#shaking him around like a fucking. snowglobe.

[bravevolunteer]

winter/christmas related hcs dump !

young michael on snow days? MENACE. he's causing chaos he's throwing projectile snowballs and no one is safe. yes he did just... startle liz and evan on purpose with it, but he didn't hesitate to get into a proper snowball fight

so sorry but he IS a cheesy terrible christmas movie enjoyer. he canonically watches a terrible vampire soap opera, he's GOING to be watching the worst holiday movies you've ever seen. good luck getting him to admit to enjoying them, at least... until it's one of the only traditions he DOES keep, then he says he likes the predictability of them.

michael's opinion on most christmas music ranges from neutral-negative, but his favorite is last christmas. he's gay, watches cheesy soap operas, and it released in 1984, he's decided this one hits

the aftons used to decorate the tree together... and it was SO dysfunctional— the kids were arguing constantly, william was micromanaging the entire thing, michael rolling his eyes, multiple shattered ornaments, the tree had to have fallen over at least once. despite this, it's the kind of memory he looks back on with nostalgia even knowing things were far from as perfect as they pretended.

with that said, cursed fazbear ornaments.

michael is so bad at ice skating. so humiliatingly bad. he thinks he's going to do fine EVERY time and then falls on his ass within the first minute

type of kid to nurse a candy cane until it's a spike and poke his siblings with it

the aftons celebrate secularly ( up to interpretation, however i don't view the kids as being raised overly religious... we all know william's got some shit going on ), however they MIGHT be the family that goes to church once a year on christmas eve. to keep up a reputation. i can see it. and it would be an Absolute Fucking Disaster

imagine the aftons making gingerbread houses. just imagine the chaos. Yeah. once again william is micromanaging everything ( "this is ridiculous," he says, mid-building a gingerbread recreation of fredbear's family diner down to every last intricate detail ), elizabeth is just trying to make it look nice, michael's looks like a WARZONE, evan's has fallen apart for the fifth time now. they're all arguing over the icing and candy.

instead of a mall santa photo they have an extremely cursed photo with william and henry in the spring bonnie and fredbear suit wearing santa hats and beards

the house and diner were decorated every year.... this, of course, began to fade in the house ( decorations outlasting other traditions, putting them up to still give the appearance of normality while celebrating became dimmed to nonexistent ) until, after elizabeth's death, they just stopped going up entirely.

on michael and gift giving.... he's really not one for big grand gestures, but his gifts do show that he listens. he doesn't usually think they're much, figures he isn't very good at it, but they're always something that he knows the other person would genuinely like, he cares!

this is more referring to the corporation than the early days, but fazbear christmas album is so real to me. just... so many terrible parodies. there's multiple installments there IS one for the glamrocks. michael is sick of it

michael and . warm cozy sweater. That's It.

Fazbear Patented Mistletoe Garland (tm). in the home. thanks @comfrtcrowd

christmas in the afton household, while holidays were relatively normal in the years leading up to 1983... often highlighted a dissonance between the celebration and the growing dysfunction. the kids got whatever they asked for, they had more than enough, but material possessions don't automatically hold real emotional weight. to michael, while william's attention consisted of basic needs and whatever item he gave him on a list, sometimes it only seemed to make the emotional neglect and favoritism clearer.

following 1983... the holidays deteriorated significantly. a lot of celebrations vanished and the little that they attempted to keep alive rang hollow. putting decorations up only stood as a reminder that nothing was the same. having dinner together was grief-ridden and cold, tense at best and confrontational to explosive at worst. michael didn't ask for anything, never felt as if he deserved to celebrate after ruining his family. by the year of elizabeth's death, every attempt stopped entirely. with just michael and his father, the house felt hauntingly empty... and lonely.

when michael moves out ( both the few years before SL & when he's scooped ), it remains a time of year that tends to emphasize his loneliness. in zombie isolation, he made a few small attempts as the years passed: a little bit of shitty decor in his apartment, he watches a LOT of movies. some years, he visits liz and evan's graves, though that only results in more hopelessness more often than not

scooped michael? IMMUNE to the cold. to temperature in general ( aside from extreme heat ), he still likes winter more because of the excuse to wear more layers without getting stares

he WILL be spiking hot chocolate and/or eggnog. absolutely snuck off to do exactly this during whatever attempts to celebrate were made when he was a teenager. it's the only way he will be drinking eggnog.

@braveburned already posted about it but i'm reiterating that michael and gregory have the SHITTIEST tiny christmas tree. the lights are a fire hazard, it has a paper star, glamrock ornament, it's so ugly. michael is amused by it

ultimately, the only thing that will really get him to celebrate after the tragedies is... being around other people. he's so used to the holiday season becoming a representation of loneliness, grief, and resentment, that the only thing that can really pull him from that is found connections...

[snakes-on-skates]

a while ago i saw this human bill design on tiktok and omg i love it so so so much 😭 i freak out every time i see it my thoughts immediately switch from normal to AUGGHHHH STOPPPPPPPPPP I HATE HIM SO MUCH HES THE WORST HES AWFUL WHAT A FREAK

[inkdrinkerworld]

May I request a Cowboy!James x reader where R is sick but trys to push through it and help out around the farm so she doesn't tell James but randomly when they're feeding the horses (Its a cold day) she passes out because she's got a really bad fever and she hasn't been eating properly because of how ill she feels

You probably should’ve told James that you hadn’t been feeling well.

Your room hadn’t had enough heating last night and the first chill of autumn was rolling in all night. You’re susceptible to the change in weather and you should’ve really really said something when you’d woken up.

“I’ll clean with the horses and organize the feed for them.” You say to James but you’re sluggish and the coffee you’d had earlier hasn’t kicked in yet.

You don’t think it will.

Snowglobe and Landslide are easy to deal with, older and much calmer than some of the fillies and colts.

Some of them buck and give you a bit of attitude when you’re brushing through their coats and mane but you get through it before your first wave of nausea hits.

“Fuck,” you groan, wondering if you should call James or if you can manage.

You swallow hard and push through. You already feel like enough of a burden to him now that you’re in your off months- there’s only a month again till TSG is ready to reopen for Winter- you’re not gonna shrink away from this.

You’re halfway through feeding the horses when you wobble. There’s a cold sweat breaking out on your upper lip and your heels feel like they’re off the ground.

“I’m coming Snowglobe.” You murmur, reaching for the bucket of feed to put in the feedbox when you feel unsteady. You feel like you’re floating before you hit the ground.

“Hey, darling, you’re scaring me.” You’re not sure how long you’ve been on the floor but James had your head in his lap and his hand cupping your face.

“I’m sorry, I never fed Snowglobe.” James chuckles, Snowglobe’s laying next to you, head at your side.

James had actually found the horse nudging at your side. “I think he’s more worried about you, darling.”

You reach a hand to him, Snowglobe’s nose butting your palm. “Why didn’t you say you weren’t well?” James keeps his hand on your forehead and neck; you’re burning up and from the wetness on your shirt you have been for hours.

“Thought I could do everything and then crash.”

James sighs, “How’d you get a fever, darling? Slept with wet hair again?”

You shake your head and nibble on your lip. You’re afraid James will be upset but you can’t lie when he asks you a question straight up.

“The heating in my room is busted, so I opened the window and the cold air really fucked me up.”

He groans, his lips to your forehead. “Silly girl,” James helps you sit up and pushes Snowglobe’s head away from you. “Could’ve just came into my room.”

You nod, “Sorry for getting ill Jamie.”

He only rolls his eyes, “I’m not upset. You can’t help it. Let’s go inside, I can make some soup for you.”

You smile, leaning into him as you stand on swaying legs. “And a grilled cheese?”

James laughs, “If you want to chicken soup and grilled cheese you’ll get it. You can take a bath while I fix everything up.”

[nitrowyverine]

I thought playing Obscura would help me get rid of my brain worms. no, it just gave me new ones. For Obscura, specifically.

I'll be adjusting the format from my TOUCHSTARVED expanded thoughts post. Brain dump after the cut!

[Demo/CH 1 spoilers are included]

(Header Image from Itch.io page! All images in this post are either from there or the Rotten Raccoons tumblr page)

Design/gameplay thoughts:

In full honesty without fluff: this game fucks immensely.

The setting for Obscura might be my new all-time favorite, like, ever. Mystery underground scandalous marketplace??? Under a mountain???? it's a diverse and vast city that's still elegantly contained and claustrophobic, but in a spicy way. The worldbuilding and flavor is excellent. I really want to run a TTRPG in a similar setting now, since its an area with so many possibilities.

CH. 1/the "demo" has a LOT of meat on it. It's got different endings, variations, a whole soundtrack. Speaking of sountrack-

Obscura is also one of the few games I've put on the soundtrack to just to vibe to. The soundtrack is SO good, and sets such a strong mood/tone. I think it complements the game perfectly.

Allot of people have mentioned it, but I am also a fan of the Safeword pause menu. It's a nice and comforting touch, especially when the game can get so intense. It lets players take a breather if they need it, but also doesn't interrupt the intensity/mood of the game for someone who doesn't want a break from the narrative.

Now, onto character specific thoughts!

Cirrus:

IN MY HOUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE IN NOT STARTING OUT STRONG

Shout outs for having your asexual option in the dating sim be. The kinkiest guy there

Cirrus is a bit too intense for me, however, that is NOT a bad thing in the slightest. I think his route is well done for those who are up for his brand of intensity.

I might still play his route because. damn this boy's issues got me curious about his backstory. ($10 on mommy issues)

I had the hardest time getting to Cirrus's good end during my playthrough because having pretty much any self-preservation instinct around Cirrus gives you a bad/neutral ending. He's the only one I had to pull the guide out to get the best ending. (I think I'm just too sassy)

I get medusa vibes from Cirrus. The snake imagery is more likely tied to the lunar church, but his staunch reluctance to take his own mask off makes me wonder (this is mainly referenced in asks answered by the Rotten Raccoon studios). Refusal to let people see his eyes + snakes + power + slightly unnatural abilities to influence is, something.

I am shaking this man like a snowglobe WHAT IS YOUR DEAL I MUST KNOW MORE

(I am. metaphorically shaking him like a snowglobe. I would never shake this man im terrified)

CONCLUSION: Most likely to shame you for your anime choices. Least likely to be normal about it when you ask for help peeling an orange.

Keir:

HERE COMES BIG MAN

yeah he's tied for favorite right now. the slow burn in his plot is just too good? big man....freckles...secret soft side...im weak

he's so nice I keep forgetting. He kind of kidnaps you? not even kind of he just drags you off the street and goes "you live in my house now". Even Griff calls MC a stray early on. My man really said "Here's a convenient lost human I'm dragging them home now"

oh my GOD they were ROOMATES

I definitely was too nice to him in my first playthrough until I realized he does need (and want) to be sassed to death.

this man is like 6'6 and the canon-ish Vesper height from the CG is 5'4. THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE. This kills the man (me)

The sprite of Keir's ears blushing SENDS ME INTO A FRENZY

I quite liked the gameplay style of Keir's route. I was so focused and invested as soon as I realized I needed to remember specific directions to save the heist group during timed decisions

Something I haven't seen discussed yet: I'm mega curious about the dagger Keir has on his outfit. It's specifically pointed out in text that it's high-quality, and I vaguely remember an ask that Rotten Raccoons answered that said it's a status symbol. (The dagger also just looks SO cool. and....it looks like Francesco's...?)

(My bet is that he either 1. stole it. or 2. got it from Oleander during their tryst (WHICH WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT-))

CONCLUSION: Most likely to be gifted a "WORLD'S BEST DAD" mug from his similarly-aged peers. Least likely to live down that one time he ate soap because he thought it was edible.

Francesco:

someone keep the "silver dust" away from this lad im scared

Originally, I was least looking forward to playing Francesco's route since I just wasn't interested in his initial concept. After playing his route though? It was excellently done, and I genuinely had fun. It was refreshing to have a character more naive than Vesper, so more cultural aspects were explained and we got a good alternate perspective on the marketplace. Also, it got REAL spicy in new and exciting ways the other chapters didn't. I'm really looking forward to the next chapters with his route!

I totally love the contrasts in his design and his character. He's got both bright red and blue highlights in his design, his outfit is very pointy and angular while his hair/smile is soft and flow-y.

And in his personality, he's both sweet and open, but extremely cagey about some information, and quite pragmatic when he wants to be. I think he's way smarter than he lets on.

that doesn't mean I don't want to bridal carry him and tuck him into bed at night after a all-nighter party

I do think Fran's slightly looser demeanor could lead to him being even more brutal than the other LI's. Remember that one anime clip (Found it, it's this one from Danshi Koukousei) where a group of friends wants to fight for fun, but one of the friends asks why they need rules in a fight? And said friend is shown like secretly holding a rock and was ready to use it? that's Fran. He would not have chill and does not heed the rules.

"Protect the boy", but mostly to prevent him from tasting blood. Because if that happens we're all fucked

CONCLUSION: Most likely to eat that M&M off the ground because you dared him. Least likely to beat the puppy allegations.

Oleander:

Oleander is tied for favorite with Keir. Oleander is just *chefs kiss* LOOK AT HIM. inscrutable......

Somewhere in an ask answered by Rotten Raccoons studio, they mentioned that for Oleander's route, they were going for a "Sexy boss situation that doesn't feel like a work safety violation". They hit that right on the nose; there's intrigue and a power imbalance, but in a non-restrictive or terrifying way.

I love being involved in the business part of his route. I keep making decisions like "Hmm yes my primary goal is to romance Oleander. But what would be the smartest business move here? How do we advance our agenda?"

Also, I do love playing a sexy evil secretary in a vn. love having a job and being evil at it AND being paid money. 10/10

That dance scene is everything I could have ever wanted no notes

I am fascinated to find out more about what he's been up to since his last trek into the marketplace. Seems like people are trying to kill him all the time anyway, so what would be enough to cause him to leave?

he's like an angler fish, but the lure is his booba

I relate to Oleander in that. I have too many online usernames because I can't stick with one. People get my 800 online names mixed up often. He has the same problem, we're basically twinsies

This man is pretending to be a himbo like his life depends on it (It probably does). He's too smart though, I know for a fact he has at least three different schemes going at any given time.

CONCLUSION: Most likely to be able to help you properly lace a corset (this man knows the boot-to-the-back necessity of the process). Least likely to be allowed to be banker during monopoly night.

Vesper:

black mask enjoyer 4 life

(all three are good I just wanted to say which one I picked. And to add my conclusion section)

CONCLUSION: Most likely to get their shit rocked by a falling piano. Least likely to survive an argument about pineapple on pizza.

Concerns:

With how separate the four routes are, the game could potentially feel like four separate visual novels all in one universe. Maybe I haven't played enough VN's, but there is a feeling of separation between the routes.

In the very beginning of the game, when you're picking your route, I wish there was a bit more heads up/information between who you're picking. For example, I had a rough idea that going into the church is where you'd find Cirrus, but only from information outside the game. I didn't know sticking around for the brawl would push you into Kier's route. It's overall pretty vague to which route you're going based on only in-game information.

Misc thoughts:

Vesper: "How are you going to keep me?? ;)" Keir and Oleander: "crimes" Vesper: "Wh-" Keir and Oleander: "you're an accomplice now congrats we're in this together. wanna get drinks"

catch my socially anxious ass wanting to be under the mountain and wear masks so I don't have to make eye contact with strangers all the time. at least its a fun thought to have when I mask for covid

OKAY FRANCESCO AND KEIR'S DAGGER MATCH? AND ARE RED/BLUE LIKE FRANCESCOS OUTFIT? DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING??? probably not but I do like the pretty knives....

For real, I got the brain worms for this game, I'm on the edge of making a big ol playlist. the headcannons? They go on my friend. they go on. I'm laying awake at night thinking about what each character would order at a coffee shop

by the time I publish this post. I did start working on the playlist

yes, I've also designed my own vesper, its such a prime opportunity for character design.

Obscura also may or may not have inspired me to get involved with an otome jam game team, more on that in the future possibly.....

OVERALL: I got the first chapter/demo of Obscura for free from Itchio/steam. High marks for writing, sound, art, game design, all of it! I am on the edge of my seat waiting for CH2.

TL;DR: If you haven't played it, and love spicy and dark stories, go play it! Part one is free! and fantastic.

Itch.io

Steam

[novacorpsrecruit]

Hi a quick lil read: I did a poll the other day because I was thinking of creating Steddie fic recs and so I decided I’m gonna do 5-10 fic recs a post based on some sort of theme and here’s the first installment! Please feel free to ask for themes, I can’t promise I’ll fulfill them but I’ll do my best.

Theme: my favorite fucking idiots

single / taken / pining by 96tears (Ao3) @pizzaqueen (tumblr)

T | wc 4,435 | no cw

Summary: When a girl Steve’s trying to flirt with starts flirting with Eddie, Steve says the only thing that comes to mind: he tells her Eddie’s married. It’s not his smoothest moment, but it works, and Eddie goes along with it. It's not like Eddie was interested, anyway, and he figures Steve wanted the ladies to himself. So, Steve figures that must be it, too.

But a little later it hits him: he doesn’t want to keep the ladies to himself. He wants to keep Eddie to himself.

Ugh!!! I love it when the dumbasses don’t understand why they’re jealous, or that they’re jealous in the first place. Post season 4, Steve and Eddie work at Family Video and the Arcade respectfully, and come and bug each other during slow times. Steve gets a little jealous when a girl starts hitting on Eddie.

‘cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run by stellapoint (pettifogger) (ao3) @heybluechild (tumblr)

T | wc 9,308 | no cw

Summary: Realization #1: Steve is wearing a costume. He’s dressed as Springsteen on the cover of Born In The U.S.A. The album cover is staring at Eddie from the stack of records by the speakers, and he flicks his eyes between the cover and Steve, almost laughing at how obvious the resemblance is.

Immediately after that, revelations two and three slam into him like an eighteen-wheeler.

#2: Bruce Springsteen is kind of hot.

#3: Steve Harrington is really hot.

A fourth and much louder thought echoes through Eddie’s brain: oh, shit.

(Many months ago, I wrote a tumblr post about Steve Harrington being a Bruce Springsteen enjoyer. This fic is about that.)

Takes place after season 4, Eddie and Steve are friend. Eddie’s love language is music. He’s a bit of a music snob, and doesn’t understand why Steve wants him to like his music. It takes a moment for it to click to Eddie what’s really going on. I love Eddie but sometimes you want to shake him like a snowglobe and oh my god, I’m shaking him so hard.

wasted crying by MixAddams (Ao3) @mixsethaddams (tumblr)

T | wc 6,471 | cw ow (light angst)

Summary: Steve just wants a buddy.

So why does it hurt so much when Eddie introduces everyone to his new girlfriend?

There’s a happy ending I swear! You’ll just want to bundle Steve up in a few blankets first. Post season 4, Eddie gets a girlfriend, and Steve is not jealous. Not at all. He just … misses being in the honeymoon phase of dating? No that can’t be right… is it? There’s a lot of good heartaches in this fic. I do want to share one of my favorite lines:

“I think so. Stuff like this is supposed to scare you, I think,” said Eddie. “It’s supposed to feel….”

Eddie took a breath and Steve watched his eyes move around as he searched for the words. Steve thought he might wait forever for him to find them.

“It’s supposed to feel like a leap, right?”

I can be pretty (why don’t you think I’m pretty?) by starsdontsleep (ao3)

T | wc 8,942 | no cw

Summary: When Eddie comes out as gay, he assures Steve that he doesn’t find him hot. Steve tells him it’s fine, he even teasingly asks what he should do to change that. It becomes a thing. A way to always make Eddie laugh, blush and relax around him—but as the days and weeks pass, Steve begins to realise that maybe there’s another reason why he cares so much that Eddie Munson finds him pretty.

Remember when I said I’m shaking Eddie like a snowglobe? I’m shaking Steve now. Steve, please tell me why you think you want Eddie to think you’re pretty? Why do you need to know what Eddie’s type? Steve’s only worried that Eddie doesn’t fully trust him with his sexuality. So Steve works to be the best ally… and definitely does not fall in love with his friend along the way.

clown music at the disco by fragilecapricorn (ao3) @fragilecapric0rnn (tumblr)

M | wc 3,717 | no cw

Summary: “What the fuck are you doing here?” He nearly squawked, meaning for it to come out anyway other than that. The man turned around, and here he was. In a stare down with ghostly pale Steve Harrington, who was not only supposed to be straight, but was also in a MESH TANK TOP at Frankie’s on a Wednesday night.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He pauses, glancing around the room, small voice. “It’s disco night.”

Post Season 4, Eddie, Robin and Steve move to the Chicago. Eddie has a new habit of going to the bar on gay disco night, finding another brunette ex-jock to fill the Steve shaped hole in his heart. Until he runs into said brunette ex-jock at the same gay bar on disco night. 10/10 no notes I’ve read this like 5 times.

of all the gin joints by genesisofrhythm (Ao3)

e | wc 4,016 | cw: they fuck | spice level: I read this at my work desk in between meetings

Summary: “So, do you come here often?”

Steve choked at the familiar voice, turning abruptly. “Munson?”

“What’re you doing here?” Eddie asked, his mouth gaping open as he looked over at Steve.

Steve was surprised to see Eddie here as well. What were the odds of them both driving out of Hawkins to come to the same gay bar?

Or: Steve goes to a gay bar to support Robin, when he sees Eddie Munson. He can't tell Eddie the real reason he's there without outing Robin so he tells him he's bisexual. But Steve's totally straight... right?

Steve [Evan Buckley voice]: “I’m an ally ✊”

This is a fun fic, definitely Steve Harrington speed running a sexuality crisis. Good for him. (also I have a soft spot for fics that use fob lyrics as a title, forehead kisses for that)

Exactly What It Looks Like - BilbosMom (Ao3) @bilbosmom-belladonna (tumblr)

E | wc 31,517 | cw | spice level: I should not have read this at my desk 😳🥵

Summary: Steve makes a face at Eddie. “You've imagined doing stuff with a guy?”

“Yeah, man,” Eddie replies, spreading his hands wide. “Doesn't everyone?”

Steve tilts his head to the side as he thinks. Maybe not very often, but his freshman year when Davey Riggs had been swim team captain? Yeah, he had definitely imagined some stuff that had made trips to the locker room kinda awkward.

“Yeah, that's true,” Steve answers, nodding. “I wonder why everybody acts like it's so gross, though.”

In the summer of 1986, Steve and Eddie have some perfectly normal fun between a couple of perfectly normal dudes.

I’m honestly insane over this. Like, I’m going to be thinking about this for a long time. Post-Season 4, Eddie and Steve find themselves watching porn together. And it’s not weird at all if you jerk off next to your new best friend. And maybe it becomes a habit. And helping them out every once in a while isn’t weird. And maybe sucking his cock isn’t weird. Or fucking his thighs —

Please remember to leave kudos and comments on the fics you read/enjoyed! Support your writers 🖤

[swifty-fox]

Would you be happy to share a little bit of John's head space when he was arrested, unable to reach Gale (not even knowing if he was safe) and then when Curt told him he'd got in touch? LOVEEEEEED this part. Prison tropes are yummy #chapel au

(p.s. I hope he was loyal in jail too!)

ask and ye shall receive (sometimes)

Now on Ao3!

The cops chip his tooth clean off throwing him over the corpse of the Corolla. He watches the white bone bounce away as pain blooms vivid and sharp across his face. Cursing before the sensation truly registers, still processing the sharp crack he cusses out the hands roving over his body, dragging his arms roughly behind his back, cold metal clinching tight around his wrists.

“It was a con. It was my fuckin hand in my pocket! There’s no goddamn weapon if you’d listen to me for just a second you stupid fuckin’ pigs.”

There’s a gun pointed at him. He’s not used to the reversal. His side throbs in phantom memory.

Folded into the back of a cruiser like dirty laundry he leans back uncomfortably on his cuffed hands and runs his tongue over the jagged edge of his tooth again and again, shuddering at the pain of it. 

He pictures Gale on a bus to California, staring out the window and playing with his braid until the flyaways outmatched the hair tie. Usually, he was frowning slightly, unless he had a gun in his hand or he was looking at John, and John imagines himself pressing a thumb to the imaginary furrow of Gale’s imaginary brow. 

It’s soothing enough as he breathes and watches the cops rip apart the car, scattering his and Gale’s entire life across the roadside. 

He shouts, knowing they won’t hear him, “There’s no fucking gun!”

-*~*-

They don't quite rough ride him but a few of the red lights have his chest hitting the front seat for how he can’t catch himself with anything but his already sore face. He cusses them out for it every time.

-*~*-

He’s given some fresh from the bar bushy-tailed lawyer who can’t be any older than he is. Veal’s convinced he’s saving his life, arguing for time served on account of his lack of a permanent address and he smiles at him with teeth and tells the judge to go fuck himself. 

It’s stupid. He can hear Gale sighing in his ear. Gale with his serious face and eyes that went electric and feral with a gun on his hand, a mask over his face. Quick clever Gale who had only ever missed a single camera in all their time together. Gale who is in California, waiting for a partner in crime who will never show up now. 

They hit him with the full fifteen months, of course. John sits as the courtroom slowly clears, eyes fixed unseeingly at the desk and thinks he’s made the worst mistake of his life.

-*~*-

Gale, Gale, Gale. 

If he were a less secure man he’d be disgusted with himself how often he spent thinking about his partner in crime. The whip of his braid in the wind and the white slash of his teeth when John got him to truly smile. The taste of his sweat and the way he was slow to wake in the morning. Quiet and unspeaking as John slowly coaxed him from bed with his lips and soft murmurs. Sweet and slightly vacant until they got a cup of coffee in his hands. 

He runs over the last moments of them together, the animal panic in Gale’s face, the soft growl behind his kiss as John drank him down in the shadows. The stiff broad line of his shoulders as he boarded the bus.

Tucking the snowglobe into his bag when he wasn’t looking, John’s fingers shaking. 

He’s used to leaving. He’s left his family and he’s left friends and towns and places all over. He’s left girls in bed and boys in rest-stop bathrooms and he’s left a fair few morals at his father's grave too. 

Leaving Gale, or Gale leaving him, feels like it had been the most enormous thing he’s ever done. He’d waved the bus away and then sat in their car until the sun rose, trying to convince himself to turn the ignition and put the car in a direction that was not after Gale.

It was a good plan. 

It’s not Gale’s fault that John never knew how to keep his mouth shut, never believed this stupid little car that had been his home, and then their home, would ever give out on him.

John wonders how long Gale will bother to wait for him. He wonders if he’ll try to make his way back to their usual haunts, if he’ll cut and run like he’d been ready to do before John had whisked him away. 

He calls Curt every few days, leaning against the phone booth and working his teeth over the inside of his cheek. 

“Ain’t heard anything, Bucky,” Curt says voice as tender as it ever could be. 

“You’ll tell him?” John asks, as stupid as the question was, “If he calls you’ll tell him I didn’t mean to not be there.” 

-*~*-

The worst part, aside from the fact his heart is outside his body and somewhere in California, is that prison is boring. It’s not awful, Nebraska isn’t exactly a hotbed of violent crime, but even so John is sure to carry himself with every inch of his size, turns up the swagger in his step and drapes himself into chairs with a sprawl that shows off how little he cares, how confident he is in his place. He doesn’t start anything, but he doesn’t frame himself as someone easy to push over either. 

A lot of time is wasted away with physical activity. Basketball or wall ball with himself or teaching himself how to do chin-ups until his arms shake. It pays off. He wonders if Gale would like it.

He calls Curt, and Curt tells him he’s heard nothing and John spends his nights fantasizing about breaking out and somehow finding his partner in crime in the vastness of America to deal with it. 

-*~*-

His bunkmate is a rail-thin man named Hamilton. He’s got a gold tooth and a fucked up face and looks like the sort of guy who carries a knife just to show it off but he’s friendly and easygoing as they come and found a way to bring up his wife in every conversation. It’s charming until it gets annoying.

“The hell’d he even do?” He asks another inmate even though it’s considered bad manners. 

Douglass shrugs, carefully sketching his way through a letter, “His sister’s boyfriend put hands on her, so Ham took a hammer to ‘em.”

John taps out a cigarette,and offers one to Douglass because it’s the universal way of making friends, even behind chain-link fences, “Is his wife really in the circus?” 

“Fuck if I know.”

-*~*-

“Anything?”

“John, I promise you’d be the first to know.” 

-*~*-

Sometimes, rarely, and only late at night, John prays. They’d taken his father's crucifix with the rest of his personals and its absence was heavy around his neck. It’s more to his father that he prays anyway, rather than God. Asks him if he’d be proud – doubtful. Or if he’d think there was still time to save John – more likely. 

Remembers his big hand wrapped around John’s small one, tugging his balking form towards the church.

“Why can’t I just confess to you? Why do I have to do it with Pastor Coyne?

“Because as your father I’d be tempted to discipline or lecture you, Bucky. This is for you to be forgiven; for you to forgive yourself.”

He preferred his father’s God. But that God had been lowered into the ground right alongside Pastor Egan’s casket.

Look after him dad, he doesn’t have anyone doing it now. Needs it more than I do that’s for sure. Just make sure he’s among friends.

-*~*-

In the less romantic sense, he thinks about Gale a lot. It’s a gentleman's understanding, taking care of one’s needs; quiet and unobtrusive as possible. He’s heard Ham’s hitched breathing enough times during night or knowingly squeezed a few extra moments in the showers to allow the other man privacy. What a man does under the rough wool blankets they’re given is his own business. 

John thinks about Gale. About the wild pout of his lips that were the first thing John noticed. The hollow of his neck and collarbones, the way both fit perfectly between his fingers. How Gale’s eyes rolled as John squeezed tight, uncompromisingly trusting. The flushed curved of his cock sliding down John’s throat, splitting John open as Gale slipped elegant fingers into his mouth and made him suck the flavor of the leather wheel off them. 

Pulls himself off to the image of Gale’s broad tanned shoulders, speckled with water and braid tucked teasingly to one side. He’s smiling at John, glancing over his shoulder with the sun turning his lashes wispy and clear.

-*~*-

He gets prison ink, bored and reckless and maybe a little angry. Thick black stars on the front of his hips, and the constellation of the moles on Gale’s face on the inner corner of his elbow. Nonsense dots to anyone else but he knows they’re accurate down to the millimeter. 

It should be. He’s had three years to memorize them.

-*~*-

“John.” Curt says, voice short and shocked and clipped. He’s breathless, a little giddy in the pitch of his voice and John’s stomach drops right down through the concrete floor. 

“Is he okay?” are the first words out of his mouth.

-*~*-

Five minutes he speaks to Curt, five minutes before he hands up and dials the number he’d said aloud until he had it memorized without risk of failure. His hands don’t shake, but his heart feels like it’s about to give out and he’s worrying the inside of his cheek like a dog with a bone, the flaws gone raw and bloody. 

Gale Gale Gale.

It’s a mantra in his mind, a hail-fucking-mary and for once he barrels right past the memory of his father and thanks the big man directly. Because Gale is alive and Gale is whole and Gale has fucking found him. His fingers slip on the numbers, the phones connecting before it barely has the chance to ring and then John’s suddenly unable to breath as he hears a quiet exhale that’s as familiar as his own face in the mirror.

“Gale?”

A quiet sound of confirmation, thick with breathless emotion. The creak of plastic as the phone is gripped too tight. John presses his forehead against the top of the booth as if he might escape through the line itself and be back at his partners side.

“Hi doll,” He croaks, unable to keep the first smile in four months off his face, “Hi sweetheart.”

[gracefireheart]

I'm still thinking about q!Phil saying "It's fucking scary in the dark without other people around. I just don't know what's gonna pop out at me. Or if I can even determine if it's real or not, y'know?"

Like bro

BRO

It's a very small moment, but man does it make me want to shake him around like a snowglobe [/lh]

'Cause right now, the only one that knows about everything regarding q!Phil's struggle to know what's real or not is mostly q!Fit. q!Tubbo knows about the birdcage dream along with where it was in his dream (and also about the birds that tend to spawn around q!Phil), but I don't think he has seen anything else than that. While q!Pac was there when q!Phil was gonna show him and q!Fit the photo, book and the vines (that appeared out of nowhere, and then disappeared before anyone else can see it), but [iirc] doesn't know about the birdcage dream and whatnot.

Just o(-( so much aaaaangst. I love it, but also ow

[maniacwatchestheworld]

You know... I find it kinda funny how I really like Gabriel Agreste as a character in theory... But in the main universe I fucking HATE this man SO FUCKING MUCH!

I didn't want him to die in a somewhat redeeming way! I WANTED HIS ASS HANDED TO HIM ON A SILVER PLATTER, FOR HIM TO BE BEATEN WITHIN AN INCH OF HIS LIFE, AND FOR HIM TO BE THROWN IN JAIL FOR THE REST OF HIS MISERABLE LIFE AS HE HAS THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE MARINATING IN THE FACT OF HOW MUCH HE FUCKING SUUUUUUUCKS!!!

But in the movie? He is just the SADDEST, WETTEST, most PATHETIC man alive! And I kinda love him for that! lol I just wanna put him in a snowglobe and shake him around!

And Betterfly in the Paris special!??? BABY! I love him! He is soft and sweet and a precious little darling! I love this hopeful little butterfly man and I want to give him the world!

Basically, relationship with the mainline Miraculous Ladybug continuity has ended. Edgy emo dark mirrorverse timeline is my best friend now! I NEED MORE OF SWEET GENTLE HOPEFUL NICE GABRIEL PUMPED INTO MY VEINS RIGHT NOW PLEASE!

[alienssstufff]

Your tropical Slimeriana art is so important. I need to yell from the rooftops about how q!Slime planned for q!Mariana to visit him in exile. I was rewatching vods and when he talked about that at 2:00:40 in the Funeral Vod it punched me in the face. ugh. shaking them around like a little tropical snowglobe in my mind

Vrugh I’m lorerally this close to making up goofy fake missclick family scenarios at Eggxile in my head im fucking starving

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for trapping my now friends boyfriend in a snowglobe?

Some background information- i (54, m) was working for my now girlfriend T (22 f*) for a while before we got together. I was basically a hired goon. She has some serious trauma related to her ex husband (now very dead. He cant hurt her anymore) and gets flashbacks sometimes because of it. This event happened before we got together.

Anyway i got back from a contest i was forced into for about a week and when i got back to the apartment, she was terrified and having a trauma moment. She had found soem stuff online related to our now mutual friend - then acquaintance - S (27, m) and his boyfriend N (late 50s early 60s- i dont know, hes a little older than me, m) and it scared the shit out of her. Very obviously giving her flashbacks to the ex. She asked me to make sure N was put somewhere he couldn't do anything. At the time, N was turned into a cat about the size of a littlest pet shop, but could still talk.

Now, I've got a bit of beef with N. In the contest i was in, he and i were forced to team up. During that time, he was absolutely insufferable. He kept calling me rafter hooligan and did not even once get my name right. On purpose. Long story short, N annoys the absolute fuck out of me.

When i was going to go pull N out of the dollhouse he'd been locked in, i noticed something on the shelf and it gave me the idea to put him in this empty snowglobe i have. I can manipulate space, so it was no problem.

Anyway whenever i was bored or stressed or whatever i would shake the snowglobe (as one does) or just throw it around. One time i held it over S while he was sleeping just to torment N. Y'know, because he couldn't do anything about it. And I'm petty. Whenever she was having a trauma moment, T would ask me to shake it for her so she could see. Like a comfort thing. So I wasn't just doing this for me.

Granted the other torment stuff was for me, but still.

Later on, S started living in the apartment across the hall from me and T. He and T were friends, but he and i were not. S had something weird going on with his will, so he had to obey any command given to him. I came into the apartment one day, and found S going through all of my stuff and trying to find the snowglobe. I pulled it out of my pocket and told him not to break it. When he listened, I made him explain the will thing to me, and then to test it, i made him kneel. (I know I'm ta for that one- it was fucked up and I'm not doing it again.)

It wasn't until way later, when i had to, that i finally let N out of the snowglobe. T wants him to stay out, but I do use it as a threat (empty, but still. T says she wants him to stay out, so he stays out. I don't work for her anymore, but old habits die hard) . N and T are friends now, but he and I still hate each other. S and I are friends, though. We put the past behind us and started over.

It isn't brought up much anymore, but I still think about it a lot. I don't interact with N if i can help it. So AITA for trapping N in a snowglobe for a few months?

[redstrewn]

No cuz kuras looks so cold and well put together and proper but hes a prankster bastard whos trying to stave off his guilt riddled depression with distractions

Sad wet sack of a man whos done wrong and will do more wrong

I refuse to believe hes as well put together as he seems on the surface that man is a hot fucking mess emotionally i believe it

Going into his route is opening a can of worms i swear. Devs say hes going to do terrible things. This guy is so fucked up hes going to end up breaking shit.

Hes like a snowglobe so pretty to look at and elegant except you break it open and theres so much fucking shit everywhere and youre hit with shards of glass like his monster form is hit with shards of something

I want to shake him around like a snowglobe

[white-boy-bracket]

The Showrunner sat on the edge of a bathtub the same color as her skin, a black robe pulled tight across her body. She’d washed the makeup off of her arms and face- it was ruined anyway- and now she was going to take a cool bath to calm down. Annabeth was safe. Even though the Narrator was nowhere to be found, Annabeth was safe. 

She let out a shaky breath. Right. Annabeth. Because that’s what this was about. Sure.

She slowly put her legs into the water, watching as the water began to color the pale color of her foundation. A tear slipped down her face. She was safe. She was safe.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to relax. Safe. Safe.

A crash sounded from the main room, and she let out a shriek, falling onto her back with a very heavy thunk.

----

Ow. 

See, that's the problem with warping into a space Xigbar had never been into before. No telling where furniture or whatever would be. He slowly, painfully, peeled himself out of the wreckage of what used to be a coffee table. 

  "Fuck." That's going to be fun to explain. At least no part of him was broken. Very bruised, but not broken. "Hey Showie? You in here?" He called out. Not going to acknowledge the broken table or the fact that he's covered in splinters. Nope. Definitely not. He had nothing to do with it, clearly. You're crazy.

He heard a clinking noise and looked up and saw-

---

Xigbar! She felt panic rise in her chest again (this was getting exhausting)- but found herself frozen like a deer in the headlights. He appeared to have destroyed her table.

---

  "Hm. Guess I was wrong." Was the only comment Xigbar made as he took in her appearance. Surprising, considering he was the type to always have some smartass, insulting comment on hand. He knows the limit. 

"... You okay?" Clearly she wasn't, but you know. It's the thought that counts, right? 

She looked like she didn’t know how to respond to that.

“I-I…” She pulled her black (he was noticing a pattern) bathrobe tight, like she was hugging herself, “Have you seen the Narrator? That cat? The British one?” Her voice sounded small. Frightened.

  "Yeah, but last time I checked, he wasn't a cat. We got stuck in a different tournament and ended up being forced to be a team." He waved his hand dismissively. "Definitely not my first choice. Didn't want anything to do with that guy, but it worked, I guess. Why?"

“Can… can you…?” She held out a little chain. It had a heart shaped little skeleton key on the end of it.

He stepped forward, and she said, “In the next room, there’s a dollhouse? The victorian one? Can you see if he’s in there? Unlock it with the key.”

  "Uh… Yeah, I guess." He turned, then turned back. "You, uh… You need anything?" He asked, sucking his teeth. He had no idea how to deal with women anymore. Especially not ghostly pale, shambling messes of women that punch like a semi truck.

“Just… put him somewhere he can’t get m- Annabeth. Please.”

  "... Yeah. Sure." 

  Xigbar didn't know what to make of this. But… if the Narrator was freaking her out that much, he would take care of it. It's his job. No other reason. 

  Taking the key, he unlocked the dollhouse and opened it up. 

   “Is he in there?”

“Oh, hello? Ziggy-bar? Are you here to let me out? OH-- WHAT ARE YOU-- Ziggles!! Put me DOWN!”

  Xigbar came back into the room, shaking a snowglobe with one hand and wearing a shit eating grin. "Yeah, he was in there. I put him in the snowglobe. Not gettin' out of there anytime soon."

  “The- he’s in a-?” She cautiously leaned closer as if to look. Xigbar stopped shaking the snowglobe so she could see. Sure enough, there was the Narrator, swirling around in the currents and being battered by the flecks of glitter in the water.

Her stark white lips formed the first real smile he’d seen from her- if a weak one. She chuckled. Once.

  "You wanna shake it?" Was his only question. 

Her smile grew (her lips the same color as her teeth), and she hesitantly reached out, but suddenly pulled back halfway through, like she was trying to make herself touch a stove that might be hot. She certainly didn’t seem as upset anymore when she said, “Y- you do it. More.” She shared Xigbar’s grin.

  Faint, British screaming could be heard through the glass as Xigbar vigorously gave the snowglobe a few more shakes.

  "Call me Rafter Hooligan one more time," he all but shouted at the snowglobe.

  “You know he called you that in the cabin, too?”

  He swirled the snowglobe around like a glass of wine, watching the Narrator struggle in the resulting current. Ha.

  “Ha,” Showie laughed quietly.

  Xigbar slipped the snowglobe back into his pocket and patted it (a faint ‘oomf!’ could be heard from within). 

  “How about we play a little trick on Team Leverage?”

  “Team… Leverage?” She asked.

  “They’ve started coming up with their own names, now.”

  “Hm.” She sounded displeased. “Alright, what trick?”

  “How about you open up that food form again? There’s something I want snuck in.”

(cowritten by @fuckable-old-man-battle and @misspelled-magic)

[lorelune]

You beat aven in one go I- I wonder what this entails...

Aven is a lore simp arc?????

— 🏹

asfdkl;j ARROW.. .ARROW ANON-- I CAN EXPLAIN--

no tho i both BEAT him quickly in combat and i am. well. he is beating my psyche if nothing else 😤 i've been sinking my teeth into aventio fic and thinking abt that fucking man sm. im shaking him around like a fucking snowglobe

[waitineedaname]

chefs kiss EVERYTHING YOU SAID. also i just think. two very not normal brothers having very normal parents is soo foul like where can the kageyama parents learn how to raise these fucked up little cats.

plus i get the feeling ritsu and mob were the kind of kids that talked about literally anything and everything to their parents and to each other before the incident and now they became just...slightly awkward acquaintances (might be projecting)

also umm about ritsu autism..projecting but i feel like he'd be like damn i think i might be nd :/ and ten seconds later he's like No i am Not. i am literally so regular and fine. i just want to use that as an excuse for me being lazy and a jerk and awful. very not cool. :/ (he will mask even when no one is around) (he and the person he thinks he is are particularly different people at this point)

I KNOWWWW there aren't any fucking parenting books about raising esper children! they're still better off than most of the other parent situations in the series, like teru's parents straight up aren't around and shou's relationship with his dad is all kinds of fucked up. the kageyamas at least have a home that's stable and parents that love them in their own flawed ways, but they just don't understand what their kids are going through. and I agree, the Incident drove a huge wedge through that whole family. I bet their parents could probably tell their sons weren't telling them something, but getting the truth out of these traumatized kids would've been like pulling teeth, so I don't know if they pushed it that much

and YEAHH AUGH I AM GOING TO SHAKE HIM AROUND LIKE A SNOWGLOBE. he'll be having an awful brain time and be like "something might be wrong in here" and then the next thought is like "no you're just being dramatic, you're clearly so ordinary and normalcore, you're not exactly like your brother so clearly you must be neurotypical" <- is a dumbass

[krikeymate]

For song suggestion things because this just came on shuffle and I’m sat here crying at 2am thinking about Tara.

Ethan Jewell - Snowglobe

I'm slamming you against a wall. Don't even talk to me about Ethan Jewell man. His music really enhances my depression. I listen to him all the time.

Snowglobe is SUCH a Tara song.

Imagine you're in a snowglobe, right? / And all these people keep coming and shaking you around / It's above, below you, and then you're on the ground, the snow flutters around / Searching for a soft place to land -> Tara feels trapped. In this town, in this family. She's stuck while everyone around her can just... leave. Her life, it feels like a circus act, a spectacle for people to gossip on. They're always whispering about her, about poor Tara with the hard life, with the shitty family. This is her childhood. She's protected, put in a bubble, a little isolated and only seen from afar. An accessory for her father, a trinket for her mother, something to be cherished by her sister.

The person stares and appreciates, but not for a tad / Bit later they begin to shake more violently, and you begin to trip less valiantly / And then it all comes crashing down -> As she gets older, pity becomes more questioning. People expect more, they want to know more. They want more from her. But she has no one to hold on to. No hand to help guide her through this, through growing up. Sam doesn't want to talk to her anymore, she's pulling away and she's always so angry. The world becomes a little darker, a little colder, and then Sam's gone.

You wake up in a cold sweat, it's 3 am, and you're still depressed / Why is this happening, where did I go wrong / Is God angry at me / Or am I just another sad song / Another sad, sad song /Just another sad, sad, sad, sad, song -> What did she do to deserve this? To be so alone. Was she not worth staying for? Did she drive them away? Why wasn't she good enough.

Cause here we are again in this endless fucking snow globe / Round and round we're shaken, stared at like an alien probe / The snow's overwhelming, defeating every sound / Please, giant human, can you just drop me and smash me to the ground -> Every day it's the same. Life just becomes a series of repetitive motions. Smile, pretend to be happy, pretend like the heart inside her chest isn't held together with tape. Go to school, laugh with her friends, come home to an empty house. She wishes it would just stop. That something would change. Anything.

[moon-ursidae]

SESSION #11: THE FINAL SESSION (also super fucking long holy shit)

spoilers for both tlou games and the HBO show below!!

we’re in the double digits and i’m essentially on the rat king’s doorstep shitting my fucking jorts begging for my mom lmao

as always, notes and ramblings of a madperson as i play are below!

total playtime: about 9 hours!

picking back up w abby in this hotel

surely nothing will go wrong

it’s only a hotel in a last of us game

i hate this

i fucking hate this

i hate being on my own

THE WAY I GENUINELY YELLED AT THE STALKER RUNNING BY THE DOOR

i fucking hate this building.

holy shit.

i’m yelling everytime one of them busts outta the walls

what the fuck

BLOATER???

AAAHHHHHH

i agree w lev:

“fuck this building”

hotels are just bad

I LOVE LEV

NOOOOOO NOT THE HOSPITAL PLEASE

NAAUURRRRR THE HOSPITAL

NO.

NO.

I DON’T WANT IT.

i feel ill

i feel physically ill

i’m so anxious

MISSOURI COIN WOOO

THESE TATTLETALE BITCHES

FUCK YA’LL

“wE rAdIoEd iSaAc” fuck you

thaaaat’s why she was in the cell earlier

NORA

“they’re rough.” UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE CENTURY

I DON’T WANT TO GO DOWN THERE MAN

GROUND ZERO FOR THE WHOLE CITY?????

i fucking hate this.

i hate it i hate it i hate it

WAIT SO IF THE GENERATOR DIDN’T TURN ON THIS FUCKER WOULDN’T HAVE WOKEN UP???????

i fucking hate it here.

this is the hotel basement of this game

i’m looking at the ambulance.

i don’t want to go in.

i feel physically fucking ill i’m so serious

i’m going fuck it

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I DID IT.

shit my pants but here we are!

LEV THANK GOD I MISSED YOU SO DEARLY

awe this is like the first game in pittsburgh!

they’re joel and ellie now :,)

LEV AND ALICE OH MY GOD😭😭

this is so sweet 🥺

OH MY GOOOOOD i wanna hug lev so hard

shaking the fucking shit out of this snowglobe is giving me more enjoyment than i have experienced in a while

owen makes me feel gross dude

like the mother to his child is in the same building where he’s like basically begging abby to go to santa barbara and be with him

LEV?!!!

JUST FUCKING LEFT?!!

“get your priorities straight.” TEEEAAAAA

KANSAS COIN

i can’t imagine climbing w one arm

god ocean so scary

i fucking hate it

oh shit gunfire

TOMMYYYYYY

HE’S A DAMN GOOD SHOT THAT’S WHAT’S UP

DAMN HE GOT MY ASS

SHOTGUN RIGHT IN THE HEAD DAMN

tommy’s fucking scary

i also hate playing as abby and going for the miller boys

this is 2 for 2 bro

NOOOOOO

MANNY WAS THE ONLY ONE I LIKED OF THE SALT LAKE CREW OTHER THAN ABBY

NOOOOOOO

YEAAAA TOMMY LET’S GO

i know he’s fine but i still got scared

this island is fuckin sick

literally my aesthetic i fucking love it goddamn

this shit is gonna be intense isn’t it?

STEALTH AGAINST PEOPLE I MISSED THIS HOLY SHIT

the sound design is so fucking good

the storm sounds so fuckin cool holy shit

god i love stealthing in the cornfield

LEV😭

i love him so much.

this is so fucking eerie holy shit

the storm sounds so fucking cool

omg they did the horse tactic like they did w ellie and dina earlier

YARA. I SWEAR TO GOD.

abby’s so real for beating the absolute fucking shit out of this guy

the way lev is telling her to get up😭

fuck isaac what a fucking bitch

ARE YOU JOKING???? THE WAY THEY ALL SHOT HER????

WAS IT NECESSARY TO EMPTY THEIR FUCKING CLIPS ON HER????? A CHILD???? THAT WAS ALREADY SHOT IN A LETHAL AREA????? FUCK THESE MOTHERFUCKERS

jesus christ.

“you’re my people!” 😭😭😭😭😭😭

god i’m really comin around to abby

STEALTH WOOOOOO

wait that was the first time abby killed wolves holy shit

damn

OH MY GOD??

THE ISLAND IS JUST ON FUCKING FIRE??

this looks fuckin cool

omg this is so crazy seraphites vs wolves

oh my god

OH MY GOD?!!!

RIDING THROUGH THIS LITERAL WAR ZONE???

HOLY FUCKING SHIT

the kids screaming :(

THIS IS INSANE

THIS BIG BITCH?!!

MY FUCKING BAG GODDAMNIT

THIS GUY WON’T QUIT

HE’S LIKE MICHAEL MEYERS JESUS CHRIST

can we get a near death experience counter for abby for the past 2 days in seattle bc holy fucking shit

holy fuck.

abby’s been through the fucking ringer holy fuck

ALICE :,(

fuck bro

abby just went through the entirety of the fucking seraphite island to come back to her friends dead oh my god

ellie i love ya but jesus fucking christ

the blood under the door :(

give laura bailey all the awards oh my god

oh my god the look in abby’s eyes

oh fuck ellie fight

oh god i hate this

i don’t wanna go after my girls :(

this feels so wrong to me. fuck

FUCK tommy’s talkin about how he got a necklace for maria rn and jesse and ellie are havin their lil bro talk FUUUUCK DUDE

i feel so conflicted bro

i’m gonna cry at hearing and seeing ellie again

THE WAY YOU COULD HEAR HER SAY JESSE BEHIND THE BAR :(((((

TOMMY?!!!!! HELLO?!!!!

i can’t do this man

i love ellie too much bro

i cannot

i’m also so terrified of her

THIS IS SO SCARY

THIS HURTS ME BRO

ELLIE’S FACE

AS I’M CHOKING HER

UUUUGGHHHHHH

SHE’S CRAFTING AND SETTING TRAPS HOLY FUCK

THIS IS SO SCARYYYYYYY

OH MY GOD BROKE ELLIE’S ARM?!!!

DINA?!!!!

I CANNOT DO THIS BRO

I KEEP PAUSING EVERY 5 SECONDS

MY GIRLS

MY TEAM JACKSON WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON

LEV SAYING ABBY AND THEN SHE STOPPED

THIS IS SO PARALLEL TO JOEL AND ELLIE IT’S LIKE W HENRY AND SAM WHERE JOEL WAS GONNA SHOOT HENRY BUT THEN PUT THE GUN DOWN AFTER ELLIE WAS LIKE “joel” FUUUUCK BRO

MY BABIES😭

the lighting tho

ellie’s in the red lighting and dina’s in the white light?? so good

THE HOUSE!!!!!

LOOKING AT JOEL’S WATCH😭😭😭😭

god jj looks so much like jesse holy fuck

THE MUSEUM PAMPHLET AND THE CASETTE FUCK OFF

THERE’S SCULPTURES AND STUFF FROM JOEL’S HOUSE

dina into embroidery slay

THE CHILD SPEAKS?!

this is gorgeous.

oh my god.

i have the goofiest lil smile on my face

they’re so domestic🥹

dancing in the kitchen😭

THE TEXAS MAGNET ON THE FRIDGE😭

is that joel’s fucking hat… on the scarecrow

THEY HAVE SHEEP OH MY FUCKING GOD JESUS CHRIST

GOOOODDDDDD this hits so much harder after the show

the flashback😭

the way he keeps screamin uuugh i’m cryinnnnng

dina trying to lighten the mood 😭

god i love them

this is ellie’s best outfit

oh god tommy

everyone’s so cozy please

like ellie please don’t leave this bro

i feel bad for tommy but at the same time i’m so pissed at him for bringin this to ellie

side note: ellie looks fucking great

guilt tripping her like bro

“what a joke.” fuck off actually

goddamnit ellie don’t go

fuuuck

THE GUITAR😭

I FORGOT ABOUT THIS FLASHBACK

I’M GONNA CRY

dina’s putting on a show for ellie bro

this is making my lil lgbt heart so happy

THIS IS WHAT ELLIE WAS JUST PLAYING ON GUITAR AHHHHHH

YESSSS LESBIANSSS WOOOOOO

JOELLLLLL

the way joel was absolutely watching ellie bc he hopped in so fucking fast😭

he looked so hurt and embarrassed after she said she doesn’t need his help😭

SHE’S WEARING HIS JACKET😭😭

poor dina bro goddamnit

this is so fucking sad bro

back to lev and abby wooooo

“you’re such a goober” CRYYYIIINNNGGG

abby sounds so soft🥺

LMAO “scooch” when lev couldn’t push the shelves

who’s on the radio?

no one apparently uh oh

THAT’S FUCKIN LIAM O’BRIEN AHHHHHH

oh damn the fireflies are buildin back up

OH FUCK AMBUSH

LEV JUST GOT FUCKIN DOMED BRO HOLY SHIT

omg that’s travis willingham!

she cares about lev so much dude :(

back to ellie!

i’m so concerned about them getting sunburnt

oh i’m about to READ ellie’s journal

i haven’t played as ellie in so fucking long holy shit i missed her

the one about her burying the 2 kids :(

abby’s notes to owen :(

LEV’S SHARK PLUSHIE AHHHHHHH

i’m not a beach person but this is gorgeous

god i’ve missed playing as ellie so much

CARD!!!! OH MY GOD

2 SHAMBLERS???

“i swear to god abby. if these infected killed you..” she’d be dead ellie

the revenge is eating you alive ellie you gotta stop bro

oh fuck the trap oh fuck oh shit oh fuck

OH FUCK STABBED BY THE TREE

if she loses her knife forever i’m gonna be so fucking upset

poor ellie bro :(

oh my god all the blood

god she’s so hooked on revenge holy shit

it’s travis willingham!

and logic!

LMAO i love ellie

fuck she’s hot

her smirk bc she fuckin knows she’s not gonna turn lmao

thank god she stitched herself up holy shit

ohhhh so these “rattlers” are basically hunters from the first game

roger roger

god i’ve missed placing traps

i get why my ellie was placing traps everywhere lmao

hooooly fuck that’s a shit ton of prisoners

i fully did not expect to finish this game tonight but here we are

oh shit from this note it seems like there may be people coming to attack the rattlers?

or that was the group that was just marched in…

fuck.

fuuuck bro they chain up infected people? goddamn

these people are fuckin crazy

there’s music playing?

i almost missed a fucking card holy shit

jesus christ there are so fucking many of them

is that matt mercer? the guy that told ellie where abby is? (update: it was!)

the way she keeps whispering abby to herself :(

god the fucking chaos of the prisoners escaping and fighting juxtaposed with the way ellie is walking in silence and in isolation

she’s really lookin worse for wear :(

holy shit it’s on fucking fire

holy fuck.

these people are fucking sadistic

lev on the pillar UUUGGHHHH

abby :(

god she looks awful :(

oh my god :(

they really are like joel and ellie and i think ellie’s starting to see that :(

i’m just thinking how the fuck did ellie make it back to the house

OH MY GOD THE BOAT FROM THE MENUUUUUUUUU

THEY WERE TELLING US THE WHOLE TIME

fuuuck that cut to joel on the ground :(

the way the score came in FUCK

this is so painful bc it’s so brutal

knife is the only weapon

the grunts and groans of pain bc their bodies are so weak

the emotion in the screaming

give these women every award holy fuck

HER FINGERS OH MY GOD NOOOO

oh my god.

this is fucking insane.

the cut to joel :(

fuck.

her worst fear came true

she’s alone

the house is so empty :(

she left all of ellie’s stuff😭

she can’t play guitar 😭

she’s not even singing the words fuuuck bro

i’m a goner

i’m gone

i’m already a teary mess

fuck i’m not ready for the porch scene

i’m not prepared

HE’S PLAYING HELPLESSLY HOPING

HOW MANY NIGHTS WAS HE HELPLESSLY HOPING THAT ELLIE WOULD FUCKING FORGIVE HIM UUUUGGHHHHHHHH

the way he wants to defend himself as to why he’s being so protective but he know that it would piss her off more so he just says “okay.”😭

he wants to know more about what’s going on bc clearly they’re not as close so he’s taking what he can get😭😭

he’s trying so hard to extend branches bro

i’m a sobbing mess

“my life would have fucking mattered” ELLIE YOU ALREADY MATTERED BEFORE BABES AND JOEL SAW THAT AND HE RECOGNIZED THAT AND HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A CHANCE IT REALLY WOULD NOT HAVE MATTERED SO HE DECIDED TO SAVE HIS WORLD AND MAKE IT TO WHERE HE KNEW YOU WOULD HAVE A LIFE WHERE YOUR LIFE DID MATTER ELLIE GODDAMNIT

AND HE WOULD FUCKING DO IT AGAIN

OVER AND OVER

EVERY TIME HE WOULD CHOOSE YOU ELLIE

FUUUUCK

his shaky breath after she said she doesn’t think she could forgive him😭

and the one after she says she’d like to try😭

THE SHAKY “yep.” PLEASE😭

god and now her leaving the guitar by THE window

signifying how she’s ready to start moving on and really healing from his death. god.

and the final shot being through the window, the guitar in the foreground and ellie walking away in the background. UUUGH.

oh my god.

what a fucking game. holy shit.

i’m a goddamn mess. it’s 6am. i need a cigarette and a drink. holy fucking shit.

that was fucking crazy and so good and so scary and so beautiful

goddamn

i cannot put coherent thoughts together bc i can barely see my fucking phone screen

i genuinely did not think that i would play this game or finish it but holy fuck i’m so glad i did

such amazing storytelling in these games.

goddamn.

everyone at naughty dog that worked on this game deserves so many awards goddamn.

WAYFARING STRANGER FINISHING THE CREDITS RRRAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

the boat.

oh my god.

fucking amazing game.

i need time to recover.

i’m gonna go cry and listen to and make playlists :,)