door, she plopped down on the couch and began to try and stick her fingers in her mouth.

“No no no no, Violet, you can’t do that!” Katya yelled as he ran over and grabbed her hand out of her mouth. “Don’t touch your teeth!”

“I haaaave to,” she whined. “I’m choking!”

“Violet, if you can talk, you’re not choking. Let me change your gauze for you.” Katya retrieved the bag of extra gauze the dentist had given him. “Open your mouth, sweetie.” To his surprise, she obediently put her hands in her lap and opened her mouth.

“Ahhhhhhhhh,” She vocalized as he began to reach into her mouth.

“Violet, you don’t have to say ‘ahhhhhh,’ I’m not the doctor.” She continued to say it anyways.

Once Katya had changed her gauze and laid her down on the couch to rest, he realized he really needed to use the bathroom. He didn’t want to leave Violet unattended, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to bring her in there with him. He pulled out his phone and downloaded the first game he could find in the app store, which happened to be Candy Crush.

“Here, Violet, wanna play a game?” Violet nodded furiously. Katya handed over his phone and quickly walked to the bathroom. Looking over his shoulder at her, he saw her squinting and staring confusedly at the screen. That should work, he thought to himself.

When he was finished and washing his hands, he thought he could hear the faint sound of Violet talking and laughing. “You better be talking to yourself, you little devil,” he mumbled under his breath as he rushed out of the bathroom and back into the living room. There he found Violet FaceTiming none other than Trixie Mattel. Katya rolled his eyes, and then crept up behind Violet and snatched the phone out of her hands.

“Hey, give it back!” Violet grumbled.

“I will, if you behave yourself!” Katya gauged her reaction. While she leaned back on the couch and made loud whining noises, she did not look like she was going to cry, and so Katya ignored her moaning. He turned his attention to the phone.

“Hey Trix, sorry about that. Violet got her wisdom teeth out. She say anything bad?” Trixie had been laughing the entire time.

“Yeah, she told me you ‘stole her teeth’ and that she was ‘choking on clouds.’ I just thought she had finally pulled her corset a little too tight and cut off circulation to her brain.” Katya wheezed with laughter. He felt a small tap on his hip. Turning around, he saw Violet sitting on the couch with her hands folded.

“Katya, can I please talk to Trixie?” she asked, overly politely. Katya giggled at her out-of-character behavior, but he offered her his phone. After all, he did promise to give it back for good behavior. Sitting down next to her on the couch, he nudged her until her head was resting on his shoulder and they were both on the screen.

“Hi Trixie,” Violet said, and she blew him a kiss through the phone. Trixie laughed loudly.

“Hey, Violet. You look more beautiful than ever.”

“Thanks. Katya said I look like a chipmunk!” Trixie fake-gasped dramatically.

“A chipmunk? Never!”

“Hey Trixie, watch this!” Violet exclaimed. She held the phone in front of her with one hand, and with the other, she yanked the gauze out of her mouth roughly. Blood poured out of her mouth and down her chin, dripping into her lap.

“Fuck!” Katya yelled, and put his hand under her chin to catch the blood. He couldn’t believe she just did that. He ripped the phone out of Violet’s hand and threw it on the cushion next to them, and then quickly stood Violet up and dragged her to the kitchen. As he was cleaning her up, all Katya could hear was Trixie’s shrieks of laughter coming from his phone, never having hung up on them.

————————-

Because Violet had blood all over her mouth, neck, chest, hands, and thighs, Katya thought it would be best to just put her in the bath. He sat her on the closed lid of the toilet while he ran the water and waited for the bathtub to fill up. Katya looked at his watch. It had been almost an hour and a half since the surgery, and the dentist said that Violet should be loopy for about two hours. Only a half hour of helpless Violet left, Katya thought. As funny as it was, taking care of Violet was extremely stressful and tiring. He could not wait to go to bed.

“Okay, Violet, take off your clothes. Your bath is ready.” Violet began to lift her shirt over her head, but her long arms got stuck in her sleeves and she began to wiggle and make struggle noises. Katya sighed and pulled it over her head with ease. He helped her stand up and let her pull off her shorts, and then let her hold on to his shoulder to steady herself as she climbed into the bath.

Sitting down in the tub, Violet once again tried to stick her hand in her mouth and pull out the gauze.

“No!” Katya yelled, and grabbed her hand. “Stop trying to do that, Violet! You’re gonna start bleeding again.” Violet just giggled, bending her legs so her knees were out of the water. “Come on, start washing all this blood off yourself.”

“Nooooo,” Violet protested, “I can’t.”

“Why not, sweetie?”

“My arms are broken.”

“No they’re not.”

“Yes they are! Look!” Violet made her arms go limp and dramatically dropped them into the water. Katya rolled his eyes, figuring that any argument was pointless. He grabbed a washcloth from the counter and began scrubbing the dried blood off her chest. She smiled and leaned her head back onto the wall, closing her eyes. Katya chuckled to himself. Even when she was drugged up and loopy, Violet always got her way.

Once he was done scrubbing her clean, Katya noticed that Violet looked like she was about to fall asleep.

“Tired, Vi?” Violet opened her eyes and nodded meekly. Katya guessed that she was starting to get groggy, which meant that she would soon be regaining her wits. “Okay, come on, let’s get you dried off.”

Back in Violet’s room, Katya got her dried and dressed for bed. She was able to put on her own clothes, which Katya took as a sign that she was snapping out of it.

“How’s the pain?” he asked her. Violet shrugged.

“S’not too bed, just a little sore. I’m soooo sleepy though.”

“Yeah, the dentist said you’d get real tired. Why don’t you lay down now, and I’ll clean up the bathroom?” She nodded and slowly got under the covers of her bed. “I’ll be right back, kid.”

Katya came back into the room ten minutes later, holding an icepack for Violet’s jaw and some more gauze. He found her half asleep, stripped down to her underwear. When she heard him, she opened her eyes again and rolled onto her back. Katya climbed onto the bed and leaned over her.

“Open your mouth sweetie, lemme change your gauze one last time before you fall asleep.” Violet raised an eyebrow.

“Sweetie? Since when do you call me sweetie?” Yup, the old Violet was back.

“Shut up and open your mouth, bitch.” Violet laughed and then gently peeled the old gauze out of her cheeks, wincing a little as she did it. She let Katya stick the new gauze in her mouth, and then curled up, facing away from him and pressing the icepack to her jaw.

Katya wasn’t sure if that meant she wanted him to go away, until she asked, very quietly, “You’re still sleeping in here tonight, right?”

“Of course, Vi. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know, maybe you’re afraid I’ll bleed on you tonight?”

“Nah, that wouldn’t bother me.” He took off his shirt and shrugged under the covers. “Besides, you already bled on me. I’m used to it.”

“I did?” Violet asked in disbelief.

“You really don’t remember?” Violet shook her head. “Then that must mean you also don’t remember crying over a milkshake, or FaceTiming Trixie, or making me scrub the blood off you in the bath.”

“I did all that? Seriously?” Violet looked shocked. Katya just laughed.

“Don’t worry, Vi. It was all very funny. Now, go to sleep.” He moved closer to her, and she turned on her side again and scooted back into him so that they were properly spooning.

“Katya?” She asked.

“Yeah, Vi?”

“Thanks for taking care of me.”

“Of course, sweetie.” She bumped his ribs with her elbow for calling her sweetie again, and then they both drifted off to sleep.

[artificialqueens]

The Ghost of Room 203 (Trixya) Chatper 8 - Bramble

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read my fics. The fic is starting to speed up a little. Enjoy!

Trixie made it back just in time for Music Therapy. When she entered the room she could feel the group’s eyes on her but she quickly brushed off the feeling as she sat down in her usual spot.

“Where were you at lunch,” Willam asked leaning his head on his hands which were propped up by his legs.

“Wasn’t feeling well,” Trixie shrugged as she lied to their faces.

“Are you ok now?” Alaska asked as she stopped fiddling with Aaron’s ears. Trixie had to sallow back her shock as she locked eyes with Aaron. This wasn’t the Aaron she knew. This Aaron had a yellow tinge to his skin and dark circles under his eyes. Trixie noticed what Alaska had been fiddling with, a breathing tube.

“Yeah,” Trixie said as she switched her gaze to Alaska’s concerned face. “Just a little hazy that’s all.”

It wasn’t necessarily a lie, Trixie was a little hazy due to everything racing in her head. The instructor set the session off and like usual the group mucked around but Trixie took a glance down at her lyrics from in class and immediately ripped them out and crumbled them into a ball and started again.

“Don’t worry about me ok, Alaska has that covered, just don’t become me.” Trixie looked up from her notebook to see that Aaron was staring at her with cold eyes. Alaska was distracted by Courtney hitting a glockenspiel very haphazardly.

“What do you mean?” Confusion was written over her face as she titled her head to the side.

“I saw you talking to the Ghost in the garden, you should listen to her, she’s right. You are only dying if you tell yourself you are.” Trixie arched a brow as Aaron quickly covered his mouth a let out dry sounding coughs. Instantly everyone’s eyes were back on him as Alaska surrounded him. Trixie could make out the blood on his hand as he pulled it away from his mouth with a weak smile. “Remember, you’re only dying if you tell yourself you are.”

Trixie stared back at the blank paper even more confused than before. Now two people were telling her she wasn’t dying as long as she didn’t tell herself she was. Putting pen to paper Trixie let the words flow out of her until she had written out a rough chorus. She didn’t know how but she was determined to at least be able to play a basic melody for the five lines she’d manage to write.

“Whatcha doing Trix?” Trixie looked at Adore who was smiling at her with a tilted head.

“Just playing around with some chords.”

Adore’s face lit up like a Christmas tree as as scoots closer to Trixie so she can get a proper look. “That’s so cool, do you think you could teach me?”

Adore was looking at her with puppy dog eyes. “Adore don’t be stupid, she has better things to do.” Adores face dropped as Bianca spoke.

“Sorry.”

Trixie watched as Adore went back to her original place next to Bianca. She rested her head against Bianca’s shoulder, clearly sad. Trixie looked next at Bianca who was playing with Adore’s red hair before she mouthed a quick ‘it’s for the best’ to Trixie.

Trixie went back to strumming as the conversation picked up in the group with Courtney asking what colour Adore planned to go next with her hair. “Blue,” she answered.

That sparked another idea in Adore’s head. “Trixie would you ever let me dye your hair?”

Trixie stopped strumming and genuinely thought about it a moment before shaking her head. “It’s not for me.”

“Shame, colour would really stand out on your blonde hair.”

—

Music Therapy came to and end and Trixie found herself wandering around the halls with Bianca.

“I’m sorry if I came across as too harsh to Adore in therapy. It’s for the best really, she would get frustrated and down about how she couldn’t do it.” Trixie looked out of the corner of her eye at Bianca.

“What is Reyes Syndrome?”

“A horrible thing that targets the brain. It’s best we don’t talk about it too much.” Trixie nodded as she looked forward at the hallway they had turned into, the early two hundreds.

“What’s the deal with this hallway anyway?” Trixie asked.

“It’s the special circumstances hallway. People who refuse treatment.” Bianca answers nonchalantly.

Trixie thought back to Katya, why would she refuse treatment herself but then tell Trixe she wasn’t dying simply because of a disease. She truly was an enigma.

“If you’re wondering about the Ghost, no one entirely knows her deal. Why she’s here, why she’s on this hallway. All we know is she almost never leaves her room.” Bianca studied Trixie’s expression as she turned off the hallway onto the main hallway to the cafeteria. “I should let you have some rest before dinner, I know I need some.”

Trixie said goodbye to Bianca before walking back to room 203. There was one thing about Trixie and enigma’s that had her drawn back to Katya. She knocked three times before she hears Katya call out for her to come in.

“Trixie?” Katya looks up from her bed where she is sat under the blanket with a little girl sat crossed legged next to her.

“Oh I’m sorry, I’ll come back later.”

“No!” Katya said a little too quickly. “I mean, wait, why don’t you join us?”

Trixie sheepishly walked over to bed and sat gingerly on the chair near it. She felt awkward, interrupting the moment, and now being invited to stay.

“I’m Claire!” The young girl excitedly introduced herself.

“I’m Trixie,” she replied.

“That’s a pretty name, why are you here?” Claire tilted her head to the side.

Trixie opened her mouth before closing it, no words coming out. Luckily, Katya interrupted the conversation. “Claire you know not everyone wants to talk about that.”

Katya looked at Trixie and smiled at her softly. It was only then that Katya realised she didn’t know exactly why Trixie was here, in the hospital. “But you tell me, and I tell you.”

Trixie had a small smile on her face at the revelation that Katya did have someone to talk to about life. “That’s different-”

“It’s ok,” Trixie moved her eyes to Claire. “I have lung cancer.”

Claire looked at her with watering eyes. The girl looked ready to cry. Suddenly, Trixie felt a pair of small arms wrap around her neck. She sat awkwardly not reciprocating the hug for a few minutes before hugging Claire back. She looked at Katya who was looking back at her with an open mouth.

“Hello, Hello, Hello,” Trixie looked at the doorway where a man stood. Katya still had her eyes on Trixie. “Oh, hello there, who are you?”

“Trixie Mattel,” Trixie responded feeling Claire detach herself from her neck. She could feel Katya’s eyes burn into the side of her head.

“The wish girl, you caused a great amount of break room chit-chat young lady,” the man broke out in a smile before turning to look at Claire. “Right then little lady, your mum is visiting soon.”

Claire bounced of the bed and said her goodbyes as she skipped towards the door. When the door closed Trixie turned back to face Katya, who know just wore blank expression.

“Lung cancer?” Katya’s voice sounded remorseful.

“What did you think I had?”

“Not lung cancer,” Katya stared at her hands. “I’m sorry about Claire, she can be real upfront.”

“She’s cute, it’s good you have someone to talk to.” Trixie looked straight at Katya.

“It’s just a shame she’s in a place like this so young,” Katya explained. She looked at Trixie who had an added brow. “What did Ru mean when he called you 'wish girl’?”

“I used my wish to be here,” Trixie shrugged.

“You’re something else, Tracy.”

“Why are you here?” Trixie asked but when she noticed Katya’s expression she quickly followed it up. “You know why I’m here, I just thought, never mind.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard about many stories about me, this hallway and the theories.” Katya said. “Well I can tell you know, I’m on this hallway because I don’t care, and I’m here in the first place for hypercalcemia.”

Trixie slowly nodded as she looked down at her hands. “Why don’t you care?”

“Guess I never had someone to care for, besides Claire I don’t have anyone.”

“You should care, maybe if you did you’d have more people.” Trixie said looking back up at Katya to see her looking back.

“Would you care about me?”

“Yes.”

[artificialqueens]

Church of the Poison Mind Ch. 3 (Trixya) - Dahlia

A/N: Thank you for all of the lovely feedback on the last two chapters, seeing those little asks truly makes my heart soar! Also thank you to the literal step mom of my of my fic, Lale, thank you for listening to me whine!! And Matilda for all of the college information (which I would be so lost without) and kind words of encouragement!! GO CHECK OUT THEIR FICS, THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL. Anyway, this is just like 3k of Trixie crying and being a hot mess. Enjoy! Also feel free to drop me a line @DahliasForKatya !!

Trixie’s father wasn’t a bad man, but he was like a trampoline come July when it came to stretching the truth.

She always felt such a sense of pride when it came to her father, there was no one else in the world who cared for her quite like he did. He was a well dressed man, meagerly successful, hardworking. He snored loudly in the evenings, fell asleep most nights in front of the T.V., but always rose at the near crack of dawn for his shift at the quarry. No matter how late he worked, hours spent in back breaking labor under the summer sun, he was always present. Every weekend he would treat her to fancy meals at their favorite Portuguese restaurants, or Sunday morning matinees at the local movie house. She liked “helping him” tie his shoes in the morning, liked their quiet dinners at home. She enjoyed watching him cook, dancing around the kitchen excitedly when he flambeed the contents of a saute pan.

Trixie loved the derby most of all, watching her father’s eyes light up as his favorite horse rounded the track in victory. She loved the colors they wore, and their funny names. She was ecstatic to bursting whenever he’d let her place a bet; she’d cheer them on from the sidelines, imitating their gallop. And Trixie, only nine and confused by the sport, would believe her father when he said her horse had won, even if it hadn’t. Trixie often wished her mother would accompany them, but relished this safe space with him. She looked up to him; idolized him with the kind of starry-eyed innocence only a child could wear.

They were watching stars and planting wishes, chocolate mousse for dessert and butterfly kisses. He grew a love for Trixie in the garden, as tall as eight mammoth sunflowers. She couldn’t wait to learn and grow, to scatter the seeds and watch him sow.

Trixie could recall that day he picked her up from school, could recount how many times she leaned in to smell his cologne. He was tall and dark haired, and Trixie couldn’t wait until she could be big and strong like him. He wore a new shirt that day, his hair was shorter, and Trixie could see he’d had his leather shoes shined. She looked down at her reflection in them, and they distorted the contours of her face, making her smile. She liked to imagine that he’d dressed up just for her, like prince charming come to whisk Cinderella to the ball. Trixie held his hand the whole walk home, fidgeting in excitement as they started up the driveway. She couldn’t wait for her mother to see his new outfit, Trixie hoped she’d like it enough to sit at the dinner table with them that night, instead of in front of the T.V. like she always did.

She twirled herself around his finger; wondering how long it would take for her fairy godmother to sweep her up, and turn her school clothes into a gown, big and blue. She dreamed of woodland creatures and magic pumpkins while he held the screen door for her. And she curtsied passed him, so caught up in fantasy that she failed to see the hurt cross her mother’s face. It’s terrifying, isn’t it? How the crushing weight of reality can change a perspective.

“Well don’t you look nice,” her mother said, “New shirt. New shoes. New girlfriend?”

—

Katya. Professor Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova.

The center of Trixie’s gravity upended, overturning bilious nerves in the pit of her stomach. She felt as though a woolen blanket over a stove burner, recumbent and stifling, willing the flames to overcome her. Katya. A beautiful Russian curl fell from her lips, each word more tempting than the last. She stood at the head of the class almost sibylline, and Trixie wondered how she’d never noticed the accent before. The thought occurred to her then, that they hadn’t done very much talking; somehow she’d underestimated the power of body language. There was something to be said about a body that alluring; how their chemistry had the ability to forego speech. They spoke in only the tongue of ardor that night, both tongues passing fluidly over goosebumps and other, more private parts. Trixie could still feel her mouth, hot and wet, painting bruises down the skin of her chest. They ached a sore path of memory, and Trixie tried desperately to not to touch them.

Katya. She was as beautiful as she was unattainable. Her words were almost aromatic, and though their meaning lie completely lost, Trixie could feel each curl envelope her. Saccharine, but daring, enigmatic. Trixie’s face flushed. She found it hard to concentrate, to look anywhere but Katya’s lips. And though she sat at the far end of the class, she might as well have been center stage. Katya’s eyes followed her every move, like the preeminent charm of the Mona Lisa. Trixie could recall every art museum she’d ever been to, and all were incomparable to this beauty, this red lipped mystery. This moment, while lively and brilliant, was shattering, and Trixie came crashing back to Earth, hard; like a space traveler jettison from the shuttle.

“Okay, since this is first day, and I am to be molding your tiny minds, why don’t we get to know each other a bit better? I’ll start. Privyet! I’m Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova, but you can call me Katya. And since you all love talking about my sex life so much, you’ll be happy to know I got laid last night!” She shot Trixie a flippant glance, and her gleaming teeth widened into a smile. Trixie recoiled, red in the face. She could feel the acid creeping up her throat.

“Oh, and also,” she continued, “I’m pretty sure I still have two of my baby teeth! We see, who’s next?” Katya scanned the room, and let a red finger nail land on the first desk.

“Oh, me? Um fuck, okay, hey I’m Detox and I don’t want to fucking be here.”

“Ura! This is kind of spirit I like to see,” Katya chirped, her hands on her hips, “You next! Tall skinny one!”

“Hieeeee, my name’s Alaska, and Roxxxy lent me the top I’m wearing. Isn’t it cute?”

“Not as cute as you think! Okay, next! You, pretty Barbie!”

And all eyes landed on Trixie.

“I um, hi, I’m Tracy-I mean Trixie! Trixie Mattel. And um, I have to use the bathroom, can I please use the bathroom now?”

The classroom erupted in laughter, and Trixie sank even further into herself, feeling the prick of hot tears threaten her bottom lashes.

“Please,” she tensed.

Katya dropped her front, allowing the gravity of the situation to weigh on her. Truthfully, she was just as shaken as Trixie, though she’d never allow herself even a second of vulnerability. Her face softened, then returned to levity.

“I didn’t know plastic dollies could use bathroom, but of course. You know where this is, yes?”

Trixie didn’t know where the bathroom was and didn’t care. She’d never ask. She gathered her things and started for the door, and although she didn’t turn to look back, she was certain every eye had followed her out.

The pale haired girl from Trixie’s previous class, the first year, sat on the right side of the room. And Katya, shifting her weight to an opposite foot, called upon her, almost uncomfortably.

“Your name?”

“Max.”

“You seem like nice girl. You make sure she makes it to bathroom okay, make sure she doesn’t fall in.”

Max grabbed her bag and hurried after Trixie, catching the door before it swung shut.

After rounding the floor twice, Trixie found the bathroom, tucked into a small corner at the far end of the hall. The boarded window of the door read in bold letters: Out of order, use first floor.

Trixie pushed through anyway, feeling the boards come undone under her drive. The room was musty and had long been forsaken; thick layers of dust were settled over every surface. Trixie flipped a switch and the lights clamored to life above her, flickering at first, before settling into a static glow. Max came staggering in behind her, out of breath, having just returned from the first floor bathroom.

“You know this one’s out of order!” Max huffed, approaching her, “We shouldn’t be in here. There’s probably asbestos!”

Max was a gentle soul, with ashen hair and an overwrought smile. She was thin and lanky, much taller than Trixie. She had a familiarity about her though, something Trixie couldn’t quite place.

Trixie used the palm of her hand to smudge out a clear circle in the dusty mirror, and winced at the sight of her makeup, how her tears had carried mascara down her cheeks and stained her foundation. Max rushed over then, rummaged through her purse, and pulled out a school newspaper. She tore away a bottom edge and blotted the space beneath Trixie’s eyes.

“We’re gonna get you all fixed up Doll, don’t you worry.”

Doll. The word ricocheted through her, and she was hearing Katya’s voice again.

I didn’t know plastic dollies could use bathroom.

How could she make light of this? How could Katya stand so tall, so untouched, while Trixie was weak in the knees? Every thought rattled through her, all of the new sights and sounds. Every voice, every blare, boomed in her ears. She wondered what the other girls thought of her, if they’d made any assumptions.

Rumor has it, the professor was having an affair with a female student…

Had Katya known she was a student all along? Did she do this to all of her students? How could Katya look at her like that, so confident, so bold? As if she hadn’t seen Trixie bare and unguarded, hadn’t skimmed the surface of her vulnerability?

And since you all love talking about my sex life so much, you’ll be happy to know I got laid last night!

Everything came flooding back. Fingers in her hair, trailing her ribs, fingers racing everywhere. Mouths colliding, coinciding, like fresh fallen pollen cast over a lake; leaving paths of sticky bright yellow for the doves of morning. Parts of Katya swam in the stream of her blood, and the indelible ink of that night stained the shores bright red, like the lipstick still on her sheets. She pressed into a tender bruise on her chest, and the pain dissolved into her fingertip.

No. It had to be an accident, sheer coincidence. There’s no way Katya could’ve known she’d be at the bar that night, or who she was for that matter. Trixie took in a breath, and exhaled a long whistle, feebly chewing the inside of her cheek. She could taste blood.

“Hey wait a moment,” Max said, bringing Trixie from her thoughts. Max continued to gently dust powder over Trixie’s cheeks, “I thought I knew you from somewhere. You’re from Wisconsin aren’t you? Kim’s friend! She’s been going on about you for weeks, I’m Max! We went to the same high school, you and I!”

Everything clicked into place for Trixie; and had she been in a less precarious state, she may have even realized sooner. Max Malanaphy. A grade below her. Her face flashed red; she was a master at bad first impressions, proficient in making an ass of herself.

“Well, this is a lovely first interaction! This is so like me! A hot mess, all of the time!” Trixie sighed, a wry smile on her lips. She wiped a runaway tear and began sifting through her purse for mascara, though no amount of makeup could cover the redness; her splotchy cheeks, her tired eyes. The strings tightened. She wished she could call Kim.

She and Kim had been friends for as long as she could remember. Kim was her rock. The year she’d left for that fancy college in New York–and left Trixie behind–had been more than difficult; and although their friendship sustained itself through texts and phone calls, there was always an end, always a goodbye. After the click, sitting in the vibration of the dial tone, Trixie had already forgotten how to reach into the space between them and pull back the chords of her happiness.

Kim was always there, except for when she couldn’t be. She was supportive almost to her own flaw. Afraid to say no and risk hurting a friend, she often made too many commitments. She was always buzzing about here and there, having to reschedule and plan around, always plan around. Despite her best efforts, she frequently found herself double booking, putting her in the exact position she’d been trying to avoid. Regardless, she was quite popular, and had hoards of friends and followers. A softness for Trixie rested in the center of her chest, however, and Kim had always tried to make sure Trixie came first.

Trixie ached for a hug then, picturing Kim covered in paint at the art studio. She needed some other touch, anything to rid her of Katya’s fingerprints. All of the paint in the world couldn’t cover up this blunder.

“Don’t sweat it, it happens to the best of us. Anything you’d like to talk about, darling?” Max asked, sweetly.

“Not really. But thank you.”

“Well alright then, let’s get us back to class.”

Trixie took one last look in the mirror before starting for the door, and held it open for Max. She waited for dust to finish scattering from the frame, and then maneuvered through herself; stopping for a moment in the hall to brush off her dress. They rounded the last corridor and paused outside of room 203, where Max turned to face her. Calm undulated through Max like the first breeze of spring, Trixie could almost feel a faint sun on her skin, could almost hear leaves rustling in the trees. She gestured for Trixie to follow her in movement, and took two exaggerated breaths, her hands afloat with the rise and fall of her chest. She gave a gentle nod as if to say, ready? And turned for the door at Trixie’s signal.

“Wait! Wait,” Trixie pulled lightly on Max’s arm, turning her around, “Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

As they entered, Trixie could feel the blood in her cheeks running too close to the surface. She ducked in, and braced for the eyes she would have to endure on the way to her seat. Much to her surprise, Katya waved them in without so much as a word, and the two of them sat quietly, their entrance unobserved by the class. She was grateful, and relief came in waves, colliding on shores of fading embarrassment.

And while Katya rambled on excitedly about chemical nomenclature and the absurdities of chemistry as a whole–

“This is stupidest fucking class you’re ever going to take.”

–Trixie wondered if she’d magnified the situation in her head. It had been a bad habit of hers, still was, always seeing the worst, fearing the worst; she’d packed up and moved the 909 miles from Milwaukee to New York, vowing to leave those facets like tire tracks in the dirt roads behind her. She vowed to bury that part of herself like she had the specters of her past, but they haunted her still, crooning troubled reveries of Milwaukee and what might’ve been.

Trixie had left her home, at the center of town, and moved the 909 miles to New York. She’d left Sharon’s Grocery on Grove Street; where she’d sit for hours behind the register, watching girls her age straggle in, pushing strollers with toddlers underfoot. She’d left her house on Dogwood Avenue, where they used to pop the tops of johnny pumps and dance in the spray. Azalea’s Ice Cream and Chestnut Park, Andy’s Books, and the corner cheese shop. Bicycles, board games, and balloons, floated in the dust behind her. And their images felt like home; or more like a rose tinted dream, slowly, every stalk of corn she passed seemed to bend beneath the weight of what was no longer there.

She removed herself from thought, and her ribcage felt as empty as the cage she had abandoned.

She could see from under wet lashes that the students around her were gathering books and rising from their chairs. Her eyes landed then on Katya, whom recumbent in her swivel chair, comedically wore three pairs of safety goggles on the top of her head. Katya caught her glance and grinned aptly in Trixie’s direction.

“Tracy, we talk for a moment, yes?”

“Trixie. It’s Trixie.” Trixie stood, and inhaled a shaky breath. Students brushed passed her on their way out, chattering, filling the room with sound and then leaving it flat.

“Right, right, Talullah, I’m so sorry.”

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she met Katya at the head of the class. Those eyes, that smile, those stupid goggles. Her stomach somersaulted.

“Have a seat?”

“I’d like to stand if that’s okay.”

Katya stood to meet Trixie’s eyes, and flipped a small, pleasant nod of her chin.

“Listen, Tamara-”

“I’d really prefer it if you called me Trixie,” she interjected.

“Toby,” Katya’s eyes lit up and she leaned into her words, “I don’t want to get off on wrong lucky rabbit’s foot, I’m sorry if I made you feel red in the face. Trust me, I feel the same as you do probably, maybe worse! Look! I’m very sweaty!”

Katya rolled her eyes in feigned exasperation and used a stray copy of the syllabus to fan her armpits. Trixie felt a chuckle bubble up her throat, and she eased into the conversation, suddenly a bit calmer.

“While I enjoyed every possible, steamy, tempestuous moment of last night… This is my job, my livelihood, and I have to remain professional.” Katya fixed a fourth pair of safety goggles to the top of her head, and pursed her lips. “Because you know, I am very professional.”

They both broke into laughter, and Trixie’s face flashed bright red.

“Look!” Katya chirped, “You are doing red face thing again! Sorry, I ramble! My point is, I care about you, as I would any student, and I want to put this behind us. Start fresh! Maybe we could be good friends, yes?”

“I think that might be possible.”

“Ura! We start from scratch! Hello!” Katya extended an open hand and forcefully grabbed Trixie’s, stiffly shaking it, “I’m Katya and I definitely have not seen you naked!”

“Trixie.” She was feeling lighter, and she’d forgotten all about the strings as they uncoiled.

“Nice to meet you, Tracy! I will see you tomorrow, yes?”

“Yeah but before I go,” Trixie prompted, a smile falling on her lips, “I just have one question.”

“Da, anything! Shoot!” Katya was infectious, and Trixie eased into her, melting into the banter.

“Is it too late to drop this class?”

[artificialqueens]

I Was Happier With You Ch.3 (Trixya)- Doll Parts

A/N: Guysss omg. I told myself when I started this fic that I would be happy if it got 5 notes, and you guys have been breaking 20 and it’s awesome. Thank you guys so much for each and every one of you reading. I have a sideblog that I’ve been reblogging fics I read to if anyone wants to follow: tracysficblg.

This chapter is all about our favorite Barbie. We’re getting close to reconciliation!

And Andi is wonderful as always. Me and my wife are basically the reason she’s gotten into the RPDR fandom so she’s fresh. We’re working our way through the show slowly but we’re getting there. She hasn’t seen season 7 yet but still beta’s the fuck out of my stuff. She’s the real MVP.

Trixie looked at her phone for the first time in a week. Ignoring reality had gone far enough and she knew if she didn’t respond to her friends they were going to bust down her door.

27 Unread Messages

8 Missed Calls

3 Voicemails

Unsurprisingly enough, most of her notifications were from Kim. None of them were from Katya. She wasn’t surprised but it still stung. She started with her missed calls and voicemails. Two voicemails were from Kim and the other from Violet. Trixie got a sinking feeling and had a good idea what Violet’s said, so she started with the first of the two from Kim.

“Trixie will you please answer the phone. I know what you’re doing and you need to stop this. You’re going to have to talk to us eventually. Stop wallowing and talk to me. Of anyone you know you can talk to me.”

Pulling her phone away from her ear she clicked the next voicemail, her heart pounding. Kim knew her inside and out, enough to know Trixie wanted her space but cared enough to tell her to get out of her head. She should listen to Kim more.

“Trixie it’s Kim again. Starting to wonder if you’re dead or not. I hope you’re doing better now that it’s been a few days. If you’re still alive I would appreciate a call back.”

When the recording ended she hit call back. While the phone rang she walked to the living room and curled up into the corner of the couch. Two rings later the phone answered, muffled noise before Kim’s voice came through the speaker. “Well if it isn’t life in plastic herself. I see your not dead in a ditch.”

Trixie rolled her eyes and huffed.  “Id rather be dead in a ditch if we’re being honest. Do you want to talk about this on the phone or are you coming over?” She looked around the room and took in how messy she had let the place get into during her week of isolation. Deciding on where to start first, she stood up and moved into the kitchen to start cleaning.

“I think I’ll come over. I’m assuming you haven’t had any human contact in awhile so I will grace you with my presence.” Her and Trixie both giggled.

“Just get over here so I can tell you just how big of a fuck up I am.” There was the jingle of car keys through the speaker and a door shutting.

“Be there in about 20. See you soon.” Trixie said goodbye and set off throughout the place speed cleaning as much as she could. After a few minuets she remembered she had a message from Violet she still hadn’t listened to.

There was an angry huff at the beginning before Violets voice came through the speaker. “If you don’t fix this, Trixie Mattel, I swear I’m going to murder you. Fucking fix it.”

Katya was the reason her and Violet were friends. They had been mutual friends of other friends in their group. When her and Katya got together, Katya set them up on double dates with Violet and Pearl all the time. Getting to know the two of them on a more personal level had been great. Pearl and Trixie had been friends before all of them had paired off so she already knew her pretty well. She had enjoyed getting to know the other girl on a more personal level. Violet was a lot nicer than she let on, Trixie had figured out after a few date nights, she kept up a front to establish dominance over her life.

She hoped Violet wasn’t mad at her enough for their friendship to suffer. She really liked the other girl and didn’t want her messy breakup to effect her friendships. Problem was most of her friends were also Katya’s friends. They were bound to see each other at some point. Maybe she should talk to Katya soon and fix things.  

There was a knock on her door that pulled her out of her thoughts. When she opened the door, Kim was waiting with a big pan of dirt cake in her arms. Trixie burst into laughter and pulled Kim into a hug, trying not to smush the pan between them.

“I’m so glad you love food because I need this.” She scooped the pan out of her friends arms and moved it to the kitchen.

“If you don’t answer your phone for at least half a week and I finally get invited over you best believe we’re going to be here long enough to need food.”

Trixie turned around and pulled Kim into a real hug. They stayed like that until Trixie’s shoulders started to sag and Kim could hear tiny sniffles coming from the other girl.

“I lost her Kim.” Her voice was watery and Kim knew she was crying at this point. “I lost her and it’s all my fault. Trixie’s shoulders shook and Kim pulled her closer as the other broke down in her arms.

They stood there for awhile, Kim rubbing circles into Trixie’s back. When the crying started to lessen Kim walked her over to the couch before going into the kitchen and fixing them both a plate of the cake she had brought. She heard Trixie give a small chuckle. Kim believed food could fix just about anything. Mostly the talking that happened over the food, but she wasn’t going to give her secret away.

“I’m not sure this is a problem food can fix this time.” Kim looked over her shoulder with a smirk.

“You underestimate my powers.” She licked the cake that was stuck to her spoon before bringing both of their plates back to the couch. She passed Trixie her plate and turned to face her, crossing her legs underneath her,

“Ok give me the T, cause I don’t really know whats going on to help fix it.”

Trixie shoved a huge bite of cake in her mouth, the small smile she made covered in whipped cream and cake crumbs. She loved Kim and was thankful she brought one of her favorite treats to cheer her up. Once she finished chewing and cleared her throat she began to explain exactly what had happened. Her freaking out about falling in love with Katya too soon, thinking she could play it cool by going back to friends, how Katya had reacted, and how once everything was said and done she finally realized exactly how stupid she had been.

“Is this why I can’t keep a girlfriend? I fall too fast?”

Kim sat there silent for a moment. Thinking over everything the other girl had told her. Finally she moved both of their empty plates and scooted closer to Trixie, placing her hand on her knee.

“I won’t lie, I think you handled the situation awfully. You have a problem with talking about you’re real feelings and end up dancing around them. This wasn’t the time to lie about how you feel. Judging by how you said Katya reacted, it sounds like she has the same feelings as you.”

Trixie was looking at her lap and chewing on her bottom lip. Kim gave her knee a light squeeze, getting her to look up at her.

“Also, your ex’s were kind of cunty so lets not compare them to Katya and the matter at hand.” Trixie’s nose wrinked at the statement before shrugging her shoulders and nodding in agreement.

“So I should definitely talk to Katya.”

“Duh. You need to be straight with her.”

Trixie burst into laughter, one of her screams making Kim slap her knee.

“You know what I mean! Go be lesbians with her. Just talk to her. Really talk to her, not throw your walls up and spew some shit about ‘Let’s be friends’. What were you thinking Trixie?”

Trixie’s face fell again, the joy from the innuendo gone.

“I don’t know now that I think about it. It seemed like a rational idea to begin with. I just don’t want to loose her, you know? And here I am, lost without her.” She looked around the room, not wanting to meet Kim’s eyes. “I really love her. I saw the rest of my life with her.” She turned back to Kim. “It’s fucking scary.” Kim nodded.

“It is, but what if Katya saw the rest of her life with you as well?” They sat there in silence while Trixie processed everything that had been said and the best plan of action.

“I’m gonna call her, ok?” Kim nodded and Trixie went into her bedroom and closed the door. Her finger hovered above Katya’s name. She took a deep breath and pressed call. She held her breath the first two rings, by the third though she knew Katya wasn’t going to answer. The third ring went by and the call went to voicemail. Taking a deep breath she decided to leave a message.

“Hey Katya, it’s Trixie. You probably know that already. Hey, uh, I just wanted to see if you would talk to me. I know I’m probably the last person you want to talk to but I need to talk to you. Explain myself and apologize. I was a complete bitch and I don’t blame you if you never want to see me again. But please let me talk to you one last time. If you decide after that to never talk to me again it’s fine. I need to tell you-”

The phone beeped letting her know she had used up all the time to leave a message. She sighed and put her phone down on the bed and went back out to the living room. Kim was eating another plate of cake and watching youtube, trying to give Trixie privacy and not listen to the call.

“Well?”

“It went to voicemail. I’m not surprised. If I was her I wouldn’t want to talk to me either.”

“Give her some time. Do you want to go out? You’ve been in here for god knows how long. Don’t you have cabin fever?” Trixie laughed and shook her head.

“I’d rather stay in and watch trash tv and cuddle to be honest. Want to stay the night?”

So they stayed in, ordering takeout and switching between multiple reality shows before they abandoned the tv completely. They curled up in Trixie’s bed, Kim resting her head on Trixie’s leg while Trixie strummed nonsense on her guitar and Kim caught up on her beauty blogs she followed on youtube.

“Hey Kim?” Trixie stopped the strings with her hand softly and Kim rolled over to face her.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For everything. I’m glad I have you to call me out on my shit.” Kim brought her had up to frame her face under her chin.

“Of course. You know I’ll clock you in a heartbeat.” Trixie shoved her shoulder and rolled over to put her guitar on its stand next to the bed.

“Hate you.”

“Aww Trixie, you know you love me!”

[daikenkki]

The series thrives on toy sales. Thomas is performing poorly, in my opinion, to the constant re-branding and re-tooling of the product lines. Every toy line got a revamp in the last two years which results in compatibility issues, quality differences and delayed sales due to selling out the previous lot. If Mattel wants Thomas to do well, stop messing with the ranges. I understand production costs are a factor, but some changes were in vain. Take for example the Take N Play range: We all had the standard magnets as Take Along had. Take Along was compatible with Take N Play and there was no major issue. The trains got a slight upgrade in appearance too. When the new magnets surfaced in 2014, they were huge and ugly. They still worked with the others, but appearances were hindered by the large magnet. The line did not fit on wooden track, so making the magnets similar left lots of parents angry because of their similarity and lack of compatibility. What was worse is that Collectible Railway was released at the same time (same tooling as Adventures), and within two years time, they made the switch to that coupling system, leaving all Take N Play and Take Along in the dust. Trackmaster has been the least abrasive change throughout the years. While old Tomy and Trackmaster cannot negotiate the "big gimmick" stunt pieces, they can still make it around a loop and couple to new stock. MINIs is probably the nest range Thomas (MATTEL) has got going for them. Its simple and effective. I wish they'd make track, but I am thankful we have classic characters.

Michael (http://thesifblog.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/big-world-big-adventures-fan-thoughts.html)