#my favourite part is how mean Amy is in this game. every time she hits someone with an item she goes 'i pity you' in the meanest tone

[cosmic-radiocity]

Dr Robotnik's Ring Racers has consumed my life

[capybaraonabicycle]

Would you please share excepts for the ask game?

1. that makes me smile

3. that encompasses my style

7. that i nursed in a daydream before finally writing

14. that was out of my comfort zone

25. that i consider a favourite

Feel free to skip one of them if you don't feel like answering! 🥰

Thank youuuu!

You said it was okay to use non-dw snippets, so I have put two of those now. But I added a dw snippet for good measure to those questions, hope that's okay 😅I also managed to include 3 actual WIPs, so yay :)

that makes me smile

Aww, the first fic that came to mind was Love is a four-letter word, which is a coming-out fic featuring the Penderwick sisters Skye and Jane.

Just - the whole series is such a feel-good story? It tastes like childhood comfort and the queer undertones are way too obvious to be screwed over in the last book. Anyway, headcanoning all the members of the family as queer is self-care and those girls are so soft and such siblings and the fic makes me smile without fail every time.

Skye sighed again, but this time it sounded less annoyed. "Listen Jane, I love you" she said and it sounded almost gentle. "But I don't think I am the right person to talk to about this. Romance and stuff. I don't really... do... that. Can't you ask Rosy? I am sure she would love to help you out." "Rosy does not share a room with me, though" Jane demurred. "Lucky her" Skye murmured. "Probably sleeping right now." "Skye!" Jane complained. "This is serious! People die from heartbreak all the time; I need to know what I am dealing with." "You won't die from heartbreak tonight; I can promise you that much" Skye scoffed. "Are you sure?" Jane asked. Her heart did feel a little clammy whenever she thought about Caroline and her textbook rim artworks. Or about what that weirdness might mean that always seemed to befall her when Caroline was nearby. "Dead sure" Skye answered solemnly. "You don't even know whether you're in love. I am sure it is scientifically impossible to die from heartbreak in that case." Jane breathed out loudly in relief. "Thank you."

(Jane is me and also Skye is me <3 (Skye has a math class the next day so enough sleep is vital bc you can't be tired for your favourite subject, now can you?))

But have a short dw snippet, too, because that might be more interesting for you. It's from the unfinished episode-fic that would come before The woman who kills the Doctor (- it's the lkh rewrite WIP):

“Left – sharp turn!” The car swerved around in one swift motion and Mels grabbed onto the seat backs in front of her to avoid being thrown about. “Now right!” “No, left!” “What?” Amy turned around the chart frantically at the correction while Rory started panicking. “Which one?” he shouted. “Left!” Mels repeated at the same time as Amy cried: “Right!...Hang on, no wait, she’s right: left!” “What?!” Rory was hitting the wheel in frustration while, this time in unison, the girls called: “Left!!” Only a little too late Rory yanked the wheel around, making them all lean involuntarily towards the right. Mels erupted in laughter. “If we continue like this, this is gonna spell ‘Dorito’ when we’re done” she claimed. “Shut up” Amy growled. “You’re doing great, Rory.” “Yeah, he is” Mels snorted. “Now listen here, little lady” Amy turned around, her eyes pulled to dangerous slits. “Amy!” Rory shrieked before she could continue. “Where do I go next?!”

Pond family drawing crop circles together <3 (No, Amy does not know Mels is their daughter yet, btw, that's part of why this makes me smile)

3. that encompasses my style

I don't knoooow. How do I know what my style is and what is representative?? Okay, I'll try, how about this from a WIP for my Division AU:

“Seriously?” Mels blinked. “You aren't even trusting me to get you a drink? I was kidding earlier when I said this would be a good exercise, but – I see that I was very wrong about your level of trust in me.” She tried to make it sound like a joke, but she couldn't deny, that stung. She would have expected herself to trust the Doctor more than vice versa, but a fucking drink? That shouldn't have been too much to ask. “Mels,” the Doctor was suddenly pressing the card into her hand, her gentle voice calling her away from her somber thoughts, “of course I trust you, love. I was making a joke.” “What?” Mels had trouble processing – and that was a little annoying because usually she was the one who got to make the Doctor malfunction with a well placed innuendo or affirmation of fondness. A smile was tugging at the Doctor's lips as she reached for Mels' other hand, closing it around the card. “You said I got to annoy you today,” she reminded Mels, “I'm just trying my best to live up to that role.” Mels let out a relieved laugh, grasping the card tightly and turning her upper hand so she could take the Doctor's and pull her in. “You are stellar in the annoying underling role, darling,” she promised, pressing a kiss to her lips. “It's like it was written for you.” The Doctor preened for a second, before the words properly registered. “Hey, now - “ she tried to protest, but Mels had already stepped away from her. “Find us a table, Doctor,” she grinned. “That's an order!”

I believe this encompasses my style, mostly for the way we move between jokes and heartfelt bits. I think I do that a lot - especially for this AU - putting in funny bits to even out the harsh reality and also putting heavy stuff into the lighthearted scenes to keep you on your toes.

Here, they've been joking around a little before, bickering (I cut that bc this is already too long a snippet - then again 'being too long' IS my style -), then Mels is hit by self-doubt, the Doctor turns serious to reassure her and they immediately go back to banter - and kissing.

The way dialogue is intercepted by introspection and a few descriptions of what is happening here is also representative of my style, I believe.

7. that i nursed in a daydream before finally writing

All my fics are results of daydreams, basically. But there are a few where I wrote down the dialogue as I dreamed about it and that didn't get changed much after. One of them is in Dance with Me (or: Selling the Cover for Gat) (part of the Division AU) and I know you have been meaning to read that anyway ;)

“Aww” Karvanista cooed mockingly. “You two are too cute.” The Doctor stepped back immediately, her hands leaving Mels’, and cleared her throat. “Just selling the cover for Gat” she said with a fake smile, smoothing down the sides of the fancy suit Tecteun hat gotten her for the occasion. “Right?” “Right” Mels agreed, but she couldn’t help a smile while she took a sip of her champagne. “Just that ‘selling the cover for Gat’ is not the mission, is it?” Gat’s snide voice sounded in her ear again and by now she sounded positively miffed. “That is only the very baseline of what you are supposed to be doing. You are supposed to be looking for the target. And you will find him neither in each other’s eyes like you have apparently been believing for the last 8 minutes, nor staring at cake decorations –“ The Doctor pulled an annoyed grimace and Mels bit her lips against a grin. “Nor eyeing up unsuspecting Malmooths” Gat continued. “Hey, she was definitely into it” Mels complained while the Doctor’s eyebrows raised to her hairline. “Literally not the point” Gat said. “Besides this is a married-only event, she was definitely here with someone.” “You spent your time without me flirting with other people” the Doctor inquired sternly, “and have the audacity to complain about me getting you a drink?! A fine wife you are.”

I spoke those lines (more or less) into my phone while taking a snowy winter walk <3 I should probably have paid more attention to the gorgeous nature than the Division team in my head, but no regrets :)

14. that was out of my comfort zone

Anytime I venture close to smut 😅 oh, also heavy angst. Which one do you prefer?

Let's go with the one leaning into smut. It's still mature level intimacy, I would say, but it was the first time I so much as brushed towards it, so, like, I didn't feel entirely comfortable writing it. I do think it is sweet, though (oh, this is from Somewhere in My Memory btw):

“Not here, Sweetie” [River] said with a wink. “I did not specifically order a bed to have you against a picture of my late husband.” “You ordered the bed?” the Doctor chuckled, slinging her hands around River’s neck. “Of course, you did.” “A lady has to be prepared” River said, kissing her again. “Come on then, jump up.” Without hesitation, the Doctor jumped, slinging her legs around River’s middle and letting her carry her towards the bed. “Oh, look at that, I’m taller than you again” she commented happily, leaning down to kiss River’s nose. “Now this feels right.” River rolled her eyes fondly. “Shut up, Doctor.” “Not a chance” the Doctor grinned. Then she yelped, as River squeezed her butt in retaliation. A devilish smirk played at River’s mouth as she lowered the Doctor onto the mattress. “We’ll see about that, Sweetie” she hummed, her hands cupping the Doctor’s breasts and immediately affirming her words in taking the Doctor’s breath away. “We’ll see about that.”

And like, that's literally it. The scene ends there. Still, that was daunting to write for me.

25. that i consider a favourite

Oh wow. I mean, choosing a favourite fic was already tough. A favourite SNIPPET? Impossible 😅 But, luckily, it is a favourite, so I'll just go with any snippet, I enjoy :)

Wanna read some lines in German about a ghost playing the piano? This is from Mary Shelley's Murder Mystery Invite Only Casual Travel/Journey For Friends Diary:

„Dann konzentrier dich weniger und lass dich mehr treiben“, schlug [Robert] vor. „Musiker denken nicht, sie fühlen.“ Mary wollte ihm nicht noch einmal erklären, dass sie einfach keine Musikerin war. So wandte sie sich resigniert wieder den Tasten zu. „Schließ die Augen“, riet Robert ihr. „Spür dem Gefühl des Liedes nach und lass dich fallen.“ Gehorsam schloss Mary die Augen, konzentrierte sich dafür aber umso stärker auf ihre Finger, mit denen sie die Tastatur streifte. Dann begann sie zu spielen. Sie merkte den Unterschied sofort. Hatte sie vorher nur einzelne Töne gespielt, hörte, nein spürte, sie jetzt die Musik, die ihre Finger wie von selbst in den Raum setzten. Sie lauschte der Melodie und merkte kaum, wie sie einfach die Kontrolle aufgab. Erst, als mit einem Mal die Musik verstummte, aber ihre Finger weiterspielten, erwachte sie unsanft. Sie riss die Augen auf und beobachtete entsetzt ihre Finger, die gerade wieder aus den Tasten auftauchten. Verdammt.

I do still prefer my German way of writing, I have to say. The fear of making mistakes is just less severe. With English, I am always convinced I have used at least one word incorrectly in every sentence without noticing.

But let's add another dw snippet from a WIP to this, shall we? I don't know whether I will ever finish this one, but I have started working on a very fluffy fugitive Doctor & River & Jenny piece called Family Outing (for now):

The Doctor made a move to hold her back but River intertwined their hands instead, pulling her in the other direction. “Stop fussing, Sweetie” she said strictly, smoothing down the Doctor’s lapels with her free hand. “And let her have some fun. Jenny is a clever girl, she’ll be okay. Besides, no one will suspect us coming here, so we’ll be in the clear.” Only now the Doctor took in her surroundings. They were on a spaceship, alright, a luxurious space cruiser to be exact. Aliens of all species and sizes were milling about, at least two thirds of them of the kind the Doctor did not want to see approach her daughter and at least half of them kinds the Division would engage. None of them were visibly carrying weapons at least and the Doctor knew Jenny had a knife hidden in her bigger-on-the-inside pocket and a blaster strapped to her thigh – in exactly the same spot where River was wearing hers. The evening menu of the adjacent restaurant was reading ‘pufferfish flambé’ and ‘Sontar wings with roasted Adipose’ and ‘We’re always ready to prepare your tag-alongs in your preferred manner’ and suddenly the Doctor understood where River had brought them. “No” she breathed, stopping dead in her tracks. “This isn’t…” “…the Harmony and Redemption” River completed for her, apparently very pleased with herself. “Told you, I was good.” “River” the Doctor pulled her even closer and dropped her voice to a whisper, her eyes flitting nervously between Jenny and the surrounding mass-murderers. “We really shouldn’t be here.” “Brilliant, eh?”

I just love River being cocky and the Doctor staring incredulously like "Do you want us getting killed?!"

I also very much love the way what I have written so far ends midsentence, and the sentence is:

Before the Doctor could decide whether shooting Flemming here and now would cause too much of a scene or could possibly be considered an overreaction

(Flemming dared to look at Jenny, so, no the Doctor's not overreacting at all <3)

[rosereview]

Top 12 Books of 2020

In this crazy year of 2020 I only read 32 books, but that doesn’t mean that I still don’t have too many good five star books that I want to share. But because I’m pretending that this is a top ten list with two honourable mentions, I had to narrow it down to only my top twelve. So let's get started.

12. Catharsis: Pain by Rowan Dugray

To start off, I wanted to mention this really amazing collection of poetry that I picked up. It’s not very well known but it is really well done. Since I’m not the biggest fan of poetry, I usually stray away or get very nervous going into a poetry novel, but this one was a nice surprise. I didn’t let myself dwell on the fact that I don’t always understand the intended meaning of the poems, and instead let myself take my own meaning from the words. In the end I felt like I really had gone through a process of catharsis and released a lot of built up tensions and emotions. A great read.

11. Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

This book is the second book in the Dance of Thieves duology and it was a treat to get back into the Remnant Chronicles world. It had been a while since I had read the first book so it took a bit for the character relationships and names to come back to me, but after they did this book was a great conclusion. I loved all of the big plot twists and the way that the story went, and couldn't have asked for a more well done novel.

10. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This book was a surprise hit which I had been putting off for a while, so I was happy when I finally got to it. The way that the novel is written and presented intimidated me a bit, but I was surprised with how easy it was to read after I got into it. But the biggest surprise, which made for a wild experience, was that the book had a big plot line of a deadly virus. It was kind of scary cause it hit so close to home, but also made it relevant and somehow better. It was a great example of how reading a book at a perfect time in your life enhances so many things about it and that was definitely this one for me. So if you’re into sci-fi books, check this one out.

9. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Next was my first experience reading a Amanda Foody novel although I’ve wanted to read her stuff for a while, and I was not disappointed. This book has some similarities with Caraval, where both have sort of game elements, although this one goes more in the direction of gangs and crime bosses which I loved. The whole book was very well done and fast paced where I just wanted to keep reading until I got to the point that I just couldn’t put it down at the end. Highly highly recommend it, and I can’t wait to get into the next one sometime this year.

8. A Crystal of Time by Soman Chainani

Again this is one that I had been putting off because I hadn’t read the other ones in the series for a while, but when I finally committed to picking this one up I was shocked with how much I enjoyed it. I thought that the book before this one in the School for Good and Evil series kind of repeated a lot of plot points from the previous three books, but this one took a whole different turn. It was nice to see the familiar characters again, but I felt that some of the newer characters were also just as intriguing and kept me wanting more. Now I’m just hoping I don’t take another crazy long time to pick up the last book, especially since it’s already out.

7. The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu

No surprise that this book is on my list since it’s a Cassandra Clare novel, and it’s also filled full of Magnus and Alec. This one was super light hearted and fun and was a nice break from the rest of the world. All of Cassandra Clare’s books are just comforting and it feels like I’m coming home every time I get into one. There’s humor, friendship, romance, demons, and shadowhunters… What else could you ask for?

6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Finally we’re halfway and boy are we getting to the goodies! This is the second book I’ve read by Taylor Jenkins Reid and it matched and exceeded all of my expectations. I didn’t think anything of hers could top Daisy Jones and the Six, but this one did. I’m not saying that Daisy Jones isn’t amazing, but Evelyn Hugo is just a whole different type of moment. I don’t even know how to explain it. All I can say is if you love old hollywood stories with all of the drama and show biz it brings, then you will fall in love with this novel.

5. Beartown by Fredrik Backman

This book was my first Fredrik Backman read that I finished all the way back in January, so exactly a year ago, but I have to say that it is still stuck in my head. I frequently still think about this book and the story, and I badly want to read all of Fredrik Backman’s novels. His writing style is so unique and the way he fits every part of this story together is incredible. It’s actually the work of a genius! Beartown is all about a hockey town and the dark places it can go when too much pressure is put on young teenage boys. 

4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Unlike Beartown, this is a recent read for me, and I have a feeling it will stay in my head like Beartown but in a totally different way. It is written in Fredrik Backman’s same style that Beartown was written in, although it goes back and forth between timelines, which made it to be a wild ride. There were so many plot twists in this novel that I was jumping up and down in every chapter. It was crazy! I loved how this one shows the natural ways that life can suck which made it so relatable and probably why it beat Beartown in the end, even though I didn’t think any other Fredrik Backman book could. 

3. I Would Leave Me If I Could by Halsey

Now in the top three we have my three favourite creators in the world!! First here we have Halsey, who I hadn’t expected to publish a book, but I’m more than happy that she did. Halsey, being a woman of many many many talents, did not disappoint in this beautiful poetry collection. Again, I’m not the biggest fan of poetry, but Halsey has made me rethink that. I think because I’ve been such a big fan for a while now, her poetry was that much more special for me. So many of her poems are where my favourite lyrics to her songs originated, so to see the way and form that they were first born was very personal. There’s nothing more to say than I just love it.

2. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Well since I wrote a whole long review about how much I love this book, it’s not surprising to see that it’s almost first on the list. This book was one of the best books I’ve ever read, and it is agonizing to have to wait for the next one. If you want a more concrete reason for why I love this book so much, then you can read my review for it which is on my post list. Besides that, I guess I just have to say that I love this book so much and everyone should read it and all of Cassandra Clare’s novels.

1. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

And now we have finally come to my favourite book of 2020, House of Earth and Blood. Sarah. J Maas is my second favourite author of all time, beaten only by Cassandra Clare, but at first I have to say that I was worried about this book. It wasn’t purely about the Fae or had a connection with the Throne of Glass or ACOTOR series. For those reasons I wasn’t sure I was going to fall in love with it as much. Oh how wrong I was. This book is an absolute masterpiece. There isn’t much more to say. It is filled with grief, romance, but has a very prominent theme of friendship at its core that was what really hit me hard. Everything about this book was amazing and every character was amazingly developed and interesting. I could not put it down and even though it was supremely long, I was never bored. Not one page. It was just incredible. If you are over 18 and like fantasy novels, read this book. You will be doing yourself a favour. 

And that concludes my list of favourite books in 2020! I hope some of these spark your interest and become your favourites in the future.

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

[hockeytrashgoblin]

Ice Cold ~Part 9

A/N: Hi yall soooooI really messed up the timeline and hand to go through back to this point to fix it. I have it all right now I think. If I’ve fucked up somewhere lemme know and I’ll fix it! But now prepared to be bombarded because I have many parts ready to go right now lol Enjoy!

It was around 5pm when I got out of the uber at the end of the really long driveway to Morgan's. I had called Amy earlier and told her most of what happened last night. I left out the part about Auston sucking blood and I didn't tell her it was him but everything else I did. She agreed to let me stay home and do it herself as long as I wrote the transcripts for Peter's interview from yesterday. I told her I would and was on my way.

About halfway up the big hill there was a woman waiting there. She was striking. She had beautiful pale skin, blue eyes and dark curly hair. I recognized her immediately from the pictures in Morgan's office as well as her being a figure skater I admired as a kid.

"You must be (y/n)."

"Um yes."

"Morgan told me to expect you. I'm Tessa."

"I know I used to watch you skate when I was younger. It's really nice to meet you."

"That's sweet. Would you like to come inside?"

"Yes please." We started the rest of the way to the house. "So if Morgan told you did he tell everyone else?"

"No of course not. Morgan doesn't like metaling with the future. No one will know until you don't show up at the arena and by then it will be too late for them to stop you. They're going to Ottawa right from the arena tonight except poor, sick Auston so they really couldn't stop you if they wanted to."

"Okay good. None of them want me here. Mitch yelled at me this morning after reading my mind so it pissed off Kappy and Will too. I just need to fix this, ya know?"

"What if you can't?" She wasn't asking to be mean. I could tell she was genuinely curious.

"Tessa I have to. These boys all love each other. They're family. I can't keep ripping them apart. I'm going to talk to Auston while I'm safe and he can't get me."

"He is very weak. Morgan injected him with vervain before he left so that you'd be as safe as possible." I nodded as she told me.

"As long as I don't die I'm good."

"You absolutely will not die. I can promise you that." She said opening the front door for me. She lead the way down into the basement as she sing-songed, "Visitor Auston."

"I don't want her here."

"That's nice. Anyway (y/n), I'll be upstairs. I'm making some food so just come get some when you're ready."

"Thanks." I smiled at her as she started walking away.

The basement was dirt floored but I didn't particularly care. I put my backpack down and sat beside it with my back against the wall facing Auston.

"Uh oh, the princess is going to get her clothes dirty."

"I'm not a dainty little princess Auston."

"Yeah sure whatever."

"Listen Auston I'll eat a cricket right fucking now. I was in scouting for years, you think I give a rats ass about having dirt on my jeans?"

"Guess not." We were quiet for a little while before he spoke up again. "Why are you here?"

"I want us to get along. Or at least tolerate each other."

"Did the boys put you up to this?" I snorted at that.

"As if. They all yelled at me for even thinking about coming to talk to you."

"Then why are you here?"

"They're not the boss of me and they're travelling tonight so they can't stop me."

"That's brave, I'll give you that. So what were you so desperate to talk to me about?"

"Well first of all you have to teach me how to hide my thoughts from Mitch but more importantly what the actual fuck was that last night?"

"I don't want to talk about that."

"Fine then. Let me know when you do."

I pulled my phone out of my bag and saw a message from William.

W: You really are a brat you know.

Me: yes.

W: are you at least being careful?

Me: baby relax. I'm completely okay. Tessa is here, Auston is locked up. I have to do this. Please trust me.

There was a lot of typing and erasing but finally he sent another message.

W: I do trust you. I just want you safe. I understand what you're trying to accomplish, I just don't know if it's going to work. I have to go now but I will be checking in on you often. I love you.

Me: love you too. Have a good game!

I closed out of text messages and opened the audio file Amy sent. I started transcribing and Auston just sat there looking grumpy. Once I was done I looked back up at him.

"You look fucking miserable."

"I am fucking miserable no thanks to you."

"It's not my fault you're in there. You broke rules I've been told."

"Damn they're really fucking telling you everything."

"I'm going to be one of you some day. Morgan thinks it's important that I know."

"God an eternity with you?" He asked frustrated.

"Look Auston you don't know a fucking thing about me. I don't know how you'd know exactly how bad an eternity with me around would be. You're the only one with a fucking problem."

"That's what's pissing me off! No one else has any fucking problems about sharing all our secrets with someone who works for the media!"

"Auston I have known for three days now. I've been around journalists two out of three of them. Don't you think if I wanted everyone in the world to know about it I'd have told by now? I'll never tell a secret that isn't mine to share. Unless I get specific permission from the person whose secret it is, I'm not saying a word."

"Mhm sure."

"What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Morgan said you and Kappy had some bad experiences but he wouldn't tell me because they're your stories."

"That's the worst thing that ever happened to me. Why would I tell you?"

"We could trade. I'll tell you the worst thing that ever happened to me?" He was quiet for a really long time and I thought that was going to be the end of the conversation. I was playing on my phone when he spoke up again.

"Fine. Let's trade the worst stories of our lives. You're going first though."

"Why me?"

"So that I know you're not tricking me."

"And what if you're tricking me?"

"I won't."

"I don't believe you but what I do know is that I've got a few days and the 10 hour version of the gummy bear song ready to go. I'll get you talking."

"Whatever, just start."

"Alright fine. 2 years ago I was in a really bad relationship-"

"Fucking that's it? Your worst moment is a relationship?" He asked in disgust.

"No. Let me tell my fucking story." I snapped. He stayed quiet so I continued. "He was a drunk, drug addict. Very abusive. Hit me all the time. One time he threw me down a flight of stairs because I refused to snort coke a random person offered. He broke my wrist and ribs that night."

"That sounds bad."

"It was. But that's the tame part of the story."

"Cocaine and broken bones is the tame part?"

"Absolutely."

"What happened next?" He asked trying to be nonchalant about it. It didn't reach his eyes though,  they showed a bit of concern.

"I broke up with him. I couldn't handle it anymore. I wasn't allowed to watch hockey anymore and even worse, baseball! Dude took away my favourite thing because I was 'looking at other men'. It was lame. I couldn't talk to my dad for the same reason."

"But he's your father?"

"Yes but he was a man. Anyone with a dick this dude saw as a threat. Even strangers on TV and family."

"That's messed up."

"You think that's messed up? Just wait." I resituated myself and cleared my throat. "So I dump him. He leaves to my complete surprise. I stopped leaving my house because he was always outside. About a week later I wake up to my door being busted open. In he comes to my bedroom. Without going into too much detail, he raped me just to prove he could. I was his and always would be. I kept screaming so he started strangling me. I completely blacked out. When I came to, he was gone."

"(Y/n) I'm sorry that's really awful." He said softly. 

"To be honest with you that's the only reason the boys knew about what happened last night. I was in shock. You brought me right back to the absolute helpless, gut wrenching feeling that I was going to be strangled to death and I would never be able to stop it from happening. But worse this time because literally nothing I could do to you would've stopped you." I wiped a tear from my cheek and laughed. "Sorry I'm being a weak little bitch right now."

"You're not. You're not weak. I'm so sorry I made you feel like that. It wasn't my intention."

"It's whatever Auston. Tell me your story now."

"Mine seems kind of mild now.."

"I don't care, tell me."

"Fine." He grumbled looking at the floor. "When I was first turned it was by this really beautiful girl. Prettiest I'd ever seen. I was 17 and fell in love with her fast. It was a different time back then and we got married."

"What was her name?" He gave me a hard stare but told me anyway.

"Lillian. I called her Lily. She had the prettiest long black curls and the greenest eyes you've ever seen."

"She sounds lovely."

"She was. She didn't feel the same for me though. I was just something for fun, for her to waste a few years on. She did care about me on some level but it wasn't to the extent of my feelings for her. After a while she told me what she was. She'd feed off me all the time. Just a little here and there usually. She had given me some of her blood too every so often."

"Why would she do that?"

"Our blood can fix injuries in humans almost instantly. Don't get any ideas."

"I promise you on William's life I wasn't."

"Anyways one night she was drinking and went too far. I died. But because her blood was in my system from an injury earlier that day I came back as what you see now."

"So that's how it works? Dying with blood in the system?"

"Or by the venom. Apparently the venom hurts but the blood drinking is gross. The best way depends on the person and circumstances."

"Okay. What happened next?"

"Well she panicked. She had never wanted me to become like her. I was naive and thought it was perfect because we could be together forever. She didn't see it that way. We spent a few years together but she was drawing too much attention to herself. She was getting sloppy leaving bodies around, sleeping with other men. My parents questioned me about it and I told them everything like the dumb 20 year old kid I was. They told me they'd handle everything. Boy did they ever." He scoffed.

"What did they do?"

"They told everyone in town about us. About the monsters living among them. Everyone in town was furious at her. Coming into town and turning one of the beloved children into a monster. They burned the only woman I ever loved in front of me."

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry Auston."

"It's alright. I'm over her death. I have been for a while. It was the betrayal from my parents and family afterwards that lingers."

"What do you mean?"

"The only reason they let me live was because they all helped raise me. It was a small village. I hadn't caused anyone harm so they kicked me out. Said if I disappeared, I didn't have to die the fiery death she did. So I left. My self preservation instincts are incredibly high so I managed on my own until I found Morgan."

"That's so awful. I'm so sorry Auston. You were alone that whole time?"

"I found companions but I always left after a couple years."

"Did you ever tell anyone else?"

"After all that shit? Absolutely not. I swore to myself that I'd never tell anyone again and I haven't."

"Wow..yeah I guess I can't blame you. That sounds so terrible. I can't even imagine."

"Can you see now why I'm not very trusting?"

"Yes. I get it now. Especially if your survival instincts are so heightened. It makes sense."

"It's nothing personal, I just don't fucking trust anybody that isn't one of us and I don't think I ever will again."

"That's fair. I think you know deep down that I'm not going to say anything though. With both Morgan's word and Mitchy's. I don't care if you'll admit that out loud or not." I got up and brushed off my pants.

"Were are you going?"

"I'm going to get some food. But I'll be back. Don't think you're rid of me yet Matthews." I pointed to him as I walked away making him snort.

"I didn't figure your stubborn ass would give up that easy."

I went up and grabbed some food. I went to the table and called William since I knew he'd be out of the arena by this point. It had been hours since I got here. It rang once before William answered.

"I'm very upset with you."

"I know you are. If it makes you feel any better I think we've made a little bit of progress?"

"Love, I think it's so sweet that you want to try and fix this for everyone but I'm really worried about you being there."

"Tessa is here. Besides I don't want to be at my house alone when no one is here just in case. One weak vampire is still tougher than one Tommy. Even with just Tessa I'd feel safer."

"Baby I'm sorry you don't feel safe. We're going to have a talk about then when I come back okay?"

"Alright that sounds good."

"What have you guys talked about?"

"We traded worse moment in our lives stories. I understand a lot better now why he's so untrusting and nervous about me but I also think he knows deep down that I won't ever put you guys in danger." 

"Yes I'm sure he knows that too."

"What are you doing right now?"

"I'm on the bus. We left a little while ago so we should be in Ottawa by 3-ish, maybe 4."

"That's good. How was the game?"

"We won 5-3."

"Yay good job baby! Proud of you."

"Thank you (y/n)." I could hear him smile before he yawned. "Darling I think I'm going to go. I need to get some sleep and I'm keeping Mitch awake. Good luck with talking to Auston about what happened last night."

"Oh I'll do it. I have a 10 hour version of the gummy bear song if he doesn't want to talk."

"Auston's gonna wish we actually killed him after that." I heard Mitch say. "Pure torture. She's a genius."

"Apparently you're a genius babe."

"I am yes. Thank you for noticing Mitchy. I'll let you guys go. I love you."

"I love you."

"See you soon."

"Bye darling."

I hung up and looked at the time. It was almost midnight. I decided to go down to the basement and see if I could get him to talk again.

"I thought I'd gotten lucky and you forgot about me." He said sarcastically.

"Not likely Auston. You ready to talk about what the fuck happened last night?"

"Nope."

"Alright." I shrugged at him and turned on the gummy bear song on my bluetooth speaker. I put it super far out of Auston's reach and cranked it.

"I've been tortured before. This isn't going to break me so you might as well just stop."

"Goodnight Auston." I went upstairs to William's room. I hoped he wouldn't mind me sleeping there then I realized how dumb that sounded and just got into bed. I fell asleep pretty quickly with the knowledge that Auston would be completely driven insane by the music in the morning.

[that-shamrock-vibe]

Movie Review: Sonic the Hedgehog (Spoilers)

Spoiler Warning: I am posting this review the day the movie is first released in the U.K, so if you haven’t yet seen the movie do not read on until you have.

General Reaction:

It's difficult with today's movie going audience to predict how movies like Sonic are going to perform and be received. Especially when the ad campaign did absolutely no favours for this movie other than convince Paramount that Sonic needed a more truthful redesign than what they originally put out.

Here's the thing. Sonic the Hedgehog to me is trying to be 2020's Detective Pikachu capitalising on that nostalgia of a beloved classic franchise.

However, I do feel that the haters and internet trolls out there are not going to be able to get past the comparisons this movie draws to 2011's Hop, which was a live-action/CGI-hybrid movie starring James Marsden who becomes the companion of a somewhat overbearing CG creature.

But, I encourage all movie goers, including the haters, to go into this with an open mind...particularly if you have any history with Sonic because you will get some enjoyment and walk away afterwards feeling happy overall.

My personal history with Sonic is slightly less-so than I would like. I played the original 2 SEGA games countless times and did watch some episodes of the earlier animated shows.

Having said that, my main Sonic fandom actually comes from the mid-noughties series Sonic X, which I feel this movie could have adapted but alas. Also I played the Shadow the Hedgehog spinoff game and more recently Smash Bros where I actually won as Sonic recently.

Now this movie reminds me of those shows and games practically in no way. I mean there is that opening sequence where you see Sonic running around and looping like he does in the SEGA games, I do also feel like James Marsden's character could easily be an older version of Chris, the boy from Sonic X, but aside from that, the gold rings and Robotnik...there's not a lot for the Sonic fans to spot.

I can't say this is a perfect movie, because it really is not. There are a lot of super speed gags and some of them do stick but some just fall flat and at times feel repetitive.

The worst crime this movie commits in my opinion is stealing Quicksilver's gimmick of speed scenes. By which I mean there are not one but two occasions when time is slowed down to almost a halt and we see Sonic running around still. They even have songs specific for these scenes.

Also, because I'm not fully aware of every Sonic incarnation, I did not understand why Sonic is effectively The Flash with being able to generate lightning. I mean I understand the laws of physics of generating enough friction can create static but I have never known Sonic to have any electric attacks.

I did like how the static electricity was preserved in his quills when they fell off though. In animation and the games you don’t think about Sonic’s realistic hedgehog qualities such as having quills so it was a nice touch.

I am also aware that Sonic has turned Super Saigen before with the help of the Chaos Emeralds I believe, so the fact we see a similar transformation here is quite good to see for that reason.

In terms of story I do think this is a simple plot that has been done numerous times, Hop is definitely one example that comes to mind, but I feel it’s also a very accessible story for non-Sonic fans.

I don’t know if Longclaw the Owl is an original character or one from Sonic mythology but I did not really vest much interest in her. Baby Sonic I thought was cute, but I refuse to accept anyone saying he is cuter than Baby Yoda as no one is cuter than Baby Yoda.

On the subject of age, it was good to see them acknowledging Sonic’s age for a change as opposed to just presuming because up until now I did always think he was some sort of teenager but this confirms it. If Baby Sonic is around 5-9 years old then Sonic in present day is late teens which makes sense with his temperament.

The gold rings being used as teleportation devices, I don’t know if they’re meant to be in the games but loved their use here.

I enjoyed the use of technology in this movie and particularly Robotnik’s commentary on how technology is more reliable than people which ties into his ultimate fate of being stranded alone without another soul on the planet he is sent to which forces him further into insanity.

The fact Sonic’s story is about fitting into society while James Marsden’s character is about figuring out what’s right in front of him are great parallels and do balance each other out rather well.

Also where he ends up with effectively being part of a family as well as a town hero was a nice way to wrap things up.

However, that mid-credits scene showing the arrival of Sonic’s faithful protege Tails to the real world looking for his friend screams for a sequel, especially if this means that more of Sonic’s companions could be introduced in the future like Knuckles, Shadow or even Rouge the Bat.

Characters:

Dr. Robotnik:

I don’t want to say he is the best character because I feel all four of the main cast members do a great job, but my favourite definitely is Jim Carrey as Robotnik. This is Carrey back on form and there were so many great shades of back when he was at the top of his game in the 90s with work such as Ace Ventura, The Mask and The Grinch.

From his first scene he stole every scene he was in. You could tell that he was taking the role seriously while also having the time of his life with it and this is why, back in the day, he was on such high form.

He may not have been the overweight bald megalomaniac, at least with the latter two not until the end of the movie, but he was the evil genius and mad scientist and almost every line he delivered he nailed.

I think “rockonnaissance” is going to be the new “joygasm” for him but it worked for The Riddler and it works for Robotnik.

I’m also happy he was nicknamed Eggman in the movie by Sonic because of the shape of his drones, I thought it was fitting. I can’t wait for Sonic to see the new bald version.

Sonic:

Yes Sonic is second but I said it before, there were times when he was overbearing.

Ben Schwartz by the way does a fantastic job voicing the character, I know he voices Dewey in the new Ducktales series and also for some reason voices BB-8 in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, but this is my favourite role of his voice is so realistic for a wide-eyed and somewhat innocent “alien” hedgehog.

I enjoyed how when he first came to Earth he was this urban legend around Green Hills who spent those 10 years people watching and either making up nicknames for the citizens while also longing to fit in with them but knowing not to.

Also the movie’s comedy was never as vulgar as Ryan Reynolds or immature as Russell Brand. I think they had one fart joke in the movie but the rest was generic comedy movie material which was hit and miss in comedy.

It was quite touching also that he was so protective of Green Hills and the status quo so much so that when Tom said he was planning on leaving to move to San Francisco, he was so offended and I thought it was going to be that trope of “Oh now they’re going to separate only to discover they need each other later” but instead it was a few digs and then they got over it.

I am so happy they did redesign the character because the movie’s original look for him was horrendous and did make Cats look reasonable whereas this is more like the Sonic everyone knows and I did not realise he didn’t have his traditional running shoes until Jojo, the niece of Tika Sumpter’s character, replaced them for him.

I will keep saying I want a sequel just because I am interested to see where Sonic’s story takes him next, especially with Tails now on Earth and the potentiality that others could join.

The Wachowskis

Again I thought James Marsden and Tika Sumpter did very pleasant jobs. This is my favourite James Marsden performance to date. Up until now his roles have been either corny or simply bland for me but here, yes there were a couple of dodgy jokes and moments but overall I thought Tom was a very likeable character and at the very least a driven character.

His wife Maddie, first of all props to the movie writers for having a mixed-race couple front and centre in the movie. But also, Maddie, who is also an accomplished career woman alongside her accomplished career husband, did not weigh Tom down or the story down as simply being “just the wife”.

I also enjoyed Maddie’s sister and niece, Jojo is quite cute and for the little screentime that she has does well with it for a child her age. While Natasha Rothwell continues to grow in my estimations after her fabulous turn in Love, Simon as the very sassy teacher.

Others:

As for the rest of the cast, this was a great who’s who for spotting the great jobbing actors as Lee Majdoub, Neal McDonough, Michael Hogan and Adam Pally all have minor supporting roles that do not go unnoticed.

Meanwhile Colleen Villard (née O'Shaughnessey), who voices Tails in the video games as well as voicing Wasp in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes series and Sora in the Digimon franchise, reprises her role as the anthropomorphic fox in an uncredited mid-credits scene. I am hoping she returns for the sequel because it is good to hear her acting again.

Recommendation:

I do see a future for this movie in terms of a franchise. I do not quite see it crossing over with Detective Pikachu as I know there were rumblings of some sort of Super Smash Bros. movie cinematic universe.

However, if the movie does warrant a sequel, and with a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 64%, considering this seems to be a deciding factor for some cinema goers, I don’t see why not. I am hoping the future of this franchise does see the introductions of Knuckles, Shadow, Rouge and even Amy.

Potentially also spinning off from this franchise, there could be Donkey Kong, Mega Man and maybe even Mario to create that Super Smash Bros. universe.

Overall I rate the movie 8/10, it’s a great movie and definitely has some rewatchability to it.

Having said that I can see where some cinema snobs or even haters may come from as they inevitably target the movie but I encourage everyone not to be taken in by other people’s opinions, not even mine, make up your own minds and see it for yourself.

So that’s my review of Sonic the Hedgehog, what did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more Movie Reviews as well as other posts.

[naturepointstheway]

Day 12/30 BatB line prompts: “I Haven’t Performed in SO LONG”

Adam wasn’t sure whether he should be bemused or amused at how much Chip had been trailing after him the last few months or so. It wasn’t that he minded, per se, he was just...surprised. Why would Chip trust someone who had been so awful the first few years of his life--he’d ignored the boy, he was just another member of the staff during his pre-curse reign. He’d had no ill will toward the boy, he just had paid no heed to him. And during the curse? Everyone stayed away from him during the curse, more or less, so it really hadn’t mattered how he’d felt about the child either way. Nevertheless, he still remembered the horror he’d had when he first discovered the boy had become a fragile teacup. Of all the things an Enchantress could turn a rambunctious little boy into! 

But now several months--at least half a year, maybe a little more--had passed since the curse was lifted, and already, Chip seemed to have taken a great liking to him despite everything that had happened before. Adam remembered once when Chip had accosted him in the kitchen, blurting out that reading was his favourite hobby now (Chip? Reading quietly for hours in an armchair? Without getting restless?), and he had been both surprised and befuddled. Wasn’t reading his least favourite thing? (Adults must get so bored sitting and reading for hours!) 

“Looks like it’s your turn to have a second shadow, mon ami!” Lumiere had said that day, clapping a hand on the prince’s shoulder, grinning down at him. 

Adam hadn’t needed to ask to know that Lumiere had been remembering all those times when he was really little--years before his mother’s death--when he’d followed Lumiere around and copied everything he did, right down to his interests. 

Alas, even back then, he couldn’t convert Lumiere to a love of books, and by now he knew he never would, even if he spent the rest of his days trying.

“How long have you known Lumiere?” 

Adam looked up from the chessboard at Chip’s question. The boy peered eagerly up at the prince from his perch on the other chair with its two cushions so the child could reach more easily. 

“A while--since I was a little boy.” 

Chip, seeing Adam had finished his turn, immediately moved a pawn one more square. He didn’t know it, but Adam was set on letting the boy win; it was only fair for his first ever game of chess (which he had all of a sudden become interested in after having seen the prince and Cogsworth playing it the other night.) 

“When were you last a little boy?” 

“Oh let’s see...about fifteen or so years ago.”

“That’s ages ago!” Chip’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head in amazement. The prince can’t help a laugh at the innocently astonished expression. 

“Yes, yes, Chip, it was a long time ago.” 

“How old were you when you first met him? Was it when he came here to the castle?” 

“I was about four...” Adam stopped, hand hovering one of the chess pieces as he made some quick calculations in his head. “Yes, four sounds about right to me.” 

“Younger than me!”

“Not much younger than you. I remember it was a really stormy night when he arrived at the castle, spinning stories and telling great tales from the very moment he set foot in the castle.” 

“What kinds of stories?” 

“All sorts of stories, Chip.” 

“What were your favourites?” 

“Wait, remember, the bishop can only move diagonally. That’s right, you got it now. Anyway, my favourites? It’s hard to pick just one.” 

“I said favourites in plural. That means more than one!” 

Adam grinned, “So it’s fine with you if I say all his stories were my favourites?” 

“Sure.” 

“Excellent. Because he told the best stories of anyone, not that I’m biased, of course.” 

“What else?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, what else did he do with you for fun?” 

“He would put on performances,” Adam remembered, “That would cheer me up every time.” 

“Were they just for you?” 

“Oh no, they were for everyone should they care to watch. My mother always loved to watch with me. But...” Adam leaned forward, his voice lowering to a conspirational whisper, “Don’t tell him this, but I always used to cover my ears when he sang. Shhh.” 

“I don’t think he sings that bad.” 

“Who sings that bad? Adam!” 

Adam straightened up in his chair, twisting around at the same time to see Lumiere had found them. The prince hadn’t heard anyone coming, probably due to his being so into the game of chess with Chip. The little boy clapped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide as if in apprehension, but Adam could see the smile slipping out anyway. 

“Nobody,” Adam said at once, and it wasn’t a lie, “I grew out of that, Lumiere.” 

“Ah.” Lumiere folded his arms with a nod, “So you were telling him all about my singing?” 

“I said I grew out of thinking you had terrible singing! Tastes change with age, do they not?” 

“So you’re saying my singing isn’t bad anymore?” 

“Practice made perfect, Lumiere. It’s passable now.” 

“Just passable?”  

“Lumiere!” Chip piped up as he jumped off the seat, the cushions slipping off onto the floor, “The prince was telling me he knew you since he was four years old! It’s been a long time since he was four.” 

“And a longer time for me, my boy,” Lumiere said as he bent down to give Chip a hug, “I was a few months away from my sixteenth birthday when I came here.” 

“Can you perform something for us soon?” Chip asked as Lumiere straightened back up from the hug.

Lumiere made a face like he was thinking very hard on this request. After a moment of reflection, he gave a dramatic sigh, shoulders sagging, shaking his head in sadness. 

“It has been so long since I’ve performed, I can barely even remember how.” 

“Lumiere! Every day is an entirely new performance for you!” Adam countered, pretending to take him seriously, “I truly think Shakespeare wrote his “All the world’s a stage” line just for you.”

“Even over a century before I was born?” 

“Believe it.” 

Lumiere grinned, “I’m flattered.”

“And don’t think I didn’t hear the performance you put on for Belle when she first arrived here.” 

Chip gaped around at Adam. “You heard that? Why didn’t you get angry?” 

Adam bit back a wince at the blunt words. He didn’t blame Chip for it in the slightest--he did have a hair-trigger temper back then, the boy wasn’t wrong about that.

“I didn’t, and even if I did, I knew Lumiere well enough to know that when he wants to do something, he’ll do it whatever it takes."

And laughter died when I entered a room anyway. 

Adam quickly shooed away that thought, trying to keep his mood light for the boy’s sake. Fortunately, it was quickly superseded by another, arguably much happier thought, only for that to be muffled by a nudge of doubt. 

“Ah, never mind,” he found himself saying aloud. 

Lumiere looked over at him. “Never mind what?” 

“I was about to suggest you perform that again at dinner tonight, since I...but never mind. It was for Belle anyway. Did you see any of it, Chip?” 

“A little bit!” the boy confirmed, going back to the chair, putting the cushions back on the seat before climbing back up. “It was fun!” 

“Wait, you only saw a little bit of it?” 

“No time like tonight to show you the full performance!” Lumiere declared, “All are invited, but especially you, Chip! You too, Adam.” 

Adam’s hand froze part way through moving his knight. “Wait, me? Why? I heard it--isn’t that enough?” 

“No, and you know full well it isn’t. You know you wanted to see the whole show, right?” 

Adam set the knight down on its new place, leaning back in his chair as Chip leaned forward to have his turn. 

He’s not wrong, really. 

He remembered Belle telling him all about the performance Lumiere had conducted. He too remembered wishing that he could have seen the full production number--it had sounded so wonderful, so much like the performances he remembered Lumiere putting on during his childhood. 

He’s right. Of course he’s right.

He would have asked how Lumiere knew he couldn’t resist a performance, but he was quick to remind himself that the man had known him a long time too. Long enough to know full well.

“I’ll be there, Lumiere.” 

“Just as I had thought! No time to waste then, my friends!” Lumiere gave them an extravagent bow, “Au revoir and see you tonight! I may or may not dance on the table as I had during the performance too. I can’t promise no chandelier swinging either.” 

With that, he turned on his heels, coat swishing about him, and dashed off before the prince had time to think about Lumiere’s parting words. And when it hit him, the prince hoped that it had been in jest about the chandelier acrobatics.

“No chandelier swinging please,” he mumbled. 

“What?” Chip asked. 

“Don’t worry about it. So, is it still your move or is it mine now?”

“Mine.”

A performance at dinner tonight. How long has it been since I’ve seen him do that? 

Too long, he knew, it had been far too long. Up until now, he hadn’t realised just how much he had actually missed that dinner entertainment, Lumiere’s own way of brightening up a meal.  It had been his father who had put an end to it not long after his mother’s death, and, while he knew Lumiere’s remark on how long it had been since he has performed he had almost forgotten how was in jest, nevertheless, far too many years had passed without the same entertainment at the dinner table.

No time like the present to bring back what used to be and undo what my father has wrought on the castle. There shall be music at dinner again, just the way it should always have been. 

He could only pray it wouldn’t involve acrobatic antics with the chandeliers.

[qammariqbal]

All celebrity looks on Oscars Red Carpet 2019

Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke got to the Oscars red carpet pretty early. I guess she couldn’t wait for night to begin. She looks absolutely stunning in this metallic pinky silvery dress. I love the asymmetric neckline and the form-fitting (but not too tight) silhouette.

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images I wonder if we’ll see any more Game of Thrones stars on this year’s red carpet. Keep reading to see if any other citizens of Westeros show up to Hollywood’s biggest night.

Constance Wu

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Constance Wu looks like a literal princess in this yellow chiffon dress. And by a literal princess, of course, I mean Princess Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I know Disney just did a live action Beauty and the Beast, and Emma Watson was great in it, but now I kind of want Constance Wu to play Belle. There can never be too many live action Disney remakes, right? Don’t even talk to me about Aladdin…

Danielle Macdonald

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Danielle Macdonald was all over the place this year. It seemed like she was in every hit show that came out on Netflix. We loved her as Olympia in Bird Box, we loved her as Willowdean in Dumplin’, and we love her in this red dress on the red carpet. Danielle definitely stands out in this of the shoulder gown. This is the perfect dress to wear when you show up to the Oscars for the first time.

Spike Lee

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Unlike Danielle Macdonald, Spike Lee has been on this carpet a few times before. He knows how it’s done, and he’s walking the carpet with confidence. He looks like a regular Waluigi and he’s sporting some serious bling. Look at those brass knuckles. I think I like the "love" one more than the "hate" one, but I guess you can’t have one without the other. He’s even wearing purple glasses. This guy thought of everything.

Marie Kondo

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Just a few weeks ago, most people didn’t even know Marie Kondo’s name. Now everyone is using her name as a verb. The other day my sister told me that she just “Marie Kondo-ed her cutlery drawer.” Not only does Marie Kondo know how to organize a house, but she also knows how to dress. Look at this stunning floor-length pink gown with silver appliqués. Is she always this perfect?

Amandla Stenberg

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Amandla Stenberg has grown up a lot since we saw her play Rue in the first Hunger Games movie. Now she’s walking the Oscars red carpet in this absolutely stunning dress that looks like something straight out of The Great Gatsby. I think this is my favorite dress so far, but we’re going to have to wait to see who else steps out a limo wearing something none of us can afford.

Yalitza Aparicio

Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage Yalitza Aparicio strutted her stuff on the Oscars red carpet wearing this gorgeous aquamarine dress. I love the one-shoulder neckline and the color compliments her skin tone so beautifully. Yalitza was amazing in Roma and I’m so glad that she got an Oscar nomination. Her performance was pitch perfect and I can’t wait to see what she does next. She looks even better in color than she does in black and white.

Regina King

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Ok, that settles it, Regina King is bona fide royalty. The clues were all there. I mean, her last name is king, her first name is Latin for “queen,” what more do I have to say? Regina looks like she belongs in a castle guarded by the entire cast of Game of Thrones. I love this white dress. It’s simple, it’s elegant, it’s everything we’ve ever wanted. I love the matching white shoes.

Octavia Spencer

Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage Last year Octavia Spencer was in The Shape of Water, the film that ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. This year she showed up to the red carpet ready to present an award to another deserving artist. This midnight blue dress looks like something a very wealthy, very stylish person would wear to prom. I love the subtle sparkle in the fabric and the little clutch ties the whole look together.

Awkwafina

Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage We should have known that Awkwafina wouldn’t wear a typical long gown to the Oscars. This is Hollywood’s biggest night, and Awkwafina isn’t going to miss an opportunity to be extraordinary. This pantsuit is everything we never knew we needed. It kind of looks like it’s made out of the same material as Emilia Clarke’s dress. Watch out, Emilia, Awkwafina is coming for your look. I’m just joshing, I’m sure there’s enough pinkish sparkly fabric to go around.

Billy Porter

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images There was a lot to see on the red carpet, but one of the first dresses was the most memorable. Singer and actor Billy Porter arrived in a one-of-a-kind Christian Siriano tuxedo ballgown. Before he hit the red carpet, Porter told Vogue that he wanted to play the part of both male and female on the red carpet. The internet was torn about whether or not they liked the bold outfit, but Porter acknowledged that people would be uncomfortable but that “it’s not anybody’s business but mine.”

Linda Cardellini

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Linda Cardellini definitely didn’t pick a dress that blends into the crowd. Her movie Green Book was up for Best Picture and that means it’s time to celebrate. This is a celebration dress. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many ruffles on one garment. Linda doesn’t care that she wasn’t nominated for an individual award this year. She’s here to celebrate her cast and their collective accomplishments. Also, this is a gorgeous shade of pink.

Melissa McCarthy And Ben Falcone

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Melissa McCarthy walked the red carpet in this beautiful black and white pantsuit. She’s looking fitter than ever and I think I need a long white cape now. Melissa McCarthy is channeling her inner superhero and I’m living for it. Her husband and frequent collaborator, Ben Falcone, doesn’t look too bad either. A classic tuxedo is always a good look. These two definitely coordinated their outfits. They look like a match made in heaven.

Sandy Powell

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images I had no idea who Sandy Powell was until this very moment, but how can you not stop and stare at this amazing suit. All those lines are making me dizzy and I can’t say that I’m mad about it. Her bright orange hair is the perfect counterpoint to this monochromatic look. Sandy Powell is the costume designer who dressed all of the actors in The Favourite. She also worked on Marry Poppins Returns.

Glenn Close

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Glenn Close looks like she’s ready to win a golden statue in this statuesque gold dress. We’ve seen Glenn Close play countless queens, Cruella Deville, and now an underappreciated wife. Well, she’s definitely not going to be underappreciated tonight. Glenn Close owns the red carpet. She may as well roll it up and take it home with her in her limo. I’m so happy for Glenn! This woman totally deserves all of the recognition.

Kacey Musgraves

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Kacey Musgraves just won a gigantic Grammy award and now she’s walking the red carpet at the 91st annual Academy Awards. She’s wearing a tiered tulle covered pink gown. Pink definitely themes to be the color of the night at this year’s Oscars, and I promise you there are more pink dresses to come. Kacey looks like a walking cloud or poof of cotton candy. That dress looks absolutely delicious.

Gemma Chan

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images I told you there would be more pink. Gemma Chan looks stunning in this easy, breezy, beautiful loose pink dress. It looks like she just threw this on even though I know it took her the whole day to get ready. Gemma showed up to the Oscars as part of the cast of Crazy Rich Asians which totally smashed it at the box office this year. Enjoy your moment, Gemma!

Jennifer Hudson

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Jennifer Hudson knows how to bring the drama to the red carpet. This dress screams drama, from its deep red color, to its one shoulder detail, to its giant center ruffle. Also, did you get a good look at those earrings? How much do you think just one of those earrings would cost? Probably more than my house. Jennifer looks absolutely stunning. Take note people, this is how you do Hollywood glamor right.

Tina Fey And Maya Rudolph

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph are kind of like yin and yang on the Oscars red carpet. Tina went for a low key cool blue strapless dress, and Maya chose a patterned, pink, long-sleeved gown. I love how these two balance each other out. Also, both of these dresses are perfect for the person wearing them. Which dress do you like best? Tina’s or Maya’s? Personally, I like Maya’s a little bit better.

Helen Mirren

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic It looks like Helen Mirren got the pink memo. A lot of celebrities have opted for lighter, more airy fabrics on Oscar night, and Helen Mirren is one of those celebrities. I love how this dress is made up of multiple pink tones, plus Helen’s stylist made a great decision to pair this gown with a diamond necklace that can only be described as a show stopper. How is anybody going to be able to pay attention to the awards when Helen Mirren is wearing that thing around her neck?

Amy Adams

Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage I’ve always loved Amy Adams as an actress, but this year she starred in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects and that show made me love her even more. Enough about Sharp Objects (which is amazing by the way, definitely watch it), let’s talk about this dress. Who says a white dress has to be boring? The structure of this dress is perfection, and the different shades of grey and subtle texturing in the fabric take the whole look right over the top.

Emma Stone

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images This isn’t Emma Stone’s first rodeo. She knows how this red carpet thing is done. She’s won an Oscar once before, remember? That whole La La Land and Moonlight fiasco? Anyway, let’s move onwards and upwards. Emma Stone always picks the loveliest dresses to wear to events, but this one is particularly special. It kind of looks like it’s made out of dragon scales. Maybe she’s just excited for the new season of Game of Thrones.

Lisa Bonet And Jason Momoa

Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage Speaking of Game of Thrones, I told you we’d probably se some more stars of that show on this list. Jason Momoa may not be on the show currently (which means he doesn’t have any spoilers for us), but he’s definitely a big part of the whole saga. These two are wearing matching outfits and it’s way too cute for me. Jason Momoa is so much taller than Lisa Bonet, it’s ridiculous.

Brie Larson

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images I’m loving Brie Larson’s new ice blonde hair. She’s starting to look like a real superhero and I can’t wait to see her smash buildings and save the day in Captain Marvel. Brie Larson always looks gorgeous in a very particular girl next door kind of way. Like she’s pretty, but it’s a kind of pretty that seems attainable. I like it. This girl has charm seeping out of every pore. Also, that silver dress is stunning.

Charlize Theron

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Well, Brie Larson’s gone blonde and Charlize Theron is now a brunette. Who would have thought? I think the brown hair suits her. She looks like she’s ready to become the next president or something. This periwinkle blue dress is so unique. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it on the red carpet. Charlize is amazing. I wonder why she didn’t host the Oscars. She probably didn’t want to. She’s too busy ruling the world.

Laura Dern

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Laura Dern was amazing in Big Little Lies last year and in just about everything she’s ever done. I think Laura Dern is one of the most underrated actresses of our time. Where’s her Oscar nod, Academy? I don’t think she deserves an award for this dress though. I mean, she doesn’t belong on a worst dressed list, but I just don’t think it’s anything special. I think this burgundy number kind of looks like a bridesmaid’s dress.

Tessa Thompson

Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage Tessa Thompson has been in this business for a long time, but I think 2018 was definitely her year. She was amazing in Westworld and she starred in all of Janelle Monae’s music videos. She went from being that girl in that thing to being absolutely iconic. This dress is stunning on her. She looks like a queen bee which is somehow very fitting. I love the details on this little black dress.

Jordan Peele And Chelsea Peretti

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Jordan Peele is working on some very big things that are coming out very soon and I can barely contain my excitement. He won an Oscar for best original screenplay last year for Get Out. Now he’s working on a Twilight Zone series and I have a feeling it’s going to be amazing. Chelsea Peretti, his partner in crime, is funny as heck and she looks amazing in this black and white off the shoulder dress.

Lady Gaga

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images We always expect wild and crazy fashion from Lady Gaga, but she decided to tone it down for this year’s Oscars. She’s wearing long black gloves and a long black strapless dress with some lovely crystal jewelry. Lady Gaga was nominated for multiple Academy Awards this year. She was nominated for awards in a music category and in an acting category, which seems appropriate for this pop star turned actress.

Olivia Colman

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Olivia Colman was nominated for an Academy Award for her work in The Favourite. She was absolutely amazing in that film, and I am so happy to see her looking so lovely on the red carpet. This green dress is stunning on her, and I especially like the long shawl she’s wearing over it. Olivia is a picture of beauty and grace (quite unlike the version of Queen Anne she plays in The Favourite).

John Mullaney And Annamarie Tendler

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic John Mullaney wasn’t about to wear a normal black tuxedo to the Academy Awards. Nope, he’s way to cool for that. He’s wearing a shiny patterned jacket because he’s John Mullaney and he can do whatever he wants. His wife, Anna Tendler, is also taking some fashion risks tonight, and I think they’re definitely paying off. That feathered neckline is everything. I can see why John likes her so much.

Rachel Weisz

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Rachel Weisz decided to one up the red carpet itself with this stunning two-piece red patent leather-esque ensemble. She’s accessorized her dress with a matching red clutch and a gorgeous jewelled headband. Rachel was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in The Favourite. Ultimately, she lost to Regina King, but she still looked stunning on the red carpet. Really, that’s what everyone is tuning in to see anyway.

Danai Gurrira

Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images Danai Gurrira looks absolutely stunning is this floor length gold gown. I love how there are different shades of gold woven into the fabric. Danai showed up to the Oscars as part of the ensemble of Black Panther. You probably also know as Michone from The Walking Dead. Black Panther won several awards at the Oscars, including one for Best Costume Design. The film lost Best Picture to Green Book, but at least the cast got to have a great time on the red carpet.

Laura Marano

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Laura Marano is an actress best known for playing Ally on the Disney Chanel series Austin & Ally. Recently, she also had a part in Greta Gerwig’s 2017 film, Lady Bird. Laura walked the Oscars red carpet in this gorgeous color blocked yellow and pink dress. Laura looks like she’s ready for Easter in this outfit. I especially love the pop of green she added to the look with her little emerald clutch.

Shangela

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Legendary drag queen Shangela wore this stunning ruffled lilac dress on the Oscars red carpet. She attended the Oscars as part of the cast of the Oscar nominated movie A Star is Born. Everything about this look is big and loud from the color to the metallic detaling to the hair. Shangela knows how to strut her stuff, and she can pose for pictures like it’s nobody’s business.

Julia Roberts

Photo by Matt Petit – Handout/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images It looks like Julia Roberts heard that pink was in style, because she also showed up to the Oscars in a pink toned dress. This off the shoulder fuchsia dress balances a simple silhouette with a bold color. Julia’s new blonde hair looks fantastic on her, and I swear it doesn’t look like she aged a day since she won her own Oscar. Remember that iconic acceptance speech? Julia never disappoints.

Elsie Fisher

Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images Elsie Fisher, the breakout star of Bo Burnhams first feature film, Eighth Grade, walked the red carpet in this stunning pant suit. Leave it to this literal teenager to break fashion barriers and make a statement on the red carpet. Elsie Fisher is a queen and we don’t deserve her. Seriously, if you haven’t seen Eighth Grade yet, do yourself a favor and go see that movie immediately. I can’t wait to see what Elsie does next.

Billy Porter

Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images Here it is. The outfit that everybody was talking about. Billy Porter’s half suit half ballgown may have just broken the internet. I think it’s clear that Billy Porter won the red carpet. I mean, how can you not love this look? That pose, though. The pose sells it. You can’t wear an outfit like this unless you have the attitude to match it. Billy definitely has a whole lot of attitude.

Sarah Paulson

Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images It’s been a big year for Sarah Paulson. This actress has just been quietly doing her thing for years, being an amazing actress and appearing in some of our favorite movies and TV shows. this year she was in Bird Box, which was something of a viral sensation. Sarah chose to wear this puffy pink dress on the red carpet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dress quite like this, and while it’s not to my personal taste, I applaud Sarah for taking a risk.

Ruth E. Carter

John Rasimus / Barcroft Media via Getty Images Ruth E. Carter just became the first black woman to win an Oscar for Costume Design. She was recognized for her work on Black Panther. Ruth has been working in this business for years, and it’s about time that she got to hold that golden trophy. Read the full article

[nickireadstfc]

The Foxhole Court, Chapter 12 – Road Trip To Embarrass… Who Again?

In which the squad goes to a talk show, wake-up calls go wrong, Neil goes live on national television, shipping goes well, and I go nuts, just a little bit.

Sounds good? Then it’s time for Nicki to read The Foxhole Court.

Hey, remember two chapters ago when we were promised some prime Road Trip To Embarrass Kevin time? Well, guess what's fucking happening.

          Wymack warned them last night they’d have an early start today, but there was no way the Foxes could start the season without a small party. (…) The upperclassmen put away most of a bottle of vodka even without Neil and Renee helping them. At the time they all thought it would be worth it. After getting less than an hour of sleep, Neil wasn’t so sure.

Ahahaha, literally me at the time writing this.

6hr bus journey – on which you really need to work – at 9 in the morning? Better stay up till 4 drinking wine!!

Don’t be like me, kids.

Unimportant detail: They stop at a gas station for morning fast food, which I liked because I was literally reading this at a fast food gas station.

Here, Wymack attempts to wake everyone up, and I enjoy the return of my favourite running gag:

           “Hemmick! You were supposed to wake them up ten minutes ago!”

           “I don’t want to die,” Nicky said. (…)

          Wymack went all the way to the last row, pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, and threw it at Andrew. Judging by the resounding thud, Andrew woke up as violently as always.

Ahhh yes, nothing like a good ol’ bit of physical violence to greet the day <3

Although: That’s kind of smart, actually. Why did no one else ever think to just throw things at Andrew from a safe no-hit distance?

(Because Wymack is the best, that’s why.)

However apparently, Andrew isn’t the only one with weird sleeping habits:

           Wymack planted his shoe against whatever part of Kevin was closest and started pushing him.

           “Up,” he said over and over, getting louder each time until he was almost shouting. “Get your ass up and moving!”

What follows is an amazing description of a Kevin that just won’t wake up. Like, dude has to run laps down the bus and still almost falls asleep mid-run, putting new meaning into the term running gag.

Also, what level of #iconic and #relatable.

           Wymack smacked the back of his head to wake him up.

          “I hate you,” Kevin said.

           “Breaking news: I don’t care.”

BREAKING NEWS: I DON’T CARE. I have that on a shirt!! It’s part of my modern Grantaire cosplay and I love it to bits. Cue me actually squealing when that happened.

Today on A List of Plot Details That Will Come Back To Bite Me In The Ass At Some Point:

           Kevin dug Andrew’s medicine out of his pocket and handed the bottle over. He and Wymack watched as Andrew tipped a pill into his hand and swallowed it dry. (…)

          Odd, Neil thought, that Kevin would have Andrew’s medicine at all. Kevin had it at Sweetie’s, too.

He’s keeping his medicine for him? Why? The obvious answer would be ‘so he can make sure Andrew takes it’, but I feel like there’s more to it. And why Kevin? Surely Coach or Abby would be the more sensible and responsible candidates. Because they spend the most time together? This is all real shady, you guys.

They arrive at Kathy Ferdinand’s show, and this is where thing get interesting. She comes out to greet them – in the parking lot, might I add, which… the fuck? – and something else comes out as well: Actual traces of charm and positivity in Kevin ‘Stoic and Mighty, All Hail Unto Him’ Day.

           This smile was something else, this was Kevin’s public face. It was meant for interviewers and fans who were better off not knowing the arrogant, ruthless side of a world-class champion. Kevin looked every inch a perfect celebrity. Neil found it horribly disorienting.

And Nicki found it horribly hilarious. I can just imagine Kevin smiling warmly, stance relaxed, a charming eyecandy celeb to everyone, except when you get up real close you can see the actual violent murder in his eyes.

Wonderful.

And now it’s time for this chapter’s ~plot twist~ that ~absolutely no one saw coming~:

           “Did you talk to him?” Kathy asked Kevin.

           “I didn’t think we needed to talk about it,” Kevin said.

           “About what?” Neil asked.

           “I want you on my show this morning,” Kathy said.

Yes. Yes yes yes yes. Did someone say Road Trip To Embarrass Kevin? I feel like this turned into much more of a Road Trip To Embarrass Neil and I am loving it.

This is going to be good.

Also, what the hell is it with Kevin and not telling people about important things? “Oh, by the way we’re going halfway across the state to be on one of the highest-rated talk shows in the nation tomorrow, no biggie you guys”, “Oh, by the way, Neil you’re also going to be on said highest-rated talk show even though I know you’re hiding a shitpile of secrets the size of the Kilimanjaro, yeah no, no need to tell you beforehand you’ll be fine, see me give a shit”.

Neil, of course, has the freak-out of his life, and allows himself a tiny slip-up that will no doubt come back to kick his ass later:

           “It’s not your decision,” Neil said in venomous French. He didn’t realize what he’d done wrong until he felt Wymack’s piercing stare. Andrew’s lot knew Neil spoke French. Neil could explain it to the upperclassmen later and they wouldn’t think twice about it. But Wymack, like Andrew, had also heard Neil speak fluent German.

Oui oui, mon ami, tu as… ah, how you say… fucked up. #languageskillsoutforwymack

However, no Neil freak-out too big for Kevin ‘I Don’t Have Time For Your Teen Angst Bullshit’ Day:

            “You will do this today, or you and I are finished. I will wash my hands of you on the court and you can struggle your way through mediocrity alone. You can return your court keys to Coach when we get back to campus. You won’t need them anymore.”

           It was like getting punched in the chest. “That isn’t fair.”

           “Did you, or did you not promise me that you would try?”

Of course, we can’t say no to that. Love those lil daily doses of Kevin/Neil in between <3

(What’s their ship name? Keil? Nevin? I’m not loving either option.)

Why is he so set on having Neil on that show, though? Just to get him used to being in the public eye because he promises him such a bright future in Exy and knows this is an important part of it? Or is there more to it? Am I reading too much into things again? I’m intrigued.

Ah, I’m sorry, did I say little doses of Kevin/Neil? THINK AGAIN.

           Neil closed his eyes. “Why did you tell the ERC I would make Court?”

           “Because when you stop being impossible and do what I tell you, you will.”

           Andrew hadn’t lied. The articles hadn’t lied. Despite Kevin’s angry words and rude impatience, Kevin believed in Neil’s potential. Kevin wanted to train Neil. He wanted to play with Neil, and he wanted to shape Neil into the star he’d once been. Kevin would never forgive Neil for vanishing on him without warning this fall, and Neil hated that. As complicated as Neil’s obsession with Kevin was, one truth was undeniable: He didn’t want Kevin to hate him.

Hello everyone, I am reporting live from my fucking grave.

GAHHHHHHHHHH. Nothing like a bit of enemies-to-friends trope to get me going.

In other news: Feels over, dicks tucked back into pants, it’s show time!

           Kathy beamed as she slowly paced the front of the stage. “How many of you had the chance to go to the game last night? Oh, wow! How many, like me, watched the game from the comfort of their own home?” She raised her hand and laughed at whatever response she got from the crowd.

This woman is increasingly reminding me of Caesar Flickerman from The Hunger Games.

Just imagine this is how I’m picturing her now at all times, minus the blue hair (probably).

           “Kevin, Kevin, Kevin”, Kathy said, shaking her head in tie to his name. “I still can’t believe I talked you into this. I hope you’ll forgive me when I say it’s surreal to have you back here alone! I still think of you as one half of a whole.”

           “At least I have room to stretch out now,” Kevin said, neatly avoiding a real answer. “I might have to do so in a minute. I can’t believe you expect us to be awake and presentable after last night’s games.”

Is that…… Kevin…….. actually giving charismatic answers……. being an actual human being……. what kind of witchcraft.

I am loving this.

The interview goes on, it’s kind of banal chatter, nothing we didn’t know already, although I am enjoying it tremendously. It’s nice to have a break from all the emo-ing around back home at Palmetto, even if it’s all fake show smiles.

Time for the fakest show smile of them all: Neilly baby!

           “Why don’t we all take another look at him?” Kathy said. “Let’s see the man who replaced Riko Moriyama at Kevin’s side. Introducing Neil Josten, the newest Palmetto Fox!”

Yikes. What an introduction.

           “Isn’t this an interesting picture?” Kathy asked the audience. “Kevin is paired again.”

Seriously, can she stop.

I mean, I get that it’s good for show biz, and I don’t blame her as she doesn’t know their backstory, but rubbing this shit into their faces is still Grade A Shitty™.

They chat a bit more, bla bla sportsball, Kathy Flickerman asking questions and Neil lying through his teeth, although I’m surprised homeboy doesn’t get at least one “I’m fine” in somewhere.

And then – the absolute fuckery that this entire chapter had being leading up to happens.

           “Why the major [district] change?”

           “I don’t presume to understand Coach Moriyama’s motivations.”

           “You mean they didn’t tell you?” Kathy’s surprise looked genuine.

           “We are all very busy. It’s difficult to keep in touch.”

           “Well then.” Kathy recovered with a bright smile. “Have I got a treat for you!”

What.

           Music blared from the speakers, a dark melody with heavy drums. The crowd jumped to its feet and started chanting in unison: “King! King! King!”

What.

           He spotted the Foxes easily, as they were the only unmoving bodies in the crowd. They sat blank-faced with shock.

Same. What.

           The man who stepped onto the stage wore the same outfit Kevin did, save his version was black from head to toe. (…) The number one tattooed on his left cheekbone told everyone who’d just walked onto Kathy’s stage.

ARE YOU ACTUALLY SHITTING ME. I did not see that coming. I did NOT see that coming holy fuck.

(We only have two chapters left. Logically, something had to happen. Still. WHAT THE FUCK.)

           It had been nine months since Riko Moriyama and Kevin Day stood in the same room together, nine months, since Riko destroyed Kevin’s hand, and now they were reunited on national television.

Oh boy. I am sure there is absolutely no way in hell this can go horribly, horribly wrong.

EXCUSE ME WHILE I IMMEDIATELY READ THE NEXT CHAPTER BRB